the last day yea though accompanied with weaknesses of more then a tollerable proportion yet is the cause so good that their hope cannot chuse but ascend to an infinite measure To conclude then mine Epistle if both in warres Offensiue and Defensiue the cause bee so good and the action so full of Splendor how much Glory ought to be ascribed vnto them as the glory of apparell and ornaments of person Crownes and Plumes Scarfes and Garlands Glory of the liuing as great mens praises and meane mens admirations and Glory of the dead as Tombes and Collosses Achiuements Hearses Temples Trophies and eternall Epitaphs this they purchase with Blood this they deserue by Vertue this makes them beloued at home and redoubted abroad this makes good Princes seeke them and bad Princes feare them and this who not affords them must to himselfe affoard He is not vertuous TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MARTIALL ROBERT BARTVE Lord Willoughbie of Eresbie THE ARGVMENT Of the true Honor of a Souldier HOwsoeuer your Lordships owne experience being apparelled in all the richest garments belonging to the noble art of Warre as Obseruation in executions Consideration in Counsailes and wisdome in the election of the one or the others aduantage may make mine Epistle apeare naked or at least but thinnly clad in respect of your greater knowledg yet when I see how the greatest Captaines haue beene inflamed with their Souldiers actions and that Alexander from a silent muse would runne into a martiall distraction at the warlike sound of the Ionian musique how euer strooke by the hand of a meane musitian I could not but add courage to my labour and rather enlarge my desires then abate them knowing that who sings to the skilfull shall euer reape praise or instruction but to play to the rude and not knowing Scorne is his portion for betwixt ignorance and art no vertue yet could make a perfit reconcilement To you then my Lord that are a Souldier to you that know a Souldier and to you that loue a Souldier I send this Souldierly salutation which howsoeuer the weakenesse of words may deface yet your Lordshippe shall fiind it hath an honest ayme and though it hit not the Bird in the eye yet I doubt not but it will be so direct it will shed some of her feathers If any Raunge of persons in the world deserue true honour it must needs be the Souldier for as his disposition holdeth the neerest alliance to it so doth his merrits by an infallible Interest iustly and truely claime it for the very Basse or Ground whereon all his actions are built must be nothing else but goodly peeces of honourable and noble perfection The protection of Ladyes the defence of Orphans the reliefe of Widdowes to helpe the good to ease the grieued and to make strong the weake all these are noble designements and to these all souldiers are tyed by a thousand chaines of vertues making Nay if the weake contend with him he is bound as the seruant of Honor either to yeeld or at least though with losse to come to a faire composition Flint striketh not fire out of woole but out of Steele nor must the Souldier dart his flames downe on the Riuers but send them vp to reflect on the mountaines his heart must be vndaunted when hee meetes with power but soft and vulnerable when it grapples with disabilitie this made Numa apease Iupiter with heads of garlicke not heads of men and this made Alexander execute the rigor of his vowe rather on the Asse then on his keeper and hence came that heroicke and memorable saying that Mercy pardoneth those who haue not deserued it and the Iuster that wrath is the more commendable is Mercy all the quarells of Souldiers must be Iust for no ocasion must enforce him to vndertake an vnworthy thing he must warre for God his Prince and Country oppressed not for enuy displeasure or to make his bounds without limit hee must be mooued for goodnesse selfe not gaine which mooues euery marchant or peasant and when all the vertues of a souldier haue brought him to the toppe of felicitie yet must not the prosperitie of his affaires any thing withdrawe his minde from the loue of peace and a laudable friendshipp and to this the very heathens may giue rules to our christian Nations for thus war'd Scipeo in Affirica Scilla in Spaine and Caesar amongst the Gaulls by this Augustus closed vp the Temple of Ianus and for this Tiberius sent Drasus to see the warrs in Illyricum and to conclude these noble entendments made Henry the great of France to saue Paris when he might haue spoyled it at Longeuall when the desolation of all the strangers army was in his power and that with one breath hee might haue hewed them in pieces euen then he puts downe his Pystoll and saued them saying Hee would not let them suffer harme which were not in case to doe any As thus there Actions ought to bee honorable so likewise must bee their words and speaches maintaining that Truth and Iustice in their language as once being engaged vnder the faith of a Souldier no danger or extreamity whatsoeuer may haue the least shew or suspition either to change or abate it this made Fabritius say that he which tooke away his enemie otherwise then by Iustice or the euent of warre was a coward and seemed to feare that which he should contemne and this made Tiberius tell a Prince of the Celies that Rome had a sword to kill with not an Appothecaries shoppe this was it which euer made Marcellus inuoke the Sunne to gaze on his actions and the contrary to this made the King of Bithinia a by word to all Nations and an example of falshood and the breach of hospitality As the Actions and words of Souldiers must thus bee compannion'd with honor so must also their thoughts and inward intentions making their mindes nothing else but neate and curious vessels wherin to carry the sacred liquor of care and pretious Honor nay their very affections and passions must bee gouernd and swaid by honorable motions they must loue for honor hate for honor desire nothing but honor and dare any thing for the defence of honor If honor suffer or hang in the ballance ready to be ouerswaid with the poyze of iniurie then must the souldier march through thicke and thinne through fire frost floods and Seas through shot wounds blood nay euen into the very iawes and deuouring teeth of eminent and certaine hazard all for the repriue of so deare a thing as innocent honor And on the contrary part if honor forbid any attempt how glorious and gratious soeuer in humaine apprehension yet must not then the noble Souldier dare to touch it no not so much as bend a thought against it were all the crownes and garlands in the world stackt downe for his recompence no luker must intice him no pleasure seduce him nor any glory inchaunt him Honor is the
ascend to the Glorie thereof then which there is not any flame of profession whatsoeuer that can aspire beyond it or of the goodnesse of his fires make a Starre more fixed and enduring for as all Arts are sooner attained then this by quiet studie warme ease and sound rest neither perplexing the mind nor putting the body in danger so the Souldier whose ends are euer high and great findes difficultie in all his designes dangers in his attempts and death both the Crown and Song of his Conquest and Triumph nor are they sutable to any particular proportion but euen married and allied to euery warlike action as whether with Alexander he seeke the conquest of the world or with Hanibal striue but to defend a particular citie for Souldiers cannot march farre sitting still nor compasse much with poore endeauors as their aymes are great so must be their actions and as their desires are infinite such must be their dangers which considered it must necessarily follow that their glory ought farre to exceed all others Souldiers are for the most part men of great and incomparable Spirits which is such a glorious Garment and so precious a Iewell wherewith to adorne Vertue that it sets her forth in the highest degree of all excellencie and perfection where on the contrary base low little and straight minds who haue nothing of price in them but life not any thing wise but their feares nor any Bountie more than a continuall affection to worldly riches These are in no sort fit for emploiments of this Martiall and high nature The true Souldier takes Scipio for his example and is like him spare of speech and euer musing lookes vpon Salust and with him is secret in his counsels but open in his actions and admires Furius Camillus with whom hee is neither puffed vp by any successe in Fortune nor yet abashed or deiected though his designes runne neuer so desperately to ruine and disorder Hence it comes that the greatest Princes stile all men of Warre their Fellow-Souldiers and the meanest amongst them in the way of Vassailage disdaine to serue the greatest persons well may they serue vnder them but cannot be truly said to serue them their hands they may commaund to vse the Sword not to carry a Trencher their minds they may inflame with courage not quench with flattery and their bodies they may sacrifice to Glory but not offer vp either to their Lusts Pride or Ambitions All Warres are either Offensiue or Defensiue to inuade others or preserue themselues either of which no man ought to vndertake but for a glorious purpose To God belongeth our actions to him therefore and his Glorie ought all Warre to bee dedicate For Warres offensiue or Inuading they must euer be either to plant Gods Name and Christian Religion amongst vs or else to regaine those Rights and Dominions which formerly being giuen from God haue been iniuriously taken and withheld from the true and lawfull owners and of this we haue plentifull examples in holy Writ both in the Stories of Moses Iosua Dauid and the Maccabees of which if wee should speake particularly some haue been commaunded by Gods owne mouth to make warres to destroy yea to take no Truce but to kill euery liuing Soule others haue themselues assumed Armes to these ends and by these examples and some haue regained their vniust losses by a lawfull Warre vnder a diuine authoritie As these so other great mindes though much lesse in true holy knowledge and with a much scanter Warrant furnished with great successe haue imbarked themselues into great actions and preposing humane ends as Scales to their high Thoughts haue become gloriously victorious in the world as Ninus in the first age Cyrus in the second Alexander in the third and Caesar in the fourth all these haue had glorious ends and famous Names and their memory will continue whilst Time hath continuance But when I fixe them against the Sun-shine of Christian and godly Captaines such as was our first Richard in the Holy land Burbon before Rome Great Henrie of Fraunce against the League or our renowned Henries of England pulling their Birth-rights from such as vsurped them then me thinks like new Starres they are either lost at their first finding or like eclipsed lights haue in themselues no beautie but such as is borrowed The Glory which appertaines to a perfit Souldier is of a two-fold Nature the one Terrestriall the other Celestiall of the first no doubt euery Heathen Conquerour will be a glorious partaker and memorie shall keepe their memories as long as Marble Brasse or the leaues of Bookes shall endure But the Champions of the Almightie shall be glorified for euer and euer both heere in the world and after beyond all worlds First therefore let Gods Battels be fought for that is the Tithe of our duties Next our Princes for that is the Rent of our Seruice and lastly our Countries for that is the Fee due from our Gratitude and in these two latter obligations there ought to be such a corespondence with Goodnesse that Princes ought not to ingage themselues in any action without God because God will not commaund vs any imployment but by the Prince whom hee hath assigned his Deputie forbidding vs Warre but for the King and not to dare in any semblance whatsoeuer to leuie or raise Armes but by and at the especiall commaundement of the King for so glorious is the profession of a Souldier that it is onely to bee raised for God by the King Subiects in other things haue great Priuiledges in this they are confined for Warre is Gods great businesse and whosoeuer leads he still should be Generall Now for warres Defensiue which questionlesse are more warranted they haue likewise most glorious ends For when God hath giuen to a people a Prince either by iust Conquest or lawfull Succession if then the violence of Tyrannie the falshood of Treason or the greedinesse of Ambition seeke to subuert and dispossesse what God hath planted O how iustly then are Armes assumed and how infinite is the Glory which depends on so noble a Reformation Slaughter a thing most odious to God and Nature in this case Heauen doth not onely permit it but commaund it and men-killers in this seruice shall bee crowned not alone with Oake but with Lawrell nay to such perfection they attaine that men dying with wounds of this vertuous nature like so many Martyrs with their last gaspe they are borne triumphantly into heauen I meane not those wicked Darers which make the Warres their whoore on whom they vent the pollutions of their swaggering Natures making Rapin Ryot and Disorder the three cornerd cap to couer the head of their purpose But such as vndergoe the cause of Conscience whose Warrant is from God and whose actions are mooued by a sollid and stedfast dutie fixt on their Prince and Countrey These doubtlesse how great soeuer the streame of Blood be which they spill shall shine with Martyrs at
between the Prince the Captaine and the Souldier he ought to haue the two best parts of a Gentleman Valour and Temperance for howsoeuer there haue bin a false position held a mongst Souldiers that Muster-masters must be Pen-men and not men of the Sword yet there is errour in the conceit for I haue in mine owne experience knowne Captaines and Muster-masters equally to exchange and alter their conditions Muster-masters becomming Captaines and Captaines Muster-masters and indeed not without great reason for beleeue it this place euer deserueth a full Captaines experience Againe whereas in the old lesse orderly times it was not lawfull for the Muster-master to take Musters without the presence of the Treasurer the rude Soldier taking vpon him an ill libertie to bend his Pike vpon him vnlesse hee came vnder that protection yet it is now otherwise and the Muster-master may take his view or musters of the Souldiers when he please where he please and in what maner he please prouided it be done with an honest vprightnes without any enuious crueltie against the Captaine or by withdrawing from the Souldier his full meanes and due reckoning As concerning the principall parts of his office and dutie they consist chiefly in the taking of Musters that is to say in the taking of a full and perfect view of all the seuerall Souldiers of euery Band and Troupe as well the officers from the first to the lowest as the others which are inferiour collecting into a Booke the names and surnames of euery person their ages haires complexions and other especiall markes as also their Armes and Weapons of euerie seuerall kinde their Horses Furnitures and other especiall markes to them belonging with whatsoeuer else may auaile and helpe his knowledge heereafter when hee shall haue a cause to take a reuiew of the same And that this may be done more effectually and for the discharge of those greater officers as our Lord Lieutenants or their deputies by whom armies are first raised euery Captaine at his arriuall at the maine Rendiuous shall when hee bringeth his Souldiers before the Muster master to bee first viewed and receiued into pay deliuer to the Muster-master the Indenture which passed betweene him and the Lord Lieutenant or his Deputie at whose hands he receiued his men and by that the Muster-master shall call view euery man and his seuerall Armes particularly by themselues which found iust and according to the Indenture and the Instructions of the Generall presently the Muster-master shall giue vnto the Captaine a Warrant of Entery containing the Captaines and his officers names together with the full number of Souldiers as they are allowed in list with their seuerall payes and entertainments the day from whence such pay shall enure or begin which Warrant signed vnder the Muster-masters hand and seale the Captaine shall deliuer to the Treasurer or vnder-Treasurer and from thenceforth receiue his pay accordingly The second taking of Musters is when the Souldiers are to depart into the field or goe vpon any present or great seruice at which time the Muster-master shall by a Booke receiued from the Captaine or his Clarke and compared with his owne first Booke take a view of all the Souldiers and Armes finding them strong and sufficient giue them by a bill vnder his hand full allowance for their meanes as was before shewed Now the third taking of Musters is after seruice performed or when there is supposed to be any losse or decay in the Army and this Muster he shall take by the first second booke ioyntly compared together and recording downe all such as shal be lost either by the Sword by sicknesse or by any other casualtie also to take speciall notice of the exchange or alteration of any Soldier or when any new man is entred that an honest and true account may be kept betweene him the Captaine and the Souldier for full count and reckoning and in this muster or any other if hee shall find the company not to be full or in strength according to the list then shall he defalke and make checke vpon the same and in his certificat vnto the Treasurer shall set downe the true and full number which shall be paid and no more As thus at these three especiall times he shal take these seuerall viewes so shall he also doe at any other time when the Generall shall appoint or vpon the suit of any Captaine who hauing bene checkt and hath againe made vp his Company strong as before desireth to haue it againe reuiewed that he may receiue certificat for his full entertainment And in this taking of Musters or viewes it is a great caution which euery Muster-master ought to obserue that by all meanes as hee makes seuerall distinctions of names and Armes so he must also distinguish nations persons and not suffer the French to passe vnder the name of English nor Italian vnder the Dutch for it is a matter of great consequence such vndistinguisht mixtures haue bred many confussions in the greatest armies and therefore after the first warning they are to be checkt and punisht seuerely If the Army liue vpon lendings then at euery six moneths end there is a count and reckoning to be had betweene the Prince and euery Souldier which hath suruiued and liued in the armie the full space of six moneths and vpward as thus for example the ful pay of euery common Soldier is eight pence per diem which amounteth to foure shillings eight pence the week so that hauing but three shillings a week lendings there remaineth twentie pence a weeke to reckon for at the sixe moneths end which commeth to betwixt forty shillings or seuen nobles a man which commonly is paid in prouant apparell It therefore appertaineth to the Muster-master by comparing his seuerall Books together and noting the deaths and exchanges of men to make out his certificat to the Prouant-masters or Treasurer what apparell or money shal be deliuered to euery Captaine This dutie I haue knowne performed by an officer called the Controller of Musters which because it stands vpon no old foundation but by him that euilly found it out was as euilly put in execution I would be loath therefore either to giue it allowance or president And therfore to conclude this Epistle it is to be vnderstood that for as much as armies are large and extend into many parts so as it is impossible for any one man to exercise all these duties in his owne person and in euery place therefore euery Muster-master hath allowed vnder him diuers Deputies or Substitues which are called the Commisaries of Musters who haue the full powers of Muster-masters and may performe all things in such sort as hath been formerly declared and haue for the same competent allowances besides commonly the dead pay of one priuat Souldier from euery Captaine that is within his Muster Little more then what I haue declared doth depend vpon this Officer and all that is
take large and wide strides so on the contrary part men that are slaues to Sloth Cowardise Ignorance and Basenesse they should haue manakled hands and fettred feet that they might neither reach nor ouertake Vertue but at the pleasures of their Chiefetaines be changed remoued or lost from remembrance For the particular dutie of this great Officer it will appeare more fully in the discussion of the Office of the Colonell himselfe in as much as whatsoeuer doth belong to him doth in his absence appertaine to his Lieutenant and he shall with as great care and ample authoritie looke to the healthfull estate of the whole Regiment as the Colonel himselfe giue directions to his Serieant-maior see performed all cōmandements which shall come from the Generall or the Lord-marshall at no time be absent from any Court of Warre or other serious consultation hee shall see that all the Captaines doe faithfully obey the Colonell the inferiour Officers the Captaines and the common Souldiers all that haue any shadow of commandement He is to examine all controuersies whatsoeuer which shall arise betweene Souldiers and their Officers or Officers and their Captaines and if the Colonell be absent he shall not onely heare but determime them vnlesse they appeare Capitall and then he shall referre them to a Marshall court but if the Colonell be present then he shall deliuer him a true relation thereof and according to his directions and taking the assistance of those Captaines which are not in question proceed to a censure The Lieutenant-Colonell shall bee a faithfull Aduocate in all causes betweene the Colonell and his Captaines for all manner of accommodations and prouisions whether it bee neglect of Pay Prouant or other necessaries and to that end shall goe to the greater Commanders in whose power it is for a speedy redresse of whatsoeuer shall molest them he shal be conuersant and familiar not onely with all the Captaines Lieutenants and Ensignes within his Regiment but also with all the Serieants and lower Officers most Gentlemen of Companies and the greatest part of the best reputed and most experienced Souldiers being able to call most of them by their names and surnames for beleeue it in the pinch and extremitie of sharpe warre this sweetnesse of a particular knowledge will work infinitly in mens minds and make them both stand when feare doth affright them and also turne backe againe when the fury of dispaire doth chase them It is his Office to haue a carefull and seuere eye ouer all the Sutlers Vianders and Victuall masters within his Regiment causing the Serieants other Officers to looke that they Skaunce not nor exact vpon the common Souldiers but to sell their prouisions at such rates and acessements as shal be agreed and set downe by the superiour Officers of the Army without cousinage in weights measures or any vnwholesome and vnmarkeable wares of which offences when any shall be conuicted instantly to see the same seuerely punished to the publique and fearefull example of all such as shall be apt to runne into the same hazard But if they exercise their Trades orderly and decently in a ciuill manner then the Lieutenant-Colonell shall see them with a sufficient guard of Souldiers defended from all outrages and inconueniences paying weekly such imposts and taxes therefore as shall bee imposed vpon them either by the Lieutenant-colonell or the Serieant-maior This in effect is the full continent of all those duties which depend vpon this Officer which if any desire to haue more largely expounded let them be pleased to looke into the Office of the Colonell himselfe and from it he shall gaine a more large Exposition TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT LORD SPENSER OF WORMELAIGHTON THE ARGVMENT Of the Lieutenant-Colonell of Horse I Was neuer my Lord more desirous to gather a generall knowledge then willing to Impart it for a generall Benefit wherein howsoeuer I may seeme like an empty vessell amongst many full ones to sound the lowdest vpon the slightest knocking yet it is a pardonable fault in as much as I hurt no man but my selfe vttering that treasure which I should lay vp giuing away in a moment all I haue beene gathering in the whole course of my life Be it then as the world shal censure let the full handed man be still most sparing for mine part I shal euer hold this proposition that in seeking to doe lesse good to my selfe that I may doe more to my weake neighbours I shall neither offend the deuine Maiestie whose glory I would aduance in all my labors nor tyer your Lordshippe to whom in this Epistle I couet to giue Satisfaction That point of place vpon which I am to touch in this discourse is the Office of the Liuetenant Colonell of a Horse-Regiment who as I said in a former Epistle touching his ellection vertuous disposition and all ciuill gouerments within or concerning his Regiment differeth in no point from that of the Liuetenant Colonell of a Foote Regiment being euer the second Captaine and hauing the second commandment ouer the whole Regiment Acting either in person or by commandment whatsoeuer hee shall be appointed vnto by his Colonell But if the Colonell bee absent then he hath the first and principall authoritie in the Regiment carrying not only his person but voice in euery direction For the composition of a Colony of Horse It consisteth sometimes of three Companies or Troopes of Horse sometimes of foure but seldome of fiue except it be in case of great fauor or especiall aduancement and these Companies or Troops are for the most part not aboue one hundred men apeece sometimes one hundred and fifty seldome two hundred except for the like occasions and the dignity of this place excelleth according to the greatnes or littlenes of the Commandment Honor being herein swaied by the number of the persons and also by the nobilltie of the weapon Gentlemen at armes outshining Launceirs or Pistoleirs Pistoleirs of more respect then Petronels or Carbines and Carbines then Dragoons or Light-Horsemen for of all these are compounded seuerall Colonies and ouer euery Colonie seuerall Commanders as the Colonell the Liuetenant-Colonell the Serieant-Maior a Quarter-Master and a Prouost which generall command is answered in euery perticular Command by a Captaine a Liuetenant an Ensigne if it be to Gentlemen at Armes a Cornet if it be to Launciers and a Guydon if it be to Dragoones or Light-Horsemen two or more Corporalls and a Harbenger with Inferiors not worthy any especiall note or mention in this Treatise The perticular duties which aboue others doe most concerne this Officer are first to looke that the whole Regiment bee well armed according to the nature and qualitie of the Colony as if they be of the two better sorts which are to encounter Horse against Horse or Horse against Pike then to be compleat and full armed as hath beene bofore declared or else if they be of the two inferior sorts which are to discouer to
all kind of Armes and is to see the necessitie of euery Regiment supplied To conclude he must be a generall Father ouer all the Armie and to prouide the good of the Souldiers as for his naturall children he is to heare the complaints of all the inferior Serieant-maiors of Regiments and to see that they may haue speedy dispatches This is the greatest substance and the most materiall parts which depend vpon this great Officer which his owne vnderstanding may amplifie according to the administration of occasions so that fixing knowledge and vse together the world will become rich by his help and others much fortified by his encouragements TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD KNIVET OF ESGRIG THE ARGVMENT Of the Colonell Generall DAnger euer my good Lord stands at the doore where Intermedling enters and hardly shal a man either tarry or returne but some mischeife still will bee tripping at his heeles especially when men meddle with great mens businesses which is like the paring of a Lyons claw where if the least cut procure paine it is ten to one but the cutter is made guilty of his owne distruction I confesse I am ascended into a Subiect beyond mine experience yet on this side my reading so that as it may bee dangerous for me to resolue any thing in them from mine owne Iudgment yet it shal be thanks worthy in me to write their owne their equal Authority Necessities require hazard sometimes and since it is needfull that I speake something both of this and the other subiects following let me not be blamed if modestly I tempt reprehension your Lordship is one of the oldest fixed Starres within the Spheare of our Court to a better experience I cannot flie vnder a nobler Nature I cannot suffer be pleased then to reade this poore Briefe and how euer in low words it treat of high things yet when the meaning shall be truely expounded nothing shall bee found but an honest admiration fixt vpon all Heroicall vertue The Colonell-generall of the Infantrie or as some call him the Liuetenant-Generall of the Foote ought to bee a man of noble descent high place and great authority both in vertue and prudence for hee hath a Supreame and especiall commandment ouer all the Foote Bands which are contained within the whole Armie and when he is chosen according to desert and merit he is then presupposed to be a man of Infinite experience and iudgement being the eldest and principallest Souldier in all the armie which hath not a place of greater precedence except by some extraodinary merit which is almost gotten within the Ranke of miracles he be out gone by some of his latter and much younger Companions for it is certaine that no Generall can without the Cloud of much enuy giue a precedency away from so many worthy and renowned Colonels but vpon rare desert or in case of some superexcellent perfection This doubtlesse was the rule of the first World when men imagined that Honour lay in the hands and not in the Bloud and when such as had the bestowing of these places being mearely men without any other addition could looke no way but forward that is to the obiect on which they had fixed their contentments or downeward to the meanes wherby they might compasse their Ambitions euen then when Honour was so temporary and mortall that any Frowne Thunder or Lightening of Greatnesse could kill split and vtterly consume it But in these latter Times since Wisdome maryed to Diuinitie began to build vp this goodly Temple of true Honor whose eies are so cleere and truly set that she can locke backward to see what she was vpward to finde the cause from whence true glory proceedeth since men came to know on whom to depend and whom to thanke since Honor came to gaine the eternitie of an hereditary right and that all tittles and tenures were false and sophisticate but such as mearely depended on heauen since this I say was knowne and approued all these great and materiall Offices haue had another manner of disposing and this place of a Colonell-Generall of a Foote Armie hath beene and is many times bestowed vpon younge Princes and Noble men who inuited by the powerfulnesse of their vertues haue betaken themselues vnto the warres and euen at their first entrances haue had these places conferred vpon them as in the occurrents of all estates we may see many present examples sometimes for a protection and countenance to the cause taken in hand and an inciting and stirring vp other men which haue dependance on those great persons to aspeedy immitation and following of their courses and sometimes to gratefie the great deeds and beneficences of their famous progenitors or else as a Schoole or Accademie wherein Nobilitie being to be brought vp in all the waies of perfection they haue these formes or Rankes of proceedings allowed for their exhaltation nor is it without good Ground of Reason for howsoeuer the Office carry in it a great preheminence or supreame authority yet in the execution thereof there is little expected from the person more then countenance of the place and a noble ciuill Gouernment the sway and effect thereof being fully and in all perfection to be discharged by the Serieant-maior generall the Colonels and the vnder Officers belonging to their Regiments So that I inferre although this place for honors sake and the aduancememt of a braue deseruer might properly apertaine to an ancient graue and well deseruing Souldier yet also to giue merit to a fresh and faire springing hope and to keepe the Flowers of true honor in their nature luster it may with as good right be bestowed vpon Princely and Noble personages in whom there is a liuing hope of many forme great actions though at the beginning they be punies in the warres and haue nothing but the Theoricke knowledge to commend their fortunes To this Colonell-generall the Serieant-Maior of the Armie all Colonels of Foote and with them all priuate Captaines of Foote and their Inferior Officers must continually bee obedient for they are as it were Liuetenants and Substitutes vnder him taking at his hands all orders and directions by which to mannage the whole Armie and therefore it is the Office and duty of the Colonell-generall daily and at speciall appointed times to call the Serieant-maior and the Colonels of the Foote companies vnto him and with them as with the best Councellors of estate to confer and reason of all matters appertaining to his place and Office taking from them that sound aduice and instruction which coopling and mixing with his owne noble determinations may make all his directions most sound and perfect And that he may imploy nothing more then his noble countenance and fauour to euery warlike proceeding the Serieant-maior is pleased to take vpon him all bodily labors and to ride vp and downe the Army with his directions and to see all things performed which any way appertaines to his great Place and
this gaudie thing I dare in no wise present to your Honour for they are but bred of Lies and fed by Credulitie my discourse tends to a clean contrary purpose it hath Truth to guard it Experience for warrant and some Instruction which cannot bee so called if it want benefit please then my Lord to read this Epistle which though it come from him you know not yet if it shews you any thing worthy knowledge be assured both he and it will bee ready to acknowledge your Lordship in any other seruice The Master of the Ordnance which in some Disciplines is called the Generall of the Artillery is or should be a person of great Grauitie Valour Wisedome and Experience and indeed a man of noble discent and parentage being chosen to the place by the Prince himselfe and seldome by any inferiour Substitute His Office is a place of great importance and extendeth it selfe into two maine Branches the one euer at home and the other abroad for as he hath the charge of the Artillery or Munition in the Campe so hee hath care of all the Forts Castles and fortified places which are remoued or lie farre off from the Campe yet in the guard and respect of that Armie neither hath he alone the care of their saftie but also the manner how to keepe them safe and to that end is to draw sundry circumstances into his consideration as the situations and strengths of all places whatsoeuer whether Mediterranell or Maritine mountainous or plaine or indeed any or all of these conioyned and mixt together then what places are strengthened by Nature and what must bee made strong by Art the forme of the strength as being fittest both to defend it selfe and offend the enemy the seueral sorts of formes as whether it be circular square or contriued into many angles and lastly the matter wheron the strength is made as whether it be Earth Stone Bricke Timber or any other materiall and binding substance He is also to draw into his consideration the nature and qualitie of all Fortifications and that they are made and framed as well to withstand the offence of Artillery as to defend and keepe able themselues by the helpe of Artillery and for this cause it is most necessary that the Master of the Ordnance bee skilfull in the knowledge of all sorts and sizes of great Peeces as whether they bee Royall which are the greatest or vnder Royall which are the lesser yet all to be imployed in the matter of Battery The Royall are those which we call the Culuerin the Quarter Cannon the Demy cannon the Cannon the Double cannon the Cannon-Pedera the Basilisco and indeed any peece which shooteth a Bullet from seauenteene pounds weight or vpwards and the Vnder-royall are the Demy culuerin the Saker the Minion the Falcon the Falconet the Rabinet the Harquebusse a Croek and indeed any peece which shooteth a Bullet from seuenteene pound weight downewards and this Ordnance is the Master not onely by his authoritie and potents to prouide and raise either by put chase prize or casting as the abilitie of the place where hee resideth will affoard but also to see them mounted either vpon Carriages for the field vpon Bulwarks Forts Castels Towne-wals or any other place of defence or offence as shall appeare best in his iudgement and to this end he shall be of approoued iudgement in all manner of Fortifications and able to direct the inferior Officers vnder him as the Lieutenant of the Ordnance the Engine-master the Trench-master Captaine of the Pioners and the like in the framing of Bulwarks Curtaines Caualeros Tenazas Tizeras Dientes casamats Teraplenes Trenches Ditches or any thing belonging to their owne safetie or the enemies annoyance as also how to refortifie any place that is decayed or in the first erection by ill directions hath been made contrary to Art whereby the platforme is to bee new moulded and reformed and herein he ought to be capable of discerning vpon a serious view any hindrance and annoyance whatsoeuer which shall accompany his worke as whether it be without the situation of the worke as if there bee hills plaines riuers lakes valleys rockes woods vineyards orchards gardens monasteries old Churches or any other Edifices Seas Isles Bayes or the like or else within the situation hauing regard to the wall and euery quality thereof the height and thicknesse of the Terraplene the strength of the Gates the depth of the Ditches whether wet or drie how waters are conuaid into it whether by open and naturall channels or by close and secret Conduits the altitude of the place as whether it be aboue or below other buildings that are about it with a world of other obseruations all which if they breed any annoyance or inconuenience he shall be able immediatly to reforme and cure making the place safe and strong howsoeuer Nature hath promised the contrary and in this worke hee shall haue great care to husband euery thing as frugally as is possible to be respectiue ouer the Princes purse vsing Stone where stone is plentifull Bricke where Bricke is made and Timber where Timber groweth and where any of these are wanting to vse either strong Turfe or Earth or any other matter which the place affoordeth As thus the Master of the Ordnance hath these Commandements in remote forraine and out places so hath he in the Campe as eminent and great controlments for there the generall charge of the whole Artilery dependeth vpon him and his necessary substitutes of which the principall are the Lieutenant the Clerke of the Ordnance the Pay-master the Purueyor Generall foure Scribes foure Stewards an Harbenger a Chancellour diuers Interpreters a Preacher a Physition a Surgeon a Trumpet all Enginers and Refiners and a Guard both of Foot and Horse Gentlemen and halberdiers and ouer all these seuerall places of the most materiall whereof I haue already written he is the chiefe Superintendant and hath the power to dispose of all things according to his pleasure and Iudgement as also hee hath the commaund choise and controllment of all Gunners and Cannoniers whatsoeuer and both giueth vnto them their seuerall allowances and doth allot them their seuerall attendants It is also in the power of the Master of the Ordnance to prease and haue vnder him both Ship-wrights Boat-wrights and other necessarie Carpenters who at his appoyntment shall frame Boates Barges and other Vessels which may bee portable and at pleasure taken in sunder and ioyned for the transportation and carriage of the Army ouer any great riuers or small armes of the Sea by fastning those Boats together and making Briges thereof strongly boarded planckt and well rayled on either side as hath been done in diuers forraine Armies and also with vs here at home in the yeare Eightie eight when the Armie prouisions were passed ouer the Thames betweene Kent and Essex so that of these Boats for Bridges should neuer be in the Army vnder the number of