A breefe discourse, concerning the force and effect of all manuall weapons of fire and the disability of the long bowe or archery, in respect of others of greater force now in vse. With sundrye probable reasons for the verrifying therof: the which I haue doone of dutye towards my soueraigne and country, and for the better satisfaction of all such as are doubtfull of the same. Written by Humfrey Barwick ...

To all skilfull Captaines and Souldiours, who hath had the vse and doo know the force and effect of weapons of war, and to all such as are willing to know or vnderstand the true effect thereof. Of whome H. B. craueth equall Iudgement.

¶ There are three principall causes that dooth giue vnto Conquestes great and happye successe. viz.

• Loyaltie in Subiects.
• Exercises in Armes.
• And perfect intelligence

I Doo not a little maruaile what the cause should be that men are so slowe in thinges to so good ef∣fect: is there any in doubt to do good in causes most requisite? dooth not euery Captaine repine and thinke much that dooth knowe the force and effect of all weapons of warre, to heare such arguments and so many reasons and deuices to fortefie a matter against all true knowledge and experience? what, shall we refuse the Cannon and fall to the Ram againe, or to knowne weapons more meeter for Sauadge people then for puissaunt Princes, that are able to maintaine those of the greatest force: or shall we be carried away with affec∣tion, threatnings, or eloquent and sweete woords? it is not our partes, we must abide the greatest blowes, or els what wilbe the issue of the matter? shall the blinde leade him∣selfe? or shall we runne into a mischeefe headlong that wee both see and know? considering how farre the same dooth differ from the matter alleadged, euen so farre that euery

priuate Souldiour that knoweth himselfe, may iudge it were more then beastly: and so stands the case with vs, if we doo wilfully or ignorantly forsake that which wee haue so long time made iust triall to be of the greatest force, and doo returne to that againe the which we haue so often for∣saken, for the disabilitie that by triall we haue found ther∣in: then are we well woorthy to abide the smart thereof to our own reproche. And yet were it but the losse of the thing it selfe, the matter were the lesse. There are none that in person hath made iust triall of the Archers that e∣uer will if he may choose be partaker with them againe: it is but the loue that manye doo beare vnto the same wea∣pons, for that in times past they were the best shotte that were: and yet were they the cause of more bloodshed then in these daies is vsed: and my reason is this, that when battailes and great encounters chaunced to fall out, by re∣son that the shot were no more offenciue, then by the vse of the long Bowes and Crossebowes: the enemies did then commonlye ioyne both with long and shorte weapons, as by the dints of two handed Swoordes, Battell Axes and Billes, with Leade malles, whereby the fight continued vnto the last end of the one party, but in these daies where the weapons of fire hath beene rightlye vsed, it hath beene scarselye seene that either Pike or Halberd hath come to ioyne at any time before the one partie did turne their fa∣ces, by reason of the terrible force of the great and small shot the which by skilfull conductors of the same, haue been placed vpon their enemies by vauntage of grounds or o∣therwise, as time and place hath serued.

And for that I haue heard so many seuerall opinions as is aforesaide: I thought it my parte and duety to set downe my opinion and knowledge the which I haue learned by vsing of diuers seuerall weapons, in times of seruice as well on horseback as on foot, and the rather for the better sa∣tisfaction of those not vnderstanding how requisite it is to bee resolued in those pointes, not thinking in all my life to

haue doone any such matter, but vpon this occasion the which I am driuen vnto for diuers causes, not altogither for want of experience in the thing it selfe, but for want of knowledge how to parfect the same in the setting down, be∣ing vnlearned, saue only to write a very simple stile: it may be thought in me a presumption, yet for that the thing is laudable and tendeth to no other end then for the triall of so good a cause as this is, the which all good Subiects are bound to fauour: wherein I doo with a cleere conscience protest not willinglye to offend any partie or parties vnder the Sunne, of what qualitie or calling soeuer he or they be. I am not to treat of any matter of auncient times, but as some occasion may cause me for proofe, but only within my owne knowledge or at the least recorded, or to be prooued: And for that I entred to be a Souldier at the age of 18. yeeres, which was the second yeere of tht good and god∣ly King Edward the 6. at which time our English Ar∣chers were in force and greatly vsed, and Harquebuziers not as then common. For the first that euer had any whole band in England, was Syr Peeter Mewtas Knight, who had as I doo remember the charge of 500. halfe Hakes, the which were but mean stuffe in comparison of those that are now in vse, and at that time there were not in most bands of 100. men, aboue 10. or 15. and in many none at all: sauing Captain Hugh Smith, who had in Guymes 100. Harquebuziers, sauing 10. or 12. of other weapons, insomuch that the perfection of them were not as then in England knowen to any purpose, nor yet vnto this daye but with few, in respect that the sa〈…〉〈…〉 is in other countries neere vnto vs, which I would wish might be as well in England as elsewhere, for those weapons of fire are not to be vsed without exercising of the same to any good purpose for seruice vpon the suddaine: but being once throughlye practised, it is an excellent weapon and next vnto the Musket, as in place heerafter shalbe showne.

It may be thought by some Captaines of late experience, for that I haue not entred into these troublesome toyles in

the Low Cuntries, or the ciuill warres in Fraunce, that I cannot haue that experience & knowledge as others haue: wherunto I answere that when I was young I did seeke to serue, both in England, Fraunce, and Scotland, to that end I might the better doo my Prince and Countrye seruice, and also to sustaine myselfe, who otherwaies was not able to liue as I did desire to doo: wheras I learned to know the vse of most weapons of warre both for Horsemen and foot∣men, that are or haue beene vsed in this age, with as good Schoolemaisters as any Italian, Spaniard or Wallon what∣soeuer, hath been or now is.

And further I hope I maye without offence set downe the seueral paies that in my own Princes seruice I haue re∣ceiued for my own person. The first pay that I had was 6. pence per diem, for 3 months: after that 8. pence per diem, 16. pence per diem, 20. pence per diem, 2. shillings per di∣em, 4. shillings per diem, charge after 4. shillings per di∣em, charge after 6. shillings per diem, charge after 8. shil∣lings per diem, charge after 14. shillings per diem. In all which aduauncement of payes & credit I did neuer make sute nor require any of the same paies: sauing my first paye of 6. pence per diem: but they were all bestowed vpon mee either by the Prince, or by those who had the next place: without sute either of myselfe or of any other in my behalf: my entertainment in the French Kings seruice was such, as none of our nation for a footman euer had, only captain Lampton excepted: who after hee was discharged from his band of footmen, became a priuat Souldier in the foote bands of Fraunce, and had great allowance for his owne person and seruants. I haue been offered in Fraunce better pay and greater aduauncement then euer I had or desired.

I was promised by the King of Spaine to haue a penci∣on of 200. Crownes by yeere to be paide vnto me in Eng∣land for my seruice doone vnto him at St. Quintins, but before I could come from whence I was prisoner, his Queen was dead, and hee againe married to the French Kinges Daughter, and at my return from my troubles in Fraunce,

I was answered that the King was gone who did promise the said pencion, and the Queene was dead, wherefore the promise was not to be perfourmed, I required letters into Spaine to the King, I was answered that it was no time as then, but when time serued I should haue letters of Serti∣ficate, and so the cause grue worse then before, and so as yet I had nothing. This haue I set down to th'end, that those who doo not knowe me may the better vnderstand, that I doo not write or speake by reading or heare-say but by ex∣perience only.

Wherfore I doo hartely wish that we may growe all to one perfect knowledge without contending in any point, so far differing from all true knowledge and experience: and let the times past, rest, with such weapons and engines, as in those daies were the best, and yet but trifles in respect of things now in vse: As for example, was not our olde Ca∣stles and Towers, sufficient to defend against all Rams and engins in those daies vsed: wheras in these times there is hardly any deuice of fortification will serue against the force of the Cannons? Was not that famous King, Edward the third, constrained to lye before▪ Callice 13. or 14. mo∣neths, for that he wanted the vse of the Cannon, the which in foure or fiue daies was lost with the force of the same, and other fiery weapons? some may say it was lost by trea∣son, but those that doo know any thing, doo perceiue how that was doon. And again, was not Iack and Sallet with∣in our remembrance thought to be sufficient for arming of Souldiours? and further, concerning our simple arming in times past, notwithstanding that Syr Iohn Smith dooth affirme that men were as well armed in times past, as now present: which for example, looke into the Histories the 11. yeere of Edward the fourth: where it appeareth, that Robert Basset Alderman of London, and the Recorder there, was thought to be well armed, being both armed with Iacks to defend the Cittie, against that Rebell Ba∣stard Neuell: a man would think, that being an Alder∣man, if Armours had beene as then in such store as now

they are, that the Alderman would haue had one for him∣selfe, and another for the Recorder. Againe, did not the Duke of Bedford arme the most parte of his Souldiours with tanned leather for the cheefe partes of their bodies, at such time as he was commaunded by that prudent Prince Henry the 7. the 2. yeere of his raigne, to encounter with that Rebell the L. Louell: whereas now by reason of the force of weapons, neither horse nor man is able to beare ar∣mours sufficient to defend their bodies from death, wheras in the former times afore mentioned, woundes was the worst to haue been doubted, touching the force of all their Archers, as by that manner of arming it seemeth most certaine.

I wish without offence, that all the Spanish shot were ar∣chers, as good as euer were in England, to that end, our na∣tion might once ioyne with them, for any harme that the arrowes could do, they would soon returne to gather grapes in Spaine.

Why should not Spaniards being owners of that pleasant wood the Yewe, become Bowmen and Archers? they are artificiallye sufficient, and they haue and doo seeke by all meanes possible, that their ambition may be made com∣plete. There is no doubt, but mighty Princes would haue them, either of their own Subiects or of hierlings: if they were but halfe so good as in the opinion of sir Iohn Smith they are thought to be.

And thus by these simple reasons, the which cannot iustlye be denyed, it maye appeare how thinges in times past, and now in these our times doo differ, which may and will I hope in time be better considered off.

My intent is to no other effect, but only to explane the matter so far differing, by the discourses of the saide two Knights, in declaring my opinion touching the same: I might the rather be blamed heerin, as no doubt I shall be, of some halfe Latinists, for want of congruitie in my doo∣ings: but neuerthelesse, I will not let for all those to pro∣ceed with this, seeing that in all this time none doth frame

to set downe something touching the matter before rehear∣sed. I hope I may as a labourer, take vpon me to dig forth the stones from the Rockes, and to leaue the same in more readines for the woorkmen to hewe and pullish to a greater perfection.

It dooth cause me to remember one Cornelius a Gen∣tleman and a Souldiour in the French Kings seruice, who could haue plaide of a Lute or a Gitterne excellent well: but his conditions was such, that if the best Lord or Lady in Fraunce had requested him to haue plaied, hee would not haue doon it, the reason was that he doubted, that he should haue been taken for some foolish Musition, and yet was he to be brought to haue plaied without intreatye, as thus: if any of his acquaintance had taken the Lute or Gittern in hand, the worse that he or they had played, the sooner would Cornelius haue taken the same foorth of his freends hands, and thereon would haue plaide right plea∣santly. And so now I doubt not but euen at the firste blush we shall haue a Cornelius to set these instruments in bet∣ter tune, in all their wants and imperfections by mee for want of learning and knowledge committed and left vnperfourmed: so shal I be glad to haue giuen an occasion to so good effect.

H. Barwick.