Generall and the Launces about the men at armes the pikemen about the Light horse and the hargubusiers about the pikes according to the manner and forme mentioned in the ende that when by anie sodaine chaunce either by daie or night the campe shall bee sette on by the mightie multitude and force of the enimie especially by night the hargubusiers and the pikes maie for a while make resistaunce in the head till the Light horsemen and the Launces with the men at armes haue leasure to arme themselues and come with the Launces in the front one foote in manner of pikemen to the Pauilion of the greate Generall so armed as they they are to trie the vttermost of their strength and courage be to saue their General and their armie to their owne honour which they maie doe verie well if so be that they wil not sticke to rush vpon their enimies and with their Launces seruing for armed men maie encounter with the pikemen whereby they maie both defend their owne valiantlie and beat backe their footmen mauger their force considering that they shall bee in complet armour and fresht and their enimies but armed in part and alredie tired with the hot onset they haue had in the fronts and beesides the footemen beeing newlie supplied and somewhat refreshed may breake in by the flanke and backes of the enimie so that they maie repent themselues that they euer attempted an onset to their so great losse and greater shame as enforced to flie and forsake their enterprise onelie by the might and worthinesse of the armed men wherevppon the armed men as well bard as light shall at all times for their great honour and for the aforenamed necessitie lodge about their Generall I haue seene the armed men and the light horsemen lodged some at the entraunce of the trench within the banke and other without not farre from the ditch of the saide trench howbeit I haue alwaies thought some ouersight to be therein But I submitte my selfe still to better iudgement for that if by night as I haue saide they shall bee assailed they must needes bee taken vnprouided and vnarmed then will they not bee able to make anie long resistance so that the enimie breaking in vppon them shall finde the footemen with the Generall destitute of the defence of the bard and light horse wherevppon without all doubt they shall bee killed without respect or taken prisoners or otherwise flie from their tents with their greate dishonour The forme of the Campe I haue set downe at the ende of this discourse in figure partlie shewing how the ditch should be cast about the Plat. The space of the plat must bee agreeable to the quantitie of the armie which is to bee determined vp the Maister of the Campe the Sergeant Maior and the whole counsell Wherevpon the greater armie must haue the greater plat and the lesse armie the lesse plat Alwaies prouiding that the streets for the inner lodgings be made wide inough aswel for y e ease of the souldier as for the vse of the merchant and purueier as also for whatsoeuer sodain chaunce may happen seeing that if not in order of battell yet in this double ordred forme one man may take anothers place and by that meanes help one another The ditches shall be 80 paces broad and as deepe as maie be if the stâ— ninesse of the ground or some hard rocks doe not hinder as it doth about the Trapanian on Sicile For about two miles from the citie there rowes a huge rocke This largenesse of the ditch is necessarie during the time of anie siege but especiallie if the armie be incounted in a Plat not well defenced of it selfe thereby to be safe from al â—ines and sleights of the enimie both by daie and night But marching by the waie there is no such depth nor largnesse required especially if the aduersaries armie be not in waite too set vppon you Howbeit it is good alwaies to lodge safelie beeing in your enimies land or otherwise in place of daunger and I perswade my selfe that this is a varie profitable forme of lodging for that if the enimie set vppon them in their lodgings hée shall finde them ariued and ordered in a quadrant battaile and flanked on euerie side with harguâ—usiers and artillerie And béesides the horsemen beeing in the midst the enimie will suppose that all the strength lieth in the head whereas the horsemen maie come forth armed and set vppon them by the flankes and béehinde through the benefite and scope of the large streats which are from the North too the South and from the East too the West and breaking vppon the enimie thus at vnawares by the flankes and behind them maie endamage them to their shame and confusion It is to bee noted that the Coronels the Captaines and other head Officers must lodge about their charge of footmen to the ende that the souldier in sight of his Captaine dare not doe the thing which honestie will not brooke And moreouer there must bee care had that the watch and ward and scouts bee not raised before morning not that the gates of the Campe be opened to any before the Sunne be a good height and the spialls bée sent to view if there be no priuie ambushments appointed by the enimie too endamage thee and doe thee outrage There must bee therefore greâ—â— foresight in the THE PLAT FOR INCAMPING Generall to cut off all such places as be fit to harbour anie scouts or ambushments of the enimie This forme of encamping is partlie borrowed of antiquitie and partlie imitated of the Turkish manner of encamping in the assiege of anie citie tieng my selfe alwaies to the memorie of the auncients of former time If there bee anie who misliketh this I leaue him to the libertie of his owne iudgement to deuise some other of his owne and I promise him that I wil be content there with to do him pleasure and not in this alone but in all other things aboue shewed in this worke But if this forme like he shall place the footmen the horsemen the Merchaunts the Purueiors the craftesmen souldier to souldier backe to backe and ridge to ridge making the lodgings double Vppon the banke of the ditch and in the Curtaines hee maie place artillerie round about and before it for safetie or els with the carriage of the munition and the carriage of the whole armie enuiron it for his defence In which he shal imitate the Turke who with the carriage with the Cammells and the Artillerie both inchaine and fortifie the Campe. Néere vnto the artillerie he shall appoint the Gunners to lodge who haue the charge thereof and after the Hargubusters and so foorth from hand to hand as I haue said And further he shall cause the Captaines and Officers to lodge at the backe of the Hargubusters hauing his Captaine before him and the Pikes at the flankes that euerie kinde of souldiers may be conioined and not dismembred as it were
to haue 4. expert and worthy soldiers whose aide at al times he must vse which he must erect as principall Corporals who in his absence are to succeed him both in office and authoritie He must after he hath receiued his charge of his Lord and Generall vse al diligence and warinesse not onely to mainteine it but also to increase it in the minds of y e Captaines and other head officers as also of y e common souldiers in whatsoeuer apperteineth to his charge to the intent that both those which of themselues knowe their duetie and of other which are bound to their indeauour to him wards he maie haue that ready obedience shewed him that is required for if that be denied him no diligence that he can vse may auaile any iot to giue any hope of good successe in his great office as by many examples heeretofoâ—e hath bene shewed It is necessary for him that is in this office to forecast with himselfe to consider and foresée all chaunces before they happen and to foretell euery one what he hath to doe for that very often he shall be taken at vnwares and the time that he hath for the dispatch of his businesse is very short howbeit the straightnesse of time must no whit appall them or any waies hinder him from executing his businesse wiselie and readilie as hauing his wits at commaundement euen in this brunt otherwise if he haue not before cast in his owne minde and instructed others how to behaue themselues he cannot looke for any prosperous ende of his businesse séeing at the very instant when they are to ioyne with the enimies there can be no great heed giuen vnto that which hee commaundeth for that their eares wil be otherwise occupied and full of rumours hurliburlies and confusion which by their noyse will rise on the sodeine Moreouer it behooueth him to know to how many armed pikes and to how many holbards he hath to giue charge and to how many vnarmed of both sorts besides to haue many hargubuseires on foot and how many on horsebacke and to be short hee must knowe the whole number of able souldiers he can make to the end when occasion shall be he may the readier place in the voward or rereward some in one wing and some in another to defend the carriage or to inuiron the enimie him to guide his band and the rest to like offices and he must commaund the Captaines that they repaire with their companies when any rumour is made to the place where the artilery and the munition is kept charging them that they come neither straieng in sunder nor vpon heapes as in like cases men vse with great disorder but to bee carefull to keepe themselues with their ensignes that thereby they may bee in a readinesse too giue a valiaunt onset in places where most neede shallbe For it is often séene that the munition of the artilerie is very hotlie assalted by the enimies the more to discipate and deceiue the force of the army and to breake in vpon them with more ease after they come to the place aforesaid of the munition Euery band with the ensigne must attend to follow the Sergeant Maior or the Corporals who shall in silent manner and with all obedience follow the appointment of the Sergeant Maior or his Corporals placing their companies in such order as by them shall be thought good hauing regard that the most valiant and best armed pikes be alwaies appoynted in the fronts and rereward so many rankes as may impale the bils and ensignes in the wings whereof the battaile will come called the quadrant of people and ground and not that of people this battaile is of great force to shoulder and beate downe the enimie for that there are more souldiers placed in ranked then are in any other forme and yet they occupie a lesse plat The shot must bee placed as sleeues or wings to the battaile the which must flanke the battaile as a curteine doth a fort He hath to cause them dayly to remoue and exercise themselues to the end when neede requireth neither the wings should be dissolued by and faire speach as much as hee maie and that hee indeauour to guide them by a signe rather then by wordes who in this the Lorde Chappinuittello deserued great praise If vpon any alarum a sodayne noyse or rumour be raised whereby he shal haue chause to gather his armie together in the night time hee must strst commaund all the Captaines that their Quarries and their Cressets being light euery one by it selfe the Captaines must bring their companies in troupe placing their Shot in the Uoward and Rereward the Pikes and Billes next the Ensignes into the maket place and so conueied to any place of seruice whereas neede shall require euery one besturring him in such sort that in a moment as it were and out of hand they may bee armed and readie in that place to bee receiued of the Sergeant Generall when of him they must be ordered in battaile the which for the night is the Battaile called the halfe Moone who must within the compasse of the two hornes place all the Ensigne-bearers with their Ensignes in their handes then behinde them the armed Holbards next vnto these the vnarmed Pikes and without the greate Circle betwéene both the Hornes of the Moone must bee placed the the armed Pikes and the one halfe of the Sergeants and Liuetenaunts must attend on this greate charge without but the rest of the Captaines with the Sergeant Generall must attend on the companie of armed Pikes and most of the Drummes and the Lights must be in the voyde space betweene both the hornes and before the Ensignes where sitting to giue hearing of the Imbassage and Messengers which come and goe in such cases they must deliberate and take counsayle what is best to bee done The enteraunce of this place must bee turned to the most safetie that the situation of the place shall offer Besides they may for the surer place some part of the Artillery of the field nowe the Hargubusiers must be bestowed by the Sergeant Maior so farre distaunt from the Square in so many Troupes and so many formes as the condition of the place shall require which maie soone be perceiued by the expert thereby to fortifie the maine battaile prouided with al that euerie companie of hargubusers thus placed haue his coÌ„panie of officers appointed ouer them with their droms as if be néedful with their lights that they may be readie and seruiceable in euerie chaunce that may befall in my iudgement in these skirmishes by night neither mesure of Geometrie nor the nuÌ„bers of Arethmetike are so necessarie as the diligence of the valiant and discréet captaines is expedient who haue to stir vp the minds of their companies remeÌ„bring alwaies their obedience vdto the greate Sergeant whose will they are onelie to execute I haue the rather set downe this square for that it hath bene
maior The Battell called a Crosse verie excellent both for day and night THE BATTELL IN FORME OF A MOONE BEING OF GREAT FORCE FOR THE NIGHT. An excellent order of incamping if thou standest in doubt of the enemie THis square battaile in forme of a Moone is very cōuenient and fit to be executed in the night tyme for y t there being appoynted any Chieftaine whatsoeuer which may place the first companies that come to him at the Ensigne in order before assigned and the great Sergeant thē receiuing them and from hand to hand parting them into seuerall companies in maner as this forme shall require it is ordered very easily and it is no great matter to deuide the weapons without confusion either to march or otherwise to vse themselues seuerally from the rest more or lesse as it shall be néedfull for that euery weapon doth stand at his owne defence by it self as first the Artillerie next the Ensignes then the Billes or Holbards and in the outtermost circle the armed Pikes which may vpō the sodaine hy the Sergeant or the Corporalles of the fielde be brought to any other forme of battell also the great Sergeant may place the Hargubusiers in so many companies and so many formes and so much distance one from another as the situation of the place doth either bind him to or may seeme to require to the end that the principall square may be best defended and flanked And for that the purpose of this forme is easie enough of it selfe to be vnderstood also for that I haue more largely spoken of it in the first booke in the office of the great Sergeant I will no further intreate thereof aduertising withall that euery battaile in square forme this or other that must bee ordered in the night aboue al must prouide that it haue placed euery sort of weapons by themselues that thereby confusion may be auoyded and besides they may call foorth to seruice any companie presently vppon any necessitie that may befall aduertising that good watch and scoute be kept on horsebacke and on foote as néere the enemie as is possible and to giue aduertisement whereby you may knowe what is best of you to be done A way to march and to conduct foorth the Armie IF any Generall or Maister of a Campe Coronell or Sergeant Generall that hath charge to conduct an Hoste to march from one place to another it is requisit that if he haue not experience of y e countrie himselfe that he carrie such as haue experience that he with them may consider well of the scituation and place whether he is to goe with his Hoast as through Plaines or néere a Hill or by Hilles or on Vallies that haue Hilles on both the sides or by Woods or néere to a Wood or els where a Riuer is néere It is also requisite that some of the light horse as well for discouering the enemie as otherwise to take the breadth of the straights and passages goe before and to make certificate that according to the breadth the Hoast may march And put case that one part of the way be fiftéene foote broade the Hoast shalbe made to march by fiue in a ranke because euery footman will haue three foote in breadth from shoulder to shoulder sixe foote in length betwixt ranke and ranke and one foote for euery person so that 21. foote in breadth and two myles in length wil containe an Armie of ten thousand men After the same reason whether there be twentie or thirtie thousand footmen according to the measuring of ground by the foote they may bee set in order very easily neither can the leader bee deceiued when he knoweth how many armed men euery place can containe And after the same order as the place doth inlarge he must enlarge the rankes causing part of thy Shot to goe before the aray and part behinde and other to goe in succour of thy Horsemen that goe in viewing the passages and the Ambushments with the whole doings of the enemie and let an other part be for a vauntgard and retrogard to the ray to bee able to serue them at néede and an other part to go alwaies at the flankes of the ray the which if there bee Ditches shall serue as a Counter-mure against the Horsemen of the enemie and if they be men at armes they must march on both the sides of the Battaile and also of the Hargubusiers that doe march by the flanks of the Battaile and the Lighthorsmen to serue for Scowtes both before and behinde the ray Also there be abundaunce of Labourers to make places plaine and to cast downe Ditches and Bridges and to make defences and other necessarie things that are required in marching the which must bée garded by your Lighthorse and Shot and when you depart to fayne to goe to some other place then that you go to and if there bée no men at armes to appoynt to euery Regiment certaine Hargubusiers to serue on Horsebacke the which may serue in stead of men at armes and when occasion serues to serue on foote agayne It is requisite that all Souldiers followe their Constables and leaders and haue great care and diligence in marching to the end that by sodaine assaults they bee not at euery steppe to rise in a rumour and confusedly to runne here and there and the one to goe contrary to the other and finally comming about them not to be able to do any thing of any profite For which cause thou oughtest to march with thyne Armie through euery place in battaile ray whereby the Souldiers may bee made more apt and spéedie to make a voyage and quicke and readie to resist if néede shall be They hauing learned to followe the Ensignes and attend to the commaundements and to behaue themselues valiantly according to their place and order if thou march in a plaine Countrey it is requisite that thy Pikes march in battaile ray retyring thyne Armie into a little space so that by the straightnesse and facilitie of inlarging thou be not constrayned to extend thy selfe into too much length which fashion of marchings seemes to giue power to the enemie to assault commoudiously their aduersaries and according to the occasion to hurt them he knowing to bee taken from them the commoditie to defend themselues forasmuch either with more largenesse comming against thee the which is wont to happen both the hornes being compassed it is like that he shall easilie disorder and put thee to flight or els giuing charge on the flanke in the midst of thy battaile hauing alreadie broken thine order sodeinly stop thy men from being able to goe forward being closed in the araies of their enemies wherfore mynding to retyre in a mayne battaile and to turne to resist they shall bee able to doe little good as those that haue vsed such a maine battaile which for want of thicknesse is nothing strong but altogether weake Also if the enemie should charge thee on the Rereward
thou shalt be brought to the very same necessitie because thou shalt bee so compassed as thy fronts shall not be able to succour the last or the last to succour the first For the which thing it is alwaies better and more sure and easier to gouerne the bands that march close and square then thinne and long especially forasmuch as to an armie that marcheth long oft tymes happens that of some thing seene doubtfull and vncertaine there groweth sodeinly feare and terrour because sometymes it hath chaunced that men descending from high and hillie places into the plaine to places expedite and open and the formost seeing the last of the same band by a great distaunce to come after supposing themselues to bée assaulted of some Ambush of enemies it hath bene seene they haue sodeinly turned to fight and afterwards no otherwise then enemies with their owne companyons gone together by the eares The victualles the cariages and all the rest of prouision I iudge should bée placed in the midst of the armie that without great daunger such things may bee caried and conducted after the armie but if it shall be otherwise the hindmost part would be garded and defended of the most valiant Souldiers as in the fronts because that at vnwares may happen many things thy Lighthorsmen going before inuestigating and spying where they may passe hauing occasion to passe by Mountaines Woods places closed with Hilles and most great Desarts because the enemie many tymes by oportunitie will lay an Ambush priuely by the passage to assault his aduersarie which little thereof taking heede hath easily broken and brought them to vtter decay the which Ambushments if the conductor by way of explorators shal foresee with a little paine hauing preuented the counsaile of the enemie may get him a most great name of prudēce and likewise saue his Armie And as for the Plaines thou with thyne owne eyes maist see a farre off forasmuch as in the day dust moued and lifted vp into the aire doth shew the mouing and stirring of the enemie and in the night the fires and flames signifieth their Camp to be nere When thy men are to be conducted and not to fight thou oughtest to remoue by day if peraduenture some thing do not constraine thée for the which thou thinkest it good to goe in hast to come before thyne enemie where in déede for such occasion thou mayst remoue by night so that thou knowe it may safely bee done to fight with the enemie Leade thy men not in haste but softly and inforce them not to make too long a iourney forasmuch as labour taken before men doe come to fight is seene most oftentimes vaynly to consume and wast the strength of their bodies And marching in the Countrey of thy frends it is néedfull to commaund thy souldiers that in no maner of wise they touch or marre any thing but rather altogether to refraine considering that Souldiers hauing weapons and libertie to doe what shall please them will fauour nothing especially for that the sight of things that please men out of doubt is woone most daungerously to leade ignoraunt and vnwarie men to desire them and with the swéetnesse of robbing to entice them to all manner of mischiefe whereunto if thou prouide not thy friends and thy confederates for verie small occasion will become enemies Notwithstanding the Countrey of thyne enemies thou shalt suffer thy souldiers openly to destroye burne and consume because by the dearth of victualles and lacke of money Warres are woont to diminish and bee extinguished and contrarywise through abundance and riches they are nourished mainteyned but first before thou suffer thyne enemies Countrey to be destroyed thou shouldest giue aduice to thyne enemies threatning them what thou wilt doe if they will not yéeld vnto thée for that the perill of the miserie prepared and the feare of ruyne looked for ofttymes constraines men to graunt many things the which at the first by no maner of meanes had bene possible to haue brought them to passe but after they haue once receiued the hurt they will make little account of thée and despise al other things as though thou couldest doe them no more harme Albeit if thou knowest surely that in the Countrey of thyne enemies thou must tarrie long with thyne Armie suffer to be taken and spoyled those things onely which thou seest not to bee greatly profitable vnto thee but the same which is to bée thought may bée preserued for thy commoditie commaund openly to thy Souldiers that they forbeare Hauing made readie and set in order thy men tarrie not long in thyne owne Countrey nor yet in thy confederats least that consuming all thy prouision it seeme not that thou art of greater hurt to thy friends then to thyne enemies but rather conduct quickly thyne Armie into thyne aduersaries countrey whereby it be fertile and abundant there may bee taken at thy neede most plenteously those things that thou list but if it be otherwise thou shalt cause to be knowne y t thou séekest to prouide most louingly both for the wealth profite of thy friends Besides this thou oughtest to care with al diligence that marching or incamping by sea or land victuals maie safelie be brought forasmuch as by such meanes the marchants with all dilligence will bring all things whiche for the vse of an armie shalbe necessarie Moreouer when thou must passe by straights or march through rough and hillie waies then is it cōuenient principallie for the preseruation of thy things to send before shot on horsbacke and on foote for the kéeping of those places rocks or inclosed waies least the enimie taking it before thee maie both let thy passage to thy great hinderance and losse the contrarie thou oughtest to inforce thy selfe to do when thou vnderstandest the enimie to passe the like thou hast not onelie to take heede for receiuing harme but to enforce thy selfe to turne against the enimie those deceits whereby he thought to deceiue thee And when thou purposest to goe against him it is requisite to prouide before him and at vnwares oppresse him So diligentlie thou oughtest to prouide to lette him euerie waie if thou vnderstandest that he intendes to pursue thee ⸫ Of the order of the march in figure and of the placing of the weapons FOr somuch as there are diuerse formes of marching soo I thinke it good to note this onely one set downe in figure as verie necessarie and of greate force for an armie with his whole carriages to march with all wherein I partilie imitate the antiquitie as otherwise the order now vsed as for example let there bee an armie of 40000. footmen and 14000. horsemen according to the proportion set downe there is allowed to euerie hundred footemen fortie pikes fiftie shotte ten billes the which falles out to be 20000. shotte .16000 pikes and .4000 holberdes the which with the horsemen are to be diuided into three battailes the Voward the Maineward and the Rereward battaile In
possible meanes whether it maie turne to thy profit or discommoditie if otherwise it maie little auaile them then it may much encourage thy own souldiours The truce being once made doo not at any time assault thy enimy nor yet stande vnprouided although thou stādest in such quiet as if thou hadst peace but haue as great regard as may be to the hidden hatred of thy enimie and wily sleights that being vnprouided he assalts thée not vnwares for asmuch as the mindes of them with whom thou hast made warre withall be secret vncertaine Wherfore make the watches and wardes as strong as if thou lookedst euery houre to be assalted giue speciall commandement to al thy souldiours that during the truce no iniury to be offered by them to y e enimy vpon paine of death by reason of the oath y ◠thou hast made in thy couenants to the enimie the which by no meanes thou shouldest breake or inuiolate considering that the fruits of falsehood besides the punishment of almightie God is euerlasting shame When thou sendest to thy enemie send the most valiant and noble men of thy armie the which be in the flower of theyr age tall lustie and of goodlie personage the which in al pointes should bee verie well armed because manye times it happeneth that the enimy séeing such men as commeth with the Captaine hath iudged the Armie to be the lyke beléeuing sooner that they sée then by reporte Precepts and rules of warre necessarie to bee obserued as well for Generall Captayne as Souldiour A Generall ought not to bée cruell vppon victorie nor insolent vpon good successe nor timerous of an ouerthrow but with most moderate magnanimity vpon the respect of occasion to shew mercie to the humble and to subdue the proude 2 Cicero prescribeth foure thinges to be in a gouernour or General which is experience valiance authoritie felicitie to y e which adde these 4 iustice fortitude pollicie and temperaunce first Iustice to reuenge fortitude to execute reuengment policy to prepare y e meane whereby to reuenge and temperance to limit and measure out how farre they ought to reuenge 3 That Captaine that with such righteousnesse can so rule his souldyers y e he wil suffer them neither to do wrong nor receiue iniury but with wisdom wil maintaine them in that which is right that Captaine must néedes be loued feared of his souldiours of the whych procéedeth true and vnfained obedeience 4 Alexander Seuerus saith the strength of wars lieth in the Souldiours whose great vertue consisteth in obedience towards their Captaine 5 Obedience in soudiours is nourished by feare and loue feare is kept by true iustice and equity looue is gotten by wisdome ioyned with liberalitie 6 Xenephon declareth that the souldiour which first serueth God then obaieth hys Captaine may boldlie with all courage hope to ouerthrow his enimie 7 Thrée necessarie pointes appertaining to souldiours the one to hearden the bodie to make it apte to paine the other to teach them to handle their weapons the third to learne them to kéepe theyr orders in marching as well in y e armie as in fighting or in camping 8 As it is necessarie to retaine citizens for horsemen the country for footmen so it is perilous to receiue straungers to serue in a cittie because thou shalt dread two enimies 9 Nature hath bread few strong men but industrie and exercise hath made many 10 And armie with labour and exercise dooth profite and preuaile whereas idlenesse doth hinder and decay 11 The choise of ground doth more preuaile then manhoode and manhoode doth more preuaile then multitude 12 He is hardlie ouercome the whych can truelye iudge of his owne and his enimies 13 No Counselles better then those which the enymies know not before thou accomplish them 14 Bring not foorth thy souldiours to fight the field before thou triest what they can doo 15 It is better to subdue the enimie through scarcitie and want of necessarie things then through many assaults to decay thy armie 16 If thou wilt know if anie spie be in thy campe or no send all thy souldiours to their lodginges 17 God Captaines will neuer fight the fielde but when necessitie constraines them 18 The aduised valiant souldiours auaileth more then the multitude 19 Aduertyse thy souldiours to despise delicate lyuing 20 He that disordereth his armie to followe the enimie becommeth of a conquerer conquered 21 Sodaine things doo make enimies afraide where things common are nothing set by 22 Offer not to fight the field except thou perceiue thy souldiours hope of victory 23 Alwaies with thy footemen couet to get the hils or high places so shalt thou accomplish thy exploites the better 24 If thou vnderstanding thy counsels are bewraied to thy enimies then chaunge thy intent and purpose 25 Let not thy enimies knowe after what manner you intend to fight least they goe about to preuent the same by one meanes or other 26 That gouernour that prepareth not necessarie victuals is already conquered 27 Men monie Iron and Bread is the strength of the warres 28 Practise to knowe a new enimie by skirmise before thou fight the field with him 29 When any mercinary souldiours wil leaue the enimy to serue thée retaine them so they become faythfull for theyr departure shall both weaken the enimy and make them fearefull 30 In pitching the field it is better to make many battels then few for that in making many the enimie cannot imcōpasse thée likewise thou maist make of one 2 of 2 thrée as occasiō shal serue otherwise thou maist charge a battel of y e enemies with two or thrée of thine the which will be to thy great aduauntage 31 New and sodayne things makes armies afraide slowe and accustomed thinges are a little regarded of them 32 The same that helpeth the enimie hurteth thée and that that helpeth thée hurteth the enemie 33 Consult with manie of those thinges which thou oughtest to doo and when thou determinest any exploit conferre with fewe 34 With punishments there would be rewardes wherby at one instant to make the souldiers to feare to hope as according to the worthinesse of the act so the reward should be 35 As he that fighting saued his Captaine or other souldiours rescewing them wold be well recompensed 36 Also he that first leapt vpon the walls of the enimy or first entered the campe of the enimie would bée well recompensed 37 He that killeth the first enimie or striketh the first enimie from his horse consideration would bee vsed 38 Euerie acte to the counsell knowne perfectlie would be openly punished and openly rewarded 39 Thus shall good gouernement bée amongest all soldiours and officers whereby any exploite to bée executed by this feare and hope shall bée the better doone and of all men to bée comemnded A Table to konwe from 500. men vnto 10000. howe many paces they do containe both in length and breadth in their march from 5. to 11
46 pa 4 foot 134 in bradth 80 pa 2 foote 4000 44 in length 61 pa 3 foote 100000 69 in length 96 pa 3 foote containes 36 ouerplus containes 64 ouerplus 90 in breadt 44 paces 144 in bread 68 pa 2 foote 5000 50 in length 70 paces    containes    100 in bread 60 paces    A discourse of the Author with a conclusion and end of the profession of Armes AS for besieging of a Citty or Towne fortifications and placing of battery I haue not intreated of because y e dailie practise and execution of the same besides the publication therof by many excellent writers by whome thou mayest receiue profitte sufficient neither haue I written of the offices or training of horsemen because there is little alteration from the seruice vsed in antiquity sauing the hargulaters on horseback the which at the discrecion of the Generall are to skirmish or disorder a battell onelie their places of seruice in y e field with the battels I haue noted not otherwise the varietie of weaponnes and alteration of seruice is onely in footmē of the which for the great desire I haue to the profiting of my country I haue boldly intreated of trusting that those errors that may happen through default of my writing may bée without harme to any man corrected the whych are the onelie strength and bulwarke of the fielde the defence both of horse and shotte as appeareth by the poore Swizers who not béeing able to furnishe themselues with Horse were the first deuisers of the pike and the Squadronnes who sea red not after they founde the strength and aduauntage thereof to encounter with 20000. footemen any number of horsemen whose victories hath caused dyuerse nations to imitate them The Romanes what multitudes of horsemen so euer they were to fight against neuer vsed more then their accustomed number the which was to 1000 footemen a 100. horsemen putting their whole confidence in theyr footemen as appeared when they fought against Tigrane King of Armenia who inuading their Countrey with 150000 horsemen were encountered of the Romanes wyth 250000 footmen and 6000. horsemen being of them vtterly subuerted with many other notable victories the which the Romanes did as in Titus Liuius thou mayst plainly sée Wherefore horsemen art to be accompted as seconde and not as superiour or principall of the fielde because horsemen cannot goe as footemen in euerie place being slower then the footemen to obey when it is requisite to alter the order forasmuch as if it bée néedefull either going forward to turne backeward or turning backwarde to goe forwarde or to moue themselues standing still or going to stande still without doubt the Horse can not doo it so readelie as the footemen The horsemen can not béeing with violence disordered returne in their orders but with great difficulty the which the footemen doo most easelie and quicklie Besides this it happeneth manie times that a valiant man shall be vpon a vile horse and a coward vppon a good whereby it followeth that these euill matching of stomakes makes disorder Neither is it to be meruailed at that a bande of footmen susteineth al violence of horses for that a horse is a beast and knoweth the perils and with an ill will will enter vpon the Pike if you consider what force maketh them goe forwarde and what holdeth them backwarde you shall perceiue the same to be greater which kéepeth them back then that which maketh them goe forwards for that the spurre maketh them goe forward and the Pike and Sword kéepeth them backe so that it must néedes be that footemen are most inuincible and superiour to horses And if you should argue with mee that the heate which they come withall maketh them more furious regarding the spurre more then the Pike I say the Horse perceiuing himselfe to runne vpon the point of the Pike eyther of himselfe he will refraine the course turning on the right hand or lefte or els féeling hymselfe pricked or gawled will stande still As for example prooue a Horse and runne him against a wall and you shall finde fewe with what furie soeuer they come withall will strike against it Caesar hauing in Faunce to fight with the Swizers caused all his horsemen to alight a foote to auoide from the Squadrons as a thing more méeter to flie then to fight Footemen being politique hath manie other helpes as by making of Trenches and as King Henrie at Egin-court vsed sharpe stakes whereby hée gotte the Chiualrie of Fraunce Or to cause of Iron to be made Galtropes a handfull long and to be made sharpe like a Triangle euerie man to haue one of these to throwe vppon the ground at the encounter of the horse Besides the wise Captayne will choose groundes of great aduantage And as for the Pistolate is not so much in vse as they haue bene vsing chéeflie the Caléeuer on horsebacke the which is nothing comparable to the footeman with the Caléeuer who will from euery little Moll-hill gall him at his pleasure besides more readier for anie seruice Horses notwithstanding are verie necessarie in the fielde for discouering the Enimies Countrey and to destroie their forrage and to burne and wast all that is not within the fortified Townes and to kéepe troubled and disquieted the Armie of the Enimies whereby not onelie to lette them of their rest but to kéepe them troubled and wearied in the ir Armour Also to let them of theyr victualles Lykewise necessarie for Vancurriers or for Scowte and when the Battaile is fought and Victory obtained they are to ouertake runne downe and ruerthrowe the Enimie expulsed Wishing thée not to to be drawne with desire to imitat euerie newe seruice but to obserue the order of the Romanes vsing thy footemen as thy force and to euerie Regiment or Battell a certaine number of horse wher by thou maiest the better be able to serue against anie Nation howe or in what sorte soeuer their seruice bée Now hauing finished the Warres and a full determination of peace concluded béeing in thy late enimies Countrie it behooueth thée to haue great care and with great diligence to retire thy souldiours from the Enimies countrie kéeping so good order as if the Enimie would falsifie his vowe made to take anie aduauntage of thee yet that hee maie finde thée so prepared and in so good order as hys wyles shall lyttle endamage thée giuing great charge vnto thy Captaynes and so to the Officers that thy Souldiours straggle not from thy Campe to doo anie outrage or by violence séeke to take anie thing away but as they passe the Countrie honestlie and truelie to paye for that they take whereby thou maist bée the better thought off of the Enemie as otherwyse to auoyde all inconueniences that maie followe This woulde bée published vppon paine of death And if thou art to passe the Countrie of thy fréend haue the lyke regarde of thy Souldiours that
valiant and good both with the liberalitie of the pursse and dignitie of office and with sharpe punishment to punish the slouthfull malefactors and offendors Also hee ought not in euerie place and too euerie man showe himselfe so benigne and gentle least he happen to be despised neither so proud and stoute that he moue other to beare him hatred And that hee doe this to the intent that with to much license and benignitie hee cause not the armie to bee dissolute or with sharpnesse and seueritie make them alienate their mindes and beecome enimies Likewise the liberalitie of a Prince or Generall although it bee but little if with benignitie liberallie at time conuenient it bee vsed it maie get most greate beneuolence of the multitude and from thence foorth the most assured fidelitie of the souldiers gotten it doth adde vnto it securitie and constantnesse in anie enterprise seeing indeede euerie man hopes to obtaine greater things bearing themselues valiantlie in fight when they knowe that in little things the liberalitie of the Generall commeth of the proper benignite of his owne minde It is necessarie that the Generall with his warrelike counsaile doe deliberate vppon euerie matter and they beeing partakers of the counsailes are sworne in time and place to tell their iudgements the which together with him of euerie thing ought to debate forsomuch as all those things not anie man of himselfe hath found hee maie alone by studie with himselfe examine but hee ought not straightwaies to approue and confirme it for that our thoughts and counsailes as a thing vnto the which wee haue a naturall affection if of others faithfull counsaile it be not holpen easilie it maie beeguile vs and manie times it is found full of errours contrariwise those things that by iudgement and opinion of others bee approued doe assure the minde and keepe things stable and sure Notwithstanding no man ought so little to trust to himselfe that alwaies he be of opinion weake and doubtfull nor of himselfe so much too presume that hee thinke other cannot finde counsaile better then his for that it shall bee necessarie that hee which is alwaies subiect too the counsaile of others hauing altogether distrust of himselfe came to chaunge infinit things whereby in weightie matters both hurt and incommoditie doth follow as likewise he must needes either alwaies or oftentimes commit error that not hearing the aduise of other euerie thing doth attribute to himselfe alone The Generall shall often and vnlooked for resort vnto the Captaines tents and places of aboade to see in what towardlie readinesse they are or maie be in of a sodain that hee cause the Captaines often to make like resort vnto the vnder officers and souldiers to see if they bee in the like orderlie readinesse for anie sodeine seruice Hee must receiue into his handes the order of all offices in writing whereby hee maie the better vnderstand and iudge of them Likewise the names of all the souldiers of the bands to see whether they haue their iust number The office of the Maister of the Campe. SInce it standeth with the office of him that will gouerne well to be as forward in mainteining the good and rewarding those that deserue well as in sinceritie of iudgement to punish the wicked and offenders the maister of the campe bearing the entire and full authoritie of the office of a Generall is to haue a regard that iustice beare as great swaie in his armie as in anie the best ordered citie that can bee And therefore hee must prouide Iustices sufficientlie practised and studied that they maie bee able to see what iustice will aforde in euerie case alwaies prouided notwithstanding that the lawes of armes be not broken then the case vnderstood let them decide the matter and giue sentence brieflie For in the Campe they are bound to obserue nothing but that which the Captaine Generall shall appoynt and that which naturall reason shall chieflie allowe of admitting herein the Canons of the holie lawe of Christendome to which all the good souldiers as euerie faithfull Christian is bounde to be obedient vnto Next the maister of a campe hath to appoynt an Agozzino Arcaldo or a Prouest who besides that he must be well seene in his Arte must haue regard that hee entertaine a conuenient retinue of assistauntes and amongest the rest a Pretor or maister of iustice Hee must ordeine also that this Prouest with his seruauntes and the Maister of iustice goe apparelled ciuiltie and not as the custome is in manie cities like abiectes that thereby they maie haue credite in their office and be obeied as they ought and this must bee proclaimed through the armie generall namelie that they obeie these officers vppon paine of death Hee must forbid all souldiers except Sergeants who in diuers causes ought to haue their weapons about them to restrict all others of what fort so euer by that meanes to preuent those theftes and murthers which are commonlie committed in such places of men giuen to the spoyle Hee must cause by all meanes possible all priuie mutinies to be abandoned and all priuie grudges and enmities to bee forgotten during the time of Warre which otherwise will bring greate hurte to the Campe considering that manie doe leaue house and home to goe to Warre not so much to doe their Countreie seruice or winne to themselues practise in battaile thereby to become equall in value to couragius mindes eyther els to deserue paie with the recompence of his doutie deedes but rather some are pulled into the field to kill villanouslie some foe of their owne or their fathers or their friendes men truelie most worthie of a thousand deaths in that they seeke by treason to murder in that place where they ought to looke to nothing els then to vphoulde iustice and to procure that she maie haue hir due execution and in iustice the punishment she deserueth He must care moreouer that respect bee had that merchauntes and puruaiers and other artificers that are too furnish the Campe with apparell victuales and other nessaries that such maie haue traficke freelie to the ende they maie doe it willinglie and that they bée paied with good and lawfull Money for that they sell enterteining them courteouslie and too make them safe conduct as well too departe from thence as too come thether that they maie haue a desire too retourne that by these the Armye maye haue store of things as well commodious for their helpe as otherwise necessarie for their vse Hee must rate the victuals at a reasonable price that the souldiers bée not ouercharged in buying and that the merchuunt may haue an honest gaine And as this care must bée had so those things as lesse necessarie maie bée left to bée sould as the buier and the seller can agrée as householde stuffe saddles and all other furniture for horse spiceries weapons and such merchandies Also hee must with greate counsaile and deliberation bestowe the lodgings as next the
distaunce as one maie rescue an other who with the Lorde marshall is not onelie to giue his aduise but in those actions to bee a leader He must haue regard that hee chargeth not in the front of his footmen for being repulsed he maie be the ouerthrow of them but let them charge vpon the flanke and diligently attend if they can perceiue if anie breaking or opening of the side in the enimies battell be and sodeinly to charge that breach For as horsemen are inferiours to well ordered footmen so vpon euerie little occasion they carie victorie with them The offences committed by these regiments are to bee reformed by the Lord marshall who should haue the Captaine of that band by whom offences are committed to sitte in iustice with him with such other of the said band as maie be thought meet by the Lord marshall and the souldier condemned to be executed with the same weapons of the offenders vsed by his owne company The office of a Coronell THe valiant Coronell after his lawfull dispatch from the Generall and the obteining of his letters patents from the Generall and monie for the conduction of that number of souldiers appointed to his gouernement hee must with all diligence choose and appoynt so manie Captaines as hée shall haue neede of appointing iii. C. men for a company which is a conuenient number For if the number were diuided into smaller companies the more money would be spent vpon the officers And besides where many diuisions are there happens the sooner discord and disorder Those Captaines would bee chosen of yeares and good experience whereby they may the better execute their office as otherwise too obtaine the loue of the souldiers graunting vnto them sufficient authoritie for the executing of al things apperteining to their charge He must then deliuer vnto them equally so much mony as he hath receiued for the companies by prest foreseeing that it be sufficient for such an effect that the Captaines and officers may not be hindered by extraordinarie expenses and the souldiers to haue better liking of the Coronell as otherwise to winne them to obedience which is most cōuenient for men of y t calling He must haue speciall regard that the Lords or principall officers whose minds are addicted to auarice by their vnsatiable desire of gaine the good souldier be not anie waies hindered of his paie which would do so much hurt to his good nature without whom the Coronell can auaile little or nothing and that he giue straight charge that such money as they receiue be laied out and spent with aduisement and discretion Hee must choose a Liuetenant of good experience qualities and behauiour that hée maie the better attend on the charge of his owne companie and besides too haue care of all the bands apperteining to the Coronell Then must he choose an ensigne bearer who must be a worthy souldier a Gentleman of noble parentage as otherwise gentle of behauior who of all the rest of the officers must be superior Also he must choose the Sergeants the masters of the squares droms and other officers who must be of honest behauior and of great experience in their offices He must appoint to his armed pikes his most valiant souldiers who must bee gentlie vsed shewing vnto them a chéerfull and good countenance which to them is most acceptable Then must he chuse a sergeant maior who must bée a tried souldier and of great experience and one who hath executed and professeth the office There belongeth to his office great aduertisement as to alter or remoue the armie as sometimes the straightnes of time doth require sometimes the discommoditie of the place doth inforce sometimes the order in which the enimie is placed doth compell yea and somtime some practise of his owne or some deuise of his Coronell doth put into his head whervpon great aduisement would be taken minding not further to speake of it but to refer it vntill I come vnto his owne office where I will more amplie speake of it There must by him be appointed a furrior or harbinger who shall without rewards or corruption lodge the whole companie of the Coronell vsing his office honestlie and indifferentlie without pleasing of anie particular man He must appoynt a generall Drum which shall take care of the rest of the Drums who must be authorised to command the rest of the Drums hauing a care that they vse obedience and that euerie one do his part that belongeth to his office as in sounding the march a call the charge the batteile the retrait c. Hee ought to prouide himself the best munition fit for a coronels charge as corselets pikes caleuers murrians holberds bils gon-pouder lead match and of al manner of victuals the which shall be deliuered by the Sergeant maior He must also examin the election y t the Captaines haue made of al their officers throughout the companies and if they be such as ought to be or not much worie he may allow them and not otherwise And it is to be vnderstood that these and the like aduertisements do make to appeare the very insight of the conductor whereas not being narrowlie looked vnto the contrarie happens It séemes not out of purpose that euery company haue 12. hargubusiers too serue on horseback who being honest men may do great seruice both on foot and hors back as often hath ben séene as well in carefull following kéeping or recouering of passages as for the discouering the watch word of the enimies and to cast downe and leuell places the easier to make roods to discouer in manner of lighthorsmen and for to conclude following these precepts by exercising thy souldiers often shall bring them soone to experience the better to bée guided He must procure that his officers diligently performe his commissions and that faithfullie they make relation of euery particular thing that he may be enformed of all and in especiall that happens in wards as well by daie as by night for they going in circuite as apertaines vnto them may wel perceiue what chanceth of any great importance He ought carefullie and courteouslie to exhibite to the generall Captaine great reuerence to honor him obey him and faithfully counsel him and for the performance of this he must refuse no trauaile sith that taking paines in causes of such importance is very méet for men of his calling an office for gaines and delicate pleasures rather appertein◠to women or those that more estéeme riches then vertue and more accounpt of the body then the soule Of the office of the great Sergeant or Sergeant maior INasmuch as good order is necessarie in all humane actions the waightie office of the Sergeant maior must néeds be exellent and of great importance as vnto whose charge and authoritie apperteineth not only to gouern but also to bring into forme and to execute the greatest part of the chiefest affaires which require any speciall seruice in the army Wherefore it behoueth him
as periured persons with all seueritie be punished and if any souldier or souldiers shall offend in any manner of thing that dooth belong and appertaine to the dutie of a souldier whereof there is no mention made in these articles such an offender shall bée punished at the discretion of the chiefe Captaine THese Articles must bée openly read in the presence of the chiefe Captaines by the notarie or scribe of the court and after that it is read the oth shall be ministred vnto euery man by the pretor in this wise or the like wordes to the same end and purpose speaking vnto the whole companie and saying My brethren and friends that are héere present ye haue héere heard the articles of the Quéene our souereigne conteining the chiefe principall points of our rights and lawes of the field and of the oth and the manner thereof which euery souldier ought to take All you therefore that doo meane faithfully and valiantly to obserue mainteine fulfill confirme and kéepe the aforesaid articles let him héere now either openly refuse to be a souldier or with me hold vp his finger and say after me ALl these Articles which haue béene openly read vnto vs we hold allow as sacred and good and those will we truly and stoutly confirme fulfill mainteine and kéepe so helpe vs God and his diuine word Amen These Articles with others which for tediousnesse I omit would be published some vpon paine of death some greater and some with lesser punishment to euery one that doth offend without any remission or forgiuenesse or regard of bloud degrée kindred or frendship specially at the beginning to lye in Campe whereby the army may the better be set in good order and to make it fearefull of God of iustice and of the Generall with loue and feare The execution héereof onely apperteineth to the Maister of the Campe for the hearing ordering and determyning of causes of iustice vnder the Generall as the Liuetenant of a Citie or Towne Deputie for the Prince For the Maister of the campe is the chiefe of the orders who hath place in the Field in many things as principall next to the Generall who hath the chiefe gouernement in pitching the Campe and dislodging briefly from the Generall downeward it is the greatest charge and burden that is in the Armie and therefore it is requisite that hée haue good knowledge and remembrance of all the orders whereby the warres is to be gouerned and that he be of good practise and experience But such cases as are capitall and of great importance should bee heard and determined by the Generall and his Iudges it sufficeth that God is the knower and determiner and next vnto him his ministers on earth who failing to doe iustice either for zeale loue or hatred shall yéeld account thereof before the diuine Iudge and this law cannot be auoyded by vs but we shall be cited and called by way of appeale How Captaines according to their worthinesse are preferred to great charge SOme Ensignes haue in times past ben accompanied with one hundred some with two some with thrée some with foure some with fiue hundred men according to the worthinesse and experience of Captaines of which all were not throughly except at the first the better to traine exercise and order such numbers to seruice appertayning Here followe certeine perticular practises in proportion by letters signifying men from one hundred vnto fiue hundred in quadrant or two-folde battaile to the greatest strength for defence of enimies shewing euery weapon particularly in their place and order to march any waies to seruice conuenient or els to kéepe the ground of aduantage as winde Hill and Sunne will permitte in which consisteth great profit Certaine words to be vsed of the Captaine in time of trayning AT such times as the Captaine or any other officer determine to exercise their company to traine them they must cast them into a Ring or such like necessary and to vse these words vnto the souldiers saying as after followeth My louing friends and fellowes we be gathered together being also appointed to serue God and our Prince and to defend our countrie to the death and for that none through ignorance shall perish or runne in daunger of the lawes of the field ye shall from time to time by mée or the officers of my band be instructed by words or déedes in such pointes as to our calling and the necessitie of Seruice shal require the which you must diligently obserue and followe though such to you many times séeme both daungerous and painfull Also if any of you my fellowes shall find an occasion conuenient to declare to mée his minde and opinion in any thing touching seruice I will diligently heare and gratifie the partie the double value thereof and God willing I will vse equitie and iustice with the same Also regard that all Souldiers knowe and obeye their Officers in their place according to their calling Heere are set foorth certeine points to traine exercise and in order to place one hundreth men three in a ranke also how to bring them into a Ring an Esse or a Snaile very profitable for young Souldiers AS before I haue set foorth what number of weapons apperteineth to euery band frō one hundred vnto fiftéene hūdred men euen so to march thrée in a ranke thrée thirty rankes containe one hundred men suting your weapons in this order following that is in the front or voward .25 shot next your shot .20 pikes then 10. Billes to gard the Ensigne and next your Bils your other twentie pikes and then your other .25 shot the which béeing thus placed may by your Officers be brought to these proportions and orders as followeth greatly auaileable to diuers Seruices The Voward The rereward FIrst for that a C. is the least number that a Captaine hath in charge I will therefore begin with one hundred the which after you haue taught to march .3 in a ranke right foorth you shall bring them in this proportion of a ring otherwise called a limasson And although it is not of any force it is necessary to traine the vnperfect also by bringing them in close cōpasse together they may better heare and vnderstand any precepts touching their charge spoken by the Captaine or any other officers as oft as is méete This is not of force bicause the Ensigne lyeth open to the enimies without gard of Pikes A Ring SOmetimes vpon good occasion you shall bring your pikes in order of an esse your billes placed in the midst with the Ensigne whereby it may bee enuironed with Pikes for defence of horse your shot placed betwéene euery ranke of Pikes so that they may serue to the skirmish either rescuing other within gard the which retiring into the voyd place the Pikes couched euery way for defence the ouerplus of shot with the Captaine and Liuetenaunt with other officers to be placed in the midst of the Esse with the Ensigne
be placed as before you appeareth This is of great strength so that the Enimie cannot enuiron you To imbattaile fiue hundred men in a quadrant proportion ACcording to the worthinesse of the Captaine the greater charge is committed as one Captaine to haue charge of 5. C. men vnder one Ensigne the which to bring into quadrant Battaile you must place 16. pikes in front making 4. rankes quadrant placing your Bils in the middest with your ensigne so haue you lift the body of your battaile .250 men your shot to be placed in the front and rereward .110 in the flankes of the battell 140. in the 8. wings the which being charged may dischage and retire whereby to be rescued by the lest they may in this proporiton march any way vnto them needfull be it either to trauaile or els for to winne grounds by any aduantage To imbattaile 500. men in a quadrant proportion To place the like number in an hearse or square Battaile SOme time by reason of the ground it is necessarie to bring such a number into an hearse or twofolde battaile which may bee more auailable then the quadrant battaile To bring them into this present proportion you must place 13. pikes in breadth and 21. in length your Bils and Ensigne in the middest your shot in the Fronts and Wings Thus in order they may turne their faces and march any way to them needefull which practise may greatly auaile at neede as vnto great numbers apperteineth Thus leauing to treate any further of priuate bands here following I will shew some points and necessarie practises to great numbers conuenient to order ioine and imbattaile Laudata virtus crescit The end of the first booke ¶ In this booke is conteined certeine necessarie practises to bee exercised with such handes and regiments as vnto Coronels or Chieftaines to be committed to many exploites of seruice greatly auaileable SVch appointed to the leading and gouenment of numbers aforesaid with their bands suted weapons as accustomed The Captaines and Companies bee vnto them obedient and obserue their commaundements to all intents as if the Lord Lieutenant Generall were present And for that Captaines with their bands the better and more easily may bring their numbers into such order or battelles as the Sergeant maior by the Coronels or Chieftaines commaunded must do hereafter ensuing doth follow proportions to the assistance of the same And for Caliuers whose practise in the Skirmish be the first in the field and beginneth the fight the letters following in diuers proportions signifie such and shew to march skirmish inuade or retire in politike maner as to such doth apperteine as well by bands diuided in sundry parcels distantly in sunder as either may rescue other as also to retire by ranks rescewing as aforesaid And considering how by inuentions dayly deuised the exercises and subtelties of the same doe daily increase to the great perill of the vnexpert as we may dayly see these sundrie proportions following vnto some vnknowne may in times conuenient be exercised to bring to perfection such smal numbers so to profit in greater numbers which the vnperfect cannot accomplish Certeine necessarie points for to be exercised with numbers of Caleeuers and Archers to diuers intents of seruice in the field The first THis number vppon the sight of the Enimies must march three in a ranke casting themselues in proportion of a Ring so to abide there appointing themselues to approche still in araie there to discharge by Rankes so in the Rereward to charge readie to seruice againe marching round The voward The rereward The second THis nomber encountering the ring must discharge by rankes and after the first ranke hath discharged to retire betwixt the Rankes vntill they come to the rereward there to charge and followe his looseman to seruice againe Thus may you continually mainteine skirmish how little or great so euer your number be it giueth great incouragement to the souldiers standing but one shot and retireth Orders of shot verie necessarie for diuers intents of seruice in the fielde The Voward Theswo bands change tanks and place on their broad sides These bands of Archers be brought to seruice by the Caleeuers afore them THese two bands of calleuers set to recounter the enimie on their broad sides the frōts discharge and turn their faces retiring betwixt the other which aduance in like maner to y e reseue of the same Those retire charge againe to seruice thus practising the skirmish may bring the bands of archers to seruice to the great anoying and discomfiting of the enemie These bands of archers being brought to seruice by the calleuers although that the calleuers be counted to be of greater force thē they be of the archers be not vsed in the field so much as they haue bene yet hauing light shafts made to shoot 12 or 14 score may kepe their place shooting altogither ouer the heads of the caleeuers to the blemishing and very great anoie of the enemie Orders of shot verie neccessarie for diuers intents of seruice in the fielde These two bands discharged by rankes and return to the rereward and charge againe These two bands placed 5. in ranks like two hornes are to be brought to skirmish in proportion like as doth appeare the fronts or voward dischargeth the one retiring on the left hand the other on the right hand vnto therereward and there to charge againe euery one to follow his lodesman vnto seruice againe ⸫ Orders for shot verie necessarie for diuers intents of seruice auaileable The seauenth According to the number of the Enemies you must aunswere them with like proportion and numbers hauing great regard to obtaine hill winde water wood c the which greatly auaileth sometimes the aduantage of grounds is such that small numbers way repulse greater numbers The grounds large and plain make your maineward of shot larg strong the better to aunswer the enemie the frōts to discharge and retire to the rereward there to charge againe and being thus ioyned in skirmish with the enemie the Captaine and officers must foresee the best waye to repulse and ouerthrowe the enemy sending two winges to flanke the enemies to encounter them the which being wisely foreséene will greatly profit Orders of shot verie necessarie for diuers intents of seruice auailable These three bands marching at large maie wade through in skirmish or retire betwixt the rankes as occasion serueth either band rescewing other to charge in the Rereward and to aduance to seruice againe This may you continually maintain skirmish These practises and such like exercises in times conuenient may bring perfection to seruice with shot at need the rather through the good industrie and painefull trauaile of officers and the souldiers by whose gentle patience it is sooner obtained An order to imbattaile 600. men at the sodaine against horsemen and footmen IT is appointed vnto two Captaines to bring 600. men to conuey charge or doe
exploits as the commandement of the higher Officers shall appoint them The captaines aduertised of straightes passages and scituations of the countries also on what parte the Enimies be most like to assault them must giue order vnto your Officers to place 13. in front as before you is mentioned your Ensigne in the middest with the Billes your Shotte placed in the Winges as appeareth At such times as the Eenmie shall assault you ioyne both your Bandes and become one strengh as the ground doth serue This order is verie necessarie to doe many exploits The like number brought in maner of a Hearse to defend horsmen SOmetimes marching by 10. in ranke vppon the fighte of the Enemies deuide into two partes and ioyne their broad sides deuided togither and become in one strength which being thus placed is in length 24. and in breapth 10. Against horsemen they must pitch their pikes on thn ground and crosse them and against footemen beare aboue hande They must sarrie close together and not disseuer to followe or flie least their disorders make place for Enimies to enter as by this proportion doth appeare Sometimes for the safetie of our shot you must receiue theÌ„ within the gard of your Pikes This h signifieth horsmen galloping the field to breake vppon you where they may best enter and most easely as by the void space arpeareth the ouerplus of your shot to be placed in the 4. wings without the battaile This number to disseuer is very perillous An order to imbattaile 900. men at the sodeine CAptaines marching with 900 men vnderstanding by scout or spie that the enemie pretendeth to skirmish with them or otherwise to ioine baitaile you may deuide your bands in three parts marching 9. in a raÌ„ke placing Officers betwixt euery band that being assaulted may ioine the Voward and the Rereward to the middle ward so fall they out to be an hearse battaile placing your shotte in the winges that they may the better resorte to the skirmish likewise to retire as occasion serueth This is a singular good order for the obtayning ef any grouÌ„ds or doing of exploits ⸫ ¶ An order to imbattaile 900. men at the sodaine The Voward The Rereward An order to imbattaile the like number in quadrant proportion at the sodaine as if the Sergeant Maior were there present The Voward The Rereward WHen battails are to be made the Sergeant maior giueth commaundement vnto the Sergeants of the bands to bring their companies seueral and to ioyne your bandes the broad sides togeather as your numbers serue The Captaines Droms Fiffes with your Ensigne placed in the midst of the execution as well for the safetie of the same as for the comforting of the souldiers neuerthelesse such order is taken that Lieuetenants and Sergeants of bands with other seruiceable Gentlemen bée placed to lead the Voward and Rereward of the battaile where onsets be vncertaine whose beautifull armours politike and couragious onset is to the enemie a terrour to their owne companies great comfort The shot to be placed in foure Troupes with two Wings in the Rereward for that they may easier maintaine skirmish round about the battaile on which side soeuer they be assaulted THese foure quarters ioyned in one séem to bée 12. hundred men vnder four Ensignes euerie wayes who at the enemies sight must place thirteen in ranke which fall to be a quadrant euerie way which sodainly may ioyne their long weapons togeather making one quadrant of foure Your Droms and Fiffes with the Captaine placed next to the Ensigne the Lieftenants in the Wings and the Sergeant in the Vowarde and Rereward whereby they may the better giue intelligence by signe or word what is best to bée done Three hundred men bearing Caléeuers in the Wings thrée hundred in Demie Diamonde wise after the Alm aine maner in the midst the which being discharged the Caléeuers will greatlie preuaile This way they may march wholie togeather or retire any waies to seruice néedfull readie with their shot to encounter the enemy any wayes in skirmish either wing rescuing other as need shall require And although the Sergeants Maior appointeth order for the same yet the Sergeants of euerie Band hauing experience only ruleth and giueth order to their owne charge and appoint and place such in the fronts Rereward and wings as to them séeme most conuenient THis proportion is after the Almaine maner of imbattailing much like vnto the order of the Romanes who deuided their Legions into diuers cohorts to this intent that when the Fronts were wearied the Maineward and Rereward succeeded hauing by late experience in Fraunce tried that the deuiding of the Battaile in many Bandes so that they haue Pikes sufficient to impsle the Billes and to euerie Bande their number of shotte and horse is more auaileable then anie battaile being made of a whole bodie or as the Gréekes tearme it a Phalange for they are to be out of length or breadth as the grounde or occasion serueth to charge and encounter the enimie placed in one battaile of euerie quarter to their great detriment and ouerthrowing of anie so placed being of sufficient strength for defence of horse and though the first or second or third should be ouerthrowen yet the rest kéeping their order are to succeede Whereas the battaile being one after the Fronts be ouerthrowne the rereward is readie to run the which being disordred can hardly recouer to place them in order againe And order to imbattell 12. C. men quadrantlie at the sodaine This waies you may march or retire anle waies that shoulde bee thought needfull to the doings of anie exploits A Coronels charge in twofolde wise the pikes crost for defence of horse ¶ An order to imbattaile a Coronels charge COronels or Chieftains who oft times according to their experience and worthinesse of seruice haue the charge and leading of fifteene hundred men more or lesse to whom is committed diuers sundrie exploits and points of seruice in the field wherof they discrie anie multitude of horsemen pretending for to charge them and to inuiron your battail hauing no Wagon Borough or pale of carriages water hedge ditch or other succours but onelie the strength of their manuall weapons and pollice of defence vpon sight of the enemies must cast the Voward and Rereward to become one strength and to serue close togeather to touch crosse and defend as by this order may appeare The thrée oâ—â—most ranks faire armed and skilfull gentlemen and others doe pitch their pikes on the ground couching and crossing the same the two ranks next giuing the push at the length of the pikes the shot placed within the pikes for safegard shoote and charge still in their places This order to encounter with footmen if it bée possible will recouer the aduantage of winde hill and Sunne in good order on the one side of the hill to ioyne in fight where God giueth the victorie before these same encounters Reuiue your souldiers with meate
in their seruice and from their Captaines which otherwise will be a cause of greater disorder and manie discommodities ⸫ An Oration to be made by the Generall before the Battell be fought VAliant Knights and Companions in Warre most thankfullie I accept your seruice for that you doe offer your liues as true subiects to accompanie me the Kings high General in the warres wherein you greatlie show your duties For of right you ought too loose your goods and to venture your liues at the commaundement of the King and for the defence and suretie of your Countreye giuing vnto you not onelie thanks for your companie but much more for your good counsell which dailie you giue me For in great conflicts seldome is found together both good counsell and stoute hearts minding not too enterprise this battell in hope of mans power for then had you reason wee should not giue battell seeing the great multitude in respect of vs. For as you saie the waightie affaires of a publike weale should not bee vnaduisedlie committed too the vncerteine of Fortune the which hath caused the King my Maister to apoint me in this daungerous and perilous warres First trusting that on our part there remaineth Iustice and sith God is the same onelie Iustice I trust assuredlie he will giue mee the victorie in this perillous conflicts for Iustice auaileth princes more that they haue then the men of Warre doe which they lead Wherefore sith our cause is iust and that we haue God the onelie Iudge thereof on our sides mee thinks no worldlie feare should make vs cease to giue the battell for I should show my selfe to be of small faith and also blaspheme God saying hee were of small Iustice for God sheweth his power there where the frailenesse of man hath least hope Then since by the King our Maister and Gouernour we are appointed and procured to come to this warre I haue determined my most louing Companions and fellow Souldiers to enter in battell and valiantlie to aduenture my life with you and if I perish therein I shall be sure it shall be for the saluation of my soule and the memorie of my person for to die through Iustice is not to die but to change death for life and thus doing if I loose my life yet I loose not my honour and all this considered I doe that which to my Prince and the Common-wealth I am bound For to a Prince it were great infamie and dishonour the quarrell being his owne should by the bloud of others séeke reuenge minding this daie to trie in battel whether the pleasure or will of the liuing God bee to giue vs victorie the which maie bee a warning to others of the great wrong offered vs if otherwise he suffer vs to perish the ende of the sword of the enimie is but the scourge of our offences The best I see therefore in this matter to be done is that we confesse our selues vnto the celestial God preparing our selues to receiue our redéemer euery man to pardon and forgiue his brother if hee haue done wrong or iniurie vnto him for oftentimes though the demaund of the warres be iust yet many mishaps befal therin through the offences of those which pursue and follow the same Now each thing accomplished as behooueth according too my saying then let God dispose things as hee shall seeme good Wherefore my louing valiant and stout Souldiers doubt not at all for this daie I must either vanquish mine enimies or els suffer death and if I die I do that which I néeds must Wherefore I will now cease to exhort you any more desiring you most louingly to consider that wherevnto your dutie leadeth you remembring that you are come as Knights and in the defence of your Countrie to wage battell beeing now come to that pinch that deedes must more auaile vs then words for peace ought too bee maintained by the tongue but warres ought to be atchiued by the sword Of the ordering of the battailes before they fight THe oration being made by the Generall and praiers finished to the immortall God it is requisite that thou haue care too bringe forth thy armie to the field with bright and shining armour which easilie maie bee done by giuing charge in time to the Captaiues and so to the officers that their burgonets corslets enleeuers holberds and euerie other peece of armour forasmuch as the cleannes and brightnes of the weapons maketh the armie séeme terrible and putteth feare and trauell in the minds of the enimies Then call forth thy bands the which being set in araie the Generall beeing expert hauing seene the preparation of the enimies giueth in charge too the Sergeant maior and the principall corporalls too accommodate and ordaine his souldiers in battaile according to the armie the men and the manners of them And if the enimie bee more puissant of horsemen thou hauing the commoditie choose thee straight and difficult places or at the foote of mountaines and where the horse cannot easilie serue If in footmen hee exceedeth then it is requisite to get the hills and places of aduauntage as the Sunne and winde c. and that with diligence to choose such fit places whiche either bee neere Rockes or Riuers and aboue all things where thou maist put in araie thy battailes and by the qualitie of thy place be able to let thy enimes that they neither compasse thee about nor inclose thee the which requires not onelie the counsaile and prudence of a wise Captaine but the counsaile of the most expert in the camp because oftentimes an Armie hapneth vpon such places And notwithstanding the Captaine ignorant how to choose such situation of ground as is best for him but of those that are present it is good to choose the best and to foresee which maie bee most profitable is surely a signe of a wise Captaine Caius Sulpitius to feare his enimies got a great manie of mules and other beasts vnprofitable for the warres causing a greate number of sackes to bee gotten which were so ordered vppon the backes of the beasts as they seemed men at armes giuing in charge whiles he was a fighting they should appeare vppon a hill whereby grew his victorie against the Frenchmen The Spaniards to ouercome Amilcar set in the fronts of their battels cartes ful of towe drawen with Oxen that béeing readie for the encounter they set it on fire causing the Oxen behementlie to thrust forwards into the armie of the enimie deuiding the same Thy number small and the fields large and open it is good to make ditches the which being filled with bowghes and slightlie couered with earth leauing voide spaces for thy horse and shot to procure skirmish the which being of the enimie encountered maie faine a running awaie and béeing prosecuted by the enimie shal be ouerthrown in the ditches where they are easilie slaine manie such notable diuises by wise Captaines hath beene practised the which vppon the sodeine put in
vse will greatlie profit Thy battels beeing made and set in order it is requisite that thou leaue the ward within the trenches of the Campe for the defence of thy lodginges munition and carriages least the enimie vnderstanding the place to be left voide send his souldiers to take the campe and so to spoile all vppon occasion some Captaines will destroie their owne lodgings or els passe riuers or leaue beehinde them hils and deepe places to the end that the souldiers standing constantlie maie ouercome the aduersarie and obtaine the victorie or otherwise altogether to perish for that if they should thinke to saue themselues by running awaie they shall see by all manner of meanes taken from the possibilitie to escape Now beeing come to ioine battaile with thy enimie cause thy souldiers somewhat before to flourish oft their naked swords and holberds against the Sunne for that y t glistering of the weapons and their shining poynts through the brightnesse now of the one and now of the other against the resplendant beames of the Sunne doth shew a certeine horrible terrour of warre the which will strike a dreade and feare into the mindes of the enimies Likewise it is sometimes requisite that thy battailes goe forwardes with rumours and showtings sometimes running with violence forasmuch as the semblaunce of such things with the noise of trumpettes drummes and greate ordinaunce wonderfullie troubleth and feareth the heartes of the aduersaries also it is greate wisedome in a Captaine not with desire to be drawne to be the first to giue the onset but to staie thee neere thy trench till thou hast viewed thy selfe and the remedies of the enimies that is how manie battailes how they are placed of what condition and where they are disposed too fight for after this manner thou maist more commodiouslie see to thine affaires considering whiche of thine thou hast too sette against those of thy enimies and in what manner thy men are to bee ordeined and placed dooing in like sort too a good Phisition the whiche considering first the infirmitie and knowing the cause commeth afterwardes too giue remedie therefore ordeine thy men so as maie tourne moste vtilitie too thy businesse The manner of ordering of battailes latelie vsed I cannot greatlie commend for the armie beeing .20.30 or .40 M. they are diuided but into 3. battailes whereby ensueth manie perilles and discommodities because the Pike beeing but 5. yards three quarters long euerie man occupying a yarde and halfe a quarter of Pike can occupie but foure or fiue rankes at the most so that the rest are superfluous and lost besides they are easilie too bee compassed and too bee charged on euerie side wherefore I haue set downe an order of one of the battailes in figure according to my opinion the which if it may turne profit to my countreie I woulde be most gladde The occasion of the prosperous successe of the Romaines was onelye through their good orders by diuiding their Legions into cohortes the whiche were bandes of .400 and .50 the .50 were shotte the .400 were armed their weapons Pikes Swoordes and Targets the which were placed in quadrant manner .20 euerie waies beeing .10 battailes in front leauing a certeine space betweene euerie battaile for their retraite vpon occasion vnto the next order which were but sixe battailes and the rereward foure battailes all in like number keeping one breadth the voward were called Hastatie their battailes thicke and close the Maineward were called Principie who had such space beetweene the rankes as they might receiue the Hastatie the Rereward were called Triarij whose spaces betweene their ranks were such as they might receiue the Principie and Hastatie on the wings were placed seauen rankes of Pikes of straungers whiche did distend in length from the voward to the Rereward through these good orders they became conquerours of manie countries Now because of the diuersitie of the weapons hauing 20000. footemen I woulde diuide them into tenne battailes too euerie one of the battailes shall bee according to my proportion sette dawne .1000 shotte .800 Pikes and .200 Billes the which placed in two-folde wise according to my proportion set downe in figure will bee in breadth .45 and in length .22 and .10 ouerplus the whiche are to be placed at the discreation of the Sergiant Maior the shotte placed in the winges and rereward in maniples for their readier seruice who must be place a good distaÌ„ce from thy battaile thy men at armes vpon the wings of the shot thy Launces as two hornes in the front of thy battaile the light horse in the fronts of thy Launces the hargulater in the frontes of thy light horse who with the pistolaters are the first that begins the battaile thy great Ordinaunces to be placed in the fronts of the battailes or in such conuenient place as maie most terrifie the enimie there would be appointed certeine troupes of Launces whose guidons would bee contrarie to the rest the whiche the Germaine calls their Eorlorne hoope the French Infans perdus who must at such time and instant as shall be thought good by the General giue the charge vpon the enimies battails whatsoeuer shall happen who are for the same too receiue double paie The second battaile not too bee placed in the front with the first battaile as the Romaines did but in the rereward of the first so farre wide and with such distaunce as the horsemen and shotte a foote giuing the first charge may retire themselues without disturbaunce to the battells hauing thy shot placed as in the voward with the launces and shot on horsbacke the third battel to be placed in the rereward of the second with like distance with shotte and horse and so to the fourth fift and the tenth in the rereward of the which if occasion shall require thou maist as in the Rereward of the battaile place for thy defence certeine of thy carriages thy battailes beeing thus ordered thou shalt be sure no waies to be compassed by the enimies whereas thou maist easilie compasse in him not ordered in the like maner and thy battailes beeing but little yet as strong as the greater being stronglie fortified euerie waies with Pikes and when a signe is giuen your hargulaters pistolaters and launces may at the sodeine be with the formost or readie for anie other place of seruice Also your second battaile maie ioyne with the first and the third with the second and so to strengthen your battailes at pleasure as otherwise two or thrée of thy battailes to giue the charge to one of his battailes and if it should so hapen that thy first and second battailes should bee ouer throwne â—hy battaile ⧠The Battell in Figure shewing how euery Weapon should be placed to fight plast in this order thou maist retire thy selfe and leaue of the field mawger the head of thy enimie who in prosecuting thee disorder themselues as manie times happens maie be easilie conquered vsing thy battailes in this order
I holde to be of greatest and most auailable Of the office of a Generall when the battaile is a fighting THy battaile set in order the horse and shot beeing encountred it is requisite that the General vseth some speach vnto the whole armie without the which many times a whole armie ruinateth for that his speaking taketh awaie feare incourageth the mindes increaseth the obstinants to fight discouereth the deceipts promiseth rewardes sheweth the perills and how to auoide them reprehending praieng threatening filling with hope praise shame dooing those things by the which the humaine passions are extinct vnto the Generall it apperteineth rather with wisdome circumspectly to forsée them boldlie to fight because that his fighting cannot so much benefit the common weale although he should shew force inuincible as the loosing of his life should endamage the same neither that in distresse to refraine from fight by the which the souldiers maie doe some exploite but the best is with prudence to foresee things and deliberating in times conuenient to counsell the common weale principallie to the Generall and to no other is requisite for as the maister of a shippe forsaking his charge dooing that apperteineth to a marriner giueth great occasion to the losse of the Shippe Euen so the Generall who setting a part his office of counselling and prouiding of euerie thing to descend so lowe as to take vpon him the charge of a souldier should commit the like errour for through the negligence of superiours becommeth vaine all aid to whome such affaires is committed the Generall being slaine putteth the commonweale in hazard of decaie the which beeing aliue hauing through his counsaile and discreation atchieued felicitie by meane of foresight with reason hee maie lawfullie glorie and contrariwise he that is so ignoraunt arrogant and couetous that beleeueth not to doe anie thing honourablie except he fighteth himselfe is not to be thought but rather presumptuous and foolish hardie and hee that will hazard his life to gette him a name of the multitude whereby to putte those waightie affaires in peril is very vnméete for such a charge But if necessitie constraines thee to fight it behooueth thee to fight warilie and not to feare death choosing rather to be depriued of lyfe hauing anie ouerthrowe then to liue with shame but the armie beeing in safetie hee ought to haue regarde to his life for surelie where the death of the Captaine chaunceth there the happie successe is diminished for as much as they who haue had the worse vnderstanding their enimies to bee depriued of their Captaine taketh boldenesse charging their enimies afflicted with melancholie for the losse of their Captaine haue giuen them the ouerthrowe Vnto the General apperteineth whilest his men fight to goe riding about the battaile and to shewe himself to the fighters praising those that doe valiauntlye to threaten the fearefull to comfort those that bee doubtfull and flowe to succour them that are repulsed to supplie the lackes and if it shall bee needefull to leade men from one place to an other to obserue times to take occasions to make coniecture of thinges to come and when necessitie procures to giue the signe to retyre The clemencie of the General increaseth the loue of the Souldier Armour good order or late victorie causeth Souldiers to haue a good opinion and sure confidence in the General and as the loue of the Countreye is increased through a certeine instinct of Nature euen so the loue of the Generall through vertue more then through anie other benefite The necessities bee manie but that is strongest which constraineth thee eyther to ouercome or else to die Of making spoile after the victorie obteined THe spoile ought to bee made with great discreation and that speciall commaundement be giuen and proclaimed vppon paine of death that no prisoner be taken except he bée of greate authoritie vntill thou hast vanquished and beecome victor for oftentimes through the greedinesse and desire of gaine the order of battayle being broken and dispearsed the Conquered hath broughte themselues in order agayne and become Conquerours for vndoubtedlye many times when the enimie flieng seeing his adursaries comming vppon him without anie order bringeth his men againe in araie and turning backeward with standing them with violence cruellie ouercommeth them wherefore men must thinke that nothing is better nothing more safer nothing more surer then obseruing order to prosecute in order and retire in order and the contrarie nothing more daungerous as appeareth by Brennus and Belinus who beeing enriched by the plentifull spoiles of Italy returned in disorder and securitie whereby Camillus and a few of his people beefore conquered beereft them of the fruites of their conquest Likewise Cyrus inuading Scithia faining himselfe to bee afraide of his enterprise left his tentes standing and stored with good cheere and delicate Wines the Scithians being greedie thereof hee returned and slewe euerie mothers sonne the like policie vsed by Thomeris a Queene of that countrie who withdrew hir selfe into hir land faining feare vntill she had got them into straightes where beeing disordered shee priuilie had planted ambushes whiche sodeinlie inuaded Cyrus and his hoast slew them all whiche were 20000. thousand The like examples in Fraunce and other places I could recite but I will not wast time in declaring the mischiefs and destructions chaunced through rash and ouer hastie reconning of vnripe victorie and vnsure safetie trusting this maie suffice to warne thee from rashnesse and vncircumspect foresight to tomble vppon the enimies sword Hauing obteined the victorie humanitie requireth and christianitie commaundeth to shew mercie following the Cannons of the field hauing special regard that no Princes Princes wiues or Virginnes be by filthie lust polluted for God will see it punished but imitate the curtesie of noble Alexander the greate vsed towardes his captiues Darius wife and his daughters whiche greatlye enlarged and spread abroad his honour to the furthering of his Conquestes Likewise what fortunate successe had Scipio by his chast hands in deliuering of Luceius his wife and honourable vsage of Masinissaes nephew with his great liberalitie which afterwards bred him continuall seruice of those Princes before his captiues with infinite examples which for tediousnesse I leaue off Graunt not license to thy Souldiers to put al to sacke hauing regard to the time and to the state of things whether thou hast neede to retaine all the pray or part of the same or els none at al. And it is not conuenient if neede require for the common profite that making warre the common Treasurie be left without money for that more amply and largely things may be solde and with benignitie distributed to them that haue best deserued hauing regard to the hurt and sicke but those that haue bene slacke and slouthfull let him punish most shamefully and vnto valiaunt men graunt those honours the which of right they ought to haue The gifts which the Captaines ought to giue be Offices Auncients Armours and
Spoyles and to those that be in authoritie there would bee greater honours giuen the which with benignitie and gentlenesse liberally giuen according to the deseruings of euery man it shall cause encouragement and vertue for the good to shewe valor and for the euill through feare to imbrace vertue Of that is to be done after the deedes of armes and of burying the dead HAuing withdrawne thy Souldiers froÌ„ the field it is most requisite with al humilitie to render thankes to the immortall God in most solemne maner the which being done with penitencie and deuotion from the heart he will vndoubtedly the better prosper thee in all thy affayres as he did Moses Dauid Manasses with infinite others that put their trust in him then prouide and with great diligence procure that the Obsequies be made most worshipfully to them which haue bene slaine in the deede of Armes for thou shouldest not make excuse neither of tyme nor of hower nor of place nor of perrill whether thou ouercome or be ouercomed For like as it is a godly thing to performe the Obsequies and according to the rights to see the dead buryed euen so it is very profitable for them that remaine aliue and rather altogether necessarie to shewe to the liuing this thy pitie towards the dead for surely when euery man seeth the dead bodies as it were for fearefulnesse left in the fieldes or els for despite left vnburied they iudge and presuppose the very same of themselues taking displeasure of such thinges causing hatred and a vnwillingnesse in the minds of the Souldiers to aduenture their liues knowing that if they happen to fight for their Countrey and to be slaine they are not like to be buried Wherfore the Generall and principall Officers must with eyes open see to preuent those mischifes that may insue as otherwise to render vnto the dead that of right they ought to haue Of the taking of prisoners and of the vsage of them ALthough y e antiquitie hath dealt hardly with their prisoners putting many to death yet Christianitie requireth to shewe mercie and considering that fortune is vncerteine and doubtfull and chaunce variable and mutable the which oftentimes beareth enuie to the happie successe to minister shame to glorie attained so during the warres aboue all things although great occasion giuen by the enemies extend thy mercie especially to those that be of authoritie and bearing office the which will procure the enemie to minister the like pittie vnto thee except thou hauing taken many and stande doubtfull of the field or such as haue dye shot Onyons Bakon Greâ—â—â— or such like caried to the destruction of than contrarie to the Cannons and lawes of the field those thou mayst lawfully kill It behoueth thee likewise if the enemie sendeth not vnto thee to send vnto him to know if thy prisoners taken may be raunsomed according to the auncient order of the field the which is euery Officer and Souldier vnder the degree of a Captaine to be rusomed for his moneths wages and those of fame authoritie render them for some towne or Hold or els for some such of thy friends being taken as thou greatly desirest to haue againe Good Captaines ought not to let their bands goe long vnfurnished of Souldiers being taken to their weakning and detriment of the Armie whom by raunsome and way of exchaunge or other meanes they may redeeme Captaines also ought to enquire whether any being taken and sent home vppon their faith and honour that at the day expyred they either pay the money or els sende them againe vnto their takers vntill better remedie be found the which otherwise will breede great dishonour to the Captaine giuing occasion to the enemie to kill and spoyle so many of his band as by them afterwards may be takeÌ„ The warres being ended then with wisedome and deliberation leasurely at thy commoditie al perill taken away determine what thou wilt doe with the enemie thou hast conquered Of Feasts and Tryumphes after the Victorie THE Romaines order and maner was after Victorie obtayned and all daungers past and ouercome that preparation should be made to feast y t whole Armie and that Tryumphes and Playes should bee made to lighten and reioyce the hearts of the Souldiers giuing them the better occasion to abide the paines and turmoyle of the warres and with greater courage to withstande the enemies force then of such spoyles as the Treasurie haue no neede of there should be imparted not only to those of Office but particularly to euery Souldier throughout the Campe the which with benignitie would be deliuered as fruits of their labors gotten with the hazard of their liues giuing vnto them great thankes for their paynes true hearts and valiaunt courage promising greater recompence The warres being once finished to those in Office and authoritie there would bee greater rewardes and honours giuen Hauing receiued an ouerthrow how to seeke reuenge IN fighting if thou happen to receiue y e worse it behoueth vs with great of ligence and policie to finde occasion of reuenge to take away y t shame receiued as otherwise to put feare out of thy soldiours minds it is good policy to retaine spies giuing vnto theÌ„ great rewards y t which by politique vsage may be learned y e state the strength the order manners determination of y e enimies by which meanes with secret vsage thou maist many waies haue due reuenge for that to those that haue newly obtained the victory haue the lesser care of the enimie becomming slothfull and rechlesse stragling héere there kéeping their thinges without forecast leauing their wards naked and their watches slender may with secret approch in the day time or by camisado in the night time with valiant couragious hearts be quite ouer throwne otherwise by a fewe trained out to the skirmish retiring thy selfe faining to run through feare till thou come to such place of aduantage as before thou hast plast ambushes of horsemen the which shall sodainly approch the enimie disordered and scattered to their great detriment as otherwise with thy hands of footmen placed in order of battell maiest approch thy enimie y t which séeing thy pollicy not hauing time to order themselues in the like will come foorth on heapes the which being then valiantly charged may put their state in hazard through the whych negligence the happie successe before obtained by this pollicie wyll turne thy enimie to great ruine Of truce and intermission of warres POlicy willeth thée not to séeke truce or delaie but by constraint of necessitie or for some aduauntage to bée taken as some aide looked for or in the meane time to growe into the secréetes of the Enemie to fifte his purpose by conference had with hym to vndermine hys dooinges and if he be not verie wel aduised to search the state of his force and gouernment being most secrete and vigilant in these affaires Now if feare enforseth the enimie to take truce learne by all
through theyr dysorder they make not of a Freende an Enimie Being come to the water side sée y t with all expedition such preparation bée made for the conuaying ouer of the Souldiours as the Prince so shortlie as maie bée vnburdened of her great charge And against their arriuall sée that monie bée prepared for the present payment of the poore souldiours that they to their detryment and hinderaunce doo not long remaine vnpaied whereby theyr heartes may bée hardened and through this default mutinies arise and many inconueniences growe considering that at the commaundement of the Prince as true subiects they haue aduentured theyr liues and in the defence of their Countrie but it is great pitty y t fauour dooth so much preuaile and experience so little estéemed that so manie be suffered to beare the Office and authoritie of Captaines whose going to the warres is rather to bribe and hinder the poore Souldiours to the dishonour of their Countrie and theyr owne shame then to merite any thing in the Warres to the profitting of the same Trusting that great and wyse Officers in tyme by trying the cause will sée it reformed The Souldiours being paide it were verie requisite that euerie Captaine shoulde call their companie together or a little before theyr wages payde yéeldinge thankes vnto them for theyr dilligence and paines in the Princesse affaires certefying them that the almightie God no doubt will prosper them the better in all their affaires And where as euerie subiect by GODS lawe in conscience and by the lawe of Nature are to be at the commaundement of their Prince and Gouernour their trauailes and paines in the turmoile of warres hath de clared the same letting them to vnderstand the warres being ended the Prince is not further to vse them exhorting euerie man quietly to depart into his Country from whence he was prest or to the place of his longest abode not looking to make an Art or exercises of armes for that it is not to bee vsed but when the Prince through constraint shall be inforced to the same And when they are come into their Countrey require euery man to frame him self to such Science Occupations Trades or Traffickes as they haue chiefly bene brought vp with all accompting themselues most happie that GOD hath deliuered them from the bloodie warres to liue in peace quiet the which bringeth so many commodities so many vertues and so much good as I am not able to expresse For to make warres to haue peace is Christianitie and to trouble the peace by making warres vniustly is Tyrannie Now the fruites of the ydle the which scornes their occupations through necessitie are nothing els but robberies thefts and murders and then Iustice enforced to extinguish them Most louingly desiring them not to forget the great daungers that almightie God hath deliuered them from through the which they were men prepared to dye hauing the same printed alwaies in their minds by which meanes they shalbe the better able to see Iustice mainteyned peace preserued Magistrates and Officers obayed and they the better as true Christians to liue in the feare of God thus doing they shall not onely shewe themselues as true and duetiful Souldiers to their Prince but like the Souldiers and seruants of Iesus Christ who of his infinite mercie bring all Souldiers to the hoast of Heauen Amen The Generall principall Officers and Captaines are in conscience bound to be most earnest suiters and Mediators vnto the King and Prince for the reliefe helpe and maintenaunce of the hurt lame and sicke Souldiers being a part of Christianitie to see them comforted who in the Princes affayres and vnder their conduct haue receiued their hurts and that those that haue serued in the warres vntill they be aged and the maimed might haue yerely stipends for their maintenaunce during their liues and the hurt and sicke to be holpen at the charges of the Countrey from whence they were prest Alexander Seuerus thought that Souldier worthie of his keeping in the tyme of peace that had truely serued his Countrey in the tyme of warre Iesus the sonne of Siracke pitied in his heart the scarsenesse or pouertie of an expert man of warre Octauian Augustus erected a Law for Souldiers that if he had serued ten yéeres in the warres and being fortie yéeres of age that he should haue wages appoynted out of the common Treasurie for the maintenaunce of him and his familie and that the lawfull wife of a Souldier should bee preferred before other women and beeing Heroes it was lawfull for him to beare Armes and that they should not be chastised but by Caesar Policrates of Samos appoynted liuing for the wiues and children of the souldiers slaine in the warres straightly commaunding that no man should offer them any wrong Solon made this Lawe that those children whose fathers were slaine in the defence of their Countrey should bee brought vp at the charges of the Common Treasurie What Nation but England but cherisheth Souldiers and prouideth for men of seruice trusting that some noble mindes at the next Parliament may haue in remembrance some of these good Lawes decréed by Emperous Kings and Princes whereby some Act may passe for the reliefe and maintenaunce of Souldiers the which would cause such a willingnesse pristinate valour in English mindes that no Nation should be comparable vnto vs. And as there is al diligence vsed for to make men faithfull peaceable and to liue in the feare of God by the Gouernours of warre was doubled for in what man ought the Countrey to seeke greater faith then in him who must promise to dye for the same In whom ought there to bée more loue of peace then in him which onely by the warre may bee hurt In whom ought there to hee more feare of God then in him which euery day committeth himselfe to infinite perilles Therefore to such as hath truely and valiauntly serued in the Field with authoritie would great rewards and dignitie of Offices be appointed as men most méete for counselling and the ministration of Iustice For as the Poets haue fayned Minerua to bee armed signifying that Captaines should bee as wise in counselling as couragious in conquering as politicke in keeping as valiaunt in getting And Tullie in his first booke of Offices speaketh of a double commoditie these men doe yéeld to their Countrie who making warres goe armed and roabed doe gouerne the Commonwealth And as in Genesis it is mentioned before euer King was that those were appoynted to gouerne in whom valiauntnesse and vertue did most abound Charles the Great gaue this honour to his Captaines saying you shall bee called Heroes the Companyons of Kings and Iudges of offences Wherfore hereafter counsell Kings in the publicke authoritie and if any doe you iniurie let him knowe he hath offended the Emperours Maiestie and if offences be by you committed we ordaine punishment to bee giuen by vs and our successours Emperours of Rome
as often as you shall transgresse And as the vse of warres ought to bee applyed for the defence of right to shield vs from iniuries wherby to plant a commodious state of life so the studies thereof are to bee vsed in time of peace for exercise and in the time of warre for necessitie and for glorie and to suffer onely the Commonweale to vse it for an Arte so likewise as peace is the nourse of store and increase of things if respect in tyme bee not had for the prouision of Munition money weapons and men prepared both in mynds and by exercise trayned for the warres it wil cause in necessities but faynt warres beseeching the liuing GOD that this carelesse liuing in securitie be not so pernicious vnto the Commonweale as the detracting of tyme shall enforce vs to take counsaile when it is to late The Quéenes Maiestie with her wise Counsell hath made so good prouision of Munition for the Land likewise of Shippus for the Sea as no Realme for the quantitie better prouided but if men be not trayned and exercised for the vse thereof it will serue to no other purpose then men taken from the Land to bee Pylates of Shippes well appoynted in the daungerous Seas Besides her Maiesties prouision vpon euery occasion is not to bee broken neither vppon a sodaine inuasion easily to bee transported to the hands of her subiects for defence of her Maiesties Countrey the which y t Counsell hath wisely foreseene but their Commissions are so simply executed as I greatly doubt when necessitie shall enforce to the vse of the same they shal altogether be deceiued The reason is the Commissions are directed vnto the chiefe of euery Shiere and by them are appoynted such Muster maisters as hath good skill in the Law the flying of a Hawke or experience in choosing of a fat Bullocke or Shéepe supposing because we haue liued a tyme in peace that wee shall alwaies liue in this securitie despising to craue the assistance of the Souldier who hath aduentured his life for his Countrie being neuer so expert or of so good behauiour because he is poore and for that a Souldier will not see his Countrey deceiued by their Muster bookes as to put in so many able Caliuers so many able Corstets so many able Billes and so many able Bowes the which wil prooue when occasion shall serue to vse them to bee halfe lame I meane because such as are appoynted to haue a Caléeuer furnished shall passe the booke with an olde rustie Peece without a Flaske Touchboxe Martion Match Powder Sword or Rapier and Dagger and such as are appoynted to haue Corssets furnished that is to haue good Curates for their bodies Taces for their thighes Poldrones and Vambrases for their shoulders armes Burgonites for their heads good Pikes and Swordes and Daggers these shall passe the Musters with a little olde broken yron of their backs or if he haue an old Almon Riuet on his backe although he lacke his Taces and many other péeces so he haue a Pike he shall be very wel armed and yet men of that abilitie as they are are able some to furnish 1.2 or 3. men and keepe them continually in pay And the Bill men who are appoynted for execution and slaughter of the field the which of necessitie must be armed at all poynts these shal passe as men had in no estimation with a Skull on his head and a Pikestaffe on his shoulders Likewise the Bowmen without Iackes Skulles or sufficient Bowes according to their strengths with two or three Shaftes by their sides in their doublets and hose shal passe for able Bowmen through the sufferance wherof not only the Queenes Maiestie but the Countrey shall bee deceiued if it bee not presently looked vnto trusting the wise Counsell will see it reformed by assisting the chiefe of the Shiere with such Souldiers whome experience hath made to knowe what is méetest for men to apparell themselues withal for the warres and for that none are appointed but such as are of great abilitie for the prouision of the same so after sufficient warning giuen by the Muster maisters as is appoynted for their Furniture not well oyled and kept for the present vse if default bee founde either in lacke of such Furniture they to haue a fine set vppon their heads the which they should truely pay and that money to bee bestowed vpon Match and Powder the which should be spent vpon the trayning day and that such might be appoynted for the trayning of Souldiers as are knowne to haue experience to instruct and teach them that that they may profite themselues and their Countrie and not by fauour to choose such Captaines as are to bee taught by the poore Souldiers and that consideration by the Countrey for their paines might be vsed and at the daies appoynted for trayning the chiefe of the Shiere to be present in their warre-like attyre and to exercise themselues and their horses with running at the Ring and such poynts of seruice as is meetest for Horsemen as otherwise to see the trayning of Pikes and Shot whereby if election bee made of Captaines not able to instruct like a Captaine that others might bee appoynted that hath experience And if Noblemen and Gentlemen would see these exercises honourably frequented we should not feare the wicked practises of forreine Princes to be in hostile oppression for that those Nations seeing the discipline and martiall prowesse of a state so well gouerned prouided and defended may feare to offer vs iniuries being glad to desire fauour and league when things in this good stay and safetie are confirmed and established through this course of life we shall be most happie and do our Lord God best seruice so that our felicitie may hereafter endure for euer FINIS To vnderstand the number of weapons as well as of men Of the battell quadrant of people and grounds Of a baltell for the night the Moone Of ordering this armie in the march Of 〈…〉 Of a battaile called 〈…〉 saw or sheeres Of a batail for the night called a crosse How the great Sergeants charge should bee giuen him in writing How souldiers should behaue themselues the battell is turned Of electing and choosing of Captaines How Captaines ought to haue great regard to prouide all things for their numbers Of secreâ—â—â—â— to be vsed in seruice The regard of Captaines in chosing their officers The third The fourth The third The fourth The vij The choise of the plat ought to be by the consent of the chiefe Officers Of the policie of Caius Sulpitius whereby he ouercame the Frenchmen The poâ—â—â—â—â— of the Spaniards ouercame Amilcar How the cutting of trenches maie be the ouerthrow of the enimie How the flourishing of the Weapons before the battel against the Sun causeth a feare in the enimie How the good ordering of the Romaine Legions made them victors Of the making of the battels to be fought How the fighting of the Generall cannot benefite so much a common weale as his wise counsell Of the clemeÌ„cie of Alexander the great How Scipios chast hands was cause of his victories The Swizers the first inuenters of squadrons Tigrane ouerthrone by the RomaÌ„s hauing 150000. horsemen with 25000 footmen 6000 horsemen Caesar with his horse feared to encounter the squadrons of the poore Swizers The policy of Henry the 5. at Egincourt Horses necessarâ—e in the fielde Of the retraite out of thy enemies countrie An exhortation necessarie for all Captaines at the discharge of theyr souldiours How the Generall and Chieftaines are in conscience bound to be Mediators vnto the Prince for the reliefe of the hurt and lame Souldiers An example of Alexander Seuerus An excellent act made by Octauian Augustus for the maintenaunce of Souldiers How Policrates appoynted liuings for the wiues children of Souldiers slaine in the warres Solon decreed the same How dignitie of office shold be appoynted to such as haue serued truely and aduentured their liues in the defence of their Countrey How Charles the great called his Captaines companyons of kings and appointed them Iudges of offences How the chief of euery Shiere should be in their warlike attyre at the trayning day How those that hath experience in Martiall affayres should be appoynted for Muster maisters