made lyke a rammes head to beat downe y walles And Vineas which are an ordinaunce of warre made of timber hurdles vnder the which men went surely to the walles of a towne besieged Also battell rammes towers mouable But least in rehersing euery thing more be sayd then neede a legion ought euery wher to carye with it all maner of thinges which are thoughte necessarye in anye kinde of warre that in what place soeuer it shall pitch the Campe it may make an armed Cittye The thirde booke of Flauius Vegetius Renatus of the feates of vvarre The Prologue THe auncient Chronicles do testifye that the Athenians the Lacedemonians and the Macedonians haue bene chiefe Lords and mighty rulers But the Athenians haue not onlye taken diligent trauayle in feates of warre but haue also in diuers sciences famouseiye flourished As for the LacedemoniaÌ„s they had their chiefest regarde and applyed themselues most to warre For they first of al other gathering the experiments of fight by the successe therof are affyrmed to haue written of warre in such sort y they brought that which was thought to coÌ„sist in maÌ„hoode good fortune into a forme of knowledge cunning coÌ„maunded the masters of Armes which they cal Takâ—ikous to teach their youth the vse diuersitye of fightinge Men worthy of prayse much to be mâ—rueled at which would be cunninge in that science without the whiche other sciences are altogether nothing The Romaynes following their ordinaÌ„ces both haue kepte in vse and also sette forth in writinge the rules of martial pollicye y which being dispersed abroad in diuers Authors bookes you haue coÌ„maunded mee most victorious Emperour as my meane knowledge in learning shal be able briefelye to abridge least the multitude of those rules should bring tediousnes or the small pointes be deuoyde of due and full credence But howe greatlye the knowledge of the Lacedemonians haue preuayled in battaile to let the other passe it is declared by the example of Xantippus which toke Attilius Regulus and gaue the ouerthrow to the armye of the Romaynes whiche before had beene conquerours against the Carthaginians All whiche he did not by prowesse and manhoode but by the helpe of pollicye and that triumphinglye and at one onset to the dispatchinge of that whole battaile and bringinge it to an ende Hanniball when he prepared to come into Italye sought for some Lacedemonian to leade and guide the Armye by whose counsels although inferiour in nomber strength he vtterlye destroyed so manye Consulles so mightye and great Legions He therefore that desyreth peace let him prepare for warre he the coueteth the victorye let him diligentlye trayne and enstructe his souldiours he that wysheth for prosperous successe let him fight with art and pollicye not at all aduenture and by chaunce No man dare prouoke or offende him whom hee doth perceyue to be the better or superiour if the matter come to blowes What maner or of what nomber an Armye shoulde be of The first Chapter IN the first Booke I haue shewed the musteringe and exercyse of yonge souldiours in y seconde was taught the orderinge of a Legion and the knowledge science of warfare But this third booke doth sound the Trompettes and bloweth out the Alarum For therefore are those thinges written before that these wherein the cunninge of conflictes and the chiefest pointe of the victorye doth consist mighte the sooner by obseruing some order in teachinge be vnderstoode and thereby profite the more An host or armye is called a multitude as well of Legions as of aydes and also of horsemen gathered together to make warre The maner whereof is to be knowen of the maisters of armes For whereas we reade examples of Xerxes Darius Mithridates and other kinges which haue had in theyr armyes infinite nombers of people it doth euidently appeare that ouer great armyes haue oftner bene destroyed through the greatnes of their owne nomber then throughe the manhoode of their ennemyes For the greater multitude is subiecte to manye chaunces in iourneyes and vyages it is alwayes slower by reason of the vastnes thereof And when it traueyleth a lengthe it chaunceth oftentimes to be inuaded and to suffer losse thoughe the ennemyes be but fewe And in passinge of roughe places or ryuers it is oftentimes deceyued by the lettes and stayes of the carryages Moreouer for the great nomber of cattel and horses forage is gathered and gotten not without great labour Also the trouble and daunger in prouidinge grayne and the scarcitye thereof which in anye maner of vyages is to be auoyded doth eftsones encumber the greater armyes For with howe greate studye and diligence soeuer victualles be prepared yet the moe that they be employed and distributed vnto the sooner they do fayle The very water also sometimes doth scantly suffice a greate multitude If so be that y armye by chaunce should be put to flighte it must needes be that of a great nomber a great meanye must be slaine and that they which haue escaped being once thorowly afrayde will afterwarde feare to fight againe But the auncient meÌ„ of warre which by experience had learned remedyes against incumberauÌ„ces would not haue theyr armyes so huge in noÌ„ber as well trayned vp in the feates of warre Therefore in smaller battayles they thoughte one Legion with the aydes ioyned vnto it that is to saye tenne Thousande footemen and two Thousand horsemen able to suffice which armye the Pretors beinge as meaner Captaynes did vse to leade forth when anye vyage was in hande If the power of then ennemyes were great then the mighte of the Consulles as who saye a greater authoritye was sent with xx Thousande footemen and foure Thousand horsemen If that an infinite noÌ„ber of cruell people had rebelled then in so great and daungerous time of neede two Captaines namely both the Consulles were sent with two armyes with suche commaundemente that they shoulde foresee that the common wealth should take no damage nor detriment Finally wheÌ„ as y Romaynes almost al their time fought in diuers realmes against diuers and sondrye ennemyes their souldiours were for this cause the more sufficiente because they iudged it not so profitable to haue great armyes as well instructed and trayned in the knowledge of feates of armes Yet prouided alwayes that there should not be in the campe a greater nomber of the confederate helpes then of Cittizens of Rome ¶ After what maner the health of an armyâ— should be maintayned Chapiter .ij. NOwe I will declare which thinge ought chiefelye to be foreseene how the health of the armys may be preserued that is to saye by reasonable places waters time medecine and exercise For the places that the souldiours do not tarye long in a pestilent and vnholsome country nigh vnto marisses or fennes apt to breede sickenes nor in fieldes wanting water nor hillles without woode nor in the Sommer withoute tentes and pauilions least that goinge late from their place they bring sickenes on them
suffer more perill and daunger then it went about to do But if an open power be prepared in the mountaines the higher places must be taken vp with aydes sent before to the entent that when the ennemyes shal come he maye be on the lower grounde and then he dare not aduenture to withstande when he seeth armed men as wel before him as aboue his head If so be that the wayes be narrowe and not safe enoughe yet it is better that souldiours go before with hatchets and axes and with labour to make the wayes open and plaine then in neuer so good a waye to suffer perill and daunger Moreouer we ought to know the vsuall trade of oure ennemyes whether by nighte or in the dawning of the daye or in the time of repaste their custome is to assayle theyr wearyed ennemyes and to eâ—chewe that which after their accustomed trade we thincke they will do Furthermore it behoueth vs to knowe whether they canne do more with footemen or horsemeÌ„ whether with slingers pykemen or archers whether they excell vs in nomber of men or munition fence of armour and weapons then we ought to order that thing well y we know profitable to our selues contrary to them We ought also to consider deliberate whether it be better to begin our iourney by day or by night what how great distaunces be of the places to y which we couet to make hast least in Sommer y scarcity of water hinder vs in iorneying in winter dauÌ„gerous fennes such as men caÌ„not passe or great waters and by such meanes y iourneye being letted our hoast may be coÌ„passed â—rentrapped before it can come to the place appointed As it is our commoditye at all times to auoyde these thinges so if y ignorance or negligence of the ennemyes shal geue vs occasioÌ„ it oughte not to be let passe but we ought instaÌ„tly to allure the traytors spyes to the intent that we may knowe what our ennemye both presently and afterwarde doth purpose to do and with horsemen in readines or light armed footemeÌ„ prepared for the purpose to beguile them and so to cast them into a sodaine feare as they be ranginge abrode seekinge for forage and victuals ¶ After what maner greate ryuers maye be passed ouer Chap. .vij. IN the passinge ouer of ryuers â—hey that are not verye cyrcumspecte are oftentimes excedinglye molested For if any water be rough and boysterous or the chanell verye broade it manye times drowneth the carriages and the boyes and nowe and then slouthfull and lyther souldiours Therefore after the foorde be serched two troupes of good horsemen vpon chosen horses are appointed beinge seperate a sunder a reasonable space that the footemeÌ„ and carryages maye passe ouer through the middest for the former troupe doth breake the violence of the waters and the latter doth gather and put ouer such as be caughte and were vnder the water But when the floude is deeper so y neyther footemaÌ„ nor yet horseman can passe it if it do runne through plaine places it is best to deuide the ryuer into many partes with ditches thus being parted the passage ouer wil be easye But ryuers are made easye to passe ouer wyth boates or with spearestaues rammed fast into the earth â–ª plantchers layed ouer them or els with muche labour to gather together as many emptye vessels as can be and to laye boards ouer theÌ„ But the experte horsemen vse to make bundells of drye reedes or flagges vppon the whiche they do put theyr armoure and weapons least they shoulde synke They â—â—em selues and their horses dyd swymme after their bundels and so passe the ryuer But experience hathe founde out this to be a more commodious waye that the hoste doe carie with it in cartes certayne boates whiche they call Monoxilos that is to say boates somewhat broade made hollowe all of one beame very light according to the kinde fines of the woode hauing boardes lykewyse and Iron nayles in a readines for that purpose And thus a bridge being made without delay and bounde strongly with roopes whiche for the same purpose muste be prepared wylbe as stronge for the tyme as if it were a brydge of stone But the enemies are nowe alreadye vppon the bankes and their vse is to lye in wayte and to come vppon them that passe ouer of a sodayne Against the whiche extremitie or neede companies well armed are set in the banke on eitheir syde least they being deuided by the chanell that runneth betwene them should be opprest of the enemies But the surest waye is to fasten stakes before on both sydes that if any assaulte be made they maye sustayne it without harme If so bee that the brydge bee necessarye not onely for passinge ouer but also for comminge backe againe and prouision of victualles then at either ende it shoulde haue souldiours to defende it and broade ditches should bee cut out of it with a rampire made by it and the souldiours should keepe and defende the brydge as longe as they shall haue any necessarie affaires in those places ¶ After what maner a campe should be placed Chapiter .viij. THus hauing described the maner how an armie should be ordred in the iourney it seemeth good next to come vnto the orderinge of the tentes wherein wee muste remayne For in tyme of warre a fortified or walled citie is not alwayes ready in the waye to abyde at and it is an vnwyse poincte aud very daungerous that they shoulde staye or abyde euery where without any munition or forte when as the souldiours being busied to take their meate or scattered abroade to doe anye thinge pertayning to their charge it is an easie matter to fynde out wyles to entrappe them or euer they bee aware Finally the darkenes of nyghte the necessitie of sleape the scatteringe of the horses when they feede doe minister occasion to sodayne inuasions In pitching a campe it is not inough to chose a good place except it be suche one that an other better then it can not be founde least wee forsakyng the better place our enemies takyng it to their vse wee may chaunce to smarte for it Wee muste also take heede in Sommer least either corrupte water be nyghe the armie or holsome water be farre of In Wynter least wee lacke store of forage or plentie of woode nowe and then leaste the fielde wherein wee muste abyde nowe and then bee ouerflowed with sodayne stormes leaste it bee pitched in steepe downe and roughe places and suche as if the enemies shoulde besiege vs wee myghte hardely get forth leaste it bee within the reache of oure ennemies arrowes when they caste them from hyghe places ouer oure heades The whiche thinges being foreseene warely and dilygently as they ought to be thou shalt make the campe either foure square or rounde or three cornered or els longewayes according to the necessitie of the place For the fashion or forme is not preiudiciall to any commoditie
also wyse and discrete men that all flatterie set a part which is very hurtefull hee maye knowe whether hee or his enemies haue the greater number of fighting men whether his men or the enemies be better armed furnished with artillerie whiche are moste exercised and which in greatest daungers are more valiaunt He must also enquire whether part haue better horsemen and whether better footemeÌ„ He must also knowe that the strengthe of the armie doth chiefly consiste in the footemen and among the horsemen hee must see whiche were beste with the launce and whiche with the bowe who haue the best armoure the best horses last of al whether the places in whiche they must fighte be more commodious for the enemies then for them selues For if we delite in an hoste of horsemen we must desire the playne fieldes if in an hoste of footemen we must chose suche places as be narrowe and streight enuironed and stopped with ditches marisses and fennes or with trees sometime hillie places for the whiche armie store of victuall must be had rather to muche then to little For hunger as men say dothe pinche inwardly and oftentimes doth ouer comme without diâ—te of swoorde But chiefly he must consulte and deliberate whether it bee more profitable to prolong the vrgent necessitie of battaile or to fight it out of hande For sometime the aduersarie doth hope that the voiage may soone be ended and if it may be delayed and loÌ„ger either the armie is famished for lacke of victuals or is called away to their owne through the loue and desire that they haue thereof or els hauing done nothing worthy of prayse is compelled to departe through dispaire Then many discouraged with paines and wearines doe forsake him some betraye him and some yelde them selues to their enemies For in aduersitie faithfulnes is rare and he that came welthie nowe beginnes to be bare and neady It is profitable also to knowe what maner of man the aduersary is what his companions are and leaders whether they be rashe and hastie or ware and circumspect whether they bee hardy or feareful cunning in the feates of warre or such as are woÌ„te to fight at all aduenture what valiaunt people haue foughte with them what cowardly and fearefull of what trustines our aydes be and of what force what courage his armie is of and what also our hoste hath and whiche parte doth more hope for the victorie for by suche cogitations manhoode is either encreased or diminished By the encouraging of the captaine euen those whiche despaire are muche boldened if hee bee not feareful they waxe couragious if he hath done any valiaunt acte either by laying wayte or by other occasion offered if thinges goe not well but fall out vnluckelye with their enemies if he can vanquishe any of his enemies either suche as bee weaker or not so well armed But you must take diligent hede that you bring not foorth the armie to fight at any tyme if it be doubtfull or fearefull It is very necessary to knowe whether you haue newe souldiours or olde Whether they haue bene some little time in warres or haue continued a good whyle in peace and quietnes for they are to bee esteamed as younge souldiours whiche haue not fought a long season But when the legions aides or horsemen doe come from sundrie places to vs a noble and worthy captaine oughte to exercise euery company seuerally in all kinde of weapoÌ„s and artillerie by the tribunes or marishals thereto appointed whose diligence hee hathe tried before and after warde shall exercise them gathered together into one place as though they should fighte in open battaile Hee him selfe shall often trie and proue what cunning they haue what force howe they agree together whether they can be readie at the sound or blowing of the trumpettes at the shewing of the ensignes yea at euery becke and commaundement If they doe amisse in any poinct they must be exercised and enstructed vntil they be cunning and experte Although they maye bee fully enstructed in runninge in the â—ielde and other exercise in shootinge in throwyng dartes in settinge the armye in ordre yet they muste not rashely bee broughte to the open or sette battayle vppon euerye lyght occasion but they muste fyrste bee entered and acquainted with litle encounters Therefore the paynefull discrete and wyse Captayne doothe iudge of his owne and also of his aduersaries power euen as hee and his councell shoulde iudge of a ciuile matter betwene partie and partie If he be founde more able and better furnished in many thinges let him not differ the conuenient and fitte occasion of fighting But if he perceiue his enemie to bee the better let hym auoyde the opeÌ„ and sette battayle For a fewer in numbre and weaker in strengthe oftentymes vnder good captaines haue obtained the victory by sodayne inuasions and lying priuely in wayte ¶ What must be done if any captayne haue an army out of vse of fighting or an armie of younge souldiours Chapiter .x. ALl artes and sciences and all our dayly workes doe proceede and encrease by continuall vse and exercise which if it be true in smal thinges howe muche more ought it to bee obserued in the greatest affaires And who doth doubte that the knowledge and skyll of warre is more mightie then all other thinges by the whiche libertie is mainteined and the dignitie of a prince enlarged and the Empire mainteined and preserued The Lacedemonians in tymes past all other kyndes of learning set a side did iudge this onely to be obserued and after that the Romaines lykewyse And euen at this tyme the barbarous and straunge nations doe also thinke that this onely ought to be obserued and kepte And they haue suche confidence herein that they thynke all other thinges doe consiste in this or that they may obtayne all thinges throughe this This vnto them that muste fight is very necessary by whiche they may saue their lyfe and obtaine the victorie Therefore a captaine vnto whome the worthie honoures of so great power and authoritie are geuen to whose faithfulnes and prowes the goodes of the possessours the defence of cities the safetie of the souldiours the honour of the common wealthe is committed ought to be carefull not onely for the whole armie but also for euery particuler coÌ„panie of the same For whatsoeuer doth happen in the warre otherwyse then well the faulte is his but the iniurie and hurte is common Therefore if he guide an armie of younge souldiours or suche as haue bene long out of vse in chiualry he ought diligently to trie and searche the strengthe courage and experience of euery bande of the legion and also of euery company of the horsemen Let him also knowe if it bee possible by name who is captaine vnder him who is tribune whiche bee his housholde seruauntes whiche be coÌ„mon souldiours in euery hande and howe muche he can doe in the warre and let him get great authoritie by sharpenes
the moste choice and piked men rushe out and foorthwith set vpon them at vnawares But this must be obserued that the souldiours be not wearied with any long iourney least you compel the horses being wearie after their running to the opeÌ„ battaile He that shall fight must needes be muche weakened with the trauayle and payne of the iourney What shall he doe that commes blowyng panting to the battel This thing the oulde men of warre haue alwayes shunned and in the tyme late passed when as the Romayne captaines through ignoraunce haue not bene ware of so that I wyll saye no more they haue vtterly cast away their armie For the state or condition is vnlyke for him that is wearie to fight with him that is well refreshed he that sweateth with him that is freshe he that runneth with him that stode still ¶ We must diligently searche out â–ª what myndes the souldiours be of when they should fight Chapiter .xij. THe very same daye that the souldiours shall fighte it is meete to searche diligently what they thinke For fearefulnes or confidence is perceiued by the countenaunce talke going mouing neither ought you to be very bolde although the young souldiours do couet to fight For battaile is pleasaunt to suche as haue not tried it and you may be assured that the battayle muste bee prolonged if the expert warriours be afrayed to encounter with their ennemies Yet with the aduertisementes and exhortations of the captaine manhode and courage encreaseth in all the army specially if they can perceiue suche order and meanes inuented for the battayle that shall be foughten that they may be in hope easely to attayne the victory After this the cowardnes and ignoraunce of the enemies must be declared And also if they haue beene ouercome of vs before tyme Suche thinges also muste bee declared by the whiche the mindes of the souldiours through hatred of the aduersaries may be stirred to anger and indignation For this is geuen naturally almoste to all men to be afraide when as they come to the ioyning of battaile But without doubt they are more fearefull whose mindes the very sight of the enemies doth amase and trouble But that feare is mitigated by this remedie if before you shall fight you doe often set your armie in araye in safe places from whence they may vse both to vewe the ennemies and to knowe them Sometime they maye venture some thing of good occasion and so either chase or â—lea the enemies that they maye knowe the manners and fashions of the enemies their armoure and their horsemen For the thynges whiche are practised by experience are lesse fearefull ¶ Howe a meete place should be chosen to fight in Chapiter .xiij. IT behoueth a good captaine to know that the very place wherein they must fight doth contayne a great part of the victory Take paines therefore that when you shall ioyne battaile first you haue the aduauntage of the place whiche the higher it shal be when as it is taken it is thought to bee the more commodious For the dartes other weapons are cast down with greater force against them that be vnder and the higher part doth driue them back that withstande with greater violence He that forceth him selfe against the rising or bending of an hill he doth take on hand a double conflicte both to striue with the place and with the enemie But here must be discretion had and a difference made if you hope for the victorie through your footemen against the horsemen of your enemies you must choose rough places vneuen and full of hilles But if you seeke the victorie against the footemen of your enemies throughe youre horsemen you muste choose suche places as bee in deede some what hygher but playne and open encumbred neyther with woodes nor with â—ennes ¶ Howe an armie ought to be set in order that in the battell it may be inuincible or not easely ouercome Chapiter .xiiij. HE that goeth about to set his battell in good order he ought to forsee three thinges the Sunne the duste the wynde For the sunne before their faces doth blemishe or basell their sight a contrary wynde dothe turne awaye your dartes and beatheth them downe and furthereth those of the enemies The duste gathered before the face filleth the eies and closeth them vp The vnskilfull captaynes vse to auoyde these incommodities euen in that very momeÌ„t when they set the battaile in araie but a wyse and circumspecte captaine oughte to take heede betime forsee things to come â–ª leaste a litle whyle after the daye comminge the course of the sunne being chaunged it maye be hurteful and leaste a contrarie wynde dothe ryse euen in the tyme of the battayle Therfore let the rankes be so set in araie that these may be behinde vs and if it may be possible that they maye be full in the face of our enemies Acies is called an armie set in order and in good araye and the forefronte of it is placed directly against the enemies This forefronte in open or sette battayle if it be wysely sette in ordre dothe helpe and profite very much If they be ordred vnskilfully if they were neuer so good warriours yet with ill setting in araye they are soone vanquished and ouerthrowen The rule of setting in araye is that in the firste rancke bee placed the experte and oulde beaten souldiours whome in olde tyme they called Principes that is the moste experte and valiaunt souldiours In the seconde ranke muste bee appointed archers being armed with curets or breastplates and the beste souldiours with dartes or els speares who of olde were called Hasti that is pikemen Euery armed man was accustomed to take streight foorthe three foote space betweene one and other That is to saye in the space of a myle a thousande sixe hundreth three score and syxe are placed and sette in lengthe that neyther the battayle maye appeare thynne betweene the souldiours and that there maye bee roume enough to handle their weapons They would haue betwene one ranke and other a space behynde their backes sixe foote in bredthe that they that fyghte myghte haue roume to come forewarde and goe backewarde For the dartes in leaping and running are caste with a greater violence In those twoo rankes are placed suche as are of riper age hardie through vse and experience and also armed with more heauie and weightie harnesse For these as a wall within them selues can not be compelled either to retyre or to pursue their enemies leaste they should disorder their rayes but are ready to receiue the enemies marchinge forwarde and by standing stoutly to it and fighting valiauntly eyther to driue them backe or put them to flyghte The thyrde ordre or raye is placed of the lyghtest armied menne of archers beynge younge men of good casters of dartes which in oulde tyme were called Ferentarii that is men armed in lyghte harnisse readie to come quickelye to succours The fourthe ordre muste be sette with the
drawen and is placed before the forefront directly against their ennemyes that the forebattell disordered may be brought into araye againe But Globus is called a companye of men of warre which beinge seperate from their owne battell doth inuade the ennemyes with an vncertaine and sodaine comming vppon them against the which is sent another globe or troupe of horsemen of a greater nomber of people more valianâ—e You must also marke wel that a litle before the time wherin the battell is ioyned in no wyse you do alter your rayes or remoue anye companyes from their owne places vnto others For straight wayes doth ryse discorde and confusion of all thinges and the ennemye doth soner set vppon them beinge vnprepared and altogether disordered ¶ How many kindes of wayes an open or set battell is ioyned and howe also that armye which is lesse in nomber and strength maye obtayne the victorye Chap. xx THere be seuen kindes of open fighting when the banners displayed in defiance on both partes do ioyne together in fight One kinde of fight is with a long forefront and a foure cornered armye as now a dayes alwayes almost they vse to fight but this kinde of fight they that be skilfull and expert in armes do not iudge to be best because that when the battell is stretched forthe in lengthe an euen plaine grounde is not alwayes in the waye nighe hand and readye and if sometime there be anye emptye or hollowe place or bowing or crouking in the middle part in that part oftentimes the foreranke is broken Moreouer if the ennemye do passe you in multitude hee doth compasse eyther the righte or the lefte winge on the sydes in the which there is great daunger except you haue aboue your ordinarye nomber which maye staye and put backe the ennemye He onlye ought to ioyne battell after this sort which hath both mo in nomber and more valiant fighting men that he maye compasse his ennemye of both the winges and enclose him as it were within his owne armye The seconde kinde of fighte is common which is better then anye other In which if you wyll appointe a fewe stoute and couragious men in a place conueniente although you be troubled with multitude and manhoode of your ennemyes yet maye you easelye winne the victorye The maner of this fight is that when the battelles set in araye do ioyne together then shall you seperate the lefte winge a good waye of from the righte winge of your aduersarye that no dartes or arrowes maye come as farre as it But you shall ioyne your right wing to his left winge and there first beginne you the battaile so that you do assaulte compasse about the left syde of it to the which you shall ioyne your selfe with the best footemen and most tryed horsemen and that you maye come to the backes of the ennemyes by thrusting them out of place an ouerrunning them If so be that you once beginne to make your ennemyes to recoile and geue backe froÌ„ thence if your owne men do come on withall you shal obtaine most certaine victorye and that part of your armye which you remoued froÌ„ your ennemye shal remayne in safety But in this kinde of fighting the battel is ordered after the similitude of the letter A. or els the Carpenters squyre If so be that the aduersary do the same before you you shal gather together vnto your left winge the extraordinarye souldiours as well horsemeÌ„ as footemen which before I sayde must be set behinde the battaile and so shall you withstand your aduersarye with great force strength that you be not driuen backe with crafte and pollicye The thirde kind of fight is like vnto the seconde but in this point it is the worser because you beginne with your left winge to fight with your ennemyes right winge For the inuasion is very weake they that fight in the left winge with much difficultye do assault their ennemyes openlye The which I will more plainelye declare If you shall at anye time haue your left winge a good deale the stronger then ioyne together the most valiant horsemen and footemen and in the conflicte bende the same first to the right winge of the ennemyes and as much as is possible make hast to driue backe and coÌ„passe the right syde of your aduersarye But seperate the other parte of your armye in which you knowe that you haue the worst fighting men a good waye of from his left wing that it maye not be inuaded with swordes or that the dartes come vnto it In this kinde of fight you must take heede least your crosse battel be beaten throughe with the wedge or sharpe battell of your ennemyes But by this way in one case ye shal fight profitablye if your aduersaryes righte winge be weaker and your lefte winge a great deale the stronger The fourth kinde of fight is such when as you haue set your battell in arraye foure or fyue hundred pases before they come to the ennemye sodenly when he lookes for no suche thinge you must couragiouslye set forward both your winges that you maye on both his winges put the ennemye to flight and so soner attaine the victorye But this kinde of fight although it do quickely ouercome if it shall set forth verye expert and valiant souldiours yet it is full of daunger because hee that fighteth in such wyse is constrayned to leaue his middle battaile naked and to deuide his armye into two partes And if the ennemye be not ouercome at the first brunte he hath afterwarde occasion whereby he may both set vppon the winges deuided and the middle battel also left withoute ayde succour The fifte kinde of fight is like to the fourth But it hath this one thinge more for because it doth set lighte armed men and archers before the first battell that they may resist the inuasion of ennemyes and let them for breaking in for so doth hee set vppon the left winge of the ennemye wyth his right wing and with his owne left wing the right wing of the ennemye If so be that he canne put the ennemyes to flight he doth straight way winne the fielde if not the middle battaile is in no ieopardie because it is defended of the light armed men and archers The sixt kinde of fight is the best of all and in a maner like the second which they do vse that dispayre or mistrust of the nomber of theyr owne souldiours and also of their manhoode And if they do sette them well in araye and good order althoughe it be with a small nomber they do alwayes get the victorye For when as the battell set in araye doth approche and come to thennemyes ioyne you your righte winge vnto the lefte winge of thennemyes and with the most tryed horsemen and swiftest footemen there begin to fight But remoue and take awaye the other syde of the armye a great waye from the right syde of your ennemye and stretch it out a length as it were
with their ennemyes weapons and that when neede should requyre hauing rested themselues so well they might more vehementlye assaulte and set vppon their ennemyes And certaine it is that these often haue gotten the victory whē the spearemen before them called Hastati haue bene slaine The auncient warriours had also amonge their footemen such as were called lighte harnessed men as Slingers and other with lighte Armoure which chiefelye were placed in the out sydes or winges by whom euer the vnset was geuē ▪ and these were of the swyftest and best exercised sort neither were they very manye because in retyring if necessitye constrayned they were succoured and receyued of those in the forefronte so that the whole battayle stoode still vnbroken There hath a custome continued almost to this oure tyme that al souldiours vsed cappes made of skinnes which souldiours they called Pannonicos deuised for this purpose y the head peece should not seeme heauie to any man in fighte whiche did bere alwayes somewhat on his heade But the shotte which the armye on foote did vse were called Pila fastened with thinne yron to the foreparte of a triangle of nine inches or a foote longe which beinge faste in the Targette could not be cute awaye and beinge skilfullye and valiantlye directed coulde easelye breake in sonder anye harnesse of the which kinde there be verye fewe weapons nowe amonge vs But the forrayne barbarous footemen that haue Shieldes or Tergettes do chiefelye vse these Dartes whiche they call Bebras and of them they haue two or three a peece Moreouer we must know that when the matter is tryed with Dartes the souldiours must set their lefte feete before for so in throwing theyr dartes when they step in with their right legge the stroke is much more vehemēt But when the matter is come to the pintch as they terme it and fight as it were at the halfe sword thē must their righte feete be formost that theyr sydes be from theyr ennemyes least they catche a wound and that theyr right hand be readye to geeue a blowe when neede is Therefore it is manifest that yonge souldiours shoulde be furnished and fenced with al cunning and pollicye in fighting and with all manner of armour and weapons For needes must he fight more boldlye that beinge safe of breast and heade standes not i◠feare of woundinge ¶ Of the fortifyinge of Campes Chap. xxi THe souldiours also ought to learne to fortifye their Campes for there is not a more safe nor a more necessarye thing in all warre For whye if the army be well planted the souldiours so safe enbulwarked voyde of all care passe ouer dayes and nights yea euen thoughe their ennemyes besiege them they are as safe as though they had a walled Cittye on their backes But the knowledge hereof is vtterlye come to nothinge it is longe agoe since that when any would pitch theyr Campes they vsed to entrench them and sette stakes before them so that we haue knowen when the forrayne horsemen as wel by daye as nighte haue come of a sodayne manye armyes manye times haue beene maruelously annoyed But not onlye the foole hardy without the Campe suffer these thinges but whē as by any chaunce in the forebattell they beginne to retyre they haue not a defence of the Campe where to saue themselues so are killed vp like dogges and so longe do they dye as theyr ennemyes please to pursue and chase them ¶ In what places the Campe shoulde be pitched Chap. xxij THe Campe shoulde alwayes be placed especiallye if the ennemyes be nighe in a place oute of daunger whereas maye be plentye of woode forage water And if there they be likelye to lye long a consideration must be had for the holsomnes thereof They muste also take heede that there be no hill nighe higher then the Campe whiche if their ennemyes take they maye greatlye annoye theym They muste also consider whether the fielde where they woulde encampe hath beene wonte at anye time to be ouerflowed with sodaine waters whiche by the like chaūce mighte force the hoast to remoue Accordinge to the nomber of souldiours and the carriages y Campe must be fortifyed leaste the greater multitude be crowned into small roume or least the small nomber be constrayned to stande a loufe one from another and more scatteringe then is conueniente ¶ In what forme the Campe shoulde stande Chapiter .xxiij. A Campe muste be pitched sometime fouresquare sometime threesquare sometime halferounde as the qualitye or necessitye of the place shall requyre But the gate which is called Porta Praetoria that is to saye the gate for the Captayne must be eyther Eastwarde or els in suche a place that is full before the ennemye or if they be iourneyinge it muste stande that waye whether the armye meaneth to goe Hard within this gate the first hundreds that is to saye the chiefe bandes or companyes of souldiours do pitche theyr Pauilions and place their Standers But the gate which is named Decumana that is saye the greate gate or entrye into the Campe is behinde the Captaynes gate oute of the which suche souldiours as offende are ledde to take their punishement ¶ Wyth what thinges a Campe shoulde be fortifyed Cap .xxiiij. DIuers wayes a Campe may be fortifyed especiall thre wayes for if they be not driuen to a marueylous pinch they cut turfes out of y ground with thē make a wall as it were a wall three foote high aboue the grounde so that wher the turfes were digged euen iust before it their be a ditche Then in all hast must their be ◠ditche made nine foote broade and vii foote deepe But when ennemyes of great force are at haude the Campe must be fenced rounde about which a verye large ditch so that it be by the line as they call it twelfe foote broade and nine foote deepe But after they haue set hedges aboue the same euerye way with earth throwen out of the ditche and cast vppon the hedges it will be reared foure foote highe and thus shall it be .xiii. foote deepe and xii foote broade aboue the which must be stakes of very tough woode well entered which the souldiours are wont to carry For the which purpose it is good to haue alwayes in readines mattockes or spades rakes scuttels or baskets and other kinde of implementes ¶ Howe a campe shoulde be fenced when the ennemye is at hande Chapter .xxv. IT is an easye thinge to fortifye a Campe when ennemyes are farre of but if the ennemyes do come faste vppon them then all the horsemen and halfe the footemen are set in battayle raye to breake the brunte of the ennemy the residue behinde them when they haue drawen the ditches do fortifye the campe and by a cryer is wont to be proclaymed what the first companye hath done what the second what the thirde what the fourth vntill they haue finished all the whole worke Then come the Captaynes to vewe and measure the ditche and suche as
is chieflye gotten by exercise and practise especially if they fight neere at hande with swordes But this is more weightie and needfull that they learne in their playing exercise to keape theyr orders and that in so great sturres and thronges beinge vsed to the lyke in these exercises wherin they are firste trained and entered they doe wayte vppon their owne banners and ensignes and that among the well trayned and experte souldiours there bee no erroure or disordre committed although in the common sorte there may bee very great confusion It is also very good that the younge souldiours bee exercised with some poste or stake where they maye learne to stryke at the sydes the legges and heades eyther with the thruste or with ryght downe strokes Let them also accustome to leape and strike together to vawte against their shielde as if they were dauncynge and skypppe downe againe sometyme to runne forwarde skipping and leaping and fetchynge of gamboldes sometyme to steppe awaye quickelye and leape backe agayne Let them exercise also to throwe dartes a farre of at the postes or stakes that they bothe maye bee more cunninge in castinge straighte and more nimble and quicke with the right hande But the archers and slyngers dyd set vp some broome for a marke or bundels of shrubbes or strawe that standing sixe hundred foote from the marke oftentymes they might hitte it with their arrowes or with their stoones leuelled out of a slynge staffe Therefore more boldely they did that in the battell whiche before they had exercised in sporte in the fielde They muste also at all tymes accustome them selues that they swynge the slynge but once about the head onelye when a stone is caste out of it And all the souldiours did vse with one hande to caste stones of a pounde weighte whiche exercise is thought more readie because it needeth not a slinge They were also compelled alwaye and with continuall exercise to caste dartes or leaden plummettes in so muche that for the horsemen in wynter season large galeries were couered with tyles or shingles whiche are cliftes of woode or if they did fayle with readde flagges or stubble or els strawe and also certayne large places made for the footemen and couered in lyke maner in the whiche in the tyme of stormes wyndes or foule weather the armie was enstructed and exercised with armoure and weapons vnder couert But the other dayes in wynter if snowe and rayne dyd ceasse they were compelled to exercise them abroade in the fielde leaste if this custome should be lefte of the mindes and also the bodyes of the souldiours myght bee weakened At is good also that they vse often to cutte downe woode to carye burdens to leape ouer ditches to swymme in the Sea or Ryuers to walke a good rounde pace or to runne yea although they bee loden with the weyght of their armoure other burthens that daily labour in time of peace â–ª mighte not seeme harde or paynefull in tyme of warre Therefore lyke as the whole legion is exercised euen so the aydes oughte to bee exercised daylye For lyke as a well tryaned and exercised souldiour desires the battayle euen so the vnexperte and ignoraunt dothe feare the same Laste of all wee muste knowe that in fyghte vse and experience dothe auayle more then force For if the teachynge to handle weapons doe ceasse and cunnyng in feates of armes be not regarded then a countrey clowne is as good as the best souldiour ¶ Examples of exhortations and the exercise in warlike affaires taken of other artes and sciences Chapiter .xxiiij. THe wrastler the hunter the carter commonly for a small rewarde yea for fauour of the common people vse to kepe and encrease their cunning and knowledge with daily exercise Muche more it behoueth a souldiour by whose manhode and valiauntnes the common wealth is defended and preserued perfectly to knowe and by continuall exercises to retaine and kepe the cunning in martial affaires and feates of warre to whome often chaunceth not onelye a glorious victorie but also proies of great price and whome also both the lawe of armes and the good iudgement of the general will aduaunce to wealthe and honoure The cunning stage plaiers do not leaue of their exercises loking onlye for prayse and commendation of the common people a souldiour then chosen and admitted by a solemne othe whether he be a young souldiour or an olde ought not to ceasse discontinewe or bee slacke in the exercise of chiualrie who muste fight both for his owne saffetie and also for the libertie and safegarde of his countrey especially seinge there is an olde and wyse saying that all maner of sciences doâ— consiste in continuall studie and exercise ¶ A rehersall of Iron tooles and other engines of the legion Chapiter .xxv. AN army also commonly vanquisheth and conquereth the enemies not onely through the multitude of souldiours but also through diuers kindes of Iron tooles and other engines First of all it is furnished with shot whiche no coate armooure nor tergettes are able to abide For in euery century or hundred they vse to haue a fielde piece the whiche a mule was appointed to drawe And the companies of one pauilioÌ„ that is to say .xi. men were assigned to addresse and set forth the same For the greater these peeces be the further and more strongly they shoote the pellets And they not onlye defende the Campe but also in the field they are planted behinde the battell of the complete armed men The brunt and violence wherof neyther y horsemen with coates of fence neither footemen with their shieldes are able to withstand And there are wont to be in one Legion lv fielde peeces also tenne greater peeces called Onagri that is to saye in euerye cohort one and they are carryed in tilted cartes with two Oxen that if by chaunce the ennemyes came to assaulte the rampyre and bulwarke the campe mighte be defended with arrowes and pellets The Legion also doth carrye with it boates made hollow of one peece of timber with very longe cordes and sometimes also with yron chaynes and forasmuch as they are ioyned together as they saye all of one peece of timber and bordes ioyned together and layde vppon them by the helpe of these both the footemen and horsemen safelye passe ouer ryuers which otherwise without bridges they could not passe ouer It hath also yron clampes which they call Lupos and yron hookes fastened to great longe poles Likewyse it hath for dispatching the worke about the ditches and trenches mattockes spades shouâ—ls rakes maundes baskets chipaxes sawes with the which stakes and other stuffe are squared sawen a sunder It hath also artificers with all kinde of yron tooles which for the assault of the Cittyes of the ennemyes maye make engines which they call Testudines and Musculos that is to saye engines of warre to beate downe walles wherby they are defended which do approch the walles of a Cittyes besieged And Arietes which were peeces of ordinance
lesse armed and lesse headfull and he is sodenlye troubled with the force and deceite of the priuye inuasion of the ennemye Therefore the Captayne ought with all diligence and with al care to foresee least in going he suffer inuasion of his ennemye and that althoughe not easelye yet withoute damage or losse he resist and repell the same First of all he ought to haue perfectlye set forth the passages of all the coūtryes in the which the warre is so that hee maye learne the distances of places not onlye by the length thereof but also the fashion or qualityes of the wayes that hee consider the shortnes of wayes the turninges the mountaynes the ryuers beinge faithfullye described vnto him In so much that the wittyer Captaynes are affyrmed to haue had the iourneying descriptions of coūtryes in which they must needes haue to do not onlye dyligentlye noted but also painted before their eyes that they might point out the waye to them that should go not onlye with the aduisement of the minde but also with the sight of the eyes Furthermore he shoulde dyligentlye enquyre euerye thinge seuerallye of the wyser men and such as be of reputation and skilfull of the places and so gather the truth of a meanye Moreouer when there is daunger in chosing the wayes he shoulde take meete guides and cunninge and deliuer the same to the safe keepinge of others with a sure promyse eyther of punishment or of rewarde if they serue trulye For those guides shal be profitable when they shall vnderstande that in no wyse they can escape or runne awaye and that for their faythfulnes truth rewardes be prepared and for their vntruth and false dealinge punishmentes are readye Also it muste be foreseene y wyse and experte men be soughte least the errour of two or three maye purchase daunger to the whole multitude Sometime ignorance and bolde rudenes doth promise manye thinges and beleueth that he knoweth y which hee doth not know But the chiefest point of this warenes and heede taking is that it be kepte close vnto what places by what wayes the armye should passe forth For it is thought y in al vyages the thinge which muste be done shoulde be not knowen For this cause the olde men of warre haue had in their Legions the badge or signe of Minotaurus that as he was sayd to be hidde in the innermost and most secrete place of the maze or intricate place called Labyrinthus euen so the intent of the Captayne should be kept secrete and hidde That iourneye is taken in hand without feare which the ennemye doth not so much as once suspect but because spyes sent out on the other parte do eyther see or suspecte which waye the armye goeth and manye times there wanteth not runnagates and traytours it must be declared howe these beinge at hande may be preuented and resisted The Captayne readye to marche forth with his armye must sende most trustye and fine witted men with the best tryed horses which maye searche the places throughe which they must take their iorneye before and behinde on the righte hand and left hande least the ennemyes go about to set an ambushmente and lye in waite to deceiue them But y searchers or spyes do worke more safelye by night then by daye For he after a certaine maner is a traytour to himselfe whose spye or scoutewatch maye be taken of his ennemyes Therefore let the horsemē go first after them the footemen carriages Archers pages and in the middest the waggons must be placed so that part of the light armed footemen and light harnessed horsemen do followe For seldome as they do marche on they are inuaded before but more often behinde Also on the sydes the carriages ought to be garded with a good company of souldiours For they that lye in waite oftentimes with a cōtrarye course rushe into some other place of the armye then where they are suspected This also is specially to be obserued that y part to the which the ennemye is lykest to come may be fortifyed with the most choise horsemen with lighte armed men and also with archers on foote set purposely to withstand them If so be that the ennemyes do assayle on euerye syde then euerye syde must be defended But least sodaine trouble should excedingly hurte them the souldiours are to be warned aforehande that they be ready with mind and courage and that they haue theyr weapons in theyr hādes For sodaine chaunces which amase men most whē they are put to theyr pintche are nothing fearefull if they be prouided for aforehande The olde men of warre did most dilligentlye take heede least the souldiours in theyr fight should be troubled by the pages sometime beinge hurt sometimes being in feare and least archers throughe theyr crye should be made afrayde leaste that eyther beinge scattered farre a sunder or gathered togethered on heapes they might let their owne partye more then profite them by reason therof further the ennemyes And therefore euen as the souldiours marche forth so they also leade the carryages well appointed vnder certaine ensignes Finallye they did choise of the verye pages which they cal headpeece bearers such as were fit and cunninge by experience whom they make as it were Captaynes ouer two hundred fletchers other yong fellowes and not aboue Unto these they gaue banners or flagges y they might know to which ensignes they oughte to gather their carryages together But the fightinge men are deuided from the carriages a preatye space least beinge thrust thicke together while the armye is in marchinge forwarde they may be hurt in fight As the places do differ so the maner of defence should be altered For in the open fieldes horsemē vse to assault the armye rather then footemē But in places full of woods hilles or fennes footemē are more to be dreade This also muste be auoyded least y while one sort make to much hast another sort through negligence going to slowlye the armye be broken a sunder in the middest or els peraduenture be made thinne For the ennemyes alwayes make their inuasion there where the armye is slender Therefore the most expert Captaynes of the field the deputyes or the Tribunes must be set before whiche maye staye them that go to faste and constrayne them to make hast that go to slowlye for they that go a greate waye before if a sodaine inuasiō come do not so much couet to retyre as to flie But they that be last being left behinde of their owne companye what with the violence of the ennemyes and theyr owne dispayring are straight waye ouercome We must also know that the ennemyes do priuilye laye ambushmentes in such places as they perceyue meete for them or els do assayle them with open battaile But least anye priuye places may do hurte that the dilligence of the Captayne prouideth for whose dutye it is to searche euery thing before hand Also the ambushe beinge perceyued if it be compassed aboute pollitikelye it doth
and seueritie let him punishe all the souldiours faultes by the lawes let him not bee thought to winke at any that offendeth let him vnderstande and knowe the proofe and triall of all in sundrie places vpon diuers occasions These thinges as it behoueth being thus ordred and looked to when the enemies doe wander abroade carelesse dispersed here and there for booties then let him sende expert and tried horsemen or els footemen with the younge and meaner souldiours to the entent that if by occasion the enemies bee foiled they might bee made more cunning and the other more bolde and hardie Let him place certayne companies very priuely to come sodainly on the enemies at the passing ouer of Riuers at the stiepe or fall of mountaynes at the narrowe straightes of woodes at the daungerous passages of fennes and other wayes And let him order his owne iourney so that beinge readye and well furnyshed he may set vpon them either when they are eating or sleaping or being idle careles vnarmed vnshodde their horses being scattered abroade suspecting nothing because in suche skirmishes his souldiours may bee boldened and encouraged For they whiche before of a longe tyme or neuer in their life haue seene men wounded or â—layne at the first sight are so afrayde that they quake and tremble and being amased throught feare haue more mynde of flying theÌ„ of fighting Furthermore if the enemies doe range abroade to make inuasions let him set vpoÌ„ them after they be weary with their longe viage and let him inuade the hindermoste euen at vnwares Let him also sodainly preueÌ„t with chosen meÌ„ such as either for forage or for a bootie do tarie a great waye from their companie For these thinges must be tried firste whiche if they haue ill successe it doth small harme if they prosper well it doth muche auayle It is the pointe of a good captayne to minister and breede causes of discorde amongest th ennemies For no nation though it bee very little can quickely be destroyed of the enemies except it bee consumed with priuate dissensions and hatred within it self For ciuile discorde and hatred is to hastie and rashe in seeking the destruction of the enemies and to careles and vnheedy of foreseing of their owne defence and safetie And in this enterpryse this one thinge muste bee foretolde that no man shoulde dispayre of the perfourminge of those thinges whiche haue bene done before But some man may saye that no man in many yeares space doth enuironne an army which is pitched in a place compassed about with a ditche a rampire or trenche I aunsweare hym thus that if this heede were taken the sodaine inuasion of enemies neither by night nor daye coulde doe any hurte at al. The Persians following the example of the Romaines doe pitche their campes with diches drawen about and for as muche as all places in a manner be sandie they fill sackes whiche they caried empty with earth very dustie and drie which in those places is digged and with an heape of them they doe make a rampire Al the barbarous people hauing their cartes ioyned together in a rounde compasse after the manner of a rampire do passe ouer the nightes quietly and out of daunger of them that do inuade them And doe we feare that we can not learne those thinges whiche others haue learned of vs These thinges must be learned by experience and also by reading of suche thinges as before tyme were obserued but being left of for a great whyle no man hath sought them out because that as long as peace flourished the necessitie of warre was far out of mynde But least it may seeme impossible to renewe and restore the knowledge of marshall affayres being long intermitted and decayed for lacke of exercise examples may sufficiently teache vs in this point The knowledge of warfare hath oftentymes bene forgotten with them of olde but 〈◊〉 hath bene sought out againe in bookes and confirmed by the skill and authoritie of good captaines Scipio Aphricanus did take the armies which were in Spayne being ofteÌ„times ouercome vnder dyuers generall captaines and obseruing the order and preceptes of warfare hee so diligently exercised theÌ„ in casting of ditches making treÌ„ches that he would saye commonly that diggers muste bee defiled with myre whiche would be washed with the bloud of their enemies And at the lengthe with those he so fired the Numaintines that their citie was taken and neuer one escaped Metellus receiued an armie in Aphâ—ike whiche was subdued vnder Albinus their generall captaine whiche he did so repaire with olde preceptes and pollicie of the auncient warriours that afterwarde they ouercame them of whom they had bene subdued before The Germaines also in Fraunce destroied the legions whiche Cepio Manilius and Sillanus led the remnaunt wherof wheÌ„ Caius Marius had receiued he so enstructed them with knowledge and skill of fighting that hee destroyed in open battayle an innumerable multitude not onely of Zelanders but also of Germaines Hungarians For it is easier to enstructe souldiours of new vnto prowesse then to cal againe them that be throughly afraide ¶ What thinges should be done the same daye that the open or set battaile should be ioyned Chapiter .xj. THe more easie feates of warre beinge declared before the order of the trade knowledge of warfare dothe moue me nowe to come to the doubtfull daie of the opeÌ„ fight and mortall daie vnto nations and people For the whole victorie consisteth in the successe of open battayle Then at this tyme so muche more ought the captaines to be diligent and carefull in as muche as greater renowne is hoped for of them that be diligent and the greater daunger dothe followe them that bee slouthefull and vnexperte in whiche the vse of skilfulnes the knowledge and pollicie of fighting incontinent doth trie and rule all the matter In olde tyme they were wonte to bryng forth the souldiours to fight refreshed before with a small portion of meate to the intent that their meate receiued might make them the quicker and that in the longer bickeringe they mighte not be wearied with hunger Great care also must be had if the enemies be present whether you bryng forth the souldiours to the battell out of the campe or out of a citie least whyles the armie goeth forthe through the straighte passage of the gates by smal numbres it be discomfited of the enemies gathered together in a readines Therefore this muste be prouided that all the souldiours doe issue forth of the gates and the armie be set in araye before the enemy come If â—o be that the enemies beinge ready come to them abiding still in the citie let their issuing foorthe either bee differred or at the least dissembled that when the aduersaries shall beginne to aduaunce and boaste them selues against those whome they thinke wyll not come forth of their citie when as they shall retire and purpose to gette some bootie and so shall breake their araie then they beynge astonied let
moste readie souldiours which are armed with shieldes with young archers and such as fight with dartes and leaden pluÌ„mettes which they name Martiabarbulos all which were called light harnissed men Therefore wee muste knowe for as muche as the twoo first orders doe stande still the thirde ordre the fourth with their dartes and arrowes must alwayes goe forthe to prouoke the enemies If so be that they can put theÌ„ to flight then they with the horsemen doe pursue But if they be driueÌ„ backe by the enemies they returne to 〈◊〉 firste and seconde ordres againe and amongest them euery one takes his owne place But the firste and seconde battayle as soone as they come to fight with dinte of swoordes and shorte dartes that is as they saye commonly to hande strokes they endure and heare of the brunte of all the battaile In the fifthe raye or battayle sometyme were planted field peeces and shooters in crossebowes slingers both with the slyngestaffe and with the hande They be called Fundibulatores whiche caste stones with staffeslinges The slinge staffe is a staffe foure foote long to the whiche through the myddes is bounde a slinge of leather and being forced with both handes dothe caste leuell the stones in manner of a great gunne Funditores be suche as caste stones with slynges made of flaxe threede or great heares for these they doe call the better they doe throwe stones fetching their arme rounde about their head They that had no shieldes did fight in this order whether it were with stones caste with hande or with dartes whom they did name Accensos as who saye as yet younger men and not expert but afterwarde added and put to the legion The sixte order was vpholden and stayed with the moste valiaunt and couragious warriours and suche as hadde shieldes and were fenced with al kinde of armour and weapons whome the auncient men did name Triarios that is to saye souldiours whiche be set alwayes in the rerewarde whiche were the strongest men These are alwayes placed after the laste rankes that being rested freshe they might more sharpely assaile their ennemies For if any thing had happened otherwyse theÌ„ well vnto the first orders al the hope of recouery did hange and depende of their force strengthe ¶ The maner of measuring by the foote how much space in the battell should be betweene euery man in length or in breadeth and howe much betwixte euerye rancke Chap. xv BUt after that I haue sette forth in what maner the armye ought to to be set in arraye nowe I wil declare the footinge and measuringe of the same In one myles space one battell doth containe 1666. footemen because that euery souldiour doth occupye three foote space If that you would ordeine sixe battelles in a myle space there must needes be 9996. footemen But if you woulde pitche the same nomber in three ranckes you must take .2000 paces But it is bettter to make mo battelles then to disperse them farther a sonder But I sayde before that there oughte to appeare betweene euery rancke behinde their backes sixe foote in breadth And the fighters as they stande to take euery one a foote And therefore if you would set in araye vi ranckes or battelles 42. foote in breadth and a myle in lengthe will containe an armye of tenne Thousand men But if you would set the same in araye deuide into three battelles .21 foote in breadth and two myles in length will containe the armye of tenne Thousande meâ— After the same reasoÌ„ whether there be xx thousand or .30 thousande footemeÌ„ accordinge to the measuring by the foote they maye be set in araye verye easelye Neyther is the Captaine deceyued when hee knoweth howe many armed men euerye place can containe Finallye if the place be somewhat streight or if the nomber be sufficient then it is best to set them in nine battels or moe For it is better that they fight thicke together then seuered further a great distaunce one from another For if the battell be made to slender and thinne the ennemyes do easelye breake through and disturbe the araye by violent inuasion and no helpe afterward can be had But what bandes ought to be set in the right wiâ—g what in the lefte and what in the middest it is 〈…〉 a custome and maner either accordinge to their dignityes degrees or els for the order and fourme of the ennemyes it is altered ¶ Of settinge the horsemen in order Chap. xvi AFter y the footemen be set in battel raye the horsemeÌ„ are set in y winges so that all they y be in complete harnesse such as haue lances be ioyned to the footemeÌ„ But archers such as are not well armed let them roue abroade keepe a loufe from those which are better armed more valiant souldiours For the sydes be defended with horsemen and the winges of the ennemyes must be seperate scattered and disturbed by the quicke and light horsemen The Captaine ought to know against what troupes of the ennemyes or against what ranckes of his ennemyes hee muste place his troupe of horsemen For I knowe not by what hid or secrete waye yea rather by some heauenlye meanes some do fight against some better then others and they that had ouercome stronger men oftentimes are ouercome of that weaker If so be that the horsemen be not equal the swiftest footemen after the maner of the olde warriours with light Tergettes exercised to the same purpose should be ioyned wyth them whom they did name Expeditos velites that is to say light and nimble for skirmishes Which being done though there were neuer so stoute horsemen of the ennemyes yet caÌ„ they not be able to matche an armye so mingled and tempered The olde Captaines inuented this remedye that they vsed to exercise certaine yonge men that ranne notablie and did alwayes place of them betweene euerye two horsemen a footeman with light sheldes swordes and dartes ¶ Of aydes or rescues which are placed behinde the battell Chap. xvii BUt the best waye is and doth most auaile to the obtayning of the victorye that the Captayne haue in a readines behinde the battell the moste pyked and choise souldiours of the footemen horsemen with the deputyes rulers Tribunes attending onlye to that purpose Some about the winges some in the middest that if the ennemyes in any place do violently assault them and striue to burste in by force the may steppe forth sodenlye and fulfill the places least the battell raye might be disturbed and broken and so by shewing their manlines and courage they might abate the stoutenes of the ennemyes The Lacedemonians first inueÌ„ted this waye whom the men of Carthage haue followed afterwarde the Romaynes in all places haue obserued the same There is no better order or placinge of a battell then this For the forefronte which is placed directlye against the ennemyes oughtt onlye to do this if it be possible eyther to driue backe the ennemye or els to
discomfite him If it be set like a wedge small before and broade behinde or spreading open like a payre of sheares you must needes haue behinde the battell souldiours more then ordinarye of which you woulde make your battell wedgewyse or open like the sheares if it should be ledde in and out like a sawe it shal be made likewyse of the superfluous souldiours For if you beginne to put out anye souldiour set in araye out of his place you shall disturbe and bring all out of order If anye troupe of the ennemyes departe from their companye and beginne earnestlye to inuade eyther your winge or anye other parte vnlesse you haue souldiours more then ordinarye whom you maye set against those troupes whether you take horsemen from the battell or els footemen whiles you wou would defende one part you shall endaunger the other by dispoyling of it so If you haue not a sufficiente multitude or plentye enoughe of fightinge men it is better to haue the battell lesse pitched so that you place verye manye to serue for ayde and succour for you must haue manye choise men about the middle part of the battell pyked out of the wel armed footemen of which you maye make your battaile wedgewyse and so shortly breake into the armye of your ennemyes And it is verye good to enuirone the winges of your ennemyes battell with the horsemen aboute your winges appointed and kepte for this purpose whiche are furnished with lance and armour and the light armed footemen ¶ In which place the first and chiefe Captaine ought to stande in which the seconde and in which the thirde Chap. xviij THe Captaine which beareth the chiefest rule and auctoritye vseth to stande betwene the horsemē and footemen on the righte syde For this is the place in which all the battell is ruled from whence is the streighte and free passage to the skirmish And therfore doth he stand betwene both those cōpanies that he may both guide with wisedome and counsell also exhorte with his auctoritye estimation as well the horsemen as footemen to fight He with the horsemen which are aboue the ordinarye nomber and the lighte footemen mingled with them must cōpasse the left winge of the ennemyes which standes against the same alwayes assault presse on them beehinde their backes The seconde Captaine is set in the middle battell of the footemen which may staye strengthen the same This Captaine must haue with him the most valiant wel armed footemen of them that be ouerplus Of the which eyther he himsellfe maye make his battel wedgewyse and burst the forefront of the ennemyes or els if the ennemyes shall make theirs wedgewyse he may make his battell open like the sheares that he maye meete encounter with the ennemyes wedge In the lefte syde of y armye the third Captaine ought to be very valiant in armes wyse and cyrcumspect because the left syde is more in daunger as it were stands in the battaile maymed and weake Therefore he must haue aboute him good horsemen whiche are aboue the ordinary nomber the most nimble footemē by the which he maye alway enlarge the lefte winge least it should be cōpassed about of the ennemyes But the shoute or crye which they do call Barrithum muste not be raysed vp before that both the battelles be ioyned For it is the pointe of such as be vnskilfull and cowards to crye aloude a great waye of when as the ennemyes are made more afrayde if with the dint of weapons come together the hedious shoute and crye But you must alwayes caste and studye to set your battaile in arraye before your ennemyes because you maye at your owne wil and pleasure do that which you thincke to be fitte and profitable vnto your selfe when no mā doth let or withstande by this meanes also you shall more encourage and bouldē your souldiours and discourage your ennemyes For they are moste couragious whiche dare prouoke and chalenge their ennemyes And the ennemyes do beginne to feare when they see the battell set in order and arraye and this commonlye also commeth hereof that you beinge now set in order and well prepared maye preuente and assaulte your enemyes ordering themselues tremblinge for feare For it is one part of the victorye to disturbe the ennemye before you fight ¶ Wyth what meanes the vallantnes and deceytes of the ennemyes in the battell maye be withstande and preuented Chap. xix BEsydes the priuye onsettes sodaine inuasions vppon occasiō which the Captaine of an army doth neuer omit somtime it is good to set vpon the ennemyes whē they are wearyed with long iourneyes dispersed through passing ouer of ryuers letted with fennes or marisses trauailinge in the toppes of mountaynes scattered in the plaine fieldes and sleaping quietlye in their abyding places For when the ennemye is hindred or troubled with other busines he maye be slaine before that he can prepare himselfe If so be that y aduersaryes be ware and cyrcumspect and that there is no oportunitye of lying in waite then with like choise and aduauntage we must fight hande to hand with our ennemyes which knowe and see all as well as wee For this cause the skill and knowledge of warre doth no lesse helpe them that be enstructed in this open fight then in the priuye deceiptes and lyinge in waite But aboue all thinges you muste take heede least vppon the left winge whiche more commonlye doth chaunce or els on the righte whiche happeneth verye seldome your souldiours be compassed aboute of the multitude of the ennemyes of troupes of horsemē rouing abrode whom they call Grumos Which thinge if it shall chaūce one helpe and remedye is that you turne your winge as it were the insyde outward and make it rounde because that they being turned may defend the backes of their fellowes But in that corner where most perill and daunger is muste be placed the moste valiance men for there the greater violence and brunte is wont to be Likewyse against the araye of the ennemyes comming wedgewyse you may resist with certaine and ordinarye meanes Cuneus is called a companye of footemen which ioyned with the forebattell goeth in like order small before broade behinde and so doth inuade and breake the arayes of the aduersaryes for so muche as y dartes be caste of a great manye into one place The whiche thinge the souldiours do name Caput Porcinum the swynes heade against the whiche that order and raye is appointed which is called Forfex opening like a payre of sheares For this battell is made of wel chosen souldiours set thicke together in forme and likenes of the letter V and doth receyue the wedge or sharpe battell of the ennemyes and encloseth it on both sydes which being done it cannot pearce throughe the forebattel Also Serra is called a companye which beinge appointed of the stoute and valiant souldiours fighteth in battaile sometime marchinge forwarde sometime recoylinge as a sawe goeth when it is
a spitte or a darte For if you shall beginne to beate the lefte part of his armye both of the sydes and behind without doubt you shall put them to flighte But thaduersarye cannot succour his y be in daunger neither with his right winge nor with his middle battell because your battell is stretched forth reacheth it selfe al in length after the fashioÌ„ similitude of the letter I. goeth a great way of froÌ„ theÌ„nemyes with the which kinde many times they bicker in their vyages The .7 kinde of fight is which through y helpe benefit of the place doth helpe him y doth fight In this kinde also you may withstand match wyth your aduersary both wyth a small nomber also with lesse valiant souldiours if you haue on one syde an hill or the sea or a ryuer or a lake or a Cittye or fennes or rockes stiepe downe places by y which the ennemyes cannot come vnto set y residue of your armie in straight battel raye But in that winge which hath no defence you must set al your horsemen GuÌ„ners Then with more safetye you shal encounter with the ennemye after your owne will pleasure because of one part the nature of the place doth defende you of y other part almost a double streÌ„gth of horsemeÌ„ is set NotwithstaÌ„ding this thing ought to be obserued which is most necessary that whether you would fight you right winge with his left wing there set the valiant men or whether your left with his right wing there place the stoutest men or whether you would make a wedge or sharpe battell in the middest by the which you might breake the battel rayes of your enemies in the same wedge you must ordaine set the most experte cunning souldiours For the victory is wont to be atchieued by a few The matter doth altogether rest in this that by a wyse and discreete Captaine chosen men be set in those places which by skill are thought most fit and commmodious ¶ That a waye should be geuen to the ennemyes to depart that they may more easelye be destroyed in flyinge awaye Chap. xxi MAnye men being ignorante of the feates of warre do thincke they maye haue a greater victorye if they can compasse the aduersaryes eyther with straitnes of places or with multitude of armed meÌ„ y they can finde no way to depart or flie away But they which are so enclosed be more encouraged boldned through desperatioÌ„ when ther is no hope at al feare doth coÌ„straine them to fighte He doth couet willingly to die with company which knoweth most certenly y he must needes dye Therfore is the saying of Scipio coÌ„mended which sayd y the way wherby the ennemies might flie shold not be fortifyed For if a passage to depart awaybe once opened as sone as y minds of al do agre to ruÌ„ne away they are slaine murdered like beasts neither is there any dauÌ„ger to them y pursue when as they y be ouercome haue turned their weapons into flighte with the which they mighte haue bene defended After this sort y greater y an armye is so much more easy a great nomber is ouerthroweÌ„ for there is no noÌ„ber to be required wher the hart of the souldiers once sore afraied discouraged doth not so much couet to shun y weapons of the ennemyes as their faces But being enclosed though few in noÌ„ber weake in power yet in this same point they be equal to their ennemyes for as much as being in despayre they know that they hopinge for no escape muste needes fight For this only hope haue they that be desperate to loke for no safetye or life at all ¶ After what maner ye may depart froÌ„ the ennemye if you do not like of your purposed battel Chap. xxii AL thinges beinge orderlye declared made plaine which the trade of warre hath by experience knowledge obserued one thing remayneth to declare after what maner we may retyre froÌ„ the ennemies For they y be expert in the knowledge of warre in examples do testifye y no where any greater dauÌ„ger doth appeare For he y before the ioyninge together doth recoyle doth both take awaye good hope froÌ„ his owne armye doth encourage and bolden the ennemyes But forasmuch as this thing doth of necessity happen oftentimes we must declare by what meanes the same may be done safely First of all that your owne men do not knowe that therefore you departe because you shunne to ioyne battel but y they may be brought in beleue that they be called backe by some pollicye for this intente y the ennemies may be allured vnto a more coÌ„uenient place y may be the more easelye vanquished or els if the ennemyes should pursue after them priuye waytes might be layed the better For it must needes be that they wil be ready to flye which perceyue theyr owne Captaine to despayre This also is to be auoyded that the ennemyes in no wyse perceyue of your departure away and so forthwith runne hastelye vppoÌ„ you Therefore manye haue set their horsemen before their footemen to the ende that they running to and fro shoulde not suffer the ennemyes to see when the footemen departed Also they withdrewe euery rancke or batteile particularly beginninge at the first and called them backewarde The other remayninge still in their order and place which afterwarde by little and little reâ—oylinge they ioyned vnto them which they had withdrawen First after the wayes were searched some did retyre with the armye by night to thintent that wheÌ„ the daye came the ennemyâ—es could not ouertake them that went before Moreoâ—er the lighte harnessed men were sente before to the hilles by the which the armye might sodainlye be called againe withoute daunger and if the ennemyes woulde followe on they were discomfited of the light harnessed men which gotte the place before them with the horsemeÌ„ also ioyned to them For nothing is thought more daungerous then if they whiche lye in the ambushe should meete them that pursue them vnaduisedly or before they haue prepared themselues This is the time wherein ambushmentes or trappes conuenientlye are layed because there is greater boldnes and lesse care against them that are in flying For of necessity of greater securitye and lesse carefulnes ensueth greater perill and daunger Ennemies are wont to come sodainlye vppon such as are vnprepared or takinge their meate wearye in theyr iourneye feedinge their horses and suspectinge no suche thing at all Which thinge both we our selues must avoyde and in such maner of occasions we must annoye our ennemye For neyther manhoode nor yet the nomber of men can helpe suche as be oppressed by such a chaunce for as muche as he that in battaile is ouercome in open fight although pollicy and cunning doth there auayle verye muche yet he may accuse or alledge ill fortune for his defence but he that hath falleÌ„ into the sodaine comming on of the ennemyes and theyr
ambushes layed for them can alledge nothinge to excuse his falte because he mighte haue auoyded it and knowen before by scoutes and spyes meete for the purpose Whensoeuer any armye or companye doth retyre this subtiltye is commonlye vsed A fewe horsemen do followe after with a straight iourney a stronge power is secretely sent by other places or wayes as sone as the horsemen come to the ennemyes they trye and assay lightly what they can do and so depart The ennemye thinketh streight y whatsoeuer lying in wayte had beene that is gone and past and so waxeth carelesse negligentâ— then that power which was appointed by a secrete waye comminge on them sodenlye doth oppresse them at vnwares Manye when they departe awaye from the ennemye if they goe throughe anye woodes do preuent and take rockes or straight places least their ennemyes shoulde there lye in wayte for them And agayne they stoppe the waye behinde theym with trees cutte downe which they call Compedes that is to saye fetters or gyues to the entente they maye let their ennemyes in pursuing them and in such wayes there is occasion for both the partyes as well the one as the other to lye in waite For he that goeth before doth leaue ambushmentes as it were behinde him in valleys meete for the purpose or mountaynes full of woodes into the which when the ennemyes shal fall he returneth quickely and helpeth his owne companye But he that followeth by backe wayes doth sende light harnessed men a good waye before and gettinge before doth kepe his ennemye from passing ouer to the ende that he may encclose him beinge deceyued both behinde and before And as wel he that goeth before maye returne backe as also he that followeth thoughe it be farre of may sodainlye come vppoÌ„ them that are a sleape in the night by some deceipte or pollicye In the passinge ouer of ryuers he that goeth before doth assaye to oppresse that part which is sent before to passe ouer whiles the residue are scattered in the ryuer But heâ— that followeth in hast doth trouble those that coulde not passe ouer before ¶ Of Camelles and men of armes vpon barded horses Chap. xxiii SOme Nations haue vsed in times paste to bringe forth Camelles in the forebattell as the people called Vrciliani in Affricke they that be called Macetes at this daye do bring forth the same But this kinde of beastes being apt for sandye and drye places and to abyde thirst is reported to go y streight wayes without waÌ„dring yea though they be troubled with dust through the wynde But sauinge for the strangenesse if it be put awaye from the thinges that it hath bene accustomed with it is of no force in the warre The barded horsemen for the munitioÌ„ of armour which they beare are in deede safe from woundes But for the hinderance and waightines of armour it is an easye thing to take them and many times they be in danger to giâ—â—es and shares they be better against footemen scattered abroade then against horsemen in fight neuerthelesse being set eyther before the Legions or els ioyned with the Legionaryes what time as they ioyne together in fight that is to saye hande to hande oftentimes they breake and inuade the forebattell of the ennemyes ¶ After what maner we may withstande Chariottes armed with hookes and also Elephantes in the battell Chap. xxiiii KInge Antiochus and kinge Mithridates had Chariottes in the warre armed with hookes Which as at the first broughte greate feare in the battell so afterward they were laught to scorne for the armed Chariottes doth hardlye finde a plaine and euen fielde at all tymes and with a small let it is holden backe one horse being vexed or wouÌ„ded it is disappointed But these things haue perished and decayed chiefely through the pollicye of the Romayne souldiours After they came to fight the Romaines sodenly thorow out the fieldes did cast caltroppes on the which when as the Chariottes fell in their running they were destroyed this same Tribulus or caltroppe is an instrumeÌ„t of defence fastened together with .iiii. yron pinâ—es the which whatsoeuer waye you will cast it doth stande with three corners or prickes and with the fourth standing vp right is verye daungerous The Elephantes by reason of the greatnes of theyr bodyes the fearefulnes of theyr cry or braying the strangenes of their forme and shape do trouble both men horses in the battayles Kinge Pyrrhus brought these first against the Romaynes in Lucania Afterward Hanniball in Affricke kinge Antiochus in the East parte Iugurtha in Numidia had many of them against the which they inuented sondrye kinds of armour and weapons to withstand them For a certaine Centurion in Lucania with a sworde cut away froÌ„ one of them the hand or long snoute which they call PromnistideÌ„ and two barded horses were ioyned to the Chariottes vpon whom such as were called Clibanarij sitting did directe against the Elephantes longe speares called Sarissas that is to say the longest poles they could get for being fenced with yron armour neither were they hurt of the Archers which the beastes did carrye they shunned the violence of the Elephantes throughe the swiftnes of the horses Some other haue sent out against the Elephants souldiours in complet armour so that in their armes and helmettes or shoulders were sette great sharpe prickes of yron least the Elephant with his hande or longe snoute maye laye holde of the man that came to fighte against him Yet the olde men of warre chiefelye appointed lighte harnessed men called Velites against the Elephantes Velites were yonge men wyth lighte armoure of a lustye and liuelye bodye whiche shotte and cast dartes verye well on horsebacke These when they ranne besydes the Elephantes wyth broade speares and greater Dartes then they were wonte killed the beastes but when hardines and boldnes grewe afterwarde manye souldiours together cast al at once their dartes that is to saye theyr shotte against the Elephantes so wounded them Yet this also they vsed to do y slingers with slingstaues round stones leuelled out of their slinges did ouerthrow and kill the men of Inde which ruled the Elephantes with y towers also and there was no safer waye to destroye them inuented then this Moreouer the souldiours made roume for the comminge of the beastes where they mighte breake into the battell whiche when as they came so farre as the middest of the hoast the troupes of armed men compassed them about on euerye syde and toke both the beast and their rulers not hurte nor wounded It is verye good also to set certaine field peeces behinde the forebattel of a greater bignes then the residue layed vppon cartes wyth two horses or Mules for suche do shoote leuell their pellets farther and with greater violence and when the Elephantes come within y reache of the darte the beasts are stricken through with the shotte of the Gunners Notwithstanding the yron is thrust broder and more surelye into them
let him get the higher places for the footemen accomplishe his enterprise chiefelye by them When a spye of the enemyes doth go to and fro in y campe verye priuily let euery man be commaâ—ided in the day time to resort to his pauilion straight wayâ— the spyes is apprehended When you shall know that your counsell and purpose is bewrayed to the ennemyes then you muste chaunge your intent and purpose herein That which chiefely ought to be brought to passe intreat and deliberate with manye but that which you do intende to do herein communicate with verye fewe and those moste trustye faythfull or rather deliberate and consult of them wyth your owne selfe and no mo Punishment and feare do amende souldiours abyding in one certayne place in a vyage oriourneye hope and rewardes do make them better Good Captaynes do neuer fight in open or set battell but vppon good occasion or very great necessitye It is a good deuise rather to oppresse the ennemye wyth hunger and famine then wyth the sworde As touchinge an armye of horsemen there be manye rules and precepts but seing that this part of warrefare hath profited and proceded through vse and exercise through the kinde of armour and the worthines of horses I suppose that nothinge is to be gathered out of bookes when as this present instruction may be sufficient Let not the ennemyes knowe after what maner you intende to fight least they go about to preuent and withstand the same by one helpe or other I haue orderly declared thinges O valiaunt and mighty Emperour whiche being approued diuers sundry times through faithfull and diligent experience the moste worthy authours haue set foorth and published that vnto the cunning of shooting which in your grace the Persian doth praise and maruayle at vnto the knowledge and comelines of riding of horses whiche the people of Hungarre and Scithia called Hunni Alani would gladly imitate if they could and to the swiftenes of running wherein the Saracine and man of Inde can not matche with you to the exercising of handling the weapons vsing al kinde of artillerie wherin the captaines and maisters of the fielde are glad that they knewe some good examples to followe vnto all these thinges I saye a rule or trade howe to fighte in battayle yea rather pollicie howe to gette the victorie muste bee annexed that as much as you can through puissance and marueilous good orderinge of your common wealth you may shewe the office and perfourme the dutie bothe of an Emperour and a souldiour The fourth booke of Flauius Vegetiuâ— Renatus of the feates of vvarre The Prologue BUilding of cities was the thing that in the beginning did separate and deuide the homelye and rude lyfe of men from the societie and companie of dumme creatures wilde beastes The whiche cities vpon their common vtilitie and profite haue the name of publike weales Therefore most mightie nations and princes of famous memory haue thought there could be no greater renowme then either to builde newe cities or els amplifying those whiche haue bene builded by others to call them after their owne name Wherein your maiestie doth obtayne the chiefest prayse of al other For whereas other princes haue builded one citie a piece or fewe moe Your grace with continuall labour hath erected suche a nuÌ„ber that they may seeme to be builded not so muche by mans hand as by the will and working of god So you excell all other Emperours in happines of estate in temperance in chastnes of life in examples to bee followed and in the great loue that you beare towardes learning We see with oâ—r eies the goodnes of your gouernemeÌ„t and also of your good minde The which thinges both they whiche haue gone before vs did wyshe to enioye and they whicht are yet to come desire to coÌ„tinue for euer By reason wherof we doe reioyce that so great a iewell is geuen to all the worlde as either the minde of man could desire or the bountiefulnes of God could geue And as for the building vp and repairing of walles howe it hath gone forewarde through the good orders deuised by your grace the citie of Rome can shewe Whiche by defending the tower Capitolium hath saued the citizeÌ„s liues that afterward it might with greater glory obtayne the dominion of all the worlde Therefore for the accomplishing of this worke taken in hande at the commaundemen of your maiestie I wyll bringe into order the deuises of sundry writers by the whiche both our owne cities may be defended and the cities of our enemies ouerthrowen neither shall it forthinke me of my labour because these thinges in time to come may be profitable to all men That cities ought to be fenced either vvith handvvorke or nature or bothe The first Chapter CIties and castels are fenced either by nature or with hande or els with both which is rekened the stronger By nature as with the heighte or craggines of the place with the sea with fennes or with riuers By hande as with ditches and walles In that benefite and helpe of nature the moste safetie consisteth in the wittines and counsell of the chooser in the playne grounde full necessary is the diligent trauel of the builder And we see some very auncient cities so builded in playne open fieldes that although the helpe of situation did faile yet with cunning and workemanship they were made inuincible ¶ That wales should â—ot be made streight but with many coignes Chapiter .ij. MEn in times past drewe not y circuite of their walles streight lest they might be apt to receaue the strokes of the battering ramme But laying the foundation they enclosed their cities with many wyndinges turnings in and out and in the very corners did builde many towers For this cause that if the enemy would set ladders or other engines vnto a wall builded after suche order hee might bee beaten downe not onely before but also on the sides and in a manner behinde as enclosed in a lane or bought ¶ After what sorte earth may be heaped vp and ioyned to a wall so that it shall neuer be beaten downe Cap. iij. A Wall which can neuer be throwen down is made after this maner Make two walles on the towne side of y ditche a good way distant a sunder then caste betweene them that earthe whiche yowe throwe out of the ditche and beate it downe harde with beetels and weigâ—tie instrumentes so that that whiche is firste and nexte to â—he vtmoste stonewall be somewhat lower then the stonewall it selfe and the seconde a good deale lower then the firste that from the citie men may goe vp easely to the battlementes as in the rising of an hil or after the maÌ„ner of steiars A wal thus strengthened with earthe can neuer be beaten downe with any ramme and though the stones should chauÌ„ce to be throwen downe yet the greate heape of earthe that is rammed betwene the walles doth withstande them that
chosen whiche both may haue bloud enough and so not force neither for hurting nor killing haue wisedome also sufficieÌ„t wherby wisely to kepe a moderate meane aduisedly by circumspect councel to preuaile in their fighting ¶ Whether out of the countrey or out of the citie yong souldiours may be taken moste conueniently Chapiter .iij. IT foloweth that we knowe whether out of the countrey or out of the citie a young souldiour maye be chosen more coÌ„uenient As concerning which part none I thinke euer doubted but the common rude sorte alwayes was fittest for the warres whiche is brought vp abroade vseth to take paine that can abide sunne burning that passeth not for the shade that neuer knewe what bathes ment ignorant of delicatenes simple of minde content with a litle hardened in euery parte to abide beare labour Howbeit sometime necessitie so constraineth that euen out of cities they be forced to the warre Suche therefore when they are ones made sworne souldiours let them learne to toyle trauel to ruÌ„ne to fro to cary burdeÌ„s to abide the sunne dust Let theÌ„ fare hardly homely let them sometimes be occupied abroade sometimes in their teÌ„tes then at the length let theÌ„ be taught to vse their armour And if the armie shall soiourne long abroade they must be kept hard to their taske holden farre from all allurementes of the citie that by this meanes both the streÌ„gthe of their bodies and myndes may encrease Neither is it to bee denied after the citie was buylded that the Romaines went alâ—ayes out of the same vnto warre But then were they not weakened with pleasures of the bodie deliciousnes The sweate which was gotten in running and other exercise of Campus Martius the youthe washte it away with swimming in the ryuer Tyber The warriour husbandman were all one onely they differed in kynde of armoure Whiche thing is altogether so true that it is moste true howe that vnto Quintius Cincinnatus as he was at plough the greatest authoritie amongest the Romaines in tyme of warre the office Dictatura was offered and geuen Out of the countrey therfore the force of the armie seemeth chiefly to be supplied For it comes to passe I can not tell howe that hee lesse feareth death whiche hath tasted least pleasure and deliciousâ—es in his lyfe ¶ Of what age those young souldiours should be whiche should be thought allowable Chapiter .iiij. NOwe let vs searche of what age it is conuenient that wee chose our souldiours Uerely if wee wyll obserue old custome so soone as they growe any thing toward mans state about fourtene and sixtene yeares euerye man wyll graunte they should appeare at the mâ—ster for not only more spedely but also more perfectly all thinges are learned whiche we learne in our younge tyme Besydes agilitie and actiuitie fitte for warre as leaning running must be tried and put in vre before the bodie be infeebled by age for it is readines gotten by former practice that maketh a good souldiour The younger sorte must be chosen as saith Salust for no sooner were younge men able to awaye with warre as they learned vsually and painfully in the campe the practise of the same And it is better that a yonge man exercised should alledge that all his age to fight is not yet come then that he should truely lamente that the same were already paste Let him also haue space and tyme to learne euery poincte thereof For whether you will make a good horse maÌ„ a good footeman a good archer or teache a man at armes all his numbers places and gestures that he forsake not his standing that he breake not araye to caste his darte with good ayme and strength conningly to entrenche and driue his stakes to welde his terget well to awarde onerthwarte strokes warely to auoyde blowes and boldely to stryke his enemie It semeth no small nor lyghte poinct of warre A souldiour in this sorte instructed shal not be afrayd but take pleasure to fight with what so euer enemy in the fielde ¶ Of what stature yonge souldiours should be chosen Chapter .v. MArius Consull of Rome I knowe alwayes chose younge souldiours of tall stature so that he woulde allowe none for horsemen in the wynges and fronte of his battayle but suche as were sixe foote hyghe or fiue tenne inches at the least But then was there more plenty of people more that followed the warre For as yet had not ciuile dissention spent awaye the flourishing youth of the citie Therefore if nede so râ—quire it is mete to haue regarde more of strengthe then of stature and that we are not herein deceiued we haue Homere for wytnes who declareth that Tideus was but small of persone but yet of good courage and stomake ¶ To knowe by the countenaunce and making of the body whiche souldiours are like to proue good Chapter .vj. HE that wyll goe about to muster men must be verye carefull that by the continuance by the eyes by the sure compacting and ioyning of the lymmes he chose them whiche may be able to perfourme the parte and dutie of souldiours For not only in men but also in horses and in dogges the chiefest power is signified by many tokens as the best learned men haue declared in their wrytinges and as also the Poete Virgill speaking of Bees thus noteth to be obserued Of bees two sortes there are but yet the better sure is hee With semely coate that semeth so of golden hewe to bee The other grosse and full of slouth deserues no prayse we see Let the young man therefore that shal be a souldiour not looke drowsely let hym be straighte necked broade brested let his shoulders be well fleshe let him haue stroÌ„g fyngers longe armes a gaunte belly slender legges the calfe and feete not to full of fleshe but knitte faste with harde and stronge synowes Fynding these tokens in a souldiour you neade not greatly complayne for wante of tall stature For more requisite it is that souldiours be stronge and valiant then huge and great ¶ What sciences younge souldiours should be skilful in whiche should be either chosen or refused Chapiter .vij. IT followeth diligeÌ„tly to be knowen what sciences young souldiours should haue learned that are either to be admitted or vtterly refused I suppose that fishers fowlers Pasterours linnen weauers and whosoeuer that dealeth with any thing that betokeneth a womanishe nicenes should be vtterly banished the campe Smythes CarpeÌ„ters Butchers Hunters of the harte and wylde boares maye moste conueniently be called to warre And herein consisteth the safetie of the whole common wealthe that wee choose our souldiours not so muche for goodly bodie as for manly courage of minde The strengthe of the realme and the name of the Romaynes lieth in the firste examining of th the souldiours that are chosen And let none thinke this a small office and euerywhere to be committed to euery one whiche of dyuers vertues that Sertorius had was
owne presence but also they theÌ„ selues being perfecte in the knowledge of armes did exhorte and encourage other the rather by their example often to doe the lyke The tribunes carefulnes by this industrious traueile was verye muche commended when as his souldiours went cleane in apparell when their armoure was sure and brighte when they often exercised them selues by vse to become skilfull ¶ Of the centuries or hundredes of the footemen and of their ensignes or penoncels or banners Chapter .xiij. THe firste and chiefe standerd of all the legion is the eagle whiche he that carieth is called Aquilifer Also there be caried in euery cohort dragoÌ„s and those that carie them are called Draconarii But the auncient men of warre because they knewe that in the fightinge of the bâ—â—â—taile it might so fall out that array in the armie might very soone be brokeÌ„ for remedie thereof they deuided the cohorts into centuries or huÌ„dredes to euery hundred they appointed a peculiar ensigne so that it was written with letters in that ensigne or flagge of whiche cohort or bande of which centurie in order of the same cohorte euery one was The whiche the souldiours beholdinge and readinge in neuer so great hurly burly could not farre wander from their companies of their own tent Moreouer they coÌ„maunded the ceÌ„turions which now are called Centenarii beinge valiaunt warriours in complet harnis to gouerne euery centurie or hundred the crestes of their helmets being set ouerthwart to th entent they might be more easely knowen and to th end there might be no great disorder when as an hundred souldiours might followe not onely their ensigne but also their centurion or captaine by the marke or ensigne in his helmet Againe the centuries or hundredes were deuided into companies of ten souldiours so that ouer ten souldiours abiding vnder one pauilion one was chiefe ruler called Decanus as who say the chief of ten which is named the head of the company And y coÌ„pany ofteÌ„ was called Manipulus for that that haÌ„d in haÌ„d as it were they faught alwayes iust iointly together ¶ Of the trompes of the legionary horsemen called Turmae Chapiter .xiiij. LIke as among the footemeÌ„ there was century that is to say the nuÌ„bre of a huÌ„dred meÌ„ or Manipulus which is lesse â–ª y is y nuÌ„bre of x. eueÌ„ so is turma called amoÌ„gst the horsemeÌ„ One troupe doth coÌ„teine .32 horsemen The captaine ouer these is called Decurio the leadear of .30 or mo of horsemen For an .100 footemen go vnder one centurioÌ„ vnder one ensigne likewise vnder one DecurioÌ„ .32 horsemeÌ„ vnder one ensigne Moreouer like as the centurioÌ„ to be choseÌ„ should be a maÌ„ of great streÌ„gth of tall stature cuÌ„ningly and stroÌ„gly to tosse his pike throw his darte knowing very skilfully how to fight with his sworde how to turne welde his terget hauing very good knowledge in haÌ„dling his weapon vigilant sober nimble and actiue a doer rather then a talker whiche can holde in his owne souldiours learne them feates of warre make them exercise their weapons see they bee well apparailed cleane shoode that euery souldiours harnisse be without ruste well skoured and bright So the Decurion to bee chosen Captaine of a troupe of horsemen muste firste of all bee a handsome man a comelye and tall man able with prayse and admiration of all men to mounte on his horse though he be harnissed armed at all pointes whiche can cunningly handle the staffe aduisedly bestowe his arrowes which can enstructe y souldiours of his troupe that is to say the horsemen committed to his charge in all maner of thinges whiche appertaine to a horseman whiche will see that they often make cleane their mayle furbushe their harnisse their speares and helmettes For the glistering of armoure breedeth and striketh a great feare to the enemy Who wil take him to be a valiaunt souldiour which lettes his armoure ruste and be euil fauoured by negligeÌ„ce And it is coÌ„uenient that not onely the horsemeÌ„ but the very horses also them selues be at commaundemeÌ„t and wel broken The chardge therfore as well of the men as of the horses of health no lesse then exercise coucerneth the Decurion or captaine of the horsemen ¶ After what sorte the legions should be seâ— in order Chapiter .xv. NOwe by the example of one legion wee wyll declare after what manner a whole armie shoulde bee set in araye if necessarily they must ioyne battayle spedely This thing if neede shall require may bee applied to mo legions The horsemen must bee placed in the wynges The fore fronte of the footemen in the first cohorte or bande must beginnne the arraye in the right wynge Hereunto must bee ioyned the seconde cohorte Then the thirde cohorte in the middest and there withall the fourth The fifth cohorte must stande for the lefte wynge but before and behynde the standerdes Those whiche fought in the fore fronte or firste battayle were called Principes that is to saye chiefe and principall souldiours as those in complete harnisse whiche had helmettes coarselettes legge harâ—isse shieldes swordes great daggers and fiue leadeÌ„ plommettes in their shieldes whiche they doe caste at their firste ioyning Also two kindes of dartes the one greater with an yron heade thre square of nyne inches longe the staffe fiue foote longe and a halfe whiche they named Pilum at this tyme called Spiculum This vsed the souldiours oftentymes to caste for that the same directed with cuÌ„ning and throweÌ„ with good courage striketh through both footemen with shieldes and horsemen with their complete harnis the other lesse and was a kinde of darte with an yron head three cornered of fiue inches loÌ„g the staffe of three foote and a halfe whiche they were wonte to call Verriculum but nowe Verutum The firste and chiefest souldiours in the firste araye called Principes and the seconde called Hastati were wonte to be furnished with this kynde of weapons Behinde these were suche as were called Pherentarii and light armed men which nowe with harnisse and armoure wee place for ayde Next were suche as bore shieldes with leadeÌ„ plummettes swordes dartes as now a dayes almost all our souldiours vse Then archers with helmettes brestplates swordes arrowes bowes Likewyse slingers whiche with slinges or staffeslinges did caste stones There were also that were called Tragularii whiche did shoote arrowes with hande bowes and crosse bowes The seconde battell was likewyse armed and those whiche were placed in that bande were called Hastati that is to â—aye pikemen or spearemen But in the seconde battayle the sixt bande was set in the right wynge to the which the seuenth bande was ioyned The eighte bande kept the middle fronte of the battayle hauinge the nynthe ioyned to it The tenthe cohorte in the seconde battayle did alwayes â—epe the lefte wynge ¶ After what maner the Triarians and also the Centuriens should be armed Chapiter .xvi. AFter all these battels the
Triarians or souldiours of the rerewarde were placed with shieldes coarselets helmettes beinge harnissed on the legges hauinge swordes great daggers leaden pluÌ„mettes and two dartes the whiche did reste kneelinge vppon one knee that if the firste battaile were ouercome these might repayre and make vp the battayle againe and set on the enemies a freshe and recouer the victorie But all the standerd or banner bearers although they were footement had on coates of mayle or plate of the lighter sorte and helmettes couered with beare skinnes to terrifie and make aferde the enemies The Centurions also had coarselettes brigantines shieldes and helmettes of steele but with crestes ouerth warte and couered with siluer that they might bee the better knowen of their souldiours ¶ Nowe that the battayle being ioyned the complet harnissed men stoode as a wall Chapiter .xvij. THis thing also must bee knowen and diligently obserued that in open warre the firste and seconde battaile should stande sure and vnmoueable The souldiours also of the rerewarde should abyde and reste The light armed souldiours and terget men archers slyngers that is to saye suche as were armed with light harnisse should goe before the armie and prouoke the enemies And if they could put the enemies to flighte they shoulde pursue them but if they were ouermatched and ouerlayde with the power and multitude of their enemies they muste retire to their owne companie and stande behinde them But the complet armed men muste receiue the brunte of the battayle and stande as wee saye lyke a brasen wall and they must not onely caste dartes but also with swordes fighte neerer hande And if they put the enemies to flight these complete harnissed men must not pursue them least they should disorder the bande and breake the battelraye and so the enemies returning and sodainly comming vpon them so disordered scattered abroade might easely ouercome them But the lyght armed men with the slingars archers and horsemen muste pursue the enemies in the chase By this good order and diligent prouision and circumspection this legion shall either easely vanquishe their enemies or els shal be out of daunger if they chaunce to be ouercome because it is necessarely required in this companie not without great cause either to geue backe or flie themselues or pursue their enemies reculyng ¶ The names of souldiours and the orders and degrees should be wrytten in the shieldes Chapiter .xviij. BUt least souldiours sometimes in the hurly burly of a battayle should departe from their owne companie they did painte in diuers baÌ„des diuers signes or markes in the shieldes whiche they called Digmata that is to saye signes markes or tokens lyke as they vse to doe now a dayes Moreouer in the shieldes the name of euery souldiour was written with letters and also of what bande euerye one was or of what hundred Thereby by these it is manifest that a legion well furnished and ordred is as it were a moste sure defenced citie which caried with it euery where all thinges necessarie vnto battayle neither feared the sodaine comminge of the enemies whiche also in the middle of the playne fieldes coulde fortifie it selfe quickely with trenche and bulwarke Whiche also had within it selfe all manner of warriours and furniture fitte for the warre Therefore if any do couet in open battayle to ouercome the rube and barbarous people let hym earnestly desire praye that according to the wyll and pleasure of God and the appointement of the victorious prince and the good guiding ordering of a valiaunt captaine the armies maye bee repaired and made vp againe with younge and freshe souldiours And within shorte space younger men being skilfully picked out and exercised diligently euery daye both in the morning and after noone with all manner of martiall affayres and feates of warre shall sone be equall to those olde souldiours whiche haue subdued the whole worlde Neither let your maiestie be moued O Caesar that the olde custome which in tymes paste did flourishe and was best liked is nowe altered and chaunged But the coÌ„tinuance of this good prouision happie successe consisteth in you that is for the safetie of the common wealth bothe to inuente newe thinges and to restore the olde Euery woorke seemeth harde before a man assaye but if experte and politike men bee appointed to picke out and choose souldiours an armie meete for the warres may quickely be gathered and diligently instructed for any thing may bee â—â—ought to passe by diligence and pollicie if sufficient and competent expenses be allowed ¶ Besides the strengthe of the body the cunning or knowledge of ciphers and countyng must be regarded in younge souldiours Chapter .xix. BUt for as muche as in armies there bee many scholes and exercises of cheualrie whiche doe require cunning and expert souldiours it is verye expedient that they which doe admitte and allowe the young souldiours should searche out diligently and knowe in euery one the bignes of the stature the strengthe of the body and the promptnes of his mynde But in certaine the cunning of ciphers and augurim and exercise of reckening and casting accompte is required For the accompte of all the whole legion whether it bee of the diligent seruice or of the numbers of souldiours or els of money is daily registred in the actes or chronicles with greater diligeÌ„ce almost then the trade of victualling or ciuile gouernement is noted in the register bookes of the citie They note also the continual watches in time of peace Also the warding on the daye tyme and the charges or offices in carying from place to place amongest all the centuries and companies what the souldiours doe by course that none be charged or burdened more then is due and right or if any haue libertie graunted and are exempted The names of theÌ„ whiche ordred their courses are noted in the bookes When any man hath receiued a pasporte and for how many dayes it is noted in the abbridgementes For at that tyme a pasporte was graunted very hardely except it were for most iuste and probable causes Neither the souldiours whiche were lately begonne and entered were assigned to any certayne seruice nor any priuate charge committed vnto them For why it was not thought meete and conuenient that any souldiour of the prince or chiefe captaine whiche is founde meate drincke and clothing of the commoÌ„ prouision should attende vpon priuate commodities Notwâ—â—hstaÌ„ding there were souldiours appointed to wayte on the chiefe Iudges tribune and other that were in authoritie whiche were called Accensi that is to saye souldiours appointed to bee about great officers For wheÌ„ the legiâ—n was fully made vp perfecte these were added whiche nowe wee doe call Supernumerarios aboue the iust number And yet the very ordinarie souldiours did carie ferdels or buÌ„dels into the campe that is to saye woode haye water and strawe For of this they were called Munifices because they did those commendable thinges whiche they were charged withall ¶ Howe souldiours ought
Neuerthelesse those campes are thought fayrest whiche are longer by the thirde parte then they are broade But they that vewe and suruay the fielde ought so to measure euery foote thereof that the armie maye bee compacted accordinge to the numbre of the same For if the campe be narrowe they in the forefronte hemme it in to straightly And if it be to broade they scatter farther then they should doe There be three wayes whereby they saye a campe may be fortified The first they saye is some what sleight seruing them one night onely whyle they are in their iourney that is to digge vp turues and to laye them in order rounde about the campe vppon heapes and aboue them in good order to make a pale I meane to sette stakes there or briers and brembles A turfe it cut of earth that conteineth both the grasse the rootes the earth also and is cut out of the ground with an Iron spade or such like it is made halfe a foote deepe a foote broade a foote and a halfe long If it be so that the grounde be so sandy that after the fashion of a bricke a turfe can not be cut vp then euerye man must set to his helping hand to the making of a ditche whiche must be fiue foote broade and three foote deepe in the inner side whereof a raÌ„pire must be raised so that the armie may take their rest without feare But if the campe remaine in one place then whether it be sommer or winter if so be the enemie be at hande it must with greater care and labour be fortified for euery hundred haue their stations appointed out by the captaines and generals of the field whiche they take and kepe theÌ„ vnto and laying of their shield fardels about their owne ensignes â—hey girde their swordes vnto them caste a trenche about the armie of .ix. foote or .xi. or .xiii. foote broade or els if they feare a greater power of enemies .xvii. foote broade for it is a custome alwayes to obserue an odde numbre then they raise vp a rampire and hedge it about or els driue stakes into it bowes of trees least y earth should slide a way vpon the whiche raÌ„pire they make battilmentes and fortresses euen as they doe vpon a stone wall The captaines do measure out this worke with poles or perchies .x. foote long least any man should digge lesse then he ought or els through his fellowes negligence shoulde digge out of square The tribunes also ouerse this worke neither do they departe if they be good diligeÌ„t in their office before that al be finished Now least there should be any sodaine inuasioÌ„ on theÌ„ that labour all the horsemen part of y footemeÌ„ whiche doth not worke by reason of prerogatiue of dignitie do stand armed in readines before the trenche that they maye withstande the enemies inuading theÌ„ Therfore within y campe y staÌ„derds are first set in their places because there is nothing more to be had in reuereÌ„ce of the souldiours theÌ„ y maiestie of y same The pauilion called PraetoriuÌ„ is prepared for y chiefe captaine and his companie Other tentes are pitched for the tribunes vnto whome water woode forage are ministred by certayne companies assigned to those charges Then accordinge to their degree are places appointed in the campe for the legions aides horsemen and footemen wherein they may pitche their pauilioÌ„s and there be chosen of euery hundred foure horsemen and foure footemen which doe keape the watches by nighte And for as muche as it semed vnpossible or a very harde thing in the watche tower for euery one to continewe watching all the whole nighte therefore the watches are deuided by an howre glasse into foure partes that it shoulde bee neede for noone to watche more then three howres in the night The watches are begonne by a trompetter and after the howres be ended they are called awaye agayne by a blower of a horne But for all this the tribunes doe choose and pyke out fitte and tried men whiche maye goe aboute the watches and shewe if anye faulte maye appeare whome they call Circuitores that is to say searchers of the watche Nowe are these made a certayne degree in the warres and are called Circitores that is to saye officers going aboute to see good rule in the nyghte Yet we muste knowe that the horsemen ought to watche without the trenche and bulwarke But euery daye tyme after the campe bee pitchte they doe vse to take order for warding and posthorses some in the morninge some after noone for weareing of the men and horses Among the chiefe and speciall pointes it behoueth the captayne whether hee remayne in the campe or in a citie to prouide that feeding for the cattell conueying of grayne other kindes the cariage of water woode and forage bee made assured and without daunger from the inuasion of their ennemies Whiche thynge otherwyse can not come to passe excepte in meete and conuenient places by whiche the prouision of oure victualles muste passe there bee sette and disposed places of refuge and succoure whether they bee cities or defenced castels If so bee that any oulde munition bee not founde there muste hastelye bee made sure fortresses compassed about with great ditches For the worde fortresses is so named being deryued of this woorde forte as who saye a litle forte or castle within the whiche a certayne nuÌ„ber of horsemen and footemen continuing hauing charge to watche and attende for the same doe conducte and make safe the waye for the conueyaunce of victualles For the enemy dare scarcely adueÌ„ture to come to those places in which he knoweth his aduersaries to abide both before behinde ¶ What maner and howe great thinges should be considered to vnderstande whether we ought to fight with skirmishing and lying in wayte or with open battayle Chap. ix VVhosoeuer will vouchesafe to reade these bridgemeÌ„ts briefly gathered out of the moste experte and tried authours he coueteth quickely to heare the law or maner of a fielde foughten and the preceptes of rules of fighting But an open or a set battayle is soone determined by the triall of two or three houres space after that all hope of the syde which is ouercome doth once beginne to fal decay Therefore al thinges should be thought on assaied before that it come to the vttermoste laste breaking of For good captaines doe not assaye the fielde with open battaile where ensueth common daunger to al but alwayes closely and priuily that by that meanes they might destroye or at the least terrifie their enemies their owne souldiours being yet fresh and lustie Concerning whiche parte I wyll declare suche thinges as are very necessary whiche I haue gathered out of olde wryters The chiefe art and commoditie of the captaine is oftentimes to debate entreate of his owne power and also if his enemies power taking vnto him throughout all his armie experte and cunninge men of warre and
ouerthrow horsemen and footemen but also breaketh the engines of the ennemyes in sonder ¶ Against the engine named a Ramme be flockebeddes or matresses very good also roopes and great pillers Chapiter .xxiij. AGainst the battring Rammes or hooks ther be manye helpes and remedyes for some with cordes lette downe their tiltclothes and other patched geare and mattresses and so let them hange in such places as the ramme doth beate that the violence and force of the engine may be broken with the softnes of these and not throwe downe the wall Some others with a nomber of men do from the wall catch the Ramme wyth roopes and drawing it a syde ouerthrowe it Manye vse to tye vnto roopes a peece of yron muche like vnto a payre of sheeres full of teethe which they call Lupum and so eyther they do ouerthrowe the Ramme caughte with the same or els lifte it vppe that it hath no force to stryke Sometime they throwe downe huge stones of marble or other of like hardnes from the walles and all to breake the Rammes If the force of the Ramme shal be so greate that it shall beate throughe the wall and cast it downe as oftentimes it chauÌ„ceth then is there none other helpe but to pull downe your houses and make another wall within so betweene two walles to slea your ennemyes if they breake in ¶ Of vndermining and throwing downe walles that waye Chap. .xxiiij THer is another kinde of assault that is vnder y earth and priuye which is called vndermininge The maner of it is this a nomber of pyoners digge in the earth as myners do and makinge a trenchâ— by that meanes seeke to destroy the Cittye The which by two wayes they bring to passe For eyther they do enter the Cittye and by nighte when the townes men are not ware of it do issue oute of their trenche and vnlockinge the gates let in theyr owne armye and slea the ennemyes in their houses at vnwares or els wheÌ„ they come to the fouÌ„dations of the wall they digge vnder a great part of it and with drye timber vnderset it that for a whyle it maye not fall afterwarde they laye manye fagottes and suche lyke drye fuell about it and hauinge placed theyr souldiours in araye they set fyre to it so that the pillers of woode and boardes being burnte and the wall there with falling sodainly they haue a way layed open for them to burst in at ¶ What the townes men oughe to do if the ennemyes brust into the Cittye Chap. xxv IT is manifest by infinite examples that they which haue entered theyr ennemyes Cittye oftentimes haue beene so slaine that not one hath escaped Which thinge withoute doubte doth come to passe if the townes men do keepe their walles and towers or take first the highest places For then suche as be of age both men and women do ouerwhelme with stones and other kindes of weapons suche as do breake in the which to auoyde wyse Captaynes set open the gates of the Cittye to thintent that hauing leaue to departe they maye not resist For desperation in such a case is a necessarye enforcement to manhoode The townes men haue onlye this helpe whether the ennemyes enter by day or by night to holde and keepe their walles and towers and to clyme vppe to the highest places and so to ouerthrowe theyr ennemyes on euerye syde in all the streetes of the Cittye ¶ What heede oughte to be taken Ieast the ennemyes priuilye take the wall Chap. xxvj MAnye times y besiegers do inuent some guile or craft and by a counterfette desperation depart a good way of But when as after feare is past the vnheedefull and carelesse townes men haue taken rest watch of the walles being geuen ouer the ennemyes come priuilye with ladders takinge occasion of the darckenes of the nighte and so clyme the walles For which cause a greater and more dilligente heede muste be had when as the ennemye is gone awaye and in the verye walles and towers ought small cabines to be made in which the watche men in winter season may be defended from showers and colde and in Sommer from the heate of the Sunne This thinge also experience hath founde that in the towers is good to keepe fierce dogges and quicke of smellinge whiche can perceyue the comminge of the ennemye by the sente and geue warning therof by barkinge Also geese by like skil of nature declare by their cryings the â—odaine inuasions of the ennemyes by night For the French men enteringe into the chiefe Tower or Pallace of Rome called Capitolium had for euer blotted out the name of the Romaynes had not Manlius withstode them beinge raysed vppe with the cryinge of geese And by the meanes of one goose they were saued which afterward subdued the whole worlde ¶ How the townâ—s men maye be deceyued Chap. xxvii ABoue all thinges it is counted the greatest matter not onlye in sieges but euen in all kindes of warre to spye out and knowe dilligentlye the custome and vse of the ennemye For you cannot conuenientlye by layinge wayte for them deceiue them excepte you knowe at what houres they cease from theyr labour and at what time they be lesse cyrcumspecte whether at none or towardes euen or in the night or at such times as they eate their meate when as y souldiours of both sydes are dispersed to take their rest and to refreshe their bodyes Whiche thinge when the besiegers perceiue subtillye they withdraw themselues from battell that they maye geue free libertye to the ennemye to be verye negligent Which negligence what time as it shal be greatest for that they feare nothinge then the besiegers shall sodenlye bringe their engines and ladders to the walles and take the Cittye Therefore in the walles the townes men ought to haue stones and ordinaunce in a readines to th ende that as sone as the deceipte is knowen they maye resist and haue at hande such thinges as they may roule and cast vppon the heades of their ennemyes ¶ What the besiegers oughte to do that they be not entrapped of the townes men Chap. xxviii IF the besiegers likewyse be negligente they are as sone caught by deceipt as the other for whether they be occupyed at meate or sleape or els scattered a sonder throughe idlenes or anye other necessitye then the townes men sodeÌ„lye rushe forth they slea them ere they be aware sette on fire their enginnes rammes and the verye countermurs and ouerthrowe all the workes that were made against them For this cause the besiegers do make a trench a stones cast of and so furnishe the same not only with a pale and stakes but also with turrettes and fortresses that they may easelye withstande them that issue forth of the Cittye which worke they call Loriculam and oftentimes when a siege is described in anye historye yee shall reade that this or that towne was compassed rounde aboute with this paleworke called Loricula ¶ Wyth what kinde of