may be furnished with the next most sufficient men both because of their nearnesse unto danger as also that if their leaders or bringers up shall either be slain or disabled by wounds they may presently succeed in their places and make them good There is also a good decorum to be observed in the middlemen or fifth and sixth ranks both for the men themselves and their armes that in our marches when the middlemen or sixth ranks shall be called up to front with their leaders they may in some sort and proportion answer their places as also when we double our front by calling up middlemen to fight in a greater breadth they may not be unsutable but especially in marches that they may be able to make the best resistance when they shall become the flanks of the Battallions As these respects ought to be observed in ranks so the files also are not without their different degrees of dignity As the leader of the right-hand file is accounted to have the first place of honour in the Battallion for he doth not onely lead the rest in his own file but he is the author and beginner of the motions of the whole Battallion The leader of the left-hand file hath the next place because that he with the leader of the right-hand file do alwaies in their marching and imbattelling rectifie or rank the whole front of the battallion and so consequently all the next of their files as they stand in order even untill the middle who are accounted the last in dignity The Battallion being thus disposed into files and ranks and each file and rank according to his worth and experience rightly advanced it followeth that there should be a just distance proportioned between either that at all times upon all occasions they might be found ready and in comeliest fashion either to offend their enemy or defend themselves These distances which every follower must observe in respect of his leader and every leader and follower in respect of the sidemen may be reduced unto three severall Orders as followeth The first is called open Order the distance whereof is twelve foot between every follower and his leader or between every rank and six foot between them and the sidemen or between every file This order is commonly used upon marches when the enemy is known to be farre off as also in private exercising of souldiers for their severall managing of their armes It differeth somewhat from the Ordinatus Miles amongst the Romans who alwayes observed but four cubits in files and ranks The second distance is called Order when we contract the battallion both in length and breadth and gather the souldiers within a nearer scantling both in files and ranks that is by observing six feet in their files between the follower and leader and three feet between the ranks or sidemen This distance is used when we march toward an enemy near at hand or in marches by reason of the opportunity of the place suspiciously dangerous This is also near unto Densatus ordo but onely that that was but two cubits in both files and ranks The third and last order is when either we attend the enemy his present assault or that we intend to charge him upon our securest and best distance when every follower standeth three feet or his rapier length behind his leader and a foot and a half from the sidemen or files or when every souldier occupieth but one foot and a half for his own station joyning pouldron to pouldron or target to target This differeth from Constipatus ordo because that alloweth but one cubit for files and ranks and this close order alloweth one cubit in the file but two in the ranks This distance doth agree also best with the length of our piles of 15 or 16 feet long For it is thought fit oftentimes that the battallion consisting of ten ranks there should not charge more at one time then the 5 formost so that the pikes of the fifth rank might be three foot over the formost shoulder and the other five ranks should in this close order or nearer if it be possible follow the other charging with their pikes advanced untill some occasion should require their charge In the mean time they should perform their dutie in keeping the five formost ranks from retiring and besides adde strength unto the charge or shock The manner of exercising of composed Battallions with their different motions THe files and ranks being thus understood disposed and ordered and all parts and members of the battallion being joyned in their just proportion and distance able and fit to be altered upon any sodain occasion as if it were but one entire body into severall and divers postures and to make resistance unto what forces soever shall oppugne the same it might be thought needlesse to have made the disposition of the members so exact unlesse by continuall practise and exercise they might be made nimble and ready not onely to defend themselves and their whole body on all sides but also to be able to offend whensoever they shall espie the least occasion of advantage The terms of direction or command which are commonly used in this modern discipline of martiall exercise as they are not many onely answering to the different postures which are required in the Battallion so they are and must be short and perspicuously plain that by this means being sodainly uttered easily apprehended and understood they may as speedily be put in execution by those which shall be commanded First therefore that the Battallion may be commanded into some one fashion or posture from whence it shall be fit to convert it self into all other the Captain or Officer shall bid them stand in front When every particular souldier composing himself after his foremost leader standeth comely in file and rank fronting unto some certain place or to the Captain as shall be thought best for the present In this and all other directions whatsoever it shall be especially observed that every follower attending what is commanded mark his next leader and accordingly move himself as he shall see him move first The Battallion therefore thus fronting if the enemy should suddenly either assault the right or left flank it shall be commanded to turn faces to the right or left hand when every souldier observing his leader shall turn his face and make his flank his front according to the direction There is also a doubled motion or declination to the right or left hand when every souldier observing his leader shall turn their bodies twice to the right or left hand and by that means become turned with their faces where their backs were as if they expected an enemy in the rere or being to perform some other motion that may be offered beginning this alteration from the right or left hand as shall be commanded As every particular souldier in the troup is
Luc. lib. 4. Imprudentium fiducia est fortunam sibi spondere Seneca de beneficiis Incauta semper nimia praesamptio sui negligens Egâ—sip lib. 1. de Instit Cyri. Caesar Thucyd. lib. 7. Caesar â—aetis hâ—nc nâ—mine rebus Ciescendi posuere modum Lucan Eodem ubi laserunt navigia forbentur Seneca Epist 4. Non est in bâ—llo bis peccaâ—e Pluâ—aâ—ch Nullo contectus Curio busto Luc. Homer Iliad 8. Caesar Lib. 6. de comitiis Lib. 5. Anno 〈◊〉 701. Liv. lib. 7. Liv. lib. 9. * Four gallons and a half Plin. l. 35. cap. 12. * Lib. 39. Lib. 1. offic Nec enim 〈◊〉 vehementius rempub contiâ—t quam sides Lib. 2. offic In the life of Julius Caesar Lib. 7. Lib. 7. 2. Offic. Vetus urbi foenebre malum seditionum discordiarumque crebeâ—rima causa Annal. 6 Tull 2. offic Pecuniae quâ—renâ—â—â— ratio naturae consentanea omnibus est à fructibus animalibus de repub lib. 1. cap. 10. Caesar Gen Latinae Feriae Lib. 4 de Antiquit. Rom. Lib. 4. cap. 2 Appian lib. 4. Caesar Iliad 6. 12 Metam Iust lib. 1. Herodot lib. 2. Trebell Pol Sigism Baâ—in Muscâ—â— Quod Fonestias quam â—xoâ—iâ—m levamentum 〈◊〉 Tac. l. 3. Annal. Vix praesenti custedia manere illaesa conjugiâ— â—odem Iudg. 9. Anno 1595. Caesar Qui sapiunt bellum absolvunt celeriter pace fruâ—ntur quam possant dâ—utissime Appian Leges à victoribus 〈…〉 a victis lib. 4. 〈◊〉 in aeqâ—abi itate motâ—m in inaequalitate sâ—mper constitâ—imâ—s In Timâ—o Caesar Timendum ne sub pacis nomine involutum bellum Cicero 〈◊〉 7. Poedus Pacis Foedus Commercil Foedus mutuâ— Auxâ—lii 1. Reg. 22. In Veâ—rem The publication of their seâ—ulâ—r Plaâ—es was criâ—d in these words Convenice ad Iudos spâ—ctandâ—s quos nâ—qâ—e spectavit quisquam nec spectâ—tutus est Sueâ—on in Claudio Nolenteâ— amicum câ—pere difficile Xenoph. de factis dict Socrat. Caesar Frustra sapit qui sibi non sapit Aeneid â— Lib. 16. Successum fortuna experientiam laus sequitur Vaâ—râ— ex Gellio Salust Caesar * Rostra Omnia 〈◊〉 facilias quam 〈…〉 De Mechaniâ—is Livie lib. 8. Plutarch Caesar Incertae sunt res bellicae Thucyd. Caesar Aeneid 2. Homer 9. Iliad 〈◊〉 lib. 8. de bello Gallico Uladislaus Audaces fortuna iuvat Virtus omnia potest Virtute faciendum est quicquid in rebus bellicis est gerendum Plutarch 6 Metamâ—â— Nunquam ita quilquam bene subducta ratione ad vitam fait quin res aetas usus sen 〈◊〉 aliquid 〈…〉 Tâ—ren 〈◊〉 Multi homines pauâ—i viâ—i Herod lib. 7. 〈◊〉 saith that the Romans 〈◊〉 the siege of Veâ—ente being out of humane hope turned their eies to Fate and the hope they had in Destiny Caesar Caesar A hill separating Syria from Cilicia Columnaria Ostiâ—â—â— Propter Aurum Argentum nunquam pacem facit Ferrum lib. 14. Epist 93. Ferrum omnis artis instrumentum Aurum atgentum mortis mancipia Epictetus Capitatio Ostiaria Columnariae 31 ad Atticum Epist 1. In the Paâ—pacy of Sixt. Quinâ—us Fiscus reipub lien quod eo câ—escente artus reliqui tabescunt Sext. Aurelius Victor In Paraeâ—et 2 de Offic. Plutarch Bella sustentantuâ— pecuniâ—rum 〈◊〉 Dion 〈…〉 6. Ann. l. 13. Caesar Quae libera appellabatur * Lepâ—nto In Macedonia quae velint sibi candida nasci ad Haliaâ—monem ducere quae â—ugra 〈◊〉 ad Axium Caesar Caesar * Biremes 〈◊〉 hostium discessiones semper suspectas habere cap. 5. 5 Cyropaed Caesar 〈…〉 Petram Lucan Actus activorum in patientis sunt dispositione Arist Metaph. Caesar ex subâ—â—actis cen conibus Contemprares est homo nisi supra humana se â—rexit 〈◊〉 ratione i 〈…〉 iâ—â— Caesar Caesar Plâ—taâ—ch Lib. 3. c. 59. Labor militiae assidua frâ—ga itatis conâ—â—â—tudine factlior est Iustin Cyâ—us contented with bread and water Xenophon Aequalem oportet semper esse Imperatoris animum mâ—tari enim pro terum varieâ—atibus mentis instabilis argumentum efficitur Agapâ—tus Unus homo nobis cunctando restitute Rem Enn. Lib. 6. de Cyropaed There is a great part of the history in this place omitted Caesar Alâ—ae sunt Legati parâ—es atque Imperatoris â—vocati Millibus ducentis aeris Prinâ—ipilus Solon Plat. â— de 〈◊〉 Liviâ— lib. 4. Lib. 6. In vita Caeâ—â—is In repub multo praestat beneficii qâ—â—m maâ—â—ficii immemorem esse bonus segnior â—it ubi negligas mâ—â—as improbior Sal. Iugâ—r Caesar Et morâ—u spoliare nemus lethumqâ—e minantes Vellere aâ— ignotis dubias radicibus â—erbas Si bonam dederitis fidam perpetuâ—m 〈…〉 diuturâ—â—m Liâ— lib. 8. 〈◊〉 est quod non expâ—gnet pertâ—nâ—â—x opera intenta diligens cura Senec. lib. 6. Epist 51. Plin. lib. 4. cap. 4. Caesar Poenam semper anâ—e oculos versari putent qui peccaverunt Cic. â—n â—rat 〈◊〉 Milone Lib. 5. Cyâ—op Caesar Arma alienasse grave â—rimâ—n est â—a poeâ—a deâ—ertioni exâ—quatur utique si tota alienâ—vit Lib. 14. § de re militari Vir virtute ex miâ—s aliquâ—ndo fortuna semperâ—a imo maximus Caesar * Eâ—itius Sapiens non semper itâ— uno gradu 〈…〉 Herodot 〈◊〉 omnia expensa omnia feruntur accepâ—aâ—â— in tota ratiore mortalium sâ—la uttâ—â—que paginam facit Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7. Caesar Humanaâ—um rerum â—â—â—culus est qui roâ—atus semper â—osdem fortunatos esse non sinit Herodot lib. 1. Habet has vices conditio mortalium ut advâ—rsi ex secundis secunda ex adversis nascantur Pâ—in in Paneg. Herodot lib. 1. Lâ—â—vento è spesso judice non imperito delle cose Guicâ— lib. 5. Caesar The Philosophâ—â— Câ—ator was wont to say that 〈…〉 occasion of an ill 〈◊〉 is a great comfort in any 〈◊〉 of advâ—â—sity Plaâ— in câ—ns Apo. 〈…〉 Prae â—orum delâ—cta 〈◊〉 non acâ—â—piunt Veâ—â—t lib. 1. cap. 14. Finem dolendi qui consilio non fecerit tempore invenit 〈◊〉 Epist 64. Lib. 2. Livie 31. Livie 27. Lib. 2. de bello Civili Front lib. 1. cap. 1. Caesar Lib. 5. de Milit. Ro. cap. 14. Lib. 1. cap. 1 Caesar Humanâ—tum actionum felâ— itas infeli 〈…〉 rerum particulis quae multae sunt varie sed ex eventis judi intuâ— Dionys Hal. lib. 9. Caesar After three of the clock in the afternoon Lib. 5. Obsidio ejus urbis quam cito capere velis utgenda premenda Lib. 6. de Instit Cyri. Bello lex acquirendi justissima Dionys 〈◊〉 in exper legat Polyb. lib. 8 Caesar Comineus In orat pro Plaâ—â—o Virtus felicitatis mensura non foâ—tuna Dio. Hâ—licarn lib. 2. Caesar Prima egregiorum ducum sapientia victoriam siâ—e periculo comparare Polyae lib. 1 stratag Lib. 7. Lib. 3. Excid 2. Offic. 〈◊〉 In manibus vestris quantus sit Caesar habetis Lucan lib. 7. Lib. 2. cap. 3 Singulas cohortes detraxit Lib. 2. cap. 3. Caesar Plutarch Lucan lib. 4. Homer Iliad 3. Lib. 4. cap. 2. Lib. 7. Lib. 4. cap. 7. In the life of Pompey Florus Lib. 4. Infelix quanta Dominum virtute paraâ—â—â— Caesar Utilis tuta res dilato Dionys Halicar lib. 8. Non commitruntur regâ—â—is trireâ—es aut loca aut legiones aut arces sed verba tempora Demost de falsa legatione 1. Labor in nâ—gotio 2. fortitudo in periculo 3. induâ—tria in agendo 4. celeritas in consiciendo were Caesars properties Caesar Interdâ—â— majores copiae sternuntur à minoribus 〈…〉 lib. 8. Lib. 8. Caesar Pompeius Trogus lib. 6. Lib. 8. Caesar Pompâ—ius 〈…〉 esse non poâ—et risi beneficio servitutis 5. de 〈◊〉 16 5. Polit. Nil nimium cupito was writ in golden letters at Delphos Justum bellum esse iis quibus nisi in armis spes nulla est Machiav Nusquana gâ—ntium râ—peritur qui possit penibus approbart Mors omnium par est per quae venit diversi sunt id in quod definiâ—unam est Epist 67. Homines sicut pomi aâ—t matura caduâ—t aut 〈◊〉 Plut. in viâ—a Rompeii Mors Naturae lex est Mors tribuâ—um officiumque mortalium Seneâ—â— natural quaest â— Fabius dictus Maximus Scipio magnus Polyaenus lib. 8. Epist 100. This thaâ—â— fâ—lloweth seemeth of another stile The Prieâ—ts of Egypt said That whensoever the Axe and the bundle of Rods came into Alexandria the power of their Kings should presently case according as it was written in a Columne of gold at Memphis Lib. 2. Ep. 8. Lib. 15. cap. 18. Lib. 5. cap. 9. A File The Leader Battallion A Rank or Front Sidemen The number of souldiers in a Battallion unâ—â—rtain The length Breadth oâ— depth Dignities in places to be observed The first rank The bringers up or Tergiductores or last rank The second and ninth ranks The fifth and sixth ranks Files The right-hand file The left-hand file Distances between files and ranks Open order Order Close ordeâ— pouldron to pouldron The manner of câ—arging with five ranks Stand in front In arrectostate Faces to the right or left hand Declinate in hastam vel in scutum Faces about to the right or left hand Duplicatâ— declinatio or mutatio Wheel to the right or left hand Conversio in hastam vel scutum As you were Revolutio Reversio Wheel about Inflexio militum Reflexâ—o Files From the rere 〈◊〉 â—volutio Macedonica From the front through Laconica evolutio From the front and stand Choâ—ica evolutio Countermarching of ranks The doubling of files to the right or left hand By men Duplicare altitudinem By ground Doubling of ranks by inserting or adding new troups Duplicare longitudinem Silence to be kept In a champain In streights or narrow passages How to 〈◊〉 a division for such a maâ—ch To reduce them 〈◊〉 in into theâ—r first front The manner of chaâ—ging pikes with pikes Five ranks onely By the whole depth To charge with musketiers There must not be too many in a rank In the retreat The manner of charging by â—iles in narrow passages In the pases of Ireland By signes By drum or trumpet By word of mouth The most usual directing terms in exercising a baâ—â—allion or division
thus commanded at sometimes to turn his face to the right or left hand or about the Battallion standing in order that is according to the distance before named so the whole Battallion being reduced into their close order is commanded to turn as one body to the right or left hand It is performed thus Imagine the Battallion stand first in order it shall be commanded that they close their files to the right hand when the right file standing still the rest turning their faces to the right hand march into their close order and return as they were next that they close their ranks from behind when every follower marcheth forward to his leader unto his rapiers point as is said before This done the leader of the right file standing immoveable all the rest as the body of a ship or a great gate turn about that leader as about the hinge or center every one keeping the same distance and order wherein they were first placed as if they were but one entire body When the same Battallion is to be restored into the same station wherein it was first it is commanded Faces about to the left hand and march into your order from whence you were closed Then let your leaders or first ranks stand still and the rest turning faces about march ranks in order as before then turn as you were and you are restored When the whole Battallion being in their close order should turn about and make the Rere the Front it is done by a double turning or declination and commanded to wheel about which is answerable to the former faces about or mutation There is also another wheeling in this sort when the front changeth the aspect thrice for as wheeling about maketh the Front the Rere so this wheeleth from the right hand to the left or contrariwise which fashion is so seldome used that we scarce afford it a name In all such motions and alterations it is most fit that all men perform their directions with their pikes advanced being in that sort most easie to be commanded as also lesse troublesome to their followers and leaders Countermarching Files and Ranks THere is also another means to prevent the enemy his assaulting us in the rere or flank lest he should find our worst men least able to make resistance and this is performed by countermarching both files and ranks three divers wayes apiece The first was used by the Macedonians after this fashion First the leader turneth his face about towards the right or left hand and so the next follower marching behind his leader turneth also and so the third and fourth untill the bringer up have carried himself out into a new place in the rere further from the enemy as he was before next unto him But this neither was nor is accounted safe or secure because it doth somewhat resemble a flying or running away from the enemy which might give him no small incouragement and therefore it is not much in practise Only at some times the bringers up marching throughout beyond the leaders untill they possesse the same space before them which they did behind them all turning their faces about make their leaders to affront the enemy who were before farthest from them The Lacedamonians used the contrary as it were pursuing the enemy the bringer up first being turned face about and so the next marching before him and so the third untill the leader himself became also turned and in the foremost front unto the enemy Which with us is somewhat otherwise but yet both affronting and as it were pursuing the enemy because our leaders first begin this motion and so countermarching through on the right or left hand become in the front in a new space of ground who were before in the rere The third and last was invented by the Persians whom when the place or near approch of the enemy would not suffer to change their ground they were wont to countermarch the front to the right or left hand and being come unto the depth of the bringers up to stand still untill the other half file had likewise marched forth and fallen upon their leaders in every file In all these it is especially commanded to march still in the same distance and by whole ranks to prevent confusion which especially the enemy at hand must needs be most dangerous and therefore carefully to be avoided In like sort the ranks may countermarch when either the right wing would be strengthened by the left or the left by the right alwayes marching by whole files towards the right or left hand according as they shall have the direction either changing the ground or upon the same ground as in the former countermarches There is used also another kind of strengthening both the front and flank when occasion shall be offered viz by doubling either files or ranks And this either by doubling the number of souldiers in the same files or ranks keeping still the same breadth and depth of ground or else by doubling the ground keeping the same number of souldiers The files are doubled when the second file shall insert it self into the first the leader thereof putting himself a follower unto the leader of the first and the next follower follower to the next in the first file and so forwards And likewise the fourth file inserting it self into the third and the sixth into the fifth And this is to be performed when the Battallion standeth in his order To double the place or depth is when the same number of men shall put themselves out of their order into their open order either by advancing forward or by falling backwards as they shall be commanded The ranks are doubled two manner of wayes either by inserting the second into the first to the right or left hand as before in the files or else the enemy being at hand by joyning whole troups together to the right or left wing according as occasion shall be offered and this is held to be the safest when the enemy is near to avoid confusion It is performed either in the same ground or by doubling the ground when either we desire to exceed the front of our enemy his battallion or to prevent lest we our selves be included The terms to both are Double your files or ranks to the right or left hand and when you would have them return again into their proper places it is commanded As you were The ordinary directions which are especially given in these martial exercises are first that no man in the time of exercising or marshalling shall be lowder then his Officer but every one attending to his place when he is commanded shall diligently hearken to such directions as shall be given The Captain in the front shall speak and the Sergeants in each flank shall give the word unto the Lieutenant or Ensigne
in the rere who as in his proper place seeth all things executed accordingly as the Captain shall command It shall be unpossible to performe any thing herein unlesse first every one do exactly observe his leader and his sideman and to this purpose it is often commanded Keep your files Keep your ranks Of Marches IN champains there needs no great labour to marshall particular troups for their after-marches because they may march either by whole divisions observing onely their course of indifferency that every division may every third day have the vantgard or else in such form and fashion as the Generall hath proposed for a day of battell according as the danger of an expected enemy shall give occasion But because all countries will not afford a champain for the marching of an army and therefore not possible to march far with many troups in front nor many files of any one troup or division by reason of often straights and passages betwixt hills woods or waters It is provided though by long induction the whole army shall be extended into a thin length and few files yet the souldiers well disposed shall be as readily able to defend themselves and offend the enemy on their flanks from whence only in such streights the danger is imminent as if they were to affront an enemy with an entire battallion in a champain country First therefore a division or Battallion being ordered and drawn before the Quarter into one even front of just files ten in depth the musketiers equally divided on the right and left slanks of the pikes all standing in their order that is to â—ay six feet distant in files and ranks the Captain carefully provideth that the first fifth sixth and tenth ranks be alwayes well filled and furnished with his most able and best-armed souldiers Which done he commandeth first the middlemen or half files to come a front with their leaders so that the division becometh but five in depth Next he commandeth to turn faces to the right or left hand as direction shall be to march from that quarter and so the whole division resteth ready in his fashion to march five in front the one half of the musketiers in the vantguard and the other in the rere the pikes in the battell and both flanks well furnished with the ablest best men to offend or defend as there shall be occasion that is to say the right flanks with the first and fifth ranks and the left with the sixth and tenth ranks If occasion afterwards shall be given of a halt in a champain or before the quartering the Captain commandeth first unto all they being first closed into their order Faces as you were next unto the half files Faces about and march out and fall again upon your files By which means the division becometh again reduced into the same front and fashion from whence it was first transformed ready to encounter an enemy or to be drawn into the Quarter When pikes are to charge pikes in a champain it useth to be performed two severall wayes First the whole division being commanded into their close order the five first ranks charging their pikes every follower over his leaders shoulder directeth his pike as equally as he can the first rank shall have three feet of his pike over the formost shoulder The other five ranks with their pikes advanced follow close up in the rere either ready to second the formost or to be employed in the rere as occasion shall be offered Otherwise and most usuall when the whole depth of the files throughout the division shall charge together all fast locked and united together and therefore most able to make the strongest shock offensive or defensive provided alwaies that none mingle their pikes in others files but the whole file one in anothers shoulder In charging with musketiers it is observed no way convenient that there should be too many in a rank or that the ranks should be too long For the first rank is commanded to advance ten paces before the second and then to discharge and wheeling either to the right or left hand falleth into the rere and so the second advancing to the same distance dischargeth and wheeleth as before and likewise the third and so forward as long as the Officer shall be commanded Which shall not so well be performed the ranks being extraordinary long because it will require so long a time to wheel from the front that the second may succeed unlesse by direction the rank may divide it self the one half to the right hand and the other to the left in wheeling to the rere In the retreat the whole ranks having turned their faces about are to march three or four paces forward their chief officer coming in the rere first commandeth the last rank to make ready and then to turn faces about discharge and wheel about to the head or front of the division and being clearly passed the next rank to perform as much and so the rest in order Where the passages are narrow and the division cannot come to charge in front as between two waters or woods the manner of charging is different for there being five or ten files led in the induction that file which flanketh the enemy dischargeth first onely and the rest marching continually forwards it standeth firm untill the last rank be passed and then sleeveth it self on the left flank and makes ready and so the second file and the third so long as the enemy shall continue there being a continuall discharging by files as before by ranks Unlesse it be in the pases of Ireland meeting with an irregular enemy where they use to intermingle their files of shot with pikes that the one may be a defence for the other when the enemy shall come up to the sword as they use there very often How directions are delivered in the warres ALl directions in the wars have ever been delivered either by signes subject to the eye by word of mouth or the sound of a drumme or some such warlike instrument Concerning those visible signes displayed unto the souldiers the falling of mists the raising of dust showers of rain snow the beams of the Sun hilly uneven and crooked passages by long experience have found them to be most doubtfull and uncertain as also because as it was a matter of great difficulty to invent different signes upon all sodain occasions so it is almost an impossibility that the common souldier who oftentimes is found scarce capable of the understanding of plain words distinctly pronounced should both apprehend and understand sodainly and execute directly the true sense and meaning of his Commanders signes The Drum and Trumpet are yet used But because many different sounds are not easily distinguished in souldiers understanding without some danger of confusion we onely command by the inarticulate sounds to arm to march to troup to
sent out two other Cohorts to succour them who making distance between them as they stood the court of guard retired it self in safety through that space into the Camp Otherwise we never find that the first battel made any retreat into the allies between the maniples of the second battel but when it failed in any part the second and third went presently to second them as appeareth in the battel following with Ariovistus and in divers others Concerning the use of this triple battel what can be said more then Lipsius hath done where he laieth open the particular commodities thereof as far forth as a speculative judgement can discern of things so far remote from the use of this age which never imitateth this triple battel but only in a march for then commonly they make three companies a Vangard a Battel and a Rereward but in imbattelling they draw these three Companies all in front making two cornets and the battel without any other troups to second them But let this suffice concerning Caesar his manner of imbattelling and his triplex Acies untill I come to the second book where I will handle more particularly the parts of a legion and the commondity of their small battalions THE SECOND OBSERVATION THe Macedonian Phalanx is described by Polybius to be a square battel of Pikemen consisting of sixteen in flank and five hundred in front the souldiers standing so close together that the pikes of the fifth rank were extended three foot beyond the front of the battel the rest whose pikes were not serviceable by reason of their distance from the front couched them upon the shoulders of those that stood before them and so locking them in together in file pressed forward to hold up the sway or giving back 〈◊〉 the former ranks and so to make the assault more violent and unresistable The Graecians were very skilful in this part of the Art Militarie which containeth order and disposition in imbattelling for they maintained publick professours whom they called Tactici to teach and instruct their youth the practise and Art of all formes convenient for that purpose And these Tactici found by experience that sixteen in flank so ordered as they were in a Phalanx were able to bear any shock how violent so ever it charged upon them Which number of sixteen they made to consist of four doubles as first unitie maketh no order for order consisteth in number and pluralitie but unitie doubled maketh two the least of all orders and this is the double which doubled again maketh the second order of four souldiers in a file which doubled the third time maketh eight and this doubled maketh 16 which is the fourth doubling from a unite and in it they staied as in an absolute number and square whose root is four the Quadruple in regard of both the extremes For every one of these places the Tactici had severall names by which they were distinctly known But the particular description requireth a larger discourse then can be comprehended in these short observations He that desireth further knowledge of them may read Aelianus that lived in the time of Adrian the Emperour and Arianus in his historie of Alexander the great with Mauritius and Leo Imperator where he shall have the divisions of Tetraphalangia Diphalangia Phalangia unto a unite with all the discipline of the Grecians The chiefest thing to be observed is that the Grecians having such skill in imbattelling preferred a Phalanx before all other formes whatsoever either because the figure in it self was very strong or otherwise in regard that it fitted best their weapons which were long pikes and targets But whether Caesar termed the battell of the Helvetians a Phalanx in regard of their thick manner of imbattelling onely or otherwise forasmuch as besides the form they used the naturall weapon of a Phalanx which was the pike it remaineth doubtfull Brancatio in his discourses upon this place maketh it no controversie but that every souldier carried a pike and a target The target is particularly named in this historie but it cannot so easily be gathered by the same that their offensive weapons were pikes In the fight at the baggage it is said that many of the legionarie shouldiers were wounded through the cart-wheeles with tragulae and materae which are commonly interpreted Speares and Javelins and I take them to be weapons longer then common darts but whether they were so long as the Sarissas of the Macedonians I cannot tell Howsoever this is certain that the Helvetians have ever been reputed for the true Phalangitae next unto the Macedonians and that in their thick and close imbattelling they failed not at this time of the form of a Phalanx for they roofed it so thick with targets that Caesar saith they were sore troubled because many of their targets were fastened and tied together with piles darted through them Which argueth that their Phalanx was very thick thronged whatsoever their weapon was Chap. VIII Caesar sendeth away all the horses of ease exhorteth his men and beginneth the battell CAesar to take away all hope of safety by flight first caused his own and then all the private horses of ease to be carried out of sight and so using some motives of courage began the battel The souldiers casting their Piles with the advantage of the hill did easily break the Helvetians Phalanx and then with their swords betook themselves to a furious close THE FIRST OBSERVATION THe ancient Sages found it necessary to a faithfull and serious execution of such an action to prepare the minds of their men with words of encouragement and to take away all scruple out of their conceits either of the unlawfulnesse of the cause or disadvantage against the Enemie for if at any time that saying be true that Oratio plus potest quam pecunia it is here more powerfull and of greater effect For a donative or liberanza can but procure a mercenarie endeavour ever yielding to a better offer and do oftentimes breed a suspicion of wrong even amongst those that are willingly inriched with them and so maketh them slack to discharge their service with loyaltie yea oftentimes of friends to become enemies But inasmuch as speech discloseth the secrets of the soul and discovereth the intent and drift of every action a few good words laying open the injurie which is offered to innocencie how equity is controlled with wrong and justice controlled by iniquitie for it is necessary that a Commander approve his Cause and settle an opinion of right in the mind of his souldiers as it is easie to make that seem probable which so many offer to defend with their bloud when indeed every man relieth upon anothers knowledge and respecteth nothing lesse the right a few good words I say will so stirre up their minds in the ferventnesse of the cause that every man will take himself particularly ingaged in the action by the title of Equitie and the rather
for that it jumpeth with the necessity of their condition For men are willing to do well when well-doing agreeth with that they would do otherwise the Act may happily be effected but the mind never approveth it by assent And this manner of exhortation or speech of encouragement was never emitted by Caesar in any conflict mentioned in this historiâ— but he still used it as a necessary instrument to set vertue on foot and the onely meanes to stir up alacritie Or if it happened that his men were at any time discouraged by disaster or crosse accident as they were at Gergobia and at the two overthrows he had at Dyrrachium he never would adventure to give battell untill he had incouraged them again and confirmed their minds in valour and resolution But this age hath put on so scornfull a humour that it cannot hear a speech in this key sound it never so gravely without scoffing and derision and on the other side discontinuance of so necessarie a part hath bred at length such an inutilent pudorem in our chief Commanders that they had rather lose the gain of a great advantage then buy it with words to be delivered in publick THE SECOND OBSERVATION IN this Chapter we may further observe the violence of the Roman pile which being a heavie deadly weapon could hardly be frustrated with any resistance and in that respect was very proper and effectuall against a Phalanx or any other thick and close battell or wheresoever else stroke was certain or could hardly deceive the aime of the caster for in such encounters it so galled the enemy that they were neither able to keep their order nor answer the assault with a resisting counterbuffe By which it appeareth that the onely remedie against the Pile was to make the ranks thin allowing to every souldier a large podisme or place to stand in that so the stroke might of it self fall without hurt or by fore-sight be prevented as it shall plainly appear by the sequele of this historie which I will not omit to note as the places shall offer themselves to the examination of this discourse But as touching the Pile which is so often mentioned in the Roman historie Polybius describeth it in this manner A Pile saith he is a casting weapon the staffe whereof is almost three cubits long and it hath palmarem diametrum a hand-breadth in thickness The staves were armed with a head of iron equall in length to the staffe it self But in that sort that half the head was fastened up to the middle of the staffe with plates of iron like the head of a Halbert and the other half stuck out at the end of the staffe like a pike containing a fingers breadth in thicknesse and so decreasing lesse and lesse upto the point which was barbed This head was so slender toward the points that the weight of the staffe would bend it as it stuck as appeareth in this battel of the Helvetians This weapon was peculiar to the Romans and was called Pilum as Varro noteth of Pilum a Pestell quod Hostes feriret ut pilum Lipsius finding that Palmarem diametrum was too great a thicknesse to be managed by any mans hand interpreteth it to be four inches in circuit if the staffe were either round or square for they had of both sorts and so he maketh it very manageable but nothing answerable to the description given by Polybius either informe or weight Patricius in his Paralleli maketh the staffe to have Palmarem diametrum in the butt end but the rest of the staffe he maketh to decrease taper-wise unto the head of iron where it hath the thicknesse of a mans finger and so it answereth both in form and weight to a Pestell as may be seen by the figure and I take it to be the meaning of Polybius Patricius in that place setteth down four discommodities of the Pile First a furious and hot-spirited enemie will easily prevent the darting of the Pile with a nimble and speedy close And so we read that in the battell which Caesar had with Ariovistus the Germans came so violently upn them that the souldiers cast away their piles and betook them to their swords And likewise in that worthy battell between Catiline and Marcus Petreius they cast away their piles on either part The second discommodity was that the piles being so heavy could not be cast any distance but were only serviceable at hand Thirdly they could not be cast with any aime or as they say point-blank And lastly the souldiers were to take advantage of ground backward when they threw them which might easily disorder their troups if they were not very well experienced THE THIRD OBSERVATION THe last thing which I observe in this speciality is that the legionary souldiers had no other offensive weapon but one pile or two at the most and their swords By which it may be gathered that all their victories came by buckling at handy-blowes for they came alwayes so near before they cast their pile that they left themselves no more time then might conveniently serve them to draw their swords neither would their Arms of defence which was compleat besides a large target which they carried on their left arm suffer them to make any long pursuit or continued chase whensoever a light-armed enemy did make any speedy retreat as will more plainly appear by that which followeth Chap. IX The Helvetians fainting in the battel retire to a Hill the Romans follow after and the battel is continued THE BATTEL WHICH CAESAR HAD WITH THE HELVETIANS The Hill being taken and the Legions following on to drive them from thence the Boii and â—ulingi to the number of fifteen thousand being in the Rere of the Enemy to guard the lag of their Army setting on our men as they were in pursuit of the rest did charge them upon the open side and began to inclose them about which the Helvetians that had got the Hill perceiving began again to fall upon our men and renewed the battel The Romans dividing themselves turned their Ensignes two wayes the first and second Army fought against the Helvetians that returned from the Hill and the third battel took charge of them that stood ready to inclose them about And here the fight was doubtfull and furious for a long time untill at length they were no longer able to endure the violence of the legionary souldiers and so one part betook themselves as at the first to the Hill and the other to the place where their Carts and baggage were lodged And hitherto there was not one man seen to have turned his back in all this conflict although the fight continued from the seventh hour untill the evening THE FIRST OBSERVATION COncerning the Ensignes of the Romans we are to understand that the chiefest Ensigne of every Legion was an Eagle which alwayes attended upon the Primipile or chief Centurion of the said Legion The Ensigne of
and wealth termed them by the name of Hastati forasmuch as at their first institution they fought with a kind of Javelin which the Romans called Hasta but before Polybius his time they used Piles notwithstanding their ancient name continued unto the later time of the Empire The third choice which they made was of the strongest lustiest-bodied men who for the prime of their age were called Principes the rest that remain'd were named Triarii as Varro saith Quod tertio ordine extremis sub sidio deponuntur These were alwayes the eldest and best-experienced men and were placed in the third division of the battell as the last help and refuge in all extremitie Polybius saith that in his time the Velites Hastati and Principes did consist of 1200 men apiece and the Triarii never exceeded the number of 600. although the generall number of a legion were augmented whereof Lâ—psius alledgeth these reasons First because these Triarii consisted of the best of the souldiers and so might countervail a greater number in good worth and valour Secondly they seldome came to buckle with the enemy but when the controversy grew very doubtfull Lastly we may well conjecture that the voluntaries and extraordinary followers ranged themselves amongst these Triaries and so made the third battell equall to either of the former but howsoever they never exceeded the number of 600. And by this it appeareth that in Polybius his time the common rate of a legion was 4200. In this division of their men consisted the ground of that well-ordered discipline for in that they distinguished them according to their yeares and ability they reduced their whole strength into severall classes and so disposed of these different parts that in the generall composition of their whole body every part might be fitted with place and office accâ—â—ding as his worth was answerable to the same and so they made not only a number of grosse but a number distinct by parts and properties that from every accident which met with any part of the Army the judgement might determine how much or how little it imported the whole body besides the great use which they made of this distinction in their degrees of honour and preferment a matter of no small consequence in the excellency of their government The souldiers at their enrollement being thus divided according to their yeares and ability they then reduced them into smaller companies to make them fitter for command and fight and so they divided the Hastatâ— Principes and Triarii each of them into 10 companies making of those three sorts of souldiers 30 small regiments which they called Manipuli And again they subdivided every maniple into two equal parts and called them Ordines which was the least company in a legion and according to the rate set down by Polybius contained 60 souldiers In every Ordo there was a Centurion or Captain and a Lieutenant whom they named Optio or Tergiductor The maniples of the Triarii were much lesser then the maniples of either the Hastati or the Principes forasmuch as their whole band consisted but of 600 men The Velites were put into no such companies but were equally distributed amongst the other maniples and therefore the Hastati Principes and Triarii were called subsignani milites to make a difference between them and the Velites which were not divided into bands and so consequently had no ensigne of their own but were distributed amongst the other companies so that every Maniple had 40 Velites attending upon it And now I come to the description of a Cohort which the history here mentioneth The word Cohors in Latine doth signify that part of ground which is commonly inclosed before the gate of a house which from the same word we call a court and Varro giveth this reason of the metaphor As in a farm house saith he many out-buildings joyned together make one inclosure so a cohort consisteth of severall maniples joyned together in one body This cohort consisted of three maniples for every legion had ten cohorts which must necessarily comprehend those thirty maniples but these three maniples were not all of one and the same kind of souldiers as three maniples of the Hastati three of the Principes and three of the Triarii as Patricius in his Paralleli seemeth to affirm for so there would have remained an odd maniple in every kind that could not have been brought into any cohort But a cohort contained a maniple of the Hastati a maniple of the Principes and a maniple of the Triarii and so all the thirty maniples were included into ten cohorts and every cohort was as a little legion forasmuch as it consisted of all those sorts of souldiers that were in a legion So that making a legion to contain five thousand men a cohort had five hundred and so these six cohorts which he encamped on the other side of the river under the command of Titurius Sabinus contained three thousand souldiers but if you make a legion to consist but of four thousand two hundred which was the more usuall rate there were two thousand five hundred and twenty souldiers in these six cohorts By this therefore it may appear that a legion consisted of four sorts of souldiers which were reduced into ten cohorts and every cohort contained three maniples and every maniple two orders and every order had his Centurion marching in the head of the troup and every Centurion had his Optionem or Lieutenant that stood in the tail of the troup When a legion stood ranged in battell ready to confront the enemy the least body or squadron that it contained was a maniple wherein the two orders were joyned together making joyntly ten in front and twelve in file and so every five files had their Centurion in front and Lieutenant in the rereward to direct them in all adventures In the time of the Emperours their battalions consisted of a cohort and never exceeded that number how great soever the Army were Polybius distinguishing a maniple into two centuries or orders saith that the Centurion first chosen by the Tribunes commanded the right order which was that order which stood on the right hand known by the name of Primus ordo and the Centurion elected in the second course commanded the left order and in the absence of either of them he that was present of them two commanded the whole maniple And so we find that the Centurion of the first place was called Prior Centuriâ— in which sense Caesar is to be understood where he saith that all the Centurions of the first cohort were slain praeter principem priorem From whence we gather two specialities first the priority between the Centurions of the same Maniple for a cohort consisting of three Maniples whereof the first Maniple were Triarii the second Principes and the third Hastati and every Maniple containing two orders and
every order a Centurion he saith that all the Centurions of this cohort were slain saving the first or upper Centurion of the Principes The second thing which I observe is the title of the first cohort for these ten cohorts whereof a Legion consisted were distinguished by degrees of worthinesse and that which was held the worthiest in the censure of the Electors took the priority both of place and name and was called the first cohort the next the second cohort and so consequently unto the tenth and last Neither did the Legions want their degrees of preeminence both in imbattelling and in encamping according either to the seniority of their inrollment or the favour of their Generall or their own vertue And so we read that in these wars in Gallia the tenth Legion had the first place in Caesars Army And thus much concerning the divisions and severall companies of a Legion and the degrees of honour which they held in the same Upon this description it shall not be amisse briefly to lay open the most apparent commodities depending upon this discipline the excellency whereof more plainly appeareth being compared to that order which Nature hath observed in the frame of her worthiest creatures for it is evident that such works of Nature come nearest to perfect excellency whose materiall substance is most particularly distinguished into parts and hath every part indued with that property which best agreeth to his peculiar service For being thus furnished with diversity of instruments and these directed with fitting abilities the creature must needs expresse many admirable effects and discover the worth of an excellent nature whereas those other bodies that are but slenderly laboured and find lesse favour in Natures forge being as abortives or barbarously composed wanting the diversity both of parts and faculties are no way capable of such excellent uses nor fit for such distinct services as the former that are directed with so many properties inabled with the power of so wel-distinguisht faculties Which better works of Nature the Romans imitated in the Architecture of their Army dividing it into such necessary and serviceable parts as were best fitting all uses and imploiments as first Legions and legions into cohorts and cohorts into maniples and maniples into centuries or orders and these into files wherein every man knew his place and kept the same without exchange or confusion and thus the universall multitude was by order disposed into parts untill it came unto a unity For it cannot be denied but that these centuries were in themselves so sensibly distinguished that every souldier carried in his mind the particular Map of his whole century for in imbattelling every century was disposed into five files containing twelve in a file whereof the leaders were alwayes certain and never changed but by death or some other speciall occasion and everie leader knew his follower and every second knew the third man and so consequently unto the last Upon these particularities it plainly appeareth how easy a matter it was to reduce their troups into any order of a march or a battell to make the front the slank or slank front when they were broken and disrankt to rally them into any form when every man knew both his own and his fellows station If any companies were to be imploied upon sudden service the generall Idea of the Army being so deeply imprinted in the mind of the commanders would not suffer them to eâ—re in taking out such convenient troups both for number and quality as might best agree with the safety of the Army or nature of the action At all occasions and opportunities these principles of advantage offered themselves as ready means to put in execution any design or stratagem whatsoever the project was no sooner resolved of but every man could readily point out the companies that were â—it to execute the intention And which is more important in regard of the life and spirit of every such part their sodality was sweetned or rather strengthened with the mutuall acquaintance and friendship one of another the captain marching alwayes in the head of the troup the ensign in the midst and the lieutenant in the rereward and every man accompanied with his neighbour and his friend which bred a true and unfeigned courage both in regard of themselves and of their followers Besides these specialities the places of title and dignity depending upon this order were no small means to cut off all matter of civile discord and intestine dissension for here every man knew his place in the File and every File knew his place in the Century and every Century in the Maniple and every Maniple in the Cohort and every Cohort in the Legion and every Legion in the Army and so every souldier had his place according to his vertue and every place gave honour to the man according as their discipline had determined thereof The want of this discipline hath dishonoured the martiall government of this age with bloâ—dshed and murthers whereof Tâ—ance is too true a witnesse as well in regard of the French themselves as of our English forces that have been sent thither to appeale their tumults for through defect of this order which allotteth to every man his due place the controversy grew between Sir William Drurie and Sir John Burrowes the issue whereof is too well known to the world wherein as our Commanders in France have been negligent so I may not forget to give due commendation to the care which is had of this point amongst the English troups in the service of the States in the United Provinces where they are very curious in appointing every man his place in the File and every File in the Troup and find much benefit thereby besides the honour of reviving the Roman discipline To conclude this point I will only touch in a word the benefit which the Romans found in their small battalions and the disadvantage which we have in making great squadrons And first it cannot be denied but that such troups stand best appointed for disposition and array of battell which standing strong to receive a shock bring most men to â—ight with the enemy for the principall things which are required in setting of a battell are so to order the troups that the depth in slank may serve conveniently to withstand the assault taking up no more men then may well serve for that purpose and giving means to the rest to fight with the enemy and in these two points were both their defensive and offensive considerations comprehended But smaller troups and battalions afford this conveniency better then great squadrons which drown up many able men in the depth of their â—lanks and never suffer them to appear but when the breaking of the squadron doth present them to the butchery of the enemy The Macedonian Phalanx as I have noted in the first book never carried above sixteen in slank and brought five hundred to fight in front And these
sun and the moon are carried both together in the same flowing and ebbing quarters that then the tides and ebbs are very great and likewise in opposition or full of the moon when these lights are carried in opposite quarters which we have described to be of the same nature either ebbing or flowing that then in like manner the tides are great forasmuch as both these Planets through the symbolizing quarters wherein they are carried do joyn their forces to make perfect this work of Nature in the ebbing and flowing of the Sea And contrariwise in a quadrate aspect as the Astronomers call it or quarter age of the moon whenas the moon is carried in a flowing quarter and at the same instant the sun doth happen to be in an ebbing or decreasing quarter as the course of Nature doth necessarily require then are the tides lessened as daily experience doth witnesse And forasmuch as both the right horizon and the meridian also divide every diurnall circle which either the sun or the moon make in their revolutions into equall parts it followeth that every tide is continually measured with the quantity of six houres and therefore that which Caesar here saith must needs be true that in the space of twelve houres there are alwayes two high tides And least any man should imagine that every inland City standing upon an ebbing and flowing river may take the computation of the tide according to this rule let him understand that this which I have delivered is to be conceived principally of the sea it self and secondarily of such ports and havens as stand either near or upon the sea but where a river shall run many miles from the sea and make many winding Meanders before it come to the place of calculation it must needs lose much of this time before mentioned And thus much I thought convenient to insert in these discourses touching the ebbing and flowing of the sea as not impertinent to martiall knowledge Concerning the shipping of the Romans whereof posterity hath only received the bare names and some few circumstances touching the manner of their Equipage the Criticks of these times have laboured to set forth a fleet answerable to that which the terms and title mentioned in history seem to report but yet the gain of their voyage doth not answer their charge For many men rest unsatisfied first touching the names themselves whereof we find these kindes Names Longas Onerarias Actuarias Triremes Quadriremes Quinqueremes The first we may understand to be Gallies or ships of service the second ships of burthen the third ships that were driven forward with force of oares and the rest sounding according to their Names for I dare not intitle them with a more particular description Now whether these Names Longas and Actuarias were a severall sort of shipping by themselves or the generall Names of the Quadriremes Triremes and Quinqueremes forasmuch as every kind of these might be called both Longas and Actuarias as it yet remaineth in controversy so it is not much materiall to that which we seek after But that which most troubleth our sea-Criticks is in what sense they may understand these vocabularies Triremes Quadriremes and Quinqueremes whether they were so termed in regard of the number of rowers or water-men that haled continually at an oare as the custome of the Gallies is at this day or otherwise because a Trireme had three orders of oares on either side a Quadrireme four and a Quinquereme sive whereof they took their distinction of Names Such as hold that a Trireme had on each side three ranks of oares and so consequently of a Quadrireme and Quinquereme alledge this place of Livie to make good their opinion In the wars between Rome and Carthage Laelius meeting with Asdrubal in the streights of Gibralta each of them had a Quinquereme and seven or eight Triremes a piece the current in that place was so great that it gave no place to Art but carried the vessels according to the fall of the Billow in which uncertainty the Triremes of the Carthaginian closed with the Quinquereme of Laelius which either because she was pondere tenacior as Livie saith or otherwise for that pluribus remorum ordinibus scindentibus vertices facilius regeretur in regard of the pluralitie of banks of oares which resisted the billow and steamed the current she sunk two of the Triremes and so got the victorie From hence they prove that a Quinquereme had plures remorumordines then a Trireme had and therefore it took the name from the plurality of banks of oares and not from the number of men that rowed at an oare But the contrary opinion doth interpret Ordo remorum to be a couple of oares one answering another on each side of the vessell which we call a pair of oares So that a Quinquereme being far greater and longer then a Trireme had more paires of oares then a Trireme had and those oares were handled with five men at one oare according to the use of our Gallies at this day But to leave this and come to their manner of sea-sights we must understand that the Romans wanting the use of Artillery and managing their shaps of war with force of oares failed not to make use of their Art in their conflicts and encounters by sea for all their ships of service which we term men of war carried a strong beak-head of â—â—on which they called rostrum with which they ran one against another with as great violence and fury as their oares could carry them And herein Art gave great advantage for he that could best skill to turn his ship with greatest celerity and so frustrate an offer or with speedy and strong agitation follow an advantage commonly got the victory In the battel which D. Brutus had with the Massilians we read that two Triremes charging the Admirall wherein Brutus was one at the one side and the other at the other Brutus and his Mariners so cunningly handled the matter that when they should come to the hurt they speedily in a trice of time wound themselves from between them and the two Triremes met with such a carriere one against another that one brake her beak-head and the other split with the blow For this skill and fortune withall Euphranor the Rhodian was of great fame in Caesars time although his end found too true the saying of the Historian that whom Fortune honoureth with many good haps she oftentimes reserveth to a harder destiny as other sea-men besides Euphranor can truly witnesse This first brunt being ended when they came to grapple and bording one of another then the art and practices of their land services came in use for they erected turrets upon their decks and from them they sought with engines and casting-weapons as slings arrowes and piles and when they entered they fought with sword and target Neither did the leâ—â—onary souldier find any difference when he came to the
other works which he might well record as the greatest designes of an heroick spirit and the wonderfull effects of magnanimous industry that succeeding ages might not boast either of Art or prowesse which his vertue had not expressed or otherwise might wonder at that worth which they themselves could not attain unto And to that purpose he entertained Vuruvius the Father of Architecture and as worthily to be imitated in that faculty as his Master Caesar is in feats of Armes By whose example a great Commander may learn how much it importeth the eternity of his fame to beautify his greatest designes with Art and to esteem of such as are able to intreat the Mathematicall Muses to shew themselves under the shape of a sensible form which albeit through the rudenesse of the matter fall far short of the truth of their intellectuall nature yet their beauty expresseth such a majesty of Art that no time will suffer the memory thereof to perish The workmanship of this bridge consisted chiefly in the oblique situation of the double posts whereof the first order bending with the stream and the lower rank against the stream when they came to be coupled together with overthwart beams which were fastened in the couplings with braces which he nameth Fibulas the more violent the stream fell upon the work the faster the joynts of the building were united as may better appear by a modell of that making then can be expressed by any circumstance of words I might hence take occasion to speak of the diversity of bridges and of the practices which antiquity hath devised to transport Armies over Rivers but inasmuch as it is a common subject for all that undertake this Military task and hath been handled by Lapsius upon the occasion of this bridge I will refer the Reader to that place and only note the singular disposition of this action inasmuch as Caesar made the means correspondent to that end which he intended For considering that the chiefest end of his passage was to let the Germans understand that the power of the Roman Empire was not bounded with the Rhene and that a river could not so separate their territories but that they were able to joyn both the Continents together and make a common road-way where it seemed most unpassable he thought it best to passe over his Army by a bridge that so the Germans might know the power of his forces and also conceit their Territoâ—ies as united unto Gallia or to be united at the pleasure of the Romans with a firm Isthmus and plain passage by foot which in times past had alwayes been separated by a mighty river Neither would a transportation by boat have wrought that effect forasmuch as the daily use thereof was so familiar to the Germans that it nothing altered their imagination of an unaccessible passage but when they saw so strange a thing attempted and so suddenly performed they would easily understand that they were not so farre off but that they might be overtaken and so direct their demeanour accordingly Let this suffice therefore to prove that a passage over a river by a bridge is more honourable safe and of greater terrour to the enemy then any other way that can be devised especially if the river carry any depth such as the Rhene is otherwise if it have either shallows or fords whereby men may wade over without any great incumbrance it were but loâ—â— labour to stand about a bridge but rather to think of it as of a place incumbred with such hindrances as men often meet with in a march CHAP. VII Caesar taketh revenge upon the Sicambri giveth liberty to the Ubii and returneth again into Gallia THe Sicambri understanding that Caesar was making a bridge over the Rhene prepared themselves to fly and at the perswasion of the Usipetes Tenchtheri forsook their country and conveyed themselves and their possessions into woods and solitary Deserts Caesar continuing a few dayes in their quarters having set on fire their villages and houses and burned up their Corn and provision came to the Ubii promising them aid against the Suevi by whom he understood that assoon as the Suevi had intelligence that he went about to make a bridge calling a Councell according to their manner they sent unto all quarters of their State that they should forsake their towns and carry their wives and children and all that they had into the woods and that all that were able to bear Armes should make head in one place which they appointed to be the midst of their Country and there they attended the coming of the Romans and were resolved in that place to give them battel Which when Caesar understood having ended all those things in regard whereof he came into Germany which was chiefly to terrify the Germans to be revenged upon the Sicambri to set the Ubii at liberty having spent in all eighteen dayes beyond the Rhene and done enough as well in regard of his own honour as the good of the commonweal he returned into Gallia and brake up the bridge CHAP. VIII Caesar thinketh of a voyage into Britanie he enquireth of Merchants concerning the nature of that people ALthough the Summer was almost spent and that in those parts the winter hastened on a pace inasmuch as all Gallia inclineth to the North notwithstanding he resolved to go over into Britanie â—orasmuch as he understood that in all the former wars of Gallia the Enemy had received most of their supply from thence And although the time of the year would not suffer him to finish that war yet he thought it would be to good purpose if he went only to view the Island to understand the quality of the inhabitants and to know their coast their ports and their landing-places whereof the Galles were altogether ignorant for seldome any man but merchants did travell unto them Neither had they discovered any thing but the sea-coast and those regions which were opposite unto Gallia And therefore calling merchants together from all quarters he neither could understand of what quantity the Island was what nations or what power they were that inhabited â—t what use or experience of war they had what laws or customes they used nor what havens they had to receive a navy of great shipping OBSERVATION AS the Germans had oftentimes stirred up motions of rebellion amongst the Galles by sending their superfluous multitudes into their kingdome so the Britans had upheld most of their wars by furnishing them with such supplies as from time to time they stood in need of So that if Caesar or the Roman people would rest secure of their quiet and peaceable government in Gallia as they had chastised the insolencie of the Germans and sent them back again with greater losse then gain so was it necessary to make the Britans know that their assistance in the war of Gallia would draw more businesses upon them then they were well able to manage For as
hill led back their troups into the Camp The third day Caesar fortified his Camp with a Rampier and commanded the rest of the cohorts and the carriages which were left in the other Camps to be brought unto him OBSERVATION IT may be observed for Caesar's custome throughout the whole course of his wars to approch as near the enemie as conveniently he could that so he might the better observe his passages and be ready to take the favour of any opportunitie which either the nature of the place or the motions of the adversary would afford him Which was the rather his advantage in regard of his dexteritie and superlative knowledge in the use of Armes together with the experience of his old legions whereby he was able not onely to improve his own designes to the utmost of an honourable successe but to return the disgrace of any attempt made upon his Armie upon the heads of them that were authors of the same For otherwise his accosting so near an enemie might have turned to his own losse as being full of hazard and subject to more casualties then he that standeth further off And therefore the rule is That he that desireth to â—it near his adversarie must be exceeding circumspect and sure of some advantage either from the place or the over-awing power of his forces or else out of his own vertue or by some other means to over-sway the inconveniences which attend such ingagements As may appear by that which Frontinus observeth hence touching the straight whereinto Caesar was fallen being either to give battel which the enemie refused or to make good that place from whence he could not retreat but with danger Whereupon a little before night be stole the making of a ditch on the back of his Armie and retiring himself within the same stood in Armes all night for his better safetie The use of such ditches are of much importance and have oftentimes redeemed an Army from great extremities and were so frequent upon all occasions with the Romans that he that shall deny them to be good ditchers shall do them wrong And not onely they but other Nations could tell how to make use of the Spade Pericles of Athens being forced by them of Peloponnesus into a place that had but two out-lets of escape sunk a ditch of a great latitude thwart one of the passages as though he meant to keep out the enemie and set his souldiers to break out the other way The Peloponnesians thinking he could no way escape by the passage where the trench was cut applied themselves wholly to the other place where the souldiers made shew of breaking out whereby through the help of bridges which he had formerly provided he escaped over the ditch without resistance Sometimes they added other helps to these trenches especially when they sought handsome means to get themselves away whereof Sertorius may be an instance who having the enemie pressing him in the rere and being to passe a River drew a ditch and a rampier at his back in the fashion of a half-moon which rampier he heaped with wood and combustible matter and so setting it on fire kept off the enemie and passed with ease over the water In like manner Herculeius one of Sertorius Legates having rashly entered with a small power into a long and narrow passage between two hills and finding himself pursued by great forces of the enemy sunk a crosse trench between the two Mountains and piling the rampier with wood set it on fire and so cut off the enemie CHAP. XVI Caesar's attempt to possesse himself of a small hill what disadvantage he ran into by missing of his purpose what means he used to recover himself BEtween the town of Ilerda and the next hill where Petreius and Afranius were incamped there was a Plain of about three hundred paces in the midst whereof stood a little Mole rising higher then the rest which if Caesar could get and fortifie he hoped to cut off the enemy from the town and the bridge and from such victuals and provisions as were brought to the town Hereupon he took three legions out of the Camp and having put them into order of battell he commanded the Antesignani of one legion to run before possesse the place Which being perceived the cohorts that kept watch before Afranius Camp were presently sent a nearer way to take that Mount The matter came to blows but forasmuch as Afranius partie came first to the place our men were beaten back and by reason of new supplies sent against them were constrained to turn their backs and retire to the legions The manner of fight which those souldiers used was first to run furiously upon an enemy to seize any place boldly and with great courage not much respecting their orders or ranks but fighting in a scattered and dispersed fashion If they chaunc't to be throughly charged they thought it no shame to give way and retire accustomed thereunto by frequenting the Lusitanians and other barbarous people using that kind of fight as it commonly falleth out that where the souldiers have long lived they get much of the usage and condition of those places Notwithstanding our men were much troubled thereat as unaccustomed to that kind of â—ight for seeing every man leave his rank and run up and down they feared least they should be circumvented and set upon inflank and on their bare and open side whereas themselves were to keep their order and not to leave their places but upon extraordinarie occasion Upon the routing of the Antesignani the legion that stood in the corneâ— left the place and retreated to the next Hill almost all the Armie being affrighted upon that which had happened beyond every mans opinion contrary to former use Caesar encouraging his men brought out the ninth legion to second them by that means compelling the enemy insolent of good successe and shrewdly pursuing our men to turn their backs and to retire to the town of Ilerda and there to make a stand under the walls But the souldiers of the ninth legion carried on with endeavour and going about to repair their losse rashly followed the enemy into a place of disadvantage and came under the Hill whereon the town stood and as they would have made their retreat they were charged afresh from the upper ground The front of the place had an uneasie broken ascent and was on each side steep extended onely so much in breadth as would serve three cohorts to imbattell in neither could the Cavalrie come to help them The Hill declined easily from the town about four hundred paces in length and that way our men had some conveniency of retreat from the disadvantage to which their desire had unadvisedly led them The fight continued in this place which was very unequall both in regard of the straightness thereof as also for that they stood under the foot of the Hill whereby no weapon fell in vain amongst them Notwithstanding
side barbarous and rude Nations that live under generall and slight lawes are as slight and rude in their actions as amongst other things may appear in that the Spaniards thought it no scorn to use the help of bladders in passing over a River as a device coming next to hand which the people of a wise and potent State would not have done but by a sure and substantiall bridge The use of which bladders as it hath been ancient amongst people of that nature so it is continued in the same manner by the Savages inhabiting Groenland and the North parts of America as appeareth by discoveries made of late by the Moscovy Merchants about the North-west passage from whence such as are imployed in those voiages have brought great and large bladders or bagges made of Seal-skins ingeniously devised to be filled and blowed with wind and tied behind at their girdle and at their coller to help themselves in swimming And after the same easy fashion the Indians of Peru as Josephus Acosta writeth instead of wood and stone made their bridges over great Rivers of plaited Reeds which they fastened to the banks on each side with stakes or otherwise of bundles of straw and weeds by which men and beasts if there be any credit in his story passe over with ease Howbeit as when the ancient Greeks would note a man of extreme insufficiency they would say he could neither read nor swim so Caesar seemed of the same opinion by commending the skill of swimming as a thing of much consequence in the use of Armes Whereof he made good experience in Egypt where he cast himself into a small boat for his better safety and finding it over-charged and ready to sink he leapt into the sea and swam to his Fleet which was two hundred paces off holding certain papers in his left hand above the water and trailing his coat of Armes in his teeth that it might not be left to the enemy CHAP. XVIII Afranius marcheth with three legions to cut off a party The scarcitie of victuall in Caesar's Army IT was told Afranius of great troups and convoies that were coming to Caesar but were hindered by the waters and aboad there by the Rivers side for thither were come Archers out of Ruthenia and horsemen out of Gallia with many carres and carriages according to the custome of the Galles There were besides of all sorts about six thousand men with their servants and attendants but without order or any known command for every man was at his own liberty travelling the Countrey without fear according to the former freedome and safety of the wayes There were likewise many young men of good rank Senators sons and knights of Rome besides Embassadours from sundry States and divers of Caesar's Legates All these were kept back by the River Afâ—anius went out in the night time with three legions and all his horse to cut off this party and sending his Cavalry before set upon them unawares Howbeit the Cavalry of the Galles put themselves speedily in order and buckled with them And as long as it stood upon indifferent termes they being but a few did withstand a great number of the enemy but as soon as they discovered the Ensignes of the legions coming towards them some few of them being slain the rest betook themselves to the next hills This small time of encounter was of great consequence for the safety of our men for by this means they had opportunity to take the upper ground There were lost that day two hundred Archers a few horsemen and no great number of the souldiers boyes together with the baggage Victuals by reason of all these things waxed very dear as well in regard of the present want as also for fear of future penury as commonly it happeneth in such cases insomuch as a bushell of Corn was worth fifty pence Whereby the souldiers grew weak for want of sustenance and the inconveniences thereof daily more and more increased For so great was the alteration which hapned in a few dayes that our men were much afflicted with the extreme want of all necessary provisions whereas they on the other side having all things in abundance were held for victors Caesar sent unto those States which were of his party and instead of Corn gave them order to furnish him with Cattell dismissed souldiers boyes and sent them to towns farther off relieving the present scarcity by all the means he could Afranius and Petreius together with their friends inlarged these things in their letters to Rome rumour and report added much hereunto as that the warre was even almost at an end These Messengers and Letters being come to Rome there was great concourse from all parts to Afranius house much congratulation and rejoycing for these things and thereupon many went out of Italy to Pompey some to be the first messengers of the news others that they might not seem to expect the event of the war and so prove the last that came to that party When the matter was brought to these difficulties and extremities and all the wayes were kept by Afranius souldiers and horsemen and no bridges could be made Caesar gave order to the souldiers to make such Boats and Barks as he had in former years taught them the use of in the warre of Britain the keels whereof were built of light stuffe and small timber and the upper parts made with wicker and covered with hides Which being finished he laded them upon Carres and carried them in the night some twenty two miles from the Camp And in those Barks transporting his souldiers over the river upon a suddain he possest himself of a little hill which lay near unto the water side which hill he speedily fortified before the enemy had notice thereof Afterwards he brought over a legion to that place and made a bridge from side to side in two dayes space and so the convoies which had gone forth for provisions and forrage returned back in safety whereby he began to settle a course for provision of Corn. The same day he passed over the the river a great part of his Cavalry who falling unlooked for upon the forragers scattered here and there without fear or suspicion cut off a great number of men and cattell Whereupon the Enemy sending certain Spanish troups bearing little round bucklers to second and relieve the forragers they divided themselves of purpose into two parts the one to keep and defend the booty which they had got and the other to resist and beat back the forces sent to charge them One of our cohorts which had easily run out before the Army was intercepted and cut off the rest returned by the bridge into the Camp in safety with a great booty THE FIRST OBSERVATION THese Rutheni inhabited that part of Provence where Rhodes now standeth amongst whom Caesar had ordinarily a legion or two in Garrison for the better keeping of the Countrey in obedience