out of a wall bulwarke or fort Srerée a French word and is when the souldiers in squadron do ioyne and locke close together thereby to become the more strong Serracenesca a Spanish word and is the percluis or grate of a gate Skance a Dutch word and is a small fortresse built of turffe and earth commonly vsed in the low countries Scalada a Spanish word is a skaling of a wall with ladders Spontone an Italian word is a small long instrument of iron sharpe at the ende to thrust thorough anie loade of haie straw or such like to proue if any souldiers lie hidden within the same Squadra a Spanish word and is a certaine part of a company of some 20 or 25 souldiers whose chiefe is the Caporall Squadron a Spanish word and is a great number of souldiers pikemen reduced in arraies to march and also is a certaine companie of musketiers framed in order to march of fight and is also a certaine number of men aranged in order to march or charge T Taladro a Spanish word and is an instrument or engine to mount any peece of ordinance vp into Cariage Taisses a French vvord and is the arming of the thighes annexed vnto the forepart of the Corslet Terraplene an Italian vvord and is the earth that is rampired and filled vp vnto the inside of any vvall or bulwarke Tertio a Spanish vvord and is a Regiment of souldiers Tertiare a Spanish vvord and is to third the pike either to beare the same vpon his shoulder or to charge the same euer hand Trauessa a Spanish vvord and is a flanker of a wall Tragon is the reareward of the squadron or battell Trench a French vvord is the ditch about the vvall Tenaza a Spanish vvord is a little hold or Keepe made of one Curtine or Bulwarke V Vanbraces a French vvord and is the armings for the arme from the pouldrons downeward to the hand vvrest Vanguard a French vvord and signifieth the forepart of the battell Vollie a French vvord and is vvhen any kind of shot do discharge altogether W The Word vvhich vve call the vvatch Word and is by the French called Mot de guet and by the Spaniard En nombre vvich is a vvord or name deliuered by the Generall or other high Commander to be giuen vnto other officers and souldiers standing Sentinell at their postes vvhereby their vvatches are nightly gouerned c. Toute Puissance honneur glorie louange so it à nostre bon Dieu eternel FINIS BARRET Nella φ. δ. φ. ν. Ï. la ζ. Nella fidelta finiro la vita The cause of the beginning of these Discourses The Spaniard as well by his owne imperious inclination as by the Pope Clergies suggestion instigation of English and Irish Papistes hath these thirty years imagined Englands subuersion Example in Anno 1588. The Spaniard to be suspected for many reasons Yet many men hardly to be perswaded Peace breedes securitie securitie carelesse mindes carelesse mindes contempt of war contempt of war vnmartial minds Men hauing liued long in peace seldome suspect warre Securitas parit periculum By neglect of martiall disciplin many kingdomes subuerted Examples Good to shake off securitie and be carefull for our safetie Inueteratâ— opinioÌ„ not easie to be altered touching blacke bils and bowes Time altereth the order of warre with new inuentions daily The fiery weapons Canon musket The reputation of Archerie much blemished since the inuention of fierie weapons Bowes farre inferiour vnto Calliuer or Musket The readinesse of the one and the other with their different executions Archers may shoot in vâ—llie The execution of the bow not comparable to the musket The weapon not of deadly execution little to be feared Bow men haue most vse in open field and in set battels shot are vsed in all seruices The fierie weapoÌ„ without practise dangerous to the handler To accommodate our selues to the now vsed weapons ordâ—r and times Not many short weapon in the field When to be vsed Target of Proof Pikes most honorable weapon in the field Short weapon about the Ensigne not so aâ—ailable as the Pike The Reasons The armed Pike the streÌ„gth of the battaile The equall sortment of weapons offensiue and defensiue Countrey people loth to bee at charge Our daungerous time to be regarded Men liuing long in securitie amazed in alterations Want of good guides Actions not effected with words but with conduction order men with sutable weapons Selected bandes Companies well trayned to great good purpose The daunger of ignorant leaders and trayners Trayning Captaines very skilfull ought to prouide good officers Bookes of warre Three sorts of warre writers 1 2 3 The last â—â—st approued Comparisonâ— Reading Captains three sorts 1 2 3 The best waâ—â—ing experience farre from a worthy Captains Example of the first sort Example of the second sort Example of the third sort Daungerous for vnexperimented Captains to bring men to fight Many points to be in a souldier and more in a Captaine not attained by reading but by experience and that de veras Orderly trayning by good Trainers to good purpose Points wherein a souldier is to be fully instructed Questions demands do draw out semblable answers Carefull diligent men to be commended Men of sundry constitutions fit for sundry purposes Natural instinct doth worke wonderfull effects in all kind of professions To be often in action breedeth knowledge Comparison Litle reputation of Souldiers in our age with vs. The reasons Experience coupled with naturall instinct most perfect The bad reputation of Souldiers springeth much from their owne disorders The disorders of men of warre proceeding from two causes 1. The bad electioÌ„ 2. The litle discipline Fauorite electioÌ„s Faults coÌ„mitted by the Iustices of peace in leuying of Souldiers Litle amendment groweth where lewd liberty beareth sway All warres are either offensiue or defensiue Maintained managed and conducted by money men and armes by policie order and by good Chiefs The English for valour and courage comparable to anie It is the nature of euerie nation to thinke best of themselues Vegetius opinioÌ„s reasons what climate breeds the best souldiers Men born vnder any climate may proue good souldiers by experieÌ„ce and discipline Sundry opinions what statured meÌ„ be most fit for warres The meane best allowed To bee serued with our owne nation is best for vs. The parts of a Souldier in general his valorous determination grounded 1. Vpon defense of true religion 2. For the honour of his Prince 3. For the safetie of his country 4 To learne diligently the Arte he professeth which is warre Many men of base birth by valour and vertue attained high degree Maximinus He ought to be diligent careful vigilant and obedient and aboue all to feare God To chuse honest Camaradas No blasphemer No idle gamesters Not curious in fare To eschue drunkennesse Gluttons druÌ„kard breâ—de many disorders Examples of punishment Decimare Aufidius Temperance and Abstinence Chaste honest
and his Drummes and Phifes Also euerie Regiment hath his Sergeant Maior and ouer the whole Campe or Armie a Sergeant Maior generall of which Officer I meane now to treate The election and office of a Sergeant Maior The election of the Sergeant Maior is made by the Generall out of such as the Colonels do name vnto him His office is to be the generall minister or officer of a whole Regiment of sundrie companies and Superintendent of all the Sergeants of the same By whose hand and industrie the Camp-maister or Colonell doth giue and appoint the orders conuenient to the due gouernement of his Regiment or Armie as in marching in encamping and imbattailing and in such other matters concerning hereunto whereby may be gathered the partes the qualities the valour the great skill experience and diligence which ought to be in him who is chosen to this degree of office being of such importance that in the time of the Greekes and Romaines this office was credited vnto none but the Generals them selues did execute the same in their owne person The Sergeant Maiors office is of much higher degree then any ordinarie Captaine for euery Captaine doth receiue his directions from the Sergeant Maior and the Sergeant Maior from the Colonell or Generall or from the King or Emperour himselfe if he bee in field For hee is barred no gate nor entrie but is freely suffred to enter euen into the Generals tent or Kings chamber Therefore there ought great regard to be had in the election of this officer Which being done in a person of insufficiēcie doth many times cause great inconueniences to arise and the person so chosen for want of skill and naturall instinct not knowing how to vphold his due authoritie grauitie and power doth lose oftentimes his due respect and reuerence of the Captaines and other officers whereby it had bene better for him to haue remained a Captaine of a single companie then to haue risen to this degree of office being not fit for skill and nature thereunto Gent. Then I perceiue that you would wish him that should vse the place of this office besides his experience and skill to be also of a naturall inclination befitting the same Capt. So is my meaning For besides his long experience and practise in warres he ought yet to haue a certaine naturall instinct befitting this office for as much as the most of his actions are to be handled in the face and view of the enemie and in place of greatest perill as ready at euery instant to redresse euery disorder He ought besides his long experience to be valiant learned quicke witted and ready conceited wise discreet and ready both to see and foresee as well their owne as the enemies orders or disorders preuenting redressing and taking aduantage as time and occurrants shall be offred not letting slip any occasion offred Gent. Is the Sergeant Maior to haue any particular companie to himselfe as the other Captaines of Infanterie haue Capt. No truly and that for many good respectes For in the absence of the Colonell he hath the commaunde of the whole Regiment among the Spanish Tertios Gent. You said that the office of the Sergeant Maior did cōsist in three things that is in the good order of marching in the sure manner of encamping and in the perfect formes of imbattailing wherefore I pray discourse more at large thereof vnto vs. Capt. Truly Gentlemen if you remember I haue before at large declared touching the embattailing of men the ordering of squadrons their deuiding into Maniples and the formes of sundry kinde of battels with vs most in vse but yet to giue you content I will repeate some part thereof againe Wherefore it concerneth this officer to know how to frame his squadrons to march with the same and bring them to fight Now a squadron of men is as before I sayd in folio 45. A congregatiō of souldiers orderly ranged set by the which is pretended to giue vnto euery one such place and roome as they may fight without hindering one another and to vnite all their forces together in such sort that they may attaine to their principall intents and end which is to be victorious or inuincible So that we ought to thinke that the armie which is best ordered and disciplined although of lesser numbers is like to be by all reason Lord of the victorie as Vegetius declareth very well giuing the reason why the ancient Romanes became conquerours of most nations of the world saying that in greatnesse they were not like to the Almaines neither comparable in number to the French neither so subtill as the Aphricanes nor so strong as the Spanyardes nor so furious as the Brittanes nor so wise as the Grecians yet did they make easie and answer all these disaduantages and difficulties by onely maintaining their people well exercised in armes and practise of warre and keeping them well disciplined and reformed in manners And for as much as squadrons and battels be formed of numbers of souldiers more or lesse according to the greatnesse of the armie it is necessarie that this officer doe perfectly know and haue in writing the iust number of euery companie as how many pikes how many halbardes and how many shot and before occasion or necessitie befall do make a common habite in his head and memory framing therein many variable formes of those which are now most in vse as the iust square of men and quadrate of ground and the battels of many sortes of proportions of inequalitie with all the others whereof before I haue written To do the which it is most needefull that he be very skilfull in Arithmetike for without the same he should hardly performe his office and not onely to know how to embattell the companies of his owne Regiment but of many Regiments together and of any number for that many times the Generall doth commaund to frame a battell of sundry Regiments together as did the old Duke de Alua at the taking of Lisbona and conquering of Portugall Who commaunded that of the Tertios of Naples Lombardie and Sicilia there should be one battell made and framed and of the Tertios of Don Rodrigo Sapata and Don Gabriell Ninio an other and of the Tertio of Don Luys Henriques another squadron and that out of all the sixe Tertios there should be drawen 2100 shot to serue to other purposes And for as much as the Sergeant Maior was not very skilfull and ready herein they found them selues much puzzelled in doing thereof and fell into many faultes in presence of their Generall and Princes and in generall iudgement of the whole Campe wherein I then serued Gent. Truly it was a matter well worth the noting but is there more sortes of imbattailing then those you haue spoken of before Capt. I haue already spoken of the most yet of diuerse nations vsed diuersely of all which formes I
against foote shot if they be not friended with hedge ditch or some such place of aduantage in their middle troupes is the Guidon placed Finally the Hargulutiers Carbines or Hargubuziers on horsebacke not armed at all or else with light arming and they haue a good Hargubuze or a Petranell or horsemans peece as some call it with a good short sword and dagger well girt vnto him mounted vpon a pretie light horse such as be our Northerne nagges befitted with a saddle bridle and furniture correspondent with a necessarie flaske and touch-boxe for his peece and a purse at his girdle with bullets and his other necessaries These and the other shot on horsebacke do serue principally for great Caualgadas they serue to watch to ward to discouer to scoute to forrage to skirmish for Ambuscados for gaining of a straight hilles and ground of aduantage to be put for a forlorne Sentinell to discouer the enemies proceedings to spoyle forrages and to assaile troupes at their lodgings either in villages straights or fields and if occasion serue they may alight and serue on foote either to assaile a straight to surprise a barrier to performe an Ambuscado and in such points of sudden seruice doe the dutie of foote shot wherein they may do many good peeces of seruice to the enemies annoyance who if the enemy bring shot to displace them they may dislodge if they find the party vnequall and betake them to their horse And in good conductions they are alwayes seconded with armed Pistols or Lances for they are not lightly turned out to any peece of seruice vpon armed men without being accompanied with Lances or cuyrats on horsebacke I meane armed petranels or pistoliers They ought to bee very nimble both to mount on horsebacke and to dismount to manage their horse euery manner of way to be very ready and quicke with their peece discharging on euery part as cause shall require inuring their horse both to the crack and fire and learne to performe three actes at one instant his bridle hand his peece and his spurres wherein consisteth fine skill with viuacitie of spirite attained by often vse and practise For they are the forlorne skirmishers on horsebacke who hauing performed their dutie doe retire behind their Lanciers and armed pistols And it is not inough to know how to ride a horse well and vnpractised in his peece neither is it inough to bee skilfull in his peece and ignorant in his horse but the one must bee coupled with the other to make a perfect Hargulutier For the fierie weapons being in hands of vnexpert men either on horsebacke or foot is of all other the most daungerous to themselues and being in the hands of perfect souldiers is a weapon of most execution and aduantage To conclude all these aforesaid mounted people ought to be seene haue some skill in diseases of horses and to know remedies for the same and if neede require to set a shoe also All their baggage doth passe with the munition and baggage of the campe Gent. How are these troupes sorted Capt. The discipline now vsed doth require vnto euery fiue hundred Lances and armed Cuyrats one hundred or one hundred and fiftie of these aforesayd light horse Gent. What course doth this Generall of the horse take with his troupes in field campe or garrison Capt. First he taketh a roll of the bands committed to his charge euen as doth a Colonell of Infanterie with his with the names of their Captaines viewing well their mounting and arming to see it be sufficient and his seuerall sortes of horsemen disposed in seuerall troupes as I sayd before in the morning when the trumpet soundeth to make ready the horse hee shall repaire to the Lord Generals tent to know his pleasure the which being knowne he bringeth forth the Generals Ensigne or standard whereunto his Captaines doe repaire with their companies in a readinesse whom he ranketh in good troupes each sort by them selues with their Cornets and Guidons in middest of their troupes And as occasion shall be offered to send them abroad he shall appoint such as shall watch scoute and discouer and others to relieue them againe committing them to the Scout-maister When the Camp-maister Generall goeth to view the ground to encampe vpon the Generall of the horse sendeth sufficient troupes to attend vpon him When the armie entreth into the campe he shall with all his Cauallerie remaine mounted in the field vntill the Infanterie be all encamped then to enter orderly with his horse troupes and repaire vnto their allodgements vsing therein indifferencie to each band in their kinde giuing order vnto his Scoutes that they come not out of the field vntill the trumpets sound to the watch at night and Corps de guardes set and Sentinels brought forth of the campe and placed at their postes He must appoint horses to attend on the Forragers to guard and defend them till they returne with their forrage He must also appoint a conuenient conuoy of horse to guard the victuallers of the campe as well from the enemy as from vnruly souldiers In the order of his skirmishes encounters and charges he must giue order one troupe to second another that if the first bee repulsed being well seconded they may haue time to regather themselues into order againe sparing his armed mē frō such skirmishes his Lāciers what he may reseruing them to encounter with their equals or breake vpon the enemies battell as occasion is offered but alwayes hauing a carefull regard that his bands charge not too neare the front of their owne foote squadrons for feare of inconuenience that might ensue as it fell out at the ouerthrow of Gibleio but rather espying what aduantage he may to charge the enemy in flanke or in rereward For it is a great point of a man of warre to finde the occasion and to take it when it comes Gent. But hath he the chiefe ordering of the squadrons of horse in battell in march and in allodgement Capt. No not the chiefe in those points for that belongeth to the Lord high Marshall or Camp-maister Generall whose office is herein as the Sergeant Maior Generall with foote companies The Campe-maister Generall or high Marshall his Election charge and office THE FIRST DIALOGVE VVherein is set foorth the parts to be expected in a Lord high Marshall his authoritie in an Army and in the administration of iustice both ciuill and criminall what officers attend vpon him with certaine Martiall orders and lawes c. Captaine THe office of the Campe-maister Generall or Lord high Marshall the Prince with great consideration and aduise doth encharge vpon a personage of great prudence and industrie and of great experience and skill in martiall causes for that the administration of iustice both ciuill and criminall belongeth vnto his charge and also the encamping of the Army and the fortifying
enemy should assaile the Campe and notice not giuen thereof through his default and negligence 27 Itē whosoeuer is appointed to defend a breach battery trench or straight and doth quite abandon the same although constrained by the enemie 28 Item whosoeuer at the entrie of any Citie Town or Fort taken by force of armes shall fall to the sacke and spoile and shall not follow his Colours whither soeuer it bendeth without forsaking it at any time vntill the victorie be fully atchieued and the Generall commaundeth vnto the sacke by sound of Drumme or Trumpet the which being not proclaimed and licenced euery one ought to withhold their hands and refraine from falling to the spoile and pillage vpon the like paine 29 Item whosoeuer shall not do his endeuour and best to regaine and recouer his Colours if by hap it fall into the enemies hands and when it cannot be recouered it is needfull to vse some rigor vpon such souldiers as cowardly suffered the same to be so lost 30 Item whosoeuer shall flie from the Battell being there ranked and placed or march slow or fearefully being vpon point to fight or shew any other base cowardise in what bad sort soeuer 31 Item whosoeuer shall faine himself sicke vpon the point of fight or slippe a side when any action is to be performed 32 Item whosoeuer shall see his Commander or Superiour officer in danger of the enemy and shall not presently assist succour him to the best of his power 33 Item whosoeuer shall rifle or dispoile any victualler except of the enemy or any which bringeth any munitions or prouisions for the campe 34 Item whosoeuer shall disualedge or spoile any of the Princes friends or rob or steale any thing especially armes and horses 35 Item whosoeuer shall ransacke rifle or ill entreat the people of the countrey where the warre is made either in goods or person except it be proclamed rebell to the Prince 36 Item whosoeuer is found disgarnished of his Armes wherewithall he first entred into the roll chiefly if he hath lost the same in gaming or by cowardly flying away and abandoning his weapon or by any other such base default of his and the same law is to be vnderstood of any horseman that shall play away his horse or furniture or loose the same through vilty or negligence to be constrained to restore the like or the value as is accustomed 37 Item whosoeuer shal stragle wāder or range frō the circuit of his quarter or regiment aboue a 100 pases without licence of one of his Superiour officers 38 Item whosoeuer shall receiue any stranger or any other suspected person into his lodging or quarter without hauing first presented him before his General or Superiour and shall haue licence of his Superiour so to do 39 Item whosoeuer shall raise any question brable or braule in the watch or Ambuscado or in scoute or Sentinel or in any other effect where silence secrecy and couert is to be required 40 Item whosoeuer shall be found first to iniury any other either in word or deede for that quarrels do spring from iniuries and from quarrels and braules great disorders in a campe 41 Item whosoeuer shall run to any braule or fray furnished with any other armes more then his sword and dagger except he be a Captaine or any other officer in the campe 42 Item whosoeuer shall offer himselfe to reuenge any iniury either presently offred or of long time before rather by any other way then by course of order and reason yet is it not hereby forbidden but that the Combat may be demanded of body to body if the difference may not otherwise be accommodated which is a point reserued only to the Generall 43 Item whosoeuer shall offer any thrust or blow or push against his aduersary with whom he hath debate either in iest or earnest or in any other sort if an other cry Hola or hold with intent to depart them except it be in Combat where no man shall be so hardy as so to cry or say were it not the Generall himselfe 44 Item whosoeuer shall take away the mony that another hath rightly won in game or put his hand thereupon without leaue of him who so hath gained it But it seemeth good vnto me to the end to do well and to auoide and withstand many inconueniences growing by game vtterly to forbid the same 45 Item whosoeuer shall vse any shifting or cosenage or packing or any maner of false play or any maner of false dice whereby any may be defrauded 46 Item whosoeuer shall put himself to passe on before the battell whether it be to arriue first at his lodging or to any other such effect or shall disband and range from one place to another whilest the battell or army doth march 47 Item whosoeuer shall set a tallage rate or ransome vpon his host where he doth lodge or other being no prisoner in due course of warre and being taken prisoner by iust course of warre that then such ransome shall not exceed the Capitulation made and agreed vpon by the Commanders of the two Armies if any such be made and if not that then it be done with as much fauour as may be 48 Item whosoeuer shall enter into any Campe Castell or Fort of warre otherwise then by the ordinary ports and issues or shall passe out either ouer or vnder the wals it is a capitall offence 49 Item whosoeuer shall prolong the retrait after that the drumme or trumpet hath sounded the same whether it be at any sallies made out of any city or fortresse or in skirmish or in any other encounter 50 Item whosoeuer speaketh lowd or maketh any noise or rumour whilest he is in skirmish battell or otherwise where silence is to be vsed except they be Cōmanders and Officers 51 Itē whosoeuer shal passe one whole day without carying or vsing his assigned weapō some part therof except he be otherwise imployed in the Princes seruice 52 Item whosoeuer shall do any thing whatsoeuer or in whatsoeuer maner that might preiudice his Princes seruice or be hurtfull to his fellowes 53 Item whosoeuer shall blaspheme the name of the eternall God by vile othes or otherwise Finally many other lawes and articles are to be inserted as the Generall and Commanders shall deuise and appoint according to the causes and occurrants both the which and all these I would wish to be written in some faire table and fixed fast at the entrance of euery Coronels pauillion for euery mā to view reade and vnderstand besides the open proclaming of the same All the which and many others are to be commanded to be obserued and kept to the end that good order and reformation be had in the Camp the which without the same wold soone grow to confusion Gent. Doubtlesse Captaine he which is chosen to be Maester del Campo Generall or Lord high Marshall of the field ought to be a man of great wit experience
battell of pikes A better order to diuide your shot into troupes To girdle the staÌ„d of pikes with shot The shot in small troupes one to second an other The armed pikes once ouerthrowen the battell stands in hazard The girdling shot to discharge at 20 pasesâ—ff and not farther A particular decâ—aration of the former battell in figure The battell or body of pikes Impaled with armed pikes The sortement of the weapons Girdled with muskets Shot in troupes Halbardes and short weapons The remaines of the pikes where placed To draw some pikes out of the center of the battell Men at armes Launciers Hargulutiers Great ordinance The number of each The broad square battell bring the most hands at once to fight in front The square of ground A care to be had to the situation of ground Venturous to set al our fortune vpoÌ„ the brunt of one sole battell So is it dangerous for vnexpert men to fight in sundry battallions Men come not often to hand blowes as in old time the shot so imployeth the field Hard to ascertaine any course of fight before the enemies order be knowen seene Occurrants of warre be manifold and strange The shot on horse backe coÌ„monly begâ—n the first skirmishes At the field ordinance doe commonly begin the first puzzeling The forlorne hope to disband and hauing skirmished to retire to the flankes One troupe of shot to second an ether The squadrons of muskets when to discharge The couching of the pikes A square of pikes handled by resolute men not easie to be broken by horse Against foote to charge ouerhand Valour and skill is second meanes of victorie but God the chiefe first The duties of diligent officers in time of battell The iust square of men best allowed out of the which all other proportions may be reduced The quadrat of ground Sundry ancient formes of battels now out of vse The daunger of raw men The Diamant battell The framing thereof out of the graund square A more stronger framin of the Diamant battell Out of 2 iust squares of men is framed 2 triangles Of 2 triangles is framed a Diamant An other order yet to frame their battels A Sergeant maior ought not to be ignorant of any formes of embattailing as well ancient as moderne To what purpose these termes were first deuised The crosse battell and order thereof A declaration of these Crosse battels SpeculatioÌ„ without practise but halfe the Arte. To deuide a small power into many parts dangerous What to be a sufficient armie Into three battels Into twelue battallions Vantgard Battell Reareward Many considerations in bringing men to fight A consideration A declaration of the 9 battallions The voide spaces to what purpose Sundry charges and fresh heads A declaration of the 12 battallions The shot parted into sundry troupes The cauallery The quantity of ground for each souldiers station What commander and officers to be mounted The Generall his place The Colonels Another order to deuide an army into sundry small squadrons The maner The order An army may be framed of sundry small squadrons Of tables to be framed Euen To march an army thorough straightes Drawne into Maniples The Ensigne to be contained in the middle Maniple The shot in troupes most seruiceable The one to second another If the enemy coÌ„straine to fight in the straight them to quarter your Army To quarter the battell into sundry battallions Not to enter vnaduisedly into any straighâ—s The chiefe Commaunders of an Armie Deuided into Regiments The officers of the Regiment Deuided into Companies The officers of a Companie Sergeant Maior of a Regiment A Sergeant Maior generall A Sergeant Maior is the generall Minister of a whole Regiment His office consists in marching in imbattailing encamping The Sergeant Maior of higher degree then any ordinarie Captaine Great regard to be had in the election of this officer Skill and naturall instinct His actions are handled for the most in the view and face of the enemie The partes to be required in a Sergeant Maior To espie aduantages Not to let slip good occasions offred To kâ—â—w to frame his squadron to march with the same to bring theÌ„ to fight A squadroÌ„ what it is To be victorious or inuincible The armie bâ—st ordered and disciplined is like to be Lord of the victorie Vegetius his reasons The aduantage of practise and good discipline It is necessarie to haue â—n writing the iust number of euery companie and their sortmeÌ„t of weapons To haue alwayes an Idea in the head of sundrie formes of battels To be skilfull in Arithmetike A battell framed of sundrie Tertios by the Duke de Alua at Lisbona The Tertios of Naples Sicilia Lombardie Spanish Tertios The Sergeant Maior by want of skill much puzzeled Our warres now a dayes do consist more in surprises assaults and batteries then in main fight The difference to be iudged by the situation of the ground and occasions to fight Iust square of men â—attell in broad front What is meaÌ„t by bastard square broad square base square The rankes euen or odde importeth litle The braue conduction of the Commaunders and the resolute valour of the souldiers is the firmenesse of the battell A politicke order to be obserued in setting a battell when the souldiers be vnruly No souldier to come with his armour by peece-meale or broken An order to frame a squadroÌ„ of vnruly soulâ—iers vpon the Alarme giuen or suddenly A fine checke of vnruly souldiers The dâ—e naturall girdling with shot When and how to discharge their vollie Shot in sundrie small troupes trouping round about the battell Euery troupe to be led forth to skirmish by their Caporall Squadrons of muskets at the angles of the battell A braue retraict of Don Aluaro de Sandy made in Barbary with 4000. foote against 20000. horse An order for the safegard of shot in open campania where the enemy aboundeth in horse Declaration of the figure Great skill and care in the marching of an Army The disorders of souldiers do many times grow through remisnesse and negligence of officers What the Sergeant Maior is to do being in the open field with the army Vantgard battell and reareward To know the wayes most salliâ—bâ—e for the souldiers to march Great noise and rumor in remouing of a campe To be skilfull in the countrey where they are to march Sundry considerations To what end Examples of the Romaines at Furcas Caudinas To procure faithfull and trusty guides Hannibal deceiued To cause the drum maior to sound the recoâ—a or remouing The Captaines of footmen To assemble the companies in the place of armes and there to frame his squadrons The Sergeants of bandes what to doe To deuide the battell into Maniples if the passage be narrow The order in marching of vantgards battell and rea reward The ensignes where to be placed fittâ—st Hauing passed the straight to march vp pouldron to pouldron againe In all our actions to incline to perfection Considerations
to be had where the munition is to march Certaine light horsemen to be sent out to scout before the munition In countries secure from the enemy the munition is to passe before with a sufficient card The reasons In parts of danger the munition is to march in the center or among the squadrons Better to loose the munition then to hazard the whole army The munition forsaken sometimes for policie sake Example at the battel of Vicentia in Italy As few horses as might be to be permitted in foote companies Noe foote souldier to passe out of the campe on horsebacke Where the foote souldiers horses are to go The orders to be obserued when the foot souldiers do mount on horsebacke The boyes to be shifted out of the battell To make sundry altoes or stand to ease and refresh the souldiers Carefull to make the Altoes or stāds in places conuenient and fit Disorderly conduction causes of ouerthrowes Example at Via grassa in Lombardie when the Coūtie Sanpaule was taken To make alwayes the standes neare fresh waters and to be carefull that the souldiers straggle not The Sergeant Maior is alwayes to passe on horsebacke to what effectes If he meete the Generall not to alight from his horse Nor yet to dismount from his horse in the day of battell and wherefore His armour light with a short trūchion in his hand No afront to the souldier deseruing it to be corrected by the Sergeant Maior Where the Sergeant Maior is to passe whē the army doth march But if the enemie be knowen to be in the rereward he is to passe in the rereward To reprehend the faults of the Sergeants If the arrayes be brokē to be ready to redresse them No Captaines or other vnder officers to passe the word stand but the Sergeāt Maior or other superior officer The Camp-maister as head of the Regiment the Sergeant Maior as guide of the battell The foot souldiers to alight frō their horses a myle ere they come to their lodging The place of alodgement to be first viewed by the Sergeāt Maior At their arriuall to frame his squadrons in the place of armes Orders to be obserued at the alodgement The place of armes to be kept all free and vnpestered The Sergeant Maior what he is to do at the first encampement of the army First to draw forth a corps de-guard some 80 pases without the ring of the emcampement The orders to be obserued 2 To reknowledge the quarters and to reforme all incombrances Pioners to amend combersome waies 3 To go to the Campe-maister generall or his marshall to receiue orders from him to sundry purposes as for the watch the ward gard for the munition to scout and discouer who to prouide wood and to assist in trenching Being with his owne regiment alone what he is to do The Sentinels how to be placed To consult with other officers To go to the Generall for the word and orders to be obserued To haue great care in placing the watches and gards To fore aduertise the souldiers by the drumme maior To reknowledge and view the places of gard and Sentinels To appoint them the order in going the roundes To visit and reuisit all the aforesaid orders To reprehend the faultie The negligence of Commanders breedes contempt in souldiers The encampement to be entrenched Where the corps de guard to be set Naturall fence good Great silence is to bee kept in the body of the watch The Sentinels what distance asunder and from the Corps de guard The Sentinels the wall of the campe therefore neare together Sentinels better double thē single The Sentinell vigilant silent and carefull In hearing or seeing any thing what the Sentinell is to do The single Sentinels where His dutie what to do Not to giue Alarme but vpon reasonable cause When to giue the Alarme Feare and imaginations do disturbe mēs senses To visite and reuisite the Sentinels at sundry houres in the night to good effectes The proper forlorne Sentinell what it is An example The forlorne Sētinell not to haue the word but a different Contersigne The order to be obserued in the day of the word With some the word doth passe no further then the Caporals Dangerous to trust the word with raw souldiers The Sentinell not hauing the word what to do The order to be obserued in taking the word by the officers and souldiers the one from the other The shot how The pike in what manner The officer or Rounde ought to giue the word vnto the Sentinell first The souldier set at Sentinell not bound to reknowledge any person without giuing the word The word is the meane in warre to exclude all deceipts The sight and hearing easily deceiued especially by night Example A fowle errour The Round finding the Sentinell vigilāt neede not alwayes approch neare him The Sentinell ought to suffer none to passe in or out of the campe without giuing the word The officer or Round Refusing to giue the word he may discharge as at an enemy How to deale with such as come into the campe Whē the Alarme is giuen what the Sētinels are to do Whē the Alarme is giuē what order is to be taken with the ensignes or companies The Generals guard and guard of the munition not to stirre To frame the squadrons with all diligence To enquire the cause of the Alarme To aduertise the Generall and Camp-maister thereof The cōpanies set in squadron not to disseuer without licence from the Generall To returne the Sentinels to their postes or stations To draw out of the grand Corps de guard other small Corps de guards The small Corps de guard to what effect What the Sergeant Maior is to do in the fact of battell The Romaines order was to fight in battallions The Greekes did fight in Phalangia or square Men slaine or hurt in the first rankes how to reforme the rankes The fore rankes to be alwayes kept full officers appointed to withdraw hurt and slaine men out of the battell To be skilfull in giuing a Camisada Example To conduct the souldiers with great silence vnto the Camisada To inuest their shirtes To performe with resolution and all celerity In such difficult attempts the Sergeant Maior to be conductor Example In Ambuscados the souldiors to be silent and ready To charge suddenly The Sergeant Maior to be solicitous with the generall for armour and other necessaries for his regiment How the same to be reparted To be the vniuersall procurer of the souldiers good Hurt or sicke men to be conueyed to the hospitals All vnder officers to assist the Sergeant Maior The carriage-maisters The Harbingers The Sergeants Lieutenant and Alferes Drumme Maior Caporals of the field The Sergeant Maiors Coadiutors The Sergeant Maiors Coadiutor The Sergeant Maior a general maister of all militarie discipline A procurer of the souldiers soules health in general Banishing all publike crimes and commō offenders The reward of a good officer both in heauen and earth
make-shift is preferred before the silent man the approoued person or the plaine dealing fellow Then such being chosen and preferred how do you thinke the conduction shold be good Againe the Companies that are commonlie leuied are drawne forth by the Iustices of peace who to disburden their towne or shire of corrupt weeds as they tearme it do picke out the scumme of their countrie thinking such men sufficient for the warres what wrong thereby is done to the seruice the issues of manie actions do often times manifest Now such choise made both of souldiers and Captaines what good can be expected from them For litle amendment groweth where lewd Libertie beareth sway for warres disorderlie vsed is the Chaos of confusion and warres well conducted and disciplined is the Harmonie of Iustice. Gent. I pray good Captaine sith you haue thus farre waded into the matter let vs intreat you to shew vs the parts of a Souldier the vse of his weapon and the order of your moderne warre Capt. These three matters handled would aske a great volume farre aboue my reach neuerthesse to satisfie in part your curteous demaund I will do my best Then thus I beginne to reason First Warres are of two sorts either offensiue or defensiue maintained and perfourmed with men armour and money managed with Policie Order and Stratagems conducted and perfected by a singular Generall braue Commanders and resolute Souldiers To begin therefore from the lowest degree vnto the highest I will declare vnto you what parts I could wish in euerie degree and what order in the same following herein for the the most part the Italian and Spaniard by whom the best discipline of warre in our dayes hath bene vsed and supplying where they are defectiue Gent. What Nation thinke you do prooue best Souldiers for we are of opinion that there is no Souldier to the Englishman Capt. Trulie for strength valour and courage I suppose vs comparable to any nation whatsoeuer but surely for subtill policie and martiall discipline especially in this our latter age some other nations do exceed vs. And it is the nature of euerie nation to esteeme and thinke best of themselues but Vegetius holdeth opinion the man borne vnder the temperate Zone and climate to be fittest for warres For saith he the Souldier of the Septentrionall or North Climate by reason of his wide distance from the Sunne doth abound in hot bloud and is of good courage and great strength entring into battell without feare but rash and inconsiderate in the same voyd of consideration and counsell in most of his actions And on the contrarie the Meridionall man by reason of the neerenesse of the Sunne the which they haue almost for their Zenith are fearefull and faint-hearted and verie loth to enter into battell except constrained and vrged therunto but withall verie subtill warie and sharpe-witted therefore saith he Men of the middle Climate participating of both the extreames are best for the warres as men hardie quicke of great direction and counsell well proportioned and of reasonable good disposition and health But I suppose that of either nation by militarie discipline and practise may prooue good and excellent Warriours Gent. But yet me thinks that men of great stature are of greatest strength and so most terrible to the enemie and fittest for the warres Cap. True in the first ranks tall men do make a faire shew but now the artillerie and fierie weapon hath greatly diminished their authoritie yet before this infernall engine was vsed in the world the opinions of the most famous Captaines were different herein for Alexander esteemed men of litle stature for most valiant and hardie Pyrrhus per contra liked the goodlie tall and large proportioned men but Iulius Caesar as more considerate and wise rather chose men of meane stature as naturallie strong of determinate minds and courage and capable of counsell and prudence But we must be serued with our owne nation out of the which ought to be chosen the most discreet godlie and vertuous Captains and Officers of most experience annexed with vertue and Souldiers of honest behauiour and conditions which by skilfull Captaines may soone be brought to be readie men THE SECOND DIALOGVE WHEREIN IS declared the generall parts wished to be in a Souldier Gentleman WEll now I pray you declare the generall parts of a Souldier Capt. It is necessarie that he which entreth into this action that hee ground his valorous determination vpon foure principles First vpon defence of true Religion secondly the honour of his Prince thirdly the safetie of his countrie fourthly diligently to learne the Art he professeth which is warre whereby many men of low degree and base linage haue attained vnto great dignitie credit and fame as Caius Marius borne of poore parents in a village of the Arpines came to be a famous commander of the Romanes Valentinian a poore mans sonne of Sybaly in Hungaria a Romane Emperour Maximinus borne in a base towne of Thracia vnto the like dignitie and Nicholas Pichinnino the sonne of a Butcher to be Captaine generall of Philip Vicount Duke of Millans army and other Potentats of Italy Many others might be remembred both English French Italian and Spanish borne of low degree which by their value vertue prudence and conduction mounted to such high Types of honour Now he that taketh this resolution ought to be diligent carefull vigilant and obedient and aboue all to haue the feare of God To chuse to his Camaradas and companions men well acquainted and of honest conditions no factioners nor mutiners whose company is more dangerous then the diuell himselfe With his Camaradas hee is to demeane himselfe sober quiet and friendly rather seuere then lauish in speeches for licentious talkers do easily loose their friendes their estimation and owne quietnesse Let him bee mindfull to serue God for although all professions are thereto bound yet none more deeply then the valiant souldier whose actions are euery houre in danger of death and without doubt he that so doth fighteth with more bold resolution and courage and is thereby brought through manifold daungers and vnto vnexpectable euents Let him bee no blasphemer nor swearer for besides that such a one is infamous to the world he is assured to be punished by Gods diuine iustice whereof many examples haue bene seene Let him abstaine frō dice cards idle games for common gamsters although they haue many other good parts in them yet are they not esteemed according to their better parts but rather discredited getting enemies questions and brawles with many other inconueniences that followes Let him not be ouer curious in his fare and diet but content himselfe with such prouisions as be prouided in the campe In any wise let him eschue the beastly vice of drunkennesse for crammed panches and drunken nowls are apt to nothing but to be sluggish slothfull and drowsie and in their drunken pangs to haue
their throates cut Examples whereof there are too many extant as of Tomyris Queene of the Scythians who ouerthrew Cirus with his three hundred thousand Persians in their beastly drunkennesse of Spargapises the said Tomyris son who being first entrapped foundred with the like vice of drunkennesse was first by the same Cyrus defeated and taken with many moe such examples Besides the souldier giuen to this vice of gluttony and drunkennesse doth disturbe all townes villages and all lodgements wheresoeuer he commeth with his vnruly hurly burly and robberies neuer contenting himself with the ability of his poore host whereby great scandales do arise causing many times many Townes Cities and whole prouinces to reuolt from their Princes caused by the disorder of such insatiable drunkards and gluttons The which insolencies are carefully to be preuented seuerely punished as did Iulius Caesar at the siege of Placentia in Lombardie Dezimare or tenth the ninth Legion by sound of the horne an ignominious chastisement for spoyling robbing certaine villages of his friendes And the Emperour Aurelius did seuerely punish such souldiers as did take any thing from their hoste perforce with much more seuerity did Aufidius Cassius reforme the robberies spoiles done by his disordered cōpanies And Pescennius Niger did condemne vnto death a whole Camarada of Soldiers for taking a cocke from their hoste where they lodged perforce And great Tamberlan punished so seuerely one of his souldiers for such like offence that the rigor thereof did so correct and discipline his campe that where his army lodged three dayes together in one place a tree ful laden with fruit would at their departure remaine whole and vntouched On the contrary the vertue of abstinence and temperance hath bene such and so great in some as it hath rested a perpetuall fame and praise to their names and haue thereby atchiued great and honourable enterprizes Moreouer let our souldier be chaste and honest in his liuing refraining sensuality with all possible instancie auoyding all occasions which might moue him to that vice for those that do giue themselues thereunto do commonly become cowards in their determinations with litle felicitie or good happe in their attempts For they become lasey sickly and feeble and chiefly such as do cary women with them hauing most ordinarily their ends accompanied with dishonor and shame and their effeminacy many times the hinderance of great actions As it chanced vnto the imperiall campe after their famous sacke of Rome whereat they lost their Generall Burbon so that the Prince of Orange and other Imperiall Captaines durst not meete nor stop the passage of Monsieur de Lautrech Generall of the French army which marched towards Naples to regaine that kingdome by reason that they sawe their souldiers so estranged from their former valour as men corrupt and effeminate with the vices of the city as it fell out with Hannibals army at Capua which in short time of valiant became vile of bolde and venturous cowards and dastards of carefull and vigilant sluggards slow and carelesse whereby Marcus Marcellus made it knowne vnto the world that Hanniball might bee conquered The which vice ought with all rigour to bee chastened He ought to be very moderate and not ouer garish in his apparell and garments for it is a principle found true by experience that he that is curious in his gate and attire is neuer like to proue a perfect souldier for they require different humours to the deepe skill in warre and the daintie curiositie of Carpet knights Examples of garish campes easily defeated many might be produced but time permitteth me not but the beauty and brauery of a souldier is his bright and glittring armour not gaudy attire and peacockes plumes I do not thereby inferre that a souldier comming to his Princes court or in other places absent from the warres should not go more gallantly attired according to the place and quality of his person He shall beare a great loue and true affection vnto his Captaine and obay him and the other officers of the campe with great respect for the very day that hee first entreth to be a soldier he doth secretly sweare and promise to serue his Prince by obeying his officers for the true order of warre is a very resemblance of true religion ordained of God which bindeth the souldier to obserue Iustice Loyaltie constancie patience and silence and aboue all obedience through the which is easily attained the perfection in armes and meanes to atchiue great enterprises though neuer so difficult as Plato saith verie well that loue and obedience is signe of a generous minde not subiect vnto passions and vnrulie fits for he that wanteth the vertue of obedience and patience though otherwise neuer so valiant a souldier is vnworthy the name For no greater mischiefe can befall a campe then disobedience nor from whence greater damages do proceede too many examples thereof do abound Therefore a good souldier ought not go against the determinations of his Generall no nor to passe out of the trēches although it were with intēt to shew his valour in some singular combat or in any particular challēge without his Generals licence for he is not now his own man but the Princes who doth giue him pay remembring the rigorous punishment which Manlius Torquatus did execute vpon his own sonne Titus Manlius commaunding his head to be stricken off in his own presence for hauing passed his commaund in sallying forth to fight with Genutius Metius Captaine of the Tusculans who gaue him the defie challenge nothing auailing the poore Gentleman in hauing ouercome and slaine his enemy nor the whole armies supplications and intreaties The like rigour vsed Posthumius Tiburtus against his sonne Aulus Posthumius at his returne from his conquered enemie Gent. Put if his Prince maketh warres against other Christians as commonly it falleth out is it no grudge to the souldiers conscience to fight against them Capt. I suppose none for the souldier is bound to serue his Prince and to defend his desseignes and it toucheth him not much to examine whether the warre be iust or iniust not being against Gods true religion but in such a case I would wish men to be well aduised Our souldier ought patiently to suffer the aduersities and trauels that do fall out in the courses and chances of warre also shewing tokens of true vertue not to be ouergreedy and hasty for his pay although he stand in great need thereof but rather with chearefull countenance shew his constancy eschewing by all meanes possible rebellions and mutinies which often vpon such cases do succeede and in no case be partaker with mutiners for alwayes the end of such is sharpe and shamefull death examples whereof are rife in euery nation If in encounters and battels where he shall happen to be the enemies happe to be ouercome let him set all
his care and diligence in execution of the victory with his weapon and not in the spoile of apparell robes and trash least he be accounted an vnruly scraper as too many now a dayes be for many disorders doe happen by the disorder of couetous spoilers many times to the dishonour of the action and losse of their liues The like consideration he ought to haue in the expugnation of any fort city or towne He shall pursue the victorie euen vntill the enemy be wholie yeelded and rendred and licence graunted to fall vnto the sacke and spoile wherein he shall deporte himselfe neither cruell nor couetous as a number of bad and gracelesse fellowes doe which without respect of God or man do leaue no kinde of rauening crueltie vncommitted with brutall rauishment both of women and maides and with mercilesse murdering of poore innocents yeelded rather in such cases shall he shew himselfe fauourable and mercifull to the humble vanquished procuring to defend them and especially silly women and maidens for God no doubt will be well pleased in so doing Let him make choise of the armes which he meanes to vse and whereunto he â—indeth himselfe most affected and fit and to exercise all sorts of weapons as is vsed in the schooles of the Ianizzaries Turkes The pike and corselet is of most estimation with footmen for being a weapon of most firmenesse in the field wherwith all squares of men are formed as a most sure defence against the fury of horsemen Of fierie manuall weapons the musket is of most execution and force next to them the calliuers those to enuiron the pikes and to be deuided into many small troupes and bands do serue to best purpose Let him practise each sort of weapon although he professe the Pike Calliuer or Musket and particularly the sword and target the which in mine opinion is verie important to many effectes where men ioyne close together and moreouer they be very necessarie to view and reknowledge batteries to begin assaults to make an entrance to giue a Camisada to many other purposes presented in wars Also must he learne the seuerall soundes of the Drum whereby to obey to that which is commaunded for the Drum is the Commaunders voice giuing due attention to vnderstand the same and carefully to note and marke the signes made by the Captaine and officers without pratling to his next companions for it is one of the greatest faults that a souldier can commit and a signe of great ligeritie and lightnesse It is also a great point in a souldier to be skilfull in swimming as at imbarkments disimbarkments and passing ouer riuers and sundry other occasions incident to warres In skirmishes and encounters he should be valiant and resolute for the souldier that is timerous can neuer incline his heart to any haughtie enterprise nor a fearefull fainting stomacke neither dareth to attend nor attempt any hote charge which for viletie and feare is noted with shame and infamie amongst all warrelike nations Hee shall bee very carefull to bee alwayes vigilant and readie being placed for Sentinell or in the Corps de gard where hee shall not put off his armour vntill his Ensigne-bearer bee first vnarmed on whome he ought to haue his eyes fixed to imitate as he should vpon his Colours to follow in the field The faults herein committed are seuerely to be punished for in Sentinels consisteth the security of the campe The Romaines punished Caius Sulpitius with rigorous death for his negligence herein throwing him headlong downe from the high Capitoll rocks what night the Gaules attempted the surprising thereof which Marcus Manlius manfully defended Hee shall keepe vnspotted his fidelity to his Prince and although there befall him many disgustos and insufferable toyles yet shall he not passe to the enemies campe for not to be tatched a traytor a foule and odious offence rigorously to be punished amongst all nations from all ages and times and neuer yet traytor to his Prince made euer any good end whereof too many examples do abound The treason may be liked but the traytor neuer beloued nor trusted He shall continue and assist in the company where he first began without shifting from company to company for vsing the contrary he shall be esteemed a wauering companion of small consideration and constancie In his eating and drinking hee shall not be curious to keepe any precise houres more then the time will permit yet let him procure to preuent time herein for a man hungry and ouerwatched shall weakely performe his seruice in the field When he shall lie in Campe or garrison let him at vacant times occupie himselfe in warlike exercises wherein vertue excelleth fortune as in leaping running wrastling tossing the Pike pitching the Barre throwing the Sledge and in the practise of all sortes of weapons which he shall vse for his recreation vnto the which exercises I wish Captaines should inure their companies as did King Pyrrhus his souldiers rewarding such as excelled herein It shall be wonderfull auaileable for him to reade Histories for nothing doth more reuiue the spirits and sharpen and perfectionate the wits of man Therein shall he finde the erecting the gouernement the alteration or fall of Monarchies Kingdomes and Common-wealthes the courses and changes of times and ages the conductions and stratagemes of battels wonne and lost the carriage of braue men and basenesse of bad persons the vertue and fame of the valiant the shame and infamie of the vile the vse of auncient discipline and manner of our Moderne warres In fine there shall he behold the state of Peace and Warre And for as much as no man can reduce those things vnto perfection whereof he is ignorant and knoweth not the Arte let him diligently marke consider and remember the orders which the higher Officers doe obserue in framing their Squadrons of Infanterie and Cauallerie and the place of the great Artilerie in the march field and Campe and the plot of the alodgement according to the disposition of the ground where the Campe shall then be with the manner of the intrenching with the placing of the Ordinance and defences for the same And if he find himselfe at the siege of any strong place towne or fortresse let him diligently view the situation and the order that is taken for the batterie thereof and if happily he be within a fort of defence let him well marke the course that is taken for the defending thereof Thus viewing considering conceiuing and obseruing all these aforesaide points and manie more vsed in militarie actions and that which toucheth euery officer in particular euen from the Caporall to the Captaine generall to the end he may be throughly perfect in the Arte he professeth thereby to aduance and vantage himselfe sith it is the verie source mother and foundation of Nobilitie reason therefore it is that it be perfectly vnderstood of the professours and followers
to the discretion of the Scout-maister if there be any or vnto the care of the diligent Sergeant carefull Caporall or other such officer to set them in such sort and with such disposition of the ground and place and distance that they may before the enemy arriue giue aduisemēt in sufficient time to the Corps de guard wherby they may be readie with weapon readie bent And therefore in such places of suspect and daunger there ought to be placed souldiers of importance and care and men of best credit sith it concerneth the securitie of the Campe which remaineth quiet reposed and at rest trusting vnto the care and diligence of these Sentinels vnto the which an order is to be giuen how to behaue themselues in any alarmes presented giuing them the Word deliuered by the Sergeant And if the place be obscure and full of couert he shall set abroad certaine forlorne Sentinels without the Word single and if occasion require double a shot and a pyke to giue knowledge of the alarme This is sometimes done with a whistle or hysse for not to disturbe the campe without great neede or good occasion His principall care is to visite and reuisite them as well by day as by night making his Contraround with great care and diligence and to be readie at euerie call and neede He is to repart the victuals deliuered by the Sergeant for his Squadron with liberalitie and equalitie vnto euery Camarada without partialitie to any and shall procure that in their lodgings they accommodate themselues together as true companions and loyall friendes he himselfe being so vnto all both in deed and word for the better to keepe them at commaund and obedience the which doth most import to the well effecting of any act and so shall he accomplish what is encharged and commanded him as a prudent Officer Gent. Then is the word to be giuen to euery seuerall Sentinell sauing to the forlorne Sentinels as it appeareth by you or vnto the Caporals onely as I haue heard say Capt. Amongst the Spanish companies of their old Regiments where their souldiers be experimented trustie carefull it is so vsed but amongst new companies the Caporals onely haue the Word who are to be readie vpon euery call of the Sentinels to see the occasion and to take the Word the which is so done with great consideration for many inconueniences and disorders which rawe Bisognios will commit and therfore those Posts or Sentinels which had the word being relieued changed are presently by the Sergeant or Officer carried vnto the Corps de gard not suffred to depart thence vntill the watch be discharged Gent. In what order is he to take the word Capt. Being a shot he ought to haue his peece readie charged primed and to cocke his burning match and so to present his peece and being a pikeman to tertiar or charge his pike and no further off then that with so low a voice as they may vnderstand one another to demaund the Word as in the Sergeant Maiors office I will more at large declare Now euery Caporall or Cabo de esquadra deuides his Squadra into two equall partes naming eyther of them a Camarada contayning each twelue souldiers or any other number according to the proportion of his Squadra And ouer euery Camarada or such number of souldiers is there appointed a Cabo de Camara being the most sufficientest souldier of the saide Camarada The which Capos de Camara are assistents vnto the Caporall for the good direction and gouernement of his Squadron and are necessarie Officers for the speedie embattelling or changing of proportions of any number of men as hereafter shall be declared The Sergeant of a Band his election and office Capt. In the election of the Sergeant there is greater cōsideration to be had for that in him consisteth the principall parts of the obseruation of Military discipline And for that the execution of the superior officers orders and commands doe concerne his charge and dutie it importeth much that he be a skilfull and valiant souldier and well experimented in martiall matters and I say of so great importance that more tollerable it were all the other officers of the companie yea were it the Captaine himselfe to be rawe men and Bisognios with litle experience and skill and the Sergeant not so who of necessitie ought to be an expert souldier and of great spirit and diligence It is requisite that he be somewhat learned both to write and reade and to cypher whereby to keepe a roll or list of all the souldiers of his cōpany with their seuerall weapons and haue them in memory by names of the Camaradas and to know distinctly how many armed Corslets and vnarmed pikes with the short weapons what number of Shot Musket and Calliuer to set with diligence at an instant all his companie in order as occasion shall cause and the place require wherein he shall be And to the end that he doe it not confusedly let him drawe each sort of weapons by themselues wherby to set them in order with more consideration dispatch and ease placing the most expert souldiers and best armed in the front rereguard and flankes where greatest occasion shall require For it toucheth him to see that his companie be well ranked in equall distance and in good array with their armour and weapon fitted and vsed in their due nature the which he must doe with great forecast cheerefull speeches and courteous wordes binding them thereby to loue him to regarde him to respect him instructing the Drummes and Phifes their seuerall soundes as howe to sound a Call a Troupe a March swift or slowe an Alarme a Charge a Retreit c. Sundry orders are vsed in ranking and placing each sort of weapon in a single companie but the best obserued is this the Muskets first and Calliuers in foreward rereward equally deuided the Pykes in like sort with their armed corslets in front rereward and flankes contayning in the Center their Ensigne with their armed Halberds to be ranked by 3.5 or 7 as the Sergeant shall thinke good But to enter into skirmishes or to frame any Squadrons let him obserue the order appointed by his Sergeant Maior shewing himselfe diligent and readie therein in so doing he gayneth honour reputation and credite and doing the contrarie infamie dishonour and shame breeding cause of disorder and loosing of time It is his office to order and deuide the Squadrons assigning which shall be for the Corps de guard which for the walles which for the streetes of the quarter where they are lodged and which are to accompanie the Colours and he shall not suffer any souldier to come thither without his Armes fully furnished Hee is also to appoint which shall goe to the Scout-watch and those which shall worke in the Rāpier Trenches If any quarrels or brawles do arise amōgst the company
renowne and fame Gent. If in fight the Ensigne be broken and the Enemie do carie away a part thereof doth the Ensigne-bearer lose thereby his reputation Capt. No not a iot so that hee keepeth the verie trunke of the staffe in his hand When the Companie doth march the Ensigne-bearer may carie his Colours resting vpon his shoulder eyther open or folded vp but making a stand or Alto he is bound by dutie to aduance the Ensigne and not to campear it or pitch it on the ground for that is the tricke of a Bisognio and doth repugne the authoritie and grauitie of his office In fights in encounters in musters and in presence of the Lord Generall he must cary his Colours displayed passing by him he must aduance it only bowing the point somewhat downward without any more ceremonies but if he passe by the king or Prince he shall withall bow somewhat one of his knees as a difference from the Generall In Ordinances or framed battels alwayes the Ensignes do march in one large or long ranke iointly in the middest of the Squadron the most place of honour is the left and right out-sides the Ensigne on the right hand carying the preheminence who giueth direction and order to the rest in this sort if hee beareth his Ensigne on his shoulder loose so are all the rest to carie theirs and if fardled vp all they are to do in the like order and so imitating him in all other maners and shewes and if he deliuereth his vnto his Abanderado and take the Halberd the rest are to do the like and the selfe same orders are to be obserued by the Auanderados for it is an vnseemly shew to see in a ranke of Ensignes different orders one from another The Abanderados are vsed to be souldiers and some do set their owne seruants to that office These ought to go well apparelled and well armed for I haue seene sometimes amongst the Spaniards the Alferes themselues to passe into other ranks to fight leauing the Ensigne with the Abanderado but I like it not for it is not lawfull for the Ensigne-bearer to leaue his Colours neither to fight but with the same in his hand and that vpon such occasions as before I haue declared no though it were to shew his valour and prowesse In the lodging the Ensigne shold be accompanied with a Corps de garde although it be in place of quiet and out of all suspition as well for the authoritie and reputation of the same as to auoyd manie inconueniences which happen to succeed through mutinies brawles and frayes It is also conuenient that the Ensigne-bearer haue alwayes with him a Drum to call his companie together and for such occasions as shall be offered for the Ensignes should be of such veneration and haue bene so respected of the Souldiers that there hath seldome bene seene any one flying to the sanctuarie thereof auoyding the Souldiers furie to bee pursued or hurt esteeming their Ensigne a thing inuiolable as it fell out in Brescia when the mutinous souldiers wold haue slain the Lord Lewes Yearts their Generall who flying to the Ensigne it was enough to cause them to leaue off so shamefull and so abhominable attempt When the Souldiers do enter into any Corps de gard either in Castle towne fortresse or campe they ought not to disarme themselues vntil they see their Alferes first vnarmed vpon whom they should haue their eyes fixed to imitate as they haue vpon the Ensigne he beareth to follow wherefore the Ensigne-bearer is not to disarme vntil the gates of the Fort or place of defence wherein they are be first shut if it be in campe or field when it seemeth that he may safely do it not otherwise to the end that the souldiers take not example from him of vnsoldiarie negligence and slouth but rather of all vigilancy care and paine Gent. You haue largely set downe the aduertisements touching this Officer wherein you haue notified many martiall points vnknowne to vs therfore I pray proceed to the Lieutenants office and dutie Capt. This Officer amongst the Spanish companies is not vsed but amongst vs the Italians French therfore I will touch somewhat of him by the way The Lieutenant his office and duty He therefore that is chosen to this office ought to be a man of great experience fidelity and valour who in the absence of his Captaine carieth his roome charge and command vnto whom the souldiers and vnder-officers are to obey for the time as vnto the Captaine himselfe notwithstanding he must vse it with such discretion and moderation that he arrogate not too much vnto himselfe but at his Captaines returne he shall with all loue truth and dutie enforme him of all things and matters passed If any questions and ciuill debates do arise amongst the souldiers of his band he is to pacifie iudge and determine the same with grauity and good speeches whereby he shall binde them more firmely vnto him in obedience and loue and when as he cannot concert and agree them he is to referre them ouer vnto his Captaine but the most faultie and offenders hee may cause to be apprehended and send them to the Colonell or Marshall It is his charge and office to see that the Company be prouided of all necessaries aduertising the Caporals to see well to their charges and aduising the Sergeant to be diligent carefull and ready in his office wherein he shall ayd help assist him both in ordering the company and in setting the watch the which he is precisely bound to perform himself in the Sergeāts absence or time of infirmity He is to passe with the Companie vnto the Corps de garde to see the watch and Sentinels set and often times to visite and reuisite the same and to perswade the souldiers to respect with obedience their Sergeant and Caporals wherefore it importeth him to be well spoken discreet and wise to moue perswade them with sound reasons to the obseruation and obedience of Militarie discipline disburdening thereby his Captaine of manie and sundrie toiles It toucheth him also to see the souldiers appointed to their lodgings giuing order for the same vnto the Harbenger and how he shall distribute the baggage and cariage amongst the particular souldiers and the sicke men carefullie to bee looked vnto not suffering these Harbengers or Furriers to rob purloine and filch as they are wont to do whereby great scandals do arise as at the rising of the Vlishingers and in sundrie other places hath appeared His place of march his Captaine being present is in the Rere-ward of all the company but after any fight or skirmish in retiring marching out of the field he is to passe before and the Captaine in the rere-ward Now for as much as by that as shall be declared in the ordinarie Captaines office may easily bee vnderstood the dutie of this officer hauing the whole
company in charge it seemeth me to haue said at this present sufficient herein The Captaine of Infanterie his election and office First at the leuying and erecting of new Companies in Spaine the Captaines of Infanterie are appointed by the Counsell of state warre and when places be void in the garrisons Campe new Captaines are placed by the Generals and Vize royes in their seueral gouernmeÌ„ts but with vs the Lords of the priuy Councell do commonly appoint them Gent. Truly the electioÌ„ made by such personages must needs be good sure Capt. It shold seem so indeed neuerthelesse it hath bene seen many times that both some Generals Vize royes Counsellers also haue missed in the consideration therof bestowing those charges vpon their followers Court-familiars and fauorites whereby hath risen dammage to the Prince discredit to the action for by means of such fauorit-elections many valiant skilful souldiers do remaine without charge fit for their skil and valour wherby remayning in seruice they obey not their such chosen officers neither do they attempt such honorable enterprises as often times are offered seeing that they are neither to be honored nor rewarded for the same seeing that men of litle good sort Bisognios and of small skill and experience are only by fauour preferred before them vnto those charges due to them by right which is the cause that Military discipline is fallen to decay and standeth in great need of reformation Gent. How might that be Capt. Mary in mine opinion with the Princes Potentates due reputation fauour regard the which may easily be done thus When any new Companies are leuied and raysed then not to giue the conduction and charge of them for affection and fauour vnto such as lie fawning in the Court for the same but to giue order vnto their Generals Vize-royes and Colonels assisting in their Camps and in the gouernment of their seuerall Prouinces to send them lysts or rolles of the most ancient most skilfull and best renowned Lieutenants that they haue and out of those to elect and choose Captaines and of those which before were Ensignes to chuse for Lieutenants and Sergeant to be Ensigne-bearers and Caporals to be Sergeants and of the best approued souldiers to chuse for Caporals And the verie same orders should the Vize-royes and Generals obserue not to elect him for Captaine who neuer was Lieutenant nor him for Lieutenant who neuer was Ensigne that the Treasurers of the Campes and Nauies should not set downe place to an Ensigne-bearer who neuer was Sergeant nor to a SergeaÌ„t which neuer was Caporall and that this order among theÌ„ all should be inuiolably obserued kept by this order shold the coÌ„panies be perfect wel disciplined conseruing great quiet and good order amongst them the souldiers vsing great obedience to their officers seeing themselues commanded by such skilfull maisters and euery man will in his roome place vse his diligence skill valour and endeuour hoping thereby to ascend to the degrees of others before him Gent. But with vs in England where thanks be to God we haue had litle occasion of warres this order would hardly be obserued considering the litle choise we haue of men of such sort Capt. True it is we haue small choise in deed neuerthelesse there bee manie braue men of our nation which haue long followed the warres both in the Low countries France and other places many of them spending their wealth and patrimonie in the same and men of good sufficiencie were they imployed yet rest they obscure and without charge many of them by reason of the fauorite election afore named What courage then to follow warres Gent. But many of your French and Low-countrie seruitors do hold too high an opinion of themselues thinking that for a few yeares seruice in forraine parts they merite an euerlasting reward and pay and your common souldiers the action once ended do scorne to returne to their former occupations and trades Cap. Both those sorts do I deepely condemne with you the first as men fondly conceited inconsiderate the second as men neither good for peace nor warre But we must not say they be all such neither many such I hope for I do know many others braue and honest men that liue contented with their lot though in meane estate not begging nor crauing with bolde and shamelesse faces for the more honester mind the lesse apt to beg and craue but applying themselues to some honest course and trade to maintaine their poore liuing well knowing that The warres once ended the Princes purse not able neither necessarie to maintaine all idle neuerthelesse the warres againe reuiued As readie to serue as the proudest he And again I do know manie others men of honest minds and of good courage who hauing long followed the warres and of good proofe in the same being out of action by the aforesaid occasions and hauing no trade few friends and lesse means do passe God knoweth but barely a thing to be pittied and wished to be considered Now out of these I suppose ought our Captaines and Officers to be chosen in these dangerous seasons with some reasonable allowance toward their maintenance leuied by such meanes as should be found most fit by her Maiesties honorable Counsell and subiects and commons most willing to the same which no doubt would prooue to wonderfull great effect especially to our true training and bringing men to be ready for Captained as we are our blind ignorance may chance breed our owne woe Gent. Such choise in mine opinion were good indeed to bring our people to more perfection in soldiarie points especially to bring them to the face of the enemy to fight but we haue Muster-masters appointed in euerie Shiere men of seruice and skill both to instruct our Captaines and to traine our souldiers who haue pay allowed them for the same Capt. Sith the other cannot be surely this course is good prouided that these Muster-masters be such men as I speak of I mean expert valiant skilfull discreet especially diligeÌ„t men but if they want those parts As good neuer a whit as neuer the better wherfore I could hartily wish considering this fickle dangerous 〈…〉 Lieutenants of euery shire and Captaines and Gentlemen of the 〈…〉 prouide them of some good Officers at the least not onely to furâ—â—◠〈◊〉 selues with good armour and furniture but also to cause all others 〈◊〉 to carrie the charge thereof to prouide them in like sort chaunging those â—â—â—roued blacke Billes and Bowes into good Muskets Pikes and Corslets not â—â—â—â—uring any for friendship or affection nor wincking at faults I know not for what small causes but to see it performed Wishing also our trayning Captaines and Muster-maisters to looke well to their charge and dutie and besides their diligent trayning to see each fault amended and that in due time
And not in musters and traynings to carie neither long-sword neither Halbard neither leading-staffe neither halfe-pike neither yet a page going before him for it is a Bisognios tricke ill beseeming a perfect Captaine If he be commaunded with his Company to the defence and guard of any place he is to repaire to rampiere to entrench and to fortifie himselfe therein with all speed care diligence and forecast and defend the same with resolute valour as diuerse valiant Captaines haue done both in time past and also in our age whose fame in histories is and euer will bee fresh in despight of enuie If the Armie be encamped and being commanded vnto any peece of seruice he must shew therein great valour vigilancie and care animating his souldiers and consulting with his officers and most experimented men of his Companie and after determination had to shew himselfe couragious and resolute But let him well beware that he attempt nothing inconsiderate and rash as manie ignorant men haue done to their owne and companies confusion For those that go without preuention preconsideration and forecast of such successes casualties as may befall do in the very action find thēselues puzzeled amazed and at their wits end with their ouerthrow in fine Therfore to auoid such inconueniences hazards let the Captaine be wel assured to obserue the orders instructions giuen him by the higher Cōmanders if manifest occasion be not seen that in obseruing the same great dammage may ensue or good occasion be lost It importeth him also much to be a good Oratour and to haue a sweet vaine in speech and all other Commanders and officers in like sort that haue people in charge to perswade moue or disswade their souldiers as occasions shall serue to perswade to good actions to disswade from bad factions to commend valour and vertue to reprehend faults and vices and things done without order and discipline to encourage moue and stirre vp mens minds to battels braue encounters and to induce men by good speeches to endure patiently and with constant hearts the toyles wants and discommodities which commonly are presented in casualties of warre wherby they arise not in mutinies nor into such other dissolutions by reason of impatiencie in semblable aduersities A point of great vertue it is in a Captain not to be ouer couetous and greedy but franke and liberall amongst his souldiers and followers succouring them to his best abilitie in their necessities needs procuring that they be orderly paid and not basely to wrong them in detaining deceiuing and robbing them of their payes as some bad Captaines haue bene wont to do who with litle honestie and lesse feare of God haue made a practise thereof such vnworthy Captaines the Lord Generall ought seuerely to punish Item such day as his Company hath the gard he must send his Sergeāt to take the Word from the Sergeant Maior or some other such personage who hath order for the same with the which Word he is to gouerne his watch and Sentinels for that night for therein consisteth the security of the Campe. In visiting the Sentinels Corps de gard he must vse great care diligence and see that his souldiers and officers do precisely performe what toucheth them therein according to the order he shall haue receiued from his superiour Commanders and cause that his Company be alwaies prouided with candles torches such other lights for the redresse of many casualties chācing in the night He shall obey the ordinances of the Sergeant Maior and other his superiour officers with great good will diligence respecting thē accompanying them the more to moue them to loue and affect him and shall procure to learne from thē the orders courses they shall take in prosecuting the warre for it is a great vertue to be curious to know that which toucheth his profession it importeth him much to vnderstand it perfectlie wherby he may find himselfe furnished with more considerations and more ready for matters cōmitted vnto him thereby to aduance himself in his Princes seruice and in credit and reputation to his owne person bearing with a magnanimous and equall mind as well his aduerse as his prosperous fortune a rare and principall vertue At marching vnto any place with his companie let him procure that they bee prouided of necessarie baggage but yet with such moderation that in no sort he suffer his souldiers to be pestered and cumbred but as light as may bee but with their armour weapon to the end that if occasion be offered to encounter with the enemie they may finde themselues more ready determinate to gaine booties from them then carefull to conserue their owne trash and baggage not permitting any souldier to haue any horse but some fewe and particular of his most expert men the which may serue in steede of light horses to discouer and take knowledge and to send aduises if need should require In his alodgements he shold most ordinarily lodge amongst or neere his souldiers giuing them examples with his vertues and good behauiour being companion with them in hardnes of liuing not procuring to himself dainties curious meats imitating herein Cato Vticensis and George Castriot Lord of Albania Hannibal Scipio Caesar and others In fine he shal entreat his souldiers with gentle words good works accounting them as his sonnes and children whereby they may loue him respect him as their father and being thus linked he shall enterprise no act wherein they will not follow him with great loue willingnesse and valour boldly aduenturing their liues for their common honour gaining to himselfe thereby great fame reputation with the Generall and the whole Armie therby binding his Prince to reward him according to his valour vertue and deserts Gent. You haue declared many good parts belonging to a Captaine I would that our Captaines were halfe so well furnished Capt. I would they had all these good parts and manie more if more might be then should we haue lesse cause to make reckening of our enemies The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is declared the order of a Romane Legion with their deuisions and the manner of the Grecians Phalanx also a forme of trayning to be practised and vsed amongst vs with the vse and handling of each weapon in their kinde and other militarie points Gentleman FRiendly Captaine your yesterdayes Discourses haue so delighted contented and enflamed both my selfe and these other Gentlemen that we must needs entreat you to proceed and to speake somewhat of the higher Officers of the field wherefore I pray satisfie vs herein Capt. Gentlemen I would those parts of skill were in me to answere your requestes and to satisfie your expectations Neuerthelesse seeing you are so well bent and inclined to the vnderstanding of Militarie courses I will to my
best abilitie and knowledge declare vnto you such matters as I haue found by mine owne experience eyther learned from the directions of braue Commaunders vnder whom I haue serued or gathered out of the best authors which haue written vpon this subiect VVarre Indeede at the beginning of these our speeches I did not then thinke to haue marched so farre into this Martiall field for my fiue or sixe yeares discontinuance from action had almost driuen all the courses order and methode thereof out of my mind and memorie but your curious demaundes and questions haue both drawen me on sharpened my wit and refresht my memorie wherein if I haue erred or may misse hereafter as no man but erreth some more some lesse I submit my selfe to the censure and correction of men more experimented and of better parts then my selfe Gent. Truely Captaine you say very well and I would we had many of no meaner partes nor of no worse meaning then your selfe in mine opinion then no doubt but our common souldiers should be better instructed and be better dealt withall then they now are by some of their Captains But letting these matters passe I pray what order would you wish to be obserued in the trayning of our souldiers here with vs in the countrie sith we are commanded to traine and as yet I see litle good order obserued in the same Capt. Touching the true and orderly trayning of your people in this our Moderne Militia I haue in generall roued ouer some part thereof alreadie but not so particularly as such an action would require wherein I could heartily wish that as neere as possible we might we should reduce ourselues with such armes as we now vse vnto the forme manner and course of the auncient Romanes in their Militia and discipline of warre although ages seasons and inuentions haue altered much and many weapons by them vsed Gent. I pray what order did the Romanes obserue in their warres and how were they armed Capt. The Romanes deuided their foot people of warre into men armed with heauie armour or as we may tearme it armor complete and into light armed men Those which were light armed they called by one common name Velites vnder which word they vnderstood all such as carried slinges darts bowes crosse-bowes and such like the greatest part of whom were armed with a skull or close Cellat for the head and had besides their other weapons a shield or Target vpon their left arme to defend and couer themselues and did fight or skirmish in straggling sort a good distance from those that were armed with heauie or complete armour in Squadron Vnto those may we well compare our shot especially them of the forlorne hope or Enfans Perdus as the French doe terme them Their people armed with heauie or complete armour had first a Cellat or Burgonet which couered their head and reached ouer their shoulders then for their bodie a Cuyrasse whose flappes or tasses couered their thighes euen down to the knees their legges and armes were armed with Greaues and Vambraces and for their defence they carried a shield of foure foote long and two foot and a halfe broad bound about with a band of yron and for weapon they had a sword not ouer long girt vnto their left side a short dagger vpon their right and in their hand a Iauelin or Dart which they called Pilum the which at the beginning of their fight they did lance or dart at the enemie vnto these may we compare our Corslets and Pykes whereof we frame our battels or battaillions and our armed halbards partizans and other short weapon Commonly a Romane army consisted of two Romane Legions which was a Consuls armie and of two Auxiliarie legions which were of their friends or confederates Their Legion consisted at the first but of three thousand footmen and three hundred horse but afterwards encreased vnto 5.6 or 8000. foote Their legion they deuided into Cohortes Maniples and Centuries Euery legion of 6000. foote was deuided into ten Cohorts at 600. to euery Cohort and euery Cohort into sixe Centuries after 100. men to euery Centurie and euery Centurie into foure Maniples after 25. souldiers vnto euery Maniple or into fiue Maniples at 20. souldiers to euery Maniple Moreouer euery legion was deuided into 3. partes or orders of battels into Hastati Principes and Triarij The Hastati were set in the front of their armie in order of Squadrons thicke and sure behinde them were placed the Principes but with the order of their Squadrons more rare and thinner After these againe were ranged the Triarij but with the order of their Squadrons much more thinner then the Principes Now their slingers darters archers or crosse-bowes and such light armed were placed without these Battels or Squadrons on the flanks and front between the horsemen and their armed battell as we do or ought to do in mine opinion our shot some filâ—ers of Pykes Halberds and such other short weapon Gent. What sort of men thinke you fittest to be chosen for souldiers and to be trayned and what order in their trayning Capt. I suppose men of the better sort from the age of eighteene yeares vnto thirtie yeares are fittest to be chosen Now the signes whereby to coniecture the persons most apt for warres by the Phisiognomie and proportion of bodie are these The eyes quicke liuely piercing the head and countenance vpright the breast broad and strong the shoulders large the armes long the fingers strong and synowie the belly thinne the ribbes large the thigh bigge the legge full and the foote leane and drie for whosoeuer is of this disposition and with these conditions cannot chuse but be nimble and strong which are two qualities chiefly to be required in a souldier I could wish that those Bandes which are appointed to be trayned for of the Officers I haue spoken before should be by their Captaine Muster-maister and other Officers trayned at the least once euery moneth or oftener as the weather and season will permit and euery Caporall with his Cabos de Camera to traine and instruct their Esquadra especially of shot once euery weeke or once euery fortnight at the least ensigning them the vse of their weapon and order of sleight skirmish For often practise maketh men readie especially and shot the which without readinesse and skill is a weapon of litle aduantage and in the hands of perfect souldiers is a weapon of great aduantage and of wonderfull execution Now the seuerall companies hauing bene well applyed and taught for a time by their Captaine and other officers I would wish should once euery three monethes meete and ioine some foure or fiue companies together in some conuenient place then and there to bring them into such formes as should be needfull for so many companies And once a yeare at the least all the companies of the whole shire to meete in
would haue the Sergeant Maior to be skilled and seene although the conduction of our warres now a dayes doth consist more in surprises assaults and batteries then open field fight and although the best now in vse are but two or three viz. the first square of men and the square of ground and their diuision into battallions of that kind according to the weapons wherewithall we now fight Gent. Which of these do you hold for most assured and strong Capt. I hold them all for sufficient strong but the difference which may happen is to be iudged according to the situation and disposition of the ground and occasions to fight and by the order that the campe shall obserue For in some occasions the square of men would be best as in open field without aduantage of hedge ditch water marish or wood or where the enemie is strong in horse to charge on euerie side the which iust square of men in euerie part is found to be equally strong and apt euery way to receiue the charge the which could not be so were the battell ouerlong afront narrow in flank as is the bastard broad or base square but yet in other occasions where these aduantages are to be found it were better to fight in broad front for that thereby many hands do come to fight at once together in the vantguard and with more difficultie to be compassed by the enemie hauing any of the aduantages before spoken of to friend but most cōmonly if necessitie occasion or situation do not constraine otherwise the quadrat of ground is best and most vsed as best proportioned with equall strength in vantguard and reareward especially against footemen and also flanked sufficiently strong and which of all other doth occupie least quantitie of ground Gent. What meane you by Bastard square Broad square and Base square Capt. The Bastard square is the battell which conteineth almost twise so many men in front as in flanke in proportion as 1 ¾ is to 1 the Broad square is the battell which conteineth more or as much as twise so many men in front as in flank as is 2 to 1 or 2 ⅓ which is as 7 to 3 and the Base square is the battell which containeth almost thrise or 3 times more in breadth then in depth which proportion is as 8 to 2 or 3 to 1 or such other proportions of inequalitie as fol. 51. Gent. You haue before declared at large the maner how to frame all these sorts of battels therfore it is needelesse to demaund it againe whereby I perceiue how necessary it is for the Sergeant Maior to be both learned and skilfull in Arithmeticke but doth it import any thing whether the ranks be of euē number or odde Capt. No truly but a custome vsed amongst vs without any ground for battels are to be set according to the number of men and the same to be framed as the situation of the ground will permit therfore the number of Par or Impar doth litle import to the strengthening of the battell but the due proportioning thereof according to the quantitie of your men to be accommodated to the ground or situation and aboue all the braue conduction of the Commaunders and the resolute valour of the souldiers is the strength and firmenesse of the battell Gent. What order is to be taken in setting of battels with speede and facilitie that the confusion of the souldiers disturbe not the same especially where men be vnruly euery one thrusting himselfe into the first rankes of the foreward in such disorder many times that neither the Sergeant Maior nor Colonels themselues shall be able to frame a battell in good sort Capt. The care to redresse this inconuenience toucheth the Sergeant Maior and therefore he ought to giue aduise and warning vnto euery companie before they come to this point that they beware of such confusion disorder and disobedience notifying vnto them that the Ensigne or Ensignes which were of the ward that day should frame the first rankes of the vantgard and the Ensignes or Companies that had the ward last before should successiuely follow and those which were afterward to haue the ward to succeede them againe and then next such as first were gathered to the squadrons Moreouer giuing aduisement to the officers that they suffer none of the souldiers of their bande to come without their armour by peece-meale and vnfurnisht for by such faults although that by the aforesaid reasons the vantguard appertaineth vnto them yet they loose their preheminence for comming so ill armed and iustly may others better armed be placed in their roomes Gent. And if perhappes vpon the Alarme giuen as commonly it falleth out all the Companies in Armes doe ioyne and gather together vnto the Corps de guarde or place of assemblie in such a case what is the Sergeant Maior to do Capt. He shall frame together that confused and disordered body placing the Captaines before and shall draw his battell from out one of the flankes or out of the rereward as he shall finde it most commodious the which he shall doe with great facilitie and thereby shall defraude those that were cause of such confusion and it shall serue vnto two good effectes the one he shall frame his battell with speede and the other he shall by this meanes chasten the vnruly and disobedient by leauing them in the rereward who seeing this order taken by the Sergeant Maior will euer afterwardes be more obedient and tractable to be set in order Gent. But the battell or squadron of pikes being set in what order is the same garnished with shot and how many and great shall the sleeues thereof be and how farre distant placed from the pikes for I haue heard different opinions therein whereof although you haue sayd somwhat already yet I pray let vs heare something more of the same Capt. No souldier is ignorant that the squadron of pikes being set is to be impaled or girdled with shot as many rankes of shot as pikes But the due and naturall girdling indeede ought to be no more shot in ranke then that the pike may well couer and defend especially where the enemie doth abound in Cauallerie And so vnder the defence and fauour of the pike there cannot conueniently stand aboue one ranke of three shot at the most and so many in mine opinion should the girdling conteine the which girdling shot kneeling vpon one knee vnder the couert of the couched pikes should at the charging of the horsemen discharge their vollie in their face and bosome which would bee no small galling vnto them But when this daunger of horse is not to be feared then the impalement may be made of more shot in a ranke at the discretion of the Sergeant Maior according to the quantitie of shot contained in his companies and the rest of the shot to be deuided into sundry small troupes as I sayd before
to troupe round about the battell with some reasonable distance from the same the which manner of small troupes I esteeme to be farre better then the sleeues conteining great numbers and more ready to be brought to skirmish euery seuerall troupe to be led forth by his Caporall and some Captaines to ouersee the whole Moreouer I would thinke good at euery angle of the battell to be placed a good squadron of Muskets which should serue to flanker it euery way euen as the Caualleros or Trauassos do the curtaine of a fort so that a well framed battell or squadron of pikes well impaled with shot and anguled with squadrons of Muskets seemeth a Castell with his curtaines Caualleros and ditches the manner whereof being framed of expert resolute men is of wonderfull force the which was well to be seene in the iorney of Caruā in Barbarie where Don Aluaro de Sandy with 4000 Spanyardes foote souldiers of great valour made a braue famous retraict the space of 4. or 5. myles in a champion field being be set and charged by Cydearfa king of the Moores with aboue twentie thousand horse at the least fiue or six times with the losse of onely 80 men of his and the slaughter of seuen or eight hundred of the enemy Which is a gallant example what braue footemen may do being conducted by a good chiefe Gent. Your orders and reasons doe like me very well but yet of one thing I stand in some doubt and would gladly bee resolued therein which is that our bandes and companies of infanterie haue commonly two thirds of shot vnto one third of pikes so that the battell empaled sleeued and anguled with shot there will yet abound and remaine good store of shot neuerthelesse Now where should those be bestowed to bee safe from the fury of horse if the enemy should therein greatly abound Capt. Your question is good and I my selfe haue bethought me many times thereupon wherefore if your ground be such that the enemies horse may charge you but vpon two parts at the most at once then may the shot retire safely on the contrary parts but if you be imbattailled in open Campania without any aduantage for you and your enemy very strong in horse and you few horse or none to reanswere them then in mine opinion the surest way is thus as I sayd before in speaking of lining of battels with shot first to place 5 6 and 7 rankes of armed pikes or more and girdle them with 5 rankes of shot close vnder the gard and shelter of the pikes on the out side then againe within those first rankes of pikes 3 4 or 5 rankes of shot then certaine rankes of pikes and then shot againe and so consequently as your numbers and occasions shall require as in this figure appeareth Here is to be noted that in such cases where your battel may be charged on euery part or side that then those rankes in flanke which haue a wider distance then those men which are in front doe march vp closer together whereby they may make the front of equall strength and distance of station euery way In this figure first you see placed the girdling shot 5 in a ranke vnder the gard and succour of the pikes then 9 rankes of pikes then certaine rankes of shot and then pikes againe and so consequently to the center where is placed the ensignes and short weapon and munition The girdling shot vpon the very charging of the enemies horse and at the couching of their pikes may kneeling vpon one knee the better to be vnder the couert of the pikes discharge in the bosome of the enemy not aboue twentie pases of and then the pikes being couched the other rankes of shot contained within them are to discharge close ouer the heades of the couched pikes before them and so successiuely as the other pikes shall bee couched the shot contained within them shall discharge So thus in my conceipt would this order containe in safetie the most part of your shot and bee sufficient strong and a great gauling vnto horse Gent. This order I thinke to be good where the enemy aboundeth in number of horse But now I pray tell vs what order is the Sergeant Maior to take and obserue when these companies do march Capt Herein consisteth great skill care direction and discipline for generally men be loth and vnwilling to be tied to any strict and painefull order especially Besonnios wanting practise and patience for vpon euery light occasion they will breake and disaray as when they come to any straight or vnplained way or when they feele themselues a litle wearied or chafed with heate running on euery side disorderly to seeke water which often times hath bene cause of many defeatments And many times againe vpon small occasions doe they dismande themselues the cause thereof growing from the ouer remisnesse and negligence of the officers in not correcting at first such disorders with rigour and seuerity as the vrgentnesse of the cause would require and for that they want the care and diligence to redresse such mismeanours as hereafter I will speake of declaring first what the Sergeant Maior is to doe being in Campania which is to go take the orders to be obserued from the Generall and to know whether his tertio or regiment is that day to haue the vantgard battell or reareward the which he is to do the night before that the army is to march although that the General many times for many good respects will not make the same knowne vntill the very houre of marching And this shall he do chiefly that day which toucheth his regiment to haue the vantgard And therefore it is alwayes important for him to know the wayes most commodious and most salliable for the souldiers and companies out of the campe for many Sergeant Maiors hauing erred herein haue found themselues puzzelled confused and ashamed in presence of their Generals guiding their regiments by wayes pestered with cartes wagons and baggage of the campe And at other times for conducting them through passages so difficult and combersome that they haue bene constrained to breake their arraies For at the remouing of a campe the prauncing and neighing of horses on euery side and the crossing of cartes baggage and carriages and the noise of drummes and trumpets is such and so great that if he be not very preconsiderate in the same and know well the way where hee is to conduct his companies he runneth many times into those inconueniences and chiefly when the campe doth dislodge by night or in dayes mistie and darke for then is the daunger most to bee doubted therfore it importeth much that the Sergeant Maior be very skilfull in the region and countrey where they are to passe and to know the distances from place to place and the qualities of the wayes and passages with their straights and inclosures their hils vallies riuers brookes lakes
moores meddowes fields open or enclosed forests woods thickets or whether the countrey be stony plaine field or ditched and all difference of situations of grounds as well of the hils and high mountaines as of the plaine and champain to the end that he may consider foresee preuent and prepare for euery place where the enemy may annoy him For many times one regiment is to march alone and then doth it touch the Sergeant Maior to haue the care and speculation hereof as it doth the Campe-Maister Generall when the whole army marcheth for that it befall him not as it did vnto the Romaines in the Furcas Caudinas and vnto many other through the like misregard And for more security hereof they are to procure faithful and trusty guides and skilful way leaders to the end not to be beguiled and abused as Hannibal was when he warred in Italy against the Romaines who willing to leade his army vnto Cassinum was led and guided vnto Casilinum to be put into the hands of Quintus Fabius Maximus Generall of the Romaines his enemies Now the order being knowne and the way reknowledged and the houre of remouing at hand he is to commaunde the drumme maior to sound the call Recoia or assembling and euery Captaine of infantery to cause their baggage to be trussed vp and laden and shall straight wayes draw foorth his ensignes out of their quarter into the place of armes and there shall frame his battell or squadron reparting their Captaines into such places as concerneth them that day and shall dispose and appoint the Sergeants of ordinary bandes in such sort that euery one may know what part he hath to gouerne and set in order And for as much as it is seldome seene that the wayes fieldes and passages be so large that the whole battell may march all in front he is to frame his ordinances arraies or Maniples no greater then that the same may march commodiously and at ease thorough the same the order whereof I haue at large declared in folio 62 67 68 and 92 alwayes prouided that he quarter or deuide not his battell if the passage will so permit into no lesse then the third part of the front thereof as thus if the front be of 27 pikes the Maniples or ordinance shall be of 9 and if 21 in front then the deuision or quartering shall be of 7 in front and so of other numbers for he is to conduct his companies so well disciplined and ordered that occasion being offered hee may with speede and readinesse frame and set his battell or battallions reparting the Captaines and officers in places most conuenient as before is sayd Gent. But tell vs how is he to repart them and who shall go in the vantgard which in the battell and who in the reareward and in what part shall the Colours be placed that this readinesse and quicke dispatch might be performed in setting the battell as you speake of Capt. The order I haue partly spoken of before but to giue you content I will repeate it againe therefore me thinkes that the order to be obserued therein is thus That the shot of the forlorne hope and the shot of the right flanke being deuided into many small troupes as I said should march before then next the girdling shot of the said right side after them should follow the ordinances and Maniples of pikes in such sort order as before is declared to the end that the ensignes go not crossed either in one sort or other he is to place them alone after another within so many rankes of pikes so that when soeuer he brings his Maniples vp together pouldron to pouldron to the framing of his battell they may still remaine in their conuenient places which is in the center Then after the pikes shall follow the girdling shot of the left flanke and last of all in the reareward shall follow the troupes of shot belonging to the left flanke and reareward and hauing passed the straight and the squadron formed then may they repaire each girdling shot and troupes to their due and conuenient roomes as before of which orders of Maniples and quartering of battels I haue before declared at large Gent. Is there any meaning or misterie in marching the left or right side shot before in the vantgard Capt. None truly that I know of more then that in all our actions we ought to incline what we can vnto perfection and as the right hand is the more perfect and noble from thence it is reason that wee begin to frame our battels and in that place also to begin to disseuer them Gent. The munition and baggage belonging to the Companies where are they to goe to cause least hinderance and to passe in most security Capt. The consideration that is to bee had when an army doth march is that if the enemy be knowne to be on head the vantgard vpon the way you are to passe then let the munition and baggage be placed in the reareward and per contra if the enemy be found to be in the reareward then passe your baggage to the forward and if on the right side then conuay it to the left and if on the left side then transport it vnto the right with the like consideration and in this sort shall the campe be alwayes a wall and defence vnto the munition and baggage And if in marching the enemy do offer to fight the munition by this meanes shall be no let or hinderance at all And besides all this there ought to be sent abroade certaine Hargulutiers or light horse to scoute before the munition and carriage to preuent the suddain incursions of the enemies stragling horse The same order ought also to be obserued in the marching of one regiment alone But in case that there were no enemy and they might march through places plaine safe and secure the munition and cariage ought alwayes to passe in the foreward with a sufficiēt gard of pikes shot and short weapons that for good respect because it is very commodious for the souldiers that when they come well wearied to their quarter they may find their tents ready pitched and many times their forrage prouided and not to stay attending and expecting the same comming many times wet dirtie ouer tired and halfe dead with hunger and again if by hap any of the cariages do fal the owners of the baggage may help to redresse wherby to saue their baggage and furniture which could not be done if it marched in the reareward Gent. But if it should happen that in none of these sayd parts the baggage might march in safety as in Barbarie or other Champaine countrey where the enemies number consisteth most of horse we not hauing sufficient numbers to answer them what is then to be done where the enemy may charge on euery side Cap. Then in the center of the battell or betwixt the squadrons with
their conuenient gard as before is sayd for besides that little which the souldier hath and carrieth the same there it is reason he defend and keepe it so in the like sort he is to procure that the enemy detrusse him not thereof neither the enemy to glory that perforce he hath dispoiled vs of any thing for the great part of reputation which is lost thereby but if the same may not bee conserued without manifest danger and the squadrons thereby to bee disaraied then ought it to bee forsaken and left the which many braue commanders haue not onely done but some haue left their carriage to the enemy of purpose to the ende that by rifling the same they might fall into some disorder by which meanes and pollicy they might the sooner defeat them and obtaine the victory as did Prospero Colonna and the Marquis de Pescara at the battel of Vicentia in Italy whereat the Venetians and the Captaine Marquis Aluiano were broken and ouerthrowne Gent. The foote souldiers horses and their boyes where are they to go when they them selues mount on horse backe and their boyes do cary their weapon and armour in their Maisters roomes Capt. I would wish as few horses as might be with the foote companies but only for some officers and sick persons but for such as be it is manifestly knowne that it is forbidden by al good discipline of war that no foot soldier do passe out of the campe or alodgement on horsebacke neither on horsebacke to enter into the same but alwaies at sallying he acccompany his colours at the least a mile and before the arriual to their allodgement the like To do the which their horses may go by one side of the battell if the way will permit it and if not then at the traine therof vntil they haue licence granted to mount and yet not that to be permitted vntill their foot Captaine be first mounted and then may they mount on horsebacke and put them selues in order with the Captaine or officer that is to conduct them and to this effect should the Sergeant Maior name and appoint some one And if they be of the shot of the vantgard then are they to follow their vantgard troupes of shot and if pike men then to follow their arraies or Maniples of pikes and in like sort shall the Hargabuziers of the reareward do placing themselues in the traine of their troupes and shall set their boyes and pages with their armes in their roomes and places to the end that if occasion be offered euery mounted souldier may alight and steppe to his roome and place without disordering their ordinance or arrayes at all In the like sort shall such foote souldiers as haue boyes carrying their armes do and when occasion is for the souldier to take him to his armes hauing receiued the same from the boyes let the boyes be shifted out of the battell for I hold it not for good as I haue seene some Sergeant Maiors to place those boyes neare vnto their Ensignes either before or after them for by this meanes may the battell bee disordered and broken and none of those which mounted on horsebacke can readily find their due roomes and places A thing which the Sergeant Maior should greatly regard to keepe his companies alwayes in good order Gent. In their marching should not the souldiers make stayings and pausings to ease and rest themselues Capt. It is very necessary that they make some Altoes or standes to ease them and that they might refresh themselues with such short victuals as they beare along with them and by a litle reposing they may breath and ease them of the wearinesse of the way and so conserue themselues in good order For although the souldier be neuer so much practised and inured and though the shot may suffer the wayes trauell without any great pawsing yet the pikemen as men laden with their armour are not able to endure the same especially in dayes of scorching heate without daunger of sicknesse or brusing of their bodies Therefore the Campe-maister or Sergeant Maior ought to be very considerate and carefull to cause the standes to be made as the commoditie shall be offred and necessitie require it to the end no disgrace might befall them And for that it hath bene somtimes seene that the Sergeant Maiors taking litle regard here unto haue conducted their Regiments very disorderly making a long trace file or lyne as it were of them the vantguard distant from the rereward at the least three or foure myles in such sort that by much lesser numbers then the numbers of their owne companies they may many times be beaten and ouerthrowne as it chaunced vnto the French armie in Lombardie being defeated by Antonio de Leyua gouernour there for the Emperour Charles at their marching towards Viagrass◠their Commaunder the Countie Sanpaule being taken for hauing passed too forward with his vantguard leauing behind him more then was conuenient the Countie Guido de Rangon with the ariereward who had the charge thereof The Sergeant Maior is therfore to be carefull to make alwayes his standes and Altoes neare vnto some good waters the officers taking great care watchfulnesse that in those stoppes and stayings the souldiers dismeanour not themselues nor range not disorderly vnto the next adioyning places nor runne into orchardes nor gardens to rifle and spoyle for it is contrary to good militarie discipline Gent. When the campe doth march passeth the Sergeant Maior on foote or on horsebacke Capt. On horsebacke For vnto this officer onely is his horse allowed him and at all times to ride and into euery part and vpon any occasion and to trauerse and passe through the Arrayes of the battell visiting prouiding and ordering all things concerning the same and also to take the word from the Generall and being on horsebacke if he chaunce to meete him he is not to alight as some vnskilfull Sergeant Maiors are wont to do For the sollicitude care and readinesse apperteining to this office is such and so great that it requireth he enioy such a preheminēce Neither yet in the day of battell ought he to dismount nor enter into rāke with the other Captaines as some will seeme to say for in the fight he serueth but for one but being on horsebacke he may value for many in viewing reuiewing ordering redressing many sundry occurrāts which in such times are offered importing many times the good successe of the victorie therfore he is to go armed but lightly with a short baston or trunchion in his hand which shall serue him to apart horses cariages baggage which oftentimes do disturbe hinder the squadrons to shew and point with the same some things that he cōmaundeth and orders that he ordaineth to be done and sometimes to correct therewith the disobedience of vnruly souldiers whereat no man ought to be offended or take it for any
the Campe-maister to shew him thereof although that sometimes the Campe-maisters or Colonels themselues doe take the word and order from the Generall and giue the same vnto the Sergeant Maiors yet properly the doing therof doth appertaine to the Sergeant Maior his office And as touching the watches and gards he ought to haue great consideration not to place them if the enemy be at hand before the entring in of the night for he ought to preuēt if possible it might be that the enemy perceiue not where he setteth his watches and Sentinels And when it were time hee shall call together the company or companies which should bee of the watch the which are to be aduertised thereof from the morning by the Drumme Maior of the regiment and he is then to set them in their places the which as I said ought to be reknowledged and viewed and shewed vnto the Sergeants of such companies where they are to place their Sentinels and he is to appoint them what order they are to keepe in going their roundes alwayes reseruing a particular care to visite and reuisit all the before appointed matters and orders And if he shall find any negligence or carelesnesse in such officers he is to reprehend and chasten them with such seuerity as the case and cause shall require for in the not executing the same he becommeth to be contemned vnrespected and his commandes and orders misprised and so by consequence to introduce a very corrupt discipline Gent. What distance from the quarters and campe should the gards and watches be placed and set Capt. In encamping an army it is accustomed most commonly to entrench round about the quarters thereof for more security and strength to the allodgement and when it is so the companies which haue the ward are alwayes to sallie to gard the trenches which is the wall of the campe But in case there bee no trenches the Corps de gard in mine opinion is not to be placed aboue 70 or 80 pases distance as I haue said before from the front of the allodgements in his place of armes yet somtimes there be found ditches bottoms and vallies so strong that it shall be good for the gards to be placed there although they be farther distant off then I speake of for such strengths by nature do serue and stand in steede of ditches and trenches But not finding such naturall fences the watches are to be placed as before I haue sayd For thus as well for the security of the quarters as for if neede should require to succour those companies it is better they be placed neare then farre off And it is to be noted as a thing of great importance that great silence be kept in the body of the watch at the least all rumour and lowd noises are to be excluded and in their conuersations to talke modestly stilly and with low voices Gent. And the Sentinels what distance should they stand from the Corps de guard Capt. About thirtie pases litle more or lesse Gent. And how farre the one from the other Capt. There ought to be no more distance betwixt them then that they may easily discerne one an other how darke soeuer the night be For the Sentinels being the wall of the campe which do serue that no body may enter in nor passe out thereof without being seene and discouered now if they should be placed too wide a distance off that would not follow which is pretended Gent. And those Sentinels are they to be single Capt. No but double for foure eyes may see and discerne better then two and because if sleepe do assaile them or could the one opprest with sleep might walke and the other stand vigilant at the watch with all stilnesse and silence and without talking with open eyes and ready listening eares for many times it chanceth to heare that which the obscurenesse of the night will not suffer to see and if they do perceiue heare or see any thing whereof they ought to giue aduise to the officers let the one go thither and the other stay and not to leaue the Sentinell post forsaken and therefore for these and such like causes it is much more safer requisite and needefull that they be double But those which are set yet 30 pases farther are to be single which of some are improperly called forlorne Sentinels not hauing the word as the doubles haue the which are to be placed in the same distance as are the first and commaund and order giuen that in descrying any thing they are to retire to the post of the double Sentinels and giuing aduise and notice of what they heard or saw are to returne to their places without giuing the Alarme but in case that there were any notable number of horse or foote discouered in retiring vnto the double Sentinels all three perceiuing the same for certaine and affirming it then the Alarme is to be striken and in other sort not For many times vnto one man alone feare or imagination doth cause few people to seeme many and many things to seeme to be which are not indeede and at no time is the Alarme to be striken in the campe without good and vrgent cause For remedie whereof it is a matter of great importance that the Sergeant Maior euery night at different houres doe ordinarily visite and reuisite the watches and Sentinels as well to see that they obserue and performe his orders and commaundes as to the ende that the officers and souldiers vnderstanding his courses taken be more vigilant and carefull in their watches fearing to be punished if they incurre into any defaults and negligences Gent. What call you the forlorne Sentinell sith you say they are improperly so termed Capt. The proper forlorne Sentinell is that which is set either on horse-backe or foote as necessitie shall require neare vnto the enemies campe to the end to espie and giue aduise if any companies or troupes shall sallie thereout or if the campe do remoue secretly And this such Sentinell is to be placed in some part so neare vnto the enemie that being discryed and seene he shall with great difficultie retire and escape and is neuer set but vpon necessitie of such like aduises As when Frauncis the French king did relieue and victuall Landresie which the Emperour Charles held besieged who determined to giue him battell the next day before he were departed and so Don Fernando de Gonzaga who was Generall commaunded Captaine Salazar that he should that night put himselfe neare vnto the enemies campe therby to vnderstand their desseignes and intents but he missed to effect the same So the French retired in safetie and wel without any perceiuing thereof And thus these Sentinels haue not the word that is kept in our camp for the incōuenience that might hap if being takē by the enemy corrupted with rewards or otherwise they thereby might know
discipline and all good partes to the perfection of infanterie with incouragement to the souldiers that with them the Colonell may attaine honor glory and fame by his actions and militarie courses Gent. Thus it seemeth that this name of Camp-maister is but moderne Capt. True Neither the name of Colonell very auncient Gent. Then how were those called before time which had the gouernement of souldiers in armies Capt. They were called Duces guides of which amongst the Romanes there were three sortes or differences viz. Duces Militares Duces Prouinciales and Duces Limitanei intituling those Duces Militares which went ordinarily with the armies hauing each vnder their charge and rule one thousand men or more as haue now our Cāp-maisters or Colonels or rather our Generals The other intituled Duces Prouinciales were those which had all the souldiers of one Prouince vnder their commaund and charge as haue the Camp-maisters of the Tertios of Naples Sicilia Lombardie The third called Duces Limitanei were those which had vnder their charge and gouernement all the men of warre on the frontiers to the enemies as had our Lord Marchers in England Gent. Thus the titles of Dukes sprong first from the warres Capt. So did the titles of Earles Marquises and Knights But now to returne to our matter The Colonels companie or bande doth preceede all the other companies of his Regiment both in place and in all other occasions And now for to know how to commaund and gouerne all the officers of his band and of all the other cōpanies in his regiment he ought most perfectly to vnderstand that which toucheth euery particular officer euen from the Capo de squadra vnto the Sergeant Maior and it would bee a matter of great importance to haue exercised and to haue risen vp through all these offices the better how to know and perfectionate his owne for by knowing this the Captaine the Sergeant Maior and all the rest will walke more warily and passe more punctually in the accomplishing of all their charges and duties knowing that they haue a commaunder so skilfull which quickly will perceiue either their vertues or vices perswading them to the one disswading thē from the other the which in actions of warre do either greatly helpe or greatly hinder In the squadra which belongeth to himselfe out of his owne companie there ought to bee souldiers of great experience and valour which should be aduantaged in their payes and whom he must esteeme and make great account of consulting often with them with his Captaines officers of best cariage most experience in his companies For many times a priuate souldier of experience and iudgement will giue better reasons counsell and aduise then many other of higher degree which often hath bene proued and examples extant He ought to procure that all militarie discipline be duly obserued and that his Captaines the other officers vnder his charge do obey respect honor him sith they are bound thereunto as vnto the person of their proper Generall in all things concerning the seruice of their Prince and that the souldiers doe obey their Captaines officers with great humilitie reknowledgement and in like sort that the officers do commaund and gouerne them with cōuenient speeches and good entertainement and curtesie And it shall also much auaile him to know the names of his Captaines Lieutenants Alferes Sergeants Caporals and of all the particular souldiers if it were possible for in the pinches of warre it is to great effect to call a Captaine officer or souldier by his proper name The Sergeant Maior is obliged as I haue before declared to receiue his orders directions from his Colonell and with his opinion and appointment to augment or diminish the guards But this to be vnderstood when there is no Camp-maister Generall in the armie whose proper office this is whom he ought to respect and obey and to accomplish all orders by him appointed touching his charge In the administratiō of iustice he is to gouerne with great discretiō wisdome executing it with all equitie and right that his souldiers thereby may both loue him feare him for it cōcerneth the Maister of the Campe to apprehēde to discharge to punish also of life death in all delicts cases deseruing such punishments and in things and matters committed against the commaunds lawes and bandos of the high Generall of the infanterie and in whose absence he may cōmaund orders make lawes and punish those that go against them and obey them not For for the execution of iustice he hath his appointed officers with their payes for the same and also he doth iudge and determine their ciuill differences debates which shall arise among the officers and souldiers of his regiment And if any do find themselues aggrieued with his sentences they may appeale vnto the Lord high Generall or Camp-maister Generall that being vniust they may reuoke them and if not then commaund them to be executed And in all these matters touching the administration of iustice if the Colonell generall or Lord high Marshall being there any such wil intermeddle therin he may and as superior and preheminent in office he may commaund ordaine do and vndo diminish or augment the authoritie and preheminence vnto the Colonell It concerneth him also to haue regard to the place of victuals or market that there be no deceipt vsed against the souldiers he is to set the price waight measure of all that is sold to put good guardes to see that the marchants victuallers may keepe their stuffe and wares in securitie and safe and for the same do the marchants and victuallers pay euery Saterday for euery staule or booth some six pence a peece or more all this being with his regiment alone where there is no Camp-maister Generall vnto whose office this doth properly appertaine He is to be carefull and diligent with the Lord high Generall for his souldiers payes and see they be prouided of armour necessaries and needfull munitions and the same to be distributed as before I haue set downe and this he is to do with such earnest diligence and affection that he may oblige them all to acknowledge and confesse him for their true father and faithfull Commaunder Among the Spanish cōpanies in Italy it is accustomed that no Captaine do entertaine any souldier into his band but that the Maestre de Campo do first see and approue him especially of a straunge nation being not a particular and well knowne personage for many inconueniences that may follow thereon Gent. But I haue heard say that the Spaniard permitteth none of a strange nation though of neuer so good parts and seruice to ascend vnto any degree of office among them which is contrary to vs for our Princes in time past haue receiued esteemed and aduaunced many straungers being personages of vertue valour
and desert Capt. So did the Spaniardes in time past in the times of their kings of Castillia and Aragon in their sharpe warres amongst themselues and against the Moores wherein many of our nation did singular themselues from whom are descended many of the chiefe houses of Spaine But since their wonderfull discouerie of the Indias by Columba an Italian their maruellous conquestes therein their inestimable treasures long since brought home and continually receiued from thēce their long cōtinuance in warres being nuzzelled therein by Charles the fift the braue Prouinces of Italie and Flanders by him annexed vnto their crown with sundry such fauours of fortune hath inflamed them with such imperious minds possest them with such proude and high conceipts with such iealousie of their honours as they terme it and inuested them with such an habite of scorne and pride that it is a wonder if they permit any honorable Gentleman of a straunge nation though endued with neuer so many good parts and serued them neuer so well to ascend vnto any high degree of commaund amongst them their enuie is such For let vs but throughly marke consider the actions of the braue Prince of Parma done in their seruice yet by them enuied obscured and slaundered what they may and you may easily perceiue the veritie hereof But what will be the end of their ambition and pride I know not It may be that God suffereth thē for the sinnes of some nations as by Flaunders and France may appeare and also by their attempts against vs. But who can tell whether the Lord vsing them for a minister as the louing father doth the rod to correct his beloued children who after correction or amendement casteth the rod into the fire God graunt vs the spirite of true repentance the which if we haue we litle neede to feare the smart of this odious rod. Yet this much I say againe for the Spaniard that any braue Gentleman seruing valiantly amongst them in place of a priuate souldier shall be esteemed beloued and fauoured of them so he aspire not to commaund a great signe of ingratefull mindes for who knoweth not that euery braue man of warre beareth a tatch of ambition and of aspiring minde deeming their vertue valour and seruice to deserue degree of charge a thing not to be misliked in mine opinion so it be procured by lawfull and honest meanes But enuy fearefull iealousie is now ouer rife in the world raigning commonly amongst men not of the best deserts fearing a companion with them in office Gent. Me thinkes you haue shewed vs the proud Spaniardes Mappa Mundi wherefore it were good for vs to crosselyne him what we may Capt. Proud Spaniard indeede and ambitious also his minde neuer resting like Siziphus rowling stone But it was not so two or three hundred yeares agone for then were they poore and contented to liue quietly with their neighbours and glad of their good wils for pouertie made them humble their humilitie brought them fauour and credit credite wrought their aduauncement aduauncement heapt by fortune brought wealth wealth bred their pride their pride sprouted ambition their ambition begat enuie and their enuie engendred warres warres may breed pouertie and pouertie breedeth peace Hereupon will I reporte you certaine speeches passed betwixt my selfe and a young Biscain Spaniard of whom I had the examinatiō with others his companions not long since at Laugharns a sea coast towne in Southwales After hauing answered vnto such points and interrogatories as were vnto him propounded in presence of the Lieutenant of that Shire and other Gentlemen I demaunded of him againe touching his kings Armadas and preparation for warres Captaine saith he our king hath ships but vnwilling mariners his preparation of the last Summer is now dissolued his home bound Indies fleet being safely arriued and his out bound sent away After this safe arriuall of this his Indian fleet bringing the sinew of his warres what he will do I know not euery spring there is speeches of warre but I perceiue small performance and effecting and but bad successe yet especially against your nation But how soeuer the game goeth we the poore do smart and I wish the ill yeare to his Eggars and setters on the Pope his Clergie and some his warre Commaunders who the warres being ended should happely liue but hardly what nation is there which our ambitiō hath not warred on The Italian the French the Flemming and you the English of the poore Indians I speake nothing which feedeth him with wealth which were they cut from him or should they rebell or should his fleets fayle him but two or three yeares together he were in hazard to be a beggar He aspireth all and aymeth a conquest of his neighbour nations but God knoweth which of them may arise in the end and be our confusion for my Genius suspecteth somewhat and this was the effect of his speeches Gent. His speeches were to be mused at if he spake bona fide Capt. Bona fide or not but such were his speeches Well now it is time for me to returne to our Colonell from whom I haue long bene absent by reason of your demaund He is greatly to respect and honour his Lord high Generall obeying and performing his commaunds and orders with great care and diligence procuring to keepe himselfe alwayes in his grace and fauour being a faithfull counsellour vnto him and to execute his Commissions hauing first throughly conceiued and vnderstood them with great valour and readinesse His arming is the proper arming of a Captaine but to be alwayes or most commonly on horsebacke prouiding and ordering all things most necessary and conuenient for the good gouernement of his companies But if his Regiment should sallie out to battell and all his Captaines placed in ranke hee shall then dismount and shall guide his companies on foote for the honour and estimation of the infanterie as well was shewed at the great muster of all the Spanish armie before king Philip and his Queene at Vadaioz at the conquest of Portugall And for as much as the other parts which may seeme to concerne a worthy Colonell may be considered when we come to speake of a Captaine Generall touching his office and charge I will conclude concerning this officer with the wordes of Cicero in his Oration Pro Lege Manilia declaring the partes of a great Commaunder in warre which is great experience in martiall actions deepe knowledge in histories a life not spotted with notable crimes to be magnanimous and valiant and to be beloued feared and followed of his souldiers and finally to haue fortune to friend The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFTH BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is declared the election and office of a Captaine generall of the Artillerie or Maister of the Ordinance vvith certaine discourses touching fortifications as well
naturall as artificiall and the confines of kingdomes or realmes as well Maritime as Inland the difficultie of their defences to barre a strong enemie the entrie with other particular points touching Fortes and fortified Townes The Generall of the Artillerie or Maister of the Ordinance his election and office Captaine THE place and office of the Generall of the Artillerie or Maister of the Ordinance is appointed by the Prince His function is of great qualitie and trust for the reputation had of the same and for the effects which the same performeth and therefore is alwayes encommended and bestowed vpon personages of great grauitie and authority and of great prudence valour and experience for besides the gouernement which he hath of the Artillerie of the Armie when the same encampeth it toucheth him by reason and course of warre to prouide for all the sorts strengths of the realme and to appoint the orders for their fortification and defence Gent. These things are no doubt of great consideration therefore we would willingly heare what courses might be taken for the fortifying and defence of a realme to withstand the enemies attempts Capt. The strength of euery King or Prince consisteth in the quantitie and quality of his subiects and in the good quality of his dominion and countrie Gent. I pray shew vs more particularly hereof Capt. I say gentlemen that those Princes and Republikes are iudged most mighty which in their kingdomes and states doe maintaine 1 good religion 2 good lawes 3 and good armes and who doe enioy holsome ayre 2 fertill ground and 3 naturall strength with such other desirable commodities wherefore to explane the matter more you are to vnderstand that all kingdomes or prouinces are strong either by nature or by art or by both They are strong by nature when they are enuironed with the seas round about or part thereof or backed with lakes mountaines riuers or desertes And those are strong by art which in their frontiers and in places most conuenient haue townes castels and fortresses fortified by art Gent. It seemeth by this that the Captaine Generall of the Artillery ought to be very skilfull in artificiall fortifications I pray therefore declare vnto vs the considerations to be had in fortifying a place or realme Capt. All confines are either Mediterraneall or Maritime or both the one and the other and either they are in mountainous places or in plaine champain or do participate of the one and the other If they be Mediterraneall it must bee viewed and considered on what part the enemy might enter to offend the countrie and what passages he might haue most commodious to conduct his Army with his munitions and impediments And it is to bee considered also on what partes he may most easily make his inrodes and retire againe with safety and whether there be any situation which being fortified by the enemy might molest and annoy the countrey adioyning If the confines of the kingdome bee Maritime or sea coast all the coastes and compases are to be viewed and remarked and to see and consider whether there be any gulfe shore baye creeke hauen port or any riuer mouth whereinto the enemy entring with his nauie and there landing might annoy and assayle a countrie For sea coasts although they be in some respects strong yet are they to be entred by a nauie by sea and do hold the defendant in great suspence and care not knowing where or in what part such nauy will arriue and so is he driuen to greater charge being constrained to keepe garrisons in euery suspected place And yet it is not inough to keepe good strengths in places most necessarie and well prouided for that many times there is found a shore a baye a creeke or riuer mouth not before esteemed or thought vpon whereunto the enemy arriuing and entring with a mighty nauy and there fortifying himselfe vpon some strong and fit situation doth put the countrey and kingdome in great perill and daunger As was seene by the Spanish nauy and army at the conquest of the Portugall kingdome who touched at the head of Caxcais and landed in a place neuer thought vpon by the Portingall so they found themselues deceiued thinking that the disembarkment should haue beene betwixt the city and San Gillians Castle where they stood fortified in their trenches with determination to defend the landing And the sundry braue lādings of Sir Francis Drake in the Indias and in many partes of Spaine and Portugall at most of the which I my selfe haue bin do verifie the same wherby it is manifestly to be gathered that sea coast countries are to be defended with great difficulty cost and charge and with doubtfull successe yea although that they haue many places strong by nature And for as much as there be diuerse and variable qualities of confines and no certaine rule to be giuen thereupon nor what distance there should be from frontier to frontier it must be presupposed that the confines of a kingdome doth hold some correspondency with the circuit of a city in the fortification whereof the bulwarkes are the most important members the which are set in the place where they may most offend the enemy and also defend themselues and the city regarding therein due distance in such sort that the one may defend the other with their Artillery and small shot and in like manner the Curtines betwixt bulwarke and bulwarke with other aduertisements therein to be considered And euen so the sortes to be made in the frontiers are to hold the like proportion and correspondency with the confines of the countrie as do the bulwarks with the courtines of a city the one being placed so neare vnto the other that they may assist and succour one another and in such partes as may most damnifie the enemy and best defend themselues The places most apt to receiue offence by the enemy being found out and also to offend him it is necessary to fortifie the same as well the sea coasts as the inland with strong fortifications castles and bulwarkes taking wonderfull aduisement and carefull consideration in chusing the situations thereof whether it be on plaines or hils or Maritime or consisting of all three vnderstanding onely the compasse or circuit of the fort with a certaine conuenient space round about the same Of situations in plaines those are strong which are enuironed with deepe lakes great moores and high water shores and bankes and those which may bee sunke vnder water in time of necessitie as in Holland and Zealand and these which haue a Campania raza or plaine Champain sufficient distant from all things that might ouer-commaund the same as is the Castle of Millan and Antwerpe and such like Of situation vpon a hill that is strong which standeth in the most highest part thereof all vnderlayed with naturall rockes round about not hauing neare it any superiour nor equall mount for in
in his warres of Gelderland and Fraunce Gent. What people and officers are necessary to attend vpon and to conduct these cartes and carriages Capt. First the principall person ouer all the said horses with 2 halberdiers attending vpon him a clarke to take the account and muster of all these cariages with his halberdier attendant a Harbenger and a Mayorall which goeth with euery thousand beasts a Cill Maister or Lieutenant to the Mayorall ouer euery 200 horses or beasts a Prouost ouer the horses which draw the Artillery two Carpenters and two ferriers or smithes Gent. There would neede a great number of people and strength to lade and vnlade all these cariages and to helpe about the Ordinance Capt. True and therefore the Generall of the Artillery hath vnder his charge a great number of labourers or Pioners which of necessity must be had in a camp and follow an Army to make trenches Rampiers Minings Countermines ditches caues to make plaine the wayes for the army to march to accommodate the passages for the Artillery to passe to raise mounts to plant ordinance vpon to place and fill the gabbions to digge earth for the same to vndermine wals and townes and to raze those of any gained places downe to cut timber to fortifie withall to digge wells for water and great pits to bury and to cast therein the garbedge filthinesse and offalls of the campe and seruing to a number of such necessary vses Ouer the sayd Pioners there are Captaines appointed to gouerne them which should be men very expert in fortifications trenching mining counter mining and in all sorts of engines concerning a campe and battery actions and therefore besides their experience they ought to be learned and well skilled in all maner of fortifications both in campe towne or fortresse These Pioners do go before the campe with a sufficient band of souldiers for their guard carrying with them mattockes spades shouells pikaxes crowes of iron barrells baskets hampiers and such other tooles and ouer euery three or foure hundred Pioners a Captaine The gunners ought to haue ouer them a Maister-gunner to rule and commaund them and to see that they do their duties and to be men sufficient in their art He ought also to see all things prouided and necessary for the Artillery as carriage axletrees wheeles ladles spunges rammers iron crowes leauers shouells mattocks gabions baskets ropes chaines coynes for the breetch of euery peece to coyne it vp or downe powder both serpentine and corne powder cotton match lintstockes priming irons their rules or instruments to take the leuell Taladros that is engines to mount and dismount the ordinance shot of all sorts and sizes and heights cartages of all sizes trunckes arrowes and balles of wild-fire and stuffe to make the same with all things necessary to his charge office and art giuing still his diligent attendance vpon the Maister of the ordinance to know his orders and commands executing the same with all diligent care and fidelity It behoueth the Generall of the Artillery to procure and see all these aforesaid matters prouided and good orders kept in the same as superiour commander therof that there be sufficiēt prouisions of al kind of munitions armes as well defensiue as offensiue both for the infantery and Cauallery that there be wonderfull care had in the conseruing of the same giuing order and charge thereof vnto the Mayordomes the which they are to distribute and deliuer out by Librazas or Tickets from the sayd Generall of the Artillery or else not The Gentlemen of the Artillery attending vpon his person ought to be men of great sufficiency to execute any orders by him cōmanded being men very discreete and modest for many inconueniences do follow being grosse headed and disordered persons The Captaine Generall of the Artillery besides the afore recited parts ought to bee learned and well read in histories and stratagems of warre seene in speculation of Geometrie Mathematikes with the practike therof to know grounds distances waights measures qualities and the effects of the Artillery to iudge where is the most conuenient part of any place to be battered how to conuay his ordinance thither the place where to plant them the planting of the same for to take any cōmoditie that might helpe the defendants and regard that the enemy may not surprise his Ordinance fencing them with gabbiōs maunds trenches and guarded with appointed troupes of shot pikes and short weapons hauing a respect first to dismount the enemies Artillerie that might in any manner annoy the campe then to bend his batteries from two or three plantings vpon most places of aduantage as cause shall require to ruinate their Curtine and make good breaches lastly well regarding that before any assault be giuen to cut off all flankers and trauesses of annoyance He ought also himselfe to be skilfull in myning and counter-myning and in all artificial fire workes and shooting in great Ordinance not giuing ouermuch credite vnto others vnlesse they be men well knowen to be of experience and skill Gent. Then it seemeth he should be a Maister-gunner also Capt. It is most requisite that he be well skilled in the arte being maister ouer all the which may easily be attained hauing good speculation therein annexed with some practise knowing the names of euery particular peece and their seuerall waights lengths bignesse and boares of the cylinder their true dispart the height and poize of euery their bullet the quantitie of powder seruing to euery one their distance at point blanke their best vantage at Randon their seuerall raunges the goodnesse and difference of powder the simples and compounds thereof the ladles sponges and rammers befitting euery one the making of all these with a number of other points belonging to the arte Gent. What powder doth each peece require according to his shot Capt. It consisteth much in the goodnesse or badnesse of the powder for the powder being good the lesse will serue is sooner fiered doth better execution heateth not the peece so much The cōmō vse is vnto euery double Cannō of 58 64 or 70 pound Bullet to allow in powder the ⅔ of the waight of the shot and to euery Demy-Cannon after the same rate as for example a Cannon of 64 pound shot to allow 41⅓ pound of powder for his due charge and so of the rest and to euery whole Culuerine and demy Culuerine being peeces double fortified with mettall to allow them in powder the ⅘ of the waight of the bullet as for example a Culuerine of 20 pound waight bullet to giue of good corne powder 16 pound for his charge And vnto the Saker Mynion and Falcon somewhat better allowance as almost to the waight of their bullet The Ladle twise equally filled to all these abouesaid peeces is their due charge in powder With the artillerie and munition there is alwayes
grauity and knowledge sith so many things do concerne him to direct gouerne and administer and principally the allodgeing or encamping of the Army the which seemeth to be a matter of great importance and skill Capt. No greater matter of charge that I know of in the warre for besides that it requireth great practise and experience to discerne what part is fittest for the Cauallerie and what place for the Infanterie and in what quarters the Artillery ought to be planted in what parts the Corps de guard scouts Sentinels yet without comparison it behoueth him much more to haue the reason iudgemēt skill to discerne whether the situatiō hath the parts and cōmodities to be required whether it be pitcht in a place fit conuenient to defend thē frō the attempts of the enemy that the prouisions victuals may safely passe come vnto the campe with a number of such other points to effect the which it is very important and necessary that he be wel skilled and practised in the country where he warreth that he be very wel seene skilfull in the Geography thereof hauing the same perfectly drawne in plats and Mappes with their Cities Townes villages forts fortresses farmes and Countrie houses and the distance frō one to our instructions for God knoweth what world may fall out yet ere we dye Capt. Well Gentlemen sith you do still egge and draw me on with your curious demaundes I will shew you the best I can the orders obserued by the best Italian and Spanish Encampers You know that I haue shewed you before of the generall and particular parts of a souldier their seuerall offices euen frō the Caporall vnto his Camp-maister generall the number of a band their due sortment difference of weapons and their seuerall vses the orders of training marching and embattailling in sundry manners now most in vse the seuerall parts and dutie of euery officer in degree with a number of other points which now I remember not Now lastly to your demaund touching the marching and allodgement of a campe I say That when an Armie marcheth neare vnto the enemies Army it is needfull that there be had many and great considerations as first when the one Armie is not of equall force vnto the other or when one is not disposed to come to the fact of battell for not to put by one onely battell into the hands of fortune all a mans habilitie whole rest in fine as many misaduised men haue done therefore to prolong time and to shunne the doubtfull fact of armes it were needfull to make choise to march if possible you may through mountaine groundes and hillie and with such aduantage of seate and ground that the enemy may not with any reason of aduantage assault you But when this may not be yet eschued at the least it is to bee procured to be done to the best aduantages and as it were with a certaine hope of victory the which may partly bee performed when you know how to profit your selfe with the aduantage that the situation will affoord And in your marching I would wish you to send some part of your light horse so neare vnto the enemy as continually you haue notice of all their orders and courses True it is that when you are in a countrey where this aduantage of hils is not to be found and must of necessitie march through plaines and champaine fields and haue the enemy neare at hand it were then very hard to shunne and auoide battell the which I would rather wish to be done then otherwise especially if your Army do surmount your enemy in Cauallerie for in such cases the battell is not to be refused your strength consisting most in horse the which by good conduction giueth a great part to the victory This manner of marching vpon grounds of aduantage we reade antiquitie to haue vsed as did Fabius Maximus when he encamped a long time with the Romane Armie against the conquerour Hanniball in our time as did Charles the fift in Germanie against the Protestants Army both the which by reason of the situations and seates did many times encampe and lodge with their armies not distant one from the other aboue a Culuerine shot the which might possible be by reason of the hilles and mountaine seates abounding in them places But this is seldome seene in the plaines and champain grounds in the which it is needfull for him that shunneth the battell to march and passe at the least eight or ten myles distant from the enemy and must thinke to fortifie at euery allodgement in such sort and manner that neither horse nor foote in any array of battell may not but with great difficultie charge or enter vpon you the which is sufficient with a campall fortification or running campe as some terme it and chiefly because it ought to be done with great speede and diligence the which encamping when it shall seeme you good to continue may bee reduced into such strength as might seeme sufficient And in the marching which the armie shall make through plaines and champain fieldes when it commeth to passe to haue either any litle riuer wood or groue to couer one flanke of the campe all diligence is to bee vsed to gaine such sayd aduantage for it will be a matter of great importance Alwayes hauing a regard that the artillerie munition and other impediments doe alwayes passe on the contrary side from the enemy and also that the squadrons of men at armes Lanciers do flanke the arrayes and battallions next toward the enemy in sort and maner conuenient And moreouer a laudable custome it is to deuide the campe into three squadrons or battels that is in vantguard battell and rereward and euery day to change the point making the vantguard battell and the battell rereward and the rereward vantguard and that euery one of these partes may haue their due proportions and numbers of Cauallerie and shot distinguished in their conuenient places aduertising with great diligence and care that there bee not mingled any vnprofitable people among the Ordinances and squadrons of the Infanterie and that euery battell be placed in their due appointed places and distances vnder their Ensignes and colours in such sort that all the troupes of Cauallerie be quite cleared of vnprofitable horses and other impediments wherein the Germaines horsemen do keepe great order care and diligence very necessarie to be imitated It is a very good custome besides that part of the light horse be continually abroad at discouery scout and to watch after euery action that the enemies Armie doth that you may bee alwayes aduertised thereof so that if occasion bee you may haue time space and commoditie to prepare to the encounter and battell Touching the order of marching the campe there can bee no particular rules set downe more then I haue before spoken
and honourable words as in such cases be conuenient and therefore in mine opinion the dislodging by night is not very secure vnlesse it bee as I sayd befriended and ayded with some seate of aduantage as it chaunced vnto the aforesayd Francis the French King when at Cambresy he retired from the Emperour by night that by the benefit of a great wood he might saue his Army and hauing passed thorough the same when the enemies horse ouertooke him where hee made a stand and where as well by reason of the aduantage of that wood as by the commoditie of the seate where he stood he might well and boldly fight with the enemy as by experience of them of the Emperours part was seene who ouer greedily pursuing the enemy issued out of the wood euen vpon his troupes where the most part of them were slaine or taken prisoners The very same case happened also vnto the protestants Army in Germany when they would remoue and withdraw themselues from the Emperours campe being both the Campes neare encamped together that dislodging by night they had not farre to march to enter into a very strong valley where they could not but with the enemies great disaduantage bee charged and set vpon and for that there was in the same valley a little hill the same was presently possest by the protestants and planted with good store of field ordinance and with strong troupes of foote and horse and in such sort occupied that what with this preparation and with that which they made in a neare adioyning wood planting the same full of small shot the Emperours power could not pursue them as they had pretended For as soone as they were approched neare vnto them they saw that they were retired vnto a place both by art and nature most strong and therefore were let passe without any more annoyance Wherefore I say that with the fauour of the seate and quality of the countrey the dislodgement may be thus assured as by the aboue recited examples may appeare And alwayes it is farre better to dislodge by night then by day for to gaine at the least the distance of ground to conduct the Campe to place of security and strength for the remouing by day without the great helpe and securitie of the seate most commonly is very daungerous except the Remouer should farre abound in Cauallery and therefore the Campe which is inferiour in horse ought to distant himselfe as farre as he can from the enemy for not by such accidents to be constrained either to fight vpon disaduantage or commit some other foule disorder Thus haue I at large and more large then I meant declared vnto you the office and parts of a Campe-maister Generall with the orders to be obserued in marching in encamping and in remouing of a Campe with rules and instructions to effect the same the which being well conceiued considered and regarded may serue in time of seruice to great good and importance Gent. Truly Captaine you haue taken paines herein and haue touched many good points worthy noting especially should warres fall vpon vs from the which God defend vs. But haue you yet any other officer to treat of vntill you come to the Lord high Generall The Election office charge and dutie of the High treasurer of an Armie Captaine THe High Treasurer of the Armie is commonly chosen and appointed by the Prince and is in the number of the principall officers that are in the campe and alwayes one of the Councell of warre by reason of the great affaires committed to his charge handling which is the kings monyes and Treasure being the sinewes of the warre and without the same it were impossible for an Army long to hold and continue hauing to deale with a strong and obstinate enemy This high Treasurer hath the bestowing of the kings money in diuerse and sundry vses and all to conduct the warre to a good end Moreouer he is to receiue the tributes taxes and tailliages of the Cities Townes or Countries where the conquest is made if there be any such and also doth receiue the money which the Collegates do contribute being any such ligue and if they contribute money and not people of warre He hath in like sort the superintendencie of the victualling of the campe and is to haue a great care to giue content to the vttermost of his power as well to the small as to the great to see that as well the poore Pioner as the commaunding Colonell be satisfied and payed their payes duties at due conuenient termes if he will that his Prince bee well serued and the souldiers to obey their Commanders and Captaines and to liue in honest and commendable sort as disciplined people of warre ought to doe otherwise if the pay be wanting and not performed I cannot see how a campe can long stand on firme foote or the souldier passe and liue without robbing rifling and spoyling and to commit a thousand excesses neither can I perceiue how any good order may be obserued if necessitie constraine men to commit these faultes Yet I will not hereby inferre but that in times of these wantes and necessities men ought with all possibilitie to haue patience for it is a wonderfull vertue in a souldier at such an instant pinch and to absteine from committing these excesses although their pay be long on comming For I know very well that monyes cannot alwayes be prouided and come at the due time appointed by reason of sundry impediments that may hinder the same then ought the honest souldier to haue patiēce But if the pay stay ouer long there is nothing more vniust then to make mē to liue by windy words ayre therfore in such meane while they ought either to distribute lēdings or a certaine quantitie of victuals dayly also something to cloath men other necessaries expecting vntill the pay do come or else they must be suffered to liue at their owne discretion that is to take where and what they may finde which is a thing not to be permitted but in cases of great extremitie and in cases where all other remedies be past for this dangerous libertie is occasion that souldiers will fall into such an insolencie that it would be almost impossible to reduce them againe into their first esse or being the which is of lesser losse and daunger then to suffer them to dye with famine or to see the campe dissolued one of the which would of necessitie ensue were there not present remedie imployed and then the fault is not to bee imputed to the Commaunders and Captaines Some man happely will say that the Chieftaines may with sweet wordes and perswasions entertaine and qualifie the souldiers I confesse the same but that is but for a small time and that too no longer then that the souldiers do giue credit vnto their perswasions But when that they shall
other Signiories or state had for his great enemies the most principall Senators of the same Republike and the Armie vnder his charge being of sundry nations yet is it not in writing that euer there was seene any mutinie amongst his souldiers nor any disagreeing in so many yeares as he warred in Spaine France and Italie by reason that he chastened with rigour the delictes and offences committed by his people of warre and rewarded their noble actes with great liberalitie and kindnesse and payed them their due payes alwayes in good time Gent. Without doubt Hanniball must needes be well serued and obeyed if he payed his souldiers so royally and well Capt. I finde no foundation more sure and firme then to doe the same to the end to haue an Armie well conducted and gouerned For if the souldiers be not payed of necessitie they must be suffered to robbe spoyle raunge and ransack whereby to sustaine themselues as too too much hath bene seene in these ciuill warres of France and Flanders the which if they were well and duly payed then all these inconueniences should cease and would serue with more warinesse and care as men bound thereunto and would feare punishment if they should by hap offend Now felicitie and good fortune proceedes from knowledge from fortitude and from authoritie For the Generall which knoweth what hee hath to doe by skill and experience and hath Militarie valour to enterprise and to execute with consideration and authoritie that thereby his souldiers may both beleeue him and follow him such a one without question shall haue good successe which is the very true felicitie and good fortune it selfe Gent. I neuer vnderstood till now that felicitie and good fortune did consist in science and knowledge for I haue alwayes heard say that fortune did most fauour men of least wisedome and in fine fooles Capt. Such was the opinion amongst the Stoicke Philosophers cōceiuing that as there was one Prima causa eternall omnipotent and of infinite wisedome knowen and discerned by the order and harmonie of his workes so in like sort was there another causa imprudent foolish and inconsiderate whose operations were without order or reason or any wisedome at all for that with an irrationall affection it both gaue and depriued men of riches dignitie and honour the which they termed and intituled by the name of fortune seeing her to bee a friend of men which did their matters fortè which is to say a casu by chaunce without conduction either of reason or prudence But in very truth there is none other fortune but the prouidence of God and the valour and abilitie of man neither any other thing that maketh men disastred that things succeede them not according to their desires but onely the want of skill to practise their actions in due times and with such conuenient meanes as the cases would require Gent. Truly me thinkes that if a Generall should obserue the rules by you declared of these foure principall parts and qualities he should not fayle of good successe in the most of his actions Capt. So thinke I also presupposing therewithall that hee ought to know and vnderstand all that which I haue spoken of the other officers of warre and of much more yet vnspoken of sith that they are his inferiours to the end that he may perfectly know how to commaund and gouerne them for vnworthily shall hee commaund and gouerne in warres which is ignorant and vnskilfull in the preceptes and rules thereof Gent. What more yet concerneth his office Capt. Marry to chuse vnto himselfe good Counsellours to assist him in his good gouernement for much more needefull are the Counsels of men wise and experimented in Martiall causes then armour and weapons for the greater matters are better effected with the intendement then atchieued with the sword many times Gent. But are not the personages knowne who are to be of the Counsell of warre by reason of their offices Capt. Yea sir for ordinarily these following bee of the same First the Captaine Generall of the men at armes lances and light horse 2 the Captaine Generall of the artillery or Maister of the Ordinance 3 the Camp-maister Generall or Lord high Marshall 4 the Colonels of the Infanterie and 5 also the Treasurer of warre But there is moreouer respect to bee had vnto other graue personages and in the election of those the Generall ought to haue great consideration and insight for deepe daungerous and difficult matters are to be consulted disputed and reasoned with perfect intendements cleare iudgements And therfore there is not to be admitted vnto the same men of meane iudgements and of common sense for those that are the Counsellours to a Prince ought to be personages of great mindes high conceites of equall intendement with the Prince And that which he is particularly to consider of them is to see that they be perfect souldiers and of great experience and men of valorous determinations but not rash headie and harebrainde for those Counsels are sufficient honourable which render securitie vnto doubtfull affaires And on the contrary those are most affrōtous miserable whē being enterprised with temeritie onely to shew a vaine presumption and rigorous boldnesse of minde they are wont to disturbe the good courses of the honorable enterprises and of the victories whereof great hope is to be had And because it is a most ordinarie thing amongst Counsellors to contradict one another and to diminish one anothers authoritie he must bee very carefull to foresee and procure that they be all louing friendes together for that the most part of the securitie of the campe consists in their vnitie concord and loue and that they all may loue him with entire affection for hatred and feare be two bad Counsellors in warre This Gentlemen is all that I am able to say touching the officers and high Commaunders in warres what other stratagems and policies of warre are the Generall and other high Conductors of enterprises may by their owne Martiall prudence and naturall instinct inuent and put in practise according to the occurrants and accidents of warre for dayly new courses and inuentions are found out to answer the which new stratagemes are deuised sic vicissitudo rerum The end of the fift Booke THE SIXT BOOKE OF WARRE DISCOVRSES AND MARTIAL DISCIPLINE The first Dialogue VVherein is briefly touched of the orders of our now vsed fights the great commodity of due and skilfull trayning the tables for the embattailing of men in graund square of men and into battallions of the same kind with proportioned figures to the same and arithmeticall rules to the working thereof and a declaration of euery the sayd tables Gentleman WEll Captaine sith you haue in your former fiue bookes at large discoursed touching most martiall pointes as well of souldiers offices officers and Commanders as also of most sorts of imbattailing of men
To grudge at a good action signe of a beastly mind A miserable minde Good courses Pike and musket the most weapon in the field Bowes and billes yet seruiceable in some sort An order for powder match for training dayes A great care to be had for the generall store Want of necessaries in time of seruice hath hindred greâ—t actions Whom to bee chosen for a Captain of footbands The parts to be desired in a Captaine Disorderly shall he gouerne in warres who was neuer skilful in the arte The captains care in the election of his officers Similis similem sibi quaerit The due sorting of weapons The aduantage of musket Skill obedieÌ„ce Practise maketh perfect Necessary officers to a band of three hundred men The Ensigne to be incommended to the Ensigne-bearer The Captains Squadron No blemish vnto any Gentleman to serue as a common souldier in the Captaines squadron Aduantaged in Payes To instruct and procure his soldiers to the feare of God To appease debates To reprehend punâ—sh dish nest liuers Few bâ—d do corrupt a number of good To exercise them often to their Armes Different nations different nâ—tures To practise all military exercises The Captaine equall with his soldiers in all perill and paine To muster and traine often The order to be obserued in trayning Men ready for action to great importance Great care to keep aray in marching Disorderly behauior of â—ad souldiers breedeth many mischiefes Disorders to be punished The tolleratioÌ„ of euils breedes many inconuenieÌ„ces What weapon the Captaine is to vse Vnsoldiarly trick of a training captaine The captaine being set to defende any place what he is to do Commanded to any peece of seruice what he is to do To attempt nothing inconsiderate and rash To obserue the orders giuen by his commander To be a good Oratour and to what purpose A captaine not to be ouer couetous but carefull for his souldiers To take the word Carefull to visite the Sentinels To be prouided of lights for the night time To be obedient diligent about his superâ—our commandâ—rs Necessarie cariage and baggage in marching But not ouer pestersome Few horses to be permitted in footbands The Captaine is most ordinarily to lodge among his souldiers Not to be ouer curious in his diet and fare Examples To entreat his souldiers with gentle words good works A good Captaine is as a father to his souldiers and they as children vnto him Souldiers louing their captains wil aduenture their liues for their common honor Discontinuance breedeth forgetfulnesse The militarie discipline of the Romanes to be followed Grauis armatura of the Romanes Velites of the Romanes and their armings The arming of those of grauis armatura A Romane armie Romane legion Cohoâ—t Centurie Maniple A legion distinguished into 3. Hastati Principes Triarij Their order of placing Velitat their places to fight Whom fittest to be chosen for souldiers Signes by the phisiognomie New souldiers to be often trained Practise breedeth readinesse Sundry companies to ioyne together 1. To march 2. To encampe 3. To fight Rules to be obserued by a carefull Captaine Militarie points to be ensigned new souldiers A good Captaine will soone make ready souldiers The art of warre better deliuered by act theÌ„ words The Harquebuzier his armings and weapons To charge To cocke the match To leuell To discharge To retire To recharge The musketier his arming and his forke weapon To charge To cocke his match To leuell To discharge To retire To recharge Aduise How to bring the bisognios fir sâ— to the bullet The piker his armings and weapon The pike of 17. or 18. foote The dagger Obiection Answer Picha seâ—cha The carrying and handling of the pike To make Alto to arbolare or aduaunce To reare When to aduaunce To present To charge To push To cowch To Couch The Romains Tesserarios their training Vertuous exercisâ—â— To march out fained skirmish Ready men aduantagious To be a good executioner must haue seene seruice To tosse the pike The halberd Ranke what it is File what it is The doubling of ranke and file By single file By maniple or many files How to double the rankâ— To fall off To double the file To turne their faces and make front of any part Doubling of ranks and files serueth to sundry purposes To passe straights Od files or ranks Shot how to be practised Example Musketiers how to discharge vpon a march How to discharge vpon a countermarch Musketiers wheeled into a halfe moone to discharge in vollie Calliuers deuided into small troupes to discharge by file The arraunging of a small company to march Order to be obserued entring into the Corps de gard The march The caâ—allery shot not contained within the body of the battell The reason why battells are framed in quadrat proportion Square of men square of ground what it is Battells consisting of armed and vnarmed pikes framed in three maner of wayes Maniple what it is Shot in troupeâ— Halberds and short weapon noâ— liked of in the body of the battell The reasons why Halberds not liked of about the colours The reasons why Daggers auailâ—able in pell mell Short weapon in a stand of pikes vnseemeliâ— Short weapon their places of best seruice Lyning of battels with shot or bowes disliked Lyning of shot in single ranke The reasons Lyning with shot in another sort more tollerable Lyning with bowes a combersome tying weapon Tables to be framed and to what end Proportinall numbers â—eâ—uinâ— to the setting of battels Proportions of equality Proportions of inequality These proportions of men and not of ground The rule to frame a square battell of men A more exquisit way to frame any square battell of men Geometricall scale foote To empale the battell with your armed pikes the rule The Romaines The proofe A rule to know what quaÌ„titie of ground any battell will require each armed mans station 3 foote in breadth 7 foote for length A rule to frame these battels with speed What to do with the remaines Rules to frame all battels in proportion of inequality or two fold battels The Rule The order how to empale with armed pikes the battels in proportioÌ„s of inequalitie The proofes The rule to know the quantitie of ground this battell conteineth The rule to accommodate this calculation with speed Where to place the remaines Repetitions of the former Out of 3 maner of marchings to frame a battell with speed The first maner The third order by marching maniple by maniple Aduertisement Fierie weapons The armed pike is the strength of the battell so is the shot the furie of the field Shot and pikes of necessitie to be coupled The one without the other of no great force The sortement of these weapons offensiue and defensiue The aduantage of musket notable ouersight of our shot in charging and discharging their peeces A redresse and easie way how to fasten the bullet How some do vse to place their shot about the
The Sergeant Maior entring with his regimeÌ„t into any Fort or towne of strength to keepe the same what he is to do 1. To reknowledge the place well 2. The places necessarie for the Corps de guards Sentinels and Rounds 3. The place of assembly To deuide the coÌ„panies and the orders to be obserued he must giue in writing vnto euer Captaine Great care to bee had in deuiding the guardes No companie to haue any one place assigned them to kâ—epe customably The reasons In the euening to assemble the companies of the watch To draw lots or cast dice for the quarters No companie nor squadras to know their quarter vntill the very houre of seting the watch To consider whether the places for the Corps de guard be commodious Reparations to be done Garrits and watch houses The walkes for the Roundes to be made commodious To prouide store of torches and lights for the night To set the watch an houre before night No souldier suffered to disarme himselfe vntill the shutting in of the gates The souldiers not to disarme vntil the Alferes be vnarmed The orders to be obserued at the opening of the gates Not suffering the people to passe out or in by throngs The Sentinell to haue a Spontone Example of a practise To prouide wood for the corps de guard Places to be prouided in the corps de guard to accoÌ„modate the armes Not to suffer any gaming tables the watch entring into the place To receiue their colors with great respect and reuerence To keepe good account of the number of the soldiers To haue regard that their Armes be complete and good and inconuenient order All apparitions yeelding terror to the enemy to be esteemed The orders to be obserued by the companies entring into the Corps de guard Another order set downe in folio 46. Two companies entring at once into the Corps de guard The companies which were at the watch what to doe The Sergeant Maior is to visite the Corps de guard Vnruly souldiers to be punished The Roundes and counter Roundes Their dutâ—es and charge The Round is to giue the Word first vnto the counter Round The Sergeant Maior is to giue order for this point The counter Rounds duty and charge The Gouernour and Sergeant Maior rounding extraordinarily is to giue the Word first vnto the Round The Round is to giue the Word first vnto the Sentinell and to take account of a such as they shall meete If any passe out of the forest by night to giue aduertisment therof The guard not to retire by day till an officer come to remoue them To visit and revisit al things often and as different houres To reprehend with grauity and curteous speeches The drumme is the voice of the commander To prouide good Drummers Many good parts ought to be in the pâ—rsonage of a Sergeant Maior The Colonell his office and Commande is ouer the Captaines and souldiers of his regiment Principall partes in a Colonell ExaÌ„ple of braue Colonels Lucius Martius The two Scipios slaine Asdruball the Carthagian To conduct to fight and gouerne well Colonels with vs which the Spanyardes do call Maestres de CaÌ„po and wherefore so called The Colonell electeth to himselfe a Lieutenant and Alferes a Sergeant and Caporals FroÌ„ good skilful officers ensueth the obseruing of good orders The name of Colonell or Camp-maister but moderne By the Romans called Duces differenced into 3. parts 1. Duces Militares 2. Duces Prouinciales 3. Duces Limitanâ—i The titles of Dukes Earles Marquises and Knights sprang from the warres The Colonels coÌ„panie preceedeth all others of his regiment The Coronell ought to be a perfect souldier Being such the other officers will more punctuallie performe their dutie The squadra of the Colonel band ought to be souldiers of experieÌ„ce and valour and be aduantaged in their payes To consult with his officers old souldiers To procure thâ—t all militarie discipline be duly obserued The duties of his officers and souldiers one to another To know readily the names of his Captaines and officers The Camp-maister general with vs the Lord high Marshall his preheminence in field In the administration of iustice to gouerne with all equitie and right Parts of his office AppellatioÌ„s to be made to the high Generall His charge ouer the victuallers or victuals To be carefull for the souldiers payes To be made acquainted with all new souldiers entertained into any â—ande The Spaniards will not permit any souldier of a straunger nation to beare office among them The Spaniardes pride ambitioÌ„ grew principally since the discouerie of the Indies Fauours of fortune Their enuie to the Prince of Parma God may suffer them for the sins of some nations A good consideration Euery braue maÌ„ of warre beareth a tatch of ambition Enuie and fearefull iealousie euer rise in the world The proud Spaniardes Mappa Mundi to be Crossed Pouertie breeds humilitie humilitie breeds credit credit breeds aduauncement aduauncement brings wealth wealth breeds pride pride sprouts ambition ambition begets enuie enuie brocheth warres warres brings pouertie pouertie brings peace A pretie confession of a Biscayn Spaniard The Indian gold the sâ—â—ew of the warre The Spaniards ambitioÌ„ warreth vpon all Christendome The Indias fayling the Spaniard soone a beggar A good suspition The Colonell is to carrie a great respect to his high Generall To be a faithfull counsellour His proper arming To be most commonly on horse backe To dismount on foote his regimeÌ„t sallying out to battell The parts to be in a great Commander in warre What personage to be chosen to be Maister of the Ordinance His dutie both abrode at home Those kingdomes most strong which do maintaine good religion good lawes and good armes All prouinces strong by nature by art or by both Strong by nature how Strong by art how All confines are either Mediterraniall or Maritime or both Considerations Maritime Confines Nota. A principall note Example of the Spanish nauy armes in Portugall Sundry landings of Sir Francis Drake in the Indias and in the parts of Spaine Sea coasts to be defended with difficulty and cost The confines of a kingdome resembled to the circuit of a city The fortes of confines what proportion to hold Places apt to receiue offence by the enemy are first to be fortified How situationâ— in plaines are stroÌ„g Holland and Zealand Castels of Millan and Antwerpe Situation vpon a hill how it is strong Maritime situations how they are strong Saint Gillians Castell Pennion of Veles How all strong places are expugned Cities made stroÌ„g by nature and industry Strong by industry how By matter By forme Circular figure Fortes of 5 6 7 8 or 10 Angles The 4 anguled the worst Small places of themselues but weake Ouer large not long defencible Fortifications of Cities and Castles is grounded principally against the offence of artillery Artillery is deuided into sizes royall and lesser What artillery most offensiue to fortresses and strong places Strong places
to be coupled with their conuenient members The members of all strong places are Bulwarkes The parts of a Bulwarke The placing of Bulwarkes and order how The Curtine Issues or Sallies The Tronera oâ— The Pendent of the Parapets Caualliere Caualliere a Cauallio Cauallero or a mount within side distant from the curtine The Tenaza or Tizeras and Casamats or The gates The way from without The Terraplene An open way at the foote of the Terraplene The ditches Campania raza Refortifying of old places of strength Situations of Cities and fortresses Annotations of the out situatioÌ„s Annotations Annotations within the place A plat to be drawen Skilfull Enginer To fortifie the feeblest partes first Places annoyed by diuerse altures the remedies A point of bulwarke Tenaza what it is Cauallero or mount The canoneries Trees to be planted vpon the terraplene Flankers Remedie against the backe part offences Three manner of offendings An ouer commaunding noâ—â—â—e is a stepdame to a fortresse A sufficient garrison of defence What considerations to be had what prouisions to be made Needefull implements at batteries offensiue and defensiue All the which belonging to the office of the master of the Ordinance Fortifications of earth and turfe of great strength against the cannon with small charge Obiection Answer An armie leuied the charge of the Maister of the Ordinance Cariages people belonging to the Maister of the Ordinance Bridges built vpoÌ„ boates Officers Clarke of the Ordinance Pay-maister Purueyer generall Lieutenants Maiordomes and their seuerall charges An Harbinger Maior A Chancellor other persons attending Other people belonging to the Commaunder Gunners other Officers Boates barges ' whereon to frame bridges SolimaÌ„ the great Turke Don Sebastian king of Portugal God suffering a Prince to run to ruine bereaues him sence wits The Prince of Parma his bridge made ouer the riuer Chaldis Boates for the bridge how many A Captaine of the boates with officers and mariners The Artillery vsed to be conducted with an Army and the necessaries thereunto belonging The charge of great ordinance is wonderfull The Spaniard in continuall action Without the Indias the Spanish king soone a begger The Spanish gold infecteth good princes subiects Horses to draw a Cannon of the greatest size c. Horses to draw a Culuerine Carriage of Cannon shot and other munition Order for beasts and Carriages The officers and people for the carriages Pioners vnder the Maister of the ordinance to what purposes Captaines ouer the Pioners The Pioners guarded by souldiers The Pioners tooles A maister gunner ouer all the gunners His office and charge for necessary tooles The maister of the ordinance his principall care and charge Gentlelmen of the Artillery Particular parts of the Maister of the ordinance Sundry good considerations Skilfull in mynings To be skilfull in shooting of great ordinance and their particularities The quantitie of powder to seuerall peeces and their bullets Cannon Demy-Cannon Culuerine The Ladles The election of the officers To haue wary carefull people about the Ordinance The Maister of the ordinance his care for payment of his people Their respect to him Captaine Generall of the horse is elected by the Prince To be a personage of honour and title The comparison betwixt â—orse foote The footemen preferred Agincourt field Marquise de Pescara Battell of Pauia Countie Carmagnola against the Switzers Marcus Valerius Coruinus in the Punike war Among the ancient Romanes the footemen of more estimation then the horsemeÌ„ Don Alonzo de Vargas The difference betweene old experimented souldiers and new raw men At Tilmont reincounter Sack of Antwerp Example The ouerthrow of Gibleio The Cauallerie very necessary for many peeces of seruice Captainâ— Arrio at Pauia Conradus the Emperour passed the riuer Meandrus The Cauallerie differenced into three sortes 1. Men at armes 2. Demy Lances 3. Shot on horsebacke The Man at Armes his arming weapon and mounture Men at Armes are commonly men of â—itle and qualitie One trumpet one Ensigne one Guidon one Cornet Deuided into squadron Their partes of seruice The honourable valour of pikes footemen The arming of the Lanciers His weapons His mâ—â—nting Lanciers for many peeces of seruice farre better then men at armes The partes of a a Lâ—uâ—â—iâ—r Their place of 〈◊〉 Their Cornet Their pales of seruice The Petranell and Pistâ—lier his arming His weapon Their seruice Their place of march The partes of the Pistolier The place of their guidon The shot on horsebacke his furniture and weapon His mounting Their partes of seruice They may alight on foote and doe the dutie of foote shot In good conductions alwayes seconded with the Pistoliers or Lanciers Their partes incident To performe 3. actes at one instant He ought to be a good horseman and a good shot The fierie weapoÌ„ in the vnskilfull is daungerous to themselues Generall partes for horsemen The due sortmeÌ„t of horsemen The Generall of the horsemen his courses taken in field campe or garrison When the high Marshall goeth to view the ground When the armie entreth into the campe his dutie what to do To guarde the forragers To guarde conuoies In skirmishes encounters one troupe to second another A good Cauâ—at To espie aduantages and to take them The chiefe ordering of the squadrons The high Marshall of the field his parts and dutie His superintendencie in the day of battell Skilfull in all offices of warre His authority in the administration of iustice The officers to the high Marshall Military lawes and orders Martiall lawes All martiall lawes to be written in tables and fixed vp for euery man to reade An army without good orders soone growes to confusion The encamping of an Army a thing of great importance Great considerations Situation and grounds a principall point Skilfull in the Countrie Well seene in Geography Plats and Maps Briefe repetition Many and great considerations in the marching of an Armie To march vpon grounds of aduantage as did Fabius Maximus Charles the fift Considerations to be had the Army marching in plaines champaines Points of aduantage Men at armes Lanciers to flaÌ„ke the arrayes The marching armie deuided into vantguard battell and rereward Their orders Vnprofitable people to be shifted out of the squadron Vnprofitable horses and impediments cleared Part of the light horses to be continually abroad Referring to the third and fourth booke Partes to be considered in the allodgement of a campe The situation iâ— plaines Considerations The circuit of the campe The formes Mountaine situations Considerations To beware to encampe in place subiect to any hill Daungerous Example by FraÌ„cis the French king at Cambresie Charles the fift The Cauallerie in their allodgement to be defended by the Infanterie An encampement of 36000. fighting men 8. allodgements to a man at armes 4. allodgement to a Lancier Euery allodgement 50 superficiall foote is 10 in length 5 breadth Euery foote mans allodgement 64 superficiall foote The Generalls standard The principall streets At euery streetes end a