as is warre bataille lyke as it shal be said her after for ther is no faulte made in ony caas lasse repayrable than that whiche is executed by armes by euyl gouernyng of bataille what shal theÌ„ne doo the wise prynce to whome shal be of necessite for somÌ„e of the caas aforesayd tempryse warre or bataylle first to fore all thyng â—e must be holde take hede what puissauÌ„ce or power he hath or may haue as moche people as of synauÌ„ce money without the whiche the two pryncypal thynges to be wel garnysshid surely it is folye tentrepryse ony warre for aboue alle thynges they ben necessarie in especial moneye for who that hath money ynowh wylle enploye it he shal alleway fynde ayde helpe of men ynowh more than he wolde wytnesse of the warres of ytalic in especyal of florence of venyse other places yâ— whiche comynly fyght more with theyr money than they of the contree And therfore wythoute payne and vnnethe may they be vaynquysshed And it shold more auayâ—le and be moche better to a prynce yf he fele hym not wel garnysshed of tresour or of ryche subgettes full of good wyll to ayde hym to make somme trayttye with his enemyes yf he fele hym self assaylled Or for to deporte and forbere tempryse warre Rather than to begynne yf to mayntene it he hath not wherof For be he all certayn that yf he entrepryseth in hope to take more of his subgettis than they may bere ayenst theyr wyll it shal encreace the nombre of his enemyes so sholde it be to hym lytil prouffyt for to destroye the strange ferre enemyes for to gete pryuee nygh enemyes for it is to wite that the prince capitayn ought not despyse noo puyssauÌ„ce of enemyes though it seme to hym but lytil for he may not knowe what fortune the other shal haue for hym self as it is wreton how that ther was a shepherd named vriacus to whom fortune was so propice that she helde him in puissauÌ„ce with grete foyson of theues pillyardes whiche he had assembled for to make warre to rome whiche was so myghty by the space of xxiiij yere that he dyde moche grief to theym And ofte tymes vaynquyssed in bataille the romayns myght neuer destroye hym but fynysshed his lyf by one of his owen men whiche slewe hym and therfor to th ende that he be not deceyued he shal asseÌ„ble to counsâ—il the foure estates of his contree whiche ought to be called or he emprise so chargeable a thyng that is to wite thauÌ„cyen nobles experte in armes whiche knowe what the fayt of warre mounteth Item the clerkes legystes by cause that iÌ„ the lawes ben declared alle the caasis of whom ought to sourde iuste warre as many ensamples we haue to this purpoos Item the bourgeises by cause it is of necessite and by cause they parte in the myse and tresour whiche therto by houeth as said is and that they take hede to the fortificacoÌ„n of townes cytees and enduyce the mene people to ayde theyr lord Item somÌ„e of the men of Crafte for more to honoure the sayd peple And that they be the more enclined and the better willed to aide their lord with their goodes of whiche thing they ought alle to be swetely prayd O how is that a proffitable thyng in seygnourye Royame or Cyte to haue true subgettis of grete loue For they faylle not in bodyes ne in goodes lyke as it appiered many tymes in rome whan the tresours of the cyte despeÌ„ded in grete warres in so moche that they had no thynge TheÌ„ne the ladies them self of their propre mocoÌ„n brought theyr Iewellis ryche adournemens and with theyr good wylle brought delyuerd them for to socoure to the necessite of the toun cyte the whiche afterward were gretely restored agayn as good reason was And for to holde this waye wel gaaf ensample the good wyse kyng charles the fyfthe of that name fader of this that presently regneth the whiche anon after he had be crowned what dyde he as in the age of xxv yere as he behelde that the englissh men helde euyl the couenauÌ„tes made of the treatye of the peas whiche he hadde by necessite dyuerse fortune acoorded to theym how wel it was to hym right doÌ„mageable and that not withâ—stondyng that it was agreed to theym to holde grete parte of the duchye of guyenne many other londes seignouries in other places in the royaulme of frauÌ„ce but that suffysed them not but marched defowled greued by theyr pryde ouerwenyng the other contrees neyghbours whiche apperteyned nothyng to theym sente the sayd kynge by aduyse his ambassiadours auctorised to the duc of lancastre sone of kynge edward of englond to his people whiche had doon the said oultrage that therof he wold cesse make ameÌ„des of the grieues doÌ„maiges made syth the said peas of whiche thynge suche was theffecte how wel the ansuere was curtoys ynowh the said ambassiadours were slayn in that iourney or waye wherfore the good wyse kynge seen that by constraynt had accorded the dishonourable peas the whiche englyssh men euyl helde for many other reasons whiche shold be ouer longe a thynge to recounte asseÌ„bled at parys at his parliameÌ„t the forsaid foure estates and with them alle the wyse iurystes strangers as wel of boloyne the craas as of other places suche as he myght haue and to theym purposed his reasons ayenst thenglyssh men demaundyng theyr aduys yf he had cause to bygynne warre for without iuste cause the regarde deliberacoÌ„n emonge theym and the consente wylle of his good subgettes in no wyse he wold doo it at whiche counseyl by long deliberacoÌ„n was concluded that he had good iuste cause to begynne agayn the warre thus the good wise kynge entreprysed it in whiche thynge god hath be so moche fauourable to his good right loued be he with the grete prudence of hym that alle the londes loste he gath sith recoÌ„querd with the swerde like as yet it appiereth ¶ Here is deuysed how it is not expedyent that a kyng or souerain prynce goo in bataylle for the peryllis of aduersayre fortune ¶ Capttulo vjo· TheÌ„ne by the way aforsaid the wyse kynge or prynce shal determyne to werke in the fayte to entrepryse warres bataylles And for as moche as it is a thynge notayre that in suche a fayt to bygynne mayntene contynue foure pryncypall thynges That is to wite an heed or chief hardynesse Strengthe and constaunce without the whyche alle shold goo to confusion ye yf that onely one of them faylled now it is to see yf it be good that the kynge or souuerayn prynce in his propre persone goo to his warre And be in the bataylle For as the faytte ought to touche hym more than ony other By whiche his presence myght represente the forsayd four thynges And with this
prynces teÌ„treprise warres bataylles now is it for be taken hede for what causes after the lawe ought to be eÌ„prised or mayntened warres in this wel aduysed me semeth that comynly fyue pryncypal moeuyngis ther be vpon whiche they be founded of whome the thre ben of the lawe droyt the other of wyll The first of the lawe wherfor ought to be enprysed or mayntened warre is for to susteyne right iustice Te seconde for to withstoude the euyl that wold defowle grieue oppresse the londe the contree the people and the thirde for to recoure londes seignoryes or other thynges by other taken vsurped by iniuste cause whyche to the prince or to the iurisdicoÌ„n of the coÌ„tree or of the subgettes ought to apperteyne Item of the two of wylle that one is for cause of veÌ„geaÌ„ce for somÌ„e grief receyued of other that other for to conquere gete londes estrauÌ„ge seignouries But for more particulerly to declare first by especyal the first of the thre whiche is of iustice it ought to be knowen that ther ben thre pryncypal causes by the whiche it is leefful to a kynge or a prynce to entrepryse or susteyne armes warre or bataylles The first is for to bere susteyne the chirche his patrimony ayenst all men that wold defoule it as all crysten prynces ben holden The seconde for his vassale yf he be requyred in caas that he haue iuste quarell that the sayd prynce haue to fore dewly endeuoyrd hym to make accorde bytwene the parties in the whiche thyng thaduersarye be founde not treatable the thirde is that the prynce may iustly yf it please hym to ayde helpe euery prynce baron or other hys alye or frende or ony contre or londe yf he be requyred in caas that the quarell be iuste in this poynt be coÌ„prised wiÌ„men wydowes orphans alle them that may haue necessite of what parte that they be wronged of ony others power for this cause seÌ„blably for the other tweyne a fore said moeuyngs that is to wite that one to withstonde the euyl And that other for to recouure his propre thynges loste is not onely leefful to a prynce to moeue warre or to maintene it but it is to hym pure dette to make it by oblygacoÌ„n of tytle of seignourie iuredicoÌ„n yf he wyll vse it after rightful duete but as touchyng the other ij pointes that is to wyte that ne for vengeaÌ„ce of somÌ„e grief receyued by power myght of another that other for to gete strauÌ„ge londes wythout to haue ony tytle what someuer the conquerours alexandre the romayns other be moche preysed in the tytles of chyualrye semblably they that gretly be vengid on their enemyes be it wel or euyl what comynly therinÌ„ is doon I fynde not in lawe deuyne ne other scripture that for thyse two causes without other moeuyng is lawful to empryse vpon cristen men warre or bataylle but wel the contrarye for by the lawe of god it apperteyneth not to a man onely to take ne vsurpe nothyng of others nor in no wise to coueite it semblably ben reserued to god the vengeances nothyng apperteyne to man to doo them but for more playnly to declare vpon this part ansuere to the questions that may be moeued Trouthe it is that it is leeful to a prynce to kepe to hym self the same right that he shold doo to another for as moche as a iuste prynce shal doo felyng hym self wrongyd by an others myght power ought he theÌ„ne for to obeye to goddes lawe to deporte forbere without doyng more therto forsoâ—â— nay for that deffendeth iustyce but the faytte requyreth of 〈◊〉 trespaas pugnycoÌ„n for that werke iustely he shal holde this waye he shall asseÌ„ble grete counseyl of wysemen in his parliameÌ„t or in the counseil of his souerayn yf he be subgetâ—e â—e shal not onely asseÌ„ble them of his contree to th ende that oute be put all suspecoÌ„n of fauour but also of strange contrees that may be knowen not adherent to neyther partye as wel auncyeÌ„t nobles as iuristes other prsent them self shal purpose or doo be purposed all the trouth without ony fauour for god may not be deceyued all suche right suche wronge that he may haue in concludyng shal saye that of all he wyll reporte hym holde to the determynacoÌ„n of ryght shortly for to saie by this manere this thynge put in right wel seen discuted so by suche waye that it appere by true iugement that he hath iuste cause TheÌ„ne he shal doo somÌ„one his aduersarye for to haue of hym restytucoÌ„n ameÌ„des ofthyniures wronges by hym receyued TheÌ„ne yf it happene that the said aduersarye delyuer deffences wyll gaynsaye it that he be entierly herd without fauour to hym self in ony wise ne propre wyll ne haynoê° courage These thynges that whiche apperteyneth duely made in caas that the said aduersarie be fouÌ„de refusyng to come to right lawe the prynce may Iustely surely entrepryse warre the whiche ought not be called veÌ„geaunce but pure execucion of rightful Iustyce ¶ Here ben deuysed the consideracions regardes that the kynge or prynce ought to haue in the fayte to entrepryse warre and the maners that he ought to holde to fore he conclude the said warre ¶ Capitulo quinto Syth it is soo that it is leefful to a prynce tentrepryse warre bataylles and theym mayntene for the causes aboue said And how be it that these thynges be grete poysaunt as they that touche pryncypally the lyf the blood thonnour and chyuauÌ„ce of infenyte persones wythout whiche regard all byfore the werke ought not to be emprysed ne for light moeuynges ne yong willes but that it ought to be redoubted tempryse newe warres but for to modere hym self we haue ensamples ynowe O remeÌ„bre that the puissaunce of auffryke ne thorguilloê° cyte of cartage whiche was chief heed and the spaynards ne the right puissauÌ„t kyng anthyochus lord of a grete parte of the orient whiche brought so moche people to bataylle that it was infenite wyth theyr dredeful olyphauÌ„tes ne also the right myghty prynce kynge metridates whiche lorded vpon .xxiiij. contrees and also all the world but that the right lytil puissauÌ„ce of romayns myght wel subdue them therfore ought no prynce lightly to put hym self in peryll whiche is for to be determyned by the destribucoÌ„n of fortune of whyche noman may knowe to what syde it shal tourne TheÌ„ne it is necessarye that the prynce be wyse or at the lest wylle vse the couÌ„seyl of wyse men for plato saith that the royame or contre is blyssed wel happy where the wyse men gouuerne and the thopposite or contrayre it is acursyd vnhappy lyke as witnesseth the holy scripture And without faylle ther is nothyng so moche necessarie to be coÌ„ueyed by wisedom
to pourueye to the we le of thoffyce then to the persone For it shold be a thyng moche to be reprened to chese one of hye blood beyng ygnorauÌ„t to sette hym in thoffyce in whiche subtylte wysedom and long vsage hath ofte more grete nede than the quantite of peple or ony other strengthe For Cathon saith that of alle other thynges the faultes may be amended sauf suche that be doon in bataylles of the whyche the payne ensieweth anone the faulte For euyl perisshe they that canne not wel deffende and to fugityues vnneth or with grete payne cometh agayn the herte to fighte Ther fore also with the other forsaid thynges it is necessarie that he be wyse of good naturel witte as he to whome hath be coÌ„mysed the knowelege of many thynges and that is as chyef of Iustyce lieutenaunt of the prynce for to doo right to euerichÌ„ of causes that may happen in caas of armes feattes of cheualrye of alle them that be vnder hym and also of strauÌ„gers whiche ofte happen in dyuerce maners And it is to wete that after the ryght of gentilnes and hye noblesse of courage apperteyneth to a good captayne whiche vseth thexcersyte of armes in alle caases that may to hym happene of all that gentylnes requyreth yf he wyl gete honour that is to wyte that also to his enemyes he be ryghtful verytable in feat in Iugement where it shall falle And with this that he honoure the good the valyauÌ„t in lyke wyse as he wold be of them honoured And this manere helde the valyauÌ„t kyng pirrus of Macedone wherof he gate grete loos whiche by cause he had founde so many valyauÌ„ces in the romayns how wel they were his grete enemyes â—e honoured them right gretely whan an ambassade cam to hym And also theym whom he slewe in bataylle he dyde doo buâ—â—â— theym honorably And of the noblesse of this kyng of his grete frauÌ„chyse it is yet wreton that he had in so grete 〈◊〉 the prysonners whiche he had taken in his bataylâ—es 〈…〉 wold not kepe ne reteyne them as prysoÌ„ners but rendâ—â—d 〈◊〉 deliuerd them all quyte The maners and condicoÌ„ns 〈◊〉 belongen to a good conestable ben these that he be not 〈◊〉 hastyf hoot fell ne angry But amesured and atâ—empoâ—aâ— rightful in iustice benygne in conuersacoÌ„n of hye maynâ—â—â—â— of lytyl wordes Sadde in couÌ„tenauÌ„ce no grete dysâ—ur of truffes verytable in worde and promesse hardy sure 〈◊〉 dyligent not coueytoê° fiers to his enemyes pyetous to them that be vainquissed and to them that be vnder hym he be not lightly angry ne be not moeued for lytyl occasion ne byleue ouer hastely for lityl apprence Ne yeue fayth to wordes whiche haue ne colour of trouthe â— ne that he be not curyous of mygnotes Iolyetes ne of iewellis â— but be he habylled arrayed rychely in harnoys mouÌ„tures contiene hym fiersly Ne be he not slouthful sluggyssh ne slepy ne curyous in metes festes in lyf delycate in serchyng alleway thestate couuyne of his aduersaires be he subtyl pourueyed wyly to deffende hym fro theym wysely to assaille them wel aduysed vpon their espies watches that he knowe to gouuerne his owen peple holde in ordre drede to doo right where he ought to doo it And that he be not ouer curyous to playe in noo games to honoure the good and them that be worthy nyghe to hym wel to rewarde theym that deserue it And that he be large lyberal in caas that it be requysyte that his comyn speche be of armes of fayttes of chyualrye and of the valyauÌ„ces of good men And that he kepe hym wel from avauntyng be he louyng hys prynce trewe to hym fauorable to wedowes to orphans to the poure ne make grete compt of a lityl trespace doon to his persone And smale debate to pardone lightly to hym that repenteth and aboue all other thyng to loue god the chyrche to sustene helpe right Thyse sayd condycoÌ„ns bylongen to a good conestable And by consequent to the marchallis to alle theym of semblable offyces ¶ Here alledge to purpoos of excercyte of armes somÌ„e auctours whiche herof haue spoken the maners whiche helden the valiauÌ„t auÌ„cyens conquerours in armes ¶ Capio· viijo· AFter that we haue deuysed what offycers ought to be chosen or at leste theym that haue condycoÌ„ns next and moste lyke to theym a forsaid whiche shal be coÌ„mysed capytayns conduytours of the chyualrye of the prynce or kynge it bihoueth vs to saye in what werkes thynges theyr excersyte shal extende And by cause that dyuerce auctâ—urs lerne me to speke whiche haue wreton I shal produce in to wytnes theyr sayengis And pryncypally vegece whyche in the tyme of valentyne themperour notably made a propre boke of the dysciplyne arte whiche the right conquerours helden whiche brought to ende by wysedom and vertue of armes thynges whiche now in this present tyme shold sâ—me as Impossible And this thynge wel affermeth by hys worde the sayd kyng pyrrus whan he had assayed proued the valyauÌ„ce of the romayns Of whome a lytyl quaÌ„tyte wythstood ayenst his oost whyche was so grete that they couerde thenne montaynes valeyes TheÌ„ne the said kyng pirrus saide yf I had suche knyghtes I shold conquere alle the world And by this it is to suppose that grete wytte trauayll propre industrye achieuen soo hye empryses as to conquere the worlde lyke as dyde the romayns and other coÌ„querours of whome the maners and ordres that they helden many wyse men registred them the whiche thynges for eâ—ample to be conformed to theym yf they seme good ben for to be herde propyce expedyent For the said vegece saith who that wylle haue peas lete hym lerne to fyghte who loueth victorye owght to knowe the feat of armes the knyght that desireth good aduenture lete hym fyghte by arte or crafte that is to wyte by wysedom and not at all aduenture â— none dare grieue ne angre him the supposeth shal surmouÌ„â—e 〈◊〉 ouercome yf he be assaylled Soo is it by the grete conquestes that the auncyens dyde somme tyme that the peple be not now so valyaunt as they were woned to be And of this whome it is a longe or causeth the fornamed vegece rendrith the reason that sayth â— that the longe peas rendryth the men whiche herto fore by longe and contynuel trauayllis were woned to excersice the feat of armes sette nothyng by that occupacyon But now ben put in delyte reste and to couetyse of money whiche the noble auncyens preysed nothyng but honour of armes ne sette nought ther by And thus is chyualrye sette in neclygence as it were forgoten not raught of And he sayd the romayns in lyke wyse whiche had goten many londes conquerde lefte on a tyme thexcercyte of armes whiche by
be whyle that he lyueth the bettre bothe in honnour and proffyte ¶ Now late vs goo wythout fere and hardyly my dere chyldren frendes and brethern̄ ayenst thees folke commendynge oure self vnto god that he wyl graunte vs the vyctory ouer theym as we all desyre the same ¶ Suche maneres of wordes shal say the hed capytayne vnto his men and that this ought to be doo all the auctoures accorden in one that of thys caas haue spoken and sayen that thees maneres kepte Iulyus Cesar Pompee Scipyon and the other conquerours And wyth thys afferme and holden that the wyse capytayne oughte to be large and not couetouse ¶ For it is to be knowen that the bokes of knyghthode lerne noo couetyse to be had in noo manere of capytayne but onely to see for the pryce and worshyppe that longen to the fayttes of armes And certeynly thys shewed wel the good duc Fabrycyus the whyche for example of hys bountefulnes we soo often Remembre hym in thys boke Whan that the kynge Pyrrus hys enemye that sore muche desyred to drawe hym with hys partye by cause he was soo worthy sent hym a grete quantyte of plate bothe of golde and of syluere For by cause that he vndrestode that he was so poure that he was serued at his owne borde with vessellys of wode and platers made of tree and sent hym worde that to so hyghe a man as he was apparteyned wel ryche seruyce But he reffused them and ansuered that he loned bettre to ete hys mete in treen dysshes wyth worship than in dysshes of gold wyth reproche and shame ¶ Thenne thus it behoueth that the sayd hed capytayne be benygne and gracyouse emonge hys folke For otherwyse he were not worthy to be amytted to that offyce For they say that by the meanes of hys largesse and benygnyte he may the bettre drawe vnto hym the hertes of hys folke to expose and Ieoparde wyth hym bothe body and lyffe than by ony other other thynge ¶ Hys benygnyte ought to gyue hardynes namely to the leste that ben of symple astate that they dare shewe and sygnyfye vnto hym some thynge yf hyt semeth hem good that concerneth the faycte of armes As it may hap somtyme that som of lowe degre may be of good aduys and of good counseyll For why god Imparteth hys gyftes of grace where he wyl ¶ And it is writon that the valyunt conquerours that be past and goon departed largely they re conquestes and proyes to they re men of armes And for them self it suffysed to haue onely the honoure of the bataylles and therfore they dide wyth they re folke what they wolde And that drawynge wordes are good vegece sayth that the good tysynge and the admonestyng of the worthy duc euerraceth in an oost hardynes corage and vertue And therfore in onys face trobleth hys syght full sore And lykewyse doeth the wynde that fylleth them wyth fonde And also the shoot of an arowe borne wyth the help of the wynde a lighteth more sore and bereth a gretter strengthe And also mynussheth and taketh away the force of the shot of the countrary part ¶ And it is here to knowe that by two maneres of wyles ouer cam the Rommayns in bataylle theym of Sycambre that was by enuahysshyng of suche an arte that they re ennemyes had the sonne to fore theym And that other was by soubdayn commynge vpon them so that noo layfer they had to putte hem self in ordynaunce ¶ Here deuiseth shortly the manere after the vse of the time present to renge an ost in a felde for to befyght his enemyes ¶ Capytulo xxiij WHere vegece putteth many maneres of wayes for to renge an oost in bataylle as it shal be sayd herafter the whyche in some maneres may be dyfferentes to the regarde of the ordynaunces of the tyme present The cause perauenture is by cause that the folke comynly in tho dayes faughten more on horsbacke than a fote ¶ And also where noo thynge there nys in the ordres of humayn dedes But that it is by long proces of tyme chaunged and tourned me semyth good to touche shortly somwhat in moost entendyble termes of the comon ordynaunces of the tyme present as ynough it is knowen of them that faytes of armes excersycen ¶ That is to wyte to make hys auauntgarde of a longe trayne of men of armes al clos togyder and renged full smothely that the one passe not that other the best and the moost chosyn in the fyrst fronte and the maresshalles wyth theym by they re baneres and standartes and at the formest sydes are made wynges in whych ben all maneres of shoters renged and in good arraye asswel gonners as balesters and archers ¶ After the fyrst bataylle that men calle the Forwarde commeth the grete bataylle where as all the grete flote and rowte of men of armes is putte al arrenged in a fayre ordre by they re capytaynes that haue among hem they re banneres and sygnes al vp whych are by dyuerse rowes one after a nother full smothly renged and not steppyng out of place For the Connestable doeth a cry to be made that noon vpon peyne of deth shall dysrowme hym self ¶ And som saye that yf eny quantyte of comons be there men oughte to fortyfye wyth suche manere of men the wingys of bothe sydes by fayre rowes wel ordred at the bak syde of the shot the whyche comons shal be taken and com mytted vnto good capytaynes and in lyke wyse they shal be renged byfore the grete bataylle so that yf they wolde flee they myght be kepte in styl by the men of armes that be behynde hem In the myddes of thys grete bataylle is putte the prynce of the oost and the pryncypall bannere borne byfore hym to the whyche is the byholdynge of the bataylle wherfore it is taken to holde hyt vp to one of the best and pryncypall of the sayd oost and a boute hyt ben of the best and mooste approued men of armes aswell for the suretee of the prynce as of thesame ¶ After folowynge thys grete bataylle commeth the thyrde that men calle the ryeregarde the whyche is ordeyned for cōforte And helpe theym that be a fore that semblably are putte in arraye by a fayre ordre And behynde thys bataylle ben fayrely putte the yomen on horsbacke that helpen they re masters yf nede be and holden and maken an obstakell that on the baksyde of the bataylle they be not enuahysshed ¶ Of the whyche thynge yf there be ynoughe of men of armes and that they be in a doubte les that the ennemyes wyl com at that syde thoo that surely wyl fyght and that ben wyse in fayttes of armes maken another bataylle that tourneth the bak towardys the other bataylles a foresayd all redy appareylled for to receyue them that wold comme ¶ And with thees sayd thynges comonly are ordeyned a quantyte of men of armes experte of the crafte and wel mounted
thoos that neuer sawe noo man kylde nor noo shedyng of bloode they are a ferde to see hyt And for thys cause whan they ben atte hyt they re thoughte is more to flee than to fyght and thus they may lette more than doo eny auayll atte lest yf they be not put vndre the Rule of som good captaynes ¶ Som saye that they ought to be putte by fore all the other to gyder And som sayen nay but ought to be medled emonge the goode ¶ Yet agayne for to speke shortly by recapytulacyon of that that is couenable to be kept in the ordynaunce of bataylles after the teghyng of the noble auncyent ther ben seuen thynges wherupon the gode capytayne ought to take kepe vnto ¶ The fyrst is that he haue take fyrst the aduauntayge of the place yf he may as it is sayde a fore where as he shall haue sette hys peple in fayre ordynaunce ¶ The seconde that they be at the one syde of them shelded or paueysed with hylles that nought may lette them or ellis with the see or wyth a ryuere or som other thynge that shall lette that noon ennemyes shall conne come vpon them of that syde ¶ The thyrde that they haue nother sonne nor wynde that can combre they re fyght wyth pouldre or glysteryng The fourth that muche couenable is to them that they shal knowe yf they can the astate of they re ennemyes What nombre of peple they haue whiche waye they comme and in whyche array ¶ And what ordre they kepe For after the knowlege of the same they may ordeyne and sette hem self to the best for to abyde and to receyue them ¶ The fyfthe that they be not mated nor traueylled nor made the more feble for honger ¶ The syxth that they muste be al of one corage and purpos for to kepe the place and to be wyllyng rather to dey than for to flee awaye ¶ And thus suche men shal not be brought lyghtly vnto noo manere of dysconfyture ¶ And the seuenth is that they re ennemyes knowe not what they re entencyon and purpoos is nor what they thinke for to doo nor what cours they wyl take ¶ Neuerthelesse after that that it is sayd a boue the falles and the aduentures of the bataylles ben wondrefull and merueyllous For hyt happeth at suche a tyme as god wylle helpe that one partye and nought that other ¶ As it dyde fall that tyme whan the rommayns fought som tyme wyth the two myghty kynges of Oryent Iugurta and Boctyus ¶ For at that tyme as the hete of the sonne was so brennynge boot and so feruent that almost hyt smoldred the rommayns sodaynly rose vp awynde so myghty and so grete that the archers shot of whyche thees two kynges had foyson had as almost noo vertue and syn came a rayne that refresshed al the rommayns whiche thyng was contrary to the other by cause hyt slaked the cordes of they re bowes they re elephantes wherof a grete plente was there whiche is a beste that can not wel suffre wet nor watre a boute hem myght vnnethe moeue hem self the girdell that helde vp the castell vpon they re backes were also slaked and the castelles charged wyth water that sore combred them ¶ And by thys manere of waye the Rommayns that al redy had recoured they re strengthe by the refresshyng of the rayne dyde envaysshe so vygourously they re ennemyes that how be it that they were muche lasse in quantyte of peple yet they obteyned and had the victorye ¶ Deuyseth after vegece of vij maneres of arrengyng of an oost and of fyghtyng ¶ Capitulo xxvo· Yet after vegece in hys thirde boke in the eyght and twenti chapytre there ben vij maneres of wayes how an oost shal fight in a felde and vij maneres of ordynaunces of bataylles the whiche wayes and manere how be it he gyueth hem derkly ynoughe for to be vndrestanden but onely of suche that ben excersyced in thoffyce maystrye of armes they ben declared here as foloweth The first manere of rengynge of folke in a felde is that whiche is to be made wyth a longe fore fronte as men doo nowe but this manere of way as it is said is not ryght gode by cause that the space of the grownde muste be longe and that the oost be al stratched in lengthe and hit happeth not alwayes that the place of the felde is founde propyce nor mete so for to doo ¶ And when there ben dyches or dales or som euyll pathes the bataylle is lyghtly broken by the same And wyth this thaduersaryes yf they be eny grete nombre of folke they shall goo to the ryght syde or to the left syde and so they shal enuyrone and close the bataylle a boute wherby many a grete parell may be fall as thauctour sheweth that saythe that if cas be that thou haue more foison of peple than thin enemye hath take of the best of thy folke enuyrone thyn aduersaryes yf thou may wythin the bosom of thyn ooste Te secunde manere is beste for yf thou ordeyne by the same a fewe of thy folke mooste valyaunte and wel assayed in som place covenable thou shalt mowe haue lyghtly the victorye thoughe thyn enemye hath more peple of the whyche manere the waye of fyghtynge is suche that whan the bataylles comen for to assemble togider thou shalt chaunge thenne thy lyfte wynge from hyr place in to another to th ende that thou mayste see ferre vnto the ryght cornere of thyn enemye and thy ryght wynge thou shalt Ioyne wyth the lefte wynge of thyn aduesaryes and there by the best men of thyn ost thou shalt begynne the bataylle sharply and stronge And by grete strengthe bothe an horsbake and on fote the sayd lyfte wynge of thyn enemyes shal be assaylled of thy men that shal goo a boute shouynge and rennyng vpon tyl that they comme at the backe of thyn enemyes ¶ And yf thou mayst ones departe a sounder thyn enemyes that ben so comyng vpon thy folke wythout doubte thou shalt obteyne the vyctorye ¶ And that one parte of thyn ost that thou shalt haue withdrawen from the other shal be sure ¶ Thys manyere of bataylle is ordeyned after the lykenes of thys lettre A And yf thyn enemyes ordeyne they re bataylle after thys manere of waye and make yssue fyrst oute then shalt thou putte thy men in a longe rowe that shal marche forthe all of a fronte wyth thy wynges all in a gode ordynaunce atte the lyfte corner of thyne oost and by thys manere of waye thou shalt wythstande thyn ennemyes ¶ The thyrde maniere is lyke vnto the seconde and noo dyfference is there betwene But that thou muste sette fyrst wyth the lefte corner of thy bataylle vpon the Ryght corner of thyn ennemyes ¶ And yf thy lefte wynge is bettre than thy ryght wynge than shalt thou putte with hit som ryght strong and best fyghting men bothe
lifte foete a fore by cause in launching shakyng or casting that wiche they hold wold cast out of hand the body shulde be more stedfast on the grounde the myght in casting gretter but as to come hand to hand for to repulse or shoue forth with sperys they taught hem to sette the right fote afore by cause that the streÌ„gthe of shouing is at the lifte syde of men And for to teche hem bettre in all thynges to fighte to sawte they were oftymes put in arraye of batailles by they re maistres by cause they shuld knowe by veray vse the conduyte and the ordre that ought to be kept in a bataille And all renged in fayre ordonaunce made hem to marche forwardis a quantite of paaces for to teche hem to kepe hem self clos togidre in gode ordenaunce without gooyng out or from the rowte of they re bataille And with light stauis at the first by cause they schuld not hurt eche othre made one partye to sawte that othre And to th ende that noo rancour ne anger myght not be norryshed among hem they that had the victorye were at another tyme putte for to fyght with theym that they so had ouercom ayenst othre After this they were putte in certain places to kepe theym that one place ayenst that other And as they re bodyly strengthe grew more and more they made hem for to take axes and swerdis and almaner of other wepens of werre and assayed forced them self to smyte ayenst certayn stakes that for the nones were dressed and there made grete appertyses of armes as hit had be ayenst they re enemy mortall and al this was by cause they shuld bere trauailles and be vsed in ablyng of them self And so assawted the stake al a bout glanching and tournyng here and there and in this manere of asawte toke in hem self strengthe and breth and the manere of fyghtyng and sawtyng they lerned And as they re strengthe age grewe so was gyuen to theym greter charge and more poysaunt and namely bygger armures and more heuy stauys than thoo that are vsed in a feld or bataille by cause that comyn stauis shuld seme to them easy and lyght at a nede They lerned theym also to stryke with a foyne whiche manere of foynyng was first brought in vse by the romains for they scorned them that smote edgelyng and sayd with peyne myght one slee another aftre that guyse by cause the bones that be harde with holdeth and kepeth the stroke But of a foyne is the wounde dedely yf the hed or the body entre the depnes of two yuches And for this reason also is the strok of a foyne bettre and surer by cause he that smyteth edgelyng in heuyng vp of bothe his armes sheweth him self naked and bare and discouered a long his right syde and this doeth not he that smyteth with a foyne but kepeth hym self clos as he striketh and may hurt his enemy er that other heue vp his armes for to smyte edgelyng And with all this they excited and taught hem for to bere somÌ„ heuy fardelis all armed as they were for to be the redyer to suffre trauaillis and peyne and to th ende yf nede were they myght bere wyth them they re owne vitaillis And for this lesson to conferme â— to this purpos sayth vegece that nothyng is greuous which of afore is lerned by long vse nor so heuy a fardell but that by custome of beryng shal seme easy and lyght And virgille in lyke wyse confermeth thesame vse ther as he saith that the valyaunt romayns bare of tymes with them they re necessaryes with the fardel of they re armures And beside al thys wer ther horses made of tymbre vpon whiche they lerned to lepe vp of bothe the sydis all armed from hed to tooe the spere in they re hand to clemme vp wyth cordes to the wallis lyghtly to make ladders hem self and ropes knotted for to clemme vp ward ther with all ¶ Yet of thesame ¶ Capio· xo· In all the forsaid vsages and in othre moo the nobles auÌ„cyeÌ„t introducted taught theyr children so that by long contynnaÌ„ce wyth the gode doctryne of suche honorable wordis as they dyde putte in to their corages that whan the veray fait of a bataylle cam they were not to seke in noo manere of point but as al lerned and right wyse made gret appertyses faitis of armes Suche doctrine was necessary in the tyme of the grete conquestis and yet expedyeÌ„t gode hit were in fraunce in all other landes where as somÌ„tyme of nede harnoys armures ben taken Saluste to this purpos sayth The knyght or men of armes is to be chosen that from the tyme of his youthe hath lerned the trauayllis of armes and the maners of bataille And that by vsage can the wyes of knyghthede And bettre it is saith he to a yong noble man to escuse hym self of that he hath not yet lerned than to make sorowe mourne in his old age of that he conde neuer nothyng wherfore thauncyent praysed so lytel the noble men that coude nothyng that they putte no dyfference betwene them the landishmen But moche they sette by the noble men that were wortly valyaunt as it is knowen by vegece that thus saith to the lawdyng and pâ—aysyng of them O men of grete and laudable merueilles that this noble art and doctryne of knyghthede haue so longue excersyced that of veray kynde hit abydeth styll wyth you Ye ought to be hyghly enhaunced as they thithout whych other men nor the lande can not be deffeÌ„ded ne lyue in pâ—ax It is thenne grete auauntage to a yonge man that is willyng to do wel Whan bothe tyme and place he hath and power to lerne the arte and scyence of armes whyche is not to be thought of litel importans nor with litel peyne goten to him saith he that in suche dyscipline is wel taught fere ne drede of fyghting is to him nothing ayenst who soeuer his enemy that it be but rathre is to hym as a ioye a delyt And with this addeth the auctours shewing in what lesson they of the peple were taught that is to wite in shotyng casting thith slynges whiche doeth grete ayde to theym that wel can skyl ther with was muche vsed by thauncieÌ„t tyme wherfor vegece in praysing of suche coÌ„nyng saith that how be it a slinge be of noo weyght it is profytable namely in sawtyng or fensyng of a forteresse a slynge is good couenable wherof they say that suche manere of shott was somÌ„tyme so gretly sett by that in somÌ„ Iles of grece the modres gaf no fode to they re children vnto tyme they had hitâ—e they re mete with that stroke of the slynge also lerned hem to shote with a loÌ„g bowe with a crosbowe bothe theire maistres lerned them to hold their bowe with the
gode ayer and of gode compas yf he may And after vegece in a place where pastures water and wode be and that the feldys be not disposyd to kepe rayne watre long vpon the erthe nor where as to the enemyes myght fall grete russhyng habondance of watres by brekyng of somÌ„ pondes and stangs or somÌ„ scluses And it is to wite that after the quantite of folke and the plente of charyotis cartis baggage and fardellages must be taken the spaces of the lodgys in suche manere that a grete multytude be not to narow sett nor also more a brode than it nedeth for to be For of lesse strengthe they shold be thereby and ought the cartisand caryage to be sette rounde a bout Ioynyng to gyder and more fayre is the lodgys holden when the place is taken more in lengthe by the thirde parte than it is in the brede And in the myddis ought the place to be fortyffyed moost of all As a strong hold made wyth tymbre yf men may and that nede be Of whyche the yate shal be euyn ayenst the fronte of the enemyes And other yatis must there be by whiche the vytaylles shall comÌ„ in And vegece sayth that many baners ought to be sette ther vp on high and yf the chyef captayne thynketh to kepe his oost long there he shal doo fortifye the place with dyches palis rounde a bout and wyth closurâ— made of tymbre as it were a castell wherin shal be 〈◊〉 the garnysons to the vytayllyng of whiche ought to be 〈◊〉 for byfore al other werke ryght wysely and wel 〈◊〉 as vegece saith more gryeuous is honger than wepe◠〈◊〉 many thyngis may be borne and suffred in an ost but â—â—â—cessyte and lacke of mete in a feld hath noo suffraunce 〈◊〉 remedye without vitaylle com thyther how be it â—e saith 〈◊〉 al thing is couenable to an oost that a man concence 〈◊〉 self with a lityl mete And therfore the wise captayn ought so to purueye that vitailles faille not or euer the siege whyche oftymes lasteth lenger than men wene of be reysed or go fro For whan thaduersary feleth the ost nedy of vitaillis so moche more sharp fers he is ayenst hem as 〈◊〉 thinke lightly to take hem for this cause it happeth yâ— folke of an oost force them self so moche to take vitaille one fro that other in especyall folke that kepe a siege bifore a fortresse doo soo wherfore gode hede wold be taken that the dyspensatours vitaillers of the oost be not theuys hemself robbe not the oost as they by crafty wiles may doo for by suche away hath many an oost suffred emonge grete honger moche mysease grete parell wherfore it is gode wysely doon to loke therto ¶ Yet of the same ¶ Capio· xiiijo· With all the thinges a boue said the gode captayne that wyl mayntenÌ„ kepe his werre iustly ayenst god and truly towardis the world ought to endeuoire himself to see his soudyours be payed so wel that they nede not to lyue of noo pillage vpon the contrees of theym that ben they re freÌ„dis and by this manere of waye the oost shal haue noo deffaulte For why all manere goodis vitailles from euery parte shal come thyder so that marchauÌ„ts may surely come that he make an ordynaunce vpon peyne of deth that noo thing be taken but it be payed for nor nought mysdoo to the marchauÌ„t whiche now wolde god that it were doon so euery where grete gode it were and I bileue that al thingis shold therfore come to the better ende grete perill is in fayt of werre in an oost whan couetyse of pillage ledeth to hit men of armes more rather than doeth the good entent that they shulde haue to kepe the right of they re partye or the honour of knyghthode or for to gete preysyng gode fame And suche folke ought bettre to be called theuis robbers than men of armes or cheualrous and this shewed wel the frenshmen that tyme they ouercome the romayns there grete oost in bataylle vpon the ryuere of the rosne and grete proyes gate vpon hem but in token that they setted nought by the same and that they re entent was not sett ther vpon they toke all the proyes as pylfreys and riche harnoys gold siluer and plate cast all to gyder in the said ryuere the whiche thing so don putte the romains whiche suche another dede had neuer knowen in grete fere drede The wise captayne theÌ„ne wel purueyed of tho thingis that ben said a boue shal not trust onely vpon that that his fourragers shall bringe by cause oftymes they fynde nought to take but he shal be purueied bifore his partyng not onely of al his garnyson but also of al vitaillis that vpon cartis he shal doo carye wyth hym as is corne and mele wynes flessh benes salt and vinaygre refressheth to drynke it with moche watre in the somer whan wyn failleth and al other thingis couenable that wysely he shal doo to be dispensed Yet saith the boke of armes that yf the oost shuld tary long in a place and that a grete puissance of enemyes wayteth to come thether the place ought to be fortyffyed rounde a bout with gode dyches of xij fote depe and xv fote brode and as streyght as they can be made at that syde of the enemyes wyth stakes 〈◊〉 other thyngis to lette them that wold descende for tenâ—re but and so be sayth he that the oost shuld not abyde longâ—â— that he awayteth but for a fewe folke it is noo nede of so grete fortyffyeng but suffysseth yf men wyl dygge that the dyches be made of viij or ix fote of depnes and of brede vij fote And ought the gode capytayne to commytte good men of armes wyth gonners and men of shot for to kepe and wayte vpon the laborers and werkmen whiche suche fortyfycacyons are in dooyng And for to brynge a bout all suche thingis the wyse captayne shal be right wel purueyed of al Instrumentis couenables as shouillis wyth yron at for ende ratellis pycosis sawis axes nayles wymbrekyns and of al other ferrementis for to make lodgys or for to pydche and dresse vp tentes pauyllons and of suche werkmen that can gode skyle of the same Not wythstandyng vegece sayth that folke of oostis ought al to be maystres hemself of kuttyng of wodis and of fellyng doun of grete trees of makyng of wayes thrughe hedgis and busshys of byldyng of lodgis of makyng of cloysours of tymber in sawyng of bordis and of makyng of brydgis yf nede be of fyllyng of dyches wyth fagotis and bondellis of rede for to fynde passage of makyng of ladders of al suche thyngis And after the said Auctour the auncyent conquerours caryed wyth hem in they re oostis forges redy made where were forged and made salatis and helmetys curacys al
fonde as for nede al suche wayes of makyng of brydgis And yf it happed that they passed ouer on the myght by the moue lyght or ellis so secretly that the enemyes can not knowe nothyng therof they must assoone as they be past arme hem self and putte hem self ayen in gode ordynaunce that they be not ouertaken vnbewarre And kepe forth on theyr way with a fayre lytel paas by suche an ordre that yf eny enemyes com vpon hem they may be able and redy to bere more peyne and suffre more perell than they can gyue hem But yf they may eschew hem by mountaynes and leue they re enemyes vndrenethe it is a grete auauntayge and surete for them And yf it be soo that they fynde the wayes narowe by combraunce of busshes and hedges it is bettre as vegece sayth that they cutte hem and open hem a brode wyth they re handys for makyng of the way than that they shuld abyde or suffre grete peryll in the hyghe and brode wayes ¶ Here speketh of the maneres that the chyef captayne of an ost ought to hold kepe whan he thinketh to have shortly a bataylle ¶ Capitulo xviijo· After that whych a boue is sayd must be here spoken of certayn poyntis aduyses and wayes that to a captayne are gode to be kept that tyme he supposeth to receyue soone a bataylle after the boke of armes and other auctours that haue spoken of thys matere And it is to wyte that when men fele they re enemyes commyng wylling to ouer renne the lande they ought not yf they can to suffre hem to entre the countrey but shal go axenst them wyth a grete oost For muche bettre it is to hurt anothris lande than to suffre his owne to be dommaged Whan a captayne theÌ„ne is comÌ„ to that place as he thinketh to haue shortly Anthiocus of Europe that is to wyte by nyght whan they re oostys were traueylled and lacked rested And noo kepe they toke of them self the whyche rommayns beyng but a fewe in quantyte slew more than lx thousand of the forsayd two kyngys men as thistorye recounteth ¶ And vegece sayth that where a bataylle is doon in two or in thre owres after whyche al manere trust and hope is goon from that partye that is ouer come And by cause that the fortune of the vyctorye can not be knowen of afore The wyse captayne ought not to putte nor vaunce forth hym and hys men lyghtly to a bataylle in a plain feld but yf he see that it be to hys grete avauntage And that a day of bataylle sette is to be dradd and redoubted as a thing that is putt in a grete Iâ—opardye Wel it was assayed and prouyd of the rommayns that tyme they had sent they re grete oost in to hyspayne that tourned rebell ayenst hem Where as of the bataylle whych they founde there redy ayenst hem remayned not of hem alle one personne that myght reporte the tydyngys to rome but knew hyt a gode while after by strangers ¶ Therfore ought the Duc to hurte hys ennemyes lytel and ofte by fayre scarmysshes by watches and by busshementys ¶ And by suche waye to mynushe them day by day as muche as he can ¶ Item he saith also that whan it happeth that prisonners be taken duryng the werre in scarmyshyng or otherwyse men ought to entreate and fare so fowll with them that thei be putte therby in despaire of theyr lyffe Yf hyt be so that they that so haue taken hem Awayte after the bataylle by cause that they re ennemyes hauyng noo trust to fynde nother pyte nor mercy in them yf they were vaynquysshed of them shuld deffende them self and fight more corageously for they re lyffe For many a tyme it hath be seen that a lytyl quantyte of men thus desperate of mercy and pytie dyscomfyted and ouer cam a grete and a mughti oost by cause that they wold rather dey fightyng than to fall in the cruell handys of they re ennemyes ¶ And so it is a grete peryll to be fight suche men ¶ For they re streÌ„gthe groweth and doubbeth wyth in hem ¶ Therfore ought the Duc or captayne sayth he to vndrestande and knowe as a rygtewys Iuge doeth the trouthe of a matere or he gyue hys sentence Alswel the strengthe as thaduauntage that hys enemye hath ouer hym and how and wherrof he may hurt hym wherupon he shal take wyse counseyll to wyte what he hath to doo ¶ For by this manere of waye hath of tymes a small quantyte of folke that ledd werre by wyse captaynes ouer come a grete multytude as it is sayd bifore ¶ But yf it happe saith vegece that thyn enemye presse the muche for to gyue hym a day of bataylle and that he hasteth to be fyght the take hede whether it is at hys aduauntage and to thy hurt and dommage but doo nothyng nor medle not but yf thou see thy tyme ¶ Here sheweth the manere of behauyng that a chyef captayne ought to holde yf hyt happe that he wyl departe from the feld witout abydyng or gyuyng of eny bataylle ¶ Capitulo xix BVt we putte a cas that the prynce hap to sende worde to the captayne that he tourne agayn wytout gyuing of eny bataylle nor that he make no more adoo or that the chyef captayne wold take hym self vpon hym for certayn cause to leue the feld it is to consydere to see what manere be sure Thenne shall come out vpon hem they that be in busshementys sette for theym and by grete vertu and streÌ„gthe shal hurte and domage hem ¶ And how so euer it is He that departeth from hys ennemye ought by al manere of wayes to puruey that yf he be chassed and folowed that they that chasseth and pursiewith hym haue som myshap at his retourne ageyn eythre by settiÌ„g of a watche for them or ellys by som other manere ¶ And yf it nedeth them that shal make chasse after the to passe ouer som flode or ryuere leye thy watche so for theym that they that shall passe first may be ouer ronne by thy men and that another partye of thy peple be putte in a busshement at the bac syde of thim enemyes yf thou can for to sawte them that yet awayten for to passe ouer the ryuere And yf thou nede thy self for to passe thrughe woodis or by som narowe wayes see that thou sende a fore som personnes of the oost that be feithfull and true that can reporte vnto the the pathes and whether eny busshement be there layed or not For a lesse shame it were to receyue a dommayge in fightyng openly wyth hys enemye than to haue eny combraunce lettyng by som awaytyng sette wherof men had take noo kepe vnto it thorughe necligence ¶ Here sheweth how the hed captaine of an oost that falleth in a treatee of peas or taketh trewes with his enemyes ought to kepe hymself and his peple from suche peryls as he
may be brought or fall in to by wylys deceptonÌ„ C xxo· And to th ende that no thiÌ„ge that couenable is expedyent to be putte in this our boke be not fogoten as touchiÌ„g the caasis that oftentimes happen or yâ— may happe by faitê of armes it is gode to speke of athiÌ„g that ouer moche may hurt ouer sore an ost that may ouercome hurte more than doeth yrone or eny other thing that soueraynly is to be eschewyd and to take good heede vnto the whyche thing is harde to be putte fro whan it is ones sette in an oost as it shal be declared herafter ¶ We haue deuysed al ynoughe how that an oost may departe more surely fro the felde yf cas be that hys best counseyll wyl not that he fyghte ¶ Now wol we putte another cas that is to wytte that bothe thostys be In a feld wyth a grete strengthe on bothe sydes and redy for to take a day of bataylle togyder But by certeyn meanes they fall in a treatee of peas ¶ It is thenne necessary in suche a caas That the captayne as we haue sayd by fore be sage and wyse so that he may wâ—rke al thingys to the best ¶ And for to folowe the waye that wysedome techeth He shal first take hede to two pryncypall thyngys ¶ One is that he shal consydere What the personnes be that treatten and what moeueth them therto That other is he shal be holde and see what and vpon whyche condycyons is founded and resteth the same trayttee ¶ What the demaunde whyche is doon to hym is and what hys offre is ¶ As to the first of two it is to be aduysed yf they that so treaten ben hys frendys or yf he so reputeth and holdeth them or whethre they be men of egall meane not parcyal nor synguler for nother of bothe partyes or whether they be symply sent and admytted of that other partye or not Yf it be so that â—it commeth by the symple motyon of that other part â— it is a gode token that noo deceyte be not wyth all For eyther god hath so inspyred them or it appereth that they doubte fere the batayll but neuer themore for this he shal be wel aduised of the manere of they re askyng with the manere of they re proffre thou be more proude therfore wenyng to haue hem at auauntage yf the bataylles happed to be wherby thou woldest not fall to accorde But rathre to be founde the harder For eny proffres that were doon vnto the nay certeynly For with peyne it myght be founde that euer it happed that they that refused iuste proffres what someuer ryght that they had nor what grete nombre of peple that they had ayenst a few folke But that at the last they repented full sore And it semyth that god in thys caas hateth them that suche raysonnable proffres comtempnen and reffusen And punyssheth hem ther for But herto thou oughtest to take hede for in thys lyeth the pareyl that is to wyte that thou be not deceyued by trayson thrughe false meanes vndre the shadowe of the treatyng of the peas And how shalt thou know thys For sothe I say that by coniectures thou shalt mow haue a colour of the doubte therof Wherfore be thou alwayes vpon thy watche Wherfor yf it be so that the first moeuing of the trayttee of peas be comen of somme of thyn thou shalt mowe knowe by the condycyons of hym what the cause may be that hath moeuyd hym to speke therof For yf he be wyse and a gode true man and that thou knowest hym for suche thou oughtest not for to merueyll yf suche a man wold gladly see that a gode meane were founde that myght eschewe effusion and shedyng of mannys blâ—de by som gode and worshypfull trayttye and that peas myght be had ¶ But yf he be a man that is not wont to fynde hym self in suche a caas And that is of lytyl courage thoughe he be malycyouse and a wel spoken man thou mayst thynke that this commeth to hym by cowardnes feblenes of herte But not therfore thou oughtest not to putte his reasoÌ„s all a backe But shalt see yf they ben gode and to thy profyt and honnour Another thyng is to be consydered that is that in heryng hym speke that the waye of the treattye peax sheweth and counseilleth vnto the thou shalt fele and see whethre the peax may bettre be come to his proffyt than the werre And yf in his talkyng he peyneth hym self to putte the in wylle of makyng of a peax the whiche for grete desyre that he hath to hyt shuld not be vnto the wel honnourable or yf it is ony couetouse persone to whom this may be made to be said by yeftes promesses To thees yf thou may hit knowe thou ought not to adde nor gyue noo credence nor feyth but shalt put them asyde yf thou be of they re condicions suffysauntly informed For an vntrue counseiller wyl neuer gyue gode counseil but yf it be to his singuler proffyt but a true couÌ„seiller seeth more to the comyn wee le than to his owne parcyall proffit And now it is to the necessary duryng the traittye of peax that lyke wise as the ambaxadours comen to the from that other partye â— soo shalt thou sende ayen somme of thyn Therfore thou must in this wel see that thou be not deceyued For a grete parel may be thrynne but yf they be true men For by suche wayes and by suche ambaxatours many cytees landâ—s and royalmes as som tyme was troye the grete and other dyuers haue be deceyued by suche traytours ambaxatours feynyng them self gode true nor noo parel there nys lyke vnto the same by cause that it is so hidd that wyth peyne may noon kepe hym self how wyse that he be from a traytour yf he hath entreprised to hurt him by treason And therfore noo bettre remedy to this there nys but to seÌ„de suche ambaxadours that be moost nyghe thy noble persone yf suche thou hast with the that gretly setten by thy deth and destruction so that he may haue bothe worship and goode fame therby and we euermore to be preysed and worshypped with hym for thesame and that hys good grace we may please therby Soo haue we a good cause fayre lordys to sawte by fiers corage and to enuaysshe wyllyngly oure enemyes I dare wel saye For they be in the wronge and so is god wyth vs wher fore we shal ouercome them wythout faylle without the defaulte be in vs and therof I make you sure Now be ye wyllynge thenne my dere frendes euery man asmuche as he may to do so wel that I may haue a cause to reporte by you that whyche ye shal be the bettre for ¶ And as to me I swere you by may faythe That whosomenere shal bere hym selfe wel nowe of whatsoeuere degre that he be of I shall so gretly Rewarde hym that he shal
the chasse vpon hys enemye vnwysely he putteth hys enemye in a hope to haue that vyctorye that he hymself had had fyrst Who that appareylleth not the bataylle in an oost he is ouercome without stroke To kepe ordre in a felde as ryght wold gyueth victorye bothe to the stronge and to the feble whan thou knowest that the sydes of thyn enemyes are hydyng hem self a bout thyn ost make thy folke to withdrawe within they re lodgis yf thou hast eny supecyon that thy counseyl be shewed vnto the enemyes chaunge thyne ordynauce Noo counseylles ben so good as they wherof the enemies haue noo knowlage of vnto the time that thei be brought awerke Aduenture gyueth often vyctory more than doeth force Impossyble it is to Iugge to the certeyn the ende of the bataylle of whiche fortune dysposeth â— Al that is contrary to thin entencyon thou ought treatte and shewe amonge many one But thy propos thou ought to say or shewe vnto few folke withdrawe towardys the the hertes of strauÌ„gers by yeftes and by promesses and chastyse thyn owne folke throughe thretnyngys By cause that good capytaynes redoubtyng the fortune of bataylle are bothe to fyght wyth an oost assembled togyder Grete wisedom it is to constrayne hys enemye more by honger than by yron ¶ Here fynyssheth the fyrst partye of thys present boke HEre begynneth the table of the Rubrycys of the seconde partye of thys boke wiche speketh of the cawtelÌ„es or wyles of armes after frontyn that calleth theym Stratagemes And of the ordre and manere of fyghtyng and deffensyng of townes and castelles after vegece and other Auctours And to gyue bataylle aswell vpon ryuers as vpon the see ¶ The fyrst chapytre speketh of Scypyon ¶ Te seconde of maryus and of Certoryus ¶ The thryde of theym of the cyte of Boyaux of Hanibal and of Denys the tyraunt ¶ The fourth speketh of theym of hyspayne of Alyxaundrye of Pyrre of Laptenes of Hanybal and of other ¶ The fyfeth of menoles kynge of the Roodes of Scipyon of Certoryus of hanybal of Acoryolo and of Fuluyus nobylyus ¶ The sixth of Acoryolo duc of dace of Fuluyus nobilius of pamondas duc of thebes of Fabyus maxymus of Scypion Affryckan the seconde and of Certorius ¶ The vij of the Lacedemoneus of Iulyus cesar of Papyrius cursor and of Pompee ¶ The viij of the grete Alyxaundre of Cesar augustus and of Crathes duke of athenes ¶ The ix chapitre conteyneth of Symacus kynge of Macedonye of Fabyus maximus of Denys the tyraunt of Alexaunder and of Yphytrates ¶ The x of Amulcar duk of Cartage of haymo Emperour of Affrycke of Hanybal and of Valeryus ¶ The xj speketh of Cesar of Domycyus of Cyuylius of Scypyon of Gayus ¶ The xij of Hanybal of a kynge of Grece and of another kynge of semblable cas of the romains that had nede of souldyours ¶ The xiij chapytre speketh of the wyle of the romayns of Quintius metellus and of Hanybal ¶ The xiiij bygynneth to speke of the manere of besyegiÌ„g of townes castelles and fyrst how they shuld be edyfyed ¶ The xv deuyseth of the garnysons that belongen to castelles and townes in tyme of werre ¶ The xvj how a forteresse ought to be garnysshed and purueyed of fresshe watre ¶ The xvij how it is nedefull that to the garnison of a fortresse be putte true men within thesame and sheweth hit by ensample ¶ The xviij chapytre speketh of leymg of a syege and of assawtes enformed after vegece ¶ The xix of an ordunaunce in leymg of a siege of that whiche longeth for to sawte a ryght stronge place affter the tyme present ¶ The xx deuyseth what powdres longen to gonnes and other engyns ¶ The xxi speketh of certeyn engyns that be called mauÌ„telles ¶ The xxij of the instrumentys that muste be had for to carye all suche thiÌ„ges as bylongen to the faytes of assawtes ¶ The xxiij of the habyllementys that nede therunto ¶ The xxiiij speketh folowyng of thabyllementys that be nedefull for the shot ¶ The xxv of certeyn other habyllementes ¶ The xxv gonnes and stones ¶ The xxvij of other habyllementys or Instrumentes for to vndremyne ¶ The xxvij of the tymber that ought to be had for to make that whiche foloweth ¶ The xxix of the werkmen labourers that be nedefull for makyng of the forsayd habyllementes ¶ The xxx deuyseth of the vytaylles and habyllementes how they shal be conducted and the passages kepte ¶ The xxxj chapytre speketh of certeyn establyshyngis ¶ The xxxij devyseth the manere to stoppe the port of the enemyes ¶ The xxxiij of suche engyns that ben couenable as vegece saith in fayttes of assawte ¶ The xxxiiij begynneth to speke of sawtyngis of townes and castelles after vegece ¶ The xxxv sheweth the remedyes ayenst the forsayd engyns of assawte ¶ The xxxvj of a remedye ayenst the vndermynyng of a Castel ¶ The xxxvij begynneth to speke of bataylles that be doon vpon the see ¶ And the xxxviij chapytre devyseth of the garnysons thau ben couenable and nedefull for folke that goo to an armee vpon the see ¶ Here foloweth the seconde partye of this preseÌ„t boke whiche speketh first of the cawtelles wyles of armes Wherof the fyrst chapytre speketh of Scipyon IN thys seconde partye that we haue deuysed after vegece pryncypally the manieres that somtyme helde the noble valyaunt conquerours of the worlde in fayttes of armes duryng the tyme of they re grete conquestes by cause that they cowde well helpe hemself with moo than of one manere of werreyng it semeth me good to th ende that oure matyere may be yet more encreased and multyplyed alwayes to the proffyte of theym that pursyewen cheualrye that we adde vnto thys matyere the wayes and the manyeres of the cawtelles subtylitees and wyles that the said auncyent conquerours vttred helde in they re dedys of werre â— whiche subtilites and wylis are called by the auctours that haue therof spoken Stratagemes of armes of the whyche Stratagemes made a boke a valyaunt man that men cleâ—ped Froncyus in whiche boke he deuyseth and sheweth the propre dedes of the forsayd ryght noble and worthy conquerours the whiche to here may be of gode exsample to theym that fynde them self in suche a cas after the dyuersyteâ— of the auentures of armes out of whyche boke we haue exâ—stracted to oure proffyte som tytles Thus theÌ„ne saith fyrst the sayd Auctour Froncyus that the worthy conquerour prynce and hed capytayne of the grete oost of the romayns Scypyon the Affrycan that all hyspayne Affrike â— and Cartayge dyde conquerre by the swerde ones emonge other as he was wyth a grete oost vpon the feldes ayenst the kynge Syphax that semblably was commyng ayenst hym wyth a grete oost of folke dyde sende toward the sayd kinge as by manere of ambaxade one of hys knyghtes named lelius with the whiche he comitted to goo
som of his moost wise captaines in armes in manere of yomeÌ„ or as they had be litel seruantes to th ende that by all wayes they shuld see aduyse wel bothe the ordre the manyere the quantyte of the sayd kinge syphaxs oost whiche capytaynes as they were come there endeuoyred them self so wel yâ— nought they forgate but they toke good hede vnto and for to ouersee bettre all the oost they feyntly lete for the nones goo loos one of they re horses as he had escaped broken loos from theym wherby they folowyng after all a boute sawe playnly all that was in thesame oost and as wyse ryght connyng in suche a cas marked al thynges full well Wherfore after they re retourne and they re reporte made vnto they re duke Scypyon that by they re sayeng knewe that grete plente of stuble of rede was in the sayd kyngys oost fonde aweye that fyre was putte by nyght therunto in many places And this doon as the enemyes were besy awayted for to socoure they re lodgys from the fyre he ranne vpon theym in a gode ordynaunce And by thys waye full subtylly dyscomfyted theym vttyrly the sayd duke Scipyon ¶ Of the duke Maryus of Xertoryus of dynlyus of perycles ¶ Capytulo ij MAryus ryght cheualrouse duke of the oost of the rommayns whan he was sette for to fyght ayenst a folke full fyers proude that men named Tymbres or otherwise called Thewtoniquys had in hys oost many souldyours out of Gallya And to this propos for to ensyewe the techiÌ„g of the wise that sayth proue the man or ye truste hym muche he wolde proue the trouthe and obeyssaÌ„ce of the said souldyours of fraunce his lettres he sent to them where as emoÌ„ge other thynges deffeÌ„ded charged theym straitly that they shuld not open afewe lettres whyche were chosed within the grete lrÌ„es that he sent to theym vnto a certeyn day that was named therynne but or euere the day was come he seÌ„t agayne for theym for thoo that were open And where the sayd souldyours had trespassed his comandement he knewe that they were nat trwe to hym wherfore he trusted theym neuer after in noo grete thinge ¶ IteÌ„ a worthy knight named xertornis conductour of a grete ost cam in to hyspaine where he had a ryuere to passe ouere where his enemyes folowed hym fast nyghe for to renne vpon hym at an narowe passage where he his oost shuld passe ouere he aduysed him self of a cawtele he dide tary styl vpon the banke of the watre and made his lodgis to be made there in manere of half a cercle as in a compasse somwhat ferre fro the ryuer was al made of bowes of wode syn made hit to be sette all on fyre and while hit brenned thus he passed and his oost ouer the watre surely mawgre all his enemyes that myght not come to hym but they muste come thrughe the fyre ¶ Item dynlyus a duke of the romayns oost where as he ones to boldly had auaunced him self in to the hauen of the cyte of Cyracuse where hys enemyes were that for to close him therynne dyde heue vp the chayne but whan he sawe this wel fayre he cheuysed therwith for the prowere whiche is the foremest partye of the shippe he made to be tourned toward the chayne syde the pouppe whiche is the hindermost partye of the shippe was toward the syde of the lande thenne soone he made hys men to drawe them self all to the pouppe and thus was the formest partye of the shippe light so that hit heued vp a boue with strengthe of orys made a grete part of the shippe to leue vpon the chayne thenne he made hys men to goo ayen to the formest partye of the shyppe And thenne was the hyndermâ—st partye of the shyppe heued vp ¶ And thus wyth force of orys the shyppe passed ouer the chayne And by this waye he scaped fro that parell ¶ Item perycles somtyme duke of Athenes was ones by theym of the cyte of Pelopenes that chassed hym dryuen in to a place that was closed with hyghe horryble montaynes were but two yssues and whan he saw this he dyde doo make soone at the one of the yssues a grete a depe diche as thoughe he dyde soo to th ende hys enemyes shulde not entre vpon hym atte that syde â— and at that other parte he ledde hys men as thoughe he wolde awayte to yssue oute there And whan the enemies sawe thys by cause that they trowed not that he wolde nor myght haue goo ouer the dyche awaye they sette hemself for to haue deffended that other yssue lyke as they wolde haue besieged hym therynne but perycles that malycyously dyde soo made soone good brygges that he had do make to be sette ouer the dyche And by this manere he went hys waye wythout knowlege of hys enemyes ¶ Of them of the cyte of Boyaux of hanybal and of Denys the Tyraunt ¶ Capitulo iij IN the tyme of the conquestes of rome it happed ones that the oost of the romayns sholde passe by the forest that is called Latyne for to goo vpon the cyte of Boyaux And whan the dwellers were aware of hit they went soone in to the sayd forest dyde sawe al tho trees by the waye there as they shulde passe by so that a lytel thinge wolde haue brought hem doune and after they had thus doon they hided hem self within the thykke busshes of the forest And whan the said oost was entred therynne they that were hydde lepte fourth ¶ And dyde shoue the trees that thus were sawed vpon the oost of the Rommayns so that a Ryght grete parte of theym were ther by feld adoune and slayne And by al thus they were delyured quyt free fro the said oost And semblably thys was another tyme doon ¶ Item Hanybal prynce and emperour of Cartayge and of Affryke was alwayes wont to lede many elephauntes wyth hym in bataille It happed hym ones that he muste passe ouere a grete watre and there was no way to passe hys elephantes but he aduysed hym self of a subtylyte He had in hys company a man emonge other that coude swyme ryght well and was full of corage bolde and hardy to hym he comaunded that he shuld make angry one of the moost cruell elephantes that he had there and whan the man had doon hys comaundement and had hurted sore the elephante he ryght soone plonged hym self in to the watre And thenne the grete beste full of yre and cruell folowed the man withyn the watre for to be auenged in lyke wyse all the other elephantes entred in to the ryuere after hym and in thys manere the said Hanybal made hem all to passe ouer the watre ¶ Item Denys the tyraunte prynce of Cyracuse in Cecylle knewe that they of Cartage wolde com in to Cecylle wyth a ryght
grete oost ayeÌ„st hym ¶ So dyde he ryght wel garnysshe the townes and castelles where they sholde passe by And gaffe comaundement by hys ordynaunce that whan the enemyes were comme nyghe that hys garnysons shulde yssue out of the castelles and townes as thoughe they were a ferde and that they shulde come to hyme atte Cyracuse And thenne the Cartagyens that trowed to haue goten all the contrey toke seased all the sayd fortresses townes garnisshed them with theire owne peple and of so muche was they re oost made lesse And the oost of Denys encreaced whyche delyuered them bataylle soone after where they were ouercome and the other cartagiens that kepte the said townes and castelles were famysshed ¶ Of them of hyspayne of Alexandrie of Pirre of Lapcenes of hanybal and of other ¶ Capitulo iiij UPon a tyme the spaynardes shuld haue fought ayenst Amulcar the leder was of the oost of Cartage where muche folke were in a goode ordynaunce They be thoughte hem self of a wyle for to breke the bataylle of they re enemyes they toke many oxen that drewe the plonghe and enoyncted with oyle and brymestone a staffe that was putte vndre they re taylle and was all couered with towe of flaxe that wel embybed were with oyle and this oxen they dyde putte at the forefront of they re bataylle when they shulde assemble wyth they re enemyes And whan the fyre was sette in to the sayd towe they chassed and droof hem fourth ayenst the Cartagyens the whyche oxen as full of a Rage entred and brake al they re bataylles and so was the said Amulcar dyscomfyted ¶ Item Alexaundre prynce of Pirre had werre ayenst a folke that men callid Illyriens that bare habytes and gownes dyfferent from al other garmeÌ„tes The sayd alexaundre toke with hym a grete quantyte of hys men and clothed rayde them after the maniere of the Illyriens And thus arrayed comaunded them that when the Illyryens were so nyghe that they coude see hem they shulde take vpon hem self for to brenne they re owne cornes that grewe vpon the feldes and that they shulde make hem self as besy as they wolde dystroye waste all ¶ Of the whyche thynge the sayd comandement accomplysshed the enemyes that sawe thesame trowed that they had be of they re folke folowed them that so went fourth destroyng al thinges afore hem vnto the tyme that they came in to a narowe waie where as Alexaunder had putte a busshement there the illiryens for the moost partye were taken slayne ¶ Item in lyke wise dide Laptenes prince of Syracuse to them of the cyte of Cartage that vpon hym were come to bataylle For he made hys owne men to sette on a fyre certeyn of his owne townes castelles wherby the Cartagyens that wende that it had be of they re folke that thus wasted all wolde renne thider anoone but Laptenes had sette awayte for them by the waye where they muste passe and thus they were al slayne Item Hanybal the goode werryer duke of cartage of whome I haue spoke afore shuld ones goo vpon theim of Affrycke that were rebell and he knewe wel that folke was sore sette vpon this wine So made he thenne to take therof a grete quantyte meÌ„gled hit with certein herbe that is called mandglorye whiche maketh folke to be soone dronke and slepy And after al for the nonys made a lityl bataylle of hys peple to be redy to whom he comaunded that they shuld renne awaye as thoughe they were aferde when the enemyes shuld come nyghe hem And whan the other that trowed to haue wonnen all were come nyghe Hanybal with hys folke makynge as he durst not abyde hem lefte his lodgis al alone that was full of goodes and of this medled wyne and departed about nydnyght and on the morne whan the enemyes sawe there noo body they came to the lodgis with grete Ioye and dyspoilled hit about and as folke that dede was for honger ete glotonsly of the swete metes and dranke of the wynes evyl appareylled for theym For they all were made heuy a slepe and so dronke therby that they lay styl as ded men Thenne came ayen hanybal whan hym lyste and al them he dyde putte to the swerde ¶ Item thoos that fought ayenst a folke that men called Heryteos toke the swerde of they re enemyes and made hem to confesse telle there couuyne they re propos after toke they re raymeÌ„tes fro them reuested they re owne folke with thesame made hem to ceÌ„me vp vpon a highe hille that they might be seen of the ost And bicause the enemyes had comauÌ„ded to the sayde espyes that after that which they shulde fynde they shulde make hem a sygne and they that were vpon the montayne made a signe that they shulde come more nyghe they dide soo by cause they wende that hit had be theire espies in so muche that they entred in to the busshementê of they re enemyes where as they were al slayne ¶ Of Menoles kyng of the rodes of Scypion of Xertoryus of Hanibal of Lentulus of Acoriolo and of Fuluyus nobilius ¶ Capitulo v MEnoles kynge of the rodes was atte an oost ayenst his enemyes and had more of bettre men on horsbacke than his aduersaryes whiche kept the montaynes to th eÌ„de that menoles myght not lyghtly befyght them Soo aduysed Menoles a cawtele for to make them to come doune he toke a knyght of hys wyse hardy and hym charged that he shuld behaue hym self as one that was fled frome his oost that was euyl content with hym of his wages that he shulde goo to that other partye And he dyde as he was charged And with other euylles harmes that he shewed to hem of menoles he made them to byleue that throughe his euyl ordynaunce was a grete dyscencyon in his oost that for thesame cause many one departed from hym and to th ende that they shulde byleue bettre thees thinges Menoles dyde departe dyuerse of his folke so that they that were vpon the hilles might see hem goo awaie but he made them to be leyed in to dyuers busshementes here and there And by this manere of deceyte thoo that were vpon the montaynes cam doune whan they see the ost of Menoles so lessed that they thoughte to be able for theym but ryght soone they were enuyroned all about with the horsmen that killed and slewe theym euerychone Item whan scipion shulde ones goo ayenst the spaynardes with a grete armee the kynge syphax sent hym certeyn messangers that shewed hym grete threttnynges wordes of grete feere aswel of the hardnes of the lande as of the folke of thesame of they re quantyte strengthe of the whiche thinge not sore affrayed was the valyaunt man scypion but to th eÌ„de that thisâ— ambassadours shulde not sprede suche wordes a brode emonge his folke wherby they might be affrayed
for he sent them full soone agayne made wordes to be noysed about that the said kynge had sent hym worde as to his frende that he shulde soone go to hym Item xertorius foughte ones in a bataylle where one cam tolde hym that his constable was slayne but to th ende that his folke semblably shulde not knowe of hit wherby they shulde be a ferde he slewe with a spere that he helde the messanger Item in the tyme that hanybal descended in to ytalye for to goo vpon rome thre thousand carpenters that he ledde with hym fled from his ost vpon a nyght and whan he knewe it bicause his folke shulde not be putte in noo feere nor abassed therfore He made wordes to be cast throughe â—ut hys oost that they were soo goon by hys comaundement and for to gyue credence and feyth to thees wordes he sent yet dyuers other awaye that he knewe sholde doo lytel good and that were symply armed Item a tyme that Lentulus had assembled a grete oost for to be fyght hys enemyes and had taken in his companye a cohorte of macedonyens for to helpe hym a cohorte is vj C lxvj men But when he trowed to haue ben holpen of them they dide aduyse hem self soone and out of hys oost departed and went to that other partye And when Lentulus that dyuers many tournes of armes knewe saw this he was not abahysshed but coude wel take hem by they re owne barat and also to th eÌ„de that his oost shÌ„uld haue noo feere therfore he made to be noysed a bout that for the nonys he had sent hem bifore for to medle and assemble fyrst with the enemyes And for to gyffe a bettre byleue to this thynge he departed soone and folowed theym wherby it happed al in effette that wher fore he dide soo For the aduersaryes that sawe the macedonyens comynge wende that hit had be trewe and that they had come ayenst theym for to haue the first bataylle tourned toward them and bygan strongly to lanche vpon them and so of force they muste make deffence whether they wolde or not And Lentulus was atte that other parte that in the meane while enuaysshed hys enemyes and by thys manere of waye he had the said Macedonyens to his helpe whether they wolde or not in so muche that he had the vyctorie ¶ Of Acoriolo duke of Dace of Fuluyus nobilius of Pamynodas of Fabyus maximus of Scypion Affrycan the second of Xertoryus and yet of Pomodas duke of Athenes ¶ Capitulo vjo· THat tyme that the rommayns were in dyscencyon the one ayenst the other and duryng the cyuyle werre where dyuerse natyons had syn the tyme of they re prosperyte conceyued a grete enuye and dysdayne ayenst theym semed by especyall to them of dace that the tyme was come that they might wel renne vpon hem And where they had dyuerse tymes admonested byfore thys they re duke Acorâ—alo for to doo soo whiche wolde not be agreable therunto he atte he last by cause that they pressed hym so sore and for to gyue hem a knowlage by an example dide make dyuers dogges to be brought byfore hym in a place byfore the palays and were sette that one vpon that other in so muche that they bigan strongly to be fyght eche other But in the moost strengthe of they re bataille when it semed that they were moost angry and fyers that nothinge coude departe hem he made a wolffe of whiche he was purâ—eyed a fore to kepe emonges hem assoone as the dogges sawe hym they lâ—fte the bataille that they had togider emonge hem and they al of one acoorde runne a noone vpon the wolffe and by this example shewed the said duke to his men that what soeuere awerre that eny nacyon haue emonge eche other they shall not suffre therfore that a strauÌ„ger shall hurte hem but rather they wold make accorde togider for to â—eÌ„ne vpon hym ¶ Item Fuluyus nobilius hed capytayne of the ost of Romayns fonde hym self ones so nyghe taken by them of Samoys that nede and force was to hym for to abyde the bataylle of the whiche thinge by cause that he knewe wel that his folke were sore a ferde by cause that they re enemyes were of more quantyte than they were he dyde aduyse hym self for to take awaye they re feere by thys cawteâ—â—e He sayd vnto hys folke and made hit to be cryed and publyed thrughe al his oost that he had tourned vnto hym for money the hertes of a hole legyon of the Samytes And that they shuld Ioyne with hym whan the bataylle shulde begynne for to helpe hym ¶ And by cause they shuld byleue bettre thys thynge he borowed of theym al the golde and the syluere that they might make as though hit had be for to prepare the said folke A legion of men is in nombre vj thousand vj C lxvj So it happed that for hope of this the romayns toke so grete a boldnes in theire corages that they enuaysshed hardyly prondly ranne vpon they re enemyes whiche they fonde al ynoughe dyspurueyed by cause that they preysed hem so lytel setted nought by them for cause that they were so fewe folke to the syght of theym and so the romayns vaynquissled the Samytes and gate the felde vpon hem ¶ Item Pamynodas the worthy duke of Thebes shulde ones fyght ayenst theym of Lacedemonye So dide he see in hym self for a subtylyte wherby the strengthe hardynes of corage might growe in hys men He made hem al to come byfore hym and sayd thus al ahighe in audyence that he wolde aduise hem of that that to his knowlege was come for a trouthe It was that the Lacedemonyens had ordeyned affirmably that yf they had the vyctorye they shulde kylle and slee al the men and the women of Thebes and that they shulde dystroye the cyte and shulde take the chyldren in to thraldome perpetuelly For this denoncyacyon they of Thebes moeued with grete yre anger dide fight sore as men that sette nought by they re lyues and ouercame the Lacedemonyens that more folke were without comparyson ¶ Item Fabyus maximus shuld fyght ones ayenst hys ennemyes and was hys oost enforced ryght wel with pales and of stronge lodgys wherfore he doubted that hys folke shulde not fyght strongely ynoughe for cause of the places where they had they re wythdrawht and refut were so sure And therfore he made to be sette all a fyre or euere he began to fyght ¶ Item whan Scypion the seconde Affrycan conduytte hys seconde oost in Affryke hit happed hym to falle to the grounde whan he yssued out of hys shippe he soone behilde the contenaunce of his folke perceyued that they toke this fall for an euyll token that they were al redy as dysconforted therfore Thenne aduysed the ryght wise werryour in hym self of a wise worde for to saie wherby he myght gyue surtye to hÌ„is peple
of they re doubte he byganne to laughe sayd boldly O god be thou preysed here may ye see a good token For I am sesed al redy of the lande of Affrike hyt wyl be myne without faylle And thus by this worde he tourned the euyl hope of his folke in to a goode the whiche thinge happed after as he had sayd Item as xertorius shulde ones haue fought it appiered in his ost a merueyllouse signe For the sheldes of his men of armes and the brestis of they re horses becam al couered with blode the whiche thinge was to them occasion of a grete fere but the valyaunt duk assured theym full wel saymge to them with a gladde chere that it was a ryght gode token and that by the same they ought to vndrestande that they shulde haue the vyctorye For thees partyes ben thoo that are ought to be comynly blody with the blode of the enemyes Item pamynodas the wortly duk of Thebes shulde ones be fight the Lacedemonyens and where the cas happed that the bataylle was somwhat dylated hys chaere was brought vnto him for to sette a lytel vpon abydynge the owre of the bataylle but percase of aduenture hys chaere tourned vndre hym and fille donne besyde of the whiche thinge hys folke were muche abasshed and toke hit for an euyll betoknynge The said duke thenne whiche rose vp quyckly sayenge vnto theym with a hardy face in thys wise Now vp vp lyghtly my gode knyghtes the goddes doen forbede vs the soâ—ourne and taryenge For they haue admonested vs by thys token for to goo soone to the bataylle and oure shal be the vyctorye ¶ Here speketh of the Lacedomyens of Iulius Cesar of Papyrius cursor of Pompee ¶ Capitulo vij THat tyme whan the Lacedomyens had werre to they me of the cyte of Messynes they knewe ones by theire espyes for certeyne that the Messynyens were so sore sette in yre vpon them that they shulde brynge to the bataylle bothe they re wyues and they re chyldren for to haue therby a gretter corage for to obteyne or ellis dye togider For the whiche thinge the Lacedemonyens with drewe them self and differde the bataylle Item Cesar had ones so broughte hys enemyes by takyng of water awaye fro them that they dyeing for thruste were in dyspeyre of they re lyffe and as they that be forced with a grete rage yssued for to fyght with hym but he wolde not at that owre but wythdrewe fayre hys men awaye For hym semed not good that they shulde fyght atte that tyme whan dysperacyon and wrath rewled the corage of the aduersaryes ¶ Item as Papyrius Cursor shulde ones fyght ayenst the Samytes and that he knewe by hys espyes that the more nombre of folke were hys enemyes wherfore his men redoubted to deale wyth theym he toke soone a certeyn of his folke that he moost trusted with hym and secretly comaunded them to take a grete quantyte of bowes and of rede and that they shulde drawe hit after theym from a hye hille where bothe the ostes might see hem for to styre and moeue therwithall in to the ayer the pouldre duste of the feldes and that they shulde make the grettest noyse that they might with all as soone that this was doon soo and that Papyryus sawe them he bygan to make a scrye with a highe voyce so that hys folke eke hys enemyes herde hit and semblably made to be cryed dyuerse tymes that hit was his felawe of armes that he had lefte in to abusshement whyche had dyscomfyted a parte of hys enemues and that they shuld doo so muche that hys felawe hadd not al alone the glorye of the victorye And herof it happed as he thoughte for therby hys men were made hardy and bolde and lost all feere And the Samytes that for the grete dust that they sawe flee aboue the erthe wende that it had be a thinge of trouthe wherfore they torned they re bakkis and fledd awaye ¶ Item pompee was in a doubte that a certeyne cyte shulde be more fauorable to his enemyes than to hym self and that she gaffe them ayde and socoure by fore the stroke And therfore he requyred the enhabytantes that they wolde receyue withyn hem dyuers syke men that might not folow hÌ„is oost vnto hys retourne ayen for to ease and hee le hem self And that bothe golde and syluere and goodes ynoughe they shulde beâ—re with theym for to rewarde wel theym that shuld receyue hem And whan this thinge was graunted Pompee made to be putte in dyuers and many litteres of his best and moost hardy knyghtes bounde and bended as thoughe they had be sore wouÌ„ded and syke and in males and other fardellages he dyde they re harneys to be caryed wyth theym as hyt had be they re gownes and they re hauoyre For the whyche thynge whan thees knyghtes sawe they re tyme â—ay rest they ranne vpon the comons and so muche they dyde that they had the maystry of the cyte and so kepte hit ¶ Of Alexaunder the grete of Cesar Augustus of Crates of Athenes ¶ Capitulo viij WHan the grete alexandre had subdued and ouercome the thirde parte of Assie by cause he doubted les that they shuld tourne rebel after his departyng he brought awaye wyth hÌ„ym all the kynges princes of the lande as thoughe he wolde worshippe theym principalli suche that hym semed were moost wroth heuy that they were subdued vaynquysshed to the peple that he lefte there he constytued and stablysshed certeyne captaynes that he chose out of hem self And by al thus he gate the loue of the prynces by meane of the worshippe that he shewed vnto theym and eke also the loue of the comons by cause that he made them to be gouerned by suche of the comynaultee as they were hem self And thus yf they wolde be rebell they myght not wel syn that they had noo captayn For a peple that hath lerned to be rewled vndre a hed is nought worth by hym self And for to haue them more subgett he dide doo bylde dyuerse castelles nyghe by they re townes but for to pease them of this doyng he garnysshed thees fortresses with they re owne peple Item whan Cesar augustus had subdued al Germanye that the Alemayns had yolden hem self to hym he thenne for to bere a more lordshippe ouer theym he bylded many fortresses nyghe by they re townes but for to contente hem of this thinge he boughte the grownde of them where he sette the sayd fortresses For the whiche dede they helde hem self so wel content that they had hys lordship ryght aggreable Item Crates duke of Athenes was lodged in the feldes and he had but a fewe folke but he wayted after a grete secours thus he doubted les yâ— his enemies yâ— in agrete noÌ„bre were asseÌ„bled shuld come vpon hym by cause they knewe hym feble but bi cause he wolde purueye to thys
Inconuenient he made to yssue by nyght a grete parte of his folke comaunded them that on the moroâ—e they shulde come agayne a longe the haÌ„gyng of a montayne makynge a grete noyse so that they myght be herde and seen of they re enemyes that shulde trowe that it were som newe socours And hyt happed euen thus for the whiche symulacyon he abode sure vnto the tyme that hys help was come ¶ Here it is shewed of Lisimacus kynge of macedonye of Fabyus maximus of Denys the tyraunt of Alexaunder and of Yphytrates ¶ Capitulo ix LYsymacus the kynge of macedonye had beseged the cite of Epheze whiche had to her ayde an Archepyrate that is so say a grete thef of the see that muche harme dide to the sayd kynge nauye of his shippes he toke ofte fro hym a grete quantyte of prysoners but to this he fonde a remedie For he dide so moche that he corromped the said rouer by meane of money so that he dide fille hys shippes with the sayd Lysymacus folke wel garnysshed with they re harneys ledde theym in to the cyte as they had be hys prysoners whiche soone after by nyght whÌ„an they see they re fayrest and that they of the cite toke non kepe they ranne vpon the spies slewe them so was the toune taken delyured vnto Lysymacus IteÌ„ fabius maximus that tyme he beseged capne he dide waste al the corne that grue about hit wherbi it semed that his entent was not for to besege the towne theÌ„ne departed ferre from the same taried his coming thyder ayen vnto the tyme that they had sowed theire landes ageyne wherto they had employed they re corne and had but lytyl kepte And thenne retourned ayen Fabyus And for fawte of bred gate the stronge cite of capne whiche was famisshed ¶ Item Denis the tyraunt after that he had taken many fortresses in cecyle he came bifore roges whiche he knewe wel garnisshed of vitaille for the whiche thiÌ„g thex kept hem stronge So feyned Denys to make a peas with theym that he wolde goo to another parte but in the couenauÌ„t made betwene hym and theym was comprysed that they shold delyuere hym vytaylles for hys money vnto a certeyne day And whan he sawe that all they re vitailles were almost gon coÌ„sumed awaye wherof they rought not bicause they trowed to haue had peas that they re landes were almost ripe for to be reped vp he cam on a fresshe vpon them that soone were famysshed thus toke hem Item whan alexauÌ„der wold take the cite of lencadye whiche he knewe was stowred with vitaille he toke first diuerse townes castelles for the nones suffred the peple that was ynne to entre the said cite of lencadie wherunto they fled full faste to th ende yâ— they re vitailles shuld the sooner be consumed goon he toke good hede that noo vitaille might com to them by al thus he toke hem Item Yphitrates whan he kepte tharente he founde a watche man a slepe so strake slewe hym and whan men blamed hym for the same he ansuerde that he had lefte hym as he had fouÌ„de hym that is to say that he reputed a man aslepe as for dede ¶ Of amulcar duke of cartage of haymo Emperoure of affryke of hanybal and of valesius ¶ Capitulo xo· Amulcar duke of cartage knewe wel that the romains were wouÌ„t to receyue benigneli they re enemies whan thei tourned them to theire parte that in grete worship they kepte hem yâ— specialli the souldiours of gallia therfore bi cause that he wolde haue them by suche awaye ordeined agrete quantyte of them of his oost that he knew mooste true to hym And made them to goo to the ost of the rommayns as they had be rebell vnto hym and wolde take parte wyth the romayns So was this subtylite double worthe vnto the said duke That is to wite in asmuche as his enemyes were of theym slayne and that they durste receyue neuer syn noone of the his that wolde departe from him Item Haymo emperoure of Cartage had a muche grete oste in cecylle ayenst the romayns and knewe that in his oste emonge other of his folke he had wel foure thousaÌ„d Frenshmen that were accorded emonge them self for to goo toward the romayns for to take they re parte by cause that they were not wel payed of they re wages Haymo durste not punysshe hem for fere of rebellion but he dide purueye thrughe meanes of a wyle to this inconuenyent He called vnto him the captaines of the said folke speke faire to them a promesse he made hem that within a certeyn daye he sholde make satisfaction vnto them but the last day of the terme excepte one that he shulde kepe his promesse whiche he wolde nor conde not accomplysshe wherfore he wiste wel that they shulde departe he sent toward the duke of the oste of the rommayns one of his knightes that true was to hym as thoughe â—e had ronne awaye as rebelle vnto hym that tolde the said duke that he shuld kepe him self wel that vpon the nyght next comynge foure thousand of hys enemyes were poynted for to entre vpon hys oost wherof the romayn duke for fere lest this shuld happe ordeined that the moost partie of his ost for to watche yâ— nyght the whiche full soone ranne vpon the said frenshmen whan they sawe hem come by al thus cam this wel to passe for haymo for the romaiÌ„s loste there many of theire folke was adveÌ„ged ryght wel of them of galia that so had goon awaye from hym for they were al disconfiâ—ed slayne Item by suche anothre manere was adueÌ„ged hanibal vpon diuers souldiours that he knowe were goon awai bi night froÌ„ his oste for to goo to the romaiÌ„s for he made to be published throughe his oste the noone shuld take nor holde them that so were departed from hys ooste for falce nor rebell that they as worthy knyghtis gode they were so goon awaye by his comandement secret ordynaunce bicause they shulde knowe the couuyue couÌ„seyll of his enemyes for to do a certeyne thinge that he had comytted them vnto And this dide so hanybal bicause that he wiste wel that the romayns had som espies in hÌ„is oste that soone shuld goo telle them this and so they dide wherfore the romayns toke incontynently al thoo that cam from hanyballis oste made they re haÌ„des to be smytten of syn they send hem ayen vnto him Item the hed captains of the romaine folke kept the fortresse of tharente and he sent hys messangers to hasdrusbal that had hym beseged that he shuld yelde to hym the said fortresse so that he wold late hym goo sauf hole But whyle thys parlyament was kepte by whiche hadrusbal held hym self as al asseured and euyl watche he sette valeryus that hys aduantage
made grete hyrdelles and brode to be tyde fast with chaynes and with ropis to the walles wythout forth that waued brake the strokis of the stones that were caste ayenst the walles with dyuers maneres of engyns so that they coude not hurt nor appayre the walles Or elles they made hour deys or obstacles full thykke of thornes and redy luted theym wyth dong and stones ayenst the walles whyche by thys were kept fro brusynge of the grete stones And sedyng watre brennyng ashes and al suche other thynges they had prest and redy for they re deffence ¶ The yates that were made of stronge tymber they made to be couered in tyme of werre wyth Lamynes of yron or wyth rawe leder by cause they shuld not be sette on fyre and therupon they had a barbackane And yet was there a hole made thrughe the walle where was sette a portecolys that hanged wyth rynges and chaynes of yron so that yf the enemyes cam there they shulde be surprysed and enclosed vnbewarre by the said protecollysse that men shuld late goo doune vpon theym and other holes were also there wherthrughe grete stones and other thynges myght be lached and caste vpon them ¶ Item the dyches ought to be made of a grete brede and so depe yf cas be that noo ryuere be rennyng there that the fortres may not be vndremyned but yf namely hit were sette vpon a roche But the auncyent kept wel they re fortresses frome this inconuenyent ¶ For wyth good betun lyme and cyment they bonde they re byldyng so fast and namely the fondementes of they re fortresses that they myght not be persed Also ought the dyches to be so depe and so large that they be not of lyght fylled by the enemyes and som auncyent made hem in olde tyme past to be massonned as a walle vp ryght atte the without forth syde so that one myght not descende hym self a doune theryn and yet with thys they strak full thikke al douneward the walle wyth sharp hokes and pynnes of yron that men calle caltrappes that letten ryght sore them that go doune the whiche thinges are comonly knowen as I trowe and semblably dyuerse other closes and garnysons of deffence wherfore it is noo grete nede as me semeth that I recyte nomore therof syn that the maystres of suche werkes ben therof wel lerned and taught in the tyme present ¶ Here deuysed of the garnysons that behouen to castelles and townes in tyme of warre ¶ Capytulo xvo· Lytel is worthe the strengthe of the walles of a castel how wel that hit be garnysshed of al deffensable thynges whan lacke and faulte of vytaille is there yf hit be beseged as it appyered by the stronge place of pnemon that closed was rounde about with seuen panes of strong walles al made of marbell stone and was sette vpon a roche and fortyfyed with grete toures al about that were wel garnysshed wyth good men of werre the whiche fortresse was famysshed by longe settyng of the syege that was layde afore And by cause that enemyes comonly att a syege force hem self to take awaye the watre fro the fortresse And it is gode to make there redy ayenst the engyns Cyment beton oylle pytche foyson of tawe to brenne the said engyns with all stele and yron to make and forge al manere of harnoys for the men of armes and maystres that can gode skyle in makyng of the same And foyson of tymber to make sperys demylaunces and other stauys wyth all And a grete plente of flyntstones or other harde stones muste be had vpon the batelementes of the walles and toures for to make deffence wyth all And also ought to be purueyed for pypes and other vesselles full of quyk lyme that shal be thrawen and shouen a doune vpon the ennemyes that wol clyme vp to the walle to th ende that the mouthes and the eyen of them that be mooste hardy may be stopped and fylled wyth all whan the vesselles shall breke in fallyng on the grounde ¶ Item behoueth to suche a garnyson a grete quantyte of bordes and herdelles and foyson nayles and pynne bothe of yron and of wode for to make entablementes ayenst te walles wythout forth ¶ And for to saye in generall they muste be wel purueyed and garnished of Lyme of Zande of Stone and of Plastre for to make cloysons and contrewalles and of carpenters and massons for to make hyt yf nede were ¶ Item a grete stoore muste there be of cordes and strengys for balestres and long bowes and senewys and other stuffe to make hem wyth all And yf yt happed that senewys myght not be recoured the horses manes and the tayles and namely the herys of women are atte a nede full good to make crosbowes cordes and strynges wyth all For wyth thys as vegece saith the romayns helped hemself right well whan Hanybal demeined hem so sore so longe that al manere of cordes and senewis were faylled emonge hem And thenne the worthy ladyes of rome that had ryght fayre and longe here trayllyng to the grounde and that had at that tyme in they re heerys they re mooste curyouse and mooste playsante appareyll hadde leuere to be defyled and naked from they re ryght fayre and yelowe treshes or lokkes for to socoure the yre cyte with all than to be arayed full fayre with they re longe and yelowe heerys and soone to be brought in to captyuyte and thraldome vndre the handes of they re enemyes and therfore they proffred they re heerys to the archers and shoters wherby rome was warauntyzed and kepte Item also they ought to be wel garnysshed wyth hornes of bestes for to amende ageyne they re crosbowes and in lyke wyse of rawe leder for to couere ayen they re engins and theire other edyffyces to th ende that they may not be sette in a fyre and to see a goode garnyson of men able and expert in al poyntes of armes and goode archers wel lerned and taughte in al that bilongeth to assaulte and hauyng the wayes of makynge deffense ayenst they re enemyes and to be of a nōbre couenable as the place requyreth For as a prouerbe saith The walles maken not the stronge castelles but the deffense of good folke maketh hit imprenable and it ought not to be forgoten that where as the place is mooste feble there muste be applied more grete a deffence ◠For atte that syde are the enemyes wont for to sawte moost sore ▪ ¶ Of habyllementes of werre ¶ Capitulo xvj AFter that we haue deuysed in generall of many thinges that be al ynoughe couenable aswell for vytaylles as for deffense that to a garnyson of a fortresse apparteynen ayenst the enemyes ¶ It semeth to us expedyent to shewe now by Iuste estymacyon partyculer what vytaylles shulde be suffycyent to a certeyne felawship of men after the equypolent of euery grete or small garnyson For two hondred men of armes thenne and they re Archers
reasons shal bring forth many one for a wittenes of the same And first in rehercyng that whyche the other Auctoures testyfyen and sayen that is that the grettest gode that can be is peas loue and vnyte to be had in a comynalte without diuysyon and that an ouer harde thinge it were that suche peple myght be of what someuere puyssauÌ„ce or power dyscomfyted and dystroyed thys approueth the ansuere that the wise magicien tinsealx madevnto Scypyon whan he axed hym how it might be that they of the cyte of Munyence hadde kepte hem self so longe ayenst the puyssaunce of the rommayns he sayd that it was by the ryght grete concordaunce that was emonge hem and with peas vnite is also ryght good to be had in a fortresse or cyte suche prynces or soueraynes that owe grete fauoure a loue to the place as the noble Canullus wel shewed that souerayne was of the romayns oste whan that Brenyus of swaue had dystroyed the cyte of rome by werre and went awaye wyth proyes and grete rychesses But the said noble men not wythstandynge that the romayns hadde exilled hym wrongfully out of they re cyte whan he knewe the grete myshappe he was full sory And gadred soone of folke al that he myght doo for he was of a grete auctoryte and went ayenst Brenyus that noo kepe toke of hym and slewe a grete parte of hys peple and hym self putte to flight and a grete hauoyre he dyde conquere there of the whiche he bylded rome ageyne and brought in ayen with hym theym that were banysshed And for this cause he was called the seconde Romulus And euyn thus as a ryght grete good Ioye and gode happe is or cometh to a cyte whan she is in peas and vnyte within her self ryght so all euyll desolacyon and parell is there in tyme of dyscorde and ofdiscencion the whiche thinge is her totall and veray destructyon as namely saith the holy scrypture For by dyscorde and altercacyon cometh and aryseth comynly a grete dyfferent and contencyon amonge the comynaltee of a towne that is to wite thrughe cause of pryde and of arrogance one ayenst another by enuye and by coueytyse wherof may noo good come as it happed in rome of they re bataylle cyuile that to the rommayns was so gretly preiudycyable that al most they had vttirly vndoon dystroyed hem self therby for the grete pryde that was in they re prynces that is to wite Scilla Maryus to whome were come to ayde of two parties pompee Pertorius and Marius that othre hyghe men were of grete proesse and auctorite In whiche werre were slayne in dyuers bataylles or euere hyt ceassed as Recounteth the historye xxiiij of they re prynces that were hed captaynes six of they re souerayns and xl highe barons of the romayn peple C l thousand without other â— strauÌ„gers that were to they re ayde So ought wel to be eschewed suche an euyll acursed contencyon and debate ¶ Of the same YEt to this propos of puttyng trusty folke in to castelles cytees and that gode kepe ought to be taken that they be not ouer muche couetous as by thys manere of waye many cytees and townes haue ben betrayed solde robbed It apyereth by thensample of the cyte of Sinopen that was grete stronge riche and full of peple whiche Mytrydaâ—â—es the kynge had taken to two knyghtes that he reputed good and true to hym but full euyll they kepte hit â— For them self wyth they re folke dyspoylled it and after that they had sette hit a fyre they fledd and went awaye wherof a merueyllouse aduenture happed For thenne as the duke of the oost of the romayns dide arryue there for to sette his siege bifore the towne he had grete merueylle what that myght be And whan the cas was tolde hym he made to calle atte the yates and whan the yate was open he gyuyng to them of the towne gode assewrance made his owne folke to putte out the fyre And thus was werred the sayd Sonopen by theym that shulde haue kepte hit sauffe And socoured and holpen by them that trowed to haue dystroied hit a noone ¶ Item that couetouse folke may be of grete hynderaunce vnto a cyte or castelles It appyereth by the wordes of Iugurta the kynge of Munydye that a grete enuye and couerd hate bare to the rommayns hydd vndre coloure of feynted loue but for to deceyue hem bettre he gaffe grete gyftes vnto the pryncypalles of them and in this dooynge he sewed sedycyon and dyscorde emonge the cytezeyns And thus werred them they re ennemye that they reputed for a frende wythout that they perceyued it nor were aware therof tyl that at hys departyng fro rome where as by fyctyon of grete loue he was come he coude not kepe hys herte that was swollen wyth enuye but he muste caste out suche aworde Thys stronge cyte were lyghtly to be taken who that hadde ynoughe for to gyue ¶ Wyth thees thynges is to wyte that many a tyme is happed a grete Inconuenyent in cytees and landes and namely in an ooste by cause of grete quantyte of strangers as hyt happed in Rome in the tyme of they re conquestes where they had an vse to take in scruyce wyth them the prysonners that they toke for to doo suche occupacyon and besynes as they wolde sette hem for to doo ¶ Wherof it befell that ones so many they had that more than tuenty thousand arrose togyder as rebell ayenst the rommayns and bare them muche grete dommayge or euere they coude comme at an ende for to destroye hem But after thees thynges thus sayd whiche may serue for ensample we shall retourne to the fyrst propos ¶ Of leyenge of a syege and of sawtyngys of fortresses ¶ Capytulo xixo· WHen the tyme is comme that an oste cometh to laye a syege byfore som cytee or fortres whiche tyme ought comonly to be yf the hed capytayne be wyse in the season of heruest or soone after by cause that thenne it is to hym profytable for two reasons One is that he shal fynde more of vytaylles vpon the feldes and that other by cause that he shall greue dobly hys enemyes that is to wyte by syege assaulte and by takynge awaye fro them they re corne and they re wyne and they re other vytaylles whan they sholde gadre theym for to fournysshe they re towne And he shall see that hys ost be lodged the moost nere that he may and shall wel aduyse afore the grounde and the sytuacyon of the place yf be he not by some other suffysauntly therof informed to th ende that the syege be layed best to his advauntage for to dresse hys engyns vpon a conuenyent grounde and to advise what parte he shal best gyue assaulte And yf it semeth hym best he shal doo make about the ooste good dyches and shall fortefye the grounde aboute wyth palys as it were a fortres to th
ende they may wythstande to them that might comme for to reyse the syege or namely to theym of the castel yf they yssued out ayenst theym And yf it be soo that of all sydes the place may be beseged the bettre it is but yf there be eny hylle or som other thynge that letteth Neuertheles to al the partyes that be playn shal be made trenchez or pallys fro one syege to that other so that they of wythynne may not yssue out wythout daunger And from al sydes he shall ordeyne semblably sewre deffense and good watche atte euery owre And so shal aduyse by what manyere the place is mooste prenable And yf it be to be scaled he shal fyrst late make dowble ladders as many as shall nede and shal make to be had awaye wyth the shot of engyns al that that letteth of the walles and thenne shall the ledders be sette vp that shal be armed at the vpper ende wyth grete hokes of yron that shall a grype the batellementes or fensynge of the walle and the neder ende shal be harnessed wyth sharp hedes of yron whiche shal be sette depe in to the erthe to th ende they be not ouer thrawen doune by theym that deffende the towne And forthwyth of all sydes shal begynne the assawte ¶ And yf vndremynyng semyth hym goode goode wherkmen that can skylle shal be sette to werke for to delue vp the erthe and they shal begynne so ferre that they of wythyn shal not by no waye see the men that bere out the erthe ¶ And so depe shal the myne be made that hit shal passe vndre the dyches whyche shal be vndre shored wyth good tymbre tyl that they comme to the fondementes of the walles or lower And by thys manyere of waye they shalt fynde the meane to entre ynne yf gaynsayde be not doon to hyt ¶ And wyle thys vndremynyng is a doynge the wyse Capytayne ought not to be styl lest they of wythynne fele or vndrestande by they re scowtwatche the sayd vndremyners But shall trouble and vexe them wyth dyuers and contynuall assawtes so that the noyse the doynge and the bruyt shal stop they re heerynge For strokes of crosbowes thykker than flyes Bombardes and gonnes wyth the horryble sowne of they re stones caste ayenst the walle the noyse of the assawters the sownes of Trompettes and the feere that they haue of them that cleme vp the laders shal gyue hem ynouge to do and so they shall not be lytyl occupyed ¶ Item and yf it hap that the said myners may perce the walles wythout they be perceyued they shal soone sette on a fyre al the tymbre and shores that they haue sette vndre the walles whiche shal thenne breke and fall doune al attones and thus shal entre the toune the men of armes And yf thys thynge can not help by cause of the grete strengthe of the place and of the grete garnyson the wyse capytayne that desyred to haue hyt shal seke by another manyere of waye for a remedye therunto ¶ Here begynneth an ordynaunce of leyenge of a syege sheweth that whyche behoueth therto for to sawte a ryght stronge place after the tyme present ¶ Capitulo xx WHat that vegece vpon whos boke of knyghthode we haue founded the most partye of thys present werke hathe spoken in general termes after the manere and vsage of the preu auncyent conquerours past ynough suffysauntly to goode vndrestanders of the thynges of armes Aswell in this that toucheth or may touche fayttes or dedes of bataylle and of that that dependeth therof as of that whyche bylongeth to assaylle Castelles and Townes by see and by lande As it shal be sayd herafter ¶ Neuertheles for to gyue a more partyculer vndrestandynge not to theym that knowe hyt but to theym that in tyme comynge shal mowe rede and here it desyrynge the knowlege therof ¶ Where the scrypture in bokes is a thynge perpetual as to the worlde it semeth me goode to adde in thys oure sayde werke more partyculerly thoo thinges that be goode and propyce to assaylle Cytees Castelles and Townes after the manere and waye of the tyme present for to gyue therof a more Intellygyble exsample And ryght so and semblably that in the thynges sayde and to be sayde we haue holpen vs of the saynges of the boke of vegece and other Auctoures We shal in thys helpe vs of the counseyll of the wyse knyghtes that be expert in the sayde thynges of armes And what that therof a grete lawde shulde apparteyne to theym where as they be wel dygne of honoure and reuerence asswell for thys cause as for other bountez Wysedomes worthynesses of knygthode and noble vertues that ben in theym It pleaseth not to they re humylyte to be aledged nor named Wherfore they that shall rede or here thys fayre ordynaunce that foloweth shal not therfore despyse hyt but shal be content of the same thynkyng the dommage it were that the feblenes of a lytyl paper that Rotyth in a lytell tyme shulde haue brought to nought the mynde and remembraunce of so notable ordynaunce whyche is wel worthy to be enregistred to th ende that it may be socourable namely in thys royalme yf the cas in tyme to come befell Soo shall we suppose thenne a ryght stronge place sette of one parte vpon the see or vpon abygge Ryuere grete stronge and ryght dyffycyle to be taken as suche there be to whyche men wyl laye a syege by grete appareylles how long that it lasteth ¶ And vpon suche appareylles and ordynaunce as longeth therto we shal fyrst speke of the gonnes and engyns That is to wyte two grete engyns and two other mydelbare flyghynge garnysshed and redy of al thynges for to caste ¶ Item foure Coyllardes all newe garnysshed and abled of alle thynges hauyng eche of them two cables thre slyngis for to chaunge whan nede shal be ¶ Item foure grete gonnes that one called Garyte that other rose that other Senecque and that other Maye the fyrst castyng aboute fyue hondre pound weyght The second castynge aboute foure hondre And the other two abeute two hondre or moo ¶ Item another gonne calle Mountfort castyng thre C pound weyght And after the maystres the same is the best of all ¶ Item a brasyn gonne called Artycke castīg hondre pound weyght ¶ Item xx othre small gonnes castynge pillettes of stone It dyuers other small gonnes castyng pyllettes of leed and comon stones of hondre or vj score pound weight Item two other grete bombardes six lesser Item two other grete gonnes eche of hem castyng about iiij C pound weyght and foure small Thre other gonnes wherof one grete and two lesser Item xxv other gonne stones castynge som two som thre and som foure C pound weight and lx other small And they all ought to be stuffed with fete of strong tymber and of al that that longeth therto the whiche forsayd gonnes ben in Some 〈◊〉 xlviij whiche
x gonnes and the pouldre that behoueth therto ¶ Item another knyght or squyer shal be charged for to lede conueye six score vesselles or ther aboute laden wyth vytaylles and of artyllerye gonnes paueyses and other habillementes and shal haue with hym two hondred men of armes a hondred balesters and câ— carpenters all archers yf yt may be Item another knyght or esquyer sage and experte shal conueye the grete shyppes wherynne ben the grete gonnes the coyllardes and engyns vytaylles and all habyllementes and shal haue wyth hym a hondred men of armes a hondre men of shotte ¶ Item for to conueye the vytaylles that shal come by lande and other nedefull habyllementes shall there be ordeyned another notable knyght or squyer that shal kepe the marchauntes vytayllers that they be not robbed nor espoylled and shal haue wyth hym two hondred men of armes a C crosbowes and a hondred archers And of another parte vpon lande shal there be another that shal conueye semblably the forsayd necessary thynges that he shall haue with hym men of armes and of shotte after that it shal seme gode to be doon ¶ Deuyseth of other habyllementes ¶ Capitulo xxxij OTher knyghtes and esquyers vj or viij wise and expert in armes shal be chosen and stablysshed for to chuse and aduyse the place where the syege shal be leyde and the bastille sette vp and also of engyns gonnes and other habyllementes Item there shal be ordeyned maresshalles for to departe and deale the lodgyses to the best that may be doo and to see that the vytaillers and marchauntes may be lodged at large and wel also folke of crafte to th ende the ost may be the better serued ¶ Item there shal be a crye made in al the townes there about that men brynge vytaylle from all partyes in to the oste and the gode men shal be wel payed and kepte from alle dommage ¶ Item another crye shal in lyke wyse be made vpon peyne of dethe that none mysdoo nor hurte by noo manere of wyse in noo thyng the sayd vytayllers crafty men and marchauntes and noo thynge be take fro them wythout money And also that noone be so hardy to sette hys ware at a higher pryce than Reason and tyme requyreth nor to selle them for to be borne out of the oste ¶ Deuysed the manere for to lette and kepe the hauen fro the enemyes ¶ Capitulo xxxiiij By cause we haue said here by fore that for to assaylle a fortresse grete and stronge of whyche the one syde is vpon the see or vpon a grete rynere were expedyent the forsaid appareylle to be hadde It byhoueth also to aduyse how thayde and socours that by the see myght come to the sayd fortres myght be letted It is to be knowen thenne that there muste be hadde x or xij grete olde vesselles of the see that shal be charged with stones asmuche as they can bere whiche vesselles thus laden shal be broughte in to the hauene of the said fortres or towne and there they shal be drowned so that they shal compryse and fylle all the said hauene that noone other manere of shippe shalle mowe come therynne for to approche the said fortres nother by floode nor by hygh sprynge of watre ¶ And for suche vesselles to conveye by cause noo lettynge cowde be putte therto there shal be a gode captayne ordeyned that shal haue with hym foure thousand men of armes and fyue hondred men of shot or moo whiche shal be in other shippes and shall drawe after hem the sayd shyppes so laden with stones And yf eny gytee wharffe or eny brygge were there or som other grete ryuere wherby the dyches were fylled this felawship myght breke hyt therwhiles and gyue an yssue to the watre for to haue hyr cours to another parte And vpon the sayd shyppes so drowned as it is said may be made two bastilles that shulde be made in manere as bolwerkes that is to wite an edyfyce made with grete tymbre as highe as men wil whiche may soone be doon that hath help ynoughe and thys bastylle muste be aduironned with hirdels aboute and dawbed thykke with erthe and clay therupon and it may be sette vpon wheles And this edyfyce feereth nother fyre nor stroke of gonne by cause the pellettes and stones that are shot fowndren depe in to the erthe that softe is nor â—yre may not take therto And the bastille of whiche is spoken bifore made with palysses ought to begynne atte this bastille made of erthe And thus to goo rounde aboute the fortres or towne who that may from that one bastylle made with palisses to that other bastylle made of erthe And al thus by takyng awaye of the ryuere and to doo after this manere yf the place be so dysposed the dyches shal be made dreye And wyth thys men shall mowe make a gytee aboute the toune in manere as bolwerkes as it is said by cause noo gonne nor noo manere of shotte shall hurte the ost And by al thus men shal mowe myne the castel or towne syn the watre is taken from hym and when the catte and the bewfrais shal be lefte vp and dressed and that the gonnes shal haue broken the walles then shal men surely assaylle ¶ Deuysed the engyns that be couenable to the fayttes of assawtes ¶ Capitulo xxxv ANd it is to be knowen that for to sawte all stronge places there ben fyue pryncypall engyns as vegece sayth by the whiche men may take hem that one is that same of whiche by force of a pouldre made of charcolys Salt petre brymstone and suche mixâ—ions that behouen therto are caste by grete strengthe so grete stones that they bruse and shouen a doune all walles houses toures and all that they recontre and of them be some of merueyllouse force that one more than that other Item men maken another engyne whiche after is called as vegece saith mosselle or motelle is made as a flatte hons and large and couered wyth horsdonge bicause that noo stones nor noo fyre may hurt nor gryeue hit and it is made vpon wheles and may be caryed where men wil within this engyn are folke hidde that drawe after them braunches of trees and all thynges that be good to fylle dyches with all by the same waye men may vse therof in suche a cas that wil wherby awaye shal be gyuen to other engyns to be broughte vnto the walles Item the thirde engyne is called Mowton and is made of tymbre in manere of a house couered aboue vpon whiche couerynge and all rounde aboute are nayled rowhe hydes and all wete and fresshe by cause fyre shal not mowe take therto In the forefronte of thys house is a grete maste that hath the ende couered with yron grete and massy Men drawe this maste with chaynes and it is made by suche manere that men may shoue it forthe and wythdrawe hyt ayen so that they that be
within the engyns may smyte grete strokes with this maste ayenst the walles and so shaken that they be all astonyed wyth all whiche engyne gyueth hys strokes euen soo as a raÌ„me doeth whan he reculeth a bak for to hurte whith hys hornes and therfore is thys engyne called a Mouton ¶ Item the fourthe is called vygne of whyche men vse but selden but yf it be to a grete effort It is made of grete tymber and it hath viij fote of brede and xvj of lengthe and is couerd wyth hyrdell is horsdonge to th ende that stones may not hurte hym and enuyromed al aboute wyth hydes rowhÌ„ for the fyre Vndre the same engyne ben the men of armes that percen the walle and vpon powâ—t leveiz that be made faste therto whiche are called flyghyng brygges and may reche vnto the walles they sette and dresse vp they re ladders to dyuers stallages ¶ Item the v engyn is yet of more grete strengthe and lasse in vsage by cause that it byhoueth not but to the sawtes of grete and notables cytees or fortres and stronge places sore desyred where as a syege be kepte by longe leyser Thys engyn is called Towre It is an edyfyce made of grete tymber and of tablementes with many loftes and stallages And therfore saithe vegece that so grete an edyfyce ought to be wel kepte It behoueth hym to be couered that may wyth lamynes of yron lest fyre sholde be caste or sette therin or at the leste wyth hydes rowhÌ„ all fressle To the whiche engynes men gyuen lyght after as they be hyghe or lowe For som be of xxx fote som of L And namely somÌ„ there ben so highe that not onely they surmonten the walles but also the highest towres Thys engyn is sette vpon moeuable wheles that by force of men and of horses are ledde as nyghe the walles as men can And flighynge brygges there be that as they be let doune men may therupon reche ouere the walles And yf it hap that thys Towre may be approched 〈◊〉 the walles ouere harde a thynge it were but that the towne shal be taken soone at an owre For therynne ben grete foyson of men of armes in al the loftes and stallages of whiche they of aboue with gode shode and hande to hande fyghten wyth them that ben vpon the walles and of lyght may ouercome hem They of the lowe loftes or stallages percen the walle And thus is the cytee or fortresse enuaysshed of suche effort that they of withynne wote not what parte to resyste nor deffende so ben they abasshed and lightly taken And it is that whiche vegece mente whan he saith the more partes and by more engyns and more strengthe that thou shall assaylle the fortres all atones the more are abasshed they that make deffence and the sooner they shall yelde hem vp And by cause that for to doo thys serven the ladders and muche proffyten herto and in lyke wise all engyns that can be made for to clyme highe It is nede for to make bettre thys manere of clymers that men know fyrst the heyght of the walles And therfore for to knowe thys vegece techeth it by two wayes and sayth that an arowe shal be thrawen vnto the height of the walle to the whiche arowe shall a long threde be made faste that shal be holde vndrenethe and by this shal mowe be knowen the heyght of the walles ¶ Item that other waye is whan the sonne is so tourned that he casted the shadowe of the walles and of the towres to the grounde thenne men may mesure the space of the walles wyth two staues y pyght atte eyther ende of the shadowe And by thaduyse of a gode wyse consyderer may be estemed what heyght the ladders and other engyns moste haue ¶ Begynneth to speke of deffensynge of castelles and vytaylles ¶ Capytulo xxxvo· IT is certeyn that lyghtly ynoughe myght al manere of a stronge place be ouercome and taken without folke were there that shuld deffende hit and therfore euyn soo as vegece dide putte in his boke for the doctrine techynge of 〈◊〉 the manyere for to assaylle citees townes and semblably for to deffende and kepe hem here he saith that ayâ—nst the engyns aboue named and other dyuerse paryllis wherof myght be vsed in faytte of assawlte yf ther be wytty deffensours that haue in them yâ— vertue of knyhthode marâ—y a remedye may be hadd For there is noo syknes but that som socours is gyuen therunto And in armes is subtylyte mykel more worthe than is strengthe as it happeth ofte namely in takynge of castelles and cytees As it beffelle som tyme of the rommayns that by a subtyl polycye wytte toke the cyte of capsa that longed vnto Tygram the kinge of Armenye that werred theym For as the ambaxatours of the sayd cytee went and came for to treatte of â—eas the rommayns malycyously made on a nyght abusshement of them self within the gardyns that nygh were to the walle and whan the said ambaxatoures trowed to haue entred ayen within the yates of the cyte the rommayns â—epte vpon the brygge so hastly that they toke the yate And so long kepte hyt tyl the oost entred al ynne And thus by crafte and subtyl witte was the cyte taken that was so stronge and so wel garnysshed that by noo sawtynge hyt myght not be taken And moreuere sayth vegece that they that kepe and deffende a place haue more avauntage than they that doo assaylle hyt for dyuers reasons and namely in befyghtyng For that whiche men caste from hyghe be it sperys stones dartes or other shot the more highe that it commeth fro the moche more hyt hurteth To the whiche thynges yf grete vertue and myght be putte therto noo manere of warantyse can not kepe theym that so assaylle yf they be hytte with all but that they shal be beten doune as the thondre felle vpon hem First of all they of within may be socoured by they re lorde yf he be not there hym self that wyth a power of men shal mowe come to reyse the syege and to gyue hem socours or by som other of they re freÌ„des whome they shall ahue sent worde and prayde for helpe socoure as it be fell whan the duke Lentulus hed captayne of the ost romayn went ayenst the kynge Mytrydates that sent worde to his folke that were withyn the cyte of Mycene that so stronge was that the see smote there at the one syde of her was aduironned with double walles that they shulde not abashe hem self for the grete puyssauÌ„ce of the kynge Mytridates that soone socours they shuld haue And a grete thynge it was to the messauÌ„ger for to passe thrughe so many folke goo there but it was by nyght and swymyng where he dide putte two grete boteylles vndre his okselles swymed viij thousand passes in the see and by thys manere of waye he cam and entred in to the
vpon the lande by cause they meue not so muche So ought they to haue amonge hem som small vesselles made at advauntage that may rowe and saylle byfore all other euery where for to aspye and knowe the couuyne of they re enemyes and when they come nyghe to seke them men ought thenne to grete hem ryght well with gode bombardes and stones cast wyth dyuers engyns and with stronge balesters and when the shyppes ben proched tyl eche other the valyaunt men of armes that trusten in they re strengthe putte doune the brygges and passen ouere in to the shyppes of they re aduersaryes and there with goode swerdes axys and daggers they fyght togyder hand to hand And in the grettest vesselles of werre men make som tyme towris and barbacanes to th eÌ„de that like as men do from the hyghe walles they might cast donne dartis and wounde and slee It is a cruell thynge of suche a bataille where as men not onely by armes but also by fyre and by watre doo perysse and hauyng no powere to glanche a syde nor to flee are lyuered oftentymes there all quyke hole to the flode and vnto the fysshes brennyng arowes and dartes ben there thrawen that be lapt in tawe in brimstone in pitche and in oyle ayenst the bordes of the shyppes that be made of drye wode and enoynted wyth pitche whiche lightly be taken with the fyre And thus somme perysshen there by yron some be there brent and the other be constrayned to lepe in to the watre without eny mercy and by thees wayes perysshen dyuersly many one that fight vpon the see ¶ Deuyseth of the garnysons that behouen to men of werre that ben vpon the see ¶ Capytulo xxxix SO ought fyghters vpon the see to be garnysshed of vesselles full of pytche and of rosyn of brymstone of oyle whiche thynges ought to be medled altogider lapt al in tawe thees vesselles kyndled glowyng hoot men oughte to caste in to the shippes gallees of the enemyes to assaille hem strongly forthwith to th ende that they haue noo leiser to quenche the fyre it is to be knowen that there is a manere for to make compose certeyn fyre whiche som folke calle grekys fyre and yt may be so called wel by cause that it was first fouÌ„de by the grekys beyng at the sege byfore troye as som sayen Thys fyre brenneth namely in watre and stones yron and al other thynges hit wasteth Nor hyt can not be quenched but by certeyne myxtyons that men make for this cause Also there be made certeyne poysons so strong so mortall that yf eny yron were touched with the same and after ward shot or thrawen to the body of eny man so that the blode lytyl or grete cam out the wounde shulde be dedely But suche thynges ought not to be doo nor taughte for cause of the evylles that myght folowe For they that soo doo are deffended and accursed It is not gode to wryte them in bokes nor more plamly to recyte them be cause that it is not lycyte to noo crysten man to vse of noo suche inhumanitees that namely ben aienst all right of werre It they that fighte ought always to awayte of al theire powere to dryue and sette theire enemyes a grouÌ„de to kepe them self in the depnes of the see Item to the maste of the shippe ought to be made fast a bygge tree whiche shal be armed with yron of that one part and there sette by suche a crafte that men may haue hym vp doune for to gyue grete strokes with all ayenst the shyppe of the enemyes so may be brused to peces whiche engyn may serue as doeth the mowton a forsaid It they muste haue grete foyson of arowes with brode hedes that shal be shot ayenst the saille tyl that it be so peced so rented that it can not holde wynde noo lenger so shal they not conne goo noo ferthere Item a croked yron mistereth them made after the facion of a zeâ—â—ll wel sharp and trenchaunt with a long hafte wher with all they shal cutte asondre the ropis cordes that seruen to the shyp of the aduersaryes with hokes of yron that they shal caste withinne they shall grype her so shal brynge her and theires togyder so that they shal not mowe escape It it is gode to haue grete quantyte of pottes filled with softe zande whiche after they be ones caste in to the shyp of the enemies they can vnuthe stande vpon they re fete so slydrye it is so falle they thenne in to the watre that be nyghe the borders of the shypp And semblably ben good to be cast therinne pottes full of quyk lyme made in to pouldre whiche at the brekyng of hem shal fylle al theire eyen and theire mouthes so that with peyne they can see afore them It with thys they oughte to be garnyshed of certeyn men that be lerned taughte to swyme and plonge in to the watre and wyth a long breth to kepe them self therynne whyche men shal goo vndre the schip of aduersaryes whiles that the bataylle lasteth and with grete wymellis and awgours shal perce the ship vndreneth in dyuers places so that the watre shall entre on all sydes Item grete foyson of stones and sharp yrons ought to be there lanched aand thrawen and al other thinges wherby they may sooner breke the ship After the forsayd thinges I may now wel vse of vegece hys owne wordes atte the ende of his boke thus saienge I byleue that from hens forth I may wel holde my peas of the dyscyplyne of armes For in thees thinges the custome and vsage fynde often more of the art and of newe thynges than thauÌ„cyent doctryne doeth shewe ¶ Here fynyssheth the seconde partye of thys boke sequently foloweth the thirde partye that speketh of the ryghtes of armes after the lawes THe first chapitre deuyseth by what meane xprystyne added to thys boke that whiche is sayd in the lawe of the fayttes of armes ¶ Item demaundeth Cristyne the maister ansuereth yf the emperoure may of ryght moeue werre aienst the pope c ij ¶ Item whether the pope may moeue werre ayenst the Emperoure Chapitre iij ¶ Item deuyseth of the puyssaunce and auctorite of the hed captayne after the lawe and for what causes the men of armes may renne to the peyne capitall C iiij ¶ Item whether a vassall be holden by ryght of the lawe to serue his lord in werre atte his owne propre expenses C v ¶ Item demaundeth whether the feed men be more holden to helpe the prynce souerayne in hys werre than namely to theire naturell lorde yf a gentyl man holdeth two tenementys of two lordes that make werre that one ayenst that other Whiche of them he ought to helpe ¶ Item whether al manere of souldiours after the ryght of the lawe may goo in all manere of werres deuyseth of the parell
where the man of armes putteth him self whan he goeth to the werre that Iniuste ys and of makynge in the werre other wise than werre requyreth C vij ¶ Item speketh of the popys ryght and the payment of the souldyours wages C viij ¶ Item wether a taptayne of a certeyne nombre of men of armes may transmute them atte hys wylle syn that they be reteyned in wages C ix ¶ It yf a lorde sende a man of armes in garnison to som fortres of his owne without that eny wages be promysed hym that hit happeth hym to be robbed and dyspoylled by the waye to whyche of bothe may he demaunde hys interesses and the recouere of his losse or to the lorde that so sent hym thidre or to hym that so hath robbed hym And yf a man of armes be com to serue a lorde in hys werre wythout couenaunt of wages Whether the lorde be holden forto paye hym or not C x ¶ Item yf a kynge had sent socours to another kynge without he had requyred hym so to doo whether he were holde for to paye them or not C xj ¶ Item yf a kynge hath werre with another kynge is willyng to renne vpon hym with a grete oost Is nowe to wite whether the lordes thrughe whos lordshippes he and his ost must passe may by ryght chalenge the passage how wel y◠so were that noo harme were by hym nor hys doon there that noo vitaille they toke but that they paied wel for C xij ¶ Item and yf a man of armes borowe bothe horse and harneys and leseth hit now is to wite whethre he shulde paye for hit or not C xiij ¶ It yf a man that had be sore wounded of another the whiche after the stroke were fledde awaye and that the other so hurt recouered helthe cam and hurted that other man Whether iustyce shulde punysshe hym therfore C xiiijo· ¶ Item whether cawtelles and subtylytees of werre are Iuste and of reason to be doo C xvo· ¶ Item yf a man of armes whiche is aaged were distressed and robbed by the waye somwhere whether he myght of ryght aske of the lorde that had sent hym forth his losse domages C xvj ¶ It yf a lorde doo sende socours of men of werre to som other lorde without he be so required of hym so to doo whether he to whome they ben thus sent is boūde for to paye them or not C xvij ¶ Item whether it is licyte to men of werre for to take eny vitaylles of the poure or ryche man vpon the lande whan they be wel payed of they re wages C xviij ¶ Item demandeth what men ought to doo with suche dispoylles and proyes that ben goten by waye of werre C xix ¶ Item begynneth to speke of prisoners of werre and aduyseth how a myghty man taken in werre ought to be presented to the prynce and how not C xx ¶ Item whether men ought to doo deye the chief captayne of an oost or som other grete man of armes whiche is taken in the werre or ellis to be delyuered to the prynce C xxj ¶ Item whether it is ryght that men shall take vpon the enemyes grounde the symple labourers and plough men that medle not of the werre C xxij ¶ Item yf a studyaūt englyssheman were fonde atte scoles in parys or ellis another lyke of another nacyon whether he myght be taken and putte to raenson C xxiij ¶ It yf som grete lorde of England or of som other contrey where werre is whiche as madde and out of wit were fledde in to the forest whether men myght after ryght taken him putte him to raēson he so being out of his wit c xxiiij ¶ Item and yf it happed that vpon the froūters be taken som olde man burgeys of london or of som other cytee of england that neuere dyde medle of the werre Whether suche a man ought for to paye raenson or not by ryght of the lawe and semblably of a yonge chylde and also of a blynde man ¶ Item yf it happed so that som ambaxadours cam to wardys the kynge of Fraunce and that they comynge thrughe Bordeewx had hyred there of englyshemen horses or cartes whether suche thynges myght be in Fraunce arrested or not And whether an englysh preeste beyng in in Fraunce myght be putte to raenson or not C xxvj ¶ Item whether a prysoner of werre whiche is al wayes kept clos yf he can goo out brekyng vp hys pryson shall renne in eny deffaulte so to doo C xxvij ¶ Item whether a gentyl man prysoner of werre ought rather to dey than to breke hys othe his promesse c xxviij ¶ Here after begynneth the thirde parte of thys boke whyche speketh of the ryghtys of armes after the lawe wryton ¶ The fyrst chapytre deuyseth by what meane Crystyne added to thys boke that whiche is sayd in the lawe of the fayttes of armes As I dyde awayte for to entre in to the thirde partye of this present boke that my wyt as almost wery of the pesaūt weyght of the labour concernyng the two other partyes precedent as surprysed with slepe lyenge vpon my bed appiered byfore me the semblaūce of a creature hauyng the fourme of a stately man of habyte of chere of maynten lyke to awyse ryght auctorised iuge which said vnto me thus dere loue crystine of whiche in dede or ellis in thoughte the laboure of the excercyse of studienge neuer more doeth ceasse atte the contēplacyon of the grete loue that thou haste to thoo thynges that the lettres can shewe specyally in exhortacyon of all noble werkes and vertuouse condycyons am hyther now come for to be as to thy helpe in the perfourmynge of this present loke of knyghthode of fayttes of armes where as thou by grete dyligence moeued with agood wille doest occupy thy self And therfore confortinge the good desyre that thou haste to gyue a cause vnto all knyghtes and noble men that shal mowe rede or here hit for to employe and more embellysshe hem self to thoos dedes that noblenesse requyreth that is to wite to the sayd excercyse of armes aswell by laboure of the hody as by the ryght that after the lawe wryton behoveth them ¶ It is good that thou take and gadre of the tree of bataylles that is in my gardyn somme fruytes of whiche thou shalt vse So shall vygoure and strengthe the bettre growe wythyn thy self therfore for to make an ende of thy pesaunte werke and for to bylde an edyfyce pertynaūt couenable to the sayenges of vegece of the other auctours of whyche thou hast taken help thou muste cutte yet asonder som of the braūches of this said tree take of the best and vpon the same tymber thou shalt sette foundement of one of thy said edyfyce For the whiche to perfourme I as maister and thy self as dysciple shal be there with the as thy helper Thees thynges herde me semed thenne that
lyke I demaunde of the mayster I putte cas that a baron of Fraunce haue moeued wrongfully by hys oultrage werre ayenst a knyght in whiche he hath borne hym grete damages and gryeues But for the tyme he can not fynde noo waye to haue ryght of hym by Iustyce Neuertheles he calleth togider wyth hym his frendes with a grete rowte of men of werre for to renne vpon the said baron the whiche of hys parte deffendeth him self so well that he can not entre his lande nor domage hym And by cause he hurteth and domageth in dede the contreys that be next neghbours to the lande of the baron for bycause that they he fauourable to thaide of his saide enemye so taketh he there proyes out of all sydes and wexeth ryche therof in so moche that he can wel shewe asmoche or more than he had afore of domage It happeth thenne that in parys they mete bothe togider afterward where as the sayd knyghtdoeth somone the said baron in the court of parlyament and there he asketh hym restytucyon of the domages that he hath doon to hym wrongfully and without a cause in the sayde werre To the whiche thinge that other ansuereth that it ought wel to suffise him of that whiche he hathe goten by meanes of the same werre For where as byfore he was a powere knyght he was becom ryche by the proyes that he had goten and taken ¶ The knyght replycketh and sayth that he hathe noo thynge a doo of that that he hathe wonne in pursuynge of hys owne and that it is nothynge of hys and yf he had pugnysshed hys neyghbours of the synne that they dyde in forberynge hym wrongfully ayenst hym it was not reason that they re goodes taken and that were not his shulde tourne to hym to the abolicyon of that that he owed hym Soo aske I of the what of thys is to be doo To thys I ansuere the that yf it were so that the knyght had doon so muche that he had had of the goodes of the baron so moche that hÌ„e had be restored thenne it shulde suffise by right without faille But yf in makinge this werre he had wonne and taken ought vpon his neighbours by the meanes aforsaid the whiche thinge is ryght of werre the said baron is not therof dyscharged nor excused in no thiÌ„ge but he is holden as he was byfore to suche damages and Interesses that he hathe doon vnto hym by wronge hande and well argueth the knyght of that that he saithe For yf that other wolde saye that it apparteyneth not noo duete to be payed two times therfore syn that he was ones paied it shulde suffyse all this is noo thynge by cause that it is not to the regarde of hym yf he hathe wonne it by waye of werre that is for the pugnicyon of them that gaafe ayde and counseyll to the sayd baron ayenst hym ¶ Here sheweth yf a man had be wounded and sore hurt of another the whiche is ronne awaie after the stroke was giuen and he that is so hurt folowe hym and atte laste shulde hurt hym Whether Iustyce shulde pugnysshe hym therfore ¶ Item and yf a man of armes boroweth horses and harnoys and leseth them Whether he ought to yelde them ayen ¶ Capytulo xij MAyster I remembre me that thou hast sayd here afore that to a man in deffense is permytted to hurt another And by cause that all hurtes and betynges that be doon by euyll wille one vpon other ben and may be called the membres dependynge of werre I make vnto the suche a questyon Yf a man haue hurt another and assone that he hath light his stroke vpon he renneth awaye as faste as he can but he that is hurt foloweth after tyl that he ouertake hym and semblabli stryketh and hurteth hym So demaunde I of the whether he that foloweth ought to be punysshed For it shulde seme by thyn owne sayenges Nay seeynge that he hathe not goon beyonde the wayes of Iustyce syth that he was first hurt thoughe he after wardes hurteth and namely yf he had slayn hym by that that I vndrestande of ryght in deffensynge of hys body yet shulde he be excused also he hathe doon hyt without taryenge For yf he had taryed to the morn after I wold not saye that it were vengence I ansuere to this that the cas that thou spekest of is dyffered fro Iuste deffense the whiche is preuyleged that is to wite after the lawes For syth that the fyrst fled awaye after his stroke the lawe graunteth not that the other shulde pursyewe hym nor hurte hym and therfore he deserueth punycyon But trouthe it is that more grete punysshement hathe deserued he that fyrst stroke hurted And yf the seconde hathe deserued grete or lytell punycyon amonge the masters be therof dyuerce oppinions Neuertheles it is noo doubte that the fyrst moeuynge that is in hym to fele hym self hurte and the hasty hete that causeth and chaffeth hym sore to folowe excuseth hym moche wherfore more moderatly he ought to be punysshed for But and yf he had slayne that other sodaynly whan he fyrst stroke hym Iustyce shulde not haue had ought to do with so that he can proue that he was assaylled and stryken fyrst by cause that the lawe suffreth to slee another for sauynge of his owne lyffe yf thou telle me that it may be soo that he that assaylleth fyrst hath noo wille for to slee I ansuere the that soo doeth not he that is assaylled And also strokes be not stryken after noo patron For suche weneth onely to stryke that sleeth And therfore he that hathe the first stroke myght wel tarye so longe are he strake ayen that he shulde fynde hym self the fyrst slayne But thees thynges not wythstandynge for conscience and for alle ought aman to kepe hym self as nyghe as he can that he slee not another For nothynge what soeuere it be is more dyspleasaunte vnto god than for to dystroye hys lyke and he is the Iuge that all the thinges after right punyssheth nor nothinge can not be hid nor kept from hym ¶ Another petycyon A knyght of almayne or of som other countrey cometh to paris where he fyndeth the kynge redy for to goo to bataylle the sayd knyght that therof was not aware had not atte that owre no manere of harneys propyce for hym self but as desyrouse to serue the kynge to encreace hys honoure he doethe so moche that som gentylman that knoweth hym well leneth hym bothe horses and harneis suche as pleaseth him well It happeth thenne that this almayne leseth in the bataille bothe horses and harneâ—s and all that he hathe and with peyne as a naked man he scapeth After whiche thynge the saide gentyl man that had lent hym all this asketh and wol haue hit ayen of him now is to wite after the ryght of armes whether he is bouÌ„de to make restytucyon therof or not I ansuere the that this questyon is in
other good moeuable is yolden vnto the kynge or prynce by al thus that he is holden to gyue to the sayd man of armes that hath goten hit what so euere he be the sayde pryce of x thousaund Francs And suche a thynge is a gode custome in a lande But the forsayde lawe affermeth the decree that sayth playnly that al the proye ought to be after the prynces wylle And ought to departe it iustely amonge them that haue holpen to gete hyt euery man after hys meryte And that thys thynge be of a trouthe noo man myght not susteine the contrarie For the same is approued by the ryght vriton that namely assygneth therto suche a reason that is to wytte that if it were soo that the prysonners or proyes shulde be to the man of werre all thus and by the same reason shulde be theyrs the castelles and townes that they take the whyche thynge were neyther good nor Iuste that they wyth the money of the kynge or prynce and had at hys expenses shulde gete for they re owne behoue eny grounde For that whiche they doo is doon as of the kynges owne werk men that be sette awerke for hym and in his name therfore ought not the proye to be theyrs wyth they re wages but onely thys that the prynce wyl 〈◊〉 â—hem of a specyall grace the whiche grace to saye trouthe wel and largely hit behoueth them as to them that setten in adueÌ„ture so dere a catell as is the blode the lymes and the lyffe And the more that a prynce is hygher in the degre of noblesse so moche more he ought to rewarde theym that wel haue deserued it ¶ And of the proyes wonnen in erthe the noble and worthy auncyent kept nothyng therâ—of for they re owne self but onely hyt suffysed them to haue the name and the worshyp of the dede doon by they re men whyche had the proffyt therof And by suche awaye they gate the hertes and loue of they re men of werre that they brought atte a gode ende they re grete and merueyllouse entrepryse ¶ Begynneth to speke of prysonners of werre and howe a myghty man taken in werre ought to be yolden vnto the prynce and howe not ¶ Capytulo xv ANd by cause I have tolde the here by fore That after the forsayd lawe is to be knowen of what condycyon is the personne that hathe conquested som what in armes wherof I haue declared to the one parte Nowe suppose we other wyse that is to wyte that a baron made werre ayenst another baron were hys quarell Iuste or not or that wolde deffende hys lande fro som other For why aswell to deffende hym self and to kepe hys lande what that the caas be It behoueth hym to Iuge a iuste werre as whan he enuahyssheth And yf it hap thenne that thys baron that so deffendeth hym self taketh that other that enuahysheth hym shuldest thou saye that he were hys owne prysoner I certyfye the that nay nor noon other ryght he shulde haue vpon hym by the lawe but onely to holde and kepe hys persone sure vnto the tyme that he shulde presente hym to the lorde souerayne of whom he sholde holde the baronnye whyche shulde gyue vpon hym hys Iugement but another inspecte may be herupon that is to wyte that yf he that taketh hym be suche a man that he haue souerayne Iustyce in hys owne hande or ellis that he haue the powere to doo Iustyce vpon the mysdooers and hathe custome to do therof as the veray lorde as ben many lordships that haue suche auctoryte I telle the that syth that he fyndeth hym rennyng ouer the lande robbyng and sleeynge hys men that he by hys Iustyce may punysshe hym yet supposed that he were a gretter lorde in degree than hym self ¶ Not wythstandynge that men myght make an arguement vpon thys caas that a man may not nor ought not to be Iuge in hys owne propre cause I say that he may doo soo and by two reasons that one by vertue of his Iurisdycyon whiche is to punysshe and doo Iustyce of the mysdooers and that other that he punyssheth the delicte of hym that maketh hit vpon the propre place wherof he hathe auctorite of the lawe to do soo For yf a man assaylleth another and thynketh to hurte hym he that is so assailled may doo to that other that that he wolde had doon to hym and I telle the that it is attemperauÌ„ce of a reasonable deffence but I confesse well that yf he that so is assailled and that had noo Iurysdycyon nor auctoryte to do so shulde punysshe of his owne hed hys aduersarye vndre the tytle of Iustyce or that shulde kepe hym in pryson he shulde doo wronge to his souerayn lorde and shulde putte hym self in parell to lese that that he holdeth of hym therfore he ought to yelde hym soone to the sâ—id souerayne lorde Fpr namely it were lawfull to a man of the chyrche in suche a caas for to recouere his thynges ayen ¶ Whether men ought to doo deye a chyef capytayne of an oste taken in fayttes of werre or ellis yf he oughte to be for the prynce And whether it is a thynge lawfull and that concerneth the ryght wryton for to make a man to paye eny raunson for hys delyueraunce ¶ Capitulo xvij MAyster syth that we ben entred in to purpos of prysoners taken by by faytte of werre I aske the yf it happe the hed captayne to be taken or som highe man that hathe sore letted doon grete hurt and yet myght doo to that partye that hath taken hym yf he escaped Yf by the lawe and ryght men myght putte hym to dethe For by the lawe of nature hyt shulde apere that ye where as it is trouthe that al thinge awaiteth to distroye his contrarye Certes dere loue I ansuere the that what especyally the lawe cyuyle sayth that he that is taken in bataylle is in thraldome as a selaue or seruaunt that taketh hym he ought not to be slayne For why the decree affermeth hyt sayenge that syth at a man is in pryson mercy is due to hym Thenne thus yf myldehede is due to hym howe myght he be putte to dethe wyth out that Iniurye were doon to hym ¶ And yet more harde I shal telle the Another decree there is that saythe that syth that a man hathe ouercome another he is holden to pardonne hym specyally his lyffe Soo saye I to the well that it is ayenst all ryght and gentylnesse to slee hym that yeldeth hym And I telle the that the parentes and frendes myght pursue therfore as for wronge doon but yf it were so that the prynce shulde kepe hym towardys hym and take hym fro the handes of hym that had taken hym and by a gode and Iuste cause yf he had well deserued it and that he by hys counseyll knewe that a grete euyll and hurt myght come to hym and to hys lande yf he let hym goo free shulde
make hym to deye For in other manere of wyse it were a thynge Inhumayne and to grete a cruelnes And yf thou say to me that auncyently they had a lawe that they myght make theire prysoners to deye yf it pleased them or selle them to whom they wolde or make hem to laboure in they re seruyse cÌ„ I ansuere the that amonge crysten folke where the the lawe is altogyder grounded vpon myldefulnes and pyte is not lycyte nor accordynge to vse of suche terannye whyche be acursed and reproued Nowe I make the other questyons to knowe where a prysoner ought to be or to whom or to the lorde or to hym that hathe taken hym For me semeth that ye haue sayde here byfore that one lawe there is that wytnesseth that a prysoner is in the wylle of hym that taketh hym and syth that he is atte hys wylle hyt semeth thenne that he shulde be hys owne ¶ Fayre loue it semeth that thou hast forgoten that that I haue tolde the afore Soo saye I yet vnto the ageine that verily there ben many opynions of dyuerse maisters ¶ Pro and contra in this caas here ¶ Neuertheles it is concluded that al pryses and proyes as alredy I haue tolde the ought to be atte wille of the prynce whom apparteyneth to dystrybute them after dyscrecyon Wel I wndrestande the maister now telle me that syth that we crysten men atte thys day haue lefte the auncyent lawes to putte in thraldom or to slee the prysoners I aske of the yf Iustly men may demaunde of a prysoner a fynaunce of gold or of siluer or of som other moeuable goodis after this that men vsen comonly in faytte of werre For yf I remembre me well thou hast sayde here byfore that to a prysoâ—er is myldefulnes due of ryght vnto hym and me semeth that sith it is due to hym after ryght men doo hym wronge thenne to make hym paye reanson where as men doo to hym noo misericorde I telle the yet and ansuere vpon a newe that veryly is myldefulnes due vnto hym in two maners that is to wyte that the lawe ought to be respited to hym and the lyf saued and more harde I telle the that the mayster is holden of ryght and bounde to helpe his prysoner aienst another that wolde offense hym ¶ Item with this is myldefulnes due to hym in suche a manere that yf it were possyble that a man of armes had al that he is worthe vpon hym atte that owre that he is taken altogider may be to the mayster that taketh hym without that he shewe hym fauour and doo to hym myserycorde But of ryght vryton he ought to be myldefull vnto hym so that in takyng of his prysoner reanson whyche is permytted in ryght of armes by especyall of one natyon ayenst another whan they doo werre togyder as englysshe men and Frenshe men and other in lyke wyse ought to be taken heede that the reanson be not so cruell that the man be not vndoo therby his wiffe children distroied and brought to pouerte Other wise it is tirannye ayenst coÌ„science aienst al ryght of armes For it apparteyneth not that a gentylman shulde begge hys brede after the payemeÌ„t made for hys reanson but ought to be lefte hym wherof he may lyue kepyng his astate And wel ought to be praysed the vsage of ytalye in whiche werres whan a man of armes is taken he comonly leseth but onely his horses harneys So nedeth hym not to selle his lyflode nor to desheryte hym self for to paye his reanson Thus mayst thou see in what manere is reanson couenable Iuste and good after the ryght oâ—â—rmes whiche is permytted But for to putte a man in an euyll pryson and constrayne by tormentynges to paye more then hys power may bere it is an homynable horreur and the dede of a cruel crysten tyraunt wers than a Iew And wote thou for certeyn that that whiche he hath bi suche wayes of hys prysoner it is ryght euyll goten and he is bounde to yelde it ayen or ellis it is hys daÌ„pnacyon Soo kepe hym self there fro euery man ¶ Whether it is of ryght that men may take vpon the ennemyes londe the poure laborers ¶ Capitulo xviij I aske the whan a kynge or a prynce hathe werre ayenst another though that it be Iuste whether he may by ryght ouer renne the contrey of his enemye takynge al manere of folke prysoners that is to wite them of the comyn poure peple as ben laborers shepardes and suche folke it shulde seme that nay For what reason ought they to bere the penaunce of that that they medle not hem self where as they can not the crafte of armes nor it is not they re office nor they be not called for to iuge of werres also werres comen not by suche poure folke but they be full sory for it as they that full fayne wolde alwayes lyue in gode peas nor they aske no more So ought they theÌ„ne as me semeth to be free therof lykethat of ryght ben prestes relygyouse all folke of the chyrche by cause that they re a state is not to entremette hem self of warre And wyth thys what worship may thys be nor what pryce of armes for to slee renne vpon them that neuere bare harneys nor coude not help hym self wyth all and that haue noon other offyce but poure Innocentes to goo to ploughe and laboure the lande and to kepe the bestes To thys I ansuere the supposyng in thys manere We putte caas that the people of Englande wolde make no manere of helpe to they re kynâ—â— for to greue the kynge of Fraunce and that the Frensâ—e men went vpon them wythout faylle by ryght and reason and aftâ—r the lawe they ought not to hurte nor misdoo nother in body nor in goodes of the people nor of them that they shulde knowe that had not meddled them self in nothynge to helpe nother by they re goodes nor by they re counseyll they re kynge But and yf it be so that the subgectes of the same kynge or of som other in semblable a caas be it ryche or poure laborers or other gyue ayde comfort and fauoure for to mayâ—â—ten the werre the Frenshmen after the right of armes may ouer renne theire lande and take al that they fynde that is to wyte prysoners of all astates and al thynges and be not bounde for to yelde them ayen For I telle the that suche right is determyned ryght of werre Iuged by bothe kynges or prynces counseyll they re men of werre may gete the one vâ—pon the other And yf som tyme the poure and symple thâ—ughe they arme not hem self doo a byd the bargeyne and be sâ—re hurt therby it can not be other wyse For the euyll herbes can not be had out from emonge the goode by cause they be so nyghe eche other wythout that the gode herbes haue a felyng therof But to behâ—lde ryght
that a grete lorde or baron of england desyreth hym that he may be one of the ix his felawes by cause that he wolde fayne goo see FrauÌ„ce to sporte hym there the whiche thinge the knight graunteth to him thus he goeth forth wyth hym whâ—rof it happed whan they be lodged nyghe paris that the sayde lorde or baron is knowen there of a knyght of the kynges of Fraunce whiche well acompanyed cometh scone towardys hym there as he is lodged and telleth hym that he yelde hym that he is his prysoner To the whiche thinge thenglisâ—e knyght that brought the baron with hym ansuereth that he may not doo soo For by vertue of hys saufconduyt he may goo he beyng the tenthe thrughe the royalme of Fraunce of whiche x this baron is one For suche as hym pleased he might take wyth hym ¶ Ansuereth the frenshe knyght and sayth Ye be but a symple knyght soo may ye not brynge wyth you noo gretter man of condycyon than ye be of vndre youre saufconduyt For yf it were soo than myght ye in lykewyse haue brought youre kynge with you or som of his children the whiche thynge is not raysonable and namely hym that ye brynge with you is bettre in value to bringe you with him than ye hym for he is moche more grete than ye be That other saithe I brynge hym not wyth me vndre my saufconduyte But vndre the kynge of Fraunces saufconduyt so aske I and beseke that hyt may be enterâ—ned and kepte to me after the tenoure therof This questyon comen to iugemeÌ„t I aske the whiche of bothe hath the right I saie the frenshman For after the ryght wryton in suche a generalyte ought not to be vndrestande a gretter man than he is hym self For yf a man gyueth a procuracyon to another for to doo execute certeyn thynges of hys owne it is not therfore to be vndrestaÌ„de that he gyueth him a generall procuracyon or that he ought to abuse therof in especyall in fayt of armes neuer suche a thinge shulde right suffre to passe For it myght tourne to preiudice to the personne that gyueth the saueconduyt Now I aske the another thinge I suppose that a chyef captayne of an oste of FrauÌ„ce whiche is sent by the kynge vpon the fronteres saith and affermeth that he hathe the powere for to gyue saufconduyte thrughe all Guyenne Wherfore he doo sende worde to the Seneshall of Bordewx that he wil com vnto a certeyn place vpon the frenshe grouÌ„de by cause that gladly he wolde speke with him for to doo soo he sendeth hym a saufconduit wherupon the sayde seneshal departeth vpon the suretee of the same saufconduyt for to come to the place that is saide betwene hem but it happeth him to be taken of som frenshe men by the waye that putte hym in to pryson I aske the wether the sayde chief captayne is holden to gete him out of prison atte his expenses For it semeth ye seeyng that by his assewraunce he is fallen in to that Incouenyence and domage Fayre loue the contrary is trouthe knowe thou why For it is sayde comonly that without a cause shulde a man be called a fole without that his folye shulde be causer of hys domage And it is clerly certeyn that the seneshal ought not to haue byleued the captayne but yf he wyst for certeyn that the frenshmen wolde kepe his saufconduyt wherfore thenne yf he hathe ben symple and folyshe the hurt and domage must a light and abyde vpon hym for with all this he ought wel to wite that a captayne hathe noo powere to kepe hym sure but fro his owne folke And sithe thenne that other frenshmen that be not of his retenue haue doon vnto hym the same what can the sayde captayne doo therof And also it is noo ryght that one shall gyue a preuylege to one that is gretter than hym self for to come in to the royalme of his souerayne lorde nor namely yf he were bounde to kepe hym sauffe all shulde not auaylle For an oblygacyon made ayenst power is of noo value and all other the whiche be in the ryght of armes ought not to be vnknowen to the seneshall otherwise he were vnworthy and not alle to that effice Soo thenne I conclude for that the captayne had gyuen the saufconduyt for true and goode whiche hathe ben of noo value he is not therfore holden to paye the sayde raunson Neuertheles yf he be a gentylman he is holden to purchasse towardis the kynge his delyuerauÌ„ce with all his powere bicause that thrughe his fawte he is fallen in to suche an inconuenyence ¶ Here saythe xprystyne to the mayster that she hath herself grete merueylle seeyng the litell feyth that regneth how ony body dare truste in saufconduyttes And syn demaundeth that yf it happe that som prynce or crysten kynge gyue a saufconduytte to som sarâ—asyn whether it is so that other kynges ought suffre hym to passe by them vndre vertue of the same Capytulo iij MAyster wythout faylle thys semeth me grete merueylle seeyng the lytel trouthe and fydelyte that this day renneth thrughe al the worlde how a prynce or a lorde or som other gentylman namely what soeuere man yâ— it be dare truste hym self vndre a saufconduyt for to goo in a place where his enemyes be more myghty and more stronge than he ¶ Crystyne yf thou therof haue merueylle it is not without a cause how well that a saufconduyt after thauncyent constytucyon of the ryght of armes also of al lawe oughte for to be after hys nature a sure thynge betwyx partyes and mortall enemyes whiche we call capytall enemyes in oure lawes the whyche lettres of surete the good and valyaunt conqueroures that were in tyme past shulde not haue broken ne enfrayned for to dey But nowe in tyme present for the barates subtylnes and deceyptes that be founde by whiche men haue noo shame for to make a lye brekynge they re feyth and they re othe amonge crysten folke moche more than ony Iewes· nor paynemys wolde doo wherfore it is counseylled by som of oure maysters that men shal not truste of light in saufconduytes where as the tyme is now come that where the lawes doo calle frawde and barat it is now called subtyltee and cawtele wherof foloweth oftymes grete parell For in dede yf a man of what astate or condycyon that he be of wyl do som treason to som other body whan that he hathe the personne in a place where he fyndeth hym self the more stronge he shal fynde a noone al ynoughe wherof to coloure a cause to stryue wyth hym wherfore he shal slee hym or poyson hym he wyl or perhappes shal brenne his hous or shall robbe hym or otherwyse shall hurt hym vndre coulourable deceypte And whan thys is so doon there nys noo ryght that can com tyme ynoughe for to recoÌ„pense hym therof by cause it is doon vndre false coulour for
yf they be broken of them and that he can haue som of them to hys a boue noo raunson ought not to spare them but that they be pugnyshed as it apparteineth And I aske the mayster yf the kynge of FrauÌ„ce and the kynge of englande had sworne a trewes togyder for a certeyn tyme and that the sayde kynge of englande shulde breke hem in dede shulde the kynge of Fraunce be holden to kepe for it myght seme ye seeyng that supposed that yf one doo som euyll another is not holden to doo hit semblably but ought euery man to kepe his trouthe within hym self I telle that syth that one of the two kynges whyche that he be and of all other in lyke cas hathe broken hys promesse and hathe for sworn hym self that other is not helden to kepe hys othe that he had made vnto him and for the same he for swereth hym not for after ryght syth that men haue broke fyrst couenaunt wyth hym he is not bounde to kepe the same but he is assoylled by the ryght wryton of the IugemeÌ„t therof And that worse is he shuld synne dedly yf he shulde suffre hys owne folke to be slayne for fawte of his owne deffense ¶ Here speketh of one manere of werre called marâ—ue to wite yf it is iuste Capytulo v MAyster where yet I am not satysfyed with thy wyse and Iuste conclusyons I wol make vnto the certeyn questyons and demaundes vpon another manere of dyffeâ—rence that nyghe draweth to werre whiche I wot not whether it is of ryght or not For the auncyent gestes make noo mencyon therof but the prynces and the lordes syn the auncyent lordshipes haue taken to vse therof whiche is called Marke that is whan a man of a royalme as it were of Fraunce or of som other lande can not haue noo ryght of certeyn wronge doon to hym of som myghty man straunger wherfore the kynge gyueth hym a manere of a lycence to take arreste or to putte in to pryson thrughe strengthe and vertue of certeyne lettres opteyned of hym marchauntis and all other and in likewyse they re goodis that cometh out of the lande and countrey of hym that hath doon the wronge vnto tyme that ryght and restytucyon were made vnto the party playntyff of his actyon and demaunde Soo wolde I gladly wite yf suche a thinge cometh of ryght For a grete merueylle it is to me that a man of the couÌ„trey of hym that hathe doon the mysdede that haply neuer see hym nor is not coulpable and yet for thys cause he shal be arrested or putte in to pryson and his goodys taken yf he be founde where as he that was wronged hathe powere and shall must nede paye and restore that wherof he oweth nought nor hathe no gylt therunto Doughter dere to saye trouthe thou must knowe after the wrytynge of thauncyent ryght that thys manere of werre that is called marke thrughe whiche one taketh and bereth domage for another wythout hys desserte is not iuste nor the ryght wryton graunteth hit not the whyche ryght hath ordeyned that yf a marchaunt of parys or of whens he be of is bounde to a marchaunt of Florens whiche asketh iustice byfore his iuge but he can not haue of hym hys askynge the marchaunt florentyn may pursue his debytour to fore the kynge tyl that ryght be admynystred vnto hym But for to saye that by cause that a marchaunt of paris is bounde vnto hym he myght putte in pryson another marchaunt or bourgeys of parys or of some other place of the royalme or hys goodis to take vndre arrest veryly for to saye thys manere of fourme is nother of ryght not of rayson grounded But see here what of ryght may be doo therto whiche lordes haue brought vp for thys cause I suppose that an ytalyen were holden to a Frenshe man of a grete some of syluere of the whiche bonde he wyl defrawde and begyle hym that is hys credytoure wherfore he forsaketh hys owne countrey and goeth dwell in england by cause that he knowe well that the frensheman shall not goo for to pursue nor plete with hym there Or ellis thys 〈◊〉 fall another manere of cas A genewey is bounde 〈◊〉 a goo to a frencheman whyche shall knowe well that by cause of the euyll wylle that nowe is betwene the kynge of Fraunce and the duke of Iennes the frenshman shal not goo to Iennes for to pursue his dutee wherfore he shal be of so euyll contynaunce that he shal doo noo force for to make restytucyon what shall thenne the frenshman doo he shall drawe hym self towardis the kynge as a subgcet ought to his lorde for to haue his help that he may recouere his owne goodis The kynge thenne well enfourmed that this man sayd trouthe shall gyue hym marke And in lykewyse the kynge shall gyue the same yf it hap that a knyght or som gentylman complayneth that he hathe be dystressed robbed Iniuried or brought to ashame som where as the kynge hathe noo deffyaunce of werre vnto the tyme that restytucion and amende be to hym made Thys cawteâ—e founde the counseyllers of the prynces for to withstande suche barates and deceytes Thys marke conteyneth that euery personne that shuld be fouÌ„de in the lande of the prince that giueth hiâ— that is of the contrey towne or place of hym that shulde haue doo or shulde doo the oultrage or wronge shulde be take â— his goodis in to the courtis hande tyl that the marchauÌ„t were payed restored or that to the iniurie were made a suffâ—sauÌ„t amende thenne whan the marchauÌ„tes see themself so euyl handled in strauÌ„ge couÌ„treis where as marke is giuen aâ—enst them they fynde suche wayes with the iustice of they re place or towne that he or they that be causers of the wrong that was doon shal be constrayned to contente restore that other for this cause hit was fouÌ„de brought vp and to this propos serueth well a comon prouerbe that sayth that by an in conuenyent is chastysed another inconuenient also by the same hurt is another hurt repayred for by noon other waye can men haue noo ryght of many and dyuerse wrongys that be doon or that might be doo to strauÌ„gers gooynge by the waye But not withstandyng that this thing myght haue eny coloure of ryght I telle the so moche therof that euery kynge or prynce of whom this marke is requyred ought not therfore to graunt hit lyghtly For it is a thinge ouere greuouse and poysaunt Wherfore it ought to be delibered wyth peyne for two pryncipall raisons that one by cause it is a thinge that full sore may hurt a mannys conscyence that other is that it may be a begynnyng of awerre And therfore what ought a kynge for to doo whan he is requyred for to gyue hit ayenst som countrey cyte or towne he ought first enquyre by his president or chauÌ„celler or by som other wise legyste or
hit as he yâ— receyueth hit moche more they yâ— suffren byholden them now mayst thou see whether it is a thinge that ought to be doon or not that this be true wel dyde shewe pope vrbain the v of that name whan that a chaÌ„p of bataille shulde haue be made atte villenoue by auynon of two knyghtes that had arrested themself for to fight one ayenst that other bifore kinge Iohan of frauÌ„ce the whiche chaÌ„p or clos felde oure saide holy fader the pope as thinge prohibit deffeÌ„ded comauÌ„ded expresly vpon peyne of cursyng the noon shulde goo there for to see the same yf thou or other wold telle me that to doo suche a thinge it is vsauÌ„ce of armes I ansuere the that muche more grete is the right of god more ought men to obey therunto than to the vsage of armes and that it is true that folke ought not to suffre nor doo the same there is many good raisons that dyuine ryght assigneth therto the whiche right diuyne is the ryght of holy chirche wherunto we ought to obey vpon peyne of dedly sinne whiche right deuyne condempneth all thinge by whyche folke wyl tempte god For men wil knowe yf god shall helpe the ryght also as by they re temptyng that god shulde doo myracle the whiche thinge is vndue as for to experimente the wille of god it apiereth for we saie that for to aske a thynge ayenst nature or aboue nature is presuÌ„pcyon it displeaseth god for to trowe that the feble shalle ouercome the stroÌ„ge the olde the yonge or the sike the hole by strengthe of goode right to haue as haue had haue coÌ„fidence they that therto putte hemself suche a thinge is but ateÌ„ptyng of god I saye for certeyn that yf it happe them to wynne it is but an adueÌ„ture not for the gode ryght that they therto haue that this be true I shal by reason shew it to the hathe not oure lorde suffred many a goode man to be putte to dethe wrongfully without a cause of whome the sowles ben blysfully in paradise not this miracle he dede for them shulde theÌ„ne trowe a poure sinner that god shulde doo more for hym than he dide for them Trouthe it is also that oftymes it hathe be seen that he that had good ryght lost wherfore a decretall remembreth suche an historie how vpon a tyme in the cyte of poulent were two bretherne accused of thefte wherfore after the vsage of the same cyte behoued to deffeÌ„de hemself in chaÌ„p of bataylle where as they were ouercome wherof soone after hit happed that within the saide cyte was founde the theef that had doon the dede wherby manifestly was knowen that the two bretherne that al redy were dystroyed were nothiÌ„g gylty therof And thus by cause that semblably it hathe be knowen to hap soo dyuerse tymes in dyuerse landes also that it is a thinge vnraysonable to be doon the ryghtes canonall haue reproued this manere of fyghtyng as the lawe saithe yf by suche a manere men wold proue make good theire ryghtwis quarelle the iuges that be stablished ordeyned for to do iustice were as vayne it is an euyll raâ—son for to saye yf I can not prone nor make gode that that I saie I shall fyght therfore and shall proue hit by my body for noon but god I and he that I appelle therof knoweth it not yf som man wolde saie to me trouth but the euyllâ—s yâ— secretly be doon can not be punished by iustice sith that they can not be proued I telle the that veryly they can not be puâ—nyshed but he that awayteth that the sinne whiche is hid secretly kept be punyshed by hym suche a man wil vsurpe the diuyne puissauÌ„ce the sapieÌ„ce of almyghty god whiche onely apparteyneth to the punycyon therof affermeth a decree that saith that yf all sinnes were punyshed in this worlde the Iuges of god shulde haue noo place another rayson there is that this thinge condeÌ„pneth that is that the lawe cyuyl hathe ordeyned iuges iugement for to doo as raison requyreth in place that noone be taken for a witnes in his owne cause but a man that thus wyl make a proue by his body forceth him self for to breke this lawe It by ryght canon it is yet more reproued for it comauÌ„deth expresly that men shal obeye the pope hys comauÌ„dementê he by a good rayson hathe comauÌ„ded expresly that men shal neuer fyght by suche a manere of wise Fayre loue thus mayst thou see that suche a bataylle is proued to the whiche thing god gra mercy the kynge of frauÌ„ce and his gode couÌ„seyll hathe wel aduysed wherfore hit shulde be noo more in ewre within his royalme the blessid god gyue ioye peas honour paradyse to them that thrughe vertue of gode wit haue entremytted peined hem self that suche a thinge were putte a donne out of that right cristen royalme of fraunce And that all suche other folishe dedes of armes that thrughe yougthe without cause but onely for a manere of pride of one for to ouercome that other without any quarell whiche is dysplaysaunt to god be lefte where this said royalme whiche is the super latyf aboue all other crysten royalmes hathe bygonne thesa me al other yf it please god shal take ensample so to doo that theire noble men dysobey not the chyrche puttyng the body in parell of dethe to theire grete dysworship without a cause theire sowles daÌ„pned lost for euermore O lord god what folyshe enterpryse ¶ For what causes the lawe Imperyal dyde ordeyne champ of bataylle ¶ Capitulo viij But bi cause that the deffeÌ„ses aboue said of the ryght writon haue not be alweies obserued nor kept nor yet be not obeyed in al royalmes as touchyng for to fight in chaÌ„p of bataylle as it is said I shal telle the causes for the whiche they that dede sett hit vp haue iuged it to be doo that is to wite theÌ„perour federik that so muche contraried holy chirche that he chassed the pope out of hys place the tyme whan he cam to his refuige secoure toward the kiÌ„ge of frauÌ„ce also another scripture that men calle the loÌ„bardishe lawe deuyseth therof in diuerse cases the whiche herafter shal be declared by me vnto the first the said eÌ„perours lawe saith yf a man be accused of traison that he haue machined purchassed procured or conspired ayenst his prynce or aienst his cite or ellis to the preiudice of the comyn wele what soeuer the cas be of whithe the trouthe can not be by noo proues knowen that this man so accused offreth to deffeÌ„de purge himself by champ of bataylle ayenst al men that wol saie aienst hym shal be receyued to do the said champ of bataylle It that yf a prisoner of werre be kept in pryson
condeÌ„pned or aproued comendablÌ„e Or whether one cause be preuyleged bifore another that thys be true that suche folke whan they ben expert can determyne therof bettre than other doo the lawe cyuyll doo grauÌ„te the same the whiche saith that the aduocates are protectours rulers of al humayne folke yet is there another raison wherby it behoueth vnto them for to determine of thesame byfore all other men It is by cause that knyghtes other gentylmen are sooner moeued for to swere a fayt of armee than clerkes be this cometh to them of a statute that they â—aue amonge hem that they shal repute take a man for deshonoured ashamed without that he soone accepteth thegage of him that casteth hit vnto him whiche is an opinyâ—n yâ— is moeued as to this be halue sauf theire reuerence without eny regarde of rayson for lesse worship shuld be after ryght to him that shuld gyue or accepte a gage of bataylle for a 〈◊〉 cause or ocasyon or for folishe and nyce moeuynge than to hym that shulde refuse yt For without faylle it is noo dyssworship but rather the contrarye For to refuse not consent to eny folyshe enterpryse speâ—yally where as so dere a catell hangeth in parell as is bothe the sowle and the body And myght saye he that is assaylled and called My frende Yf thou lyste for to fyght Soo fyght thou thenne by thy self al one For as for me I wyl not be partener of thy folye The seconde rule that the prynce oughte to kepe in this byhalfe it is that thoughe a gentyl man shulde accepte the gage of another that haply were moeued ayenst hym for som malyce or for fauoure or for som prydefull wylle caused with enuye trowyng to ouercome and putte hym vndre he to be the bettre enhaunsed for the same or for what someuere other moeuyng without rayson the prynce or his lieutenauÌ„t oughte to aduyse demewrely herupon for to here vndrestande wel the wordes the manere of hym that calleth that other For som there be that wyl coloure ryght vndre a falasse by they re grete wordes are so folyshe that they trowe for to begyle god but this al to gider falleth vpon hem self with the same the prynce ought also to consydere well what the cause is that moeuyth hym therunto what manere of thynge it is that he putteth vpon the other And yf it be soo that he saith that it is for dette the prynce or som other for hym ought to aske for what a cause is the dewtee due vnto hym in what lande in what place it was made whether he hathe writynge or witnes therof or not yf it hap that it be perceyued that aparence of som proffe be there or som couloure wherby ryghtewyse iugement can be had he ought to comytte the cause in arbytrage for in suche a cas a man myght not by right susteyne nor saye that therfore shuld champ of bataylle be made It the iij rule is that the prynce ought to make hym that calleth that other for to propose by fore hys persone the cause of thaction that he hathe ayenst that other and also in lyke wyse to see that the partye deffendaunt be there examyned in presence of his couÌ„seyl where as shal be as it is said the best men of lawe and there it ought to be seen full well dyscuted and duely serched whether the partye plaintyf hath iuste cause or not and there shal euery man saye hereupon hys opynyon After whyche thynge yf it be founde soo that the cause be moeuyd by pride presuÌ„pcion or folye as who shulde saye I wol proue my body ayenst his to the dethe in a champ of bataylle for to gete worshyp or for the loue of myn owne lady or that she is fayrer than hys is suche other dyuers maners of folye Soon ought to be putte abacke thys thynge and not to be herde and to forbede that therof be not spoken more And yet more I saye that for whatsomeuer wordes of iniurie that it be yf they ben saide in an angre or in hete by suspecyon or malencolye and that he ayenst whom suche wordes haue ben wyl fyght for hit there ought not to be iuged noo bataylle wythout that he that hathe saide them wolde maynten styll the same and wolde fyght in thys quarelle To the whiche thinge yf it so happed yet shulde meÌ„ peyne heÌ„self for to modere pease eche of hem without bataylle whiche by noo wyse as it is said ought not to be enterprised nor suffred to be made nor iuged without an ouer grete fawte cause the same to be doo but ought to be forboden and letted asmuche as men can â— But yf it be soo that the matere be grete and peysaunt as it were for trayson for murdre or for som grete vyolence doon and that the partye playntyf can not proue ne shewe the same but by proue of his owne body and that the party deffendyng can not suffisauntly excuse himself but that he is gylty therof thenne thus as it is said by thynspectyon consentyng of al the counseyl ought the prynce to iuge the bataylle after that the lawe in suche a cas requyreth the whiche is suche that assoone as it is iuged though that many one ben so proud of hemself that they truste in noone other thynge but oneli in theire bodyly strengthe and care nother of god nor of his help yet ought to be there commytted som wyse men that shall shewe to them the grete parell bothe of the sowle and of the body wherynne they doo putte hem self And that they aduyse and see wel and that they wyl calle vnto them som wyse confessours for to be shryuen and that they aduyse and see wel to them self and that they of them that they may be in good astate and that they calle vnto god to help they re parte For grete nede they shal haue therof atte laste and thus oughte the sayde wysemen to exorte and admoneste them eythre of hem by hym self shewyng vnto them how thys thynge is full heuy and grete in whyche they muste dey or ellis suffre grete dysworshyp shame so aduyse he and see well to for hym self that he come not to late for to repente therof and all suche thynges that ben go ode bothe for the sowle and for the body ought the confessour to see that he can wel telle and shewe vnto hym that he shal shryue and to admoneste hym truly not leuynge hym atte the ende of the thynge where he mystreth moost to be wel couÌ„seylled specyally in tournoys of armes that in suche a cas ben couenable aswell to assaylle as to deffende and this for to doo that is to wite for to gyue counseyl there to bothe the partyes aswel to the one as to the other certeyne knyghtes oughte to be assigned vnto them that shal be expert wyse in suche arte and
sett by and for to haue bettre astate had taken the said armes It is noo doubte that yf suche a thynge cam to knowlege and that the kynrede shuld reclame of wrong doon to them he were or â—ught to be by ryght punyshed therfore likewyse as he that shuld coÌ„trefet the signe of a tabellyon or notarye or as a marchaunt that shulde countrefete the marke of another marchauÌ„t lykwise of suche other thinges for yf suche athynge were suffred infynyt barates and deceytes myght be doo vndre coloure of thesame ¶ Deuyseth here of the armes and penoncelles and of the armoâ—rie ¶ Capitulo xvij By cause that we be entred in this matyere that thou hast remembred me of the baners and armes of the grete lordes I shall telle the of thoo colours that men reputen and taken for the most highe moost ryche and most noble For amonge hem is a difference of noblesse for cause of the representacyon that either of hem doon after his nature Soo holde the maisters of the lawe of armes that the coloure of gold is the moost ryche And the rayson is bicause that the gold of his nature is veray clere resplendishyng vertuouse and comfortyng soo that the master of phisique doo gyue hit for a soueryne recomfort to a man debylyted nyghe dede and with this the golde representeth the sonne whiche is a right noble lumynarye And the law saith that there is nothiÌ„ge more noble than is clarete light for this excellence saith the scripture that the iuste holy persone is like the gold the sonne by cause that the golde of hys propriete is likned to the sonne the auÌ„cient lawes dyde ordeyne that noman shulde bere gold but that he were a prynce Soo is theÌ„ne the coloure of gold moost noble It the secoÌ„d coloure is purpre that we calle red whiche representeth the fire soo is the fire moost shynyng in his naturell cours after the sonne the moost noble of all iiij elementê for the whyche noblenes seÌ„blably dide ordeyne the lawes that noone shuld were red that betokneth hyghnesse but onely the prynces It the in noble colour is azure whiche by his figure representeth the ayer the whiche after the fire is the moost noble of other elementê for hit is in his cours penetring subtyl able to receyue the lumynose influences It the iiij coboure is white that men calle in armoyrye siluer the whiche coloure of white is the mooste noble of all them that folowe after for hit is more next to the shynyng cours with this hit signifyeth innocencie clenlines the scripture sath that the vestementê of IhÌ„u Crist dide seme to his apostles white as snowe this coloure of white reprepresenteth the watre whiche after the ayer is most noble It that other colour is blak that men calle in armoyrie sable that representeth the other betokneth sorowe for it is ferder from the lyght more than eny of the other be therfore was fouÌ„de that in token of sorowe blak raymentê shuld apperteyne to the sorowfull heuy so is hit the moost lowe moost huÌ„ble colour that is therfore it was ordeyned the religiouse shuld reueste clothe hemself of thesame It that other coloure of armoyrie is grene that men calse sinople or verte whiche betokneth wodes feldes medowes and because it is not represented to noon of the foure elementê it shuld be taken for the lasse noble of thees seuen colours are dyfferenced all manere of armes penoncelles and baners by dyuerse deuyses taken by haultnesse fro the tyme ryght auncyent ¶ Explicit ¶ Thus endeth this boke whiche xpÌ„yne of pyse made drewe out of the boke named vegecius de re militari out of tharbre of bataylles wyth many other thynges sett in to the same requisite to werre batailles whiche boke â—eyng in fâ—eÌ„she was delyuered to me willm Caxton by the most crysten kynge redoubted prynce my naturel souerayn lord kyng henry the vij kyng of englond of frauÌ„ce in his palaâ—s of westmestre the xxiij day of Ianyuere the iiij yere of his regne desired wylled me to translate this said boke reduce it in to our english natural tonge to put it in enprynte to th ende that euery gentylman born to armes all manere men of werre captayns souldiours vytayllers all other shold haue knowlege how they ought to behaue theym in the fayttes of warre of bataylles and so delyuered me the said book theÌ„ne my lord therle of Oxenford awayâ—iÌ„g on his said grace whiche volume conteynyng four bokes I receyued of his said grace accordiÌ„g to his desire whiche to me I repute a comandemeÌ„t verili glad to obeye after the lityl coÌ„nyng that god hath lente me I haue endeuoyrd me to the vtterest of my power to fulfylle accoÌ„plisshe his desire comaundement as wel to reduce it in to englyshe as to put it in enpriÌ„te to th ende that it may come to the sight knowlege of euery gentylman man of warre for certayn in myn oppinyon it is as necessary a boke as requysite as ony may be for euery estate hye lowe that entende to the fayttes of werre whether it be in bataylles sieges reâ—cowse all other fayttes subtyltees remedyes for meschieues Whiche translacyon was finysshed the viij day of Iuyll the sayd yere enprynted the xiiij day of Iuyll next folowyng ful fynyshyd theÌ„ne syth I haue obeyed his most dredeful comauÌ„dement I huÌ„bly bysecle his most exellent bounteuous hyeues to pardone me of this symple rude translacion where in be no curyous ne gaye termes of rethoryk but I hope to almighti god that it shal be entendyble vnderstanden to euery man also that it shal not moche varye in seÌ„tence fro the copye receyued of my said souerayn lord And where as I haue erryd or made defaulte I beseche them that fynde suche to correcte it so dooyng I shal praye for them yf ther be ony thiÌ„g ther in to his pleasir I am glad thinke my labour wel enployed for to haue the name to be one of the litel seruantes to the hiest most cristen kyng prince of the world whom I by seche almyghty god to preserue kepe contynue in his noble most redoubted enterpryses as wel in bretayn flauÌ„dres other placis that he may haue victorie honour renoÌ„mee to his perpetual glorye For I haue not herd ne redde that ony prynce hath subdued his subgettis with lasse hurte â— and also holpen his neighbours frendis out of this londe In whyche hye enterprises I byseche almyghty god that he may remayne alleway vyctoryous And dayly encreace fro vertu to vertue fro better to better to his laude honour in this present lyf that after thys short transitorye lyf he may atteyne to euerlastyng lyf in heuen Whiche god gaunte to hym and to alle his lyege peple AMEN Per Caxton
whether euery lorde may gyue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ It begynneth to speke of chaÌ„p de bataylle 〈◊〉 it is a ryghtwis thiÌ„ge of ryght that a man shall proue 〈◊〉 body aienst another that thiÌ„ge that is secrete not knowen â— vi◠¶ Item sheweth for what manere of cas ordeyned 〈…〉 imperyall champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· vâ—â—◠¶ Item for what manere of cas lombardys lawe ordeyned champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· ix ¶ Item how champ de bataylle sheweth representeth som what the dede of a questyon pleetable And whether it is ryght that at thentrynge of the felde the champyons gyue they re othes ¶ Capio· x ¶ Item yf it hap that one of the champyons leseth any of his armes while that he fyghteth wether men ought to yelde hem ayen or not And yf the kynge wolde pardonne hym that is vaynquished whether the vyctoryouse may aske hys costes or not And yf there be founde that a man is accused wrongfully what men ought to doo of hym that hath accused that other ¶ Capio· xj ¶ Item asketh yf a man is punyshed of a misdede proued by champ de bataylle whether the iustice may punyshe hym vpon a new therfor and yf one calleth another to a champ whether he that calleth that other may repente him self of his callynge atte his owne wylle ¶ Capio· xij ¶ It deuyseth to whiche thinge a kynge or a prynce ought to see to bifore that he iugeth eny champ de bataille what counseill men ought to giue to them that shal befight eche other ¶ Capio· xiij ¶ It whether batailles may be doon after right vpon a holy day or not whether the lawe holdeth that men may saue hemself in excercyting thoffyce of armes And whether clerkes may or ought after the lawe go to a bataille C xiiij ¶ Item beginneth to speke of the fayte of blasonnyng of armes whether euery man may take of his owne auctoryte suche armes as he wyl ¶ Capio· xv ¶ Item in what manere a gentylman may chalenge another mannys armes and in what manere not C xvj ¶ It of the armes penoncelles and of the colours moste noble that apparteyne to the fayte of blasonnyng C xvij ¶ Here begynneth the foureth and last part of thys boke ¶ In the first chapytre demauÌ„ded Crystyne yf a lorde sendeth a saufconduyt to another his enemye and that the saufconduyt speketh but of sauf comynge whether after right he may arreste hym atte his gooyng hom ageyne Capio· j AT the begynnyng of thys fourth part of thys boke ryght dere master I wil entre in to another dyffereÌ„t purpos of werre dependyng of that whiche is afore said that is to wite in to a manere of assuryng whiche is giuen to them that goo and come from a contrey to anothâ—r that haue werre to eche other whiche assuring men calle lettres of saufconduyt wherof I wil first make vnto the suche a demaunde I putte cas that a baron haue werre with a knyght of the whiche werre the frendes of bothe partyes reyne hem self for to make a goode peas wherfore the saide baron sendeth hys lettres of saufconduyt to the sayde knyght vndre whiche he may com towardis hym sendeth to hâ—m worde with all that he may com surely the knyght trusting vpon the assuryng of the same lettres cometh to the sayd baron but whan they haue spoken bothe togyder and that the knyght wyl departe the baron doeth arreste hym and sayth and proposeth that he is hys prysoner For he saythe ye be atte werre wyth me as euery man knoweth well wherfor I may take you atte myn aduauntage where someuere I can fynde you that other ansuereth that he may not doo soo For the strengthe of his owne saufconduit deffendeth the same the baron saith that this helpeth him not for bicause that the saufconduit speketh onely of the coming thither not of there tournyng ayen wherfore he doo him noo wronge yf he kepe hym Soo demauÌ„de I of the whether the baron hathe a gode cause For it shulde seme ye seeyng that hit suffiseth emonge enemyes to take heede to the tenoure of the lettre vpon that whiche is wryton sith that the knight hathe be so folyshe that he vndrestode not wel that whiche the sayde barons wrytinge conteyned it is not without reason yf he bere a penaunce therfore For it behoueth in fayttes of werre as thy self hast said here byfore to vse of cawteles for to deceyue eche other late kepe him self that may I telle the fayre loue that thou myssest in thy sayeng in this byhalfe For yf it were as thou saist ouer many Inconuenyentes shulde folowe therof and therfore the lawe hathe purueyed therto that deffendeth expressely that noone shall deceyue by wordes of fallace nor cawtelouse For shuldest thou trowe theÌ„ne that a man shulde be herde atte a Iugement for to saye I haue solde to another an hondred pownde worthe of lande and fayre and well I haue delyuered hit vnto his handes wherof he is holden vnto me in suche a som of money that he moste paye me for semblably of other suche thinges of the whiche as wel I telle the shulde not be reputed nor taken in Iugement but for a trifle or a mocke and the man begiler that wolde vse therof shulde be punyshed therfore And therfore to oure propos what that for to take awaye all scrupulenes a man ought neuer to trust in suche lettres without that it be wel expressed of sauff gooyng and sauffe comyng ayen and also of sauf abydyng of al the other circomstances that bylongen therunto how be it that the lawe wol not that the malyce of the frawdylouse deceyuer take soo straytly the symplenes of hym that gooth thus vpon and vndre the termes of gode feythe ¶ Soo ought to be vndrestande the saufconduyt th entent of hym vnto whome it is yeven By the whiche saufconduyt he holdeth hym self sure aswel for to abyde sauf as for to goo retourne ayen sauf otherwise it were noo saufconduit but it shulde be treason that ouer gretly were to be blamed suche is the certeintee therof NotwistaÌ„ding it may be the som in dede without right nor reason haue vsed or wolde gladly vse therof whiche ought to tourne them in to grete vituperye and blame but euery man hathe not the power for to doo al the euyll that he gladly wolde doo ¶ Yf a knyght or som other gentylman had a saufconduit for his persone for ix men with him whether he myght vndre coloure of the same take wyth him in to the countrey of enemyes som grete lorde in stede of one of the ix men Cij Syth that we be entred in matere of saufconduytes an suere me now of another question A knyght of englond hathe a saufconduyt of the kyng of FrauÌ„ce for hym for ix other with him on horsbacke for to câ—mâ—n to Fraunce for som adoo he hathe there it happeth
with thy gage fight thy self al alone yf thou seme it gode for I shal neuer fyght for this cause soo is there noo lawe that may gaiÌ„saye hym in this cas for prescripcion is aproued of al right It saithe the said lawe that yf it happed two men tofall a debate togider that theire question were brought to iugemeÌ„t where bothe of hem shulde produce or bringe forthe theyr proues to this entencyon that yf the one partye wolde gaynsaie the other that they cowde not accorde yf he wil make it goode by proffe of his body he shal be receyued It yf a man taketh an action vpon another for certeine some of syluer or som iewell or of som other moeuable gode whiche as he saide he lent to his fader or moder that other denyeth him the same he shall also be receyued ayenst the other to doo chaÌ„p of bataylle yf he proffreth to make it good by the same meane It yf a man hath be brought to losse domage by fortune of fyre in his hous or in his grange or other thinge yf he wil proue ayenst another in manere a forsayde that he hathe putte the fyre theryn he shal be herde It yf a man complayneth ouer his wyffe that she is noo good woman thoughe he doo this for a wyle for to close her within awalle or for to be quytte of her or that she shulde be banyshed from her dowarye she may deffende herof herself yf she can fynde a chaÌ„pyon that wyl fyght ayenst her husband for her yf the husband refuseth hym he shal not be byleued Item yf a man hauÌ„teth in the house of awedded man yf the husband wil saye that this man hath hauÌ„ted hauÌ„teth for to haue a doo wyth hys wyff for to shame her and hym thys other man that so haunteth there may deffende hym ayenst the husbaÌ„de by gage of bataylle wherof I doo lawghe consyderyng suche a folye that yf the felawe that so is accused were grete and stronge it were well bestowed yf he fele hym self Innocent that he sholde bete well thryftly in the champ that Ialous folishe husband It yf a man accuseth another that he hathe pariured hymself in iugemeÌ„t he that is so accused may gainsaie hit as it is sayd many other thiÌ„ges conteyneth the sayd lawe that concernen champ of bataille whiche I leue for shortnes of the matiere as a thinge not nedefull morâ— for to say but so moche it is to be vndrestande that thees batailles are som tyme doon by the priÌ„cipall persones whan a raysonable cas of som lettyng falleth there As it were yf a man to yong were accused or a man that were to olde or a man that had som siknes or that were impotent coude not help himself som time a woman and all suche other persones the whiche thynges are alle ynoughe expressed named in the sayde lawes And namely yf a bondeman saide that his lorde had made him free of his bonde seruytude this he will make goode by his body the lorde is not holden to receyue bataille therfore but ought to deliuere him a champion more hyt saith that two clerkes of lyke degree may haue leue to be fight eche other in champ of bataylle of the whiche thinge sauffe her grace I say that she hathe wronge to entremette her self in suche a cas of any man of the chirche for the canon that ought more to be obeyed deffendeth them expresly al manere of bataylle violent hurt I aske the yf a man impotent as it is saide may sette for him self sache a chaÌ„pion as shall please him I ansuere the that the champions that be comytted for another are in this dede of bataille fygured or in fygure of procurours aduocates of plee whiche offyce euery man may doo for another yf he wyl yf ryght expresly gaynsayeth it not ryght euyn so it is of the champyoÌ„s for who soeuere wil he may be one so that right gaynsaie hym not for som cause For a theeff or som other that tofore had commytted som grete euyll or cryme shulde not be receyued therto nor noo man that is knowen of euyll fame And the rayson is goode That is to wite that yf suche a man entred a champ of bataylle for another and were vainquished there men shulde wene that it had ben for his owne sinnes and that therfore he had lost the bataylle ¶ How champ of bataille representeth somwhat proces of pleetyng And whether it is of ryght that the champyons shall swere by fore they entre the felde Capitulo x BVt how be it that gage of batayllÌ„e as I haue sayde bifore be of oure doctours reproued Neuertheles bicause it is a thynge whiche is in vsage in the dedes of noble men in thexcercyce of armes of knyghthode that suche bataylle haue ben are by the kynges prynces lordes iuged after the ryght that hit can haue wherof the custome shall not yet faylle in all places it is gode for to speke yet therof to the lernynge of thoos that shall most iuge therof semblably of theim that shall vndretake hem For I holde that the most parte of the noble men what that many one speketh of knowe not veray well that whiche is or ought to be conteyned in suche a bataylle touchinge thentrepryse the dooing â— thâ— iugemeÌ„t vpon the same soo shal I telle the therof fyrst thou ought to knowe it is veray certeyne that thees particulâ—â— batailles shewen by figure nature of iugemeÌ„t for ryght soo as to a iugemeÌ„t is the iuge he that claymeth action â—lso the defendauÌ„t present also is there the forespeker the proues after the same foloweth the sentence semblabli so is the iuge lorde in a clos felde tofore whome the bataille is made the party playntyf the deffendauÌ„t be the two chaÌ„pions that fight there togyder the witnes proues ben theire armures the strokes that they giue to eche other by the whiche strokes armures either of them forceth him self for to proue best their enteÌ„cion therafter foloweth the victorie whiche falleth to one of them that represeÌ„teth the diffinitiue seÌ„tence maister I beseche the that thou take not now in anger yf I putte interrupcyon in thy wordes for a questyon that I wil aske of the by cause that I haue herde the saye that the champyons doo swere whan they entre the felde cÌ„ whether it is a thynge ryght wys that they make eny othe there For it shulde seme nay and it nedeth not by cause that in a generall batayillÌ„e where two kynges were and they re folke shulde noon othe be made and why thenne shall two persones swere Dere loue I ansuere the that for to make there they re othe it is but the ryght of suche a bataylle and it is noo goode that that thou sayst that in grete batailles is noon othe made Knowest thou the
cause it is by cause that suche grete bataylles are entreprysed by delyberacyon of a grete counseyl and Iuged of the lordes soo behoueth there noon o the But to suche a partyculer werre the prynce can not knowe so wel the certeynte of the quarelle and therfore he wil take of them they re othe vpon that whiche they vndretake to proue by they re bodyes Soo calleth hit the lombardyshe lawe the hed o the thys othe that thou knowe is of the nature of the othe of calengyng whiche ought to be taken atte the begynnyng of al manere of plee where as the party playntyff swereth that his action is rightwys gode and after that swereth the partye deffendauÌ„t that his deffenses be true and euyn thus it ought to be doon in a champ of bataylle But to th ende that thou shalte vndrestande there is a crafte for to take suche an othe For yf he that called that other swereth absolutly ayenst the other of that thynge wherof he is not wel certeyne as thoughe I suere vpon the holy gospel that thou hast mordred or made to be murdred my fadre or my broder and al weyes he is not therof wel certeyne For he hathe not hit wel seen but it may be that he shall haue herde saye the same or for som coloure he shal haue a suspectyon therof suche an othe is folisshly made For noon oughte to swere absolutly for a thinge but that by his owne eyen he be sure and certeyn that it is soo and for thys cause may be his quarell nought For he forsuereth hym self yf it be not as he sayth But it is otherwyse of the partye deffendauÌ„t â— for he can not be ygnoraunt of the quarelle for well he doth knowe yf he be coulpable of the dede or not and therfore his quarell is bettre in cas that he fele hym self pure cleue therof but yf he wilfully doo for swere hym self muche more is worse his cause than of hym that weneth to saye trouthe wherfore for to be more certeyn and in surete to haue a good quarelle the party playntyf that is to saye he that calleth that other whiche is party deffendaunt ought to swere onely without mâ—re that he holdeth stedfastly bileueth that that other hathe kylde his fader or hathe doon to hym thyniurye wherfore he calleth hym to bataylle by thesame shall his quarell be the bettre Soo ought he for to saye bifore the prynce the cause why he his so moeuyd and the manere of the cas the prince thervpon ought to be wyse for to see and aduyse by the 〈◊〉 constances yf this that he saith may be true or not for yf the cryme or mysdede had be doon the day afore nyghe the park of vycenes and that he that of the same is accused cowde brynge true proues that all that day he was ferre thens he ought not to gyue noo feyth to suche callyng vpon that whâ—che were impossible so ought the prynce therfore wel to aduâ—se that the quarelle be iuste or euer that he iugeth hit acceptable and not to here all them that calle other thrugh folysâ— moeuynges and dotyng opynyons For many there be so litell wise that they wolde folyshly expose hem self to thesame for noo cause atte all or for litel occasion and they shulde wene that it were a fayre dede doon of hem bicause of theire lytyl consyderacyon And it is noo pyte whan it falleth euyl to them but of that other partye is compassion for they must deffende hem self and yf they doo it not after the vse of armes men shulde gyue hem blame and dysworshyp therfore ye after thopynyon of the yong folk not wise in this caas And I aske of the yf yt happed that bothe the parties wolde be fyght eche other in a playne felde or ellis without the presence of the prynce shulde he suffre it I telle the nay For it is a thinge wherof the knowlege longeth vnto him for to gyue hys Iugement vpon the same and ayenst the prynce in this caas may not they re owne wille make noo prouydence but that the sayde lorde or he that is commytted and ordeyned and also they that must kepe hem muste be there present by cause they shal be there sure of all other personnes nor noo man in the worlde ought not to say there nothyng vpon peyne to be gretly shent without it be by the kynge or prynces maundement that ought to iuge att latter ende whiche of bothe is ouercome or vyctoryouse ¶ Asketh xprystyne yf it hap that one of the two champyons lese som of his armes be it swerde or other thynge whether men ought of ryght to see hit restored ayen to him ¶ Item whiche of bothe ought to enuahyshe fyrst Item yf the kyng pardonne hym that is ouercome Whether the vyctoryouse may aske hym the costes that he hathe doon cÌ„ ¶ Capitulo xj MAyster I aske yf it falle soo betwene two champyons that befyght eche other within a clos felde that the one of hem breketh the swerde or the axe of that other or casteth hit ouere the pale For I holde well wyth all that they doo the worste that they can one tyl other supposed that thys man had none nother axe dagger nor mayle nor noo wepen to deffende hym wyth all Whether by rayson men shulde delyuere to hym other harneyse deffensable For syn it is in the manere that thou hast sayde that is to wyte that the armures Inuasyble and also deffensable are fygured and taken for wyttnes and proues wher wyth all men may help hym self in plee cÌ„ It shulde seme that men ought to delyuere and yelde hem new harneys ayen yf they require to haue hit For yf it were so that for to proue good myn intencyon I had produced and brought som wytnesses whiche I suppose shulde faille me by dethe or otherwise I may yet brynge forth many moo why theÌ„ne yf this champion hath not mowe proue hys inteÌ„cyon by the same swerde or other wepen of hys may not he haue another Fayre loue soothe for saye after the rayson of suche ryght as he awayteth ther to a grete consyderacyon ought to be had here for to iuge of the same For a grete dyfference is there yf the swerde is by aduenture falle from hys hande or yf that other hathe taken hit fro hym or broken or cast out of the clos or yf by folyshnes he shulde lese hit and lyke wyse of hys other harneyse But yf the swerde by aduenture brake by the strokes that he hym self shulde gyue wyth all and not by the effort or strengthe of hys aduersarye and that he had nomore weren for to deffende hym self and that by suche manere he had lost it all Without faylle som maystres sayen that men shulde do hym wrong but that they sholde gyue him other harneyse but selden it happeth a man to entre in to a clos felde wythout that