or sway in these Intestine Warres for I haue my selfe knowne many Captaines and great Commanders in those Warres that highlie esteemed of right Martiall Discipline by experience feelinglye seeing the Inconueniences that ensue by such Corruptions haue the more detested and abhorred them As likewise that famous Prince of Orenge I am able to say of mine owne knowledge and from his owne mouth mutch disliked many of those horrible disorders which neuerthelesse necessitie for want of meanes to pay inforced him to tollerate in some of his Mercenarie Commanders The like appeareth by the Discipline before published by that worthie Prince of Coundy and right Militare Admirall Shattilion who notwithstanding were enforced to suffer many of these things themselues condemned But my meaning indeed is with Reproach to noate all such men of Warre as contemning all ancient and true Martiall Discipline either ignorantly thinke all they see done in these Warres fit to be imitated or Rauenously for their owne gaine and particular profit will not onely themselues be the Exequutioners of so foule Abuses but shamelesly maintaigne such bad new Customes to bee good and Laudible and knowing their skill vtterlie vnable with any Eloquence or Cunning to defend so impious and bad a cause wil either by Mutinous factions violentlie endeuour to oppresse or by false flaunders Malitiouslie seeke to disgrace such persons as they know able to discerne and willing to make their Prince and Countrey trewlie vnderstand see and abhorre such horrible Abuses Neither doo I hate the person of aâ—ie one or other Militare man aliue for any respect whatsoeuer but onlie such Extortions and Corruptions in some of them as I should likewise detest if I should finde the same in mine owne Brother And therefore no particular or priuate respect but onely the great Inconuenience I doubt may ensue and the faithfull zeale loue and dewtie I beare to my most gracious Soueraigne and Countrey hath moued and induced mee aswell while I bare Office of ComptrolemeÌ„t in Militare causes as now also being happelie disburdened of that thankelesse place so plainelie to declare a truth not fearing to incurre or irritate the mallice of so viperous and pestilent slaunderous Enemies as both myselfe haue and all other honest Officers shall finde such to bee as haue vowed their seruice to Madam Picorea so liuelie with detestation painted out in her cullours by that worthie and famous Souldier Mounsieur de La Noüe MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PRAEVALET FINIS PRO LEGE REGE ET GREGE ·LOVE KEPYTHE THE LAWE OBEYETH THE KYNGE AND IS GOOD TO THE COMMEN WELTHE· †These insolent speeches of the people were repressed by a sharp penall â—dict of the States made and proclaymed at Middleburgh immediatly after the losse of Sluce This 23. day in Ostend his Excellencie was like to haue beene slaine with a bullet that strake into a Iawme of his windowe right before him and the Lord Wentworth with the splinters thereof hurt in the face Tâ—esday the Dâ—ke of Parâ—â—seeing the returne of our Armie yeelded to any condition of honorable parting that our besiedged could demâ—nd â—â—che denying them aâ—ie delay or libertie to aduertise the Earle of Lâ—ycester being this day with his Army within one League of their Camp before the Hâ—uen â—outh â—nd readie at the highest spring to enter The Enemie very politiquelie made the Commanders in Sluce belecue our Armie was fled at midnight from Blankenburgh whereas wee marched a way in the day before sunne-set in order of Battaile and no charge or attempt made by any one horse or foote vpon our rereward nor shot disâ—harged after vs but onelie out of the Sconce This surrendry was made two or three dayes before the spring tides were past and the day before the highest spring was come
militare Discipline is either contempned neglected or vnknowen as I had more than 10. yeares since published this Militare Treatize concerning the duties Offices of most degrees euen from the priuat souldier to the Generall so did I also during that my imployment labour to my vtmost power to haue such good Lawes and Ordinances established as might aduance the honour and seruice of God our sacred Queene and Countrey But as a bodie possessed with a pestilent feuer dooth manie times abhorre not onely the curing medicine but also the best and most wholsome meate and affect the worst most pernitious so found I all these good Lawes and Ordinances then established so odious intollerable vnto some such men of warre as had been bred vp in those licentious ciuill Dissentions that they not onely detested those good Ordinances but also mortally or rather immortally hated such Officers as according to their dutie tooke care to see them duely and indiffeiently put in execution labouring also to make them odious euen to the common souldiers and whole bodie of the Armie who were indeed their best friends and the onely meanes to relieue them in their wrongs and vniust oppressions But because I knowe those Lawes and Ordinances then established by the Earle to bee such as agree with all right Martiall Discipline and cannot be oppugned or disliked by anie but such as deserue rather to be corrected for their faults than tollerated in their insolent lawlesse presumptions I haue not doubted to commit them to publique iudgement as matters worthie to remain for Precedents to posteritie And because all warres are manadged and maigntaigned chiefly by Armes and Money it is cleere that the good or bad choyce of chiefe Commaunders other chiefe Officers for Militare Accompts is the verie chiefest cause of the good or bad successe of anie warres For as by the Good the Forces are maintaigned strong well armed trained gouerned conducted paid and contented so by the Bad demeanour of these Officers the Princes Treasure being the verie sinewes of the warres may bee vnduely wasted the Bands neither compleate well armed nor trained the valiant souldiers for want of their due wages discouraged or starued Honest creditors and alied friends for want of due paiments discontented the Princes most honourable pay slaundered and dishonoured The consideration of these important causes impressed deepely into my conceipt not by superficiall Contemplations but by actuall Experience hath prouoked or rather enforced me in discharge of my duetie to God almightie and her Maiestie my most gracious Soueraigne Ladie and Mistresse vpon the new Aedition of my Stratiaticos to enlarge it with these Additious That all Commanders and sutch other Officers Militarie seeing before their eyes proponed the Good Bad Light and Darcknes Heauen and Hell knowing that thereby the world also cannot but see which course they holde may resolue to leaue the lâ—crous base wicked and dishonorable path whose ende will bee confusion shame endlesse torments in Hell and to choose theright waiâ— of Vertue that leadeth vnto true honourable Fame finalliâ— shall be crowned with immortall ioyes in Heauen ¶ A Conference of a good and bad Mustermaster with his inferior Commissaries of Musters by the fruits to discerne the Tree The Good The Bad. THis officer will not willingly serue but with such a competent and conuenient enterteignment both for himselfe and his inferior Commissaries Clarks and Substitutes as hee neede not take Bribe or Beneuolence or depend on the fauour of anie but the Generall alone THis officer careth not howe litle Enterteignment certaine hee haue for himselfe or his Substitutes presuming hee can make what gaine hee list of his Office and make such frends thereby also as may beare him out in his lewdnesse c. This officer will be in his Expences temperate rather sparing than wasting that he be not by want enforced to straigne his conscience deceaue his Prince Such an officer hauing so good meanes to get immeasurablie by playing the good fellow will spend infinitlie espectally in keeping company with such as must ioyne with him in deceiuing the Prince This officer seeketh by all means to cause the Generall to establish lawes and ordinances wherby orderly entrances discharges of souldiers may be registred and therby neyther hir Maiestie nor the Souldier abused Such an officer can no more abide laws and ordinances in Musters than lucrous Captaine saying it barreth the officer of his discretion whereby the office ought to bee directed and braue men gratified This officer deliuereth these laws to his inferior commissaries with other straight particular Instructions and calleth them to accompt howe they haue discharged their duties Such an Officer likes none of these strict courses saying among Martiall men a man must play the good fellow not to be too pinching of a Princes purse This officer will not set down anie pennie checque certaine vpon anie Captaine or band without apparant proose for such as cannot be decided will respite them to farther triall that neither Prince Captaine nor souidier be defrauded or iniured Such an officer calleth this examination nice curiositie and saieth so there be some checkes for fashion sake it is no matter make them little enough that the Captaines bee not angrie and all is well Oâ—â— good Fellowe must pleasure another This officer if any such doubtarise in the checks as hee cannot determine by the lawes established he either desireth the Resolution of the Generall or that it may bee determined by a Councell at Waâ—re or some Commissioners especiallie authorized to assist him Such an Officer saieth it is great Follie to loose that Prerogatiue of his Office to resolue these doubtes as hee sees cause and to subiect himselfe to Commissioners that is Master of the Musters himselfe This officer if the Captaines shew anie reasonable cause to bee relieued out of the checks either in respect of the losse of horse or Armor in sernice or such like that deserueth consideration he presenteth his proofes thereof together with his check to the Lord Generall desiring his Lordshippe to haue honorable consideration therof Such an Officer will bee Chancellor himselfe and neuer trouble the Lord Generall with these matters who hath matters of greater importance to thinke vpon Saying Princes purses must not be spared and braue men must bee rewarded and Officers must get Loue and Honour by dealing bountifullie This Officer if hee see ouermuch familiaritie betweene any of his CoÌ„missaâ—ies the Captaines is presentlie iealous of them and calleth them to accompt And if hee find them â—onniuent or faultie presentlie displaceth them or if hee find no other proofe but vehement suspicion yet remooueth theÌ„ to an other Gaâ—risoÌ„ placeth such others in their roomes as may sift and examine their former behauiour Such an Officer likes none of these seuere Iealosies but liketh well such Officers as be plausible and gratefull to the Captaines knowing the Captaines be liberall and
Souldiers as to knowe the sufficiencie of his superior Officers Such a Commander wanting iudgement to doo these things himselfe doth not onely seldome or neuer vse any of these right Martiall exercises but to couer the disabilitie of himselfe and his followers will ieast and scoffe at them that doo it and call them Saint Georges Knights or such like This Commaunder knoweth hee shoulde bee rather a Butcher then a Commaunder if hee should bring his Souldiers to fight before they are thus trained and exercised Such a Commander will not be ashamed to maintaine this butcherlie opinion that men are best trained in blood and that other Traynings are ridiculous This Commaunder if his charge be of Footemen will bee ashamed to bee mounted at anie time on a horse of force or anie other than some litle nagge onelie for his case Such a Commander will be mounted on such a horse as he may out run the whole Field and scape when hee list This commaunder will neuer see his Fantry in perrill but if he happen to be mounted he wiâ—l disinount if hee haue neuer so principall horses offered him to saue himselfe will rather choose to die or take their Fortune than by horse or flight to saue himselfe as the famous Romaine Generales in old time and Mounsier La Noüe in our age hath done Such a Commander so soone as he seeth his Fantery pressed by the Enemie if hee bee not alreadie mounted on a choyce horse hath one alwaies readie to run away with such other folowers like himselfe when his valiant men are cut in pieces and then must these Runawaies by letters or Pamphlets magnifie him and by deuice disgrace these vaâ—ant men that resolutely dyed in the place This Commaunder when he deuiseth anie Enterprize vpon the Enemie doth it onelie vpon matters of importance likelie to be effected and for the benefite publique and reliese of his Souldiers Such a Commander caâ—th not how vnseazible the enterprize bee so by pretence thereof he may get Money into his hands regarding onely his ownâ— profit neither caring for the publiquâ— nor reliefe of the Souldiers This Commaunder if vpon anie such enterâ—rize hee receaue Treasure he imployeth it presentlie on the well arming and furnishing of his Souldiers and supplying of their needefull wants that they may assayle their Enemies couragiouslie and attayne Victoris Such a Commander when he hath receaued their pay wiâ—l not pay them a penie till the seruice be past no not so much as to supply them with armes and needefull furniture knowing the more of them are killed the more his gaine who hauing their Money in his hand meanes according to such corrupt Freebooters lawes To bee himselfe their Heire or Exequutor This Commaunder seeketh by all meanes to spare his Princes purse and publique Treasure and not to haue it wasted vnduelie but imployed in mattâ—rs of importance and for reliefe of the Souldiers that truely serue and deserue Such a Commander careth not how his Princes purse be picked so hee may haue his share of the spoyle and so that be large inough he careth neither for Captaine nor Souldier This Commander winneth the loue of his Captaines and Souldiers by dooing Iustice to both by procuring their due to both and seeing the one doo right to the other Such a Commander currieth Fauour with the Captaines onely of his owne humor by suffering them to crush and oppresse the Souldiers and on his Souldiers hee taketh no more compassion then on Doggs his gaine growing chieâ—elie by their staruing or killing This Commander vsing Iustice and right Martiall Discipline God commonly prospereth and blesseth his Enterprizes Such a Commander vsing the contrarie God seldome or neuer blesseth him with any good successe but with shame and confusion if by right Martiall lawe he might receâ—ue his due This Commaunder to gaine a world of Treasure to himself would not consent to the defrauding of his valient Souldiers of their due or to the crushing or oppressing of freinds or duetifull Subiects Such a Commander to currie Fauour with the great ones and gaine Treasure to maintaine his owne vitious prodegalitie careth not how the pâ—ore Souldiers are abused or the Friends allies and dutifull Subiects oppressed This Commaunder by his iustice and good Discipline winneth the hearts euen of Enemies and encreaseth his Princes Dominions and Territories Such a Commander by his wicked life and bad Discipline alienateth the hearts euen of Friends and allies and looseth by peecemeale great Prouiâ—ces where he maintatneth his â—itious Prodegalitie vpon their robbery and spoyle  This CoÌ„maunder seeketh no vnhonest or indirect meanes by false surmises or lewd practizes to disgrace othermen of value to aduaunce himselfe but reposing himselfe on true vertue enuieth not the good seruice of other Such a Commander being vâ—ide of all true vertue enuieth the same extreamelie in others and engineth by all false and vnhonest practizes by disgrace of his betters to purchase a vaine fame among the ignorant that are blind and not able to iudge aright of Cullors This Commander being sufficiently honored by his owne true vertue and valew contenteth himselfe therewith and laboreth not by any indirect meanes to haue vntrue fames bruted of him This other coÌ„mitting manie shamefull and reprochfull errors desâ—ruing in right Martiall Discipline ignominious disarming by running away when his Souldiers are butchered or staruing them for want of their pay by him receiued c is neuerthelesse so farre past shame by bad education in corrupt Discipline that he will triumph of these shames cause Pamphlets to hee published of his praise the blind multitude manie times missed by these toyes extoll the Cuckowe for a Faulcon and make an Eagle of the Dawe Where these kinde of Commanders are chosen and honored God will blesse encrease and amplifie the State and confound their Enemies and the glorie of that state shall not bee blemished but protected by the omnipotent hand of the Lord of Hostes. Where these kind of Commaunders are suffered and not corrected or suppressed the iust IudgemeÌ„ts of God are to bee feared who neuer permitteth such Iniquity to florish at any time but for their greater Ruyne This briefe Conference of Good and Bad Officers and Commanders may serue as a Glasse or Toutchstone for men to beholde and trie one sort from another and by the Fruits to Iudge aright of the Trees especiallie for chief Magistrates to discerne by sound reason aright and not to be abused by vaine Fame and vncertaine Opinion in a matter of so great Consequence And if anie guiltie Conscience wintch at this it is not I but themselues bewray their Galled Backes TO Conclude least my meaning should maliciously bee misconstrued I must protest that albeit I haue in manie parts of this treatize seuerely inueighed against manie abuses and Corruptions bred fostered in ciuill dissentions yet is it farre from my meaning to inueigh generally against all such Captaines Commanders or Generalls as haue borne charge