driuen vnto for diuers causes not altogither for want of experience in the thing it selfe but for want of knowledge how to parfect the same in the setting down being vnlearned saue only to write a very simple stile it may be thought in me a presumption yet for that the thing is laudable and tendeth to no other end then for the triall of so good a cause as this is the which all good Subiects are bound to fauour wherein I doo with a cleere conscience protest not willinglye to offend any partie or parties vnder the Sunne of what qualitie or calling soeuer he or they be I am not to treat of any matter of auncient times but as some occasion may cause me for proofe but only within my owne knowledge or at the least recorded or to be prooued And for that I entred to be a Souldier at the age of 18. yeeres which was the second yeere of tht good and godly King Edward the 6. at which time our English Archers were in force and greatly vsed and Harquebuziers not as then common For the first that euer had any whole band in England was Syr Peeter Mewtas Knight who had as I doo remember the charge of 500. halfe Hakes the which were but mean stuffe in comparison of those that are now in vse and at that time there were not in most bands of 100. men aboue 10. or 15. and in many none at all sauing Captain Hugh Smith who had in Guymes 100. Harquebuziers sauing 10. or 12. of other weapons insomuch that the perfection of them were not as then in England knowen to any purpose nor yet vnto this daye but with few in respect that the sa 〈…〉 is in other countries neere vnto vs which I would wish might be as well in England as elsewhere for those weapons of fire are not to be vsed without exercising of the same to any good purpose for seruice vpon the suddaine but being once throughlye practised it is an excellent weapon and next vnto the Musket as in place heerafter shalbe showne It may be thought by some Captaines of late experience for that I haue not entred into these troublesome toyles in the Low Cuntries or the ciuill warres in Fraunce that I cannot haue that experience knowledge as others haue wherunto I answere that when I was young I did seeke to serue both in England Fraunce and Scotland to that end I might the better doo my Prince and Countrye seruice and also to sustaine myselfe who otherwaies was not able to liue as I did desire to doo wheras I learned to know the vse of most weapons of warre both for Horsemen and footmen that are or haue beene vsed in this age with as good Schoolemaisters as any Italian Spaniard or Wallon whatsoeuer hath been or now is And further I hope I maye without offence set downe the seueral paies that in my own Princes seruice I haue receiued for my own person The first pay that I had was 6. pence per diem for 3 months after that 8. pence per diem 16. pence per diem 20. pence per diem 2. shillings per diem 4. shillings per diem charge after 4. shillings per diem charge after 6. shillings per diem charge after 8. shillings per diem charge after 14. shillings per diem In all which aduauncement of payes credit I did neuer make sute nor require any of the same paies sauing my first paye of 6. pence per diem but they were all bestowed vpon mee either by the Prince or by those who had the next place without sute either of myselfe or of any other in my behalf my entertainment in the French Kings seruice was such as none of our nation for a footman euer had only captain Lampton excepted who after hee was discharged from his band of footmen became a priuat Souldier in the foote bands of Fraunce and had great allowance for his owne person and seruants I haue been offered in Fraunce better pay and greater aduauncement then euer I had or desired I was promised by the King of Spaine to haue a pencion of 200. Crownes by yeere to be paide vnto me in England for my seruice doone vnto him at St. Quintins but before I could come from whence I was prisoner his Queen was dead and hee againe married to the French Kinges Daughter and at my return from my troubles in Fraunce I was answered that the King was gone who did promise the said pencion and the Queene was dead wherefore the promise was not to be perfourmed I required letters into Spaine to the King I was answered that it was no time as then but when time serued I should haue letters of Sertificate and so the cause grue worse then before and so as yet I had nothing This haue I set down to th'end that those who doo not knowe me may the better vnderstand that I doo not write or speake by reading or heare-say but by experience only Wherfore I doo hartely wish that we may growe all to one perfect knowledge without contending in any point so far differing from all true knowledge and experience and let the times past rest with such weapons and engines as in those daies were the best and yet but trifles in respect of things now in vse As for example was not our olde Castles and Towers sufficient to defend against all Rams and engins in those daies vsed wheras in these times there is hardly any deuice of fortification will serue against the force of the Cannons Was not that famous King Edward the third constrained to lye before Callice 13. or 14. moneths for that he wanted the vse of the Cannon the which in foure or fiue daies was lost with the force of the same and other fiery weapons some may say it was lost by treason but those that doo know any thing doo perceiue how that was doon And again was not Iack and Sallet within our remembrance thought to be sufficient for arming of Souldiours and further concerning our simple arming in times past notwithstanding that Syr Iohn Smith dooth affirme that men were as well armed in times past as now present which for example looke into the Histories the 11. yeere of Edward the fourth where it appeareth that Robert Basset Alderman of London and the Recorder there was thought to be well armed being both armed with Iacks to defend the Cittie against that Rebell Bastard Neuell a man would think that being an Alderman if Armours had beene as then in such store as now they are that the Alderman would haue had one for himselfe and another for the Recorder Againe did not the Duke of Bedford arme the most parte of his Souldiours with tanned leather for the cheefe partes of their bodies at such time as he was commaunded by that prudent Prince Henry the 7. the 2. yeere of his raigne to encounter with that Rebell the L. Louell whereas now by reason of the force of weapons neither horse nor
without staying by the way then his match well made and dry his stéele and flinte to strike fire his scrues and wormes to serue all for his skowring sticke and for euery tenne souldiers to haue a casting panne For flasks it were better that the vse of them were lefte and in liewe thereof the Spanishe vse which is nowe had with vs for our muskets for it is the best the surest and the readiest that yet hath béene vsed for diuers causes which I omitte least I should bee tedious This Harquebuzier muste yet haue a tuch boxe a purse for his Bullets steele and flint and a priminge Iron for the clearinge of the tuch hole when neede shall require a good Morion with not to high a creast a good shorte sworde of a yarde in blade and dagger of twelue inches in blade with a good girdle and stronge This souldier thus furnished being apt willing and dooth vnderstand what him selfe is in force needeth not to care who he dooth encounter withall béeing but one although he were a man at armes and in groundes of aduantage to be the death of many the which aduantage of groundes is the greatest helpe to all defendantes the which I take to be our partes at this day in England to thinke vpon For these Harquebuziers is the onely weapon that hath beene the greatest cause of the deathes of suche numbers as haue béene of late dayes ouerthrowne in great incounters yea and in small skirmishes by the terrible shot of Pistoliers or Reisters and specially at Saint-quintins and at Graueling the English ships were a great cause of that ouerthrowe But reade the booke of the Commentarie of the sciuile warres of Fraunce and the incounters in the Lowe countries and at the same time that the Frenche Kinge Henrie the seconde incountered with the Emperour Charles at Rentie what was the shot of Harquebuzers there the very morning before the sunne was one hower highe there was 400 Harquebuziers slaine of the French party and drawne out of the shrubs or bushes by the héels the which the French and Spaniardes did striue to obtaine for the better aduantage of a greater matter which was done there that same daye And it was well knowne that of the Spanish partie there was slaine in the same skirmishe almost double the number And after the obtaining of the same bushes or shrubs by the french the Emperor came forward towards the Kings armie being a Fawcon shot the one off the other at which time the Duke of Sauoy hauing the leading of the Uant-garde did descende towardes the saide bushes possessed by the Frenche footemen and the encounter began with such terrible shot of the Spanish Uant-garde and the French footemen that who so euer did see the same may wel say that the shot of the Harquebuziers are moste deadly weapons being in the hands of skilfull men For what with the terrour of the French shot and the braue charge of the French light horse-men the Uantgarde of the Emperor was there ouerthrown and chéefely by the terror of the French shot laid in the bushes as afore is said Againe before Cambraye the armies aforesaide being néere together where the King had staid foure dayes according to his promise for the Emperour It fell out the laste daye the Kinge remooued his Campe at which instant there approched néere vnto the French Campe 2000. horsemen of the best in the Emperors armie accompanied or backed with two thousand Harquebuziers one foote the French being 5000 men at armes archers within Pystol shot of their enemies for the space of foure houres still beholding one another who durst first breake for if the Frenche beeing the greater number had charged the Sapniards then would the two thousand shot haue galled and destroyed the most parte of them to their great detriment and losse wherfore it may be thought that the French would not haue ouer shot themselues so farre as to haue omitted such a daies worke but only for the doubt that they had of the same Harquebuzers so couched in a hollowe way behind the horsemen as aforesayd Againe at the siege of Bouaigne where the French King being in person y ◠Emperor at Namure within eight miles the Kings pleasure was to haue fiue hundred horse to goe as neere to the Emperours Campe as they could to discouer the enemies but it fell so foorth that there were 2000. horsemen enemies abrode at the same time and méeting the one with the other they both pawsed to charge for the most part of the way lay betwixt the riuer of Moose and a great banke so that the French supposed that the whole Campe of the Emperour had beene comming they retired a soft trote their enemies pursued and made after with more speed and the French hauing but onely forty shot horsemen they caused them to light and to defend the straighte at the best aduantage by meanes of those forty shot the 500 horse were saued and came to their Campe without losse Also the very first daye that Bouaigne was besieged the French shotte so freshlye followed the Spaniardes that were sallyed foorth for the mainetenance of their skirmishe that in conclusion they came close to the walles of the towne and there stayed and so without either trench basket or gabyons continued there from eight of the clock in the morning vnto fower in the after-noone in which time there was not any either souldier or townsman that durst looke ouer the walles in so much that the Cannoniers and Pyoners did place theyr ordinaunce without anye more defences for theyr safety then afore is saide so that before fiue of the clocke the frenche foote-men entered and slewe man woman and child or threwe them into Moose which dooth runne close by the wall vpon the one side so were these people all slaine or drowned sauing nine Spaniards that fled into a little towre the which they defended about two howers to the losse of fiue or sixe frenche shot But the nexte day they were all hanged vpon one paire of Gallous that were set vp right against the castle of Denant being little more then halfe a mile distant from Bouaigne wherin was at that time Iulian Romero with 200. of his countrie men who by his and their vallours and force of their shot withstoode the Kinges power thrée dayes to the death of a great nūber of the french which were lost at two assaults and then yéelded by composition The fifth discourse ANd touching the rest of our fierye weapons I will set downe partlie my opinion and when I doo speake of Harquebuzies it is meant by all Calliuers Curriers although the musket be a weapon of greater force then the Harquebuze is of yet generally both on horseback and on foote a Harquebuze dooth serue for both But were the musket to be dealt withall on horsebacke as one foote I woulde then thinke it the best of all manuall weapons that yet
can hinder the Archers from shootinge but I am not of that minde for that the archer lyinge in Campe where as hee maye not lye foorth of his appointed place and hauing not to couer his Bowe nor scantlie his heade then I thinke his bowe to be in danger to dissolue the Glewe in the hornes of the bowe and something hinder his stringe and sheffe of arrowes whereof he dooth make his pillowe but to conclude in this pointe howe shall a man make a stronge argument or aunswer vnto a matter of no substance except he haue helpe by Logike the which for my part these fewe lines may witnesse that it is not my profession Nowe to aunswere the thyrd question which is whether the Bullets of weapons of fyre or the arrowes of archers doo annoy the enemie most which question is friuolous for by the propounding of the question and aunswered by the authour him selfe it dooth carrie a showe in wordes to be taken as a thinge most certaine with such especallye as dooth not vnderstand to the contrarie But with all souldiers Captaines and skilfull Conductors of the warres it is euidently and manifestlie knowen that where as there hath béene one slaine with arrowes there hath béen a hūdred slaine with manual wepons of fire since the vse of the same hath beene practised and rightlie knowen Wherefore if death be annoyaunce to eyther Horse-man or foote-man let this suffise for it is not woundes or small hurtes that daunteth the souldiers where as death is not greatly to be feared as before is declared And where as Sir Iohn Smith dooth saye himselfe that the archers doo hurte and wounde as in the face and places vnarmed yet dooth hee confesse that the same dooth but sometimes kill whereby it may well be vnderstoode to be a thing of small force in respect of the weapons of fire Againe whereas it is sette downe in the same place that the arrowe heades beeinge rustie is the cause that woundes giuen by the same will not heale whereby some will imagine that it is for the beif to haue their arrow heades rustie But truelie I neuer did see any archer in the warres that had any other then such rustie arrowe heades and besides I did not at any time see anie of those archers goe about to mende them and to make them cleane and smooth that thereby the same might the better enter through the doubletes or garmentes of theyr enemies for by common reason and dailie proofe any thinge that is rustie be it Bodkin or Dagger or arrowe heade it will not with great force enter through any meane thing if it were but a meanely bumbasted doblet And I am of that opinion that the doubletes vsed in these dayes are as good a defence against a rustie arrowe as a Target of the best proofe and as touching the heades of the archers arrowes beinge barbed and broade before by reason whereof it can not enter as a smooth sharpe heade would doo therefore it must of necessitie bee that the same heades was deuised for galling of naked horses And doubtlesse the same being of so small force and entring so little waie into the horse should immediatelie fall foorth againe whereas by reason of the barbe it was supposed to stay trouble the horses the more All which annoyaunces are but meane stuffe towardes the defence or inuadinge of a kingdome as by some other argumentes hereafter shall by Gods helpe be showed and prooued But first to conclude with these our archers and of their disabillitie in respect of the seruice of these dayes true it is that before the weapons of fire were inuented and vnknowen as also vntryed to be weapons of great force and effect in all seruice on horse-backe as one foote as before is declared and yet but of late dayes that the same haue beene made publicke in armes and not as yet throughlie and generallie knowen vnto this our Nation as vnto some of the greater calling and to the most of the meaner sorte as the Long-bowe or archer is by reason that we are brought vp therewith euen as a parcell of our chéefe pleasure But yet there is good hope that by reason of suche good prouisions as are made within this realme that in some conuenient time the same may be more vsed and practised then it is and speciallye the Musket the Harquebuze and the Pistoll the which without exercise can not bee commodious or profitable in any good sorte to be answerable against the vsurping enemies the Spaniards who are wholy and fully practised therewith and specially with y ◠Musket and Harquebuze And would it pleased God our Prince and Maiestrates to haue our able men in England to be vsed and trained in the same weapons of fire it would not onely incourage them but also be a great delight to theyr Captaines and leaders the rather to incounter with those wicked enemies or any other And also it wold be a terror to al our enemies that should chance to offer any iniurie to this realme of England or Ireland for wee may assure our selues that it is our want of skill that maketh these forreine enemies the more bolde to inuade vpon vs. For if wee were practysed in our weapons as they are they would neuer séeke vs in England nor else where For in respecte of this nation the Spanyardes in deede are but péeuishe wéedes For by experience I doo know that in al the time of the wars continued betwixt the Emperor Charles and Henry the 2. French king the Spaniards were the least accounted off in the field of any other nation whatsoeuer they will doo wel in skirmishes with their shot or in defending of a hold or assaulting of any breach but for any other great incounters you shall heare little of their dooings to any great purpose For the ouerthrowes that were at Saint-quintins and at Graueling was not doon by them though King Phillip bare the name but by the Duke of Sauoy and the Countie Egmond with his Wallons and by the Duke of Brunswick and those Almaigns all which was doone with horsemen insomuch that without exercise of our weapons we shalbe a great deale woorse able to encounter with them but to our great gréefe and losse The 10. Discourse THus hauing spoken of the fierye weapons and the Long bow in which I haue partely shewed mine opinion yet for the better proofe of my allegations heerin declared for that the contrarye is so fixed and rooted in the mindes of many of these our fréends in England that vnlesse it be tried and with action in their sight proued they will in no wise yet be perswaded from their former opinions in y e matter Wherfore I haue thought it my part in respect therof to set downe some course whereby the same maye by action be made manifest vnto all that are doubtfull in that behalfe And thus if it may please our Prince and state to
Harquebuze and the Petronels all as one and these should be for these kindes of Light horsemen And if that I were well and strongly mounted and thought that I should at any seruice encounter with footmen I would haue a placket to clap vpon my brest of the like proofe as aforesaid And as touching men at armes and Launces their manner of arming is common except the Launce would haue as some will a Pistoll of a meane length that when as the Launce is broken and he entred amongst his enimies may yet therwith giue a deadly blowe or hauing broken his Launce and shall yet be put to retire it is good to defend himselfe from being taken as for example the Reister who in retiring wounded the late Duke of Guise in the face in the chase or else he had béen slaine or taken or if a man should be in chase either following or retiring for the better spéed of both the Launce is a great hinderance to the spéede of the horse where the Pistoll is none but either to the defendant a preseruer or to the followers to mooue his aduersarie to yéeld and so standeth the case in this respect The 12. discourse ANd now to the arming of footemen I would wish within hir Maiesties store in Corselets for footmen ouer and besides all those common and priuate armors placed in shires to be 5000. of such good proofe and shape as no nation should haue better with good and strong Burgonets to arme close to a mans head not ouer high crested a good coller and an easie wide enough with Cuirasse well brested and not too flat with good Taises broad aboue and narrow downward according to the shape of a mans bodie and not for great hose as of late daies haue béen vsed faire Poldrands with the turning ioint and Uambrases with Gantlets for all these 5000. a good strong sword of a yarde in blade and no hilts but crosse onely a dagger of ten or twelue inches in blade and the like crosse hilt for weapons a faire Pike well armed with chéekes a yard déepe of eightéene foote in length and a Pistolet at his girdle All these armed pikes should be allowed twelue pence the day who should be for the most part gentlemen and those should neuer be called vpon but vpon some great occasion For Halbards or Billes meaner arming will serue as burgonets cuirats with Taises and Poldrands and no Uambrases he shall the better haue his armes at liberty to lay about him and to haue swords and daggers as the armed pykes I wish no Halbards into the hands of any that hath no skill to vse the same for it is a weapon that can abide no blowes as the Bill wil do but yet in the hands of officers such as hath skill how to vse the same it is a very good weapon but the same must be handled delicately with the push onely and quickly drawne backe the cause that the French officers do vse them with such long staues and pykes is to encounter with the Lance-knights who do vse being Sargiants of foote-bandes to carrie verie good long swordes or Slaugh swordes But for our common countrie men not vsed to handle a halbard as aforesaid I woulde wish him to haue a good strong black Bill wide in the socket to receiue a strong Staffe the heade thicke in the backe with a strong pyke in the backe and point sharpe edged and thus much touching these kinds of armed men I thinke them in my opinion to be sufficiently armed and weaponed for the seruice if occasion be offered And not withstanding that I haue spoken some thing touching the Harquebuziers how that I wish them to be furnished yet for that I am in hand with the same I will set downe my opinion touching the fiery weapons The 13. Discourse THe Muskets are weapons of great force and effect in all seruice on foote whatsoeuer they will helpe to great purpose And whatsoeuer numbers be furnished into the shires in Englande I would wish her Maiesties store to remaine still furnished with 5000. of the best Muskets that could be made and rather of a little bigger bore then these common Musquets that be sold in the countrie and so being well prooued and tried to be sure and not ouer churlish in recoyling the which consisteth much in making the vice in the bréech for when that is short whereby any of the powder doth lie behinde the tuch hole then will they recoyle very much but being well made and also furnished they will not I would wish that from among al the Captains in England that there should be chosen foorth of their numbers the most apte and able both in strength and knowledge 5000. men that by the said captains could be chosen and those being well chosen should be trained fiue daies in euery month in the yéere sauing December Ianuarie and Februarie to that ende they should be perfect in that weapon and those should also be in the same pay and to the same effect that the 5000. pykes should serue for And for Harquebuziers I would wish 3000. of those to be as wel chosen trained and furnished as the Muskets are in their kinde Now do we yet want 1500. Pistolliers to be well mounted and furnished and as perfectly trained as the Harquebuziers or Muskettiers both how to vse their horses as also their weapons For as there be many that can ride vse a horse well so is there manie that can shoote a Pistoll and yet but few that can rightly vse both togither for he that will bée a Pistollier must vse his horse to know it whereby he do not feare neither the cracke nor the fire and that doone he must learne to occupie his bridle hande his Pistoll and his spurs in due time and forme all at one instant All these numbers do not yet amount vnto 15000. for these are but as it were Bulwarks flanks and curtains to an armie and yet woulde these be to a better purpose than fortie thousande not trained and the matter through this Realme were no great charge And as for the armed pikes and halberds launces and speares are better to be made perfect in sixe daies than the fiery weapons are in 60. daies The 14. Discourse ANd now hauing spoken of such things as haue come to my memory the most part whereof I haue had the vse off I will by Gods helpe and the fauor of authority procéed a little further touching deuices and giue my opinion as concerning the defence of the landing of such an armie as sir Iohn Smith doth speake off in the 10. 11. 12. and 13. leafe of his saide discourse where he doth saie in this maner viz. NOw saith he for answere vnto some of these vnsoldierlike opinions I saie that if any such as do holde that woonderfull opinion of the effects of Muskettiers how good Souldiers soeuer they
then that the defendants shoulde bée aduertised where the most méetest place for their vessels were for the landing of their men and so soone as the first boats should direct their course towards the land I would put foorth of my number two hundred shotte close to the lowe water marke and there attende the approch as néere to offende them as could be all as loose shot abroad vpon the sands who with a little retiring in good order should kéepe the enemies occupied vntill such time as from the same 200. shot I would in one halfe hower cast a trench in the Sands towards the lande into which the rest of the shot should descende to backe the two hundred first and with some of the labourers aforesaid drawe downe the said féelde-péeces as by this figure may be séene Thus before the enemies could land two thousand men I would not doubt but all this would be performed so that if I thought good to breake foorth before the Boates should returne for moe men I would do so if not I would plie the skirmish with some moe fresh shot and lie close with the whole regiment if the enemies were not aboue fower thousand vnto that they were 6000. or 8000. and then would I take the vantage of the winde from before the féelde péeces so that so soone as the defendants were so néere that their vollie of shot were deliuered euen foorthwith would I discharge the féeld péeces right vpon the enemies and thereupon would I run vpon them with Halberds and Swords and dispatch those against the rest should come or at the least put them to swimming And thus vsing the matter it should mooue our Sea-men to buckle the better with them vpon their great Bulworks the Galliasses the which may not start from their course and this being performed in this sort I woulde not let if the enemies shoulde lande at the first ten thousand of their best men the which I thinke is as manie as can well lande at one vault for as I saide before they will haue some impediment by sickenesse or other waies There is no doubt but these aforesaid defendants cannot bée without the companie of some Gentelmen well mounted who woulde not forbeare to put forewarde themselues and the rest séeing so great opportunitie as that woulde bée and the labourers hauing perfourmed their workes woulde serue with a Carte loade of Bils to some effect in so much that wée should within two howers terrifie them after an other manner then they should do vnto vs with their Drums and Trumpets or their two Bases afore-ship in their vessels of Oares The 15. Discourse ANd now to the insconcing as it is termed of late by the Lowe-countrie men with manie other such like it is a verie bad Sconce that cannot holde foorth a péece of a day for longer I would not wish the same to be maintained in this respect but for the daie of landing and in the night to leaue the same and to drawe all to one force there to abide them vpon grounds of the best aduantage if our first attempt should not preuaile by not knowing the place of the enemies landing or other waies for those Sconces are but to defend some straightes or passages where enemies might other waies come vpon the sodaine to doe some exploite and so retire againe but against the Cannon or such a force as is able to abide the féelde they are to small purpose there were the like betwixt vs and the French Pale néere vnto Arde in Fraunce when Callis was English as Anderne bulwarcke Iones bulwarcke Boyts bulwarcke Harrowe bulwarcke and Henowayes bulwarcke apperteining to the Flemings néere Anderwike and Graueling But as concerning Fortifications to be rightlie made vpon such situations as are by nature strong is a thing most necessarie for the safetie or defence of any kingdome that can be possible as by proofe sufficient it may be séene in the Lowe countrie or Fraunce Some may alledge that it is dangerous for sundrie causes yet were it better to put it vpon that hazard than into the hands of a stranger And againe this Realme is so little a thing that a rebell can not stande against the Prince as by examples a great manie it may be prooued And for good Scituations we haue diuers in England vpon the coast most in danger that are very strong by nature whereof I will name those the which I do knowe The first is Hartlepoole Skarborough Kingston vpon Hull Boston Linne Portsmouth and the Isle of Dogs néere vnto Greenwich there is not within my knowledge any such parcell of ground in this Realme all things considered being well fortified it were sufficient to snub the greedie desire of the ambitious Spaniards and to make them fight like shéepe whereas at Antwerpe they fought like Lions for no doubt a poore souldiers manner is to venter ten liues if it might be for gold and iewels before all other things whatsoeuer Now hauing roughly run ouer some part of the discourse of Sir Iohn Smith Knight as concerning my opinion touching armour and weapons specially and with some other small matters as the forme of the said discourse hath giuen me occasion and for the rest I haue omitted thinking this to be sufficient as concerning the vse of weapons the which is the greatest and chiefe cause that hath mooued me héereunto séeing such great difference of opinions in the beginning of this treatise is something touched but not so largely as willingly I would haue done if my health would haue permitted wherefore againe I do right hartily wish that al true English harts and mindes may with perfect loue and curtesie ioine togither and confer of these causes of so great importance friendly and as dutifull and naturall subiects best can deuise and rather to instruct each other than any way to contend considering how much the same doth concerne the safetie of our déere Soueraigne Country Commonwealth and our owne estates and let the end trie the troth of all parties for howsoeuer we do flatter our selues or be supported by friends the end will iustly trie what the behauiour hath béene either in vertue and vallor or in vice and vanities c. The 16. discourse ANd now to remember some things touching the discourse of Sir Roger Williams Knight who doth for the most part of his said discourse make relation of the manner and vse of the Spanish wars as touching the long continuance of their armies and how they do diuide the same and how they do diuide their horsemen and footemen the order of their marching and besieging of holds the maner of their assaulting of breaches and his opinion in the goodnes of diuers sorts of horsemen and footemen and their armours and weapons and the difference betwéene the goodnes of the one and the other wherein I finde no new deuise either in gouernment or orders but in times past and