Marrish or Moorish place interposeth Wherefore to bee prepared in all Accidents especially to passe the Ordnance ouer a Riuer that one Bridge or Moore may be speedily made either with Boats placed 12 or 14 foote asunder and moored by Ankors fast a head and a sterne especially where the Riuer ebbeth and floweth else if they be but fast a head it may serue they must at such distance be layd in a right line to ride crosse the whole breadth of the Riuer at the place appointed And then betweene each two next Boats place 3 beames of Timber being 18 foote in length whereof 14 foot must be to reare betweene the 2 next Boats at each end two foot must be to beare vpon the Boate which Boats must be of euen height or nigh and the Beames are to be layd 6 or 7 foote wide each from other that the bridge may be 10 or 12 foote broade as well to conuay ouer the Horse and Foote as the Ordnance Cariages and all other necessaries belonging to the Armie for the surety and strength of which there must vpon euery Boate be also three other peeces of Timber of such length that it may at each end reach 3 foote ouer the Boates side vnto which the three Beames aforesaid must be fast pinned with Tree-nayles and yron bolts with forelockes and keyes to make them fast one to another These Beames and Timbers are to be conered ouer with Planks two inches thick or one inch and a halfe at least and 17 or 18 foote in length the description of which may be seene in the 17 figure at α. But if any boggy or muddy space be betweene the Riuer and the fixed ground so that the Ordnance cannot be brought nor drawne neere enough vnto the Bridge then that part must be filled vp with such things as are fittest to make it firme whether it be with Faggots and Earth or Chalke or stones pyling the sides with Timber driuen in vntill they reach into firme ground at the bottome for foundation and to reuest it then with boords or walls according to the time intended it shall last and continue that thereby the way may be firme land and euen But if any doubt be that the Enemie will supprise this Bridge to make himselfe Master of the Riuer then at each end thereof a halfe Moone or Reddout or Fort with Ordinance to doe murther and fire-works must be prepared to preuent him and therein besides the side of the Bridge may bee palissadoed with long strong sharpe poynted sparrs fastned thereto to secure it that way Also a continuall and a carefull eye must be cast vpon euery part of the Bridge that if any accident of defect be in any place it may be speedily repayred and amended and a Rayle on ech side would be needfull for a stay A Bridge also may in like manner be made with Truncks as is represented in the said Figure at β And also to be linkt vpon one great vessell with a falling defensiue poynted pallisado as therein likewise at 4 is represented and vpon Cask Cables c. which I omit being rather proper vnderstandings for the Enginier CHAP. XLVII How to defend a Fortresse besieged and the order and what prouisions of Amunition will be necessary for the defence thereof AFortresse besieged being well defended may returne to enioy her former liberties which the better to doe it will be necessary to make plaine cut downe and ruine whatsoeuer shall be hiding and hurtfull within halfe a mile or more round about the Fort be they Bankes hollow wayes Hedges and Dykes of Lanes Bushes Trees Houses Mills Gardens Conduits and such like obstacles as not onely hide them but hurt you also Next looke that the Place bee well victualed according to the number for man and beast fitting for defence and necessary vse thereof fixe moneths which is the longest time a Fort can be like to hold out without succour or supply from abroad Also Amunition must not be wanting at least so much as may furnish the Flankers and Artillery which must be as safe and couertly placed as may be and not to be easily choaked or dismounted For Amunitions precise proportions cannot be prescribed because each day ministreth new necessities and as the Enemy abroad raiseth or maketh new workes Within Men and Munition may be reasonably paralelled with 1 10 of the besiegers Then to looke that the Counterscarp which is the shield of the Fortresse be duly flanked couert and capable that the false Ports and wayes for Sallyes be safe close lowe and commodious for issue That the the Parrapets be of Turffe or vnburned Bricke that the platformes for the Ordnance be euen and the Planks close ioyned that their Reuerses cause not errours and be also capable for the Gunners and Labourers to trauerse their Ordnance euery needfull way vpon them The number of your Garison may also be estimated by the quantities of the places to be defended by the out-workes you would hold by the intrenchments imagined requisite and Sallyes you purpose to make Now after the proportion of a Place whereas 60 Peeces will be requisite 12 of them may be Cannon to beate downe and batter the Defences and Trenches of the Enemies and to make therewith Counter-Batteries to dismount the Enemies Ordnance And 8 of them may be Demy Culuerings 10 Demy Cannons they being lighter are more easie to mannage and 10 Sakers to keepe the Enemie continually play to hinder their works offend their Centinells beat the entrances of the Trenches impeach their Approaches and for that they are light they may be remoued easily and quickly from one place to another yea out of the Ports with some Drakes to rake the Enemies trenches from some part of the Falsebray And lastly 20 Falcons and Falconets for Field Peeces are necessary and may be able to serue not onely vpon the Ramparts and Walls but also at the entries of a Breach and at single Marks Horse man or Boat CHAP. XLVIII To make a Counter-battery vpon a Bulwarke from whence without danger of discouering or dismounting the Enemies Ordnance abroad may be dismounted SVch Counter-batteries are not to bee made without great labour and charges neither can euery Bulwarke yeeld a sufficient roome for that purpose without demolishment of some buildings and houses about the same which in a time of neede must not be stood vpon as in the 10 Figure at β the whole structure thereof is represented All the place must then be of that capacity that from the Parrapet to the foote of the sholde◠Tract 2 Dial. II. Comrnent il faut ordonner l'artillerie pour la defence dune Ville Wie das geschuts Zur Defension einer Stattsoll gestellet Werden Tract 2. Dial. II. Comment il fault loger des pieces seeretes en vn bastion Wie heimliche stuck in einer pasteijen zu gebrauchen Tractat. 3. Cap. 13. fig. 2. Comment il fault appliquer le quadrant Wie der quadrant an zusch
lagen Poinct du nueau Punct der Wagen there may 40 foote of ground and for the thicknesse thereof it must â—e 21 or 22 foote with 27 or 30 foote for reuerse for each Peece making almost 100 foote in all and leauing yet thirty foote more at least from the said reuerse to the other Parrapet of the same Bulwarke to the end there may he no impeachment but that the Troopes may march and passe to the defences required freely And hauing also roome to plant three Peeces of Ordnance vpon each of the Shoulders of the same which will also require 65 some of ground at the least The Trouniers or Loopes are to be 3 foote broad within and distant 20 foote one from another Hauing within the Platformes 3 foote of Barb and without 9 foote of breadth and euery where 8 foote of height These three loopes must haue a counter loope at the Parapet of the Bulwarke hauing in the midst 4 within 6 and without 8 foote in breadth and deepe that it be euen with the Terraplene Now from these Loopes there must be as we haue said so much roome that within the Shouldrings there may be 3 Peeces distant 20 foote asunder Now two or three of these Shouldrings discharge their three Peeces trauersing croswise to the Enemies Batteries beating so vpon them that they must be forced to quit the place And although the Euemie abroad may beate the Couertures of the outmost Loopes yet can they neither for the inner Loopes not the Peeces within come to touch any of them But you may note that such Batteries cannot be made in a narrow or straight place as I haue said without demolishing structures and raising the ground so that it be leuell with the Terraplene of the Bulwarke which would otherwise be too small for that purpose And hauing finished them they are not to serue for one place onely but they may turne those Shouldrings and defences and make the Peeces thunder about on all sides where the Enemie would settle himselfe CHAP. XLIX Of certaine reasons that causeth a Shott though well directed to erre in her discharge and be faulty at the Mark wide short or ouer THere are very many causes and accidents that may make a Shott well directed to deuiate from the expected course The first is when as the Soule or bore of the Peece lyeth awry in the Body or Mettall thereof or that the Chase or vacant Cillinder the director of the Shott is not straite wherefore the Gunner may receiue disgrace but hauing examined and found the fault hee is to supply the defect by discretion and skill And if the Trunions also be not duly placed directly in a dyagonall lyne with the Axis of the Peece it will be wide likewise if the Platforme bee vnequall as higher vpon one side then the other Also if the Gunner lay the highest of the mettall at mouth and Breech it will shoot ouer if it be within distance if one wheele be higher then another also if one wheele goe stiffer then the other or if one wheele meete with a squat by a stone or otherwise when the Naues be one longer wyder then the other when one wheele reuersing goeth on soft ground the other on harder when the Cariage or Trunion eares are higher lower one then another if the Cariage be too wyde so that the Peece lyeth not fast the rein but starteth in her discharge if the Shot be not equally round or the bore of the Peece not lying strait but more on the one side of the mettall then the other The vehemencie of the winde with against or aside may driue the Shot forward backe it or deuie-at it aside the thicknesse and thinnesse of the ayre the heating and cooling the sleight or hard ramming of the Powder putting home or short the shott And lastly the want of skill and experience All these and many more may be causes of the fayling of a Shott at an assigned Marke which I thought fit here to note at last not to minister matter of excuse to ignorant negligent carelesse Gunners but to aduise the discreete Gunner to haue a vigilant eye and consideration of all or as many of those accidents with reason of the former directions to auoyd or amend them as wel as he can at first To faile at the first shott if he be not acquainted with the Peece and Marke is passable and at the second to fayle is pardonable but to faile of a faire shott at the third time is too much and argues but little iudgement and discretion in such a Gunner CHAP. L. How to conduct a Mine vnder ground to blow vp a place and to prepare a Gallerie to passe the Dyke to the foote of the Breach THe vse of Mining is ancient and was commonly vsed by the Persian Greeke Parthian Romanes and other Nations that haue mannaged great warres and no meruaile for that the same is the easiest and most proper meanes to force a place But Pietre Nauarro a Spaniard was the first that inuented the Fowrne and the vse of Powder therein for which and some other seruices the Emperour Charles the fifth gaue him the name of a Conde and great rewards besides Yet neuerthelesse there is nothing more dangerous for such as worke in these Mines by reason the Counter-mines of the Enemie so that if there be any suspition of countermining it will not be amisse to diuert the course with all dexterity either toward the right or left hand as the occasion of the Place will permit And forasmuch as according to the naturall effects of feare it behoueth the besieged to seeke out the shortest and neerest way possible to offend the Enemie abroad by Countermine or otherwise The Mine-Master then may sinke his Mine and conduct the same either as in the 16 Figure at α is described by the letters from A by B to C or as the other 4 square angular course and there to prepare the Fourne which may be armed with powder in Barrels so that giuing Fire thereunto by a Trayne he blow vp the Place and the Enemies aboue it And to the end the same hurt not the Pyoners or Worke-men that digge and trauell therein it will bee needfull to lyne the same with sparres and bords framed accordingly seauen foote in height and 5 foote in breadth but it must be couered with 2 inch planke to keepe vp the earth But if the ground be moyst or full of Springs a gutter with 2 descent must bee made that the water may runne to some lower euacuation if that cannot be a Well at the mouth of the Mine must be made for a receptackle for all the Springs to runne into by their gunters and Pumpsor Forcers are to be set sufficient to mount the water that it may after finde a current to runne away But if there be any suspition of Countermining then alwayes forwards in your intended course you may bore long holes in the earth with your
to their calibres and the conuenient charge of powder in respect thereof and of the weight of the shot mentioned in the Theoremes of my first part of the Art of Artillery will most aduance the shot with all aduantage possible And for their vses they differ much notwithstanding that they be reckoned as of one same Kinde for the Greater sorts namely Culnerings and Demy Culnerings serue to pierce cut out in batteries what the Cannons haue shaken and loosed the Sakers and Falcons serne for Flankers the other smaller sorts of this kind for Field Peeces for the assaults and to shoote at Troopes or Companies of men that are neere together Al these shoote iron shot but may shoote stone shot where the marks are but tender and so they will saue much in Amonition and yet performe as good seruice as with the iron shot they can doe Alexander Biance in his Booke intituled Corona e palma millitare de Artiglieria sayth That their Founders in Italy as I conceiue because their Culuerings shoete shot of equall dyametre with their greatest Canons therefore would if those great Culuerings were not vnweldie shoote further pierce deeper and shake and vnloose more then their Cannon for the reasons aforesaid they haue of late yeeres cast fewer Canons and more Culuerings then heretofore commending their force and seruice farre beyond the Canons But Diege Vffano Captaine of the Artillerie in the Castle of Antwerpe for reasons in his Traicte de Artillerie shewed denyeth the Culuerings to be of equall worthinesse with the Cannons which difference groweth by reason that now Batteryes are made at shorter distances then heretofore namely within the Canons right Range as at 80 90 or 100 paces so their opinions both being iudicious Gunners I conceiue to grow from the alterations also of Foundings according to the Imperiall orders before mentioned which in these parts of Italy were not knowne as it seemeth by Bianco Chiefe Gunner of Cremes in the yeare 1603 nor altered from the aforenamed forreigne Foundings whereby wee may conceiue that their seeming differences may be easily moderated by theiudicious Reader Now for the Harquebuse a Crocke being in these dayes seldome vsed but at Sea where especially with an Arrow it is a very galling and seruiceable Peece and may safely bee discharged 300 times in oneday or 25 times in an houre his leaden shot weigheth but three ounces and it is charged with two ounces of Powder and by reason of the length thereof might be also accompted of this kind but that it is a Hand-gunne and so appertaineth not properly to this discourse Cap. 6.4 Canon enchambre Carthau ntitt cingesonckter kammern Canon de tuyeau esgal Carth mitt gleichem lauff Canm encampane Carth mitt zugespitzter kammern Cap. 6.5 Eber. Verrat Brecant Preller Piece de l'Isle de Dio. Stuck auss der insul Dio. Rebuf Sturtzer CHAP. XIII Of the Cannon Periors and Perieraes the third kind and their sorts OF this 3 kind are those Ordnance that shoote no Iron or Leaden shot but only lighter as Stone Murthering or Fire shot of them there are foure especiall seuerall sorts The Canon Perior being the principall and therfore as the Canon of Batterie and Culuering bring the rest to be of their kinds so for the same reason also may the Canon Perior doe the like for hers The Canon Perior then for the outside is not much vnlike vnto the Canon of Batterie but that they are more vncertaine in the heights of their Calibers or Bores some being higher and some lower in dyametre It is a comely and a seruiceable Peece and for those vses namely to shoote Stone shot they are well sufficiently fortified so that being duly loaden the Gunner may therwith safely serue to defend a Breach keep a passage murther and spoyle the Enemy being approached neere hand Most foreigne Canon Periors are Chambred being eyther taper or belbored in their Chambers the Mouth of which Chamber being but eyther ⅔ or 3 2 in Calibre of the height or Calibre of the Mouth of the Chase of the Peece the difference of which at the Mouth of the Chamber is called the Orloe or Rellish their Chambers are to be in length 4 Dyametres of the Mouth of the said Chamber But the most of our English Cannon Periors are equall bored through the length of their whole Chases which I conceiue were better to be onely taper bored in their Chamber so as that the Mouth of their Chambers be equall in height with all the rest of her Calibre or Bore forward towards her Mouth because it will be thereby the better fortified in the Chamber and so the more able to resist the force of her due loading in powder these Peeces are to shoote the ⅔ of the waight of their Stone shot in corne powder onely abating proportionally 5 pound of powder for euery 100 pound waight of shot The Chambred Canon Periors with Relishes as aforesard are troublesome to load for that they are therefore to vse a Scafetta and a Rowling Rammerhead with a shiuer in the Staffe The length of these Canon Periors are about 8 Calibres of their Bore at the Mouth of the Chase they are to be in their Chambers 2 7 in thicknes of Mettall at their Touch-holes The Terieraes are the next sort of this third kind which are in all things like vnto the Canon Perior already mentioned but that they are much poorer and weaker fortified with Mettall being allowed for the Canon Perior 80 pound of Mettall for euery pound waight of their Stone shot and but 60 pound for the Petrieraes whose Chamber being but ½ in Bore of the Calibre at the Mouth must be loaded with but ¼ of Corne powder but if it bee 2 7 then with 1 7 of the Stone shot waight The third sort of Ordnance of this third kind being the Port Peeces and Stocke Fowlers which are Brasse cast Peeces open at both ends inuented to be loaded with Chambers at the Breech end fitted close thereinto with a shouldring euen as the wooden Trees for water pypes haue tapred ends to let them close one into another The shot and wadde being first put into the Chase then is the Chamber to bee firmely wedged into the Tayle of the Chase and Carriage Now in stead of round Trunnions there are 4 square tennants cast ioyning with the side of the Chase of the Peece on eyther side two which being let into the Block or Carriage holdeth the whole Chase fast therein leauing the Cornish lying vpon the ledge of the Ships Port or vpon the Vawmure in a Fort and tryced vp with a rope fastned about the muzzle The Tayle of the Carriage is to rest and to be shored vp with an vpright post or foote full of holes to slide vp and downe in a square Mortice fitted thereunto hauing a shiuer at the lower end thereof with two Tressle legges morteized before vnder the blocke of the Carriage the foote with holes hath
vp also the rest that is yet empty with molten waxe mingled with hempe cut or with â—oe rather They Tract 2. Cap. 3. Comment il fault armer et conduire vne mine Wie eine minen zu leitten vndt zu verwahren galerie Tract 2. Cap. 6. Forme et vsage de quelques instrumens ingenieux pour vne entreprise Form vndt gebrauch ettlicher instrumenten zu einer empresa nutzlich zu gebrauchen Tract 2. Cap. 7. Comment il fault charger et attacher le petart Wie ein petart zu laden vnd an zu hangon But if we be to Pettard a Port vnto which wee cannot approach to hang the Pettard thereon then make a little woodden horse with 4 wheeles or Trucks lyned with Cloath or Wooll to auoide making noyse the Handle whereof is to carry the said Pettard being at the least 40 foote long with a Counterpoyze at the other end hauing the Planchier fastned close before the mouth of the Pettard with the crochet or vnderprop to place the same as close and flat against the Port as is possible and the aftmost end of the staffe or prop made firme against some stake in the ground to stay the reuerse so alwaies that it belong enough to reach ouer the dike or drawbridge to be driuen close that the Pettard may be firmed against the Gate Then so loded and firegiuen to the slow vent or pype with the slow receipt the retrait may haue time to be oblikely made least her reuerse supprize the Pettardier before he canget out of the danger therof The figures and discourse following as well for the accessible as for the inaccessible Ports here annexed will make that which we haue said the better vnderstood CHAP. XV. Of seuerall wayes to preuent the effectuall working of Petards DIuers and seuerall meanes there are also to preuent the placing and effectuall working of the said Pettards whereof a word or two in briefe The first is by a kind of strong iron Gridiron or Grate so placed before the Port somewhat distant as 3 or 4 feete off that the Planchier of the Pettard cannot come close enough to the Gate for that the Ayre betweene it and the Pettard will doubtlesse make the action therof to be of little or no effect otherwise to spoyle the Pettardier and Assistants neere a falltrap being let go with a buckle tricker when the Pettardier shall either tread vpon a draw-bridge or bord couered with earth which will pull out the buckle and so it will let a great circle with iron works by a spring fall violently vpon his head likewise they impeach the hanging and propping Pettards by certaine points of iron about 3 feete long placed vnder the Draw-bridge which when it is drawne vp stands out and impeacheth the placing of them against it In like sort by a trap-draw-bridge which will fall downe as soone as the Pettardier shall tread thereon and slide him and his Pettard into the dyke so also if a paire of compasses of iron with teeth on the legges haue their head with a ioynt fastened aboue to the stone worke of the Port so that as soone as the bridge or bord which holds the compasses and teeth open is vnloosed by treading thereon they are forced together by strong springs most violently which terribly will claspe and teare him in most miserable manner Another is by two semicircles with sawteeth to claspe together as soone as the Pettardier sets foote on the false bord or bridge to vnhitch the springholds Also a cord being fastned to the outpost end of the loose bridge which by the Pettardiers stepping theron vnlooseth the hold so a number of stones will thereby all fall on his head and beate out his braines So also a false Port with 3 or 4 feet or more of vacuitie betweene it and the true Port rising higher then the true Port in greues hoisted vp as a Percullis and shall fall when the Pettardier steppeth on the false bridge likewise by a false or loose bridge which shall pull a tricker that shall let downe a snaphance and giue fire vnto 20 or 30 loaded muskets whose mouthes shall be seene through the Port and discharge themselues vpon the Pettardier and his assistants As the figures in the 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 and 13 Chapters of the second book intituled Recuil de plusieurs Machines millitaires will more manifest vnto the eye CHAP. XVI How and with what instruments you may breake the Pyles Palesadoes Grates Percallises and Chaunes or such like iron or wood-worke to lay them open for entry TO breake Palisadees Grates Barres and such like enclosures of any Towne Cassle Foâ—â—â—or strong house The instrument that is noted with A which is a wrench that being aplyed and fastned as the figure sheweth wil teare open strong Bars Or the Saw B in sawing asunder the ioynts Or the Crow C whose Clouen soot being gotten betweene the 〈◊〉 will forcibly disioynt them Or els Axlike wedge D. But if the enterprize bee to be secretly executed without noyse of strokes of tooles then a fire wheele in such manner fastned prymed and fired and fixed as the figure sheweth wil sone make way if it be wel ordered for the purpose as hereafter in this Chapter shall be directed The same instruments are to be applyed vnto Barres of Gates of Townes and Castles if they may be approached secretly For else there can bee no better way to make ouerture then by battery with great Ordnance which from far will soone make a breach aswell in Ports which are vsually fortified with barracadoes and other defences but may be therby soon battered to make sufficient breach to enter by yea were it in bulwarks or Curtins as hereafter shall bee shewed more at large If you would force a great Port of a Towne secretly there is another meanes besides the Pettard already spoken of namely the Skrew Nut marked E and his skrewbarre A with which in turning the winlase X it will soone breake open the Port so that the backestay be fast and strong enough Now if it be strengthned with chaines of iron within although they were great and strong yet by the skrew spindles 4 and 5 turning the Nut B by the winlase spykesthereof and so in like manner the iron Burs and Grates may be broken asunder or pulled out with the Pinchers C and the drawing hammer D and the mallet of hard-wood I and the short Axe-wedge 2 Next to those instruments the drift bridge betweene them represented was inuented to reach ouer a dyke and to put any Towne or Fort to the Scalado it is not much vnlike the Cartbridge vsed for the Pettard as before may be seene in his Chapter but that it is not so great and heauy as it CHAP. XVII How to Dispart any Peece of Ordnance that is truely and equall bored in the middest of the Mettall thereof OF all things belonging vnto a Gunner the chiefest is to bring the Mettal of his Peece euen
haue tempered into paste they dry and then beate and remoysten others mixe it with burnt sand and ashes others hauing but weake Earths temper them with water wherein burnt salt is dissolued mixing therwith Scales or Lymmel of iron finely beaten and searced And lastly some mixe therewith Horse or Oxe dung and some vsed sedge and straw finely chopt and mealed each to his best liking endeauouring to preuent the ill accedents that may hinder the good successes of their workes CHAP. XX. Of making of Moulds for the Founding of Ordnance And hauing so prepared and resolued of what kind and what sort of that kind the Ordnance is you intend to Cast you are then first to make a Moddell or perfect patterne thereof eyther of Timber or of Earth or both with all the Mouldures Ornaments and Compartiments euen as you would haue the Peece to be which you must thinnely anoynt with soft hogs grease and then couer it ouer with a Colume of the aforesaid tempered earth made and dryed by little and little augmenting it vntill it bee of a competent strength thicknes This Colume must be to betaken into two or more parts to the end to take the said Modell or patterne out of it and it is to be fortified on the out side with Plates of iron as long as the Chase of the Peece and with iron wyres an inch each from other and lastly with iron hoopes a foote or two asunder to knocke off and on as occasion shall require There must also bee a smooth and equall Cillinder whose Dyametre must be iust the height of the Bore and made of the same earth moulded vpon a strong Iron square Barre and vpon a cord woulded about the same therewith to make the soule or concaue hollow Cillinder of the Peece by placing it by helpe of the Base and Muzzle-ring exactly in the midst of the vacuity of the outermost Colume which when the Patterne or Modell shall bee taken out will remaine hollow to receiue the mettall that must make the body of the Peece All these must be well ioyned ted together polished smooth and dryed and nealed that the mettall berune fine may come off smooth and neate Lastly the patterne of the Breech with all the Mouldures and Cascabell is in like manner to bee couered ouer by little and little with the same tempered earth which must afterwards be luted neatly and strongly to the Breech end of the outter Colume All which Mouldures Rings Armes Deuices Flowers Trunnions Dolphins and Circles may be at pleasure added therevnto vpon the patterne eyther in waxe earth or playster and so the perfect impression thereof be receiued by the concauity of the outward Colume keeping still the due prescribed proportion of the Peeces according to the kind and sort thereof CHAP. XXII Of the place measure and vse of the Trunnions THe Trunnions in peeces not Camber bored ought to be thus placed diuide the whole lēgth of the Chase of the peece into 7 equall parts and at 3 of those parts from the Basering forwards in the imaginary right line that procéedeth from the lower part of the Mettall at the Breech to the vpper part of the Mettall at her Mouth must the place of the Centre of the Trunnions be and so shall there be 4 7 of the length of her Chase from the Centre of her Trunnions forwards to her Muzle 3 7 backwards to her Breech except it be for a Taper bored or Cambred peece for which the Trunnions must be placed more backwards because the thicknes of mettall to the breechwards is greater in compared proportion then it is in equall bored Peeces which would otherwise become breech heauy so be troublesome to manage and it must be so ordered for these sequent reasons First for her better fortitude Namely to take hold the more firmely in the Mettall of her body and not lye directly against the concauo Cillinder of the Bore Secondly that being somewhat vnder it they will the better support the great waight of the mettall and lastly that therby they may be onely so much heauier towards their Breech as may be sufficient to keepe her steady in her discharge and not be too vnweldy but conueniently approaching neere equiballancing for the mounting and mannaging thereof which the Germane and Spanish Founders doe somewhat seeme to helpe by placing Dolphins somewhat more towards their breeches and some others haue thought to remedy it by placing of strong Rings in Staples of cast mettal in stead and liew of these Dolphins But for such Peeces as haue neither Dolphins nor Rings to mount or dismount by them a Leauer being put into their Mouthes and a rope fastned at the mouth vnto theoutward end therof and vnto the Pomell or Cascabell at the breech thoy are to be thereby equibalancingly slinged tomount or dismount them conueniently The Trunnions ought next the body to be in Dyametre one Calibre of her proper bore in thicknes and also one in length onely lessening 1 30 of a Calibre tapering by little and little towards their outward end of them There are fiue things especially to be regarded in casting of mettall The first is to make the formes and moulds duely The second that they be well nealed with Charcoales or dry wood The third to place them well in the Pit The fourth is to melt the mettall to runne well and fine The fift to be sure to put asmuch mettall into the furnace as may be sufficient to fill the moulds and euery mould that is to be filled with Brasse or any other Mettall must haue spyralls or vents for there is no place although called empty so voyd but it is filled with Ayre by meanes whereof if the hot meltes substance come to meete with the Ayre there inclosed not finding breathing vent it will breake the the mould wherefore it will be fit that as vpon the one side of the mould the mettall is to come into it vpon the other side the moysture and ayre may breath out without impeachment that all the emptines of the mould may be filled with mettall And to that end there must bee a vent made that may breath out the ayre from the top to the bottome of the mould concluding that by giuing the more and the larger enteries vnto the moulds and vents the better and more faire will your matter bee cast off And so much for Foundings of Brasse Ordnance CHAP. XXII How to examine search and to finde whether any peece of Ordnance be well and duly made and of what Kinde and Sort it is THe principall thing that a Gunner ought to looke vnto when hee is to take many Peeces of Ordnance into his charge is first to search and examine how they are Fortified and whether they be sound and safely seruiceable and whether they be of the kinde of Cannons of Battery Culuerings or Periors and then to know of which sort each Peece is of that Kinde and then whether they be
long ground Awgars vsed for such purposes and pierce holes on all sides also to know vpon what part from you the Enemie worketh which cannot be done so priuate but so the noyse of their Mattocks and Shouels will soone be hard by those pierced holes when you come neere their workes if by those meanes you heare nothing by reason that the besieged had ended their Countermines before you began and he watching them heareth you worke those piercers being but 12 or 15 foote long will discouer the danger by boring thorough the solid earth to the hollownesse of their Countermine and so you shall haue Counteraduantage of the Enemies counter-minings My Cosmodelite before represented is an excellent instrument and for that purpose I thinke the best extant Now being come right vnder the place to bee blowne vp and made the Fourne arched vpwards higher then the Mine place therein sufficient powder either in Barrellor Troughes you must also stop closely and strongly the mouth of the Fourne very diligently looking it be so close that no ayre breath out but at one small hole wherein the Trayne runneth in to giue fire thereunto vnto which he that giueth fire must looke that the Match of the Trayne bee not too long before the powder take as also to see it bee not too short and so to giue fire too soone that is before he be gotten into some place of safety out of the blast and ruines least hee pay the wages of improuidence The meanes then to set the matter a worke needes no long discourse being very commonly knowne onely to aduise that the enterance into the Mine for height and breadth as aforesaid may be as close and secret from the Enemie as may be and that in his proceeding on he must deminish those measures in such manner that in the midst it be but 5 foote high and 4 foote broad And the neeret you come to the end so much the lesse giue in breadth so that euen to the comming in to the Furne it must be close and narrow that you may onely get the powder thereinto Aboue all things the Mine-Master before he begin must be sure to know the true measure and distance with the height or depth of the place intended to bee Mined bee it aboue or vnder the leuell of the place hee beginneth most precisely taking exact notice of all his windings turning and angles which he maketh from the beginning to the end as well aboue and vnder the leuell of the right line passing thence right vnder the Place as towards the right and left side thereof Otherwise his labour will not onely be deficill but also vncertaine and most dangerous there being foure principall causes to impeach the effectuall working thereof First the ill stopping of the Fourne Secondly the weakenesse of the sides by countermines or Cauernes Thirdly by failing of the Trayne by moysture or ill contriuing And fourthly the most important is that the Frame whereupon the Barrels stand be not placed too low as vnder the leuell of the enterance which it must euer exceede because the quality of fire is alwayes to ascend And so obserning euery 15 or 20 paces how high or lowe or wide on any side you are gone aboue or vnder the leuel strait line Two of the greatest shames to Souldiers being either to lose any peece of Ordnance by negligence or ill guarding them Or the fayling of a Mines due effect And for making great or small Galleryes to passe a dyke vnto a Breach couertly be the dyke watered or dry the maner is described in the precedent Figure with the Myne and may be made ready in seuerall parts to be set together speedily by ioynts fitted for that purpose for the easier cariage also And they must be couered ouer with Faggots earth greene Hides to preuent fiting them CHAP. LI. Of the Guindall Windlas and Ginne or Martinet Krow and Handspyke and Leuer and the endlesse Screw THe Guindall or Windlas is a conuenient ingenious inuâ—â—tion to mount a peece of Ordnance or heaue aloft waighty matters and is represented in the 24 Figure with the Crow of Iron or Goates-footed Handspyke and Leauers accompanied with the Ginne or Martinet which will lift vp the Axtrees when the Peece is vpon her Cariage mounted to take off or put on the Wheeles to grease or ease or mend what is amisse about them The Guindall is thus made of a peece of Tymber sixe inches square in the feete or with three young dry Oken Sparres about 12 or 15 foote long ioyned together at the top with an yron bolt passing through Iron Ferrills vpon which bolt a double pulley is hanged and at the lower end of each Sparre another yron Ferrill and a Pyke of yron is placed to keepe the feete from all slipping almost at the lower end of two of those legges or Sparres a peece of a Sparre about 4 or 5 foote long is fastned betweene them and also 3 foote from the end a Rowle and Windlas with halfe round yrons are clasped to those 2 legges or spartes and aboue that 2 or 3 other peeces of sparres In that Rowle are 4 mortis holes for Handspykes pierced thorough whereby they with 2 or 4 Handspykes turne that Rowle which hath an end of a rope 4 or 5 times or more about it and the other end reeued in the said Pulley so continued vnto another double pulley with a hole or hooke to take hold or seize a Rope that hath slung the Peece appointed to be mounted into her Cariage Or else the Frame may Instruments pour le seruice des pieces Tract 3. cap 8. Der zu dem geschutz gehörig hebzeug Martinet Winde Guindal der bock oder heber Pied de cheure Leuies pebel gejss fuss Eschelette hebleiterlein be of 3 square Tymbers the head of two of them ioyning at the top together and the rest for the other legge and parts may by the sight of the said 24 Figure be framed and vnderstood sufficiently The Ginne or Martinet is another instrument seruing to lift vp the Peece with her Cariage and all her furniture from the ground with one mans strength when the Gunner would change a bad wheele or the like or put a wheeleon vpon the Axiltree or take it off for any purpose the proportion of this Engin for the vse of Ordnance is that it ought to be about 2 foote long and 8 inches square or there-abouts the Viceron is of yron forked to take hold and with his teeth is wound vp by a handle with a spurre of fewe teeth it will lift a great waight multiplying the force proportionally according to the height of the secret wheele and of the said spurre contained in the distance of the handle from the centre of the spurre or to semidiametre of the handles circular reuolution dyametrally multiplied by the reasons betweene the spurre and wheele That Viceron commeth out of the midst of the said square case of wood at the top
Curtin wherein the Breach being once made it may bee more easily forced without any other dangers then those of the Bulwarkes and Cassamats which are not onely farre off but also to bee cloyed or dismounted afore-hand or else they are opposed and encountred with the Demy-culuerings and other Peeces placed on the brinke of the Dyke especially where necessity will vrge or occasion require whereas in the Curtins there can hardly any such retrenchments bee made as in the Necks of Bulwarks where with halfe Moones in the neck thereof they may make new resistances with a few men the Bulwarke being Myned and the Towne imagined to be gained yea when fire shall bee giuen to the Trayne which may be perchance preuented also by countermynes which cannot be so directly directed on the breach of a Curtin as on the Bulwarke whose necke is narrow and may soone be defended and retrenched with lesse labour time and force and cause the assay lants to present more men in danger of blowing them vp by the Enemies Mynes CHAP. LXVIII How the Ordnance are to be placed at the houre of ioyning of two Armies to offend the Enemie most THis is a poynt hard to be handled by me that haue not seene many Armies meete but finding seuerall opinions deliuered by others I haue thought fit to recite them deliuer what to me seemes most reasonable leauing each to chuse either of them or any other way as to him shall seeme most fitting Some say that the Field Peeces should be placed in the Front of the Bands and some that they should be placed trauersly two and two or three and three together on the sides or flankes in the forme of the Muskatiers couered with the wings of the Horsemen But it seemes to mee most expedient that certaine Peeces should be placed in the Front which may endomage the Enemie on all sides seeking alwayes the places of most aduantage without danger of loosing any of their Ordnance and certaine Peeces also to be placed in the Flanke some to shoote forth-right and some a Trauers each 3 from other distance 50 or 100 paces And then there is no more danger but in the ioyning to withdraw the Ordnance that our Ordnance hurt not our owne bands And that they be alwayes ready to be Trauersed and retreated as neede shall require which may much conduce to victory But it will seldome happen that in a Battaile there be such places so commodious to be found as were to be wished for that most commonly we shall be constrayned to conforme our selues according to the present occasions as woods hills and other vneuen places for which no other rule can begiuen but with great iudgement to seeke how to get the aduantage of the Enemie without being offended by Sunne winde or dust and such like which though they may be thought to be small things yet they will bee therein found to be of great importance But I cannot be of their opinion to haue all the Peeces on the sides to be best for so the Squadrons meeting ours shall be more offended thereby then the Enemies besides that thereby this great danger will arise that when the wings of our Horsemen would be willing to aduance speedily they will be greatly troubled with those Peeces so shot out of the sides wherefore the Generall or Master of the Ordnance or his Lieutenant considering these things must giue directions how the Ordnance shall be lodged either all in Front all in Flanke or some in both Tract 2. Comment il fault loger l'artillerie au poinct du Combatt Wie das geschutz in der schlacht zustellen Dial. 5. CHAP. LXIX How to fill vp a wet Dyke whereby to approach the Breach made HAuing already shewed how a Battery may in diuers sorts bee made and also how to make the Breaches sufficient for entery we will now shew likewise if the Dyke should be deepe and full of water or mud that the Souldiers are thereby hindered how the same may best be filled vp Wherefore although there be many wayes to performe the same yet this in my iudgement is the best namely that when a sufficient Breach is once made that then the Approaches be also immediatly made vnder the couertures of the Trenches euen vnto the edge of the Dyke and then with Faggots and earth or Sausedges whereof we haue sufficiently spoken already to fill it vp hauing the benefit of the ruines that the Cannons haue made of the Wall and Faggots and Sausedges which cannot be wanting whereas either Gardens Trees or Woods are neere hand Or else if great Trees be throwne into the Dyke if they swimme being of Firre or dry light wood they will then Plankes layd vpon them the Dyke being excessiue deepe and on each side of such Floats blinds being raised to hide the Passengers from sight of the Flanker they may thereby passe to the foote of the Breach euen as by a Bridge But ouer a small Riuer or narrow Dyke a Bridge may be made ouer vpon a Boates as in the 17 figure at β is represented But being first well informed of the quality of the Dyke whether it be of standing or running water If it be standing water then a dozen of light Float Bridges will helpe well if there be any scarpe on the other side or else they are worth nothing But in sted of them Floats being made with two Fir poles or light wood strait about 15 or 20 foot long about the thicknes of a mans legge or thigh vpō which two sides may be nailed crosse-wise ledges or boords of wood about 3 foote long all along vpon them And so these may each of them be caried by 6 men namely 4 at the two ends and 2 at the mid sides as a corpse is vsually borne to be buried And at both the ends of those two sides there must ropes be fastned by which hese floating bridges shall be lanched and drawne from one side of the Dyke to the other foure or sixe Souldiers being gotten vpon it resting them vpon their Pykes which being landed and passed ouer the Souldiers on the other side may draw bake the Float by the ropes at the end next them and then 4 or sixe more may get vpon the same and the Souldiers already landed may draw them ouer by the ropes at their end and so helping one another from side to side many men in a little space of time will be transported ouer And when as there are a competent number gotten or the Floats drawne vp may serue for scaling Ladders or to mount the Breach the better by But if for the walls these Ladders or Floats be too short there may at one end of each side be two loopes of Iron fastned and so firmely fitted that the two other ends of another Float or Ladder may fitly enter thereinto and so two or moe shall make one Ladder vntill they be found of sufficient length And lastly we will remember you of Ladders of