a disobedience may be cause of many great domages as was that of the Almaignes which Monsiure de Humiers had with them in Italie which made the King not only to loose all that season but also was cause of the losse of diuers places that held for vs and put all Piemount in great daunger to be lost without recouerie And this is most certaine insomuch that if the Lord Constable had any whit deferred to succour them and had not vsed his accustomed diligence that which was left had fallen in fewe daies after into the Spanyards hands without striking stroke Yet he arriued so luckely that the townes that had but the newes of his comming were preserued and part of those that were lost were recouered and others also but not without a merueilous charge and all to repayre the fault of the foresayd Almaignes who had conducted the warres both according vnto their owne appetites against the will of the sayd Lord of Humiers as euery man knoweth who besides that he was disobeyed in his charge being Lieutenant Generall for the King was also in hazard of his life which is a thing that I cannot so much meruell at nor likewise at the arrogancie of the sayd nation But I must much more meruell at our negligence seeing the iniuries that straungers commonly do vnto vs and that we notwithstanding cease not to dispraise the seruice of our countrimen to become tributaries and subiects vnto straungers as if we could not do without them now aswell as wee haue done at other times and alwaies vntill the time of King Lewes the 11. who was the first King of Fraunce that did giue pension vnto strangers especially vnto the Switzers for he kept ordinarily in wages sixe thousand King Charles the 8. followed him who carried a great band to Naples King Lewes the 12. serued him self long time with them and with Almaignes and other strangers So likewise hath the King that raigneth at this present in all his warres yet in the ende he perceiued that his subiects were as fit to serue him as straungers so that they were practised or if he hath not had that opinion of the Frenchmē yet he hath made a proofe of it And to that ende as I thinke haue a very great number of Legionaries béen leuied in this realme which number if it had béen leuied by a true election had béen sufficient to haue withstood all our enemies But the Frenchmens fortune would not that this leuie should haue had his perfection for that if this leuie had been made as it ought to haue been wée should haue been become their maisters vnto whom wee now are subiects Wherfore it hath left vs in the same state that wée haue béen learned to liue in many yeares ago and for that wee make so little accompt of our owne forces and do so much esteeme of straungers it may one day happen to be the occasion of our ruine if our neighbours should enterprise ioyntly to come vpon vs. For one part alone hath put Fraunce in great feare to weet the Switzers when as they came downe into Burgundie so that to make them to retier back againe it cost vs great sommes of monie And so much fayled we of the courage to present our selues in battell to resist them that the greatest part made their accompt to make them place and to runne out of the country O almightie God! what was become of the ancient valour of Fraunce At the name whereof all the nations both on this side and on the other side of the sea did tremble and which was in possibilitie to assault other countries and not to be troubled at home but by her owne nor constrained to buy peace sith those that sould it vnto vs were in fewe yeares before not able to resist in their owne countrie the armie of King Charles the 7. vnder the conduct of Lewis his sonne being at that time Daulphine since king We may beléeue that their comming down was for our profite sith they serue vs for an example for by the great troubles that Fraunce was in for 20. or 30. thousand Switzers all a foote ill furnished with artillerie and with all other things to inuade such a countrie may bee coniectured what it would do if the same Switzers should come againe And furthermore if the Almaignes Flemings Englishmen Spanyards and Italians should come vpon vs with one common consent who could want nothing but good agreement I could not imagine how we should find meane to withstand such a coniuration For to tarrie to make hed vnto them were a much worse counsaile then that of Monsiure Tremouille was to appease the Switzers with crownes because that disordred people ill trained and ill furnished cannot serue for any other purpose against people well ordred well trained and well furnished with armes and withall that appertaineth vnto such a busines but to harten and to encourage them the more And as for vs to trust vnto that the frontiers are well furnished with strong townes is a hope euill assured for whosoeuer is Lord of the plaine countrie I meane of so great and large a countrie as Fraunce is shall easily afterward haue the vpper hand of the places that they keepe principally when so great a number or a great part of those that I haue spoken of shall enter in at diuers places euery nation vpon his quarter that they had deuided the countrie before hand For else we might haue some reason to hope that in forbearing they might seperate themselues through discord or that a part taking might be practised notwithstanding these things must haue time and in the meane while wee should suffer many euills to be committed before our eyes without remedie And suppose that to see such a desolation to come to passe vpon so noble a realme were almost a thing impossible yet is there none more apparant remedie to withstand it and to take away from our sayd enemies all the occasions that might hinder them from the conceipt of this impossibilitie then to make our selues strong with our owne people I meane so strong that those that now do take pension of vs should be very glad to be simplie allied vnto vs and others which priuilie haue shewed themselues to be our enemies should be constrayned to dissemble and those which dissemble should openly shew themselues to be our friends by good proofe Which to bring to passe I would not counsaile that our force should be any whit mingled with straunge souldiers aswell for to haue the credite vnto our selues when as our souldiers should do any good seruice as also to auoyde the great daungers that might happen by an armie made of many nations for that is the occasion oft times that our enemies do knowe our secrets almost assoone as they are spoken except it should be to weaken our enemies or to content our confederats and to get the good will of the countrie where the warres should be made
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
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
shewe made of the handling of some practize with them which may be an occasion that those vnto whom the letters were directed should no more be credited as they were before or at the least be looked at ouer the shoulder of which mistrust this profit will procéede that the chiefest which are most estéemed shal be holden suspect and therefore there will be but little credit giuen vnto their opinions which is one of the chiefest goods that may happen vnto a Generall and peraduenture it may be that those that shal be so wrongfully suspected may be of that nature that they will thinke to reuenge the wrong that is offered them or may cause them to absent themselues from counsaile Their Prince might likewise be so suspitious that he might reiect thē from his person or might cause them to be slaine as Iugurtha did cause the chiefest of his Counsaile because of the letters that Metellus did write vnto them albeit they were nothing in fault Anniball after that he was ouerthrowne by Scipio retired vnto King Antiochus with whome he was alwayes well entertained vntill the comming of the Ambassadors frō Rome who frequented him so often and after so many manners that the said Antiochus thought they had intelligence together and therefore would neuer after be counsailed by him and so poore Anniball lost his credit through the subtletie of the Romans It shall likewise not be amisse for the Generall to imploy his care to deuide the forces of his enemies if the assembly be of diuers sorts of people specially hauing meane to make a course vpon some of their countreys for in sending thither a sufficient number of souldiers those which are left in the countrey will quickly call their men backe againe for to defend their owne countrey The Spanyards vsed this pollicy against our people while the King was at Pauy for knowing the number of the Grysons that were there the which wanting our campe was greatly weakened for they sent the Castelein of Mur then being or otherwise the Marquesse Mortane to runne into the countrey of the said Grysons for which occasion they did abandon vs at our néede to goe to defend their owne countrey yet they might haue done well inough without going if they had willed considering the force of the countrey where they dwel which in my iudgemēt is one of the most strongest hardest that may be séene and besides so well peopled that the number of the people which the Castelein cōducted vpon their frontiers were not to feare them in that manner that they made shew neither for the losse of one Castell ought they to haue abandoned vs as they did notwithstāding it is one of the tricks that strangers do play ordinarily with those which ground themselues too much vpon the waging of other people then their owne proper nation If the Generall should be in camp so néere his enemies that those of both parts did looke for the battaile from time to time that there were other people cōming vnto his assistance if he feared that his enemies would goe méet them vpon the way to fight with them to cut them off before they should ioine with him he might make the brute to runne throughout his hoast that euery man should be ready by an houre or the next day to enter into battaile and might let scape some prisoner that might aduertise his enemies of this determination and in mine opinion this will be a meane to kéepe them together within their Campe without sending any body out nor diminishing their forces making their accoumpt to be fought withall at the houre spokē of by that meanes the bands which are to come might ariue safe whole To giue an enemy an occasiō to weaken his army the best way were to let thē to come far into the countrey and to abandon all the townes vnto him that could not be kept out of his hands and it is to be thought that to kéepe thē all he would put garrison into them and by that meanes his forces would be deminished then he might be fought withall vpon the letting goe of his people to imbrace more things then he could well defend And furthermore a Generall may sometimes vse dissimulation in his enterprises as whē he is determined to go into one countrey to make the brute to run that he pretendeth to assayle another must vse extreame diligēce to conquer the same said countrey which looked in no manner of wise for his cōming before they might be prouided for to defend thēselues or before his enemies might be transported thither for to kéepe it If a Generall do vnderstand that his enemies are oppressed by famine or by any other necessitie that for this cause they are as it were desperate and offer battaile in this rage he ought to kéepe himselfe within his fort and to defer the combat as long as he may and it may be that within few daies he shall haue them all at his mercy without striking stroke A Generall may sometimes haue to do with people ill practised and too couragious who so much abandon themselues to pursue those that flye that oftentimes there is no meane to retire them vntill such time as they are fouly beaten so that if the said Generall wil looke to his busines he may easily find an oportunity to do thē a maruellous damage in a small time for as much as he may lay his ambushes on that part of his enemies camp that séemeth to be most strōgest and where at no time there hath bin any fight or skirmish offered so that the place be fit to hide his people and ordaine his skirmishes towards the other part where they are accustomed to be fought withall and must entice them so cunningly that they may come all out of their Camp if it be possible or at the least that the watch on that part that his men are hidden might come to sée the pastime wherein there is no doubt that they will kéepe themselues from running out so that the said Generall his men do retire sometime to entice them out so much the more and to drawe them the farther from their fort Which being done the said Generall may giue a signe by certaine shots of the Ordnance or by some other meane vnto those that are in the ambush at which signe they must charge vpon their enemyes camp so swift fiercely without being perceiued of their enemies or of very fewe that fort may be gotten before the said enemies do sée into their owne errour It shall be necessary sometimes when two armyes are lodged neere one to another that the said Generall should send out certaine of his people to ouerrunne pillage the countrey that is in his subiection vnder collour of enemies to make his aduersaries to thinke them to be their souldiers or new succour that doth come vnto them so running to méete them in hope to haue their part of the pray may be
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
Montiean in Thurin but this maner was not like in all things because that the auncient Chiefes declared theirs to be vnfit for all honest busines those that the said two Lords did cassier were not so handled but they may aswell attaine vnto any office as if they neuer had bin cassierd The cause of this cassiering was for a mutinie that was cōmitted by the Souldiers of both the foresayd townes against the said Lords who presented the king his person they procéeded so far that they did enter both their lodgings forceably We are so giuen vnto these mutinies that there is no nation that dooth care for our companies one hower but they had rather be farre from vs then neare vnto vs because that we runne from one vnto another for euery small occasion and are hastier to begin these quarrels amongst our selues then to fight with our enemies when time requireth and these disorders doe oftener happen when as we haue our enemies neere vs then farre of for which there must be some good order taken and most sharpe punishment vsed as often as these mutinies doe happen and that Souldiers do rise against their Chiefes As for the mutinies of perticular bandes amongst themselues I would haue him layd handes vpon that were the occasion of the mutinie or had begun it and would haue him put to death after the maner that we are accustomed to punish mutiners at this present And if so be that any did lay hands vpon the Captaines or Chiefes I would haue them to bee put to some cruell death as to bee buried aliue to haue their bones broken or to bee drawne at a Horse taile vntill such time as their bodies did fall a pieces or haue thē to be punished in such sort that it might be an horror and a feare vnto all others And for to waight a time conuenient to laye hands vpon one of these mutiners I would haue the greatest patience that might be possible and rather dissemble a yeare or two then to suffer one mutiner to escape the punishment that he had deserued And if so be that a whole Legion had committed this offence that there were no meanes to know the principall mutiners there were no better way then to imitate the auncient Chiefes heerein who tooke out the tenth man or a great part of their people when as the fault was generall and this taking was doone by lot which was an occasion that the punishment did touche but some certaine number and yet they all in generall were made afraid to be of that number that the lot did condemne Wherefore because that euery man was in daunger of this lot they endeuoured with all their powers to doe their duties iustlye fearing to beare the burthen of other mens faults The lot likewise was vsed when as the bandes or Legions did forsake a place or runne away before their enemies for that to put a whole armie vnto death had beene too great a losse therefore they tooke the tenth man and sometime more and he was executed immediatlye That which Appius Claudius did amongst his Souldiers may witnesse my sayengs who fighting against the Voloces fled from the battaile for which cause he did put to death all the Captaines Centeniers Corporals and Souldiers of his hoaste that had lost their armes and the Ensigne bearers that had lost their Ensignes and not content with all this hee caused the tenth man of the Souldiers to be put to death by lot Augustus Caesar caused likewise the tenth man of certaine bandes that fled from their enemies to bee flaine Many other Chiefes haue procéeded extraordinarely in this busines as the one was more seueere then the other The Lacedemonians made a lawe that who so fled from a battaile might neuer attaine vnto office in theyr commonwealths nor marrye theyr daughters if that they had any nor take wiues if they were to marry Moreouer it was lawfull for any man that did méete them vpon the waye to strike or beate them at his pleasure so that those poore miserable creatures were subiect vnto blowes and vnto a thousand infamies that the woorst Cittizens might doe vnto them And to the intent that they might bee knowne from other men they did weare their coates of two coulours and their beards shauen on the one side and long on the other If this law had béen established in Fraunce during the warres which haue béene in our time there would be more Souldiers found wearing partie couloured coates and halfe shauen then others but let that passe it might suffice if wee had a good will to amend our faultes for that that is to come and to doe our endeuour from hencefoorth better then wee haue doone hitherto To be bréefe the seueritie of the ancient Chiefes did not onely extend vnto the punishment of those faultes which deserued death But also they had a regard vnto those faultes that were not of that importance to the intent to leaue no fault vnpunished how little soeuer it was contrarie vnto the discipline of the warres as their Histories do make mention Our Generall shall likewise take order that all the faults which his souldiers should commit might be gréeuously punished how little soeuer they were contrarie vnto the discipline of the warres or vnto the King his seruice although they were not damageble at that time that they were cōmitted but might be afterwards Wherfore the said Generall must looke deeply into this matter causing offenders to be punished according vnto the qualitie of the offence that they did commit hauing a regard vnto the euill that hath insued or the inconuenience that might ensue for which cōsideration it is necessary that the said General should be somwhat cruell if he would be well serued by his people cheefely at the beginning vntill he hath brought thē in order to liue wel to that point that they do excercise their faculty as it ought to be And if so be that he himselfe were of so gentle and pittifull nature that he would not punish offenders rigorously yet were it necessarie that some other should cause the punishment to be doone for him For which intent I haue instituted before the Iustice of the Legions which maner of iustice he may vse if hee will both for to ease himselfe of trouble as also for not withdrawing his wits frō his other busines but whether he himself dooth take knowledge of the offēces that his people do commit or that he doe referre it vnto their Chiefes those that doe commit any heynous crime and amongst others the one of them that I haue named before ought to be extraordinarily punished And to the intent that these wicked offenders might bee punished according vnto their desarts and that the example might withdraw others from dooing the like it were necessarie to deuise some new torment to punish them with the most terriblest death that might be inuented And if so be that any man will saye that a Captaine Generall ought
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