26 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Porli in 1358, which also prove that cannon were manufactured at S. Arch¬ 
angel for especial employment in this war. We can estimate from the same 
source the weight of the projectiles employed, and the price of the powder 
and other stores for the cannon. 
The original document is as follows : l 
1358. Die ultim. Jun. 
“pro 5 brachiis panni lini pro faciendo sachos pro retiendo pulverem bombar¬ 
darum, sol. 19, den. 6 . 
pro 25 lib. salnitre pro pulvere bombardarim ad rat. 65 . et 3 den. pro libra... 
.lib. 7 , sol. 16. 
pro una libra et 10 nnciis sulforis pro pulvere bombard, ad rat. 3 sol. pro libra 
,.sol. 5, den. 6 . 
pro uno mantegheto 2 causa accendendi ignem pro faciendo trahere bombardas 
.sol. 8 . 
pro una cimileia 3 ferri causa fortandi ignem pro faciendo trahere bombardas 
.sol. 6 . 
pro une martello, et uno pari tanagliarum ferri pro carigiando 4 bombardas 
.lib. 2 . 
pro 9 palottis bombardarum pondere 33 libr. ad rat. 2 sol. pro libra. 
lib. 3, sol. 4.” 
$ # # & % * 
Die 15 Sept. 
** nuntio misso de Cesena Sanctum Archangelum cum Iris directis vicario S. 
Archangeli pro parte Ser B as chi ut faceret fieri de bombardis .sol. x. 
* * * * * * 
vicario S. Archangeli super facto bombardarum, quse fiebant ibi.” 
Prom these accounts we gather that nine shot together weighed 33 lb. 5 
the average weight of each shot being thus 2§ lb. The price of 2s. per lb. is 
far beyond that of iron or lead, and corresponds with that of copper or bronze, 
of which we may reasonably suppose the shot were made. Saltpetre cost 
6 s. 3 cl. per lb. and sulphur 3s. per lb. 6 This, would make the price of a 
pound of gunpowder about 4$. 4 d. } supposing the proportions to be three 
parts saltpetre to one part sulphur and one part charcoal, as already described 
elsewhere. The stores include linen sacks to hold the powder, and the 
invariable bellows and hammer. On this occasion a pair of tongs is added, 
and the charcoal-pan is absent; possibly the cimileia may have something to 
do with this. 
Matteo Griffone 7 tells us that a Bolognese youth was struck and killed 
by means of a bombard of the enemy, at Casalecchio in 1360 ; and Azario, 8 
speaking of the attack on the same place, says that the Bolognese assaulted 
it with innumerable ladders, “ sclojios, uncinos ferreos, balistas &c. &c.” 
1 Fantuzzi, Monumenti Ravennati, Venezia, 1803, Vol. V. p. 412. 
2 Mcinticetto, mantaco , mantachetto, a pair of bellows. 
3 To this word no clue can be obtained ; probably it is wrongly copied from the MS. 
4 Carigare , onerare, charger, (Dueange). We have already seen the use of the hammer ill loading* 
6 33 lb. was the total weight of nine shot. They were clearly not 33 lb. each, as erroneously stated 
in the Etudes, Vol. II. p. 62. At Vol. III. p. 92, however, the weight is correctly given. 
6 In the following year the price of sulphur was reduced to 14| den. per lb. 
t Muratori, Rerum Italicarum Scriptorcs, Tom. 18, col. 176. 8 Ibid. Tom. 15, col. 387. 
