the Campe-maister to shew him thereof although that sometimes the Campe-maisters or Colonels themselues doe take the word and order from the Generall and giue the same vnto the Sergeant Maiors yet properly the doing therof doth appertaine to the Sergeant Maior his office And as touching the watches and gards he ought to haue great consideration not to place them if the enemy be at hand before the entring in of the night for he ought to preuēt if possible it might be that the enemy perceiue not where he setteth his watches and Sentinels And when it were time hee shall call together the company or companies which should bee of the watch the which are to be aduertised thereof from the morning by the Drumme Maior of the regiment and he is then to set them in their places the which as I said ought to be reknowledged and viewed and shewed vnto the Sergeants of such companies where they are to place their Sentinels and he is to appoint them what order they are to keepe in going their roundes alwayes reseruing a particular care to visite and reuisit all the before appointed matters and orders And if he shall find any negligence or carelesnesse in such officers he is to reprehend and chasten them with such seuerity as the case and cause shall require for in the not executing the same he becommeth to be contemned vnrespected and his commandes and orders misprised and so by consequence to introduce a very corrupt discipline Gent. What distance from the quarters and campe should the gards and watches be placed and set Capt. In encamping an army it is accustomed most commonly to entrench round about the quarters thereof for more security and strength to the allodgement and when it is so the companies which haue the ward are alwayes to sallie to gard the trenches which is the wall of the campe But in case there bee no trenches the Corps de gard in mine opinion is not to be placed aboue 70 or 80 pases distance as I haue said before from the front of the allodgements in his place of armes yet somtimes there be found ditches bottoms and vallies so strong that it shall be good for the gards to be placed there although they be farther distant off then I speake of for such strengths by nature do serue and stand in steede of ditches and trenches But not finding such naturall fences the watches are to be placed as before I haue sayd For thus as well for the security of the quarters as for if neede should require to succour those companies it is better they be placed neare then farre off And it is to be noted as a thing of great importance that great silence be kept in the body of the watch at the least all rumour and lowd noises are to be excluded and in their conuersations to talke modestly stilly and with low voices Gent. And the Sentinels what distance should they stand from the Corps de guard Capt. About thirtie pases litle more or lesse Gent. And how farre the one from the other Capt. There ought to be no more distance betwixt them then that they may easily discerne one an other how darke soeuer the night be For the Sentinels being the wall of the campe which do serue that no body may enter in nor passe out thereof without being seene and discouered now if they should be placed too wide a distance off that would not follow which is pretended Gent. And those Sentinels are they to be single Capt. No but double for foure eyes may see and discerne better then two and because if sleepe do assaile them or could the one opprest with sleep might walke and the other stand vigilant at the watch with all stilnesse and silence and without talking with open eyes and ready listening eares for many times it chanceth to heare that which the obscurenesse of the night will not suffer to see and if they do perceiue heare or see any thing whereof they ought to giue aduise to the officers let the one go thither and the other stay and not to leaue the Sentinell post forsaken and therefore for these and such like causes it is much more safer requisite and needefull that they be double But those which are set yet 30 pases farther are to be single which of some are improperly called forlorne Sentinels not hauing the word as the doubles haue the which are to be placed in the same distance as are the first and commaund and order giuen that in descrying any thing they are to retire to the post of the double Sentinels and giuing aduise and notice of what they heard or saw are to returne to their places without giuing the Alarme but in case that there were any notable number of horse or foote discouered in retiring vnto the double Sentinels all three perceiuing the same for certaine and affirming it then the Alarme is to be striken and in other sort not For many times vnto one man alone feare or imagination doth cause few people to seeme many and many things to seeme to be which are not indeede and at no time is the Alarme to be striken in the campe without good and vrgent cause For remedie whereof it is a matter of great importance that the Sergeant Maior euery night at different houres doe ordinarily visite and reuisite the watches and Sentinels as well to see that they obserue and performe his orders and commaundes as to the ende that the officers and souldiers vnderstanding his courses taken be more vigilant and carefull in their watches fearing to be punished if they incurre into any defaults and negligences Gent. What call you the forlorne Sentinell sith you say they are improperly so termed Capt. The proper forlorne Sentinell is that which is set either on horse-backe or foote as necessitie shall require neare vnto the enemies campe to the end to espie and giue aduise if any companies or troupes shall sallie thereout or if the campe do remoue secretly And this such Sentinell is to be placed in some part so neare vnto the enemie that being discryed and seene he shall with great difficultie retire and escape and is neuer set but vpon necessitie of such like aduises As when Frauncis the French king did relieue and victuall Landresie which the Emperour Charles held besieged who determined to giue him battell the next day before he were departed and so Don Fernando de Gonzaga who was Generall commaunded Captaine Salazar that he should that night put himselfe neare vnto the enemies campe therby to vnderstand their desseignes and intents but he missed to effect the same So the French retired in safetie and wel without any perceiuing thereof And thus these Sentinels haue not the word that is kept in our camp for the incōuenience that might hap if being takē by the enemy corrupted with rewards or otherwise they thereby might know
haue your companie some few dayes familiarlie to discourse with you vpon such matter as time cause and occasion shall minister for since the rumour of this troublesome world towards I meane besides the brables of Ireland the great preparations of the ambitious Spaniard pretended as is thought against vs both my selfe other country Gentlemen vnexperimented in such martiall causes haue not a litle mused thereupon and so much the more by reason of the straite charges and commands directed from her Maiestie and her honourable priuie Counsell vnto vs of euerie Shire to make good prouision of furniture and our people to be well trained the which seemeth not done without some great occasions knowne or matters greatly suspected What thinke you of it Captaine Sir I will drawe my leisure and poore skill to the vttermost to satisfie in what I can your curteous request And first concerning mine opinion touching the ambitious and proud minded Spaniard I say that besides her Maiestie and her honourable Counsell it is not vnknowne vnto a number of honest gentlemen and souldiers of our nation that the Spaniard hath aboue these thirtie yeares as well by his owne naturall imperious inclination as by the Satanicall suggestion of the Romain Pope and Clergie and continuall instigation of our English and Irish Papists both desired pretended and practised the vtter ruine subuersion and conquest of our religion state and realme the experiment whereof in Anno 1588. last with his Inuincible Nauie so by him tearmed attempting our seas and coasts we haue yet fresh in memorie whereof wee may well say Deus pro nobis pugnabat Gent. But doe you thinke that he will yet attempt the like considering his foyles and losses then receiued Captaine Why sir doe you thinke that so mightie a Prince so proud and ambitious a Nation possessing so many mightie kingdomes such inestimable Indies such plentie of wealth such readie subiects such skilfull warriours such braue Conductors such store of shipping and hauing such an egger on as is the pestiferous Pope will not yet attempt what he can were it but to recouer his honour and reputation lost in the last action Gent. Truely Captaine a number of vs countrie Gentlemen can hardly be so perswaded and especially our common countrie people Captaine Indeede I doe not greatly maruell thereat considering our long continued peace vnder our gracious Soueraignes raigne whom God long maintaine ouer vs wherein we haue not knowne what the name of warre hath meant much lesse the effects therof For long peace hath bred Securitie securitie carelesse mindes carelesse mindes contempt of warre contempt of warre the dispising of souldiarie and Martiall discipline the dispising of Martiall discipline vnwilling mindes I feare me so that it can hardly be beaten into our braines I meane a number of vs that we which so long haue found the fruites of peace should euer feele the effects of warre To proue that long peace and neglect of Martiall discipline hath metamorphosed manly mindes nay whole States and kingdomes let vs consider the Macedonians prowesse the Grecians policie the Romaines valour the Carthaginians stratagems so long as they maintained Martiall discipline ruled each the Monarchie in their times but discipline neglected disorders grew on new Martialists sprung vp and ouerturned their wealth state and kingdomes with a finall ruine of their names and Nations I speake not this but for example to put vs the more in mind to shake off securitie to mistrust the worst to make vs more readie and willing to be trayned in Martiall poyntes not grudging at the charge but frankely to offer it to fit vs with furniture and desirous to be instructed in the knowledge and managing of each armes in their kind whereby if so proud an enemie should attempt anie thing against vs we might be readie with resolute mindes to beard him to the vttermost I could say much more but this may suffice to a willing minde to conceiue Gent. You haue touched many pointes vnder a few termes but Captaine all this and much more will hardly perswade our rurall sort and I thinke many of vs Gentlemen not farre better minded for in executing her Maiesties cōmands for trayning our men prouiding of armour I heare many say what neede so much a do and great charge in Calliuer Musket Pyke and Corselet our auncestors won many battels with bowes blacke Billes and Iackes But what thinke you of that Captaine Sir then was then and now is now the wars are much altered since the fierie weapons first came vp the Cannon the Musket the Caliuer and Pistoll Although some haue attempted stifly to maintaine the sufficiencie of Bowes yet daily experience doth and will shew vs the contrarie And for that their reasons haue bene answered by others I leaue at this instant to speake thereof Gent. Why do you not like of our old archerie of England Capt. I do not altogether disalow them true it is they may serue to some sorts of seruice but to no such effect as any of the fierie weapons Gent. Will not a thousand bowes handled by good bowmen do as good seruice as a thousand hargubuze or muskets especially amongst horsemen Capt. No were there such bowmen as were in the old time yet could there be no comparison Gent. Your reasons Capt. First you must confesse that one of your best Archers can hardly shoot any good sheffe arrow aboue twelue score off to performe any great executiō except vpon a naked mā or horse A good Calliuer charged with good powder and bullet and discharged at point blanck by any reasonable shot will at that distance performe afar better execution yea to passe any armour except it be of prooffe much more neare the marke thē your Archer shal And the said Calliuer at randon will reach performe twentie or foure and twentie score off whereunto you haue few archers will come neare And if you reply that a good archer will shoot many shots to one Truly no your archer shall hardly get one in fiue of a ready shot nay happely scarce one besides considering the execution of the one and the other there is great oddes and no comparison at all Gent. But our bowmen may shoot by vollies as thicke as hayle in the ayre Capt. They may shoot thicke but to small performance except as I said vpon naked men or horse But should there be led but eight hundred perfect hargubuziers or sixe hundred good musketiers against your thousand bowmen I thinke your bowmen would be forced to forsake their ground all premisses considered and moreouer a vollie of musket or hargubuze goeth with more terrour fury and execution then doth your vollie of arrowes And againe against a resolute troupe of horse either Pistoletiers Hargulatiers or Lanciers they will stād lesse time except they be well frōted with hedge ditch or trēch or seconded with a strong stād of pikes then either Hargubuze
would haue the Sergeant Maior to be skilled and seene although the conduction of our warres now a dayes doth consist more in surprises assaults and batteries then open field fight and although the best now in vse are but two or three viz. the first square of men and the square of ground and their diuision into battallions of that kind according to the weapons wherewithall we now fight Gent. Which of these do you hold for most assured and strong Capt. I hold them all for sufficient strong but the difference which may happen is to be iudged according to the situation and disposition of the ground and occasions to fight and by the order that the campe shall obserue For in some occasions the square of men would be best as in open field without aduantage of hedge ditch water marish or wood or where the enemie is strong in horse to charge on euerie side the which iust square of men in euerie part is found to be equally strong and apt euery way to receiue the charge the which could not be so were the battell ouerlong afront narrow in flank as is the bastard broad or base square but yet in other occasions where these aduantages are to be found it were better to fight in broad front for that thereby many hands do come to fight at once together in the vantguard and with more difficultie to be compassed by the enemie hauing any of the aduantages before spoken of to friend but most cōmonly if necessitie occasion or situation do not constraine otherwise the quadrat of ground is best and most vsed as best proportioned with equall strength in vantguard and reareward especially against footemen and also flanked sufficiently strong and which of all other doth occupie least quantitie of ground Gent. What meane you by Bastard square Broad square and Base square Capt. The Bastard square is the battell which conteineth almost twise so many men in front as in flanke in proportion as 1 ¾ is to 1 the Broad square is the battell which conteineth more or as much as twise so many men in front as in flank as is 2 to 1 or 2 ⅓ which is as 7 to 3 and the Base square is the battell which containeth almost thrise or 3 times more in breadth then in depth which proportion is as 8 to 2 or 3 to 1 or such other proportions of inequalitie as fol. 51. Gent. You haue before declared at large the maner how to frame all these sorts of battels therfore it is needelesse to demaund it againe whereby I perceiue how necessary it is for the Sergeant Maior to be both learned and skilfull in Arithmeticke but doth it import any thing whether the ranks be of euē number or odde Capt. No truly but a custome vsed amongst vs without any ground for battels are to be set according to the number of men and the same to be framed as the situation of the ground will permit therfore the number of Par or Impar doth litle import to the strengthening of the battell but the due proportioning thereof according to the quantitie of your men to be accommodated to the ground or situation and aboue all the braue conduction of the Commaunders and the resolute valour of the souldiers is the strength and firmenesse of the battell Gent. What order is to be taken in setting of battels with speede and facilitie that the confusion of the souldiers disturbe not the same especially where men be vnruly euery one thrusting himselfe into the first rankes of the foreward in such disorder many times that neither the Sergeant Maior nor Colonels themselues shall be able to frame a battell in good sort Capt. The care to redresse this inconuenience toucheth the Sergeant Maior and therefore he ought to giue aduise and warning vnto euery companie before they come to this point that they beware of such confusion disorder and disobedience notifying vnto them that the Ensigne or Ensignes which were of the ward that day should frame the first rankes of the vantgard and the Ensignes or Companies that had the ward last before should successiuely follow and those which were afterward to haue the ward to succeede them againe and then next such as first were gathered to the squadrons Moreouer giuing aduisement to the officers that they suffer none of the souldiers of their bande to come without their armour by peece-meale and vnfurnisht for by such faults although that by the aforesaid reasons the vantguard appertaineth vnto them yet they loose their preheminence for comming so ill armed and iustly may others better armed be placed in their roomes Gent. And if perhappes vpon the Alarme giuen as commonly it falleth out all the Companies in Armes doe ioyne and gather together vnto the Corps de guarde or place of assemblie in such a case what is the Sergeant Maior to do Capt. He shall frame together that confused and disordered body placing the Captaines before and shall draw his battell from out one of the flankes or out of the rereward as he shall finde it most commodious the which he shall doe with great facilitie and thereby shall defraude those that were cause of such confusion and it shall serue vnto two good effectes the one he shall frame his battell with speede and the other he shall by this meanes chasten the vnruly and disobedient by leauing them in the rereward who seeing this order taken by the Sergeant Maior will euer afterwardes be more obedient and tractable to be set in order Gent. But the battell or squadron of pikes being set in what order is the same garnished with shot and how many and great shall the sleeues thereof be and how farre distant placed from the pikes for I haue heard different opinions therein whereof although you haue sayd somwhat already yet I pray let vs heare something more of the same Capt. No souldier is ignorant that the squadron of pikes being set is to be impaled or girdled with shot as many rankes of shot as pikes But the due and naturall girdling indeede ought to be no more shot in ranke then that the pike may well couer and defend especially where the enemie doth abound in Cauallerie And so vnder the defence and fauour of the pike there cannot conueniently stand aboue one ranke of three shot at the most and so many in mine opinion should the girdling conteine the which girdling shot kneeling vpon one knee vnder the couert of the couched pikes should at the charging of the horsemen discharge their vollie in their face and bosome which would bee no small galling vnto them But when this daunger of horse is not to be feared then the impalement may be made of more shot in a ranke at the discretion of the Sergeant Maior according to the quantitie of shot contained in his companies and the rest of the shot to be deuided into sundry small troupes as I sayd before
THE THEORIKE AND PRACTIKE OF MODERNE WARRES Discoursed in Dialogue vvise VVHEREIN IS DECLARED THE NEGLECT OF Martiall discipline the inconuenience thereof the imperfections of manie training Captaines a redresse by due regard had the fittest weapons for our Moderne VVarre the vse of the same the parts of a perfect souldier in generall and in particular the Officers in degrees with their seuerall duties the imbattailing of men in formes now most in vse with figures and Tables to the same with sundrie other martiall points VVritten by ROBERT BARRET Comprehended in sixe Bookes Ozar morir da la vida ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed for VVilliam Ponsonby 1598. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE VNG IE SERVIRAY TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD HENRIE EARLE OF PEMBROKE LORD HARBERT OF Cardiffe Marmion and Saint Quintin Lord President of her Maiesties Councell established in the Principalitie and dominions of VVales and the Marches of the same of the most noble order of the Garter knight Lord Lieutenant within the Principalitie and dominions of South VVales and North VVales and the Marches thereto adioyning and of the Counties of VVilt and Sommerset c. RIght Honourable hauing spent the most part of my time in the profession of Armes and that among forraine nations as the French the Dutch the Italian and Spaniard I haue bene moued by sundry my friends to set downe in writing such Martial points as I haue noted gathered or learned from them whereby such young Gentlemen and others my willing countrie men as haue not as yet entred within the boundes of Mars his bloudy field may at the last gather some instructions to be the readier at the Alarme giuen the which seemeth not farre off And sith my principall scope and purpose hath bene to open these discourses to the behoofe of the yonger and vnexperimented sort I haue therfore emboldened my selfe with your good Honours consent and fauour to dedicate them vnto that Noble yong Lord your sonne as a matter were it handled by a more perfect souldier then my selfe befitting his Lordship as well for the Martial vertues already shining in him as for the sympathie that his honorable birth and Nobility hath with this subiect which we treate of being warre and Armes Thus humbly crauing your good honours consent I beseech the Almighty for euer to blesse you with all honour and felicity Your Honours humblie at commaund ROBERT BARRET TO THE RIGHT NOBLE YOVNG LORD VVILLIAM LORD HARBERT of Cardiffe sonne and Heyre apparant to the right Honorable Earle of Pembroke Robert Barret wisheth increase of all Honour and vertue MOst Noble young Lord and of honourable expectation although your yong yeares haue scarse arriued yet to the bearing of Armes neuerthelesse on the assured hope conceiued of your honorable parts as so nobly each way descended whose vertue hath alwayes shined to the glorie of your name and house I haue emboldened my selfe to offer vnto your Lordships view and protection these Military discourses penned vpon occasion of conference had with sundry Gentlemen and by them wished to be published Many good reasons haue moued me to dedicate them vnto your Lordship as well in respect of your owne vertues resembling altogether that Noble Earle of Pembroke your Graundfather and that worthie Sir Phillip Sidney your Vncle as also in respect of the great and waightie Commandes which your Right Honourable father doth worthily hold ouer vs in these our Westerne parts and VVales vnder our dread Soueraigne Such as they are I humbly beseech your Lordship to accept as from a souldier who humbly offereth himselfe and his seruice vnto your selfe next vnto my good Queene and deare Countrie Your Lordships humbly at command ROBERT BARRET TO ALL MEN OF WARRE IN GENERALL HOnourable souldiers and braue men of warre of what degree soeuer I am assured there is none of you that will spurne at these my paynes taken as penned not to instruct the experimented and Martiall sort such as you are but the vnexpert and yong Gentlemen which haue not yet entred commons in Mars his Campe. For what good is herein contained shall redound to your glorie and fame in generall and what faults and errors be herein committed must rest vpon me beare them off as I may Let vs loue one another that God may loue vs all and giue vs true Martiall valour to the seruice and defence of our dread Soueraigne and deare Countrie Yours in all loue ROBERT BARRET TO ALL GALLANT MINDED GENTLEMEN and my good countrie men in generall GAllant minded young Gentlemen and good countriemen in generall which haue not yet marched vnder Mars his Colours nor knowne the parts incident to his followers for your instructions haue these discourses bene principally penned the which although they be but rough not polished with schoole termes yet happily not so barraine but you may reape some good fruit from them being read and noted with due regard to your behoofe perhaps in these behouefull times I am not ignorant that sundry haue treated vpon the like subiect and all to good end but yet they obserue not all one method neither I my self happily such as euery one wold wish It is somewhat hard to please few but harder to please many and none can please all although mine intent hath bene as others no doubt the like both to please and profit the most These approching times do require such vnpleasant matter yet the necessitie is such and therefore to be regarded Accept it friendly as I haue penned it willingly so shall I hold my selfe both rewarded and satisfied Your well wisher ROBERT BARRET William Sa. in praise of the Author and his worke THose that in quiet states do sing of warre Or write instructions for the Martiall crue Must neuer thinke t' escape the enuious iarre Of those who wealth not honour still pursue For they do feare least souldiers growing strong Commaund the pelfe which they haue gathered long Then worthy Barret honourd maist thou be That dreadlesse all the teene of base conceipts Hast writ a worke shall still eternize thee In spite of enuie with her slie deceipts For thou that oft in battell bold hast stood Hast now done that shall do thy countrie good For which his paynes let this suffice to shew The loue one souldier ought to beare another Kindly imbrace his worke for well you know A souldiers merits doth exceede all other And say with me as iustly say you may His trauels do deserue our prayse for ay VVilliam Sa. Gentleman THE FIRST BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is reasoned of the Neglect of Martiall Discipline and inconueniences thereof the comparison of VVeapons ancient and moderne with their different Executions the imperfections of many training Captaines the perfect training of men to great effect the due sortment of VVeapons now vsed the contempt of Souldiers and causes thereof Gentleman GOod Captaine I pray if your leysure will permit let vs
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
company in charge it seemeth me to haue said at this present sufficient herein The Captaine of Infanterie his election and office First at the leuying and erecting of new Companies in Spaine the Captaines of Infanterie are appointed by the Counsell of state warre and when places be void in the garrisons Campe new Captaines are placed by the Generals and Vize royes in their seueral gouernmeÌ„ts but with vs the Lords of the priuy Councell do commonly appoint them Gent. Truly the electioÌ„ made by such personages must needs be good sure Capt. It shold seem so indeed neuerthelesse it hath bene seen many times that both some Generals Vize royes Counsellers also haue missed in the consideration therof bestowing those charges vpon their followers Court-familiars and fauorites whereby hath risen dammage to the Prince discredit to the action for by means of such fauorit-elections many valiant skilful souldiers do remaine without charge fit for their skil and valour wherby remayning in seruice they obey not their such chosen officers neither do they attempt such honorable enterprises as often times are offered seeing that they are neither to be honored nor rewarded for the same seeing that men of litle good sort Bisognios and of small skill and experience are only by fauour preferred before them vnto those charges due to them by right which is the cause that Military discipline is fallen to decay and standeth in great need of reformation Gent. How might that be Capt. Mary in mine opinion with the Princes Potentates due reputation fauour regard the which may easily be done thus When any new Companies are leuied and raysed then not to giue the conduction and charge of them for affection and fauour vnto such as lie fawning in the Court for the same but to giue order vnto their Generals Vize-royes and Colonels assisting in their Camps and in the gouernment of their seuerall Prouinces to send them lysts or rolles of the most ancient most skilfull and best renowned Lieutenants that they haue and out of those to elect and choose Captaines and of those which before were Ensignes to chuse for Lieutenants and Sergeant to be Ensigne-bearers and Caporals to be Sergeants and of the best approued souldiers to chuse for Caporals And the verie same orders should the Vize-royes and Generals obserue not to elect him for Captaine who neuer was Lieutenant nor him for Lieutenant who neuer was Ensigne that the Treasurers of the Campes and Nauies should not set downe place to an Ensigne-bearer who neuer was Sergeant nor to a SergeaÌ„t which neuer was Caporall and that this order among theÌ„ all should be inuiolably obserued kept by this order shold the coÌ„panies be perfect wel disciplined conseruing great quiet and good order amongst them the souldiers vsing great obedience to their officers seeing themselues commanded by such skilfull maisters and euery man will in his roome place vse his diligence skill valour and endeuour hoping thereby to ascend to the degrees of others before him Gent. But with vs in England where thanks be to God we haue had litle occasion of warres this order would hardly be obserued considering the litle choise we haue of men of such sort Capt. True it is we haue small choise in deed neuerthelesse there bee manie braue men of our nation which haue long followed the warres both in the Low countries France and other places many of them spending their wealth and patrimonie in the same and men of good sufficiencie were they imployed yet rest they obscure and without charge many of them by reason of the fauorite election afore named What courage then to follow warres Gent. But many of your French and Low-countrie seruitors do hold too high an opinion of themselues thinking that for a few yeares seruice in forraine parts they merite an euerlasting reward and pay and your common souldiers the action once ended do scorne to returne to their former occupations and trades Cap. Both those sorts do I deepely condemne with you the first as men fondly conceited inconsiderate the second as men neither good for peace nor warre But we must not say they be all such neither many such I hope for I do know many others braue and honest men that liue contented with their lot though in meane estate not begging nor crauing with bolde and shamelesse faces for the more honester mind the lesse apt to beg and craue but applying themselues to some honest course and trade to maintaine their poore liuing well knowing that The warres once ended the Princes purse not able neither necessarie to maintaine all idle neuerthelesse the warres againe reuiued As readie to serue as the proudest he And again I do know manie others men of honest minds and of good courage who hauing long followed the warres and of good proofe in the same being out of action by the aforesaid occasions and hauing no trade few friends and lesse means do passe God knoweth but barely a thing to be pittied and wished to be considered Now out of these I suppose ought our Captaines and Officers to be chosen in these dangerous seasons with some reasonable allowance toward their maintenance leuied by such meanes as should be found most fit by her Maiesties honorable Counsell and subiects and commons most willing to the same which no doubt would prooue to wonderfull great effect especially to our true training and bringing men to be ready for Captained as we are our blind ignorance may chance breed our owne woe Gent. Such choise in mine opinion were good indeed to bring our people to more perfection in soldiarie points especially to bring them to the face of the enemy to fight but we haue Muster-masters appointed in euerie Shiere men of seruice and skill both to instruct our Captaines and to traine our souldiers who haue pay allowed them for the same Capt. Sith the other cannot be surely this course is good prouided that these Muster-masters be such men as I speak of I mean expert valiant skilfull discreet especially diligeÌ„t men but if they want those parts As good neuer a whit as neuer the better wherfore I could hartily wish considering this fickle dangerous 〈…〉 Lieutenants of euery shire and Captaines and Gentlemen of the 〈…〉 prouide them of some good Officers at the least not onely to furâ—â—◠〈◊〉 selues with good armour and furniture but also to cause all others 〈◊〉 to carrie the charge thereof to prouide them in like sort chaunging those â—â—â—roued blacke Billes and Bowes into good Muskets Pikes and Corslets not â—â—â—â—uring any for friendship or affection nor wincking at faults I know not for what small causes but to see it performed Wishing also our trayning Captaines and Muster-maisters to looke well to their charge and dutie and besides their diligent trayning to see each fault amended and that in due time
for their owne credits sake Gent. What course would you wish to be taken for the redresse and reformation hereof men hauing already prouided bowes and billes Capt. Marrie thus Looke in euery Parish how many men might be found able to beare the charge of an Armed Pike which is with a Corslet complet let them be charged therewith the charge at the most will not amount vnto aboue fortie shillings a small summe to a man of any wealth considering it is for the defence of lands goods libertie life and all Gent. But happely they will grudge thereat as a great charge Capt. The more pitie and shame For how many men able to beare the charge thereof shall you see in a lewd Ale house tauerne and bowling Alley to lose twise that value in one day or night at cardes dice or other vnthristie game and neuer grudge thereat But their grudging at so good an action sheweth their ignorance and base beastly mindes but grudge or grudge not prouide it they should had I the commission for the vrgentnesse of the cause doeth deepely require it And againe how many of these grumbling snudges shall you see which repine at a peny for so good an action yet can finde poundes by hundreds to buy their poore neighbours out of their liuings goods and all men of bad consideration and worse conscience Next such men as should be found able to beare the charge of a Musket should prouide one in like sort which with 30 or 40 shillings charge would be well performed and where one man were not sufficient thereunto ioyne a couple where not two ioyne three where not three ioyne foure so making a common purse to buy the same for I could wish the most weapon in the field to be Pike and Musket Againe such as haue Calliuers imposed vpō them already if they be found men able for more for we must stretch our abilitie in this case turne them to a Musket on Gods name passing ouer the charge of the Calliuer vnto another lesse able then such as shal thus be found see they prouide it good and sufficient not such rotten stuffe as commonly I see Now for such as haue bowes and bils imposed vpon them already let them alter the weapons prouiding in their stead good Pikes Muskets where one is not found sufficient ioyne two or three as I sayd before Gent. What would you haue them cast away their bowes and billes hauing bene charged with the same already Capt. Not so they may serue yet to many purposes For all those weapons before spoken of prouided shall serue but for your trayned men and your bills and bowes which euery man or most men can handle shall if neede require be put in place of seruice befitting them weapons Gent. What order would you wish for match powder and shot would you haue the burthen thereof vpon such as do find the peece Capt. No not all the charge but I would wish a generall seazement to be made vpon euery parish for as much as shold suffice for officers wages match powder for one trayning day to be deliuered vnto the Captaine or some other officer for that purpose to prouide the same ready to see it iustly distributed wel spent in the training with as litle waste as might be and so from training to training as the seruice shall continue Gent. And for the generall store what say you of that Capt. I hope there is sufficient care had therof already if not I could wish such as haue the commission charge thereof to looke well thereunto hauing a due regard to the waightinesse of the cause and to see that the moneys collected for that purpose be substantially and throughly bestowed in pikes and corslets muskets caliuers match powder lead and all other things there unto appertaining that in the time of seruice nothing be found wanting for wants in time and pinch of seruice haue hindered great actions as I my selfe others haue seene beseeching our good Lord God so to stirre vp the hearts of our high Commanders as I trust he doth to haue great care and due regard to the most necessary prouision of such munitions sith our moderne wars depēd much vpon the same But I haue long digressed frō the officer I had in hand vnto whō I think it is time to returne Gent. It was of the election of a Captaine of foot-bands but of the parts of his charge and dutie you haue not yet touched Capt. Then a Captaine of Infanterie or foot-band should haue in him all the parts before rehearsed of a perfect souldier hauing worthilie passed through all the aforesad degrees of seruice as first to haue bene a Caporall from a Caporal to a Sergeant from a Sergeāt to an Ensigne from an Ensigne-bearer to a Lieutenant and from a Lieutenant to this office one who in all those offices hath well performed his parts and duty to the end he may the better know how to cōmand and order euery one in his degree And particularly it is to be respected that he be a man that feareth God vertuous wise politicke valiant careful vigilant and as a thing of great importance well experimented in martiall affaires for disorderly shall he gouerne in warres which neuer was skilfull in the Arte. Gent. So many good parts in one subiect are hard to be found Capt. Yet some such men there are and where there are not all those parts let the choise be made of such in whom most are to be found Gen. Being chosen and his charge appointed him what is then required Cap. To know how to chuse necessary officers for the gouernment of his company and to see they may be such as their degrees and places should require for in this election he shall greatly shew his skill prudence and wisdome the which parts if he himselfe haue he will chuse men like vnto himselfe if not then per contra as it hath bene seene many times yea and those places to haue bene sould and chopped and changed for money Gent. What number would you haue a foot-company to containe Capt. Some man may be sufficient to gouerne three hundred some two hundred some one hundred as I haue said before Gent. How would you haue a Companie sorted with weapons Capt. To euery 100 men I wold wish 40 pikes 10 halbards of which nūber 2 or 3 to be targets of proof 25 muskets 25 calliuers so to the higher nūbers Gent. Thus you would haue as many pikes with halbards as you haue of shot but I haue heard some say that they wold two thirds of shot to one third of pikes Capt. True prouided that there be the ful number of muskets or rather more for I would be as well prouided to defend as to offend Gent. What importeth so great a number of muskets Capt. Much considering the wonderfull
execution of that weapon for one good musket may be accounted for two calliuers Gent. But the musket is a heauie cariage and painfull to be handled not fit but for strong and mighty men Capt. You would not be of that mind had you euer seene any good seruice especially amongst the Spaniards who vse them almost generally and I am assured that for courage and strength we are comparable yea do excell them but manie of vs want their practise yea and happily their obedience Now considering that the musket hath his rest the heauinesse thereof is many times eased and againe for the handling Practise maketh perfect as in all other weapons Gen. What officers think you necessary for a CoÌ„pany of three hundred men Cap. One Lieutenant one Ensigne-bearer two Sergeants twelue Caporals after the reckening of 25 souldiers to euerie squadron the Captaine squadron accounted for one one harbinger or furrier one Chyrurgian skilfull in his arte his seruant three Drummes and as many Phifes Gent. The Company newly leuied and officers chosen what is the Captaine to do first before he march with the same Capt. Hauing prouided his Colours he shall with solemnity incoÌ„mend it vnto his Alferes or Ensigne-bearer as before is declared and then shall diuide his souldiers into squadrons chusing for his owne squadron the most experimented men and of best sort Gent. Wherfore doth the Captaine chuse a squadron to himselfe being commander of the whole Companie Capt. Because it is a matter of much importance and necessarie in respect that this squadron standeth in such predicament that any Gentleman though neuer so illustrious and any Alferes Lieutenant or Sergeant may serue as soldier in the same without any disparagement or blemish to their reputation although they themselues haue had men vnder their charge for such ought to be aduantaged in their payes the Captaine to respect and esteeme them as his owne person and counsell and consult with them chusing officers out of them when any do want And if any peece of seruice be presented wherein hee shall be occasioned to vse some part of his company he chuseth of those such as he shall think good incoÌ„mendeth the action vnto them to giue breathing vnto men of lesse account in encounters skirmishes which are offred euen for very shame of them the coÌ„mon souldiers knowing they shal be marked noted will fight more resolute and ready Besides men of such sort are a great beauty to the band being commonly better armed then the rest He is theÌ„ to procure what he can that his souldiers be good Christians men fearing God for God knoweth there be a nuÌ„ber neither regarding their creation nor Christianity For no action is either good or like to be where this foundation is not first laid If there be any banding secting or passionating amongst them he is to appease compound the same those that do liue dishonest infamous or tatched with foule crimes let him first charitablie reprehend them whereupon if they amend not yet more seuerely if not then and all necessarie preuentions vsed let them be cashed out of the band for a few bad do soone corrupt a number of good He must diligently vse his soldiers to the often exercise of their Armes seeing them well furnished therewith shewing them the vse of euerie kind of weapon and what orders they are to obserue at encounters and battels according to the nature of their opposite enemy for there is a difference between the Germane the French the Italian and Spaniard being nations of different humors natures courage policie conduction Also that he see them practise all other exercises necessary for wars so that nothing be done disorderly in the CoÌ„pany carefully in all actions obseruing military discipline being equal with his souldiers in al perils paines which is a great encouragement to the souldiers an encreasing of their loue towards their Captaine not to send them out like headlesse men himselfe remaining behind safe vnder couert as such sometimes haue bene seene He shall often times muster shew and traine his Companie causing them to march in good order keeping well their arayes in march countermarch in ring in S. D or G. formes all which are framed by the only order of marching and bring them into squadrons of battels of sundry sorts and formes shewing them how to march orderly therein how to charge either against horse or foot how to retire with their faces still toward the enemie and how to turne their faces making front of either flanke or traine and to wheele about if occasion should serue but a thing hard and not easie to be perfourmed how to disband and how to fal into troupes By these meanes he shall know his Companie the better be better reputed of and make his men more apt and ready for action a thing very important for a Captaine When hee marcheth with his Company he must be carefull that his souldiers breake not out of ranke although it be in their own countrie or in country of our friends out of danger or suspect of the enemie to the end that they neither rifle spoile nor rob houses gardens or orchards and other places of corne fruites for therby do rise and result many times great scandals and tumults amongst the naturals of the country wherein they march is cause that they are but badlie â—ntertained at their lodgings wherin he is to haue great care vigilancy that his soldiers grow not licencious vpon their poore hosts neither offer them abuse for their meat and prouision but be contented with such as is giuen them according to the abilitie of their poore hostes chastening with great seuerity the offenders herein for in so doing he shall acquist gaine the name reputation of a Christianlike vertuous discreet Captaine but Captaines doing the contrarie suffering their souldiers to grow ouer licentious and lewd haue procured to theÌ„selues their companies great hatred infamies grudgings with their throats many times cut by the country Boores examples hereof too too many both in France and the Low-countries Now his band being of compound weapons hee himselfe may vse and carie either Calliuer Musket or Pike as he shall fancie most but the Pike is most honourable deuiding his shotte into fore-ward and rere-ward of the pikes contayning in their center the Ensigne and Halbards But if the band be al pikes or all shot alone which order I haue seene obserued amongst the Spaniards then being pikes he is by dutie to carie a pike himselfe armed in a Corslet complete wherein he shall be curious to haue them gallant and good which will cause his Company to imitate him therein But if his Companie be all shot then is he in like sort bound by dutie to carie a peece either Musket or Calliuer gallantly furnished and neatlie kept
And not in musters and traynings to carie neither long-sword neither Halbard neither leading-staffe neither halfe-pike neither yet a page going before him for it is a Bisognios tricke ill beseeming a perfect Captaine If he be commaunded with his Company to the defence and guard of any place he is to repaire to rampiere to entrench and to fortifie himselfe therein with all speed care diligence and forecast and defend the same with resolute valour as diuerse valiant Captaines haue done both in time past and also in our age whose fame in histories is and euer will bee fresh in despight of enuie If the Armie be encamped and being commanded vnto any peece of seruice he must shew therein great valour vigilancie and care animating his souldiers and consulting with his officers and most experimented men of his Companie and after determination had to shew himselfe couragious and resolute But let him well beware that he attempt nothing inconsiderate and rash as manie ignorant men haue done to their owne and companies confusion For those that go without preuention preconsideration and forecast of such successes casualties as may befall do in the very action find thēselues puzzeled amazed and at their wits end with their ouerthrow in fine Therfore to auoid such inconueniences hazards let the Captaine be wel assured to obserue the orders instructions giuen him by the higher Cōmanders if manifest occasion be not seen that in obseruing the same great dammage may ensue or good occasion be lost It importeth him also much to be a good Oratour and to haue a sweet vaine in speech and all other Commanders and officers in like sort that haue people in charge to perswade moue or disswade their souldiers as occasions shall serue to perswade to good actions to disswade from bad factions to commend valour and vertue to reprehend faults and vices and things done without order and discipline to encourage moue and stirre vp mens minds to battels braue encounters and to induce men by good speeches to endure patiently and with constant hearts the toyles wants and discommodities which commonly are presented in casualties of warre wherby they arise not in mutinies nor into such other dissolutions by reason of impatiencie in semblable aduersities A point of great vertue it is in a Captain not to be ouer couetous and greedy but franke and liberall amongst his souldiers and followers succouring them to his best abilitie in their necessities needs procuring that they be orderly paid and not basely to wrong them in detaining deceiuing and robbing them of their payes as some bad Captaines haue bene wont to do who with litle honestie and lesse feare of God haue made a practise thereof such vnworthy Captaines the Lord Generall ought seuerely to punish Item such day as his Company hath the gard he must send his Sergeāt to take the Word from the Sergeant Maior or some other such personage who hath order for the same with the which Word he is to gouerne his watch and Sentinels for that night for therein consisteth the security of the Campe. In visiting the Sentinels Corps de gard he must vse great care diligence and see that his souldiers and officers do precisely performe what toucheth them therein according to the order he shall haue receiued from his superiour Commanders and cause that his Company be alwaies prouided with candles torches such other lights for the redresse of many casualties chācing in the night He shall obey the ordinances of the Sergeant Maior and other his superiour officers with great good will diligence respecting thē accompanying them the more to moue them to loue and affect him and shall procure to learne from thē the orders courses they shall take in prosecuting the warre for it is a great vertue to be curious to know that which toucheth his profession it importeth him much to vnderstand it perfectlie wherby he may find himselfe furnished with more considerations and more ready for matters cōmitted vnto him thereby to aduance himself in his Princes seruice and in credit and reputation to his owne person bearing with a magnanimous and equall mind as well his aduerse as his prosperous fortune a rare and principall vertue At marching vnto any place with his companie let him procure that they bee prouided of necessarie baggage but yet with such moderation that in no sort he suffer his souldiers to be pestered and cumbred but as light as may bee but with their armour weapon to the end that if occasion be offered to encounter with the enemie they may finde themselues more ready determinate to gaine booties from them then carefull to conserue their owne trash and baggage not permitting any souldier to haue any horse but some fewe and particular of his most expert men the which may serue in steede of light horses to discouer and take knowledge and to send aduises if need should require In his alodgements he shold most ordinarily lodge amongst or neere his souldiers giuing them examples with his vertues and good behauiour being companion with them in hardnes of liuing not procuring to himself dainties curious meats imitating herein Cato Vticensis and George Castriot Lord of Albania Hannibal Scipio Caesar and others In fine he shal entreat his souldiers with gentle words good works accounting them as his sonnes and children whereby they may loue him respect him as their father and being thus linked he shall enterprise no act wherein they will not follow him with great loue willingnesse and valour boldly aduenturing their liues for their common honour gaining to himselfe thereby great fame reputation with the Generall and the whole Armie therby binding his Prince to reward him according to his valour vertue and deserts Gent. You haue declared many good parts belonging to a Captaine I would that our Captaines were halfe so well furnished Capt. I would they had all these good parts and manie more if more might be then should we haue lesse cause to make reckening of our enemies The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is declared the order of a Romane Legion with their deuisions and the manner of the Grecians Phalanx also a forme of trayning to be practised and vsed amongst vs with the vse and handling of each weapon in their kinde and other militarie points Gentleman FRiendly Captaine your yesterdayes Discourses haue so delighted contented and enflamed both my selfe and these other Gentlemen that we must needs entreat you to proceed and to speake somewhat of the higher Officers of the field wherefore I pray satisfie vs herein Capt. Gentlemen I would those parts of skill were in me to answere your requestes and to satisfie your expectations Neuerthelesse seeing you are so well bent and inclined to the vnderstanding of Militarie courses I will to my
Army 30 Cannons for battery that shoote bullet from 44 50 60 and some 70 pound weight from 6 to 10 inches in height 20 demy Cannons from 24 pound bullet to 30 pound 20 Culuerins from 16 pound to 20 pound bullet 15 demy Culuerines 20 Falcons 25 Falconets and 12 Sakers 5000 Quintals or Centenaires of Cannon powder to remaine in the place of garrison of most respect oxe hide to couer the powder in cariage 600 quintals of hargubuze powder and a number of lether bagges or satchels to cary powder behind men on horsebacke and when any battery is set 9 or 10 thousand Cannon shot 7 or 8 thousand demy Cannon shot 3 or 4 thousand Culuerine shot 3 thousand demy Culuerine shot 2 thousand Falcon shot 2 or 3 thousand bullets of lead for Falconets 6000 shot of diuerse sizes All these shot and bullets must be carried in coffers and strong maunds made of oziers or mats 300 Centenaires of lead 500 Centenaires of match 2000 iron shouels 7 or 8 thousand mattocks 4 or 5 thousand pickaxes 2000 axes and hatchets to cut wood 1500 wood hookes and tooles to make faggots the greatest part of all these iron tooles are to haue handles and healues There must also bee tables plankes boordes good store of such other timber for many necessary causes great store of hand maundes and baskets to cary earth to the bastion gabions sea compases also and 4000 great iron nayles for the cariages of the Artillery and of other midle and lesser sizes foure great sawes and many small eight great iron sledges to breake rockes and great stones to make the way plaine for the cariages 20 iron crowes and iron barres as many 150 quintals of iron 50 quintals of steele 20 augers of the great sort middle and lesser sort two talladores or which are engines to mount and dismount ordinance and many spare chargers or ladles of brasse and many rammers sponges and such like for double Cannon Cannon Culuerine demy Culuerine Saker Minion Falcon c. Good store of nayles of sundry sorts as well for the wheeles of the Artillery as for sundry other purposes many chaines of iron to draw the artillery store of iron cloutes for the axletrees with some iron bands for the wheeles two Romanas which is a certaine skale or beame to weigh powder match c. All tooles appertaining vnto a smiths forge Horse nayles and horse shoes of all sizes good store of Cotton match for the lint stockes cordage of sundry sorts smal cables for the artillery certaine cariages or beds for the Artillery and spare wheeles to the same with axletrees and such like certaine cartes and wheeles extraordinary to cary the munition Eight great coffers whereof 2 to be full of tallow candles for the Carpenters and other officers to worke by night and 2 with lanternes and 2 with cere-clothes and the other 2 with torches and wax candles and such other lights 150 kinderkins and barrels to cary the small cordage and small iron ware and greasing for the axeltrees 50 kintals of soape tarre soft grease to annoint the axletrees of the cariages of the ordinance 60 bundels of scaling ladders 3000 muskets and caliuers in store Moreouer there must be caried with them to make artificial fiers some quantity of Sal niter or peter as we terme it Brimstone sal guma camphora pitch rozine turpentine tarre cole of young hasell or willow aqua vitae liquid vernize tutia arsenike alexandrina non praeparata linsseede oyle common lampe oyle Cal viua quick-siluer waxe strong vinegar and salt-peter three or foure times refined of all these no great quantity for they be costly and seldome vsed Gent. Truly it is a wonder to heare and consider what a number of diuerse sundry things do of necessitie appertaine vnto this great ordinance and the number of officers and people to gouerne the same the horses and oxen to draw thē such store of cartes waines and wagons to carry the munition which must needes be a wonderfull charge vnto a Prince which either voluntary or constrained doth vse many of them as of necessity any Prince maintaining war either offensiue or defensiue must needes do Capt. Therefore haue I made this large relation rather to let you vnderstand the excessiue charge that a prince is at in managing of war thē of necessity to be inserted in this place especially being in continual actiō as the Spaniard is wherefore I say as did the yong Biscaino one of his subiects being in examinatiō with me as before I told you that without the Indies the spanish king were soone a begger And much more wold you wonder shold I make a particular recital of the charge he is and hath bin at in the long warres of the Low countries in his preparation for the cōquest of Portugall in his fleete action vnto Tercera Iland in his proud attēpt against vs In his brables in Britayn besides the incredible nūber of his pistolets continually flying in almost euery nation to infect corrupt and pierce the mindes hearts and soules of good Princes subiectes to their Princes annoyance and their owne confusion in fine Italy Fraunce and Flanders too full of his pencionary troupes I pray God that other nations tast not of his infection THE FOVRTH DIALOGVE Declaring the number of beastes to draw each peece of Ordinance what people and officers to attend them the duty of the Maister-gunner and others vnder him Item sundry other parts and duties belonging to the Captaine Generall of the Artillery as at battery and such like the quantity of powder correspondent to euery seuerall peece with other martiall annotations Gentleman WHat number of oxen and horses are necessary to draw euery particular peece of great Ordinance Capt. To draw a Cannon of the greatest size they vse to put 24 horses or oxen in faire weather and in soule 30. And for a demy Cannon 18 or 20. And to draw a Culuerine in faire weather 24 in foule weather accordingly To draw a Saker 12 or 14 beasts and for a Falcon 8 beastes c. A good cart waine or wagon will cary 60 Cannon shot and of others after that rate and are drawne with 6 or 8 horses and after the same order and waight go the other carts and cariages with powder leade match iron iron-tooles armour and all other munition One cart to cary a bridge barke and all these things considered the Captaine Generall of the Artillery taketh vp all these cartes and beasts at the Prince prices being in their owne dominions and in other countries as he may get them for pay Gent. Then being in others countrie what order is to be obserued herein Capt. The Maister of the ordinance agreeth and bargaineth with some certaine persons who do offer themselues to serue in the actions with a thousand horse or two as did one Andrew Dun in the seruice of Charles the fift
a Corps de guard both of Infanterie Cauallerie The charge of the placing setting of them belongeth vnto the Camp-maister Generall called with vs the High Marshall of the field The election of all the aforesaid officers and Gentlemen of the artillerie Enginers Pioners belongeth vnto this Maister of the Ordinance except the treasurer and Pay-maister whom either the Prince or the Lord high Generall doth name appoint but besides this aforesaid guard of foot horse it behoueth the Miaster of the Ordinance to set other carefull and warie people both to gard them and view them that the Ordinance be not nayled nor the munition fiered as did a paisant issuing out of Verona being besieged by two great armies of the Venetians and Frauncis the French king and Marc Antonio Colonna defendant within and set fire to the munitions of the Venetians campe The Captaine Generall of the Artillerie doth cause to bee payed all the officers Gentlemen Enginers and Pioners which go vnder his conduction and they ought to obey him reuerence and respect him as their superiour punishing their offences as they be committed as well in peace as in warre and commending and rewarding such as haue valiantly and vertuously demeaned themselues so shall he be beloued obeyed and honored Gent. Truly this office is of great and honorable charge and many businesses belonging to the same Capt. So it is indeede and therefore encommended and bestowed vpon personages of great qualitie learning wisedome and experience in martiall affaires and one who is alwayes of the counsell of warre The Captaine Generall of the Cauallery his Election charge and office THE FIRST DIALOGVE VVherein is reasoned of the Election charge and dutie of this officer the comparison of the Infanterie with the Cauallerie with examples of both and of certaine peeces of seruice to be performed with the horse Gentleman I Pray now to the Captaine Generall of the horse Capt. The Captaine Generall of the Cauallerie is commonly chosen appointed by the Prince for being a charge of so high authority preheminēce it is alwayes encommended bestowed vpon a personage of honour title or some very honorable Gentleman who hath had great experience practise in warre considering the great and waightie occasions that commonly therein are offred to be performed and effected with the Cauallerie and so he that is chosen to this charge ought to haue in him all or the most of the good parts to be expected in a High Lord Generall of an Armie the which may be considered when I come to speake of that officer referring the same vntill then except some particular points which may fall out in questions by the way Gent. Then shall we gladly heare them remarke them also but which thinke you to be of most vtilitie in the warres either the Cauallerie or Infanterie Capt. In mine opinion the Infanterie is to be preferred being well instructed and disciplined in their Arte. Gent. But I haue heard the contrarie opinion in approuing the horse saying that they are the reputation of the Prince and armie Capt. I hold partly the same estimation of them but yet I would gladly haue mine opinion excused that they are not comparable to deale with resolute foote except vpon great and manifest aduantage and in place and ground of very great fauour for them For a resolute stand of pikes with their conuenient troupes of shot will giue them sore stops and returnes with dishonour as hath plainly appeared by the memorable battels of our famous kings of England obtained with their foot cōpanies against the proud Cheualry of France as at Agincourt field at sundry other their honorable battels Yea many times it hath bin seene that shot companies alone being helped by some aduātage to put them to the foyle as did the Marquise de Pescara with 800 shot onely breake foyle and disorder Charles de la Noye then vice Roy of Naples with all his Cauallerie at the battell of Pauia Another exāple we haue of the Countie Francisco Carmagnolla being Captaine Generall of Philip Vicoūt Duke of Myllan his armie going with six thousand horse against the Switzers was by them repulsed by the valour and length of their pikes who hauing regathered his disordered troupes considering from whence their disaduantage grew turned head againe vpon the enemy and he himselfe and his companies dismounted on foote and with their Launces in hand framed a foote squadron and charged the enemy a fresh and so brake and ouerthrew them in number aboue fifteen thousand who by force of horse could not bee remoued imitating herein Marcus Valerius Coruinus who being Consull Captaine against the Samnites in the first Punik warre and in their last battell not able to breake on thē by reason of their lōg pikes wherewith they defended thēselues commaunded his horsemen to dismount and on foote armed as they were with their Lances to fight with the enemie whereby he ouerthrew them put them to flight with the victorie and their baggage remaining in his hands And againe in the battell that Constantine Roxianus Captaine Generall to Sigismund king of Polonia had with Basilius the great Duke of Muscouia by the riuer Brisna who surmounted him much in horse three thousand footemen onely which he had in his armie wan him that day the honour and victorie Many examples more might be recited both ancient and moderne but I rest with these remembring that among the ancient Romanes their foot was alwayes of more estimation then their horse holding a true opinion that the infanterie well disciplined is the sinew of the warre the fortresse of the Realme and the wals of the Citie Gent. But I haue heard say that in these warres of Netherland after that the Gran Commandador dyed that the states reuolted with determination to cleare their countrey quite of the Spaniardes that Don Alonzo de Vargas who had then the Spanish Cauallerie in charge did great exploits therewith in encounters which he had with the state foote and horse Capt. It is true But you must consider that those were old and experimented souldiers resling vpon a valiant resolution the others Bisonniòs and raw people raised vp vpon a suddain conceipt in which actions is maruellously to be marked the difference betweene men of experience and Bisonnios the braue carriage of the one and the bad conduction of the others as appeared in the reencounter at Tilmont and at the succouring of Captaine Mountsdock being taken by them of Mastrich and most notably in the sack of Antwerpe where not to the number of 5000. Spaniardes inclosed within their Citadell gaue the ouerthrow and foyle vnto aboue 16000. of the Antwerpians brauely armed encamped within their owne towne In like sort at the ouerthrow of Gibleo where not aboue 600. horse of Don Iohn de Austria his troupes defeated aboue 15000. of the
against foote shot if they be not friended with hedge ditch or some such place of aduantage in their middle troupes is the Guidon placed Finally the Hargulutiers Carbines or Hargubuziers on horsebacke not armed at all or else with light arming and they haue a good Hargubuze or a Petranell or horsemans peece as some call it with a good short sword and dagger well girt vnto him mounted vpon a pretie light horse such as be our Northerne nagges befitted with a saddle bridle and furniture correspondent with a necessarie flaske and touch-boxe for his peece and a purse at his girdle with bullets and his other necessaries These and the other shot on horsebacke do serue principally for great Caualgadas they serue to watch to ward to discouer to scoute to forrage to skirmish for Ambuscados for gaining of a straight hilles and ground of aduantage to be put for a forlorne Sentinell to discouer the enemies proceedings to spoyle forrages and to assaile troupes at their lodgings either in villages straights or fields and if occasion serue they may alight and serue on foote either to assaile a straight to surprise a barrier to performe an Ambuscado and in such points of sudden seruice doe the dutie of foote shot wherein they may do many good peeces of seruice to the enemies annoyance who if the enemy bring shot to displace them they may dislodge if they find the party vnequall and betake them to their horse And in good conductions they are alwayes seconded with armed Pistols or Lances for they are not lightly turned out to any peece of seruice vpon armed men without being accompanied with Lances or cuyrats on horsebacke I meane armed petranels or pistoliers They ought to bee very nimble both to mount on horsebacke and to dismount to manage their horse euery manner of way to be very ready and quicke with their peece discharging on euery part as cause shall require inuring their horse both to the crack and fire and learne to performe three actes at one instant his bridle hand his peece and his spurres wherein consisteth fine skill with viuacitie of spirite attained by often vse and practise For they are the forlorne skirmishers on horsebacke who hauing performed their dutie doe retire behind their Lanciers and armed pistols And it is not inough to know how to ride a horse well and vnpractised in his peece neither is it inough to bee skilfull in his peece and ignorant in his horse but the one must bee coupled with the other to make a perfect Hargulutier For the fierie weapons being in hands of vnexpert men either on horsebacke or foot is of all other the most daungerous to themselues and being in the hands of perfect souldiers is a weapon of most execution and aduantage To conclude all these aforesaid mounted people ought to be seene haue some skill in diseases of horses and to know remedies for the same and if neede require to set a shoe also All their baggage doth passe with the munition and baggage of the campe Gent. How are these troupes sorted Capt. The discipline now vsed doth require vnto euery fiue hundred Lances and armed Cuyrats one hundred or one hundred and fiftie of these aforesayd light horse Gent. What course doth this Generall of the horse take with his troupes in field campe or garrison Capt. First he taketh a roll of the bands committed to his charge euen as doth a Colonell of Infanterie with his with the names of their Captaines viewing well their mounting and arming to see it be sufficient and his seuerall sortes of horsemen disposed in seuerall troupes as I sayd before in the morning when the trumpet soundeth to make ready the horse hee shall repaire to the Lord Generals tent to know his pleasure the which being knowne he bringeth forth the Generals Ensigne or standard whereunto his Captaines doe repaire with their companies in a readinesse whom he ranketh in good troupes each sort by them selues with their Cornets and Guidons in middest of their troupes And as occasion shall be offered to send them abroad he shall appoint such as shall watch scoute and discouer and others to relieue them againe committing them to the Scout-maister When the Camp-maister Generall goeth to view the ground to encampe vpon the Generall of the horse sendeth sufficient troupes to attend vpon him When the armie entreth into the campe he shall with all his Cauallerie remaine mounted in the field vntill the Infanterie be all encamped then to enter orderly with his horse troupes and repaire vnto their allodgements vsing therein indifferencie to each band in their kinde giuing order vnto his Scoutes that they come not out of the field vntill the trumpets sound to the watch at night and Corps de guardes set and Sentinels brought forth of the campe and placed at their postes He must appoint horses to attend on the Forragers to guard and defend them till they returne with their forrage He must also appoint a conuenient conuoy of horse to guard the victuallers of the campe as well from the enemy as from vnruly souldiers In the order of his skirmishes encounters and charges he must giue order one troupe to second another that if the first bee repulsed being well seconded they may haue time to regather themselues into order againe sparing his armed mē frō such skirmishes his Lāciers what he may reseruing them to encounter with their equals or breake vpon the enemies battell as occasion is offered but alwayes hauing a carefull regard that his bands charge not too neare the front of their owne foote squadrons for feare of inconuenience that might ensue as it fell out at the ouerthrow of Gibleio but rather espying what aduantage he may to charge the enemy in flanke or in rereward For it is a great point of a man of warre to finde the occasion and to take it when it comes Gent. But hath he the chiefe ordering of the squadrons of horse in battell in march and in allodgement Capt. No not the chiefe in those points for that belongeth to the Lord high Marshall or Camp-maister Generall whose office is herein as the Sergeant Maior Generall with foote companies The Campe-maister Generall or high Marshall his Election charge and office THE FIRST DIALOGVE VVherein is set foorth the parts to be expected in a Lord high Marshall his authoritie in an Army and in the administration of iustice both ciuill and criminall what officers attend vpon him with certaine Martiall orders and lawes c. Captaine THe office of the Campe-maister Generall or Lord high Marshall the Prince with great consideration and aduise doth encharge vpon a personage of great prudence and industrie and of great experience and skill in martiall causes for that the administration of iustice both ciuill and criminall belongeth vnto his charge and also the encamping of the Army and the fortifying
now most in vse wherein you haue satisfied vs wonderfull well yet I pray according to your promise will you now describe vnto vs their seuerall tables and figures to the same whereby we which are not skilled may reape some knowledge from thence and so shall haue good cause to yeelde you thankes for your great paines Capt. Although that I haue in our former discourses declared at large of most sorts of imbattailing both auncient and moderne yet for better declaration and vnderstanding of the tables following I must of necessity repeate a great part thereof againe Touching errors found in battels according to mine opinion by reason of sundry compound weapons within the body of the same I haue spoken already Wherefore now let vs consider and declare what kind of battels by reason may bee held for good and firme considering our now vsed fights and the weapons most befitting the same suted in so good sort as may become able to abide or performe a victory whereunto they are appointed Principally therfore if you will rest vpon one sole and entire battell whether the same be square of mē or square of ground or any other proportion or forme as hearst crosse battell or tryangle the which two first as I haue erst before sayd do at this present day remaine chiefly in vse among vs or deuide your army into many battallions of that kind which your graund battell shall be formed of then set your squadron of battell or battallions round about vnder the guard of the pikes with such number of shot as shall be best fitting vnto the proportion of the same according to the Sergeant Maior his appointment either by 3 5 or 7 shot in a ranke and the rest to be reparted into many small troupes of 30 40 or 50 in a troupe trouping round about the battel with a reasonable distance from the same to maintaine skirmish which way soeuer the enemie approcheth Prouiding that the same troupes be still maintained one to second another that the battell may be by them shadowed to the end that the enemies troupes or skirmishers may not haue that aduantage to discharge vpon the body of your battell Now among these your troupes of shot it shall be very behouefull to mingle some of your short weapons as halbards bils swords and targets halfe pikes and such like for there shall your short weapon do best seruice mixed with your naked shot to backe them if they should happen to be distressed by the enemy Your battell thus framed girdled and enuironed with shot in troupes the which troupes seconding one another shall still keepe your battell shadowed as in the figures of all their kinds set downe before their seuerall tables shall plainely appeare alwayes regarding that your girdling shot do neuer discharge vntill the enemy commeth within 20 or 30 pases of them at the least and then to discharge roundly vpon the face and body of the enemy The which being performed if they be encountred with foote they are speedily to retire vnto either flanke of the battell or sleeued in betwixt the pikes or if encountred with horse to bend downe vpon one knee vnder the guard and succour of the pike Now hauing deepely considered the rare victories and great conquests of the auncient Romaines atchieued in mine opinion by their due obseruing of true martiall discipline and great readinesse in their politike and suddaine alterations of their proportions wherewith to encounter their enemies I find therein a most notable patterne of a right excellent Chiefetaine The very circumspection of whom by a most wonderfull regard was cause vnto them of so many and such honourable victories wherein the continuall readinesse of their souldiers and people of war to be transported with all facilitie into euerie forme vpon anie occasion and the skilfull direction of their Captaines was such therin as to so victorious a people seemed to be most correspondent and conuenient The which true discipline obedience skill and readinesse were it vsed and more then it is in this our age I thinke warres would carry a farre better conduction then they now do This kind of readinesse in souldiers and the indeuour of a continuall vse vnto them in the same especially in the time of their trainings the which I could wish to be put in practise with vs by skilfull trainers vpon what chaunce soeuer shold happen hath no doubt seemed vnto many to be of no small importance and force and the rather do I so iudge for that hauing sounded the depth and commodity thereof I find the contrary negligence to beare with it a note of most great imperfection The disposition whereof leauing vnto the knowledge and regard of euery good and expert Captaine and for that I haue at large discoursed thereof already in my third booke of these military discourses I will at this present content my selfe to shew vnto you the seuerall tables and figures of all these battels and battallions with the arithmeticall rules to frame the same and how that out of the grand square of men may all these battallions and battels be reduced and that without any great confusion The practike rules whereof I haue as I sayd at large set downe in these our former discourses as in the third booke may appeare moreouer I haue in sundry other places particularly declared and the orders of the embattailing of men now most in vse with their order of impaling with armed pikes their diuisions into Maniples and the ready reframing of them againe into their grand square as at large in the sayd third booke appeareth in many and diuerse places Finally in the aforesaid third booke in folio 89 and 90 and in the fourth booke in folio 99 I haue described the order to draw your army through straights and difficult passages by quartering the same into such proportions as the straights will permit especially if the enemy do constraine you to fight in the same as most commonly it falleth out also in the fift booke in folio 157 is dessigned a plat of encampement with the arithmeticall rules of the same in the consideration of all which the value and waight of this readinesse may vnto the diligent regarders perchance in their seuerall descriptions giue some manifest appearāce A declaration of the tables of battels and battallions with the arithmeticall rules to worke the same In these tables following I haue begun with the nūber of 10000 armed pikes besides the shot and short weapons correspondent to these proportions whereof I haue before sufficiently spoken in many places for the diuision of which number of armed pikes with all numbers downe ward I haue reduced into certaine tables the proportions of diuerse battels beginning with the square of men from the said number of 10000 pikes downward and the same not decreasing by 50 or 100 but by roote as first beginning with the square roote of 10000
in the tauerns and victualing houses in the butchery in the bakery among the Gun-makers the Gun-powder-makers Armourers and such like And of all such as he findeth there he giueth account and notice vnto the Captaine or Alferez or Sergeant and these againe do aduertise the Castellane and in his absence the Lieutenant And in the day time a Gunner with an other officer goeth to reknowledge and view all the Artillery of the Castell as wel those within as those without in the Rauelines In the morning after that the drumme hath striken the Aluarado or breaking vp or discharging of the watch the Alferes with twenty souldiers and foure Caporals goeth vnto the lodging of the Castellane to receiue the keyes and then goeth to open the Tenaza and Rauelines and then commeth the Corps de guard of the principall gate and ringeth a little bell to call together and assemble those that are at the watch and after being together they do open the Castell gates with all the watch and other officers present in this maner The Castellanes Lieutenant remaineth at the first gate in the inner part thereof with one troupe or part of the souldiers and the rest of the guard being issued out they shut the same againe and goe to open the second gate where a Captaine and Sergeant with another troupe of souldiers do stay and remaine and then the guard of the third gate being issued out with the Alferez they shut also the second and doe open none of these neither do the souldiers disarme themselues vntill the place of the Castell be very well reknowledged and thoroughly viewed In the first gate of the principall bridge there remaines in the day time 50 souldiers at the ward with a Caporall who taketh account and charge of the opening and shutting thereof and there is ioyntly with them the Alferez who keepeth account and reckening with those which enter in from abrode and if it be any stranger that commeth for some affaires or businesse into the Castel there goeth with euery such one souldier of the guard notwithstanding that they haue passed thorough the hands of the Lieutenant or in his absence through the hands of the Captaine of Infantery At the middle gate there is another Corps de guard containing other 30 souldiers with two Caporals and with these doth continually assist the Lieutenant of the Castell a Captaine of infantery and a Sergeant And there is the assembly and concourse of all the souldiers so that besides those which be of the watch there is continually 70 or 80 other souldiers or more At the gate within the Castell there is 16 souldiers and with them one Capoporall Betwixt ten and eleuen of the clocke in the day time they shut the gates to go vnto their dinner and then there goeth vpon the walles eight souldiers with an officer which do go the Round and Contra Round whilest the rest bee at dinner The souldiers do remaine at their dinner time one houre and in opening the Castell gates againe they chaunge the postes or wardes vntill three of the clocke and at that houre againe they go and chaunge them a fresh vntill it bee night And in the opening of the gates after dinner they obserue the same order as they did in the morning They haue a consideration and reguard if the day do increase or diminish as concerning the deuiding of the houres and in opening and shutting the gates according to the same order There hangeth at euery post or watch turret vpon the walles a little bell at each of seuerall soundes wherewith the Sentinels do answer one another euery quarter or halfe houre All the day there goeth continually two souldiers the Round and Contra â—ound the which do chaunge and are relieued by their quarters as are in like sort the Sentinels vpon the walles hauing a care and reguard vnto the Artillery and to see if any persons not belonging to the Castell doth come vp vpon the same without licence of the Castellane or his Lieutenant and finding any such person in such manner they giue knowledge thereof vnto the Castellane or vnto his officers to the end that the cause might be knowne why any such doth mount vp vnto the walles Euery one of the Caporals that are within the Castell hath his quarter assigned him with his squadra and euery night doth visite the souldiers in the same and see whether they haue their bullets powder match and all other armes in a readinesse and whether any souldier do lodge or sleepe without the Castell by night without leaue and licence of his superior officer And euery morning before the opening of the gates the said Caporals do giue an account particularly vnto the Captaine of al the faults in this sort committed the which are punished according to the orders that be prouided and made for euery matter concerning the sayd Castell Also the higher officers and Caporals haue their quarters deuided appointed where euery one doth know whither to repaire with the soldiers of his charge if the Alarme be giuen Euery Saturday doth an officer with sixe souldiers go and visite and reknowledge all the Contra Mines The Castellane hath one key of the chest where all the keyes are locked and the Lieutenant keepeth another to the end that if any suddaine occasion be offered repaire might be made vnto him which is next at hand these keyes are not the ordinary keyes And thus all these things being knowne and well considered any Castellane or Captaine of any Fortresse or place of defence may alter adde or diminish that which vnto him shall seeme good for the good gouernement and defence of his place of charge The Conclusion Thus hauing finished in fine these Military discourses wherein I haue marched farther then I meant at the first drawne on Gentlemen by your diuerse and curious demaundes and what reformations I haue herein desired or what amisses errors I haue herein committed I yeelde the same to be considered and reformed by the wisedome of those whose experience authority and good indeuour may be answerable to the performance therof desiring that the same may be deemed as proceeding from a soldier who more of zeale then of any desire to offend hath penned these rough discourses wishing that himselfe and all others may take occasion thereby to amend what is in euery of vs amisse Beseeching our heauenly Chieftaine Iehouah thas as herein so in all other inconueniences any waie hindering the florishing state of our Noble Common-weale the necessitie of this euery other action may take such roote in the beholders thereof as that with such conuenient regard as they ought they will endeuour euery man in his degree the redresse and wished reformation of the same with the due regard of our daungerous times each honest man of what degree soeuer inuesting himselfe with the honourable habite of the true feare of God