ARMS, Arma, in law, are extended to any thing which a man takes in his hand in his wrath, to cast at, or strike another.
By the common law, it is an offence for persons to go or ride armed with dangerous weapons: but gentlemen may wear common armour, according to their quality, &c. 3d Inst. The king may prohibit force of arms, and punish offenders according to law; and herein every subject is bound to be aiding. Stat. 7. Edw. I. None shall come with force and arms before the king's justices, nor ride armed in affray of the peace, on pain to forfeit their armour, and to suffer imprisonment, &c. 2d Ed. III. c. 3.
The importation of arms and ammunition are prohibited by 1 Jac. II. c. 8. and by 1 W. and M. stat. 2. c. 2. Protestant subjects may have arms for their defence. So likewise arms, &c. shipped after prohibition, are forfeited. by 29 Geo. I. c. 16. sec. 2.
Arms of offence in use among us at present are, the sword, pistol, musket, bayonet, pike, &c.
The arms of the Highlanders are, the broad sword, target, poniard, and whinnyar or durk, &c.—There are several acts of parliament for disarming the Highlanders; see 1 Geo. I. c. 54.; 11 Geo. I. c. 26.; 19 Geo. II. c. 39.; 21 Geo. II. c. 34.; 26 Geo. II. c. 22. and 29.
Fire-arms are those charged with powder and ball: such are cannon, mortars, and other ordnance; muskets, carbines, pistols, and even bombs, granadoes, carcasses, &c. In the History of the Royal Academy for the year 1707, we have an account of some experiments made with fire-arms differently loaded, by M. Cassini. Among other things he observes, that by loading the piece with a ball which is somewhat less than the calibre, and only laying a little gunpowder below the ball and a good deal above it, it will yield a vehement noise, but have no sensible effect or impulse on the ball.—This he takes to have been all the secret of those people who pretended to sell the art of rendering one's self invulnerable, or shot-proof.
Arms, past of, was a kind of combat in use among the ancient cavaliers.
Arms, stand of. A stand of arms signifies a musket, a bayonet, a sword, belt, and cartridge-box.
Arms of parade, or courtesy, were those used in the ancient jousts and tournaments; which were commonly unsheathed lances, swords without edge or point, wooden swords, and even canes.