attende to theyr name and to their ensignes let them practise dailye the runninge of the field as they terme it and the dilligent beholding of the handlinge of armoure and weapons They must be helde verye often to these exercises and that most part of the daye euen till they sweate agayne to shootinge and to throwinge stones eyther with a stinge or with the hande to weare armour that they maye weilde themselues in it to pitching the barre and with wasters as thoughe they should fight with swordes now with the point nowe with the edge to strike one at another Also they must with like diligence be trayned in running leaping that they may skippe ouer ditches if the sea or a riuer be nye to their tentes In Sommer time all tâ—e souldiours shoulde be constrayned to swimme moreouer to cutte downe woode to iourney through bushye and shrubbye places to square timber to scoure the trenche to take and kepe some place and to endeuour themselues wyth shieldes violentlye meeting one â—nother that they be not beaten from it by theyr owne companyes In suche wyse the souldiours of the Romaynes beinge exercised and trayned at home whether they be of the Legions or of y aydes or of the horsemeÌ„ when they shall come from diuers places to take a voyage they must needes through an ambitious desyre to trye their manhoode rather wyshe for warre then for peace No maÌ„ doth take anye thought for seditious styrring which hath anye confidence in his cunninge and strength But the Captaine ought to be cyrcumspecte if there shal be anye troublesome or seditious souldiours amonge all the Legions or aydes or troupes of horsemen that he may know them by the Tribunes deputyes principall men not for the ill will of the enformers but for the truth of the matter and the same to be seperated from the Campe by some witty deuise to do and accomplishe some thinge whiche euen vnto themselues maye seeme such as in a maner they would wishe for or els let them* fortifye and keepe some holdes and Cittyes * with such a preetye subtiltye that whereas in deede they be reiected and dispysed they maye seeme to be chosen of purpose For a multitude doth neuer burst out to disobedient stubbernes with like agreement but they are styrred vp by a fewe which hope they may with a nomber offende freely without punishment for their vices and wickednes If so be that extreeme necessitye shall requyre a remedye to be had therein the best way is after the maner of our forefathers to punishe onlye the Authors and beginners of such faultes that feare may come to all punishment to a fewe Notwithstanding those Captaynes are more worthy of prayse whose armyes laboure and vse hath instructed to sobernes and humilitye then they whose souldiours the feare of punishmente doth constrayne to obedience ¶ Howe manye kindes there be of ensignes of warre Chapter .v. MAnye thinges oughte to be well learned and marked of them that fight for why negligence ought not to be pardoned where as they fighte for life and death But amongest other thinges nothinge is more profitable to the victorye then to obeye the warninges of the ensignes For when as in the hurlye burlye of battayles a great nomber cannot be ruled with one voyce onelye and when as of verye necessitye manye thinges forthwith must be commauÌ„ded and done the auncient vse and experience of all nations hath inuented how the whole armye by the ensignes should knowe and follow that which the onlye Captayne iudged to be profitable and expedient Ther are therfore as it is manifest thre kindes of ensignes one sort hauinge voyce which are called Vocalia another partlye hauing voyce and partlye not whiche they call Semiâ—ocalia the thirde withoute voyce and they are called Muta of the which they that haue voyce and they that partlye haue voyce are perceyued and knowen by the eare but the dumme without voyce are referred to the eyes Vocalia are sayd to be they which are pronounced with the voyce of a man so that in the watcheâ— or in the battayle it is accompted for a tokeÌ„ as for example victorye rewarde vertue God be with vs The triumphe of the Emperour suche other whatsoeuer they will geeue which haue the greatest authoritye and power in the armye Yet we must knowe that these woordes must euerye day be altered least by vse the ennemyes maye knowe our token or watcheworde and searchers or spyes may be amongest our men without daunger and punishment Simiâ—ocalia be called which are geuen by the trumpette or the hornes or the shawme The trumpet which is streight is called Buccina which is bowed towardes it selfe with a brassen cyrcle The horne of the wilde bulles beinge bounde with siluer is best hearde when it is moderated with arte the breath of him that bloweth it For by these with most certayne vndoubted soundes the armye doth knowe whether they oughte to staye or go forwarde or certainlye to retyre whether they should followe the chase anye longe waye or sounde the retraite Muta signa be the Eagles Dragons banners redde penoâ—celles redde scarfes feathers crestes of helmets For whether soeuer the leader shall commaund these to be caryed thyther of necessitye must al the souldiours go following and waytinge vppon their owne ensigne There be also dumme signes whiche the Captayne of the warre doth commaunde to be obserued in the horses in garmentes and also in the verye armoure to the intent the ennemy maye be knowen from their owne companye Moreouer he signifyeth some thinge with his hande or after the cruell maner of rude and straunge people with a whippe or els with mouing or styrring his apparel which he hath on All which thinges all the souldiours shoulde acknowledge both to followe and vnderstande in their places in iourneys in all maner exercise of the campe For continuall vse of that thinge is necessarye in time of peace whiche in the confusion and trouble of y battayle should be kept Also there is a dumme and common â—igne as often as in the goinge of a multitude the dust styrred vppe ryseth like cloudes and doth bewraye the comminge of the ennemye Likewyse if armyes be deuided the flame of fyre in the night and in the daye time the smoke doth signify vnto their fellowes that which by no other meanes can be shewed Sometimes they do hang out beames in the Turrettes of Cittyes which other whiles being raysed vppe and other whyles letten downe do declare what thinges be done ¶ Howe great subtiltye ought to be vsed when an armye is remoued the ennemyes beinge nighe Chapter .vj. THey which with great diligence haue learned the feates of warre do affyrme that mo perilles are wontâ— to happen in iourneyes then in y very battell it selfe For in ioyninge together of the battayle all the souldiours be armed and see the ennemye in the face and comes wyth courage to fight against him But in the iourney a souldiour is
and seueritie let him punishe all the souldiours faultes by the lawes let him not bee thought to winke at any that offendeth let him vnderstande and knowe the proofe and triall of all in sundrie places vpon diuers occasions These thinges as it behoueth being thus ordred and looked to when the enemies doe wander abroade carelesse dispersed here and there for booties then let him sende expert and tried horsemen or els footemen with the younge and meaner souldiours to the entent that if by occasion the enemies bee foiled they might bee made more cunning and the other more bolde and hardie Let him place certayne companies very priuely to come sodainly on the enemies at the passing ouer of Riuers at the stiepe or fall of mountaynes at the narrowe straightes of woodes at the daungerous passages of fennes and other wayes And let him order his owne iourney so that beinge readye and well furnyshed he may set vpon them either when they are eating or sleaping or being idle careles vnarmed vnshodde their horses being scattered abroade suspecting nothing because in suche skirmishes his souldiours may bee boldened and encouraged For they whiche before of a longe tyme or neuer in their life haue seene men wounded or â—layne at the first sight are so afrayde that they quake and tremble and being amased throught feare haue more mynde of flying theÌ„ of fighting Furthermore if the enemies doe range abroade to make inuasions let him set vpoÌ„ them after they be weary with their longe viage and let him inuade the hindermoste euen at vnwares Let him also sodainly preueÌ„t with chosen meÌ„ such as either for forage or for a bootie do tarie a great waye from their companie For these thinges must be tried firste whiche if they haue ill successe it doth small harme if they prosper well it doth muche auayle It is the pointe of a good captayne to minister and breede causes of discorde amongest th ennemies For no nation though it bee very little can quickely be destroyed of the enemies except it bee consumed with priuate dissensions and hatred within it self For ciuile discorde and hatred is to hastie and rashe in seeking the destruction of the enemies and to careles and vnheedy of foreseing of their owne defence and safetie And in this enterpryse this one thinge muste bee foretolde that no man shoulde dispayre of the perfourminge of those thinges whiche haue bene done before But some man may saye that no man in many yeares space doth enuironne an army which is pitched in a place compassed about with a ditche a rampire or trenche I aunsweare hym thus that if this heede were taken the sodaine inuasion of enemies neither by night nor daye coulde doe any hurte at al. The Persians following the example of the Romaines doe pitche their campes with diches drawen about and for as muche as all places in a manner be sandie they fill sackes whiche they caried empty with earth very dustie and drie which in those places is digged and with an heape of them they doe make a rampire Al the barbarous people hauing their cartes ioyned together in a rounde compasse after the manner of a rampire do passe ouer the nightes quietly and out of daunger of them that do inuade them And doe we feare that we can not learne those thinges whiche others haue learned of vs These thinges must be learned by experience and also by reading of suche thinges as before tyme were obserued but being left of for a great whyle no man hath sought them out because that as long as peace flourished the necessitie of warre was far out of mynde But least it may seeme impossible to renewe and restore the knowledge of marshall affayres being long intermitted and decayed for lacke of exercise examples may sufficiently teache vs in this point The knowledge of warfare hath oftentymes bene forgotten with them of olde but 〈◊〉 hath bene sought out againe in bookes and confirmed by the skill and authoritie of good captaines Scipio Aphricanus did take the armies which were in Spayne being ofteÌ„times ouercome vnder dyuers generall captaines and obseruing the order and preceptes of warfare hee so diligently exercised theÌ„ in casting of ditches making treÌ„ches that he would saye commonly that diggers muste bee defiled with myre whiche would be washed with the bloud of their enemies And at the lengthe with those he so fired the Numaintines that their citie was taken and neuer one escaped Metellus receiued an armie in Aphâ—ike whiche was subdued vnder Albinus their generall captaine whiche he did so repaire with olde preceptes and pollicie of the auncient warriours that afterwarde they ouercame them of whom they had bene subdued before The Germaines also in Fraunce destroied the legions whiche Cepio Manilius and Sillanus led the remnaunt wherof wheÌ„ Caius Marius had receiued he so enstructed them with knowledge and skill of fighting that hee destroyed in open battayle an innumerable multitude not onely of Zelanders but also of Germaines Hungarians For it is easier to enstructe souldiours of new vnto prowesse then to cal againe them that be throughly afraide ¶ What thinges should be done the same daye that the open or set battaile should be ioyned Chapiter .xj. THe more easie feates of warre beinge declared before the order of the trade knowledge of warfare dothe moue me nowe to come to the doubtfull daie of the opeÌ„ fight and mortall daie vnto nations and people For the whole victorie consisteth in the successe of open battayle Then at this tyme so muche more ought the captaines to be diligent and carefull in as muche as greater renowne is hoped for of them that be diligent and the greater daunger dothe followe them that bee slouthefull and vnexperte in whiche the vse of skilfulnes the knowledge and pollicie of fighting incontinent doth trie and rule all the matter In olde tyme they were wonte to bryng forth the souldiours to fight refreshed before with a small portion of meate to the intent that their meate receiued might make them the quicker and that in the longer bickeringe they mighte not be wearied with hunger Great care also must be had if the enemies be present whether you bryng forth the souldiours to the battell out of the campe or out of a citie least whyles the armie goeth forthe through the straighte passage of the gates by smal numbres it be discomfited of the enemies gathered together in a readines Therefore this muste be prouided that all the souldiours doe issue forth of the gates and the armie be set in araye before the enemy come If â—o be that the enemies beinge ready come to them abiding still in the citie let their issuing foorthe either bee differred or at the least dissembled that when the aduersaries shall beginne to aduaunce and boaste them selues against those whome they thinke wyll not come forth of their citie when as they shall retire and purpose to gette some bootie and so shall breake their araie then they beynge astonied let
let him get the higher places for the footemen accomplishe his enterprise chiefelye by them When a spye of the enemyes doth go to and fro in y campe verye priuily let euery man be commaâ—ided in the day time to resort to his pauilion straight wayâ— the spyes is apprehended When you shall know that your counsell and purpose is bewrayed to the ennemyes then you muste chaunge your intent and purpose herein That which chiefely ought to be brought to passe intreat and deliberate with manye but that which you do intende to do herein communicate with verye fewe and those moste trustye faythfull or rather deliberate and consult of them wyth your owne selfe and no mo Punishment and feare do amende souldiours abyding in one certayne place in a vyage oriourneye hope and rewardes do make them better Good Captaynes do neuer fight in open or set battell but vppon good occasion or very great necessitye It is a good deuise rather to oppresse the ennemye wyth hunger and famine then wyth the sworde As touchinge an armye of horsemen there be manye rules and precepts but seing that this part of warrefare hath profited and proceded through vse and exercise through the kinde of armour and the worthines of horses I suppose that nothinge is to be gathered out of bookes when as this present instruction may be sufficient Let not the ennemyes knowe after what maner you intende to fight least they go about to preuent and withstand the same by one helpe or other I haue orderly declared thinges O valiaunt and mighty Emperour whiche being approued diuers sundry times through faithfull and diligent experience the moste worthy authours haue set foorth and published that vnto the cunning of shooting which in your grace the Persian doth praise and maruayle at vnto the knowledge and comelines of riding of horses whiche the people of Hungarre and Scithia called Hunni Alani would gladly imitate if they could and to the swiftenes of running wherein the Saracine and man of Inde can not matche with you to the exercising of handling the weapons vsing al kinde of artillerie wherin the captaines and maisters of the fielde are glad that they knewe some good examples to followe vnto all these thinges I saye a rule or trade howe to fighte in battayle yea rather pollicie howe to gette the victorie muste bee annexed that as much as you can through puissance and marueilous good orderinge of your common wealth you may shewe the office and perfourme the dutie bothe of an Emperour and a souldiour The fourth booke of Flauius Vegetiuâ— Renatus of the feates of vvarre The Prologue BUilding of cities was the thing that in the beginning did separate and deuide the homelye and rude lyfe of men from the societie and companie of dumme creatures wilde beastes The whiche cities vpon their common vtilitie and profite haue the name of publike weales Therefore most mightie nations and princes of famous memory haue thought there could be no greater renowme then either to builde newe cities or els amplifying those whiche haue bene builded by others to call them after their owne name Wherein your maiestie doth obtayne the chiefest prayse of al other For whereas other princes haue builded one citie a piece or fewe moe Your grace with continuall labour hath erected suche a nuÌ„ber that they may seeme to be builded not so muche by mans hand as by the will and working of god So you excell all other Emperours in happines of estate in temperance in chastnes of life in examples to bee followed and in the great loue that you beare towardes learning We see with oâ—r eies the goodnes of your gouernemeÌ„t and also of your good minde The which thinges both they whiche haue gone before vs did wyshe to enioye and they whicht are yet to come desire to coÌ„tinue for euer By reason wherof we doe reioyce that so great a iewell is geuen to all the worlde as either the minde of man could desire or the bountiefulnes of God could geue And as for the building vp and repairing of walles howe it hath gone forewarde through the good orders deuised by your grace the citie of Rome can shewe Whiche by defending the tower Capitolium hath saued the citizeÌ„s liues that afterward it might with greater glory obtayne the dominion of all the worlde Therefore for the accomplishing of this worke taken in hande at the commaundemen of your maiestie I wyll bringe into order the deuises of sundry writers by the whiche both our owne cities may be defended and the cities of our enemies ouerthrowen neither shall it forthinke me of my labour because these thinges in time to come may be profitable to all men That cities ought to be fenced either vvith handvvorke or nature or bothe The first Chapter CIties and castels are fenced either by nature or with hande or els with both which is rekened the stronger By nature as with the heighte or craggines of the place with the sea with fennes or with riuers By hande as with ditches and walles In that benefite and helpe of nature the moste safetie consisteth in the wittines and counsell of the chooser in the playne grounde full necessary is the diligent trauel of the builder And we see some very auncient cities so builded in playne open fieldes that although the helpe of situation did faile yet with cunning and workemanship they were made inuincible ¶ That wales should â—ot be made streight but with many coignes Chapiter .ij. MEn in times past drewe not y circuite of their walles streight lest they might be apt to receaue the strokes of the battering ramme But laying the foundation they enclosed their cities with many wyndinges turnings in and out and in the very corners did builde many towers For this cause that if the enemy would set ladders or other engines vnto a wall builded after suche order hee might bee beaten downe not onely before but also on the sides and in a manner behinde as enclosed in a lane or bought ¶ After what sorte earth may be heaped vp and ioyned to a wall so that it shall neuer be beaten downe Cap. iij. A Wall which can neuer be throwen down is made after this maner Make two walles on the towne side of y ditche a good way distant a sunder then caste betweene them that earthe whiche yowe throwe out of the ditche and beate it downe harde with beetels and weigâ—tie instrumentes so that that whiche is firste and nexte to â—he vtmoste stonewall be somewhat lower then the stonewall it selfe and the seconde a good deale lower then the firste that from the citie men may goe vp easely to the battlementes as in the rising of an hil or after the maÌ„ner of steiars A wal thus strengthened with earthe can neuer be beaten downe with any ramme and though the stones should chauÌ„ce to be throwen downe yet the greate heape of earthe that is rammed betwene the walles doth withstande them that
geue thassaulte as well as any wall ¶ Of portcluses and howe gates may be safe from burning Chapter .iiij. MOreouer wee must take heede least the gates be burned with fier for the whiche cause they should be couered with leather and yron But that is more profitable whiche in the olde time hath beene inuented that before the gate there should be a fortresse in the entring wherof is a perculles hanging with rynges of Iron and ropes that if the enemies should enter in the same being let down they might bee enclosed and destroyed And the wall aboue the gate must so be made with holes that wee maye power downe water and quenche the fier vnderneath ¶ Of making ditches Chapiter .v. BUt the ditches before the cities muste bee made verye depe and very broade that they maye not easely bee made euen and filled of the besiegers And that the water running ouer may stoppe the vndermining of the ennemie For twoo manner of wayes is vndermining letted either with the depenes of the ditche or ouerflowyng ¶ Howe to kepe them whiche stande on the wall harmeles from the arrowes of the enemies Chapiter .vj. IT is to be feared sometyme least that many archers dryuing the defenders downe maye sodenlye take the wall Therefore it shall bee good to haue in the citie complette harnis and store of shieldes Moreouer mantils clokes and heareclothes maye bee hanged before them and so receyue the shotte of arrowes for the heades of the arrowes cannot easelye pearse throughe that whiche yeldeth and waueth to and fro There is also a remedy founde to make hurdles of woode called Metellae and to fille them with stones and to set them betwene twoo battlementes so cunningly that if the ennemies should clyme vp by ladders and touche anye parte of them the stones may turne vpon their heades ¶ By what meanes it ought to be forseene that they that are besieged be not famished Chapiter .vij. THere be many kyndes of defending and assaultinge of cities whiche wee wyll speake of in places conuenieÌ„t Nowe wee must knowe that there be twoo kyndes of besieging One when the enemy appointing his men in dew places doth with continuall assaultes assaile the besieged The other when as he kepeth them from water or trusteth that they will yelde through famishement hauing stopped all victualles from comming to them For by this deuise hee him selfe being quiet and safe doth wearie his enemies Against whiche chaunces the townes men vpon small suspicion of their enemies ought moste diligently to place within the walles all kynde of foode whereby man may lyue to the entent that they them selues may haue aboundaunce their enemies through nede compelled to rayse their siege And not onely porcke or bakon but also al kinde of fleshe that may be preserued close ought to bee layde vp that through the helpe of fleshe graine may suffice And pulleyn likewyse in a citie may be kepte without charge And for suche as be sicke very necessary Especially foder must be gotten in for horses and suche as can not be brought in must be burnt Likewyse of wyne vineger and al other kinde of graine or fruite great store must be layde vp and nothing that may be profitable to theÌ„ ought to be left for the enemies Gardens also both for the profite and pleasure of them ought not to be neglected in the grasseplotes and yardes of houses But it dothe litle profite to haue gathered muche together except from the beginning the deliuerie or distributioÌ„ be moderated by such conuenient ouerseers as haue charge thereof with a good profitable measuring of the same For they be neuer in daunger of famine whiche vsed in time of plentie to kepe sobrietie and moderation in spending Also the youth and weomeÌ„ whiche are vnfitte for warre many tymes are thruste forthe foor wante of vitailes least scarcitie vppresse the souldiours by whome the cities often haue bene defended and kepte ¶ What kynde of thinges must be prepared for the defence of walles Chapter .viij. IT is conuenient that there be prepared to set the engines of the enemies or fire suche thinges as are apte to burne rosyn brymstone cleare pitche without dregges oyle called Incendiarium that is to saye ready to set any thinge on fire Iron of both tempers to make armour and weapoÌ„s and coales ought to be saued in store houses woode also for speare staues and arrowes must be layde vp in store RouÌ„d stones out of riuers which for their roundnes are somewhat heauy and meete for the casters must be gathered moste diligently with the whiche the walles and towers should bee filled The leaste stones of all are to throwe with slinges or slingestaues or els with the hande the greater stones are shotte with the gunnes But the greatest of all by reason of their weight rowling fashion muste be layde in fortresses that they being throwen downe headlong vpon a soden may not onely ouerwhelme the enemies vnderneath but also may breake their engines Also mightie great wheeles muste be framed of greene woode or rowlers cut of very stroÌ„g trees whiche they call Taleae muste be made smoothe that they may rowle whiche sliding downe doe ouerthrowe the souldiours with the sodayne vehemencie and make the horses sore afrayde There must be also in readines beames trasinges or boordes And nailes and pinnes of iron of diuers quantities For suche engines of the enemies muste bee hindred by other lyke specially wheÌ„ as the walles or fortresses vpoÌ„ a soden shall haue neede to be made higher least the moueable towers of the enemies should rise aboue them and so take the citie ¶ What ought to be done if store of stringes or cordes doe fayle Chapter .ix. IT is also expedient to gather very diligently good store of stringes or sinewes for as muche as y ordinaunce whiche is called Onager and Balista and other like excepte they be bent and drawen with cordes or sinewes auayle nothing Notwithstanding the bigge heares of the tayles or manes of horses are thought good for the lesser artillery But it is a thing moste certaine and hath bene tride in the Romaines neede that weomens heares in suche kinde of ordinaunce are no lesse profitable For in the long siege of Capitolium the chiefe castell of the citie of Rome their artillerie being marred with the continuall and wearisome fight of the enemies and cordes or stringes failing them the matrones of Rome cutte their heare from their head brought it to their husbandes as they were fighting so repairing their engines they draue backe the force of their enemies For those honest and chasteâ—weomen rather chose with heades for a time disfigured to liue at libertie with their husbandes then with all theâ— trimming to be subiecte to their enemies It is also good to get together hornes rawe hides for the couering of complet armoure and other engines and munitioâ—s ¶ What should be done that the besieged lacke not water Chapiter .x. IT is a greate
profite and commoditie for a citie to haue within the walles welles and springes euer continuing and enduring If so be that the nature of the place doe not serue theÌ„ must you digge pittes of what depenes soeuer you thinke good and drawe vp the water with ropes But some tyme the places which are fenced with mouÌ„taines rockes are more drie then other In suche a case you may builde a forte at the foote of the hil so shal you by digging finde water And from of the forte defende it with dartes or other shotte appointed for the purpose that there may bee free going and comming for the fetching of water If it be so that the water be without the caste of the darte yet in the side of an hyll vnder the citie it is mete that a little forte which they cal a blockehouse be builded betwene the citie and the springe and there to be placed ordinaunce and archers that the water may be defended from the enemies Moreouer in all the publike and common buyldinges of the citie and in many priuate buildinges there should be cesternes moste diligently ordeined that they may be receites for rayne water whiche falles from the houses For thirste doth seldome ouercome them whiche in a siege haue vsed water onely for their drinke though it were neuer so little ¶ If â—ault should fayle in the citie what ought to be done Chapiter .xj. IF the citie stande by the sea and salte bee wantinge take water out of the sea and poure it into broade vessels and by the heate of the sunne it wyll turne to salte If so bee that the enemy doe stoppe thee from the water for that ofteÌ„ tymes doth chaunce then take the sande whiche the sea casteth vp and washe the same with fresh water and that water being dried will turne likewyse into salte ¶ What should be done when the enemy doth first assaulte the walles Chapiter .xij. VUhat time as the assault is geuen to a Castell or Cittye great is the daunger on both partes but greater is the bloudshedde of them that geue the assaulte For they that couet to enter the walles with rerrible preparation shewe forth al theyr armye and wyth noyse of men and trumpettes fray the towne hoping therby to make it yelde Then the townes men being astonyed at the first brunte for feare dismayeth the vnexercised if they know not the experience of suche daungers quickelye loose their Cittye if the ennemye set ladders to the wall If it be so that at the first meeting the ennemye be put backe by bolde and warreliâ—e men streight waye the townes men waxe boulde and then they fight not with feare but with courage cunning ¶ A rehearsall of engines with which the walles are assaulted Chap. xiij THe engines that are set to walles are in latine called Testudines Arietes Falces Vineae Plutei Musculi Turres In Englishe Snayles Rammes Hookes Uines deskes Myse Turrettes Of which particulerlye after what maner they may be made by what maner cunninge also they may fight or be driuen backe I will hereafter declare ¶ Of the battering Ramme the hooke and the snayle Chap. xiiii THe engine called Testudo that is to say the snaile is ioyned together of timber and boards which to kepe awaye fyre is couered witâ— lether or hearâ—clothes or any patched clothe This engine hath within it a beame which is headed with a croked yron called Falx that is to say an hooke to th ende that it may drawe stones out of the walles or els the heade of the selfe same beame is couered all with yron and is named Aries that is a Ramme eyther because it hath a verye hard forehead to cast downe the walles or els because after the maner of Rammes it goeth backewarde to the intente it maye strike with a more vehemente force But Testudo hath taken that name of the forme similitude of the verye snayle in deede because like as the snayle somtimes pluckes backe her head sometimes puttes it forthe euen â—o this engine sometime draweth the beame backe sometime thrusteth it oute that it maye strike with greater power ¶ Of sheddes deskes and countermurâ— Chap. xv THe engine named Vinea that is a vyne is compacte of light woode and it is viii foote highe seuen footâ— broade and xvi foote longe The coueringe of it is double with boardes and hurdles The sydes also are hedged with roddes least they should be pearsed with violence of stoones and dartes The out syde is couered with rawe new hydes or els with tyltclothes that it be not set on fyre A nomber of these are ioyned together in a rowe vnder the which the besiegers being safe do pearse the foundations of the walles to throw them downe Plutei are called which after the similitude of a compassed vaute or arche are compacted of roddes and couered aboue with heareclothes or lether and are moued as it were a cart vnto what part soeuer you will with three little wheeles of the which one is set in the middest and two in the heade or forepart These do the besiegers bring to the walles and standing vnder them wyth arrowes or slinges or dartes driue awaye the defenders from the walles that they maye better sâ—ale the walles with ladders But that that is called Agger or countermure is raysed vp of earthe and woode against the wall from the which the dartes are throwen ¶ Of engines called Musculi Chapiter .xvj. MVsculi be lesser engines wyth the whiche the men of warre being couered if myre or the ditche of the Cittye do hinder them do not onlye fill the same but also make it harde with stoones woode and earth broughte therevnto To the ende that the moueable towers maye be ioyned to the walles without anye let or hinderaunce They be called Musculi of beastes of the Sea like vnto myse For like as they although they be lesser yet the ayde and helpe the Whales in going before them for dashinge against rockes euen so these lesser and shorter enginnes appointed to serue the greate mouable towers wyth wheeles do prepare the way for their coÌ„minge and fortifye the passage before them ¶ Of towers mouâ—ble Chap. xvij TOwers are a kinde of engines ioyned together of beames and boardes after the similitude of buildinges And to kepe so great a worke from fyringe by the ennemyes it is most dilligeÌ„tly fenced on all partes with rawe hydes or tylt clothes for the heighte of it is proportionable to the breadth for sometime they be xxx foote broade by the square sometime xl or l. But the tallenes or height must be such that they may passe in height not onlye the walles but also the towers of stone These towers must haue many wheeles cunninglye made by the easye rolling of the which so great a frame may be moued And it is present daunger to the Cittye if the tower come once to the walles For it hath with it a nomber of ladders diuers wayes
Of the office of the cheife Tribune or colonell cap. 12. Of the Centuries or hundredes of the footemen and of their ensignes penoncels or banners chap. 13. Of the troupes of the legionarye horsemen called Turmae chap. 14. After what sort the legions should be set in order chap. 15. After what maner the Triarians and also the Centurions should be armed chap. 16. How that the battell beinge ioyned the complete harnessed men stoode as a wall chap 17. The names of souldiours and other orders and degrees should be written in the shieldes chap 18. Besydes the strength of the body y cunninge or knowledge of cyphers and counting must be regarded in souldiours chap. 19. Howe souldiours ought to put asyde the halfe parte of anye gift in money or other thing geuen them into the keping of such as are standerde bearers chap. 20. Promotions and dignityes in the legion are so disposed and ordered that none is aduaunced thereto before hee haue passed through the 10. bandes or companyes of the legioÌ„ chapter 21. What difference is betwene trumpetters blowers of hornes or shawmes and such like chap. 22. Of the exercise of souldiours chap. 23. Examples of exhortations and the exercise in warlike affayres taken oute of other artes and sciences chap. 24. A rehersall of yron tooles and other engines of the legion chap 25. The thride Booke VUhat maner or of what nomber an armye should be of chap. 1. After what maner the health of an â—rmre shoulde be mayntayned â–ª chap 2. Wyth how great care regarde forage and grayne ought to be prouided for and kept cap 3. After what maner we oughte to foresee least the souldiours do make any sturre or sedition chap 4. Howe many kindes there be of engines of warre Cap. 5. Howe greate subtiltye oughte to be vsed when an armye is remoued the ennemyes being nighe Chap. 6. After what maner great ryuers may be passed ouer Cap. 7. After what maner a Campe should be placed Chap 8. What maner and howe great things should be considered to vnderstande whether we oughte to fight with skirmishinge or with open battel Chap. 9. What must be done if a Captaine haue an armye out of vse of fighting or an armye of yonge souldiours Chap. 10 What thinges should be done the same day that the open or set battell should be ioyned Chap. 11. We must diligently search oute what minde the souldiours be of when they should fight Chap. 12. Howe a meete place should be chosen to fight in Cap. 13. How an armye may be set in order that in the battel it may be inuincible or not easelye ouercome Cap. 14. The maner of measuring by the foote howe muche space in the battell should be betweene euery man in length or in breadth and howe much betwixt euery rancke Chap. 15. How to set the horsemen in order Cap. 16. Of â—ydes or rescues which are placed after the battell Chap. 17. In which place the first aâ—d chiefe Captaine ought to stand in which the seconde and in which the third Cap. 18. With what meanes the valiantnes and deceytes of the ennemyes in the battell may be withstande and preuented Chap. 19. How many kindes or wayes an open or set battell is ioyned and howe also that armye which is lesse in nomber and strength may obtayne the victorye Chap. 20. That a way should be geuen to the ennemyes to depart that they maye more easelye be destroyed in flyinge awaye Chap. 21. After what maner you maye depart from the ennemye if you do not like of your purposed battell Chap. 22. Of Camels and men of armes vpon barbed horses Cap 23 After what maner we maye withstande Chariottes armeâ— with hookes and also Elephantes in the battel Cap. 24 â–ª What oughte to be done if eyther parte or the whole armye do flye Chap. 25. Generall rules of warres Chap. 26. The fourth Booke THat Cittyes oughte to be fenced eyther with handy-worke or nature or both Chap. 1. That walles shoulde not be made streighte but with many coignes Chap 2. After what sort earth maye be heaped vppe and ioyned to a wall so that it shall neuer be beaten downe Cap 3 â–ª Of Portcluses and how gates may be safe from burninge Chap. 4. Of making ditches Cap. 5. Howe to keepe them which stande on the wall harmelesse from the arrowes of the ennemyes Cap. 6. By what meanes it ought to be foreseene that they that are besieged be not famished Chap. 7. What kinde of thinges must be prepared for the defence of walles Chap â–ª 8. What ought to be done if store of stringes or cordes do fayle Chap. 9. What shoulde be done that the besieged lacke not water Chap. 10. If salt should fayle in the Cittye what ought to be done 11. What shoulde be done when the ennemye doth first assaulte the walles Cap. 12. A rehersall of engines with which the walles are assaulted Chap. 13. Of the battering Ramme the booke the snayle Cap. 14. Of Sheddes deskes or peintesses and countermure 15. Of engines called Musculi Chap. 16. Of towers mouable Cap. 17. Howe the mouable tower may be set on fyre Cap. 18. Howe you maye make your walles higher Cap 19. By what meanes the earth maye be digged that the engine can do no harme Cap. 20. Of ladders the frame of timber with roopes of the bridge and of the sweape Cap. 21 Of the lesser kinde or ordinaunce called Balista of the greater called Onager of that whiche is called Scorpio of crossebowes called Arcubalistae of slingstaues slinges by the which the walles are defended Cap. 22. Against the engine named a Ramme be flockebeddes or mattresses very good also ropes and great pillers Cap. 23. Of vndermyning throwing downe walles that way 24. What the townes men oughte to do if the ennemyes brust into the Cittye Cap. 25. What heede oughte to be taken least the ennemyes priuilye take the wall Cap. 26. How the townes men may be deceyued Cap. 27. What the besiegers oâ—ght to do that they be not entrapped of the townes men Cap. 28. Wyth what kinde of ordinaunce Cittyes may be defended Cap. 29. Howe you may knowe what height your ladders and other engines ought to be of Cap. 30. Preceptes to be obserued in makinge warre vpon y sea 31. The names of the Iudges which gouerned y Nauyes ca. 32 Whye the Lyburnian Gallyes were so called cap. 33. With what dilligence the gallyes or shippes called Libuâ—nae are made cap. 34. What heede must be takeÌ„ in cutting downe of timber ca. 35 â–ª In what monethes timber should be cut downe cap. 36. Of y bignes and fashioÌ„ of Gallyes called Liburnae cap. 37. The names and nomber of the windes chap. 38. In what monethes meÌ„ may saile safely more theÌ„ others 39 After what maner the signes and tokens of tempestes may be obserued chap. 40. Of signes and tokens whereby to know y clearenes troublesomenes of the ayre chap. 41. Of ebbinge and flowing of the sea chap. 42. Of the knowledge of places and of the rowers chap. 43. Of weapons and ordinaunce of shippes chap. 44. Howe wyles may be wrought on the sea chap. 45. What shoulde be done when open battell is ioyned on y sea chap. 46. Then ende of the contentes Faultes escaped in the printinge whereof the first nomber signifyeth the leafe the letter a. the first syde and b. the seconde syde In the Epistle dedicatorye b. for translation thereof readâ— translating thereof Folio 3. a. continuance reade countenance Folio 3. reade souldiours for souldiour Folio 8. Grecians reade Gratians Folio 9. b. army reade Campe. Folio 10. a. standers read standerds Folio 10. a. especial reade especially Folio 13. a. Legionacij reade Legionariâ— Folio 13. b. Gaternas reade Cateruas Folio 14. a. possible reade possibly Folio 15 b. haruest reade harnesde Folio 20. a. footement reade footemen Folio 24. readde saye reede In y third booke the Prologue Men worthye read O men worthye Fol. 34 a. it reade is Fol. 40. a. Hasti reade Hastati Fol. 41. a. rankes reade orders Fol. 48 a. Promuscide read PromuscideÌ„ Fol. 53. b. vppresse reade oppresse Fol. 56. b. bardes reade boardes Folio 63. a. there lacketh before the beginninge of this leafe all these wordes followinge ioyned on the righte syde the East Northeast winde on the lefte syde y East Southeast winde The plaine southwinde Folio â–ª 64. a. Pilats reaâ—e Pilots FINIS Imprinted at London in Fleete-streete neare vnto Saint Dunstones Church by Thomas Marshe
to the skroule The Souldiour to the sword The Marchant to the purse The thrasher to the flayle The sheapehearde to the flocke The mariner to the sayle Iohn Higgins AS warre hath wonne eternall fame found a lasting prayse As war hath kingdomes great preserude kept theÌ„ froÌ„ decayse So sure the Feates of warre do passe which if thou canst attayne Shall cause the winne the field and liue to see thy enmyes slaine This Sadler by translating of Vegetius shewes so well That thou by practise mayest attaine and therein soone excell Foure bookes there are the first doth teache to muster and to chuse And after choyse what exercise to practyse learne and vse The next declares how wyghtye warre deuyded is in partes Howe legions wings armyes stands and teacheth eche their artes The thirde of good prouision shewes how the armyes knit Which way to skirmishe fight frame your force wyth wyles of wit. The last doth teache howe Cityes maye prepare for their defence And telles what engines erst were vsde to driue the ennemyes thence Likewyse what shippes on sourginge seas in time of warre do well By Sea what wyles weapons cause the souldiour to excell In such a sort are these so pende by Sadlers painfull skill Vegetius teacheth Englishmen the Feates of warre at will And learnes himselfe a language straunge he erst ne wist before Thus he by Sadler taught of warre doth teache and learneth more Sadleri carmen ad praecedentia CVius hae laudes nisi Brudenelli Mâ—litis clari atque equitis Britanni Cuique si quid sit meritò putetur Maius honore Quicquid huius sit studiâ— laboris Huius hortatu patriae tributum Vna causa fons fuit iste primus Solus author Si tamen verum volumus fateri Nemo preterquà m Deus ipse solus Dignus est sic cui tribuenda laus sit Omnis honorque The same To whom are all these prayses due and more then these by right but to syr Edmonde Brudenell that worthye Englishe knight Whatsoeuer frute may by this worke redounde vnto this lande at his request the same was done and taken first in hande But if the truth we will confesse no man but God in throne is meete to whom al laude and prayse ought to be geuen alone A COMPENDIOVS treatise of the InstitutioÌ„s of warre writtâ—n by Flauius Vegetius a famous Author vnto Valentinianus Augustus gathered oute of the Commentaryes of Cato Celsus Traianus Hadrianus and Frontinus The Prologue of the first Booke THe maner hath beene of olde time to write the studyes of good sciences the same orderlye brought into bookes to dedicate vnto Princes Because neyther anye thinge is well begonne excepte the chiefe Prince after God shal like well thereof neither doth it become any man to know eyther better thinges or mo things then the Prince whose knowledge may be profitable to all his subiectes Which knowledge that Octauius Augustus and other good Princes after him willinglye haue had and practised it is declared by manifolde examples By that meanes through the testimony of rulers hath eloquence encreased and yet aduenture beene by no meanes blamed Beinge compelled by this imitation when I consider that your clemencye more then others maye pardon the bolde enterprises of learning I haue not greatly perceyued my selfe to be so much inferiour to the olde writers althoughe in this worke neyther elegancye of wordes nor sharpenes of witte is necessarye but dilligent and faythfull labour that those thinges whiche beinge scattered and darckelye written by diuers Historiographers such as teache the schole of armes hidde and vnknowen maye of mee be set forth openlye for the commodity of the Romaynes Therefore as touchinge the choysing and trayning of yong souldiours I do meane by certayne degrees and titles to represente the aunciente maner not that these thinges may seeme vnknowen to you most puisante Emperour but to proue that the first beginners of the Romayne Empyre haue heretofore obserued what thitges you at this time for the safetye of the coÌ„mon wealth do willingly practise to shew you howe to finde oute of this little booke for all most waightye and necessarye affayres whatsoeuer may appeare at all times most requisite That the Romaines through the onely exercise of armes haue ouercome all Nations The firste Chapiter IN any maner of warre not so much in the great nuÌ„ber of men manhood without skyll as in knowledge and practise doth consiste the victory For why we see that by no other meanes the Romaines haue subdued the whole worlde vnto them but by exercise of armes the exacte knowledge of encamping and vse of warre Howe coulde els the Romaines being but a fewe haue preuayled against the Frenchemen being so many in nombre How durst els the sayd Romains being of so small stature haue aduentured against the Germaines being so highe and tall It is very euident that the Spaniardes not onely in multitude but also in strengthe of body haue excelled our men With the Aphricans in subtiltie and ryches we were neuer comparable No man at any tyme hath doubted but in sciences wysedome the Grekes haue farre passed vs But alwayes we founde it profitable to those an actiue and wyse souldier to teache hym if I may so terme it the lawe of armes to confirme his knowledge by dayly exercise to make him vnderstande by trayning hym at home suche thynges as may befall in battayle abroade and sharpely to take punyshement of the dull and slouthfull souldiour For the knowledge of warre maketh men more bolde to fight No man feareth at any time to doe that whiche hee perswadeth him selfe he hath throughly learned Surely in battayle a small nombre well practised soner getteth the victory then a rude and vnskilfull multitude alwayes in daunger of slaying ¶ Out of what countreis a younge souldiour should be chosen Chapiter .ij. THe order of thinges for our purpose doth require that in the first parte we intreate out of what prouinces or countries younge souldiours should be chosen For it is most sure and euident that in all places bothe cowardes and hardie men be bredde But yet because one nations doth excelle an other in warre and the clymate of the heaueÌ„ doth very muche auayle not onely to strengthen the body but also the minde for in this place what is of the best learned men moste approued allowed I meane not to pretermit They say that all nations whiche be nigh to the Sunne parched dried with ouer muche heate haue more witte in deede but yet lesse bloud within theÌ„ And for that cause they dare not manfully boldly stande to it when they fight wel knowing how litle bloud they haue feare much therfore wounding Contrariwyse the people of the North whom the Sunne burneth not so nere being more rashe and vnaduised yet a great deale better blouded are moste ready of all desirous of warre Out of the more teÌ„perate costes then should souldiours be
Triarians or souldiours of the rerewarde were placed with shieldes coarselets helmettes beinge harnissed on the legges hauinge swordes great daggers leaden pluÌ„mettes and two dartes the whiche did reste kneelinge vppon one knee that if the firste battaile were ouercome these might repayre and make vp the battayle againe and set on the enemies a freshe and recouer the victorie But all the standerd or banner bearers although they were footement had on coates of mayle or plate of the lighter sorte and helmettes couered with beare skinnes to terrifie and make aferde the enemies The Centurions also had coarselettes brigantines shieldes and helmettes of steele but with crestes ouerth warte and couered with siluer that they might bee the better knowen of their souldiours ¶ Nowe that the battayle being ioyned the complet harnissed men stoode as a wall Chapiter .xvij. THis thing also must bee knowen and diligently obserued that in open warre the firste and seconde battaile should stande sure and vnmoueable The souldiours also of the rerewarde should abyde and reste The light armed souldiours and terget men archers slyngers that is to saye suche as were armed with light harnisse should goe before the armie and prouoke the enemies And if they could put the enemies to flighte they shoulde pursue them but if they were ouermatched and ouerlayde with the power and multitude of their enemies they muste retire to their owne companie and stande behinde them But the complet armed men muste receiue the brunte of the battayle and stande as wee saye lyke a brasen wall and they must not onely caste dartes but also with swordes fighte neerer hande And if they put the enemies to flight these complete harnissed men must not pursue them least they should disorder the bande and breake the battelraye and so the enemies returning and sodainly comming vpon them so disordered scattered abroade might easely ouercome them But the lyght armed men with the slingars archers and horsemen muste pursue the enemies in the chase By this good order and diligent prouision and circumspection this legion shall either easely vanquishe their enemies or els shal be out of daunger if they chaunce to be ouercome because it is necessarely required in this companie not without great cause either to geue backe or flie themselues or pursue their enemies reculyng ¶ The names of souldiours and the orders and degrees should be wrytten in the shieldes Chapiter .xviij. BUt least souldiours sometimes in the hurly burly of a battayle should departe from their owne companie they did painte in diuers baÌ„des diuers signes or markes in the shieldes whiche they called Digmata that is to saye signes markes or tokens lyke as they vse to doe now a dayes Moreouer in the shieldes the name of euery souldiour was written with letters and also of what bande euerye one was or of what hundred Thereby by these it is manifest that a legion well furnished and ordred is as it were a moste sure defenced citie which caried with it euery where all thinges necessarie vnto battayle neither feared the sodaine comminge of the enemies whiche also in the middle of the playne fieldes coulde fortifie it selfe quickely with trenche and bulwarke Whiche also had within it selfe all manner of warriours and furniture fitte for the warre Therefore if any do couet in open battayle to ouercome the rube and barbarous people let hym earnestly desire praye that according to the wyll and pleasure of God and the appointement of the victorious prince and the good guiding ordering of a valiaunt captaine the armies maye bee repaired and made vp againe with younge and freshe souldiours And within shorte space younger men being skilfully picked out and exercised diligently euery daye both in the morning and after noone with all manner of martiall affayres and feates of warre shall sone be equall to those olde souldiours whiche haue subdued the whole worlde Neither let your maiestie be moued O Caesar that the olde custome which in tymes paste did flourishe and was best liked is nowe altered and chaunged But the coÌ„tinuance of this good prouision happie successe consisteth in you that is for the safetie of the common wealth bothe to inuente newe thinges and to restore the olde Euery woorke seemeth harde before a man assaye but if experte and politike men bee appointed to picke out and choose souldiours an armie meete for the warres may quickely be gathered and diligently instructed for any thing may bee â—â—ought to passe by diligence and pollicie if sufficient and competent expenses be allowed ¶ Besides the strengthe of the body the cunning or knowledge of ciphers and countyng must be regarded in younge souldiours Chapter .xix. BUt for as muche as in armies there bee many scholes and exercises of cheualrie whiche doe require cunning and expert souldiours it is verye expedient that they which doe admitte and allowe the young souldiours should searche out diligently and knowe in euery one the bignes of the stature the strengthe of the body and the promptnes of his mynde But in certaine the cunning of ciphers and augurim and exercise of reckening and casting accompte is required For the accompte of all the whole legion whether it bee of the diligent seruice or of the numbers of souldiours or els of money is daily registred in the actes or chronicles with greater diligeÌ„ce almost then the trade of victualling or ciuile gouernement is noted in the register bookes of the citie They note also the continual watches in time of peace Also the warding on the daye tyme and the charges or offices in carying from place to place amongest all the centuries and companies what the souldiours doe by course that none be charged or burdened more then is due and right or if any haue libertie graunted and are exempted The names of theÌ„ whiche ordred their courses are noted in the bookes When any man hath receiued a pasporte and for how many dayes it is noted in the abbridgementes For at that tyme a pasporte was graunted very hardely except it were for most iuste and probable causes Neither the souldiours whiche were lately begonne and entered were assigned to any certayne seruice nor any priuate charge committed vnto them For why it was not thought meete and conuenient that any souldiour of the prince or chiefe captaine whiche is founde meate drincke and clothing of the commoÌ„ prouision should attende vpon priuate commodities Notwâ—â—hstaÌ„ding there were souldiours appointed to wayte on the chiefe Iudges tribune and other that were in authoritie whiche were called Accensi that is to saye souldiours appointed to bee about great officers For wheÌ„ the legiâ—n was fully made vp perfecte these were added whiche nowe wee doe call Supernumerarios aboue the iust number And yet the very ordinarie souldiours did carie ferdels or buÌ„dels into the campe that is to saye woode haye water and strawe For of this they were called Munifices because they did those commendable thinges whiche they were charged withall ¶ Howe souldiours ought
is chieflye gotten by exercise and practise especially if they fight neere at hande with swordes But this is more weightie and needfull that they learne in their playing exercise to keape theyr orders and that in so great sturres and thronges beinge vsed to the lyke in these exercises wherin they are firste trained and entered they doe wayte vppon their owne banners and ensignes and that among the well trayned and experte souldiours there bee no erroure or disordre committed although in the common sorte there may bee very great confusion It is also very good that the younge souldiours bee exercised with some poste or stake where they maye learne to stryke at the sydes the legges and heades eyther with the thruste or with ryght downe strokes Let them also accustome to leape and strike together to vawte against their shielde as if they were dauncynge and skypppe downe againe sometyme to runne forwarde skipping and leaping and fetchynge of gamboldes sometyme to steppe awaye quickelye and leape backe agayne Let them exercise also to throwe dartes a farre of at the postes or stakes that they bothe maye bee more cunninge in castinge straighte and more nimble and quicke with the right hande But the archers and slyngers dyd set vp some broome for a marke or bundels of shrubbes or strawe that standing sixe hundred foote from the marke oftentymes they might hitte it with their arrowes or with their stoones leuelled out of a slynge staffe Therefore more boldely they did that in the battell whiche before they had exercised in sporte in the fielde They muste also at all tymes accustome them selues that they swynge the slynge but once about the head onelye when a stone is caste out of it And all the souldiours did vse with one hande to caste stones of a pounde weighte whiche exercise is thought more readie because it needeth not a slinge They were also compelled alwaye and with continuall exercise to caste dartes or leaden plummettes in so muche that for the horsemen in wynter season large galeries were couered with tyles or shingles whiche are cliftes of woode or if they did fayle with readde flagges or stubble or els strawe and also certayne large places made for the footemen and couered in lyke maner in the whiche in the tyme of stormes wyndes or foule weather the armie was enstructed and exercised with armoure and weapons vnder couert But the other dayes in wynter if snowe and rayne dyd ceasse they were compelled to exercise them abroade in the fielde leaste if this custome should be lefte of the mindes and also the bodyes of the souldiours myght bee weakened At is good also that they vse often to cutte downe woode to carye burdens to leape ouer ditches to swymme in the Sea or Ryuers to walke a good rounde pace or to runne yea although they bee loden with the weyght of their armoure other burthens that daily labour in time of peace â–ª mighte not seeme harde or paynefull in tyme of warre Therefore lyke as the whole legion is exercised euen so the aydes oughte to bee exercised daylye For lyke as a well tryaned and exercised souldiour desires the battayle euen so the vnexperte and ignoraunt dothe feare the same Laste of all wee muste knowe that in fyghte vse and experience dothe auayle more then force For if the teachynge to handle weapons doe ceasse and cunnyng in feates of armes be not regarded then a countrey clowne is as good as the best souldiour ¶ Examples of exhortations and the exercise in warlike affaires taken of other artes and sciences Chapiter .xxiiij. THe wrastler the hunter the carter commonly for a small rewarde yea for fauour of the common people vse to kepe and encrease their cunning and knowledge with daily exercise Muche more it behoueth a souldiour by whose manhode and valiauntnes the common wealth is defended and preserued perfectly to knowe and by continuall exercises to retaine and kepe the cunning in martial affaires and feates of warre to whome often chaunceth not onelye a glorious victorie but also proies of great price and whome also both the lawe of armes and the good iudgement of the general will aduaunce to wealthe and honoure The cunning stage plaiers do not leaue of their exercises loking onlye for prayse and commendation of the common people a souldiour then chosen and admitted by a solemne othe whether he be a young souldiour or an olde ought not to ceasse discontinewe or bee slacke in the exercise of chiualrie who muste fight both for his owne saffetie and also for the libertie and safegarde of his countrey especially seinge there is an olde and wyse saying that all maner of sciences doâ— consiste in continuall studie and exercise ¶ A rehersall of Iron tooles and other engines of the legion Chapiter .xxv. AN army also commonly vanquisheth and conquereth the enemies not onely through the multitude of souldiours but also through diuers kindes of Iron tooles and other engines First of all it is furnished with shot whiche no coate armooure nor tergettes are able to abide For in euery century or hundred they vse to haue a fielde piece the whiche a mule was appointed to drawe And the companies of one pauilioÌ„ that is to say .xi. men were assigned to addresse and set forth the same For the greater these peeces be the further and more strongly they shoote the pellets And they not onlye defende the Campe but also in the field they are planted behinde the battell of the complete armed men The brunt and violence wherof neyther y horsemen with coates of fence neither footemen with their shieldes are able to withstand And there are wont to be in one Legion lv fielde peeces also tenne greater peeces called Onagri that is to saye in euerye cohort one and they are carryed in tilted cartes with two Oxen that if by chaunce the ennemyes came to assaulte the rampyre and bulwarke the campe mighte be defended with arrowes and pellets The Legion also doth carrye with it boates made hollow of one peece of timber with very longe cordes and sometimes also with yron chaynes and forasmuch as they are ioyned together as they saye all of one peece of timber and bordes ioyned together and layde vppon them by the helpe of these both the footemen and horsemen safelye passe ouer ryuers which otherwise without bridges they could not passe ouer It hath also yron clampes which they call Lupos and yron hookes fastened to great longe poles Likewyse it hath for dispatching the worke about the ditches and trenches mattockes spades shouâ—ls rakes maundes baskets chipaxes sawes with the which stakes and other stuffe are squared sawen a sunder It hath also artificers with all kinde of yron tooles which for the assault of the Cittyes of the ennemyes maye make engines which they call Testudines and Musculos that is to saye engines of warre to beate downe walles wherby they are defended which do approch the walles of a Cittyes besieged And Arietes which were peeces of ordinance
throughe the heaâ—e of the Sunne and wearines of their iourneye but rather in Sommer season y they come to the places whervnto they meane to trauayle before it be day that in cruell and could Winter they trauayle not by night through frost and snowe or sustaine the scarcitye or want of wood or litle store of apparell For that souldiour can neither be healthfull nor fitte for anye voyage which is constrayned to 〈◊〉 for could Neyther let the armye vse noysome or 〈◊〉 waters for the drincke that is made of naughtye water is like to poyson and breadeth the pestileÌ„ce in those that drincke it Nowe as touchinge that anye companye of souldiours being sicke by anye such chaunce maye be refreshed with conuenient meates and healed with the helpe and cunning of y Phisitions the dyligence of thâ— rulers and Tribunes yea and of the lieuetenaunte himselfe which executeth the greater power shal be requyred herevnto For they are in verye ill case vppon whom the necessity both of warre and sicknes doth lye But the experte and cunninge menne in feates of warre haue thought that dailye exercises of armes coulde more auayle to the health of souldiours then PhisitioÌ„s could Therefore they would haue the footemen in raigne snow continually to be exercised for health vnder couert at other times in the plaine field â–ª Likewyse they commaunded that the horsemeÌ„ should daily exercise both themselues and their horses not onlye in the plaine but also in most difficult passages as in steepe downe places in the gaping of ditches That nothing mighte happen vnto them in the necessitye of fight which they knew not before Wherof it is to be vnderstande with howe greate studye and dilligence the armye should at all times be learned the knowledge of armes wheÌ„ as the vse of labour both maye get them health in theyr tentes and victorye in the battaile In the time of Haruest Sommer if a multitude of souldiours to tarye longe in a place there must needes aryse most hurtful sicknes both of the infection of the water and smell of the verye filthe with corrupte breathinge and naughtye ayre whiche none other way can be kepe from them but with often remouing of the Campe. ¶ Wyth how great care and regarde forage or grayne ought to be prouided and kepte Chap. iij. ORder doth requyre that we should now speake of the prouision of forage grayne For scarcitye doth more consume an armye then fighting and huÌ„ger is more cruell then the sword Moreouer other casualtyes be helped in time but the prouiding of forage victuall hath no helpe or remedye vnlesse they be layed vppe before hande In any maner of enterpryse this is one and the chiefest counsayle y thine armye may haue sufficieÌ„t to liue with that lacke of necessarye thinges maye weaken the ennemyes Therfore before warre be begonne there ought to be a wyse and prudeÌ„t deuyse for money and other charges that forage grayne other victuals whiche the olde custome did requyre of forrayners might be gathered in time and greater store therof then is sufficient alwayes layed vp in suche places as are strongly fenced and most conuenient to serue the turne If so be that the tributes or paymentes do fayle all thinges must be compassed gotten with money payed before hand For possession of riches is not without care except it be kept with force of armes But manye times there is twyse as much neede a sâ—ege ofteÌ„times is longer then they thinâ—ke it wil be when as the ennemyes themselues beinge almoste famished do not geue ouer to besiege them whom they hope may be ouercome wyth famyne Furthermore whatsoeuer cattell graiâ—e or wyne the ennemye that causeth warre caÌ„ preuente and take to their owne prouision of victuall the owners thereof not onlye beinge warned by publicke commaundement but also constrayned by chosen searâ—hers the fame must be brought to conuenient houldes and streng thened with garrisons of armed men or to safe and surelye defenced Cittyes and the forraine people muste be called earnestlye vppon to keepe themselues and all that they â—â—ue within theyr walles before the enemyes 〈◊〉 enter in For the repayring of the walles and all maner of ordinance muste be loked too before For if the ennemyes do once preuent them beinge otherwyse occupyed euerye thinge is disordered through feare aud such things as are to be demauÌ„ded of other Cittyes are alwayes denyed after that the passages be once stopped But to keepe those thinges trustelye that may be saued and to destribute them moderatlye is as good as if there were plenty namely if from the beginning they be well looked to But it is to late to spare when nothinge is remayninge In harde and daungerous voyages the auncient warriours did vse to bestowe the victuals rather accordinge to the nomber of the souldiours then to the worthynes of them So that after the necessitye was past then recompence was made to those that were worthye of the common charge and coste In the winter the scarcenes of woode and forage in Sommer the lacke of water is to be auoyded But the wante of grayne wyne and vyneger and also of falte at all times is to be shunned so that such souldiours as can do least seruice in the fielde should defend the Cittyes and houldes with armoure arrowes â—â—ingstaues slinges and also stones artillerye of all sortes And chiefâ—lye wee must take heede that the vncyrcumspecte simple forrayne people confederate with vs be not deceyued by the craft and periurye of the ennemyes For oftentimes deceitful couenaunts and fayned peace haue done more harme to suche as are lighte of credite then the force of armes By reason whereof the ennemyes if they be altogether do suffer huÌ„ger and if they be dispersed they are easelye onecome by such as euery foote will be skirmishing with them ¶ After what maner they ought to foresee leaste the souldiours do make any sturre or sedition Chap. .iiij. AN armye gathered oute of sondrye places sometime doth stirre vp sedition and vprore and when they are not willinge to fight they fayne themselues to be angrye to the intente they shoulde not be ledde to battayle Whiche they chiefelye do that liued at home idlye and deliciouslye For they which would shrincke froÌ„ fighting ruÌ„ne headlong into such desperatnes because they are greeued with the sharpenes of y laboure wherwith they are not acquainted which notwithstanding in the voyage they must needes sustayne and moreouer because they are afrayde to enter into battayle To the which wound men haue vsed to layemanye and diuers medecines that they maye be holden whiles they be yet a sunder in theyr places to all maner of knowledge and exercise with most strete sharpenes of the Tribunes lieuetenauntes and also the chiefe and principall of the armye that they obserue nothinge els but their solempne vowe and promise and that wyth descretion that they haue no â—eysure to set their mindes on pasportes let them vse coÌ„tinuallye to
Neuerthelesse those campes are thought fayrest whiche are longer by the thirde parte then they are broade But they that vewe and suruay the fielde ought so to measure euery foote thereof that the armie maye bee compacted accordinge to the numbre of the same For if the campe be narrowe they in the forefronte hemme it in to straightly And if it be to broade they scatter farther then they should doe There be three wayes whereby they saye a campe may be fortified The first they saye is some what sleight seruing them one night onely whyle they are in their iourney that is to digge vp turues and to laye them in order rounde about the campe vppon heapes and aboue them in good order to make a pale I meane to sette stakes there or briers and brembles A turfe it cut of earth that conteineth both the grasse the rootes the earth also and is cut out of the ground with an Iron spade or such like it is made halfe a foote deepe a foote broade a foote and a halfe long If it be so that the grounde be so sandy that after the fashion of a bricke a turfe can not be cut vp then euerye man must set to his helping hand to the making of a ditche whiche must be fiue foote broade and three foote deepe in the inner side whereof a raÌ„pire must be raised so that the armie may take their rest without feare But if the campe remaine in one place then whether it be sommer or winter if so be the enemie be at hande it must with greater care and labour be fortified for euery hundred haue their stations appointed out by the captaines and generals of the field whiche they take and kepe theÌ„ vnto and laying of their shield fardels about their owne ensignes â—hey girde their swordes vnto them caste a trenche about the armie of .ix. foote or .xi. or .xiii. foote broade or els if they feare a greater power of enemies .xvii. foote broade for it is a custome alwayes to obserue an odde numbre then they raise vp a rampire and hedge it about or els driue stakes into it bowes of trees least y earth should slide a way vpon the whiche raÌ„pire they make battilmentes and fortresses euen as they doe vpon a stone wall The captaines do measure out this worke with poles or perchies .x. foote long least any man should digge lesse then he ought or els through his fellowes negligence shoulde digge out of square The tribunes also ouerse this worke neither do they departe if they be good diligeÌ„t in their office before that al be finished Now least there should be any sodaine inuasioÌ„ on theÌ„ that labour all the horsemen part of y footemeÌ„ whiche doth not worke by reason of prerogatiue of dignitie do stand armed in readines before the trenche that they maye withstande the enemies inuading theÌ„ Therfore within y campe y staÌ„derds are first set in their places because there is nothing more to be had in reuereÌ„ce of the souldiours theÌ„ y maiestie of y same The pauilion called PraetoriuÌ„ is prepared for y chiefe captaine and his companie Other tentes are pitched for the tribunes vnto whome water woode forage are ministred by certayne companies assigned to those charges Then accordinge to their degree are places appointed in the campe for the legions aides horsemen and footemen wherein they may pitche their pauilioÌ„s and there be chosen of euery hundred foure horsemen and foure footemen which doe keape the watches by nighte And for as muche as it semed vnpossible or a very harde thing in the watche tower for euery one to continewe watching all the whole nighte therefore the watches are deuided by an howre glasse into foure partes that it shoulde bee neede for noone to watche more then three howres in the night The watches are begonne by a trompetter and after the howres be ended they are called awaye agayne by a blower of a horne But for all this the tribunes doe choose and pyke out fitte and tried men whiche maye goe aboute the watches and shewe if anye faulte maye appeare whome they call Circuitores that is to say searchers of the watche Nowe are these made a certayne degree in the warres and are called Circitores that is to saye officers going aboute to see good rule in the nyghte Yet we muste knowe that the horsemen ought to watche without the trenche and bulwarke But euery daye tyme after the campe bee pitchte they doe vse to take order for warding and posthorses some in the morninge some after noone for weareing of the men and horses Among the chiefe and speciall pointes it behoueth the captayne whether hee remayne in the campe or in a citie to prouide that feeding for the cattell conueying of grayne other kindes the cariage of water woode and forage bee made assured and without daunger from the inuasion of their ennemies Whiche thynge otherwyse can not come to passe excepte in meete and conuenient places by whiche the prouision of oure victualles muste passe there bee sette and disposed places of refuge and succoure whether they bee cities or defenced castels If so bee that any oulde munition bee not founde there muste hastelye bee made sure fortresses compassed about with great ditches For the worde fortresses is so named being deryued of this woorde forte as who saye a litle forte or castle within the whiche a certayne nuÌ„ber of horsemen and footemen continuing hauing charge to watche and attende for the same doe conducte and make safe the waye for the conueyaunce of victualles For the enemy dare scarcely adueÌ„ture to come to those places in which he knoweth his aduersaries to abide both before behinde ¶ What maner and howe great thinges should be considered to vnderstande whether we ought to fight with skirmishing and lying in wayte or with open battayle Chap. ix VVhosoeuer will vouchesafe to reade these bridgemeÌ„ts briefly gathered out of the moste experte and tried authours he coueteth quickely to heare the law or maner of a fielde foughten and the preceptes of rules of fighting But an open or a set battayle is soone determined by the triall of two or three houres space after that all hope of the syde which is ouercome doth once beginne to fal decay Therefore al thinges should be thought on assaied before that it come to the vttermoste laste breaking of For good captaines doe not assaye the fielde with open battaile where ensueth common daunger to al but alwayes closely and priuily that by that meanes they might destroye or at the least terrifie their enemies their owne souldiours being yet fresh and lustie Concerning whiche parte I wyll declare suche thinges as are very necessary whiche I haue gathered out of olde wryters The chiefe art and commoditie of the captaine is oftentimes to debate entreate of his owne power and also if his enemies power taking vnto him throughout all his armie experte and cunninge men of warre and
a spitte or a darte For if you shall beginne to beate the lefte part of his armye both of the sydes and behind without doubt you shall put them to flighte But thaduersarye cannot succour his y be in daunger neither with his right winge nor with his middle battell because your battell is stretched forth reacheth it selfe al in length after the fashioÌ„ similitude of the letter I. goeth a great way of froÌ„ theÌ„nemyes with the which kinde many times they bicker in their vyages The .7 kinde of fight is which through y helpe benefit of the place doth helpe him y doth fight In this kinde also you may withstand match wyth your aduersary both wyth a small nomber also with lesse valiant souldiours if you haue on one syde an hill or the sea or a ryuer or a lake or a Cittye or fennes or rockes stiepe downe places by y which the ennemyes cannot come vnto set y residue of your armie in straight battel raye But in that winge which hath no defence you must set al your horsemen GuÌ„ners Then with more safetye you shal encounter with the ennemye after your owne will pleasure because of one part the nature of the place doth defende you of y other part almost a double streÌ„gth of horsemeÌ„ is set NotwithstaÌ„ding this thing ought to be obserued which is most necessary that whether you would fight you right winge with his left wing there set the valiant men or whether your left with his right wing there place the stoutest men or whether you would make a wedge or sharpe battell in the middest by the which you might breake the battel rayes of your enemies in the same wedge you must ordaine set the most experte cunning souldiours For the victory is wont to be atchieued by a few The matter doth altogether rest in this that by a wyse and discreete Captaine chosen men be set in those places which by skill are thought most fit and commmodious ¶ That a waye should be geuen to the ennemyes to depart that they may more easelye be destroyed in flyinge awaye Chap. xxi MAnye men being ignorante of the feates of warre do thincke they maye haue a greater victorye if they can compasse the aduersaryes eyther with straitnes of places or with multitude of armed meÌ„ y they can finde no way to depart or flie away But they which are so enclosed be more encouraged boldned through desperatioÌ„ when ther is no hope at al feare doth coÌ„straine them to fighte He doth couet willingly to die with company which knoweth most certenly y he must needes dye Therfore is the saying of Scipio coÌ„mended which sayd y the way wherby the ennemies might flie shold not be fortifyed For if a passage to depart awaybe once opened as sone as y minds of al do agre to ruÌ„ne away they are slaine murdered like beasts neither is there any dauÌ„ger to them y pursue when as they y be ouercome haue turned their weapons into flighte with the which they mighte haue bene defended After this sort y greater y an armye is so much more easy a great nomber is ouerthroweÌ„ for there is no noÌ„ber to be required wher the hart of the souldiers once sore afraied discouraged doth not so much couet to shun y weapons of the ennemyes as their faces But being enclosed though few in noÌ„ber weake in power yet in this same point they be equal to their ennemyes for as much as being in despayre they know that they hopinge for no escape muste needes fight For this only hope haue they that be desperate to loke for no safetye or life at all ¶ After what maner ye may depart froÌ„ the ennemye if you do not like of your purposed battel Chap. xxii AL thinges beinge orderlye declared made plaine which the trade of warre hath by experience knowledge obserued one thing remayneth to declare after what maner we may retyre froÌ„ the ennemies For they y be expert in the knowledge of warre in examples do testifye y no where any greater dauÌ„ger doth appeare For he y before the ioyninge together doth recoyle doth both take awaye good hope froÌ„ his owne armye doth encourage and bolden the ennemyes But forasmuch as this thing doth of necessity happen oftentimes we must declare by what meanes the same may be done safely First of all that your owne men do not knowe that therefore you departe because you shunne to ioyne battel but y they may be brought in beleue that they be called backe by some pollicye for this intente y the ennemies may be allured vnto a more coÌ„uenient place y may be the more easelye vanquished or els if the ennemyes should pursue after them priuye waytes might be layed the better For it must needes be that they wil be ready to flye which perceyue theyr owne Captaine to despayre This also is to be auoyded that the ennemyes in no wyse perceyue of your departure away and so forthwith runne hastelye vppoÌ„ you Therefore manye haue set their horsemen before their footemen to the ende that they running to and fro shoulde not suffer the ennemyes to see when the footemen departed Also they withdrewe euery rancke or batteile particularly beginninge at the first and called them backewarde The other remayninge still in their order and place which afterwarde by little and little reâ—oylinge they ioyned vnto them which they had withdrawen First after the wayes were searched some did retyre with the armye by night to thintent that wheÌ„ the daye came the ennemyâ—es could not ouertake them that went before Moreoâ—er the lighte harnessed men were sente before to the hilles by the which the armye might sodainlye be called againe withoute daunger and if the ennemyes woulde followe on they were discomfited of the light harnessed men which gotte the place before them with the horsemeÌ„ also ioyned to them For nothing is thought more daungerous then if they whiche lye in the ambushe should meete them that pursue them vnaduisedly or before they haue prepared themselues This is the time wherein ambushmentes or trappes conuenientlye are layed because there is greater boldnes and lesse care against them that are in flying For of necessity of greater securitye and lesse carefulnes ensueth greater perill and daunger Ennemies are wont to come sodainlye vppon such as are vnprepared or takinge their meate wearye in theyr iourneye feedinge their horses and suspectinge no suche thing at all Which thinge both we our selues must avoyde and in such maner of occasions we must annoye our ennemye For neyther manhoode nor yet the nomber of men can helpe suche as be oppressed by such a chaunce for as muche as he that in battaile is ouercome in open fight although pollicy and cunning doth there auayle verye muche yet he may accuse or alledge ill fortune for his defence but he that hath falleÌ„ into the sodaine comming on of the ennemyes and theyr
maye set men into the towne For in the lower part it hath the Ramme with the violence of which it beates downe the walles About the middle it hath a bridge made of two beames and hedged with roddes which may quicklye be brought forth set betwene the tower and the wall the men of warre going by the same out of the engine passe ouer into the Cittye take the walles In the higher partes of the same tower be placed pykemen and Archers whiche from an highe maye ouerthrowe the defenders of the Cittye wyth pykes arrowes and stones Which being done the Cittye is taken without delay for what helpe doth remayne when as they which did trust to the height of their walles sodainlye beholde aboue them a wall of their ennemyes higher then theirs ¶ Howe the mouable tower may be set on fyre Chap. xviii THis euident and apparant daunger many wayes may be resisted First if your souldiours be strong bould a nomber may issue forth together And dryuinge awaye the ennemyes pull of the lether and set fyre on the tower If so be that they dare not issue forth let them dischardge the greater artillerye and such as they call Malleoli Phalaricae with fyre shotte that rentinge the hides or tyltclothes a sonder the flame maye be hidde inwardlye Malleoli be as it were arrowes which burne all where they light But Phalarica after the maner of a Iauelin hath a stronge heade of yron and betweene the hollownes or pype thereof and the staffe it is wrapped rounde aboute wyth brimstone rosen pitche towe soked in oyle apt to burne the which beinge discharged leuell with the violence of your artillerye breaketh the coueringe and sâ—ickinge in the woode oftentimes burneth the whole turret Also you maye let downe men wyth roopes when your ennemyes be a sâ—eape wyth lanternes priuilie hidde burne theit engines and then pull them vp againe ¶ Howe you maye make your walles higher Chap. xix THat part of the wall to the which the engine commeth maye be made higher either wyth morter and stones or with claye or bricke or wyth bards and planckes and so shall not the defenders â—e oppressed wyth the heighte of the turret And the turret being to lowe shall serue to no vse But they that besiege townes vse oftentimes this pollicye First they build such a tower as may seeme lower then the walles of the Citty afterward they make another litle tower within of bourdes and plankes and when the tower is ioyned to the walles sodainlye they putte forthe that little turret with roopes and pullyes oute of the which the armed men going forth because it is higher then the walles straight waye take the Cittye ¶ By what meane the earth maye be digged that the engine can do no harme Chap. xx SOmetime they do set longe beames headed wyth yron against the comminge of the engine and so keepe of the same from the wall But when as the Cittye of Rhodes was besieged by ennemyes and they had made a tower wyth wheeles aboue the heighte of all the walles and towers this remedye was inuented by the witte of a certaine craftes man in the night he vndermined the wall and that place to the which the daye after the tower shoulde be remoued he made hollowe within casting out the earth none of the ennemyes perceyuing it so that when that great frame was driuen and forced forward with the wheeles and came to the place whiche vnderneath was made hollowe before straight waye it soncke the grounde yeldinge to so greate a weight so that it coulde not come neare y walles nor be moued anye further and by this meane the Cittye was delyuered and the engine left behinde ¶ Of ladders and the frame of tymber wyth ropes of the bridge and of the sweape Chap. xxj VUhen the tower comes to the wall by all meanes possible they driue the ennemye from the wall with stones dartes arrowes pellettes such like This being done and ladders set to the wall they take the Cittye But they which do scale the walles with ladders manye times sustaine perill and daunger after the example of Capaneus by whom this manner of assaulte with ladders is sayde to be first inuented who was slaine with so greate violence by the Thebanes that he was thought to be destroyed with thunder And therfore the besiegers do enter the walles of the ennemies with these engines called Sambuca Exostra and Tolleno that is to saye a frame of timber roopes a bridge and a sweape Sambuca is called after the similitude of an harpe for like as in a harpe there be stringes so in the beame which is nexte the towers be roopes which do loase and set at lybertye the bridge wyth pullyes from the vpper part that it may go vppon the wall and straight way the men of warre issue out of the tower onâ— goinge ouer vppon it do inuade the walles of the Cittye Exostra is that bridge which we spake of before which sodainly is stretched forthe of the tower vnto the wall Tolleno is this when a beame is set fast and deepe vppon the earth vppon the which in the highest toppe another beame is ioyned ouerthwarte longer by the one halfe in measure so equallye that when you pull downe the one ende the other ryseth vppe In the one ende of this wyth hurdles and boardes is made roume for a few men to stand in Then pulling the one ende downe with roopes ye lifte vppe the other ende so set your men vppon the walles ¶ Of the lesser kinde of Ordinaunce called Balista Of the greater named Onager of that which is called Scorpio of Crossebowes called Arcubalistae of slingstaues and slinges by the which the wall is defended â–ª Chap. xxij AGainst these incoÌ„modityes such kindes of ordinaunce defende them that be besieged Balistae a lesser kinde of ordinaunce Onagrâ— a greater also that which is called Scorpio Arcubalistae Crossebowes Fustibali slingstaues archers and slinges Balista is a kinde of Ordinaunce bente with roapes or cordes the which the longer and greater that it is so muche the further it casteth y shot and this kinde of ordinaunce if it be cunninglye framed and afterwarde discharged by skilfull men that know the reech and compasse of it doth pearce throughe whatsoeuer it stryketh That which is named Onager serueth to shoote stoones withall and because the roopes of it are greate therefore the stones are mightye that it casteth For the greater and larger the engine is so much the greater stones it hurleth in maner of thunder There is no kinde of ordinaunce more violent then these two sortes Scorpiones were called in the olde time such as nowe we terme Manubalistae so named because that with small arrowes they kill meÌ„ I thinke it superfluous to declare Fustibalistas Arcubalistas Fundas which experience at this present knoweth wel enoughe The ordinaunce that I named Onager if it shoote mightye stoones doth not onlye
ouerthrow horsemen and footemen but also breaketh the engines of the ennemyes in sonder ¶ Against the engine named a Ramme be flockebeddes or matresses very good also roopes and great pillers Chapiter .xxiij. AGainst the battring Rammes or hooks ther be manye helpes and remedyes for some with cordes lette downe their tiltclothes and other patched geare and mattresses and so let them hange in such places as the ramme doth beate that the violence and force of the engine may be broken with the softnes of these and not throwe downe the wall Some others with a nomber of men do from the wall catch the Ramme wyth roopes and drawing it a syde ouerthrowe it Manye vse to tye vnto roopes a peece of yron muche like vnto a payre of sheeres full of teethe which they call Lupum and so eyther they do ouerthrowe the Ramme caughte with the same or els lifte it vppe that it hath no force to stryke Sometime they throwe downe huge stones of marble or other of like hardnes from the walles and all to breake the Rammes If the force of the Ramme shal be so greate that it shall beate throughe the wall and cast it downe as oftentimes it chauÌ„ceth then is there none other helpe but to pull downe your houses and make another wall within so betweene two walles to slea your ennemyes if they breake in ¶ Of vndermining and throwing downe walles that waye Chap. .xxiiij THer is another kinde of assault that is vnder y earth and priuye which is called vndermininge The maner of it is this a nomber of pyoners digge in the earth as myners do and makinge a trenchâ— by that meanes seeke to destroy the Cittye The which by two wayes they bring to passe For eyther they do enter the Cittye and by nighte when the townes men are not ware of it do issue oute of their trenche and vnlockinge the gates let in theyr owne armye and slea the ennemyes in their houses at vnwares or els wheÌ„ they come to the fouÌ„dations of the wall they digge vnder a great part of it and with drye timber vnderset it that for a whyle it maye not fall afterwarde they laye manye fagottes and suche lyke drye fuell about it and hauinge placed theyr souldiours in araye they set fyre to it so that the pillers of woode and boardes being burnte and the wall there with falling sodainly they haue a way layed open for them to burst in at ¶ What the townes men oughe to do if the ennemyes brust into the Cittye Chap. xxv IT is manifest by infinite examples that they which haue entered theyr ennemyes Cittye oftentimes haue beene so slaine that not one hath escaped Which thinge withoute doubte doth come to passe if the townes men do keepe their walles and towers or take first the highest places For then suche as be of age both men and women do ouerwhelme with stones and other kindes of weapons suche as do breake in the which to auoyde wyse Captaynes set open the gates of the Cittye to thintent that hauing leaue to departe they maye not resist For desperation in such a case is a necessarye enforcement to manhoode The townes men haue onlye this helpe whether the ennemyes enter by day or by night to holde and keepe their walles and towers and to clyme vppe to the highest places and so to ouerthrowe theyr ennemyes on euerye syde in all the streetes of the Cittye ¶ What heede oughte to be taken Ieast the ennemyes priuilye take the wall Chap. xxvj MAnye times y besiegers do inuent some guile or craft and by a counterfette desperation depart a good way of But when as after feare is past the vnheedefull and carelesse townes men haue taken rest watch of the walles being geuen ouer the ennemyes come priuilye with ladders takinge occasion of the darckenes of the nighte and so clyme the walles For which cause a greater and more dilligente heede muste be had when as the ennemye is gone awaye and in the verye walles and towers ought small cabines to be made in which the watche men in winter season may be defended from showers and colde and in Sommer from the heate of the Sunne This thinge also experience hath founde that in the towers is good to keepe fierce dogges and quicke of smellinge whiche can perceyue the comminge of the ennemye by the sente and geue warning therof by barkinge Also geese by like skil of nature declare by their cryings the â—odaine inuasions of the ennemyes by night For the French men enteringe into the chiefe Tower or Pallace of Rome called Capitolium had for euer blotted out the name of the Romaynes had not Manlius withstode them beinge raysed vppe with the cryinge of geese And by the meanes of one goose they were saued which afterward subdued the whole worlde ¶ How the townâ—s men maye be deceyued Chap. xxvii ABoue all thinges it is counted the greatest matter not onlye in sieges but euen in all kindes of warre to spye out and knowe dilligentlye the custome and vse of the ennemye For you cannot conuenientlye by layinge wayte for them deceiue them excepte you knowe at what houres they cease from theyr labour and at what time they be lesse cyrcumspecte whether at none or towardes euen or in the night or at such times as they eate their meate when as y souldiours of both sydes are dispersed to take their rest and to refreshe their bodyes Whiche thinge when the besiegers perceiue subtillye they withdraw themselues from battell that they maye geue free libertye to the ennemye to be verye negligent Which negligence what time as it shal be greatest for that they feare nothinge then the besiegers shall sodenlye bringe their engines and ladders to the walles and take the Cittye Therefore in the walles the townes men ought to haue stones and ordinaunce in a readines to th ende that as sone as the deceipte is knowen they maye resist and haue at hande such thinges as they may roule and cast vppon the heades of their ennemyes ¶ What the besiegers oughte to do that they be not entrapped of the townes men Chap. xxviii IF the besiegers likewyse be negligente they are as sone caught by deceipt as the other for whether they be occupyed at meate or sleape or els scattered a sonder throughe idlenes or anye other necessitye then the townes men sodeÌ„lye rushe forth they slea them ere they be aware sette on fire their enginnes rammes and the verye countermurs and ouerthrowe all the workes that were made against them For this cause the besiegers do make a trench a stones cast of and so furnishe the same not only with a pale and stakes but also with turrettes and fortresses that they may easelye withstande them that issue forth of the Cittye which worke they call Loriculam and oftentimes when a siege is described in anye historye yee shall reade that this or that towne was compassed rounde aboute with this paleworke called Loricula ¶ Wyth what kinde of