you fire by Single Ranks the first presents at three motions beginning with his left foot which as he advances he blows his Match At advancing his right he opens his Pan Presenting at the third step Afterwards they File into the Rere within three Foot of the Body Every Souldier is to be careful to place himself in his own File which is also taken care of by the Officers in the Rere Fireing to the Flanks TO the Right and Left present falling off after your bringers up For this you leave six Foot between your Divisions of Musqueteers and your Pikes which the Officers must have a great care to keep open by causing the Musqueteers to incline to the Right and Left after every fireing to the Flank the two outermost Files are to make ready keeping along with the Body and not to present nor face to the Flanks till ready assoon as they have Fired they face to the Rere and are by an Officer led athwart it and so up between their own Divisions and the Pikes Assoon as the outermost Files face to the Flanks the two next Files are to make ready without any Word of Command and keep along with the Body till the outermost Files be wheeled clear off them The Files that fire to the Left are to blow advancing with their right Leg. Fireing to the Rere LAst Rank make ready To the Rerepresent Which it doth keeping along with the Body the Musqueteers Advancing with their Right Legs Blow Advancing with the Left Open their Pans then turning upon the Ball of their Left Foot to the Right about cast their Right Leg backward and fire then immediately at a good Round rate within three Foot of their Body March up into the Front Assoon as the last Rank Faces about to Present every other Rank of Musqueteers falls back to the Rank of Pikes that Marched behind it so to keep the Rere full and leave a Vacancy of one Rank in the Front of the Musqueteers for the Rank that Fired to place it self The Word Make ready is made Use of but once afterwards when the last Rank faces about the next to it is to Make ready keeping along with the Body Fireing the Street-way We that have fewer Pikes should cause the half Files of Pikes to double that they may cover the Musqueteers The Colours and Drums are to be between the Pikes and Musqueteers the Captains with the Pikes and the Lieutenants with the Musqueteers Lieutenants or Serjeants cause the two first Ranks of the Musqueteers to Face to the Right or Left and make ready then Two and Two to File up to the Front and March athwart it then to present The Pikes ought to be charged and the Musqueteers to stoop very low and be carefull to carry the Muzzles of their Musquets low When they have Fired they pass away still stooping to the contrary Flank and within three Foot of it into the Rere of the Musqueteers As they move away by the Left Flank the next by the Right Succeed them If the Horse give you time let the Pikes Port or Advance to ease themselves That you may always reserve some Fire it is best to Fire but one Rank at a time Assoon as that Wheels off the Second Steps into it's place and a third Rank comes in between it and the Pikes If the Street you are to defend be very Broad you must of necessity make an Interval besides those on the Flanks Wide enough for Two Men on a Breast One to March up the other down For otherwise the long Intermission between the Fireings will give the Horse opportunity to Attaque you The Musqueteers in Presenting are to fall back with their Right Legs and by no means to Advance Swedes way REre half Files of Musqueteers to the Right or Left double your Front Then Divide them into Equal Subdivisions the Rere of the Foremost Subdivisions to Rank even with the Front of the Hindermost the Rere of the Hindermost with the Front of Pikes of which one half Advance interchangeably Great care is to be taken that they return well their Rammers lest they hurt those that stand before them Presenting either all Three Ranks or Two onely and one standing Guarded they which have fired rise up and make Ready on their Ground and the Rere Subdivisions passing through the Intervals fire in like manner The Intervals to be very little Wider then to permit Passage to the Subdivision of the Rere They are also to fall back with their Right Legs without Advancing Reduction MUsqueteers to the Right about March all till Even with your Rere of Pikes To the Left about all Front half Files March till Even with your Front of Pikes To make a Square Face to your four Angles The Intervals between the Half Ranks and Half Files Divide the Body into four parts if there be an odd File it Faces with the Right Half Ranks To your proper Front In all Facings the Souldiers are to keep their Left Foot fixed turning Round on the Ball of it and bringing about their Right A Solid Square TO Draw a solid Square make it first Equal on all sides by the Square Root then girdle it with Shot which is speedily perform'd by these Words of Command Rere half Files of Shot to the Right about Musqueteers March all till clear of the Pikes Face inwards and March till you close in the Center Musqueteers that are clear of Front and Rere wheel into the Flanks Reduction MUsqueteers that wheel'd into the Flanks wheel into Front and Rere Face all outwards and March till clear of the Pikes then face in opposition and close To make a Hollow Square LEt the three outermost Files of Pikes of each Flank stand Rere half Files to the Right hand about Front and Rere half Files March Flanks of Pikes face inward March Rere half Files of Musqueteers to the right hand about Musqueteers March all till clear of the Pikes Musqueteers face inwards and March till you close in the Center of the Pikes Musqueteers that are clear of your Pikes face in opposition and Flank your Pikes Reduction MUsqueteers that Flank the Pikes wheel into Front and Rere Musqueteers face to the Right and Left outwards and March till clear of your Pikes then face inwards and close Pikes of the Flanks face outward and March till clear of the Front and Rere half Files Front and Rere half Files face inwards and close For greater expedition the Words of Command may be given at the same time to Pikes and Musqueteers by two Officers Of Marching IN Marching the Officers are to observe that the Ranks be at twelve Foot distance and that the Files be closed Shoulder to Shoulder unless when a Battalion Marches in a Body in which case the Files must keep such a distance that they may have the liberty of their Arms. The Souldiers must always begin to March with their right Foot first which is observed to conduce most to keep the Ranks even
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE ENGLISH Military Discipline By His Majesties permission LONDON Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty 1676. AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE ENGLISH Military Discipline Of the Exercise of the Foot WHen a Body of Men are drawn up to Exercise the distance of their Ranks must be at six Foot and their Files at three Foot that they may have liberty to use their Arms. The Officers of the Body he onely excepted that is to give the Words of Command are to draw off to the Right and Left forming a Rank on each Wing opposite the one to the other The Officer Commanding is to place himself before the Middle of the Pikes about ten Foot distance from them the better to observe what is done and to be the more easily understood by the whole Body The Words of Command must be given Leisurely that the Souldiers may perform their Postures without Confusion The Officer must first Command Silence and then proceed as followeth to the Exercise of the Musquet SHoulder your Musquet Lay your right hand on your Musquet Poyse your Musquet Rest your Musquet Handle your Match Blow your Match Cock and try your Match Guard your Pan. Blow your Match Open your Pan. Present Give Fire Recover your Arms. Return your Match Clean your Pan with your Thumb Handle your Primer Prime your Pan. Shut your Pan with a full Hand Blow off your loose Corns Cast about to Charge Handle your Charger Open it with your Teeth Charge with Powder Draw forth your Scowrer Shorten it to an Inch against your right Breast Charge with Bullet Ram down Powder and Ball. Withdraw your Scowrer Shorten it to a handful Return your Scowrer Poyse your Musquet Shoulder your Musquet Order your Musquet Exercise of the Pike ADvance your Pikes Charge to the Front To the Right To the Right To the Right To the Right To the Right about To the Left about as you were Charge to the Left To the Left To the Left To the Left To the Left about To the Right about as you were Advance your Pikes From Advance Shoulder your Pikes From Shoulder Charge to the Front Shoulder as you were From your Shoulder Charge to the Right Shoulder as you were Charge to the Right about Shoulder as you were Charge to the Left Shoulder as you were To the Left about Shoulder as you were From your Shoulder Port. From your Port Comport From your Comport Charge to the Front From your Charge Trail Facing to the Right about Charge as you were Advance your Pikes Exercise of the Musquet and Pike together SHoulder your Musquet Musqueteers Make ready At which time the Musqueteers must Leisurely and Distinctly perform every particular Posture of the Musquet together The Musqueteers being ready the Pikes are to Charge as the Musqueteers are Faced To the Right To the Right To the Right To the Right To the Right about To the Left about as you were To the Left To the Left To the Left To the Left To the Left about To the Right about as you were Advance your Pikes Return your Matches Shoulder your Musquets Order your Arms. Pikes to your inside Order Lay down your Arms. Which Posture is to be performed with their Left Legs and stooping all together their Arms being upon the ground they must take care to Rise all together every one observing his Right hand man at the Word of Command Quit your Arms. Face all to the Right about March clear off your Arms. To the Left about to your Leader March to your Arms. Handle your Arms. Which must be done stepping forward with their Left Legs and stooping Laying their hands upon their Arms expecting the Word of Command Order your Arms. Pikes to your outside Order Poyse your Musquets Advance your Pikes Shoulder your Musquets March This way of Exercise is not altogether the same with what hath been hitherto in use wherein it was thought fit to make some alteration by leaving out some Words as superfluous and changing some of the Postures for others that are of greater Use and readiness Closings and Openings RRanks close forward to Order Ranks close forward to close Order Ranks open backwards to Order Ranks open backwards to open Order Ranks open backward to double distances The Ranks fall back without changing aspect Files close to the Right Files close to the Left Files close to the Center Files open from the Right Files open from the Left Files open from the Center For performing of which the Body faces to the hand named and moves If to the Right the second File from the right first takes its distance by moving slower then its Leader the rest of the Files do the like successively and the left hand File moves not at all Doublings Ranks to the right hand double March Ranks to the left hand as you were March Ranks to the left hand double March Ranks to the right hand as you were March The Ranks that double are to observe their right hand Man to move at the same time with him They begin their motion with the foot next the hand named and are to come into their places at three steps In this doubling the even Ranks double into the odd And if you would have the odd Ranks also double Face the Body to the Rere and the same Words of Command will perform it To reduce the Ranks The Ranks that doubled are first to Face to the contrary hand then beginning with the contrary foot at three steps to come into their former ground Files doubling is perform'd in the same manner and is the same thing with the reduction of doubled Ranks the reduction of doubled Files is the same thing with doubling Ranks Doubling of half Files with the Reduction Rere half Files to the Right double your Front March To the Left about as you were March Rere half Files to the Left double your Front March To the Right about as you were March If you do it upon a March let your Rere half Files move into the Front with a quicker motion the Front half Files still continuing theirs And for Reduction let the Rere half Files without facing about stand till the Front half Files have passed them and then fall after their proper Leaders Fireings THe Commander in chief gives no Command nor Direction besides Make ready Present Give fire And the first of these he uses but once The Souldiers are to be instructed and minded by subaltern Officers that when the two first Ranks make ready and advance forward the Body of Musqueteers is to make good the Front of Pikes and the two next Ranks unshoulder and make ready without any Word of Command and when the last Rank presents or both if both fire together to advance and this also without any Word of Command If the Ranks be at six Foot they are also at their advancing to close forward to three Foot without any Word of Command If
to their degrees The Lieutenants are to be Placed two in the Front two in the Rere and one on each Flank The Colours are to be in the Center of the Pikes The Serjeants are to be Placed one on the Right and Left of each Rank If a Battalion consist of more then Six Companies the respective Officers are to be Placed according to the discretion of the Commander of the Battalion It were not amiss to Place the Company of the Captain that Commands the left Wing of Shot on the left of all that Wing unless the Battalion be the outermost on the Line for then the Collonels Company is to be on the Left of all in this case the Right and Left Exchanging In a Battel the Captains and other Officers are to March in a Line but coming within Shot of the Enemy and the Musqueteers Marching ready with their Pans guarded the whole Line of Captains and other Officers is to retire each of them into the Intervals of his Files next after his Post yet so as they may look to the Right and Left of the Battalion Whilst they are Marching towards the Enemy they are to be very careful to keep themselves in this Posture and neither to be forwarder nor backwarder neither without the Battalion nor within it And when they begin to March with their Pikes Charged and that the Musqueteers are ready the Ranks are to be closed forward to one small Pace Assoon as the Battalion comes to thirty Paces distance from the Enemy let the Musqueteers Fire the manner of which Firing shall be ordered them before The Captain Commanding the Rere is to observe that the Battalion March still to cause the Souldiers to close forward easily and without noise or confusion His chief care ought to be to Command the Pikes ever to March even with the Wings of Musqueteers For it often happens that in Marching any considerable time in Battel the Wings Advance and form a Half-moon and the Pikes in the middle being extremely pressed upon the Battalion is broken Provided the motion of the Pikes be equal on the Right and Left the Battalion cannot be disordered by its March Above all we are carefully to preserve the distance of Ranks and Files according to what hath been said already The Grenadeers when there are any are to be drawn up on the Right of the Battalion and to augment it without intermixing with it or troubling the Order of it they being a separate number of Men that are to be always ready for whatever shall be Commanded them The Commander of a Battalion may be on Horsback at the Head of it when the Captains are on Foot with their Pikes in their hands in consideration that he is to be stirring to all parts to see that the distances be observed and above all that none speak except himself or the Major by his Order The Commander of a Battalion is to alight when the Musqueteers make ready and is to March with his Pike charged against the Enemy When an Army is Drawn up for Battel the distance between the Lines must be of three hundred Paces the same as is in a Camp Of Defiles TO pass a narrow Defile the readiest way to perform it and draw up again in Order assoon as past is to make the Ranks File if to the Right the Right-hand man Files first and the rest of his Rank follow him till the Defile be past then they Rank again as they were this seems better then Files fileing because it immediately makes a Front to the Enemy If the Rank be great let it File two abreast beginning with the two middlemost Files For larger Defiles the Commander draws off as he judges the way will easily receive in order to which the Battalion is divided before it Marches Serjeants taking care of the Subdivisions The places of the Lieutenants may be according to these Figures Captains and Ensigns keeping their places FINIS LONDON Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1676. * Note after they have given Fire they must still keep their Hands up till the Word of Command be given to Return their Pistols