21. 1639 SNIPPETS
This description of part of the army in 1639 is interesting as 1) it obviously refers to the old striped style of Colour 2) the personnel were drawn from the Trained Bands.
The King went forth (from Newcastle upon Tyne) to see 3 regiments of foote and a troupe of horse. The first regiment was the Earl of Essex, devided into two squadrons, and consisted of 1500 men. The 2 was the Earl of Newport, devided likewise, and consisted 1500 men. The Collers of the first was orringe tawney and whyte. The 2 was greene and whyte. The horse was the Lord Generals commaunded by Sir William Drewry, a Norfolke knight who brought them forth of his owne country upon his owne charge, and consisted of 83 by the Kings account,the Lord Generall affirminge they were 90 horse in his troupe. - HMC Rutland papers. (the 3rd regiment was that of Sir Jacob Ashley. Similar in formation and numbers as the others the Colour was 'skye' and whyte.)
[ We notice that even the Lord General's troop was not above claiming more men than it had presumably for pay and provisions???- Eds]
Letter From Edward Rossingham to Viscount Conway (April 16th) [CSP(D) 1639 pp49-50]
The officers of the trained bands which were to go out of Kent, when they came to Graves-end last week examined their arms, which they find very unserviceable, many of their muskets having no touch holes, and some others having them so large as one might turn a thumb in them and the pikes so rotten as they were shaken many of them all in pieces; some few of the muskets were reasonably good; the captian commending one of those muskets wished they had been all so good. Nay, saith the musketeer, my master sought to have found a worse musket, but he could find none in all the town, if he could I should have had it. These ill arms, and the poor undisciplined men being hired for £8, £10 and £12 by the trained men to go in their stead, being taken into consideration, they sent to the council to complain of the county for providing no better for the Kings service....
Stuart Reid
Other Notes
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