and giue it one to another among themselues which ought not in any case to be don for it is most iust that the officers should perform that which apertaineth vnto them to do according as they are bound by their offices and he that doth not so is vnworthy of his office which hee beareth and ought to bee put besides his office and besides this the watchword being the safety and trust of the watch of the campe of garrison it ought with great regarde and discretion bee giuen by the Seargeant Maior to the Seargeant and of them to the Corporall and Sentinels and so due order obserued the Seargeant Maior ought not to giue the watchword in the field before the Sentinels be sent out and when he lieth in garison in anie place he ought not to giue it before the gate be shut vp Neither ought the Sergeants nor Corporals giue it to the Sentinels before the verie instant that they bee sent out And note that if chance anie one be sent forth by night as ordinarily it happeneth to be necessarie the Seargeant Maior ought to cause the watchword which was appointed for the watche to bee chaunged for diuerse inconueniences that might fall out by not so doing Now after all these things are orderly appointed the Sergeant Maior ought at sundrie times and diuerse houres to visite them and sée how they be looked vnto finding falt with them that are blame worthie and punishing them that deserue correction The Sergeant Maior ought alwayes to be personally present in the watch hauing great regard what number of men serue in euerie Companie according to the mustre which they make Wherof the Muster master or Tresurer ought to make faith vnto the Seargeant Maior Who if so be that he can find or perceiue that the Companies receiue paie for more men then they watch with ought to make the Officers of the companies to giue him account of it for oftentimes many souldiers by reason of theyr Officers negligence become carelesse and so they regarde not theyr duetie They ought not to permit at the entering or departing of the watch that the Corslets should want anie péece of their armour or the Harguebuzer come without his head péece and much lesse that they should serue with rustie weapons or notoriously ill grauen nor the pikes without arminges seeing that it is not onely a great ornament vnto a Squadron to haue all the pikes with armings but it maketh the squadron to séeme greater which is a verie important circumstance For al shewes that are likely to cause a terror or feare to the enemies ought to be esteemed and greatlie accounted of When the Companies of the watch enter into the place of Armes it is ordinarily vsed that the Gunne-men beeing come to the place who vse to march in the vantgard towarde the Court-gard should parte and open making a lane for the Pikemen to enter vauncing theyr Pikes as soone as they come neere the Harguebuzerie But I do not like this manner for the watch to enter for to march vauncing theyr pikes is no time necessary in warres and in so doing the souldiers exercise themselues in things not necessarie Therefore they ought to shunne the absurdities which you sée the Corslets ordinarily commit in stepping backe when they vaunce theyr Pikes and so they march without anie firmnesse which is a verie ill thing And to shunne it it is better that the Corslets should enter by the harguebuzerie marching the pikes and when they come to the end of the lane where the Captayne standeth without parting or opening they shoulde vaunce them staying in theyr araie and so from hand to hande make the ranks following and that the harguebuziers as soone as the ranke of Pikes being vaunced come néere them should close to it and fill vp the said ranke following this order till the end so that the squadron may be framed and as well the Harguebuzes as Corslettes ought to be so vsed in doing this that it bee not necessarie that the Officer put them in order and if two Companies enter to watch at one time as it often chanceth then they shoulde ioyne together into one squadron taking the harguebuzerie at each flanke and the Corslets without marring the raies should enter in the midst noting by the waie that the Standarde remaine alwayes in the centre of the people And I haue proued this maner of ioining two Companies being in hearses into one squadron and diuers times caused it to be done at the entering of the watch and it hath béene verie well thought of and approued by Captaines of greate prudence and experience And though there were no other reason for it then this that they which followe Warres in all places and at all times when and where they be together with theyr weapons in theyr handes ought to frame themselues in a squadron without which they cannot haue such perfection and strength as is requsred yet is it a most sufficient cause And besides this the profite which ensueth by reason that the souldiers by these meanes and continuall practise become ready and well instructed in matters of so great importance is excéeding great The Companies that watch when others enter may not departe from the watch hill or place of Armes vntill such time as they that enter to watch haue framed theyr squadron But hauing theyr weapons in their hands and standing at the sides of the Court-gard they must stay til they are all entered and then they may depart orderly eache one to his lodging The Seargeant Maior ought to be verie carefull in the daie time to visite the Court-gardes and so dooing he shall force both the officers and souldiers to looke to their wards which they ought not in anie case to leaue saue onely when they go to dinner and that by order each one in his turne with his tabling mate or Tamarda And when some forcible necessitie is offered no souldier ought to depart from his warde without leaue from his Officers séeing that the souldiers are no lesse bound from that day that they entered into this profession of warfare to bee obedient vnto the Captaines and Officers doing nothing without theyr leaue then those Friers that are tied to many strait orders are to theyr Priors or Wardens For when they be entered into the Bookes of his Maiesties paie at the first daie of their souldiership to serue rather in this Companie then in that betokeneth and signifieth no other thing but this onely that they promise and sweare secretly and inwardly in heart to serue theyr King or Prince obeying all and euerie thing that the Officers of their Companies shall or doe command them touching his Maiesties seruice But I meane not that they shal not be bound to obey the Officers of other companies For they owe due obeysance vnto all Officers as well to the Officers of other companies as to the Officers of theyr companies in all things concerning the orders by them giuen
of the inconvenience which is the chiefest might I also say of some others of unportance and which are dayly committed in armies as well in appointing and disposing the watch and Sentinels in the camp as in many other particulars which you shall more manifestly perceiue heareafter in the discourse following Which least the time escape vs in preambles I incoÌ„tinently begin say that wher as this name of Sergeant hath it originall beginning from the French tong in which it betokeneth and signyfieth as much as in the Latyn tong minister one that hath the charge or office to doo a thing a minister or sergeant that miuistreth c. The Frenchmen first applyee it to the vse and customes of their chaunceries courts and iudgement seales vsing certaine ministers or vnder officers caling them sergeants which stoode them in steede to proclame declare and execute their statutes will and ordinaunces appertayning to law and afterwards taking it hence I meane out of these gouned and ciuill exercises they also applyed it to the military vse of armes and in each company of men they placed and appointed an officer calling him a sergeant imitating the custome vsed in Courts and Tribunall seates to the end that the Captains by meanes of such a minister or officer might kéepe due order in placing of theyr men both marching lodging and fighting And thus much as touching the imposing of the name which in England Fraunce and Spayn is receyued in all our warfarre as a naturall word And the Sergeant Maior is so called because in euery regiment which is as much as a Romane legion there is a sergeant who is superintendent and heade ouer all the other Sergeants that are in his regiment and as euery Sergeant in ech company taketh the manner of gouernment or order of his Captaine or his lieftenant so the Sergeant Maior receaueth it of the Captaine Generall or Coronell or maister of the camp and afterwards from him it passeth to the other Sergeants of the same regiment from hand to hand according to the custome In so much that the Sergeant Maior is an officer or generall minister of one whole regiment superintendent and chief of all the Sergeants of the same regiment by the means of whose industry and helpe the Captayn General or Coronell may giue conuenient order for due gouernment in ordering his men both in marching lodging and fighting and other more things also vnto this appertayning these thrée things in which the Sergeant Maior is imployed are such that if â—hey be wel executed Wished victory and glory is with great reason hoped for Whereas if contrarily they be not well executed much harme ensueth thereby and the field is lost and there with goods life honour and al. Therfore no insufficient persons but such as are able to discharge so great an office and of so much waight ought to be elected and chosen to be Sergeants Maior and not vnfit men as some thing before we complayned of the carelesnes of some Generalls of our times in such like elections Vargas What qualityes be those by which those may bée knowne that are apt and fit and those also that are vnapte and not sufficient Londonno Yt is manifest and knowen vnto all men that martiall election comprehendeth two sortes of men some to commaund and gouerne and others to obay and to be ruled and of this latter sorte are the common souldiers called Gregarii in which both the Gréekes the Romans required four qualityes Viz. that they should be stroÌ„g and hardy that they should be trained vp in armes and warlike exercises that they should be obedient and that they should be good swimmers And in those souldiers that beare rule and gouerne as Generall Coronell Maister of the campe the Sergeant Maior and the captayns they also requyred foure qualyties and these be they That they should bee very skilfull in the arte of warre and military science that they should be vertuous that they should be men of authority and that they should be very fortunate These foure qualityes were vsed by the Greekes and Romanes as an infallible rule as in truth it is to know the sufficiency or insufficiency of officers in warfare In so much that he is sufficient that it is indowed with the foresayd foure qualities and he in whom they be not is not sufficyent The Sergeant Maior being one of the pryncipall officers in warre ought to haue the foresayd qualityes Vargas To tell you the truth I doe not well vnderstand what you meane by those foure qualityes Loudonno I will declare them vnto you in few wordes Warfare beyng so noble a matter as it is ought to haue it rule and precepts whence commeth the arte of warre And as no man is allowed or suffered publikely to practise physicke or to professe diuinity or any other scyence vnlesse he haue studyed the sayd facultyes and be well seene in them so were it not good that any one should gouerne and beare office in warfarre that were not well séene in the arte of warre Which arte standeth a man in stéede of a loyall counsayler of light in the myddest of darknesse and of a guyde in a difficult and doubtfull waye especyally if hee haue the generall grounds of prudence and chiefe principles of the libeall sciences Vargas For as much as the greater parte of souldyers lose theyr time in games loue idlenes and haue not from theyr youth eyther will or power to apply themselues to any vertuous exercise wanting the due grounds of speculation they dispayr that euer they shall be able to study any such arte and so to couer theyr exceeding fault they scoffe at the arte of war which men attayne vnto by study Londonno There is no reason why we should aunswere them that are voyde of all reason and of the infinite reasons that may be alledged to confound theyr dull ignorance this onely shall suffyce at this time that all artes haue both speculation and action or practise and so hath warfarre also And they that with a valiant courage followe armes and prudently vse them in war in tyme attayne to practise but he that ioyntly with this mingleth speculatyon shall attayn both to speculation and practise which are two and therefore is the speculatiue arte the better and nobler of the two Vargas I now vnderstand the first qualitie but knowe not yet what you meane by the second of being vertuous Londonno This vertue which is required in Militarie officers is as Tullie declareth it toylsome labour in affaires industry in doing them speedinesse in dispatching them constance and fortitude of the minde in dangers not suffering theyr vnruly affections to beare rule ouer them and ouercome them The other two qualities which are Authoritie and Fortune doe necessarily followe the two former as the shadow followeth the bodie for the vertue whereof I spake doth put the Militarie precepts in practise and bringeth them to effect making a disposition or qualitie of them in
because the square roote exceedeth But if it were not for this inconuenience of imperfection that Sergeant Maior that were curious in making his rankes and squadrons of the number oddde though it be for nothing els but onely to satisfie the generall opinion of the most that make profession of warfarre who séeme continually to looke that the squadrons should be made of the number odde I am perswaded should not do amisse especially when the companies enter or goe from the watch hill for then the ranks are but small and it séemeth better that they should then be thrée fiue or seauen to a rank then foure sixe or eight and I thinke the reason be because the middle is discerned in such small numbers which cannot so easely bée seene in greater numbers and it ought especially to bee done by reason of the custome which is ordinarily vsed in making rancks odde and all that which is by custome and vse receiued seemeth to be best and most allowed Neuerthelesse this ought not to be so greatly respected that as I mentioned before when the nūber of the people and forme or fashion of the Squadron be such that it requireth to be made of the number euen it should in anie case bee made of the number odde for they that should so do should commit a foule errour For so in these wars of Flanders when the Prince of Orange passed the Mose with his armie and entered into Braband the two armies marching so néere the one by the other that they euery daie looked that they should buckle together the Duke of Alua ordained that the masters of the Campe and Seargeant Maior of theyr thrée Regiments of Spanish foot-bands with the other personages that were of his counsell in warre shoulde make an assemblie and that the number of the pikes they had in theyr Ensignes being knowen they should each of them giue theyr voyces concerning the fashion and forme of which the Squadron should be made Which was so done and they founde that there were no more pikes in all the thrée Regiments then one thousand and two hundreth and they all agréed that they shoulde make a broade Battayle with a large front Which Squadron conformable to the number of the piks and obseruing proportion could haue no more then thrée score souldiers in the front of it and twentie in the courtin which iustly make vp the full number of one thousand and two hundreth and so it was done and because they marching through some straight and narowe grounds the Squadron coulde not march with so many in the front it was diuided into three partes in such manner that the Regiment of Naples which had sixe hundred pikes should march with thirtie pikes in the front and the Regiment of Lombardie which had thrée hundreth and twentie pikes should march with sixtéene pikes in each ranke and the Regiment of Sicil which had two hundreth and foure score pikes should haue fouretéene in the front And now you may see that all these thrée Battailes were of the number euen and being ioyned all thrée in one they made a large fronted Squadron of the number euen For the quantitie of pikes which were in each regiment and the forme of the Battayle did so require it And it is to bee beléeued that if there had bene anie imperfection in these Squadrons and Battayles so great a Captaine of Warre and so worthie a souldier as the Duke was would not haue permitted it to be done in such order Vargas I remaine satisfied as touching this particular and in truth before your discourse I was fully persuaded that all squadrens should necessarily be made of the number odde But now I doubt not of it and therefore I praie you continue on your discourse and tell me what you thinke of certaine rules set downe by one Cataneus Nouares and of some others which if I bee well remembred I haue seene thereby to forme all kindes and manners of Battailes doe you account them necessarie Londonno They helpe much but those men chiefly that can not cypher but I would not haue anie one bound vnto them onely For so if a man should take them out of their A B C booke as men saie they would incontinently be vnoone I saie if occasion were offred them to make a squadron or battaile of a number differing from the number which they finde set downe they shoulde verie quickly spie theyr vnreadinesse and acknowlege their ignorance And heereupon I rehearse the same which I haue spoken before that nothing is better for the Seargeant Maior to shunne wearisomnesse and difficultie in making and framing all kindes of Battailes and Squadrons then dexteritie readines in counting ioyntly with a continuall habite or disposition of forming and framing diverse kinds of squadrens in his head by the helpe of his memorie And this ought he likewise to put in practise before necessity constraineth him to doe it And so hee may when his Regiment marcheth either to the lodging or from the lodging exercise his people and by experience practise sée that which he is taught by theorie and contemplation And forasmuch as in that which you asked of me first of the manner how to make Squadrons with facilitie and speed is not onely contained and comprehended to giue rules how to forme them spéedily and readily but also to shew how that confusion may be shunned which often is caused but especially among the Spaniards by those that contend and striue to bee placed in the first ranke of the vauntgard insomuch that it falleth out verie often that much time passeth before the Seargeant Maior with all the Captaines together can make vp the Squadron I saie that séeing the chiefe care and charge to auoide this inconuenience concerneth the Seargeant Maior Hee ought to take such order with the Ensignes and companies before they come to this point that the sayde confusion and disobedience may bee excused And it shal be auoyded if such order be taken that all the Ensignes knowe before that the first rankes shall bee made of the Companie or Companies that be of the watch that daie and they shall be seconded by them that were of the watch before and next to them shal they follow that first come to the squadron continually aduertising the Officers not to suffer anie Souldiers of their Ensignes or Companies come anie peece of their armour wanting For in this case though it be theyr turne to fight in the vauntgarde yet they shall be turned to the rereward and loose theyr precheminence because they come not well and orderly armed and others may be iustly placed in theyr roomes and because sometimes arme being called and the companies running altogether to the place of armes this order cannot be obserued séeing that in time of necessitie aboue al things this must be attended that the Squadron may be formed with all celeritie and quicknesse It is conuenient that the Seargeant Maior if so be the foresaid inconuenience happen
dispose the confused disorded multitude of people setting the Captaines before and then take the Squadron out of the flanke or rereward if he thinke it most commodious Which he may doe with great facilitie for so he leaueth them which were the cause of that confusion deceyed of their intent and so hee shall performe two things the one is that he spéedilie doth make vp his squadron the other that he correcteth and punisheth the disobedient with this disgrace leauing them all in the rereward and thence forward séeing that the Sergeant Maior vseth riddance and dispatch Leauing them with the mocke they will be glad to obey and presently get in order I haue my selfe vsed this remedie and euerie time that I so did I had done and almost wholy made the Squadron of my Regiment before the Sergeant Maior could in other Regiments frame the formost rankes Vargas I was verie glad to vnderstande how this confusion may be expelled which is so vsuall in the making and framing of squadrons and most of all among the Spaniardes for I cannot beléeue that in anie other nation men bee so disobedient and make such a doe to be placed in the first ranke but that euerie one doth obey and content himselfe with the place which is appointed him or by lot falleth vnto him Londonno So they ought to doe all of them for vnto him that will fight valiantly and doe his dutie occasion will neuer bée failing to shew his good minde in Warre and knowe surely that many that make so much a doe to provide a place for themselues in the first ranke of the Squadron the desire they haue to fight doth not drawe them vnto it but they bée onely vaine shewes by which they pretend to recouer credit and gaine the name and title of valiantnesse though wée cannot denie neuerthelesse but that some are moued to procure them that place by theyr valour and good zeale Yet cannot a good and valyant Souldier in anie thing so néere hit the marke as in obeying and this is the principall vertue which a souldier ought to haue set before his eyes as an obiecte at the daie that hée taketh the Pike in Warres If this bée wanting in him hee hath none of anie value or estimation for obedience is the grounde basis and foundation of all good discipline Vargas Let vs passe on if you please for I feare me the time will be scant for the number of doubts which I pretend to aske of you And tell me now séeing you haue made vp the squadron with pikes how they ought to be lined how many and how bigge the sléeues ought to be how far distant from the squadron for in good sooth I haue heard diuers opinions concerning this particular Londonno Truely no man that is a souldier is ignorant that the battaile of pikes ought ot be garded about with Gunnes putting a rowe of Harquebuziers close to the other rowe of Pikes so that there bee as many rowes of Harquebuziers at eache side as there bee of Pikes and to obserue the true manner of liuing of the squadron there ought to be no more rows of hargubuzers then could be garded by the pikes especially where the enemy hath gretest store of horsemen and so seeing that ther cannot be aboue fiue hargubuzers vnder the fauor of the pikes with so many rows to my mynd ought the squadron to be ordered but in case that this inconuenience be not that the battayl is not like to be set vpon with troupes of horses then may the Sergeant Maior line the battayle with a greater number of hargubuzers as hee thinketh best according to the quantity of gunne-men hee hath in his ensignes hauing a regard and consideration that hee want no hargubuzers to make the sléeues which ought not to be aboue foure and lesse according as necessity requireth and the place permitteth These ought to haue their due proportion and I would not haue them to bee made of more then thrée hundreth shotte nor of lesse then two hundreth and in case that many hargubuzers remaine after the battaile is furnished and closed vp I would rather make foure sleeues of the foresayd number then two of a greater quantity For ordinarily when the sléeues be very great and improportionable it is a hard matter to rule and gouerne them in good order without confusion and two sléeues of three hundreth souldiers a piece can be ordered and gouerned far better and easier then one sleeue of six hundreth souldiers And he that will try this shall finde it so manifest and deare by experience that I will not here labor to proue it to be so with more reasons or argumeÌ„ts The place of these sleeues ought to be at the corners of the squadrons after such order that they be not very far aparted from the squadron For euen as the horsemen make a crosse defence to the courtins of a castle so the sleeues vnto the battayl and they be the stronger being vnder the fauor of the pikes and as a castle hath it whole perfection ioyned togegether in one The courtins horsemen and ditches After the same manner is a squadron perfit when the pikes being placed in conuenient order are lined with gnus and fortified with the sléeues of hargubuzers Vargas I pray you sir let it not grieue you to stay here a while for I desire greedily that you should resolue me of a certayn doubt which I haue seene some make vppon this which I nowe shall say You well know that ordinarily in the Spanish footbands there be many more hargubuzers then pykes for we shal see nine thousand footmen together among which there be scarâ—e one thousand and fiue hundreth pikemen all the rest being gun-men in so much that the squadron being lined and four sleeues being made vnto it that is the most that you say it ought to haue yet ther remayneth a great quantity ouer plus but I pray you where thinke you that these hargubuzers may bee set to bee safe from the troups of the enemyes horsemen for it falleth out diuers times that we wage wars in Barbery where the enemy haue so many horse and we but few or none and as in Barbery so might this inconuenience chance in other places Londonno Very well haue you asked and I haue diuers times hard this matter disputed vppon and I haue more times theÌ„ once thought of this nether is it long since I spake of it before the Captayn generall and that which I sayd there will I here repeate Viz. that I am of opinion that those hargubuzers cannot be any where placed in safety but in the middest of the squadron or battails of pikes where though we could haue no other fruite or seruice of them then to haue them sure and kept safe ther vntill such time that we should haue neede of them I thinke that this were very much and yet do I not knowe why but that they may greatly fauour the squadron and
seene the horse-men doe so crosse vp and downe in all partes and the Trumpettes and Drummes make such a noise that vnlesse hée bée verie well foreséene and knowe perfectlie the waie which hée is to take and through which waie he is to bring forth his Companies commonly hee shall fal into these inconueniences principally when the Camp departeth by night or in such dayes as are cloudie Wherefore it is necessarie that the Seargeant Maior if it bee possible should bee singularly well informed of ths scituation of the Countrie through which he is to passe and of the distaunce betweene cuerie place the quantitie of the wayes with theyr abridgementes hilles valleyes fountaynes riuers And to be the more sure hee ought to haue skilfull Warfarers and faythfull guides Then the order being knowen and the waie also and the houre come of departure hee ought to giue order that the Drum Maior gather the Companyes together and that the Captaine of the fielde cause the baggage to bee loden and then hee ought speedily to bring his Ensignes from theyr quarters to the place of Armes and there to forme his Squadron and separate the Captaynes eache one in theyr orders they ought to marche in that daie and to dispose the Seargeantes in such manner that euerie one of them doe knowe what people they must gouerne and keepe in order and because it is verie seldome seene that the wayes are large inoughe for the Squadron to marche with the whole front hee shall make his ranke no greater then that the people may marche commodyously alwaies hauing consideration that the ranke be neuer lesser if the waie suffer it then the thirde parte of the front of this Squadron or Battaile As for example If the fronte of this Battaile bée of one and twentie men seauen men shall marche in a ranke and so likewise of other Battailes For hee ought alwayes to bee very carefull in procuring his footebandes to bee lead in suche order that occasion of necessitie beeing offered hee may with all spéede and celeritie make vp his Squadron Nowe the Captaines and Officers beeing seuered as I haue sayde and the Regiment marching the Seargeant Maior his right place is in the vauntgarde of the Regiment where it most commonly concerneth the maister of the Campe or Colonnell to go And I saie most commonly because if chance we should leaue the enemie behinde vs. The rereward is a more conuenient place for the Colonnell to march in And forasmuch as the Sergeant Maior is his instrument by meanes of whome hee sendeth the order vnto the Captaynes and Companies He ought to stand néere to his person but he ought in such maner to be there the he neglect not sometimes to make a stand and staie himselfe and sée the whole Regiment passe and if he finde anie retchlesnesse or negligence in the Sergeants not discharging their duetie in causing the people committed to theyr gouernment to goe in good order he ought to blame and rebuke them seuerely insomuch that none of the Sergeantes ought to forbeare anie fault or negligence whereby the order may be marred but diligently to take héede that the order neuer be broken if it be possible And if it chance to be broken as it happeneth sometimes by reason of the streightnes of the waies they ought to be verie carefull in making it vp againe For which if it be néedful that the vantgard make a stand one of y◠Officers shall incontinently goe to informe the Sergeant Maior of it And I am of opinion that no Sergeant Ensigne or Captayne shoulde passe the worde through the Squadron saying Stand or March from hand to hand as it is many times done verie vnaduisedly vnlesse the necessitie bée such that they cannot haue time to signifie it vnto the Colonnell or Seargeant Maior For by reason of this abuse that euerie Officer and vppon euerie occasion that is offered doth passe the worde many inconueniences may doe spring and the Officers will take vppon them to doe those things that appertayne vnto the superiours vsurping that preheminence which is onely graunted vnto the Colonnel as head of the Regiment and vnto the Seargeant Maior as the generall guide of the Squadron And now this is become so common that not onely the Officers but also the common souldiers without respect or discretion for the least cause in the world do vse to passe the word Whence it commeth to passe that sometimes when for matters of importance the superiour passe the worde it doth not passe so speedily as it should by reason that it is neglected naught set by so for the most part it remaineth in the middle of the squadron sans passing to the vantgard the souldiers thinking persuading themselues that it commeth not by commandement of the superiours But if they were sure that none had authoritie to command it to be passed but the superiors they would incontinently obey and doe as they are commanded And therefore to shunne and anoide this inconuenience in a matter so important as to kéep the squadron in good order it is very necessarie that this preheminence should be onely rescrued for the two vpper officers And it is most iust that such Officers or souldiers that dareth first passe the word should not remaine vnpunished I will aduertise you howe that it is necessarie that the people shoulde sometimes make a stande as wel that the souldiers may rest themselues a while and eat of that which they vse to carrie in theyr scrippes or bagges as also that they may the better kéepe themselues in good order hauing breathed a little after theyr wearinesse And the Seargeant Maior ought to procure suche standes to bee made néere some water where the Souldiers may drinke and refreshe themselues and the Officers ought to bee verie diligent in looking to the Souldyers that none of them at such standes get out of the Squadron and make anie misrule in the neighbour places and much lesse that anie of them enter into Orchardes to endomage the Husbandmen For all those things are alienate and estraunged from good discipline And if the Souldier should bee permitted to bée licentious in these trifles and small things they woulde not afterwardes bee able to refraine from the same in greater matters Howbeit I cannot count it a small thing that the Souldier shoulde leaue his place and disranke himselfe ranging in the possessions and groundes of the poore people and so I cannot patiently thinke vppon the greate negligence and in consideration of certaine Officers that doe not only not represse such disorders among the souldiers but themselues also oftentimes are the first that shewe them the waie and helpe to doe it Who ought not onely to be depriued of theyr Offices as vnworthie to haue them but also to bee punished with greater and more grieuous punishment as transgressors of Martiall discipline Vargas By that which you haue verie well spoken we may easily gather that the retchlesnesse and negligence of
Officers is the chiefe cause of disorder and no doubt if that care were both in the souldiers officers which is required in them they should alwaies march in good order And I take it to be a matter verie important that the word should not be passed in the squadrō but with great regard consideration and I suppose it verie necessarie that such stands should be made that the souldiers may rest a litle In déed the Gunners can better abide the troublesomnes of the waie without resting as men that go loose not passed with the heauines and waight of armors but corsiets cannot anie waie hold out but must néeds make staies especially in daies that are extreamly hot And I haue often séene some neglect their offices stay when they haue bin commanded to march and many souldiers being heuy armed haue bin choked striuing to do more then they could do marching in their armor And certes it is a shame for some Seargeants Maior to sée how vntowardly they leade theyr squadrons and how vnaduisedly they march obseruing no order onely for not considering when it is necessarie for them to make stands whence it commeth to passe that they leade a squadron orderly but drawe as it were a long rope after them three or foure miles oftentimes being betweene the vantgard and the rereward in such manner that the enemie with a far lesser number then those Seargeants Maior haue in their Regiments might verie easily do them much harme and so they march in greate daunger in one houre through their negligence to loose al the credit honor and reputation which they haue gotten in many yeres And although the Maister of the Camp or Colonnel be the chiefe of the Regiment and therfore as vnto such a one the honor or shame of the good or ill successe of the companies appertaineth principally vnto him yet neuertheles the Seargant Maior hath a good share therein for as much as I can gather by your discourse and if my memorie deceiue me not euer since I haue giuen my selfe to this profession I haue alwaies séene that not only the common iudgement of all men but also the Captaines and Generals do vse to praise or blame the Seargeantes Maior because they leade their Regiments in good or ill order before anie other whatsoeuer as such officers whom the ordering of the squadron chiefly concerneth Lond. So it is in truth for all this care charge doth properly and wholy appertayn vnto the Sergeant Maior and he ought not to excuse himselfe of his negligence or vnability blaming the sergeants or officers of his regiment for they do all of them obay his orders and doe according to his directions and also they he more or lesse diligent or slow according to the watchfulnes or slownesse of the Sergeant Maior who commandeth them Vargas Now I pray you tell me how the people of the regiment ought to be deuided when it marcheth who ought to go in the vantguard who in battayl and who in rereward and what place the standards or ensignes ought to haue Londonno I haue already told you aboue if my remembrāce kéepe touch with me that the Sergeant Maior ought to procure his people to march in such manner and so well ordered that occasion of necessity enforcing him he may alwayes with great easinesse and facillity forme and make his squadron And to attayn vnto this I thinke this to be the order he ought to obserue First in the vantguard marcheth the sléeue of hargubuzers of the right hand of the squadron which sléeue as we haue before sayd ought to be made before the cōpany be brought forth of the camp which ordinarily is one company of gun-men of the two that are in one regiment next after followeth the lining of the same right hand being of hargubuzers and after that follow the pikes according to the manner before shewed And because among other things that happen to be done vnaduisedly in a squadron it is a very vnséemly thing to se the ensigns born so out of order ouerthwartly somtimes at one side and sometimes at another The Sergeant Maior ought to cause them to be placed so that the squadron being made they be alwaies in their proper places which is in the middest and centre of the battayl next ensueth the lining of hargubuzers of the left hand and last of al in the rereward marcheth the sleeue of hargubuzers being one of the two companies of gun-men that are alwaies in one regiment And thus you see that after this maner the people marcheth being parted and deuided yet the squadron is incontinently formed Vargas I pray you why say you that the sleeue and lining of the right hand should goe before the sleeue and lining of the left◠hand it may be there is some mistery in it Londonno I know not of any other mistery but this that in all our actions wee ought to apply our selues to perfection as neare as wee possibly can and for as much as the right hand is the noblest and most perfect it is better we should beginne thence then from the lefte hand to forme the squadron and also to vndo it or breake it Vargas Now seeing that you haue told me how the people ought to march I desire you to know where the baggage of these companies may be carried that it may both be safe and yet not hinder the people of the regiment Londonno When an army marcheth this consideration ought to be had that if the enemy be before in the vant guard of the way the baggage ought to be in the rereward and contrarily if the enemy be behind the army our baggage shall be caried in the vantguard and if the enemies camp be at the right hand of the way our baggage shal be put at the left hand of our campe and if the enemy be on the other side we ought to follow the same order carrying our baggage at the right hand of our army And so shall the battail continually be a wal and defence to our baggage and if occasion be offered that the two armies should ioyne in fight as they march it cannot hinder them and besides this certain troups of horse do ordinarily go to guard the baggage frō the suddayn incursions and assaults of horsemen sent out by the enemy and this very same order ought also to be obserued marching with one regiment by it selfe only But in case we were far from the enemy I would haue the baggage for a good consideration march in the vantguard with a troupe of hargubuzers to guide it for it is a great commodity for the souldiers when they come to their quarters weary with going to finde their tents planted and their forage ready without staiyng for it after they be come to the place where they are to be lodged comming many times wette and almost dead for hunger And besides this if any thing should chaunce to fal by the way the owner may