PREFACE

...divide, and have divided this work into six books. The first deals with the means of attacking a place, of ruining and tearing down walls, breaking gates, bridges, bars, and grates, and for petarding petarding: the use of a "petard," a small bell-shaped explosive device used to blow open gates or breaches in walls along with many other things suitable for an army. The second book covers the means of defending oneself in a place, of hindering the enemy's approach, the petard, and escalade escalade: the military tactic of scaling fortified walls using ladders, as well as preserving munitions and how one can attack the assailants. The third will be concerning things common to both meaning both offensive and defensive tactics. The fourth treats offensive fireworks offensive fireworks: incendiary weapons such as fire-arrows or fire-pots designed to burn enemy defenses, the way to make them and use them, along with the means to treat burns and other strikes and wounds, very promptly and easily. The fifth covers recreational fireworks (of joy or pastime), for making merry on the ramparts, before a place, or in whatever place and time shall please the artisan. The sixth is full of wonder; for by means of an Alphabet, a woman, a child, or whoever one wishes, will be able on the spot and instantly to compose an Oration original: "Oraison" — a formal speech or prayer in Latin, so appropriately that there will be no solecism solecism: a grammatical mistake; the author claims the cipher-text will look like perfect, natural Latin: under which Latin will be contained a secret missive, in whatever language one wishes to write it, and so occultly inserted, that if all the men in the world were gathered together, they would not know how to reveal your secret, nor have the interpretation of what you have hidden under this Latin, if they do not have a similar Alphabet. By which one can securely write everything one desires not to be known...