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.

Num. VII.

THe security of stronge houldes and fortresses dependeth of the goode order and vigilance of the Governores and reste ministres of the same, and that, as well within as withoute side bothe by polecie and Military Discipline, in ministringe goode justi∣ce betwexte the inhabitantes and souldiores, and in ordaininge a goode and vigilante watch, and to be well provided of all necessaries in due time. And preventinge the stratagemes and plottes of the ene∣my in as muche as can be, havinge alwayes an eye towardes the bur∣geres and souldiores, concideringe theire humores condisiones and fidelity, theire shoulde by alwayes secret spies to learne of theire esta∣te and humores, and whate they comunicate in secrett and publike, and finally theire actiones and inclinasiones, and to haue goode re∣garde of suche strangeres as do arive into such places, if they be peo∣ple well knowen or not faithfull or suspected.

In the ocurrantes and courses of warr, greate and many are the considerationes required in the generall of an army, and in his coun∣sel of warr, in prudently preventinge manny materes of greate im∣portance, of presente and future ocationes (with aforcaste prudente prevention) which otherwise bienge induced (do often fall oute to the greate discomodity of his Majesties service) in atemptes of man∣ny honorable interprises and incounteres, to the greate decay of Mi∣litary Discipline, whiche by dayly experience wee see, that for wante of prudente conductores of care truste and fidelity, many honorable interprises are loste, resultinge of the litle perfection of many Offi∣ceres.

A matter wourdie to be noted examined and prevented for the due orderinge of future ocasiones, of whate resulteth that so many oulde and experimented souldiores of the late reformasiones in germany and lowe country wente on the countrary side to the greate disco∣moditie of the house of austria, sence which time who many millo∣nes were consumed in raisinge of neowe levies and recrutes for the furtherance of the warres of the lowe countries, yea to my judgemte as muche as mighte intertaine an invincible army of oulde and expe∣rimented souldores, duly paied and satisfied. By dayly experience we see that thies neowe levies for the moste parte, in ocasiones of service feowe were founde to asiste; whiche i haue noted and pitted often times, for bienge so greate alet to his Majesties service: The Omni∣potente inlighten his Majesties faithful ministeres in preventinge in due time the conveniente course of a matter of so greate importan∣ce: And agreate enemy for the vnprofitable consuminge of his Ma∣jesties treasure and Indies. Let none thinke that i disalue recrutes and reforsinge of companies in theire due time and conveniente course, profitable to his Majesties service. Vndeniable it is that an army well disciplined ordered contended, and conducted with prudente and braue comaunderes, though lesher in number are by all reason ma∣steres of the victorie, which all auctores that wrote of this arte do afir∣me, and by dayly experience we finde to be true.

The ropose and securitie of a Kingdom or state dependes for the moste parte in observinge goode lawes, goode warres, and continual practice of Military Discipline, wherof theire are very many probable examples, as plainely hapened to Anibal that renoomed Captaine of warr, and to the invincibel Romaines that at lenghte in neglectinge Military Discipline and exercice of armes was cause of theire perdi∣tion; and when they leaste feared of any a tempes of theire enemy, and that resultinge for biengc wholie given to vice, regalitie and re∣pose, and forgetfull of all Military exercice.

Happie is that Kingdomme where goode lawes and goode disci∣pline is in continual vse and exercice, and alwayes ready for the pre∣pared vice and malice of their enemy, ready for the alarme when it shall presente, whiche offten happen when we leaste thincke uppon. Happie is the Prince, and renoomed the Generall who prudently doth prevente the prepared malice and stratagemes of their enemy and of future ocasiones.

I doupte not but those of perfection and deepe judgemente in the

arte of warr shall both admire and comende the extraordinary paines taken for the due orderinge of this wourke and in explicatinge and putinge to lighte many deepe curiosities of rare importance in the office of the Sardgente-Mayor, and ingienes of Fire-wourkes, as also the due and prudente orderinge of severall sortes of weapones ma∣nadged in warr. All which with theire neowe invented impalinge of shott and winges, and theire singular order to fighte, as also other deepe curiosities of this arte whiche were leifte in obscuritie by many auctores who wrote of this profession. And that to disperte the inge∣niouse wittes of those inclined to learne the rare and deepe curiosities of Military science, that they may imitate them (in optaininge theire desire) with longe and continuall practice and goode aplicationes, which nowe i reduced to lighte in as muche as military science, the rules of mathematicke and aritmeticke can affourde, withe theire ge∣nerall rules proufes, proporsiones and tables, neowly invented for that purpose, plainely sheowinge the reasones of eache particular, breefly declared in the tables of the battelles, and in severall figures cut in coper and wood plates: Not douptinge but those of perfecte judgemente in the deepe and rare curiosities of this arte will comen∣de the same, and a firme that as yet no auctor did explicate more plaine nor better of many particularities leifte in obscurity in Fire-wourkes and specially in the office of a Sardgente mayor, which no∣we are redused into the perfecte forme ordained for their executiones in as muche as military science and the generall rules of the same can afourde. So that suche as are couriouse and inclined to continual goode aplicasiones, and determined by vertue prudēte cariadge and perfection in Military Discipline to by advanced may in shorte time learne all the particularities in the office of a Sardgente Mayor, leif∣te in obscuritie by many auctores; Whiche nowe in this wourcke are plainely broughte to lighte in as muche as military science can afour∣de or declare, whiche is not obtained by vaine glory nor heere say.

But rather with longe and continuall practice and aplicationes in the theorick and practice of warr; with intente and desire to in∣lighten my beloved countrimen and otheres, that they may knowe howe to acomplishe theire obligationes with prudence and auctori∣tie, and aplee them selves withe care and affection, in learninge this noble arte of warr, and not to be inclined to i delnes and bad exam∣ples, garded with malice, inuy, puffinge pride and rude ingnorance, overcaste withe afaulse fisnomy and aneowe malisiouse conterfet

countenance, enemy to vertue, truthe, plaine dealinges and goode examples. But rather by vertue and goode aplicasiones wounde the hartes of raylinge spirites ful of ambision and changinge dispositio∣nes, misled with blinde malice, venemouse and slanderouse tounges, harbored in theire cancored hartes, full of crucked dealinges and in∣vy, subjecte to afrontes and vices, of bad life and bad ende, but ho∣norably to imitate and followe the steppes of those inclined to vertue and continuall goode aplicationes.