I was recently reflecting on verbs describing the use of projectile weapons while watching this clip portraying the Battle of Sanada Maru (1614 CE), noting that early firearms usage in Japan was described with the verb "to release", rather than "to fire", and it got me wondering when exactly we made that transition in English, if we did at all.

When did we start saying "fire" in the context of ranged weapons, and most of interest: when did we start using it as a command? Was "shoot" or "release" used more frequently prior to the advent of gunpowder in the English-speaking world? I've seen some sentiment that "fire" came about as a way of describing the lighting of fuses of cannon and early muzzle-loaded infantry arms, but have yet to see supporting sources.

Thanks!