IT'S that which hath encouraged me to attempt this ſubject, for that I have formerly had command in ſeverall Brigades, At Southam, & Worceſter twice, Edgehil, Banbury, Branford, Hereford twice, Cirinceſter, Burford, Shewdly-Caſile, Malmsbury, Gheltnam, Highnamhouſe, Littledeane, Roſſe, Covert, Mendiffe, Froom, Clarken. down, Landſdown, & Toghil, Amsbury, the Viſe, Cheringtondowne. which are now abroad, and truely have much grieved to ſee the neglect hath beene in ſome Officers through diſcontent twixt each other in conteſtation, about their ſeverall duties in their places; wherefore now I ſhall preſent unto you theſe following conſiderations.

Firſt, What Officers are neceſſary in an army, or one particular Brigade.

Secondly, What Officers may well be caſheered, which as yet are allowed.

Thirdly, What revenew will be ſaved, which may be converted and imployed to better uſes.

Fourthly, What diſadvantage hath, and may riſe to the State by meanes of ſuch unneceſſary Officers, over powring Uotes in Councell of Warre.

Fiſthly, what can be alleaged for the allowance of ſuch place; of Honour, and the difference between theſe our uncivill wars, and thoſe in other Countryes.

For the firſt of this, there is neceſſity of a Captaine Generall over the whole Army, conſiſt it of never ſo many, or few Brigades, for they are all to be Commanded by this Captaine Generall, and no more: and in his abſence his Leiſtenant Generalls Command is to be obeyed, as if the former were preſent, and ſo by Conſequence but one Major General, a Commiſſary Generall, one Quarter-Maſter-Generall, and a Scout Maſter Generall to the whole Army, raiſed by the State or Kingdome. A Lievtenant Generall to the Ordnance of the whole Army not to be excluded.

I conceive there is no neceſſity of more Generalls, but that every particular Brigade be aſſigned to a Commander in chief, whom the Captain Generall ſhall know to be an able Souldier or the eldeſt Major of the Brigade, and for the Commanders in chief of every Regiment to be no other then Majors by Commiſſion, It is his place by ſucceſſion. whether of Cavalry or Infantry, a Captaine Leivetenant Cornet, or Enſigne, With Cannoneers, Gentlemen to the Ordnance Metroſſes, &c. Fires Mr. with his neceſſary attendants, as Wagon-Mrs. pyoneers, &c. a Quarter-Maſter to every Troope of the Cavalry, & to every Regiment of the Infantry, three Corporalls or Sergeants, with Trumpet and Drum; and for the Leivetenant Generalls aſsiſtant to all the traines belonging to the ſeveral Brigades, that may officiate his place, he being in the Captain Generals own Brigade. Thus have I ſhewed briefly what places of Command are abſolutely neceſſary in an Army; and to give thee better ſatisfaction I ſhall lay downe ſome ſpeciall reaſons to prove the ſame.

Firſt, for that unleſſe there were a Captaine-Generall, All manner of Officers ought to be mightily indewed with patience, humility, ſometimes, to have a ſevere hand over ſuch as are of a mutinous diſpoſition, to the end he may have them all in generall at Command when need requires. there could be no ſuperiority in places of Honour, and ſo by conlequence they could not be ſo valiant, did not the hope of preferment ſpur them forward unto noble actions, neither generally would they indure thoſe extremities which are incident to their callings, neither could they have that command over their Souldiers as neceſsity requires; But its matter of encouragement to all that fight under the Banner of a grave Heroick, & politick Generall. To which end he that is created ſuch is well known by that State or Kingdom that elects him, to be a man of great birth, an able Stateſ-man, and expert Souldier, whereby he is enabled to diſcharge ſo great and high a truſt: we have many examples in ſacred Writ of their Chieftaines, who alwayes had power above al other in their ſeverall Hoaſts to conſtitute Lawes, for puniſhing the offences of their Souldiers.

This preſident we have imitated, and had not there been an overpowering command to be obeyed by all in our Armies, As of Ieſta Iudge of Iſrael, and divers others. be it ſpoken to the everlaſting Honour of His Excellency, the Earle of Eſſex, we ſhould not have had ſo many deſervedly executed for thefts, tapes, mutinies, treacheries, and other outrages, as hath beene by vertue of thoſe Mattiall Laws ſet forth by him at his entring into that high place of Honour, Or in caſe he be Comanded to preſent his Generalls perſon with any of the other Brigades which are not reſident with the Captaine Generall, there he takes place from the other Commander in chiefe. which he ſo faithfully hath performed.

Secondly to prove the neceſſity of a Leivetenant-Generall which conſiſts in repreſenting the Perſon of the Generall in his abſence & when the army is engaged to ſecure the Perſon of his Generall by engaging himſelfe, for it is very unfit that a Generall ſhould engage himſelfe in any fight, further then to view how his enemy lyes, thereby to take his beſt aduantages for ground, to fight his men, to place his Artillery and Carraiges, and to give al poſſible encouragements, and to order when they ſhall charge, and in what nature, to retreate or perſue, all which is performed by the judgement, fidelity, and valour; of the Major-Generall, after orders received from his Captain-General which proves the neceſſity of his place of honour in the feild. Becauſe he drawes up the whole Armies in Battalia & fights the body anſwerably. And by ſucceſſion a Quarter-Maſter-Gen: who receives orders for the quartring of the whole Army, either in feild or towne, as occaſion ſhall require; his charge is great, he ought to be a man of great judgement & experince, eſpecially in the knowledge of al countries, with the paſſages, Yet to do nothing without his judgment, agree with his ſuperior Officer, & to receive order from them and inlets thereunto, the ſafety of the whole Army: it being to be quartred lies in his wiſdome and fidelity, which ſhews there is a duty by him to be performed: ſo by conſequence his place of honour is neceiſary.

The Scout-Maſter-Generalls place is very neceſſary, but dangerous, his duty is ro diſcover all paſſages, and reſults amongſt the enemy to his Generall, but to hold no correſpondence, This Officer may eaſily betray his truſt, wherefore it requires great care in the choiſe of him. but to diſcover their ſtrength & intentions & togive intelligence of their advance towards any of their Quarters, or elſewhere, in ſuch time as they may make themſelves ready to circumvent their enemyes intended policy. I deſire to be excuſed if I faile in ranking their places of honour, according to ſucceſſion, for the neceſſity of a Lievetenant-Generall to the train of Artillery; I have not yet urged; his Office is of great concernment, This Officer ought to be ſuch a man as is not uſed to drinke much wine, nor to be familiar with his attendants ut very circamſpect what Officers he hath about him. he ought to be a well-grounded Engineer, a man well knowing in all in gredients, for Peetare, & Granadoes, as well for the Morter, as the hand, alſo for the travifing the ground he is to play upon, there is many other things in duty belongs to his place, which cauſes it, appeare neceſſary ſo much may ſuffice to be ſpoken of the neceſſary Generalls in an 〈◊〉 .

he ought to be a man of an undaunted ſp;irit.

It is onely for forme ſake & no • of neceſſity, but to diſtinguiſh his place of Honour by way of title from the reſt.

yet its thought more proper for him that ſhall have the command of a Brigade then for he who has the Command but of owne Regment.

Which is 5. s. par die or 18. l. 6. d. for the other.

He ought to be a very moderate man & of exellent judgement.

That is Major Gener alls to the ſame, commiſſary Gen: Quarter-Maſter Gen. Scour m • ſter-gen: Colonels & Livetenant •• lo: Adietant Gen • & Auditor Gen • to the whole Army, the benefit theſe to latter make of their places is unknow.

Now I come to ſhew the neceſſary Officers requirable in a particular Brigade. The firſt is a Commander in chief, who ought to be the eldeſt Major in the ſaid Brigade, whether of Cavalry or Infantry, ſo hee be a knowing man and an able Souldier: and if it ſhall ſo pleaſe that State whom imploy him, to honour him ſo much, as with the title of Collonel, but to have no more in the ſame Brigade: ſo by ſucceſſion the next Major in the ſame Brigade to have the ſecond place of honour in the ſame and to have a Commiſſary, who ſhall both muder and pay, as aſſiſtant to the Commiſſary Generall: Alſo the eldeſt Quarter-maſter to this Brigade, which ſhall receive orders from his ſupreme Officer, and to deliver them to the reſt of the Quarter-maſter of the ſame, and to receive my, as Captaine to Infantry, or Livetenant to Cavalry: but not as Quirter-maſter Generall: and for the traine of Attillery; to have an able man to depute the place of the Livetenant generall to the Ordinance, withall other Officer; under them to officiate in every Regiment: and for every Regiment to be commanded by its Major, whoſe duty is to draw them up in Battalia, and no Officer elfe, and to ſight it in that form and manner, as he ſhall thinke fit after orders received from the ſuperiour Officers, hee giving to every Captaine his charge: and ſo conſequently every inferiour officers charge under them for the maintaining of the Battle, without whoſe aſſiſtance the buſines could not be performed: wherefore theſe places of Honour neceſſary and what Officers are over & above theſe which I have expreſſed are ſuperfluous.

The next thing that fals into my hands, is the conſideration of what Officers they are that are now imployed and yet unneceſſary in our Army, or particular Brigade in the whole Army, the Auditour Generall, and the Aditant General may be excluded: For the firſt of the two the Commiſſary Generall being both to muſter, and pay is bound to caſt up the ſeverall •••• entors, which appertaines to every officer, and ſouldier of the ſaid Army, or Brigade for his owne diſcharge, that being the only worke of the Auditour Generall: but, being performed by the aforeſaid Commiſſary, I conclude that his place as Auditour Generall may be excluded.

As for providing neceſſarys for their ſouldiers, when they are in Garriſon, and keep continuall outgard or watch for it is the duty of him that is the Captaine of the watch for to ride or walke the rounds, to ſee that his g • ards be ſafe, and his men prepared with things anſwerable to their charge whether he be Major Capta. or other, & not the particular duty of the adietant, if it be wel weighed it will plainly appear to be a great Nenefit to the State.

It is a beare Titile without a duty.

Which may o • well be done by the.

Major and as much for the Souldiers encouragement.

For the ſecond, which is the Aietant Generall, I conceive his duty is no other then what is performed by every Major, Captaine, and Quarter-maſter, being they are particular duties in their places: and for thoſe Officers which are unneceſſary in a Brigade, conſiſting of never ſo many of the Cavalry, or Infantry, is firſt a Major Generall, for that the eldeſt Major by ſucceſſion may performe the duty of a Major Generall: but ſome will ſay who ſhall officiate his place in his own Regiment, its anſwered by way of objection, who executes the duty of a Collonel, to thoſe two or three Regiments, that ſome Major General have under command as Collonel: beſides their Major Generals place, but either their Livetenant Colonell, or Major, and why not in this caſe for the benefit of a State or Kingdome, the eldeſt Captaine of a Regiment performe the duty of his Major, whilſt his Major executes the duty that is performed by thoſe Maior Generals, who are imployed in theſe our times: Wherefore, I conceive the Maior Generall to a particular Brigade may be excluded, but I ſhall leave it to the conſiderations of better Iudgements then my owne: and for Collonels of Cavalty, and Infantry, I conceive there is no uſe of them at all, otherwiſe then as they charge in the head of their Regiments, is matter of encouragement to thoſe whom they have under their command, if they doe ought elſe, as to receive orders from the Commander in chiefe of the ſame Brigade or partie either for purſuit, or retreat, or in what manner or forme they muſt charge their Enemy; it is that which is the abſolute duty of the Maiors, and not theirs: Preſidents for any of theſe Officers which I have excluded to be imployed in any Army we have none, but what have beene of very late yeers: but if we looke upon Valerius the Roman Emperour, wee ſhall find that his field Generals, though his Army conſiſted of never ſo many Legions, were no more then three; and they are conceived to be no other then a Captain Generall, Livetenant Generall, and Maior Generall; there is no nomination of any more Generals, neither of Collonels, or Livetenant Colonells, but that all their Legions that were above the number of three were commanded by no other, then by ſuch as performe the duty of Maiors in theſe our times,

It is to be admired that any ſhould be to ambitious, as in a Regiment to expect any ſtep of Honour, to be raiſed to other then Majority in the ſame. Can we think the Major is as Minor, to Colonell and Livetenant, Colonell: it ought to be conſidred whether they be no: new Vpſtart Titiles of Honour.

And this is the abſolute duty.

This has been common but might now be reformed. As to be drawne forth, to make good ſuch a place, or to be a reſerue to ſuch a part 〈◊〉 &c.

This is worthy of note, and not to be look 〈◊〉 on as a fantaſy.

It concernes all faithfull Subject.