Of thoſe Parts of the Fortreſs where the Soldiers are to ſtand either to keep
centinel, or to fight. Of the Covering or Roof of the Fortreſs, and in what
Manner it is to be made ſtrong, and of the other Conveniencies neceſſary in the
Caſtle, either of a King or a Tyrant.
centinel, or to fight. Of the Covering or Roof of the Fortreſs, and in what
Manner it is to be made ſtrong, and of the other Conveniencies neceſſary in the
Caſtle, either of a King or a Tyrant.
The Place where the Soldiers are to ſtand
to keep centinel, and to defend the
Wall, ſhould be ſo laid out, that ſome may
guard the lower Parts of the Fortreſs, others
the upper, thus being all diſtributed into vari
ous Poſts and Employments. In a Word, the
Entrance in, and Paſſage out, and every ſepa
rate Part ſhould be ſo contrived and ſecured,
that it may be expoſed neither to the Treach
ery of Friends, nor the Force or Fraud of Ene
mies. The Roofs in a Fortreſs ſhould be built
with an acute Angle, and very ſtrong, that
they may not eaſily be demoliſhed by the
Weight of what is thrown from the military
Engines; the Rafters in them muſt ſtand very
cloſe together, and a Covering over them, and
then lay the Gutters for carrying off the Rain,
but entirely without Lime or Mortar. Then
make a Covering over the Whole of Pieces of
Tile, or rather of Pumice-ſtones, to the Heighth
of three Foot: Thus it will neither be in
Danger from any Weight falling upon it, nor
from Fire. In ſhort, a Fortreſs is to be built
like a little Town: It ſhould be fortified with
the ſame Care and Art, and if poſſible, pro
vided with all the Conveniencies that a Town
ſhould be. It muſt not want Water, nor ſuf
ficient room for lodging the Soldiers, and laying
up Stores of Arms, Corn, Salted-meat, Vine
gar, and particularly Wood. And within this
Fortreſs too, that which we called the princi
pal Tower, ought to be a little Fortreſs within
itſelf, and ſhould want none of the Conveni
encies required in a great one. It ſhould have
its own Ciſterns, and Store-rooms for all Pro
viſions neceſſary, either for its Maintenance or
Defence. It ſhould have Paſſages, by which
it may upon Occaſion attack even its own
Friends, and for the Admiſſion of Succours. I
will not omit one Circumſtance, which is, that
Caſtles have ſometimes been defended by
Means of their private Paſſages for Water, and
Towns taken by Means of their Drains. Both
theſe may be of Uſe for ſending out private
Meſſengers. But you ſhould be ſure to con
trive them ſo, that they may do you more Ser
vice than Prejudice. Let them therefore be
made but juſt big enough; let them run wind
ing ſeveral Ways, and let them end in ſome
very deep Place, that there may not be room
enough for a Man with his Arms, and that
even one unarmed may not get into the Caſtle
without being permitted or called. The
Mouths of them may end very conveniently
in ſome common Drain, or rather in ſome un
known deſart Place, or in a private Chapel, or
a Tomb in ſome Church. We ſhould like
wiſe never be unprovided againſt human Acci
dents and Calamities; and therefore it will be
very proper to have ſome Paſſage into the very
Heart of the Fortreſs, known to nobody but
yourſelf; by which if you ſhould ever happen
to be ſhut out, you may immediately get in
with an armed Force: And perhaps one good
Way to do this may be to have ſome very pri
vate Part of the Wall built only of Earth or
Chalk, and not of Stone and Mortar. Thus
much may ſuffice for what is neceſſary to be
done for a ſingle Perſon that is poſſeſſed of the
Government, whether King or Tyrant.
to keep centinel, and to defend the
Wall, ſhould be ſo laid out, that ſome may
guard the lower Parts of the Fortreſs, others
the upper, thus being all diſtributed into vari
ous Poſts and Employments. In a Word, the
Entrance in, and Paſſage out, and every ſepa
rate Part ſhould be ſo contrived and ſecured,
that it may be expoſed neither to the Treach
ery of Friends, nor the Force or Fraud of Ene
mies. The Roofs in a Fortreſs ſhould be built
with an acute Angle, and very ſtrong, that
they may not eaſily be demoliſhed by the
Weight of what is thrown from the military
Engines; the Rafters in them muſt ſtand very
cloſe together, and a Covering over them, and
then lay the Gutters for carrying off the Rain,
but entirely without Lime or Mortar. Then
make a Covering over the Whole of Pieces of
Tile, or rather of Pumice-ſtones, to the Heighth
of three Foot: Thus it will neither be in
Danger from any Weight falling upon it, nor
from Fire. In ſhort, a Fortreſs is to be built
like a little Town: It ſhould be fortified with
the ſame Care and Art, and if poſſible, pro
vided with all the Conveniencies that a Town
ſhould be. It muſt not want Water, nor ſuf
ficient room for lodging the Soldiers, and laying
up Stores of Arms, Corn, Salted-meat, Vine
gar, and particularly Wood. And within this
Fortreſs too, that which we called the princi
pal Tower, ought to be a little Fortreſs within
itſelf, and ſhould want none of the Conveni
encies required in a great one. It ſhould have
its own Ciſterns, and Store-rooms for all Pro
viſions neceſſary, either for its Maintenance or
Defence. It ſhould have Paſſages, by which
it may upon Occaſion attack even its own
Friends, and for the Admiſſion of Succours. I
will not omit one Circumſtance, which is, that
Caſtles have ſometimes been defended by
Means of their private Paſſages for Water, and
Towns taken by Means of their Drains. Both
theſe may be of Uſe for ſending out private
Meſſengers. But you ſhould be ſure to con
trive them ſo, that they may do you more Ser
vice than Prejudice. Let them therefore be
made but juſt big enough; let them run wind
ing ſeveral Ways, and let them end in ſome
very deep Place, that there may not be room
enough for a Man with his Arms, and that
even one unarmed may not get into the Caſtle
without being permitted or called. The
Mouths of them may end very conveniently
in ſome common Drain, or rather in ſome un
known deſart Place, or in a private Chapel, or
a Tomb in ſome Church. We ſhould like
wiſe never be unprovided againſt human Acci
dents and Calamities; and therefore it will be
very proper to have ſome Paſſage into the very
Heart of the Fortreſs, known to nobody but
yourſelf; by which if you ſhould ever happen
to be ſhut out, you may immediately get in
with an armed Force: And perhaps one good
Way to do this may be to have ſome very pri
vate Part of the Wall built only of Earth or
Chalk, and not of Stone and Mortar. Thus
much may ſuffice for what is neceſſary to be
done for a ſingle Perſon that is poſſeſſed of the
Government, whether King or Tyrant.
CHAP. VI.