manners and orders of the warre throughe oute all the worlde in respecte to those of the antiquitie be extinguesshed and in Italy they be all together loste for if there bee a thyng somwhat stronger then the ordinarie it groweth of the insample of other countries You might haue vnderstoode and these other maye remember with how muche debilitie before that kyng Charles of Fraunce in the yere of our saluacion a thousande CCCC xciiii had passed into Italy they made the batelmentes not halfe a yarde thicke the loopes and the flankers wer made with a littell openyng without and muche within and with many other faultes whiche not to be tedious I wil let passe for that easelye from thinne battelmentes the defence is taken a waie the flankers builded in the same maner moste easelie are opened Battelmentâ—â— ought to bee large and thick and the flankers large within Now of the Frenche men is learned to make the battelment large and thicke and the flankers to be large on the part within and to drawe together in the middest of the wall and then agayne to waxe wider vnto the vttermoste parte without this maketh that the ordinance hardly can take away the defence Therfore the French men haue many other deuices like these the whiche because they haue not been seen of our men they haue not been considered Amonge whiche is this kinde of perculles made lyke vnto a grate the whiche is a greate deall better then oures for that if you haue for defence of a gate a massiue parculles as oures lettyng it fall you shut in your men and you can not through the same hurte the enemie so that he with axes and with fyre maye breake it downe safely but if it be made lyke a grate you may it beyng let downe thorough those holes through those open places defende it with pykes with crosbowes and with all other kynde of weapons Baptiste I haue seen in Italy an other vse after the outelandishe facion and this is to make the carriage of the artillerie with the spokes of the wheele crooked towardes the Axeltree I woulde knowe why they make them so seemynge vnto me that they bee stronger when they are made straight as thâ—se of our wheeles Fabritio Neuer beleeue that the thynges that differ from the ordinarie waies be made by chauÌ„ce and if you should beleeue that thei make them so to shew fayrer you are deceiued because where strengthe is necessarie there is made no counte of fayrenesse but all groweth for that they be muche surer and muche stronger then ours The reason is this the carte when it is laden either goeth euen or leanyng vpon the right or vpon the lefte syde when it goeth euen the wheeles equally susteine the waight the whiche beyng equally deuided between them doeth not burden much but leanyng it cometh to haue al the paise of the cariage on the backe of that wheele vppon the which it leaneth If the spokes of the same be straight they wyll soone breake for that the wheele leanyng the spokes come also to leane and not to sustaine the paise by the straightnesse of theim and so when the carte goeth euen and when thei are least burdened they come to bee strongest when the carte goeth awrie and that thei come to haue moste paise they bee weakest Euen the contrarie hapneth to the crooked spokes of the Frenche cartes for that when the carte leanyng vpon one side poincteth vpon them because thei be ordinary croked thei come then to be straight and to be abell to sustaine strongly all the paise wher when the carte goeth euen and that thei be crooked thei sustaine it halfe but let vs tourne to our citie Fortresse The Frenchemen vse also for more safegarde of the gates of their townes for to be abell in sieges more easely to conuey and sette oute men of them besides the saied thynges an other deuise of whiche I haue not seen yet in Italye anie insample and this is where they raise on the oute side from the ende of the draw bridge twoo postes and vpon either of theim thei ioigne a beame in suche wise that the one halfe of theim comes ouer the bridge the other halfe withoute then all the same parte that cometh withoute they ioigne together with small quarters of woodde the whiche thei set thicke from one beame to an other like vnto a grate and on the part within thei fasten to th ende of either of the beames a chaine then when they will shutte the bridge on the oute syde they slacke the chaines and lette downe all the same parte like vnto a grate the whiche comyng downe shutteth the bridge and when they will open it they draw the chaines and the same cometh to rise vp and thei may raise it vp so muche that a man may passe vnder it and not a horse and so much that there may passe horse and man and shutte it againe atonse for that it falleth and riseth as a windowe of a battelmente This deuise is more sure then the Parculles because hardely it maie be of the enemie lette in suche wise that it fall not downe fallynge not by a righte line as the parculles which easely maie be vnderpropped Therfore thei whiche will make a citie oughte to cause to be ordeined all the saied thynges Neither free diche wall tillage nor anie kynde of edificacion ought to bee within a mile of a tounâ— of warre moreouer aboute the walle there woulde not bee suffered anie grounde to be tilled within a myle therof nor anie wall made but shoulde be all champaine wher shoulde be neither diche nor banke neither tree nor house whiche might let the sight and make defence for the enemie that incampeth And note that a towne Note â–ª whiche hathe the diches without with the banckes higher then the grounde is moste weake for as muche as they make defence to the enemie which assaulteth thee and letteth him not to hurte thee because easely they maie be opened and giue place to his artillerie but lette vs passe into the towne I will not lose so muche time in shewyng you how that besides the foresaied thynges it is requisite to haue prouision of victualles wherwith to faight for that thei be thynges that euerie man vnderstandeth and without them all other prouision is vaine The prouition that is meete to be made for the defence of a towne and generally twoo thynges ought to be doen to prouide and to take the comoditie from the enemie that he auaile not by the thinges of thy countrie therfore the strawe the beastes the graine which thou canst not receiue into house ought to be destroied Also he that defeÌ„deth a towne ought to prouide that nothyng be doen tumultiously and disordinately and to take suche order that in all accidentes euerie man maie knowe what he hath to doe The order that ought to be taken is thus that the women the olde folkes the children
name of veliti Vnder this name were vnderstode all those that threwe with Slinges shotte with Crossebowes caste Dartes and thei vsed the moste parte of them for their defence to weare on their hedde a Murion How the Romaines armed their souldiers and what weapons thei vsed with a Targaet on their arme thei fought out of thorders and farre of from the heauie armed whiche did weare a hedde pece that came doune to their shoulders a Corselet whiche with the tases came doune to the knees and thei had the legges and the armes couered with greaues and vambraces with a targaet on the left arme a yarde and a halfe long and three quarters of a yarde brode which had a hoope of Iron vpon it to bee able to sustaine a blowe and an other vnder to the intent that it being driueÌ„ to the yearth it should not breake for to offende thei had girte on their left flancke a swerde the leÌ„gth of a yarde and a naile on their right side a Dagger thei had a darte in euery one of their haÌ„des the which thei called Pilo and in the beginnyng of the fight thei threwe those at the enemie This was the orderyng and importaunce of tharmoures of the Romaines by the whiche thei possessed al the worlde And although some of these auncient writers gaue them besides the forsaid weapoÌ„s a staffe in their hand like vnto a Partesen I caÌ„not tel how a heuie staffe maie of hym that holdeth a Targaet hee occupied for that to handell it with bothe handes the Targaet should be an impediment to occupy thesame with one hand ther can be doen no good therwith by reason of the weightinesse therof besides this to faight in the throÌ„g in thorders with soche long kynde of weapon it is vnprofitable except in the first front where thei haue space inough to thrust out all the staffe whiche in thorders within cannot bee doen for that the nature of the battaile as in the order of thesame I shall tell you is continually to throng together which although it be an incoÌ„uenience yet in so doing thei feare lesse theÌ„ to stand wide where the perill is moste euident so that all the weapons which passe in length a yarde and a halfe in the throng be vnprofitable for that if a manne haue the Partesan and will occupie it with bothe handes put case that the Targaet lette hym not he cannot hurte with the same an enemie whoÌ„ is vpon hym if he take it with one hand to thintent to occupie also the Targaet being not able to take it but in the middest there remaineth so moche of the staffe behinde that those whiche are behinde him shall let him to welde it And whether it wer true either that the Romaines had not this PartaseÌ„ or that hauing it did little good withal reade all the battailes in the historie thereof celebrated of Titus Liuius and you shall se in thesame most seldome tymes made mencion of Partasens but rather alwaies he saieth that the Dartes beyng throwen thei laied their handes on their sweardes Therfore I will leaue this staffe and obserue concernyng the Romaines the swerde for to hurt and for defence the Targaet with the other armours aforesaied How the Grekes did arme theim selues and what weapons thei vsed against their enemies The Grekes did not arme theim selues so heauily for their defence as the Romaines did but for to offend the enemies thei grounded more on their staues then on their swerdes and in especially the Fallangy of Macedonia whiche vsed staues that thei called Sarisse seuen yardes and a halfe longe with the whiche thei opened the rankes of their enemies and thei kept thorders in their Fallange And although some writers saie that thei had also the Targaet I cannot tell by the reasons aforesaied how the Sarrisse and thei could stande together Besides this in the battaile that Paulus Emilius made with Persa kyng of Macedonia I doe not remember that there is made any mencion of Targaettes but onely of the Sarisse of the difficultie that the Romaine armie had to ouercome theim so that I coniecture that a Macedonicall Fallange was no otherwise then is now a daies a battaile of Suizzers the whiche in their pikes haue al their force and all their power The Romaines did garnishe besides the armours the footmen with feathers A braue and a terrible thyng to the enemies the which thynges makes the sight of an armie to the frendes goodly to the enemies terrible Howe the Romaines armed their horsemen in old tyme. The armour of the horsemen in thesame first Romaine antiquitie was a rounde Targaette and thei had their hedde armed and the reste vnarmed Thei had a swearde and a staffe with an Iron hedde onely before long and small whereby it happened that thei were not able to staie the Targaette and the staffe in the incountryng broke and thei through beyng vnarmed were subiect to hurtes after in processe of time thei armed theim as the footemen albeit thei vsed the Targaette moche shorter square and the staffe more stiffe and with twoo heddes to the entent that breakyng one of the heddes thei might preuaile with the other With these armours as well on foote as on horsebacke the Romaines conquered all the worlde and it is to be beleued by the fruict thereof whiche is seen that thei were the beste appoincted armies that euer were and Titus Liuius in his historie doeth testifie very often where comming to comparison with the enemies armies he saieth But the Romaines by vertue by the kinde of their armours and practise in the seruice of warre were superiours and therfore I haue more particularly reasoned of the armoures of conquerours then of the coÌ„quered But now me thinkes good to reason onely of the maner of armyng meÌ„ at this presente Footemen haue for their defence The maner of armyng menne now a daies a breaste plate and for to offende a Launce sixe yardes and thre quarters long whiche is called a Pike with a sweard on their side rather round at the poinct then sharpe This is the ordinarie armyng of foote menne now a daies for that fewe there be whiche haue their legges armed and their armes the hedde none and those fewe heare in stede of a Pike a Halberde the staffe whereof as you knowe is twoo yardes and a quarter longe and it hath the Iron made like an axe Betwene theim thei haue Harkebutters the whiche with the violence of the fire doe thesame office which in olde tyme the stingers did and the Crossebowe â—â—â—ters This maner of armyng The inuention of Pikes was founde out by the Duchemenne in especially of Suizzers whom beyng poore and desirous to liue free thei were and be constrained to faighte with the ambition of the Princes of Almain who beyng riche were able to kepe hâ—â—se the whiche thesame people could not doe for pouertie Whereby it grewe that beyng on foote mynding to defende theim selues
ouerthrew them withoute hauing enie impedimente thereby and the reason is besids the thinges tolde afore that the artillerie mynding to haue it worke hathe nede to be garded eyther of a wall or of dyches or of bankes And when it lacketh on of these gardes it is taken or becumeth vnprofitabell as it hapneth when it is defended with men for where they chaūse to be in a battayle and in the faighte on the lande they cannot bee occupied by flanke but in the same maner that the antiquetie occupied the instrumēts to shoote which they placed oute of the squadrons for that they shulde faight oute of the orders allwayes when eyther of horsemen or of other they wer charged vpon their refuge was behinde the legions he that otherwyse maketh accompte of them hathe no skill trusteth vpō a thing which easely may deceyue him And though the Turke by meanse of artillerie againste the Sophi the Soldan hathe had victory it hath not happened through other meāse thē through the feare that the horsemen wer put in by the straūge rumor therof Therfore to make an ende of this discoorse I conclude that the artillerie is proffittable in an armie when the aunciente vertue is mingled therewith but withoute the same against a puisante armie it is moste vnproffittabell Of Muynes and placing of poulder vnder grounde vvherevvith inuinsible fortresses by fire maye be ruignated vvhen ordinaunce cannot bee broughte vnto them Cap. xxviij THe better and greater quantety of poulder whiche is put in a Caue that is made to ouerthrowe a forte or Castell the greater vndoubtedly shal be the effecte therof whiche caue is best to be made a good waye within the ground and in a harde place to the intent that when the same is shutte and well walled vp the fyre be not able easely to haue enie other waye oute then in ouerthrowing the thinge that is to be ruyned for as muche as if the ayre and the fyre in the rume of that inclosed place maye haue meanse to breathe oute the forse therof wil be of no effecte Also it wold be taken hede of that the caue be not by no other means marde so that the fyre maye breake oute for which cause it ought to be made with the beginning therof sumwhat distāte frō the place that you mynde to ouerthrowe to the intente that in makinge therof the men of the same place doo not issue oute to lette you nor perceiue the certayne place of the hurte to be able to prouyde for it and to make countermuynes to let the fyre brethe oute and pas withoute enie effecte whereby all yowr coste and labor maye becum vayne Moreouer they make these muynes the moste naroweste and moste crookedest that maye be and in espetially nere the very place that is appoincted to be ouerthrowen and therefore vnder suche a place there muste be digged a hole that maye bee at leaste three yardes highe or more and twoo yardes brodde and that the entrie vnto it be vndergrounde in the maner as by this presente figure yow maye se described THE FOVNDATION OF THE MVINE DISCOVERED THE PLACE OF GREATEST EFFECTE And in this to put barrelles with theire heddes knocked oute full of good stronge poulder betwene whiche you muste also strawe poulder inough vpon the bordes wheron they stonde laiynge to it a good great matche made of cotton boyled in vinegre brimstone and saltpeter which must be well roled in good serpētine poulder wel dried in the sonne and hauing layde it to the place you must make a trayne of poulder vpon it euen to the gowinge oute so that it maye be keuered therewith placinge it in pypes of yearthe or tronkes of woode in the place of the entrie therof and that don yow muste wall it vp moste strongly laiynge ouerthwarte great blockes of okes or other woode so that with those and with the wall it maye be strong to resiste the furye of the fyre as muche as is possible the entrie in suche maner made vp and fortefied when you shall thinke it tyme to bringe the effecte to pas to destroy the aduersaries or to make a ruyn you maye cause the trayne to bee sette on fyre where yow shall see a maruelus and horrible effecte follow More about this matter I nede not to declare sauinge that if it shuld chaunce the muyne to be made in a stonie place where the stones wyll fall doune that then the beste is to vnderproppe them with pipes of wood filled full of poulder The maner hou to make trōbes or trunkes of fyre as vvell to assaulte as to defende a breache or gate and to sette a fyre a tovvne or Campe or enie thinge else Cap. xixx FIrste cause a cane of good woode to be made at the torners as bigge as a mās thighe the length of an ell after suche sorte that the hole therof be as wyde that a man maye thruste in his naked arme cause that the bottom of the sayd truncke be made in suche wyse with a littell hole that the staffe of a partesan maye enter into it and so to be made faste therunto byndinge the sayde trunke with yrō wyre at both endes in the middest for more suerty that it breake not through the fury of the fyre Thē fill it with this mixture here following Take serpētin poulder .iiij. pounde rosen .j. pounde cāphere hause a pounde beaten glas .iiij. ounses and mingell euerie thinge together then begin to fill and putte in the trumbe a handfull of serpentine poulder vnmixte nexte a handefull of the forsayde mixture after a littell poulder then a stoppell of cotten wet in oile of gineper and put in vpon the sayde cotten as you haue don at the firste that is to saye poulder and then mixture etc. And thus you muste doo till yow haue filled it full stampinge in the stuffe allwayes lightely and if for lacke of gineper oile you wette the cotten in aqua vitae it is very good puttinge after euery quantety of poulder a littel quickesiluer then when it is full put in the mouthe sum good poulder makinge it a singell keuer of parchemente bounde aboute with packthred and with a littell hole in the middeste of the parchemente wherin you must put a matche made with gunpoulder the whiche easely and quickely with your common matche maye kendell the fyre beinge cum to the face of the enemie whiche is an excellente thinge for the faighte on the sea or for to dissorder a a bande of horsemen Hovve to make bottells or pottes of fyre vvorke to throvve into shippes or emonge men that are in battaylraye Cap. xxx SVche yearthē bottells or pottes as is cōmonly vsed to kepe vineger or oyle and suche lyke is beste for this purpos whiche muste be filled with this cōposition serpentine poulder ij partes rosen one part pytche one part beating most fynele al these thinges together in a morter then take turpentine and a littell gineper oyle or
matche it will strayghte waye kendell and it is so vnquenchiable that it burneth till he or the thing that it lighteth on bee altogether consumed if this composition fyred chaunce to be throwen and lighte vpon armur it will make it so glowing redde in such sorte that he that hathe it on his backe shal be constrained to put it of if he will not be burnt to deathe Also there is made an other sorte and it is a moste thin liquor apte to fyer with the which if in the canicular daies a pese of wood or other thing apt to burne bee anoincted the heate of the sun is then able to set it on fyer and to burne it and so sone as it is touched with fyer it kendeleth incontinente and is vnquenchable except it be choked vp with sande or wet with very stale vrin or moste stronge vineger also it will burne in the water the making wherof is in this wise there muste be taken Camphire oyle of quicke brimstone oyle of turpentine oyle of dunge oyle of iuneper oyle of stones oyle of lyntesede alchitrean colofonia moste fynelie beaten oyle of egges pytch goose grease saltepeter as muche aqua vite as all the reste of the composition and as muche arsinic tartar and armoniack salte as the eyghte parte of alltogether Whiche thinge muste bee put into a glasse or pot wel stopped and thē set to putrefie in a hot dūhgill for the space of twoo monethes after all the forsayd things muste bee destilled with a gentle fyre where within eyghte houres there will cum of those thinges a most suttill lyquor into the whiche puttinge then so much oxedunge dried in an ouen and moste fynelie beaten to poulder as maye make it so thicke as sope or sumwhat thinner after mynding to ocupie it the thing that is to be burnte muste be annoincted therewith this also the Sonne wil set on fyre and burne what so euer is nere it Also there is an other composition of fyre that anie thinge that is anoincted therewith will maruelusly burne and fyre with wetinge of rayne or otherwyse which to make there must be taken newe whitelyme made of flinte calamite made to poulder by fyer vitrioll grose beaten the two thirteth parte saltepeter refined eyghte partes and as muche camphere as all the forsayde thinges oile of quicke brimstone oyle of turpentine salte armoniacke by waighte as muche as the vitrioll and as muche tartar and baye salte salte of vrin aqua vite made of strong wyne as muche as all the reste of the composition the whiche thinges compounded together muste be put lyke as the other wer into a greate glasse well stopped that it breathe not oute and then it must be set in a hot dounghill for twoo or three moneths remouinge the glasse chaunginge the dounge at leaste euerie ten dayes to thintente that the same matter maye ripen well and bee lyke vnto a liquor all of one thinge the whiche after ought to be boyled so muche vpon a softe fyer that all the oylie humidetie and other moystenes that is in it maye vapor away the rest to becum drie and stony and when it is drie and stony breaking the glasse and takinge it oute it muste be grounde to poulder the whiche when it is to be ocupied must be strawed vpō the place that is dressed for the same purpose so that it being rayned vpon or enimaner of wayes wet will kendell and fall on a fyre Hovve to make a girdell for Souldiers or Fisshers vvherby they may goe in the vvater and passe ouer a riuer vvithoute eyther bridge or bote Cap. xlii THis Girdel ought to be made accordinge to the fation of the fygure nexte following and of suche lether that muste be dressed in lyke sorte as the same is wher with footebals ar made wherunto a pype must be fastened lyke vnto a baggepype so that the girdell when it is girte aboute a Soudier vpon his armur may be blowen full of wynde by helpe wherof he maye then safely passe ouer a riuer goinge through the same how depe so euer it bee where he shall not sinke in the water forther then from the girdell stede dounewarde whiche for men of warre is very commodius and a moste necessary thing Hovve to vvryte and cause the same that is vvritten to bee red a far of vvithoute sendinge enie message Cap. xliii WHen a Capitayn were so be seged of enemies in a toune or fortresse that no mā coulde cum vnto him or be sente from him with letters whereby his mynde or the distresse and incōuenience that he is in mighte of his frendes be vnderstonde Yet his mynde beinge written maye of them notwithstonding in the nighte be red as farre of as a lighte can then be seen and by daye as farre as a burninge glas can caste the sun or a hat or any other suche lyke marke maye perfectly be decerned so that the order therin be firste knowen agreed vpon betwene bothe parties The maner in doynge it in the nighte is thus he that gyueth the aduyse muste holde his letter in the one hande wherin his mynde is reddie written and one lighte or .ij. lightes in the other hande and the other that shulde reede copy the same ought to haue paper and pen and ynke with this a b c etc. herefollowinge and vnderstande a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t v vv this part of letters with .i. lighte this part with two lightes 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 And for the plainer vnderstanding herof it is to be noted that the first parte of the letters ar shewed with one lighte and the seconde part beginning at M are signified with ij lightes and euery letter of the a b c muste be vnderstonde and knowen by the number or often shewinge and hyding of the light or lightes As for example if this worde Man wer to be written bycause M is the first letter stāding in the secōde part M must be signefied by two lyghtes shewed onse and then hydden and stayed so longe as maye be thought that he that doeth copy after the light so seuerally shewed and the number dilligently marked maye haue conuenient tyme to wryte M then one lighte beinge shewed onse so hydde and stayd a must be written for that a is the firste letrer in the first parte agayne twoo lightes being shewed twyse stayd n ought to be written bycause n is the second letter in the secōd parte which doen there shal be writtē Man And thus by marking well the number of shewing hyding and stayng of the lighte or lightes the letter that thereby is signified maye moste easely be vnderstōde and perceyued So that after this sorte there maye be expressed and written what so euer a
man lyste To the Reders WHen the Britons the aunciente inhabitauntes of this yle for lacke of skilfull mē of warre of their owne being afrayde of the Franki Burgūdi which were certaine Barberous nations who at the time ouerrā spoyled possessed Fraūce caused the Germayne people called Angly to come to ayde defende theim by whose procurement the Angly vnder Vortiger their King taking vpon theim the same enterprise after they had ones defended theim did then incontinence dryue theim oute of this ylande remainnig here theim selues to inhabit after their name called it Englande euen as also of later dayes the lyke chaūce hapned to the Grekes by calling in the Turkes to helpe theim againste their enemies Which examples with innumerable lyke being well considered doe moste manifestly shew how daungerous and pernitius it is for a Prince his Realme to be driuē to truste to the seruis of straungers for lacke of sufficiente skilfull men of their owne for their defence Wherefor sithens my intente in setting fourth this boke of Martiall affaires hath been onely to the ende to declare my good will to haue my naturall coūtriemen not to be inferior to any in warlyke knowledge but rather to excell in the same whereby withoute ayde or helpe of any forein nation we may alwayes be most renoumed and famous I shall beseche all gentill readers for this my labor doen for their comodeties to iudge reporte therof accordingly And although my doynges herin be not correspōdente to my desire nor to the satisfactiō of euery mās mynde which were impossible yet my truste is the som neuerthelesse by dilligente reding therof imitating the example of Lucullus who chefelie by studie of lyke bokes in very shorte space became one of the valiantest worthiest warrior of all the Romaynes may if they liste take comodity and profit whereby the knowledge in warres may of suche as neuer haue ben trayned in theim be the more easely gotten and attayned For which cause my indeuour and trauaile taken herein for to profit this our cōmon weale deserueth not vtterly to be despysed seing that the most verteous lyfe and gouernment of Alexander Seuerus Emperour of Rome with manie other Princes and Comō weales coulde not being necligent in this kynde of studie and practis therof saue or defende theim selues from moste shamefull endes and miserable deathes wherin fortune was not to be blamed but only their folly and ignoraunce for hauing neuer thoughte in tyme of tranquillity and pease that it could chaunge in to aduersitie and trouble the which is a comon faulte of men not to make accompre in fayre weather of the tempest to come A Perfecte rule to bring men into a square battell of what number so euer they bee Fol. ij To know how many mē may marche in a ranke and at a suddein to bryng them into a fowersquare battell so that their Ansigne may come to be in the middest Fol. iij. How to ordeine a number of men or an armie into a battell lyke vnto a wedge or three square so that it may be apte to marche with the poincte therof towarde the enemies Fol. vi To make the battell called the sheeres which in olde time they vsed to set against the Triangell Fol. vij What auantage it is to order men in a triangell battell against the enemie that knoweth not how to make the battell called the Sheeres to set against it inespecially where there is as many men of the one parte as of the other Fol. viij To bryng a number of men or an armie into a battell whiche in olde time was called a Sawe Fol. ix To fashion a battell of a number of men or an armie lyke vnto twoo Triangels ioygned together so that they may be apte to marche with a corner ther of towarde the enemies Fol. x. What is best to be doen where the ordinance of the enemies beinge shotte into the Armie hath slayne many men Fol. xi Howe to chaūge with spede an Army that is in battellraye fowersquare into a triangel fation without dissordering the firste rankes and without perrill of confusion Fol. xiij Of the perfecte forme or fation of strong places Fol. xvi The strongest and perfectes fation of all other for the building of the cortin or wal of a toun or fortres Fol. xviij An example of the quadrant forme to proue that it causeth debilletie and wealines Fol. xxij Of the nature of Saltpeter and the maner howe to make and refine it Fol. xxiij The maner howe to make all sortes of Gunpoulder Fol. xxvij The maner that is vsed of charging and shooting of ordinaunce Fol. xxxiij How to get oute quickly the nailes that shuld happen by treason or otherwyse to be driuen into the toucheholes of ordinaunce Fol. xxxiiij How much the artillery ought to bee estemed of the armies now adayes and whether the same opiniō of them which is had vniuersally be trew Fol. xxxiiij Of Muynes and placing of poulder vndergrounde wherewith inuinsible fortresses by fire maye bee ruignated when ordinaunce cannot bee broughte vnto them Fol. xxxviij The maner how to make trombes or trūkes of fyre as well to assaulte as to defende a breache or gate and to sette a fyre a toune or Campe or enie thing els Fol. xxxix How to make bottells or pottes of fyrworke to throw into shippes or emonge men that are in battellray Fol. xl An other composition of fyre worke Fol. xl Balles of mettel to throwe among men in battelraye or otherwyse which breaking shall doo wonderful hurte Fol. xli The maner howe to prepare pottes and balles of fyre worke to throwe with hande Fol. xli Howe to make balles of wilde fyre to shoote in ordinaunce or to throwe with handes Fol. xlij To trim Targettes with fyreworke to assaulte or to defende a breache Fol. xliij To make an other kyude of fyreworke Fol. xliij Howe to make a mixture in stone that shall kendell fyre with water or spittell Fol. xliij To make an other kynd of stone to kendell fyre with water or spittell Fol. xliiij Howe to make lutum sapientia Fol. xliiij How to make certayn fireworke to tye at the poincts of pykes or horsemenstaues Fol. xlv Howe to make diuerse compositions of fyreworkes Howe to make a girdell for Souldiers or Fisshers wherby they may goe in the water and passe ouer a riuer withoute eyther bridge or bote Fol. xlviij Howe to write and cause the same that is written to bee red a far of withoute sendinge enie message Fol. xlviij The Ende ¶ Imprinted at London By Ihon Kingston for Nicolas Englande Anno salutis M.D.LXII Mense Aprilis