Opening the text

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' WarFortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir

History

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War

Name: A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War
Author: Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir

Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir

Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History

But before leaving France there is another aspect of her military
institutions to be touched on. After the death of Francis the
First, and particularly during the period of the religious wars,
the discipline and tone of the French army underwent woeful
deterioration. Captains from the first had been proprietors of
their companies, which indeed were sometimes sold at auction by
the colonel to the highest bidder; and, as they received a bounty
in proportion to the numbers that they could show on their rolls,
the rascality and corruption were appalling. The enforcement of
strict discipline was bound to cause desertion, and every deserter
meant a man the less on the captain's roll and a sum the less in
the captain's pocket. No effort therefore was made to restrain the
misbehaviour of soldiers when off duty; they were allowed to rob
and plunder at their own sweet will, and they had the more excuse
since they were encouraged thus to indemnify themselves for the
pay stolen from them by their officers. This recognised system of
pillage was known as _picorée_,[67] a word which has passed through
the English language in the form of pickeer. Yet another method
there was among many of falsifying the muster-rolls, namely on the
day of inspection to collect any yokels or men that could be found,
thrust a pike into their hands, and present them as soldiers. They
were duly passed by the muster-master, and as soon as his back was
turned were dismissed, having served their purpose of securing
their pay for the illicit gain of the captain till next muster.
Such men were called _passe-volans_, a word which also was received
into the military terminology of Europe, and like _mortes-payes_
received at last official recognition. It must not be thought
that such abuses were confined to France, but it is significant
that she was the country to find names for them.[68] Nor must the
reader be unduly impatient over the mention of these details in the
military history of foreign nations. The English soldier for the
next century and more is going to school, where like all pupils he
will learn both good and evil; and it is impossible to follow his
progress unless we know something of his schoolfellows as well as
of his tutors.

[Sidenote: 1495.]

[Sidenote: Atella, 1496.]

[Sidenote: 1503.]

[Sidenote: 1512.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' WarFortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir

History

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War

Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir

Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History

But before leaving France there is another aspect of her military
institutions to be touched on. After the death of Francis the
First, and particularly during the period of the religious wars,
the discipline and tone of the French army underwent woeful
deterioration. Captains from the first had been proprietors of
their companies, which indeed were sometimes sold at auction by
the colonel to the highest bidder; and, as they received a bounty
in proportion to the numbers that they could show on their rolls,
the rascality and corruption were appalling. The enforcement of
strict discipline was bound to cause desertion, and every deserter
meant a man the less on the captain's roll and a sum the less in
the captain's pocket. No effort therefore was made to restrain the
misbehaviour of soldiers when off duty; they were allowed to rob
and plunder at their own sweet will, and they had the more excuse
since they were encouraged thus to indemnify themselves for the
pay stolen from them by their officers. This recognised system of
pillage was known as _picorée_,[67] a word which has passed through
the English language in the form of pickeer. Yet another method
there was among many of falsifying the muster-rolls, namely on the
day of inspection to collect any yokels or men that could be found,
thrust a pike into their hands, and present them as soldiers. They
were duly passed by the muster-master, and as soon as his back was
turned were dismissed, having served their purpose of securing
their pay for the illicit gain of the captain till next muster.
Such men were called _passe-volans_, a word which also was received
into the military terminology of Europe, and like _mortes-payes_
received at last official recognition. It must not be thought
that such abuses were confined to France, but it is significant
that she was the country to find names for them.[68] Nor must the
reader be unduly impatient over the mention of these details in the
military history of foreign nations. The English soldier for the
next century and more is going to school, where like all pupils he
will learn both good and evil; and it is impossible to follow his
progress unless we know something of his schoolfellows as well as
of his tutors.

[Sidenote: 1495.]

[Sidenote: Atella, 1496.]

[Sidenote: 1503.]

[Sidenote: 1512.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War

A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War

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