[Why the Spanish admirall came to lee-wards.]
The reason why the admirall came to lee-wardes, as after I understood,
was for that her artillery being very long, and the wind fresh, bearing
a taunt sayle to fetch us up, and to keepe us company, they could not
use their ordinance to the weather of us, but lay shaking in the wind:
and doubtlesse it is most proper for shippes to have short ordinance,
except in the sterne or chase. The reasons are many: viz.--easier
charging, ease of the shippes side, better traversing, and mounting;
yea, greater security of the artillery, and consequently of the ship.
For the longer the peece is, the greater is the retention of the fire,
and so the torment and danger of the peece the greater.
But here will be contradiction by many, that dare avouch that longer
peeces are to be preferred; for that they burne their powder better, and
carrie the shott further, and so necessarily of better execution;
whereas the short artillery many times spend much of their powder
without burning, and workes thereby the slenderer effect.
To which I answere, that for land service, fortes, or castles, the long
peeces are to bee preferred: but for shipping, the shorter are much more
serviceable. And the powder in them, being such as it ought, will be all
fiered long before the shott can come forth; and to reach farre in
fights at sea, is to little effect. For he that purposeth to annoy his
enemie, must not shoot at randome, nor at point blanke, if hee purpose
to accomplish with his devoire, nether must hee spend his shott nor
powder, but where a pot-gun may reach his contrary; how much the neerer,
so much the better: and this duely executed, the short artillery will
worke its effect as well as the long; otherwise, neither short nor long
are of much importance: but here my meaning is not to approve the
overshort peeces, devised by some persons, which at every shott they
make, daunce out of their carriages, but those of indifferent length,
and which keepe the meane, betwixt seaven and eight foote.[213]