The exercise of the English, in the militia of the kingdome of England. 1642 Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2013-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A84286 Wing E3862 Thomason E136_23 ESTC R262 99872119 99872119 156477

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A84286) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 156477) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 24:E136[23]) The exercise of the English, in the militia of the kingdome of England. 8 p. : ill. s.n., [London : 1642] Caption title. With title page woodcut. Begins with signature B on p. 1; possibly a fragment. Imprint from Wing. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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 eng England and Wales. -- Army -- Drill and tactics -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. -- Early works to 1800. Drill and minor tactics -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2012-08 Assigned for keying and markup 2012-08 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2012-11 Sampled and proofread 2012-11 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2013-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
THE Exerciſe of the English, in the Militia of the Kingdome of ENGLAND.
engraving of a foppish soldier
engraving of a soldier

THe Souldiers are divided into two kindes, Foote and Horſe. The Foote againe are of two kinds; Pikemen and Musketiers.

Pikemen are armed with a head-piece, a Curace and Taſes defenſive, & with a Pike of fifteene foot long, and a Rapier offenſive. The Armour is all iron; the Pike of Aſhen-wood for the Steale, and at the upper end an iron head, of about a handfull long, with cheekes about the length of two foote, and at the butt-end a round ſtrong ſocket of iron ending in a Pike, that is blunt, yet ſharpe enough to fixe to the ground.

The Musketier hath a head-peece for defence, a Musket, the barrell of the length of 4. foot, the bore of 12. bullets to the pound; a Bandelier to which are faſtened a convenient number of charges for powder (ſometimes as many as 15. or 16.) a lether bagge for bullets, with a pruning iron; a Reſt for the Musket, with an iron forke on the upper end to ſupport it in diſcharging, and a pike on the nether end to ſticke into the ground; laſtly, a Rapier.

Theſe Souldiers, both Pike-men, and Musketiers, are divided into Companies; and every Company conſiſteth, halfe of Pikes, halfe Musketiers. The Companies are ſome more in number, ſome leſſe. Some reach to 300. men, ſome 200. ſome 90. ſome 80. ſome 70. Every Company hath theſe Officers of the field: A Captaine, a Lieutenant, an Enſigne, 2 Serjeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Drums; and for other uſes, a Clerke, a Surgion, and a Provoſt.

Companies are compacted into Regiments, and the Regiments commanded by Collonels. Regiments containe not alwayes a like number of Companies, ſome having 10, ſome a 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. ſome 30. Companies and above. In every Regiment, are a Collonel, a Lieutenant Collonell, a Serjeant Major, all Officers of the field; a Quarter-maſter, and a Provoſt-martiall for other imployments. It ſhall not be greatly to the purpoſe to mention higher Officers than Collonels, my principall intent being no other, then to ſet downe the Armes and Exerciſe of our Nation, in the ſaid united Provinces. Their Armes are ſpoken of. Their Exerciſe followes.

The Exerciſe of a Foote-Company.

FIrſt both Pikes and Muskets are ordered into files of 10. deep The Musketiers are ſometime placed before, ſometime in flank, ſometimes in the reare of the Pikes.

To exerciſe the motions; there are two diſtances to be obſerved.

The firſt is, when every one is diſtant from his fellow 6 foote ſquare, that is in file and ranke 6.

The ſecond is when every Souldier is 3 foot diſtant one from the other, as well in file, as in Ranke.

And becauſe the meaſure of ſuch diſtances cannot be taken ſo juſtly by the eye, the diſtance of 6 fout betwixt the files is meaſured, when the Souldiers ſtretching out their armes doe touch one anothers hands: and betwixt the Rankes, when the ends of their Pikes come well-nigh to the heeles of them that march before. And the meaſure of 3 foot betwixt the files is, when their elbowes touch one another; betwixt the Rankes, when they come to touch the ends of one anothers Rapiers.

For to march in the field, the diſtance of 3 foot from file to file is kept, and of 6 foot from Ranke to Ranke.

To order themſelves in Battaile, as alſo to goe towards the enemy, the diſtance of 3 foot in File, and Ranke is obſerved; and likewiſe to converſion or wheeling.

The Musketiers alſo going for to ſhoot by Rankes keep the ſame diſtance of 3 foot, but going to skirmiſh they goe ala Disbandade, which is out of order.

There is yet another ſort of diſtance, which is not uſed, but for to receive the enemy with a firme ſtand, and ſerveth for the Pikes onely, (for the Musketiers cannot be ſo cloſe in Files, becauſe they muſt have their arme at liberty) and that is, when every one is diſtant from file to file, a foot and a halfe, and 3 foot from Ranke to Ranke. And this laſt diſtance is thus commanded, Cloſe your ſelves throughly. But it is not to be taught the Souldiers, for that, when neceſſity ſhall require it, they wil cloſe themſelves but too much of their owne accord, without command.

What the Souldier ought to know by the Drumme.

1. A Call. 2. A March. 3. A Troope. 4. A Charge. 5. A Retreate. 6. A Battalia. 7. A Battery. 8. A Reliefe.

To begin therefore to doe the Exerciſes, the Company is ſet in the firſt diſtance, to wit, of 6 foot in File, and Rank, and thus is ſaid

Stand right in your Files, Stand right in your Rankes, Silence. To the right hand. To the left hand.

Theſe are the generall words of Command, which are often to be uſed.

As you were. As you were. To the right hand about. You muſt note, that when they are commanded to be as they were, they muſt return thither, from whence they parted; and if they turned to the right hand, they muſt return to the left & ſo in countermarch. To the left hand as you were. To the left hand about. To the right hand as you were. To the right double your rankes. Rankes as you were. To the left double your rankes. Rankes as you were. To the right hand double your files. Files as you were. To the left hand double your files. Files as you were. With halfe files to the right hand double your Rankes. Halfe files as you were. With halfe files to the left hand double your Rankes. Halfe files as you were. Files to the right hand countermarch. Files to the left hand countermarch. To the right hand, or left, at diſcretion, as you were. Rankes to the right hand countermarch. Rankes to the left hand countermarch. To the right or left hand as you were. Cloſe your Files to 3 foot diſtance. Cloſe your Rankes to 3 foot diſtance.

Ʋnderſtand that in Cloſing from the outſides to the middle, the Souldier is to ſtand in his diſtance of 3 foot in file, and not cloſer.

To the right hand wheele. To the left hand wheele.

Open your Rankes backwards in your double diſtance, to wit, at 12 foot, and this for a ſingle Company.

Rankes as you were, ſc. at the firſt.

In opening Rankes or Files, you muſt keepe them cloſed untill the ſecond Ranke or File, beginning from the outſides, have taken their diſtances, and ſo ſhall the reſt remaine cloſe untill every Ranke or File have taken their diſtances in order.

Open your Files, to wit, to the firſt diſtance of 6. foot.

If you will command to cloſe Files to the right hand or left hand, the outmoſt File ſtandeth ſtill, and the reſt cloſe to that File.

For the Pike with a firme ſtand. Advance your Pikes. Order your Pikes. Slope your Pikes. Charge your Pikes. Traile your Pikes. Cheeke your Pikes.
More for the Pikes, firſt with a firme ſtand, and then marching. Charge your Pikes. Slope your Pikes. To the right hand charge your Pikes. Slope your Pikes. To the left hand charge your Pikes. Slope your Pikes. Charge your Pikes to the Reare. Slope your Pikes. Order your Pikes.

This muſt be obſerved charging your Pikes with a firme ſtand, to ſet the right foot behind, and charging the Pikes marching, to ſet the left foot before.

For the Musket.

THe Poſtures in his Excellencies Booke are to be obſerved; but in exerciſing you muſt onely uſe theſe three termes of direction.

Make ready. Preſent. Give fire.

Your Musketiers muſt obſerve in all their motions to turne to the right hand, and that they carry the mouth of their peeces high, aſwell when they are ſhouldred, as in pruning, and alſo when they hold their pans guarded, and come up to give fire.

In advancing towards an Enemy, when they doe not skirmiſh looſe and disbanded, they muſt give fire by Ranks after this manner.

Two Rankes muſt alwayes make ready together, and advance ten paces forward before the body, at which diſtance, a Sergeant (or when the body is great, ſome other Officer,) muſt ſtand, to whom the Musketiers are to come up before they preſent, and give fire, firſt, the firſt Ranke. And whileſt the firſt gives fire, the ſecond Ranke keepe their Muskets cloſe to their Reſts, and their pannes guarded, and aſſoone as the firſt are falne away, the ſecond preſently preſent, and give fire, and fall after them.

Now aſſoone as the firſt two Rankes do move from their places in the front: The two Rankes next them muſt unſhoulder their Muskets, and make ready, ſo as they may advance forward ten paces as before, aſſoone as ever the two firſt Rankes are falne away; and are to do in all points as the former. And all the other Ranks through the whole diviſion muſt doe the ſame by two's, one after another.

A manner there is to give fire retyring from an enemy, and is performed after this ſort.

As the Troope marcheth, the hindermoſt ranke of all, keeping ſtill with the Troope, is to make ready, and being ready, the Souldiers in that ranke turne all together to the right hand and give fire, marching preſently away a good round pace to the front, and there place themſelves in ranke together juſt before the front: As ſoone as the firſt ranke turnes to give fire, the ranke next makes ready, and doth as the former, and ſo the reſt.

We give fire by the flanks thus. The uppermoſt file next the Enemy muſt be commanded to make ready, keeping ſtill along with the body, till ſuch time, as they be ready, and then they turne to the right, or left hand (according to the ſight of their enemies either upon the right, or left flanke) and give fire all together. When they have diſcharged they ſtirre not, but keepe their ground, and charge their Peeces againe in the ſame place they ſtand. Now as ſoone as the foreſaid file doth turne to give fire, the uttermoſt next it makes ready, alwayes keeping along with the Troope till the Bringer-up be paſt a little beyond the Leader of that file, that gave fire laſt; and then the whole file muſt turne, and give fire, and doe in all points as the firſt did, and ſo the reſt one after the other. A Sergeant, or if the Troope be great, ſome other better qualified Officer muſt ſtand at the head of the firſt file, and aſſoone as the ſecond file hath given fire, and hath charged, he is to lead forward the firſt file up to the ſecond file, and ſo to the reſt one after another, till he hath gathered up againe the whole wing, and then he is to joyne them againe in equall front with the pikes.

Laſt of all the Troope or whole wing of Muſquettiers makes ready all together, and the firſt rank without advancing gives fire in the place they ſtand in, and ſpeedily, as may be, yet orderly falls away, all the rankes doing the ſame ſucceſſively one after another.

Thus much of the armes and exerciſe of the foote.

The horſe enſue.

The order and diſcipline holden in the Horſe-treopes, or in the Cavalry.

The Cavalry hath for his Chiefe the Generall, the Lieutenant Generall, and the Commiſſary generall.

To the Cavalry there is a Quarter-maſter generall, and a Provoſt generall belonging; the Iuſtice reſorteth to the Councell generall of warre of the Armie.

The Cavalry is of two ſorts: Harquebuſiers and Curaſſiers.

The firſt have for defenſive Armes, the Curace piſtol proof, and a light head-peece. For offenſive, the Carbine of 3 foote, 3 inches length, and the bore of 20 bullets in the pound; and Piſtols like unto the Curaſſiers.

The Curaſſiers have for defenſive Armes a compleate armour, the Curace piſtoll proofe. For offenſive, two piſtols having the barrell of 26. inches in length, and the bore of 36 bullets in the pound.

For the order in Regiments, the 40. Companies entertained by the States doe make eleven Regiments.

The Regiment of the Generall hath alwayes the Vantguard, the others alternatively and by turnes, and he that hath it this day, the next day after hath the Reare, the reſt following in the ſame ſort.

Thoſe which command the Regiments are called Coronels. The Regiments are compounded of 3; or 4 Companies, (of 3 at the leaſt) and the Coronells Company marcheth alwayes on the left wing of the Regiment.

The Captaines receive orders from their Coronels, as theſe from the Commiſſary Generall.

All the Companies are divided in 3 equall parts, which are called Squadrons, and diſtributed to the 3 chiefe Officers, Captaine, Cornet and Lieutenant, having each of them adjoyned an old Souldier, which they doe know to be of more deſert, called a Corporall.

Marching in the field, every Officer marcheth at the head of his Squadron, the Lieutenant excepted, which marcheth behinde with the Quartermaſter; and the third Corporall at the head of the Lieutenants Squadron.

The Companies are divided by files, and rankes, the file 5 deepe, and no more, how ſtrong ſoever the Company be.

They obſerve that in marching in battaile they muſt be cloſe together, and to doe the Motions there muſt be 6 foot diſtance from one Horſeman to another.

The Companies being in battaile, there muſt be 25 paces diſtance left betweene every Company, and 50 betwixt every Regiment at the leaſt.

The exerciſe of Armes for the Cavalry.

To open the Squadron, you muſt firſt open the rankes, and after the files.

To cloſe the Squadron, you muſt firſt cloſe the files and after the rankes.

There be two ſorts of diſtances betwixt the files; the one cloſe, and the other open.

In the cloſe there muſt be no diſtance or intervals betwixt the files, to the open there muſt be 6 foot betwixt every file

Likewiſe there muſt be two ſorts of diſtances betwixt the rankes; the Cloſe, which muſt be without intervall or ſtreet; and the Open, which muſt be ſix foot diſtance.

In a march it muſt be underſtood, that the rankes muſt never be more opened, than the open diſtance of 6 foot.

And to the end that the Troope may march in good order, and obſerve well their diſtance betwixt the rankes, without that the laſt may be forced to runne or goe too faſt, there muſt be heed taken, that ſo ſoone as the firſt ranks begin to march, all the Troope, and the Reare alſo march.

The words of Command, are Open your Rankes. Open your Files. Stand right in your Rankes. Stand right in your Files. To the right hand. As you were. To the left hand. As you were. To the right hand about. To the left hand as you were. To the left hand about. To the right hand as you were. Files to the right hand countermarch. Files to the left hand countermarch. To the right or left hand as you were. Rankes to the right hand countermarch. Rankes to the left hand countermarch. Cloſe your Files. Cloſe your Rankes. To the right hand wheele. To the left hand wheele.
FINIS.