WARFARE OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 43 



mostly men of long service, were put on the "first roll," and received higher 

 pay, and each company of 400 men must have at least 100 of these; the 

 remainder came on the " second roll," and all received pay from the 

 paymaster. The chief gave his people a stirring speech, had the statute- 

 brief read before them, made them take the oath, and then delivered 

 the standards to the ensigns, admonishing them to lose them only with 

 their lives. Then the different companies came together, the captain 

 cautioned his people, presented to them the lieutenant, clerk, chaplain, 

 and surgeon, whom he had chosen, and now began " in the ring" the 

 choice of sergeants, of sergeants-major, of guides, of commissaries (Fourier), 

 and of corporals, by majority of voices ; and in this way the regiment, 

 consisting generally of fifteen to sixteen companies of 400 men, was divided 

 and organized from highest to lowest. The colonel had in his regiment 

 the absolute power of life and death. The provost had the rank of 

 captain, preserved order, and in assaults carried a sword himself. The 

 camp followers, consisting of sutlers, laundresses, and various women, the 

 soldier brats and rabble " who followed the drum," were under a special 

 commander. 



The administration of justice was severe ; at its head stood the mayor 

 (Schultheiss), and the sentence was given by a species of jury court, which 

 consisted of twelve judges and the sworn jurors, who were always chosen 

 from the company aflfected. The sentence was executed as soon as passed. 

 The drill and discipline of these unwieldy landsknecht regiments, which 

 often swelled up from 4,000 to 10,000 men, were suited to the battle-fields 

 of those days. Averse to tactical exercises, the German soldiery of that 

 period knew nothing but to rush upon the foe in open field with levelled 

 lance and halbert, or in close ranks to storm his entrenchments and strong 

 places. Foremost went the " forlorn hope," chosen usually by lot, and 

 commenced the onslaught ; close upon them pressed the " storming party," 

 in solid square, at the pas-de-charge. The arquebusiers, with their light 

 companies, were in later times attached in separate bodies, as wings, to the 

 flanks of the square or in front and rear. On the outmost sides of the 

 square " the porcupine," those nearest to the foe, the best equipped men, 

 with long spears, swords, and halberts, formed a "front rank" (" Blatt"), 

 to which followed the three first companies. The middle space was filled 

 up by four companies less perfectly armed, and all having long spears ; in 

 the three rear companies there bristled again a forest of spears, next to a 

 rank of swordsmen ; and in the last ranks stood the strongest, best-armed 

 people with long spears, usually the double- pay men. Whenever they were 

 about to engage, the army fell upon their knees, sent forth a hymn and 

 prayer, then shook the dust from their feet, and rushed on with levelled 

 spears. Before the first rank rode or marched the general with his chief 

 officers near him, for not until afterwards did the custom arise of placing, 

 " for the sake of the common good," the officers behind the ranks. In front 

 of the square masses of infantry the single combats of the knights then 

 took place which preceded every action. 



Such was the formation, the internal organization, the law usage, and the 



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