AS YOU WERE, OR THE NEW FRENCH EXERCISE OF THE INFANTRY, Balanced with the Old.  
Printed in the Year 1674.   


Public war (one of the effects and salaries of sin) began to show its ugly face among the sons of men not long after the general Deluge. The art used in it then was certainly rude, bot time and Industry having a little polishd it, Military Exercise was, no doubt, one of its products, if it was not coetaneous with it. We may therefore after so many ages look for some additions to drilling and training, bot not for any new sisteme of Exercising. To invent new arts is difficile, to add to them, is feasible, bot to perfect them not so easy a work. Many things are convenient that are not necessare, bot nothing is necessare, which is not convenient, though not at all times, and in all places. So it is that many motions that were usual with the Grecians and the Romans in their exercises of war have been thought fit to be retained in ours, which for my own part I never thought to be necessare in the modern art of war, and on the other hand, some motions frequently used and practised by them, would have been perhaps both fitting and needful for us to have Imitated, and yet we have totally neglected them.  
There is sometimes an absolute necessity to add to former inventions, and thus it was purlie necessare for Tactics and Masters of the art of war, to add to former exercises, words of command, for the Dexterous and comely handling and managing Hand-guns, and Harquebuses, Carabines, Pistols, and Muskets, all of which acknowledge Gunpowder to be their Mother, which four hundreth years ago was not heard to make any noise in the world. There be likewise many things brought in fashion by curieous wits, that serves more for show then for use, and very convenient, I think, it sold be so, provided, a necessity of practice be not imposed upon them. For I am none of those, who think that none of the old customs of war sold be altered, nor am I one of these severe men, who hate all Novelties, nay I look on all these old soldiers, as little better than old fools, who will not hear of any new Introductions in the art and discipline of war, for no other reason, bot because they never saw them before, for by this argument, if they had lived three ages ago, they had rejected the whole art of gunnery, concerning all kinds of great Ordinance and artificial Fireworks, which succeeded the Machine's and Engines of war used in the days of old.  
Bot, notwithstanding of all I have said, I am obliged to tell you, that more than two years ago I red this French Exercise in its original, and had the very same sentiments of it. that I still have, these for some particular reasons I publish now, which I did not at all intent to do then. I look upon it as a very ingenious piece, and the birth of a fertile brain; yet, whether all the several parts of it be necessare, nay, whether they be all convenient, whether they be all for use, or for show, or for both, or whether some of them be for neither use nor show, may by these, who are not so great lovers of Innovations, as to fall out with old customs, be both questioned and examined, without making either schism in the Church, or sedition in the State. Each section of this French Exercise, that I look on as singular I shall set down apart in the Translators words, and immediately subjoin an animadversion to it. Nor shall I be troubled, that my Reader reject all my Observations as impertinent, because I know, he has as much liberty to adhere to the French Author in all things, as I have taken to myself to descent from him in some things.   


FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The Major takes the Muskers, and forms the front of the Battaillon.  
The Adjutant ought to be at the head of the Pikes, which he draus up in the same manner in the rear of the Muskets, at twenty paces distance, if he have ground sufficient.   

Animadversion.  
IF the Major form only the front of the Baitaillon, who forms the Rear, the wings, and the middle of the Battaillon? And since this Author exeems the Major from the care of the Pikes, I conceive he may with very much case form the whole Body 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 Body consisting of several parts. If any say by the front of the Battaillon he means, The Musketeers, and by the Rear the Pikemen, I can not be satisfied with that answer, because the Musketeers of a Regiment drawn up in a Body by themselves, make a Battaillon apart, and so do the Pikemen another Battaillon, each whereof hath a front and a rear, till they be joined in one Body, and then they make indeed, bot one Battaillon.  
In the nixt place, I say, An Aid Major, or Regiment Adjutant is not to be found every where, though the French have him, neither is his Office or his help 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 believe that, there is none of the Field Officers of a Regiment, Colonel, Lieurenant Colonel, or Major, bot may form and draw up a Regiment or Battaillon without help, if they do bot indifferently understand their charges, and if any of themselves be asked the question, I presume, nothing bot modesty will move them to contradict me.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
No Company shall enter into the Field, bot in its order, and six deep in file.   

Animadversion.  
SIr, you say well, six deep in file, in regard it hath been appointed to be so of a long time by two of the most Christian Kings, for though the French be liberal enough to lend fashions to other nations, yet they have been content to borrow this from a colder Climate than their own. But since ten deep was the custom of old, and six deep is now the custom, how come you to introduce an exercise, that can neither be performed by the one nor the other? Do not you hereby reflect on all these famous Generals both of your own & other nations, who by making their Infantry either ten or six deep, bard entrance to this Quarter file exercise of yours, which you now bring with so much pomp upon the stage? For my part I think, if ever any fancy of it entered their heads, they have looked on the Theory thereof as loss of time, and the practice of it as pure foppery. Nay, who knows, bot some of them have thought that to draw up a Battaillon sixteen deep, and exercise it by half Quarter files, might be a suitable object of an Idle man's speculation. But assuredly, never one of them conceaud it to be either necessare or convenient for this toy of yours, to make so great an alteration, as to change the depth of their Battaillons, which in all armies belonging to one Prince, or one State, sold be constantly one and the same. And, Sir, to cry up the singularity of your device, I shall tell you, that the ancient Groecians drew up their foot Battaillons sometimes eight, sometimes sixteen in file, yet had not so nimble wits as to exercise by quarter files. To come to our own times, The great Earl of Strafford ordered his Majesty's Infantry in Ireland to be eight deep in file, which certainly so judicious a person, as he was known to be, did for good reasons, if one whereof had been to exercise by quarter files, he had lost perhaps much of that reputation of military skill, which fame hath so bountifully bestoud upon him.  
Sir, in this place, you appoint the Companies to be six deep before they come to the Field, and in another place you order the files to be made eight deep, when they are in the Field. Bot since you must exercise sometimes at six deep, and since you will exercise sometimes at eight deep; I shall make no bones to tell you, that it will be much more convenient to exercise your foot, one day at six deep, and another day, at eight deep, then to put your Captains to a double labour in one day, first to make their Companies six deep, before they come to the Field, and then eight deep before they go out of the Field. For to change the depth of files in the Field purposely for quarter file exercise, is not so easy a work, as perhaps you at first imagine it to be, my reason is this. In a file of six deep you have bot three leading men, these be, The Leader of the file, The Leader of the half file, and the Bringer up of the file. In a file of eight deep when you are to exercise by quarter files, you have four Leaders, and four 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 punctually done in exercises at six deep. Now the stations of these files at eight deep cannot constantly be keepd by the same men, because of sickness, forloss, and many other accidents which may withdraw them for a time, and their stations being changed, or other men put in their rooms, you shall not miss to meet with an embarras, the danger whereof you need not fear in exerciseing at fix deep in file, it being neither so knotty nor difficile as the other.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The Captains or Officers must lead their Companies with a Pike in their hand. The Lieutenants must be at the rear of the Pikes, when there are Ensigneys, and when there are none, they are to place themselves at the head of the Pikes, when they are drawn into Battailla.   

Animadversion.  
THe Author tells us not, whether the Officers shall carry their Pikes shouldered, as the Spaniards do, or comported as the French used to do. Nor shall I tell my opinion, whether Pikes, half Pikes, Pertisanes, or Canes be most proper for Commissionated Officers. Only I shall desire the Lieutenants to take notice, that this Master, fixes them all with the Pikes, whether in the front or rear of them, makes no matter.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The Companies being come to the designed ground, shall file of one after another, and pass upon the left wing of the Pikes, and in the first place, shall leave their Pikes in the Field of the battle, and the Muskets shall pursue their march, till they have joined the front of their Muskets.   

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 to consist of both Muskets and Pikes, shall pass 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 battle, First, a Company is no more a Company, bot a part of a Company, when the Pikes are left behind. Nixt, how can the Pikes be left in the Field of battle, since that must of necessity be the Field of battle, where both Muskets and Pikes of the whole Regiment are formed in one Battaillon. Bot take head. Musket's shall pursue their march, till they have joined the front of their Muskets. Where are we now? O, for an Interpreter, I am afraid, The Printer hath wronged both the Author and the Translator. Must Muskets or Musketeers pursue their march till they join the front of their Muskets? O Sense, where art Thou? In what corner of this Paragraph hath thou hid thyself? I am sure, I cannot find the. Bot lest we offer to wrong the Author, let us hear him speak in his own language, Both in his general and particular Exercise of the Infantry, he hath these formal 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 suiuront le front des Mousquets. It is not in my power to English this otherwise, as the Translator hath done. Yet I would gladly be so just to the Author, as to think, 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, twenty paces) and the Musketeers shall march, these of one Company 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 ask, why may not the Musketeers of each Company leave their Pikes and march strait in a direct line to the place appointed for them, and not be obliged to march in an obliqne line upon the left wing of the Pikes, but more of this hereafter.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
So soon as the last Company hath joined the Battaillon, the Adjùtant shall file of the Pikes by quarter ranks, to go join the Battaillon, on the same front of Muskets on the left wing, and without loseing time, as soon as the last quarter rank is arrived, he shall face them to the left in Demi rank, to the left the Muskets, and to the right the Pikes, and by a word of command (March) the Pikes and the Muskets shall possess the same ground, after which he shall give command (As you were) takeing care that in all these movings, a Sergeant shall be at the wing of each division to prevent their falsifying.   

Animadversion.  
NOr is this Paragraph rendered so smooth, as it sold be, or, as I think, as it might be, for assuredly the Adjutant must not face the Pikes by Demirankes, bot by whole ranks, 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 up one another's place, for so I understand 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 Musket's face to the left, and the whole Pikes to the right, and then by a command, march, etc.  
But, let the translation be as it will, To the thing itself, I say, that in forming a Battaillon consisting of two wings of Musketeers, and one Body of Pikes, any of the ordinare ways used formerly seems to me as formal, & more easy, as the way prescriud by this French Author. And when the Major hath drawn the Musketeers in one Body, And the Adjutant the Pikemen in another twenty paces behind the muskets, according to the Anthors' direction, I shall, by his permission, say, the Pikes may join the Battaillon of muskets, with sever words of command, in a shorter time, and with less trouble and embarras, then by the way mentioned by the Author.  
I say, with fewer words of command, thus. The Author will have the Pikes to march in four several Divisions (for so I understand his quarter ranks) and this requires four several words of command, for to every quarter rank 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. Immediately after the half of the muskets must be ordered to face to the left hand, and that is the sixth word of command. Then the half Body of muskets, and the whole Body of pikes must march, or rather countermarch to take up enterchangeablie one another's ground, that is the seventh word, And lastlie when muskets and pikes have changed their grounds, they must be ordered to face, as they were, and that will be the eight word of command. Bot I say four words may serve the turn first, let the half ranks of muskets face to the left hand, that is one, nixt, let that half rank of muskets march, till there be a competent Interval made betueene it, and the other Demiranke of muskets, to receive the pikes, that is the second word; thirdly, order the pikes to march all in one entire Body from the rear, and take up that Interval, 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 formed without more words.  
secondly, I say, in a shorter time, as thus: To march in a whole body is a work of quicker dispatch by three parts of four, then to march in four several Bodies or quarter ranks, as the Author order the pikes to do, before they join the musketeers. secondly, a body greater or smaller, will twice as soon march twenty paces in a strait and parallel line, than forty perhaps fifty in an obliqne or crooked line, as these pikes must do, which stand twenty paces behind the Battaillon of muskets, and must march to the left hand of them. Now, the Author in this section says, without losing time, therefore it is, that I propose a way that looseth less time, than this way of his.  
thirdly, I say, The Battaillon of muskets standing in one Body, and the pikes in another twenty paces behind the other, (as the Author appointeth them to be.) The pikes may be received in the middle of the Battaillon of muskets with much less trouble and embarras, then by the way prescriud by the Author, thus: Let the Demirank of the Battaillon of muskets face and march to the left hand, (leaving the right Demirank standing firm) and so make an Interval, this is done without any embarras at all, nixt let the whole Body of the Pikes advance at one time, and take up that interval, and this is likewise done without any embarras. thirdly, the Demirank of muskets, which did face and march to the left hand, being commanded to face as they were, do 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 ordered to face one to another, and then by a Countermarch to take up one another's ground, there will be some shouldering, some justling, and some clashing of arms, even among the best trained Soldiers, and that I call, Embarras.  
The French Kings Officers are obliged by this Section to marshal their Regiments according to its prescriptions, and no other way, Bot these Officers & Drill-masters who receive no French pay, may try either this way of the Author, or the good old way, or a third, if they please, and then retain any of them, they find most convenient for themselves, and most easy for their Soldiers.  
Lastlie, This Author requires a Sergeant to be at the wing of each Division, to prevent their falsifying. Observe here, that a Regiment standing in Battle, there are two divisions of muskets, and one of pikes; Two Sergeants being required to attend each division, will be six that are appointed for that duty, In my observation upon the nixt section, we shall see how the rest of the Sergeants are disposed of.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
When a Battaillon is form, the first Lieutenant shall stand in the rear of the first division of muskets, and the last in the rear of the last division, an Ensigney in the rear of the Pikes, with one half of the Sergeants, to hinder the Soldiers from dispersing, or breaking their ranks.   

Animadversion.  
I Never had so strong a conceit of the usefulness of a Lieutenant in a Company, or a Lieutenant Colonel 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 rear, 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 form a Battaillon, (as I have observed) he appoints the Lieutenants to be in the rear of the pikes, if there be Ensigneys, and in the front of the pikes, if there be no Ensigneys, and consequently still with the pikes, either in front or rear whether there be Ensigneys or not, Now in this section which I last cited, he order one of the Lieutenants to be in the rear of the first division of muskets, and another Lieutenant to be in the rear 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 form, they may be otherwise disposed of, to shun contest, I am content to be so charitable (though I see no reason for it) to believe the Author meant so, bot than 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 probably he means) or some more of them then two with the muskets, (which most rationally he sold have meant) or that he leaves the rest, except these two, to be individua vaga, to wander where they please. And indeed, though he do 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 remembered, that in the eight section of the way to form Battaillons, the Author requires a Sergeant to be at the wing of each division, which, in my animadversion on that section, I reckoned to be six, in this section he requires the half of the Sergeants to be with an Ensigney in the rear of the Pikes, Now let us suppose there be in one Regiment ten Companies, these have twenty Sergeants allowed them, of these the Author takes the half, to wit ten, and placeth them in the rear of the Pikes, and six on the wings of three Divisions, this is in all sixeteene, there remains then bot four of the twenty to attend the rear of the Musketeers, which being twice as numerous as the Pikes, makes this Division of the stations of Sergeants very disproportionable Sergeants formerly were obliged only to attend the wings, Bot if the Author doth allow as he doth, Sergeants to be in the rear as well as on the wings, I shall agree with him, for I have oft wondered, why so necessare an Officer as a Sergeant, sold be pinned to the flanks, as I have seen too oft practised, Bot I will still descent from him in allowing so many Sergeants for the rear of the Pikes, and so few for the rear of the Muskets, till he make it appear, that Pikemen may break their ranks, bot Musketeers cannot,   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The Drums shall be placed on the right hand and the left.   

Animadversion.  
IF he mean on the right and left hands of the whole Battaillon or Regiment, I would gladly know, what they sold do there? I sold think it most consonant to reason (not to speak of practice) that when a Battaillon, Brigad, or Regiment is formed, every Officer (among whom Drummers ordinarily are reckoned) sold have his station assigned him in that place, where he can do 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 easily understood. Bot if the Author mean, that Drums shall be placed on the right hand and the left, only 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 sold have their stations, for I am sure, The French Drill-masters will confess, 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 half files are commanded either by half 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 obeyed, the Battaillon possesseth in front twice as much ground as it did before, bot these half files can not perform this, till they chase 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 conceive, The Author hath not said so much on it, as he might, at least, not so much as he sold, and consequently 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 Company sold have the precedency of another, that is, where the Lieutenant Colonels Musketeers and Pikes sold stand, (for I suppose he allows the Colonels the right hand) where the Majors, where the oldest Captains, where the youngest, and where the rest, that every one of them may have their due according to their priority. This is a point, wherein there is neither custom nor law of war universally observed, it being variable according to the pleasure of the Prince or State, who wageth the war, or of their Generals who mannageth it. secondly, he has not assigned to every Officer belonging to the Battaillon their proper stations, for though it may be soon known, where the Officers of a private Company fouled stand, so long as it is a Company apart, yet when the several Companies are incorporated in one Body, the stations of the Officers are sensible changed, as any who never saw a Battaillon bot in paper, may easily understand. All he hath done in this so necessare a point, is to tell us, where the Ensigneys, Sergeants and Drums, and the Lieutenants sold be, and that in so confused and unintelligible a way (as I have demonstrated) that he might better have said no more of them, than he hath done of the Captains, and the three Field Officers. Nor do I imagine, any man will be so little the Author's friend, as to say, he needed not speak of these two points, because they are known in the French Armies, for by that reason he might have held his peace of very many things mentioned by him in his Book, which were not only known in France, bot in most places of Christendom, long before his Grandfather 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 formed for one of four reasons. These are, either to be looked upon and viewed 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 every Company be placed according to its priority, and every Officer have his station assigned him according to his Dignity. In the three last cases, those two points are not only convenient, bot purlie necessare. And therefore I conclude, a Battaillon is not formed; or not formed as it sold be, where any of these two things are either omitted or forgot. The Author having with many niceties formed his Battaillon, as you have seen, proceeds thus.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The General Exercise for the Infantry. After having drawn the Regiment into Battailla, they draw out the files of Halberdiers, which are placed on the wings of the Battaillon by the following commands. Take care, Halberdiers to form your files on the wings of your Battaillon. To the right and left by half ranks draw your files on the wings of your Battaillon, March.   

Animadversion.  
AFter so much pains in this general Exercise, in giving us so many motions many old, and many new, to repeat most of them (except doubling by 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 thinks most convenient, and in the second these he conceives most necessare; bot why either the one or other, let us a little examine.  
To place some files of Halberdiers or Pertisaners on the flanks of the Musketeers, is no doubt of excellent use, for in our ordinary Battaillons the firemen lie open on their wings to the Impression of any cavalry, especially Curaseers, Bot our Author sold have appointed them to be strongly armed for the Defensive, otherwise Pistols will reach them, before the Horse come within reach of their Halberds. Bot, I think, he is more to blame, for not telling us, how many files of these Halberdiers are needful: Nor can he be excused for giving command to draw out the files of Halberdiers to be placed on the wings of the Battaillon, without telling us from whence, or from what place they sold be drawn. We know not, for any thing he says, where these Halberdiers are, Bot since he permits us to guess, I conjecture that at first they must be with the Body of the Pikes, if so, may it not be asked, whether Pikemen will not serve the turn as well, and if that be granted, and the number of the files condescended on, they may be sent from the Body 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.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Then they open the files of the Baettaillon. Take heed to yourselves in opening your files, that the right hand file stir not. To the left open your files to three foot distance March, Halt, To the right.   

Animadversion.  
WHen the Halberdiers have taken their ground on the wings, must the files of the Battaillon open? for what reason? To what purpose? I would have thought that the files of Halberdiers being drawn from the Body to the wings had left a void place, which was necessare to fill up by closeing the files, bot the opening them is a mystery, and a greater mystery 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 ordinarily is reckoned to be one foot and a half, Bot this will not satisfy those who stand strongly for all the Author says, in regard neither he nor they will be governed according to ancient custom, & therefore 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 order them to be at 3. foot distance in the fourth section of forming his Battaillon, where he hath these express words. The Major or Adjutant must observe that the distance of files (when they are not exercising) is only half a pace distance, bot when they come to handle their arms 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 himself, in bidding the files open to three foot distance, which presupposeth them to have been at a closer order, and this in the section cited by me, he doth not at all admit, That by a pace is meant six foot is clear by the Translator, who in this section interprets that which the Author in French calls half a pace, to be three foot. Now, how files who were at no closer order than three foot, shall open to three foot distance passeth my natural understanding. And though it sold be granted to the Author, that he is not obliged to any old form of exercising, yet I think he is bound not to disagree from his own form.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The Exercise of the Musket. Take heed to yourselves there in the exercising your Musket. Lay your right hand on your Musket. Poise your Musket. Join your left hand to your Musket. Handle your Match, Blow your Match, Cock your Match, Try your Match, Lay your two singers on the Pan, Blow your Match, open your Pan, present. At this command the Pikes charge. Give fire, withdraw your Arms. At this command the Pikes advance. Take out your Match, return it to its place, Blow your Pan, Take your Primer, prime your Pan, shut your Pan, pass your Musket to the sword side. Take your charger, open your Charger with your teeth, put the powder into the barrel. Draw your rammer, Advance your rammer, Shorten your rammer against your Breast, put in your rammer into your Gun, Ram hard, withdraw your rammer, advance your rammer, shorten your rammer against your breast, return your rammer. Join your right hand to your Musket, poise your Musket, shoulder your Musket.   

Animadversion.  
WHat all these commands serve for, I do not know, since the most necessary one is omitted, both here and in the particular Exercise for the foot. And truly 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 cheap market of most of his Infantry,  
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 been 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 own Disciples may differ among themselves in the explanation of his new fangle way, as much, as Mahomet's 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 ago, and yet are by all, who have laid aside the Musket's rest, (for that requires an alteration) which, for any thing I know, is now universally 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 go further, let me speak a few words of Hand-guns.  
Though the Musket and Pistol have now got the pre-eminence 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 thereby, since Swart the Germane Monk found out Gunpowder, the mother of all fire engines, after which in a little Interval of time followed the invention of the several 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 think) till the siege of Regium in Italy 250, years after the birth of powder. Bot for my part, I believe 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 Army of Henry the second of France, wherewith he marched in Person into Germany to assist the Dutch Princes against their master the Emperor, and that was in the year 1550. or thereby. And which is more, Monluc the famous Mareshall of France in his Commentaries speaks bot of a very few Harquebuses for every French Company of foot, and not one word of a Musket in the years 1330, and 1536, the Crossbow being then much used by the French, and the Longbow by the English. The Pistol began to come in fashion in the reigns of James the fourth of Scotland, and Henry the eight of England. Bot to our purpose.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Exercise of the Pike. Take heed to yourselves there, Pikemen, etc.   

Animadversion.  
IN his commands for exerciseing the Pike, I find little 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 do it, it will not be impertinent to speak something of that ancient Weapon, the Pike.  
The Pike is so old a Weapon, that the several posturs of it have been taught many ages a go, we have most of our words of command for it from the Greeks'. The Romans made little or no use of it. The Grecians in the days of old, did admirable feats with it, the Macedonians fare greater, and in later times, the Switsers have made themselves formidable by it. The Grecian Pike for most part was eighteen foot long. The Macedonian one, was one and twenty foot in length. Our European Pikes are ordinarily reckoned to be eighteen foot long, bot in many places they exceed not sixteen.  
One hundreth and fifty years ago the Infantry of our modern Armies consisted mostly of these who were armed with long Weapons, which the French called Long-bois, in which were comprehended, Partisanes, Hallberds, Two-handed Swords, Axes with long handles, and especially Pikes, they who carried them were strongly armed for the Defensive, and were called the heavy armed. The Bowmen, Slingers, and Darters were called the light armed, in Latin, Velites. Bot Bows, Darts, and Slings, were chased away by Harquebuses, and when these began to be numerous, they who carried them, were reckoned to make the fourth part of the Infantry, as at Vienna, when Charles the fifth expected Soliman, his foot consisted of eighty thousand men, whereof twenty thousand were Harquebusiers, the other sixty thousand were all armed with long Weapons of several kinds. Bot after Muskets made a noise in the World, they chased away Harquebuses, and they who carried them challengd the third part of the foot to belong to them, and not contented with that, In a short time, they would be half play makers, nor did they stop there, for now universally, Musketeers make two parts of three of the Infantry, and in some places I have seen the Musket usurp the sole sovereignty of all Weapons in foot Battaillons, banishing the Pike absolutely, not one whereof I could see in many Regiments.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Order your Pike. Charge to Horse. Draw your Sword. Return your Sword. Order your Pike, etc.   

Animadversion.  
THat which the Author calls present your Pike, The Translator all along renders it, Charge your Pike, how properly, I can not tell. That which he says here, Charge to Horse, the original hath it present the Pike to the cavalry, and it is like the Author intended not then to charge the Horse with Pikes, because he immediately subjoins, draw your Sword, which could not be done when the Pikemen charged, Bot my work is with the Author, not with the Translator. Therefore I say, This French Gentleman doth not tell us in what posture the Pike sold be presented to the cavalry, or how the Pikemen sold draw their Swords, both which he was obliged to do. If Pikes be presented with both hands, how can these who present them draw their Swords? Perhaps with their teeth. The ancient custom 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 reserved? 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, especially Seus d'armes, and therefore many have thought, that a Body of Pikes having its ranks and files at close order, presenting their arms at a steady posture, without drawing Swords is fittest to resist a cavalry. Bot, whether, This Gentleman hath brought bacl the old custom, or invented a new one, we know not, if he had pleased to speak out his mind, any may to present Pikes and draw Swords at one time, would have got followers, as well as other French fashions do.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Take heed there, the whole Battaillon to present your arms. Musketeers make ready. The Pikes charge at the same time. To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right, Half turn to the right, As you were, etc.   

Animadversion.  
THe Author having taught us the exercise of Musket and Pike, doth at full length teach us Faceing, Doubling, Counter-marches, and conversions, he would have taught us better, if he had instructed us how, and in what manner we sold obey some of his new commands. I shall say here in the general, that 64. or 65. years ago another French Gentleman Lovis 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 do, to think, he imagined 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 mentioned in the general exercise and not in the particular one, if they be not necessare? Certainly 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 half files, and Bringers up of whole files, by whole ranks, half ranks, and quarter ranks, to the front and the rear, of these of the middle to the wings, and of the wings to the middle (which middle, The Translator renders constantly, The Centre, I hope not a Geometrical one) and both of them Inwards, are, in may be, all of them pretty for show, bot not the half of them for use. As to the conveniency of them, let it be considered, that those of them that are most for use, are most easy for the Drill-master to teach, and the Soldiers to learn, whereas these that are mere for show, are more difficile both to teach and to learn.  
As to the Exercise by quarter files, I suppose, these Officers who understand it, or think they do so, will find work enough to instruct their Soldiers in it, and certainly much time will be spent, before they make them capable to obey readily and perfectly the several commands, that belong to it. How little it serves for use, may be known by this, that you must alter the depth of your battle, before you can practise it, and the Author himself tells you, the Battaillon must be eight deep, the reason is clear, because the quarter of that file, which is composed of six men, is one and a half, and Drill-masters must not be permitted to divide a man in two halves. To prove, that this Exercise by quarter files can not be made use of before an Enemy, though he be at a great distance, will be needless labour, for I suppose it will not be denied by the Author himself or any of his Abettors, yea, I think, 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 been laid down for a ground, that practice before an Enemy is the ultimate end of all military Exercises. The ancient Romans (a people that deserved imitation) exercisd their soldierie every day summer and winter, yet every point of their exercise was not only frequently bot punctually practised before an enemy, which made the Jewish Historian Josephus say, that the military Exercises of the Romans were bloodless Battles, and their Battles were bloody Exercises.  
This exercise by quarter files cannot be made use of, bot in these Bodies, the quarters of whose files terminats in an equal number of men, therefore you can not exercise by quarter files, when your file is ten deep, as all the Infantry of Europe was fifty years ago, because the fourth part of ten is two and a half, nor can you do it, when your file is six deep, as most, if not all Europaan foot now are, because the fourth part of six is one and a half, and yet both ten and six are equal numbers. Let it be a rule to those who exercise by quarter files, that, That equal number whose quarter terminats in an equal number, is a number proper for them, and only proper for them, such are, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40. Bot the nixt equal number to any of these will not serve their turn, a 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, and 38, because the quarters of all these terminates in an unequal and odd number, or rather in a number and the half 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 intent to make use of this exercise for show (for I hope, it pretends to nothing of necessity) had need to keep constantly the same men in these same ranks and files, wherein they were, when they were first exercised that way, for if any of them be changed from their former stations, The Drill-master shall have a new work to begin again 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) six or seven days in one and the same place of the file have cund something of this abstruse Doctrine, that is lecturd to them, do not change them or their stations, If you do, your former labour is lost, you must begin again, 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 whereof is with much less difficulty. And truly in this quarter-file exercise, as the Author descrives it, Officers would not only be of a quick apprehension to understand all the hard words of command used in it, bot they would likewise have very tenacious memories to retain them, and these who have not, I sold advise to exercise by book, bot then what shall become of the Soldiers that cannot read? And though they could, yet have no lessons writ for them how to obey these difficile commands. Indeed, I would have looked upon it, as a charitable act of the Author, and yet no more as what he was bound to do, both to have set down rules, how all his new orders sold be obeyed, and figures representing them all to the eye. This, all Tactics and Masters of exercise before him thought themselves obliged to do, In this he had done himself much right, for than he had not left the rarities of his Invention to be misunderstood by the weak apprehensions of vulgar capacities, who cannot reach his meaning. I profess ingenuously, that after some study, 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 Book, and then I must study them de novo. Let other Officers, Drill-masters, and Soldiers have as much brain as they will, sure I am, they have got work enough cut out for them. And that Reader of a Country Church who durst not hazard to read the names of Shadrach, Meschah, and Abednego, for fear he sold not pronounce them distinctly, bot gravely called them the three Gentlemen with the difficile names, would rather have quitted his office, then adventured either to give or receive these hard words of command, of this exercise. Take two of them for example. Quarter files in front and rear take care, To the right and left, Quarter files of the front and rear, double your ranks in front and rear upon the quarter files of the Centre on the wings, March, march. And within a little. Quarter files in the Centre take heed to your selus? To the right and left, Quarter files in the Centre double your ranks in front and rear, on the quarter files of the front and rear, inwards. March, march. Certainly, these words are so long & so harsh, that they require not only a nimble apprehension and a ready tongue, bot also good lungs, that they may be pronouned with one breath, and with a loud voice. And whether a ready obedience to them be very easy, if we can not judge, we may at least guess, and hit right enough.  
As to the conveniency of much of this general exercise, I desire to know, what conveniency, what delight, what pleasure in a thing, that is very troublesome to a Master to teach, more troublesome to a Scholar to learn, and of no use at all, when it is both taught and learnt? Exerciseing of Soldiers sold render to the lookers on an inward content of mind, to see their compatriots expert and ready in feats of arms to withstand and repel the violence of malignant Neighbours, that would disturb their peace at home, bot little content they can have, to hear an Officer command that which puzzles his Soldiers so in the obedience, that he must be glad to bring them to the posture, As they were. Indeed, I confess, it will be no small matter of ridiculous sport, to beholders, who love to be merry with a mischief, to see a desperate Drill-master, stamp, stare, swear, look like one frighted out of his wits, and behave himself like a man something more than half mad, when, neither by words of his mouth, nods of his head, gesticulations of his body, 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 Tragical and Comical events of bygone times represented to the life before their eyes, is turned to a loud and confused laughter, when these on the stage act their parts foolishly, and impertinently, notwithstanding all the endeavours of the Master of the play, and the prompter to the contrary. Bot it will not be amiss to examine one or two particulars of this general exercise.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Half ranks take care to close with your files. To the right and left Demiranks close to your files, March. Half file-leaders take care to double the ranks on the wings in front. To the right and left half file-leaders double your ranks in the wings in front March, march. Bringers up make good your siles as you were, march, march. Half Bringers up take heed there. To the right and left, half file Bringers up double your ranks on the wings in the rear, march, march. File-leaders make good your ranks as you were, march, march. Half file-leaders take heed there. To the right and left half file-leaders double your ranks in front inward. March, march. Bringers up make good your ranks as you were. Half file-bringers up take heed there. To the right and left half file-bringers up, double your ranks in the rear inwards, March, march. File-leaders make good your ranks as you were. March, march. Demiranks take heed there. To the right and left by Demiranks regain your distances, march, halt, to the right and left.   

Animadversion.  
IF any old Drill-master had been standing by the Author, when he commanded Demiranks to close to their files, he would have concluded, that the nixt command would have been one of two, either to make a conversion, whole, half, or quarter, or for Demiranks to open to their former order. Bot this old Drill-master would have been much deceived, for he sold have heard nothing of a conversion, nor sold he have heard Demiranks ordered to regain their distances, till twelve commands were given and obeyed, Besides the word, March, fifteen times repeated. In his exercise by quarter files, he does worse, for there, after he hath ordered the files to close by Demiranks. He gives 33. words of command before he order 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 body of men can feasiblie, handsomely, I had almost said possibly obey any one of these twelve commands when either Filos or ranks are at close order. The old rules of exercise required open order, or open open order, bot ancient and approved customs are too weak bars to confine this Authors unbounded conceptions, yet I think they sold be limited by his own rule, which is, that when the Battaillon is exercised, The Files shall be at six foot distance   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Exercise by quarter files. To the right by quarter files double your ranks in front, march. To the left by quarter files double your ranks in the front. To the right by quarter files double your ranks in the rear. To the left by quarter files double your ranks in the rear. To each of these commands he subjoins, as you were. Then follows, half file-leaders take heed there, To the right half file-leaders double your ranks in front, etc.   

Animadversion.  
WHat a strange sally is this? First with some trouble and some loss of time to alter the depth of the Battailla to no other purpose bot to exercise by quarter files, and before he had given five commands concerning it, to run full speed bacl to the exercise by half files, which was sufficiently done by him before, for in this place you shall hear him give these same commands, and in these same very words for ranks to be doubled in front and rear by half file Leaders, and half file Bringers up, that he gave, when the Battaillon was six deep. Why this repetition? Is it to let us see, he can exercise by half files when the Battaillon is eight deep, as well as when it is six deep? Who doubts, bot he can do it though the Battaillon be two and thirty deep? Is not then this exercise by half files out of purpose, and a little impertinent, when he promiseth Exercise by quarter files? And is not an airy repetition of these some things and words he had given us before, a battology? Unless there be a mystery in it, which I cannot comprehend, And yet I sold think, military Exercises sold not be mysterious. I wish once more, that the Author or some of his Proselytes would write a Commentary on this new Exercise of his.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Particular Exercise for the foot, for things most necessare, and ordinary used in encounters. Take heed the whole Body to present your arms. Musketeers make ready. The Pikes charge at the same time.   

Animadversion.  
I Can hardly be induced to believe that all that is contained in this particular Exercise be necessare, much less most necessare, or if some of them be used in encounters, I conceive, it must be done on extraordinary occasions, and not ordinarily. Nor do I imagine the French Generals will be persuaded in any encounter to double their files by either Demiranks of the wings, or yet Demiranks of the Body. If they do, they have good luck, if they put not their Battaillons in an inextricable confusion, than which an enemy can desire no fairer advantage.  
As to that, that the Pikes sold charge at the same time, that the Musketeers make ready, the original hath it, present their Pikes, which the Translator, (as I observed before) renders, charge, I know not, to what purpose, Pikes sold either present, or charge, when the Musketeers are either making ready, or giving fire, unless they be com'd within the length of their Pikes of an enemy, nor do I think it convenient they sold, for it is neither a necessare nor an easy posture for Pikemen to keep their Pikes presented, the whole time they are advancing towards an enemy, which I suppose both they and the firemen are bound to do, though all that while the Musketeers are either making ready, or giving fire.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
To the right, double your ranks in front, ranks as you were. To the left, double your ranks in front, ranks as you were. To the right, double your ranks in the rear, ranks as you were. To the left, double your ranks in the rear, ranks as you were.   

Animadversion.  
THis way of doubling ranks mentioned here is done thus. The second rank 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, than I am. Is it necessare and useful in encounters? I trow not, nor am I bound to take this Gentleman's word for it. But waveing that question, I affirm, The Author hath committed two gross errors in this one Paragraph. First by mentioning only this way of doubling ranks (after he had promised to give us the Exercise of foot in things necessare and useful) he prefers it to any other way of doubling ranks, whereas it may be done with more conveniency and advantage by making either Leaders of half files, or Bringers up of files to double ranks. My reason is, because, though when by the last two ways ranks are doubled, the files of these ranks are at a closer distance, yet the ranks doubled keep the same distance they had, bot by this way of the Author, not only 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 advantageous way to double ranks is to make the last three half files by right and left hand double the three ranks that stand before them. Entire, or, (as this Author calls it) on the wings, for thereby, you not only keep both your ranks and files at the same distance they were at before their doubling, bot also you possess twice as much ground in front, as you did before your doubling. His second error is, that he orders ranks to double in the rear, which must be done thus. The first rank doubles the second, the third doubles the fourth, and the fifth rank doubles the sixth. Assuredly then, the ranks doubled stand with their faces to the Drill-master, bot the ranks doubling, turn 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 necessity of doubling ranks in the rear, must needs arise from the news you have of an enemies approach in your rear, In this case, you will resolve either to leave him, or stand and fight him. If the first, I pray you, trifle not away your time, in doubling ranks either in front, or rear. If the second, that you mind to fight, then, I suppose, you will face your Battaillon to the rear, whether you do this by a Demy tour, (which is the best way) or by a Countermarch (which is not so good) or by a half conversion, (which is the worst of the three) is not the question here. Bot the face of your Battle being changed, that which was your rear is your front, and what was your front is your rear, and consequently your Collor's and Officer's must change their places and stations. If then you think it fit, that ranks double, you may do it, without bidding them double either to front, or rear, for by what I have said, you may see, that ranks must all wise double to the front, bot never to the rear. If you be please, to consider this rightly, you will perhaps conclude with me, that all the Authors doublings of ranks in the rear, either by this may prescriv'd in this section, or by Leaders of half files, or Bringers up of files (whereof he speaks in his general exercise) are not only needless, useless, and inconvenient, bot redundant, to call them no worse.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
The whole Body take care to Countermarch. To the right by ranks Countermarch, March, halt to the right. To the left by ranks Countermarch. March, Halt, to the left.   

Animadversion.  
WHy not a Countermarch by files as well, as by ranks? The one is as necessare every bit, as the other. And if he had said, that neither the one nor the other was necessare, or yet ordinarily used in encounters, I sold not at all have contradicted him. Bot the Author in his general Exercise speaks of Countermarches by files, as well as by ranks: So do some others who writ of exercising, bot I wish that seeming difference were expunged out of all their Books, for it does bot puzzle 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 subtler than mine, he will never distinguish them. And indeed they are bot one thing, files cannot countermarch bot ranks must do it too, nor can ranks countermarch, bot files must do it likewise. Imagine a regiment of a thousand men drawn in battle on a Field, whereon they may march a hundreth in breast, That Body is drawn up ten deep in file, and so there are one hundreth files, and ten ranks, It were superfluous, nay, ridiculous for the Colonel 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 therefore in exercising, Officers sold say no more, bot, To the right, or, To the left hand, Countermarch, without mentioning either file, or rank.  
Countermarches in the days of old, were on some occasions thought useful, till the force of Gunpowder made the performance of them before an enemy dangerous, and consequently, the command for it, something Impertinent. The old Grecians, and other nations too, made much use of them, in their bodies of foot, which were sometimes eight, very oft sixteen deep, as also in their bodies of Horse, which were four, five, eight, and sometimes ten deep. There were three kinds of those Countermarches, The Macedonian, The Laconian, and the Persian, which was also called the Choraean. All these three are still used in our European Exercises, bot seldom 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 therefore we know not, whether by his Countermarch, He will have us to win ground, to lose ground, or keep the ground we have.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Take heed to make a quarter Conversion, To the right a quarter conversion. March, Halt, To the left a quarter conversion. March, Halt.   

Animadversion.  
WE must suppose, when these commands were given the files and ranks were at six 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 do not apprehend. I know the practice of others in doing it, will be no rule for him, bot I wish, he had given us a rule how to do it conveniently and handsomely at so open a distance, which to me seems so unfeasible, that I conceive the bringing both ranks and files to some closer order than six foot would be very needful, before the conversion be commanded, What necessity the Author hath found, to use either half, whole, or quarter conversions before an enemy, or in what place of the World they are ordinarily used in encounters, I cannot divine, till he inform us, what everuse may be made of them in exercises, I think, they may be with no disadvantage forborn, when an enemy is near. This is that Motion which our Scots Drill-masters used to call, The great turn, The English termed it properly enough, To wheel your Battle, The Dutch, Swenget euch. Whether it be more proper for the horse then for the foot, being it may be performed in fare shorter time and with much less trouble with the first, then with the last, shall not be debated here.  
I shall in this place take occasion to tell you in few words the opinion of another French Author concerning Faceing, Doubling, Countermarches, and Wheelings. That is, Louis de Montgomerie Sieur of Carbousin, (whom I once mentioned before) he was a Cousin of that famous Count de Montgomerie, (whose sad fate and not fault it was, to kill his Master Henry the second of France at just) A great Captain this Lovis was, and had served long under a fare greater Captain and a great King too, Henry the fourth of France, I shall speak first of Wheelings. Before you make your conversion, says Montgomerie, you must close your files and your ranks, beginning with the files, and when you have made your conversion, and would open them to their former distances, you must begin with the ranks, whether they be to open to the front or the rear, and then with the files, whether they be to open to the right or the left. As to faceing, he says, it is enough to face to the right hand, or right about, to face to the left he conceives 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 half 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 seen the Wars of the Low-countrieses, when they were hotly managed by the renowned Captains, Maurice Prince of Orange, for the Estates, and the Duke of Parma, and Marquis Spinola, for the King of Spain. And in these times, martial Exercises frequently reducd to practice were in Vogue, The Netherlands being indeed Schools of war.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Take notice all. Order your arms. The Pikemen rest their Pikes on the ground.   

Animadversion.  
THe French word is, Reposes vous sur vos Arms. Rest upon your Arms. The Translator renders it, Order your Arms. The properest English word he can give. Bot truly I think the French word more proper than the English one, and the high Dutch word as proper as any of them, which is stellet ever gevehr bey den rechten fus. Set your Arms by your right foot. Bot, order your Arms, (to speak strictly) is too general a word to denote that special posture which it sold import, for there is no posture either of Musket or Pike, which sold not be done orderly, & a Pike, either shouldered, ported, or comported, so it be handsomely done, is a Pike ordered, as well as when the but of it is set on the ground. Bot as in this, so in several other motions, I find a penury and defect of words, which makes some of them signify the thing intended very improperly, This may be observed in the French, in the high and low Dutch, as well as in the English. In all your doubling of ranks by half File-leaders and Bringers up, and doubling of files by half ranks, the things intended are not fully nor well enough expressed 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 strictly and properly imports, that you sold make the ranks double the number, or twice as many as they were, and consequently, since they were six before, you sold by that command, make them twelve, Bot when the word of command is obeyed according to the usual way, the very contrare appears, for whereas they were six ranks before, they are made to be bot three, the number of men in each of the three foremost ranks is indeed doubled, bot the ranks themselves are made fever. It is the same thing in the other languages I spoke of. And suppose, you are exercising a Body of twenty files, you will say, half ranks to the right hand double your files. If a man, who never had seen any of these exercises before, were standing by you, he would assuredly think, you intended to make your twenty files, forty, bot he shall see just the contrare, when he perceives that by the performance of that command, your twenty files are made bot ten, The number of men in every one of the ten files on the right hand are indeed doubled, bot the files themselves are made fever by half, And as to this motion, I last spoke of, I believe, it would be more proper to say, half ranks double the ranks on your right hand, for thereby, indeed, the ranks which stand on the right hand and were bot six, are made really twelve, and that is the double number of six. If you please to consider it a little, I believe, you will find it to be so.  
Now, when we say, Order your arms, The Soldiers set the butts 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 lean on their arms, and all leaning is repose, therefore it is, that I think, Rest on your arms, is more proper then, Order your arms, and, set down your arms at your feet, more proper than any of them. Bot I do not offer to introduce either new things or new words.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Lay down your arms. The Pikemen stick their Pikes between their two legs.   

Animadversion.  
BOt, if the ground be so hard, that you cannot stick your Pikes in it, as in a dry summer, and a frosty 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 original which I read, it be not, lay down your Pikes on the ground between your feet. When Pikemen were formerly ordered to lay down their Pikes, they were taught by a turn of the right hand to lay the butts of their Pikes level with the outside 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,   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Be ready to go, a la paille. A la paille. Which they are to do when the Drum beats a charge, and are to return, when the Drum beats again, with their Swords in their hands, and holding them above their heads when every one is returned to his place, and when they are returned. Return your Swords, handle your Arms.   

Animadversion.  
WHat a fanfare is all this? To what purpose all this glancing show? what can the business be? Before this piece was Englished, I read in the French original, A la paille, bot did not know what it meant in exercise, bot was hopeful, The Translator would have helped me, Bot in him I meet again 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 think it is probable, he intended no more bot what is usual in exercises, to permit the Soldiers, after they had laid down their arms, to go recreate and refresh themselves, under the name of, a la paille, and on the beating of the Drum, to return with drawn Swords to their other arms. secondly, A la paille, in French, is as much, as, To the straw, is in English; therefore it may be, he intended, that, when the Battaillon is to encamp, and the watch is set, and the Regiment hath laid down their arms, The Soldiers are commanded to go look for straw, and sticks, for hutting and fuel, And while they are about that work, if the Drum beat, they are to draw their Swords (in case of a sudden attack) and therewith defend themselves, till they get back to their other arms. If neither of these two conjectures of mine please you, you may, (if you think it worthy your labour) guess yourself, the freedom to do it, can be denied to neither you nor me.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
All sorts of change of filings. Take care in all changeing of filings, that the siles be of even number, and if there be found any supernumerary files, let them be form into ranks in the rear of the Division.   

Animadversion.  
IN the first place, what this Gentleman means by supernumerary files in the plural number, I do not understand, for I conceive, 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 odd file sold be called supernumerary (even in the singular number) I know not, od or uneven it may be, bot supernumerary it can not be, for I do not believe that any of the French Captains entertains more Soldiers than these the French Kings allows them wages for. And if they have no supernumerary Soldiers, they will have no supernumerary files; As little do I understand why odd files (if there were any) sold be made ranks in the rear, for by that mean you shall increase the number of your ranks (which sold be constantly and perpetually the same) and consequently add to the depth of your Battaillon, which must not be permitted you or any under the Prince, or his General. Suppose you have one odd file (which may frequently fall out) if you make a rank of it in the rear of a Division, than you make that Division seven deep, whereas it sold be bot six. Sure there is less hurt and less disorder in an odd file, then in an odd rank. If the Author had said, If there be any odd men in any of the Companies let them all be cast in the rear of the whole Battaillon, and make files of them, he had (to my sense) have spoke reason, yet no more than very ordinary Officers have both spoke and practised before him.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
Manner of firing. The best way of firing, is by rank, when you would fire in a Parallel line with the Enemy.   

Animadversion.  
YEs, To fire by rank is not alone the best, bot the only way of firing, if the Enemy be either in your front or your rear. 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 parallel line with the Enemy, and yet in this case, the Author must permit us to fire by file, and not by rank.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
For this purpose to do it with less trouble, it is good to do it standing firm your ground, without any motion, save that, of making the five first ranks kneel, and let the sixth be the first that fires, than the fifth rising up, does the like, and so the rest in order.   

Animadversion.  
I Have seen three several ways how ranks fire successively, not to speak of firing 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 rank hath fired, The Musketeers divide themselves in two parts, the one half marcheth by the right, the other by the left hand to the rear, where they are again by their Officers marshalled in one rank. This way is troublesome, especially if the rank be numerous, as in all great Battaillons ranks are, yet it hath been so ancient a custom in the armies of the Estates of the United Provinces of the Low-countrieses, that I saw it practised in the year 1659. by the Estates Guards at the Hague. The second way is, when these who have fired, turn to the left hand, & marches down to the rear between that file whereof they were members, and the nixt file to it, This hath fare less trouble in it, and though it can conveniently enough be done, when the Enemy is in front, yet it is most proper, when he is in your rear. The third way is, when the first rank having fired, stands still, the second advanceth six foot before the first, and fires, and so the rest successively. This according to my weak judgement, is the best, and hath least embarras in it, bot only can be used, when your Enemy is in your front, observe, that by all these three ways, whereof I have spoke, you gain ground.  
This fourth way which our Author prescrius seems to me to have two inconveniencies inseparably joined with it. The first is, you only keep the ground you have, bot gains none, and in the keeping it, five parts of six of your fire-men look like supplicants, and not like Combatants. The second inconvenience is, that unless your Soldiers by long practice be habituated to this New Mode, these who kneel may readily be more afraid of the bullets of their fellows who stand behind them, then of these of the Enemy who are at a fare greater distance before them, for the nearer danger is, with the more ugly and dreadful aspect it looks. This fear (which is natural 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 enemy be behind them, it seems, he conceives Victory is so entailed to his Master's armies, that they need not provide for a retreat, for if an enemy chance to be in their rear, I suppose none of their ranks must kneel, unless it be to beg quarter.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
All the ranks, before the skirmish renews, must be closed up to six foot distance.   

Animadversion.  
THe French Original hath it, deux pas, two paces. I do not think 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 ordinary steps, and the Translator hath done well to make them six foot. Bot why, close up to six 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 order the Major or Adjutant to observe, that the due distance of files (when they are not exercising) is only half a pace distance, bot, says he, when they come to handle their arms or doublings, they must open to a whole pace. The like, certainly, he meant of ranks. In marching, six foot of distance between ranks of Pikemen is necessare, because the length of a Pike from a man's shoulder to the but requires no less, 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 ranks either were or sold be at a greater distance than six foot, and since other Tactics have required no greater distance, why sold ranks, before the skirmish begin (says the Author) renew (says the Translator) ulose up to six foot distance? And till it be explaind, to me it is unintelligible.   

FRENCH AUTHOR.  
When they file of on a Bridge before an Enemy after the lose men have passed, The Battaillon must be filled of by rank, by the Centre.  
They must make quarter Conversions, and half Conversions.   

Animadversion.  
WHy these two commands are joined so close together, I suppose, be only known to the Author, and some few of his friends to whom he hath revealed the mystery. Whether must they make these conversions, before they pass the Bridge, or upon the Bridge, or after they have past the Bridge? A very hard matter to do it, I think, in any of the three places, though no enemy were near, and yet here it must be done before an enemy. If it be answered, that this command for conversions is general, & hath no relation to the passing a Bridge, then, I say, The Author placed it ill here, It's proper place had been where he spoke of conversions both in his general and particular exercise. What hath conversions to do with passing a Bridge?  
I have now given the reasons of my dissent from some things of this French way of exercising the Infantry. Notwithstanding whereof I think the Author's invention is to be commended, and I sold have imagined, that most of his novelties had been practised only within the walls of Paris, or among the trained Bands of France, if there be any there, if the title page of the Book had not told me, they are practised 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 piece, to this very day, the French Kings armies have been so hotly employed, that they have had bot little leisure to make use of all his new motions. The Author might, if he had pleased have made his Battaillon sixteen deep, as well as eight, and thereby not only have drilld it by quarter files as well, if not better, bot also have imitated the Macedonian Phalanx, which was constantly composed of sixteen ranks, and so have represented to his soldiers the form, divisions, and subdivisions of that Battaillon.  
And, because many of his motions are mere for show, and since for such a trifle, as is that exercise by quarter files, he thinks the depth of a battle 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 Battles used by the Ancients, which to my apprehension, would have been more delightful to behold then any of his new Evolutions.  
And once more, if the depth of Battaillons may be altered, as the several fancies of Drill-masters lead them, they may, if the Regiment consist of a thousand, or a thousand twenty four men (as many of our modern Regiments do) order their files to consist of two and thirty 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 whereof every Drill-master knoweth not, and yet the sight and opening up the use of these (though now out of fashion) would be of more profit and advantage to an attentive Soldier who minds his business, and of more pleasure and delight to the curieous Beholder, than any new thing any of them can see in this exercise. Bot it will perhaps be answered me, that all these things I have mentioned, are old, and this Exercise is new, and Novelties, without all peradventure, please best.    
FINIS.   

P. 17. l. 11. for since, read, S'ens. P. 17. l. 15. for may, read, way. P. 20. l. 29. for methood, read, method. P. 23. l. 18. for files of these ranks, read no more, bot files. P. 24. l. 11. for please, read, pleased. P. 24. l. 13. for leaders of half files, read, leaders of files. P. 24. l. 14. for bringers up of files, read, bringers up of half files. P. 31. l. 17. for ulose, read, close.