The guns of the sixteenth century were extraordinarily varied. The largest was the cannon-royal of rather more than 8½ inches diameter,[24] 8 feet 6 inches in length, and weighing about 8,000 lb.; its charge of powder was about 30 lb., and its shot weighed 74 lb. The cannon was 8 inches diameter, weighed about 6,000 lb., and with a charge of 27 lb. threw a shot of 60 to 63 lb. The cannon-serpentine was of 7 inches diameter, weighed 5,500 lb., and with a charge of 25 lb. threw a shot of 42 lb. The bastard-cannon was of about the same length as the cannon-serpentine, but a lighter weapon, and though the charge of powder was 5 lb. less, the weight of the shot was the same. The demi-cannon varied from a little under 6½ inches diameter to 6¾ inches, and was about 11 feet in length and weighed about 4,000 lb., and with a charge of 18 lb., threw a projectile weighing from 31 to 33½ lb. The bore of the cannon-pedro, or petro, was 6 inches, its weight about 3,800 lb., its shot, usually of stone, whence its name, from 24 to 26 lb. The diameter of the culverin was from 5¼ inches to 5½ inches, its length was close upon 11 feet, its weight 4,840 lb., it received a 12 lb. charge, and fired an 18 lb. shot. The basilisk was slightly shorter and lighter, and its 14 lb. shot required 9 lb. of powder. The diameter of the demi-culverin was 4 inches, its weight 3,400 lb., its charge was 6 lb., and its shot 8 to 9½ lb. The culverin-bastard seems to have been of half an inch larger bore, about 8½ feet long, but to have been 400 lb. lighter than the demi-culverin, and to have fired an 11 lb. shot with a charge of 5¾ lb. The saker, or sacar, was a far smaller weapon, being less than 3¾ inches diameter, under 7 feet in length, and weighing about 1,400 lb.; its charge was 4 lb., and its shot 4 to 6 lb. The minion, slightly smaller in all respects, threw a 3 lb. to 4 lb. shot. The falcon was of 2½ inches diameter, 6 feet long, weighed 680 lb., and fired a 2 lb. shot with a charge of a little over 1 lb. of powder. The falconet was a smaller edition of the falcon. The serpentine was of 1½ inches diameter, weighed 400 lb., and fired a ½-lb. shot; and the rabinet, or robinet, was an even lighter weapon. For loading, canvas or paper cartridges were used, but an iron ladle for the powder was preferred. The following list of commands in the gun-drill contrasts oddly with what would pass in the turret of, say, a modern super-Dreadnought:-- “Search your piece; sponge your piece; fill your ladle; put in your powder; empty your ladle; put up your powder; thrust home your wad; regard your shot; put home your shot gently; thrust home your last wad with three strokes; gauge your piece.”