minion

The minion (from the French mignon or "dainty") was a type of smoothbore cannon used during the Tudor period and into the late 17th century. It was of a smaller bore diameter - typically - than larger cannons such as sakers and culverins, and usually fired round shot weighing . History The minion constituted the main armament of the fast and maneuverable Elizabethan-era galleons, such as Francis Drake's Golden Hind, along with the smaller falconet. The supply ships that accompanied the Spanish Armada had similar guns, but the larger ships of the Spanish treasure fleet bringing gold back from the New World carried heavier cannon such as the demi-culverin and demi-cannon, and relied on their size and weight in battle, as they were purpose-built warships rather than merchant ships pressed into service. The Pilgrims brought a minion with them on the Mayflower, along with a saker and several smaller cannons. They later installed these in the fortified meeting-house that Myles Standish built to defend the town from the French and Spanish.