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B ij

Once this ground plan is finished, redraw the outer edges of the upper circular base. Within these, place the following letters so that the embrasures original: "schieß zinnen"; these are the openings in a wall for firing cannons. may be drawn according to their proper form. Now, divide the gun ports—or embrasures—for the heavy artillery original: "gewaltigen geschüß" equally within the outer curved walls. Place the first embrasure centered at point .i. Then, divide six embrasures equally between .d. and .i., and between .i. and .e., and draw all their paths toward point .k. Between these embrasures, the wall retains its full thickness so that one may find cover behind it. However, if one does not yet trust the wall's strength against external artillery, it could be reinforced at the bottom with buttresses original: "streben" extending into the bastion. But at the highest point, it requires no thickening, as I will demonstrate later in the elevations when I draw the building. Between the embrasures, make the parapet original: "prustmaur," literally "breast-wall" only three feet term: "schüch" (shoe/foot); a historical unit of measurement roughly equivalent to a modern foot, though it varied by region. thick, so that the artillery may reach forward and the muzzle of the gun extends beyond the wall. In this way, the ball will not be driven off course by the blast original: "tunst," referring to the expanding gases and smoke from the gunpowder.. For if the muzzle of the gun is fired from within the embrasures, the blast will drive the ball toward the opposite side of whichever wall stands closer to the muzzle, and thus no certain shot can be made. On this line, where the thin parapet ends, the embrasure should be seven feet wide, but ten feet wide at the front opening. The outer corners on both sides should be rounded off with a compass. On the inside at the back, however, make the embrasures at least twenty feet wide, so that the guns may be angled toward either side.

One should also make two more firing passages, two feet wide at the front but ten at the back, in which culverins term: "schlenglen"; a type of light, long-barreled cannon known for its range. can be fired. These should be on each side in front of the ends of the straight walls where they meet the circular section at .d. and .e., and a wall should be drawn from both gun ports, each toward point .k. After this, on each side of the square walls between .l. d. and .m. e., make two embrasures in the same manner as those made for the main guns in the front circular wall. Then, at the back, through the middle of the straight walls between .l. m. on the line .k. h., make one embrasure in the same manner as the one at the front of the circular wall at point .i., where a heavy piece original: "hauptstuck," a large-caliber cannon. may also be positioned. Thus, this rear section will also be provided with three heavy pieces. Since the wall at the rear is thinner than at the front, make these embrasures fifteen feet wide on the inside. Next, on each side next to the large gun embrasures, make two smaller gun ports, spaced so that their centers are twenty-two feet apart, in which culverins original: "schlangen," another term for culverins or "serpent" cannons. are placed. These embrasures are made three feet wide at the front and eleven at the back, but the parapet between the embrasures should be three feet thick. If the master gunners original: "püchsenmeister" are afraid, cover the embrasures with narrow planks original: "dilien" a hand-breadth thick, laid next to one another. These should be made so that if they are struck, they bounce, and shots deflect off them so the gunners are protected. How to prepare such things, as well as how to cover the heavy artillery, I will better demonstrate later when I draw the construction.

It also seems better to me that no embrasures be made on this building at all, but rather that the parapet be carried all the way around, high enough to reach approximately a man’s waist original: "girtel," or belt.. Let the wall remain at its full thickness and let it be sloped original: "abgewelckt" on the outside so that shots bounce off it, and let it be so positioned that no shot can take hold. For this reason, a straight line is better for this than a circular curve. However, let every lord choose whatever pleases him. On such an open bastion original: "freye pastey", one may move the artillery wherever one wishes. It would be good, however, if every gun had its own screen original: "schirm", square or triangular, set upon small wheels, so that they could be directed backward, forward, or sideways easily and quickly wherever one desires. Also, in convenient places on this bastion, one may construct walled trenches with steps, four feet deep, in which one [can stay] before the enemy...