The compleat body of the art military ... divided into three books, the first containing the postures of the pike and musket ... the second comprehending twelve exercises ... the third setting forth the drawing up and exercising of regiments ... illustrated with varietie of figures of battail ... / by Richard Elton.

CHAP. XXVI. Directions to all such as shall desire to exercise a Foot-Company, with some admonitions to the Souldiers, as shall be exercised by them.

HE that intends to exercise a Body of men, must truly know what he shall command, and so to give his directions unto the Souldiers, as they may aptly make ready ex∣ecution of the same. He must at such times▪ above all the rest, assume unto himself the confidence & presence (as near as he is able) of a compleat Souldier. He is also to stretch out his voice so, as he may conveniently be heard, & understood by the inferiour Offi∣cers, and Souldiers; which will cause them more readily to obey his Commands. He ought to carry a cheerfull countenance unto them, provided they do well; but otherwise, if care∣lesly dis-regarding his Commands, he may look harshly upon them. His eyes ought to be quick and nimble, observing all their Motions, whether it be to the right, or left, to the Front, or Reer; and nimbly stepping to them, to stay them, if disorderly they swerve awry from what he first intended. He must likewise order all his Words of Command so, as that they may be proper, and cleerly pronounced forth unto the Souldier, without any faltering. And in every one of these, to see the Souldier leasurely and easily perform the same in a compleat manner. He must not be two quick in his Words of Command, but carefully see what be∣fore commanded, well done, and then he may proceed unto the next. In time of his Exer∣cise, he must seriously mind what he is to do, and not to have his thoughts extravigantly carried away upon any other Subject, for fear he be out, but if any such thing should happen through forgetfulnesse, he ought not to be daunted, but to pull up the Spirit of a Souldier as well as he can, and endeavour to reduce them again. For it is a rare thing to be found, for a Leader to be so exquisite in his Exercising, as not to be somtimes out; and in my observation of most, at one time or another, I have found them so to be. His discre∣tion also ought to be such, as to cull out, and chuse those things that be chiefest; as flowers out of a Garden, to fit and compleat up his Exercise in a Souldier-like way; which may be most properest for service and use, which will bring to him far more commendations and praise in the judgement of every knowing Souldier, then to spend his time upon unnecessary ••oyes; but yet somtimes to please the fancie of the curious, at their private meetings, he may use some things for delight, to support and uphold their private Exercises; which have nurst up, here in London, many able Souldiers, and Commanders; who have been serviceable to our Nation. It is a very necessary thing likewise that a Leader somtimes do acquaint the Souldiers of the use of their severall Distances, Facings, Doublings, Coun-marches, and wheelings, and of all things else he shall command; but in such a manner, that he dwell not too long upon any thing, he shall declare unto them, for dulling of the, Souldiers, who rather would be pleased with more actings, then by too much talkings: which spins out the time, as somtimes ordered, to very little purpose. He must be very care∣full of every Word of Command he gives, that the Souldiers be ordered in their due Di∣stance, sutable to the same, of what kind soever it be; and if it shall be lost in their mo∣vings, or marchings; he must endeavour to bring them to it again. He is likewise to ac∣quaint the Souldiers when they are drawn up, to look about them, and to minde their seve∣rall places, how they stand in the Body, whether they be in even Ranks from the Front, or odd; if even, and upon any doubling of Ranks, they are the men to double the odd; if half File-leaders, that they be commanded to double the Front; they must advance their Arms, and are Leaders of that Motion to come up to double the Front: if Bringers-up commanded to double, they are a like to do the same; if Bringers-up of the Front half-Files, and that they be commanded to double the Reer, they likewise are to advance their Arms; to face about, and are to begin to lead them down to the Reer. They should likewise take notice, how they stand in their Files, whether even from the right, or no; if even, and there be any command to double Files to the right, they all are to move, and to double the odd; if commanded to double to the left, they then stand odd, and the others are to move, and double them. They likewise are to mind their places, who are upon the Flanks; for a dou∣bling either to Front, or Reer, by the half-Files, they first begin to march, and how they stand there as right, and left-hand men in even Ranks; for by any doublings of Ranks en∣tire, or by Division, they likewise are the Leaders of the Motion. There ought also advice be given to the middle File-leaders, to know their places; for if there should be any dou∣blings of the half-Ranks, they then are first to move, and to begin the Motion.

This caution being somtimes quickly run over in advising of the Souldiers, that they should ever minde when they are first drawn up into a body these particular places, they would not stand so carelesly and so ignorantly in a Body, as many times they doe, not knowing which way to move without a great deale of pains and directions from their Leader, for there being so many occasions of doublings of these kinds, that it is a necessary thing for every Souldiers to be acquainted with the same.

Yet it is not only sufficient that the Souldiers doe minde their places as they stand in a body, according to the direction of their Leader, as before set forth unto them, but that they be likewise, in the time of their Exercise, very silent in the body, and helpfull unto their fellow-Souldiers by pointing out unto them with signes with the hand, where they should march, to performe what was before commanded, and to be very civill, and orderly in their carriage to each other, and to minde their Exercise so as a matter of great weight, and high consideration in the well regarding of the same. And if a word of command (as somtimes may happen) slip out of order, as by the mistaking of a hand or the like, yet neverthelesse it should be their modest care, if not prevented by him, to be ready to execute what they conceive he intended, and walking along in this civill and respective way unto him that shall lead them, it will not only be a great encouragement unto him, but they will also reap much benefit unto themselves.

And thus much briefly may be spoken in way of advice unto every Leader before his be∣ginning of his Exercise, and unto each particular Souldier as shall by him be exercised.