The Great Art of Artillery, Part One

TO THE READER.

...and to publish it: namely, the singular clemency and royal kindness, and the express command of the most serene and most August Prince, GREAT WLADISLAU IV, the most powerful King of Poland and Sweden, recently—to the never-repairable loss, not only of my country but also of all of Christendom—taken from us by an immature death! For after a peregrination of many years, which we conducted among foreign nations, when we had returned to our homeland at the mandate of his Majesty, he immediately adorned us with new honors, and with his own liberal and munificent hand, relieved our indigence.

Therefore, in our spare hours, we arranged in order those things which we had noted down over the space of many years. And by a fortuitous case, these became known to the most Illustrious Prince Georgius Ossolinius, the Supreme Chancellor of the Kingdom. He, an excellent cultivator of all disciplines, and especially military ones, and always most favorably inclined toward us because of this single study, and our most benevolent Maecenas, immediately reported it to his Majesty and made our labor in writing the rules of this art known. This was not unwelcome to his Majesty; and believing that we had satisfied his expectation in some part, he encouraged us with his Royal clemency and liberality to carry out those things we had proposed. Giving us his paternal blessing, he commanded us to travel to Belgium.

Now, therefore, you have, studious reader, both the first origin of our Art, its etymology, and our reasons for writing these things, sufficiently explained by us. Further, receive the arrangement which we will retain in this entire work. We divide the treatment of our Artillery into two parts. The FIRST is this which you see, divided into five books:

The FIRST is about the Rule of the caliber, a common pyrotechnic instrument, its artificial structure, and its use. Also about the proportion of metals and various minerals in weight and size to one another, and the transmutation of one metallic body into another, given either the weight or size of both, whether already made or yet to be fashioned. Thirdly, about the systems of weights throughout almost the entire world, their names, and the equations of one with another, or the reductions of all to some certain weight. Fourthly, about machines and weighing instruments. Fifthly, about measures of both liquids and dry goods, reduced to weights. Sixthly, finally, about measures of intervals.

The SECOND book treats of Materials and Material things whose use is in Artillery; namely, how they are to be prepared so that they may subsequently be used conveniently in our works. Some things are also added about the storage of gunpowder, and what should be observed in keeping it without any corruption; and also about instruments for measuring pyrotechnic materials, and for crushing, sifting, and grinding the same.

The THIRD book explains the reasons for constructing rockets; where it is also taught how all instruments necessary for this are to be prepared. Furthermore, the true method for preparing compositions to load the rockets is proposed. We place the rockets into four types: climbing with sticks, climbing without sticks, aquatic, and those running upon ropes.

In the FOURTH book, we comprehend all globes, both recreational and serious-military. Of the number of recreational ones are aerial, jumping, and aquatic. Included here are little stars, sparks, shining, and odoriferous globes. The serious ones are plainly numberless; but here only the principal ones: such as grenades, both manual and those accustomed to be ejected from mortars and cannons, among which we count certain "blind" ones. Also, incendiary or ignited globes of various species: wooden ones loaded with manual grenades, those scattering fiery rain, multiple wooden or iron ones, shining, famous likely referring to "fame" or signal globes, fetid, poisonous, clandestine, death's heads, servants, bundles, pyrotechnic hail, various chained ones, and finally, shots of every kind, both iron and paper.

The FIFTH book finally claims for itself Machines and various Pyrotechnic structures, masses, missiles, and weapons, both recreational and serious. Among the recreational works we count here: shields, bucklers, scimitars, short-swords, swords, pikes, aquatic and terrestrial wheels, both horizontal and vertical, staves, clubs, chalices, and tubes of every kind. Also various huge recreational machines, such as palaces, triumphal arches, castles, pyramids, obelisks, columns, statues of men and beasts...