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
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
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