The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. XI.

To draw up a Company with two horns, or another with a Piazza, or vacuity in the middle.

TO come to the way of drawing up a Battalia or Squadron with two horns or points, I say you must order your 80 Files, five in a File, after this manner.

In the midst you must place a Centurion with 25 Files, two of Pikes to the left, and three of Bucklers to the right: when those five are disposed, bring up the other twenty, with twenty Files and File-leaders, all of them to be placed betwixt the Pikes and the Buck∣lers, only those who carry Pikes are to stand with the Pikes. After these twenty five Files are so placed, draw up another Centurion with fifteen Files of Bucklers; after which the Constable or Captain is to draw into the middle with his Drum and his Colours, with other fifteen Files of Bucklers. This being performed, the next to march up is the third Centu∣rion, who is to be at the head of 25 Files, of 5 in a File, three Bucklers to the left, and two Pikes to the right; and after the 5 first Files, let there be twenty File-leaders placed betwixt the Pikes and the Bucklers, and after these the fourth Centurion: Having drawn your men into this order; to make a Battalia consisting of two horns, the first Centurion is to make a stand with his 25 Files at his heels; then is the second Centurion to advance with his 15 Files of Bucklers, and place himself on the right hand of the 1st. Centurion, and marching along by the side of the 25 Files, he is to advance till he comes to the 15 File, and there he is to stop. The next that marches is the Captain with his division of 15 Files of Bucklers behind him, and advancing on the right hand by the flank of the other 15 Files, he is to march up to their front. After him the third Centurion is to move with his 25 Files, and the fourth Centurion after him, and passing along by the right flank of the last 15 Files of Bucklers, they are not to stop at the front of the said Files, but to advance till the last of the twenty five Files be parallel with the Files which are behind them. As soon as this is done, the Centurion at the head of the 1st. 15 Files of Bucklers, is to remove into the left angle in the rear, and by this means you shall form a Battalia of five and twenty firm Files of twenty men in a File with two horns, on each side of the front one, each of them consisting of ten Files of 5 in a File, with a space betwixt the two horns, sufficient to receive ten men a breast. Betwixt the two horns the Captain is to be placed, and a Centurion at each point or angle; there are likewise to be two Files of Pikes, and twenty Corporals on each Flank. These horns or wings are useful to receive and secure Carriages or Artillery, when they have any with them; The Velites are to be drawn up along the flanks under the shelter of the Pikes. But to reduce this horn'd Squa∣dron into another Figure with a space in the middle, no more is to be done, than out of the 15 Files of twenty in a File, to take eight, and place them upon the point of the two horns, which will make a good rear, and turn it into a Battalia Della Piazza, or a Battalia with a space in the the midst; in this space or Area, the Carriages are disposed, and the Cap∣tain

and his Colours, but not the Artillery, for they are placed either in the front, or along the flanks. These are the forms to be observed in a Battalia or Squadron when it marches alone thorow dangerous places. But the single Battalia without horns or vacuity is better, though to secure such as are disarmed, the horned figure is convenient. The Swisses have several forms of drawing up their Battalia's, one is the fashion of a Cross, placing their Harquebussiers betwixt the Arms of the said Cross to secure them from the Enemy. But because those figures are proper only when Squadrons fight singly and by themselves, and my intention being to show they may fight united and in conjunction, I shall not trouble my self with them.

Cosimo.

I fancy I do sufficiently comprehend the way that is to be observed to exercise men in these Battalia's; but (if I mistake not) you told us that to the ten Battalia's, (which united, make a Battalion) you would add a thousand extraordinary Pikes, and four hundred of the extraordinary Velites. And these would you not advise should be ex∣ercised?

Fabritio.

I would, and with very great diligence, exercising the Pikes with the same care as the rest, because I would make more use of them than the rest upon all private occa∣sions, as in conducting convoys of provisions, depredations, and such like. But my Ve∣lites I would exercise at home without bringing them together; for it being their office to fight loose and confused, it is not necessary that they should be always exercised as the rest; for it is enough if they understand their own business well. They ought then (as I said before) and I am not troubled to repeat it again) so to exercise their men in these Battalia's, that they may know to keep their ranks, understand their places, wheel readily, and shift handsomly either upon sight of an Enemy, or inconvenience of the place. For when they can do this well, they will easily learn which are their places, and what are their duties in a Battel. And if a Prince or Commonwealth grudges not to take pains, and employ themselves in seeing their Subjects thus exercised, they would have always good Soldiers, be always too hard for their Neighbours, and would be in a condition rather to give, than receive Laws from other people. But (as I have said before) the disorder in which we live, is the cause that we do not only neglect, but despise those things, and that is the true reason our Souldiers are no better; and though there may be Officers and Sol∣diers too that perhaps are both valiant and skilful; yet they have no occasion or encourage∣ment to show themselves.