A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...

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58. Fifteen-ninety-three.
A survey of the new pretended Discipline. Entered to
John Wolf ^ March. 1593. vjKs,—Arber, ii. 627.
This is, perhaps, by a partisan of Sir John Smythe.
59. [Fifteen-ninety-four ] Barwick, Humfrey.
A Breefe Discourse, (
Concerning the force |
and efFeft of
all mariuall weapons of fire, and the disability of the Long
|
Bowe or Ar-
|
now in vse. |
With
chery, in respe6t of others of greater force
|
sundrye probable reasons for the verrifying
therof : the which I haue doone of dutye towards my
|
|
Soueraigne and Country, and for the better satisfaftion of all
|
such
I
as are doubtfull of the
|
same.
|
Written
by Humfrey
Barwick, Gentle- man, Souldier, Captaine,
| |
Et Encor plus
oultre. London. Printed
\
for Richard Oliffe, and are to be
solde in
\
Paules
I
At
Churchyard at the signe of the |
Crane.
Black letter.
Quarto.
Collation. Tp., Ai.—Ded. to Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon, A2-A3.
Pref., A4-B3.— Err., L2.—One folding plate.—R.H. :
"Certain discourses
of warre and vse of weapons."—Nums. to fF.—Sigs. in 4% A-L2 ; L22,
blank.—35 11. to p.
Copies.
B.M.
Contents. Written to refute the arguments used in favour of the longbow
in Smythe's book "On Weapons." The first ed. appeared soon after
that book and Williams', but, as appears
from the " advertisement " on folio
35, it was suppressed and burnt almost immediately, so that Barwick was
another sufferer in the great controversy. About 1594 the ban was taken
off, and this ed. was published ; the date of which is fixed approximately by
the death, in 1596, of Lord Hunsdon, to whom it was dedicated. Barwick
criticises Williams somewhat jealously ; and can find in his book " no new
device, either in government or orders, saving the great number of muskets."
For Smythe's answer, see MSS. Harl. 135.
In pronouncing in favour of the musket, Barwick speaks from long experience
in the use of all weapons ; for when, in 1 549, at the age of eighteen,
he joined the army of Edward VI., the English forces were composed principally
of archers ;
the harquebussiers in a troop, when there were any at all,
did not exceed fifteen in every hundred of other weapons. Sir Peter
Mewtas' band of five hundred was the first armed entirely with fire-arms.
50
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