Obs. 6–7; also 6 bass. [app. a corruption (cf. prec.) of F. barce, berche (both in Cotgr., in same sense.] The smallest kind of cannon used in 16–17th centuries; see quot.
1544. in Lodge, Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1838), I. 105. Bastard culverins … besides other small field pieces, falcons, and bases.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1021/1. Their ordinance, namelie basses and slings.
1611. Cotgr., Berche, the peece of ordnance called a Base.
1623. Minsheu, Esmirel, a kind of artillery, to the bignes of an harquebus de croc called a base.
1692. in Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., II. vii. 96. Base … Diameter of bore 1·25 in., weight 200 lb., weight of shot 0·5 lb.
attrib. 1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. II. 20. We let fall our grapnel almost a base shot off the shoare.
