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Others place two poles fixed well into
the earth such that one is equally as far from the edge
andof the muzzle of the cannon as the other. And
underneath they place the above-mentioned
ruler. Then when want to shoot at
night, they push their cannon straight towards the above-mentioned
ruler & make it so that the edge of the mouth rests on the
end of the aforesaid ruler. Next, they measure with a
ruler or similar thing cut to measure, from one pole to the
side of the cannon & if it is too close or too far from it, they
adjust it & do thus from the side of the other pole.


For unspiking a cannon

Some say that one should remove the ball if the cannon is loaded
& give fire through the mouth of the cannon. But it is to be
believed that the fire would sooner exit that way than going to seek its
exit through its usual touch-hole which is
spiked & constrained. The most reliable way is that the
gunner, who is often a founder, wedges &
thoroughly rivets the nail that the enemies placed, and with a
trepan makes at the side another touch-hole next to
the one which has been spiked, which will be done in an hour. And if
with time the violence of the powder loosens the nail with
which the piece is spiked, you will make a thread in the second
touch-hole & place a screw in it quite perfectly which will
never come undone.M


Defense of a town

There is nothing that has a greater effect for the defense of a
breach than petards placed at the entryway at the time of the assault.
They carry a lot of ammunition. be One fills them
with cart nails, big steel dice, bits of chain
& similar things. And when one senses that the enemies are close,
one sets fire to all. Grenades, too, well-made and aptly thrown, cause
great damage. And to make them worse, one puts roughly
pestling pestled glass either in the molds or in the
crucible, when one wants to cast them. This worsens the wounds.
The grenades ought not to be too brittle. But it is good that they be
somewhat alloyed with the substance of the pieces in order that,
holding the blast a little rather than breaking, they have more
violence.

