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in or about this year large cannon were first forged, and huge stone projectiles 
employed, and that when once the stone shot had been introduced they 
were made of all sizes from 7 lb. to 450 lb.; while lead, slowly superseding 
the more bulky cannon-arrow, was still in use for the smaller and port¬ 
able guns. At the close of the century there must have been in France 
cannon of every calibre from less than two inches to nearly twenty-two 
inches; and if the secret of granulating gunpowder had been discovered, 
no stone walled castle could have withstood for a day the breaching batteries 
which would have been brought to bear on it. Still however the costly 
ingredients were finely powdered by hand, and the other large engines of 
war still formed a large proportion of the artillery used in sieges and 
defences. Iron shot have not yet made their appearance in France. 
The Flemings were not behind the French in the matter of artillery, and 
Froissart gives us many instances of the uses to which their cannon were 
applied. When they were besieging Audenarde in 1379, we read that the 
fire of their cannon was such as to cause the defenders to cover the roofs of 
their houses with earth. 
“ Pour le trait des canons et du feu que les Flamands langoient et traioient 
soigneusement en la ville pour tout ardoir, on avoit fait couvrir les maisons de terre, 
par quoi le feu ne s’y put prendre.” 1 
Again at Tenremonde, the assault is described as long and horrible : 
“ Car ces Flamands avoient apporte, en leurs nefs, canons dont ils traioient les 
carreaux si grands et si forts, que qui en etoit consuivi, il n’y avoit point de remede 
qu’il ne fut mort. Mais a rencontre de ces carreaux on etoit moult pavesclie...” 2 
In the year 1382, an instance of the employment of cannon as a defence 
in the field is brought to our notice. They were small, and placed on 
wheeled carriages, protected in front by spikes projecting beyond them. 
When the army was arranged in order of battle these carriages, which were 
called “ ribaudequins," were placed in front as a protection from the 
enemy's attack. 3 In the present case we read in Froissart 4 that the men 
of Ghent, making war on the town of Bruges, set off towards the latter 
town; 
“ Et furent environ cinq mille hommes et non plus; et chargerent environ deux 
cents chars de canon et d’artillerie. 
When they had arrived near to Bruges, “ Se fortifient ils a l'une des parts 
et a l'autre lez de leurs charrois; ” and then, 
“ Ils se mirent en 1’ordonnance de bataille et se quatirent tous entre leurs ribau- 
deaux. Ces ribaudeaux sont brouettes hautes, bandees de fer, a longs picots de 
fer devant en la pointe, que ils seulent par usage mener et brouettes avecques eux; 
et puis les arrouterent devant leurs batailles, et la dedans s’encloirent.” 
1 Froissart, Vol. II. ch. 68, p. 80. 
3 Ibid. 
3 Of these wheeled carriages containing cannon and protected by pikes, we shall meet with other 
instances at a later date. See Christine de Pisan, Livre des Faits d’Armes, ch. 26, fol. 36. Pierre 
de Fenin. p. 660, Pantheon litteraire. Monstrelet, ch. 84, p. 206. 
4 Froissart, Vol. II. ch. 154, p. 203. 
