36 LEONARD WHEATCROFT, OF ASHOVER. 



our departure, we had like to have been taken by 7 scouts, which 

 on a soden fell upon us. So we, having but short time, made as 

 short dispatch with them as we could ; for at the first tilt I bore 

 down two of them, and my partner flew among the rest. They 

 laid upon us very sharply, but we having the better horse, forced 

 them to flee with losse. So praised be God, we escaped with 

 the loss of little blood." 



Towards the end of his MS. we have : — 

 • " There is in this Booke a great deal of preparation concerning 

 Venus' warres, now I shall show you some preparation concerning 

 Mars and martiall discipline — and I will show you first what I 

 know of the Musket, secondly of the Pike. 



" The first word of command is ' Silence ' ! but the first Motion 

 is ' Handell y' Armes ' 1 2. Slip your hand. 3. Recover your 

 musket. 4. Set your musket and your rest* together. 5. Open 

 your pan. 6. Cleare your pan. 7. Prime your musket. 8. Shut 

 your pan with a full hand. 9. Face about and charge. 10. Draw 

 forth your 'scourer' at 3 motions. ii. Darte it to an inch. 

 12. Raise it with a full hand. 13. Charge your musket with 

 powder. 14. Draw up your bullet by y' barrel side, 15. Ram 

 downe y' powder and bullet. 16. Recover your scourer againe at 

 3 motions. 17. Put up your scourer. 18. Set your musket and 

 your rest together. 19. Hould your match in y" little finger of 

 y' left hand. 20. Cocke your match. 21. Guard your pan. 

 22. Try your match. 23. P>low your coale. 24. Open your pan 

 and close it againe." 



The " pike " drill is not given. 



From the following composition it would seem that Leonard 

 was m an engagement or skirmish near York, where his party 

 were routed by the Roundheads, probably about 1 644 : — 



" Vpon the sad and fatal Battell at Yorke." 



(i) " Mourne, Mourne, our colours .are all tome. 

 And our state is most forlorne, 

 Since last we fought in field : 



A staff with a forked end, to rest the musket upon when aiming. 



