of Veliti: Under this name
were understoode all those that threwe with Slinges, shot with
Crossebowes, cast Dartes, and they used the most parte of them for their
defence, to weare on their heade a Murion, with a Targaet on their arme:
they fought out of the orders, and farre of from the heavie armed, which
did weare a head peece, that came downe to their shoulders, a Corselet,
which with the tases came downe to the knees, and they had the legges
and armes, covered with greaves, and vambraces, with a targaet on the
left arme, a yarde and a halfe long, and three quarters of a yarde
brode, whiche had a hoope of Iron upon it, to bee able to sustaine a
blowe, and an other under, to the intente, that it being driven to the
earth, it should not breake: for to offende, they had girte on their
left flanke a swoorde, the length of a yearde and a naile, on their
righte side, a Dagger: they had a darte in every one of their handes,
the which they called Pilo, and in the beginning of the fight, they
threwe those at the enemie. This was the ordering, and importaunce of
the armours of the Romanes, by the which they possessed all the world.
And although some of these ancient writers gave them, besides the
foresayde weapons, a staffe in their hande like unto a Partasen, I
cannot tell howe a heavy staff, may of him that holdeth a Targaet be
occupied: for that to handle it with both hands, the Targaet should bee
an impediment, and to occupye the same with one hande, there can be done
no good therewith, by reason of the weightynesse thereof: besides this,
to faight in the strong, and in the orders with such long kinde of
weapon, it is unprofitable, except in the first front, where they have
space enough, to thrust out all the staffe, which in the orders within,
cannot be done, for that the nature of the battaile (as in the order of
the same, I shall tell you) is continually to throng together, which
although it be an inconvenience, yet in so doing they fear lesse, then
to stande wide, where the perill is most evident, so that all the
weapons, which passe in length a yarde and a halfe, in the throng, be
unprofitable: for that, if a man have the Partasen, and will occupye it
with both handes, put case that the Targaet let him not, he can not
hurte with the same an enemy, whom is upon him, if he take it with one
hande, to the intent to occupy also the Targaet, being not able to take
it, but in the middest, there remayneth so much of the staff