The New International Encyclopædia/Train Bands

TRAIN BANDS. Early English militia raised by commissions of musters, and organized and drilled as military bodies. On the abolition of the fyrd in 1604, James I. organized in its place the train bands to the number of nearly 200,000 men. As an organization the train bands were neither militia nor volunteers, but partook of the nature of both, and in point of efficiency lacked both discipline and drill. During the Civil War they sided almost to a unit with the Parliamentarians, and rendered very effective service. After the Restoration, the command and control of the army was definitely assigned to the King: before this time the question had been in doubt. See Armies. section on Great Britain; Militia.