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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12567	Certain discourses, vvritten by Sir Iohn Smythe, Knight: concerning the formes and effects of diuers sorts of weapons, and other verie important matters militarie, greatlie mistaken by diuers of our men of warre in these daies; and chiefly, of the mosquet, the caliuer and the long-bow; as also, of the great sufficiencie, excellencie, and wonderful effects of archers: with many notable examples and other particularities, by him presented to the nobilitie of this realme, & published for the benefite of this his natiue countrie of England	Smythe, John, Sir, ca. 1534-1607.	1590 (1590)	STC 22883; ESTC S117657	85,512	138

the Enemie in the heate of sommer will grow so weake that thereby they will leese their force and effects Whereunto I answere that this obiection is a new fancie and a verie dreame contrary to all ancient and moderne experience of English Archers whose Bowes being made of that excellēt wood of Yewgh doo neuer so decay in strength neither by hotte nor wett weather nor yet by often shooting in them but that they will with arrowes wound and sometymes kill both men horses a greater distance off then the shott and bullets of Harquebuziers and Caliuer 〈…〉 employed and vsed in the open fields by skilfull Conductours and Leaders by reason of the wonderfull failings and vncertainties of those and all other weapons of fire maniable diuers of the particularities wherof I haue before in this dicourse made manifest Also they do further alledge that vpon an inuasion of foraine dominions beyond the seas the weapons and furniture of Archers as of Bowes sheafes of arrowes and bowstrings can not be found and prouided where Archerie is not vsed whereas contrariwise all kinds of munition belonging to the weapons of fire are easie to be found and prouided in all foraine dominions Which is as much as if they should say that if an Armie of fiue and twentie or thirtie thousand of our English nation vnder some sufficient Generall were sent to inuade France and disembarking in Normandie and winning Newhauen and Roan should straight march to Paris which is no more thā diuers Kings of England and their Generalls haue done where after some encountres and skirmishes the Armie comming to lack powder and shott they should with facilitie for money prouide the same in the hart of the Enemies Countrie where all the Townes in which that prouision is to bee had are fortified which is a verie mockerie and dreame to bee thought on But some of our such men of warre peraduenture will further alledge that they might haue the same prouision by the way of conuoy either from Newhauen or Roan in case they were possessed of those Townes whereunto it is to bee answered that first the conuoy had need to bee verie strong besides that there is no man of anie consideration and iudgement but that doth verie well knowe that Mosquets Harquebuzes powder match and lead are as heauie and a great deale more heauie to bee carried than Bowes sheafes of arrowes and bowstrings are Besides that by such their ignorant obiections they doo euidentlie shew that they haue not read nor heard or els for lacke of reason not beleeued the proceedings of the notable Kings of England in their inuasions of France and other Dominions for if they had they would not then doubt but that a King of England or his Lieutenant generall inuading forraine dominions would vpon such an enterprise carrie all sorts of munition belonging to Archers to serue them for many battailes and great encounters as well as King Edward the third and Henrie the fift and their Lieutenants generall did whose Armies did sometimes consist of nine or ten thousand al Archers and not aboue foure or fiue thousand armed men on horsebacke and on foote which Princes and their Lieutenants did neuer omit according to their milicia to carrie great plentie of sheafes of Arrowes Bowes and all other things requisite aswell for their Archers as for their armed men and all other effects Besides that by that their simple and fond obiection they do discouer that they haue very seldome or neuer seene an Armie royall march in the field for if they had they then would verie well know that there is no puissant Armie formed either to inuade or defend that doth consist of a well ordered milicia that doth not in the publique carriages of the Camp ordinarylie carrie all kindes of munitions of weapons and armours offensiue and defensiue with all other munitions and necessaries requisite for all purposes for the publique employments and vse of Camp Towne and field Now whereas some of our aforesaid men of warre do further alledge rather vpon fancie than vpon anie souldiourlyke reasons and experience manie vaine and friuolous obiections partlie against the Bowes as aforesaid but chieflie against the Archers that do vse them how good soeuer they be saying that Archers when they haue lyen some long tyme in Camp in the field will become so decayd in strength either by sicknes or otherwise that they will not be able to draw their Bowes and worke that effect that Archers should do whereas contrarywise Mosquettiers and Harquebuziers will giue as great blowes with their bulletts out of their peeces being decayd in strength by long lying in Camp or sickenes as if they were whole Thereunto I answere that true it is that the small loue that such men of warre as they are haue borne to their souldiours in the Low Countries allowing them nothing but prouand and lodging them in Churches vpon the bare stones and pauements aswell in winter as in sommer with manie other their abuses and disorders contrarie to all discipline militarie haue made most of their souldiours vnfit and vnable to vse any sort of weapons as soldiers should do in the field howbeit in fauour of Archers to conuince their simple and ignorant opinions I say that if Harquebuziers happen to be decayd in strength by sicknes or that by long lying in Camp in the field they shall happē to haue anie ache or aches in their necks shoulders armes backs thighs leggs or feet although that they be otherwise hart whole enough shalbe as litle or rather lesse able in seruices in the field to performe the effect of Harquebuziers than Archers the effect of Archers for Harquebuziers in such seruices must be lythe in all their ioints and sinewes that they may stoupe to their peeces trauerse their grounds now retiring hauing discharged giuing place to their fellowes and then aduancing againe giuing their fellowes retiring tyme againe to charge with such agilitie and dexteritie that they may be readie vpon euery opportunitie to stoupe and take euery litle aduantage of hillocks bancks vines trenches shrubbes or anie such like besides that they must haue their armes and shoulders verie sound to carrie their peeces firme in their dischargings at the Enemie as also to vse their scouring sticks and charge againe which effects they are no wayes able to performe if they be grown weak by lying in the field or if they haue achs or cricks in anie part of their limbes as aforesaid Mosquettiers also it doth behoue to be strong and puissant of body without sicknes achs or other impediments and euerie way sound of wind and limbe for if they be decayd in strength of body by lying in the field or that they haue anie impediments of cricks or aches in their necks shoulders armes backs thighs or leggs it is not possible that they should be able to vse their Mosquets in the field to the annoyance of their Enemies

Besides that it is most manifest that before some of our such men of warre tooke those voluntarie warres in hand there were verie few theeues and roges in England in cōparison that there are now that haue come out of their discipline for it is certaine that this new deformed Milicia and euill gouernment of our such men of war by suffering their soldiers for lacke of pay in those warres to go a robbing and spoyling the countrie people their friends as aforesaid hath brought many of them from good to euill and made most of those that haue returned into England impudent roges and theeues that were true men before they went ouer By which their merueilous disordered and deformed discipline it is come to passe that many and many thousands of the brauest and lustiest sort of people able to weare armes and to serue in any warres either offensiue or defensiue are as aforesaid consumed in those warres and the number of exercised and expert soldiers meete vpon any occasion to serue the Prince and Realme by those seruices no waies increased by reason that all such as haue come out of those seruices vnlesse it be the Captaines and a fewe Officers of bands are almost all turned from miserable soldiers that they were in those Lowe Countries to most impudent roges and theeues that by no order nor pollicie can be reformed and reduced to any honest course of life all which hath come to passe through the extreme euill gouernement of some of our such men of war as aforesaid And whereas they talke and boast so much of their new discipline Militarie and of their owne sufficiencies and that they doe exceede and excell all the ancient men of war of times past as also such as are yet liuing Certainely all men that list may beholde their newe Milicia of their owne forming as aforesaid of theeues and roges that doe swarme in all the high wayes and gaoles of England Which doth make manifest the great insufficiencies of such as haue beene Authors actors and performers of that infernall discipline some of the which also haue not contented themselues to worke the aforesaid great euills to their Countrie and Nation before declared but haue of late yeares since they came out of those Lowe Countrie warres sought to bring to passe two other such notorious and deformed effectes amongst the English Nation as may in time to come be the vtter ruine of this most noble kingdome and people euen as the like hath beene of diuers other great Monarchies of the which two effects the one hath beene to celebrate the other to abolish and extinguish That to celebrate hath been to the feasts of Bacchus with carowsing and drunkennesse Which most foule and detestable vice is enemy to all Discipline and Exercises Militarie and to be short to all vertues and excellencies both of bodie and soule and in the rest is the very mother and nurse of effeminacie of cowardice of sensualitie of rebellion of couetousnes and all other vices that can be imagined as we may euidently see by our next neighbours the Flemings and Dutch whose vices and imperfections sauing onely their pollicie to grow rich and gather goods for breuities sake I ouerpasse And this forren vice hath bene brought out of those Lowe Countries by some of our such men of warre within these very fewe yeares whereof it is come to passe that nowadayes there are very fewe feastes where our said men of warre are present but that they doo inuite and procure all the companie of what calling soeuer they be to carowsing and quaffing and because they wil not be denied their challenges they will with many new conges ceremonies and reuerences drinke to the health and prosperitie of Princes to the health of Counsellors and vnto the health of their greatest friends both at home and abroad in which exercise they neuer cease till they be dead drunke or as the Flemings say Doot dronken Which their quaffings and carowsings with all their ceremonies is no other but a blaspheming and offending of God in the highest degree a touching of the honour of the Princes vnto whose healths they carowse and a very offering of sacrifice vnto Satanas or rather to Belzebub himselfe the Prince of feendes Certainely a wonderfull pitifull case that anie of our such men of warre or nation vnder the pretence of souldiorie and warlike Discipline should nowadayes in steade of praying to God for the health of Princes which hath beene alwayes very commendably vsed amongst all good subiects Christians drinke and carowse drunke to the health prosperity of Kings Kingdoms and States And that men that haue beene created by God to his owne similitude and likenes should contrarie to his glorie by such filthie disorder make themselues farre inferiour to most brute beasts And this aforesaid detestable vice hath within these sixe or seuen yeares taken wonderfull roote amongest our English Nation that in times past was wont to be of all other Nations of Christendome one of the soberest And this is one of the fruits and merchandize of their discipline that our such men of warre haue brought in amongst vs. Now the other effect that they haue sought most blindlie and maliciouslie to bring to passe to the great daunger that vppon diuers accidents may hereafter happen to the Crowne and Realme of England and English Nation hath been and is to seeke to abolish and extinguish the notable exercise and vse of our Long-bowes and Archerie by which weapons our auncestors with many miraculous victories haue made our Nation famous both in Europe Affrick and Asia so that in stead of Archerie which is the soberest exercise of all others to auoide drunkennes and other euills and a most manlie exercise and wholesome for the health of the bodie and to encrease strength and for battailes and victories of farre greater effect than any other weapon that euer was or shall be inuented our such men of warre vnder pretence of the excellencie of the weapons of fire by them misreported would bring in carowsing and drunkennes which two things I meane of the neglecting and suppressing of the vse and exercise of Bowes and Archerie and bringing in of superfluities and drunkennes hath been the ruine of manie great Empires Kingdoms and Common-wealthes as it is apparant by the testimonie of many notable histories As for example the Aegyptians before mentioned in this Proëme vnder their most valiant and mightie King Sesosis or Sesostris and other their notable Princes did conquer a great part of Asia Europe Affrick by their notable Milicia which did consist most of Archerie and Bowes but after through long peace and the negligence of some of their effeminate Kings the same warlike Nation did growe to such drunkennes and gluttonie that thereby forgetting the vse and exercise of their Bowes they were conquered and subdued Alexander the great the greatest part of whose Armie did consist of Archerie and after that many times subdued and

late yeares erected for the defence of the Realme should bee filled with manie Mosquettiers and Caliuerers and fewe Piques and for short weapons being Bils which I call Battleaxes they make small accompt Now for answere to some of these vnsoldierlike opinions I say that if anie such as doo hold that wonderfull opinion of the effects of Mosquettiers how good soldiers soeuer they thinke themselues were at anie Hauen in England with fiue or sixe thousand of the best Mosquettiers that they euer saw of our English nation without 〈…〉 of horsemen and footmen of other weapons to backe them I thinke they would worke verie small effect against the Enemie landing although they had ensconsed themselues as they terme it in such Sconses as they and their Enginers formed this last sommer 1588. vppon the Sea coasts of Suffolke and in Essex and Kent on both sides of the riuer of Thames For if they should see a Nauie with an Armie of thirtie or fortie thousand men besides seamen and such as should be left for the gard of the shipps vnder some notable and sufficient General enter into anie capable Hauen of England with wind and weather fit for their purpose with intention to inuade which God forbid they should finde themselues in their opinions wonderfullie deceiued For this they are to knowe that such a Generall being with his whole Nauie entred into such a Hauen doth take order before that proclamatiō be made throughout all his shipps and vessells that no man vpon paine of death being landed shall straggle or stray abroad but all soldiers to reduce themselues with all celeritie vnder their Ensignes which done a Cannon is discharged out of the Generalls ship which is a warning for all Captaines Officers and Soldiers to arme themselues and to take their weapons And vppon the second Cannon discharged the Captaines and Ensign-bearers with their Ensignes in their hands with such cōuenient numbers of Mosquettiers Harquebuziers Piquers and Halbarders as the long boates Shallops Fregatts Azabres and other such vessells of oares lying readie at the shipps sides are capable of doo enter into them euerie long boate hauing two Bases afore-ship readie charged and gunners readie to discharge them Then vpon the third Cannon discharged all the long boates and vessells of oares for the landing of men do rowe with all furie towards the land with a wonderfull terrible noise of trompets drommes Now if our such men of warre with their Mosquettiers would giue their volees of Mosquet shot vppon these shipboates full of men with intent to destroye great numbers of them being so thicke and so manie they shall finde that discharging their Mosquet shot from higher grounds downwards into the sea which by the Italians are called Botti di ficco accompted of all other dischargings most vncertaine as also by the ouermuch distance and continuall motion of the ship-boates rowing and with the swelling of the salt water how calme soeuer it bee made more vncertaine they shall shoote verie vncertainlie therefore work verie little or no effect to the destroying of their enemies or anie waies to keepe thē from landing Besides that the Enemies out of such their shipps as are neerest vnto them will discharge Cannon Culuerin and Saker shot to the terrifying of them so as their ship-boates in despight of their Mosquets comming to land and they presentlie sending certen troupes of Harquebuziers with some Halbarders vnder their conductors to skirmish and entertaine the Mosquettiers whilest the Piquers and other weapons doo reduce themselues into forme vnder their Ensignes they shall finde in the space of three or foure houres aboue twelue or fifteene thousand men landed who then taking some ground of aduantage to fortifie and to place their victuall powder and all sorts of munitions they with all speede possible do proceed to the landing of their Artillerie and Munitions with all the rest of their Armie both of horsemen and footmen Which being by them performed they presentlie make their approach vpon their indented Sconce not with anie crooked or crosse trenches gabions nor mounts according to the order of approaching and battering of places in forme fortified but with other inuentions gardable against Mosquet shot that peraduenture our such men of warre are ignorant of as also with Mosquet and Harquebuze shot with piques and halfe piques swords and targets and with ladders if it be needful in such terrible sort as that great number of our vnskilfull Mosquettiers and Caliuerers within their Sconce would be found scarse able to abide the first charge and assault seeing so puissant an Enemie landed And I doubt rather when they should see with what terrour the Enemies doo approach the land and the small annoyance that they with their Mosquet shot should worke vppon them that they would scarse abide the landing of the first boates full of soldiers without abandoning both Sconce and shore to the Enemie And whereas our such men of warre the last sommer had manie deuises in their heads of ensconcing of Sconces for the defence of diuers Hauens if they were men of vnderstanding in fortification as they would seeme to be they might verie well know that there is a great difference betwixt the scituations and natures of the drie grounds of England and those of Holland Frizeland and other such low and flat Countries full of riuers great ditches marishes and wet grounds where they may ensconce themselues with small cost within little Ilands or vpon poynts meetings of riuers or elswhere by the opening of sluces and dykes or cutting of banckes and trenches they may enuiron themselues with water on euerie side The best sort of which Sconces being more strong by nature and scituation than by anie arte or forme of fortification may in those parts resist and hold out a weake or an vnskilfull Enemie some long while but such their ensconcings in the drie grounds vpon the Hauens of England are to small purpose to hold out a puissant Enemie if he should land or anie waies to keepe him from landing And therfore I conclude that such fortifications in England are verie skornes and mockeries and would be rather profitable for the Enemie landed than anie waies to annoy or to resist the Enemie Besides all which before alleaged it is further to bee noted that a puissant and mightie Enemie that in the time of sommer intendeth the inuasion of forraine dominions by sea to the intent to giue battaile and subdue doth not alwaies binde himselfe to land his Armie in a Hauen but sometimes vpon an open coast and shoare if the sea without hidden rockes and flatts be deepe and the wind and weather faire hauing commoditie by the depth of the sea to approach his Nauie and to cast ancker in open roade neere vnto a commodious shoare countrie to land and march vpon So as it behoueth all such Princes as doubt the inuasion of their dominions by sea not onlie to expect and prouide for the

haue been in times past ordained and established for the exercise and maintenance of the same will growe to bee forgotten and in a manner vtterlie extinguished which if through the negligence of the better sort of our Nation imitating and following the simple and ignorant opinions of our such vnskilfull men of warre it should come to passe it doth in mine opinion argue nothing more than that God hath withdrawne his hand and all right iudgment in matters Militarie from vs and that in time to come vpon any great warre either offenciue or defenciue we shall when it is too late repent the same greatlie to the hazard and perill of our Prince Countrie and Nation The consideration whereof for the great loue that I haue alwaies borne and doo still according to my duetie beare to the Crowne and Realme of England and English Nation was the first and principall cause that mooued me to take these discourses in hand to the intent to aduise perswade as much as in my power and small abilitie is the Nobilitie Magistrates and better sort of our Nation with all care and diligence to reuiue and put in execution the auncient statutes prouided and established for the encrease and exercise of the youth of England in Archerie that as God of his great goodnes hath blessed our Nation with a wonderfull aptnes and dexteritie in that weapon more than any other Nation that I haue seene heard or read of throughout the vniuersall world so that wee may not through the friuolous and vaine perswasions of a fewe vnskilfull and ignorant men in these our daies as vnthankfull neglect that great and especiall goodnes of almightie God and singular gift that he hath endued vs withall but that wee doo with all care and diligence beleeue and imitate the great experience of our most worthie Auncestors that in diuers ages with the aduauntage of that most excellent weapon haue atchieued such and so many wonderfull and miraculous victories against diuers Nations both Christians and Pagans As also that we doo giue credite to the greatest Captaines of our Nation and diuers other Nations that haue liued in our time some of the which being yet aliue and of principall sort and calling haue seene the mightie works and wonderfull effects of our English Archers and therefore with all right iudgement reiecting all newe fancies and toyes that we doo embrace and esteeme that singular weapon to bee the chiefe and principall of all others for battailes victories and conquests And now to make an end I doo againe as I did in the beginning of my discourse notifie that mine intention hath no waies extended by any thing in my discourses contained to touch the reputation or honor of any Noblemen nor Gentlemen of noble or worshipfull houses nor yet any others of worthie minds that haue entred into those Low Countrie seruices rather to win reputation knowledge and honor than for any hope or desire of spoyle or greedie gaine but onelie such of our men of warre as neglecting and contemning all true honor discipline Militarie haue brought in amongst vs a most shamefull and detestable arte and discipline of carowsing and drunkennes turning all matters Militarie to their own profite and gaine neglecting to loue and to win the loue of their soldiers vnder their gouernments charges making in a manner no accompt of them nor of their liues in such sort as by their euill conduction staruing and consuming great numbers and many thousands of our most braue English people as also by their infinite other disorders they haue made a farre greater warre vpon the Crowne and Realme of England and English Nation than any waies vpon the enemies of our Countrie Honor gloria in excelsis Deo omnipotenti sempiterno incomprehensibili Amen No Noble nor worthie men anie waies intended to be touched in this discourse Vaine innouation of our ancient termes of warre They fondlie scorne our ancient manner of arming Their mistaking of swords Their mistaking of daggers I would wish that all the piques throghout England that are for the field shold be reduced into one vniformitie of lēgth that is either to seuenteene foote long by the rule or else to eighteene foote and not aboue which are two foote longer thā the Spaniardes do vse in their milicia therewithall I wold haue them to be made so light of very good wood that they shold be both portable and maniable which many of our piques at this present are not * Their mistaking of piques Their mistaking of Halbards Their mistaking of the conuenient heighth and length of Caliuers Harquebuzes of conuenient heighth and length ranforced better thā the ordinarie long and heauie Caliuers Their mistaking of small bands to bee better than great The reasons and causes wherefore the Princes of Germanie doo vse great bands of 500. in their seruices of the Empire The cause wherefore the mercinarie Almane Coronells doo vse small bands of 300. in the seruice of forrain Princes Their mistaking of small Regiments to be better than great Their vaine opinions of the effect of Caliuers Mosquets A vaine opinion of insconsing of Sconces in the drie grounds of England An vnsoldierlike opinion of the effects of Mosquets for seruices in the field Mosquettiers on horsebacke were vsed in the Emperour Charles and Henrie the French Kings times to flank a square of Launces and to giue a volee at another square of Laūces their enemies and they did vse to weare halfe cuirasses with rests of yron to pull forward or put backward to discharge their Mosquets frō If Mosquettiers may giue effectuall volees 24. scores of as it is fondlie reported then some number of Archers being chosen that could with their flights shoote 24. or 20. scores as there be manie that can may by the same reason giue volees of flights at their enemies 18. scores of which both the one the other are mockeries to bee thought of because there is no weapon in the field effectuall further than to a conuenient and certen distance This phrase may be interpreted discharge a farre of to draw on and deceiue dotterells The proper times and places for Harquebuziers The most apt and proper places for Mosquettiers to worke good effect The imperfections and vncertainties of the Harquebuze and Mosquet Verie few hurt in skirmishes with Harquebuze shot in the field Another great insufficiencie of Harquebuziers and Mosquettiers in the field Mosquettiers and Harquebuziers not able to abide the charge of Launces nor Stradiotts The imperfections of the Long Bowe Archers doo farre exceede and excell all Mosquettiers and Harquebuziers in three most principall effects A wrong opinion conceiued by the French Captaines and Gentlemen of our English Archers An obiection against Bowes contrary to all experience Another vaine obiection contrarie to all experience and vse militarie By this obiection they discouer that they neuer sawe any Armie royall march in the field An obiection that they