A discourse of military discipline devided into three boockes, declaringe the partes and sufficiencie ordained in a private souldier, and in each officer; servinge in the infantery, till the election and office of the captaine generall; and the laste booke treatinge of fire-wourckes of rare executiones by sea and lande, as alsoe of firtifasions [sic]. Composed by Captaine Gerat Barry Irish.

THE THIRDE CHAP. To arme tronckes or canes made for severall executiones of this arte, the figure of which canes youe shall see hire followinge whiche are made of lighte woode and are to be of two foote or two and haulfe longe, and som shorter for cause of their weigh∣te in time of execution.

THies canes are hollowe within and made of lighte tember like the barrell of apeece of ordenance, and they muste by well bounde all rounde aboute with stronge marlin corde, fearinge leaste it shoulde splin∣ter by meanes of the stronge compositiones, and mi∣xtures put into the same, of whiche we will nowe treate. After yove have well tied the same alongste with the corde all aboute, yove may doabe or coate the corde in a mixture made of pitch and wax for the more securitie of the cane in keepinge it from water, and not to splin∣ter. Which douptles they will exepte they be well handled by men of goode experience, and practice in this arte, and let none presume that for the readinge of many goode bookes he cā bringe this wourc∣ke to perfection, for it is of suche rare and deepe judgemente in the orderinge and measuringe in proportion of the seaveral sortes of mixtures required for the same. In the drienge and manadgeinge of them is required greate consideration, good skill, vigilance, and rare judgemente of longe exercice; wherof i have seene many dangerous triales bothe in the handlinge and executiones of this wourcke, in his due measure and proportion, therfore confideration, care, and vigi∣lance is required.

The compositiones required for the saied canes, take six partes of musket pouder, foure, of solfer, a haulf parte of quicksilver, one parte of cristal glashe beaten into pouder, one parte of armoniacke alsoe beaten into pouder, one parte of camphire, three partes of saltpee∣ter three times refined, two partes of rosen, all whiche cause to by well stamped and mingled togither, then tacke of gineper-oyle, or petroll oyle, as much as will wet a litle all the saied mixtures, then put as muche stronge brandevin, as shall be sufficiente to weate well all

the saiede mixtures, and mingel them togither, and let them be dried in the sun or over a softe fiere till they corporate well, then putt a monghste them a litel quantity of fine cotten made or a nointed in fi∣ne beaten pouder and gineper oyle, and when all thiese compositio∣nes are drie, fill youre cane or troncke, putinge in the bottom of the same three musket-shotes of pouder, or more, acordinge to the great∣nes of the cane, then a quantitie of youre mixtures then a litle pou∣der, then mixtures, then alitle pouder, and so till youe almoste fill the cane to the brim, leavinge two enches emptie where youe shall put drie mixtures quicke and apte to kindel fire, and haulfe, a quar∣ter of an once of fine pouder in the very mouthe of the cane, and sti∣ke into the same a peece of match made of fine cotten, and boyled in Aqua vitae, gineper oyle, and fine pouder of the beste youe can finde, to presently kindell fire, when occasion shall require; And when youe will bigin with the execution of the same, youe are to give fire in the mouthe of the cane, and it will yealde a moste furious and greate fla∣me till it burne oute, and the execution of the flame will reache so∣me 12. foote, and with a greate furie and force, which artificiall canes are excellente to inter per force into shippes, or into a breache or trinche, alsoe it is moste excellente to breake any order or array, and specially in narrowe or straighte places, as the draught marked with the letter A. sheoweth.

[illustration]

A.