bringers-vp The words of Command may be these For the Macedonian Countermarch by file File-leaders turne your faces about to the right or left hand The rest of euery File passe thorow in order one after another and place your selues at your distances after your Leaders turning your faces about and so stand For the Lacedemonian Countermarch by file The first manner Bringers-vp turne your faces about to the right or left hand The rest turne your faces about and beginning at them that are next to the Bringers-vp countermarch and place your selues in your distances before the Bringers-vp and one before an other till the File-leaders be first The second manner File-leaders countermarch to the right or left hand and let euery mans file follow him and keepe true distance For the Choraean countermarch by file File-leaders countermarch to the place of the Bringers-vp and stand and let your files follow you keeping their distance For the Macedonian countermarch by ranke The right or left hand corner file turne your faces to the right or left hand The rest of each ranke passe thorough to the right or left hand and place your selues orderly behind your side-men keeping your distance Cap 29 Dobling of Rankes The front before Dobling of rankes Dobling of rankes in action The front after Dobling of Rankes For the Lacedemonian countermarch by ranke The first manner The corner file where the enemy appeareth turne your faces to the right or left hand The rest of ech rankes turne your faces and passe thorough to the right or left hand and place your selues before your side-men orderly keeping your distances The second manner The right or left wing where the enemy appeareth not countermarch to the contrary wing and all in the Ranks follow euery man his side-man keeping your distance For the Choraean countermarch by ranke The vttermost corner file of the right or left wing countermarch into the place of the left or right winge and stand And the rest follow ranke-wise keeping their distance Of doubling and the kindes thereof CHAP. XXIX 1 THere are two kinds of doubling one of Rankes the other of Depth or files and 2 either of these double the number or the place 3 The length is doubled in number when of a front of 124 files we make a front keeping the same ground of 248 files by inserting in the spaces betwixt file and file some of the followers that stood in the depth This is done to the end to thicken the length of the battaile If we lift to recall them to their first posture we are to command those that were inserted to countermarch to the place they had before 4 There are that mislike these doublings especially the enemy being at hand and would haue a shew of doubling made without indeed doubling the Phalange already ordered by stretching out the light-armed and the Horse on both sides of the wings of the Battaile 5 The vse of doubling the length is when either we would ouer-wing the enemy or else our selues feare to be ouer-winged The Depth is doubled 6 by inserting the second file into the first so that the Leader of the second file be placed next behind the Leader of the first file and the second man of the second file be the fourth man of the first file and the third man of the second file be the sixt in the first file and so forth the rest till the whole second file be ingrossed into the first and likewise the fourth file into the third and all the euen files into the odde Doubâ—ing of the Depth by Countermarch is made either when the next side-files in seuerall as in the former example the second and the fourth and the rest of the euen files countermarch to the Reare and place themselues behind the Bringers-vp of the odde files or else the files remayning in their first place and number halfe of them diuiding themselues from the other halfe countermarch likewise to the Reare and conveying themselues behind the other there order themselues and so double the depth of the Phalange If we would returne them to the first posture we must recall those that were conveyed to stand behind to the place they had before the Countermarch Notes THE former three Motions alter not the forme of the Phalange For whether you turned faces wheeled or countermarched the Phalange the depth and length remained one The motion to be expressed in this Chapter induceth an other shape to the Phalange and maketh it seeme a different body from that it was before being by Doubling extended either in length or in depth For Doubling the number of men or the place of the Phalange in front maketh the length twise as much and doubling the same in flanke maketh the depth double to that it was before For Doubling is nothing else then making a military body twise as long or twise as deepe as it was before 1 There are two kindes of doubling The Doublings are either of length or depth Or which is all one as Suidas saith of ranks or files For ranks stretch out in length files in depth And these againe are diuided into two other kinds the body being 2 Doubled in number or place That which is here called number is called elsewhere persons or by Suidas men It is called persons in the Insertion which is made to Aelian I know not by whom in the precedent Chapter of Countermarches Which because it lay thrust in betwixt the description of Countermarches and nothing perteined to that argument I neuer made doubt was crept into the text And I am rather confirmed in my opinion because I saw it noteâ— with an Asteriske in that Aelian being of Robortellus Edition which the learned Isaack Casaubon had quoted and purposed to set forth if vntimely dâ—ath had not prâ—vented him I will here set downe the words because they differ not much from Aelian and may giue some light to the manner of Doubling It is to be vnderstood so are the words â—hat a Phalange is doubled in persons or place when we therefore take halfe the souldiers from the Depth and making files of them place them euen with the rest in length of the front so that of 124 files we make 248 this is Doubling of persons In like sort we double the place with 124 files not increasing the number but onely commanding some to turne to the Pike some to the Target till the Phalange be stretched out to a convenient length as from 5 furlongs to 10. In the same manner is the depth doubled For either one file is inserted into an other man for man so that the second File-leader becomes the follower of the first and the second man in the second file the follower of the second in the first file and so the rest Or else 16 men are so extended that they hold as much ground in length as 32 vsuallydoe So farre the insertion It followeth in Aelian 3 The length is doubled in
three-fold gate or doore How the motions of wheeling double and treble wheeling of the battaile are to be made CHAP. XXXII IT followeth to shew how a battaile may be turned or wheeled and how after reduced to the first posture or Station Cap. 30. Plagiophalanx or the Brode-Fronted Phalange Orthiophalanx or the Herse Protaxis or forefronting The Front Lâ—â—halanx or the vneven fronted Phalange Cap. 31. Hypotaxis or double-winging Entaxis or insertion Protaxis or forefronting Cap. 32. The manner of wheeling The first posture Closing of files Closing of rankes forward The Front But in case we desire to wheele to the left hand we command the left-hand-file to stand still and all the rest to turne their faces to the left hand and mooue forward close vp to the left hand file Then to turne their faces as they were Then to gather vp the hinder rankes Then to wheele the battaile to the left hand and stand and so is it done that was commanded But if restitution to the first posture be needfull we must doe as we did in returning from the right For euery man must turne about his face to the Pike Then the whole battaile wheeling about the left-hand-corner-file-Leader must returne to the place it had Then all the file-Leaders stand firme and turne about their faces and the rest open their rankes in mouing forward and make Alte Then the left hand file is to stand firme for it hath the place it first had and the rest turning their faces to the right hand to open their files and moue forward till they haue recouered their first distances then to turne their faces as at first and so shall euery man be in his first posture Now if we would wheele the battaile about to the pike we are to make 2 wheelings to the same side so will it come to passe that the file-Leaders shall in the change haue their faces turned to the Reare where before they had them looking out from the front But in restoring to the first posture we command it to wheele about to the right hand That is we giue it two wheelings more the same way So the file-Leaders will haue their faces set as at first Then we command the file-Leaders to stand firme and the rest to open their rankes behind then to turne their faces about Then the right hand file to stand still for it hath the right place and the rest turning their faces to the right hand to march on till the former distances are regained then to make Alte. So is the battaile reduced to the first Station If you would haue the battaile turne about to the Target you are to giue contrarie directions That is in stead of commanding a double wheeling to the Pike to command a double wheeling to the Target Then by making two turnes the contrary way to vse the like changes we spake of before There is likewise a treble wheeling of the battaile when it turneth thrice to the same hand namely to the Pike or Target The double wheeling to the Pike transferreth the Souldiers face from the front to the backe of the battaile The treble wheeling to the Pike bringeth his face to the left flanke The treble wheeling to the Target contrariwise to the right flank Notes BEfore in the 26 Chapter Aelian discoursed of wheeling and the kindes thereof The manner how it is to be done is reserued for this place I neede not therefore remember any thing else besides the words of command The words of command in Epistrophe The vttermost file on the right or left hand stand firme The rest turne faces to the side purposed and march vp to the file standing firme Faces as you were Close your rankes forward Wheele the body to the hand appointed and when you haue your ground stand Returning to the first Posture or Anastrophe Faces to the right or left hand Wheele backe the body to the ground it first had File-Leaders stand firme the other rankes open to their first place Faces about to which hand you will The corner file to which the turning was stand firme the rest open to their first ground Faces as you were and order your Pikes Perispasmos or wheeling about In wheeling about the same wordes to close the files and rankes are to bee vsed which were vsed in Epistrophe there remaineth no more then to say Wheele about your body to the right or left hand Anastrophe or returning to the first Posture Returne to your first Posture The same forme is vsed that was held in the former returning vnto the first posture for opening rankes and files Ecperispasmos or treble wheeling In this motion the same course is held that was in the wheeling But only that you command a treble wheeling And the returning to the first Posture or Anastrophe is all one but for the same difference Of closing the battaile to the right or left hand or to the middest CHAP. XXXIII Cap â—â— Of Changes The front after closing Closing to the right hand in action Closing to the left hand Closing to the middell Closing to the right hand The Front before closing The Front of the 〈◊〉 before closing If the Phalange be to be closed in the middest the Diphalange on the right hand must turne their faces toward the Target and the Diphalange on the left hand their faces toward the Pike Then moue forward toward the middest of the Phalange Then after their true distance gained to set their faces as they were and to gather vp the Rankes behind When we would reduce the Phalange to the first posture wee command to turne faces about then to open the Rankes and all to moue on but the first Ranke then to turne their faces againe and the right Diphalange turning to the Pike and the left Diphalange to the Target to follow their Leaders till they haue recouered their first distances Then to set their faces as they were This rule is to be obserued in all turnings about of faces when they are made out of closings that the Pikes be aduanced least they hinder the Souldier in making his turning The light-armed are to be taught and exercised after the same manner Notes IN the 11 Chapter the distances that ought to bee betwixt souldier and souldier are particularly treated of This Chapter sheweth how they are to be gained that is how we are to proceede out of one distance into another And because the open order is it that is commonly begunne withall it is here taught how from thence to passe to the rest and to returne to it againe The end of closings is spoken of before In regard of place they are said to be of two kindes One to the wing right or left the other to the middest of the Phalange I cannot expresse the manner better then by setting downe the wordes of command or direction which are these in Closing to the right wing The right-wing-corner-file stand firme The rest turne faces to the Pike and moue according to
and serueth for the pikes onely for the Musquettiers cannot be so close in files because they must haue their Armes at liberty that is when euery one is distant from file to file a foote and a halfe and 3 foote from Ranke to Ranke And this last distance is thus commanded Close your selues throughly But it is not to be taught the Souldiers for that when necessitie shall require it they will close themselues but too much of their owne accord without command To begin therefore to doe the exercises the Company is set in the first distance to wit of 6 foote in file and ranke and thus is said These are the generall words of Command which are often to be vsed Stand right in your files Stand right in your rankes Silence To the right hand As you were To the left hand As you were To the right hand about To the left hand as you were To the left hand about To the right hand as you were You must note that when they are commanded to be as they were they must returne thither from whence they parted and if they turned to the right hand they must returne to the left and so in countermarch The headpiece The forepart The headpiece close The backe the right gantlet The left vambrace The left cuishe The brest The backe the gard the left â—â—â—â—let The Armour of the Pikman The Gorget The Brest The Tales The Hedpiece The Back The Pike To the right double your rankes Rankes as you were To the left hand double your rankes Rankes as you were To the right hand double your files Files as you were To the left hand double your files Files as you were With halfe files to the right hand double your Rankes Halfe files as you were With halfe files to the left hand double your Rankes Halfe files as you were Files to the right hand countermarch Files to the left hand countermarch To the right hand or left at discretion as you were Rankes to the right hand countermarch Rankes to the left hand countermarch To the right or left hand as you were Close your Files to 3 foote distance Close your Rankes to 3 foote distance Vnderstand that in Closing from the outsides to the middle the Soldier is â—stand in his distance of 3 foote in file and not closer To the right hand wheele To the left hand wheele Open your Rankes backwards in your double distance to wit at 12 foote and this for a single Company Rankes as you were sc. at the first In opening Rankes or Files you must keepe them closed vntill the second Ranke or File beginning from the outsides haue taken their distances and so shall the rest remaine close vntill euery Ranke or File haue taken their distanceâ— in order Open your files to wit to the first distance of 6 foote If you will command to close files to the right hand or left hand the outmost file standeth still and the rest close to that file For the Pike with a firme stand Advance your Pikes Order your Pikes Slope your Pikes Charge your Pikes Order your Pikes Traile your Pikes Cheeeke your Pikes More for the Pikes first with a firme stand and then marching Charge your Pikes Slope your Pikes To the right hand charge your Pikes Slope your Pikes To the left hand charge your Pikes Slope your Pikes Charge your Pikes to the Reare Slope your Pikes Order your Pikes This must be obserued charging your Pikes with a firme stand to set the right foote behind and charging the Pikes marching to set the left foote before For the Musquet THe Postures in his Excellencies Booke are to be obserued but in exercisinâ— you must onely vse these three termes of direction Make ready Present Giue fire Your Musquettiers must obserue in all their motions to turne to the right hand and that they carry the mouth of their peeces high aswell when they are shouldred as in pruning and also when they hold their pannes garded and come vp to giue fire In advancing towards an Enemy when they doe not skirmish loose and disbanded they must giue fire by Rankes after this manner Two Rankes must alwaies make ready together and aduance ten paces forward before the body at which distance a Sergeant or when the body is great some other officer must stand to whom the Musquettiers are to come vp before they present and giue fire first the firstranke And whilest the first giues fire the second Ranke keepe their Musquets close to their Rests and their pannes garded and assoone as the first are fallen away the second presently present and giue fire and fall after them Now assoone as the first two Rankes doe moue from their places in the front The two Rankes next them must vnshoulder their Musquets and make ready so as they may aduance forward ten paces as before assoone as euer the two first rankes are fallen away and are to doe in all points as the former And all the other Rankes through the whole diuision must doe the same by twoes one after another A manner there is to giue fire retyring from an Enemy which is performed after this sorâ—t As the Troope marcheth the hindermost ranke of all keeping still with the Troope is to make ready and being ready the souldiers in that ranke turne altogether to the right hand and giue fire marching presently away a good round pace to the front and there place themselues in ranke together iust before the front As soone as the first ranke turne to giue fire the ranke next makes ready and doth as the former and so the rest We giue fire by the flanks thus The vppermost 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 turne to the right or left hand according to the sight of their enemies either vpon the right or left flanke and giue fire altogether When they haue discharged they stirre not but keepe their ground and charge their Peeces againe in the same place they stand Now as soone as the foresaid file doth turne to giue fire the vttermost next it makes ready alwaies keeping along with the Troope till the Bringer-vp be past a little beyond the Leader of that file that gaue fire last and then the whole file must turne and giue fire and doe in all points as the first did and so the rest one after the other A Sergeant or if the Troope be great some other better qualified Officer must stand at the head of the first file and assoone as the second file hath giuen fire and hath charged he is to lead forward the first file vp to the second file and so to the rest one after another till he hath gathered vp againe the whole wing and then he is to ioyne them againe in equall front with the pikes Last of all the Troope or whole wing of Musquettiers makes ready altogether and
the first ranke without advancing giues fire in the place they stand in and speedily as may be yet orderly falls away all the rankes doing the same successiuely one after another Thus much of the armes and exercise of the foote The horse ensue The order and discipline holden in Horse-troopes or in the Cavalry THE Caualry hath for his Cheife the Generall the Lieutenant Generall and the Comissary generall To the Cavalry there is a Quarter-master generall and a Prouost generall belonging the Iustice resorteth to the Councell generall of warre of the Army The Cavalry is of two sorts Har quebusiers and Curassiers The first haue for defensiue armes the Curace pistoll proofe and a light head-peece For offensiue the Carbine of 3 foote 3 inches length and the bore of 20 bullets in the pound and Pistolls like vnto the Curassiers The Curassiers haue for defensiue Armes a compleat armour the Curace pistoll proofe For offen siue two pistolls hauing the barrell of 26 inches in length and the bore of 36 bullets in the pound See the figure of Armes For the order in Regiments the 40 Companies entertained by the States doe make eleuen Regiments The Regiment of the Generall hath alwaies the Vantgard the others alternatiuely and by turnes and he that hath it this day the next day after hath the Reare the rest following in the same sort Those which command the Regiments are called Coronells The Regiments are compounded of 3 or 4 Companies of 3 at the least and the Coronells Company marcheth alwaies on the left wing of the Regiment The Captaines receiue orders from their Coronells as these from the Commissary Generall All the Companies are diuided in 3 equall parts which are called Squadrons and distributed to the three chiefe officers Captaine Cornett and Lieutenant hauing each of them adioyned an old Souldier which they doe know to bee of more desert called a Corporall Marching in the field euery Officer marcheth at the head of his Squadron the Lieutenant excepted which marcheth behind with the Quartermaster and the third Corporall at the head of the Lieutenants Squadron The Companies are diuided by files and rankes the file 5 deepe and no more how strong soeuer the Company be They obserue that in marching in battaile they must be close together and to doe the Motions there must be 6 foote distance from one Horseman to another The Companies being in battaile there must be 25 paces distance left between euery Company and 50 betwixt euery Regiment at the least The exercise of Armes for the Cavalry To open the Squadron you must first open the rankes and after the files To close the Squadron you must first close the files and after the rankes There be two sorts of distances betwixt the files the one close and the other open In the Close there must be no distance or intervalls betwixt the files to the open there must be 6 foote betwixt euery file Likewise there must be two sorts of distances betwixt the rankes the Close which must be without intervall or streete and the Open which must be six foote distance In a march it must be vnderstood that the rankes must neuer be more opened then the open distance of 6 foote And to the end that the Troope may march in good order and obserue well their distance betwixt the rankes without that the last may be forced to runne or goe to fast there must be heed taken that so soone as the first rankes begin to march all the Troope and the Reare also at one time march The words of Command are Open your Rankes Open your files Stand right in your rankes Stand right in your files To the right hand As you were So the left hand As you were To the right hand about To the left hand as you were To the left hand about To the right hand as you were Files to the right hand countermarch Files to the left hand countermarch To the right or left hand as you were Rankes to the right hand countermarch Rankes to the left hand countermarch Close your files Close your rankes To the right hand wheele To the left hand wheele Faults escaped in the Booke PAg. 2. in the margent beneath for Spartionem read Spartianus Pag. 9 lin 20. for was were lin 31. for Bircanna Bircenna and in the marg lin 40. for Dipnoseph Dipnosoph pag. 10. lin 26. in marg for Adrian Arrian p. 14. l. 11. in marg for Dipnoseph Dipnosoph p. 15 l. 18. for Marsilians Massilians p 17. l. 47. for pluimes Plumes p. 18. l 49 for conceited by conceitedly p. 20. l. 45. for Thureo Thureoi lin 48. dele full p. 22. l. for Those These l. 11. for Ochanes Ochane l. 32. dele Then p. 23. l. 12. for Divarates Divarates p. 27. l. for immitation imitation p. 2â— l. 11. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 17. dele That p. 29. l. 4. for quiety quietly l. 25. slinges slingers p. 30. l. 35. in marg Analast Analact p. 31. l. 13. put in it p. 32. l 29. 33. for bellys bellies p. 33. l. 35. 38. 41. for Sotridas Soteridas p 34 l. 3. for forceble forcible l 19. Popana Popana 29. vnfailable vnfailible l. 42 dele once for all p. 35. l. 42. reduct reduce p 36. l. 40. in marg de bett de bell p. 39. l. 17. strok strooke p. 44. l. 12. in marg Enometis Enomâ—tis 24. Enomotarches Enomotarches 31. 33. Prucestes Peucestes lin 47. after Patricius a full point p. 49. l. 27. Bathera Batheia 40 liptismos leptismos p. 50 l. 14. after supported a full point 34. easily easily p. 53 l. 6. Prataxis Protaxis pag. 55. l. 35. for hauing giuing pag. 56. l. 18. sure safe lin 32 37. Ansetaus Ansetaus 41. Then They. 46. a full point after through p. 57. l. 31. betwixt the and examples put former p. 58. l. 2. Pharnabarus Pharnabazus l. 18. after Mâ—nomachy a full point 37. the â—hem 48. after number a full point p 59. l. 6. speedely speedily 36. motion motions 39. 40. your you 41. after forme a full point p 60 l. 16. fiâ—th fifth 18. after may be set the figure 2. 28. after sort dele as and for 2 read 4. p. 61. l. 18. never neither p. 62. l. 23. after Lydians a full point p. 63. l. 15. for 500 5000. lin 22. for 800 8000. p 66. l. 26. for 500 400. lin 25. read when it is greatest in Xenophon hath no more then 100. pag. 68. l. 35. besides to preterâ—it p. 70. l. 40. fight read marching p. 72. l. 1. after Sunne set read and. l. 37. for of p. 75. l. 19. 27. Lochagie Lochagi l. 32. Pempedarches Pempadarchs p. 78. l. 2. 4. of on p. 79. l. 11. for fourth third p. 80. l. 29. insert after an Army that c. â—oreth disorderly lin 47 after 21. insert foote pag. 82. lin Target Targets lin 30. for 6130. read 6144. pag 84. l. 14. Philopomen Philopoemen p. 87. l. 36. Quintus Quintius
said are the files of the Phalange But if the conueniency be obserued it will not seeme impertinent For all the Leaders being in front therefore are they called Leaders because they precede and the rest follow it makes both a gallant shew and that rancke being as it were the edge of our battaile not only serues to hew a sunder and rent a pieces the forces of our enemie But also standeth as an assured bulwarke of defence before the rest of the Armie that followeth And it is well noted by Leo that the multitude of Commanders in orderly diuisions both signifies that there are many worthy and valiant men in the armie And is a meanes to keep the Souldiers in greater obedience and to giue vndoubted effect to all directions Of what qualitie and disposition those Leaders ought to be you may see in the fourth Chapter of Leos Tactickes Onely I will adde that as they are higher in dignity so ought they in vertue and valour exceede those that are vnder their command 1 A Dilochy Consists of two files for so signifies the word Dilochia and the Leader is called a Dilochite 2 A Tetrarchy Of foure files and the Leader is called a Tetrach one that hath the command of foure files And here I must once more admonish that in the words of diuers signification we must not weigh what is the proper signification but how they are vsed in this Art and booke For the word Tetrarch signifieth sometimes a King as Hesychius hath and Deiotarus in Tully is called a Tetrarch and Herode in the Gospell who both are commonly knowne for Kings Thessaly likewise was diuided into 4. Principalities Thessaliotis Pthiotis Pelasgiotis and Astiotis whereof euery one was named a Tetrarchy Onely the difference is that a Tetrarch being a King or a Gouernour signifies him that hath the gouernment of the fourth part of the land for a Tetrarchy is the gouernment of the fourth part But a Tetrarchy in Aelian signifies a body military consisting of foure parts 4. files and the Tetrarch commands not ouer one alone but ouer all the 4. parts 3 A Taxis As the word Tetrarchy is diuersly taken so is Taxis likewise For sometimes it imports Order in a generall signification as I noted before Sometimes the order of a battaile sometimes a company of any kinde of Souldiers foote or horse as Taxis Peltastarum Taxis Equitum Sometimes a single Phalange as in Arrian mention is made of Taxis Ooeni Taxis Perdiccae and Taxis Meleagri c. who were Phalangarches as the story sheweth i Sometimes for all the armed as Taxis Phalangitarum Sometimes a rancke of men standing embattailed as in Thucidides who discribing the battell of the Lacedemonians saith the front which he calleth the first rancke teen proteen Taxin consisted of 448. But in a more speciall signification it is taken for a band of Souldiers And in that signification the number varieth In Xenophon it comprehendeth a hundred men What the number of the Athenian Taxis was I finde not deliuered by any Writer That they had Taxiarchs Polyenus sheweth plainely And if a man with leaue might gesse I would imagine their Taxis consisted of 250 men For I finde in the same place of Polyenus that they had Chiliarchies Pentecosiarchies Taxies and Lochagies I haue before shewed that Lochos in Xenophon is made sometimes of aboue 100. men Out of which may be inferred with probability that Taxis being the next degree aboue the Lochagie hath the double number or more The rather because a Chiliarchy hauing in it a 1000. the Penticosiarchy must haue 500. and by likelihood the Taxis 250. as being the next office vnder the Pentecosiarchy But whatsoeuer the Taxis of the Athenians or of other people was Aelian maketh his Taxis vp with 128 men and 8. files which is a double number to the Tetrarchy With whom Suidas agreeth giuing 2. Tetrarchies to a Taxis and saith it consists of 128 men The Commander of the Taxis is called a Taxiarch as the Commander of the Tetrarchy is a Tetrarch Here I am to note by the way that the Interpreter of Xenophon translateth Taxiarcha the Commander of a Cohort wher 's Taxis in the straighter signification cannot be taken for a Cohort because a Cohort differeth much in number hauing in it at the least 500. and odde men where the Taxis when it is greatest hath no more then 128. And Polybius saith plainely that spira is the Greeke word that fully expresseth the Romane Cohort 4 A Syntagma The word commeth of Syntasso or Syntatto to place together and a Syntagma is a body compounded of many parts artificially put together But it may be taken for anybody in the armie Diodorus reports of Dionysius the elder That after he had diuided his whole Armie which had in it 30000 into three parts he imployed two against the Carthaginian Campe in diuers manner himselfe tooke the Syntagma or third part which consisted of mercenary Souldiers and led against that quarter of the campe which had the Engins Aelian also vseth the word diuerslie For he calles the whole armie by the name of Syntagmata in the plurall number and sometimes Syntagma in the singular And further giues the same name to a file Suidas likewise discribing the length of a Phalange saith it is the first rancke Syntagma of file Leaders which stretcheth forth in a right line from winge to winge Whereby appeareth that which the Logitians affirme which I touched before that there are more things then names of things And that fit names cannot be giuen to all The names that haue beene giuen by antiquity to expresse the seuerall bodies of the Phalange are to be reteined by vs as proper enough to signifie the thing they meant Neither are we to vary from them vnlesse we our selues can inuent better The Syntagma that Aelian here mentioneth is framed of two Taxies that is of 16. files of 256 men The Commander of it is named a Syntagmatarch And where he addeth it is called of some a Xenagy we are to vnderstand that Xenagos was he amongst the Grecians that had the command of a band of strangers as he that leuied strangers was called Xenologos and the band it selfe was called a Xenagy Why the Syntagma should haue the appellation of Xenagy I cannot diuine vnlesse the reason were because it was about the number wherof strangers made their companies that serued amongst the Graecians And I thinke and shall till better information that the body of the light armed called a Xenagy mentioned hereafter had that name likewise for the same reason Now of all the bodies in this Chapter mentioned there is none that commeth so neere the companies vsed at this day as doth the Syntagma for excepting that our numbers differre and are in diuers places more or lesse the offices of each are alike You haue in
or Trumpet or Sergeant of the Centurie resort for direction Adde that the light were often drawne to the winges to the front or other places of seruice which could not be done without Leaders For to put a Systrematarch or an Epixenagie to lead a Century were to leaue the rest of the Centuries vnder them without a Commander Besides the Macedonians were very particular in their commands and left no body without a heads which is the cause of the multitude of Commanders in the Phalange But they are not here mentioned No more are the Commanders of the horse in the diuision of the bodies of the horse and yet I thinke no man will doubt but the horsemâ—n had Commanders 〈◊〉 I finde in the Graecian historie Captaines of the light-armed often named 〈◊〉 is said to be Commander of the Targetires in a fight the Graecians had against the Persians Stratocles commanded the Cretan Archers in the returne of the Graecians out of Persia. Eurybates Captaine of the Cretan Archers in Alexanders army was slaine by the Thebans at the â—ege of Thebes When Antiochâ—s the Captaine of the Archers was dead Ombâ—io was chosen in his place Mention is made also in Arrian of Clearchus the Captaine of the Archers And when Aelian calleth the 4 Systremmatarchs and the 4 Epixenages superordinary Ectactous he might haue said as much of all the other Commanders And he saith expresly of the offecers of the Centurie that they were superordinary Ectactoi 4 A Psylagi The word is a body of light-armed Which word if it were taken as it naturally signifieth is common to and comprehendeth all the bodies of the light-armed whereof Aelian speaketh in this Chapter But here it is restrained to a body of light-armed which compriseth 256 men and 32 files and so it is to be taken A Xenagie That is a command of strangers Aelian before saith that a Syntagma was by some called a Xenagie I haue giuen my opinion there of the originall of the word which I neede not to repeat here This onely I will note that of all the bodies of the light-armed no one hath a common name with the body of the armed but onely the Xenagie And Aelian giueth also that body of the armed an other name calling it a Syntagma The Xenagie hath in it 512 men and 64 files A Systremma It signifieth a conglobation or trouping together Proper names are wanting for these bodies and therefore such taken as might at any hand signifie the thing meant In continuance of time vse hath gained a passage and made them to be accepted as proper enough The Systremma conteineth 1024 men and 128 files There is nothing to be found in Aelian of the Chiliarchie of the light-armed Yet doth Arrian mention 2 Chiliarchies of Archers in the Army of Alexander An Epixenagie A command aboue a Xenagie As afterward in the command of the horse there is an Ephipparchie aboue a Hipparchie The word is improper and hard enough but when it is receiued by vse what should we seeke for more It conteineth 2048 men and 256 files A Stiphos It is deriued from steibo to thicken and in penury of an other name this body of the light-armed is called Stiphos because they are thickned and thronged together There is in it 4096 men and 256 files An Epitagma Is the last body amongst the light-armed The signification of Epitasso is to place behinde From thence commeth Epitaxis placing the light-armed in the Reare which word is after vsed by Aelian Epitagma is deriued from the same fountaine and it is called Epitagma not of placing behinde for sometimes they were placed before sometimes in the flanke but it was the best name they could giue to the whole light-armed And yet it may be that because all the light-armed in auncient time were placed behinde the whole masse was called Epitagma as being placed after the armed in the reâ—re The Epitagma hath in it 1892 men and 1024 files for so many light-armed attend the Phalange Eight superordinarie men Why these eight men should be superordinarie more than the rest of the Commanders I conceiue not yet If Aelians meaning be that these alone shall command the light-armed historie and practise of auncient times convince the contrary Besides where he nameth foure Epixenagies it agreeth with the number that are in the Epitagma of light But where hee addeth foure Sistremmatarchs more to make vp the number of the eight Superordinarie it is hard to knowe which foure hee meaneth considering there are eight Sistremmas in the Epitagma Now because the fiâ—es of the light-armed are in embattailing to be marshalled to the files of the 〈◊〉 I thought good to set downe how the bodies of both agree by comparing them together iâ— files not in number of men For in number of men they cannot well agree because the file of 〈◊〉 armed hath more then the file of the light-armed And the number of the armed in grosse is 16384 of the light-armed but 8192. And I will first begin with the Systasis because it is the least body of the light The bodies of the armed The bodies of the light-armed A Tetrarchie A Systasis 4 files A Taxis A Pentecontarchie 8 files A Syntagma A Hecatontarchie 16 files A Pentecosiarchie A Psilagie 32 files A Chiliarchie A Xenagie 64 files A Merarchie Asystremma 128 files A Phalangarchie An Epixenagie 256 files A Diphalangarchie A Stiphos 512 files A Tetraphalangarchie An Epitagma 1024 files The vse of light-armed foote CHAP. XVII DArters Archers and all other that vse flying weapons are good 1 to begin the fight 2 to prouok the enemie to breake and shatter armour 3 to wound annoy and beate downe a farre of 4 to disaray the enemy 5 to repulse their horse 6 to beat in their light-armed 7 to discouer suspected places and to lay Ambushes Lastly these first vndertaking the Skirmish and continuing it with the rest and seconding them and seruing 8 for speedie and farre-of-attempts worke many and great effects in fight Notes THe arming place filing bodies and command of the light-armed are hitherto handled Now followeth the vse and seruice they performe in the field And first wee are to thinke of the bodie of an armie as of the body of a man that is compact of seuerall parts Of which some parts are of more vse then other some being able to performe their function without 〈◊〉 helpe of the other some except the other help can doe nothing to purpose of themselues The parts of an armie are like The armed are the strength of the field and are the refuge for the rest in extremitie The light ioyned with the armed worke great effects those which Aelian speaketh of in this Chapter and many more without them they cannot so much as maintaine a place in the field And as Xenophon saith Let them be neuer so many in â—umber yet dare they not stand or abide a fewe armed In
length It is profitable in many respects For seeming to cary but few in so small a bredth it deceiueth the enemy and it easily breaketh his forces with the thicknesse and strength of the embattailing and may without perceiuing bee lead thorough straight and narrow passages The Foot-battaile to encounter it is called the Plagiophalange or broad-fronted Battaile For being but slender in depth it beareth foorth and extendeth it selfe in length so that albeit it be broken in the middest with the charge of the Horse yet is nothing broken but a little of the depth and the fury of the Horse is carried not vpon the multitude of the foote but straight and immediately into the open field And for that cause is the length thereof much exceeding the depth Of another kinde of Rhombe for Horsemen and of the foote-Battaile Epicampios Emprosthia to encounter it CHAP. XLVI ANother sort of Rhomboides there is whereof I need say no more but that it fileth and ranketh not For I haue before shewed the vse and that Ileon the Thessalian was the inuentor and that Iason Medeas husband most put it in practise The vse thereof is great being directed and lead in the foure corners by the Captaine the Lieutenant and the two flanke-Commanders It is commonly fashioned of Archers on Horsebacke as the Armenian and Persian manner is Against it is opposed the foote-battaile called Epicampios Emprosthia because the circumduction of the front is like an embowing The end of this forme is to deceiue and ouer-reach the Archers on Horsebacke either by wrapping them in the voide space of the front as they charge and giue on vpon the spurre or else disordering them first with their wings and breaking their fury by ouerthrowing them finally with their rankes about the middle Ensignes This kinde of Battaile was deuised to entrappe and beguile For opening the middle hollownesse it maketh shew but of a few that march in the wings hauing notwithstanding thrice as many following and seconding in the reare So that if the wings bee of power sufficient for the encounter there needeth no more if not retiring easily on either fide they are to ioyne themselues to the bulke of the Battaile Of the foot-battaile called Cyrte which is to be set against the Epicampios CHAP. XLVII THe Battaile to be opposed against the Epicampios is called Cyrte of the circumferent forme This also maketh semblance of small forces by reason of the conuexitie of the figure For all round things appeare little in compasse and yet stretched out in length and singled they proue twice as much as they appeared to be as is euident in pillars which are round and therefore in sight shew the one halfe and conceale the other The greatest piece of skill in embattailing is to make a shew of few men to the enemy and indeed to bring twice as many to fight Of the Tetragonall Horse-battaile and of the wedge of foote to be opposed against it CHAP. XLVIII THe Tetragonall Horsebattaile is square in figure but not in number of men For in Squares the number is not alwaies the same and the Generall for his aduantage may double the length to the depth The Persians Sicilians and most of the Graecians doe affect this forme and take it to bee easie in framing and better in vse Against it is opposed the Phalange called Embolos or Wedge of foote all the sides consisting of armed men This kinde is borrowed of the Horse-mans wedge And yet in the Horse-wedge one sufficeth to lead in front where the Footewedge must haue three one being vnable to beare the sway of the encounter So Epaminondas the Theban fighting with the Lacedemonians at Mantinea ouerthrew a mightie power of theirs by casting his armie into a Wedge It is fashioned if the Antistomus Diphalangy in marching ioyne the front of the wings together holding them open behind like vnto the letter A. Of the foot-Battaile called Ploesium and of the winding or saw-fronted foot-battaile to encounter it CHAP. XLIX THe Battaile Ploesium hath the length much exceeding the depth And it is called Ploesium when armed foote are placed on all sides the Archers and Slingers being throwne into the middest Against this kinde of Battaile is set the winding-fronted-battaile to the end that with the vnequall figure they may Cap. 47. The Cyrte or convex half Moone The front The Epicampios The front Cap. 48. The foote wedge The front The Horsbattaile square in figure not in horse The front Cap. 49. The Peplegmene The front The Plesium Cap. 50. The aduerse battaile The overfrontnig battaile Cap. 50. The aduerse battail The overwinging battail traine out those of the Ploesium to cope with the foremost of the winding-fronted-battaile and by that meanes dissolue and disorder the thicknesse oâ— the same And the file-Leaders of the winding-battaile are to obserue and marke the file-Leaders of the Ploesium that if they still maintaine their closenesse and fight serred they also incounter them in the like forme if the Ploesium file-Leaders seuer themselues and spring out from their maine force then they likewise bee ready to meet them man to man Of Hyperphalangesis and Hyperkerasis and of Attenuation CHAP. L. HYperphalangesis or ouer-fronting is when both wings of the Phalange ouer-reach the enemies front Hyperkerasis or ouerwinging is when with one of the wings we ouer-reach the front of the enemy So that hee that ouerfronteth ouerwingeth but hee that ouerwingeth ouerfronteth not For they that match not the enemy in multitude may yet ouerwing them Attenuation or lessening is when the depth of the battaile is gathered vp and instead of 16 men a smaller number is set Of conueying the Cariage of the Army CHAP. LI. THe leading of the cariage if any thing else is of great importance and requireth a speciall Commander It may bee conueyed in fiue manners either before the Armie or behinde or on the one flanke or the other or in the middest Before the Army when you feare to bee charged behind Behind the Army when you would leade toward the enemy When you feare to bee charged in flanke on the contrary side In the middest when a hollow-Battaile is needfull and fit Of the words of Command and certaine obseruations about them CHAP. LII LAst of all wee will briefly repeate the words of direction if we admonish first that they ought to be short then that they ought to be without double-signification For the Souldiers that in hast receiue direction had neede to take heede of doubtfull words least one doe one thing and another the contrarie As for the purpose If I say turne your face some it may be that heare mee will turne to the right some to the left hand and so no small confusion follow Seeing therefore these words turne your face import a generall signification and comprehend turning to the right or left hand we ought in stead of saying turne your face to the pike to pronounce it
of the horse in generall Chap. 20 The diligence to bee vsed in choise and exercise of the best formes of battailes Chap. 21 Of Chariotts the names and degrees of the Commaunders Chap. 22. Of the Elephants the names and degrees of theire Rulers Chap 23. The names of the militarie motions expressed in this booke Chap. 24. Of turning and double turning of the souldiers faces as they stand embattailed Chap. 25. Of wheeling double and treble wheeling of a battaile and of returning to the first posture Chap. 26. Of filing ranking and restoring to the first posture Chap. 27. Of Counter march and the diverse kinds thereof with the manner how it is to be done Chap. 28. Of doubling and the kinds thereof Chap. 29. Of the broadfronted Phalange the deepe Phalange or Herse and the vneuen fronted Phalange Chap. 30. Of Parembole Protaxis Epitaxis Prostaxis Entaxis Hypotaxis Chap. 31. The manner how the motions of the wheeling Double and Treble wheeling of a battaile are to bee made Chap. 32. Of closing of the battaile to the right or left hand to the middest Chap. 33. The vse and advantage of these exercises of armes Chap. 34. Of signes of directions that are to bee given to the army and theire seuerall kinds Chap. 35. Of Marching of diverse kinds of battailes fitt for a Marche of the right Induction of the Coelemboles and of the Triphalange to bee opposed against the Coelemboles Chap. 36. Of Paragoge or Deduction Chap. 37. Of the Phalange called Amphistomus Chap. 38. Of the Phalange called Antistomus Chap. 39. Of the Diphalange called Antistomus Chap. 40. Of the Phalange called Peristomus Chap. 41. Of the Phalange called Himoiostomus and of the Plinthium Chap. 42. Of the Phalange called Heterostomus Chap. 43. Againe of the horsebattaile called the Rhombe and the foote halfe-moone to encounter it Chap. 44. Of the horse battaile Heteromeres and the broad fronted foote battaile to be opposed against it Chap. 45. Of another kinde of Rhombe for Horsemen and of the Epicampios Emprosthia to encounter it Chap. 46. Of the foote battaile called Cyrte which is to bee sett against the Epicampios Chap. 47. Of the Horse battaile which is square in ground and the wedge of foote to bee opposed against it Chap. 48. Of the Foote battaile called Plaesium and the Sawefronted foote battaile to encounter it Chap. 49. Of overfronting the enemies battaile and overwinging it and of Attenuation Chap. 50. Of the leading of the Cariage of the Army Chap. 51. Of the wordes of cōmaund of certain Rules to be observed therin Chap. 52 Of silence to be vsed by souldiers Chap. 53. The manner of pronouncing the wordes of Commaunde Chap. 54. The Authors that haue written Tacticks of this booke and of the profitt of the Arte. CHAP. I. HOmer the Poet seemeth to bee the first at least we reade of that had the skill of imbattailing an army and that admired men indued with that knowledge as appeareth by Mnestheus of whome he writeth His like no liuing wight was found nor any age did yeild To Marshall Troopes of horse or bandes of foote in bloudie field Concerning Homers discipline militarie the workes of Stratocles of 1 Frontine a man of Consular dignitie in our time are to be read 2 Aeneas perfected the Theorie thereof at large publishing many volumes of warfare which were abridged by 3 Cyneas the Thessalian Likewise 4 Pyrrhus the Epirote wrote Tacticks and his sonne 5 Alexander and Clearchus and Pausanias and 6 Euangelus 7 Polibius the Megapolitan a man of great learning Scipioes companyon Eupolemus and 8 Iphicrates 9 Possidonius also the Stoick sett forth the art of warre many other some in Introductions as Brion some in large Tactick volumes Al which I haue seene and read and yet thinke it not much to purpose to mention perticulerlie being not ignorant that it hath beene the manner of those writers for the most parte to applie theire stile not to the ignorant but to such as are alreadie acquainted with the matters they intreat of as for the impediments which presented themselues to mee when first I gaue my minde to the studie of this art as namely neither to happen vpon sufficient Instructours nor yet to find light or perspicuitie enough in the precepts delivered I will endevour as much as I can to remoue out of other mens way And as often as wordes shall faile to expresse my meaning I will for plainenes sake vse the direction of figures and pourtraicts adioyning thereby the view of the ey as an aide and assistance to the vnderstanding withall retaine the termes of auncient authours to the end that whosoever shal follow this booke for an introduction being therein exercised both to the same wordes also to the vsage of things expressed in them may grow as it were acquainted and imagine himselfe no straunger when he cōmeth to read their workes By which waies by me prescribed I make no doubt they will easely be vnderstood Now that this art of all other is of most vse may appeare by Plato in his booke of lawes where he saith That the Cretan Law giver so contrived his Laws as if men were alway praepared to fight For all cities haue by nature vnproclaimed warre one against another Which being so what discipline is more to bee esteemed or more avaylable to mans life then this of warre Notes IT seemeth by this Chapter that the Authors that haue of auncient time written Tactiks haue beene many and those not of such kinde of men as haue given themselues to study and contemplation alone but of such as besides theire knowledge in good letters haue beene actors in warre themselues which is more principall actors some of them Generalls other the next degree to generalls Howbeit there is none heere mentioned by Aelian whose workes are extant Where by may be esteemed the inestimable losse these later ages haue suffred in being deprived of such excellent monuments I hope I may so terme them without offence though I haue not seene them For what but excellent can proceed from men of such excellencie in theire profession such as the most parte of those were Yet for some of them I can say nothing as finding litle remembrance of them in auncient writers Of this kind are Eupolemus Stratocles Hermias Clear chus Pausanias albeit such names may often bee founde The rest are specially mentioned and much commended Of whome I will set downe what I finde 1 Frontine a man of Consular dignity I haue before noted some what of Frontine Wee haue of his as it is thought other workes besides his stratagemes But this booke of Tacticks whereof Aelian speaketh wee haue not I will onely adde the relation of Vegetius towching Frontine who writeth thus Cato the elder albeit hee had beene both invinceable in armes and often Generall of great armies beleeued yet hee should more profit his Countrey if hee laid downe in writing the
to hand with the enemy which the other did not And what fight they with all not with launce for then should they be Launciers of whom wee haue spoken But they fight with battel-axes swordes and such other short weapons Suidas affirmeth it alleged by Arcerius These saith hee at first cast light darts a farre of and afterward approaching joyne with the enemy fighting with battell-axes or swords which kind they call light-horsemen 20 The horsemen that vse bowes I need not alledge any thing to shewe that the Scythians were good archers It is knowne to any man that is not ignorant of History I will onely note that in flieng from the enemy thâ—y harmed as much as in falling on For as they fled they turned half theire bodies backeward and shotte at him that followed and expected noe such thing Of which fashion of fight Plutarch giueth this iudgement The Parthians saith hee in theire flight shoote backward doe it best of all other except the Scythians the invention being witty both to saue themselues by that defence and also to take away the shame of flight That which Plutarch attributcth to the Scythians and Parthians Xenophon saith the Persians vsed also both for manner of fight and flight The framing of a Phalange and definition of the art Tactick CHAP. III. BVt seeing every Phalange conteineth an vniting of bodies offices of commaund orders in place a Convenient number of men and wordes of Direction aswell for daily exercise or trayning as for true fights It seemeth necessary to deduce euery of these things into perticularity The first 1 labour therefore in the art Tactick is for a Generall out of a multitude that cometh to hand confused to choose the fittest men and dispose them into convenient places that is to order them into files and bodies and of the whole number to proportion a 2 reasonable levie fitting the service in hand 3 For to dispose and enable an Army skillfully to march to encampe to embattaile is a matter of no small consequence In asmuch as we often find mightie Armies through their disorder to haue been defeated by 4 a handfull of men wel disciplined exercised Wherefore Aeneas defineth this art to bee a science of warlike motion Polybius To be a skill whereby a man taking a multitude serviceable ordereth it into files and bodies and instâ—teth it sufficiently in all things pertayning to warre Notes 1 THE first labour After prouision of armour followeth choice of men What men and out of what climats and of what profession and of what age and of what constitution of body and of what education are to be chosen because Aelian referreth to the discretion of the Generall not setting downe any particular I will likewise passe over noting onely some places where hee that is disposed to seeke may finde the circumstances of choice of souldiers Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 1. 32. A. B. Polyb. lib. 6. 406. C. Et Lips ad Polyb. lib. 1. Dialogo 2. 3. 4. 5. Veget. lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Et Stewechius ad haec omnia cap. 31. 2 A reasonable leuy and fitting the service Levyes are to be made according to the warre which is vndertaken The enemie is not alwaies of one strength Sometimes the forces against which wee are to lead our armie are more sometimes lesse The Romans if the number of enemies were not very great vsed but a Consular Armie which consisted of two legions of Romans and of as many foote of theire Allies when greatest onely ioyned two Consular armies together And for Allies theire foote as I said was equall with the Roman foote theire horse were treble as many and the Romans having three hundred horse to a Legion the Allies had nine hundred Yet in case of great necessitie wee reade that the number of the Legions was increased in a Consular armie Polybius reporteth that a little before the battaile of Cannae the Consuls Lucius Aemilius and C. Terentius had allowed in theire armie which they led against Anniball eight Legions which never was done before Alexander the great being to invade the Kingdome of Persia which for wealth multitude of men and largenesse of Territorie was esteemed the richest mightiest and greatest Empire at that time in the world had not in his armie aboue one and thirty thousand foote and fiue thousand and odde horse Armies composed of multitudes are neither fitt to bee guided and commanded nor yet to bee provided for And hee that trusteth to multitudes esteemeth not greatly the valour of his souldiers Xerxes saide he was not foiled by the Graecians through default of number but because hee wanted men As it is folly to leuy more men then is needfull so is it rashnesse or rather madnesse to put a few souldiers to hasard against forces that exceed in number and valour Briefly all levies are to bee tempered with consideration of persons times places and other circumstances 3 For to dispose and enable an Armie Heere are sett downe in a word as it were the principall heads of the art of warre Marching In camping and embattailing to which heads all other may very well bee referred And of these three Aelian handleth in this treatise but two namely embattailing and marching of embattailing so much as perteineth to forming of a common Macedonian Phalange of Marching no more then belongeth to embattailing in a march that is to ordering of your men in that figure which shall yeald most advantage against the enemy that meeteth you excepting that hee shortly toucheth the marshalling of baggage in your marche The other considerations of marching as laying or avoyding ambushes sending out to discouer when to march by night when by day how to deceiue and avoyde the enemy lyeng neere remedies against horse against shotte against multitudes passages of mountaines of woods of rivers of plaines of drye and sandy places these I say and such like hee toucheth not in a word And for the skill of encamping which comprehendeth the seating of your camp and provision of all things belonging thereto as also the siege and defence of Citties and fortresses hee likewise passeth it over with silence as a thing not incident to his purposed discourse 4 A handfull of men well disciplined and exercised What exercise doth for the making of good souldiers experience of former times will teache It hath been the manner of all famous generalls to bring theire souldiers to perfection by exercise Vegetius saith very well It is not length of life or number of yeares that teacheth the art of warre but continuall discipline meditation of armes Let a souldier serue never so many years so long as hee is vnexercised hee shall bee still a raw souldier The knowledge and science of armes maketh a souldier which is not gayned but by action As long as a souldier handleth not his weapons hee is noe Actor but a looker on For as all abilities in
more then a long line as it were and carieth neither Thicknes nor breadth but in respect of the Phalange the depth whereof is measured by the file And in the fourth the twelfth and fourtenth chapters hee termeth the depth of the Phalange it self Thicknes Pachos alone with out adding Bathos shewing thereby that Pachos also signifieth the dimension of the Phalange from the front to the reare But where some are of opinion that Platos breadth ought to bee read in those places in stede of Pachos Thicknes they perswade mee not to bee of theire mind For Aelian himself giveth an Attenuation or Thinning which hee calleth Liptysmos to the Phalange and that cannot bee vnderstood vnlesse there were in it a kind of Thicknes before And to make it more plaine hee saith that this Leptysmos is when the depth of the Phalange is gathered vp and from sixteen men it becometh a lesse number So that the Thicknes of the Phalange is the full sixteen which is also the depth and making of it Thinner is to lessen the depth To a Place Platos is fittly attributed a Place being onely superficies which consisteth of longitude and latitude So Poliaenus speaking of a valley wherein an ambush was layde to entrap Alexander saith the length stretched farre out but the breadth Platos was narrowed to foure furlongs The name of Platos is likewise given to a place by Polybius But to say the truth Platos in a Phalange rather signifieth the length then the depth as appeareth by Aelian after in the foure and fourty chapter And Leo calleth the front of the Phalange Platos and when hee would haue the front enlarged or doubled hee giveth this word of direction Plátynon pròs tà amphâ—tera mere enlarge the front on both sides 4 The right wing That which in the English toung is called a wing is termed in Greeke Keras a horne Wee in our warres of auncient time divided our armies into three parts The vantgarde the battaile and the reare-warde and when wee came to fight set them for the most parte in an even front the battaile in the middest on the right hand the vant-garde which was called the right-wing on the left the reare-warde which was called the left-wing Properly enough for our embattailing For the battaile is as it were the body and the vant-garde and reare-warde are the wings which in a manner sticke out from the body and whereby the body is supported that that wee call wings the Graecians and Romans called horns in the battaile The word Keras signifieth a point bearing out from the height or ends of any thing It is vsed for the toppe of Rocks and for promontories and such like And in a Phalange it properly signifieth the two points the right and the left of the winges The English worde wing I am faine to retaine because it is familiar and in vse Aelian heere will haue the wings to stretche out from the middle section to either point the right and left of the Phalange vnder which appellation must fall to the right wing the whole space that beginneth at the middle intervall and runneth along to the corner of the battaile on the right hand to the left all that is comprehended betwixt the same space and the left corner of the battaile 5 Thâ— twâ—â—fould section In Greeke it is named Dichotomia because it parteth and divideth the Phalange into two even parts beginning at the front and stretching out to the reare And Aelian in the tenth chapter of this book nameth it Apotome But heere hee speaketh of no more intervalls or partitions of the Phalange then of this one in the midst I would thinke there should bee more Onosander saith let there bee certaine intervalls in your battaile that if your enemy advance your light-armed after they haue spent theire missiue weapons and before the Phalanges joyne may retire leasurely in the intervalls and without disorder come behinde to the reare For it is not safe for them in retiring to fetch a compasse about the whole armie or to turne in againe on the outside of the winge For the enemy hasting to come to hands would easily prevent and intercept them in the middest so that they neither should bee able to breake through the armed already closed for fight and falling vpon theire owne weapons they must needes disorder theire owne people every man after other seeking to finde a way through them to escape the danger hee is in Thus much Onosander from whom wee may learne both that theire ought to bee more sections in the Phalange then one and that the institution of them had this cheefe end to receiue the light-armed in theire spaces after they had skirmished with the enemy and were by them forced to retire I may adde that Aelian placing the light-armed in the reare of the Phalange if you giue but one section vnto it it will be as hard for them to advance and sâ—rue before the front as it will bee to retreat after theire service done It seemeth that Leo giveth three intervalls to the Phalange of the auncient Tacticks Hee saith they opposed the bodies of the armed against the enemy and divided them into foure parts the right and left and the middle-right and middle-left parte Making so many parts the parts must bee distinguished as I collect by intervalls which ought to bee one after the first body of the right-wing another after the second which is the middle section the third after the third And this Third section is bounded with the fourth body which maketh the point of the left-wing For if the Phalange were whole and entire without more intervalls then one how could there bee foure parts For esteeming them by Phalangarchies without leauing spaces betweene it could not bee saide there were but foure parts of the Phalange considering that as well the Merarchies Chiliarchies Pentecosiarchies Syntagmataes are parts of it as the Phalangarchies But being distinguished by partition of intervalls the foure Phalangarchies become foure parts namely the right left middle-right and middle-left as Leo heere termeth them The same Leo speaketh after more plainely enioyning his generall to seperate and disioyne Diachorizein the whole number of his armie into foure parts For as Choris signifieth a part or severed so Diachorizo being derived from it signifieth to put asunder or sette a part Suidas is yet a little more cleare A Phalangarchie saith he is two Merarchies of foure thowsand and ninty six men This as some saye is the section Apotome of the wing as other it is a Meros Of auncient time it was called Strategia and the commander Strategos but nowe hee is termed Phalangarcha Suidas maketh the wing to haue a partition or section and saith some call a Phalangarchie by the name of this section Before wee heard out of Aelian that the wing right or left did stretche out from the middle section to the outward most point of the battaile on either
bring foorth the Author of this tumult should haue a talent of siluer for his paines After this proclamation made by the Crier the Souldiers perceiued that their feare was vaine and that the Commanders were in safety Hetherto Xenophon By which narration may appeare that the Crier performed that which neither Trumpet nor other signall could doe the terror rising in the night which is the time of confusion and disorder and neither could the Trumpet giue any certaine sound to remedy the perill nor any other signall be discerned by reason of the darknesse and this seruice was done by the Crier amongst his owne folke His seruice against the enemie is declared in the fact of Cleocrytus the Athenian Crier who after the fight betwixt Thrasybulus and the 30. Tyrants wherein Critias and Hippomachus were slaine with a proclamation to the Citizens reconciled them to Thrasybulus and was cause that the Tyrants were deposed and had their authoritie abrogated by the people The like seruice was done by a Crier in the behalfe of the Graecians against the Persians about the time of the battaile of Plataeae The storie is this When the Graecians vnder the conduct of Leotychides the Lacedemonian and Xanthipus the Athenian had gathered a fleete of 250. Gallies together to the end to deliuer the Ilanders and the Citties of the Continent of Asia the lesse out of the seruitude of the Persians they sailed out of Delos The Persians then remained at Samos But hearing of the approch of the Graecians they left Samos and put ouer to Mycale a City of Ionia And because they perceiued their shippes vnfit for fight they drew them on land and fortified the place where they landed with a wodden wall and a deepe trench Neuerthelesse they sent for foote forces from Sardes and other the next Cities and assembled to the number of a 100000 men And made prouision for all things necessarie for warre the rather because they suspected the Ionians would reuolt Leotychides hauing put his fleete in order sailed towards the Barbarians that were in Mycale and dispatched away before a shippe wherein was a Crier who had the shrillest voice in all the Armie Him he commanded to saile vp close to the enemie and to proclaime aloude that the Graecians hauing ouercome the Persians at Plataeae were now come thither to deliuer and set free the Graecian Citties of Asia This was done by Leotychides to the end to disseuer the Asian Graecians from the Barbarians and to raise a tumult in the enemies Campe. Which also came to passe What seruice could bee of more importance then to set a diuision betwixt the enemies It was done by the voice of a Crier More examples I could alledge but these may suffice The Criers place was alwaies to attend the Commander in the head of the Troupes vnlesse in the time of fight at which time his voice could not be heard but gaâ—e place to the noise of Trumpets and clashing of armor 11 A Tetragonall forme That is of foure equall sides or foure square But we must vnderstand which Aelian after teacheth that there are two kinds of Tetragonall oâ— square bodies military one in number the other in figure In number when the front and flancke of the body haue either of them as many Souldiers as other as the Syntagma hath 16. in front and 16. in flancke In figure when the number of the front is greater then the number of the flancke and yet front and flancke stretch out an equall length of ground as in the squares of horse whereof Aelian speakâ— to hereafter This last square is at this day called a square of ground because the space of ground which conteineth the length of the front stretcheth out iustly as far as the space of ground which conteineth the deepth of the flancke It is caused by the difference of distance which is betwixt the Souldiers in front and betwixt the Souldiers in flancke In front being closed to fight the distance betwixt Souldier and Souldier is but a cubite that is a foote and a halfe The distance betwixt souldier and souldier in flancke is two cubits or three foote which proportion will giue no more then halfe so many men in flancke as in front and yet maintaine the truenesse and euennesse of the sides of the figure that is the length of the line which measureth the front and flancke shall be all one 12 A Pentecosiarchie The word is a command of 500 and that was sometimes the number In the Macedonian Phalange it comprehendeth a 512 men The cause of difference is the difference betwixt the file of the Macedonians and the file of the ancient Graecians wherof I haue spoken before the odde 12 men comming in by the fifth doubling of 16. And the number being so neere 500 though somewhat aboue the name of Pentecosiarchie is still reteined because it was then in vse and no other more fit could be found 13 A Chiliarchie The command of 1000 men according to the name Aelian giueth it a 1024 from the doubling of 512. The Tribunes of the Roman Legions are by the Greeke Historians tearmed Chiliarchs yet is there a great difference for the Chiliarchs haue no more command then ouer their Chiliarchy consisting of 1000 men and sometimes of more as here in Aelian of 1024. But euery Tribune had in his turne the command of the whole Legion And againe there being 12 Tribunes to euery Legion which at first had in it 3000 afterward 4000 then 5000 and in the time of Vegetius 6000 men how should a Tribune be called a Chiliarch and be a Leader of a thousand there being in the legion but 6000 men at the most and yet 12 Tribunes so that euery one could not haue aboue 500 for his command and in Polybius time the Iegion being but 4200 not aboue 300 and odde But the Roman manner of warre and ordering of troupes differed much from the Graecians and the Graecians in tearming a Tribune a Chiliarch tooke the next word and most significant amongest them to expresse the charge of a Tribune Our Coronells for their command of a Regiment come neerer to the Graecian Chiliarchs yet ours differ in that they haue Companies in their owne Regiments which the Graecian Chiliarchs had not and where Q. Curtius saith that the Chiliarchy was first instituted at Babylon by Alexander as a reward for seruice it seemeth to be otherwise For as I finde this in no other Author so finde I that Chiliarchies were long before Alexanders time Xenophon reporteth that Cyrus to giue encouragement to his souldiers to be valiant promised to the Taxiarchs to make them Chiliarchs to the Lochagi to make them Taxiarchs to the Decharchs to make them Lochagi to the Pempadarchs to make them Decarchs And that Cyrus made Chrysanthas a Chiliarch of horse in regard of his worth and forwardnesse in seruice And afterward he calleth Phranuchus and Asiadatas Chiliarchs of
horse and Aâ—tabasus and Artagersas Chiliarchs of foote Polyenus witnesseth that in Iphicrates his time the Athenians had Chiliarchs and Pentecosiarchs so that the institution of Chiliarchs could not be referred to Alexanders being at Babylon considering it was â—n vse before And Arrian reporting the same story saith not that Alexander first brought vp Chiliarchies there but that he ordeined two Lochi in euery horse troupe where to that day there had beene none and two Lochagi to command them Indeed Diodorus Siculus writes thus concerning a Chiliarch Antipater saith he lying vpon his death-bed declared Polyperchon Protector of the Kings being the eldest of those that had serued Alexander in his warres and much honoured of the Macedonians and his owne sonne Cassander the Chiliarch and second man in authority The place and institution of the Chiliarch first grew to name and honor vnder the Persian Kings So writes Diodorus of this Chiliarchy which Antipater bestowed vpon his sonne Cassander Which notwithstanding seemes much to differ from the common Chiliarchy of the Phalange wherof Curtius speaks For Diodorus saith he was next to Polyperchon in authority Where in the Phalange there were many Commanders namely the Merarchs the Phalangarchs c. aboue the Chiliarchs Adde that he saith the institution of this Chiliarch came from the Persian Kings when the Chiliarchs of the Phalange had their beginning from the Graecians and were ordinarie in Phalanges as I haue shewed Lastly where Diodorus reporteth that it had the increase and aduancement of honour from the Persian Kings he sheweth plainely it was not Alexanders inuention And the same Diodorus speaking of the death of Ochus King of Persia telleth that he was poisoned by Bagoas his Chiliarch in the time of the reigne of Philip Alexanders father This Chiliarch then I take to be the same that the Generall of an armie is with vs. And I can hardly be perswaded that Antipater wouldbequeath a lesse place to his sonne Cassander 14 A Merarchy The command of a part or halfe for a Phalangarchy consisteth of two Merarchies So that a Merarchy is halfe the Phalangarchy and conteineth 2048 men This part is also called Telos of which I haue spoken in my notes to the seuenth Chapter And yet the word Telos is not alone vsed in bodies of foote For Thucydides speaking of the fight by sea betwixt the Corcyraeans and Corinthians telleth that the Corcyraeans gaue the right wing to ten Athenian shippes and hauing of their owne a 100 and 10 shippes diuided them into three Tele euery of which was commanded by one of their Generalls so that Telos there signifieth not a certaine number of ships but a part of their fleet diuided into 3 the CoÌ„manders of the Corcyraeans are cal'd Strategoi 15 A Phalangarchie The command of a single Phalange Of this kinde were the Phalanges in Alexanders armie as I take it which were led by Caenos by Perdicas by Craterus by Amyntas by Ptolomy by Meleager and other as Arrian hath Before Philip and Alexander gathered those forces together wherewith Persia was subdued the armies were of smaller number amongst the Graecians Neither was it in many Cities might to raise 4096 men which go to the Phalangarchy of Aelian If any did they might well call it an armie Strategia and the Commander Strategos and the name of Strategos or Generall was vsually giuen to him that commanded in chiefe ouer an armie though small sent out by any Citie to warre So then as the Generall was called Strategos a Phalangarchy might also be called Strategia I haue before noted that the sections of the Phalange are limited and laid out by the Phalangarchies And where there are 3 sections in a Phalange the middle section is in the midst of the 4 Phalangarchies 2 Phalangarchies lying on the one side and 2 on the other The 2 other sections are one betwixt the 2 Phalangarchies of the right wing the other betwixt the two Phalangarchies of the left wing for betwixt euery Phalangarchie was a space or section 16 A Diphalangarchie The command of two Phalangarchies this was one of the wings Aelian giueth it no Commander ordinary neither doe I remember that I haue read Diphalangarchs of Diphalangarchia as Phalangarchs of Phalangarchia Tetrarch of Tetrarchia Yet was there one alwaies that commanded the winge appointed to that place extraordinarily So Philip at the battaile of Cheronaea where he ouerthrew the power of the Athenians and Thebans and their Allies tooke the one wing to himselfe and gaue the command of the other to Alexander his sonne being then but young And Alexander at Granicus commanded himselfe the right wing and appointed Parmenio to the left So in the battailes against Darius at Issos in Cilicia and at Gaugamela in Syria 17 Meros Meros is a part by diuision comming of the verbe meiro to diuide And as before Amerarchie was halfe a Phalangarchie so here Meros is halfe the fourfold Phalange Each then signifieth halfe but to distinguish them the one is called a Merarchie that is a Commande of halfe the other Meros that is halfe A distinction sufficient to know the one from the other Two of these Meros make the Phalange conteining 16384 men And these are the bodies militarie which Aelian in this Chapter describeth and which were in vse amongst the Macedonians The other Graecians vsed other bodies in their armies The Lacedemonians diuided their whole city into fixe bodies horse and foote euery one of which was called Mora or Moira Their Generall was one of their Kings for they had alwaies two Euery Moira had a Polemarch not much differing from our Coronells foure Lochagie eight Pentecosteres and sixteene Enemotarchs What the number of the Moira was is vncertaine by reason of the secrecie the Lacedemonians vsed in their gouernment as Thucydides saith Plutarch reporteth that Ephorus the historian giueth 500 men to the Moira Calisthenes 700. Polybius and others 900. Diodorus Siculus agreeth with Ephorus and alloweth but 500 to the Moira And Xenophon numbreth the Moira of the Lacedemonians which Iphicrates defeated hard by Corinth to haue been about 600 men See the scholiastes of Thucydides for the exact number of these bodies The Athenians had their Chiliarchs Pentecosiarchs Taxiarchs and Lochagie as I haue said before And with them were the Lochagi last where with the Lacedemonians they were next the Polemarchs but the number of the Lochos was not alike as I haue likewise shewed before Cyrus in Xenophon hath these orders militarie Myriarchs Commanders of ten thousand Chiliarchs of a thousand Taxiarchs of a hundred Lochagi of twentie foure Decadarchs called sometime Dodecadarchs of 12 Pempedarchs of sixe which are also called Hexadarchs Vrbicius differeth not much from Aelian saue onely in the number of the file and the Officers of the file For where Aelian hath sixteene to a file Vrbicius hath but ten and Vrbicius alloweth but two Commanders
make the length of both equall one to another The difference then betwixt them in length is 64 men which in order take vp 192 foote And where there goe foure Phalangarchies to a fourefold Phalange and 16 troupes of horse are placed behind euery Phalangarchie we must diuide these 192 foote into foure parts euery of which parts will amount to 48 foote and giue to each troupe three foote distance one betwixt an other for distances betwixt one troupe and an other Polybius holdeth necessary and so shall the 16 troupes of horse take vp as much ground in length as a Phalangarchie The one conteining 256 files in length which occupy 768 foote of ground and the other 240 men in the last ranke which occupy 720 foote To which adding 48 foote of distance there ariseth the euen number of 768. And so shall the 64 troupes of horse be euen in length with the fourefold Phalange The names of the Offices and Commands of the Horse follow wherein as I before noted in the foote we must not presse too neare the property of words but take them as they haue beene vsed among Souldiers 3 Two troupes are called an Epilarchie One troupe is called Ile and the Commander an Ilarch for so he is termed before in Aelian Two troupes an Epilarchie and the Commander an Epilarch as it were a Commander ouer two Iles troupes He hath 128 Horse vnder his command 4 A Tarentinarchie Of Tarentines mention is made in the second Chapter The name of a Tarentinarchie is not giuen to this Troupe because it consisted of Tarentines but because of likelyhood the Tarentine horsemen had so many in a troupe Let it be as it will it signifieth here a troupe of 256 Horse 5 An Hipparchie Properly signifieth the command of horse and Xenophon vseth the word Hipparch for the Generall of horse but Aelian and the Tacticks vse it for the command of 512 horse 6 An Ephipparchie As it were a command ouer two Hipparchies or ouer 1024 horse 7 A Telos The name of Telos is giuen both to a body of horse and to a body of foote A Merarchie was called by some Telos saith Aelian before and conteined 2048 armed The Telos of horse conteineth 2048 horse So the bodies are equall in number The word sometimes signifieth a Command or Dignitie from which signification this body as seemeth hath the name 8 Epitagma The whole body of light-armed was called an Epitagma which name is giuen likewise to the whole body of horse comprizing 4096 horse It may be they are both so called because they are placed behind the Armed as I noted before For that place Aelian assigneth vnto them The diligence to be vsed in choice and exercise of the best formes of Battailes CHAP. XXI THE Inventions and conceits of those that liued in old time about Troopes of Horse are declared in what forme euery one was cast and for what cause some vsed one forme some another Now it behoueth as in things that carry with them great difference not carelesly and negligently to rely vpon the bare precepts but rather by daily exercise to make try all of euery kinde of figure and so attayning to the perfect knowledge of that which is readiest and of most advantage to admit and receiue it in true fight For it were great simplicitie considering in matters of lesse importance men by curious inquiry reach to the exact finding out of many things herein not to ground vpon perfect and sure experience before we come to ioyne with the enemy Troopes may be inlarged or lessened as it shall seeme convenient to him that hath the command Of Chariots the names and degrees of the Commanders CHAP. XXII AS for ordering Chariots and Elephants albeit they are worne out of vse yet to make vp the measure of this discourse I will remember their names as they are set downe in ancient writers In the Art of ordering Chariots for the field they call two Chariots a 1 Zygarchy Two Zygarchies a 2 Zyzygi Two Zyzygies an 3 Epyzyzygi Two Epizyzygies an 4 Hartamarchy Two Hartamarchies a 5 wing Two wings a 6 Phalange A man may vse many and sundry Phalanges of Chariots and yet retaine the same names in euery Phalange Some haue framed simple Chariots to serue withall other some haue armed them with Sithes prominent and standing out on each side Notes THere were two kinde of Chariots vsed of ancient time the one a simple Chariot the other a Chariot armed with sithes The first kinde was vsed by the Heroes as they terme them that is the renowned Souldiers of old such as were Achilles Hector Cycnus Aeneas Turnus as appeareth by Homer Virgil Ovid and other Poets The last was brought in by the Generalls of later times especially by those that raigned in Asia and in Africa For the Europeans haue counted them fruitlesse and vaine mockeries and amongst them you shall hardly finde any mention of Chariots Aelian toucheth them onely because both they and Elephants were in his time growne out of vse Wherefore I meane likewise to passe them ouer sleightly onely directing the Reader that is desirous to vnderstand their manner of fight to places of Historie where they are mentioned And first see for their Forme Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 6. 152. D. E. 156. B. C. de exped Cyr. lib. 1. 264 A. B. Liu. decad 4. lib. 7. 142. A. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 17. 596. Quin. Curt. lib. 4. 119 lib. 8. 371. Their violence Diod. Sicul. lib. 17. 593. Their place in the battaile Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 6. 168. C. D. Liu. decad 4. lib. 7. 142. A. Diod. Sicul. lib. 14. 408. Remedies against them Diodor. Sicul. lib. 17. 592. 593. Xenoph. de exped Cyr. lib. 1. 265. Liu. decad 4. 142. Quint. Curt. lib. 4. 141. Plutarch in Sylla I come to the names of the Commands of Chariots 1 A Zygarchie The command of two Chariots as it were a yoake of Chariots 2 A Syzygy The command ouer two yoakes as it were of Chariots ioyned together that is ouer 4 Chariots 3 An Episyzygy The command ouer foure yoakes of Chariots that is ouer eight Chariots 4 An Harmatarchie Properly the command of Chariots But vsed by Aelian for the command of 16 Chariots 5 A wing As foote so Chariots and Elephants had their wings of battaile To the wing went 32 Chariots Yet finde I this order of imbattailing Chariots no where but in Aelian He that will let him read the places that I haue noted before for the ordering of Chariots Notwithstanding I can not doubt that the names giuen here by Aelian are taken out of ancient writers 6 A Phalange It consisteth of 64 Chariots and wee here see that Chariots also had their Phalanges as well as foote and Horse Of Elephants the names and degrees of their Commanders CHAP. XXIII TOuching Elephants he that is Commander of one Elephant is called 1 Zoarcha Of two 2 Therarcha and the body a Therarchy Of foure 3 Epitherarcha and the
defence of their Countrey and onely two narrow waies betwixt he cast his armie into a hollow Plinthium or square and led it against the left hand passage whither all the Thebans flocked for defence But hee turning about faces from the reare hasted away and gained the other passage where no man was present to resist and entring spoiled the Countrey and returned without impeachment 4 There are two kinde of Metaboles Before were rehearsed two kinde of turnings of faces about one to the pike the other to the target here is added two more one from the enemy and the other against the enemie which are all one indeed and differ onely in name What the true meaning of these turnings should be I am in doubt Aelian expounding them one way Suidas an other Aelian esteemes them by the right and left hand Suidas albeit he haue that signification also esteemeth them by the front and reare Therefore Suidas defines the turning from the enemie to bee a turning about toward the reare that against the enemie a turning about toward the front Aelian would haue the first to containe two turnings toward the right hand the second two turnings toward the left I for my part assent rather to Aelian For touching the turnings of Suidas I cannot yet vnderstand why turning toward the reare should be a turning from the enemie Or toward the front a turning to the enemie Considering that whether soeuer you turne faces the enemie is imagined to be there faces and weapons being to bee opposed alwaies against the enemie which is the onely end of turning Aelians opinion seemeth to haue more probability in it at least if I conceiue the right reason For I take it thus That seeing the Graecians as the Romans likewise were Targetieres and caried their targets on their left side and in fight aduanced that side alwaies neerest the enemie which they sought to couer with their targets that therefore the turning about to the enemy was called turning to the Target as contrarily turning to the right side on which side the Pike was caried and which being naked of such defensiue armes was called the open side and therefore further remoued from the enemy might for the same cause be tearmed turning from the enemy So that I take turning about to the enemy and turning about to the target to be all one as also turning about from the enemy and turning about to the Pike howsoeuer the name differ This is my coniecture which I shall imagine to be true till I finde some man that will bee pleased to giue me a more probable reason I only adde now the words of command in this motion As you were Faces to the right hand Faces to the left hand Faces about to the right or left hand The figure sheweth the manner Of wheeling double and treble-wheeling of the battaile and returning to the first posture CHAP. XXVI 1 EPistrophe or wheeling is when the battaile being so closed that no man can turne or twice turne his face by reason of the neerenesse of man to man it wholy and iointly wheeleth as a ship or some other body caried about the order thereof remaining vndissolued When the wheeling is to the Pike we warne the right-corner-file-leader to stand still as it were the hooke of a doore hinge and the rest of the battaile proceeding forward to turne about the same file-Leader like the doore In the same manner is wheeling to the Target It may be thus defined Epistrophe is when shutting the battaile by gathering close the Followers and Side-men we turne it wholy as the body of a man toward the Pike or Target it being caried about the corner-file-leader as about a Center and changing the place of the front transferre the countenance of the souldier to the right or left hand the followers and sidemen euery one remayning in file and ranke as before How it is to be done I will shew hereafter Anastrophe or returning to the first posture is the restoring of the wheeling to the place where the battaile first stood close before it beganne to wheele Perispasmos or wheeling about is the motion of the battaile in two wheelings so that thereby the front commeth to the place of the reare 2 Ecperispasmos or treble wheeling is the motion of the battaile in three wheelings so as when it turneth to the Pike the front commeth about to the left flanke when to the Target it commeth about to the right flanke Notes THis Chapter hath a diuers kinde of turning from the other mentioned in the last Chapter which for distinction sake is called Epistrophe or wheeling The other turned no more then the souldiers faces euery man yet keeping the same ground be had before This wheeles the whole body and changeth the place of the Phalange either to the right or left hand or to the reare And as there was in the turning of faces a particular motion of euery particular souldier to the right or left hand called Clesis and an other turning about called Metabole so is there in this a generall wheeling of the whole body to the right or left hand called Epistrophe and an other wheeling about to the reare called Perispasmos But let vs heare the description 1 Epistrophe or wheeling is when the Battaile Shortly Epistrophe is no more then the first turning of the battaile to the right or left hand In doing whereof first the files must be closed to the hand you meane to wheele then the rankes Then the corner file-Leader on the same hand is to stand still then all the rest keeping their files and rankes closed to turne to the same hand iointly about the Corner-file-leader circle-wise who is to moue by little and little till he haue turned his face to that side which was intended And when the first ranke is euen with him and the rest wheeled enough to the same hand they are to stand still The words of the definition of Epistrophe or wheeling are plaine enough in Aelian I neede vse no exposition Now because in exercise we relie not vpon one forme of motion alone but acquaint our souldiers with all the kindes It is necessarie to bring the body againe to the first place to the end we may proceede in the rest This reducing to the first Posture is called Anastrophe by which the battaile returneth but by a contrary hand to that to which the Epistrophe was made And but for changing the hand the wheeling backe againe is all one with the wheeling forward Wee shall see hereafter how it is done To bring the battaile to haue the front where the reare was you must vse a double wheeling And that is called Perispasmos Which commeth of two Epistrophes and is made either to the right or left hand Onely it must bee obserued that if the Perispasmos or wheeling about be to the right hand the Anastrophe or reducing to the first posture must be to the left Contrarie it is if the Perispasmos were to