The Hartlib Papers

          Propositions of Edmond Felton gent.

     An Engine for warre, to keepe the foote from the horse, & allso secure the musqueteers from all <H: shot> but of Ordnance, And likewise much secure them from small shott but<H: out> of Ordnance, And it's tenn to one, a shott out of a piece of Ordnance hitts the sayd Engine, which Engine in good wayes two men may manage at pleasure, if otherwise, foure men may. One Engine supplyes the place of forty Pikemen in ranke & file, as they joyne in battaile.

Eighty of the sayd Engines will supplye the roome of 3000. Pikemen, whose pay, with the Officers, will be (at least) 1600. a weeke; and lesse then the first weekes pay those 3000. souldiers should have, will make the sayd 80. Engines. Than is there allwayes in readinesse as good as 3000. souldiers, without further pay.

Hereby weekely may be saved 1400^lb and the rest of the pay those souldiers should have, will mainteyne the sayd Engine, pay the Souldiers that shall manage them, et Wagons to carry them, as occasion shall serve.

There may likewise be made two runing Sconces, with some of the sayd Engins, to flanke at each wing of the Batalia: to prevent the horse from wheeling about to fall upon the reare. In each of which Sconces 3. or four hundred musquetteers may be placed to shoote every way; And Drakes & other Ordnance may be securely placed in the Intervailes, & other good helpes to secure the Engins from being taken

 The benefitt of this runing brestworke are, first. The souldiers may suddenly intrench themselves, whereby much money will be saved in the charge of Pioners, Pick-Axes, spades & Wagons that carry them.

Secondly, hereby will be a great ease to the Country in victualls et lodging.

Thirdly, in saving of mens lives. Fourthly, will encourage fainte hearted Souldiers to fight, who shall not feare routing by the enemies horse. 5.^tly the souldiers may fight, though much wett fail: 6.^tly hereby will be much saving of horse; for 3000. horse, with 8000. musqueteers, et 200. Engins, will doe better service than 6000 horse, and 20000 foote, without the sayd Engins Which 3000. horse shall not neede to be putt upon service, but when the enemies are routed. Thus the pay of 3000. horse weekely may be saved, which will be some thousand pounds.

An Army of 10000. joyning Battaile with an Army of 20000. the 10000. to disable the greater Army to fight, & to overcome them in a short tyme, And the lesser Army to be secure from the fight of the greater, but of their Ordnance, and by them but little hurt done before they be subdued.

  This not to be used but to the overthrowe of a great Army. Likewise guns may be made of wood with little Charge to doe as good service, as other Ordnance, with little or noe Iron.

I, Abraham Kuffler of Trinitie Minories neere St. Botolph Algate, had it credibly related unto me the sayd Abraham from Iacob Pergins Marchant, that about 3 yeares before the date hereof, he had 3. Riding Coates of broad Cloth, made to hold out water, by the Arte, Edmond Felton Gentleman useth to make Cloth impenitrable of raine, Which sayd Coates both the sayd Mr Peregins, & his friends, the last 3 yeares rid in great raines, yet hath not the inside of the sayd Coates bin wett, And the sayd Mr Peregins spake unto Mr   [blank]   my selfe, & others of his friends, to have their Cloakes or Coates made impenitrable of raine, as above sayd, assureing them then, that raine could not peirce through their Coates or Cloakes. In witnesse of the truth hereof, I, the sayd Abraham Kuffler have hereunto subscribed my name, this 19 day of October, 1638.

                        Abraham Kuffler

               General Major [Skippons?] Certificat./

Having seene an Engine of this bearer Mr Edmond Feltons which was of 3. tire of ten musquets in a tire to shoote arrows withal and being requested by him to signifie what I thought thereof I could doe no lesse but testifie that if the said Engine were compleatly made vp it would doe very great execution and bee of very good vse and service

                                   th Skippon

Octob. 20. 1642/

[hand Y:]           Proposals of Edmund

                    Felton Gent, for a War Engine

                    These papers consist

                    of Mechanicks & Husbandry./