is that of the Garter instituted by Edward the Third of England under the Patrociny of Saint George as that of the Thistle of Scotland was under Saint Andrew John of Valois King of France instituted the order of the Star under the protection of Saint Owen say the French as one of his Successors Louis the Eleventh instituted that of Saint Michael In the minority of Henry the Sixth of England when the War was hot between that Kingdom and France Philip le Bou Duke of Burgundy instituted the Noble Order of the Golden Fleece under the protection of Saint Andrew The King of Denmark makes Knights of the Elephant and the Duke of Savoy those of the Annunciation Christina Queen of Sueden instituted a new Order of Knighthood which she would have called the Order of the Amaranth which they say never withers and accordingly she appointed the Device to be semper idem The Knights of the Teutonick or Dutch Order those of St. John of Jerusalem called afterwards Hospitallers Knights of the Rhodes and now of Malta as also those of the Sepulchre or Knights Templars were and some yet are very Martial Knights whose renowned Actions are and ever Religious Orders of Knighthood will be on the Records of Fame But there were likewise Religious Orders for they vowed Chastity Poverty and Obedience And from Religion have come most of the Spanish Orders of Knighthood Sanctius the third of that name King of Castile for the more vigorous prosecution of the War against the Infidels instituted the Order of Calatrava in the Kingdom of Toledo The Master of which Order is a person of great Riches and Power His Son Alphonse the Ninth in the time of his dangerons War with the Moors instituted the Order of Saint James which hath since come to that heighth of power that the Master of it is one of the greatest Subjects of Spain But Ferdinand the first Catholick King made himself and his Successors with the help of the Pope Masters of these Orders One of the Kings of Portugal when he had Wars with both the Saracens of Africk and Spain instituted the Order of the Knights of Jesus Christ About the year 1570. the Queen of Navarre caused 12 Jane d'Albret great Medals of Gold to be coined which she distributed among 12 of the most eminent Chieftains of the Reformed Religion as tokens of their fraternity to incite them to Constancy Valour and Perseverance in the Cause against the Roman Catholicks Upon one side of the Medal were these words Assured Peace Entire Victory or Honest Death On the Reverse was the Queens own name with that of her Son the Prince of Bearne who was afterwards Henry the Fourth the Great King of France and Navarre War drains the Treasures of Princes and States so dry that for most part they are not able to pay the Wages and Arrears of those who serve them much less reward them The Roman Oak Olive and Laurel Crowns are out of fashion long ago nor would they signifie any thing but rather be ridiculous unless they were given with all the Wages due to the party who is to be honour'd with one of those Crowns as the Romans were accustomed to do I have observ'd in another place how in many parts of Christendome Officers above the quality of private Captains many times are reduced to beggary to obviate which since Princes and States cannot forbear War or will not live in Peace it would be a great work of Charity in them and would much redound to their Honour Works of Charity and Fame to build some Hospitals and endue them with some small Revenue in which those Commanders who are lame old and poor might get a morsel of Bread which would be an exceeding great relief to those distressed Gentlemen and much encourage younger people to engage in a fresh War for alass though written Testimonies sign'd and seal'd by the Prince or his General may be of good use to young and lusty Gallants who have their Health and some Money in their Purses to look for new Fortunes yet Passes though never so favourable to poor old men are upon the matter nothing else Passes but fair Commissions to beg CHAP. XXVIII The Comparison made by Justus Lipsius of the Ancient and Modern Militia examined IT is one of the Curses that follow'd Adam's fall and I think was inherent in Discontent follows humane nature him before his fall that as he was not so none of his Posterity can be content with his present condition The longing desire we have to enjoy that we want robs us of the content we may have of what we possess Hence it is that old men cry up those customes that were used when they were Boys vilifying the present and magnifying the by-past times Neither is this fastidium or loathing of present things the concomitant of age only for young men who are in their strength are tainted with it Some are displeased with the Government of the State others hugely dissatisfied with that of the Church because none of them are cast in those moulds which they fancy to be better than the present ones and though perhaps they cannot pretend to have seen better in their own times yet they have heard or read of those which they conceive were so absolutely good that nothing can be added to their perfection Others like only of those Governments which have their birth rise growth and perfection in their own giddy brains But to come nearer our purpose few Souldiers are satisfied with their own Countrey Militia for if they have been abroad in the World at their return home they cry up the Arms the Art and the Discipline of Foreigners nor can they find any thing at home can please them And though their occasions have never invited them to take a view of strange places yet their Books afford them matter enough to prefer those Arms those Exercises those Guards those Figures of Battels that Discipline of War they never saw to all those they may daily see Of this disease of Discontent I think Justus Lipsius hath been Justus Lipsius an admirer of the Roman Militia irrecoverably sick and though he did not compile a Military Systeme of his own as Machiavelli did yet I may compare these two in this that both of them were Speculative Souldiers Lipsius is so far disgusted with the Milice of his own time which truly being about eighty or ninety years ago was an excellent one which he might have seen and observ'd better than his Writings shows he did and is so much in love with the old Roman Militia which he never saw but by contemplation that in the comparison he makes of the two in the last Chapter of his Commentary on Polybius he is not asham'd to prefer the Ancient Art of War to the Modern one in all its dimensions As I conceive he was so Rational as to think no man would deny the Modern He compares
every one what the eternal hath ordain'd for them Nor did Polybius know what was reveal'd to Nebuchadnezzar in that dream which Daniel interpreted to him that the Persians Daniel Ch. 2. should subdue the Assyrians the Grecians should ruine the Persians and the Romans should put a period to the Macedonian Monarchy There was no stop to be made to the current of the Victories of the Romans whom the Almighty had pre-ordain'd to become Masters of the World That there is such an All-ruling Providence was not unknown to the wiser Heathens though they being in a mist did not see with so clear eyes as we who are illuminated by the brighter rays of Gods own word and for all that I think few Divines can express in fewer words the omnipotency and unbounded power of the most high than a Pagan Poet did when he wrote Sic ait immensa est finemque potentia coeli Ovid's Met. Non habet quicquid superi voluere peractum est Heav'ns power hath no limits hence we see All done infallibly what Gods decree If Polybius had liv'd in our days he might have seen the hand of Heaven distributing Victory to speak with reverence and submission to the Almighties pleasure more partially than he either heard it was awarded in the Hannibalian or saw it given in the third Punick War of the first whereof he writes when he falls upon this discourse with us He might have seen men of one Nation arm'd alike following one and the same method of War and for any thing I know of equal Courage both parties inflam'd the one with Loyal zeal the other with rebellious rage acting their parts very highly on the bloody stage of War he might have seen I say the best of Soveraign Kings King Charles the First lose his Crown and Life and have his head chopp'd off with an Ax when the worst of Subjects and greatest of Rebels had his deck'd with Bays Or if Polybius had liv'd but one age longer than he did he might have seen the Roman Legions which he so much commends cutting one anothers Throats all Countrey-men all men of equal Courage and Conduct arm'd alike using one and the same Art and Discipline of War embruing their hands in one anothers blood and those who fought for the State and Liberty of their Countrey overthrown kill'd murther'd and massacred and their Enemies almost ador'd for their success in a bad cause and he might have either seen or heard of Pompeys Head ignominiously struck off and Caesars crown'd Caesar and Pompey with Laurels And if Polybius had been an eye-witness of the prodigious success Gustavus Adolphus the Great King of Sweden had in Germany in the year 1630. when he invaded the Roman Empire and how he took Cities Forts and Castles more Emperour Ferdinand the Second for their number and more considerable for their Strength Beauty and Riches in the space of six months and made a greater progress in his Conquests in less than two years time than Hannibal did in Italy the whole eighteen years he stay'd in it If I say he had seen this he had never attributed Victory to the goodness of Arms the cunning of the Art or exactness of the Discipline of War for he would have seen the Emperour Ferdinand the Seconds Generals wise And his Generals couragious experienced vigilant as well and as much as either the King himself or any of his great Captains Besides both Wallenstein Duke of Friedland and Count Tili had that which Polybius himself requires in a General that was they were fortunate Their great Victories over the Kings of Bohemia and Denmark Bethlem Gabor the Duke of Brunswick the Marquesses of Baden and Durlach and the famous Earl of Mansfield being yet fresh in memory And if Polybius had seen any disparity of Arms or Armour or of Horses either for their number or their goodness in this German War he had seen the Emperours Armies have the odds by much neither was the difference of the manner of their War or Ratio Belli so considerable as to cast the Scales so far as that Martial King did in so short a time Nor was Hannibals discent into Italy with few more than twenty thousand men more hazardous than the Kings landing in Germany with eight or ten thousand at most was justly thought to be What was it then would Polybius have said that carried Victory whose wings Ferdinands Generals and Armies thought they had clipp'd over to the Sweed what else but the hand of the Almighty who when that Emperour was very fair to have reduced Germany to an absolute Monarchy said to him and the whole house of Austria Non plus ultra Go no further Titus Livius had read without all question this comparison of Polybius Another comparison of Titus Livius whereof I have spoken enough and it may be hath taken from it a hint to start another question which is this If the great Alexander after his return from India and his subduing so many Nations in little more than ten years time had made a step over to Italy what the issue of the War between him Voided by himself and the Romans would have been And gives his Sentence that infallibly his Countrey men would have beaten that Great Conquerour Paola Paruta a Paruta not satisfied with Livius Noble Venetian and a Procurator of St. Mark refutes Livius his arguments and concludes that the Macedonian would have over-master'd the Romans But in steps a third an Author of no small reputation the renown'd Sir Walter Raleigh Nor Sir Walter Raleigh who will give the prize to neither Macedonian nor Roman but to his own English It will not be denied but the English Nation did admirable feats in France which was indeed the Stage on which Caesar acted his most martial exploits under Edward the Third King of England and his Son the Black Prince as also under Henry the Fifth while he liv'd and after his death under his Valiant Brothers But Paruta refutes Livius yet I have seen none that opposeth Sir Walter and I am sure I shall not because I am not so much beholding to the Grecians and Romans as to the English But those who are curious to read the reasons of all the three may find those of Livy in his ninth Book of his first Decad those of Paruta in the second Chapter of his Political Discourses and those of Raleigh in the first Chapter of the fifth Book of the first part of his History of the World But to return to Livy's question I shall tell my opinion and that is lawful Strong presumptions against Livius his opinion enough for me to do and it is this Since Hannibal as Polybius confesseth carried not much above twenty thousand men over the Alps of all that great Army that he brought out of Spain and with them durst invade the Roman Seignories in Italy it self when Rome was Mistress of Sicily and
it long after the invention of the Pistol Whether the Lance be laid aside as useless in Germany England Scotland France Denmark and Sweden by the command of several Princes or only worn out by time I know not but that it is not used in these places is certain enough And truly I wonder why it should not now rather be used when the nakedness of mens breasts without defensive Arms renders them more obnoxious to the stroke or push of a Lance than in former times when few or no Horsemen were to be seen without a Corslet I shall not doubt but there be strong reasons though I know them not why our European Generals for most part have abandon'd the use of the Lance yet it will not be deny'd but it hath been a serviceable weapon heretofore even since Gun-powder and all manner of Guns were found out I shall The Lance made useless by many Nations give but one instance at that memorable Battel of Dreux fought about an hundred years ago the Prince of Conde and Admiral Chastillon who conducted the Protestant Army by the reiterated Charges of their men of Arms with Lances after strong opposition broke the great Batallion of the Switzers which was composed of Pikemen and was thought Invincible and kill'd on the place seventeen of their Captains After the death of the Marshal St. Andre and the taking of the great Constable Montmorancy two of the French Kings Generals the Prince of Conde was likewise made Prisoner by the Royal party and the Admiral forced out of the field by the Duke of Guise and his Cavalry The Admiral rallies and that night proposed to his German Reuters who had each of them a Case of Pistols and many of them Carrabines to march back and fall on the Duke of Guise then both weary and secure But though that German Body of Horse was whole and intire yet did the Commanders of it A very remarkable passage remonstrate to the Admiral that it was impossible for them to break the French Batallion of Foot which had kept the Field with the Duke and I pray you observe the reason they gave for it Because said they we have no Lances which are only proper for that for the French men at Arms who had with Lances broke the Switzers were then dissipated or over-wearied and all their Lances broken If this be true it would seem that the manner of the Milice then and the Milice now are very different though both Modern A Cavalry then arm'd with Lances acknowledged to be able to break an arm'd Batallion of Foot whereof it gave a perfect demonstration and a Cavalry then arm'd offensively with Carrabine Pistol and Sword and not without defensive Arms declares it self uncapable for it And now the Carrabiners or Harquebusiers are thought only proper for Rencounters and the Lanciers are laid aside as useless But the Lance meets with better usage from other Nations even to this hour Hungarians use the Lance. And the Aâ—yssens As also the Persians The Polonians and Hungarians use it and so doth the Turk The Abyssens on horseback use strong Lances pointed at both ends and great Maces of Iron The Persians accounted the best Horsemen in the world carry Lances very strong they are pointed at both ends they carry them in the middle and manage them with great strength and dexterity Giovio tells us that at Scyrus a Persian Arms excellent great City of Mesopotamia the Persians had many Shops wherein the best Arms of the World were to be sold and that not far from it at Charmaum were Swords and Points of Lances made of so well temper'd Steel that our European Corslets and Head-pieces could hardly resist the stroke of the first and push of the other and that all Arms either for man or horse whether offensive or defensive were of Steel and Iron well boil'd with the juice of certain herbs only known to the forgers which made them so excellent He adds that these Arms are bought by the Turks at excessive rates but truly I think it was no good policy to suffer them to be sold at any rate to so dangerous an enemy and so malignant a neighbour but perhaps no inhibition would serve the turn for Auri sacra fames hearkens to no Law John Petyt tells us in the foremention'd place that the General Estates of the The Hollander rejects the Lance. United Provinces in the year 1599 forbad their Cavalry to make use any more of the Lance but I find in Bentivoglio the use of it was retain'd in the Spanish Armies by Archduke Albert and Marquis Spinola in the year 1612 after the Truce with the Hollanders But the States commanded their Horsemen to wear Coats above their Armour these Coats according to the quality of him or them who wore them were fine rich and glistering and are ordinarily called Coats of Arms. The Grecians call'd them Ephaestries and the Romans Chlamides But now since few men are armed for the Defensive few need Coats of Arms. The Ancients made use of Bow and Arrow on horseback and so in later Archers on Horseback times have the Walacbians and Transylvanians and so did the French till the practice of Hand guns made them useless and yet with them Horsemen arm'd with Pistols are still called Archers An hundred years ago the French Archers who attended the Gens d'Armes carried in their hand a half Lance and one Pistol at their Saddle and a Sword French Arms. at their side the Arms of the light Horsemen differ'd little from these The Harquebusiers had Swords at their sides and Harquebusses at their Saddles the Barrels whereof were three foot long About seventy years ago the Estates of Holland order'd these Horse-men whom they called Carabiners to carry Hollanders Arms for Horse each of them a Piece three foot long and their other Horse-men Pistols at their Saddles the Barrels whereof were two foot long Generally now all Horse-men whether Câ—â—rassiers or Harquebusiers carry Swords at their sides and a case of Pistols at their Saddles and these are mostly all their Offensive Weapons except that some carry Carabines some whereof have Barrels of four foot long but ordinarily only three The Pistol was invented first by Camillo Vitelli an Italian when Ferdinand of The Pistol when invented Arragon reign'd in Spain Charles the Eighth and Lewis the Twelfth in France Henry the Eighth in England and James the Fifth in Scotland not above one hundred and fifty years ago and consequently more than two hundred years after the German Monk had found out Gun-powder The Harquebuss is of an older date The bore of the Pistol long ago was made for twenty It s â—ore Bullets in one pound of Lead but it being found that the Ball enter'd not easily generally they cast one pound of Lead in four and twenty Pistol-ball The half of the weight of powder serves if it be good if not they take two
his Master King Joram and slew him with his own hands and beheaded seventy of his Brethren Pekah a Captain conspir'd against King Pekaliah kill'd him and made himself King Prophane Story will furnish more examples of this kind than are necessary to be rehearsed The Emperour Mauritius was forc'd to see his Wife The Empire and Childrens heads struck off and then receive the same measure himself by his General Phocas who usurped the Empire How Pepin and Hugh Capet both France 〈…〉 Majors of the Palace and Generals of the forces used two Kings of France by disburdening their heads of their two Crowns and clapping them upon their own are stories well enough known to any who hath read the French History The Caliphs of Egypt and Babylon had their Estates and Dignities and some of them their lives taken from them by their Soldans who were their Captain Generals In our own time Ferdinand the Second Emperour of Germany Wallenstein was like to pay dear for making Wallenstein Generalissimo of all his armies for by that power that haughty Captain General went fair to have rooted out that branch of the House of Austria in Germany which hath chain'd the Roman Eagle in that family for some ages and to have made himself King of Bohemia to boot On the other hand a subject would be very wary and cautious to undergo a Subjects would be wary to undertake this great charge charge so burdensome and dangerous as that of the Supreme command of all armies belonging to either Prince or free State for though he hath not been wanting to his Duty yet if in the managing of his charge he have miscarried by chance or misfortune he may make account to pay dearly for it unless he have to do with both a just and a merciful Master And if he be so fortunate to do those exploits which extend the Dominions and add to the honour and benefit As very dangerous of the Prince and State whom he serves he hath done but his Duty and can crave no reward but ex beneplacito nor needs he expect any except from a Gracious Prince nay it is well if he come off without some dishonour or disgrace put upon him if not worse some Princes not loving to look on men who have done them extraordinary services because they may pretend to these extraordinary rewards which they intend not to bestow upon them In bad Some free States unjust to their Generals Requitals free Republicks have shown themselves most unjust to many of their best deserving Captains as Sparta to Agis and Cleomenes Athens to Themistocles Miltiades Cimon Phocion and Pericles Rome to Coriolanus Camillu◠and both the Scipio's Nor have some Princes forborn to stain their honours by being injurious to Captains who have done them the most signal services How basely dealt Tiberius with Germanicus How cruelly did Nero use Corbulo And with what inhumanity did Justinian use the famous Bellisarius who was the supporter Some Monarchs also of his Empire How ungratefully did Ferdinand of Arragon requite Gonsalvo di Corduba the great Captain to whose Valour Conduct and Indefatigable labours he ow'd the Kingdom of Naples So true is that observation of Philip of Comines the greatest services are often requited with the greatest ingratitude Boccalini in one of his Raguagli hath a shrewd hint at this He tells us Boccalini that on a time the news at Parnassus were that Doria was appointed with his Fleet to fall upon Hariaden Barbarossa at a place where he could hardly either fight or get away having made Shipwrack of some of his Fleet Doria sent privately to Barbarossa advertis'd him of his danger and advis'd him to get him out of his way One of Dorias's Captains who was his Kinsman not knowing of this came to him and desir'd him not to lose so fair an opportunity to ruine the Arch-Pyrate Doria perceiving his simplicity drew him aside and told him he was not well seen in the Affairs of the World for said he my fortune is so strictly joyn'd with that of Hariaden that if he be totally routed I perish because I shall be altogether useless for I would have you know said he and learn it of me since you are but a young Captain that Princes use Military men as they do broad Hats and thick hoods which in wet weather they wear to save them from the Rain but cast them away so soon as the Sun shines But if great Captains who have done Princes or States great service be rewarded Presumption of Captains or at least be not ill used they should be aware of another rock and that is presumption upon which they run when they think the glory of those Actions they have done intitles them to a liberty to do what they will For they should remember that good services are but Duties which they owe and which are not to be rewarded but according to the pleasure of the Prince but Crimes are punishable by the Laws of the Land where they live and upon Ruins many of them this shelf many brave Captains have split themselves and suffered Shipwrack So did Pausanias the Famous Spartan King and Alcibiades the Valiant Athenian and so did the Roman Manlius who saved the Capitol from the Gauls so did Biron Duke Paire and Marshal of France under Henry the Great Sir William Stanley under Henry the Seventh of England and the Earl of Essex under Queen Elizabeth The like did the great Captain Wallenstein Duke of Friedland whom I mention'd a little before who stained all his fair actions and eminent services with the black and infamous Crime of Treason Instances against one of those Emperors whom he had served so well and who had given him so great a trust This was likewise Joabs inexcusable fault who presuming on the greatness of his Office rather than that of his services was many times too saucy with his Prince And though Abner deserved a worse death than that he got yet he deserved it not from Joab Davids servant and no doubt it was intolerable presumption in Joab to revenge his Brothers Death on a man with whom his Master had but just now entred into League And though perhaps the same Joab had enough of reason of State on his side for killing Absolom yet it was his duty to have used him as the King bad him for Princes love to be served in their own way and obedience should be the Glory of Subjects This presumption of his moved David to leave him a bloody legacy on his Death bed which Solomon did not scruple by any pretence of devotion to cause to be executed even at the Horns of the Altar where he had taken Sanctuary Nor can Generals excuse their Revolts Treasons or Rebellions by any Affronts or Injuries they can pretend to have received from their Princes And of this Narses was guilty though wronged by the Emperor Justine so was the Duke of
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the first who have made use of it neither will we hinder it to be a perpetual Law to ages to come being assuredly confident said they that if you had that power over us that we probably may shortly have over you you would not fail to put this Law in execution against us So you see that both Cyrus and the Athenians thought Prisoners of War might be put to death if the Victor pleased not only by the Law of War but by the Law of both Nations and Nature Before I go further I shall premise one thing at which perhaps many of my own Profession scruple which is that notwithstanding any quarter granted in the field in time of Battel or skirmish or at the assaults of Towns or Castles How a General may use his Prisoners of War Jurâ— Bâ—llâ— he who commands in chief over the Victorious army may put all or any of the Prisoners to death that he pleaseth without doing any wrong to the Law of War because they had no quarter promised them by him either by word or in writing which we ordinarily call Parol What quarter is given by any Officer who is inferior for the time or by any Soldier is but till the General or Commander in chief judg of the Prisoners and then he may do with them as he pleaseth But observe on the other hand that though Jure Belli he may do so yet when he puts Prisoners to death in cold blood he may be justly branded with inhumanity and cruelty unless those Prisoners have been Traytors Rebels Runaways or Fugitives or that Quarter had been promised contrary to the express command of the General any of these alters the case Such was that act of Saul King of Israel who gave quarter to Agag contrary to the express command of the Lord of Hosts who had ordained him to die Let us take a short view how this perpetual Law whereof Cyrus and the Athenian Embassadors spoke was executed in ancient times and I believe we shall see that all Prisoners of War were either ransom'd exchang'd put to death or made slaves The Jews differ'd a little from other Nations in the matter of Jewish slaves Slavery for Deut. 23. they had a Political Law which order'd a refuge to their Slaves Slaves certainly who came to that calamity by none of their own fault and that is mostly to be understood of Captives of War Cyrus found the Law he spoke of practised against himself by Tomiris Queen of Scythia who put him to death in cold blood if the Historian tell us truth How the Assyrian Monarchs used their Prisoners though prophane story were silent the Sacred Writ would inform us by it we know how Tiglath Pilâ—ser took away the Ten Tribes of Israel and Nebuchadnezzâ—r the other two to Babylon and how this last put most of the Chiefs and Princes of the people to Death after How the Israelites used their Prisoners they were Prisoners and caused the Children of King Zedâ—kiah to be cut in pieces before his face that after having seen so sad a spectaâ—le he might have his eyes put out that so thereafter as Sir Walter Raleigâ— observes well he might never see any thing to comfort him The Captains of Gods chosen people of Israel and Judah thought not that their hands were bound up by any quaâ—â—er that was given by their inferiour Commanders and Souldiers but pass'd very ordinarily a Sentence of Death upon most of their Prisoners of War Joshua hang'd most of those Kings whom he took in the Land of Canaan Adonibeâ—â—k had his Thumbs and great Toes cut off for so he had used seventy two Kings before Zebah and Zalmunnah Kings of Midian after they had quarter given them were killed in cold blood by Gidâ—on perhaps by no other inspiration than that of Revenge because they had killed his Brethren And by the way I observe that the Israelites in their Civil Wars among themselves gave very bad quarter As for example after the rest of the Tribes had killed in one Battel eighteen thousand Benjamites they put five thousand of them to the Sword in the chace who no doubt called for quartor The Text saith they gleaned them that is killed them one by one in the way and after that two thousand of them were put to death at Gidoâ— who I make no question yielded themselves Prisoners How many thousand Ephraâ—â—â—tes were put to death by the Gileadites when they bâ—wrayed what they were by the wrong pronunciation of Sâ—bbâ—teth David King of Israels David very severe to his Prisoners not only â—â—aughtered those Ammonites whom he had taken Prisoners in the War but tortured them and put them to cruel deaâ—â—s Whether he did this â—or â—â—y other reason than to be revenged for the disgrace done to his Embassadours by Hâ—nan King of the A 〈…〉 it es I shall not offer to determine But â—ertainly the Prophet â—lisha gave a contrary advice to Jehorâ—â—â— King of Israel Elisha adviseth to give fair quarter who asking the man of God what he should do with those Syrians who were miraculously brought into Samâ—ria in these words Shall I smiâ—e them my Father shall I smiâ—e them Was answered Wiâ—â— thou smiâ—e those whom thou hast takâ—â— with thy Bow and thy Spear nay see Brâ—ad and Water before them and send thâ—â— back to their Master I confess this was very fair quarter but it was not to be imitated in all its points The obstinate keeping out of Towns Forts and Castles when there was An occasion of bad quarter neither hope nor probability of succours hath been often the reason why the Besieged after they have rendered have been â—â—tchered to death that is after they had yielded to the discretion of the Conquerour who having granted no Articles or Conditions may put them all to death without any stâ—â—â— of perfidy He may do it Jure bâ—lli but he may be taxed with severity if not cruelty for it yet generous Princes have practised it Titus a merciful Prince cast the Jews who were his Prisoners both men and women by hundreds to be torn and devoured by Wild Beâ—sts The Great Alexander caused some thousands of the Tirians to be Scourged and Crucified after they wore Prisoners because in defence of their City they had so long put a stop to the course of his Victories But I think he cannot be vindicated from extream inhumanity Inhumanity of Alexander used to the Noble Governour of Gaza who kept out that place couragiously against him till the never-failing Fortune of that daring Prince put the woful Governour into his hands whose Fâ—â—t he caused to be bored and through the holes he put Cords and tying these to Horse-tails in that manner caused him to be dragg'd about the City in imitation perhaps of what Homer saith Achilles of whom Alexander derived his Pâ—dâ—gree did to the dead body of the Valiant Hector The Veneti a people in Gâ—â—le were overcome by Câ—sar
covers made of white Iron like extinguishers purposely for that end but that some of them will be seen by a vigilant enemy and thereby many secret enterprizes are lost It were therefore good that for the half of the Muskets if not for them all flint-locks were made and kept carefully by the Captain of Arms of each Company that upon any such occasion or party the half or more of the other Locks might be immediately taken off and the flint-ones clapt on by the Gunsmith of the Company and then there would be no danger of seeing burning Matches the sight whereof hath ruin'd many good designs I shall give you but one instance for all Not long after the invention of the Musket some Spaniards were almost starved to death in Instanced Coron by a Blockade of the Turks they hazarded desperately and sallied out and though they had some miles to march yet they did it with great courage and all imaginable industry and silence and had assuredly taken the Infidels â—â—pping if their burning Matches had not bewray'd their approach and this only marr'd the atchievement of a noble exploit It is true they made a handsome retreat but with great loss and with the death of their chief Commander one Machichao a Noble and stout Gentleman I should have told you that all the Muskets of one Army yea under one Prince or State should be of one Calibre or bore There are besides these I have mention'd other Weapons for the Foot such Other Weapons for Foot as long Rapiers and Touks Shables two handed Swords Hangmens Swords Javelins Morning stars but most of these are rather for the defence of Towns Forts Trenches Batteries and Approaches than for the Field And as our light armed Foot are now for most part armed with Sword and Musket so our heavy arm'd offensively are with Sword and Pike As I told you of the Musket so I tell you of the Pike the longer it is so it be manageable the more advantage it hath In our Modern Wars it is order'd by most Princes and States to be eighteen foot long yet few exceed fifteen and if Officers be not careful to prevent it many base Soldiers will cut some off the length of that as I have oft seen it done It were fit therefore that every Pike had the Captains name or mark at each end of it The Grecians knew very A Pike well what advantage the longest Pike had the Macedonians as I said before made their Pikes three foot longer than the other Grecians did Nor hath this advantage been unknown in our Modern Wars whereof Giovio gives us a remarkable instance Pope Alexander the Sixth waged a War with a Veteran Army conducted by experimented Captains his Foot consisted of Germans arm'd offensively with Pikes The Vrsines levy new and raw Soldiers most consisting of their own Vassals and Peasants these they arm with Pâ—kes but each of them two Foot at least longer than those the Popes Germans carried The two Armies meet The longer the better in a plain Field at Suriano in the Papacy and fight the Vrsine Peasants led by stout Commanders kill'd most of the first ranks of the Popish Pikemen by the length of their Pikes and immediately after routed the whole Body not suffering one German to escape upon this the Popes Cavalry fled and the Vrsiâ—â—s keeping the Field forc'd his Holiness to grant them against his will an advantageous Peace I shall not here speak of the number of Pikemen allow'd to each Company I shall do that in its due place but it seems strange to me there should be so little esteem made of the Pike in most places it being so useful and so necessary a weapon Thirty years ago when the War was very hot in the German Empire between the Emperour Ferdinand and the Catholick League as it was called on the one part and the Swede and the Evangelick Union as they call'd it on the other I saw such an universal contempt of the Pike that I could not admire The Pike very much neglected it enough for though after Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden entred Germany Squadrons and Batallions of Pikes were to be seen in all Regiments and Brigades of both parties and that Pikemen were still accounted the Body of the Infantry yet after his Victory at Leipsick over the Imperial forces under Tily the Kings Marches were so quick in pursuance of his successes which followed one In Germany on the heels of another and the retreats also of other Armies from him were so speedy that first the Pikemans defensive Arms were cast away and after them the Pike it self insomuch that all who hereafter were levied and enrolled called for Muskets But notwithstanding this when new Regiments were levied after that great Kings death Colonels and Captains were ever order'd to levy and arm Pikemen proportionably to the Musquetiers yet after they had endur'd some fatigue the Pike was again cast away and no Soldiers but Musquetiers were to be seen Whether this was done by the supine negligence of the Officers especially the Colonels or for the contempt they had of the Pike I know not But I am sure that for some years together I have seen many weak Regiments composed meerly of Musquetiers without one Pikeman in any of them and surely they were so much the weaker for that Nor did I find long after that that the Pike got better entertainment in other places than in Germany for in the year 1657 after the late King of Denmark had lost his best Army he gave In Denmark as I said in this same Chapter Commissions to five of us to raise each of us a Regiment of men of one thousand apiece all strangers We were bound by the Capitulation to arm our Regiments our selves out of the moneys we had agreed for and expresly with Musquets neither would those of the Privy Council who were order'd to treat with us suffer one word to be mention'd of a Pike in our Commissions though the conveniency and sometimes the necessity of that weapon was sufficiently remonstrated by us But there are two who write down right against the use of the Pike these are Declar'd useless by Two an Italian and an Englishman Brancatio an Italian Commander and one Master Daniel Lupton an Englishman who I think traceth Brancatio his steps for though I have not seen that Italian piece yet I have seen a Countryman of the Authors Achilles Terduzzi who tells me he hath read it every word Master Luptons Book I have seen and will presume by his leave in the next Chapter to examine his arguments and reasons CHAP. VI. Master Lupton's Book against the use of the Pike examined THIS Gentleman Printed his Book in the year 1642 and presented it to The Book Dedicated to the Earl of Essex the Earl of Essex who was declar'd General of the Parliaments forces that very year but it seems he had not got his
fitting for them and suiting well with the French humour But in those Legions of France instituted by Francis the First whereof I have spoken in my Discourse of Levies which consisted of six thousand men a Of three hundred piece every Legion had twenty Companies and every Company three hundred men And though these Legions fell a great decadency from their Primitive Institution in Charles the Ninths Reign yet the number of three hundred in a Company continued long after that for I do not find in all Monluc's Commentaries which he continues till near the end of Henry the Third's Reign mention made of any French Company of Foot under three hundred Combatants The Spanish Companies were either four hundred or three hundred till our own time In the days of the Emperour Charles the Fifth the German Foot-Companies were for most part five hundred Paolo Gioviâ— writes that Alphoâ—sâ— Davalo Marquess of Guast related to him that when his Master the Emperour invaded Provence and thought to have taken Marsâ—illes he had in his pay fifty Companies of Germans each Company of five hundred Foot-Soldiers and Of five hundred mark what he adds according saith he to the custom of Germany I find in Maximilian the Second's Reign that in his Military Institutions he order'd all his German Foot-Companies to be four hundred fighting men And so strong for Of four hundred most part did they continâ—e in the Reigns of the Emperours Rodolph and Matthias Ferdinand the second in all his Wars with the Bohemians the Duke of Brunswick Marquess of Baden Count Mansfield and Bethlem Gabor the King of Denmark and in the beginning also of his long War with the King of Sweden had never fewer than three hundred men in a Foot-company at the first levying Of three hundred of it But thereafter when the War was of a long continuance his Companies were not levied so strong and in end came to be but of one hundred But it was not so neither in Tily nor in Wallensteins time The Estates of the Vnited Provinces in the beginning of their War with Spain ordinarily gave Commissions for raising Companies two hundred strong Christian the fourth of Of two hundred Denmark his German Companies were all three hundred strong but so were not his Sâ—ots and his English Of what strength the Swedish Companies were till the days of Gustavus Adolphus I know not the actions of that Kingdom except with Denmark and a little with Sigismund their Hereditary King that was Elected King of Poland having made no great noise in the World till that Glorious Kings Reign He order'd each of his Foot-Companies to be of one hundred Of one hundred twenty and six twenty and six men these for their number resembled the Grecian Taxiarchies which consisted of eight Files every File being sixteen deep and so the Taxiarâ—hy consisted of one hundred twenty and eight men as I have told you in my Discourses of the Grecian Militia But some years after that Kings death the Swedish Feltmarshals order'd every Company of Foot to consist of one hundred One of a hundred forty and four forty and four Soldiers besides Officers Assuredly as I have said before in my Discourse of Levies Princes found that by strong Regiments and Companies they sav'd much Treasure spent upon the Officers of weaker ones But it seems they have in latter times found they were better serv'd by many Officers and weak Companies than Most Foot-Companies now are but a hundred strong by few Officers and strong Companies since all are alike paid and therefore almost universally in Europe no Foot-Company at first levying is above one hundred Soldiers unless in some places especially in Holland where the Colonels Company is allowed to be fifty stronger than those of private Captains And though the Swedes in the long German War order'd every Foot-Company to consist of a hundred and forty four men yet in their Dutch levies when they invaded Poland in the year 1655 they appointed each to consist of one hundred Soldiers Formerly scarce the fourth part of a Company was arm'd with Fire-guns whether Harquebusses or Musquets In every one of the seven Legions which were ordain'd by Francis the First to be a constant Infantry in France How a Company was formerly armed in France there were at most in the latter end of his Reign but eighteen hundred Harquebusiers all the rest of the six thousand were heavily armed their offensive weapons being long Poles or Perches most whereof were Pikes to which were added Pistols and Swords The Forces of the Emperour How in Germany Charles the Fifth and his Brother Ferdinand King of the Romans at Vienna when they expected Soliman were reckon'd to be at least one hundred and ten thousand Horse and Foot whereof eighty thousand belong'd to the Infantry and of these only twenty thousand were Harquebusiers the other sixty thousand were heavy armed and for the offensive they had such weapons as I have described in another place Maximilian the Second order'd as I told you before his Companies to be four hundred strong whereof one hundred and forty were appointed to be Harquebusiers the Musquet not being then in request with Headpieces and Rapiers among whom ten of the lustiest and strongest were to carry each of them a Harquebuss a Croc the Calibre whereof was made to receive six Balls cast of one pound of Lead all the rest of the Company were to carry Pikes Halberts and Partizans and all of them were to be in full defensive arms with Swords and each of them a Pishol at his Girdle or as it is called in the establishment a short Fire-gun In process of time when Soldiers became expert at the Musquet Companies how strong or weak soever were divided into three parts two thirds whereof were Pikemen and one third Musqueteers thereafter the Musquet crav'd the half of the Game and got it so that each Company was equally divided into Pikemen and Musqueteers But equality How for the present for most part is short liv'd and so far'd it in this for very soon the Musqueteers challeng'd the two thirds and obtain'd them leaving but one third for the Pikemen which for most part yet they keep though in several places as I have said before Pikes are sent to look for their fortune elsewhere Let us then suppose that which is mostly true that every Foot-Company consists now of one hundred men before we can marshal it we must know how many men the Prince or State alloweth to be in one file which makes that which we call the depth of the Battel the Latin and high Dutch Languages call it the heighth the files being known the ranks are quickly found I am Depth of Modern Bodies of Foot not here to tell you of the Square-root by which many have studied to marshal their Batallions for I intend to speak fully of that in a Discourse a part But I speak in this
for the relief of the besieged Queen and City of Buda and that Soliman himself by speedy marches was hastning thither could not be mov'd or perswaded by any intreaties or remonstrances of the principal Commanders of his army to raise the Siege vowing and protesting that he neither could nor would do it without an express warrant from his Master King Ferdinand but before that could come he and his misfortunate Army were both irrecoverably ruin'd The sad History of all these three Armies you may read at length in Paolo Giovio Be pleased to take another instance of a later date In the year 1657 Charles Gustavus King of Sweden invaded the Dutchy of Holstein with a very inconsiderable army his Horsemen and his Soldiers were almost naked and all beaten Actions of two Kings compar'd with a long march from Pole nor was it so strong as eleven thousand of all Frederick the third King of Denmark intrusts a well appointed army of sixteen thousand Horse and Foot to a Feltmarshal and stays at Copâ—nhagen himself by the perswasions of his Privy Council The Swede being in person on the head of his harass'd army prevail'd every where ruined the Danish army without one blow and besieged the reliques of it in Frederichsode a strong Town stormed it and took it with the slaughter of the Danish Feltmarshal and most of his men and got in it above one hundred Brass-guns and much Ammunition After this a vehement Frost being commanded from Heaven to favour him with a Bridg he stept over the Ice from Isle to Isle on the Belt where he forced the Dane to accept of such conditions as he imposed which were both dishonourable and disadvantageous Sure if the King of Denmark had been personally present with his forces he had at least once fought for it To make War in person seems to be one of the essential Duties of a King or Soveraign Prince this was one of those reasons which the people of God gave for their desire to have a King to rule over them To do justice among our selves Kings of Israel and Judah made War iâ— person and to lead out our armies to battel against our enemies and they add after the manner of other Nations So then it is clear that Kings at that time went to the field in person So did Saul the first King of Israel and so did David and most of all his Successors Kings of Judah and Israel And if it be objected that David made Joab his Captain General I give two answers first Joab's authority ceased when David was present which he was almost constantly with his forces The objection of Joab answer'd till he was established King of Israel For Joab's employment where he commanded in chief if I have observed right was first against the Rebel Absalom and this was a Civil War and then against the Ammonites and that was a foreign War both these had their rise from sudden Emergencies In the last the Kings presence till the latter part of it was not necessary and in the first not at all convenient But secondly I answer that David did often repent him of the large Commission he had given to Joab who thereby made himself so strong that the King durst not hazard to punish him for his misdemeanors which he often insinuated in those words You are too strong for me you Sons of Zâ—rviah That oâ— Benajah answer'd As to Solomons making Benajah Captain General it signified but little since there was no War in his time and the Captain of the Host was almost constantly beside him If any War had fallen out probably Solomon would have conducted his forces himself But his reign was peaceable as being the Type of the Prince of Peace yet he might have repented it if he had confer'd that high trust on Jeroboam who if he had been Captain General probably would not have fled to Egypt for fear of King Solomon for his actions against Rehoboam declared afterward that the heart of a Rebel was within his breast whatever his exterior deportment was in the time of that peaceable King But to what I have said That Soveraign Princes should conduct their armies Objections against what hath been said First in person it will be objected That an Infant King cannot manage a War To which I answer that then the Prince nearest in blood should do it as well as he should govern in Civil affairs And if it be said he may usurp I answer Better he do so than a fellow subject who may play the like prank if he be invested with the like power But it is known that many Infant Kings have been carried Answer'd about with their armies to encourage them so great an influence hath the presence of Soveraign power though in a Child over the spirits of Military persons Observe what Henry the sixth of England's valiant Uncles did for him and how faithful they were to him during his Minority Observe also that Roxanâ— her being with Child to the Great Alexander made his ambitious Captains after his death smother their foaring thoughts till time should discover to them whether their Soveraign was in her belly or not that accordingly they might know how to take up their measures In the second place it will be askt what shall an old decrepit or Valetudinary The Second King do who is not able to go to the field Truly I shall not desire him to do as that King of Morocco did who in the Battel he fought with Sebastian King of Portugal caused himself to be carried in a Litter whereby he gain'd the Victory though with the loss of his own life in the field But I say such a King Answer'd may intrust as many of his subjects as are able and capable to lead armies but he should put the managing the great bulk of the War principally in the hands of the heir of the Crown to command over all and if he be not of age fit for it then that great trust should be given to the next Prince of the blood who is capable of it When the Imperial and Spanish forces Invaded France in the year 1635 the French King made his Brother Gaston Generalissimo who chac'd the enemy out of the Kingdom After the Emperour Ferdinand the Second had suffer'd many losses at last he made his own Son the Hungarian King Generalissimo over all his armies who at his very first Encounter with the Swedes routed two of their armies at Nordling in the year 1634 and in the space of two months made them lose more ground than they had gain'd in two whole years before Thirdly it will be said a Soveraign Queen cannot lead armies and therefore The Third cannot manage the War in person I shall not answer that many Princesses have done it gloriously and successfully both in ancient and modern times and therefore all should imitate them But I shall say that she can imploy no better nor
counterfeited and his Seal taken from an old Paper and put on the Letter all contriv'd by Granuell President of the Emperours Council who gain'd with much Gold a French-man to carry this Letter in the soal of his shooe into the Town This French fellow was as much Fool as Knave who did not reveal the whole matter to Sancerre from whom he might likewise have receiv'd Gold enough But a trusty and faithful Messenger may be sent into or out of a A faithful and cunning Messenger may do much good in a Siege besieged place and go straight to an Enemy and seem to reveal all he knows and give up the Letters he carries which should contain no truth and by that means carry his Letter of importance safely as he is directed seeming to do the Enemy service but here cunning should be added to fidelity and men of that Caliber are rare yet the Rochellers met with one of them who adventur'd to cheat a no less person than Cardinal Richelieu and did it A Gentleman of Anjou offer'd to the Duke of Soubise to enter into Rochel then besieg'd Instance and reduc'd to the last extremity and bring him certain news of the Towns condition He went straight to the Cardinal with whom he had gain'd some trust and told him what he had undertaken this great States man permitted him to slip into the Town provided he should show him his Letters at his return which he promis'd having done his business in the City he came back to the Cardinal and deliver'd him the Towns Letters written purposely that this Great Minister might read them who took some pains to open and seal them again handsomely and bid the Gentleman carry them to Soubise who went and deliver'd to the Duke a hidden Letter which told him the true condition of the City and that was That it could not hold out above two days without succourse or all must dye for hunger If signs by fire smoke or shot of Cannon be not agreed on before the place be invested it will be very dangerous to do it afterwards by Letters for these may be intercepted or betrayed The last whereof befel two illuâ—strious Brothers both of them great Captains those were Maurice and Henry Princes of Orange both of them egregiously cheated by a Countrey Clown Maurice entrusts him with Letters to Justin of Nassaw Governour of Breda when it was besieged round by Marquess Spinola the fellow undertook to deliver the Letter and bring the Governours answer and so he did but not till Letters reveal'd to an Enemy Spinola had read both the first before he enter'd and the second after he came out of the Town who thereby came to the knowledge of all their secrets the Rogue was well rewarded by both parties But after Maurice his death this Bore resolves to serve his Brother Prince Henry in the same fashion and to that end seem'd to be gain'd with much difficulty and by much Gold to carry the Prince his last Letters to the Governour Henry wrote to him that it was then purely impossible to raise the Siege and desir'd him at midnight to discharge three pieces of Ordnance and that thereafter by several fires on the great Steeple he should let him know how many days his Victuals would hold out The Intelligencer went straight to Spinola who having read the Letter and handsomely seal'd it up dispatch'd the faithful messenger to the Governour who at the prefixed time made his three shots and by eleven signs made by fire let the Prince know he was able to subsist no longer than eleven days which Spinola did as punctually observe as the Prince of Orange did In the time of that same Siege at a Sally a German Souldier was taken by the Count of Isemberg who treated his Countrey-man so well that the fellow undertook to return to the Town and come back to the Spanish Camp when the Victuals of the besieged City grew scarce which he did and thereby Spinola had likewise a fair help given him how to take his measures If all endeavours and all hopes fail and that inexorable necessity force the To yield on Articles Governour to yield let him do it on the most honourable and advantageous terms he can and let him be sure to have his Articles sign'd by him who commands in chief and if he can obtain it let him get Hostages of quality sent to some neighbour Garrison to lye there till all conditions agreed on be performed Of Articles I shall speak in the next Chapter But if there be small or no hopes of succours it will not be fit for a Governour Obstinacy in defending Forts hurtful to bring things to the last extremity or stand out where he cannot probably hope to resist for that exposeth his men to Butchery a thing very unacceptable to God and prejudicial to his Masters service It is needless to illustrate this with examples story is full of them and we have seen the practice of it in our own days The Imperial Lieutenant General Count Tili finding New Brandenburg an inconsiderable Town obstinately defended by Major General Kniphausen and his Suedish Garrison did at the storm forbid all quarter though he was known to be merciful enough and after he had carried the Town by Assault he told the Governour who was then Prisoner That he could not use him worse than send him to his Master the King of Sueden who he thought was oblig'd in Justice to hang him for losing him so many gallant men by his vanity and arrogant resistance And truly I think to put a few Especially those of small importance men in an obscure place or a Castle of a mean Fortification and command them to stand out against a well appointed Army or that which ordinarily passeth under the name of an Army Royal is to send them directly to the Shambles for what General will suffer himself to be so affronted and not revenge it When the French King Francis the First march'd into Italy with Instances a mighty Army the Governour of a little ill fortified Castle in Piedmont called Volane made a Sally and kill'd and plunder'd some French Baggage-men The Castle is summon'd and refusing to yield on honest conditions it is invested and forc'd to render on mercy whereof they found but little in that severe Constable Anne de Montmorancy who caused the poor Governour and his Garrison to be hang'd every mothers son Another Castle held out against Charles the Fifth when he retir'd to Italy out of Provence but being forc'd to yield the Garrison receiv'd the like usage every man of it being forc'd to end his life on a Gallows Yet sometimes the condition of the War and the circumstances of it require Yet sometimes Ratio Belli requires it that a Governour and his Garrison should rather fight to death than accept of any agreement and this is when time must be given for gathering or joyning of
those who have Articles The first Class we may sub-divide into those who have quarter verbally promis'd them and those who submit to the mercy of the Victor Of all these and each of these I shall say one word in general that though quarter be promis'd by inferiour Officers or Souldiers or that the vanquish'd hoping for mercy yield without any such promise he who commands in chief provided he be on the place may put all those Prisoners to the Sword for quarter given by the Inferiour signifies nothing till it be confirm'd by him who commands on the place and then the Prisoners have quarter That chief Commander may order them all to be kill'd without any imputation of breach of Faith or Justice as not being tyed by any promise his inferiour hath made and this he may do by the Law of War and that is grounded on the law and custome of Nations and if you will believe Cyrus and the Ahtenians it is grounded on the Law of Nature by which Prisoners of War may be used as the Victor pleaseth And Grotius says In Captivos quicquam impune fieri and Captivi Jure Belli occidi possunt What a General may do with Prisoners of War Suppose still that no quarter hath been promis'd by him who commands in chief on the place But though I say a General may do this by the Law of War yet he cannot do it without the imputation of horrible cruelty and inhumanity except in some cases And though Jure Belli they may be kill'd yet without invincible reasons to kill men in cold blood is not the part of a man for they cast up their account that the bitterness of death is past and therefore they should not be put to death unless he who inflicts it can produce as good a warrant for it as he could who hewed the King of the Amalekites in pieces after Saul had given him quarter The Heathen Tacitus could say Trucidare deditos saevum It is cruelty to kill those who submit Yet you will Cruelty to kill Prisoners in cold blood see anon that Christian Prisoners of War have been put to death in cold blood by Christian Princes and Generals without any other Authority for their so doing than what the Law of War gave them But after Quarter is confirmed or granted by the General the question is Whether upon the emergency of three several accidents they may not be put to the Sword The first is if an Enemy rally after a Battle is won and make Whether Prisoners may not be killed after Quarter given them by the General In three cases or offer to make a fierce onset the victorious Army not being so strong to oppose the charge and guard the Prisoners from whom also danger is to be expected This was Henry the fifth of Englands case at Agencourt where for the same reasons 6000 French Prisoners by his order were in an instant put to the Sword Froissard passionately relates to us the sad fate of about one thousand French men who were taken Prisoners and had fair quarter given them by John King of Portugal in a battle that he fought with one of his own name King of Castile the story was briefly this The King of Castile having a just pretence to the Crown of Portugal to which in hatred of the Castillans the Portugueses had advanced a Bastard invades Portugal with a great Army in which were many French Auxiliaries The Portuguese King being reinforced with a considerable number of English Archers resolves to fight The French would needs have the point which was given them with much indignation by the Castillans who lag'd behind them at a very great distance These French valiantly fighting are routed and most of the thousand I spoke of are taken thereafter the Castillans advanced with a resolution to fight the Portuguese seeing he was to fight a new Battle commanded under pain of Death every man to kill his Prisoner which was instantly performed with much pity and compassion and not without the sad tears of those who massacred them The second case is when an Army is retiring and a powerful Enemy fiercely pursuing it will be dangerous to leave your Prisoners behind you and forward you can hardly bring them And the third is When you are reduced to great penury and want of meat whether you had not better kill your Prisoners than let them starve for if you maintain them they insensibly cut your throat by eating your bread All these three cases Grotius comprehends in these words Si Captivorum multitudo oneri aut periculo sit If sayes he the multitude of your Prisoners be dangerous or burthensome in these cases he adviseth rather to dismiss them than kill them I think he speaks like a good Christian but I am afraid that they who lead Armies will think by such mercies they will prove cruel to themselves and treacherous to their Prince and when in any of these cases they are put to death often their numbers occasion their destruction which in other cases the same Gâ—otius would have to be the cause of their safety But the Prince or Generals promise of fair quarter admits â—a salvo for notorious To whom Quarter ought not to be given Thieves Robbers Murtherers such as have deserted their service and run over to the Enemy or have broke their Oath of fidelity ought not to be comprehended in this promise nor can it save them from the stroke of Justice Indeed if they get Articles signed for their lives these Articles should be religiously observed for faith should be kept to the worst of men Neither can the promise of Quarter secure Rebels from that death Rebellion deserves for nothing can save them but the mercy of the Sovereign Prince or State against whom the crime is committed Yet my humble opinion should be That when What to be done with Rebels Rebellion is come to that growth that she is not ashamed to take her mask off and that the success of Rebels hath clothed them with usurped Authority Princes and States should rather suffer Quarter though without Articles to be kept to those of them who are taken Prisoners than provoke them to shed the blood of loyal persons on Scaffolds as hath been done too oft for it is not to be doubted but Rebels will both by their Paper and leaden Bullets vindicate themselves and maintain their Authority to be lawful and roar out these distinctions which yet make our Ears tingle of the Prince his virtual and personal power of his legal and personal capacity Having told you who hath power to give Quarter and having spoken of Prisoners who yield on discretion Prisoners who yield upon promise of Quarter let us speak next of those who submit to the Victors discretion and have no promise of Quarter who certainly may be put to the edge of the Sword without any imputation of breach of Faith or promise yet not without the
imputation of cruel inhumanity They do not indeed transgress against the Laws of War nor Nations who shed their blood but they sin against humane nature which commiserates frailty and against the Laws of Christ The Duke of Alva and his Son Don Frederick Inhumanity to kill them broke no faith nor promise to the Garrison and Inhabitants of Harlem and Narden in Holland who had submitted to their mercy when they beheaded hanged and butchered to death many thousands of them but that horrible action Duke of Alva and his son of theirs hath left an eternal stain of inhumane cruelty on their names as it will do on all those who imitate their bloody example The Duke of Burgundy Charles the Warlike Besieged and Battered Granson a Town belonging to Charles Duke of Burgundy the Switsers the Garrison consisting of 800 men yielded to his mercy which was such as that he put them all to the Sword But here vengeance pursued him close for within a very few dayes he was shamefully beaten by the Switzers who were but a handful of men in comparison of his numerous Army Commonly three reasons are given for putting those to death who yield on discretion Reasons given for it First Obstinacy in holding out Secondly To terrify others Thirdly To use Legem Talionis when the Prince or General of the other party hath formerly used the like severity To the first to hold out gallantly and resolutely so long as there are any hopes of a Relief is not a crime in it self but if accidentally a Garrison have provoked the Besieger to revenge it will be Answer to the first reason more gallantly done to refuse all Parley discharge all Quarter and in the fury put all to the Sword than to kill them in cold blood yet it is frequently done But Torstenson the Sweedish Felt-Marshal did generously when he resolved to put a Danish Garrison of 600 men to the Sword who were in a Sconce of the Dutchy of Holstein he refused all Parley and Treaty and in the Storm killed them every man Yet this action of his smelled too rank of revenge for it was thought all this blood was shed because a Sweedish Admiral called Flemyng was killed with a Cannon Bullet out of that Sconce The second reason to kill men ad terrorem to terrifie others hath no shew of reason in it for why should To the second men be terrified from doing their duty Shall a Governour yield his Fort for fear the Besiegers may kill him if he yield it not when he deserves to be hanged by his own Prince if he should yield it for any such reason To the third reason it is answered That by the Law of Nature in justice and equity To the third Talio can only be used against the person or persons who committed the crime and therefore it is a trangression against the Law of Nature and a high injustice to put a Garrison to the Sword which either doth yield or would yield to mercy only because the Prince or General of the other party did so for none of this Garrison now to be butchered were partakers of that crime But this lex talionis is pretended too often for killing men after they have got Articles and that is worst of all whereof I shall speak hereafter But other reasons may Other reasons alledged and answered be given for this killing of those who submit to discretion which the Germans call genad and ungenad that is mercy or no mercy as when the Prisoners are too numerous a powerful Enemy expected or the Souldiers are apt to mutiny if they get not the spoil To the last I say lives and the blood of men are no spoil nor booty to the other two better have refused as I said before all Treaty and Parley Yet this was the case of San Joseph and 700 Italian Souldiers at Smerwick in Ireland who yielded themselves to the mercy of the Lord Grey Deputy of that Kingdom the Officers had their lives spared all the Irish were hanged and the Italians put to the edge of the Sword and when this was told to Queen Elizabeth that heroick Princess who detested the killing of those who yielded she was exceedingly displeased nor would she accept of any excuses or allegations I have told you in another place how Prisoners of War were used by the Antients let us take a view what usage many of them have met with in our Modern Wars The Mexicans or Tenustitans used to sacrifice their Prisoners to their Idols or to the Sun The Cannibals to fat them kill them and eat Horrible cruelties them A Parthian King took Valerian a Roman Emperour on whose neck that barbarous Prince ordinarily set his foot when he mounted his Horse and at length did fley him quick Tamberlan used Bajazet the great Turk ill enough yet did he suffer him to be his own Bourreaâ— Mahomet the Great took some of Scanderbegs Captains and fley'd them quick and in that â—oâ—â—ent he kept them fifteen dayes alive the like cruelty he used to a poor King of Caraâ—annia He put also to death all who had any relation to the Imperial families of Constantinople and Trapesund But it were well if these cruelties had been only exercised by Heathens and Infidels but it is pity so many Christians have taken licence to themselves to deal mercilesly with their Prisoners even those who profess the same faith in Christ who gave no warrant to his followers to mask cruelty with that Law or Custome of Nations whereof Cyrus spoke to his Captains and the Althenian Embassadours to the Melitans Heathens killed sometimes those who had got quarter so have Christians done too often In the Civil Wars of France it was practised many times by the parties of both perswasions to put Man Woman and Child to the Sword or lead them out to some River and drown them We read of a Protestant Colonel A devilish act who for his sport forced all his Prisoners except one to leap from the top of a high Steeple certainly this mirth of his was mixed with much mischief In these Wars though Commanders in chief might though not without cruelty put Prisoners to death to whom their inferiors had promised Quarter yet I wonder how others below them and of a mean condition usurped that same power and were never either punished reproved or reprehended for it At the Battle of Dreux Saint Andrew Marshal of France had Quarter given him by a Gentleman who mounted him on the croup of his Horse having no other to give him but one Banbigni pretending the Marshal had once wronged him at Court shot him through the head for which barbarous act he was never punished by the Admiral of France who commanded the Quarter basely broke Protestant Army the Prince of Conde being made Prisoner at the same Battle More generous was Prince Portian who though he had received many real injuries from Monmorancy
Constable of France yet when he saw him Prisoner at that same Battle of Dreux he gave him his hand and offered him all the service he could do him The Prince of Conde had fair Quarter given him at the Battle of Jarnac but was thereafter inhumanly shot through the head by a private Gentleman nor was ever the Murtherer called in question for it But these may seem but peccadilloes to the cruelties which are related by Historians of some of which I shall give you a touch In a Sea Battle fought about the year 1253. between the Venetians and Genueses Merciless inhumanities with the last whereof some of the Emperour of Greece his Ships were joyned the Venetian fleet was routed all the Prisoners who fell to the Genoways share were put to death every Mothers Son but the Greeks pretended they would deal more mercifully with their Captives and I will tell you how they exercised it They put out both their eyes set them a shore and so sent them to look for their fortunes so true is it what Truth it self hath told us That the mercies of the wicked are cruel As Charles of Burgundy Besieged Nancy the Lorreiners endeavoured to enter the Town which some performed but one Cifron a prime Gentleman was taken and had quarter given him but the Duke against all Law and Equity would have him hanged the Gentleman desired to speak privately with the Duke before his death intending to reveal to him the horrid Treason plotted against him by his Favourite the Count Campobacchio but that obstinate Prince would not hear him and so the poor Gentleman was hanged upon which followed the loss of the Dukes Army honour and life The pretended reason he gave for hanging Cifron was It was as he said a capital crime to offer to enter into a Town that was Invested and Besieged by a Prince and against which he had made use of Ordnance a thing in those dayes sometimes practised by the Italians and Spaniards but now deservedly out of fashion Charles of Anjou Brother to the French King Louis A King and an Arch-duke Prisoners of War beheaded the Saint did worse than all this for having taken the title of King of Naples and Sicily by the donation of Pope Martin it happened that he took Conradin the true proprietary of these Kingdoms prisoner and with him Frederick Arch-Duke of Austria and beheaded them both publickly on a Scaffold and with them a considerable number of the Nobility of those Kingdoms who were all Prisoners of War an action so much the more execrable that it was committed by a Christian King and by the instigation of a Pope who assumed to himself the title of Head of the Church This cruel King had a Son who was called Charles the Halting a Prince of a sweet disposition who had like to have paid dear for his Fathers sin he was taken at a Sea-fight by Roger de Lorra that famous Admiral of Arragâ—n and in Siâ—â—ly condemned to dye in that same manner as the other two Princes had done but the sentence of death being brought to him on a Friday morning his answer was He was well contented to dy on that day on which his Saviour suffered the death of the Cross which being reported to the Religious Queen Constance who was then Regent in Sicily for her Husband Peter King of Arragon she said That for his sake who dyed that day for all Believers Charles should live and so saved him But it was not in her power to hinder the revengeful Sicilians to sacrifice on a Scaffold the heads of two hundred French Gentlemen all taken with Prince Charles to appease How revenged the Ghosts of the murdered Conradin and Frederick This they thought was Lex Talionis though indeed it was nothing like it Take one of a later date When A detestable act of a Count of Nassaw Count Lodowick of Nassaw otherwise a brave and a worthy Gentleman had deâ—eated and killed the Count of Arembergh at Wirschot in the Province of Groninghen he took many Spaniards Prisoners whom he hanged every Mothers Son a most disavowable act The Duke of Alva that severe Governour of the Netherlands did not at all challenge him for his cruelty much less that he had done any thing against the Law of War or Nations but looking on it as an indignity done to the Spanish Nation since Lodowick had used the men of no other Country with so much severity he revenged it as most wise men of those times thought by putting to death shortly after under the pretext of justice great numbers of the Dutch In one day he beheaded on the Sandhil of Bruxels eighteen Lords and Gentlemen of quality the next day he caused six or seven prime men to be tortured to death and a few days after that caused the Earls of Egmond and Horne to be beheaded publickly on a Scaffold at Bruxels This had nothing of Lex Talionis in it none of these Lords or Gentlemen having been accessary to that Action of Count Lodowick But was there ever Turk more merciless to men who had Quarter promised them than an Italian of whom I am now to tell you When the Imperialists Besieged Florence Volterri revolted from the Florentines who sent one Ferrucci to reduce it to obedience he entred the Castle which held out for Florence and by it the City where he committed extream cruelties killed many Souldiers and took fourteen Spaniards to whom Quarter was promised but when they thought themselves secure the merciless Ferrucci alledging Unspeakable cruelty of an Italian to his Prisoners that some of their Country men had once taken him and given him a very spare Dyet threw them all into a dark Dungeon where he famished the poor wretches to death and then hanged their Carcasses about the Walls What do you think of this Lex Talionis May not a man say without wrong to charity that this Italian if it had been in his power would have tortured these poor mens Souls as well as their Bodies nor did he keep any agreement made to the poor Citizens but hanged some and plundâ—red all and spared neither Church nor Cloyster The same Ferrucci being summoned shortly after to deliver up the Town to Maramaldo one of the Imperial Generals against the Law of Arms he hanged the Trumpeter this action sounded loud for revenge which quickly overtook him for being thereafter beaten by the Imperialists he is taken Prisoner and brought to that same Maramaldo who after Revenged by the like outragious Language caused him to be disarmed and then killed him with his own hand an ignoble act of Maramaldo but too good a death for Ferrucci But before I go out of Italy hear another barbarous usage of a Prisoner in that same Rencounter a Florentine Gentleman one Amico d'Arsoli was taken Prisoner fair Quarter was given him and he had his ransome paid but by A barbarous usage of â— Prisoner the