murdering-piece HAMLET, iv. 5. 92.
“A murdering-piece
or murderer was a small piece of artillery; in
Fr. meurtrière. It took its name from
the loopholes and embrasures in towers and fortifications, which were so called. The
portholes in the forecastle of a ship were also thus denominated. ‘Meurtriere, c'est un petit canonniere, comme celles des
tours et murailles, ainsi appellé, parceque tirant par icelle a desceu, ceux
ausquels on tire sont facilement meurtri.’ Nicot.
‘Visiere meurtriere, a port-hole for a murthering-piece in the forecastle of a ship.’ Cotgrave. Case-shot, filled with small bullets, nails,
old iron, etc., was often used in these murderers. This accounts for the raking fire attributed to them in the
text”
(SINGER)
. Cotgrave has also“Meurtrieres. Holes (in that part of a rampire that hangs ouer the gate) whereat the
assailed let fall stones on the heads of theer too neere approaching
aduersarie.”Murdering-pieces, if we may trust Coles, were not always“small;” for he gives “A Murdering-piece, Tormentum
murale,” and afterwards
“Tormentum murale, a great
gun.”
Lat. and Engl. Dict.