The reafon that makes me give this Counfel is, becaufe no man ought to do that v^hicli may lefTen his reputation at firft,• for the dimunition of that makes all his other orders contemptible, and difcourages thofe who have undertaken his defence. And this that I fay will always happen when you make Baftions without, and oblige your felf to defend them, they will certainly be lofl:, for fuch fraall things being nowadays to contend with the fury of Artillery, 'tis impoffible they fhould hold our, and the lols of them being a lefTening to your reputation, the leffening of your reputation will be the lofs of the place. When Genca rebelled againft Levots King of Fraucey he caufed certain Baflions to be ereded upon the Hills which were about the Walls, which Baftions were no foon- cr lofl (and they were loft prefently) but the City was taken.
As to my fecond advice, I do affirm that there is nothing fo pernicious to a Caftle as to have thofe works of retreat; for the hopes that men have of preferving themfelves by deferring their Pofts, makes them abandon them often, and the lofs of their Fofts, is afterwards the lofs of the Fort. We have a frefh example of this in the taking of the Caftle at Fa: //, when the Countefs Catharine defended it againft Cafar Borgia, the Son of Alexander VI. who had brought the French Army before it. This Caftle was full of thofe retreats; for firft there was a Cir-adel, then a Fortrefs, and betwixt both a good Ditch with a Draw-bridf?;e. The Caftle within was divided into three parts, and each part ftrongly feparated from the other with Ditches and Water, and Draw-bridges by which they communicated. As foon as the Duke had made his approaches, he with his great Guns battered one part of the Caftle, and laid open a good part of the Wall; where- upon Giovanni da Cafale who had the command of that quarter, never flood to make good the breach, but left it to retire into another part, fo that the Enemy having entred the firft quarter with little Difficulty, it was not long before they made themfelves Mafters of all, by fecuring the Draw-bridges (in the hurry) which conveyed them one to another: This Caftle therefore which was thought inexpugnable was loft by two faults; one was for having fo many Redoubts, the other was becaufe none of them command- ed the Bridges i the ill contrivance therefore of the Fortrefs, and the imprudence of him thac 512 The Jrt of WA R. Book VII.
that defended it, was a fhame and difappointraent of the magnanimous enterprize of the Countefs, who had the courage to expeft an Army which neither the King oi Na- fles, nor the Duke of Milan had the confidence to attend. Yet though flie mifcarried in her de/igns, Ihe reaped the honour which her magnanimity delerved, as appeared by many Epigrams compofed in thofe times in her praife. If then I were to ered a Fort, I would do It witha'sflT6ngWalIs,and with as good Ditches as I have prefcribedi and with- in it, I would build only houfes for habitation, and thofe low and weak, and fuch as ILould not hinder the profpeft of all the Walls, from thofe who were in the Piaz,z.a j that the Commander might have the advantage to difcern with his eye from the main guard, whither he was to direft his fupplies, and that every man might underltand when the Wall and the Ditch was loff, the Caftle was not to be kept. And when I made any redoubts and retrenchments within, I would do it in fuch manner that they fiiouJdeachof them command the Bridges which fbould be rais'd upon Pillars in the middle of the Ditch.
Battijla. You have faid that fmall places are not to be defended in our days, and I v/uppofe I have heard quite contrary; that is to fay the leifer a place is, the better it is def(?nfible.
Fabritio. You were then mifinformed, for no place can be nowadays ftrong, where the defenders have not room for new Ramparts and Retrenchments to retire to; for fuch is the fury of the Artillery, that he who prefumes upon the protedion of one Wall or one Rampart, will find himfelf deceived. And becaufe Baftions or Forts (provided they do not exceed their jufl meafure, for in that cafe they v/ill be rather Caftles and Towns^ are not made in fuch manner that there isfpace to retreat, they muft prefently be loft. It is wifdom therefore to place thefe Baftions without, and to fortify within, efpecially the entries into the Towns, and to fecure the Gates with Ravelins, fo as that no body may come in or go out in a direft line, and that from the Ravelin to th« Gate there may be a Ditch with a Draw-bridge. The Gates are to be fortified with PortcullilTes, to receive their men back again into the Town when they have gone out to engage the Enemy, and when it happens that they are repulfed, and the Enemy purfues, that they may diilinguifli betwixt their own men and the Enemy, and prevent their en- tringPell-mell amongfl them. To this purpofe Portcullifles (which the Ancients called Cateratteot Pigeon holes) were invented, which being let down excluded the Enemy, and preferved their Friends; whereas without them, neither Bridges nor Gates would be of any ufe, being pofTefied by the multitude.
Battifta. 1 have feen thefe Portcullifles of which you (peak in Germany ^ and they were made of bars of wood, in the fafhion of Iron Gates, whereas ours are made of mafly Rafters or Girders all of a piece: Now I would willingly be informed from whence this difference proceeded, and which is moft effedual.
Fair. I tell you again, that the ways, and cuftoms,and orders of War are laid aflde all the world over, in refpeft of what was ufed amongfl the Ancients, but in Italy they are utterly forgot, and if their be any thing better than other, we have it from the JJhramontanii or Northern Nations. You may have heard, and perhaps fome of thefe Gentlemen may remember how weakly we fortified before the coming of Charles 8. in- to Italy, in theyeari4P4. The battlements of our Walls were made but half a yard thick, the Port-holes for our great Guns, and Mufquets or fmall Shot were made narrow without, wide within, with many other defedts which I fliall forbear to mention, left I Ihould become tedious; for thofe thin battlements were quickly beaten down, and pur Guns were as eafily difmounted.
But now a days we have learn'd of Vat French to make our Battlements large and thick, and our Port-holes large wichin,cIofe again in the middle, and wide again without; by which means our Artillery are not fo eafily difmounted, nor our Soldiers beaten fiom their Works. Befides thefe the French have feveral other good ways, which our Soldiers have not feen, and fo have not fo much as confidered; and among the reft thofe open Port- cullifles, like grates, is in one, and they are much better than ours, for if to defend and fortify your Gate, you have a clofe Portcullis, when you let it down to keep out the Enemy, you fliut up your felves, and cannot afterwards do him any hurt, fothat with Pick- axes, Hatchets, Petards or Fire, he may do what he pleafe without any interruption. But if your Portcullis be made Lettice-wife and tranfparent, when it is let down thorough the holes and inrervals,you may defend it with your Pikes, fmall Shot, or any other kind of Arms.
Battifta. I have obferved in Italy another Northern invention, and that is to make the wheels of your Carriages, for your great Guns, with fpokes crooked or bending towards the Axel-tree. Now I would gladly know the reafon of that way, becaufe to me the ftraight fpokes fecm ftronger.
Fair.
Fair.
Book VII. The An of IT A R.
Fa'oY. Do not imagine thatchings which deviate from common ufe, are done by accident \ or it you fancy they were made in that fafliion for beauty, you are miftaken; for wliere force and ilrength is required, they never ftand upon beauty; but the reafdh why the/ were changed, was btcaiife thefc kind of fpokes are much rtiore fecure and (trbng; and the reafon they are llrongcr is this; When a Carria^'e is loaden, it is either equally poiz'd, or hang'dtoo much on one fide. When it is equally poiz'd, the wheels bear equal- ly, and the weight being equally diftributcd, does not burthen them much: But when it inclines to one fide, the weight lies all upon one of the wheels. If the fpckes be made ftraight, they are eafily broken, for when ever the wheel.bends, the fpokes bend with it, as being unable to keep up the weight; fo that v/hen the weight is well poized, or is othcrwife but moderate, your ftraight fpokes are ftrong enough, but when your Carriage goes awry, and endines to one fide, they are too weak to fupporc it. On the contrary, the fpokes of your French Carriages that ate made bending, are made fo with great reafon, for when a Carriage enclines to one fide, the fpokes on that fide being made bending, will come tp be ftraighr, and will be able to fuftain the whole weight better, than when it hangs equal, and (being crooked) bears but half. But to return to our Towns and our Caftles. The French^ befides what we have mentioned, have another way of fecuring their Gates, and for the fallying and retiring of their Soldiers during a Siege, than I have yet feen practifed in taly '. and it is this. On the outward point of the Draw-bridge they fet up two Pillars, aftd upon each of them they faften a beam, in fuch manner that one half of it hsngs over the Bridge, and the other half without. Then that part which is without the Bridge, they joyn together with crofs bars like a grate, and to the end of each of the beams that hang over the Bridge, they faften a chain: when therefore they would fhut up the Bridge fo as no body fhould come in from without, they loofen the chains, and let down that part of ic that is made with crofs bars, which fhuts up the Bridge; when they would open the Bridges they draw thechains, andthatpartcomesupagain, and itistoberaifed gradually, foas to receive a man on Foot, and no Horfe, or a Hoffeman as they pleafe, and it is raifed or let down with unimaginable dcxeterity. This way is better than your PdrtculliiTcs, becaufe they can hardly be hindred by the Enemy from being let down, not falling in a dired line as your Percullifies do, which are eafily ftop'd by putting any thing under them. They theii who would make a Town ftrong, are to do it in the fame manner as I have prefcribed.
Moreover they are to prohibit Cultivation or building within a Mile round; all fhould be a plain without any Hills, Honfes, Banks or Ti ees tb hinder the profpeft of the befiegcd, or give any fhelter to the Enemy in his approaches. And you mull know that where the Ditch is without the Walls, and there are eminencies above the level of of the Country, that Town is but weak; for thofe eminencies are blinds to the Enemy in their approaches, and when they are poflefs'd, they are convenient for their Batteries: But let us pafson, and come into the Town.
CHAP. IL What order is to he ohferveA hy him who /huts himfelf up in a ToivH, with refohi* tion to defend it.
Pahr. T Will not lofe fo riiuch time as to ftew yoil hdw cdrivenient it is (befides what has ■■• been faid before) to have your Stores of Ammunition and Victuals, becaufe they are things that every body knows cannot be wanted, and without them all other Provifions are vain. Two things then, are generally to be obferved, you are to fecure what you car! poffibly to your felf, and to prevent the Enemy of any Commodity, efpecially in yourowa Prccinfts. Whcif tore if there be any Straw, orCorn, orCattlethatyoucannotcarry ofFintoi the Town, yon muft be fure to delfroy ic. He who undertakes the defence of a Town is likewife to obferve this order, not to fuffer any thing to be done tumultuoufly and difor- derly, and to provide that upon every accident, every man may know vvhat he is to do; and the way is, by caufing the Women, Children, old, lame and infirm to keep withini their Houfes, and leave the Town to be defended by thofe who ate vigorous and ftrong, who being armed as is requifite, are to be diftributed into all places, fomeilponthe Walls, fome at the Gates, fome in the principal places of th-e City, to relieve their Companions upon any diftrefs; another party there fliould be likewife not obliged to any particular placei but always ready to fuccour where neceflity is required; and things being thu.?
X X X ordcrec'j 514 The An of WA R. Book VII.
ordered, fcarce any Sedition can happen to diforder you. Again, there is one tlimg I will recommend to your memories, both in the befieging and defending of a Town: And that is, that there is nothing animates an Enemy fo much, or gives him fuch hopes of carrying a Town, as when he knows his adverfary has not been ufed to theh'ght or an Enemy; for many times fear only, without any experiment of their flrengrh, has caiifed a Town to be furrcndered: He therefore who comes before a City fo qiiaiified is tomai.e all the fliows and oftentations of terror that he can; ancj on the other iide, he who is anauked, is to oppofe men of refolurion and courage, and fuch as are not to be terrified with (hows, nor any thing but force and violence of Arms; for if the firfl brunt be fuftained, the bcficgcd are encouraged, and tiie beficgers will have no hopes left but in their reputation and valour.
The Ancients had feveral inllruracnts of War with which they defended their Towns, rs Rams, Scorpions, Bows, Slings, Clubs, tTc. Again, they had feveral Engines which they ufed in their Leaguers, as Rams, Towers of wood,; They had alfo their Flax^ their Vluteus^ Teftudo, and others; inftead of which, we now make ufe of Artillery, Which is ufeful both for him that is befieged, as well as him that bclieges. But to return.
« CHAP. III.
Advert ifements for fuch as are Jiflreffed for Proififions within a Town, and for fuch as hefiege them^ and would reduce them to that neceffity^ Tahr. T7 E who takes upon him the defence of a Town, is to fee fuch provifion made both of Vifiuals and Ammunition, that he may be in no danger of ]ofing it, either by Starving or Storm. As to Starving (as is faid before) it is ne- ccHary before the ficge be laid, that you furnifli your felf well with Victuals; but be- caufe fuch provifion cannot be made, but a long fiege may exhauft it, you muft betake to extraordinary ways, and look out for friends that may relieve you, efpecially if you have a River running thorough the Town. Thus the Romans did when their friends were befieged by Haniial in the Callle of Catalino, for not being able to relieve them otherwife, they flung great quantities of Nuts into theRiver, which were carried down by the ftream in defpight of the Enemy, and gave the Garrifon very good relief Some who have been befieged, to make their Enemy believe that they had plenty of Corn, and render them defperare of carrying them by flarving, have thrown bread over their Walls; or elfe given Corn to fome of their Cows, and fufiered her afterwards to be taken by th» Enemy, that when they kill'd her, they might find Corn in the paunch, and conclude that Corn was as plentiful in the Town as in the Camp. On the other /ide, wife Generals have ufed as much Art and Stratagem for the rtdudion of Towns: Fabius permitted the Campani to fow their ground, that prefuming upon it, they might make no other provifion, an3 he came afterwards and utterly deflroyed it.
Dionyfius having befieged Rhegium, pretended a Treaty, and whilft things were in tr^nfaftion, he provided himfelf with Victuals with all poffible diligence; but when he had efFedually fupply'd himfelf, he brake off the Treaty, block'd them up again, and conflrained them to furrender.
'Alexander the Great being defirous to reduce Lucadiat he took, plundered, and de- flroyed all the Caftles about it, but gave the Garrrifons fate Condufi to Lucadia; by which Policy he fo throng'd them with men, that their numbers quickly diftrcfs'd them, and they were forced to furrender.
C H A P. IV.
Other Advertifements loth for the Befiegers and the Befieged.
Fahr. T N matters of aflault, I fay, the firft things to be provided againft, is the Enemies firfl Effort; for by that way the Romans gain'd many a Town, affaulting it fud- denly, and in all places at once; and in this they called Aggredi urbem ' orona, or to make a general affault, as Scipio did when he rook new Carthage in Spain. But if the Beficgt-d can (land the firft fliock, it gives him fuch courage, he will hardly be taken afterwards, And Book VII. The Art of WA R. 515 And if thini^s ftould go fo Far, that a breach fhouid be made, and the Enemy enter j ycc the Citizens have their remedy if they will iland one to another: for many Armies have been repelled and defeated after they have entered a Town. The remedy is thi^^-that thelnhabitantsmakegoodchehighcftplacesofthe^ity, and fire upon them from the win- dows and tops of their hoiifes, BlIC againit this the Aifailers have made ufe of two inven- tions; one was, to open the Gates of the City, and give the Inhabitants opportunity to efcapc; the other is, to make proclamation, that whoever throws down his Arms fhall have quarter, and none put to the Sword but fuch as are taken in Arms; and this artifice has been the taking of many a Town. Moreover, a Town is taken with more eafe, when it is fofuddenly attacked, as when an Army keeps at fuch a diflance, as that the Town be- lieves either you will not at all, or cannot attempt it, before they ftallhave the alarm of your motion, becaufe it is at prefent fo far off. Wherefore if you can come upon them fuddenly and fecretly, not once in twenty times but you will fucceed in your defign.
I fpeak very unwillingly of the occurrences of cur times, becaufe itmuft be done with refleftion u; on me and my friends; and if I fhouid difcourfe of other people, I fhould not know what to fay. Neverthelefs, I cannot pafsby the example of d^jar Borgia (called Duke Valanuno) who being with his Army at Nocera, under pretence of making an in- road into the Dutchy of Camerin, turned fuddenly upon the State of Urbin, and mafler'd it without any trouble m one day, which another man would not have been able to have effefted in a much longer time.
C H A P. V. ^ A f^iJH is not to (tepen^ upon the Countenance of the Enemy, hut is rather to fufped what even he fees with his ejes, Pabr. 'T^ Hofe who are befieged, are to be very careful of the tricks and furprizes of the Enemy, and therefore they are not to rely upon the countenance that he carries, but are rather to fufpeft there is fome fraud or deceit that will fall heavily upon them, if they fuffer themfelves to be deluded.
Domitius Cahinus befieging a Town, made it his cuflom every day to march round about the Walls with a good part of his Army; the Garrifon fancying by degrees rhac it'was only for his recreation, began to flacken their Guards, of which Domitius hav" ing notice, fell fuddenly upon them, and carried the Town.
Other Generals have had intelligence of relief that was expeded in the Town, and having habited a certain number of their Soldiers, and difpofed them under counterfeit! Enfi^ns, like rhofe which the befieged expeded, they were received into the Gates, and poiTeffed themfelves of the Town. Cimon an Athenian General having a defign to furt?rize a Town, in the night fct fire on a Temple that was without it, and the In- habitants flocking out to extinguifli the fire, they fell into an Ambufcado, and loft their ll'own. Others having taken forae of the Servants, and fuch people as came forth for forrage, put them to the Sword, and difguifing their own Soldiers in their Cloths, have entred the Gates, and made themfelves Mafters of the Town.
CHAP. VI.
How to (lisfurnif}) a Garrifon of its men^ and to Iring a terror upon a Town, Fair. '"T^ He Ancients linve (befides thefe) made ufe of feveral Stratagems and Artifices to unfurnifii the Enemies Garrifons of their men: When Supio was in Afri- ca, being defirous to poHefs himfelf of fome of the Garrifons, which the Cnrthagiijiam had in their cuftody, he made many offers to befiege them; but pretending fear, he not only drew off on a (udden, but marched away with his Army to a great diflance. Hanibat fuppofing his apprehenfion real, to follow him with a greater force, drew our his Gar- rifons, which Scipio underflanding fent Mafjlniffa to fiirprizc them, and he did it with fuccefs. Fyrrlms making War in Sc/avonia, advanced againft the chief Town in that Pro- vince; in the defence of which Town, feveral people having got together, he pretended X X X ^ to 5i6 The An of WA R. Book VII.
to defpaii of carrying it by force, and turnini? his Arms a^asnit other Towns which were not viiibly fo ftrong, he profpered fo well in hi.s dedgn, that the faid Town draw* ing out a good part of icsGarrifon in relief to their Nt-ighboms, left it ftif fo weak, as it became a prey to his Enemy. Many have corrupted and defiled the waters, and turned Rivers out of their Channels, to make themfelves Msueis of a Town, and have mifcarried when they have done. It is a way likewife conrributes much to the tak- ing of a Town, to affright them with reports, as of fome great Viftory that you have obtained, fome great fupplies that you have received, and an obftinate refolution if they do not furrender quickly to put them all to the Sword.
CHAP. VII.
To corrupt a Garrifon, and take it ly Treachery.
Fair. COme Generals of old have endeavoured to take Towns by treachery, by corrupt* ^ i ng fome of the Garrifon, and they have done it fevcral ways. Some have fenc of their own men as fugitives into the Town, thereby to put them into credit and au- thority with the E»emy, and give them opportunity to betray them. Some by this means have difcovered the ftrength of the Garrifon, and by that difcovery have taken the Town. Some under feigned pretences have flopped up the Gates of a Town from (butting, with a Cart, or beam, orfuch kind ot thing, and given their party the convenience of entring. //<j«/7;.7/ befieging the Town of Tarentum in Calabria, which was defended by the Romans under the Condud of Z.^i'/wj, corrupted a perfon in the Garrifon called Eaneuii and ordered him that he fhould go out a hunting in the night, and pretend he durff not do it in the day for fear of the Enemy. Eoneus obferved his direftion, went out and in feveral nights to- gether, and the Guards had not the leaft fufpicion; at length Hanibal difguizing fome ofhismen in the habit of Huntfmen, fent them in after him, whokilled the Guards, poA felfed themfelves of the Gates, and let Hanibal into the Town. A Garrifon is likewiffi to be cheated by drilling them a good diftance out of Town, and pretending to fly when they come to charge you. Many (and Bambul among the reft) have fuflered their Camps to be poflefl'ed by the Enemy, that they might have opportunity to clap between with their Army, and get into the Town. Again, they are ibmetimes deluded by pre- tending to raife the Siege, as Formio the Athenian did, who having plundered and har- rafled the Country of CalciJim, received their Embafladors afterwards with propofitions of Peace: He gave them very good words, and fent them back full of fecurity and fair promifes, upon which the poor people prefuming too much, Formio fell fuddenly upon rhem, and overcame them. Thofe who are /hut up in a Town, are to keep a flri<3: eye upon fuch as they have reafon to fufpeft but they are fometimes to be fccured and obliged to you by preferment as well as by punifhment. Marcellus knew that Uicius Bau- ciits the Nolan was a great favourer of Hanibal, yet he carried hirafelf to him with fo much kindnefs and generofity, that of an Enemy, he made him his intimate Friend.
CHAP. VIII.
Good Guard is to hd kept in all places and times.
jp;j/^r. 'TpHofewho are in any feir of being befieged, are to keep diligent guard as well when the Enemy is at a diftance, as at hand: and they are to havemoft care of thofe places where they think themfelves moftfecure; for many Towns have been lofl by being allaulted on that fide where they thought themfelves impregnable; and this mif« carriage arifes from two caufes; either becaufe the place is really ftiong and believed in- accefiible, or elfe becaufe of the policy of the Enemy, who with great clamour and noifc pretend to floim it on one fide, whilfl on the other he docs it as vigoroufly, but with all the filence imaginable. And therefore it concerns the befieged to be very careful, and keep good Guards upon the Walls, cfpecially in the night, and as well with Dogs as with Men, for if they be fierce and watd ful, thty will give an alarm (if the Enemy ap- proaches) as foon as any thing: And not only Doc^s, but Birds have been known to have preferveda Town, as it happen'd to the Romans, when the French befieged the Capitol.
When Book VII. The Art of IT A R. 517 When the Spart.tm lay htioxc Athens, Ahibi. ides \.o diicoxxx \\o\\f Wis watciies wtit kept, com- manded chat in the ni^hr when ever he held upalit^hr, each of the Guards fhould hold i p anorher, and c^reat puniflimenr was to be inflicted upon any that ntgleded it. ifocmtes killed a Centinel that he found a-fleep, with this exprtiCon, / leave him as 1 found him.
CHAP. IX..
Ways to write privately to ones FriendsfV<^r. 'T^Hofc who have been befieged have contrived feveral ways of Con\'eying Intel-* licence to their friends j not daring to truft their affairs to the tongue of a meHenger, they write in cy pliers many times, and conceal them feveral ways. The cy-^- phers are made according to every man's fancy, and the ways of concealing them are divers: fome have writ on the infide of a fcabbard of a Sword; others have put their Letters up in Parte, baked it, and then given it forfuftenancetothe melTenger that is tocarry it: fome have hid them in their privities; fome in the collar of the meifenger's dog.