roof of hurdles, to break the force of a weight
without further shaking or disjoyning the build∣ing:
the sides were likewise walled with hurdles,
the better to defend the souldiers that were under
it: the whole length was about sixteen foot, and
the breadth seven, the upper roof was commonly
covered with green or raw hides, to keep it from
burning. Many of these hovels were joyned toge∣ther
in rank, when they went about to undermine
a wall: the higher end was put next unto the wall,
that all the weights which were thrown upon it
might easily tumble down, without any great
hurt to the engine: the four sides and groundsils
had in every corner a wheel, and by them they
were driven to any place as occasion served. The
chiefest use of them was to cover and defend the
souldiers, as they undermined or overthrew a
wall. This engine was called Vinea, which sig∣nifieth
a Vine, for it sheltered such as were under
the roof thereof, as a Vine covereth the place
where it groweth.
Agger, which we call a mount, is described in
divers histories to be a hill or elevation made of
earth and other substance, which by little and
little was raised forward, untill it approached
near unto the place against which it was built;
that upon this mount they might erect fortresses
and turrets, and so fight with an advantage of
height. The matter of this mount was earth and
stones, faggots and timber. Josephus saith that
at the siege of Jerusalem the Romans cut down
all the trees within 11 mile compasse, for matter
and stuff to make a mount. The sides of this Ag∣ger
were of Timber, to keep in the loose matter:
the forepart which was towards the place of ser∣vice,
was open without any timber-work; for
on that part they still raised it, and brought it
nearer the walls. That which was built at Mas∣silia
was 80 foot high, and that at Avaricum
80 foot high and 30 foot broad. Josephus and
Egesippus write that there was a fortresse in Ju∣dea
300 cubites high: which Sulla purposing to
win by assault, raised a mount 200 cubites high;
and upon it he built a castle of stone 50 cubites
high, and fifty cubites broad; and upon the said
castle he erected a turret of 60 cubites in height,
and so took the fortresse. The Romans often∣times
raised these mounts in the mouth of a haven,
and commonly to over-top a town, that so they
might fight with much advantage.
Amongst other engines in use amongst the
Romans, their moveable Turrets were very fa∣mous:
for they were built in some safe place out
of danger, and with wheels put under them were
driven to the walls of the town. These tur∣rets
were of two sorts, either great or little: the
lesser sort are described by Vitruvius to be sixtie
cubites high, and the square side seventeen
cubites; the breadth at the top was a fifth
part of the breath at the base, and so they stood
sure without any danger of falling. The corner
pillars were at the base nine inches square, and
six inches at the top: there were commonly 10
stories in these little turrets, and windowes in
every story. The greater sort of towers were
120 cubites high, and the square side was 24
cubites, the breadth at the top was a fifth part of
the base; and in every one of these were com∣monly
200 stories. There was not one and the
same distance kept between the stories; for the
lowest commonly was 7 cubites and 12 inches
high, the highest story 5 cubites, and the rest 4
cubites and a third. In every one of these stories
were souldiers and engines, ladders and casting
bridges, by which they got upon the wall and en∣tered
the town. The forepart of these turrets was
covered with iron and wet coverings, to save
them from fire. The souldiers that removed the
tower to and fro, were alwayes within the square
thereof, and so they stood out of danger. The
new water-work by Broken-wharfe in London
much resembleth one of these towers.