36 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
The tassatorium , l or as it is also called in the last item pahim, was ascoop 
or ladle at the end of a long handle, used for loading with powder. It was 
of wood, or of iron with a wooden handle. 
There were 750 iron round shot, 2220 stone shot, and 65 lb. iron for 
making shot. 
Thus in Italy, as we have seen elsewhere, the small cannon and the large 
bombard with stone projectiles were employed side by side. Italy, always 
a step in advance of other nations in artillery, was in possession of the stone- 
projecting bombards some years earlier than the other countries which we 
have considered; and also enjoyed the advantage of iron shot in place of 
leaden ones. In all these Italian documents we have no mention of lead as 
a material for shot. Doubtless the superiority of the iron from its greater 
hardness was found out at an early date in Italy, and as it also combined the 
advantage of cheapness, it was invariably preferred for the smaller natures 
of guns. 
We have now traced, as proposed, the history of cannon through the 
second half of the fourteenth century, in Trance, Belgium, England, and 
Italy. Let us state in a few words the conclusions to which we are led. 
Cannon of iron and bronze under the various names of guns, lombards, 
cannon, sclopi, or schioppi , are found bound down to large heavy wooden 
beds, and employed in sieges both for attack and defence throughout the 
whole period. Projectiles of lead, stone, and in Italy, iron, and even bronze, 
were thrown by them ; also arrows, and Greek fire. But it appears, from 
the length of time which sieges lasted, that the art of opening a practicable 
breach by means of cannon had not yet been invented. Indeed, it is very 
doubtful whether with such powder sufficient force could have been obtained 
for that purpose. This powder was still a comparatively feeble agent. The 
ingredients pounded by hand in a mortar, were themselves but imperfectly 
purified, and when reduced to a state of fine powder, the gas must have 
passed very slowly through the mixture, and an immense quantity of the 
charge must have been blown out without being ignited. To prevent 
excessive windage, the leaden shot were driven forcibly home into the bore 
of the piece by means of a mallet and drift, (drivel, cache, poussoir,) and the 
soft nature of the metal allowed them completely to fill the bore. With iron 
and stone shot fired from the large guns, no drift was used, but the shot was 
inserted from the muzzle, and the powder by a scoop from the breech, which 
was then closed by a wooden tompion. The hot iron was still used to fire 
the charge through a vent, which was often covered to keep the powder 
dry. But rough as these appliances were, we must not despise too much 
the cannon of the fourteenth century. They were suited to the age. To 
knock down such a piece of wall as to kill twenty-two men at once, is a feat 
which is not easy even in these days ; and it is interesting to consider 
how the very defects were suited to each other. With the appliances for 
forging and welding iron so imperfect as they were, what would have been 
1 Palua, Baa. leLt.polle, Fr. (Ducange). Faele,pelle, (Roquefort). La t.patella. Ital. Fala, 
Any broad flat shovel or scoop, a baker’s peel (FJorio). 
Tassa. scbyphus, patera. Fr. Tasse, (Ducange). SchypMs, a scoop. 
