mouth c. or such like appointing two or three rankes of Gentlemen of the 〈◊〉 of S. Georges Squaâ—…ie to lead the voward who know the encounter and how to ioyne and thereby that way by order of the officers the shot doth issue to skirmish betwixt the skilfull 〈◊〉 beforesaid The battaile may ioyne close togither if oâ—…casion requireth also the rest of the shot may waâ—…e thorow to helpe the voward EUen as presently you haue placed 12. in ranke with your halberds and Ensigne in the midst so may they likewise fal out to be 12. in ranke in bredth and 13. in length if you place your shot in the front rereward the which as occasion serueth may be brought to skirmish any wayes This battell as the ground serueth is verie strong against the enimie SOmtimes marching in straights and especially hauing some gard in the rereward for the safetie of the Ensigne you may send certaine rankes of pikes in the front towards the enimie which shall wade through to strengthen the battaile placing the one halfe of your shot to skirmish in the front the other halfe in the rereward SOmtimes hauing scope of ground standing in doubt of horsemen cause the numbers to march 12 in a ranke at large a good distance a sunder and so to stand stil euerie man towards their quarters placing their shot on al sides betwixt the pikes which after they haue discharged being charged with horse may retire to the halberds and your outward fronts farrie close togither vntil the shot haue charged at the repulse of the horsemen to open your pikes at large and the shot to be commanded to issue and to skirmish as they were in the fronts This battell is of great force To order and imbattell 400. in quadrant proportion FOure hundreth men whether they serue in one band or vnder two seuerall Ensignes may be brought to this quadrant proportion against the defence of the enimie by placing 15. in the front ioyning foure rankes of pikes in the voward foure in the rereward and foure in the flanks your halberds and Ensigne in the midst placing your shot in sixe wings for the rescuing of ech other the rest of your shot in the voward and rereward in Diamond wise This battell for so small a number is of great force THe ground may be such as it shal be necessarie to place the same number in manner of a herse or twofold battaile placing ten in ranke in length and 20. in bredth placing your halberds and Ensigne in the midst encountring the enimie on your broad side so shall you occupie more hands then the quadrant battaile doth taking vp lesse ground in marching then the other battaile You must cause them to sarrie close togither trailing their pikes on the ground being readie to offer the push to the footemen and to crosse for the defence of horsemen your shot to be placed as before you appeareth This is of great strength so that the enimie cannot enuiron you To embattaile 500. men in a quadrant proportion ACcording to the worthinesse of the Captaine the greater is his charge as one Captaine to haue charge of 500. men vnder one Ensigne the which if any Caualliere of the order would bring into quadrant battaile hée must place 16 Pikes in front making 4. rankes quadrant placing his halberds in the midst with the Ensigne so hath hée in the bodie of the battaile 250. men his shot to be placed in the front and Rereward 110. and in the flanks of the battaile in the 8. winges 140. the which béeing discharged may discharge retire whereby to be rescued by the rest They may in this proportion March any way vnto them néedefull bée it either to trauaile or else to win grounds by any aduantage SOmetimes by reason of the ground it is necessarie to bring such a number into an hearse or twofold battaile which may bée more auailable then the Quadrant battaile To bring them into this proportion you must place 13. Pikes in breadth and 21. in length your Halberds and Ensigne in the midst your shot in the fâ—…onts and wings Thus in order they may turne their faces and march any way to them néedefull which practise may greatly auaile at time of néede as vnto great numbers appertaineth In what sort Hargabuziers and Archers are to be guided to skirmish FOr that in all skirmishes shot is the first that beginneth the fight I haue thought good in some few figures to set downe how they may March skirmish inuade and retire in politikâ—… maner and how by rankes to rescue one another whereof the practise in this smal number wil giue a light to greater knowledge which still may increase as the deuises of new inuentions do spring wherein I would wish all worthie Gentlemen couragious minds to whet their politike industrie that therby they may shun diuers discommodities and vnknowen daungers attaine to the tipe of true valiancie but to procéede This number following vpon the sight of the enemies must march thrée in a ranke casting themselues in the proportion of a Ring so to abide there appointing themselues to approch stil in aray there to discharge by rankes and so in the Rereward to charge againe being readie for seruice still marching round and whéeling about like vnto the Rutters THis number encouÌ„tring the Ring must discharge by ranks and after the first ranke hath discharged to retyre betwixt the rankes vntil they come to the Rereward there to charge and to follow his loadsman to seruice againe Thus may you continually maintaine skirmish how litle or great soeuer your number bée it giueth great encouragement to the Souldiers standing but one shot and retireth THese two bands of Hargabuzers set to encounter the enemy on their broad sides the fronts discharge turne their faces retyring betwixt the other which aduance in like maner for their rescue These retire and charge againe to seruice by practising the skirmish in this sort you may bring bands of Archers to seruice to the great anoying discomfiting of the enemie These two bands change rankes and place on their broade sides These bands of Archers be brought to seruice by the Callieuers afore them THese bands of Archers béeing brought to seruice by the Hargabuziers although the hargabuziers bée accompted to be of greater force then they bee of and the Archers not now so much vsed in the field as they haue bin yet hauing light shaftes made to shot 12. or 14. scoore may kéepe their place shooting al together ouer the heads of the hargabuziers to the gauling blemishing and great annoy of the enemie THese two bands following discharge by rankes and returne to the Rereward and charge againe who béeing placed fiue in a ranke like to two hornes are to bée brought to skirmish in like proportion to this figure The fronts or voward hauing discharged the one retyreth on the left hand the other on the right hand vnto the Rereward there
Argolateares a pretie distance off In this sort if one squadron happen to be broken yet shal another make head vpon the enimie while they may retyre troupe againe which is the only safetie as wel of Horsemen as footmen And albeit in the day of seruice it is the part of the high marshall himselfe to giue order in what sort and with what troupes the charges shal be giuen or receiued it is also the Lieutenants part as well to giue his aduise as also to be a leader in all these actions He ought therefore to take great regard to the ground where he meaneth to giue the charge for if he charge in troupe the falling of a few horse in the for most rankes may disorder and foile the whole troupe Before the front of his owne footmen let him neuer giue charge for it hath bin séene that horsemen being repulsed haue bene foreed in vpon their own footmen disordered them Let the horse therefore charge vpon the flanke of the enimie and diligently attend if by any accident they can perceiue any breaking or opening in the side of his enimies battell and then sodainly to charge that breach for as horsemen are inferiours to wel ordered footmen so vpon any smal disorder they carrie with them victory And for that in our age there hath arisen diuers fodaine effects not looked for wrought by the good and well guiding of horsemen I thinke it good somewhat more amplie to delate vpon this point specially as I said before in appointing out a place apart from the battel ranks wherin the Cauallarie may be ranged to the intent they may with good scope fréely and fitly turne and run with their squadrons and ranks in charging the enimy in taking charge likewise of them and in all other enterprises considering that the troopes of horsemen in retyring or turning round do often disorder and break their own infanterie either through the discommoditie of the place or through the want of the good and warie guiding of them Contrariwise at other times by their aduised and spéedie serâ—… a small number of horsemen well bent and better guided haue bêene séene to enter very couragiously into a great battaite of the enimies footemen and either for that they were slenderly flanked with Hargabuziers or by the disaduantage of the grouÌ„d or being disordered by meanes of some errour or through some other sinister chance or by meanes the said battaile was guided by vnequall or vncertaine pase or through the naughtie indeuor and diligence of rawe and vnpractised souldiers or in going through a streight place or passage of water or otherwise horsemen haue easilie disordered and broken their battailes and all the rest of a whole armie But yet are they not able to encounter with a well ordered square battell of pikes if their couragious and well ranged rankes keepe their araie and when the horsemen charge doe clinge and sarrie verie néere together in the fore rancke and set shoulder to shoulder with their pikes well couched and crossed bending them in both their handes straight before them and their followers at their backes laying theyr pikes ouer their foregoers shouldiers and so stand at the push besides the shouldering of the foreranks together hauing pitched their pikes vnder one of their feete in the ground they stoope and bow downe so loe with their bodies that their followers may easilie come to seruice behinde their backes where some doe vse to place the light armed pikes who amongst some nations for want of brest plates of Iron vse tand lether paper platecoates iackets c. For a gorget thicke folded kerchefes about their neck a scull of Iron for a head péece and a Uenetian or lether Shéeld and Target at their backes to vse with their short Swordes at the close of a battaile and in a throng The squadron of pikemen hauing couched and crossed their pikes brest high closely sarred together are as hard to be pearst with horsemen as an angrie Porcapine or Hedgehog with the end of a bare finger Wherefore to ouerthrowe a maine square battaile planted in that order it is good to vse the aide of Hargolateares who must first scale the fronte and ranks of the battels and then being seconded by the lances men at armes breake their araie and whole battaile In the erecution whereof it is good to vse the Rutters order which somewhat differs from the French mans fight for he encountring the enemie cannot indure any troope to be néere his long stretched ranckes because of breaking his course but the retire fighteth in this sort When the retire is approched néere enough vnto the enemie the first ranke dooth aduance vpon them and when he hath discharged his Pistolet he doth run still in forward as dooth the French who doth still pursue his point but more short on the right hand or on the left according vnto the place where he is and so is also spéedely followed by the second ranke which dooth the same Then the third followeth the second to giue the charge as soone as euer he séeth him departed that stood before him all the rankes following one another in such maner euen vnto the last the hindermost runneth they fighting with Pistolets onely for to come vnto their foreriders they standing all along one at anothers backe And for so much as it is impossible but that when they do present themselues some of them or else their horses be slaine Therefore so soone as euer one of the formost ranke is séene to fall downe he that is in the second ranke directly behinde him that is departed or else disabled must take his place and the next behind him in the third ranke must furnish the same voide ranke wherein he was in the second and so the rest in like order so that they alwaies make their formost rankes of the most assured for in all things namely in â—…eates of armes the beginning is of greatest moment some to break the front of armed pikes do vse to cause the men at armes dismount and in their complet armor to charge them with their launces Some others hold an opinion that the maner of the Germans is best who kéepe alwaies their maine troopes standing cause only one ranke from the front to charge the same being repulsed to retire to the taile and backe of the standing troope then an other to charge and retire to the taile backe as the former whereby they maintaine the whole troope in full strength vntil they sée the footmen sway or breake that their horsemen enter Then presently they back them with an other ranke those againe with an other vntill they sée cause either to follow with the whole troope or to staie this is thought to be the surest and most orderly forme of charging of all others notwithstanding the accustomed whéeling about of the rutters which they vse with their whole troopes euery one after an other giuing the enemie
be more encouraged let him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first with the firing of 〈◊〉 in hys paâ—… and so by â—…egrees boâ—…h to 〈◊〉 off to bow and beare vâ—… hys body and so consiquently to attaine to the leuell and practise of an assured and seruiâ—…eable shot readily chaâ—…ge and with a 〈◊〉 couch discharge making choâ—…se at the â—…ame instant of his marke with a quicke and vigyâ—…ant eye Hys Fiaske and Tutchbaxe must keepe hys Pouder hys purse and mouth hys bullets in skyrmysh hys left hand must hold hys match and Peece and the right haâ—…d vse the office of chargyng and dischargyng Beyng agaynst he Enemy why left with an 〈◊〉 course heâ—… doth trauerse hys pâ—…layne ground or else takes aduantage of his place and iâ—…uasion as vnder the safegard of a Trench the backe of a Dytch olde wall tree or such lyk let hym euer fyrst loade hys Peâ—…ce wyth Pouder out of hys Flaske then with hyr Bullet last wyth amuring and tutch Pouder 〈◊〉 euer that the 〈◊〉 be elâ—…ane the couer 〈◊〉 and the Tutch hole wyde or else wei 〈◊〉 so that still obseruing modest order tâ—… hâ—…s trauerse neither euerflow nor ouer speedy to the 〈◊〉 he become not each mans marke through his stuggishâ—…es nor run hiâ—…selfe out of breath through his owne 〈◊〉 for the most parte 〈◊〉 hys side towards hys enemie let him discharge going buâ—… euer standyng so shall he the better 〈◊〉 the enemies shot and choose his assuâ—…ed aduantâ—…ge A Souldier ought to bee carefull that his furniture be good substantiaâ—…l â—…nd 〈◊〉 from raine the charge of hys Flaske iust for his Peece and the Spring quicke and sharpe The Pâ—…pe of hys Tuchboxe somewhat wyde that the Pouder may haue free passage which otherwise would choake vp In time of marching and trauailyng by the way let hym keepe a paper in the pan and tutch hoale and in wet waether haue a case for hys Peece somewhat portable or else of necessitie hee must keepe the same from wette vnder hys Arme-hoale or Cassocke or by some other inuention free from domage of the weather and hys match in hys pocket only that except which he burnes and that likewise so close in the hollow of hys hand or some artificiall pipe of Peuter hanging at his girdle as the coale by wette or water goe not out It is moreouer requisite that a Souldier keepe his Cocke with oyle free in falling and hys Peece bright without rusting neither must hee want hys necessary tooles as a Scowrer Tyrebale worme hauing euery one a vice to turne into the ende of the scouring sticke so that if through wet wether or any other Accident hys peece will not be discharged the carefull Souldier may with his Tyreball pull out hys bullet with the worme the Paper and wet Pouder and with hys Scowrer make hys Peece cleane within His Scowrer must be trimmed on the end with a Lynnen cloth of a sufficient substance therewith to make cleane the cannon of hys Peece within The one end of hys Skouring sticke ought to haue a round end of bone of iust bignes with the mouth of hys Peece therewithall at hys pleasure to ramme in Pouder Paper or in stéed of paper such soft hayre as they stuffe Saddles withal the danger whereof is not lyke but this the Souldier must vse when time permits During the time of his seruice let him euer haue diligeÌ„t care to keepe hys Peece cleane and bright within and once a fortnight or at the least once a moneth take out the Bréech and throughly view and wash the Barrell within to see whether it hath any flawes brackes chambers frettinges or ruptures which would endanger the breakyâ—…g thereof especially if before hand the end of hys bare Scowrer haue giuen hym any cause to suspect such faultes to the intent he may change the same for a new for feare of spoiling himselfe He that loues the safety of hys owne person and delightes in the goodnes and beauty of a Peece let hym alwayes make choyse of one that is double breeched and if it bee possible a Myllan Peece for they bee of a cough and perfecte temper light square bygge of Bréech and very strong where the Pouder doth lye and where the vyolent force of the fire doth consist and notwithstandyng thynne at the ende Our English Peeces approach very neere vnto them in goodnes and beauty their heauines onely excepted so that they bee made of purpose and not one of these common sale Peeces with round Barrels wherevnto a beaten Souldier will haue great respect and choose rather to pay double money for a good Peece then to spare hys Purse and endanger hymselfe But to returne to my matter let a Souldier haue hangyng euer at the strynges of hys Tutch boxe or some other ready part of hys garment a couple of proyning priâ—…es at the least that if by fortune the tutch hole of hys 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 alwayes foresee that the toutch-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 can not haue leasure and commodity to proine his Peece at al times but must of necessity vse a great dexterity But since I am fallen 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 euerie way how they may endomage the enemie in all their enterprises but especially in Skirmish which for the most part consistes 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 bene for the most part leuied in the lowe Countries especiallie those of Artoyes and Henault called by the generall name of Wallownes haue vsed to hange about their neckes vppon a Baudricke or border or at their girdles certaine Pypes which they call Charges of Copper and Tyn made with couers which they thinke in skirmish to be the most readiest 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 discommodity of wette I account more apt for the show of a triumph and wanton skirmish before Ladyes and Gentlewomen then fit for the field in a day of seruice in the face of the Enemye and in like sort the charge which either doth shed and loose his Pouder
and vse thereof for it séemes to mee according to the opinion of diuers expert persons that they are not onely commendable but also most profitable and doe helpe those souldiers much that do learne and exercise them and the reason is this That those souldiers which haue not as yet had discipline and be litle practised in the managing of sâ—…reite aray and in turning thémselues in their aray and in managing all sorts of weapons as pikes specially the hargabusiers with the which it is requisite to cause them make certaine salutations in shooting of the Bissa and also in opening of the same in such sort as the hargabusiers may stand in continuall motion redinesse to charge discharge their péeces alwayes marching in aray sometimes large sometimes straite and sometimes softly and sometimes fast it makes them very disposed nimble and readie as wel in managing their weapons as in marching iustly and with a good grace in their aray and in the battell whereby it may appeare that the making of the Bissa and Caraguolo it of great profite and of importance and those are to be reprehended that despiâ—…e and forgoe them as I haue said before Therefore all good souldiers are to command the iudgement of him that was first the inuentor thereof and we are to search with all diligence to imitate the same rule which I will here God willing go about succinctly and at large to declare because in my former proportions of a King an S a D and a Snaite I haue not done neither touched the manner of this Bissa or Caraguolo the which I the rather thinke necessarie to the intent euery souldier may sée with his eyes a perfect example and way how to make it and to the end his error in this his wilfulnesse arise not to be his discredite in greater causes and to those that hold them méere trifles and feare to faile therin with a litle exercise shall find it easie I haue séene some Captaines that hath made the same most gallantly to their great commendation by men of the greatest authorite in the field If therfore you would make a single Bissa obserue the order set downe in this proportion Presupposing that the figure of this Bissa here set downe is the plaine or ground where the muster is made you must begin to enter with your aray where the taile of this Bissa is turning first on the right hand afterward on the left hand winding your aray about another time on the right hand and on the left vntil such time as you sée the Ensigne be come iust into the midst of the Bissa and that you thinke it be well issuing forth after out of the head of the Bissa as here is set downe causing them to make a goodly salutation your Hargabusiers at the opening and disclosing of the aray aduertising you that these three and thrée in the Bissa are the ranks of the footemen and the D signifying the Drums the E the Ensigne so that beginning this order and well obseruing it you cannot erre The double Bissa Desiring to make a double Bissa that is more inuironed and closed then the single as here appeares you must note that the rankes ought not to be past fiue in a ranke or sixe or seuen at the most for when they are ouer large they make the aray ouer broad taking care likewise that the place be commodious and capeable that the footemen may be spred that they may march without perill of entangling aduertising them that are at the front of the aray when they march in their entring into the place of armes where they are to make the said Bissa to take so much space in the same as is conuenient to do that which in your minde you haue determined Alwayes in turning and doubling the aray holding the path and way large and marching as streit as is possible if you desire that the same shal fal out well beginning the entrie at the taile as in the single is declared turning alwayes as you may perceiue is set downe by the figure before And after that you haue made an end to double it sufficiently in the last doubling as in the single Bissa you must issue forth making large So in this double hauing ended all your turning you must go compassing and making a circuit after issuing forth you must make a generall Salua with your péeces and this will be easie and to the beholders shal appeare intricate firie A plaine rule to set the Ring in aray IT is requisite if you desire to make the King a Caraguolo to hold the same order that is set down in making of the Bissa which is that the rankes do not passe the number of sixe or 7. footemen to the intent they do not confound them in going out although they may be made of a greater nuÌ„ber but theÌ„ it is requisite that those that guide theÌ„ at the front of the maine be wel practised for that it is perilous to intangle themselues Therefore you must take care to vse greater diligence in the ring and Caraguolo then you doe in the Bissa and the guider thereof must stand at the front of the aray and conduct them into the market place or where the assemblie of Armes is Presuppose therefore in your minde hauing in charge to make this ring or Caraguolo that here you sée set down in portrature to be likewise figured in your mind vpon the earth and vpon the place where you are to make it entring first where you sée the crosse and go forward marching at large and frame a round circle alwayes turning vpon the right hand leauing betwixt one circle another a large way so great that at your returne you may come within the said way where this word the issue out is set downe which doth note the turning backe when you are in the midst of the King or Caraguolo that is when you do sée you haue closed and shut them togither sufficiently hauing left betwixt the one circle and the other of the aray so much space that in the same you may returne backe so the one do not touch another Then shall you cause a goodly Salua to be made of all the Hargabusiers generally at one instant Afterwards returning backe by the left hand you shall issue foorth by that way that you haue left betwixt the one circle and the other as it is drawne in the plat where this word The issue out is marching alwayes right forth and as equally as you can and cause to be made at your issue forth another generall Salua by the Hargabusiers You may begin the said Caraguolo vpon what side yée list either vpon the right or vpon the left hand hauing care that if you begin it vpon your right in your issue forth to turne towards the left hand And so likewise if you begin vpon the left in your issuing forth to turne to the right for so you shall finde the way
a ranke both to fight and giue the enimie the shocke The which thing doth not fal out in many other battails that likewise doth embrace and occupie in euery respect lesse compasse of ground both the one and the other aduertisement is very substanciall for the most part of greatest aduantage for euery man of experience doth know how much it doth profit so néere as is possible to be planted placed in one vnited order and to take on hand to defend a small circuite of ground as by this forme doth verie well ensue and succéede Hée must set both in the one and the other of these places that is to say at the head and backe of the battaile the onely choise souldiers and best armed men which order hée ought likewise to obserue in those which must impale the rest the face the back and flankes of the battaile consisting of well armed Pikes specially if the situation of the ground and cariages do want as by reason is requisite and conuenient and place the Ensignes béeing accompanied with good Halberds men of valour in their accustomed standing of the footmens rankes Hée must make to his battaile two wings of Hargabuziers the one lesse and the other greater as the situation of the ground wil beare or suffer the which wings are to defend and flanke the maine square euen in the same sort as curtaines or bulwarkes with their casamates do flanke a fortresse It is verie necessarie for him to haue certaine souldiers besides the battaile and wings in the front vnder the name of the forlorne hoope and an other part that readily and couragiously béeing kéept behind the battaile may bée imploied in diuers néedefull enterprises without discouering or disseuering the wings or any other bodie of battaile ordained to other effect flanking himselfe with these wings hee may sometimes fight with great aduantage on all sides although the flankes of the said battaile be weaker containe a lesse quantitie of souldiers then the head or the backe and therfore with great iudgements these flankes ought to bée placed towards the strongest part of the situation aided with the wings of Hargabuziers and the â—…eregard for that sometimes one of the â—…ankes béeing forced to bâ—…ecome the front the said hargabuziers by good reason and very aduisedly may retire thrust themselues into the thréede of the rankes of the Pikemen from whence they may shoot and wound the enimie and defend their owne partie The forlorne hope in the front of the battaile must bée succoured with nâ—…w supplies from behind and if néede require from the winges that the front of the armed men bée neuer left naked and vncouered till the battailes bée so néere that they bée ready to crosse their pikes then must the other retire into the wings or behind the battaile to the cariages To forme and set in order this battaile with facillitie which in my opinion is the best founded firme profitable and most expedient and if necessitie did require more apt to iourney then many other forme of battailes bée I therfore say it is conuenient for the Sergeant to haue a long practise in Millitarie profession or else very good Theoricke or that which is better both the one and the other together for if a man do but only possessâ—… practised experience hee doth not alwaies direct and bring his enterprises to perfection but doth worke with more spéede and facillitie which is a thing verie necessarie and altogether requisite by Theorick only matters be wrought with perfection but much more coldly slow and with longer time The which defects and imperfections ought to bée fled of men that bée of valour It is an accustomed saying that practise for that it is a thing more material is said to bée the bodie and Theoricke the mind for that the same looking into the matter doth first dispose set in order and the other execute whereby it followes that the one the other ioined together doth make vs aptly to conceiue and readily to execute this office and euery other enterprise so that wée cannot desire any further direction And for that euery man ought to apply himselfe in all his actions to attaine to full perfection for the absolute performance therof hée ought to ioine practise with Theoricke which is reading specially in Algorisme Algebra the platformes of battailes the which in forming the order of this square battaile both instruct that you must deuide the whole number placing the souldiers which are to bée bestowed in this battaile by 21. taking from the quotient the roote of the quadrant number placing it in some part a side then multiplying the said quadrant roote by 7. you shal haue the number of souldiers which doth enter by rankes then multiplying the same roote by 3. you may find the number of the rankes which béeing done if you multiplie the number of that which amounteth by 21. the product shall shew the number of those souldiers which are not to be placed in main battail which may serue in many profitable vses and thus this quadrant battaile may bée formed Tartaglie Bresciano in his booke of Martiall inuentions giues rule to forme the same perfectly in other sort In the which it is necessarie to make quadrate the number 49. that is to multiply it in it selfe which will make 2401. this 2401. hée shal multiply by the number of souldiers hée would put in battaile shall deuide the product by the number of 100. and of the product hée shal after take the square roote the which roote wil bée the number of souldiers which shall enter into ranks shal deuide with the said roote the quotient already mentioned which ought to bée put in battail that which shal arise is the number of the ranks and the surpluse which doth arise in this last quotient are the souldiers which remaine out of the square the which are otherwise to bée emploied But to frame the square of men there is nothing to bée done but to take the square roote from the number of souldiers and the same roote will bée the number of souldiers which must enter into rank and the selfe same roote wil bee the number of the ranks this béeing done hée must force himselfe to maintaine and kéepe them in due order and iust square To obserue good order hauing made proclamation that euery one shall kéepe his place béeing assisted by the 4. Corporals and the Sergeant Maiors of the Regiments in their quarters Hée must diligently ryde héere and there about the squadrons vsing certain manifest knowne signes wherin order must bée taken openly not priuely to the intent they may be credited obeied of those that know the manner of this obseruation for by declaring the same secréetly priuately it is vneasilie very hardly executed of certain ambitious and ignorant persons which are accustomed to make profession that they are not to bée commanded more of this man then of
an armie whether it be inferiour or equall to the enemie VVHen an armie dooth march néere vnto the enemies battels the high marshall Sergeant Maior and Collonels ought to vse diuers considerations First a Prince or his Generall not being of like force to the enemie or that he is not willing to giue battell because he will not hazard all his state and armie in one day into the hands of fortune he must prouide specially if he be inferior in Caualarie that he march through a countrie that is rough full of hils and where the situation of the ground is of such aduautage that the enemie haue not any motion to assault him But when he cannot shun the same then must he prouide at leastwise to enter into the action thereof to his great aduantage and almost with a certaine hope of victory the which will not arise to be difficile if he can apply the aduantage of situations to serue his turne In marching I would wish him to haue one part of his light horsemen so neere the enemie that euery houre he may haue notice what way he dooth march notwithstanding in a countrie where mounts and hils be not fauourable but that of necessitie you must march through plaines and champaine countries and that the enemie is néere at hand and that it is very hard to shun the battell I iudge it not farre amisse to accept the battell so that you be of greater strength in horsemen for being the stronger the iourney in no respect is to be fled for so much as horsemen yéeld the greatest part of the victorie when they bee well guided Charles the fift in Germany against the protestants armie by reason of the commoditie of the ground for the most part did not lodge his army further off from his enemies then commonly the shot of a Coluerine although he was far inferior in number Neuerthelesse that order cannot be alwaies vsed when an armie is in the champaine countrie for he that is in plaines and is not desirous to fight he must march from the enemie 9 or 10 miles and must determine to fortifie himselfe at each lodging in such sort that neither the enemies Cauallarie or infanterie may be able in battell to enter into his campe if not with great difficultie A meane fortification is sufficient in a champaine countrie chiefely when it is to be made with spéede which beginning of fortification when you meane to continue may encrease and be made as strong as you sée the case doth require When an armie dooth march inplaines and champaine countries that it comes to that point the it is able to haue any little riuer or wood which may couer one flanke of the said armie you must go about with all diligence to take this aduantage for that the same will arise to be of great importance Prouide euer that the bagage and the artillarie go continually on the contrarie side to the enemie or at leastwise in the midst of the armie The squadrons of men at armes must as appertaineth flanke the battels and rankes of footmen towards the enemie It is a laudable custome to deuide an armie into thrée squadrons that is to say into the auantgard battell and arreargard and that euery day they do exchange making of the auantgard the battell and of the battell the reargard it is requisite that euery one of them haue his necessary number of horsmen Hargaloteares that each one be disposed and placed in his due ranke Order must be carefully taken that amongst the ranks of the footmen vnprofitable people be not intermedled but that all the baggage be in a place deputed for the same vnder the Prouosts guidon Also that amongst the squadrons of the horsemen there be no vnprofitable horses nor other impediments The Rutters Cauallaries vse héerein a meruailous strict order and extreame diligence which verily dooth merit to be imitated It is a commendable thing also when the light horsmen be in such sort deuided and dispersed for discouerie of the countrie and espying the actions of the enemies armie as that they may continually returne and giue intelligences of the enemies demeanor whereby if néede require commoditie and leasure may be had to prouide for fight If the marshall of the field haue no experience of the countrie himselfe it is requisite that he carrie such a personage or worthie Cauallier with him as he knowes to haue experience that with them he may consider well of the situation and place whether he is to march with his armie through plaines by or néere hils or in valleys that haue hils ou both sides or by or néere to woods or alongst or néere a riuer It is also requisite the the light horse aswell for the discouerie of the enemie as otherwise to take the bredth of the straits passages go before and to make certificate that according to the bredth the hoast may march And put case that one part of the way be 15. foot broode the hoast shall be made to march by fiue in a ranke because euery footman will haue thrée foote in breadth from shoulder to shoulder and sixe foote in ranke betwixt ranke and ranke and one foote for euerie person so that 21 foote in breadth and 2 myles in length will containe an armie of ten thousand After the same reason whether there be 20 or 30 thousand footemen according to the measuring of ground by the foote they may be set in order very easily neither can the leader be deceiued whē he knoweth how many armed men euery place can containe and after the same order as the place dooth enlarge he must enlarge the rankes causing part of the shot to goe before the aray and part behind and others to go in succoures of the horsemen that go in viewing the passages and the ambushments with the whole dooings of the enemie and let an other part be for vantgard retrogard to the aray to be able to serue them at néed and an other part to go alwaies at the flankes of the raie the which if there be ditches shal serue as a countermure against the enemies horsmen And if they be men at armes they must march on both the sides of the battell and also of the Hargabuzies that do march by the flankes of the battell and the light horsemen to serue for scoutes both before and behind the aray There must be likewise abundance of Pyoners and labourers to make places plaine and to cast downe ditches bridges and to make defences and other necessarie things that are required in marching the which must be garded by your light horse and shot and when you depart to faine to go to some other place then that you go so and if there be no men at armes to appoint to euery regiment certaine Hargabuziers to serue on horsebacke the which may serue in stéed of men at armes and when occasion serues to serue on foote againe wherein the Caualiers of S.