Kings MS 265

TRANSCRIPTS of military and naval papers, chiefly of temp. Chas. I. The contents, so far as they relate to military science in general and the war in the Netherlands particularly, rather suggest some connexion with the Veres, but from f. 264 the papers seem to be those of Commissioners for Musters in co. Norf. Possibly the volume was compiled for some member of the Townshend family (Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Bart., married a daughter of Sir Horace, brother of Sir Francis Vere). The table of contents (f. 2) has probably been added since the volume came into the King's Library. Contents:-

1 ' Directions for the postures for the pike' and (f. 6 b) 'postures for the musquet', with 'Instructions how to giue fire marching to the front, to the right, to the left, to the reare, by three motions '. f. 4.

2. 'Synopsis or abridgement of martiall discipline': a treatise on tactics under the headings of distance, motion, and skirmish. f. 10.

3. 'The heades of a remonstrance made by [Frederic Henry,] the Prince of Orange and the Councell of State to the States Generall of the Vnited Provinces' on the financial disorders affecting the army; 15 Nov. 1630. f. 25.

4. 'An extract of the strength of the States Army by land, with the monethlie pay for 42 dayes'; giving the names of the officers in the English, Scotch, French, and Dutch regiments of foot, with (f. 38) 'the list of 50 new companies raised anno 1628 ' and (f. 40) a list of the States troopes of horse ... as they were ordered by his Excellencie anno 1635, and (f. 44) the pay for six months of the artillery. f. 26b.

5. 'An extract of the Low Countrie equipage by sea and the inland waters throughout the 5 colledges of the Admiraltie': names of ships and estimates of yearly charge amounting to 4,322,030 guilders, 2¹/₂ stuyvers. f. 46.

6. 'What is required in a Generall or Admirall at sea': an anonymous tract on discipline, &c., in the British navy. f 52.

7. ' Instructions giuen by me, Sir John Watts, Captaine of his Ma^tie's ship the Triumph, to be duelie performed by such captaines, masters, and others as shall be employed in this present service' [May, 1627?]. f. 65.

8. Order in Council, 4 Sept. 1626, for rates of naval pay. f. 65 b.

9. 'Of the preparation to [and the mannaging of] Warre' : a treatise in two parts. Beg. 'Art Militarie is a science teaching iudiciouslie to dispose of all martiall proceedings'. f. 66 b.

10. ' Definitiones Geometricæ': an elernentary tract on geometry, unfinished, for the most part only the figures being drawn. f. 83.

11. " Discourse of Fortification' : a very brief tract in two parts. Beg. 'Princes haue had of long tyme '. f. 89b.

12. ' Instructions of Fortification and Militarie Architecture', by Philibert Emanuel du Boys [al. de Bois]: a treatise on regular and irregular fortifications, outworks, &c., with tables of dimensions of profiles and forty-four diagrams imperfectly provided with references. Beg. 'In all artes it is vsuall'. f. 95.

13. Tactical diagrams (some coloured) including several actual orders of battle in the German wars, 1605-1626. Most are without explanations. f. 151 b.

14. 'The Order of Militarie Watches.' Beg. 'Watches are perfourmed either 1⁰ by whole companies'. Incomplete. f.201.

15. Narratives by Sir Francis Vere of his military service in the Low Countries 1589-1601, with two supplements (on the last charge at the battle of Nieuwpoort and on the parley at Ostend, ff. 241, 249) by Sir John Ogle. The scribe has added marginal references to E. van Meteren's Belgica (in one of the Hague editions, 1614, 1623, or 1635). The whole series was printed by Dr. William Dillingham in 1657 as The Commentaries of Sir F. Vere (dedication to Sir Horatio, afterwards Viscount, Townshend). Copies of eight out of fourteen chapters are in Harley MS. 3638, ff. 89-187 passim, and a smaller number of chapters in Harley MSS. 287, 1344, 1997, 4228, 6798, Lansdowne MS. 223, and Sloane MS. 827. f. 207.

16. Report, dated 11 Feb. 1620[I], of the Commissioners appointed by Order in Council, 13 Jan. 1620 [I] (see Cal. State Papers, Dom., 1619-1623, p. 214), to consider the military measures necessary for the recovery of the Palatinate. f. 256.

17. Letters of the Privy Council to, and orders issued by, the Commissioners for Musters, Lord-Lieutenant, Deputy-Lieutenants, &c., in co. Norfolk, relating to musters, beacons, impressment of seamen, &c.; 9 Apr. 1585 (MS. '1685')-6 May, 1625, and undated. f. 264.

Paper; ff. 353. Folio. 16¹/₂ in. x 11 in. XVII cent. Half-bound in red morocco. Belonged to Sir Hans Sloane, whose autograph is on f. 3. Old press-marks A. 597 and 2294.