b Quintilian in milit Mar. Germanes and Danes in multitude nor the Carthaginians nor kings of Macedonia and Asia in wealth but in strict obseruance of the discipline of armes Nor could the Spaniards haue done such things as they haue of late but that they excell others in the obseruance of militarie discipline Neither were it possible that the Turkes should haue preuailed so much against Christians but that they reward vertue highly and punish disorders seuerely and keepe a strict order in the gouernment of their campe armie If then we either desire or will hope for good successe in martiall affaires nay if wee meane to mainteine our state and our reputation of force we must obserue militarie and martiall orders Which if once by your Lordships meanes I might see restored which I doe hope then would I not feare either the malice or power or riches of the Spaniard or other forreine enemie of this state This therefore is the thing which especially I commend to your care which indeede is the cause of the whole countrey and ought to be the care of all that loue the honour peace and prosperitie of the same For confirmation of your Lordships iudgement that well knoweth more then I can say and for direction to such as be ignorant I haue as neere as I could described the right course true discipline of armes confirmed by ancient later precedents of most expert warriors and because it so pleased your Lordship published the same I haue likewise set downe not only the proceedings but also the causes and necessary prouisions of warres without which all order is vaine and all proceeding without effect The same I haue consecrated to my countries honour vnder the fauour of your honourable name Vouchsafe therefore my good Lord to accept this my simple goodwil not worthy the name of a gift Yet is it all which I haue wonne not onely by long obseruation but also by dangerous experience both in France Italy Flanders and Portugall It grieued me not a litle being in her Maiesties seruice to see such confusion among vs but much more that our wants were such that wee could not execute lawes The causes I haue declared before The redresse I haue set downe in the discourse following after The which for that your L. seemed to like the same and for that I doe thinke it may be profitable to my countriemen and fellowes in armes that stil continue that profession I thought it good vnder the shadow of your honorable fauour to communicate to others Partly delayes and presumption and partly disorder and misgouernment and partly want of necessary prouisions doth more hurt oftentimes then the enemies open force Of all disorders the onely remedie and medicine is as I haue saide true discipline of armes which I haue here to my vttermost skill and endeuour declared and with diuers examples of most renowmed Captaines confirmed against whose doings many may percase repugne but none can take iust exceptions I would once I might see the same put in execution vnder your Lordships gouernance for what auayleth knowledge of law without execution practise if not yet shall I wish all honour and good to those that shal endeuour to put orders in execution If any good come of my labours the same is wholly to be ascribed to your Lordship whose singular fauour towards me both at home and abroade gaue me first occasion leisure and meanes to write these discourses if none yet I trust indifferent men will accept my good meaning My purpose was if my experience hauing nowe almost ceassed from all such wearisome trauailes could doe others good to affoord them all the helpe I could and also to giue my countrey aduertisements concerning such matters as are very important requisite to be generally knowen that order may be taken in time The successe I commit to God the care to your Lordship and others whom it concerneth beseeching the Almightie that is Lord of armies and gouern our of all our actions so to direct the affaires of state vnder the gouernance of our gracious Soueraigne to giue that fauour to your endeuours that the glory of the English nation by your noble deedes may be increased the blemishes of our proceedings in warres washed away and all good orders restored Your Lordships most bounden and willing Matth. Sutcliffe ⧠To the Reader MAny doe wonder some complaine and those that haue least interest if so bee they haue any loue to their Countrey they cannot chuse but lament that in those warlike actions which of late yeeres haue bene attempted publikely the successe hath beene so slender the losse of men so great the charge so burdensome and the proceedings and effects so contrary to antiquitie and as naturall affection leadeth them I doubt not but many are inquisitiue and desirous to know the causes And to say trueth good it were that the true causes of disorders were publikely knowne that not onely those that are wrongfully charged may be cleared but that those that laugh in others griefes and rise out of the common ruines might be knowen and rewarded at least that the causes of former disorders may bee remoued and that such prouision and order as hath beene hitherto wanting may in time to come and in time also be better supplied For this cause I haue framed this discourse Wherein when thou shalt see what is required in the orderly proceeding and managing of warres thou maiest easily see what we wanted and I feare me shal want vnlesse it please God to touch mens hearts with a more zelous care of their countries honour hereafter I doe not meane any one speciall man more then others God is my witnesse What soeuer he is that by delayes irresolution niggardise rapine cowardise trechery and other villeny abuseth his prince and country let him not thinke that I aime particularly at his person but at delayes irresolution niggardise rapine briberie cowardise trechery want of skill and such other abuses I haue no meaning to touch any thing that may sound to any mans hurt or disgrace And therefore although I haue store of domesticall examples yet haue I chosen rather to exemplifie abuses by forreine histories My purpose is to doe good to all without hurt to any particulars vnlesse percase those that liue vpon pillage doe account the common good to be their priuate hurt when the meanes of their gaine shall be taken from them If then thou desirest to see the causes of former losses or els wishest to know how breaches of former time may be repayred behold but this treatise wherein as thou shalt see the good successe of all those that proceeded orderly and like men of warre so thou mayest also see that those that haue neglected discipline of armes and warlike proceeding haue had euents and successe according to their deseruing Now to the intent thou maiest the better both addresse thy affaires if thou hast any charge in warres and vnderstand the
cowards and disorderly persons 21 In the last Chapter for that our souldiers are for the most part raw and ignorant and would haue things expressed and taught them plainely I haue gathered together certaine militarie orders some concerning religion manners others concerning especially tending to the common safetie of the state armie or garrison or els concerning the speciall dueties of captains or common souldiers others respecting the campe or towne of garrison others specially belonging to sea causes and aduentures at sea others to the Officers of the army or fleete others concerning booties spoyles and prisoners and some concerning the execution of lawes and administration of iustice out of which I would haue so many as are fitting for the seruice in hand to be chosen out and put in writing and proclaymed openly and deliuered vnto euery captaine or colonell that euery man may vnderstand some part of his duetie and what punishment is due for his offences These things I haue for thy sake not without great labour brought together and layde foorth in this forme which I haue declared Reade them therefore with indifferencie and weigh them with iudgement and say not this can not be so for I neuer sawe it the authoritie is drawen from those which haue seene more then thy selfe and standeth vpon better reason then without experience thou canst imagine if thou allowest and likest my reasons followe them and vse them if not yet proceede not against reason my only desire was to profit my countrey and to content and profit thee other boone or reward I craue none but that I doe not receiue at thy hands disgrace for my diligence nor reproofe or scorne for my good will which because common humanitie forbiddeth me to feare I will bid thee a dieu and begin to addresse me to my purpose ¶ The right practice proceedings and lawes of Armes CHAP. I. What causes make warres iust or vniust and what are the effectes of lawfull warres and what solemnities or circumstances are to be considered in defiance of our enemies and first attempts of warres IT is needelesse as I suppose to dispute whether it be lawfull either for Christian Princes to make warres or for christians to serue in warres Those that thinke it vnlawfull as men deuoyd of iudgement in religion and state are declared long since to be both heretical and phrenetical persons The lawfulnes there of is apparent for that most godly and religious princes as Iosuah Dauid Iehosaphat Iudas Macabeus were great warriers their warres so allowed that the spirit of God calleth them the warres or battels of the Lord neither was the same altered by Christes comming as the Anabaptists dreame The holy a Rom. 13. Apostle sheweth that the Magistrate carrieth not the sword in vaine But he should carry it in vaine if hee might not as lawfully repell publike force as he may punish therewith priuate wrongs Iohn Baptist when the souldiers came vnto him he exhorted them not to giue ouer their manner of liuing but to content themselues with their wages to do wrong to no mau b Act. 9. Cornelius the Centurion notwithstanding his souldiers profession hath a notable testimony of the holie Ghost to be a man that feared God and if he had not beene such hee had not receiued the holie Ghost The true seruants of God sayth S. c Ad Bonifac. Augustine make warres that the wicked may be restrained and goodmen be relieued Beside this what state in this notable corruption malice of mens nature could endure any time if warres against violent persons were vnlawfull without warres who can warrant vs against spoyle and iniury it is the law of nature and nations that putteth weapons in our hands for our defence without warres ciuill lawes against rebellious subiects cannot be executed and so should remaine without edge S. a Ambr. de offic Ambrose saith that it is the office and parte of iustice by warre to defend our country from the enemy our confederates and such as by reason of their weakenes neede our aide from spoylers and oppressors Wherefore taking this as granted that some warres are lawfull let vs proceede to examine what those things are that giue vs iust cause of warres which is a matter much to be regarded vnlesse we will be accompted among those tyrants that rage and vexe men without cause If the cause of him that warreth be good the issue cannot be euill saith b Bern. de nou mil. Bernard the c Frangit attollit vires in milite causa Ouid. cause as it is good or euill so either abateth and breaketh or whetteth the souldiors courage d causa iubet superos melior sperare secundos Lucan and good and iust causes make men hope ro receiue fauour of God in the issue and triall e Euentus belli velut aequus iudex vnde ius stabat ei victoriam dabat Liui. 21. the euent oftentimes is according to the iustice and qualitie of the cause and f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip Electr. seldome do they returne in safety that go forth to draw their swordes in euill quarrels Dionysius of g Lib. 2. antiq Halicarnassus sayth that the Romanes therefore preuayled for the most part for that they enterprised no warres without iust causes contrariwise the h Ius in armis ferebant Liu. 5. Gaules which accompted that iustly gotten which they could winne with their sworde though otherwise very valiant receiued many great foiles for this cause as sayth Philip of i Phil. Com. li. 4. Commines Princes when they list to quarrel with their neighbors pretend honest causes although oft times vntrue The French that with some colour they might receiue such as in Gascoigne or Guienne rebelled against the kings of this realme suborned certaine Gascoignes and Poicteuins to complaine of vniust taxations made by the English in the dayes of Edward the third and Richard the second And Lewis the eleueuth of France instigated certaine rebelles to complaine of k Philip of Commines Charles duke of Burgundie that vnder colour of doing iustice he might with more reason inuade his territories These pretenses shewes make great disputes betwixt princes and states while euery man will seeme to make his cause good and to do nothing without iust causes Let vs therefore now consider what causes are sufficient to iustifie the taking of armes what are counterfeit and insufficient First it is lawfull to vse â—orce and take armes in defence of our country true religion our goodes or liberty a Hoc ratiodoctis mos gentibus feris natura ipsa praescripsit vt omnem semper vim a corpore a capite a vita iua propulsarent Cic. pro Mil. Reason teacheth the learned and custome instructeth all nations thus much which euen the instinct of nature printeth in wilde and sauage beastes that it is lawfull to repell force offered to our life to our person and the
pensum binae tunicae in militem exactae Liu. 9. Hetruscians subdued by Decius did not only pay the souldiers stipend for one yeere but were constrained to furnish euery souldier with two sutes of apparel The same Liuy testisteth to haue beene performed of the Samnites and Aequians The Volscians had truce giuen them with these conditions that they should pay the d Liu. 9. Roman army for a yere restore that which they had taken away Cornificius in Illyrio now a part of Sclauony although the country was not able to maintaine an army yet kept the same in order by his prudence saith Hirtius Beside all this the Romans after the warres ended brought infinit sums into the treasury e Liu. 30. Scipio after the victorie obteined against Annibal brought into it 123. thousand pouud weight of siluer Quintius brought 18270. pounde in siluer bullion 84000. pounde in coyned siluer 3714. pounds of gold beside a shield all of golde Aemilius Paulus after his victorie against Perseus brought in much more I forbeare to rehearse lesser summes brought into the treasurie by a Liu. 34. 35. Furius Heluius Minutius Cato and others And the rather for that it was an vsuall matter after the warres in any countrey ended to bring great suÌ„mes of money into the publike treasurie If then beside the maintenance of the armie such store of money could be leuied of the spoyles it is no such infinite matter as is supposed to maintine an armie in case the same be orderly gouerned and well employed The reason that our small companies in France and Flanders haue cost so much is for that the same not being able to encounter the enemie in open fielde are shut vp in some towne and liue all vpon charge without doing good to themselues or hurt to the enemie If there be b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. paed Cyr. 1. a mightie army in the fielde what towne or countrey is not willing to redeeme the fauour of it or what is stirring that such power will want if the army be a sufficient body of it selfe and well furnished there is no doubt but if wise men haue the managing thereof warres as c Redemptoribus vetitis frumentum parare bellum inquit Cato scipsum alet Liu. 34. Cato sayd will mainteine themselues and if not all yet sure defray the greatest part of the charge The Romanes in their extremities to furnish their souldiers in warres diminished and cut off a great part of their priuate charge By the law d Ne qua mulieâ— plus semunica auri haberet neu vestimento versi colori vteretur Liu. 34. Oppia made in the second war with Carthage for this purpose women were prohibited to weare diuers coloured garments or to possesse more then halfe an ounce of gold The e Liu 39. Censors caused the ornaments of women their coches apparell iewels to be valued in their taxe books afterward wheÌ„ disorders grew greater the pretor f Ne vasa aurea ministrandis cibis ne vestis serica vâ—ros foe daret Tacir annal 2. Fronto published a decree that no maÌ„ should vse golden vessel about his meate nor that men should be defiled I vse his word with silken apparell But now if gentlemen be not all beraied with silks they thinke themselues defiled disgraced If any such law were now enacted who seeth not what abundance of mony might be spared if the accoÌ„pts be iustly taken it wil be found that the veluets and silkes and forraine stuffe that commeth yerely into England would richly maintaine an army and to spare so that boldly I may say there waÌ„teth rather order then treasure for the maintenaÌ„ce of our souldiers thogh the number were quadruple to that which now is To restraine the greedines of officers both Romanes and other nations haue put diuers lawes in execution Such a ff Ad l. Iul. repetund lex Iu. lia fraudulent dealing the Romanes punished with banishment which in ancient time was the greatest penaltie that they inflicted vpon their citizens certain heinous cases except b ff Ad l. Iul. peculaâ— leg peculatus Afterward such faultes were punished extraordinarily and not onely the principals were punished but also their seruants and ministers c Xenoph. exp Cyr. lib. 5. Philesius and Xanticles in the voyage of the Greekes with Cyrus were seuerely dealt withall for dealing fraudulently and stealing the common mony Gylippus for the same cause was d Plutarch banished Sparta notwithstanding his great seruice done to the common-wealth in the warres against the Athenians in Sicile Onely of late times and in some places the most compendious assured way to grow rich is for men boldely to steale falsly to accoÌ„pt for such mony as passeth through their fingers Therfore had they e Aerarium opulâ—â—tum â—enues res priuatas Plutar. in vit Demosth a rich treasury in the greatest pouerty of priuate men whereas in our times while certaine grow great and wealthy the publike estate seemeth to grow euery day more then other poore and beggarly When the tribute due to the Romanes could not be found in the publike treasury of Carthage f Peculatum quorundam accusans Annibal pecuniam ad stipendium Romanis inuenit Liu 33. Annibal by calling the fraudulent dealing of the officers in question found more then sufficient to satisfie them And if some od fellowes were in our time seased by the gorge might they not thinke you be made to regorge that which they haue fraudulently and closely swallowed It cannot be denied but that these are compendious waies to find mony for paimeÌ„t of souldiers but I feare me we shal ueâ—er find out or at least neuer vse these waies and no maruell seeing men doe so much delite to walk in bywaies If Cato in his time g Auaritia luxuria ciuitatem laborare conquestus est Liu. 34. coÌ„plained that the commonwealth suffered much by the couetousnes of some riotousnes of others much may princes of our time more iustly coÌ„plaine when by couetise extortion meÌ„ only purchase and by vanity braue it out in riot h Impetrare ab animo non potuit Perseus vt impensam in rem maximi monumenti saceret Liu. 42. Perseus as Liuy reporteth for niggardise could not find in his hart to bestow any mony vpon his souldiers though nothing imported him more I pray God some in the end coÌ„plaine not that all their riches and wealth is reserued for them that seeke their ruine and ouerthrow Mony therfore howsoeuer it be must be prouided in time for without it as fire without matter wars wax cold caÌ„not long be mainteined the same is to be deliuered to the General before haÌ„d to be placed where it may best serue for the armies vse The Cartha giniaÌ„s had treasure ready at newe a hic pecunia hostium sine qua illi gerere beilum non possunt quippe qui mercenarios
theÌ„ their insufficiencie Lewis Sforsa passing ouer diuers men of accompt reposed all his trust in c Guicciar lib. 4. Galeaz Sanseuerin a man of small desert Leo the 10. for kinred sake woulde needes employe Lorence Medici in his warres with the Duke of Vrbin both which spedde alike Which examples with diuers other of our time which I will not mention least any man might thinke himselfe interessed thereby may moue vs to haue more care what Generals we doe employe in such seruices In other matters albeit fauour may take place yet sure least ought it to swaye in choyse of the General Nothing is more dangerous then the euill successe of warres What reason therefore haue Princes to chuse d Summo periculo summus quaerendus imperator vt summo periculo summus gubernator Liu. lib. 24. weake men Gouernours of greatest matters in warres seeing as in Sea causes men in greatest dangers are woont to make choyse of most skilfull Masters and Pilots Or what impudencie is it for a man to take charge of a Shippe that cannot see but by others eyes nor iudge but by others direction And why not likewise may they be e Impudentem gubernatorem imperatorem esse qui cum alienis oculis ei omnia agenda sint postulet sibi aliorum capita ac fortunas committi Liu. 26. accompted shamelesse that take vpon them the charge of mens liues and goodes which haue no iudgement but by others report and direction Of the weakenesse of Generals proceede contentions betwixt the chiefe commaunders delayes needelesse expenses disorders disgraces and the ouerthrowe of Armies and States And more shall an armie of Harts doe guided by a f Plutarch Lyon then an armie of Lyons ledde by a fearefull Hart. Caesars g Caes comment bel gal 5. inuincible olde souldiers were ouercome by the cowardise of Sabinus their leader yet such was the skill of Caesar that he could vse young souldiers and obteine great victories by small forces Marcellus with the reliques of the Romane armie ouerthrowne at Canne gaue vnto Annibal a great repulse The Romanes vnder the leading of C. Martius Coriolanus h Volsci duce Martio Coriolano vincentes ostenderunt ducibus potiùs quà m exercitu rem Rom. supetiorem â—â—sse Liu. ouercame the Volscians when the same man exiled vpon displeasure against his Countrey tooke on him to leade the Volscians they diuers times preuailed against the Romanes Which sheweth what moment a skilfull captaine bringeth towarde the obteyning of victorie And in the warres which the Romanes had against the Latines the forces being equall yet the Romanes preuailed by the good direction of their Generall Fabius whose gouernment was such that all men confessed as a Liu. 9. Liuy reporteth that what side soeuer should haue had him for their leader the same must needes haue preuailed In the battell of the Romanes against b Pyrrhus non Epirotae tomanos vicit Fabritius Plutar. apophth Pyrrhus king of Epeirus nowe Albany Fabritius acknowledged that they were ouercome onely by the skill of Pyrrhus more then by the force of his armie And contrariwise little accompt is to be made of an armie that wanteth direction Caesar feared not as himselfe c De bel ciu lib. 1. reporteth the olde companies of Spaine although otherwise much to be esteemed because he knewe their Generals Petreius Afranius to be men of no merite nor skill I haue my self heard some Spaniards greatly complain of the defectes of the Duke of Medina Sidonia the Generall of their Nauy when they came vpon our coast And although God was the authour yet I doubt not but that was some good meanes of their euill successe Wherefore if Princes looke for good successe in their warres let them without affection and partialitie make choise of a sufficient Generall religious skilfull couragious and adorned with such vertues both for warre and peace as the importance of the matters which he manageth requireth In a Generall first I require religion for if the Gentiles did suppose that those affaires succeeded best vnto them which they d Ab Ioue principium Arat. Phaenom began in Gods name shame it were for Christians to haue a worse conceit of that matter And if all other matters sure the hazardes of warre require religion in the chiefe directors God he is Lord of Hostes and giuer of victories and sure it is not probable he will giue it to those that aske it not at his handes God prescribed certaine exercises of religioÌ„ to his people in their wars before them he would haue the Priestes to sound certaine siluer Trumpets Constantine had all exercises of religion in his campe and so proued most victorious The Spaniards in their warres assigne to euery Tertio or Regiment certaine Priestes What should I speake of those that make profession of religion seeing the e Xenoph. exped Cyr. 1. Greekes did seldome attempt any dangerous seruice but their captaines first consulted with their gods f Cic. de Natur. deor Cicero doeth attribute the good successe which the Romanes had in their warres to the religious care they had of the obseruance of holy ceremonies and religion Whatsoeuer mishap came vnto their State or Armie they ascribed the same likewise to the neglect or contempt of religion They esteemed that to be the cause of their ouerthrowe at a Liu. 5. Allia by the Gaules at b Liu. 2.2 Thrasimene by Annibal and in diuers other vnfortunate incounters Machiauels diuinitie that thinketh religion in men of warre foolerie and proposeth that impious Atheist Caesar Borgia for a paterne to a Prince that aspireth to be great to be followed was detested euen of the barbarous nations which in warres attempted nothing but with religious ceremonies as Tacitus and Caesar declare in the Gaules and Germanes and Herodotus and Thucidides in the Thracians and barbarous people Wherefore let the Generall be religious and a mainteiner of religion and forbid blasphemies and other impieties too too common in the common sort if hee expect the fauour of God and good successe in his affaires The Generall ought further to haue knowledge and iudgement in matters of warre The same is the speciall and most proper ornament of a General in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist polit li. 5. c. 9. whom the same is more respected then all other morall vertues C. Fabritus in the dangerous warres the Romanes had against Pyrrhus in labouring that d Aul. gel l. 4. c. 8. Cornelius a man rauinous but very expert in warre might be chosen Consull or Generall declareth that the skill and experience of a valiant Captaine couereth other faultes This knowledge and iudgement hath many branches the Generall ought to vnderstand as well the enemies estate as his owne he ought to knowe what forces and what prouision of armes horses carriages victuals and other furniture and munition will be sufficient and howe he is to haue the same he
better for the Captaines for they should not be so condemned as they are of the countrey nor of their souldiers and some very wrongfully and who would for so small gaine incurre the losse of his honour or reputation but thus they shall neither liue themselues nor be able to rewarde their souldiers As if I wished them not larger pay and w ih honester conditions And as if they did vse to reward their men or that belonged to them it is the General that should do it vpon their report not they When a Citati milites nominatim stipendium ad nomen singulis persolutum Liu. 28. Scipio paide his souldiers in Spaine euery man receiued himselfe his due paye man by man Which was the continual practise of the b Stipendium praesens omnibus militibus dabatur Liu. 23. Romanes That I likewise confirmed by the example of Porsena the captaine of the Hetruscians who stoode by c Liu. 2. while euery man receiued his stipend Guicciardin disputing and weying the causes why the Frenchmen in the expedition of Charles the 8. into the kingdome of Naples so easily preuailed alleageth this for principall that the Kings souldiers were payed by the kings Officers and not as the Italian vse was by the Captaines For which cause now at length also the Spaniard weary of this abuse appointeth certaine Officers to pay euery souldier according to the a They call them Pagadores moster roll and diuers controllers of these paymasters This I thinke to be the best meanes to remedy the want of pay the fraude of Officers the disorders of souldiers and coruption of false mosters whereby many Princes haue bene greatly abused are like to be further if order be not taken Before Pauy the b Guicciar li. 15 French king Francis had not halfe the number of souldiers that were vpon his moster bookes which was the principall cause of the ruine of the army and of the taking of the king as Guicciardin affirmeth The same was the ruine of the army of Iulio the 2. before c Guicciar lib. 9. Gemuolo and causeth many to presume further then reason thinking their strength greater diuers to detest warres the disorders are so great This I thought necessary to speake concerning pay more perhaps then some will like But the commiseration I haue of poore souldiers and detestation I had of disorders that haue happened vpon this cause in the seruice where I haue bene and feare of worse haue extorted these complaints from me yet not to hurt any particular God is my witnes but generally to do my countrey good if I could to admonish those whom it concerneth to looke better vnto it hereafter CHAP. IIII. Part. 10. Wherein is declared that there is no hope of good successe in warres without a full army and force sufficient THose that know with what difficultie miserie Officers are wont to pay 4. or 5. M. men haue good cause to thinke it a matter very difficult to mainteine 30. or 40. M. and many percase will wonder what I meane to perswade the leuy of a full army seeing the vnwillingnes and vnreadines of this age in sending forth and furnishing any small number of men But notwithstanding the imagination of the first or wonderment of the second both the lawes and practise of armes doeth teach vs that to obteine victorie and to subdue our enemies a iust and full army must be employed and that small numbers of men doe rather feede the warres then end them rather anger the enemy then hurt him The Lacedemonians before the Peloponnensian warre consulting with the oracle by what meanes they might best preuaile against their enemies receiued this answere that the meanes to ouercome was to vse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. their full strength For if an army be a perfect body as the Athenian captaine Iphicrates was wont to say it must haue the iust proportion of partes and iust complement or els it will be monstrous and not able to doe the actions exspected of such a body The Romanes therefore as in other things so in this excelled that they neuer dealt with any enemie but with a full army If the power of the enemie were great they employed a Consulare army consisting of 4. legions of citizens beside the aide of their associates if lesse they vsed but two legions with the ayde of their friendes The greatest force that they vsually employed were two Consular armies ioyned together The number was diuers as the legions were greater or lesser full or imperfect but their greatest force amounted not past to 50. thousand their middle to 24. thousand their least to 12 or 15. thousand or thereaboutes Lesse number I doe not reade that they vsed in any seruice and therefore proceeding with sufficient force I maruell not if their successe were according It is the vse of all nations neither the French in their expeditious into Italy nor the Spaniard into France or Italy vseth to send lesse then a iust army The Duke of Alua beside 12. or 13. M. Almaines and those of the Low countries brought with him 9000. Spaniards and Italians when first he came into that countrey It is no good nor profitable course to send 4. or 5. thousand against what soeuer enemie If to famish they are too many if to fight too fewe Double that number is neither able to keepe the field nor to besiege any citie nor almost able to doe any enterprise of warre vnlesse it be to defend some place for some fewe dayes in the end to giue it ouer being in despaire of succour Our proceedings in France Flanders if mother reason wil pes wade vs may teach vs that this number is too little the effectes doe declare my speach to be true The b Thucid. 1. Lacedaemonians so long as they sent small numbers of men against the Athenians could doe no good against them but did hurt to themselues Small force doeth rather nourish and kindle the warres then extinguish them euen as a fewe drops sprinckled on the fixe doeth make the same to burne more bright and as much water powred on the fire doeth quench the same so a sufficient army maketh an end of brawles or at least bringeth them to triall Nay further a sufficient force doeth not only worke greater effect but also is lesse chargeable then warres made by these slender supplies It may percase seem a paradoxe to some but reason experience doth proue it true These warres of our times they haue no ende but where a sufficient armie goeth there is an end eyther one way or other There is no end of charge in lingring warres in these if the armie preuaile the victorie mainteineth the same if it be ouercome then is there an end of that armie and charge The burthen is onely in the setting of the same out and mainteyning of it in the meane while But will some say the hazard were great Let
them therefore fight valiantly and not suffer themselues to bee skinned They that forecast what windes will blowe seldome sowe or set sayle in time Further a small force must needes lye in Townes and hide their heads where the enemie is stronger Against the enemie they haue neither strength to fight nor meanes to enterprise stil the Prince is at a continuall charge and without pay the souldiers famish but where a full and sufficient force arriueth in any Countrey they commaund the same vnlesse an armie be presently opposed against theÌ„ They enrich themselues with spoiles the fruites they lay vp for their owne store Many confederates some for feare others for other causes ioyne with them and either yeeld money or victuals or munitions Whatsoeuer corne forage or other prouision is without walled Townes that is theirs It must be a Towne of some strength that dare resist them When the armie is great the warres mainteyne themselues as said Cato Scipio with the profite that he drewe out of the Countrey of Spaine mainteined his armie there diuers yeres Sixteene yeres did Annibal maintaine warres in Italy at the charge of that Countrey almost without supplie of men or money from Carthage With the riches of France Caesar mainteined his armie 9. yeeres in France enriched himself and his countrey Besides the charge of the army defraied many Romane captains haue brought in great summes of money into the publike treasurie These are the fruits of victorie but victorie cannot be obteined without an armie If therefore any man hope for the end of warres or good successe in France Flanders or other Countrey let him wish that sufficient meanes were employed There is neither honor safetie profite nor hope of good hap in the course of warres commonly taken If you will not beleeue me then examine the proceedings of the smal companies that haue bin employed in seruice of late time examine the ancient and latter histories of forreigne nations that haue had good successe in their warres If you see nothing but disorder in the one and reason in the other then let captaines neuer for shame on this sort loose their men expend their money trifle the time dally with the enemie contrary to reason and all good proceeding but let them as in other points so in this also returne to the true discipline and practice of warre CHAP. IIII. Part. 11. Of the exercise and trayning of young souldiers whereby they are made apte and ready for the warres A Wise Generall hauing once enrolled his souldiers will not loose any one houre of time but will either exercise them or employ them in seruice There is nothing in warres more pretious then time which once passed cannot be recalled And whether the army be idle or well employed the pay and charge stil runneth on But because it is dangerous to bring yong souldiers into the face of the enemie before they be both fashioned by exercise also fleshed by light encounters with the enemie he ought both diligently to exercise them at such times as the enemie giueth him leysure also to harden them by skirmishes and other light enterprises against the enemie before he hazard to fight with his full forces Therein what example can I set before him better to follow then that of Scipio that ouercame Annibal and in al deedes of armes shewed himselfe most vigilant and skilfull He before he drew foorth his army out of new Carthage into the fielde when as yet the time of the yeere was not proper for seruice did continually diuers dayes exercise his men aswell in fight at sea as at land The first day he caused all his regiments to runne in array and order of battell 4. miles the second day he appointed euery man to make his armes cleane and fit the a Tertio die in modum iustae pugnae sudibus interse concurrerunt Liu. 26. third day he caused them to diuide themselues into two partes and in order of battel to fight the one against the other with cudgels and blunt dartes The same course hee tooke in Sicile before he transported his b Liu. 29. army into Afrike He caused his souldiers in order of battel to march and runne armed and set his ships in aray within the harbour in such good order as if hee were presently to fight The a Intentior quaÌ„ vnquam â—nte a muniendi exercendique militem cura ducibus Volscorum erat Liu. 4. Volscians hauing bin oftentimes foyled by the Romanes and determining to set vp their rest tooke great care in arming and exercising their men as if that were the onely meanes to harten and harden their souldiers And sure much good doth exercise and teaching as well in warre as other artes where the leaders are skilfull Tit. b Liu. 23. Sempronius by exercising his young souldiers taught them to followe their ensignes and keepe rankes both standing and fighting in array of battell and obteined by them diuers victories against the enemie c Liu. 34. Cato likewise in his voyage into Spaine tooke no small paines in exercising of his men before hee brought them to see the enemie whereby he so fashioned them that he gaue diuers repulses to the enemie Tullus Hostilius when the mindes of the Romanes were mollified ky long peace in the dayes of his predecessor Numa yet by exercise obteined so much that they durst encounter and were not inferiour to olde souldiers Epaminondas by framing and excercising the Thebanes made them of a base nation the most warlike people of Greece and with them ouerthrewe the Lacedemonians which from their youth vp were trayned vp in the exercise of armes In the first warres with Carthage the Romanes perceiuing that for want of skill in Sea causes they were inferiour to the Carthaginians practised their men in imaginarie Sea fightes and so long exercised them therein that at lenghth they ouercame them aswell by sea as by land d Liu. 24. Statorius the Romane teaching the souldiers of Syphax to followe their leaders and to keeperankes and other orders of warres in short time made them of nouices so expert that after that Syphax doubted not to encouÌ„ter the Carthaginians This caused Tissaphernes the Persian to make such reckoning of Phalinus a Grecian for that hee was e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exped Cyr. 2. Xenoph. skilfull in ordering of men and teaching them to fight in armes Of English men Philip of Comines giueth this testimonie tha although when they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they become good souldiers and therefore seeing most of our souldiers are yong and of small experience in warres by reason of our long peace they are diligently to be exercised before that they see the enemie f Cassius quantum sine bello dabatur reuocat priscum morem exercet legiones Tacit. 12 Cassius the Romane according to the
occasion of their ouerthrow But howsoeuer the place be chosen aduantageous yet there is alwayes some part that lieth open which is to bee assured with trenches and palissadaes The lesse aduantage that the nature of the ground yeeldeth the more labour our souldiers are to take in working and trenching the same And that with a trench and banke sufficient if not such as the Romanes vsed yet such as may couer the defendants and hinder the ascent of the assailants without ladders Caesar in the b Castra in altitudinem pedum 12. vallo fossaque 18. pedum muniuit Caesar bel gal 2. warres against the Belgians enuironed his campe neere Soissons with a banke twelue foote high and a ditch eighteene foote broade If the danger were great the Romanes vsed to make their bankes higher and trenches deeper It would be incredible if I should report all those bankes trenches and workes which Caesar made about Alexia in France and at Dyrrhachium in the warres against Pompey and other places and howe hee cast trenches of great depth tenne or eleuen miles compasse Which was also the vse of all the Romanes Whose workes yet remaining in England in diuers places because it seemeth incredible they should be doone by men are called diuelles ditches and supposed by them to be cast That this fortification may be made with more ease and greater speed euery man is to worke eyther with mattock or spade I know our men will at first refuse it and discharge themselues vpon pionniers but why should they disdaine to doe that which the Romanes did and why shoulde anie refuse to worke to saue his life and the liues of their company Let them consider howe such idle fellowes that woulde not fortifie their lodgings haue beene vsed c Castra procos habebat nee loco satis tuto posita ne◠praesidiis firmata hac negligentia fretus cum incautum Annibal opressit Liu. 27. Fuluis the Romane Proconsul neither for place nor defence nor garde lay strongly enough with his army which was no sooner brought to Annibal but marching thither with his army he tooke him at vnawres and ouerthre we him and all his companie La Loüe and his companie lying secure and carelesse without trench or barriquade had their throates cut by the garrison of Montpellier in the night being asleepe in their lodging Anno one thousand fiue hundred sixtie and nine Neither did the companie that vnder Napoleon Vrsini a Guicciard came to the succor of Florence besieged by the Prince of Orenge in the daies of Charles the fift escape better cheape to teach others percase to make better barriquades and trenches and to keepe better watch If the Protestantes durst haue charged Charles the fift before his campe was fortified at Englestat they had b Natal com l. 1. no doubt foyled him Neither is it sufficient to trench the wayes if wee lie open on the sides Euerie waie must haue some defence Strossi c Hist. de troubl de Er. li. 7. stiffely defending a certaine valley by Rocheabeille Anno one thousand fiue hundred sixtie and nine fensed onely in front with a weake palissade was inuested on the sides and forced by the Protestantes In which disastre himselfe was taken and most of his troupes distrouped and slaine If his defence had beene strong in all places hee had saued himselfe and foyled his enemy Q. Cicero d Caes bel gal 5. one of Caesars lieutenants by the fortifications of his campe abode diuers assaults of the whole power of France and held out vntill such time as Caesar succoured him And well befell it Prospero Colonna that his lodging was strong at the Bicocke For otherwise he and his companie had beene drawen out thence not by the eares but by the legges There is none so small a fortification but it may doe vs fauour in such a case The Spaniardes making a trench betweene themselues and the French at e Guicciard li. 5. Cirignola and bordering the same with their shot made them to this day remember what daunger it is to passe a trench resolutely defended In these late braules of France captaine Granry f Hist de troubl de Fr. li. 6. lodging in Esse a village vpon the riuer of Vienne gaue the enemy a rude welcome comming to see him in his lodging in the night His safetie was in a double barrier and trench made by him at the endes of the streetes Yet let euery man take heede howe hee presume vpon euery small defence and rather let him cause his men to take more paines It is no base labour that is vndertaken for the defence of our liues and little doth he deserue his life that will not digge a few turfes to saue it Ludouike of Nassau the brother to the Prince of Orenge presumed too much vpon a little bad ditch betwixt him and the Duke of Aluaes army If it had beene but sixe foote deeper hee had repulsed the enemy with great slaughter a This happeued anno 1568. For idlenesse and want of skill he and his company were ouerthrowen and driuen to take Embden for their succour And yet not warned herewith when hee brought a supplie out of Germanie to aide his brother b Mich. ab Islael◠lying in a village without sufficient defence hee was charged by the enemie and there slaine and with him Christopher the Prince Palatins sonne a Prince vnworthy that disastrous death and with them most of the company That the campe may with more ease be trenched and fortified the worke is equally to be diuided amongst the company That equitie the Romanes taught vs and c Singula latera castrotū singulis attribuit legionibus munienda Caes bel gal 1. Caesar practiced diuiding the ground among his regiments to be wrought And shame it is among vs seeing as the vse of warres teacheth vs the great profite of labour in banking and trenching that wee put it ouer to a sort of men called Pionniers vnknowen among the Romanes whose workes were alwayes d They are commonly termed Opera militum done by souldiers This is the cause of the great charge of Princes and slow proceeding and slender effects of warres Therfore they that will not worke and take paines rather then die shamefully let them die But let not the idlenesse of such preiudice the state or the safety of braue men But let such defend themselues as well with bankes as with weapons and not follow the slouthful pride of athers The forme of the campe is much according to the site and lying of the ground Among the Romanes it was made for the most part foure square But it skilleth not though it bee three or fiue square So the bankes woulde bee made tenne e Lesse depth bredth wil serue but this maketh the bankes sufficient or twelue foote hie the ditch sixeteene or eighteene foote broade The deeper the ditch and higher the banke is the more assured is
the defence At euerie corner especially towardes the enemy there woulde bee made a litle bulwarke or platforme somewhat auanced from the cortine of the campe for the placing of the great ordonance for defence of the ditch and cortaine and clearing of the grounde wythout the campe In the sides there woulde bee lefte two great passages or issues for the army to enter and issue and two lesser on the outsides for the necessarie vses of the campe The compasse is according to the number of the armie allowing tenne foote square for euery horseman and foure foote square for euery footeman or thereabouts There are to be left foure broade streetes in the place for the passing and repassing of souldiers and for the commoditie of victuallers and Marchantes a market place The Generall ought to pitch his tent in the middest of the camp about him are his Gentlemen and garde to bee placed if there bee not place sufficient for them in his tents The horsemen are to be quartered in the middest of the camp for that they are most vnreadie if any sodaine assault should happen but in some conuenient square for the beauty of the campe The shot and archerie are to haue their tentes next to the ring of the campe round about the same within them are the halbardiers targettiers and other short weapons to haue their quarter assigned and betwixt them and the horsemen the pikes So that euery man may know both where to lodge directly and what place to goe vnto if the enemy doe charge vs. The waste places remayning are to bee assigned to the carriages and the boyes and seruants that followe the campe For flaughter of beasts and necessities of nature there are two places to bee assigned eyther in some out place of the campe or without the campe The whole distance and compasse is rather with the iudgement of the eye then with Geometricall instruments to bee cast out Yet must the quarter-master take heede both that his compasse be not too great for that is hardly defended and that it be not too litle For in that case the army shall be straited That souldiers may bee commodioussy lodged in the field without going out of the way to finde townes or villages it is necessarie that euery company haue their a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. paed Cyr. 2. tentes assigned to them of publike charge and carried with them in cartes For to lodge without couer in colde raine or heate is verie intollerable and wood to make cabbanes sufficient in fewe places can bee found and if it could yet were it a matter long for one nightes lodging to make a cabbane of boughes Contrariwise tentes are easilie pitched and not heauie to bee carried nor verie chargeable to bee bought That the souldiers may finish their work with more speed it were necessary likewise that euery company had their spades mattocks axes and other tooles caried along with their tentes and baggage that euery man presently vpon view of his lodging staked out might know where to worke For ease of the souldiers a iudicious Quartermaster will chuse some place neere a wood or a riuer or some hill that with the naturall situation of the place a small fortification may serue If the Quartermaster do chuse some Villages to lodge in yet fâ—â— greedines of couer for his men let him take heed how he do diuide separate the army farre a sunder And further let euery part fortiâ—â— the quarter where they are lodged The cause of the ouerthrow of the Prince of Conde at Cognac in which encounter hee lost also his life was the distance of the lodging of the auantgarde and battell which was so great that the one part being charged by the enemy the other could not come to succour it before it was too late a Histoir de 〈◊〉 bl lib. 4. Dandelot dispersing his companies in Villages was surprised on the sudden by Martigues and put to flight himselfe hardly escaped most of his company were defeated which if his troupes had bene together could not haue happened For his forces were foure times greater then those that ouercame them La Louè might haue bene succoured when the enemy charged him but that he b Hist de troubl lib. 12. lodged so far from helpe that before the same could come he his men were dispatched The cause of the ouerthrow of the Baron Donaw his Almains was for that they lay dispersed without defence c Xenoph. exped Cyr. 3. 4. Xenophon although necessity forced him in his return from the battel against Artaxerxes to lodge his company in diuers Villages yet whensoeuer the enemy made shew to approch hee drew them all together into one place If so be that necessitie driue vs likewise to lodge our armie in Villages let vs know first how vpon neede we may bring them together and next how euery part may susteine the enemies assault vntil helpe come to it This I say is wrought first by trauersing the waies then by trenching places of easy accesse The wayes are to be trauersed by deepe ditches banks for defence of our shot next by palissadaes barres placed ouerthwart the sides are to be viewed and either with trenches or walles to be fortified Those wayes that leade vs into the Village on the backside are to be dammed vp where there is greatest shew that the enimy wil assault vs there gretest store of shot are to be placed in the chambers looking that way The carts baggage conueniently placed may breake the force of the enemies horse make the accesse for footemen also more difficult The Heluetians a Caes bel gal 1. had no other defences of their lodging neither do the Germans at this day vse any other defence or encamping vnlesse the place naturally aforde it But nothing is more weake nor vaine where the enemy commeth resolutely to the charge Scipio his father that ouercame Annibal being foyled by the Carthaginians in Spaine through the trecherie of the Celtiberians that forsooke him thought to shroude him selfe and his b Liu. 25. company vnder the carts packs and such things as he could bring together to make a defence on But it serued for nothing but to linger the enemies victory a litle For in such defences there is no strength If therefore we wil neither fortifie our campe as did the Romans nor barre the Villages where we lodge strongly as is the vse of wise Captaines in these dayes I will neither warrant our troupes nor by my wil keepe among them lying so open The c Philip. Com. French king Duke of Burgundy lying in the suburbes of Liege without trenche or barriquade escaped very narowly in a certaine sally of the townesmen by them besieged Besides the fortification of the campe or lodging it is requisite for the assurance of our company that we place not only sentinels and scoutes within but also good gardes at all the gates
d Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 9. Admiral at Moncontour would willinglie haue passed the day without fight but being neere the enemie hee could neither passe the riuer without disordering his armie nor retire without manifest danger of being vtterly broken and ruinated Philip of Macedonia albeit hee was encamped vpon the banke of the riuer Aous very strongly and had most high mountaines for his defence vpon his backe yet being charged suddenly from the vpper ground he was both driuen to fight against his will and foyled by Tit. Quintius Wherefore considering the losse and calamities that come of suffering the country to be burned and spoyled the hazard that to wnes besieged by the enemie without hope of succour stand in the discouragement of our people that see and enemie in the countrey whom they dare not encounter I hold it a rule most certaine that no countrey nor state can well be defended against a strong enemie any long time vnlesse the same either haue or can procure an armie to come into the field able to encounter him and not vnwilling also if the same may haue any good aduantage to fight with him And therefore all valiant men that loue their countrey are rather to endeuour to ouercome the enemie by force then dull him and wearie him by patience and delaies which bring with them contempt of those that want an edge and force That wee may fight with aduantage and proceed with reason let vs now examine and see what things are to be foreseene and considered before that the General do bring foorth his armie into the field to fight CHAP. XI Conteining speciall matters to be well considered before the Generall bring foorth his armie to fight with the enemie in open field MAnie things in warre are executed by force and strength of men but seldome doeth force preuaile much without counsell and direction Counsell in all deedes of armes chalengeth a principall place but especially in ioyning battell with the enemie To refuse good counsell therefore in this case is a brutish follie oftentimes seuerely punished The Constable of France peeuishly refusing the good counsell of Coucy that dissuaded him at that time to fight with the Turkes was the cause of the miserable slaughter of Christians at Nicopolis The Frenchmen detest in their histories the pride and insolencie of a certaine Duke of Bourbon who a Froissart being Generall in a certaine enterprise against the Saracens in Afrike ouerthrew the action by disdaining to heare any man speake and refusing all counsell but his owne A man wise inough to ruinate any enterprise Wise captains therefore as they will consider many things themselues so I trust they will not disdaine to vnderstand the experience and aduise of others Before a Generall doeth resolue to fight with the enemie with all his force hee is first diligently to vnderstand both the strength of the enemie and the numbers and strength of his owne men least presuming too much of his owne power or contemning the enemie he doe that which afterward hee may repent a Guicciandin Francis the first of France not knowing how much hee was abused by his moster rolles and supposing his strength to bee greater then it was accepted of the battell of Pauie where himselfe was taken and his armie discomfited b Caes bel ciu ◠Curio not knowing the great strength of the enemies horsemen did rashly leaue the aduantage of the ground and fight with him that in the plaines was to strong for him which was his ruine Cassius in the battell of Philippi not vnderstanding the victorie of Brutus his companion desperately slew himselfe and was the cause of the discouragement of his side and the victorie of the enemie If therefore he shall vnderstand that his enemie is too strong for him let him keepe his aduantage of ground and auoyd fight if his owne power be greater let him not delay it for it is no lesse dishonour to let slip an opportunitie then to aduenture rashly Yong souldiers are not rashly to be brought into the field against an armie exercised and beaten with long practise of warre The Romanes found this true by their owne practise in the warres with their c Veterani exercitus tobore rex Rom. vicit Liu. 1. neighbours and with Annibal Where their armie was well trained they preuailed their fresh souldiers could not endure the force of Annibals beaten men Caesars old souldiers were inuincible With the men that Philip of Macedonia had exercised in many warres Alexander ouerthrew the Persian empire For it is not d Veteres non tam numerosos exercitus habere voluerunt quà m eruditos Veget. l. 3. c. 1. number that preuaileth but experience and skill The e Philip. Comin gallants of Charles Duke of Burgundie bragged that they would doe and venture but when they sawe their enemie they forgot their wordes and ranne away in the encounter with Lewis the eleuenth at Mont le herie Therefore did Caesar wisely that carying ouer with him diuers yong souldiers into Afrike f Noluit conuulncrari exercitum tyronmen Hirt de bel Afric would not put them to the triall before he had made them better acquainted with warres Souldiers likewise when they are faint wearie hungry or thirstie fight but faintly And therefore as there is no trust in young souldiers so there is no strength in souldiers that are faint with labour or want of victuals Doe not therefore rashly encounter the enemie when they men are either wearied with long marching or watching or faint for want of meate or drinke The a Inde cibo corpora firmare iussi vt si longior esset pugna viribus sufficerent Liu. 27. Romanes before they entred the battell refreshed their men with victuals and rest that if the same continued long yet their strength might continue b Syllanus ante pugnam militem cibum capere iubet Liu. 28. Syllanus being readie to charge the enemie commaunded his souldiers to dine first The principall cause of the ouerthrow of the Romanes at Trebia was that Annibal brought foorth his men to fight fresh hauing well dined warmed themselues and rested where as the Romane c Liu. 21. Generall brought foorth his armie fasting and cold by reason they passed a riuer and wearie for that they stoode many howers in armes before the battell began Aemilius in the warres against Perseus in Macedonia albeit his souldiers desired to fight with the d Statuit Aemilius lassitudinem sitim sentientes milites integro hostinon obijcere Liu. 44.214 enemie so soone as they saw him yet considering that by their long march they were wearie thirstie and faint would not fight with the enemie that was fresh and lustie but deferred it to the next day Yea although aduantage be offered yet if our e Furius lassitudini militum timens occasionem rei praeclarè gerendae omisit Liu. 31. souldiers be faint and wearie it is more safe to
long after by those whome before they had vanquished When such men erred it is not maruell if diuers errors were committed in these late French braules After the battell of S. Denys both Protestants and the kings side departed quietly each from other and at Moncontour albeit the kings brother gaue the Protestants a great ouerthrowe yet he suffered the Admirall to depart with a great part of his army and to gather newe forces to returne againe the next spring to fight againe But may some say it is not good to driue the enemy to vtter despaire for that constraineth men to aduenture and to try all meanes to escape c Desperatio vltima audere experiri cogebà t Aequos Liu. 3. Desperation saith Liuy caused the Aequians to aduenture and try their last refuge The Hetruscians being entered the campe of the Romanes and being compassed about without way to winde out fought so desperately that they slewe one of the Consuls and many braue men and had done much more d Maiorem cladem nisi data via fuisset dedissent Liu. 2. harme had not some wiser then the rest giuen them way to depart out of the campe quietly Afterward of themselues they fell into disorder and were easily vanquished by the horsemen that pursued them For this cause Themistocles said that a bridge of golde was to be made for an enemie that flieth that he might depart quietly All which I yeelde to be true in such an enemie as flieth without purpose to returne and which cannot be broken without great danger But if he purpose to returne no danger is to be refused nor labour to be shunned that he may be broken which in deede is no difficultie For he that cannot resist whole can euill resist broken And therefore this is a controuersie without firme reason of the contrary cause Yet in pursuing the enemie I would not haue him so stopped but that he may flie nor would I haue desperate men fought withall but I would haue them with hunger and disease forced to accept of their liues and so yeelding their armes to depart Which if the French had practised in the conquest of Naples they had not so ignominiously bene driuen out thence by 3 or 4 thousand Bisognos that they suffered to nestle in 2 or 3 out townes of the Countrey But if the enemies forces be vtterly dispersed and dare not looke vpon vs in the fielde then the next labour is to besiege their chiefe cities and that presently while the smart of their woundes is yet fresh Aswell in a Tam secundis quà m aduersis rebus non datur spatium ad cessandum si se Laelius cum equitatu victóque Syphace Cirtham praecedere sinat trepida omnia se metu oppressurum Liu. 30. good successe as in bad a prudent Capteine may not giue himselfe to rest Masinissa by shewing himselfe and his victorious companie before Cirtha so terrified the same especially vpon view of their king that was taken prisoner that the same yeelded vnto him presently Great is the terrour of a victorious armie and sufficient to make any towne to yeelde The Romanes by the terrour of their victorious troupes led by Quintius Cincinnatus obteined nine townes of the enemies in short space The b Antium paucos dies circumfessum deditur nulla oppugnantium noua vi sed quòd iam inde ab infoelici pugna castrisque amissis ceciderant animi Liu. 2. courage of the Volscians was so cooled after their ouerthrowe by the Romanes that they yeelded their citie for feare without any force Therefore Scipio after the ouerthrowe of Annibals army brought his forces presently before Carthage which he draue to accept of composition If Annibal vpon his victorie at Cannae had brought his victorious army before Rome he had proceeded with more iudgement The Rhodians c Stratoniceam recepissent Rhodij post victoriam nisi tempus in castellis recipiendis triuissent Liu. 33. hauing vanquished the enemy in open fielde spent time in taking of certeine paltry hamlets and castles whereas if they had vrged the enemy as they might haue done they had taken Stratonicea the head citie of the countrey There is no towne that dare holde out without hope of succour But may some say it is a hard labour to take townes well fortified and manned and stored with victuals I grant if armies that besiege them be such as ours and so furnished and the townes haue hope of reliefe otherwise as d Scipio vidit dissipatum bellum circumferre ad singulas vrbes arma diutini magis quà m magni esse operis Liu. 28. Scipio said it is a matter of more time then labour For where the Countrey is spoiled no townes can long holde out But that may be done easily where an army goeth vp and downe victorious without stoppe or encounter The reason that the townes of Holland and Zeland haue so long holden out against the Spaniard is that they haue both the sea open and many good friends and fauours in England A victorious army not only taketh whatsoeuer towne it besiegeth but also seaseth the whole countrey Annibal after the victory at Cannae possessed a good part of Italy After the ouerthrow of their forces by Scipio in Afrike the Carthaginians could not say that they had any one towne remaining in obedience After Caesars victorie at Alexia almost all France yeelded it selfe vnto him so well did he followe the victorie against Pompey in Epeirus against Scipio in Afrike against Afranius and Pompeyes sonnes in Spaine that with one victorie he assured himselfe of the whole Countrey and with one enemie fought no more but once The French by one victorie recouered all the kingdome of Naples and by one ouerthrowe at Gariglian lost it againe Francis the first by his victorie at Marignan came in possession of most of the Duchie of Millain being ouerthrowne and taken at Pauy he lost the same againe The Earle of Warwike after one victorie in the daies of Henrie the sixt assured all England to his Prince Edward the fourth by one victorie recouered the same againe and if that our ancestors had well followed the victories at Cressy Poytiers and Agincourt the French had not so easily dispossessed them of their holde in France But what cannot delaies want of supply and diuision worke in such cases First therefore the armie that is victorious ought not to suffer the enemie to gather head but to scatter his forces Secondly the same ought to besiege the chiefe Citie and to sease the Countrey into their handes not suffering the enemie in any place to rest The French king after his victorie at Moncontour besieging S. Iean d'Angeli lost there the vigour of his armie which might better haue bene emploied about Rochel Thirdly the Generals care ought to be howe to take away the enemies subiects from them and to depriue them of the aide of their confederats A matter not difficult if he proceede wisely in
out without danger Which expedition and resolution of the assaylants did so amaze the townsmen that presently they began to fall to composition Thus wee see howe those that proceede carefully diligently resolutely and according to the practice of warre doe seldome fayle of their purpose but either by siege surprise or assault they take the townes which they beset Townes that cannot be taken neither by sleight nor force at the first yet by continuance and perseuerance may be taken at the last by one meanes or other especially if they be weakened in one or two sallyes Annibal by a deuise causing the Locrians to sally out of their towne cut betweene them and their safety and by taking them made the rest to yeelde Hee would haue trained out those that garded the Castle of Tarentum by laying a bayt for them but they were too wise Romulus by a feined retrayt drawing the Fidenians some prety distance from the towne cut most of them in peeces and pursuing the rest entred Pelle Melle with them into the towne Many other stratagemes may be deuised whereby townes may be forced or surprised but seeing the generall reasons are apparent by this which I haue sayd now I will turne my speech to those that aduerse euents driue to defend them selues within townes For practice of warre doeth teach vs not only to force others but also where the enemy pursueth vs to defend our selues CHAP. XVII Wherein certaine obseruations are set downe good to be practiced for the defence and good gouernment of a towne or place besieged battered or assaulted SEeing as places are taken either by want through long siege or by intelligence and trechery or els by force those to whom Princes commit their garde are diligently to encounter these things with prouision of things necessary first then with watchfulnes care and lastly by strength of men walles They that take on them to defend townes neither well prouided nor fenced howsoeuer they shew therein courage yet doe they shewe no iote of wisedome in it for oft times they cast away themselues and hurt their Prince and countrey both in the losse of so many men in giuing courage to the enemy And better it were for them to conuey them selues into some place of safety or to yeelde then to holde out without reason In which case the Prince cannot blame them if they prouide for them selues The Romanes not being able to defend certaine townes of Apulia and Lucania against Annibal gaue them licence to prouide for them selues by composition Which also the French kings in the victories of the English nation in France permitted to their people a Cas de bel ciu 1. Domitius was blamed by Pompey for that he rashly engaged himselfe and his company in Corfinium without his commandement It was the losse of many braue men and a great preiudice to the cause Dandelot hanged vp a certain coÌ„panion that refused to deliuer vp a paltry castle without view of the canon albeit he saw the army of the Protestants And in deede lesse fauour doeth the practice of armes yeeld to those that vnable to defend them selues wil notwithstanding holde out vntill they be forced b Se ipsos conseruaturum dixit Caesar si priusquam aries murum tetigisset se dedissent Caes de bel gal 2. Caesar did not easily spare them that helde out vntill hee had shaken their walles those that otherwise yeelded he vsed with all clemency The first consideration therefore of him that hath a town committed to his gouernment ought to be whether the same may possibly be defended against the force that coÌ„meth against it or no. For c Nec temerè suscipienda eotuÌ„ defensio est quae tueri non potes nec temerè deserenda quae tueri potes Liu. 34. as we are not rashly to abandon a town that may be defended so we are not ignorantly to take vpon vs the defence of towns not tenable The Romans while Annibal ranged vp down Italy burnt those townes which they could not defend the like did Philip of Macedonia The a Cetera praâ—ldiis firmââ—unt Liu. 34. rest they kept with strong garrisons b Liu. Antiochus did foolishly in abandoning Lysimachia which for the prouision strength that was in the place might haue holden the army of the Romans at bay one whole yere The like error did c Transâ—untibâ—â— Romanis claustra à fronte tergo deseruit Liu. 44. 45. Perseus king of Macedonia coÌ„mit who seeing the Romans approch forsooke those strayts which if he had kept he might haue shut them in both behinde before Likewise are the Gaules taxed by d Caes bel gal 7. Vercingetorix for that contrary to his opinion commandement they would needes defend AuaricuÌ„ against Caesar Some do commend the French that in the defence of paltry townes of late yeeres haue willingly hazarded them selues as they did in the defence of Dorat in Limages Lusignen in Poitou Bray vpon Seyne Nogent such like which haue bene taken diuers of them by assault only of shot but they had deserued more commendation if they had not lost them selues in the end Let those therefore that purpose to winne honor by their actions consider what townes may be garded what not what are difficult to garde before they take on them to garde them Great cities are hardly defended against a great force that is able to strayt them keep them from victuals other necessaries That Paris hath holden out of late time the weaknes of their aduersaries their great succours are cause Gant likewise in the dayes of Edward the 3. held out against the Earles of Flanders a long time But the reason was because he could not besiege so great a city but if that such cities may be kept from victuals they can not long endure it When the Protestants in An. 1567. did but hinder the repayre of the countrey people to Paris the city was in extremity farre greater it was in being besieged by this King For such infinite numbers of people no prouision can serue any long time The e Caes bel gal 7. Gaules and f Caes bel gal â— Belgians thought to oppresse Caesar with multitude But when they were come together they saw that such numbers could not be mainteined with victuals therfore not being fought withal were forced to scatter of theÌ„selues But against a smal force great cities are most strong For neither can they be straited of victuals by reason of their multitude of men nor can they be takeÌ„ by assault being so wel able to defend the breach and repaire it So that to a great force great cities are easy to be taken to a small army that can not without danger compasse the same about they are impregnable Contrariwise small piles or castles hardly resist a great force First for that there is no roome within to make retrenchments or defences against the enemies
like a base minded beast laden with baggage How many cities haue vnder colour and in the time of parley bene betraied I haue heretofore declared The very motion of parley doeth daunt the courage of souldiers and therefore such motions are not to bee made but in secret counsell and in extremitie 5 No captaine officer nor souldier c. The first part of this law the Romane souldiers when they were first enrolled did sweare to performe the second part is comprised in the Romane lawes against such as depart the army without leaue A matter very dangerous for by such starting aside of souldiers many garrisons are taken vnprouided and many companies that are full in mosters are very thin in time of seruice And therefore although among vs euery captaine of a companie take on him to giue licence of absence yet is the same against all practise of warre By the lawes of the Romanes no man had a Solus dux exercitus missionem dare potest l. 1. ff de his qui notantur infam power to dismisse souldiers but the General if otherwise it were the army might be dissolued or at least greatly weakened without his priuitie the cause hindered by inferior persons trechery 6 All that runne c. It is a great fault for a souldier in time of seruice to forsake his General But farre greater to turne his hand against his country and friends and to flie to the enemie Such therefore deserue no fauour being not only traitors but enemies The Romanes punished such more b De perfugis grauiùs quà m de fugitiuis consultum nominis Latini qui erant securi percussi Romani in crucem sublati Liu. 30. grieuously then fugitiue slaues and howsoeuer they compounded with others yet alwayes excepted them Sometime they were nailed to gibbets sometime they were c Perfugae omnes virgis in comitio caesi ac de saxo deiecti Liu. 24. throwen downe from hils Those that did but endeuour to flie to the enemie although they perfourmed it not were d Volens transfugere qui deprehensus est capite punitur l. desertorem ff de remilit put to death Yet would I not haue them so depriued of hope of mercy but that they may find fauour if they with any new seruice can blot out their former offence No man fought with more resolution against the Romanes then these reuolters Fabius would not suffer the e Liu. 23. Romanes to punish Altinius that offered to restore Arpi vnto them which himselfe before had caused to reuolt to Annibal Marcellus knowing the purpose of Bantius and that hee meant to flie to the enemie yet by curtesie and liberalitie did chuse rather to draw seruice from him being a man of value then to punish him If then such poore men as by extremitie and want are driuen to flie to the enemie wil voluntarily returne againe and craue pardon I would not haue them debarred from hope of mercie which rigour is due onely to stubborne and wilful rebels 7 No man shall bewray c. This being a difference and somtime as in the darke the only difference whereby souldiers know their fellowes great care is to be taken that the enemie haue no notice of it In the night fight betwixt Vitellius and Vespasians souldiers nothing did more preiudice f Tacit. 18. Vitellius his side then that the enemie came to haue notice of the worde Which happened by the often repetition of it in the darke By the same the enemie either passeth away safe or commeth among vs without resistance Great punishment therefore doeth he deserue that giueth the enemie to vnderstand it by simplicitie or negligence but greater if by trecherie and false dealing Likewise doeth he deserue punishment that neglecteth his watch For seeing that the safetie of those that rest consisteth oft times in the watch who seeth not that they that neglect their watch betray their fellowes safetie the a Liu. 5. watchman that suffered the Gaules to enter the Capitol while hee slept was throwen downe from the rocke whereon the Castle stood there to sleepe for euer By the lawes of the b l. Qui excubias ff de re milit Romanes hee that slept in the watch was put to death Epaminondas going the round slew the c Plutarch in Epaminonda watchman whom he found sleeping affirming that he did him no wrong leauing him as he found him Yet woulde I not that any man in punishing these faults should proceede rashly and without cause spill poore soldiers blood that is so willingly spent in the seruice of their countrey For if the enemie be farre off and the danger little this fault is much lessened 8 Whosoeuer of wantonnesse c. By two meanes especially the enemie cōmeth to haue notice of our purpose against the wil and purpose of him that giueth the notice first by making of noyse and signes which may be heard or seene of the enemie being farre off secondly by talking and prating of matters that ought to be kept secret by either of which meanes many enterprises are broken many good counsels discouered The practise of the protestants against the towne of d Hist. de troubl de Fr. l. 5. Saumur anno 1569 was broken by fiering of certaine houses whereby the enemie had notice of their comming A like enterprise of theirs against Diep the same yeere was discouered by discharging of a pistole In our voyage of Portugall the Spanish horsemen that coasted our companie had fallen into a trappe layd for them if one rash companion had not discharged his piece too soone therby giuen them warning before they entred into danger If that certaine rash fellowes had not risen vp too e Hist. de troubl de Fr. l. 11. soone and discharged their pieces vpon the gallyes of the Baron la garde both he and his company had bene taken at Tonne Charente by Rochel An. 1569. by the babble and prating of a certaine f Philip. Comines Herald sent to the French king he knew more then was conuenient of the estate and proceedings of Edw. the 4. as I before haue shewed Caesar therfore that he g Caes bel Gal. 7. might take the Gaules vnprouided forbade his soldiers in their marche to make fiers And Homer expressing the h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer 3. courage and good order of the Greekes saith they marched with great silence whereas the Troians made a noyse like a flight of cranes Froissart reporteth that in ancient time the English did take an oath that they should not discouer any practise or counsel of their superiors But now it seemeth that custome is out of date for no nation doth march with more noyce or talke more willingly Wherefore although these matters may seeme trifling yet experience sheweth what impediments they bring to our affaires which caused mee in this place seeing other meanes too weake to worke it to forbid discharging of pieces
victuals to be assigned to euery regiment and to follow the army as it was in the expedition of Cyrus into Persia Such as dwell neere where our army goeth would be summoned to bring victuals into the army vnlesse they would haue their countrey ruinated And as the Romanes had ayde of victuals in the warres of l Liu. 21. Carthage out of Sicile in the warres of m Liu. 31. Macedonia out of Afrike and Caesar in his warres of Belgium was furnished from n Caes bel gal 2. Rheims in his warres with the o Caes bel gal 1. Heluetians from the Heduans so our associates such especially as dwell neere are to be prayed to ayde vs with corne and other prouision But yet so that we doe not altogether depend vpon their pleasures as we doe in the low countries where our souldiers receiue from hand to mouth Honest men a C. Cotta Genabi rei frumentariae iussu Caesaris praeerat Caes bel gal 7. would haue commission and money giuen vnto them to buy prouision in places where it may be had Finally such as buy corrupt victuals or vse other fraude woulde seuerely be punished Further order would be taken alwayes before hand that supplies of victuals may follow the armie in time least that as in the Portugall voyage the armie be forced to returne for want before the prouision come at it If this be not then ought not the armie to proceede further then it may be assured of victuals Lastly both such victuals as may bee found in the countrey and such as are in the armie are to be dispensed warely at least without waste b Le soldat vinant a discretion en peu de iours affame tout un pais Hist de troubl de Fr. li. 8. Souldiers as the French saying is liuing or rather spoyling at their owne discretion in few dayes doe famish a countrey The Romanes vsed to giue the souldiers certaine dayes prouision before hande which they might not spende in fewer as is euident both by example of Scipio sayling into Affrike in the seconde warres with Carthage end also of Caesar in his warres in France and by examples of diuers others To conclude all those that looke for good successe in warres must prouide both victuals and armes and all prouision for the warres before hand as the precedents of the preparations made by the c Thucid. 1. Athenians and Spartanes before the Peloponesian warre of d Liu. 29. Scipio before his expedition into Affrike of e Xenoph. exp Cy. 1. Cyrus into Persia of f Salust bell Iug. Metellus and Marius against Iugurtha of the Spaniardes against vs when they came against vs with their Nauie in summe of all wise people and states that knew what perteyned to the wars do teach vs. Charles of g Phil. Commin Burgundie sitting downe before Nancy without sufficient munitions was forced to rise with a scorne The same happened to the French before h Hist de troubl Sancerre anno 1569. and must needes happen to all that without sufficient prouision attempt matters rashly Wise kings therefore doe forecast before hand what force or prouision will be sufficient fooles say Oh had I wist or I neuer thought vpon it CHAP. III. That before we beginne warres we are to procure what strength or helpe wee can of our neighbours or others and to draw the same as much as is possible for vs from our enemies AS in priuate affaires particulars receiue mutuall helpe eche of other of whom it is verified that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer two ioyning together doe more easily atchieue matters then ech man single by himselfe so in publike executions where manie are linked together they more easily execute and are hardlier broken Insomuch as friends and b Non exercâ—tus neque thesauri praesidia regui sunt verùm amici Salust bel Iugurth confederates are no lesse the strength of states then forces and treasure Therefore did the c Circumspiciebant ipsi externa auxilia Liu. 1. Sabines hearing of the preparatiues that Seruius Tullius made against them looke out what forreine ayde they mightadioyne vnto themselues The Athenians d Thucid. 2. and Spartanes in the Peloponesian warre did not so much stande vpon their owne strength as the aydes and succours of their confederates The e Thucid. 5. Diodor. Sicul. Syracusans by the helpe of the Spartanes withstoode the inuasion of the Athenians made vpon them and foyled them in diuers incounters I neede not vse anie long discourse in this matter it hath beene the continuall vse of the Kings of this Ilande to vse the helpe of the Burguygnions and low Countries against France And likewise haue the French relyed much vpon the ayde of the Scots against vs. Neither ought anie Prince or nation so to presume of their owne strength as that they refuse the ayde of friends The Romanes although after their victories against Annibal at what time they beganne the Macedonian warre they were in their prime of strength and most flourishing estate yet required they ayde of the Carthaginians of Masinissa and of the Aetolians and others against Philip King of Macedonia And deare it cost Perseus the King of Macedonia that for sparing of money refused the ayde of thirtie thousand Gaules offering to serue him against the Romanes What hinderance it hath beene to vs and what it may bee that the Towne of Antwerpe and other partes of the lowe Countreyes were not receiued when they were offered vnto vs in these brawles against Philip of Spaine I knowe not some doubt It may be sayd they would not yeelde without conditions But what purpose is it to talke of conditions seeing they would haue yeelded themselues into any princes handes if they might haue bene receiued Further as we are to require ayde of our friends so we are to withdrawe what ayde we can from the enemie Many reasons teach vs so to doe which common practise doeth teach vs to be true as the body in the distemper of the partes so the state in the disagreement of the members is greatly weakened and easily dissolued The Romanes therefore as they were masters in other militarie documents so did they diligently practice intelligence with the enemies friendes and subiectes Before they transported their forces into Afrike they dealt with Syphax and assured themselues of Masinissa kings of Numidia Before they charged Philippe king of Macedonia they caused most of his partisans in Greece to reuolt from him And Caesar by the helpe of part of the Gaules which he drewe to his side did subdue the rest and them also afterward Pompey purposing to abase the power of Caesar did first drawe from him two legions or regiments and afterward Labienus one of Caesars chiefe friendes and commaunders Of this onely practice great effectes are wont to ensue Caesar by disioyning and separating the forces and causes of the Gaules ouercame them all By his intelligence with
the ancient Britons hee vnderstoode the estate of the countrey and had great helpe to atchieue his purpose against it While they of the citie of a Phil. Comin Dinant suffered themselues to be disioyned from their associates of Liege Charles Duke of Burgundy did easily ouercome them If Lewis the xi of France had not separated and broken the league first betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy and afterward betwixt king Edward the fourth and the Duke of Burgundy he could not haue escaped with so litle losse nor vanquished his enemies with so great gaine We haue also domesticall examples of the same but too many and which I cannot without some griefe remember not with dint of sword nor open force but with secret practices with our associates and friendes in France the French tooke not onely Normandy but also Gascoyne and Guienne from the English nation And neuer omitting any opportunitie to trouble vs they wrought much woe vnto this land in the dayes of King Iohn by furthering and procuring the reuolt of the Nobilitie Neither can any estate continue that hath his partes deuided For as one sayth it falleth out that while euery man looking to his owne present safetie a Dum pugnant singuli vincuntur omnes Tacit. suffereth his friendes to fight single all are ouercome By this means the Spaniard hath so much preuailed in the Low countreys and the people haue hurt themselues For disioyning their counsailes and forces and refusing the b Resusans le secours des estrangers Hist de troubl de Fran. lib. 1. ayde of strangers they are for the most part a spoyle vnto the enemie And if we would haue vsed greater force and more diligence in withdrawing from the Spaniard his associates and subiects of Portugall of the Ilands and of the Low countreys hee would haue bene long ere this very gentle to deale withall But some wise men as they say haue not onely not sought to cause his subiects to reuolt but haue refused and still refuse to receiue them that holde out their hands crauing helpe of friends and long since are weary of the Spanish tyranny As for those that suppose the Spaniards to haue such holde of all the countreys which nowe they possesse and of the inhabitants thereof that we should but loose labour in attempting their reuolt they seeme to be ignorant not onely of the state of his countreys and of the Spanish gouernement but also of the nature of things It is well knowen with what discontentment and grudge both the Portugals and those of the Lowe countreys doe serue the Spaniard The Portugals were ready to receiue vs at our last expedition thither and would haue declared themselues further if they had perceiued that wee had bene able to defend them against the Spaniard The state of Milan is holden more by force then by loue or good title They of Naples and Sicile haue by many signes declared their great discontentment of the Spanish yoke The Indians would reuolt if they knewe which way In all countreys there are euer some that either for hope or hatred desire change of state Annibal after that hee had once or twise beaten the Romanes in Italy did afterwarde mainteine the warres for the most part with the aydes of that countrey And Caesar vsed the strength of the Gaules against the rest of the nation Vpon the first ouerthrow which Scipio gaue to the Carthaginians in Affrike he caused most of the countrey to turne enemie against them Neither may we thinke that the state of Spaine is in this point better then other nations especially seeing the stirres in Aragon and Grenade beside many other offers in Castile doe declare that there are among them many mal-contents The Spaniard doubteth not to finde many such among vs but it were to be wished that we would rather make triall first whether there were any such to be found in Spaine When the French made their expeditions into a Guicciard Hist Naples they found great aydes in the countrey some also beside exspectation Why then should Spaine differ from Italy But while we seeke to augment our forces with the succours of our associates and friendes we are not so to rely vpon them but that we prepare sufficient forces of our owne nation both to resist the enemie and if neede be to commaund our associates therein folowing the wise proceedings of the Romanes that neuer would admit a greater number of associates then they had of their citizens in their army and had alwayes an eye that they practised not with the enemie In this as in b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicharm other points to distrust is a great point of wisedome The Scipioes did trust but too much to the aydes of the Celtiberians in Spaine For being abandoned by them they were exposed naked and vnprouided to the mercy of their enemies c Liu. 1. Tullius Hostilius did deale more wisely For although hee had the succours of the Albans with him yet had hee force sufficient to vanquish his enemis without them If not he had farre worse speeded For in the middes of the battell he was forsaken by them The d Guicciard Hift. Switzers that came in ayde of Lewis Sforza solde him into the handes of Lewis the xij at Nouara and did not onely forsake him And of late yeres the Protestants that eame out of Germany vnder the guidance of the Dukes of Bouillion were in their greatest neede forsaken of the Lansknights that came to ayde them I neede not labour inueh to prooue this seeing the great expenses that by the French and others hane beene wasted vpon the Almains of late time doe teach vs howe little vse or hope there is of the ayde of that nation Of all those that folowe our ensignes and ioyne together with vs those are least to be trusted that are lately reuolted Good it were to trie such and then to trust them Two a Guicciardio Spaniards feining them selues fugitiues in the warres betwixt the Spaniards and the Venetians attempted to kill Aluian the Venetian Generall The like was attempted by certaine Turks against Scanderbeg The Numidians that reuolted to the Romans a litle before their battel with Annibal at Cannae made a great flaughter among the Romanes after the battell ioyued Maureuell that runagate pretending to forsake the enemie vpon some displeasure would haue slaine the Admirall but when he sawe howe that could not be done without euident danger he slew Mouy a valiant gentleman and so returned againe to the enemie Neuer any did wholy rely vpon his associates especially such as were newly come vnto him without losse or danger Good it had bene for vs not to haue looked for so much at the Portugales hands as we did it may be they would haue assisted vs if we had bene the stronger but euery one treadeth on those that are throwen vnder foote and thrusteth forward those that are falling