either wing closing to the middle leaders 6. Strings close to the right The right hand string moveth not but standeth fast all the rest close to the right string taking their distance one from another from the right hand 7. Strings close to the left Strings closing to the left then the left string stands fast the rest of the strings close and take their distance from the left hand Their is great vse in closing of strings for many causes 8. Strings close to the right and left by division Strings closing to the right and left by division the one half of the strings close to the right string the other half to the left string leaving a space betweene which is done vpon some speciall vse best knowne to the Commander 9. Strings open Being in close order the word is strings open not naming to whether hand and is thus to bee done the middle leaders presse vpon their wingers first taking the distance commanded having then opened both wayes the rest of the company on both wings take their distance from them 10. Strings open to the right The left string is not to moue but standeth fast the next to the left string first taketh the distance pressing vpon the right vntill the distance commanded bee obtained the rest of the strings doe the like pressing vpon their right still opening by the righ vntill they haue all done it 11. Strings open to the left The right string standeth fast the rest open to the left still pressing vpon their left string vntill they are all in distance commanded This word of command is ever given to that hand where there is most ground or fittest ground for conveniencie 12. Ranks close from the front to the Reare After this manner the reare or last ranke moveth not but standeth fast the rest of the ranks fall backe to the reare 13. Ranks close from the reare to the front To doe this the first ranke moveth not but standeth fast all the rest of the ranks close vp taking their distance commanded ranke after ranke from the front or first rank the second ranke to the front beginning first the rest consequently one after another till all haue done it 14. Ranks open from the front to the reare The first ranke moveth not the rest of the ranks fall backe till they haue gained the ground to the distance commanded then stand the second ranke taketh the distance first the rest in like manner one from another vntill they haue all effected it 15. Ranks open from the reare to the front Which is thus done all the body advanceth ford-ward the last ranke onely standeth fast the second to the last taketh the distance first then the rest advancing fordward till they haue done it 16. Strings and ranks close The whole body being at open order the word is strings and ranks close to doe the which your middle leaders of strings close first the rest of the strings close to them the ranks close all vp to the front or the first ranke to such distance as is commanded 17. Strings and ranks open The whole body being close in ranke and string the word is strings and ranks open after this maner the middle leaders of strings open and take the distance first the rest of the strings on either wing from them the ranks fall backe the second to the front taketh the distance first the rest in like maner from the front to the reare backwards 18. Strings countermarch and maintaine ground To countermarch and maintaine ground the leaders of every string having turned to the hand directed which is specially to bee observed passe thorow the company their followers march vp to the leaders ground making the same good then turne and passe thorow the company after their leaders till they haue all done the same 19. Countermarch and lose ground To countermarch and lose ground the leaders of everie string turne to the hand directed passing thorow the company the followers moue not till their leaders are passed by them then they turne and passe after their leaders the ranks doe the same one after another not moving till their leaders are passed by them then they turne in the same ground By countermarch the reare may become the front in the same ground that the front stood in having brought them vp and face about Note The strings must bee in their open order when they countermarch 20. Rankes countermarch from the right to the left The right hand man passeth betweene the first and second ranke all the rest of the same ranke follow the right hand man of the second ranke passeth betweene the second and third ranks passing to the left wing the rest of the ranke follow him all the rest of the ranks doe the like bringing the right to the left 21. Ranks countermarch from the left vnto the right The left hand man of every ranke turneth first passing to the right all the ranke followeth him the rest of the ranks doe the like so bringing the left wing to the right This is done vpon some politick respect of the commander to change the wing doubting the courage of the one by the other or otherwayes best knowne to the Commander 22. Strings ranke 3. 5. 7. or 9. The right hand string first executs the same advancing fordward and fall in ranke to such number as shall bee enjoined the next string doeth the like advancing fordward fall in ranke after the former string the rest of the strings keepe the same forme and order vnto they are all ranked 23. Strings ranke 3. 5. or 7. The left string first advanceth falling in ranke the rest of the strings obserue the like forme till the words of command bee fully executed 24. Ranks ranke 4. 6 or 8. The first ranke executeth the same beginning at the right hand man the first ranke having ended the right hand man of the second ranke beginneth the rest of the ranks doe the like till all haue done it 25. Ranks ranke 2. 4 or 6. The left hand man first beginneth heere the rest of the ranks joyne with him making so many in ranke as shall be commanded every ranke passing vp till they haue all done it 26. Ranks string to the right The right hand man of every ranke stirreth not but the next to the right hand man falleth behind his right hand man the rest of the ranks follow all the ranks doe the same falling behind their right hand man making one string of the whole company 27. Ranks string to the left Every left hand man stands fast the rest fall behind one another to the left hand and so are converted into one string The vse Thus you giue a strong charge vpon the wing by facing to any hand this serveth also for a narrow passage to doe this let the ranks bee in open order and the strings in close order 28. Ranks turne to the right The right hand man turneth in the same ground he stands not moving foorth of
importance that more tolerable it were for all the officers of the company were it the Captaine himselfe to bee vnskilled men and of little experience rather than the Sergeant who of necessitie ought to bee an expert Souldier and of great spirit and diligence Hee is to ranke the Souldiers as hee shall thinke good not suffering them to contend or fall out amongst themselues for the Front or best places THE CORPORALL AS hee is a degree aboue the privat Souldier so ought he in skill let no man that is a Souldier seeke to come to preferment in any office in the Field except hee know himselfe fit to discharge the same or els hee shall become a laughingstock to others and be contemned of all men as he justlie deserues that taketh vpon him more than hee is able to performe I thought to haue written more at large of every officer but for brevities sake I haue but onely touched every one apart hoping God-willing my selfe to showe it more at large by my selfe vnto them in exercise which I hope will worke more in them than writting So wishing all to take this in good part not set foorth for the well experimented Souldier but for such as yet haue not tasted thereof Heereafter followeth how a Company should march as lykewayes the severall words of Commands for exercising a Company with their reasons The order how a company should march of 200 men 100 Picks and 100 Musquets C M M M M M Leaders M M M M M First division Musquets M M M M M D M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M Bringers vp H P P P P P Leaders First division Pickes D P P Bringers vp 1. S P P Leaders 2 division Picks P P Bringers vp 2. S M M Leaders 2 division Musquets D M M Bringers vp L The Company brought vp in battell for the exercising 200 in Company Front  Left division  Right division left wing M M M M M P P P P P * P P P P P M M M M M right wing M P  P M   M P P  P P M  *                    *  6 Ranke or Reare division M P P  P P M 6 Ranke or Reare division    M P P * P P M The Reare Next followeth the handling of Musquet and Picke with the severall words for every posture The words for the Musquet The Musquet shouldered 1. Sinke your Musquet 2 Handell your Musquet with your right hand 3 Vnshoulder your Musquet and hold her vp 4 Fall backe with your right leg and hand 5 Bring your rest to your Musquet 6 Ioyne both in your left hand 7 Hold your Musquet mouth over your leaders right shoulder 8 Open your pan with right finger and thumb 9 Take your pryming wyre and clense your touchholl 10 Blow your pan 11 Morse with powder 12 Clese your pan 13 Grip the but-end of your Musquet and rest with your right hand and shake off the loose powder 14 Bring about your Musquet to your left syde 15 Discharge your measure into your barrell 16 Draw foorth your scrow or ramming sticke with the middle finger and thumb of the right hand 17 Shorten the same at your right pappe within a handfull 18 Ram in your powlder furring and bullet 19 Draw foorth your scrow and shorten it as before 20 Put vp your scrow in its place 21 Recover your Musquet and hold it vp with your left hand 22 Take it bee the butt hard at the pan and shoulder it 23 Your rest being in your left hand with your thumb vpon it aboue the butt 24 Sinke your Musquet 25 Handell your Musquet 26 Vnshoulder your Musquet 27 Hold vp your Musquet 28 Bring your rest to your Musquet 29 Ioyne both in your left hand 30 Take foorth your match with the finger and thumb of the right hand 31 Blow your match vnder your right arme 32 Cocke your match 33 Try your match to your pan 34 Guard your pan with the first two fingers of the right hand and the thumb at the backe of the pan 35 Blow your match againe 36 Take off your pan 37 Present your Musquet vpon your rest your left foote being at the rest vpon the ground 38 Giue fire 39 Fall off either be the right or left hand as the Command is given 40 In going off take foorth your match and returne it in your left hand againe betwixt your little finger and middle finger or in both having two ends lighted In service all this being learned and practised in exercise there is but only three words of Command viz. make reddie 2. present 3. giue fire The postures of the Picke Your Picke lying vpon the ground going to list it vp 1 PVt your toe of your right foote first to it 2 Then your right hand with your thumb at the but-end of it 3 In lifting step forward with your left foote and left hand and so lift it vp 4 Then your Picke is mounted 5 Ordour your Picke at 3. 6 Mount your Picke at 3. 7 Shoulder your Picke at 3. 8 Mount your Picke at 3. 9 Port your Picke at 1. 10 Traile your Picke at 4. 11 Cheeke your Picke at 1 12 Recover your Picke at 4. 13 Port your Picke at 1. 14 Mount your Picke at 3. 15 Sinke your Picke at 1. The but-end being at halfefoote to the ground 16 Hold your Picke vpon your right shoulder with your right hand and your thumb vpon your shoulder the palme of your hand vp and your foure fingers lying aboue the Picke 17 Vpon a long march and vpon double distance in rankes you may carry your Picke levill vpon your shoulder but not so comely as sinked 18 Your Picke being ordoured at close ordour the but-end of it must bee betwixt your feete holding the same with your left hand being ready to present to charge horse and your right hand to draw your sword setting forward your left foote laying your Picke and left hand vpon your left knee the butt being close at the right foote and your sword in your right hand 19 Your Picke being ordered at open ordour your feete must bee a foote a sundrie and your Picke in your right hand with thumb vp and the Picke a foote from your right foote 20 Your Picke being ordered at order your feete may be close at halfe a foote and the butt of your Picke at the toe of your right foote a little distance from it When you come to vnderstand distances of Rankes and strings these Will bee more clearer AS for the presenting and charging of your Picke when wee come to the exercising of the Pickes the whole forme shall bee showne God willing which can not be done but by practise and vse of
your pan with the middle finger and thumb of the left hana your thumb being at the backe of the pan 9 Take your pryming wyre and clense your touchholl and blow it 10 Morse with powder 11 Close your pan 12 Grip the but-end of your Musquet in your left hand with the rest also and shake off the loose powder 13 Bring about your Musquet to your right syde 14 Discharge your measure into your barrell of your Musquet 15 Draw foorth your scrow with the middle finger and thumb of the left hand 16 Shorten your scrow wand at your left pappe within a handfull 17 Ram in your charge 18 Draw foorth your scrow wand againe and shortenit as before 19 Put vp your scrow wand or raming sticke againe in its place 20 Recover your Musquet alittle before you lift it vp 21 Hold vp your Musquet in your right hand 22 Take it by the but-end hard vnder the pan with your left hand and shoulder it 23 Put your rest in your right hand at the inside of your Musquet and your hand at the backe of the panne Your Musquet is now charged ready to doe service and execution vpon the enemie 24 Sinke your Musquet 25 Handle your Musquet with your left hand 26 Vnshoulder your Musquet 27 Hold vp your Musquet in your left hand 28 Bring your rest to your Musquet 29 Ioyne both in your right hand 30 Take foorth your match with the middle finger and thumb of the left hand 31 Blow your match vnder your left arme 32 Cocke your match 33 Try your match 34 Guard your pan with the first two fingers of the left hand and the thumb at the backe of the pan 35 Blow your match againe 36 Take off your pan or put of the cover of your pan 37. Present your Musquet vpon the rest your right foote being at the rest vpon the ground 38 Giue fire 39 Fall off either be the right or left hand as the word of Command is given 40 In going off take foorth your match or lunte and returne it in your right handagaine betwixt your little finger and second finger having two ends lighted Note that when you handle your Musquet with your right hand that your bandelier be over the left shoulder vnder the right arme Also when you handle with the left hand that your bandeleirs be over the right shoulder and vnder the left arme A Company drawne vp with the Musquetiers in the front  Front  Left wing M M M M M M M M M M Right wing M M M M P P P P P P P P  The Reare  Heere the reare division of Pickes hath doubled the front division of Musquetiers to the right hand  Front  Left wing M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P Right wing M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P M P  The Reare  A Souldiers resolution to brauo Souldiers GEntlemen and braue Souldiers having now ended all that I haue thought expedient to be set downe by writ for the present touching this matter what amisse and error I haue herein committed I yeelde the same to bee considred and reformed by the wisdome of those whose experience authoritie and good indevour may bee answerable to the performance thereof Desiring that the same may bee deemed as proceeding from a Souldier who more of zeale than of any desire to offend not to instruct the expert Souldier but to indevour my selfe by the observations to make knowne my goodwill and wishes I haue conceaved to set forward the vnexpert and vnskilled sort which if I haue obtained it is the hight of all my desires and I shall esteeme this a full recompence of my travell if I perceaue this discourse of the rudiments of Martiall affairs to bee gratiously accepted though it be roughlie drawne as it were with the Picke and Musquet of a Souldier and no◠trimmed with the delicate pen of an orator for I haue ever judged it more becomming a Souldier to vtter himselfe by workes than by wordes and in effect as I shall doe declare the affection and readinesse I haue To doe you better service I. A. 〈◊〉 cap. ◠25. Chron. 2. cap. 1. 14. cap. 9. 25. The posturs of the Musquet Charge Discharge The posturs of the Musquet Charging Discharging