is heavier then a Culvering now if you were to shoot at a ship of a like distance you must raise your Culvering to your thinking two pikes length higher then the ship is whereas your Canon will require but one pikes length of elevation aboue it Therefore I haue made many a tryall of it at the siege of Ostend both of a Canon and of a Culvering Gen. Well Sir you haue satisfied mee and given mee good reasons for what you say but I pray you tell me whether a peece will carrie furthest which is shot out of the Sea to the landward or that which is shot from the shoare side along the superfices of the water Capt. This were a hard question to resolue if one had not made experience of it Neverthelesse I will tell you what I haue seen that wee shooting into the Sea from our batteries in Dunkirke at the Enemies shipping which rid before the Town we could scarce reach them But I haue seen with admiration that the Enemy shooting from their shipping to us ward their bullets flew from that place fiue hundred paces further then ours did where wee stood yea some of them into the very Towne of Dunkirke Gen. Surely I was of a contrary opinion thinking that a peece planted upon the firme ground the bullet would flie further and with a more violent force then that which is shot from a floating ship because the peece in recoyling shakes the ship and by the shaking therof the bullet may loose some of its strength but these are secrets in nature more admirable then apprehensible Capt. True it is that there are many hidden and secret misteries in nature but for this one may alledg some naturall causes for a bullet shot from a ship to the land-ward seeketh its naturall resting place but that which is shot from the land along the surface of the water the bullet is forced to striue against two elements that is first against the aire which retaineth it with all might and secondly against the moistnesse of the water which also deads the bullet causing it to stoope for this hath bin found by experience to be true that a bullet will shoot further into the Sea at a low water then it will doe at a high Sea Gen. If a peece were so planted that one could shoot both into the land and also into the Sea by turning the said peece the question is whether the bullet would flye furthest over the Land or upon the Sea Capt. A Canon will carry its bullet a thousand paces further over the Land then it will do upon the superficies of the water and though we haue had no certain tryall of it yet the siege of Ostend hath taught us this experience that we may be assured of it For in the channell by Newport when the battle in Flaunders was fought Anno. 1600. we shot at the Enemyes shipping and men of warre to make them giue back that our men might come up along the strand with more safety and lesse danger to fight we found that our bullets which were shot at them from the land could not reach them to doe them any harme but the Enemies bullets which were shot from their men of warre shot amongst us and flew fiue or sixe hundred paces over our heads Gen. That might well be for perhaps the enemies peeces were either greater or longer then ours or else that they had finer and stronger powder then ours had Capt. The Calibres and boores of the one and of the other were alike for their bullets fitted our peeces but indeed in the goodnesse of the powder there might be some difference and for our parts to charge them well we put a Ladle full of powder more then ordinary into ours but this would not help This question I haue asked many times both of Gunners and Marriners who haue given me alwaies this reason that it was for some secret cause in nature that a shot being made into the land should fly further then that which was made from the land into the water Gen. Though this troubled me a little yet I am glad to heare your reasons and the experience you have had But I had almost forgotten to haue asked you one question more which now I call to mind how comes it to passe that all the charge of the powder takes not fire and is not consumed in a Canon aswell as in a Culvering Capt. This is not any fault or advantage in the peeces for one would thinke that a Canon being shorter and of a Larger bore then a Culvering a small part of the powder might bee expulsed or driuen out before it be all fired and that a Culvering being longe and straight might keept in the powder till it takes all fire but this is done at a venture and yet notwithstanding it happens oftner in a Canon by reason of the biggnesse of the boore then in a Culvering for after you haue giuen your peece its due charge of powder to ramme it vp some what close into the chamber of your peece you give it two or 3 shoues with the end of your Rammer the powder being well corned there lies ordinarily some loose cornes and dust by the way in the bottome of the mould which the wispe or stopping hath not driven home so that if a Canonier doth not take very good heed there will alwaies be some part of the powder shed in the peece which will ly before the bullet and when the rest of powder takes fire those loose cornes flyes out and cannot take fire like as you see also that some shreds and peeces of the stopping after the shot is made and smoaks without being consumed by fire So that your Lo. may be assured that any peece of ordnance be it either short or long if the charge of the powder be well stopped and rammed home and some loose cornes which will fly back gathered well up by the wisp there will not be so much as one Corn but will all take fire This is seen also in the tryall of Bombards and Morters which though they be short and large mouthed fire and consume all their powder without loosing so much as a graine Gen. Now I vnderstand well and confesse that hitherto I haue bin of the vulgar opinion attributing the cause to the shortnesse of the peece and herewith we will conclude Here follows the figure of a Canon and a Culvering elevated by levell vpon one and the same degree of the quadrant to try which will carry furthest at range CONTAYNING THE DEMONSTRATION OF Morters and the vse of them THE TENTH CHAPTER YOUR great and small Morters are not onely serviceable in a warre offensiue by shooting and casting of great Granadoes as of a 100 150 170 pound weight and smaller of 40 and 50 pound but also by casting of Fire-balles stones old rubbidge and peeces of yron into Cities Townes and Fortresses and may be used also defensiuely to be shot from Townes and
to plant some peeces in the front of the Armie which may play upon the Enemies troopes on all sides seeking out alwaies for this effect some places of advantage to place them in that you may not be in danger of loosing your peeces And though you cannot get such an advantage yet your peeces being in the head of your Battell will be of lesse service because when you are to come to the Chock and ioyning of Battels they may in some wise annoy your own men which I saw in one of these Battels abovesaid Gen. Therefore I think it were fitter they should be placed upon both the flanks and in the Reere of the Battaillions by leaving a free place of Armes which may give no offence to our own men Capt. I can hardly beleeve Illustrious Sir that that would be so expedient for an Enemie perceiving that the Front is left bare without Ordnance he will take the more courage to fall on and come up to the charge Therefore I hold it more fitting that the Artillerie may be devided some here some there both before the Front and upon the Flanks placed some fifty or an hundred paces one from another and then there will be no danger when the Enemie shall come up to Chock to encounter you or offend our own men especially when they are fastened to them by drawing-Ropes and yron Rings that upon an instant they may be remooved and turned for the advantage of our own Troops and give fire as fast as they can charge and discharge among the Enemies Troops which is a matter of great moment for the obtaining of a Victorie But it happens very seldome that such convenient places can be found for the planting of Ordnance in a Battell as were to be wished for oftentimes one shall be driven of necessity to make choice of such places as the ground will afford by reason of woods hills marish grounds and such like disadvantagious places as you may meet withall and for which one can give no certain rule but that the Generall by his wisedome and discretion may make choice of the best advantages which may annoy the Enemy most and give the least offence to his owne men either by dazling them by the sun the raising of Dust and which way the wind drives the smoak both of Ordnance and small shot which though little in themselves yet may prove to his men great impediments and disadvantagious But leaving these things we will now return again to our former discourse because your Lordship is of the opinion that the Ordnance ought rather to be planted upon the wings and flanks of the Battailions then otherwise which I dare not approve of in regard that when the Troops are to encounter with the Enemy and come up to the charge our own men may be more annoyed by our own Ordnance which may breed a confusion then the Enemies when as the wings of our horse which are upon the flanks shall come up to charge the enemie so that our own peeces might puzzle them greatly when as they are to play from the flanks besides the mischief which might happen among our own men Therefore one ought to be very carefull and circumspect in planting them and this is that which out of my own experience I am able to say upon this question Wherefore I do advise every Captain of the Ordnance and Master-Gunners to use some light field peeces and small Drakes which upon every occasion may be remooved from one place to another and couragiously advanced to the places of most advantage which might offend the Enemie Gen. Sir The reasons you use have given me good satisfaction but I pray you resolve me of one thing more that is how a Generall of the Ordnance ought to carrie himself in the day of Battell Capt. In such a time the Generall is to show most his wisedom discretion and experience which chiefly consists herein that he and his Lieutenant keep their train together in good order to have a vigilant eye upon all accidents that may fall out and to make choice of such ground for the planting of his Ordnance as the Generall of the Army and he shall think best to see that all things be in a readinesse the Ordnance well placed and that the master-Gunners Gentlemen of the Ordnance and Canoniers do their best endevour and acquit themselves like men It is partly also his charge to see that the whole Army be well provided with Munition as powder bullets and match because the Ammunition marches under his Train He is to be near the Generall of the Armie upon all occasions to receive his directions and commands and to see them executed speedily and to know of him after what forr â— he will make his Battell that he may plant his Ordnance accordingly and so to find out hils and heights to play over his own men and offend the Enemie most And when an Enemy shall present himself and come up to the charge to draw and plant his Ordnance as neer their horse as possible may be to hinder them from breaking in upon the divisions of foot taking along with him Saylors and Pioniers to help to draw up the Ordnance and sufficient guards to defend them and this is that which in so great a businesse is the charge and duty of the Generall of the Ordnance and which may be required of him Gen. Captain This discourse hath pleased me well and given me good contentment and I am glad that I met with you upon this occasion Adieu THE TENTH CHAPTER TREATING OF THE DIVERS SORTS OF BRIDGES used in the service of the Lords the States of the Vnited Provinces MAny a brave occasion in the warres hath bin lost for want of Bridges to passe over a River a Brook or a Moate therefore the States for any peece of service have alwaies diverse bridges in a readinesse both small and great The smaller sort for any suddain enterprise or for putting over the moat of a Town a Hom-work or a Half moon are 3. as first a Corke bridge now not in use secondly a Bulrush bridge the peeces whereof are ten foot long and six or seven foot broad that foure men may go over them in Front described unto you in my second part in the Chapter of Approches figure 159. whereof many peeces being joyned fast together with ropes and Ankors will lay a bridge over a moate a brook or a ditch for men to passe over the third sort is a wicker or a basket bridge as shall be hereafter described Moreover they have three sorts of other Bridges namely a small boat bridge with beames plancks roaps and ankors which are carried upon long waggons in the Army whereof you may see one of them in this treatise chapter the third figure ten of these we have commonly twelve that goes along with our Army upon a long waggon drawne with 15. couple of horses and a Thillet horse Besides those above mentioned there are two
THE THIRD PART OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ART MILITARY PRACTISED IN THE WARRES OF THE UNITED PROVINCES Vnder the LORDS the STATES GENERALL And his Highnesse the PRINCE OF ORANGE Treating OF SEVERALL PEECES OF ORDNANCE Carriages Engines Quadrants Morters Petards as also instructions for Master-Gunners and Canoniers with divers Instruments and Materials belonging to a warre with their severall uses and practises most briefly and lively demonstrated by LETTER and FIGURE TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF ALL NECESSARY Preparations appertaining to an Armie With a Quarter for the Generall of the ORDNANCE and of all Officers belonging to his Traine Written and composed by Captaine HENRY HEXHAM Quarter-master to the truly honourable Colonell GORING his REGIMENT for the lovers of the Noble ART MILITARIE The second Edition Corrected and Amended ROTTERDAM Printed by JAMES MOXON 1643. TO HIS HIGHNES CHARLES LODOWICK PRINCE ELECTOVR COVNT PALATINE OF THE RHENE AND DVKE OF BAVARIA SIR AFTER I had travelled through the world in speculation by translating and augmenting of ATLAS MAJOUR in English dedicated to his most excellent Majesty your Vncle my dread Soveraign I could give no rest unto my thoughts till I had undertaken some thing of my owne profession which might give light understanding and instruction unto some young Gentlemen Souldiers and others who desire to follow the warres and to studie this Art Military for their princes service and the good of their Country And where could I find a fitter place and a better subject to worke upon then in these Vnited Provinces under the command of the Lords the STATES GENERALL and his Highnesse the Prince of ORANGE which now in regard of their long Warres may truly be called a nurcery and sedes belli for the breeding and trayning up of Souldiers and verily how could I do better then to begin ad principium with the very first principles and rudiments of the Art Military Practised in these Warres under the command first of Prince MAURICE of blessed Memory and now under the able conduct of that great and victorious Captain Generall of our age his Highnesse the Prince of Orange his Brother Now besides what experience my long service hath gayned vnder their Commaund for the space of fortie yeeres as an addition thereunto I have got some translations and extracts out of the best and choisest Authors of our modern times who have writ upon this subject to give lustre unto it and having before by the assistance of God run through the first two parts I have now also finished my third part concerning all preparations and necessaries appertaining to an Army and so to put an end unto this laborious work For in my first part I promised the right honourable the Earle of Holland and in my second part my noble Colonel that I would go through the three whole parts for the arming of a Souldier de cap en pied that is at all points which now thanks be to God I have done to the end that such as may go into his Majesties service your Highnesses or any other forrain State or Princes may gaine some experience and reape some benefit by my labours which is and was the principall thing I aymed at For I hope as old as I am when these unhappy differences at home are reconciled appeased and composed that God vvho leads the hearts of all Kings in his hand as the Water of brooks will so direct his Majesties heart for your right that his Majesty will assist your Highnesse and turne his powerfull Armes another way and make your Highnesse Generall of a brave Brittish Armie for the vindicating of your injuries and the recovery of your lawfull and antient rights and inheritances against the usurpers thereof I will not trouble your Highnesse any longer with a tedious discourse seeing my selfe and thousands of true hearted Brittaines besides my self whensoever his sacred Majesty and our dread Soveraign shall lay his commands upon us shall be all willing to fight in so just a quarrell for your Highnesse and lay our lives down at your feet and your Queen mothers for the regaining of your Highnesses Rights and Countries This third part then of the Principles of the Art Military comes in all humility to present it selfe unto your Highnesses gracious pratronage that though it be mean in itself yet it craves to comeforth to the view of the world under your illustrious name which if it may be acceptable unto your Highnesse then I shall think my weak indevours happily sacrificed and acknowledge my selfe much obliged to your Highnesse and shall not onely be bound to pray unto the Lord of Hoasts to honour and blesse your proceedings here in this world with happy successe but also to crown you your Royall Mother the Queen of Vertues and her princely progenie with eternall felicity hereafter beseeching your Highnesse to beleeve that no creature living shall more heartily fight nor more willingly die in your service then Sir Your Highnesses ever most humble Obedient and devoted Servant HENRY HEXHAM A BRIEFE TREATISE of eight seuerall peeces of Ordnance as they are founded vnder the Commaund of the Lords the States Generall of the Vnited Provinces with their appurtenances carriages Engines together with Morters and Petards quadrants and Instruction for Master Gunners and Canoniers with diverse other Instruments materials belonging to the warres with their severall vses and practizes demonstrated THE FIRST CHAPTER Treating of the Leagues Alligations and Commixture of mettals wherewith Ordnance are Cast and made inthese Countries and else where THe Alloye wherewith our Ordnance is made here in these Countries is commonly old cast brasse peeces ill proportioned burst or made vnseruiceable with too much Shooting and therefore must be refounded into some better and more seruiceable formes or are such perhaps as are too great for ordinarie Carriages and bullets If these old brasse peeces be of too fine a mettall wich yet is seldome found the Mr. Founder maye mingle some slighter copper amongst it yea so much as he in his iudgment shall think sitting so that the Ordnance which he makes be answerable to their proofe Our newe Ordnance then being founded with these new alligations and alloyes are commixted with three fourth parts of red Copper made vp in Sowes one fourth part of Bell mettal cast also in Sowes and one ninth part of the finest Cornish tinne you can gett These bricks are peeces of red copper weighing about 50 lb. weight cast after the fashion of a square footed pauement and your great Sowes are peeces of other Copper melted one timelesse then your brick Copper where of some of them weighes 200 300. yea the greatest 600 lb. a peece The is tinne mix ed amongst the Copper and Bell-mettal that they maye run ne the better in melting which makes your peece more solid and firme But in Italy S. nor Alexander Bianco as master Norton oneof his ma tias master Gunoners And Enginier citeth in his practize of Artilerie saith That
couple and a Thiller for a Falconet two couple and a thiller and for a small Drake weighing 250. pound weight one horse You must obserue also that the mettle of one of the States half canons weigheth as is said before 4500 pound weight the carriage and yron worke thereunto belonging about 900. pound so that these horses are to draw in all the weight of 5400. pound and the other peeces proportionably The third figure number 12. represents unto you this that when you want or cannot use Canon horses and Athrals how you may then by the helpe and strength of men drawe a peece of Ordnance to the topp of a hill and there to make a Platforme for the battering of a Castle Now presuppose you are to batter it with 16. Peeces of Ordnance to wit eight Demy canon and 8 Quarter canon the first carrying a bullet of 24. li. and the second of 12. li. and are to carry along with you all necessaries as Powder Bullets Match bedding traces and diverse other materials The question is how many Souldiers Pyonniers and workemen are able to doe this which Diego Vffano in his 22. Dialogue resolveth in this manner following Of a Block waggon and drawing of Ordnance First for 600. halfe Canon Bullets each bullet weighing 24. pound the whole weight of them will come to 144000. pound Now if you lay three of these bullets in a wheele-barrow they will make 72. pound for every Souldier to wheele and will require 200. men to doe it And for 600. quarter canon bullets weighing 12. pound a peece the weight of the whole will be 7200. li now putting 7. of these into a wheele-barrow for every mans share to driue you must haue 86. men in all and every man as before 72. pound weight Item for 168. weight of powder for to charge these 16. peeces of Ordnance withall each halfe canon requiring 12 pound of good powder for its charge and for your quarter canon or field peece 7. pound you must have 240. small firkins or so many leather powder baggs to carry it in and giving to euery Souldier 70. pound weight of powder it will require the like number of 240. men to carry it as is represented vnto you in the fourth plate and 12. figure following Now for the Attelage or drawing ropes for these 16 peeces of ordnance represented vnto you also in this fourth plate and 13. figure is shown you the manner of it by dividing your men into three drawing files or teames according to the greatnesse of the peece which your men are to draw up for a Demy-canon carriage attelage and all will weigh a matter of 6000. pound weight now giving to every man 60. pound weight to draw such a halfe Canon will require a 100. men to draw it and proportionably the 8. half canons 800. men For a quarter Canon carriage attelage and all will weigh 3000. pound weight now allowing to every 60. pound weight to draw every of these 8. peeces will require 43. men so that for these 8. quarter Canons you must have in all 344. men which being as is said divided into three equall files and distances each drawing rope must have 14. men and one odde man over to go by And because it may sometimes happen that by reason of the steepinesse badnesse and unevennesse of the way you may be driven to dismount and remount your peece ere you get up to the top of the hill you must carry along with you a Fearne a winch or a Scalet with all appurtenances thereunto belonging as winding roaps an iron goats foot with a crow pinns truckles pullies to help you withall at a dead lift All these Engines and Materials may conveniently be carryed on the shoulders of 30. men insomuch that if you make your calculation you shall find that you must have for the drawing of these 16. peeces of Ordnance and for all things above specified the number of a 1703. men without any difficulty will do the deed and draw these Ordnance whithersoever you please The Fearn the figure and its necessaries shall be described unto you in the next chapter following Now for your attirals or drawing harnesse to the end that every man may draw alike share you must fasten a crossebeame or barre to the end of the fore waggon marked as you see with A. B. through which you put your drawing roaps into an equall distance that your men may not hinder one another drawing having behind it three men to steer the peece aright when you come to any winding or turning in the way Again if it be a whole canon or a peece of Ordnance which you are to draw through a trench to a battery or some other place where you would plant it and find these drawing ropes to short for the men that are to draw it then you must lengthen the ropes and fasten an other crosse barre just in the very midst and this will guide your peece from wrenching aside for certain the shorter your drawing ropes be the more steddier and easier your peece will be drawn to every drawing rope also you must have as many necklines to cast about your mens shoulders as you have men to the end they may draw with more ease strength and take firmer footing Neverthelesse if you draw your peece after this manner up to some steepy hill least the peece should fall downward and overturn them for the avoiding of this danger they must in an instant whip these lines over their heads to loosen themselves from them or else cut them on a suddain but then it is safer to draw with their hands This manner of drawing of Ordnance is no new thing but hath been practised by the first conquerours of the West Indies as Pizarre Ferdinand Cortes and diverse others who with the strength of men drew their Ordnance over hils and mountains to the City of Mexico Likewise Henry 4. King of France of immortall memory used this manner of drawing of his Ordnance over the Alphes in his last warres of Burgundie and instead of pyoniers used lusty Swissers to do it The 5. rings called in dutch Mailles number 14. is to try whether the bullets which you are to choose in the Arsenall will fall through them which if they do then they will fit your peece to a hair the severall bores and calibres of your 8. peece of Ordnance described before THE RVLE CALIBRE TEACHING ACANONIER How by the helpe of these fiue mailes or yron ringed hanels numbred A. B. C. D. E. he may fit the Calibres or Boores of these 8. seuerall peeces of Ordnance figured out aboue as also by the middle figure of a Canon bullet marked H. and decifered also by letter THE DECYFERING OF A CANNON Bullet or any other peece by letters as followeth BEsides this manner abouesaid by fitting your bullets out of the Magazin for the Calibres and bores of any peece of ordnance by the helpe of the mailes the Caeron bullet