The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

The Maxims are as followeth.

1^st. TO be first drawn up on the Ground the Army is designed to fight on, which is always attended with several considerabl Advan∣tages, as the Honour gained by being earliest on [ 40] the Spot, which animates the Souldiers, and of∣ten daunts the Enemy, having thereby the oppor∣tunity of possessing all the Advantages of the Ground, which are to be so exactly considered, and the Field you fight in viewed so well, that when the Army is drawn up, the Order of it may not afterwards be altered, or the Ground changed; for all such mutations in the Face of an Enemy are very Dangerous, giving them the greater confidence, and the Army the less Cour∣age, [ 50] as being an evidence to both of a great failure in Conduct. Likewise being first drawn up in the Field, the Army is in a posture to fall on, and rake the Enemy with their Cannon, whilst they are drawing up, which Advantage when it may be taken, is of great use.

Secondly, That a General is never to omit in the drawing up of his Army, so to dispose of his Squardrons, and Battalions as that every one of them may come to fight again and again, if need [ 60] requires, before they are totally routed.

It is also observable, that in a Battle who ever 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in reserve a Body of Men that are not lead to fight until all the Enemies Squardrons have fought, rarely falls to get the Victory; and those that have the last Reserves are very likely at last to be Victorious.

The Romans constantly fought their Infantry in there Lines, or Orders of Battle; the one be∣hind the other, if the Hostatii were worsted, they fell between the Intervals of the Principi, and there Rallied again, whilst the Principi advanced; and if both the Hostatii and Principi were routed, they fell in between the Intervals of the Triarii, and if those could not sustain the Shock, the Day was lost.

Thirdly, to have expert, vigilant and valiant Commanders to be at the Head of the five gross Bodies, of which an Army is usually composed in the Day of Battle; viz. the three Tertias of the Infantry (which as they March are called the Van, the Body, and the Rear) and the two Wings of the Cavalry, and this in the second Line, as well as the first (the distance between them be∣ing 300 Paces) since it is easier to attack well whilst all is in Order, than to recover a disor∣der when once hapned. With these Officers 'tis of great importance to have an able General of the Artillery, and that he have sufficient Officers under him. That the Carriages, Ammunition, &c. be in good order, and the Cannon early, and well planted, as that the Shot may rake thwart the Squardrons and Battalians of the Enemy, which will not only do great execution, but also disor∣der Bodies of the Enemies Infantry and Caval∣ry.

Fourthly, Always place the best of the Soul∣diery in the Wings of the Army, and to begin the Battle, on that side of the Army which is strong∣est, and the Enemy the weakest.

This ha's been a very antient Method, and seldome has been omitted, but to the loss of those that are guilty of such omissions; and the reason is clear, Because the Troops on the Wings are not wedged in, as the Troops in the main Battle are, but are at liberty to make all the Advantages that by Accident, or the ill Con∣duct of the Enemy may be offered; and it can∣not rationally be expected to fall upon the Ene∣mies Flanks, and Rear, but by attacking them on the Wings, which must be done as expediti∣ously as possibly (without disordering the Troops) whilst the rest of the Army moves as slowly as they may; and if the first Attack be succesful, then there is opportunity to fall into the Flank, and part of the Rear of the Enemy, whilst the resi∣due of the whole Army is marching to Attack them in the Front, which must be quicker in motion when they see the advanced Wing succesful. None are to speak but the Commander in chief, or the Major by his Order. In advancing against the Enemy in Battle out of their Musket-Shot, the Captains, and other Officers at the Head of the Battalions, are all to march in a Line, with their Pikes in their Hands two good Paces before the Souldiers, and are often to look behind them, lest they should insensibly get too much before the Body, and the Souldiers by following too fast, fall into Disorder, at which time the Ranks are to be two great Paces distant and the Files closed in such maner that every Souldier may march at his ease, and so Charge and Fire with∣out pressing one upon another, 〈…〉〈…〉 causeth breach of Silence in the Battalion.

When the Army comes within Shot of the Ene∣my, and the Musqueteers march ready with their Pans guarded, instead of the Ranks being closed forwards to the Swords-Point (which is usual) there is the distance of one Pace to be al∣lowed between the Ranks, and then the whole Line of Captains, and other Offcers are to retire each of them into the Intervals of his Files next after his Post, yet so as they may look to the right and left of the Battalions. [ 10]

As soon as the Battalions come to 30 Paces distant from the Enemy, the Musqueteers are to Fire, the manner of which Firing being ordered them before.

The Officers Commanding the Rear, are to observe that the Battalions keep marching, to cause the Souldiers to close forward easily, and without noise, or confusion, that the Pikes march even with the Mnsqueteers; for if the Pikes be even on the right and left, the Battalion can't be [ 20] disordered by its March.

The Grandeers (if any) are to be drawn up on the Right of the Battalions, and to augment them without intermixing with them, they being a separate number of Men that are always to be ready for whatsoever shall be Commanded them.

The Commanders of the Battalions may be on Horse-back at the Head of them, by reason they are to be stirring to all parts, to see that the distances be observed; and above all, that [ 30] none speak except himself, or the Major by his Order, although he is to alight when the Musque∣teers make ready, and is to March with his Pike charged against the Enemy.

Fifthly, The last Maxim is, To prohibite and forbid under severe Penalties, the absolute Chase, or Pillage until the Enemy is totally routed on all sides; and then have those Troops only to pursue, that are expresly appointed for it, always having Squadrons to march after the pursuers as near, and in as good Order as if they were going to the Charge, that if the pursued should Rally, and face about, those Troops and Squa∣drons may be ready to fall on, and break them a second time. This is of such importance, that a great many Victories seemingly won, have in an instant been lost for want of due care in these two particulars, and therefore ought never to be omitted; for there is nothing that more incourages flying Enemys to rally and fight again, than the seeing a disorderly pursuit of them.

And if Hanibal the Carthaginian General, who was so excellent a Captain to win Victories, had but made this use of them during the second Punick War against the Romans, having defeated them in four great Battels at several places, and so routed their Army, that it had been easie for him to have taken Rome, had he not (after being 16 Years in Italy) been forced to fly into Africa, overcome by Scipio, and been obliged to beg peace of him.