DIRECTIONS FOR MVSTERS Wherein is Showne the order of Drilling for the Musket and Pike Printed at Cambridge And are to bee sould by Roger Daniel at the Angel in Lumbard Streete DIRECTIONS FOR MUSTERS Wherein is shevved the order of drilling for the Musket and Pike Set forth in postures with the words of command and brief instructions for the right use of the same Printed by Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel printers to the Universitie of Cambridge 1638. Directions for Musters THe Land-forces of this kingdome are either Trained or Vntrained a His Majesties letters September 21. 1628. In the Trained-bands and in having them well 1 Chosen well 2 Armed and well 3 Disciplined a most essentiall part of the strength and safetie of the kingdome consisteth ¶ b Ibidem Touching the Choice of the persons of men to be inrolled in the Trained-lists They must be men sufficient of able and active bodies none of the meaner sort nor servants but onely such as be of the Gentrie Free-holders and good Farmers or their sonnes that are like to be resident And this stands with great reason c Q. Elisab her letters April 9. 1585. these Bands being onely to be employed as a Guard for the Prince his Person and the withstanding of a forrain enemie d LL. of the Counsels letters April 27. 1635. And therefore it is also required that they be well affected in Religion and take the oathes of Supremacie and Allegeance e Q. Elisabeths Commission March 14. 1573. None were formerly to be excused from personall service but Prelates Lords of the Parliament and privie Counsel Ecclesiasticall persons and Judges and judiciall Officers And now f LL. of the Counsels letters May 31. 1631. none are to be exempted but the Kings meniall servants or such as have some such place under the King as may lawfully excuse them Also g His Majesties orders 1626. none to remove his dwelling out of the Town or Parish of his abode without licence of a Deputie-lieutenant ¶ Concerning their Arming Every Captain is to h His Majesties letters Sept. 21. 1628. charge Armes in his respective hundred or precinct equally and impartially according to the value of each mans lands or means whether the owners be there resident or not i Ibidem And no Armes are to be allowed of but compleat ones and of the best modern fashion k Orders 1626. Every man must have the Horse or Armes he stands charged with at all times ready at an houres warning of his own l LL. of the Counsels letters Jan. 10. 1627. And if any man shall appear at the Muster with a borrowed Horse or Armes or in any other unfitting manner he shall be proceeded against as a high contemner of the Kings royall command and as one that betrayeth as much as in him lieth the honour of his Majestie and the safetie of his kingdomes Moreover every man is required not onely to appear at Musters in m Stat. 4o. 5o. Phil. Mar. cap. 3. his best Armes but also in his best Aray n Proclamation And for the preventing of the abuse of shewing borrowed Armes every Captain is to stamp the Armes of his Companie thereby to be known and distinguished Now the Armes be either for Horse or Foot o Militarie instructions for the Cavallerie 1632. Part 1. chap. 23 24. Concerning the Horse how the severall kinds of them are to be armed is shewed at large in a book of Cavallerie lately published The Foot are either Pikes or Musketiers p Order advised on by the Counsel of warre The Pikeman must be armed with a Pike seventeen foot long head and all the diameter of the staff to be one inch ¾ the head to be well steeled 8 inches long broad strong and sword-pointed the cheeks 2 foot long well riveted the butt-end bound with a ring of iron a Gorget Back Breast Tassets and Head-piece a good Sword of 3 foot long cutting and stiff-pointed with Girdle and Hangers The Musketier must be armed with a good Musket the Barrel of 4 foot long the Bore of 12 bullets in the pound rowling in a Rest Bandelier Head-piece a good Sword Girdle and Hangers ¶ Election and Arming availeth little without Discipline this being the soul and principall part must be seriously and frequently practised for the better performance whereof q Orders 2626. every Commander and Officer must enable himself to perform the duties of their severall places r LL. of the Counsels Orders 1623. Every Captain must make choice of his certain and constant File-leaders out of his best men which must exercise their respective files on holy-dayes or other convenient dayes the Musketiers then using onely a little powder for the pan He must appoint to every File-leader his certain file of such as dwell nearest to him for the more ready calling of them together The Captain Lieutenant or Ensigne is to exercise a Squadron or the whole Companie once a moneth or 6 weeks on a holy-day as shall seem good to the Deputie-lieutenant For the better enabling the Musketiers for service they are sometimes to be exercised with bullets at marks ſ Orders 1626. No Souldier must presume to depart from his Colours untill he be discharged by his Captain t Stat. 4o. 5o. Phil. Mar. cap. 3. If any one absent himself from the Muster generall or speciall he is to suffer 10 dayes imprisonment without bail or mainprise or else to pay 40 shillings Souldiers must be exercised first apart by themselves in their Postures or true use of their Armes then joyned in a Body in their Distances Motions and Skirmishes How the Horse are to be exercised is shewed in the said book of Cavallerie ¶ For the Foot the usuall Postures for the Pike are these Handle your Pike Order your Pike Advance your Pike Order your Pike Shoulder your Pike Port your Pike Charge your Pike Advance your Pike Shoulder your Pike Charge to the Rere your Pike Shoulder your Pike Order your Pike Cheek your Pike Trail your Pike Recover and charge your Pike Order at close order your Pike Charge for horse your Pike Recover your Pike ¶ The Postures for the Musket are these Put on your Bandeliers Take up your Rest Take up your Match Handle your Musket Order your Musket Give your Rest to your Musket Open your Pan. Clear your Pan. Prime your Pan. Shut your Pan. Cast off your loose Powder Blow off your loose Powder Cast about your Musket Trail your Rest Open your Charge Charge with Powder Charge with Bullet Draw forth your Skowring-stick Shorten your Skowring-stick Ramme home Withdraw your Skowring-stick Shorten your Skowring-stick Return your Skowring-stick Recover your Musket Poise your Musket recover your Rest Give your Rest to your Musket Draw forth your Match Blow your Coal Cock your Match Trie your Match Guard your Pan and blow Open your Pan. Present Give fire Dismount
your Musket Vncock your Match Return your Match Shoulder your Musket So make ready as before March with your Rest in your right hand Carrie your Rest with your Musket Vnshoulder your Musket Poise your Musket Rest your Musket Draw forth your Match Blow your Match Cock your Match Trie your Match The Sentinell posture The manner how to perform these postures both of Pike and Musket is fully shewed in the figures annexed These postures in service are reduced to these three more generall words namely Make ready Present and Give fire Having attained the use of their Armes they must be taught their militarie Motions To do this they must be ordered into a Body composed of Files Aelian cap. 5. A File is a sequence of Men placed right after a Leader every one according to his worth and consisteth at the most of ten men which are thus distinguished Number of place Number of dignitie 1 Leader 1 2 5 3 9 4 8 5 Middle-man 4 6 Middle-man 3 7 7 8 10 9 6 10 Bringer-up 2 A Rank is a row of Side-men standing one by another in a right line shoulder to shoulder and are thus distinguished Number of place 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 2. 6. 10. 7. 3. 4. 8. 9. 5. 1. Number of dignitie That which follows next is distance whereof there be three kinds most usuall Open order which is 6 foot in Rank and File Order which is 3 foot in Rank and File and Close order which is a foot and half between File and File Open order is used when a companie is to be exercised Order when they come to fight or wheel Close order in File is onely for the Pikes when they come to charge the enemie or to receive a charge In a long March the Files are at Order and the Ranks at Open order The usuall way to measure these distances is thus Open order between File and File is when the Souldiers stretching out their arms their hands touch each other and between the Ranks when the butt-end of the shouldred Pikes almost reach to their Leaders heels And for Order between the Files when the Souldiers setting their arms a kembo their elbows touch and in Ranks when they come up to their Leaders swords point Close order is shoulder to shoulder The Motions are of 4 kinds namely Facings Doublings Countermarches and Wheelings Suppose a Companie of 100 men u Orders 1623. which is the number thought fittest whereof 50 to be Muskets and 50 Pikes being drawn up by Files into a Body at their Open order they stand thus Stand right in your Files Make even your Ranks Silence Front Right Flank Rere Left Flank To the right hand This motion is performed by turning all at once to the right hand keeping the left foot fixed Thus they are ready to receive a charge on the Flank To reduce them you command As you were To face them to the left you command To the left hand And reduce them as before To the right hand about To reduce them you command By the left hand as you were There be many other Facings as To the right and left by ½ Ranks outward and inward By the Half-files To the Angles To the Centre and the like which are here omitted for brevitie sake Ranks to the right double The second Rank passeth into the first the fourth into the third and so successively every man standing at his Leaders right hand Ranks as you were By the left hand they fall into their places Ranks to the left double Which is done as the former onely the hand is changed They are reduced as before every man that doubled falls into his place by the right hand Middle-men to the right hand double the Front Middle-men as you were Middle-men to the left hand double the Front Bringers-up to the right or left double the Front Which makes the Figure as the former but that the last Rank begins the motion and standeth within the first Rank Middle-men to the right or left entire or by division double the Front Files to the right double The second File moveth into the first every man behind his Right-side-man the fourth into the third and so successively Files as you were Files to the left double Which is as the former onely the hand changed Files as you were Files to the right hand Countermarch Every File-leader advanceth with the right leg turning to the right hand about and marcheth untill he come into the ground where the last Rank stood the other Ranks move up to the File-leaders ground and there turn as the first successively Files to the left Countermarch Ranks to the right or left Countermarch Files to the right left or middle close to your order Ranks close forward to your order To the right hand wheel All the body wheels towards the right upon the right hand File-leader as the Centre To the left hand wheel To the right or left about wheel There be divers other Doublings Countermarches and Wheelings but because the Trained bands are not so capable of them and there be many books published on that subject they are here for brevitie omitted Concerning Skirmish for which they are now in fitting distance there be divers and sundrie Forms both against Horse and Foot Usually the fight is begun by drawing out some Files disbanded or else by 2 Ranks advancing 10 paces before the body which make ready together a Sergeant or some other Officer there stands to whom these 2 first Ranks come up then present and give fire first the first Rank then the second so fall off into the Rere into their own Files So soon as the two first Ranks advance forwards the two next Ranks must make ready then advance forward 10 paces and do as the former two Ranks so all successively They may then fire even with the Front of Pikes then on the Half-files or as they shall be commanded To fire to the Rere the last Rank makes ready keeping still with the bodie being ready they present to the right about then fire and march a round pace and place themselves in Front in the same order as they were ranked so all the rest successively To fire by Flanks the outermost File towards the enemy makes ready marching with the body then faces and presents to the hand commanded and fires the next File to that doeth the like and being marched clear off that File gives fire so all the rest An Officer is to lead up the Files which have given fire either in the same order they stood in or to conveigh them beyond the left Files of Musketiers or within the Pikes or beyond the Pikes on the left Flank as shall be thought best The Musketiers must ever be carefull whether being shouldred or making ready to mount the muzzle of their Musket The Front Half-files of Pikes are onely to charge their Pikes the Rere Half-files to port them in time of fight ¶ Touching the untrained forces
upon the pan the thumb behind the scutchion of the pan the easier to lift up the musket and soe raising up the musket with both hands blow as before in the i2 posture 32 Open your Pan with the two forefingers of the right hand open the Panne as in the 7 posture 33 Present Remoue yor right hand to the thumbe hole yor second finger to the tricker with yor left hand fix the forke of the Rest to yor musket and yor thumb against the forke and the pike end of the rest on the ground 34 Giue Fire lift up yor right elbow and place the but end of yor musket within yor shoulder nere your breast the small end appearing a little aboue youe shoulder standing w th the left leg foremost and the knee bent and the right leg standing stiffe 35 Dismount yor Musket Bring your musket and rest to your right side and carry both in the left hand onely 36 Vncocke your Match Take the match from the cocke w th the thumb and second singer of yor right hand holding the musket and rest in the left hand onely 37 Returne your Match Put the match betweene the two lesser fingers of the left hand from whence you had it Note from henc forward yo u may Prime charge as before from the 8 postur and so forward as in the 25 postur 38 Shoulder yor Musket Haueing yor. musket poized hold yor rest an handfull under the forke then bring your musket before yor. bodie and yor rest crossouer it behinde the thumb hole and so with both hands lay it gently on yor. shoulder haueing the rest cross yor body and withall bring yor right leg up to yor left then fall back againe with yor. right leg 39 March w th yor rest in yor right hand First take the match from the left hand betweene the fingers of the right hand then take the string of the Rest from the left arme and returne the match betweene the fingers of the left hand and take the rest in the right hād 40 March and w th your Musket carrie yor. rest First shift the match as in the former direction then put the string of the Rest ouer the left arme and the rest in the hand and so returne the match and carry yor rest as in the figure 41 Vnsholder yor. Musket Bringing up yor right leg to your left sinke your musket and carry it right up and withall turne it that the pike end of yor. Rest be towards yor left side then take the Musket at the breech with yor right hand and slip downe yor left with the rest 42 Poyze your Musket Hold the Musket right up in the right hand on yor right side raise yor left hand to the forke of yor rest and set yor thumbe against the forke as in the figure 43 Rest yor Musket Bring up yor left hand w th the forke of the rest to the musket and so lett Musket and rest sinke downe togather and fall backe with yor right legge to your proper stand 44 Draw out yor. Match Take the match beetweene the thumbe and the seacond finger of the right hand as in the xxvii posture and w th the thumbe of your left hand hould the musket fast on the rest 45 Blow yor. Match Beare your Musket and rest forward with the left hand and your match backward in the right and blow as in the 28 posture 46 Cocke yor Match Cocke your macth as in the 29th posture 47 Try your Match Try your match as in the 30th posture 48 The sentinell Posture Hold the two forefingers of the right hand upon your pan the thumb behind the scutchian ready upon all occasions 1 Handle yor Pike Standing at the but end of yor Pike fall backward with yor left foot and with yor right hand turned take your Pike at the But end and bring yor right hād up to your hip 2 Recouer your Pike Order Bring yor left foote before yor right and with yor left hand take yor Pike forwards bearing the butt end downward and remoue yor right hand aboue yor left 3 Order yor Pike Set the but end of yor Pike nere your right foote on the outside holding it right up in yor right hand about the height of yor eye and your arme a little Bending and yor right foote forward 4 Aduance yor Pike in three motions The first Motion with the right hand alone bring yor Pike iust before yor body bearing it directly right up raising the but end from the ground then take the Pike with yor left hand about the height your girdle 5 the seacond Motion Forsake the Pike with your right hand and with the left hand alone raise up the Pike that the But end be about the height of yor thigh then take the But end in yor. right hand without stooping to it 6 the third Motion being Aduanced Forsake the Pike with the left hand and with yor right hand alone carry the Pike right up locking the Pike betweene yor shoulder and arme yor right hand holding the but end of the Pike about the height of yor hip 7 Order yor Pike in three motions the first Motion Sinke your right hand a little and with your left hand take the Pike as high as well you can reach and bring the Pike iust before yor Body 8 the 2d Motion Forsake the Pike with yor right hand and bring down the pike in your left hand that the but end be nere unto the ground then w th yor right hand take the pike about the height of yor head 9 The 3d motion being ordered Forsak your Pike with your left hand and with the right hand only set the but end on the ground on the outside of yor right foote as in the third Posture 10 Shoulder yor. Pike in 3 motions The first Motion Bring the Pike iust before yor body and raise the but end from the ground bearing it forward then take it with yor left hand a little beneath yor right 12 The seacond Motion Bring forward the Pike with yor left hand and take it in your right reaching backward as farr as well you may 12 The 2d motion being Sholdred Forsake yor Pike with yor left hand and with the right onely lay it vpon yor right shoulder bearing the but end about a foote from the ground holding yor thumb vnder the Pike the better to gouern it carrying the pike forward 13 Port yor. Pike in 3 motions the first Motion Beare yor right hand w th the pike backward as farr as well you can w th yor. left hand take the pike forward w th the right hand beare the pike vpward 14 The 2d Motion Forsaking the Pike w th the right hand cast the poynt forward that the But end may conveniently be taken in the right hand 15 The 3d motion being Ported Take the But end of the Pike in yor right hand holding it about yor hip and raising the pike wth
all able-bodied men untrained from 16 yeares to 60 must be inrolled LL. of Counsels letters April 27. 1635. and Orders 1626. And the abler sort of men are to be provided of Armes for their particular uses With these Armes and the Armes of Recusants sequestred such leavies as shall be made upon any sudden occasion out of the untrained men are to be armed and then exercised and ordered into Companies FINIS 1 Put on yor. Bandeliers Take up the Bandeliers in the right hand hold them in the hollow betweene the thumb and forfinger then clearing yor boxes from tangling with yor left hand put yor elbow through the handeleir and bring yor right hand ouer yor head takeing your hat in the left hand leaue the bandeleir on yor left sholder 2 Take vp your Rest Take your Rest in the Right hand at the foote end then take it in the left about the middle they with the right hand take it at the iron and put your left hand through the string and hold the Rest with the left hand 3 Take up you r Match Take up the Match at the middle with your thumb and fore finger of the left hand then with your thumb and second finger of the Right hand peace one end of the match betweene the greate and Ring finger and the other end betweene the Ring and little finger of the left hand and so let the middle hang downe 4 Handle your Musket Standing at the But end of yor musket w th yor right foote the left somwhat aduanced and the knee bent which is the generall proper stand of a Musketier giue a large step with yor right legge then stooping downe yet bearing up yor head with yor right hand gripe the Musket and so raising up yor body fall back to the first stand 5 Order yor. Musket Being come to your first stand hold yor Musket barrell in yor hand about the height of your shoulder with the But end on the ground Jn your left hand hold the Rest a little below the forke the Pike end on the ground 6 Giue your Rest to your Musket Sinke downe your right hand not bowing yor bodie then gripe your musket and lift it up the bring about the left hand with the rest and ioyne it to your musket on the out side holding yor thumb hard against the forke of the Rest and so carry both musket and Rest in the left hand onely 7 Open your Pann Jn the ioyning of yor. musket and Rest together fall back with your right leg to your proper stand then hold the thumb of the Right hand behind the scutchian of the Pan and with yor. two formerr fingers draw back the couer of the Pan. 8 Cleare yor. Pann Bring up your musket with the left hand only towards your mouth and blowe your Pan stiflie not slooping upon anie termes and in the meane time with yor. right hand take your touch box as in the figure 8 9 Prime your Panne Hould yor touch box betweene the thumbe and fore finger of the right hand onely and so Prime as in the figure 10 shut your Panne Lay the right thumbe ouer the barrell neere the Pan and with your two foremost fingers shutt the Panne 11 cast of yor loose Pouder Hould yor. musket fast with the right hand at the breech the left as before turneing the Panne downewards that the loose pouder may fall of 12 Blow of yor. loose Powder Hould yor. musket in both hands as before beare it vp towards your mouth not stooping blow of the loose powder 13 Cast about yor Musket Hold yor musket in both hands as before beare it right vp towards yor left side and w th all step forwards the right leg then holding the musket only in the right hand at the breech forsake the Rest 14 Trayse your Rest Haueing forsaken yor rest take the Musket into the left hand about the midle of the barrell so as the butt end touch not the ground trayling yor rest betweene yor musket and yor bodie 15 Open your charge Take your charge in your right hand with the thumb and forefinger thereof thrust of the couer 16 Charge with Powder Put backe your left hand with the musket as farre as conveniently you can and w th yor right hand turne the powder into the muzell of the barrell holding the charge betweene yor thumb forefinger only as in the figure 17 charge with Bullet Take yor. Bullet forth of yor bag or out of yor mouth and put it into the muzell of your musket 18 Draw forth your scouring sticke With yor. right hand the palme turnd from yor draw forth yor scouring stick beareing yor bodie yor left hand w th yor musket so farr back as you cann 19 Shorten your scouring sticke Hauing drawne forth yor scouring sticke sett the Rammer head against yor brest and slip yor hand close to yor Rammer that you may the easier put it into the muzell 20 Ramme Home Put your scouring sticke downe into your musket and Ramme home hard twice or thrice 21 withdraw your scouring sticke With your right hand turned draw your scouring stick out of yor musket as before 22 shorten yor scouring sticke Your scouring sticke being drawn forth of the barrell turne it and bring the scouring sticke end to yor brest so slip yor hand wthin an hand full of the end 23 Returne your scouring sticke Put the scouring sticke to his place from whence you had it 24 Recouer your Musket Bring forward yor musket w th yor left hand and beare it right vp Take it into the right hand at the breech and so hold it in the right hand only 25 Poize your Musket and recouer your Rest Fall backe w th yor right leg to your first stand hold yor musket in fright hand at the breech and recouer your rest in yor left hand holding it iust vnder the forke 26 Giue your Rest to your Musket Bring vp yor left hand w th the rest towards yor right side neere yor musket and so sinke yor musket hold it w th the rest in the left hand only the rest being one the out side of the musket 27 Draw forth yor Match Take yor match from betweene yor little finger w th the thumb and the second finger of yor right hand being turned w th the Palme from you. 28 Blow your Cole Bring the right hand w th the match backward and your left hand w th the musket and rest forward turning your face some what backward blow yor match stiffe 29 Cocke your Match Holding your match betweene yor. thumb and second finger bring it to the cock and presse it into the cocke with the thumbe 30 Try yor Match Your thumb and forefinger being upon the cocke and the second and third finger under the cocke pull the cock to the Pan and with the finger either raiseor sinkethe match 31 Gard blow lay the two forefingers of the right hād