Various Questions and Inventions

as appears below in the third figure), it is understood to be at the greatest elevation possible. (I speak of a piece of artillery, because mortars can then be elevated in all the other following points up to the twelfth.) And this which we have said of the points should also be understood of the minutes, that is, when a piece is so elevated that the plumb line falls precisely upon the division of the first minute, that is, upon the twelfth part of the first point, such a piece is understood to be elevated one minute; and when it falls upon the two minutes, it is understood to be elevated two minutes. The same shall be understood of all the others, up to the greater elevation, that is, to the elevation of the sixth point, or seventy-two minutes, as appears in the said third figure. The other minutes that follow to the end are for the elevations of mortars.

A woodcut illustration of a cannon mounted on a wooden carriage, shown in a horizontal (leveled) position. A quadrant instrument with a plumb line is attached to the rear of the breech to measure the angle of elevation.

A woodcut illustration of the same cannon, now tilted upwards at the muzzle. The plumb line on the measurement quadrant at the rear has shifted along the scale, indicating an elevation of one "ponto" (point) or twelve "minuti" (minutes).