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. V.

The way of drawing up a Battalion, according to the intention of the Author.

BEing to prepare for a Battel according to the method of the Romans, as they had two Legions, so I would take two Battalions, and by the ordering of them, you may guess how to order a compleat Army: For to add more men, is only to multiply their ranks. I think it unnecessary to repeat what foot there are in a Legion, what Companies, what Officers, what Arms, what Velites in ordinary, what in extraordinary, what Pikes, and what other things. For it is not long since I told you distinctly, and press'd it upon your memories as a thing very necessary for the understanding all other Orders; wherefore I shall pass on without farther reflection.

It seems to me best that one of the ten Battalions, or Companies of a Battalion be placed in the left flank, and the other ten of the other Battalion on the right. Those on the left are to be ordered in this manner: Put five Battalia's (one on the side of the other) in the front, so as there may remain a space of four yards betwixt each, draw them up so as they may possess in breadth 140 yards of ground, and in depth forty: behind these five Batta∣lia's, I would place three others, distant in a right line from the first about forty yards; of these three, I would have two follow directly the Companies which are upon the two ex∣tremities or corners of the five first, and the third should be disposed in the midst; by which means these three Companies should take up as much ground both in breadth and depth as the other five, which have only five yards distance betwixt the one and the other, whereas the three last should have thirty three. This being done, I would cause the two Companies remaining to advance, and place themselves behind the three former in a right line, and at the distance of forty yards; but it should be in such a sort, that each of these two Companies should be ranged directly behind the extremity of the three precedent Companies, and the space left betwixt them should be 91 yards: By these means all the Companies thus disposed should extend themselves in front 161 yards, and in depth 20. After this I would extend the Pikes extraordinary along the flanks of all the Companies on the left hand, at about twenty yards distance; and I would make of them 140 ranks of seven in a rank, so that they should secure all the left flank (in depth) of the ten Battalia's, drawn up as I said before; and I would reserve forty files of them to guard the Baggage, and the unarmed people in the rear, distributing their Corporals and other Officers in their respective places. The three Constables or Captains I would place one at the head of them, another in the midst, and a third in the rear, who should execute the Office of a Ter∣giductor, who was always placed in the rear of the Army. But to return to the front of the Army; I say, that after the Pikes extraordinary, I would place the Velites extraor∣dinary (which are 500) and allow them a space of forty yards. By the side of these on the left hand I would place my men at Arms, with a space of 150 yards; after them I would advance my light Horse, at the same distance as I allowed to my men at Arms. As to the Velites in ordinary, I would leave them about their Battalia's, which should take up the space which I left betwixt each Company, unless I found it more expedient to put them under the Pikes extraordinary, which I would do or not do, as I found it more or less for my advantage. The Captain General of the Battalion should be placed in the space betwixt the first and second orders of Battalia's, or else at the head of them, or else in the space betwixt the last of the first five Battalia's, and the Pikes extraordinary, as I found it most convenient: he should have about him 30 or 40 select men, all brave and experi∣enc'd, and such as understood how to execute their Commission with prudence, and how to receive and repel a charge; and I would have the Captain General in the midst of the Drums and the Colours.

This is the order in which I would dispose my Battalion on the left wing, which should contain half the Army, and take up in breadth 511 yards, and in depth as much as I have said before (without reckoning the space that was possessed by the Pikes extraordinary, which should be as a Shield to the people without Arms, and take up a space of about a hundred yards;) The other Battalion I would dispose on the right side, leaving betwixt the two Battalions a distance of about 30 yards, having order'd it as the other: At the head of that space I would place some pieces of Artillery, behind which should stand the Cap∣tain General of the whole Army, with the Drums, the Standard or chief Ensign, and two hundred choice men about him (most of them on foot) and amongst them ten or

more fit to execute any command. The General himself should be so mounted, and so arm'd, that he might be on Horseback, and on foot as necessity required. As to the Ar∣tillery, ten pieces of Cannon would be enough for the taking of a Town. In the Field I would use them more for defence of my Camp, than for any Service in Battel. My smaller pieces should be of 10 or 15 pound carriage, and I would place them in the front of the whole Army, unless the Country was such that I could dispose them securely in the flank, where the Enemy could not come at them.

This form and manner of ranging an Army, and putting it in order, may do the same things in a Battel as was done either in the Macedonian Phalanx, or the Legion of the Ro∣mans; for the Pikes are in the front; and all the foot placed in their ranks; so that upon any charge or engagement with the Enemy, they are able not only to bear and sustain them, but (according to the custom of the Phalanx) to recruit and reinforce their first rank, out of those which are behind.

On the other side if they be over-power'd, and attack'd with such violence that they are forced to give ground, they may fall back into the intervals of the second Battalia be∣hind them, and uniting with them, make up their body, and charge them briskly again: And if the second Battalia is not strong enough to relieve them, they may retire to the third, and fight all together in conjunction; so that by this order (as to the business of a Battel) we may supply and preserve our selves according to the Grecian and the Roman way both.

As to the strength of an Army, it cannot be ordered more strong, because the two wings are exactly well fortified with Officers and Arms; nor is there any thing weak but the rear, where the people which follow the Camp without Arms are disposed, and they are guarded with the Pikes extraordinary; so that the Enemy cannot assault them any where, but he will find them in very good order; neither is the rear in any great danger, because an Enemy can be hardly so strong as to assault you equally on all sides; if you found he was so strong▪ you would never take the Field against him. But if he was three times as many, and as well ordered as you, if he divides, and weakens himself to attack you in several places, beat him in one, and his whole enterprize is lost. As to the Enemies Ca∣valry, though they out-number you, you are safe enough; for the Pikes which encompass you, will defend you from any impression from them, though your own Horse be repulsed. The chief Officers are moreover plac'd in the flank, so as they may commodiously command, and as readily obey; and the spaces which are left betwixt one Battalia and the other, and betwixt one rank and another, serve not only to receive those who are distressed, but gives room for such persons as are sent forward and backward with orders from the Captain: Add as I told you at first, as the Romans had in their Army about 24000 men, I would have our Army consist of the same number; and as the Auxiliaries took their method of Fighting, and their manner of drawing up, from the Legions; so those Soldiers which you would joyn to your two Battalions, should take their form and discipline from them. These things would be very easie to imitate, should you have but one example, for by joyn∣ing either two other Battalions to your Army, or adding as many Auxiliaries, you are in no confusion, you have no more to do but to double your ranks, and whereas before you put ten Battalia's in the left wing, put twenty now; or else you may contract, or extend them as your place and Enemy will give leave.

Luigi.

In earnest, Sir, I am so well possess'd of your Army, that I fancy I see it drawn up before my eyes, which gives me an ardent desire to see it engaged: I would not for any thing in the world that you should prove a Fabius Maximus, and endeavour no more than to avoid Fighting, and keep the Enemy in suspence; for I should blame you more, than the Romans did him.