_Of the men of war that are in the fifteene prouinces, as wel
footmen as horsemen, and of the great care they haue in the gard of
the kingdome._
[Sidenote: Great care for to defend their countrie.]
Looke what care and diligence this mightie king hath, that iustice
should be ministred with right and equitie: so likewise (yea and much
more) he hath touching matters that may preuent wars, which be offered
by princes adiacent vnto him, or any other whatsoeuer. But in especiall
with the Tartarians, with whom they haue had continuall wars many years.
(Although at this day) that the Tartarians doo feare him very much: in
such sort as he thinketh it best to keepe him for his friende, and doth
acknowledge vnto him a certain manner of vassalage. And although at this
present and long time since, he hath bin and is without any occasion of
wars, that should come vpon a sodain; yet hath he had manie and grieuous
enimies to defend himselfe from, or to offend them, as you shall
perceiue in this that followeth. For besides that he hath in euery
prouince his president and counsell of war, captaine generall, and
others ordinarie to take vp people, and ordaine their campes and
squadrons as well by sea as by land, to serue at all assaies when that
occasion shall serue; so likewise he hath in euery city captaines and
souldiers for their particular garde and defence, and doo range and
watch to set their garde in order both day and night, as though their
enimies were at the gates. This military order they do vse and
maintaine, in such sort that no nation knowne may be compared vnto them.
Although, speaking generally, (according vnto the relation of certaine
Spanish souldiers that were there, and did manie times see them) there
be other nations that do exceed them both in valiantnesse, courage, and
worthinesse of mind.
They haue at the gates of all their cities their squadrons, who let[87]
the entrie and going out of any whatsoeuer, except he haue licence of
the iustice of that citie or towne, brought them in writing: the which
gates they do shut and open by order and licence of their captaines,
which is sent vnto them euery day, written in whited tables, and their
sine vnto it. These gates are the force of all the cittie, and thereon
is planted all the artilerie they haue; nigh vnto the which gate, is
ordinarily the house whereas they are founded or made. At night, when
they do shut their gates, they do glew papers vpon the ioinings of them:
then they doo seale the papers, with the seale that the gouernour or
iudge of that cittie doth weare on his finger, the which is done by
himselfe, or by some other in whom he hath great confidence and trust:
and they cannot open them againe in the morning vntill such time as it
bee seene and acknowledged that it hath not been touched since the night
that it was put on. So that if any haue any iourney to ride very early
in the morning, he must go forth of the citie ouer night, before the
gates be shut, and remaine in the suburbs: for out of the cittie it is
not possible to goe vntill the gates be open, which is not till the
sunne be vp ordinarily.
They do not vse any castles nor forts, but great bulwarkes and gun
bankes, whereas they haue continuall watch, and doo change by quarters
according as wee do vse: and the officers with a great number of
souldiers do range throughout the city, and bulworkes: and commonly the
captaines be naturall of those prouinces, whereas they haue their charge
giuen them in consideration that the loue they haue to their countrie,
doo binde them to fight to the death for the defence thereof. And for
that there should be more quietnesse and rest in the cities, it is not
permitted that any do weare weapons, defensiues, nor offensiues, but
onely such souldiers as haue the kings pay: neither do they consent they
should haue them in their houses, neither vse any in trauaile by sea nor
lande. Besides all this, the king hath in the citie of Taybin and
Suntiem (whereas hee is resident), and in such cities lying there about,
a great number both of horsemen and footemen, alwaies in a readinesse
for to go with him into any place, for the safegarde of his person in
time of necessitie.
[Sidenote: Uerie ill horsemen.]
The souldiers of his kingdome are in two sortes and manners, the one
sort are such as bee and are naturals of the citie whereas they haue
their charge, and these be called in their language Cum: in this place
the sonne doth succeed the father, and for lacke of an heire, the king
doth prouide one in the dead man's place. Euery one of them hath his
name written vpon the post of his doore, and the place appointed whither
he shal go when occasion shall serue (enemies being against that cittie
or towne). The other sort of souldiers are strangers, and are consorted
for yeares or monethes to serue. These be they that ordinarily make
their watches, musters, and ioyne companies for the receit of the
captaines: these be called in their language Pon.[88] These goe from one
place vnto another, whereas they are commanded to go. One captaine and
ancient hath charge of a thousand, and a meaner captaine with his
ancient a hundreth, that doo depend vpon the other. So that for to knowe
the number of people that is in a great campe, it is done with great
ease in accounting the ensignes of a thousand men, which are easily
knowne. Euery chiefe or petie captaine of these, hath his house vpon the
cittie wal, and his name put on it, and there he dwelleth so long as the
warres indureth. These captaines euery moneth do exercise their
souldiers in marching and putting them in order: sometime with quick
speed, and other times more slower, and to giue assalt and retyre as
they are taught by the sound of the drum: this they do vse continually
in the time of peace, as well as in the time of warre: also how to vse
their weapons, which are ordinarie, hargabuses, pikes, targets,
faunchers,[89] brushebilles,[90] holbards, dagars, and armour. The
horsemen do vse in the warres to carrie foure swords hanging at their
saddell bowes, and doo fight with two at once, with great dexteritie and
gallant to behold. These do accustome to go into the wars accompanied
with many seruants, and familiar friends on foote, all wel armed after
the gallantest manner that possibly they may. These footemen be
marueillous full of policie, and ingenious in warlike or martiall
affaires: and although they haue some valor for to assalt and abide the
enemie, yet doo they profite themselues of policies, deuises and
instruments of fire, and of fire workes. Thus do they vse as wel by land
in their wars as by sea, many bomes[91] of fire, full of old iron, and
arrowes made with powder and fire worke, with the which they doo much
harm and destroy their enimies. The horsemen do fight with bowes and
arrowes, and lances, and with two swordes (as I haue saide before), and
some with hargabuses. They cannot gouerne their horses very wel, for
that they haue but one peece of iron that is crosse in their mouthes
that serueth for a bridle; and for to make them stay, they pull but one
raine, and with clapping their hands together and making of a noise
before them. They haue very ill saddels, so that they be al verie ill
horsemen. The like prouision hath the king for the sea: hee hath great
fleetes of ships, furnished with captaines and men, that doo scoure and
defend the costs of the countrie with great diligence and watchings. The
souldiers, as well by land as by sea, are paid with great liberalitie,
and those that do aduantage themselues in valor, are very much esteemed,
and haue great preferment and rewards. When these Chinos doo take anie
prisoner in the wars, they doo not kill him, nor giue him more
punishment, but to serue as a souldier in that countrie in the farthest
parts from their naturall, the king paying him his wages as other
souldiers are paid. These for that they may be knowne doo weare redde
bonnets, but in their other apparell they do differ nothing from the
Chinos. Likewise such as be condemned by iustice for criminall offences,
to serue in any frontier (as is vsed much amongst them), they also weare
redde caps or bonnets: and so it is declared in their sentence, that
they do condemme them to the red bonnet.