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

Of Italian printed works exclusively on fortification, the first was
Zanchi*s ;
while the French usually place earliest in the list of their
writers on this branch Errard de Bar-le-duc ;
aftd although Promis
states that he knows of one or two Frenchmen who wrote ten
years before the latter, unfortunately he does not give their names.
Towards the end of the sixteenth century there appeared many
celebrated writers on the subje6l, Alghisi, Marchi, Aurelio di
Pasino, and, above all, Daniel Speckle, " who was one of the
greatest geniuses who has applied to this art."^
The new military
architecture was introduced into England by Pennacchi.^
The works on equitation and the veterinary art included here do
not by any means represent the number printed. Though most of
them were written with a view to the training and care of war
horses, those only are entered which have parts, or chapters, written
expressly to that end. In the same way, only the medical works
which apply to the treatment of gunshot wounds are given.
I have made the addition of books on the laws of honour and
single combat. They represent that spirit of chivalry which up
to the close of the sixteenth century still retained vitality enough
to overleap on occasion all strategical considerations.^ In consequence
of the great number of works more or less remotely connected
with this subject, I have been compelled to some severity
in rejecting those that did not keep striCtly to the point. For
example, Mutio's " Gentilhuomo ", though on the laws of honour,
only mentions single combat incidentally ; his " Duello " is what
the title implies—a treatise on the laws and usages of duelling.
The first I rejeCted, the second include. There was another difficulty.
Military law had no existence in the Middle Ages. The
chivalric code, supplemented by temporary ordinances promulgated
by individual commanders, took its place. Hence the associating
of the two subjects by early writers, and the inexpediency of
^ Robins, " New Principles ", p. ix., ed. 1742.
'
Promis.
^ For a remarkable instance, see pamphlet entitled :
" Journall ... of the late
service in Britaigne . . . under . . . Sir John Norreis", London, 1591, 4° (in Brit.
Mus.).
xxii