The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
[Sidenote: The horsemans maner of charging.] They haue drummes besides of a
huge bignes, which they cary with them vpon a boord layde on foure horses,
that are sparred together with chaines, euery drumme haning eight strikers,
or drummers, besides trumpets and shawmes, which they sound after a wilde
maner, much different from ours. When they giue any charge, or make any
inuasion, they make a great hallow or shoute altogether, as lowd as they
can, which with the sound of their trumpets, shawmes and drummes, maketh a
confused and horrible noyse. So they set on first discharging their
arrowes, then dealing with their swordes, which they vse in a brauerie to
shake, and brandish ouer their heads, before they come to strokes.
[Sidenote: The footmans charge.] Their footmen (because otherwise they want
order in leading) are commonly placed in some ambush or place of aduantage,
where they most annoy the enemie, with least hurt to themselues. [Sidenote:
The walking Castle.] If it be a set battell, or if any great inuasion be
made vpon the Russe borders by the Tartar, they are set within the running
or mouing Castle (called Bexa, or Gulaygorod) which is caried about with
them by the Voiauoda golauoy (or the walking General) whom I spake of
before. This walking or moouing Castle is so framed, that it may be set vp
in length (as occasion doeth require) the space of one, two, three, foure,
fiue, sixe, or seuen miles: for so long will reach. It is nothing els but a
double wall of wood to defend them on both sides behinde and before, with a
space of three yards or thereabouts, betwixt the two sides: so that they
may stand within it, and haue roome enough to charge and discharge their
pieces, and to vse their other weapons. It is closed at both ends, and made
with loope holes on either side, to lay out the nose of their piece, or to
push foorth any other weapon. It is caried with the armie wheresoeuer it
goeth, being taken into pieces, and so layde on cartes sparred together,
and drawen by horse that are not seene, by reason that they are couered
with their cariage as with a shelfe or penthouse. When it is brought to the
place where it is to be vsed (which is deuised and chosen out before by the
walking Voiauod) it is planted so much as the present vse requireth,
sometime a mile long, sometimes two, sometimes three or more: Which is
soone done without the helpe of any Carpenter, or instrument: because the
timber is so framed to claspe together one piece with in another: as is
easily vnderstoode by those that know the maner of the Russe building.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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