service they are to alight and to demean themselves as Infantery Whereof it shall be needlesse hereto enlarge seeing we have books in such abundance upon that subject as they are able rather to a By reason of the frivolous impertinences and manifest errours which abound in many of them distract then instruct the reader and in my opinion had need of an Index expurgatorius Being so alighted to do their service as abovesaid every of them is to cast his bridle over the neck of his side mans horse in the same order as they marched keeping them so together by the help of such as are thereunto especially appointed CHAP. XXXII Of exercising the Cavallrie in their motions HAving shewed how every horse-man is to be exercised in the managing of his horse as also in the use of his particular arms it followeth now that he be taught how to demean himself being joyned in a body And here before we enter into the motions it were fit to explain the terms of a The Grecians and Romanes had the same order of exercise and that in the same words which we retain to this day A File the Romanes called Versus and Decuria A Rank Jugum A File-leader Decanus because their Decuria or File used to consist of ten among the foot with some 16. A bringer up Tergiductor A Leader being every odde man in the file Prastes A follower which is every even number Substes A side-man Astes Their distances were the same with us Their two cubits every cubit being a foot and an half of our measure agreed with our three foot Their four cubits our 6 foot and so increasing upon occasion They ordered their horse-troops at six foot distance between file and file in march and three foot in sight art therein used and to shew what is meant by a file a rank half files and half ranks the front flanks and rear and the like But for brevitie sake I passe them over referring the reader to the books of Infanterie To exercise the horse they are to be drawn up into a body not by ranks but by files and those of five deep as most affirm or of six as others would have it and that because the number of five is not divisible by two and so in doubling of ranks or half files or the like there is alwayes an odde rank Some would have them especially the harquebusiers to be eight in file taking the troop to consist of 64. Being put in Battalia that is ordered into a square body and silence strictly commanded the first thing to be taught them is distance And herein authors disagree Some make close order to be two paces open order foure paces and so for double triple and quadruple distance proportionable Others make but two kinds of distances close order which is three foot and open order which is six foot But this must be understood cum grano salis as the Civilians speak for here we must observe a difference between the manner of taking the distance of the Cavallrie and that of the Infantery for in the foot the distance is taken from the centre of the souldiers body which here cannot be so understood but onely of the space of ground between horse and horse Monsieur de Praissac is more plain who would have the distance between rank and rank both for the length of the horse as also for the space between horse and horse to be six paces and one pace between file and file Yet if we take every pace for five foot as that is the usuall dimention by this rule they should be at a very large distance In my opinion the Cavallrie being to be exercised in their motions should be at their distance of six foot or open order taking it as hath been shewed b Omnes milites incedendi ordinem servent Veg. 1. 9. Vt aequali leguimóque spatio miles distet a milite nec ultrà quà m expedit aut conglobent agmen aut laxent Ibid. cap. 26. standing right in their ranks and files c In all the motions we also retain the same words of command which they used Facing they called declinatio to the right hand ad hastam to the left ad scutum Facing about immutatio Doubling by ranks and files Duplicandi duo genera perjuga versus Their countermarches the same which we use Evolutio Chorica Macedonica Laconica per decurias juga Wheelings the same with us Conversio ad hastam vel scutum Reversio est conversionis restitutio Inflexio wheeling about c. Now the motions are of foure kinds 1. Facings 2. Doublings 3. Countermarches 4. Wheelings The use of facings is to make the company perfect to be suddenly prepared for a charge on either flank or the rear Doubling of ranks or doubling by half files or bringers up is used upon occasion of strengthening the front Doubling of files or doubling by half ranks serveth to strengthen the flanks Countermarches serve either to reduce the file-leaders into the place of the bringers up and so to have the best men ready to receive the charge of an enemy in the rear or to bring one flank into the place of the other or front and rear or either flank into the middle of the body The use of wheelings is to bring the front which is alwayes supposed to consist of the ablest men to be ready to receive the charge of the enemy on either flank or rear These motions for the more easie apprehension of the untutored souldier are represented in figures by a company of harquebusiers of 64 men And therein the file-leaders and bringers up are distinguished by a differing letter as followeth The form of the first standing To face them to the right is done by commanding Left flank Front Right flank Rear To the left hand Which is performed by turning towards the left From hence they are to be reduced by commanding As you were Which they do by turning to the right Now to face them to the rear though it be proper first to do it by the right hand yet for the more ready way I would say To the right hand Which is done by turning all at one and the same time to the right hand Thus the front is where the right flank was To reduce them to their first form the word of command is As you were Which they perform by turning to the left hand From thence to face them to the left you command To the left hand about Which is done by turning towards the left hand untill their faces front to that place which was before the rear To reduce them to their first-form as that must be observed the word is To the right hand about as you were Ranks to the right double The use hereof hath been shewed before Every other rank that is every even number passeth into the odde upon the right hand of his leader The second rank into the first and so successively To reduce
done in Figure 3. Part 1. Chap. 29. and for this the word of command is 1. To Horse a The horse-man being to mount must be carefull that his horse be very well girt Such was the admirable industrie of the Romanes as that all their horse-men were continually practised to mount on wooden horses and that on either side first unarmed afterwards compleatly armed also with drawn swords or lances in their hands without the help of stirrops which were not known in those times Hoc enim continuâ meditatione faciebant scilicet ut in tumultu praelii sine mora asscenderent qui â—am studiosé exercebantio in paco Veg. lib. 1. cap. 18. Both reins hanging in a loose position over the horse neck and upon the pummel of the saddle the horseman is First to take the ends of the reins above the button in his right hand and with the thumbe and two first fingers of that hand to draw them to an even length Then putting the little finger of his left hand betwixt both reins under the button with the other three fingers of the same hand on the further rein and the thumbe on the near side of the button to grasp both reins that so before he endeavour to mount he may have his horse head in ballance and at command Then grasping the pummel of the saddle with his left hand and standing with his full body close to the horse-side and just between the bolster and cantle of the saddle alwayes on the near side of the horse with the help of his right hand he shall put the left foot into the left stirrop and with his right hand taking fast hold on the highest part of the cantle behinde he shall with the help of both hands gently yet strongly and in a right-up posture without inclining his body to either hand raise himself untill he may stand perpendicular upon his left foot and then putting over his right legge place himself in the saddle 2. Uncap your pistols With the right hand he is to turn down the caps of the pistol-cases 3. Draw your pistol He is to draw the pistol out of the case with the right hand and alwayes the left pistol first and to mount the muzzel of it as in posture 15. 4. Order your pistol He is to sink the pistol into his bridle-hand and to remove his right hand towards the muzzel and then to rest the but end upon his thigh 5. Span your pistol He is to sink the pistol into his bridle hand and taking the key or spanner into his right hand to put it upon the axletree and to winde about the wheel till it stick and then to return the spanner to his place being usually fastened to the side of the case 6. Prime Holding the pistol in the bridle-hand as before he is to take his priming box into his right hand and pressing the spring with his fore-finger to open the box to put powder into the pan 7. Shut your pan He is to presse in the pan-pin with his right thumbe and so to shut the pan 8. Cast about your pistol With the bridle-hand he is to cast about the pistol and to hold it on the left side with the muzzel upward 9. Gage your flasque He is to take the flasque into the right hand and with his forefinger to pull back the spring and turning the mouth of the flasque downward to let go the spring 10. Lade your pistol Having gaged his flasque as in the former posture he is to presse down the spring which openeth the flasque with his forefinger and so to lade his pistol 11. Draw your rammer He is to draw his rammer with the right hand turned and to hold it with the head downward 12. Lade with bullet and ramme home Holding the rammer-head in his right hand as before he is to take the bullet out of his mouth or out of the bulletbag at the pistolcase being in fight with the thumbe and forefinger and to put it into the muzzel of the pistol and the rammer immediately after it and so to ramme home 13. Return your rammer He is to draw forth his rammer with the right hand turned and to return it to its place 14. Pull down your cock With the bridle-hand he is to bring the pistol towards his right side and placing the but end upon his thigh to pull down the cock 15. Recover your pistol He is to take the pistol into his right hand mounting the muzzel 16. Present and give fire Having the pistol in his right hand as in posture 15. with his forefinger upon the tricker he is to incline the muzzel with a fixed eye towards his mark not suddenly but by degrees quicker or slower according to the pace he rideth and that not directly forward toward the horse head but towards the right turning his right hand so as the lock of the pistol may be upward and having gotten his mark he is to draw the tricker and give fire 17. Return your pistol He is to return his pistol into the case and then to draw his other pistol as occasion may serve and to do as before Now concerning the snap-haue pistol those postures wherein it differeth from the fire-lock pistol are these as in figure 18. Bend your cock Holding the pistol in the bridle-hand as before hath been shewed with the right hand he is to bend the cock 19. Guard your cock With the right hand he is to pull down the back-lock so to secure the cock from going off 20. Order your hammer With the right hand he is to draw down the hammer upon the pan 21. Free your cock With the right thumbe he is to thrust back the back-lock and so to give the cock liberty But the more compendious way of lading for the gaining of time which in the instant of skirmish is chiefly to be regarded is by using cartouches Now the cartouch is to be made of white paper cut out of convenient breadth and length and rolled upon a stick or the rammer if it be not too little fit according to the bore of the barrell to contain a due quantity of powder and the bullet The proportion of powder usually required is half the weight of the bullet but that is held too much by such as can judge Having moulded the paper the one end of it is to be turned in to keep in the powder and the due charge of powder to be put into it at the other end which powder is to be closed in by tying a little thred about the paper then the bullet is to be put in and that also tied in with a little thred When the Cuirassier is to use his cartouch he must bite off the paper at the head of it and so put it into the barrell of his pistol with the bullet upward and then ramme it home By b For the more speedy lading of the pistol and avoiding the trouble of carrying either flasque or
them the word is Ranks as you were Which is best done by causing those ranks which doubled to stand and those which stood to advance Files to the right double To do this the second file passeth into the first every man behind his sideman accounting from the right hand the fourth into the third and so the rest which must be done throughout the company at one instant all together But because the first rank of the company is as the edge and the files are for the most part appointed but five deep there seemeth no great necessity of doubling of files They are reduced by commanding Files to the left as you were Ranks to the left double The difference of this motion from the former is nothing but that here they which double do it to the left hand of their leaders which before they did to their right hands as the figure maketh it plain This done they must be reduced by commanding Ranks as you were Files to the left double The difference between this and the former motion is the difference of hands And by this means those files that stood before now move and they which moved now stand as appeareth by the figure They are reduced by commanding Files as you were or Ranks to the right double Half files to the right hand double the front Thus the middle-men double the first rank on the right hand The other three ranks double the three following ranks as is manifest in the figure To reduce them the word is Half files as you were Unlesse it be better and so I conceive it to cause them that double to stand and the first division to advance Bringers up to the right hand double the front In this motion the last rank passeth into the first and so successively as the figure sheweth it It is of good use yet because it is very troublesome for the horse to perform especially in reducing them it may be used or omitted as shall be thought fit They are reduced by saying Bringers up as you were Files close to the right and left to your close order Being about to wheel the company they must be closed first the files and then the ranks And being to open them again the ranks are first to be opened and then the files All the files close from the right and left towards the middle of the body Half files to the left hand double the front This motion onely differeth from the former in the hand There be also doublings of ranks by the half files entire to the right or left or both by division But because the files especially of Cuirassiers are seldome above five deep the doubling of ranks half files c. is little used The reducing of them hath been shewed in the former motion Files to the left hand countermarch Though it were fit to begin with the right hand yet for the convenient turning of the horse to the left I think it not amisse to preferre the left The figure representeth the Chorean manner There be also countermarches after the Macedonian and Lacedemonian wayes and those in ranks as well as files which are here omitted for brevity sake Ranks close forwards to your close order All the ranks move forwards saving the first which standeth The second rank having their distance stand so all the rest Now the horse being to wheel it must be considered that it cannot be performed by them in such exact manner and so strait a room as the foot therefore the Commander is to ride a reasonable compasse that so they may do it with convenience To the left hand wheel Because Melzo and Basta would have the horse in all their wheelings to do it by the left which indeed is the readier way unlesse the ground or other hindrance will not permit it I have omitted the wheeling to the right which in order should go first All the body moveth to the left upon the left file-leader as the centre Then to wheel as they were There is also wheeling to the right or left about wheeling wings into the front c. which are here omitted for brevitie To reduce them first the ranks are to be opened as abovesaid then the files which bringeth them to their first form In opening the ranks the best if not the onely way is to do it by opening forward These and the like motions are directed and commanded by the voice of the Commander a Vox autem percâ—pi interdum non potest aut propter armorum sonitum aut propter equorum transitum hinnitum multitudines strepitum c. Aelian cap. 35 but because the voice sometime cannot be heard especially in grosse bodies by reason of the clashing of armour trampling or neying of horses or tumultuous sound or noise of the multitude and that especially in fight b Nam cum voce sola inter praeliorum tumultus regi multitudo non possit c. antiquus omnium gentium usâ—s invenit c. Tria genera signorum Vocalia semivocalia muta c. Veget. lib. 3 c 5. Antiquitie hath invented helps making three kinds of militarie signes or directions 1. Vocall which is by the commanders voice pronounced by the inferiour officers to the eare 2. Semivocall by trumpet or other warlike instrument to the eare likewise 3. Mute by signes to the eye as the ensigne c. The Cavallrie therefore must be taught c Praecipies autem ut perfectè cognoscant buccinae sonum ut ubi consistere eos jubet consistant c. Leo Tact. cap. 9. 82. distinctly to know the severall sounds of the trumpet as when to clap on their saddle when to mount when to repair to the Cornet when to troop away when to give a charge when to retreat when to attend the watch and the like All which being the lowder voice of the Commander d Intenti ad ducis non signum modò sed nutum Curtius 3. they must punctually observe and obey Now howsoever I have here propounded a companie of 64. horse to be exercised in the motions and those of 8. in file as I see it observed by e Walhausen would have the Harquebusiers to be 8. in file and the Cuirassiers 10. lib. 2. cap. 2 3. But therein as in divers other things he is singular and dissenteth from others some yet the generall opinion is that they ought not to be deeper then 5. in file though the companie consist of 100. horse Every such companie must be furnished with A Captain A Lieutenant A Cornet A Quartermaster Three Corporalls Two Trumpeters A Clerk A Saddler A Chirurgeon A Farrier When the companie be f About the manner of marching of a companie of horse there is much disagreement among authors MelZo Basta and Walhausen would have them to march in one entire deduction not by squadrons the Captain to march first neâ—t after him two attendants with spare horses they beating his armour then the Trumpeters then the Cornet
just behind the first but at twice as large a m 600 foot distance from the second as the second is from the first that so the first troop retreating behind the second they may have convenient room to make their retreat in good order All this will appear in the figures following among the rest in Figure 9. If the Infantery and Cavallry be joyned together the manner is to place half the horse on the right flank of the foot and the other half on the left as appeareth in Figure 12. 14 and 15. But upon occasion either of the enemy his ordering of horse within the body of foot whereby he might annoy your Infantery or for other respects of moment some of the horse may be placed within the body of the army as is shewed in Figure 16. Figu 8 Cap 8 Par 4 CHAP. IX Of certain ceremonies before fight HAving shewed by these former rules and examples how the horse are to be ordered for fight not onely by themselves but also when they shall be joyned with foot that which a Quid superest nisi pugnaâ— quae jam manuum est non verborum Lips de milit Rom lib. 4. now remaineth seemeth rather to require action then words Indeed with antiquity when the army was embattelled and ready for combat it was usuall for the Generall to deliver some set speech either from some higher place of turf or stone or at the head of the troops and riding amongst the Maniples to encourage his souldiers And they either with an acclamation lifting up of their hands or clashing of their arms used to manifest their assenting resolution Unto which kind of b Cesars army being so dismaid through fear as they were almost brought to desperation tantus subitò rimor omnem exercitum occupavit c. was by a elegant oration of his suddenly revived Hac oratione habitâ mirum in modum conversa sunt omnium mentes summáque alacritas cupiditas belli gerendi innata est Caesar de bello Gal. lib. 1. cap. 9. allocutions the ancient Sages use to ascribe a marvellous efficacy not onely amongst the Grecians or Romanes but also those whom they then accounted barbarous as the Britons Gauls Germanes c. as the histories of those times sufficiently testifie Next to this they sounded the Classicum that is a generall charge and this was seconded by a generall shout of the souldiers or a concussion of their arms Moreover a c Tunâ—â—a â—ussa punicea vel coccinea Some resemblance hereof there is in the bloody flagge at sea scarlet red or a carnation coloured coat or cassock was hung out upon the top of the Generalls tent and a countersigne or a word of distinction was given to the souldiers as d Veg. lib. 3. c. 5. Victoria palma virtus or the like to know each other by The Grecians used also to sing the Poean before the fight to Mars and after battell to Apollo c. Of all which ceremonies which they duly observed as found to be of very good use and which were much graced by the solemne and stately manner of performing them our times have retained very few For as the actions of the modern warres consist chiefly in sieges assaults sallies skirmishes c. and so afford but few set battels so the practise of delivering publike speeches is almost grown out of use and esteem amongst our chief Commanders Yet the late e Meteren lib. 12 J. Petit. lib. 15. Prince of Orange at the battell of Newport before the conflict delivered a pithy short speech to his souldiers adding to his publick Oratory publike Orisons and riding up and down gave courage to his souldiers The Classicum is still retained that is to sound a generall charge namely amongst those troops which are to give on And sometimes the Clamor militaris or shout of the souldiers which was not onely an acclamation or assent unto the Generalls speech but also a f This by the Grecians was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines Barriâ—us the original of which words is shewed by Lip ubi suprá yet afterwards when the Empire was become Christian they used when they were ready for conflict to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the victorie of the Crosse as appeareth by Leo the Emperour who reigned in the Fast from the year of our Lord 886. to 903. Tact. cap. 12. 69. Cum ad conflictationem movet exercitus consueta Christianis vox usurpanda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And after this in the very charge they were to make their shout as it followeth there 106. Conflictâ—tionis tempore post vocem Victoriae crucis mignos atque altos clamores â—dere oportet loud and dreadfull kind of noise which they used to make when they gave the charge thereby to encourage one another and to strike a terrour into the enemies as the Turks cry Bre Bre Bre the Irish Pharro Pharro the French Sa Sa Sa the Dutch Vall aen Vall aen c. But as for the countersigne or word of distinction that is seldome used now adayes unlesse upon occasion of some Camisado or other exploits in the night when the souldiers may easily misse those means to know each other by which in the day time the light the sight of the ensigne or cornet their skarfs required among the Cavallry or long acquaintance may afford them But these being but ceremonies as I called them in the title of this chapter I willingly withdraw my self from them Neither should I have been desirous to have meddled with them at all but that the example of others g Lips de milit Rom. Reusner de arte stratagem who have writ in this kind led me unto it and the respect unto my Reader in common civility required it at my hands whom I could not well leave after the sight of so many dumbe figures without a word or two at the parting There remaineth onely now that every one according to his office rank and abilitie strive for honour and victory propounding to himself the goodnesse of the cause and authority of the Prince the command of the Leaders the vertue of the souldiers the honour of the conquest and the disgrace and damage of the defeat Above all lifting up his eyes and heart unto Almighty God from whose hands victory and the means to obtain it is especially to be expected h Psal 18.32.34 It is God that girdeth me with strength of warre and maketh my way perfect He teacheth my hands to fight c. i Psal 144.1 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth mine hands to warre and my fingers to fight k Psal 44.5 6 7. Through thee will we overthrow our enemies and in thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us For I will not trust in my bow it is not my sword that shall help me But it is thou that savest us from our enemies
wherein I have observed to go upon good grounds affirming nothing of mine m Nihil mihi autoritatis assumâ— sed horum quos suprâ— retuli ea quae dispersa sunt velut in ordinem epitomâ—ta conscribo Veg l. 1. cap. 18. own authority It is true I have sometimes made bold to dissent from others but adding my reason and leaving the judicious Reader to his liberty For the style I conceived the n Nâ—que curiosam aliquam verborum manitatem conquirentes sed verbis 〈◊〉 communibus planÃse â—si militarem dicendi formam potissimùm securi sumus Leo Tact. in Epilog bluntest and plainest to be most proper for the subject If my annotations be displeasing to any they may use them like Countrey stiles and step over them To others they may serve to shew the truth of that assertion That a o Proved at large by S. Cl. Edmunds in his preface to Cesars Commentaries by him translated meer practicall knowledge cannot make a perfect souldier for had we not been beholding to p Apud veteres res militaris in oblivionem saepiùs venit sed à libris repetita est postea â—u cum autoritate firmata Veg. lib. 3. cap. 10. books the Military Art in all likelihood had been utterly obscured from our knowledge For what is there in these modern warres which is not borrowed from antiquity wherein we follow them step by step mutatis mutandis the later inventions of fire-weapons and the use and dependancy thereof onely excepted not onely in the manner but even retaining their very words of command as in this Treatise is partly shewed and would be more manifestly apparent if the subject were Infanterie which no way disparageth the modern practise but rather for the antiquity of it gives it the more respect and estimation Now lest the Tyro or untutored horseman should be deterred and should judge his task to be over-great I have set down a table of the Chapters that so he may apply himself onely to those things at first which are principally necessary for him to know and practise The defects of our trained bands of horse will argue the work neither unnecessary nor unseasonable had it but had the hap to light into the hands of a better workman But as I have seen when an excellent Musician could not be intreated to handle an instrument some bungler hath fallen upon it which caused the Musician out of impatience and indignation to undertake it so if these Essaies may be a means to incite some one or other better able q Nam cùm hoc opus usûs poitùs aliâ—rion quà m mea commendationis causâ aggressus sâ—n adjuvari me ab his qui aliquid illi aâ—truent non argui credam Frontin in Praef. to put pen to paper I shall think my pains abundantly rewarded In the mean time I desire they may be received with the right hand as they are offered and conclude in the words of the Poet r Hor. epist. 6. l. 1. Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum ¶ A Table of the Chapters PART I. Of levying men Chap. 1 OF Officers in generall page 1 Chap. 2 Of the Generall of horse page 2 Chap. 3 Of the Lieutenant Generall horse ibid. Chap. 4 Of the Commissary Generall page 3 Chap. 5 Of the Quartermaster Generall ibid. Chap. 6 Of the Captain page 4 Chap. 7 Of the Lieutenant ibid. Chap. 8 Of the Cornet page 5 Chap. 9 Of the particular Quartermasters ibid. Chap. 10 Of the Corporalls page 6 Chap. 11 Of the Trumpetters ibid. Chap. 12 Of the Auditor ibid. Chap. 13 Of the Provost Marshall ibid. Of Souldiers in generall Chap. 14 Of the corruption of the Cavallry page 7 Chap. 15 How to reform the Cavallry page 8 Chap. 16 Of distributing booty ibid. Chap. 17 Of the souldiers pay page 9 Chap. 18 Of supplying the Cavallry with good horses page 10 Chap. 19 Of the proportion of Cavallry with the Infantery page 11 Of Souldiers in particular Chap. 20 Of the enrolling of a Souldier and his qualities page 11 Chap. 21 Of the arming of the Cavallry and their kinds page 12 Chap. 22 Of the Lancier his arming ibid. Chap. 23 Of arming the Cuirassier ibid. Chap. 24 Of arming the Harquebusier and Carabine page 14 Chap. 25 Of arming the Dragon ibid. Chap. 26 Of exercise in generall and the necessity of it ibid. Chap. 27 Of managing the horse page 15 Chap. 28 Of exercising the Lance in their postures page 16 Chap. 29 Of exercising the Cuirassier in their postures page 18 Chap. 30 Of exercising the Harquebusier and Carabine in their postures page 20 Chap. 31 Of exercising the Dragon in the postures page 20 Chap. 32 Of exercising the Cavallry in their motions page 21 PART II. Of Marching Chap. 1 OF Guides page 26 Chap. 2 Of intelligence ibid Chap. 3 Of the order of marching page 27 Chap. 4 Of scouts and discoverers ibid. Chap. 5 Of the order of marching by day page 28 Chap. 6 Of the order of marching by night ibid. Chap. 7 How the baggage is to march page 29 PART III. Of Encamping Chap. 1 OF making the quarters page 29 Chap. 2 Of distributing the quarters page 30 Chap. 3 Of the necessity of securing the quarters ibid. Chap. 4 Of the manner of securing the quarters ib. Chap. 5 Of the Rendez-vous or alarm-place page 32 Chap. 6 Of the guards ibid. Chap. 7 Of the Sentinels page 33 Chap. 8 Of scouts to discover the high-wayes page 34 Chap. 9 Of forraging page 35 Chap. 10 Of Garrisons page 36 Chap. 11 Of Spies ibid. Chap. 12 Of dislodging page 37 PART IIII. Of Embattelling Chap. 1 HOw to assail a quarter page 38 Chap. 2 Of giving the charge page 39 Chap. 3 Of embuscadoes page 40 Chap. 4 How to do meeting the enemie marching page 42 Chap. 5 How to receive the charge ibid. Chap. 6 Of ordering the troops for combat by single companies page 43 Chap. 7 How the Cavallry are to fight against foot page 46 Chap. 8 Of ordering the Cavallry in battell ibid. Chap. 9 Of certain ceremonies before fight page 50 An Appendix CUrteous Reader this second Edition of my book of Cavallrie coming forth without my knowledge I was disappointed of my purpose of inserting some alterations and additions in their due places notwithstanding to satisfie the commanding requests of some Friends I shall give a touch of some sudden observations which you may please to referre to their severall Chapters Part. 1. Chap. 2. Experience having taught later times that the allowing of Bidets or Nagges to the Horsemen caused a great expense of forrage and a needlesse consumption of victuall and great disorders by reason of their boyes they are not now allowed any naggs neither in the Armie of the States of the united Provinces nor in divers other places And touching the Captains libertie to choose their own Officers that is also altered for
sufficient stature and strength nimble of joynts and sure of foot c. he must of necessitie be made fit for service so as you may have him ready at command to pace trot gallop or run in full career also to advance stop retire and turn readily to either hand and all with alacritie and obedience Now to bring him to this readie turning he is to be ridden the ring and figure 8 first in a great compasse and so in a lesse by degrees first upon his pace then on the trot and so to the gallop and career These things he may be taught by using the hand leg and voice For the hand observing not to move the arm but onely the wrist if you would have him to face to the left a little motion of the little finger on that rein and a touch of the left leg without using the spurre doth it if to face or turn to the left about a harder c. If you would have him to trot you are to move both your legs a little forward for the gallop to move them more forward and for the career to yerk them most forward and to move the bodie a little forward with it After every motion performed it were good to keep him a while in that motion as when you bid him stand to stand a while c. Also it were not amisse after every thing well done to give him some bread or grasse as a rewards For the voice you may use the words Advance hold turn or the like but because the voice cannot alwayes be heard it were good to use him chiefly to the motions of the hand and leg It will also be very usefull to teach him to go sidewayes this he may be brought unto by laying his provender somewhat farre from him in the manger and keeping him from turning his head towards it He must also be used to the smell of gunpowder the sight of fire and armour and the bearing of shot drummes and trumpets c. but by degrees and with discretion When he is at his oats at a good distance from him a little powder may be fired and so nearer to him by degrees So may a pistoll be fired some distance off and so nearer in like manner a drum or trumpet may be used The groom may sometime dresse him in armour and he may be used now and then to eat his oats from the drum head It will be very usefull sometime to cause a musketier to stand at a convenient distance and both of you to give fire upon each other and thereupon to ride up close to him also to ride him against a compleat armour so set upon a stake that he may overthrow it and trample it under his feet that so and by such other means your horse finding that he receiveth no hurt may become bold to approch any object He may also be used to mountanous and uneven wayes and be exercised to leap swim and the like But for further directions for the art of riding and managing the horse I referre the reader to a Besides many of our own writers Pierre de la Nolie in his Cavallerie Franchoise et Italienne also Instruction du Roy de France en l'exercice de monter a Cheval par Antoyne de Pluvinel lately published and divers others them which have written of horsemanship ex professo whose books are every where obvious CHAP. XXVIII Of managing arms extending to postures and motions Of exercising the lance HOwsoever the use of the lance be now left off in the Low-countreys either for the reasons alledged chap. 23 or by reason of the discommoditie of the countrey for the lance is of no use but in a spacious hard and uneven ground yet will it not be altogether impertinent to shew the manner of exercising the same seeing that a I. Lips 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itâ—m de Milit. Rom. N. Machiavoll G. du Bellay C. Bâ—ngham upon Aelian Sir Cl. Edmonds on Cas Com. Sir Hen. Savile c. many have taken pains to revive unto us the knowledge of those arms which sometime were in use among the Grecians Romanes and other nations which have been for many ages totally abolished The manner of carrying the lance is either advanced or couched that is when it is carried so abased as the enemie can hardly discover it untill he feel the shock The charging of the lance is twofold either by the right or left The right is when it is presented or charged along by the right side of the horse The left is when it is born acrosse the neck of the horse by the left eare The first is the manner used by the Turks and Hungarians and by some prefered before the other One reason which they give for it is because that in charging by the left the Lancier must incline his bodie to the left and so sitteth the lesse sure in his saddle Basta would have the second way to be best Howsoever all agree that a Lancier must ever strive to gain the left side of his enemie and charge him on the left Now there be three wayes of charging 1 By carrying the lance sloaped upwards 2 By charging it levell in a straight line 3 By charging it sloaping or inclining downwards The first is if against Cavallrie to take the sight of the enemie with the point of the lance or if against foot the head or neck of either pike or musketier The second is by charging a horse-man about the middle to bear him out of the saddle or on the breast of the foot The third serveth to pierce the breast of the enemies horse or a kneeling musketier or pike charging at the foot against horse Fig 2 Par j. Cap 28 Having given his charge with the lance so as it becometh unusefull to him he must betake himself to his pistoll in the use whereof he is to be very skilfull His last refuge is his sword which he must also be well practised in Of both which weapons shall be spoken in the next chapter CHAP. XXIX Of exercising the Cuirassier ALthough it be supposed and expected that no horse-man will presume to mount his horse to repair to his Cornet before his pistols harquebuse or carabine be spanned primed and laden his cases furnished with cartouches and all other equipage belonging to himself his horse and arms made fix and in a readinesse yet in case a Cuirassier upon service should though unlikely spend both his pistols and the six cartouches wherewith his cases were filled so that he must resort to his flask and my present task being to teach the untutored Cuirassier his postures it will not be impertinent here to set them down in the largest manner Now because these things are to be performed on horseback it will not be unnecessary though mounting on horseback be accounted no posture but a preparative to exercise or service first to shew how he is to mount which with the rest of the postures is
touch-box there is a late invented fashion of spanner or key which I have represented in figure 1. which contains six charges of powder at the least and priming powder sufficient for those charges and for the cartouches wherewith the pistol cases be furnished which the Cuirassier will find to be of very good use when he is used thereunto this means he shall much expedite the lading of his pistol The Cuirassier being become ready in his postures his next and chiefest study is to be an exact marks-man And to this end he must frequently be practised at some c The Romanes exercised their souldiers at severall heights at stakes set up in Câ—â—â—â— Naâ—â—io Ad palum quoque vel sudes juniores exerceri percommodum est cùm latera vel pedes aut caput petere punctim cacÃmque condiscant Veg. lib. 2 cap. 23. But their manner of fighting with their swords was not casim but all upon the thrust or point because that manner sooner pierced the malis and laid not open the body in fetching of a blow Ibid lib. 1. cap. 12. marks to be set up at some tree or stake of severall heights Now because the Cuirassier is armed pistol-proof he must not give fire but at a very d La pistolle ne fait quasi nul effect si elle n'est tirec de trois pas Monsieur de la Noue discours 18. near distance being carefull to bestow his bullets so as they may take effect The principall place of advantage to aim at is the lower part of the belly of the adverse Cuirassier also his arm-pits or his neck Some would not have a Cuirassier to give e Les Reitres bien instruits ne deschargent point leurs pistolles qu'en heurtant qu'ils addressent tousiours aux cuiffes ou aux visages Ibid. fire until he have placed his pistol under his enemies armour or on some unarmed parts If he fail of an opportunity to hurt the man he may aim at the breast of the horse or his head as he shall see occasion He usually giveth his charge upon the trot and seldome gallopeth unlesse it be in pursuit of a flying enemie or such like occasion Having spent both his pistols and wanting time to lade again his next refuge is his sword whereof the best manner of using is to place the pummell of it upon his right f As is shewed in the posture 22. thigh and so with his right hand to direct or raise the point to his mark higher or lower as occasion serveth either at the belly of the adverse horse-man about the pummel of the saddle or at his arm-pits or his throat where if it pierce not as it is very like it will not fail by slipping under the casque yet meeting with a stay in that part of the body where a man is very weak and having a sword of a very stiff blade as aforesaid it will doubtlesse unhorse him Being past his enemie he is to make a back-blow at him aiming to cut the buckle of his pouldron whereby he disarmeth one of his arms c. Basta highly commendeth the aiming at the enemies sight and so by raising the vizures of his casque with the point of the sword to run him into the head But this seemeth not so likely to take effect as that of aiming at the throat and sometimes as some casques are made it would be of no use In these and the like exercises the Cuirassier is frequently and diligently to practise himself at some mark which will render him fit for service when need shall require Some authors for the disposing of the Cuirassiers for fight hold that they ought to be ordered in grosse bodies that so g The Cuirassiers among the horse are like the gravis armatura of foot among the Romanes quae tanquam murus ferreus stabat si hostes fugasset non sequebatur quia ejus jus est facilè nec fugere nec sequi Veg. lib. 2. cap. 17. Or like the Equites Cataphracti among the Grecians Aelian cap. 2. by their solidity and weight they may entertain and sustain the shock of the enemie They are also fit for troops of reserve to give courage to the other Cavallrie and to give them opportunity to re-assemble themselves behind them c. CHAP. XXX Of exercising the Harquebusier and Carabine ALthough there be some difference between the Harquebusier and the Carabine in regard of their horse their arming and their piece howsoever most authors take them for one and the same yet in regard the harquebuse differeth nothing from the carabine in length but onely in the bore their manner of using their severall pieces is one and the same and so one instruction may serve for both See figure 3. posture 23 and 24. In march he is either to carry his carabine hanging at his belt by the right side as is shewed chap. 24. or else to order it upon his right thigh as the Cuirassier in posture 4. In fight he is to strive to gain the left side of his enemy contrary to the Cuirassier because that in presenting he is to rest his carabine on his bridle-hand placing the but end on the right side of his breast near his shoulder He must be taught to use his carabine with all exactnesse and dexterity and to be an exquisite marks-man a Walhausen would have the Harquebusier to give fire not onely to the front and flanks but to the rear also by turning his body onely the horse running the contrary way in full careere But how possible this is to be done I leave to the judgement of any man that knows what belongs to Cavallrie For the manner of handling of the harquebuse or carabine the directions for the pistol in the foregoing chapter mutatis mutandis may serve for sufficient instruction Yet in regard the carabines with us are for the most part snap-hanes and so something differing from the fire-lock I will set down the order of handling it in the words of command holding it need lesse here to dilate them Postures for the snap-hane carabine 1 Order your carabine 2 Sink your carabine into your bridle-bridle-hand 3 Bend your cock 4 Guard your cock 5 Prime 6 Shut your pan 7 Cast about your carabine 8 Gage your flasque 9 Lade your carabine 10 Draw your rammer 11 Shorten your rammer 12 Lade with bullet and ramme home 13 Withdraw your rammer 14 Shorten your rammer 15 Return your rammer 16 Recover your carabine 17 Order your hammer 18 Free your cock 19 Present 20 Give fire For the use of his sword he is to demean himself as the Cuirassier CHAP. XXXI Of exercising the Dragon THe Dragon was invented for speciall services to assist the Cavallrie as Infantery considering there be many exploits which cannot be effected by the Cavallrie alone The musketier must exercise himself to give fire on horseback as the Harquebusier Being come to guard a passage or to do any other the like