432 THE CENTURY, 



siderable time after the invention of fire-arms. Some 

 times they used them for undermining the walls. At the 

 siege of Ribadavia in Spain, during the reign of Richard 

 II. similar moveable machines were used. See Frois- 

 sart, viii. c. 26. Such an engine is also mentioned by 

 the Marquis of Worcester in his Century of Inventions.&quot; 



. 3 1 - 



A way how fafely and fpeedily 

 to make an approach to a Caftle or 

 Town-wall, and over the very Ditch 

 at Noon-day. 



[An approaching Blinde.~\ Vegetius, in &quot; De re mili- 

 tari,&quot; 1535, depicts and describes several kinds of these 

 ancient military blinds, screens, and other contrivances 

 and machines for protecting the attacking party. At 

 page 15 he shows a ponderous advancing screen or shield 

 on four wheels, and at two pages further a side view of 

 the same, covering a large body of soldiers. Some 

 have raised, hinged platforms, to be lowered for cross 

 ing a ditch. 



Grose says : &quot; The cattus, cat-house, gattus or cat, 

 was a covered shed, occasionally fixed on wheels, and 

 used for covering soldiers employed in filling up the 

 ditch, &c.&quot; Military Antiquities, 4to. 1801. 



: 3 2 - . . 



How to compofe an univerfal 

 Charater methodical and eafie to 

 be written, yet intelligible in any 

 Language ; fo that if an Englilh-man 

 write it in Engliih, a French-man, 5 

 Italian, Spaniard, Iriih, 6 Welih, 7 



4 man omitted. c Irish and. or Welclimau. P. 



