Extracts from:

The Second Parte of the

Principles of the Arte Militarie 1638

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A Purveyor for the Armada

The Severall duties of of the officers of the field belonging to the Army

 

And first of the Provost Marshall of the Army

 

The Provost Marsall shall have thus far forth Commaundment, ouer the Victuallers of the Armie that he shall assign their quarter in every Regiment, and shall appoint what victuallers shall attend every Regiment. Also he shall give order to the Provosts of euery Regiment, that they see no victuals sold, but at conuinient houers, and that the price s of victualls and beere be reasonable, & euery kan of beere sold at that price, as he has marked it upon the barrels head, and as is appointed him.

 

It is further incident to this office, to have account brought to him of all preyes of Cattell, and other victuals that are brought into the armie, and that the same prey, as soone as it comes into the quarter, shal be shewed to him and by hime to the Generall, or Commissarie Generall of the Victuals , because it may be knowne, both whether the preys be lawfull & how they ought to be diuided.

 

He shall by the Provosts of every Regiment and his servants, cause all entrailes of Beasts that are killed in or near the quarter, and all other Garbage and filth to be buried, and that in all things else the quarter be kept sweet, and the places adioining clene….

 

He shal have all fees as well in preys that are taken, as in his service of the oversight of the Victuals and Beere, and of all things els, which do properly and usually belong to the Provost Marshall of the Army.

 

The Office of Commisarie Generall of Victuals

 

He is to take charge of all the Victuals prepared for the Armie, as well as by sea as land-service, and to see himself or by his Ministers the proportion of Victuals to be duly distributed to the Soliders and Mariners, as the Generall or Admiral shall direct.

 

All Pursers, Stewards, and all other that shall in any ship have charge or oversight in Victuals (as also under Commissers, and conductors of Victuals by land) shall upon discoverie of the extrordinarie wasting, spoyling, or miscarring of Victuals , that he may presently take order in it.

 

Wheresoever the Armie shall land, march, or lodge, all the victuals found in such places shall be seized upon by him, and a proportion set out by him for the present use of the troops there quartered, and the rest receive as part of the Generall store, and Magazine of Victuals , and to that end shall go him selfe, or send his Officers or Clarkes to attend on the Lord Marshall, when he or the Quartermaster Generall goe first to view, and take up the quarter.

 

He shall keep a list of all bakers, Miller, Butchers in the Armie, and of all other that are to be used in the provision of Victuals , to the end he may set them a worke as occasion and the service shall require.

 

All instruments for grinding, Ovens, Baking, or for preparing, bestowing, Carrying, or for the preserving of Victuals shall be under his charge, and he shall have authority to vie and dispose of them for the public service.

 

If any prizes of Victuals shall be taken at sea, the Commisarie Generall of Victuals shall both take a note of the inventarie of it, and appoint some Officer of his to take charge of it. If any preyes be taken he shall likewise take a note of the inventarie of all, and view it himselfe, he shall make the division, as he shall be directed by the Generall, or in his absence by the Lord Marshall.

 

He shall give out noe extraordinarie Victuals , but by order and warrant from the Generall, and shall give from time to time an Account unto him of any was, spoyling, or miscarrying of Victuals , that shal be by Sea, or by Land.

 

The Commisarie or Clark Generall of Victuals , hath superintendence and care over all manner of Victuals, & also victuallers and sutlers, whiche follows the Armie and hath under his charge diverse Conductours, and Bakers as the service might require.

Nearly half the waggons in the Armie were for the carriage of the Victuals and associated equipment.

Return to:

A Purveyor for the Armada