In Tudor armies cavalry had been made up of lancers (in full armour), light horsemen (in light armour, armed with light lance and pistol) and petronell (unarmoured and armed with an arquebus to be used while mounted). By the early seventeenth century these had been replaced by the cuirassier, harquebusier and carbine. The cuirassier wore half armour and carried sword and pistols, but the armour and arming of the other two types of horseman remained under debate. By the time of the civil war the carbine had disappeared and the cuirassier was rarely seen in action. The harquebusier remained as the mainstay of the cavalry for civil war armies, but exactly how they were equipped in the field remain the subject of debate. A number of military authors gave their views on the arming of cavalry, and came to differing conclusions:

1631 - Instructions for Musters and Arms, and the use thereof, by Order of his Majesties Privy Council July 27, 1631 [Rushworth, Historical Collections Vol.2 Part 2. Appendix page 134.

"The Arms of a Harquebusier or Dragoon, which hath succeeded in the place of Light-horseman (and arc indeed of singular use almost in all Actions of War) the Arms are a good Harquebus, -or Dragoon, fitted with an Iron work. to be carried in a Belt, a Belt with a Flask, Priming-box, Key, and Bulletbag, an open Headpiece with checks, a good Buff Coat with deep skirts. Sword, Girdle, and Hangers, a Saddle, Bridle, Bitt, Petrel, Crupper, with Straps for his Sack of necessaries, and a horse of less force and less price than the Cuirassier."

1632 - Militarie Instructions for the Cavall'rie, John Cruso, 1632, page 30.

"Of the arming of the Harquebusier and Carabine.

The Harquebusier was first invented in France, at the time of the warres of Piedmont; whom Melzo and Basta would have either not armed (though they confesse themselves contradicted therein by others) or but slightly (onely with a headpiece & breast) and those but some few of the fornicate But the printcd edict of the States of the united provinces [Note - Which condemetth the late practice of our trained Harquebusiers to be erroneous, which have wholly left off their arms, and think themselves safe enough in a calfs skin coat.] cxpresly commandeth that every Harquebusier be armed with an open cask, gorget, back and breast, of the horse-mans furniture: and Captain Bingham. in his Low-countrie exercise, appointeth him a cuirasse pistoll proof. Moreover, by the late orders resolved on by the councel of warre the Harquebusier (besides a good buffe coat) is to have the back and breast of the Cuirassiers arming, more them pistoll proof. the headpiece, &c For offensive arms, he must have the harquebuse of two foot and a half long (the bore of 17 bullets in the pound rowling in) hanging on a belt by a swivell a flask and touchbox, and pistols like the Cuirassiers (as some writers have it.) His horse (according to the said edict of the States) should not be under 15 hand high, being swift and well managed. The Carabine is to be mounted on a midling gelding, and to have a good buffe coat, a carbine or petronell (the barrell 2 half foot long. the bullet 24 in the pound. rowling in) hanging as the harquebuse a sword, girdle and hangers. flask and touch-box. as the Harquebusier."

"How the Harquebuziers and the Carabines ought to demeane themselves.

These kinde of horse men are to be armed with an open Caske Gorget backe and brest more than Pistoll proofe, with good Buffe coate to preserve their bodies from bruising: Their Harquebuzes arc to be two foote and a halfe in length. their bores of seventeene bullets to the pound; about their necks a strong leather Belt. with a Swivell to hang the Ring of their peeces upon a Flaske and Touch boxe and Pistolls like to the Cuirassiers:"

1644 - The young Horse-man, or, The honest plain-dealing Cavalier. John Vernon 1644.

"The Harbuyusers and Carbines arming is chiefly offensive, his defensive Arms. arc only an open Caske or Head-peece, a back and brest with a buffe coat under his armes his offensive Armes arc a good Harquebus, or a Carbine hanging on his right side in a belt by a sweble, a flask and Carthareg case, spanner, and to good fire-lock pistols in houlsters At his saddle a good stiffe sword sharp pointed, and a good poll-axe in his hand, a good tall horse of fifteen handfulls high, strong and nimble, with false raines to your bridle made of an Iron Chain as the former. "

1661 - "JB" in a cavalry appendix to the 1661 edition of William Barrife's "Military Discipline" says that in the late English wars the Harquebusiers were:

"Armed only with a Breast, Back and Casque, (or Pott) for defence. a Case of Pistols short, and a Carbine, hanging by a Belt and Swivel on his Right side, of 2 or 2 and a half foot in length of the barrel and a good sword."

1671 - "Pallas Armata - Sir James Turner 1671.

"The Harquebusiers had a Headpiece, back and brest their Horses no arms at all. But now for most part the case is alter'd and instead of Curiassiers we have Harquebusiers and instead of Harquebusiers we have Horsemen, only arm'd offensively".

1671 [but may have been written earlier]- "George Monk Observations upon Military and Political Affairs 1671.

An Headpiece with three small iron Bars to defend the Face, Back, and Breast; all three Pistol-proof: a Gauntlet for his left hand, or a good long Buff Glove. A Girdle of double Buff about eight inches broad, which is to be worn under the skirts of his Doublet."

1677 - A Treatise Of The Art of War 1677 -Orrery. page 32. "I would have every private Trooper have his Sword, or Long Tuck, his Case of Pistols, and Carabine and for defence. his Back. Breast and Pott, at least. I would have the Front and Flanks of every Troop in such Armor: For besides the Terror it gives to an Enemy in his Doublet. to fight with men of Iron, and the encouragement it gives our own men. none knows what proof the Armor is of:

Line drawings of buff coats from ECW Notes and Queries.

DISTRIBUTION OF DONATIONS BY DAY
Oct 42	Nov 42	Dec 42	Jan 43	Feb 43	Mar 43	Apr 43	May 43	Jun 43	Jul 43
1	1 = 22	1	1	1 = 1	1	1	1	1	1
2	2 = 18	2	2	2	2	2	2	2 1	2
3	3 = 19	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3 = 2
4	4 = 26	4	4	4= 1	4	4	4	4	4 = 1
5	5 = 1	5	5	5	5	5 = 3	5	5	5 END
6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6 =1	6	6
7	7 = 18	7	7	7 = 2	7=1	7	7	7	7
8	8 = 18	8	8	8	8	8	8=1	8 1	8
9	9=8	9	9	9=2	9=1	9	9	9	9
10 START	10=4	10	10	10=1	10	10=2	10=1	10	10
11=1	11=7	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11
12=3	12=12	12	12	12	12	12=2	12	12	12
13	13	13	13	13 =1	13	13	13=1	13	13
14	14=3	14	14=1	14 =1	14	14	14	14	14
15=2	15=1	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15
16	16 = 4	16	16	16	16	16	16= 1	16	16
17=15	17 = 3	17	17	17	17	17	17	17	17
18	18	18	18	18	18	18	18	18	18
19	19 = 4	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19
20=7	20	20	20	20	20	20 =1	20	20=4	20
21=15	21=2	21=1	21	21 = 1	21	21	21	21	21
22=24	22 = 5	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22
23	23 = 2	23 = 2	23=1	23 = 1	23	23	23	23	23
24 = 5	24 = 1	24	24	24	24 = 23	24	24	24	24
25 = 27	25 = 2	25	25	25	25 = 1	25 =1	25	25	25
26	26 = 2	26	26= 2	26	26	26	26	26	26
27 = 8	27	27	27	27 = 2	27	27 =1	27=2	27	27
28 = 23	28	28	28 = 1	28 = 1	28 = 1	28	28	28	28
29	29	29	29	29	29	29= 1	29	29	29
30	30	30	30= 1	30	30	30	30	30	30
31 = 13	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	31	31

Each column shows one month, the left hand number is the day of the month and the figure following the = is the number of donations made on that day. It does not reflect the number of horses or the amount of equiptment included in those donations.

MAJOR EVENTS WHICH MAY BE REFLECTED IN THE PATTERN OF DONATIONS:

12 October - King leaves Shrewsbury to march on London
23 October - Battle of Edgehill
3 November - King leaves Oxford to march on London
12 November - Rupert storms Brentford
13 November - Turnham Green
29 November - King retires from Reading to Oxford

Armed Complete

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