to stande still, or to tourne forward, or
to tourne backwarde or whiche waie to tourne the weapons, and the face:
so that knowyng how to kepe well the araie, after soche sorte, that
neither place nor movyng maie disorder them, understandyng well the
commaundementes of their heddes, by meanes of the sounde, and knowyng
quickly, how to retourne into their place, these battailes maie after
easly (as I have said) beyng brought many together, learne to do that,
whiche all the body together, with the other battailes in a juste armie,
is bounde to dooe. And bicause soche universall practise, is also not to
bee estemed a little, ones or twise a yere, when there is peace, all the
main battaile maie be brought together, to give it the facion of an
whole armie, some daies exercisyng theim, as though thei should faight a
fielde, settyng the fronte, and the sides with their succours in their
places. And bicause a capitaine ordeineth his hoste to the fielde,
either for coumpte of the enemie he seeth, or for that, of whiche
without seyng he doubteth, he ought to exercise his armie in the one
maner, and in the other, and to instructe theim in soche sorte, that
thei maie knowe how to marche, and to faight, when nede should require,
the wyng to his souldiours, how thei should governe theim selves, when
thei should happen to be assaulted of this, or of that side: and where
he ought to instructe theim how to faight againste the enemie, whom thei
should see: he must shewe them also, how the faight is begun, and where
thei ought to retire: being overthrowen, who hath to succeade in their
places, to what signes, to what soundes, to what voices, thei ought to
obeie, and to practise them in soche wise in the battaile, and with
fained assaultes, that thei may desire the verie thyng in deede. For
that an armie is not made coragious, bicause in thesame be hardie menne,
but by reason the orders thereof bee well appoineted: For as moche as if
I be one of the first faighters, and do knowe, beyng overcome, where I
maie retire, and who hath to succeade in my place, I shall alwaies
faight with boldnes, seing my succour at hand. If I shall be one of the
seconde faighters, the first being driven backe, and overthrowen, I
shall not bee afraied, for that I shall have presuposed that I maie bee,
and I shall have desire to be thesame, whiche maie give the victory to
my maister, and not to bee any of the other. These exercises bee moste
necessarie, where an arm