then to bee
straight, and to be able to sustayne strongly al the payse, where when
the carte goeth even, and that they bee crooked, they sustayne it halfe:
but let us tourne to our citie and Fortresse. The Frenchemen use also
for more safegarde of the gates of their townes, and for to bee able in
sieges more easylye to convey and set oute men of them, besides the
sayde thinges, an other devise, of which I have not seene yet in Italye
anye insample: and this is, where they rayse on the oute side from the
ende of the drawe bridge twoo postes, and upon either of them they
joigne a beame, in suche wise that the one halfe of them comes over the
bridge, the other halfe with oute: then all the same parte that commeth
withoute, they joygne together with small quarters of woodde, the whiche
they set thicke from one beame to an other like unto a grate, and on the
parte within, they fasten to the ende of either of the beames a chaine:
then when they will shutte the bridge on the oute side, they slacke the
chaines, and let downe all the same parte like unto a grate, the whiche
comming downe, shuttethe the bridge, and when they will open it, they
drawe the chaines, and the same commeth to rise up, and they maye raise
it up so much that a man may passe under it, and not a horse, and so
much that there maye passe horse and man, and shutte it againe at ones,
for that it falleth and riseth as a window of a battelment. This devise
is more sure than the Parculles, because hardely it maye be of the
enemye lette in such wise, that it fall not downe, falling not by a
righte line as the Parculles, which easely may be underpropped. Therfore
they which will make a citie oughte to cause to be ordained all the
saide things: and moreover aboute the walle, there woulde not bee
suffered any grounde to be tilled, within a myle thereof, nor any wall
made, but shoulde be all champaine, where should be neither ditch nor
banck, neither tree nor house, which might let the fighte, and make
defence for the enemie that incampeth.

[Sidenote: Noote; The provision that is meete to be made for the defence
of a toune.]

And noote, that a Towne, whiche hathe the ditches withoute, with the
banckes higher then the grounde, is moste weake: for as muche as they
make defence to the enemye which assaulteth thee, and letteth him not
hurte thee, because easely they may be opened, and geve place to his
artillerye: but let us passe into the Towne. I will not loose so muc