place of equalitie the pellet doth range with more difficultie and more sooner beginneth to decline downewardes to the grounde and declineth in a greater quantitie than when it is shot out of a peece somewhat eleuated that is to say it goeth then as the Gunners terme it much lesse in a right line than when it is shot out of a peece eleuated wherefore in this question the effects of shootes made in that place of equalitie will bee of lesse force and to a lesse effect than in any place of eleuation Obiection But here your Excellencie may say with good reason that although it is manifest by these demonstrations that in equall distances a shoote out of a peece lying leuell will do a lesse effect than a shoote out of a peece eleuated yet it is doubtfull whether a shoote out of a peece eleuated will doe a greater effect than a shoote out of a peece lying leuel in vnequall distances because in our question this is to be considered whether the peece which is on the plaine at the foote of the hill be more distant from the Fort than the other Peece which is on the toppe of the hill For such a difference may bee much greater than the difference of his shoote in a right line or the difference of his effects in equall distances and then the peece from the toppe of the said hill will doe a more greater exploite than the Peece which is on the plaine at the foote of the said hill To this doubt I aunswere thus Answere The distance from the Fort to the peece which is on the plaine may so much differ from that distance which is betweene the saide Forte and the saide peece which lieth vppon the toppe of the hill that the same will come to passe which was of you doubted Duke To make me vnderstand your meaning giue me an example by a figure Nicho. That I may shewe vnto you my meaning herein by a figure I wil suppose that the pellet of a Culuering doth waie 20 pound waight A Culuering which lying leuel shooteth about 200. paces will at the eleuatiō of 45. degrees or of 6. points or of 72. min. shoote about 800. paces and that the Culuering according to that experience which was made at Verona as I haue declared in the beginning of my booke of nwe science dedicated vnto your Excellencie in the place of equalitie that is to say lying leuell will shoote in a right line about 200. paces and that such a culuering at the eleuation of 45. degrees that is to say at the 6. point or at 72. minutes of our Quadrant by the reason alleaged in the last proposition of my seconde booke of our nwe science wil shoote in a right line about 800. paces Duke Doe you say that a Culuering being eleuated at 45. degrees or at the 6. point or at 72 minutes wil shoote about 800. paces and that the same Peece lying leuel wil shoot but about 200. paces Nicho. By reason I am taught so to say Duke It seemeth to mee that there is a great difference betweene those shootes Nicho. It commeth so to passe because that eleuation of 6 points doth differ much from the place of equalitie and according as the Peece is eleuated from minute to minute According as a Peece is eleuated from minute to minute or from point to point so from minute to minute and from point to point the pellet of that Peece doth augment his range in an insensible croked line so from minute to minute the pellet of that peece doth augment his raunge in a right line it doth also the like in the points but that is in a greater quantitie For the peece being eleuated to the first point of the Quadrant shootes more farther in a right line than when it is laid leuel Also the Peece eleuated to the second point of the said Quadrant shootes much farther in a right line than it doth when it is eleuated but at one point Likewise the Peece beeing eleuated to the thirde point shootes farther in a right line than it doth at the second point so successiuely the Peece being eleuated to the fourth point shootes farther than at the third point and at the fifth point farther than at the fourth point and at the sixt point as is aforesaid farther than at the fifth point and if the Peece should by degrees bee eleuated aboue the sixt point the pellet woulde flie more farther in a right line that is to say the Peece eleuated to the seuenth point would shoote farther in a right line than at the sixt point and at the eight point farther than at the seuenth point and at the ninth point farther than at the eight point and at the tenth point farther than at the ninth point and at the eleuenth point farther than at the tenth point and at the twelfth point farther than at the eleuenth point And at this twelfth point the pellet will flie wholie in a right line The pellet which is shot out of a peece mounted at 90. degrees or at 12. points flieth in a more perfect right line than whē it is shot out of a peece mounted at any other degree or point Note that Tartaglia calleth that a right line which is insensibly croked and that a crooked line which is euidently crooked to this end that the common people may the better vnderstand him and it will be a perpendicular aboue the horison And this pellet shot out of a peece mounted at the twelfth point will flie in a more perfect right line than any of the former pellets did because in truth the going or violent mouing of a bodie equallie heauie which is without the perpendicular of the horison can neuer haue any part perfectly right as it hath bin sayd in our said second booke of our nwe science Duke Why do you call that a right line which is not perfectly right Nicho. That the common people may the better vnderstand me I call that a right line which is insensiblie crooked and I call that a crooked line which doth euidently appeare to bee crooked Duke Proceede on Nicho. Now to returne to our purpose I say that if the distance betweene the said fortresse and the Peece lying on the plaine at the foote of the hil be 760. paces and that the distance betweene the same fortresse and the peece lying on the toppe of the said hill be but 130 paces in this case the said Culuering which is planted on the toppe of the hill will doe a greater exploit against the walles of that fortresse than that Culuering shall do which is planted on the plaine at the foote of the said hill the cause hereof is for that the said Culuering lying leuell doth shoote about 200. paces in a right line as before hath bin said Then for so much as the distance betweene that Culuering and the Fortresse is but 130 paces as it hath bin supposed the pellet of that Culuering
foure foote wide within the stakes This done wreath about the stakes of each gabbion or basket so many of the said Osiar twigges or pliant roddes as will suffice to make euery basket extende one foote in heigth aboue the head of the taulest gunner After you haue so done fill vp the said baskets with earth which must be throwne into each basket by a little and little at a time and cause a man standing within euery basket to treade well and ramme downe all the same earth as it shall be so cast in But when gunners shall serue vppon a platfourme where no baskets of earth are set to defende them they may shadow themselues with cables or bigge ropes with wet strawe or wet hay with dead bodies of enemies with mattresses shippe sailes or canuas hanged stiffe vp so as the enemie shall not see any marke or man vppon the platfourme to shoote at and with a line drawe vp the nearer or loost end of the same mattresses ship sailes or canuas so often as they shall haue cause to shoote at their enemies This deuise as some men doe thinke will be also profitable for those that shall in time of warre stand vppon the walles of a cittie towne or forte because they may put vp at their pleasure the canuas looke vnder the same with more safety than through the loope or looke holes in the wall at which the enemis are alwayes readie to shoote If for defence in seruice you will make a double Gabbion which at the least ought to be eight foote in widenesse and 25 feete and 1 7 of a foote in compasse digge at the ende of euery foote in measure vppon that compasse a whole foote ½ foote or somwhat more in deepenesse and set vpright in euery of the said holes a staffe often foote in length and in compasse so bigge as a mans arme This done wreath pliant twigges of Osiar or of nut trees or of oke or of willoe about all the same erected staues vp to their tops while you are so occupied cause an other man with a woodden beetle to beate downe your worke close togeather whereby it will be more able to resist the violent bloe of a pellet Also in the very middest of the Gabbion driue a strong peece of oke into the ground lay other peeces of tymber ioyned fast togeather ouerthwarte the gabbion from one of his sides to the other After all this fill vp the said gabbion with good clay or with blacke small and wet earth well rammed downe or with greene turfes digged out of meddowes or with bagges full of earth or fine sande or with bagges of wooll which is the best thing of al for this purpose and take heed that you do put no stone into any gabbion among those things which do fill it vp The 49 Chapter Rules by which Rabinets Bases Fauconets forreine ordinance that are not so high as the Faucon Faucons Minions Sakers Culuerings Basiliskes Cannons and all peeces which do shoote stone pellets may for proofe and also for seruice be duely charged with that sort of corne gunpowder which is marked in the 16 Chapter of this Appendix with the figure of 1 and by which you may tell what roome a due charge of such corne gunpowder will fill vp in the concauitie of any great peece that shooteth pellets of lead or pellets of yron 1 YOu may prooue all sorts of great peeces with three shoots in this maner following Charge euery Rabinet Base Smeriglio Rebadochino Fauconet Faucon Minion Passauolante Moiane Saker Culuering which is fortified with mettal as it ought to be for the first shoote of proofe with the whole waight in gunpowder of his pellet for the second shoote of proofe with 5 4 in gunpowder of the waight in his pellet for the third and last shoote of proofe with 3 2 in gunpowder of the waight in his pellet As for example if a peece which shal be prooued doth shoote a pellet of 12 pounds in waight you must charge the said peece for the first shoote of proof with 12 poundes in gunpowder for the second shoote of proofe with 15 poundes in gunpowder and for the third shoote of proofe with eighteene poundes in gunpowder 2 Charge euery Cānon Basilisk for the first shoot of proof with ⅔ in gūpowder of the waight in his pellet for the second shoot of proof with ⅚ partes in gūpowder of the waight in his pellet and for the third and last shoote of proofe with the whole waight of his pellet in gūpowder As for example if any Peece named in this second rule shall be prooued with a fit pellet of 45 poundes in waight you must charge the said peece for the first shoote of proofe with thirtie poundes in gunpowder and for the second shoote of proofe with 37. poundes and ½ pound in gunpowder and for the third and last shoote of proofe with 45 pounds in gunpowder 3 Charge euery cannon periero of the olde making for the first shoote of proofe with ⅓ in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet for the second shoote of proofe with 7 18 partes in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet and for the third and last shoote of proofe with 4 9 partes in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet As for example if a cannon periero of the old making shall be prooued with a fit stone pellet of 36 poundes in waight you must charge the said cannon periero for the first shoote of proofe with 12 poundes in gunpowder for the second shoote of proofe with 14 poundes in gunpowder and for the third shoote of proofe with 16 poundes in gunpowder 4 Charge euery cannon periero of the nwe making for the first shoote of proofe with ½ in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet for the second shoote of proofe with 5 ◠parts in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet for the third and last shoote with ¾ parts in gunpowder of the waight in his stone pellet As for example if a cannon periero of the nwe making shall be prooued with a fit stone pellet of 36 poundes in waight you must charge the said cannon periero for the first shoote of proofe with 18 poundes in gunpowder for the second shoote of proofe with 22 poundes and ½ pounde in gunpowder and for the third and last shoote of proofe with 27 poundes in gunpowder 5 Also you may prooue any great peece of artillerie by these rules following charge and discharge thrise togeather for proofe euery Smeriglio Rebadochino Base Rabinet Fauconet Faucon Minion Saker Passauolante and demie Culuering loer than ordinarie with the whole waight in corne gunpowder of his leaden pellet 6 Charge discharge thrise togeather for proofe euery ordinary demie Culuering demie Culuering of the biggest sort whole Culuering not so high as ordinary whole ordinarie demie Culuering and whole Culuering of the biggest sort which is not so well fortified
the ladle is pulled out remayne in the lowest ende of the same peece After you haue in this sorte laded the peece with his due charge in gunpowder thruste harde with a rammer twise togeather no more except you doe charge a Cannon all the sayd gunpowder home vnto the lowest ende of the peece that it may not lie dispersed or loose nor be too harde rammed downe in that place Also thruste a bigge wad of toe hay strawe or of vntwisted ropes into the peece home vnto the charge in gunpowder for to sweepe and keepe togeather all the sayd charge in gunpowder and to cause the pellet that shal be shotte out of the same peece to range farre Then putting a fitte pellet into the concauitie of the peece which fitte pellet as our English Gunners doe say ought alwayes for diuers reasons to be ¼ of an ynch lesse or shorter in his diameter than the heigth of the sayde concauitie driue with a rammer the pellet home vnto that wadde and if the peece shall shoote downewardes at a marke A fitte pellet as our english Gunners doe say is ¼ of an ynche lesse or shorter in his diameter than the heigth of the concauitie in his peece But among the Gunners in high Germany this is a general rule that the diameter of a fitte pellet ought to be neither more nor lesse than 20 21 of the diameter in the mouth of his peece As for example a fitte pellet for a peece of seuen ynches in diameter must be 6 ynches ⅔ of an ynche in diameter thruste an other bigge wadde of toe hay strawe or of vntwisted ropes into the peece home vnto the said pellet for to keep the pellet within the peece to stay the pellet there that it may not role out before the peece shal be discharged moreouer put good dry gunpowder into the touchhole and about the touchhole of the peece like a trayne and be not ignorant that after all this is done the peece is charged and that you standing vppon one side of a peece so charged and touching the trayne of gunpowder by the touchhole of the peece with a lintstocke or with a fiered Gun-match which some Gunners doe tie to the ende of a sticke of three or foure foote in length and some Gunners doe set fast in the cockes of their staues and some Gunners doe winde about the staffe ende of an halbert or partisant may safely discharge the same peece Also if you will in time of seruice charge any of the sayd peeces of Artillerie with cartredges doe thus Put first a cartredge into the mouth of the Peece and then with a rammer thruste it into the lowest end of the Peece his concauitie and next driue a woodden tampion with a rammer into the same concauitie home to the cartredge then ioyne a good bigge wadde of hay strawe toe or of vntwisted ropes vnto the sayd tampion and put a fitte pellet into the Peece close vnto the sayd wadde and when a Peece so charged shall shoote downewardes at a marke thruste an other like bigge wadde into his concauitie harde vppon the pellet This done put a long pricker into the touchhole of the Peece so charged and with the same pricker pearce diuers holes thorow the cartredge lying within the Peece or which in mine opinion is a better deuise cut cleane away before you doe put the cartredge into the hollow Cylinder a peece of the outside of the cartredge in that parte which shall lie directly vnder and next vnto the touchhole Finally fill the touchhole of this Peece with good and dry corne gunpowder and make about the touch-hole a little trayne of powder and considering that the tampion within the sayd Peece if the powder lying behinde the same tampion should happen to be moyste must be drawen out with a long yron worme An admonition or cutte in peeces with a long yron cheesell which will be a perillous worke to doe I counsel you to discharge the sayd Peece within a conuenient time after it shal be so charged with a tampion The 52 Chapter How without a Ladle you may lade any Fauconet Faucon Minion Saker Culueringe Cannon or other like made Peece with his due charge in loose gunpowder PVt a long straight and smoothe staffe into the bottome of euery Fauconet Faucon Minion Saker Culueringe Cannon and euery other like made Peece that shall be charged and hauing thruste the staffe downe close by the mettall into the concauitie of his Peece so farre as it may goe marke with a knife or with some other conuenient thing that parte of the staffe which is touched with the lippe or outmost edge of the Peece his mouth Then drawing the sayd staffe out of his Peece measure along vppon the same staffe with a compasse beginning at the sayd marke and proceeding downewardes in a straight line towardes that end of the staffe which was at the bottome of the sayd concauitie the iust length of the roome which a due charge in gunpowder will fill vp in the sayd concauitie You may see in the 49 Chapter of this Appendix what roome a due charge in gunpowder will fill vp in any Fauconet Faucon Minion Saker Culuering Cānon or any other like made Peece and make an other visible marke vppon the staffe at the end of the same length and for a distinction call it the lowermost marke After this throe Gunpowder into the Peece with your handes vntill by estimation the Peece hath receaued thereof a due charge and with a rammer as you haue beene taught in the precedent Chapter thruste the same gunpowder downe into the bottome of the Peece and to the ende you may be guyded by the sayd staffe to throwe no more gunpowder into the Peece than is requisite and to take out the excesse when you haue throne too much gunpowder into the Peece put the sayd staffe agayne into the Peece home vnto the gunpowder and looke where the lowermost marke vppon the same staffe is For as the Peece lacketh a parte of his due charge in gunpowder if the sayd lowermost marke shall now be within his mouth and hath more than his due charge in nwe gunpowder if the sayde lowermost marke shall be without his mouth So if you haue throwen into the Peece his due charge in gunpowder the sayd lowermost marke will now neither be within the mouth of the Peece nor without the mouth of the Peece but touch exactly the outmost edge or lippe of the Peece his mouth The 53 Chapter How you may duely charge any Chamber peece of Artillery and how you may charge any Cannon Periero PVt into euery chamber so much powder as his peece requireth for a due charge and with a rammer beate a tampion of softe wood downe vppon the gunpowder Moreouer put a bigge wadde into the peece at that ende where the mouth of the chamber must goe in and after the wadde thruste into the peece at the
will cause it to shoote so much ground as is in the said space Then hauing placed your Quadrant or Semicircle by the mouth of your peece mooue it vp or downe till you shall espie through the sights or channell of the Quadrant or Semicircle the said marke and note what degree is touched with the line and plummet of the Quadrant or Semicircle that done put downe the mouth of the peece more loer by so many degrees than it was before I meane if you did mounte the peece foure degrees to shoote so much grounde as is betweene the peece and the marke and did note three degrees for the degrees touched with the said line plummet of the Quadrant or Semicircle then the mouth of the peece must be put downe or as some terme it imbased three degrees and so will the peece being laid right vppon the marke and mounted but at one degree strike the marke in the valley although in the precedent chapter the said peece was mounted at seuen degrees to shoote a like distance at a marke vppon a hill and at foure degrees to shoote a like distance vppon a plaine ground Heere this is to be noted that a pellet shot from an heigth into a loe place can doe no more harme than kill one person or make one hole in the place where it falles because as Luigui Collado hath written the pellet so shot doth more offend through his owne naturall waight than by the expulsiue power of the gunpowder which did expell it out of his peece The 67 Chapter How you may certainely know by the Gunners Semicircle whether a ship vppon the Sea or an Armie vppon the land or any other thing seene a farre of doth come towardes you stande still or goe from you and how you ought to discharge your great ordinance of diuers sortes against a ship or an Armie comming towardes you A Long distance being betweene you and a ship vpon the Sea or an armie of men moouing a farre of may oftentimes through the weaknesse of your sight deceiue you and make you not to discerne well whether that ship or armie doth stand still goe frō you or come towardes you therefore it will be very profitable as I thinke for you to learne how you may be alwaies certaine thereof for to follow your enemies when they shall flie from you and make preparation of defence when you shall see them come to assault you For this purpose you shall ascende into some high place from whence you may behold the ship or armie a farre of and hauing put a Semicircle to your eye mooue it vp or downe till you shall see through the sights or through a channell made in the said Semicircle that part of the ship or armie which is nearest vnto you Then your Semicircle remaining vnmooueable note diligently the part of the Semicircle touched with the hanging line and plummet of that Semicircle and after a while making the said line to hang againe directlie vppon the saide part which was touched with it when you did espie thorow the saide sightes or channell the ship or armie looke againe whether you can espie thorow the same sights or channell the part of the ship or armie which was first espied for if at your second looking you shall behold againe through the said sights or channell the very same part of the ship or armie which you did first espie you may boldly affirme that the said ship or armie mooued not betweene the time of the first and second looking And if your visuall line passing through the said sights or channell shall not at your second looking extend to the said part then it is certaine that the said ship or armie doth goe from you But if your saide visuall line passing through the said sights or channell shall at your seconde looking extende ouer the said part of that ship or armie then you may boldly say that the said ship or armie commeth towards you After all this you must measure by the helpe of your Semicircle how farre the said ship or armie is from you and finding by your measure that the said ship or armie is within the reach of your peeces you ought to shoote out of Culuerings Sakers Minions Faucons and Fauconets whole yron shot at the same ship or armie and when the armie shall come very neere vnto you chaine shot cliue shot dice shot baules of wild fire and such other like spoiling shot The 65 Chapter How you may make a perfect shoote in a darke night at any marke that may be seene in the day time and how a lighted candle may be carried in the night time so as no light shall be seene but at your will and pleasure IN the day time mount your peece to reach the appointed marke and at that very time place the mouth or concauitie of the peece right vppon the saide marke and then hauing put the longest legge of your Semicircle into the mouth of the saide peece note exactlie what degree vppon the Semicircle is touched with the line plummet hanging vppon the said Semicircle for that degree being written in your memoriall will shew you alwaies how much the said peece lying in that place must be mounted to reach the said marke After this let fall a line and plummet downe vnto the grounde from the middle part of the mouth of the peece and thrust a pin of wood or yron into that point of ground which was touched with the plummet last mentioned Likewise from the middle part of the breeche or taile of the peece let that line and plummet hang downe againe vnto the grounde and thrust an other pyn of wood or yron into the same very point of grounde which was last touched with the said plummet Finally draw a straight line vppon the ground right ouer both those pinnes and make each end of this line to reach two yardes at the least beyonde the pyn next vnto it This line lyeth directly vnder the middle parte of the mouth of the peece and also vnder the middle part of the taile of the peece and right vppon the marke and is named therefore the line of direction Now when you will shoote in a darke night with that peece at the saide marke charge the peece with his duetie in powder and with a fit pellet and plumme the middle of the mouth of the said peece and the middle of the taile of the said peece right vppon the said pynnes set in the said line of direction that you may by so doing lay the mouth of the peece right vppon the appointed marke Then the longest legge of your saide Semicircle being put into the mouth of the peece koyne the peece vp and downe till the line and plummet hanging vppon the Semicircle shall fall exactlie vppon the same degree that it touched before when it was mounted in the day time to strike the said marke Al this being done you ought to consider of other things that are
THREE BOOKES OF COLLOQVIES COâ—CERNING THE ARTE OF SHOOTING 〈◊〉 GREAT AND SMALL PEECES OF ARTILLERIE VARIABLE randges measure and waight of leaden yron and marble stone pellets minerall saltepeeter gunpowder of diuers sortes and the cause why some sortes of gunpowder are corned and some sortes of gunpowder are not corned Written in Italian and dedicated by Nicholas Tartaglia vnto the Royall Prince of most famous memorie HENRIE the eight late King of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faith c. And now translated into English by CYPRIAN LVCAR Gent. who hath also augmented the volume of the saide Colloquies with the contents of euery Colloquie and with all the Corollaries and Tables that are in the same volume Also the saide CYPRIAN LVCAR hath annexed vnto the same three bookes of Colloquies a Treatise named LVCAR APPENDIX collected by him out of diuers Authors in diuers languages to shew vnto the Reader the properties office and dutie of a Gunner and to teach him to make and refine artificial saltpeeter to sublime brimstone for gunpowder to make coles for gunpowder to make gunpowder of diuers sortes and of diuers colours to make gunmatches touchwood and fire stones to know the waight and measure of any pellet to make carriages ladles rammers scourers and cartredges for any great peece of artillerie to know the proportioned length due thicknesse and waight of euery great peece of artillerie to know what number of men horses or Oxen wil drawe any great peece of artillerie to make platformes for great ordinance to make gabbions of earth for the defence of gunners in time of seruice to charge euery great peece of artillerie with his due charge in serpentine gunpowder and also in corne gunpowder to shoote well at any marke within point blanke to shoote well at any marke vpon a hill or in a valley without poynt blanke to shoote well at a marke in any darke night to mount morter peeces to strike any appointed marke to tell whether a thing seene farre of doth stand still come towards him or goe from him to make and vse diuers Trunkes and many sortes of fire workes to make mynes to measure altitudes longitudes latitudes and profundities to draw the true plat of any place and to do other commendable things which not onelie in time of warre but also in time of peace may to a good end be practised La possessione delle ricchezze non è sicura se la non si salua con la difensione della 〈◊〉 â—…NTED AT LONDON FOR â—ohn Harrison 1588. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DROIT ET LOYAL TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT EARLE OF LEICESTER BARON OF DENBIGH LORD STEWARD OF HER MAIESTIES HOVSHOLD CHIEFE IVSTICE in Oyer of all her Maiesties Forrests Parkes Chases and Warrens by South Trent and Knight of the most honorable orders of the Garter and Saint Michael in Fraunce and one of the Lords of her Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell DIuers men Right noble most renowmed Earle according to the diuersitie of their natures doe diuersly seeke to excel others as in the auncient Romane state Crassus the rich by wealth Pompei the great by honor Caesar the meeke by friendes Cicero the eloquent by learning Cato the wise by counsell Fabritius the temperate by integritie Brutus the stoute by fortitude and Scipio Affricanus by bountie and liberalitie In all common weales are like dispositions And verily riches wel vsed are ornaments of peace and sinewes of war honors wel gotten true nobilitie are of peerelesse price especially in a comely personage and manly couÌ„tenance friends vnfained a treasure thaÌ„ the which nothing more trustie what is more sweete than learning highlier to be prised than wisedom rather to be vsed than temperance more valued than magnanimitie neerlier resembling the bouÌ„ties of God than true liberalitie As eche of these though desired for priuate praise and singled from others is a singuler ornament so being ioyned with more of the rest and imployed to the publike good cannot but make a man to be admired But if al these together were inspired into one as though all the planets had agreed by their gratious aspects and sweete influences to furnish a man at all assaies would not the eyes of all mens minds be as it were dazeled at the bright beames of the right peerelesse nobilitie of such a man especially if they shall see it wholly dedicated to the glory of God the good of the Church and common wealth I dare not apply this directly to your Honor least it may seeme to sauour of flattery But if it may please your wisedome to suruay the excellent giftes wherwith God hath singularly graced your honorable estate if it appeare that you haue imployed your wealth to the good of Gods Church in this are you like the wise rulers of Israel who freely offered precious stones and costly perfumes to the worke of the tabernacle so farre as you haue vsed your honorable estate to countenance the Gospel and the professors thereof therein haue you resembled the prouident Ioseph whom God exalted aboue all Pharaohs house that so he might relieue his olde father Israel and the families of all his brethren wherein your Lordship hath vsed her Maiesties fauour to the building vp of the walles of Gods Church therein haue you liuely represented the right noble Courtier Nehemiah whose countenance was sad be-before Darius his king vntill he had obtained letters leaue furniture to repaire the walles of the holy Citie So oft as your godly policies graue couÌ„sels wise speeches haue directed for the peace of England haue confounded the counsels of our Romish Achitophels haue disapointed the treasons of our Absoloms so often hath your Honor bin found faithfull to your Prince to your Counrie to the Church as Hushai the Archite Dauids friend If by prayer and fasting you haue called for the helpe of God as Ezra if your hand haue bin as the hand of Ioab against the enemies of your Prince and for the people of God in the loe countries if you haue enlarged your heart and hand in gifts to many who haue trauailed to benefite their countrie and profit the Church as SalomoÌ„ rewarded Hiram those who wrought al skilful workes for the Temple If in all these things God haue inhabled your Lordship in some measure or in most of them in great measure to his glorie the peace of the Church the wealth of the land and honor of the Prince then both haue you wherein to reioyce and the eies of all men whom to behold as a common Patrone of all those who in any zealous desire imploy their paynes to profite their countrey and the Church of God Wherfore licensed to dispose as I will of this English worke made by Master Cyprian Lucar with a dutifull zeale to benefite his natiue soyle I thought it my duetie to offer it to your noble patronage as a present most fit for your Honor most profitable
paruus erat Excubiae somnum superant labor otia vincit Tunc Dea vana venus vinaque spreta iacent Hic ducis assumit partes hic militis arma Iste mucrone potens hic eques ille pedes Alter bombardis inimicas dissipat aedes Eminus hic hastis cominus hic gladijs Si cupis a longé globulis terrere superbos Hic discas hostes perterebrare tuos Tartaglia arte sua multos ad tartara mittit Transtulit hunc nuper Lucar arte sua Non lucrum quaerit Lucar non munera magna Laudem non fraudem doctus habere studet Sed pro regina pro relligione fideque Pro Christo Angligenas instruit arte sua G. B. Cantabrigiensis IN DEI NOMINE AMEN The first booke of Nicholas Tartaglia his Colloquies concerning the Arte of shooting in great and small Peeces of Artillerie translated out of Italian into English by Cyprian Lucar Gentleman who hath also augmented the volume of the said Colloquies for the benefite of his Readers with the Contents of euery Colloquie and with the Corollaries and Table that are in the same volume The first Colloquie How a Gunners Quadrant should be made and vsed and how a Peece of Artillerie doth shoote more ground when it is eleuated at the mouth than it will do when it lieth leuel and how Pellets doe make long and short Ranges according as the Peeces which shoote them are eleuated and howe a Table of Randons maye bee made for any Peece and how he which hath a true Table of Randons for a Peece shal be thereby able to make with that Peece a perfect shoote at any marke within the reach of his said Peece and teach any vnskilfull Gunner to do the same and how hee that wanteth such a Table shall neuer learne to shoote well at any marke without point blanke and how the outer sense telleth truth in particuler things but not in vniuersall things Interlocutors Francesse Maria Duke of Vrbine Nicholas Tartaglia DVKE What reasons are they which as you say in your booke dedicated vnto me you haue found out concerning the knowledge of shooting in Gunnes Nicholas The proportion order of shootes not only at marks far of but also at marks hard by with what Peece you will and with what sort of pellet you will Duke Speake more plainely and giue me an example thereof for I doe not vnderstand what you say Nicholas I am content to shewe vnto your Excellencie an example of my said inuention but first I must speake of that materiall instrument which I haue deuised set foorth in a picture at the beginning of my said booke dedicated vnto you the which instrument is made of a square peece of wood or of mettall like vnto this figure B A C and containeth a quadrant that is to say How a Gunners quadrant may be made one fourth part of a circle like vnto the figure H I G K which is to be described with a paire of compasses vpon the center H I meane one foote of the compasse ought to bee fixed in the point H the inward angle of the said square and the other moueable foote of the compas must describe I G K the crooked side or arke of that quadrant also another croked line equidistant from the first as is the line E F ought to be drawne with the said compasses but for this purpose the compasses may not bee opened so wide as they were before and all the space which is betweene the two croked lines that is to say betweene the arke I G K and the arke E F must be deuided into 12. equal parts drawn by the edge of a ruler from the point H the center of that Quadrant so as euery of the same diuisions which I call points may be perceiued to looke or lie right vpon that center H as they doe in this figure IN the same maner euery of the aforesaid partes or points should bee diuided into 12. A Type of the Gunners quadrant other equal parts Although I haue not diuided this figure into so many parts because they would heere marre the same but a Square of an ordinarie bignesse as before I haue said may be so diuided as that al the whol Square shall containe 144. equall parts which I call minutes These minutes are to be marked with more shorter lines than are the lines of the points to this end that they may be more easily nūbred by the halfe or midst of the points depicted with the greater lines that we may also know how that euery point containeth twelue minutes This done a pinne of yron or of lattin is to bee fixed precisely in the pointe H the center of the quadrant and vpon that pinne a moueable threede of silke or of some other thing with a plummet at the end of the same must hang downe like vnto the perpendicular H M D. The vse of the Gunnets quadrant This Instrument will help vs to iudge of all the variable positions or eleuations that may happen in any Peece of artillerie whatsoeuer And nowe concerning the same positions or eleuations this is to bee noted that the first position of euery Peece is to bee vnderstoode when it is laid leuell for then the longest legge of the said instrument being put into the mouth of the said Peece and rightly extended towards the bottome of his concauitie the threede and plummet which is fixed in the center of that instrument will fall precisely vpon the line H F K as it doth in the figure next following A peece lying leuell And a Peece shall bee said to bee mounted one point when the longest legge of our said instrument beeing in the mouth of the said Peece the saide threede and plummet doth fall precisely vpon the diuision of the first point as it doth in the figure nex following A Peece mounted at one point or 12. mintes Also a Peece shall be said to be eleuated two points when the said threede and plummet doth fall precisely vpon the diuision of the second point and when the said threede plummet doth fall precisely vpon the third point then the Peece is eleuated at three points and so we must say of the fourth fift and sixt points But when a Peece is mounted at the sixt point then the said Peece is mounted to the greatest eleuation that it may be at I speake this of a Peece of Artillerie because the morter peeces may be eleuated vnto all the other points following I meane euen vnto the 12. point This which wee haue spoken of points ought also to bee vnderstood of minutes that is to say when a Peece is so mounted that the said threed and plummet falleth Precisely vpon the diuision of the first minute that Peece shal be said to bee mounted one minute And when the said threed and plummet shall fall vpon the diuision of two minutes it shall bee said to bee mounted at two minutes In like sort it shall
Peece of what length each peece ought to be Note how many oxen or horses must be prouided to draw each Peece Nicho. I beseech you my Lord giue me a coppie therof for it may be that in time to come the same will pleasure me Prior. With a good will Seruant bring hither vnto me my memoriall which is my chest Seruant Here it is my Lord. Prior. Now write as I shall tell you piece A A Faulconet whose pellet of leade weigheth 3 pounde waight is 5 foote and ½ foote long The length and waight of great Peeces made in these daies do differ much from the length and weight of peeces made in time past as it doth appeare in the 39 chapter of my Appendix and commonly containeth 400 pounde waight of mettall and must be drawne with two horses piece B A faulcon whose pellet waigheth 6. pound waight being 7 foote long containeth 890 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with foure horses piece C A Peece called in Italy Aspidi whose pellet wayeth twelue pounde waight being fiue foote and ½ foote long containeth 1300 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with sixe horses piece D A Saker whose pellet wayeth 12 pounde waight being 8 foote long containeth 1400 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with eight horses piece E A Saker whose pellet wayeth 12 pound waight being 9 foote long containeth 2150 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with ten horses piece F A Saker whose pellet wayeth ten pound waight being 8 foote long containeth 1300 pound waight of mettal and must be drawne with sixe horses piece G A Culuering whose pellet of yron wayeth sixteene pound waight being 7 foote and ½ foote long containeth 1750 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with eight or ten horses piece H A Peece called in Italie Passauolante whose pellet wayeth 16 pounde waight beeing 12 foote long containeth 2740 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with fiue yoke of Oxen. piece I A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 14 pounde waight being eight foote and ½ foote long containeth 2233 pound waight of mettall and must bee drawne with fiue yoke of Oxen. piece K A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 20 pound waight being ten foote long containeth 4300 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with 7 yoke of Oxen. piece L A Canon whose pellet wayeth 20 pound waight being 7 foote long containeth 2200 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with fiue yoke of Oxen. piece M A Canon whose pellet wayeth 20 pound waight being 8 foote long containeth 2500 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with fiue or sixe yoke of Oxen. piece N A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 30 pound waight being _… foote long containeth _… pounde waight of mettall and must be drawne with 8 yoke of Oxen. piece O A Canon whose pellet wayeth 30 pounde waight being _… foote long containeth _… pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with 6 yoke of Oxen. piece P A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 50 pounde waight being 10 foote and ½ foote long containeth 5387 pound waight of mettall and must bee drawne with 12 yoke of Oxen. piece Q A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 50 pound waight being 12 foote long containeth 6600 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with 14 yoke of oxen piece R A Canon whose pellet wayeth 50 pound waight being 8 foote and ½ foote long containeth 4000 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with 9 yoke of oxen piece S A Canon whose pellet wayeth one hundred pound waight being nine foote and ½ foote long containeth 8800 pounde waight of mettall and must bee drawne with 18 yoke of oxen piece T A Canon whose pellet wayeth 120 pounde waight beeing 10 foote long containeth 12459 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne with 25 yoke of Oxen. piece V A Culuering whose pellet wayeth 120 pound waight being 15 foote long containeth 13000 pound waight of mettall and must be drawne vvith 28 yoke of oxen Nich. Your Lordship may here make an end for one halfe of that vvhich I haue noted vvoulde haue been enough Prior. I must tell you also of sixe other notes aftervvards you shall make an end of your vvriting I meane that there are also piece W Gunnes of vvhich each pellet being of stone doth vveigh 250 pound vvaight and euery of the saide Gunnes is 10 foote and ½ foote long and containeth 8900 pound vvaight of mettall and must be dravvne vvith 18 or 19 yoke of Oxen. piece X There are also Gunnes of vvhich each pellet vvayeth 150 pounde vvaight and euery of the said Gunnes are 10 foote long and containe 6160 pounde vvaight of mettall and must be dravvne vvith 12 yoke of oxen piece Y There are also Gunnes of vvhich each pellet vvayeth 100 pound vvaight and euery of the same Gunnes being 10 foote long do containe 5500 pound vvaight of mettall and must be dravvne vvith 11 yoke of Oxen piece Z There are also Gunnes of which each pellet wayeth one hundred pounde waight and euery of the same Gunnes being only eight foote and ½ foote long containeth 4500. pounde waight of mettall and must bee drawne with nine yoke of Oxen. piece AA Also there are Gunnes called in Italy Cortaldi of which each pellet wayeth 45 pounde waight and euery of the said Gunnes being seuen foote long containeth 2740 pounde waight of mettall and must be drawne with fiue yoke of oxen piece BB There is an other sort of such peeces called in Italie Cortaldi of which each pellet wayeth thirtie pound waight and euery of the saide Gunnes being seuen foote and ½ foote long containeth 1600 pounde waight of mettall and must be drawne with three yoke of oxen And so heare I wil make an end Nicholas Doth that pounde waight which I haue noted containe twelue ounces or sixteene ounces The pounde waight which doth containe 12 ounces is called the subtile waight of Venice and the pound waight which doth containe 16 ounces is called the grosse waight of Venice and 350 pounds of the grosse waight of Venice doe make 550 poundes of the subtile waight of Venice as Bartholomeo di Pas da Vinetia hath written in his booke intituled Tariffa de i pesi e misure and are the feete which I haue noted according to the measure of Venice Or are they longer or shorter then the saide measure of Venice Prior. I thinke that each of those pounds doth containe but 12 ounces and for answere to your question of feete I know not what to say for this note was deliuered to mee in Barletta and it may bee that the feete before mentioned are according to the measure of feete in that place which as I thinke doth not differ from the measure of feete in Venice Nicho. Nowe it is no matter whether or no I doe learne that measure so exactly for it sufficeth that I doe knowe that a Canon whose pellet waieth
fall out at the mouth of the peece lying directly agaynst the marke therefore I would know the cause thereof Nicholas The cause thereof is ignoraunce for if you vnderstoode the reasons of that action then you would not put a Wadde there except when necessitie shall compell you to doe it Bombardiero I perceaue that you doe tell me a truth herein The 21. Colloquie How a peece which had beene oftentimes togeather charged and discharged was made thereby so much attractiue as that it did sodainlie drawe into his concauitie a little dog which by chaunce did in going by smell vnto the mouth of the same peece And how if any one shall set his bare bellie to the mouth of a hot peece he shall sticke so fast vnto it as that he shall not be able without great difficultie to goe from it Interlocutors Bombardiero Nicholas Tartaglia BOmbardiero I will tell you newes at which I knowe you will greatly maruell and it is this On a tyme being appointed to make a batterie after manie shootes it chaunced by a certaine occasion that a peece beeing discharged did ryse vppe in such sorte as the mouth thereof went into the grounde and in the meane while that I was busie to prouide labourers to bring the Peece with leauers vnto his place a little Dogge goeing by as it chaunced did smell vnto the mouth of the same Peece and by so doeing was sodainely faste ioyned to the mouth of that peece and immediatlie after drawne into the concauitie of the sayde Gunne which thing when the standers by hadde seene some of them ranne to helpe the sayde dogge and although they perceaued him to bee drawne in euen almost to the farthest ende of the said concauitie they pulled him out being almost dead and what became of him afterwardes I know not but as I thinke he dyed Now tell me what you thinke of this Nicho. I doe not maruell at this thing for after a peece hath bin oftentimes togeather shot in it waxeth hot and through that heate as it hath bin saide in the fift Colloquie that peece is made attractiue euen as a cupping glasse which is made hot with tow burned in the same A cupping glasse is a thing which phisitions and Surgens do vse and of some is called a boxing glasse and therefore it is no maruaile that the dogge was drawne into the concauitie of that peece for I beleeue that when a peece is very hotte if any one will goe vnto it and set his bare bellie to the mouth thereof he shall sticke so fast vnto that place that he shall not be able without greate difficultie to goe from thence and in such a case a peece will be made much more attractiue if his touchhole be close stopped Bombardiero Your reasons doe please me well The 22. Colloquie Howe there are diuers accidentall causes which will make any peece of Artillerie to breake and how a peece which breakes doth most commonlie breake at the breeche or neere vnto the mouth and seldome tymes in the middle and how euerie moouing thing may by two waies be let or hindered to mooue a side a rounde and heauie bodie which is setled and quiet and how euery peece of Artillerie being discharged doth make a roaring sounde by reason that the exhalation of winde which the Saltpeeter causeth in the peece doth breake and teare in peeces the aire that resisteth the same exhalation and how a sound is no other thing than a bloe which two bodies that haue no soules or liues do make togeather Interlocutors Gunfounder Nicholas Tartaglia GVnfounder Whence commeth it that euerie peece which breakes doth moste commonly breake at the breeche where the powder is or at the mouth and seldome tymes in the middle that a peece doth breake in the breeche it is no maruell because in that place the powder doth shewe all his force but I maruell much that a peece doth sometimes breake at the mouth for it seemeth to me that a peece shoulde rather breake in the middest of the concauitie than at the mouth because the exhalation of the Salt-peter findeth at the mouth of the peece a large place to goe out which is not to be found within the middest of the concauitie Euery mouing thing may by a waies be let or hindered to mooue a side a round heuie bodie which is setled and quiet Nicholas Concerning this matter wee must thinke that euerie moouing thing may by two waies be let or hindered to mooue a side a round and heauie bodie which is setled and quiet the first is to mooue that heauie bodie in the beginning for after it is mooued there is no difficultie to maintaine the same in continuall moouing the other lett which the saide mouing thing may receaue is that after it hath mooued the rounde and heauie bodie and that the saide bodie is brought to a continuall moouing a side the moouing thing receaues greate hinderaunce if there bee anie lette or resistance against it therefore I saie that by the same exhalation of wind which the Saltpeter causeth after it is engendered in the peece there happeneth two great difficulties the first is to mooue so suddenly the pellet being setled and quiet and therefore in that suddaine accident the saide windie exhalation finding the peece in that place to be weake in the mettall or the mettall to be ill vnited or not well closed in the casting or more weaker in the one side than in the other doth easily breake the peece in that place But if by chaunce the mettall in that place shall resist so strongly as that the exhalation doth mooue the pellet then the pellet being mooued from that place it is not to be feared that the peece will breake there except some straunge accident doth happen to the pellet within the peece as in the end of this Colloquie shall be declared For so soone as the pellet is in mouing that exhalation will continue with ease if no other let do happen but so soone as the pellet commeth to the mouth of the peece it findes all the aire without the peece and by how much the pellet together with the said exhalation that thrusteth it to assault the aire commeth more swiftly by so much the more vnited and with a greater force doth the aire oppose it selfe very strongly to resist that sudden moouing and thereuppon in that place an other difficultie or strife riseth betweene the exhalation within which thrusteth foorth the pellet and the aire without that is to say The cause of the roaring sound which a peece of Artillery doth make when it is discharged A sound is no other thing than a bloe which 2 bodies that haue no soules or liues do make togeather the exhalation woulde goe out of the concauitie and the aire without doth resist the same but in the end the exhalation within being of a greater force and getting the victorie breaketh foorth and teareth in peeces his saide enimie and through
the thing which they doe that is to say to what ende they doe it And I will now speake of my selfe how I haue made both grosse and fine gunpowder and that I did corne the fine powder which I made and knew not to what ende I did corne it but I did so because I had seen other Gunpowdermakers to do the same Nicholas I beleeue that it is so as you say Ierome Tell me of courtesie your opinion herein Nicholas Hauing promised to tell you mine opinion therin it is reason that I should perfourme my promise therefore you shall vnderstand that after you went from me yesterday I considered of this matter in effect haue found Why gunâ—…der for haâ—…gunnes is â—…ned and gunpoâ—… 〈◊〉 great Orâ—…nance is corned that onely necessitie or commoditie hath caused men to learne the meanes to corne gunpowder for handgunnes and harchibuses not for great ordinance because the same corne powder will role or runne much better than powder which is not corned as it may be perceaued by a handfull of corne and a handfull of meale that is to say a handfull of corne and a handfull of meale being laide a parte or a sunder vppon a plaine table declining somewhat on the one side the handfull of corne will role downe more easilie vppon the saide table than the handfull of meale will doe For the meale will lie flat and more vnmooueable but if it doe role or runne by reason of the slope lying of the table it wil runne altogether on a heape and the corne will role there in seueral parts Ierome I doe well vnderstand you but what profite comes by that kind of roling or running Nicholas You know when you carrie a handgunne or a harchibuse to serue you in your businesse that it is necessarie also to carrie with you powder for to charge your peece therewith so often as you will and that such powder is caried in a flaske and for to charge with measure that there is made vppon the flaske as you know a little pipe able to receiue so much powder as is conuenient for the charge of that handgunne or harchibuse and how there is an enguine or spring in that little pipe to be shut within it when the said pipe is full of powder to keepe the powder within the same little pipe that it shall not fall out of the same into the flaske Ierome I knew all this before you tolde me of the same Nicholas Although you know all the same better than I doe yet I will tell you thereof that you may the better vnderstande the matter folowing And therefore I conclude that if the gunpowder which is put into the said flaske be not corned it wil be a harde thing to fil the saide little pipe with the same For by turning vp the flaske to fill the saide pipe with such gunpowder as was in the same flask the said gunpowder wil fall al together in a lump vppon the first entring place of that pipe and choke or locke within the same all the ayre which was in that emptie pipe and thereby that ayre will not suffer the powder to enter therein so as oftentimes the saide pipe will be found to be emptie or not full of powder But this thing wil not so happeÌ„ if the powder be corned for such corned powder wil role more a parte or seperately as it hath beene saide of corne and meale the which seperation will make a way for the ayre in the saide pipe to goe out of the same into the flaske and to fill the place which conteyned the powder that is gone into the saide pipe and by this meanes most commonly the same pipe will be so full of powder as is conuenient for it to be And for this cause men haue beene compelled to deuise a meanes to corne gunpowder for handgunnes and harchibuses and not for great ordinance For as you know the powder is put into great ordinance and into the lowest end of the concauitie thereof with a ladle and therefore it is no matter whether the powder will role or not role and it will be superfluous to corne powder for great ordinance for as you know you vse to carry a little flaske full of the finest powder to put into the touchholes of handgunnes and harchibuses Touchpowder ought to be corâ—… for handgunnes harchibuses â—… small peeces but not for great â—…dinance which powder if it be not made with very small cornes it neither will nor can goe into so little a hole by the reasons aforesaide And therefore in this case it is necessarie to make the powder with very small cornes But it is otherwise in great ordinance for as I haue beene informed you put powder into their touch holes with your hand Ierome It is euen so as you say and your reasons herein are very true But I neuer thought that gunpowder had beene corned for such a cause and for that I doe esteeme of this which you haue tolde me more than of 10 crownes I doe hartely thanke you for the same The ende of the thirde Booke of Colloquies IN SPE A TREATISE NAMED LVCAR APPENDIX COLLECTED BY CYPRIAN LVCAR GENTLEMAN OVT OF DIVERS GOOD AVTHORS IN DIVERS LANGVAGES To shewe vnto the Reader the properties office and dutie of a Gunner and to teach him to make and refine artificiall Saltpeter to sublime brimstone for gunpowder to make coles for gunpowder to make gunpowder of diuers sorts of diuers colours to make gunmatches touchwood and fire stones to know the waight and measure of any pellet to make carriages ladles rammers scourers and cartredges for any great peece of artillerie to know the proportioned length due thicknesse and waight of euery great peece of artillerie to know what number of men horses or Oxen wil drawe any great peece of artillerie to make platformes for great ordinance to make gabbions of earth for the defence of gunners in time of seruice to charge euery great peece of artillerie with his due charge in serpentine gunpowder and also in corne gunpowder to shoote well at any marke within point blanke to shoote well at any marke vpon a hill or in a valley without poynt blanke to shoote well at a marke in any darke night to mount morter peeces to strike any appointed marke to tell whether a thing seene farre of doth stand still come towards him or goe from him to make and vse diuers Trunkes and many sortes of fire workes to make mynes to measure altitudes longitudes latitudes and profundities to draw the true plat of any place and to do other commendable things which not onelie in time of warre but also in time of peace may to a good end be practised Scientia non habet inimicum prater Ignorantem Anno domini 1588 HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DROIT ET LOYAL The names of Authors out of whose Bookes the greatest parte of this Treatise named LVCAR APPENDIX hath been collected
much shooting will quickly breake therefore the Gunners must not shoote in them when they are very hot Although a peece of artillery so cast of lead will be of a great waight yet this is to be beleeued that a peece so cast of lead will be easily drawne by the strength of many men from one place to an other within a Towne For Luigui Collado in the 71 chapter of his Pratica manuale di arteglieria saith that in Barcellona a chamber belonging to a peece was of such waight as twentie men might not lift it and that poore people did vse in Sommer to sleepe within the saide peece which had a bedde or carriage more than three fadome about And we may also reade in the second booke and sixteenth chapter of Englands description in Hollēsheads Cronicles that the great Turke had a gunne cast by one Orbane a Dane which was drawne to the siege of Constantinople by two thousand men and seuenty yokes of Oxen. This Orbane did also cast for the Turke one other great Peece which did shoote a pellet of more waight than two talents Here I might take occasion by reason of that which hath byn written in this Chapter to shew how great peeces of artillery and pellets of yron are cast but I will passe ouer the same with silence and referre those which are desirous to learne how peeces of artillerie yron pellets are cast to the Pirotechnie of Vannuccio Biringuccio where they may read enough thereof and see that old rustie yron is better to make gunne pellets than nwe yron The 43 Chapter How you may see also otherwise know whether or no honie combes crackes or flawes are within the concauitie of any great peece of artillerie SO soone as you haue charged and discharged a peece couer very close the mouth of the same peece all ouer with leather and at the same instant cause an other person to stoppe vp sodainely the touchhole of the same peece and so if any vnknowne flawes or crackes do goe thorow the mettal in any part of the peece a visible smoke wil come out of the peece thorow the same hidden flawes cracks Also you may when the Sunne shineth take a steele glasse and with the same cast the beames or shadow of the Sunne into the mouth or concauitie of the peece for by this meanes a very great and cleere light will be within the concauitie of the peece and by that cleare light you shall plainly see euery honie combe cracke and flaw within the same concauitie But forasmuch as the Sunne doth not alwaies shine and that at some time in a bright Sunne shining day a steele glasse may bee wanting you may at such times take a sticke somewhat longer than the concauitie of the peece and hauing clouen one end of the said sticke for to hold an ende of a candle light an end of a candle and put the same into the said clift and thrust that lighted end of a candle sticking fast in the said clift or slit downe to the loest end of the concauitie in the gunne and looke circumspectly by the light of the same candle whether or no any honie combes flawes or crackes are in the concauitie of that gunne Also if you striking a peece of artillery vppon the out side of the mettal in diuers places with an yrō hammer shal at euery stroke heare a cleare sound it is a signe that the same peece is without any hony cōbes flawes or cracks But if you so striking the peece of artillery with an yron hammer shall heare a hoarse sound then without doubt there are honie combes flawes or crackes in the same peece The 44 Chapter How any great peece of artillery may be drawne ouer a soft marrish ground bog or owes WHen you shall haue occasion to drawe any great peece of artillerie ouer a soft marrish ground bogge or owes make for the same peece a strong carriage like vnto a flat bottomed bote that is brode at one end and sharpe at the other ende as this figure heare drawne doth shew Let the said carriage be tight so as no water or durt may come into it and when you haue so done lay the peece of artillery vppon the saide carriage that it may not by any meanes role or fal of from it and vppon one or if you may vppon both sides of the soft grounde cause oxen or horses or men where no oxen or horses may goe to drawe all togeather the peece so lying in his carriage ouer the same soft grounde which will not bee a hard worke to doe for as I haue read a double Cannon will swimme vppon such a carriage in a water of one foote in depth and lying vppon such a carriage can not sinke the same carriage in any marrish bogge or owes aboue halfe a foote The 45 Chapter How by knowing the certaine number of men horses or oxen which will draw any one peece of artillerie you may tell what number of men horses or oxen will be able to drawe any other peece of artillerie how you may know what number of men will in drawing counteruaile any number of horses or oxen how you may know what number of horses will in drawing counteruaile any number of Oxen how this is to bee noted that a fraction in a quotient number of men horses or oxen is not to bee reckoned VVRite first in your memoriall that 80 men may drawe a Peece of artillerie waying eight thousand poundes in waight and that sixe horses may drawe a peece of 860 poundes in waight and that sixe oxen may drawe a peece of Artillerie waying 1058 poundes in waight and afterwardes if you shall be asked what number of men will suffice to drawe any Peece of Artillerie multiplie the waight of the Peece by which the question is asked in 80 the number of men that will suffice as you haue noted in your memoriall to drawe a peece of eight thousand poundes in waight and deuide the product thereof by eight thousand the waight of the Peece which 80 men may drawe and so the quotient will shew the number of men that will suffice to drawe the peece of which the question was asked As for example it shall be supposed that this question is asked what number of men will suffice to drawe a peece waying 860 poundes in waight To aunswere the same question I multiplie 860 the waight of the Peece by which the question was asked in 80 the number of men which as I haue noted in my memoriall will suffice to drawe a peece of eight thousande poundes in waight and thereof commeth 68800 which I deuide by the said number of eight thousand the waight of the Peece which as my memorial doth record may bee drawne with fourescore men and so the quotient yeeldeth eight leauing out the fraction which remaineth for the number of men that wil suffice to drawe the same peece of 860 poundes in waight which by
I may discouer vnto you the force of all other peeces of artillerie  Poynt blanke Vtmost randon  Vtmost randon Poynt blanke Faucon 320 Yards 1280 Yards Faucon 1280 Yards 320 Yards Saker 360 Yards 1440 Yards Saker 1440 Yards 360 Yards The 61 Chapter How you must mount your peece when you will shoote vnto the farthest end of the vtmost randone NIcholas Tartaglia in his Epistle set at the beginning of his booke named La noua scientia declareth that euery great Peece of Artillery ought to be mounted at 45 degrees when it shall shoote vnto the farthest ende of his vtmost randon But William Bourne in his Treatise of shooting in great Ordinance wryteth that it is needefull for vs to consider well of the winde before we doe mount any peece to shoote vnto the farthest ende of his vtmost randon because as he sayth when we will shoote with the winde vnto the farthest ende of the vtmost randon we must mount our peece at 45 degrees and in a windie day against the winde sometimes at 36 degrees sometimes at 37 degrees sometimes at 38 degrees sometimes at 39 degrees sometimes at 40 degrees according as the winde is in bignesse and in a fayre calme day at 42 degrees The 62 Chapter How you may mounte any great peece of Artillerie with a ruler as well as with a quadrant or semicircle vnto the number of tenne degrees and how such a ruler ought to be made and how such a ruler ought to be vsed when a peece of Artillerie is by it mounted or imbased THe measure of the length of the peece that shal be mounted by a ruler being doubled reduce into ynches after this multiplie the sayd number of ynches by 22 and diuide the product by 7 and diuide againe the quotient number of that diuision by 360 then take the last quotient for the number of ynches and partes of an ynch that wil make a degree vppon a ruler for that peece which was so measured As for example I wil mounte a peece of 6 foote long at one degree with my ruler therefore 6 foote the length of that peece being doubled maketh 12 foote which reduced into ynches make 144 ynches This number of 144 multiplied by 22 produceth 3168 which diuided by 7 yeeldeth in the quotient 452 and 4 7 then doe I diuide that quotient of 452 and 4 7 by 360 and so the quotient of this last diuision which is 1 and ◠3 ◠5 sheweth that this peece of 6 foote in length being mounted by my ruler 1 ynche and ◠3 9 5 of an ynche lyeth iustly of the same heigth that it would doe if it should be mounted at one degree of a quadrant or semicircle Now to know how much the sayde peece must be mounted for 2 degrees of a quadrant or semicircle I multiplie 1 and ◠3 9 5 by 2 and thereof commeth 2 and ⅓ ◠5 wherefore I say if the sayde peece be eleuated by the ruler 2 ynches and ⅓ ◠5 of an ynche that it lieth mounted at two degrees Likewise by multiplying the sayd number of 1 and ◠3 9 5 by 3 the product therof which is 3 and ⅔ 7 5 expresseth that the sayd peece must be mounted 3 ynches and ⅔ 7 5 of an ynch for 3 degrees And after this order I may knowe how to mount the sayde peece with a ruler vnto any other degree to which the peece wil be mounted with a ruler for you ought not to be ignorāt of this that a peece of artillerie cannot be mounted with a ruler aboue 10 degrees because the degrees are taken out of a circumferēce and not out of a straight line The ruler with which peeces of artillerie may be mounted is made in fashion like vnto the picture drawē in the margent marked as common rulers are with ynches halfe ynches quarters of ynches halfe quarters of ynches and with more lesser partes of an ynch Also in the middest of this ruler almost from one end to the other there is a slitte or open place within which a plate of brasse or lattin hauing in it a little hole pearced thorow is so placed that the said hole may as need shall require be mooued vp and downe in that slitte and be set right against any ynch or parte of an ynche marked vppon the same ruler And although as it seemeth to me a peece may be more easilie and more iustly mounted vnto any degree by a quadrant and also by a semicircle than by a ruler yet wil I not let passe to shewe in this place how you must vse the ruler to mounte a peece by it Wherefore when you wil mount a peece by a ruler to shoote at any marke put first the true disparte of the peece to be mounted vppon the peece his mouth as you haue beene taught in the 57 Chapter of this Appendix then knowing at what degree the peece must be mounted to reach the marke set the hole which is in the mouable plate of the ruler right against the number of ynches and partes of an ynche that will make iustly the same degree and hauing so done set the ende of the ruler vppon the tayle of the peece so as the ruler may stande vppon the peece squirewise vntill you haue done your woorke After this the mouth of the sayde peece being layde right vppon the marke koyne the breeche of the peece vp and downe vntil you may see thorow the sayd hole in the plate the top of the disparte and the marke and when you haue so done geue fire to the peece that you may strike the sayde marke The 63 Chapter How you may by the helpe of wedges lay the concauitie of any great peece of Artillerie right against a marke how by the helpe of wedges you may make a perfect shoote at a marke lying vnder the mouth of your Peece and how by the helpe of wedges you may cause your Peece to strike in the marke after it hath at one shoote shotte vnder the marke and at an other shoote shotte aboue the marke PRepare of yron or of strong and harde wood two sortes of wedges for euery great peece of Artillery that is to say three wedges of one sorte and three wedges of an other sorte Make euery wedge of the one sort iust so thicke as ⅓ parte of the heigth in the disparte of his peece and let euery wedge of the other sorte be no thicker than ⅙ parte of the sayde heigth This done lay the vppermost parte of mettall at the tayle of the peece and the vppermost parte of mettall ouer the mouth of the peece in an equall heigth and in a right line with the marke and then put vnder the tayle of the peece one of his sayde wedges of the thicker sorte which as Luigi Collado affirmeth will cause the concauitie of that Peece without any more woork to lie right against the sayd marke But when you purposing to shoote at a marke lying vnder the mouth
10 in 20 and thereof riseth 200 vnto which adde the supposed waight of 50 poundes which did make the beame to lie as a parallell with the Horizon before the ringed poyze was put on vppon the same and so the product thereof will be 250 wherefore I conclude that this Stater with his said ringed poyze of 10 poundes will shewe the true waight of any quantitie that doth not way aboue 250 poundes The Type of a shorre Stater The 108 Chapter To make three sundrie oyntments which will heale any person scalded with hotte Saltpeeter water or with any other hotte licour and cure all those which shal be burned with hotte yron or gunpowder method 1 BOyle Hogges grease that is stale and olde ouer a fire and still as any scumme shall rise take it cleane away When you shall see that the same olde and stale Hogges grease so boyling will cast vp no more scumme take it of from the fire and set it in the open ayre for the space of three or foure nightes After you haue so done melte the saide grease againe ouer a fire and then straine it into fresh and cleane water after all this wash the said grease in diuers faire and cleane waters till it shal be very white and clammie and till the water in which it hath beene well washed doth appeare to be faire and cleere This done the oyntment is made and if you will annoynte with it the place that is scalded or burned you shall heale the same place without any scarre blemmish or paine An other oyntment to heale scaldings and burnings method 2 TAke of ordinarie gray Sope and annoynte presently the place scalded or burned once annointing will serue if you take it so soone as it is done both to take away the fire and to heale it without any other thing method 3 But if the greeued place be not within a quarter of an houre annoynted with graye Sope then take Goose grease which hath not beene salted for in any wise take heede that you doe not occupie for this purpose any Goose grease that hath salte in it and annoynte the place therewith well warmed twise a day for this alone will heale it and so as it shall neuer be seene except it be burned very deepe The 109 Chapter To make a Plaister which will heale without payne any wrenched or broken arme hande legge foote or ioynte and all manner of bruses TAke of mirte named in Italian Mortella shippe pitch gumme of a Pine tree tallowe of a Gote frankencense masticke and garden woormes wash well the said wormes in water and then drie them in an hote Ouen to powder Also beate the saide frankensence masticke and mirte to powder and after you haue so done mingle togeather one parte of the powder of mirte one parte of the powder of frankensence one parte of the powder of masticke and one parte of the powder of garden woormes Moreouer after you haue melted in a potte ouer a sloe fire the saide gumme and shippe pitch put Gotes tallowe into the potte among the said melted gumme and pitch and when the sayde tallowe is there also melted put all the saide partes of powders into the same potte and mingling them well with the other thinges which are melted in the same potte seethe all those thinges togeather for a while ouer a fire till they shall beginne to waxe somewhat harde When you haue so done take the potte from the fire and spread some of that mixture in the potte thicke vppon a white and softe peece of leather and then while it is warme lay the plaister vppon the greeued place and suffer it to lie there till it doe fall away of it selfe This plaister as Girolamo Ruscelli writeth is of such vertue that it will drawe the bone out of ioynte into his place and take away all the payne Also it is a soueraigne plaister to be laide vppon a broken bone or ribbe or vppon any bruise within a mans bodie or within any parte thereof and it taketh away all the paine thereof without any danger when it hath done his cure it will of it selfe fall away from the place that was greeued When you cannot get of the saide woormes you may make the plaister without them although the plaister which hath such woormes in it is of more vertue than the other plaister made without those woormes The 110 Chapter How a Gunner cannot mount any peece of Artillerie to make a perfect shoote at a marke without point blanke except he doe knowe the distance betweene his peece and the marke and how for the same reason and also for other causes the Authour of this Appendix doth shewe in the Chapters following diuers rules concerning the mensuration of Altitudes Longitudes Latitudes and Profundities and the platting of fieldes mynes and other places COnsidering that as Nicholas Tartaglia in his epistle at the beginning of his Booke intituled La noua Scientia writeth a Gunner cannot mount well any peece of Artillerie to make a perfect shoote at a marke without pointe blanke except he doe knowe the distance betweene his Peece and the marke Also considering that a Gunner may haue occasion to measure Altitudes Latitudes and Profundities and to drawe vppon paper the platte of fieldes mynes and other places I will now before the ende of my Booke shewe in certaine Chapters some playne infallible and necessarie rules for mensuration of Altitudes Longitudes Latitudes and Profundities for the drawing of plattes which shall containe the true proportion and symetrie of any fielde myne or other place so as euery Gunner shal be able thereby to tell how farre any place in his platte is distant from other The 111 Chapter The bignesse fashion and vse of an Instrument named a Gunners Semicircle and of an Instrument named a Geometricall Square TO perfourme my promise made in the last Chapter I must first shewe you the fashion bignesse and vse of an Instrument named a Gunners Semicircle which ought to be made of harde smoothe and well seasoned wood as of Oke Wallnut tree Peare tree or rather of Cipresse wood because the Cipresse wood will not warpe with the heate of the Sunne nor with any moysture Also the saide Semicircle fashioned and diuided like vnto his type heere drawne ought to be at the least so bigge as the saide type and from his center a plumbe line ought to hang downe but in place of the two sight holes which may bee sette vppon the saide instrument you shall if you wyll followe my counsell make a straight narrow and shalloe channel along in the Ruler A B from the point D to the point E and likewise an other straight shallowe and narroe channell in the Ruler B C from the point F to the point G. This done couer those channels with a thinne peece of wood in such maner as you may notwithstanding the said couers looke thorow those channels at any marke whatsoeuer A Semicircle thus framed will serue to lay