A discourse of military discipline devided into three boockes, declaringe the partes and sufficiencie ordained in a private souldier, and in each officer; servinge in the infantery, till the election and office of the captaine generall; and the laste booke treatinge of fire-wourckes of rare executiones by sea and lande, as alsoe of firtifasions [sic]. Composed by Captaine Gerat Barry Irish.

Consideringe that many are ingnorante in knowinge the proportion of many sortes of squadrones and unequall numberes •• toughte necessary to put hire the tabel and rules for the same as hire foloweth.

I Woulde wishe allsuche as do pretende to step forwarde in the no∣ble profeshion of armes, troughe there prudēt cariadge, and goo∣de applicationes, to consider that many goode partes are requi∣red in them, amongste the which we finde it moste necessary that he be expert in aritmeticke, for otherwise hardly can he bringe unto per∣fection the rare curiosities required to the severall executions of the arte of warr. And especially the sundry devisiones of the severall sor∣tes of squadrones, which by dayly triall, and experience, we see that many who are not curiouse nor expert in aritmeticke do err in uerie many ocasiones, and can not compass, nor bringe to iuste perfection withe grace, many rare occurantes in warrlike affaires; and that for the moste parte resultinge of there litle aplicationes in imitatenge the vertouse prudent and approoved souldier; and also troughe the blynde consideration of som, who consideringe that nowe in oure la∣ter warres for the moste parte all electiones goes by favor frindship or affection: yea and uery many by meanes of enteres, so that very ma∣ny do not take the paines in aplieinge them selves in learninge the se∣verall rare curiosities of this arte but rather mocke, and floute at those of rare and curiouse iudgementes by cause that their skill and capa∣citie can not reache in resolvinge the rare and deepe secretes of this arte, after those of perfection in this arte we looke, for those of im∣perfection we finde on every foote: so none oughte to reprehende in absence wherof in presence he is ingnorante.