plague the Philistynes with battaile The Assyriens were brought by hym into Iudea for the captiuitye of the people when they ranne at ryot and left to serue the true God whyche moste meruaylouslye had shewen hys power and moste tenderlye his loue vnto them Iudas Machabeus also and Gedeon were leaders of the Israelytes against the enemies of God by his ordinaunces by which also Iehu was mooued to make warres for the destruction of the house of Ahab And who sēt Titus from Rome to enuiron Hierusalem with the most dreadfull and fatall siege the ende ruyne where of was foretoulde by the mouth of the Almightie But for our purpose to shewe howe there maye be iust cause to leuie and prosecute warres to dyscerne of right herein we are to serch for the roote originall thereof The worlde God created gaue vnto the sonnes of men this conditiō the geeuer most iustlie annexed this he enioyned with all that no man shoulde couet that whiche to an other belōgeth and that to euery man belongeth which he without wrong enioyeth For in the beginninge when there was no auncient tytles to be made to landes or lordship possession caused good right this is the lawe of nature and equalitie it is also in the ciuill lawe allowed that those thinges wherein no man hath propertie or interest are his which first possesseth them which he maye lawfullie houlde therefore ought not by force to be dispossessed of the same Muche lesse where possession is planted and setled vppon auncyent ryght or grounded on other good tytle A later lawe there is of the most highe God generallie geuen which endureth the iustice of the first lawe that euerie mā shoulde doe so as hee woulde bee done vnto And this is the iust measure the direct rule certaine boūdes betwene righte wrong which beeinge considered we shall knowe how to vse warres and to dyrecte all our doynges well Now lett vs runne as farre as wee maye into the course of antiquitie to serche the first beginninges and causes of warres that wee may conferre them with the euentes and successe theareof for the better knowledge and iudgement herein We finde that Cain the eldest sonne of Adam in the firste time of the worlde liued so long that diuers lādes in the East partes beyng peopled he buylded a city for feare of his enemies knowinge iuste cause giuen by him to be odious vnto men for the vnnaturall parricy de and murder of his brother For at that time Iaball the sonne of Lamech was growen mightie and excercised armes against such as vsed vniust violence or oppression Tubalcain was thē the first that wrought on Iron forged weapons for that purpose For as yet theare was no kyngdome established nor countrey by conquest subdued the pompe of Princes was not knowen men desired not then soueraintie ouer estates but prepared by armes to shilde their owne in saufetie when they had no lawe to defende them This beginninge of warres was made in the first age and no more we reade of till after the floode when the three sonnes of Noah with their manifolde issue multiplyed possessed the sundrye regions of the worlde Sem setled in Asia Cam came into Afrique and Iaphet inhabited Europe whose ofspring shortlie spred abrode into the sudry partes regiōs prouinces of the same Then waxed Thuball the sōne of Iaphet mightie in power and bare rule aboue the rest This man renued againe the vse of weapons Soone after Nimrod began aduaūced the firste kingdome ouer Chaldea wheare he buylt the citie Babell subduinge people Countreies by oppression and oultrage of warres vnder his dominion And thearefore the same violent Empire lasted not longe but it shortlye sonke was drowned in the great estate which Assur raysed in assirya the lande yet now bearinge his name He buylt the Citye Niniue Rezen others by iust conquestes amplifiynge his seigniorie After him succeaded Ninus in the time of the patriarke Abraham whiche enuironned Babilon withe a stronge wall and muche beawtified the Citie as the chiefe seate of his estate Hee subdued the Bactriens and other nations makinge vnto him selfe a mightie Monarchye aboue other Kinges by honourable not iniurious warres as it may appeare by the continuaunce of thys Empyre whiche remained amonge the Assiryens aboue 1300. yeares vntill the raigne of Sardanapalus whose estate thoroughe his beastlike lasciuyous life was taken from him by Arbactus a Prince of the Medes Abraham him selfe made warres with the kinge of Sodome and fower other Princes vsinge at that time good order and policye in his battaile And thearefore they that affirme Ninus Mars or Hercules to bee the beginners and firste vsers of warres and order of battaile are not learned in reading for that theare is large proofe of those before alleaged And as for Mars he was the sonne of Saturne whiche was kinge of Crete at that time when Ianus raygned in Italye and that was about the time of Mofes And Hercules of Thebes lyued after that in the time of Saull king of Iudea or a little before by sum̄ writers which was soone after the buylding of Troye Mars made warre of ambition and lordlye minde to rule But Hercules the patron of Iustice and champion of noble prowesse thrust him selfe into all daungers of battaile to redresse iniuries represse rapyne oppression to roote out tirantes to maintayne defende right to spred the valyle of prosperous peace and wished saufe securitye ouer the worlde to shewe example of most hyghe vertue and valure punishinge robbers and purginge countryes of mischeuous malefactours and v le persons For whiche his ryghteous affection and iust minde as of deuyne vertue proceadinge he was after hys deathe honoured and holden as a god Romulus to erecte a famous Citie and establishe an happye estate withe excellent lawes orders and gouernement called people together and made warres for the compassinge and encreasinge thereof So dyd the auncient kinge Belus of Assiria and Phoroneus in Grecia subdue people to good order and conuenient course of lyfe geuinge vnto them lawes for their publique benefite and behoufe In like sorte Ianus before recyted and Licurgus in Lacedaemon reduced menne from idlenes and leude lasye lyfe vnto good trades ciuilitye and practyse of vertue for none other cause desirynge soueraigntye but for the good state and profytte of the people To thys ende Minerua Cecrops Cadmus vsed armes in their times before seeing mē to liue in diforder without gouernmēt neither comfortably to thē selues nor cōmodiouslye one for an other they extēded their power dominion ouer thē to refourme them into an happie ciuill sorte of life And diuers nations haue willinglie submitted put them selues vnder the rule scepter of such as they perceaued to be wise wel disposed carefull of the weale of a multitude to be a patron
skilfull in vsynge of weapons is lykelye to prooue a valyaunt and an excellent souldiour But hee that feareth not to receaue hurte excepte he knowe howe to inflicte daunger doe harmes vnto the enemie is not profitable And therefore when there was one cōmended vnto an expert captaine by his manie skarres of woūdes receaued that he was a great souldier a verie man the captaine asked streight where is the man which hurt him thus brynge him vnto mee quod he I will entertayne him presentlie for in this case I like the geeuer better then the taker Nowe are wee next to see what exercyses are most conuenient and expedient to bee vsed of souldiours And generallie suche are moste auaylable in the seruice of warres as cause anie of these effectes that is to saye to harden the bodie to make it nymbler stronger or to bee well breathed as for the purpose wrastlynge shootinge dartynge leapinge castinge of great stones vawting swymminge and to labour in armour heauyer then the commen forte which is vsed in seruice for custome maketh labour lyght as it is pro ued by the practyse of Milo whiche begynninge to carriea Calfe into the fielde to pasture euerie daye on his necke hee continued with the same burthen till it was growen a great Oxe addynge still encrease of goodwil to supplie the daylie growing of hys burthen not sufferyng his force to be sodaynlie so surmounted that he woulde at anie time shrynke or yelde vnto the trauaile burthē of the daye before passed So that custome seemeth to alter or excell nature eftsones Nowe the bodie beeynge made apte and nymble yet doe there twoe other exercyses remayne to bee put into the practise of a souldyour for their skyll order in warres The first is that hee exercyse to handle hys bowe peece pyke or other weapon wherwith he shal be charged nimblie cūningly that he be able to doe his feate thearewith and if he be a horseman skilfullye to vse his horse and staffe to bee readie to mount or alight nymblye at a becke for any purpose or aduauntage to bee taken of the enemye The other practise is to be perfecte in keapynge the arrayes ranckes and orders of warre in marching encampinge fight or pursute of thenemye yea and in reducing and bringinge them selues againe into any fourme of arraye if perchaunce they shal be broken or disordered by force of the enemy that spedelie at the voyce of the Captaine or sounde of Trumpet or Drumme which alwayes stande by him for the same purpose or by any other noyse or certayne signe which hee vseth sometime secretelie and sometime open to geeue out vnderstandinge of his minde as to marche or proceade to retyre to take this waye or that And hearein it is to bee certainlye obserued a thinge by all experience alwaies approued that no force of men prouisyon power industrie or furniture can preuaile without arraye and order of battaile against the well appoynted whereof a feaw shall easelie vanquishe a multitude disordred and confusely clusteringe together The souldiour thus expert and by practise thoroughlye manned furnished and made perfecte mayster and possessour of his Arte shall boldelye and courageouslie proceade into the fielde For feawe men feare or shrinke to doe that whearein they are skillfull and well practized Now for the more endeuour and exercise to bee vsed and had hearein thorough out this lande it is a thinge not after anye other to bee looked vppon and effectuallye considered vnto reformation leaste wee doynge nothinge thinke to do muche beeinge naked vnder a nette suppose our selues armed when wee are nothinge couered For such is the dulnesse of some people I will recyte some Examples of the dilygence vsed by the moste excellent estates hearein First in the foundation of the greatest Monarchye of the worlde vnder Rome what ordynaunces and continuall excersyses of warre Romulus established theare it is not doubtfull For the Romaynes allwayes after vsynge the same orders whiche hee instituted and deliuered vnto their handes vppon the same foundation proceadynge in prowesse attayned to moste highe honour of Armes and erected their famous Empyre Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Martius kinges theare bestowed greate trauayle and industrye in encreasinge the sayde Disciplyne of warre In Lacedaemon a Citye of Grecia which by excellent gouernement grewe to haue dominion ouer dyuers Kingdomes Lycurgus the politique Prince amonge his Lawes and customes whiche hee established theare ordayned that all spare tyme shoulde bee expended in vertuous exercises and principallye in the noble practyses of Armes to gett honour and soueraynetye of the enemyes cleane cuttinge of vnthriftye wastfull ryott abandoninge delycate nycenesse and banyshinge idle and chyldishe Games as commen Cardeplaye Cayles Coytes Slydebourde Bowles and Blowepoynt which weare throwen oute of the commen wealthe From whence also hee dyscarded and expelled Ianglers Iesters Iuglers Puppetplayers Pypers and suche like vnprofitable persons in steade of which weare mayntayned menne of valure frequentynge and exercisynge actiuitye of wrastelinge dartynge throwinge the Barre the sledge vsinge the weapons of Warre in skyrmishes and lyke actes to example the practises exployts of warre as skalynge of Fortes skilfull ridinge runninge at the rynge marchinge eftsoones in arraye of battayle c. And publique places weare appoynted commodiouslye for the commen vsinge of the same and moste actyue menne to bee teachers hearein The honourable exercyses called Olimpiades celebrated in Grecia withe concourse of people from all partes of the worlde to trye valure and wynne the Vyctours Crowne thys contentyon in all practises and qualyties of vertue and commendation caused Grecia first aboue all other nations to floryshe in honour of armes learninge and other laudable trades wheare the righte and excellent Dyscipline and order of VVarre was nouryshed and maintened wythe great soueraintie dominion The famous spectacle of the exercises of Armes in Campus Martius in the latter time of the triumphant estate of Rome was of great industrie actiuitie being alwayes nolesse honourablye then duelie on the holidayes frequented and obserued of al sortes And at this daye vnder diuers estates in Germanye this diligence is vsed in trayning of souldiours preparation for warres they deuide the inhabiters of euerye citie or shire into certaine partes or bādes geuing vnto them the names of such weapons as they will chose to bee charged with for their furniture seruice in the time of warres as Archers Pikemen Demilaunces such like so that theare is no able person exempted out of these orders either for exercise or supplye contribution to the charges of one sorte of these weapons which companies bee thus on their holydaies and spare times duelie trayned and practised The Turke also what numbers hee causeth from verie yonge yeares to bee brought vp and skilfullye practised vnto the feates and seruice of warres and what huge garrisons and armies of Souldiours he continuallie maintaineth it is well knowen and with all no Prince Realme or estate more free
a Gouernour or Captaine can put on and faithfulnes is not by fee nor feare to be crased or corrupted ¶ VVhether it be more expedient to haue one Generall or manye Cap. 8. NOw to discusse by the examples of antiquity argumēts of reason whether it be conueniēt to haue more then one generall or highe Captayne of the Armie Belinus and Brennus two Princes beyng brothers were ioyntlye gouernours ouer their armie with which they subdued a great parte of Fraunce Germayne and Italye Fabius and Porsenna were likewise constituted ouer the Romainearmie against the same Belinus and Brennus Romulus and Remus by equall aucthoritie guyding their armie surprised the Cytie of Alba. King Mithridates Tigranes ioyntly lead their powers against the Romaines Cassius Brutus were ioygned generalles against Octauius Caesar and Antonius Fabius Minutius were thought to be well matched together against Hanniball the one graue and somewhat slowe by his age the other hott quicke and lusty the one excelling in aduise and experience the other better able to styrre and endure paynes So that albeit it hath bene more vsed to ordayne and depute one onely generall ouer an armie yet twayne may doe very well as it appeareth by the examples before recited which may the rather be allowed for that the one Generall being sicke hurt or slayne yet the Armie is not destitute of a heade or guide which sometime is the cause of losse of a battaile the head beeinge striken and Captayne slayne the bodie of the armie standeth in a maze and is highlie discomfited and oftentimes honourable attemptes ceasse thereby and goe backwardes as Crassus by Parthian falshood slaine the relyques of his armie were shortlie destroyed Antonius in his great battaile on the Sea against Octauius Augustus fliyng or rather following Cleopatra his whole army was ēforced to yelde vnto Caesar. Brennus as Iustine writeth beinge dead of hurtes in battaile receaued in Grecia his purposed conquestes in those partes ceassed and his armie dyspersed all that they had gotten beefore was lost for lacke of a good guyde Great Alexander beeinge dead the glorye of Macedonie dyed their victories proceaded no farther their armies returned and tourned to discention and diuision among them selues whereby the Empyre was rent and skambled and shortlie after taken from them by the Romaines So that where there hath been but one head or guyde of the warres the same beinge cutt of for the most parte the warrfare hath ended and expired with all whereas if there had been two generals ordayned ioyned in aucthoritie or else successiuelye three or fower one after an other nominated appointed after the death or losse of the generall to supplie the place and to establishe the state of the armie the warres myght still proceade vntill the purpose desired fruites thereof bee obtained But more then two generals of one armie at once I can not finde by any good president allowed Nicias Alcibiades Lamachus were sent as Generals by the Atheniens into Sicilia atchieued littel there likewise Tideus Adimātus Menāder against the Lacedaemoniēs ¶ Of the aucthoritie of the generall and what ought to bee hys chiefe desyre wished fruites and ende of warres what personne and of what qualities ought to be esteemed the best and most honourable Captayne Cap. 9. THe place and state of a generall is highe his credite his power and charge great and therefore his aucthoritie from the prince by or vnder whō he is deputed and ordeyned ought to be great To punishe and pardon to erect exalt pull downe to take order or truce with the enemie to receaue hostages remitt prisoners raunsomes and tributes to geue lawes libertie lordshyp bandes condicions of captiuitie to the conquered to ioygne or breake foreine frendshippe vpon vrgent cause and not otherwise to impart vnto the souldiers franklie of that which is taken and wonne to assygne victorious ensignes and solempnitye of honour prowesse to geue aduauncement of degrees and dignities vnto the worthye He maye also leuye for the great necessitie of the armie vpon the prynces subiectes where he serueth borrowe or receaue ayde of the princes frendes and herein extende his maisters credite and the prynce is bounde in honour to ratifie allowe perfourme thus farre the dealinge of the generall by him deputed and appointed which is also at all times remouable at the pleasure of the prynce at whose commaundemēt the warres cease ende or otherwise be turned And the Captaine ought not to make or establish peace without the consent will and aucthoritie of the prince nor to render anie towne countrey or forte conquered except for great aduauntage or extreame necessitie Hystories are full of examples to prooue the perticulers before recyted to bee incident to the function of a generall and therefore in a matter not doubtfull I will cyte but onelie the large graunt of Gaius Martius generall of an armye of the Romaines on a time when a battaill went verie harde with him hauinge in hys armie fifteene hundred hyred Souldiours of whose trust and endeuour he doubted consyderinge the strayghtes and daunger wherein hys armye stoode he promised vnto his sayd straūge retinue that if they woulde extende their valure to the wynnynge of the fielde to make euerye man of them a Cytyzen and free of Roome whiche in that time was a thinge hyghlie regarded of straungers for the honour great aduauntages and noble fraunchyses thereof wherewith beeinge encouraged they spared not to hazarde their lyues vsinge suche endeuour that the fielde was wonne And notwyth standynge that by the ordynaunces of the Cytye noe man myght bee made a Cytizen without the cōsent of the Senate yet hee alleagynge beefore them that necessytye is aboue lawe and that then tyme serued not to seeke the lawes but rather requyred to breake them hee obtayned the graunted freedome vnto the souldiours and honourablye hys promise was perfourmed And it is not inconuenient that the prynce should geeue hym credit power and aucthoritie in smaller matters vnto whose order and wisedome hee hath committed an armie which is the strength of the princes estate which trust if it can not saufely be committed vnto one it were better to ioyne an other in gouernment vnto him then that the place of the generall shoulde lacke or bee lame of power Nowe to see what the generall ought to desyre or seeke to gaine by the warres infinite examples of the antiquitie do shew especially in the most florishinge estates of Roome Grecia where vertue valure were chiefly fostered all the most excellēt Captaynes sought and endeuoured by victoryes to purchase fame vnto them selues honour and aduauncement vnto their countreys and common wealthes which they loued so dearelie and regarded so highlie that their endeuours vsed employed for the benefit of the same seeme to sur mount almost the power of men and also credite Glad was he which by dying valiantly could singulerlye profite his countrey As Brutus the first Consul Horatius
whether policie counsayleth as soone as thou arte entered into the enemies countrey and that he will offer battaile to receaue the same and shortlie to trye the matter Herein I am not of opinion that it is generally best to detracte battail except there be some aduantage to be taken and vsed in ioygning of the same for so the one may goe about the other longe enoughe to little purpose But other circumstances and accidentes are to be considered in this generaltie For commonlye it is for the behoufe of him whose Countrey is inuaded to seke battaile for auoydinge spoyle of the same But yet it is to be considered that if the other bee like shortely to be wearied or be neare some mischiefe by mutine or for some wantes forced to forsake the coūtrey that it shoulde be daungerous to deale wyth him for his force then policye perswadeth to protracte battaile on that parte And generallye the inuader as longe as he proceadeth with spoyle to plage the enemy to enritche himselfe hath not necessity to hasten battaile but maye take the time best for his aduauntage How be it occasions may growe on otherwise and be vrgent vnto him to ioygne battaile spedelye as by encrease of ayde comminge towardes the enemie or casuall empayring of his owne present power Moreouer vnto him which hath manye hyered souldiers it is more requisite to make hast vnto battaile and to end the warres as well for the great charge of that retinue as for the daylie daunger of their vnsure seruice and doubt of reuoltinge vnto the enemye being money men by corruption or for a greater paye they lightlie leaue their mayster in his greatest neade For seldome haue theare bene greate conquestes made by force of hyred menne The Romaynes and the Grekes warred withe their owne Souldiours against all nations Great Pompeye withe the natiue people of Italie ouercame Mithridates with hys huge Armye of more then twentye Nations Of later tymes the estates of Italye haue bene vsurped and ouerrunne by vsinge the helpe of hyred Souldiours And the Venetiās hauing otherwise moste excellent gouernement and plentyfull prouisyon of all thinges both for peace warre but for thys cause onelye had growen to haue greate Empyre This Realme of Britayne hath sum̄ experience of these hurtes beinge sumtime oppressed by the hyred Saxons vnder Hengistus But nowe to trie the truste and faithe of hired Souldiours before their infidelitie or defection maye greatlie hurte It is good before thy greate neade and daye of battaile to sende them foorthe wythe a feawe of thyne owne approued men to sum̄ exploite supposed to bee of greate importaunce and to plante priuelie by the waye or to sende after them a sufficient number of trustye Souldiours to doe the same feate if the other shoulde bee false or faile in the same Also it is policye for the same purpose to conferre with the Captaynes of them that are suspected of suche matters as thou entendest not to doe but in shewe to see if they wyll keape the same secrete or geue priuye aduertysement theareof vnto the Enemye The like proofe is made by delyuering to the leader of thē letters sealed pretending great wayght and purportinge little to bee sent foorthe to sum̄ friende to see whether the same should be opened or not saufelye conueyed in tyme. ¶ VVhether it be more profitable to seeke the great Towne or the lesse and how best to wynne the same Cap. 5. NOw is it further to bee knowen for takinge of houldes within the enemies dominiō that the larger be rather to be sought for thē the lesse And thearefore the Citie which is of greatest trade to enriche the enemie or such large towne as is so scituate that it may most annoye him if thou be able to furnishe the same with garrisons is most auaylable for diuers causes Alcibiades the excellēt Captaine entrynge Sicilia to make warres theare first tooke the greate Citye Rhegium nexte besyeged Catina not farre from Syracuse the chiefe Citye of the Realme Scipio began hys warres in Spayne withe the syege of newe Carthage the principall citie there both of trade power And in like sorte inuadyng Afrique he foorthwith layde syege vnto Vtica a famous citie stāding on the sea side wheare he also harboured and kept his shippes so that he might cut of all ayde succoure both by lande sea frō the towne Now for the maner of subduing holdes it is to be agreed that the best waye of wyn ning is that whych is with moste speade leaste losse And thearefore if a Towne maye not be surprised and taken by sum̄ trayne or policie it is lesse daunger to inuade and force the enemye by famine then with the swearde How Zopyrus suttlelie caughte the Babiloniens fayninge him selfe fledde from his Prince for crueltie shewed vnto him and being of them vnder fayned friendshipe receaued betrayed their Citie the maner theareof is declared at large in the first booke This shift also hath bene vsed when a Captayne had vnderstandynge of ayde looked for by the besyeged he hath apparelled a troupe of his owne souldyours vnder the ensigne of those whiche shoulde come vnto them and so to haue taken the Towne Cimon of Athens besieginge a Towne by nighte sett fire on a temple in the suburbes of the same whearefore sum̄ of the Townes men rashelie runninge out to succour it the enemie entered in vpon thē Also the besieged are more easelie enduced to yelde by signifiynge vnto them sum̄ great victorie latelye hadde against their Prince or other streightes that he is brought into Sum̄ haue practised to haue friendes within a towne to perswade them to issue out vpon the enemie or to doe sum̄ other acte vnto their owne ouerthrowe And such persons haue geuen intelligence by letters fastened to arrowes and shote foorthe vnto the enemies of the state and dealinges within the Towne as of the weakest parte theareof or least defended of the custome of the watche when and howe they maye be deceaued that the enemie maye enter vpō them vnware The Frenchmen corrupted Tarpeia a mayden to lett them in by a little posterne doore into the Capitall of Roome But in this case diligent examination must be made by captaines for double dealinge that they be not abused in their practises the same beinge disclosed vnto the enemie which hath sometime suffered parte of the aduersaries power to ēter within his houlde to their destructiō hauinge prepared sodainlie to repulse and shutt out the rest For the takinge of a stronge towne by famine it is a good waye to winne sum̄ weaker-nighe to tourne out the inhabitauntes thereof that they may be receaued into the other so their victualls the soner consumed Fabius suffered thē of a towne whom he woulde besiege to sowe their fieldes to the entēt that they shoulde haue the lesse corne in store Sometime townes be sieged haue desired a parle or truce for a time to the ende that the siege not beinge straightlie
a refuge by their wisedome experience vnto thē in their troubles neades Thus seeing that inuasion in sum̄ cases is tollerable yelding sufficiēt matter for noble courages to worke vpō so that prowesse shal neuer be so shut vp but it may haue a cōmendable course if theare be a regarde to the feare of God for the vertuous direction good ende theareof the warres for defēce must neades more generallie be allowed whensoeuer wronge is offered by the enemie of anie estate to the losse vexation or empayringe of the same wheareby in bodies goodes mindes possessions fraunchises lawes iurisdictions credit honour or anye thinge that is of profit or contentation vnto thē they be anoyed or hurte the resistinge encountring wheare of is iust honourable necessarye The aūcient warres of Troye Thebes arose vpon great wronges offered the first of them in the time that K. Dauid raygned the other not longe after The Grekes maintained continuall warres for their libertie to preserue their publique states vnder elected gouernours especially to auoyde subiection to anie foreine nation which they esteamed barbarous and rascall in respect of them selues The Scythiens hauinge no riche or delycate possessions of pleasant or frutefull fieldes no substaunce or store of goodes to loose yet they fought fiercelie to defende the tombes of their aūcestours whereof they had their greatest care frō iniuries of the enemie defacing And generallie nature hath geuē to liuinge thinges a desire of defēce resistinge of wronges wherefore that force is better to be allowed of thē inuasion Iudas Machabeus saide to the Israelites let vs fight for our liues our lawes And thus to cut of our course in to the antiquitie of warres seing that it is not my purpose nowe to wryte thereof yet supposinge thus muche not to be impertinent vnto hym that woulde bee a trauayler in the knoweledge and affaires of warres we conclude by plentiful proofe out of the store of histories accordinge to our propositiō That warres iustlie made for the more parte growe to good effecte and the violent empyre lasteth not longe Battail attēpted for pompe or ambitious desire of dominion not regardinge right or wōge seldome hath good successe or els the frutes had thereby soone fade suche victories take no roote But yet it remayneth to aunswere one obiection that seemeth to ouerthrowe and quyte condempne all our warres whiche is that our Lorde Iesus hath sayde that he which striketh with the swerde shall perishe with the same which is to be vnderstoode eyther of wrōgfull striking ' or else betwene pryuate persons which haue the sworde of the prince defēce of the lawe to remedie their wronges Also where it is cōmaūded that he which is strykē on the one eare should turne the other toreceaue the like it is expoūded whereas the exāple of such singuler pacience maye greatlie auaile to make such insolēt oultrage the more odious detestable that there is a law to punish the same otherwise warres armes maye be vsed for maintenance defence of vertue ryght great good grow therof For in the x of the Actes of the Apostles we reade that the cōuersation order of life of the captaine Cornelius was verie well pleasinge acceptable vnto God and in the tenth of saint Mathaew our sauiour saieth I came not to sēd peace into the earth but a swerde which proueth that the same maye be vsed according to the good pleasure of God thus if we serch his will we shall finde it and knowe howe to obserue keepe it ¶ Of vyctories which is the best and what truce maye be honourablye made Cap. ix THat victorie is most to be preferred which maye be soonest compassed obtained with least expence inconuenience losse especiallie of men wherein it is to be cōsidered that the same is made more honourable of greater importāce fame if periurie cruel murthers infamous treasōs poysoninge of victualls or such odious extremities be not vsed therein Fabius had excellent regarde of honour in his conquest when besieginge a citie of the Faliscyens a schoolemaster which had the chiefest mens sonnes of the towne in gouenrmēt teaching trayned them forth on a time apte for his purpose for hope of rewarde brought them into the enemies handes to the ende that thereby their fathers frendes shoulde be fayne to render the towne But Fabius rewarding him not iumpe accordinge to his expectation but duelie for hys desertes he caused the boyes to scurge their schole mayster well with roddes for betrayinge the trust of their parentes and so sent them home together singinge vnto the citizens which hauinge his noble vertue in highe admiration forthwith rendred vnto him the towne Dauid sought not by murder to wrest the kingdome out of the hādes of Saul but punished him which had laide hādes vpon his Lorde anoynted elected of god Caesar procured not Pompeye to be slayne but wept when hee sawe his enemies head Alexander pursued Bessus to reuenge the trayterous murther by him cōmytted vpon his enemie kinge Darius The Romaines generallie had regarde to conquere by valure prowesse wherefore they grewe most great in Em pire were had in honour awe of all nations The Carthagynoys contrarywyse not carynge howe so they had victorie vsinge foule practises infidelitie and all bad shiftes to attaine the same shortlie lost all So that the vertue and honourable dealinge of the generall shall alwaies auayle muche to the prosperous proceadinge of his warres and more easye accomplyshynge of victorye Hee oughte to bee as a tutor or rather as a father tender and carefull ouer the souldiours committed vnto his guyde good order diligent prouidence The excellent captaines of Roome desired rather to saue one citizē in battail thē to destroye manie enemies Crueltie is to be eschued excepte when seueritie sharpelie shewed maye geue great example But where lenitie and prudent meanes maye expresse worke th effecte of rigour euen towardes enemies the same is to be vsed that they seeinge the excellent vertue wisedome and order of gouernment in the conquerour maye the rather bee allured to commit them selues vnto him when by suffringe exchaunge of a ruler thestate of their welfare shall not be ouerthrowen or vndone nor slauerie or vile seruitude more odious then death is not sett before them most obstinatelie desperatelie to bee encountred Nowe touchinge occasiōs of truce intermission of warres it is to be cōsidered that the same be made done without dishonour so that the warres thereby be come not frutelesse or the armie in worse case then before as if the enemie craue that for feare which shall like auaile him and muche encourage the other partie But pollicye willeth not to seeke truce or delaye but by constrainte of necessitie or for sum̄ auantage to be taken as sum̄ ayde looked for or in the meanetime to growe into the secrets of the