good Sir pardon me you speake according to your skill Now to aunswere you I say Such bookes haue beene written by men of sundrie humours sundrie qualities and sundrie professions As some haue beene penned by learned men as Politicians Geometricians and Mathematicians which neuer saw any warres Some by men of small learning but by their practise and long continuance in warres Some againe haue beene penned by men both of good learning and long experience in warres the last of these are to bee best approued as all men of iudgement must confesse Now the vnsouldier-learned to the vnlettered souldier may be paralleld or comparaisoned as the Phisition Theorike to the grosse practitioner and vnto the learned souldier as the Theorike onely vnto the Theorike and Practike ioyntly in a perfect Phisition And this is my opinion of the diuersitie of warre-writers of all which I suppose the last to be chiefely followed Well now to your reading Captaines many of them that reade do neither vnderstand the Methode nor meaning of the writer many do vnderstand the Methode and not the meaning and some againe as men of quicker conceipt most fit for warres do vnderstand both Methode meaning yet by want of experience practise they are farre from a perfect souldier and more from a worthie Captaine The proofe of this is soone seene for of your first sort bring one of them into the field with a hundred men he will neuer ranke them aright without helpe and God knoweth with what puzzeling and toyle there is the end of his seruice yea and thinkes he hath done well too Now let one of your second sort come into the field with the like number he will ranke them three and three but at euery third ranke he must call to his boy holae sirra where is my Booke and hauing all ranked them then marcheth he on faire and farre wyde from a souldiers march then commeth he to cast them into a ring about about about till he hath inclosed himselfe in the Center now there is he puzzelled hola maister stand still vntill I haue looked in my Booke by this time there is a faire ring broken Lastly let your thirde quicke conceipted man come into the field with his companie he rankes them by three fiue or seuen in a ranke Pikes halfe in front halfe in traines Colours and browne Billes in the middest deuides his shot halfe in vaward halfe in rereward and marcheth on in some prettie good sort casteth his Ring and happily commeth out againe but two to one he misseth his counter-ring Well this is well say our Citizens and countrie people But how farre all these Captaines are wide to shew their souldiers the right vse of each weapon a man of meane iudgement may perceiue much lesse to bring them to the face of the enemie without a manifest daunger or wilfull ouerthrowe Examples hereof I might recite enow but I pray God if euer it come to the proofe we leaue not too many examples our selues For there be many points in a souldier and more in a Captaine which can not be attayned by reading but by practise and experience and that de Veras as the Spaniard sayth in earnest and not de Burla in ieast True it is the trayning of men is to good and very great purpose especially were it done in such sufficient sort and by such sufficient Trayners as the waightinesse of the cause requireth wherein each souldier should perfectly learne his march knowe the seuerall sounds of the Drumme to keepe his place and array in good order when to march when and how to charge when to retire when to stand how to handle the weapon committed vnto him with a number of other points most needfull in these times to be throughly knowne vnto your trayned men yea and to others also were it possible Gent. Trulie Captaine you deale somewhat roundly with our Citizen and countrie Captaines scarce worth thanks at their hands Capt. Sir I wold be loth to offend any but being demāded I must needs speak the truth so neare as I can for according to my opinion and skill I haue answered your questions giuing you to vnderstand that my opinion is not so of all for I do know many sufficient Gentlemen and Citizens most willing to the seruice who are highly to be commended for their good care and diligence therein yet doubtlesse they will be to seeke in many points if it should come to the proofe True it is all men are not of one constitution of body humours and spirits for some men are fit for warres some for peace some for the countrie some for the citie some for learning some for manuall crafts some to gouerne some to bee gouerned some able to conduct a Companie but not a Regiment some a Regiment but not a Royall Campe of which last sort verie few are to be found To conclude Naturall inclination doth worke wonderfull effects in all kind of Professions for some men being naturally humoured thereunto do prooue better souldiours in fiue yeares experience then some others in fifteene and it is much yea it importeth all almost to be often in Action For a man haunting long the warres and seeing litle execution is as one that vseth often the Fence-schooles but neuer taketh weapon in hand And if anie of my speeches may seeme vnto some to exceede the bounds of Decorum I haue bene vrged thereunto by the litle reputation had of Souldiers amongst vs for surely such as haue followed the warres are despised almost of euerie man vntill a verie pinch of need doth come then haue we faire speeches good countenances for a litle time but the action once ended and the feare past frownes do follow and cold rewards so that the profession of Armes hath amongst vs of all others bene least esteemed in these our later dayes the reason is we haue had litle need of warres and consequently litle vse whereby we are growne ignorant in the Arte. Gent. Then I perceiue Experience makes men perfect but most perfectest if with Experience be coupled the naturall instinct you speake of but me thinks that the bad reputation we haue had of Souldiers in our age springeth not of the litle vse we haue had of warres so much as from the disorder of such as haue professed the same Capt. I must confesse there hath bene and is many times great disorders committed by some professours and followers of warres the which in mine opinion proceedeth from two causes the one from the bad choise of some Captaines Souldiers and Officers made at the first by those who had commission or authoritie for the same next by reason of the litle discipline vsed amongst those so chosen for many haue bin chosen by fauor friendship or affectiō litle respecting their experience vertues or vices whereby most commonly the fawning flatterer the audacious prater the subtill
thereof seeing that all practices of mechanicall Artes do follow the same order and course to come to the cunning of their craft Gent. Good Captaine you haue largely discoursed vpon the points and parts in generall which ought to bee in a souldier and mee thinkes so many good parts are hardly to be found in one man Capt. True it is and very rare in deede yet euery honorable souldier that resolueth to follow warres ought with all his endeuour to trie to attaine to all those good partes according to his capacitie and wit and although his abilitie be not able to attaine all yet vnto some some better then fewe fewe better then none at all the first to be honoured the next to be accepted the third to be reiected Thus may you see how many good partes are requisite to a perfect souldier not learned by hearesay nor gayned with ease but with care diligence industrie valour practise and continuance and most of all perfected with learning annexed with long exercise and vse Gent. Then I see you would haue a souldier to be learned withall which you seemed to dislike in our booke Captaine at the first Capt. You mistake me farre for I euer allow and honour the learned souldier for what famous Commaunders haue there yet bene vnlearned and without letters Themistocles Alcibiades Alexander Caesar Scipio with all the rout of the braue Romane Commaunders and as many braue men as euer were since were men learned and read Thus I rest for this time till a new day to beginne The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is declared the particular parts of sundrie Martiall Officers from the Caporall to the Captaine of Infanterie Gentleman CVrteous Captaine your yesterdayes Discourses haue giuen vs such content that we are now inflamed to know further herein Wherefore I beseech you to proceede with your Martiall matters describing vnto vs each office in particular whereunto my selfe and these other Gentlemen will giue our diligent attention Capt. The orders obserued by Antiquitie I let passe falling in few tearmes to our Moderne customes wherein you shall vnderstand that all Campes are framed of Men Weapons Munition and good Chieftaines wherein there is some difference in euery Nation but the course which herein I meane to follow shal be most after the Italian Spaniard who haue had the chiefe managing of warres in Europe these 50. or 60. yeares and with whom I haue most frequented and serued A Royall campe therefore being leuied and gathered the Prince with his Councell of warre appointeth a most sufficient Generall then a Campe-master generall a Captaine generall of the Cauallerie a Captaine generall of the Artillerie the Campe is deuided into sundry Tertios or Regiments ouer euery regiment a Campe-maister or Colonell the Campe-maister deuides his regimēt into companies ouer euery company a Captaine also euery Regiment hath his Sergeant Maior and ouer the whole armie a Sergeant Maior Generall Touching the number of a seuerall Company some thinke 100. some 150. sufficient but whether it be of 100.150.200.300 or more or a Regiment of such seuerall companies being fitted with Captaines and Officers of sufficiencie it importeth not much for some Captaines can better gouerne 300. then some others 150. Now the Captaine hauing his cōpany appointed which he is to direct gouern and cōmaund he chuseth his Lieutenant Ensigne Sergeant Drumme Phifes Cabos de squadra or Caporals and Cabos de camera Now for sundry often occasions offred in warre the which must be encountred with order policy gouernmēt of nūbers more or lesse it is necessary to deuide the cōpanies into Squadras as well pikes as shot conteyning each Squadron twentie fiue men and ouer each squadron a Cabo de squadra with which office I meane to beginne The Caporall his election and office Capt. When the Captaine electeth his Caporals he ought to do it with such consideration that amongst his souldiers one chosen to this office none should excell him in valour vertue experience and diligence yea and in age also to the end he might be respected with more loue and reuerence so that he deport him selfe among them as a father with his children his conditions being a patterne vnto them asswaging and ending their debates and quarrels reducing them vnto amitie with louing one another in such sort that they may all be of one will desire and ligue Let him learne perfectly euery souldiers name and to know the qualitie valour of euery one in particular be earnest with them to keepe their armor neat cleane and bright and often to practise the weapon they carrie he himselfe ensigning and teaching the Bisognios and rawe men for besides that it concerneth euery one in particular for his owne defence and thereby the better to know his valour and skill nothing doth more reioyce and glorifie a Campe then the glittering shew and shining of their armour He shall perswade them to goe neat and cleane in their apparell but with modestie and profite He shall reprehend them for swearing and lewd speeches and shall not permit them any prohibited games the which he must doe with such sagacitie and warie meanes that they result not against him and so reiect and contemne his reputation thereby loosing their loue and his former respect for the punishment remaineth not in his hands nor in any other inferiour Officer but it appertaineth to the Campe-maister or Lord high Marshall In presence of his superior Officers he is to obserue array order obedience as the rest of the souldiers doe but being with his Squadron alone in any skance trench Ambuscado or abroad at the watch or to such other effects he beareth at that time his Captains authoritie as being at watch or guard in any open place he is to enscance and fortifie as commodity and the place will permit to resist the attempt of the enemie being by them charged ordering and appointing all his companie to stand with their weapon readie bent still without rumor and resolute to defende And being at watch in the Corps de guard let him prouide fire cole and wood to make light as well by day as by night especially if his Squadron be shot to spare the ouer much wasting of match whereof he must see they be well prouided as also of powder and bullet and concerneth to him the distribution of the same amongst them Being appointed to ward or watch let him prouide to be first refreshed with victuals and his Camarada also then enter thereunto orderly from whence neither he nor any of his Squadron is to depart vpon paine of life vntill the Sergeant doe call and commaund him from the same In placing of the Sentinels there are so many aduertisements to be giuen as there are differences of situations and places and therefore it is to be remitted
sundry small troupes of 50 in each troupe at 5 in front and 10 in depth or more or lesse as occasion shall procure the ordering and placing of which shot doth appeare in folio 42 43 73 is in many other places described so that one troupe may alwayes be ready to second another and to giue breathing one to another Gent. But what haue you next to speake more of before you returne to the office of the Sergeant Maior by reason of whose office you haue made these sundry demonstrations of diuerse and many sorts of battels and battallions as a matter most pertinent vnto the said Sergeant Maior his office Cap. I should now set downe the tables of all these sundry proportions as first of battels in proportion of equality which is the iust square of men their order of ranking their deuiding into Maniples and so marching vp shoulder to shoulder to bring them into their former order of battell with the marching vp of their remainers their due numbers of girdling shot and the deuiding of the said battels into sundry battallions of the same kind then againe the tables of battels in proportion of inequalitie which is more in breadth then depth with their deuisions into battallions of that sort and the table of euen battallions for crosse battels and of other proportions with the quantity of ground that euery of them would require but time permitteth me not reseruing the same vnto the last booke of these our military discourses But I must now speake something by the way of marching our battell through straightes and being passed how to fall againe into the former proportions When you come to any straight it must be considered of what widenesse the passages are and how many men may go in front easily thorow the same and then may you accordingly at your discretion chuse whether you will draw your battell out into the former Maniples that the same marched in before their comming into battell as in the seuerall tables thereof shall be shewed or into more Maniples or parts if thereunto you shall be compelled by the narrownesse of the place which likewise being so wide that fewer Maniples then you marched vp before will serue for their diuision you may accordingly also draw them out into 3 5 7 or 9 Maniples as the nature of the straight and your iudgement concurring together shall thinke meete Alwayes prouided that the ensignes be contained in the middle Maniple and hauing passed the straightes you may againe draw them vp shoulder to shoulder as in the order of marching in Maniples is before in folio 62 63 66 and 68 declared whereby easily and without confusion they shall foorthwith fall in their former proportion But as concerning your shot you shall not neede except the straight be very narrow to draw them out into any such parts without it be those in the girdling which as they stand in proportion in the battell must be drawne out into Maniples with the pikes for if mine opinion might be receiued touching the other shot I would alwayes aduise that the residue should euer more remaine in many small troupes not aboue 40 or 50 shot at the most in a troupe as before I haue shewed for that by experience I know the same to be of greatest force and readinesse for seruice be it therefore in plaine or straight or how soeuer the more troupes your shot be seuered into the better shall the enemy still be applied besides the seconding the one of the other with such quicke dispatch shall cause that after the first troupes haue once discharged they retiring themselues behind all the rest shall be sure against they come vp againe to haue leasure enough to charge sufficiently and surely that few shot shall be spent in vaine as they do when great numbers be clustred together Now if it should fortune as most commonly it chaunceth that the enemy should fight with you in the straight then must you not draw your battell into those Maniples or parts but consider whether the straight be such as will suffice you to go thorough holding the same proportion that you haue If not then consider whether squaring the battell into 4 parts you may with so many battallions passe to encounter with the enemy if so you cannot it seemeth vnto me the rediest and safest way to deuide your battell into more battallions as for example first to proportion them out into 4 or 6 if those bee not conuenient then into 8 if you thinke that will not serue then into 12 or 16 battallions or as the passage will permit which thing may more easily be brought to passe if the body of your battell do consist of pikes only which were the same of compound weapons could in no wise bee so â—odainely done without great confusion as a man of any iudgement may conceiue and as by these figures following shall plainely appeare But before the arriuall vnto such straights and passages the wise Commander is carefully to consider and to send sundry scoutes abroade to discouer and also shall cause if possible he may the summities higher grounds craggy rockes thickets woods and other places of aduantage to be first possessed by his owne people sending to that effect shot halfe pikes and such like The figures of quartering a battell In deuiding and quartering of all which as may appeare the place of the Ensignes is still crossed to redresse the which the Sergeant Maior or Colonell may place them where he thinketh fittest drawing out where euery Ensigne shall stand one pike and replace the same pike in the first roome of the Ensigne which at the out drawing of the Ensigne remained voide The end of the third booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is declared the election office and dutie of a Sergeant Maior with sundry points of Militarie discipline c. and marching of the Armie Gentleman TRuly Captaine this order for passing of Straights doth coÌ„tent me wonderfull well and me thinkes hauing ready men and good officers verie easie and readie to be perfourmed But now I pray if there restes no more to be spoken herein begin to shew vs the choosing office of a Sergeant Maior which in day of battel seemeth an office of great importaÌ„ce Capt. I did at the begininng of my second booke declare vnto you that a Prince leuying an Armie royall doth by his Councel or Councell of warre if there be any such in the realme appoint first a most sufficient Generall then a Camp-maister generall a Captaine generall of the Cauallery and a Captaine generall of the Artillerie The Armie is deuided into sundrie Tertios or Regiments ouer euery Regiment a Camp-maister or Colonell The Cololonell deuides his Regiment into sundrie bandes or companies and ouer euerie companie a Captaine euery Captaine hath his Lieutenant his Alferes or Ensignebearer his Sergeants his Caporals
or Musket considering the execution of the one the other And what souldier is he that commeth against a weapon wherein there is little hazard of life which will not more resolutely charge then against a weapon whose execution he knoweth to be present death Many more reasons might be alledged for the sufficiencie of the one and the insufficiencie of the other but others haue answered the same already besides the proofe which dayly experience bringeth and thus you heare mine opinion of your Bowes desiring you Gentlemen and others not to conceiue sinisterly of me for this mine opinion as not held of me for any dislike I haue of our old Archery of England but that common experience hath made it most manifest in these our later warres well wishing in my hart had it bene Gods good will that this infernall fierie engine had neuer bin found out Then might we boldly haue compared as our auncestors did with the proudest Archers in the world But you must note this by the way that the fierie shot either on horsebacke or foote being not in hands of the skilfull may do vnto themselues more hurt then good wherefore the same is often to be practised that men may grow perfect and skilfull therein Gent. Well to stand in argument I will not for I haue seene little triall either of the one or the other But what thinke you of our abundance of blacke Billes which we thinke to be the next naturall weapon for the Englishman Capt. True it is that in time past our nation hath performed round slaughter worke therewith but the warres and weapons are now altered from them dayes and we must accommodate our selues to the now vsed weapons order and time to answere our enimies with the semblable else happely shall we finde ourselues short of our reckening with our all-too late repentance But might I haue in stead of these blacke Bills and Iacks so many good armed Pikes I meane good Corslelts furnisht I would thinke my selfe farre better either to offend or defend Gent. Why would you not allow short weapon in the field Capt. Truly no not many yet would I not exclude them all For I know them necessarie for many peeces of seruice as to performe executioÌ„ if the enemie break or flie to mingle with shot to back them if neede be to passe with Conuoyes to stand by your Artillerie to creepe along trenches and enter into mynes where the Pike would be ouerlong but best for the myne or breach is the Target of prooffe short sword and Pistoll but for the plaine field neither blacke bill Halbard nor Partizan comparable to the Pike Gent. In a set battaile would you not haue Bills or Halbards for the guard of your Colours Capt. As few as might be for in their steds farre better were so many armed Pikes in mine opinion considering that in set Battailes when men come to the shock or push of the Pike they sarrie close together and the first three fiue or seuen rankes do beare the chiefe brunt and entred so farre men buckle Pell-Mell close together by which time commonlie the one side reculeth or swayeth and a battell once reculing doth not lightlie hold long so that ere the Center of the Battaill be touched one side must fall to disaray men once disordered they commonly fall to rout the rout is pursued with slaughter and ruine Against horse the like reasons are to be made thus either to offend or defend farre better is the Pike then either Bill or Halbard And to conclude the strength of the Battaile is the armed Pike so they be equally sorted with Harquebuze and Musket Gent. What meane you by equally sorted Capt. I meane as much to offend as to defend To offend I would wish to euery hundred men 25 Muskets 25 Calliuers at the least 40 armed Piks 7 or 8 Halbards and 2 or 3 Targets of proofe to defend and so of all other numbers Gent. Your proportion I like well but our countrey people are loth to be at the charges of so many costly weapons although her Maiestie and her honorable priuie Counsell haue giuen orders and directions for the same Capt. I perceiue it to be so whereat I grieue not a litle considering how dangerous is the time how malicious strong politike is the enimie how carelesse yea senslesse are we and how vnwilling to our owne weale But should these your secure men once heare the Alarme of the enemie from the which God defend vs then should you soone see them alter their copies chaunge their colours forget their great bragges of blacke Bills and Bowes and stand at their wittes ende what course to take and should they yet recall their courage and plucke vp their spirites and dare to looke the enimie in the face what guides I pray haue they It is not enough to say downe with them downe with them Lay on Billes and Bowes they should encounter strong squares of armed Pikes gallant squadrons of Muskets braue troupes of shot conducted by skilfull Leaders then should they soone see the difference of weapons the danger of the one the litle doubt of the other with repentance perhaps for not taking them to other weapons in time Thus much I speak to our inueterate conceiâ—ers of bowes and blacke billes Gent. But we haue trayned companies and selected bandes to answere our enemies with like weapons Capt. True it is there haue beene good orders set downe for the same and no doubt well performed in many partes of our countrie but I my selfe haue seene many simple Leaders simple in deede to traine much lesse to bring men to fight for where the blind leades the blind both fall into the ditch Gent. You meane this by our countrie Gentlemen and Citizens who haue the trayning of their shires and townes and neuer came in warres but her Maiestie and Councell haue so appointed it for many good respects Capt. I know it very well for many good respects but I am well assured that her Maiestie would well like of such countrie or citizen Captaines as would be carefull to prouide themselues of good Officers such as haue seene warres and borne office in the same I meane honest and valiant men not tapsterly praters and ale-bench braggers who know no point of souldierie in the world And if your Captaines were each furnished with one or two such good officers I meane honest men and of experience no doubt but they might then doe farre better then they now doe and by such they might learne many good pointes of seruice to their good and their companies good instructions yet not so much as thereby to become sufficient Captaines Gent. Our Captaines haue Bookes of Warre whereby they may learne more in one daies reading then you haue in a whole yeares seruice and then no great neede of such which were but charge to small purpose Captaine Truely