think few or none who be avouched The Priest of Saint Margaret with his Bow and Arrows unless the president of the Priest of Saint Margarets near Dover shall be admitted for one of whom the old Fletchers retain a memorial in honour of their Bowes who is said with his Bow and Sheaf of arrows to have kept down the French men that offered to land in a narrow passage up the Clift near Dover Who came for fresh water as was supposed where they found a gate fast barred and lockt to stop the same And he standing over them on the top of the Clift played a tall Bow mans part when as in these dayes the French had not any shot but some few Cross-bows that could not deliver an Arrow half way up the Clift to him and so it was given out that he kept them down till the Country was come down to the Sea side to repell them back to their Boats or rather I suppose my self knowing the place when they saw the gate was so fast as they could not suddenly break it open they returned before their coming But yet I must confess the Bow bare the bell before the Divel I suppose sent the musquet c. out of Hell But here lest the Authour be mistaken he prefers the force of the Harquebuz and Musquet far before the Bow yet in judgement doth not disallow the Bow but rather judge the same to be a serviceable and warlike weapon as well in Town as Field and although it be not greatly pertinent to this question yet it may be convenient to consider here how and wherein good use may be made of this weapon first in the field against the Horse men The use of the bow how serviceable though it be shot at the highest random only with the weight of the fall it galleth both Horse and Man and though the wound be not mortal yet both Horse and man are hereby made unserviceable then and long after if they escape death Secondly in rainy weather when men come near together it is a good weapon Thirdly in the night time it is a ready and a secret shot c. and the use of it may be good in the forcing of the Enemies Trenches in fallying out of Town or else Fourthly at an assault when all the defences are taken away in any Town you may deliver your Arrows over the wall and shroudly gall your Enemy with the fall of them Fifthly to shoot Arrows with wild fire to burn gate or draw bridge to fire thatched or shingled houses When our English Army was before Paris those of our Commanders wished they had brought Bow men over with them and I see no reason it should be wholly laid aside for the worst Bow man that can but draw his Bow is better than a bad fire man But if we should not make use of our Bow in any of our warlik enterprises it should be every Commanders care to chuse good fire men for Ammunition is much wasted by the unskifulness of the Musquetteer and execution not to expectation Mustermasters cure and as we have an order established for our Musquet bore I could wish the Mustermaster in every County would look so to it that they may not be too big as well as too little But now touching landing let us see what may be conceived out of the former experience Examples and presidents of landing Did not the Earl of Warwick notwithstanding the Duke of Burgundies great and puissant Navy which he had provided to joyn with Edward the fourth for the impeaching the Earls landing from out of France and the fleet being before the Haven in Normandy out of the which the Earl must come the Duke having also warned the King into what part and Port of England the Earl meant to make his descent whereby in all likelyhood he was or migt have been provided sufficiently to withstand the same yet I say did it not so fall out that the Earl of Warwick escaped their Fleet landed in England and drove the King to flee for succour into the Low Countries and enlarged Henry the sixth and set him in his former estate After this did not Edward the fourth with some small aid from the Duke of Burgundie given him Edward the fourth relanded in England and deposed Henry the sixth and that under hand both of shipping men and money transport himself into England again and in Battel slew the Earl of Warwick and his adherents deposed Henry the sixth resuming again unto himself the Kingdom of England Have not the Kings of England many times entered France by Navie and Scotland during the time of Wars betwixt them Queen Mary landed 5000. in Britany and burnt Conquet Did not Queen Mary land 5000 men in Brittany one of the most popular parts of all France and there sackt and burnt Conquet and other places our men remaining on shoar two dayes and a night burning and spoyling and were not or rather could not be resisted upon the suddain Have not our English though but small forces in Queen Elizabeths dayes landed in the Indies English landed in the Indies at sundry times sackt and ransacked their Towns brought away their Munition with other great spoyles and riches yet at their landing were not withstood English in Spain and Purtugal And did not our Army land in Spain and Portugal at sundry times and in sundry places they having knowledge a long time before of their coming whereby the Country was or might have been in that readiness themselves would have desired and yet by a temporizing course used against them they were driven to retire both feeble and broken whereas if they had been fought withall at their landing and had won the field there had been a great hope they might have prevailed in that enterprise The Spanish Forces landed in Portugal Did not the Spanish forces also land in Portugal his other Army by land under the conduct of the Duke of Alva who by wining the Battel won the Kingdom withal and drove the King quite out of his Countrey The French in Terceras And did not the French forces likewise land in the Terceras in despite of the Country And did not the Spanish forces after reland slay and drive all out again The Spanish relanded there Infinite are the presidents of landing and a rare matter to find any example of an Army coming to invaid to be prevented of landing by the Countries fury and running down to the Sea side and what Souldier or man of War would not undertake to land even a few men in comparison of a royal Army in any Princes Realmes and Dominions spoile and burn at his pleasure until such time they had assembled greater forces than the inhabitants of the Coasts Whatsoever a man cannot resist he must give way unto Reason and experience do plainly prove that it cannot be withstood but that a forceable Enemy will land
Therefore the best remedy will be to give him way and withal to remember to do all things like wise men and Souldiers as hath been said already by driving and withdrawing the Countries cattel and provisions that your Enemy may not be relieved and nourished Duke of Alva against the Prince of Orenge Did not the Duke of Alva defeate the Prince of Orenges great Army by forbearing to fight with him and leaving him a vast Country to walk and way himself in Did not the Constable of France defeat the Emperours attempt upon Province France against the Emperor by this only temporizing course Did he not burn the Mills destroy the Ovens spoyle the fruit c. himself retiring to Avignon there to joyn with his forces after that he had provided for the frontier Towns leaving nothing but a wast Country for his Enemies to spend themselves in whereby he drove the Emperor in the end to make a most dishonourable retreit Monsieur de Langey doth alledge that example of the Constable of France proving greatly his device and policy therein Notwithstanding there were divers who did not stick to blame him for that he did not seek to stop the Enemies passage through the mountains which they supposed he might have done very easily and with few men But he foreseeing the mischief that might grow by a small foyl or loss received at the first thought it the safest way to prevent all dangers by temporizing until his forces were assembled in full strength and his Enemies weakned saying moreover that it is a great point of wisdome for a Prince or Captain General to defer fighting when the Enemies are entered in his Country for saith he if the battel should be lost through the encountring of them the Country would also be in hazzard to be lost and this may appear by divers examples First The King of Hungary against the Turk the King of Hungary being assailed by the Turk in the year 1562. thought it better to hazzard the Battel and to fight with the Turk at his arrival than to forbear and stand upon his guard which was the cause he himself was slain and a great part of his kingdom lost William the Conquerour and Henry the seventh got the Crown of England by Battel And did not William the Conquerour and King Henry the seventh become kings of England by reason the defendent gave them battel at their landing and lost the same Obj. But some may here object that the Parties and Factions within the land were cause thereof And doth any man think that a Forraign Prince is so void of Judgment as that he thinketh to prevaile by way of Conquest without a party The Duke of Burgundie won the Countrey of Leigh by Battel Did not the Duke of Burgundie get the Country of Leidge by reason of some Battel he won against the the people thereof Philip de Comines saith that a man ought greatly to fear to hazzard his estate on a Battel when he may otherwise avoid the same for faith he of a small number of people lost there followeth a great change to him that loseth them not so much by the fear they conceive of the Enemy as in the little estimation they will have of their Master afterward being ready still to enter into mutinies demanding things more boldly than they were wont alledging further that one Crown before will do more with them than three will do after Whosoever will read the Book of the actions of Lewis the eleventh King of France who was both a very wise and valiant Prince shall find Lewis the eleventh aginst Charles the Duke of Burgundies Son that after the great incounter between him and Count Charles the Duke of Burgundies son at Mountleyrre notwithstanding that the conflict went so indifferent as neither side knew almost by the space of three or four hours after who had the Victory so soon as each party had rallied their broken Troops c. having some good means so to do by reason of a great ditch and long hedge that was between their two Armies where the fight first began although the Kings power remained still great by reason of so many Princes as he had assembled together yet then and ever after he determined no more to venture so great a Kingdom as France was upon the uncertain event of a Battel And therefore the night following he dislodged and retired to Corbel after which time he carried all his Wars with such a Temporizing course as thereby he wearied his Enemies and became a mighty Prince making his Army so great as his adversaries at no time after durst attempt to give him Battel Although Philip de Comines doth write that our Nation hath been wonderfully fortunate in Battel and are much addicted thereunto yet he doth more allow of the politique and wise temporizing of Lewis the French King in forbearing to fight with Edward the fourth when he entered France proffering him Battel near Amyens Lewis against Edward the fourth The King considering how dangerous an adventure it was to his estate If it should not succeed well with him looking also back to the great thraldome and subjection that his predecessors had brought the Kingdome of France into under the English Nation by such like rash acceptance of Battel he determined to temporize though it were to his charges thereby to weaken the King of England the winter season drawing then on In the mean time sending great presents to those that were near about the King and Victuals of free-gift to relieve his Army condescending also to pay a yearly sum of 50000 Crowns into the Tower of London thereby to hasten the peace and to get our Nation to return After all was concluded and the King returned home one of the King of Englands men being with Phillip de Comines in discourse he told him he had been at the winning of nine Battels and how many said Phillip have you been at the losing Only one said he and that was at the last forbearance of my Master to fight with yours at Amyens whereby we have gotten more shame unto our selves than honour by the first nine When Lewis the King heard of this speech he said this is a shrewd boy and sent for him to dine with him and after gave him 1000 Crowns with other great promises to the intent he should be a means to entertain the peace begun between the two Kings What success had the French at the Battel at Poytiers and Cressey The Battels of Poytiers and Cressey who although they were in number far greater than the English and in the heart of their own Country yet they tasted nothing but the bitter effect of a lost field And we by other such manifold examples might be warned not to commit the good estate of a Realme to so tickle and dangerous a trial as is the uncertain sway of a Battel Spanish Fleet defeated 88. And now never to
for the maintenance of them I may truly terme them like a Ship without a Rudder which being let at liberty to every gust of Wind will be ruined upon the Rocks of Rebellion Or like some curious Edifice erected without a roof which cannot withstand the violence of any storme Constantine the Great by the perswasions of some peaceable Subjects cashier'd his antient Legions by which he overthrew the best of his Military Discipline and so left an open gap for the barbarous Nations to invade the Empire Solomon in the time of Peace provided for War What Nation dare to meddle with that People who are prepared and well exercised in this Art of War Therefore let every one Gentlemen and Farmours Rich and poor that intend to approve themselves true English men and Loyal Subjects not only imbrace honour and cherish Armes but also exercise and be exercised and diligently learn this Military Art that in case any Rebellion or treachery may arise they may be fit to defend His MAJESTIES person with all his rights and Prerogatives That such as our late intestine ruines may be for ever hereafter prevented That the Armed servant may no more command the unarmed Master Nor the Rebellious armed Subject his unarmed Prince Let us not be overwhelmed in security but when any suddain Alarme may sound in our ears there may be alwayes found such ready and fit both to command and obey Solomon doth in effect tell us that it is not the great number of untrained men that are sufficient for defence when he saith A wise man is ever strong Pro. 14. yea a man of understanding increaseth in strength for with Wisdome must War be taken in hand and where there are many that give Counsel there is victory It is impossible for any Kingdome or Dominion to live in peace without the use of the Sword As Idleness and the neglect of Warlike Discipline hath been the ruine of many States so the Order of the antient Romans resolved not to lie as sluggards nor to delight in Idle or wanton pastimes but at certain times allotted them in a year for the bettering of their experience in Warlike Exercises they did it with delight and pleasure so that no labour herein was burdensome to them and being become by the practice thereof most ready and expert in the same became at last as History hath declared great and mighty Conquerours I wish the same of us that our reputation may not scornfully be laid aside as if we minded more our Carpets and the following products thereof than the Musquett That through the Exercise of this Military Art we may become so mighty and Valiant as that we may be able to withstand any opposition both Forraign and Domestick Thus wishing prosperous successe in all Martial affairs that may be for the good both of King and Countrey I conclude and subscribe not onely to be a well-wisher to all Military Arts but in the quality of Your fellow Souldier and Servant Tho. Venn Introductive Collections OR INSTRUCTIONS For the Young Souldier IN Art Military CHAP. I. Military Observations for the Exercise of Horse NOtwithstanding what these late Rebellious Times have made to appear yet there is so much of self-willed Ignorance with more than the common sort of people not only to think but to say that in all services and Exercise of Arms there needeth no more Action but by these words of Command Make ready Present and Give fire All other words of Command to be but as tendances to them and all other postures are by them judged to be but superfluous and may well be spared or but trifles of small consequence Whereas the life and well being of every well ordered Troop of Horse and Company of Foot consisteth wholly of form and those received Ceremonies belonging to every Posture cannot in the least in the prime of Exercise be neglected but with the hazzard of Confusion Matth. 15.14 Quod si coecus coecum per viam duxerit ambo in foveam cadent The crooked deformity of the bones is covered with the flesh for the better adorning of the body so are Ceremonies which by experience the Antient have made Reverent are the life and being of a Kingdom And here by way of digression give me leave to say that which is but truth that the neglect of Ceremonies formerly used and commanded proved most injurious to this Kingdom and yet to this day is an evident demonstration of Faction and Rebellion It is the ambition of many men striving to be Captains before they be Souldiers labouring after Command before they know how to obey and being well considered what more is the Mother of Errour but Ignorance It is well scited out of Vegetius That knowledge in all things belonging to Warr giveth Courage Nemo facere metuit quod se bene didioisse confidit No man feareth to do that which he hath well learned how to do Without a true knowledge in the single Accidence in this Art Military as I may term it you will never be able to judge of the Syntaxis thereof without experience in all the Postures belonging to Horse and Foot none can be capable of exactness in that which is most of use in this Art for Military Discipline where with care it is observed is but a true confirmation of Souldiers in their Valour and Vertue and in short is performed By Exercise Order Compulsion Example 1. By Exercise Good Instructions are nothing without they be followed by care and diligence for what breeds more strong and resolved gallantry in Gentlemen than Industry It excelleth nature it self All the labour and exercise of a Commander from time to time is not of any value as to the Execution of this Art either in courage or strength in their Souldiers without he be industrious to teach and they also willingly labour after a perfection in the exercise of such Instructions as shall be commanded them for experience with Instruction is the best way to perfection Vegetius saith Paucos viros natura fortes procreat bonâ Institutione plures reddit industria Nature brings forth very few strong men but Industry by good Instruction breeds up many None ought to be called for to exercise this Art but such who are able to produce what they know to action for that Souldier that is not well taught can never expect the fruit of his labour to be couragious in his Enterprizes Exercitium Importeth nothing else but exercising an Army c. And it is most certain that the Souldery who are often and well exercised are much the better as Varro saith Exercitus dicitur quòd melius fit exercitando Thus being willing to be exercised begetteth knowledge knowledge begets courage courage obtained makes perils contemned calamities despised and death it self conquered 2. By Order There hath been so much writ of this by many Authours that I shall only say in short Polibius Vegetius c. It consisteth in dividing disposing and
challenge their deserved praise which I leave to the most Judicious to give them their due in time and place The ancient Gaules were said to be the most Warlike and Valiant men of all Nations But how became they such It was by the continual exercise and use of Armes Caesars Com. l. 5. 7. for it was their Custome to come Armed to their Councils Their applause of any Oration was signified by clattering of their Armes and their Oathes taken were upon their Armes The Germaines were wont to go Armed about their negotiations and to their Banquets The most Warlike Nations in the world have accounted it a piece of policy to be frequent in the use of Armes Why should not the laudableness of such martial exercises perswade men to love and imbrace the use of them We read some presidents for it of Jonathans shooting for sport that he might be thereby fitted to War And without doubt the Benjamites attained that dexterity in casting stones out of a sling at an haires breadth by frequent exercise for recreation And may I not affirm by the Exercise of Arms that Empires Kingdoms and Common-wealths have come to their heigth and Soveraignty and have so maintained their State in happiness and prosperity and by neglecting of the same they have declined and decayed and at last have been made Preys to their Enemies How were those Empires and Monarchies of the Egyptians Medians Parthians Persians and Romans established and greatly augmented by this Military Art And how was the Dominion of the Graecian Empire preserved and wonderfully inlarged by the Art and Discipline of great Alexander with small Armies of well ordered and exercised Souldiers How did he vanquish most great and huge Armies of his Enemies Nay a great part of the World even contrary then to expectation Even so on the other side the forgetting and neglecting of this Art Military hath not been only the decay but the ruine of many Empires and Kingdoms Now that people that is not incouraged or rather compelled by good Laws to practise and exercise Arms or any thing else belonging to this Military Art they will in a short time for want of such Manlike Martial Orders and Exercises grow into Sloth to Covetousness to Drunkenness and Vicious Effeminacies and to all other Evils as Nature shall incline them unto by the which they in a short time do become unfit to be imployed in any War offensive and unable to defend themselves if they should be invaded Did not God for the sins of the Jews deprive them of understanding of this Military Art Among other Priviledges he deprived them of he tool from them the valiant men of War the Prudent and the Captains of fifty c. When he made them thus uncapable then they were first of all conquered and utterly subdued and â—â—â—ed by the Romans under their Emperours Vespasian and Titus his Son I might tell you of many Nations and Kingdoms that have been ruined for want of Order and Exercise Spain by the Moors King Don Roderigo and many thousands of his Nobility and people were slain by the Arabians and Moors And about the Year 1353. we read that the Princes of Greece aided by the Despote or Duke of Bulgaria did revolt against John Paleologus at that time Emperour of Constantinople who for his safety against those Revolters entered into a League with Amurat the first and third King of the House of Ottoman and had his Assistance with ten thousand of his Horse-men who by their good order and well disciplined Souldiers did prevail against his Revolters and brought them to obedience But what followed Amurat being informed of the great riches those Graecians had together with their weakness by reason of their disorder in Military Affairs transported an Army over the Asian Seas into Greece and by that Invasion took many Cities and Towns and did afterwards by battle slay the Duke of Bulgaria and Servia with many others c. and there placed himself over a great part of their Dominion So about fourscore years after Mahomet the second Emperour of the Turks seeing Constantine Paleologus then Emperour of Constantinople without any settled Militia and his people grown luxurious and not able to resist him by Battle did in the Year 1453. besiege the Emperial City of Constantinople who within two Months by assault won the said City and put the Emperour Empress and their young Princes with an infinite number of Men Women and Children to the sword I might give a great many more Instances as to our own Country from the Saxons to the Normans and what History speaks later of our selves I must leave that to our Reformers to consider how useful and necessary the exercise of Arms is to the wellfare of a Nation and people The Emperour Alexander Severus that Excellent Prince being very skilful in Government both in War and Peace speaking to his Men of War said The Military Discipline of our Ancestours doth maintain and preserve out State and Common-wealth but if we do neglect the same and make no account of the Orders and Exercises of it We our name and Reputation of Romans and therewith all the Roman Empire are lost and forgotten Though the frequent use of Arms in Exercise is most commendable because of the special helps it hath in making us fit and serviceable Instruments of the Publick wellfare Yet I advise it with these Cautions First have a respect to your particular Calling God Almighty feeds us as well as defends us so if any man under pretence of his Exercise shall waste his time and means to the dammage or undoing of his Family I say such will bring a scandal and an ill report upon this worthy design He that would manage his Country Affairs with delight and profit to his preservation and not to his ruine and destruction must imitate those Builders under Nehemiah who held their Swords in one hand and their Trowel in the other so mind your Military Exercises as not to forget your necessary Affairs at home without your dependances be wholly upon it then to mind nothing more Yet Secondly To have such an intent upon their private and particular concernments making them unfit for Imployments as to impede them in the seeking the Publick Good or make themselves the main end of their Enterprise in what they undertake doth degenerate so much from being true Souldiers as to dishonour themselves in all their Services and will be the sole jet to hinder preferment when it shall fall And lastly Sparta's Souldiers I have read were Sparta's Walls by reason of their Concord and Unity amongst themselves therefore let every Souldier respectively preserve Unity in the Bond of Peace and in so doing we shall be the better able to pray with our Church To give peace in our time O Lord for there is none that fighteth for us but only thou O God CHAP. XXIV Conclusion I Humbly crave pardon for what is here undertaken knowing my
divided into many Bodies yet did they not carry several Ensigns but every Body the Ensign of his own Tribe so that Companies were not distinguished by their Captains or Chiefs but by their Tribes nor could they say there goes such a particular Commander but there is such a Tribe not there marches Aaron but there marches the Tribe of Levi and thus of the rest Hence and from this ground was taken up the use of the Ensigns or Banners of Kingdoms by which several Armies display to the World their several Nations as with us in England we have the Ensign of St. George as we term it which is a bloody Cross in a white field which shews to the world not what private Company I follow but what King I serve and what Country I acknowledge for howsoever private Captains are allowed their Ensigns for private respects or distinctions yet they are not allowed or to be born on foot without this general Ensign of this Kingdom for thus it holdeth in all Christian Kingdoms and amongst the Turks also as appeareth by their Cressant or Half Moon in all their Armies as the Ensign of their Universal Monarchy Thus you see Moses first and that by the Commandment of God himself began Ensigns which by succession of time descended and came down with a more general use unto the days of Maccabees for the Tribes then being dispersed far and wide and made Kings of many spatious and fruitful Countries they took liberty to alter their Ensigns according to their own fancies The glory thereof when it came to the cares of the Graecians and Macedonians for Alexander is supposed to reign in the time of the Maccabees they took to themselves a lawful imitation thereof and so commanded their Captains c. to carry in their Ensigns Devices in honour of their Renown and Conquests Then from the imitations of the Graecians the Romans took to themselves the carriage of Ensigns and because they found it the chiefest beauty and ornament of Armies they made it therefore the noblest and richest spoil which could possibly be taken away from the Enemy and so made it an hereditary right for any man that should take in honourable fashion such spoyls ever after to bear them as his own to him and his Posterity for ever The Romans first brought this custom into the Monarchy of Great Britain when Caesar first invaded and got footing into the same Howsoever there is an opinion taken that Brute when he first conquered this Island brought in the Trojan Ensigns and other Ornaments of their Wars yet it is certain that through Civil Dissentions and other Forreign Combustions all these Honourable Marks were lost and forgotten and only the Romans renewed and brought them back unto memory partly by their glory and example and partly by their loss when they were repulsed back who left behind them many of these spoyls to adorn the Britains From these times hath the use of Ensigns remained amongst us and as the Ages have succeeded and proved wiser and wiser and one time more than another so hath the alteration of these Emblems or Ensigns changed and brought themselves into the form wherein they are at this instant carried as the Romans varyed from the old Britains so the Saxons from the Romans and the Danes from the Saxons But the French then being the most refined Nation of all other altering from them all and now the English having altered all into this present mode of Uniformity they may display them to the World for their Gallantry CHAP. II. The Definition of Ensigns AFter the Original Antiquity and first beginning hath been endeavoured to be made to appear I shall now descend to the definition and distinction of them and by what proper names they were called in the best and most renowned Wars of Christendom and for what reason they have held and retained them To begin with the first and most antient name belonging to Ensigns I think it not amiss to borrow it from the Romans for although the Hebrews Chaldeans and Graecians were the first Inventers yet the Names and Attributes they gave them were much incertain and unconstant and as the experience of Wars grew great and as the Invention dilated and spread further so did the signification alter for what was proper and substantial in this Age in the next was utterly lost and forgotten so as I shall not rest upon these Titles or significations The first then that retained a constant and firm settled name for those Trophies of Honour is taken to be the Romans who indeed being the greatest Schoolmasters in the Art of War are the most worthy to be held for Imitation or Authority The name which the Romans first gave to the Ensign or him that carried the Ensign for to the man was ever attributed the Contents of the thing he carried was Insigne or Sign bearing and so Ensign-bearer because they carried in those Ensigns Marks Empressaes or Emblems best agreeing with their natures and condition according to their own Inventions or else the Pourtraictures of their former Battles and Conquests either of which was so honourable that indeed they were made Hereditary descending down to their Children from Generation to Generation And no more were called Signs c. but Coat-Armour or the Honour of the Families nor were they of slight or ordinary esteem as at first neither had men liberty any longer to make election of them at their own Wills but this power was incabinated within the breast of Emperours Kings and Generals who indeed under God are the unbounded Oceans of Honour they only have the liberty of bestowing and confirming Honour at their own pleasures Hence it came that Ensigns thus carrying of Coat-Armours were of such reverend esteem that men took it for the honourablest place that might be to fall near or about the Ensign and for the defence of it no hazzard could be too great nor any torment insupportable So that many times the Zeal of those that did defend these Ensigns c. and the inflamed desire or greediness of those which sought to conquer and atchieve them was so immeasurable and unbounded that an infinite of blood hath been shed and many powerful Armies overthrown only for the purchase of one of these honourable Trophies This when the wisdom of the Romans perceived and that those Insignias were not Bugbears to affright but rather fires which did inflame their Enemies courage beyond their proper natures they forthwith forbad the carrying of any Coat-Armour or Device in their Ensigns but only such slight inventions as might not make the Enemy much the richer by the enjoyment thereof nor themselves much the poorer by the loss And hence it followed that the word Insignia was put out of use and they then called the Ensign Antesignia and made other Devices contrary to all Coat-Armour intimating to the Enemy that whatsoever they got by those purchases was dishonourable rather than any way worthy of
Triumph And from this word Antesignia or Antesigne for it hath been so written in antient Records it hath been judged that this word Antient in many places used amongst us and given to our Ensigns hath been corruptly retained by us for it hath no coherence in signification nor can any way be alluded unto this Officer more than to his Antiquity and long standing in the Wars But this did not quench any flame in the Enemy for the Romans found them every way as eager in pursuit of these weak and fained Devices as the greatest hereditary Coat-Armour they could carry for when in any skirmish Fortune made them Masters thereof they took as great Pride as if they had subdued whole Armies and bare them with as much Pomp and Triumph as if they had got all Rome in subjection which the wisdom of the Romans and other Nations looking into it presently became a custom among all their Armies that thence forth no Foot Company or Chieftain of the Infantry should carry in his Ensign any Coat-Armour or other Device what ever more than the mixture or true composition of two colours together with the general Ensign of the Kingdom in the most eminent corner thereof And after this time the Romans called their Ensign-bearers no more Antesignia Read Markham's Souldiers Accidence or Antesigne but of late only Signifier from Significo to to signifie a thing as being men of special note and regard and that the thing signifying was only a Mark of much Honour c. The Spaniards and Italians that took all their imitation from the Romans who were their great Lords and masters do at this day call this Officer Alferes and make account of him next unto their Captains not suffering any second to step in between them The Dutch call this Officer Vandragon or Vandragar which holdeth with the same significations And we of England properly call him Ensign and in some Countries Antient The first from the thing he carrieth and the latter from the Honour and Antiquity of the Institution And both may well be agreeing with the first Titles conceiving better cannot be invented CHAP. III. The Original of Horse and Horse Colours HAving treated of the definition and signification of the several names which belong to the Ensignes of Foot I will now take leave to speak a little to the Colours or marks of Honour that are born on Horseback which I find by experienced Souldiers to be full as ancient or rather more than those which belong to the Foot Companies But omitting all prophane Opinions and vain circumstances I find when the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea how they were pursued by Pharaoh and all his Host which did consist most of Charriots which in those dayes were accounted Horsemen and very properly too because being drawn by the violent force of Horse and laden with the strongest and best experienced Souldiers they had a double power to enter into Battalias to disrank and break their array and to make their Enemies to run into a rout and confusion and though they had not the use of our Discipline nor the true managing of the Horse as we have yet all their purposes and intents in the use of their Charriots were to the same ends to which at this day our Horse are applyed To these Chariots belonged Colours or Ensignes of Martial Honour which were called Standards or Standarts or the Kings Emperial Trophie Indeed these were nothing so general as those on Foot but more precious and reserved as an Attribute only belonging to the King and not to any other These Standards were charged with the Kings Emperial Coat-Armour and usually born by a Prince or some man of high place and dignity the imitation whereof we still pursue and follow at this day giving it a superiority above all other Ensignes After the use of Chariots was found out the use of Elephants a warlike beast and of all other the strongest for these cerried cartain little artificial Houses in the form of Castles on their backs in which were some few experienced Souldiers 〈◊〉 with warlike Ensignes and weapons by which they overthrew the Foot Compâ—â—â— and made passage through them in despight of all opposition as you shall read in the History of Porus King of India Not long after the Exercise of Elephants was found out the use of the single Horse in those Countries where Horses were most frequent as in Arabia Parthia Persia and Scythia for the Asian parts in Barbary Egypt and Carthage for the parts of Africa and with us in Europe in Russia Muscovia Poland Hungary Italie but principally and above all the rest in France who were accounted in antient time the flower of warlike Horsemen both in number and discipline therefore from them hath been taken our Authority and examples But now I conceive we may not go so far for either referring for satisfaction to the present mode of Discipline in England for his Majesties Horse now in Command it is thought none can exceed them I have read of a Guydon used with the light Horse in former times Antiquity tells us of Gentlemen at Armes Launciers and light Horsemen In the old Wars the Gentlemen at Armes belonged to the Kings own person or in his absence to his General only And the Empresa of honour that they followed was the Kings Standard Royall being Damask and charged with his Coat-Armour The Launciers they had their Cornet to follow which had Devices in them according to their commanders pleasures And then the Light-hors-men had their Guydon which was somewhat long and sharp at the end but with a slit which made it double pointed much like to our late Dragooners but for these Guydons I need not stand upon only to shew all along there were Horse Colours as Ensignes of honour used And now the Cornets being most in use with us in England for the Horse service I need not decypher the length or breadth of them CHAP. IV. Of the Dignitie of Ensigns 1. THe Dignitie and estimation of Ensignes in all ages hath been held most Venerable and worthy they have been esteemed the glory of the Captain and his company and indeed they are no less for where they perish with disgrace there the Captains honour faileth and the Souldier's in hazzard of Ruine for if the loss proceed either from their Cowardice or misgovernment it hath been death by the law of Armes to all that survive and the best mercy that can be expected is that every Souldier shall draw a lot for his life file by file so that one out of every file perisheth for it 2. The next Dignitie of the Ensign is that every Souldier as soon as he is inrolled and hath received either pay or impress they antiently took a solemne Oath to be faithful to their Colours to attend them carefully and to defend them valiantly And that upon all summons of the Trumpet or Drum or Command of their Officers to repair to
were but once suffered to land and have firm footing Which imagination groweth for want of skill and judgment in Martial actions and therefore we seek to prevent that by a desperate and disorderly fight which we might more safely remedy by a defensive and less dangerous course as may appear by the examples of a weak Ship and a battered Town which both by suffering themselves to be entered and assaulted the one by her close fights the other by new intrenchments do give the entered Enemy the greater foyle even then when they think themselves possest of all Besides a King that is in his own Country may be supplied with infinite Numbers of Pioniers who in few hours may rear earth works to triple his force against an Invadour as is well known to him that is a Souldier whereof he should be utterly deprived by that most barbarous custome heretofore used and yet maintained I mean of that disorderly running down to the Sea side to give an Invading Enemy battel at his first landing What reason had Spain to attempt the Conquest and subversion of this Realm but that they presumed The only hope of an invador is to prevaile by Battel we would assuredly rely upon our old Custom of giving them Battel at their landing which if we should do there would be great likelihood first that we should lose the same and next having lost the Battel I fear that the subversion of this famous Island would ensue For an aspiring King that hath a great faction within a Contry may presume beforehand to carry the same if he be assured that the people thereof will give him battel at his first landing Therfore if you will avoid an Invasion and the danger of a Conquest let it be known to the world that it is an error whereby you might imbrace those advantages and the benefit that our Country affords and you shall undoubtedly avoid the trouble of the first and be free from the danger of the last Scanderbegg against the Turk We read that Scanderbegge never theless that he expected the Invasion of so puissant an Enemy as was the Turk thought it not good to leave any great Army of Force to give him Battel but only certain select bands or Companies of Foot with Troops of Horse the foot too lightly armed causing all the frontiers to withdraw themselves their Cattel Corn and Substance into the strong and fortyfied places of the Country did with such select forces face the Enemy on the frontiers by keeping of streights passages making suddain attempts in the night such other times as by Spies he found the Enemy careless and so with a few people or small force by time famine and expences he wearied the Enemy and caused him to retire that otherwise in Battel might have gotten the victory and so in short time commanded the whole Country Wherefore I would not wish any Prince to adventure his Kingdom that way unless he be weary of the same Battel being the only thing for an Invadour to seek and on the contrary for the invaded to avoid and shun for the one doth hazzard but his people and hath a lot to win a Kingdom and the other in losing of the Battel endangereth his Crown The Opponent disalloweth of a confused disorderly running down to the Sea side and yet would fight with them in their landing which is a thing impossible For if you tarry time to put men in order which you must of necessity do by reason of the Countries slack assembly then will the Enemy land in the mean time and frustrate your purpose unless you were made acquainted long beforehand when and where he intended to land and where you may make your supposed Trenches you have declared to lodge your men in There be some also that conceive a great advantage of the Enemies weakness coming from the Sea and of their landing out of Boates disorderly which when it shall happen to come to trial it will easily appear how far they are deceived of both for who knoweth not that even all men coming near the shore and smelling land become well and sound again of their Sea sickness Also what numbers of men will be landed at one instant in Boats Gallies and other Vessels of small draught and that safe enough those that have been imployed in like actions can testifie And as touching Rocks Shelves contrary Winds c. which is said may fight for us we must not build upon such uncertainties for an Enemy will beforehand so set down and lay his plot where he will make his descent as that none of all those accidents shall give any impedement to the same What other advantages our Country men may have either of their Courage or goodness of their cause Strength and courage availeth much being joyned with skill and order to dispose of them without knowledge and order how to dispose thereof will rather be an occasion of their overthrow than means of the Victory But especially a few to fight against many disordered against ordered Countrey men against experienced Souldiers the odds that the Enemy hath of you therein will be much greater than your imagined advantages And albeit that I confess our Country men have a shew of desire to fight as having as great natural help of strength courage and ability as any other Nation yet can it not be denied but that in the Artificial we must needs be defective for want of use and Practice therefore not to be suffered to run down to the Sea side in that confused and accustomed manner unless it might be done with a compleat number of choyce men conducted by a skilful leader that knoweth how to make his fight upon the best advantages and to retire them orderly again to their least hurt and discouragement otherwse I do altogether disallow of that general repair to the Sea side But rather to make your assemblies five or six miles distant with all your Foot forces and to attend them in the plaines with your Horse for whatsoever men resolve with themselves before hand and what minds soever they may seem to put on when they shall be driven to make their wayes through the vollies of shot having never been acquainted with the game before it may either make them pinch courtesie through the strangeness thereof or at least having tasted of that sauce and finding it bitter may spread rumours to discourage a whole Army for oftentimes the same and bruite of a repulse maketh others as fearful that but hear of it as those that have been in the Action and born the blows themselves How unlikely then it is that you should profit your selves by that means or impeach your Enemy may easily appear But let us come to examples for it is not sufficient to say by experience of former invasions c. not alledging any Where can it be remembered that a strong Enemy proffering to land hath been prevented by the Frontier forces I
his fortune yet what is the common voice of the Country which heat and fury as it riseth suddainly so may it be cooled quickly again But that which increaseth and confirmeth courage best and maketh men resolute and constant indeed is when they shall see themselves accompanied with numbers able to resist instructed with knowledge how to use their armes and weapons and fortified with order to be able to withstand and repel an Enemy This is it which will make a coward valiant For as one saith the fierce and disordered men are much weaker than the fearful and ordered for that order expelleth fear from men and in the end disorder abateth fierceness so then it is not fury that prevaileth in War but good discipline and order The chief scope is to perswade a restraint of the violent and disorderly running down of the Country to the Sea side to fight and give Battel to the Enemy at his landing after the old custome shewing the danger and inconvenience that may follow And for the other part it is granted by all that it is perilous for a defendant Prince to hazzard his Crown at a Battel and more dangerous for men untrained to encounter expert disciplin'd Souldiers Put the case that Battel be given and loss received then if we have no strong Towns adjacent to give the Enemy stop to make head and rally again it will prove most perilous to us Therefore moderately it may be concluded dangerous unless advantage might be obtain'd for any Prince to give an invading Enemy Battel And here by the way occasion being offered to speak of strong Towns some there be of that opinion that a Country well peopled that hath no or few strong Towns is in less danger of conquest than that Realm that hath many because say they an Enemy cannot any way nestle himself but that you may at all times force him to Battel at your pleasure To that may be answered that a Battel being the thing that an invadour is most desirous of and which a defendant ought to shun your strong Towns in that case are most available for the defendant Prince in his own Country against an Invador because he may onely with one strong Town weary an Invadours Army and consume it especially if he be but able with a small force to encamp near his Town besieged for the Invador is thereby restrained from assaulting the same for fear the defendants Camp should assail him in the mean time The which worketh all for the defendant in winning of time to the weakning and ruin of his Enemies Army the date whereof as by daily experience is found is not above twelve or thirteen weeks continuance so as your strong Towns avail wholly for the defendant In our late Wars and are dangerous only in Civil and Intestine Wars for that such Towns revolting work the like contrary effect against their Lord and Master as they did before for him for examples presidents of this you may behold what the strong holds of France and the Low Countries and England it self did against their Lords and Soveraignes Insomuch as we may truly say of them They are a dangerous good Wherefore I think it matter of Joy to all loyal hearts that our most Gracious Soveraign hath a Kingdom so well replenished with a warlike people whereby to be enabled at all times to front and give a stop to an Enemy Invadour And as touching a rebellious number I hope we shall never doubt or fear them as long as they shall want skillful leaders and Governours to direct them pay armour Munition and other necessaries to uphold them wherewith His now most Royal Majesty is plentifully furnished the want whereof shall force Rebels in a few dayes to disperse themselves who being once broken may presently be followed in gross in such sort as they shall never be able to assemble and make head again And what leader of skill and judgement will undertake such an enterprize in these dayes and not forecast that a power and force assembled cannot long stand without rich and strong Towns to supply their wants or at leastwise without so much as is requisite to retain and keep an Army together in due order and obedience without which there can grow nothing but confusion and ruin be their numbers never so great THE CONTENTS For the service of the Horse Chapt. 1 Introductive Collections for the exercise of the young Souldier in the Art Military folio 1 Chap. 2. Of the Souldier and Officers in general 4 Chap. 3. Of Arming the Cavalry 7 Chap. 4. Of Military signs 9 Chap. 5. Of marching and drawing up of a Troop of Horse 10 Chap. 6. Of exercising a Troop as armed with Carabine and Pistol 13 Chap. 7. Of Distance 15 Chap. 8. Of Motions 16 Chap. 9. Of firings 21 Chap. 10. The conlusion for the Horse Service 23 For the service of the Foot Chap. 1. By way of introduction 33 Chap. 2. Of the postures of the Pike and of the Musquet 34 37 Chap. 3. Of places and dignities both of files and ranks Some Objections answered in dignities c. 40 43 Chap. 4. Of the Drum 45 Chap. 5. Of distances ibid Read Chap. 7. for the Horse Service Chap. 6. Of Marching and drawing up of a Company Decyphering their Dignities in place 48 49 Chap. 6. Of Facings 50 Chap 7. Of doublings 53 How the Front is strengthned 1. By intire doublings of Ranks 54 2. By Bringers up 57 3. By half files 58 4. By divisional wheelings 61 Chap. 8. Shewing that several Commands produce one and the same figure 63 Chap. 9. How the Reer may be strengthned 65 Chap. 10. How the Flanks are to be strengthened 1. By Files 67 2. By half ranks 72 3. By divisional doublings 77 4. By Wheelings 78 Chap. 11. Shewing how that several Commands produce one and the same figure 81 Chap. 12. Treating of Inversion 1. Of files filing 84 2. Of Ranks filing 90 Chap. 13. Of Conversion c. 93 Chap. 14. Shewing also their several commands producing one and the same figure 106 Chap. 15. Of Countermarches 110 1. Of maintaining ground 111 2. Of losing ground 115 3. Of gaining ground 122 Chap. 16. Of Wheelings 127 Chap. 17. Of file leaders to be made successively six deep 136 Chap. 18. Of firings and firing in the Front 137 Chap. 19. Of firing in the Front and Reer and Reer alone 151 Chap. 20. Of firings in the flanks 153 Chap. 21. Of divisional firings 160 Chap. 22. An excuse for not proceeding farther 169 Chap. 23. Shewing the Necessity of exercise of arms with their Antiquity ibid. Chap. 24. The Conclusion 174 Chap. 1. The Original and being of Ensigns and Colours 175 Chap. 2. The definition of Ensignes 177 Chap. 3. Of Horse and Horse Colours 179 Chap. 4. Of the dignity of Ensignes 180 Chap. 5. The disgraces to the Ensigne 182 Chap. 6. The use of the Ensigne with the postures and flourishes 184 Sir Francis