mouth c. or such like appointing two or three rankes of Gentlemen of the 〈◊〉 of S. Georges Squaâ—…ie to lead the voward who know the encounter and how to ioyne and thereby that way by order of the officers the shot doth issue to skirmish betwixt the skilfull 〈◊〉 beforesaid The battaile may ioyne close togither if oâ—…casion requireth also the rest of the shot may waâ—…e thorow to helpe the voward EUen as presently you haue placed 12. in ranke with your halberds and Ensigne in the midst so may they likewise fal out to be 12. in ranke in bredth and 13. in length if you place your shot in the front rereward the which as occasion serueth may be brought to skirmish any wayes This battell as the ground serueth is verie strong against the enimie SOmtimes marching in straights and especially hauing some gard in the rereward for the safetie of the Ensigne you may send certaine rankes of pikes in the front towards the enimie which shall wade through to strengthen the battaile placing the one halfe of your shot to skirmish in the front the other halfe in the rereward SOmtimes hauing scope of ground standing in doubt of horsemen cause the numbers to march 12 in a ranke at large a good distance a sunder and so to stand stil euerie man towards their quarters placing their shot on al sides betwixt the pikes which after they haue discharged being charged with horse may retire to the halberds and your outward fronts farrie close togither vntil the shot haue charged at the repulse of the horsemen to open your pikes at large and the shot to be commanded to issue and to skirmish as they were in the fronts This battell is of great force To order and imbattell 400. in quadrant proportion FOure hundreth men whether they serue in one band or vnder two seuerall Ensignes may be brought to this quadrant proportion against the defence of the enimie by placing 15. in the front ioyning foure rankes of pikes in the voward foure in the rereward and foure in the flanks your halberds and Ensigne in the midst placing your shot in sixe wings for the rescuing of ech other the rest of your shot in the voward and rereward in Diamond wise This battell for so small a number is of great force THe ground may be such as it shal be necessarie to place the same number in manner of a herse or twofold battaile placing ten in ranke in length and 20. in bredth placing your halberds and Ensigne in the midst encountring the enimie on your broad side so shall you occupie more hands then the quadrant battaile doth taking vp lesse ground in marching then the other battaile You must cause them to sarrie close togither trailing their pikes on the ground being readie to offer the push to the footemen and to crosse for the defence of horsemen your shot to be placed as before you appeareth This is of great strength so that the enimie cannot enuiron you To embattaile 500. men in a quadrant proportion ACcording to the worthinesse of the Captaine the greater is his charge as one Captaine to haue charge of 500. men vnder one Ensigne the which if any Caualliere of the order would bring into quadrant battaile hée must place 16 Pikes in front making 4. rankes quadrant placing his halberds in the midst with the Ensigne so hath hée in the bodie of the battaile 250. men his shot to be placed in the front and Rereward 110. and in the flanks of the battaile in the 8. winges 140. the which béeing discharged may discharge retire whereby to be rescued by the rest They may in this proportion March any way vnto them néedefull bée it either to trauaile or else to win grounds by any aduantage SOmetimes by reason of the ground it is necessarie to bring such a number into an hearse or twofold battaile which may bée more auailable then the Quadrant battaile To bring them into this proportion you must place 13. Pikes in breadth and 21. in length your Halberds and Ensigne in the midst your shot in the fâ—…onts and wings Thus in order they may turne their faces and march any way to them néedefull which practise may greatly auaile at time of néede as vnto great numbers appertaineth In what sort Hargabuziers and Archers are to be guided to skirmish FOr that in all skirmishes shot is the first that beginneth the fight I haue thought good in some few figures to set downe how they may March skirmish inuade and retire in politikâ—… maner and how by rankes to rescue one another whereof the practise in this smal number wil giue a light to greater knowledge which still may increase as the deuises of new inuentions do spring wherein I would wish all worthie Gentlemen couragious minds to whet their politike industrie that therby they may shun diuers discommodities and vnknowen daungers attaine to the tipe of true valiancie but to procéede This number following vpon the sight of the enemies must march thrée in a ranke casting themselues in the proportion of a Ring so to abide there appointing themselues to approch stil in aray there to discharge by rankes and so in the Rereward to charge againe being readie for seruice still marching round and whéeling about like vnto the Rutters THis number encouÌ„tring the Ring must discharge by ranks and after the first ranke hath discharged to retyre betwixt the rankes vntil they come to the Rereward there to charge and to follow his loadsman to seruice againe Thus may you continually maintaine skirmish how litle or great soeuer your number bée it giueth great encouragement to the Souldiers standing but one shot and retireth THese two bands of Hargabuzers set to encounter the enemy on their broad sides the fronts discharge turne their faces retyring betwixt the other which aduance in like maner for their rescue These retire and charge againe to seruice by practising the skirmish in this sort you may bring bands of Archers to seruice to the great anoying discomfiting of the enemie These two bands change rankes and place on their broade sides These bands of Archers be brought to seruice by the Callieuers afore them THese bands of Archers béeing brought to seruice by the Hargabuziers although the hargabuziers bée accompted to be of greater force then they bee of and the Archers not now so much vsed in the field as they haue bin yet hauing light shaftes made to shot 12. or 14. scoore may kéepe their place shooting al together ouer the heads of the hargabuziers to the gauling blemishing and great annoy of the enemie THese two bands following discharge by rankes and returne to the Rereward and charge againe who béeing placed fiue in a ranke like to two hornes are to bée brought to skirmish in like proportion to this figure The fronts or voward hauing discharged the one retyreth on the left hand the other on the right hand vnto the Rereward there
sarrie close fight In like sort the sound of the said trumpets shall signifie when it is time for the artillary to discharge when to retire when the Musket Hargabusiers the forlorne hope and others are to set forward and when they are to retire and also when the first battels ought to retire to the second fronts and battaillons and when both together they are to arange themselues with those of the third finally at what time they must all retire from the battel the which things must in a plaine knowne vulgar sort be al set downe by the collonel and Chieftaine and suddenlye be signified by his trumpet the noise whereof shall giue sufficient intelligence to the other trumpets which are néerest him that it may so go from hand to hand to the furthest trumpet of the armie It should be good to vse a Cornet or a hunts mans horne for the retraite c. and a trumpet to begin the battell or contrariwise for it is a most difficile thing that the trumpetor should signifie so many diuers things with one instrument considering that the sound of a retraite dooth approch very néere vnto the sounding to the standard in such sort that then when as all men be troubled and as it were besides themselues they shall very hardly be able to discerne whether of these two things the trumpet sounds What the Sergeant Maior is to obserue touching the length of Pikes A Pike ought neuer to want in length any thing of fiftéene foot for this respect when the footemen are streightned and setled in order of battell they may for the aduantage and profite of the said armie in respect that the assaults of the enemie is to giue to the said battell couching bending their pikes against them worke so that the greatest number of rankes that is possible for the defence of the battell may endamage and offend the said enemies and therefore their pikes being shorter then fiftéene foote it prooues that no more of the ranks can fight but the first second and third standing all in order in their places and yet can the third ranke fight but discommodiously not aduance forward his pike to succor and defend the first ranke forsomuch as the distance of the ground from one ranke to another in any battell how straight and close soeuer it be would be neuerthelesse so much that men may manage and handle their weapons and sturre themselues without being a hinderance or trouble one to another Therefore it is to be considered that the distance of the ground which is betwixt one ranke and an other dooth take away a good portion of length in such sort that by reason we may sée that a pike ought to be in length fiftéene foot and no lesse for being so long footemen standing in order of battell in their places the third and fourth ranke may commodiouslye abasing themselues come in aright to succour with their pikes the first and formost rankes this is as much as I can imagine to be necessarie touching the length of pikes by reason of the succour the third and fourth ranke may giue to them before How pikes are to be raised vp and abased in closing and opening of a battell I Will not omit to put those in memorie that know not of the particular of those things that is required in making a battell of footmen Therefore those which would make a battell of footmen must be aduertised that in shutting vp of the said battell the rankes of the pikes aswell armed as vnarmed must not raise them vp confusedly but with order that is when the Sergeant Captaine or Sergeant Maior shall say raise or right vp your pikes then it is requisite that the first and formost ranke must begin to raise vp it selfe and that the second do not mooue to raise vp it selfe vntill the first be all raised vp so the third and fourth And finally the same order is to be obserued in all other rankes not to raise vp their pikes vntill such time that the rankes that are before them haue raised them vp and so from one to another all the rankes of the footmen must obserue this order aswell in battell as in araye The like order is to be obserued in battell and araye in laying downe their pikes vpon their shoulders forsomuch as ranke by ranke in order and without confusion they ought to let fall their pikes letting the first fall after the second the third and fourth following from one to another in the selfe same maner as hath béene declared in the raising vp of their pikes for by obseruing this order they cannot commit but rather make a gallant showe and preuent manie confusions How the Sergeant Maior Captaine or simple Sergeant are to gouerne themselues when their battell shall chaunce to be assaulted on foote and on horsebacke IN sundry and diuers manners and moreouer in diuers places and grounds battels are fought according to the occasions and the accidents that in Militarie occurrences doe chaunce at vnawares in time of warrefare abroade in Campania in Townes and in Fortresses for which causes it is necessarie that the wit of those that haue the managing thereof be prompt ready aswell in this as moreouer in finding out a good partie for himselfe all for the honor safetie of the prince whom he serues ioining to his couragious hart wit experience policie each aduantage that is possible to be vsed against his enemie therfore in two sorts do arise the means to fight one is when he doth séeke to fight with his enemie the other when he is sought of the enemie in such sort that it is néedfull he defend himselfe and therefore I say when the first occasion doothrise that the séekes the enemie speaking héere of striking battell in Campania it is requisite first he consider how the enemies armie is furnished with horsemen and footmen and if he looke to fight with horsmen that are to come to breake his battell in this case he is to be aduertised that he suffer himselfe not to be found if it be possible in Campania Rasa in the open fields or in plains but rather must accomodate his battell in some place of a hill or a mountaine or vpon some seat of ground which hath vpon one side either riuer or ditch or some other impediment against the enemies horsemen which on some side may be a difference as in some places be trées vines and diuers other such like as nature brings foorth in diuers places which are of great impediment vnto the enemies horsemen vnto foote battels are verie profitable and although the number of the souldiors are very small yet oftentimes by much aduantage remaine victorious but aduertisement is to be had that in such cases it is requisite that there be accomodated many hargabusiers in the battell many pikes for they be good against the enemies horsemen hauing to fight with footmen the open
a volée of their Pistolets For execution of iustice on such as are offendors in any bands of horsmen albeit in some countrie it be vsed that euery Captaine of an hundred men at armes may call vnto him certaine of the chéefe of his band and heare and determine all causes and offences by any of his bande committed yet surelye I holde it more conuenient that all matters concerning life be harde by the Lord high marshall who may cause to sit with him the said Captaine whose souldior is to be adiudged and such other of the said band as to him shall séeme méete and the souldiour condemned to death to be executed by the said band euen as the footmen are and by the same kind of weapons that the offendors vsed In conclusion it is therefore requisite that the Cauallerie be stil paide punished 〈◊〉 kept in good order that they haue sufficient horses armor weapons péece and launce that they be ready in all exploits both in Sentinels Couriers forrages marching vpon theyr gard in time of suspect and without suspect in skirmish and in fight But for that my onely meaning was to set downe a discourse for footmen I therefore say that the infantery be the veines for warres and the Cauallerie the flesh Horsmen be likewise good to make couriers or roades to discouer to charge with spéed vpon the enemies back or flanke to make an imbuscade in a roade or otherwise which are rather to consist of geâ—…dings theÌ„ of stoned horses for doubt of naying To make waye force a passage through the midst of the enemies with money or munition behind them for the succour of a fortresse besieged for the passage of waters in breaking the course of the water for the more easie wading through of the footmen to pursue the enemie that is put to flight to carry and conuey secretly behinde them footmen both with péeces and pikes who ought to carrie their pikes lowe their matches close vntill in this sort vndiscouered they become vnto the place appointed For these and such like exploits horsemen be necessarie in a Campe being a great commoditie and reputation to a Prince and sharpe spurs to a well ordered armie The office of the Scoute maister or Maister of the watch THis Officer must take a solemne oath to be true and iust in his office nightly to attend vpoÌ„ the General to receiue the watch word the which at the setting of the watch he shal 〈◊〉 deliuer vnto the Captaines conferring first with the Sergeant Maior Generall and shall diuers times prooue the same watch as well to sée if they sléepe not as if he finde them in such fault to accuse theÌ„ to the higher officers who ought to appoint theyr punishment according to the tenor of the articles of martial lawes He ought diligently to view note round about the Campe all the places of suspect where the enemies in the night time might approch that he may accordingly afterwards dispose of his Scoutes and therefore he should attend vpon the high marshall at such time as he goeth to make choise of a méete plat to incampe on and then to speake his fancie touching the conuenience or inconuenience of the seat in respect of due place for the scouts So soone as the Trumpet soundeth to the watch at night he must immediatly repaire to the Lieutenant of the horsemen requesting him to assigne a compotent number of horsemeÌ„ to attend vpon the scoute that night and then mâ—…st hee giue them charge vpon paine of death that none of them abandon theyr places vntill the discouerers be come into the field and haue taken their places For the setting of the watch and order how to plant the same peruse my two first bookes of directions specially in the Corporals Sergeants Lieutenants and Caualliers of S. Georges squadrons orders neuertheles if it shall be thought good of those that gouerne this maner ensuing may now and then be vsed First he shall set the ring watch round about the impalement of the Campe viz. a Halberd or Bill a Bowe Hargabushe or Musket and a Pike and euerie one a pike length from an other then without them certaine little troopes fiue or sixe in a troope of footmen of different weapons vi shot pikemen and short weapons and these troopes alwaies to send foorth a couple whereof a Hargubuzier alwaies to be one and these to prie and harken what they can discerne Againe without this foote scout other small troopes of horsemen fiue or sixe in a company these likewise to disperse theÌ„selues abroade to discouer what they can And if they happen to sée or heare any thing presently to report the same to the foote scoute and one or two of the foote scoutes to repaire to the Scoutmaster who must if it be matter of importance open the same presently to the high Marshall Besides all this in time of suspect it were requisite that a stand watch be maintained within about the ordinance but because that appertaineth not to the scoutmaster I let it passe It is requisite in the long cold winter nights to change and relieue the watch at euerie houres end in autumne the spring at the end of an houre and a halfe and in the hoate season of summer at two houres end but these things must be ordered more or lesse as the scoute maister and other principall officers shall thinke méete for the better preseruation of the people and the accomplishment of the seruice sending forth rounds euerie houre In the morning so soone as the trumpet soundeth to the reléefe of the watch he must repaire to the sayd Liuetenants tent there to receiue by his assignement a conuenient number of horsemen to scoure that day and then shal he giue order vnto some to ride to the highest hils to view round about what they can espie and others to the valleys and other obscure passages woods or such like and to ride one from another a good distance so as if one chance to be surprised by the enemie yet the rest may escape and bring intelligence therof so soone as the scoutmaister shall receiue any aduertisment by the Courriers he shall forthwith repaire to the high Marshall and informe him of euery particularitie In the placing of his night watches sentinels he must vse great consideration first in setting his little troopes or bodies of the watch in some places of strength so as they may be able when the enemie shall approach to make resistance and defend themselues vntill such time as the campe may put themselues in armes and besides these troopes he shall giue order that two or thrée shall walke foorth one waie and as many another way and if they happen to sée any matches light or heare any noyse foorthwith one to repaire to the body of the watch and so to the scoutemaister and the other to stay till they can more plainely perceiue what the matter is And it shal
an armie whether it be inferiour or equall to the enemie VVHen an armie dooth march néere vnto the enemies battels the high marshall Sergeant Maior and Collonels ought to vse diuers considerations First a Prince or his Generall not being of like force to the enemie or that he is not willing to giue battell because he will not hazard all his state and armie in one day into the hands of fortune he must prouide specially if he be inferior in Caualarie that he march through a countrie that is rough full of hils and where the situation of the ground is of such aduautage that the enemie haue not any motion to assault him But when he cannot shun the same then must he prouide at leastwise to enter into the action thereof to his great aduantage and almost with a certaine hope of victory the which will not arise to be difficile if he can apply the aduantage of situations to serue his turne In marching I would wish him to haue one part of his light horsemen so neere the enemie that euery houre he may haue notice what way he dooth march notwithstanding in a countrie where mounts and hils be not fauourable but that of necessitie you must march through plaines and champaine countries and that the enemie is néere at hand and that it is very hard to shun the battell I iudge it not farre amisse to accept the battell so that you be of greater strength in horsemen for being the stronger the iourney in no respect is to be fled for so much as horsemen yéeld the greatest part of the victorie when they bee well guided Charles the fift in Germany against the protestants armie by reason of the commoditie of the ground for the most part did not lodge his army further off from his enemies then commonly the shot of a Coluerine although he was far inferior in number Neuerthelesse that order cannot be alwaies vsed when an armie is in the champaine countrie for he that is in plaines and is not desirous to fight he must march from the enemie 9 or 10 miles and must determine to fortifie himselfe at each lodging in such sort that neither the enemies Cauallarie or infanterie may be able in battell to enter into his campe if not with great difficultie A meane fortification is sufficient in a champaine countrie chiefely when it is to be made with spéede which beginning of fortification when you meane to continue may encrease and be made as strong as you sée the case doth require When an armie dooth march inplaines and champaine countries that it comes to that point the it is able to haue any little riuer or wood which may couer one flanke of the said armie you must go about with all diligence to take this aduantage for that the same will arise to be of great importance Prouide euer that the bagage and the artillarie go continually on the contrarie side to the enemie or at leastwise in the midst of the armie The squadrons of men at armes must as appertaineth flanke the battels and rankes of footmen towards the enemie It is a laudable custome to deuide an armie into thrée squadrons that is to say into the auantgard battell and arreargard and that euery day they do exchange making of the auantgard the battell and of the battell the reargard it is requisite that euery one of them haue his necessary number of horsmen Hargaloteares that each one be disposed and placed in his due ranke Order must be carefully taken that amongst the ranks of the footmen vnprofitable people be not intermedled but that all the baggage be in a place deputed for the same vnder the Prouosts guidon Also that amongst the squadrons of the horsemen there be no vnprofitable horses nor other impediments The Rutters Cauallaries vse héerein a meruailous strict order and extreame diligence which verily dooth merit to be imitated It is a commendable thing also when the light horsmen be in such sort deuided and dispersed for discouerie of the countrie and espying the actions of the enemies armie as that they may continually returne and giue intelligences of the enemies demeanor whereby if néede require commoditie and leasure may be had to prouide for fight If the marshall of the field haue no experience of the countrie himselfe it is requisite that he carrie such a personage or worthie Cauallier with him as he knowes to haue experience that with them he may consider well of the situation and place whether he is to march with his armie through plaines by or néere hils or in valleys that haue hils ou both sides or by or néere to woods or alongst or néere a riuer It is also requisite the the light horse aswell for the discouerie of the enemie as otherwise to take the bredth of the straits passages go before and to make certificate that according to the bredth the hoast may march And put case that one part of the way be 15. foot broode the hoast shall be made to march by fiue in a ranke because euery footman will haue thrée foote in breadth from shoulder to shoulder and sixe foote in ranke betwixt ranke and ranke and one foote for euerie person so that 21 foote in breadth and 2 myles in length will containe an armie of ten thousand After the same reason whether there be 20 or 30 thousand footemen according to the measuring of ground by the foote they may be set in order very easily neither can the leader be deceiued whē he knoweth how many armed men euery place can containe and after the same order as the place dooth enlarge he must enlarge the rankes causing part of the shot to goe before the aray and part behind and others to go in succoures of the horsemen that go in viewing the passages and the ambushments with the whole dooings of the enemie and let an other part be for vantgard retrogard to the aray to be able to serue them at néed and an other part to go alwaies at the flankes of the raie the which if there be ditches shal serue as a countermure against the enemies horsmen And if they be men at armes they must march on both the sides of the battell and also of the Hargabuzies that do march by the flankes of the battell and the light horsemen to serue for scoutes both before and behind the aray There must be likewise abundance of Pyoners and labourers to make places plaine and to cast downe ditches bridges and to make defences and other necessarie things that are required in marching the which must be garded by your light horse and shot and when you depart to faine to go to some other place then that you go so and if there be no men at armes to appoint to euery regiment certaine Hargabuziers to serue on horsebacke the which may serue in stéed of men at armes and when occasion serues to serue on foote againe wherein the Caualiers of S.
whatsoeuer but that he must gaine the same by a long siege Fyrst he must with al dilligence and good counsaile oftentimes discouer and view the situation of the place and choose the seate where hee may Encampe and lodge his Souldiours Aboue all things he must beware that he plant himselfe in such a place as that the ayre become not corrupted taking for example Mounsieur de Lawâ—…rec at the siege of Naples who by his occasion besides the ouerthrowe of his enterprise lost both all hys Armie and his owne lyfe with the ruine of a great part of the Nobility of Fraunce That he choose likewise a place that is proper for his purpose through the commoditie of wood and water and other necessary things for mans sustenaunce and couert and safe from danger of the enemies Artillary as much as is possible If the place that hée dooth besiege be great and furnished with great number of Footemen and Horsemen which be able to make sallies and come to skyrmish he must incontinently take order that hys Campe bee fortifyed in such sort as he shall thinke most conuenient to fronte the force of the enemie Thys doone he must take from the enemies all the commodities he can as water and all other things which may yéeld them sustenaunce or reliefe and to reduse them to the greatest necessity he can Moreouer it hath béene séene by experience that to deuide an Armie and to make it ouerweake when it is neere a Cittie is a very dangerous thing principally when there is great force of braue and valiant Souldiours within the Towne As fell out at the siege of Florence where two Chiefes were elected the one on thys side the Riuer Arno towards the North which were the Almaines and the other towards the South where was the person of the Generall with the greatest force of the Armie Florence therefore to deliuer it selfe from such continuall toyle did sallie out by night and assault the Almaine Armie with such furie that had there not béen great disorder amongst the assailants the Almaine Armie had entirely béene ouerthrowne and Florence had béen deliuered from siege on that side Wherefore I thinke the most assured and the easiest way is to enclose and restraine the besieged Towne by means of Forts as was practised in the warres at Mirandell and Sienna Uisite dilligently all the waies and passages by the which succours may be giuen to the Towne besieged At euery such place you ought to make a Forte and to approoch so néere as with foure Forts or more you may enuiron all the Cittie I woulde not haue these Forts for that they be litle to be feeble neither that they should be situate in such a place but that they might ayde one another The forme which I would wish them to be of I haue héere sette foorth Afterwardes with the rest of his Armie he must plant him selfe in such a place as from thence at time of neede he may succour his Forts or at the least with one part thereof hauing fyrst sounded the force of the enemie then taking the Artillary which he shall thinke most necessary hee shall endeuour himselfe to become the Maister of the Countrey round about him specially of such places as he is able to force Héereby he may reape great coÌ„modity as well by victualles wherby he may nourish his Armie as that thereby hee shall take away from the besieged all hope of succour and likewise by that meanes cause his Armie to be feared so that the Countrey eyther through loue or feare shall neyther take occasion to rebell or yéeld him any resistance What is to be obserued when any Cittie or Fortresse is able to be expugned by battery c. to approach and besiege the same â—… Presently haue declared howe much it importeth to choose for encamping a plotte of ground commodious healthfull and assured now I will speake of the order which is to be vsed and necessary to be obserued when a Generall supposeth himselfe able to gayne a Fortresse or Cittie by maine force of Armes Fyrst the Marshall of the fielde must goe with practised souldiours and of tryed experience in the warres well accompanied to the intent they may safely viewe and consider the circuite and situation of the Towne and to sée vpon what side Trenches may be made for the planting of the Artillarie Aboue all he must be careful and prouident that the earth be of such nature and qualitie that it will receiue the Spade Pickaxe and be apt to make Trenches in and other necessary thinges to couer themselues against the enemie To thinke that a man may perfectly discouer view a Towne or Fortresse eyther in the day or in the nyght it is impossible for in the day the enemie will not giue a man leaue or leysure at leastwise if they be men of courage In the night one cannot directly and thorowly neyther discouer the flankes Bulwarks and Ditches neither behold many particularities which be necessary to him which will aptly in good order prepare himselfe to make an assault But the same discouery may be well and commodiously doone when the Trenches shall be made the which may bring him euen to the Ditches There the Generall himselfe may at his ease behold and discerne all that he desires to know Touching the manner and fashion to make the Trenches although there be diuers opinions neuerthelesse for the greater satis-faction of the Reader I haue drawne out diuers fashions which séeme to be most commodious most sure and most easie as in the sundry portratures of thys Booke dooth appeare But aboue all he must prouide that in the Trenches there be places to plant the bodie of the watch assured and in such sort as they may be able to giue succoure one to another Likewise there ought to be issues or passages to goe out of them as you may behold by thys figure Thys doone you must choose a place to plant your Artillarie with Gabions Wooll-packs and other Engines proper to those affayres and carefully take order and foresee that the Maister Gunner and Cunstable of the Artillarie and other inferiour Officers haue experience and good knowledge herein Accomodate thicke boardes or tymber close together where the battery is planted for the Artillarie to run vpon and foresee that those planckes yeelde a certaine fall and discending to towards the Cannones to the intent that after they bee recueled they may be the more easily brought againe into theyr places By this meanes the péeces shall remaine assured from running and sincking into the grounde in wette and rainie weather Diuers are of opinion that the Artillarie ought not to bee planted any further distance of from the Fortresse more then one hundred and fyftie pases if the situation of the grounde will permitte I will omitte to speake of the qualitie of the Artillarie Onely I say that according to the vse in this age the Cannons ought to bee of thréescore renforced in
béeing of accord with the Marshall of the Fielde must vse his endeuour towards the prouision of ordinary victuals that it may be well conducted and better kept sometimes if it be possible renuing the same specially in a Country that is aboundant and distribute the old amongst the souldiours but for al that this must be doone when as it cannot otherwise be spent or kept good that he may drawe the money disbursed at the Officers and Collonels hands Amongst these sufficient store of victuals prouided by this Comessarie and his followers I haue séene it thought very necessary to conduct with the Armie flockes and droues of beastes great and small the which is of little hinderance or impediment because they are not of burden and for that by themselues they may be kept in good disposition and the rather béeing ayded by the Princes strong arme of authoritie This Comessary may vsually send out safe-gards or sealed Patents that there may be respect had vnto Townes and other places aboundant in scraw Corne Meale Beere Wine Oyle Cattle Powder Flesh Salt Wood Fruite and such other necessary things specially where such places be taken and comen vpon at vnawares by the Armie These commodities and Munitions he must cause to be kept with good order to the intent they may the longer serue and with one of the Generals Trumpets which may accompany the said safegards or patents or with some small Troupes of souldiours and nayle them vpon the gates of the Townes Cattles or houses these and the presence of the Trumpet with a small gaâ—…de of men of war is of sufficient force to cause the said place to be respected so much as it ought or as is necessary the which Office was very wel executed in the yéeres 1578. 1579. 1580. vnder Don Iohn and the Prince of Parma The Generall of the Armie ought to examine often and verie narrowly the principall Officers that good orders may alwaies with great diligence be executed and coÌ„tinually with circumspect care alwaies kéepe open the vigilant eyes of the minde and those of the body warie and still waking as well in aspecting occasion as also in accepting and executing theÌ„ with rare prouidence and valour It is very requisite that he alwaies carrie with him a good and faithfull Guide and to the intent he may not by craft or trechery be deceiued such Guides ought alwaies to goe vnder a sure gard giuen in charge and recommended to good Captaines to good Officers and tryed Souldiours and sometimes it shall bee good to carry them bound and specially in a suspected Country or that they be of a strange language and vnknowne to them For sometimes either of peruerse purpose or fainting hart in suddaine assaults which at vnawares arise by meanes of the Enemie and by the suddaine noyse of Allarmes they doo flée away and saue themselues Sometimes eyther through the commodious darknes of the night or els through the knowledge of the Country vnknowne to those they haue guided But to satis-fie both Guides and Spyes instruments so necessary and profitable to the honourable profession of Armes a man must neuer appoint or limit any certaine bound to expences but rather largely and liberally pay and recompence them without making any spare For as it is a thing most manifest and cleere that hauing such as be good and faithful the victory remaines as it were certaine so the contrary dooth easily succeede when his continuall and wakefull eye hath not respect to these substantiall aduertisements Neyther can any Captaines execute or commaund with more assurance or better to the purpose then those which are well conducted and led by Guides and instructed so neere as is possible of all the Enemies determinations and in what manner and forme he will worke by the intelligences of his Espyals But hee must beware hee take carefull paynes to examine all things himselfe without trusting to the indirect endeuor of any other person And therfore it is a most necessary and excellent quality to vnderstand and speake many languages by imitating that most famous and victorious Emperour Charles the fist since that hee himselfe dyd vnderstand the speech of euery Nation accustomed to practise with him and to the most part of them sententicusly and pithilie coulde aunswer by reason that not onely for thys respect the beneuolence of diuers Nations and particuler persons is gained which is a thing that much imports but also moreouer deceite is auoided which through the defect and naturall vice of diuers malignent Interpreters might ensue wherefore it is euer good to be doubtful Hée must of necessitie haue with him such persons as be professed in Souldiours Architecture for the most part properlie called by the name of Ingeniors who must haue knowledge to cause and cast out the proportion of Trenches to make them of sufficient defence and to frame massiue Bulwarks large and reall Ditches Gabions radled round about to forme great Parapets and not onely to be good inuentors with iust proportions but also more studious of the plots and formes and those things that be therunto correspondent and how to accomodate himselfe to the reasonable situation which is to be fortefied and the in effect they haue greater knowledge in warlike then in domesticall Architecture of which I haue in a particuler discourse intreated in my fist Booke Likwise it is very good he take delight chiefly in cases of suspect although he haue lodged his Armie in a place that is of a good strong situation to compasse the most weake places thereof with ditches Trenches of good proportion reasonable wel flancked That he take care to kéepe repayre those places that be strong by nature with all dilligent and arteficiall meanes For so much as from those places that appeare most assured manie great â—…uines are receiued either through the negligence of the wearied watch or through the secret policie the aspiring mindes of the enemie neither ought he to omit or flée any toyle or trauell for good Souldiours in vrgent necessities by examplare incouragement doe more willingly and readily worke then the Pyoners themselues as was very well performed in enuironing the Campe against the Lanzgraue and the rest of the Lutheran sect in that trouble some time of Charles the fifth Emperour and as succéeded specially in Inglistate one of the francke townes where vpon the suddaine was made a wonderfull worke of Trenches of sufficient force to resist the incredible furie of the enemies mighty Armie who had the aduantage both in horse-men footemen Artillarie with the which thrée daies continually they did batter assault and made wonderfull slaughter amongst the Emperiall Squadrons placed with great disaduantage in a discouered and open ground by reason of the low situation determining to force the Emperiall Armie to dislodge the better after eyther to conquer or driue them the Country The which through this great worke of Trenches and together with many Carres planted vppon the one side
in a readinesse and resort to the place appointed which commonly is the market place being first of all vnited with his ensigne and from thence in order of aray to the enemies as they be coÌ„manded vpon the pain of the losse of his life 39 Item all souldiers being horsemen or footmen must diligently in order of aray by sound of drum or trumpet accompany the ensigâ—…e to watch ward or reliefe of the same being there silently in a readinesse to withstand or discouer the enemies as occasion shall serue to brute the alarme with the vsuall worde arme arme or bowes bowes if â—…n 〈◊〉 or anie bandes be in paie vpon paine of losse of their liuâ— 5. 40 Item all souldiers must keepe their armor and weapons faire cleane and seruiceable to a readinesse at euerie sodaine none intermedling but with his owne euerie one to helpe other to arme and diligently to resort to the place of seruice at scrie and larum vpon paine 41 Item all souldiers must honestly intreate and truely paie victuallers and artificers allowed for the reliefe being friends or enemies and with curteous words encourage such to victual and relieue the companies or campe vpon paine 42 Item all souldiers in watch ward march or otherwise shall haue special regard that if there be man or woman desirous to speake with the superiors or being thy enemies for feare doe forsake his owne power and resort to thee let such secretly be conueied to the Lord chiefe generall regarding that they view no secrets least they be double spies vpon paine of the losse of their liues 43 Item captaines and officers must oft frequent and resort vnto the souldiers lodgings to sée in what state their armor and inunitions be and to giue great charge that their furniture be alwaies in a readinesse their corslets with all peeces belonging to the same and their caliuers to be made cleane and oiled to haue match powder drie bullets fit for their peeces stringes whipped for their bowes their billes and halberdes to be kept sharpe And often to view euery particular vpon paine 44 Item he that shall depart out of the place where he shal be put by his head or any officer whatsoeuer for a lost Sentinel spy watchman scout or warder aswell by day as by night as it often happeneth to discouer some dealings of the enemy without attending and staying for him that placed him there to take him away except he should remoue in hast to aduertise his head of the successe of the enemies assaulting or doing anie outrage shall be punished with death 45 Item whosoeuer should rashly offend or hurt either in word or deedes any man belonging to the deputies or head officers of iustice or captain there being in pay for sergeants And they being appointed to carrie no other weapon with sicles or staues but billes or halberds they may be knowne for men of iustice and not for Souldiers 46 Item whosoeuer standeth within or without the campe or barres to watch or scout and doth his dutie so euill that thorow his negligence the enemy setteth vpon the campe at vnawares he shall die 47 Item he that vnder colour of doing the duetie of a scout or spie perceiuing the enemies haue assaulted the campe and he with such faining lieth still shall die for it 48 Item he that shall forsake the defence in generall or particular of the batterie of the trench of the passage of a bridge or other like to him committed but lightly not forced goeth away shal be for so offending punished with death 49 Item whosoeuer entring into a Citie taken by force followeth not his ensigne whither soeuer it shall go vntil the Generall make proclamation that euerie man shall take booties And if the general cause no such proclamation to be made that souldiers make spoile he shall incurre the paine of death and if proclamation be made that they shall cease from taking praies and booties and after licence giuen if they giue not ouer they shall fall into the same punishment 50 Item whosoeuer seeing the ensigne vnder the which he warreth in fraies or fight by chance be fallen in the hands of the enemies if he be there present and doe not his indeuour to recouer it and when it is cowardly lost to punish the souldiers which haue suffered it to be cowardly lost with death 51 Item he that shall flée from the battaile being in the face and front of the enemies or shall go slowly and slackly to ioyne and a front with them in case it be to fight a field battaile or in anie skirmish what soeuer shal be punished with death 52 Item he that shall faine himselfe sick to auoid the fighting of the enemie or because he would not goe to anie other enterprise to vse his handes but I meane there for to rob for to such affaires they will be ready inough shal be cruelly punished 53 Item whosoeuer seeing his generall or his captaine or other coronell and officer of the campe in the hand of the enemies and succoureth him not with all his power and may doe â—…t not respecting any danger shall suffer death 45 Item he that shall rob or spoile the people of the countriâ—… or subiectes or vassels of the prince 〈◊〉 sâ—…rueth shall die 55 Item he that by theft should sceale or rob the armor weapons or horses or other thing from anie other seruing against the enemies shall die 56 Item hee that should ransome or taxe or otherwise misvse the people of the countrie except they should be enemies or rebels to the prince shal be greatly punished 57 Item he that shall play at any game for his armor weapons or horses which are written vpon the roll or through his negligence shall lose them or lend giue away or lay them to pawne let him die 58 Item he that goeth further then two hundreth steppes or paces from his quarter without licence of his captain specially when the campe looketh or staieth to be assaulted by the enemies except he should be sent for by his heades shal be punished with death 59 Item he that shall goe longer then the houre appointed in the night abroad in the campe wandring except hee should be sent by his superiours for a matter of weight from head captain to head captaine by a counter-token shall be cruelly punished 60 Item he that shall lodge strangers whether he be of the campe or not without licence of the generall or of his captaine either in his lodging or vnder a tent except he be of his chamber or squadron or by the captaine appointed for seruice forth of the campe shall be punished But euerie one ought to be in the night with their Camerads and chamber-fellowes and not to be deuided from their lodgings that occasion seruing they may be ready with their weapons in their handes neither ought they to lodge watch or scouts or of the search for that the spies hauing no lodging any excuse being found
be Hargabusiers on horseback specially when warres be made in large and open countries or else howsoeuer it be situate for being men of valour they may both on horsebacke and foote doe great seruice as often hath bene tried by manifest experience in our time specially in the late warres of Flanders vnder my Collonel the Baron of Sheuerau in seruice of Don Iohn of Austria and the Prince of Parma where I being of the number of the Gentlemen of his owne band haue séene dayly excellent good seruice done by them as well by discouering the enimies ambuscades as to draw them into the danger of our footemen And likewise in the spéedie taking and kéeping a passage of importance in winning aduertisements and the watch word from the enimie in taking prisoners in breaking the way for frée passage in clearing and beating the hye wayes and scowring them frée from the enimie and fléebooters in making roades courses and incursions in discouering the countrie and taking view there of like to light horsemen specially in the absence of the Cauallerie of the Campe. And therfore I conclude that they shall be found to be a knot and kind of necessarie souldiers prouided that they be practised and aboue al ful of valour and aspiring minds not to be common souldiers taken at vnawares out of ordinarie bands of footemen neither such as carrie a dull base and abiect mind or disposition If the Collonell had the authoritie to be able to kéepe togither a band with a standerd or Guidon and a trumpet to them would do singuler good seruice which neuerthelesse when seruice on foote did call them forth might deliuer vp their horses Lances Hargabushes with firelocks vnto their seruants kept and maintained for that purpose enter into ranke or battaile amongst the rest of the Caualliers squadre and so should the ordinarie and common custome of hauing horses amongst priuate souldiers be auoided saue such as are permitted and granted to some officers as in my former discourses I haue alredie declared The which obseruation shal bring to passe that the souldiers in marching and in other enterprises shall go togithers and be vnited about the Ensigne which is a thing most conuenient and necessarie and ought greatly to be shunned for that horses by ouerthwart trauersing are accustomed to deface thâ—… squares and break the rankes of the footemens battailes which truely is verie odious and of great disturbance and discommoditie but that which I speake of this extraordinarie band is to be vnderstood and taken when there is no ordinarie bands of horsemen ioyned to a Collonels Regiment He ought to take vigilant care that the Gentlemen of his band and Caualliers of his squadre being continually about his person do diligently performe that which they are appointed of him to do by commission or otherwise and that they make faithfull and true relation to him of euerie particular thing that hée may be euer fully informed of all things and chiefly of that which doth passe in the watch worthy necessarie to be noted as wel by day as by night since that by going the Round which doth appertaine principally to these Caualliers many things of moment importance may verie well be obserued being able to execute any of the inferiour offices both quickly conceiue and sensibly vtter any new accident The Collonel must most carefully with humble courtisie court his captaine generall vse great respect towards him obey him giue him faithfull counsell and to the end he may performe this thorowly well he must neuer refuse toile or trauell since that to take pain about matters of like importance is agréeable and conuenient to honorable personages his equals whereas easie delicacie curiositie appertaines to women or other effeminate persons who estéeme more of belly cheere gallant attyre and riches then of the péerelesse prise of valor vertue and that prefer a fraile bodie before an immortall soule Some hold opinion that a Collonel hauing to allot ouâ—… what number of pikes short weapons and shot is to be in euery band that it is farre better to haue but one sort of weapons so shall the Captaine euer accompanie his owne souldiers whereas otherwise they being disseuered in a stand battaile he must either loose the companie of his shot or pykes the one of them being committed to a second and the short weapons to a third which doth nothing so much encourage the souldier as to see his Captaine companion of his perils and the contrarie no lesse dismaieth him but for that foughten fields chance seldome in our time I cease to wade further therein only aduertising that amongst the rest of his souldiers the armed pikes must be gently vsed shewing them a chéerefull and good countenance who must be chosen men verie hardie and valiant He must procure that his officers diligently performe his comissions and that faithfully they make relation of euerie particular thing that he may be enformed of all in specially that which happens in wards as well in the day as in the night for they going in circuit as appertaines vnto them may well perceiue what chanceth of any great importance So that by obseruing these aduertisements the industrie of the Leader doth appeare wheras not being wel looked vnto great ruine doth arise To conclude when his Regiment is discharged either at the end of the warres or otherwise he ought to take care that he in any wise procure that they may be conducted wholly togither and afterwards disband them in such a place as from thence euerie souldier may easily and without feare transport himselfe into his owne countrie and if it be possible hauing his health his armes and his apparell entyre for otherwise if souldiers be disseuered in far countries they suffer great inconuenience in hard difficile passages in victuals and lodgings the which doth cause their destruction the discredite and dishonour of their conductour and is a great blot in the fame of our nation as those that haue séene Holland the Lowcountries can witnes wherfore it is a thing to be reformed for the increase of our credite and old naturall valour The election office and duetie of the foure Corporals of the field GReat regard would be had to the choosing of these as wel for their calling yeares and valiantnes as otherwise for their experience lenitie and wisedome Whereby these warlike affaires may be the readier sooner executed otherwise it may be preiudiciall to the whole armie These 4. bée vnder the Sergeant Maior generall to appoint set order and make battaile and battailes and to guide euery particular person therein according to their degrée and office and as the necessitie of the same shall require to instruct and reforme whose commaundements all Captaines and souldiers with their officers must obey but in march approch Canuisado skirmish retraite watch ward or what other seruice by them shal bée commaunded whose authoritie likewise is such as if any resist they
nothing can please their fantasie but such as doth best agrée to their own humours and inuentions specially in ordering and imbattelling souldiers wherein euen as the sundrie vse of diuers nations at this day do differ so do the minds of many new leaders alter change embrace despise inuent and set downe manifold wayes to plant an armie in ranged battell in the fielde which I well considering haue thought good in part to make collection out of diuers Authors Italian Spanish French Latine and English and part such as of my owne experience I haue séene put in practise of the Spaniards and other warlike nations vnder Don Iohn D'austria and the Prince of Parma out of both which Callenders I haue chosen the greatest number that séeme any thing to the purpose that thereby at leastwise the dainty tasted monthes of our age may light vpon some apt for their digestion But before I wade into great numbers M. Stewards formes shall serue my turne to satisfie the priuate Captaines Lieutenants of Regiments and Collonels as fit for their peculiar offices and will first begin with a table of discouerie of all marches within the compasse of 1500. men A Table to discouer numbers by hundreds placed by 3. 5. 7. 9. c. in ranke and aray assembled from one hundreth vnto a 1500. As thus marching 3. in ranke 34. rankes containe 102. men by which example you may plainly perceiue the methode following and discouer like numbers  Rankes Men. 3. in Ranke 34 is 102 67 is 201 100 is 300 5. in ranke 20 is 100 40 is 200 60 is 300 80 is 400 100 is 500 7. in ranke 15 is 105 29 is 203 43 is 301 57 is 399 72 is 504 86 is 600 100 is 700 9. in ranke 11 is 99 22 is 198 33 is 296 45 is 405 56 is 504 67 is 603 78 is 702 89 is 801 100 is 900 11. in ranke 9 is 99 18 is 198 27 is 297 37 is 406 46 is 506 56 is 616 64 is 715 74 is 820 81 is 897 91 is 1017 100 is 1100 13. in ranke 8 is 104 16 is 208 2â—… is 299 31 is 404 39 is 507 46 is 70â—… 54 is 〈◊〉 62 is 〈◊〉 69 is 1014 78 is 1105 8â—… is 1196 92 is 1230 100 is 1300 15. in ranke 7 is 10â—… 14 is 210 20 is 300 27 is 404 34 is 510 40 is 600 47 is 707 54 is 810 60 is 900 67 is 1005 74 is 1110 80 is 1200 87 is 1305 94 is 1410 100 is 1500 An order to imbattell 600. men at the sodaine against horsemen and footemen IT is appointed vnto the Lieutenant of a Regiment or vnto two or thrée Captaines to bring 600. men to conuey charge or do exploits as the commandement of the higher officers shall appoint them The Leader or Captaines aduertised of straites passages and situations of the countries also on what part the enimies be most like to assault them must giue order vnto your officers to place 13 in front as here is set downe by proportion of figure your Ensigne in the midst with the halberds your shot placed in the wings as appeareth At such times as the enimies shall assault you ioyne both your bands become one strength as the ground doth serue This order is verie necessarie to doe many exploits How the like number may be brought into the manner of a hearse to defend horsemen SOmetimes marching by 10. in rank vpon the fight of the enimies diuide into two parts and ioyne their broad sides diuided togâ—…ther become in one strength which bring thus placed is in length 24 in bredth 10. Against horsemen they must pitch their pikes on the ground and crosse them against footemen beare aboue hand They must sarriâ—… close togither and not disseuer to follow or flie leâ—…t their disorders make place for the enimies to enter as by this proportion doth appeare Somtimes for the saftie of your shot you must receiue them within the gard of your pikes This H signifieth horsemen galloping the fielde to break vpon you where they may best enter most easily as by the void space appeareth the ouerplus of your shot to be placed in 4. wings without the battel This proportion to disseuer is verie perillous How to imbattell 900. souldiers at the sodaine MArching with 900. men and vnderstanding by scout or spie that the enimie pretendeth to skirmish with them or otherwise to ioyne battel you may diuide your bands in thrée parts marching 9. in a ranke placing officers betwixt euerie band that being assaulted may ioyne the Uoward and the Rereward to the middleward so fall they out to be an hearse battell placing your shot in the wings that they may the better resort to the skirmish likewise to retyre as occasion scrueth this is a singular good order for the obtaining of any grounds or doing of exploites An order how to imbattell 900. men at the sodaine An order to imbattell the like number in Quadrant proportion WHen battels are to be made if the Sergeant Maior should chance to be absent giue commandement vnto the Sergeants of the bands to bring their companies seuerall and then ioyne your bands and sorted weapons the brode sides togither as your number serues your Captaines drums and 〈◊〉 with your Ensigne placed in the midst of the execution as well for the saftie of the same as for the comforting of the souldiers neuerthelesse such order is taken that Lieutenants and Sergeants of bands with other seruiceable Gentlemen of S. Georges squadre be placed to leade the Uoward and Rereward of the battell where onsets be vncertaine whose beautifull Armours pollitike and couragious charge is a great terrour to the enimie and a great comfort to their owne companie the shot to be placed in foure froupes with two wings in the Rereward for that they may easier maintain skirmish round about the battell on which side soeuer they be assaulted An order to imbattell 1200. men quadrantly at the sodaine THe foure Quarters ioyned in one seeme to be 1200. men vnder 4. Ensignes euerie way who at the enimies sight must place 13. in ranke which fall to be a quadrant euerie way which â—…odainly may ioyne their long weapons togither making one Quadrant of the foure your drummes and fiffes with the Captain placed next to the Ensigne the Lieutenants in the wings and the Sergeants in the Uoward and Rereward wherby they may the better giue intelligence by signe or word what is best to be done 300. men being shot in the wings and the 300. in Demie Diamondwise after the Almaine manner in the midst the which being discharged the musket and hargabus shot will greatly preuaile This wayes they may march wholly togither or retyre any wayes to seruice néedful ready with their shot to encounter the enimie any wayes in skirmish either wing rescuing other as néede shall require And although the Sergeants maior appointeth order for the same yet the Sergeants of euery band
hauing experience onely ruleth and giueth order to their owne charge and appoint and place such in the fronts Rereward and wings as to them séeme most conuenient This proportion is after the Almaine manner of imbattelling much like vnto the order of the Romaines who deuided their Legions into diuers Cohorts to this intent that when the fronts were wearied the Mainward and Rereward succéeded which the late experience of the Frenchmen hath tried that the deuiding of the battell into many bands so that they haue pikes sufficient to impale the Halberds or Bils and to euerie Band their number of shot and Horse is more auaileable then any battel being made of a whole bodie or as the Gréeks tearme it a Phalange for they are to be drawne out in length or bredth as the ground or occasion serueth to charge and encounter the enimie placed in one battell vpon euery quarter to their detriment and ouerthrowing of any so placed being of sufficient strength for defence of horse and though the first or second or third should be ouerthrowne yet be rest kéeping their order are to succéede Whereas the battell being one after the frontes be ouerthrowne the Rereward is readie to run the which being disordered can hardly recouer to place them in order againe An order to imbattell a Collonels charge COllonels and Chieftaines who oftentimes according to their experience and worthinesse of seruice haue the charge and leading of 1500. men more or lesse to whom is committed diuers sundrie exploits and points of seruice in the fielde whereof they discrie any multitude of horsemen pretending for to charge them and to enuiron your battel hauing no waghon borough or pale of carriages water hedge ditch or other succours but only the strength of their manual weapons pollicy of defeÌ„ce vpon the sight of the enimies must cast in this sort the Uoward Rereward to become one strength to serue and sarrie close togither to couch to crosse and defend as by this order may appeare The thrée vtmost rankes must consist of faire armed and skilfull Gentlemen and Caualliers and others pitching their pikes on the ground couching crossing them the two rankes next giuing the push at the length of the pikes the shot placed within the pikes for safegard stand readie to shoote charge stil in their places This order to encounter with footemen if it be possible will recouer the aduantage of wind hil and full in good order on the one side of the hill to ioyne in fight where God giueth the victorie before these same encounters An excellent order to repulse horsemen Reuiue your souldiers with meat drinke and good counsell and with comfortable words to animate and encourage them withall How to imbattell 1500. men in quadrant proportion AS before I haue set forth the order or imbattelling of 1500. men in two fold wise the which in some ground is much auaileable for that it occupieth more hands then the iust square in fight at one instant notwithstanding such must be assured that the enimie can approch but one way which else may be preiudiciall therefore in the plaine field the iust square or quadrant is the strongest order that may be neuertheles it is conuenient that at such times as you purpose to ioyne battel with the enimie hauing Ordinance and other carriage to place the same on the wings and Rereward thereby to impale the squadron to the intent the enimie enter not but in the fronts Also the expert Captaines must foresée to obtaine hill wind sun or any other aduantage the which diuers wayes greatly profiteth If your battell be assaulted with horsemen and lances then couch and crosse your pikes as appeares in the last figure against footemen sarrie close trailing your pikes vntill the encounter and then to offer the push till repulse be giuen and God giue victorie In the fronts you must place your best armed and most valiant men as well to encourage the rest as to be a terrour to the enimies your shot to be placed in the wings and rereward for being placed in the fronts they cannot well retyre but vpon their owne pikes or else vpon the shot in the wings To bring 1500. men to this proportion you must place sixe rankes of pikes 59. in ranke euerie wayes which comes to 500. and 12. the shot to be placed in 4. troups in the wings 10. in ranke which is 400. And 300. ten in ranke and 29. in bredth in the Rereward the which are to succéed the other troupes after they haue discharged the 50. shot and 48. pikes are to be placed about the Artillarie or otherwise at the discretion of the Collonell the Captaines and Lieutenants with the Sergeants to be placed about the battell to giue order as may best preuaile The Chieftaine Collonel to be placed within the battell as appeareth in this figure The Characters to be vsed in proportions of greater Squadrons BUt to touch more at large greater numbers both how they are ranged and battelled wherein the Sergeant Maior generall of an armie is called to vse his office I do here according to my promise set downe sundrie proportions of diuers kinds for the better vnderstanding whereof it is requisite to carrie in minde the signification of these Characters These Characters S Signifie Shot ☌ or this P Signifie Pikes ✚ or this H Signifie Halberds E Signifie Ensignes â–¡ Signifie Launces â–µ Signifie Light horsemen * Signifie Argoletteares A Quadrant or twofold battell of 2000. men THe form of this battel following which represeÌ„ts a quadraÌ„t hath bene ofteÌ„ vsed as very profitable of many Italians wel experienced of great authoritie in the field it is as it doth appeare flanked enuironed with two great bodies or sléeues of Hargabusiers the which containe in number for ech flank 380. men in the Uoward 100. and in the Rereward 140. which shot are to be carried about the battel very commodiously for seruice and as they shall séeme otherwise to be imployed by the Sergeant Maior In the bodie of the battell are 800. pikes 200. Halberds or Bils and ten Ensignes hauing to euery Ensigne 200. men the which to be brought to this forme you must place 45. in rank for the breadth and 22. in ranke for the length The Captaines Lieutenants and Sergeants as appeareth by this figure in the heart of the battel although this manner or forme giueth scope to mooue which way they list yet I hold it best not to suffer theÌ„ to stir much and the litle mouing which is to be granted to them must not be ouer hastie but in pace â—…loe sober well measured vnlesse he hath to set againe the like battel of the enimie for then the last rankes must be somewhat quicker in stirring And to bring tenne thousand or twentie thousand to this order readily they must in setting forward march with maniples well seuered and deuided hauing a Sergeant Lieutenant or Cauallier at the head
Militarie Discipline wherein he hath followed the steppes of Leonard and Thomas Digges Gentlemen in their Stratioticos for the which they merite great commendations by the benefite our country may reap by their trauels But neuerthelesse because I will not attribute that vnto my selfe which is none of my owne I haue thought good to deale more directly and not to reape the fruites of other mens toyles and therefore in following my determination in setting downe diuers battels this battell following I borrow out of M. Digges his Stratioticos The proportion of a battell out of M. Digges Stratâ—…oticos MAster Digges in his third booke intituled Stratioticos hath imbattelled an army of 30000. footmen and 6000. horsemen which hâ—… for an excellent forme of imbattelling figures thus First as you may behold he hath diuided the Armie into two Fronts or faces hath separated them into 8. battaillons euery of them hauing 30. in a ranke and 33. rankes They are armed in the front with 7. ranks of pikes all the rest of the short weapons as swords and targets halberds billes or such like Euery battaillon containeth 1000. men lacking 10. and are placed 3. or â—… paces one from another The second front is diuided into fiue great battaillons euerie one of them being of 2000. men 40. in ranke and 50. rankes euerie battaillon armed in the front with 6. rankes of pikes These battaillons ought to be one from another at the least 25 paces the one front of battels from the other at least 60. paces in or nigh the middle battaillon of this second front shal be the Generall himselfe when he séeth time These battaillons are impaled on either side with 100. ranks of pikes 7. in a ranke and on the backe with 6. rankes of pikes without these hath he placed the shot in 24. troups euery troup containing 100. There is also the forlorne hope before the face of the battell likewise 18. troupes of shot 100. a péece who after they come to the face of the enimie disband and maintaine sâ—…ir mish Last of al the wings of horsemen which M. Digges hath placed in a preposterous order by placing the Argolatâ—…ares last but I both altering their course names say that two of the first are Argolateares 50. in a ranke 25. rankes the second light horsemen 30. in a ranke 33. rankes and the last Demie lances 30. in a ranke 25. ranks Thus there is in the first front of pikes 1680 In the second front 1200. In the impalement 3800. These in all amount to 6680 so is there left 320. pikes to be imployed in loose fléeues to accompanie such thâ—…t short weapon as shal remaine for the gard of the Ordinance Likewise in the first front there are of short weapons 6240. in the second front 8800. so there do remaine 960. short weapons to be imployed togither with the remnant of the pikes for gard of the Artillerie or carriages or else to mingle with the shot in the forlorne hope the which when they shall grow to pell mell with the enimie will do great seruice Also after the battels approch they may retire with the forlorâ—…e hope to assist their horsemen The shot you may behold sorted in troupes 1800. in the front and in either wing 2400. so doe there remaine 400. shot more to ioyne with the pikes and short weapons extraordinarie in any seruice Thus after the great Ordinance on either side haue discharged the Forlorne hope is continually to be supplied with new troupes of shot from the flankes and wings and these troupes of the Forlorne hope that haue discharged should retire betwéene the battaile and the troopes of horse to the backe of the wings so maintaining the flanckes alwaies furnished and thus skirmish may continually be maintained with fresh men the battell alwaies impaled But after the battell begins to approch the forlorne hope must withdrawe themselues then is your first battell strongly fronted and impaled with pikes to abide any charge of horsemen and after their pikes are broken are together with the rest of the short weapon to deale with the enemie and during the continuance of the fight betwéen these battailons the shot may continually discharge in the face of the enemie Likewise there may be certaine small carriages some laden with muskets some with Calabashes others with murdering fire balles and these cariages may during the battell continually spoile the enemies front being safely garded betwéen the battaillons but if fortune should abandon them in the first encounter and that they be broken by the enemies yet haue they those ample spaces betwéene the battaillons of the second front to retire vnto there to make head and giue the enemie battell againe And these spaces or lanes betwéene the battaillons serue not onely to receiue the skirmishers or other that shall retyre but also for the messengers which among the Romans were called Mâ—…ndatores to passe to and fro and to signifie vnto all parts from time to time the Generals pleasure The Argolateares are to gallop the field and scale the side of a squadron the light horsemen to charge vpon the skirmishers and the lances to breake vpon the scaled battel and one to helpe an others course as néed dooth require Thus farre M. Digges prefers this battell which he would haue vsed when no aduantage is gained by the nature of the place but that the Generall must trust to the strength of his good order wherein hee dooth wish such perfection in ouâ—… souldiorie as was in the Romane that they might be able to fight and retire in order and so make many sundry heads vpon the enemie if fortune did abandon them in the first or second encounter the which is farre better in respect of our common brute maine battel or 3 battailes in one front committing the whole field to one brunt of seruice which is a barbarous order therefore it were good the soldiours of our time did applye practise and reforme diuers errors The figure of a Battell out of Monsieur de Bellay his instructions in the Arte of warre MOnsieur de Bellay in his first booke of Militarie discipline sets downe this proportion of a battell This battell euen as the other before consists of receipts one into an other so that the front being broken they must retire into the voide spaces of the second front and they both consequently being repulsed to plant themselues within the thirde last succours the pikes of both flankes ought to retire as the battels retire that is to say the first ranke ought to retire within the 2 and the 2 within the 3 the 3 within the 4 the 4 within the 5 the 5 within the 6 so consequently the rest The Hargabusiers and horsemen must likewise do their duetie according to all warlike order But for your further and perfect instruction howe this battell and all other of like qualitie are to be directed read the Chapter following which is intituled A notable
Argolateares a pretie distance off In this sort if one squadron happen to be broken yet shal another make head vpon the enimie while they may retyre troupe againe which is the only safetie as wel of Horsemen as footmen And albeit in the day of seruice it is the part of the high marshall himselfe to giue order in what sort and with what troupes the charges shal be giuen or receiued it is also the Lieutenants part as well to giue his aduise as also to be a leader in all these actions He ought therefore to take great regard to the ground where he meaneth to giue the charge for if he charge in troupe the falling of a few horse in the for most rankes may disorder and foile the whole troupe Before the front of his owne footmen let him neuer giue charge for it hath bin séene that horsemen being repulsed haue bene foreed in vpon their own footmen disordered them Let the horse therefore charge vpon the flanke of the enimie and diligently attend if by any accident they can perceiue any breaking or opening in the side of his enimies battell and then sodainly to charge that breach for as horsemen are inferiours to wel ordered footmen so vpon any smal disorder they carrie with them victory And for that in our age there hath arisen diuers fodaine effects not looked for wrought by the good and well guiding of horsemen I thinke it good somewhat more amplie to delate vpon this point specially as I said before in appointing out a place apart from the battel ranks wherin the Cauallarie may be ranged to the intent they may with good scope fréely and fitly turne and run with their squadrons and ranks in charging the enimy in taking charge likewise of them and in all other enterprises considering that the troopes of horsemen in retyring or turning round do often disorder and break their own infanterie either through the discommoditie of the place or through the want of the good and warie guiding of them Contrariwise at other times by their aduised and spéedie serâ—… a small number of horsemen well bent and better guided haue bêene séene to enter very couragiously into a great battaite of the enimies footemen and either for that they were slenderly flanked with Hargabuziers or by the disaduantage of the grouÌ„d or being disordered by meanes of some errour or through some other sinister chance or by meanes the said battaile was guided by vnequall or vncertaine pase or through the naughtie indeuor and diligence of rawe and vnpractised souldiers or in going through a streight place or passage of water or otherwise horsemen haue easilie disordered and broken their battailes and all the rest of a whole armie But yet are they not able to encounter with a well ordered square battell of pikes if their couragious and well ranged rankes keepe their araie and when the horsemen charge doe clinge and sarrie verie néere together in the fore rancke and set shoulder to shoulder with their pikes well couched and crossed bending them in both their handes straight before them and their followers at their backes laying theyr pikes ouer their foregoers shouldiers and so stand at the push besides the shouldering of the foreranks together hauing pitched their pikes vnder one of their feete in the ground they stoope and bow downe so loe with their bodies that their followers may easilie come to seruice behinde their backes where some doe vse to place the light armed pikes who amongst some nations for want of brest plates of Iron vse tand lether paper platecoates iackets c. For a gorget thicke folded kerchefes about their neck a scull of Iron for a head péece and a Uenetian or lether Shéeld and Target at their backes to vse with their short Swordes at the close of a battaile and in a throng The squadron of pikemen hauing couched and crossed their pikes brest high closely sarred together are as hard to be pearst with horsemen as an angrie Porcapine or Hedgehog with the end of a bare finger Wherefore to ouerthrowe a maine square battaile planted in that order it is good to vse the aide of Hargolateares who must first scale the fronte and ranks of the battels and then being seconded by the lances men at armes breake their araie and whole battaile In the erecution whereof it is good to vse the Rutters order which somewhat differs from the French mans fight for he encountring the enemie cannot indure any troope to be néere his long stretched ranckes because of breaking his course but the retire fighteth in this sort When the retire is approched néere enough vnto the enemie the first ranke dooth aduance vpon them and when he hath discharged his Pistolet he doth run still in forward as dooth the French who doth still pursue his point but more short on the right hand or on the left according vnto the place where he is and so is also spéedely followed by the second ranke which dooth the same Then the third followeth the second to giue the charge as soone as euer he séeth him departed that stood before him all the rankes following one another in such maner euen vnto the last the hindermost runneth they fighting with Pistolets onely for to come vnto their foreriders they standing all along one at anothers backe And for so much as it is impossible but that when they do present themselues some of them or else their horses be slaine Therefore so soone as euer one of the formost ranke is séene to fall downe he that is in the second ranke directly behinde him that is departed or else disabled must take his place and the next behind him in the third ranke must furnish the same voide ranke wherein he was in the second and so the rest in like order so that they alwaies make their formost rankes of the most assured for in all things namely in â—…eates of armes the beginning is of greatest moment some to break the front of armed pikes do vse to cause the men at armes dismount and in their complet armor to charge them with their launces Some others hold an opinion that the maner of the Germans is best who kéepe alwaies their maine troopes standing cause only one ranke from the front to charge the same being repulsed to retire to the taile and backe of the standing troope then an other to charge and retire to the taile backe as the former whereby they maintaine the whole troope in full strength vntil they sée the footmen sway or breake that their horsemen enter Then presently they back them with an other ranke those againe with an other vntill they sée cause either to follow with the whole troope or to staie this is thought to be the surest and most orderly forme of charging of all others notwithstanding the accustomed whéeling about of the rutters which they vse with their whole troopes euery one after an other giuing the enemie
it would bréede but confusion and the thing being of it self most plaine it should be tedious to rest longer thereupon This only I would wish the Marshal or campemaster to obserue that his shot be lodged toward the outside of the camp that they may be always ready at that ring of the camp vpon any alarme the which he may do by diuiding the vttermost seuen regimeÌ„ts into halfe as you sée by the pricked lines leauing the seueÌ„ spaces marked with L for the 7000 shot the other noted with M for 7000 pikes al the other regimeÌ„ts marked with N shal be the lodgings of the 16000 short weapons Thus in the north moity of your campe are al your armed both horsemen footmen lodged Now the other moity must serue for the lodgings of the vnarmed as Pioners Carters Carpenters Smithes Butchers Uictuallers all other sorts of Mecanicall artificers togither with a large place of assembly for the souldiers to retire vnto to put themselues in order vpon any alarme and also to exercise themselues in sundry sorts of actiuitie You shall therefore from the southside of the Generals pauilion 600 pace southward extend out your first maine stréete of 40. pace broade and crosse him againe with an other stréet running east weast 360 pace distant froÌ„ the southside of the Generals pauilion This streete néede to be but 300 pace in breadth Againe extend out the second narrow stréets that run parallel to the first maine stréete till you come to the crosse stréete last made so haue you O your place of assemblie 330 pace brode and 540 pace long P shal be appointed for the munition and officers attendant on the artillarie Q the market place round about this market place may be lodged the Butchers Bakers Cookes and victualers of all sorts About the munition quarter besides the officers and Gunners may the Smithes Carpenters Whéele wrights labourers attendant on the ordinance be placed About the place of assembly may be the tents of all such as furnish the campe with things néedfull for the souldiers as Armorers Taylers Shoomakers and all such like artificers Yet remaine there two long swares of earth either of them 540 pace long 190 pace brode héere you may settle the Carters Wagoners with their horse and Oxen for the carriages themselues must alwaies impale that part of the campe that is not otherwise by nature and arte fortified In these two quarters also may be lodged the pioners and all other sort of labourers that aptly cannot or ought not be placed in or about the former courtes or quarters of assemblie Last of all you shall discribe 60 pace distant from all those regiments and their quarters already set downe The ring of the campe causing some prettie trenche and vaumure to be throwne vp placing your ordinance vpon the same as in this figure is described and betwéene the ordinance your carriages and this may suffice if the enemie be not very puissant or néere at hand but if you suspect the ariual of the enemy or that you know him stronger in the field then your selfe would therefore encampe surely vntill further aid come vnto you then shall you without this ring 100 pace distant cause your pioners and souldiers for vpon such an occasion he is not worthie to beare the name of a souldier that will not set his hand to the Spade you shall cause them I say throw vp another rampire with certaine bulwarks at euery corner and likewise in the middle of the Curtaine that Musket shot may play betwéene them or if time would permit it were conuenient euerie 12 score to haue of these circular platformes with a Uamure to defend the small shot for in so short time it is impossible to make any sufficient rampire to abide a batterie neither can a campe be furnished of victuals to abide any long time and that is the cause why I haue discribed those plaine circular formes which in fortification of a fowne or for were more ridiculous and in a campe to make them more exquisite were no lesse foolish curious The forme and proportion of the Campe. The forme of another Campe. IN the second booke of Marshall discipline Maister Steward as I take it out some Italian translation sets downe this maner of Campe which I will bréefely touch After the returne of the discouerers and espials he must according to their relation march to such a place where he may encampe to store himselfe and hinder the passage of victuals to his enemies wherein he must conferre with the chéefe Purueyour and with the Sergeant Maiors and others whether it be fit for the fight well defenced wholesome in aire drie vnder foote plentie in water wood and medowe and haue frée passage for forrage victuals munitions c. If there be any pallace hall or house the same is to be allotted for the Generall otherwise a sit proportion of encamping so as the men at armes may lodge about the Generall which I note thus â–¡ The Launces and light horse about them thus noted â–µ Then next Merchants and victualers thus M. V. The pikemen thus ☌ being next about theÌ„ The Hargabuziers in the square about them thus S. TheÌ„ haue you the lodgings for the artillarie thus DD or a Gun Then next the Bulwarkes the trenches 80 pace in breadth The crosse broade wayes to the campe 30 pace wherein Marchants artificers and victualers may lodge but his speciall drift is that vpon any suddaine Camisado whilst the shot pikes and light Hargolateares make resistance the light horsemen Launces with the men at armes may haue leasure to arme themselues and repaire to the Generals Pauillion or pallace where with their Launces and chasing staues in fronte on foote they are in the manner of Pikemen to trie the vttermost of their strength to saue their Generall and the armie together with their owne honour and with their Launces encounter couragiously with the enemies Pikemen who being already wearied with their former encounter shall be able to maintaine the fight vntill the footemen of their part being refreshed giue a new onset and put their enemies to flight Thus would he haue the footmen the horsemen the marchants and purueyours the craftsmen souldier to souldier back to backe and ridge to ridge making the lodgings double vpon the banke of the ditche and in the curtaines he may place artillarie round about and before it for safetie or els with the cariage of the Munition and the cariage of the whole armie enuiron it for his defence in which he shall immitate the Turke who with his carriage with Cammels and the artillarie dooth eâ—…chaine and fortifie the Campe which we in liew therof plant Gabions Baskets and Barrels full of earth if the campe make continuance néere vnto the artillarie the Gunners must lodge who haue charge thereof and then the Hargabuziers c. as before and as this figure sets out Heere place the Plat of incamping
of Armies as also that due order in Camps may be maintained let him therfore imitate the auncient Romans the very Maisters of the arte of war who neuer coueted other then y◠plaine to campe vpon entrenching thēselues nightly in as strong sure manner as if the enemy had encamped by them and that euen in places vtterly voide of all suspition to make these millitary trauails familiar vnto them and to auoide those idle or rather dissolute effrenate pastimes that our Christian Campes are bewitched withal to the vtter ruine of all good Millitary discipline and confusion of our Armies In a running Campe the readiest fortification is to impale it round with the cariages chayned together the sides of the carriages and horses shaded with thin boords with certain quires of paper betwixt cunningly compacted together which being accommodated to make sides bottoms and doores to the Carts carriages will serue wonderfully to empale an Army to make approches or to holde out Caliuer Musket shot Then let them bend the Artillary that waie where most suspicion is the enemy shall approch and if time wil permit to cast some Trench also without the carriages against Artillarie He must kéepe his souldiours in continuall millitary exercise and by fained allarmes to sée in what readines his bands would be if necessitie required to shew them all maner of waies how the enemie may attempt them discouering also to thē the remedy and howe they are to aunswer to those attempts for no man is borne a Souldiour but by exercise and trayning it is attained and by discontinuance againe it is lost as all other Artes and Sciences be In setling of a Campe beside the commodities of wood water and forrage the Generall must also cōsider how victuals may safely come vnto him and to leaue no Castles at his back to anoy them but that he séeke to possesse them ere he march forward for great is the anoyance that a little pyle at the back of an Army may doo as wel against forragers straglers as to cut off victuals from the Campe. The Generall is also by good plots to consider the situation of the Country how both fréend and enemy Townes lie from the Campe the hyls and vallies waies straits passages lakes riuers bridges their number quantity distance and euery particularity which may be doone by conference with his Discouerers-Guides Espyals other persons that know the Country conferring their assertions with his plots And so to consider whether the enemy may conueniently cut off his victuals or by Ambush anoy him in his march and for preuention therof to send abroad light-Light-horsemen Hargabuzers to garde the passages towards the enemies Garisons Before the Armie discampe all passages and waies for the souldiours and Artillary c. to passe should be discouered and skilful men appointed to lead them He ought not to suffer any band to march scattered but in battails order or at least in straits narrow passages inforce to drawe them forth in Herses and so soone as place serueth to reduce them again into the order of battaile and this is to be vsed in places of security for exercise as in places of suspect for safetie He ought to haue with him good Guides that perfecty know all passages hilles vallies c. for of the Country in generallitie the Generall himselfe ought perfectly to be informed by Plots Models wherby he shal the better conceiue any information that shal be brought him by espiall If the General haue sundry Nations vnder his gouernment it is not méete to gyue alwaies to any one Nation the Uaward considering the same being in marching towards the enemy the place of greatest honour the others will much repine against it and not without good cause The order therfore in marching should so be framed that euery Nation haue his turne without partial fauor to any one And if the number be great of any one Mercinary Nation it is not amisse to deuide thē both in marching imbattelling for sundry respects which in thys place I omit to show If any strait be kept by the enemie it is not méet first to charge them vpon the very front but to send light-Light-horsmen shot to skyrmish with them on either flancke and then wyth Targets of proofe to enter vpon them The Generall shold before he bring his Souldiours to deale with the enemy first in some champion place cause them to be ranged in forme of battaile making of his footmen sundry Battillions of these Battillions sundry Fronts to deuide his Horsemen also into sundry Troupes placing the men at Armes Demilances Light horsemen and Argoleteares euery Fort in seueral Troupes by themselues to cause the forlorne to issue out and skirmish thē before the Battillions as if the enemy were indéed present and vpon a signe giuen suddainly to retire The horsmen to charge and returne again to their place vpon their retire to cause certain sleues of pykes and light Armed to run out to their reskew as though the enemy did pursue them Then the Battillions of the first front to march forward bend their pikes and suddainly after the sound of the retrait to retire themselues orderly betwéen the Battillions of the second front then the second front to march forward and bend their pikes and the other that first retired to make head again vpon the enemy Last of all the light-Light-horsmen and light Armed footmen again to breake forth as it were to doo execution vpon the enemy fléeing which forme of trayning doth aunswer Ma. Digs his proportion of imbattelling These things if in pastime the souldiours be able orderly to performe there is good hope they wil honorably put it in execution vpon the enemy Otherwise to bring them without trayning to deale with the enemy is nothing els but to leade them to the butcherie As there is nothing more perrillous in giuing of battaile then to lay before the souldiours eyes any place of refuge to flée vnto but that the Generall should declare vnto them that there is no hope to escape but only by victory and heerin to imitate Hanniball so there is nothing more dangerous then to giue the enemy battaile in such a place where in troth hee hath no refuge or possibility to escape for that necessity maketh men desperate it vniteth them together it hath often béen séene that very small cōpanies by such like occasions beeing reduced to desperation thereupon resoluing to sell their liues déerely haue contrary to all expectation attained victory vpon their enemies in number farre greater The General must haue special care that the souldiours haue not in their faces the dust to blind them the wind to disturbe them or the sun beames to anoy them before they enter into any maine encounter the which impediments not only altogether but each one by him selfe alone doth bring great toile trouble and disaduantage Neyther let him lead his souldiours to performe any enterprise of
office whereof there be now adayes ouer many for when it is necessarie for them to alter their order and that perforce they must quite change the forme and fashion that then they obserue they know not which way to begin Therefore to the end his order and ranckes may be to the purpose duely and directly changed and with facilitie disposed let him euer disseuer and deuide one part of his weapons from another causing euery one to turne and enter into their ranckes and order by themselues so shall he procéed in taking away setting forward and intermixing one sort of rancks within another very orderly And thereby the ful proportion of his baÌ„d shal be framed as he hath determined or as it is deuised by him that commands either in marching forward and backward or in turning without disorder by 3. 5. 7. or 9. in a ranck as the Lieutenant Captaine or Sergeant Maior appoints He ought euer to beware that in ordering the rancks and appointing the souldiers their places that they begin not to make debate or stomake one another for dignitie of place the which doth oftentimes fal out to their great anoy and domage and the officers tedious toile for in enterprises of great importance euen in the presence of the inuading enimy some vaine glorious fellowes are accustomed to striue for the chiefest places the which roomes by all reason of duetie appertaine to the best armed and not to any others whose vnrewly rashnes may be the ruine of the whole band Therefore fit and conuenient places are to be obserued with humilitie the naked in their places and the armed in theirs but to touch one point which we haue alredie spoken of I iudge it most conuenient that the armed those for skirmish excepted must remaine in Maine stands and battailes as some say so abide by the stake who ought to be so wel armed as they may beare and support the blowes of their enimies and resist any furious charge either of horsemen or sootemen Whereas besides their well ordered ranckes by reason they be armed they make a more galant shew giuing courage to thy owne people and discourage to the enimie and in proofe are more profitable then the disarmed who remaining in their roomes the contrarie succéeds The Sergeant of the companie must haue speciall regard when victuals cannot be had for money by forage or otherwise to make repaire togither with the clarke of the band to the principal munitions that his companie â—…ast not of famine and from thence procure to haue so much as he wel caÌ„ or as is coÌ„uenient and according to his receiued order so must he depart and distribute all manner of munitions amongst the Corporals that euerie one of them may giue to their souldier their portion The like ought he to vse touching powder for the Hargabusyres and Musketyres lead for bullets match for them to burne and ech thing else whereof they haue néede to the end they may alwayes remaine in order and be verie well prouided and stored as néere as is possible as is most conuenient and to perswade the souldier that to gaine a place of more account he will spare his pay to arme himselfe the more brauely He must likewise haue diligent eye that the said munition of match powder be conserued warily from wetting and kept with a speciall spare from vntimely spending for this prouident precept doth import verie much in all enterprises by reason that the negligence of the Sergeant touching this necessarie foresight care hath bene the cause that the shot haue not bene able readily to performe their duties according to the appointed determinations or as necessitie did require by reason of their vnwarie kéeping their munition in wet weather or their generall want through vain mispence by which meanes many most notable â—…rrors haue succéeded of great losse and moment to the hinderance shame and totall ruine of a whole companie or campe Therfore it is most expedient that the Sergeant togither with the seuerall corporals do diligently and narrowly examine visite search and view the proper flaskes tutch-boxes pockets other places where the souldiers are accustomed to carie kéepe their powder and match and peruse diligently all those things without negligence faining or fauouring diuers haue receiued great ignomie shame in their office for want of the performaÌ„ce thereof wheras by carying a contrary care they haue bene vniuersally wel thought of and commended of al good souldiers and valiant Captaines Therefore as occasion doth serue and offer he may admonish put in minde and reprehend with dexteritie the souldiers vnder his charge and guiding To him it appertaines to lay his helping hand about al things necessarie for his companie as well in prouiding for them as dispencing or deferring necessarie charges except for the prouision and deuiding of lodgings which is the office of the Furrier or Harbinger who ought to be very tractable diligent altogither officious not being partial to any one for peculiar profite or pleasure and therfore it is necessarie a Sergeant should know how to write for it is hard by memorie to discharge his charge The Sergeant must be careful to accompanie at the houre appointed the guard to the place of the watch in going vp and downe alongst their stanckes when he hath placed them in order to sée them kéepe due distance make the Laumband march in straight line with their ranckes carrie their armes in conformable proportion and if vpon pleasure they giue a volée of shot in passing to aduertise them to doe it orderly with due forme one rancke after another as they passe ouer against the Generall or other great officer or personage and not in a confused sort altogither or by péeces When he is arriued at the Corps of gard and hath placed euery one in order and prouided for all things necessarie for the watch of that night he must then giue his aduise and counsell to the Corporals that they kéepe good order in their Sentinels yea sometimes and verie often it is good that he himselfe aide them to choose out the most fit places for them to stand in to the end that the circuit of ground which for all their safties is to be kept may be conueniently garded At the ioyning of the day the night or somwhat later he shal secretly giue the Corporals the watchword with the which they are to gouerne the gard as wel by night as day the which word by the commandement of his Captaine he must procure the Sergeant maior to giue him or of some other that shall haue the charge to giue the same for want of his presence or in place of this great officer He must arme himselfe in such sort that he be no lesse apt then any other souldier to be able at time of néed both to defend himselfe and offend the enimie touching which effect Duke Octauâ—…o Farnese in the expedition of 12000 footemen and 600. horsemen
passed or fallen out whilest he hath bene in Sentinel the order he doth obserue and what hath bene appointed him to do the which if it be good he must confirme and when he doth find it to be otherwise he must rehearse refer the same to the Corporal of the Sentinel that he may vse diligent redresse Arriuing in any Corps de gard he must aboue all things aduertise them that they alwayes kéepe fire light for the necessary commoditie of Hargabusiers and for light in the night taking order with the souldiers that they and their armes may remain in a forceable redinesse through which his good instruction there may grow to be no want so consequently he must in like cases procéed with like prouident diligence After this he must with great consideration and modestie examine euerie particular thing carrying a mind with himself to coÌ„tinue increase the same from better to better both in himselfe and to them vse necessarie aduertisemeÌ„ts in such sort shall he passe through all the Corps de gards and Sentinels If it chance him to incounter another Sopraguardia or round to shun the occasion of dangerous difference which somtimes is accustomed to follow or for pollicie in fearing to giue the watch word to him that purposely comes to robbe the same that comming from the enimie secretly counterfaits the Sentinell or by some other practise as it sometimes hath caused domage to the grieuous losse and total preiudice of the armie to preuent such inconuenience let that Sopraguardia which shal be nearest to the next adioyning Sentinell turne backe giuing the word after a due accustomed sort vnto the said Sentinel to the intent the foresaid Sopraguardia may do the like and when they are of accord euerie one may follow his owne path but if otherwise they do disagrée the disceit remaines discouered not onely in that counterfeit round but also in the sained Sentinel whom the Sopraguardia must examine and demand at his hand some speciall countersigne or double word that thereby he may know him for an assured friend or finde him an enimie or negligent person the which of all men is verie well knowne to merite sharpe and extreame chastisement which at no time so néere as is possible is to be omitted This former rule is to be obserued of those souldiers that be of one selfe nation but when the Rounds or Sopraguardes be many and of sundrie nations and the Corps of Gards likewise then the Sopraguard comming into a quarter that is stranger vnto him is bound to giue the word to the Sopraguard of that nation of that quarter so that by such meanes as wel the suspition of disceit as the occasion of discord shall be auoyded And if in case the said ordinarie Round or Sopraguard do incounter in their owne quarter with the extraordinarie those that be ordinarie shall indeuour themselues to take the word of those that be extraordinarie For so is it conuenient and most conformable to that order beforesaid wherein I haue set downe what is necessarie for a Sopraguard or Round to do in a strange quarter And for that it is requisite as I haue alredie touched that the Caualliers be alwayes about the person of his chiefe captain without either being bound to Standerd Guidon or other Ensigne whatsoeuer he must indeuour himselfe when any enterprise or warlike affaires is committed to his charge to be apt and readie to vse practised experience in directing guiding a skirmish in taking the view of a battery in discouering of the enimie in marching or making Alta in Passa parde in the valiaâ—…nt repulse of a sodaine inuading enimie by Bawll en bouche in taking view of the situation of a place in guiding a Roade or troupe of Horsemen in giuing Alarome to the enimie in plucking aduertisementes from the enimie in placing Imbasâ—…ades in giuing Canuasados and to know verie well how to execute with sound iudgement these and such like important affaires the which for the most part appertaine to the Cauallieres of this Squadrone to performe As likewise it hath bin the custome to giue theÌ„ the charge to plant Gabiones for the defence of the Artillarie to batter and endomage the walles the Trenches the lodinges and the enemies Squadrones Let him remember when hée hath bin at any exploite to bring backe againe into his Quarter those souldiers hee hath led foorth to any enterprise vnited and in rancke marching together behind him and neuer suffer them to returne disbanded one by one out of order which is an occasion of great confusion and brings but small reputation to the Captaine and conductor of them Moreouer it is verie necessarie hée knowe how to make a roade and distroie the enemies countrie the which likewise doth oftentimes appertaine to him to performe in which exploite hee must beware aboue all thinges that no souldier in those enterprises disperse or disband themselues but with an assured good order for the most part conformable to my following discourse wherein I set downe directions how to conduct Souldiers to the skirmish And particularlie where I declare that he ought to kéepe and maintaine for his people the strongest place of situation wherein he must skirmish for that commonly souldiers being in disorder wearied and loaden with spoile may bée easilie put to flight broken and oppressed of the enemies vnlesse they bée seconded or shaded by some forceable succour I suppose it likewise most necessarie that hée indeuour himselfe to bee apt and sufficient at all times and in all places to sollicite and negociate for his Prince or Chieftaine any cause of what weight or moment soeuer considering that most men are not fit to attempt the performance of such doubtfull and difficile causes for although manie make great estimation of them selues and presume much by their dailie reading and Theoricke of those weightie affaires yet do they want and come farre short of that bold and readie practise which plainly appeares that the worthy professors of Armes possesse and specially in the presence of great Princes whose Maiestie and reuerence for the most part doth make cold and bring out of countenance the hoatest and most resolute determination As Demosthenes before Philip of Macedone made apparent when he was not able to pronouÌ„ce thrée woords of a long premeditate Oration in behalfe of the Athenians This worthie gentleman of a band this Caualliere of Saint Georges squadre and likewise all other professors of warlike armes ought to carie in mind that of him and his equals the exercise of Armes is to be applied and diligentlie to practise the same to the intent he bée not for want of knowledge dispised of others and not ignorantlie to dispise them that deserue due commendations but rather to carie and vse the countenance of authoritie to those persons that merite not to beare swaie and gouernement then towards forward souldiers Yet for all that towards the rest in â—…some other respects hée ought
shot in the wings and rereward as appeareth following To augment from three vnto fiue YOu may likewise by placing seueÌ„ in ranke the which is the greatest force that 100. men may be brought into place 21. shot in the front and fiftéene in â—…ch wing the which seruice being very apt to skirmish is greatly vnto the anoying of the enimie also it is readie to retyre to serue round about the battaile of pikes as before IF in marching you vnderstand or perceiue that horsemen will assault you then place fiue pikes in ranke and betwixt euerie pike a shot so marching forward they fall to be ten ranke quadrant placing your halbeâ—…ds and Ensigne in the midst A quadrant mixed with shot LIkewise you may for the defence of horsemen place ten ranks of pikes euerie way your shot next vnto theÌ„ your halberds and Ensigne in the midst the pikes ends couched on the ground the better to defend the enimie A quadrant defending the shot THis proportion sheweth the march or quadrant order at large of a hundreth men verie necessary to bee vsed in shew to the enemies when thou vnderstandest their â—…umbers to excéede thine Placing 7. Pikes in the Uoward also 7. pikes in the Rereward next vnto them 6. pikes in the second rankes your Billes or Halberds together with your Ensigne in the midst with the Drum and Fifte as is before mentioned the which number when thou perceiuest the enemie to take view of thine thou shalt alter and cause the second rankes of the Uoward and Rereward to steppe forward to furnish the voide spaces the which shall make of 7. thirtéene in a ranke Also if thou perceiuest the enemie pretending to encounter thee hauing no place of refuge shall cause the ranks that stepped forward to retire to their places and to sarrie close together remouing out of the second rankes into the winges the Halberds to step forward in their places wil be 7. euery way quadraÌ„t as in the order before is mentioned your shot to bée placed in the Uoward rereward may skirmish retire as occasion serueth The March at large Practises of training appertaining to the charge of two hundreth Men. FIrst marching fiue in Ranke 40. rankes containe two hundreth men suting their weapons as before they may bée brought to these orders following auailable for diuers intents although the same for a time séeme painfull although Archers bee not as heretofore they haue bin yet is it good in some of my figures following to shew you when you haue Archers how to place them SOmetimes deuide the Pikes and the Halberds into three parts by 1â—… rankes 7 to a ranke placing your Ensigne in the midst so ioining them together maketh a Hearse battaile readie at the suddaine against the enemie placing in the Uoward 40. Hargabuzers and 20. Archers and in the Rereward 10. Hargabuzers and 30. Archers LIkewise according to your ground you shall place your vttermost rankes with your best and fairest Corselets the which serueth not only to the shew but otherwise to the strength of the battaile commaunding your Officers to place 10. in a ranke the rest to follow on their march 10. in a ranke Likewise your Halberds and Ensigne in the midst which falleth to bée 10. euery way quadrant the which is a iust hundrethâ—… your Hargabuzers placed in the Uoward and Rereward and your Archers in the flankes the which is a iust 100. also as héere followeth SOmetimes by commaundement of the General or head Officers you are to accomplish some exploit by night the which béeing led by your guides through straites wrong ground woods c. It is nedefull that euerie pikeman and bilman take holde of his loadsmans weapon placing your shot betwixt your Pikes and your Ensigne in the midst your Pykes to march fiue in a ranke 16. rankes is iust 80. Pikes beside your Halberds The ouerplus of your shot to bee placed in the Rereward SOmetimes occasion scrueth to march through long broome corne fearne c. so that souldiers must traile their pikes from the ground close together at the halfe pikes in the Uoward the sharp ends of the pikes forward and in the Rereward the sharp ends of the pikes to the ground who may at the suddaine béeing assailed with Horsemen presently aduance and couch their pikes euery way for defence from the Horse your Hargabuzers in the front and Rereward the Archers in the flankes ALso when you shall bée called to the assaults of Townes Fortes trenches c. you must endure the great shot if it bée not dismounted wherefore the Officers must cause the soldiers to march a good distance a sunder and euerie man close to his loadsman march with expedition the shot making way to the hand weapons and all iointly together to employ themselues vnto victorie your Hargabuzers vnto the Uoward your Archers next to your Pikes as this example sheweth Certaine pointes to exercise and traine 300. men to seruice A Captaine hauing charge of 300. men that bée expert in seruice may oftentimes victoriouslie accomplish exploites and pointes of seruice to them committed which great numbers vnperfect may not attaine vnto The better to instruct the same here follow certaine Orders and strengthes in aray which practised in time conuenient may bring perfection of seruice at neede Sometime placing such numbers by 5. in ranke may bée brought to diuerse points of seruice conuenient 60. rankes containe 300. men 5. in ranke TO bring the first march of 5. in a ranke into a quadrant proportion you must deuide your long weapons into thrée parts placing soure in ranke your halbers and Ensigne in the midst and ioyned close togither fall out to be 12. quadrant euerie way your shot placed in the wings readie to skirmish in the bodie of the battaile are 120. pikes thirtie halberds and in the wings 140. shot in the rereward thirtie shot thus is the number at the sodaine brought to strength SOmetimes augment your rankes from fiue to seuen â—…o 〈◊〉 rankes containes 300. men which are to be ioyned vnto other numbers and to be brought to force SOmetimes augment these 7. rankes here adioyning to 9. the long weapons of the same containe 18. rankes your shot placed in the voward rereward as the ground may serue is a hearse or broade square By these exercises of augmenting rankes as doe appeare souldiers may be brought to perfection of order in aray and by the same be brought in quadrant or herse battaile according as numbers and ground will serue Orders of training three hundred men SOmtimes the Captaines with their bandes aforesaid be appointed to some eâ—…polits with such silence that Drums sound not nor clap weapons neither vse any noise vntill they haue recouered the place conuenient for their enterprises Also sometimes the Officers in Rereward sendeth a woorâ—… passing from man to 〈◊〉 vntil it come to the voward from one ranke to an other which may bée said Sarâ—…a aduance Bullet in the
to charge againe euery one a fresh following his loadsman to seruice Orders of shot verie necessarie for diuers intents of seruice auailable ACcording to the number of the enimies you must answers them with like proportion and numbers hauing great regard to obtaine the hill wind water wood marish strength of vitch coppes c. the which greatly auaileth Sometimes the aduantage of ground is such that small numbers may repulse greater numbers The grounds large and plaine make your main-ward of shot large and strong the better to answere the enimie the fronts to discharge and retyre to the Rereward there to charge againe and béeing thus ioined in skirmish with the enimie the Officer or hée that guides must foresée the best way to repulse and ouerthrow the enimie sending two wings to slanke the enimies and to encounter them the which béeing wisely foreseene will greatly profit SOuldiers likewise in marching charging or discharging inuading and skirmishing may from the first rankes and front of the square returne and wind himselfe thorow the ranke béeing seconded by his companions following this example THese thrée bands marching at large may wade thorough in skirmish or retyre betwixt the rankes as occasion serueth either band rescuing other to charge in the Rereward and to aduance to seruice againe Thus may you continually maintaine skirmish or volles of whole shot These practises and others of better inuention together with such like warlike exercises in times conuentent may bring perfection to seruice with shot at néede the rather through the good industrie and painfull trauaile of the Officers and the Souldiers by whose gentle patience it is sooner obtained The order of skirmish how it is to bee gouerned when it is to bee accepted and when to bee auoided IT béeing necessary for euery Sergeant Lieutenant and Caual liere of the band to know when where and in what order a skirmish is to bee gouerned when to bee auoided and when to bée accepted to the benefite of the whole band regiment or Armie I thought good to ioine to those proportions of training somewhat touching the same wherein for that there bée sundrie occasions which moue and constraine men to enter into skirmish I wil amongst the rest choose out thrée which I iudge most principall and of greatest importance The first is when wee will giue the enimie experience and triall of our valour and force and cunningly to perswade him by a souldier that yéelds of purpose or alter sides to giue credite to some thing which may arise to our commoditie and his domage Likewise by taking some of his souldiers prisoners to vnderstand the state of our enemies the which may bée more aptly termed the winning of aduertisements the which things is most expedient wée put in practise The second is when wée determine to gaine any passage or any fortresse or strength which is in the enemies possession or like to fall into his hands if preuention bee not vsed and hauing occupied and gained the same to retaine it for the seruice of our Campe. The third is when wée are of mind to kéepe the enimie so occupied as hée march not at his pleasure or that when wée do march our selues he become not domageable to our own people or to the bagage or any thing that is ours being of importance When therfore wée will giue trial or experience of our selues to the enemie gaine intelligences or win aduertisements of him it is requisite there be election made of a leader some worthie Caualliere that is indued with prudent pollicie and noble valour who must gouerne this skirmish which leader must take with him a quantitie of chosen souldiers according as the accustomed vse is must haue culled out of euery band so many as wil amount to the number of 10. out of ech hundreth a hundreth out of a thousand and a thousand out of ten thousand or some such like reasonable portion When the leader of the skirmish hath made choise of the place and ground fit for his purpose wherein hée meanes to méete with the enimies the which will not be difficile for that he is the chooser inuentor and author thereof he must then conduct thither a quantitie of good souldiers with an assured array and order Hauing first and beforehand exhorted theÌ„ to due obedience and opened and conferred with them the chiefe circumstance of his meaning both how long and in what manner the enterprise is to be performed to the intent that when he hath accomplished and erecuted so much as he was determined it do not séeme strange vnto them to make retire For the which there did arise great quarrell and bloodie issue in Germanie betwixt two Italian captaines Giouan Dominico Napolello of Naples and captaine Loatello of Cremenâ—… both valiant gentlemen the one of them perswading the other to retyre from a skirmish begin to the purpose before mentioned by appointment of their superiours but by reason the one would not obey it was the cause of great disorder He must likewise haue a prouident foresight and be verie circumspect that like a good souldier he go verie warily considerately into the fight and skirmish euer watching attending for his continuall aduantage to the end that retyring himselfe vpon a sodaine the enimy may remaine rest repulsed amazed and oppressed that the whole armie may conceiue and be kept in a good impression and opinion of victorie Now this foresaid leader being arriued with the people in the sight of the enimie he must immediatly with his souldiers occupie and take possession of the ground which doth best please him which is most apt for his purpose in effect is the strongest He must take order that these hargabussers be accompanied with armed pikes and corselets without whose fellowship hargabâ—…siers ought neuer to be sent about any enterprise specially wheÌ„ they suspect they shall méete with the enimy or with horsemen Whensoeuer souldiers are to enter into skirmiâ—…h their leader must deuide them into so manie parts as he shall think expedient which diuision must be vsed according as the quantitie of the people will beare so that in euerie part their ought to be at the least 50. souldiers and 5. or 6. seuerall parts and companies Neuerthelesse alwayes foreséeing and prouiding that as well all the parts togither as the number of the souldiers of euer to part by themselues be like in proportion to the qualitie and force of the enimy and equal to the quantitie of their number the which may be knowne verie well there by view and discouered by meanes of spies or by manifest and assured fame To euerie which part he must appoint a sufficient head guid a noble Cauallier of Saint Georges squadre Then must he send out certaine souldiers that be most nimble and readie to prouoke the enimie and when they be ioyned in skirmish he must sodainely increase the fight with sending forth the second part and then rest a little to behold to
the intent the skirmish may begin to grow whotter at which time he must likewise send the third troope for a new supplie and so consequently â—…ne after another continue on the incounter The most fit and apt time when the souldiers must enter the skirmish make retyre giue a fresh onset ought to be shewed and made manifest by the sound of trumpets to horsemen and stroke or batterie of drummes to the footemen from the maine stand which is placed in some plot of ground resting vigilant in a forceable squadron for the sure defence and retrait of those that skirmish to the end they may both couragiously fight and the enimie rest confounded despaire of his victorie when hée doth perceiue so perfect and pollitike an order The which for the most part makes euerie hard difficultie to be performed with great facilitie specially in the discréet famous exercise of armes To giue more light to some new inuentions of skirmish I cannot omit to declare in what sort I haue séene skirmish a guidon of horsemen Rutters who comming to the fight in their accustomed squadres and from thence pricking forward some of the first rankes and threds prouoke the enimie and when these of the first ranks haue discharged their Pistolets making Carier being charged they place theÌ„selues againe at the backe of their owne squadre from whence at the same instant time others of the first ranks do disband themselues and giue charge vpon the enimie but being charged themselues of the enimie retyring they conuey themselues behind their owne people which already before them are ranged for their saftie in their square so that as many more immediatly giuing a fresh onset by breaking out of the squadre which is maintained and renued by this speciall order doe with maruellous furie force the enimie in this order skirmishing in a winding ring in round as is before set downe by figure do still maintaine themselues lusty and fresh the which forme of fight may in some respectes serue in this place for an example But to returne to my former matter I say when the skirmish and fight hath bene maintained valiantly in the front and face of the enimie an houre and a halfe or else two houres and that he hath taken some of his enimies prisoners for the obtaining whereof he must very couragiously and whotly procéede which is to be vnderstood the winning of aduertisements and intelligences from the enimie since by that meanes he may haue of them choise and contentation he may then at his pleasure make retraite and take vp the skirmish Moreouer to the intent he may retyre with aduantage and with safetie he must send to sustaine the fight a fresh band of souldiers that with greater facilitie he may front the surie of the enimie if there rise desire in them to vrge or pursue him in his retyre There is one note most necessarie to be obserued in an army regiment or band that neither any famous Generall or prince any pollitike personage or worthy souldier of estimation enter into the faction of a skirmish but rather that the same be guided and gouerned prudently by others of meaner calling For although the enterprise did fall out to the aduantage of the same partie yet if there should follow the losse of any famous and notable person the same hath not onely bene of great domage but also hath bene oftentimes of such force that it hath stroken a terror and feare in the minds of the souldiers specially amongst those that were not at the enterprise neither in like cases will it satisfie or suffice them to declare or solemnely expresse vnto them the truth but that vpon such special losse they will grow into vnaduised iudgementes and timerous dispositions If in case the enimie take the charge and malte retyre it is good to haue takeÌ„ order with the Caualliers heads guids of the skirmish that as néere as possible they can they force their people to make stay and that they follow the enimie no further since that in this point they do not contend to any other end then to bréede a certaine impression and good opinion in the minds of our owne souldiers to the confusion of the contrarie part and to winne aduertisements if it be possible the which is all the effect they haue to performe the which was the onely motion that moued them to attempt this enterprise Now when he determines to gaine a passage or any other strong place against the enimie which will arise to their disprofite and our owne commoditie and hauing wonne it to sustaine and defend the same first choise must be made of a vigilant and valiant leader although it hath often fallen out that without entring into skirmish a diligent captaine or leader hath with his people taken possession of such passages or strong places And by this prouidence it ariseth to be neither difficile nor hard to be defended against the enimie considering that all such suspected extremities bands be accustomed to be strong by nature whereunto afterwards ioyning some little Art for the most part they become expugnable But neuerthelesse if by incountring with the enimie it is requisite he should skirmish I iudge it verie good that he should rashly go no further then so farre as the souldiers which he hath sent to the skirmish haue gained To obserue perfite gouernement it is neuer good to depart from the order before rehersed saue onely when he doth sée the enimie bend and shrinke away in place of aduised stay pollitike retention in procéeding I theÌ„ iudge it worthie coÌ„mendation to follow the victorie but for al that with such consideration and so aduisedly that their ouer-great courage and carelesse ioy be not the occasion of disorder and confusion togither with the which prosperitie he must diligently procure his people to gaine the passage or strong place to the end if the enimy should go about to succour his flying and broken people he become not a let and hinderance to his determination It is verie requisite he likewise note that when the enimie is so fresh and of such force that it is impossible to ouerthrow or repulse him face to face then shall it be to the purpose to moderate the same euen vntill night at which time he must vse al the pollicies and stratagems he can possible to performe his determination for the onely marke whereat this leader must shoote must onely be to worke such meanes as he may gaine the passage and take possession of the strong place and not to passe the time in skirmish and fight hauing wonne the same he must indeuour himselfe to defend and repaire it that they may be able to resist all the furie and force that the enimie is able to make vntill such time as succours come to him from his campe When he is of minde to entertaine and kéepe the enimie occupied to the intent he march nor iourney not at his pleasure or that
possible cause the people that go with him to enter into ambush to the intent he be not discouered or disturbed by the enimie which done he must warily and discréetly view and ouerview search and go through euery place noting out the quantitie of the waters which run through the countrie the capacitie of the plains if therein be marish grounds or not the depth and bredth of the vales the roughnesse of the mountaines their height and capacitie if they be naked clothed with hye or lowe wood or else plowed and pasture ground and if there be townes and habitations whether they be placed vpon plaines mountaines or néere the water whether they be inclosed with wals and fortified or not and of what bignesse and qualitie of forme they be and so consequently he shal make note of euerie particular point as I haue written in a speciall discourse hereunto adioyned considering that some of these and like particulars may verie often helpe and do good seruice and arise to be of great importance In this selfe sort order he may very well discouer all the passages and wayes from the time he doth depart euen vntill he ariue againe alwayes marking and making aduised choise of the best and shortest so that he may giue to his prince or Generall a true information and full relation of euerie thing to the intent his Generall may with great reason and to his most aduantage determine of that which shall arise to his greatest profite and to the enimies disaduantage as was by Charles the fift obserued at the riuer Alba by the Spaniards at Sirick sea and by that famous Prince Don Iohn D'austria at sundrie times specially when in person the day after he returned from Luxemburge to Namures he made discouerie of the ground about the prince of Orange and States Campe lying at Templo where by the commaundement of my Collonell the Baron of Cherau I amongst the rest of his owne squadrons lay in Ambascade for the safetie of our Generals retire by whose prudent discouerie and valiant courage the next day with two thousand fiue hundred footemen and nine hundred horsemen wée ouerthrew eightéene thousand of the enimies slew 12000 tooke all their bagage and Artillarie Now lastlie when it is requisite to disclose and discouer the order and maner which the enimie obserues either béeing encamped or in marching it behooues a good souldier aduisedly to take the view and knowledge thereof in as good order as time and occasion wil permit And if in case the enimie remaine firme and encamped I iudge it verie requisite if it bée possible to take view of the Campe round about at leastwise as much as hée can well taking notice how many Corps de garde they kéepe without their Campe and so likewise what part of the situation thereof doth make it most weake what part is strongest and which part is betwixt both béeing able to render accompt with good reason of all these things in discourse like a politike and practised souldier The performance whereof sometimes is with more assurance and better brought to passe in the night then in the day If in case the enimie bée in his iourney and do march I suppose it verie necessary to discouer in what order they march and in what manner and forme they haue planted their squadrons set in order and armed the Rereward the battaile vantgard and both the one flanke and the other if they haue Artillarie or that they bée without and together with this he must discouer the condition and situation of the ground where they march and which way they bend their course to encamp where they make alta and stay Hée must likewise search out and diligently discipher whether they march with feare whether they kéepe good order whether they make hast all this as néere as is possible hée must discerne and with spéede indeuour himselfe to giue information of ech particular thing vnto his Prince or Generall to the intent when the first occasion doth offer which is commonly when they make stay at their lodging hée may determine to molest them by suddaine Alarums Canuasados and other such like surprises or attemptes And that in this second and last discouery which is of marching to the end béeing informed of their qualitie hée may determine what to doe if not than at leastâ—… wise when occasion doth offer wherefore I am of opinion that together with approued practise and the due consideration of these Rules and aduertisements it makes much to the purpose that a good souldier should haue some knowledge of drawing and painting proportions of Cities fortresses bulwarkes c. together with some vnderstanding in the art prospectiue of proportion for it often chanceth to be a thing verie difficile to giue directions and driue him that gouernes or is Generall to vnderstand some particularities like to these onely by plaine woordes although they were ample and manifest whereof the discription by draught béeing well knowen accompanied with the liuely voice of the Relator it makes the Prince more capable to determine what is to bee executed for performance of his important enterprises Diuerse notes due for a singuler good Souldier and Caualliere to obserue when hee must giue to his Captaine Generall or Prince a true discription and full relation of the Countries Cities and Castels of a whole state or kingdome IT is the opinion of all men that bee of perfect experience in Armes that it particularlie appertaines to the Captain Generall to haue a perfect discription and diligent relation of the fortified places the particular state in euery point of all the Prouince that is committed to the Generals custodie whether generally or particularlie Therefore a worthy souldier noble Caualliere may alwaies increase in his Princes sauor hée must be euer readie to prefer his important affaires chiefly in this speciall seruice of aduertisement discouerie Touching which Guichardines discriptions of the low Countries may bée a patterne for the performance whereof hauing receiued his full Commission of authoritie it is most conuenient for him both particularly and in generall to examine discouer view take notice the prospectiue plot of euery place with aduised iudgement not by fortune as many are accustomed for that they cannot otherwise do not hauing sufficient knowledge of the Bussola which with great industrie hath bin to this end found out and made more ample by the Conte Iulio de Tiene For which respect it is conuenient he take the platforme of euery walled towne in that state and with due measured distance therein must note make the proportion of the walles bulwarkes the mounts rockes gates ditches the market places with their bignes the principall stréetes with their circumstances specially whether there bée any hanging or high hill or ground that vpon any side is opposite of a iust space and reasonable distance from whence according to sufficieÌ„t consideration and examination therein artillarie or any other engine
skirmish diligently to execute such like enterprises and finally to pursue the enimy defending or expugning some strong place fortresse passage or breach or what other condition soeuer When he hath put the ordenance and march in this foresaid forme and maner that he doth carry in mind the Theorick Rules which before are mentioned he may so ingrosse and double the ranks specially when he aspects and stayes for the enimie that he may frame the square battaile of ground or of number aâ—…d of men both the one and the other without any difficultie He may likewise cause euerie particular Sergeant place all the Pikes armed and disarmed with the other weapons they haue in charge and also the Ensigne in so many liâ—…es rankes as the people of the other bands likewise armed by their Sergeant are formed and fashioned Besides it would be very good for the Sergeant Maior first of all aduisedly to consider with the Sergeants how many lines or ranks they are to be by companie prouided alwayes that one band be like vnto another in quantitie of lines rankes that their proportion may answere and be correspondent These bodies so ordained are of many called maniples or scales as thus Marching in this order he may cause al the Alfieres of euerie Regiment to march in ranke vnited togither without mixing themselues with others that pertain to other Collonels or with other priuate captains and when the maniple be doubled the battel is complet engrossed euery Alfierus may go to his own band and remain with the same for the more satisfaction of his company and his greater saftie And returning with the said order of maniples to march in long ordinance as before euery Alfierus shal turne amongst the other Alfierus or Ensigne bearers where he remained first The Hargabusiers must march disseuered from the battaile the one halfe in Uantgard and the other half in reargard or somwhat distant of vpon the right hand vpon the left hand as the way shall serue with most commoditie or as shall be thought most necessarie if suspect be had of the enimie so that according as néede doth require redoubling the rankes and causing one to enter into another or knit and ioyne togither he may engrosse them and put them in order with good aduisement to flanke this foresaid principall battaile in as good forme as he possible may It is a most necessarie note to be had in memorie that as wel the two wings or sléeues of Hargabusiers as also the front or backe part of the ordained battaile or generall square are alwayes recommended as before I said to the worthy Collonels and Captaines and honorable officers and souldiers to the intent they may alwayes giue remedie by discourse consider and by courage determine of al matters making choise of the chiefest part in those affaires of importance without attending or aspecting for counsell if in case such counsell be not present and readie at hand Neither is it to be misliked or out of course but as I iudge a thing verie necessarie to send for Uantgard and Reargard and on both sides some what farre off from the battaile squadrons troopes or hornes of Hargabusiers out of the forlorne hope the which without mouing the souldiers of the battaile the ordained square and flankes may verie sufficiently performe all enterprises discoueries and do great seruice of maruellous importance and profite and in effect may assure the way and passage to the squadrons that come behind or go before from surprises c. Marching out of danger or suspicion of the enimy the Sergeant Maior deuiding euerie armes by themselues must forme the accustomed ordinance and marching with this hée may accept the companies which ariue as they come and send the Hargabusiers of the front of this companie to the Uantgard of the Hargabusiers of the foresaid formed rankes and those of the backe to the reargard the Ensignes to the place of the Ensignes and the forepart of the Pikes and Halberds to the front and the hindermost part to the backe of this square battaile and ordinance in the midst of the day when the Armie makes Alâ—… to rest in the morning when they dislodge and at night when they encampe let the Sergeant Maior accompanied with the Marshall of the fielde range the armie into sundrie formes of battailes and squares that ech one may be well acquainted with euerie sort of battaile the which although part of them be not to march withall and not in vse yet for exercise sake and for that sometimes they are found to be profitable when they are diligeÌ„tly ordained and disposed being conformable to the situation of the ground and correspondent to that present enterprise specially when they be contained and framed of a great number of people I haue thought good in my figures hereunto annexed to set downe some of old and some of newe inuentions hoping that some of them may satisfie our curious conceited Captaines But to delate further of these foresaid particulars the Sergeant Maior must euerie day repaire to the Lord high marshal or the Lieutenant generall to receiue direction in what sort that day the armie is to march whose pleasures knowne he must as â—… said before sort euery kind of weapon by it selfe and then draâ—… them forth in maniples or sléeues in 3. 5. 02 7. in a ranke or morâ—… as occasion serues and so to place euerie band that their Cap taines may be with them to direct and animate them which iâ—… these our dayes is almost impossible to be done euery smal banâ—… being deuided into seuerall weapons so that he cannot in time of such generall seruice accompanie his owne band which surely is repugnant to antique Discipline Some hold opinion vnlesse the souldiers bee rawe and vntrained men that it is not good to aduenture the brunt in one maine square battaile but rather in diuers squadrons and sundrie battillions specially if by the continuance of many yeares seruice they be trained in such sort as in the furie of the fight they can both march forward if they preuaile or retyre vpon disaduantage and yet maintaine perfectly their arayes then by no meanes the battaile is to be committed to one hazard of fortune but imitating the Romaines ancient warlike discipline to place themselues in thrée or foure seuerall fronts with conuenient spaces for the first to retire and vnite himselfe with the second both these if occasion néede to serue with the 3. the shot hauing conuenient issues and lanes continually during the fight to discharge their péeces which will make an incredible spoile of the enimie so that vpon the charge of horsemen retyring within the squadrons who ioyning togither may bend and crosse their pikes to receiue the shocke and repulse them vpon whose retyre vnclosing their thorowfares lanes and galleries againe the shot and musketeares may issue out vpon their backes and either follow with the heat shore of their bullets or he imployed vpon
and backe the better to discerne them one from another This manner as I haue alreadie touched is verie easie So that placing them in length doubling their ranks it brings them likewise to a verie formall order of battell as I haue sufficiently touched beforehand A Battell in forme of a crosse verie necessarie to be vsed as well in the night as by day because all the weapons are deuided by themselues THis battell following in forme of a full Crosse consisteth of 10. Ensignes euerie Ensigne hauing vnder it two hundreth souldiers so that the whole number cōtaineth 2000. mē It hath 4. fronts or faces whereof euerie one is accompanied with hargabusiers which may in time of necessitie be couered defended by the armed pikes so that the formost rankes be moued forwards all alongst the flankes sides of the shot This forme hath bene vsed of Spaniards and Italians It is a gallant battell and of force sufficient to resist the enimie in open fielde although they should set vpon you at vnwares besides superior both against horsemen and footemen the hargabusiers are 1000. the which are the halfe of the number These hargabusiers being deuided into 4. parts must be in euerie flanke 200. placing 14 in ranke euery way the halberds and Ensignes placed in the midst of the crosse are 200. and the whole number of pikes are 800. the which are to be placed on euerie quarter of the halberds 200. placing 14. euery way which make a iust quadrant of people so that there remaine to be placed by the Sergeant maior 16. pikes 4. halberds and 200. shot This rule may serue in proportion for any number being verie excellent for the night because ech weapon being deuided by themselues may be readie at the sodaine for any seruice either to giue battell or for defence of the Campe the horsemen and the field péeces to be placed as shall séeme best by the Chieftaines or the Sergeant Maior The bodie of a battell to be made in the night THe proportion of this Cressant or Moone is very conuenient and fit to be executed in the night there being a round ring drawne with a cord and a stake so that the Sergeant Maior according to my description in his office may place the companies that come to him and from hand to hand part them into seuerall companies according to this proportion for this forme doth require that it be done with expedition and it is no great labour to deuide the weapons without cōfusion either to march or otherwise to vse themselues seuerally from the rest in great or small companies as shal be néedful for that euerie weapon doth stand at his owne defence by it selfe the general artillerie Ensignes short weapons being safely enuironed with the armed pikes which may vpon the sodain by the Sergeant maior or the Corporals of the fielde be brought to any other forme of battell Also the Sergeant generall may place the Hargabusiers in so manie companies and so many formes and so farre distant one from an other as the situation of the place or the seruice thē present doth require to the intent that the maine bodie of the battell may be flanked and defended But for that I haue more largely touched this in the Sergeant maiors office I referre the Reader to the same aduertising him withall that all squadrons and battels in the night must haue euerie sort of weapons seueral by themselues whereby confusion may both be auoided and the troupes of souldiers remaine readie when they shall be called forth to execute any seruice what necessitie or sodaine assault soeuer befall Prouided alwayes that good watch scout be kept on horsebacke and on soote as néere the enimie as is possible by whose aduertisemēts you may know what is best to be accomplished The order of imbattelling before the fight THe Oration being made by the Generall and prayers finished to the immortal God it is requisite that thou haue care to bring forth thy army to the field with bright shining armour which easily may be done by giuing charge in time to the Captaines and so to the officers that their burgonets 〈◊〉 caléeuers halberds swords euerie other péece of 〈◊〉 be made cleane bright forasmuch as the cleannes and brightnes of the weapons maketh the armie séeme terrible and putteth feare trauel in the minds of the enimies Then cal forth thy bands the which béeing set in araie the Generall béeing expert hauing seene the preparation of the enimies giueth in charge to the Sergeant maior and the principall Corporalles to accommodate and ordaine his Souldiers in battaile according to the armie the men and the manners of them And if the enimie bee more puissent of Horsmen thou hauing the commoditie choose thée straight and difficult places or at the foote of mountaines and where the horse cannot easilie serue If in footemen he excéedeth then it is requisite to get the hilles and places of aduantage as the Sunne and winde c. and that with diligence to choose such fit places which either be néere Rockes or Riuers and aboue all things where thou maist put in araie thy battailes and by the qualitie of thy place be able to let thy enimies that they neither compasse thée about nor inclose thée the which requires not onely the counsaile and prudence of a wise Captaine but the counsaile of the most expert in the Campe because oftentimes an Armie hapneth vpon such places And notwithstanding the Captaine is ignorant how to choose such situation of ground as is best for him but of those that are present it is good to choose the best and to foresée which may be most profitable is surely a signe of a wise Captaine Caius Sulpitius to feare his enimies got a great manie of Mules and other beasts vnprofitable for the warres causing a great number of sackes to be gotten which were so ordered vpon the backes of the beasts as they séemed men at armes giuing in charge whiles hee was a fighting they should appeare vpon a hill whereby grew his victorie against the Frenchmen The Spaniards to ouercome Amilcar set in the fronts of their battels Cartes full of Towe drawne with Oxen that béeing ready for the encounter they set it on fire causing the Oxen vehemently to thrust forwards into the armie of the enimie deuiding the same Thy number small and the fields large and open it is good to make ditches the which being filled with boughes and slightly couered with earth leauing voide spaces for thy horse and shot to procure skirmish the which being of the enimie encountered may faine a running awaie and béeing prosecuted by the enemie shall bee ouerthrowne in the ditches where they are easilie slaine manie such notable deuises by wise Captaines hath béene practised the which vpon the suddaine put in vse will greatly profit Thy Battels being made and set in order it is requisite that thou leaue the warde within the trenches of the
Campe for the defence of thy lodgings munition and carriages least the enimie vnderstanding the place to be left voide sende his Souldiers to take the Campe and so to spoile all vpon occasion some Captaines will destroie their owne lodgings or els passe riuers or leaue behinde them hils and déepe places to the ende that the Souldiers standing constantly may ouercome the aduersarie and obtaine the victorie or otherwise altogether to perish for that if they should thinke to saue themselues by running away they shall sée by all manner of meanes taken from the possibilitie to escape Nowe béeing come to ioyne battaile with thy enimie cause thy Souldiers somewhat before to flourishe oft their naked Swordes and Halberds against the Sunne for that the glistering of the weapons and their shining pointes through the brightnesse nowe of the one and nowe of the other against the resplendant Beames of the Sunne dooth shew a certaine horrible terrour of warre the which will strike a dread and feare into the mindes of the enemies Likewise it is sometimes requisite that thy battailes goe forwardes with rumours and showtings sometimes running with violence forasmuch as the semblaunce of such thinges with the noise of Trumpets Drummes and great Ordinance woonderfully troubleth and feareth the heartes of the aduersaries also it is great wisedome in a Captaine not with desire to bée drawne to bée the first to giue the onset but to staie thée néere thy trench till thou hast viewed thy selfe and the Rendies of the enemies that is howe manie battailes howe they are placed of what condition and where they are disposed to fight for after this manner thou maist more commodiouslie sée to thine affaires considering which of thine thou hast to sette against those of thy enimies and in what manner thy men are to bée ordeined and placed dooing in like sort to a good Physition the which considering first the infirmitie and knowing the cause commeth afterwards to giue remedie therefore ordeine thy men so as may turne most vtilitie to thy businesse The manner of ordering of battels lately vsed I cannot greatly command for the armie being 20. 30 or 40. thousand they are deuided but into 3. battels whereby ensueth many perils and discommodities because the Pike being but fiue yards thrée quarters long euerie man occupying a yard and halfe a quarter of pike can occupie but foure or fiue rankes at the most so that the rest are superfluous and lost besides they are easily to bée compassed and to be charged on euerie side wherefore I haue set downe an order of one of the battels in figure according to my opinion the which if it may turne profite to my countrie I would be most glad The occasion of the prosperous successe of the Romaines was onely through their good orders by diuiding their Legions into cohorts the which were bands of 400. and 50. the 50. were shot the 400. were armed their weapons pikes swords and targets the which were placed in quadrant manner 20. euerie wayes being 10. battels in front leauing a certaine space betwéene euerie battell for their retrait vpon occasion vnto the next order which were but sixe battels and the rereward foure battels all in like number kéeping one bredth the voward were called Hastatie their battel 's thicke and close the Maineward were called Principie who had such space betwéene their rankes as they might receiue the Hastatie the rereward were called Triarij whose spaces betwéene their rankes were such as they might receiue the Principie and Hastatie on the wings were placed seauen rankes of Pikes of strangers which did distend in length from the voward to the rereward through these good orders they became conquerours of many countries Now because of the diuersitie of the weapons hauing 20000. footemen I would deuide them into tenne battels to euerie one of the battels shall be according to my proportion set downe 1000. shot 800. pikes and 200. Billes the which placed in twofold wise according to my proportion set downe in figure will be in bredth 45. and in length 22. and ten ouerplus the which are to be placed at the discretion of the Sergeant Maior the shot placed in the wings and rereward in maniples for the readier seruice who must be placed a good distance from thy battel thy men at armes vpon the wings of the shot thy Lances as two hornes in the front of the battell the light horse in the fronts of thy Lances the hargulaters in the fronts of thy light horse who with the pistoleters are the first that begins the battel thy great ordinance to be placed in the fronts of the battels or in such conuenient place as may most terrifie the enimie there would be appointed certaine troupes of Lances whose guidons would be contrary to the rest the which the Germaine cals their Forlorne hope the French Infants perdus who must at such time and instant as shall be thought good by the General giue the charge vpon the enimies battels whatsoeuer shall happen who are for the same to receiue double pay The second battell not to be placed in the front with the first battell as the Romaines did but in the rereward of the first so far wide and with such distance as the horsemen and shot a foote giuing the first charge may retire themselues without disturbance to the battels hauing thy shot placed as in the voward with the lances and shot on horsebacke the third battell to be placed in the rereward of the second with like distance with shot and horse and so to the fourth fift and the tenth in the rereward of the which if occasion require thou maist as in the rereward of the battell place for the defence certaine of thy carriages Thy battels being thus ordered thou shalt be sure no wayes to be compassed by the enimies whereas thou maist easily compasse in him not ordered in the like manner and thy battels being but little yet as strong as the greater being strongly fortified euerie way with pikes and when a signe is giuen your hargolateares pistolateares and lances may at the sodaine be with the formost or readie for any other place of seruice Also your second battell may ioyne with the first and the third with the second and so to strengthen your battels at pleasure as otherwise two or thrée of thy battels to giue the charge to one of his battels and if it should so happen that thy first and second battels should be ouerthrowne thy battel placed in this order thou maist retire thy selfe and leaue of the field maugre the head of thy enimie who in prosecuting thée disorder themselues as many times happens may be easily conquered vsing thy battels in this order I hold to be of greatest force and most auailable THese 4. foresaid battels were taken by M. T. Steward out of his second booke Captaine Francesco Ferretti della Osseruanâ—…a Militare out of whom he hath likewise borrowed the greatest part of his Pathway to
discourse of sundrie obseruations to be had in memorie of Captaines Collonels Sergeant Maiors c. whereby a discreet leader may ' learne what he hath to accomplish in all sortes of battels and encounters whatsoeuer Diuers proportions of new inuented squadrons THis battell following hath beene vsed of the Spaniards marching alongst the side of a riuer two squares and a triangle battell of pikes flanked with shot empaled on the front rereward and left flanke with 7 rankes of pikes the forlorne hope in the front their horsemen on the left wing in this sort The proportion of this battell was caried by the Almains into Italy against the Zwitzers being enuironed round about with a raile fastned with iron hookes to be taken in sunder carried with them planted with musket and base shot to resist horsmen and the squares of footmen This figure ensuing consists of a square battell of Pikes flanked by shot seconded by sléeues of Halberdeares for execution and reléefe or deffence in skirmish when it comes to pell mell with 4 smal squadrons of musketeres at the corners of the maine battell all the whole being enuironed and impaled with pikes before whose vaward front are placed the forlorne hope two wings of horsmen marching along the sides of the battell THe proportion of this battell next following is onely for the safe retire of shot being repulsed by horsemen or otherwise who may at eight places retire into this squadron which stands in the proportion of a fortresse which vpoÌ„ the charge of the enemie may ioyne close in one maine square by causing the flanks to march vp to the corners of the square which vpon occasion disclosing againe may let out the shot which may enter into skirmish in circular wise as followeth THe manner of this battell next adioyning which is to be vsed of a great armie dooth somewhat resemble a cressant consisting of battaillons the Generall in the midst of the 4 chéefe squadrons the whole impaled with pikes flanked with shot fronted with the forlorne hope and winged with horsemen This battell following is both strong and ready for the safetie of the shot for that either the forlorne hope in the forward or rereward ' may succor one another retire or issue out vpon any side through the lanes and galleries betwixt euery battaillon and yet vpon the enemies onset may sarrie close together and make one firme and sole battaile the shot being before hand drawne in out of the enemies danger This squadron is likewise flanked with Musket and Hargabuziers and winged with horsemen A notable discourse of sundrie obseruations to be had in memorie of Captaines Collonels and Sergeant Maiors in directing training exercising imbattelling and instructing of soldiors for the better planting of any of the foresaid Battels or proportions EAch Captaine Collonell and Sergeant Maior must in his degrée take care of his charge The Captaines must sée that his officers do acquaint teach his souldiors all the particulars in my first booke and that his other officers be able to execute so much as I haue set downe in my second Booke of Militarie directions whereby together with some notes written presently they may learne such particular knowledge as when they come to put generall matters in execution the same séeme not strange vnto them for in the exercise of armes we ought to indeuour our selues to be perfect in such things as belong to a band when it is by it selfe and that which a band is to performe when it is ioyned with others in campe so that those souldiers which be cunning in the first may easily obserue all occurrences and commaundements in the second Therefore a band is to learne by it selfe to kéepe ranke in each kind of motion that is to say in marching slowlie softlie fast to learne all the sounds all the signes and all the blasts voices and cries wherewith the officers commaund in a battell and that euery one know perfectly the signification thereof no lesse then the Mariners the whistle of the maister of the ship in which souldiours must be readie and diligent to obey incontinently aptly at the stroke battery of the drums whether it be to march forward to stay or to recoile or to turne their faces and weapons towards any place To this end all Collonels must ordaine that all the drums haue one kind and maner of battery and that they do vse al one forme of sounding to the field of sounding the alarme and to vse one proper sound to plant themselues in battell to aduance themselues to recoyle to turne in battell themselues from one side to another to make retraite and in sum to signifie all other points that the voice of one person alone cannot make so easily to be vnderstood as dooth the sound of many drums the which make themselues to be hard in the greatest tumults and throngs The souldiors also ought to be so attentiue to hearken and giue eare to that which is spoken and commanded that they néed neuer to be deceiued the drums likewise ought to be ready to batter their caisses according to the sound of the collonels trumpets by the which they must altogether direct and gouerne their batteries The Collonels trumpet ought to be expert in all these sounds that he be able to vtter them so plainly that the drums take not one thing for an other but that he know how to expres the same according to his Collonels commandement néere vnto whose person he ought to be euer not to abandon him to yéeld a reason what mooues me to appoint trumpets for footmen it is in respect that they may be more cléerly vnderstood then drums can be if any great tumult should arise that the drums should alter change their sound for they are to be directed by trumpets the sound wherof is hier theÌ„ the battery of drums the which yâ— Zwizers who first inuented drums haue very wel â—…ried therfore let colloâ—…ls prouide that they haue truÌ„pets before their battailloÌ„s that the Chieftains may signifie admonish theÌ„ what they haue to do All these things togither with ech seueral sound must be taught shewed from point to point to ech particular band apart before they be ranged togither in battel to the intent they may haue the full art to maintaine their order ranks without that any place how difficile soeuer be able to disband or disseuer them And also that the sound of the trumpet be so familiar vnto them that they caÌ„not erre neither take one thing for another but that the Collonels bands be ech one priuatly fully instructed in all that which the battaillons ought to do being assembled with the armie And for that armes are brought to seuerall kinds of battels either in respect of the enimies in sight or for feare of some sodaine assault ech band ought to be exercised in such sort and so instructed that they may with great assurance march
brunt in the front as though they were immortall and not able to be ouercome By this order a battell shall be able to sustaine a charge of horsemen or footmen to repulse them after enter into the enimies throng for experience declares that the pikes are made voide of seruice when the rankes be closed pell mell togither for then the souldiers are almost one vpon the bodie backe of another Wherefore if the pikemen should haue no other weapons but their pikes and swords they should remaine naked which doth moue me to commend the rondell to receiue the blowes and to fight withall in any presse or throng whatsoeuer The halberdeares may verie well fight in a presse likewise with their halberds rather then the pikemen with their pikes The which halberdeares are expresly appointed for execution and so consequenly to follow the said rondels at the héeles to frée them from the charge of those that be armed through the great heauie blowes which they shall giue with their halberds But touching the rondels I would haue them alwayes to thrust with the point of their swords although it were but at the face the legges and féete if the enimie be not disarmed in other parts The ground that euery souldier doth occupie at large in marching in simple and single aray is thrée pace and being in battell two and when they fight one The distance of one ranke from another in simple and single ordinance and aray is foure and being ranged in battell two and in fight one The first sound of the Collonels trumpet is to enter into the ranke and march the second to alter the single aray into forme of battell and the thirde is to aduance and plant the battell The Collonel being in such a place as from thence he may sée his whole Regiment hauing the Caualliers of his squadre of S. George about him being such expert souldiers as I haue set downe in my second booke of directions togither with the Sergeant Maior and such as can execute any commission of importance his drum and trumpet maior about him to sound and cause his pleasure to be sodainly and spéedily vnderstood The Collonel must commande the sound to be made of his trumpet which is appointed for the ordinarie march and soone after to sounde that which is to trot and then at the selfe time that which commands and appoints the fight and combat When a battell doth consist of diuers battaillons he must not forget to exercise the first to retire within the battaillons of the second the second to retire within the battaillons of the third And to accomplish the same without breaking or disordering the squadrons The pikes in the flankes must retire as the battaillons retire the first into the second the 3. within the 4. the fourth within the 5. the fift into the 6. of the ranks and so consequently to the end The forlorne hope and horsmen shal likewise do their dutie These things done the retrait must sound and euery Ensigne must recoile his people apart to put them again in a new and single ordinance of aray for the march The enimie aduancing to fight in triangular battel with the point forward frame the battell of sheares to receiue enuiron and fight with the said pointed battaillon If the enimie march with a front stretched out in length make a triangle or pointed battel to pearce the same The baggage of an armie ought either to be in a place strong by nature or well defended by art and industrie togither with the followers of the campe pages and muchachos who must be chosen able to fight in a day of seruice for the defence of themselues and their masters baggage The spaces interualles galeries and passages which are amongst the ranks amongst the bands and amongst the battaillons do serue not onely to receiue one another either in retire or when the first ranke doth retire through the midst of the second and the 2. 3. 4. and 5. c. following him like a Laborinthus mase going forward to the last ranks and turning backe again or that his next follower steps a side and lets him passe and enter into ranke againe but also those spaces betwixt the battaillons serue the Caualliers such like that come go which carrie bring directions of the Chieftaines Collonels or Generals The forlorne hope and extraordinarie pikes must inuade the enimie with continuall great cries the battaillons or maine battell likewise at the first must giue a chearefull shout when encounter is giuen in the beginning and ioyning of the battels but afterward maintain a solemne silence that they may the better vnderstand what commandements and directions procéeds from their chieftain either for the altering of order or otherwise which cannot be heard or vnderstood if they continue a barbarous crie Squadrons battaillons must sometimes assault in great hast chiefly if the enimies artillery doe endomage them verie much and sometimes must abide the charge without remoouing when the place is vneasie that they shall be in danger to dismember specially if they be such as be not accustomed to the march maner of battels Therefore in conclusion these 4 things ought to be obserued of all armies first that all soldiors priuate bands be exercised a part in all things belonging to the wars secondly that they know how to range themselues in battell how to varie exercise and march in the same softly apace and in full course kéeping their araic Thirdly to learne that which appertaines to the exercise which they must accomplish in a day of battell and how to drawe forward and retire the artillarie to giue way and cause the Hargabuziers to issue out of the flanks hauing shot sixe or 7 Hargabusades a péece in running héere and there and without kéeping order so that they know how to ioyne and agrée with the pikemen and horsemen to whom the care ouer their safety belongs They shall retire by the flankes and by the interuals and passages each one into his place that is to say the hargabuziers of the flankes into the flanks the forlorne hope to the reregard there to range themselues according to the Collonels appointment as the day of seruice requires for if they should remaine and continue before the squadre or battel they shall hinder the maine battaillons in their fight and bring confusion The light armed pikes horsemen must likewise retire to their places vpon the ioyning of the battels The fourth exercise is as partly I haue touched before that euery one apply himselfe to vnderstand the commaundement of the Chéeftains the signification of the sounds and trumpets and the batterie of the drums by which be signified all that which is generally to be vnderstood that is to say when it shall be time to plant themselues in battell when they ought to march when to stay or go forward when to turne visage to one part or other to crosse the ground
their meanes an armie is made abundant of all things propre commodious and necessary Furthermore he must make and set reasonable prises vpon the victuals in such sort as the souldiors be not taxed and pinched neither the victuallers so vsed but that they may be honest gainers which I meane of things necessarie as bread béere corne wine with such like but touching other things lesse necessarie he must suffer them to sell as they can that is to say all sort of stuffe cloth for garments sadles furniture for horses spicerie armor and such like merchandize After that he hath verie well consulted and taken aduise being accompanied with worthy Caualliers and old souldiers of sound iudgement and hath visited oueruewed wel discouered considered of al plots and places where the campe is to lodge or be planted he must with great reason iudgement depart the lodgings quarters as I haue séene duely obserued vnder Doâ—… Iohn of Austria and the Prince of Parma When the campe is to make long abode in any place he ought with a capable conuenient diuision measure the same either by view of eye by cord or other ingenious order after an experimented sort good iudgment as partly appeares by figure hereafter ensuing The Artilerie munition and victuals must be lodged in the strongest and safest place of the camp euery one of them hauing their ordinarie gard Let him haue a vigilant respect that about the munition and pouder there be no fire made neither any hargabusiers or light matches approch néere vnto the same but such souldiers as are armed with other sorts of weapons as pikes halberds c. to auoid the perillous scandale of fire Then must he appoint out and ordaine quarter by quarter and specially that euerie Nation may haue a commodious plot of ground for an assembly or an Alarme the which continually ought to be void and not occupied of any qualitie of person but garded both day and night with a good Corps de gard for their securitie Note that the said place of armes be so lotted out in â—…uerie quarter that from thence the front towards the enimie may be commodiously succoured and that souldiers may conuey themselues thither with all expedition togither with their Ensignes there to range theÌ„selues in battel therfore this place ought principally to be capable of such effects either by nature or art to be repaired strengthened with trenches towards the face front of the enimie prouided that the souldiers be not pestâ—…red for want of roome nor by euerlarge space the camp not sufficiently fortified therfore must he haue a note of al the names numbers of bands of horsemen and footemen and according to thaâ—… proportion cast their ground and scope of encamping togither with all their munition prouision and carriages Encamping with an armie in the field at the siege of a townâ—… c. I haue séene quarters for euerie nation first appointed out then seuerally euerie band lodged in forme of battell the pikes in the midst and the shot in the flankes and at the head of euery band and lodging of euery company the Ensigne planted and stucke in the ground towards the face of the enimie or citie hauing an equal iust propotion of ground before the Ensignes betwixt them the trenches to range theÌ„selues in battel which must be betwixt the Corps de gard of the priuate Ensignes and betwixt the other generall Corps de gard for the whole campe whether they be placed in trenches or otherwise for the saftie of the whole campe that plot of ground wherein the assembly of armes is to be but these directions I will hereafter set downe with greater diuersity that ech man may make choise according to his fancie Moreouer he must appoint out the market place for victuallers merchants in a large safe commodious place for all the campe He must likewise appoint out for euery quarter in some place out of the way a place for men to disburtheÌ„ nature to kill cattle beasts for victuallers to rost meate in to the intent that the rest of lodgings may be kept cleane and infection of aire auoided a general benefite for health In most manner of encampings he must so diuide the quarters as euery nation may be placed by it selfe and euery Collonel by himself dispose the horsmen footmen distinctly in sunder that euery quarter may haue his place of armes market place for victuals touching which he ought to take great care of equall distribution that he may entertaine gratifie with special commodity euery nation that serues in the army And that not only euery sort of weapon haue their seueral stréets but also that euery quarter company in the campe haue his seueral charge of Artillery It is most necessarie that he take great respect to lodge the army in a strong situation whereunto he must principally haue a vigilant eye as a thing that consists in great practise long experience in many coÌ„siderations He must likewise haue respect that the place be of good aire that aboue al things there be good store of water springs and specially of wood in time of winter Likewise that in the country adioyning frée from the enimies inuasion danger there be forage for horses straw for the souldiers to lie vpon make their cabbines withal that the ground be sandie or drie where they encampe c. Touching al the conditions belonging to encamping he must take a very speciall â—… circumspect care taking view of the same diuers many times with great coÌ„sideration It belongs vnto him likewise to learne out and know the most commodious way that is most fit expedient for the armie to march be conducted through whether it be in the ordinarie high way or ouerthwart a trauerse the countrie and that they do march that way whereas the passage is most commodious must assigne to euery battell a guide or two to conduct them the best and most easie wayes Let him prouide that the Pioners accommodate make easie euerie foule way strait passage encombrance and to cleare the wayes before the great ordenance whereupon one partie must attend and therein to performe so much as is conuenient without hauing respect to the commoditie or losse of any particular person or to the preiudice or discommoditie of the countrie wherin you march which things do lesse import then the perill the hinderance reputation of an army being an assembly of meÌ„ of so great valour importance for whom the Marshall ought alwayes to procure with al possible diligence al commodities and aduantage to kéepe the armie in reputation and to maintaine it sound lusty to the intent that with an vndoubted presage the Generall may promise himselfe victorie in due time and place Togither with the other aduertisements for the commodity enioying of victuals
merchandise he must yet further care to lodge his armie in such a place that as néere as is possible it may be an impediment to the enimies prouision or commodity He must ordaine that the footmen and horsemen of euery nation be placed diuided in such sort that by their orderly lodging the seat of the campe may be well garded easily and frankly defended Besides this it is necessarie to dispose and plant the Corps de gard and the bodie of the watch about the Camp in places most suspected and best for the purpose which in the day must consist of horsemen in the night of footmen to the intent the army may at all times remaine without feare of sodaine surprises or be assaulted vnprouided which thing as it is of maruellous molestation so sometimes it may be incrediblie preiudiciall When the strength and force of the souldiers and al the camp following are constrained to take armes and to put themselues in squadrons either in the day or night by occasion of the enimie or any other necessarie acccident that may happen The high marshall of the fielde ought diligently to prouide that the Artillerie the munition and the victuals be safely kept with their ordinarie appointed gard The like care ought he to haue that vpon any sodaine surprise Camisado or sally out of a besieged towne the gard about the campe and in the trenches be strengthened and renforced with a new supplie for the more saftie of the munition tents cabbens and other baggage and therefore the said gard ought at the first to be planted in places strong by nature or else fortified by art These things he must perfâ—…rme with a certaine diligent modestie thereby not to displease any person that either particularly or principally either is or hath bin inuested with the like charge as the Sergeant Maior the general of the Artillerie or the Lieutenant of the whole armie besides other priuate Collonels and Captaines c. which aduertisement I only giue by the way for that he may endeuour himselfe to please euerie one although the authority of his office doth expresly extend resolutely to command in things pertaining to the saftie of the field and campe Let him moreouer call continually to memory that the art of warre doth require a sharpe and exemplar manner and condition of chastisement therby to remaine the better obeyed the which thing is of principall great importance for since that in that place his Prince doth not only fight for the dearest thing he hath but also for the health of his proper person and all his subiects it behooues him to be readie and perfite in such causes Besides it is a most necessarie thing for him to note that there is gathered togither in the Armie great numbers of people of diuers customes of sundrie ages and of minde and disposition not alwayes correspondent Therefore he that through insolency wil not obserue the lawes of armes so important as nothing more in the honorable exercise of Militarie profession let him be constrained to obserue due obedience through horrour feare of punishment To the Marshal of the fielde it appertaines to take order euerie day soone after the Diana that the Conuoyes Ascoltes and safegards do appeare before and come to his lodging to receiue their Commission not only for the safegard and assurance of the merchants and victuallers which come and go from the campe but also as wel for the baggage of the footmen as the horsemeÌ„ who are of custome enforced to prouide both for forrage from time to time and for manie thinges necessarie for prouision for their horses other beasts cabbins things néedful to be vsed in the campe These connoyes safgards Ascoltes ought to be of horsemen and guided by a Captaine of great discretion experience When the armie shall remoue the high marshall must first giue order to the master of the Ordinance that he set forth the Artillerie with all the carriages munition c. then the master of the victuals and cariages afterwards He must after giue order to the Sergeant Maior in what sort he will haue the battell to march that day and to the scoutmaster which way he will send his vauntcurrours to discouer if all be cleare who must from time to time giue intelligence what occurrence he discouereth The high Marshall when he goeth to view the ground where he intendeth to incampe may by his authoritie take such number of horsmen as he shal think conuenient and then is he to consider that there be nigh at hand as I said before wood water and forrage enough for the Army and if he intend long to lodge in that place then must he make his campe the larger and prouidently consider that euery Regiment haue his conuenient place that the tents and cabbins be not pitched and made nigh the ring of the campe that there bée large places of assemblie within the campe that it be well intrenched and fortified for which respectes it is requisite that the Martial haue knowledge in Geometrie Arithmetike and that he haue in a readinesse sundrie plats models formes as partly I haue annexed hereunto whereby he may be able to resolue for any number or situation what forme or quantitie of Campe is most conuenient and presently stake it out assigning â—…ue place for euery Regiment of footmeÌ„ horsmen carriages Ordinance Munition euery particularitie as hereafter shal more plainly be declared For lodging of footmen especially in a running campe I haue partly in this chapter touched but for lodging of horsemen it is not amisse to imitate the Rutters who commonly alwayes lodge in such closes as they finde enuironed with trées or quicke set hedges and ditches placing their horses in due order round about the fielde two paces one from another with railes betwéene them leauing al the void ground in the middle for the Captaines tents cabbines for the horsemen So that in that sort in a field of two or thrée acres I haue séene a guydon of Rutters very well lodged commodiously with railes or poles betwéene their horses and bowes about them for the winde or heat some with hales ouer them to kéepe them from the raine their saddels bridels and al other their furniture hanging vpon poles readie by them neatly kept blacked their mangers also before them for all such necessaries the Ruiters carrie with theÌ„ in their wagons and carriages besides little whéele barrowes to carrie away their doung so that their campe is no lesse cleane orderly then a princes stable A faire stréete they alwayes leaue betwéene their owne cabbines their horses They haue certain troopes of their seruants whom they cal their knights and these troupes alwayes attend that so soone as the Marshall hath limited their quarters they depart immediatly to the next woods for poles bowes stakes and other necessaries to build their campe stables and cabbines other go for forrage that
this thou oughtest to care with al diligence that marching or incamping by sea or land victuals may safely be brought for somuch as by such means the merchants with all diligence will bring all things which for the vse of an army wil be necessary Moreouer wheÌ„ thou most passe by straights or march through rough hilly wayes theÌ„ is it coÌ„uenient principally for the preseruation of thy things to send before shot on horseback on foot for the kéeping of those places rocks or inclosed waies least the enemy taking it before thée may both let thy passage to thy great hinderance losse the contrary thou ought enforce thy selfe to do when thou vnderstandest the enemy to passe the like thou hast not onely to take héede for receiuing harme but to inforce thy selfe to turne against the enemy those deceits whereby he thought to deceaue thée And when thou purposest to go against him it is requisite to prouide before him at vnawares oppresse him so diligently thou must find means to let endomage him euery way if thou vnderstandest that he intends to pursue thée The marshall of the field must foresée the whether soeuer the army doth retire or vse an ordinary march iourney that the captains that lead distinct seuerall bands must with mutuall diligence by horsemeÌ„ riding to and fro measure the march of the army neither suffer the Ensignes to go any thing out of sight The auantgard to obserue with what pace the middle battell marcheth and so likewise the middle battell the rereward that euery battell may be ready at hand for all sodaine incursions of the enemy to succor the battell which is circumuented finally fight if a man be forced or aduantage doth serue with al the power of the army vnited together Of the order of the march in figure and of the placing of the weapons Forsomuch as there are diuers formes of marching according to the ground and diuersities of mens minds I haue onely thought it good to set downe this figure ensuing as very necessarie and of great force for an armie with his whole carriages to march withall Wherein I partly imitate the antiquitie as otherwise the order now vsed as for example Let there be an armie of 40000. footemen and 14000. horsemen according to the proportion set downe there is allowed to euerie 100 footmen 40. pikes 50 shot and 10 halberds the which falles out to be 20000 shot 16000 pikes and 4000 halberds the which with the horsmeÌ„ are to be deuided into thrée battels The voward the mainward and the rearward battell In the voward shall be placed 10000 footemen whereof 4000 pikes 1000 halberds and 5000 shot In the front of the voward battel are to be placed 2000 argolateares on horsebacke 1000 launces Then there are to be placed the pioners who are to be garded with 500 shot of each wing The Sergeaat Maior must giue in charge that these pioners beate downe and make plaine the ground before them in their march in such bredth as occasion shall serue to make your battels or necessity procure or the straightnes of the place permit Also the Sergeant hath to appoint these pioners that if they be charged by the enemies hauing their weapons to defend themselues amongst the shot or otherwise to retire themselues by the wings of the battell and to be placed at the discretion of the Sergeant Maior in the battell Next after these Pioners shall follow 2000 shot next vnto the shot the carriages of the first battell with all the impediments Then followeth 2000 pikes and 1000 halberdeares with the Chiefetaine in the midst then followeth the other 2000 pikes after the pikes the carriages of the merchants and purueyours who must by the appointment of the Generall march armed for the defence of their charge theÌ„ follow the other 2000 shot and if you passe through any dangerous places it is requisite so to march as you may suddenly bring them to a quadrant battell sending alwayes before 100 Hargaloteares on horsebacke and 100 lighthorsmen for vauntcurriers to discouer and view the straights and passages as otherwise to take their bredth and to giue certificate to the officers whereby they may make their march thereafter and to view that all places be frée from â—…mbushes and traines of the enemie whereby the armie may the more safelier and quietlier passe sending from the frontes as necessitie requires ayde to assist the Curriers Then must follow your maine battell of footemen the which is 20000. footemen whereof 10000. shot 8000. pikes and 2000 Halberds the which are to be diuided in this manner next vnto the shot of the voward battell must be placed the carriages of the maine battell with bagge and baggage who must be placed by quarter then 4000 pikes next the pikes 2000 halberds with the General in the midst then the other 4000 pikes after the pikes the carriages of the merchants as appeares by this figure The weapons of the rearward battell to be diuided as in the voward who must send forth courriers from the rearward to espie whether the enimie doth prosecute thée to take aduantage to thy hinderance or no and you must place next your shot in the rearward one thousand Lances and 2000 Hargolateares your 10500 shot of the maine battell are to be placed as wings in all your battels who must be placed 16 paces from the sides of the battels Next vnto the shot must go the Artillerie of the fielde with their carriages with like distance on both the sides of the battels then must be placed 1000 men at armes of ech side of the battels Likewise 1000 Lances of ech side and 2000 Hargolateares as appeareth by the foresaid figure The high marshal must giue in charge that in al dangers ontill the footmen may be brought to forme of battell that the Ordenance Artillerie may be readily and equally diuided into the two hornes of the battel to terrifie the enimie to the vttermost and if so be that the enimie wil attempt the battel on the wings let the Hargolateares with the rest of the horse and shot in the wings make the like difference thus euery part shal be of like sort defended vntill thou hast made thy battell as pleaseth thée If this order cannot please the march withall through a suspected place you may practise that which is thought of the Generall and his wise counsellours and Captaines to be most expedient neuerthelesse I thought it not amisse to set downe this order in figure with the diuision of the weapons for that being well considered and with aduise well ordered you may make presently as many battels as you will and in what order you please euen by hand without any great trouble or toile THe proportion of this march ensuing was vsed of the Lantgraue of Hesson the buke of Saxonie in their wars against the Emperour Charles the fift their maine square battell of pikes being flanked fronted and backt
with shot was empaled with Lances men at armes with a batâ—…aillon of Argolatâ—…ares on horsebacke in the â—…auntgard The whole battell 〈◊〉 with Artillerie and the carriages of the campe and munition on the side from the emperialists garded with a squadron of 〈◊〉 shot and lances The victuallers betwixt the rearward and the main battel empaled with horsemen bring backed with 〈◊〉 and Argolateares The order how to encampe an armie and to accommodate the same according to the situation of the ground IN respoâ—…t 〈◊〉 no resoluâ—…e rule can be giuen to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 since that the same so often alters and changes according to the quality of the ground the quantity for distance oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the enimie diuersitiâ—… in minde of the Marshall or Generall I will therefore procéede to speake of the 〈◊〉 of the â—…ampe of his situation forme compasse and fortification and the commodities and orders which be thereunto necessarie First touching the situation I say that being in a plaine farre from hils it is necessarie to haue a riuer or such quantitie of water as the same may commodiously nourish a whole armie and the Cauallarie and prouide that from the adioyning woods if there be any you may fetch al sort of wood and fewell for the necessitie of the armie and that likewise prouision he had of hay and straw for the horsemen for these be the things that an armie cannot carrie about with it When prouision is made of these necessaries the armie must be so well fortified as the enimy cannot â—…aise the same The greatnes and circuite of the lodgings must not be so great that the same may be an impediment that a man cannot at all times vse succour and defence when néede doth require nâ—…ither ought it to be so little that the armie cannot haue al his commodities necessarie places for victuals and for merchants which follow the armie Touching the forme fashion of the campe the same must be such as these portratures following make shew accoÌ„modating the same neuerthelesse to the situation of the ground In the portrature is described and drawne all the quarters with their places the lodgings for the Generall and the wayes to issue out where in for further instruction I will somewhat delate but he that is more curious let him reade Ieronemo Cataneo his example out of whom I tooke this If it chance that an armie must lodge amongst mountaines in a ground full of hils diuersly situated as in vales croupes of mountaines riuers woods caues such inequalities If the Marshal be a man of experience in the wars and know how to lodge an army he may serue his turne therwith greatly with smal labor fortifie his camp lodgings But aboue all things he must be careful the he do not plaÌ„t himself in such a place the the same be subiect to any hils or other height of ground that doth command ouer him from whence the enimie might looke into his lodgings and so batter the cortines of his rempares For if the enimies armie occupie this mountaine or hill the Generall of the campe shall be constrained to dislodge his armie and so be forced to fight to his great disaduantage To lodge an armie in the fielde with his due measures being of good proportion according to the situation of the ground you must know how much space of ground must be had for the quarters of the Cauallarie and how much for the Infanterie with their places of armes stréetes and other necessaries for the seruice of their lodgings For example suppose there is a campe of 60000 fighting men that is to say 2000 men at armes 10000 light horsemen 48000 hargabusiers Corslets light armed pikes and halberds To euerie man of armes I giue 7 lodgings and to euerie light horseman 4 and euerie lodging as well of men at armes as light horsemen shall containe 50 foote of earth that is to say fiue foote large and 10 foote long as this figure declares To euerie souldier on foote with a seruant or a page I will giue 64 foote of earth for his lodging which shall be 8 foote in square as this figure declares This done you must accommodate the place for the General from 200 to 250 foot euen in the midst of the campe and from that place shall be drawne two straight stréetes which shal crosse ouerthwart with two straight angles right in the midst of the place for the Generall which two stréetes shal be called the principall stréetes and shall serue for a Corps de gard towards the enimie Suppose that next of all I will lodge 500 braue souldiers or gallant warlike Caualliers next to the Generals lodging to euerie one of these I will giue two lodgings that shal be of the same circuit that the men at armes are Besides this about the Generals plot I wil draw two plots the one for the market and the other for victuals which two shall containe as much ground as the lodging of the volentarie Caualliers of the Generals traine or Caualliers of S. Georges squadre to the General which termes doth best fit all such Gentlemen as volentarily follow the campe to sée seruice to court the Generall About the plots and lodgings of these Caualliers I will draw out a stréete of 25. foote about the which shall be the quarters of men at Armes and light horsemen with their stréetes and voide places in the midst About the horsemens quarters shal be drawne a stréete of 50. foote large round about which is to be compast out the quarters for the footemen with their stréetes and void places At the end of one of the principall streetes towards the enimy you must draw out the generall place of armes which must containe as much at the least as halfe the lodgings for the footemen do containe In one of my figures I haue not drawne this void place for that I haue set the trench so farre from the lodgings that going about the campe within the circuit of the said trench you may easily make a generall place for armes At one corner of the campe towards the enimie must be appointed a place for the munition of the Artillarie and at the backe of the campe must be drawne out the lodgings for the pioners and for the cattell that is killed for the nourishment of the campe with other necessarie things The victuallers must lodge in the void places of the quarters and all along the streetes The trench must be made far distant from the lodging from 200 to 250 foote The place of Artillerie is comprehended in the Calcull of the footmens quarters and would be distant from the trenches that enuirons the lodgings from 200 pace to 250 at the least as in my discription it is drawne 250 foote distant The places necessarie to be accommodated for quarters for souldiers to do their naturall businesse in and to lodge other persons which are lodged in the said
Cutters of stone and Quarels such like The Fortresse must likewise be well furnished with all sorts of Armes and weapons that they may be distributed to the souldiours people seruants prentises and great Mnchaches when occasion doth require for it is as great a praise to coÌ„serue a place as to conquere it It behooues him moreouer to be very circumspect and carefull against Camisades and suddaine surprises cheefely when the Enemie is so neere that in one night he may come thither and giue a scalade as Alba Casall and diuers other Fortresses haue felt The Corpes de gardes and the Sentinels be not sufficient when a man hath to deale with an hardie Enemie which willingly doth try fortune and delights in actions of the night the which when they be well conducted grow to meruailous issue Besides the dilligence vsed in the placing of the bodies of the watch and Sentinels I thinke it very requisite there should bée sent foorth of the Cittie or Fortresse eyght or tenne Horsemen to skoure the way on that side that the Enemie might come to gyue the scalade and assault for by this meanes you shall remaine assured that there can nothing fall out whereof you shall not be aduertised in due time to prepare your selfe for defence For want of Horsemen vse some Footemen for lost Sentinels a Culuerine shot from the Towne To preuent the dangers which a man may receiue by hys owne proper Souldiours let not any of them know what Quarter they haue to kéepe neyther in what place they must be sette in Sentinell but euery night change Quarter and sende out continuall Rounds by the Gentlemen Caualiers of S. Georges Squadron and Souldiours appointed for that purpose who carefullie may visite both the bodies of the watch the generall places of Armes in the Towne and the Sentinels vpon the walles and in the stréetes according to the dutie of theyr Office prescribed them in my second Booke I iudge it likewise requisite that he which is Chiefe which dooth commaund and hath the kéeping of a Fortresse must not in any case permit his Souldiours to practise deuise and become familiar with the Enemie as hath béene oftentimes séene and principally of the Italians and our Nation but contrariwise ought to defend them the â—…ame and altogether behaue themselues like Enemies Suffer not often to enter into the Towne the Enemies Drums and Trumpets for they may be of such craftie and practised qualitie as might become very hurtfull and as by experience was séene in the warres of Parma at the taking of Torchaira where by the practise of a Drummer which had the commodity to view discerne the measure and height of the Ramparts the Towne was taken and the Prince of Macedonia the Gouernour thereof slayne Therfore to auoyd such inconuenience some haue vsed to blindfield the Enemies Drum and Trumpetter with a scarfe vpon his first comming to the Sentinell without the Gates and froÌ„ thence to send a Sergiant or other trustie Officer with him to the Gouernour who accompanying hym vntill hys returne may disband hys eyes a Hargabuze shot from the walles I cannot héere passe ouer with silence one note amongst other great trauels and toyles in warfare which fals out in the defence of a Fortresse In that sometimes a Prince or Generall wil commaund thee to goe into a Towne or Castell which before hande you know by effect to be of small defence wherefore considering it is a difficile thing for a Souldiour of approoued experience to yeeld account of hys honor together with the losse of a Fortresse many haue thought it good to refuse such a charge by meanes whereof they haue lost the good grace of theyr Prince and haue béene diffamed of him of the people and accounted as cowards and dastards Wherefore in my iudgement a Souldiour of honour ought rather to accept such a charge then to refuse it yea if it were to runne headlong into manifest danger dooing his dutie neuerthelesse with as great dilligence and valour as he can possible It is good for all that he giue his Prince or Generall to vnderstand that the same place is of no defence neuerthelesse to doo hym seruice he is resolutly determined to hazard his life therein Now if hys Chiefetaine be of discretion as it is to be presupposed he is and one that will not shewe himselfe ingratefull towardes his Souldiours he wyll honour this Souldiour and recompence hym for hys valour and loyaltie To come to the defence of a siege I woulde first require the Chiefetaine to reade my generall notes of fortification wherin and in the other parts of this Booke he shall finde many good aduertisements and obseruations Moreouer let him aboue all things victuall hys Fortresse well for though it be otherwise inuinsible yet for want of the same it may be lost for a Towne beeing once besieged it is hard to victuall the same or to discharge it of improffitable mouthes for the one is very hard vncertaine the other doth profit smally touching which Florence and Sienna in the wars of Italie may be an example who going about to vse this remedie were in the end smally discharged But alas with what difficultie and incredible compassion did they obtaine the least part of theyr intent a thing more miserable then is necessary to be rehearsed therfore according to the place persons requisite prouision ought in due time to be made and to be kept in Storehouses for the siege time The number of Souldiours to defende a Fortresse ought to be greater then those for the ordinary defence of the same when it is not besieged to the intent there may be store to make sallies and issues and besides in the time of a siege many be destroyed and faile eyther by sworde or sicknes It is accounted most necessary for the defence of a Cittie or Fortresse to haue a thousand Souldiours for euery thousand pase yea and a farre greater number according to the bignesse of the Bulwarks and circuit of other places When the Enemie hath enuironed the Towne and begunne hys approches it is requisite the Souldiours should likewise enuiron the walles and lodge and make theyr Cabbens at the foote of the Curtines and Ramparts that according to theyr due appointed Quarter they may be ready vpon all occasions of seruice keeping neuerthelesse sufficient Corpes de garde in the Market-place Towne-house and other strength to brydle the mutinous mindes of the Townes men Hée must with all dilligence vse all possible meanes to garde and kéepe the Ditch with the way which is made in the Counterscarpe which commonly is called the couert way The same dooth very much import for his defence and the better dooth hee trauaile the Enemie if he can hinder the sayde Enemie from approching for if he make approch he may easily enter within the Ditch and open the Counterscarpe to batter afterwardes the Casemates and to Myne and dig downe the Ramparts Hée must not fayle
places of armes Munitions and Trenches And to the intent he may kéepe the Souldiours in their Lodgings and in their proper quarters when it is expedient that they should not wander about the armie for some good and speciall purpose Let him cause some small stampe or countersigne to be giuen or disâ—…rsed to the Captaynes to the end that they gyuing them to the Officers or souldiours they may accomplish all theyr necessary businesse without being hindered or stayed of the prouost who must carry a vigilant respect touching this charg so that those which haue not such countersignes or stampes and bee founde foorth of their quarter may be chastised without remission according to the proclamation and bande made to that effect When the Generall cannot in time readily paye his Souldiours as many times it falles out through want of money or by reason of some other accident it is néedefull for him to make prouision that the Countrey where he remaynes may beare them or els let him carrie them into a barraine place smally inhabited to the intent that not béeing able to liue but with great spare through the want of many delicate thinges they may bee more patient in attending theyr paie He must permit that the baggage of all sort of people the victuals the Munitions with the other impediments and finally al the disarmed may haue a seueral Captaine Chiefe Ensigne euery one apart if their number will beare the same for that they must march vnited together and in order as shal be most expedient and conuenient to the intent they doo not cause great disturbance and confusion through their sâ—…oe or ouer-hasty going which is an ordinary thing amongst them béeing vnruly people Let the Generall as before I saide carry a speciall care to the choyse of his principall Officers and that in the election he haue more respect to the valour vertue of the person then to any particuler fauour otherwise he may in time be brought to repent hys choise and hardly redresse his calamities Therfore let him often and vnlooked for resort vnto the Captaines Collonels Tents to sée what towardly readines they are or may bee in of a suddaine and that he cause the Captaines make often like resort vnto the souldiours and vnder Officers to sée if they be in the like orderlie readines for any suddaine seruice and by degrées discending froÌ„ one to another to make speciall proofe of euery mans sufficiencie For the better performance wherof he must receiue into his hands the order of all Offices in writing together with all the names of the souldiours in the Band wherby he may likewise sée whether he haue his iust number And consequently examine euery Officer whether they haue a sufficient proportion of Armour weapon shot powder artillary fireworks boates to make bridges to passe Riuers spades mattocks and euery other particularity before the Armie march The Generall hauing receiued his whole Armie entirely hee must assemble his Counsell and to ordaine staiâ—…ts and lawes for the gouernment of his souldiours first communicating the same with his Collonels and Captaines causing them also to impart them to their Bands suffering euery man franckly with due reuerence to speake obiect and by writing if they list to offer vnto the Counsell what they can against any of them which obiections considered they shal resolue vpon such like Lawes Penalties as I haue adioyned to the dutie of a souldiour in my first Booke beginning alwaies with Lawes for the feare of God and the Christian faith and so follow on for the Prince Country and Campe. And then cause euery Collonel and Captaine to take his oath and they likewise to cause euery souldiour at his Ensigne to take hys oath to obserue and as much as in them shall lye to cause to be obserued euery of those lawes and Edicts so agréed vpon He must not onely cause the foresaid lawes to be written or imprinted in seuerall Bookes giuen to the Collonels Captaines other Officers and Corporals therby to instruct euery priuate souldiour perfectly in theÌ„ but also to prouide that the Prouost General doo prosecute the offenders breakers of these Edicts who with his followers must be specially respected as before is set downe The General is by good speciall and perfit plots Maps Models to know the situation nature and property of the Country and his parts where he is to passe with his Armie whether it be plaine champion or woody ful of waters furnished with strong Townes or no and to proportion the Horsemen and Footmen of his Army accordingly For if it be most part champion and full of forrage it is meet to haue the more Horsemen if it stand vppon straits and fortefyed places he is to haue the more Footmen Light Horsmen are in all places for discouery fetching in of booties pursuing of victory very seruiceable and not to be spared The General ought also to learne by good espial how his enemy is appointed for against the French who abound with shot and haue few pikes the Launce Light-horsmans staffe of the North is singuler good especially in the plaine but against the Switzers and Launce Knights the Launce auaileth litle but the Argoleteares and Pistoleteares shall much more anoy them It shal be likewise very coÌ„modious to haue some cariages allowed in pay to attende on euery Band of footmen as wel as on horsmen who besides the carriage of necessaries for vse may also in time of Skirmish and other encounters serue to carry hurt men out of the field They be very good to empale the Armie specially if the cartages horses bee arteficially flancked and shadowed with boordes filled wyth quires of paper Whilst faire wether is the Generall must acquaint hys Souldiours to sleepe on bare ground and though the Enemy be far absent yet duly to maintaine their Scoutes to watch and ward and performe all Millitary orders as curiously as if the Enemy were present so shall it not séeme gréeuous when necessity requires it If he haue many horse he must sée that the Marshall of the field plant his Campe where good store of forrage is néere otherwise in forraging farre off he may greatly hazard his companies if good Conuoyes be not sent with his Forragers and their iourneyes discreetly directed Good regard must also be had that the Camp be not subiect to any hill from whence the enemy may beate with great Artillary nor so disioyned froÌ„ water as the enemie may easily cut you from it neither yet so low as the Enemy cutting the bancks of anie Riuer may drowne the Campe. If there be no great Riuers but only small Fountaines or Wels to water your Armie then must good watch be kept that they be not by the enemy poysoned and infected The Generall shold not so much séeke to place his Camp in seates strong by nature as to fortify them by arte as wel to kéep his Souldiours from idlenes the only ruine
that and do replie in contraries wheras they ought to employ themselues to nothing more then obedience without hauing respect to any other particular profit or commoditie Hée must take order and command expresly al Collonels Captaines and Officers that continually they remain firme kéep their appointed places the which places ought to be such as bée feared to bée of greatest danger importance as the front the backe the flank the sléeues wings of the Hargabuziers the like wherof may bée obserued in the other battailes when it is necessary to forme more then one as oftentimes it fals out Let him obserue diligently to procéede in all these respectes with a modest low voice not with rough woords to souldiers but with swéet smooth spéech if it bée possible with signes and tokens rather then with words for by that maner of procéeding souldiers remain more attentiue better instructed then with crying calling which for the most part procures disobedience causeth contempt of aucthority moreouer in matters of importance procures smal effect And so euery Captain hauing his place some in the front some in the rereward some to lead shot in the winges others to guide the forlorne hope ech one must carefully as I haue said execute obey the Sergeant Maiors commandement whether it be by signe or by voice by Drum or trumpet or by any other manifest token aduertisement These obseruations bée of great force wherwithall amongst other his good qualities in nature custome requisite for this person to possesse it is most necessarie that hée bee well giuen to Religion that hée be charitable courteous louing towards the souldiers vse exquisite example for their better instruction which aboue all things must not bee villanously entreated neither otherwise dispised but as much as may be corrected with a gentle hand and alwaies with lenitie fauored If in the night by reason of Alarums he bée to set the armie in order hee must before hand haue appointed the Captaines that their lanternes quarieres torches or cressets bee in a readines vpon any suddaine to bée light vp the which they must doe prouided alwaies that it bée necessarie and expedient and that particularly it hath bin of purpose ordained and commaunded that then they guide behind them euery band by themselues into the place of Armes but the Hargabuziers of euery company disseuered from the Pikes and other weapons which Pikemen shall gather within them their Ensignes in safetie and the Hargabuziers shal march iust after them and before them as shal bée appointed or séeme most expedient And to the intent the same may bée more spéedely performed the fower Corporats and Sergeant Maiors of the regiments shall verie aduisedly go to the assigned places quarters of the lodgings for this respect if it bée possible that al the people may arise may arme themselues may ioine in one ariue at the same instant at the place of armes where they are of this worthy Officer to bée receiued and put in squadre in the forme of a halfe Moone or cressant within the compasse of the hornes of the said Moone euery Alfierus as hée ariueth must compasse plant himselfe in the forme of a crowne one by one with their Ensignes in their hands amongst them those that be armed with rondels targets if there bée any as for a small competent number it is requisite ther should bée vnlesse those of proofe which must lead the shot then behind them the armed with halberds after these that bée light armed pikes and about the vtmost compasse of the said circle in both the tippes hornes of the moone the armed pikes are to be planted and the Sergeants Lieutenants must attend to apply themselues for the conseruation kéeping of the order of these last Kinges without Now the rest of the Collonels Captaines with the person of the Captain general the Cauallieres of his owne squadre and a great part of the lightes Drums must stand in the void place betwixt both the hornes before the Ensignes where reseruing the messages ambassages of aduertisements that go and come in such cases they may consult and determin vpon such things as are to bée done The entrance of this void place ought to bée turned towards the strongest situation of the said ground if it bée conuenient and the ground wil permit let it be garded with certain field péeces and shot The hargabuziers in the self same time are to be disposed placed by the Sergeant Maior so far distant from the foresaid squadre in so many places so many proportions as the situation of the ground parts and qualities doth require being conformable to that present seruice therby the better to flank fortifie assure the foresaid principal battail And to euery troupe of hargabuziers hée shal appoint the other halfe and moity of the Officers Drums lights if it bée conuenient to the intent that in fight or otherwise in all causes they may readily worke and performe exploits neither do I thinke it good that in these affaires of the night Geometricall measures be necessarie and much lesse Arithmetical numbers but the carefull diligence of valiant and discréete officers is most expedient and necessarie who must euer frame themselues conformable and be in these actions altogither obedient to the Sergeant Maior particularly putting in execution his order and pleasure The proportion of this foresaid Cressant was vsed of Alexander Vitellus in the night vpon the toppe of a mountaine against the mightis Lutheran League In the day time the armie rising and setting forward to march and standing in doubt of the enimie the Sergeant Maior must forme the ordinance and battaile of the armed and disarmed Pikes of the Halberds and other weapons in such sort that hauing to double the rankes to make them greater the battails may fall out in due proportion that is to say that the front and the backe way deuide equally the armed Corslets and. Pikes alwayes prouided that the flankes be not left disarmed and void of Pikes so shall he bring to passe that the short weapons shal enclose the Ensignes iust in the midst amongst them kéeping defended betwixt them and the armed Corslets and Pikes as well on the front as on the backe the disarmed Pikes the which to make number and to fill vp roome ought not to be refused amongst a great number of footemen in the field since it is verie hard for all men to arme themselues they being armed onely with a brest plate and burganet or with a coate of plate or iack a scul are good to turne on amongst shot And as the quantitie number of Pikes principally togither with other short weapons is the verie strength force of the armed footemen So the musketeares hargabusiers serue to no other end but to flank to raise ruine deface all defences to make imbuscades to
fields is the best with a square battell and many pikes placing hargabuziers according to his discretion Since I haue spoken of the first maner of fight I will speake of the second which is when the enemie dooth assault at vnawares it is necessarie then couragiouslie not to loose any point of courage to place his people in square battell for that it is the most ready and most sure way that is making himselfe good flanks with the Hargabuziers of the band afterwards expecting the assault cause his battell to shut and close it selfe wel causing them to couche and abase 4 or 5 or somtimes 6 ranks of pikes in that case round about all the sides of the battel and the others to stand vpright vntill time of néede and the Hargabuziers are to hold their pikes vpon their thighes with their matches in their cockes a morce in their pan and all vigilant in a readinesse And the captaine before the battell valiantly giuing courage to his souldiors to performe the dutie of a leader aduertising that when the assault is giuen by horsemen that the pikemen couching and abasing themselues do hold the great end of their pikes fastned hard in strong earth to the end the pike may haue greater force What distance is vsed in Battell betwixt man and man ranke and ranke IN this present chapter you shall perceiue the order and maner that is to be obserued in the distance and space of ground betwixt ranke and ranke of souldiours in battell and how much space the souldiours do occupie from shoulder to shoulder aswell armed with Corslet as vnarmed Note that it is to be vnderstood of a pikeman I will first aduertise all Sergeant Maiors and all good Captaines and Sergeants and others that delight in profession of battels that there be two reasons wherefore the vnderstanding of these distances be of importance the one is to know how much ground is necessary to manage a battell how much space the circumference of the battell will take round about it according to the quantitie of the souldiours that are to be in the said battel And the other is that it is néedful to know how much space is limited to a souldior from shoulder to shoulder and from one ranke to another And this proportion hath bin found out and limited of great practised and cunning men to the intent that the said distance from one ranke to another may in a certaine space of time be accomodated that the souldiours may comodiously manage their pikes may fight and in such sort that one ranke of souldiours may succour an other that stand before them and deale in such sort that all the battell may worke good effect forasmuch as when they do accommodate themselues ouerstraite and narrowe they can neither fight nor yet hardlye mooue themselues And the same inconuenience would chance if souldiors were placed in battell one ouer farre from another or one ranke too much distant from an other Therefore it is a most conuenient thing to vse in this case those limited rules that the auncient and moderne souldiours haue set downe and such as our Captaines haue obserued The space therefore of grounde that one Souldiour with his necessaries dooth holde from shoulder to shoulder shall be of thrée foote and nothing lesse in such sort that when any battell is to bee made let vs put this example that if there be a ranke of 25 souldiours in a battell it is néedfull to imagine that the length of the said 25. footemen shall containe the space of 75. foote which is fiftéene pace Speaking of the Venetian pace which is fiue foote for the pace whereof I meane alwaies to speake The space moreouer of the ground that is to be obserued for the ouerthwart of a battell that is from one ranke to another that they may be able to manage themselues with their pikes aswell in marching as in fighting in maine battell no lesse then seauen foote is obserued from one ranke to another Moreouer to the intent he may more commodiously march with his pike on his shoulder the ground would be no lesse then of ten foote which is two pace but after when they are to close and ioyne more straite as I haue said before of 7. foote in such sort that a man in ranke with his space before him will amount to held vnto the other ranke ten foote which is two pace accounting thrée foote of ground which he holds with his person and the other 7 foote the space vnto the other ranke make 10 foote Let vs then presuppose this figure or example That he is to make a battell that is a perfect square of twentie euery way we must count how much ground the said battell will take in circuite and sée if the same be capable of the number of Souldiours which are appointed to be put and set in battell Our rule therefore shall holde vpon two fides that is vpon the fronte and the backe and taile of the battell where the Souldiours stand shoulder to shoulder in 60. foote which is 12. pace for both sides and both the foresaid sides be 24. pace The other two sides which be the flankes of the said battell where the space is left betwixt one ranke and an other of seauen foote and therefore the person of the souldier which is séene one with an other in such sorte that the battell which is to be made of 20 Souldiours for euery side a perfect square of people but not a perfect square of ground forasmuch as two sides will be 12. pace on a side which in both comes to 24. pace the other two will be for euery side 40. pace which is 80 pace and so hauing ioyned vnto the same 24. pace it will bee round about the said battell of 20 Souldiours on a side 104. pace which is 520. foote of circumference of ground and so alwaies this order is to be obserued not that you are to take a corde or a rod or pace to measure the distance of the said battell but by racke of eye by your witte and discretion consider this measure for whether it be more or lesse it little imports It dooth suffice that you obserue a certaine discretion that may come to the marke I haue written if it doe not light iust at leastwise néere the bounds and measure I haue set downe Now since we haue put this figure and example of a perfect square battel of people but not of ground for 20. souldiers we wil speak of an other forme or figure somewhat differing or disagréeing from such like battels and yet for all that of the same number of twentie Souldiours for euery side in perfect square the which is square of people of ground as some doe vse to make as may appeare in a battell of 400. Souldiours square in ground and people the which being in this forme hath for space of ground about in circumference 800. foote which is 160. pace This is sufficient to