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
of the riuer is shallow or otherwise most conuenientlye to be passed thē to carry away the enemy by colour of some attēpt in another place after to retourne vnto the same by night or secretelie to lodge some sufficiēt parte of the armye behinde to passe the same inuade the enemie on a sodayne at their backe while the other parte of the armye proceadeth before in the viewe gaze of the enemy For the polityke Captayne oughte nothinge lesse to pretende in shewe then that whiche in purpose he intendeth For so haue famous Cityes bene surprised on the sodayne vnprouided while a counterfaite preparation hath bene made by the enemye a power lead an other waye sometime againste a secrete friende being in apparāce an enemy till they haue both ioygned to the mischiefe of a third partye so is it a practise at the syege of a Towne to bende encline al force batterie in shewe to one side of the sāe whē a secrete power is prepared to skale surprise it on sōe other parte little regarded or defended Hanno a Captayne of Carthage being streightlie besyeged within a trenche he enclosed himselfe most stronglye as it seemed on that parte where he purposed to breake forthe which he afterwardes setting on fire escaped thorough wyth his armie the enemies geuing no watche vnto that place Nabides at the syege of Lacedaemon set fire on a parte of the Towne where enemies weare entred by the trouble thereof with a fresh assaulte made of the Townesmen draue thē out agayne Hanniball on a time driuen into a streyght by Fabius the Romayne so that hee was enforced by a great enconueniēce to passe a hill where the armie of Fabius lay on the top thereof he therefore caused linkes brādes to be fastened vnto the hornes of a great nūber of oxen which weare in the campe setting thē on fire by night the cattail were driuē with great noise larum vp to the enemies campe which hearinge the terrible noise of the beastes whē they felt the force of the fire also being ama zed with the sight as though they stoode in doubt to fight with the dyuell that made such a whorlye burlie Hannibal the whilest quietly cōueied ouer his armie Diuers Captaynes whē they haue bene hardlie pursued or let in like passage by the enemy they haue setled their armies and begonne trenches as thoughe they would haue rested theare or ioygned battaile shortlye withe the enemye which markinge obseruinge the same hath encamped made the like preparation whilest that the other haue vsed oportunitie to passe suche ryuers hilles or gayne such groūde as they desired Also the excellent Captaines haue accustomed when they vnderstoode that the enemie had made strongest the front or some other singuler part of his battaile they haue sett against the flanke or weakest side theareof Some other haue suffered them selues to be enclosed by the enemies armie to the ende that the same beeinge brought out of order they woulde breake thoroughe the weakest parte theareof whiche hath happened to the great hurt of the enemie Manye thinges theare are to be obserued which geue great aduaūtage in the ioygninge of battaile as if thou canst trayne thy enemie into a streight or valley thy selfe to possesse the hilles on bothe sides as Hanniball caught the Romaine armie at Cannae And alwayes it is good policie to haue the higher ground of the enemy and to haue the aduauntage of the winde and the sunne for the same being in the face of the enemie thou maist sett furthe a part of thine armye to inuade his battaile on the one side or at the backe that their sight being troubled they shall not perceaue wheare about thou goest wheareby also if thou haue any ambushe in anye trenche wood or couert laide as he shall marche he is more apte to come into the same vndiscouered then sodaine daungers when they be not knowen or perfectlie sene are the more feared As the experience hereof was had by Epaminondas a famous Captayne of Grecia which supplyed this aduantage of the sonne another waye hee caused his light horsemen in verie dustie wayes to make an attempte vpon the enemye and shortlie to withdrawe and gallop backe before thē the whilest Epaminondas came about vppon them on the one syde before they coulde discerne the order of his battaile for the dust that was raysed so easelie vanquished them The like practise maye be by a pyle of wood or olde hedges in the waye of the enemyes sette on fire to rayse a smoke for a impedyment of their sighte till some enterprise bee atchyeued Where the one parte is exceading stronge by store of horsemen or of shott it is vndoubtedlie for the aduantage and sauftie of the other to keepe in rough groundes or neare some bankes hilles or woodes also to keepe their armie close that the horse men or shot be verie nigh vpon them before they bringe foorth their battaill So shall not the shott haue leasure or leuell to discharge likelie to hurte and horses in suche groundes disordered and leapinge one vpon an others backe for lacke of roome shall loose their force to take the starte vpō the enemie Great policie also it is if thou canst come with thy armie freshe vpon the enemie wearied with muche trauaile or beinge in anie mutine amonge thē selues weakened or discouraged by want of victualles or anie other perplexitie or distresse by ill tydinges out of their countrey or some losse else where sustayned before the same bee salued or supplyed by anie later victorye or other good happe fallen vnto them and it hathe been vsed cūninglie to coygne and cast abrode imagined rumours of mischiefes towardes to appall and dismaye the enemie Manie singuler and famous exploytes and victories haue been had done when the enemie hath been surprysed on the sodaine in disorder or by nighte for want of good espyall when hee hathe not doubted anie daunger and therefore it is good to bee circumspect and readie to stande still vpon guarde and defence and little to truste the enemie duringe the warres Titus Didius beinge weaker then his enemie which was remouinge to encoūter a legion comminge into his ayde to staye that purpose hee publyshed thoroughe out all his armie that he entended the next daye to fighte the fielde and suffered certaine prysoners colourablie to escape which freshlie coulde so orthe those newes when they retourned into their campe whereby the enemie stayed and the other sauflie receaued the succour sent vnto him ¶ To breake or disorder the battaile of the enemye Cap. 2. OTher policyes there are to be remembred and practised when a battayle is orderlie sette to breake or trouble the same and this is one to geue out with great noyse duringe the fight that the generall on the other syde is slayne or that parte of hys battaile duringe the fighte flyeth or to make some sodaine shewe to be a terrour
vnto them As Caius Sulpitius caused a manie of Pages vnder Romaine ensignes with bad cast horses cartes trumperie to make a great muster shew sodainelye vpon a hyll within sight whyle he was a fightinge with the Frenchmen whiche thereby being discomfited he obtayned the victorie But it is of greater effecte if in deede there be a troupe closelie conueyed or an ambushe layed on the sodaine to inuade the enemyes fightynge at their backe whiche maye most conuenientlie be done where there be hilles or couert nyghe Hanniball in a battaile against kynge Eumenes threwe earthen pottes full of snakes and vipers amonge his enemies wherewith they were presentlie frighted and disordered The Spaniardes against the armie of the Carthaginoys led by Amilcar put in their fronte Cartes full of Towe drawen with Oxen and ioygninge to fighte they kyndeled fire in the same by force whereof the Oxen thrust furth into the battaile of the enemyes and opened it The lyke hathe been done with Cartes full of hookes by great power enforced and dryuen vppon the fronte of the enemies For the auoydinge whereof Sylla the Romaine planted Pyles stakes before his battaile whereby the Cartes were stopped and dyd not hurte The lyke daunger maye bee auoyded by geeuynge waye vnto suche engyns thorough spaces prepared in the fronte or first rankes till they may bee turned a syde by which practise also great power and fierce assaulte of horsemen hath beecome vayne Nowe to remedie sodaine mischiefes whiche maye fall and to staye the armie from fearefull flight before there be cause there bee two firme and necessarie rules constantlie to bee kepte the one is that no man for anie sodaine chaunce terrour shewe by any practise or assault of the enemie made by daye or by night take anie other waye or purpose but to fight couragiouslie till there be certaine signe geuen by the generall to retyre or otherwise to deale The other rule is that the Captayne circumuented or deceaued by the enemie seeme to doe the same willinglie whiche hee is enforced vnto Tullus Hostilius in battayle seinge howe a bande of his hyred souldiours was tourned vnto the enemye whereby hys menne were muche troubled and affrayed hee foorthwith gaue vnderstandinge throughe oute the armie that there was nothinge done but by his commaundemēt and for a good purpose Scipio goinge to inuade Affryke hadde before made league and frendship with Syphax kinge of Numidia whiche afterwarde reuoltinge sent him worde that he woulde be a frende vnto the other parte but Scipio concealed this message from his souldiours and sayde that hee sent vnto him to make haste on the iourneye Moreouer yf parte of the armye flye be-before the whole battayle be moued and broken the wise and valiaunt Captaine may by vehemēt perswasions meanes bringe thē backe especially the hardynes noble courage of the general may auayle hearein As Lucius Silla in a battayle againste Mithridates certayne of hys legions or bandes beinge put to flyght he gott before thē with his swearde drawē crying if any aske you of your Captaines saye we lefte him in the fielde figh ting Phillip king of Macedon vnderstanding that his men feared the Scythiās placed behinde his armie certaine of his most trustie horsemen gaue commaundement to keape in and turne vpon the enemyes such as shoulde flye that they might bee slayne both of them and of their friendes wheareby his souldiours determininge rather to dye honourablye to the benefite of their Countrey thē with shame to the hurt thereof they became Conquerours Some Captaines to geue occasion to the souldiours to vse greater endeuour and to put out their force thoroughlye haue throwen an ensigne amongest the enemyes and appointed rewarde to him which could recouer it againe And whē they enemye lodgeth within streyghtes trenches or places enuirōned with hilles meanes may bee founde to prouoke him to battaile by cuttinge of his foragers and prouision of victualles or to faine that thou remouest to some other enterprise withdrawinge till hee be dislodged But Paulus Aemilius in Macedonia to encounter and deale with the Armye of Perses restinge at the foote of the hill Olympus in a place maruailouslye by nature enuironned by arte fortified hee conueyed his armye secretelye by night vp the stepe vnhaunted wayes of the hill not suspected or watched of the enemye so that he came downe the more sodainlie vppon them to their greater spoile losse Cato Maior by the verie same means came vpon Antiochus beinge stronglye guarded defended in the streyghtes of Thermopylae in Graecia at which enterprise the kinge Antiochus being greatly hurte with a stone his armie fledde Scipio the excellent Captaine goinge to subdue Afrique procured in so great warres the aide of K. Masinissa whom shorthe after his arryuall there he sēt to prouoke Hanno generall on the other side for the Carthaginois to fight who seing the small number with Masinissa led proceaded against him with all his power on a heape and the other after a feawe blowes fayninge to flye brought the enemy foorth vnto Fooles baye vpō the hoast of Scipio which he had arrayed and sett in excellent order of battaile readye to receaue the enemie So was Hanno there slayne and his disordered Armie put to flyghte Then Scipio purposinge the syege of the Citye Vtica and hearinge of the comminge of Hasdruball and Syphax with a myghtye power agaynst him hee planted his Armye vpon an hyll wheare he might saue and defende his nauye and also with sum̄ aduauntage fighte wyth the enemye And when he had vnderstandynge that the enemyes had setled bothe their campes nyghe and that their tentes weare made wythe woode and bull rushes warme for the wynter time he sent Masinissa and. C. Laelius to sett fire on thē by night and with all to assayle Syphax whyche done the fire also taketh Hasdruballes campe the Carthaginoys runninge foorth in heapes vnto the broyle they fell all into the Romaynes hādes So that theare weare then slaine almost xl thousande of them Thus mightie powers be by policie smothelie vanquished and great estates lyghtlie ouerthrowen wyse men seing the rocke wheareon other men wracke are warned and waxe ware taking by their losse a lesson to guyde their owne affayres ¶ Aduertysementes how the armye that is weaker then the enemyes may growe stronger or saue it selfe Cap. 3. IT is a policie in this case to drawe vnto thee sum̄ of the enemyes friendes or ayde by promise of great thinges hope of large dominyon benefites to follow or by practise to sowe discētion or mislike betwene thē as when Siphax king of Numidia had ioygned league with the Romaines to ayde thē in the warres of Afrique the Carthaginois sent Ambassadours vnto him declaringe the ambition of the Romaines howe by litle litle they sought cūninglie to subdue al other Princes being once entred into Afrique that they would not cease till they had obtayned it all wheareof his Countreye was
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
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