THE KING'S MIRROR 215 



to ship and one with a shorter shaft, which you will find 

 particularly serviceable when you try to board the 

 enemy's ship. Various kinds of darts should be kept on 

 ships, both heavy javelins and lighter ones. Try to 

 strike your opponent's shield with a heavy javelin, and 

 if the shield glides aside, attack him with a light javelin, 

 unless you are able to reach him with a long-shafted 

 spear. Fight on sea as on land with an even temper and 

 with proper strokes only; and never waste_yoiir weapons 

 by hurling them to no purpose. 



Weapons of many sorts may be used to advantage on 

 shipboard, which one has no occasion to use on land, 

 except in a fortress or castle. Longhandled scythes * and 

 long-shafted broadaxes,t " war-beams " and staff slings, 

 darts, { and missiles of every sort are serviceable on 

 ships. Crossbows and longbows are useful as well as all 

 other forms of shooting weapons; but coal and sulphur 

 are, however, the most effective munitions of all that I 

 have named. Caltrops ; cast in lead and good halberds ^ 

 are also effective weapons on shipboard. A tower joined 



* These scythes were apparently used to catch and hold the 1 



perhaps also to cot the ropes on the ship. See the Soro etfition, 



t The broadai (tfajfux) had the blade extended backward somewhat like 



d^ffaUicri.tlM^mthefcfercMetheafaMmMdbJnHt 



See Falk, Ataordudte Wa/emtmmde, 108-110. 



I Skfpti/UUa: a dart of some sort with a cord attached. 



Coal and suphur seem to have been used chiefly to fire the enemy's ship. 



|| Caltrops were instruments provided with iron prongs and were usually 



scattered where the enemy's horsemen were likely to pass, in the hope of 



manning the horses. It is evident that they were also used in naval warfare, 



the purpose being to maim the men on the enemy's deck. See the Soro edition. 



f Aigwr. The translation is doubtful but it seems dear that some kind of 

 spear useful for striking as wcfl as for thrusting is meant. See Falk, 

 dixke Wtfemtnie, 81-OL 



