The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. III. A curious and exact description of certaine warlike Engines meet for siege and assault.

VPon this very occasion I am put in mind briefely, so farre foorth as my meane wit will serve, to shew the description of these kinds of instru∣mens for their sake that be ignorant thereof: and first will I declare the forme and fashion of the Balista. Betweene two planks there is set in frame and fast joyned a strong and big yron, reaching out in length after the manner of a good great rule or squire; from the roundbodie whereof, which in the middest is finely and artificially made, there lyeth foorth farther out a fouresquare beame or spire, made hollow with a direct and streight passage of a narrow riggall or trough, & fastened hard to it with many cords of wrythen and twisted sinewes, and thereto are two wooden skrewes most fitly joyned; neere unto one of which standeth an expert and artificiall workeman, and cunningly bestoweth in the hol∣low passage of the beame or tiller, a shaft of wood, with a big head glewed fast to it: which done, two lustie and tall young men nimbly turne and wind about the wheeles on the one side & the other; and when the sharpe head of the shaft is come to the upmost end of the strings or sinewes aforesaid, out goeth the shaft with a for∣cible strength within, and forth of the Balista quickly flieth out of sight, otherwhiles sparkling with the exceeding heat that it catcheth in swift flight, & oftentimes it hap∣peneth, that before this dart is seene, the body feeleth a painfull and mortall wound.

As for the Scorpion, which now they call Onager, this is the forme thereof. There be two plankes hewen of Oke or Helme, and those are somewhat curbed, so as they may seeme to beare up or stand out with backes; and these in manner of a Saw-machine are tied fast together, as being bored through on both sides with good wide holes, between which through the holes are strong ropes tied, keeping in the whole frame together, that it flye and start not asunder. From the very midst of these ropes there riseth forth a beame of wood overthwart, and after the fashion of a yoke spire or tiller erected, which is tied with cords or strings at such measures and gages, that it may be set up or let downe lower: and to the top thereof are joy∣ned yron hookes, from which there hangeth a sling-socket of tow or yron: under which piece of wood there lyeth a huge great bouttrisse or supporter, even hayre-cloth stuffed full of small straw and chaffe, fastened thereto with strong bindings, and planted upon turfes heaped up together, or else a banke raised with raw bricks: for such a mightie engine as this beeing set upon a wall of stone, forceth asunder and breaketh what ever it findeth under it; not for the weight, but the violent shake that it giveth. When as therefore it is come to the point of skirmish or fight, and that a round stone is put into the sling, foure lustie young men on the one side unfolding the barres whereto the ropes are incorporate, draw backe the style or standard up to the hooke: and so at length the master of the Engine standing aloft, giving a mightie stroke with an hammer, setteth open the rayles that containe the binding of the whole worke: whereupon the standard being now at libertie with that quicke stroke, and hitting against the soft haire-cloth aforesaid, hurleth out the stone that will batter whatsoever is in the way. And verily it is called Tormentum, for that out of it all the unfolding is whirled and hurled out: but a Scorpion (be∣cause standing upright, it hath a sharpe pricke above; unto which also the moderne time hath imposed the name of Onager, i. a wild asse, in this regard, that wild as∣ses when they are coursed by hunters) fling with their heeles stones afarre off be∣hind their backs, so as they pierce through the breasts of them that follow in chase, or breake the skuls of their heads, and dash out their braines. Hence will we pro∣ceed to the Ram. There is choice made of an high Firre or wild Ash, the one end whereof is shod with an hard plate of yron and a long, shaped out in the front like unto a Ram, which forme gave the name to this engine or battering piece: and thus hanged up with overthwart plankes on both sides, and yron hoopes of another piece of timber, held up it is as it were in balance: and the same according as the measure or length thereof will permit, a number of men driving backe, thrust for∣ward againe to breake whatsoever standeth against it, with mightie strokes & maine jurres, in manner of an armed man that commeth upon one and giveth assault. By the manifold pushes whereof, as it were the violent force of a thunderbolt com∣ming to and fro, buildings are rent, and made to cleave and chawne, yea, and the joynts of wals being shaken and losened, fall downe. By this kind of worke, if it be driven backe by maine strength put thereto (and let goe againe) rampiers are lai∣ed naked of their defendants, and the strongest cities that be, are with the case of siege layed open. In stead of these devices of Rams, despised now, because they were so common, there is an engine framed, well knowne to Historiographers, which the Greekes name Helepolis: by the meanes and long use whereof, Deme∣trius the sonne of Antigonus, after he had given the assault unto Rhodes and other cities, was called Poliorcetes: and built it is in this manner. There is a mightie Te∣studo or frame made, strengthened with very long pieces of timber, and fitted to∣gether

with yron spikes, and the same covered with ox-hides and new rods or win∣dings drawne one within another, the roofe or upmost part whereof is bestrewed and layed over with mud, to the end it may checke the fall of fire or shot of ca∣sting-weapons. Now, there are set fast in the front of it certaine sharpe-pointed yron pikes or heads, with three edges, very massie, much like in shape to those light∣nings or thunderbolts, that painters or forgers exhibite unto it; to the end, that whatsoever it runneth against, it may with those sharpe heads that so beare out, batter and breake in pieces. This so strong and huge a frame, the souldiors within ruling with wheeles and a number of ropes, drive with maine and speedie force a∣gainst the weaker part of a wall: and unlesse the defendants from above bee the stronger, and quit themselves the better, it beateth downe the walls, and maketh wide breaches. As for the Malleoli, a kind of Darts, shaped they be on this fashi∣on: There is an arrow made of a cane, betwixt the head and the steile, joined and couched close with an yron full of chamfers and teeth: which arrow, after the ma∣ner of a womans distaffe, on which they spin linnen thred, is finely made hollow within the bellie, yet open in many places thereof, and in the bellie or hollownesse it receiveth fire with some fuell to feed it; and thus being discharged softly out of a weake bow (for with violent shooting the fire goeth out) if it take fast hold on any place, it burneth the same: and having water cast or sprinckled upon it, the ho∣ter fire it causeth, neither is there any remedie to allay or quench the rage thereof, but by flinging dust upon it. Thus much as touching peeces of Ordnance for walls, of which some few have beene shewed. Now returne we to the orderly course of our Hystorie.

Notes

• the balistier him∣selfe.
• If this description content you not, see the figure of it and others in Ve∣get•••••• and Noti••••••.
• Serratoria ma∣chinae.
• or rocke.
• as namely, Bitu∣men and Nuphta.