and Sclauons haue bene forced to proceede farther as to submit themselues to the Turkes to the ende to eschue their furious cruelty for want of meanes of defence and of them wee ought to take compassion Some would peraduenture think that this proud nation would be loth to enter amitie with the Christians But the contrarie is most true For albeit they be barbarous yet doe they herein imitate the auncient pollicie of the Romaines who vnder coulour of confederacies set foote in Greece and Gaule which afterwarde they subdued The lyke would these doe if they might but at the least in their haunting among Christians they discouer our affaires diligently considering our forces and meanes which afterward doe the more kindle their desire to enterprise against vs neither doe our men through their conuersation among them reape any other fruit than apprentiship of most wicked customes which doe infect particular persons with corruption and entangle the mindes of those whome they gouerne with tyrannous precepts I will yet alleadge other of the most notable examples of such as haue abused thēselues found inconuenience in reposing too much confidence in Turkish infidelitie One shall bee of the last king of Hungarie named Iohn whome the Hungarians chose after that Lewes was slaine in battaile against the Turkes This king soone after his election did Ferdinand expulse vnder some pretended title to the Realme which forced him to haue recourse to put himselfe into the protection of Sultan Soliman who thereby had a good occasion For he waited only how through the meanes of the Christians to get accesse into those places where he sought to establish his greatnesse Thus hauing for the time restored him into his dignity and beaten Ferdinandes men he kept not his promise long for after the decease of Iohn he dispossessed the Queene his widow his orphane who had craued his helpe against Ferdinand that had besieged them and euer since haue the most part of Hungarie continued in the hands of the Turkes In this their deede the grieuous iniuries offred by y t aforenamed may to some seeme to excuse their submissiō to Soliman howbeit they were not free frō blame in that for their owne particular interest they were the cause on that side to aduance the destruction of the Christians peraduenture 30. yeres sooner thā it would haue happened besides that they ought rather to haue summoned the Christian princes to take order for their controuersies or else to haue growen to composition with Ferdinand But how should these confederaties be other than mishaps to those that put them in practise sith such Princes as haue made them only to the end to reuenge themselues of or resist their enimies haue come to euil ends Of whom Alphons king of Naples is one who fearing the power of Charles the 8. king of France did after the imitation of Pope Alexander the 6. who before had done the like sent his Embassadors to Baiazet to craue helpe As also Lewes Sforza who to the end to molest the Venetians sought to y e Turks of whom he brought a certaine number into Italy but neither of thē attained to their pretences as being preuented by the subiection of themselues and their estates It is no meruayle that shame and destruction doe followe such deliberations and who so liste well to consider the causes thereof shall see that a vehement desire of reuenge stirred vp these Princes to call them in Is it not as much as if a man should go into the woods to hier theeues to murther his kinseman or friend in his owne house for some debate risen betweene them Either to open the windowe to the wolfe and so to bring him into the flock to deuour the sheepe Those that were at the first war in Hungarie when Soliman came in person doe affirme that in that one onelie voyage there were aboue 200000. persons of that onely Realme either slaine or caried awaie captiue which violences together with innumerable other more haue bene such pastimes as these horrible monsters haue within these two hundred yeeres taken to our costs Who is he that reading or hearing of the cruelties villanies torments which the poore Christians indured at the taking of Constantinople but will euen faint for sorrow and pittie In this shipwracke neither the greatnesse nobilitie and affabilitie neither the teares nor lamentations of the olde yong women or children could any whit mitigate their crueltie vntill that hauing glutted theyr desires and reuenges with the bloud riches beautie of the youth of each kinde they graunted some small release to those miserable persons that remayned of that furie who had ben farre more happy to haue bene swallowed vp among the rest I could heere adde sundrie other deeds wherewith to describe the fiercenesse of this nation but it shall not greatly neede because wee are to beleeue theyr proceedings to haue bene almost alwaies alike as if theyr onely drift tended to tread all mankinde vnder their feet Our neighbours alwayes haue and still doe thinke it wonderfull strange how such learned wise men as haue continually florished in France could counsayle our kings to enter league with these yea and so long to perseuere therein considering how infortunate such confederacies haue bene Some auncient persons haue in this sort reported the cause That king Frances the first seeing himselfe stil beset with the Emperour Charles a mightie Prince Henrie king of England and diuerse other enimies who oft brought his state in to daunger was for his owne saferie counsailed to confederate himselfe with Sultan Seliman to the end when they should molest him to oppose agaynst them so mightie an enimie And this treatie was concluded about the yeere 1535. by vertue whereof wee haue often times had succour from the Turkes which haue greatly hindered those that troubled France and without the which it must needes haue indured much more through the ambition of them that ought not to haue brought our Kings into necessitie to employe so terrible armies All these accusations and iustifications haue moued me to peruse some histories to the ende to see what profite or hurt wee haue reaped by their succour I haue noted three or fower armies by Sea brought into Christendome at the pursuite as they say of the French men vnder the conduct of Barberossa and other Admiralles who haue bred great terror The most notable of al their exployts in my opinion was the taking of Boniface in Corse But I haue laboured to learne of diuers auncient Captaines and other skilfull persons both Italians and Spanyards what their nations either thought or sayd of these Turkish tempestes who all reported vnto me that these barbarous people wrought lamētable desolations as hauing burned sacked yea and led into perpetuall bondage a merueilous number of poore Christians for the most part which was worse were forced to renounce Christianitie and to embrace the false doctrine of Mahumet a most lamentable
It was agreed that two dayes after he should meete the Queene a league and a halfe thence so to proue if any thing might be determined which he did There after many speeches the said Prince did in the end make her the offer aforesaid namely to depart the realme so to testifie his zeale to the quiet thereof which she tooke holde of before the word was out of his mouth telling him that that in deed was the true meanes to preuent all mischiefes feared for the which all France should be bound vnto him also that the King comming to his maioritie would bring all into good order wherby euery man should haue cause to be content Nowe although the Prince was a man that would not be easily danted neyther wanted his tongue yet was he at this time astonished as not thinking to haue bene taken so short because it waxed late she tolde him that in the morning she would send to knowe what conditions hee would demand Thus she departed in good hope and the Prince returned to his campe laughing but betweene his teeth with the chiefe of his Gentlemen which had heard all his talke Some scratching their heads where they itched not others shaking them some were pensiue and the younger sort gybed oue at another each one deuising with what occupation he should be forced to get his liuing iu a forein land At night they determined the next morning to call all the Captaines together to haue their aduice in so waightie a matter In the morning they entered into counsayle where the Admirall propounded that in as much as this matter concerned all it was in his opinion good to impart it vnto al which was done and the Colonels and Captaines were sent to demaund the aduice as well of the Gentrie as footemen But they imediatly aunswered thatsith France had bredde them it should also be their scpulture likewise that so long as anie drop of bloud rested in them it shoulde bee imployed in defence of their religion With all they requested the Prince to remember his generall promise that hee would not forsake them This being reported to the Counsaile haâ—ted the conclusion of those that were there to deliberate who considering of the generall disposition of all were the rather confirmed in their opinions which did concurre w t the same neither were there aboue three or foure that vsed anie speech the matter being so euident and I do yet in part rememâ—er the particularities there deducted The Lord Admirall declared vnto the Prince that albeit he supposed that the Queene in accepting of his offer meant no harme as one that desiring to deliuer the state out of miserie means conuenient 〈…〉 ot that he thought those which had weapon on hand did circuÌ„â—ent her to the end to betraie him that he neither ought neither could performe that that was propouÌ„ded himself had promised in respect that beforè he stoode bounde in stronger bandes and besides all this that if he should now absent himselfe he should vtterly loose his credit condemne the cause that he had takeÌ„ in hand which besides the equitie therof being authorised by the Kings edict ought to bee maintayned euen with hazarde of life The Lord of Andelots speech was this My Lord the enimies power lyeth but fiue small leagues hence if it perceiueâ—â— amoÌ„g vs either feare breaking vp or other alterà tioÌ„ whatsoeuer it wil with â—â—â—ord and speare driue vs euen into the Ocean sea If you none shoulde forsake vs it will bee sayde that yee doe it for feare which I knowe neuer harboured in your heart Wee are your poore seruantes and you our maister diuide vs not then sith wee fight for religion and life so many parleyes are but snares layde to intrappe vs as appeareth by the effectes else where The best waie therefore to come to a speedie agreement is that you will vouchsafe to bring vs within halfe a league of those that wish vs to departe the Realme so may wee peraduenture within an houre after growe to some good resolution for wee can neuer bee perfect friendes before wee haue skirmished a little together Then stepped foorth the Lorde of Boucarde one of the brauest Gentlemen in the Realme whose head was fraught both with fire and Lead My Lorde sayde hee hee that either giueth ouer or putteth of the set looseth it which is more true in this matter now in hand than in the tenis court I haue alreadie seene fiftie yeeres in which time I may haue learned alittle discretion I would bee loth to walke vp and downe a foraine lande with a tooth picker in my mouth and in the meane time lett some flattering neighbour bee the maister of my house fatten himselfe with my reâ—â—newes God willing for my parte I will die in my Countrie in defence of our alters and hearthes I beseech you therefore my Lorde and doe wish you not to abandon so many good men that haue chosen you but to excuse your selfe to the Queene and imploie vs with speede while we are willing to bite Little more was there spoken except a generall approbation of all men Then the Lord Prince began to speake and for the iustification of his offer sayd that he made it because they went about couertlie to taxe him with the cause of the warre as also for that if his absence might breede theyr peace he would thinke himselfe happie as not respecting his owne particular affayres lykeâ—â—se that hee did well perceiue seeing the enemies power so neere and theyr resolution that they woulde impute his humilitie to cowardlynesse whereby it should breed no rest but rather destruction to the cause that hee maintayned and that in consideration thereof hee was resolued to followe theyr counsayle and to liue and die with them Thus sayde they all shooke handes in confirmation thereof At the breaking vp of the Counsaile Theodore Beza with others of his companions made vnto him a verie wise and piâ—hre exhortation to comfort him in his resolution alleadging vnto him the inconueniences ensuing the departure from the same and so besought him not to giue ouer the good worke hee had begun which God whose honour it concerned woulde bring to perfection About the same time came the Lorde of Frense Robertet Serrâ—tarie of the commaundementes whome the Queene had sent to knowe vppon what conditions the Lorde Prince woulde departe Whose â—unswere was That it was a matter of waight neyther was hee yet resouled thereof in respect that many murmured thereat but when it was concluded hee woulde eyther sende or bring the Queene worde himselfe But Roberter by some particular speeches perceiued that matters were altered and so returned to the Queene whome hee certefyed that shee must haue more than paper to thrust him out withall who afterwarde went her waie Heereby may Princes and great Lordes learne in matters of importance not to binde themselues by promise before they haue throughly consulted thereof with the
written in great letters to all others of the same trade to beware of the like behauiour Neuer did you see wiser men then the rest were for a moueth after but then they returned to the practise of their good customes which without seueritie will not be forgotten As also in fauour of the Catholickes this I will say that at the beginning they likewise were well ordered did not much anoy the coÌ„mons whose nobilitie did also shine among them Howbeit I cannot well tell how long they so contiuued but I haue heard that they also did by and by spred their sayles and tooke the same course as the other Thus albeit our disorders may somtimes procure sport yet haue we greater cause to weepe when wee see so many of those that deale with armes through their bad behauiours deserue the name of theeues rather then souldiers Of the reasons that mooued the Prince of Condées armie to breake vp after the taking of Boisgencie also how he conuerted that necessitie into profite And of the purposes of the King of Nauarre THE principall Captaines and such as were best practised in worldly affayres did well for esee that their armie would not long continue whole because they did in parte want the necessarie foundations thereof so as they feared this dissipation as men feare least the fall of some great Dake shaken with y e windes should light vpon some wall and cast it downe or vpon a number of small plantes bearing fruite which caused them to giue counsaile while it was in force to hazard thâ— fielde whereof they missed Now after the taking of Boisgencie when they see the contrary power placed at Bloys which standeth vpon the riuer of Loyre and that the warre grewe long their first heate began to coole as also at the same time began their treasure wherewith to wage Souldiers who had alreadie consâ—med all that they had gathered as well aâ— Orleance as els where to faile This necessitie opened the gates to diuers discontentmens whereof the most parte had but simple foundations albeit the principall motion proceeded of the naturall impatiencie of the French nation which if it by and by see not the imagined effects doe grow out of liking and murmureth Neither will I conceale but that some euen of the chiefe of the Nobilitie too much affected to their goods either endued with somwhat an ambitious hope or els ouer delicate and tender endeuouring to hide these defaults did call the equitie of the warre into question This being knowne they were requested to departe least their speeches should alienate the minds of others As for the greater parte of the Nobilitie and Gentrie which could not bee maintained or placed in the neerest Garrisons and might serue els where it was thought good to employe them in their owne countries where debate began to breake foorth betweeene the Protestants and Catholickes especially in Poictou Xaintogne and Angolesme Thether sent they the Earle of Rochfoucault to Lyons the Lord of Soubize and to Bourges the Lord of Iuoy with his regiment Also seeing the Germaines Suiâ—zers and Spanyards did alreadie enter into France in fauour of the Catholickes they sent the Lord of Andelot into Germanie and the Lord of Briquemaud into England to seeke for helpe and succour By this meanes did the towne of Orleance remaine freed and safe from that which would most haue molested it forreine negotiation well established and the preseruation of those Countries from whence they had succour prouided for Thus were the difficulties that happened among the Princes partie determined so as the hope of the successe of this warre was not much deminished whereof I doe not much meruaile For sith in extremities wise and valiant persons can finde remedies why should they dispayre in such as are not so farre growne In the meane time in matter of warre want of money is no small inconuenience neither is it any losse to haue to deale with voluntarie persons which is a burden of it selfe hard to be borne whereby a man is soone oppressed and this doth none so well knowe as he that hath proued it The King of Nauarre and his assotiates considering that it was not good to lose time which ought to be precious to those that haue power at commaunde encreased their campe as well with French men as Straungers and besought the Queene to bring the King into the armie to the ende the Huguenoâ—s who 〈…〉 ned it the King of Nauarres or the Duke of Guizes might be forced to call it the Kings campe as also the more to 〈…〉 horise the warre that was prosecuted in his name which she did And they met at Chartres where they resolued to set vpon Bourges before it were fortified for sayd they so mightie a citie not past twentie leagues distant from Orleance did but too much benefice the Princes affayres Thether they marched and assaulting it found no such resistance as was looked for whereby it fell into their hands Then being with this so sudden victorie which sayd they was the cutting off of one of the Protestants armes puffed vp and very ioyfull they entered deliberation of their affayres Many were very earnest to besiege Orleance whose reasons were these That the two chiefe heades that moeued all this bodie namely the Prince of Condé and the Admirall were there so the same being taken they might easely make the rest of the bodie immoueable That the strangers that looked vp and euen tickled to come into France when they should but heare of the siege thereof would not bee very willing to set forward That they had men enowe to begin the siege for placing and fortifying two thousandmen in the little gate to bridle the towne on that side they should still haue tenne thousand footmen three thousand horse who might suffice vnto the ariuall of other their power that was marching Finally that the towne was but weake as being neither well flancked nor well diched and hauing no counterscarpe Onely there was a rampier wherein thirtie Canons would in sixe daies make a breach of two hundred foote But sayd they if ye giue those Huguenotes any respite to finish their fortifications wherein they labour alreadie wee shall not bee possibly able to winne it That they should remember that that towne was no small thorne in the foote of France but euen a very great darte which pierced the bowelles thereof and kept it from breathing Others of the contrary opinion did thus replie That by their intelligences in Orleance they were assured that the two regiments of Gascogns and Prouincials amounting to aboue 3000. souldiers were in it Also fiue or sixe hundred other souldiers of those that had bene in Bourges and were now retired thether Moreouer foure hundred gentlemen Then the townsmen able to beare armes being no lesse then three thousand persons All together aboue seuen thousand men besides such as hearing of the siege drawing thether would likewise enter thereinto That a towne
with Roses before they be withered Let there be no medowe which our intemperancie goe not ouer and euerywhere let vs leaue the tokens of mirth for that is our portion and our lot Undoubtedly among all our corruptions nothing seemeth more prodigious theÌ„ the liues of those that speake and liue after that sort For he whose soule is polluted with any heresie or superstition yea euen he that followeth the lawes of the heathen doe yet seeke saluation and bowe his knees before some Godhead that he hath forged to himselfe whereas contrariwise these men doe flee from and contemne all so brutish are their sences become They had neede to be pitied for of all that doe cast away themselues they are the most castawaies If any man should aske who begat this generation it were not much amisse to aunswer that it haue bene our warres for religion which haue made vs to forget all religion Neither can either the one or the other say It is our aduerse partie that ingendreth Atheists for they meete on all sides The duetie of Kings is to suppresse them euery societie ought also to purge it selfe because there fall but small blessings vpon those places where such venimous hearbes doe multiplie As touching the second vice Contempt of God ingendreth it and custome shapeth it Yea it so happeneth that the most part of those that growe guiltie thereof doe become so sencelesse that they thinke it to be but a slight fault Our good Kings in tymes past as S. Lewes and others did make decrées for the suppressing thereof notwithstanding I suppose that in those daies none but a fewe vnthrifts vsed much swearing Afterward this plague tooke hold of the Gentrie especially of the Souldiers who as it is sayd in their late iourneys brought the great othes out of Italie but within these fortie yeres the â—lood hath so ouerflowed and daylie encreased that now the little children of seuen or eight yeeres of age haue skill enough to abuse the name of God yea euen the peasants who liue farthest from the Court and Cities where corruptions doe dwell following the common course can curse the heauens as well as the Souldiers who aboue all other doe beare away the bell for this iniquitie To bee briefe Turne vs which way we wil we still heare nothing but blasphemie and forswearing of God Thus doe we see that euill example with want of correction hath bred perseuerance in this detestable vice Neuer did any auncient Historiographer write that it was any thing néere so common in any age as it is at this day If wee consider the Iewish nation we shall finde them but smally taynted therewith for whosoeuer among them did blaspheme he was stoned to death The Heathen did but sieldome sweare and held their othes in great reuerence The Sarazens which embraced Mahomets lawe durst not transgresse herein for feare of Gods punishment and euen to this day the Turkes that succéeded them doe absteyne from blasphemie Surely all these nations shall in the last day rise against vs Christians and especially against vs Frenchmen who endued with more knowledge then those blind people doe offend tenne tymes more then they If a man bee atteynted of treazon against his worldly Prince euery one will crye out he is worthie punishment but vnto him that blasphemeth and teareth in peeces the name of God which is treazon against his heauenly King no man vpon earth sayth one word notwithstanding it bee written that such a one shall not be holden guiltlesse Some worldly wise man may come foorth and say that although this error be chastizeable yet it is none of those that procure the losse of estates also that in case we could finde meanes to redresse y e other abuses of France this might afterward be well enough prouided for In my opinion those wise men doe resemble such as because they haue many bookes and haue seene their closures and red their titles doe weene themselues to be learned for they looking superficially onely into the causes doe neuer consider that the principall things that bring miserie and disorders into whole Countries are such offences as are committed directly against God notwithstanding they see that where the Magistrates do looke that his holy name be had in reuerence the Commonwelths doe florish and abound in all wealth but if they shewe themselues negligent therein the scourge shall neuer depart from their house neither shall it stand them in any stead to say I will for my part rule my tongue well enough for they be ordeyned not for themselues only but also for the instruction and correction of others Did they neuer reade that which is written in the 3. booke of Moses Whosoeuer curseth his God shall beare the paine of his owne sinne and the blasphemer of the Lords name shall dye the death the whole congregation of the people shall stone him whether he be a citizen or a straunger These are his words that maketh the foundations of the earth to tremble the Sea to runne backe and that shooteth foorth his most fearefull thunderbolts against the proudest Cities Let them therefore doo all that they can and employe their whole power to banish this euill least by supporting it they make themselues guiltie therof The third vice that dependeth vpon Impietie is not so generall or euident as the former notwithstanding it bee as abhominable in the sight of God For when the vnlawfull meanes of Diuinations and Magick arts haue alienated man from God they plunge him in ineuitable destruction Herein doth the deuill vse two kindes of snares By Witchcrafts which is the grosser sort he doth ordinarily drawe vnto him the rude and simply malitious persons who either for the satisfying of their desired reuenges or for the atteyning vnto other purposes doe so suffer themselues to be seduced by him that they grow to acknowledge and confederate themselues with him He doth often shewe himselfe vnto many in sundrie shapes as experience teacheth by the coÌ„fessions procéedings and iudgements giuen against them and let such as doubt hereof reade the writings of Bodin against them wherein they shall see what horible mischiefes and villanies against both God and man those miserable creatures doe commit which after they haue renounced their Creator doe submit themselues to him who laughing them to scorne doe drawe them into euerlasting destruction The same Author reporteth that their Captaine being taken in y e tyme of Charles the 9. coÌ„fessed y t in France there were aboue thirtie thousand Sorcerers It is horrible to see so voluntarie a protestation to the irreconsiliable enemy of God and man but when malice aboundeth there is nothing whereto it will not ioyne Such as are more spiritually wise and haue in them some seedes of pietie must haue other pollicies that may beare some fayrer shewe to bring them into these pathes of perdition for if any man should at the first shewe them the dishonor that they
which in some mens iudgement he attributeth to all estates and is vnto them as it were a limite that they cannot passe At the least we see within that tyme woonderfull alterations And it is comprehended within the compasse of 500. yéeres Which experience hath sufficiently verified in diuers especially in the auncient people of the Iewes as Iasper Peucer hath diligently noted Bodin likewise in his Commonwelth following the opinion of Plato hath noted that the number of 494. which he tearmeth perfect and is ment of yeeres is a terme which fewe Commonwelths doe escape without encurring most daungerous alterations Now if wee will applye this to our selues and count how long it was betweene the time that this Realme came to bee settled and assured in the familie of Hugh Capet the author of the second chauÌ„ge which happened vnder Henry the first his grauÌ„dchild who dyed in the yeere 1060. and the death of Henry the second in whose raigne many great corruptions as well in maners as pollicie were conceiued which afterward were brought foorth with incredible encrease we shall finde fiue hundred yeeres fully compleat But the chaunges of most excellent vertues into most infamous vices are most daungerous because other do still followe on which breede destruction without remedie Yet must we not say but this tearme is sometyme farre ouerpassed which procéedeth of Gods great goodnesse as wee may now see in our Realm that haue perseuered in forme royall aboue 1100. yeres As also that sometymes God in his wrath doth shorten it because of mens horrible sinnes And although the knowledge of the tyme be to them a secrete article which God hath reserued to himselfe yet the consideration of so many as well waightie as trifling matters concurring to one selfe end ought to driue vs to thinke vppon his iudgements But much more should wee bee thereto induced in that wee see the prophecie of Moses daylie drawe to performance against vs. And yet notwithstanding our so many experiences and sufferings wee cannot become wise These be his words If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and doe all his commaundements all these curses shall light vppon thee Thou shalt be cursed in the Citie and in the field the Lord shall send thee hunger and scarcitie and the plague shall take hold of thee vntill it hath consumed thee from the face of the earth The heauen that is ouer thy head shall be of brasse the earth vnder thy foote of Iron the vermin and the rust shall consume all the trees and fruites of thy earth The straunger that is within thee shall get ouer thee and be the highest and thou shalt stoope and be vnder him he shall lend to thee vppon vâ—urie and thou shalt not bee able to lend to him The Lord shall cast thee downe before thy enemies and thou shalt get from them by a contrary way and thou shalt flee through the hedge A nation that is farre from thee shall rise against thee whose language thou shalt not vnderstand an impudent people which shall not honor the older neither haue compassion of the infant The same shall deuour the fruite of thy cattell and the fruite of thy field shall leaue thee no remainder of thy Corne Wine or Oyle neither of the flockes of thy sheepe vntill it hath destroyed all To be briefe thou shalt serue thy enemie whom thy Lord shall send thee in hunger and thirst in nakednesse and want who shall put a coller of Iron about thy necke vntill he hath wholly rooted thee out These be part of the threatnings denounced against those that harden themselues in wickednesse whereof we doe alreadie so feele the effects that there want no more but the last wounds to fulfill our vtter oppression And sith Gods worde hath prooued so true in this bitter correction let vs feare least it so doe likewise in our destruction I suppose there bée some Courtiers who being but smally satisfied by my speeches will rather scorne mée because I endeuour to decide matters of estate with Theologicall principles and would better like that I should haue propounded some out of Polibius Plutarke and Xenophon to the ende by them to haue iudged of the casualties of Kingdomes and willingly I would haue leaned to their opinions but to the end not to be deceiued I haue thought this way that I haue taken to be the better For notwithstanding mans wisedome which neuerthelesse is giuen from aboue doth shine in prophane bookes yet is it very vayne in respect of the heauenly wisedome that appeareth in the holy Scriptures Howbeit to the ende the better to satisfie euery one I will somewhat touch the opinions of these great persons concerning the matter now discoursed vpon The matters say they namely Aristotle which breede innouation alteration or destruction especially in Monarchies are these when there happen debate betwéene brethren or mightie men of the Realme when the Princes are vnder age or in contempt when the Magistrates doe robbe the common people when wicked and vnwoorthie persons are put in office and the good reiected when the superiours do oppresse their inferiours with grieuous iniuries and the tributes layed on the peoples neckes are insupportable when Princes through their dishonest actions doe become contemptible to their subiects when Iustice is so cowardly and corrupt that impunitie of vice beareth sway when wee see an vnproportionable encrease in one member of the estate when dignities and offices are set to sale when pouertie is so vâ—ersall that not onely the priuate are poore but the common is poorer when martiall discipline is neglected when concord quaileth among Citizens and maners are vtterly depraued when lawes are out of force and that the Prince is ruled by wicked or ignorant Counsaylers and when forrainers are in greater fauour and authoritie then the naturall borne subiects These are in parte the causes by them noted which breede sundrie alterations in estates and bring them to naught All which things may easely be seene to concurre in ours and thereby may wee iudge of the sicknesse thereof But albeit wee are not altogether to contemne the Philosophers opinions yet must wee rather cleaue to those of the Scriptures which search out the originall causes in mans transgressions For GOD detesting the same doth withdrawe his fauour and protection from whole Realmes and then spring vp confusions Whether therefore wee looke into the first causes or into those that ensue wee shall in all bée sure to finde matter and tokens of destruction How is it then that wee feare not ours when all iudgements both deuine and humaine doe foretell it Howbeit in as much as there is no disease so great but the sicke person may conceiue some hope of recouerie wee are not altogether to dispayre but diligently to search among both ordinarie and extraordinarie deuine and humaine remedies for such as may bee most profitable for our restauration And of those
to the ende to labour them the more earnestly to long after a good vnion of heartes as yet so strangelie alienated It is most euident that all these thrée Princes did greatly loue their people especially Lewes and those charges that hee layed vppon them procéeded through the vrgent necessitie of warres notwithstanding some haue bene but rashly enterprised The lyke or rather more was theyr loue shewed to theyr nobilitie as well in respect of the accesse and familiaritie that they allowed them about their persons as also of the worthie rewardes bestowed vppon them Likewise we neuer sawe vertue in greater estimation than at that time But what obedience honour and affection did as well the nobilitie as communaltie than beare to their kings More coulde not haue bene wished for they were neuer wearie of sounding forth their prayses beholding of theyr personnes and hazarding themselues to all daungers for them Then if we woulde but consider the accord that was among the sayde subiectes what shoulde wee doe but wonder how they could since so farre disagrée To be briefe that all partes of this mightie Realme dyd together yéelde so pleasant a harmonie as euerie man was gladde to dwell therein yea euen straungers flocked to participate in that felicitie And notwithstanding in the time of King H. the second many things beganne to alter yet did vertue beare such swaie that the outward forme at the least seemed fayre After this manner dyd the Frenchmen liue vntill the yeare 1560. when Concord beganne to flie from among them after whose departure vertue and iustice haue not so much shewed themselues abroade nay they are gone to soiourne heare and there among their priuate friends where they assure themselues of better entertainment This in my opinion may suffice to proue that through concord small things doo increase and great are maintained and kept Now let vs compare that time with this which wee now so often haue triall of and we shall see the difference to be no lesse than betwéene a faire bright Sunne shine day in the spring time wherin nothing appeareth but flowers greene grasse and a foule Winters daie in the which the clouds tempests darkning the aire nothing is to be séene but y e grasse depriued of her ornamēts séeming to be white with frosts and snow But like as by the order which God hath established in nature after foule weather commeth faire so are we to hope for a more fortunate world after this when once we haue through a holie conuersion appeared his wrath If a man enter into speech hereof by and by a number come in and saie Oh what is it that hath troubled and diuided vs but diuersities of opinions in Religiō Likewise there are others which on the other side doe replie that it is not the nature of Religion to bring forth such and so many calamities but rather that the cause is to be impeuted to the mallice of man who loueth darknes more than light and to their ignorance that think that such contrarieties should be decided by fire and sword when in deede they ought to be determined by gentlenesse and clemencie I would thinke that experience should make vs wise in this difficultie which shall nothing let me from prosecuting my purpose declaring what discord doth ingender Neither will I goe to séeke exāples hereof in foren lands neither in times past but in our own Countrie and age for if anie man be desirous to behold the image of all mischiefe hee néede not seeke farther than into France where this tragedie haue bene plaied the actors whereof beeing Frenchmen who euer since they were sezed of this cursed passion doe neuer sticke to hurt each other And like as a continuall feauer weakneth and pulleth downe the strongest bodie euen so the continuance of our warres hath almost abated depriued the Realme of the principall of her greatnesse mightinesse and beautie Wherin appeareth the truth of the other parte of the sentence alreadie alleadged viz. that by descord great thinges doe perish and runne into decaie Now notwithstanding hatred ordinarilie ingendereth discord where amitie for the most part bridgeth forth concord yet hath not this bene the cause that hath driuen many of those that are entered hereinto but rather some haue bene vrged by zeale others by persecution and othes by some duty that they ow to other men As also we haue séene many diuerse effects some more gentle than other some whereby the authors of the same deserue commendation in that they haue in these vnmercifull calamities borne themselues more moderatlie I dare not rehearse the horrible cruelties committed in all places notwithstanding some haue felte them more than others for the remembrance of them cannot but either bréede great horrour or exasperation Yea some such haue beene wrought as may be tearmed to bee against nature as when some haue deliuered their néerest kinsmen to the slaughter or dipped their handes in the bloud of their owne friends I thinke if anie man had in the dayes of king Frances the first foretolde those thinges that haue since happened he had ben slame as a spreader of lies and yet haue our beastly mindes bene such that we haue euen extolled and magnified the prodigious actions which blind rage hath committed I beseech God we neuer fall againe into the like abhominable gulfe of inhumanitie Thucidides a wise hystoriographer dooth briefely describe the manner howe the Grecians behaued themselues in their ciuill warres Whose saying I haue thought good here to insert to the end we may compare the forepassed mischiefes with those of our time thereby to discerne in which of these times mallice preuayled most After it was knowen sayth he that anie riot was committed in one place others waxed bolde to doo worse to the end to worke some noueltie to shew themselues either more diligent than others or else more insolent and hot in reuenge and all the mischiefes that they cōmitted did they disguise with gaie titles as tearming rashnesse magnanimitie modestie cowardlinesse headlong indignation manhood and boldnesse counsaile wise deliberation cloked dastardlynesse Thus he that shewed himselfe most furious was accounted a loyall friend and he that reproued him ranne into suspition If anie one of the contrarie faction propounded any thing that were good and honest it was not liked of but if they were able indeede to impugne it they had rather be reuenged than not to be wronged If by solemne oth they made any attonement the same lasted vntil the one see himselfe the stronger whereby he might violate infringe and ouercome it through mallice Yea he reporteth much more which to auoide tediousnesse I omit Now therefore would I know whether we haue not bene equal with the Grecians in like actions I thinke that none dare denie it but that we haue surmounted them in crueltie it is most euident Such Frenchmen as after so many ruines shall remayne maye iustly make that exclamation
place will I attribute to superfluity in aparrell that exceedeth euery where whereof proceedeth generall pouertie which to redresse seemeth but small difficultie and yet it cannot bee touched but two millions of men will crye out and exclaime What meanes is there then to prouide for it Euen to laugh at all those lamentations complaints and rages For from a foole if you take his bable he will storme and yet is it requisite to do it least he hurt others But which is yet worse these excesses that we speake of doe hurt those especially that commit them though at the first they be as pleasant as in the ende they be pinched when their liuing is morgadged out He that would perticulerly touch all these kindes of folly as the inuenters of auriculer confession haue deuided mortall and veniall sinnes into an infinite number of rootes and braunches should neede a whole volume It hath in all ages bene a hard matter to cut off the things that men haue esteemed to bee their principall delights yea some histories doe reporte that euen the Romaines were much troubled therewith Yet is there great difference betwéene vs and them For they excéeded when they had aboundance of all things but wee doe it now that we haue almost nothing Neither doe I feare that we shall enter into sedition for this poynt They that keepe the Custome house at Lions will say that vnlesse euery man may haue libertie of apparell the King shall lose aboue three hundred thousand crownes of yeerely rent But if we turne ouer the leafe wee shall finde that there is yeerely transported out of the Realme aboue fower millions of Francks which is caried into Italie for such warres and doe cause the King and his subiects to spende aboue twelue millions in superfluous apparell that might well bee spared In the tyme of Phillip the Conqueror vnder whom France florished and was aloft Veluet was out of vse with them neither had they any store of Silkes at the least fewe men did weare them Neuerthelesse the great men were neuer better obeyed each one in his degrée then in those daies So long as nothing but ritch garments doe procure reuerence and loue there is but small sted fastnesse therein and therefore there must be stronger bonds to bring vs to our dueties Yet doe I not meane that we should order our garments after the simplicitie of olde tyme for now doe many things abound that were then very rare The third parte of the Nobilitie at the least could wish there were some good order taken herein so should they bee better furnished with money and lesse endebted And I beleeue they could be content rather to spend that which they doe consume in such superfluities in the Kings seruice in the field where their expenses should be better employed theÌ„ to empouerish themselues in these follies and in liew of so many gay hosen and cloakes brodered with gold and siluer to buy good horses armour furniture therewith to bee worthely furnished in these honorable necessities So should wee finde aboue 1200 gentlemen able without pay to accoÌ„panie him which are yet good relickes of our decayed France and might worke as great miracles as euer did S. Mathurin of l' Archant And as these doe cure fooles as y t report goeth so would the others heale certeyne dolts y t think vs Frenchmen to be euen in the Hospitall Who theÌ„ would make any stirre for these things Peraduenture the women who are wonderfully affected to these goodly ornaments and would bee very forie they should be cut off Indeede they should bee allowed much more then men as well to content their curiositie as also because they loue to haue somewhat that may giue a glosse to their beautie Howveit Aristotle saith that women are the one moitie of the Commonwelth and therefore ought to bee brideled by good lawes but they will not beléeue him but say that he is an hereticke There be many other superfluities which I will not speake of as hauing touched them els where Only I haue chosen this kind which is as hurtfull as common which also I haue layed open to the ende to shewe that sith it may bee amended so may others likewise that make vs worse and more needie Which if any man desire me to name I must report these excessiue expences wasted in sumptuous Feastes vppon small occasion Maskes Playes superfluous retenues stately builoings precious moueables with many other pomps and pleasures which all do stand in great néede of reformation because that many doe passe their dueties and habilities neither should a man lye that should say that they are readier to spend 1000 crownes in such vanities theÌ„ to giue half a one to a poore soule that dyeth for hunger or tenne to a friend that standeth in great neede The cause whereof is ouermuch selfe loue and want of charitie toward others Now will I speake of matters which seeme necessarie to be touched if we minde to reforme the estate notwithstanding it be daungerous stirring of theÌ„ There be that thinke that if in this our pouertie those mén be not visited that haue so vnreasonably enritched themselues by our confusions the King shall bee defrauded of a woonderfull coÌ„moditie that would arise of the restitutions that diuers should be forced to make which also being applyed to good vses would stop great gaps This proposition is plausible grounded vpon equitie but y e execution therof is very difficult coÌ„sidering the great nuÌ„ber of those whose consciences are larger then a Friers â—léeue some in receiuing too much others in seruing their owne 〈…〉 es and others in catching and snatching And vndoubtedly if wée should driue them to giue accompt of their administration past it would bréede some iarre Yet if there were but a fewe exchetors in this number who now should deale faithfully in their offices if they could remember what shipwracke they had once almost fallen into was should bee sure enough from any warre there about But to close with those that weare Swordes that can both commaund and strike and that haue authoritie friendes and intelligences vndoubtedly it would breede great alterations Was it not one of the causes that moued Caesar to take armes because they would haue visited him and his partakers about the wealth that he had gathered in Gaule When the Gracchies propounded and purposed to put in execution the law Agraria which cut off the possessions of the ritch what bloodie sedition did ensue For although a thing be lawfull yet is it not expedient to put it alwaies in vse because that neither the indisposition of the affayres can beare it neither the tyme require it Some will say that it is a gentle way to redemand that thing by lawe that hath bene vsurped against lawe True But if we doe well marke the consequences wee shall finde them so daungerous that it were a great ouersight for the gathering vp of a fewe small profites
theeueries which redound to the great hinderance of the Kings seruice can no way be reformed but by exemplary punishments At the least if they yet robbed Gentleman like it were somewhat tollerable considering the course of the tyme but to proceede thus farre is but clownish theft The Souldier may peraduenture say They vse our seruice but of money we heare no newes In this case being depriued of the benefite of their pay they are to bee exempt from the rigour of lawe so that they liue with discretion But when vnder colour of non payment they shall exceede to all violent and infamous actions they are not to bee excused as not hauing any further priuiledge but to liue moderatly vpoÌ„ the people as is aforesaid There are likewise of the Nobilitie who either for their priuate quarels either to the end co encroach the spoyle of some fat benefite doe without reason beare Armes whereof doth often tymes ensue many murders neither is there any Prouince in the Realme free from this abuse Then if you sende some inferiour Sergeant at the mace to forbid them neuer was pilferer better swinged then he shall bée To send likewise the gouernors letter that is as could because in these daies the gouernors in liewe of commaunding doe pray and this haue our dissentions brought to passe What is then to bee done in the restraynt of these pettie warres which followed in the countrie do kindle againe hatred and breede partakings For sooth euen trusse vp fiue or sixe of these warriers so to make fiue or sixe hundred wise To be briefe sith by the continuation of eiuill warres impudencie mallice and disobedience are so sore encreased we must not now thinke with proclamations and decrees to suppresse them vnlesse those also to whom it doth appertaine doe take the rodde in hand therewith to minister waight to their wordes And although in this reformation considering things in generall we are to proceede with much moderation for feare of Commotions or trouble yet if wée perticulerly looke into many vitious qualities which hinder the reestablishment of order I think it not amisse to mixe some sower with the sweete Thus may wee iudge which remedie may bee most profitable whether this or the more moderate For my parte I suppose that in some matters the mixed were necessarie although in other some the moderate as being assured that there will be lesse difficultie in making this difference then in setting the matter in hande But wee driue of soo long for our mischiefes are growne to that passe that wee are no lenger to consult how to cure them but rather to wonder that we haue not alreadie done it The fifth Discourse That instruction and good bringing vp are necessarie for all young gentlemen SUch as haue noted the singularities of France among the rest haue set downe that parte of the Nobilitie giuen to iustice and valiauncie wherewith it hath alwaies bene adorned not to bee the least wherein they haue had reason For if wée consider the tymes past wee shal by the apparant effects which from age to age haue appeared perceiue that out of this great stocke haue procéeded such excellent men as haue greatly profited and stoode their Countrie in steade But as all that hath bene is subiect to varietie and chaunge so hath it fallen out that the most parte of those that haue succeeded in their auncestors goodes haue not neuerthelesse inherited their vertue but rather being halfe buryed in common corruption are degenerate and gone astraye from the auncient maners whereby is greatly deminished the commendation and good reputation in olde tyme attributed as well in generall as perticuler to those that beare so fayre a title Now if wee shall seeke the causes that haue engendred so many imperfections in this vniuersall bodie wee shall finde that the most notable hath bene their small care to see their young Children well instructed in honest discipline though withall I suppose that some haue likewise erred in weening to atteyne thereto whereof it hath ensued that the beginning being bad that which hath bene added hath bene of the same If the Parents for their excuse doe alleadge that therein they haue followed the custome that will not iustifie them considering that in so necessarie occasions they ought to bée directed by the instructions of the wise who did so greatly accompt of this that to the ende the posteritie should remember it they haue treated very largely thereof in the most parte of their bookes that they haue left vs. I knowe well enough that naturally euery man hath a certaine inward motion to keepe and exalt that which he hath begotten but when this affection is 〈…〉 lpen and guided by learning it may better atteyne to the desired purpose And therfore it is not amisse briefly to heare the opinions of the auncient Philosophers and Lawgiuers to the end this iudgement being confirmed wee may afterward be the better disposed to doe that which shall be requisite All the most renowmed Philosophers as Licurgus Socrates Plato Aristotle Xenophon and Pâ—utarke doe affirme that the negligence in the well instructing of youth doth corrupt Common welths also that the vices which in youth are rooted in them can hardly be corrected Whereas contrariwise when vertue doth in tyme take place it afterward fructifieth wonderfully They also not only blame the fathers that through couetousnesse sloth or ignorance do deny their children that good bringing vp that they owe them but likewise haue an euill opinion of those Commonwelths that want order and discipline for the instruction of youth Yea and they further alleadge that the best natures wanting good bringing vp doe growe very pernitious likewise that they cannot in age be crowned with honor if in youth they neuer learned to walke in the path of vertue To bee briefe they all are of opinion that as Plants and Trees for want of husbandrie and proyning do grow wilde so youth if it bee not polished by good customes doe waxe rude and vitious This in briefe is one small morsell of the instructions by them left in generall as well to the Parents as Magistrates to exhort and stirre them vp diligently to see youth brought vp and instructed in all honest discipline But what neede we seeke so great proofes and confirmation hereof sith no man calleth it in doubt Rather ought wee to declare how wee should proceede in this bringing vp to cause it to fructifie in the beautifull actions of vertue Herein likewise it is requisite to helpe our selues with the doctrine of the same Philosophers who haue so well discoursed vpon euery thing that belongeth to all partes of ciuill life that the heauenly precepts onely excepted it is vnpossible to deuise any better direction I will therefore here set downe some sayings out of Plutarke to this purpose There is nothing saith he that bringeth so soone to vertue and maketh a man happie as good instructions in respect whereof all
footemen and they goe thether at fiftéene sixtéene or seuentéene yeres of age In tyme past being a little elder they were made archers in the bandes of Ordinaunce and then did all those companies consist of Gentrie onely and the Capteynes had a care to kéepe them in good order As also many went into the bands of footment of Piedmont who had most excellent orders Contrariwise now that discipline is reuersed euen among the footemenl it is perillous for the instruction of youth For hauing for the most part none but vnthriftes to their maisters euill examples doe in tyme drawe them into disorder and in liew of fashioning them bring them quite out of fashion And to what purpose is it to learne to discharge a Péece to knows what warding sentinâ—ll or skirmish doe meane and to shewe the braue countenaunce of a So 〈…〉 ier if in counterchaunge herof they habandon themselues to Sundrie â—iâ—es among which blaspheming of God quarelling with friends playing away all euen to the shert filthie lust after Harlots and for the fulfilling of all disorder an vnbridled libertie to â—eate robbe and deuoure the people without compassion doe beare the greatest sway These abuses doe the most part of our footmen commit except it bee peraduenture some olde regiment and auncient garrison that liue in better discipline The best remedies therefore for parents in this necessarie euill is not to sende their children alone neither to suffer to enroule them selues in the first companie that they list to choose but to hearken whether any of their neighbours will likewise send theirs and so to ioyne thrée or fower of them together as it were sworne companions with prohibition the one not to leaue the other For being so together shame will restrayne them from euill and withall they shall still succour one another in their necessities if besides their fathers be acquainted with any honorable Capteyne they should direct them to him with earnest request to haue a care to rep 〈…〉 ue them when they doe amisse Some there are likâ—wise that take vpon them to trauayle into forreine countries vpon a certeyne conceiued opinion that others drugges are better then those of their owne land Others also doe allowe thereof in respect of the learning of common languages seruing to communication with straungers Such as trauaile into Germanie where the customes and behauiours doe farre differ from ours at their returne are found to be dull and rude so that for the refyning of them againe their parents must send them into other places wherof ariseth double labour double tyme and double charges And it doth oftentymes come to passe that some hauing bene brought vp in the grosse maners of Germanie and then returning to finde the vnbridled libertie of France doe so vnconsideratly flye vpon it that they stray out of the right course And as for the voyadges into Italie there be more that vndertake them especially to bee instructed in many honest exercises which doe there abound But among those Roses they méete with many Thornes because that a thousand baytes of lust being as it were sowne in the goodliest townes youth which is desirous of noueltie and fierie in affection cannot be kept from going to taste yea euen to glut it selfe with these sweete poysons and so by continuance doe become most indurate therein Thus is the habitation of Italie to those that applye themselues to goodnesse more profitable and to those that applye themselues to lewdnesse hurtfull and worse then that of Germanie But what counsell is to be giuen or remedie to be prouided against these inconueniences The fittest is to sende the younger sorte whose maners are not yet formed into Germanie where simplicitie doth take most place and let the others that are alreadie any whit grounded in godlinesse or loue of honestie goe into Italie notwithstanding the prouerbe That neuer good horse nor bad man amended by going to Rome This likewise must Parents yet note that they keepe them not there aboue two yéeres so to be the more assured that forreine wickednesse take not so déepe roote but that it may easely be plucked vp againe Now doth it rest that I speake of studie in famous Uniuersities whether many Gentlemen doe send their Children to bee instructed in learning which also they the rather doe because the life that they there leade is somewhat better ordered then in the aforename 〈…〉 places where much vanitie is learned as well as ciuilitie They perswade themselues and not without reason that the liberall Sciences are a great ornament to Nobilitie and maketh it more worthie to administer all publique functions which is the cause that they seeke to haue them at the first watered with so good liquour Howbeit this notwithstanding among many that there spend their youth fewe doe reape any great profite which procéedeth of that that the fathers doe take them away so soone euen at the tyme that they begin with iudgement and discourse to attaine to the depth and consideration of the excellencie of Sciences And in my opinion the chiefe cause that leadeth Parents so to doe is for that they see that Ecclesiasticall promotions are not giuen to the learned but to those that can best court the Cardinals and Bishops or the Kings fauourites and the offices of Iustice in liewe of being conferred to the best deseruer are sould to him that hath most money This considered and likewise perceiuing that the greatest honors are gotten with the sword they will haue their children betymes to accustome themselues to Armes And peraduenture they are not herein altogether inexcusable One thing more there is that bringeth them out of taste with keeping them long to studie That is that when they come to consider the countenances and simple and vnpolished fashions of Schollers in respect of the ciuilities courtesies and dexterities of those young Gentlemen that haue made but two iourneys to the Court they thinke that their children shall neuer come tyme enough who also for their partes neede no great force to fetch them from the Colledge because the inclination to libertie together with so many fayre bragges whereat they leuell a farre of which also the world presenteth to their viewe maketh theÌ„ but too desirous to get foorth I will not speake of the delayes made in Colledges in the teaching of children for it is wel inough knowen that there is no good thing but hath some bad mixed withall Herein cannot the parents better prouide than with themselues wel to aduise of what profession they will haue their children to be to the end to accomodate their studies to the same vocation as beeing assured that hee that is vowed to the warre néede not to procéede so farre in studie of the sciences as those that thereby séeke to growe and inrich themselues They must also haue a care that they put their children to learned tutors and well conditioned least in lieu of knowledge they should reape ignorance and
their estate wherein is no correspondent proportion kept I thinke I should not doe amisse though I declared that which might seeme better to be concealed For as well our forreine neighbours doe imagine thrise more then there is and say that wee are so affected to our King that we will according to our callings imitate his liberalities and expences This therfore that I now speake tendeth only to make vs wiser and more readie to repayre our domesticall decayes as well to eschue other mens scoffes as to expell sundrie cares out of our mindes and relieue those wants that oppresse vs. Now although it bee so that all doe agree in the confession of this pouertie yet when wee come to shewe how it commeth there is a contrarie difference therein For one saith one thing and another another yea euery one seeketh to accuse the vyolence of the long warres which as Monsters doe deuoure all rather then them selues Thus doe wee see how readie each one is to seeke starting holes whereby to cléere himselfe of his fault in liewe that he ought with vpright iudgement to examine from whence such disorders doe proceede To excuse a mans selfe is a very common matter and such as euery one is willing to doe because the excuse seemeth somewhat to blot out the spottes that may blemish his good renowme But because to accuse bringeth shame it is neuer put in practise vntill it needes must whereof it falieth out that that matter lyeth long hid in ignoraunce which ought sooner to haue bene knowne The prouerbe falleth out many tymes true which sayth That the euill which we knowe well is as it were halfe healed Let vs therefore seeke the cause of our owne and that will be to vs a readie way and preparation to finde remedie Those that doe attribute it to the ruine and charges of warre doe say that there be yet liuing many honorable persons that haue seene in what wealth and prosperitie the French Nobilitie liued vntil the tyme of Henrie the second For so long as we had peace there was nothing to be seene among the Lords Gentrie but liberalitie magnificence visitations with other such honest expences y e witnesses of wealth And yet all this notwithstanding they sould no landes as well for feare of reproach as also because of the moderation vsed in such things Likewise whensoeuer there was any warre proclaymed it will hardly bee beléeued what goodly furniture euery one caried with him as appeared in the voyadge into Germanie But as nothing in this world is long permanent so in the warres that were renewed in the yeere 1552. betweene the Emperour Charles the fifth and King Phillip which lasted seuen yeeres it was driuen to great expences as well for the selfe honor as in respect of the loue it bare to so good a Prince as was King Henry Then ensued the vniuersall ciuill warres all ouer the Realme comparable to violent streames which so encreased the ruine thereof that now all that the Nobilitie is able to doe is to maintaine it selfe liuing miserably in it owne house And hereof is growne the pouertie thereof These be their reasons which also I will not vtterly reie◠For I will still confesse that these stormes haue bred part of our pouertie but that it is wholly procéeded thereof I doe not aduowe and I will hereafter shewe that it had other helpes of greater importance to set it forward So as their argument concludeth but in parte Now let vs examine what may haue bene the ruine in the first warres It was not great for the Nobilitie that then serued were neither euill paide neither destitute of honest rewards procéeding of the Kings liberalitie True it is that some perticulers being too forward did in parte vnfeather themselues as also that the frontier Nobilitie encurred some losses But the greatest number continued in good state In the ciuill warres there fell out more losses which neuerthelesse lighted not vpon vs. Besides that in our pettie peaces since concluded it had still meanes to repayre the breaches Withall that France is so fruitfull and well peopled that whatsoeuer the warre wasteth in one yéere is repayred againe in two Sith therefore such discommodities haue still bene accompanied with some remedies as also that they haue assayled but the least parte of the Nobilitie wee are not to accompt this mischiefe either so vniuersall or great But in my opinion the cause why all the blame is layd vpon the warres is first because the same is by nature hurtfull secondly that the vyolence that moueth it is horrible and terrefieth and thirdly because men are glad to haue a shroude to hide their euill husbandrie or els artificially to pleade pouertie as the couetous doe A man that hath had a long continuall agew being cured thereof will remember it a long tyme and feare the like disease and yet the corruption of the humours whereof it proceeded did growe by little and little through his intemperance of life whereof he tooke no heede The like doe wee in thinges breeding our pouertie For some there are that wee finde out by and by and they make vs to lament but others which are neither so common nor agreeable with vs wee let easely slippe as if wee were insensible and will not knowe them And I dare affirme that if the ruines of warres and martiall charges that so wee complaine of haue brought vs fower ounces of pouertie our foolish and superfluous continuall expences which wee doe not greatly repent vs of haue procured vs twelue In this proposition we are to consider that the French Gentleman doth excéede in any thing whereto he is affected and will spare for nothing Then that most of them spend not in one thing only but in fower or fiue so diuers are their minds and that is the cause that drieth vp the liueliest springs of ritches Now one of the principall thinges wherein they ouerflowe is apparell wherein they haue neither rule nor measure yea custome hath wonne so much that a man dare not almost appeare in any good companie vnlesse he be guilt like a Challice for thereby many perswade themselues to bée the more honored The Courtiers were they that brought in these inuentions who in the meane tyme doe sharpe pennance for their labours in that there is no yéere but such large expences doe sende at the least one dosen of them into the Litter who for the pleasure of seeing themselues a fewe daies couered with silke and siluer must many moneths after beare the griefe of finding themselues houselesse or so haled by Usurers as they could not be worse in y e gallies Two other things there be besides the ritches of apparell which greatly encrease charges The one that men will haue diuersitie the other that from two yéeres to two yéeres the fashions doe chaunge and must be renued who so doth not frame himselfe hereto is laughed to scorne To be briefe either the hand
of many Gentlemen good Captaines that would not faile in their duties wherof in y e armies but one halfe were to bee vsed for feare of vnfurnishing the prouinces and the same would amount vnto about 1200. horse And in my opinion that Prince were farre out of taste that would disdaine to command ouer such a companie which vpon necessity might seeme to sight in flanke of a king in two great squadrons Neither is it yet al to haue propounded this braue patterne and set downe orders for small fruit would arise hereof vnlesse we should prouide for two pointes of great consideration The one to make a more iust valuation of that which the fees ought to coutribute the other to cut off vnnecessarie exemptions Concerning the first many abuses are therein committed For sundry doe spare themselues and burthen their neighbours or fauour others I remēber that once I heard of a fee not worth aboue 400. franks by yere belonging to an ancient Gentleman that in his youth had done verie good seruice rated at 80. franks for the Arrierban And of another goodly manor hard by it worth 1800. which a 〈◊〉 Aduocate had scratched in with 4. hands rated but at 35. This is the goodly equality many times obserued in such affaires Wherfore to preuent all such deceits it were requisite in euery bailiwick to chose six men of the three estates honorable honest men because at this daie the fees are diuided amōg them to assist at the taxing to y e end to draw thē neerer to reason so do I imagine that if we should take but the tenth part of the sayd fees the king should be well serued the priuate parties haue no great cause to complaine It were also good to haue regard to the persons For there were no reason as much to charge him who after a sorte serueth the common wealth or is vertuous or that hath bene employed in good seruice as a greate feed vsurer at whose gate the poore die for hunger or a pettie fogger that continually troubleth his neighbours Thus might men that would incroch fees be accustomed to abandon their euill manners that hurt others I knowe verie well that vpon this reuiew sundry will crie out and that peraduenture with sound heart saying What doo ye seeke to alter My fee for this hundred yeeres paide but so much which is peraduenture but the thirtieth or fortieth part and now you aske me more this violence is not to be borne If this plaintiefe be a Gentleman hee is one that eyther goeth to the warre or that tarrieth at home If he be a warriour he complaineth wrongfully considering that going to serue he is exempt frō paiments If he go not to the war he is either vertuous or vicious if vertuous he will consider that if it be a point of dishonestie to denie priuate bonds much more dishonestie is it to denie publike And then it is to be supposed he wil yeeld to reason But if hee bee one of them that doth but beare the name of gentilitie which he blemisheth w t vicious actions I would set before him the custome practised by our ancient Gaules in the time of Iulius Caesar which was this After the precepts directed forth for the assembling of the nobilitie he that came after the time limited not letted but by his owne negligence was put to death in sight of the whole armie thereby to warne the rest to be more diligent For so might he gather that if in those daies they did so seuerely punish their sloth that were willing to serue their ingratitude that will neither helpe in person nor in purse deserueth much greater punishment As for the vnnoble that haue fees such as haue anie iudgement or are endued with any indifferency or knowledge either be put in office should not murmure when they are called vpon to giue some small portion to be exempt from personall seruice whereto they are vnmeet Neither wil they in anie wise refuse so to do But as for those who as much vpō an earnest desire to be called Lords as for couetize do nothing but heape fee vpon fee do neyther serue the common wealth nor vse charitie yet would excuse thēselues frō discharging those most ancient duties which I doubt whether euen the Kings can bee excused of ought to bee charged double like the Asse y t hath a strong back to teach them to bee more willing Should they not consider y t they are vnworthy the prerogatiues honors of fees sith they are vncapable of military actions which ought to accōpanie those y t do possesse them They that séek nothing but starting holes will yet saie that the king raiseth subsidies of the people for the paie of his men of armes which sheweth that noble mens lands should be quite discharged Truely they doe wel fulfil y e rule of iustice making it to yeld to their owne profit straining it to the ouerthrow of others I thinke if anie man would euen flay the people they could be content so thēselues might haue some morcel of the skin It is the cōmons pouertie that ought to be pittied not their abūdance y t cannot be satisfied One word yet of exemptions which in such a case as this that concerneth the preseruation of the Realme are but ouer common The harme is the kings who is stil y e worse serued But as himself is the cause of this diminishing through the lyberalities which without giuing to him to vnderstande the consequences they force at his handes so is it his part also to enquire what may iustlie be granted and to cut off whatsoeuer is vnnecessarie Wherfore it were requisite the Captaine generall should be carefull to obtain of him a declaration for a rule in the Prouinces For as these dueties are no new matters but verie auncient and meete for the vpholding of the crowne and maintainance of the French Nation so must they be diligentlie seene into before they bee dispensed withall The Romaines who did but seldome oppresse their subiectes with great tributes had neuerthelesse when any great warre came vpon them especially agaynst the Gaules no respect of persons neyther were their Priests whom they esteemed sacred exempt from common contributions so carefull were they for the publike benefite The lyke regard ought we to haue of ours and not to let those helpes that serue to that end runne into decaie which neuerthelesse we ought not to vse to the murthering of our selues but rather to repulse the chiefe enemies of this estate who doe but watch occasion to destroie vs. For this cause ought wee of our pouertie and necessitie to make a vertue least we be circumuented For if we suffer our selues to be beaten our neighbours will saie that we shall haue wrong but if we well defend our selues as wée may if wee redresse the forces of our Realme they will be affeard to come and assaile vs. The twelfth Discourse Of the multiplying
of priuate quarels with the abuses therein committed which greatly want reformation THe true spring and originall whereof so many quarels doe arise which are now more common among the French nation than euer heeretofore are Pride and Wealth Two most vehement passions that so farre transport them as to dissolue the bonds of amity and friendship which held them vnited together And not withstanding many do labour to restraine them yet are they in great force by reason that euill customes in liew of quenching do kindle the fire of the same whereby no man can well exempt himselfe from iniurie yea eueÌ„ the nobilitie which hetherto hath alwaies ben most readie to all braue enterprises is at this day the formost in maintaining these abuses To them therefore do I direct my speech to the end to assaie by some meanes to diuert them from pursuing the errors that molest them and tend to their confusion Many men of iudgement there are that thinke so many braules quarelles as ordinarily fall out to be necessarie euils which it were meete somewhat to tollerate so to auoide others farre greater For they imagine that this heate being very naturall to our nation must of necessity dissolue and euaporate in small matters least otherwise it proue an occasion to cast vs into ciuill dissention yea they affirm that proces of law tend also to the same end because they be occupations during the which the abundaunce of choler weareth awaie This opinion truly â—auoureth somewhat of a paradoxe in being alleadged in such a season as seemeth no whit to fauour it Yet had it borne some likelyhood if it had ben propounded in the daies of our former kings But since such terrible ciuill warres haue ouertaken vs we haue greater reason to think that they haue ingendered these perticular disorders rather than to imagine y e same to haue alwaies bene such as we now see them either that they haue ben accounted as preseruatiues against greater mischiefs I knowe well in ought that warlike mindes are hardly restrained also that it is necessarie to entertaine them in some kinde of exercise whereby to alaie the heat of their courages But to suffer them to hurt or by armes to assault each other and not to restraine them we haue verie few examples vnlesse among the barbarous nations For so should wee submit the lawes which are rather made to suppresse violence to the imperfections of men In Italie where are the greatest politikes the common Courtisans are suffered to dwell in euerie Towne to the end through such libertie to eschue other more hainous leudnesse Wherof notwithstanding no good coÌ„meth but rather it seemeth that al intemperancie doth ouerflow Such vâ—ces as in y e â—ight of God are abhominable as whooredome murther ought neuer vnder colour of eschuing greater incouneniences to be permitted But some man will saie Are not combats forbidden in France Yes such as are made with lawes publik ceremonies which likewise the Pope hath forbidden so farre as his dominion stretchech it is a good lawe howbeit that notwithstanding wee are not yet at rest For now all respect being taken awaie they appoint theyr coÌ„bats without authoritie and go to fight whensoeuer the toy taketh them in the heads as wel against those whom they hate as against their owne friends as if all were good ware And if we should diligently account how many are yerely slain by such priuate braules we should find that there haue bene battels fought w t lesse losse both of gentrie souldiors Those that consider but the present time or are but young as neuer to baue scene other do peraduenture think that men haue alwaies so liued in this Realme wherein they are greatly deceiued For it is not yet fortie yeeres since quarels were rare among Gentlemen who so was noted to be a quareller was shunned as a kicking â—ade which proceeded in that their manners were more pure and the true points of honour better knowen than at this day Thus are the euills that in old time were small toward the end of this age wonderfully increased so as we may say them to be rather our sinnes than the sinnes of our fathers Some haue imagined that our troubles haue bred theÌ„ by extinguishing the ancient coÌ„cord exasperating the minds of y e French natioÌ„ which I confesse to be in part true but my opinion is y t many other occasions haue holpen as much or more to procure the same First a presumption y t many haue conceiued of their owne strength dexteritie which haue made them more readie to doe iniurie For since y e exercise of fencing which of it selfe is comeÌ„dable came to be vsed also y t yong meÌ„ especially haue found theÌ„selues to be perfectly instructed therin they haue imagined y t they might braue it out at their pleasures obtaine reputation of valiancie considering that experience teacheth that he that is perfect in the vse of his wepon withall wanteth no courage hath almost alwaies the better hand of him that is ignorant and in deed there is no doubt but the skilfull hath great aduantage of the vnskilfull Thus are men entered into a foule abuse in vsing such skill as they haue attained vnto to the wronging of others which ought not to be imploied but to the preseruation of life that in case of necessity The 2. cause is the exaÌ„ple of some Lords notable courtiers y t haue ben seene fight both in the court in the middest of the chiefe townes wherby other gentlemen who are very diligent imitators of exaÌ„ples either good or bad haue ben induced to cast off all regard of ciuilitie to seeke to decide their coÌ„trouersies as they see others do The 3. is impunity For seeing such disorders to escape without punishment it hath emboldned them not only to fight one with another but also to put in execution most villanous reuenges The fourth hath growen because men haue tied honour to the mangling of arms and legs mayming or killing one of another which y e nobilitie hauing noted as couetous of glorie haue sought by such meanes to attaine thereto Of all these causes together with the had affections which these long ciuill warres haue ingendered is this hideous beast Quarell formed which intruding it selfe among the nobilitie dooth vnperceiued by little and little deuour the same What a deede was that of the sixe Gentlemen of the Court who appointing to meet at the Tournels were so fleshed each vpon other that foure of them there remayned and the other two were sore wounded There were among them such as in time might haue attayned to great dignitie yet lead by extreame follie chose rather to perish in the flower of their age which was lamentable Diuerse other coÌ„bats there haue ben both in Paris and at the Court which haue sent many valiant persons to the graue In the meane time
third question is easily decided For two meane troupes hauing good corespondence charging in season are in my mind of more importance than one great The 16. Discourse Of the vse of Camarades which among the Spanish footmen are of great account THe Lord of Langey in his hooke of martiall discipline maketh mention of Camarades which in our French speech he tearmeth ChaÌ„berers making them to confist of ten soldiors a peece giuing to one the preheminence ouer the rest and him hee nameth Captaine of the ChaÌ„bre Wherin he imitateth the Romaines who in their bands tearmed Cohortes wherof ten made a legion had their Decurions y t is to say their Tens with their Captaines ouer ten which as I thinke they vsed for three causes First for order which should be obserued euen in the least matters Secondly by their small rudiments to instruct the soldiours in their commandements And thirdly that by this continuall conuersation participation in the same fire table and bed they might ingender faith and loue Now the Spaniards do not erect these small societies for anie of the two first reasons but for the third onely so as that which the L. of Langey willeth to be done especially for order they practise for the commoditie onely which therein they reap And I think that this kind of footmen which is vsually 150. or 200. leagues out of their owne Countrie was brought to that custome through such great necessities as they are sometimes forced to fight against for some remedie whereof they inuented this fit meane which in truth is verie good for certainly there is no better or more assured succour care or comfort than of a perfect friende or loyall companion It had bene peraduenture more meeâ—e in speech to haue deliuered such ordinarie and as a may may saie childish things than to set them downe in writing But the cause that moued me heereto is my owne knowledge of the greate want that our footmen haue of the vse heereof among them for the bringing of them in liking whereof I thought good to make this small description which I wish should not vanish awaie with the sound For if some at the least by the contemplation thereof could well perceiue the goodly fruite springing out of these militarie societies I should not thinke these my vnperfect labours which haue bene the hidden pastimes of my long miseries to haue bene altogether vnprofitable Among the Spanish footmen there be so far as I can learne two sorts of Camarades The first are they whom the chiefe officers of the companies do associate with themselues whom they doe defray with their seruants and horse if they haue any so as costing them nothing they haue their whole pay come freely in and commonlie a Captaine wil haue 5. or 6. whom he termeth his Camarades for such are the customes of Spain which do in the armies seke meanes to maintaine themselues worthily to grow to preferment These through their daily conuersatioÌ„ with the Captains who are graue modest discrete doe learne so wel that in short space a man would deeme them worthie not onely to beare the corcelet or harquebuze but also to commaund as my selfe haue thought of some of those whome I haue seene Their loue and regard to him that maintaineth them is verie great as also for his part hee esteemes of them almost as well if they were his owne kinsmen To bee briefe they alwaies keepe the Captaine honourable companie in his lodging and serue and stand to him in his affayres beeing accounted as Shelmes if they shoulde abandon him Their Serieauntes who among them are in farre greater estimation than ours haue also for their Camarades some couple of braue souldiours whome they chose who like wise doe giue them the third part of their paie to helpe toward their owne maintainance and although they seeme thereby to be but as pencioners yet do they beare them loue honour as they ought The second sort of Camarades is the same which is practised among the souldiours a matter so vsuall among them that he that kepeth himself long out of such assotiations is accounted as a stubburne iade that cannot abide among his fellowes The least consist of two and the greatest of sixe in euerie whereof wee may see the goodly images of brotherhood to shine And this is so much the more to be esteemed as it happeneth among souldiours who might seeme to seeke discord rather than concord Thus in the middest of the generall amitie which the souldiours beare to their Captaines and companions is formed this particular heere spoken of which is more liuely than the other the originall whereof proceedeth of their mutuall knowledge and increase of ordinarie conuersation the stedfastnesse and confirmation thereof of mutuall benefits And for my parte I thinke it no small strength to a companie to haue therein some duzen of societies of friends or more that haue care each of other Plutarke discoursing vpon the sacred bond of y e yong Thebans which was otherwise called The band of friends did iudge it therefore to be the more valiant And in deede they all died one after another in the battell Moreouer there groweth great commodity in ordinarie expense by liuing together for foure souldiours may honestly maintaine themselues with a small matter according to their callings where one yonker hauing his seuerall table shall spend more than all they and not fare so well The Spaniards doe vse in their Camarades to allowe to each his weeke to prouide and keepe account of charges and hee that best husbandeth it is thought the wisest which is the thing that they most studie for For they gape after praise euen in the smallest matters as well as in the great Seldome doe they incurre any want for still one of them either by hooke or crooke catcheth somewhat which he liberally imparteth to the rest neither can they abide that anie of them should be badly clothed rather will they faste to apparell him But one of the chiefest fruites of these societies appeareth when one of them is sicke for such is theyr charitie that they will one helpe another as brethren to their power Thus much I will say more that this small priuat life is almost alwaies pleasant because of their domesticall conuersation which findeth them pastime enough Neither is it cause of lesse honestie for one alwaies seeing another euery man brideleth his affections as wel as he may from doing any infamous deede for feare least he should growe into contempt and so be banished the companie of those that esteeme of honor And to say the truth I finde solitarinesse to bee hurtfull to many Souldiers who resemble Apes which when no man seeth them are alwaies about some mischiefe and so doe they imagine to doe Whereto is to be added that if any of the sayd Spanyards be ignorant in this or that the rest will instruct him with as good will as hee
these retraicts here do appeare great determinatiō but small arte which neuerthelesse is very necessarie in such affayres wherto I will also adde the instruction of the souldiers For when all these three things shall concurre in one troope I doubt not but it may worke greater meruailes then the former Some will say that the Frenchmen can at this day hardly helpe themselues with the pike which is true neither do I merueile thereat for in deliuering both it and the corcelet to any man men looke to no more but whether he hath good shoulders as if it were to carie some coffer like a moyle and as for the gentrie they haue quite giuen it ouer This is the reason why I wish the restoring of martiall discipline as also that they would againe practise the pike wherewith to fight at hand and open and to leaue to the youth and poore Souldiers the handling of the harquebuze because that therewith they ordinarily fight a farre of and in couert for the one is farre more honorable then the other Captaines in ould time venturing vpon some difficult enterprise wished to haue their Souldiers not only well ordered but also old beaten warriours because their assurance is the greater For it were but an ouersight to attempt any perillous aduenture with newe men Now will I come to Instruction which is as I haue sayd merueilously requisite in extraordinary matters And yet we now see that the Souldier contemneth it and the Captaine careth not for it But admit a Souldier bee valiant and that wheresoeuer he be placed he will doe his duetie thinke you he will not doe it much better or that he will not fight more resolutly when before he hath by good reasons bene perswaded that the horse cannot force a battaile in the face likewise that for the flancke they must vse such fortification as I will hereafter set downe then if he were vtterly ignorant and wist not what might happen I thinke no man will denie it for certainly ignorance is in parte cause of the feare that many men of warre doe oftentimes conceiue For that seeing the enemie in their faces they thinke they should according to the prouerbe euen eate yron charets I know that practise teacheth to knowe the true from the false but there is much time spent therein vnlesse it bee holpen by familier and ordinarie documents which those captaines that seeke to haue the best companies doe diligently giue to their souldiers The ordering of the footmen asorenamed to withstand the hotse in the fielde For marching but 80. paces asunder and coasting each other it followeth that the head of the battaile marked A can hardly bee charged because the side of the battaile marked 3 doth flancke it as likewise the sayd head doth as much for the sayd flancke by the same reason also one of the heads of the battaile marked 2. and the flancke of the other marked D doe also succour each other by their harquebuziers so as it is very daungerous for the horse to assayle in such places which enterflancke each other But may some man say although the two battailes cannot be assaulted but each vpon two sides why is it not as good to make but one onely which cannot be assailed in any more places For it seemeth the resistance would bee more gallant because that force vnited is much greater then deuided I am of opinion that in these actions it is not so requisite to looke to the greatnesse or smalnesse of the battailes as to the difficultie and hinderance when they finde themselues assayled on euery side For it is a great aduenture but there will growe some disorder when one bodie must make defence in foure places but when they neede not to looke but to two sides the men doe frame themselues thereto with greater ease and much better order This reason shall content me for the verifying of my speech notwithstanding I could alleadge others Concerning the ordering of the battailes I would wish euery rancke to conteyne fiftie Corcelets whereof there should be seauen at the head which would make three hundred and fiftie then tenne ranckes of harquebuziers and in the middest of them the rancke of Ensignes afterward for the tayle sixe ranckes of Corcelets which in all make sixe hundred and fiftie Corcelets and fiue hundred harquebuziers placed in foure and twentie rankes For the flanckes wherein al the difficultie doth consist they should be ordered in maner following I would neuer place there any harquebuziers as hath hetherto bene vsed but make sixe rankes of three hundred Corcelets in each fiftie men which should serue to make head on those sides The enemies being néere they should march otherwise then the rest namely close and carying their Pikes vpright leaning against their shoulders which is now sufficiently in vse Whereas at the heads of the battaile when any thing is to be done in their march they trayle them which maketh much distance betweene their rankes Now these sixe ranckes when the charge is offered after they stand shall doe nothing but make halfe a turne and so continue in their array with their face to the enemie and by my aduice they should take but threescore common paces in length which properly should bee the same which the battaile being closed to fight may haue open by the flanckes Thus should they bee armed to withstand the horsemen which cannot bee well done but with Pikes for the harquebuze shot without couert wil easely be ouerthrowne There remaine yet two hundred and fiftie harquebuziers to bee placed in the battaile counting the Muskets whom I would wish to bee distributed into foure partes in each threescore and somewhat more to stande as it were loose before the Pikes and at the charge to arange themselues vnder those of the first ranckes on the foure sides of the battaile Some will mislike I should make the heades so weake and only of sixe ranckes of Corcelets thinking them too fewe to beare the brunt of a whole hande of horse To whom I may say that if there were tenne it were the better but I haue cut my coate after my cloath howbeit I thinke such frontes sufficient to resist the horse which may easely bée done if the men haue courage and will be sure to stand strongly and fewe battailes haue wee seene ouerthrowne by any assault of the horse at the head As for the flankes which I haue described in such sorte as before they be as strong as the heades so long as they can keepe their order And this order I would wish them to keepe in their fight First while the horse were farre of it were good the battailes did goe forwarde but seeing them readie to charge to stay to the ende the better to settle themselues in order and with good footing to beare their first brunt The first rancke of Corcelets to plant the endes of their Pikes sure in the ground and not to stirre though a horse should goare
that wee shall scarcely finde any Captaine that will be the first to proue it then that I doubt but it may be put in execution The third Paradoxe That it is expedient for a Captaine to haue susteyned an ouerthrowe PLutarke among his small workes in a treatise intituled Of profite to be taken of enemies doth somewhat verifie this proposition where with great arte and eloquence he generally sheweth the same which I pretend to describe perticulerly though rudely but this opinion of myne I thinke many Captaines blinded peraduenture with the apparance of things which by nature are hurtfull will gainesay howbeit when I haue discouered the fruites there vnder hidden they shall as I suppose though not wholy yet in parte be satisfied And therefore without farther circumstance of words I wil come to the principall matter Such as attaine to militarie offices doe ordinarily climbe thereto by two waies The one called merite or desert and the other fauour Some of those that haue trodden the first path seeing themselues in authoritie do grow proude and others that haue come by the second I doe imagine to be ignorant which are very great imperfectiōs as easie to bee knowne in others as hard to be espied by those that are possessed with them And as to diseases engendred in mens bodies the remedies must bee applyed according to the rules of Phisicke the like doe these that are of the minde stande in neede of But many times neither arte nor counsaile can preuaile but the accident which more properly seemeth to bee hurt and destruction then remedie Howbeit if any doe meruaile how any profite can be found in things hurtfull let them consider the Scorpion who carieth in her both the sting poyson that infecteth the deadly wound and the medicine that cureth the same So also may wee say that militarie mishaps doe sometimes worke the like effects For by bringing vpon vs an apparant calamitie they doe thereby serue for an instruction to heale the hidden euill that bred the other This inward euill whereof I purpose to speake is Pride which ordinarily breedeth in those that are endued with sufficiencie and valour and bringeth their soules as farre out of fashion as the Dropsie doth the bodie wherof ensueth an vnreasonable selfe-estimation and contempt of others which are two such errors as oftentimes doe cast those that followe them into most manifest destructions And as all men ought to beware of stumbling vpon such great inconueniences so must they take in good part the vnlooked for corrections which make thē wise to take héed another time The first example that I will alleadge of such as I thinke to haue gayned thereby shall be of Gonsales Fernando a Spanyard and most notable Captaine who hauing bene vnder Ferdinand of Arragon the chiefest instrument to tame and driue the Moores out of Granado was sent into the Realme of Naples which that King chalenged against the French men Comming thether with an armie against them he thought peraduenture that the French men of armes would as easely haue bene broken as the Moores Genetairies also that his fame alreadie obteyned would terrifie them But he was deceiued for they ouerthrewe his troopes And himselfe losing that field which the Lord of Aubigny wonne he afterward shewed that he had gathered instruction by such an ouerthrow for he guided himselfe with such arte and discretion that he ouerthrewe the Frenchmen in sundrie encounters and finally expelled them the Realme That great Iulius Caesar who in the arte of warre surpassed all Capteynes that euer were after he had driuen Pompey out of Italy enclosed him in Dirachium waxed proud cōtemned him so as vndertaking to entrench a great countrie wherby to close him vp the straighter Pompey knowing his aduantage came forth and flew the chiefe part of his armie and had like to haue wonne a full victorie This shrewd blowe made Caesar so warie and diligent that he neuer after gaue Pompey any oportunitie against him but with his 〈…〉 ted pollicies brought him to the same poynt that he required and so ouercame him These two examples the one olde and the other newe may suffice to giue to vnderstande that the greatest giuing themselues euen to the least pride doe sometimes encurre an ouerthrowe by this imperfection but withall they haue this good thing in them that hauing receiued of their enemies some chastisement for their negligence or rashnesse they will soone amend Many Capteynes therefore now liuing must not bee ashamed to confesse that in prosperitie they may bee ouer seene sith those that haue bene endued with such modestie haue so farre ouershot themselues The first cause of this mischiefe consisteth in our selues and is our had inclination which corroborated by custume tēdeth to exalt vs aboue measure so as if an occasion falleth out of a quarter long it stretcheth it to an ell Which appeareth in all professions of arte and knowledge but chiefly in the arte of warre the professors whereof doe make great account of themselues because they exercise the actions of Fortitude and Magnanimitie Many times among the Spanish bands you shall heare a newe Souldier of three crownes pay say I am as good as the King let vs then thinke what a Capteyne that hath bene in sundrie assaults and battailes will doe He will straight way say I am better then the Pope Thus doe wee see militarie presumption swell euen aboue the thing it selfe The commendations of friends are an other cause that helpe to encrease it for they not able to forbeare praysing those whom they loue who also doe deserue the same by powring plentie of this liquour vpon them doe sometimes make them drink so much therof that they be halfe giddie therewith Herein they that are too free in attributing doe ouershoote themselues at vnawares and they that are so curious in the receipt thereof are willingly ouertaken Flatterers also which followe such as are in authoritie as the shadowe doth the bodie doe greatly helpe to giue to Pride her true shape For with their deciptfull and windie words they puffe vp the soule like a bladder If a yong Lord doth any valiant act they straight compare him to Gaston de Fax If he be an expert Captaine they tell him he passeth Bertrande du Glesquin And if they haue any better hap they make him equall with Scipio and Marcellus To him whom in hope of profite they would allure they say he must proceede in his good fortune sith the mightie doe estéeme of him the Souldiers doe loue him and the people haue him in admiration Hereto they adde also that his fame is so dispersed among his enemies that when they knowe him to be in the fielde they feare him as the Shepheards in Barbary doe the mightie Lyon when he commeth out of the woods And that for their parts they are glad to see him in so good a way to atchiue most worthie tryumphes and
that wast our good and valiant men and corrupt perticuler maners politique orders are much worse Truely we haue great cause to wonder at our negligence which on euery side is such that no man laboureth so much as to qualifie these so terrible furies which greatly offend all those that are beholders of our miserable tragedies Yea many of those that be vpon the theaters hereof and are endued with some integritie are no lesse offended thereat Thucidides saith that in seditions men may see the image all mischiefes but in our warres men may say that euen the mischiefes themselues doe come in poste to the ende to fester them with eternall reproach Yea euen the extraordinarie ones which were hidden and durst not haue appeared fiftie yeeres ago do now come to bragge among vs. No yeere escapeth free without some note of treason treacherie murder poysoning or barbarous vyolence yea sometime the terrible monster Massacre striketh through and with the mightie blow of her talents smiteth those that thinke not vpon her Oh what straunge things are these A Spanish Gentleman reported vnto me that when the Forte of Frezin Ferry was wonne from the French there was a Wallon Souldier being found there taken prisoner and when the chiefe Captaine commaunded to put al to the sword the said souldiers owne brother seruing in the Spanish Campeâ— stepped foorth and shewing a cruell countenance sayd This wretched traytor to his King must dye of no other hand but mine owne Neither was his wrath appeased vntil he had diuers times thrust him through notwithstanding he pitifully kneeled to him Had the dead mans offence bene fower times as great yet should he haue abhorred to foyle his hands in his brothers blood We reade in the ciuil warres of Silla that a Romaine souldier hauing in â—ight slaine his enemie stripping him found him to be his owne brother who was on the contrary partie which when he perceiued he was attached with such sorowe and so spited his vnfortunate ignorance that himselfe ranne vpon his owne sword and so fell vpon the others bodie And although that was a very corrupt world yet many commended that furious pietie of the poore Paynim But the deede that here I haue rehearsed of this Christian of our daies which is so farre vnlike to the other and ought to be buried in obliuion had not peraduenture any fewer allowers thereof If this déede were true it deserueth to bée yoked with an other as bad or rather worse of a notable murderer of Paris who as some haue written began his rage with two of his owne niepâ—es of twelue yeeres of age whom he slewe while they embraced his knees and cryed him mercie I am ashamed to speake of these parricides which neuerthelesse these men were not ashamed to commit But being entred this carrier I will performe my race and reueale yet one mischiefe which is but too well knowne for I haue touched others in other my discourses It is the villanous sacking of poore countrie people yea euen friends and partakers for notwithstanding their continuall labour as well for their owne sustenance as to satisfie those whome iustly wee may tearme warlike Harpies yet do they not spare to eate theÌ„ vp sometime all at once sometime by little and little with vnspeakeable boldnesse and contempt neither can they be restrayned therefro by any consideration that they serueth y e same partie or that their deuotion is tyed therto Uyolence wrought against the enemie breedeth no wonder neither néedeth any excuse although there should bee a little measure obserued but these are inexcusable as meanes to destroy them selues and to bring common hatred vpon their superiours which out of the fieldes is sowen in townes and cities The sayd superiours should remember that into this great troope the poore the widowe and the Orphan whom God houldeth so deare are in corporate who in their sorowes haue no other recourse but to sobs and sighes which ascend into his presence where they are most fauourably receiued And it is a bad signe when such as should blesse doe curse and euen plucke downe Gods wrath and cast it vpon those that in outward apparance doe seeme to defend them but in deede doe deuoure and eate them vp These are in part the exercices of our ciuill warres which daily do empayre which also are the occasioÌ„ that many times the wisest who do imagine that they haue the best cause in seeing so many miserable maners of proceedings which teach to commit all mischiefe without remorce doe growe into such doubts as doe in maner shake the foundations of the firmenesse that they had leyed If then they doe sometimes totter or reele thinke what the simple shall doe that vse to allowe or disalowe of the causes of warres according as they be well or euill ordered If wee speake of words wee heare nothing but Gods honor the Kings seruice Catholick religion the Gospell our Countrie All which goodly titles doe binde the ministers of armes to endeuour that their workes may concurre with their words But when afterward wee see the most part take a contrary course and as the prouerbe of the Tennis court importeth play at bandy and scraping yea that rather vpon the friend theÌ„ vpon the enemie that is to say glut their vengeance ambition couetousnesse and auarice vpon whatsoeuer the warre doth make to stoope to them wee must not thinke that they will bee mumme that suffer all these things If such a peasant as he that dwelt vpon the bancks of Danow who was said to haue come in the time of M. Aurelius to the Romane Senate to complaine should now rise among vs I imagine his speech should tend to this purpose Oh ye Christians that doe so cruelly deuoure each other like fierce and angrie beasts among whom pitie seemeth to be dead how long shall your rage continue Why do ye graunt no truce or release to the rest of your miserable liues to the end at the least to creepe into your graues in some quiet What violent causes are those that stirre you vp If Gods glorie then consider that he taketh no pleasure in sacrifices of mans blood but detesteth them and loueth mercie and truth If your Princes seruice you must thinke ye doe them small seruice in slaying one an other for so doe you deminish and plucke away the chiefe senowes of his Realme If religion moueth you it seemeth ye knowe not the nature thereof for sith it is all charitie the same should induce you to meekenesse If your Countrie behold your fieldes are almost all desert your villages burnt your cities sacked your ritches in straungers hands and your glorie vtterly lost Seeke then no more excuses to lengthen your calamities rather cut them off then alleadge such necessities as doe impose other necessities This were easie to bee done if ye would practise this soueraigne rule of estate which excelleth the most excellent Giue to Caesar that belongeth to
vntill that hee hath chaunged other mennes mindes whereby he entangleth himselfe in many cares and wantes which he might well inough forbeare Howbeit those men are happie who in the middest of such disordered broiles false perswasions and wicked customes doe guide themselues by wisdome and discretion for ordinarilie they passe on the waie without stumbling and attaine to such endes as breede their contentation Our good King Henrie the seconde hauing practised and tried the vanitié of couetousnesse and warres was determined to passe ouer the rest of his daies in tranquilitie and content himselfe with that mightinesse that to him remained which was not small but it pleased God to call him And although all things haue since greatly decayed throughout this Realme yet I thinke our king hath cause enough preseruing and accommodating that which yet remaineth to account himselfe mightie happie though he neuer seeke with yron fire and bloud the forced dominion ouer his neighbours By this proposition I bring the ambitious into the listes who saie That the inclosing of our kings heartes within the accustomed bounds is the waie to quaile their courages and to depriue them of all trophees and conquests the goodlie inheritances wherein theyr auncestours meant they should participate likewise That it is vnpossible when they consider the dominions of Charlemagne which as all good histories doo testifie stretched into Italie Germanie France che lowe Countries Spaine euen to the riuer Ebro but they must needs blush for shame thinking how themselues lurke at home do nothing Trulie these be high wordes which in my opinion doe resemble the furious Northerne windes that stirre vp the greate tempests for by theyr often blowing in kings eares they prouoke their mindes whereof doe ensue the torments of warres which drowne so many people If they could weigh the dissimilitude between old and new vertue they would bee more stayed For as sayth Plutarke in his small workes it is as much follie to applie the heroycall deedes of those that are past vnto men present as to put vpon the head feete of children of sixe yeres of age their grandfathers hats and shooes But men ought to propound things conuenient to that age wherein a man liueth so long as they bee iust and honest We Frenchmen should thinke that France is past her greatest grouth and that wee are come to the time of her declination wherein wee shall doe much if wee can but keepe her well which we shoulde endeauour to performe and not to feede vppon her passed glorie and mightinesse because we are destitute of y e power occasion and good happe that lead our auncestours thereto Some there are that thinke that a Prince cannot bee tearmed mightie or great vnlesse hee ioyne newe Prouinces to his estate and make his neighbours to feare and stand in awe of him through his weapons which doe incourage him to enterprise and threaten greate thinges wherein they followe the common iudgement which as sayth Plutarke also doe admire the Thunder and lightning and make small account of the sweete Zephirus for they making no reckning but of whatsoeuer procedeth of force do leaue behinde them any thing proceeding of iustice notwithstanding the one be to be preferred before the other Many Emperours Kings there haue bene who haue indeauoured to purchase fame through their conquests and yet those that had bene content to take paines to bee good and so to make their people and well to rule and gouerne them haue purchased another greatnes if we iudge vprightly no lesse thā the former seeing it alwais profiteth where the other doth ordinerilie hurt Yet doe I not meane that a Prince shoulde tread armour vnder his feete or contemne it for so shoulde hee but giue himselfe to be a praie but that he should vse it onely to keepe himselfe from taking of harme and not to doe hurt to others I will therefore begin to shew forth the greatnesse of our king by the extent of his Realme which in length containeth aboue two hundred French leagues For from Bayone to Mets it is more and from Cales to Narbonne almost as much But from Morles in Britaine to Antibe in Prouence it is at the least 250. which is the longest waie True it is that from Roche◠to Lyons which is a straightning made in the middest of Fraunce is but sixe score leagues But be what it will it is a goodly peece of ground well inhabited As for the fruitfulnesse thereof it is such as all thinges necessarie to mans life doe so abound that onely for Corne Wine Salt and Woad transported into foreine lands there is yeerelie brought in in counterchaunge therof aboue 12. millions of franks This is our Peru These are our mines which neuer drie vp and peraduent ure from the West Indies which are so rich the Spaniards doe not yeerely receiue much greater treasure But the principall that we are to consider is the multitude of people wherwith it is replenished for turne which way ye wil the people do swarme as they did in the Countie of Flanders before the last tempest wasted the inhabitants their wealth stately borowes The peasants are verie simple and obedient the Townesmen painfull industrious and affable also the men that giue themselues to learning both diuine and humaine are most learned The Nobilitie is very valiant and curteous neither is anie estate in Christendome so plentifully stored therewith More might I saie had I not spoken therof at large in other places but this we may affirme that vniuersallie they are giuen to rebellion which is the testimonie that Caesar gaue of the auncient Gaules If anie man should doubt thereof I would present him the deuotion of our Fathers which haue engenderd aboue an hunderd Archbishops and Bishops sea◠about 650. Abbies of the order of Saint Barnard and S. Benet beautified with good kitchins and aboue 2500. Priories For then did the chiefe holynesse consist giuing to the Oleargie Neither were it any lie to saie that at this day they possesse aboue 20. millions of frankes in rent Who then can tearme that land wast where in one of the members is so great fat and plentifull Hold your peace wil some forren sensor say and labour no more to exalt set out that state which hath neither godlines iustace weath concord martial discipline nor order But haue patience a while will I answere vntil I make a reuiew of this great and olde vessell which the stormes and tempest haue cast vpon the sands then hauing shewed vnto your hat the chiefe members there of which haue bene so tossed and seabeaten haue yet some force and power also that it is no harde matter to redresse the whole you wil peraduenture be of another mind and confesse the verie relickes to be great I wil begin with deuotion which as I haue said our fathers as they thought did stedfastly embrace for the manifesting
destruction truely of so many soules fallen into such horrible gulfes of perdition Neither is it almost to bee imagined how grieuously these mischiefes haue moued all countrie people both to speake and write in the reproach of the French nation What then might sayd they the kindred and friends of those that were led into this miserable bondage doe One lost his father and mother an other his wife and children this man his brother that man his cosen It is very likely that their iust sorowe haue wrested from them infinite complaints teares and lamentations which haue peraduenture knocked at heauen gates This confederacie seemeth to haue bene the cause of the deminishing of the glorie of so florishing a Realme as France for euen at the death of King Henry the second it was fallen from a great parte of that greatnesse which fortie yeeres before it did enioye And although other causes might set forward this declination yet doe many thinke this to haue bene none of the least Yea say they if we should compare the commoditie reaped by all this Turkish succour with the onely tainting of the French good name among all nations in Europe we must of force confesse that the reproach doth farre exceede the profite For what is the winning of two or three townes to the reproofe of so many people for actions so vniuersally condemned Yea our selues can yet testifie that at the concluding of the peace betweene the two Kings of France and Spayne Anno 1559. the common speech of Germany Italie and Spayne was that one of the chiefest causes of our misfortunes proceeded of confederating with the Turkes bringing in and fauouring them to the hurt of the Christians To whome I aunswered That they did too sharply taunt those things which in some respects might be borne with neither were so vnlawfull but that vpon necessitie they might bee vsed likewise that the offence was in him that forced others for their safegard to haue recourse to such meanes But they replyed That it is one thing to confederate with a Christian Prince though vniust and ambitious and an other with these barbarous people which are the instrumēts of Gods wrath Also that those which seeke to excuse these errors ought to shew what wisedome there is in backing our selues with the succour of such as blemish the Princes fame and bring him into reproach Moreouer whether it be not mere blindnes to passe the same way wherin we see euery man encurre shipwracke Finally that their opinion was that no wise man endued with any conscience could much gainsay so euidēt a truth but would rather yeeld and grannt not onely to condemne that which was so vnlawfull but also to abstaine from perseuering therein These in brief were the reasons that they propounded which also I could not finde to be much impertinent Neuerthelesse for my better satisfying I thought good to trye the opinions of some Deuines which came to visite me whether Christian integritie were empaired by such confederaties To this question they aunswered that Daniel in his prophetie speaking of the 4. Monarchies which should be in the world and describing them vnder the shape of 4. beastes sheweth that toward the declining of the fourth which was the Romaine there should spring vp a little horne that is to say a kingdome which should be more mightie then the rest also that this horne should haue eyes a mouth That the eyes signified a law craftely inuented the mouth blasphemy against God also that this power should fight against the Saincts and haue great victories This did they affirme to signifie the doctrine of Mahumet houlden first by the Sarazens and then by the Turkes That if we list well to consider the Turkish kingdome wee should finde it to be a terrible tyrannie whose subiects were wonderfully enthralled their warres destitute of all good foundation their politique gouernmēt being wel examined to be but a bare name their Ecclesiastical regiment to be none but in liew thereof wee should see a wicked prophaning of the name and seruice of the true God their household affayres subuerted with Poligamy other disorders which dissolued all humaine societie And as for their trecherie and crueltie the histories together with experience the matters afore alleadged doe yeeld sufficient testimonie to make vs to beleeue that prophetie to belong to them as being therein so figured as they are Now presupposing the premises to be true say they we would weete how a Christian Prince can confederate or make any stedfast league with such barbarous nations as are as it were marked and appoynted to be the scourges to Christians For as we thinke they can hardly be vsed without offence to pietie In olde tyme God expressely forbad the Iewes to enter amitie with the Canaanites or Amorites people whom for their abominable vice he did abhorre Neither were the comparison amisse in setting the Turkes downe for the one and our selues for the other whereof it must of necessitie followe that the same defence ought to stand vs in stead of a lawe to restraine vs least we pollute our selues in their abominations Then did I tell them that I much meruailed how so many Cardinalles Bishoppes and Doctors endued with great learning of whome France had no want could brooke this league or made no meanes to breake it Hereto their aunswer was that many tymes Princes made the gownes to yeeld to the sword and the counsaile of the Clergie to the necessitie of the state And so wee brake off our conference which hauing since well considered hath forced me to say That these barbarous people are the same against whome the Pope ought to turne his excommunications and all Christian Potentates their wrath and weapons rather then against them selues or their Subiects to whome very rashly they impute Heresie when they should haue in much greater abomination all Turkish infidelitie Against those should they drawe their Swordes not to conuert them for the Gospell taketh no roote in mens mindes but by preaching and holinesse of life but to represse their crueltie and tyrannie and these warres would bee as necessarie as our domesticall bee vnnecessarie But there are some who seeing the Turkes prosperitie to continue so long and to encrease rather then deminish are as it were confounded in themselues and cannot thinke their dominion to bée so detestable considering that God powreth not his wrath vpon them but rather his fauour I doubt not but such as want instruction in Gods prouidence are sometimes when they enter into discourse hereof euen shaken but they ought to bee assured that this power can haue no perpetual continuance which hath her bounds as had the Sarazēs that is ended together with their name so that these many yeeres we haue heard no newes thereof These rods doth the Lord entertaine to the ende only to punish and chastise those who bearing the glorious title of Christians doe neuerthelesse through their iniquities
and the Turkish warres to be transported to the shores of Rhine As also for Italy shall they not haue a fayre passage through the Alpes to goe to ransacke it Or what Armie durst make head against such a multitude after they haue ouerthrowne our Frontiers Wee must confesse that it is well with vs that GOD is our watchman and rampier for had he not so bene wee had alreadie felt that which we shall not faile to feele hereafter vnlesse we helpe our selues with those remedies which GOD of his goodnesse putteth into our hands Now let vs see to whom it appertaineth to care for the vniuersall good Wee may easely iudge that it is to the Emperours Kings Princes and Commonwelths vnder whome God hath subdued the Nations to yeeld them obedience In respect whereof they ought to gouerne them in Iustie and defend them from oppression And like as the Shepheard still watcheth that the woolfe surprise none of his flocke so ought they by continuall diligence to stop the horrible 〈◊〉 that this cruell nation coÌ„tinueth against their subiects If we looke well about vs we shall see that there are fewe countries crempt therfro For the bordeâ—s of Poleland Germany Spayne and France on the side of Prouence and Languedocke doe often enough trye how grieuous the bondage of these barbarous people is That is the whole bodie of Christendome The rest are but Isles as England Scotland Denmarke and Sueden which are in maner almost Ilands This doth the more astonish me that hauing such warnings wee still are so drousie Now the matter that maketh Princes so smally affected hereto is that they grow altogether attentiue to their own perticuler greatnesse whereof ensueth the forgetting to doe things beneficiall to Christendome Another cause in part depending vpon this first is feare suspition that each hath of other which do engender such priuat mischiefes as make them to negleâ—â— the publique calamities Thus do we see how couetousnesse and domesticall mallice do hinder honorable and profitable resolutions And so â—eng as their harts shal be thus disposed it will be hard to enterprise enterprise any matter of importance It is therefore necessarie for the remedying hereof to seeke meanes not vtterly to plucke from them all these hurtfull passions for so must they bee aâ—ewe cast againe but to deminish them in them to the ende they afterward the more at their ease put on those affections which they ought to heare to the common cause The best way to draw to this effect were if they that beare greatest sway in Christendome could with liuely perswasions and diligent sollicitations shewing to all men how neere and sharpe the Lyons teeth talents are open their eyes and vnstop their eares for that were a good beginning to compasse the principall poynt of remiting their willes The first person that should effectually perswadâ— ought to bee the Pope whose dignitie is in great reuerence among Catholique Princes whom he should solemnely send vnto For they seeing him leaue his ordinary crye after them which he yet vseth saying Cut the throates of such of your subiects as will not acknowledge me and that his phrase were â—eeâ—ed would bee much perswaded by the vertue of these inductions as Princes were by other Popes in the first voyages for the recouerie of the Holy land The second person necessarie is the Emperour for albeit his power doth not now concurre with his title yet ought that sacred dignitie wherewith he is clothed to bee in great reuerence among all Christian Potentates whose exhortations would likewise be of great eff 〈…〉 throughout all Germany The third person meete necessarie 〈◊〉 the rest should be the K. of Spayne in respect of his mightnesse power whervpoÌ„ his word being builded the very feare of his euill will would make euery one to be the readier to doe well These in my opinion being well vnited might easely lay the foundations of so stately a practise In olde time mens-zeale was framed to diuers iust matters or such as so seemed for then one perticuler person endued with eloquence and experience was able to stirre them vp as did Peten the Hermite who hauing discouered all y e East countries led thether the first troopes But now that euery man looketh but to himselfe it is requisite to wordes to ioyne authoritie and feare therein imitating Themistocles who comming to certaine confederates of the Athenians to craue money at their hands the sooner to perswade them tolde them that he brought them two Gods Loue Force Euen so who so desireth to doe any good in this matter must in laying open the necessitie speake Magistratlike as we tearme it Who so doubteth that these thrée persons cannot be linked together in this desire pursuite is deceiued for the state as well of the persons as of the affayres doth inuite them rather theÌ„ force them backward as we may easely see But in this which I am now about to say consisteth more difficultie namely in framing the other Princes to ioyne with them among which the most Christian King is most necessarie for he being vnited with the rest who would afterward bee behinde sith almost all other Potentates are confederate vnto them Or who durst doe any thing contrary to their power but should immediatly be oppressed WhervpoÌ„ I gather that if this perticuler league betweene these 4. were once well knit the general would vndoubtedly soone ensue Now the most Christian King cannot be hereunto bound before he be wonne to consent to breake his league with the Turke which I feare will hardly be compassed without great reasons and good assurance for peraduenture he wil be loath to plucke downe the outward proppes which his father and grandfather of happie memorie reared vp for the assurance of their estate which hetherto haue not bene shaken besides that his Counsailors will feare in so waightie a matter to make any rash alteration This therefore they may alleadge in this case whereof I haue briefly spoken other where Namely that King Frances the first finding England Spayne Germany the Low countries some partes of Italy to bee confederate against him for the oppressing of his estate whereof ensued the losse of the Dutchy of Millan with the denyall of his soueraigne rights to Flanders and Arthoise and therewith hauing the warres oftentimes within the bowels of his Realme fearing more hurtfull losses was forced for his safetie to haue recourse vnto extraordinarie remedies namely to enter league with Soliman Emperour of the Turks so to anoy his enemies likewise that the feare hereof hath many times seemed to restraine them froÌ„ the execution of greater purposes against France That his sonne Henry being to withstand the like endeuours did also vse the same forraine fauour wherein he had good successe That if the Realme when it florished and abounded in all things stoode in néede of such helpe much more necessary is it now while it
sacke it wee should afterward bee driuen through the inconueniences both generall and perticuler to breake vp our Campe. This armie thus ordered were able in my opinion to stand in a plaine fielde against y e whole power of the Turkes who being destitute of Corcelets Pikes and armed squadrons can hardly ouerthrowe our battailes Wee see likewise how our horse are surely prouided for in the spaces wherby I suppose that either the enemie must be endued with an extraordinarie valour or our men shewe great cowardlinesse if they lose the battaile This order haue I not here set downe as the best of all for other men may peraduenture deuise some more conuenient but it is done to the ende to inuite sundrie Captaines to seeke what may be more profitable The Christian armie thus in presence of the Turkes they after a few Canon shot I presume they will begin both because they be very proude and also that they bee ordinarily fower against one which greatly embouldeneth them and will peraduenture come with some three or fourescore thousande horse to charge gallantly vpon the flanckes of our formost horse yea euen in the middest of the head but I would thinke they should at this onset be well beaten and repulsed with y e losse of some fower or fiue thousand horse howbeit their horse being very swift they wil returne behind their maine battell to fall in aray againe Then I imagine that hauing discharged some two volees of their Artillerie whereof they haue plentie they will giue a strong charge with their whole bodie whereof so much as should strike into the battailes or spaces would bée handled God knoweth how But peraduenture the horsemen on the flanckes may bee ouerthrowne which so happening the other 2. small bodies appointed for their support should mooue who finding the victorers in disorderly pursuite which alwaies for the most part happeneth should so brauely inuade them as also should some of the Squadrons who stepping out of the spaces aforesaid should come vpon their slanckes that they should bée quite broken So should also their Harquebuzerie being ioyned with ours beare the punishment of their rashnesse Neuerthelesse the Christians should not vndiscréetly pursue them for they are very skilfull in rallying themselues and would peraduenture so doe within two Canon shot and so enclose fower or fiue thousand of the most eager vppon the chase as their forefathers did D. Iohn of Burgundie and all the French Nobilitie in their battaile against Amurathes Wherefore it were requisite for the whole Christian armie to march and sende after them some twentie thousand horse by squadrons each supporting other except the Hungarian and Polonian horse who might goe more dispersedly in chase And it may seeme enough to chase them thus one league To be briefe I suppose that in so notable a iourney they might bée defeated of halfe their footmen all their Artillerie and cariages and aboue twentie thousand horse but in case but one quarter of such an exployt were at the first performed yet would it breede great reputation and in the Souldiers harts confirme a confidence to ouercome For he who in warre winneth the first aduantages conceiueth a great hope of the issue Now must wee speake one worde of the straight countries It seemeth the armie to bée there in more safetie then in the large by reason of the great numbers of their footmen and there if the enemie should offer vpon them they might alter their order according to the places being still diligent to keepe their aduantages of the Woodes Uallies and Artillerie But especially they ought to beware of aranging their bodie in any such sorte that the first ouerthrowne should strike into the second for that was the losse of the battaile of Poictiers where King Iohn had fiftie thousande men and the English were but tenne thousand This so fauourable successe once obteyned no doubt afterwarde the rest of the great Artillerie prouided at Vienna being caused to march wee might in three moneths take from them fower or fiue of the best townes standing vppon Danowe as Strigon Bude Pest and others which the enhabitants there about do better knowe True it is there would be great lettes and the Turkish armie being refreshed would not faile to fauour their places where wee might see braue skirmishes In the meane tyme wee to keepe that earnest for our first yeeres worke I leaue to your imagination whether all Christendome would reioyce when they should heare of such a victorie obteyned ouer those who for these two hundred yeeres haue but tryumphed of our destruction Yea euen the small babes would sing foorth the praises of such valiant personages by whome such notable exploytes should haue bene performed Now let vs come to the Nauie which being so mightie must not the whiles lye idely in the Hauens but make saile to execute matters worthie thereof My best counsaile were that it should conforme it selfe to the lande power in trying to bring the enemie to a daie of battaile which peraduenture might bee easely done as being of no lesse pride by Sea then by lande so as seeing vs drawe towarde Greece they will by and by bee vpon our armie neither shall wee neede to counterfaite the besiedging of any place to bring them thereto And sith the battaile of Lepanto hath made them wise the Christians must also bee well resolued in their inuentions and other necessarie meanes to attaine to the victorie There are other reasons besides the equitie of a cause and vrgent necessitie that stirre vp men to fight couragiously As the presence of noble persons which detest cowardlinesse and exalt prowesse secondly the Captaines orations wherein they exhort their souldiers to behaue themselues manfully in solemne iorneys Thirdly confidence which encreaseth when we see men well disposed and the armie well ordered Finally hope of reward which is a good spurre to such purposes And aboue all other the Spanish and Italian Captaines are meetest to take order herein in whom being accompanied with choise of valiant persons we are to thinke that neither order courage nor prouocation shall want I will forbeare to discourse of the putting of Nauies in aray as one not so skilfull in Sea matters notwithstanding the order by Don Iohn obserued at Lepanto I haue alwaies thought to bee most conuenient and well inuented Some too fearefull or ouer circumspect person may say that the hazarding of all our strength at once is the way to bring all Christendome into great daunger Whereto I aunswer that he which voluntarily entereth the carrier doth purpose to runne and so he that shippeth himselfe in a warre as the assailant must aduenture otherwise all his former preparations and threates are in vayne For it is a greater daunger to suffer a mans selfe to be by little and little deuoured and to do nothing An other as farre too eager considering of all this power would to the contrary that wee should march directly to Constantinople
wee may peraduenture finde some difference in their disconâ—â—es and maner of proceedings albeit they all shoote at one thing as an Archer a Crosbowe man a Crosbow man a Harquebuzier shooting all at one but though with sundrie Instruments yet in intent doe agree The Courtiers are very delicate in their speeches and pleasant quippes powring foorth their reasons so sweetly and with such a facilitie that a man shall be catcht ere he be aware Neither do their countenances or courtesies which are great helpes to perswasion any whit varie therefro Thus with these goodly speeches they couer whatsoeuer is vnperfect in their opinions not that they thinke them vnperfect for they doe followe them wishing others also to embrace the same The ordinarie life that is led in those Courts that are alienated from vertue is in parte the cause of encrease of corruption in these men for séeing pleasure so highly estéemed they are the more enflamed to enioy the same also through loÌ„g custome in wishing and plunging themselues therein they doe esteeme nothing els and to the same ende doe referre all their actions Thus by little and little of schollers they growe to be maisters in an arte that draweth those that put it in practise into destruction Among these doe I not meane to place the vertuous Courtiers whome I take to bee as vnlike vnto them as gould is to leade But I wish only they were admonished not to permit their puritie to be contaminated with others corruptions Albeit we are not to thinke pleasure to bee such an outward imperfection as fasteneth hould vpon vs so soone as we come neere to y e same For the seeds therof are in our selues where they redily doe sproot and fructifie according as they be hett by such obiects as presents themselues to our sences vnlesse by the power of reason they be restrayned Whosoeuer sendeth or councelleth a yong man to goe to the places afore mentioned to learne any thing ought first to admonish him that there he shall finde fewe good men but many bad also that the first sorte will coldly induce him to al honestie but the latter will continually sollicite him to whatsoeuer is vnhonest so may he preuent the danger and prouide to resist the same For these subtile doctors haue no better sporte then to meete with such game whome they assure themselues of if they but once giue them the hearing Howbeit although they hate true vertue yet doe they sometimes in wordes commende it to the ende to daunt none but by their deedes they shewe that they doe not much regarde it as hauing no care but to take their pleasures Their ordinarie speeches to those whom they seeke to drawe to their opinion are these Mans life is shorte and replenished with diuers troublesome euents we are not aware that it is at an ende before we knowe how to guide our selues to finde any comentation For some led by common custume and others by ignorance doe entangle them selues in diuers miseries which they might wel auoyde and so doe leaue behinde them many pleasures which they scarce perceiue and without the which mans life is a waightie burden to him yea and repugnant to nature who by her secrete motions procureth all liuing things to delight in their being and to seeke after that which may delight them That as among all other creatures man is the most excellent so hath he most priuiledges whereof one of the principall consisteth in recreating himselfe in the beautie and varietie of whatsoeuer is scattered ouer the face of the earth That his minde is capable to learne and comprehend but it many times happeneth that all haue not like good happe to meete with good schooles which are to be found in the courts of Princes and good townes the principall seates of conuersation where the best polished mindes do choose to enhabite howbeit that the Court only beareth the name as the place where not good instructioÌ„s only are to be had but also all sortes of obiects that may delight doe make their residence That the country man who keepeth home spendeth his daies in hunting some beast or in eating the wortes of his garden where as those that flow in aboundance doe continually be hould goodly things heare al melodies smell all good sauors yea if there be any sweet delights in the world the same are with them to be found Likewise that whatsoeuer may tende to the exercise or contentation of the minde is there more plentifull as delightfull companie amitie courtesie honor fauor wealth rewardes offices dignities commendations tryumphes and all magnificence To be briefe which way soeuer a man turne him selfe all doe laugh and reioyce These are the things which wee ought to seeke in this life to the ende to burie such heauinesse as happen therto by so many vnlooked for accidents And whosoeuer taketh any other course resembleth the couetous person which hauing as a man may say all felicitie in his coffers cannot enioy it but daylie encreaseth his cares and miseries so farre are his sences out of frame That it is great folly to prescribe to mans life as many doe such straight boundes to coope it in as a man would doe a prisoner for so doe they make it like vnto death which is repugnant vnto nature and deuotion doe bring it into that state For we see some of these Protestants that make a conscience to laugh on the other side the Charterhouse Munke dare not speake and the Nunnes doe nothing but weepe But if no man may without those passions haue place in the chambers and stately halles of Paradize they are well content to leaue the preeminence vnto them and for their partes to take some roume in the small corners of the outer courts That those men are too speculatiue with in regard of things to come do set themselues in the stockes in this world and reiect so many present benefites which are not created but to bee vsed These are the short sermons which these good Courtiers doo preach in good and polished speeches vnto the nouices whom they purpose to entrappe neither is it to be doubted but they be drawne by this Epicurian doctrine which is in these latter daies very plausible to many All these wordes with many more deliuered with a grace and dexteritie in the middest of these theatres of pleasure vnto those simple soules that yet doe walke in the pathes of youthfull innocencie are of wonderful force to restraine them from all good motions and certainely the most part are shaken and infected with the same Wherefore it is necessarie in this our age to replenish the vessels of our soules with all good liquours to the end those that bee poysoned and still flowe in many places may finde no entrie Here would I answer the proposition of the false Courtier were it not that wee must also suffer his companions to vtter their speeches which are not much different from him and tende both to
skirmish and after marched their whole Cornet to support them The enemies seeing this imagined they would haue comen to them which made them to close themselues with three or foure great troopes of Speares begin to set forward Truely at that time I saw these two Captaines very sorie that they had not foreseene the folly of that foole but more because they wist not what counsaile to take seeing their enemies much stronger then themselues Howbeit when they came to conclude each of them concluded otherwise then his nature or custome did import The Lord of Andelot who neuer found any thing too hot sayd that they ought to retire the pace that the enemie being the stronger would giue vs the foyle and that wee should not respect the shame considering that he that scapeth the perill besides the profite that he reapeth doth also enioy the honor The Lord Admirall a man of great consideration was obstinatly bent to abide saying that it was necessarie with a good countenance to hide our weakenesse and immediatly sent to reuoke the harquebuziers wherevpon the enemie stayed Now albeit this counsaile was profitable yet was the Lord of Andelots the surer and to be preferred at the least in my opinion who thought it good to rehearse this small action somewhat at large to the ende that such as would bee instructed in deedes of armes may reape this fruite viz. When any action of importance commeth in question to remoue the Argolets out of the front and in their place to commit some warie Captaine accompanied with good Speares For he that hath this place is a guide to the rest and vpon his aduice they all doe mooue and who doth otherwise doth erre as he who marching in an vnknowne countrie doe commit the conduct to such a guide as knoweth not the way Herein wee may also note that albeit there bee no ielouzie betweene Captaines yet euen in a very euident matter wee shall see contrarietie of opinions But herein my most wonder is that each of them contraried his naturall disposition and vsuall maner of proceedings For the one being as actiue as a Marcellus determined verie wisely and the other slawe and very consideratiue as a Fabius did giue a very aduenterous opinion To reporte the cause hereof I cannot except that vppon sudden motions men doe not alwaies obserue the order accustomed in their actions Wee may also see how bouldnesse sometime standeth vs in steade But according to the prouerbe These things may well bee done once but it is not good to vse them often in respect of the daunger I did since aske the Lord of Martigues who commanded ouer this troope of speares whether be knewe that the Lordes Admirall and Andelot were among these fiue Cornets He tould me no for had he knowne it it should haue cost them all their liues but they would haue had them quicke or dead and that they tooke them to haue bene the Marshals of the lodgings troopes which also they would haue charged had it not bene for a doubt least they had bene supported by a maine power of harquebuzerie which to their seeming appeared in a village behinde who in deede were but varlets that attended the comming of their fooâ—men Within one houre after each parte looked for a greater game for on all sides they might discerne the Footmens Ensignes come inâ—arthing on with the squadrons of horsemen and it was late before all were come so as there was nothing done but a great skirmish which the night brake of There was but the Catholikes 〈…〉 ntguard who seeing the match but euill made of them onely against the Protestants whole campe vsed a proper pollicie wherewith to make vs suppose that their maine battaile had bene there for they caused the Drammes of their French Regiments to strike vp after the Suitzers maner which confirmed our opinion that their whole power was present neither was there any speech but of battaile in the morning As also they charged that none of their bands should straggle foorth likewise that they should in fight stande onely vppon the defensiue least by the taking of any prisoner the trueth might bee reuealed all this if wee had knowen they had bene set vppon the same night They strooke vp the watch and caused to make great fires but hauing taken their repaist with small noyse they departed some to Iasnueil where Monsiere was lodged with the battaile and the rest to the Borrowe of Sansay which is but a league of At three of the clocke after midnight was the Prince aduertised of their departure and at fine followed vppon their tayle with his whole power doubting that all theirs was not come thether Thus doe wee in one day see two braue occasions lost the first by the Catholikes the second by the Protestants albeit neither of them are greatly to bée blamed as being hard to bee discouered at the instant and in two or three houres they were past True it is that some aduice would haue bewrayed them at the full but this is a benefite of good happe which dependeth not vpon the sufficiencie of the Captaines All that I haue reported of the former day is yet but a small matter in respect of that which happened the next day at Iasnueil and it seemeth y t the guider of all things purposed for certaine daies to laugh to skorne so many excellent Captaines there present for many things which then happened and fell out were rather by chaunce and in a maner vnlookedfor then through any counsaile The Protestants were determined to follow the enemie euen into y e bodie of his armie also to fight with him whersoeuer they might find him HerevpoÌ„ the L. Admiral followed their steps which were euident enough and the Prince marched after But where as there were two waies the one leading to the borowe of Sansay the other to Iasnueil the Prince through a mist that arose afore breake of day strayed and tooke the way to Iasnueil The forefront which being strong the Lord Admirall had set before him about eight of the clocke in the morning came vpon the borowe of Sansay where fiue or sixe hundred horse were lodged who were forced to retire more then the pace lost all their cariages and were pursued very farre In the meane time the Prince continuing the way that he had taken after he had marched two leagues lighted vpon the forefront of Monsiers armie not hearing any newes of his aduant-guard Then seeing himselfe beset he thought it best to set a good countenance and seeing the countrie was strong he placed his Harquebuziers who were aboue twelue thousand formost and began the skirmish he also sent word to the Admirall albeit he wiâ—â— not where he was that he had bene forced to make as if he would fight seeing himselfe so neere the enemie willing him with all diligence to returne to him Before the messenger was in the midde way the Lord Admirall heard the Canon rore