Fig 4. - A Ship of War with Crossbowmen
[Of this plate Valturius quaintly writes: "When everything
is cleared of navigation before the charge is made upon the enemy, it is
well that those who are about to engage the foe should first practise in
port, and grow accustomed to turn the tiller in calm water, to get ready
the iron grapples and hooked poles, and sharpen the axes and scythes at
their ends. The soldiers should learn to stand firm upon the decks and
keep their footing, so that what that they learn in sham fight they may
not shrink from in real action."] |