Certaine vvayes for the ordering of souldiours in battelray, and setting of battayles,
after diuers fashions with their manner of marching: and also fugures [sic] of certayne
newe plattes for fortification of townes: and moreover, howe to make saltpeter, gunpouder
and diuers sortes of fireworkes or wilde fyre, with other thinges appertayning to
the warres. / Gathered & set foorth by Peter Whitehorne.
This material was created by the Text Creation Partnership in partnership with ProQuest's
Early English Books Online, Gale Cengage's Eighteenth Century Collections Online,
and Readex's Evans Early American Imprints.
❧ CERTAINE vvayes for the ordering of Souldiours in battelray, and setting of battayles, after diuers fashions, with their maner of marching: And also Fugures
of certayne newe plattes for fortification of Townes: And more ouer, howe to make
Saltpeter, Gunpouder, and diuers sortes of Fireworkes or wilde Fyre, with other thinges
appertayning to the warres. Gathered & set foorth by Peter VVhitehorne.
¶ Imprinted at London by VV. VVilliamson: for Ihon VVight.
¶ A perfecte rule to bring men into a square battell, of what number so euer they be. Cap. i.
FOr to make a square Battell of a number of men, or of an Armie, the fowresquare roote or Quadrante number of
them, muste be taken, and so manye as the same roote contaynes, so manye oughte to
be set in araye. As for example in a littell number, for the better vnderstanding
thereof: Admitte there be a .100. men, the Fowresquare roote of .100. ought to be
taken oute, which is tenne: Then putting tenne of these men in a rancke, there will
be tenne ranckes, ten to a rancke. Whiche tenne ranckes placing them ordinarylye,
the one behinde the other, so that all the distances that shall be betwene man and
man, as well on the sides, as before and behinde be equall, suche .100. menne will
make a fowresquare battaile, as by the figure here following appeareth.
But for that men ordered in battelraye, stande not, nor marche not, as aboue is supposed,
I meane in equall distaunce, for that euery man (as Vegetius affirmeth) would haue
for largenesse thrée foote, that is from shoulder to shoulder, and for lengthe séeuen
foote, that is thrée foote before him, and thrée foote behinde him, and one foote
that his owne person will occupye, for whiche cause the aboue written order, menne
standing according to the sayde ordinarye, distaunce, shall not be a iuste fowresquare,
but the lengthe thereof shalbe .70. foote, and the bredthe .30. foote, as appeareth
by the figure following.
Flancke
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Head
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Flancke
And where some number of men commethe not after suche sorte to bée fowresquare, as
.200. the roote whereof is .14. althoughe there bée .4. ouerplus: in this case there
ought to be put fouretene in a ranke, & the sayd battaile will come neuerthelesse
to be fouresquare: That is, it shall be of .14. ranckes of menne 14. to a rancke,
and as for those fowre menne that are ouerplus out of the araye, the Sergant maye
place eyther in the taile thereof, or elles where séemes him best oute of that order:
Likewise after this manner, an army of men howe greate a number so euer it bée, maye
be broughte into a [Page 3] fowresquare, as for example, admitte there were an armye of .35000. of these .35000.
menne, the fowresquare roote is to be taken oute, according to the order that I haue
declared before, and the same shall be founde to be .187. and .31. menne remayning
ouerplus, so that placing .187. menne in a rancke, suche an armye will be in fashion
fowresquare, that is, it will amounte vnto 187. ranckes .187. menne for a rancke.
And as for the .31 odde men, the Capitaine may appoinctte where he shall thincke good.
¶ To knowe howe many men maye marche in a rancke, and at a sudden to bring them into
a fowresquare battaile, so that their Ansigne, may come to be in the middest. Cap.
2.
FOr to doo this thing with speede, the fowresquare roote of what number of menne so euer it be, is straighte waye to be
taken: and if the same roote be so that it maye be equally deuided into thrée, so
many as shall be the thirde parte of that roote, so many of the saide menne for a
rancke oughte to marche by the waye. As for example, if the men that are to be conducted,
be .81. the roote of those .81. muste be taken, the which is .9. And for as muche
as the roote of this may equallye be deuided into .3. and the thirde parte thereof
being .3. the sayde .s1. menne must therefore be made to marche in iorneing thrée
in a rancke, and they shall make in all .27. ranckes, as here vnder appereth.
c
a
Tayle
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
Head
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o
d
b
And when néede is that they muste bée broughte into a fouresquare battaile, all these
27. ranckes would be [Page] deuided into thrée equall partes, as is declared by a b. and c d. So that to euery parte there come to remayne 9. ranckes, thrée men in a rancke, and
afterwarde the firste parte that is in the Fronte must be caused to stay, and the
other twaine to procede forewarde, the one on the righte hande, and the other on the
lefte hande of the firste (now standing still) vntill the headde or Fronte of eyther
of the saide twoo partes doo vnite or come to be euen with the headde of the firste,
and there to stay. As by the figure following may be vnderstoode.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Fronte.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
A
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
The whiche thrée partes thus broughte and ordered, shall make a fowresquare battaile,
as appearethe by this figure following: and to cause that the Ansigne doo fall in
the middest of suche a battaile, alwayes it oughte to be placed in the middest of
the firste parte, as before appeareth in the poincte. A.
But to knowe howe to deuide the sayde .27. ranckes into thrée equall portions without
standing to tell nyne ranckes, considering that if it were a great nomber of men,
it should be a thing very long so to do: therfore séeing that to euery nomber of men,
there is commonly placed a rancke of Harkabutters or Bowemen in the Forewarde, & an
other in the Rerewarde, in this figure aboue written of foure score men and one, there
would bée .18. Harkabutters: that is 9. in the Forewarde, and 9. in the Rereward:
and setting twoo ranckes of Harkabutters in the places where ye deuisions are to bée made, as hereafter appeareth in figure, vnderstanding the Harkabutters
by this letter H.
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o A o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
H o o o o o o o o o H
By those Harkabutters you maye alwayes vnderstande where the diuisions are to be
made of ye sayd 27. ranckes, and likewise in euerye other greater nomber. And when suche a roote
cannot bée deuided into thrée equall partes, of necessitie there must remayne ouer
one or twoo. Now let vs firste take for example this, where remayneth ouer one, as
it shoulde bée if it were a hundred men, the roote whereof is tenne, which tenne
deuided into thrée, commeth to thrée times thrée, and one remayning ouerplus. Wherefore
there muste bée made tenne ranckes to march thrée and thrée (that is so many rankes
as the nomber of the roote is of) and other tenne ranckes foure & foure together,
and the last .10. ranckes also thrée & thrée together: as here folowing appeareth
with their 20. Harkabutters or Bowemen, besides the saide hundred men.
And these thrée partes when it is néedefull to bring them into a fowresquare battaile,
muste be ordered as aboue is rehearsed, or elles causing the first parte in the Forewarde
to staye, and to make the second part to procéede onwarde vntill the heade or fronte
of the seconde parte come to be euen with the headde of the first, and so the saide
seconde part standing still, to cause also ye third parte to procede forewarde after the same maner, the which thing béeing done,
such a battaile shalbe broughte into fashion fowresquare, with their Harkabutters
or Bowemen before & behind: as appeareth by this figure.
Backe
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
Head
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
A
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
H o o o o o
o o o o o H
But when in deuiding the sayde roote there shall happen to remaine .2. ouerplus, as
should be when there were .121. the roote whereof is .11. whiche .11. perting into
.3. comes to .3. times .3. and twoo remayning ouerplus (as I haue sayde) in this
case and in other like, I woulde make a .11. ranckes to marche (that is, as many as
the roote containes) .4. menne in a rancke, and an other .11. ranckes .3. menne together
in a rancke, and the other .11. ranckes also .4. menne to a rancke: As hereafter appeareth
in figure, with their .22. Harkabutters, beside the saide .121. menne.
The whiche men alwayes, when they woulde be brought into a fowresquare battell, muste
be ordered as before is declared.
And this rule may serue likewyse in what littell or greate number so euer it be, as
well quadrante as not quadrante. As for example onely in wordes: put the case that
there bée .3969. whereof being minded to know how many mē in a rācke shold be caused
to march togethers by the waye, so that commodiouslye they maye at a soden, bée broughte
into a fowresquare battell, then must be taken the quadrante roote of this number
of menne (by the same waye that I haue taughte) whiche shall be founde to be .63.
so that on euery side of the square battell shall be .63. ranckes of menne, and for
as muche as this roote (whiche is .63) maye be deuided into .3. equall partes, the
thirde parte thereof is to be taken (for a generall rule) that is .21. and therefore
.21. menne in a rancke woulde be made to marche togethers by the waye. And alwaies
there shall be as many ranckes in all after .21. to a rancke, as are thrée times so
manye as the roote is of, whiche is, thrée times .63. whiche comes to 189. so that
.189. ranckes of men shal be the number therof after .21. to a rancke. And by the
roote that is .63. you may vnderstande that suche deuision is to be made betwene
.63. and .63. so yt the firste shall be as well .63. part as also the seconde and the thirde. In whiche
deuisions the twoo double ranckes of Harkabutters are to be placed for the redier
knowledge to bring them into a square battell. But if in deuiding the roote into thrée,
there shoulde remayne .1. ouerplus, as shoulde happen if the presupposed men were
.5776. the roote whereof being 76. whiche roote deuided into .3. shall come vnto .25.
and one to remayne ouerplus. Nowe I saye, that all the ranckes that riseth of these
men, shall be notwithstanding thrée times so manye as the roote, that is three times
.76. which makes .228. And for as muche as all [Page] these orders of ranckes, are deuided euermore into .3. partes (as before hath bene
declared) .76. ranckes to ā parte (that is so many as the roote is of) therefore it
is to be vnderstande, that the firste and the laste of these thrée partes muste bee
made to marche .25. men in a rancke, whiche is as muche as is the thirde parte of
the roote, and for that there remayneth one ouerplus (as aboue appeareth) I saye
that the same one muste bée put alwaies in the seconde parte, whiche is in the middeste,
I meane causing those of the saide seconde parte, to marche .26. menne in a rancke,
so that the firste and the last part of the greate rewe of ranckes, be .25. men in
a rancke, and the second parte to bée .26. men in a rancke, and the very same ought
to be done of euery other roote that may be deuided into thrée, where onely remaineth
ouerplus one but when there remainethe ouerplus .2. it followeth, cleane contrary:
For that the firste and the laste parte would be of one mā more, thē the same that
ye third part of the roote is of. As for example if the saide men were 2809. the roote
whereof is .53. whiche deuided into thrée, coomes to .71. and .2. remayning ouerplus:
therefore of so many menne, there shall bée made .159. ranckes (that is thrée times
.53.) whiche .159. ranckes deuiding them also into thrée partes commeth vnto .53.
to a parte, that is the number of the roote. And the firste and thirde parte woulde
be of one man more then the thirde parte of the roote, that is, it would be of .18.
menne to a rancke, and the seconde parte, whiche is the parte in the middest, woulde
be the verye thirde parte of the roote: that is, 17. menne to a rancke, so that of
all the .159. ranckes, as wel the first .53. ranckes, as likewise the last .53. ranckes
oughte to be of .18, men to a rancke, and the .53. ranckes in the middeste woulde
be onely of .17. men to a rancke And, wherein parting the roote into .3. there remaynethe
ouerplus onelye one, it goeth cleane contrarye to this. For that the fyrste and the
thirde parte of the [Page 6] sayde great rew of ranckes, will alwaies be of as many men to a rancke as shalbe
the whole thirde parte of the roote, and the middle parte, whiche is the second, will
bee of one man more then the thirde parte of the roote. And for as muche, as there
can neuer remayne ouerplus aboue one or twoo in deuiding the roote into thrée, therfore
this foresayde rule shall serue in what nomber of men so euer it bée, as well Quadrante
as not Quadrante, for that like as before is sayde in nombers not Quadrante, alwayes
there is taken the roote whiche goeth néerest to suche a nomber, and therewith to
do accordingly, as aboue hath bene sayed. And as for the residue of the men that
cōmeth to be ouerplus of the Quadrante of such a roote, maye be placed some other
where as shall be thoughte moste beste. For example if there were foure thousande
men, which nomber is not Quadrante, yet notwithstanding of the same nomber there
oughte to be taken oute the néerest roote therof, whiche is lxiii. so that there shall
remayne ouerplus one and thirtie men, whome minding in a suddaine to bring into a
fouresquare battayle, there oughte to be putte in a rancke. lxiii. men, and suche
a battayle shall come to bée fowersquare, as in the beginning hath béene sayde: and
where there remaynes ouerplus those .31. men, the Sergiant may place thē as he shal
thinke good. Likewise minding to cause those 4000. men to march, there ought also
to be taken the néerest roote therof, which as aforesayde, is .63. which deuiding
into thrée, comes vnto thrée times 21. & nothing remayning ouerplus. And therefore
the sayde men ought to bée caused to marche .xxi. in a ranke, & the sayde rancke to
be deuided into thrée parts. lxiii. to a rancke according to the foresayde rule, in
suche sorte that the last parte shalbe .64. ranckes, and also .10. men more because
of those .31. men that were ouerplus in the beginning, the whiche as hathe béene
sayde remayned oute of the araye: And after the same maner, [Page] it is to be done when the roote of such a number that is not quadrante, dooth not
agrée with the perfecte deuision by thrée, which is, if there be ouerplus one, to
procede as aboue hath bene declared. I meane to put a man more in a rancke to the
middell parte, and to the other twoo partes, the first, and the third, to put onely
so many men in a rancke, as the thirde paite of the roote shal conteine, and when
there remaineth ouerplus twoo, to procede cleane contrary: that is, to put a man more
in a rancke to the firste, and to the thyrde parte, and to the seconde, to put onelye
so manye men in a rancke as the thirde parte of the roote shall bée of, and those
men that are remayning ouerplus, in taking out the roote in the beginning, to place
them as aboue I haue saide.
¶ Howe to ordayne a nomber of men or an armie into a battayle, like vnto a wedge,
or three square, so that it maye be apte to marche with the poincte thereof towarde
the enemies. Cap. 3.
THis fashion of battayle, is made after this maner, first placing one man, and after
thrée, and nexte fiue, and after seuen, and then .9. after a .11. & so to increase
awaies twoo men more, till suche time as there bee no more men to place. Albeit there
maye be such a nomber of men, that at the last they can not, or there shall not be
sufficient to make vp the last rancke, which hapning, those men may be left out of
the araye to serue wher their captain shal thinke most meete, for yt the like hapneth often times, and in euerye maner of ordering men, that alwayes there
resteth some man out of the aray. And for the better vnderstanding hereof: admit
for example that the men that is to bée brought into a thrée [Page 7] square battaile bée a .100. I saye that firste one is to bée placed, after .3. after
5, after .7. after .9. after .11. and so to proceade: adding alwayes twoo men more
in a rancke, vntill they bée all placed, as here following appeareth in figure. Where
the last rancke in this case, shall come to bée 19. men, not remayning anye man ouerplus:
and this is, for that the number of men, (whiche is .100.) is a Quadrante nomber:
and likewise in euery other nomber that is Quadrante, the sayde Triangle battaile
shal bée made withoute any man remayning ouerplus.
[diagram of 100 men in a wedge formation]
But if the sayde nomber of men bée not a quadrante nomber alwayes there shall remayne
ouerplus so manye men, as the sayde nomber of men shall bee more then the great quadrant
nomber contained of the same: as for example, if the presuposed men to make the thrée
square battell were .120. I saye that there shall remayne ouerplus .20. men oute
of the aray of the thrée square, that is so manye as the .120. exceadeth .100. (being
the greater Quadrante nomber contayned in the same) whiche also shall bée .20. but
if the sayde men were .123. there shoulde remayne ouerplus only twoo men, for as muche
as the greatest quadrant nomber [Page] that can be taken of .123. shall be .121. and .123. is more then the saide .121.
by the saide twoo, and the verye same is to be vnderstand in euery greate number.
¶ To make the battell called the sheeres, whiche in olde time they vsed to set against
the Triangle. Cap. 4.
THe Sheeres are made with twoo Triangles ioygned togethers, for to receiue bewene them the saide battell,
made like a wedge or Triangle. The example whereof I wil make also with .100. men,
as the Triangle or wedge was made, so that thereby maye be iudged if there were twoo
armies of equall numbers of menne, and that the one of them were pitched like a Triangle,
and the other like a Shéeres, which of them should haue the aduauntage. Wherefore
minding of .100. men to make the battell called the Shéeres, they oughte to be deuided
into twoo equall partes, and of euerye one of these partes being .50. to make a Triangle
according to the maner aboue declared, and to ioigne them together, as here folowing
appeareth in figure with their poinctes towardes the enemies: I meane towardes the
wedge, to receiue it betwene them: And it is to be nooted how in making of these twoo
Triangles, there shal remaine ouerplus one man of euery one of them out of the araye,
for that the number of .50. is no Quadrant number, and it is more then the Quadrante
number contained of the same (whiche is .46. by a man onely) so that betwene them
bothe, there shall remaine ouerplus twoo men, as here appeareth in Figure.
[diagram of a Sheeres formation opposing a wedge formation]
VVhat auantage it is to order men in a Triangle battaile against the enemy that knoweth
not how to make the battaile called the Shreeres to set against it, inespecially
where there is as many men of the one part as of the other. Cap. 5.
WHen the contrarie parte woulde come against a threesquare battayle, with a battayle
that were fouresquare, as nowe a dayes is vsed, by all reason it shalbe broken and
ouerthrowne. As admit for example that there bée 100. in a thréesquare battayle,
& a hundred other men in a fouresquare battaile, pitched against ye iii. square, as here folowing appeareth in figure.
[diagram of a wedge formation opposing a rectangular formation]
And for that the order of the Triangle in fighting, is after suche sorte, that all
those whiche shoote with anye kinde of weapon, as péeces of Ordinaunce, Harkabuses
Dartes, Bowes, or Crosbowes, oughte all to directe their shotte, and to strike only
in the same place, where the poincte of the Triangle séekes to enter, I meane in in
the poincte A. whereby the men that are in the same place, shall either bée slayne or else constrayned
to geue place to the poincte of the sayde Triangle throughe the great multitude of
shotte striking in that place. So that the poincte of the sayde Triangle entering
therin, maye continually penetrate al the sayde aray cleane through. For as much as
all the Harkabutters, & Archers which remayne without, must not cease to shoote in
the verye same place, & no other where else: whiche thing doing it is impossible but
that waye shall bée giuen for the sayde Triangle to enter in, and once entred, suche
an armye is ouerthrowen without anye reméedye. For all the force and strength of suche
a Triangle being [Page 9] made in that place onely, it is not possible that men in suche a place may be able
to withstand, althoughe there were many more in suche Quadrante aray, then those that
be in the saide Triangle, because the place of. A cannot be succoured of any of those of the same battell, considering that if those
which are placed towardes. B. or elles towardes. C. woulde come to succour the place where the violence and force is made, it must néedes
be, that they must disorder them selues: and being once disordered, they runne into
the very same mischiefe, after suche sorte, that they shall remaine altogether broken:
and remaining in their places, their strength or power, resteth of none effecte: for
as much as none of them can be able to doo any thing, howe valiaunte soeuer he be.
Whereby may be vnderstoode of what importance this Triangle battell is againste the
enemie, that knowethe not the medesin or remedy thereof.
¶ To bring a number of men or an armie, into a batell, which in olde time was called
a Sawe. Cap. 6.
THis fashiō of Battel according to the qualitie of the name, oughte to bée made is
it were with téethe, like vnto a Sawe whiche they vse to Sawe timber withall. And
therefore minding to bring a number of men, or an armie into suche a fashion, there
muste be considered twoo thinges, the one, howe many téethe, this Sawe is to be made
of, and whether besides those téethe, there woulde be anye other raies to sustaine
suche teethe or no. As for example, admit that the men of whome muste be made those
onely téethe of this foresayde Sawe, be .100. nowe these .100. menne oughte to be
deuided into the number of the teethe that this Saw shall haue, and of euery of one
those parts, [Page] to fashion a Triangle, by the Rule declared in the thirde Chapter: and those Triangels
to ioyne close together, according as was done of those twoo that made the Shéeres:
As put case that of the sayde hundred men there woulde be made foure téeth of a Sawe,
then the sayde .100. men muste bée deuided in to foure partes, in whiche deuisions
it will come to 25. for a parte. Nowe of euery one of these partes, there ought to
be fashioned a Triangle, according to the order geuen in the forsaide thirde Chapter.
And these foure Triangles to ioyne them straight together, as here following appeareth
in figure: and this is in as much as in making the téeth onlye: but if peraduenture
there woulde be put an other order behinde the sayde foure téeth, it is néedefull
firste to determine of how many men such a raye is to be made, and those to take oute
by them selues, and of the rest to
[diagram of a saw formation]
make the téeth, and behinde the sayde téeth to place those nomber of men whiche first
were taken oute, and to ordayne them so manye men in a rancke, as shall bée founde
directlye in length in all the hinder partes of the téeth that are made, as for example,
admitte there bée twoo hundred & xliiij. men, and that with a hundred men therof,
there must be made foure téeth of a Sawe, & the other 144. to be made certayne ranckes
to sustayne the sayde foure téeth: Therefore the hundred men being broughte into foure
téeth, as aboute is declared, consequently behinde those 5 there oughte to bée placed
those C. & xliiii. men. xxxvi. mē to a ranke: for as much as in all the foure lower
partes of the sayde foure téethe [Page 10] there bée 36. men as in the figure nexte following appeareth. And after this maner
and order, if there were a hundred thousande men, they mighte bée set in a raye, placing
them, as aboue is done with that litle nomber.
[diagram of a saw formation with replacement ranks]
¶ To fashion a battayle of a nomber of men or an armie like vnto twoo Triangles ioyned
together, so that they may bee apte to marche with a corner therof towarde the enemies.
Cap. 7.
WIth the rule whereby the single Triangle is made, with the verie same almost this fashion battayle is also made: for as muche
as deuiding all those men, or that Armye wherewith this fashion battayle is made into
twoo equall partes, and of the one halfe thereof to make a Triangle, and that done,
vpon the very last side of the same, there ought to be placed the other halfe nomber
of men in ranckes, which continually go decreasing by twoo mē lesse, I meane cleane
cōtrarie to yt was done at ye beginning with one, where beginning to make the poincte of the Triangle, the ranckes
were continuallye increased with twoo men more. But it is to be vnderstande, that
if in making the first Triāgle, there happen [Page] to remaine ouerplus any men, that are not sufficient to make vp an other rancke,
yet the very same rancke oughte to be finished vp with some of the other halfe nūber
of men, for that one of these twoo Triangles ioyned together, commeth to be of one
rancke more then the other. As for example, admit the men, wherewith this fashion
battell is to bée made, be .320. which muste be deuided into twoo equall partes, so
that by suche deuision there wyll be .160. men for a parte, and of the one of these
partes, there woulde bée made a Triangle, according to the order declared in the thirde
Chapiter, whiche doone, there shall be founde to remayne ouerplus .16. (by the reason
aledged in the saide third Chapter) so that there shall lacke .9. men to finishe
the saide laste rancke of the first Triangle: Therefore the saide rancke muste bée
made vp, with the men of the other halfe, as taking those .19. men whiche lackes,
so that in the saide firste Triangle maye be .169. men, and in the other parte onelye
.151. menne, wherewith the other Triangle ought to bée made vpon the laste rancke
of the firste, whiche laste rancke shall be of .25. men: wherefore vpon the same,
there muste be placed an other rancke of twoo men lesse, that is .23. and vppon the
same saide .23. menne, to place an other of .21. menne, and vpon the .21. mene, to
place an other of .19. menne, and vpon those .19. men, to place an other of .17. men,
and so to procede alwayes with twoo men lesse, till suche time as it cometh to the
rancke of one man onely, as here folowing appereth in figure: Trew it is, that there
shall be founde in the ende, to remaine ouerplus .7. men, the whiche the Sargiant
maye place where he shall thincke good. And thus with this maner of order, there may
be brought into like araye, anie armie howe greate so euer it be, and they may turne
them selues, and in marching, make of the Rerewarde, the Forewarde, and likewyse of
what so euer side they liste.
¶ VVhat is best to be done where the ordinance of the enemies being shotte into the
army hath slaine many men. Cap. 8.
AN Armye of menne that happeneth to haue certaine ranckes thereof to be striken downe
& kilde with the enemies ordinaunce, and marching after such sorte, leauing voide
the places of those menne whiche are slaine with the Artillerye, or els drawing thēselues
close altogether, to fil such empty places, the one of these waies is very euill,
and the other much worse: for as muche as leauing those places after such sort open,
inespecially in the foreward, there is geuen thereby greate faciletie vnto the enemies
to enter into the saide raies, and to ouerthrowe them. And likewise causing after
such misfortune ye saide raies to draw together, to fill the saide places, those raies must néedes altogether
be disordered; and shall bée broughte almoste into confusion: for yt it is to be thoughte that the saide artillery, dothe not destroye any rancke of
menne wholye from one ende to an other in lengthe, but onelye a parte of some, and
a parte of other, and some to remaine vntouched, or vnhurte. In whiche case being
minded to cause them to drawe together, to fill vp the sayde voide places, it muste
néedes followe that the whole rancke doo disorder in lengthing those that lacke, so
that some of the ranckes shall remaine withe a greater number of ranckes of menne
(in length) in the Rerewarde, then in the Forewarde, whereby if such a battell woulde
Marche of necessitye it will immediatelye run into confusion, because of those ranckes
that are vnperfecte in lengthe, Wherefore that Capitaine, is to bée praised, whiche
instructethe his menne that in like chaunces, they neuer remaine withoute a compaignion
before them, excepte it be in the Fronte, as to aduertise [Page 12] euerye one of them, that if fortune to happen anye of them to lacke the same man,
whiche was wonte to marche before them, or elles mo, that then incontinente, and with
selerette they doo marche forwarde, vntill they finde an other companion in the accustomed
distaunce before them, and where it fortunethe noo man to be founde, to aduertise
them, howe they shoulde then procéede till they come to the head or Fronte, and in
such place to stand still, or elles to march according as the other ranckes in the
headde or in the Fronte shall doo. And this being a generall rule that euerye man
muste take the measure of his marchyng softelye or faste of his compaignions that
gooeth before him, and not of anye that be of theyr sides. All those menne therefore
that shall be founde in the verye same rancke behinde suche a man that dooeth lacke
his compaignion or compaignions before him, shall bée constrained to runne, or goo
a pase according as that man shall marche, whiche shall bée nexte before him: whiche
thing being obserued of euerye man in the battell, alwayes the Forewarde or Fronte
thereof, shall come thereby to be whole and sounde, and those emptie places of the
deade to be transeformed into the Rerewarde, in whiche places there shall not almoste
be any perrill. As for example, admitte, that in a battell of 144. menne in fashion
fowresquare, the enemies hath slaine .12. menne, as by the voide places in the figure
folowing appearethe, I saye that hauing aduertised euerye man to doo as muche as before
I haue declared, whiche is, that euerye time that he lackethe his fellowe (or moo
men) that marched before him, he doo straighte waye make haste, and withe all spéede
possible not to seace going forewarde, till he finde an other compaignion [Page] in the accustomed distaunce that goeth before him.
[diagram of a square formation missing soldiers in the front]
And if it fortune in suche a rancke that in the ende hée finde no man, yet he ought
to proceade so muche till hée come to the last ranke in the Front, and there to stande
still, or els to marche according to the order of the saide rancke. And likewise euery
man ought to take héede that in his marching faste or softelye, hée doo rule him selfe
by his compaignion that goeth before him, and not of any of those that be on his sides:
which [Page 13] thing being obserued, as in the figured rayes aboue
[diagram of a square formation missing soldiers in the back]
written, they same battales, shal be transformed in this other maner, like vnto the
last figure, that is, those 12. voide places shalbe translated into the reward, as
plainlye maye be séene.
¶ How to chaunge with speede an Armie, that is, in battelray fouresquare, into a
triangell fashiō, without disordering the first ranckes, and without perill of confusion.
Cap. xix.
LIke as the Capitaine with sounde of the Trompette, or with voyce shall cause the Souldiours
to be aduertised and taughte to knowe howe to turne that waye, which is betwene the
fronte and the righte side, or the lefte, and likewyse that waye that is betwene the
righte, or lefte side, and the backe, and after that they shall bée well informed
therin, euen so I would also haue thē to be well aduertised of the same, that was
declared in the laste chapiter, whiche is to shewe and teache euery man, that alwayes
when he shall be caused to turne towardes anye of the foresaide sides, and shall not
finde to haue his fellowe in the accustomed distance before him, that then the same
man with all spéede doo procede, or march so farre righte forthe, till he finde a
companion before him in the accustomed distaunce: Of whiche thing euery souldiour
being well informed and instructed, with the twinkling of an eye, an Armye that is
in fashion .iiij. square, may be transeformed into a triangle. As for example, minding
to make the right corner ye poinct of the sayd triangle, with sounde of Trumpette, or with voice, causing euerye
man in the armie to turne them selues with theyr faces that waie, which is betwene
the front and the righte flancke, and incontinente, so soone as they are turned, euery
man obseruing the foresayd order, that is, that all those, whiche shall perceyue
not to haue his fellowe before him in the accustomed distance, doo procede straighte
foorthe vntill he haue one, whiche done, the saide fowresquare fashion, shalbe founde
to be chaunged into a triangle fashion, and the poincte of the same triangle figure,
shall come to bée the righte corner of the fronte of the firste figure. Whiche thing,
is as easie to be doone as is possible: for the triall whereof, let there be for
example .25. men standing in fashion fowre square, as hereafter appeareth in figure, and to [Page 14] cause it to be better vnderstande, I haue thought good to make this figure with the
25. letters of the a b c. Now minding to chaunge this foure square figure, into a triangell
figure, it is néedefull to cause thē all to tourne
Front
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
V
X
Y
Z
&
'
with their faces that waye, whiche is betwéene the head and the same side, where
I haue thought good to make the poinct of the wedge or triangle: as for example purposing
to make the corner. E. the poincte and head of the triangle, I shal cause that euery man do tourne with
his face that waye, betwéene the front & the righte flancke, towardes the corner.
E. whiche thing done, the foresayde figure shall come to stande as here appeareth: in
whiche figure maye bée séene manye men, that hath no fellowe in the accustome distance
before him, although they haue a felow straight before him, much more further [Page]
Front
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
V
X
Y
Z
&
'
of them the ordinarye, whiche is double so muche as the ordinarye, as appeareth by
.F. whoo hath righte before him .B. but the distaunce that is betwene the sayde .F. and the saide .B. is double so muche as the ordinarye distaunse, wherefore if .F. shall obserue the preceptes aboue declared, immediately so sone as he shall haue
turned his face that waye, he shoulde incontinent goo, to come néerer to the saide
.B. in the accustomed disstaunce, whiche doing, he shall bring him selfe betwene A. and .G. Albeit the saide .G. shall not remaine in his firste place, but shall goo néerer vnto .C. to the accustomed distaunce, and in the place where .G. was firste L. muste come. So that .F. shall stande betwene .A. and .L, and likewise if all the other shall procede forwarde, according to the saide order,
vntill euery man finde a fellowe in the accustomed distaunce before him H. shall goo néerer vnto .D. and .M. shall followe the saide .H. and .Q. shall followe after the saide .M. euery one of them, vntill they come to theyr accustomed disstaunce. [Page 15] And in like maner .I. shall go néere vnto .E. and N. shall followe .I. and .R. shall followe .N. and .X. shall followe the sayde .R. euery one of them vntill they come to their accustomed distaunce. Likewise .O. shall go néerer to .K. and .S. shall followe .O. and .Y. shall followe .S. also to the ordinary distaunce: and likewise .&. shall also go néerer to .V. to the accustomed distaunce, which thing being obserued, such a foure square battel
shal be transformed into a triangle battell, as here following appeareth in figure,
the poinct whereof shall come to bée the corner .E. and with this order a Capitaine may chaunge an armie, with tourning of a hande, though
it were of 100000. men from the fashion of a foure square to the fashion of thréesquare. So that the
sayde men be aduertised
[diagram of the diamond formation changing into a wedge formation]
and taughte, as afore hath béene declared, both as well to knowe howe they oughte
to tourne as to marche. [Page] Whiche is of wonderfull importaunce: for as much, as at a sudden to reduce an armye
after this sorte into a triangel fashion, it is almoste impossible that the enemies
shalbe able, or shall knowe how to make their armie like the Sheres to set against
it, wherby shal come great aduauntage as by the 5. chapitex aboue is plainelye prooued: for that it séemes vnto mée that a triangle
battayle, maye bee alwaye sufficient able to breake all maner of fouresquare battayles
as is vsed now a daies, although it had halfe so many moe men, so long as those of
the triangel battel be well instructed of the maner of their fighting declared in
the v. chapiter.
¶ Of the perfecte forme or fashion of strong places.
THe forme which vnto the circular fashion doth moste resemble, of experte and skilfull souldiours, is aboue
all other with most reason praised, so yt the Curtine or walles therof, be made straight, and of such length, that of the
bulwarkes they may be flācked: whiche fashion being made with manye corners, is verye
méete and necessarye if in a sufficient great place it bée erected: for where in
small roomes the iuste length of the courtin is shortened, it is conuenient to buylde
them with fewe corners; because if otherwise they shoulde bée shortened with a nomber
of corners, the shorter of necessity the spaces betwéene those muste bée; so that
besides that the one bulwarke maye hurte the other, they shalbe moreouer to no purpose,
but rather an occasion of infinite coste, their courtins néeding as is requisit to
be defended of platformes, and the corners therof shall come to bée lesse blunt,
and muche sharper then they oughte to be, by reason of the litle distaunce betwéene
them and the platformes.
Therfore the more that they be made distaunte from those bulwarkes (the due length
of the curtin being kept) so much the blunter the corners will come to bée, which
by them must be defended, and the more of those corners that there are in the same
fashion, so muche the blunter they shall also come to bée. So that where the fashion
of the places that are builte bee sufficiente great to contayne all the foresayde
particulars, whiche for a sure fortresse is requisite to bée made, all thing commodiously
will come to passe: and the greater that [Page] they shalbe, the more men they maye haue to defend them and more commodious space
within, for to retire with greate and strong fortification, and the platformes maye
be made muche further in, and haue the corners of theyr bulwarkes blunt, and with
a large backe, méete for defence, and in an assaulte, muche surer then the sharpe,
because the sharpe poincted bulwarke, being battered defendeth the enemye from the
platformes, so that vnder the same, being couered, he maye almost oute of daunger,
make an assaulte. Where against a Towne or Fortresse, that were builte after the fashion
of these plattes folowing, in what so euer parte of such places, the enemy should
approche marching towardes them to incampe, or in battell raie to assaulte them, or
with Trenches, and artillery to batter them, either high or lowe or by the curtin
within, or otherwise, he shall alwaies, from many of those flankers of the same place,
be greately hurte and repulced, and of the platformes in especially, more then from
any other where, because they be moste neere, and stande higher then all the other,
and they shall also hurte him more, when he shall bée somewhat farre of, then néere
hande, as maye be sene by the plaine platte that hath the number .1. and in the same
that is raised vp, that hath the number .2.
The whiche with twoo other are also here after pictured, to the ende that thereby
maye be considered of such as shall sée them, the sundrye good and notable effectes
that bée in them, the whiche althoughe it bée not possible so easelye with writing
to bée expressed, yet by theyr helpe they maye be better vnderstande and comprehended,
and moreouer by them shalbe gotten this knowledge, whereby euery man commodiously
maye vnderstande, where the enemie gowing aboute with his power, maye best deuise
to assaile them, and howe they within maye prouide to defende and withstand the same
with theyr men, taking them from those places [Page 17] where they may best be spared, so ye building the fashiō of fortresses, in the saide maner, there shall in no place happen
any such incommodities, as in other that are ignorauntly made, after the ordinary
fashion with lesse corners, as also by these figures, here folowing is more plainlye
declared.
There oughte also to be noted, that these and the other plattes, in this treatise
set foorth, being drawen in a litle space, coulde not bée fashioned with their due
proportion: albeit to the ende that same which is reasoned about them, might partly
bée vnderstande, they are not left out or omitted: for without their help it shoulde
haue bene impossible for anye man, to haue comprehēded that, which I séeke to declare,
concerning fortification, although they were expert souldiours: as by the foresayde
plattes of the nombre of 1. and 2. maye manifestlye bée séene, howe well the courteynes
of suche a towne, is by the bulwarkes therof defended, and howe the ditches of the
platformes, and of both of them are flancked and skowred, besides other thinges, whiche
by the lines that are drawen be declared, where otherwise it coulde not bée shewed
after such sorte, as it might bée vnderstande, and the like happeneth in the other.
¶ The strongest and perfectest fashion of all other for the building of the cortin
or vvall of a Tovvne or fortresse.
BEfore being shevved concerning the perfection that for the fashion of Fortresses is requisite, howe thy oughte to
be buylded with a nombre of corners proportioned neuerthelesse, with a iust lēgth
of the cortin, and a sufficient distaunce betwéene euerye bulwarke, so that the more
that with like conditions to the circular fashion it resembleth, so much the more
it becommeth perfect.
There now remained to be cōsidered, what fashiō is to be iudged of moste perfection,
either the same whiche without any edification placed in the middest of the cortin
therof, shalbe builded, or that which shal haue either caualiers, or platformes, or
what so euer other maner of edification or figure, that for to defende the cortins
of the bulwarkes may be placed: or whether it be of those fashiōs, which vnto this
present hath bene vsed of other in buylding, or some new maner that might be deuised
Therefore in this part leauing to reason of those, that shall haue caualiers or platformes
as also of those bulwarkes that the cortins shall haue, which from the one to the
other moste straightlye without other edification placed in the middest do shoote,
for this time I shall only shewe a newe fashion, the which I iudge to be the most
perfectest, that is possible to be imagined, as maye bée séene by the lines yt are drawen from the plaine plat of ye nūber of 3. & by the plat that is raised vp of the nomber [Page 19] of .4. here vnder figured, which resembling so nere the circular figure, as the due
length of the curtin will suffer, they shal haue this difference frō the other which
directly are distended, that the cortin being made backe a conueniente distaunce,
that spase maye be lefte mete to make from the one and the other poincte of the same
retire, a flanker, as twoo like flankers maye be séene, in the plaine platte of the
number of .3. by the letters .E. and .F. and in the platte that is raysed vp of the number of .4. by the letters .A. and .C. they shall haue commoditie to directe their ordinaunce to flancke, as well highe
as lowe, like vnto those that are commonly builte nowe a dayes: whereby, not onely
the same space of the curtin, that is betwene the one and the other of them shalbe
perfectlye defended, as maye be perceyued by the platte of the number of .3. by the
line drawen from the letter .E. to the letter .F. but also that whiche lieth betwéen them and the bullwarkes, as in the saide platte,
by the lines that describeth the manner of the shotte the one from the letter .E. to the letter .S. the other from the letter .F. to the letter .R. maye be vnderstand, and likewyse the curteines of those bulwarkes, as also in the
verye same, by the line that is drawne from the letter .F. to the letter .Q. is showed, with a better maner than in other fashion of building that is vsed can
be defended, so that all the partes of them shall not onelie be made to be able to
shoote by flanke, but also thereby to shoote by righe line, as in the platte of the
number of .4. by the line that passeth from the letter .C. to the letter .D. and from the letter A. to the letter .B. maye be perceiued. And whereas they maye be builded with lesse coste then otherwise,
they haue also commoditie to make their gates equallye distante the one from the other,
from the nexte bulwarkes: where they are placed moste safelie and commodiouslie
with greate strengthe, and those gates be as [Page] well, as all the reste of the wall, and greatlier in that parte, much surer from
the assailing of the enemies, thē in what so euer other maner of fashion mighte be
deuised: for as muche as the platforms, and caualiers bée nothing so strong, but
more easie to bée ouerthrowen, in respecte to this maner of building, which is moste
sure from such daunger, and excedingly well defended from the force of the enemie:
to the which, the nerer that the enemie shall approche, so much the more he shal of
those within be hurt, cōtrarie to that, which in the platformes happeneth. Moreouer
there maye be certayne slaughter houses builte in the diche, as in the plat of the
number of .4. by the letters .F.H. is shewed, which ye enemies with greate difficultie must firste séeke to winne, before they can come
nere the walles. And those being wonne, shall be but small preiudise to the towne
or fortresse: wherefore without comparison, this fashion is greatelier to bee praised,
then the same with platformes for that the nerer the Walle, the enemie shall come,
soo much more from the bulwarkes by flanke, and all most on the backe, and from other
places, both by flanke, and by fronte in one instant, he shalbe hurte and stroken.
Where also in suche a kinde of fashion with many corners, the greatenes and roome
of the towne within, is somwhat deminished, in respect to those that are made with
platformes. Therefore I conclude, for the consideracions a foresaide, these to bée
the moste perfectest fashions that any strong fortresse, is possible to bée made.
¶ An example of the quadrant forme to prooue that it causeth debilletie and vveakenesse.
THE tovvnes & fortresses that are buylded after a foure cornered fashion, in what so euer maner they be made,
are subiect to moste great inconueniences: for that the sharpe corners of their bulwarkes
whiche of necessitie the same fashion will cause them to haue, may very easyly be
battered, and vnder the ruine therof, the assaultes of ye enemies defended, as in the platte following of the nombre of 7. by the bulwarke
C. battered of the artillerle D. is séene. Whereby also maye be perceyued how the ordinaunce may be planted to make
a breatche, and to take awaye their flanckers after such sort, that the enemies maye
safelye approche to anye place, either marching in battelray to incampe, or assaulte,
or with pianers to worke, or for any other purpose, as by ye foure flanckers of the thrée bulwarke. L.E.C. may be vnderstande, the whiche of the artillerie. H.F.K.G. not onely are battered, but also twoo of them that haue the letters. L. C. as is séene, may of the artillerie. K. G. bée beaten through their flanckers, & the backe of the bulwarke. E. néerest to them, which is on both sides of the flanckes battered, the which for hauing
in such place lesse thickenesse then anye where els, and great heigth, maye bee the
more easelier ruinated. as is to bée séene in the sayde bulwarke. E. battered with the artillerie F. and H. and also by the breatche of the batterye, whiche in the cortin is made of the ordinaunce
B. as is séene where the artillerie G. by the cortin doth beate through the same in ye breatch of the batterye A. as manifestly appeareth: and moreouer [Page] when they within woulde do any thing, they shall be beaten with the artillerie ouer
the wall within the cortin N. frō the caualier M. without, so that no man shalbe able to stande behinde the same to defende. And not
onely in this sorte, but in sundrye wise, and in diuerse maners, what soeuer towne
or fortresse is builded after such fashion, maye easely be battered & soone made
sautable, whereby without further declaration it is playnly to be vnderstande, how
much the foresaid plattes of the other fashion excel this.
¶ Of the nature of Saltpeter, and the maner hovve to make and refine it.
SAltpeter is a mixture of manye substaunces, gotten out with fire and water of drie & durtie ground, or of
yt flower, that groweth oute of newe walles, in Sellars, or of that grounde which is
found lose within toombes, or desolate caues, where raine can not come in: in the
which grounde (according to my iudgemente) the same is ingendered of an ayrie moistenesse
drunke vp, and gotten of the yearthy drines: whose nature (by the effect therof)
considering, I cannot tell how to be resolued, to saye what thing properly it is.
The well learned and most wise Phisitions (besides medicinall experience) by the
taste (finding it salte, and with excéeding sottill sharpenesse, and considering the
great byting therof) suppose verylye that it is of nature hotte and drye: on the other
parte, séeing it to be a thing ingendered of ayre, and touched of fyre to fall in
a flame, and vapore, and rise with a terrible violence (as the same compounded, is
séene by Gonpoulder moste manifestly declared) séemeth to bée of an ayrie nature,
hot and moiste: and againe séeing it with shining and glittering whitnesse, as a
thing to the nature of water conformable, it séemeth that it maye bée sayde, that
it is of a waterye nature, finding it heauye: to whiche maye bée ioyned the experience
of the taste, and of the excéeding coldenesse that in somer it causeth the water to
bée of, wherein it is put to kéepe Wine colde, as they vse in Italye, and by the brittelnesse
therof, it may be thoughte to bée of the nature of earth: and so muche the more, where
burning it with as muche brimstone, it will tourne into a harde white stone: so that
to [Page 24] conclude, it semeth that it hath the soueraintie & qualitie of euerie elemente.
Nowe this of aunciente wryters, was called nitro: and Plinie in his naturall historie
in the .xxxj. booke sayeth, that it differeth not muche from salte: whose nature semes
also that vnto Phisitions hath not bene hid: & it is found in manie places, but ye best is foūde Macedonia: Albeit the late writers, spetially they of our partes,
say that Plinie, and the other writers beleued that it was minerable: & peraduēture
they are deceyued: for that there is of the artificial: which hath the very same vertue,
& as some thinke, more strōger of nature: & is founde for ye very same medicinall effect, better then the naturall. Nowe this (as I haue sayde)
is drawen foorthe from the sayde durtie yearthe, so that ye yearthie drines by raine hath not bene extinct: but the moste excellenteste of all
other, is made of the dunge of beastes, conuerted into yearth, in stabells or in dunghilles,
of long time not vsed: and aboue all other, of the same that cōmeth of hogges, the
moste and best is gotten: what so euer dunge it be of, it is requisite ye by continuance of time it be well resolued into yerth, and the humiditie therof dried:
yea and it is néedefull yt the same yearthe be as it were dustie. To minde too haue a saye to knowe whether
it bée good, by the taste of the tong it maye be felte if it be byting, and howe muche:
and finding it strong, so that you determine to woorke of it (making a great quantitie)
it is necessarie to prouide manie Cauldrons, fornesses, barrills or tubbes: and likewyse
wood, white lime, and asshes of olde oke: but chieflie muste be prouided a great barne,
or other walled house nere to the water (whereof it is nedefull to haue inoughe, as
also of yearthe, both commodious for the place, & likewise euery other thing.) But
firste the fornesses muste be made for the cauldrons, and they muste be placed thereon,
as those be [Page] that the diers vse: then there must bée prepared ioystes as long as the house, and
soo broade, that commodiuslie aboue grounde maie stande buttes with their heads knocked
oute, square chestes, barrels or tubbes to the number of .50. or .60. or .100, (according
to the cauldernes, and the capacetie of the place) and betwene euerie twoo of those
vessells, there muste be set a halfe tubbe to receiue the water that shall run oute:
or there woulde be placed a channell of wood that maye gooe along vnder the holes
of the vessells that are set aboue grounde, soo that it maye conuey all the water
that commeth from them, into a greate tubbe or twoo sufficiente to hold all the water
ful of substaunce of Saltpeter: and the buttes that haue their headdes knocked oute,
or barrells or tubbes, in the bottom of euerie of them there muste be made a hole
on the one syde, with an Awgar, or els thrée or fower littell holes made with a good
bigge perser: and vpon them muste be layde a littell thinne linnen clothe or els the
ende of a brome, or some strawe, to the intente that it maie kepe the yearthe vp and
straine the water that shalbe put amongeste the same yearthe which is to be wrought,
when it is tasted with the mouth, so that it be certaine, that it containeth Saltepeter.
Then there muste be made thereof, in the middest of the house where it is to be wroughte,
a greate hill, nexte vnto which muste be made an other halfe so bigge, which must
be made with twoo pares of vnslaked lime, and thrée of oke asshes, or other asshes,
which in taste are verie strong and sharpe: and then the one hill muste be well mingled
with the other, and with the same composition, the tubbes muste be filled that are
set a lofte vpon the ioystes, within a span of the mowthe, or else (minding not to
mingell with the yearth the asshes & the lime together) you maie put firste a spanne
thickenes [Page 25] of yearth in the bottome of the tubbe, and then thrée fingers thicknes of the forsayde
lime and asshes: and vpon the same after, an other spanne thicknes of yearthe, and
on that likewyse, an other thrée or fowre fingers thicknes of lime and asshes: and
so putting one rewe of one thing, and an other of an other, you shall fill all the
buttes and tubbes, or other vessells that you haue placed, euen as aboue I haue sayde,
wythin a spanne of the mouthes of them, and the reste that is then emptie, which you
lefte, you muste fill with water: the which running throughe all the yearthe, by a
littell and a littell, you muste let it droppe in the tubbes that stande vnder to
receyue it, or in the gutter or channell, or where you liste, so that it be conueyed
into one or into sundrie tubbes, or where you thincke good: and so you muste sée well
that you gather all the water that you powred vppon the yearthe, after it is passed
throughe the holes of the bottom of the tubbes, in suche wyse, that it bring with
it all the substaunce and vertue of the Saltepeter that was in the sayde yearth: whereof
by putting some of it on your tongue, you maye taste: and finding it biting and very
salte, it is a token that it is good and that you haue done well: if not, powre it
agayne vpon the verye same yearthe, or vpon some other newe: but finding the firste
yearthe full of substaunce as muche as sufficeth, you maye agayne powre vpon it more
water, too wasshe better the remnaunte of the yearth: albeit this seconde water woulde
be saued in an other vessell, and after this, the yearth maye likewise be wasshed
the thirde time, to thintente that all the substaunce thereof, maye perfectlie be
gotten: but this seconde nor the thirde, ought not to be mingled with the firste,
if it happen not to come of the verie same taste: the whiche I beleue that it will
not: but it must be put by it selfe in other vessells, for that it is good to powre
vpon the [Page] chaunge of the nexte yearth, and so you maye procede, gathering a good quantitie
of suche water, taking héede neuerthelesse, that it be full of the substaunce of Saltepeter:
the whiche if it séeme vnto you, not of the same perfection, as you woulde haue it,
you maye powre it againe vpon the verie same yearth, or vpon other new, till suche
time as it satisfie you, and that you knowe, that it be full of the substaunce of
Saltepeter. Besides this, there muste be made a furnes with one or .ij. cauldrons
of brasse walled thereon, whiche muste be as greate as those that the Diers vse, and
these cauldrons muste then be filled, with the foresaide Saltepeter water: the whiche
(as alredie I haue tolde) oughte to be as full of substaunce as maie be, so that it
haue aboute the .ij. third partes, and make it faire and softlie to boile so much
till it come to one thirde part, or there aboutes: and after take it of, and put it
to settell in a greate vessell, couered, whiche muste be well bounde aboute, with
hoopes of yron, and sure and close in the ioyning thereof, to the intente it spill
not: and thus when the same water is setled and well clarefied, and from the yearthe
and grose matter, whiche in it remained, diligently purged, it muste be taken oute
and boyled againe of newe in the same cauldron, or in some other: and for as muche
as euerye time that it boileth, if it be not taken héede of, it turneth into skum,
and sometimes swelleth so muche, that often times running ouer it spilleth, and carrieth
awaye therewith muche of the good: the whiche minding to reméedie, you muste take
thrée partes of Oke asshes, and one of lime, and moreouer, in euerie hundrethe pounde
waighte of water, there muste be dissolued fower pounde of roche Alum: and when the
cauldron boileth, take of the sayde water with a pot, and powre into it ones or twise,
and spetially when you sée the Saltepeter water rise in skum, whiche in a little
while you shall sée it alaie, bothe clere [Page 26] and faire, and of an azur colour: and it muste bée boyled so long, till all the thinne
watrinesse bée vapored away and the substaunce of the Saltpeter thickened: so that
it being taken out, and put in chestes or tubbes and coled, maye congeale: the whiche
is best done, when the water is brought to least quantitie, taking it out and putting
it into a lesse caudron, wherein it will sooner congeale: the whiche water being tasted,
and séene to bée brought to suche passe, to bée reade to congeale, you maye take it
out, and put it in vesselles of wood, or of earth that are rough within, with certayne
stickes of wood, to congeale, and so you shall let it coole, and rest. iij. or iiij.
daies, so as it maye drop, and be strayned through some litle hole, in the bottom
of the vessell: and all the water that is not then congealed, you must take out and
saue for to séeth againe: and the Saltpeter that is in anye quantitie congealed, you
shall finde to bée, according to the vertue that was in the water, or in the earth:
but the clerenesse and fairnesse thereof, will come of the maister vertue of the water,
that is put into it in the boyling, which hath strength to purgeit, and make it come,
as it were refined in the first séething: nowe this being taken from the sides of
the vessell, where it congealed, and in the water therof washed, you must laye it
vpon a table to drie throughlye: and the same séeming vnto you to haue néede, or neuerthelesse
minding to haue it aboue the common vse, for some purpose, more purefied, & without
earthy grosnesse, & altogether without fatnesse and saltnesse, whiche for to make
excéeding fine pouder, or aqua fortis, is most requisit so to be: to be short, for what so euer cause it oughte to be refined,
I councell you, to do it after one of these ij. wayes, whiche here following, I shall
teach you. The first, which I like best, is with water: and the seconde is with fire,
with water it is refined in this maner, taking of the foresaid mixture made of lime,
asshes, and allome dissolued: and [Page] then for euerie barrell of water that you haue put in the cauldron, for to disolue
the Saltepeter, you muste put into it sixe pottefulls of the foresayd strong water:
and in the same quantitie of water so prepared, put so muche Saltpeter as you thinke
maye well be dissolued: and with boyling make it to resolue verye well, and séeing
it in boyling too haue caste vp scum, you shall then take it oute of the cauldron,
and put it into a tubbe, in the bottome where of, you muste firste haue put fower
fingers thicknes of fine sande cleane washed, and that muste be couered with a linnen
clothe: and by a littell hoole made in the bottome of the tubbe, you shall suffer
it to droppe by littell and littell into some other vessell set vnder to receiue it:
& so this water thus strained, you must after put in the verie same or in an other
cauldron to boile agayne, and to make the greater parte of the same water, that you
put into it séethe awaye: fynally make it boyle so muche, vntill you sée it readie
to thicken, powering nowe and than, in making it, a littell of the foresayde strong
water, and speciallye when it swelleth and casteth vp scum: and this thing (being
soo handled) you muste take it oute of the cawldron, and put it in chestes or other
vessells of wood, to congeale: whiche, being a greate quantitie, in thrée or fower
dayes, you shall finde all that congealed, which will congeale: which, being taken
oute, you muste order as you vsed afore the other: and the same water that is not
congealed, muste be boyled agayne: and so you shall doo from time to time as it gathereth
together and congealeth: and after this sorte you shall make the Saltepeter moste
white and faire, and much better thē at the firste séething.
Also saltepeter is refined in an other manner, whiche is with fire, but in a littell
quantitie mynding to doo it well: and although it be a readie waye, yet fewe vse it:
albeit it serueth to get oute the fatnes of saltepeter, [Page 27] for that it sendethe into the bottome verye muche yearthynes, notwithstanding I like
better the foresaide waye in purging it with water, then this with fire:
But to doo this, take a salet, or some other yron or brasen vessell, and fill it with
Saltpeter, and couer it with a couer of yron, brasse or yearth, soo that it be made
bigge inoughe, méete to bée taken of and put on when you liste, that the vessell maye
be well couered: and then it muste bée set in the middest of a good fire of cooles,
and so the Saltepeter will melte, whiche is soone perceyued of the experte artificer:
but when you thinke that it is molte, looke vpon it: and if it be not well molten,
couer it agayne and let it melte well: then it béeing well molten, take brimstone
mooste finelye beaten in powlder, and strawe some thereon: and if of it selfe it take
not fire, doo you kindell it: and being kindeled let it burne till suche time as the
brimstone be all consumed, so that nothing ells be burnte, but the vpper parte, and
certayne grosse vnctiousnes of the Saltepeter, the whiche when it is burned, will
leaue the reste faire and cleare: and then it muste bée taken from the fire letting
it coole, where in the vesseell you shall find it (when it shalbe coulde) all in one
péece white like vnto a péece of marbell: and all the yearthinesse thereof remayning
in the bottome: whiche shalbe good saltepeter to make powlder withall, but not verie
commendable to anie other vse: and aboute saltepeter the witte of men haue so muche
imagened, that meanes are founde to cause it to growe in the grounde, and in places:
that neuer had anie before, by disoluing Saltepeter in water: for with the same water
wetting the grounde, and letting it stande so a certayne space of time, saltepeter
wil be ingendred, so that the same that was put there, will multiplie wonderfully:
and it is a moste certayne thing, that in making Saltepeter, the yearthe that hathe
béene occupied, heaped vp in a [Page] place that is couered, so that the rayne do not washe it, within the space of fiue
or sixe yeres, maye agayne bée laboured, and Saltpeter shalbe founde to be ingendred,
and yéelde much more, then it dyd the first time: & this that I haue declared in this
chapter, is as much as I can saye of Saltpeter.
¶ The maner hovve to make all sortes of Gunpouder. Chapter xxiiii.
GVnpouder, is made of three simples onely: that is, saltpeter, Brimstone and Coales: and some proportioneth
it after one fashion, and some after an other, and also according to the Gunnes,
and purposes, wherewith they will occupye it. For that one sorte is occupied for
great ordinaunce, and an other sorte for lesse péeces: and this is knowen to euerye
Bombardier: In Harkabuses, and hande gunnes, is not occupied common pouder, but aboute
certayne fire woorkes: and therefore to euerye of the sayde purposes, the pouders
is proporcioned accordingly For that if Serpentine pouder, should be occupied in
hande gunnes, or Harkebuses, it woulde scāt be able to driue their pellettes a quaites
caste frō their mouthes: and if hande gunne pouder shoulde bée vsed in péeces of ordinaunce,
without great discretion, it woulde quickely breake or marre them: and to minde to
haue all sorte of pouders good, thrée thinges is requisit to bée obserued, in making
therof. The first is to sée, that the substaunce, wherewith it is made, haue no earthie
grossenesse. The seconde, that it be finely beaten: the thirde, that it bée verye
well dried, from all [Page 28] humiditie or moistenesse, and this doone, you shall haue strong and excellent good
pouder. And it is to be vnderstanded, that ye chiefe thing that is in pouder, is Saltpeter: for that of it (by the same that is
séene) dependeth all the forse. And therefore prouision is to be made, to haue a good
quantitie thereof, and that it be cleane and nete: the which by burning, maie well
be knowen, for that in all sortes of pouder, it is néedefull, that the Saltpeter
be good.
Now, for to make common pouder, for greate péeces of artillerie there must be taken
thrée partes, of refined Saltpeter, twoo of Willowe cooles, & one of Brimstone, and
grinding euery thing: all muste be well mingled together, & all the moistnesse thereof
dried vp, as I haue saide. To make pouder for small péeces of artillerye, there muste
be taken fiue partes, of refined Saltpeter, and one and a halfe of Cooles, and one
of Brimstone, & grinding it moste finelie, and mingling it well together, it muste
be corned, and then dried. The maner of corning all sortes of pouder, is with a Séeue
made, with a thicke skinne of Parchemēt, full of little round holes, into the whiche
Séeue the pouder muste be put, while it is dancke, and also a little bowle, that when
you sifte, it maie roule vp and doune, vpon the clottes of pouder, to breake them,
that it maie corne, and runne throughe the hooles of the Séeue.
To make Harkebuse and hande Gunne pouder, there muste be taken tenne partes of refined
saltpeter, and one of young hasell cooles of a yeare olde made cleane, and one parte
of Brimstone, and beating all in a mortar, or grinding it excedingly well that it
maye be mingled together and so fine as is possible, thē it muste be corned and throughlie
dried. And note that if it be not marueylously well beaten, it wil neuer be good.
But because making of pouder, whiche are of thinges that will easylie kindell, cannot
be withoute [Page] perrill of him that maketh it, excepte it bée remedied with wetting: therefore it
behoueth to take héede that it be not beaten drie, as well to auoyde suche perrill,
as also for that it will be beaten better: for whiche causes it muste be wet with
comun water to a certaine degrée of moistenes, so that taken vp in ones hande it
maye cling together. Some moiste it with vineger: and some, for to make it more stronger,
with cāphored, aqua vitae. When I haue caused gunpouder to bée made, I haue vsed comun water, & therefore I
am able to saye whiche of those thinges is beste: and to tell my opinion, I doubt
whether vineger or, aqua vitae, causeth the gunpoulder to be any better then the comun water: for as much they vaporyng
awaye, as they doo, & as of necessitie they must, I beléeue that littell of their
substance remayneth.
There bée some whiche in making coole (béesides willow) make thē of hasell: & some
of vyne stickes: & some of baye stickes: some of réedes: some of kexses: & to bée
shorte, all the cooles that are made of softe wood, are of wood which haue much pith:
but it is requisit that they be smalle, yong, and tender, and withoute hardenes of
knottes: otherwyse they be not good.
Albeit they be made in diuers maners: but in making of any great quantitie of pouder,
the ordinarie coole is to be taken: and makyng a littell, they vse to take yong hasell
of a yeare olde, cut in shorte péeces, and they putting them into a greate yearthen
potte,Hovve too make coole vvhere vvith gunpoulder is made. or other vessell of yron, or brasse, they shutte it and couer it close, and lute
it, or daube it very well aboute, so that it cannot breathe: and then they make fire
rounde aboute it and vpon it, till suche time as it maye bée thoughte that the heate
is well entred in through all, and that the wood that is within is very well fired:
and without fire-brandes, or flame, burned onely through suche heate: and then they
take the fire from the potte and let it [Page 29] coole, and so they finde the same wood become cole. I hapning once to haue néede
of coles (to thintent to make some quicklie,) toke as manie drie hasel stickes that
had their rindes scrapes of, as I thought sufficiente to serue my purpose: and breaking
them in péeces and laying them close together on a heape, I set them on fire and burned
them all well, and then sprinckeled water vpon them with a browne, and with the same
wet browme quenched the fire: and so scattered abrode ye coles héere & there, alwayes sprinckling water vpon thē till I quenched them: and
thus I haue serued my purpose withoute so muche difficultie.
Moreouer, it is a verie profitable thing, yea and a necessarie, that I declare the
maner and facilitie of beating it, for to be able safelie to make a greate quantetie
thereof. In olde time they were wonte to grinde gunpouder with certayne handemilles,
as they vse to grinde corne, but (besides the paine) it is a waye verie perrillous:
for that suche a composition grounde together with stones, will catche heate in suche
wyse, that it will soone ingender fire, inespecially euery thing being a matter disposed
to fire: as also by rubbing together with violence a couple of baye stickes, you
shall straighte waye kendel fire. Some grinde pouder in suche milles as they vse to
grinde crabbes or apples to make vargis or sider: and some hath it stamped in morters
with a water mille or a horsemill, whiche waye is the beste of all other, and moste
surest and also it is beaten finelier, and with lesse labour and payne: Some (that
hath not the commodetie of water) make a greate whéele, deuised after such sorte,
that with the cogges thereof it may raise vp many heauy pestels, which falling, beate
in diuers morters of woodde made in a beame of oke, of the whiche there be some haue
the bottomes of brasse.
Some stampe with their armes, with a greate pestel [Page] tied to the ende of a pole with a corde, righte euer a morter of wood or brasse,
and so they bease the easelier: other some beate it in a stone morter, with the mouthe
some what large, with a wooden pestell, with the handell thereof made like vnto a
hammer or a mall. And these, and other, that maye be made, is as much as aboute the
deeuise of bealing and making gun pouder is néedefull.
They haue vsed heretofore to waighe euery matter by it selfe, and then they haue
gone mingling and beating all together: There haue béene after, some that haue deuised
to beate euery thing seuerallye by it selfe, and then mingelled altogether and made
it. But finally the beste and moste readiesse waye, is to take a quantetie of Saltepeter,
wherewith you will make youre poulder, and put it into a catildron with so much water
(as being set vpon the fire) maye be thought sufficiente to dissoule it: whiche so
sone as it is resolued, muste be taken of and set on the grounde in a colde place:
and the quantetie of beaten coles that is sufficiente, muste be put into it, and
so sturring it aboute, muste be mingled well with the Saltpeter dissolued: and then
taking youre brimstone finely beaten in pouder, and with a staffe stirring aboute
the coles and the Saltepeter, you muste strawe it finely vpon the same, as well as
you can, with continuall sturring and mingling them together, whiche composition thus
made, you muste then drie somewhat in the sunne: and then to haue it excellently well
made, there néedeth no other to be done, but to beate it alltogether, to the intente
that it maye incorporate moste finely, whiche done, you muste drie it with moste greate
diligence: and then si [...]t it very well through a sieue, and moisting it againe with water or vineger, sturring
it somewhat together in a sieue, you maye corne it as alreadie hath bene declared:
and then againe for to occupye it aboute [Page 30] your businesse your muste daye it well: and so being dried put it into daye vessels
of wood to kéepe: and set it in the highest places of your house, where few commeth
for diuers respectes: and though it were for no other, at least to kéepe it drie.
They tha [...] are expert, knowe good pouder in this maner, by the colour: for that if it be very
blacke it is a signe yt it is made with very muche coles: or that it is moyste: and when you rubbe it vppon
a peece of paper it will blacke it more then it ought to doo: and drawing it with
your finger, you maye sée whether it bée finely beaten or no: for it muste bée so
much beaten that nothing, neither of Saltepeter nor of Brimstone bee diserned in anye,
wise: for with reason they oughte not to bée seene: they take also for a triall, thrée
or foure cornes of pouder, and laye them vpon a white Paper, distaunte thrée fingers,
the one from the other, and fire one of them: and if the pouder bée good, you shall
sée them all to fire at ones: so that there shall bée no residence remayning, neither
grossenesse of Brimstone, nor of Saltpeter, nor of any other thing, and the paper
not burnte.
And if it be not so founde, then knowe that it is euyll made, or not good, but full
of earth [...]nesse of Saltepeter: or that it is moyst, so that it is naught for shooting of ordinaunce,
besides the perill that it putteth them in. And vndoubtedl [...]e naughtye pouder, is a cost halfe caste awaye: and it is a great faulte in him that
maketh it, or that causeth it to bée made: for that in time of néede, it is of no
effecte, and causeth muche shame to the Gunners, which occupie it: and therefore diligence
oughte to bée vsed, and good héede taken that it be made according as I haue taughte.
There are manye whiche bring vp lies, saying: that they can tell howe to make pouder
that shoting it in gunnes shall make no noise, the whiche is impossible, the fire
and the ai [...]e violentlye incountering together, where besides th [...]t [Page] they are not able to do the same they saye, with a péece of ordinance, they are lesse
able to do it with one of those potgunnes of elder, that boyes vse to shut paper and
slowes in, by the noise of which, maye well be perceiued, that all proceadeth of
breaking of ye ayre. Also there be manye that saye, that they can make white pouder, that shall
not blacke ones handes, by putting in a certaine thing in the stéede of cooles: some
other, redde, with dried red flowres: and other blewe, with blew flowers: some other
saye that to make the pouder of more force and strength, that it is very good to put
to euery pounde of brimstone an ounce of mercurie, ye brimstone being first put in by a litle, and a litle. Moreouer there are some other
that saye, that for to make the like, there ought to be put to euery pound of Saltpeter,
a quarter of an ounce of Salt armoniack: some other therebe also, whiche saye that
in the stéede of coales, it is better to take linen cloth and to burne it to tinder,
and therwith to make pouder, whiche is more excellenter then anye other coale that
is possible to be vsed, about suche a purpose. And although that in my iudgement
I haue declared alréedy the best receites, that is for the making of all sortes of
gunpouder, yet to the intent that it may be vnderstande howe much men haue trauayled
and imagened to bring the same to all perfectiō, I haue thought good to showe herefollowing
diuers moe receiptes both good and bad, which for the making of pouder hath béene
experiensed of sundrie men.
¶ The maner that is vsed of charging and shooting of ordinaunce. Cap. xxv.
FOr asmuche as if Gunners should chaunce to bée slaine or otherwise lacking, to the intent that euery souldiour
in time time of néede maye knowe how to serue in one of their stéedes, I haue thought
good and necessarye to shew and declare the maner of charging & shooting of péeces
of ordinaunce. Wherfore it ought to bée vnderstoode, howe muche pouder is occupied
at once in charching of euery péese, whiche moste commonly, is is twoo thirde partes,
of that which the shotte or bullet thereof wayeth: as for example if the boolet of
a péese of ordinaunce waighe .xxi. pounde, then there must bée taken .xiiii. pounde
of pouder for the iuste charge of the same péese. And then with a long staffe that
hath at the one ende a bob as big as the boolet of the péese, and at the other ende
a ladle made for the same purpose that will take so muche pouder vp at twise or thrise,
as is aforesayd, the péese must be charged, after this fort. Take the ladle full of
pouder, and thrust it into the Gunne so farre as it will go, & then turne your hande
with the ladle that the pouder maye fall out & remaine there behinde when you pull
out your ladle: whiche done, you muste with the bob ende thereof, thrust the pouder
home faire and softelye: and so with the ladle taking vp the rest of the pouder you
must doo likewise, and thrust after at the last a wispe of hey or of some thing els,
to swepe all the poulder together, and then the bullet whiche muste bée of a fit biggnesse
for the péese: And also an other wispe to staye the bollet for roling oute: and putting
some pouder in the touchehole and aboute the touchchole, the Gunne is then charged.
[Page] Nowe to leuell it, a man must stande directly behinde it, and with a leuer, tourne
it this waye, or that waye till suche time as it be broughte to lie iuste, as a man
will haue it, so that looking straighte from the breache or hinder parte of the péece
as lowe as maye bée vpon the vpper parte thereof, he maye sée the mouth of the péece
to lye euen with the marke and as it were to couer it: whiche done, if the grounde
wheron it standeth, bée euen, as it is requisite to bée, and that the one whele stande
not higher then the other, giuing fire to it with a linte stocke whiche is a matche
fastened to the end of a staffe of a yarde or twoo yardes long, you shall sée the
shot to strike the same thing that you shot at, if it bée within anye reasonable distance.
And for more spéedie shoting of ordinaunce, the iuste charge in pouder of euerye
péece may aforhāde be prepared in a readinesse, and put in bagges of linnen or in
great papers made for the same purpose, which in a sodaine may be chopt into the mouth
of a péece with the boollet or shot thereof thrust after, as farre as they will go,
and then thrusting a long wyer into the touchehole that maye perse through the bagge
or paper wherin the charge of pouder lieth within the péece, filling the same touchehole
with corne pouder so soone as it is leueled, it maye incontinent be shot of: whiche
maner of charging is done most quickely and a great deale sooner then any other waye,
and when haste requires, very néedefull.
¶ How to get out quickely the nailes that should happen by treason, or otherwise
to be driuen into the toucheholes of ordinaunce. Cap. xxvi.
IF it shoulde fortune at some sodaine assault, the toucheholes of the artillerie to be nayled vp, after suche
sorte as they cannot be discharged, or shot of, the speediest waye to vnnaile them,
is firste to charge againe all suche péeces of artillerie, with smaller bulletes thē
their ordinarye: and when they are so charged, to leuel them towarde those places
where néede requires, euē as they shoulde haue béene, if they had not béene nailed:
and then there must bée made a traine of pouder, along the bottome of the canes, from
the mouthes to the bollettes of euerye péece of ordinaunce: and to the intente not
to shoote them in vaine, you maye tarrye for occasion, and occasion seruing to shoote
them, you maye giue fire at their mouthes, where besides that they shall doo their
ordinarie effectes, they shall all in the discharging, bée vnayled, blowing oute the
same nailes or pinnes of yron, wherewith their toucheholes were stopped: and so doing,
of suche nailing there shall happen no great harme. But if some of them for being
beating in harder then other, shoulde chaunce at the first not to be driuen out, then
the reméedye is, to charge them againe, & to shoote them of, after the saide maner,
putting on the toucheholes a litle oyle made very hot, heating also first the place
that is nailed, with a burning coale, making moreouer with claye, vpon the péece,
a litle cuppe aboute the hole, that maye holde the hot oile that is poured vpon it,
after suche [Page] sorte, that through the heate thereof, it maye soke into the hole with the yron in
it, whereby the same yron shall then be made so slippery, that at the next discharging
of the péese, the fury of the fire most easyly shall blow it oute.
¶ How much the artillerie ought to be esteemed of the armies novv a daies, and whether
the same opinion of them whiche is had vniuersally, be trevve, Cap. xxvij.
COnsidering howe many battailes and déedes of armes, were made of ye Romanes at sundrie times, there is come vnto mée in consideration, the vniuersall
opinion of manye men, which is, ye if in those times there had béene ordinaunce, the Romaines should not haue bene able
to haue conquered, nor so easyly haue won the coūtries, and made the people their
tributaries, as they dyd, nor they should not haue in any maner made so mightie conquestes.
They saye also, that by meane of this instrument of fire, men cannot vse, nor shewe
their strength and vertue, as they might in olde time. And they adde a third thing,
that they come with more difficultie to fight a field then they came in those daies,
nor their cannot be kéepte in them the orders of those times, so that at length the
warre shalbe broughte to consiste altogether in artillerie. And minding to write,
whether such opinion be true, and howe much the artillerie hath increased, or deminished
the strength of armies, and whether it taketh awaye, or giueth occasion to good Capitaynes
to do valiauntlye, I will beginne [Page 35] to speake concerning their firste opinion, that the auncient Romaine armies shoulde
not haue made the conquestes whiche they did, if the ordinaunce had béene in those
dayes. To which answering I say, how that warre is made eyther to defende, or to offende.
Where first it is to be examenid, to whom these twoo maner of warres causeth moste
profite, or most hurte. And albeit there is what to say of either part, notwithstanding
I beleue, that withoute comparison, they doo more harme to him that defendeth, thē
to him that inuadeth. The reason is, that he yt defendeth, is either in a toune, or in a campe within a trenche. If he be within
a toune, this toune is eyther littell, as the moste parte of fortresses are, or it
is greate. In the first case, he that defendeth, is altogether loste: for that the
violence of the artillerie is suche, that there is no wall, how greate so euer it
be, which in few dayes it battereth not doun. And if he that is within, haue not space
inoughe to retire, bothe with diches, and with rampiers, he is ouer come, because
he is not abel to withstand the violence of the enemye, whoo throughe the breache
of the wall, will after enter: nor in this case, the artillerye whiche he shoulde
haue, shall not helpe him: for that this is a generall rule, that where men in a throng,
& with violēnce may go, ye artillerie cannot withold them. Therfore in the defence of a toune, the furie of
the enemies cannot be withstand. Though the assaultes the which are not thronged,
but scattered, which be called scirmushes be easelye withstode. And they whiche goo
with this disorder, and coldenesse to a breache of a walle, where artillerye is, doo
goo to a manifeste deathe, and agaynste them the artillerye preuailethe: but those,
which assaulte a breache in a throng harde together, so that the one thrusteth forwarde
the other if they be not holden oute of diches, or of rampiers, they enter in euerye
place, and the artillerye kéepeth [Page] them not backe, and though some be slaine, they cānot be so many, that they shall
not let the victory. This is knowen to be trew, by many expugnacions of tounes made
in Italy, and in especiallie in the same of Briscia: for as much as the same Towne
being rebelled from the frenchemen, and yet the fortresse béeing kept for the King
of Fraunce, the Venetians for the withstande the violence, which from the same might
come into the toune, had laid all the stréete full of Artillerie, which descended
from the fortresse to the Citie, & they planted them on the fronte, and in the flanckes,
and in euery other fit place. Of the which Mounsier de Fois made no other coūpte,
but with his squadrons, cōming downe on foote passing through the middest of them,
gotte the citie: nor it was not knowen that he receiued by those any notable hurte.
So that he that defendeth him selfe within a littell Toune (as hath béene sayde) and
findeth the walle on the grounde, and hathe not space to retire with rampiers, and
with ditches, and is constrayned to truste vpon the artillerye, is ouercome straight
way. If thou defendest a great toune, & where thou haste commoditie to retire, yet
notwithstanding withoute comparison, the artillerie is more profitable to him which
is withoute, then to him that is within. Firste, to minde to haue a péece of Artillerie
hurte those without, thou art constrained to gette thée vp with it from the playne
grounde of the Toune, because standing vpon the plaine grounde, euery littell bancke
and rampier that the enemy maie make, shall cause him to remaine safe, and thou canste
not hurts him, so that being driuen to stande a loofte on the toppe of the walle,
or in what so euer other maner on highe, thou drawest after thée twoo difficulties.
The firste is, that thou canste not bring vp so greate and mightye péeses of artillerie,
as he withoute may shoote, being not able in littell spaces to handell great thinges.
The [Page 36] other is, that although thou couldest bring them, thou canst not make such strong
& sure defence for to saue ye said artillerie from dismounting, as they without may doo, being on the groūd, and
hauing that commoditie & that roome, that they them selues liste. So that it is impossible
for him that defendeth a toune, to kéepe the artillerie on high places, when they
which are withoute haue greate ordinaunce inough. And if they be driuen to come with
thē on lowe places, they become for the moste parte vprofitable, as hath bene sayde.
So that the defence of the citie, is brought to be defended with armes, as in olde
time they did, and with small artillerie. Of which if there be gotten a littell profite
(hauing respecte to the same small artillerie) there is gotten so much incommoditie,
as counterpeaseth the cōmoditie of the artillerie: for as much as hauing respecte
to the same, they make the walles of tounes low, and as it were vnder ground in diches,
so that so soone as they come to the battaile at hande, eyther because the walles
are battered, or because the ditches are filled vp, he yt is within, hath much more disaduantage, then he shoulde haue had in times paste.
And therefore (as afore is sayde) these instrumentes helpeth much more him that besiegeth
a towne, then he that is besieged. Concerning the thirde thing, to lye in Campe within
a trenche, to the intente not to fighte the fielde but at thy commoditie, or aduauntage,
I saye, that in this parte thou hast no more remedy ordinarelie to defende thée from
fighting, then they had in olde time.
And sometimes, considering the artillerie, thou haste greater disaduauntage: for that
if the enemie méete with thée, and haue a littell aduauntage of the countrey, as
may easely chaunce, and finde him selfe higher then thou, or that in his coming thou
hast not yet made thy banckes or rampiers, and couered thée well with those, straight
waye, and before thou haste anie remedie, [Page] he vnlodgeth thée, and thou arte constrayned to issue oute of thy fortresse, & come
to fighte: the whiche happened to the Spaniardes in the battaile of Rauenna, whoo
being fortefied betwen the riuer of Ronco, and a bancke, because they lay, not so
highe as sufficed, and for that the Frenchemen had a littell the aduauntage of the
grounde, they were constrained of the artillerye to issue oute of their Fortresse,
and come to fight. But admit that the place, which thou haste taken with the campe,
were muche higher, then the other againste it (as for the most part it ought to be)
and that the banckes or rampiers were good and sure, so that by meanes of the situacion,
and thy other preparacions the enemie durst not assaulte thée, it shall come in this
case to those maners, which in olde time it came, whē one was with his army in place
not possible to be hurt: the which are to ouer run the countrie, to take, or besiege
the tounes that are thy friendes, to stoppe thée thy victualls, so that thou shalte
be constrained of some necessetie to vnlodge, and come to fight the field, where the
artillerie (as hereafter shalbe sayde) dooth not muche hurte. Considering then what
kinde of warres ye Romaines made, and seing how they made almoste all theyr warre to inuade other men,
and not for to defende them selues, it shalbe séene (when the thinges sayde afore
be trew) how they should haue had more aduauntage, and muche sooner should haue made
their conquestes, if ordinaunce had béen in those daies. Concerning the seconde thing,
that men cannot shew their strength, as they mighte in olde time, because of the artillerye,
I saye, that it is trewe, that where men scattered doo shewe it, they stande in more
perrill, then in those dayes, when they had to skale a Towne, or to make like assaultes,
where men not thronged together, but seuerally the one frō the other did apeare.
It is also trewe that the Capitaines, and headdes of [Page 37] armies, stande more subiecte to the perrill of death: then in those times, because
they may be reached with artillerie in all places, nor it helpeth not them to bée
in the rerewardes, garded with moste strong men. Not withstanding it is séene, that
the one and the other of these twoo perrills, doo seldome times extraordinarie hurtes,
for that the Tounes well appoincted and furnished with munition are not scaled, nor
they goo not with weake assaultes to assaulte them: but minding to winne them, the
matter is broughte to a siege, as in olde time they did. And in those, which neuerthelesse
are won by assalte, the perrills are not much greater then they were in those daies:
for that also in those times, they which defended a toune, lacked not thinges to
throwe and shoote, the which (though they were not so furius) they did concerning
the kylling of men the like effecte. Concerning the death of Capitaynes and conducters,
there hath béen in .xxiiij. yeares that the warre was of late dayes in Italy, lesse
examples, then there was in .x. yeares with the antiquetie: for that excepte Counte
Lodouike of Mirandola, who died at Ferare, whē the Venecians, a few yeares agon,
assalted the same state, and the Duke of Nemors, which died a Cirignuola, there hath
not hapned of the artillery any to be slaine: for as much as Moūsier de Fois at
Rauenna, died of yron, and not of fire.
So that if men shew not perticularly their strengthes, it groweth not of the artillerie,
but of the naughtie orders, & of the weakenes of the armies, the which altogether
lacking strength, cannot show it in parte. Cocerning the third thing sayde of them,
that men cannot come to hande strokes, and that the warre shalbe brought to stād altogether
vpon artillerie, I saye, that this opinion is altogether false: and so alwaies shalbe
taken of those, who according to the auncient vertue will occupie their armies: for
that he that will make a good armie, it behoueth him with exercises, eyther fained,
or trew, to accustome [Page] his men to geue the charge on the enemy, and to come to the swordes poincte with
him, and to the graspine by the boosome: and he ought to grounde him selfe more vpon
the footemen, then vpon the horsemen. And when he shall ground him selfe vpon the
footemen, and vpon the foresayde maners, the artillerie becommeth altogether vnprofitable.
For that with more facelity, the footemen in aproching néere the enemie, may auoide
the shot of the artillery, then they were able in olde time to auoide the violence
of Elifants, of cartes full of hookes & of other straunge incoūters, which ye Romaine footemen incountered withall, against which, alwayes they founde the remedie,
and so muche more easelie they should haue found against this, the shorter that the
time is, in the which the artillery may hurte thée, then the same was, in the which
the Elifantes & the cartes were able to hurte: for as much as they in the middest
of the fighte, disordered men, these onelye before the fighte doo trouble men: the
which impediment the footemen easely auoide, either with gowing couered by the nature
of the situacion, or with falling downe vpon the grounde, whē they shoote: the which
also by experience hath béens séene not to be needefull, in especially to be defended
frō greate ordinaunce, the which cannot in such wyse be leuelled, because if they
gowe highe, they touche thée not, & if they gow lowe, they will not come néere thée.
Then the armies being come to hande strokes, this is more cleare, then the lighte,
that neyther the greate, nor the littell can after hurt thée: for that if the same,
which hath the artillery, be before, it becommeth thy prisoner, if it behind, it hurteth
the friende before thée. Againe on the backe it cannot hurte thee after such sorte,
that thou art not able to gow to winne it, and it commeth to follow the sayd effect.
Nor this nede not much disputacion: for that there hath bene séene the example of
the Suizers, whoo at Nauara in the yere of our Lorde .1513. without [Page 38] artillerie, and withoute horse, wente to incounter the Frenche army furnished with
artillery within their fortresse, and they ouerthrew thē withoute hauing any impediment
thereby: and the reason is (besides the thinges told afore) that the artillerie mynding
to haue it worke, hath néede to be garded eyther of a wall, or of ditches, or of banckes.
And when it lacketh one of these gardes, it is taken, or becommeth vnprofitable, as
it happeneth when it is defended with men, for when they chaunce to be in a battaile,
and in the fight on the lande, they cannot be occupied by flanke, but in the same
maner, that the antiquitie occupied the instrumentes to shoote, which they placed
oute of the squadrons, for that they shoulde fight out of the orders, and alwayes
whē eyther of horsemen, or of other they were charged vpon, their refuge was behinde
the legions: he that otherwise maketh accompte of them, hath no skill, and trusteth
vpon a thing, which easely may deceyue him. And though the Turke by meanes of artillerie,
against the Sophi and the Soldan, hath had victory, it hath not happened through
other meanes, then through the feare that the horsemen were put in by the straunge
rumor thereof. Therefore to make an ende of this discourse, I cōclude, that the artillerie
is profitable in an army, when the auncient vertue is mingled therewith, but withoute
the same, against a puisant army, it is moste vnprofitable.
¶ Of Muynes and placing of poulder vnder grounde, wherewith inuinsible fortresses,
by fire maye be ruignated, when ordinaunce cannot bee brought vnto them. Capi. xxviiii.
THe better and greater quantetie of poulder which is put in a Caue that is made to ouerthrowe a Forte
or Castel, the greater vndoutedlie shalbe the effecte thereof: which 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 & well walled vp, the fire be not able easely to haue any
other waye oute, then in ouerthrowing the thing yt is to be ruyned, for as much as if the aire, & the fire in ye roome of that inclosed place, may haue meanes to breathe out, the force therof wilbe
of no effecte. Also it wold be takē héede of, that the caue be not by no other meanes
marde, so that the fire maye breake oute:: for which cause, it ought to be made, with
the beginning thereof somewhat distant frō the place, that you minde to ouerthrow:
to the intent that in making thereof, the men of the same place doo not issue oute
to let you, nor perceiue the certaine place of the hurt, to be able to prouide for
it, and to make countermuynes to let the fire brethe oute and pas withoute anie effecte,
whereby all youre coste and laboure may become vaine, Moreouer they make these muines
the moste naroweste and moste crookedest that maye be, and in especially néere the
very place that is appoincted to be ouerthrowen, and therefore vnder such a place
there muste be digged a hole that maye be at [Page 39] least thrée yardes high or more, and twoo yardes broade and that the entrie vnto
it bée vndergrounde in the maner, as by this presente figure you maye sée described.
THE FOVNDATION ON THE MVINE DISCOVERED
THE PLACE OF GREATEST EFFECTE
And in this to put barrelles with their heades knocked oute full of good strong pouder,
betwéene which you must also strawe pouder ynough vpon the bordes wheron they stande,
laying to it a good great matche made of cotton, boyled in vinegre, brimstone, and
Saltpeter, whiche muste bée well roled in good serpentine pouder well dried in the
sunne: and hauing laide it to the place, you must make a trayne of pouder vpon it,
euen to the going out, so that it may bée couered therwith: placing it in pipes of
earth or tronkes of woode in the place of the entrie therof: & that done, you must
wall it vp moste strongly, laying ouerthwarte great blockes of okes or other woode:
so that with those & with the wall, if maye bée strong to resiste the furye of the
fire, as muche as is possible: and the entrie in suche maner made vp and fortefied,
when you shall thincke it time to bring the [Page] effecte to pas, to destroye the aduersaries, or to make a ruine, you may cause the
trayne to be set on fire, where you shall sée a maruaylous and horrible effecte followe.
More aboute this matter I néede not to declare sauing that if it shoulde chaunce the
muyne to be made in a stonie place, where the stones will fall downe, that then the
best is to vnderproppe them with pipes of wood filled full of pouder.
¶ The maner how to make trombes or trunkes of fyre, as well to assaulte as to defende
a breache, or gate, and to set a fyre a towne or Campe or anye thing else. Cap. xxix.
FIrst cause a cane of good wood to be made at the corners as big as a mans thigh and the length of an ell, after
such sort that ye hole therof be as wide that a man maye thrust in his naked arme, and cause that the
bottom of the sayd trūcke be made in suche wise with a litle hole, that the staffe
of a partesan may enter into it, and so to bée made fast thervnto, binding the sayde
truncke with yron wyre at both endes, and in the middest for more suerty that it breake
not, through ye fury of the fire. Then fil it with this mixture here following. Take serpentine
pouder iiij. pound rosen i. pound, cāphere half a poūde, beaten glas iiij. onces,
& mingle euerything together, then begin to fil and put in the trumbe a handefull
of serpentine pouder vnmixte, nexte a handefull of the foresaide mixture, after a
litle pouder, then a stoppell of cotten wet in oyle of gineper, and put in vppon
the sayde cotton as you haue done at the firste, that is to saye pouder, and then
mixture [Page 40] &c. And thus you must doo till you haue filled it full, stamping in the stuffe alwayes
lightyly, and if for lacke of gineper oyle you wet the cotten in aqua vitae, it is very good putting after euery quantitie of pouder a litle quick siluer, then
when it is full, put in the mouthe some good pouder, making it a single couer of parchement
boūd about with packthréed, & with a litle hole in the middest of the parchement,
wherin you muste put a matche made with gunpouder, the whiche easyly and quickelye
with your common matche may kindle the fyre, being come to the face of the enemie:
whiche is an excellente thing for the fight on the sea, or for to disorder a band
of horsemen.
[woodcut of 3 trombes]
¶ Howe to make bottels or pottes offyre worke to throwe into shippes or among men
that are in battelraye. Cap. xxx.
SVch earthē bottels or pottes as is commonly vsed to kepe vineger or oyle and such like is best for this purpose,
whiche muste be filled with this composition: serpentine pouder twoo partes, rosen
one parte, pitche one parte, beating moste finelie, all these things together in
a morter, then take turpentine, & a litle gineper oyle, or linséede oyle, and mingel
them therewith in a caudron vpon the fire with a sticke of a yarde long, and fill
the bottels half full of this foresayde receipt, that done, take serpentine pouder
one parte, rosen one part, brimstone halfe a part, pytche halfe a part, and of this
last mixture the bottels or pottes must be filled vp: thē in the mouthes of them there
must bée put some good pouder, to the intent that with the matche it maye quickely
kindle the fire: which bottels or pottes serue well to throwe into a towne or out
of a towne amōg enemies, for that the fire of them breaking out flieth all abroade
and burneth most horribly where it lighteth, but good héede must be taken that it
be first well kindeled before it bée throwen, in especially if it be caste from aboue.
¶ An other composition of fire vvorke. Cap. xxix.
CAuse as manye earthen bottels or pottes to bée made as you liste to haue, whiche must
bée as it were but halfe baked, then fill them with this mixture following, serpentine
pouder thrée partes, Saltpeter one parte, turpentine halfe a parte, pytche halfe
a parte, brimstone one parte, baye Salte halfe a parte, [Page 41] and when you will throwe them, set them on fire and sée that they bée well kendled.
¶ Balles of mettell to throwe among men in battelraye or otherwise, which breaking
shall doo wonderfull hurte. Cap. xxxii.
TO dissorder and to make the enemies to giue place, there maye also bée prouided, certaine hollow balles of mettel
as bigge as small boules, and a quarter of an inche thicke, caste in mouldes and made
of thrée partes of brasse and one of tinne: but the brasse oughte to bée molte before
the tinne be put to it, whiche balles filled halfe full of fine corne pouder, and
the other halfe full, of serpentine pouder mingled with rosen beaten into pouder,
so that for thrée partes of serpentine poulder there be one part of rosen, and then
puting in the mouthes of the holes of them a litle fine corne pouder to make the rest
to fire the sooner and after being fired and throwen, they will breake and flye into
a thousande peeces, and both hurt & kyll whom so euer is néere or aboute them. Wherefore
they are verye good to throwe ouer the walles into a towne or fortresse, or into a
campe, to hurte and to giue a terrour to those that are within: but these balles after
they are fired and well kindeled, and hauing blowen a litle, must be quickly throwen,
least they hurt such as would hurle them: and therefore the experience of one, ought
first to bée made in a close place, to sée howe long it will tary before it breake,
& the holes that it will make in diuers places, wherby the other maye the better bee
knowen howe to be vsed.
¶ The maner how to prepare pottes and balles of fyreworke to throwe with hande. Cap.
xxxiii.
IN the world there hath bene alwayes men of such prengnant wittes, that haue excelled in sundry and infinite
inuentions, as well for the sauegarde of humane bodies as also for the destruction
of ye like. By whose helpe there haue béene Capitaines, whiche imitating their coūselles
haue caused their footemen to carie in their handes, certayne earthen pottes and
balles, filled full of a certayne composition of pouder, or some vnctius liquor, apte
to take fire quicke quicklye: with the whiche incountering the enemies in battaile
at hande, haue vigorously whorled those among them, for to prooue, whether with suche
meanes they might bée able not onely to disorder them, but also to make them giue
place, and to ouerthrowe them: for as muche as suche fyreworkes will maruaylously
hurte the enemies not onelye with the smooke of them, but also a great deale and muche
more with the horrible and vnquenchable burning of thē, so that therby suche men
haue alwayes had moste happye successe, with moste glorious laude and prayse. These
fyreworkes are made in this wise: Take as many earthen pottes or bottelles as you
liste, caused to bée made for this purpose, either baked or vnbaked whiche maketh
no matter, so that the moistenesse of the earth bée dried vp: and these muste bée
filled halfe full of serpentine pouder, and somewhat more: and the same pouder muste
bée mingled with pytche and brimstone beaten to pouder to the quantity of the thirde
parte thereof: [Page 42] then there muste be put vpon it a finger thicknes of hogges grease, to the intente
that it maye make the fire to dure the lenger and it being in this maner ordered,
there must be made a hole into it and a péese of gunpoudred matche put therein, with
a littell good poulder, and firing it, and holding it so long till it be well kendeled,
you shall then throwe it. Also there is made a liquide composition in a cauloron,
wherin is put hogges grease, oyle of stones, brimstone, saltepeter twise refined,
aqua vitae, pytche, turpentine and some serpentine pouder: & the pitche, the brimstone, and the
Saltepeter being liquide, putting thereto the grease, the turpenline, the oile, and
the pouder ouer the fire, all muste be sturred and mingled together very well in an
earthen pot, or some other thing prepared for the same purpose with a sticke, to the
intente that it maye the better incorporate: and then it muste be couered aboute with
good pouder, that it maye fire the easelier when you will haue it. And that done,
you may occupie it when you wil, and whorle it either with a sling, or with a corde
tied vnto it, or otherwise with the hande as you shall thincke best: also of this
composition theyr maye bée filled certaine littell purses of linnen clothe, which
being bounde about with a corde wilbe fashioned lyke a ball: and these maye bée whorled
or shotte oute of trunkes of fire, or otherwise as shall please him that maketh them.
Also with this cōposition maye bée annointed whatsoeuer a man wold haue quicklye burnte,
as Gates of Tounes, bridges of wood, cartes, monicions, and such like, for that it
is a matter that will sone kendell and set a fire any thing, and also able to maintaine
it: moreouer littel balles thereof maye be tyed to the heades of dartes to throwe
among the enemyes, or where one wold haue any thing fired.
¶ Howe to make balles of wilde fire, to shoote in ordinaunce or to throwe with handes.
Cap. xxxiiij.
TAke serpentine pouder fiue partes, Saltepeter refined thrée partes, brimstone twoo partes, Rasapina one parte,
Camphere halfe a part, turpentine halfe a parte, halfe a part of glas grossely beaten,
baye Salte halfe a part, half a part of oyle of stones, and oyle of linte séede, as
muche of the one as of the other, Aqua vitae half a part, and all these things being mingled together very well, take thē a péece
of canuas as bigge as you will make the ball and make it like vnto a purse, and fill
it with the sayde mixture, and then make twoo or three holes therein with a rounde
yron somewhat bigger then a bodkin, [Page 43] and put in euery hole a litle sticke.
And it is to bee vnderstande that this foresayde mixture may bée also made vpon the
fyre in a cauldron, and the balles that are made thereof must bée rouled in serpentine
pouder, and then in the mixture, often times couering them with Toe, well plaistered
on, of a good thickenesse, then when they shalbe a litle dried, take the said stickes
out of the holes, and fil them halfe full of serpentine pouder, and the other halfe
with corne pouder, and giuing fire to the saide balles, and throwing them amōg the
enemies, they will do maruaylous & wonderfull hurte. For that the sayde balles will
burne within the water, so that falling vpon the armour of soudiours, water cannot
quenche them nor any thing else, except aboundaunce of myre or durte. And adding to
the saide mixture that is vns [...]d halfe a parte of beaten glas and halfe a parte of baye Salte, you maye fill a trumbe
therwith after the maner as I haue taught a litle afore.
¶ To trime Targettes with fireworke to assaulte, or to defende a breache. Cap. xxxv.
GEt pipes of brasse as manye as you liste, and nayle them vpō a target, either sixe viij. or x. and fil the sayde
pypes full of the forsaide mixture vnsod, & order the pypes after suche sort that
they fire not altogether, but one after an other, so yt when one is almost burned oute, the same maye gyue fire to an other by a litle pype
as small as ones finger, that muste go from the bottome thereof to the mouthe of an
other, and so successiuelye to all, whiche shall continue a long tyme, but the sayde
target must [Page] be couered with blacke buckeram that the fyreworke bée not perceyued and the giuing
of fire the one to the other.
¶ To make an other kinde of fireworke. Cap. xxxvi.
TAke willowe coles, Saltpeter, aqua vitae, brimstone, pitche, rosapina, Camphere, oyle of stones, vernice liquide, turpentine as much of ye one as the other, mingling euery thing together, & thē take a litle purse of canuas,
& all it full of serpentine pouder, & couer the purse all ouer with the foresayde
mixture of a good thickenesse, and with as muche Toe as you shall thinke good, and
then make a hole that maye go to the middest of the balle, whiche muste bée filled
full of pouder, so that therby all the composition therof with a matche maye be set
on fyre when you liste.
¶ Howe to make a mixture in stone that shall kindle fire with water or spittel. Cap.
xxxvii.
THis stone is very necessary for a Captain to giue fire to his gunners, when through
foule wether, all their matches shoulde happen to go oute, and where they cannot
kindle thē againe because of the raine. First take vnslaked lime one parte, Tutia
alessandrina vnprepared one parte, Saltpeter very well refined one part, quicke brimstone
twoo partes, Cāphere twoo parts calamite stone one parte: All these thinges muste
bée well beaten and sifted, and bounde harde together with a péece of new linnen cloth,
& put into a cople of earthen cuppes, suche as Goldesmithes vse to melte in, the [Page 44] mouthes of whiche muste bée ioyned together and faste bounde with yron wyre, and
daubed ouer with lutum sapientia that it breathe not out, and then dried a litle, till it become yelowe, that done,
put it into a forneys where they burne bricke or earthen vessels, and let it tarye
therin as long as the bricke or earthen vessels be a baking, and then taking it out,
you shal sée it made like vnto a brickestone.
¶ To make an other kinde of stone to kindle fire with water or spittell. Cap. xxxviii.
TAke Camphere three partes, Saltepeter well refined twoo partes, vnslaked lime twoo
partes brimstone twoo partes, all these thinges (being well beaten together, and put
into a cople of goldesmithes melting cuppes well stopped with lutum sapientia) must then bée baked in a forneys, and when the earthen vessels bée taken oute, this
shall also bée made.
¶ Howe to make lutum sapientia. Cap. xxxix.
TAke of the best white potters earth that you can gette, for in one place there is better then in an other,
that is to saye, of that whiche can best endure the fire, as suche as they make pottes
of in Padua, and likewise in Germanye: for it is of suche perfection, that the Pottes, whiche
bée made of it, and wherein that they dresse [Page] their meate, may also serue to found metalles in. Take then of the beste, and specially
if it must serue for a thing that hath néede to be long vpon a greate fire, otherwise,
take suche as you can get. There is founde of it, that is of a graye colour, as the
common sorte is, and also there is white, that men vse in some place of Vicence, which is like loaues of Gispom, or plaister, and is called of the Italians Florette de Chio. Wée here in Englande vppon the vse thereof, may geue it what name we will. Potters
vse of it in Venise, for to whit the dishes, and other thinges, before they vernishe
or pollish them.
There is also founde of it that is rodde, as in Apulia, where there is greate quātetie, and that they call Boale, and is the very same that
some Apoticares doo sell for Boale Armenick, & the Venecians vse of it, for to paint
redde the forefrontes of their houses with lime, bricke, and Vermillion, couering
it afterwarde with oyle of line. This redde earth is the fattest, and the clammiest
of all the rest, and therefore it cleaueth soonest by the fire, if it be not tempered
with some other substance. And because that all the sayde earthes be to fatte, the
one more than the other, therefore menne put to them some leane substaunce. Nowe,
if you take of that of ashe coloure, whiche is moste commen, and the least fatty,
you maye compose and make it in this maner. Take of the saide earth foure partes,
of clothmakers floxe or shearing, one part, ashes that haue serued in a buck, or
other, halfe a parte, drie horse dung, or the dung of an Asse, one part. If you will
make it parfiter, put to it a fewe stamped brickes, and sparkes of yron: let all
these thinges be well stamped, and sifted, that is to saye: the earthe the ashes,
the horse dung, the brickes, and the sparkes of yron: than mingle all together, and
make it into earth, and make a bedde thereof, vppon the whiche you shall caste by
littel and littel, the floxe, as equally as you can. This done, powre to it water,
[Page 45] styring it well first with a sticke, & then with a pallet broade at the ende. And
when all is well incorporated together as you woulde haue it, laye it vppon some
great borde, and beate it well, and that a good space with some great staffe or other
instrument of yron, mingling and stearing it well, for the lenger you beate it, the
better it is. By this meane you shall haue a very good claye, for to lute or clay,
and ioyne violles, flagons of glasse to still with, and bottels of gourdes for stilling,
and other great thinges, as fournesses and such like. But he that wil make it with
more ease, let him put the earth onely, the floxe, and the horse dong, with a fewe
ashes. Some put no horse dong to it, and some no floxe, according to the purpose that
they make it for. For to stop and close vp the mouthes of stilling glasses, or violles,
to the intent they take no vent on the fire, the sayde clay will be very good: neuerthelesse
men put to it twoo partes of quicke lime, and the whites of Egges, and then it will
be surer to let nothing vent oute but the glasse it selfe. All kinde of clay or earth
would bée kéept moiste, and réedy dressed for him that will occupye it continually,
but it must not bée kept to watery, nor yet left to drie, for then it would serue
for nothing, séeing that after it is once hardened, a man can not dresse it any more
to do any good withall.
And when you put water to it, it is mollified by litle & litle aboue, and is as it
were a sauce, but within remayneth harde, and if you put to muche water to it, you
marre it vtterlye. Therfore, when you sée that it beginneth to waxe drie, féede it
a new litle and litle with water, styring it till it bée well, and so shall you make
it perfecte.
¶ How to make certayn fireworke to tye at the poinctes of pikes or horsemen staues.
Cap. xl.
FOr to assaulte or to defende a breache, and also to worke some policie in the nighte
against the enemies, it is sometimes good to tye at the poinctes of pikes or launces,
certayne canes like vnto squibbes made of paper vpon a forme of wood as long as the
breadeth of a shéete of paper, filled full of serpentine pouder, amongeste the whiche
muste bée mingled litle péeces or crummes of pitche, of brimstone, graynes of baye
salt, filinges of yron, and beaten glasse, arsinic, cristall beaten to péeces, and
suche like, and after they are closed vp, and tied faste at one of the endes, this
composition muste bée well beaten into them, with there owne formes or mouldes: vnto
euery one of which there must be put a good matche sod in Saltepeter and Gunnepouder,
and then well dried, and fastening them to staues, after such sorte that the issue
of the fire bée tourned towardes the aduersaries, when you thinke good, you or some
other may fire them: wher you shall then sée the fire blow out twoo yardes long,
which in the night will séeme terrible: but in a calme wether, or at least when the
winde is in the faces of the enemies they are best to be vsed.
And moreouer for the fighte on the sea, they are moste excellente.
¶ Howe to make diuers compositions of fireworkes. Cap. xli.
EVery thing that will quickly burne, and that by some proper vertue is apte to multiplie fire, and maītaine it,
may be put in firye compositions: for ye in effecte of such thinges they are made: of whiche thinges there are some that are
minerall, as Brimstone, and the oyle therof, and saltepeter, & some other substaunces,
hot, drie, & thin, & some vnctius, as grease, and all sortes of oyles: some very dry,
as pitch or wood: and of these there be some natural, and some artificiall: But nowe
leauing to séeke suche difference of theyr compositions, among as many thinges as
well old as new yt I know, I haue found only these: out of whiche I haue chosen some of the notablest,
specially these, that for to make them, there muste be takē Rosen, Alchitrean, quicke
Brimstone, tartar, sarcocolla, Saltepeter, and oyle of stones, and of euery one some
parte, but double so much of vnslaked lime, & al must be compounded with the oyle
of egges: and put into a vessel of glasse or of earth that is leaded, & couered very
wel: putting it after vnder hot dung for a moneth: thē taking it from thens and setting
it ouer a softe fire, the vessell being well stopped, it muste be melted: which done,
the licor thereof may be put into hollowe staues, or in year- then bottells, or other
vessells made of purpose: vnto euery one of which, must bée put a péece of a gunpoudred
matche, in the middest with some gunpouder also, to the intent that they maye the
easelier fire.
Also there may be made an other sorte of fireworke after this maner: taking Brimstone,
or oyle of Brimstone [Page] yf it maye be had, oyle of stones, or of the fame stonye Oyle of Iuniper, Saltepeter
very well refined: and for euery porcion of suche thinges, fiue of aspallto: and moreouer
goosegrease, pure pitche, vernis, pouder of pigeons dunge, and so muche aqua vitae, that maye throughly moyste all the foresayde thinges: which then muste be putte into
a vessell of glasse, and the mowthe thereof well stopped with waxe, and then put vnder
a hot dunghill .xxv. or .xxx. dayes: and after to make it the better incorporate,
it wolde be set ouer a softe fire: and that done, this composition maye be put into
hollowe staues, or yearthen pottes or like vessells to be throwen with the hande:
also there maye be taken a bullet of stone with a ring fastened therein, wherevnto
wolde be tied a corde of a yarde long: and aboute the same stone, putting Toe imbrewed
with the foresayde composition, or ells péeses of linnen clothe all to rayed therewith,
whiche tiring, when it is well kendled, maye then be throwen. Also balles of this
composition maye be shotte in péeses of ordinaunce, or a stone that hath a ring of
yron fastened in it, to the which ring may be tied a péece of a rope stéeped and sod
in the foresayde composition, or ells a littell bagge full thereof, which maye be
shotte or throwen as one liste. Moreouer balles of this, being made with linnen clothe
as afore is shewed, may be caste with all sortes of slinges which way one will.
Also there is made an other composition in this maner, with vernice liquide, oyle
of quicke Brimstone, and oyle of the yelkes of egges, turpintine oyle, iuniper oyle,
linséede oyle, and olium saxum, or oyle of stones, and haulfe as muche of aqua vitae as all the saide compositions: and also as muche pouder of bayes finelie beaten
as will suffise to thicken all, with as muche more Saltepeter: and all these thinges
muste be put together in a vessell of glasse, or some vessell of yearth leaded [Page 47] with a littell mouthe, which with waxe muste be so stopped that it vente not: and
this must bée kepte after thrée monethes in hotte dung, to putrifie, remouing it euerye
moneth fowre or fiue times, and shaking it together euery time: and this matter being
broughte in such wise, when you will occupie it, it is requisite that you anoinct
the same thing that you will vse, or to put thereof into that vessell, where you will
haue the fire to worke: for that the same fire is suche, that putting thereto some
gunnepouder, or a gunnepoudred matche, it wil straight waye kendell: and it is so
vnquencheable, that it burneth till hée, or the thing that it lighteth on, bée altogether
consumed: and if this composition fired, chaunce to be throwen and lighte vpon armur,
it will make it so glowing redde in suche sorte, that he that hath it on his backe,
shalbe constrained to put it of, if he will not be burnte to death.
Also there is made an other sorte: and it is a moste thinne liquor apte to fire, with
the whiche if in the canicular daies a péece of woodde, or other thing apte to burne
bée anoincted, the heate of the Sunne is then able to set it on fire, and to burne
it: and so sone as it is touched with fire, it kendeleth incontinente, and is vnquencheable:
excepte it be chooked vp with sande, or wet with very stale vrin, or moste strong
vineger: also it will burne in the water: the making, whereof 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 lintesede, alchitrean, colofonia, moste
finelye beaten, oyle of egges, pitche, goose grease, Saltpeter, and as much aqua vitae as all the rest of the composition, and as muche arsinic, tartar, and armoniack salte,
as the eighte parte of altogether.
Which thing muste bée put into a glasse or pot wel stopped, and then set to putrefie
in a hotte dunghill for the space of twoo monethes: and after al the forsayd thinges
[Page] muste bée destilled with a gentle fire: where within viii. houres, there will come
of those thinges a moste suttill liquor, into the whiche putting then so muche oxedung
dried in an ouen and moste finelye beaten to pouder, as maye make it so thicke as
sope or somewhat thinner: and after minding to occupye it, the thing that is to bée
burnte, muste bée annoincted therewith: and this also the Sunne will set on fyre,
and burne what so euer is néer it.
Also there is an other composition of fyre, that anye thing that is annoincted therewith,
will maruaylouslye burne and fire with weting of raine, or otherwise: whiche to make,
there must bée taken new whitelime made of flinte, calamite made to pouder by fyre,
vitrioll grosse beaten the twoo and thirteth parte, Saltepeter refined eyght partes:
and as muche Camphere as all the foresayde thinges: oyle 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 vitae made of strong wine as much as all the rest of the composition: the which things
compounded together, muste bée put like as the otherwere, into a great glasse well
stopped that it breath not oute: and then it muste bée set in a whote dounghill for
twoo or thrée monethes, remoouing the glasse and chaunging the doung at leaste euerye
tenne dayes, to the intent that the same matter maye ripen well, and bée like vnto
a liquor all of one thing: the whiche after oughte to be boyled so muche vpon a softe
fire, that all the oyly humidetie, and other moystenesse that is in it, maye vapor
awaye, and the rest to become drie and stonye: and when it is drie and stony, breaking
the glasse & taking it out, it must bée grounde to pouder: the whiche when it is to
be occupied, must be strawed vpon the place that is dressed for the same purpose,
so yt it being rayned vpō or any maner of waies wet, will kindle & fall on a fire.
¶ How to make a girdle for Souldiours or Fisshers wherby they may go in the water
and passe ouer a riuer without either bridge or bote. Cap. xlii.
THis Girdle oughte to be made according to the fashion of the figure next following,
and of such lether that muste be dressed in like sorte, as the same is where with
footebals are made: whervnto a pipe muste be fastened like vnto a baggepipe, so that
the girdle, when it is girte about a Soudiour vpon his armour, maye be blowen full
of winde: by helpe whereof, he maye then safelye passe ouer a riuer, going through
the same, howe déepe so euer it be, where he shal not sinke in the water, further
then from the girdle stéede downe warde: whiche for men of warre, is verye commodious
and a most necessarie thing.
¶ How to write, and cause the same that is writen to be read a farre of without sending
anye message. Cap. xli.
WHen a Capitain were so besieged of enemies in a towne or fortresse that no man coulde come vnto him, or be sent frō
him with letters, wherby his minde, or the distresse and inconuenience that hée is
in, might of his friendes bée vnderstande. Yet his minde being written, maye of
thē not withstanding in the night be read, as farre of as a lighte can then be séene,
and by daye, as farre as a burning glas can caste the sunne, or a hat or any other
such like marke maye perfectlye bée decerned, so that the order therin bée firste
knowen and agréed vpon betwéen both parties. The maner in doing it in the night, is
thus: hée that giueth the aduise, muste holde his letter in the one hande wherin his
minde is réedy written, and one lighte or ij. lightes in the other hande, and the
other that should reade and copy the same, ought to haue paper, and penne and inke
with this a b c, etc. herefollowing, and vnderstande:
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
v
w
this part of letters vvith 1. lighte,
&
this part vvith tvvoo 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 hereof, it is to bée noted that the first parte
of the letters are shewed with one lighte, and the seconde parte beginning at, M, are signified with two lightes, and euerye letter of the a b c muste bée vnderstande,
and knowen by the nomber or often shewing and hiding of the sighte or lightes: As
for example, if this worde, Man, were to be written, [Page] because M is the first letter standing in the second part, M muste be signified by twoo lightes shewed once, and then hidden, and staied so long
as maye be thoughte that he that doeth copye after the lighte so seuerallye shewed,
and the number diligently marked, maye haue conuenient time to write M: then one lighte being shewed once, and so hidde and staide, a muste be written: for that a is the firste letter in the firste parte: and againe twoo lightes being shewed twise
and stayde, n, oughte to be written, because n is the second letter in the second part: whiche done, there shalbe written Man. And thus by marking well the number of shewing, hyding and staying of the lighte
or lightes, the letter that thereby is signified, maye moste easely be vnderstand
and perceyued. So that after this sorte, there maye be expressed and written what
so euer a man liste.
WHen the Britons the auncient inhabitauntes of this Isle (for lacke of skillfull men
of vvarre of their ovvne, being afraied of the Franki, & Burgundi, vvhiche vvere certaine
Barberous natiōs, vvho at the time ouer ran, spoiled, & possessed Frāce) caused the
Germaine people called Angly to come to ayde and defende them, by vvhose procurement
the Angly vnder Vortiger their King, taking vpō the the same enterprise, after they
had ones defended them, did then incontinente driue them out of this Islande, remaining
here themselues to inhabite: and after their name called it England: euē as also of
later daies, the like chaūce happened to the Greekes, by calling in the Turckes to
helpe them against their enemies. VVhich exāples, vvith innumerable like being vvell
considered, do most manifestlie shevv, hovv daungerous & pernitius it is for a Prince
and his Realme, to be driuen to truste to the seruice of straungers, for lacke of
sufficient skillfull men of their ovvn for their defence. VVherfore sithens my intent
in setting fourth this booke of Martial affaires, hath beene onely to the ende to
declare my good vvill, to haue my naturall countriemen not to bee inferiour to anye
in vvarlike knovvledge, but rather to excell in the same, vvherby vvithout aide or
helpe of any forein nation, vvee may alvvaies bee most renovvmed and famous, I shall
beseeche all gentil readers, for this my labour done for their cōmodities, to iudge
and reporte therof accordingly. And although my doinges herin, be not correspondēt
to my desire, nor to the satisfactiō of euery mās minde (vvhich vvere impossible)
yet my trust is, that some neuerthelesse by diligente reading therof, and imitating
the example of Lucullus, (vvho chiefelye by studie of like bookes, in very shorte
space, became one of the valiantest and vvorthiest vvariour of all the Romanes,]
may if they list, take commoditie and profite, vvhereby the knovvledge in vvarres,
may of such as neuer haue bene trayned in them, be the more easyly gotten and attayned.
For vvhich cause, my indeuour and trauayle taken herein, for to profit this our common
vveale, deserueth not vtterly to be despised, seeing that the most verteous life,
and gouernement of Alexander Seuerus Emperour of Rome, vvith manye other Princes,
and common vveales, could not, being negligēt in this kinde [Page] of studie and practis therof, saue or defende them selues, from moste shamefull endes,
& miserable deathes vvherin fortune vvas not to be blamed, but only their folly &
ignoraunce, for hauing neuer thought in time of tranquilitie and pease that it coulde
chaunge into aduersitie and trouble: the vvhich is a common faulte of men, not to
make accompte in fayre vveather, of the tempest to come.
A Perfecte rule to bring men into a square battell, of what nomber so euer they bée.
Fol. ij.
To knowe howe many men may march in a rancke, & at a sudddaine to bring thē into a
fowersquare battayle, so yt their Ansigne, maye come to bée in the middest. Fol. iij.
Howe to ordayne a nomber of men or an armie into a battayle, like vnto a wedge, or
thrée square, so that it maye be apt to marche with the poincte therof toward the
enemies. Fol. vi.
To make the battayle called the shéeres, whiche in olde time they vsed to set against
the Triangle. Fol. vij.
What auantage it is to order mē in a triangle battayle against the enemie, that knoweth
not howe to make the battayle called the Shéeres to set againste it, inespecially
where there is as many men of the one parte as of the other. Fol. viii.
To bring a nomber of men or an army, into a battayle, whiche in olde time was called
a Sawe. Fol. ix.
To fashion a battayle of a nomber of men or an armye like vnto twoo Triangles ioyned
together, so that they may bée apte to march with a corner thereof towarde the enemies.
Fol. x.
What is best to bée done where the ordinaunce of the enemies being shot into the Armye
hath slayne many men. Fol. xi.
Howe to chaunge with spéede an armye, that is, in battelray fouresquare, into a Triangle
fashion, without disordering the first ranckes, and without perill of cōfusion. Fol.
xiii.
Of the perfecte forme or fashion of strong places. Fol. xvi.
The strongest and perfectes fashion of all other for the building of ye cortin or wall of a town or fortresse. Fol. xviii.
An example of the quadrante forme to prooue that it [Page] causeth debilletie and weakenesse. Fol. xxii.
Of the nature of Saltepeter, and the manner howe to make and refine it. Fol. xxiij.
The manner howe to make all sortes of Gunpouder. Fol. xxvij.
The manner that is vsed of charging and shooting of ordinaunce. Fol. xxxiii.
Howe to gette oute quickely the nailes that should happen by Treason, or otherwyse
to be driuen into the toucheholes of ordinaunce. Fol. xxxiiij.
Howe much the artillery ought to bée estemed of the armies nowe adaies, and whether
the same opinion of them which is had vniuersally, be true. Fol. xxxiiij.
Of Muines and placing of Pouder vndergrounde, wherewithe inuinsible Fortresses, by
fire maye bée ruignated, when ordinaunce cannot be broughte vnto them. Fol. xxxviij.
The manner howe to make trombes or trunckes of fire, as well to assaulte as to defende
a breache, or gate, and to sette a fire a Towne or Campe, or any thing elles. Fol.
xxxix.
Howe to make bottells or pottes of fireworke to throw into shippes, or among menne
that are in battellraye. Fol. xl.
An other composition of fireworke. Fol. xl.
Balles of mettell to throwe among men in battelraye or otherwise, whiche breaking,
shal doo wonderful hurte. Fol. xli.
The manner howe to prepare pottes and balles of fire worke to throwe with hande. Fol.
xli.
How to make balles of wilde fire, to shoote in ordinaunce or to throwe with handes.
Fol. xlii.
To trimme Targettes with fireworke to assaulte, or to defende a breache. Fol. xliij.
To make an other kinde of fireworke. Fol. xliij.
[Page]Howe to make a mixture in stone that shall kendel fire with water or spittell. Fol.
xliij.
To make an other kinde of stone, to kendell fire with water or spittell. Fol. xliiij.
Howe to make lutum Sapientia. Fol. xliiij.
Howe to make certaine fireworke, to tye at the poinctes of Pikes or Horsemenstaues.
Fol. xlv.
Howe to make diuers compositions of fireworkes:
Howe to make a girdell for Souldiours or Fisshers, whereby they may goo in the water
and passe ouer a riuer withoute eyther bridge or boote, Fol. xlviij.
Howe to write, and cause the same that is written to bée redde a farre of, withoute
sending anye message. Fol. xlviij.