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Library/Codex Madrid II/f 96v-f 97r

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Codex Madrid II — f 96v-f 97r

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Biblioteca Nacional de España, Madrid

[continuazione del fol. 96 verso] (dal basso verso l'alto:)

si faccia una piccia porta, con due bonbardiere per fianco, per la509 quale si possi, al bisognio, evacuare il fosso.

Il fondamento del muro sia in fondo del fosso. Di poi s'inalzi colla scarpa a 2/3 della sua alteza. El muro sia grosso secondo la resistentia del tereno, tenace o510 ffermo, perché se 'l fondo fussi pietra, sarebe bastante da 3 in 4 piedi511. E sse è il teren debole, facciasi più grosso a discretione. E esso fondamento sia con molti e forti contraforti, i quali in forma di semicirculo giostrino l'un contra l'altro, tenendo i' mezo il muro. E cquesto si facci insino al pian della terra. E dalla terra in su il muro sia grosso piedi 18 o 20, e alto da 8 in 10 piedi, secondo che per coprirsi fussi necessario, colli medesimi ricinti gole e basst[i]oni, che de' torrioni di sopra è detto. E sopra di questo, sieno li becatelli, parapetti e merli, come prima disi.

Delle porti.

Facciasi le porti in quella parte di fori che manco da bonbarda pò essere offesa, per la quale s'abbia più libero transito che è possibile, come di sopra dissi. E dinanti sia uno rivellino, colle parte di sopra assegnate. Terzo, che lla porta non sia senplice, anzi abi più intrate riversscie, e più porte e [prima] che alla principale e ultima porta si pervenghi della forteza. Quarta, che nessuna porta sia a risscontro dell'altra. Quinta, che la prima entrata non sia mai per faccia volta512 inverso la canpagna, ma per fianco. Sesta, che ogni porta abbi le difese per fianco. Settima, che ll'entrata della porta senpre sia sepulta e bbassa, acciò che andando a cquella, senpre s'asscenda, e nell'usscir si salga. Ottavo è che la porta sia bassa e sstretta, salvando la debita proportione, acciò che manco sia offesa di fuori e di minor guardia e ddi magior fortezza.

[continuation of fol. 96 verso] (from the bottom upward:)

let a small gate be made, with two embrasures on each flank, through which the ditch may, at need, be drained. The foundation of the wall should be at the bottom of the ditch. Then let it rise with a battered face to two-thirds of its height. Let the wall be thick according to the resistance of the ground, tenacious or firm, for if the bottom were rock, 3 to 4 feet would be enough; and if the ground is weak, make it thicker at discretion. And let that foundation have many strong counterforts which, in the form of a semicircle, joust one against another, holding the wall in their midst. And let this be carried up to ground level. From the ground upward let the wall be 18 or 20 feet thick, and 8 to 10 feet high, as far as would be needed for cover, with the same enclosing gorges and bastions described of the towers above. And upon this let there be the machicolations, parapets and merlons, as I said before.

Of the gates.

Make the gates in that part of the outer works that can least be harmed by bombard, through which one has as free a passage as possible, as I said above. And in front let there be a ravelin, with the parts assigned above. Third, that the gate be not single, but rather have several reversed entries, and several gates, before one reaches the principal and last gate of the fortress. Fourth, that no gate be opposite another. Fifth, that the first entrance never face turned toward the open country, but sideways. Sixth, that every gate have its defenses on the flank. Seventh, that the entrance of the gate always be sunken and low, so that going to it one always ascends, and going out one climbs. Eighth, that the gate be low and narrow, keeping due proportion, so that it be less exposed from outside, needs a smaller guard, and has greater strength.

Fortress Walls, Foundations and the Design of Gates

Wall thickness and counterforts, and eight rules for siting and building defensible gates

Weapons & Fortification Architecture Civil Engineering

A page of fortification theory continued from the previous folio, written in dense text without diagrams. It specifies how a rampart wall should be founded at the bottom of the ditch, raised with a battered face to two-thirds of its height, and thickened according to the firmness of the ground, braced by semicircular counterforts. A concluding section 'Of the gates' lays out eight rules for making an entrance defensible: a ravelin in front, multiple reversed gates, no gate opposite another, flanking defenses, and a low, narrow, sunken passage that is hard to assault.

On this page

Foundation, batter and semicircular counterforts of the wall

The wall is founded at the bottom of the ditch and rises with a battered face to two-thirds of its height, its thickness set by the ground: three to four feet on rock, thicker on weak soil. Strong counterforts shaped as semicircles 'joust one against another' to hold the wall between them. From ground level up the wall stands 18 to 20 feet thick and 8 to 10 feet high, crowned with machicolations, parapets and merlons.

Eight rules for a defensible gate

The gate should sit where bombards can least reach it and be fronted by a ravelin. It must not be single but have several reversed entries and gates before the main one; no gate faces another; the first entrance turns sideways rather than toward the open country; every gate is flanked by defenses; and the passage is kept low, narrow and sunken so one always climbs to enter and to leave.

Reader's Edition — described with AI from the e-Leo transcription.