Winchester’s Regiment – 1680s Drill Orders

The following guidance is provided for Officers of the Marquess of Winchester’s Regiment of the King’s Army in the English Civil War Society to enable 1680s drill orders. It is based on ‘Monmouth’s Drill Book’ edited by John Tincey¹.

When a body of men is drawn up for Exercise of Armes, the distance of their Ranks must be at 6 foot, and their Files at 3 foot, that they may have liberty to use their arms.

EXERCISE OF THE MUSKETEERS WITH PLUG BAYONETS

[When at the Order]

HANDLE YOUR BAYONETS
DRAW FORTH YOUR BAYONETS
PUT IN YOUR BAYONETS
POISE YOUR MUSKETS
GUARD YOUR MUSKETS
CHARGE ADVANCING
(you may do facings as follows)
- - FACE TO THE RIGHT
  - FACE TO THE LEFT
  - TO THE RIGHT ABOUT CHARGE etc.
REST YOUR MUSKETS
ORDER YOUR MUSKETS
HANDLE YOUR BAYONETS
WITHDRAW YOUR BAYONETS
PLACE YOUR BAYONETS (back into the scabbard)

[When at the rest]

CAST ABOUT TO THE RIGHT
Then: HANDLE YOUR BAYONETS
DRAW FORTH YOUR BAYONETS
PUT IN YOUR BAYONETS
POISE YOUR MUSKETS
GUARD YOUR MUSKETS
CHARGE ADVANCING (as before)

EXERCISE OF THE GRENADIERS

OPEN YOUR POUCH
TAKE OUT YOUR GRENADO
UNCASE YOUR FUSEE
BLOW YOUR MATCH
FIRE YOUR FUSEE
DELIVER YOUR GRENADO

(When there is a second rank of grenadiers then:

March through with your grenadoes, fire your fusees and deliver your grenadoes)

(If there is a third rank of grenadiers then: March through with your hatchets.)

EXERCISE OF THE MUSQUET (MATCHLOCK MUSKET DRILL)

ORDER YOUR MUSKET
REST YOUR MUSKET
(OPEN YOUR PAN)
CLEAN YOUR PAN (with your thumb)
HANDLE YOUR PRIMER
PRIME YOUR PAN
SHUT YOUR PAN (with a full hand)
BLOW OFF YOUR LOOSE CORNS
CAST ABOUT TO CHARGE
HANDLE YOUR CHARGER
OPEN YOUR CHARGER ( Monmouth uses ‘with your teeth’ for a cartridge charge)
CHARGE WITH POWDER
DRAW FORTH YOUR SCOWRER
SHORTEN YOUR SCOWRER (In full – Shorten it to an inch against your right breast)
(CHARGE WITH BULLET – assumed from your mouth)
RAM DOWN POWDER AND BALL
WITHDRAW YOUR SCOWRER
SHORTEN IT TO A HANDFUL
RETURN YOUR SCOWRER
POISE YOUR MUSKET
SHOULDER YOUR MUSKET
LAY YOUR RIGHT HAND ON YOUR MUSKET
POISE YOUR MUSKET
REST YOUR MUSKET FOR SNAPHAUNCE MUSKETS
HANDLE YOUR MATCH GUARD
BLOW YOUR MATCH COCK
COCK AND TRY YOUR MATCH
GUARD YOUR PAN
BLOW YOUR MATCH
PRESENT AND OPEN YOUR PAN PRESENT
GIVE FIRE GIVE FIRE
RECOVER YOUR ARMS RECOVER
RETURN YOUR MATCH
ORDER YOUR MUSKET
LAY DOWN YOUR MUSKETS
QUIT YOUR MUSKETS

(You may then proceed to sword training for which the orders are: LAY YOUR HANDS UPON YOUR SWORDS, DRAW YOUR SWORDS. Then RETURN YOUR SWORDS)

HANDLE YOUR MUSKETS
ORDER YOUR MUSKETS

EXERCISE OF THE PIKE (A TYPICAL PIKE DRILL).

ORDER YOUR PIKES
ADVANCE YOUR PIKES
CHARGE YOUR PIKES
ADVANCE YOUR PIKES
CHARGE TO THE RIGHT (Turn to the right and then charge)
AS YOU WERE
CHARGE TO THE RIGHT ABOUT
AS YOU WERE
CHARGE TO THE LEFT
AS YOU WERE
CHARGE TO THE LEFT ABOUT
AS YOU WERE

SHOULDER YOUR PIKES
CHARGE TO THE FRONT
SHOULDER AS YOU WERE
PORT YOUR PIKES
CHARGE TO THE FRONT
TRAIL, FACING TO THE RIGHT ABOUT (This leaves the point of the pike on the ground)
CHARGE AS YOU WERE
ADVANCE YOUR PIKES

ORDER YOUR PIKES
PIKES TO YOUR INSIDE ORDER (move the butt of the pike to the inside of the right foot)
LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS
QUIT YOUR ARMS
FACE ALL TO THE RIGHT ABOUT
MARCH CLEAR OFF YOUR ARMS
TO THE LEFT ABOUT TO YOUR LEADER
MARCH TO YOUR ARMS
HANDLE YOUR ARMS
ORDER YOUR ARMS
PIKES TO YOUR OUTSIDE ORDER

Use the expression ORDER YOUR ARMS – meaning both Pike and Musket.
In ORDERING Arms, bring them near the ground, and make a little stand, then set them down together. Note that this is the beginning of modern synchronised military drill.
To salute with a pike or musket while Ordered – Stretch the right arm out to its full length. To salute with the pike while marching, the pike is charged with the point near to the ground (This is different from our normal way of Porting pikes) – give rest to muskets.

Ian MacDonald Watson

General of the King’s Army

Colonel of the Regiment

1 March 2012. Revised and updated 9 March 2026.