But whereas I haue before armed all the piquers, and battleaxes ordinarie, I meane, that are to enter into squa∣dron in Corslets complete, and that contrariwise I do vn∣derstand that diuers of our Captaines of this time when they receaue any English bandes readie armed and furni∣shed to serue withall either in Fraunce, or the Lowe Coun∣tries, and that the piquers of those bandes are deliuered vnto them armed in corslets complet all sauing gauntlets; they presentlie giue, or throw awaie all their pouldrons, vambraces and tasses in such sorte as the soldiors doo re∣maine armed only with burgonets, Collers, Cuirasses and backes, contrarie to all true discipline: Certenly, it seemeth vnto me verie strange, that the lacke of Iudgement, or ra∣ther the ignorance of this time in matters Militarie should be so great, that they should contemne the arming of their shoulders, armes, handes, and thighes, and only seeke to guarde their brests, bellies and backes, in respect as I doo thinke that they would preserue only those their vital parts: when it is verie well knowne by all experience Militarie, that such as come to be wounded in their shoulders, armes hands or thighes, do oftentimes by such woundes, come to be in their Enemies handes, and mercie, who many times vpon such aduauntages do put them to the sworde▪ Besides that it is more then strange that such Captains do not censider that soldiors with their legges and thighes do march forward to incounter with their Enemies, and with their shoulders, armes, and hands, they do vse their wea∣pons and fight with their Enemies; whereas cotrariwise with their bellies and backs, (which they altogether seeke to guarde) they do neither march forward against the ene∣mies, nor fight: which is a great skorne and mockerie that some of the men of warre of this time should so imitate the French, and Flemish fashions, who of late yeares, haue scarce remained one whole yeare in one order and man∣ner of arming, but haue still chaunged from fashion to fa∣shion. Howbeit such of our Captaines as do contemne the wearing of pouldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, and tasses doo vainelie alledge for the reason and excuse of their so dooing; that battles now a daies doo neuer come to ioine, but that they doo onely fight in skirmish; which is a verie vaine conceit and a friuolous excuse, and contrarie to all reason and true experience of diuers battles, that them∣selues may remember haue beene fought in France, and in diuers other Countries, within these few yeares: consi∣dering that whensoeuer there are two Armies of Enemies in the field, or two puissant powers of horsemen and foot∣men, and that the one armie or power of them vpon any aduantage or conueniencie of ground espied, shal resolue to giue battle or fight, that the contrarie power or armie shall not be able to refuse the battle, vnlesse they will turne their backs and betake themselues to their heeles; and that by reason that armies when they are in march, cannot as∣sure themselues alwaies to find grounds of such aduantage and strength, wherevpon the enemies resolution to fight they may suddenly intrench, or incampe & fortifie them∣selues. Besides al which, it is to be noted as Vigetius and di∣uers other ancient,* and more moderne notable historio∣graphers do write, that so long as the Romanes did obserue their ancient orders and discipline militarie, they did pre∣uaile against all other Nations; but that assoone as they be∣gan through effeminacie to neglect the same, and to leaue the couering and guarding of diuers partes of their bodies with armour in respect of the poise and heueth therof, and other su•h important matters, that presently their Empire began to decline: in such sort as ye Gothes, Vandals, Hunnes, & other septrional Nations, as also of later years the Ara∣bians, and the Sarasins did chieflie with weapons of volee, ouerthrow them in many, and manie battles, wherof and of the contempt of their archery insued the losse of a great part of the Romain Empire, and finallie vpon ye neglecting & forgetting of the like discipline did likwise ensue ye vtter ruine of ye two notable christian Empires of Constantinople & Trepisonda with diuers other christian Kingdoms. And thus far concerning the apparelling, arming & weaponing of halbarders, or battleaxes: So as I haue now finished the apparelling arming, and weaponing of all sortes of foote∣men by our Nation in these daies vsed, and therfore I will God willing proceed to the apparelling, arming, weapo∣ning, and horsing of all such different sorts of horsmen, as we now a daies doo vse, with some other such sortes of horsemen also, as I would wish should be in vse and exer∣cise for the defence of the Crowne and Realme, as also for any forren inuasion.