the Distance of six foot between File and File by commanding the Souldiers as they stand to stretch forth their armes and so stand so removed one from another that their hands may meet And for their Ranks we make account we take the same Distance of six foot when the Butt-end of the Pikes do alway reach their heels that march before them FIrst of all It is to be understood There are three sorts of Distances to wit Open Order and Close Order The first Distance is commanded by this Word To your Open Order and is when the Souldiers both in Rank and File stand six foot removed one from another We take the second Order of Distance of three foot between File and File by bidding the Souldiers set their arms a Kenbow and set themselves so close that their elbows may meet And we reckon we take the same Distance in Ranks when they come up almost to the Swords point The second distance is commanded by this word To your Order which is when the Souldiers stand three foot removed both in Rank and File one from another And this Distance is to be used when they are embattelled or march in the face of the enemy or when they come to stand or when you wheel But when you march thorow any Countrey you must observe three foot only from File to File and Six from Rank to Rank The third Distance is commanded by this word Close which is when there is one foot and an half from File to File and three from Rank to Rank And this for the Pikes onely and must never be used but when you will stand firm to receive the Charge of an enemy The Musquettiers must never be closer then the second Distance of three foot Square because they are to have a free use of their Arms. In exercising your Motions you are alwayes to observe your Open Order in which the Company being first placed and armed the Pike-men with Gorger Back Brest Tasses Head-piece a good Sword and a Pike sixteen foot and a half long with a good Steel head The Musquettiers with Sword Bandoleers Rest and Musquet the Barrell whereof to be four foot two inches long of a Bore to receive twelve Bullets to the pound running and ten rammed down You are to exercise them with these words of Command Silence Stand right in your Files Stand right in your Ranks To the right hand * It is to be noted when you are comanded to be as you were you are ever to return by the contrary hand as for example if you did turn to the right hand you are to return as you were to the left hand and so in the rest As you were To the left hand As you were To the right hand about As you were To the left hand about As you were Ranks to the Right hand double As you were Ranks to the Left hand double As you were Files to the Right hand double As you were Files to the Left hand double As you were Half Files to the Right hand double your Front As you were Half Files to the Left hand double your Front As you were Ranks to the Right or Left hand * In Counter-marching though both are set down here for Distinction sake you are to name neither Ranks nor Files but are onely to lay To the Right hand Counter-march Or To the Left hand Counter-march Counter-march To the Right or Left hand as you were Files to the Right or Left hand Counter-march To the Right or Left hand As you were When you will Exercise a Company Single you Double your Ranks before you Wheel in regard the Body is small But in Division or a Greater Body you Close first both your Files and your Ranks to your Order of Three foot and omit the Doubling and so Wheel When you will Wheel to the Right hand double your Ranks to the Left hand and when you will Wheel to the Left hand Double your Ranks to the Right For so the Right and Left hand Leaders will keep their places on that Corner towards which they Wheel Before you Wheel Ranks to the Right or Left hand Double Files to the Right or Left hand close to your Order Files to the Middle Close to your Order Ranks Close to your Order Which you list and each as often as you list To the Right hand Wheel To the Left hand Wheel Or Wheel about This maner of opening is used only in a Single Company for in Greater Bodies where the Doubling is omitted you open first your Ranks and then your Files to your Open Order of Six foot to bring them back again as they were By double Distance is meant 12 foot for so the Ranks which did before Double falling out again into their first places come just to the Distance of their open Order of 6. foot in which they were before they Doubled After you have wheeled Ranks backward open in double Distance Files open to your Order viz. to Three foot Ranks as you were In Opening Ranks or Files you must make all the Files or Ranks saving the uttermost on that hand from whence you mean to open which must Stand to Move all together till the Second Rank or File from that which Standeth hath gotten its Distance and so subsequently the rest If you will have them Close their Files to the Right or Left hand the uttermost File on that hand you purpose to Close must be commanded to Stand and all the rest to Close to it For the Pike When Pikemen are to double Ranks or Files or to use any other Motion they are ever first to be commanded to advance their Pikes ADvance your Pike Order your Pike Shoulder your Pike Port your Pike Shoulder your Pike Trail your Pike Check your Pike * In Charging half the Ranks onely must Charge their Pikes the other hindermost half of the Ranks do Port their Pikes that is they carry them so couched over the heads of the foremost as may give them no offence either in Charging or Retiring Besides this way the Pikes are not so apt to be broken by the Short of the Enemy as when they are Advanced All these Motions except Ordering and Checking are to be performed either Standing or Marching And they must likewise observe when they Charge Standing to fall back with the Right leg and Marching to step forward with the left Charge your Pike Shoulder your Pike Charge to the Right or Left hand or Rear Order your Pike For the particular use of the Musquet PLace your Musquet and Rest to the ground in either hand Slip down your hand and take your Musquet and Rest in either hand from the Ground Bring your Rest to your Musquet Peize your Musquet and hold your Rest in the other hand Rest your Musquet Take out your Match Blow your Match Cock your Match Try your Match Guard your Pan. Blow Open your Pan. Present Give Fire Come up to
THE YONG Souldier London Printed by J R. for Joseph Hunscott 1642. To the Right Honourable and his endeared good Colonell WILLIAM Lord Viscount SAY and SEAL Master of the Court of Wards and one of His Majesties most Honorable Privy Councell RIght Honourable Having this last yeere wanted Action in the Field Mars not willing to see His sonnes want imployment makes me one of his Tutors to direct His Youth and being now commanded to leave the Schoole and lead my youth to Field have for the helpe of their Memory written a Copy of what I formerly taught them which I call The yong Souldier it being a Work though very small yet very necessary both for the present and future times Having been lately presented to your Honour from whom I received a place of Souldier and Servant to Command your Honours Company I am enboldned to present this small Work humbly desiring your acceptance and View For which your kinde Favours I shall endeavour to instruct your Souldiers in the right use of their Armes Distances Motions and Firings so long as I live under your Command Thus hoping your Honour will pardon the boldnesse of a Souldier which knowes better the postures and use of the Pike than the Pen I rest in hope of your Honours acceptance and favourable Construction by which you shall ever obliege Your Honours unworthy Cap. Lievtenant John Raynsford Words of Command and other Rules and Orders to be observed by all the Captaines of Horse-Troops and their Officers within the Army in the Exercising and Government of their severall Troops FOr the Horse the Captain is to teach his Troop by his Trumpetter these sixe severall sounds 1 The Watch 2 To Saddle 3 To Horse 4 A March 5 A Charge 6 A Retreat THe Horse are to be foure deepe and so well mounted brought to a Body in their Close Order and Armed The Cuirassiers with Gorget Back Brest Culottes Cuisses Pouldrons Vambrace Gantlet Casque a Case of good Pistolls and a good Sword And the Carabines with Gorget Back Brest Round Tasses Head-piece Carabine the Barrell two Foot seven Inches long hung in a strong Belt a Case of good Pistolls and a good Sword The words of Command to be used in exercising them are as follow Silence Stand right in your Ranks stand right in your Files * This must always be downwards Ranks open to six foot Files to the Right hand open to six foot To the Left hand To the Right hand * When you are commanded to be as you were you are ever to return by the contrary hand As you were To the Right hand about As you were To the Left hand close Files to the Left hand open to six Foot To the Right hand To the Left hand As you were To the Left hand about As you were To the Right hand close Files to the Right and Left hand open to six Foot To the Right and Left hand to your Leader Files to the Right hand double As you were Files to the left hand double As you were Files to the Right hand Counter-march To the Left hand about Thus it is to be observed That the fourth Rank which before was the Rear now becomes the Front and the Front the Rear And then to the intent that the whole Troop may be as occasion shall be offered able and knowing to lead their Files and take their just Distanceâ— as well as onely to follow according to the Motions of the first Rank the Captain shall exercise them over again in this manner And to the intent the second and third Ranks nay know how to lead as well as the Front and Rear the Captain or his Officer when he begins to exercise them shall do well sometimes to put the second Rank in the Front and the third Ranke in the Rear So shal he make every man in the Troop not onely more ready to follow but able also to be the Leader of his File To the Right and Left hand close from the Center As you were To the Right hand As you were To the Right hand about As you were To the Left hand about As you were Files to the Right hand double As you were Files to the Left hand double As you were Files to the Left hand Counter-march * Now is your Front the same it was at first To the Right hand about To the Right and Left hand close to the Center * It is to be observed That upon closing of Ranks they are to take their Distance within three foot at least and in Marching not to be above six soot in Distance at most Ranks close up to your order To the Right hand Wheel To the left hand Wheel To the right hand about Wheel To the left hand about Wheel Ranks open to six foot It will be fit for the Captains in all exercises of their Troops to accustome their Horse-men to Drums Colours naked Swords and to give fire one upon another the Cuirassiers in Files the Carabins in Ranks and both of them in Body as well upon the Foot as upon one another to the intent they may the better understand what they have to do and their Horse made more bold upon all occasions of Service Orders to be observed in Marching of a Troop of Horse FIrst the Ledd horse of the Captain Next the Trumpets Then the Captain After whom marcheth the first Squadron the eldest Corporall marching on the right hand thereof even with the first Rank Then the second having the Standard in the Middle of the first Rank the second Corporall leading it The third Squadron marcheth next the yongest Corporall leading it In the Rear marcheth the Lievtenant and the Quarter-Master When the Troop is embattelled the eldest Corporall marcheth on the right hand Flank even with the first Rank moving neverthelesse upon the Flank to look to the orderly marching of the Ranks as occasion shall serve The second in like manner on the left hand Flank The third marcheth on the left hand Flank of his own Corporall-ship even with the last Rank thereof If there be any Servants or Baggage they or it march in the Rear of all The Captain of Foot is to teach his Souldiers these sixe once a day till they are perfect in knowing them 1. A Call 2. A March 3. A Charge 4. A Retreat 5. A Troop 6. An Alarum These 3 Figures or Formes following are to practise the Foot Company before the words of Command be taught The 1. Figure The maner of Marching of a Company The 2 Figure The way and manner to bring them to a Body in their 4. Divisions 3 Figure The Company standing in a compleat Body to be exercised Words of Command and other Rules and Orders to be observed by all the Captains of Foot-Companies and other Officers within the Army in exercising and government of their severall Companies Because the measure of the said Distances cannot be taken so justly by the eye we take
your Musquet Return your Match Cleer your Pan. Prime Shut your Pan. Cast off Take up your Rest Blow Cast about Trail your Rest Open your Charger Charge with Powder and Bullet Take out your Scowrer Shorten your Scowrer Ram down your Bullet and powder Pull out your Scowrer Shorten your Scowrer to a handfull Return your Scowrer Recover your Musquet Peize your Musquet and Recover your Rest Shoulder your Musquet and with your Musquet carry your Rest Slip your Musquet Peize your Musquet Joyn your Rest to your Musquet Take out your Match Blow your Match Cock your Match Try your Match Guard your Pan. Blow Open your Pan. Present Give Fire Take up your Rest and Musquet and joyn them Return your Match Cleer your Pan. Prime your Pan. Shut your Pan. Cast off Blow Cast about Trail your Rest Open your Charger Charge with Powder and Bullet Take out your Scowrer Shorten your Scowrer Ram down your Bullet and Powder Pull out your Scowrer Shorten your Scowrer to a handfull Return your Scowrer Recover your Musquet Peize your Musquet and Recover your Rest Shoulder your Musquet and with your Musquet carry your Rest Slope your Musquet March In Exercising use these three Terms of Direction Make Ready Present Give Fire Your Musquetiers must observe in all their Motions to turn to the Right hand And that they carry the mouth of their Pieces high when they are shoulder'd when they are Priming when they Cast about and also when they hold their Pans guarded and come up to Give Fire In Advancing towards an Enemie when they do not skirmish Loose and Disbanded they must * The Right and Left Wing in all occasions of Giving Fire by Ranks are to have a principall Respect to the Pikes to make their Front equall with them and to take their distances from them accordingly as when they stood first in Battell And this may be the more certainly done if the Ranks of the Right Wing take their Distances from the Pikes by observing the Left hand man as the Ranks of the Left Wing do by observing the Right hand man Give Fire by Ranks after this manner following TWo Ranks must alwayes make ready together and with a * Who is to March Even with the Left hand man of the first Rank Sergeant or if the Body be greater with some better qualified Officer Advance ten Paces forwards before the Body viz. The first Rank is to Advance eight Paces the second Rank six Paces coming on with their Right Legs first and there Stand When the Officer bids them Present the first of the two Ranks advanceth two full Paces moving with the Right Leg first and Layes on The second Rank following them with two Paces in like manner keeping their Musquets close to their Rests their Pans guarded and their first Rank having Given Fire and falling off to the Rear The second being bid to Present Advanceth in like manner two full Paces Presents Gives Fire and falls off as the former When the two first Ranks Advance forward as aforesaid the two next Ranks the whole Wing moving after them March up into their places and keeping Even with the two first Ranks of the Pikes unshoulder and make ready And as soon as the two former Ranks are fallen away they are to Advance and to do in all points as aforesaid And so all the other Ranks successively two after two thorow both the Wings A manner there is to Give Fire retiring from an Enemy which is performed after this sort THe whole Body being turned from the Enemy to the Right or Left hand about the Rank then in the Rear keeping still with the Body maketh ready and being ready the whole Rank turn about to the Right hand and stepping forward each with the Left leg Present and Give Fire marching presently away a good round pace to the Front and there placing themselves in Rank before the Front fall even in their march with the first Rank of the Pikes As soon as that Rank in the Rear as aforesaid turns to Give Fire the Rank next it makes ready and doth as the former and so the rest We Give Fire by Flanks thus THe Uttermost File next the Enemy must be commanded to make Ready keeping still along with the Body till such time as they be ready and then they return to the Right or Left hand according to the sight of their Enemy either upon their Right or Left Flank and Give Fire all together when they have discharged they stir not but keep their ground and Charge their Pieces again in the same place they stand Now as soon as the aforesaid File doth turn to Give Fire the uttermost next it makes ready alwayes keeping along with the Body till the bringer up be past a little beyond the Leader of that File that Gave Fire last and then the whole File must Turn and Give Fire and do in all points as the first did and so all the rest one after the other A Sergeant or if the Body be Great some other better qualified Officer must stand at the head of the first File and as soon as the second File hath Given Fire and hath Charged he is to lead forward the first File up to the second File and so to the rest one after another till he hath gathered up again the whole Wing and then he is to joyn them again in Equall Fronts with the Pikes Last of all the Body or whole Wing of Musquetiers make ready all together upon their Rests and the first Rank falling back two steps Gives Fire and speedily as it may yet orderly falls away All the Ranks doing the same successively one after another And we do especially Require all Captains of Foot in Exercising their Companies to accustome their Musquetiers to Give Fire according to all these severall manners before prescribed Orders to be observed in the Marching of one single Company or of many joyned together in one Body WHen a Regiment is drawn into Battell the Officers shall be thus placed It being first understood that the Coronell Lieutenant Coronell and Sergeant Major are to be on Horseback only they are to alight when they Marrh by the Generall The Coronell is to March in the Front of the middle of the Pikes The Lieutenant Coronell in the Reare of the Pikes The Sergeant Major a little behind the Coronell on his left hand from him to receive Orders and to Move accordingly as the occasion is offered The First Captain marcheth in the Head of the Pikes The Second Captain in the Reare of the Pikes The Third Captain in the Front of the Right Wing of Musquetiers The Fourth Captain in the Rear of the Left Wing of Musquetiers The Fifth Captain in the Front of the Left Wing of Musquetiers The Sixt Captain in the Reare of the Right Wing of Musquetiers The Seventh Captain in the Front of the second Division of Pikes The Eight Captain in the Rear of the second Division of Pikes