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.

THE FIFTH CHAP.

WHosoever woulde wish to be a perfecte souldior and desirouse that matteres of importance were refered to his care and chardge, firste he muste by exercised lon∣ge time in warres, sheowinge him diligēte in a plienge him selfe in the theoricke and practick of this arte, to be couriouse and ingeniouse in many ocurrantes and warlike exploi∣tes, in fortifienge him selfe in ocasiones of necessitie eyther in plaine or hilly grounde, riveres or pasadges or where soever. He is to be cou∣riouse in understandinge the dificulties of the situation, the uantadge and disadvantadge of the place, and howe he may intertaine the pla∣ce, in as muche as industrie can a fourde, in consideringe how soucor can be kepte from him, and the necessary prevension, if he by invio∣rened with wood gardines ditches valeyes ould buildinges in 700.

or 800. paces, and if theire be any suche empedimentes to see them with speede plained and prevented that he may discouer every way, and let him looke well that he be not deprived of water, and in as muche posible to informe him selfe in knowinge all meanes the ene∣my may use to cross him of soccoure; and the sureste way or mea∣nes who he may receive soucor, and use all industrie posible in so mu∣che that the enemy do not cross him of the pasadges, and put them selves in posession of the same: He is to fortifie him selfe in as muche as may by posible, and as the situasion shall permit, not grudginge at the greate paines required to that effecte, in raisinge the walles in the heighte and forme requisite, the ditch of the breade and heighte conveniente. To raise the bulwarkes of the same in the heighte that they may discover the sircuide and places befitinge on eache side, let him by provided in due time of all necessarie munitiones, and as much as may by, and rather have to spare then wante, alsoe to be provided of severall sortes of fire wourkes whiche are of rare empor∣tance in many ocasiones, let him by alwaies vigilante and warie, and feare of the suddaine plottes and stratagemes of his enemy, whiche may fall uppon him when he leaste thinketh, so let him not wholie truste to his and his souldiores valour, but rather alwayes be readie to receive the alarme with greate vigilance and brave resolusion, so shall he a complish the obligationes of a prudente carefull and vigi∣lante souldior, and defende his reputasion.

When any stronge place is beseeged and that yove woulde cut atrince to win the same, the person that undertaketh this chardge muste by curiouse and skillfull, the trince is to by five foote deepe and the earthe to be caste up on both sides then it shall be seaven foote deepe in some places it is to by ten foote broade, in some places eighte, but in the biginenge it needeth not to be above eight foote broade, and in every place it muste by five foote at leaste deepe. Thies trinches are to by cutt and goe on crossed (and crouked) so that the enemy do not discover oure fronte, but givinge them still oure side, and so shall the companies inter with the better securitie and feowe men kilth, and they may goe upp and downe the trince at theire owne ease, but they muste beware and by in all redines leaste the enemy shoulde chance of a soddaine come to trye theire valour, and kill suche as they finde in the trince, and nayle the artillerie if they can come so farr, therfore let theire by chosen the beste and moste valerouse pikemen, and order them in thre in ranke to hinder

the entinte or empetue of the enemy, in thies and semblable ocasio∣nes in warr where carelelie Officeres and souldiores do assiste they finde them selves amazed for there litle care and vigilance in soddai∣ne prevented exploites of the enemy, after bienge well informed of trustie spies of the litle vigilance and care of the enemy it is an easie thinge to triumphe victorie of them, so in ocurrantes and ocasiones of warrlike afaires all securitie is to by prevented in due time in as mu∣che as industrie vigilance and care can afourde, and such as do not thinke uppon them selves to prevente the necessarie remedies, are moste comonly loste, and suche as do escape remaine tatched with greate disgrace, for bienge overthrowen trough careless mindes and litle discipline, so let none by ingnorant but that vigilance and care acompanied with military prudence and brave resolusion is of rare importance in warr.