Although these words of command follow one another in this way—because each time the Pike must be reset or planted, from which one might assume the soldier has sooner learned its handling—our intention is not, however, that one should be so strictly bound to this order that one could not, either from the middle or otherwise, begin to give the commands just as well as from the beginning, as the occasion and the disposition of affairs require; this is left to the discretion of experienced Captains and Commanders.

WITH PRIVILEGE OF

THE EMPEROR, THE KING OF FRANCE, AND THE

Noble and Powerful Lords, My Lords the States General of the United Provinces.

A "Privilege" was a 17th-century form of copyright protection granted by a sovereign or governing body to an author or printer.

That no person, of whatever quality or condition they may be, shall presume to counterfeit this present book of the handling of arms, nor to sell counterfeits elsewhere in their Kingdoms, lands, and lordships, within the term of eight years next following, whether in large or small format, entire or in portions; nor to follow the order, whether of the writing or of the figures represented in this Book, without the express consent of Jacques de Gheyn, upon penalty of confiscation of all that shall be found thus counterfeited, and of six thousand florins fine in addition, as is more fully contained in the original letters given etc. In the year 1607.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE BOOKSELLER

The written instruction is, as are the figures, divided into three parts, namely the ArquebusesAn early type of portable long gun, lighter than a musket., MusketsA heavier firearm than the arquebus, usually requiring a rest to fire., and PikesA long thrusting spear used by infantry to defend against cavalry.; and they must be bound in this manner: namely, the instruction for the Arquebuses before their figures, and the others accordingly, each before its own figures.