The new method of fortification, as practised by Monsieur de Vauban, Engineer General of France with an explication of all terms appertaining to that art / made English.

CHAP. I.

Sect. I. Of the Definition of Military Architecture.

FOrtification, or Military Architecture, as no other thing than an Art, which teache•• Men to fortifie themselves with Ram∣parts, Parapets, Moats, Covert Ways and Glacis's, to the end the Enemy may not be able to attack such a part without great loss of his Men; and that th•• small Number of Soldiers which defend the Place may be able to hold out for some time.

Sect. 2. Of the Original of Fortification.

CErtain it is, that Fortification was Originally very in∣considerable; for in regard that Men had nothing to fear at that time but the Assaults of Wild Beasts, and Robbers they had no other Fortifications than simple Hedges, which continued still in use 328 Years before our Saviour; at what time Alexander the Great found the Hircanians and Mardians fortified after that manner, Q. Curtius, l. 6. c. 5. Afterwards they fortified themselves with Walls, those Hedges being easie to be cut down. But Ambition in∣creasing, in regard that they who coveted Dominion over others, soon found a way to leap over these feeble Defences, they added a Moat, and in making this Moat they raised at the same time a Rampart, behind which the Besieged placed himself, to dispierce the Enemy with their Arrows. The Enemy, not able to surmount these Obstacles, re∣solved to venture some Arrows, to pass the Moat, and lodge himself at the Foot of the Wall, whence the Besieg••d could not chace him, notwithstanding the great Number of Stones which they threw down to annoy the Assailants, because the Enemies covered themselves with their Buck∣lers which they held over their Heads. This obliged those within to make Holes in the Walls, by shooting their Ar∣rows at the Enemy to hinder him from attacking them. For which way soever he came, the Arb••lesta annoyed him. Neverthele••s the Foot of the Walls were without defence, so that the Enemy lodging himself between the nearest Holes, they bethought themselves of making square Towers with Holes on every side: For they stood at the Hea•• of the Walls, to hinder the Enemy from lodging between the Holes in the Wall. True it is, that they soon invented certain Engines which we call at this Day Bartering R••ms, which were strengthened at the Head with a Massie Point o•• Iron, and so pusht against the Walls of those square Towers, till they brought them to ruine. After which

they made Roundels, which were look'd upon as a stronger sort of Fortification, till Powder began to be known in Europe. For we find in History, that in the Y••ar 1380. under the Reign of Wenleslatis, the Son of Charles the IV, a certain Franciscan Monk, whose Name was Berthold Schwarts of Friburg in Brisgau, shewed the first use of Powder to the Venetians, then at War with the Genoeses. After which they made Cannon to batter Places, the furi∣ous execution of which, ranvers'd like a Clap of Thunder those feeble Walls; which obliged them that were attack'd with these astonishing Engines, to erect a good Rampart behind their Walls, and to make the same Walls much thicker than before.

This Manner of Fortification would have subsisted a long time, had it not had one defect; which was, that those Round Towers had one part in the form of a Triangle, which could not be seen by those within; and which the Enemy covered to batter, on purpose that he might lodge himself secure from the Shot of the Besieged, who could not see him in that part. To correct this default, they fill'd that defective part with good Earth, which being en∣vironed with a good Wall, form'd also two Points which look'd toward the Field, as now the Faces of a Bastion, and which covered that part. The Enemy seeing that, be∣gan to attack those two Faces before any other thing: So that the Besieged found themselves obliged to add Flanks to those Faces, to plant Cannon upon them, and prevent the Enemy from doing so much Mischief to the Faces as be∣fore. And thus the Bastions were invented, as we see them at this Day built upon the Angle of the Gorge.

Sect. 3. Of the Parts of Fortification.

THere are three Parts of it; that is to say, Ic••nograp••y, Orthography, and Scenography.

Ichnography is no other than what we call the Plane, or Representation of the Length and Breadth of a Fo••••ress••

of which the Parts are marked out either upon the Ground, or upon Paper.

Orthography is called the Profil, or the Representation of a Fortress made and raised, so that a Man may see the Length, the Breadth, and Heighth of its Parts.

Scenography is the Perspective of the Parts of a Fortress.

Sect. 4. Of the Division of Military Architecture.

FOrtification is Regular or Irregular:

• Regular is that where all the Sides, and all the Angles that compose it, are equal one to another.
• Irregular is that where all the Sides and Angles are not all equal nor uniform one to another. And it is either Durable or Temporary.
• Durable, is that which is built to continue a long time.
• Temporary, is that which is erected in case of necessity for a little time: And under this Signification are contained all sort of Works erected for the seizing upon a Passage, or some Hill, or when they make Circumvallations, and Countervallations; that is to say, Redoubts, Trenches and Batteries.