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
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
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
of knowledge shall sometime bréede to much rashnes and sometime againe to little courage A Captaine that might be thought worthy should aswell haue knowledge how to gouerne as experience how to traine wherein he is to vse great diligence instructing them in theyr order of aray the vse of theyr weapons teachinge them to know the soundes of Drummes He must in no wise be iniurious to the Souldiour for his paye but as carefully he must vse diligence to get it so as chéerefully he must paye euery may his due hée that neglecteth this neglecteth his owne credite and reputation nay more his honesty neither is it fitte hée should goe vnpunished that barreth or deminisheth a soul diour of hys paye A Captaine should bée loouing and comfortable to his companie and as he is to correcte and punishe them for their faultes so he is to commend and incourage them in theyr well dooinges some consideration a Captaine should haue for the carriage of conuenient necessaries for his souldiours when they goe to the fielde yet no more then must néedes he had he shold haue some store of Hatchets to cut bowghes to make their Cabbines for want of which they breake many Swordes to conclude a Captaine that can carefully consider of his Souldiours necessities and leuinglie prouide to furnishe theyr wantes shall haue bothe vnfayned looue and dutifull obedience of hys Souldiours without the which he is not onely assured to loose his credite but many times in more perrill of his owne company then of the enemy ⧠Of a Liefetenaunt THe Liefetenaunt of a companie in his Captaines absence hath authority to directe all and in his Captaines presence to disburthen him of some inferiour toyles His place requires knowledge in the fielde trust to his Captaine fréendship to his inferiour officers and looue to the Souldiours In discharging his duetie his office is painefull and therafter to be considered if his Captaine be gratefull ⧠The Ensigne AS the Ensigne in the fielde is the honour of the bande so the Ensigne bearer in like case shoulde bée honoured by his company and this reputation is best attained by his owne curteous demeanour towards the souldiours the looue of whom concerneth greatly his owne safety in all perrilles and attempts M. Furius Camillus séeinge his armie begin to stagger and to stande at a staye thrust his Ensigne bearer amongst his enemies in whose recouery the Souldiours taking courage charged againe a freshe The Ensigne bearer therefore should be a man of curteous disposition towardes the Souldiours couragious and chéerefull when he is before the enemie in any distresse resolute rather to loose his life then to loose hys Cullours ⧠Of the Sarieant IT is requisite in euery bande that besides a Captaine a Lieftenaunt and an Ensigne there bee for euery hundred men a Sarieant this Sarieant should bee a man of good experience of quicke and liuely spirite and able to take paine He should be a father amonge Souldiours makinge the Captaine or Leifetenaunt priuie to theyr wantes and to sée all thinges equally distributed amongest them that there be no cause of discention he ought in gentle and fréendly manner to appease all strifes and contentious quarrelles that shall fall out amongest Souldiours and if by curtesie he can not perswad thē let him then bring the offenders to punishment He must be ready to trayne and practise such as he shal finde to be vnperfit in their weapons gentely to shewe them the best and readyest way Hee must sée them to marche straight in theyr ranckes carrying their weapons orderly without any communication or loude speaking amongst them A good Sarieant in a bad company shall finde busines more then inough tell they bée well trayned and is therefore to be considered of by his Captayne The Drummes IT is necessarie that euery company haue two drums the one to be stil resident with the Cullours the other to marche with the Troupes as vpon occasion they shall be drawne foorth These Drummes must bée perfect to sounde a call a march a charge a retrait a larum and such lyke poyntes of warre And for that they are many times sent on messages to the enemy about prisoners or other causes it were conuenient they should be discréet and sober least they should be vndermined The Chyrurgion A Good and skilfull Chyrugion is a necessary man to bée had in a companie suche a one as should worke accordinge to arte not practisinge newe experimentes vpon a poore Souldiour by meane whereof many haue béene vtterly mayned by a Chyrurgions practise that other wise might haue doon very well A Chyrurgion knoweth what salues oyntmentes oyles balmes and instrumentes are requisite to bée had and must haue them in readines hée should not lykewise in the time of seruice be without his bauldricke that he might be knowne it serueth his turne likewise in the night to passe the watche without the worde when vppon occasion hée must goe to his cures The Clarcke of the Band. THe Clarke of the bande is to bée placed by the Captaine a man of great trust and hath to kéepe the Countes and recconinges betwéene the Captaine and his Souldiours His greatest commendation is to write to reade to cast accountes to bée honest and iuste betwéene the Captaine and his Souldiours Of the Corporall or Launceprezado IT is much beneficiall for the redines for seruice that accompany of men should be deuided into fower squadrons the weapons equally deuided and to be committed to the charge of foure Corporalles who is not onely to exercise them in the vse of their weapons to sée them continually furnished with all necessaries and the shotte to be still prouided with poulder match bullets and such lyke but especiallie to haue care to the kéeping of theyr furniture cleane and seruiceable A companie that is thus deuided and the Corporall dutifull in hys place is very readie eyther to watch or warde or to manie other purposes where one or two squadrons are to be drawne foorth and may suffice for some seruices A wise Corporall that thinketh to come to credit will vse dilligence in his place because it is his first step of preferment and for his more ease he hath his Launceprezado or deputie to assist him Of a priuate Souldiour IN the choyse of a Souldiour his manners and conditiones is first to bee respected otherwise you may make choyse of an instrument of many mischéefes the composition and abilitie of his body is then to be considered in the like manner his sufficencie for yeeres In England when seruice happeneth we disburthen the prisons of Théeues wee robbe the Tauernes and Alehouses of Tospottes and Ruffines wee scoure both Towne Cuntrie of Rogges and vagabons And is not a Captaine that is furnisht with such a company like to doo great seruice and to kéepe them in good discipline In other Countries where they vse the seruice of malefactours they admit them not for souldiours but they send them to theyr
incounteringe of a Sheare battaile they vsed an order which they called a Sawe battaile as appeareth in this fourme THese with many other proportions which they vsed as their halfe moone their worme ther D. their G theyr S. with such like are not worth the fyguring foorth as the seruice now standeth Their hearse battailes their broad squares their baase squares theyr bastard squares are very good but best to be vsed vppon aduauntage of ground and although my leasure wyll not now permit me to set them downe proportionable to euery number yet I hope in the meane time you will accept of some fewe that shall hereafter followe The Crosse battaile the figure wherof is this insuing is a most excellent fight but to order it in due proportion to euery number is a little difficult and asketh longer time then I can now stand about and will there fore leaue it tyll some other oportunitie The Crosse Battaile THere bée other fourmes of battailes framed of many battalions impaide with sléeues and fillets of Pikes which as they are very excellent against the enemie so they are most daungerous for that they are quickly disordered where Souldiours be not most exquisitely trained But the fight now onelie consisting in Shot and Pikes there is no fourme of imbatteling to be preferred before the iust square or if your numbers be sufficient to order them into 2. 3. or 4. squadrons according to these figures ¶ A battaile of 2. squadrons Fronte Flanke Flake Rereward ¶ A battaile of three squadrons Fronte Flanke Flake Rereward ¶ A Battaile of 4. squadrons Fronte Flanke Flake Rereward THese fourmes for pickes when they are winged and trouped with shot accordinglie as in the plaine fielde there is no other order that dooth excéede them for strength so they are better for other purposes as hereafter shall appeare but this is to be respected that where ther is not at the least 2000 pikes in place they shold not be deuided into more squa drons thē one vnlesse it be to kepe some straight or gap or vpō some other aduauntage of ground neither were it good to deuide the pikes into more then thrée Squadrons where there is not fiue or sixe thousand in the fielde nor into foure squadrons where there is not tenne or twelue thousand for this hath euer béene obserued for a principle amongest souldiours of the best experience the stronger your pikes are together in number the battaile is accounted to be the more forceable but the shot to be deuided into manie troupes are the better to maintaine fight and the apter for seruice I haue hetherto made no mention of our olde English weapons namely the Bowe the browne Byll or Halberd sometimes had in great reputation amongst vs the bow is alreadie set aside yet there bee some that thinkes it to be a weapon of wonderful seruice and to maintaine their opinions wil aleadge sundry reasons manie of them scarce woorth the speaking of but this might suffice that men of iudgment and dailie experience findes them to be to so little purpose that we sée they neuer call for them yet this I wyll say and it cannot be denyed that where bowes may be brought to serue against horse they might be very well and stand in some stead but so many ready shotte that were placed in their roomes woulde doo a great deale better and more daungerous to the enemie In like manner our browne Bill Halberd or other shorte weapon are most naturall for our Englishmen for where they may be brought to dealing of dry blowes I think there is no other Nation that were able to stand against them but the childe that is but this day borne from his mothers wombe shall neuer liue to sée two battailes incounter pell mell the one with the other as héere before they haue doone and to what ende then should so many short weapons serue that are euer placed in that part of the battaile which should bee moste strong where they can neuer be brought to doo seruice But such as will néedes haue such store of short weapons were better to place them in some winge readie to be drawne foorth vpon anie execution for which purpose they might be very requisite and yet if anie inuasion should be made in our own Country I wold neyther mislike of bodies nor bylles for a readines our people béeing so much inclined and best practised in thē and might be so ordered with the helpe of other weapons as might doo seruice for the present but the very strength and bulwarke in the field is the stand of pykes which béeing impald and trouped with shot orderly are defensible both against horse and foote but so many shorte weapons placed in the middle of the battel dooth wonderfullie weaken it and make it more easse and paceable for the Launce I haue sometimes séene squadrons so placed as their short weapons haue made deuision of their pykes running quite through the body of theyr battaile from flanck to flanck and the pykes but onelie guarding the fore and rereward the which kinde of imbattelling is neither strong nor formall but if you will néedes haue short weapons placed in your squadrous let them be impald euery way a like as well with pikes as with shot And that the iust square is especially to be preferred may easely appeare by these considerations First it is not very curious in placyng second it is easie for Souldiers to march especially if they haue to passe any straights through the which they may bee drawne by 5. or 3. in a ranck if the place will affoorde no greater scope and be suddainly brought againe into their first proportions without any manner of confusion but especially the iust square is most defencible and strong both against horsemen and footemen wher there is no aduauntage to be taken of ground either of hedge or dytch ryuer hyll or other like To this end I haue set downe a Kalender wyth the true roote of euery number from 100. to 10000. by the helpe whereof knowing how many armed men be in place they may suddainly be brought into a iust square 2. 3. or 4. as the numbers wyll suffice to make them strong the which béeing once placed as an easie workman the foundation béeing first layd findes it no great dificulty to goe forwarde with the residue of the building so the armed men béeing thus placed in iust proportion then after to impale with shot to proportionatly according to the number of the pykes and to deuide the ouerplus of the shot into seueral troupes ready to be drawne foorth vpon any occasion the matter is so easie to be performed as a Souldiour that is but of one monethes trayning will neuer erre nor stumble in the executing ⧠A Kalender for the imbatteling of iust squares the first collumne is the number of men the second how many should be added from the first number to the second and so forth to all the rest to make them square