that all Pikes of the same company ought to be of one length otherwise if they disagree they will be vncomely and seeme to the beholders like vnto Organ-pipes which be of different lengths Moreouer they are very vnprofitable for seruice for they will greatly trouble each other and especially the huge and long pikes and therefore are to be refused Likewise a short pike is not good in a maine square neither in campe or battell except it be in strait and narrow places Secondly for the ordering and arming of a Musketeere IT is conuenient that the barrell or canon of his peece be in length foure foote at the least cleane and sound with a straight and right bore hauing a close stocke and well ioyned thereunto of a right Spanish making Then that the cocke of his peece be swift and well oyled bearing a true deliuerance to the middest of the pan the touch-hole neither too great or too narrow the pan close the eye-sight true and then hauing a strong breech-peece looke that all these instruments be well scrued and especially the breech-peece A charging rod or sticke of a meete length to the barrell of the peece the same to haue a worme or a scowrer at the one end the other end thereof tipped with a horne Then fore-see that he haue a Bandeleere with 16 or 18 chargers or mates at the least hanged thereunto with strong laces with a priming charger or mate and also a bullet bag and priming wyre then a Rest of a fit size and length breast or chin high with a trayle lace fastned thereat togither with a head-peece or murren and sword in all points prouided as is aforesaid CHAP. II. The Office of the Muster-Master both necessarie and profitable when a Prince or his Generall haue diuers Regiments of seuerall Nations vnder pay THe Muster-Master also may be accounted an Officer as it were dependant on the Treasurer for that his dutie is nothing else but by often reviewing of the bands to see how euery Captaines band is furnished according to my former directions for the arming both pike and musket noting the defaults from time to time and the supplies and thereof to make a perfect booke exhibiting the same at the pay day to the Treasurer that allowance may be made to the Colonels and Captaines accordingly When he first takes the view and muster of any band he must not onely write downe the name of the soldier and his weapon but also of what Country he is the townes name where he was borne and his fathers name and what yeeres he is of and finally shall take speciall care to set downe some speciall marke or cicatrice vpon his face togither with the colour of his haire and beard to the intent his Prince be not charged with paying of dead payes to such as be hyred but for that day as many Captaines vse to fill their purses with vnlawfull gaines CHAP. III. A Rule to set Souldiers in aray THe Footmen being assembled at the place where they are to be set in aray First you must foresee that the ground be fit and capable for the purpose that the aray may commodiously turne to the right or left hand as much as may be neuerthelesse according to the number of soldiers you haue you are to proceed in this sort as followeth First to wit that all the soldiers of a band of footmen are bound by the law of Armes forthwith and as soone as they shall heare the Drum beat a Call to repaire to the Colours vnder paine c. except that sicknes be the cause thereof or that hauing a licence or forelofe they may thereby excuse themselues But to returne you are to begin in this order following First you are to draw the pikes by themselues on the one side togither with the Ensigne and vpon the other side all the musketiers somewhat aloofe distant from the pikes beginning to make the musketiers march so many in a ranke as you list parting them neuerthelesse according to their number you may put them from 3 to 12 in a ranke for it is not often seene that more than 11 is put in a ranke how great soeuer the number of the footmen be neither in troth ought they to be any more than 11 in a ranke for when they passe 11 or 12 they are not to be accounted an array but rather a battaile I haue omitted to write herein of the placing of my officers belonging to a company of footmen you shall finde it plainely set downe in the march and at the beginning of the exercise of training so to returne hauing then placed the number of musketiers you shall thinke good of to be in a ranke you shall cause them to march in good proportion sending forth one ranke after an other the Sargeant standing still on the one side causing them to passe before him iudging by the eye-sight from Ranke to Ranke of all the soldiers one by one whether they be right in line obseruing true distance and also that they carry their Armes in warlike order for this is the beauty of an aray Moreouer the Sargeant hauing speciall respect to accommodate and place at the head of the array the Gentlemen of the company and also the Corporals which carry muskets placing next vnto them the best men and the best furnished soldiers and placing also at the Reare of the battell your best men and the rest of your best armed to the intent the aray may shew the better forasmuch as when they are diuided into aray the musketiers from the pikemen and that they turne their faces then the backe part or Reare is made the front therefore the Reare ought to be as well furnished as the front as I haue said before in the dutie of a Sargeant the which if you desire to doe it is necessarie you put in the midst of the Rankes the weakest and worst furnished aduertising the Sargeant that the soldiers are best furnished when they haue all sorts of Armes and furniture that be necessarie for them and there appertaines to a musketier good match fire-cole powder and bullet and moreouer l'assine And this is to be obserued with all speed and diligence that the time or occasion doth carry and the suspition of the enemy doth import Here next is demonstrated the distance obserued betwixt Ranke and Ranke man and man both in marching and also in maine battaile FIrst both pikes and muskets are to be ordered into files of 10 deepe the musketiers in marching are sometimes placed in the front sometimes in the front and sometimes in the Reare of the pikes but most commonly being in single aray they are to march both in the Front and Reare In maine battell the soldiers are placed sometimes in the right flanke sometimes in both the flankes and sometimes it will be commanded that they be brought in the Front of the battaile and also in the Reare In exercising the motions there are two distances to be kept
their Rankes at six foot distance and commanded silence that so euery one may heare the words of Command and to be ready to execute the same c. Front Reare To the right hand double your files BEcause there may be occasion of strengthning the Flankes as also for other purposes these words of Command are vsed To the right hand double your Files which is thus performed All the second file from the right hand march euery one behinde his side-man into the first or right hand File and so the fourth File into the third and the sixt into the fift c. which is done of all at one instant after the command is giuen The order whereof is plainely demonstrated in the Figure marked with 177. In which you may perceiue by the Starres from and to what place each man marcheth The Stars are onely set downe in the first and second Files but you are to vnderstand the same order in the third and fourth Files and so of all the rest c. Files as you were HAuing performed the former Motion the Captaine commands them Files as you were and then all those which doubled returne vnto their owne proper places the which is plainely demonstrated in the Figure marked with 179. by the Starres in the first and second Files the which order you must conceiue in the third and fourth fift and sixt c. To the left hand double your files THis Motion differeth little from that marked with 177. but that here the Motion is to the left hand as there it was to the right hand so that those Files which moued then stand still now and those which stood still then moue now all which is so plainly demonstrated by the Starres in the figure marked with 181. that it needs no further explanation Files as you were THe former Motion orderly performed the Captaine commands Files as you were and then those which doubled returne into their proper places according as you may plainely vnderstand by the figure pag 183. in which the Starres demonstrate both from what place they come and whither they march HAuing performed the doubling of Files in all points and orders demonstrated in my figures before this which was done with the shot in the right hand flanke of the pikes hereafter followeth the exercise in the very same forme and station of the Company where with I began the exercise of training the which Musketiers are diuided and placed in both the flankes of the pikes according to the figure in the next side pag. 185. Halfe Files to the right hand double your Ranckes IN the figure pag. 166. was shewed one way how that vpon occasion the Front might be strengthned here is another forme of strengthning the same which requireth two demonstrations or Figures for explanation In the first marked with D. is shewed the manner of acting this Motion and in the second marked with E. is demonstrated the action performed wherein you may perceiue how the sixt Rancke or as some improperly call them middle men doubleth the first Rancke the seuenth the second Rancke the eight the third Rancke the ninth the fourth Rancke and the tenth the fift Rancke Note that in performing this motion the halfe files of Pikes that doubled aduance their Pikes till they haue doubled and then order them D E Halfe Files as you were WHen they haue performed the former Motion according to the direction the Captaine commands Halfe Files as you were and then the halfe Files aduance their Pikes and fall backe with their right legge and so march into their proper places and then they are againe ten deepe at six foote distance according to the demonstration pag. 189. Note that in turning into their places euery one ought to turne to the right hand which is both easier and more pleasing to the eye then turning to the left hand Halfe Files to the left hand double your Ranckes THis Motion differeth nothing in effect from that before demonstrated in the 187. Figure the difference onely is that here the halfe Files which moue march vp to the left hand of the halfe Files that stand whereas according to those Figures they marched vp to the right hand of them The Figures marked pag. 191. make this very plaine Halfe Files as you were HAuing performed the former Motion the Captaine commands Halfe Files as you were and then the Halfe Files which doubled aduance their Pikes and fall backe with their right leg to be cleare of their Side-men and so march into their proper places turning into the same towards the left hand which done they will be in the forme marked with 193. Files to the Right hand Countermarch WHen a charge is expected in the Reare and it being thought conuenient to haue the Leaders of files to be in the places of the bringers vp because they are men best able to receiue the enemie it may be performed in this manner The Captaine commands Files to the right hand Counter-march and then the Leaders of Files aduancing with their right legge turne to the right hand and march downe towards the Reare all the body of the company mouing together and so the second rancke turning as the Front or Leaders of the files did when they haue marched vp to the place where the front was and so doth the third fourth and fift rankes c. The manner whereof is plainely demonstrated in the figure marked with B. and the figure marked with C. sheweth the motion performed B C Files to the left hand Counter-march THis Motion differeth nothing in vse from the former the difference of acting it is onely that there they aduance with the right legge and turne to the right hand and here they aduance with the left legge and turne to the left hand The manner of doing this is demonstrated in the next page marked with G. And the thing done in that marked with H. And therefore needs no further explanation G H The Postures of the Pike HAndle your Pike Aduance your Pike Shoulder your Pike To the right hand charge As you were To the left hand charge As you were To the Front charge As you were To the Reare charge As you were Aduance your Pike Porte your Pike Comport your Pike Traile your Pike Cheeke your Pike Aduance your Pike To your funerall posture traile your Pike Recouer your Pike Order your Pike Your open order at foote Your close order at foote To the Front charge To the right hand charge To the right hand charge To the right hand charge To the right hand charge Order your Pike Aduance your Pike Lay downe your Pike Take vp your Pike Shoulder your Pike Slope your Pike Leuell your Pike Traile your Pike Recouer your Pike Charge your Pike and aduance your ground Retreat charging Aduance your Pike Lay downe your Pike The Postures of the Musket HAndle your Musket Lay downe your Musket Lay downe your bandeleers Hold your Rest in your left hand Take vp your bandeleers with
bow and beare vp his body and so consequently to attaine to the leuell and practise of an assured and seruiceable shot readily charge and with a comely couch discharge making choise at the same instant of his marke with a quicke and vigilant eie His flaske and touch-box must keepe his pouder his purse and mouth his bullets in skirmish his left hand must hold his match and peece and the right hand vse the office of charging and discharging Being against the enemie whilst with an indented course he doth trauell his plaine ground or else takes aduantage of his place and inuasion as vnder the safegard of a trench the backe of a ditch old-wall tree or such like let him euer first load his peece with pouder out of his flaske then with her bullet and last with amuring and touch-pouder foreseeing euer that the panne bee cleane the couer close and the tutch-hole wide or else well proind so that still obseruing modest order in his trauerse neither ouerslow nor ouer-speedy to the entent he become not each mans marke through his sluggishnesse nor runne himselfe out of breath through his owne rashnesse for the most part keeping his side towards his enemie let him discharge going but neuer standing so shall he the better shunne the enemies shot and chuse his assured aduantage A souldier ought to be carefull that his furniture bee good substantiall and staunch from raine the charge of his flaske iust for his peece and the spring quicke and sharpe The pipe of his touch-box somewhat wide that the pouder may haue free passage which otherwise would choake vp In time of marching and trauelling by the way let him keepe a paper in the panne and tutch-hole and in wet weather haue a case for his peece somewhat portable or else of necessitie he must keepe the same from wet vnder his arme-hole or cassocke or by some other inuention free from damage of the weather and his match in his pocket onely that except which he burnes and that likewise so close in the hollow of his hand or some artificiall pipe of pewter hanging at his girdle as the coale by wet or water go not out It is moreouer requisite that a souldier keepe his cocke with oyle free in falling and his peece bright without rusting neither must he want his necessarie tooles as a scowrer tirebale and worme hauing euery one a vice to turne into the end of the scouring sticke so that if through wet weather or any other accident his peece will not be discharged the skilfull Souldier may with his tireball pull out his bullet with the worme the paper and wet pouder and with his scourer make his peece cleane within His scourer must be trimmed on the end with a linnen-cloth of a sufficient substance therewith to make cleane the cannon of his peece within The one end of his scouring sticke ought to haue a round end of bone of iust bignesse with the mouth of his peece therewithall at his pleasure to ramme in pouder and paper or in steed of paper such soft haire as they stuffe saddles withall the danger whereof is not like but this the Souldier must vse when time permits During the time of his seruice let him euer haue a diligent care to keepe his peece cleane and bright within and once a fortnight or at the least once a month take out the breech and throroughly view and wash the barrell within to see whether it hath any flawes brackes chambers frettings or ruptures which would endanger the breaking thereof especially if before hand the end of his bare scourer haue giuen him any cause to suspect such faults to the intent he may change the same for a new for feare of spoiling himselfe He that loues the saftie of his owne person and delights in the goodnesse and beauty of a peece let him alwaies make choise of one that is double breeched and if it be possible a myllan peece for they be of a tough and perfect temper light square and bigge of breech and very strong where the pouder doth lie and where the violent force of the fire doth consist and notwithstanding thinne at the end Our English peeces approach very neere vnto them in goodnesse and beautie their heauinesse only excepted so that they be made of purpose and not one of these common sale peeces with round barrells whereunto a beaten souldier will haue great respect and choose rather to pay double money for a good peece then to spare his purse and endanger himselfe But to returne to my matter let a souldier haue hanging euer at the strings of his tutch-box or some other readie part of his garment a couple of proyning pinnes at the least that if by fortune the tutch-hole of his peece be stopped or furred vp hee may therewith both make his pan cleane and yeeld a ready passage that the fire may haue her course by incorporating both the tutch-pouder without and the corne-pouder within together But a ready Souldier will alwaies fore-see that the tutch hole be so wide as the pouder without in the pan may haue free concourse to that within the peece thereby to hasten more speedy discharge considering a souldier cannot haue leasure and commoditie to proine his peece at all times but must of necessitie vse a great dexterity But since I am falne into the speech of a quicke charge and nimble discharge I will by the way declare the opinion of certaine nations therein Experience of late daies hath taught vs that those Nations which follow the warres inuent euery way how they may endomage the enemie in all their enterprises but especially in skirmish which for the most part consists in shot and by such as can with the eye of his minde make an assured leuell and with a nimble discharge both choose out and kill his enemie And therefore those souldiers which in our time haue beene for the most part leuied in the Low-countries especially those of Artoyes and Henault called by the generall name of Wallownes haue vsed to hang about their neckes vpon a baudricke or border or at their girdles certaine pipes which they call charges of copper and tin made with couers which they thinke in skirmish to bee the most readie way But the Spaniard dispising that order doth altogether vse his flaske The French-man both charge and flaske But some of our English-nation their pocket which in respect of the danger of the sparkes of their match the vncertaine charge the expence and spoile of pouder the discommoditie of wet I account more apt for the show of a triumph and wanton skirmish before Ladies and Gentlewomen then fit for the field in a day of seruice in the face of the enemy and in like sort the charge which either doth shed and loose his pouder whilst a Souldier doth trauerse his ground or else is so cloddered and rammed together that he shall be forced sometimes to faile of halfe his charge Therefore I conclude with