to the left hand File leauing the voide distāce in the middle which other closings leaues vpon the wings as if the halfe Battell should moue from K N to L O and the other halfe from K N to I M with this word of Command Files close to the right or left by division to your order or close order To reduce your Files after closing to their first posture or station is to open Files to the distance they had before their closing of which I shall shortly speake (c) Aelian Tact. c. 32. Aelian saith that closing of Files is to bee done by facing as indeed it is the most fitte action How the Motion is to bee performed but I haue seene many Commanders in exercise use this Motion without any Facing only mouing sydelings to the hand to which the command is to close and forsooth they will defend this to bee good because say they Facing in so small a bounds as a private company taketh vp is needlesse but I say they maintaine ane errour for laying aside the authoritie of the Grecian practise which justly may bee tearmed the touchstone of martiall discipline they are easily convinced by reasone because Facing performes the Motion more assuredly and more gracefully then going asydwayes seeing their steps are not sure being subject to stumbling neither the actiō comly and although the first or second file next the hand to which they close haue but a litle ground to goe Yet the ground doth accresse according as the Files are remoued from the standing File which our blunt Commanders doth not consider so that the vttermost File must marche the halfe of the boundes wherein the battell stoode before the closing as for example Say yee had a single company of 200 men making you 20 in Front and standing at open order sixe foote betwixt Files The bounds that the length of your Battell takes vp is 120 foote this is found by multiplying the number of your men in Front by the distance they stand in as 20 multiplied be 6 the factum is 120 if then yee command Files to close to the right hand to their order or distance of 3 foot the left hand File shall haue 60 foote of ground to march before he close to his distance requyred which if hee march sydelings yee may easily consider what a stedfast and gracefull Motion it will bee The Argument then is evident The most assured and most gracefull Motion is the best Motion But so it is that closing of Files by facing according to the Grecian forme is the most assured and most gracefull Motion Ergo Closing of Files by Facing is the best The major I hope no man vvill deny The minor I haue alreadie proven This I thought good to aduertise you whom I would wish to learne the Arte Militare scientifice and not according to the vulgare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there are manie men who pertinaciously will maintaine their badde customes and will obtrude them for precepts and good Laws vpon men as also I haue knowne manie Commanders more fraught with a Thrasonicall ostentation then any skill to performe their charge Closing of Rankes is a contracting of the deapth of the Battell Of Closing of Rankes and it is performed one way only to wit towards the Front which is thus done The File-leaders or first Ranke stands still the second Ranke comes vp and closes to the distance commanded the rest of the Rankes moue vp and close to the samine distance euerie man taking his distance from his Leader PQRS This figure P Q R S is the boundes wherein your Battell stood at open order or distance of 6. foote betwixt Rankes Now the deapth is contracted and the Ranks hath marched vp from the Reare R.S. and closed towards the Front P Q. to their order or distance of 3 foote so that your Rankes possesses only the halfe of the boundes they had before the closing from R S to the 10 Ranke is the voyd ground wherein the halfe of your Rankes did stand before your closing to wit the 10.9.8.7 6. so that the 10 Ranke stands now in the place where the 6 stoode before the closing The wordes of Command Close your Rankes to your order or close order Our wordes of Command Rankes close to your second or third distance The Emperour (d) Leo Tact. c. 7. §. 84. Leo speakes of a closing of Rankes backwards to the Reare which he calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Motion because it is not commodious nor yet aggreeable to our moderne practise I will not touche OPening OF opening of Files is an extension of the length or deapth of the Battell and therefore is twofolde of Files or of Rankes Opening of Files is an extension of the length of the Battell in place and it is threefolde as was the closing For Files are opened to the right hand or to the left hand or to both Opening of Files to the right hand is thus performed The left hand File stands still the next File vnto it first taketh its distance pressing vpon the next File on the right hand and so the rest of the Files successivelie still presseth upon the right hand till they haue all obtained the distance commanded TVXY TVXY is an opening of Files to the right hand where yee must conceiue the left hand File TX which is the 10 to stand still so ye see the 9 and 8 to haue already taken their distance and the rest of the Files to be moueing towards the right hand VY till they haue all gotten their distance required In opening of Files to the left hand ye must doe the contrare way for yee make the right hand File stands still and the rest to open towardes the left stil pressing vpon the left hand as the former did vpon the right hand till they haue all gotten the distance commanded and so both of them taketh vp the double of the boundes they stood in before ABCD ABCD is an opening of Files to the left hand where the right hand File BD stands still The 2 and 3 haue already gottē their distance the rest are moving towards the left hand AC till they also get their distance required Opening of Files to both hands is performed thus The two middlemost Files presse vpon the Flāks the one vpon the right the other vpon the left and take their distances and standes the rest of the Files on both Flanks takes their distance from them moving the one halfe to the right and the other to the left hand till they haue all gotten their distance commanded EFGH EFGH is an opening of Files to both hands where yee see the two middlemost Files to haue gotte their distance the fyft hauing pressed vpon the right Flanke FH The sixt vpon the left EG the files next vnto them the 4 vpon the right Flanke and the 7. vpon the left hath also taken their distance The rest are mouing vpon both Flankes till
they likewise get their distance commanded so that in this Motion as in the other openings the Battell shall possesse in length after it bee fully opened the double of the ground it had before the opening The words of Command for these Motions To your open oder or any order else Files open to the right hand Files open to the left hand Files open to the right and left Or as some say open both wayes and some onlie files open for when there is no nomination of any hand it is vnderstoode as before in closing an opening from the middle to both hands Our wordes of Command To your first distance or any distance else Open your Stringes to the right hand Open your Stringes to the left hand Open your Stringes OPening of Rankes is an extension of the deapth of the Battell in place and is performed but one way to witte towardes the Reare which is thus done The File-leaders or the first Ranke standes still and the rest of the Rankes falles backwardes towards the Reare vntill the second Ranke haue gotten its distance which then standes the rest of the Rankes moues still backwardes vntill they all haue gotten their distance commanded IKLM IKLM is an Opening of Rankes where yee see the 2 and 3. Ranks hath moued backwards and hath alreadie taken their distance and ye must conceiue the rest of the Rankes to be mouing from the Front IK backwardes to the Reare LM vntill they all get their distance required The wordes of Command Rankes open to your open order or any order else Our wordes of Command Open your Rankes to your first distance or any distance else Some vse an opening of Rankes also forwards from the Reare to the Front if the ground permitt The action of these Motions of opening which I haue now showne both of Files and Rankes by making the Files presse vpon their Sydmen and the Ranks vpon their Followers is according to our common moderne exercise which differs much from the action of the Ancient (e) Aelian Tact. c. 32. Greeks for they in opening Files and Rankes did performe the Motion by Facing but in my opinion our common forme is rather to bee followed for although it want not its owne inconvenients beeing subject to stumbling on stobbs stones or holes in the way Yet in respect the terminus ad quem is not certaine nor seene as it was in closing of Files and Rankes The last Ranke or the vttermost File which beginneth the Motion of opening shall never bee assured where to stand or in what part to set themselues to giue a due competent ground to all the Rankes or Files to take their distance commanded neither can the samine be discerned be the ey of the Commander and therefore the Motion must bee begun and the distance must first be takin from the terminus à quo which is seene and certaine to wit the Ranke or File that stands and so euerie one after other shall assuredly get their distance commanded which they could not do behind their backs if they used a Facing but in this I submit my selfe to the judgement of the more learned For I think also that Souldiers may bee taught to take their distance by pacing Obserue that closing and opening both of Files and Ranks are one anothers reducemēts as if ye closed Files to the right hand and would reduce them to their first station command them to open to the left if ye opened Files to the left hand to bring them as they were yee must close Files to the right hand if yee closed to the middle open to the right and left by division and so they are reduced è contra Againe if yee close ranks forwards open them backwards and so yee bring them as they were è contra (f) Aelian Tact. e. 28. Aelian calleth an opening of Files or Rankes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a doubling of the length or deapth in place which in my opinion is not fitly spokin for although Files and Rankes bee opened to a greater distance yet the Battell cannot bee said to bee doubled The use of opening and closing the Battell in length and deapth yee may finde (g) Supra Tit. 3. before when I spoke of distances to the which I remitt you for I will repeat nothing only this I adde that Battells are opened and closed when a Generall will make his Armie appeare strong or weake according as hee mindes to terrifie or allure the enemie Files are closed to the right or laft hand when a troupe of Horse or Foote or Waggones with bagadge are to passe betwixt either of your Flankes and some strait Files are closed to the right and left by division when yee will make a streete through your Battell for a Generall or some great Commander to passe Of Conversion or VVheeling Tit 10. COnversion or Wheeling is a Motion of the whole Battell towards the Flankes or Reare changing the ground And therefore Wheeling is two fold the one when the Battell makes a quarter turne to the right or left Flanke which the Greeks calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conuersion the other when it makes an halfe turne to the Reare be the right or left hand and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inflexion no other languadge except the Greeke doth expresse this Motion in two seuerall wordes Epistrophe is described clearely by (a) Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c When closing the Battell bee the Sydemen and the followers we turne it whollie as the Body of an man either to the Picke or the Target it beeing carryed about the corner File-leader as about a center and changing the place of the Front transfer the countenance of the Souldiers to the right or left Flanke (b) Aelian Tact. c. 31. Aelian in an other place setteth it down more amplie it is thus to be performed Ye must commād the Files to close to the hand to which ye mean to Wheele the Rankes to close also forwardes Then yee cause the Corner File-leader on the samine hand to stand still as the fixed foote of a compasse but moueing in his owne place and all the rest keeping their Files and Rankes closed to turne to the samine hand joyntly about the corner File-leader vntill the Front of your Battell be towards the Flank to which yee Wheele so that the Front of the Battell beeing wheeled falles like a perpendicular line vpon the Front of the Battell before it Wheeled making a right angle of 90 degrees at the corner File-leader about whome they Wheele and the Flanke falles vpon the Front as a parallel which the figure following showeth ABCDEF GHIKLM The figure ABCDEF is An Epistrophe or whee ling to the right hand CDEF is the Battell before the Wheeling whereof CD is the Front DF the right hand File The Command beeing given the right hand File-leader D who is thus marked * stands in his place
march in Battell to be the more ready to withstand the assaultes of the Enemie The Captaine in the Front commandeth the first diuision of Musquetiers to halt then commandeth the first diuision of Pickes which the Enseigne leadeth to march vp vpon the left hand of them thereafter the first Sergeant to bring vp the second diuision of Pickes vpon the left hand of the former Lastly the second Sergeant to march vp with the second diuision of Musquetiers vpon the left hand of all so they stand embattelled as they were at the first Obserue when they march in Battell the Enseigne goeth in the Front of the Pickes with his Colours fleeing chiefelie if hee bee in sight of the Enemie or yet bee going out or comming into his Quarter or entring vpon Guarde but in fight he is to retire into the middle Ranke of the pickes The Drummes beates also in the Front but in fight they must draw aside to the angles on the Flankes The chiefe Drumme is to attend the Captaine to deliuer his Commands by touke of Drum to the Souldiers when the voyce cannot bee heard The Sergeants marcheth in the Flankes the oldest in the right the other in the left hauing care that euerie man march orderlie and keepe his distance and that no man goe out of his Ranke The Lieuetenant remaines in the Reare bringing vp the Companie and seeing that no man fall backe but that euerie man doe his duetie That which I haue shown of a single Company may bee vnderstood of a diuision of a Regiment a brigada or any greater Body but thē the diuisions both of Pickes and Musquetiers must bee framed according to the number of your Bodie and the Officers are placed according to the Sergeant major his Direction Obserue that when yee march by diuisions commeth to a narrow Straite where onelie one or two can goe in Front as ouer a little Planke or the straite of a Ditch Yee must make them march away by Files leading out one File after another or by Rankes commanding Rankes to ranke 1. or 2. or 3. according to the capacitie of the Straite and that either to the right or left hand as the Straite shall ly vpon the right or lef Flanke of your diuision If vpō the right then the right hand man marcheth fordward with his sideman if the place suffer 2. and the nixt 2. sidemen of that Ranke followeth And so the rest of the Rankes till all the diuisions bee past ouer which being done he is to command Ranks Ranke as yee were And so they returne all to their first Station and Posture Obserue also that if yee bee to draw vp your men in a Battallion Quarre or Square Battell I meane of men not of ground that is a square Quadrate which is a (b) Eucl. lib. 1. in defin figure Equilaterall and Rectangulare whose Rankes and Files shall be of equall number It is quicklie and exactlie done by extracting the radix quadrata or the Square roote of the number of your men which will bee both the length and deipth of your Battell As for example ye haue 400. men to put in a square Battell yee seeke out the square-roote of 400 which yee finde to bee 20. And therefore in an instant you draw vp your men 20. in File and 20. in Ranke But if yee bee to make vp any other square Battell Quadrilaterall which is (c) Euel lib. 1. in def Figura alter a parte longior called by the French Battallion Quarreen lōgue ye haue nothing to doe but to diuide the number of your men by the deipth giuen and the quotus shall bee the length of your Front which I shew before as in this instance diuide 400. by the deipth of 10. the quotus 40. shall giue you 40. in Ranke and siclike of any greater number the figure following A. B. sheweth the first C. D. the second A.B. C.D. Obserue by the way that with a contrarie operation ye may at the first sight find the number ofa Batallion passing by it and counting the length the deipth therof multiplying the one by the other as in the former instance multiplie 40. in Ranke by 10 in File ye shall find the whole number to be 400. I will not here speake of the other Battels which are not square as of Round Demilunar concave or convexe Rombus or Diamond Triangle or Vedge which is halfe a Diamond and such like others because they are not fitte for march neither are they now much used in Battell or fight as also they are discribed (d) Aelian Tact. cap. 46 47. by Aelian where they may bee found by any who are curious to vnderstand them But before I goe further I must advertise of one thing that the Souldiers bee acquainted with the seuerall beates of the Drumme and to vnderstand when the Drumme beates a Call or Gathering a March a Troope a Charge a Retreate a Releife and according as the Drumme beates swift or slow so to accommodate thair motion as to march slowe or fast to charge with greater or lesse violence to retire with greater or lesse speede and so foorth Of the seuerall Postures of the Picke and Musquet T it 5. IN the next place the Souldiers are to bee taught the use and postures of the Armes that euerie one of them doeth carie bee they Picke or Musquet and to handle them gracefullie The Postures then which the Picke-men should use either standing or marching are these following In the columne vpon the right hand are contained the tearmes of command in our Scots Language on the left the English for I thought good to acquaint you with both seeing sometimes the wordes are different 1. Take vp your Picke 2. Shoulder your Picke 3. Slope your picke 4. Levell your picke 5. Order your picke 6. Aduance your picke 7. Traill your picke 8. Cheeke your picke 9. Recouer your picke from traill or cheeke by palming 10. Port your picke 11. Charge your picke 12. Charge to the right hand 13. Charge to the left 14. Charge to the Reare by the right or left 15. Charge at the foote against horse and draw your Sword 16. Lay downe your picke 1. Lift your picke 2. Shoulder your picke 3. Sclant-carie your picke 4. Plate-carie your picke 5. Ouer end or set down your pick 6. Mount your picke 7. Traill your picke 8. By the point hold your picke 9. Recouer your pick by palming 10. Porte your picke 11. Present your picke fordward 12. To the right hand or right about present your picke 13. To the left hand or left about present your picke 14. To the Reare or to the lefe roud about presēt your picke 15. Foote your picke and draw your Swords 16. Lay downe your picke Obserue that those three Postures Take vp your Picke Order your Picke Lay downe your Picke are to bee done onelie standing The rest standing or marching but yee must remarke that when your Souldiers charge standing to
Battell and it is assured that a few number of men well disciplined and beeing perfect in their Militarie Motions are able to rencounter and ouerthrow great multitudes without practise of Armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) Aelian Tact. cap. 3. sayeth Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee finde often great Forces to bee by their disorder ouercome by a few well ordered and exercised and therefore the chiefe thing that Souldiers are to vnderstand is their Militarie Motions for the Science of thir Motions is the definition of the Arte Militarie These then I shall sette downe in some fewe Titles with as great varietie and perspicuitie as I can touching onelie the auncient exercise in so farre as it is a ground or doeth agree with our moderne Discipline The Motions of Troupes are two folde of the whole or of a parte of the whole either in keeping ground or changing ground Keeping ground when euerie person moueth in his proper place as in Faceing Changeing ground when the Battaillon changeth the ground it stood in as in counter-march and wheeleing The Motion of a parte is when a part of the Battell moueth and a parte standeth still as in doublinges closinges openings for in those Motions some Rankes or Files standeth the rest moueth I will then begin with Faceing Faceing is a Motion transferring the Souldiers face to the Flanke or the Reare of the Battell And therefore is of two sortes the one when the Souldier maketh a Quarter turne to the right or the left hand the other when hee maketh an halfe turne The first Motion the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is defined by (b) Aelian Tact. c. 24. Aelian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Motion of the Souldier turning his face to the Picke or the Target that is to the right or the left hand For the Grecians as I told you before caried a Picke in their right hand and a Target in the left but I wonder why Aelian calleth it a Motion of the Armed Souldier onelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did also use this Motion The action of this Motion is thus performed How to performe the Motiō the Souldier standeth firme with his left Legge and turning onelie vpon his heele draweth backe the right Legge if hee face to the right hand or bringeth foreward the right Legge if hee face to the left hand this is to bee done in a stand but in a March faceing to the right hand they must bring foreward their left Legge The use of the Motiō The use of this Motion at a stand is to be ready at an instant to receiue the charge of the Enemie if they assaile either of your Flankes But if ye face and march yee may thereby preuent the Enemie from falling vpon your winges (c) Leo Tact. c. 7. § 79. as Leo showeth by bringing your Battell to some Riuer or other Strength and also to eschew some dangerous ground as Alexander did at Arbela who perceiuing that Darius had strowed the ground betweene the two Battels with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Calthropes faced his right winge to the right hand and marched about (d) Polienus Stratag lib. 4. in Alexandro § 17. See Polienus But if the Enemie charge both your Flankes at one time yee must face the halfe of your Battell to the right hand the other half to the left that is the halfe of your Files which are vpon the right Flanke faces to the right hand the other halfe which are vpon the left Flanke faces to the left hand and this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described by (e) Aelian Tact. c. 38. Aelian and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Captaine (f) In his Notes vpon Ael Tact. cap. 25. Bingame sayeth The formes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee shall see in the figures following ABCD EFGH IKLMNO The figure A. B. C. D. is a faceing of the whole Battell to the right where that which was before the right Flanke B. D. is now become the Front the Reare before C. D. is now become the right Flāke the Front before A. B. is now become the left Flanke the left Flanke before A.C. is now become the Reare The figure E. F. G. H. is a faceing of the Battel to the left where that which was the left Flāk before E. G. is now become the Front The right Flanke F. H. the Reare The Front E. F. the right Flanke The Reare G. H. the left Flanke The figure I. K. L. M. N. O. is a faceing of the Battell to the right and left by diuision where the one halfe of the Battell K. L. N. O. consisting of 5. Files of Pickes and 5. of Musquetiers faces to the right hand and maketh the Front L O. which before was the right Flanke the other halfe I. K. M. N. consisting of alike Files faces to the left and maketh the Front I. M. which before was the left Flanke so that thereby it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a double fronted Battell The wordes of command are these Face to the right As yee were Face to the left As yee were Face to the right and left by diuision As yee were Some say onlie To the Right To the Left c. Our Scots wordes of command are Right about To your first oder Left about To your first oder Right and left about To your first oder But they are not so proper as the former The second manner of faceing is when the Souldiers maketh an halfe turne to the Reare by the right or left hand The French calleth it Demy tour a droit or a Gauch The Greekes calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) Leo Tact. cap. 7. § 79. 84 Leo calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelian (h) Aelian Tact. c. 24. defineth it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Translation of the former aspect to the Reare The Motion is done as the other How to doe the Motion except that the Souldier maketh twise so great a Turne for standing fast with his left Leg he onelie turneth vpon his heele and draweth backe his right Legge if hee face to the right about and bringeth foreward his right Legge if hee face to the left about but in a March faceing to the right about hee must bring foreward his left Legge The use of it is The use of the Motion if the Enemie charge your Reare then yee are readie to receiue him by turning the faces of all the Souldiers of your Battell to the Reare against him which (i) Plutar. in Pyrro Pyrrhus King of Epirus did comming out of Argos beeing pressed with a multitude of Enemies and (k) Zenoph Cyroped lib. 7. 189. Cyrus comming from the walls of Babylon to his Campe often faced about his Armie to receiue the Enemie who saliing out of the
doubled by advanceing or leading foorth when the evin Files marcheth out from the Bodie placeth themselues in a right line before the Leaders of the odde Files if the Command bee to the right hand and the odde Fils before the evin if the Command be to the left hand or else it is done when the one halfe of the Files vpon either Flanke marcheth foorth together and advanceth before the Files of the other Flanke according as the Command is to the right or left hand if to the right the Files of the left Flanke advanceth before the right Flanke if to the left the Files of the right Flanke advanceth before the Files of the left Flanke as in the figures following RSTV NOPQ DEFGHI XYZABC The figure N. O. P. Q. showeth a doubling to the right hand by advancing the evin Files before the odde N. O. was the front of the Battell before the Doubling the deapth was fioÌ„ O. to Q. which now is extended to the double R. S. T. V. is a Doubling to the left hand by advancing the odde Files before the evin R S was the Front before the douling and S. V. the deapth which is extended as the former The other two figures are doublings by advancing of the halfe of the Files Z. A. B. C. is a doubling of the halfe of the Files to the right where the Files of the left Flanke Z B the 10. 9. 8 7. 6. advanceth together before the Files of the right Flanke Z. A. was the Front or length of the Battell befor the Doubling which now is contracted to X. Y. A C was the deapth of the Battell which is now extended to C. A. Y. The other F. G. H I. is a Doubling of the halfe of the Files to the left for the Files of the right Flanke 1. 2 3. 4. 5. advanceth before the Files of the left Flanke the Front of the Battell before the Doubling F. G. is now dâ—minished to D. E. the deapth F. H. is now augmented to H. F. D. Those Doublings extendeth the deapth of the Battell towardes the Front as the doublinges by Countermarch did towardes the Reare Those Doublings altereth ground but if yee desire to keepe the same ground (t) Count Mansfield in his Direct of War pag. 45. Count Mansfield showeth a way which is to make the Files that are to double to close their Rankes forewards and the other to close backwards and so by a little edgeing aside shall bee placed before them But the publisher of his directions hath mistaken himselfe in saying that the Leaders of the halfe which is to double will stand alittle beyond the Bringers vp of the other halfe for it is the Bringers-vp of the halfe which is to double that will stand before the Leaders of the other halfe The wordes of Command Files as yee were Files advance and double to the right hand Files advance and double to the left hand Diuide your Files and double them to the right or left Count Mansfield useth those words File vpon File Files double the Bodie to the right or left hand FOurthlie Files are doubled by the Flankes that is When the Files of either Flanke are inserted in the other and so double them and that either to the right or left If the Command bee to double the right Flanke then the Files of the left Flanke for yee must conceiue the whole Bodie to be diuided into two Flankes faceth to the right hand and marcheth through the spaces of the right Flanke till the sixt File bee in one evin File with the first the 7. with the 2. the 8. with the 3. the 9. with the 4 and the 10. with the 5. and then they face as the rest If the word bee to Double the left Flanke then the Files of the right Flanke faceth to the left and doe as the former till the fift File joyne with the 10 the 4. with the 9. the 3. with the 8. the 2. with the 7. the 1. with the 6. as these figures following showeth OPQR KLMN The figure K. L. M. N. is a Doubling of the right Flanke by the left where ye see the Files of the left Flanke K. M. which are the 10. 9. 8. 7. and 6. are joyned with the Files of the right Flanke L. N. O P Q R showeth a Doubling of the left Flanke by the right where the Files of the right Flanke P. R. the 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. are inserted in the Files of the left Flanke O. Q. Of both the Battelles the length K. L. and O. P. are contracted to the halfe and so the Battell is brought into a wing whereof is made the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described by (t) Aelian Tact c. 27. Aelianâ— These points · in al these former figurs showeth the place where · the Doubling Files stood The wordes of Command Files as ye were Files double your right Flanke Files double your left Flanke Some say Halfe Rankes double your right or left Flanke This Doubling mixeth your Armes which if yee would eschew yee may countermarch your Flanke beginning the Motion with the vttermost File of that Flanke which doubleth making it march through the distances betwixt Rankes till it joyne with the vttermost File of the other Flank the rest following it successiuelie so your Pickes shall double your Pickes and your Musquetiers your Musquetiers As if yee should suppose the tenth File of the figure K. L. M. N to double the first the 9 the 2. the 8. the 3. and so foorth But of this yee shall know more heereafter Obserue that yee may proceede in doubling your Files till yee bring your whole Battell in two Files or one File Or yee may doe this by making your Rankes File to either hand or both by division If ye command Rankes to File to the right hand the right hand man of euerie Ranke stands still the next to him falles behind him the rest of the Ranke follow vntill the whole Ranke bee in a File All the Rankes doe the same falling behind their right hand man and making one File of the whole Body If the word bee to the left the left hand man stands firme the next to him falles behind him and the rest follow and all the Ranke falls behind their left hand man and so are converted in one File But in this Motion yee must obserue a Double distance Yet if it bee in a March yee may doe it at any Or der Some call this Motion Fileing by conversion But yee must obserue that in a great Front yee can not well use this Motion If ye would bring your Bodic in two Files the one halfe of the Rankes fall into the right hand File the other into the left hand File the right and left hand File standing fast and the rest of the Files inverting to them for some calleth this Motion Fileing by inversion VX ST VZ The figure S. T. is a Fileing of Rankes to the right hand where yee
yee may by this Motion bring your File-leaders who are your best men to encounter with him for it was euer the use of good Cōmanders to bring the front of their Battel against their enemies Thus Frōtinus witnesseth Alexāder Iulius Caesar to haue bene accustomed to bring the Souldiers who were in acie or the Front of the Battell to fight against their Enemie (l) Frontinus Strat. lib. I. c. 3. Alexander Macedo cum haberet vehementem exercitum semper eum statum belli elegit ut acie confligeret Caius Casar Bello civili cum exercitum vete ranum haberet hostium autem tyronem esse sciret acie semper decertare studuit COuntermarching of Rankes is when one wing of your Battell is brought in place of the other OF Counter-marching of Rankes or the wings into the midst of the Battell or one wing to double the other This Countermarch is also threefolde as the former of Files for it is Macedonian Laceden onian and Chorean The Macedonian taketh the ground which is on the contrare wing from the Enemie and therefore seemeth to march away from him The Lacedemonian taketh the ground which lyeth on the side of that wing which is towards the Enemie therefore maketh a show of charging him The Chorean keepeth still the same ground whereon the Battell stood before the Countermarch Aelian speaketh but little of those coūtermarches by Rāks neither haue I sene them much used in our exercise Yet for your vnderstanding I will set downe their Motion and their figures because some good use may bee made of them In the Macedonian Countermarch by Ranke the right hand corner File faces to the left hand stands the rest of euerie Ranke passes through and place themselues orderlie behind their right hand sidemen beginning either with the vttermost File on the left Flanke or with the File next the right hand File and so they take vp the ground which was on the right wing of the Battell RSVX STXY R S V X is the Battell before the Countermarch S T X Y the Battell after the Countermarche which hath left the place it had and takin the place vpon the right wing and are all faced about to the left so that the front before R S is now become the right Flanke S T. The right hand File before S X is now become the Front The words of command Left wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the right wing or Rankes Countermarche from the left wing to the right The Lacedemonian Countermarche by Ranke is when the left hand corner File turnes his face to the left hand the rest of euery Rank passe through to the left and place themselues orderly before their left hand side-man beginning either from the vttermost File on the right hand or from the File next to the left hand File ABDE BCEF Yee see this Battell hath left the place where it stood B C E F and taken the ground beyond the left wing A B D E they are all faced about to the left The Front before the Countermarch was B C and is now become the right Flanke A B. The right hād File C F is now the Front A D The left hand File B E keeping still its place becomes the Reare The wordes of Command Right wing Countermarche through to the place beyond the left wing or Rankes Countermarche from the right wing to the left The Chorean Countermarche by Ranke is when the right hand corner File faces to the left and marches forward to the place of the left hand File the rest of euery rank following it the body mouing joyntly together while the right hand File come to the place of the left hand File and the left hand File to the place of the right hand File so that the bodie keepeth still that same ground it had before or to doe this more easily face only about your Battell to the left and then command a Countermarche of Files and this will produce the samine effect for it is all one to bring the front of your Battell to the Reare when it is faced to the right as to bring the right wing to the left before it bee faced GHIK In this Battell ye see the first man of euery Ranke with his Sydman that is to say the first two Files on the right Flank H K are turned are Counter-marching through the distances betwixt the Ranks the rest hath followed them on to the right Flank and hath left the place of the left Flank G I so-much voyd as the first two Files hath marched through the Ranks from the place of the right Flanke So that the right hand File shall marche on till it come to the place of the left hand File G I And the left hand File till it come to the place of the right hand File H K and so the Battell shall maintaine the samine ground it stood in and bee faced to the left The words of Command are Ranks to the right or left hand Countermarche and maintaine ground Our words of Command are Countermarch your Ranks to the right or left hand The use of Countermarching by Ranks is when the enemie appeareth on your left wing to charge you yee may by this motion oppose him with your best men and bring your right wing in place of the left against him and may applie your left wing to some advantage as a Riuer Marish or Trench that thereby it may be secure from encompassing or else it serues to bring one of your wings in place of the other when beeing embattelled ye minde to change the forme of your embattelling as if yee desire to set the right wing of your Battell against the right wing of your enemies Battell for some advantage of fight This did (m) Herodot in Calliope 248. Plutarch in Aristide Pausanias generall of the Grecian armie at the Battell of Platea against the Persians who hauing embattelled the Lacedemonians in the right wing of his armie and the Athenians in the left Mardonius the Persian Generall gaue the Thebans and other Greekes his right wing and the Persians the left wing Now Pausanias desiring to oppose the Athenians against the Persians as beeing better acquainted with the Persian fights then the Lacedemonians he Countermarched his right wing to the place of the left and so brought the Athenians against the Persians which Mardonius perceiuing did the like immediatlie Countermarched his right wing of Thebans to the left wing of the Persians as fearing to joyne the Persians with the Athenians By this manner of Countermarche yee may bring your wings in place of the body of your batallion which is this done Your right hand File faces to the left the left hand File to the right and marche both in towards the center of the Battell while they meet other face to face the rest of each Ranke vpon both wings followes them and marches out vntill the two middle Files
the first ranke hath giuen fyre it standeth still the Ranke next it passeth vp through the same Ranke and presenteh in due distance before it and giueth fyre the third Ranke passeth through them both and giueth fyre before them and so the rest of the ranks successiuelie till the bringers-vp haue giuen fyre in the Front But I thinke this not so fit for seruice as to show the varietie of exercise If the Commander please to make more execution against the enemie hee may command the second Ranke to double the first and to giue fyre altogether so that for fiue shotte hee may shoote ten and for ten twentie The use of this exercise is to advance and to charge the Enemie if yee bee stronger than he and to gaine ground vpon him But if ye desire not to gaine ground as beeing more fite to defend then offend yee may make the Rankes giue fyre where they stand without advancing and fall away to the right or to the right and left as before If ye sustaine a charge both in Front and Reare then they who hath giuen fyre falleth away to either hand and joynes in the the division made through the middle of the Battell betweene the two middle rankes as in the figure following ABCD A B C D is a winge of 100 Musquetiers wherof the one halfe of the rankes giues fyre in the Front A B The other halfe of the Rankes giues fyre in the Reare C D and the Ranks that hath giuen fyre both of A B and C D to wit the first and the tenth falles away to the right and left hand and joynes in the division E euerie man toward his owne Front the Rankes next them presentes giues fyre and falles away as the former and so all the rest Or else they may fall away by Countermarch as I haue said before but in so doing they must bee expert Musquetiers and carie their Peeces aright otherwise they will disturbe the whole Ranks And it is a verie comelie sight to see this Battell when the pickes are charged both to the Front Reare the Musquetiers doing their duetie that is giuing fyre and falling away by Countermarch gracefullie and with readinesse as I haue seene the Souldiers of the Artillerie Garding doe it most exactlie How to Giue fire in the Reare The second way of Giuing fyre is in Reteiring from the Enemie and then they giue fire in the Reare which is in this manner The Captaine marching in the Reare for that is his place in a retreit from the Enemie honour beeing alwayes accompanied with danger commands the last Ranke to make ready and then to the right hand about and giue fire which they doe the body still continuing their marche and thereafter turnes off to the right hand or if they be many to the right left towardes both Flankes or else through the divisiones of the body which are made for that end and marches vp a good swift pace to the Front where euerie man falles in the Front of his own File As soone as the last Rank is turned to giue fire the next Rank makes ready and when the last Ranke is fallen off and marched away it turnes about giues fire falls off and doth all as the former did and so all the rest of the Rankes successiuelie one after another as in the figure following FGHI F G H I is a winge of an 100 Musquetiers Retireing from the enemie where yee see the 10 Ranke in the Reare hath giuen fire turned to the right hand divided it selfe and fallen away the on halfe through the division H F betwixt the Musquetiers and the Picks the other halfe through the division K and are marching away vp to the Front but if yee would keepe the bodie of your Musquetiers whole ye may make the Ranke which giues fyre divide it selfe and the one halfe fall away to the right hand the other to the left so that the halfe which falls away through the division K shall fall away by the Flanke I G. The ninth Ranke hath turned about and presented and after it giueth fyre divideth it selfe and marcheth away as the former and so doeth all the Rankes successiuelie one after another continueing still their march and giuing fyre vpon the Enemie If yee would make more execution vpon the Enemie yee may make the penult Ranke double the last as I show before in doubling the Front The use of Giuing fyre Reteiring is when the Enemie is stronger than you and followes you in the Reare yee beeing much weaker and not able to encounter him yee march away and makes haste to gaine your owne Quarters or Trenche or Forte from whence you sortied or to joyne with moe of your owne arme and yet ye skirmish with the Enemie giuing fyre vpon him and no wayes hindering your owne marche The third way of Giuing fyre is How to Giue fire on the Flankes Marching by an Enemie which is done vpon the Flanks after this maner The outmost File of the Flanke next the Enemie is commanded to make ready and to turne to the right or left hand according as the Enemie appeares vpon the right or left wing and to giue fire altogether thereafter they march not with the bodie but stands still and keepes their ground and charges their Musquets againe Now whensoeuer the foresaid File turnes to giue fire the next File vnto it makes readie keeping alwayes along with the Body till its bringer-up bee past a litle beyond the leader of the File that gaue last fyre and then the whole File must turne and giue fire and doe all as the former did Thereafter the first File marches up and joynes with the second File Assoone as the second File turnes to giue fyre the third File which is now outmost towards the Enemie makes ready turnes about giues fyre and doth all as the other two and so the rest one after another and then the first two Files marcheth vp to the third and those three to the fourth after it hath discharged and so foorth all the rest till the whole wing of shotte be gathered together and then they all marche vp and joyne in equall Front with the Pickes as yee see in the figure following KLMN K L M N is a winge of 100 Musquetiers marching by an Enemie who showes himselfe on the right Flanke of the Battallion L N Your first File P. towards him hath giuen fyre vpon him and hath charged their Musquets againe in the place they stood The next File hath also giuen fyre vpon him and are charging againe in the same ground also the third File hath turned to the right hand and so hath presented to giue fyre after which yee must imagine the first File P. to march vp and joyne with the second File O. and both of them to marche vp to the third File and so foorth till the whole wing gather and joyne together againe after they haue given fyre The like yee