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To the Authour.
HAd thy Compendium seen the light when first
Our English Nation Foes began to thirst
After the heart-blood of our Liberty,
To prick it's vitall veine; our misery
Had been increast by it, so far as Art,
With Resolution joyn'd, could play it's part.
Hadst thou led forth this Warriour at that tim
Thou had'st been guilty of this very crime,
Of joyning nerves and sinew's to the Arme,
Of those who sought this Nation so great harme.
What strength's a number without discipline?
And in what volumes more then this of thine?
Happy we were in that Obscurity
Of this thy Tract; but not that from the eye
Of Englands friends 'twas hid: might there have been,
A view of it on this side of the Screen,
What aid should we have had? yet fiercer blowes
To strik this Screen a side: we may suppose
The Quarrell would have changed; who should see
Elton's Compendium, have th' immunitie,
And franchize of it's use, well we might
Fight to enjoy, this that doth teach to fight.
He that shall look on thy Conformities
Of Ranks and Files, the severall Dignities:
How these compos'd as Members do compleat,
A Marshall-Body, fashions it so neat,
As that each part is fixt in's proper place,
And not Chaost together; but a face
Of distance, order's seen; he would soon say
The like's not not extant at this very day;
And well may I found forth the very same,
Who have beheld the book, to which the name
Of Elton's set; It's for thy lasting prayse
Which will survive the ancienst of thy days;
And for the honour of this Commonweal,
That it hath bred one who by wound can heal,
That's skilfull to destroy, and thereby saves,
Our life of Freedom, keep it from the Graves,
The Enemies have digged; that it's Memory
(When therein laid) might not be seen in Story.
I Face about thy Facing to behold;
And face again, when once I do unfold
The work of others, to thy gallant Mode,
And there my thoughts do rally: for there is show'd
Such Wheelings, Doublings, Firings, that report,
So loud the worth of no man in that sort.
As these do thine: Thy File-experiments,
Are pleasurable, and breeds discontents,
In none, but those, who'd be superlative,
In Martiall Art: let them forbear to strive
Thee to excell: For who can go beyond
Perfection? thereat every man must stand
And exercise his Genius got so far.
Among the Planets let ••e fix this Star
Of Military Art, and round about
Twelve places Exercises: Then Mars look out
With glorious Splender, and in bloud would wade,
For to maintain the rest are retrograde.
Ye men Strologicall, if ye would view,
These Signes below, ye must speak it as true
Astrology; that those above are bright,
But Mars array'd in these of greatest light;
And wonder not to see a Man of War,
Of so much beauty as to want a scar
In Discipline; Order is the shield
Keep off advantages, often win the Field
As well as Valour: who can suffer rout
That's on thy side? let him but face about
That fears to be o'recome, and well observe
Thy Stations, Motions, eye where thy Reserve
Doth stand, where Intervals are made
Where Cannons play: and he may drive a Trade
Of buying Courage; and by these Figures cast
On which side Conquest will triumph at last.
And if in Battell life is dispossest
Of it's possession, (house of Clay the best)
By entry of force, tenure arbitrary
Thou hast Mars cloth'd in Sable Military;
For to attend thy forced Funerall,
This is the sequell of thy manly fall;
Elton I'le leave thee at the very Grave,
But living: and when dead thou wilt sure have
Breath in the Body of this work, a Gaile
Unto posterity thy worth to saile.
Collonell John Backsteed.