Military instructions for the cavallrie, or, Rules and directions for the service of horse collected out of divers forrein authours, ancient and modern, and rectified and supplied according to the present practice of the Low-Countrey warres.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of managing arms, extending to postures and motions. Of exercising the lance.

HOwsoever the use of the lance be now left off in the Low-countreys, either for the reasons alledged chap. 23, or by reason of the discommoditie of the countrey (for the lance is of no use but in a spacious, hard, and uneven ground) yet will it not be altogether impertinent to shew the manner of exercising the same, seeing thata 1.1 many have taken pains to revive unto us the know∣ledge of those arms which sometime were in use among the Grecians, Romanes, and other nati∣ons, which have been for many ages totally abolished.

The manner of carrying the lance, is either advanced, or couched; that is, when it is carried so abased, as the enemie can hardly discover it untill he feel the shock.

The charging of the lance is twofold, either by the right, or left.

The right is, when it is presented or charged along by the right side of the horse.

The left is, when it is born acrosse the neck of the horse, by the left eare.

The first is the manner used by the Turks and Hungarians, and by some prefered before the other. One reason which they give for it, is, because that in charging by the left, the Lancier must incline his bodie to the left, and so sitteth the lesse sure in his saddle.

Basta would have the second way to be best. Howsoever, all agree that a Lancier must ever strive to gain the left side of his enemie, and charge him on the left.

Now there be three wayes of charging;

• 1 By carrying the lance sloaped upwards.
• 2 By charging it levell, in a straight line.
• 3 By charging it sloaping, or inclining downwards.

The first is, if against Cavallrie, to take the sight of the enemie with the point of the lance; or, if against foot, the head or neck of either pike or musketier.

The second is, by charging a horse-man about the middle, (to bear him out of the saddle) or on the breast of the foot.

The third serveth to pierce the breast of the enemies horse, or a kneeling musketier, or pike charging at the foot against horse.

These three severall wayes must be diligently practised, and require much dexteritie: to which end a stake is to be set up, having an ar•• (as it were) stretched out from it, and thereunto a white (either of paper or linen) fastned, at severall heights, which the Lancier must exercise himself to hit in full career; also to take up a glove (or the like from the ground with the point of his lance, &c. All which is here shown figure 2. part. 1. chap. 28. In his charging of the enemie, he begins upon his pace or trot,b 1.2 then falls into a gallop, but must not begin his career untill he be

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[illustration]

Fig: 2 Par: j. Cap: 28

within some 60. paces of his enemie; presenting his lance (from the advance) at the half of that distance, and charging it for the shock as occasion serveth. Against an armed Lancier, the best way of charging is judged to be, not after the two first wayes, but by the third, that is, at the breast of the horse, and that towards the left side of him, where his heart and vitals are; and for this, the charging by the right is held best.

Having given his charge with the lance, so as it becometh unusefull to him, he must betake himself to his pistoll, in the use whereof he is to be very skilfull. His last refuge is his sword, which he must also be well practised in. Of both which weapons shall be spoken in the next chapter.

Notes

• a 1.1

  I. Lips. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It••m de Milit. Rom. N. Machiavoll. G. du Bellay. C. B••ngham up∣on Aelian. Sir Cl. Edmonds on Cas. Com. Sir Hen. Savile, &c.
• b 1.2

  Monsieur de la Nosie, blameth the French for their errour in this point. De 200 pas ils commencent à galloper, et de 100 à courir à toute bride, qui est faire erreur, n' estant besoin de prendre tant d'espace. Disc••••rs 18.