ought to know by the Drumme 1. A Call 2. A March 3. A Troope 4. A Charge 5. A Retreate 6. A Battalia 7. A Batterie 8. A Reliefe For when the commanders voyce cannot extend to the hearing of the company the Drumme denounceth expresseth the same The next Chapter shewes what the distances of Files and Rankes are which Souldiers must know CHAP. XIII What the distances in Files and Rankes are Which Souldiers must know THere bee Fiue sorts of distances in Files say somme and they be these that followeth Distances in Fiâ—es The first is closest The second is close The third is order The forth is open order The fift double distance which is Pouldron to pouldron A foote and a halfe Three foote Sixe foote Twelue foote There is fiue sorts of distances in Rankes say they Distances in Rankes The first is closest The second is close The third is order The fourth is open order The fift double distance which is To the sword poynt Three foote Sixe foote Twelue foote Fower twenty foote Although they be thus set downe to be fiue in number yet most Commanders obserue and teach as most proper onely three viz. Close Order and Open order Antiquitie had no more yet the rest must not be cashered or slighted for some times a commander must doe that in a double distance which cannot be done in a single Therefore Souldiers are bound to know all distances in Files and Rankes that they may the better execute what their Captayne commaunds The next Chapter shewes how a File and a Ranke is distinguished for a Souldier to know CHAP. XIIII How a File and a Ranke is distinguished for a Souldier to know A File is a number of men beginning at one leader and contynuing in order of followers to the last man A distinction of a Fiâ—e Aelian chap. 4. Or thus A File is a sequence of men standing one behind another backe to bellie and consisteth commonly of Ten or Eight in depth Suidas The depth is no other then a File for Rankes stretch forth in length Files in depth A Ranke is a number of men side to side in a right line stretching out in length from one end of the body vnto the other and is termed the length because it runneth along the Front vnto each wing Aelian Chap. 7. A distinction of a Ranke Or thus A Ranke is a row of men standing one by another Pouldron to pouldron or shoulder to shoulder their faces being directed all one way This distinction of Files and Rankes a Souldier must know that when he is bid to double Files he may not Rankes and when he is bid to double Rankes he may not Files The next Chapter shewes what the fightes are which Souldiers must bee expertin CHAP. XV. What fights they are which Souldiers must be expert in THe fights necessary for all Souldiers to be expert in are Sixe First to fight aduancing vpon an Enemie This is when the Enemie appeares in the vantgard To fight aduancing vpon an Enemy and they by two rankes a peece march from the body ten paces and giue fire at the place appoynted Or when the first ranke giues fire marching still on with the body and the nex ranke passes through by their right hand giues fire standing still before them And so still successiuely all the rest in order This is like the Lacedemonian Countermarch to gaine ground Secondly To fight retyring from an Enemie This is when the last Ranke faces about to the right giues fire To fight vpon a march retiring from an enemy marches vp to the Front and places themselues before their File leaders But if you will maintayne a set fight with the Enemie to gayne a better ground then it is requisite you teach them the Macedonian Countermarch making your File leaders to face about and stand the rest to passe through by the right hand placing themselues behind their leaders and so meeting your Enemy in the Reare with your best men Thirdly To fight Front and Reare with the Enemy This is when the middle men face about to the right To sight Front Reare with an Enemy and all the Muskettiers fall in the diuision betweene both Fourthly To fight with both Flankes against an enemy standing This is when the outward File of each Flanke is commanded to face hauing giuen fire To fight standing both Plankes against an Enemie each File deuideth it selfe into two parts one halfe marches vp to the Front and places it selfe in a right line before the first File of Pikes The other halfe marches to the Reare and places it selfe in a right line behind the bringer vp of the same File of Pikes the like doth all the rest on the contrary Flanke Captaine Bingham his exercise so continuing halfe the shot will bee in the front the other halfe in the Reare Then doe but face them to the right and left by deuision and each Flanke will be a battell for the Enemy Fiftly To giue fire by Flankes vpon the Enemy marching This is when both their outward Files next to the Enemie makes readie To fight marching both flankes against an enâ—mie faces to either hand giues fire at command stayes till the rest of all the Files bee cleare of them Then marches vp by the Pikes till all the rest doing the like bringes them againe to their first place Or when they giue fire and stand and being as it were in two Files the body of Pickes marching an officer comes and gathers vp the winges ioynes them againe in equall front with the Pikes To fight against horse in a set battell for the purpose against an enemy Sixtly To fight against horse in a set battell for that purpose This is when they countermarch their winges into the midst of the battell and are impaled round with Pikes and so drawne forth on either side vnder the shelter of them In these sixe fights your Souldiers must bee very expert that they may auoyd all confusion And thus much shall suffice for the Twelue Chapters before mentioned ☞ The next two Chapters declare what qualities they are which befit Martiall men and how requisite it is for them to bee wise and politicke to preserue the liues of their men and how politicke wisedome may be attayned with a briefe Summarie thereof CHAP. XVI What qualities they are which befitt Martiall Men. THe qualities which befit Martiall men are many but I will at this time treate but of Eight and they be these viz. Silence Obedience Secrecie Sobriety Valour Loyalty Freedome from Bribes Moderation in expence I begin with the first Silence SIlence Silence was of such veneration amongst the Aegyptians that they made thereof a God which with them was called Harpocrates and according to the Greekes Sigaleon him they portratured in the likenesse of a young childe August de ciuit Dei li. 18. cap. 5. who close to his lips
leasurely retreated and when they were distressed made as though they would charge holding out a multitude of Pikes euery way to the amazement of the Romanes who durst not approach them The like may be done by our c That is the Hollow square wheâ—e the Pikes are without and the Musketiers within Battell if it should be charged as that was Thus much to face ane stand Now to face and march ☞ Off facing and Marching When we face and march it is to shew our Souldiers how we can vpon deliberation as occasion serues preuent the enemie from Falling on our right or left Wing by bringing it to some Riuer or such like place of strength for succour wherby the enemy can haue no way to encoÌ„passe it which we do by bidding them first to face then to march to the place afterwards to face againe And so they are reduced to the first posture and the Front is as it was at the first This we continually vse in our Trainings at home to make ouâ— men fit for it in the face of the Enemie Howsoeuer some may be ignorant in the vse of the motion yet they cannot bee vnskilfull in the motion it selfe by reason of the practise No Battell can well be without this motion especially in the field where the enemy doth seeke aduantage Let me therefore shew you some other excellent vses thereof that it may bee the beter esteemed and the oftner practised This motion as it is performed marching The vse of Facing as it is performed marching is of this singular vse not onely to giue an assault vpon the aduerse wing of the enemy but to fail any way off from the enemy and suddenly againe to turne vpon him with an euen front to his front that is Pikes to his Pikes Shot to his Shot whereby he is preuented from falling either on the Flankes or on the Reare comming on with one maine Bodie Manie other vses it hath as partly this To Captaine Binghâ—m in his notes vpon Aelian chaâ— 25. shunne a dangerous ground on which an enemie hath strewed Calthrops or laid a secret trap this was found practised by Alexand. the great when he fought with Darius at Arbela Arrian describes it thus * Arrian lib. 4. Alexand. 17. saith he Alexander hauing imbattelled his Army to fight with Darius had intelligence that Darius had strewed the ground betwixt the two Armies with Calthrops hee commanded therefore the right Wing which himselfe led to turne faces to the right hand and to follow him to the end to goe round about and avoid the places that were strewed with Calthropes Darius marching against him to the left hand disioyned his troopes of horse and Alexander taking the aduantage and gâ—uing in quickly betwixt the spaces put Darius to flight Here you see the euent of it and what a victory Alexander gained thereby If he had faced and stood still what would it auailed him Had hee marched fore-right hee had falne vpon the Calthropes but by facing and then marching vpon it hee effected all First he auoided the ground where the Calthropes lay by facing and marching forth then hee reduced them againe to their first posture by facing them to the left hand Afterwards taking his aduantage hee went on to the charge and so defeated the enemie Why Alexander made choice onely of this motion is not to be wondred at because necessity made him to make vse of this motion when no other would serue Countermarch had bin ridiculous so had doubling wheeling had bin in vaine nay it was impossible for him to haue wheeled the ground being so scantie betweene him and the Calthropes his Phalange of so great a bredth and the enemie so nigh Yet say he had wheeled hauing had ground sufficient hee must haue beene forced hauing wheeled to haue faced withall and marched further out then wheeled againe or else to no purpose so haue failed of his expedition Thus you see how fit this motion serued Alexanders turne and by it may learne to make like vse of it vpon like occasion Another singular vse of this motion is to get the vpper ground from the enemie This was found practized by Philopaemen the Achaean Generall When Machanidas the Lacedemonian Tirant had put his left wing to flight yet he by this meanes restored the battell and withall obtained the victory Polibius lib. 11. 634 Polibius describes the manner of it thus The fight being begunne betweene Machanidas the Lacedemonian Tirant and Philopaemen the Achaean Generall it happened that Machanidas had the better for he hauing put the left Wing of the Achaean Mercenaries to flight followed hard the chase Philopaemen as long as there was any hope endeauored to stay his men when he saw them vtterly defeated hee hasted to the right Wing and perceiuing the enemy busie in the chase and the place voide where the fight had bin commanding the first * A Merarchy consisteth of 2048 men Merarchies to turn their faces to the right â—â—and he led them on with high speed not yet breaking the order of their imbattelling and quickly seizing vpon the forsaken ground hee both cut betwixt them that gaue chase and home and withall got the aduantage of the vpper ground against the left wing of the armed whereby hee obtained the victorie Captain Bingham vpon the same motion Aelian chap. â—5 If Philopaemen had in this action vsed wheeling of his Battell which onely was the other motion which would haue serued his turne besides the troublesomnesse of the winding about he should haue bin forced to haue vsed two wheelings and so failed of the celeritie which was at time requisite faces were turned in a trice and he made himselfe master of the ground hee desired before hee could haue wheeled once his Battell Besides to haue Fac'd and stood still had beene to no purpose but Facing and Marching on was to some purpose as you haue heard Thus you see what Facing is Of the vse of Facing in generall How it is the easiest of all Motions but of no lesse importance or necessitie How it may be done in a trice though the Enemy come very suddenly vpon vs Though he encompasse both our Wings Though hee enuiron vs round with Foot and Horse yet we may Face vpon him and make him resistance How that there is no Battell but hath need of this Motion So that when we finde our Enemies to encompasse our right Wing wee turne our Faces and Weapons that way to receiue them To the left when they come to charge vs on that side If on both sides then wee turne Faces halfe to the right and halfe to the left hand But being to remoue the Battell from any of the Flanks we cause Faces to be turned to that Flanke so we lead on vpon the Enemy either to assault him or to preuent him where he would assault Which if we cannot doe we make a stand and so receiue him All this I
haue expressed fully both by precept and example Now it remaines that I shew you foure other things First by what words of Command it may be done Secondly in what order Thirdly with which Legge comming forward Fourthly how to reduce all this by way of document or obseruation shall be declared in the next Chapter following CHAP. XIX Obseruations for Facing shewing the manner how to performe the action with many other Circumstances appertaining to the precedent Chapter IN the precedent Chapter mention was made of Facing In this Chapter are certaine Obseruations positiuely set downe for the exact performance thereof They are in number foure The first obseruation is for the motion of the Legge The second for reducement to its first Posture The third for distance to grace the Action The fourth for words of Command either to Face and March or to Face and Stand expressing their vse Of these in order The first Obseruation First then obserue that in Facing vpon a stand the Motion must and ought to be performed with the right Legge that is the left Legge must stand firme The right must either remoue forward or backward Forward when you Face to the left hand Backward when you face to the right hand Be it to the right about or to the left about the left Leg stands firme only you moue the foot vpon the heele or toe But in the March it is to be done How to Face Marching sometimes with the right Legge sometimes with the left Legge With the right Legge when it is to the left hand With the left Legge when it is to the right hand for you must gaine ground and not lose The second Obseruation In the second place obserue or take notice how to reduce vnto the first Posture This must be thus performed When you Face to the right returne backe to the left hand How to reduce vnto your first Posture When you Face to the left returne backe to the right hand Hauing Fac'd about to the right returne about to the left Hauing Fac'd about to the left returne about to the right For still the contrary must be done Obserue it and forget it not The third Obseruation In the third place obserue or take notice of the Distances appropriated to Facing These Distances are of three sorts to wit Open Order Order Close Order The first for Exercise The two last for Seruice No Captaine must be so absurd as to Face vpon an Enemy in open Order the Enemy comming to push of Pike The Grecians would neuer Face to receiue the Charge of an Enemy but in their close Order Their close Order was a foot and a halfe from file to file and three foot from ranke to ranke This we commonly vse with Pikes But our Musketiers are neuer to be closer then the second Distance of three foot in square because they are to haue a free vse of their Armes If then they be at a closer Distance they will much throng and trouble one another and are subiect to firing In the last place obserue how to giue the words of Command The fourth Obseruation either to Face and March or to Face and stand That you may doe it orderly and properly I haue fitted them to your mouth thus Face to the right hand March Words of Command to Face and March Face to the left hand March Face to the right hand about March Face to the left hand about March Thus you may set vpon your Enemy as you see aduantage or preuent him where he would charge you to your disaduantage or shun a dangerous ground prepared for you as Alexander did when Darius would haue intrapped him Thus much to Face March and of the words of Command for it Now to face and stand with the words of Command for that Motion The words of proper direction for it are these Words of Command to Face stand Face to the right hand * If you restore to the first Posture you are to say As you were Thus if the Enemy haue encompassed your right Flanke you are ready for him Face to the left hand Thus if the Enemy haue encompassed your left Flanke you are ready for him Face to the right and left hand by diuision Thus if the Enemy hath encompassed both the Wings of your Battell being vnable to auoide it * They face to the right and left by diuision you Face thus to resist him Face to the right and about Thus if the Enemy haue suddenly made his Approach vpon your Reare you are ready for him and resist him in an instant Middle men to the right hand about This forme is called Phalange Amphistomus described by Aelian chap. 38. And is of excellent vse to resist the charge of the Enemy assaulting vs in Front and Reare Obserue the forme of this Face being ten in depth This is the Pâ—inthium full of men The three last Rankes face about to the Right The three first Rankes in the Front stand as you doe The Rest in the midst to the Right and Left by diuision Thus if the Enemy haue enuironed you about on all sides On all sides you are ready to resist him Plutarch in the life of Paulus Aemilius This was the last remedy of the Macedonian Phalange opposed against Paulus Aemylius in his Battell with Perseus which distressed the Romanes and had gained the victory had it not beene broken for want of ground Thus much for Facing Now if in stead of Facing you would command Charging giue the words thus Charge to the right hand Charge to the left hand Charge both to the right and left hand Charge to the Front Charge to the Reare Charge both Front and Reare Charge euery way A Caution When you charge vpon a stand fall backe with the right Legg When you charge to goe on come forward with the left Legg This is to charge Marching Thus much for this Chapter CHAP. XX. Of the vse of Wheeling WHeeling is of the same vse with Facing both may be done vpon the sudden approach of the Enemy whether hee shew himselfe on the right or left Flanke or in the Reare of your Battell The excellency of Wheeling If he shew himselfe in the right or left Flanke Wheeling will haue the preheminence of Facing for it will oppose him with thy front which are thy best men If he shew himselfe in the Reare Wheeling will yet haue the preheminence and oppose him there with thy fileleaders or best men as it did before in the Flanke But * Of the prehemincie of Facing ouer Wheeling if the enemie shew himselfe in Front and Reare or in more then these places at once suddenly to charge thee Facing will then haue the preheminence and Wheeling will doe more harme then good Therefore being in this straight the best remedie is to turne faces and so receiue him But hauing sufficient place and fit occasion to wheele
Captaine Bingham in his notes vpon Aelian Chapt. 25. omit not this oportunitie but meet him with thy best men For example whereof I bring the Graetians They coveting alwaies to bring their best men that is the fileleaders to fight did thus In open order they chose to countermarch In close order hauing place to wheele their battell about they did turne the face of it against the enemie If they could doe neither of these they came to the last remedie which was turning of faces of euery particular man in the battell This was the Grecians order which shewes the excellencie of their discipline And therefore we are willing to follow them being the Mirrours of Arts and Armes They were so perfect in these motions by their continuall practise and exercise that few or none were euer comparable vnto them In wheeling they would moue as a ship or some other body caried about wholly and ioyntly together remaining vndisolued When they were to wheele to the right they did first warne the right corner file leader to stand still as it were the hooke of a doore-hinge and the rest they commanded altogether to proceed forward and to turne about the same fileleader like the doore * They will not wheele vnlesse they be at an vnfitting order Pouldion to Houldion and then Rankes to the swords point a distance not fit for that motion Thus was the battell wholy turned by them as the body of a man to the right to the left or about to either being caried about the corner fileleader as about a Center This was a comely sight to looke vpon would to God all would doe it as exactly as they But wishes are in vaine men will doe as they list not as they should a Some will neither obserue the distance vsed by the Grecians no the distance appointed by our Tacticks for the comely grace thereof This distance is three foot from file to file and three foot from ranke to ranke If this be not obserued the motion will want grace the vse of it will be frustrated the enemie will preuaile against them For how can those men fight whose hands are tyed being thronged and pestred together they are as it were bound and tyed and can neither assault the enemie nor defend themselues but are subiect to be killed one of another Therefore true distances must be obserued But of distances more hereafter Faceing and wheeling are the subiects on which I treat Now faceing and wheeling being ioyned together are of singular vse To preuent the enemie where he would assault you To giue the assault on him and to circumuent him in taking of aduantage of ground Wind and Sunne it likewise serues to strengthen the middest of your battell with the best men By Wheeling the Wings into the middest of the battell In doing whereof you curtall the depth and extend the length bringing more men to fight then you had before Thus much of Wheeleing The words of Command followes in the next chapter CHAP. XXI Of the words of command for Wheeling THe words of command for Wheeling may be thus giuen Viz. Wheele the body to the right hand The Vse Thus if the enemie appeare to the right Flanke you bring your best men to fight against him Wheele the body to the left hand The Vse Thus if the enemy come to charge your left Flanke you bring your best men against him Wheele the body about to the right hand The Vse Thus if the enemie appeare in the Reare you bring your File-leaders that is your best men to fight Wheele the body about to the left hand Thus you are reduced to your first Posture The Vse But it may be you would Face then march after Face againe then wheele If you would it may be commanded thus Face to the right hand Face March. and march twenty paces Face to the left hand and march twenty paces Then wheele to the left and charge ouer-hand Thus you may gaine the aduantage of ground vpon the right Flanke The Vse you may assault your enemy on the left Wing with your File-leaders or Front you may gaine the aduantage of Wind and Sunne from the enemie And presently fall vpon a charge It may be you would extend the length of your Battell by wheeling by bringing the Wings into the midst Then you may command thus Wheele the Wings into the middest of the Battell Face to your Commander Thus the strength of your Battell lies in the middest The Vse it may be you would reduce Then command thus To the right hand about Then begin with the Bringers vp and say Wheele your Wings againe into the middest of the Battell Then bid them Face to their Commander after that Face to the left hand about And so they are fully reduced as they were It may bee you would know the way how to performe this Wheeling for as yet you are Ignorant Then obserue how to do it by this Instance which will somewhat explaine it vnto you There be ten File-leaders in Front The Instance fiue of them on the right Wing wheeles forward to the left transferring their faces to the contrary Wing their Followers mouing with them and standing behinde them as they did at the first only they change their former ground as did the File-leaders The other fiue on the left Wing wheeles forward to the right meeting them in the midst face to face hauing all their Followers behind them as the other fiue Then the Commander bids them Face to him And so the countenances of all the Souldiers are directed or transferred all one way Thus you may performe this wheeling but action doth better performe it than words This wheeling of the Wings into the midst of the Battalia was vsed by the Ancient Grecians to make their Diphalange Antistomus their Diphalange Peristomus their Hollow-wedge The Figure of which is to be seene in Aelian with the description of them Chap. 36. 40. and 41. What Victories haue beene gained by this kinde of Imbattalling I haue seen and read in a written Copie of Captain Binghams composing to be diuulged shortly for a publike good that is now but for a priuate vse This worthy Captaine was the man that did first shew the Gentlemen of the Artillery Garden how they should performe this kinde of wheeling which now they doe most exactly And he will proue the vse of it to be as profitable for Seruice now as heretofore with the Grecians if we will but doe what he shall aduise Thus much of this Kinde of Wheeling and of the other Wheeling which must not be vsed when the enemy is vpon you but when he is aloofe off Now of Counter-march CHAP. XXII Of Counter-marches and the diuers kindes thereof with the manner how they are to be made and of their vse COunter-marches are two-fold for either we Counter-march the Files or the Rankes And these either by changing of ground or keeping still
which is nearest the enemie seeming therfore to him to runne away because it dismarcheth from him as that of the Fyle did before The words of command for it may be these The right hand corner File face to the left Words of command for the Macedonian Counter-march by Rank the rest of each File passe through to the left and place your selues orderly behind your side-men keeping your distance The vse This gaineth the ground lying on the side of the right Wing farthest of from the Enemy The Enemy appeared to the left Wing Bâ—â—his Counter march you may set the strongest part of your Battell against the Enemy and apply the weakest vnto some Riuer Lâ—ke Hill or such like place so that the Enemy cannot come to encompâ—sse it Of the Lacedemonian countermarch by ranke The Lacedemonian Counter-march by Ranke taketh the ground that lieth on the side of that Wing which is towards the Enemy and bringeth the best Wing to be formost against the Enemy comming still on vpon him without any shew of running away and by these words of command may be effected Words of command for the Lacedemonian Counter-march by ranke The vse Left hand corner File where the Enemy appeareth turne your faces to the left hand the rest of each Ranke turne your faces and passe thorow to the left hand and place your selues before your side-men keeping your distances Thus when our forces are able to encounter the enemy and we desire to bring our best wings to fight then we proceed after this manner to oppose him Of the Choraean Countermarch by ranke The Choraean Countermarch by ranke keepeth the same ground the battell had at first and bringeth one Wing into the place of the other or else the Sections to possesse the place of the Wings thereby to strengthen the midst of the battell These two may be effected as the other by seuerall words of Command The first by this word of command Words of command for the Choraean Countermarch by ranke Rankes to the right hand Countermarch and maintaine ground The second by this word of command Countermarch the Wings into the midst of the battell The way to doe it is this First they are to face to the right and left hand by diuision Then to Countermarch into the midst of the battell After they are to face to their Commander and so the Countermarch is effected The vse Thus we strengthen the midst of our battell with our best men bringing them to fight with the enemie which is the end of Countermarch Wherein notwithstanding there is a Caution to bee held that if the enemie be very neare that we cannot conueniently Countermarch before he come vpon vs we forbeare lest we fall into disorder and in disorder be easily defeated In which case the best remedie is to turne faces and so receiue him As Countermarches are not to be done vnlesse the enemie be aloofe off so neither can they well be done but at open order When then your files and rankes are at six foot which is your first distance Then you haue sufficient roome to Countermarch any way But in Countermarch obserue this If the word be for the right hand then step forth with the right legge and bring the left legge ouer If to the left then step forth with the left legge and bring the right ouer But if the Word be to the right and maintaine ground then stand fast with the right legge and bring the left ouer Thus much of Countermarching Now of Doubling CHAP. XXIII Of the vse of Doubling THere is two kinde of Doubling the one of Rankes the other of fiâ—es The first doth double the a The length of the batell is the Ranke the depth is the File Rankes stretch forth in length Files in depth saith Suidas Length the second the Depth of your battell The Length of your battell may bee doubled in Place or Number In b Doubling of the length of a battell in place place when euery file doth open from three foot to six foot which is your open order in files By this meanes the Front possesseth double ground to that it had before There is another way to double the Front in place as you shall heare anon The Length of your battell is c Doubling of the length of a battell in Number doubled in Number when of twentie in a ranke it is made fortie and of fortie fourescore So that you haue twice as many men in the Front as you had before This doubling of the Length of your battell by number may be done vpon fit occasion either in open order or in order In open order by doubling of Rankes by middle men doing the same By bringers vp doubling the front either to the right or left hand at discretion In order by middle men doubling of the Front either to the right or left hand intire or by deuission to both Which doth likewise double the length of a Battell not onely in number but in place also as Captaine Bingham doth obserue in his notes upon Aelian chap. 29. Chap. 29. Two Causes are assigned for the doubling of the length of your Battell both in number and place The one to ouerwing the enemie The other to auoid ouerwinging Two wayes you may auoid ouerwinging One is by making choise of such a ground as may giue you this aduantage of the enemie That he can neuer compasse you in behinde Pâ—â—tarâ—â— in the liues of Aâ—esâ—laus and S lla pag. 630. 478. nor flanke you on the sides Now if you cannot finde such a ground vse art Cast a trench vpon each flanke or Waggons on either Wing As Syila and Huniades did fearing to be encompassed by the multitude of their enemies The second way to auoid ouerwinging is by placing of Aides in the Reare of your Battell or by laying them in Ambush aloofe off that so vpon a word giuen they may suddenly start out vpon the Enemy as Caesar made his to doe at the Battell of Pharsalia where he put Pompey the Great to flight These Aides must be of the most chiefest Souldiers you haue with Officers appointed for their conduct as was vsed by the auntient Romanes before and in Vegetius time Vegetius lib. 3. cap. 17. who did alwaies res rue many of these Aides when their number was inferior to their Enemies their Battell lesse pitched and they in danger to be ouerwinged But when they had plenty of fighting men they by Doubling would make their Battell equall in length and depth to their Enemies So that they could not breake through or ouerwinge them Thus much to aâ—oid ouerwinging And for the doubling of the length of a Battell in plâ—ce and number Doubling the depth of a Battell in place The depth of your Battell is doubled in place when euery Ranke from the swords point opens to three foot from three foot to six foot from six foot to twelue foot which is
out on the other party doe either see or suspect which way they are intended to goe and many times there wanteth not Runnagates or Traitors In the next place it shall be declared how these things at hand may be preuented and resisted 3. When they are vpon their march they must send most trustie and fine witted men with the best tried horse which must search the places thorow which they must take their iourney before and behinde on the right hand and on the left hand lest the enemie goe about to set an ambushment and lie in wait to deceiue them 4. When they haue discried an Ambush they must compasse the same about politikely so it shall suffer more perill and danger than it went about to doe 5. When they approach nigh vnto the enemie they must be inquisitiue to know what manner of man their aduersarie is what his Companions are and Leaders whether they be rash and hastie or warie and circumspect whether they be hardy or fearefull cunning in the feats of warre or such as are wont to fight at all aduenture whether they excell or exceed them in number of men or munition and fence of armour whether they can doe more with footmen or horsemen with Piâ—emen or Musquetiers whether by night or in the dawning of the day or in the 〈◊〉 of repast their custome be to assaile their wearied enemies Then to debate and treat of their owne power what may be done in this case whether it be more profitable to prolong the vrgent necessitie of battell or to fight it out of hand If they know themselues to haue the better Horsemen the better Footmen the better Souldiers the better furnished in many things let them not deferre the conuenient and fit occasion of fighâ—ing But if they perceiue their enemies to be the better let them auoid the open and set battell for a few in number and weake in strength oftentimes vnder good Captaines haue obtained the victory by sudden inuasions and lying priuily in waiâ— which they may doe taking time 6. When they are resolued to aduenture a set battell with the enemie they are first to sound the mindes and dispositions of their Souldiers whether they stand affected to fight or no it being as they would haue it they must begin to forecast how to get the Sunne the Wind and Dust in the face of the enemie The higher ground likewise to the intent the enemie may fight both against them and the place for these are not the least meanes of obtaining the victorie 7. When they hope for victory through Footmen against the Horsemen of their enemies they must chuse ruffe places vneuen and full of hils But if they looke to gaine the victory through Horsemen against the Footmen of their enemies they must chuse such places as be indeed somewhat higher but plaine and open encumbred neither with woods nor sennes 8 When they haue cunningly incompast the battels of their enemies they must leaue them some way whereby they may flie for if a passage to depart away be once opened as soon as the minds of all doe agree to runne away they are slaine and murdered like beasts Neither is there any danger to pursue them when they haue flung downe their weapons and will fight no longer but being so inclosed that they haue no way to flie they fight stoutly and become desperately desperate because they looke for no safetie or life so you haue no oddes at all but are both indifferent alike For they are as couragious and as desperate to fight as you rather more by the occasion Therefore young Scipio's counsell is to be followed ☜ The way whereby the enemie may flie must not bee fortified 9 When they are not resolued to fight but to depart away from the enemie the Souldiers must not know that they doe it to shunne battell but they must bee brought in beliefe that they are called back for this policie That the enemie may be allured vnto a more conuenient place that he may be the more easily vanquished and intrapped by them Vegetius lib. 3. cap. 21. This they must not faile to doe for Vegetius saith they will be readie to flie if they perceiue their owne Capaines to despaire 10 When their enemies doth perceiue their flight then their care must be to send some before to possesse the places of greatest aduantage which the enemie doth couet that the rest may the better passe in safety and the enemy be frustrated of his purpose Others behind must lie in ambush to intrap the enemy who comes on with boldnesse no whit suspecting this policy The rest must be preadmonished to be euer in readinesse lest the sudden coÌ„ming of their enemies make them fearefull 11 When they are in feare to bee inclosed by the number of their enemies they must either seeke some place of naturall defence or make the place so by art I will explaine both by examples How to choose a ground to fight with an enemie when you feare to come into the champion to be inclosed by his number Plutarch in the life of King Ageslaus Agesilauâ— being in Aegypt and hauing to do with a great multitude of Aegyptians of whom he stood in feare of to abide them battell in the champion by reason of their multitude did thus He brought his men into the field One while hee made as though hee fled and inticed them to follow him suddenly againe he would turne this way and that way in fine he brought all this multitude into a strait sluce walled about on either side with great broad ditches full of running water so that euen when they were in the middest of it he suddenly stopped their passage with the front of his battaile which he cast to the breadth of the sluce and thus made the number of his fighting men equal with the number of his enemies who could neuer compasse him in behinde nor flanke him on the sides ☞ This he did by choosing a place fit for his purpose How to fortifie a pl ce by art The place may be helped by art in case it be otherwise too open and fit for the enemy that abounds in number to incompasse them on euery side So Caesar a Caesar â—e bello Gall. lib. 2. 36. lib. 3. 323. being to fight against multitudes of Gaules drew a deepe Trench on both the Flankes of his army to secure it from the charge of the enemie The like did Sylla b Plutarch in Syla Aâ—iâ—n in bello Mitbridates against Archelaus the Generall of Mithridates in the battell of Orchomene and both of them so securing their armies from circumuention became Masters of the Field and Conquerours of their enemies Of latter times Iohn Huniades the Hungarian c Turkish Hist 297. §. 2. King being to fight against the huge armie of the Turke gained a noble battell against them by placing his armie on the one side against a Fenne and inclosing
the same ground If we Counter march by Files it is to oppose the enemie appearing in the Reare with our best men If by Rankes it is to bring one Wing into the place of the other or all our best men into the middest of the Battell If we Counter-march by Files or Rankes to change our ground we do it either by the Macedonian the Lacedemonian oâ— the a The modern Counter-march standing is thus performed The Fyle-leaders counter-march to the right the next Ranke stands til they be past then they follow the like do all the rest transferring themselues to a new ground moderne Counter-march which was inuented for that purpose and to be performed standing If to maintaine ground then we doe it by the Choraean Counter-march which makes the File-leaders to take the ground of the Bringers vp and the Bringers vp the same ground in the which the File-leaders stood The like in the Wings These Counter-marches namely the Macedonian the Lacedemonian and the Choraean are described by Aelian thus The Macedonian Counter-march b Aelian chap. 20 of the Macedonian Crunter-march by Fyle by File is said to be when the File-leader turneth about his face all the rest with the Bringer-vp goeth against him on the right or left hand and passing on to the ground before the Front of the Battell place themselues in order one after another according as the File-leader himselfe hath turned his face This Counter-march you see transferreth the whole File to another place equall to the first by taking the ground that lyeth before the Front in lieu of that it lost behinde It likewise maketh Shew to the enemy appearing in the Reare of running away but it is of excellent vse Say that before thy Battell lay a Riuer The vse of the Macedonian Counter-march by Fyle and betweene the Riuer and thee a faire plot of ground higher than that thou standest vpon the enemy appearing in the Reare and compelling thee to fight the only way to oppose him with the best men and to got this ground for thy aduantage is this Macedonian Counter-march This Counter-march was first Inuented by Philip King of Macedon Father of Alexander the Great The Lacedemonian Counter-march by Fyle is Of the Lacedemonian Counter-march by Fyle described by Aelian chap. 28. when the Bringer vp turneth his face about and all the rest turning also their faces and proceeding forward together with their Fyle-leader order themselues proportionably in the ground which was behind the reare of the Battell Or else when the Bringer-vp turneth his face about and hee that stood next before him passiing by on the right or left hand is placed againe next before him and the rest following are placed one before another in their former order till the Fyle-leader bee first In this Counter-march you see the proceeding is contrary to the former that tooke the ground before the Phalange or Battell this takes the ground after In that the moouing was from the reare to the front in this from the front to the reare * Captaine Bingham in his notes vpon Aelian chap. 28. Aelian preferreth the Lacedemonian Counter-march before the Macedoman because in it the Soldiers seeme to fall on and charge wherin the Macedonian they seeme to flie There is notwithstanding times as Captaine Bingham notes when it is better to vse the Macedonian As when you seeke to gaine some ground of aduantage or in case you mean to march on and not to fight with the Enemy vnlesse you be compelled for the Macedonian continueth still the march and staieth not the Lacedemonian returneth vpon the Enemie and so looseth ground in marching There is likewise times say I when it is more requisite to vse this Lacedemonian Counter-march than any other As in case you haue passed the ground which the enemy following seekes to gaine and to charge you suddenly the onely way to possesse it againe and to fight with him with your best men is thus to Counter-march the Macedonian here will doe no good Aeâ—ian chap. 28. The Lacedemonians haue another Counter-march which bears the name and that is this the Fyle-leaders begin the Countermarch and euery one in their Files follow them orderly This is no other then our modern Counter-march now in vse The * Of the Choraean Counter-march by Fyle otherwise called Persian or Cretan Choraean Counter-march by Fyle is said to be when the Fyle-leader turning about to the right hand precedeth the Fyle and all the rest follow till the Fyle-leader haue the place of the Bringer-vp and the Bringer-vp the place of the Fyle-leader This Counter-march saith Aelian is called likewise Persian Cretan Persian and Câ—etan saith Captaine Bingham because it was vsed among the Persians and Cretans Captaine Bingham in his notes vpon Aelian chap. 28. Choraean also for the similitude it had with the solelmne Grecian daunces vpon Stages the company that shewed themselues in such daunces being called Chorus who in their daunces ordered themselues into syles and rankes as Souldiers doe in battell and moouing themselues to the brinke of the Stage when being straightned by the place they could passe no further they retired one through the rankes of the other exceeding not the bounds of the place as is done in this Counter-march The words of command for the Choraean Cuunter-march by Fyle It may be commanded thus Fyle-leaders Counter-march to the place of the Bringers-vp and stand and let your Files follow you keeping your distance Or thus Fyles Counter-march and maintaine ground The Lacedemonian may be commanded thus * The words of command for the Lacedemonian Counter-march by File deliuered in Captaine Binghams owne words Bringers-vp turne your faces about to the right hand the rest turne your faces about and beginning at them that are next the Bringers-vp Counter-march and place your selues in your distances before the Bringers-vp and one before another till the Fyle-leader be first Or thus Face all to the Reare Bringers-vp stand the next Ranke passe through by their right hand and place your selues before them keeping your distances all the rest moue with them placing your selues one before another till the Fyle-leader be first When your men are perfects you need but say The Lacedemonian Counter-march and it is enough This gaines the ground lying after the Reare as the Macedonian the groundlying before the Front Now the Macedonian may be thus commanded File-leaders turne your faces about to the right hand Words of command for the Macedonian Counter-march by File Aelian chap. 28. the rest of euery Fyle passe through in order one after another and place your selues at your distances after your Leaders turning your faces about and so stand Looke what these Counter-marches doe by Fyle the very same they doe by Ranke for like aduantage The Macedonian Counter-march by Ranke taketh the ground that lyeth on the side of the contrarie Wing beginning to moue at the corner of the Wing