Add MS 41615

TRACTS ON MILITARY DISCIPLINE and tactics, viz.:-

(1) 'A trewe discipher of two of the greatest Inormities Crept into the warrs of England ... since the XXVth year of the Reigne of her most excellent Matie, with a plott to remedy the same, writen by a faithfull subiect'. Circ. 1600. A tract on the abuses in the English armies, especially the frequent loss of ensigns and standards, and fraudulent musters, with proposed remedies. A fair copy, with corrections, perhaps by the author. The tract, which is anonymous, is preceded (ff. 1-3) by an abridged version. The author, who appears to have been an officer who had served in Ireland and elsewhere, refers to the expedition of the Earl [of Essex] to Ireland in 1599 as a recent event (f. 12b). ff. 1 - 17.

(2) 'Seaven orders of the Grætian Army in ther retreit from Babilon where Zenophon was present': a note on the marching and battle orders of the Greek army, based on Xenophon's Anabasis, followed (f. 20b) by a tract on military tactics and drill, headed 'Beside all the orders Millitary of the auncient Tacticts or Maisters of Orders and Armyes collected by Elianus [i.e. the Tactics of Ælian] and explained by Patritius [i.e. Francesco Patrizi, in his Paralleli Militari] I have noted 3. moste necessary to be vsed in Ireland'. Circ. 1600. The three orders referred to are (a) right file, squadron and maniple, from Xenophon, (b) oblique file, squadron and maniple from [Flavius] Arrian, and (c) scattered file, squadron, maniple and company from Appian of Alexandria. With diagrams throughout. ff. 18-28. Paper; ff. iii + 28. Folio. Circ. 1600. Vellum binding, stamped with the book-stamp of the 9th Earl of Northumberland. At the beginning and end (ff. 11, iii) is an uncut copy of part of a printed tract (The Kings [Henry IV of France] Declaration and Ordinance, containing the cause of his warre against the Duke of Sauoy,. . According to the copie printed at Paris by Iames Mettayer, ordinarie Printer to the King, 1600; London, Iohn Hasket, 1600), taken from the binding. Hist. MSS. Comm., 6th Report, App., p. 304, no. 42; Leconfield sale-cat., lot 46.

Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland: Arms of, on bindings: 16th-17th centt.

Ireland: Tracts rel. to discipline and tactics of the English army in: circ. 1600.

Heraldry: Arms of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland, on bindings: 16th cent.

Army; England: Tracts on military discipline and tactics: circ. 1600.

includes:

• ff. ii, iii Political Tracts: Declaration by Henry IV, of France, conc. war against the Duke of Savoy: 1600.: Printed. Imperf.
• ff. ii, iii Henry IV of France: Declaration conc. war against the Duke of Savoy: 1600.: Printed tract. Imperf.