they commanded all Italy they might justly stand in fear of such an Enemy in Italy as the King of France may be thereunto And so consequently that the present King of Spain whose power is by very many degrees inferiour and not equal to the Romans hath very great and just occasion to doubt and fear the French King for it is written that Hannibal who was the greatest enemy that ever the Romans had who in my simple conceit was the most wise politique and valiant Captain that ever lived who knew the strength of the Romans and how they might well and conveniently be annoyed by any Prince that would undertake Wars against them better then any General of former Age or of our time doth or can know being driven after the ruin and destruction of Carthage to fly for succour and for his last refuge unto King Antiochus delivered unto him for his sound and setled opinion that Italy was a Country that was able to yeild unto any forrain Enemy both Souldiers and Victuals against it self and yet whosoever would attempt any enterprise either secretly or openly against Italy must take the advantage of some Conspiracy Tumult or Commotion to be moved within the very bowels and entralls of Italy for that if the Romans might wholly enjoy and imploy the only forces and strength thereof there was never any King or any Nation that might justly and truly compare with the Romans Then if Italy be such a Country as undoubtedly it appeareth to be by Hannibals Testimony If it be able to yeild releif to Forrainers if the next way to win it be to have a partie and partakers in it who can be thought wise that shall be of opinion the Spaniard is of so great power and Authority in Italy that he should not need to fear the French Kings might or puissance Shall he not be feared because some men perhaps think him not able to set forth an Army sufficient to encounter with the Spanish Forces Why it is written that Alexander the Great who conquered mightier Princes then the present King of Spain is never had in amy Army above 30000. Foot-men and 4000. Horse-men It is writen that the very Romans whose power was such as you have heard it to be never used greater Forces against any forrain enemy then an Army of 40. or 50m. at the most Lastly it is Recorded that the Spanish Kings Father held an opinion for many reasons him thereunto moving that an Army of the same number and quality which Alexander used was without all doubt and controversie sufficient for any Prince whatsoever against any enemy was he never so mighty Again shall he not be feared because his Treasure is not equal unto the Spaniards Golden Mines Why it is true that money and Gold are the very sinews of War it is an infallible Maxime we hold it for a most ancient and over-ruled Rule but if riches had been the best and only means to subdue Nations never had the poor Romans at their first beginning nor the needy Swizzers in their Wars against the rich Duke of Burgundy nor the beggarly Normans in the Infantry of their Chivalry obtained such Victories and Conquests as they did But grant that the Spaniard needeth not fear any Enemy in Italy unless he be as mighty as the Romans both in money and in men If the French King shall be found to be such an enemy will the Spaniards favourers confess that he is worthy to be feared If they should not you would hold them to be senceless And if in this Point concerning the annoying of the Spaniard in Italy I prove him not in some manner equal to the Romans I can be content that my slender Reputation shall suffer any manner of indignity Titus Livius and many other Authors of the like Authority and Credit make true and large mention of the harms of the indignities and of the damages which the Romans sustained by Hannibal They report how he passed the Alpes with great difficulty brought in forces into Italy with great danger ruled his Souldiers with great dexterity provided things necessary for them with singular wisdom and providence won divers Princes of Italy to join with him and them with great Wit and Policy Lastly proceeded on his journey with so great courage and magnanimity prevailed in his enterprises with so good success and fortune terrified and daunted the invincible hearts and stomachs of the Romans with so many unexpected and notable Victories that they had no other way to be rid of him but to send Scipio to War in Affrica and by besieging Carthage to call him home to the releif of Carthage Now for the better proof of my purpose give me leave I pray you to compare the Spaniard and the Romans the French King and Hannibal together a Molehil indeed with a Mountain an Eagle in truth with a fly but such a Molehil and such a fly as will declare the greatness of the Mountain as will illustrate the might and vertues of the Eagle The Romans commanded all Italy The Spaniard ruleth most part of Italy they had no man in Hannibals time that durst oppose himself openly against him he hath few or none in our Age that dareth shew himself an open enemy against him they were generally feared he is undoubtedly redoubted they were assisted by their friends against Hannibal he would likewise find friends against the French King Briefly they stood upon their guard and he is not without his Garrisons But an Hannibal annoyed them when they were almost in the highest period of their pride and prosperity And why may not a French King work him annoyance when he standeth most assuredly upon his defence Shall he not be able to hurt him because the Alpes divide France and Italy and maketh the passage hard and difficult But Hannibal passed them when they were not so passable as they are now And how many times have the Frenchmen passed them since Hannibals time Shall he not find means to work him dispight and hindrance because he is not so well experienced in Wars as Hannibal was But may he not find many Captains who in these days have little less experience then Hannibal had Shall he not be sufficient to war against him in Italy because the Country is far better fortified then in Hannibals time but late experience hath taught us that those Fortifications Holds and Citadels could not stay the course of Charls the eighth King of France who passed through all Italy as a Conquerour until he came to the Kingdom of Naples which he also subdued Briefly shall he not prevail against him in Italy because the Spaniard is in League with most of the Princes hereof But Histories afford us many examples that the Italian Princes have oftentimes broken their League with the Emperour and other his Predecessors whose greatness they either feared or enveighed as they do the overgrowing power of the Spaniard at this present And why may not
these examples move them to do the like when as the like occasion of fear or of envy is offered unto them Hannibal counselled as you have heard Antiochus to war upon the Romans in Italy when they were far stronger then the Spaniards is and no man had better experience of the Romans or of Italy then Hannibal had The reasons therefore enforcing Hannibal to give that Counsel to Antiochus may as they have many times serve to move the French King to follow his counsel the rather because experience proved it to be true and Antiochus failed of his purpose because he hearkned to Hannibal's perswasion But this difficulty will be better cleared if I shall let you understand the opinion of one of the best Warriors of our Age as well touching the wealth as the strength of the French King Monsieur de la Nove who dyed but a few years past and when he lived was generally reputed and esteemed the best Captain of our time in his Book of Military discourses delivereth that the French King Henry the second levyed yearly by ordinary means of his Subjects fifteen Millions of Francks part whereof were engaged and pawned for his debts and yet saith he our King levieth no less at this day Here you see the French Kings Revenues were in some measure comparable unto the Romans For Plutarch in his before mentioned History writing of the life of Pompey who was surnamed the Great reporteth That the yearly and ordinary Revenues of the Roman Common-wealth before the Conquest obtained by Pompey came but to five Millions of Crowns which is fifteen Millions of Francks the just Revenue of the French King until that Pompey increased the same and brought it to eight Millions and 500 m Crowns and brought unto the Treasure-house ten Millions of Jewels and ready coin So if you remember that as it hath been shewed the Romans never flourished more then they did when they were governed by Consuls and not by Kings or by Emperours yea you shall see that the French King coming not much behind them in yearly Revenues may be thought in some respect equal unto them The same Mounsieur de la Nove in his twentieth Military Discourse talking of the might and puissance of the French King deliverâ—th That he may very conveniently set forth an Army of 60. Companies of men at Arms of 20. Cornets of light Horse-men and of five Companies of Harquebusiers on Horseback which were in all 10000. Horse-men besides 4000. Royters and 100. Ensigns of French Foot-men and 40. Ensigns of Swizzars and yet he shall leave his Frontier Towns sufficiently well armed and furnished with men and munition as well to defend as offend the enemy Du Haillan in his 14th Book of the History of France setteth down That Philip de Valois when as he warred with Edward the Third King of England for the Crown of France had an Army of 100 m fighting men The same Authour in his sixteenth Book writeth That Charls King of France meaning to go into England against King Richard as I take it the second brought to the Sluce in Flanders a Navy of 128â— Ships all loaden with men and munition which I have thought good to let you understand to the end you may see that if the Alps should be made unpassable by the Spaniard for the Frenchmen which was the Emperour Charls the fifth's purpose and intention to do if in his life time he could possibly have brought it to pass yet the French King is not unable or unfurnished of ships to convey and carry as his Predecessors have done a sufficient Army by Sea into Italy Plutarch in the life of Iulius Caesar recordeth that the Frenchmen came with an Army of three hundred thousand fighting men to raise Iulius Caesars Siege before Alexia a huge number and such a number as the Romans never used the like against any Forrain Enemy as the same Plutarch testifieth in the life of Fabius Maximus where he affirmeth that the greatest power which the Romans ever had against any enemy whatsoever was but eighty eight thousand souldiers and Andreas Ficcius in his book de Repub. reporteth that they seldome or never passed the number of forty or fifty thousand a less number then which Charls the fifth the present King of Spain's father held to be sufficient as I have said before to encounter with any Christian Prince and I have thought good to repeat because hearing what you have heard of the French power you may think the French King well able to annoy any King of Christendom For although I should grant that his power is weakned and he not able to arm such multitudes as his Predecessors have done for which I see no reason if he were freed of his Civil wars yet it must needs be granted that he could easily make an army of that number and therewith greatly prejudice the Spaniard in Italy especially since a Captain of valour and experience will adventure to set upon innumerable multitudes nothing fearing their number with a few well trained and experienced souldiers as Alexander the great did upon Darius his innumerable hoste and Hannibal did upon the Romans who as Polibius testifieth in his second book with scant twenty thousand feared not to fight with the Romans in Italy amounting unto seven hundred thousand footmen and seventy thousand horsemen Thus as in Revenues so in multitudes of Souldiers at the leastwise in such multitudes as they commonly used you see the French King is in some measure comparable to the Romans but especially in no respect inferiour unto Hannibal for men or money and therefore without all doubt and controversie as likely and able to war with the Spanish King within the very bowels of Italy as he was to contend with the Romans when they were strongest as all Princes are most commonly within their own Realms and Dominions especially if they have as the Romans had the same wholly and entirely to themselves But although this point touching the King of France his possibility and means to molest and trouble the Spanish King in Italy be well and sufficiently cleared by that which is said yet I cannot so leave it for I hold it convenient to let you know the opinion of his Father concerning the same matter He therefore considering the variable affections of the Princes of Italy the hidden and secret malice which they inwardly bear unto all strangers and forreigners the many pretensions which the French King hath unto Naples and Milan together with sundry prosperous attempts and journeys which of late years they have made into Italy counselled the present King of Spain his son at the time he resigned all his Kingdoms unto him a very rare and commendable act to carry a watchful and wary eye over the French King he willeth him to be jealous of his greatness and to seek all means possible to weaken him he adviseth how to war against France and how by his own
or nothing always desirous to embrace many things although he holdeth not safe any thing But of Princes I had rather deliver unto you other mens judgments then mine own opinion You have heard what the Spanish Kingdoms are and by that which hath been said you may easily conjecture that his principal force and strength cometh from Spain and Italy Countries as far different in conditions and qualities as they are distant in place and scituation Of the force of these two Countries you shall therefore hear what a learned Writer and what I who am not worthy to write hath set down for his resolute opinion I have told you long since that Guicciardine termeth the Footmen of Italy Infamia della militia And now to the same purpose because it falleth out very fit for my purpose I may not forbear to tell you that the same Authour in his ninth Book of the same History useth of the Infantry of Italy these words following All Princes that can be served with High Dutchmen Spaniards or Swizzers refuse the service of Italian Footmen because they are neither acquainted with the Customs and Orders of other Nations nor accustomed to continue long in the field The same Writer considering that some kingdoms naturally are better able to defend themselves then offend their enemies delivereth for his opinion that the Spanish King is far better able to defend his Kingdom from any Invasion to be made by the King of France then to offend or annoy the said King By which two judgments I may boldly conjecture and prove my conjecture by Nicholaus Machiavelli who hath written a whole Chapter upon this Argument that not only the Spanish King but also any other Prince whatsoever being driven when he hath occasion to offend or invade an enemy to use forrain power and mercenary Souldiers is not to be esteemed a strong and mighty Prince and that such is the state and condition of the king of Spain is manifestly proved by the places before alledged out of Guicciardine For if his Italians the principal forces of an Army always consisting of Footmen be not fit for that service and his Spaniards are better able to maintain his Realm at home then to molest his enemies abroad who can justly esteem him strong whose chiefest strength dependeth wholy upon these two Nations And now to leave the Italians as men in this respect not worthy to be had in any great reckoning and to proceed more largely in the discovery and declaration of the Spanish valour True it is that as I have said before continual use and daily experience in Martial affairs have made them of late years very famous It is also most certain and manifest that they are very patient and able to endure labour hunger and thirst light of body sparing in their diet and therefore satisfied and maintained with a little wary and politique and therefore cunning in using and inventing new Stratagems briefly so desireous of Wars that unless they have a forrain enemy they will easily fall to variance and civil discord at home But if you call to remembrance how they come to that fame which now they have attained if you consider that they are as Titus Livius testifieth of an unquiet and contentious disposition and always affecting change and alteration if you call to mind that as Paulus Iovius reporteth they have minds evermore thirsting for Rule and Government whereunto if they once attain they bend their whole force and thoughts unto the purchasing of further and higher Authority Lastly if you weigh and remember that as Piero Mexias a Spanish Historiographer saith they cannot endure to be governed by a stranger you must needs think that the before mentioned vertues may be either obscured or hindred by these later vices For let them meet with a Nation not so timerous as those with whom they had to deal of late let them follow their natural disposition and so fall at variance amongst themselves let them still cover and affect Authority and so when they should jointly help one another against their enemies proudly disdain to be ruled by their own leaders as they have done of late years Lastly let them contemn a stranger as they did the late Duke of Parma or not agree with strangers as they did in Flanders what fruit may be expected of their service or what profit can proceed of their valour It is imputed unto the Germans for a great fault that when they are ready to join with their enemies in battel they oftentimes refuse to strike a stroke before they have their due and monethly pays and for this one fault Princes make no great account of them and yet the Spaniards who are subject to this fault as well as they are commended for their loyalty and obedience in so much that some men write that they were never discontent for want of their pay But if you read either the Indian History or the Writers of their late Wars in Flanders you shall find that they have oftentimes revolted for lack of their pay yea they have banded against their Captains and their best Souldiers have resisted the commandment of their Generals This I could prove by many Examples but one notable Example shall suffice for those many At what time it was agreed betwixt the King of Spain and the States of the Low Countries that all Spaniards shall depart thence It was thought convenient and necessary by Don Iohn de Austria who was the General for the King in Flanders to appoint some principal and chief Captains to have the leading and conducting of them into Italy Whereupon Don Iohn gave express commandment unto the Kings Secretary Escovedo to assemble the Counsel of War in the Town of Antwerp and there to consult and deliberate what man was meetest for that purpose This Councel assembled made special choise of Don Alonso de Vargas who willingly accepted the charge but Iulian Romero a man of great worth and no small experience openly reâ—uâ—ed to be commanded by Don Alonso alledging for the only reason of his disobedience that it would be a great dishonour for him to go into Italy under such a Leader because that he being Master of the Camp Don Alonso had been his Souldier and De Vergas as boldly protested that since he had been thought worthy by the Counsel to govern he would not be governed nor guided by Iulian Romero The Councel acquainted Don Iohn with this contention he fearing to discontent either Romero or Vergas and doubting that if they should be discontented some great inconvenience might follow thereon commanded the Councel to chuse a third man which was the County of Mansfield Whereat Don Alonso so stormed that he complained of Don Iohn de Austria a Danderas displagad with Banners displayed as the same Don Iohn termeth it in his Letters to the king of Spain yea it seemed that he was so displeased therewith and so resolute to signifie his grief and discontentment unto the