The translator of this discourse, Paule Ive, attributes the original French work to William de Bellay. Everyone else seems to attribute it to Raimond Fourquevaux. According to Wikipedia the original was published 1548. This translation dates 1589. Page 25-26 The Harquebusse hath bin inuented within these fewe yeares, and is verie good, so that it … Continue reading Raimond Fourquevaux – Instructions for the Warres
Month: July 2015
William Garrard – The Arte of VVarre
The Arte of VVarre, by William Garrad, d. 1587, published posthumously 1591. Page 2-3: He which seekes to attaine and attribute to himselfe the honourable name of a Souldier, must first employ his time in practice of those armes wherewith he means to serue, and so apply his time, that when any enterprise shall call … Continue reading William Garrard – The Arte of VVarre
The Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc, Mareschal of France
Blaize de Montluc, 1500?-1577, a French soldier serving 50 or 60 years. He gives some accounts of battles which will embarrass English archers, and lend more credence to Humfrey Barwick and Roger William's opinions that the longbow was by that time obsolete. This battle takes place just a few days after the sinking of the … Continue reading The Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc, Mareschal of France
John Smith battles Indians
This is an excerpt from chapter VI of John Smith's third book. That is, Sir John Smith the explorer, not to be confused with Sir John Smythe, who wrote a treatise, Certain Discourses (transcription linked), praising the bow over the musket (though the two men have a surprising amount in common). p. 65: This gaue … Continue reading John Smith battles Indians
Jacopo di Porcia: The Preceptes of Warre
A military manual by Jacopo di Porcia. Some of the advice is obvious, some silly. This is a text transcription from EEBO. Translated 1544 by Peter Betham. 32. ΒΆ Of gonners on horsebacke. It shal not be vnprofitable to acquaynten and wount your horses, as the duchmen do, to suffer the sytter whyche is a … Continue reading Jacopo di Porcia: The Preceptes of Warre
16th Century Prices of Weapons
https://play.google.com/books/reader?printsec=frontcover&output=reader&id=DAkHAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PA112 Great factoids in this book. Page 105: Bow, best sort- 3s. 4d. " second- 2s. 6d. " third- 2s. Sheaf of livery arrows- 5s. Sheaf of arrows, 8 or 9 inch the feather- 2s. 4d. Page 106: 35 lb. of big shot for the ordnance at 2d. the lb. - 5s. 10d. Page 107: … Continue reading 16th Century Prices of Weapons
Alonso De Contreras Witnesses the Accuracy of a Greek Archer
"I put the Greeks ashore, and went on my way with the caramuzal to the Arm of Mayna, which is not far distant. This Arm of Mayna is a district of the land which is in the Morea, a barren land, and its inhabitants are Greek Christians. They have no houses, but exist in grottos … Continue reading Alonso De Contreras Witnesses the Accuracy of a Greek Archer
