are commaunded and onely to see those that follow them where they march to do their dueties which consent vnlesse it be obserued these inconueniences will ensue By contrarie commaundements there will fall out confusion and contention and many captaines lieutenants and serieants will walke out of order and much time will be spent in setting of men in their places which euery souldier ought to doe of himselfe The great ordonance being parted betwixt the vantgard battell and rereward sometime is drawen in head of the a So was it at the battell of Moncontour and in the battell betwixt the Conte Egmont and Thermes by Graueling pikes of euerie battell but for that it must needes trouble those that would march on to fight with the enemie farre better it were if all the great ordonance were drawen on the sides of the vantgard as oft as the enemie made shew of charge and then drawen vpon some hill or some other place of aduauntage In the field it doeth more trouble then seruice the effectes of it is but noyse and foolerie onelie that small townes should not make resistance it is drawen along and also for the vse that it hath in sieges and batteries Concerning the baggage and those seruants and boyes that attend vpon the same and such as follow the armie as merchants or victualers rather to gaine then to fight this rule is generally to be obserued that the same be placed betweene the bataillions so that in a charge the same may best be defended and yet not trouble the araie of the armie The same is to be placed where there is least danger The Greekes returning from the battell betwixt Cyrus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 2. and Artaxerxes being coasted and pursued by the enemie placed their cariages neere the riuer along which they marched and their armed men toward the enemie Caesar marching a Caes bel gal 2. against the Neruians after three partes of foure of his whole forces placed his baggage being garded with the other fourth part following behind At other times when there was lesse suspition of the enemie euery legion marched by it selfe and the baggage thereof after b Praecedunt cohortes sequitur prima legio medijs impedimentis sinistrum latus 19. legio c. Tacit. 2. Germanicus after certaine chosen troupes placed the first regiment or legion and after that hee caused the baggage to follow garded on either side and behind with the rest of the armie If our baggage and impediments be great so much as may be spared is to be left in some strong towne Or if the enemie bee behind The c Caes de bel ciu 3. baggage togither with our hurt men is to bee sent before into some place of safetie as Caesar practised in his retraite from Dyrrhachium This is the common course which is I thinke also best for an armie to vse in marching But if the enemie make countenance or rather doe begin to charge any part of the same then that part which is neerest him is to be made the head or vantgard the other two parts of the armie are to be drawen the one on the right hand the other on the left If the enemie come on front then the rankes of the auantgard are to bee doubled or multiplied according to the capacitie of the ground The battell and rierward are to be drawen vp the one toward the left hand the other toward the right or els one part is to bee drawen vp vntill the same bee equall of front with the auantgard and the other beyng deuided into battaillions to serue for supplie where neede is The shot is to bee placed part in front and the rest on the sides and without them ought horsemen to take their standing expecting their aduauntage and the commaundement of their leaders But if our horsemen bee few and not able to match the enemies cauallerie let them not bee to farre aduaunced vnlesse they bee seconded with shot and halfe pikes armed à le legiere but rather let them bee reserued to chase the enemie beyng foyled by the footemen and placed betweene either ground of aduauntage or battaillions of pikes And this if it be done of those that haue skill ye shall neither heare noise nor see confusion nor time spent about it The souldiers of Caesar beyng suddenly charged by the d Caes de bel gal 2. Neruians as they were newlie come to their lodging did euerie man presently set himselfe in aray to fight And Annibal had so taught his souldiers that euery one issuing out of his lodging coulde fall in aray of himselfe either being ready to fight or to marche And why might not our souldiers also be so instructed and exercised that they might doe the like but some want care some skill and some both Some percase will aske Who gaue me auctoritie to prescribe which are very simple not to see that I prescribe nothing of mine owne but onely declare the auncient practise of warre and proceeding of most famous warriers The Romanes vsed this course and so did the Greekes and Carthaginians First marched the light horse then the light armed after them the armed men The baggage was placed in the midst of the armie This order did Caesar oserue in his marche against the a Caes bel gal 1. Heluetians b Caes Bel. gal 2. Belgians and in c Caes bel Ciu. 1. Spaine against Afranius and Petreius The same did d Liui. 21. Annibal practise in his marching all along Italy The same course for the most part is obserued of those that haue skill in our times but that the differences of groundes and diuers conditions of mens armies make them alter some circumstances Metellus e Metellus cum expeditis cohortibus item funditorum sagittaâ—iorum lecta manu apud primos erat in postremo C. Marius cum equitibus curabat in vtruÌ„que latus auxiliarios equites permistos velites dispertiuerat Salust bel Iugurth marching against Iugurtha placed first certaine choise companies of slingers and archers and after them troupes of armed men without impediments or baggage there himselfe commaunded C. Marius folowed with the horsemen vpon both sides he placed horsemen and light armed of his associats mingled among them guided by certaine captaines of horse the legions marched in the midst Xenophon for that a square battaile in straites is easily disordered did deuide the square into f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph exped Cyr. 3. companies which knowing their places in the square marched few in a ranke in straits and in open ground came into their aray againe His horse and slingers he cast out on the front and sides Corbulo so g Corbulo viae pariter pugnae composuerat exercitum latere dextro 3 legio sinistro 6 incedebat medijs decumanorum delectis recepta inter ordines impedimenta teâ—gum mille equites tuebantur in coâ—nibus pedes sagittaâ—ius câ—tera manus
number and the ground where they stand As the front is diuided so likewise is the supply and last hope in like sort The supply would be neere so many as the front but it is sufficient if the last hope be halfe so many The distances of the supply would be greater then of the battaillions in front which charging the enemy are to ioyne close together and being wearied may retire within the distances of the supply which two partes ioyned together do then make one front if both be foiled then are they to be receiued within the distances of the last hope which are largest and all the partes to vnite their whole forces together If any doubt of the confusion that may arise in the retiring of the first and second battell backe to the third then may the supply and last hope be drawen vp vpon the sides which will worke the very same effects In the midst of euery battaillion or square somewhat toward the first rankes would the ensignes be placed with their garders well armed and furnished with short weapons Euery battaillion would haue his seuerall leader which would be the first man of the right hand in the first ranke of the square for that the inferior leaders in a maine battell should stand out of ranke is contrary to practise of warres If in euery battaillion there were some part targetters contrary to the moderne vse there might be good vse made of them when the armies come to ioyne both against shot and pikes a Ante signa modico interuallo velites eunt Liu. 38. Before the front of the battell are certeine troupes of shot to take their standing which may not onely defend the head of our army but also anoy whosoeuer offereth himselfe to the charge If they be pressed with horsemen or targetters their retreit is within the distances of the battaillions if the ground affoord them no other defence From thence they are to be drawen eftsoone againe and employed where theyr leaders shall perceiue they may doe most seruice A ranke of mosquetiers vnder the first ranke of pikes may doe good seruice if they be drawen into the distances when the enemy commeth to the charge The horsemen if they be not strong enough to encounter the enemies horse would be seconded with certeine troupes of shot and halfe pikes but diligently are they to take heed that they goe not directly before the front of their owne footmen lest retiring thence they fall vpon their owne pikes The great ordonance if there be any hill in the place either on the right hand or left hand of the army is there best placed both for seeing of the enemy and for feare of disordering our men either going to the charge or retiring backe If the ground be euen it is placed in the head of our army a little before our troupes of shot which after the same is discharged auance themselues while that is drawen within the distances either of the battaillions or of the midbattell and corners For defence of the artillery there are good gardes to be appointed wheresoeuer it standeth If this order cannot be obserued yet this rule is generally to be respected that euery weapon and souldier is there to be placed where he may most anoy the enemy and best defend himselfe The partes are so to be placed that one may succour another and one retire to another Horsemen may not come within the ground of the footmen nor shot within the rankes of pikes but both either on the sides or behinde the battaillions He is most iudicious that can bring most men to fight and stop the way to the enemy that he can not extend his men to hurt him There is no company to be sent forth to ioyne with the enemy but with some to relieue them againe and againe and to receiue them retiring and stop the enemies pursute Horsemen may not charge pikes nor come in ground where they cannot fetch their carriere Other rules in their speciall places shall be prescribed Shot in marching and standing obserue order The distances before I haue shewed In fighting they obserue no order but euery man marking his enemy right before him and shooting at him taketh his best aduantage yet if they obserue not a certeine course where the shot are many they soone fall in disorder Archers for that they shoot and fight standing in ranke obserue better aray their distance from shoulder to shoulder is one foot from ranke to ranke foure foot Some now a dayes doe little esteeme this weapon yet if our archers were armed with plated iackes as in time past neither shotte could abide them in euen ground nor pikes without shotte Against horsemen where they may finde defence of hedges or ditches or stakes or rough ground they do very good seruice Pikemen against a charge of horsemen ought to stand close with the blunt end of the pike in the ground the poynt bent vpon the horse brest Ranke from ranke standeth not more then three foot asunder that many endes of pikes may garde the first ranke That the pikes may be commodiously bent and crossed the first rankes are to bow theyr bodies that they may the better breake the charge of the enemies horse before them they are to haue a ranke of mosquetiers as hath bene said already Where the pikemen go to charge other pikes betweene shoulder and shoulder there would be a foot distance betwixt ranke and ranke so much as charging with the pikes aboue hand and breaking the same they may vse theyr swordes and daggers and either in striking auance forward theyr right legges or els receiuing the enemies blowes draw backe the same Sixe foot I thinke for that purpose to be sufficient The halberdieres bilmen and targetters would haue likewise betwixt shoulder and shoulder one foot betwixt ranke and ranke fiue foot In pikes and short weapons this is generally to be obserued that they stand as close together as may be so they may haue roome to manage themselues and their weapons the lesse roome may serue considering that I would haue all souldiers to strike with the point of their weapon and euery man to succour his fellowes before him and on the sides The horsemen go to the shocke with equall front so neere as they can and runne so close side by side as they may without hurt ech to other If horse be distant from horse two foot and ranke from ranke seuen foot when horsemen goe trotting to the charge the proportion is good The aray of the Frenchmen that charge with single rankes is of no strength neither the orders of the Reiters that goe to the charge in a ring for so soone as they are inuested with lances they are broken and therefore I thinke the former aray better as vsed both by antiquity and the Italian and English caualery which giueth ground at this day to no other The ancient leaders of time past which for their skill in armes are famous to
cowards and disorderly persons 21 In the last Chapter for that our souldiers are for the most part raw and ignorant and would haue things expressed and taught them plainely I haue gathered together certaine militarie orders some concerning religion manners others concerning especially tending to the common safetie of the state armie or garrison or els concerning the speciall dueties of captains or common souldiers others respecting the campe or towne of garrison others specially belonging to sea causes and aduentures at sea others to the Officers of the army or fleete others concerning booties spoyles and prisoners and some concerning the execution of lawes and administration of iustice out of which I would haue so many as are fitting for the seruice in hand to be chosen out and put in writing and proclaymed openly and deliuered vnto euery captaine or colonell that euery man may vnderstand some part of his duetie and what punishment is due for his offences These things I haue for thy sake not without great labour brought together and layde foorth in this forme which I haue declared Reade them therefore with indifferencie and weigh them with iudgement and say not this can not be so for I neuer sawe it the authoritie is drawen from those which haue seene more then thy selfe and standeth vpon better reason then without experience thou canst imagine if thou allowest and likest my reasons followe them and vse them if not yet proceede not against reason my only desire was to profit my countrey and to content and profit thee other boone or reward I craue none but that I doe not receiue at thy hands disgrace for my diligence nor reproofe or scorne for my good will which because common humanitie forbiddeth me to feare I will bid thee a dieu and begin to addresse me to my purpose ¶ The right practice proceedings and lawes of Armes CHAP. I. What causes make warres iust or vniust and what are the effectes of lawfull warres and what solemnities or circumstances are to be considered in defiance of our enemies and first attempts of warres IT is needelesse as I suppose to dispute whether it be lawfull either for Christian Princes to make warres or for christians to serue in warres Those that thinke it vnlawfull as men deuoyd of iudgement in religion and state are declared long since to be both heretical and phrenetical persons The lawfulnes there of is apparent for that most godly and religious princes as Iosuah Dauid Iehosaphat Iudas Macabeus were great warriers their warres so allowed that the spirit of God calleth them the warres or battels of the Lord neither was the same altered by Christes comming as the Anabaptists dreame The holy a Rom. 13. Apostle sheweth that the Magistrate carrieth not the sword in vaine But he should carry it in vaine if hee might not as lawfully repell publike force as he may punish therewith priuate wrongs Iohn Baptist when the souldiers came vnto him he exhorted them not to giue ouer their manner of liuing but to content themselues with their wages to do wrong to no mau b Act. 9. Cornelius the Centurion notwithstanding his souldiers profession hath a notable testimony of the holie Ghost to be a man that feared God and if he had not beene such hee had not receiued the holie Ghost The true seruants of God sayth S. c Ad Bonifac. Augustine make warres that the wicked may be restrained and goodmen be relieued Beside this what state in this notable corruption malice of mens nature could endure any time if warres against violent persons were vnlawfull without warres who can warrant vs against spoyle and iniury it is the law of nature and nations that putteth weapons in our hands for our defence without warres ciuill lawes against rebellious subiects cannot be executed and so should remaine without edge S. a Ambr. de offic Ambrose saith that it is the office and parte of iustice by warre to defend our country from the enemy our confederates and such as by reason of their weakenes neede our aide from spoylers and oppressors Wherefore taking this as granted that some warres are lawfull let vs proceede to examine what those things are that giue vs iust cause of warres which is a matter much to be regarded vnlesse we will be accompted among those tyrants that rage and vexe men without cause If the cause of him that warreth be good the issue cannot be euill saith b Bern. de nou mil. Bernard the c Frangit attollit vires in milite causa Ouid. cause as it is good or euill so either abateth and breaketh or whetteth the souldiors courage d causa iubet superos melior sperare secundos Lucan and good and iust causes make men hope ro receiue fauour of God in the issue and triall e Euentus belli velut aequus iudex vnde ius stabat ei victoriam dabat Liui. 21. the euent oftentimes is according to the iustice and qualitie of the cause and f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip Electr. seldome do they returne in safety that go forth to draw their swordes in euill quarrels Dionysius of g Lib. 2. antiq Halicarnassus sayth that the Romanes therefore preuayled for the most part for that they enterprised no warres without iust causes contrariwise the h Ius in armis ferebant Liu. 5. Gaules which accompted that iustly gotten which they could winne with their sworde though otherwise very valiant receiued many great foiles for this cause as sayth Philip of i Phil. Com. li. 4. Commines Princes when they list to quarrel with their neighbors pretend honest causes although oft times vntrue The French that with some colour they might receiue such as in Gascoigne or Guienne rebelled against the kings of this realme suborned certaine Gascoignes and Poicteuins to complaine of vniust taxations made by the English in the dayes of Edward the third and Richard the second And Lewis the eleueuth of France instigated certaine rebelles to complaine of k Philip of Commines Charles duke of Burgundie that vnder colour of doing iustice he might with more reason inuade his territories These pretenses shewes make great disputes betwixt princes and states while euery man will seeme to make his cause good and to do nothing without iust causes Let vs therefore now consider what causes are sufficient to iustifie the taking of armes what are counterfeit and insufficient First it is lawfull to vse â—orce and take armes in defence of our country true religion our goodes or liberty a Hoc ratiodoctis mos gentibus feris natura ipsa praescripsit vt omnem semper vim a corpore a capite a vita iua propulsarent Cic. pro Mil. Reason teacheth the learned and custome instructeth all nations thus much which euen the instinct of nature printeth in wilde and sauage beastes that it is lawfull to repell force offered to our life to our person and the
posterity howsoeuer in some circumstances they departed from these rules yet neuer did they neglect the Generall reasons of them neither ought they to be neglected of any as I will make manifest by particulars Scipio in the encounter betwixt him and Annibal in Afrike according to the Romane guise diuided his army from front to backe into three parts placing first those which they called hastatos next principes last triarios All these albeit at the first their armes were different yet when the Romane empire was come to the height were armed much after one sort with plated iackes which they called Loricas morions on their heads a shield on their left arme a sword well poynted and sharpe by their side and a iaueline which they called pilum in their right hand which they threw at the enemy when they ioyned battell and then fought with their sword and target Some had also defences for theyr thighes and legges and shooes plated in the soles that they might not be pearced with nayles The light armed by them called Velites which stood not among the armed men had onely a head piece and a target and sword or els if they were slingers onely a head piece a sting and a sword The Triarij that stoode last were the oldest and most tried and best armed souldiers and next them Principes that stood before them the hastati were yongest and of least experience first in place but last in accompt The front where the hastati were placed Scipio made not of Regiments ioyned together and placed before the ensignes but of companies of two hundred made into litle battaillions or squares distant one from another some space that the Elephants of the enemie receiued within these distances might not disorder the aray He placed Laelius with the Italian horsemen without on the left corner Masinissa and the Numidian horsemen on the right corner The distances betweene the battaillions he filled with the first troupes of the light armed which were arches and slingers commanding them when the Elephants came forwarde on them either to retire behinde the first battaillions or standing fast to the sides of them to giue the Elephants way and to throw their iauelins at them as they passed Liuyes words I haue set downe for the satisfaction of those that vnderstande the tongue which course I haue also in other examples out of him and other authors obserued If my translation answere not worde for worde yet doeth it answere the Romane vse of warre The wordes I could not translate precisely if I meant that any should vnderstand mee the termes of warre then and now being so different a Liu. 30. Instruit deinde primos hastatos post cos principes triarijs postremam aciem clausit Non confertas autem cohortes ante sua quámque signa instruebat sed manipulos aliquantum inter se distantes vt esset spatium quò Elephanti hostium accepti nihil ordines turbarent Laelium cum equitatu Italico ab sinistro cornu Masinissam Numidásque ab dextro opposuit Vias patentes inter manipulos antesignanorum velitibus compleuit dato praecepto vt ad impetum Elephantorum aut post rectos refugerent ordines aut in dextram laeuámque discursu applicantes se antesignanis viam qua irruerent in ancipitia tela belluis darent Annibal placed first his Elephants then the Ligurians Gaules hired to ayde the Carthaginians Among their troupes and before them he placed slingers and archers which were Mores and of the Ilands of Maiorca and Minorca In the second battel he set the Carthaginians and Africans and Macedonian Regiment ioyned in one aray and after them a litle way distant he placed his last hope or third battell consisting of Italians The Carthaginian horsemen were placed on the right wing the Numidians on the left His error if any error may be thought to haue bene in such an expert Captaine and not rather in the execution of his directions was this that not making any distances in his second battell for the first to retrayte into the first battell being repulsed was for the most part slaine and returning backe vpon the Carthaginians standing in the second battell had almost disordered them Percase he thought that seeing no place of retraite they would haue fought more desperatly But what can wearied and hurt men doe or who can animate men altogether discouraged Scipio contrarywise drawing backe the hurt and wearied men of his first battaillions auanced the second battel where those stoode which the Romanes called Principes on the one hande and the thirde battell which they termed Triarios on the other hande and so ioyntly charging the enemie on front with his footemen and on the backe with his horsemen he foyled Annibal and his army which before that had alwayes bene victorious a Liui. 30. Annibal primum Elephantos instruxit deinde auxilia Ligurum Gallorumque Balearibus Maurisque adiunctis in 2 acie Carthaginenses Afrósque Macedonum legionem modico interuallo relecto subsidiariam aciem Italicorum militum instruxit equitatum circumdedit cornibus dextrum Carthaginenses sinistrum Numidae tenuerunt At Trebia Annibal brought into the field first his archery and slingers of the Ilands of Maiorca and Minorca about 8000. men then his armed men ten thousand horsemen hee disposed by the right and left corners of the first battell and without them his Elephants diuided equally into two partes When the Romane legions vrged the light armed he drew them backe lightly into the spaces betwixt the midbattell and the right and left corner Afterwards hauing foyled and put to flight the Romane horsemen the archers slingers came forward charged the Romanes vpon the flanks of the armed men b Liui. 21. Annibal Baleares leuem armaturam 8 ferme millia hominum erant locat ante signa deinde grauiorem armis peditem in cornibus circumfundit decem millia equitum ab cornibus in vtrámque partem diuisos Elephantos statuit Balearibus cum maiore robore resisterent legiones diductae properè in cornua leues armaturae sunt Baleares pulso equite iaculabantur in latera The army of the Romanes and Carthaginians at the famous encoūter of Cannae by Liuie is thus described On the right corner stood the Romane horsemen and within them footemen the horsemen of their associats were ranged on the left corner within them footemen in the midst were placed the Romane legiōs diuided after their vsual maner into three parts hard before them ioyning with them were archers and slingers placed and before them other archers and slingers and other light armed souldiers of which consisted the first range of the battel Annibal set his slingers archers and light armed foremost on the front of the battell the Spanish and French horse he placed on the left wing against the Romane horsemen the Numidian horsemen on the right The midbattel he strengthened with footemen placing the Africans equally diuided in the right