they likewise get their distance commanded so that in this Motion as in the other openings the Battell shall possesse in length after it bee fully opened the double of the ground it had before the opening The words of Command for these Motions To your open oder or any order else Files open to the right hand Files open to the left hand Files open to the right and left Or as some say open both wayes and some onlie files open for when there is no nomination of any hand it is vnderstoode as before in closing an opening from the middle to both hands Our wordes of Command To your first distance or any distance else Open your Stringes to the right hand Open your Stringes to the left hand Open your Stringes OPening of Rankes is an extension of the deapth of the Battell in place and is performed but one way to witte towardes the Reare which is thus done The File-leaders or the first Ranke standes still and the rest of the Rankes falles backwardes towards the Reare vntill the second Ranke haue gotten its distance which then standes the rest of the Rankes moues still backwardes vntill they all haue gotten their distance commanded IKLM IKLM is an Opening of Rankes where yee see the 2 and 3. Ranks hath moued backwards and hath alreadie taken their distance and ye must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to be mouing from the Front IK backwardes to the Reare LM vntill they all get their distance required The wordes of Command Rankes open to your open order or any order else Our wordes of Command Open your Rankes to your first distance or any distance else Some vse an opening of Rankes also forwards from the Reare to the Front if the ground permitt The action of these Motions of opening which I haue now showne both of Files and Rankes by making the Files presse vpon their Sydmen and the Ranks vpon their Followers is according to our common moderne exercise which differs much from the action of the Ancient (e) Aelian Tact. c. 32. Greeks for they in opening Files and Rankes did performe the Motion by Facing but in my opinion our common forme is rather to bee followed for although it want not its owne inconvenients beeing subject to stumbling on stobbs stones or holes in the way Yet in respect the terminus ad quem is not certaine nor seene as it was in closing of Files and Rankes The last Ranke or the vttermost File which beginneth the Motion of opening shall never bee assured where to stand or in what part to set themselues to giue a due competent ground to all the Rankes or Files to take their distance commanded neither can the samine be discerned be the ey of the Commander and therefore the Motion must bee begun and the distance must first be takin from the terminus à quo which is seene and certaine to wit the Ranke or File that stands and so euerie one after other shall assuredly get their distance commanded which they could not do behind their backs if they used a Facing but in this I submit my selfe to the judgement of the more learned For I think also that Souldiers may bee taught to take their distance by pacing Obserue that closing and opening both of Files and Ranks are one anothers reducemēts as if ye closed Files to the right hand and would reduce them to their first station command them to open to the left if ye opened Files to the left hand to bring them as they were yee must close Files to the right hand if yee closed to the middle open to the right and left by division and so they are reduced è contra Againe if yee close ranks forwards open them backwards and so yee bring them as they were è contra (f) Aelian Tact. e. 28. Aelian calleth an opening of Files or Rankes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a doubling of the length or deapth in place which in my opinion is not fitly spokin for although Files and Rankes bee opened to a greater distance yet the Battell cannot bee said to bee doubled The use of opening and closing the Battell in length and deapth yee may finde (g) Supra Tit. 3. before when I spoke of distances to the which I remitt you for I will repeat nothing only this I adde that Battells are opened and closed when a Generall will make his Armie appeare strong or weake according as hee mindes to terrifie or allure the enemie Files are closed to the right or laft hand when a troupe of Horse or Foote or Waggones with bagadge are to passe betwixt either of your Flankes and some strait Files are closed to the right and left by division when yee will make a streete through your Battell for a Generall or some great Commander to passe Of Conversion or VVheeling Tit 10. COnversion or Wheeling is a Motion of the whole Battell towards the Flankes or Reare changing the ground And therefore Wheeling is two fold the one when the Battell makes a quarter turne to the right or left Flanke which the Greeks calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conuersion the other when it makes an halfe turne to the Reare be the right or left hand and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inflexion no other languadge except the Greeke doth expresse this Motion in two seuerall wordes Epistrophe is described clearely by (a) Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c When closing the Battell bee the Sydemen and the followers we turne it whollie as the Body of an man either to the Picke or the Target it beeing carryed about the corner File-leader as about a center and changing the place of the Front transfer the countenance of the Souldiers to the right or left Flanke (b) Aelian Tact. c. 31. Aelian in an other place setteth it down more amplie it is thus to be performed Ye must commād the Files to close to the hand to which ye mean to Wheele the Rankes to close also forwardes Then yee cause the Corner File-leader on the samine hand to stand still as the fixed foote of a compasse but moueing in his owne place and all the rest keeping their Files and Rankes closed to turne to the samine hand joyntly about the corner File-leader vntill the Front of your Battell be towards the Flank to which yee Wheele so that the Front of the Battell beeing wheeled falles like a perpendicular line vpon the Front of the Battell before it Wheeled making a right angle of 90 degrees at the corner File-leader about whome they Wheele and the Flanke falles vpon the Front as a parallel which the figure following showeth ABCDEF GHIKLM The figure ABCDEF is An Epistrophe or whee ling to the right hand CDEF is the Battell before the Wheeling whereof CD is the Front DF the right hand File The Command beeing given the right hand File-leader D who is thus marked * stands in his place
halfe turne the Files K O and K N shall come to bee the Flankes of the Battell and I M and L P shall joyne in the middle This is of good use against troupes of horse comming to charge both your Flankes for the Pickes may withstand the charge of the horse and the Musquetiers play vpon them from the middle The wordes of Command Whele your Battell to the right and left hand about by division If ye wold reduce any of those to their first station ye haue nothing to doe but to face to the contrarie hand and to wheele your Battell back the contrary way quarter turne or halfe turne as they wheeled first and then they face as they were (g) Aelian Tact. c. 24. cap. 31. Aelian describeth an triple wheeling which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I thinke it is an superfluous and foolish Motion neither can I belieue that ever the Greeks did use it for to what effect shall ye make an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triple wheeling of your Battell to the Picke or the Target when a single wheeling or quarter turne to the contrary hand will effect the samine with greater readinesse and thrise alse little paines and time as for example if you make an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Target that is if yee wheeled your Battell thrise to the left hand yee bring the Front of it to the right Flanke against the enemie now if you make but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or single wheeling to the right hand yee doe the same thing and I think there is no man of sense but will accorde that it is superfluitie to use three turnes when one turne will doe the businesse and chiefly in affaires of warre where the lest moment of time doth carrie with it a great weight This I thought good to advertise anie who shall read this Motion in Aelian that hee may eschew it for it is not only against our moderne excercise but contrarie tosense and reason Of the particular exercising of Picke-men and Musquetiers Tit. 11. OVr Pickemen as I shew before represents the heauie armed our Musquetiers the light armed both of the Grecian Phalanges and the Roman Legions Their heauie armed did carie for defence a Target besides the compleat arming of the bodie but whether the Discipline of our time hath done well or not in laying aside the Target from our Pickemen I will not disput because it is thought heauie and vnwealdie for an armed man and verie noysome in a March yet I thinke that custome and exercise would alleviat those difficulties and I belieue no good Commander will deny but it were expedient that stronge able men beeing File leaders of euerie Battaillon were appointed to carie large Targets of proofe after the Macedonian fashion that vnder the shaddow of them the rest of the Battaillion might be sheltered from the shot of the Enimie and also the Battaillion might be kept strong against the charge of the Enemie minding to breake it as the Greckes did when they made their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which did mightilie astonish the Romans themselues when they had adoe with them for (a) Plutar. in Emilio Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consul Lucius Aemilius saepe apud Romanos confitebatur se nihil unquam vidisse terrililius Phalange Macedonicâ Now as for the particular exercise of the Pickemen alone there is no other but that they ought exactlie to doe their Postures shown (b) Supra Tit. 5. before the Motions which I haue hitherto described beeing alike competent to them the Musquetiers for ordinarlie the pickemen in time of fight or skirmish doeth nothing vntill the Battells come neare to push of picke and then onelie they charge their pickes against the Enemie for the burding of sustaining the fight before that lyes vpon the Musquetiers of both sides during which time the Pickemen stands as idle spectators seruing onelie as a prop for the Enemies shot and neuer beeing able to offend them which is a pitifull consideration To remead this inconvenient the Gentlemen Souldiers of the trained bandes of the Artillerie Garding of London doe practise a shooting with the Bow they who are Pickemen without anie disturbance or hinderance of the use of their picke which is thus done They haue a Bow tyed to the picke in that place where they shoulder by a little engine or vice about which it turneth as they list so that plāting the But-end of the picke on the ground against the right foote and holding the Bow with their left arme the picke sloped and beeing as it were a rest vnto the Bow they shoote off their volie of Arrowes which hang in a Cace at their Girdle behind their backe with great ease dexterity if they be exercised therwith therafter they may fasten their Bow to a little pinne and recouer their picke order advance shoulder or doe anie other posture commanded as well with the Bow as without it When the whole Battell shoottes the followers must shoote throw their owne File ouer their Leaders heade they must stand in order at the least But when the Enemie commeth neare hand to charge the first fiue rankes must close to their close order and if it bee against horse while they foote their Pickes to receiue the charge and haue their swords drawne the last fiue Rankes may shoote their volies of arroues and doe great execution against them whereas without their Bowes they can doe nothing but stand with their pickes ported The wordes of Command for the use of the Bow with the Picke are those Order your picke Slope your picke Vnfasten your Bow Draw out your Arrow Noke your Arrow Shoote whollie together Recover your picke Fasten your Bow Advance your Picke This weapen is of excellent use both against the Enemies foote and his horse as for the foote it ouerthroweth cleane the Musquetiers seeing they are vnarmed the pickmens face armes and legges are also subject to the wounds of the Arrow which partes being hurt maketh them vnable for seruice but it doth especiallie gall the horse for a horse beeing wounded and hauing an hooked Arrowe fixed in his flesh hee will so rampage and runne to and fro that hee shall disorder the whole Battell They serue also to shoote fireworks into the Enemies Trench or Fort and also are steadable for convoyes who oft-times are assallied by horse But yee will say that those onelie of the first Rankes can use this Bow and that it cannot bee handled by them of the middle and Reare of the Battell for they will harme their owne Leaders To cleare this I would ask you How did the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or light armed of the Grecians anie seruice beeing placed in the Reare of their phalanx or the Roman Velites in the Reare of their Maniples for they were sundrie times so ordered as yee may see in (c) Aelian Tact. c. 7. 15. Aelian and (d) Leo.
march in Battell to be the more ready to withstand the assaultes of the Enemie The Captaine in the Front commandeth the first diuision of Musquetiers to halt then commandeth the first diuision of Pickes which the Enseigne leadeth to march vp vpon the left hand of them thereafter the first Sergeant to bring vp the second diuision of Pickes vpon the left hand of the former Lastly the second Sergeant to march vp with the second diuision of Musquetiers vpon the left hand of all so they stand embattelled as they were at the first Obserue when they march in Battell the Enseigne goeth in the Front of the Pickes with his Colours fleeing chiefelie if hee bee in sight of the Enemie or yet bee going out or comming into his Quarter or entring vpon Guarde but in fight he is to retire into the middle Ranke of the pickes The Drummes beates also in the Front but in fight they must draw aside to the angles on the Flankes The chiefe Drumme is to attend the Captaine to deliuer his Commands by touke of Drum to the Souldiers when the voyce cannot bee heard The Sergeants marcheth in the Flankes the oldest in the right the other in the left hauing care that euerie man march orderlie and keepe his distance and that no man goe out of his Ranke The Lieuetenant remaines in the Reare bringing vp the Companie and seeing that no man fall backe but that euerie man doe his duetie That which I haue shown of a single Company may bee vnderstood of a diuision of a Regiment a brigada or any greater Body but thē the diuisions both of Pickes and Musquetiers must bee framed according to the number of your Bodie and the Officers are placed according to the Sergeant major his Direction Obserue that when yee march by diuisions commeth to a narrow Straite where onelie one or two can goe in Front as ouer a little Planke or the straite of a Ditch Yee must make them march away by Files leading out one File after another or by Rankes commanding Rankes to ranke 1. or 2. or 3. according to the capacitie of the Straite and that either to the right or left hand as the Straite shall ly vpon the right or lef Flanke of your diuision If vpō the right then the right hand man marcheth fordward with his sideman if the place suffer 2. and the nixt 2. sidemen of that Ranke followeth And so the rest of the Rankes till all the diuisions bee past ouer which being done he is to command Ranks Ranke as yee were And so they returne all to their first Station and Posture Obserue also that if yee bee to draw vp your men in a Battallion Quarre or Square Battell I meane of men not of ground that is a square Quadrate which is a (b) Eucl. lib. 1. in defin figure Equilaterall and Rectangulare whose Rankes and Files shall be of equall number It is quicklie and exactlie done by extracting the radix quadrata or the Square roote of the number of your men which will bee both the length and deipth of your Battell As for example ye haue 400. men to put in a square Battell yee seeke out the square-roote of 400 which yee finde to bee 20. And therefore in an instant you draw vp your men 20. in File and 20. in Ranke But if yee bee to make vp any other square Battell Quadrilaterall which is (c) Euel lib. 1. in def Figura alter a parte longior called by the French Battallion Quarreen lōgue ye haue nothing to doe but to diuide the number of your men by the deipth giuen and the quotus shall bee the length of your Front which I shew before as in this instance diuide 400. by the deipth of 10. the quotus 40. shall giue you 40. in Ranke and siclike of any greater number the figure following A. B. sheweth the first C. D. the second A.B. C.D. Obserue by the way that with a contrarie operation ye may at the first sight find the number ofa Batallion passing by it and counting the length the deipth therof multiplying the one by the other as in the former instance multiplie 40. in Ranke by 10 in File ye shall find the whole number to be 400. I will not here speake of the other Battels which are not square as of Round Demilunar concave or convexe Rombus or Diamond Triangle or Vedge which is halfe a Diamond and such like others because they are not fitte for march neither are they now much used in Battell or fight as also they are discribed (d) Aelian Tact. cap. 46 47. by Aelian where they may bee found by any who are curious to vnderstand them But before I goe further I must advertise of one thing that the Souldiers bee acquainted with the seuerall beates of the Drumme and to vnderstand when the Drumme beates a Call or Gathering a March a Troope a Charge a Retreate a Releife and according as the Drumme beates swift or slow so to accommodate thair motion as to march slowe or fast to charge with greater or lesse violence to retire with greater or lesse speede and so foorth Of the seuerall Postures of the Picke and Musquet T it 5. IN the next place the Souldiers are to bee taught the use and postures of the Armes that euerie one of them doeth carie bee they Picke or Musquet and to handle them gracefullie The Postures then which the Picke-men should use either standing or marching are these following In the columne vpon the right hand are contained the tearmes of command in our Scots Language on the left the English for I thought good to acquaint you with both seeing sometimes the wordes are different 1. Take vp your Picke 2. Shoulder your Picke 3. Slope your picke 4. Levell your picke 5. Order your picke 6. Aduance your picke 7. Traill your picke 8. Cheeke your picke 9. Recouer your picke from traill or cheeke by palming 10. Port your picke 11. Charge your picke 12. Charge to the right hand 13. Charge to the left 14. Charge to the Reare by the right or left 15. Charge at the foote against horse and draw your Sword 16. Lay downe your picke 1. Lift your picke 2. Shoulder your picke 3. Sclant-carie your picke 4. Plate-carie your picke 5. Ouer end or set down your pick 6. Mount your picke 7. Traill your picke 8. By the point hold your picke 9. Recouer your pick by palming 10. Porte your picke 11. Present your picke fordward 12. To the right hand or right about present your picke 13. To the left hand or left about present your picke 14. To the Reare or to the lefe roud about presēt your picke 15. Foote your picke and draw your Swords 16. Lay downe your picke Obserue that those three Postures Take vp your Picke Order your Picke Lay downe your Picke are to bee done onelie standing The rest standing or marching but yee must remarke that when your Souldiers charge standing to
make them fall backe with the right Legge and marching to set fordward the left Also they must know to charge to the right to the left to the Reare from beeing aduanced ordered or shouldered all alike readie and with alike promptitude For howsoeuer the Enemie appeare they must bee readie to charge from euerie Posture they stand in The Charging to the Reare by the left is the most easie and most commodious motion For the charging by the right although it bee much used by the French whē they commād La charge be a demytour a droit is verie troublesome and dangerous is discharged by the Law Countrie Discipline for they beeing at close order which is the distance wherein they Charge or receiue a Charge and turning to the right hand their Swordes doe chap and are entangled vpon their Side-men so that they annoy their Side-men and themselues are hindered to turne and therefore breedes a great embarras and confusion in the Battell This Posture Aduance or Mount your Picke which the French calleth Pique en haut the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to bee used in a Troope and in exercising their motions In a march they must alwayes haue their Pickes Shouldered either Leuell or Sloppe as the word shal be giuen When they come through a gatē or porte they must porte their pickes that is carie them as as they were halfe charged Vpon an halt or stand they must order their Pickes vnlesse there bee command to the contraire When the whole Battell chargeth one way the first 5. Rankes must onelie charge they way commanded and the other 5. if they bee 10. deipth must onlie port their pickes carie them so ouer the heads of the Leaders that they no wayes empesh them either in charging or retiring When they lift their Pickes from their shoulders to charge let them take heede to lift them in a right Line and paralell with their owne File for otherwise by inclining of thē to either hand they shall trouble their next Files When Battelles commeth to push of picke good Commanders sayeth that your picke-men must not push by aduanceing and retireing their Arme as commonlie is done but onelie goe joyntlie on together in a Rout without moueing their Armes The charge at the foote against horse is not now used in the Low-Countries but they charge ouer hand aloft because say they they haue the picke more at command to turne where they will The Posturs of the Musquetier are those following our Scots in the right hand columme the English in the left 1. Take vp your Musquet and your Rest 2. Recouer your Musquet joyne your rest to your Musq 3. Draw out your match 4. Blow your match 5. Cocke your match 6. Try your match 7. Guarde your pan 8. Presēt by blowing your match and opening your pan 9. Giue fire 10. Dismount your Musquet carie it with your rest 11. Vncocke your match 12. Returne your match 13. Blow your pan 14. Prime your pan 15. Shoote your pan 16. Cast off your louse powlder 17 Blow your pan lidde 18. Cast about your Musquet and traill your staffe 19. Charge your Musquet 20. Draw out your Ram sticke 21. Shorten your Ram-sticke 22 Put in your Bullet and ram downe your powlder Bullet 23. Draw out your Ram sticke 24. Shorten your Ram sticke 25. Put vp your Ram sticke 26. Fetch your Musquet forward with the left hand and hold it vp in the right and recouer the staffe 27. Shoulder your Musquet and carie your staffe with it 28. March and carie your staffe in your right hand 29. Sinke your Musquet and vnshoulder your Musquet 30. Lay your Musq on your staffe 31. Stād to your Sētinell posture 32. Hold your Musquet in your staffe with the left hand onelie in ballance 33. Lay downe your Musquet 1. Take vp your Musqut and your staffe 2. Recouer your Musquet and joyne your staffe to your Mus 3. Take out your lunt 4. Blow your Lunt 5. Cocke your lunt 6. Try your lunt 7. Guarde your pan 8. Present or lay on by blowing your lunt opening your pan 9. Giue fire 10. Take downe your Musquet and carie it with your stâffe 11. Vncocke your lunt 12. Put your lunt betwene your fingers 13. Blow your pan 14. Morse your pan 15. Shoote your pan 16. Cast off your lowse powlder 17 Blow your pan 18. Cast about your Musquet and traill your rest 19. Charge your Musquet 20. Draw foorth your scourer 21. Shorten your scourer 22. Charge with bullet and ram downe your poulder bullet 23 Draw foorth your scourer 24 Shorten your scourer 25. Returne your scourer 26. Bring about your Musquet and paise it and recouer your rest 27. Shoulder your Musquet and carie your rest with it 28. March and carie your rest in your right hand 29. Slip your Musquet and vnshoulder your Musquet 30. Rest your Musquet 31. Stād to your Sētinell Posture 32. To your saluting Posture 33. Lay downe your Musquet Obserue that all this multitude of Postures in seruice are redacted to three Make readie present and giue fire The Musquetier vpon a March is alwayes to haue his Musquet shouldered and the Rest in his right hand his left vpon the Butte-end or head of the Musquet Although I haue seene many Souldiers and chiefelie the lazie Dutches to carie their Musquet with their hand vpon the Barrell and the mouth before them which is an vnseemelie Posture and verie vnreadie for seruice Vpon one halt or stand the Musquetier is alwayes to rest his Musquet vnlesse hee haue command to the contrarie The Musquetiers are to carie the mouth of their Musquet high as well when they are shouldered as when they prime or guarde their pan or come vp to giue fire And when they blow their Match they are to bring their Musquet to their mouth and not to stoope to it A Musquetier in making readie and in falling away through an diuision or by counter-march must take good heede to carie his Musquet in a evin straight line with his File for if he carie it crosse hee will disturbe his neighbour Files When they giue fire against the Enemie beeing in open Fielde they must aime no higher than the Girdle of a man But within a Trench or Parapet where perchance nothing shall bee discouered but the heade of the Enemie they must aime at that part which appeareth How those Postures as well of the Picke as Musquet are to bee performed may bee some-what vnderstood by the figures which are set downe in his Excellence Graue Maurice his Booke of postures but they are neuer to bee learned without action and practise Of Motions and first of Faceing Tit. 6. SOuldiers then beeing Armed and drawen vp in an orderlie Bodie and knowing their distances marches Postures The chiefe thing thereafter that they are to learne is their Motions which are the life of an Armie for as the Soule is to the bodie so is Motions to a
Files of the Bodie And in this doubling the halfe Files marching out from the Bodie breedeth no disorder nor disturbance at all but on the contrarie bringeth vp fresh aides vpon the Flankes against the Enemie and will affright him no lesse than if a newe Battaillion werecomming to charge him Lastlie it is more conducible for the use of doubling which yee shall see heereafter seeing it extendeth more the length of the Battell and keepeth it more from ouer-winging than any other doubling For if the enimie come vpon you with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an ouerwinging Battell minding to encompasse either of your Flankes by this Motion yee may handsomelie rencounter him For if it be your right Flanke which hee persewes yee ought to use the doubling Enteare to the right hand A. B. C. If it bee the left Flanke yee are to use the doubling Enteare to the left hand D. E. F. But if hee come vpon you with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an ouer-fronting Battell minding to encompasse both your Wings then yee are to use the doubling to the right and left by diuision G. H. I. K. so that by this Motion yee are readie to resist all his attempes (d) Capt. Bing in his Notes vpon Aeliā Tac. c. 29. § 3. 5. Captaine Bingam whose learning and vnderstanding in the Airte Militar is sufficientlie knowne doth allow of this Motion and commends it aboue the other do ublinges The illustrious (e) Count Mansfielde in his direction of Warre Count Mansfield himselfe whose Authoritie is sufficient to stoppe the mouthes of all contradictors discribeth this doubling and setteth it downe with the words of Command as verie usefull But laying aside Authoritie the argument is cleare That Motion which in time of fight without disturbance of the Battell bringeth supplie vnto it and annoyeth the Enemie is a steadable Motion But doubling of the Front enteare to either hand or by diuision is such a Motion Ergo it is a steadable Motion The major is manifest the minor I haue already provene so that this Motion remaineth good and steadable in seruice although those who vnderstand it not disdaine it and neglect the practise of it I haue insisted longer in this point than I would haue done because I cannot disgest the hautie ignorance of manie Commanders who slighteth and contemneth all thinges which surpasseth the reach of their vnderstanding There is yet other doublings of Ranks as namely by Counter-march which (f) Leo Tac c. 7.9.84 Leo describeth in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And I haue seene it oft practised by the English It is thus done The Captaine commandeth the Files to counter-march to the right or left what Counter-march is yee shall see heereafter then the File-Leaders beginneth to turne and the rest following them they march downe through the Files till the Leaders bee in evin ranke with the Bringers-vp then presentlie hee commandeth them to halt or stand so that the last fiue Ranke are faced to the Front and the first fiue to the Reare The Captaine then if he will haue the Battell fronting as it was hee commandeth the first fiue Rankes to face about to him which done they shall all haue their faces directed one way towardes the Front But if hee please to turne the aspect of his whole Battell towardes the Reare hee commandeth thee Reare diuision or last fiue ranks to face about and so the whole Battell shall bee faced about to the Reare This is of singulare use against an enemie comming to charge your Reare and to encompasse you For by this Motion in an instant yee both double the length of your Battell and bring your best men to receiue the charge of the enemie And this is the use which the Emperour (g) Leo. Tact. § c. 7. Leo maketh of this Motion who was the breauest Commander of his tyme and who for his exquisite knowledge in the Arte Militarie was brought to weare the Imperiall Crowne There is another doubling of Rankes when the evin Rankes are drawne out fullie from the Bodie towardes either of the Flankes or else when they diuide themselues and march out towardes both Flankes together Count (h) Count Mansfield in his direct of warre Mansfield calles this to double the Front by the Flankes The Emperour (i) Leo. Tac. c. 7. § 69. Leo speaketh also of it and sayeth It is to be done by this word of command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rankes also are doubled by wheeling the Flanks into the Bodie as yee shall see heere after The use of Doubling of Ranks The generall use of Doubling of Rankes (k) Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian setteth downe clearelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The length of the Battell is doubled when either they purpose to ouerwing the Enemie or else expectes to bee ouerwinged by him This did (l) Polienus Strat lib. 2. in Cleandrida § 4. Cleandridas the Lacedemonian Generall against the Leucans for he surpassing them in multitude first drew his Battell to a great deapth that he might allure them to charge which the Leucans seeing drew out their Armie in length came foreward to encompasse his winges but Cleandridas doubling the length of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouerfronted them and ouerthrew them The Emperour (m) Leo. Tact. cap. 7. § 69. Leo giueth another reason of Doubling the length of the Battell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The length of the Battell is doubled for ornament and to make a faire show or to make it equall with another Battell or else to affright the Enemie making him thinke your multitude to be greater then it is as did (n) Polienus Strat. lib. ◠in Antigono § 19. Antigonus against Eumenes But the Emperour (o) Leo Tact c. 14. § 108. Leo giues an good aduertisement and caution for doubling the length of the Battell whereof all Commanders should take heede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When the deapth of the Battell is drawn vp in length it must not be so lengthned that it be ouerweakned in the deapth for it will fall out that the Enemies shall easilie breake it asunder and make a passage through it and will not onelie encompasse it before but passing through the midst will bee found behind and there doe great harme Wherefore a Generall should not onelie seeke to prevent this but to doe the like to the Enemie Aelian speaketh of a doubling of Rankes in place which is nothing but an opening of Files to a greater distance DOubling of Files OF doubling of Files is a Motion whereby the deapth of the Battell is increased and the length diminished by inserting the one halfe of the Files in the other (p) Leo Tact. c. 7. § 16 c. 14 § 109. Leo calleth this Motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
see the first ranke is casting it selfe in a File behind the right hand man V. X. is a Fileing to the left hand where the first Ranke is going to File behind the left hand man and as the first Rankes in both doeth so yee must imagine the rest to doe in an instant Y. Z. is a Fileing to the right and left by division where yee see the halfe of the first Ranke falling in behind the right hand man and the other halfe of it behind the left hand man which also yee must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to doe The wordes of Command File Ranke as yee were Rankes File to the right hand Rankes File to the left hand Some say Rankes File by conversion to the right or left hand Files as yee were Rankes File to the right and left by division Or Rankes File by inversion to the right or left There is yet a Doubling of Files by wheeling the Rankes to the right or left hand If the word be to the right the right hand man turnes to the right and the rest of his Ranke wheele together and come aboue him on the left hand all the Rankes doeth the like If the command bee to the left the left hand man turnes to the left the rest of his Ranke commeth all aboue him on the right hand and so all the other Rankes CD AB The figure A. B. is a wheeling to the right hand where yee see the first Ranke wheeling about the right hand man and comming vp vpon his left hand C. D. is a wheeling to the left hand where the first Ranke is wheeling about the left hand man and comming vp on his right hand and so doth all the rest of the Rankes The words of Command Rankes as ye were Rankes wheele to the right hand Rankes wheele to the left hand Yee may wheele Rankes also to the right or left by division The use of Doubling of Files is to strengthen the deapth of your Battell to resist the Enemie The use of Doubling of Files when yee thinke hee mindes to breake through and diuide your forces It serues also to let the shot goe through your Files when ye are marching towards an Fort for which the first maner of Doubling is proper the Fileing of Rankes to the right or left hand Also to giue a Vollie of Musquetados vpon either Flanke or both or to make a streete for a Generall or some great Commander to goe through or else to lodge the Colours The Fileing of Rankes to the right or left or both by division or the wheeling of Rankes performeth this It serueth also to make your Forces seeme small to allure the Enemie to fight as did (u) Polien Strat. lib 2. in Cleandri §. 4. Cleandridas against the Leucans who first first drew out his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a greath deapth whereby his enemies contemning his apparentlie small number did charge him but hee instantlie doubling his Ranks did encompasse them and ouerthrow them But ye must take heed as the Emperour (x) Leo Tact. c. 14. §. 109. Leo advertiseth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That when yee double the deapth of your Battell yee make not the Front of your Armie too narrow and so giue occasion to the Enemie to ouerfront you encompasse you which was (y) Polyb. histor lib. 1. §. 10. Marcus Attilius Regulus his error in the Battell against the Carthagenians for hee fearing the Forces of the Carthagenian Elephants to breake through his Armie drew his Battell to so great a deapth that it was easilie encompassed by the Carthagenian horse-men led by Zantippus the Lacedemonian and by them vtterlie defeate and himselfe taken prisoner For as too much weakening of the deapth and doubling the length of your Battell puts in danger to bee diuided and broken So too much Doubling the deapth and diminishing the length puts it in perrill to bee ouerwinged and encompassed And therefore a wise Commander will haue a care if his Front bee narrow to take the advantage of a Trench River or Marish thereby to secure his Flankes that the Enemie may not annoy him there and if hee can attaine to none of those yet to make use of his owne Waggons Obserue that this Motion of Doublings alters the forme of the Battell changing both the length and the deapth thereof which no other Motion doeth Obserue also that in Doubling the length of your Battell ye make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in doubling the deapth ye make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described by (z) Aelian Tact. c. 29. Aelian (a) Aelian Tact. c. 28. Aelian speaketh of a Doubling of the deapth in place which is nothing but an opening of Rankes to a geater distance Of Evolution or Counter-March Tit. 8. EVolution or Countermarch called by the Grecians (a) Aelian Tact. c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Motion of the whole Battell whereby the Front is brought in place of the Reare or one Flanke in place of the other And therefore Countermarch is two fold of Files or of Ranks and both of those saith (b) Aelian Tact. c. 26. Aelian is threefold for either they gaine ground in marching not in charging or loose ground or keepe that same ground the first is called the Macedonian Countermarch the second the Lacedemonian the third the Chorean or Persian The Macedonian Countermarch by File so called from the Macedonians who were the inventers and users of it is described by (c) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When the File-Leader turneth his face and the bringer vp with all the rest goe against him on the right or left hand and passing on to the ground before the Frōt of the phalanx placeth themselues in order one after another according as the File Leader himselfe hath turned his face Or it is when the File-Leader turneth his face and the next to him passing by him on the right or left hand placeth himselfe behind him so all the rest one after another As ye shall see in the figure following EFABCD A B C D is the Battell before the Countermarch E F A B the Battell after the Countermarch which hath left the ground A B C D wherein it stood which yee see marked with points and taken the ground before it E F A B and are all faced about to the Reare A B which before the Countermarch was the Front doeth yet remaine the Front but the right hand File B D is become the left hand File B F and the left hand File A C the right hand File A E. the Reare C D is now the Reare E F. The wordes of Command Files Countermarch and gaine ground The Lacedemonian Countermarch by File so called from the Lacedemonians who invented and practised this Motion is set downe by (d) Aelian Tact. c. 27. Aelian in those
him the one halfe falling backward the other halfe advancing foreward according as the Command is to wheele If the Command bee to the right hand the right Flanke middle File-leader standes still and all those of the right Flanke goeth backeward the left Flanke forward If to the left hand the left Flanke middle File leader stands the left Flanke moues backeward and the right forward vntill they haue all made their Quarter-turne or halfe turne as the word is to wheele to the Flankes or the Reare ABCDEFGH This Figure is a wheeling of the Battell by the Center to the right hand where the fift File leader D* did stand as the Center the body hath moued about him the right Flanke F C falling backward the left Flanke A B advancing forward vntill they haue left the place D E G H and taken the ground A B C F. D E is a part of the Front before the wheeling E H the right Flanke B F is the Front after the wheeling F C the right Flank the number of the Files are set downe in the Reare of both the figures because I had no place to set them in the Front for the intersection of the two Fronts By this yee may also easilie conceiue a wheeling to the left for making the sixt File leader to stand the right Flanke F C to moue forward and the left Flanke B A to fall backward and make a quarter turne vntill the Front B F shall be converted to the left hand Likewise yee may consider a wheeling to the right or left about if yee cause the Bodie make an halfe turne to either hand vntill the Front bee towardes the Reare so that B F shall fall parallel vnto the former Front whereas now it cuttes it perpendicularlie The wordes of Command for this Motion VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right hand VVheele your Battell by the Center to the left hand VVheele your Battell by the Center to the right or to the lefth and about This VVheeling doeth not alter the ground so much as the other wheelings The use of this Motion The vse of VVheeling is when the Enemie comes to assault you in any one place as on either of the Flankes or the Reare ye turne the Front of your Battell towardes him and so bringes your best men to fight with him which Good Commanders was alwayes accustomed to doe as I shew before But if he come to charge you on more places then one as in the Flankes and the Reare or in the Front and the Reare or in the Front and the Flankes VVheeling will doe you no good your onelie remeade will bee to face about and receiue his Charge By this Motion (e) Plutar. in Pyrrho Pyrrhus ouerthrew Arieius King of Lacedemon and (f) Polyb. Hict lib. 1. Sect. 21. Amilcar defeate Spendius with the rest of his Rebelles See the Histories For I will not burding this small Treatise with many Allegations Obserue that Epistrophe and Perispasmus are in the whole Battell the same which Clisis and Metabole was in a particular Souldier for as thir turnes the face of the Souldier to the Flanks or the Reare keeping still his place so doeth the others turne the Face or Front of the whole Battell to the Flankes or the Reare changing the ground There is another kind of VVheeling which is when the winges are wheeled into the Bodie this is done either towardes the Front or towardes the Reare If towardes the Front then yee command the middle File leaders to stand still I meane from changing of ground not from Motion for they moue in their owne place and the right wing to wheele forwards to the left about its owne middle Fileleader transferring their faces to the contrarie wing The left wing in the same time wheeles forward to the right about the other middle Fileleader meeting the other wing in the midst face to face Then the Commander bids the right wing face to the right hand and the leftwing to the left hand so they shall all haue their aspect towards the Front If the wheeling be towards the Reare ye must first face your Battell about by either hand then the bringersup of the middle Files who are now become leaders stands still both the wings shall moue about the Bringersvp the one to the right hand the other to the left till they meete other in the midst as did the former then the Commander may bring their aspect to the Front or the Reare as hee pleases IKLMNOPQ This figure is a Wheling of the wings into the midst of the Battell towards the Front where ye see the right wing K L O P to bee wheeling to the left hand about the middle Fileleader K* the left wing I K M N to be wheeling to the right about its own middle Fileleader marked also K* and ye must conceiue those two wings to moue still on vntill they meete other the Pickes joyning with the Pickes and the Musquetiers with the Musquetiers and then the left hand File of the left wing I M shall come in evin line with the right hand File of the right wing L P making thereof the Front of the Battell after they are turned and the File K N shall come in an evin line with K O making thereof the Reare N Q O is a parte of the ground where the Battell stoode before it began to wheele But if yee wheele your Battell towards the Reare ye must conceiue N and O to be joyned to stand still and the right wing after it is faced about to wheele to the right hand about O the left wing to wheele to the left hand about N vntill they meete other face to face so that the File I Mâ— shall come in evin line with L P. The words of Command for this Motion are Wheele the wings into the midst of your Battell Or Wheele your Battell to the right left hand by division towards the Front or towards the Reare The use of this wheeling is to bring all your Musquetiers or all your Pickes to the Front as occasion shall serue and therwith to double your Front The Musquetiers are brought to the Front by wheeling towards the Front if they were before on the Flankes The Pickes are brought to the Front by wheeling towardes the Reare if they were before in the middle Suppose then that an troupe of the enemies horse were comming to charge your Front or your Reare minding also to encompasse your winges by this wheeling of the winges into the midest of your Battell with one labour yee both bring your Pickes against the Enemies horse and doubles the length of your Battell to eschew over-winging This wheeling hath onely a quarterturne but if yee will make an halfe turne either to the Front or the Reare yee shall bring the Pickes to both Flankes if they were before in the mids as in the former figure if yee should make an
the enemie or receiuing his charge by the second reteiring from the enemie by the third marching by an enemie First then they are taught to Giue fire in the Front advancing vpon the enemie after this manner How to Giue fire in the Front A Sergeāt or some higher Officer if the body be great stands some 7 or 8 pace before the body commāds the first two Rankes of both winges to make readie and to come vp to him which when they haue done hee commands the first Ranke to present and giue fire and thereafter to fall away those of the right Flanke to the right hand those of the left Flanke to the left hand that is to marche away one after another in a File downe by the Flankes of the Battallion and joyne in the Reare euerie man behinde his owne File When the first Rank is fallen away the second presentes and giues fire and falles away as the first Immediatly as the first two Ranks doth moue to goe up and giue fire the next two Rankes must make ready and as soone as the first two Rankes are fallen away they goe vp to their place and giues fire and falles away in the like maner as they did So all the other Ranks by twoes are to doe the samine one after another vntill they haue all giuen fire when the first two Rankes are advanced the body moues vp to their place and the rest successively till the whole Rankes haue giuen fire and made way for the first Ranke to renew the volie ABCD Yee see in this Battell A B C D the first two Rankes of each wing are advanced before the body to giue fire and the first Ranke of both winges hath alreadie giuen fire and fallen away That of the right wing B D to the right hand that of the left wing A C to the left hand and both of them falleth downe to the Reare euerie man behinde his owne File The second Ranke of both winges hath presented to giue fire and thereafter falles away as the first did and so all the rest But if your Battallion cosist of any greater number as of 400 or 600 men so that ye haue 10 or 15 Musquetiers in Ranke on each wing then yee must observe to mak them fall away by diuisions that is they must divide themselues and fall away downe by the divisions or streetes which the Sergeant causes make to that purpose through the bodie of the Musquetiers those of the right wing falling to the right hand those of the lest wing falling to the left hand EFGHIKLMNO Yee see heere a Battallion of 400 men consisting of halfe Picks halfe Musquetiers hauing 10 Musquetiers in Ranke on each wing The right wing is G H M O The left wing E F I L The first Rank of both wings hath given fyre fallen away That of the right wing to the right hand the one halfe without the right Flanke H O the other halfe through the division N That of the left wing to the left hand the one halfe without the left Flanke E I the other through the diuision K. Or else ye may mak them fall away as I haue seene many doe on each wing to the right or left hand making those who fell away to the right hand through the division N to fall away to the left hand through the diuision G M betwixt the right wing of the Musquetiers and the body of the Pickes and those who fell away to the left hand through the division K to fall away to the right hand through the division F L betwixt the left wing of the Musquetiers and the body of the Pickes and by this meanes yee shall keep the body of your shotte whole and vndisioyned which many Commanders studie to doe But if your Battaillion be greater as consisting of 600 or 800 men so that yee haue 15 or 20 Musquetiers in Ranke on each VVinge then of necessitie yee muste make streetes or diuisiones through the body of your Musquetiers to them to fall away fiue fiue For good Commanders holds a maxime that more than fyue Musquetiers to make readie seruice ought not to fall away together and if the Front bee long then to make so many diuisiones as there is fiues to fall away because when the whole Ranke of Musquetiers if they bee many falles away together one after another they take a long time before they can all fall away and so hinders the next Ranke to come vp and giue fire whereas falling away by diuisions they doe it in an instant and makes present way for the next Ranke to giue fire as yee see in the figure following OPQRSTV O P Q V is the right wing of a Battell of 800. men containing 200. Musquetiers making 20 in Front yee see then the first Ranke O P hath giuen fire and divided it selfe in foure partes containing euerie one fyue falling all away to the right hand whereof the one is falling away by the right Flanke P V the next through the division T the third through the division S the fourth through the division R So that the whole twentie Musquetiers falleth away in as short time as fiue onelie would haue done whereas if they had fallen away altogether to either hand they would haue taken foure times as much time or had fallen away to the right and left they would haue taken twise so much time as they haue now takē in falling away by diuisions therfore makes ready way to the following Rankes to come vp giue fyre against the Enemie The like ye may vnderstand of the left wing of Musquetiers where they will all fall to the left hand as these hath done to the right This forme of falling away I haue found approued and haue seene practised by the most judicious and best experimented Commanders of our dayes Notwithstanding I know many Commanders who not considering this make all their Musquetiers fall off together or at the most to the right and left by division how manie so euer they bee For there are manie more curious to make vnlawfull gaines by their company then carefull to performe a duetie belonging to their charge I haue seene another maner of falling away used by the English which is by Counter march thus when the first Ranke hath giuen fyre all those of the ranke turneth together to the right hand and marcheth downe through the distances betweene the Files while they come to the Reare and likewise the second Ranke all the rest one after another And it is chiefelie used in a Phalanx amphistomus where the halfe of the Ranks of the Musquetiers giues fyre in the Front and the other halfe in the Reare when they Countermarch to the division which is made through the middle of the Rankes But to performe this the Files must bee at open order and they must bee verie expert Musquetiers They use another forme of giuing fyre in the Front without anie falling away thus when
the first ranke hath giuen fyre it standeth still the Ranke next it passeth vp through the same Ranke and presenteh in due distance before it and giueth fyre the third Ranke passeth through them both and giueth fyre before them and so the rest of the ranks successiuelie till the bringers-vp haue giuen fyre in the Front But I thinke this not so fit for seruice as to show the varietie of exercise If the Commander please to make more execution against the enemie hee may command the second Ranke to double the first and to giue fyre altogether so that for fiue shotte hee may shoote ten and for ten twentie The use of this exercise is to advance and to charge the Enemie if yee bee stronger than he and to gaine ground vpon him But if ye desire not to gaine ground as beeing more fite to defend then offend yee may make the Rankes giue fyre where they stand without advancing and fall away to the right or to the right and left as before If ye sustaine a charge both in Front and Reare then they who hath giuen fyre falleth away to either hand and joynes in the the division made through the middle of the Battell betweene the two middle rankes as in the figure following ABCD A B C D is a winge of 100 Musquetiers wherof the one halfe of the rankes giues fyre in the Front A B The other halfe of the Rankes giues fyre in the Reare C D and the Ranks that hath giuen fyre both of A B and C D to wit the first and the tenth falles away to the right and left hand and joynes in the division E euerie man toward his owne Front the Rankes next them presentes giues fyre and falles away as the former and so all the rest Or else they may fall away by Countermarch as I haue said before but in so doing they must bee expert Musquetiers and carie their Peeces aright otherwise they will disturbe the whole Ranks And it is a verie comelie sight to see this Battell when the pickes are charged both to the Front Reare the Musquetiers doing their duetie that is giuing fyre and falling away by Countermarch gracefullie and with readinesse as I haue seene the Souldiers of the Artillerie Garding doe it most exactlie How to Giue fire in the Reare The second way of Giuing fyre is in Reteiring from the Enemie and then they giue fire in the Reare which is in this manner The Captaine marching in the Reare for that is his place in a retreit from the Enemie honour beeing alwayes accompanied with danger commands the last Ranke to make ready and then to the right hand about and giue fire which they doe the body still continuing their marche and thereafter turnes off to the right hand or if they be many to the right left towardes both Flankes or else through the divisiones of the body which are made for that end and marches vp a good swift pace to the Front where euerie man falles in the Front of his own File As soone as the last Rank is turned to giue fire the next Rank makes ready and when the last Ranke is fallen off and marched away it turnes about giues fire falls off and doth all as the former did and so all the rest of the Rankes successiuelie one after another as in the figure following FGHI F G H I is a winge of an 100 Musquetiers Retireing from the enemie where yee see the 10 Ranke in the Reare hath giuen fire turned to the right hand divided it selfe and fallen away the on halfe through the division H F betwixt the Musquetiers and the Picks the other halfe through the division K and are marching away vp to the Front but if yee would keepe the bodie of your Musquetiers whole ye may make the Ranke which giues fyre divide it selfe and the one halfe fall away to the right hand the other to the left so that the halfe which falls away through the division K shall fall away by the Flanke I G. The ninth Ranke hath turned about and presented and after it giueth fyre divideth it selfe and marcheth away as the former and so doeth all the Rankes successiuelie one after another continueing still their march and giuing fyre vpon the Enemie If yee would make more execution vpon the Enemie yee may make the penult Ranke double the last as I show before in doubling the Front The use of Giuing fyre Reteiring is when the Enemie is stronger than you and followes you in the Reare yee beeing much weaker and not able to encounter him yee march away and makes haste to gaine your owne Quarters or Trenche or Forte from whence you sortied or to joyne with moe of your owne arme and yet ye skirmish with the Enemie giuing fyre vpon him and no wayes hindering your owne marche The third way of Giuing fyre is How to Giue fire on the Flankes Marching by an Enemie which is done vpon the Flanks after this maner The outmost File of the Flanke next the Enemie is commanded to make ready and to turne to the right or left hand according as the Enemie appeares vpon the right or left wing and to giue fire altogether thereafter they march not with the bodie but stands still and keepes their ground and charges their Musquets againe Now whensoeuer the foresaid File turnes to giue fire the next File vnto it makes readie keeping alwayes along with the Body till its bringer-up bee past a litle beyond the leader of the File that gaue last fyre and then the whole File must turne and giue fire and doe all as the former did Thereafter the first File marches up and joynes with the second File Assoone as the second File turnes to giue fyre the third File which is now outmost towards the Enemie makes ready turnes about giues fyre and doth all as the other two and so the rest one after another and then the first two Files marcheth vp to the third and those three to the fourth after it hath discharged and so foorth all the rest till the whole wing of shotte be gathered together and then they all marche vp and joyne in equall Front with the Pickes as yee see in the figure following KLMN K L M N is a winge of 100 Musquetiers marching by an Enemie who showes himselfe on the right Flanke of the Battallion L N Your first File P. towards him hath giuen fyre vpon him and hath charged their Musquets againe in the place they stood The next File hath also giuen fyre vpon him and are charging againe in the same ground also the third File hath turned to the right hand and so hath presented to giue fyre after which yee must imagine the first File P. to march vp and joyne with the second File O. and both of them to marche vp to the third File and so foorth till the whole wing gather and joyne together againe after they haue given fyre The like yee
may vnderstand if the Enemie appeare vpon your left wing for then the left hand File is to turne about to the left and to giue fyre vpon the Enemie and to doe all as the right hand File hath done and so the rest of the Files in the left wing doe after the like manner as those of the right observing only the diversitie of the hand Or if the Enemie bee on both your Flankes yee may make both your Flankes doe as one hath done Although this forme of Gathering together of the Files which I haue showne bee most usuall yet there is many good Commanders who dislike it and thinkes it better that the File which hath giuen fire doe not stand longer than they be free of the body but turning a little to the left marche immediately vp to the other side betweene the Picks and the wing of Musquetiers where there is a distance left for that effect QRSTV Heere yee see the first File V. hauing given fire and beeing free of the body is marching up the division Q. S. to joyne with the rest on the left side betweene the Picks and the Musquetiers the second File doth the like and so all the rest one after another but in this the whole wing in marching is to edge a litle to the right that it may keepe the diuision cleare and free to receiue the Files as they giue fyre This they thinke doth not so much dismember the body as the other nor yet oppose the Files so muche to the Enemies shotte for when three Files stands one before another they make a great proppe to the Enemie But I leaue euerie one to their owne opinion for Martiall Commanders differs amongst themselues in points of exercise euerie one following the custome of his owne Countrey If yee would Giue more fyre vpon the Enemy yee may make the second File to double the first and both to giue fire together and so through the rest of the Files as I shew before in giuing fire by doubling of Rankes in the Front or the Reare The use of Giuing fyre in the Flankes is when the Enemy appeareth on either of your Flankes to charge you and ye not able to sustaine his charge yee marche away by him in good order and giues fyre vpon him and if hee would continue his march with youres thinking to hasten and cut off your passage or come betwixt you and your retreete yee may make as much haste as he and yet sustaine skirmish with him A Collection of the VVords of Command which are most necessare in exercise and seruice Tit. 12. IN this treatise I haue set downe sundrie Motions with their wordes of Command more to show the varietie of exercise than to approue them as steadable in Service Therefore I haue made heere a collection of the words of Command which are most necessarie in the exercise of Motiones and usefull in Service Our Scotts words I haue set downe in the right hand Columne the English in the left But the wordes of Command for the Postures of the Picke and the Musquet I shew you (a) Supra Tit. 5. before Your Company then beeing orderlie drawne vp and standing at a due distance both in Rankes and Files which is open order The Captaine or other Officer after he hath commanded Silence hee begins Stand right in your Rankes and your Files As yee were To the right hand To the left hand To the right and left hand by division To the right hand about To the left hand about Half Files to the right or left hand about Ranks as yee were Rankes to the right hand double Rankes to the left hand double Bringers vp as yee were Bringers vp double your Front to the right hand Bringers vp double your Front to the left hand Halfe Files as ye were Middlemen or Half Files to the right hand double your Front Middlemen or Half Files to the left hand double your Front Halfe Files to the right double your Frōt enteare Halfe Files to the left double your Front enteare Halfe Files double your Front to the right and left by diuision Files as ye were Files to the right hand double Files to the left hand double File rāk as yee were Rankes file to the right hand Ranks file to the left hād Rankes file to the right and left by division Files Countermarch to the right hand Files Countermarch to the left hand Rankes Countermarch to the right Flanke Rankes Countermarch to the left Flanke To your order or close order Files close to the right hand Files close to the left hand Files close Close your Rankes to your order or close order To your open order or any order else Files Open to the right hand Files Open to the left hand Files Open Rankes Open to your open order or anie order else Wheele your Battell to the right hand VVheele your Battell to the left hād VVheele your Battell to the right hand about VVheele your Battell to the left hand about Stand right in your Ranks and your Stringes To your first order Right about Left about Right and left about Right round about Left round about Sixt Ranke right or left round about Rankes to your first order Double your Rankes to the right hand Double your Rankes to the left hand Tenth Rank to your first order Tenth ranke to the right hād aduance to the frōt Tenth ranke to the left hād advance to the Frōt Sixt rāk to your first order Sixt Ranke to the right hād advance to the Frōt Sixt Rank to the left hād advance to the Front Strings to your first order Double your Stringes to the right hand Double your Stringes to the left hand Strings to the right hand Countermarh Stringes to the left hand Countermarch Rankes to the right hand Countermarch Rankes to the left hand Countermarch To your second or third distance Close your Stringes to the right hand Close your Stringes to the left hand Close your Stringes Rankes close to your second or third distance To your first distance or any distance else Open your Strings to the right hand Open your Stringes to the left hand Open your Stringes Open your Ranks to your first distance or any distance else The great turne to the right about The great turne to the left about The great turne to the right round about The great turne to the left round about The wordes of Command for the exercise of Musquetiers The wordes for Giuing fire in the Front First Ranke make ready Advance before the Front sixe paces Present and giue fire Fall away orderly to the right or to the left hand or to both by division Next Ranke doe the like All the rest follow For Giuing Fire in the Reare Last Ranke make ready To the right about present and giue fire Fall off to the right or left hand or to both by diuision March vp to the Front Next last Ranke doe the like At the rest follow For Giuing fire in the Flanks Right or left hand File make ready To the right or left hand present giue fire Keepe your ground and charge your Musquets againe Next File to the right or left hand present and giue fire Keepe your ground and charge your Musquets againe The rest of the Files doe the like First File marche vp and ioyne with the second Marche vp both and ioyne with the third and so foorth AND this much for exercising of foote Companyes in their Postures and Motions I intended to haue spoken of the Duetie and Charge of euerie Officer of foot and of the Embattelling and Encamping of Foot-men if I had not beene pressed with shortnesse of time and diverted by sundrie distractiones besides the leevying of my Company and chiefly by a little praeparation which I haue made for the plantation of New Scotland in America A Worke so Noble so Glorious so conducible to the honour and commodity of this Kingdome that the like hitherto was neuer intended The Author wherof although his rare Vertues bee not now according to their hight acknowledged by vs yet ensueing times will approue them and proue him to haue beene the Glorie of his Age. If in this treatise I haue committed any errour I submitt my selfe to the judement and censure of the Learned and experimented Souldier whose amendation I craue As for the envious Thrasonicall Critick who will still be carping that which hee vnderstands not I disdaine him I defy him If in this I bring any profite to my Countrie men it shall encourage mee with the first opportunity God willing to proceed and set foorth somewhat of the exercise of Cavalerie and also of the forme of erecting any regular or irregular figure of Fortification with the manner of assayling and defending a Fort and that more to allure others of better vnderstanding to employ their pen and publish more perfectly in this subject then that I esteeme any thing of mine worthy of light avouching only this that in a true affection to my KING and my Country and in a firme resolution to spend the last drop of my Blood in their seruice I shall bee Inferiour to no Man liuing FINIS Printed at Edinburgh by the Heires of Andro Hart ANNO DOM. 1627.
foote and an halfe Obserue that when your Companie marcheth they must keepe 3. foote betweene Files and 6 foote between Rankes Close Order or third distance is when your Souldiers stand a foote and an halfe remoued from File to File and 3. foote from Ranke to Ranke and this distance is onely for Picke-men when they charge or receiue the charge of the Enemie For the Musquetiers are neuer to bee closer than three foote in square because they must haue a free use of their Armes (c) Aelian Tact. c. 11. Aelian calleth this distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constipatio or a joyning of Targets together and taketh vp a cubitt There is also a double Distance or open open Order which containeth 12. foote betwixt Rankes and Files and is used when ye march toward a Forte to let the shotte goe through the Files and when ye double your Files by conuersiō Now the measure of those Distances cannot be taken justlie by the eye but the Souldier to learne them must acompt the distance of sixe foote to bee betwixt File and File when the Souldiers streatching out their airmes toucheth one anothers hands and betwixt Rankes when the endes of their Pickes come well neare to the heelles of them that march before As for the Musquetiers they must keepe levell with the Pickes And the measure of the 3. foote betwixt the Files is whē their Elbowes toucheth one another betwixt Rankes when they come vp to touch one anothers Swords The measure of a foote and an halfe betwixt Files is when they joyne shoulder to shoulder Manie Commanders holdes that open Order is not sixe foote in square but is 12 foote in Ranke and 6. in File Order 6. foote in Ranke and 3. in File but I leaue euerie man to his owne opinion For it is in Militarie Discipline as in all others Sciences Certant doctores adhuc sub judice lis est Alwayes the former opinion is most receiued What Distance and intervall the Romans used betwixt the Maniples and Cohortes of their Legions (d) Veget. de re Militari lib. 3. cap. 15. see Vegetius Of Marching Tit. 4. AFter that a confused Bodie of men is orderlie digested into Files and Rankes and that euerie one of them knoweth their Distance the next thing of consideration is how to make them March in due order All Marches are either in Battell array or by diuisions I will not here touch the Grecian Marches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge wherof I remitte the Reader to find in (a) Aelian Tactic cap. 35. cap. 36.37 38. sequent Aelians Tactikes but will onelie speake of the ordinarie Marches used now a-dayes Suppose then that yee haue a Companie of men consisting of 200. whereof the one halfe are Pickes and the other Musquetiers and yee would draw them vp in Battel You must first know what should bee the length of your Battell that is How many men ye should put in Ranke the deipth alreadie knowne 10. which is speedilie done thus Diuide your whole number 200. by the deipth 10. the quotus beeing 20. sheweth you the length of your Battell so that you haue 20 in Ranke and therefore your Battell consisteth of 20. Files 10. deepe Of those 20. Files 10. are Pickes 10. Musquetiers which you shall dispose after this manner Set your 10 Files of Pickes altogether diuide your 10. Files of Musquetiers and draw them vp fiue of them vpon the right hand of the Pickes and the other fiue vpon the left hand of the pickes all fronting equally so that the Bodie of your Pickes shall bee flanked with your Musquetiers vpon the right and left as you see in the Figurs following where P. signifieth the Picke-men and M. the Musquetiers for lacke of better figurs to expresse them ABCDEF Heere then yee see your 10. Files or bodie of Pickes are B. E. your fiue Files of Musquetiers on the right Flanke of your pickes C. F. the other 5. Files of Musquetiers on the left Flanke A. D. frō C. to A. is the whole number of your Files as well Musquetiers as Pickes from C. to F. the number of your Rankes Now if yee would march by diuisions as being forced by the straitnesse of the ground yee are to command the Bodie to make an halt or stand then yee command the fiue Files of Musquetiers which are on the right Flanke of the Pickes to march out from the Bodie till their Bringers vp bee before the File-Leaders of the Pickes And this shall bee your first diuision of Musquetiers Next yee are to command the fiue Files of Pickes on the right hand to march out from the rest and to follow the Musquetiers Fileing euin with them but keeping a distance of 12 foote betwixt the diuisions where the Enseigne must march and this shall bee your first diuision of Pickes After them shall follow therest of the Pickes which shall bee your second diuision of Pickes keeping also a distance as the former Last of all shall follow the 5. Files of Musquetiers which was on the left Flancke of the Pickes and this shall bee your second diuision of Musquetiers The Officers of the Companie must bee thus placed The Captaine marcheth in the Front before the first diuision of Musquetiers The Enseigne with the Colours is to march before the first diuision of pickes The oldest Sergeant is to leade the second diuision of pickes The second Sergeant leads the second diuision of Musquetiers The Leiuetenant marcheth after the second diuisiō of Musquetiers bringeth vp the Reare The chiefest Drumme beats in the first diuision of Pickes betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke The second Drumme beats in the first diuision of Musquetiers betwixt the 3. and 4 Ranke but some by the contrare maketh the chiefest Drumme to beate in the first diuision of Musqueties because say they the Captaine ought to haue the chiefe Drum with him Some also I haue seene make the Drum who marcheth with the Pickes to beate in the Front beside the Enseigne but those differences are not of great moment if the Companie haue a third Drum he shall beate in the last diuision of Musquetiers The figure following expresseth this march clearclie In this figure then A. B. C. is the first diuision of Musquetiers before which the Captaine marcheth In D. the second Drum beates betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke D. E. F. is the first diuision of Picks C. D. is the interuall or distance betwixt the first diuision of Musquetiers and the first diuision of Pickes where the Enseigne marcheth In E. the first Drumme beateth betwixt the 3. and 4. Ranke of Pickes G. H. is the second diuision of Pickes F. G. the distance betwixt the two diuisions of Pickes which is the oldest Sergeants place I. K. is the last diuision of Musquetiers H. I. the interuall where the second Sergeant marcheth K. is the place of the Leiuetenant in the Reare Now when ye come againe to a faire Campaigne desireth to