The Arte of shooting in great Ordnaunce Contayning very necessary matters for all sortes of Seruitoures eyther by Sea or by Lande Written by William Bourne CANTABO IEHOVAE QVIA BENEFECIT MIHI Imprinted at London for Thomas Woodcocke 1587. ⧠TO THE RIGHT honorable Lord Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwick Baron of Lisle of the most noble order of the Garter Knight Generall of the Queenes Maiesties Ordnaunce within her highnesse Realme and Dominions and one of her Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsell William Bourne wisheth long life increase of Honor with al happy successe RIght woorthie and Noble Earle whereas I before this time haue writtē sundry simple Treatises whereof two of thē are extant in print thone called the Regiment of the Sea and the other the Treasure for Trauellers and now also this barbarous and rude thing called the Art of shooting in great Ordnaunce and as it is most cōmonly seen that euery person doth most cōmonly cōmend that thing wherein he is most expert and therefore some there are that doe most extoll Diuinitie and great reason it is that it should be so for that it teacheth vs both to know God and to instruct others also othersome doe most preferre Philosophie othersome the Lawe with such like as they are most delighted in Also other there are that doe not onely extoll them but wil make arguments and dispute whether of them are most commendable and most worthie to be preferred aboue the other There are also that after long disputation doe not onely assigne euery Science his seuerall laude and praise but also discourse whether of them are most necessarie for a common wealth And I am of that opinion and that no man can denie but that the Arte of shooting in great Ordnaunce is necessarie to be aduaunced for the defence and mainteynance of a Kingdome and countrey and the common wealth thereof Wherefore Right honorable being as one extraordinarily bolde I present the same vnto you for that I knowe your Lordshippe can truely descerne and iudge in these causes as one whose wisedome is not vnknowne hoping that your Honour will take this simple worke as my good will rather than the valour of the thing or the finenesse of the penning of the matter And thus I cease to trouble your Honorable Lordship any longer at this time desiring you to accepte this simple Booke at the handes of a poore Gunner as a true token of my good will towardes your Honour desiring God to prosper your Honor in all your doings in perfect health By your Honours humbly at commaundement William Bourne The Preface to the Reader GEntle Reader it is possible that you would maruel that I should write this booke called the Art of shooting in great Ordnance for two great causes the one is this first for that I haue not seene to most peoples iudgement so great experience in these affayres whereby you may thinke that I haue not knowledge sufficient to be a teacher in these matters And the second cause is this for that my order of teaching is contrary vnto all that haue taken vpon them to be teachers or instructers in these matters or affaires before time Therefore for to shew vnto you the cause that hath moued me to write this rude volūe is this for that we English men haue not beene counted but of late daies to become good Gunners and the principall point that hath caused English men to be counted good Gunners hath been for that they are hardie or without fear about their ordnance but for the knowledg in it other nations and countries haue tasted better therof as the Italians French and Spaniardes for that English men haue had but little instructions but that they haue learned of the Doutchmen or Flemings in the time of King Henry the eight And the chiefest cause that English men are thought to be good Gunners is this for that they are handsome about their Ordnance in ships on the Sea c. And furthermore I doe thinke it good to shewe vnto you three great causes besides diuers other small causes that the thing that hath letted or hindred English men to become cunning in the shooting of great Ordinance although diuers prooues haue beene made at sundrie times and Ordnance hath beene had into the fielde both in maister Bromefields time whē that he was Liefetenāt of the Ordnance at diuers times since and yet those prooues that haue beene made then were no proofes but to cause those Gunners that did see the experience of those profes to committe a further errour as touching the shooting in great Ordnance and the reason therof is this the first principal cause is that they did make their proofe with a Quadrant and so it ought to be that is to say the fourth parte of a Circle deuided into 90. equall partes which some simple Gunners will call a Triangle but there is no instrument so called but onely a Quadrant and the original of the making thereof is the fourth part of a Circle deuided into 90. equall partes what forme so euer that it hath And now the principal vse of the quadrant is to know what any peece will cast at the mount of euerie Degree and so from degree vnto degree vnto the best of the Rander And the cause that hath made the Gunners to commit error by the mounting of the peeces by the degree of the Quadrant hath beene this although that it be true that such a peece will cast the shot so many scores at the mount of so many degrees and yet whē that they haue made proofe therof they haue foūd it meere false yet the thing most true although somtime the shot hath flien a great deale further and sometime much shorter which causes were no other thing but the highnes or the lownes of the ground for that there is seldome any ground that you shall find leuell but it will be higher or lower then the ground that the peece standeth vpon as I doe more at large declare in the thirtenth chapter of the booke and yet in the time of seruice there is no vsing of the Quadrant but in some cases and then take a great large one for in a small you may soone commit errour And furthermore I doe know diuers that will haue instruments and yet be vtterlie voide of the vses of them for it is the reason of the person in the doing of any thing and not the instrumentes for in the doing of any thing if the person doth not consider of all thinges with him and against him he or they be apt to commit errour c. The second great cause is this in the vsing to giue leuell with a rule set out in inche partes but vnto this they cannot order it nor giue it no Method to know what any peece wil doe at any number of inches aduantage for the peeces doe differ in casting according vnto their lengths as I doe further shew in the booke Wherefore the
vse of the inche rule according as they doe vse it is to no other purpose but onely to seeke out what numbers of inches will reach the marke and that being knowne then to keepe the length of the marke with that peece And the necessariest thing that this kind of giuing of leuell in the time of seruice as being in a Castell Forte or Towne or such like the Gunner hauing charge of any peece is to beate al those markes that be apte to doe any seruice at and to know how manie inches will reach any marke c. but to become a cunning Gunner he shall neuer be although he should shoote 100. shottes euerie day through a yeere for that he neuer doth know by that meanes the distance of any marke but in euerie peece he must make a new proofe if that the peece be remoued or chaunged from that place Wherefore I haue made a table shewing how many inches and what part of an inch will make a degree and so vnto ten degrees whereby you may make a Methode to hit the length of the marke in anie peece at the first shot as it doth appeare in the eight chapter of the booke if so be that there were a true and exact table of proportion of the casting of the peece at the mount of euerie degree but I haue not had so greate proofe but that I may bee deceiued for I haue no other proofe but at my owne charges and my abilitie is able to doe nothing to make any proofe in those causes The third great cause is this I do know few Gunners yea none at all in respect that hath anie capacitie to know the distance vnto anie marke assigned if that the marke be such that they can not come vnto it directly by land and yet there be verie true and exact wayes to know the distance vnto anie marke assigned howsoeuer the thing is if that it may be seene by Geometrie perspectiue and the lacke therof amongst Gunners is the principallest point that doth deceiue thē so that these three things doe vtterly deceiue most men the first is this the height or lownes of the ground the second the length of the peece and the third not knowing the distance vnto the marke for their reason in these causes that they doe suppose can doe nothing that is to say to finde the distance vnto anie marke assigned by looking vpon the ground and that neuer can shew vnto them the distance vnto the marke but yet must be knowen either by the Scale or crosse staffe or else it must be knowen by the lines of Position which is shewed in a booke of mine that is extant in Print called the Treasure for Trauelers and also in a booke set forth by master Thomas Digges called Pantometria wher in those two bookes you shall finde meanes and waies both how to finde the true distance vnto the marke and also how much that the marke is hier ground or lower ground then the place that you are vpon and also the length of the line Hipothenusall whether it bee vppe the hill or downe the hill which is verie necessarie and profitable for all them that will vse to shoote in great Ordnance for to know as all Gunners Captaines and Leaders of men c. And now friendly Reader it is possible that some people will dislike of me for that I haue written this booke some of them for that they doe thinke that they haue better knowledge in those matters then I and other some perhaps may be offended for that they would not haue the thing knowen but amongst thēselues and othersome possible will be offended with me that are Gunners that are altogether without any knowledg in those causes that wold not haue their ignorāce knowen So by these meanes I am assured that I shal purchase a great number of enemies as I do know that I haue alreadie caused sundry people to enuie me as some Sea men do mislike of me for writing of my booke called the Regiment for the Sea and othersome of late are offended with me for the writing and setting forth of my booke called the Treasure for Trauelers but notwithstanding I doe see that it is needfull to be knowen vnto a number of them that be Gunners waying and considering with my selfe what a number there bee that will take vpon them to be Gunners yea and that maister Gunners that are not sufficient nor capable in those causes but are in respect altogether ignorant standing vpon no other thing but their antiquitie that they haue serued as Gunners so long time Wherefore I doe thinke it very necessarie for them to haue some good instructions but as farre as I can see euerie man maketh curtesie to doe the common wealth of our Realme of Englande any good therein and as far as I can perceiue that no people may better pleasure the common wealth in the time of seruice either by Sea or Land then may good Gunners against the face of our enimies for the Realme of England hath a great number of enimies for as we haue seene by daily experience that the Queenes progenitours aforetime were neuer long without warres yet we haue a most gratious and louing Prince raigning ouer vs which doth alw aies studie for peace and tranquillitie God graunt of his mercie that she may liue long and raigne ouer vs. Amen Yet nothwithstanding it is good for vs to studie in the time of peace how to defend our selues in the time of warres troubles as generally we prouide in haruest for to liue in the winter And for that cause haue I written this little treatise not to the intent to teach thē that be cūning but to giue instructiōs vnto thē that be of the simplest sorte c. Wherfore Gentle Reader beare with my rudenes for that I am so bold to be the first English man that put foorth any booke as touching these causes and it is possible that there be a number would looke that I shoulde haue giuen them place for that they are more worthy and skilfuller in these causes thinking that I am to simple for they doe not consider how that God doth giue his giftes as we see daily he giueth vnto one man riches and another man pouertie and one man to be a ruler and an other to be inferior one man wise prudent and an other ignorant one man beautifull and an other deformed one mā of a tall stature an other of a low stature one man strong and lustie and an other weake lame although that they be of one consanguinitie linitie or kindred such is the maruelous workes of God Wherefore men are not to be measured by elles but vy vertue for God is not partiall in his giftes for hee hath shed his most precious blood for the redemption of all mankind so that afore him all are one for we are all his creatures and the sheepe of his pasture and the workes of his handes
is for to hold the pouder to the inteÌ„t to put it into the peece and the â…– parts be put away to be open to turne the pouder into the peece And now furthermore for the lenght of the plate of the ladell heere is one thinge to be noted that euery nine balles or shot being layde close together and the plate being bent and cut off that breeadth before rehearsed and the plate in length to be cut off that number of ynches that the nine shottes dothe reache and that plate being equally filled with Sarpentine pouder wyll holde the iust weyghte in pouder that the shotte weyeth Therefore for the length of the plate of the Ladell thus you must vse it as followeth For to make a Ladell for a double Canon and the peece weying generally more or lesse 7000. or 8000. and the shott weying within little more or lesse 64. pounde that is but little more than one hundred of mettall vnto one pounde weyght of the shot therfore this peece may lack â…“ part of the weyght in pouder that the shot weyeth therefore they must cut the plate of the Ladell but. 3. times the length of the shot in ynches and partes of ynches and this Ladel twice equally filled shall be the dutie of the peece Then for to make a Ladel for a Demy Canon as the peece in mettall weyeth generally more or lesse 5000 or 5700. and the shotte weyeth more or lesse 34. pounde whiche is about an hundred and a halfe of mettall vnto one pounde weighte of the shotte therefore you must cutte the plate of the Ladell three shots or balles and a halfe high or 4. shots or balles high In ynches and partes of ynches according vnto the fortifying of the peece with the mettall and the Ladell twice equally filled to be the dutie of the peece And for to make a ladell for a double Culuering those peeces being double fortified with mettall and the peece waying generally more or lesse foure thousande or foure thousande eyght hundred and the shotte waying more or lesse 17. pounds that is about three hundred weight of mettall vnto one pounde weight of shotte Therefore you must cut the plate of the ladell in length about the height of fiue shotte or balles in ynches and partes this ladell being twice equally filled shall be the dutie of the peece And in like manner the demy Culuering and FalcoÌ„s and Falckonets be double fortifyed with metall therefore you must mak their ladell in length fiue shottes or balles in ynches or partes and that ladell twice equally filled shal be the dutie of the peece And furthermore some Sakars and Minions haue but two hundred weigth of mettall vnto one pounde weight of the shotte therefore you must cut the plate of the ladell in length but of foure shottes or balles a halfe high and that ladell twice equally filled shall be the dutie of the peece And furthermore now of late yeares they haue deuised a more stronger sorte of pouder and not without good cause why for the base pouder is not so good if that it should come vnto seruice as corne pouder or any other pouder is that hath receipt ynough and well wrought for the base pouder dothe heate and streyne the peece more than the good pouder doth for if it be rammed in hard theÌ„ because it is not so quicke in y e fiering it lyeth and bloweth in the breech of the peece before it can take fire so by that meanes it heateth and streineth the peece and halfe of the force of the pouder is gone before y e shotte be deliuered and then they must vse batement for to saue the peece Nowe whereas they shoote good pouder or cornepouder they take much lesse pouder and it sendeth the shotte quicker awaye and it dothe not heate the peece so fast for this we doe see by common experience that a little heat by long continuance doth heat more than a great heat by little continuance And furthermore in the shooting of good pouder they shall not shew theÌ„selues so often vnto their enemies And especially the pouder woulde be put in cartredges for in mine opinion it is a greate deale better for to charge a peace in time of seruice with a Cartredge than with a Ladell for diuers considerations as I doe more at large declarein the sixth Chapter And furthermore for to charge a peece w t corne-pouder or any other good pouder for the most parte therof two pounde will goe as farre as three pound of SerpeÌ„tine pouder As for example that double Culuering that requireth eyghteeÌ„e pounde of Serpentine pouder twelue pounde of reasonable corne pouder will serue according to the goodnes of the making of the pouder And furthermore vpon good considerations for diuers causes and especially for the Queenes Nauie they haue deuised to make their Ordnaunce shorter than the accustomed manner and so by that meanes they are lighter than the peeces before time made and yet as seruiceable as the longer in some points shooting that weight in pouder and y e shotte that the heauier doth in all poyntes as the other for that mettall that is taken from the length of the peece hurteth not the fortifiyng of the peece And as for the making of the Cartredges for any peece it is easie ynough to be done for the compasse of the shotte and the length of the Ladel shall â—ule that matter well ynough Nowe shall followe a rule to know the weyghte of the yron shotte by the height of the shotte A Table to knowe the weight of yron shotte A Shot of 2. ynches high doth wey 1. lb. 1. ounce ¾ A shot of 2. ynches ¼ high doth wey 1. lb. 9. ouÌ„ces â…“ A shot of 2. ynches d. high doth wey 2. lb. 2. ounces A shot 2. inches 3. quar high doth wey 2. lb. 14. ouÌ„ces A shot 3. ynches high doth wey 3. lb. 12. ounces A shot 3. inches a quar high doth wey 4. lb. 12. ouÌ„ces A shot 3. ynches d. high doth wey 6. lb. lacke 1. ounce A shot 3. ynches 3. quar high doth wey 7. lb. 5. ouÌ„ces A shot 4. ynches high doth wey 8. lb. 15. ounces A shot 4. inches a qua high doth wey 10. lb. 10. ouÌ„ces A shot 4. ynches d. high doth wey 12. lb. 10. ounces A shot 4. inches 3. qua high doth wey 14. lb. 14. ouÌ„ces A shot 5. ynches high doth wey 17. lb. 5. ouÌ„ces A shot 5. ynches a quar high doth wey 20 lb. 1. ounce A shot 5. ynches d. high doth wey 23. lb. 2. ounces A shot 5. inches 3. quar high doth wey 26. lb. 6. ouÌ„ces A shot 6. ynches high doth wey 30. pound A shot 6. ynches a quarter high doth wey 34. pound A shot 6. inches d high doth wey 38. pound A shot 6. inches three quar high doth wey 42. pouÌ„d A shot 7. ynches high doth wey 48. pound A shot 7. ynches a quarter high doth wey 53. pound A shot 7.
case can not lightly shoote a shippe vnder water neither betweene the wind and the water where that it is not on the Sea and especially if the Ship be at hand for that she lyeth leuell for looke how high that the peece is aboue the Sea so high shall the shotte hitte any thing aboue the water as farre as the peece can cast vppon the right line And for to make a shotte out of a Galley vnto a Shippe for to strike him vnder the water or betweene the wind and the water First waight the Sippe lying in the trough of the Sea when she doth begin to rise vppon the Sea and then in lyke manner when you do see that the Galleys head doth beginne to descende then giue fire vnto the peece and you shall make a perfite shotte Furthermore if the Galley be in fight with another Shyppe in a calme then the Shyppe will skant waue or stirre and then the Galley may play off and on at hir pleasure and then to make a shotte at hande is some matter for in a calme the Shyppes doe neither ryse nor fall but a little in comparison of any thing to the purpose neyther dothe the Galleys head either heaue nor set to any purpose if the Shippe be at hand to the intent or purpose to shoote a Shippe vnder the watter Therefore when you meane to strike a Shippe vnder the water with a Galley and dare not lay them aboorde then koyle your Cabels forwards with the trimming forwarde of your waightie geare into the Galleys head so lowe till it shall serue your turne by bringing also your men forwardes then by y e Steeradge with your Ores or with your Helme you may shoote against what part of the Shippe you will and so shoote hir vnder water at your pleasure CHAPTER 16. In what order to place Ordnaunce in Shippes ANd furthermore I do think it conueniente to shew you how to fit or place Ordnaunce in any Shippe this is to be considered first that y e cariag be made in such shot that y e peece may lie right in the middle of the port that the trockes or wheeles be not too hygh for if y e treckes be too high then it will keepe the cariage that it will not goe close vnto the Shippes side and by that meanes the peece will not scant go out of the porte excepte that the peece be of some reasonable length and also if that the Shyppe doe holde that waye the Trockes will alwayes rūne close to the Shyppes side so that if you haue any occasion to make a shotte you shall not bring the Trockes off from the Shyppes side but that it will rūne too again And the wheele or Trocke beyng very hygh it is not a small thinge vnder a Trocke wyll stay it but that it may runne ouer it c. And also if that the Trocke be hygh it wyll cause the peece to haue the greater reuerse or recoyle therefore the lower that the wheeles or Trockes be it is the better and so forth Alwayes prouided that the peece bee placed in the verye middle of the porte that is to saye that the peece lying leuell at poynte blancke and the Shyppe to bee vprighte wythout anye helding that it be as many inches from the lower syde of the porte beneath as it is vnto the vpper part aboue iustely And the deeper or hygher that y e portes bee vp and downe it is the better to make a shot for the heldyng of the Shyppe whether that it bee the lec syde or the weather syde of the Shyppe for if you haue anye occasyon to shoote eyther for wardes or backwards the steeradge of the Shyppe wyll serue the turne but if that the Shyppe dothe heelde muche then if that the peece bee lette by the lower parte of the porte then you muste needes shoote ouer the marke and if it bee lette by the vpper syde of the porte then you shall shoote shorte of the marke c. Wherefore when that the Carpenters dothe cutte out anye portes in a Shippe then lette them cutte them out deepe ynough vppe and downe c. And also it is verye euyll for to haue the Orloppe or Decke too lowe vnder the porte for then the carriage muste bee made verye hygh and that is verye euill in dyuers respectes for then in the shootyng off the peece it is apte to ouerthrowe and also by the labouring and the seelyng of the Shyppe and so foorth And furthermore you muste haue a consyderation for the fytting of youre Ordnaunce in the Shippes as thys the shorter Ordnaunce is beste to bee placed out at the Shippes syde for two or three causes as this Fyrste for the ease of the Shyppe for theyr shortenesse they are the lyghter and also if that the Shyppes shoulde heelde wyth the bearyng of a Sayle that you muste shutte the portes especially if that the Ordnaunce bee vppon the lower Orloppe and then the shorter peece is the easyer to bee taken in both for the shortenesse and the weyght also In lyke manner the shorter that the peece lyeth oute of the shyppes syde the lesse it shall annoy them in the tacklyng of the Shyppes Sayles for if that the peece doe lye verye farre oute of the Shyppes syde then the Sheetes and Tackes or the Bolynes wyll alwayes bee foule of the Ordnaunce whereby it maye muche annoy them in foule weather and so foorth And it is verye good for you to haue long Ordnaūce to bee placed righte oute of the Sterne of the Shyppe for two causes the one is this The peece muste lye verye farre oute of the porte or else in the shooting it may blowe vp the Counter of the Shyppes sterne And also the peece had neede be very large for else it will not go very farre out for the worke of a ships sterne hangeth very farre outwards from the decke or Orloppe vp to the port so that the carriage may be close belowe but not aloft c. And also if you haue any chasing peeces to shoote right forwardes then they must bee long Oronaunce in like manner so that you must fitte your Ordnaunce according vnto the place that it must lye in and also as is before rehearsed that it is not good for to haue the mountance or carredge to high Therefore if that the Orloppe or decke bee too lowe vnder the porte then it is good for you to make a platforme vnder the port that the trockes of the carredge may stand vpon And also when you doe take the measure of the porte from the decke or Orloppe to the end to fitte the mountance or carredge in height that the peece may lye right in the middle of the porte then you viewing the decke or Orlop and considering what height you will haue the wheele or Trocke and also marke whether or how that the Ships side doth hang inwards or outwards and also the Cambring of the decke or Orloppe and then you
perceiuing where the formost trockes doth or must stande when that the carredge doth go close to the porte Then where as the very middle of the foremost trockes dothe stande there take the true measure in heygth from the Decke or Orloppe vpwards and so shall you knowe iustly howe many ynches will laye the peece righte in the very middle of the porte for if you doe take the measure of the heygth of the porte from the porte downe vnto the Decke or Orloppe then by the meanes of the Cambering the Decke or Orloppe and also the wheeles or Trockes doth not come to stand right vnder the porte so by that meanes the Decke or Orlop is higher inwards and that shal cause you to make the mountance or carriage too high for that the wheeles or Trockes that the carriage lyeth vpon shall be a foote more or lesse into the Shipwards and then looke into the Cambering of the Decke or Orloppe that it riseth inwardes more than it is righte vnder the Porte you shall take the measure so much too high for the peece to lay her right in the middle of the Porte c. CHAPTER 17. How to shoot at a moueable mark vpon the lande and also what kind of shotte is the best to be vsed according vnto the cause c. ANd furthermore to shoote at any moueable marke vpō the land either at Horsemen or at footmen when you do see thē comming then place your Ordnance vpon some marke in their way as right vpon some bush or any other marke that is in the high way that they must come by or most specially at some place where there is a turning for in a turning there they doe tarrie longest before they be altered frō the marke and then it is best shooting off your Ordnaunce to do any spoyle and also vpon the land you may try what any peece will do at any marke as touching the keeping of the length of the marke c. And furthermore as touching this to knowe what kind of shotte is most meetest to bee vsed to doe seruice in a field or otherwise with their great Ordnaunce as Cannons or Culuerings at a great distance to shoote the whole yron shot as you doe at battery as they doe aproch neere then to shoote Faucon shotte and as they doe come neerer Faconershotte or smal base shotte and at hand all manner of spoyling shot as chayne shotte or cliue shot and discshot and such other like c. CHAPTER 18. How you shal knowe if any peece of Ordnaunce bee sufficiently mettalled and also the cause that the Cannons doe not occupie the weight in Pouder that the shotte vveieth FOr to knowe whether that any peece of Ordnaunce bee sufficiently metalled to beare her charge with Pouder then this is generall that in the chamber before the tutchhole so farre as the Pouder doth reach to y e mouthwards that the mettall be in thicknesse as high as the shot round about the sides of the peece and somewhat thicker and if that the mettal be not in thicknesse as much as the height of the shotte then she is too slenderly mettalled c. And furthermore the cause why the Cannons and other great Ordnaunce doth not shoote so much Pouder in weight as the shotte weieth although that the rule and order of the founders of Ordnaunce is to cast the thicknes of the mettall as much as the shotte is in height of al sorts of peeces as wel in Cannons as in al other sortes of peeces and yet the Cannon maye not haue the weight in Pouder that the shotte weyeth as all small Ordnaunce hath And furthermore the cause thereof groweth by this meanes for in the doubling the thicknesse of the mettall of the peece it doth but increase as a platforme or superficiall that is for double measure to be foure times the quantitie And as for the shotte in the doubling of the measure it is eight times the quantitie and so it is in all bodies as Cubes or Globes and such other like as I do more at large declare in the third part of my booke called A treasure for Trauellers And yet you shall haue this example here by a shotte of three ynches high and that shot wayeth three pound three quarters the peece being a Minion and the metall is three ynches thick And now I haue another peece that the shotte is double the height that is sixe ynches high and the shotte will wey thirtye pounde and now the mettall being double is but sixe ynches thicke and the bigger shotte is eyght times the bignesse of the lesser and the measure but double yet notwithstanding the diuersitie is not so much as it seemeth for if that both the peeces were cast of one length and double in measure in compasse in all places then the bigger peece should wey foure times the weight of the lesser And this is the cause that the Cannons must not haue the weight in pouder that the shotte wayeth for the weight of the peece and the weight of the shotte must rule the matter as I doe plainely she we in the third Chapter of this booke going before CHAPTER 19. In what order you shall giue leuell with your Ordnaunce at a batterie to beate downe the walles of any place and also what to obserue in the giuing fire vnto them AS I doe think it is not vnmeet to shew by what order you shall giue your leuel and shoote off your Ordnaunce at a Bat terie that is to saie to beate downe or shake downe the walles of any Towne or fortresse for y e beating them down in the giuing of your leuell and shooting them off do this after that you haue plāted your Ordnaunce eyther in two places or in three places as the place doth require but in my opiniō two places is sufficiēt vnto one place to beat it downe to the intent to make a breach and if it be vnto a Collion point then it is best to place your battrey but into two partes and otherwise as the place doth require then in giuing of leuel do this First wheras you do mean to beginne to make the breach and being but at one place of your Ordnaunce giue leuell with one peece belowe at the bottome of the wall and with the next peece a foote higher right ouer that and with the third right a fote ouer that and so foorth vnto euery peece at that part of y e battery sauing you neede not giue the leuell vnto no peece more than three quarters the heygth of the wall and then in like maner giue your leuell with your peeces at the other parte of youre battrie vnto that place that the other part was layd right against within a fadome or more at youre discretion as the place requireth so that the one place may flancke or beate against the other crossing in the middle of the wall and when you doe meane to shoote them off then giue
peeces of artillerie and placed the chiefest betweene the two pinnes and vnto those two pinnes they made a line fast vnto them both close vnto the ground and then they placed vpon the one side one of the peeces and the other peece vpon the other side as this First they measured out tenne foote from the formoste pinne iust vpon the one side making a perfit square angle and then in like maner they measured out 10. fote more at the hindermost pinne so that those two pinnes stode iust 20. fote asunder so placed the peece betweene those two pinnes nowe for that they must shoote all three peeces vnto one place where the flākers lay for that the peeces did lye 10 foot asunder therefore they remoued the hindermost pinnes of both y e sides 4. inches so that there was 10. fote distāce 4. inches the cause was this for that the marke was 10. skore off from the place where the peeces lay and the peeces lay iust from the middle vnto the middel tenne foote asunder and the line vnderneath the peece was iust twentie foote long and there is thirtie tymes the length of the lyne vnderneath the peece vnto the marke and thirtye inches maketh two foot and a halfe and foure times two foote and a halfe maketh tenne foote so that the hyndermost pinne beyng remoued foure ynches further off must needes lay that line iust vpon the marke that the middlemost lyeth vpon without any faile and in this order the one peece was placed on the one side and the other peece on the other syde and nowe those peeces beeing charged firste they plome the mouth of the peeces righte vppon the lyne and then in like manner the breeche or tayle righte vppon the lyne and then they tooke theyr Quadrante and putte the rule into the mouth of the peece and koyned the breeche of the peece till the plommet line fell at two degrees and a halfe iust for that the Athiley day dyd shewe vnto them on the Astrolobe and they shooting off those peeces they made a perfite shotte at the place appoynted and thus they charged and shotte all the nyght and then before day when they hadde serued their turne they conueyed their Ordnaunce from that place for feare of being beaten away from them when it was day light And furthermore by that meanes in like manner they may place their Ordnaunce in the night out of a Towne to annoye their enimies as they may or can by no deuice or practise but by industry or policie they may be preuēted by practise and especially if that he doe knowe what the enimie doth meane for to doe for this wee doe see many times in warres that policie doth preuayle as oftentimes as greate and huge armies of menne of greate strength hauing all kinde of engines for that purpose for euen as it pleaseth God so goeth the victorie although it commeth by a naturall cause and that naturall cause that I speake of is knoweledge and industrie in those affaires CHAPTER 26. How to keepe a Hauen or Riuer on the Sea coast for to sincke a Shippe as well by night as by day in all pointes NOw for the keeping of a Hauen or Ryuer there maye be suche meanes or wayes vsed by industrie that you maye keepe a Hauen or Riuer in this sorte so that there may no Shippe passe neither by night nor by daye but that hee shall be sunke or else he escapeth very hardly although y e nighte be neuer so darke so that the night be not Foggy or Mistie so that the Hauen or Riuer be not aboue a mile broad or ouer as this First if the entraunce of the Riuer be therefore to haue a watche there then as soone as the watch doth perceiue thē and their number then they must haue a watchtoken and that must be a light or lights vn to the Castell or Bulwarkes and then the watchtokens beeing so agreed vpon that the Castels or Bulwarkes may know y e number of the Shippes by the forme of the lights of the Castels or Bulwarkes if that they be on the one side the other on the other sid thē at certaine knowē places appointed for that purpose and at a certaine distance from the Castels or Bulwarkes towards the Sea wardes each of thē for to carrie a light thither to place the lightes as neere the water as may bee and if that it chanceth so that ther is but one Castell or bulwarke and none vppon the other side then they hauing a bote or Skiffe or any other craft they may rowe ouer the water and place their Lightes in that knowen place appoynted and then afore nighte that place beeing alwayes knowen vnto them they may place their Ordnaunce right vppon that marke vppon the farther side of the water the Light stāding alwayes to the Seawardes of the marke that the Ordnaunce is placed right against like 20. or 30. foote then the night being neuer so darke the light is y e better seene then must the Shippes needes in their comming betweene the light and you take away the sightes of youre lightes and then immediately as soone as you do see that the light is shaddowed then giue fire vnto those peeces that be placed against your ymagined marke appoynted then there is no doubt but you shall make a perfit shott at that Shippe being sure that the mouth of the peece bee koyned lowe ynough least they shoulde shoote ouer the Shippe especially if it be in a place where it doth ebbe and flowe for at the full Sea they must koyne the peeces at one proportion and at a low water at another proportion and this being handled discretely they shall not faile the hitting of y e Ship And furthermore as it is declared in the 2. Chapter going before they maye haue a line drawen vnderneath the peece vpon the ground for to lay their peeces right vpon their appointed marke at al times after y t they haue shot off their peeces in the night then in the night they may place thē againe c. As for example Heere with vs at graues end as there is 2. Bulwarkes y e one right against the other the riuer of Thames running betweene them and nowe they would keepe the riuer so that there shoulde no Ship passe neyther by night nor by day but that they should be sonke then they must keepe a watche at the Nasse or poynt belowe at the entrance of y e Tilberrie hope and that is a mile and a halfe from the Bulwarke and there alwayes they must needes see them and their number of Shippes and specially by the help of a light vpon the further side of the water and then they beeing knowen vnto the whatche the watche must make vnto them a token by a light or lightes that they haue agreed vpon before and then thorough the watche token the Bulwarke knoweth that theyr commeth such a number of Shippes or