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A07628 Monro his expedition vvith the vvorthy Scots Regiment (called Mac-Keyes Regiment) levied in August 1626. by Sr. Donald Mac-Key Lord Rhees, colonell for his Majesties service of Denmark, and reduced after the Battaile of Nerling, to one company in September 1634. at Wormes in the Paltz Discharged in severall duties and observations of service; first under the magnanimous King of Denmark, during his warres against the Emperour; afterward, under the invincible King of Sweden, during his Majesties life time; and since, under the Directour Generall, the Rex-chancellor Oxensterne and his generalls. Collected and gathered together at spare-houres, by Colonell Robert Monro ... for the use of all worthie cavaliers favouring the laudable profession of armes. To which is annexed the abridgement of exercise, and divers practicall observations, for the younger officer his consideration; ending with the souldiers meditations going on service.; Monro, his expedition with the ... Scots Regiment Monro, Robert. 1637 (1637) STC 18022; ESTC S114933 372,373 362

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above all things you are to command them to keepe silence not babling one to another neither in their motions to suffer their Armes to rattle one against another alwayes to take heede to their Leaders that goe before them and to follow them orderly without disturbance keeping and observing their due distance either of Ranckes or Files which may be easily done if they but duely follow their Leaders and have an eye on their right and left fellow Camerades for keeping their Ranckes even in a like Front Likewise they are to observe when they are commanded to turne any where whether it be by Rancks or Files that their faces may by turned to the hand they are commanded to before they sturre to march and then to march alike and when ever they ●ouble Rancks or Files or counter-march they must ever observe to retire to the contrary hand they were commanded to double on if they doubled to the right when they fall off they retire turning to the left hand et contra for avoiding of disorder or hinderance that their Armes would make if they retired to the same hand they were commanded to double or march to In their counter-marches it is also requisit in time of exercise that neither Officer nor Souldier doe presume to command direct or finde fault with the errour but he that commands in chiefe whether he be superiour or inferiour Officer for the time since it is said when many speake few heare Therefore he must command alone suffering no rivall for avoiding of disorder Order therefore of distance being a chiefe point observed in exercising is three fold to wit Open order of Rancks or Files is six foote of distance being betwixt Rancks and Files both alike only requisit to be observed in mustering or while as they stand in danger of Cannon not being in battaile where in battaile order the distance to be observed betwixt Rancks or Files should be three foote where Elbow to Elbow of the side Camerades may joyne where in the open order aforesaid hand to hand can but joyne But in close order used most in conversion or wheeling is shoulder to shoulder and foote to foote firme keeping themselves together for feare to be put asunder by the force of their enemies and then to disorder which is ever to be looked unto chiefely before an enemy Your speech thus ended for your generall directions you begin againe to command silence and to take heed what is commanded to be done saying Height your Musketiers dresse your Rancks and Files to your open order of six foote and take heede To the right hand turne as you were To the left hand turne as you were To the right hand about turne as you were To the left hand about turne as you were To the right hand double your Rancks as you were To the left hand double your Rancks as you were The even Rancks or Files double ever unto the odde and the fourth Rancke is the middle Rancke of six To the right hand double your Files as you were To the left hand double your Files as you were Middle-men or fourth Rancke to the right hand double your Front To the left hand retire as you were Middle-men to the left hand double your Front To the right hand as you were Nota. The sixth Rancke is called bringers up or reare or under Rot-masters Bringers up to the right hand double your Front To the left hand as you were Bringers up to the left hand double your Front To the right hand as you were All that doubled turne first about and then they retire falling behinde those were their Leaders before in the same place or distance This doubling of the bringers up or of middle-men is very requisit in giving a generall salve of Musket and as it is to be observed in rancks that the best men are placed in front reare and middle even so in files every Corporalship being foure files of Musketiers the likeliest are put ever in the right and left files of the foure being also of best experience The doubling of rancks being done and all remitted in good order and to their first distance of open order you are to command and exercise Souldiers in three severall wayes of counter-marching requisit in some respects but in my opinion to be used but seldome except it be in necessity in such parts as the ground will not permit otherwise therefore to avoide disorder Souldiers ought not to be ignorant of any of the three sorts of counter-marching First having commanded the Souldiers to dresse their rancks and files and to carry their Muskets handsomly keeping silence say To the right hand the counter-march without noise or losing of ground To the left hand retire againe to the former ground Then command againe to dresse rancks and files and to right their Armes keeping silence taking heede to what is to be commanded and say To the right hand turne Then the Flancke before being now the Front command To the right hand counter-march and lose no ground To the left hand as you were This is used ordinarily to change one wing of Battaile in place of the other then that the Front may be as it was first before they Countermarcht To the left hand turne dresse your Rankes and Files and be silent Another sort of Countermarch is the Slavonian countermarch where you lose ground the Front being changed also then you command the first Ranke to turne about to the right hand then you say to the rest Countermarch and through to your former distance after your Leaders Then say Leaders as you were and to the rest To the left hand countermarch as you were to your first ground The third sort of countermarch I esteeme most of to be practised being rather a conversion very requisit to be well knowne to all Souldiers in all Armies chiefly to be used before an enemy for as it is most sudden so in my opinion it breeds least disorder and disturbance the Souldiers once used to it of themselves they will willingly doe it on any occasion the body being before in open order or Battaile order say Close the Ranks and Files to your closse order without encumbering one of another every man following right his owne Leader keeping closse to his side man then say To the right hand the quarter turne halfe or whole as the occasion and the ground doth permit and then say Dresse your Armes and follow your Leaders and open againe to your Battaile order Lastly the body of your Musketiers exercised perfectly after this manner for the better bringing of them in exercise and breath that in case any disorder may happen amongst them they may the better afterward be acquainted one with another say to your open order of six foote distances Open both Rankes and Files and set downe your Armes handsomely where you stand then command your Sergeant to goe an hundred paces from the body of your Musketiers and sticke in his Holbert in the ground then
Squadrons in their marching till they were led up in equall Front with the other Pikes and then march up the last thirty-two Rots of Musketiers in foure Divisions observing the order of the former Divisions till they were in equall Front with the whole Pikes and then they making up the left wing of the Briggad the Colonell of the Briggad ordaines the battell of Pikes being the middle Squadron of Pikes to advance in one body before the rest till they are free of the Musketiers and Pikes which makes the wings of the Briggad and then the battaile of Pikes standing firme the thirty-two Rot of Musketiers which were drawne up behinde them march up till they fill up the voide betwixt the Squadrons of pikes standing right behinde their owne pikes that is the battaile of the Briggad and then the Colonell making a signe to the Drummers they beate all alike till the Briggad in one instant doth order their Armes all Officers of the Briggad standing on their stations according as they were directed then the superplus of the three Squadrons of musketiers being fourty-eight Rot are drawne up behinde the Briggad having also Officers to command them they attend orders which they are to obey being commanded out as pleaseth their Officers either to guard Cannon or Baggage or to be Convoyes to bring Amunition or victualls to the rest A direction to Traine single Souldiers apart HAving thus formed a Company and showne the manner to draw up a complete Briggad for the younger Officer his better understanding being a Novice to this Discipline I will set downe briefely the best way suddenly to bring a young Company to be exercised which in my opinion would be thus First since every Rot of the twenty-one whereof the Company doth consist hath allowed a Corporall or a Rot-master as the Leader of the other five which Leader is supposed to be more expert in handling of Pike or Musket then the other five who make up the Rot and the under Rot-master is supposed to be more expert in handling his Armes than the other foure so that he is appointed as a second to the Leader being sometimes a Leader himselfe then after the company is made up for the first weeke I would have every Corporall of the six and the fifteene Rot-masters being Leaders with the helpe of their under Rot-masters in a weekes time to make the other foure as expert in handling of Pike and Musket as themselves or to be punished with Irons in case of their neglect which the Sergeants should see done as they should answer to the Lievetenant the Lievetenant to the Captaine and the Captaine to the Major the Major to the Lievetenant Colonell and they all to the Colonell which they ought to practise in the fields apart till the Rot were acquainted every one with his Leader from the first to the last and while as the under Rot-master should turne Leader then all the followers before were then Leaders also and then the Rot being apart the middle man of the Rot should be taught to double to the Front till their deepe were three that was six before and in falling off againe the middle man should turne to the contrary side or hand he came up upon carrying their Armes handsomly free from others without making noise in their retiring to their former station and orders Likewise I would have the Corporall Rot-master or Leader being a Musketier having his Rot once expert in handling severally the Musket well then to discharge their Muskets in winning ground advancing to an enemy the Leader having discharged his musket standing still to blow his pann● and prime againe having cast off his loose powder then to cast about his Musket to his left side drawing backe with his Musket his left foote and hand till the mouth of the musket come right to his hand to charge againe in the same place standing firme till his follower marched by him on his right hand standing at the same distance before him that he stood behinde and then to give fire blowing his pan priming casting off and retiring his musket with his left hand and foote and to charge againe as is said and so forth one after another discharging at a like distance till at last the Rot-master should be under-rot and the under-rot Leader and then his follower marching up by him while as he is charging giving fire on the enemy and having discharged standing still also charging till in th' end the Rot-master come to be Leader againe and so forth still advancing per vices till the enemy turne backe or that they come to push of Pike and Buts of Muskets Thus having exercised the Rots apart for a weeke or two doubtlesse they will become expert Souldiers in using their Armes when they are joyned in a strong body lesse or more The Pike men would be exercised also by Rots apart in the severall Postures thereof till they were acquainted also with their Leaders and were made expert in using their Pikes aright till thereafter the whole body of Pikes might be exercised apart with great ease to their Officers The Musket●ers being drawne in a body being sixteene or thirty-two men in Front being but six Rancks deepe the first Rancke discharging at once casting about their muskets and charging all alike the second Rancke marches through every follower going by on the right hand of his Leader standing before him at the distance they were behinde and then being firme they give fire all alike on their enemies blowing priming casting about and charging all alike where they stand till per vices the whole Ranckes have discharged and so forth ut antea successively advancing and giving-fire till the enemy turne backe or that they come to push of Pike and being thus well exercised in advancing to the enemy and winning ground if through necessity they be forced to retire from an enemy losing ground they must also keepe their faces to their enemies the Reare being still in fire and the last Rancke having given fire they march through the Rancks till they that were last are first comming off and so per vices till they have made a safe retreate the Reare which is ever the Front coming from an enemy is in fire The manner to exercise a body of Musketiers TO exercise a Squadron of Musketiers how strong soever they be the number of Rancks being no deeper than six the files being even may be so many as your voice can extend to ever observing that your Command be given in the Front otherwise may breede disorder and before you begin to command you would enter first with a Prologue as good Orators commonly doe to reconciliat their hearers attendance even so you ought with an exhortation of attendance entreate but by way of command your Souldiers not to be gazing in time of their exercise but with stedfastnesse to settle their mindes on their exercise that they may the better observe and obey the words of command and
Summer and in the Winter being quartered we drew neere the side of some wood both for fire and for build or shelter The Army drew up in battaile by Briggads as they ma●ched where behinde the place the Briggads drew up unto at a reasonable distance their quarters were marked out severally according as they stood in battaile and before the Briggads removed from their Armes their guards were first commanded out every Briggads guard being placed at a distance of foure-score paces from their Colours where they were appointed to watch and the watch being set Centries were put to the Colours and then the Pike-men were ordained to fix their Pikes fast in the ground as they stood in battaile the Musketiers also were ordained in dry wether to set up their Muskets in order in even front with their Colours but when it rained they were commanded to keepe them carefully dry by themselves which all orderly done they were suffered part and part to goe and provide themselves of straw and fire providing also many times well for their Officers Kitchins beside The Artillery and Amunition waggons being also drawne up a part and well guarded their horses were sent to grasse for good quarters then the Baggage and wagons as they came up did draw up orderly behinde their owne is as much to be feared as the execution that followes though it be great and Artillery in all Armies and things belonging thereto are of infinit mom●nt on all occasions So that they may be called Sine quo nihil but supreame Officers of the Field are no more troubled with them but so farre as they direct others to doe the service their owne Officers being appointed to attend them as the Generall to the Artillerie his Colonells Lievetenant-Colonells Majors Captaines Lievetenants Constables and all other inferiour Officers needfull to attend who know and keepe their owne Turnes and Reliefes as other Officers doe theirs their furniture is great and their charges also in buying Horses to draw their Cannon and Amunition Waggons with Powder Ball Match Materials Fire-Engins Petards storming Ladders Artificiall Bridges carried on Waggons to passe over Rivers or Graffes In all quartering they are quartered next after the Hoffestaffe before any Briggad and the furniture and charges needfull to maintaine this third part of the Armie is extraordinary great there being alwayes something to be repaired while as the Armie doth rest and oft-times they must be provided of a great deale of new furniture and they lose yearely an extraordinary number of Horses of great price But his Majestie during his time was very fortunate in this as in other things for I never knew his Majestie lose any Ordnance but I have seene him get supply of Amunition and Cannon from his enemies as first at Garts and Grefenhangne Damaine Francford Lansburg Gl●go Leipsigh Vertsburg Mentz and Munchen besides the supply his Majestie did get for his Artillerie from Nurenberg Francfurt Ausburg Strasburg and Vlme and to discourse largely of this subject alone would take a volume of paper But when every Cavalier is commanded apart with a partie where he must make use of Cannon he would be before his departure with his partie very carefull to receive his Cannon with the furniture belonging unto it timely together with sufficient Officers for discharging that part of the dutie on his march he must command his partie as if it were a little Armie being ever well provided of Guides and of carefull wittie and painefull Intelligencers that he may leade and quarter his partie with assurance directing alwayes his Intelligencer before him being ever carefull to beset the passes and avenues well As also sufficiently to guard his Cannon Baggage and Amunition since many times great hurt doth come thorow the neglect of guarding the Cannon and Amunition which over-sights once committed are irrecoverable in regard whereof I must entreate the gentle Reader to pardon me a little here out of Historie for the younger Souldier his better instruction to discourse a little of the hurt and inconvenience hath happened many times by Cannon and powder as also of the manner they were first invented being found out by Gods permission for the ruine of man punished for sinne experience doth teach daily that the strength of it is not to be resisted Esti●ne Forcatell in his fourth booke of the Empire and of the Philosophy of the Gaulles doth attribute the invention of powder and Cannon to the Germanes saying that a peece by the helpe of some kindled powder did spue a ball the noise whereof was like to thunder and killed The maker of it an Abbot the childe of the Devill assisted by his Father found out this cruell invention which serves alike for the pursuer of Townes as for the defender till it ruine both It is said of Archidamus Sonne to the King Agesilans wondering at a new invention of Cannon brought from Sicilie complained the valour of men was beaten downe and trod under foote seeing there was no more fighting without monstrous hardnesse and Armour And it is thought that a blacke fellow called Berthold Schuvart an Abbot invented it Reade Polydore Virgil in his second booke and sixt Chapter de invent and Sabellicus in his Ennead lib. 9. a fellow having some beaten Brimstone for Physicke closed in a pot covered with a stone he striking with a file on a stone to give fire a sparke lighted in the pot and incontinent the flame came forth heaving the stone in the ayre and chewing his Cud thereon he made a Cannon of Iron closing powder within it till that peece and peece he found out the invention And we reade that in the Kingdome of China in the East Indies both Printing and Artillerie were knowne and practised there long before they were found out in Europe and that there there be many Cannons which I will rather beleeve than goe to see Virgil also in the sixt booke of his Aeneids doth speake of the like in his description of Salmoneus and Iosephus in his third booke and ninth Chapter of the Iewes warres makes mention of an Instrument they used against the Towne of Iotapat in Galilee and saith the stones shot by Engines did breake the walles and Towers and there was no Troope of men so well ordered but was scattered by it and beaten to the ground The same Author speaking of the Batteries made against the walles of Ierusalem affirmes that the stones shot by the Engines were as heavie as a man And neverthelesse they were carried above six hundred paces by the Engine killing many men Plinius writes in his thirty-one booke and tenth Chapter in his voyage unto Babylon that powder was in use of old and reporteth he did see powder-milles on the River Euphrates though of another sort than our powder Of this invention also you may reade Cornel de Campe in his storie of Frise in his second booke and twentieth Chapter Also Simoscus King of Frise Beresne Lord of Holland and Olympia