Queen Elizabeth's Pocket Pistol

[1] The gun was presented to Henry VIII by Maximiliaan van Egmond, Count of Buren and Stadtholder of Friesland, as a gift for his young daughter Elizabeth.

[3] There is also a Tudor coat of arms which includes a verse in Dutch, which translates in English as Break, tear every wall and rampart, Am I called, Across mountain and valley, pierces my ball, By me stricken.

[4] Before the English Civil War it guarded the cliffs of Dover[5] and propaganda of the time claimed it could fire a 12 lb (5.44 kg) ball seven miles.

Some even said its shot could reach France if the gun was properly maintained[6] though this is an exaggeration; tests done in the 1970s with similar basilisks have a more realistic range of 1200 yards with a 10 lb (4.54 kg) ball.

[2] In 1644 King Charles I's forces in Cornwall reported capturing from the Earl of Essex '49 Peeces of faire Brasse Ordnance (taken then and the day before) among which was the great Basilisco of Dover ...'.