he useth in the handling of his Armes consisting of severall Motions for atchieving of each Posture The Motion being the working part the Posture the alteration or act either in circumstance or matter As to rest your Musket being one Posture to shoulder your Musket another so likewise for the rest howbeit some perchance will object as formerly hath bin to one of Athens making a long Oration in the praise of Hercules his valour who ever doubted of it So to me who ever questioned these for Postures yet I have known them not only questioned but written against peremptorily concluding that there are but three Postures to be used for the Musket whose errours I shal easily confute But more of this after the Postures of the Musket Wherefore for the more orderly proceeding conceive their Armes to lie before them on the ground and then the first command will be to stand to their Armes The Postures of the Musket TAke up your Bandeliers Put on your Bandeliers Take up your Match Place your Match Take up your Musket and Rest Rest your Musket Now if you please you may performe your saluting Posture Poyse your Musket Shoulder your Musket Take your Rest into your right hand and you are armed ready to March Now to begin to make ready which may be done either standing or marching Take your Match between the fingers of your right hand Put your Rest string about your left Wrist and carry your Rest in your left hand Return your Match between the fingers of your left hand Unshoulder your Musket and Poyse Ioyn your Rest to the outside of your Musket Open your Pan. Cleer Prime Shut Cast off your loose Corns Blow off your loose Corns and bring about your Musket to the left side Treile your Rest ballance your Musket in your left hand Charge with Powder Bullet Draw forth your Scowring stick Shorten Put your scowring stick into your Musket Ram home your Charge Withdraw your scowring stick Shorten Return Bring forward your Musket and Rest Poyse your Musket and recover your Rest Ioyn your Rest to the outside of your Musket Draw forth your Match Blow your Coale Cock your Match Fit Guard your Pan. Blow the Ash from your Coale Open your Pan. Present upon your Rest Give fire brest high Dismount your Musket joyning your Rest to the outside of your Musket Uncock and return your Match Cleer your Pan Shut Poise your Musket Shoulder Take your Match between the fingers of the right hand Take your Rest into your right hand cleering your string from your wrist Return your Rest into the left hand the string loose Return your Match into your left hand Unshoulder your Musket and Poyse Rest your Musket Set the But-end of your Musket on the ground Lay down your Musket and Rest Match Take off your Bandeliers Lay down March from your Armes There is likewise the Sentinell Posture which is The Muskettier having his Musket charged with Bullet his Match cockt his Pan guarded stands with his Musket rested to performe such duty as shall be commanded or given him in charge Some have likewise taught to make ready on or from the Sentinell Posture But note that as none comes to stand Sentinell but comes ready charged So if any occasion happen that he must give fire in the time of his standing Sentinel it causeth a generall Alarme So that he will have no fit time to make ready upon his Rest Wherefore I conceive it superfluous but will ever conforme to better judgement We have also the Funerall Posture which from the Rest is to be performed at 3. Motions which cannot so well be exprest in writing as it will expresse it selfe in Action Wherefore seeing that it is rather an Ornament to Obsequies than truly necessary for Armies I will not spend more time about it but come to the Postures of the Pike Yet before I passe upon them give me leave to answer some which out of a Criticall humour will alwayes be carping at others condemning these Postures saying There are more by halfe then are either good or usefull and that there are no more Postures to be used but Make ready Present Give fire The which wee will not deny that in Service there are any other usefull notwithstanding I would have them to know that Make ready is no Posture but a word of Command including all Postures from the first Arming of the Souldier to the present or if the Muskettier be charged shouldered or both then the word Make ready commands the prosecution of the rest of your Postures which are between the Posture you then immediatly are at when the word is given and the other Posture Present for which reason when wee teach Muskettiers at first it is most necessary to instruct them punctually from Posture to Posture Which being once attained he manageth his Armes more surely more comely with more celerity and with better execution and at the first may as easily be taught the best way But if he have got an habit of doing ill there wil be as much or more pains spent in reclayming his errours as at first to teach him the best safest and readiest way CHAP. II. Of the Postures of the Pike THat which followeth next of course is the Posture of the Pike Wherefore that we may observe order in our proceeding we will likewise conceive their Pikes to lie in like manner before them on the ground And then as before the first Command will be To stand to their Armes Handle your Pikes Order To your open Order close Charge with the butt-But-end of your Pike at the inside of your right Foot your Pike in the left hand drawing your Sword over the left Arme. Charge to the Right Left Reere Order your Pikes and put up your Swords Note that these Charges at the Foot are to receive a desperate Enemy on Horse upon a stand in some strait or other place of advantage the Muskettiers to give fire over the Pikemens heads or else-where at the discretion of the Commander Port your Pikes Comport Cheeke Treile Order Charge to the Front Order as you were Right Left Reere  Shoulder your Pikes Advance your Pikes Port Comport Cheeke Treile your Pikes  Advance as you were Charge to the Front Right Left Reere Shoulder your Pikes Port Comport Cheeke Treile Shoulder your Pikes  Shoulder as you were Charge to the Front Right Left Reere From Comport Cheeke or Treile the Pikeman may at the discretion of the Commander charge either to the Front Reere or both Flanks as shall be necessary or thought expedient Wherfore we shall not need to do it but once over for the Charges will be all alike whether you Comport from Order from Advance or Shoulder And so likewise for Cheek and Treile c. From Comport Charge to the Front Comport as you were Right Left Reere Cheek your Pikes   From the Cheek Charge to the Front Cheek as you were Right Left Reere Treile your
for Skirmish Then if you please you may cause three or foure of the first firings to be performed by light Skirmishing before the Front and that with loose Ranks or Files or both either some of those or such like as I have formerly spoken off in the preceding Exercises After which for your next firing cause your Half-files to open to the right and left by equall division untill the Reere Divisions of Pikes stands right after the Muskettiers of the Front-division Now the Muskettiers standing in foure Divisions let them all present and give fire to the Front wheeling all off to the right and placing themselves in the Reere of their own divisions of like Armes each Ranke still making good the Leaders ground Having given fire once or twice over on this Figure For the second firing cause the Front-division to give fire to the Front and the two Reere divisions to each Flanke in a March The Front-division with fires in Ranke wheele all off to the right placing themselves in the Reere of their ownc Divisions of Muskettiers the other Divisions with fire in flanke leading up their files betweene their owne divisions of Muskettiers and the Pikes Having given fire once or oftner over according to discretion this way let the third firing be performed upon a stand For the which cause your reere-divisions to facc to the right and left outward the front-division still to continue the same aspect Then let the Muskettiers give fire those of the right flanke wheeling off to the right and the contrary flanke to the contrary hand the Muskettiers of the front division placing themselues in the reere of their owne divisions of Muskets the Muskettiers of the reere divisions placing themselues in the reere of the reere divisions of Pikes each ranke of Muskettiers still making good his leaders ground When they have fired all over let the Pikes charge to front and both flanks Having advanced your Pikes againe and faced your body to the front proper each Armes still standeth in three divisions Then let the fourth firing be to the reere and both flanks upon a march And to that end open your front-divisions of Muskettiers to the right and left untill they are cleere of the reere-divisions of Pikes that so they be not troublesome unto them in their march Then let your pikes shoulder and the Muskettiers give fire the front divisions of Muskettiers firing in flanke and leading up on the inside of their owne divisions The Muskettiers of the reere division giving fire in the reere in ranke wheeling off by division and placing themselves in the front of their owne divisions of Muskettiers Having fired once over and the Pikes charged let your fifth firing be to the Reere and both flankes upon a stand In the which let the half-files both Muskettiers and Pikes face to the Reere the Front-division to the right and left and so give fire one each part those that fire to the flankes wheeling off and placing themselves in the Reere of their divisions of Pikes and the Muskets of the Reere divisions wheeling off to the right and left and placing themselves in the Reere of their owne divisions of Musketties each Ranke moving forward into their Leaders ground Having fired over let the Pikes charge The Pikes being againe advanced face the whole body to the proper front and then all the Muskettiers will be in the midst and the Pikemen on the flankes For the sixth firing cause your half-rankes of the left double your right flanke by division For further directions looke back to the tripartite firing which you shall find Chap. 92. Having fired over that way charged and re-advanced your pikes face the whole body to their former front For your seventh firing cause the front and reere divisions of Muskettiers and Pikes to face to the right the rest of the body both Muskets and Pikes to the left Let the Muskettiers give fire and wheele all off either to the right or left and place themselves in the reere of their following divisions of Pikes each ranke still moving up into their leaders ground When there rest but two rankes of each division to fire let the Pikes port Having all fircd and wheeled away let the Pikes charge Then face the whole body to their first front and command the first and last foure rankes to face to the left and to march untill they are cleere of the standing part of the Body Then cause the front halfe-files to face to the left the reere halfe-files to the right and so to close their divisions and after that to face towards their leader For the eight firing make the sollid Square girdled with Muskettiers For the which draw halfe the files of the right flanke of Muskettiers crosse the front and halfe the files of Muskettiers of the left flanke crosse the reere Then face the whole body both Muskets and Pikes to the front reere and flankes This done let the Muskettiers give fire and wheele off by division placing themselves in the reere of their owne divisions of Muskettiers All the time of this firing the Pikemen being in the middle of the Muskettiers have good opportunity if the enemy be neere to gall them with their thicke showers of feathered shot The Muskettiers in the meane time having fired once twice or oftner over on this Figure draw your files of Muskettiers backe againe into their places Then having faced the whole body to the proper front let your ninth firing be Captaine Wallers double firing to the front and reere after this manner First wheele front and reere into the right flanke then face them all the same way they were before which done cause the halfe-files to face to the reere and command the Muskettiers which are in the reere of each division of Pikes to double their front of Pikes by division Then let them face about and close their divisions and so having refaced them as they were let them give fire wheele off and charge according to directions on Captaine Wallers Figure For the tenth firing let them face to the right and left and give fire to both flankes upon a stand wheeling off by division and flanking their Pikes When the Pikes have charged and are againe advanced let the Captaine passe to the front accidentall of the left flanke and face the rest of the body to him and in the next place wheele their flanks into the front and so all the Muskettiers will be in the front and by facing the whole body to the left all the Muskettiers will be on the right flanke Let the eleventh figure be the Diamond Battell Having given fire two or three severall wayes according to the directions upon that figure charged Pikes and reduced them againe into the Square face the body about to the right and passe the Muskettiers which belong to the right flanke betweene the ranks of pikes into their places Then the Muskettiers of the left flanke being closed to their Pikes the Body will stand
manner of the firing may easily be apprehended by the figure the Muskettiers giving fire in ranke and wheeling all off to the right do then passe downe their Intervals under the favour of their pikes and placing themselues in the reere of their owne divisions of Muskettiers the pikes charging at discretion Having fired once twice or oftener over and still maintaining the same ground the figure wil continue to be the same If the reere part of the battell were by any means secured so that you need give fire but three wayes then the front-halfe-files of Muskettiers might have beene preserved intire This Plinthium or foure-fronted Battell may as well be made with the Muskettiers in the Angles the pikes making the crosse this kinde of Command alwayes making the crosse of the Armes in the midst of the Battell After that you have given fire at discretion upon this figure and charged your pikes if you would reduce them to the first square command the whole body to face to the front proper Secondly command the Muskettiers in the reere to march up on the left of the Muskettiers in front the pikes being first opened to give them place Thirdly cause the Muskettiers in flanke to face inward and to close their divisions Lastly cause the pikes to march up placing themselues right after their leaders This being done the body will be brought againe into a sollid square flanked with pikes I forbeare further to reduce them untill I shew the next figure Yet for further satisfaction to any that shall require it command your Muskettiers to face to the right and left outward the pikes to face inward and so to interchange ground and then being rightly faced they are reduced CHAP. CI. Of the Hollow Square for March SVndry formes there be which go under the denomination of the hollow Square and very diversly they may be framed Some are hollow impalled with pikes the pikes againe girdled with shot Other Squares are made with shot and they impalled with pikes Some againe with divisions of Muskettiers and pikes orderly mixt with an hollow in the midst A fourth sort is when each Armes are divided by themselues as when the pikes make the front and reere and the Muskettiers the wings A fifth way is when the Muskettiers leade in front and reere and the pikes make both the flanks All these wayes are very necessary and usefull as the time occasion or place shall give cause or the judgement of the Commander shall see fitting Neverthelesse the hollow battell which I now intend to demonstrate unto you is especially usefull for a march whereby to secure the carriage as likewise to preserve the sicke and wounded it may also serue for the Commander to consult with his Officers or to make any speech or Oration to the Souldiers Or the Ensigne may in signe of triumph display his Coâ—â—urs in the midst upon a march after Skirmish The way to make this figure the Muskettiers being in the midst is as followeth First command the Halfe-files of Muskettiers to face to the reere Then command all the Muskettiers to march and the Pikes to stand When they are cleare of the front and reere of the Pikes let them stand and face all to the front proper and it produceth this following figure If you would give fire upon this figure to the front and reere it may be done marching But more properly standing by facing the halfe-files both Muskettiers and Pikes to the reere Then the command being given to present and give fire they wheele off by division placing themselues in the reere of their owne divisions of Muskettiers each ranke moving forwards into their leaders ground and doing the like If you should give fire and not move forwards into your leaders ground then the Muskettiers would fill the hollow in the middest betweene the Pikes Neverthelesse suppose the figure still to continue to be the same Because I will now come to the reducement and the rather for that I have not done it since I began with the Hollow-fronted Crosse But now so please you I will reduce all by a firing And to that end first close your divisions of Pikes and then the Muskettiers will be all in the front and reere Secondly cause the halfe-files both Muskettiers and pikes to face to the Reere Then cause the Muskettiers both of front and reere to give fire wheeling off by division and flanking their pikes When they have fired all over the Pikes may charge who being againe advanced and all faced to the front proper they are all reduced as at first into the ordinary Square flanked with Muskets CHAP. CII Of the hollow Hearse and the Crosse THe Hearse-Battell by the Greekes called Orthophalanx as in Aelian is when the depth doth manifold exceede the length thrice at the least It may be made either sollid or hollow at the discretion of the Commander And notwithstanding that this Figure simply of it selfe hath ever beene accounted weake as bringing but few hands to fight neverthelesse being conjoyned with the Crosse it may prove serviceable True it is that being exprest by so small a number the strength of it cannot so evidently be discerned which were the number more each division would appeare to be the stronger both for offence and defence But I have onely taken upon me to shew the severall formes and figures of battell which may be formed and practised by a private Company as having limited my selfe not to exceed the number of 128 men Wherefore my request must be that the Courteous Reader when he shall finde that any Figure for want of number shall looke thinne or poore he will there be pleased to clothe it in a larger number for that thereby the Battell will appeare the more sollid and the beholder become the better satisfied This Figure may be usefull upon a march for a Convoy the hollow parts thereof being very commodious to secure the carriage the men also are very well disposed to helpe and assist each other in whatsoever part it should happen them to be assailed The words of Command and direction which produce the Figure are as follow Wheele front and reere into the left flanke That done face them as before and the Muskettiers will be in front midst and reere Next open the Muskettiers in the midst to the right and left and cause them to double their rankes to the left Then cause the front-halfe-files of the front division of Pikes to open to the right and left and the reere halfe-files of the reere division of Pikes to doe the like Then having evened their rankes and straightened their files and being faced to their leader the body will stand in forme like this Figure If so be you will give fire upon this Figure you may doe it any way or every way If you give fire to the front reere and flankes then let your Muskettiers wheele all off to the right and place themselves in the reere of their own divisions If you