[Proem: In Praise of the King]

fol. 12v Electrix ita milicie pars prima recedit, Et pars partitrix ecce secunda subit.

The firste part of IIII is here at ende; of 4 parts Now to the part secounde! Er we procede Before To knowe this, His grace God us sende! Myn auctour ofte adviseth us to rede My author often advises readline625 And to the sense of it to taken hede; heed To rede a thinge withoute intelligence, understanding As seith Cato the wise, is negligence.

But this I leve unto the sapience wisdom Of chivalers, and to my werk retorne, knightsline630 Theryn to do my feithful diligence For their pleasaunce, out of this prosis storne stern prose [Vegetius’s treatise] The resonaunce of metris wolde I borne. rhyme would I birth As myghti herte in ryngynge herneysinge, So gentil wit wil in good metris springe.

line635 And for th’onour of th’everlastyng Kynge, Our Saviour Jhesus, and His ierarkys, hierarchs His angelys, and for that swete thinge, His Modre, patronesse of al my warkys, Mother all my works For His prophetys love and patriarkys, and [that of His] patriarchsline640 And for th’Apostolis that made our Crede, Creed As do me favour, ye that wil me rede. you who will read my words

[Divisions of Armed Forces (Veg. 2.1)]

fol. 13r Virgile seith (an high poete is he!) lofty That werre in armys stont and mannys myght: The man on hors, o fote, or on the see. horse, on foot sealine645 Riders be wyngis clept, for swift and light, are called wings On either half of th’ege eke ar thei dight. either side of the [front] line found But now that ege is called the banere line banner Or banerye, havyng his banereer. bannerie bannerer (i.e., standard-bearer)

Also ther are riders legyonaryis; legionary ridersline650 Thei are annexed to the legioun. In too maner of shippes men to cary is, two kinds of ships men are carried Their namys ar couth in this regioun: known Or-thwart go they the flood, and up and doun. Crossing over waters Riders in playn, footmen goth everywhere, [go] in plains, footmen goline655 By theyme the commyn wele is to conquere. common profit

Riders a fewe, and have o foote fele, Thei spende smal, and horsmen spende fre. Footmen o tweyne is to dyvide and dele: are divided in two Or legiaunt or aydaunt for to be. Either legionary or auxiliaryline660 Confederat men aydaunt is to se, Allied men are to be seen as auxiliaries That is to say, by trewce or toleraunce, truce As Frensh ar suffred here, and we in Fraunce. French are suffered [to be]

Aydaunt be they, but in the legioun Auxiliary Lith th’ ordinaunce in werre to prevaile. Lies the appointed duty warline665 A legioun out of electioun selection Hath take his name, as elect to bataile: Takes its name selected to do battle Her diligence and feith is not to faile. Their faith fail Thi legyaunt forthi to multiplie Is right, but aydauntys a fewe applie.

[Comparing the Legion and the Auxiliary (Veg. 2.2)]

fol. 13v VIII thousant werreours was a phalange 8,000 warriors were a phalanxline671 In dayis olde, and of VI M1 men 6,000 Was a caterve, but this diagalange caterva (i.e., horde) such detail Is, as to this, not worth a pulled hen. The legioun, departed into X, divided into 10 partsline675 Is us to lerne, and legions how fele learn It is to have, and how asondir dele. asunder

[Formation of the Legion (Veg. 2.4–5)]

The consules II legiounys ladden, consuls [each] led two legions Al aldermeest; but thei hadde exercise, At most training Wherof the felde victoriously thei hadden. battlefieldline680 To chose a legioun, this was the gise, advice In bookys as they seyn, these olde wise: authorities Wyis, hardy, strong, doctryned, high statured, Wise obedient In feet of werre ofte used and wel ured. feats of war (i.e., feats of arms) trained

That was the man, he was mad mylitaunt,line685 When al the world to the Romayn Empire Was made obey, by knyghthod valiaunt. made [to] obey A sacramental oth doth it requyre, oath To write pleyn this matere I desire, By God and Criste and Holy Goost swar he, he sworeline690 And by that emperourys majestee. emperor’s

Next God is hym to drede and hym to honoure is. Right as to God ther bodily, present To th’emperour, when he mad emperour is, Devotioun — uch loyal ympendentline695 Is to be vigilaunt, his servyent. God serveth he, both knyght and comynere, commoner That loveth hym, to God that regneth here. reigns

fol. 14r God, Criste Jhesus, and Holy Goste was sworn were sworn [to] By theim, and th’emperourys majestee,line700 That his commaundementys shuld be born orders should be borne And strenuously be doon, be what thei be. done Fro mylitaunce that thei shal never fle military service desert Ner voyde deth, but rather deth desire Nor avoid death For th’emperour, and wele of his Empire. well-being

[Cohorts and Soldiers (Veg. 2.6)]

line705 Thus sworn, uch knyght is of the legioun. The legioun stont in cohortys X; 10 cohorts Cohors the Latyn is, this regioun T’English it fore, help us, good Lord! Amen. To [translate] it into English The dignité and number of the menline710 Hath in the firste cohors an excellence first cohort Of noble blood, manhode, and sapience. wisdom

This feleshepe, most worshipful, most digne, Bar th’egil and th’ymage of th’emperour; Carried the eagle As God present was holden either signe,line715 Thei hadde both attendaunce and honour; Of chivalers heryn was doon the flour, flower (i.e., the best) A M1 an C and V footmen, 1,105 And VIIIXX and VI of wight horsmen. 166 strong

The military cohors, or the choors, military cohortline720 Thus named it the wise. And the secounde Cohors, like as the bonet to his coors bonnet to the body Is set, thei sette it footmen stronge and sounde, V C and an half, and V abounde 555 In hit, with sixe and sixti hors, and it 66line725 The quyngentary called men of wit. quingenary [cohort]

fol. 14v As fele and myghty choys putte in the thridde is, strong selection [of men] is put For in their honde espoyre is al to thryve: hands hope Her place in ordynaunce is in the myddys. Their middle And for the firth choors is to discrive fourth cohort assignline730 Footmen V C and an half and V, 555 With sixe and sixti hors, and eve as fele, even as many With better hors, unto the fifthe dele. horsemen part

For as the first cohors is the right horn, horn (i.e., wing) So in the lift horn is the fifthe choors; left cohortline735 For V choors stonde in the frounte aforn, 5 cohorts Or the vawarde: of termys is noo foors, vanguard terms are of no concern So the conceyt be had. The sixt cohors If the concept Hath, as the fifthe, yet lusty men and yonge; To th’egil next to stonde it is to fonge. the eagle to take up [position]

line740 That is the right horn. In the myddil warde The nexte choors hath eve as mony as she, cohort has as many as it [did] The nexte as fele, and therto is tawarde as strong (i.e., as many) The myghti men, amyddis forto be. The IXth is of the same quantitie, ninth [cohort]line745 The Xth is eve as is the choors beforn, tenth [cohort] But make it strong, for it is the lift horn. left wing

The legioun in X is thus cohorted, VI Ml and an C men on foote, 6,100 VII C hors and XXX therto soorted, 730line750 Of fewer hors is not to speke or moote In eny legioun; yet, crop and roote To seyn, of hors ther may be take moo, more Commaundement if ther be so to do.

[Officers in the Legion Still in Practice (Veg. 2.7)]

fol. 15r Exployed heer th’usage and ordynaunce Having explained hereline755 Of legyoun, unto the principal office Of chivalers retourne our remembraunce: knights The dignitie and name in special Of every prince enrolled, and who shal prince (i.e., officer) Do what, and whenne, and where, it is to write.line760 Good angel, help us al this werk t’endite! to compose

The grete trybune is mad by th’emperour, tribune made And by patent, and send by jugement. [letter] patent decree Th’undir-trybune is hent of his labour. subtribune identified by An ordyner for fighters forth present ordinariusline765 Is forto sette. Eek th’emperour content Also Is ofte to sende and make secoundaryis; secondarius What name is heer for hem? Coordinaryis. Coordinarius

An egiller bar th’egil, and th’ymage aquilifer carried the eagle image-standard Of th’emperour bar an ymaginary, imaginariusline770 And moo then oon ther were of those in wage. more than one of those A banereer, tho clept a draconary, A kyng heralde, tho clept a tesserary, king’s herald tesserarius The baner he, he bar commaundement, Al th’oost t’obeye her princys hole entent. The whole army

line775 Campigeners made exercise in feeldys, Campigeni (i.e., drillmasters) training Campymeters mesured out the grounde, Campimetes (i.e., surveyors) To picche pavilons, tentys, and teeldys, pitch shelters The forteresse triangeler or rounde fortress triangular Or square to be made or dymyrounde,line780 His part hit was. And he that was library, librarius (i.e., clerk) Th’accomptys wrot, that rekenyng ne vary. Wrote the accounts

fol. 15v The clarioner, trompet, and hornycler, bugler, trumpeter horn-blower With horn, and trompe of bras, and clarioun, In terribil batailis bloweth cleer, battles blowline785 That hors and man rejoyceth at the soun. sound The firmament therto making resoun heavens echo Or resonaunce; thus joyneth thei bataile — God stonde with the right, that it prevaile!

A mesurer, that is our herbagere, measurer quartermasterline790 For paviloun and tent assigneth he The grounde, and seith: “Be ye ther, be ye here!” Uch hostel eek, in castel and citee, Each lodging also Assigneth he, uch aftir his degré. in accordance with a man’s class A wreth o golde is signe of grete estate; wreath ofline795 That wered it, was called a ‘torquate’. whoever wore torquatus

Sengil ther were of these, and duplicate Singular And triplicate, and so to IIII and V, 4 and 5 That hadde wage, uche aftir his estate. [multiplied] wages Tho namys goon, such personys alyve,line800 It may be thought, therof wil I not scryve. Ther were eek worthymen clept candidate, called candidati And last, the souldeours, uch othrys mate. each other’s comrade

[Officers in the Legion Now Obsolete (Veg. 2.8)]

The principal prince of the legioun, foremost princeps Sumtyme it was, and yet is a like gise,line805 To make a ‘primypile’, a centurioun — centurio primi pili A lieutenaunt men calle him in our wise. manner And him beforn is th’egil forto arise. IIII C knyghtis eek of valiaunce 400 valiant knights (i.e., of the first line) This prymypile hadde in his governaunce.

fol. 16r He in the frounte of al the legiounline811 Was as a vi-captayn, a governour, vice-captain And took availe at uch partitioun. advantage of each wage-giving The first spere was next, a lusty flour: first spear (primus hastatus) flower CC to governe is his honour, 200 spearsline815 Wherof thei named him a ducennary, ducenarius The name fro the numbir not to vary.

The prince an C and an half governed, princeps 150 [men] Eek he governed al the legioun Also he administrated In ordynaunce; overal he went unwerned. unhinderedline820 The nexte spere, of name and of renoun, second spear (secundus hastatus) As mony hadde in his directioun. The first triari hadde an C men. triarius prior (i.e., third-ranked officer) 100 men A chevetayn was eke of every X. chieftain (i.e., captain) [there] for every 10 men

Thus hath the first cohors V ordinayris, 5 officersline825 And every X an hed, a cheveteyne, To rewle theim; and so it necessayr is, An C and V on this choors to reigne: 105 men cohort to govern IIII ordinayris and the cheef captayne, 4 officers That is their ordinary general,line830 And seyde is ofte of him: he rewleth al. rules everything

So high honour, so gret utilitee great privilege Hath everych estate of this renoun Provided hem by sage antiquitee, [to] them That every persone in the legiounline835 With al labour, with al devotioun To that honour attended to ascende, And that avail to wynne, her bodyis bende. benefit to win, they labor

fol. 16v The nexte choors, named the quyngentary, cohort quingenary Hath centurions or centenerys V; centuriesline840 Thridde choors as fele hath necessary; just as many has The firthe V, and, forto spede us blyve, to hasten us along In every choors the centyners oo fyve there are 5 centuries In numbir make, and so the legioun Of hem hath LV up and doun. 55 [men] in total

line845 Not LX, whi? For V th’ordinayrys Why not 60 [men]? the 5 officers In their estate and stede of V stonde. [have] 5 who can stand for them To graunte this, me semeth, noo contrary is: it seems to me Though in my book so wryton I ne fonde, I do not find it written Of LV, wel I undirstonde From [the total of] 55 [men]line850 And fynde cleer, so that it most appere, That undir-ordynayrys V were. [there] were 5 subordinarii

[Prefect of the Legion (Veg 2.9)]

The consulys, for th’emperour, legatys legates Sende unto the oste; to thaim obtemperaunt army obedient Was al the legioun, and al th’estatys. the ranksline855 They were of al the werres ordynaunt. wars the administrators To theim obeyed everych aydaunt, auxiliary [force] In stede of whom illustres lordes, poerys, illustrious powers Be substitute, maistrys of chivalerys; Are [now] substituted, masters

By whom not oonly legiounys twayn, not just two legionsline860 But grete numbrys hadde governaunce. [even] greater The propre juge is the provost, certayn, commanding officer prefect With worthinesse of the first ordynaunce; The vi-legate is he by mynystraunce administration Of his power, to hym the centeners centuriesline865 Obey, and the trybune and chivalers.

fol. 17r Of him the rolle of wacch and of progresse password for the nightwatch Thei crave and have, and if a knyght offende, At his precepte he was put to juesse sent for judgment By the trybune, in payne or deth t’anende. death to bring aboutline870 Hors, herneys, wage, and cloth, vitail to spende, harness clothes His cure it was t’ordeyn, and disciplyne duty to arrange Unto every man, severous or benygne. severe or benign

His justising, with sobre diligence, conducting of justice sober And pité doon uppon his legioun,line875 Assured hem to longh obedience long And reverence, and high devotioun. Good governaunce at his promotioun Kept every man; and his honour, him thoughte It was, when every man dede as him oughte. did

[Prefect of the Camp (Veg 2.10)]

line880 The maister or provost of ordynaunce, ordinance Although he were of lower dignitie, His estimatioun and governaunce, The bastilys, dich, and pale is to se, bastions, ditch, and wall And wher the tabernaculys shal be places of worshipline885 And tent and teelde and case and paviloun shelter huts And cariage of al the legioun. baggage

For seeke men the leche and medycyne sick leech (i.e., healer) Procureth he, for larderye and toolys. larder tools Of every werk cartyng he most assigne, transportationline890 For bastile or engyne or myne. And fole is [siege] engine or mine fool He noon, that is expert in these scolys: none schools [of study] This was a wise, appreved chivalere, selected That, as he dede himself, couth other lere. could teach others

[Prefect of Engineers (Veg 2.11)]

fol. 17v And over this, the ferrour and the smyth, ironworker blacksmithline895 The tymbre men, hewer, and carpenter, wood The peyntour, and uch other craft goth with, painter every craft [that] goes with it To make a frame or engyne everywhere, building or [siege] engine Hem to defense and her foomen to fere, Them their foes to make afraid Tormentys olde and carrys to repare Weapons carts to repairline900 And make newe, as they to broken are.

Forgys and artelryis, armeryis, Forges workshops, armories To make tole, horshoon, shot, and armurre, tools horseshoes armor And every thing that nede myght aspie is might be seen as needed In th’ooste; and eek mynours that can go sure the army minersline905 Undir the dich, and al the wal demure wall undermine Or brynge in th’oost; herof the maister smyth master blacksmith Had al the rule, and ever went he with.

[Tribune of the Soldiers (Veg. 2.12)]

The legioun is seide have choorsis X. 10 cohorts The military first, or miliary, milliaryline910 The best and gentilest and wisest men And myghtiest, therto be necessary; Eek letterure is good and light to cary. Also learning Her governour was a trybune of armys, Their tribune Wise and honest, that body strong and arm is. armed

line915 The choorsys aftir that, trybunys cured cohorts tribunes led Or maysterys, as it the prince pleased. Uch chivaleer in exercise assured Each training So was, that God and man therwith was pleased. And first to se the prince do, mych eased To see the leader do [things] firstline920 The hertys alle. Fresh herneys, armur bright, hearts harness Wit, hardinesse, and myght had every knyght.

[Lower Officers (Veg. 2.13)]

fol. 18r The firste signe of al the legioun An egil is, born by an egeler. eagle carried aquilifer (i.e., eagle-bearer) And thenne in every choors is a dragoun, cohortline925 Born by a draconair or banereer. draconarius or bannerer A baner eek had every centener century Other a signe, inscribed so by rowe, Or ensign [a] row [of letters] His chevetayn that every man may knowe.

The centeners had also werreourys, warriors (i.e., centurions)line930 Hardy, wel harneysed, in their salet sallet (i.e., light helmet) That had a creste of fetherys or lik flourys, flowers That noon errour were in the batail set, no mistakes formation To his cristate and to his baneret crested officer And to his decanair everych his sight decanus (i.e., squad leader)line935 May caste, and in his place anoon be pight. position at once be fixed

[Mounted Officers (Veg. 2.14)]

Right as the footmen have a centurion, That hath in rewle an C men and X, 110 footmen So have the riders a decurion, That hath in rewle XXXII horsmen. 32 horsemenline940 By his banere him knoweth alle his men, And over that, right as it is to chese A myghti man for thaym, so is for these. them (i.e., the footmen)

For theim a stronge and wel-fetured man, strong and well-built That can a spere, a dart, a sword wel caste, wield wellline945 And also fight, and rounde a sheld wel can, manage a shield And spende his wepon wel withoute waste, use without wasting effort Redier to fight then flite, and ner agaste, flee never scared That can be sobre, sadde, and quyk and quyver, agile And with his foo com off and him delyver;

fol. 18v Obeyssaunt his premynentys wille, Obedient [to] his commander’sline951 And rather do the feat then of it crake, the [requested] deed mouth off Impatient that day or tyme spille, be wasted In armys exercise and art to wake, For armed training And of himself a sampeler to make an exampleline955 Among his men, wel shod, honestly dight, And make hem fourbe her armure ever bright. polish their armor

Right so it is, for these men to chese these [horsemen] choose A decurioun, thorugh lik to him in fourme, thoroughly akin Impatient that thei the tyme lese, loseline960 Wel herneysed, and everych of hys tourme troop In every poynt of armys wil enfourme, [he] will instruct And armed wil his hors so sone ascende, soon That mervaile is, and course hym stronge anende, ride strongly at last

And use wel a dart, a shaft, a spere,line965 And teche chivalers undir his cure, care Right as himself to torne hem in her gere, travel in their gear The brigandyn, helmet, and al procure, brigandine (light body armor) It oftyn wipe clene, and knowe sure, wipe clean (i.e., polish) With herneysing and myghti poort affrayed show of strength afraidline970 Is ofte a foo, and forto fight dismayed. foe

Is it to sey, “He is a werrely knyght,” warlike Whos herneys is horribil and beduste, dusty Not onys used in a fourte nyght, once fortnight And al that iron is or steel, beruste? rustedline975 Unkept his hors, how may he fight or juste? Ungroomed joust The knyghtis and her horsys in his tourme their troop This capitayn shal procure and refourme. prepare