may be furnished with the next most sufficient men both because of their nearnesse unto danger as also that if their leaders or bringers up shall either be slain or disabled by wounds they may presently succeed in their places and make them good There is also a good decorum to be observed in the middlemen or fifth and sixth ranks both for the men themselves and their armes that in our marches when the middlemen or sixth ranks shall be called up to front with their leaders they may in some sort and proportion answer their places as also when we double our front by calling up middlemen to fight in a greater breadth they may not be unsutable but especially in marches that they may be able to make the best resistance when they shall become the flanks of the Battallions As these respects ought to be observed in ranks so the files also are not without their different degrees of dignity As the leader of the right-hand file is accounted to have the first place of honour in the Battallion for he doth not onely lead the rest in his own file but he is the author and beginner of the motions of the whole Battallion The leader of the left-hand file hath the next place because that he with the leader of the right-hand file do alwaies in their marching and imbattelling rectifie or rank the whole front of the battallion and so consequently all the next of their files as they stand in order even untill the middle who are accounted the last in dignity The Battallion being thus disposed into files and ranks and each file and rank according to his worth and experience rightly advanced it followeth that there should be a just distance proportioned between either that at all times upon all occasions they might be found ready and in comeliest fashion either to offend their enemy or defend themselves These distances which every follower must observe in respect of his leader and every leader and follower in respect of the sidemen may be reduced unto three severall Orders as followeth The first is called open Order the distance whereof is twelve foot between every follower and his leader or between every rank and six foot between them and the sidemen or between every file This order is commonly used upon marches when the enemy is known to be farre off as also in private exercising of souldiers for their severall managing of their armes It differeth somewhat from the Ordinatus Miles amongst the Romans who alwayes observed but four cubits in files and ranks The second distance is called Order when we contract the battallion both in length and breadth and gather the souldiers within a nearer scantling both in files and ranks that is by observing six feet in their files between the follower and leader and three feet between the ranks or sidemen This distance is used when we march toward an enemy near at hand or in marches by reason of the opportunity of the place suspiciously dangerous This is also near unto Densatus ordo but onely that that was but two cubits in both files and ranks The third and last order is when either we attend the enemy his present assault or that we intend to charge him upon our securest and best distance when every follower standeth three feet or his rapier length behind his leader and a foot and a half from the sidemen or files or when every souldier occupieth but one foot and a half for his own station joyning pouldron to pouldron or target to target This differeth from Constipatus ordo because that alloweth but one cubit for files and ranks and this close order alloweth one cubit in the file but two in the ranks This distance doth agree also best with the length of our piles of 15 or 16 feet long For it is thought fit oftentimes that the battallion consisting of ten ranks there should not charge more at one time then the 5 formost so that the pikes of the fifth rank might be three foot over the formost shoulder and the other five ranks should in this close order or nearer if it be possible follow the other charging with their pikes advanced untill some occasion should require their charge In the mean time they should perform their dutie in keeping the five formost ranks from retiring and besides adde strength unto the charge or shock The manner of exercising of composed Battallions with their different motions THe files and ranks being thus understood disposed and ordered and all parts and members of the battallion being joyned in their just proportion and distance able and fit to be altered upon any sodain occasion as if it were but one entire body into severall and divers postures and to make resistance unto what forces soever shall oppugne the same it might be thought needlesse to have made the disposition of the members so exact unlesse by continuall practise and exercise they might be made nimble and ready not onely to defend themselves and their whole body on all sides but also to be able to offend whensoever they shall espie the least occasion of advantage The terms of direction or command which are commonly used in this modern discipline of martiall exercise as they are not many onely answering to the different postures which are required in the Battallion so they are and must be short and perspicuously plain that by this means being sodainly uttered easily apprehended and understood they may as speedily be put in execution by those which shall be commanded First therefore that the Battallion may be commanded into some one fashion or posture from whence it shall be fit to convert it self into all other the Captain or Officer shall bid them stand in front When every particular souldier composing himself after his foremost leader standeth comely in file and rank fronting unto some certain place or to the Captain as shall be thought best for the present In this and all other directions whatsoever it shall be especially observed that every follower attending what is commanded mark his next leader and accordingly move himself as he shall see him move first The Battallion therefore thus fronting if the enemy should suddenly either assault the right or left flank it shall be commanded to turn faces to the right or left hand when every souldier observing his leader shall turn his face and make his flank his front according to the direction There is also a doubled motion or declination to the right or left hand when every souldier observing his leader shall turn their bodies twice to the right or left hand and by that means become turned with their faces where their backs were as if they expected an enemy in the rere or being to perform some other motion that may be offered beginning this alteration from the right or left hand as shall be commanded As every particular souldier in the troup is
thus commanded at sometimes to turn his face to the right or left hand or about the Battallion standing in order that is according to the distance before named so the whole Battallion being reduced into their close order is commanded to turn as one body to the right or left hand It is performed thus Imagine the Battallion stand first in order it shall be commanded that they close their files to the right hand when the right file standing still the rest turning their faces to the right hand march into their close order and return as they were next that they close their ranks from behind when every follower marcheth forward to his leader unto his rapiers point as is said before This done the leader of the right file standing immoveable all the rest as the body of a ship or a great gate turn about that leader as about the hinge or center every one keeping the same distance and order wherein they were first placed as if they were but one entire body When the same Battallion is to be restored into the same station wherein it was first it is commanded Faces about to the left hand and march into your order from whence you were closed Then let your leaders or first ranks stand still and the rest turning faces about march ranks in order as before then turn as you were and you are restored When the whole Battallion being in their close order should turn about and make the Rere the Front it is done by a double turning or declination and commanded to wheel about which is answerable to the former faces about or mutation There is also another wheeling in this sort when the front changeth the aspect thrice for as wheeling about maketh the Front the Rere so this wheeleth from the right hand to the left or contrariwise which fashion is so seldome used that we scarce afford it a name In all such motions and alterations it is most fit that all men perform their directions with their pikes advanced being in that sort most easie to be commanded as also lesse troublesome to their followers and leaders Countermarching Files and Ranks THere is also another means to prevent the enemy his assaulting us in the rere or flank lest he should find our worst men least able to make resistance and this is performed by countermarching both files and ranks three divers wayes apiece The first was used by the Macedonians after this fashion First the leader turneth his face about towards the right or left hand and so the next follower marching behind his leader turneth also and so the third and fourth untill the bringer up have carried himself out into a new place in the rere further from the enemy as he was before next unto him But this neither was nor is accounted safe or secure because it doth somewhat resemble a flying or running away from the enemy which might give him no small incouragement and therefore it is not much in practise Only at some times the bringers up marching throughout beyond the leaders untill they possesse the same space before them which they did behind them all turning their faces about make their leaders to affront the enemy who were before farthest from them The Lacedamonians used the contrary as it were pursuing the enemy the bringer up first being turned face about and so the next marching before him and so the third untill the leader himself became also turned and in the foremost front unto the enemy Which with us is somewhat otherwise but yet both affronting and as it were pursuing the enemy because our leaders first begin this motion and so countermarching through on the right or left hand become in the front in a new space of ground who were before in the rere The third and last was invented by the Persians whom when the place or near approch of the enemy would not suffer to change their ground they were wont to countermarch the front to the right or left hand and being come unto the depth of the bringers up to stand still untill the other half file had likewise marched forth and fallen upon their leaders in every file In all these it is especially commanded to march still in the same distance and by whole ranks to prevent confusion which especially the enemy at hand must needs be most dangerous and therefore carefully to be avoided In like sort the ranks may countermarch when either the right wing would be strengthened by the left or the left by the right alwayes marching by whole files towards the right or left hand according as they shall have the direction either changing the ground or upon the same ground as in the former countermarches There is used also another kind of strengthening both the front and flank when occasion shall be offered viz by doubling either files or ranks And this either by doubling the number of souldiers in the same files or ranks keeping still the same breadth and depth of ground or else by doubling the ground keeping the same number of souldiers The files are doubled when the second file shall insert it self into the first the leader thereof putting himself a follower unto the leader of the first and the next follower follower to the next in the first file and so forwards And likewise the fourth file inserting it self into the third and the sixth into the fifth And this is to be performed when the Battallion standeth in his order To double the place or depth is when the same number of men shall put themselves out of their order into their open order either by advancing forward or by falling backwards as they shall be commanded The ranks are doubled two manner of wayes either by inserting the second into the first to the right or left hand as before in the files or else the enemy being at hand by joyning whole troups together to the right or left wing according as occasion shall be offered and this is held to be the safest when the enemy is near to avoid confusion It is performed either in the same ground or by doubling the ground when either we desire to exceed the front of our enemy his battallion or to prevent lest we our selves be included The terms to both are Double your files or ranks to the right or left hand and when you would have them return again into their proper places it is commanded As you were The ordinary directions which are especially given in these martial exercises are first that no man in the time of exercising or marshalling shall be lowder then his Officer but every one attending to his place when he is commanded shall diligently hearken to such directions as shall be given The Captain in the front shall speak and the Sergeants in each flank shall give the word unto the Lieutenant or Ensigne
Luc. lib. 4. Imprudentium fiducia est fortunam sibi spondere Seneca de beneficiis Incauta semper nimia praesamptio sui negligens Egâ—sip lib. 1. de Instit Cyri. Caesar Thucyd. lib. 7. Caesar â—aetis hâ—nc nâ—mine rebus Ciescendi posuere modum Lucan Eodem ubi laserunt navigia forbentur Seneca Epist 4. Non est in bâ—llo bis peccaâ—e Pluâ—aâ—ch Nullo contectus Curio busto Luc. Homer Iliad 8. Caesar Lib. 6. de comitiis Lib. 5. Anno 〈◊〉 701. Liv. lib. 7. Liv. lib. 9. * Four gallons and a half Plin. l. 35. cap. 12. * Lib. 39. Lib. 1. offic Nec enim 〈◊〉 vehementius rempub contiâ—t quam sides Lib. 2. offic In the life of Julius Caesar Lib. 7. Lib. 7. 2. Offic. Vetus urbi foenebre malum seditionum discordiarumque crebeâ—rima causa Annal. 6 Tull 2. offic Pecuniae quâ—renâ—â—â— ratio naturae consentanea omnibus est à fructibus animalibus de repub lib. 1. cap. 10. Caesar Gen Latinae Feriae Lib. 4 de Antiquit. Rom. Lib. 4. cap. 2 Appian lib. 4. Caesar Iliad 6. 12 Metam Iust lib. 1. Herodot lib. 2. Trebell Pol Sigism Baâ—in Muscâ—â— Quod Fonestias quam â—xoâ—iâ—m levamentum 〈◊〉 Tac. l. 3. Annal. Vix praesenti custedia manere illaesa conjugiâ— â—odem Iudg. 9. Anno 1595. Caesar Qui sapiunt bellum absolvunt celeriter pace fruâ—ntur quam possant dâ—utissime Appian Leges à victoribus 〈…〉 a victis lib. 4. 〈◊〉 in aeqâ—abi itate motâ—m in inaequalitate sâ—mper constitâ—imâ—s In Timâ—o Caesar Timendum ne sub pacis nomine involutum bellum Cicero 〈◊〉 7. Poedus Pacis Foedus Commercil Foedus mutuâ— Auxâ—lii 1. Reg. 22. In Veâ—rem The publication of their seâ—ulâ—r Plaâ—es was criâ—d in these words Convenice ad Iudos spâ—ctandâ—s quos nâ—qâ—e spectavit quisquam nec spectâ—tutus est Sueâ—on in Claudio Nolenteâ— amicum câ—pere difficile Xenoph. de factis dict Socrat. Caesar Frustra sapit qui sibi non sapit Aeneid â— Lib. 16. Successum fortuna experientiam laus sequitur Vaâ—râ— ex Gellio Salust Caesar * Rostra Omnia 〈◊〉 facilias quam 〈…〉 De Mechaniâ—is Livie lib. 8. Plutarch Caesar Incertae sunt res bellicae Thucyd. Caesar Aeneid 2. Homer 9. Iliad 〈◊〉 lib. 8. de bello Gallico Uladislaus Audaces fortuna iuvat Virtus omnia potest Virtute faciendum est quicquid in rebus bellicis est gerendum Plutarch 6 Metamâ—â— Nunquam ita quilquam bene subducta ratione ad vitam fait quin res aetas usus sen 〈◊〉 aliquid 〈…〉 Tâ—ren 〈◊〉 Multi homines pauâ—i viâ—i Herod lib. 7. 〈◊〉 saith that the Romans 〈◊〉 the siege of Veâ—ente being out of humane hope turned their eies to Fate and the hope they had in Destiny Caesar Caesar A hill separating Syria from Cilicia Columnaria Ostiâ—â—â— Propter Aurum Argentum nunquam pacem facit Ferrum lib. 14. Epist 93. Ferrum omnis artis instrumentum Aurum atgentum mortis mancipia Epictetus Capitatio Ostiaria Columnariae 31 ad Atticum Epist 1. In the Paâ—pacy of Sixt. Quinâ—us Fiscus reipub lien quod eo câ—escente artus reliqui tabescunt Sext. Aurelius Victor In Paraeâ—et 2 de Offic. Plutarch Bella sustentantuâ— pecuniâ—rum 〈◊〉 Dion 〈…〉 6. Ann. l. 13. Caesar Quae libera appellabatur * Lepâ—nto In Macedonia quae velint sibi candida nasci ad Haliaâ—monem ducere quae â—ugra 〈◊〉 ad Axium Caesar Caesar * Biremes 〈◊〉 hostium discessiones semper suspectas habere cap. 5. 5 Cyropaed Caesar 〈…〉 Petram Lucan Actus activorum in patientis sunt dispositione Arist Metaph. Caesar ex subâ—â—actis cen conibus Contemprares est homo nisi supra humana se â—rexit 〈◊〉 ratione i 〈…〉 iâ—â— Caesar Caesar Plâ—taâ—ch Lib. 3. c. 59. Labor militiae assidua frâ—ga itatis conâ—â—â—tudine factlior est Iustin Cyâ—us contented with bread and water Xenophon Aequalem oportet semper esse Imperatoris animum mâ—tari enim pro terum varieâ—atibus mentis instabilis argumentum efficitur Agapâ—tus Unus homo nobis cunctando restitute Rem Enn. Lib. 6. de Cyropaed There is a great part of the history in this place omitted Caesar Alâ—ae sunt Legati parâ—es atque Imperatoris â—vocati Millibus ducentis aeris Prinâ—ipilus Solon Plat. â— de 〈◊〉 Liviâ— lib. 4. Lib. 6. In vita Caeâ—â—is In repub multo praestat beneficii qâ—â—m maâ—â—ficii immemorem esse bonus segnior â—it ubi negligas mâ—â—as improbior Sal. Iugâ—r Caesar Et morâ—u spoliare nemus lethumqâ—e minantes Vellere aâ— ignotis dubias radicibus â—erbas Si bonam dederitis fidam perpetuâ—m 〈…〉 diuturâ—â—m Liâ— lib. 8. 〈◊〉 est quod non expâ—gnet pertâ—nâ—â—x opera intenta diligens cura Senec. lib. 6. Epist 51. Plin. lib. 4. cap. 4. Caesar Poenam semper anâ—e oculos versari putent qui peccaverunt Cic. â—n â—rat 〈◊〉 Milone Lib. 5. Cyâ—op Caesar Arma alienasse grave â—rimâ—n est â—a poeâ—a deâ—ertioni exâ—quatur utique si tota alienâ—vit Lib. 14. § de re militari Vir virtute ex miâ—s aliquâ—ndo fortuna semperâ—a imo maximus Caesar * Eâ—itius Sapiens non semper itâ— uno gradu 〈…〉 Herodot 〈◊〉 omnia expensa omnia feruntur accepâ—aâ—â— in tota ratiore mortalium sâ—la uttâ—â—que paginam facit Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7. Caesar Humanaâ—um rerum â—â—â—culus est qui roâ—atus semper â—osdem fortunatos esse non sinit Herodot lib. 1. Habet has vices conditio mortalium ut advâ—rsi ex secundis secunda ex adversis nascantur Pâ—in in Paneg. Herodot lib. 1. Lâ—â—vento è spesso judice non imperito delle cose Guicâ— lib. 5. Caesar The Philosophâ—â— Câ—ator was wont to say that 〈…〉 occasion of an ill 〈◊〉 is a great comfort in any 〈◊〉 of advâ—â—sity Plaâ— in câ—ns Apo. 〈…〉 Prae â—orum delâ—cta 〈◊〉 non acâ—â—piunt Veâ—â—t lib. 1. cap. 14. Finem dolendi qui consilio non fecerit tempore invenit 〈◊〉 Epist 64. Lib. 2. Livie 31. Livie 27. Lib. 2. de bello Civili Front lib. 1. cap. 1. Caesar Lib. 5. de Milit. Ro. cap. 14. Lib. 1. cap. 1 Caesar Humanâ—tum actionum felâ— itas infeli 〈…〉 rerum particulis quae multae sunt varie sed ex eventis judi intuâ— Dionys Hal. lib. 9. Caesar After three of the clock in the afternoon Lib. 5. Obsidio ejus urbis quam cito capere velis utgenda premenda Lib. 6. de Instit Cyri. Bello lex acquirendi justissima Dionys 〈◊〉 in exper legat Polyb. lib. 8 Caesar Comineus In orat pro Plaâ—â—o Virtus felicitatis mensura non foâ—tuna Dio. Hâ—licarn lib. 2. Caesar Prima egregiorum ducum sapientia victoriam siâ—e periculo comparare Polyae lib. 1 stratag Lib. 7. Lib. 3. Excid 2. Offic. 〈◊〉 In manibus vestris quantus sit Caesar habetis Lucan lib. 7. Lib. 2. cap. 3 Singulas cohortes detraxit Lib. 2. cap. 3. Caesar Plutarch Lucan lib. 4. Homer Iliad 3. Lib. 4. cap. 2. Lib. 7. Lib. 4. cap. 7. In the life of Pompey Florus Lib. 4. Infelix quanta Dominum virtute paraâ—â—â— Caesar Utilis tuta res dilato Dionys Halicar lib. 8. Non commitruntur regâ—â—is trireâ—es aut loca aut legiones aut arces sed verba tempora Demost de falsa legatione 1. Labor in nâ—gotio 2. fortitudo in periculo 3. induâ—tria in agendo 4. celeritas in consiciendo were Caesars properties Caesar Interdâ—â— majores copiae sternuntur à minoribus 〈…〉 lib. 8. Lib. 8. Caesar Pompeius Trogus lib. 6. Lib. 8. Caesar Pompâ—ius 〈…〉 esse non poâ—et risi beneficio servitutis 5. de 〈◊〉 16 5. Polit. Nil nimium cupito was writ in golden letters at Delphos Justum bellum esse iis quibus nisi in armis spes nulla est Machiav Nusquana gâ—ntium râ—peritur qui possit penibus approbart Mors omnium par est per quae venit diversi sunt id in quod definiâ—unam est Epist 67. Homines sicut pomi aâ—t matura caduâ—t aut 〈◊〉 Plut. in viâ—a Rompeii Mors Naturae lex est Mors tribuâ—um officiumque mortalium Seneâ—â— natural quaest â— Fabius dictus Maximus Scipio magnus Polyaenus lib. 8. Epist 100. This thaâ—â— fâ—lloweth seemeth of another stile The Prieâ—ts of Egypt said That whensoever the Axe and the bundle of Rods came into Alexandria the power of their Kings should presently case according as it was written in a Columne of gold at Memphis Lib. 2. Ep. 8. Lib. 15. cap. 18. Lib. 5. cap. 9. A File The Leader Battallion A Rank or Front Sidemen The number of souldiers in a Battallion unâ—â—rtain The length Breadth oâ— depth Dignities in places to be observed The first rank The bringers up or Tergiductores or last rank The second and ninth ranks The fifth and sixth ranks Files The right-hand file The left-hand file Distances between files and ranks Open order Order Close ordeâ— pouldron to pouldron The manner of câ—arging with five ranks Stand in front In arrectostate Faces to the right or left hand Declinate in hastam vel in scutum Faces about to the right or left hand Duplicatâ— declinatio or mutatio Wheel to the right or left hand Conversio in hastam vel scutum As you were Revolutio Reversio Wheel about Inflexio militum Reflexâ—o Files From the rere 〈◊〉 â—volutio Macedonica From the front through Laconica evolutio From the front and stand Choâ—ica evolutio Countermarching of ranks The doubling of files to the right or left hand By men Duplicare altitudinem By ground Doubling of ranks by inserting or adding new troups Duplicare longitudinem Silence to be kept In a champain In streights or narrow passages How to 〈◊〉 a division for such a maâ—ch To reduce them 〈◊〉 in into theâ—r first front The manner of chaâ—ging pikes with pikes Five ranks onely By the whole depth To charge with musketiers There must not be too many in a rank In the retreat The manner of charging by â—iles in narrow passages In the pases of Ireland By signes By drum or trumpet By word of mouth The most usual directing terms in exercising a baâ—â—allion or division
and wealth termed them by the name of Hastati forasmuch as at their first institution they fought with a kind of Javelin which the Romans called Hasta but before Polybius his time they used Piles notwithstanding their ancient name continued unto the later time of the Empire The third choice which they made was of the strongest lustiest-bodied men who for the prime of their age were called Principes the rest that remain'd were named Triarii as Varro saith Quod tertio ordine extremis sub sidio deponuntur These were alwayes the eldest and best-experienced men and were placed in the third division of the battell as the last help and refuge in all extremitie Polybius saith that in his time the Velites Hastati and Principes did consist of 1200 men apiece and the Triarii never exceeded the number of 600. although the generall number of a legion were augmented whereof Lâ—psius alledgeth these reasons First because these Triarii consisted of the best of the souldiers and so might countervail a greater number in good worth and valour Secondly they seldome came to buckle with the enemy but when the controversy grew very doubtfull Lastly we may well conjecture that the voluntaries and extraordinary followers ranged themselves amongst these Triaries and so made the third battell equall to either of the former but howsoever they never exceeded the number of 600. And by this it appeareth that in Polybius his time the common rate of a legion was 4200. In this division of their men consisted the ground of that well-ordered discipline for in that they distinguished them according to their yeares and ability they reduced their whole strength into severall classes and so disposed of these different parts that in the generall composition of their whole body every part might be fitted with place and office accâ—â—ding as his worth was answerable to the same and so they made not only a number of grosse but a number distinct by parts and properties that from every accident which met with any part of the Army the judgement might determine how much or how little it imported the whole body besides the great use which they made of this distinction in their degrees of honour and preferment a matter of no small consequence in the excellency of their government The souldiers at their enrollement being thus divided according to their yeares and ability they then reduced them into smaller companies to make them fitter for command and fight and so they divided the Hastatâ— Principes and Triarii each of them into 10 companies making of those three sorts of souldiers 30 small regiments which they called Manipuli And again they subdivided every maniple into two equal parts and called them Ordines which was the least company in a legion and according to the rate set down by Polybius contained 60 souldiers In every Ordo there was a Centurion or Captain and a Lieutenant whom they named Optio or Tergiductor The maniples of the Triarii were much lesser then the maniples of either the Hastati or the Principes forasmuch as their whole band consisted but of 600 men The Velites were put into no such companies but were equally distributed amongst the other maniples and therefore the Hastati Principes and Triarii were called subsignani milites to make a difference between them and the Velites which were not divided into bands and so consequently had no ensigne of their own but were distributed amongst the other companies so that every Maniple had 40 Velites attending upon it And now I come to the description of a Cohort which the history here mentioneth The word Cohors in Latine doth signify that part of ground which is commonly inclosed before the gate of a house which from the same word we call a court and Varro giveth this reason of the metaphor As in a farm house saith he many out-buildings joyned together make one inclosure so a cohort consisteth of severall maniples joyned together in one body This cohort consisted of three maniples for every legion had ten cohorts which must necessarily comprehend those thirty maniples but these three maniples were not all of one and the same kind of souldiers as three maniples of the Hastati three of the Principes and three of the Triarii as Patricius in his Paralleli seemeth to affirm for so there would have remained an odd maniple in every kind that could not have been brought into any cohort But a cohort contained a maniple of the Hastati a maniple of the Principes and a maniple of the Triarii and so all the thirty maniples were included into ten cohorts and every cohort was as a little legion forasmuch as it consisted of all those sorts of souldiers that were in a legion So that making a legion to contain five thousand men a cohort had five hundred and so these six cohorts which he encamped on the other side of the river under the command of Titurius Sabinus contained three thousand souldiers but if you make a legion to consist but of four thousand two hundred which was the more usuall rate there were two thousand five hundred and twenty souldiers in these six cohorts By this therefore it may appear that a legion consisted of four sorts of souldiers which were reduced into ten cohorts and every cohort contained three maniples and every maniple two orders and every order had his Centurion marching in the head of the troup and every Centurion had his Optionem or Lieutenant that stood in the tail of the troup When a legion stood ranged in battell ready to confront the enemy the least body or squadron that it contained was a maniple wherein the two orders were joyned together making joyntly ten in front and twelve in file and so every five files had their Centurion in front and Lieutenant in the rereward to direct them in all adventures In the time of the Emperours their battalions consisted of a cohort and never exceeded that number how great soever the Army were Polybius distinguishing a maniple into two centuries or orders saith that the Centurion first chosen by the Tribunes commanded the right order which was that order which stood on the right hand known by the name of Primus ordo and the Centurion elected in the second course commanded the left order and in the absence of either of them he that was present of them two commanded the whole maniple And so we find that the Centurion of the first place was called Prior Centuriâ— in which sense Caesar is to be understood where he saith that all the Centurions of the first cohort were slain praeter principem priorem From whence we gather two specialities first the priority between the Centurions of the same Maniple for a cohort consisting of three Maniples whereof the first Maniple were Triarii the second Principes and the third Hastati and every Maniple containing two orders and
of his successfull designs having been founded thereupon there being great advantage in the attempting them for that he which assâ—ileth hath more courage then he which is assailed and alwayes believeth the assailant to be the stronger not knowing what part he will assail and ever jealous that he hath some secret intelligence Briefly all that a well-exercised and well-disciplined army is able to do in such a case is to defend it self but where are new-levied souldiers fall out great disorders which was the reason he took so much care to fortify his camp very strongly to the end he might defend it and all his baggage with a few men and might without danger execute many brave designes being alwayes assured of his retreat Let us farther take view of the siege of Uxellodunum which Caesar judging to be impregnable by â—orce and knowing it to be well provided of corn undertaketh by a great dangerous labour to keep them from water which was from a fountain without the town from whence they were only supplied which the besieged perceiving having set fire on Caesar's works by a sally they hindred him from quenching it Caesar not being able to repulse them by reason of the advantage of the place resolveth to make an assault upon the town which apprehension caused them to retreat THE MANNER OF OUR MODERN TRAINING Or TACTICK PRACTISE By CLEMENT EDMONDS Remembrancer of the City of LONDON FOrasmuch as my purpose was to make this task of Observations as a parallel to our modern Discipline I did not think it fit to mingle the Tactick Practise of these times with the use of foregoing ages but rather to shut up these Discourses therewith as the second line of this warlike parallel which is thus drawn in the best fashion of modern Art In the knowledge of marshalling an Army there is nothing more especially to be regarded then that from a confused company of men having chosen the fittest for the wars we should so place and digest a convenient number of them that in marches in incamping in battels we may be able with a few well ordered to incounter a farre greater army in confusion and to overthrow them From hence Aeneas did define the Art of war to be the knowledge of warlike motions Before this unexpert army shall be able to be moved in such fashion it shall not be amisse to acquaint it with the most usuall terms wherewith they shall be often commanded into diverse postures as occasion shall be offered For as in the art of Fencing no man shall be able to turn and wind his body for his best advantage to offend his enemy or defend himself unlesse first his master shall instruct him in the severall parts and postures thereof so every souldier or the whole troup as one body or one souldier shall never be readily instructed to transform or turn it self by divers motions into different forms unlesse they first understand what is meant by Fronts and Flanks by Files and Ranks what by Leaders and Followers by Middlemen and Bringers up By this means each souldier understanding what the terme doth signifie shall readily both apprehend and execute such commandments as the Captain or Officer shall direct him A File is a certain number of men following singly one Leader unto the depth of 8 or 10 as they shall be commanded The ancients have called this File Seriem ordinationem or decuriam It consisteth of Leaders and Followers placed according to their worth and valour and especially there ought to be regarded the Leader or Decurio the fifth sixth or Middlemen and the tenth and last called the Bringer up or Tergiductor First therefore every souldier being aptly fitted unto his severall armes according to his worth age and stature they are to be disposed into severall files wherein every one is especially to acknowledge his leader or foremost man to be the authour of all his motions therefore duely attending what directions shall be commanded each follower shall according to the motions of his leader or foremost man order his own and is to be excused if he attend the motions of his leader before he move himself When many files are thus disposed together all the leaders making one and the same front and their followers observing likewise one and the same proportion of distance before and after and on each side these Files thus joyned make one Battallion the front whereof is called a Rank and so likewise the second and third in depth according to the number of men in each file The first second and third and so forward in each file are called Sidemen in respect of the same numbers in the next file Neither must every souldier onely regard the motions of his Leader but he must also diligently respect his sidemen and such as shall be placed on his right and left hand called his ranks so that both in files and ranks he may alwaies be found in the same distance wherein he is commanded It should be impertinent to the purpose to prescribe a certain number of souldiers unto these Battallions onely thus much for the proportion that it ought never to exceed so much but that it may easily upon any occasion be changed into such a form or fashion to fight as may be thought fittest for the present The length of this Battallion is diversly tearmed amongst the Latines as Frons Facâ—â—s Adstructio Jugum c. but in our modern practise most familiarly the Front or Rank The breadth of the Battallion which is from the leader to the bringer-up with the distance between all the followers is said to be the length or depth of one file or flank In the disposing of souldiers into files and ranks besides their observing a right line in their places and standing we must likewise especially respect the different worth and quality of the souldiers that every one according to his worth may be suted unto his proper place and accordingly receive advancement as the death of his Leaders and true value of his desert by his Commander shall give occasion First therefore there must be especiall choice made of the leaders of each file or first front or ranks of the Battallion of the most expert ablest and best-armed men because that as from them the rest are to receive directions of their after-motions so in them the greatest hope of the day doth consist Next unto the first it must be provided that the bringers up or last rank called Tergiductores be little inferiour well experienced wise and valiant that they may both know when to reprehend their former Ranks and urge them forward if they see them declining or yielding upon false occasions as also to be able upon any sudden alarm given in the rere to turn faces about and make themselves a Front for the best resistance Neither must it be neglected concerning the second and ninth ranks that they also
in the rere who as in his proper place seeth all things executed accordingly as the Captain shall command It shall be unpossible to performe any thing herein unlesse first every one do exactly observe his leader and his sideman and to this purpose it is often commanded Keep your files Keep your ranks Of Marches IN champains there needs no great labour to marshall particular troups for their after-marches because they may march either by whole divisions observing onely their course of indifferency that every division may every third day have the vantgard or else in such form and fashion as the Generall hath proposed for a day of battell according as the danger of an expected enemy shall give occasion But because all countries will not afford a champain for the marching of an army and therefore not possible to march far with many troups in front nor many files of any one troup or division by reason of often straights and passages betwixt hills woods or waters It is provided though by long induction the whole army shall be extended into a thin length and few files yet the souldiers well disposed shall be as readily able to defend themselves and offend the enemy on their flanks from whence only in such streights the danger is imminent as if they were to affront an enemy with an entire battallion in a champain country First therefore a division or Battallion being ordered and drawn before the Quarter into one even front of just files ten in depth the musketiers equally divided on the right and left slanks of the pikes all standing in their order that is to â—ay six feet distant in files and ranks the Captain carefully provideth that the first fifth sixth and tenth ranks be alwayes well filled and furnished with his most able and best-armed souldiers Which done he commandeth first the middlemen or half files to come a front with their leaders so that the division becometh but five in depth Next he commandeth to turn faces to the right or left hand as direction shall be to march from that quarter and so the whole division resteth ready in his fashion to march five in front the one half of the musketiers in the vantguard and the other in the rere the pikes in the battell and both flanks well furnished with the ablest best men to offend or defend as there shall be occasion that is to say the right flanks with the first and fifth ranks and the left with the sixth and tenth ranks If occasion afterwards shall be given of a halt in a champain or before the quartering the Captain commandeth first unto all they being first closed into their order Faces as you were next unto the half files Faces about and march out and fall again upon your files By which means the division becometh again reduced into the same front and fashion from whence it was first transformed ready to encounter an enemy or to be drawn into the Quarter When pikes are to charge pikes in a champain it useth to be performed two severall wayes First the whole division being commanded into their close order the five first ranks charging their pikes every follower over his leaders shoulder directeth his pike as equally as he can the first rank shall have three feet of his pike over the formost shoulder The other five ranks with their pikes advanced follow close up in the rere either ready to second the formost or to be employed in the rere as occasion shall be offered Otherwise and most usuall when the whole depth of the files throughout the division shall charge together all fast locked and united together and therefore most able to make the strongest shock offensive or defensive provided alwaies that none mingle their pikes in others files but the whole file one in anothers shoulder In charging with musketiers it is observed no way convenient that there should be too many in a rank or that the ranks should be too long For the first rank is commanded to advance ten paces before the second and then to discharge and wheeling either to the right or left hand falleth into the rere and so the second advancing to the same distance dischargeth and wheeleth as before and likewise the third and so forward as long as the Officer shall be commanded Which shall not so well be performed the ranks being extraordinary long because it will require so long a time to wheel from the front that the second may succeed unlesse by direction the rank may divide it self the one half to the right hand and the other to the left in wheeling to the rere In the retreat the whole ranks having turned their faces about are to march three or four paces forward their chief officer coming in the rere first commandeth the last rank to make ready and then to turn faces about discharge and wheel about to the head or front of the division and being clearly passed the next rank to perform as much and so the rest in order Where the passages are narrow and the division cannot come to charge in front as between two waters or woods the manner of charging is different for there being five or ten files led in the induction that file which flanketh the enemy dischargeth first onely and the rest marching continually forwards it standeth firm untill the last rank be passed and then sleeveth it self on the left flank and makes ready and so the second file and the third so long as the enemy shall continue there being a continuall discharging by files as before by ranks Unlesse it be in the pases of Ireland meeting with an irregular enemy where they use to intermingle their files of shot with pikes that the one may be a defence for the other when the enemy shall come up to the sword as they use there very often How directions are delivered in the warres ALl directions in the wars have ever been delivered either by signes subject to the eye by word of mouth or the sound of a drumme or some such warlike instrument Concerning those visible signes displayed unto the souldiers the falling of mists the raising of dust showers of rain snow the beams of the Sun hilly uneven and crooked passages by long experience have found them to be most doubtfull and uncertain as also because as it was a matter of great difficulty to invent different signes upon all sodain occasions so it is almost an impossibility that the common souldier who oftentimes is found scarce capable of the understanding of plain words distinctly pronounced should both apprehend and understand sodainly and execute directly the true sense and meaning of his Commanders signes The Drum and Trumpet are yet used But because many different sounds are not easily distinguished in souldiers understanding without some danger of confusion we onely command by the inarticulate sounds to arm to march to troup to
charge and to retreat with all which severall notes the souldier is so familiarly to be acquainted that so soon as he hears them beaten he may be ready sodainly to put them in execution as if he heard his Captain pronouncing as much The directions by word of mouth are infinite according to the different occasions which shall be offered yet alwayes with this caveat that they be short yet perspicuous without all ambiguity and plainly pronounced first by the Captain then derived by the Sergeants through the division or Battallion Though infinite yet the most usuall are these To your armes Keep your files keep your ranks Follow your leader Leaders look to your files Keep your distance Faces to your right hand Faces to your left hand Close your files Close your ranks Stand as you are As you were Faces about to the right hand Wheel about to the right or left hand Double your ranks Double your files Leaders countermarch through to the right or left hand Leaders countermarch to the right or left hand and stand Middlemen come forth and fall upon your leaders Besides many fit terms commanded in managing particular armes as pikes and muskets which are omitted And thus much touching the Tactick practise of our modern wars which I have the rather added in regard that diverse souldiers as unacquainted both with the manner and the value thereof do think a heap of people unmartialled to be as available for a great designe as any other number distinguished in files and parts and disposed for facile and easie motions according to the powerfull circumstances of time and place Wherein howsoever the practise of the Turk and the Hungarian may seem to give warrant to that opinion yet the use of Armes amongst the Graecians and the Romans whose conquering armies are pregnant witnesses of the excellency of their militarie discipline shall speak sufficiently for order and Tactick motion as most necessary parts in a well-ordered war FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. Saluâ—â— de bello Jogur Suitzers Mâ—tronâ— Sâ—quara Curardum viâ—inâ—s populis 〈…〉 inâ—â—r 〈◊〉 â—opulos col 〈◊〉 Caesar * Sâ—voyards The omission in the Helvetian expedition Caesar * Rome Caesar * So ne 〈◊〉 The manner of their watch Caesar Caesar 〈…〉 Places oâ— advantage in the Romane wars Their manner of victualling Caesar The manner of their imbattelling By tripleâ— Aâ—ies Lib. 1. de bello Civili Lib. 3. de bello Civili Lib. 5. de militia Romana A Phalanx dâ—â—â—ribed Caesar Speeches of incouragement before they gave battel Lib. 7. de bello Gallico The Roman Pile described Lib. â— de militia Romans Lib. 5. Salusâ— The Ensignes of the Romans The division of their day Caesar Langres Periculum 〈…〉 Caesar Caesar Caesar Tthe authority of the Roman Generals Liv. lib. 8. Lib. 3. de bello Civili Caesar Caesar le Doux Caesar Whether men have greater coâ—rage in their own or in a straâ—gers Country Caesar Footmen intermingled amongst horsemen Lib. 6. Lib. 3. de exâ—id Lib. 3. De bello Africano Caesar Caesar Caesar The use of lots Caesar Caesar a The countrey about Bâ—auvois b The countrey about Soâ—ssons c The people about Tournay d Arras e Amiens f Vermandois g Tervenne h Liege 308000. in all * La Disne Caesar A legion what it was Lib. 4. De vita Romuli Liv. lib. 22. Taciâ—us â— hist Velites Hastati Principes Triarii Lib. 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. de mil. Rom. The use of this division The distinction of their companies Manipuli Ordines Cohors Lib. 3. de re â—ust A legion ranged in battell The first order 3 De bello civili Prima cohorâ— The benefit of this discipline The benefit of small battalions and the disadvantage of great squadrons * Bray in the county of Reâ—ell To take a town by surprise A Testudo described Lib. 44. Lib. 4â— The necessity of good discovery * Now England The order which is to be observed in discovery Slingers with their art and use Lib. â— Lib. 2. 〈◊〉 quest 〈◊〉 Caesar * Noâ—on Caesar * Soyssons Agger or mount Towers or Turrets described Caesar The Bellovaci taken to mercy The Ambiani yield up themselves The Nervii * Sambre near Namur The manner of the Roman march The two respects which Caesar had in ordering a mâ—râ—h 1 Safety 2 Conveniency Agmen quadratum * Lib. 8. de bel Gall. * 60. Epist Lib 6. Agmen longum Lib. 5. de bello Gall. The use that may be made of this in our modern wars Caesar The descript on of the Roman Camp with all the parts belonging unto it The lodging of the legions Quintana Principia The tents of the Tribunes The space between the tents and the rampier Contubernium The ditch and the rampier Agger Vallum Praetoria porta Portae Decumana Portae principales Laeva Dextra Castra Aestiva Hiberna The commodity of this incamping The ceremonies which they used in their preparation to battel Caesar And therefore I rather take it be something else then a word The place and offices of 〈◊〉 Primipile The Target described Lib. 16. cap. 40. Caesar Lib. de Militia Ju. Cae. * Either Doway or Boldaâ— in Brabant Caesar Circumvallatio In the seventh Commentary Aries or the Ram. Cales Aries simplex Aries composita To give notice of an Alarme by fire Lib. 25. The punishments which the Romans laid upon a conquered Nation Caesar Of this suppliâ—â—tion I â—ill speak in the latter end of the fourth book Caesar Caesar The force of novelty turning the fortune of a battel Caesar * Savoyards * Le Perche * Cornoaille in Bretaigne 〈◊〉 * Vannes The weaknesse of our judgement inâ—egâ—â—rd of the knowledge of 〈…〉 The Authority of example Caesar * Ligâ—ris The grounds of that reverent opinion which is held of Embassadours Caesar Lendriguer Lisieux Nantes Auren be Leâ—â—doâ—â— Cities in Little Britain * Triers Caesar The causes of the ebbing and flowing of the sea Springâ—ides The manner of their shipping Lib. 28. The manner of sea-sights Lib. 2. de bello civili Caesar The force of industry * La Perchâ— Caesar * Roane * Eureux The use which the Romans made of a counterfeit fear Lib. 5. Caesar * Evocati Evocati Lib. 7. de Bello Gall. Caesar Sertorius Two meanes to atchieve victory and to over-master our enemies Tuba 〈◊〉 by war and Naamah by the floud Not to forgoe an advantage The place where suspected forces are best bestowed in battel Caesar Lib. 3. Avertimen to secundo Lib. de bello Gallico Caesar * Tâ—roane * Clâ—ve and 〈◊〉 * Those of Zutphen * Of Hassia Caesar Caesar * Geldres and Cleve Salust Tacit. 1. Annal. Caesar * Liege * Coâ—oâ—ia Agrippina * Wael Vincitur haud gratis jugulo qui provocat hostem Liv. lib. 9. Liv. lib. 7. Caesar Caesar Csar Lib. de Machin Caesar Caesar Caesar * 〈…〉 Monstrâ—ul Caesar Ansâ—er to the first objection The answer to the second reason The
Target was of such reputation among the Roman Armes and challenged such interest in the greatnesse of their Empire let us enter a little into the consideration of the use commodity thereof which cannot be better understood then by that comparison which Polybius hath made between the weapons of the Romans and the Macodonians and therefore I have thought good to insert it in these discourses And thus it followeth Of the difference of the Roman and Macedonian Weapons I Promised in my sixth book that I would make a comparison between the weapons of the Romans and Macedonians and that I would likewise write of the disposition of either of their Armies how they do differ one from another and in what regard the one or the other were either inferiour or superiour which promise I will now with diligence endeavour to perform And forasmuch as the Armies of the Macedonians have given so good testimonies of themselves by their actions by overcoming the Armies as well of Asia as of Greece and that the battels of the Romans have conquered as well those of Africa as all the Eastern countries of Europe it shall not be amisse but very profitable to search out the difference of either especially seeing that these our times have not once but many times seen triall both of their battels and forces that knowing the reason why the Romans do overcome and in their battel carry away the better we do not as vain men were wont to do attribute the same to fortune and esteem them without reason happy victours but rather looking into the true causes we give them their due praises according to the direction of reason and sound judgement Concerning the battels between Hannibal and the Romans and concerning the Romans losses there is no need that I speak much For their losses are neither to be imputed to the defect of their Armes or disposition of their Armies but to the dexterity and industry of Hannibal But we have intreated thereof when we made mention of the battels themselves and the end it self of that warre doth especially confirm this our opinion for when they had gotten a Captain equall with Hannibal even consequently he with all his victories vanished And he had no sooner overcome the Romans but by and by rejecting his own weapons he trayned his Army to their weapons and so taking them up in the beginning he continued them on unto the end And Pyrrhus in his war against the Romans did use both their weapons and order made as it were a medly both of the cohort and phalanx but notwithstanding it served him not to get the victory but alwayes the event by some means or other made the same doubtful concerning whom it were not unfit that I should say something least in being altogether silent it might seem to prejudice this mine opinion But notwithstanding I will hasten to my purposed comparison Now touching the phalanx if it have the disposition and forces proper to it nothing is able to oppose it self against it or to sustain the violence thereof as may easily by many documents be approved For when an armed man doth stand firm in the space of three foot in so thick an arraie of battel and the length of their pikes being according to the first basis or scantling sixteen foot but according to the true and right conveniency of them fourteen cubites out of which are taken four allowed for the space between the left hand which supporteth the same and the butt end thereof whiles he stands in a readinesse to attend the encounter being thus ordered I say it is manifest that the length of ten cubites doth extend it self before the body of every armed man where with both his hands he doth advance it ready to charge the Enemy By which meanes it followeth that some of the pikes do not only extend themselves before the second third and fourth rank but some before the foremost if the phalanx have his proper and due thicknesse according to his naturall disposition both on the sides and behind as Homer maketh mention when he saith that one target doth enclose and fortify another one head-piece is joyned to another that they may stand united close together These circumstances being rightly and truly set down it must follow that the pikes of every former rank in the phalanx do extend themselves two cubites before each other which proportion of difference they have between themselves by which may evidently be seen the assault and impression of the whole phalanx what it is and what force it hath consisting of sixteen ranks in depth or thicknesse The excesse of which number of ranks above five forasmuch as they cannot commodiously couch their pikes without the disturbance of the former the points of them not being long enough to enlarge themselves beyond the foremost ranks they grow utterly unprofitable and cannot man by man make any impression or assault but serve only by laying their pikes upon the shoulders of those which stand before them to sustain and hold up the swayes and giving back of the former ranks which stand before them to this end that the front may stand firm and sure and with the thicknesse of their pikes they do repell all those darts which passing over the heads of those that stand before would annoy those ranks which are more backward And farther by moving forward with the force of their bodies they do so presse upon the former that they do make a most violent impression For it is impossible that the foremost ranks should give back This therefore being the generall and particular disposition of the phalanx we must now speak on the contrary part touching the properties and differences as well of the Armes as of the whole disposition of the Roman battel For every Roman souldier for himself and his weapon is allowed three foot to stand in and in the incounter are moved man by man every one covering himself with his target and mutually moving whensoever there is occasion offered But those which use their swords do fight in a more thin and distinct order so that it is manifest that they have three foot more allowed them to stand in both from shoulder to shoulder and from back to belly that they may use their weapons with the better commodity And hence it cometh to passe that one Roman souldier taketh up as much ground as two of those which are to encounter him of the Macedonian Phalanx so that one Roman is as it were to oppose himself against ten pikes which pikes the said one souldier can neither by any agility come to offend or else at handy blowes otherwise annoy And those which are behind him are not only unable to repell their force but also with conveniency to use their own weapons Whereby it may easily be gathered that it is impossible that any battel being assaulted by the front of a phalanx should be able to sustain the violence thereof if it have
had brought out of Aquitain OBSERVATIONS IT semeth by this place that France in those dayes did favour archery for as the story saith they had great store of Archers amongst them but of what value they were is not here delivered The use they made of them followeth after in this Commentary which was to intermingle them amongst the horse and so they fought as light-armed men In the times that our English nation carried a scourging hand in France the matter between us and them touching archery stood in such tearms as gave England great advantage for I have not heard of any bow-men at all amongst them whereas our Nation hath heretofore excelled all other as well in number of bow-men as in excellent good shooting and hath made so good proof thereof against the French as it needeth not any long dispute Concerning Archery I finde these things considerable First that every man be so fitted with bow and arrowes as he may be apt for strong and quick shooting wherein I cannot so much commend these livery bowes being for the most part heavy slugs and of greater weight then strength and of more shew then service Secondly that in a day of service the bow-men endeavour so to deliver their quivers that the whole band or sleeve of shot may let go all at one instant of time for so the shower of arrows will be more fierce and terrible and more available against an enemy Thirdly the fittest form of imbattelling for bow-men which must not at any hand be deep in slank for so such as are in the hindmost ranks will either shoot short or to no purpose And therefore the fittest form of imbattelling for Archery hath ever been accounted a long-sided square resembling a hearse broad in front and narrow in flank Fourthly their defance in a day of battell which must either be a covert woody place where the horse of the enemy cannot come at them or a trench cast before them or the place must be fortified with galthrops and stakes such as were devised by Henry the fifth at Agincourt field or some other means to avoid the cavalry The last thing is the effects which the bowmen worke which are two first the galling of the enemy and secondly disorder Touching the galling of the enemie there cannot be a better description then that which Plutarch maketh of the overthrow of the Romans by the Parthian arrowes The Roman souldiers hands saith he were nailed to their targets and their feet to the ground or otherwise were sore wounded in their bodies and died of a cruell lingring death crying out for anguish and pain they felt and turning tormenting themselves upon the ground they brake the arrowes sticking in them Again striving by force to pluck out the barbed heads that had pierced farre into their bodies through their veins and sinews they opened the wounds wider and so cast themselves away The disorder or routing of an enemy which is caused by the bow-men cometh from the fearfull spectacle of a drift of arrowes for a shower of arrowes well delivered and well seconded for a while is so terrible to the eye and so dreadfull in the success that it is almost unpossible to keep the enemy from routing The two great victories which our Nation had in France at Cressie and Agincourt next to the valour of the English are attributed to our archery and the effect of our archery at those times was first disorder and consequently slaughter In the battell of Cressie the King of Bohemia fighting for the French caused his horsemen to tie the bridles of their horses together in rank that they might keep order notwithstanding the galling which he feared from our English archery but it fell out as ill as if he had tied their heads and their tails together in file for the drift of arrowes fell so terribly amongst them that they ran together on heaps with such confusion as made the slaughter great and their particular destinies most miserably fortuned At Agincourt the number of prisoners which every souldier had was admirable to speak of for some report that many of our English had ten prisoners apiece which hapned chiefly from the disorder which fell amongst the French and that disorder came by our archery And doubtless if ever we should have occasion to go against an enemy that so aboundeth in horse as the French do there could be no better means against such horse then our English bow-men I know it hath been said that now the times are altered and the harquebuse and musket are so generally received and of such reputation in the course of our modern wars that in comparison of them bow-men are not worth the naming Wherein I will not go about to extenuate the use of either of these weapons as knowing them to be both very serviceable upon fit and convenient occasions nor take upon me to determine which of them is most effectuall in a day of service but onely deliver my conceit touching their effects and leave it to the consideration of wise and discreet Commanders And first touching shot A wing of musketiers is available against an enemy onely in such bullets as do hit for such as do not hit pass away insensibly without any further fear and the crack is but as the lose of the bow Of such bullets as do hit the greatest part do not strike to death but are oftentimes carried untill the skirmish be ended before the party do feel himself hurt so that an enemy receiveth no further hurt by a charge of shot then happeneth to such particular men as shall chance to be slain outright or sore hurt But a sleeve of Archers is available against an enemy as well in such arrowes as do not hit as in such as do hit for whereas the cloud of arrowes is subject to our sight and every arrow is both suspected and able to bring death sitting on the head an enemy is as much troubled at such arrows as come fair upon him and do not hit as at those that do hit for no man is willing to expose his flesh to an open and eminent danger when it lieth in his power to avoid it And therefore whilest every man seeketh to avoid hurt they fall into such confusion as besides the loss of particular men the enemy doth hardly escape disorder which is the greatest disadvantage that can befall him Moreover the arrowes having barbed heads although they make but a light hurt yet they are not easily pulled out which maketh the souldiers not to intend the fight untill they be delivered of them and the horse so to fling and chafe that it is impossible they should either keep their rank or be otherwise managed for any service And thus much touching bow-men and archery which is a weapon as ancient as the first and truest History and is of the number of such weapons as
who came with such a 〈◊〉 upon Pompey's horsemen that none of them were able to stand before them but turning their backs did not onely give place but fled all as fast as they could to the highest Hills whereby the Archers and Slingers being left naked without succour were all put to the sword And with the same violence those Cohorts incompassed about the left Cornet notwithstanding any resistance that could be made by Pompey's party and charged them behind upon their backs At the same time Caesar commanded the third Battell which as yet stood still and were not removed to advance forward by means of which fresh and sound men relieving such as were faint and weary as also that others did charge them behind upon their backs Pompey's party were able no longer to endure it but all turned their backs and fled Neither was Caesar deceived in his opinion that the beginning of the victory would grow from those Cohorts which he placed in the fourth Battell against the horsemen according as he himself had openly spoken in his incouragement to the souldiers For by them first the Cavalry was beaten by them the Archers and Slingers were slain by them Pompey's Battell was circumvented on the left Cornet and by their means they began to flie As soon as Pompey saw his Cavalry beaten and perceived the part wherein he most trusted to be amused and affrighted and distrusting the rest he forthwith left the Battell and conveighed himself on horseback into the Camp And speaking to the Centurions that had the watch at the Praetorian gate with a loud voice as all the souldiers might hear he said Keep the Camp defend it diligently to prevent any hard casualty that may happen In the mean while I will go about to the other Ports to settle the Guards of the Camp And having thus said he went into the Praetorium distrusting the main point and yet expecting the event THE FIRST OBSERVATION POmpey so carried himself in the course of this war as he rather seemed a sufferer then a doer never disposing his Army for any attempt or on-set but onely when he brake out of the place wherein he was besieged at Dyrrachium And accordingly he gave order that in the main action point of triall his souldiers should suffer and sustain the assault rather then otherwise But whether he did well or no hath since been in question Caesar utterly disliked it as a thing contrary to reason Est quaedam saith he animi incitatio atque alacritas naturaliter innata omnibus quae studâ—o pugnae incenditur hanc non reprimere sed augere Imperatores debent There is a certain incitation and alacrity of spirit naturally planted in every man which is inflamed with a desire to fight Neither should any Commander represse or restrain the same but rather increase it and set it forward Agreeable whereunto is that of Cato the Great that in cases of battell and Enemy is to be charged with all violence And to that purpose it is requisite to put the souldiers at some reasonable distance into a posture of vaunting and definance with menaces and cries of terrour and then to spring forward in such manner as may make them fall upon their enemies with greater furie As Champions or Wrastlers before they buckle stretch out their limbs and make their flourishes as may best serve to assure themselves and discourage their adversaries according as we read of Hercules and Antaeus Ille Cleonaei projecit terga Leonis Antaeus Libyâ—i persudâ—t membra liquore Hospes Olympiacae servato more Palaestrae Ille parum â—idens pedibus contingere matrem Auxilium membris calidas infudit arenas The one throws by 's Cleoncan Lion's skin The other 's Libyan and ere they begin The one anoints himself from top to toe As the Olympian Gamesters use to do Not sure his foe would let his feet touch ground Himself with sand Antaeus sprinkles round Howbeit forasmuch as all men are not of one temper but require severall fashions to tune their minds to the true note of a battel we shall find severall Nations to have severall usances in this point The Romans as appeareth by this of Caesar were of ancient time accustomed to sound Trumpets and Hoboies in all parts of the Army and to take up a great clamour and shout whereby the souldiers in their understanding were incouraged and the Enemy affrighted Whereas contrariwise the Greeks went alwaies with a close and silent mouth as having more to do then to say to their Enemies And Thucydides writing of the Lacedemonians the flower of Greece for matter of Arms saith that instead of Trumpets and Cornets to incite them they used the sweet harmony of Flutes to moderate and qualify their passions least they should be transported with unbridled impetuesity It is reported that Marshall Biron the Father seemed to dislike of our English march hearing it beaten by the Drums as too slow and of no encouragement and yet it so fitteth our Nation as Sir Roger Williams then answered as we have divers times over-run all France with it Howsoever the event of this battel is sufficient to disprove Pompey's errour herein and to make good what Caesar commanded THE SECOND OBSERVATION THese six Cohorts which made the fourth battel did so encounter Pompey's Cavalry that they were not able to withstand them It is said that Caesar gave them order not to sling their Piles as commonly they did but to hold them in their hands like a Pike or a Javelin and make only at the faces of those Gallants and men at Arms on horseback For the holding of them in their hands I do not understand it and cannot conceive how they could reach more then the next ranks unto them in that manner But for making at the faces of the Cavalry Florus saith that Caesar as he galloped up and down the ranks was heard to let fall bloudy and bitter words but very patheticall and effectuall for a victory as thus Souldier cast right at the face whereas Pompey called to his men to spare their fellow-Citizens Eutropius in his Epitome of Suetonius affirmeth the same thing both of the one and of the other and Lucan seemeth to averre the same concerning that of Caesar Adversosque jubetferro contundere vultus He bids them strike just at the Enemies face Frontinus hath it thus C. Caesar cum in partibus Pompeianis magna equitum Romanorum esset manus eaque armorum scientia milites conficeret ora oculosque eorum gladiis peti jussit sic adversam faciem cedere coegit Pompey having in his army a great company of Roman Knights who being well-skill'd at their weapons made an end of their enemies Caesar commanded his men to make at their faces and eyes and thereby compelled them to turn away their faces THE THIRD OBSERVATION AMongst these memorialls Crastinus may not be forgotten being the first man that began the battel
whom Plutarch calleth C. Crassinius and saith that Caesar seeing him in the morning as he came out of his Tent asked him what he thought of the successe of the battel Crastinus stretching out his right hand unto him cried out aloud O Caesar thine is the victory and this day shalt thou commend me either alive or dead And accordingly he brake afterwards out of the ranks and running amongst the midst of his Enemies with many that followed him made a great slaughter At last one ran him into the mouth that the swords point came out at his neck and so slew him By him and others of like courage and worth was Caesar raised from the extremity of his wants and the disgrace of his former losses to the chiefest height of earthly glory and herein might well assume unto himself that which was formerly said of the people Magna populi Romani fortuna sed semper in malis major resurrexit Great is the fortune of the people of Rome but it still growes greater increaseth by troubles together with that of Plutarch Res invicta Romanorum arma The Roman Arms are things invincible Lucan speaking of Scaeva formerly mentioned saith He shewed a great deal of valour to get Rome a Lord. But upon Crastinus he laieth a heavy doom Dâ—i tibi non mortem quae cunctis poena paratur Sed sensum post fata tuae dent Crastine morti Cujus torta manu commisit lancea bellum Primaque Thessaliam Romano sanguine tinxit Maist thou not only dy which all men do But dy and have thy senses after too A lance thrown by thy hand the fight began When with brave Roman bloud Thessalia ran SABINVS AND COTTA CHAP. XXXIII Caesar presseth hard after the Enemy and taketh the Camp POmpey's souldiers being thus forced to fly into their Camp Caesar thinking it expedient to give them no time of respite exhorted the Army to use the benefit of Fortune and to assault the Camp who notwithstanding the extreme heat for the businesse was drawn out untill it was high noon were willing to undergo any labour and to yield obedience to his commandments The Camp was industriously defended by the Cohorts that had the guard thereof but much more stoutly by the Thracians and other succours of Barbarous people For such souldiers as were fled thither out of the battel were so terrified in mind and spent with wearinesse that most of them having laid aside their Arms and Military Ensigns did rather think how they might best escape then to defend the Camp Neither could they which stood upon the Rampter any longer endure the multitude of weapons but fainting with wounds forsook the place and presently fled into the high Mountains adjoining unto the Camp being led thither by the Centurions and Tribunes of the souldiers In the Camp were found tables ready laid and prepared with linen together with cupbords of plate furnished and set out and their Tents strewed with fresh herbs and rushes and that of Lentulus and divers others with Ivie and many other superfluities discovering their extreme luxury and assurance of victory Whereby it was easily to be conceived that they nothing feared the event of that day being so carefull of such unnecessary delights And yet for all this they upbraided Caesar's patient and miserable Army with riot and excesse to whom there were alwaies wanting such requisites as were expedient for their necessary uses Pompey whenas our men were come within the Camp having got a horse and cast away all Ensigns of Imperiall authority got out at the Decumane gate and made towards Larissa as fast as his horse could carry him Neither did he stay there but with the same speed having got a few followers that escaped by flight posting night and day came at length to the Sea side with a troup of thirty horse and there went aboard a ship of burthen complaining that his opinion only deceived him being as it were betraied by such as began first to fly from whom he hoped chiefly to have had the victory OBSERVATIONS VVHereas it is said That a dilatory course is very profitable and safe we are to understand it as a chief and main point in the duty of an Embassadour to temporize in things which are pressed hard upon him as being accountable for words and time but no way charged with expeditions of war wherein Protraction is oftentimes the interrupter of absolute victory and the only supplanter of that which is desired Vincere scis Hannibal sed victoria uti nescis Thou knowest well enough how to get the victory Hannibal but thou knowest not how to use it was a common by-word and happened then well for the State of Rome But now it fell out otherwise having met with one that knew how to conquer and how to follow victory to purpose For notwithstanding the battel he had fought and the advantage he had thereby got might have seemed sufficient for one daies labour yet he would not let occasion passe without taking the benefit that was then offered and never ceased untill he had forced the Camp and overtaken those that escaped the battel and so made victory sure unto him by driving the nail home to the head In regard whereof he did not unâ—itly use for his word or Motto as they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BY DEFERRING NOTHING CHAP. XXXIV Caesar besiegeth those that were escaped into the Hills CAesar having got the Camp instantly required the souldiers not to look after pillage and booty and let slip the means of ending the rest of their businesse Which after he had obtained he began to inclose the Hill about with works of fortification They of Pompey's party distrusting the place for that the Hill had no water left it at an instant And all those that were partakers of that fortune made towards Larissa Which Caesar observing divided his forces and commanded part of the Legions to remain in Pompey's Camp and part he sent back into his own and leading four Legions along with him he took a nearer way to meet with them and having gone six miles he imbattelled his forces Which they perceiving betook themselves unto a high Hill under which ran a River Caesar perswaded the souldiers albeit they were spent with continuall labour all that day and that night was now at hand yet they would not think it much to cut off the River from the Hill by a fortification to keep them from watering in the night Which work being perfected they began by Commissioners to treat of conditions of yielding themselves Some few of the Senatours escaped in the night-time away by flight Caesar as soon as it was day caused them all to come down from the Hill into the Plain and there to cast away their Armes which they performed without refusall and casting themselves upon the earth their hands spred abroad with shedding of many tears desired mercy Caesar comforting
high a hill to climb up unto them and yet he thought to come so near them with his host as that they might not depart out of the place where they were without danger our men being hard at hand ready to fall upon them Therefore whereas he perceived that the troublesome marish parted Camp from Camp the difficult passage whereof might hinder the speedy pursuit of our enemies and that the same ridge of the hill which went from the farther side of the marish almost to the camp of the enemies was parted from their said camp with a small valley he made bridges over the marish and passing over his army got quickly into the plain of the said ridge the which on two sides was fortified with a steep descent There embattelling his men he came to the farthest end of the ridge and ordered his battels in such a place from whence with an engine artillery might be shot amongst the thickest of the enemies The Galles trusting to the advantage of the place when they would neither have refused the encounter if perchance the Romans should have adventured up the hill against them nor yet durst by little and little diminish their battel by severing themselves lest when they had been out of array they might hap to have been set upon kept themselves in order of battel Whose wilfulnesse Caesar perceiving kept twenty Cohorts in a readinesse and pitching his tents in the same place commanded his camp should be fortified As soon as the works were finished he set his Legions in array before the Rampier and appointed the horsemen to their standings with their horses ready bridled When the Bellovaci saw the Romans in a readinesse to pursue them and that themselves could not without perill either lodge that night or continue any longer in the same place where they were they devised this shift to recover themselves In the place where they were set together for it is declared in Caesar's former Commentaries how the Galles are wont to sit down in the battel they received from hand to hand one of another bundles of straw and fagots whereof there was great store in their camp and cast it all on a heap before their battell and in the later end of the day at a watch-word that was given they set it on fire all at one instant by means whereof the continuall flame suddenly took away the sight of all their army from the Romans and therewithall the savage Galles fled away as fast as their legs could bear them Albeit that Caesar could not perceive the departing of his enemies by reason of the flame that was betwixt them yet notwithstanding forasmuch as he suspected it to be a deceit practised by them that they might the safelier fly away he marched his footmen forward and sent his â—orsemen to pursue them Howbeit for fear of treachery in the businesse least perhaps his enemies should abide still in the same place and only draw us forth into a ground of disadvantage he went the slower pace His horsemen fearing to venture into the smoke and thick flame and if any were so resolute as to enter it they could scarce see the fore-parts of their own horses lest they should be intrapped gave the Bellovaci free liberty to recover themselves whither they would Thus our enemies by their flight which was mixt with fear and subtilty escaping without any losse went but ten miles off and encamped themselves in a very advantageous ground From whence by laying ambushes both of horse and foot in divers places they did the Romans great displeasure as they went a forraging After this had happened many and sundry times Caesar learned of a captive that Corbeus Captain of the Bellovaci had chosen out of his whole host six thousand of the valiantest footmen and a thousand horsemen which he had laid in ambush in the same place whether for the plenty of provision and corn that was there he judged the Romans would send to forrage This being known Caesar bringeth forth more legions then usuall and sendeth his horsemen before as he was wont to do to safe-conduct his forragers Among them he mingleth for their assistance many light-armed footmen and himself with his legions followeth as near as possibly he might The enemies that were laid in ambush having chosen a field for their purpose not above a mile over every way environed round about either with cumbersome woods or else a very deep river beset it with their ambushment as it had been with a toil Our men forasmuch as they were privy to the design of their enemies beforehand being ready both with heart and hand to fight seeing their legions followed hard after them would refuse no encounters but went rank by rank down into the said place At whose coming Corbeus thinking an occasion of doing some good to be fallen into his hands first discovereth himself with a small number and giveth charge upon the next troups Our men stoutly withstand the brunt flock not many into one place at once which in skirmishes of horse is wont commonly to happen through fear and their clustering together turneth to their own losse They being thus engaged in small parties and having a care still that their fellows should not be circumvented the rest brake out of the woods while Corbeus was fighting Then was the encounter hot and doubtfull After it had continued indifferent a good space by little and little came their footmen in array out of the woods which compelled our horsemen to give back But they were quickly relieved again by the light-armed footmen which as was said were sent before our legions who being intermixed among the horsemen fought stoutly The encounter continued a good while doubtfull But as the course of warre requires they that had withstood the first brunt of them that lay in ambush for them had thus much the advantage that they received not unawares any foil at their hands In the mean while our legions drew nearer and divers messengers brought word both to our men and to our enemies at one and the same time that the Generall was at hand with his army in battel array Which thing being known our horsemen trusting to the help of the Cohorts lay about them very eagerly lest if they should have delayed the matter they might have given the footmen part of the honour of the victory Upon this our enemies hearts began to fail and they sought to fly by severall wayes but all was in vain For by the disadvantage of the same places in which they would have inclosed the Romans were they themselves taken tardy and could not get out Notwithstanding being vanquished and altogether out of heart when they had lost the greatest part of their company like men amazed they betook themselves to â—light and some made toward the woods others toward the river where being overtaken by our men that followed eagerly after them they were all slain In the mean time Corbeus whose heart could by no