hen smalle or meane peeses. If the enemie come to
scale, the heigth of the firste walle moste easely defendeth thee: if he
come with ordinaunce, it is convenient for hym to batter the utter
walle: but it beyng battered, for that the nature of the batterie is, to
make the walle to fall, towardes the parte battered, the ruine of the
walle commeth, finding no diche that receiveth and hideth it, to
redouble the profunditie of thesame diche: after soche sorte, that to
passe any further, it is not possible, findyng a ruine that with holdeth
thee, a diche that letteth thee, and the enemies ordinaunce, that from
the walle of the diche, moste safely killeth thee. Onely there is this
remedie, to fill the diche: the whiche is moste difficulte to dooe, as
well bicause the capacitie thereof is greate, as also for the
difficultie, that is in commyng nere it, the walle beeyng strong and
concaved, betwene the whiche, by the reasons aforesaied, with
difficultie maie be entered, havyng after to goe up a breache through a
ruin, whiche giveth thee moste greate difficultie, so that I suppose a
citee thus builded, to be altogether invinsible.

BAPTISTE. When there should bee made besides the diche within, a diche
also without, should it not bee stronger?

FABRICIO. It should be without doubt, but mindyng to make one diche
onely, myne opinion is, that it standeth better within then without.

BAPTISTE. Would you, that water should bee in the diches, or would you
have them drie?

[Sidenote: A drie diche is moste sureste.]

FABRICIO. The opinion of men herein bee divers, bicause the diches full
of water, saveth thee from mines under grounde, the Diches without
water, maketh more difficulte the fillyng of them: but I havyng
considered all, would make them without water, for that thei bee more
sure: For diches with water, have been seen in the Winter to bee frosen,
and to make easie the winnyng of a citee, as it happened to Mirandola,
when Pope Julie besieged it: and for to save me from mines, I would make
it so deepe, that he that would digge lower, should finde water.

[Sidenote: An advertisemente for the buildyng and defending of a Toune
or Fortresse; Small fortresses cannot bee defended; A toune of war or
Fortresse, ought not to have in them any retiring places; Cesar Borgia;
The causes of the losse of the Fortresse of Furlie, that was thought
invincible; Howe the houses that are in a toune of war or Fortresse
ought to be builded.]

Th