Hai and her King as thou didest vnto Iericho and her king neuerthelesse the spoyle and cattell thereof shall ye take vnto your selues c. Saul in the first booke of Kinges the 15. chapter hath the like commandement and these be the wordes Samuel said vnto Saul The Lord sent me to anoynt thee King ouer his people Israel nowe therefore hearken thou vnto the voice of the Lord Thus sayth the Lord of hostes I remēber that which Amalek did to Israel how they layde wayte for thē in the way as they came out of Egypt Nowe therefore go and smite Amalek and destroy ye all that pertayneth vnto him see that thou haue no cōpassion on them and couet nothing that they haue slay both man and woman infant and suckling oxe and sheepe camel and asse c. By this commandement we may perceiue GOD gaue charge to Saul that he should sacke the coūtries of the Amalechites and to passe by the edge of the sword men women children and beasts without dispense or grace giuing a reason of that extreeme iustice because those people had done many oppressions to Israel in the voyage out of Egypt into Chanaan and willeth him in no wise to shewe mercy or to haue compassion not so much as vpon women and children This place might seeme ouer cruell to such as would haue men go to warre and to kil no body nor to cōmit any spoyle neither do I alleadge this to maintayne tyrannie for there is time and occasion to vse both rigour and pitie iustice and mercy as hereafter I wil further shewe I meane now but to make profe that God hath not bene displeased with warres but is called in many places the God of hostes And Moyses citeth a place of the warres of the Lord and in the 20. chap. of the second booke of Chronicles it is writtē that when Iosaphat had vnderstāding of the multitude of his enemies the Moabites the Ammonites and the Syrians that were gathered against him Iosaphat assembling his people into the Temple made this prayer vnto God. O Lord God of our Fathers art thou not God in heauē raignest not thou ouer all the kingdomes of the heathen and in thy hand is power and might and there is no man that is able to withstand thee art not thou our God which didest cast out the inhabiters of this land before thy people Israel and gauest it to the seede of Abraham thy louer for euer and they dwelt therein for thy name saying If euill come vpon vs as the sword of iudgement pestilence or hūger then if we stand before this house and crye vnto thee in our tribulation heare thou and helpe And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir by whom thou wouldest not let them of Israel goe when they came out of the land of Egypt but they departed by them and destroyed them not see howe they would rewarde vs that would cast vs out of thy possession which thou hast giuen vs to inherite O our God wilt thou not iudge them for we haue no might against this great companie that cōmeth agaynst vs neyther wote we what to do but our eies attende vpon thee And as he continued thus in prayer beholde the Prophete spake vnto him Feare not this multitude it shall not be thy warre but the warres of God c. I could here cite a number of like places but these may seeme sufficient to prooue that warres haue bene acceptable before the maiestie of God and sometimes more auaylable then peace as in the second chapter of the booke of Iudges it appeareth where the children of Israel were blamed for making of peace with the Cananites And like as out of the scriptures many other probable reasons might be gathered so there be diuers excellent authours and sundrie learned writers which seeme not onely to alowe of warres but thinke them to be many times very meet cōuenient to be attempted to be taken in hand and that it is many times necessary for Princes to become enemies to the ende they may be perfect friendes And a most happie begun warre may that be called whereby is wrought the safetie of the state so contrary most miserable is the peace which bringeth with it the hazard of a countrey Cicero saieth in his booke of Offices To this end and purpose we must enter into warre that without iniurie we may liue in peace And in an other place of the same booke hee sayeth We must beware that we take not vp the matter by aduice more to auoyd warre then for cause of profite for we must neuer by seeking to escape perill deserue to seeme cowardes and dastards but so let warres be taken in hand as no other thing but peace may seeme to haue bin sought This was the cause that made Demosthenes so mightily to inuey against king Philip for hee perceyuing the insatiable desire of king Philip and that he ment to make a conquest of all Grecia and had already begun with the Olynthians whō if he had once ouerthrowen there was nothing then to let his passage to Athens the which Demosthenes very wel foreseeing by sundrie orations perswaded the Athenians not onely to sende helpe to the Olynthians but also to sende an armie into the partes of Macedonie a meane whereby to make king Philip to haue withdrawē his force frō the Olynthians to defende his owne countrey alleadging by many persuasions that ayde to their neighbours was very needful and necessarie when their owne safetie did chiefly consist in the others good successe for who withdraweth him selfe whē his neighbours house is on fyre may wāt helpe to quēch his owne Thus we may see although that peace be chiefly to be desired yet many times by entring into warres it is the more safely quietly maintayned Like to a ship which many times by some extraordinary winde forsaketh the quiet harbour and seeketh her safetie in the wilde and raging seas So as Salomon saith There is a time of peace a time of warre a time of mirth a time of mourning and therefore to vse time in time as occasion doth serue is a point of the greatest wisdome And Cicero to the same effect vseth these words To runne to the field rashly all vpon the head and to enter conflict skirmish with the enemie is no point of humanitie but the propertie of a sauage beast but when time necessitie requireth then on with armour and fight for lyfe preferring death before seruitude and miserie And in an other place of the same booke he speaketh of two kindes of iniustice the first in him that wil offer it the secōd in him that will take it and being able will not defende it But here peraduenture some will alleadge against mee the saying of Christ where he willeth that he who had receyued a blowe on the one eare should likewise turne the other
found Ynough to eate the Spanyardes vp had they bene bakte in pyes or had bene brued in double beere because the Flemings gyes Do better serue to drinke then eate the Spaniardes had bene dead they would haue drunke them all vp quite without a byt of bread But here ynough to make my proofe and stil of this be sure where Mars is had in no accompt no state may long endure May rebels thinke you scape his scourge may such cōtempt go quite will Mars the mightie god of warre be had in such despight No no he may deferre a time ere he reuengement take but in the end he payes them home the stoutest then doth quake O England would thou didst regard what plagues in time do hap to such as so without respect are luld in pleasures lap And feares no force of future fits that after may ensue till dangers doe beset them round and then to late to rue And would to God by others harmes thou mightst so warned be that thou into thine owne estate wouldest vouchsafe to see And tel me then yf Mars be had in honour like a god yf not how thinkest thou to escape the rigour of his rod May peace procure so great contempt and alter kind so farre that yr should make thee quite forget there is a god of warre Shal martiall feates be stil neclect as though we were so sure that this our time of pleasant peace should euermore endure Would God it might but so to wish I know is but in vaine our foes are ready prest no doubt they seeke but time to gaine What though in secret yet they lie who knowes not why they stay their quarrell is not now to seeke they hope but for a day Loe here the cause that vrged me first to take in hand to wright this blunt discourse good reader here presented to thy sight Which yf thou wilt vouchsafe to read do iudge as thou shalt finde giue sentence then and I wil mend yf ought mislike thy minde FINIS Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum The first parte entreating of warre I Doubt not but a great number wil thinke I haue taken paynes more then ynough to write of warres or of warlike disciplines First because warres haue euer bin accompted a most grieuouse plague and of it self is reputed so euill so straunge and so pernitious that it comprehendeth and surmounteth al other kind of euils for it afflicteth as well the poore and innocents as those that be wicked and euil disposed for by it good lawes are decayed humanitie is defaced equitie is suppressed holy places are prophaned murthers are committed virgins are defloured chaste matrons are defiled kingdoms be subdued cities be ruinated as warlike Numace sumptuouse Corinth stately Thebes delicate Tyre learned Athens holy Ierusalē contentious Carthage mightie Rome and now lastly wealthy Antwerpe These with many other moe by warres haue bene sacked spoyled robbed defaced and sometime layde waste and desolate for warre pestilence and famine are the three dartes which the almightie God is wont to shoote against the earth when he is displeased and is holden so yrcksome amongst vs that in our letanie we daily vse this praier From plague pestilence famine battell and murther good Lord deliuer vs. A second reason why I should be condemned is this Because as the warre of it selfe is an euill and that so lothsomly detested euen so to be professours followers and ministers in the same is esteemed a thing more fitte for ruffians roysters blasphemers and people of the vylest condicion rather then an exercise for honest men in whom there is any feare of God or any loue towardes their neighbour in so much that Cornelius Agrippa sayeth That if you would cal a tyrant a blasphemer a murtherer a robber a spoyler a deflowrer an oppressour with many other such like if you would saieth he include all these into one short name you may call him by the name of a souldiour But now thirdly and especially I knowe a number will scorne me and thinke me to be to simple to write any thing of warres in this so peaceable a time but would rather haue allowed of my discretion if I could haue framed some conceite according to the time some pleasant discourse some strange nouell some amorous historie some farre fette or vnknowen deuice this might haue purchaced me credit the Printer might haue gayned by selling of my booke but to giue men sodayne Allarmes of warre that be quietly minded pleasantly disposed and peaceably pretended I knowe it is but a mockerie and euen nowe I begin to muse with my selfe what madnesse at the first should driue such a conceyte into my brayne but seeing I haue begun to enter into this fondnesse pardon me I pray you the hearing of my excuse which I trust you shall fynde to be reasonable Then first to speake of warre because I knowe there be many whose consciences be so scrupulous that they thinke no warres may be lawfully attempted allowed of by Gods worde or agreeing with true christianitie for the number of outrages which by it are committed I thinke it therefore conuenient to see what proofes may be alleadged in the defence of warre although not in generall yet in the holy Scriptures where they haue bene allowed of and many times commanded by the almightie God him selfe In the 14. Chapter of Genesis it is written When Abram hearde his brother was taken hee harnessed his fresh yong men borne in his owne house three hundred and eighteene and followed on them vntyll Dan and he was set in array vpon them by night hee and his seruants and he smote them and pursued them vnto Hoba which lyeth on the left hand of Damascus and recouered all the goods and brought agayne his brother Lot and his goods c. By this it seemeth that Abram executed as well the part of a King as the duetie of a Captaine in that he tooke vpon him to leauy a bande and to enter into battell with these that before had oppressed his friendes which hee dyd of his owne head and yet this parte did nothing offend God as the sequele doth euidently prooue But in the 31. Chapter of Numeri by the expresse commandement from God Moses is willed to make warre vpon the Madianites the wordes bee these And the Lorde spake vnto Moses saying Auenge the children of Israel of the Madianites and afterward shalt thou be gathered vnto thy people And Moses spake vnto the folke saying Harnesse some of you vnto warre and auenge the Lorde of the Madianites c. And in the 8. chapter of the booke of Iosua And the Lord spake vnto Iosua Feare not neyther be thou faint harted take all the men of warre with thee vp get thee to Hai Beholde I haue giuen into thy hand the King of Hai and his people and his citie and his lande and thou shalt doe to
sense or this is no true Englishe here he hath bene something to tedious and this matter asked longer circumstance this maner of phrase is but bad and by this he shewed his eloquence was but small and here it is not well poynted and so forth with many other faultes I know not what Wherefore I would these superficial heades would take this for myne answere that what I haue written it hath not bene to prooue my selfe artificiall or eloquent but to shewe things more needfull which I haue noted by experience Some others there be which are of such excellent memorie that there is nothing may be written which they do not already knowe and wil say This is but borowed in such a place and this I haue read in this or in that booke Surely I must confesse I haue vsed the helpe of sundrie writers but not of so many as I would haue done if I had bene in place where I might haue come by them for what I haue written was onely done in Ireland where there is no great choyce of bookes to be had ▪ But what then Is this sufficient cause to condemne what I haue written is not the bee accustomed to gather out of euery flower what liketh her best wherewith she maketh hony Or I pray you what is the medicine the worse although the Physition be sometimes driuen to borowe a handful of herbes out of his neighbours garden shal his composition be any thing the vnwholesomer because the simples were not al his owne There is yet an other sorte that because they thinke it a shame to reade ouer any thing not to be able to minister some correctiō because they wil not be thought to be so dul witted wil finde some fault if it be but with the Orthographie and wil say It was pitie this man would take in hande to write before he could spell To these I answer As great folly might be ascribed to those that were their bringers vp that would learne them to goe before they had taught them to speake well But such is the delicacie of our readers at th◠time that there are none may be alowed of to write but such as haue bene trained at schoole with Pallas or at the lest haue bene fostered vp with the Muses and for my parte without vaunt be it spoken I haue bene a trauayler I haue sayled in Grauesende Barge as farre as Billings gate I haue trauayled from Buckelers bery to Basingstocke I haue gone from S. Pankeridge church to Kentish towne by lande where I was combred with many hedges ditches and other slippery bankes but yet I could neuer come to those learned bankes of Helicon neither was I euer able to scale Parnassus hyl although I haue trauailed ouer Gaddes hyll in Kente and that sundrie tymes and often No marueill then good reader although I want such sugered sape wherwith to sauce my sense whereby it might seeme delightfull vnto thee such curious Coxcombes therefore which can not daunce but after Apollos pype I wish them to cease any further to reade what I haue written but thou which canst endure to reade in homely style of matters more behooueful and necessarie then eyther curiouse or fyled goe thou forward on Gods name and I doubt not but by that time thou hast perused to the end thou shalt find some thing to satisfie thy desire whereby thou wilt confesse that al thy labour hath not bene bestowed in vayne And thus I bid thee hartily Farewell To the valiant Captaynes and renowmed Souldiours of Englande Barnabe Riche wisheth for their better encouragement encrease of credit estimation and necessarie maintenance according to their due desertes ALthough right noble Captaynes and worthie Souldiours I may seeme too rashe and bolde to enter into those discourses so farre surpassing my capacitie the which I knowe I haue finished not according as the argument hath required but according as the slendernes of my skyll would permit me yet I protest I haue not taken in hand to write for any vayne glory or presumption in my selfe but rather to incite some one amongst you that is more able sufficient to performe a greater enterprise to a much better perfection and for my parte I haue but vsed the office of the meanest labouring man as it were haue but brought lyme and stone together wherewith the master workeman maye erecte his building in braue and sumptuous sorte Thus crauing pardon for this my bolde attempt I submit altogether what I haue done to your noble iudgementes to correcte and amende what you shall see needfull and requisite And thus I rest yours to dispose Barnabe Riche To my very louing friend Captaine Barnabe Ryche I Haue perused your booke as farre as the shortnes of the tyme would suffer me which was not so farre by a great deale as I gladlyest would if it might haue longer continued with me Your trauaile and good mynde most iustly deserueth in my opinion both thankes and commendations of all your countrey men I wish with all my heart it may so be accepted of those in whose handes the only remedie lyeth that some good order may be deuised for the reliefe and encouragement of such vertuouse myndes as are contented with the expens of their bloud to benefite their countrie Which kinde of men aboue all others ought most to be esteemed as the very sinowes and strength of euery common weale howe mighty or wealthie so euer shee be For according to the opinion of a late learned writer Pertinet autem maxime ad Reipub. fortitudinem vti milites peritos exercitatos habeat Sic enim tranquilla vita fruetur a terroribus tumultibusque vacua erit The onely strength of euery common wealth is To haue skilfull and well trayned souldiers so shall they liue in happines being free from all kinde of terrour and tumult And agayne Dum belli furor insurgit hostisque Reipub. bonis occupandis inhiat eorū in manibus Reipub. Salus Religio Fides Libertas est reposita When the rage of warres doth suddainly burst out and the enemie at hand gaping for the spoyle of the countrey then both Safety Religion Faith and Libertie resteth wholy in the hande of the souldiours who are the onely terrour to the enemie defende their countrey from present danger and bring the common wealth to safetie and quietnes But our countrey hath alwayes had that faute and I am afrayde will neuer be without it of being vnnaturall and vnthankfull to such as with their great hazard paynes and charges haue sought to attayne to the knowledge of armes by which shee is chiefly mainteyned succoured and defended To bring one example amongst thousands ▪ What a number was there of noble Gentlemen and worthy souldiours that in the dayes of that victorious prince King Henry the fifth after the honourable behauing of them selues as well at Agincort as other places to the discomfiture and vtter ouerthrowe of the whole Chiualry of Fraunce
but vtterly refused to learne any martial discipline or warlike exercise hereafter shal be shewed But the occasions that make men so extreemely to hate warre are sundrie but that which doth most of all vexe the greatest nūber is this not so much for any special loue they haue to peace as for feare of taxes paymēts other charges hanging vpon warre for otherwise warre or peace were all one with them so they might liue in quietnes without any charge And yet I dare vndertake not one of these peace-mongers that wil thinke he hath bene so ouercharged if he haue bestowed but x. shillings toward the setting forth of a souldiour that goeth to spende his life in his prince or countries cause but will with more willing mind bestowe x. li amongst the lawiers to do his neighbour a shrewed turne Other some would loue the warres wel ynough so thēselues might be free frō preassing for that thei had rather liue like ydle loytering lubbers then offer their seruice any way to defend or maintaine the liberties of their countrey in cōdition to be cōpared to cur dogges that wil fawne vpon any mā as long as hee feede thē but whē they should be farther vsed for pleasure in the field then adue they go to their kenels so these people they are borne fostered vp enioy the lawes liberties of their countrey when their countrey standeth in need do shew thēselues euery way to aide assistance with as willing mindes as a beare commeth to a stake these be right bastards to their countrey are in deed worthie to enioy no benefit of their countrey Plutarch maketh mentiō of an I le that is in Grece called the I le of Cobde in this yle there is a linage descended of the noble Greeke captaine called Agis the good amongst these Agites this law is especially obserued that none dare call him selfe to be natural of the yle vnlesse he hath done some valiant act or by some meanes shewed him self forward in his coūtreis defence If this law were in Englād obserued we shuld haue to few natural Englishmē There are an other sorte that onely cowardlines feare make them hate the warres these deserue litle to bee spoken of and lesse to be accompted of There is yet a last sort whose cōsciences be so pure as they say thēselues that they can alowe of no wars either to be good or godly cōsidering what murthers spoyles other outrages by thē are cōmitted This in deede seemeth to carie reason with it but notwithstanding it is not sufficient to cōdēne a iust quarel for Saul lost the especial grace fauour of god for preseruing the best of the praye hee had taken from the Amalechites which he should haue vtterly destroyed And Iosua fearing the day would haue bin to short for him to kil his enemies which fled before him cōmanded the sūne to stand stil which was obedient to his cōmandemēt shal we therfore condemne his quarell because hee seemed to cary a murtherous mind Not so for his quarel was most iust his facte best pleased god Neither haue I brought forth these exāples as necessary for all to folow but as probable for my purpose for mercy I acknowledge to be one of the greatest vertues wherew t a noble captaine may be endued but to be vsed out of time as occasiō may fal out hath greater resemblance to foolish pitie thē to be called mercy and is rather to be holden a vice then a vertue as hereafter I meane further to shew But I do not a litle wonder what madnes should moone mens mindes to frame such argumentes that because murthers spoyles and other like hauockes be committed in the warres the warres therefore can not please God and what soeuer pleaseth not God can not be good By the like argument peace is the most greatest and the most detestable enormitie that of al others may happen and amongst Christians most to be abhorred for peace is the nourisher of vices the roote of euils the proppe of pride and to be short it is the mother of al mischiefes For in the tyme of peace we set our mindes onely to waxe riche for the attayning whereof what extortion what deceit what fraud what flatterie what lying what forswearing is vsed to come by them and when they be had they are the onely instruments to vanitie the readie ministers to vices the very occasiō why so great warres be many times arreared betweene Princes a special cause of commotions amongst subiects they breede quarelles amongst friendes suites betweene brethren they make him that shall possesse them proude presumptuous vaine glorious and of a good man to become euil wicked Furthermore in peace men growe to be slouthful ydle proude couetouse dissolute incontinent vicious folowing al maner of vanities giuē al to delights to inordinat lust gluttonie swearing to be short to al maner of filthinesse which was very wel perceyued by S. Augustin who in a booke that he wrote intituled De ciuitate Dei hath these wordes More hurtful was the citie of Carthage to Rome after her destruction then during the whole course and season of the warres which the Romaines had with her for that whylest they had enemies in Affrike they knewe not what vyces ment in Rome And what greater argument may there be of the displeasure of God then where he sendeth amongst them such peace and quietnes for as the scriptures witnesse Whom he loueth them he chastiseth but a small signe of care should seeme where he giueth the people ouer to their owne vanities and suffereth them to wallowe in all vyce and wickednesse Thus you may see by such maner of reasoning vice may be made to seeme vertue and contrarie vertue appeare to be vice But here if any man would coniecture that by this which I haue alleadged I ment in deede to perswade that warres were more conuenient then peace they should doo me great wrong for although I do know I haue sayde nothing but what is true and that in the time of peace al kinde of vices do most wickedly abounde yet I do very wel know that the time of peace is not therefore to be condemned so likewise in the time of warre although there be many disorders and sundrie outrages committed yet the warres therfore are not absolutely to be reprooued For as peace is the great benefite and blessing of God so warres being attempted vpon due consideration doe nothing at all offende him but like as the sunne when it shineth in some pleasant garden the herbes and flowers do yeelde a most delectable verdure so where it shineth vpō some filthie dunghill the stench and lothsomenesse to the passers by is most noysome As the sunne which was prepared of the almightie God to be a comfort to euery humane thing is not the cause of the one nor the other but the qualitie of the places
the maiestie of God. In those warres therefore thus taken in hand and vppon such sufficient cause it should séeme likewise as requisite and necessarie that as great regard shoulde be vsed in the appointing of lawes disciplines orders the which not only among them selues but also to their vtter enimies ought inuiolably to be kepte according to the iustice and equitie of the cause for the which they be entred into armes We do finde in the holy scriptures and that in seuerall places both in the bookes of Moses in the booke of Iosua and others where they haue vsed no litle regard aswell in the choosing of their capteines leaders and conductors as also in their prescribing lawes disciplines of warre which were many times appointed by the almightie God himselfe But let vs peruse the examples of the Romanes which of all other people did most excéed aswell for the greatnes of their glorie as in all their other Martial actions and we shall finde that they had not onely consideration to the equitie of their cause for the which they would enter into warres as by these wordes of Tullie in his first book of Offices may better appeare And the iustice of warre is most sincerely described in the Phesiall lawe of the people of Rome wherby it may be perceiued that no warre is iust but which either for thinges in claime is moued or else proclaimed before and bidden by defiance c. But also they had as great regard to maintaine their quarelles with like equitie and iustice not suffering their capteines to enter into actions of treason or trecherie where their warres were altogether arreared vpon causes of honestie as by many examples they did plainly shewe When king Pyrrhus vnprouoked had moued wars against the Romans one Timochares whose sonne was yeoman for the mouth to the king promised to Fabricius then being Consul to slea king Pyrrhus which thing being reported to the Senat they presently warned king Pyrrhus to beware of suche manner of treasons saying the Romanes mainteined their wars with armes and not by treason or trecherie Likewise when Lucius Pius in a banquet that hee made had filled the people of Sarmatia full of wine and made them so dronke that they yelded themselues subiecte to Rome for which exploit Lucius Pius at his returne required triumph but when the Senators vnderstanding the manner of his facte caused him openly to be beheaded and a slaunderous epitaph set vpon his graue Neither would they suffer that souldier which amongst other being taken by Hanibal and licenced vppon his oth to departe conditionally that he shoulde either make returne or else sende his raunsome the souldier with others of his companions being departed the campe of Hanibal feigned an arrand backe againe for something that he had forgotten and thus comming to Rome did thinke him self discharged of his oth but the Senate alowing of no such deceipt to be vsed made a decrée that the same souldier should be caried pinioned to Hanibal And ten other that in like manner were dismissed by Hanibal vppon their othe were sessed at a yerely fine as long as any of them did liue for being for sworne So nobly were the Romanes disposed and so honourably minded that no act was alowed of amongst them séemed it neuer so profitable wherein was founde either fraud or deceipt And this magnificence gate thē condigne cōmendations of their verie enimies betwéene whom there had béen mortall hostilitie and many times was of greater effect to subdue thē then huge or mightie armies And as they did excel in the excellencie of these vertues iustice and equitie to such as were able to stande in armes against them so likewise they did surmount in humanitie courtesie in ministring of comfort to such as they had alreadie vanquished and subdued as by no example may be better expressed then by a letter written by Marcus Aurelius Emperour of Rome to Popilio captein of the Parthies a notable discourse for capteines to peruse and foloweth in this maner I can not denie the glorie I haue gained by this battel neither may I hide the perplexitie I feele for thy present misfortune for noble mindes are bound to shew no lesse compassion to such as are subdued then to expresse ioy gladnesse with those that are victors Thou being the chiefe of the Parthies didest shewe great courage to resist in me the leader of the Romanes was found no want of force to fight notwithstanding though thou lost the battell and I remaine possessed of the victorie yet as I know that thou wilt not acknowlege this chāce to happen for any want of stomache in thee so it belongs to my grauitie not to attribute it altogether to the greatnes of my vertue sithens God doth always minister victories not to such as doe their duties best but to those that he loueth most for the effect of al things depending vpon God man can haue no power to cōmaund the destinie of a battell seing he is not able to stay the course of the least planet in heauen Darius against Alexander Pompeius against Caesar Hanibal against Scipio had aboue all equalitie far greater armies then their enimies by whiche thou hast reason to conclude with mee that against the anger of the souereigne God can not preuaile most huge and mightie hoastes I meruell Popilio that being great in birth valiant of stomach welthy in goods and mightie in estate dignitie why thou bearest with such sorow the losse of this batel seing that in no worldly things fortune is more vncerteine and variable then in the action of warre It is tolde me thou drawest to solitarie corners seekest out shaded places thou eschewest the conuersation of men and complainest of the gods which extreme perplexities since thou wert not wont to suffer in others much lesse oughtest thou to giue place in thy selfe for that the valiant man loseth no reputation for that fortune fayleth him but is the lesse esteemed of if he want discretion to beare her mutabilitie To assemble great armies is the office of Princes to leuie huge treasures belongs to souereigne Magistrates to strike the enimie is the parte of a couragious capteine but to suffer infirmities and to dissemble mishaps is a propertie duely annexed to noble and resolute mindes so that one of the greatest vertues that worldly men can expresse in the common behauiour of this life is neither to rise proude by prosperitie nor to fall into despaire by aduersitie For Fortune hauing a free will to come and goe when shee list the wise man ought not to bee sorie to lose her nor reioyce to hold her Such as in their miserie shewe heauie countenaunce doe well proue that they made accompt to be alwayes in prosperitie which is a great folly to thinke and no lesse simplicitie to hope for Seing the giftes and graces of Fortune haue no better thing more certeine in them then to be for the moste part
thatt maeks a manneg ryghtt wear fytter than a lady fyen for myghtty marssys Knightt The warrs for marshall mynds and peace for Venus men The sword and soldior best agrees the lawyer for the pen The warrs calls corraeg vpp and peace breeds cowards styll maeks peple prowd dystroyes greatt hartts and pampers wantton wyll peace prowlls a bowtt for pence and warrs the mock wyll spend that gredy gayn hords vp in hoells god knoes to lyttell end the wealth that peace doth bring maeks many a myscheeff ryeff and peace rons hedlong in to vyce and warrs refforms leawd lyeff for fear off sword or shoâ—t mans mynd loeks throwe the starrs the hartt fawlls flatt beffoer hys face that maeks boeth peace and warrs the noghtty natuerd wyghtt by warrs is broghtt in fraem the baddest putts on better mynd the wyeldest waxeth taem peace fills the land wyth pomp thatt gyvs a pryuey wownd feeds folly fatt maeks vertue lean and floeds off vyce a bownd Daem lust her pleasuer taeks in peace and banketts sweett and warrs doth quenche owr hott desyers and dawntts the dallyng spreete in warrs we honor wyn on peace reproetch doth groe and warrs contentts owr noblest frynds and peace doth pleas owr foe peace putts vp sondry wrongs and warrs doth ryght mentayn and suer a battayll is well lost thatt doth a kyngdom gayn To feyght in forrayn soyll apawlls the enmyes pryed and better fare abroed to martch than heer the brontt to byed nott many hold with peace thoghe warrs is cald a shreawe nor many aer by peace maed rytch for wealth butt fawlls to feawe and thoes thatt thryvs by peace aer fyâ—n and full off sleyghtt who taketh owtt off measuer styll and gyvs agayn by weyghtt yff any wyn by warrs as dyuers do in deed they loes the saem agayn by peace thus peace myslyek doth breed for peace restoers the goods thatt warre haeth concquerd well yelds vpp the fortts gyvs back perfforce the towns whearin we dwell and warr trayns soldyors vpp whych keeps the world in awe putts rebells down mentayns good men thatt styll vpholds the lawe When Roem soghtt warrs from hoem in peace the staett remaynd when common wealth wyth peace was cloyd prowd peple peace dysdaynd This peace I do compaer to calmye wether fayre thatt smoethly loeks tyll doskye clowds haue clean oercast the ayre butt when the stordy storms rons rattling throwe the skyes The rack goes swyfftt the clowds wax dark and ragyng wynds aryes and tears vpp trees by roetts sutch store a tempest maeks thatt att the clapp lowe caues of earth and highest heauen shaeks warre is nott liek to thys whear baddest warre youe fynd butt peace moer liek a swellinge soer thatt festers sowndest mynd and so bursts owtt in byells in botch or vlcerrs greatt whych vtters by thear smokyng fuem a cuerles inward heatt lett peace gyue place to warre off force hytt must be soe off force the gallantts off this land must needs a warrffaer goe Thoghe stowttnes striue youe se the quarrell is the staetts thatt steps in to thoes bloddy broylls by feyghtt to end debaetts admitt thatt myllions dye and perishe on the playn in pryncys cawse and conttreys ryghtt thear must be thowsandes slayn To hold the enmyes short and maek our manhoed known whoe 's value in our elders dayes a boutt the world was blowen and we wear vyctors cald and feard of forrayn foe whear now transformd to wemens wylls liek carpett knightes we goe O Eangland loek thoue back whatt noble elders did shall strangers braggs boests gyue fear to boldnes god forbyd Thyen honour so wear staynd Than pluck vpp corraeg nowe and waesh away thatt spyetffull spott that blotts thy noble browe To gyue thy soldyors lyeff this boek is nuely maed by oen who câ—n for conttreys cause wel vse boeth pen and blaed Accept hys wylling work gyue other corraeg to by fauryng thatt is worthy prayes the lyek off this to doe Thys setts forth many greeffs and sercheth sondry soers not fraemd â—o fawn and flatter world a soldyor that a boers Loek for the lyek in haest from me yf layser wyll and thatt youe pleas to taek in worth the payns of barrayn quyll S. Stronge in the behalf of the Authour IF painfull pilgryme for his toyle deserues a guerdon due In seeking of the sacred sorte which vertue doth pursue Or if the wakeful watche in warre do merit like reward Or cunning pylot that with skill doth take his due regard To cut in twayne the billowes huge that swell in Occean sea And keepes the keele aright his course tyll wished port he wray Then Ritche that rings this larum bell to warne his countreyes thrall And sortes much like the busie bee the hunny from the gall Deserues no lesse in lieu thereof such fruite I reape thereby As for my parte a double prayse I may him not deny The toyle to him no profit yeelds he bites on bitter paine He hales home haruest for the chaffe the reader reapes the graine He giues the sworde and shield in hande to shroud thee from annoy He wisely warnes thee of the worse lest foes might thee destroy He treades thee out a perfect path oh England loude I crye Refuse therefore thy follies past he sees thee goe awrye And leaue of al thy lustfull lyfe and eke thy great excesse Thy dainty fare thy fine array and eke thy wantonnesse Leaue of likewise thy vsance great and leaue thy lawing vaine Lest for the present guyle thereof there happe some future paine Yet God forbid but iustice should in eche thing beare the sway And lawe is good where lawe is vsde I cannot this denay But so your Common lawes are courst at will of euery pelth That common is the woe God knowes but priuate is the wealth Do sorte thy selfe from Comedies and foolish playes of loue Lest tragicall and worse perhaps in fine thee chaunce to proue Take sword in hand and leaue of ease for nowe the tyme is comme The bell is rong the trumpettes sound all arme doth strike the dromme And thanke good Ritch that rings the same to wake thee out of sleepe That thou thy selfe that liuest at peace in safetie still mightst keepe A iewel ritche and gemme of price the same no doubt doth seeme A ritcher gifte for thy behoofe he could not geue I deeme Thomas Lupton in commendation of this worke WHat beter thing then perilles to preuent What danger more then careles still to sleepe Then i st not good in peace for to frequent The thing that vs from force of foes may keepe What harme in heate to make for colde a hoode The Ante prouides in sommer wynters foode Therefore who lothes his losse and countreyes spoyle Let him peruse this booke with griedie mynde Which vtters howe his foe may haue the foyle And eke what hurt through want of skill we finde And thanke thou Riche that giues this larum bell A richer gifte he coulde not
giue thee well The Authour to the reader why he tooke in hand to write this booke IN dolful dumpes of deepe despayre and vnacquainted fyt with troubled head but here of late I chaunced for to syt reuoluing what reuenge the goddes doe yeld to those of right that haue their godheds in disdaine or yet contemnes their might What iustice Ioue did rightly vse and Iuno also showe on Priams race for Paris fact the Troyans all did knowe Acteon felt Dianas force shee yelded him for hyre and what it is for mortall men to moue the gods to yre Narcissus may a mirrour be of Venus scourge to such as haue her darlings in disdaine or at her lawes will grutch The Spider shewes how vaine it is to such as will contemne and Piers daughters for like fact the Muses did condemne And Bacchus byrdes had dewe reward for that they would despise and what reuengement hath bene vsde by Ceres may suffise Though I omit a numbre mo that here I could recite who for contemning of the gods haue felt their force and might But here my muse is in a maze my senses all do shake my fainting wits do faile for feare my quiuering quil doth quake To blaze the bloody broyles of Mars the mightie god of warre wherewith he plagues such rebels stout as at his lawes will snarre How he doth scourge the carelesse crewe that liues deuoide of awe in secure sort without regard of Mars or martiall lawe No stories strange I need recite a hundred yeres forepast but such as chaunst in these our dayes and at this houre doth last Let Holland make discourse at large if I haue said amisse whose state sometime in all respectes surmounted most in blisse Whose townes were seated in such sort by nature framed so strong as no assault of forraine foe might do them sodaine wrong No want of welth might work their wo no coine with thē was scāt of shippes great store in euery port no pleasure they did want They livd at case in vyle excesse they sought for Lecker cost their paunches stuft with double beere was that they carde for most They honourd Bacchus as their god and Venus had her dewe but as for Mars they knew not him they were not of his crewe they scornd to learne the lawes of armes their countrey to defend they livd in peace which as they thought should neuer haue an end But mighty Mars who long had winkte borne with their contēpt perceiuing that from him and his them selues would stil exempt To teach such rebels to resist his godhed did deuise a straūge reuenge yf wisely waid for whom they did despise And whom they held in most contempt euen they did rule the rost and such had them at their command as they despised most Loe here of Mars the iudgement iust prepared but of right that those which had both him and his but late in such despight Those that disdaind all martiall wightes scornd to learne their law by martiall might were soone supprest and brought to liue in awe Of men of warre by vowe profest a troupe of Mars his traine though numbre small more haughtie heartes came neuer out of spaine And these were planted in their townes throughout in euery place and souldiers now prescrybd them lawes a wofull altered case They swaid the sword where they became for who durst them resist they tooke their liues as they thought good pardond whom they list Their liues goodes were at command their coyne at spaniards call their virgins faire their married wiues the spaniardes held as thrall their scutes must scoure with fristers fraught whō spaniards must cōuoy their waggans trould with lusty frowes that neuer made it coy Their husbands they must be content they durst not seeke redresse the spaniardes held them in good awe their deedes did shew no lesse A hundreth Spanyardes in a towne would gouerne thousands fiue the Hollanders were men of peace they lovd not they to striue Good men they tooke all in good part but if they hapt to quarrell their strife at first was stird about that Shellam in the barrell But though of Holland all this while my tale hath bene pretended yet other places in like case with Holland haue offended And haue with Holland felt the scourge of Mars his force and might wherewith he dauntes the rebel route that hath him in despight Hath Seland thinke you scaped free let Flanders make report let Brabant bragge what gaines they get that liues in secure sort But Antwerpe thou thy woful wracke thy spoyle hath proued plain where martiall mindes do want no state in safety may remaine For thou that sometime didst excel whose wealth did so abound whose daily traffyque did surmount whose like might not be found Whose streets with marchāts so did swarm who by their painful toil did bring their goodes by sea and land from euery forraine soyle Of Europe thou the storehouse rich wert sometime cald by name in wealth I say a perelesse piece so passing was thy fame Thy houses built in brauest sort with walles enuirond round a platforme of a greater force might not in haste be found Artillery both great and small abundant was thy store for armour weapon powlder shot what should I speake of more For all prouisions for the warre great store thou didst possesse thou nought didst want but martial mindes the sequel shewd no lesse For thou ne durst at all contend what Spaniardes would gainesay thou paydst for building of a slot that wrought thy owne decay In bondage thus at Spaniardes call thy selfe thou didst bequest by meanes whereof thy store became a scourge to all the rest What did insue is to well knowen I need not here expresse I rewe thy wracke but yet I say thou didst deserue no lesse For hadst thou traind but halfe the troupe to bin of Mars his traine that practisd dayly to be drunke in Bacchus beastly vaine Or hadst thou spent but halfe the pelfe to maintaine martiall wightes that was consumde in vile excesse by Bacchus drunken knightes What keyser could haue wroght thy woe what prince haue done thee wrōg what forraine foe haue thee anoid thy force had bene so strong But Mars might be of no accompt thou knewest no such a god his lawes were neuer cald to mind before thou felt his rod. Who will not here confesse a trueth that all thy spoyle and wracke was but for want of martiall mindes thou hadst no other lacke For better proofe this may suffice to such as will confesse a trothe apparant to be true what should I more expresse Then this the spoyle the Spaniardes gaue to Antwerpe in such sort that all the world doth wonder yet to heare the true report Fiue thousand Spaniardes at the most by force in bloody broyle should so subdue a famous towne and beare away the spoyle Where such prouision of defence in store did so abound where hundred thousands able men were dayly to be