FIrst of all, it is to be vnderstood that there are three sorts of distances, to wit, Open Order, Order, and Close Or­der. Open Order or the first distance is, when the Souldiers both in Ranke and File stand sixe foot remooued one from another. Because the measure of these distances cannot bee taken so iustly by the eye, we take the di­stance of six foote be­tweene file and file, by cōmanding the Soul­diers, as they stand, to stretch foorth their armes, and stand so re­mooued one from ano­ther, that their handes may meet. And for the Ranks, wee make account wee take the same distance of sixe foot, when the butte end of the Pikes doe almost reach their heeles that march be­fore. We take the se­cond order or distance of three foot betweene file and file, by bidding the Souldiers set their armes a Kenbow, and put themselues so close that their elbowes may meet. And wee reckon wee take the same di­stance betweene the Rankes, when they come vp almost to the swords point.

The second distance, or your Order is, when the Souldiers stand three foot remooued both in Ranke and File, one from another; and this Or­der is to be vsed, when they are embattayled, or march in the face of an enemy, or when they come to stand, or when you will wheele. But when you march thorow any Country, you must obserue three foot only from File to File, and sixe from Ranke to Ranke. The third distance, or your Close Order is commanded, by this word Close, which is when there is one foot and a halfe from File to File, and three from Ranke to Rank, and this is for the Pikes onely, and must neuer be vsed but when you will stand firme to receiue the charge of an enemy. The Muskettiers must neuer be closer then the second distance of three foot in square, because they are to haue a free vse of their Armes.

In exercising your motions, you are alwayes to obserue your Open Order of sixe foot in square, in which the company being first placed, you are to acquaint them to these termes of directions.

Before you wheele. When you ex­ercise a compa­ny single, you double your Rankes before you wheele, in regard the bo­dy is small. But in a diuision or greater body, you close first both your files & your Ranks to your Order of 3. foot, and omit the dou­bling, and so wheele.

After you haue wheeled.

[Page]In opening Rankes or Files, you must make all the Files or Rankes, sauing the outermost on that hand from whence you meane to open (which must stand) to mooue altogether, till the second Ranke or File, from that which standeth, haue gotten its distance, and subsequently the rest.

If you will haue them close their Files to the right or left hand, the outermost File on that hand you purpose to close, must be commanded to stand, and all the rest to close to it.

¶ These following motions are to be performed both standing and marching.

[Page]¶ For the Musket.

The Postures in his Excellencies Booke are to bee obser­ued: But in Exercising, you must only vse these three termes of direction.

Your Muskettiers must obserue 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 priming, and also when they hold their pannes guarded, and come vp to giue fire.

In aduancing towards an Enemie, when they doe not skirmish loose and disbanded, they must giue fire by Rankes after this manner. Two Rankes must alwayes make ready together, and aduance tenne paces forwards before the bo­dies, at which distance a Sergeant (or when the body is great, some other Officer) must stand, to whom the Mus­kettiers are to come vp before they present and giue fire. First, the first Ranke, and whilest the first giues fire, the se­cond Ranke keepe their Muskets close to their Rests, and their pannes guarded; and assoone as the first are fallen a­way, the second presently present and giue fire, and fall after them. Now assoone as the two first Rankes doe moue from their places in the front, the two Rankes next it must vnshoulder their Muskets and make ready, so as they may aduance forwards ten paces, as before; assoone as euer the two first Rankes are fallen away and are to doe in all points [Page]as the former. So all the other Rankes through the whole diuision must doe the same by twoes one after another.

A manner there is to giue fire retiring from an Enemy, which is performed after this sort.

As the Troope marcheth, the hindermost Ranke of all keeping still with the Troope maketh ready, and being rea­dy, the Souldiers in that Ranke turn altogether to the right hand, and giue fire, marching presently away a good round pace to the Front, and there place themselues in Ranke together iust before the Front. Assoone as the first Ranke turnes to giue fire, the Ranke next it makes ready and doth as the former, and so the rest.

We giue fire by the Flanke thus; The outermost 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 Enemy, either vpon their right or left flanke, and giue fire altogether: when they haue discharged they stir not, but keepe their ground, and charge their Peeces a­gaine in the same place they stand. Now assoone as the a­foresaid file doeth turne to giue fire, the outermost next it makes ready, alwayes keeping along with the Troope, till the bringer vp bee past a little beyond the leader of that file that gaue fire last, and then the whole file must turne & giue fire; and doe in all points as the first did, and so all 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 [Page]the first file, and assoone as the second file hath giuen fire, and hath charged, hee is to lead forward the first file vp to the second file, and so to the rest one after another, till hee hath gathered vp againe the whole wing, and then hee is to ioyne them againe in equall front with the Pikes.

Last of all the Troope or whole Wing of Musketiers makes ready altogether, and the first Ranke without ad­uancing giues fire in the place it stands in, and speedily as it may, yet orderly, falles away, all the Rankes doing the same successiuely one after another.

The Armes of a Pikeman, are Gorget, Curats, Headpeece, Sword, Girdle and Hangers.

The Armes of a Musketier, are a Musket, a Rest, Bande­liers, Headpeece, Sword, Girdle and Hangers.

It is required, that the Muskets be all of a Bore, the Pikes of a length: But to the end this course may not by a suddain alteration turne to a generall charge and burthen vpon the people, the Lords Lieutenants, and the Deputy Lieutenants are rather to vse the way of aduice and encouragement, as a matter which will be very acceptable to his Maiestie, who will take notice of the affection of such as shall most readily prouide, Armes according to this order, then to inforce a present generall obseruation thereof. But in case where the Armes shall bee decayed, and must bee renewed, this order is to be strictly obserued.

The Armes of Horsemen, Cuirassiers, are a Gorget, Cu­rats, Cutases, Pouldrons, Vambraces, a left hand Gauntlet, Taces, Cuisses, a Caske, a Sword, Girdle and Hangers, a case of Pistols, Firelockes, Saddle, Bridle, Bitt, Petrell, Croo­per, with the leathers belonging to fasten his Pistols, and his [Page]necessary sacke of carriage, and a good horse to mount on.

The Armes of a Hargobuzier or Dragon, which hath succeeded in the place of light horsemen (and are indeed of singular vse almost in all the actions of warre) the Armes are a good Hargobus or Dragon, fitted with an iron worke, to be carried in a Belt, a Belt with a Flaske, Priming-box, Key, and Bullet bag, an open Headpeece with cheekes, a good Buffe coat with deepe skirts, Sword, Girdle and Hangers, a Saddle, Bridle, Bitt, Perrell, Crooper, with Strappes for his sacke of necessaries, and a horse of lesse force and lesse price then the Cuirassier.

In the exercise of the foot troupes, the companies are to be of hundreds onely, besides Officers, that they may bee so much the neerer together to bee trayned and exercised with lesse paines to the souldiers, and lesse losse of time, when they shalbe called together by their Captaine.

The Company is to be diuided into Files of ten in a File; [...]eader. [...]iddlemā middlemā [...]ringer vpthe File is to bee distinguished into a Leader, a Bringer vp, two Middlemen, and three betweene the Leader and his Middleman, and three betweene the bringer vp and his Mid­dleman. When the Companies come together, they are to be exercised ten in depth (as the proportion best fitted to re­ceiue all charges, and performe all executions) But in cases of necessity in seruice, and for exercise, it will be requisite to reduce them into fiue in File, and then those two Middle­men become bringers vp, and then haue a kinde of charge ouer those three betweene the Leader and the Bringer vp, and will bee of great vse in preparing and exercising of the souldiers in the practise of their Armes and order. For it is not intended that the whole Companies should be drawne [Page]together to be exercised: But that vpon Sundayes after Eue­ning prayer, and vpon Holidayes (as it hath beene formerly vsed for Bow) the Leader, Bringer vp, or Middlemen should exercise together with his whole File, or such a part as dwels most conuenient for him. And further that once in a month, or sixe weekes, the Captaine, Lieutenant or Ancient may (with the knowledge of the Deputy Lieutenant that dwels next him) vpon a Holiday exercise a squadron of his Com­pany, or the whole, as shall seeme good to the Deputy Lieu­tenant.

The like forme for the Horse: o Leader. middlemā middlemā Bringer vpBut it is to bee obserued that the Files of Horse are neuer to be aboue six, but distin­guished by the names of Leader, Bringer vp, and two Mid­dlemen, and to bee doubled to three deepe, vpon occasion. And to auoyd the great abuse, that is practised by those that are inrolled to keepe horses for the Kings seruice, That the Leader, Bringer vp, or Middlemen of the Files of Horse, doe exercise the Horse vpon Holidayes and Sundayes after Euening prayer: And that the Captaine by himselfe, his Lieutenant, or Cornett, may (with knowledge of the next Deputy Lieutenant) vpon a Holiday call together some Files or a squadron of his Company, to practice them in the exercise of their Armes. The Officers also both of Horse and Foot Bands, aswell in the chiefe, as inferiours, Sergeants, Corporals, and Lamprizados, are to haue a more speciall care for the ordinary exercising of the Souldiers of their Company, which dwell next vnto them, and properly for them.

A speciall care and order must be taken that all those that finde a man to serue on Horsebacke, whether they finde the [Page]Horse or the Man, or both, must not change the Horse or Man at their pleasure: for so it would bee euery day to pra­ctise a new man or a new horse, and the exercise bee made vaine. But they must take into consideration, that the man and horse designed to the seruice of the King, hath (by the intention of the Law) beene dedicated so to the interest of the King, as they must alwayes be in readinesse at the call of the Kings Officers, and may not bee changed without the knowledge and consent of the Captaine, or Deputy Lieute­nant next adioyning, or by warrant of the Lord Lieutenant. And this with this onely limitation, that another sufficient man or horse be supplied in the roome of the man or horse made deficient, for a iust cause well approoued of. And as the Souldier, or Horse may not bee changed or discharged, without the knowledge of the Captaine, or Superiour Offi­cers. So is it not lawfull for the Captaine to change or dis­charge any man or horse (once inrolled) without the appro­bation of the Lo. Lieutenant, or his Deputy.

A principall care is to be taken for the prouision of the Armes, that they may bee prouided at such rates as they are truely worth, that the people be not subiect to the abuse of vndertakers for these businesses: And also for the furnishing of euery Shire with a competent proportion of Match, Pow­der and Bullets, to which purpose directions haue beene heeretofore already giuen. Neuerthelesse it is not held ne­cessary, vntill the Souldiers bee perfect in their postures, and ready managing of the Pike when they are armed, and the Musket together with the Rest, that there should bee a­ny expence of powder at all: And then for some time to bee exercised with some false fires, which is onely a little pow­der [Page]in the pan: Nor at any time to blow away their powder in vaine; but that powder which should be allowed by the Country for trayning, be bestowed only at Marks: In which case, it is to be wisht, that little small prizes might bee proui­ded at the cost of the Country, to bee shot for at the markes, which would giue an ambition to men to cary them away, and would saue the Country more in powder then their value: And a desire in men to render themselues per­fect, would make them to finde themselues powder with that money, which on those daies, and in those times, would bee worse spent in an Alehouse.