strong places round about it suffered the garrisons of the sayd places and all others to retire vnto Leucadie to the intent that the great multitude of people that retired thether should famish the towne the sooner Phalaris hauing had warres with certaine knights of Sicil fayning afterwards to bee friends with them gaue them certaine corne of his to keepe which was as he sayd remayning which corne he put into certaine Garners within their towne causing secrete holes to be made in the roofes of the sayd Garners whereby the rayne running into the corne might corrupt it vpon the trust of which corne the inhabitants sould their owne corne so much the better cheape but being besieged the yeare following finding the corne that the sayd Phalaris had giuen them to keepe to bee corrupted their owne spent he forced thē to do what he would With these policies the aforesayd Generall might helpe him selfe if they might fall out for his purpose and on the other part if he would make the besieged beleeue that he would not stirre from before their towne vntill he had his pretence he might imitate the examples following as Clearchus the Lacedemonian who being aduertised that the Thracians were retired vnto the mountaines hauing carried with them all things necessarie for their sustentation and that they hoped to bee deliuered from him by meanes of the famine which would constraine him to go his waies he commaunded that at the comming of certaine Ambassadours vnto him in the behalfe of the Thracians that some one of his Thracian prisoners should bee publikely slaine and that afterward he should be cut in small peeces which being done he sent these peeces into diuers quarters of his Campe in the sight of the sayd Ambassadours making shewe that it was the victuall wherewith he fed his Campe which inhumanitie being reported vnto the sayd Thracians made them so afrayd that they yeelded sooner then they would haue done imagining that the sayd Clearchus sought by all meanes possible to keepe himselfe long time in the countrie seeing that he fed his men with so execrable a meate Tyberius Gracchus hauing warres with the Portugalles besieging a certaine towne of theirs which vaunted that they were sufficiently victualled for ten yeares he aunswered them that he would haue them the eleuenth yeare wherewith they were so dismayed that they came to composition with him immediatly An enemie may also be perswaded that a siege should continue long by building of houses and lodgings which may hold out winter and sommer and by making of great prouision of victualls and building of Milles and Ouens to grinde corne and bake bread The Generall must seeke by al meanes possible to make the besieged afrayd and helpe himselfe with all the subtilties that might serue his turne specially with the same that Phillip vsed against a Castle which he could not take by force who caused a great quantitie of earth to be brought vnto the edge of their ditch by night making shewe that he mined for which cause those of the Garrison fearing that their place would bée pearced through in short time by the mine yéelded themselues incontinent Pelopidas besieging two townes that stood neere together being before the one commanded secretly that foure of his knights should come vnto him out of the other siege with the greatest ioy that they might possible and crowned as it was the manner of those that did bring any good newes and had giuen order that a wood that was betwixt both the townes should bee set on fire to the intent to make them beléeue that it was their neighbours towne that burnt And moreouer hee caused certaine of his owne men to bee apparelled and led like prisoners néere vnto the towne side that hee besieged wherefore the inhabitants thinking that the other aforesayd towne was taken doubting that the like miserie would happen vnto them if they did not yeeld gaue themselues ouer incontinent vnto Pelopidas who knewe that the other would do no lesse when as it sawe it selfe to be left alone A Generall may likewise cause a towne to bee assaulted on that side that it doth least doubt an assault beginning first to assault it on that parte that they doe keepe greatest watch He might alsso practise to intice them into the fielde if that there were no other way to vanquish them and do as many good Chiefs haue done in times past amongst whō Lucius Scipio in Sardaigne hauing besieged a most strong towne appoynted at a certaine time during the assiege that his men should make shewe to mutin and to bee in armes one against another for which mutins sake he fayned sodainly to flye and all his in disorder which being perceiued by the townes men they issued out at their heeles with a great power and went so farre after them from their towne that a certaine ambush which the sayd Scipio had layd neere vnto the towne had time enough to assault and take it for that there was not one soule that did defend it selfe Anniball being before a great towne placed a good number of his Souldiers in ambush néere vnto the sayd towne and hauing inticed the citizens out with a skirmish making shewe that he was not in safetie for them in his Campe he abandoned it suffering them to take it the townes men thinking that all was wonne seazed vpon his Campe besides those that were left within issued out both great and small thinking to haue their part of the pillage but when as they thought that they had woon all they lost al because that those that were in the ambush thrust themselues into their towne and tooke it easely for that there was no bodie in it to defend it Himilco likewise placed an ambush by night neere vnto a towne which he besieged called Agrigentum commaunding them that when as he had inticed the townes men out drawne them farre of that they should set certaine wood and other things on fire and issue out of their ambush and when the day came he offered them of the towne skirmish who issuing out vpon him chased him farre of for he would haue it to bee so Wherevpon the ambush put fire vnto the wood the smoake whereof was so great that the Agregentins thinking that it was their towne that was set on fire by some mishappe returned to saue their towne who best might fastest wherevpon the ambush presenting themselues before them and Himilco following them neere they got the townes men betwixt them and ouerthrewe them The Children of Israel vsed once this policie against the line of Beniamin To make short if all these subtilties can bring foorth no fruite the Generall may assay to ouercome them by making shewe to leaue them quite remoouing his hoast for in so doing perhappes the townes men will thinke themselues so sure that they will keepe but little watch or none at all wherevpon the sayd Generall may returne with all speede to assault them trauailing as much ground in one
because that of himselfe he shall easily vnderstand what space and how much place euery man ought to occupy in his quarter which may not be vnderstood and obserued by those that do seeke to lodge their Camps in strong places because that they are constrained to alter the formes of their Camps according vnto the varietie of the scituation wherevnto the Romans would in no case be subiect for as I haue said before they did alwaies fortifie by their arte the scituations which were weake of themselues as we may do if we will and vse it in the same sort that they did or in better for we haue Ordnance which they had not albeit that they had certayne other engins which neuer haue béen put in vse since the sayd Ordnance hath béen inuented neither were they of that violence that it is nor so easy to be carryed too and fro For the rest it is knowne that the greatest part of theyr fortresses were made of wood which might not endure against one shot of those pieces that we do vse to beate places withall at this instant against which there is no other remedie but to make rampars of earth and of the greatest thicknes that is possible which yet can very hardly withstand them and were it not that it doth yéeld vnto the shot and by that meanes doth kill it a man should make but sorie worke in ramparing with earth or with other matter for it would be time lost I do meane for the strengthning of a Towne but not of a Campe for that Camps do thinke themselues to be as strong in the field as their enemyes are and consequently will not suffer themselues to be besieged beaten with Ordnance so that they néede not to make any such great rampars as I speake of except that they be very weake and feare to be forced to fight or do forbeare attending succour for in these cases they must séeke by all meanes to fortifie themselues and to haue all the aduantages that might be thought vpon as to make plat-formes of earth and caualiers raysed high to beate round about the Campe a farre off The Lord Constables Campe that was before Auignon was of the most incomparable force of all other that euer I haue séene in my time for a camp scituated in plaine ground By this appeareth that we haue the meanes industry to fortifie a Camp as well as the auncient Romanes had if we do consider of the little force of their engins of the marueilous violence of ours And furthermore that our rampars being of earth we néede not to build towres or castles of wood to the intent to be the surer against the violence of the Cannon which breaketh shiuereth to pieces all that it doth meet withall wherefore we must not thinke that it would be hard for vs to keepe alwaies one forme of camp if we would but also we must belieue that it is as easy for vs to do it as it was for the said Romanes and easier because wood is hard to be found but there is earth ynough to be had euery where In this passage I must speake somewhat of the considerations that a Lieutenant Generall ought to haue when he will incampe néere vnto his enemies before that he enterprise to approach so néere vnto his enemies that the two armies cannot afterwards depart the one from the other without shame or battaile He ought to haue consideration of his estate and force to knowe whether his men haue a good will to fight or not or if they are strong enough to doe it whensoeuer his enemies should assault him or else I would not bee of opinion that he should put himselfe into that daunger forasmuch as it would be to be doubted that his enemies would assayle him at such time as he would thinke to lodge and before that his Campe could be fortified Suppose that he were not fought withall at that instant I cannot thinke but that the sayd enemie atttendant would famish him or else the scituation of the countrie must bée very fauourable For to auoyd these incoueniences the aforesaid Generall ought to looke vnto his busines and if so be that he bée strong enough to deale with thē there is no daunger if he do approach them within Cannon shot hauing viewed himselfe the place whereas he will plant his Camp or caused it to be viewed before that his Legions do ariue And the Legions being ariued he must cause the Hastaries and Princes to keepe themselues in order of battaile with their faces towards their enemies and must helpe himselfe with the Triaries to make his trenches vpon the flankes when as he is not sufficiently furnished with Pioners and to inclose the other sides he might imploy the seruants and boyes with other followers of the armie all which should labour at the backe of the battaile being couered by the Hastaries and Princes The Forlorne hope should be in their order of battaile and the horsemen likewise If the enemie would fight in the meane time the Triaries should alwaies haue time enough to leaue their worke and to take their armes and to raunge themselues in their order whilest that the Hastaries do make resistance so his battailes should by no meanes bee surprised But let vs suppose that his enemie do make no great shewe to assayle him raunged in battaile but doth giue him skirmishes all day long to trouble his people and to keepe them in armes to hinder the fortification of his Campe this bragge must be no cause of stay but they must do the like by thē and giue them good store of great shot withall causing the Hastaries and others as I haue sayd to keepe themselues continually in battaile and the Triaries to continue at their worke not stirring from it vntill such time as the Campe were fortified and the quarters made This done the sayd Triaries must bee first lodged and the prouision immediatly And after them the Princes and the Ordnance which must be brought into the place where it is accustomed to be placed The Hastaries must afterwards take their places and afterwards the horsemen to wéet the men of armes first the light horsemen after them and the Hargoletiers and Harquebuziers on horsebacke after them and last of all the Forlorne hope so that those that ought to bee formost when they should enter into battaile against their enemies shall bee the last that shall bee lodged and in lodging them after this manner there might be no disorder nor cryings as there is amongst vs. For when our Souldiers are to bee lodged in Campe euery man runneth to bee the first lodged crying and making such a noyse that it is a confusion ofttimes lodging thēselues before their turnes making no accompt to leaue their Ensignes and to abandon them hauing their enemies in their teeth The Lord Marshall of Montian was in great distresse through this disorder with his Auantgard before Montcailer for that euen at that
helpe that it would be impossible if the matter were once set abroach and put in question but that it would haue good successe and for to make the matter the more easy this realme is so well furnished with experimented wise and wellwilling men that there wanteth nothing to set vp this arte incontinent but the setting of them aworke and shewing them the manner how to exercise those small things that appertaine therevnto wherefore there is no more to do but to make a leuy of men after the manner that I haue shewed or after a better and immediatly to commit them vnto the charge of those that are fittest and do best vnderstand this busines for to traine them and if the matter were so handled you may be sure as you do well vnderstād that this discipline well exercised would restore vs vnto the reputation that we haue lost through our negligence and besides that you should get an immortall fame for your trauell Moreouer my Lord if I did not knowe the great affection that you haue borne of long time vnto this reformation I would enforce my self to perswade you therevnto at this instant but knowing that it would be but folishly done of me to trouble you with a matter that you so greatly desire I wil but only remember you for the spéedy effecting of your desire to the intent that we might yet one day haue amongst vs the manner valew aduantage that a well ordered hoast hath aboue an hoast that is ill ordered to do vs seruice chiefely against the enemies of our faith if so bee that the King would take any voyage in hand against thē as euery man hopeth that he will do or if so be that he would attend vntil that they should assaile vs at home as it is to be feared that they will doe if that our Lord GOD doe not put to his helping hand which were a thing very néedfull for vs as for vs to thinke that we could resist them with our accustomed manner of warre we should deceiue our selues séeing they do farre excell vs in power discipline and except we do reforme our naughty manner of liuing it were nothing for euery man knoweth that they are the iust scourge of God by whome he will punish vs for the grieuous faults which we do commit But this amendment will be found to be a hard matter with those that are accustomed to liue at their owne pleasures and yet it is nothing else but the custome that we haue taken in it notwithstanding the first is easie if so be that we would take a little paines in it and the last is not impossible if that we would imitate the Lord Camille Vrsin who hath so well amended and reformed the Italyans that are vnder his charge for the Venetians in Slauony whose manner of liuing before was too manifest corrupt as it is well knowne that of all the nations that do haunt the warres there is none so excéeding vitious as the Italyans are commonly that of such as I say they were he hath brought them into so good order that the worst amongst them may be compared with any of the best religious that we haue in our Monasteries And to say truth it is the miracle of our time for both the act which he hath done and the victories they haue gotten may rightly be tearmed to be wonders I do say that our men are neither of stéele nor stone more then his were but that they may be brought vnto a maner of good life aswell as they so that we had another Camille amongst vs or that the Captains who should haue the charge of these men would do their indeuour to imitate him as néere as they might and for this cause haue I made mention of him in this place as also to shew that it would not be impossible to reforme a great many of our souldiers to wéet those that are least hurtfull so that euery one of the Chiefes would first reforme himselfe for his owne part and moreouer did proceed in his busines for another and better intent then they do that go to the warres at this day But I now go without my bounds and in stead of dispatching do intangle my selfe further then euer before and do borrowe a new occasion for euill speakers to reproue me specially for that I do speake of matters at my owne pleasure willing this and that to be done as if it were in me to appoint or that I were better then other men which I am not and therefore it is the worsse wherefore not to detaine you longer with words nor to wéery you with rehearsals which I do feare more then the toongs of those that would cut me through I wil take my hand from this worke for it is time besieching you my Lord Constable to take my defence in hand against those that will after diuers manners controule this Booke and will make their laughing stock of it in your presence reprouing here one thing and there another as the most part of people do at this day whē as any new thing doth light into their hands chiefely if it do come from the forge of any one that is of their acquaintance or of their profession as I am sure that more then foure that are about you will do who would be very sory if they should not speake their rablement rather in euill part then in good if there should be any of these of whome I speake I appeale from their iudgement from henceforth and at this instant vnto you for to mainteine my right I do cast in their teethes the honest desire that I long time haue had to do or to wright somewhat that might please you which hath moued me to take this matter in hand as a thing most agreeable vnto you and therfore sith it is you who haue caused me to take this worke in hand there is no reason that you should excuse me of the fault that I haue committed in it or contrarily that I should defende mine innocencie against all those find faults that would wrongfully reprooue me whome it shall please you to forbidde not to enter into the reading of thys worke for to dispute nor to correcte my sayings except they haue written better of this matter then I haue done or that you do estéeme them to be of the number of those that haue perfect knowledge in militarie discipline for I do consent and permit all those with a good will to reproue me fréely and to teare out at their pleasure all that they do finde to be ill penned and contrary vnto their opinion and it shall be so farre from me to be displeased for any thing that they shall blot or teare out of the booke were it a great part or all as if I might knowe their names I would giue them thanks and also accoumpt my selfe to be greatly beholding vnto them for the honour they had done me in declaring their opinions vpon a
King doth keepe in his seruice or the greatest part of them What good order then may be taken in this matter Certainly my Lord you will aunswere me none but who would haue simple and plaine men so that they were the Kings subiects whom it were farre better to take into seruice supposing that they were leuied and chosen as appertaineth albeit that they neuer had been at any seruice and that they do come but from houlding of the plough then those that had long time exercised the occupation of armes although they be alswell experimented as they might be so that they were otherwise ill conditioned for that you shall finde that it is easier to make simple and newe men good Souldiers then it is to bring the wicked to good waies after that they are once gone astray It is not then without cause that I praise the leuie of those that may bée made good Souldiers with little difficultie and that I crye against those which are so excéeding wicked that there is not almost any remedie to amend them And therefore it were not conuenient that my sayings should be dispraised nor condemned if I haue spoken against the wicked for my meaning was to prick them only and no others nor it were no reason that I should bee reproued although I haue blamed the manner that wee do vse in leuying Aduenturers for I haue not done it before I had iustly praised to weet whether the Legionaries or the said voluntaries were better nor before regard taken diligently vnto the profite that may come of the one vnto the inconueniences and euils of which the others are commonly causers for if I had made any comparison on mine owne side I would neuer bee so rash as to put it to iudgement as I do But bee it that those that doe maintaine their part should finde mine opinion euill and the libertie I haue vsed in speaking yet will I not therefore leaue to exhort al those that vse the warres and doe delight to haue the title of Aduenturers that they should chaunge for some other maner that should be better then that which we haue handled hetherto and that of euill liuers as we are euery man should bestowe his labour to become a man of good life and if wee haue béen inexpert in the feates of armes heretofore let vs endeuour to reforme our selues hereafter in such sort that the King seeing vs to bee well conditioned and perfect good Souldiers may thinke himselfe happie specially finding such Souldiers to be in his realme that our enemies or neighbours who daylie raunsack vs being aduertised of our valour should make greater difficultie to mooue warre against the sayd Lord to morrowe or next day then they are accustomed or to hould themselues at too high a price if he had need of the ayd of his sayd neighbours knowing how much we do excell them in vertue and discipline Here endeth the third and last Booke FINIS THE PRACTISE of Fortification Wherein is shewed the manner of fortifying in all sorts of scituations with the considerations to be vsed in delining and making of royal Frontiers Skonces and renforcing of ould walled Townes Compiled in a most easie and compendious method by Paule Iue Gent. Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man and Toby Cooke 1589. To the Right Honorable Sir William Brooke of the most noble order of the Garter Knight Lord Cobham Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and their members of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsaile and Lord Lieutenant of the Countie of Kent And vnto the Right Honorable Sir Frauncis Walsingham Knight principall Secretarie to her Maiestie Chancelor of the Dutchie of Lancaster and of her Highnesse most honorable priuie Counsaile THe manifold benefites that I haue receiued at your Honors hands since my returne into England haue enforced me to seeke some meanes whereby J might make known my thankfulnes for the same And finding nothing more agreeable vnto your Honorable cares in the seruice of her Maiestie wherein I might do you more humble seruice then in the practise of Fortification hauing had sight therein since the view taken by the Marques Vitell for the oppressing of the Lowe Countries with the yoke of Citadels and exercise sithence Don Johns departing from Bruxels vnto Namure which practise although it be not so common amongst vs or of some thought altogether so necessary for vs as for the nations whose countries do lie adioyning together where an enemie may enter with a great number of horse men vpon the sodaine yet is the knowledge necessarie that when the practise should bee put in execution in the seruice of her Maiestie that perfection might be efected that might do her Highnesse seruice And therfore I haue compiled this little treatise of the practise of Fortification which J most humbly present vnto your Honors beseeching you to receiue it as a most humble token of the desire J haue to do you seruice Your Honors most humblie readie at commaundement Paule Iue The Practise of Fortification The necessary placing of a Forte The 1. Chapter THE reason that moued men first to enclose their Cities and other habitations with walles was to be assured from enemies and that a small number might defende themselues from the violence and oppressions of a great wherein their first practise extended no farther then the preseruation of priuate estates vntill such time as it was considered that not only perticuler places but also the generall estate of a Kingdome Prouince or Countrey might be defended by placing of walled Townes Castels and Fortresses vpon the edge and borders of the same of such sufficient strength and greatnesse as that in time of peace they might be kept with a fewe men and vppon a surmize of warre receiue a greater number by whome the enemye borderer should not only be anoyed in his Countrey and hindered to enter vppon the lands of his neighbours so frontierd with any small power vpon the suddaine but bringing any great army be constrained not to passe the Fort without subduing it for auoiding the great mischiefe he might receiue of so noysome an enemy left behinde him which to inuade would aske great charge time and trauell besides the danger that might happen In placing of which Fortresses two things are chiefely to be considered of the necessitie and the scituation for as a Forte not placed where it were néedefull might skantly be accompted for frontier so hauing no benefit of the place it standeth in it might hardly be reckoned for fortresse so that the one must helpe the other to the best effect that may be A Fort therefore that shall serue for a frontier must bée set néere the walled Townes Castels and frontiers of the enemy borderer or néere other places where an enemy may make any suddaine assembly of people in hys Countrey hauing the way from thence commodious to enter vppon the lands of his neighbours and the retreate good and vppon the Seacoasts
at Hauens and Roades where a Fléete of Ships may be harboured and haue commodious landing in which places because the grounds may be of diuers natures for this purpose I will shewe the manner of fortifieng in all sorts of grounds and the commodities and discommodities that a fort may haue of the place where it standeth in The manner of fortifying in all sorts of grounds and the commodities and discommodities a Fort may haue of it scituation The 2. Chapter WHo so shall fortifie in playne ground may make the Fort he pretendeth of what forme or figure he will and therefore he may with lesse compasse of wall enclose a more superficies of ground then where that scope may not be had Also it may be the perfecter because the angles that do happen in it may be made the flatter or sharper Moreouer the ground in plaines is good to make ramperts of and easie for cariage but where water water wanteth the building is costly and chargeable for that a Fort scituated in a dry playne must haue déepe ditches high walles great bulwarks large ramparts and caualieros besides it must be great to lodge fiue or sixe thousand men and haue great place in it for them to fight ranked in battaile It must also haue countermines priuie ditches secret issuings out to defende the ditch casmats in the ditch couered wayes round about it and an argine or banke to empeache the approach will require great garrison much artillerie powder victuals and other things necessarie for the kéeping and mainteining of it is subiect to mynes and to caualieros may be surprised skaled battered and assaulted on euery side and may be kept besieged with forts men horsse and artillerie Where water may be found the fort may be the lesse and needeth not the ditches so déepe as in dry ground for it will be frée from surprise skale and myning and being battered the assault will be troublesome for that one man standing vppon firme ground may resist fiue vpon a bridge boat floate or such like Moreouer the fort standing neere vnto any riuer may receiue great commodities of it for the bringing of things necessarie vnto it both for making and mainteining of it and it may haue the riuer turned into the ditch to skowre the ditch of any thing that may be cast into it and the same may also be kept vp with stuses within the fort to drowne the ground about it and in those lowe places which abound with water an enemy can hardly couer himselfe from the fort Betwixt these two scituations there are diuers opinions helde some commending dry ditches alleadging that by a dry ditch a fort may receiue reliefe the ruine that a batterie maketh may be taken away and any thing that an enemy may cast into the ditch to fill it may be burnt by the sallies that may be made out of a dry ditch an enemy may be charged in his trenches on euery part which may serue the turne for a while but these consider not the counterscarpe being wonne the benefit and vse of the ditch will be taken away by the artillerie and harquebusserie of the enemy nor that of those three meanes wherewith a wall may be breached to wit the Cannon myne and mens hands water hindereth the putting in practise of two of them The discommodities that proceede of water are these in hoate Countreys standing water engendreth infectiue ayres and in colde Countreys it freeseth that men horsse and artillerie may passe ouer In fortifying amongst hilles make choise of those that are like piramides or that haue no ground of equall height with the superficies of their tops more then the fort and the ditch will occupy to the intent that from the Fort an enemy may be impeached the assent of the hill For which consideration the fortifier shall be oftentimes constrained to make the Fort greater then it were néedfull it should be and ofttimes with great circuit of wall shall enclose but a small superficies of ground but being so placed it néedeth no great place in it nor royall defences as great Bullwarks Flanks or Ramparts because it will not be subiect vnto batterie but will be assured through the valley and hanging of the hill which will giue an enemy trouble in lodging trenching taking away the defences batterie and assault and being myned the effect might happen to little proffit for the inequalitie of the ground Besides if the defenders should charge their besiegers the one quarter of the Campe could not succour or be succoured of the other Or if the defenders should be enforced to retire they might do it with aduantage ynough hauing most commonly a higher ground to repaire vnto but when that choise may not be had but that the superficies of the hill top be more then the Fort may occupy then must he choose the higher part of the hill placing the Fort that so great part of it may enioy the benefit of the hanging of the hill as possible may and towarde the other part of the same build as in a dry playne for as part in respecte of the valley vnder it may enioy the benefite of the hilly scituation so part in respect af the equalitie of the ground without it vppon which an enemy may lodge trenche myne batter and assault especially if the grounde may be broken with Spade Pickaxe and such like is subiect to all those discommodities that a Fort scituated in a dry plaine A Fort scituated among Mountaines can hardly be kept besieged with fortes men horsse and artillerie but those fortes that are scituated vpon hills and mountaines are troublesome to make for the difficultie of bringing of stuffe to the place are subiect to surprize suffer oft times great penurie of water and oft times are troubled with great raynes which séeking issue do cause ruyne of their walles A Fort scituated in a lake néedeth no great defences as great bulwarks ramparts caualieros nor large flanks because it is frée from batterie and assault but through the euill aire of the lake it will oft times be besieged of it selfe Besides an enemy may easily besiege it in placing Forts where it hath recourse to the land and procéede on hys voyage assuring himselfe that the Fort must come into his hands for as it is hard to be aborded so it is to receiue succour and able to do an enemy but little hurt Of Forts placed vppon small riuers is sufficiently spoken before and those that stand vpon great riuers may partly be compared with those in lakes but where they may be approched their defences must be great are free of the infectiue aire which the lake oft times yéeldeth may better receiue succour and giue an enemy great trauell in the assiege A Fort scituated in the Sea is not only free from batterie and assault because the batterie that may be made at Sea is feeble weake and vncertayne by reason of the Seas continuall motion but also is free from besieging not
like vnto the Mammeluks of the Souldane or the Ianissaries of the Turke which manner although it seemed at the first sight to haue been for the profit of the Empyre notwithstanding it turned it oftentimes vpsidowne because that this number of Soldiers disposed of that dignitie at their pleasure being vpon the place and in armes against naked men and vnarmed On the other side the other armies which were in Fraunce Barbarie and elswere would stand in their owne conceipts the one naming one to be Emperour and the other another insomuch that sometime there were two or three pretendants who in thinking to consume one another consumed the Empyre which had cost so much the getting a thing that they were ignorant of But after that most of the Emperours were of straunge nations as the soldiers which had made them were it was an occasion that they had lesse care of the preseruation of the Empyre then if they had béen borne within the citie Whereof insued that as well those that were declared Emperours as those that had elected them marched against the sayd citie with one consent as against their enemies with intent to triumph ouer it And God knowes whether that these things might be handled without the committing of many robberies insolencies in those chaunges and also of many murthers aswell of the Emperours them selues as of the Senators other great personages in Rome Certainly wee must say that it was impossible seeing that wee may beleeue that if the institutions which the Romanes had at that time that their vertue florished had béen alwaies maintained that was to make warre with their owne people and not to haue waged straungers nor likewise to haue suffered their neighbours and alliance in their camps in greater number then they themselues were their Empyre had not been deuided nor had not béen transported out of their hands nor their citie so many times destroyed and abandoned as it hath béen For if they had maintained their first manner of warre they had escaped all their inconueniences and had brought all their enterprises to as happie ende as they did while they serued themselues with their owne citizens Michaell Paleologus the Emperour of Constantinople may likewise be an example who calling a number of Turkes to his aide to make warres against certaine princes of Greece that rebelled against him shewed them the way to passe out of Asia into Europe and therevpon the said Turkes tooke occasion to come vpon Greece with great force and to inuade it by little and little Of which mischiefe the sayd Emperour was cause for that he chose rather to cause straungers to come to his assistance then to take vp in his countrie those that were necessarie for him to make his warres withall with whom if he had would he might with little labour haue vanquished a Lord of Bulgarie his subiect and haue chastened him without thrusting an armie of Turkes into his countrie who if they had not come there Greece had not suffered the miseries which it hath suffered in time past and which it must yet euery day suffer And therefore without hauing regard vnto the old opinion that is to say whether the countrie be cold or hot and to withstand the manifold inconueniences that may happen vnto those that may make their warres with the helpe of straungers me thinke that euery Prince ought to strengthen himselfe with his subiects without making any accompt to hyer others or at the least if he would be serued with strangers not to make them his principall force for the daunger that might happen As for to commit the person of a king or of the greatest personage of a kingdome vnto the trust of those that are not his subiects and who loue him not and the seruice which they do him is but for a few crownes is a counsaile grounded vpon no reason because it is to bee thought that straungers are much more easie to bee corrupted then those that are borne and bred in the same countrie that their king is The preseruation of whom ought to bee more deare vnto them then vnto those that serue him but for his monie which once failing they abandon him as if they had neuer knowne him Herevpon I may alleadge that which a great troope of Launceknights did vnto Monsiure Montpensier in Naples who left him there at the mercie of the Spanyards only because his monie failed and that the enemies promised them payment at their first arriuall and assoone as they were turned from that parte which was cause of the losse of the same kingdome the first time And not to accuse the Almaignes only I say that the Switzers left Monsiure de latrec at that time that the terme of their payment was expired because they doubted that they should haue borrowed vppon the moneth following And although that the sayd Switzers did not go from vs vnto our enemies yet euery man knoweth well that they forsooke the sayd Lord when as his enemies were equall vnto him in strength which was cause of the losse of the Dutchie of Millain Since that the Grisons departed frō our campe before Pauie and abandoned the King his person euen at that instant that the Spanyards were determined to hazard the battell and to assault him which happened within few daies after so that the going away of those bands did greatly weaken our armie for they were sixe or eight thousand and was cause that the enemie did enterprise more boldly to assault vs and that our men were more discouraged to receiue them in so much that putting thereunto the euil behauiour of our Switzers who went away without striking stroke we lost the battel Whereby appeareth plainly the little trust that is to bée giuen vnto straungers and how daungerous it is for vs to repose our state in their forces Whosoeuer he were I wil not be of opiniō that a King should make his force of straungers nor that he should entertaine so many that they should bee of equall force with his owne subiects if it were so that he were constrained to take any For if the straungers be as strong as his owne people and that it were necessarie that the sayd straungers should doe any thing that were contrarie vnto their mindes which they refused they must bee fought withall or there will bee no obedience but if they finde themselues the weaker they will neuer haue the heart to disobey nor to busie themselues with the authoritie of a Captaine Generall as they are when there is no meane to bridle them For which cause a Prince that might find himselfe in extremitie not to be obeyed of the straungers which he might retaine ought to haue in his campe such a number of his owne subiects that if he were driuen to vse force they might be of power sufficient to constraine the rebels to accomplish his will For otherwise there will be nothing done because the seruice of the sayd Prince will be slacked and sometime
one manner of sounding in the field whether it be to sounde an allarme or to make a Crye to put themselues in battell for to marche forward or backward for to turne toward any part and for a retreate and in some to signifie all those other points with other Drums which by the sound of one Drum alone cannot so well be made knowne as by manye who make themselues to be heard in the greatest tumult and preases that may be The Souldiers likewise ought to be so attentife to listen vnto that which they are commaunded that they should neuer faile The Drums ought also to bee readye to sounde according vnto the sound of the Colonel his Trumpet by whome they must gouerne themselues in all that they do The Colonel his Trumpeter ought to be expert in all his soundings to handle them so clearly that one thing be not mistaken for an other but to expresse the Collonel his commaundement as he ought to do and to be alwayes attendant vpon him and not to be from his hand And to tell you the reasons that make me to ordaine a Trumpet amongst footmen is that it might bee better vnderstoode in a great noyse then the Drums or that when as the Drums should alter their stroke they might gouerne themselues by the sound of the Trumpet whose sounde is much lowder then the Drums which the Switzers knowing who are the inuenters of the Drums do vse Trumpets before their Bataillons wherby their Chefes do signifie what the Batailon ought to doe and it is not long since that they vsed great Hornes All these small things ought to be shewed vnto euery band a part before that the Legion should be assembled together to the intent that they might know to keepe their order and ranks that no force whatsoeuer might disorder them and that the sound of the Trumpet might be so familiar vnto them that they should not erre nor take one thing for another but afterwards might easilie learne all that the Bataillon ought to doe when they are assembled to-together And forasmuch as we put an armie into battell eyther for that we see our enemies or for that we doubt them not seeing them euery bande ought to be practised and instructed in such sort that it might marche vpon the waye surely and fyght if need require and euery Souldier to be taught what he ought to do if they should be assaulted vpon a sudden And when you do instruct them in the manner that they ought to keepe to resist their enemies vpon a day of Battell it shal be necessary to shew them how a battell dooth begim and after what maner one Batalilon dooth encounter another of the enemies and vnto what place they must retire being repulsed and who they are that should put themselues in their places vnto what signes sounds and cryes they ought to obey and what they should doe when they heare those soundes and cryes and see those signes and to accustome them so well with those fained battailes and assaults that afterwards they should not onely dare to abyde an enemie but desire the battaile which bouldnesse will rather proceede of the good order and raunging that they doe finde to be in themselues then of their owne proper hardines and specially because their battailes shal be ranged that the one may succour the other easilie which is a thing of no small importance to imboulden Souldiors For that if I be of the first battell that fighteth and know vnto what place to retire when I am repulsed and who it is that should come in my place I shall alwaies fight with a better courage seeing my succour neare then whē I see them not or knowe not of them Likewise if I be of the second battell although the first be repulsed and that I see them to giue backe that shall nothing dismaye me because I know before what that geuing backe doth signifie but shall be more desirous that it might be so to the intent to be of that number that should winne the victorye and that the first should not haue all the honour alone These exercises heere spoken of are necessarye both for our new men and for those that are practised also for we finde that although the Romanes knew all that they ought to doe in a perticular bande and also in an armie and learned all those pointes in their youthe notwithstanding they were practised aswell in time of peace as when their enemies were at hand Iosephus saythe in his Historie that the continuall exercise of the Romanes armie was cause that the multitude of those that did follow the Campe did serue vpon a day of battell aswell as the men of war for that they did know aswell as the others to keepe their rankes and to fight well But for an hoast of new mē whether it be you leauie them to haue present seruice of them or to haue seruice of them heereafter it would be worth nothing without these exercises wherfore sithe that order is so necessary a thing it must be shewed vnto them with double industrie and diligence that vnderstand it not and maintained in them that doe know it as we finde that many excellent Captaines haue taken paines to teach maintaine this discipline But this matter hath brought me somwhat out of the way for that I doe speake of the practising of the whole armie before I haue declared how to exercise the bands particularly but it is the affection that I beare vnto this matter that is the cause wherefore I will returne vnto my first purpose How to raung one band in battaile and the order that it ought to keepe in trauailing through the countrie and the manner how to lodge it in a campe in his quarter a part and a Legion together The 7. Chapter THe first thing of importance in the exercising of these bands is to teache them to keepe their rankes well wherefore they must be first raunged in single order that is three and three together or fiue and fiue or eyght and eyght as it will best fall out with-out respect of the number wheather it bee euen or od for that dooth nothing in this matter but is an obseruation with-out any grounde and Vegetius him selfe can giue no good reason for it but custome I haue sayd before that euery one of the ten bands that shal be appointed for the bodie of the Battailion of euery one of the newe Legions which I doe ordaine for I leaue a side the Legions heretofore leuied shall haue 510. men not coumpting the Captains which 510. ought to be brought into 102. ranks that is fiue men in euery ranke and afterward their ranks augmented either marching slowly or in hast as of two rankes of fiue to make one of ten and of two of 10. to make one of 20. and soddainly to reduce them out of this ranke into their first single order and to aduertise them that the second should alwaies follow the first not
them must go but slowly that those in the right corner should not be constrained to run or els all would come to a confusion but this may better be shewed by effect then by writing As for the two bands that should make the forlorne hope their Pikemen may be ranged in battell to learne them to keepe order for I would vse them and those of the flankes in particular factions to wit in skirmishes and other extraordinary seruice where it should not be needfull to send any great number of people but principally I will haue those of the flanks to defend and couer the Bataillon and as for the forlorne hope I appoint them both Pikes and Harquebusiers to begin the Battell and to fight amongst the Horssemen without keeping any order And to that intent I haue armed them lightlye for their office shall be to fight not standing firme but running from one place to another be it that they haue the enimie in chase or are chased themselues wherein the Pikes may doe great seruice for they may reskue the Harquebusiers and may shew their faces vnto those that would force them whether they were on Horsebacke or a foote or to follow those that should flye and to force those that shrinke So that as well the one as the other whether they be of the body of the Bataillon or of the flanks or of the forlorne hope haue need to be well exercised to the intent that they might knowe how to keepe their ranks and to put themselues readilye againe into their places if they were broken by meanes of ill and straight passage or that the enemy should put them into any disorder and if they can doo this in their particular bands euery band wil afterwards easily learne what place it ought to keepe in the Bataillon and also what they ought to do in a Campe. As for the bands of these legions that are already made in France which are of a 1000 men to bring them into order fyrst make their single order of 6 and 6 and afterwards reduce the six Corporals men which are for the bodie of the Batailon into 96 rankes not comprehending the Corporals nor the Chiefes of Squadrons then double them and make them of 12 in a ranke causing the one ranke to enter within the other as is abouesaid so that the 96 rankes shall come vnto 48. Moreouer they must be doubled againe and from 12 in a ranke they will amount vnto 24. and the Cheife of the Squadron shall ioyne with them so that euery ranke will be 25 men The Corporals shall put themselues before their Squadrons euery man before his owne two Corporals of Pikemen shall make the forepart of this small Battailon and two Corporals of Halbardiers shall make the middest and hee that is formost of them shall make one ranke of Halbardiers and then two ranks of Pikes and after them one ranke of Halbardiers The other corporall that is behind him shall also make one ranke of Halbardiers then 2. rankes of Pikes after them one ranke of Halbardiers by which accoumpt there shall be 2. rankes of Halbardiers together in the middest the Ensigne in the midst of them The other two Corporals shall make the taile of this Batailon and each of their troopes shall make foure rankes Touching the other foure Corporals that remaine one must be appointed for the flanke and the other three for the forlorne hope And this is the forme that I would keepe in ranging one of the bands of these Legions by it selfe wherein the Souldiers must be often practised And if the King would permit that these orders should be diligently executed and put in practise he should haue many good Souldiers in his kingdome in short time but the disorder that is amongst our men of warre at this present is cause that these things are dispraised and therfore our armies can not be good albeit that the Chiefes were naturally vertuous for that they being ill followed and obeyed can neither shewe their knowledge nor their vertue It may bee also that the number of Chiefes which I doe ordaine in a Legion shoulde seeme superfluous or might make a confusion amongst themselues because of the number which I doe institute which thing would be to be doubted except they should referre themselues wholly vnto one Chiefe but hauing one principall Cheife aboue them all the great nomber of officers wil cause good order for if there should not be a great number of Cheifes it would be impossible to gouerne so great a multitude of people for as a wall that ouer hangeth doth require rather to be vpholden with many shoores although they bee not very strong then with a fewe of greate strength for that one alone how strong soeuer it bee cannot assure the wall but onely where it standeth so likewise must it be in a Legion for it is necessarie that among euery ten men there should be one of more courage or at least of greater authoritie then the rest to keepe the other Souldiers firme and in order to fight through their good courage examples words and authoritie specially the Deceniers are necessarie if they did but serue to keepe the rankes right and firme and in so doeing it were impossible that the Souldiers shoulde disorder themselues and if so bee that they shoulde bee so far put out of order that they coulde not immediatly finde their places by meanes of these Chiefes who shoulde haue regard therevnto being by them the Chiefes of the Squadrons are to commaunde the Deceniers and the Corporalls are aboue them who looke into al things that doeth concerne the duety of the Souldiers and theirs But at this day wee serue our selues with all these officers to no other effect but to giue them more wages then vnto other men for that they haue credit to bring certaine compagnions vnto the bands which is cause of many Leagues amongst Souldiers We vse likewise Ensignes at this present more to make a great shew then for any militarie vse our auncetours did vse them for guides and to knowe how to bring themselues into order by them for euerie man after the Ensigne was placed knew his place by it and placed himselfe incontinent they knew also that if it mooued or stayed they ought to mooue or to stay Wherefore it is necessarie that in an hoast there should bee many bodies that is to say bands and that euerie body should haue an Ensigne to conduct those that are of the same body and so the hoast shall haue many soules and by consequent many liues The Souldiers ought then to gouerne themselues by their Ensignes and the Ensignes by the sound of the Drume which being well ordered as it ought to be doth commaund a whole Legion which Legion marching in such sort that the steppes of the Souldiers do agree with the stroke of the Drumme shall easily keepe their order And for this purpose had the auncient Souldiers Flutes Phiphes perfectly agreeing
sodden which they do eate very well without bread and drinke water And moreouer they are not troubled with the carrying of kettles or pannes because that they do see the their flesh in the skinnes of beastes when they haue flayed them nor haue no care to carrie prouision with them because they are sure to finde in the countrie where they do pretend to make warre One thing they haue care of that is to carrie a plate of yron and a bagge of meale to the intent that when they feele their stomackes weake and féeble with the eating of too much rawe flesh they might comfort them with cakes which they do make after this manner They temper a little meale in a dish and cast their plate into the fire and when the plate is hot enough they do make little cakes of their paste and bake them vpon the sayd plate and by this meanes they do make great iournies to surprise their neighbours without rumour of their enterprises and without any great cost As for vs Frenchmen we will haue a regard not to liue so soberly what need soeuer there were for hardly wil we one houre indure the lacke of good wine or good bread nor of any other daintie no more then if we were at home in our owne houses and that euerie man were of abilitie to haue all that he desired And therfore our armies are quickly famished as well for that it is hard to make prouision for many daies of so many things as wee do require as also for the meruelous spoyle that are made of our prouisions when we haue them Wherefore we must reforme our hoasts after a new manner that is neuer to suffer men of warre to eate other bread then that they should bake themselues And in so doing it should be necessarie to furnish the sayd Souldiers euery man with a quantitie of meale whether it were by gift or in rebating it vpō their wages As for wine the General should not trouble himselfe to prouide any nor impeach the victuallers from bringing it aboundantly and yet he should vse no great diligence on his part to cause any to be brought vnto the Camp As for the other prouisions they may bee vsed altogether according vnto the auncient manner This doing all well considered you shall finde that a Lieutenant Generall shall free his armie of a most great charge and ease himselfe of a great burthen And to the intent that our Legionaries should finde the want of victualls to bee the lesse straunge vnto them if that they should lacke at any time and that they might passe at a neede without wine and choyse of meates I am of opinion that in going and returning from their musters they should be forbidden to drinke wine and to eate bread baked in an ouen and likewise the eating of flesh except lard whereof only I would cause prouision to be made at the places where they should passe lodge and for the rest they should carrie vpon their backs asmuch meale as should serue them during the voyadge if that they would eate for other prouision I would make them none of any thing Through this order the Souldiers would learne to suffer all necessities at a need the countrie should be eased and the Souldiers would not bee so readie to make quarrels and debates amongst themselues as they are when they haue great aboundance of victualls To treate of the booties that are gotten after the winning of a battaile or in going through an enemie his countrie or in getting any towne by assault or by the raunsoming of the towne or countrie where an armie doth passe and for prisoners that may bee taken first it shall not bee amisse to examine how the auncient Chiefes did gouerne their armies in the like busines And consider what is the cause that the warres at these daies do aswell impouerish the Princes that are vanquishers as those which are vanquished for that if the one do loose honor and any part of his lands the other doth spend his treasure and his goods which was not so in times past because that the vanquisher enriched himselfe alwaies with the goods and spoyles of his enemies and at this time we do make no such accompt of the booties which we do get as they did then but all is abandoned vnto the Souldiers which is cause of two great disorders the one is that which I haue spoken of touching the impourishing of a Prince and the other is that the Souldiers do become the more couetous to get and lesse carefull to keepe the orders of the warres For many times it hath béen seen that the couetousnesse of the pillage hath ouerthrowne the vanquisher as happened vnto the Frenchmen at Guyngate where the victorie was wholly ours if the French Archers had not giuen themselues vnto pillage which they payd for dearely for they lost all their liues there The Romanes who without doubt haue béen the maisters of this exercise did prouide wisely for these two inconueniences for it was ordayned amongst them that the bootie that was gotten should appertaine vnto the common vse and that the Consull should distribute it as he thought good in the name of the Senate and people And in this case they had Questors which were as we would say Treasourers into whose hands were assigned all the booties and raunsomes that were made wherewithall the Consull did helpe to pay his Souldiers to succour sicke and hurt men and to helpe to support the other charges of the hoast But yet the Consull might suffer his men to ransacke and they did it sometimes but it neuer caused any disorder for that their enemies hoast being ouerthrowne al the spoyle was placed in the middest of the armie and afterward it was distributed vnto euery man according vnto his qualitie and vertue which manner was cause that the Souldiers gaue themselues vnto the fight and not vnto pillage and also that the ordinarie bands raunged in the bodie of the Battailon did not pursue those that fled but continued fast in their rankes without daunger for the light armed men only had the charge to followe the victorie so that if the bootie should haue appertayned vnto those that did first gather it vp it had not béen possible nor agreeing vnto equitie to haue kept the battailons in order haue giuen others libertie to make their profite By this meanes the common treasure augmented merueilously and that was the occasion that a Consull carried so much treasure at his triumph hauing gathered it together of his booties and raunsomes The Romanes did also another thing with great consideration that was that the one third part of the wages that they gaue monthly vnto euery Souldier was deliuered into the hands of the Ensigne-bearer which he might not render vnto them agayne vntill such time as the warres were finished And this did they being thereunto mooued by two reasons the one was to the intent that the Souldiers might haue some profite
men that were before at the tayle of their battailes marched now at the front and all the hoaste followed them and those who had kept the passages before who were fresh and had rested kept at the tayle to maintaine skirmish against their enemies whilest the others did goe theyr wayes they themselues following them skirmishing and resisting theyr enemies all daye long vntill such time as they did come vnto theyr lodging And this is concerning those that doe retyre in the sight of theyr enemyes which is more harde then when as they doe depart not beeing discouered in a good while after that they are remooued or vntill the next daye for in such a case they shall haue time enough to get away farre enough off from their enemies And those that would so dilslodge that theyr enemies being neare should not perceiue it ought to vse all the meanes that they may possible to make their enemies to thinke that they do still remaine in their fort they must dislodge by night their fyers must bee refreshed that they should not goe out in long time after their departure but continue burning vntill it were day Moreouer they must place the bodies of their dead if they haue any round about their trenche which should bee vnderset with shoores and clothed and weapened as if they were alyue or they should plant some bushes and clothe them with Souldiers apparell or stuffe the sayde clothes with grasse and leaue certaine head peeces placed vpon the trenche layeng stakes by them with matche burning for to represent Harquebusiers the one of these deuises will serue by night and the other by daye Moreouer they might leaue Dogges Bullockes Asses and Horsses made fast within their Campe whose cryeng neyeng and howling might make theyr enemies to beléeue that the Campe were not remooued and Cockes also would doe the like if there were anye in the Campe the Almaignes doe carrye good store I thinke not but these policies would couer the departing of an armie And when as the Ordnaunce could not be saued it might bee broken in péeces and carryed away to be new melted afterward or might bee buried so that it might afterwarde bee hard to be founde or if it should come vnto the woorst it coulde bee but loste although it should fall into our enemyes handes the losse whereof coulde not bee so great but the losse that might fall vpon the men would bee more to bee feared because that Ordnance might be easier recouered then the men that would bee loste to defende it notwithstanding at this daye wee doe make such accoumpt to preserue it that we doe almost forget all our other busines making our accoumpt that if it maye bee saued it is all that wee doe care for and that if it were left behinde all were loste for which cause wee leaue oft times to giue order for many things of great importance being troubled with a great quantitie of Ordnance which may not be left without a great gard to kéepe it notwithstanding the estimation that we doe make of it if it were requisite for an army to make any extreame hast whether it were to indomage an enemy or to kéepe vs from their hands through these occasions we must eyther abandon the said Ordnance or doe our busines ill as we did ours at Landrian for the desire that we had for to saue a naughtie Cannon Wherefore as often as we are in this extremitie it were much better for to saue the men albeit that the ordnance baggage other mooueables should be lost then to hazard men for a thing that may so easily afterward be recouered Sithe I haue before spoken of a retreat made in the sight of an enemie I will now speake of a retreat made which an enemie dooth not see Let vs put case that a Generall dooth retyre by night so secretlye that his enemies doe not perceiue his going vntill long time after his dislodging it is to be thought that in short time he will bee farre on his way and so far as it were not possible for his enemies to ouertake him what hast soeuer they should make whether they should pursue him or might pursue him if they would the sayd Generall can vse no better counsell then to trauaile daye and night without rest vntill such time as he were out of daunger in resting by the way to take great héed not to be one minute of an hower without good watch nor without Horssemen skouting out vpon the wayes a good waye of from his Campe and not suffer his Souldiers to goe out of their quarter but to be ready with their armes at euerye hower for to resist those that would assayle them and to set forward vpon the waye when they should depart and this order must bee kept at the meales that they doe make by daye and as concerning their night resting it must be as short as it may be possible the Souldiers hauing continually their armes in their hands that euery man might bee readye to defende himselfe If the stay that they did make by night should bee anye thing long I would counsell the Generall to lodge his men in some strong place of aduantage but the surest and safest waye is not to staye but to winne grounde as much as he may possible thinking vpon the daunger that he was in but a little before and the daunger and greefe it would bee vnto him to bee ouertaken through his owne default It were therefore better for him to vse diligence whilst he may doe it without let then to tarry the comming of his enemies and to bee constrained to fight or to fall into their mercie this dooing he shall saue himselfe and his people and giue his enemie no time to ouertake him or to force him to fight but the pursuer must take heed least in pursuing foolishly rashly he fall into the ambushes that are made in such cases against the pursuers who oft times become so audacious that they doe thinke scorne to foresee into anye thing that might hurte them so that those whome they doe pursue might easilye surprise and greatlye endomage them and sometime put them vtterlye into disorder if the Lieutenant Generall who is pursued be a man any thing hardy and aduenterous into which inconuenience they doe sometimes fall that are fullest of pollicy but those good Chiefes which will auoide it pursue as coldlye as they can the colder that they doe pursue the more they doe staye the gate of their people which staye dooth giue them the more leasure to get a way that doe retyre Moreouer it is better to be too slowe in this busines then too hastie for those that doe retyre haue many wayes to annoye them that doe pursue them specially if their way doe lye through a strong countrey or forrest for that they may cut downe trées and fell them crosse the wayes and likewise may laye ambushes which they may make vnto their aduantage being in
parte of it for then it might not be thought to be strong except there were some remedy to be found against that anoyance If the townes then against which a Generall doeth pretend to proceede in armes are prouided with greate number of people or strong by nature or artificiallie as are those I haue spoken of he is not to meddle to besiedge anie one of them except it be farre off or when as he shall be aduertised that anie of them is ill furnished with victualls or other prouision or that the vse of the water might be taken from them in such a cause he must not stay to plant a siedge for that one of these necessities may suffice to constrayne the most strongest towne in the world to render it selfe in short time likewise if the Souldiers be il paied or if they be a smale number because that fewe consume in time and that beeing ill paide they serue against their wills chiefely if they be strangers who do nothing but for profit and not for the maintenance of their proper quarrell Moreouer al townes are not so strong nor so wel prouided that the manner of besiedging before spoken of ought alwaies be vsed nor that regard had and when as the saide Generall would besieege anie towne as strong as those before spoken of or any other of meane strength whatsoeuer shoulde happen vnto him the order that he ought to keepe therein must bee as here followeth Let vs suppose that he is in the field with his fower Legions and their followers going towards a place which he pretendeth to besiedge me thinke that his campe may marche in that forme that I haue spoken of heertofore to weet euerie Legion with their part of the Ordnance and other carriages the first Legion making the auantgarde the second and the third the battaile and the fourth the arriergard The bagage appertayning vnto the fourth Legion may follow the third or at the taile of the forth so that there be some horsmē behind them and one band of the forlorne hope When the armie is vpon the way the Lieutenant General should send some trumpet before to summon them although it were a day or two before the armie can ariue before the said towne and after that the towne is summoned when as the hoast is with in 3 or 4 miles of it the said Lieutenant Generall shall send the Captayne Generall of the horsemen before the marshall of the feild with him or some other expresse man of iudgment or go himselfe in person if he geue not credit ynough to thē to viewe the towne to consider of the scituation and strength of it and to see where it were best to place the campe And to the intent that he that should haue this charge might not be hindred by those of the Garrison to take a sufficient view he must be accompanied with some such number of horsemen as might be thought to be strong ynough to repulse those of the towne when as they should issue out Moreouer he must be furnished with so manie bandes of the forlone hope as might bee thought sufficient to succour the horsemen and to maintayne the skirmish vntill the Legions ariuall and for a need to enter into the towne if they sawe a fit occasion I meane if the Garrison were not very strong and that these forerunners were stronger then they If so bee that the towne were scituated in such a place as it might bee vewed at ease without danger of the ordnaunce it might be done so much the better but if it were so scituated that it might be approached by no meanes vndiscouered when they are come neare the towne with in Cannon shot the generall Chiefe that hath the charge must go on the one side and must disperse his people some one way some an other to retyre vnto them if he were pursued he might likewise cause some of his troops skattering themselues to aproch neere vnto the town walles and he himselfe with one or two at the most might goe about the towne as neere as hee might with safetie to the intent to view and consider of the weakenesse and strength of the towne as neere as he might coniecture what part is easiest to be battered where hee might plant his ordaunce and where the Campe shoulde be made Whilest this is a doing it will bee a great maruaile if those of the towne do not issue out vppon his mē who so doing it shal be necessarie for the assaulters to méete thē and to charge them with such a fury that they may driue thē againe in at their gates if it were possible or at the least beate them them well and with howe much more valew they do execute this charge so much the lesse hurt they shall receiue of the ordnaunce in the towne for that the townesmen seing them to be mingled pell mell with their men not knoweing wheere to bestow a shot surely shal be constrained to leaue their shooting fearing to hurte their owne men assoone as their enemies I saw the like by the Emperour his souldiers before Monople when as the Marques of Gwast came to vewe it who charged them so whoatly his men being so mingled amongst the light-horse of the towne that the ordnaunce nor harquebusieres with in the towne coulde not shoote without spoyling of their owne men yet the meddle was almost at the edge of the ditch I say therefore that this first charge being handled as it ought to be may worke many great effects as to dismay the townes-men at their first ariuall which is no smal matter For this assault wil as much dismay them if so be that they be beaten at the first recounter as it would embolden them if so be that they did resist the assaliants or haue the better hand of them It is a thing of a maruailous consequence to handle the skirmish at the first ariual with courage for it will make those within the towne to think that it would be impossible to resist a people of such valour and thereuppon will afterwards feare them in their heartes for to say the truth it is very strange if the vāquished do not feare him that hath once beaten him Besides this it may perhaps be an occasion of the taking of some of the chiefest of the towne prisoners or if it were but some of the simpliest sort the estate of the towne may bee discouered by them and if any of the chiefest were taken the Generall shoulde prooue to corrupt them with mony and to win them vnto him and it might happen that the towne would be yeelded through his authoritie or the affection that those within do beare vnto him And if it were so that such an one were taken by whose meanes the towne might bee gotten the Generall must helpe himselfe with him either by loue or force by loue that is in promising him many faire things in recompence if so bee that hee will yeeld the towne
night as he did before in foure daies I had forgotten to tell that in pretending to besiege one towne a Generall may make shew to besiege another to the intent that the towne that doth doubt nothing might vnfurnish it selfe of garrison for to helpe the other wherevpon that may be left which is furnished the other besieged that is vnarmed as the Lord of Lautrec did when as he approached néere vnto Milan who fayned that he cared not for Pauie although it was the towne that he sought for after that he was aduertised that the Countie of Belleioyense had sent part of his people vnto the succour of Milan and thereby to haue disarmed Pauie which he ought to haue better furnished and armed the said Lord of Lautrec placed his siege before Pauie tooke it easie enough But for to get out of this matter leauing all these subtilties a part I say that a Lieutenant Generall ought neuer to keepe the field nor an assiege so long as winter lasteth for it will be a great chaunge if it do not happen ill in the ende for that a winter siege wasteth and consumeth an armie whereas those within a towne are well lodged and do take no more care then they neede Moreouer the besiegers are at the mercie of the colde snowes raines and a thousand other persecutions so that there néedeth no other enemie but the wether it selfe to ouerthrowe them if the siege do continue any time besides in winter victuals can hardly be brought vnto a Campe for the difficultie of the waies waters if so bée it should come by land and if it should come by sea the tempestes and outrages which are more common in the winter then at any other time would hinder the bringing of it so that we must conclude that all things necessarie for the maintenance of a siege will then fall out ill for the besiegers Winter therfore is a most daungerous season for those that do keepe the Campe and of most aduantage for those that are besieged so that if they bee strong and can tarrie for a time conuenient they may raise the siege and ouerthrowe all or at the least giue the besiegers some scourges Also the Garrisons of the other townes and forts that are in the countrie may be in short time assembled to charge the sayd Campe of whome in mine opinion they might haue as good a market as they would wish forasmuch as the sayd Garrisons are fresh and rested men and the others are pined and halfe dead with famine The like may happen vnto those that do keepe the fielde or do martch from place to place in an enemie his countrie in the winter for that ill wether will consume them in short time if so be that they lodge without doores and for to lodge them couered they shall be forced to seperate themselues in villages here and there and being assaulted when as they are so lodged they may bee ouerthrowne easely In fine the best way for a Generall is to retyre his men into townes when as winter doth come and to go into the field about the last of March and to keepe the field vntill the last of October the countries might be such where the wars should be made that the moneths of Iuly and August would be asmuch to be feared by reason of the extreame heate that it doth make in some regions as the most coldest winter that might be for these two extremities are not to be indured for either of them may be causes of many great sicknesses and euills who so doth not prouide for it Wherefore the Generall must haue a care to ende his warres before winter And being constrayned to keepe his armie in the field in a very hote countrie he must alwaies plant his Camp in such places where it might be couered with trees and watred with springs to refresh his Souldiers And moreouer lodge them housed if it were possible to keepe them from the heate But this matter hath lasted long enough specially for that mens wittes at these daies are so quicke that they do prouide of themselues for al things that are necessarie in such like cases I do but only say that if the Generall do get a towne by composition that he ought to keepe all the articles that haue béen agreed vpon betwixt him those of the towne from poynt to poynt for in doing otherwise he should neuer finde towne or man that would giue him credit or trust his promise afterward but they would do all that they could imagine before that they would fall into his hands As I do say he ought to keepe his promise vnto those of a towne that doth yeeld so meane I that he should keepe it vnto all others after that he hath once passed his word vsing towards all those that he doth conquer as great lenitie and méekenes as he may possible and aboue all things to eschue crueltie because that the true office of a conquerour is to pardon and to haue pitie vpon the conquered yet reason would that this pardoning should be done with aduise least he do giue them an occasion to begin the warres againe at their owne appetites For oftentimes the clemencie of Captaine Generalles of hoasts is so great that they do pardon all those whome they do conquer and all those that haue offended which facilitie in pardoning doth cause them ofttimes to commit newe offences for that they doe looke to bee receiued whensoeuer they should yéeld In such cases me think there ought a meane to be vsed somtimes some one ought to bee chastened to make others to bee afrayd specially those which do reuolt without cause I doe say moreouer that they ought likewise to bee chastened that are so foole hardie that they dare defend a place which is not defenceable and but a doue house hoping to be receiued vnto mercie at all times causing vpon this hope a great quantitie of prouision to bee spent and an armie to spend time for a thing of no value I say that such ought to be vsed somewhat rigorously so wee do reasonablie well at this day for their least punishment is to bee married vnto the Gallies for euer yet some doe vse it more gratiously then others of whome the Countie of Tende is one who might haue vsed prisoners more rigorously then he did but it is not sayd that faults should bee alwaies punished according vnto their deserts specially if he that hath fayled bee otherwise a man of vertue nor likewise that great harts should not shewe their greatnes many waies specially to pardon a fault that toucheth them perticularly as the sayd Countie did the offence of a certaine Captaine which he tooke in one of his fortresses in Piemont whome he vsed alwaies so courteously that the remembrance of that clemencie ought not to bee forgotten and for that cause I haue inferred it in this place But the crueltie that a Lieutenant Generall ought to flie is
know all maner of vagabonds and haue power to punish them with death when they doe get them but for that the Legionaries are sworne knowne men it is requisite that they should haue their ordnarie Iudge who should administer iustice vnto them aswell in ciuill causes as in criminall as long as the Legions are vnder their Ensignes and to that intent I haue instituted vnto euerie Legion a man of lawe to coūsaile the Colonells wherefore I will not spend the time to shew the order that the prouosts ought to obserue in their iudgements for asmuch as it is to be thought that they should not haue their offices except they vnderstood how to execute them and they are clearks of the right stamp which I haue appointed them to assist them in all their courts that they doe holde when as they would iudge in any matter I will therefore begin to speake of the maner that the Colonell and his people ought to vse in their iudgements and first of all I will chuse a certaine number of Iudges by lot to auoide confusion and the iealousie that might be had of them that doe iudge and afterward shal be shewed how we must proceede to condemne or discharge a prisoner Concerning the first point I doe presuppose that the accuser I doe meane he that doth make the reporte wheather it be one of the preseruers of Militarie discipline or other must first come vnto the Prouost of the League and informe him very well of the matter and this done the Prouost shall conferre with his counsaile wheather the partie doe deserue death or not if the cafe doe not concerne death he shall procéed therein according vnto his charge But if the crime be so haynous that it doth deserue death he shall goe immediately vnto the Colonell informe him of it and thus the matter shal be handled at the first complaynt Concerning the maner of bringing of an appeale before the Colonell it is too manifest The Collonell being fullie informed of the accusation shall cause the offender to be taken and commit him vnto the custodie of the Prouost If the Colonell doe know that to summon him to appeare personally will serue the turne the offender shal be summoned to appéere personally the one of which commissions must be executed by the Prouost his men to weete that of taking him prisoner except the accused were a Chiefe or Member for in such a case the maister of the Camp or the Seriant maior accompanied with the Colonell his gard shall goe take them as for the adiourning the Drume maior or the Colonell his trumpet must doe it If it be late before the accused be taken the matter shal be deferred vntill the next day but if it were any thing timely hee shall cause proclamation to be made that all the Captaines Lieutenauntes Ensignes Corporals Chiefes of Squadrons and Deceniers of his Legion should immediately come vnto his lodging which proclamation being made all these that I haue named shall goe thither incontinent carrying no other armes with them then their swords The Seriants of the bandes must bee there also and if the Colonell his lodging or tent bee not great inough to receiue al this people the assembly must be made with out dores and the Colonel before hee doth proceede further shall shewe vnto them for what intent he hath called them togither that is to administer iustice vnto his souldiers to preserue the good from oppression to punish the offences that the wicked doe commit If so be that this assembly were made for to heare any appeale the Colonell shall shewe them the matter and for whether soeuer of these two causes it were hee shall cause them all to lift vp their handes and to sweare with one voice to help to maintaine iustice with all their power against all those of the Legion that should cōmit any crime with out exception of person except the Colonel who is to be iudged in an other place not there The othe being taken in generall the Deceniers shal assemble by them selues together the Chiefes of Squadrons by them selues and the Corporals likewise by them selues the Colonell shal sit in a chaire shall haue two pots set at his féet in the one of which pots there shal be as many leadden bullets as there are Deceniers in one band lacking one in stéede of the one leadden bullet which wanteth there shal be a Lattin bullet so that amongst a great many of white bullets there shall be one yealow the other pot shall haue nothing in it shal be set at the Colonell his right foote and that with the bullets at his left The Maister of the Campe the Seriant Maior and the Prouost and his Clearke shall be by him These two pottes being so placed the Colonell shall make signe vnto the Dceniers of the first bande who shall march one after another according vnto the order that they are accustomed to keepe in the Battailon The first shall shewe his right hand vnto the Seriant Maior stripping his sleeue vp vnto the elbow to auoide all suspition of deceipt and afterward shall put his hand into the pot to take out one of the bullets and shall shewe the bullet that he doth take vnto the Maister of the Campe to shew what bullet that it is and if it be a leaden bullet the saide Decenier shall put it into the emptie pot immediatly and shall retourne vnto his lodging but if he doe drawe the lattin bullet the Clearke shall take his name and he shal stand aside in a place appoynted After that this first Decenier hath drawne all the rest of the same band shall drawe vntill such time as some one hath drawne the lattin bullet And this being done by the Deceniers of the first band the Colonell shal cause al the leaden bullets with the lattin bullet to be set againe in their places remouing the full pot into the emptie pot his place and shall afterwards make signe vnto the Deceniers of the second band to come forward as hee did before vnto those of the first who shall doe as they did and so shal al the other following so that by this meanes when as all the Deceniers of the 12 bands haue drawne he shal haue 12 men of those sortes of officers ready to iudge And to the intent that hee might haue as many Chiefes of Squadrons as Deceniers hee shall cause the Chiefes of Squadrons to drawe eache band after other vsing so manye bullets with the lattin bullet as are Chiefes of Squadrons in a band afterward the Corporalls shall doe as much one bande after another Concerning the Members and Captaines they shall not drawe bullets at this time but their number shall continew whole Wherefore of all these six sorts of officers there shall be 12 mē of euerie one which is in number 72 that is 6 of euerie band all which 72 men shall range themselues in forme of
a circle the Colonell being in the midst of them who shall commaund the prisoner to be brought In the meane while the Drumme Maior shal make proclamation that euerie man shal repaire vnto his lodging except those that haue bin kept as aforesaid the maister of the Camp Seriant Maior and the Seriants of the bands which Seriants must stande so far from the Counsaile that they may heare nothing Whilst this is doing the Prouost shal bring the prisoner and shew him all those that are there to giue iudgemēt vpon him and shall aduertise him to consider if there bee anie amongst them that he doth hould suspected to the intent that hee might bee refused incontinent if so bee that the causes of his refusement are iust and to bee allowed which causes shall bee referred vnto the Colonell And if so be that the said prisoner had a cōrarie partie his said partie might likewise refuse those whō he did hould suspect But so it is that neither of them may refuse aboue two men of euery one of the 6 conditions abouesaide And put case that this whole number should be refused which do make 24 men for more shall not bee permitted to bee refused which refused shal incontinent depart thence the other shall put themselues into six partes each sort by themselues and the Colonell shall sit downe in his place and the two pots shall be placed againe at his feet The one of them shall bee emptie and the other shall haue sixe bullets of lead and as many bullets of lattin as there shall remaine Captaines vnrefused And the like shall bee afterwards obserued amongst Members and officers Which being so ordred the Captaines shall goe first and drawe out of the pot euerie man in his degree and those that shall happen to drawe bullets of lattin shall goe their waies vnto their lodgings and those that doe drawe leaden bullets must shew them vnto the maister of the Camp and their names shall be written by the Clearke and afterwards they shal place themselues on either side of the Colonell the one halfe on the one side and the other one the other After this the Seriant Maior shall againe put sixe bullets of lead into one pot and as many bullets of lattin as there are Lieutenants more then six which Lieutenants shall doe as the Captaines haue don the Ensigne bearers shal do the like after thē cōsequently the Corporals and after them the Chiefs of Squadrons and finally the Deceniers By this last lot the number of the Iudges shall be reduced vnto 36. persons not coumpting the Colonell which 36. Iudges shall raunge themselues 18. on the one side and 18. on the other in manner of an angle and the Colonell shal be the angle the Seriants of the bands shal be there as assistants but they shal be farre of euery man alone by himself The Colonell his guard shal be round about the Counsaile and so farre of that they may not vnderstand what doth passe The matter being this ordred the Colonell shall cause the prisoner to be brought who being brought by the Prouost his Cleark shal recite before them all the contents of the information and the depositions of the witnesses if that there be any whereunto the prisoner shall answer shal be heard to speake And if so be that he do deny the fact the witnesses shal be brought before him for want of witnesses if the presumptions bee great the Colonell with the aduise of the sayd Counsaile shall condemne him vnto the racke and shall passe vnto iudgement or deferre it vntill the next day or longer if it be necessarie As concerning the condemning or releasing of a prisoner it shal be handled as here followeth that is after that the Prouost hath made his demaund in the behalfe of the King the partie if there be any hath made his demaund for his domage and that the sayd prisoner hath answered from poynt to poynt the Counsaile shal be left alone and the prisoner and his accuser also shall be put a little a side out of the sight of the Iudges Vpon this the Cleark shal reade the euidences before them all the Iudges there present shall heare it the maister of the Camp the Seriant maior none other The euidences being read at large the Colonell shall declare vnto them that they are assembled for to iudge according vnto the truth not for any fauour that they do beare vnto the prisoner his parentage or frends nor likewise for hatred therfore that euery man should speake his minde according vnto his conscience following the lawes of the warres not otherwise for in this busines of the warres there must be no fauour nor lenitie vsed but only the rigour of the lawes which haue béen made for men of warre the which shal be registred in a table as I haue said before the said table shal be alwaies hanged before the Colonell his tent or the gate of his lodging to the intent that it may bee in sight that euery man may knowe what he ought to flye for to auoyde the daunger of Iustice And the sayd table shal be brought and read by the Cleark from the one end vnto the other And this done the Colonell shall commaund the Seriant maior to giue vnto euery one of the sayd Iudges three bullets vpon one of which bullets there shall bee a great R which shall signifie to release vpon another a great C which shall signifie to condemne and vpon the third there shall be a great I which shall signifie to bée better informed of the matter one of these three bullets shall bee vsed when as they would release or condemne or when as the proofes are not sufficient to release or condemne but that they would be better informed After that euery one of these haue receiued three bullets as is aforesayd and the Colonell thrée likewise as the others the Seriant maior shall place two emptie pottes at the Colonell his féete the one somewhat distant from the other vnto which pottes the Iudges shall come one after another to weete the Deceniers first the Chiefes of Squadrons next and the others following and after them the Captaines and the Colonell last of all Euery one of them shall put the bullet by which he doth pretend to signifie his opinion into the pot appoynted for the purpose and the other two bullets into the other pot and afterwards shall returne vnto their places And the Colonell shall cause the pot of their opinions to bee ouerthrowne to see if the bullets that do release be more then 18. and if so be that it should happen that the prisoner should be released simplie and purely he might bring the partie afterwards to his aunswere that did accuse him wrongfully sweare against him But if so be that the bullets which do condemne are more then 18. the Colonell shal pronounce the iudgement of death against the prisoner And when