CERTAIN ORDERS MEET TO BE OBSERVED UPON ANY FOREIGN INVASION, For those Shires that lie upon the Sea Coasts.  
With a Direction to the Justices of the Peace.  
LONDON, Printed by R. C. for Michael Spark, Senior, and are to be sold at the sign to the blue Bible in Greene-Arbor. 1642.   

CERTAIN ORDERS, MEET TO BE Observed, upon any Foreign INVASION.  
THAT in every Shire be appointed one Noble man, to take the chief charge for the ordering and governing of the same, and he to appoint a Leader of the Horsemen, and one other of the Footmen. And under them Captains and Officers of all sorts, which Captains may be of the better sort inhabiting the Country, if their courage and skill be answerable for it.  
The chief Leaders both of horsemen and footmen, must be men of that experience, discretion, temperancy, and judgement, aswell in ordering and disposing of great Numbers, as also in taking advantages of grounds, times, occasions, and matters offered. And it were to be wished they were such in all points, as the whole Realm might be able to furnish every frontyshire but with two of that conduct and valour, that there might be also a meeting and drawing together of some convenient numbers both of horsemen and footmen, to be trained and exercised into all manner of sorts, and forms, aswell frivolous as necessary, to the intent to make them the more perfect how to give and receive a charge. For I think, if you shall ask the opinion but of three Captains, how horsemen ought to charge, and how they should receive a charge; and so likewise of footmen, and of their retraites: your three Captains will be of two opinions at the least. And yet the first thing we offer unto the enemy, is rashly to join battle without any foresight of the Inconvenience thereof. A thing so generally received of all our Nation, for the best way, as who should seem to impugn the same, is in danger to be made ridiculous, and his reasons to be holden for heresy, and not fit to be heard, or read. And yet how rude, ignorant and untowardly we should and would present ourselves thereunto; make but some models of convenient numbers assembled, and you shall see the same.  
In private quarrel for trifling causes, every man desireth to be exercised, and skilful in that weapon wherewith he would encounter his enemy: But in this general conflict wherein we fight for the safety of our Country, Religion, goods, wife, and children, we would hazard all in that order and form wherein we are altogether ignorant and unexperimented.  
But because I have found it by experience and reason a very desperate and dangerous kind of Trial, I would not wish any Prince to venture his kingdom that way, (unless he be weary of the same) being the only thing for an Invadour to seek, and a defender to shun: for the one doth hazard but his people, and hath a I ot to win a kingdom; the other in losing of the battle hath lost his Crown.  
A Battle is the last refuge, and not to be yielded unto by the Defendant, until such time as he and his people be made desperate.  
In which kind of trial seldom or never shall you see the Invadour to quail, no though his numbers have been much lesser than the other.  
There is a kind of heat and fury in the encounter and joining of Battles; the which whose side can longest retain, on that part goeth victory; contrariwise which side conceiveth the first fear (whether it be upon just cause or not) that side goeth to wrack, yea and often times it falleth so out before the Pikes be couched.  
Thus much to the incertainty of Battle. Wherein albeit I would wish our Nation to be well exercised and trained (being a thing of great moment:) Yet to be used in our own Country, as the shoot anchor and last refuge of all.  

A Caveat for the avoiding of that dangerous course in running down to the Seaside, at the firing of the Beacons.  
THat there be in every Shire, places appointed whereunto the Country may resort upon the firing of the beacons, which places of assembly would not be less distant than sieve of six miles from the sea side at the least, for the footmen to gather themselves together. To the intent you may the better sort your men, put them in some order, and consult what is meetest to be done; which you shall hardly be able to do, if your place of assembly be within the view or near unto the enemy, who will by all means seek to attempt you in your disorderly assemblies. Moreover, if sear once take your men, or that they be amazed; if you had as skilful Leaders as the earth doth bear, they would not be able to dispose or reduce them into such order and form as they would; neither will the enemy give you time to deliberate what is best to be done; but that you must either disorderly fight, or more disorderly run away. And above all things I especially advise, to shun that old and barbarous custom of running confusedly to the sea side, thinking thereby to prevent the landing of the enemy, or at least to annoy them greatly: which you shall never do. For be it upon any Invasion, you may be sure that there is no Prince will undertake so great an enterprise, but he will be sure to have such a number of boats, & galleys, other small vessels of draught, as he will be able to land at one time 2 or 3 thousand men; which boats shall be so well apppointed with Bases and other shot, as that they will be sure to make way for their quiet landing. And for mine own part I much doubt whether you shall have in two or three days (after the firing of the beacons) such a sufficient number as with wisdom and discretion were fit to deal or venture a sight with so many men as they will land in an hour, for any thing that ever I could yet see in the Country's readiness at the firing of the beacons.  
If the enemy doth intent but to land, and burn some houses or village near to the Sea Coast, for the prevention thereof as much as may be, it were good to appoint only those that dwell within two or three miles of the Sea side to repair thither to make resistance, and for their succour you may appoint the horsemen to draw down to the Planes next adjoining to the same, who may also keep them at a bay for straggling fare into the country.  
But if the attempt be made by a Prince purposed and apppointed to invade, if you give them battle at the first landing, you offer them even the thing they most desire: and it is a thousand to one a Conquest the first day.  
My Reasons are these: First you give battalle, but I pray with what people? Even with Country men altogether unexperimented in Martial actions, whose Leaders are like to themselves, and one other thing as dangerous as all this; You fight at home where your people know the next way to save themselves by flight, in recovering of Towns, Woods, and by ways.  
Contrariwise, with whom do you encounter? but with a company of picked and trained soldiers, whose Leaders and Captains are no doubt men both politic and valiant, who are made so much the more desperate and bold, by not leaving to themselves any other hope to save their lives, but by marching over your bellies. And besides, it is to be imagined that having spread some faction before amongst yourselves (as there is no Country free from seditious and treacherous male contents.) they are animated to pursue the victory more sharply. Again, if you once receive an overthrow, what fear and terror you have brought yourselves into, how hardly you shall bring a second battle, and how dangerous to fight with men dismayed; those that be of experience can judge. Likewise what pride and jollity you have put your enemies in, to march forward, having no Forts nor fenced Towns, to give them any stop in this fear, or for your own people to take breath, and make head again: but that your enemies and factious companies of your own Nation may join together, and be furnished of victuals, Horse and Carriage at their will and pleasure; without the which no Prince can prevail in any invasion; for if you drive him to bring these things with him, (as if matters be well foreseen and a good plot laid you may easily do) a world of shipping will scarce suffice for the transportation thereof, besides an infinite mass and charge, that must be provided beforehand; yea and what waist and loss thereof will fall out, though wind, weather, and shipping were had to pass without disturbance, experience thereof remaineth yet fresh in memory.  
Again, if scarcity of victuals and unsavouriness thereof once grow, the pestilence and other sickness (which doth assail the best vittailed and ordered Army that ever was) will then be doubled and trebled, in such sort, as it will in short time fight and get the victory for you.  
And here by the way I would put you in remembrance that there be continual lets and disturbances by your Navy of the quiet passing of their victuals which should come unto them; whereof you shall oftentimes take advantage also by storms and contrary winds.  
Wherefore I hold it for the best and surest way to suffer the enemy (coming to invade) to land quietly at his pleasure; which he will otherwise do whether you will or no. Only fronting him in the Plains with your horsemen. And by all means and diligence to draw the victuals, Cattles, Carriages, and Corn behind your back; and that which you cannot, to waste and spoil, that the enemy take no advantage thereof; keeping such straits and passages with your footmen, as may be kept, and which with small numbers of your horsemen you may safely do until greater power do come to bacl you. And though they win some Strait (which they cannot do without great loss:) yet by keeping of back receipts in straits, you shall always (if you be so driven) retire without any great loss or danger. And always remember to leave a Ward in every place meet to be guarded, though it be but of twenty or thirty persons: which will be an occasion for the enemy to stop the winning of them before they can pass: because else those few numbers will always annoy their victuals and munition that daily and hourly must have free and quiet passage to them. Now if they tarry the winning or yielding of them up, (though it be but a day or two kept) you get thereby time to yourselves to gnow stronger, and your enemy loseth opportunity, and waxeth weaker.  
For we see and find by experience, that huge armies lying in the fields, but 15 or 16 weeks, are brought to that weakness, and their first courage so abated by sickness and pestilence (which are handmaids unto such great assemblies, especially where any want of those things are that belong to the sustentation of man's body) that they may with smaller numbers and less danger be dealt withal then at the first landing. Moreover, your people shall in that time attain to some knowledge by daily exercise and use of their weapons, and the terror of shot will be more familiar unto unto them. For it is not numbers that doth prevail, but trained men, Resolute minds, and good order. For if a Prince would only select and choose out such men to wear Armour, and employ the rest (I mean the base sort) to the spade and shovel, there is no doubt but he shall sooner attain unto victory by this means, then with rude multitudes, in whom there is nothing but confusion and disorder.  
Again, the spade and the shovel are so necessary Instruments in time of war, both to the Invadour and Defender, as nothing is so impossible, that thereby may not be achieved, and made eas●e: And without the employment whereof, we cannot presume at any time of safety. I could discourse at large hereof, in showing the use and benefit of them: but because to every man of judgement and experience, it is sufficiently known, I shall not need to speak much therein; but wish you to embrace them, being to a Defender so especial and singular a commodity, in that he may better be furnished with infinite numbers of them.  
And moreover, if you shall appoint them to weapons, who are apt to labour then to fight: you shall find double inconveniencies thereby, in misplacing them contrary to their natural disposition and use.  
And touching mine own opinion and judgement, I should more stand in fear of a few picked and choice Soldiers, that were furnished with a sufficient number of pioneers, then with the hugeness of an Army of unselect and dis-furnished numbers.  
Now to say somewhat by the way, touching your Armed Pikes, the only body, strength and bulwark in the field. It is not a little to be lamented, to see no more store in this Land. We have so wonderfully weakened ourselves, as it is high time to look to the restoring of them again. And touching the use of shot, as it is a singular weapon, being put into the hands of the skilful and exercised Soldier (being the pillars and upholders of the Pikes, and without which he is no perfect body:) So no doubt, on the contrary part, committed to a cowards or an unskilful man's handling, it is the privyest thief in the field. For he robbeth pay, consumeth victuals, and slayeth his own fellows, in discharging behind their backs. And one thing even as ill as this, he continually wasteth powder, the most precious Jewel of a Prince.  
Wherefore, I would wish Captains, not only to reject such as are altogether unapt, but greatly to commend them that discharge but few shots, and bestow them well. For it is more worthy of praise to discharge fair and leisurely, then fast and unadvisedly. The one taking advantage by wariness and foresight: whereas the other loseth all with rashness and haste.  
But to return to the Pike again. Myself being in the Low Countries in the Camp, when those great Armies were last assembled, and perusing in every several Regiment, the sorting and division of weapons, aswell as their Order and Discipline: There were two Nations (the French being one) that had not betwixt them both, an 100 Pikes. Whereof I much marveling, and desiring greatly to know the cause that had moved them to leave the Pike, which in my conceit, I always judged the strength of the field:) Happening afterward into the company of certain French Captains, (some of them ancient in years, and such as were of the Religion) I demanded the reason that had moved them to give over that defensible weapon the Pike, and betaken them altogether to shot. Not for any disliking or other cause, (said they) but for that we have not such personal bodies, as you English men have, to bear them; neither have we them at that commandment as you have: but are forced to hire other Nations to supply our insufficiency, for of ourselves we cannot say, we can make a complete body. Moreover they affirmed, that if in the time of Newhaven, we had let them have but 6000. of our armed Pikes, they would have marched through all France. So highly esteemed they of the Pike, who nevertheless (in our Judgement) seem to have given over the same, or to make small account thereof.  
Moreover, for the better and readyer ordering, and training of your men in every Shire. Those that are appointed to be Captains, should have under every of their several charges, only one sort of weapons, viz. one Captain to have the charge of Pikes, another of Shot, etc. And no man's Band to be less than 200. men. By means whereof, your Sergeant Major (or such, to whom you shall commit the order of your footmen) may, from time to time, readily know the numbers of every sort of weapons, whereby he will at one instant range them into any order and form of battle, you will have them. And every Captain and his Officers shall serve with their own men: which is a matter of great contentment to both Captain and Soldier. For otherwise, if he have charge of more sorts of weapons, then must he either disjoin himself from his Officers in time of service, or else he must commit his men under another man's direction: which breedeth oftentimes great disliking and murmur.   

Orders for the provision, and guard of the Beacons.  
FIrst, that the Beacons he provided of good matter and stuff, aswell for the sudden kindling of the fires, as also for the continuance thereof.  
That the Beacons and watch-places, appointed to give warning unto the Country, of the Landing or Invasion of the enemy, be substantially guarded with a sufficient company: whereof one principal person of good discretion to have the chief charge at all times, of every Beacon.  
That the Beacons that are next to the Sea side, and are appointed to give the first warning, may be very sufficiently guarded, aswell with Horsemen as Footmen; whereof some discreet Soldier, or man of judgement, to have the chief charge, (as hath been said before) who must be very respective and careful, that he give not any Alarm upon light matter or occasion: Nothing being more dangerous than false Alarummes to breed a contempt, and security.  
Your Horsemen must be ready to give warning to the other Beacons in the Country, lest by weather they may be prevented, that they cannot kindle fire, or else the enemy may hinder them by sudden assault, and so either let the kindling of them, or extinguish the fire newly kindled, before the other Beacons can take knowledge thereof. For it is always to be feared, that the enemy will seek by all means and policy, not only to surprise the Beacons, that are next the Sea side, and should give first intelligence unto the Country: but also such as are appointed to guard them, if their watchfulness prevent them not.   

Other necessary notes to be observed.  
THat there may be order taken to have a store of Powder, Match, Bullets ready cast, Moulds of divers bores, charges, bowstrings, shootinggloves, warbrasses, and such other necessaries fit to be used at that time: Whereof (I doubt me) whether the whole Shire be able to furnish the tenth part would be required. Whereof it were good to be provided aforehand, and brought in Carts to those places of Assembly: whereby men may be readily furnished for their money, and the service nothing hindered in time of need.  
That it be looked unto, by such as have charge to take the view of men and their weapons, that every shot be provided of a Mould, a priming Pin, a Ferries, a Flint, and match-Powder, which things be as needful to be seen into, as the Piece itself, although few provide and make reckoning thereof.  
That in the said Musters and Assemblies there be good numbers of labourers appointed, who may also be assigned to have a Spade, a Mattocke, a shovel, an Axe or a Bill. And these pioneers, to resort to the places of Assembly, at every Alarm. Over whom, would be a skilful Ingenier appointed to have the chief charge and government.  
And whereas you have great numbers of Hackneys or Hoblers, I would wish that upon them you mount as many of the highest and nimblest shot you can, which may be sent down to the Sea side upon every Alarm, or to such straits and places of advantage, as to a discreet Leader shall seem convenient. The which Arguletiers shall stand you in as great stead, as horse of better account.  
For by the means of them, men will take great courage to offer a proud attempt upon the enemy, being assured to their succour, if any occasion or appearance of danger force them to retire.  
It were considerable that all the Youth of the Land were well prepared with Bow and Arrows. For in woody places, or behind banks, or in other places these might annoy the Horse and Men: Witness the brave Battles achieved in France by Bowmen, and these Arms would supply many thousands, which are not able to get better.   
FINIS.