a battaile and to behold a direct space betwixt files and rankes For that is the grace and beauty as I may terme it of a Phalange ordered for fight This proportion cannot be maintayned without obseruing distance curiously Open order is sixe foot both in ranke and file betwixt man and man euery way If then any souldier in file gather vp to his leader and stand at distance of three foot it is manifest that his ranke is thereby disturbed and made vneuen although the file continue streight Contrariwise if he beare himselfe out of his place three foot toward either of his side-men by this meanes he disordereth his file and maketh it crooked This fault if it were committed by many a generall disorder would follow in the body and therefore Aelian well aduiseth to keepe the first distances especially till you be commanded to the second or third distance which will often fall out in the foure motions Of which Facing is the first and the words of direction in it are these as before in Aelian 12 Face to the Pike That is Face to the tight hand For the pike was alwayes borne in the right hand 14 Face to the Target The Pike-men in the Macedonian army bore targets on their left armes or on the left side so that facing to the target is all one with the word of command Face to the left hand 16 Face about to the pike or target That is face about to the right or left hand But where hee addeth moue a little further he signifieth that the direction is not fully accomplished and he would haue the souldiers continue their motion till their faces were fully come about to the reare and then hee willeth them to stand so because they haue gayned their place These facings here expressed by Aelian are of the whole body Other facings of the parts he hath not set downe which notwithstanding are oftentimes of great vse For say the enemy charge in front and reare your front must continue as it did but the word for the reare is Halfe files face about to the right or left hand If the enemy charge you on both flankes then is the word of command Halfe rankes face to the right halft to the left hand If in front and one flanke the front standeth firme and the word for the flanke that is charged is Halfe rankes of the right or left flanke Face to the hand named If in front and both flankes the front is to stand firme and both the flanks to face to the enemy And this is done in a hollow square or Plesium and the word is Flankes face one to the right the other to the left hand If on all sides or round about it is as before for the flankes but for the reare The reare face about to the right or left hand Now in Countermarch of the reare the ranke of file-leaders is oftentimes commanded to face about to the right or left hand In countermarch of the front the ranke of bringers vp must doe the like as wee shall see in Countermarch Doubling is the second motion vsed in battaile the precept of it in this in Aelian 18 Double your depth The word in our exercise for this motion is Double your files because files measure the depth of the battaile or rankes measure the length This doubling is made many wayes The first is when the euen files that is the 2. 4. 6. 8. 10. file fall into the odde As if the doubling be to the right hand the right hand corner-file standeth firme and is the first after doubling the third is the second file the fifth the third and so the rest of the odde files in order But the manner is that the leaders of the second file fall directly behind the leader of the first file and the second man of the second file behind the second man of the first and so the rest of those two files The same order is for the rest of the euen files when they double the odde files And the word is Double your files to the right or left hand Another manner is when halfe the body of files conueyes it selfe into the spaces oâ— the other halfe of the body be it to the right or left hand according to direction giuen so that the first ranke of the halfe body which is to moue fals into the space next after the first ranke of the halfe body that standeth and so the rest of the rankes of the halfe body that moueth and the word is Halfe the body double your files to the right or left hand Another is when files are doubled by a countermarch As if the second file of the right or left hand as it is appointed countermarch and the leader of that file place himselfe behind the bringer vp of the corner file to that hand to which the doubling is to be made and so the rest of the files of euen number behinde those of odde number as the second behind the first the fourth behind the third the sixt behind the fifth and so the rest The word is Double your files by countermarch to the right or left hand The next word in Aelian is Double your length That is double your rankes or front For as I before noted the rankes make the length of the battaile which likewise is many wayes done The first is when the rankes of euen appellation as the 2. 4. 6. 8. c. fall out into the spaces of the odde namely into the spaces of the 1. 3. 5. 7. c. which stand before them and place themselues euen with them in ranke The word is Double your rankes to the right or left hand Another way is when the bringers-vp their halfe files following them by countermarch aduance vp to the front and place themselues in the spaces betwixt the file-leaders to the hand appointed and the rest of the ranks accordingly namely the ninth ranke in the spaces of the second the eight in the spaces of the third the seuenth in the fourth the sixth in the spaces of the fifth And the word is Bringers vp double your front by countermarch to the right or left hand Another is when the reare-halfe-files one halfe face to the right the other to the left hand and diuiding themselues march out till they bee past the flankes of the standing halfe-files Then facing to the front sleeue vp and front with the standing halfe-files Then the word is Reare halfe-files double your front by diuision to the right and left hand Another way is when the reare-halfe-files vndiuided face to the hand appointed and being beyond the flanke of the rest of the body face to the front and sleeue vp and ioyne in front with the standing halfe-files The word is Reare-halfe-files enter double your front to the right or left hand It is to be obserued that in all these motions of doubling rankes or front the souldiers are to returne after their motion to their first posture which is done by facing about to the right or left hand and
Enemy If the Enemy come sodainely vpon vs he must direct himselfe either against our front or our reare or our flankes If against our front we neede no other motion then that whereby we may strengthen our front which is vsually done by doubling of rankes we march for the most part in a herse in which forme there cannot come many hands to fight and that is the reason why it is accounted the weakest forme to ioyne with the Enemy Doubling of rankes helpeth that defect and bringeth as many hands to fight as the proportion of forces will allow If against the reare and time streight you not and your battell be in open order you haue the vse of countermarch which bringeth the best hands to fight for the File-leaders are esteemed the flower of the Army your battaile being in order or close order you are to wheele it about to your right or left Cap. 32. The action of wheeling Cap. 32. The manner of wheeling The first posture Closing of files Closing of rankes forward The Front Cap 33 Os Cloinges Closing to the middesâ— The front after closing yâ— right action Closing to yâ— left â—and Closing to yâ— right â—and The Front before closing The Front of yâ— battaile before closing hand and so to oppose the front against the Enemy But in both these motions the caution of Aelian is that the Enemy surprize you not whilest you are in the a 〈…〉 ion of countermarch or wheeling lest taking his aduantage hee charge you being in disorder Therefore if he come so neere that you haue no liberty to countermarch or wheele your onely refuge is to face about to the right or left hand for so he shall not be able to giue vpon your backe If the enemy appeare vpon any flanke countermarch of the Front will not auaile much lesse doubling against the flanke of ranks or files but you must either wheele your Front to the flanke or if you haue not time enough so to doe you are to face your battell to that hand The vse of these motions hath been handled in their seuerall Chapters more at large Of the Signes of Direction which are to be giuin to the Army and of their seuerall kindes CHAP. XXXV 1 WE are to acquaint our Forces both Foot and Horse perfectly with the 2 voice and perfectly with 3 visible signes that whatsoeuer is fitting may be executed and done as occasion shall require 4 Some things also are to be denounced by the Trumpet for so all directions will be fully accomplished and sort to a desired effect 5 The signes therefore which are deliuered by voice are most euident and cleere if they haue no impediment 6 But the most certaine and least tumultuous signes are such as are presented to the eye if they be not obscured The voice sometime cannot bee heard by reason of the clashing of â—rmour or trampling or neying of Horses or tumult of carriage or noise and confused sound of the multitude The visible signes also become many waies vncertaine by thicknesse of ayre by dust by raine or snow or sun-shine or else through ground that is vneuen or ful of trees or of turnings And sometimes it will not be easie to find out signes for all vses occasions eftsoones presenting new matter to which a man is not accustomed yet can it not so fall out that either by voice or by signall we should not giue sure and certaine direction NOTES 1 THe ordinary motions in a Phalange are all represented by Aelian Now commeth hee to speake of Signes which direct and are meanes of effecting all these motions and without which the Army is no Army but remains a body vngouernable and may aptly be resembled to a Shippe that hath no rudder For as a Ship in a tempest is driuen by all windes tossed by waues throwne euery way vpon rockes vpon sands vpon dangerous shoares that is not guided by the Master who standeth and moueth at the helme So an Army not directed by signes and forecast of the General is carried away through ignorance and violence of affection sometimes of anger sometimes offeare sometimes of reuenge and other vnbridled desires and breaketh or else falleth into confusion through disorder working little against the enemy may rather giuing him meanes of a certaine victory The shippe is like the Army the Generall like the Master the words of Direction like the Rudder guiding all and euery motion of the Army For the Army being a body of many heads whereof euery one hath a seuerall sense hangeth together not by the naturall coherence and knitting of one member to another but by artificiall ioyning of man to man file to file body to body whereby it is gathered together into one Masse and figured into many members and ioynts and ruled not by the reason and iudgement of it selfe but by the reason and vnderstanding of the Generall So that no man is to demand why this or that is commanded but is to execute it alone for this Cause because it is commanded The Generall then being to Command and direct the actions of the whole Army ought to finde out meanes to speake and discourse with them all at once in such a language as it were that all may vnderstand at once For the occurrence of warre being oftentimes sudden and once slipt by irrecouerable require sudden meanes of speedy direction that nothing fall out so vnlooked for but the Army may haue notice how to preuent and auoid or else to turne it to their most aduantage the rather because in warre safety and life come in question in losse of which no pardon of negligence can be admitted And seeing there are two principall sences of aduertisement the eare the one the other the eye the eare to heare all manner of sounds the eye to discerne all manner of colours and shapes it hath been the witty inuentions so antient Generals to informe their Armies by the one and by the other by the eye when there was no vse of the eare by the eare when the eye could not be informed The true obseruation and vse of these signes auaile much in warre Vegetius saith that nothing profiteth more to victory then to obey the admonition of signes Former experience hath taught that the neglect or error of signes hath brought in great inconueniences and quite ouerthrowne the enterprises in hand Polybius remembreth it in Aratus the elder a Generall of the Achaeans Cratus saith hee the Generall of the Achaeans seeking to get the Cyâ—ethian City by a plot agreed with those of his party within the Citie vpon a certain time to come by night to the riuer that runneth by Cynethe there refreshing and staying his Army a while and that those within taking their time should send about mid-day out of the gate secretly one of their companions to stand in a cloake by a hill appointed which was not farre from the Citie to giue aduertisement to Aratus to
then by mouing and by recouering their first place The word is As you were Countermarch is the third motion vsed in the change of a battaile The vse and necessity thereof appeareth in Aelian before and that there are two kindes one by file the other by ranke The words of command that hee here setteth downe are onely of countermarch by file which may be reduced to two kindes viz. the Countermarch of the front and the Countermarch of the reare That of the front hath likewise two kindes the Lacedemonian and the Chorean That of the reare onely one and it is called the Macedonian Countermarch Now Aelians direction followeth 20 The Lacedemonian Countermarch This is one of the Countermarches by file and of the front The manner is that the file-leaders beginne the Countermarch and paâ—â—e beyond the reare their files following them In our exercise the word is Countermarch the front to the right or to the left hand It is done after another sort also as when the bringers-vp face about to the right or left hand and then the whole body facing about to the same hand passe thorow the spaces of the bringers vp to the same hand and the ninth ranke beginning the rest of the ranks after one anothers place themselues euery paticular man before his follower in the same file till the file-leaders are first The word is Bringers vp face to the right or to the left hand The rest beginning at the ninth ranke passe thorow to the same hand and place euery man himselfe before his follower As you were In Aelian followeth 22 The Macedonian Countermarch We in our exercise tearme this Countermarch of the reare and it is done in two manners First when the bringers vp begin the Countermarch and their files following passe thorow the spaces of the file-leaders till the file-leaders become the last of the file and then the whole body face about and stand The word is Countermarch the reare to the right or left hand Face about to the contrary hand and stand The other when the file-leaders face about to either hand and the rest of the ranks beginning at the second ranke successiuely passe thorow the spaces of the file leaders to the hand appointed placing themselues euery man behind his next leader and facing about as they did The word is File-leaders face about the rest of the rankes passe thorow and place your selues behinde your next leaders The next in Aelian is 24 The Chorean Countermarch This Countermarch is of the front as I said but it keepeth the ground that the body had before the file-leaders their files following them remoued to the places of the bringers vp and the bringers vp to the places that the file-leaders had The word is File-leaders countermarch to the right or left hand and stand viz. when they come to the bringers vp Other Countermarches thereare which are not here set downeby Aelian but are remembred in his Chapter of Countermarches of which the countermarch by ranks of the whole battaile is one the other is the countermarch by ranks in the parts And as in the Countermarch of the front or reare the rankes first began to moue so in Countermarch of the flanke the files entire beginne to moue and as in the Countermarch of the front or reare the ranks followed one another by file so in Countermarch of the flankes the files follow one another by ranke that is the souldiers of euery ranke follow one another If you would countermarch the right flanke so to change one side of the battaile for the other the word is Countermarch the right flanke to the left hand In countermarching the left flanke the word is Countermarch the left flanke to the right hand To countermarch the wings into the middest both the vttermost corner-files are to moue toward the middest their halfe rankes following them and meeting in the middest to stand there and face to the front and the word is Countermarch your wings into the middest of the battaile Obserue that in Countermarch by ranke the three Countermarches Macedonian Lacedaemonian and Choraean may be practised as well as in Countermarch by file If the flanke neerest to the enemy begin the Countermarch this the Macedonian countermarch because it maketh a shew of shifting away If the flanke furthest from the enemy begin it is the Lacedemonian in that it carrieth a semblance of falling on But when one flanke countermarcheth till it come iust vp to the other and no further it is the Choraean because it keepeth the same ground Wheeling is the fourth and last motion and it is vsed in the whole entire battaile or in the parts thereof Aelian giueth words of direction for the whole battaile onely and they are these Wheele the body to the Pike or to the Target When the battaile is to wheele to the pike or right hand the right hand corner file-leader is onely to turne his body by little and little to the right hand facing euen with the ranke of file-leaders till such time as hee haue gained the right hand aspect and the rest are to moue about him making him the centor as it were of their circled motion If to the left hand the left hand corner file leader is to doe the like The same order is of wheelin the battaile about to the right or left hand Aelian as I â—aiâ— giueth here no other words of command then for the wheeling of the whole body yet are the wheelings of the parts of great vse for either the flankes are wheeled into the front or the front into the flankes The front is wheeled into the flankes when we desire to forme the Antistomus Phalange to resist the enemy giuing on both flankes And then the two middlemost bringers vp are to stand and the middle file-leaders to diuinde themselues and to moue halfe the battaile to the right halfe to the left hand making those two bringers vp the center of the motion In this the word is Wheele the front into flanks by diuision If the flanks be to be wheeled into the front the two middle file-leaders are to stand still and the two halfe bodies to moue about them one to the right hand the other to the left till the two flanks be in the front and the front in the middest This kind is practised when we would frame the Diphalange Antistomus The word is Wheele the flanks into the front It is to be remembred that after euery motion a restitution to the first posture is to be commanded in these words As you were In facing you are to returne to the contrary hand as if the command were to face to the right in returning you come to the left In doubling you must doe the like In countermarch likewise whether you countermarch the whole body or the parcels thereof you are to returne by the contrary hand After
rehearsing but I haue beene long in the Example of Epaminondas and therefore referre the Reader to the quotation Demetrius framed the like battaile against Ptolomy and Seleucus albeit he were frustrated of his hopes in the euent by the foresight of Ptolomy who opposed his choisest troopes against that wing of Demetrius which was first to vndertake the charge Hitherto of these three formes of Phalanges see the figures in which albeit the two first be portraited without interuals yet you must in the broad-fronted Phalange vnderstand the three interuals vsuall in the Macedonian fourefold Phalange and in the herse the spaces betwixt the reare of the bodies that lead and of the front of those that follow Parembole Protaxis Epitaxis Prostaxis Entaxis and Hypotaxis CHAP. XXXI 1 PArembole or insertion is when Souldiers being placed in a body we take some of the hindmost and order them within the distances of the first drawing them vp in an equall front 2 Protaxis or forefronting is when we place the light-armed before the front of the Armed and make them forestanders as the file-leaders are 3 When we order the light armed behind it is called Epitaxis as it were an after-placing 4 Prostaxis or adioyning is when to both flankes of the battell or to one flanke some of the hindmost are added the front of them which are added lying euen with the front of the battell This addition is called Prostaxis 5 Entaxis or insition is when it seemeth good to set the light Armed within the spaces of the Phalange man to man 6 Hypotaxis or double-winging is when a man bestoweth the light armed on the wings of the phalange so that the whole figure resembleth a threefold gate or doore Cap. 31. Hypotaxis or double-winging Entaxis or insertion Protaxis or forefronting NOTES THis Chapter sheweth the inlarging of a Phalange or battell by diuers placings partly of the armed partly of the light-armed It is not hard to be vnderstood the rather because most of the alterations here mentioned are spoken of heretofore either in Aelian or in my notes Sixe formes are here set downe two by changing the place of some of the Armed the other foure by changing the place of the light-armed the armed are altered by Parembole or Prostaxis the light armed by Protaxis Epitaxis Entaxis and Hypotaxis what the signification of each is shall be shewed in the notes following 1. Parembole This must alwayes be of armed which are taken from the reare of the Armed and inserted betwixt the files of the front of this kinde is the doubling of the front by middle men with their halfe files whereof Aelian hath spoken in the 29 Chapter see the figure there 2. Protaxis or fore-fronting I haue shewed before in the notes vpon the seuenth Chapter that the light-armed were diuersly placed in the front in the reare on the wings within the battell when they are placed before it is called Protaxis see the figure here Ptolomie and Seleucus being to fight against Demetrius who had many Elephants placed the light armed before to the intent to wound the Elephants and turne them away from their Phalange so Alexander so Darius at the battaile of Issos placed darters and slingers before the fronts of their phalange they serue greatly to annoy the Enemy being so placed especially being not charged with horse or pikes if they be charged with either they are to retire into the interuals of their owne battaile of pikes See Onosander cited by me in my notes vpon the 7 Chapter of this Booke 3. Epitaxis Ordering of the light-armed behinde was the vsuall manner of the Macedonian Embattelling from whence they drew them at pleasure to any place of seruice see the 7 Chapter 4. Prostaxis it is when armed are taken from behinde and laid to one or both flankes of the battell fronting euen with the front thereof which is a doubling of rankes as is before shewed done when the hinder halfe files diuide themselues march out and front with the fileleaders or else march out entirely without diuision Entaxis Incision is alwayes of the light armed into the spaces of the armed It is all one with pareutaxis another Greeke word vsed in the same sence 6. Hypotaxis Placing of the light armed on the wings was much vsed in ancient time as the manner is also at this day but Aelian would haue them so placed that the eminency of them should make a hollow front in the battaile Patritius taketh Hypotaxis to be the placing of the light armed in the reare which seemeth to be a mistaking both because the placing of them in the reare is in this Chapter called Epitaxis and also because there being foure manners of ordering the light-armed one in the front another in the reare the third within the body of the Phalange man to man the fourth in the wings if this ordering should be vnderstood to be behinde the Phalange there would be two kinds of placing of the light armed in the reare and none of ordering them in the flankes Besides when Aelian saith they are placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder the wings of the battell he sufficiently expresseth himselfe the flankes of the battaile on both sides being the vttermost parts of the wings The Vse and aduantage of these exercises of Armes CHAP. XXXIV THese precepts of turning about of faces of wheeling and double wheeling of the battaile and of reducing it to the first posture are of great vse in 1 sodaine approaches of the Enemy whether he shew himselfe on the right or left hand or in the reare of our march The like may be said of Countermarches of which the Macedonians are held to be the inuenters of the Macedonian the Lacedemonians of the Lacedemonian from whom the Appellations are accordingly drawne The Histories witnesse that Phillip who much enlarged the Macedonian Kingdome and ouer-came the Grecians in a battaile at Cheronea and made himselfe Generall of Grecia and likewise his Sonne Alexander who in short time conquered all Asia made small account of the Macedonian countermarch vnlesse necessity forced it and that by vse of the Lacedemonian they both became victorious ouer their enemies For the Macedonian countermarch the Enemy falling vpon the reare is cause of great disorder in asmuch as the hindermost marching vp to the front and making shew of running away it more incourageth and emboldeneth the Enemy to fall on for feare and pursuit of the Enemy is ordinarily incident to this Countermarch but the Lacedemoâ—ian countermarch is of contrary effect for when the Enemy shewes himselfe in the reare the file-leaders with their followers brauely aduancing and opposing themselues it striketh no small feare and terror into their mindes NOTES ALL the foure motions of a battaile Facing Countermarching Doubling and Wheeling are before handled In this Chapter Aelian briefly rehearseth the vse of them especially in 1. Sodaine approaches of the
is not wrapped vp in obscurity and which may fully deliuer the minde of the Commander to the souldiers which hee hath in exercise And as the words ought to bee short so ought they to be Without double signification Where they haue a double signification that is may be diuersly vnderstood by them who are vnder direction some of the souldiers as Aelian saith will doe one thing some another which must needs breed a confusion in the body exercised For as vniformity of motion in euery particular souldier preserueth the whole body and euery ioynt or part thereof entire so the dissimilitude of motion in the particulars induceth a disioynting as it were a disorder of the multitude of the whole battaile in generall To auoid then the inconuenience of double vnderstanding in words Aelian thinketh fit that the speciall word should be placed before the generall and in stead of Face to the pike he would haue the Commander to pronounce thus To the pike face that is to the right hand holding the word right hand to be more speciall or streighter in signification then the word Face Let me haue pardon if I differ from Aelian herein For Logicians hold those words more generall that stretch vnto and comprehend vnder them most particulars Now considering there are foure motions of the battaile which cannot be put in vse but by words of direction and in the direction the word right or left hand is of necessity to be applyed to euery of them as for example Countermarch to the right or left hand Face to the right or left hand and so of the rest it is euident that the word right hand or left hand is more generall then any one of the motions because it stretcheth to them all So that albeit we retaine the rule of Aelian namely to set the speciall before the generall yet may we very safely from his example and not onely in facing but also in the three other motions pronounce the direction thus Face to the right or left hand Double to the right or left hand Countermarch to the right or left hand Wheele to the right or left hand because the word right or left hand is more generall then any one of the motions But admit it were more particular yet the necessity of our language would force vs to forsake this rule of Aelian For in euery language there is an idiome or propriety of speech and that not onely in the phrase it self but also in the very ioyning tying together of the words of the sentence So that that which sorteth well with one language will not be receiued in another In Greeke in which tongue Aelian wrote it soundeth well to place the nowne gouerned by a verbe before the verbe it selfe So in Latine Dutch French and other tongues In English if a man should doe the like vnlesse it were in verse wherein the number of the feet is more respected then the ordering of the words he should be accounted ridiculous or vaine For take the example here set downe to the right hanâ— face to the right hand double or countermach or wheele and let vs vse the same order of words in common speech and a man say to his seruant To the Church goe to the mill corne carry bootes cleane make To the cutler my rapier carry Who would not laugh at his speech or thinke him idle in so pronouncing Wherefore albeit Aelian hold that forme agreeable to the Greeke tongue yet I cannot see how it will be fit that our English according to which I hold it better to pronounce after this manner Face to right hand Countermarch to the right hand and so in the rest then after this To the right hand face to the right hand countermarch the rather because the property of speech auaileth much to the capacity of souldiers who for the most part are vndearned and will hardly vnderstand in case the wonted custome and ordinary vse of ioyning words be inuerted CHAP. LIII BVt aboue all things silence is to be commanded and heed giuen to directions as Homer especially signifieth in his description of the Craecian and Troian fights saying The skilfull Captaines pressed on guiding with carefull eye Their armed troopes who followed their leaders silently You surely would haue deem'd each one of all that mighty throng Had beene bereft of speech so bridled he his heedfull tongue Fearing the dread Commanders checke and dreadfull hests among Thus march'd the Greeks in silence breathing flames of high desire And feruent Zeale to backe their friends on foes to wreake their ire As for the disorder of the Barbarians he resembleth it to Birds saying As sholes of fowle Geese Cranes and Swans with necks far stretched out Which in the slimy fens Caisters winding streames about Sheere here and there the liquid skie sporting on wanton wing Then fall to ground with clanging noyse the fens all ouer ring None otherwise the Troians fill the field with heaped sounds Of broken and confused cries each where tumult abounds And againe The Captaines marshall out their troopes ranged in goodly guise And forth the Troians pace like birds that lade the ayre with cryes Not so the Greekes whose silence breathed flames of high desire Feruent in zeale to backe their friends on foes to wreake their ire NOTES SIlence when a battaile is put in order either for fight or exercise is one of the principall points of obedience which belongeth to a souldier the breach whereof more endangereth the proceeding of warre then a rawe souldier would thinke who onely is wont to offend in that kind I haue before entreated of signes and shewed that in the obseruing of directions consisteth the greatest helpe of victory in neglecting them the chiefest meanes to take an ouerthrow and be defeated For as directions being executed giue life vnto warlike actions to effect that which the Commander desireth so whatsoeuer hindereth the receiuing of directions must needs crosse the designes of the Commander and by consequence frustrate and disanull that which was thought by him most fit to be put in practice either for the good order or for the preseruation of the Army or else for the gayning of victory A man that is not attentiue cannot marke the command deliuered Nor can he be attentiue that whilest it is deliuered busieth his head with other thoughts or else entertaineth his next standers by with talke a meanes to diuert aswell the speaker as the hearer from that heed which ought to be giuen to direction in asmuch as no man hath the ability to heare another mans speech and himselfe take at the same instant or at the same time to discerne two mens seuerall speeches which are deliuered together All generals haue held Silence a principall point of warlike discipline And therefore in Commands they make it the first Leos precept is this When the troopes are drawne together and ordered for exercise let the cryer for euery company had then a cryer giue these