The foure bookes of Flauius Vegetius Renatus briefelye contayninge a plaine forme, and perfect knowledge of martiall policye, feates of chiualrie, and vvhatsoeuer pertayneth to warre. Translated out af [sic] lattine, into Englishe, by Iohn Sadler. Anno. 1572. Seene and allovved, accordinge to the order appointed.

¶Of the lesser kinde of Ordinaunce called Balista. Of the greater named Onager, of that which is called Scorpio, of Crossebowes called Arcubalistae, of slingstaues and slinges, by the which the wall is defended▪ Chap. xxij.

AGainst these incōmodityes such kindes of ordinaunce defende them that be besieged, Balistae, a lesser kinde of ordinaunce, Onagr•• a greater, also that which is called Scorpio, Arcubalistae, Crossebowes, Fustibali, slingstaues, archers and slinges. Balista is a kinde of Ordi∣naunce bente with roapes or cordes, the which the longer and greater that it is, so muche the further it casteth y^• shot, and this kinde of ordinaunce if it be cunninglye framed, and afterwarde discharged by skilfull men that know the reech

and compasse of it, doth pearce throughe whatsoeuer it stry∣keth. That which is named Onager, serueth to shoote stoo∣nes withall: and because the roopes of it are greate, there∣fore the stones are mightye that it casteth. For the greater and larger the engine is, so much the greater stones it hur∣leth in maner of thunder. There is no kinde of ordinaunce more violent then these two sortes. Scorpiones were called in the olde time such as nowe we terme Manubalistae, so na∣med because that with small arrowes they kill mē. I thinke it superfluous to declare Fustibalistas, Arcubalistas & Fun∣das, which experience at this present knoweth wel enoughe. The ordinaunce that I named Onager, if it shoote mightye stoones, doth not onlye ouerthrow horsemen and footemen, but also breaketh the engines of the ennemyes in sonder.