Ranke may consist of as many men as you please but a File how euer the Spaniards and Italians vse it vncertaine ought neuer to bee aboue ten persons deepe except it be in marching or especiall seruice where aduantage of the ground requireth the contrary for the first man hauing discharged his Peece may in the space that nine other men shal discharge their Peeces one after another be againe in readynes and make his first place good there to discharge his Peece againe besides it is the readiest and best way for the drawing of Groses and great numbers into any forme whatsoeuer Next hee shall teach them the carriage and vse of their armes especially the Pike for the Musquet is in the Office of the Serieant the manage wherof he shall deuide into these Postures first three standing that is Lay downe your Pike Take vp your pike Order your pike Then sixe marching as Aduance your pike Shoulder your pike Leuell your pike Slope your Pike Checke your pike and Traile your pike and lastly seauen charging as Port ouer hand Port vnder hand Charge ouer hand Charge vnder hand Coutch ouer hand Couch vnder hand Charge against the right foote and draw your Sword ouer arme When these are perfect he shall teach them distance of place in Files and Rankes as when he would haue the Files to march Closest then the distance is pouldron to pouldron or shoulder to shoulder if but Close then the distance is a foote and a halfe man from man If at their Order then the distance is three foote betweene man and man and if at Open-Order then the distance sixe foote betweene man and man so likewise in Rankes Closest is at the Swords point Close is at three foote Order at sixe foote and Open-Order at twelue foote Now there be some that vary in the tearmes but not in the distance for they wil haue Close Order Open-Order and Double Distance and not the word Closest at all but the scruple is small and may be left to euery Commanders discretion After this he shall teach them March and Motions In the first whereof is little art more then in obseruing truly their Rankes and Files and distance in places For Motions they vary diuersly and some are no Marches as when The Souldier turnes but his face on one hand or other or about Some Motions change place yet no more then a remoouing from one ranke to another or from one File to another in which though some remoue yet others stand stil as in doubling of Rankes or doubling of Files and in this Motion is to be obserued that Rankes when they double to the right hand must euer turne on the left to come to their place againe and if they be doubled to the left hand they must turne on the right hand to come to their pltces againe so likewise Files when they are doubled to any hand by the doubling of Rankes to the contrary hand they are brought to their first place againe and so of Rankes in the same nature To conclude there is another Motion to be taught in which all doe moue and yet none doe March and that is the opening or closing either of Ranks or Files is of great vse when one Ranke should passe through another or the whole body of the Battalion make a Countermarch or when the Battell should bee drawne speedily more of one hand or another Lastly the Lieutenant shall teach his Souldier how to know all the sounds or beatings of the Drumme in which he shall make him obserue not only what the Drumme doth beate but also what time and measure hee keepeth and according to that time and measure so to march slower or faster to charge with greater violence or to come of with more speede also he shall teach them to know when by the Drumme to attend the Captaines directions when to repaire to their Colours and when to doe other duties and as thus by the Drumme in seruice so by his voyce and the words of directions in Trayning he shall make them doe whatsoeuer hee pleaseth and therefore the Liuetenant shall haue perfecttly in his memory all the words of directions which are accustomably spoken As Close your Files To the right hand To the left hand and all these shall be done either Closest Close to Order or open Order Then Open your Files to the right hand To the left hand and these to any order And thus to open or close Rankes and to any Order with this obseruation that Rankes when they open ought to turne to the Reare and open downeward and when they close to close vpward then Files and Rrankes close Files and Rankes open and these to any order also then Double your Files To the right hand To the left Aduance your Files to the right hand to the left Aduance by deuision to right hand or left Files ranke by conuersion to the right hand to the left Files ranke 3. 5. 7. c. Shorten your Files to 5. 8. c. Lengthen your Files to 10. 12. 16. c. Files countermarch to the right hand to the left Double your Rankes to the right hand to the left Rankes file by conuersion to the right hand to the left Rankes ranke 5. 7. c. Middle men double your front to the right hand to the left Double to both by deuision Rankes countermarch c. as in Files Then faces to the right hand to the left to both by deuision Faces about Wheele by conuersion to the right hand to the left to both by deuision Charge to the right hand to the left to both by deuision Charge to the Front Charge to the Reare Charge to both by deuision then to reduce any of these words to the same Order or Station in which the Souldier stood before they were spoken the word is As you were And herein is to be obserued that in Charging with Pikes halfe the Rankes are but to Charge and the other halfe to carry them aduanced or ported so neare the heads of the formost as they may doe them no anoyance either in Charging or Retiring and they must also obserue when they doe Charge standing to fall backe with the right foote and marching to step forward with the left Thus I haue shewed in a briefe Epistle the large extent of the Liuetenants Office in which if I be either obscure by reason of the compendiousnes thereof or a little confused in snatching here and there at his duties without setling constantly vpon any one I hope your Lordship will call to minde it is an Epistle the lawes whereof alowes me the libertie of familiar speech not of subtill argument and for mine owne part I had rather leaue many nice wits vnsatisfied then your minde cloyed or tyred The end of the Second Decad. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM LORD EVERS THE ARGVMENT Of the Officers of Caualarie IF I could loue Fortune in any thing my worthie Lord I should surely loue her in
also carrie his Bullet bagge in which hee shall beare his Moulds to cast his Bullets also his Wormes with which he shall cleare his peece when at any time it is cloid either by mischance or ignorance and his Screwes with which he shall vnloose euery vice-pinne or engine about the Musquet when he either intends to take it in peeces or else to scowie it to mend any thing that is out of frame or otherwise to vnbreech it and lastly he shall carrie in it his priming yron being a small artificiall wiar with which he shall clense and keepe open the touch-hole of his peece so as the priming powder may enter in and make the peece goe off vpon the first touch of any sparke with which it encounters all this perfitted he shall bee armed with a good and very sufficient musquet being of as neate and nimble a cast as can bee made prouided it bee strong cleane wrought and of a good temper of yron the Barrell must bee in length foure foot and a halfe and the bore according to the size of a full Musquet and tried by the gage or allowance of the Tower of London the Stocke must be straight cleane and smoothe wrought without knots or flawes in any part but especially towards the lower end the extreamest part at the nether end below the breech should be at least eight inches in depth flat and smoothe so as if the peece happen a little to recoyle yet it may not offend the Souldiers body and the wood of which these Stockes are made would be either good Wallnut-tree good Peare-tree or some other fast firme and smoothe light wood which is neither apt through the shortnesse of the graine quickly to breake nor yet through the largenesse to split or riue in sunder you must haue regard that the barrell be smooth euen and not galled within that it carry the full bore equally cleane throughout and not carry Musquet bore at the top and hardly Harquebusse in the bottome for it is an abuse too frequent amongst our Gun-makers and the effect is nothing else but deceit and the peece of such a bore is hardly so good as a Pistoll see that the pan be tight and the touch-hole vnworne for if it bee otherwise the one will scatter and lose the powder the other will blow backe in the Souldiers face or else recoyle and doe greater mischiefe and on the contrary part if the hole be too little the powder will want passage and the piece will hardly go off without much toyle and great losse of labour see that the breech be strong and close all the screwes and pinnes about it fast and sure the scowring stick straight round smooth and headed with a rammer of yron sutable to the bore of the peece let the Cocks and Trickers be nimble to goe and come for as concerning Seares they are vtterly out of date and the Inconueniences are found in our daily experience for vpon euery motion or touch of the Souldiers garments they are apt to make the piece flie off before there is occasion killing sometimes him that marcheth behind sometimes him that is before sometimes sets fire on him that beares it and sometimes wounds his Officer that comes to giue him direction so that for these and the like mischiefs they are vtterly forbidden neither is the charge of a Tricker greater then that of a Seare and whosoeuer shall bee drawne to reformation there wil be found little or no ods at all in the bargain only the stupidity and blockishnesse of our ignorant wilfull Plebeians is so great that but with huge difficultie they can neuer be brought to relish any alteration especially if there be but the value of one penny betwixt them and their first custome or that any debausht fellow who hath either runne from his Colours beene an vnder-slaue to a Sutlers boy and now for his last refuge keeps a Tipling house in the Countrey for men of his equall qualitie If he I say will but affirme what they surmise it is not the wisedome of Nestor nor the experience of Caesar no not Apollos Oracle which is able to change any part of their resolution to this I haue been a pregnant witnesse and at this I haue often smiled chiefly when I haue seene some of more eminent condition how well they could be pleased to be flattered in their owne yet a false opinion But to returne againe to the arming of this Souldier he shall haue for his right hand a handsome Rest of Ash or other light wood with an yron pike in the nether end and an halfe hoope of yron aboue to lay the Musquet in when hee rests it and double strong strings shall be fastened neere thereunto to put ouer the left arme when at any time the Souldier shall haue occasion to traile the same Now as touching the length of these Rests there is not any certaine quantitie thereof for howsoeuer generally they are foure foot and vpward yet they should be according to the stature of the partie which beares them carrying the Musquet so euen that hee may in a comely manner discharge at a leuell without very much bending either of his shoulders or bodie Lastly if about his necke hee haue a piece of Buffe or quilted leather cut in the proportion of a large Gorget and extending to the vttermost poynts of his shoulders he shall finde both profit and ease therby for it will both saue his garments from wearing with the Musquet and also make the burthen lesse and more easie To conclude then for the Bastard Musquet which differeth nothing from the full Musquet but in the bore onely and the charges which must be made sutable to the bore they are of excellent vse for they carrie as farre as the full Musquet and pearce as deepe though their bore be lesse and their lightnesse and nimblenesse to those which are weaker and of much lesse abler bodies is such an ease and comfort that they are able both to hold out in Marches and in Seruice with any man how strong or potent soeuer Now for their arming it is in all poynts like that of the full Musquet without any difference for as their Seruice is alike so alike are their Accoutrements and what adornes the one is as seemely and becomming for the other so that it shall be needlesse to wade further in this Discourse but leaue the rest to the discretion of the Captaine in whose power it is to alter and dispose of his Armes according to his owne will and the rule of his Iudgement TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND IVDICIOVS EMANVELL SCROOP Lord SCROOP of Bolton and Lo President of the North. THE ARGVMENT Of the Arming of Pikes SInce my Lord you are by his Maiesties fauor the Viceroy or President of your Country on whom all these Military actions depend I cannot be perswaded but any thing which comes cloathed with this Title and carrying the Badge of experimented Truth shall find from you
giue and receiue the word that is to say that Rounder which receiueth the word his cōpanion to the contrary partie shal giue the word so that on both sides the word shal be both giuen and taken one of each party hauing the swords point at his bosome for whosoeuer receiueth the word must draw his sword and he that deliuereth it must tender against it his bosome for the maner of the encounter it is thus the first discouerer calleth Qui-va-la the other reply The Round the first answereth the Round also then they meet a little distance asunder and hee that first discouered receiues the word and his Companion giues it and so à conuerso Now if the Rounders be sent out so early in the night that they meet the Captaine of the watch who should go the first Round then of him they must take notice both one after another deliuer him the word and so doing reuerence passe along To conclude and finish vp this dutie of the Rounder if they shall in their round meet either with the Generall of the Army or the Gouernour of the garrison vndisguised and like himselfe in all parts both of person and attendants so that without excuse they must know him then to him they shal giue the word also but to no other whatsoeuer more then such as are before specified no not to his owne Captaine nor to the Captaine of the watch after the first Round is performed and of these Rounders there must bee at least two or more in euery Squadron who performing this dutie twice or thrice euery night or as necessity shall requier will no doubt both keepe the Watches in good order bring much safetie to the Armie In some places they haue Round houses where the Captaine of the watch and all the Rounders together remaine all night who setteth out his Rounders each halfe houre or houre according to the space of the Round TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN LORD DARCY OF the North his very good LORD THE ARGVMENT Of the Clerke and Harbenger THe great Respects which many Ties both of Blood and Fauour haue bound me daily to acknowledge to your Lordship are as so many alarumes to awaken me in the depth of my Meditation and to pronounce vnto me how vnworthy I were if in this Cattalogue of Martiall designes I should omit the memory of your name and Honor I doe know the Studie you affect and when it shall please either God or the Kingdome to call you to the practise I doubt not but there will be found in you such a Readinesse of Will and such an ability both of Person and Courage that all the lost or consumed Epitaphs of your noble Progenitors shall as new Texted Records be read a farre off in your Honorable disposition till when I beseech your Lordshipe Anchor one houre vpon this Epistle and howsoeuer the words be roughly and plainely thrust together yet shall the matter giue you content for it brings with it a witnesse of certaine knowledge and the mind of a writer which without flattery will euer honor and loue you The Clerke of a Band in a Company of well disciplin'd Souldiers being a man worthily worthy of the place and Office which hee holdeth I cannot fo fitly compare to any thing as to an honest Steward of a noble and well gouernd Family for their faithfull cares and seruices are knit and made vp almost of one and the same Members each being drawne by his Industrie fore-sight and prouidence to haue a care of his Commanders honor and profit and of the weale and good estate of all those which haue any dependance vpon them It is true that in the Clerke of a Band is not required much Souldiery or Martiall vnderstanding for he is rather to bee a pen-man then a Sword-man yet by all meanes no Coward for that slauish feare is a great weakener of honesty and a discouerer of deceitfull paths which he must by all meanes auoyd it teacheth him how to flatter the world to disesteeme all the lawes of true friendship to addulterate only with his owne pleasures and to make of himselfe to himselfe both a Mistris and a prodigall Seruant he that feares to die can neuer bee Master of a good Conscienee and when that is hackneyd vpon either by Couetousnes or Pride there is no respect of persons but all things are sweete which bring him gaine though in the vildest manner that may be Let the Clerke of the Band then by all meanes be chosen a man of great honestie and Integrety discreete and ciuill in his behauiour of temperate qualitie and modest countenance hauing in him a certaine Grauity or face of authority which may euen challenge and as it were command both loue and respect from the Souldier he must of necessity be a good pen-man writing a swift legible and readie hand he ought to haue good skill in Arithmaticke and the knowledge both of whole and broken Numbers at the worst he must be prefit in casting al manner of accounts and able in Merchantlike manner to keepe the account betweene debtor and creditor If he haue the Lattin tongue he is a Treasure but if to it also the vnderstanding of other Languages he is an inestimable Iuell for so he shall be able to trucke with strangers for the benefit of the Company and also to Interpret and take charge of Prisoners when any are taken It is the Office and duty of this Clarke to keepe the Rolls and muster Bookes conteining the names and surnames of the whole Company and these hee shall haue in sundry and diuers manners as in one Booke or Roll according to the Armes and weapons which they carry sorting euery seuerall Armes by themselues as first all the Officers in their true Rankes then all the Pikes and short weapons then the Musquets and Harquebusses or bastard Musquets if there be any In another Booke or Rolle all their names according to their Squadrons hauing the Officers of euery Squadron first then the Gentlemen and lastly the common Souldier and in the third Booke or Rolle all their names as they March in their owne perticular Battalia and according to the dignity of their places so that when the Muster-master or Captaine shall come to make a generall call of the Campany he may deliuer them the first Booke If it be to goe to the watch and to reckon any one Squadron he may deliuer the second Booke and if it be to question or find out any one perticular man as he stands in the Grosse whether he haue quit his place or remaine according to dutie that then hee may vse the third and last Booke and of these hee shall neuer be without sundry Coppies of which first Booke he may tender one to the Muster-master when he is commanded another to his Captaine a third to his Lieutenant and a fourth for himselfe which hee ought to keepe as a president for in it hee shall enrolle all Souldiers
all carefulnes and secrecie for by Martiall Law it is death to discouer it contrary to appointment If any muteny happen in the company the Serieant vpon commitment shall guard them till they bee deliuered ouer to the Prouost hee ought to bee a punnisher of all sinne and an encourager to vertue In the absence to the superior Officers he commands as much as the Captaine he deuids euery Squadron to the places which are most fitting conducts them to their watches directs both the Corporalls and Souldiers what they are to doe and appoints how all the Sentinels must be placed to the best aduantage To be short it is one of the maine and principall points of his Office as conueniencie will giue him leaue to draw forth the short and to teach them the manage and true vse of the Peece and how in the comliest and brauest manner that may be to conforme both the weapon and their bodies to the most excellentest Postures as first by laying a Musquetiers Armes confusedly before him to command him to Take vp his Armes that is to say hauing his Morian on his head and his Sword by his side he shall first take vp his Bandeliers with his right hand and put them on with the same then take vp his Match and put one end betweene his little finger and his Ring finger of the left hand and the other end betweene the Ring finger and the great finger of the same hand then take vp his Rest and put it into his left hand then stepping forward with his right Legge take vp the Musquet within a hand full of the vpper end ank so raise it vpright then letting his hand sinke let him Iert it vp without sloping and so catch it by the breech and then laying the Rest to it let him shoulder it then the Serieant shall command him to Prepare for Skirmish that is to say hee shall light his Match at both ends put Bullets in his mouth and change his Rest if it bee in his right hand into his left Then the Sergeant shall teach the Souldier to Rest his Musquet then The Sentinell Posture then the Saluting Postures and all these Postures are to be done standing still After this he shall teach him the Postures which are to be performed in marching as Shoulder your Musquet and carry your Rest in your right hand Leuell your Musquet and Slope your Musquet Then the Postures which are to be performed in charging as Cleere your Pan Prime your Pan Shut your pan Cast off your loose powder Blow your pan Cast about your Musquet with both your hands and traile your Rest Open your charges Charge your Musquet with powder Draw your scouring Sticke Shorten your Sticke Rame in your powder Draw out your Sticke Charge with Bullet Rame in your Bullet Draw out your Sticke Shorten your Sticke and put it vp Bring your Musquet forward with the left hand Hold it vp in your right hand and recouer your Rest And lastly he shall teach him the Postures which are to be performed in discharging as Carry the Rest in the left hand preparing to giue fire Slope your Musquet and let the Rest sinke In the right hand poyze the Musquet In the left hand carry the Musquet with the Rest In the right hand take your Match betweene the second finger and the thumbe Hold the match fast and blow it Cocke your Match Trie your Match Guard your pan and blow your match Open your pan Present your Musquet Giue fire Dismount your musquet and carry it with the Rest Vncocke your match and put it vp betweene your fingers Now assoone as your Sergeant hath taught all these Postures perfectly and that the Souldier can doe them readily nimbly and exactly with a comely grace and a braue presence he shall then instruct the Souldier how to reduce and bring all this great number of Postures as namely the fiue which are done standing the three marching the eighteene charging and the fourteene discharging which are only for Military Instruction into three only and no more and which three he shall only vse in seruice or before the face of the enemie and no other and they are thus pronounced Make ready which containes all the Postures which are done either standing still or marching the next Present which containes all the Postures in Charging and lastly Giue Fire which containes all the Postures in Discharging Besides these he shall also teach them how to giue their vollies with those in their Ranke as when the first Ranke haue giuen their vollie if the Battalia march then that first Ranke to stand still and the second to passe through it and so giue their vollie and then to stand and the third to aduance vp and so consequently all the Rankes but if the Battalia stand the first Ranke hauing giuen their vollie shall fall backe to the Reare either in wheele or in countermarch and the second Ranke shall come into their places and giue their vollie and so consequently all the rest but if the Battalia fall backe or Retire then shall all the shot stand still and no man aduance a foote of ground but the first Ranke shall giue their vollie and then fall backe to the Reare so likewise the second Ranke and fall backe in like manner and so all the rest till they haue lost so much ground as to the Commander shall seeme sufficient so shall the vollie still be continued and the enemie neuer free from anoyance To conclude a good Serieant is an admirable benefit and if he liue and execute his place well any long time no man deserueth aduancement before him for besides all that hath beene spoken of him hee is of wonderfull vse in all Scalados Assaults Mines or things of that Nature and if to beautifie all the precedent vertues he likewise be inriched with any small proportion of learning espetially in the Art of Arithmaticke whereby he may iudge of the alteration and proportion of sundry bodies and how to deuide and subdeuide numbers at his pleasure then I dare affirme he is an absolute Serieant nor can his Captaine wish or desire a rarer or better Iewell to depend vpon his person TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN LORD MORDANT OF TVRVY THE ARGVMENT The Office of the Ensigne THe Ensigne or Alferes as the Spaniard cals him is my good Lord the first great Officer of a priuate Company for all the former howsoeuer necessary are but petty and low places this only the first of Eminence and Account and therefore in his election great consideration is to bee had and to the making vp of his perfection many great vertues are required as Valour Wisedome Fidelitie and Honestie he hath the guard of his Captaines Colours and therein is trusted with his Honour and Reputation and if hee be comely of person strong and amiable hee is a greater glorie to his place and more becomming in Seruice but because in the Warres Officers expect to be aduanc't by
this that your noble Name this noble Subiect haue the chance to meet together and imbrace in this short Epistle for it is not onely Warre which your Honour I know will both loue and allowe but it is the best and noblest kind of warre with which now I must crowne this third Decad Warre on Horsebacke Warre which is compounded of two most excellent Ingredians Man which is the neerest to God in his Image and the Horse which is the neerest to man of all sensible creatures in vnderstanding the one I know you must loue for himselfe the other I know you will loue for the goodnesse of his vse and both being dedicate to the Seruice of their King and Countrey cannot but draw a respect of greater valew If it be so what can take my pen from the paper or but draw the shadow of an affright before mine Epistle trust me I think nothing for being arm'd with a purpose which hath no end but vertue I know I shall encounter with a fauourable Interpretation and that 's to me beyond all merit all profit I haue my Lord in the former Decads briefly runne ouer all the Inferiour or lower Officers of the Infanterie in which I haue touched their Elections Vertues Vses Duties it remaineth now that I likewise ascend as many steps in the Cauallarie or Horse-Cornets and though not in so many and so large discourses for that were to make infinite gates to little cities yet will I so linke and chaine them together that one shall not peepe with an halfe face ouer the others shoulder but stand open and plaine that each may bee knowne by his owne true and naturall complexion All Horse-Troups commonly doe consist of common Souldiers Corporals a Quarter-Master a Trumpet a Clerke a Cornet and a Lieutenant These Troups are also of sundry sorts as Men at Armes or Launciers the armed French Pistoleirs the Carbines and the Light-horse The first of these are armed at all pieces from the head to the knee with a close Caske and Curaces of Pistoll-proofe a Lance in his right hand a Sword by his left side and a case of Pistols at the forepart of his Saddle the Horse is caparison'd with strong Leather a Headstall Noseband and Raynes with a faire Bit in his mouth a Saddle plated before and behind with Steele Brest-plate or Petterell Crooper Trappings and Saker The Horse himselfe should be of the proudest and best generation of the largest Size his pace trotting for the most part stoned though lustie strong and large Gueldings may be tollerable and exceeding well ridden and manadg'd for the Warres being quicke and nimble to start into a swift cariere easie to stop and ready to turne on both hands without any disorder or knauish qualitie the vse of these are to charge vpon Pikes to breake their Battalions and to put them into rout and disorder The second sort which are armed Pistolleirs are in all points to bee accoutred like the former Launciers without any difference onely instead of the Lance and short Pistoll he shall haue a case of long French Pistols of full two foot barrell but not with French locks for they are oft out of temper nor knowes euery simple and raw Souldier how to handle them but with good strong Snaphaunces or fire-lockes they serue for the same vse which the former doe onely they doe not charge fully so farre home but hauing let slie their Pistols wheele charge and come on againe they are of admirable benefit and doe soone disorder a battell and being disordered they are great executioners The third sort which are Carbines are armed Petronels they haue for Armes a faire Burgonet or Morian on his head a Gorget Curaces of proofe and Pouldrons to the elbowe but no more they haue Swords by their sides and at their Saddles faire Petronels with Flaxe Touch-boxe Bullet-bagge and other necessaries the Horse should be a strong nimble tall Guelding swift couragious and well ridden hee should haue a Headstall Raynes and Bitt a Petrell Cropper and a faire Buffe Saddle of the Morocco fashion the vse of them is as Musquets amongst Pikes for they wing the Launces or Pistolleirs and deliuer their volleys further off and when Battels are broken they are great executioners The last sort are the Light-horse whose Armes are a Morian or Steele cap for his head a Gorget and a light paire of Curaces onely or else a Iacke a Plate coat or a Shirt of Male in his right hand a slender Chasing stasse and at his Saddle pommell a case of short Pistols his horse should bee of a fine light nimble trotting Guelding of a middle size and well ridden his furniture a small Headstall Raynes and Snaffle a light Scotch Saddle a Petterell and a Crooper their vse is to gallop foorth and to discouer to charge vpon loose wings of Shot to search and find out vnknowne passages and when Battels are broken to pursue the chase and to finish vp the execution To these the Low-countries haue produced another sort of Horsemen which their experience there haue found out to be of notable vse and they call them Dragoons which I know not whether I may tearme them Foot-Horse-men or Horse-Footmen for they are Musquetiers on horsebacke and are imployed for the taking and maintaining or at least for preuenting the enemy from taking of Passages or Foords which leade ouer Riuers These mounted Musquetiers are euer eleuen in a raunge and when they come to the Passage ten of them doe alight and the eleuenth holdeth the Horses which threeding their bridles one into another is very orderly done and with great speed and when they come to remount againe they finde their horses in readinesse for them The Bodies or whole companies euer consist of one hundred ten men that is to say an hundred for Seruice ten to take charge of the Horses In Horse-Troupes the common Souldier is Sentinell as in the Foot-company neither is there any difference more then the Horse betweene them and the foot Sentinels either in order or dutie they haue also their Companies deuided into Camarados or Fellowships which march cabin and feed together two Camarados make a Squadron which Squadron is euer commanded by a Corporall and the Office of the Corporall of Horse containeth in all points the full duties of both the Corporall and Serieant of foot The Quarter-master of Horse is the same which the Harbinger or Furrier of the Foot is the Trumpet the same which the Drum Phiph is onely differing in the tearmes and sounds of the Instrument for the first point of warre is Butte sella Clap on your saddles Mounte Cauallo mount on horseback Tucquet march Carga carga an Alarme to charge Ala Standardo a retrait or retire to your Colours Auquet to the watch or a discharge for the watch besides diuers other points as Proclamations Cals Summons all which are most necessary for euery Souldier both to know and obey The Clerke of the
himselfe to their execution without an vtter wound to all his directions If the Captaine be commanded to any peece of seruice of what nature soeuer he shall goe to it willingly and cheerefully making good all his superiors directions to the vttermost commandment but not exceeding the limits though intic't with neuer so great hopes for it is not lawfull for him to take vpon him a knowledge which his superior hath concealed from him When his turne commeth to the Captaine of the Watch or Guard he shall send his Serieant to the Serieant Maior to fetch the Word or to some other that hath order for the same and by that Word at night he shall direct all his Sentinels and Corpes de Guards and himselfe in person shall goe the first Round yet receuing the Word not giuing it but when he pleaseth the to search Sentinels or Rounds out of a voluntary disposition then he shall giue the Word and not receiue it He shall be obedient to all the Supreame Officers of the Field to his own Colonell the Liuetenant Colonell and Serieant Maior of his owne Regiment He shal prouide for all necessaries belonging to his company as Money Meate and Munition He shall euer lodge and haue his Tent amongst them feede with them and giue them all the examples of hardnesse and frugaltie To conclude and finish vp this Epistle hee shall bee of a sweete and temperate disposition amongst them intreating aduising instructing and commanding them with all the noble pleasing Language that Nature Art or study can produce and not as men teach Dogges or Bear-wards Apes with Bitts and Blowes for it is an vnmanly and absurd crueltie neither begetting loue nor respect but Ingendring hate and discontentment whereas if he did rightly looke into the true nature of his condition the Father should be no more tender ouer his Children then the noble Captaine ouer his well deseruing Souldier for that will linke and ioyne them together as men made of one peece and as hauing but one head to contriue one heart to encourage one hand to execute and but one soule to flie to Eternity TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM LORD PETER of WRITTLE THE ARGVMENT Of the Captaine of Horse HOwsoeuer my Lord the question hath been disputable amongst all the greatest Masters of this Military Science whether the Captaine of Foot or the Captaine of Horse should take the prior Precedencie yet I notwithstanding all the Arguments doubtfully discussed on either part and of which I haue also treated in a former Epistle will be contented to submit my selfe to the common and most generall receiued opinion which is that the Horseman though not in particular yet in the ordinary vse ought to receiue the vpper hand in dignitie for in France amongst their Gentlemen at Armes and also amongst the Reisters the Lieutenants albe they haue not place nor voyces in Marshall Courts yet hold themselues in all Rankes equall with Captaines of Foot yet not euery Lieutenant of Horse but some of an espetiall order for it is to be conceiued that in Horse troupes all are not of one lineage as Foot-Companies are but differ in dignitie order and estimation according to the worthinesse of the Armes which the Horseman beareth for in the first times when Horsemen were in the height of their glories the Lieutenant to a Troupe of Gentlemen at Armes was accounted better then a Captaine of an hundred Foot a Lieutenant of Launciers his equall and a Lieutenant of Light-horse his next and imediate younger brother and before all Lieutenants of Foot whatsoeuer so in like manner in these our present times a Lieutenant of a Troupe of compleat armed French Pistoliers is reputed better in degree then a Captaine of an hundred Foot a Lieutenant of the late inuented Dragoones being not aboue sixteene inche Barrell and full Musquet bore the Foot-Captaines equall and the Lieutenant of a Troupe of Harquebussiers or Carbines his immediate younger Brother Againe Horsemen challenge the dignitie of their places according to the numbers which they hold in list and according to the manner and forme of raising those numbers for a Captaine of a hundred Horse notwithstanding any former Antiquitie is better then a Captaine of fiftie A Captaine of an hundred and fiftie will euer take place of a Captaine of one hundred and a Captaine of two hundred Horse carry on his left hand a Captaine of an hundred and fiftie Horse and so contrariwise ranking with the Foot fiftie Horse precedes an hundred Foot an hundred horse two hundred foot and so of all numbers whatsoeuer and to this the Horsemen doe adde sundry Reasons saying that a man may as easily raise fiue hundred Foot as fiftie Horse and a thousand Foot as one hundred Horse now if the Captaine raise this Troupe of his owne charges it must needs argue that hee is of greater estate and hath made himselfe liable to a greater charge then any Footman can doe and so consequently deserueth a greater respect from the Magistrate and more serious reuerence from the common people But if the Prince raise the Companies then it includes that he inferres vpon the Horseman the greater Trust and so of necessitie the greater honour Lastly there is required from the Captaine of Horse a greater vnderstanding and a much deeper Consultation in the manage of his affaires then from the Footman which greater Vertue must carry with it the greater Place or else there will be partialitie and not vprightnesse in the Iudgement Touching his Election the Horse-Captaine must haue all those vertuous parts which are acquired in the Foot-Captaine and that with a more larger and fuller measure of perfection in as much as he hath not onely to doe with Man but with Beastes also and must by the excellencie of his owne gouernment tame and bring to obedience both wilde Man wilde Horse and sometimes Boyes wilder then either the one or the other creature And to this Fasickle or bundle of vertues which are needlesse againe to repeat hee must haue one other excellencie added which is as good as great as necessary and as glorious as any of the other and that is he must bee a perfit and absolute Horseman not knowing like one of our Signe-Saint Georges onely how to bestride and sit vpon a horse faire armed without motion but how and in what manner both to mooue himselfe and the horse making an vnreasonable Beast doe reason to all his commaundements and by the motions of his hand legge or body to vnderstand as from a sensible language to performe all things belonging to the mans reasonable pleasure In plainenesse hee shall not onely bee a good Horseman himselfe but also shall with diligence labour to make his whole Troupe good Horsemen teaching them first how to sit vpon their horses in a faire and comely pasture carrying their bodies straight and vpright the right hand bearing his Launce or Pistoll coucht vpon his thigh the left hand with the Bridle raine