¶Of weapons and ordinaunce of shippes. Chap. xliiii
A Land battel requyreth many kindes of armour and weapons, but that which is fought on the Sea, nee∣deth manye mo kindes, both of armour & weapons, and also enginnes and ordinaunce, euen as they should ••ight on the walles & towers of a Citty. For what is more cruell thē the fight vpon the Sea? whereas men be killed▪ not on∣lye with water, but with fyre. Therefore there must be a spe∣ciall regarde had of harnesse and other coueringes, that the souldiours he fēced with complete armour, coates of plate, helmets and legge harnesse. For no man can complaine of the waight or burdē of his armour, which fighteth standing in the shippes: ye maye make your shieldes both stronger & larger, to beare of the strokes of stoones, hookes, and clam∣pers, and other kinde of weapons vsed in shippes. Dartes and stones are caste betweene both partyes, with arrowes, pellettes, slinges, slingstaues, leaden plummettes, greater ordinaunce, lesser ordinaunce, yron bowes or Crossebowes: and (which is a more gre••ous thing) they that presume and thincke themselues sur•• by reason of theyr manhoode, after their Gallyes be ioyned 〈◊〉〈◊〉, do passe ouer into y• ship∣pes of their ennemyes on bridges layed ouer betweene.
In the greater gallyes they do make vppe fortresses and to∣wers, that as vppon a wall, so they maye from aboue more easelye wounde and slea their ennemyes. Also they vse to wrappe arrowes in towe, pitche and bri••••stone, and so kin∣dling them▪ to shoote and strike them into the sydes of theyr ennemyes shippes, and so sodainly to set them on fyre by rea¦son of the pitche and rosen, wherewith the sydes of the ship∣pes are alreadye annoynted. One sorte are slaine with the ••word, and stones or pellettes, another sort are compelled to burne in the water, and amonge so many kindes of deathes (which is the must cruell of al) their bodyes vuburyed, must be deuoured and confumed of fishes.