so vnited and ioyned together that they may obtaine theyr-principall intent and end which is to become inuincible and for which end the first warriers that were did inuent so many kindes and manners of Squadrons we must néeds beléeue that that Armie which is best ordered though it be least in number of men shall alwaies according to reason become victorious Vargas You haue resolued me of the thing whereof I doubted and now I expect what you will saie of that which euen nowe I asked of you touching the office of the Sergeat Maior Londonno Out of the definition which I before set downe may be gathered that the Office of the Seargeant Maior consisteth in three things viz. in the safe order of marching in the good manner of lodging and in pitching the field to buckle with the enemie All other matters that the Sergeants Maior hath to do withall must of necessitie be reduced vnto these thrée things onely For Warfare as they saie who haue written of this subiect hath thrée parts the one being the preparation for Warre vnto which part appertayneth the leuying and pressing or taking vp of Souldiers the arming of them the paying of them and victualling of them for all which there are particular Officers appointed the Seargeant Maior hauing nothing to doe therewith The second parte of Warfare concerneth the Hoast vnto which part appertayneth the marching of the camp and the lodging of the same and so out of this second part of warfare two of the thrée points in which the Office of the Sergeant Maior consisteth do proceed The third parte of Warfare is concerning the fighting and ioyning in battayle with the enemie whether it be by sea or by land whether in plaine ground or hillie whether besieging or béeing besieged out of which part of Warfare proceedeth the third parte of the Office of the Seargeant Maior which consisteth principally in ranking his souldiers orderly and strongly when hee formeth and maketh his Squadrons from which Squadrons as from the chiefe part I will begin to shew you how the Seargeant Maior exerciseth his Office and afterwards I will in order procéed successiuely to shew the same in the other two parts of his Office Vargas It is not long since you tolde me what a Squadron is and therefore now I praie you beginne to make the Squadron and set the Battaile for this is it wée intend Londonno The Squadrons are made of a great number of Souldiers more or lesse according to the bignesse of the Armie or Hoast And it is necessarie that he who taketh his charge in hand knowe what people euerie companie that is in Regiment hath how many pike men and how many harquebusiers and that before the time of néede he continually haue in his head and memory a plat and forme thereby to set a Battle when occasion is offered in conceit alwayes forming such Squadrons as for the present time are most vsed As those that are square of grounde square of number of people broade in the front and those that are drawen out in length Hearse-wise This ought he not onely to doe of the number of those men that are in the Bands or Companies of his Regiment but of all numbers For oftentimes it commeth to passe that the Seargeants Maior are willed by the Captaines generall to set a Battaile of thrée or foure Regiments together and then if they bee not exercised they shall bee so vnreadie and fal into so many absurdities and shame themselues in presence of theyr Princes and in the generall iudgement of the whole Hoast and for this cause did a friend of ours saie verie well that a Seargeant Maior could not commit a small fault séeing that the Iudges and arbiters thereof were so many Vargas Before you aduantage your discourse I pray you sir dayn to tel me whether there be any more kindes of battayles or squadrons then those foure which you haue before named Londonno Yes mary be there many others wherof some be in vse among the Italians and Switzers as those that are horned like a halfe moon and those also that are made like a crosse which are approued and thought to be good by many excellente wits there be also other manner of battayls as those that are made wedgewise in forme of a wedge and those that are made in forme of an egge and those also that are made tryangular wise with many others besides which are now quite out of vse yet I thinke it not amisse nay rather I would iudge it very necessary that the Sergeant Maior should be acquainted with them all and be exercised in setting all kindes of battails seeing that occasson and place might be offered where they might be needefull and it is not good that a man should be ignorant of any thing concernyng his office which might chaunce to be necessary to aduantage himselfe thereby But of all battayls those foure which I sette downe first are moste in vse now a dayes in those places where warfarre flourisheth most and they bee taken to be the strongest battayls and most necessary considering the weapons that are vsed in this our age Vargas And which thinke you to be the strongest of these foure Londonno They be all of like force and strong inough according as occasion and place requireth for in some places the square battayls of ground or of number of people is best for wee should not doe well to make a square battayle drawne out in length herswise in some places as in Barbery or some other place where the enemy hath a great troupe of horsemen to set vpon vs we none but in such a case we ought to vse the square battayle of ground or of number of people that it beyng set vpon by the enemyes they may finde equall resistance at all the foure sides of the battayle in other places it were moste conuenient to vse those battailes that haue a large front which I would ordinarily vse among our countreymen if we were to fighte with our enemy considering that in these squadrons by how much the more greate the front is by so much the more men fight in the vantgard and besides this this kinde of battaile aboue all other squadrons cannot without great difficulty be enuironed about by the enemy The Germans and Switzers doe greatly vse square battails drawen out in length taking that squadrō to be of wōderful strength that hath a great courtain but I would commonly vse the square battayl of ground vnlesse the situation of the place compelled mee to doe otherwise iudging this battayl to be most proportionable and of equall force in the vantguard and rereward and it taketh vp lesse roome Vargas Tell me I pray you what order might be obserued to forme these squadrons with facillity and quicknesse Londonno To make a square battayl of number of people it will be sufficient to take the square roote of that number whereof 1600 the squadron is to bee made and euery one
Officers is the chiefe cause of disorder and no doubt if that care were both in the souldiers officers which is required in them they should alwaies march in good order And I take it to be a matter verie important that the word should not be passed in the squadrō but with great regard consideration and I suppose it verie necessarie that such stands should be made that the souldiers may rest a litle In déed the Gunners can better abide the troublesomnes of the waie without resting as men that go loose not passed with the heauines and waight of armors but corsiets cannot anie waie hold out but must néeds make staies especially in daies that are extreamly hot And I haue often séene some neglect their offices stay when they haue bin commanded to march and many souldiers being heuy armed haue bin choked striuing to do more then they could do marching in their armor And certes it is a shame for some Seargeants Maior to sée how vntowardly they leade theyr squadrons and how vnaduisedly they march obseruing no order onely for not considering when it is necessarie for them to make stands whence it commeth to passe that they leade a squadron orderly but drawe as it were a long rope after them three or foure miles oftentimes being betweene the vantgard and the rereward in such manner that the enemie with a far lesser number then those Seargeants Maior haue in their Regiments might verie easily do them much harme and so they march in greate daunger in one houre through their negligence to loose al the credit honor and reputation which they haue gotten in many yeres And although the Maister of the Camp or Colonnel be the chiefe of the Regiment and therfore as vnto such a one the honor or shame of the good or ill successe of the companies appertaineth principally vnto him yet neuertheles the Seargant Maior hath a good share therein for as much as I can gather by your discourse and if my memorie deceiue me not euer since I haue giuen my selfe to this profession I haue alwaies séene that not only the common iudgement of all men but also the Captaines and Generals do vse to praise or blame the Seargeantes Maior because they leade their Regiments in good or ill order before anie other whatsoeuer as such officers whom the ordering of the squadron chiefly concerneth Lond. So it is in truth for all this care charge doth properly and wholy appertayn vnto the Sergeant Maior and he ought not to excuse himselfe of his negligence or vnability blaming the sergeants or officers of his regiment for they do all of them obay his orders and doe according to his directions and also they he more or lesse diligent or slow according to the watchfulnes or slownesse of the Sergeant Maior who commandeth them Vargas Now I pray you tell me how the people of the regiment ought to be deuided when it marcheth who ought to go in the vantguard who in battayl and who in rereward and what place the standards or ensignes ought to haue Londonno I haue already told you aboue if my remembrāce kéepe touch with me that the Sergeant Maior ought to procure his people to march in such manner and so well ordered that occasion of necessity enforcing him he may alwayes with great easinesse and facillity forme and make his squadron And to attayn vnto this I thinke this to be the order he ought to obserue First in the vantguard marcheth the sléeue of hargubuzers of the right hand of the squadron which sléeue as we haue before sayd ought to be made before the cōpany be brought forth of the camp which ordinarily is one company of gun-men of the two that are in one regiment next after followeth the lining of the same right hand being of hargubuzers and after that follow the pikes according to the manner before shewed And because among other things that happen to be done vnaduisedly in a squadron it is a very vnséemly thing to se the ensigns born so out of order ouerthwartly somtimes at one side and sometimes at another The Sergeant Maior ought to cause them to be placed so that the squadron being made they be alwaies in their proper places which is in the middest and centre of the battayl next ensueth the lining of hargubuzers of the left hand and last of al in the rereward marcheth the sleeue of hargubuzers being one of the two companies of gun-men that are alwaies in one regiment And thus you see that after this maner the people marcheth being parted and deuided yet the squadron is incontinently formed Vargas I pray you why say you that the sleeue and lining of the right hand should goe before the sleeue and lining of the left◠hand it may be there is some mistery in it Londonno I know not of any other mistery but this that in all our actions wee ought to apply our selues to perfection as neare as wee possibly can and for as much as the right hand is the noblest and most perfect it is better we should beginne thence then from the lefte hand to forme the squadron and also to vndo it or breake it Vargas Now seeing that you haue told me how the people ought to march I desire you to know where the baggage of these companies may be carried that it may both be safe and yet not hinder the people of the regiment Londonno When an army marcheth this consideration ought to be had that if the enemy be before in the vant guard of the way the baggage ought to be in the rereward and contrarily if the enemy be behind the army our baggage shall be caried in the vantguard and if the enemies camp be at the right hand of the way our baggage shal be put at the left hand of our campe and if the enemy be on the other side we ought to follow the same order carrying our baggage at the right hand of our army And so shall the battail continually be a wal and defence to our baggage and if occasion be offered that the two armies should ioyne in fight as they march it cannot hinder them and besides this certain troups of horse do ordinarily go to guard the baggage frō the suddayn incursions and assaults of horsemen sent out by the enemy and this very same order ought also to be obserued marching with one regiment by it selfe only But in case we were far from the enemy I would haue the baggage for a good consideration march in the vantguard with a troupe of hargubuzers to guide it for it is a great commodity for the souldiers when they come to their quarters weary with going to finde their tents planted and their forage ready without staiyng for it after they be come to the place where they are to be lodged comming many times wette and almost dead for hunger And besides this if any thing should chaunce to fal by the way the owner may
doe it much good with great dammage to the enemies if they did but regard when the pikes are couched on that side of the squadron which is set vpon by the ennemyes that then the pikemen should some thing bend theyr bodies â—nclining downewards for so might the hargubuzers that are in the centre of the squadron haue coÌ„modity fréely to discharge theyr péeces on their ennemy without any hurt or preiudice to the pikemen and though this séeme to be something hard and troublesome vnto them that haue not vsed it and put it in practise yet so they would exercise themselues in trying and doing it sometimes they would finde it to be most easy For farre more difficult and troublesome was that which the Romans did who making thrée squadrons of theyr foot bands when the first was defeated at the last driuen to great extremity and grieuously oppressed by the ennemy it was receiued within the second without disordering either of them and euen so was both the first and second recelued within the third without confusion of any of them all necessity vrging them thereto which no doubt by reason of continuall vse was easy vnto them to doe for what thing is there so hard and difficult which cannot be made easy by vse and exercise Vargas Why but how doe you vnderstand that the shot should be within the pikes you by hap meane that one hargubuzer should be set betweene two pikes Londonno No not so for it is likely tha so the order would bee broken and marred but I intend that withi nt the midst of the squadron and centre of it there should be a place wher the hargubuzers shold be placed in their order may be without any offence or hinderance to the pikes and so the Sergeant Maior should not doe amisse to cast what shot he hath and hauing considered how many argubuzers are necessary to line the squadron and to make the sleeues aboue al thing to set them that remaine ouerplus in order squarewise and compas them about with the pikemeÌ„ This is to be done as you very well noted aboue wher the enemy hath great company of horsemen and we lacke them For it is moste manifest that shot only cannot resist the strength of horesemen though neuerthelesse it hath more then once or twise bin seen that hargubuzers haue bin charged by a troup of hors and yet haue not bin defeated but for all this no man can deny that the valour of the hargubuzers was not so much the cause of it as the pusillanimity and cowardise of the horsemen for the vttermost of theyr powers is to discharge their pieces vpon the squadron and battayl of the horsemen which sett vpon them and being compassed and enuironed about by them hauing no defence by their swords are not able to withstand the vehement charge of the horsemen which is onely graunted vnto the pike and so of force if they want this fauour they must alwayes be ouerthrowne if the horsemen quit them selues accordingly But in other places where the said inconuenience is not offered but the battail is to be fought only against foot bands there shot doth great seruice and victory hath very often beene obtayned by hargubuzers onely But for al this I am not of opinion that among our Spanish nation nor the Italians there should be a greater number of hargubuzers then pikemen in the companies as for the Switzers and Germans their pikes are much worth but their gunnes are very lightly esteemed Vargas I haue taken great pleasure in the discourse which you haue made vpon the doubt I moued now seing you haue made the Squadron and Battayle Tell me I praie you how the Sergeant Maior ought to behaue himselfe when hee marcheth with it Londonno This which you now aske is not the least care which the Sergeant Maior ought to haue in his office séeing it is a matter of so great moment and importaunce to leade the people marching in good order which is so much the more harde and troublesome to bée done by howe much the more you sée all men generallie abhorre to be tyed to order and especiallie our Spanish foote men who beeing by reason of the climate more cholerike then of anie other complection take it something impatientlie to goe in order For you cannot so soone sette them in order but straight vppon the least occasion in the worlde they will bee disordered again As when they meet with some place by the way that is something narrowe or when they become wearie and hotte going to seeke water and so separate themselues from the companies to goe and drinke yea and for other causes nothing so reasonable as this but al this proceedeth partly of the ill discipline that is nowe a dayes vsed in Warres and partly of the fault and carelesnesse of the Officers For there is no doubt but that if the Souldier did knowe that if he did goe out of order he should bée punished so seuerely as they were punished in auncient times past that serued among the Romanes none of them durst goe a whit out of the waie or doe otherwise then he is commaunded to doe but because men see howe slacklie such offences are punished they doe not regard whether they goe in order or not but now seeing that in this age the disobedience of Souldiers is not so rigorouslie punished as it was in that auncient Martiall discipline If the Officers both vpper and vnder were so diligent and carefull as is required and as they are bound to bee these inconueniences might easilie bee remedied For to bring which thing to passe I will shew you what order I thinke may be taken But aboue all other things I will not passe those things with silence which the Seargeant Maior ought to doe before hee marcheth with his people being in the field I saie then that the Seargeant Maior ought first of all to goe to the Captaine Generall to to take directions and knowe whether his Regiment bee to marche in the vauntgarde battayle or rerewarde which is ordinarilie done the night before the Armie marcheth though notwithstanding sometimes the Generall will not giue the orders for worthy respects til the very houre that they are to march and hee ought to bee verie well informed of the waie especially when it is his Regimentes turne to marche in the vauntgarde though it bée verie necessarie at all times to knowe the wayes of the Countrie verie well and perfectlie through which hee may most fitly marche with his people out of the Campe and by faulte héereof it doeth not verie seldome come to passe that many Seargeant Maiors haue béene confounded and shamed in presence of theyr Generalles guiding theyr Regimentes by wayes that are stopte and cumbered with Cartes and other baggages of the Campe sometimes bringing theyr souldiers through such narrowe wayes and straightes that they cannot passe vnlesse they breake theyr order for at the raising and departing of the Campe as you haue
of the inconvenience which is the chiefest might I also say of some others of unportance and which are dayly committed in armies as well in appointing and disposing the watch and Sentinels in the camp as in many other particulars which you shall more manifestly perceiue heareafter in the discourse following Which least the time escape vs in preambles I incoÌ„tinently begin say that wher as this name of Sergeant hath it originall beginning from the French tong in which it betokeneth and signyfieth as much as in the Latyn tong minister one that hath the charge or office to doo a thing a minister or sergeant that miuistreth c. The Frenchmen first applyee it to the vse and customes of their chaunceries courts and iudgement seales vsing certaine ministers or vnder officers caling them sergeants which stoode them in steede to proclame declare and execute their statutes will and ordinaunces appertayning to law and afterwards taking it hence I meane out of these gouned and ciuill exercises they also applyed it to the military vse of armes and in each company of men they placed and appointed an officer calling him a sergeant imitating the custome vsed in Courts and Tribunall seates to the end that the Captains by meanes of such a minister or officer might kéepe due order in placing of theyr men both marching lodging and fighting And thus much as touching the imposing of the name which in England Fraunce and Spayn is receyued in all our warfarre as a naturall word And the Sergeant Maior is so called because in euery regiment which is as much as a Romane legion there is a sergeant who is superintendent and heade ouer all the other Sergeants that are in his regiment and as euery Sergeant in ech company taketh the manner of gouernment or order of his Captaine or his lieftenant so the Sergeant Maior receaueth it of the Captaine Generall or Coronell or maister of the camp and afterwards from him it passeth to the other Sergeants of the same regiment from hand to hand according to the custome In so much that the Sergeant Maior is an officer or generall minister of one whole regiment superintendent and chief of all the Sergeants of the same regiment by the means of whose industry and helpe the Captayn General or Coronell may giue conuenient order for due gouernment in ordering his men both in marching lodging and fighting and other more things also vnto this appertayning these thrée things in which the Sergeant Maior is imployed are such that if â—hey be wel executed Wished victory and glory is with great reason hoped for Whereas if contrarily they be not well executed much harme ensueth thereby and the field is lost and there with goods life honour and al. Therfore no insufficient persons but such as are able to discharge so great an office and of so much waight ought to be elected and chosen to be Sergeants Maior and not vnfit men as some thing before we complayned of the carelesnes of some Generalls of our times in such like elections Vargas What qualityes be those by which those may bée knowne that are apt and fit and those also that are vnapte and not sufficient Londonno Yt is manifest and knowen vnto all men that martiall election comprehendeth two sortes of men some to commaund and gouerne and others to obay and to be ruled and of this latter sorte are the common souldiers called Gregarii in which both the Gréekes the Romans required four qualityes Viz. that they should be stroÌ„g and hardy that they should be trained vp in armes and warlike exercises that they should be obedient and that they should be good swimmers And in those souldiers that beare rule and gouerne as Generall Coronell Maister of the campe the Sergeant Maior and the captayns they also requyred foure qualyties and these be they That they should bee very skilfull in the arte of warre and military science that they should be vertuous that they should be men of authority and that they should be very fortunate These foure qualityes were vsed by the Greekes and Romanes as an infallible rule as in truth it is to know the sufficiency or insufficiency of officers in warfare In so much that he is sufficient that it is indowed with the foresayd foure qualities and he in whom they be not is not sufficyent The Sergeant Maior being one of the pryncipall officers in warre ought to haue the foresayd qualityes Vargas To tell you the truth I doe not well vnderstand what you meane by those foure qualityes Loudonno I will declare them vnto you in few wordes Warfare beyng so noble a matter as it is ought to haue it rule and precepts whence commeth the arte of warre And as no man is allowed or suffered publikely to practise physicke or to professe diuinity or any other scyence vnlesse he haue studyed the sayd facultyes and be well seene in them so were it not good that any one should gouerne and beare office in warfarre that were not well séene in the arte of warre Which arte standeth a man in stéede of a loyall counsayler of light in the myddest of darknesse and of a guyde in a difficult and doubtfull waye especyally if hee haue the generall grounds of prudence and chiefe principles of the libeall sciences Vargas For as much as the greater parte of souldyers lose theyr time in games loue idlenes and haue not from theyr youth eyther will or power to apply themselues to any vertuous exercise wanting the due grounds of speculation they dispayr that euer they shall be able to study any such arte and so to couer theyr exceeding fault they scoffe at the arte of war which men attayne vnto by study Londonno There is no reason why we should aunswere them that are voyde of all reason and of the infinite reasons that may be alledged to confound theyr dull ignorance this onely shall suffyce at this time that all artes haue both speculation and action or practise and so hath warfarre also And they that with a valiant courage followe armes and prudently vse them in war in tyme attayne to practise but he that ioyntly with this mingleth speculatyon shall attayn both to speculation and practise which are two and therefore is the speculatiue arte the better and nobler of the two Vargas I now vnderstand the first qualitie but knowe not yet what you meane by the second of being vertuous Londonno This vertue which is required in Militarie officers is as Tullie declareth it toylsome labour in affaires industry in doing them speedinesse in dispatching them constance and fortitude of the minde in dangers not suffering theyr vnruly affections to beare rule ouer them and ouercome them The other two qualities which are Authoritie and Fortune doe necessarily followe the two former as the shadow followeth the bodie for the vertue whereof I spake doth put the Militarie precepts in practise and bringeth them to effect making a disposition or qualitie of them in
the Souldier whence necessarily proceedeth the fame and glory of his valour and deedes which increaseth his credit and bringeth him in authoritie As for felicitie and good successe that springeth from all three skil vertue and authoritie for he that by knowledge and experience knoweth what he ought to doe and is endued with vertue to attempt anie thing and put it in execution with aduice and authoritie to the end his Souldiers may beleeue him and followe him this man shall obtaine good successe which is to be fortunate and happie Therefore the Greekes and Romanes did with good cause require that these foresayd qualities should bee in all and euerie Officer and chiefe Captain of warre and I for this cause will also haue them to be in the Seargeant Maior and yet one more besides with which there will be fiue in all Vargas Yet another saie you which I pray you Londonno That he be some thing cunning in Arithmetike for that science is verie necessarie for the forming and making of the Squadrons which cannot bee made without the science of numbering Vargas You demand and require so many things in a Seargeant Maior that I doubt none such are to be found answerable to your description Londonno Yes marie Sir be there though they be but few and there would be many more to be found if it were not for the fauours sutes and bribes which as in other things so in the choosing of a Seargeant Maior disturbe and impeach the right course of election Furthermore whereas I am to forme a Seargeant Maior it is not for our purpose to séeke out and inquire what kind of men our Scargeantes Maior be but rather to shew and declare what men they and all others should be and how they ought to be qualified We must follow that which is perfest for that which is not perfect may be found at euerie place Vargas You haue shewed mee the spring beginning and signification of the name of Seargeant Maior and Seargeant and what the Seargeant Maior is and the qualities in him required Now I desire to know of you what Office the same of the Seargeant Maior is and in what manner he ought to execute it But first I beseech you to resolue me of one doubt which is that I knowe not whether they that liued in ancient times past had this Office of the Seargeant Maior Londonno I haue not read that the Lacedemonians Gréeks and Romanes among which Nations did warfare flourish most haue had it but we may reade that they had and vsed diuers manners of Battailes and Squadrons and I beleeue this to bee the cause if I be not deceiued that they had no Seargeant Maior because this Office was discharged by certaine other Officers as we may gather out of those that haue written De â—e Militari viz. that the Captaine Generall and chiefe head of the Armies vnderstanding and perceiuing of howe greate moment and importance the good order and perfection of the Squadron or Battaile is in which consisteth all the force of the whole Armie they would trust no particular man with this Office but themselues disposed theyr Armies and made the Squadrons of which they vsed sundrie and different kindes and manners according to the diuersitie of weapons with which in those times they accustomed to encounter with theyr enemies and also their souldiers were so well instructed and so skilfull that in a verie great and huge Armie there was not one souldier but knew his place in the Squadron for the easier obtaining of which knowledge there were many Schooles in Rome as Titus Liuie writeth where those yong souldiers which they called Tyrones among vs fresh water souldiers were not onely taught and shewed howe to bee apt and quicke in vsing anie kinde of weapon but they were also instructed howe they should keepe theyr place that euerie man might haue and knowe his owne seuerall place in which thing they were so well instructed that it was a verie easie matter and little or no labour trouble or difficultie at all to frame and make the Squadrons and they became dayly the more fit and apt as long as they were not without an hnge perpetual Armie And the same Liuie saith that the young souldiers exercised themselues twice a daie and the old beaten souldiers but once a daie And this most excellent order which the Romanes obserued aboue all other Nations caused them so to enlarge theyr Empyre and to become almost inuincible throughout the worlde whereas notwithstanding as Vegetius verie well saith they were neither so great as the Germanes nor more in number then the French men nor so subtill as the Affricans nor so many or of such force as the Spaniards nor so wise as Gréekes but the Souldiers exercised and instructed in Warfare did conquer and ouercome all these difficulties It were a very easie matter in proofe of this truth here to alleadge many examples both olde and new of many excellent Captaines who with lyttle Armies well instructed and set in good order haue obtayned victorie of innumerable armies and bandes of men naughtily ranked and confused But I will onely rehearse some of them séeing it is not strange to the matter of which we now intreate neither wyll it be out of the purpose to make a short digression to proue this veritie And let the first example be taken from the great King Alexander when he set vpon all Asia and the innumerable bandes of Darius yet with a verie small armie but wonderfull well instructed Lucullus a famous Captaine did get a most happie victorie ouer all the greate powers of Tigranes with so small a number of good Souldiers well trained and set in good araie that Tygranes seeing them comming towarde his forces making little account of them and to mocke with them sayde that if they come as Embassadours they were inowe of them but if to fight they were verie few Iulius Caesar being Proconsull subdued vnto the Empire of Rome many and rude barbarous Nations euen from the riuer Rhene and sea Ocean vntill the sea Mediterranean And I praie what made him so victorious but the good order and discipline he vsed And in our daies Hernando Cortes most worthy to be placed among the nine celebrated Captains with lesse then a thousand and foure score horse tooke the great king Montecuma within his owne Citie And at the length onely by the good order he vsed he did subdue the whole kingdome of Mexico And Hernando Aluarez Duke of Alua onely with one thousand of small shot and fiue hundreth Muskets in Frisland ouerthrew an armie of twelue thousand men with which Lodowicke of Nassau had entered in that Prouince To conclude as touching this point I saie that seeing a Squadron is a companie of souldiers placed in order in which euerie man hath his place appointed him in such order that-he may fight without hindering others or being hindered of his fellowes and in which all their forces may bee
seene the horse-men doe so crosse vp and downe in all partes and the Trumpettes and Drummes make such a noise that vnlesse hée bée verie well foreséene and knowe perfectlie the waie which hée is to take and through which waie he is to bring forth his Companies commonly hee shall fal into these inconueniences principally when the Camp departeth by night or in such dayes as are cloudie Wherefore it is necessarie that the Seargeant Maior if it bee possible should bee singularly well informed of ths scituation of the Countrie through which he is to passe and of the distaunce betweene cuerie place the quantitie of the wayes with theyr abridgementes hilles valleyes fountaynes riuers And to be the more sure hee ought to haue skilfull Warfarers and faythfull guides Then the order being knowen and the waie also and the houre come of departure hee ought to giue order that the Drum Maior gather the Companyes together and that the Captaine of the fielde cause the baggage to bee loden and then hee ought speedily to bring his Ensignes from theyr quarters to the place of Armes and there to forme his Squadron and separate the Captaynes eache one in theyr orders they ought to marche in that daie and to dispose the Seargeantes in such manner that euerie one of them doe knowe what people they must gouerne and keepe in order and because it is verie seldome seene that the wayes are large inoughe for the Squadron to marche with the whole front hee shall make his ranke no greater then that the people may marche commodyously alwaies hauing consideration that the ranke be neuer lesser if the waie suffer it then the thirde parte of the front of this Squadron or Battaile As for example If the fronte of this Battaile bée of one and twentie men seauen men shall marche in a ranke and so likewise of other Battailes For hee ought alwayes to bee very carefull in procuring his footebandes to bee lead in suche order that occasion of necessitie beeing offered hee may with all spéede and celeritie make vp his Squadron Nowe the Captaines and Officers beeing seuered as I haue sayde and the Regiment marching the Seargeant Maior his right place is in the vauntgarde of the Regiment where it most commonly concerneth the maister of the Campe or Colonnell to go And I saie most commonly because if chance we should leaue the enemie behinde vs. The rereward is a more conuenient place for the Colonnell to march in And forasmuch as the Sergeant Maior is his instrument by meanes of whome hee sendeth the order vnto the Captaynes and Companies He ought to stand néere to his person but he ought in such maner to be there the he neglect not sometimes to make a stand and staie himselfe and sée the whole Regiment passe and if he finde anie retchlesnesse or negligence in the Sergeants not discharging their duetie in causing the people committed to theyr gouernment to goe in good order he ought to blame and rebuke them seuerely insomuch that none of the Sergeantes ought to forbeare anie fault or negligence whereby the order may be marred but diligently to take héede that the order neuer be broken if it be possible And if it chance to be broken as it happeneth sometimes by reason of the streightnes of the waies they ought to be verie carefull in making it vp againe For which if it be néedful that the vantgard make a stand one of y◠Officers shall incontinently goe to informe the Sergeant Maior of it And I am of opinion that no Sergeant Ensigne or Captayne shoulde passe the worde through the Squadron saying Stand or March from hand to hand as it is many times done verie vnaduisedly vnlesse the necessitie bée such that they cannot haue time to signifie it vnto the Colonnell or Seargeant Maior For by reason of this abuse that euerie Officer and vppon euerie occasion that is offered doth passe the worde many inconueniences may doe spring and the Officers will take vppon them to doe those things that appertayne vnto the superiours vsurping that preheminence which is onely graunted vnto the Colonnel as head of the Regiment and vnto the Seargeant Maior as the generall guide of the Squadron And now this is become so common that not onely the Officers but also the common souldiers without respect or discretion for the least cause in the world do vse to passe the word Whence it commeth to passe that sometimes when for matters of importance the superiour passe the worde it doth not passe so speedily as it should by reason that it is neglected naught set by so for the most part it remaineth in the middle of the squadron sans passing to the vantgard the souldiers thinking persuading themselues that it commeth not by commandement of the superiours But if they were sure that none had authoritie to command it to be passed but the superiors they would incontinently obey and doe as they are commanded And therefore to shunne and anoide this inconuenience in a matter so important as to kéep the squadron in good order it is very necessarie that this preheminence should be onely rescrued for the two vpper officers And it is most iust that such Officers or souldiers that dareth first passe the word should not remaine vnpunished I will aduertise you howe that it is necessarie that the people shoulde sometimes make a stande as wel that the souldiers may rest themselues a while and eat of that which they vse to carrie in theyr scrippes or bagges as also that they may the better kéepe themselues in good order hauing breathed a little after theyr wearinesse And the Seargeant Maior ought to procure suche standes to bee made néere some water where the Souldiers may drinke and refreshe themselues and the Officers ought to bee verie diligent in looking to the Souldyers that none of them at such standes get out of the Squadron and make anie misrule in the neighbour places and much lesse that anie of them enter into Orchardes to endomage the Husbandmen For all those things are alienate and estraunged from good discipline And if the Souldier should bee permitted to bée licentious in these trifles and small things they woulde not afterwardes bee able to refraine from the same in greater matters Howbeit I cannot count it a small thing that the Souldier shoulde leaue his place and disranke himselfe ranging in the possessions and groundes of the poore people and so I cannot patiently thinke vppon the greate negligence and in consideration of certaine Officers that doe not only not represse such disorders among the souldiers but themselues also oftentimes are the first that shewe them the waie and helpe to doe it Who ought not onely to be depriued of theyr Offices as vnworthie to haue them but also to bee punished with greater and more grieuous punishment as transgressors of Martiall discipline Vargas By that which you haue verie well spoken we may easily gather that the retchlesnesse and negligence of
and giue it one to another among themselues which ought not in any case to be don for it is most iust that the officers should perform that which apertaineth vnto them to do according as they are bound by their offices and he that doth not so is vnworthy of his office which hee beareth and ought to bee put besides his office and besides this the watchword being the safety and trust of the watch of the campe of garrison it ought with great regarde and discretion bee giuen by the Seargeant Maior to the Seargeant and of them to the Corporall and Sentinels and so due order obserued the Seargeant Maior ought not to giue the watchword in the field before the Sentinels be sent out and when he lieth in garison in anie place he ought not to giue it before the gate be shut vp Neither ought the Sergeants nor Corporals giue it to the Sentinels before the verie instant that they bee sent out And note that if chance anie one be sent forth by night as ordinarily it happeneth to be necessarie the Seargeant Maior ought to cause the watchword which was appointed for the watche to bee chaunged for diuerse inconueniences that might fall out by not so doing Now after all these things are orderly appointed the Sergeant Maior ought at sundrie times and diuerse houres to visite them and sée how they be looked vnto finding falt with them that are blame worthie and punishing them that deserue correction The Sergeant Maior ought alwayes to be personally present in the watch hauing great regard what number of men serue in euerie Companie according to the mustre which they make Wherof the Muster master or Tresurer ought to make faith vnto the Seargeant Maior Who if so be that he can find or perceiue that the Companies receiue paie for more men then they watch with ought to make the Officers of the companies to giue him account of it for oftentimes many souldiers by reason of theyr Officers negligence become carelesse and so they regarde not theyr duetie They ought not to permit at the entering or departing of the watch that the Corslets should want anie péece of their armour or the Harguebuzer come without his head péece and much lesse that they should serue with rustie weapons or notoriously ill grauen nor the pikes without arminges seeing that it is not onely a great ornament vnto a Squadron to haue all the pikes with armings but it maketh the squadron to séeme greater which is a verie important circumstance For al shewes that are likely to cause a terror or feare to the enemies ought to be esteemed and greatlie accounted of When the Companies of the watch enter into the place of Armes it is ordinarily vsed that the Gunne-men beeing come to the place who vse to march in the vantgard towarde the Court-gard should parte and open making a lane for the Pikemen to enter vauncing theyr Pikes as soone as they come neere the Harguebuzerie But I do not like this manner for the watch to enter for to march vauncing theyr pikes is no time necessary in warres and in so doing the souldiers exercise themselues in things not necessarie Therefore they ought to shunne the absurdities which you sée the Corslets ordinarily commit in stepping backe when they vaunce theyr Pikes and so they march without anie firmnesse which is a verie ill thing And to shunne it it is better that the Corslets should enter by the harguebuzerie marching the pikes and when they come to the end of the lane where the Captayne standeth without parting or opening they shoulde vaunce them staying in theyr araie and so from hand to hande make the ranks following and that the harguebuziers as soone as the ranke of Pikes being vaunced come néere them should close to it and fill vp the said ranke following this order till the end so that the squadron may be framed and as well the Harguebuzes as Corslettes ought to be so vsed in doing this that it bee not necessarie that the Officer put them in order and if two Companies enter to watch at one time as it often chanceth then they shoulde ioyne together into one squadron taking the harguebuzerie at each flanke and the Corslets without marring the raies should enter in the midst noting by the waie that the Standarde remaine alwayes in the centre of the people And I haue proued this maner of ioining two Companies being in hearses into one squadron and diuers times caused it to be done at the entering of the watch and it hath béene verie well thought of and approued by Captaines of greate prudence and experience And though there were no other reason for it then this that they which followe Warres in all places and at all times when and where they be together with theyr weapons in theyr handes ought to frame themselues in a squadron without which they cannot haue such perfection and strength as is requsred yet is it a most sufficient cause And besides this the profite which ensueth by reason that the souldiers by these meanes and continuall practise become ready and well instructed in matters of so great importance is excéeding great The Companies that watch when others enter may not departe from the watch hill or place of Armes vntill such time as they that enter to watch haue framed theyr squadron But hauing theyr weapons in their hands and standing at the sides of the Court-gard they must stay til they are all entered and then they may depart orderly eache one to his lodging The Seargeant Maior ought to be verie carefull in the daie time to visite the Court-gardes and so dooing he shall force both the officers and souldiers to looke to their wards which they ought not in anie case to leaue saue onely when they go to dinner and that by order each one in his turne with his tabling mate or Tamarda And when some forcible necessitie is offered no souldier ought to depart from his warde without leaue from his Officers séeing that the souldiers are no lesse bound from that day that they entered into this profession of warfare to bee obedient vnto the Captaines and Officers doing nothing without theyr leaue then those Friers that are tied to many strait orders are to theyr Priors or Wardens For when they be entered into the Bookes of his Maiesties paie at the first daie of their souldiership to serue rather in this Companie then in that betokeneth and signifieth no other thing but this onely that they promise and sweare secretly and inwardly in heart to serue theyr King or Prince obeying all and euerie thing that the Officers of their Companies shall or doe command them touching his Maiesties seruice But I meane not that they shal not be bound to obey the Officers of other companies For they owe due obeysance vnto all Officers as well to the Officers of other companies as to the Officers of theyr companies in all things concerning the orders by them giuen
and prescribed especially when they are ranked in a squadron or march in order or standing at the watch briefly in all things appertaining vnto theyr Princes seruice Yet this ought to bee noted that no souldier ought to bee punished for his disobedience vnlesse it bee in such things as concerne their prince his seruice As when they contemne or despise anie Officer in matters touching the order For in other particular priuate matters that touch not the seruice of the King the Officers are no lesse bound to be humble mécke and vse good behauiour toward the souldiers Seruatis seruandis then the souldiers are to be towards them and those Officers that amidst theyr games and priuate conuersation for theyr owne commoditie passe the limites of ciuilitie often abusing certaine souldyers both in words many times and also in déedes should be seuerely punished For thence it procéedeth that the souldiers afterwards set naught by them in matters of order and gouernment beeing prouoked and stirred vp against them by their hard vsage whereas neuerthelesse all Officers ought contrarily to loue and vse all souldiers that are vnder theyr protection and gouernment as their owne naturall sonnes And aboue all other the Seargeant Maior ought so to do séeing that it may verie truly be sayd that he is the generall Father of all the souldiers that serue in his Regiment Now Sir séeing that the people are lodged and I to confesse the truth weary of this our long discourse I wil conclude with telling you that it doth not onely appertaine vnto the Seargeant Maior to be the generall maister of all good discipline in Warres and to be the onely and vniuersall procurer of all bodily and corporall necessities for the souldiers but he ought also to haue no lesse regard and care of theyr soules persecuting and banishing all publique sinne out of the Armie as leude liuers théeues and all such as liue dissolutely and shamefully and aboue all things he ought to be verie watchfull and diligent in not permitting anie one in the campe to blaspheme the name of God no not so much if possible be as to sweare by his name séeing that his diuine Maiestie is so greatly offended with both of those horrible sinnes For in the Armie where there is no feare of God and the foundation and principall intent be not to séeke his glorie and honour there can nothing bee sure nothing good or certaine Certes it is a griefe to beholde that among a people which ought to bee most zealous in the seruice of theyr Creator séeing that the obtaining of the victorie doth not consist in the vertue of the multitude of armes nor in the force of wepons but in the intercession of his grace without whose prouidence not so much as the leafe of a trée can be moued are so many vices and abhominations And verily we should most iustly wéepe and deplore the weake remembraunce of men when wee sce that those men are so forgetfull of Gods iust indgements who aboue all other kindes of people haue death euerie moment more nighest and surest before their eyes and by all our ill kinde of liuing it seemeth that when anie one taketh the Pike in hande to become a souldier euen that daie he renounceth to bee a Christian any longer and maketh profession euer after to be a Gentil and which is worst of all that our ignorance is so great that many vnskilfull fellowes and men without conscience thinke and holde opinion that it is contrarie to a good and valiant souldier to bee a good Christian and to feare God but let all such knowe that contrarily it is impossible for anie man to be a right good and valyant souldier if he lacke the foundation of the feare of God for though wee see many dissolute and ill liuing souldiers verie resolute to die and being so determined fight couragiouslie daring both to buckle with theyr enemies and to die if occasion be offered yet wee may most truly turne this theyr boltnes to a beastly brutish minde séeing that it doth not procéede from true fortitude which euer is accompanied with the feare of God and it is rather a right temeritie of bruite beasts and not of men indued with reason for they consider not nor vnderstand not how great a thing that is which they put in aduenture and so for the most parte we sée that such men vpon the least occasion in the world though it bee most vyle and of no value as some smal commoditie or vanitie hazard their liues which they ought to make so great account of which they ought then to put in daunger with all theyr heartes and making no account of it when iustice and counsell requireth God graunt it may please his mercie to take awaie the darknesse of this most cleere and apparant ignorance from our vnderstanding that wée may so knowe and serue him in this our temporall warfare vnder the standard and fayth of our soueraigne Lorde and inuincible Captaine Iesus Christ that we may deserue by him to be made partaker of that celestiall and glorious warrefare in triumphant Hierusalem Maister Vargas we haue made an end at one time both of our discourse and our iourney also And I beséech you to pardon me if I haue not bin able to satisfie your request according to your desire for my simple talent is no farther extended and be fully persuaded that I haue not taken this paines so much for my pleasure as to accomplish your desire which paines I shall thinke ill bestowed if you take it in part of my seruice toward you and now good Sir let vs fall to such meate as we haue here for it may be your chamber-fellow hath alreadie dined Vargas I am beholding vnto you for your curtesie and you well knowe that it is not new or strange to me to take part with you at dinner but as for this daie I meane not any more to weary you for if I went to dine with you I am certaine that séeing you haue now so fully satisfied me in that I desired so gréedilie to know concerning the Office of the Seargeant Maior which amongst many other good turnes and déedes of true friendshippe which I haue receiued of you I account not the least I should not leaue to speak of the other points which I mentioned yesterdaie vnto you but I am contented for this time so you will some other daie if occasion bée offered with some shorte discourse daine to satisfie my desire Londonno I will refuse no paines to do you seruice and so God be your guide Vargas Hee bée with you also and all others FINIS