240 SOME OLD BOOKS 



all these parade commands could be delivered or heard 

 in the din and heat of action. In fact, frank confession 

 is made in this matter by Sir James Turner in his well- 

 known, but now scarce, Pallas Armata, a book of 

 military exercise published in 1630. After setting out 

 thirty-three separate words of command for firing a 

 single volley, Sir James adds 'Observe that all this 

 multitude of postures in service are redacted to three 

 make readie, present, and give fire ' ! 



In another detail Sir James Turner's taste was at 

 variance with modern practice. He could not bear to 

 see arms carried at the trail. ' I have seen,' says he, 

 ' many souldiers (and chieflie the lazie Dutches) to 

 carie their musquet with their hand upon the barrell 

 and the mouth [muzzle] before; which is vnseernlie 

 posture and verie vnreadie for service.' 



To return to The Exercise of the Foot. Bayonets had 

 been introduced early in the seventeenth century as a 

 kind of dagger to be screwed into the muzzle of the 

 four-feet barrel ; and it was near the close of the cen- 

 tury before Mackay of Scourie invented a socket for the 

 bayonet to fit round the muzzle of the piece, enabling 

 musketeers to fire volleys with fixed bayonets, and to 

 charge instantaneously thereafter. Mackay was in 

 youth Claverhouse's comrade in the Scots Brigade of 

 the Dutch Army, and lived to be routed by him at 

 Killiecrankie, though Claverhouse fell in the moment 

 of victory. 



Notwithstanding Mackay 's invention, although this 

 drill book gives instructions for the use of the bayonet 

 by musketeers, the pikemen seem to have been chiefly 



