place by order or hauing of more or better men The necessity happeneth when they shall perceiue by deferringe of Battel it must néedes fall out to theyr discomodity as when famishment were ready to assaile them or when the enemie looketh for some newe supplie in these causes it were better to attempt Fortune where she may fauour rather then by deferringe to sée thy certaine ruine Vigesius giueth counsaile neuer to bring an armie to fight except they hope to haue the victory for what greater signe is there to loose then not to beleeue to bee able to winne to adde incouragement therefore to Souldiours there hath béene seuerall practises vsed by diuers L. Silla in the warres against Archelaus Mithridates Liefetenaunt at Pirea perceiuing his Souldiours had little stomacke to fight so weried then with continuall labour that they were glad to desire to fight Q Fabius knowing the Romaines to be of so liberal honest nature that by spiteful and contumelous dealing they would be soone mooued vexed and gréeued and looking for no honest nor equall dealinge of the Persians who were his enemies sent vnto Carthage Ambassadours to intreate of Peace which was consented vnto but with such proude and vnreasonable conditions that the whole armie of the Romanes were thereby stirred and incouraged to fight When Agesilaus had pight his fielde not farre from Orchomeno a Cittie that was in league with him and perceiuing that manie of his armie had theyr treasure and chéefe riches in the Campe hee commaunded the townes men to receiue nothing into the towne belonging to his armie to the intent his Souldiours might fight the more fiercelie knowing they should fight for liues and goodes Fabius Maximus fearing that his souldiours would not continue the fight manfully by reason they might quickly fly to their shippes commaunded they should be set on fire before he would begin the battaile Some haue constrained their men to fight through necessity takinge away from them al manner of hope of sauing them selues vnlesse they did ouercome And there is nothing to concitate the mindes of men more to incouragement then perswasion for him that knoweth howe to speake well for it kindleth the minde and humaine passions of a man it taketh away feare it ingendreth obstinacie to fight it discouereth deceiptes it sheweth perrilles and the way to auoide them it prayeth it promiseth rewardes it reprehendeth it threateneth it incourageth the mindes eyther of hope eyther else of dispaire Epaminondas being ready to enter battaile with the Lacedemonians to the ende that the strength of his Souldiours might be holpen by some ser uent meane pronounced to them in his exhortation that the Lacedemonians had determined if they gotte the victorie to slaie all theyr men to make theyr wiues and children bonde for euer and to beate down the Cittie of Thebes flat to the ground these wordes did so mooue the Thebanes to such heate and furie that at the first incounter they ouercame the Lacedemonians It is much beneficiall for Captaines aduisedlie to consider of the Captaine of his enemies whether he be rashe or politique whether he be fearefull or hardie whether he be more stronge in horsemen or in footemen and there after to vse his owne aduauntage Hannibal perceiuing that Fuluius the Romane Captaine was negligent and attempted many thinges vnaduisedly takinge the aduauntage of a miste that had some thinge obscured the ayre he made a small troupe of his Souldiours to shewe them selues to those that kept watche in the Romane tentes Fuluius hastelie rushing towards them with his Hoste Hanniball on the the other side inuaded his Campe and breaking out in the backe of the Romanes slue their captaine with 8000 of theyr best men at armes Iphicrates of Athens hauing knowledge that his enemies were accustomed to eate still at one time of the day hee therefore commaunded that his owne people should take theyr repast some thing more timelier then raunging foorth in battaile in that instant that his enemies should haue fallen to their victualles he so dalied with them as hée would neither giue them battaile neither suffer them to depart when it drewe towardes night with drawing him selfe as though he went to his lodging and kéeping his men still ready armed his enemies being aswell wearied with longe standinge and with long fasting made hast to refresh them selues and to betake them to theyr victualles Iphicrates bringinge foorth his armie againe on the suddaine setting on his enemies easely ouer came them It is many times behoueful for Captaines to 〈◊〉 from fight when the enemie is brought into some desperate passion through famine or other like naturall necessities and this caused the Lacedemonians béeing certified by theyr spyes that the Messenians were sette on such a rage that they came to the battaile men women and Children which caused the Lacedemonians to to deferre the fight Like wise when Caesar in the cyuill warre had inclosed the Host of Affranius and Petricus within a trench that they were pyned with thyrst in so much that they became desperate destroying all that would withstande them or proffered them fight which being perceiued by Caesar kept in his men supposing it then no time to begin The like respect is to be had that in fight they bring not the enemie into any extreame desperation so to inclose them that dispayre should make them fighte which caused Hanniball when he had inclosed the Germaines at Tarsimenus by which constraint they fought excéeding féercely to open his armie and to make them away to get out beating them downe as they fled with out any perrill to his owne people The like was vsed by L Marcius a Romane Knight when he had inclosed the Carthaginenses and so did Agesialus with the Thebanes When Themistocles had vanquished the power of Xerxes he would in no wise agrée that the bridge shold be broken ouer the which they should returne sayinge it were better to driue them out of Europe them to fight in dispaire All thinges thus considered and a willingnes setteled through the armie to fight let them force that the charge be not giuen in a furie which yet was neuer seconded by vertue for it bréedeth disorder and breache of araie that if victorie be not had at the very first brunte theyr confidence beginnes to quaile and then followeth presente discomfiture Nowe other wise where resolution with order is obserued there is no difficultye that may arise but will bee an occasion to confirme and strengthen theyr courage with hope of victorie which is neuer wanting where order and resolution are linked togeather Hanniball neuer gaue fight but he was still prepared with some Stratagem wherewith to amaze his enemies which many times did stand him in steede for the attaining of seuerall victories The spreading of rumours duringe the fight affirming the Captaine of the enemies to haue béene slaine hath manie times holpen as Iugurth in the battaile against C. Marius by the same policie made the Romanes to
of souldiours who as they are little prouided for in the time of peace so they are as smally cared for in the season of warre and this is not a little to bee meruailed at that when any occasion of seruice dooth happen some bee appointed for Captaines as knowes not how to place 100. men in good order of araye vnlesse it be peraduenture to marche them 3 or 5. in a rancke as they vse to fetch home a may pole VVee doo finde in the holy scriptures and that in seuerall places both in the bookes of Moyses in the booke of Iosua and others where they haue vsed not litle regard aswell in the chosing of their Captaines leaders and conductors as also in prescribing lawes and disciplines of warre which sometimes were appointed by the almighty God him selfe Phillip King of Macedonia did meruaile why the Athenians did euerye yeere choose newe Generalles and Captaines of the wars when he him selfe had found but one good namely Permenyo Alexander admitted none to the roome of a Captaine vnder the age of 60. But in England wee neuer number his yeeres we neither consider his knowledg we little regard his worthines we lesse esteeme his experience wee scarce examine his honestye Our Captaines are appointed more for fauour then for knowledge more for feendshippe then for experience more for opinion then for desert God graunt wee neuer come to make triall of the seruice of suche Captaines as I haue seene some if wee should there were great feare of vnhappy successe And this is to bee lamented amongst vs that wee can bee so prouident in matters of no importaunce and such causes where in our owne safeties dooth especially consist wee eyther neglect them altogether or else performe them with little care and lesse foresight If the matter were well examined we should finde that the safety both of Prince state country subiects and altogether consisted in the worthines of the Captaine and to this most fitly agreed the saying of that noble souldiour Sir VVylliam Drury who many times woulde vse these wordes The want of a horsse shooe nayle may bee the losse of the shooe the losse of the shooe the spoile of the horsse the spoyle of the horsse the losse of the man the losse of a man the ouerthrowe of an army the ouerthrowe of an army the losse of a Princes crowne If small thinges thus by degrees may conclude suche great preiudice in the wynding vppe as it can not bee denayde what successe is to be looked for where captaines and leaders are so vtterly ignoraunt that many of them knowes not when it is time to charge nere when it were good to retire and as Socrates saith the boldenes of the ignoraunt ingendreth manye euilles and Agesilaus affyrmeth the lacke of experyence breedeth the lacke of corage And as histories make mencion more feeldes haue beene loste for wante of gouernement then for want of strength To giue a braue charge is a thing proper to euery ordinarie souldiour but to make a good retreat in time in order therin consisteth the skill of the Captaine The vnexpert Captaine and the vnlearned phisition doo buy their experience at to deere a rate for it is still purchased with the price of mens liues The place of a Captaine is honourable and ought not to bee giuen but to men of experience of valiaunce and of vertue and yet I haue heard tell where they haue beene made marchandyse of and bought and solde for money but I dare not say that I haue knowen it my selfe for paraduenture I should offend But I hope souldiours shall not bee still illegitimate they shall be esteemed accordinge to desert The Deuine for tellinge a learned discourse in a Pulpette is rewarded with a Bishopricke and but accordinge as hee is worthy the Lawyer for makinge a good Plea at the Barre is brought to the Benche and it is doone wyth consideration The Souldiour that watches that wardes that trauelles that toyles that makes hys bodye a defence for Cannon shotte and feareth no perrylles for the looue of hys Countrye I trust will be better considered of God hath wonderfully blessed vs with sweete and quiet peace but let vs not be secure as though we had it by patten we haue enemies abroade if they had oportunitie but take heede of papistes here at home they are more to be feared then hee that was borne in Spayne Haue they not made sundry profers to stirre vp seditious tumultes nay what doo they leaue vnattempted to disturbe this happye gouernement But would you haue some speciall markes howe you may knowe them then listen and by these meanes you may easely smell them out You shall haue them inquiring of newes spreading of rumours lying forging counterfeiting and dissembling what action hath there beene so honouraly performed sithe that noble Earle of Leicester vndertooke these lowe country seruices whych hath not beene defaced heere at home by our slaundering Papistes VVhat good newes hath there come ouer which they haue not paraphrased what enterprise so iustly attempted which they haue not eclipsed or what exployt so brauely accomplished which they haue not methamorphised Such is the deuotion of our religious Catholiques that they straine no curtesie to forge lyes to practise treasons to commit murthers to stirre vppe rebellions nay what outrage is there so mischeeuous which they wil not enter into to doo their holy father seruice These be their workes meritorious which so many times they boast of and by this ladder they thinke to clime vp to heauen gates where saint Peter standes watching ready to let them in O how many vngodly practises haue they intended against our most gratious princesse how are they continually busied in conspiring against her but that almighty God who first planted her to their subuersion hath not fayled still to protect her no doubt to their confusion VVere not the furie that ouerruleth them more then extreame they could not be such enemies to their owne discretion but that they might well discerne it is Gods blessing that so mightely defendeth her against the Popes cursing and although his holines hath taken great paines in sending foorth his Iesuits his Seminaries and other his ministers from time to time with so many conspiracies and such seuerall practises against her maiesty yet at their departure when they come to craue his fatherlye benediction God be thanked he blesseth them al to the gallowes And although that accidentes are many times sufficient to serue their turne either to confirme eyther to confound religion according to the euent I wonder they cannot aswell condemne a Papist in his ill successe that is sent ouer with so many hallowed bulles as they will doo a protestante for the least misfortune that may befal him but if this light were sufficient for men to iudge cullours by who more blessed then our gratious Elizabeth who so happily hath raigned ouer vs this 28. yeeres how mightily hath God preserued her from the conspiracies of
confederates that practyse agaynst her God so blesse her noble Counsaylers that in all theyr consultations they may determine nothyng but that may redounde to the safetye honour and renowne of noble England Amen ⧠A Path-waie to Militay Practise first of the election and choosinge a Generall AS sweete and quiet peace is the blessinge of God and is especially to be preferred amongest true Christians yet as Cicero sayeth wée must sometime take warres in hand to the ende that wée may the more safelye inioye this happye peace and Verro likewise affirmeth that armes are many times necessary to resiste the outward force of enemies to represse domestical seditions and to defend the liberty of subiectes and it is holden for a principle in common policie that it is better to offende then defend That Princes in policie shoulde vse all possible meanes for the defence of true religion for the safety of his owne estate for the maintenaunce of his louing subiectes for resisting the crueltyTyrantes is both warranted by the opinion of all politique wryters and in of the holy Scriptures not onelie tolerated but in manie places expresly commaunded In the 14. of Genesis Abraham entred into armes for the recouerye of hys brother Lot in the 31. of Numeri Moyses is willed to make warres vpon the Madianites by the expresse commaundement of God Saule in the first booke of Kinges the 15. Chapter hath the lyke commaundement in the book of Iudges Chapter 2. the children of Israell were blamed for making of peace with the Cananites A prince therefore that mindes to enter into armes is fyrst to consider of the equity of his cause then making choyse of a Generall such a one as feares God is likewise to fortefie him selfe with the goodnes of his quarrell neither is there any meane more rather to incite men to valiaunce then when they shall remember they goe to the fight in a righteous cause for fortitude euer fighteth for equitie and iustice and valiaunce without iustice is to be accounted rashnes but euery vertue hath his counterfeite folower as deceipt sometime créeping in is called policie so rashnes shrowdeth it selfe vnder the title of fortitude And as Plutarche sayth all valiaunt men are hardye but al hardy men not valiaunt the distinction groweth where men wil oppose thē selues into perril sometime without iustice sometime without iudgemēt according to this saying of Plato That not onely the knowledge which is seuered from Iustice is rather to be called subtiltie then wisedome but also the courage which is forwarde to daunger with out iudgement and for a common profit may rather beare the name of lewde hardines then valiaunce A Generall thus fortefied in his owne conscience with the iustice of his quarrell is nowe to satisfie his whole company with the example of his vertue and as the eye aboue the rest of our sences is least mistaken and the minde apter to receiue impresion by what the eye séeth then by that the eare heareth so there is not a more spèedy meane to make inferiours to embrace vertues then when they shall sée the gouernour or Generall giue first example in his owne person A Generall therefore must especially both looue and feare God he must not be without learned Preachers and Ministers of gods word which must instructe and teach the Armie practising them aswell in the feare of God as in duety and obedence to theyr Commaunders Captaines and Officers In his owne person he must be magnanimious curteous gratious easie to be spoken with constant in his counsayles quicke in his executions and secréete in his determinationes that his intentes may be kept close Thus shall he be honoured not for feare of his power but for the loone of his vertue the good opinion whereof béeing setled in the hartes of his souldiours is of wonderful eficacie for the accomplishment of al his attemptes and enterprises When Scipio had vndertaken the subuersion of Carthage in marchinge on his way towardes the execution a noble man demaunding of him wherein his hope consisted for the performaunce of so difficulte an enterprise Scipio aunswered in the looue of my Souldiours which I knowe to bee such towardes me that if I shall bidde them to cast them selues from the height of yonder Rocke they will not refuse it when it shall redounde to my honour and reputation Mercy and Iustice in a Generall be two precious ornamentes aswell to winne the looue of his owne people as to drawe the hartes of his very enemies and many times haue béene of greater effecte to subdue them then the force and strength of mighty armes there is no one thing more requisit in a General then a a francke and liberall minde which maketh a souldidiour more profitable to the battell in the day of fight then a miserable vnthankfull wretch with multitudes of treasure He must be milde courteous gentle and louing amongst his souldiours preferring the safety of his owne people before the killing of his enemies A Generall thus adorned in his owne person is nowe to make choyse of his counsaile for the warres his great Officers for the feelde his Captaines leaders and conductours of his army His counsalers should bee men of quicke capacitie ready witte and sound iudgement and here accordinge to the minde of the Philosopher I would wishe a generall should rather be aduised by suche as looues hym then by those that are best belooued of him selfe the first he shall fynde faithfull and firme for his honour the other perhappes may flatter and speake to please humours His Officers Captaines and leaders must bee chosen for vertue not for oppinion for knowledge not for fauour for experience not for fréendshippe They should not bée men detected with vices for pride bréeds disdaine couetousnes extorting bothe of Prince and Souldiour swearing bringeth hatefulnes to all honest eares Cato béeing Censurer to make choyse of a Generall of the Pannonian warres sayde with a loude voyce that hée woulde dysmisse Publius because hée had séene him walke the stréetes of Rome perfumed but in my oppinion it is a president of some errour to sée a Captayne that shall goe all to bée guilded and to sée hys poore Souldiours followe with neyther Hose to theyr legges nor Shooes to their féete Good perswasion and to knowe howe to speake wel is a most necessary vertue both in Generall Officer and Captaine some time by oration to adde incouragement to theyr Souldiours some time it containeth them in order and diseipline and many times it more preuaileth to bringe the enemy to composition and agreement then their squadrons and troupes were able to winne by force Cineas by the excellencie of his oraforie brought more townes in subiection is his maister Phyiihus by his tongue then Phyiihus him selfe could do by his valour Generalles are now to prouide for all manner of warlike munitions and prouisions both offenciue and defeneiue aswell for the féelde as the towne he must be prepared of pay of victuall
light horsed without armour seruing either with Pistoll or Petronell and as the shotte one foote béeing charged doo retire for succours to theyr pikes so these Carbines may skyrmidge loosely and deliuering their volleies are not able to stand any charge but must retire to the launce for his safety The Generall of the Horse hauinge the roles of al the bandes with the names of their Captaines is to deuide them so equally for euery seruice that such as be imployed in the day must be releeued in the night and those that haue serued in the nyght must haue rest in the daye other wyse the Horse wyll so sodainely be inféebled that he will be seruiceable but a very small time In the day of fight he is to deuide his companies into winges and troopes appointinge who shall first giue charge who shall come to seconde them who shall stand for rescues and thus to directe them that euery man knowing what he hath to doo may the rather hope of victory or at least keepe them selues in safety The Generall of Horse ought to giue warninge through his companies that they neither disarme themselues neyther vnfadell nor vnbridell their Horse tyll the Campe be impalde and scoutes put foorth The Generall of the Horse must not bee vnprouided of Smithes Farriers or Horseleaches Sadlers in lyke manner euery Captaine of Horsemen furnished in his cariages with Sickles Sithes Combes Cordes Betles stockes c. The Generall of the Horsemen may haue his Leiftenaunt a man sufficient in skill bothe to assist him in all occasions and in his absence to commaunde in euery thing with lyke authoritie as his generall might doo and is called the Lieftenaunte of the Horse ⧠The Colonell generall of the footemen or Eanteri A Colonell Generall is a place of great authority and is to commaunde all other Colonelles of foote regimentes if the Generall shall haue occasion to vse companies for any seruice the Colonell generall is to appoynte them which they shal be he must therefore haue a role of all the Colonelles and Captaines of euery other regiment to the ende hée may order and deuyde them as vpon occasion he shall sée méete he is onely to be directed by the Generall or Lord Marshall after they haue determined he him selfe directeth all the rest Upon occasions of seruice where honor is to be won he is to vse all the regimentes with such indifferency as they haue no cause to grudge or repine ¶ Of the high Treasurer at VVarres THis Office amongest the reste is of great recconing he is euer of the counsaile and may fréely speake his opinion concerninge any action or enterpryse he is to make paiment vpon the receipt of the Generalles warrant to all Collonels Captaines or Officers what so euer but yet defeating of all arereges wherwith he shall be charged either by the maister of the Ordenaunce the Uictualer or clarke of the chek He is to receiue from the Muster maister the perfect number and true charge both of Horse men and foote men and of all the rest that taketh pay through the whole Campe then geathering a proportion of the charge as it monthly amounteth vnto he is to present it to the Generall to the ende hee may make prouision for pay accordingly The office of the Serieant Maior THis Officer should bee a man of most exquisite knowledge throughly examined in all manner of fourmes and proportiones of imbatteling hee must haue the perfect number of euery sorte of weapon that is brought into the fielde so shall he orderly martial them with the quicker expedition lesser confu sion In the day of fight he must haue consideration to the nature of the place and in fourming of his battell take any aduantage that the ground will afforde him Hée must likewise consider of the forces of the enemie and whether his strength more consisteth in Horse men or in footemen and as he shall finde them prepared to dispose of his owne order thereafter and as by aduauntages of groundes many helpes may be taken so in the plaine where there is nothing to trust but order I cannot thinke any proportion more defencible against both Horse and foote then the iust squadron for that it is stronge euery way a like We haue many fourmes of battell as hereafter I meane to write on some altogether vnnecessary other some though very excellent yet very daungerous to bée ranged before an enemy where Souldiours are not more excéeding perfect then commonly we haue them in England But the iust square is a most sure fight plaine and not curieus in orderinge and in the plaine fielde as seruice holdeth at this day I know no fourme that may be iustly sayd to better it The Sarieant Maior hath for his assistauntes the foure Corporalles of the féelde which should be men likewise of good experience and should still be attendaunt to the direction of the Sarieant Maior helping him in euery quarter and at euery season as he shall giue them instructiones The day when the army shall remooue he must repaire to the Lord high Marshall or Colonell generall to knowe in what order the armye shall marche ⧠Of the Master of the Ordenaunce THis Office is of great reputation and asketh both iudgement and experience he taketh charge of the Artillery and all other munitions the which in the Campe he must sée safely internched and in the day time conueniently guarded with a warde and in the night time as surely watched Hée must haue knowledge in fortification to plante his ordenaunce in places of most aduauntagè aswell for the guarde of the Campe as to make batterie in beséeging either Towne or Forte He must not onely haue his Ordenaunce well and stronglie mounted the cariages and wheles surelye bounde with Iorne but he must bée likewise furnished with spare axeltrées wheles cariages ingens to mount them ladels rammers sponges crowes of Iron and leauers to vse them Many other thinges hée must be furnished of about the drawing of them whether with Oxen or Horse they must haue Carte ware ropes and other necessaries which the Cannoners are to looke for but the maister of the Ordenaunce must make prouision for the same He must haue from the Marshall Pyoners and Labourers to goe with the ordenaunce aswell to make or mende waies through Moores or Fennes as they shall happen to passe but also if by casually a péece shoulde be ouerthrowne there may be helpe readie to mount it He must be prouided of skilfull Cannoners Inginers Smithes Whele wrightes Carpenters and such like There are many other thinges that concerneth this office as for sundry occasions to be prouided of fyre workes and all suche simples and necessaries fit to compound them with inginyng myninge trenchinge and such like are to be directed by the maister of the ordenaunce and for his better helpe is alowed a Leifetenaunt which should be a man well séene and exercysed in the premisses ⧠The Master Gunner
THe master Gunner béeing an officer depending of the maister of the Ordenaunce I will therefore in this place set downe his charge he ought not onely in him selfe to be exactly perfect in his Péece but also make trial of the rest that be vnder him that he may be assured they be able to discharge theyr places he must be lyke assured that they bée still attendaunt in theyr place of charge and to haue all things in readinesse to take oportunities He should practise them to beate such places vsuallie traded by the enemie that he may the better know his marke when he shall sée occasion which is very beneficiall to such as are beséeged and defending of some passage may much annoie a Campe. His wantes of poulder shotte ladels sponges rammers and other like necessaries concerninge his arte are to be supplied from the maister of the Ordenaunce ¶ The Trench master TH Trench master is likewise appendaunt to the maister of the ordenaunce for the intrenching of a Campe it is commonly staked out aswel the curtines ringes as flankers his greatest care must be so to conuey his trenches eyther before a Towne or Fort that shall be beséeged that the enemy doo not flanke them for that the castinge and conueying of Trenches orderly dooth concerne great safetie to so many as shall haue occasion to passe to and fro ¶ The Munster master IN making of Musters this Officer is to suruey euer Souldiour whether Horse man or Footeman not onely of the ability of the person but also of the sufficiency of his furniture aswell Horse Armour Weapon and altogether and eyther to passe or defaut them as he shall finde reasonable cause and to make certificate accordingly to the Treasuror that he may stop suche defautes of theyr pay The Munster maister is to make out warrantes by his booke for so many as be in paye from the fyrst of his enterie forth on from time to time vnder his hand which béeing signed by the Generall is sufficient to the Treasuror ¶ The Scoute master THe Scoute maister euery euening vpon the soun ding of the Marshalles Trumpet to the watche must receiue by assignement from the General or Liefetenaunt of the Horsemen a sufficient number to scoute the which by him selfe must be directed into crosse wayes and other places of perrill in euerie quarter of the Campe he must exhorte them still to silence and to haue regard to looke about them and not to forsake theyr places appointed till discouerers be put foorth in the morning to the fielde Hee is in the morning by lyke assignement at the discharginge of the watche to receiue a competent number of men to discouer the which he must likewise appoynt to places of most conuenience for the purpose in like manner when the Campe dooth marche he must bée styll scouring afore to sée the coast be cléere ¶ The Forrage master THe Forrage master is likewise to receiue from the Liefetenaunt of the Horse an able companie of Horsemen for the guarde of forragers and such as shall fetche in necessaries the which vpon the sounde of a Trumpet must altogether goe forwarde not suffering them nor any other to straggle out of his companie further then he is able to rescue them and if they be farre from the Caâ—upâ— not to suffer any to departe home warde till they be all prouided and then as they came foorth so to returne all againe togeather ¶ The Carriage master THe Carriage master in lyke manner is aswell to haue a Cornet of Horsemen from the Liefetenaunt of the Horse for his guard as also loose shot from the Colonell Generall or else to marche with all his baggage betwéene the troopes of footemen for his more suretie ¶ Of a Colonell THe place of a Colonell is of honourable reputation and therefore besides experience he should be a man of credite and good countenaunce and as that most noble Gentleman Sir William Russell a Parragon of Armes at this day is many times accustomed to say that he which wanteth liberalitie is possessed with all the vices in the world so that Colonell that hath not a bountifull minde and a francke disposition to lende reléefe to a poore distressed Souldiour especially of his owne retinue and regiment is vnworthy to haue the comaunding of men and not fitte to haue gouernement nor beare office in a Campe. In places where Souldiours are not leuied by the Princes Commission the generall is to make choyce of his Collonels men both sufficient in countenaunce and credyt for the leuying of such companies as the Generall shall commit to his charge then receiuing his commission with imprest the Colonell in like case is to make choyse of his Captaines impresting euery of them lykewise for the raisinge of theyr seuerall companies But in England vpon occasion of seruice Souldiours are euer leuied by the Princes commission where if such consideration were had in the choosinge of them as there ought it were the more safety for the seruice better for the Captaine and much more beneficiall for the Souldiour considering his furniture is allowed him by the Countrie which other wise is cut of from his pay if hée be not able to furnish him selfe The Colonell hath the commaunding of all such Captaines vnder his owne regyment to directe vpon any occasion of seruice as hée shall sée good A Colonell may haue his Liefetenaunt Colonell his Sarieant Maior his Prouost and his Quarter master within his owne regyment A Colonell may correcte misdemeanours of his Captaines he may call a Marshall Courte of his owne officers for the punishing of offences or for the administring of Justice ¶ Of a Captaine THe place of a Captaine is not lightly to be considered of vpon his skill and knowledge consisteth the safety or losse of many mens liues but especially seruice standing nowe as it dooth most commonly in skirmidges where the Captaine most ordenarily is not holpen but with the aduauntage of his own experience In the olde time many yéeres agoe when armyes many times vsed to appoint the fielde where their whole forces were brought to incounter the weakenes of a Captaine might the better be borne with all when theyr were so manye superiour officers to dyrect hym and yet in those dayes they vsed circumspection in nothing more then in choosing of theyr Captaines but seruice standing as it dooth at this instant ouer it was then wee ought to haue thrée times more regarde then they had and yet we vse tenne times lesse then they did And I wonder howe so many insufficient men dare oppose them selues to vndertake a matter of so great importaunce whose inexperience besides by cyrcumstaunce that it concerneth the losse of a countrie so in it consisteth the hazard of many mens liues if it were more but his owne the matter were the lesse for hee may value of that as him selfe shall sée good but remorse of conscience should touch him to consider of his Countrimen when his want
giue backe so did Mironides of Athens against the Thebanes whereby hee gotte the victory When Valerius Leuius fought against Pirrhus and had kilde a priuate Souldiour holding vp his sword all bloody made bothe the hosts beléeue that he had kylled king Pyrrhus wherefore his enemies supposing them selues to be destitute by the death of theyr Captaine all abashed theygaue ouer the fight When a barbarous alien in battaile had brought worde to Q. Sextorious that Herculeius was slaine he slewe him straght with his dagger least he should haue borne those newes any further to haue discouraged the armie Captaines are in like case well to consider howe they followe theyr enemies till the battaile be perfourmed for he that with his people disordered persueth the enemie may sometime giue the conquest from him selfe as Q. Fabius Maximus consull béeing sent to succour the Sutrines against the Hetruscines the whole force of his enemies assayling him hée dissembling as though hee feared them made showe of flight til he had gotten the aduauntage of ground the other following out of order were by him not onely surprised but also bereaued of cheir Campe. ¶ Obseruations aswell for the victor as conquered WHere victory is attained it is most necessary especially for Christians reuerently to giue thanks to the most high almighty God humbly to ackowledge his grace and goodnes in all theyr accomplishmentes and this to be doon with all humilitie vpon theyr knées yet enery mā to kepe his place wherin the Captaine is to vse great respect not through the affiaunce of his victory to leaue him selfe disordered for so sometimes from a victor he may become vā quish◠as T. Martius a Romane knight being gouernour of the residue of the host that remained after the death of the two Scipioes this T. Martius perceiuinge the two hostes of the Persians not lyinge farre from hym carelesse and out of order through affiaunce of theyr victory which before they had attained perswaded with hys Souldieurs to set vpon the host that laye next vnto him in the midde of the night where they made suche a slaughter that there was not so much as a messenger left aliue to beare tidinges of this miserable mischaunce then giuing hys souldiours some small respyt to refreshe them the same night with all spéede preuenting the same of any thing doone inuaded the other armie and thus twyce in one night inioyed like happy chaunce of Battel and still following oportunitie be euery where destroyed the Persians and restored Spaine againe to the Romanes The victor after fight is so to deuide the spoyle as there may fall out no contention he must not forget to burie his dead that shall be slaine in the conflicte hee must raunsome home suche of hys Souldiours as the enemie holdeth prysoners to deale fauourably with hys enemies that are taken prysoners by hym selfe not onelie wynneth theyr hartes but maketh hym the more renowned These thinges thus perfourmed he is eyther to followe the aduauntage of hys seruice or else to retyre to some place of securitye where they may rest The persued haue vsed to scatter money in the way to hynder the followers By this meane Triphon King of Siria escaped Antiochus Horse men and when the Gaulles should fight with Attalus they deliuered all theyr Golde and Siluer to bee kept of certayne men that might scatter it abroade if it happened they were put to flyght to the intent they might the more easely escape theyr enemies béeing hyndred with the gathering vp of the pray but Galltroppes were to a more purpose to hynder Horse men and were better chepe to bée scattered about then eyther Golde or Siluer When Q. Sertorius was put to flight of Quintus Metellus Pius hée supposed it not a thinge sure inough to flye but also he warned hys Souldiours to disparple them selues diuers wayes assigning them a place whether he would haue them to resorte Some to preuent the worste would beginne the fight a little before night to the ende that if they were ouerthrowne through the darkenes of the night they might the better scape away What might farther be sayd I leaue to the discretion of the skylfull Captaine and will bréefely speake of other necessaries not amisse to be remembred for some other purposes ¶ Marching through vnknowen places AN armie that shall marche through places that be vnknowen but especially being in the enemies countrie must vse great diligence for béeing belayde either as they are to passe riuers straights or other places of aduauntage fitte to hide ambushes Alexander vsed to haue such places discribed in mappes which should be hanged in the Campe to be viewed by all whereby they might learne to knowe the places the distaunces the wayes the hilles the Riuers the fennes the straightes the wooddes and all places of perill fitte for the enemie eyther to take aduauntages or to hyde ambushes Ambushes haue sometimes béene discouered by the raysing of great dust or when Dooues or Byrdes hath béene séene to flye about in flockes turninge to and fro and hath not séemed to light but the surest way is to haue wise and diligent scoutes and banquerers to view those places to sée the Country cléere And as troupes may fal into these daūgers by marching thus vnawares so they must wisely fore sée that they be not trained into them by crafte as the Fideniens who lying for Romulus as hee should passe which hee by espiall gettinge intellgence of laying part of his armie in secréet ambushe then approching where his enemies were from whom he fayned fearefully to flie and they hastely persuinge him hee brought them where his ambushes were layd who assailing them on euery side easely slewe them Some of purpose hath put foorth a pray and by suffering the enemie to take it hath belayed theyr passage which way they should driue it and by this meanes haue intrapped them They must therefore take héede not hastely to bite at euery baite or vnaduisedly chop vpon such things as are contrarie to reason if many of the one side be driuen away by a fewe of the other or if a few on the one side assaulte many of the other or if some sodaine flight be made not standing with reason let thē in these causes iudge the worst so shall they be assured to be least beguiled ⧠To passe Riuers and Straightes what hath beene practised TO passe Riuers some haue cut out a Trench lyke a raine howe or halfe moone filling it full of woode and settinge it then on fire by these meanes haue passed This policie was vsed by Q Sextorius in Spaine likewise by Pelopidas a Theban against the Thessalonians When Cressus might not wade ouer the Riuer Hal is neither yet could make Boate nor bridge he cast a ditche behinde his armie and turned the course an other way Caesar in Fraunce tooke the benefit of a Woode where in he left certaine companies which after hée was marched away caste a Bridge ouer a Riuer
Gallies and to other places of like slauery And those Captaines that hath made triall of such Souldiours would gladly be ridde of his charge to be eased of his trouble The first thinge therefore that is to be respected in a Souldiour is the honesty of his minde which beeing lincked with religion there is no doubt but that Souldiour will be brought both to the feare of God to the obedience of his Captaine and to the obseruaunce of discipline The Romaines who for theyr martiall obseruation were most renowned the rather to kéepe Souldiours vnder awe and discipline they adioyned to theyr owne lawes and ordinaunces the authority of God and vsed with great ceremonie to make them sweare to keepe the disciplines of warre The Grecians in like manner their souldiours being armed and brought to the Church receiued this oathe I will not doo any thinge vnworthy the sacred and holy wars neither wil I abandō or forsake my band Captaine to whom I am appointed I will fight for the right of the Church and safety of the State I will not make my Countrey to be in worse case then it is but I will make it better then I founde it I will euer frame my selfe reuerently to obey those lawes also that the State shall hereafter by common assent inacte or sette downe that if any one shall chaunge the lawes or not obay them I will not suffer him to my power much lesse will I allowe in so dooing but I will be a sure defender of right aswell by my selfe alone as when I am with others and I wil euer more honor the religion of my Countrey To these my sayings I call the Gods to witnesse These and such other like cathes the antiquitie administred to their Souldiours to nourishe obedience for besides valiaunce a souldiour must be adorned with these special vertues which are silence obedience and truth a good souldiour must haue speciall regard to the kéeping of his furniture cleane seruiceable in stéede of dicing drincking swearing let him vse running wrasteling leaping or such other like exercises of agility let him kéepe his owne quarter and not depart without the licence of his officer a Souldiour thus disposed may cōfort him selfe with hope of aduauncemēt ¶ Of Disciplines AS these considerations in the choosing of Captaines officers and souldiours haue euer béene especiallie regarded amongst the most renowned and best experienced warriours so an army béeing thus chosen the lyke respect must be had in the appointing of lawes disciplines and orders the which the Generall by aduise of his counsaile is discréetly to set downe and to haue them openly published by sound of Trumpet that the whole Campe may take notyce therof and béeing thus proclaimed he must vse as great seuerity to haue thē maintained for what wil it auaile the making of good lawes where there is no care had to sée them surely kept We doo finde in the holy scriptures and that in many places aswell in the booke of Moses as the booke of Iosua where lawes and disciplines of warre were many times appointed by the almighty God him selfe and that he would not suffer disobedience to escape vnpunished it is euident by Corah Dathan and Abiram that were swallowed vp in the earth for mutinie But the Romanes who aboue the rest did most excéede for their martiall prescriptiones so they were as seuere in punishing the offences of suche as shoulde infringe and breake theyr lawes of armes They punished with death him that lacked in the watch he that forsooke the place that was giuen him to fight in he that caryed any thinge hidde out of the Campe if any man should say he had doone some worthy thinge in fight and had not doone it he that for feare had cast away his weapon and when it happened that the whole Legion had committed the like faulte their names were taken and put together in a bagge and euery tenth man as they were drawne were executed When Marcus Cato after a token giuen had loosed from the coast of his enemies where he had laine a certaine space and sawe one of his Souldiours lefte on the shore crying calling and beckoning to be taken in hée cast about with his whole Nauie to the shore againe and commaunded the same Souldiour to bee taken and straight put to death willinge rather to make him an example to the rest then that he should be slaine by his enemies with reproch and infamie The Romanes punished nothing with more seueritie then those actions that were either attempted against commaundement or enterprised against reason but as they punished those victories that were attained by lewde hardines so misfortune deminished not his reputation that attempted with discretion neyther attributing cowardlines to ill successe nor valiaunce to good fortune for the euent of such enterprises commendes not the execution neither is it the successe that makes vs perfect wise but to attempt with reason and iudgement confirmes wee séeme to haue wisdome Papirius Cursor being Dictatour required that Fabius Rutilius should first be beaten with roddes and then bée beheaded because he fought without his commaūdement notwithstanding he had the conquest neither would he forgiue the punishment for the contention or entercession and request of the Souldiours neither per suing him to Rome whether he fledde would he there remit this dreafull sentence till Fabius him selfe with his father fel both on their knées and that also the whole Senate and people made intercession for him This were a harde world for some hare brainde Captaines that are ready to choppe vpon euery chaunce like a gudgion that is readie to bite at euery baite neuer fearinge the hooke till she be hanged by the lippes Manlius Torquatus caused his sonnes head to be stricken of because he had forsaken his place and went to fight with an enemie that had challenged him and stue him And Salust dooth report that there were more souldiours put to death amongst the Romanes for setting vpō theyr enemies before they had licence then for running out of the fielde before they had fought And as the Romanes were thus precise in maintaininge theyr discyplines seuerely so their Campe in those daies was a Schoole of honour Iustice Obedience duety and loyaltie where nowe a denne of deceipte trechery theiuery iniurie and all manner of impiety ¶ Heereafter followeth sundry Stratagemes and many good instructions practised by the antiquity and necessary for diuers purposes ⧠What is to be respected before you enter Battel THe most renowned Emperour Augustus gaue these instructions for Captaines as followeth that although a Prince were mighty yet if he were wise hee would neuer giue battel vnlesse there were more apparant profit in the victory then losse if the enemie should ouercome And the most approoued Captaines helde this opinion that it were not good to bringe theyr men to fight except they had aduauntage or else brought to it by constraint The aduaūtage groweth by the Scituation of the