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
as they are entertained carefully keepe their Enteries their Deaths and Discharges and this first Booke shall be written at large and in Folio not hauing aboue seauen names at most vpon a page that hee may the better insert any exchange defect absence death or other faults which may procure a checke that so an euen reckoning may bee kept betweene the Captaine and the Souldier Out of the second Booke hee shall giue a Coppie to euery Corporall of his owne true Squadron so that when he is to goe to his watch or to doe any other necessary dutie he may by it call them together and see that no man be wanting and this booke must be written like the former because of Casualties Death or Alteration Out of the last Booke which is according to March or Dignite of places he shall take Coppies and giue them to the Serieants fixing to euery name the figure of the place in which he marcheth as to the name which leadeth the right hand File the figure 1. to the name that leadeth the left-hand File the figure of 2. to the name of the bringer vp of the right-righthand File or first in the Reare the figure 3. and to the name of the bringer vp of the lefthand File or second in the Reare the figure 4. and so fourth of all the rest according to martiall discipline and as shall bee shewed more lardgely in the Office of the Serieant so that if any man shall quitte his place either in March or other exercise the Serieant may immediately find his name and see due punishment extented and this may either be written in a booke or in a large Table at the discretion of the Clerke and Serieant The Clerke shall as conuenient leasure will suffer him once in a weeke reade to the whole Company the Lawes and Articles of the Armie and if there be no Minister or Preacher about them he shall at conuenient times as at the setting of the watch or breaking vp of the same reade diuine prayers vnto them He shall receiue from the Treasurer or vnder-treasurer all the pay belonging to the Captaine and Souldiers and see faithfully and truely distributed to euery man his due according to the Captaines directions and he shal keepe a faithfull Audit between the Captaine and all others clearing euery reckoning without doubt or disorder hee is to receiue from the victualer all proportions of victuals to keep a due account of the prizes thereof he is to receiue all Prouaunt Apparell with the value of the same and he is to receiue all manner of Munition and Armes which is necessary for the whole Company and of all these hee shall keepe true records fetch out the Certificates and kepe all reckonings euen betweene his Captaine and all Officers This Clerke is hee which ought to be both the Companies Phisition and the Companies Marchant for he ought by Information to the Captaine and by his directions to prouide all things necessary for them both in sicknesse and in health defaulking the same out of their wages or other allowance of the Captaines If any man shal happen to be slaine or otherwise to depart out of this life the Clerke of the Band shall administer vpon his goods and making a true Inuentory or praysure thereof after his debts and defaulcations are paid shall bee answerable for the rest to his next of blood or else such on whome by Will he had formerly bestowed it He shall also keepe a true note of the time of his death whereby a Certificate may be made to the Muster-master and so that neither the Prince may be deceiued in his pay nor yet the victualers ouer reckon the Captaine in the multiplicitie of their victualls He is to see that such as are wounded be duely dressed by the Surgeons and if that any bee taken Prisoner hee is to awaken his Captaines memory touching their Ransome To conclude if he be a good Clerke he is an excellent member both for Captaine and Souldier for it is impossible that any Captaine should thriue if he haue an euill and vnconscionable Clerke for the waies are so infinite by which hee may deceiue him that not all the eies and tongues which are vpon Rumors outside can either deserne or vnfold them till the mischeife be so rotten that no medecine can cure it and on the other side if he be all for the Captaine and haue no honest respect towards the Souldier then vnlesse the Captaine be a Saint the mischiefe is much more hainous for all being fish that comes to his net he will deuoure vp the Companie ten times worse then the Enemie and therefore a most especiall care would be had to the ellection of this Officer for hauing the distribution of all the Captaines waters it is in his power ether to kill or comfort at his pleasure There is another Officer depending vpon a foote Companie which in some small parts resembleth this and is called in the warrs a Furrier or Harbenger one that in marching and watching hath no command at all But when the Company is drawne into Garison then he taketh vpon him the effect of his authority which is from the Serieant Maior or other Officer his Deputie to receiue all Billets due for the Companie and to distribute them to the Company so as euery man may be acommodated according to the abillity of the place and necessitie of the times he is also vpon the placing of a Campe to attend the Quarter-master generall and hauing receiued his proportion of ground and discription of Streets he is to quarter his owne Company and to allot to euery man the ground whereon to place his Cabbin Euery iudicious Captaine may out of his Companie soone picke out a man fit for this purpose for the art is easie and if at any time he should doubt he might behold example enough round about him These although they haue a certaine power yet are but common Souldiers neither can they well be Ranckt with the Officers of a Company for in these is only but a kind of Trust in the Officers is both a Trust and Commandment as the discourse already hath shewed to your Lordship which if it bee either briefer then you wish or longer then your leasure in the reading could assigne it Remember my Lord that Souldiers howsoeuer they loue swiftnesse in their Actions yet they cannot indure to haue their Tales broken TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM LORD SANDES OF THE VINE THE ARGVMENT Of Drummes and Phiphes IT is Noble Sir your honour'd place and Birth which makes me fixe your name to this Epistle and it must be your Vertue and loue to the Souldier which must make mee appeare blamelesse in your opinion for I must confesse I haue nothing to rise vp betweene my selfe and your good thoughts but onely this That howsoeuer now we are spectators and beholders of our neighbours troubles yet we haue beene our selues vpon the Stage and may be againe when God
his companions and as he is in a place aboue them so in the merit thereof to exceede them and both in Marches Skirmishes and euery other occurrent of warre to be vnto them an example and president Touching the perticular duty of this Lanspesado and what he is to exercise in his place first it is to be vnderstood that he is the Captaine or Leader of that File which is next in true degree below his Corporall of whose Squadron he holdeth his place and is to giue them all examples of good ready and perfit seruice leading them on vpon the enemie in such sort as he is commanded withall courage counning and dexterity and bringing them off with equall care good order and discresion He is to looke that euery Souldier within his Command or Deuision haue his armes neate cleane and well scowred that he be furnished with all Implements and accoutrements belonging vnto the weapon wherewith he serueth as Powder Match Bullet Armes and all things else whatsoeuer which belongeth either to the Musquet or any other weapon hee is to giue the Souldiers encouragement and to make any thing facile and easie vnto them which shall trouble their mindes or seeme hard and doubtfull as also to hold them in the perseuerance of good actions and to declare the honor and worth that is in Diligence and Obedience he is to aduertise and giue notice vnto his Commander if he vnderstand of any malecontents or men whose spirits are apt to muteny and sedition or whose speach and language tendeth therevnto hee is also to discouer all manner of thefts or purloynings whether of victualls or other matter and any Iniury whatsoeuer which shall be done betweene peason and person for he being within the Cammarade or fellowship and a man of equall quality and ranke more then the name and shaddow of his place and feeding and lodging continually amongst them It is intended considering the freenes of such mens thoughts how vnapt they are to conceale what they imagine that nothing can be done or pretended to which he shall not be preuie of what nature soeuer the mischeife be if he be discreete honest he shall be watchfull and diligent to listen after all alarmes and when hee heareth any to awaken and rouse vp those of his Deuision and to see that they issue not rudely or vnprouided but with their armes about them in a decent and necessary fashion and to his vttermost power doe all thinges that may bring on or further the seruice In their watch they are Deputy Corporals and when the Corporall is absent the Lanspesado shall take his place command the Guard appoint set forth relieue Sentinels he shall take the word receiue Prisoners taken in the watch deliuer them ouer vnto his Superior Officer indeede doe all things whatsoeuer which belongs to the Corporall and to this end as in his owne place so in the Corporalls also he shall be pregnant and ready the substance whereof followeth in the next insuing Epistle lastly it is his duty to instruct his Deuision in all the rudiments which belongs to their places as well in the manage of their Armes as in the comely and well keeping of the same and to that end hee shall shew them how to keepe their Armours weapons from Rust with what Ingredience how to take their Pieces assunder and to make them cleane and when need is how to vnbreech them he shall if need be cast their Bullets for them dry their powder and haue alwayes spare match in a readines or at least instruct them how to doe it themselues for that shall be to him some ease and to them a greater profit Thus hauing shewed the duty of this Officer I will now returne to his vse which though it consist in many things and all without any extraordinary charge yet the greatest vse of all is when Battalions are deuided or subdeuided into many petty fractions then this Inferior Officer who in a greater Body would be Ignorant in this lesser Body will bee as knowing as any Officer can be And superior Officers who command Battalions Regiments Companies and Squadrons hauing many vnder their commands cannot attend to reuisite and looke into Files and halfe Squadrons or see being farre remoued whether they stand in their true and perfit distance in this case this Officer is as helpefull as any to them which command in cheife and obserues all proportions qualities and motions both of such as follow or such as front with him for indeed the motions in Files I can compare to nothing more fitly then to the dauncing of the old measures in which if there be a good Leader that by his eare can truely distinguish the sound of the Instrument and knowes when to double or single forward backward sideway and on either hand or when to begin and when to end that then it much skills not what the followers counnings be So in Files if there be a perfit Leader but tractable obseruers hardly can any Ignorāce do hurt in the motiō but here me thinks an old Souldier that loues not booke knowledge pulls me by the eare and saies what haue all warrs these distinctions or haue these places beene from the beginning beleeue it I haue beene in seruices where if you should speake of Decario or Lanspesado they would take it for some heathen Greeke or a more dangerous language to which I answer that indeed they are not vsed in all warrs much lesse in euery company but I dare with constancie affirme that the best vnderstanders in Martiall Discipline doe with all seuerity both vse them and apply themselues vnto them finding them so necessary and behouefull that where there is a neglect or disdaine thereof there without all question the company hath a wound and the whole Armie wants if not more yet one feature of an excellent beautie Some latter writers haue giuen this name a farre different interpretation calling them voluntary Lieutenants or Knights of Saint Georges Squadron and applying them to the duties of a Gentleman of the companie or a Rounder but it is only a fancie and I haue already shewed what they are and what depends vpon them therefore in mine Epistle I will auoid disputation and only conclude that what I haue writ mine experience hath seene and what I affirme all readings will allow to haue the best authoritie TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD WINDSOR OF BRADNAM THE ARGVMENT Of the Corporall LEt it not my Lord be offensiue if for an houre or lesse I begge you from your more serious thoughts to vouchsafe the reading of this blunt Epistle for beleeue it noble Sir there must bee an Affection to your Goodnesse to moue me and some hope in the labour that this seruice will Inne the time you spend in the traffique or else questionlesse I should wish my selfe halfe lost and the papers consumed howsoeuer it is Warre which is the Garland of Nobilitie and though time be
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
spoyle Forragers to Watch to Ward to Scout to serue for great Caualgadas or Ambuscados and to Skirmish then to bee light Armed and most nimbly mounted according to a former instruction and if to both these and the former be allowed for euery two men a light boy mounted on a small Hackney to attend them it will not only bring a benefit to the Colony but also make the seruice to be better performed and where the Liuetenant Colonell findeth any defect in these armings hee is out of his owne perticuler authoritie to see there bee a speedy Reformation It is his Office to see that his Colonels Regiment doe not at any time lose the true dignity of their places but in as much as it is a Rule in Armes that in all marches the Generalls Regiment shall euer haue the Vantguard and the rest alternately by turnes that is to say he that this day hath the Vauntguard the next day shall haue the Reare hee shall therefore carefully looke to those changes and when his Colonels turne commeth hee shall challenge the same and not suffer any man to step in betweene him and his Honor and likewise in what place of the Armie soeuer his Regiment doth march he shall obserue that the Colonels companie continually doe take their place vpon the left wing of his owne Regiment also he shall see that in true Marshalling of the Regiment the Colonels Cornet or Guiddon doe march euer vpon the head the Liuetenant Colonels and the Serieant-Maiors Cornets one Ranke behind the Colonels and the Inferior Captaines one Ranke behinde the Liuetenant Colonels and the Serieant-Maiors Also he shall haue a speciall respect to the marching of euery Officer and that they keepe their due places in due forme that is to say that the Captaine and the other Officers doe each of them march vpon the head of his owne Squadron the Liuetenant only excepted who shall march in the Reare accompaned with the Quarter-Master and the eldest Corporall shall march vpon the head of the Liuetenants Squadron for it is the priueledge of his place and a due which he may require in all Armies Againe the Liuetenant Colonell shall looke to the orderly seperation and deuiding of all his Regiment seeing them cast into Rankes and Files according to true marshall discipline prouiding that the Files be neuer aboue fiue men deepe for it is impossible to bring in depth more hands to fight at one instant he shall also see that when they march in Battalia then they shocke close together and as it were ioyne Cush to Cush But if it be to performe any Euolution or alteration of figure whether of greater or lesser quantitie then he shall see that they obserue at least sixe foote distance which is supposed to be a full Horse length betweene one horseman and another lastly when Regiments come to be drawn together and ioyned one with another in their seuerall Battalias then shal the Liuetenant Colonel see that there be a double distance held which is fiue and twenty Foote betweene euery seuerall company in his Regiment and a double double distance which is fiftie Foote betweeene his Regiment and any other so that in all motions on Horsebacke there is only to bee obserued but these foure certaine distances the first Close as Cush to Cush the second Open which is sixe foote the third Double-Distance which is fiue and twenty foote and the last Double Double Distance which is fifty foote of these but two of them are to be vsed in discipline as ether in seruice vpon the face of the enemie or in drilling and exercising the Troops to make them perfect for seruice those are the first two Close and Open wherein the Liuetenant Colonell is to obserue that when at any time he causeth the Squadrons to open entierly that then he must first open the Rankes and after the Files and in closing of the Battalia he must first close Files and then Rankes and in both these he must vse only but the two first Distances as if he close Files it must be Close that is Cush to Cush leauing no streete at all if he open Files there must euer be sixe foote distance betweene one File another so likewise in Rankes if hee close them it must be to the Horse buttocke without leauing any streete at all and if hee open them it must bee sixe foote betweene the buttocke of the former horse and the head of his follower also in marches the Rankes must neuer open aboue sixe foote neither in any other Motion whatsoeuer Now that the Troops may march orderly and keepe their true distances in a direct and Souldierlike manner He shall obserue that wheresoeuer his Regiment mooueth that then all moue together in one Instant and assoone as the head or Vanguard beginneth that in the same time the Reare bee ready to follow so shall they still keepe their proportion Iust neither shall any error be found in their proceedings No lesse necessary then these Rules already declared are the words of Command by which euery Troope or Regiment is gouerned and directed and therefore it is the Liuetenant Colonels charge to prouide that not any Captaine in his Regiment vse any friuolous or new words of his owne Inuention but only such as shall be generally receiued through the whole Armie for an vnknowne language is such a Babilonian confusion in the eares of an ignorant Souldier that nothing but amazement and error accompany such speeches Therefore the words which are continually in vse are to be commended to euery Officers memory which because they differ in nothing from those which command the foote I will therefore referre you to that former Epistle in which all the generall words of directions are at large declared For all other perticularities which shall necessarily depend vpon this great Officers duty you must haue patience to behold them in the Office of the Colonell himselfe to whom since hee is the Imediate second and chiefe Substitute it is therefore to be imagined that whatsoeuer the Colonell is liable to performe that in his absence the Liuetenant Colonel must see effected after the best and most respectiue manner that may be for any remisnesse or slacknes in him carrieth with it a double Iniurie one to himselfe and another to his Colonels reputation and in the warres euery small omission is dangerous for a man ought not to erre twice I could wander infinitly in this maze and make one occasion beget another but I should then both breake promise with your Lordship and my selfe and instead of an Epistle send you a troublesome paper but I will be faithfull to my first purpose and only knit vp mine Epistle with this That if the Liuetenant Colonell doe containe himselfe within the Bounds already prescribed howsoeuer a greater debt may bee challenged yet without doubt little more can well be proued TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM FINES LORD SAY and SEALE THE ARGVMENT Of the