I said in the beginning of this Discourse that the profession of Arms has been in all Ages not onely the most glorious and honourable of Professions but likewise that which has produced the greatest men These Two Books newly published are to be sold by Robert Harford at his Shop at the Angel in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchange THe Art of War and the way that is at present practised in France Two Parts Wherein the Duties and Functions of all the Officers of Horse and Foot Artillery and Provisions from the General of the Army to the Private Souldier are treated of With the method of Conducting Armies Encamping Besieging and giving of Battel As also an account of all Offices and Charges and the Names of the Towns Places Citadels Castles and Forts where the most Christian King keeps Garison with the general and particular terms of War Written in French by Lovis de Gaya an expert Officer of the French Army and Dedicated to his most Christian Majesty Translated for publick Satisfaction and Advantage In 8 â— The Military Duties of the Officers of Horse Containing the Exercise of the Cavalry according to the present Practice of the imes With the Motions of Horse and the Functions of every Officer from the Chief Captain to the Brigadeer Written in French by an Ingeneer in Ordinary to his most Christian Majesty And Translated for publick Satisfaction and Advantage In 8 â— A Treatise of ARMS Of Engines Artificial Fires Ensignes and of all Military Instruments The First Book Of the ARMS of A SOULDIER CHAP. I. Of Sharp Weapons Sect. 1. Of the Sword THE Sword whereof the Invention comes to us from Tubal-Cain the Son of Lamech and Zilla is the first of all Weapons without which a Souldier should never appear in publick because it serves him for Ornament as well as Defence It is not necessary it should be too long for it becomes thereby cumbersome in a Battallion especially during the time of the Motions nor must it be too short neither but of an indifferent length the Blade must be good and about an inch broad The most common length of Blades is two foot and a half and two inches and the Handles three inches and a half All Blades are kept in Scabberds made of Wood covered with Cloath or Leather having a chape at the end of Iron Steel Copper or Silver The Sword is carried in a Shoulder Belt of Buff or other Leather and hangs down from the right Shoulder upon the left Thigh in the same manner as was heretofore in use according to the report of Virgil. Humero cum apparuit alto balteus And of Silvius in his Tenth Book Tergo qua balteus imo Sinuatur coxaque sedet munimen utraque Nevertheless we find by the words of the Royal Prophet that the Belts which we have since called Waste-belts are more ancient than those we call Shoulder-belts when he says Gird your Sword on your Thigh c. When a man would stand right to his Guard he ought to keep his Body straight bending a little on the left Thigh his Legs not too far asunder his Feet on a strait Line one after another the Handle of the Sword off of the Haunch the point just opposite to the Shoulder the Arm stretched half out and the left Hand as high as the Eye The Enemies Sword may be put by the line of the Body by a little motion of the Handle either inward or outward Souldiers in a Battel or Attack do not regularly alwayes observe this Method and most part thrust on any way without troubling themselves much with the Tierce Guart or Feint but make use of their Swords to attack or to defend themselves according to the small talent that God Almighty has given them The Figure of a Souldier on his Guard Sect. 2. Of the Shable and Cimeter THe Shable is more in use amongst the Horse than other Bodies of Men it is not altogether so long as the Sword but to make amends for that the Blade is twice so broad and edged on one side and therefore it is more used for cutting than thrusting The usual length of Shables is two foot and four inches taking it from the guard and two foot and a half and three inches from the button of the Pommel to the point The Cimeter is a kind of Fauchin broader and more crooked than the Shable used more by the Turks Persians and Hungarians than others A Souldier on his Guard The Espadon or two Handed Sword The Shable The Cimeter The Bayonet The Ponyard Sect. 3. Of the Bayonet and Poniard or Dagger THe Bayonet is much of the same length as the Poniard it hath neither Guard nor Handle but onely a Haft of Wood Eight or Nine Inches long The Blade is Sharp-pointed and two edged a foot in length and a large inch in breadth The Bayonet is very useful to Dragoons Fufiliers and Souldiers that are often commanded out on Parties because that when they have fired their Discharges and want Powder and Shot they put the Haft of it into the mouth of the Barrel of their Pieces and defend themselves therewith as well as with a Partizan The Poniard or Dagger is a little Sword in length but about Twelve or Thirteen Inches which is carried at the Girdle It is nor long ago since Duelists fought with Sword and Dagger Sect. 4. Of the Espadon or Two-handed Sword THe Espadon is a kind of a Sword whose Two-edged Blade is very long and broad and whereof the Haft which I dare not call Handle because it is a foot and a half long is made cross-wayes It cannot be used but with both Hands in a Breach or behind a Palissadoe I never saw so many Espadons as among the Hollanders The Ramparts of all their Towns were furnished with them each distant from the other six paces with a like number of Clubs or Maces and indeed to consider such preparatives one would have thought their designs had been furious and that they had had a great mind to defend themselves stoutly But there is great appearance that they onely placed these Arms there to adorn their Parapets Swords of all Fashions Swords of all Sorts The Explication of this Figure A A Stick-Sword called by the Ancients Sica B A Sword for a Rancounter after the French mode C A Swisser's Sword D A Tuck or long Sword with a narrow Blade such as were in use not thirty years ago E A Spanish Sword F A Braquemart Fauchin or short Sword G A Hunting Cutlass with a Handle of Horn. CHAP. II. Of Fire-Arms Sect. 1. Of the Musket THe usual Arms of Souldiers are not onely the Sword Shable Dagger and Bayonet but also the Musket Fire-lock Mousqueton Pistol and many others and the first thing they should learn is to make the right use of such as their Officers have given them The Musket is a Weapon for Foot the Barrel of which is three foot and eight inches long mounted on
Mousqueton or Carabin H The Boots I The Spurs K The Spur-leathers Of Staffe-Arms Sect. 1. Of the Pike THE Pike is a Weapon wherewith Foot defend themselves against Horse in an open Field The Armature of a French Trooper The Musqueton The Pistoll The Carabine The Armature of a Pike man on his Guard The Pike The halfe Pike The Quarter Staff The Halbard The Partisan This Figure will shew the way of Pikes charging to the Horse The Armature of Pike-man of the Guards The Explication of this Figure A The Helmet which the French call Pot on Head B The Corcelet C The Vambraces D The Tassets or Thigh Pieces E The Sword F The Pike All Pikes now adayes are of the same length made of strong Ashe and very streight about fourteen or fifteen foot long between the Head and the Foot The Head is four inches long and two and a half broad at the largest place The Iron Bands at the Head must be long and strong otherwayes it would be an easie matter for the Horse to cut off the ends of the Pikes with their Shables The French according to Diodorus were the first that made use of the Pike Jaceunt hastas quas ipsi lanceas appellant And from thence the People of the Chief Province of France have the Name of Picars but their Pikes were more like Spanish Lances than Grecian Pikes which were twenty four foot long between the Head and Foot Sect. 2. Of Spontons or Half Pikes THe Spontons or Half Pikes are made of the same Wood as Pikes are and have Heads alike their The Pensioners Halbard A The Hungarian Partisan B The Battle Axe D Partisans and Halbards according to the Swisse and Antient Custome C Pole Axes E length is much the same as that of Partisans and we have the use of them from the Ancients who carried Pikes six Cubits long as Arrianus testifies Hastas habebant senum cubitorum These Arms are much used amongst the Venetians and the Knights of Malta Sect. 3. Of the Partisan A Partisan is an excellent Weapon in a Trench in a Sally to force and defend a Lodging to mount a Breach and in many other occasions where the Pike would be but cumbersome The Staffe of a Partisan is much of the bigness of a Pike and is seven or eight foot long between the Head and Foot The Iron Head is a foot in length and four inches broad at the largest place the Exercise of the Partisan differs in nothing from that of the Pike Sect. 4. Of the Halbard THE Halbard is likewise a very convenient Weapon especially when Men come to blows It s Staff is neither so big nor high as that of a Partisan and the Head of it both narrower and shorter but it is armed with little Hooks which serve to pull out Fagots Paniers and Gabions and to take hold of any thing when one mounts an Assault or Sca-Lado Sect. 5. Of Sythes Forkes Axes and Clubs or Maces Clubs or Massues A B The Axe C The Forke D Sithes E Quo turbine cestum Sauromates falcemque Getes Stat. 11 Achill The Forks are the same with the common Forks but they have little Hooks There are two sorts of Clubs The first is as it were the Staff of a Partisan at the end whereof there is a Wooden Ball of the bigness of an Eight pound Bullet stuck full of Iron Pikes a Finger long The other has a Boul like to the first hanging at the end of the Staff by an Iron Chain two foot and a half long and is used as a Flail for Threshing In Salleys or in the defence of a Breach Axes are likewise used such as not long ago were used by the Regiment of Clerambaud or Sourches whose Heads are very broad an◠their Handles or Staves longer an◠stronger than those of Partisans 〈◊〉 may be seen in the Figure The Turks have another kind o◠Club or Mace of Arms which the◠carry at the Pommel of their Saddle to make use of in a Fight like 〈◊〉 that which the Poets bestow on Hercules called by the Latines Militaris clava Maces are no more in use Sect. 6. Of the Quarter-Staff with a Pike a◠each end WE may also reckon among Weapons the Staff commonly called the Piked Quarter-staff and by the French the Staff with two ends 〈◊〉 because of the Pikes of Iron which i◠has at each end It is made of a very strong and eaven Wood somewhat bigger and heavier than the Wood of a Pike six foot and a half in length between the Verrils that keep fast the two pikes of Iron stuck into the ends of the Staff which are in length four inches and a half It is carried on the Haunch like the Halbard but handled in a different manner because a man may stand to his Guard with it by turning and flourishing it and making the half moulinets every way and in approaches make use either of the point thereof or in giving a down right blow therewith CHAP. IV. Of the Arms of the Ancients Sect. 1. Of the Swords Shables and Cutlasses THe Romans of old made use of short stiff sharp-pointed and two-edged Spanish Blades Polibius says That the Roman Souldiers carried their Swords on the right side and that they only made use of it for thrusting in distinction from the Gauls who used flat-pointed two-edged Swords only to cut with Proprium Gallicani usus pugnare coesim The Medes Parthians and Persians used a kind of Cutlass which they called Cinacis and in English Cimeter Cateia is a Shable in form of a Sickle in great use among the Germans Quintus Curtius makes mention of a kind of Sword which he calls Copidas which was a little crooked like to a Syth wherewith the Ancients cut to pieces Wild Beasts The Knife which the Latines call Cultrum and the Grecians Machaera was properly the Sword which the Priests used in their Sacrifices to cut up the Victims as well as that other which they named Cluna culum because therewith they cut the Buttocks of Beasts they had also a pretty long Iron Knife with an Ivory Haft which they called Secespita a Secundo Pa-tazonium was a Shable carried by the Tribunes in a Girdle The Poniard which the Latines termed Pugio a Pungendo is a little Sword Thirteen or fourteen inches long which was invented in Spain Pugiunculus is a diminutive Poniard which the Spaniards and Catalonians use still to this day Sica with the Romans was a Sword hid in a Staff or Stick wherewith Men walk as most of the Peasants of France do at this time Lingula was a little Sword made in the shape of a Tongue Spatha was likewise a Sword of the Ancients whereof Julius Capitolinus speaks upon occasion of the Emperour Maximinus Fecit spathas argenteas fecit aureas Hence comes the Italian Sword Spada and the Spanish Espada Sect. 2. Of the Pike THE Hastarii or Roman Pikeman had Pikes for Arms which were afterward taken
they heard the Guns Fire when they expected no such thing So that it is not true that the Monk was the first inventer of Gun-powder he was no more but the publisher of a Secret which he learnt from the Tartars and which he had better kept to himself without trying an experiment of it that cost him so dear and which buried him in the Furnace which he himself contrived The Royal Prophet had reason to say That we fall commonly into the snares which we have laid for others the Authors of pernicious things which tend onely to the destruction of their fellow Creatures have always miserably perished by the very same things whereof they have been the Inventers We have besides the example of that poor Monk the instance likewise of Perillus the Ingeneer of King Phalaris who was the first that was burnt in the Brazen Bull which he had made for the punishment of Malefactors Arantius Paterculus was the first that was put into the Burning Horse which he invented by the order of Aemilius Censorinus Governour of Aegesta in Scicily and Engueran-de Marigny was the first man that was hanged in the Gibbet of Mount-faucon which he caused to be erected at the Gates of Paris History is full of such examples but that I may return to my Subject there is no doubt but that Powder hath been a diabolical invention the effects whereof are no less dangerous than terrible and thunder-claps are not more to be feared Nevertheless all that havock all that noise and all these overturnings are onely caused by small grains whereof this is the composition The Composition of Gun-powder Take eight parts of Salt-peter one part of Sulphur one part and a fifth of Char-cole pound them well together in a Mortar with a Wooden Pestle sprinkle thereon excellent Vinager or Brandy and then reduce the mass to a powder CHAP. II. Of a Mine HAving spoken of Powder I thought fit next to discourse of its effects and of the way how it is to be used for Mines and Artificial Fires Molet's to put at the end of a Torch A Fire Arrow A Wall of Bustion with a Mine When a Mine is made in a place where the earth is soft and yielding the Ground is to be supported by Planks underpropt with little Posts or Girders as fast as the Chambers are wrought The Ancients made use of Mines or Subterranean wayes but their designe was very different from ours they made them onely for a passage to go to the Sap or to enter Towns when our Mines are intended to bow up and overturn the face of the Bastion CHAP. III. Of Artifical Fire-Works Sect. 1. Of the Fuse THe Fuses that are made for Petards Bombes hollow Bullets and Granado's ought to be slow otherwayes these Pieces would do their effects before the time This is the manner of the composition of Fuses Take three parts of Powder six of Sulphur and nine of Salt-peter beat them apart into a subtile Powder then mingle them altogether with a small Stick in a Platter or Charger pouring thereon by degrees the Oyl of Peter until all be made into a Paste let it be dried in the shade and the Fuses charged therewith Sect. 2. Of the Sulphur Match THe Sulphur Match is no more but Cotton made into Wieks which are first steeped in Brandy and then in molten Sulphur and afterward dried in the shade Sect. 3. How to make the Quick-match TAke half a quartern of Powder a quartern of Salt-peter two ounces of Brandy half a septier or the fourth part of a French pint of Vinegar and a French pint of Urine melt all these together and when they are dissolved put therein Cotton drawn out into gross Threads when the Cotton has drank up all the warm Matter take it out whilst it is moist and role it up into little Matches or Cords two three or four foot long with the hand upon a Table besprinkled with the dust of fine Powder then stretch them out to dry in the shade and keep them in a dry place that Quick-match is very violent Sect. 4. How to prepare the matter of Fire-Rockets TAke one part of Common Sulphur melt it in an Earthen Pot when it is dissolved put thereunto half a part of gross Powder very dry three fourth parts of a part of Salt-peter and half a fourth part of the Powder of Char-cole mingle all these materials together leisurely and when they are well mingled pour them on the Floor and this is the matter of Fire-Rockets Sect. 5. How to charge Fire-Balls WHen one has a mind to charge Bombes hollow Bullets Fire-pots and all sorts of Fire-balls let him take one part of the matter of Fire-rockets one part of Salt-peter the eight part of a part of Camphire and as much fine Powdet mingled therewith with the hand and put all into a hollow Bullet with quick Match Sect. 6. How to make a Fire-Lance TAke a piece of light Wood three foot and a half or four foot long bore it from one end to the other and let the bore be an inch in diameter make the Wood very smooth both in the inside and out-side which ought to be an inch thick in all parts Place into one of the ends a half Pike which must enter half a foot into the Trunck and be very well fastned The Trunck of the Lance must be wooped round with strong Pack-thread well waxed with Rosin and melted Wax to defend it against Water The proportion of the mixture of the Powders is twelve parts of Salt-peter six of Sulphur six of Canon-powder six of the dust of Lead two of Glass beaten but indefferently small two of Quick-silver and one of Salarmoniac when all these Materials have been beaten a-part they are to be mingled together and made into a Paste with the Oyl of Peter rather hard than soft Put afterwards Hards into that Composition and incorporate them therewith and make thereof Pellets or small Balls suited to the bigness of the bore of the Lance which aro to be dried and tied up with fine Wire To charge the Lance put into the bottom of the Trunck a charge of beaten Powder without ramming it but very little over that put a Pellet with a little of the Composition renew that until the Wood be full still encreasing the Charges of the Powder so that the last Lay contain two Charges Fire is to be set to this Lance with a quick Match at the mouth Sect. 7. How to make Tourteaus to shew Light or Port-Lights TAke twelve pounds of black Pitch six pounds of Suet six pounds of Linseed Oyl six pounds of Colophonia and two pounds of Turpentine in which steep Arquebush Match until it have drank up all the Matter and be incorporated therewith then make it in Tourteaus Sect. 8. Of Burning Fagots TAke Fagots and rub them with the matter of the Fire-rockets or otherways with Turpentine or steep them if you please in melted Pitch afterwards put Fire to
the Breech six inches EB The whole Chase nine foot long and the Cylinder all of the same largeness RS The Tronions six inches in diameter K The Murrion or Moulding of the Muzzel NA The Chace of the Gun five foot and a half long NX The Chamber or charged Cylinder in length four foot and a half and three lignes L The Base Ring EX The Breech TT The Cornish Ring ee The Re-inforce Ring distant from the Mouth four foot and a half and from the Trunions half a foot I The Touch-hole Sect. 2. Of the Charge of a Piece THe Powder for the Charge of any Piece whatsoever is a third part of the weight of the Bullet and the Ladle of each Piece ought to be made in such a manner that it contain exactly the quantity of Powder that is necessary for the Charge A Piece that has just fired should never be charged again untill it be first cooled with Water which does as well as Vinegar which was heretofore used and which is at present thought fitter for Sallades Sect. 3. How to level or bring a Gun to pass EVery Piece in a Battery must have its necessary Utensils its Magazine Men to traverse and serve it and a Gunner to level it guiding his sight from the Breech to the Muzzel which he causes to be raised or made lower according as he judges convenient by advancing or drawing back the Coins that are under the Breech Sect. 4. Of the Ammunition and Vtensils of a Canon WHen Pieces of Artillery go into the Field they are always attended with Wagons which carry their Ammunition Wagons drawn by four Horses carry each a thousand or twelve hundred weight one Wagon carries Thirty three Canon Bullets there are therefore required six Wagons and twenty four Horses for the Carriage of the Ammunition that a Canon may spend in a day which is a hundred Bullets and two thousand four hundred weight of Powder A Canon must likewise have its Ropes and Tackling a Cable fifteen fadom long four inches and a half about threescore ten pound in weight and other smaller Ropes and Tackling which are known to all Artists and those that belong to the Artillery The Utensils belonging to Pieces are the Spunge which is a long Staff the end whereof is covered with Wooll and serves to cool the Guns an Iron Ladle to put the powder into the Piece the Rammer to ram down the Charge and Leavers or Handspakes to re-place the Gun into the Port-holes or Gaps after she hath fired The Linkstock which is a Staff of the length of a Cane the end whereof is furnished with a kind of double Musket-lock wherein is put a Match lighted at both ends The Coins or Quoins which are properly great Wedges of Wood with a peg or pin that serves them for an handle to thrust them forward or pull them back according as the Gunner shall direct The Figure will represent all more intelligibly Sect. 5. Of the Carriage of a Gun THe Carriage of a Canon consists of two sides in length fourteen foot and a half half a foot thick and a foot and eight inches broad the Carriage in the Timber towards the head is thirteen inches broad and at the end eighteen The Axel-tree is seven foot long and the Wheels if they be shod are five foot high A A The Sides of the Carriage B B The Length of the Carriage C C The Body of the Carriage D The Axel-tree E E The Drought-Hooks F F The Cape-squares G G The Iron Bands at the end of the Carriage H H The Ends of the Axel-tree I The Wheel of the Carriage CHAP. III. Of Pieces of Calibre or Size Sect. 1. Of the Canon THe Canon of France is in length about ten foot its Carriage fourteen and being mounted on its Carriage nineteen The breadth on the Axel-tree is seven foot its Metal weighs Four thousand eight hundred weight the Bullet thereof is six inches in diameter and weighs thirty three pound and a third part it carries blank about seven hundred common paces three foot a pace or three hundred and fifty fathom The same piece may be fired an hundred times in one day The Bed of a Canon ought to be fifteen foot broad and twenty in length for its recoiling for that end there is usually made a strong Floor of good Oaken Boards which sloaps a little towards the Parapet that the Canon may not recoil too much and that it may be the more easily again traversed into its place Sect. 2. Of the Culverin THe Culverin is a foot longer than the Canon and being mounted on its Carriage is nineteen foot long and on the Axel-tree seven foot broad The weight of its Metal is Three thousand seven hundred weight the Bullet of it is four inches and ten lignes in diameter and weighs sixteen pound and a half It s reach is three hundred and fifty fathom and may be fired an hundred times a day Sect. 3. Of the Bastard Canon THe Bastard is nine foot long mounted on its Carriage sixteen and on the Axel-tree six foot broad it weighs two thousand five hundred weight its Bullet is three inches and eight lignes in diameter and weighs seven pound and a half It carries about a thousand paces and may be in one day fired an hundred and twenty five times Sect. 4. Of the Minion THe Minion is eight foot in length mounted on its Carriage sixteen and six foot in breadth the Bullet is in diameter three inches and three lignes and weighs two pounds three quarters it carries not so far as the Bastard but may be fired in one day and hundred and fifty times Sect. 5. Of the Faucon THe Faucon is near seven foot long on its Carriage eleven and five and a half broad It weighs eight hundred weight The Bullet of it is two inches and ten lignes in diameter and weighs a pound and a half it may be fired in one day an hundred and fourscore times Sect. 6. Of the Fauconet THe Fauconet is near five foot long mounted on its Carriage nine and a half and four foot and a half in breadth The Metal thereof weighs seven hundred and forty weight It s Bullet is an inch and ten lignes in diameter and weighs three quarters of a pound and a half It carries two hundred and fifty fathom and in one day may be fired two hundred times Fauconets are commonly planted in low places or on the Flancks of Bastions for scouring the Ditches and ruining the Galleries A low place whereon are two Canons planted is commonly six fathom square Sect. 7. The Effect and Execution of the Canon THe Pieces of Artillery which are most frequently used to ruin and demolish the Works are such as carry Shot from thirty to forty five pound weight A Canon Shot at two hundred paces or a hundred fathom distance may pierce between fifteen and seventeen foot into ground that is but indifferently setled ten or twelve
one another I frankly confess that as to the Form there is none at all but as to the Use and Property I maintain there is a great deal We call that a Sign whichmarks any thing to us Signum a significatione Now Ensigns have onely been so called because they signified to Souldiers their Camps Marches their Fields of Batrel and the Places of their gathering together and rallying Are not Drums and Trumpets the signs of notice and advertisement Do not the different Sounds of both the one and other signifie the different Commands which the Souldiers are to put in Execution As to take Arms come to their Colours draw out into the Field Charge Retreat and many other things which they understand by the sound of those Instruments and therefore I thought it unnecessary to separate them from Colours Standards Ensignes and Guidons whereof I shall treaâ— in the following Chapters CHAP. I. Of Ensigns THe Trojans were the first that made use of Ensigns in their Armies that they might accustom Young Souldiers to know their Companies and facilitate their Rallying when they happened to be in a Fight Vt tyrones assuescerent signa sequi in acie cognoscere ordines suos Says Livie The Ancients in the beginning had no other Ensigns but Bundles of Hay which they fastened on long Poles from whence comes the word Manipule a Manipulis Foeni by the report of Ovid. Pertica suspensos portabat longa maniplos Vnde maniplaris nomina miles habet But the mode of the Rustick and Wild Ancients lasted not long the Roman Custom came in place of it and then succeded ours which we at present carry and which are different from the former both in form and matter We give them several names according to their various shapes to wit Colours Standards Ensigns and Guidons The Foot carry Colours which are of Taffata an Ell and a half square fastened to a half Pike eight or nine foot long Every Regiment has a particular Colour to it self except the Crosses and the Collonels Colours which are always White because White is the Colour of France as the Black Eagles shew us the Colour of the Empire the Red that of Spain and the Orange that of Holland The Horse carry Ensigns Guidons and Standards The first two are for the Troops of the Gens-d'arms Ensigns are above a foot and a half square and are made of Stuff embroidered with Gold and Silver adorned with Ciphers and Devises and fastened to a Lance eight or nine foot long Guidons are longer than broad of a Stuff like to that of Ensigns divided in two points at the end which are made a little round their Lances are eight or nine foot long Standards are for the Troops of the Light Horse but a foot and a half square and of a stuff embroidered furnished with the Arms and Devises of the Masters de Camp of the Regiments and their Lances a like to those of Ensigns and Guidons The Figures will more easily give you the meaning of what I say Sect. 1. Of the Oriflamme THE Royal Banner of France to which the Flames of Gold wherewith it was bespangled have given the name of Oriflamme was properly the Ensign General of the Kingdom which never came out of the Church of St. Denis where it lay in Custody but when the Kings marched out to the Wars It was made of a Red Stuff about two foot long pointed and cloven like the Banderolle or Penon of a Ship which was fastened to a Lance in the manner of the Banners of the Church It was left off to be carried in the Reign of Charles the Seventh and since that time the Oriflamme-bearer which was one of the Chief Officers of the Kingdom has remained extinct He that wrote the Life of Lowis the Young distinguishes the Royal Banner from the Banner of St. Denis when he says That Geoffry of Ranconay one of the noblest Barons of Poictou carried the Kings Banner which according to custom came after that of St. Denis which was commonly called Oriflamme They who make a distinction between these two Banners call the Kings Oriflor Oriflour Oriflamme Karlir and make it of Azure Taffeta spangled with Golden Flowers de Luce. It is the common opinion that it was presented to Charlemain by Pope Leo the Third when he made him Protector and Defender of the Church of Saint Peter Guidon Enseigne Coulours Standard Gonfanon or Standard of the Church Oriflame or the Royall Banner of S t. Denys Sect. 2. Of the Gonfanon THe Gonfanon is in the Church what the Oriflamme was heretofore in France and the Office of great Gonfanonier is one of the most honourable charges of the Ecclesiastick State The Colour of the Gonfanon is Red and differs not in shape from the Banners of the Ancient Cavalry but that it is cloven into three ends a little rounded Most Kingdoms have their Ensigns or Standards General in imitation of the Romans who had the Banner of the Consul or of the General of the Army which they called Labrum of a Purple Coloured Stuff enriched with Fringes of Gold and precious Stones Sect. 3. Of the Banner and Penon THe difference between the Banner and Penon was that the Banner was square fastened to a Lance like Colours and Cornets and the Penon had a long Tail which might be easily made a Banner by cutting off the Tail From these Penons is derived the name of Penonages which has been given to the Companies of the Quarters of the City of Lyons whose Captains are called Captains Penons In England the Penon of St. George was the chief Banner of the Kingdom Every Lord carried his Arms in his Banner or in his Penon but none but Lords Banerets were suffered to carry a Banner to the Wars When a Lord having for many years carried Arms had Estate enough to entertain a Troop of Gentlemen to accompany a Banner he was allowed to raise a Banner for that end he carried at the first Battel where he was a Penon of his Arms and presented himself before the Constable or him who commanded the Army for the Prince from whom he asked leave to carry a Banner and that being granted him he took the Heraulds at Arms Witnesses of it who cut off the Tail of his Penon and made a Banner thereof Princes Mareshals and Barons had their Banners having their Coats of Arms quartered on them carried before them by Squires to assemble their Men about them in day of Battel Sect. 4. Of Banderolles Pannonceaux and Faillions THe Banderoll was a kind of little Banner carried by Knights in Turnements with which they made the sign of the Cross when they entered the Lists before they began to Fight as Oliver de la March reports in the Eighteen Chapter of his Memoires When the King gives Holy Bread the Swisses and Officers that serve at these Ceremonies carry these Banderolls with the Kings Arms quartered on them Panronceaux were little Pennons wherewith Ships the Tops
from them and given to the Triarii instead of the Pili which they were wont to carry And though their Pikes were not so long as those of the Grecians or of Souldiers now adays yet they defended themselves therewith against the Horse and fraized their Cohortes or Companies with them as we at present fraize our Battaillions Quibus acies velut vallo septa inhorrebat They carried likewise Javelins six Cubits long which were not armed with Iron at the Head but had onely a point burnt and hardened in the Fire as Arrianus reports Mucro autem illis ferrrea non erat sed caput igne duratum eundem usum dabat These Pikes were called Hastae Purae and were used by the strongest Souldiers The Germans carried Pikes which they called Trameae with a very short and narrow Head but so fine and commodious that they used to Fight with them at distance and near at hand The Armature of a Roman Souldier of the Triary The Armature of a Slinger The Lance. The Sling Sect. 3. Of the Lance. THE Lance was a kind of Half-Pike like to that of our Standards which was invented in Spain and only used among the Horses It is not a hundred years ago since in France we had Troops of Lancers Polybius saith That these Lances were useless because being too slender they broke to pieces by their own motion before they could do execution and left no more in the Hand but a short Truncheon which could do no more service Sect. 4. Of the Javelot or Dart. THe Ancients called every thing that may be thrown Javelot Jaculum a jaciendo The Dart or Pilum was the Weapon which the Romans gave to their Velites or Skirmishers it was in length two Cubits and a fingers breadth in thickness the Head of it was of Iron a foot long but so thin and sharp-pointed that being once thrown it bowed and became crooked so that the Enemies could not use it any more They had likewise other Javelots or Darts with Three Feathers at the lower end like to the Arrows and Darts which the Polonians and many others still use especially the Moors who call them Zogayes Aelicles was the Ancientest of Darts a Cubit and a half long with a double point which was tied to the Wrist with a Leather Strap or Cord to pull it back with when the blow was given Aeganea was a very light Javelot or Dart. Ancyle was a Dart which gave the name of Ancilista to those that used it Ansatae were Darts thrown by Handles Dolones Were Javelots which had their name from the Greek word Dolos which signifies hurt Geum Was a Javelot wholly of Iron Manobarbulus Was a Javelot or Dart like to the Leaden Piles and the Souldiers that used them were called Manobarbuli Materis Was a Javelot not fully so long as a Lance. The Pile was a kind of half Pike about five foot long The Roman Pile was but three foot long with a Head barb'd like a Serpents Tongue which weighed nine ounces Romphea Was the Thracian Javelot Runa Was a Javelot with a very large broad Head Spara Was a very little Dart called so Aspargendo Tragula Was a Javelot or Screw with which they drew towards them the enemies Buckler Triphorum VVas a Shaft three Cubits long which the French call Materas in English a Quarel and was shot out of a Cross-bow The Ancients had also other Javelots or Darts which they variously named according to their different Figures as Sibina Gesa Sigimnum Vrbina Vervina Verutum and Venabulum The latter was used by Hunts-men and Gesa by the Gauls Sect. 5. Of the Sling THe Romans had in their Armies Companies of Slingers whom they called Funditores a funda quod ex ea fundantur lapides because the Sling served to cast Stones and Bullets of Lead which at that time did the same execution as our Mukets do now-a-days The Sling was made of Thread larger in the middle than elsewhere its Figure was oval and insensibly diminished it would cast a Stone or Bullet Six hundred paces The Cross bow Man of the Antients The Quiver Bow and Arrows Darts Sect. 6. Of Bows and Arrows THe use of Bows and Arrows is not in all places abolished The Turks retain them still in their Armies as well as the Affricans Americans and most part of the People of Asia but none are so skilful as the Tartars in shooting with a Bow backwards and forwards The Wounds made by Arrows are more dangerous and harder to be cured than those that are made by Musket Bullets because their Heads being barbed it is difficult to pull them out of the Body without tearing the parts about the Wound and danger of breaking the Shaft The original of Bows and Arrows is uncertain some attribute the invention of them to the Candiots others to the Scythians and Persians but there is no doubt but that the Arabians have been always esteemed the most skilful in the exercise of the Bow and those who have used the greatest The Goths carried hardly any other Arms but Bows and Arrows yet the Romans had no Bow-men in their Armies but such as came with the Auxiliary Forces The Quiver was a little Magazine of Arrows which the Archers carried on the left Shoulder Sect. 7. Of Cross-bows The Armature of a Bow man of the Roman Allies The Armature of a Roman Centurion It would nevertheless seem according to Appius that the Catapulta served to shoot both Darts and Stones for he saith Catapultae turribus impositae quae spicula milterent quae saxa The invention of Cross-bows came from the Sicilians as Diodorus reports They made both great and little Cross-bows the great were drawn on Wheels as our Canon are and threw Darts three Cubits long The little ones were carried by Foot Souldiers who were called Cross-bow-men but their Quarrels were not half so long as the Darts of the other which were of such a greatness that they could throw Stones six score pound weight There were an other kind of Cross-bows of a middle size that were carried on Wagons and were called Orcubalistae and Carobalistae Others there were which served to throw Artificial Fire and Darts called Phalaricae or Fire-brands because they were covered with Sulpher Pitch Tar and Tow dipped in Oyl The Scorpion was likewise a kind of Hand-cross-bow invented by the Grecians which they used in Shooting of little Shafts whose Heads were extreamly small and pointed CHAP. V. Of Defensive Arms. Sect. 1. ALL Weapons are both offensive and defensive because with the same one may both attack and defend but there are some Arms which are meerly defensive as for instance The Head-piece termed the Cask or Casket Morions Cuirasses Corcelets Gorgets Vambraces Tassets or Thigh-pieces Knee-pieces Guard-reins or Rein-pieces Gantlets and round Targets or Bucklers which were used in times past and which are still in use in many remote Countries especially among the Turks and Moors The Romans armed part of their Cavalry
come out and spread abroad on all hands Canons are sometimes charged with Nails Pieces of Old Iron and Chains with Bullets fastened to their ends Canons charged with Cartouches carry not so far as when they are charged with Bullets but they do greater havock especially in Approaches CHAP. V. Of Petards and of the Way how they are to be used Sect. 1. Of Petards THE Petard is a kind of Fire-pot made of Red Copper with a tenth part of Brass which is filled with powder and is applied to the Gates of Places upon a Surprise to break them and throw them back as may be seen in the Figure The Petard of a Bridge ought to be twelve inches long and without the Breech seven inches and a half wide and within five The Metal at the Bombes a Morter Peice Hollow Bullet Grenade Petard Carcasse Cartouche Chaine Bullets Breech ought ro be fifteen lignes thick and six at the Muzzel without reckoning the Murrion or Moulding it hath ten inches in Bore at the Mouth three Handles and the Fuse joyning to the Breech The Metal of it weighs from threescore to threescore and ten pound weight and is charged with five or six pound of Powder Petards of Gates with Cross-bars ought to be nine inches long five lignes thick at the Muzzel and an inch at the Breech having seven inches in Bore six without the Breech and four within it weighs forty pound weight and its Charge is from three to four pound of Powder The Petard for Gates with Plain Bars or Palissadoes ought to be seven inches long at the Muzzel four lignes thick and at the Breech nine the Mouth four inches wide without the Breech three inches and a half and within two it weighs about fifteen pound weight and from one pound and a half to two pound of Powder is the Charge of it Between the Petard and Bridge is put a Madrier or Plank of Wood a foot and a half broad two foot long and three inches thick when the Wood is not strong it is covered with Plates of Iron laid on the one side Cross-wayes and on the other in length Petards are to be charged with the finest Powder that can be had knocked hard down into the Petard which must be stopped with a Woodden Trencher or Woodden Roler an inch thick which must be exactly applied and whereon a little Waxe is to be melted for stopping the chinks and hindering the water to enter A Petard is charged within three fingers of the Mouth the rest is filled up with Tow pressed very hard afterward a Canvas Cloth is put before the Mouth of the Petard which is to be tied very fast with a cord about the Muzzel least the Charge drop out a Flying Bridg. a Crow's foot or Casting Caltrop a Turn Pike a Percullis a Battering Ram. Sect. 2. Of the Arrow and Flying-Bridge PEtards are applied to a Bridge with an Arrow made in the manner following The Arrow ought to have a weight or counterpoise behind it is mounted on two Wheels three foot and a half high and two foot and a half thick The point of the Arrow should be at least a foot wide that it may contain the Petard The Arrow is composed of three Planks twenty six foot in length each Plank made up of four Pieces which are fastened together with Iron Rings and are taken a sunder that they may be portable and are joyned again with an Iron Pin. These three Planks are made fast together by Barrs an inch thick two inches broad and a foot distant from one another On one of the Planks is made a hollow Crany to lay a Train in to give Fire to the Petard The Flying or Roling Bridge is made in the same manner as the Arrow except that it is as broad at one end as at the other and that it is covered with Planks as may be seen by the Figure Sect. 3. The Way of Vsing and Applying a Petard WHen there is a design to petard a Gate the Scituation of it is first to be viewed and when a day is pitched upon for the execution the Petards Instruments and necessary Utensils are loaded on Mules Detachments are made and every one is ordered what to do all things being well disposed they march out in good order about the evening that by mid-night they may arrive in the neighbour-hood of the place which is intended to be surprized The Mules are unloaded half a quarter of a league from the Gate and every one takes hold of the Tools whereof they are to make use The Petardier makes him that carries the Madrier march first afterward he calls three for the Petard two to carry it and the third to help if need be If the Petard be fastened to the Madrier the four ease one another two and two by turns and the two who carry not the Petard have each of them a Smiths great Hammer after them the Petardier commands two others to march carrying each of them a great Hatchet then another with a Goats-foot or Fearn another with a dark Lanthorn another with three or four Pieces of lighted Match and another with a Turrel or good Nails and a Club so that every Petard to be rightly served requires at least ten men When a Petard is to be applied to a Draw-bridge the Petardier makes the Flying-Bridge march first or the Arrow with seven or eight Men as well to carry as to push them Next he makes the Madrier and the Petard advance in the same order as I have said before after follow those who carry the Ladders and the floor of Planks to be thrown upon the Breach which the Petard may have made who are followed by those who carry the Hammers Hatchets Pinsers and other Instruments to pull out the Barrs and cut the Chains There is need rather of too many Instruments than that any one should be wanting and when the Petardier asks any thing he that carries it should be ready at hand to give it without making the least noise All things being thus disposed the Petardier covers himself with a round Buckler or some Planks made on purpose to secure him from Musket-shot or Fire-works that may be thrown upon him he applies his Petard commands those that are to fall on to be in readiness sets Fire to the Fuse and with-draws whilst the Petard is playing so soon as a Breach is made those that are commanded for the first brush enter the place and force all that resists them they who are to back them do as much and so successively do all who have any thing to put in execution Sect. 4. Of Tortoises WHen a Bridge joyns ill to a Wall it may be beaten down without a Petard with a Brazen Tortoise placed between the Wall and the Bridge which by its shivers and pieces breaks it This is the way of making it Take two shells of Brass five inches deep a foot wide and two inches thick place the one upon the
other and fill them with powder putting thereto a Fuse We may reckon among our Engines of War the Herses Sarrasins or Cataracts and the Orgues which are great Pieces of Hanging Wood and are let fall down thorow holes when there is any fear of a Surprise or of the effort of a Petard Turn-pikes which are Beam stuck full of sharp-pointed Piles which roles upon a Pivot to stop a Passage The Crow-foot or Casting Caltrop are Iron Pricks made in such manner that what way soever they be turned they have alwayes the point upwards CHAP. VI. Of the Warlike Engines of the Romans Sect. 1. Of Machines or Engines in general WE call all things Engines whereof the Art and Contrivance surpasses the matter Materiam superabat opus says Ovid. From thence comes the Name of Ingeneer The Ancients called all things that serve to attaque or defend places Warlike Engines so does Moses call them in the 20th Chapter of Deuteronomy the last Verse Onely those Trees which thou knowest are not for meat those shalt thou destroy and cut down and make Forts against the City that maketh War with thee until thou subdue it All these ancient Engines were onely made of Wood pieced together and made fast with Iron which were placed upon the Turrets and Corners of the Walls to throw Darts and Stones of an extraordinary bigness Others there were onely for beating down of Walls and others for Mounting an Assault and for a Scalado Sect. 2. Of the Tortoise or Testudo THe Tortoise of the Ancient Gauls which the Romans used and called Testudo was nothing else but the crouding together of many Souldiers who covered themselves on the Head and Sides with a great many Bucklers The former Ranks carried them higher than the following in manner of the Tiles of a House that so whatever might be thrown upon them from the Walls might not stick but more easily slide to the ground Homer speaks of these Tortoises in this manner Scutum scuto haeret galeae galea atque vir viro They made use of that Invention for Scaling of Walls by mounting one upon another as Titus Liviusdescribes it Testudine parti muri ad mota cum armati spuerstantes subissent propugnatoribus muri fastigio altitudinis aequabantur Tacitus calls that Engine a reiterated Tortoise Super iteratum testudinem scandentes They not only made use of these Tortoises in attacking of Places but also in Battels breaking through the Legions of the Enemy All these Tortoises were not in this manner composed of Men and Bucklers they had besides certain Sheds of Wood twenty five foot square and covered with a Shelving Roof which they called Tortoises whereof some served to cover the Lodgings others to shelter the Workmen against Stones and Arrows from the Town and others to hang the Battering-Ram and cover those who were to swing it these were called Testudines Arictariae Sect. 3. Of Ladders THe Romans had Ladders of all Fashions which were alwayes two foot higher than the Walls they intended to scale Some folded and could with little inconvenience be carried any whither these were called Scalae compactiles Others were called Reticulatae aut Stupeae because they were made with Cords provided at the ends with strong Hooks to fasten them with to the Walls They had others that opened and shut in manner of Zizack And others at the end of which was a kind of a little Watch-House whereinto they put some body to spie what was doing on the Ramparts They had besides another kind of Ladder which they termed Rolling Ladders at the end of which were Bridges and others which they called Sambucae which were carried in Boats to scale Walls that were encompassed with Water Sect. 4. Of Bulwarks WHen the Romans intended to attaque a place they caused Bulwarks to be raised round the Walls which were in height twenty four foot and in breadth three hundred upon which they built Towers of VVood armed with Iron on all sides which commanded the Ramparts and from which the Besiegers threw upon the People of the Town Stones Darts Artificial Fire that they might thereby facilitate the approach of the Battering Rams and other Engines for taking of Places Sect. 5. Of Towers THe Towers which were used by the Romans in the attacking of Places went on VVheels were very high and on all sides covered with Plates of Iron which rendered them more weighty more difficult to be overthrown and less obnoxious to the danger of Fire These Towers were invented by one Diades a Souldier under Alexander the Great they had also other Towers which carried Bridges and Battering Rams Caesar caused to be built before Marseillis Towers of Masons Work five foot thick and near the Towers of the Enemies from whence he might incommode them he caused moveable Roofs to be made for them from which hung Skreens made of Cables or other Ship-ropes behind which the Workmen might under covert labour in the raising of the Towers Sect. 6. Of the Battering Ram. THe original of Battering Rams which Paulus Diaconus calls Exterminatorium Iustrumentum is very Ancient some attribute the invention of them to the Greeks and others to the Carthaginians However it be they performed in those days what our Canon and Mines do at present seing the onely use they were put to was to beat down the Walls of Towns which they intended to take The Battering Ram was made of a large Tree like to the Mast of a Ship which was in length six and twenty cubits and five hand breadths in diameter and within six cubits of the head was guarded with Iron Rings the head was of a knotty Wood covered with Iron and represented the Head of a Ram with Horns and therefore the name of Battering Ram was given to that Engine The Battering Ram hung betwixt great Beams of Wood by Massive Iron Chains and required a hundred men to swing and push it violently against the Walls Repulsus magna virorum manu says Flavius The shape of it may be seen in the Figure Sect. 7. Of Counter-Engines TO hinder Assaults and Storms the besieged made use of huge Stones Wheels Wagons with four Wheels filled with weighty Matters Columns Cylinders Mill-stones Tuns and Artificial Fire which they threw upon the Besiegers and their Engines with purpose to break them or to reduce them to Ashes They hindered the effects of the Battering Rams by opposing to them Packs of Wooll or by catching hold of them with Snares or Iron Engines made in form of Pinsers which they called Woolves meaning that such Woolves could catch the Ram because with these Engines they drew the Battering Rams up or broke them in the middle The End of the Third Book The Fourth Book OF ENSIGNS TRUMPETS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF WAR IT may perhaps seem strange that I have comprehended in one and thâ— same Book and under one sole Title Ensings Trumpets and other Instruments of War considering the small Analogy they have to
of Towers and the Houses of Gentlemen of Quality were beautified The Faillion is a kind of Standard made use of in the Army for assembling the Baggage and every Regiment ought to have one of its Colour which conducts the Baggage to the Faillion General S. P. Q. R. The Ensigne of the Roman Horse The Ensigne of the Manipule The Ensigne of the Roman Legion CHAP. II. Of the Roman Ensigns THE Romans had one kind of Ensigns for foot and another for Horse Every Legion had its Ensign General which was the Roman Eagle as we have a Collonels Colours in every Regiment of foot which is always of White Taffeta besides that the Manipules or Companies had their particular Ensigns which were silvered Pikes at whose end was a little piece of Wood laid a thwart in form of a Cross with little Globes fastened down along to the Pikes on which was the Names of the Emperours as Suetonius reports Artabanus transgressus Euphratem aquilas Romana Caesarumque imagines adoravitsigna The Armies were reckoned by Eagles as Hirtius says Erat Pompeii acies tredecem aquilis constituta To intimate that the Army of Pompey was composed of thirteen Legions We have retained the same way of expressing the number of the Horse which we have in our Armies for instance we say The King hath detached or sent into the Field two hundred Cornets to signifie two hundred Troops The Ensigns of the Cavalry were of a shape different from those of the Infantry The Romans named them Vexilla which to speak properly were little square Sails almost of the bigness of our Standards which were carried hanging at a Pike like to the Banners of our Churches These Sails were for most part of a Purple Stuff embroidered whereon were set in Golden Letters the Names of their Emperours or of their Commanders Aurea clarum not a nomen ducum vexillis praescriptum feriunt The same is in use amongst our Horse whereof most part of the Masters de Camp cause their Arms or Devises to be put upon the Standards of the Troops of their Regiments The Persians had Eagles for Ensigns and the Ancient Germans carried the Figures of Wild Beasts CHAP. III. Of Trumpets Drums and other Instruments of War THE Instruments of Military Symphony are not onely proper to give the Souldiers the signal of what they are to do but likewise to animate them to Fight after the manner of the Lacedemonians The Cavalry make use of Trumpets and Kettle Drums The Trumpet is an Instrument of Brass doubly crooked which Heginus says was invented by Thireime Son of Hercules This definition Vegetius gives of it Buccina quae in semetipso aereo circulo reflectitur Ovid in this manner describes it to us Cava buccina sumitur illi Tortilis in latium quae turbine cresct ab imo There is no Troop of our Gend'arms nor Light Horse which has not at least one Trumpet to sound to Boots and Saddle to the Standard to Horse the Charge the Challenge and the Retreat Kettle-Drums are two Brazen Vessels round at the bottom and covered above with Goat-Skin which is made to sound by beating on it with Sticks Kettle-Drums were more in use among the Germans and Spaniards than among the French who heretofore never carried any but when they won them from their Enemies That Ancient formality is now out of date and the King bestows them on whom he thinks fit especially on the Troops of his Houshold Drums Fifes Bagpipes and Hautbois are for Foot Musketeers Dragoons Fusiliers and Horse-grandaiers Drums are made of a Chesnut Wood hollow and covered at both ends with Skins of Parchment which are braced with Cords and with Snares underneath These Instruments serve to beat the Reveilly the General the Call the March the Charge the Parley the Retreat the Banks or Proclamations and all the Commands The Invention of them is not late as may be seen in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. Of the Instruments of War used by the Romans THE Instruments of the Roman Militia whereof they made use to signifie all the Orders to the Souldiers were Trumpets Horns Cornets and Hautbois as well for Horse as Foot and the Legions Cohortes and Manipules had each their several Instruments Cohortium turmarum legionum tubicines simul omnes canere jubet says Salust Though Drums and Kettle-Drums were not in use among the Romans yet other Nations and especially the Indians used them Indi tympana suo more pulsantes Curtius lib. 8. and Suidas Tubis Indi non utuntur sed pro iis sunt flagella tympana horribilem quendam bombum emittentia The Parthians made use of them also but in all appearance according to the Description that we have of them in Suidas and Plutarch the Instruments of these People were rather Kettle-Drums than Drums because they were made of Plam-tree Wood hollow and filled with little Brazen Bells the mouth whereof was covered with a Bulls-hide Isidorus defines the word tympanum in these terms Tympanum est pellis vel corium ligno ex una parte extensum And that is the very shape and figure of our Kettle-Drums He describes also another Instrument which he calls Symphony which can be nothing else but our Drums Symphonia says he vulgo appellatur lignum cavum ex utraque parte pelle extensa quam virgulis hinc inde musici feriunt That Instrument resembles the little Tabers or Drums which the Turks carry before them and which they beat on both sides with Sticks However it be there is no doubt but that the Invention of Drums is as Ancient as that of Trumpets I build not onely on the Authority of prophane History but on the Testimony of the Royal Prophet who says Let them praise his Name with the Flute let them sing praises to him with the Timbrel and Harp Psal 149. Praise him Timbrel and Flute c. Psal 150. A particular Chapter of the Arms which are at present in use as well among the French as other Nations SInce Gun-powder hath been invented there is no People in Europe but makes use of Fire-Arms to which they have given several names according to their different shapes as Muskets Arquebusses with Match-Lock Arquebusses with Wheel-Lock Carabines Choques Pistols with Wheel-Locks Holster or Pocket Pistols Musketons and Fusils or Fire-locks as the Ancients changed the names of their Shields Pikes Swords and Darts according to the divers alterations that happened either in the form or matter for instance They called Aâ—lides a kind of Ancient Dart which they carried tied to the Wrist with a long Strap or Thong that thereby they might more easily draw it back when they wounded any therewith and they called Gevum a Dart that was intirely of Iron Nevertheless these Arms were still Darts as Muskets Musketons Carabins Choques and Fusils or Fire-locks are all of them kinds of Arquebusse of different lengths of which some fire with a Match others with a Flint
the Corslet with the Breast-plate the Cuirasse with Tassets the Gorget of Mail Supeters whole Greaves Tasses Gantlets Helmet with Banners Arm-pieces Gossets Poldrons all guarded with Mail in the void spaces or Intervals Their Horses were barded and caparisoned with the Crannet and Frontstall For Offensive Arms they had the Sword by the side the Tuck at one side of the Pommel of the Saddle and the Battle-Axe at the other a long and great Lance in hand a Cassock which they called the Souldiers Coat which was of the Colour of their Ensign and Guidon of the Troop and bigger than that of the Light Horse The Light-Horse were armed with Gorgets Corslet with Tassets below the Knee Gantlets Arm-pieces great Shoulder-pieces Head-pieces with open Visers and the Cassock of the Colour of the Standard And for Offensive Arms a large broad Sword by the side the Battle-Axe at the Pommel of the Saddle and the Lance in hand The Estradiots were armed in the same manner as the Light-horse and and instead of Arm-pieces and Gantlets had Sleeves and Gloves of Mail a broad Sword by the side the Battle-Axe at the Pommel of the Saddle and the Zagaye in hand which they called Arzegaye ten or twelve foot long and headed with Iron at the two ends Their Coat over their Arms was short and instead of a Cornet they had a great Banderoll hanging at the end of a Lance. The Argolets were armed in the same way as the Estradiots except the Head which they covercd with a Cabasset or Casket that hindered them not to take aim Their offensive Arms were the Sword by the Side the Battle-Axe at the left side of the Pommel of the Saddle and at the right an Arquebuss two foot and a half long in a Case of Tanned Leather over their Arms a short Coat like to that of the Estradiots and a long Banderoll as they had to rally by The Cavalry under Henry the Fourth and Lowis the Thirteenth IN the Reigns of Henry the Fourth and Lowis the Thirteenth the Cavalry were divided into Gens-d'armes Light-Horse and Carabins The Gens-d'armes were armed with compleat Armour and carried Greaves and Knee-pieces under or over the Boots the Cuirasse Carabin-proof before and behind and instead of a Lance an Escopette or Petronel which carried five hundred paces the Holster Pistols charged with a Slugg of Steel a long and stiff Tuck without an edge Their Horses were armed with the Frontstall and Petrel The Light-Horse were armed with compleat Armour a Cuirass that was proof and the rest but slight they carried the Pistol at the Pommel of the Saddle under the Bridle-hand and on the other side the Salade or Head-piece The Carabins had for Arms a Cuirass voided and cut in the Right Shoulder that they might the better present and take aim a Gantlet reaching the Elbow for the Bridle-hand a Casket on Head and for Defensive Arms a long Sword a long Escopett or Carabin three foot and a half in length a Pistol at the Pommel of the Saddle and two Cartouches after the manner of the Reistres The Word Carabin comes from the Spanish Word Cara which signifies the Visage or Face and the Latine Word Binus which signifies double as if one should say Men of double Faces because of their way of fighting Sometimes flying and sometimes facing about We have changed the Carabins into Souldiers that fight both on Foot and Horse whom we have called Dragoons in imitation of the Dimachae of Alexander the Great which Name comes from the Greek Word Dimas that signifies terror and fear because they carried Dragons for their Ensigns FINIS Books Printed for Robert Harford at the sign of the Angel in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchange 1. MAre Clasum or the Right Dominion and Owner-ship of our Brittish Seas in Two Books by John Selden Esq in folio 2. A New Description of the Country of Surinam in 40. 3. The History of the Turkish Wars in Hungaria Transilvania Austria Silvesia and other Provinces of the German Empire from the first Invasion of Annirath the Se-Second 1432 to which is added a short Discourse of the State and Goverment of the said Provinces in 80. 4. The Sage Senator or a Discourse on the Wisdom of such as are called to publick Imployments for their Country prescribing a Method to discharge a publick Trust in 80. 5. The History of Portugal Describing the said Country with the Customs aud Uses among them in 80. 6. An Historical Essay Endeavouring a Probability that the Language of the Empire of China is the Primitive Language In 8. And also you may there have all sorts of Paper and Paper Books and the best Ink for Records
foot into ground long setled and well fastened two or three and twenty foot into sand or loose ground and a Canon fired to purpose against a Ground-work within the distance that I have been speaking of will ruin more than can be repaired with fifty Baskets full of Earth The force of a Canon Shot from low to high or from high to low or on a level is equal as to the Canon but in respect of the Body which receives the Shot that which is fired from a low ground to a higher shakes and over-turns more Sect. 8. The Way of Nailing up a Canon BEsieged make sometimes Salleys out to Nail up the Canon and attempt the Batteries and whilst some throw down the Parapets others break or burn the Carriages some drive in a Nail of Steel which is hacked and notched and break it in the Touch-holes of the Pieces which afterward are good for nothing but to be cast again CHAP. IV. Of Mortar-Pieces Arquebusses a Crock Bombes Bullets the Carcass c. Sect. 1. Of Stone Guns STone Guns are for most part of Iron much of the shape of Mortar-pieces that shoot Bombes They carry not far and therefore are not used but in fortified places to incommode the Besiegers when they make their approaches the powder for the Charge is regulated according to the number of stones and pieces of Iron that are put into them and they are commonly filled up to the Mouth Sect. 2. Of the Arquebuss a Crock THe Arquebuss a Crock is made of Iron in form of a great Musket It may be fired three hundred times a day which comes to five and twenty shot an hour The Bullet of it weighs three ounces and the Charge of Powder an ounce and a half Sect. 3. Of Mortar Pieces MOrtar-Pieces are of Iron or of Cast Metal and serve to shoot Bombes they are not so long as Stone-Guns and their Bore is wider or narrower according to the bigness of the Bombes which they are to contain their Carriages have no Wheels and are quite otherwayes shaped than those of a Canon as may be seen in the Figure Sect. 4. Of Bombes BOmbes are of a late Invention and were never used in France before the year 1635 at the Siege of Dole They are made all of Iron and are hollow with two handles to carry them by but they are not all of the same size nor of the same shape some are round and others long The first are called Bombes and the other Fire-pots They are filled with Fire-works and Powder and then are stopped with a Bung or Stopple well closed in the middle of which is left a hole to apply the Fuse to When Bombes are to be shot a convenient ground is chosen not too far distant from the place which is intended to be galled and there a Platform is erected which is provided with Plancks of Timber on which the Mortar-pieces are planted Before a Bombe be put into the Mortar-piece there is thrown into the bottom of it a Charge of Powder proportioned to the weight of the Bombe which is laid above the Bung-hole aloft So soon as the Mortar-piece is charged the Artist takes his heights and measures that the Bombe may directly fall into the place that he intends that is to say he gives less or more elevation to his Mortar-piece according as he is near or distant from the place and stops it either with a Coin or with an Iron Pin which he thrusts cross the Carriage that being done he sets fire to the Fuse of the Bombe and then to the Powder of the Mortar-piece which forces out the Bombe and carries it up in the Air when it is come to its full reach it falls and breaks in a thousand pieces The shivers and pieces of it break and bruise every thing they meet with and the Fire-works that are within it set fire in all places where it chances to fall Nothing gives greater terror to the Towns-people of a Besieged Town than Bombes and the ravage that there they do is so extraordinary and so gall Men Women and Children that they know not where to be in safety Sect. 5. Of the Carcass THe Carcass is a Warlike Engine of very late Invention or rather it is a late Imitation of these Burning Barrels that keep fire under water whereof I have spoken before in the Book of Powder and Chapter of Artificial Fire or Fire-works and which takes its name from the Figure because it is made of two hoops of Iron two inches broad and two lignes thick crossed oval wayes and is filled with a Bag of Pitched Canvas stuffed with Granadoes and ends of Musket Barrels charged with small Iron shot Carcasses are shot out of Mortar-pieces in the same manner as Bombes and the Fire they make lasts above half an hour no body daring to put it out Sect. 6. Of the Granadoe THere are Granadoes of all sizes but those which are used by our Granadiers are all almost alike and are commonly two inches and a half and two lignes in diameter They are charged with Powder within a finger of the Hole the rest is filled with hard pressed Tow and then the Hole is stopped with a Bung of Wood made very close in the middle whereof is left a little hole or vent through which is put a Fuse or Wild-fire of Fine Powder mingled with Aqua vitae or Brandy Granadoes are thrown with the hand and must not be held long after they are fired They are commonly used to drive Enemies from Trenches in a Covered Way and in a Lodging The Granadoes break so soon as the Train is spent and their shivers and pieces wound all they hit Sect. 7. Of Hollow Bullets WE have at present long and hollow Bullets which are filled with Powder and put into Guns as the others are all the difference betwixt them is that they work a double effect they perform in the first place that which Plain Bullets might do and besides they burst and break in the hole that they have made either in a Wall or in a Ground and blow up as much earth or as many stones as a small Fourneau might and in this manner they are charged When these Bullets are filled with Powder their Vent or opening is stopped with a Bung wherein is left a passage for a Fuse to which afterward is put a Sulpher Match by which the fire of the Gun is communicated to the Train of the hollow Bullet at the same time that it is forced out of the Piece Sect. 8. Of Red Bullets OTher Bullets are likewise made use of which the French call Red Bullets because they are made red hot before they are put into the Canon Their effect is to burn what they meet with but that succeeds not alwayes Sect. 9. Of Cartouches CArtouches may be called Boxes of White Lattin half a foot deep and sized to the Bore of the Piece which are filled with great Musket Bullets that scatter as they