Animadversion.

IF the Major forme onlie the front of the Baitaillon, who formes the Reare, the wings, and the middle of the Battaillon? And since this Author exeems the Major from the care of the Pikes, I conceave he may with very much case forme the whole Bodie of the Muskereers, and perhaps the Author intended it so, bot then, I say, he hath worded it ill, in calling it the front of the Battaillon, for a Battaillon is a Bodie consisting of severall parts. If any say by the front of the Battaillon he means, The Musketeers, and by the Reare the Pikemen, I can not be satisfied with that answere, because the Musketeers of a Regiment drawne up in a Bodie by themselvs, make a Battaillon apart, and so doe the Pikemen another Battaillon, each wherof hath a front and a reare, till they be joynd in one Bodie, and then they make indeed, bot one Battaillon.

In the nixt place, I say, An Ayde Major, or Regiment Adjutant is not to be found everie where, thogh the French have him, neither is his Office or his helpe either so requisite or so necessare in the marshalling a Battaillon, as this section of the exercise seems to import. I am so charitable as to beleeve that, there is none of the Field Officers of a Regiment, Colonell, Lieurenant Colo­nell, or Major, bot may forme and draw vp a Regiment or Battaillon without helpe, if they doe bot indifferentlie understand their charges, and if any of [Page 5]themselvs be askd the question, I presume, nothing bot modestie will move them to contradict me.

Animadversion.

SIr, you say well, sixe deepe in file, in regard it hath beene appointed to be so of a long time by two of the most Christian Kings, for thogh the French be liberall enough to lend fashions to other nations, yet they have beene con­tent to borrow this from a colder Climate then their owne. But since ten deepe was the custome of old, and sixe deepe is now the custome, how come you to introduce an exercise, that can neither be performd by the one nor the other? Doe not you heerby reflect on all these famous Generalls both of your owne & other nations, who by makeing their Infanterie either ten or sixe deepe, bard entrance to this Quarter file exercise of yours, which you now bring with so much pompe vpon the stage? For my part I think, if ever any fancy of it en­terd their heads, they have lookd on the Theorie therof as losse of time, and the practise of it as pure fopperie. Nay, who knows, bot some of them have thought that to draw up a Battaillon sixteene deepe, and exercise it by halfe Quarter files, might be a suteable object of an Idle mans speculation. But assu­redlie, never one of them conceavd it to be either necessare or convenient for this toy of yours, to make so great an alteration, as to change the deepth of their Battaillons, which in all armies belonging to one Prince, or one State, sould be constantlie one and the same. And, Sir, to cry up the singularitie of your de­vice, I shall tell you, that the antient Groecians drew vp their foot Battaillons sometimes eight, sometimes sixteene in file, yet had not so nimble wits as to exercise by quarter files. To come to our own times, The great Earle of Strafford orderd his Majesties Infanterie in Ireland to be eight deep in file, which certainlie so judicious a person, as he was knowne to be, did for good reasons, if one wherof had beene to exercise by quarter files, he had lost perhaps much of that reputation of militarie skill, which fame hath so bountifullie bestoud vpon him.

Sir, in this place, you appoint the Companies to be sixe deep before they come to the Field, and in another place you order the files to be made eight deepe, when they are in the Field. Bot since you must exercise sometimes at sixe deepe, and since you will exercise sometimes at eight deepe; I shall make no bones to tell you, that it will be much more convenient to exercise your foot, one day at sixe deepe, and another day, at eight deepe, then to put your [Page 6]Captaines to a double labour in one day, first to make their Companies sixe deep, before they come to the Field, and then eight deepe before they goe out of the Field. For to change the deepth of files in the Field purposlie for quar­ter file exercise, is not so easie a worke, as perhaps you at first imagine it to be, my reason is this. In a file of sixe deepe you have bot three leading men, these be, The Leader of the file, The Leader of the halfe file, and the Bringer up of the file. In a file of eight deepe when you are to exercise by quarter files, you have foure Leaders, and foure Bringers up, for divide a file of eight men in quarters, there will be in each quarter a Leader, and a Bringer up, these must be leasurlie chosen as fit persons to obey the words of command of that harsh exercise, which needs not be so punctuallie done in exercises at sixe deepe. Now the stations of these files at eight deepe cannot constantlie be keepd by the same men, because of sicknes, forloss, and many other accidents which may withdraw them for a time, and their stations being changd, or other men put in their roomes, you shall not misse to meet with an embarras, the danger wherof yow need not feare in exerciseing at fixe deepe in file, it being neither so knottie nor difficill as the other.

Animadversion.

THe Author tells vs not, whether the Officers shall cary their Pikes shoul­derd, as the Spaniards doe, or comported as the French used to doe. Nor shall I tell my opinion, whether Pikes, halfe Pikes, Pertisanes, or Canes be most proper for Commissionated Officers. Onlie I shall desire the Lieutenants to take notice, that this Master, fixes them all with the Pikes, whether in the front or reare of them, makes no matter.

Animadversion.

ONe of the hardest lessans ever I red. As it is worded, I shall never reach the meaning of it. Companies; which the Author himself acknowledgeth [Page 7]to consist of both Muskets and Pikes, shall passe on the left wing of the Pikes. Dura Dictio, who can understand it? Companies, which consist of Pikes and Muskets, shall in the first place leave their Pikes in the Field of batle, First, a Companie is no more a Companie, bot a part of a Companie, when the Pikes are left behind. Nixt, how can the Pikes be left in the Field of batle, since that must of necessitie be the Field of batle, where both Muskets and Pikes of the whole Regiment are formd in one Battaillon. Bot take head. Muskets shall pursue their march, till they have joynd the front of their Muskets. Where are we now? O, for an Interpreter, I am affrayd, The Printer hath wrongd both the Author and the Translator. Must Muskets or Musketeers pursue their march till they joyne the front of their Muskets? O Sence, where art Thou? In what corner of this Paragraph hath thou hid thy selfe? I am sure, I cannot find the. Bot lest we offer to wrong the Author, let vs heare him speake in his owne language, Both in his generall and particular Exercise of the Infanterie, he hath these formall words. Les Compagnies arrivants dans le Champ de Battaille, desileront consecutivement, & iront passer sur l'aisle gauche des Piques, & auparavant laisseront leurs Piques dans le Champ de battaille, & les Mousquets suivront le front des Mousquets. It is not in my power to English this otherwise, as the Translator hath done. Yet I wold gladlie be so just to the Author, as to thinke, his mean­ing were this: When the Companies arrives at the place of Battoll, they shall leave their Pikes behind at that distance spoke of, (to wit, twentie paces) and the Musketeers shall march, these of one Companie after another, on the left hand of the Pikes still forward, till they come to the place appointed by the Major for the front of the Muskets. And when all this is done, we may aske, why may not the Musketeers of each Companie leave their Pikes and march straight in a direct line to the place appointed for them, and not be obliged to march in an oblique line vpon the left wing of the Pikes, but more of this heer-after.

Animadversion.

NOr is this Paragraph renderd so smooth, as it sould be, or, as I thinke, as it might be, for assuredlie the Adjutant must not face the Pikes by Demi­rankes, bot by whole rankes, and the Muskets by the left hand Demiranke, the whole Pikes to the right hand, and the Demiranke of the Muskets to the left hand, that, so by the word of command, March, they may interchargablie take vp one anothers place, for so I vnderstand the Author, when he says, It sera saire (a scavoir, l'Aide Major) a gauche au Demirang de lagauche des Mou­quets, & an droict, aux Picques. The Adjutant (says he) shall make the left De­miranke of the Muskets face to the left, and the whole Pikes to the right, and then by a command, march, &c.

But, let the translation be as it will, To the thing it selfe, I say, that in form­ing a Battaillon consisting of two wings of Musketeers, and one Bodie of Pikes, any of the ordinare ways vsed formerlie seemes to me as formall, & more easie, as the way prescrivd by this French Author. And when the Major hath drawne the Musketeers in one Bodie, And the Adjutant the Pikemen in another twentie paces behind the muskets, according to the Anthors direction, I shall, by his permission, say, the Pikes may joyne the Battaillon of muskets, with seuer words of command, in a shorter time, and with lesse trouble and embarras, then by the way mentiond by the Author.

I say, with fewer words of command, thus. The Author will have the Pikes to march in foure severall Divisions (for so I vnderstand his quarter rankes) and this requires foure severall words of command, for to everie quarter ranke he must say, march. When the Pikes have marchd to the left hand of the muskets (for there the Author will needs have them to be) They must face to the right hand, and that requires the fifth word of command. Immediatlie after the halfe of the muskets must be orderd to face to the left hand, and that is the sixth word of command. Then the halfe Bodie of muskets, and the whole Bodie of pikes must march, or rather countermarch to take vp enterchangeablie one an­others ground, that is the seventh word, And lastlie when muskets and pikes have changd their grounds, they must be orderd to face, as they were, and that will be the eight word of command. Bot I say foure words may serve the turne first, let the halfe ranks of muskets face to the left hand, that is one, nixt, let that halfe ranke of muskets march, till there be a competent Intervall made be­tueene it, and the other Demiranke of muskets, to receave the pikes, that is the second word; thirdlie, order the pikes to march all in one entire Bodie from the reare, and take vp that Intervall, that will be the third word of command; lastlie, cause the forsaid Demiranke of muskets face as it was, and that is the fourth word of command; and then your Battaillon is formd without more words.

Secondlie, I say, in a shorter time, as thus: To march in a whole bodie is a worke of quicker dispatch by three parts of foure, then to march in foure se­verall Bodies or quarter ranks, as the Author orders the pikes to doe, before they joyne the musketeers. Secondlie, a bodie greater or smaller, will twice as soon march twenty paces in a straight and parallel line, then fortie perhaps fiftie in an oblique or croocked line, as these pikes must doe, which stand twen­tie paces behind the Battaillon of muskets, and must march to the left hand of them. Now, the Author in this section says, without loosing time, therfor it is, that I propose a way that looseth lesse time, then this way of his.

Thirdlie, I say, The Battaillon of muskets standing in one Bodie, and the pikes in another twentie paces behind the other, (as the Author appointeth them to be.) The pikes may be receavd in the middle of the Battaillon of mus­kets with much lesse trouble and embarras, then by the way prescrivd by the Author, thus: Let the Demirank of the Battaillon of muskets face and march to the left hand, (leaving the right Demirank standing firme) and so make an Intervall, this is done without any embarras at all, nixt let the whole Bodie of the Pikes advance at one time, and take up that intervall, and this is likewise done without any embarras. Thirdlie, the Demirank of muskets, which did face and march to the left hand, being commanded to face as they were, doe it also without any embarras at all. Bot when the Pikes that stand on the left hand of the whole Battaillon of muskets, and the left Demirank of the muskets are orderd to face one to another, and then by a Countermarch to take up one an­others ground, there will be some shouldering, some justling, and some clash­ing of armes, even among the best trained Soldiers, and that I call, Embarras.

The French Kings Officers are obliged by this Section to marshall their Re­giments according to its prescriptions, and no other way, Bot these Officers & Drill-masters who receave no French pay, may try either this way of the Au­thor, or the good old way, or a third, if they please, and then retaine any of them, they find most convenient for themselves, and most easie for their Soldiers.

Lastlie, This Author requires a Sergant to be at the wing of each Division, to prevent their falsifying. Observe here, that a Regiment standing in Battel, there are two divisions of muskets, and one of pikes; Two Sergants being re­quired to attend each division, will be sixe that are appointed for that dutie, In my observation upon the nixt section, we shall see how the rest of the Ser­gants are disposed of.

Animadversion.

I Never had so strong a conceit of the usefulness of a Lieutenant in a Compa­nie, or a Lieutenant Collonel in a Regiment, that I need care, where this French Gentleman place the Lieutenants, whether with the Pikes or the Mus­kets, In the front or the reare, nor should I be much troubled, if in imitation of a wise and a warlike Nation, he should banish them for ever out of all his Bat­taillons; Bot indeed, I am astonished to fee him make Lieutenants Ubiquita­ries, for in the sixth section of the way to forme a Battaillon, (as I have obser­ved) he appoints the Lieutenants to be in the reare of the pikes, if there be En­signeys, and in the front of the pikes, if there be no Ensigneys, and consequent­lie still with the pikes, either in front or reare whether there be Ensigneys or not, Now in this section which I last cited, he orders one of the Lieutenants to be in the reare of the first division of muskets, and another Lieutenant to be in the reare of the second division of muskets. Can two Lieutenants be with the muskets, if all the Lieutenants be with the pikes, unless a Lieutenant can be in two places at one time? If it be said, the Lieutenants are to be with the pikes, when the Battaillon is forming, bot when it is formed, they may be otherwise disposed of, to shun contest, I am content to be so charitable (though I see no reason for it) to beleeve the Author meant so, bot then I say, why takes he so much notice of the first and last Lieutenants, and tells us nothing where the rest of them shall have their stations, whether still with the pikes (which most pro­bablie he meanes) or some more of them then two with the muskets, (which most rationallie he sould have meant) or that he leaves the rest, except these two, to be individua vaga, to wander where they please. And indeed, though he doe so with all of them, I am sure I shall not fall out with him for the matter.

In the nixt place, I desire it may be rememberd, that in the eight section of the way to forme Battaillons, the Author requires a Sergant to be at the wing of each division, which, in my animadversion on that section, I reckond to be sixe, in this section he requires the halfe of the Sergants to be with an Ensigney in the reare of the Pikes, Now let us suppose there be in one Regiment ten Companies, these have twentie Sergants allowd them, of these the Author takes the halfe, to wit ten, and placeth them in the reare of the Pikes, and sixe on the wings of three Divisions, this is in all sixe teene, there remaines then bot foure of the twentie to attend the reare of the Musketeers, which being twice as nu­merous as the Pikes, makes this Division of the stations of Sergants very dis­proportionable Sergants formerlie were obliged onlie to attend the wings, Bot [Page 11]if the Author doth allow as he doth, Sergants to be in the reare as well as on the wings, I shall agree with him, for I have oft wonderd, why so necessare an Offi­cer as a Sergant, sould be pind to the flanks, as I have seene too oft practisd, Bot I will still dissent from him in allowing so many Sergants for the reare of the Pikes, and so few for the reare of the Muskets, till he make it appeare, that Pikemen may break their ranks, bot Musketeers cannot,

Animadversion.

IF he meane on the right and left hands of the whole Battaillon or Regi­ment, I would gladlie know, what they sould doe there? I sould thinke it most consonant to reason (not to speake of practise) that when a Battaillon, Brigad, or Regiment is formd, everie Officer (among whom Drummers ordi­narlie are reckond) sould have his station assignd him in that place, where he can doe best service, whether they be to fight, or to march, Bot to what use Drums shall serve either on the right or left hands of the whole Battaillon, and in no other place, when they are either to fight or to march, is a thing not so easilie understood. Bot if the Author meane, that Drums shall be placed on the right hand and the left, onlie so long as the Battaillon is Exercising; I say, he was obliged to tell us, at what distance on the right and left hand the Drums sould have their stations, for I am sure, The French Drill-masters will confesse, that there be some motions of Exercise, which will not suffer either Drummers or other people to be within a great distance of either right or left hand of the whole Battaillon. As when halfe files are commanded either by halfe File-lea­ders, or Bringers up of whole files to double the front of the Battaillon Entire, or to the right and left hand by Division, when this word of command is obeyd, the Battaillon possesseth in front twice as much ground as it did before, bot these halfe files can not performe this, till they chace the Drums a great way from both the right and left wings of the Battaillon.

Bot, before I part with this head of forming a Battaillon, I shall take leave, to say, that I conceave, The Author hath not said so much on it, as he might, at least, not so much as he sould, and consequentlie that his rules concerning it are Defective, and because I am obliged to give reasons for my opinion, I offer these first, he hath not told us, what Companie sould have the precedencie of ano­ther, that is, where the Lieutenant Collonels Musketeers and Pikes sould stand, (for I suppose he allows the Collonels the right hand) where the Majors, where [Page 12]the oldest Captaines, where the youngest, and where the rest, that everie one of them may have their due according to their prioritie. This is a point, wher­in there is neither custome nor law of warre universallie observed, it being va­riable according to the pleasure of the Prince or State, who wageth the warre, or of their Generalls who mannageth it. Secondlie, he has not assignd to eve­rie Officer belonging to the Battaillon their proper stations, for thogh it may be soone knowne, where the Officers of a private Companie fould stand, so long as it is a Companie apart, yet when the several Companies are incorpora­ted in one Bodie, the stations of the Officers are sensible changed, as any who never saw a Battaillon bot in paper, may easilie understand. All he hath done in this so necessare a point, is to tell us, where the Ensigneys, Sergants and Drums, and the Lieutenants sould be, and that in so confusd and unintelligible a way (as I have demonstrated) that he might better have said no more of them, then he hath done of the Captaines, and the three Field Officers. Nor doe I ima­gine, any man will be so litle the Authors friend, as to say, he needed not speake of these two points, because they are knowne in the French Armies, for by that reason he might have held his peace of very many things mentiond by him in his Booke, which were not onlie knowne in France, bot in most places of Chri­stendome, long before his Grand-father was borne.

To support these reasons given for my opinion, I shall say further, that a Battaillon, Regiment or Brigad (or give it what name else you please) is formd for one of foure reasons. These are, either to be lookd upon and viewd by a Prince, a General, or some great Personage, or to fight, or to march, or to Exercise. In the first case it is very proper and convenient, that everie Companie be placed according to its prioritie, and everie Officer have his sta­tion assignd him according to his Dignitie. In the three last cases, those two points are not onlie convenient, bot purlie necessare. And therfor I conclude, a Battaillon is not formd; or not formd as it sould be, where any of these two things are either omitted or forgot. The Author haveing with many niceties formd his Battaillon, as you have seene, proceeds thus.

Animadversion.

AFter so much pains in this general Exercise, in giveing us so many motions many old, and many new, to repeate most of them (except doubling by [Page 13]quarter ranks & quarter files) in the particular exercise of the foot, can be done, as I conjecture, for no other reason, bot that in the first he gives us these he thinkes most convenient, and in the second these he conceaves most necessare; bot why either the one or other, let us a litle examine.

To place some files of Halberdeers or Pertisaners on the flankes of the Mus­keteers, is no doubt of excellent use, for in our ordinarie Battaillons the firemen ly open on their wings to the Impression of any Cavallerie, especiallie Curaseers, Bot our Author sould have appointed them to be stronglie armed for the Defen­sive, otherwise Pistolls will reach them, before the Horse come within reach of their Halberds. Bot, I thinke, he is more to blame, for not telling us, how many files of these Halberdeers are needfull: Nor can he be excused for giveing com­mand to draw out the files of Halberdeers to be placed on the wings of the Bat­taillon, without telling us from whence, or from what place they sould be drawn. We know not, for any thing he says, where these Halberdeers are, Bot since he permits us to guesse, I conjecture that at first they must be with the Bodie of the Pikes, if so, may it not be asked, whether Pikemen will not serve the turne as well, and if that be granted, and the number of the files condiscended on, they may be sent from the Bodie to the wings by two commands; first, so many files of Pikes face to the right, and so many to the left. The second, march to the right and left wings of the Musketeers.

Animadversion.

WHen the Halberdeers have taken their ground on the wings, must the files of the Battaillon open? for what reason? To what purpose? I wold haue thought that the files of Halberdeers being drawn from the Bodie to the wings had left a voyd place, which was necessare to fill up by closeing the files, bot the opening them is a misterie, and a greater misterie to me it is, that they are commanded to open to three foot of distance. At what distance were they before? perhaps at close order, which ordinarilie is reckond to be one foot and a halfe, Bot this will not satisfie those who stand stronglie for all the Author says, in regard neither he nor they will be governd according to antient custome, & therfor I must come closer up to both him and them, & say, The files could not be at one foot & a half distance, because the Author orders them to be at 3. foot distance in the fourth section of forming his Battaillon, where he hath these expresse words. The Major or Adjutant must observe that the distance of [Page 14]files (when they are not exercising) is onlie halfe a pace distance, bot when they come to handle their armes or doublings, they must open to a whole pace; This shall not be contradicted by me. Bot in this section, which I now examine, the Author contradicts himselfe, in bidding the files open to three foot distance, which presupposeth them to have beene at a closer order, and this in the section cited by me, he doth not at all admit, That by a pace is meant sixe foot is cleare by the Translator, who in this section interprets that which the Author in French calls halfe a pace, to be three foot. Now, how files who were at no clo­ser order then three foot, shall open to three foot distance passeth my natural understanding. And thogh it sould be granted to the Author, that he is not obliged to any old forme of exercising, yet I think he is bound not to disagree from his owne forme.

Animadversion.

WHat all these commands serve for, I doe not know, since the most ne­cessarie one is omitted, both here and in the particular Exercise for the foot. And trulie if the French Musketeers forget to charge with ball, as well as this great Drill-master hath forgot to give a word of command for it, The most Christian Kings Enemies may have a cheape market of most of his In­fanterie,

In the nixt place, I can observe no new precepts for the Exercise of either Musket, or Pike, perhaps the former way of using or handling of both hath beene altered by the Author, and if so, he was obliged to set down his directions, and rules how to obey his new way, for without them, his owne Disciples may [Page 15]differ among themselves in the explanation of his new fangle way, as much, as Mahomets followers, Haly, Ebubequer, Homer, and Osman disagreed in the interpretation of their false Prophets new Doctrine.

His words for exercising the Musket were used by the French long agoe, and yet are by all, who have layd aside the Muskets rest, (for that requires an alte­ration) which, for any thing I know, is now universallie out of fashion, both because Muskets are made lighter, then at first they were, as likewise, because use (which Caesar calls rerum Magister) hath made them more mannagable. Bot before I goe further, let me speak a few words of Hand-guns.

Though the Musket and Pistoll have now got the preheminence over all o­ther Weapons both for Horse and Foot service, yet none of them are of an old invention. It is about 370. years or therby, since Swart the German Monke found out Gun-powder, the mother of all fire engines, after which in a little Intervall of time followd the invention of the severall kinds of Ordinance, nixt them Harquebuses of Croc, with longer and shorter Harquebuses for horsemen, and foot Soldiers. Muskets were not heard of (as many thinke) till the siege of Regium in Italie 250, years after the birth of powder. Bot for my part, I be­leeve they be not so old, because I find no mention of them in all these great Ar­mies of the Emperor Charles the fifth, Francis the first of France, and Henry the eighth of England, in the years 1530, 1536, and 1542, nay; nor in that brave Armie of Henry the second of France, wherwith he marched in Person into Ger­manie to assist the Dutch Princes against their master the Emperour, and that was in the year 1550. or therby. And which is more, Monluc the famous Mareshall of France in his Commentaries speaks bot of a very few Harquebuses for every French Companie of foot, and not one word of a Musket in the years 1330, and 1536, the Crossebow being then much used by the French, and the Longbow by the English. The Pistoll began to come in fashion in the raigns of James the fourth of Scotland, and Henry the eight of England. Bot to our purpose.

Animadversion.

IN his commands for exerciseing the Pike, I find litle or no alteration in most of his words from these used before his time, In the way how to obey these words, it may be he differ from others, bot he has not told it to us. I shall ad­vert to some things he hath omitted to tell us, bot before I doe it, it will not be impertinent to speake somthing of that ancient Weapon, the Pike.

The Pike is so old a Weapon, that the severall posturs of it have beene taught many ages a goe, we have most of our words of command for it from the Greekes. The Romanes made litle or no use of it. The Graecians in the days of old, did admirable feates with it, the Macedonians farre greater, and in later times, the Switsers have made themselvs formidable by it. The Graecian Pike for most part was eighteen foot long. The Macedonian one, was one and twen­tie foot in length. Our Europaean Pikes are ordinarlie reckond to be eighteene foot long, bot in many places they exceed not sixteene.

One hundreth and fiftie years agoe the Infanterie of our moderne Armies consisted mostlie of these who were armd with long Weapons, which the French calld Long-bois, in which were comprehended, Partisanes, Hallberds, Two-han­ded Swords, Axes with long handles, and especiallie Pikes, they who carryed them were stronglie armd for the Defensive, and were called the heavie armed. The Bowmen, Slingers, and Darters were called the light armed, in Latine, Velites. Bot Bows, Darts, and Slings, were chac'd away by Harquebuses, and when these began to be numerous, they who carryed them, were reckond to make the fourth part of the Infanterie, as at Vienna, when Charles the fifth expe­cted Soliman, his foot consisted of eightie thousand men, wherof twentie thou­sand were Harquebusiers, the other sixtie thousand were all armd with long Weapons of severall kinds. Bot after Muskets made a noise in the World, they chac'd away Harquebuses, and they who carryed them challengd the third part of the foot to belong to them, and not contented with that, In a short time, they would be halfe play makers, nor did they stop there, for now Universallie, Mus­keteers make two parts of three of the Infanterie, and in some places I have seene the Musket usurpe the sole soveraigntie of all Weapons in foot Battaillons, ba­nishing the Pike absolutlie, not one wherof I could see in many Regiments.

Animadversion.

THat which the Author calls present your Pike, The Translator all along renders it, Charge your Pike, how properlie, I can not tell. That which he says here, Charge to Horse, the originall hath it present the Pike to the Ca­vallerie, and it is like the Author intended not then to charge the Horse with Pikes, because he immediatlie subjoyns, draw your Sword, which could not be done when the Pikemen chargd, Bot my worke is with the Author, not with [Page 17]the Translator. Therfor I say, This French Gentleman doth not tell us in what posture the Pike sould be presented to the Cavallerie, or how the Pikemen sould draw their Swords, both which he was obliged to doe. If Pikes be presented with both hands, how can these who present them draw their Swords? Perhaps with their teeth. The antient custome was, to foot their Pikes, and draw their Swords over their left arms, Bot whether this Author, means this or another way, who can Divine, since in it, as in many things else, he is so superciliouslie reservd? Practise indeed, hath taught that posture of putting the but of the Pike to the right foot, holding the shaft of it with the left hand, and drawing the Sword with the right, to be too weak to endure the Schock of Horse, especiallie Seus d'armes, and therfor many have thought, that a Bodie of Pikes haveing its ranks and files at close order, presenting their armes at a steadie posture, without drawing Swords is fittest to resist a Cavallerie. Bot, whether, This Gentleman hath brought backe the old custome, or invented a new one, we know not, if he had pleasd to speake out his mind, any may to present Pikes and draw Swords at one time, wold have got followers, as well as other French fashions doe.

Animadversion.

THe Author haveing taught us the exercise of Musket and Pike, doth at full length teach us Faceings, Doublings, Counter-marches, and conversions, he wold have taught us better, if he had instructed us how, and in what manner we sould obey some of his new commands. I shall say here in the generall, that 64. or 65. years agoe another French Gentleman Louis de Montgomerie, Lord of Carbousin, wrote of all necessare motions of exercise for Bodies of either Pikes or Muskets, or both, which was done, no doubt, by many, before he could draw a Sword, and by many, since he went to another World.

Bot I shall not offer to wrong this Author, with whom I have to doe, to think, he imagind all the motions and evolutions he speaks of, to be necessare, it seems to me, he thinks not so, because, when he hath done with his general Exercise, he gives us a particular Exercise for the foot, which he calls necessare and ordi­nare in encounters, Then what are all those mentiond in the general exercise and not in the particular one, if they be not necessare? Certainlie he asserts them to be at least fitting, and convenient. Whether all of them be so or not, requires some consideration.

The various and diverfieing alterations of the Authors doublings by Leaders of files, Leaders of halfe files, and Bringers up of whole files, by whole rankes, halfe rankes, and quarter rankes, to the front and the reare, of these of the mid­dle to the wings, and of the wings to the middle (which middle, The Transla­tor renders constantlie, The Center, I hope not a Geometricall one) and both of them Inwards, are, in may be, all of them prettie for show, bot not the halfe of them for use. As to the conveniencie of them, let it be considerd, that those of them that are most for use, are most easie for the Drill-master to teach, and the Souldiers to learne, wheras these that are meerlie for show, are more difficill both to teach and to learn.

As to the Exercise by quarter files, I suppose, these Officers who understand it, or thinke they doe so, will find worke enough to instruct their Souldiers in it, and certainlie much time will be spent, before they make them capable to obey readilie and perfectlie the severall commands, that belong to it. How lit­tle it serves for use, may be known by this, that you must alter the deepth of your battell, before you can practise it, and the Author himselfe tells you, the Battaillon must be eight deepe, the reason is cleare, because the quarter of that file, which is composd of sixe men, is one and a halfe, and Drill-masters must not be permitted to devide a man in two halfes. To prove, that this Exercise by quarter files can not be made use of before an Enemie, thogh he be at a great di­stance, will be needless labour, for I suppose it will not be denyed by the Author himselfe or any of his Abettors, yea, I thinke, he tacitlie grants it, when he says nothing of it in his particular Exercise for the foot, where he speaks of things necessare and ordinare in encounters. And yet in former times it hath beene layd downe for a ground, that practise before an Enemie is the ultimate end of all mi­litarie Exercises. The antient Romans (a people that deserved imitation) exer­cisd their soldierie everie day summer and winter, yet everie point of their exer­cise was not onlie frequentlie bot punctuallie practisd before an enemie, which made the Jewish Historian Josephus say, that the militarie Exercises of the Ro­mans were bloodless Battels, and their Battels were bloodie Exercises.

This exercise by quarter files cannot be made use of, bot in these Bodies, the quarters of whose files terminats in an equall number of men, therfor you can not exercise by quarter files, when your file is ten deepe, as all the Infanterie of Europe was fiftie years agoe, because the fourth part of ten is two and a halfe, nor can you doe it, when your file is sixe deepe, as most, if not all Europaan foot now are, because the fourth part of sixe is one and a halfe, and yet both ten and sixe are equall numbers. Let it be a rule to those who exercise by quarter files, that, That equall number whose quarter terminats in an equall number, is a number proper for them, and onlie proper for them, such are, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, [Page 19]36, 40. Bot the nixt equall number to any of these will not serve their turne, a 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, and 38, because the quarters of all these terminates in an unequall and od number, or rather in a number and the halfe of an unite, as the quarter of 14, is 3 ½, the quarter of 22, is 5 ½, the quarter of 26, is 6 ½, and so of all the rest.

These who intend to make use of this exercise for show (for I hope, it pre­tends to nothing of necessitie) had need to keepe constantlie the same men in these same rankes and files, wherin they were, when they were first exercised that way, for if any of them be changd from their former stations, The Drill­master shall have a new worke to beginne againe with them. As by example, The first and second men in the file make one quarter of it, The third and fourth make the second quarter, The fifth and sixth make the third, and the seventh & eight make the fourth quarter of the file. Now, if the men who have stood (it may be) sixe or seven dayes in one and the same place of the file have cund som­thing of this abstruse Doctrine, that is lecturd to them, doe not change them or their stations, If you doe, your former labour is lost, you must beginne againe, because you have neither the Leaders nor followers of quarter files, that you had before. It is not so in the old and ordinare commands of exercise, the perfor­mance wherof is with much lesse difficultie. And trulie in this quarter-file exer­cise, as the Author descrives it, Officers wold not onlie be of a quick apprehen­sion to understand all the hard words of command used in it, bot they wold like­wise have very tenacious memories to retaine them, and these who have not, I sould advise to exercise by booke, bot then what shall become of the Souldiers that cannot read? And thogh they could, yet have no lessons writ for them how to obey these difficill commands. Indeed, I wold have lookd upon it, as a chari­table act of the Author, and yet no more as what he was bound to doe, both to have set down rules, how all his new orders sould be obeyed, and figures repre­senting them all to the eye. This, all Tacticks and Masters of exercise before him thought themselvs obligd to doe, In this he had done himselfe much right, for then he had not left the rarities of his Invention to be misunderstood by the weake apprehensions of vulgar capacities, who cannot reach his meaning. I pro­fesse ingenuouslie, that after some studie, I fancy I have the Ideas of these moti­ons or notions (call them which you will) in my head, bot nixt morning I am to seek them, nor can I find them, till I find my Booke, and then I must studie them de novo. Let other Officers, Drill-masters, and Souldiers have as much braine as they will, sure I am, they have got worke enough cut out for them. And that Reader of a Countrey Church who durst not hazard to read the names of Sha­drach, Meschah, and Abednego, for feare he sould not pronounce them distinct­lie, bot gravelie calld them the three Gentlemen with the difficill names, wold [Page 20]rather have quitted his office, then adventured either to give or receave these hard words of command, of this exercise. Take two of them for example. Quarter files in front and reare take care, To the right and left, Quarter files of the front and reare, double your ranks in front and reare upon the quarter files of the Center on the wings, March, march. And within a litle. Quarter files in the Center take heed to your selvs? To the right and left, Quarter files in the Center double your ranks in front and reare, on the quarter files of the front and reare, inwards. March, march. Certainlie, these words are so long & so harsh, that they require not onlie a nimble apprehension and a readie tongue, bot also good lungs, that they may be pronouned with one breath, and with a loud voice. And whether a readie obedience to them be very easie, if we can not judge, we may at least guesse, and hit right enough.

As to the conveniencie of much of this generall exercise, I desire to know, what conveniencie, what delight, what pleasure in a thing, that is very trouble­some to a Master to teach, more troublesome to a Schollar to learne, and of no use at all, when it is both taught and learnd? Exerciseing of Souldiers sould render to the lookers on an inward content of mind, to see their compatriots expert and readie in feats of armes to withstand and repell the violence of ma­lignant Neighbours, that wold disturbe their peace at home, bot litle content they can have, to heare an Officer command that which puzles his Soldiers so in the obedience, that he must be glad to bring them to the posture, As they were. Indeed, I confesse, it will be no small matter of ridiculous sport, to be­holders, who love to be merrie with a mischief, to see a desperate Drill-master, stampe, stare, sweare, looke like one frighted out of his wits, and behave him­selfe like a man something more then halfe mad, when, neither by words of his mouth, nods of his head, gesticulations of his bodie, nor grimaces of his face, he can get his Soldiers either one way or other to obey these com­mands, which most mercieleslie are imposed on the poor Drill-master himself to pronounce, without any methood or rules how to teach performance to his Soldiers; Just as, that inward sweet delight, which Spectators expect to enjoy by seeing Tragicall and Comicall events of by-gone times represented to the life before their eyes, is turnd to a loud and confused laughter, when these on the stage act their parts foolishlie, and impertinentlie, notwithstanding all the endeavors of the Master of the play, and the prompter to the contrarie. Bot it will not be amisse to examine one or two particulars of this generall exercise.

Animadversion.

IF any old Drill-master had been standing by the Author, when he commanded Demiranks to close to their files, he wold have concluded, that the nixt com­mand wold have been one of two, either to make a conversion, whole, halfe, or quarter, or for Demiranks to open to their former order. Bot this old Drill­master wold have been much deceived, for he sould have heard nothing of a con­version, nor sould he have heard Demiranks orderd to regaine their distances, till twelve commands were given and obeyd, Besides the word, March, fifteene times repeated. In his exercise by quarter files, he does worse, for there, after he hath orderd the files to close by Demiranks. He gives 33. words of command before he orders the Files to take up their former distances, beside the word, March, 47. times repeated. For my part, I am so shallow, that I cannot so much as conceive how a bodie of men can feasiblie, handsomlie, I had almost said possi­blie obey any one of these twelve commands when either Filos or rankes are at close order. The old rules of exercise required open order, or open open order, bot antient and approved customes are too weake barrs to confine this Authors unbounded conceptions, yet I thinke they sould be limited by his owne rule, which is, that when the Battaillon is exercised, The Files shall be at sixe foot di­stance

Animadversion.

WHat a strange sally is this? First with some trouble and some losse of time to alter the deepth of the Battailla to no other purpose bot to exer­cise by quarter files, and before he had given five commands concerning it, to runne full speed backe to the exercise by halfe files, which was sufficientlie done by him before, for in this place you shall heare him give these same commands, and in these same very words for ranks to be doubled in front and reare by halfe file Leaders, and halfe file Bringers up, that he gave, when the Battaillon was sixe deepe. Why this repetition? Is it to let us see, he can exercise by halfe files when the Battaillon is eight deepe, as well as when it is sixe deepe? Who doubts, bot he can doe it thogh the Battaillon be two and thirty deep? Is not then this exercise by halfe files out of purpose, and a litle impertinent, when he promi­seth Exercise by quarter files? And is not an ayrie repetition of these some things and words he had given us before, a Battologie? Unless there be a miste­rie in it, which I cannot comprehend, And yet I sould thinke, militarie Exercises sould not be misterious. I wish once more, that the Author or some of his Prose­lites wold write a Commentarie on this new Exercise of his.

Animadversion.

I Can hardlie be induced to believe that all that is containd in this particular Exercise be necessare, much lesse most necessare, or if some of them be used in encounters, I conceave, it must be done on extraordinarie occasions, and not or­dinarlie. Nor doe I imagine the French Generalls will be perswaded in any en­counter to double their files by either Demiranks of the wings, or yet Demi­ranks of the Bodie. If they doe, they have good lucke, if they put not their Battaillons in an inextricable confusion, then which an enemie can desire no fairer advantage.

As to that, that the Pikes sould charge at the same time, that the Musketeers make readie, the originall hath it, present their Pikes, which the Translator, (as I observd before) renders, charge, I know not, to what purpose, Pikes sould ei­ther present, or charge, when the Musketeers are either makeing readie, or gi­ving fire, unless they be comd within the length of their Pikes of an enemie, nor doe I thinke it convenient they sould, for it is neither a necessare nor an easie [Page 23]posture for Pikemen to keep their Pikes presented, the whole time they are ad­vancing towards an enemie, which I suppose both they and the firemen are bound to doe, thogh all that while the Musketeers are either making readie, or giving fire.

Animadversion.

THis way of doubling ranks mentiond here is done thus. The second ranke doubles the first, the fourth, the third, and the sixth doubles the fifth for what use this doubling serves, let these tell, who are more in love with it, then I am. Is it necessare and usefull in encounters? I trow not, nor am I bound to take this Gentlemans word for it. But waveing that question, I affirme, The Author hath committed two grosse errors in this one Paragraph. First by mentioning onlie this way of doubling ranks (after he had promisd to give us the Exercise of foot in things necessare and usefull) he prefers it to any other way of doubling ranks, wheras it may be done with more conveniencie and advantage by making either Leaders of halfe files, or Bringers up of files to double ranks. My reason is, because, thogh when by the last two ways ranks are doubled, the files of these ranks are at a closer distance, yet the ranks doubled keepe the same distance they had, bot by this way of the Author, not onlie files are at a closer distance, bot the ranks doubled are at twice as great distance, as they were before, and so the more unserviceable. The truth is, the most advantagious way to double ranks is to make the last three halfe files by right and left hand double the three rankes that stand before them. Entire, or, (as this Author calls it) on the wings, for therby, you not onlie keepe both your ranks and files at the same distance they were at before their doubling, bot also you possesse twice as much ground in front, as you did before your doubling. His second error is, that he orders ranks to dou­ble in the reare, which must be done thus. The first ranke doubles the second, the third doubles the fourth, and the fifth ranke doubles the sixth. Assuredlie then, the ranks doubled stand with their faces to the Drill-master, bot the ranks doubling, turne their backs to him, and stand still with their backs to him, for against this ridiculous posture, the Author hath provided us with no word of command either before or after the doubling. Bot to strike home, the necessitie of doubling ranks in the reare, must needs arise from the news you have of an enemies approach in your reare, In this case, you will resolve either to leave him, [Page 24]or stand and fight him. If the first, I pray you, trifle not away your time, in dou­bling ranks either in front, or reare. If the second, that you mind to fight, then, I suppose, you will face your Battaillon to the reare, whether you doe this by a Demy tour, (which is the best way) or by a Countermarch (which is not so good) or by a halfe conversion, (which is the worst of the three) is not the question here. Bot the face of your Battel being changd, that which was your reare is your front, and what was your front is your reare, and consequentlie your Col­lor's and Officers must change their places and stations. If then you thinke it fit, that ranks double, you may doe it, without bidding them double either to front, or reare, for by what I have said, you may see, that ranks must all wise double to the front, bot never to the reare. If you be please, to consider this rightlie, you will perhaps conclude with me, that all the Authors doublings of ranks in the reare, either by this may prescriv'd in this section, or by Leaders of halfe files, or Bringers up of files (wherof he speaks in his generall exercise) are not onlie needless, useless, and inconvenient, bot redundant, to call them no worse.

Animadversion.

WHy not a Countermarch by files as well, as by ranks? The one is as ne­cessare everie bit, as the other. And if he had said, that neither the one nor the other was necessare, or yet ordinarlie used in encounters, I sould not at all have contradicted him. Bot the Author in his generall Exercise speaks of Countermarches by files, as well as by ranks: So doe some others who write of exercising, bot I wish that seeming difference were expunged out of all their Books, for it does bot puzle a young Soldier when he hears or reads of two se­veral Countermarches, one by files, and another by ranks, and if his judgement be not subtiler then mine, he will never distinguish them. And indeed they are bot one thing, files cannot countermarch bot ranks must doe it too, nor can ranks countermarch, bot files must doe it likewise. Imagine a regiment of a thousand men drawne in battell on a Field, wheron they may march a hundreth in breast, That Bodie is drawne up ten deep in file, and so there are one hundreth files, and ten ranks, It were superfluous, nay, ridiculous for the Colonell of that regiment, to bid the ten ranks march, or yet the hundreth files march, because the one can­not move, but the other must move also. It is the very same thing in a counter­march. And therfor in exercising, Officers sould say no more, bot, To the right, [Page 25]or, To the left hand, Countermarch, without mentioning either file, or ranke.

Countermarches in the dayes of old, were on some occasions thought usefull, till the force of Gun-powder made the performance of them be­fore an enemie dangerous, and consequentlie, the command for it, som­thing Impertinent. The old Graecians, and other nations too, made much use of them, in their bodies of foot, which were sometimes eight, very oft sixteene deepe, as also in their bodies of Horse, which were foure, five, eight, and some­times ten deepe. There were three kinds of those Countermarches, The Mace­donian, The Laconian, and the Persian, which was also calld the Choraean. All these three are still used in our Europaean Exercises, bot seldome or never in en­counters for any thing I ever faw or heard, till I read it in this Author. The diffe­rent ways how all these three Countermarches are performed, are known well enough to ordinare Drill-masters. Bot this Frenchman speaks bot of one kind, nor doth he tell us, of which of these three sorts it is, or if it be of a fourth of his own finding out, and therfor we know not, whether by his Countermarch, He will have us to winne ground, to loose ground, or keep the ground we have.

Animadversion.

WE must suppose, when these commands were given the files and rankes were at sixe foot distance, for so the Author will have the Battaillon to be when it is exercised. Bot why he doth not order both ranks and files to close to a nearer distance, before he command them to make their quarter conversion, I doe not apprehend. I know the practise of others in doeing it, will be no rule for him, bot I wish, he had given us a rule how to doe it convenientlie and handsom­lie at so open a distance, which to me seems so unfeasible, that I conceave the bringing both rankes and files to some closer order then sixe foot wold be very needfull, before the conversion be commanded, What necessitie the Author hath found, to use either halfe, whole, or quarter conversions before an enemie, or in what place of the World they are ordinarlie used in encounters, I cannot devine, till he informe us, what ever-use may be made of them in exercises, I think, they may be with no disadvantage forborne, when an enemie is neare. This is that Motion which our Scots Drill-masters used to call, The great turne, The English tearmd it properlie enough, To wheele your Battel, The Dutch, Swenget euch. Whether it be more proper for the horse then for the foot, being it may be [Page 26]performd in farre shorter time and with much lesse trouble with the first, then with the last, shall not be debated heere.

I shall in this place take occasion to tell you in few words the opinion of ano­ther French Author concerning Faceings, Doublings, Countermarches, and Wheelings. That is, Louis de Montgomerie Sieur of Carbousin, (whom I once mentiond before) he was a Cousine of that famous Count de Montgomerie, (whose sad fate and not fault it was, to kill his Master Henry the second of France at justing) A great Captaine this Louis was, and had served long under a farre greater Captaine and a great King too, Henry the fourth of France, I shall speake first of Wheelings. Before you make your conversion, says Montgomerie, you must close your files and your rankes, beginning with the files, and when you have made your conversion, and wold open them to their former distances, you must begin with the ranks, whether they be to open to the front or the reare, and then with the files, whether they be to open to the right or the left. As to face­ings, he says, it is enough to face to the right hand, or right about, to face to the left he conceaves may make some disorder, because of the Soldiers Swords. Concerning doublings, He thinks if ranks and files be taught to double to the right hand, it is sufficient, for he holds it not necessare for ranks or files to dou­ble to the left, or to double ranks by halfe File-leaders, or Bringers up, or yet to use countermarches and conversions. Yet concludes, it is in the discretion of the Commander to use them all, or none of them as he pleaseth. His words are Cela, neantmoins, demeure a discretion. It is to be observed, that this Montgomerie had seene the Warres of the Low-countreys, when they were hotlie mannaged by the renouned Captains, Maurice Prince of Orange, for the Estates, and the Duke of Parma, and Marques Spinola, for the King of Spaine. And in these times, martiall Exercises frequentlie reducd to practise were in Vogue, The Netherlands being indeed Schooles of warre.

Animadversion.

THe French word is, Reposes vous sur vos Armes. Rest upon your Armes. The Translator renders it, Order your Armes. The properest English word he can give. Bot trulie I think the French word more proper then the English one, and the hie Dutch word as proper as any of them, which is stellet euer gevehr bey den rechten fus. Set your Armes by your right foot. Bot, order your Armes, (to speake strictlie) is too generall a word to denote that speciall posture which it sould import, for there is no posture either of Musket or Pike, which sould not [Page 27]be done orderly, & a Pike, either shoulderd, ported, or comported, so it be hand­somlie done, is a Pike ordered, as well as when the but of it is set on the ground. Bot as in this, so in severall other motions, I find a penurie and defect of words, which makes some of them signifie the thing intended very improperlie, This may be observed in the French, in the hie and low Dutch, as well as in the En­glish. In all your doubling of ranks by halfe File-leaders and Bringers up, and doubling of files by halfe rankes, the things intended are not fullie nor well enough expresd by these words which were invented and are still used for them. As by example, when you say, Bringers up of files double your ranks to the right hand, this word strictlie and properlie imports, that you sould make the rankes double the number, or twice as many as they were, and consequentlie, since they were sixe before, you sould by that command, make them twelve, Bot when the word of command is obeyd according to the usuall way, the very contrare ap­pears, for wheras they were sixe ranks before, they are made to be bot three, the number of men in each of the three formost ranks is indeed doubled, bot the ranks themselves are made feuer. It is the same thing in the other languages I spoke of. And suppose, you are exercising a Bodie of twentie files, you will say, halfe ranks to the right hand double your files. If a man, who never had seene any of these exercises before, were standing by you, he wold assuredlie think, you intended to make your twentie files, fortie, bot he shall see just the contrare, when he perceaves that by the performance of that command, your twentie files are made bot ten, The number of men in everie one of the ten files on the right hand are indeed doubled, bot the files themselves are made feuer by halfe, And as to this motion, I last spoke of, I believe, it wold be more proper to say, halfe ranks double the ranks on your right hand, for therby, indeed, the ranks which stand on the right hand and were bot sixe, are made really twelve, and that is the double number of sixe. If you please to consider it a litle, I believe, you will find it to be so.

Now, when we say, Order your armes, The Souldiers set the buts of them on the ground, the Pikemen hold their Pikes in their right hands just against their right ears, The Musketeers lay their right hands on the barrills of their Mus­kets, and so both of them leane on their armes, and all leaning is repose, therfor it is, that I thinke, Rest on your armes, is more proper then, Order your armes, and, set down your armes at your feet, more proper then any of them. Bot I doe not offer to introduce either new things or new words.

Animadversion.

BOt, if the ground be so hard, that you cannot sticke your Pikes in it, as in a dry summer, and a frostie winter it will unquestionablie be, I suppose you may lay your Pikes on the ground, bot if you can stick them, it will be more handsome, and have the braver show. Bot I mistake the French language, if in the originall which I read, it be not, lay down your Pikes on the ground between your feet. When Pikemen were formerlie orderd to lay down their Pikes, they were taught by a turne of the right hand to lay the buts of their Pikes levell with the out-side of their right foot, bot now that Monsieur will have us to lay them between our feet, or stick them between our legs, let it be so, we need not fall out with him for the matter,

Animadversion.

WHat a fanfare is all this? To what purpose all this glancing show? what can the business be? Before this peece was Englished, I read in the French originall, A la paille, bot did not know what it meant in exercise, bot was hopefull, The Translator wold have helped me, Bot in him I meet againe with, A la paille, and with no English for it. So both the Author and the Translator leave us to our conjectures. For my part, I thinke it is probable, he intended no more bot what is usuall in exercises, to permit the Soldiers, after they had layd down their armes, to goe recreate and refresh themselves, under the name of, a la paille, and on the beating of the Drum, to returne with drawn Swords to their other armes. Secondlie, A la paille, in French, is as much, as, To the straw, is in English; therfor it may be, he intended, that, when the Battaillon is to en­campe, and the watch is set, and the Regiment hath layd down their armes, The Soldiers are commanded to goe look for straw, and sticks, for hutting and fuell, And while they are about that worke, if the Drum beate, they are to draw their Swords (in case of a sudden attack) and therwith defend themselvs, till they get back to their other armes. If neither of these two conjectures of mine please you, you may, (if you thinke it worthie your labour) guesse your self, the free­dome to doe it, can be denyed to neither you nor me.

Animadversion.

IN the first place, what this Gentleman means by supernumerarie files in the plurall number, I do not understand, for I conceave, in the greatest Battaillon that ever was, or yet can be fancied to be, there will be bot one odd file, and why that one od file sould be called supernumerarie (even in the singular num­ber) I know not, od or uneven it may be, bot supernumerarie it can not be, for I doe not beleeve that any of the French Captains entertains more Soldiers then these the French Kings allows them wages for. And if they have no supernume­rarie Soldiers, they will have no supernumerarie files; As litle doe I understand why od files (if there were any) sould be made ranks in the reare, for by that mean you shall increase the number of your ranks (which sould be constantlie and perpetuallie the same) and consequentlie adde to the deepth of your Battail­lon, which must not be permitted you or any under the Prince, or his Generall. Suppose you have one od file (which may frequentlie fall out) if you make a ranke of it in the reare of a Division, then you make that Division seven deepe, wheras it sould be bot sixe. Sure there is lesse hurt and lesse disorder in an od file, then in an od ranke. If the Author had said, If there be any od men in any of the Companies let them all be cast in the reare of the whole Battaillon, and make files of them, he had (to my sence) have spoke reason, yet no more then very or­dinarie Officers have both spoke and practisd before him.

Animadversion.

YEs, To fire by rank is not alone the best, bot the onlie way of fireing, if the Enemie be either in your front or your reare. Bot if he be on either of your flanks, you are to face him by these files that are nearest to him, and then you are to fire likewise in a parallell line with the Enemie, and yet in this case, the Author must permit us to fire by file, and not by ranke.

Animadversion.

I Have seen three several ways how ranks fire successivelie, not to speak of fire­ing by three ranks together, the first kneeling, the second stooping, the third standing, which is not used bot at a dead lift. The first is, when the first ranke hath fired, The Musketeers divide themselves in two parts, the one half march­eth by the right, the other by the left hand to the reare, where they are againe by their Officers marshald in one rank. This way is troublesome, especiallie if the rank be numerous, as in all great Battaillons ranks are, yet it hath been so antient a custome in the armies of the Estates of the United Provinces of the Low-coun­treys, that I saw it practisd in the year 1659. by the Estates Guards at the Hague. The second way is, when these who have fired, turne to the left hand, & marches down to the reare between that file wherof they were members, and the nixt file to it, This hath farre lesse trouble in it, and thogh it can convenientlie enough be done, when the Enemie is in front, yet it is most proper, when he is in your reare. The third way is, when the first rank having fired, stands still, the second advanceth sixe foot before the first, and fires, and so the rest successivelie. This according to my weak judgement, is the best, and hath least embarras in it, bot onlie can be used, when your Enemie is in your front, observe, that by all these three ways, wherof I have spoke, you gaine ground.

This fourth way which our Author prescrivs seems to me to have two incon­veniencies inseparablie joynd with it. The first is, you onlie keep the ground you have, bot gaines none, and in the keeping it, five parts of sixe of your fire­men look like supplicants, and not like Combattants. The second inconvenience is, that unless your Souldiers by long practise be habituated to this New Mode, these who kneel may readilie be more affrayd of the bullets of their fellows who stand behind them, then of these of the Enemy who are at a farre greater distance before them, for the nearer danger is, with the more ouglie and dreadfull aspect it looks. This fear (which is naturall to man) may make Musketeers slow to rise from their kneeling posture, and when they are up, too slow to give fire. Be­sides all this, the Author gives us no rule how ranks shall fire, if an enemie be be­hind them, it seems, he conceaves Victorie is so entaild to his Masters armies, that they need not provide for a retreate, for if an enemie chance to be in their reare, I suppose none of their ranks must kneele, unless it be to beg quarter.

Animadversion.

THe French Original hath it, deux pas, two paces. I doe not thinke the Au­thor meant two paces, each of them of five foot, ten foot is too great a di­stance between ranks of Musketeers. I suppose he intended two ordinarie steps, and the Translator hath done well to make them sixe foot. Bot why, close up to sixe foot distance? were they ever at a greater distance? I believe, not. I will once more put the Author in mind of his own rule concerning distances given by him in the fourth section of the forming his Battaillon, in which he orders the Major or Adjutant to observe, that the due distance of files (when they are not exercising) is onlie half a pace distance, bot, says he, when they come to handle their armes or doublings, they must open to a whole pace. The like, certainlie, he meant of ranks. In marching, sixe foot of distance between ranks of Pikemen is necessare, because the length of a Pike from a mans shoulder to the but requires no lesse, Musketeers in marching requires not so much, bot to keep a Decorum, they must keep alike distance with the Pikes. Since then the Author hath not told us, when rankes either were or sould be at a greater distance then sixe foot, and since other Tacticks have requird no greater distance, why sould ranks, be­fore the skirmish beginne (says the Author) renue (says the Translator) ulose up to sixe foot distance? And till it be explaind, to me it is unintelligible.

Animadversion.

WHy these two commands are joynd so close together, I suppose, be onlie known to the Author, and some few of his friends to whom he hath re­veald the misterie. Whether must they make these conversions, before they passe the Bridge, or upon the Bridge, or after they have pasd the Bridge? A very hard matter to doe it, I thinke, in any of the three places, thogh no enemie were near, and yet here it must be done before an enemie. If it be answerd, that this command for conversions is generall, & hath no relation to the passing a Bridge, then, I say, The Author plac'd it ill here, Its proper place had been where he spoke of conversions both in his generall and particular exercise. What hath conversions to doe with passing a Bridge?

I have now given the reasons of my dissent from some things of this French [Page 32]way of exercising the Infanterie. Notwithstanding whereof I think the Authors invention is to be commended, and I sould have imagined, that most of his no­velties had been practisd onlie within the walls of Paris, or among the traind Bands of France, if there be any there, if the title page of the Book had not told me, they are practisd in the armies of his most Christian Majesty. Yet for all that, I am of the opinion that since the time the Author wrote this peece, to this very day, the French Kings armies have been so hotlie imployed, that they have had bot litle leisure to make use of all his new motions. The Author might, if he had pleasd have made his Battaillon sixteen deepe, as well as eight, and therby not onlie have drilld it by quarter files as well, if not better, bot also have imitated the Macedonian Phalanx, which was constantlie composd of sixteen ranks, and so have represented to his soldiers the forme, divisions, and subdivisions of that Battaillon.

And, because many of his motions are meerlie for show, and since for such a trifle, as is that exercise by quarter files, he thinks the deepth of a battel may be changed he might have cast his Battaillon in a Wedge, in a Rhombe or Diamant, in a Globe or Ring, or in a Saw. And so have represented to his Spectators, the Figures of Battells used by the Antients, which to my apprehension, wold have been more delightfull to behold then any of his new Evolutions.

And once more, if the deepth of Battaillons may be alterd, as the severall fan­cyes of Drill-masters lead them, they may, if the Regiment consist of a thousand, or a thousand twentie four men (as many of our moderne Regiments doe) order their files to consist of two and thirtie men, and so their Battaillon shall be square of men, and with some other rules of the square root, they may make Battaillons square of ground, doubled Battaillons, and Battaillons large of front, the art wherof everie Drill-master knoweth not, and yet the sight and opening up the use of these (thogh now out of fashion) wold be of more profit and advantage to an attentive Soldier who minds his business, and of more pleasure and delight to the curieous Beholder, then any new thing any of them can see in this exercise. Bot it will perhaps be answerd me, that all these things I have mentiond, are old, and this Exercise is new, and Novelties, without all peradventure, please best.