also carrie his Bullet bagge in which hee shall beare his Moulds to cast his Bullets also his Wormes with which he shall cleare his peece when at any time it is cloid either by mischance or ignorance and his Screwes with which he shall vnloose euery vice-pinne or engine about the Musquet when he either intends to take it in peeces or else to scowie it to mend any thing that is out of frame or otherwise to vnbreech it and lastly he shall carrie in it his priming yron being a small artificiall wiar with which he shall clense and keepe open the touch-hole of his peece so as the priming powder may enter in and make the peece goe off vpon the first touch of any sparke with which it encounters all this perfitted he shall bee armed with a good and very sufficient musquet being of as neate and nimble a cast as can bee made prouided it bee strong cleane wrought and of a good temper of yron the Barrell must bee in length foure foot and a halfe and the bore according to the size of a full Musquet and tried by the gage or allowance of the Tower of London the Stocke must be straight cleane and smoothe wrought without knots or flawes in any part but especially towards the lower end the extreamest part at the nether end below the breech should be at least eight inches in depth flat and smoothe so as if the peece happen a little to recoyle yet it may not offend the Souldiers body and the wood of which these Stockes are made would be either good Wallnut-tree good Peare-tree or some other fast firme and smoothe light wood which is neither apt through the shortnesse of the graine quickly to breake nor yet through the largenesse to split or riue in sunder you must haue regard that the barrell be smooth euen and not galled within that it carry the full bore equally cleane throughout and not carry Musquet bore at the top and hardly Harquebusse in the bottome for it is an abuse too frequent amongst our Gun-makers and the effect is nothing else but deceit and the peece of such a bore is hardly so good as a Pistoll see that the pan be tight and the touch-hole vnworne for if it bee otherwise the one will scatter and lose the powder the other will blow backe in the Souldiers face or else recoyle and doe greater mischiefe and on the contrary part if the hole be too little the powder will want passage and the piece will hardly go off without much toyle and great losse of labour see that the breech be strong and close all the screwes and pinnes about it fast and sure the scowring stick straight round smooth and headed with a rammer of yron sutable to the bore of the peece let the Cocks and Trickers be nimble to goe and come for as concerning Seares they are vtterly out of date and the Inconueniences are found in our daily experience for vpon euery motion or touch of the Souldiers garments they are apt to make the piece flie off before there is occasion killing sometimes him that marcheth behind sometimes him that is before sometimes sets fire on him that beares it and sometimes wounds his Officer that comes to giue him direction so that for these and the like mischiefs they are vtterly forbidden neither is the charge of a Tricker greater then that of a Seare and whosoeuer shall bee drawne to reformation there wil be found little or no ods at all in the bargain only the stupidity and blockishnesse of our ignorant wilfull Plebeians is so great that but with huge difficultie they can neuer be brought to relish any alteration especially if there be but the value of one penny betwixt them and their first custome or that any debausht fellow who hath either runne from his Colours beene an vnder-slaue to a Sutlers boy and now for his last refuge keeps a Tipling house in the Countrey for men of his equall qualitie If he I say will but affirme what they surmise it is not the wisedome of Nestor nor the experience of Caesar no not Apollos Oracle which is able to change any part of their resolution to this I haue been a pregnant witnesse and at this I haue often smiled chiefly when I haue seene some of more eminent condition how well they could be pleased to be flattered in their owne yet a false opinion But to returne againe to the arming of this Souldier he shall haue for his right hand a handsome Rest of Ash or other light wood with an yron pike in the nether end and an halfe hoope of yron aboue to lay the Musquet in when hee rests it and double strong strings shall be fastened neere thereunto to put ouer the left arme when at any time the Souldier shall haue occasion to traile the same Now as touching the length of these Rests there is not any certaine quantitie thereof for howsoeuer generally they are foure foot and vpward yet they should be according to the stature of the partie which beares them carrying the Musquet so euen that hee may in a comely manner discharge at a leuell without very much bending either of his shoulders or bodie Lastly if about his necke hee haue a piece of Buffe or quilted leather cut in the proportion of a large Gorget and extending to the vttermost poynts of his shoulders he shall finde both profit and ease therby for it will both saue his garments from wearing with the Musquet and also make the burthen lesse and more easie To conclude then for the Bastard Musquet which differeth nothing from the full Musquet but in the bore onely and the charges which must be made sutable to the bore they are of excellent vse for they carrie as farre as the full Musquet and pearce as deepe though their bore be lesse and their lightnesse and nimblenesse to those which are weaker and of much lesse abler bodies is such an ease and comfort that they are able both to hold out in Marches and in Seruice with any man how strong or potent soeuer Now for their arming it is in all poynts like that of the full Musquet without any difference for as their Seruice is alike so alike are their Accoutrements and what adornes the one is as seemely and becomming for the other so that it shall be needlesse to wade further in this Discourse but leaue the rest to the discretion of the Captaine in whose power it is to alter and dispose of his Armes according to his owne will and the rule of his Iudgement TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND IVDICIOVS EMANVELL SCROOP Lord SCROOP of Bolton and Lo President of the North. THE ARGVMENT Of the Arming of Pikes SInce my Lord you are by his Maiesties fauor the Viceroy or President of your Country on whom all these Military actions depend I cannot be perswaded but any thing which comes cloathed with this Title and carrying the Badge of experimented Truth shall find from you
all carefulnes and secrecie for by Martiall Law it is death to discouer it contrary to appointment If any muteny happen in the company the Serieant vpon commitment shall guard them till they bee deliuered ouer to the Prouost hee ought to bee a punnisher of all sinne and an encourager to vertue In the absence to the superior Officers he commands as much as the Captaine he deuids euery Squadron to the places which are most fitting conducts them to their watches directs both the Corporalls and Souldiers what they are to doe and appoints how all the Sentinels must be placed to the best aduantage To be short it is one of the maine and principall points of his Office as conueniencie will giue him leaue to draw forth the short and to teach them the manage and true vse of the Peece and how in the comliest and brauest manner that may be to conforme both the weapon and their bodies to the most excellentest Postures as first by laying a Musquetiers Armes confusedly before him to command him to Take vp his Armes that is to say hauing his Morian on his head and his Sword by his side he shall first take vp his Bandeliers with his right hand and put them on with the same then take vp his Match and put one end betweene his little finger and his Ring finger of the left hand and the other end betweene the Ring finger and the great finger of the same hand then take vp his Rest and put it into his left hand then stepping forward with his right Legge take vp the Musquet within a hand full of the vpper end ank so raise it vpright then letting his hand sinke let him Iert it vp without sloping and so catch it by the breech and then laying the Rest to it let him shoulder it then the Serieant shall command him to Prepare for Skirmish that is to say hee shall light his Match at both ends put Bullets in his mouth and change his Rest if it bee in his right hand into his left Then the Sergeant shall teach the Souldier to Rest his Musquet then The Sentinell Posture then the Saluting Postures and all these Postures are to be done standing still After this he shall teach him the Postures which are to be performed in marching as Shoulder your Musquet and carry your Rest in your right hand Leuell your Musquet and Slope your Musquet Then the Postures which are to be performed in charging as Cleere your Pan Prime your Pan Shut your pan Cast off your loose powder Blow your pan Cast about your Musquet with both your hands and traile your Rest Open your charges Charge your Musquet with powder Draw your scouring Sticke Shorten your Sticke Rame in your powder Draw out your Sticke Charge with Bullet Rame in your Bullet Draw out your Sticke Shorten your Sticke and put it vp Bring your Musquet forward with the left hand Hold it vp in your right hand and recouer your Rest And lastly he shall teach him the Postures which are to be performed in discharging as Carry the Rest in the left hand preparing to giue fire Slope your Musquet and let the Rest sinke In the right hand poyze the Musquet In the left hand carry the Musquet with the Rest In the right hand take your Match betweene the second finger and the thumbe Hold the match fast and blow it Cocke your Match Trie your Match Guard your pan and blow your match Open your pan Present your Musquet Giue fire Dismount your musquet and carry it with the Rest Vncocke your match and put it vp betweene your fingers Now assoone as your Sergeant hath taught all these Postures perfectly and that the Souldier can doe them readily nimbly and exactly with a comely grace and a braue presence he shall then instruct the Souldier how to reduce and bring all this great number of Postures as namely the fiue which are done standing the three marching the eighteene charging and the fourteene discharging which are only for Military Instruction into three only and no more and which three he shall only vse in seruice or before the face of the enemie and no other and they are thus pronounced Make ready which containes all the Postures which are done either standing still or marching the next Present which containes all the Postures in Charging and lastly Giue Fire which containes all the Postures in Discharging Besides these he shall also teach them how to giue their vollies with those in their Ranke as when the first Ranke haue giuen their vollie if the Battalia march then that first Ranke to stand still and the second to passe through it and so giue their vollie and then to stand and the third to aduance vp and so consequently all the Rankes but if the Battalia stand the first Ranke hauing giuen their vollie shall fall backe to the Reare either in wheele or in countermarch and the second Ranke shall come into their places and giue their vollie and so consequently all the rest but if the Battalia fall backe or Retire then shall all the shot stand still and no man aduance a foote of ground but the first Ranke shall giue their vollie and then fall backe to the Reare so likewise the second Ranke and fall backe in like manner and so all the rest till they haue lost so much ground as to the Commander shall seeme sufficient so shall the vollie still be continued and the enemie neuer free from anoyance To conclude a good Serieant is an admirable benefit and if he liue and execute his place well any long time no man deserueth aduancement before him for besides all that hath beene spoken of him hee is of wonderfull vse in all Scalados Assaults Mines or things of that Nature and if to beautifie all the precedent vertues he likewise be inriched with any small proportion of learning espetially in the Art of Arithmaticke whereby he may iudge of the alteration and proportion of sundry bodies and how to deuide and subdeuide numbers at his pleasure then I dare affirme he is an absolute Serieant nor can his Captaine wish or desire a rarer or better Iewell to depend vpon his person TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN LORD MORDANT OF TVRVY THE ARGVMENT The Office of the Ensigne THe Ensigne or Alferes as the Spaniard cals him is my good Lord the first great Officer of a priuate Company for all the former howsoeuer necessary are but petty and low places this only the first of Eminence and Account and therefore in his election great consideration is to bee had and to the making vp of his perfection many great vertues are required as Valour Wisedome Fidelitie and Honestie he hath the guard of his Captaines Colours and therein is trusted with his Honour and Reputation and if hee be comely of person strong and amiable hee is a greater glorie to his place and more becomming in Seruice but because in the Warres Officers expect to be aduanc't by
a world of Instances would either leasure or the limits of my paper allow it It is true that all grounds doe not giue equall strength and therefore assoone as the Lord Marshall hath appointed out the most commodious place whereon to fixe the Campe it is then the Quarter-master-Generals duty to share and deuide it into the seuerall perticulars as hath beene before shewed and in those deuisions he shall as nere as conueniently hee can deuide all those naturall strengths in such wise that euery Supreame Offcer may participate something thereof and what is wanting in the worke of nature to leaue it to be supplied by art through the diligence of the Trench-master or Engne-master to whose charge it aperteineth Now for the generall Marshalling or Quartering of a Campe that I may giue a little taste or essay thereof it is to be vndrestood that in the Center or mid point of the Campe shall bee first lodged the Generalls Sanderd and nere vnto it his Pauilion from whence shall bee deriued two maine great streets each crossing the other then vpon one side of the Generall shall be quartered the Lord Marshall on the other side the Treasurer with extraordinary Gentlemen of high Ranke whether Embassadors or others on the third side shall be quartered the Munition and on the fourth shall lie the Market-place and these foure streets shall butt on the foure corners as South North East and West In a Streete behinde the Generall shall be quartered the Liuetenant Generall of the Horse behind the Lord Marshall the Liuetenant Generall of the Foote and behind the Munition the Master of the Ordnance and the Serieant Maior of the Horse and Foote according to their Ranke and antiquitie of Commandments behind them the Victuallers Butchers Cookes Bakers and the like behind them carriage horses draught Oxen and Cattell for the Campe and behind them the Waggons Waggoners Carters Laborers and Pioners and in a Quarter opposite against them the Gunners and Officers of the Ordnance all the Carpenters Wheele-wrights Smiths and Labourers and in another quarter opposite to them are quartered all the Armorers Cutlers and other Tradesmen belonging to the Store as also Tailors Shoomakers and the like then lastly about the outmost verge or outer Ring of the Campe yet within the fortification is as a guard placed all the great Ordnance vpon a Vaamure of earth arteficially cast vp before them then the general IntrenchmeÌ„t of the Campe shall be about threescore or fourescore paces without the Ordnance which shall not be drawne into any euen line but into as many angles as may be And thus your Lordship hath a briefe Fac simile of the Quarter-Masters Office which though it be not so exact in euery Geometricall proportion as Art could wish it yet is it I hope drawne into so neaâ—e a resemblance that no eie but may Iudge of that which is perfect when his reading or experience shall at any time encounter with it TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE FRANCIS LORD RVSSELL of THORNHAVGH THE ARGVMENT Of the Captaine of the Pioners THe infinit bond my deare respected Lord in which I stood euer bound to your thrice noble father and the happy memory of your hardly to bee equal'd grandfather who in his life time was one of the greatest pillars which supported our poore House are inducements so strong to call vp my seruice to attend you that besides the generall Obligation of the worke yet in mine owne nature I could not suffer this Epistle to escape you but as it necessarily fals vpon your noble Range so I must earnestly beseech your Lordship to imagine that howsoeuer it lispe or stammer out a plaine and homely salutation yet it wishes you as many true and worthie felicities as the best Art can number or the smoothest tongue with the delicatest Rhetoricke can declare The Office on which mine Anchor in this place taketh hold is my good Lord that which we call in the warres the Captain or chiefe commander of the Pioners who of himselfe is a man of good regard and esteeme and one in whom there ought to be all the Gentlemanlie best parts of a good Soldier for by how much his command is ouer a raskally rude ragged and vnciuill regiment of barbarous and ill-taught people by so much should his Temperance vertue more exceed that he might tame and frame their minds to a ciuill obedience then which no labour can be more thankfull vnto God nor pleasing vnto men being the onely testimony of a sound iudgement and the worke of the best desired examples It is true that these Pioners are a confused masse of labouring people brought vp only to digge and delue the earth without any ciuill nourture or indeed decent humanitie and therefore are not reckoned Souldiers neither come neere by many degrees either to that list or reputation but are so farre contrary to all things which haue any shew of honor that it is one amongst the punishments of criminals when any common Souldier shall commit a sleight offence sauouring either of carelesnes slouthfulnes or basenes then presently to take away his Sword and make him a Pioner which in times past I haue knowen so hatefull and intollerable to euery quick and vnderstanding spirit that they would with more alacrity haue run to the Racke the Bolts or Strappado nay euen to death it selfe rather then to this mortall as they supposed it degradation such contempt was the poore Pioner in and so disgracefull appeard that change to the Souldier yet questionlesse this I must affirme that at all approches mounts trenches and vnderminings the poore Pioner is in as great danger as often slaine and both comes on vpon his worke and goes off from his worke with as doubtfull and as great hazards as any man in the Army of what place or ranke soeuer only it is the bare opinion without ground which makes it vile the meannesse of their condition for the seruice it selfe is both noble and necessary nor can an Army be or subsist without them And hence it hath come to passe that in these our latter warres especially in the Low countries and vnder the commaund of the most excellent Prince of Orange to take away this ill grounded opinion of the basenesse of Pioners and to saue an infinit matter of expence which otherwise must haue been disburst vpon these particular prouisions they haue caused all their common souldiers in generall to turne Pioners making them weare both Swords Spades which questionles at first they drew on by gentle politike and smooth degrees as in some great case of necessitie where present assurance would allow no stay but that all men must be imployed and to this doubtlesse some great Commaunder with his owne hand gaue the first example or else they were inticed by the promise of some extraordinary allowance as what is it with which profit will not make most men dispence so that in the end finding many of these oceasions and
place in Scouts Forragings and vpon all needfull discoueries and the effect of their principall Seruice is to defend and make good all passages ouer Riuers as Foards Bridges Mill-dames and the like all Strait wayes Hills Valleyes and other places of Retraite they may vpon occasion alight from their horses and serue on foot spoyling all Forragers and Pillagers assayling Troupes in their lodgings and when they finde themselues drawing into any inconuenience they may presently mount againe and retyre into their safety But if they be so farre engaged that they cannot well come off then must the armed Pistoleirs come in and assist them and therefore in this case the Colonell is to foresee that in the composion of his Regiment the Dragoones be chosen from the ablest nimblest and most actiue men that can be got being of that dexteritie and quicknes of spirit that they may be able to vault to and from their Horses at pleasure and to carry their Pieces so close guarded in their left hands that in performing of any of these suddaine actions there may bee found neither trouble nor hinderance lasty when they haue performed their duties they shall then retyre behind the Pistoliers and there prepare themselues againe for a new onset It is also a speciall care belonging to this Colonel to giue directions for the daily trayning and teaching of his Regiment especially if they serue with fire on Horsebacke for if a man be neuer so good a Horseman and yet but an ill Shot or if he be neuer so good a Shot and yet but an ill Horseman there will be such disparity and vntowardnesse in his actions that all his labour will be to little and no purpose let therefore diligence and practise good opportunity and good instructions make the Souldier exquisite in what he vndertaketh and it will bring honor to the Colonell and benefit to the generall Seruice And that the Seruice may be the more effectually performed it is requisite that the Colonell haue euer attending vpon his person as his dayly and houshold seruants an excellent Smith or Farryer who shall euer be furnished with Horse-shooes nayles and drugges both for inward and outward applycations a very good Sadler and all things belonging to his occupation and a skilfull rough Rider that may tame and reclayme stubborne Iades and instruct the Souldier how and in what manner to become a resonable Horseman Last of all it is the Colonels duty to haue a perfect Rolle of all the Bands within his Regiment as well Officers as others seeing them mounted and armed and then giuing allowance to their sufficiency hee shall giue directions for the disposing of the Troopes From him or his Substitute the Trumpets shall take all commandements and whensoeuer the Regiment riseth the Colonels Cornet shall first flie abrord to which all the rest shall repaire and from him shall receiue order for their imployment whether it be to Watch to Scour to discouer or else to relieue others He shall appoint such as shall guard the Lord Marshall the Forrage-Master and the Victuallers He shall dispose the manner of all Skirmishes and so place his Troupes that one may second the other in such wise that if any be repulst yet being relieued they may haue time to regather themselues into order and either mainetaine a second onset or retire backe againe into their owne strength This is the full effect of the Colonels Office that commandeth Horse and these things with the rest which belong to the Colonell of Foote being seriously obserued his place shall be fulfilled with much renowne and his person adorned with vndying Honor. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD ARVNDEL of WARDER THE ARGVMENT Of the Serieant-Maior Generall THe affaires my Lord of my poore Fortunes haue euer been hindrances to my Studie so that howsoeuer I might in my nature affect it yet still by Fortune I haue been debarred that happie felicitie so that your Lordship can expect from me but rude and vnpolisht Gatherings yet such as they are I tender them freely boldly All men speake you Noble that perswades mee and you are an owner of Willoughbies Blood of which my poore selfe am also a sharer and that almost seales vnto mee a deed of assurance and you are the much honoured kinsman of my dearest respected kinsman worthy Sir Perciual Willoughbie to whose loue I am so much bound that I cannot study a better Rent then to doe you seruice all these together bring this Epistle vnto you which great Sir I beseech you be pleased to reade the little I can get I am no niggard of nor was I euer more desirous to gather then willing to distribute to the good of my Countrey Many I know this way might Alexander-like giue talents but they thinke the World not worthy so much and if the World would imbrace their Mites it is an almes too poore for rich Reputations so that hence they are silent yet still I keepe on my Pilgrimage you are one of the Saints to whose Altar I am vowed and though I haue but a poore Root to offer thereon yet I will lay it downe with as great confidence as if it were a Snow-white Bull crown'd with Garlands knowing that nothing makes Giftes great but good mens Acceptations This great and renowned Office of the Serieant-maior Generall is so large spacious that to lend but one word to euery great article which necessarily depends vpon his knowledge would aske more paper then I haue bestowed on all which haue gone before him and therfore as Geographers doe I must intreat your Lordship in a little pricke to suruey a great kingdome To speake then first of his election the power thereof commonly remaineth in the Generall and the care therof ought to be more then of any of the former for being the generall Minister of an entire Armie and hauing his authoritie and vse extending it selfe into all manner of Marchings Imbattellings and Encampings we need say no more of his person but this he should bee a man both inward and outward of a most absolute perfection His place is before all Captaines and Colonels except the Colonell Generall for they receiue their directions from him he from the other his Actions and Imployments are euer for the most part in the face of the enemy and the greatest vse or necessitie of his person is euer in the places of most certaine danger It behoueth him to be exceeding Skilfull in the framing of Battalions which some define to be a congregation or multitude of men placed in such an orderly forme that they may come to fight without hindring one another whereby euery hand being necessarily imployed they may attaine to the end of their purpose which is glory and conquest so that to his charge is left the framing of the proportion the gouerment in marching and the order in fighting In his Brayne there ought to be at least in his bosome or some other conuenient place must be a