ularly in violent
action, the guns became very hot, and "kicked" dangerously. Often they
recoiled with such force as to overturn, or to snap the breeching, or to
leap up to strike the upper beams. Brass guns were more skittish than
iron, but all guns needed a rest of two or three hours, if possible,
after continual firing for more than eight hours at a time. To cool a
gun in action, to keep it from bursting, or becoming red-hot, John
Roberts advises sponging "with spunges wet in ley and water, or water
and vinegar, or with the coolest fresh or salt water, bathing and
washing her both within and without." This process "if the Service is
hot, as it was with us at Bargen" should be repeated, "every eighth or
tenth shot." The powder in use for cannon was called Ordnance or
Corne-powder. It was made in the following proportion. To every five
pounds of refined saltpetre, one pound of good willow, or alder,
charcoal, and one pound of fine yellow sulphur. The ingredients were
braised together in a mortar, moistened with water distilled of orange
rinds, or aqua-vitae, and finally dried and sifted. It was a bright,
"tawny blewish colour" when well made. Fine powder, for muskets or
priming seems to have had a greater proportion of saltpetre.

The Naval Tracts of Sir W. Monson, contain a list of the sorts of cannon
mounted in ships of the time of Queen Elizabeth. It is not exhaustive,
but as Robert Norton and Sir Jonas Moore give similar lists, the curious
may check the one with the other.

Weight Weight Weight Point Length
Bore of of of Blank Random in
Cannon Shot Powder Range Feet

ins. lb. lb. lb. paces paces
Cannon Royal or
Double Cannon 81/2 8000 66 30 800 1930 M.L. 12
Cannon or
Whole Cannon 8 6000 60 27 770 2000 " 11
Cannon Serpentine 7 5500 531/2 25 200 2000 " 10
Bastard Cannon 7 4500 411/2 20 180 1800 " 10
Demi-Cannon 61/2-7 4000 331/2 18 170 1700 " 10
Cannon Petro or
Cannon Perier 6 4000 241/2 14 160 1600 " 4
Culverin 5-51/2 4500 171/2 12 200 2500 " 13
Basilisk 5 4000 15 10 230 3000 " 4
Demi-Culverin 4 34