for he sent them full soone agayne made wordes to be noysed about that the said kynge had sent hym worde as to his frende that he shulde soone go to hym Item xertorius foughte ones in a bataylle where one cam tolde hym that his constable was slayne but to th ende that his folke semblably shulde not knowe of hit wherby they shulde be a ferde he slewe with a spere that he helde the messanger Item in the tyme that hanybal descended in to ytalye for to goo vpon rome thre thousand carpenters that he ledde with hym fled from his ost vpon a nyght and whan he knewe it bicause his folke shulde not be putte in noo feere nor abassed therfore He made wordes to be cast throughe â—ut hys oost that they were soo goon by hys comaundement and for to gyue credence and feyth to thees wordes he sent yet dyuers other awaye that he knewe sholde doo lytel good and that were symply armed Item a tyme that Lentulus had assembled a grete oost for to be fyght hys enemyes and had taken in his companye a cohorte of macedonyens for to helpe hym a cohorte is vj C lxvj men But when he trowed to haue ben holpen of them they dide aduyse hem self soone and out of hys oost departed and went to that other partye And when Lentulus that dyuers many tournes of armes knewe saw this he was not abahysshed but coude wel take hem by they re owne barat and also to th eÌ„de that his oost shÌ„uld haue noo feere therfore he made to be noysed a bout that for the nonys he had sent hem bifore for to medle and assemble fyrst with the enemyes And for to gyffe a bettre byleue to this thynge he departed soone and folowed theym wherby it happed al in effette that wher fore he dide soo For the aduersaryes that sawe the macedonyens comynge wende that hit had be trewe and that they had come ayenst theym for to haue the first bataylle tourned toward them and bygan strongly to lanche vpon them and so of force they muste make deffence whether they wolde or not And Lentulus was atte that other parte that in the meane while enuaysshed hys enemyes and by thys manere of waye he had the said Macedonyens to his helpe whether they wolde or not in so muche that he had the vyctorie ¶ Of Acoriolo duke of Dace of Fuluyus nobilius of Pamynodas of Fabyus maximus of Scypion Affrycan the second of Xertoryus and yet of Pomodas duke of Athenes ¶ Capitulo vjo· THat tyme that the rommayns were in dyscencyon the one ayenst the other and duryng the cyuyle werre where dyuerse natyons had syn the tyme of they re prosperyte conceyued a grete enuye and dysdayne ayenst theym semed by especyall to them of dace that the tyme was come that they might wel renne vpon hem And where they had dyuerse tymes admonested byfore thys they re duke Acorâ—alo for to doo soo whiche wolde not be agreable therunto he atte he last by cause that they pressed hym so sore and for to gyue hem a knowlage by an example dide make dyuers dogges to be brought byfore hym in a place byfore the palays and were sette that one vpon that other in so muche that they bigan strongly to be fyght eche other But in the moost strengthe of they re bataille when it semed that they were moost angry and fyers that nothinge coude departe hem he made a wolffe of whiche he was purâ—eyed a fore to kepe emonges hem assoone as the dogges sawe hym they lâ—fte the bataille that they had togider emonge hem and they al of one acoorde runne a noone vpon the wolffe and by this example shewed the said duke to his men that what soeuere awerre that eny nacyon haue emonge eche other they shall not suffre therfore that a strauÌ„ger shall hurte hem but rather they wold make accorde togider for to â—eÌ„ne vpon hym ¶ Item Fuluyus nobilius hed capytayne of the ost of Romayns fonde hym self ones so nyghe taken by them of Samoys that nede and force was to hym for to abyde the bataylle of the whiche thinge by cause that he knewe wel that his folke were sore a ferde by cause that they re enemyes were of more quantyte than they were he dyde aduyse hym self for to take awaye they re feere by thys cawteâ—â—e He sayd vnto hys folke and made hit to be cryed and publyed thrughe al his oost that he had tourned vnto hym for money the hertes of a hole legyon of the Samytes And that they shuld Ioyne with hym whan the bataylle shulde begynne for to helpe hym ¶ And by cause they shuld byleue bettre thys thynge he borowed of theym al the golde and the syluere that they might make as though hit had be for to prepare the said folke A legion of men is in nombre vj thousand vj C lxvj So it happed that for hope of this the romayns toke so grete a boldnes in theire corages that they enuaysshed hardyly prondly ranne vpon they re enemyes whiche they fonde al ynoughe dyspurueyed by cause that they preysed hem so lytel setted nought by them for cause that they were so fewe folke to the syght of theym and so the romayns vaynquissled the Samytes and gate the felde vpon hem ¶ Item Pamynodas the worthy duke of Thebes shulde ones fyght ayenst theym of Lacedemonye So dide he see in hym self for a subtylyte wherby the strengthe hardynes of corage might growe in hys men He made hem al to come byfore hym and sayd thus al ahighe in audyence that he wolde aduise hem of that that to his knowlege was come for a trouthe It was that the Lacedemonyens had ordeyned affirmably that yf they had the vyctorye they shulde kylle and slee al the men and the women of Thebes and that they shulde dystroye the cyte and shulde take the chyldren in to thraldome perpetuelly For this denoncyacyon they of Thebes moeued with grete yre anger dide fight sore as men that sette nought by they re lyues and ouercame the Lacedemonyens that more folke were without comparyson ¶ Item Fabyus maximus shuld fyght ones ayenst hys ennemyes and was hys oost enforced ryght wel with pales and of stronge lodgys wherfore he doubted that hys folke shulde not fyght strongely ynoughe for cause of the places where they had they re wythdrawht and refut were so sure And therfore he made to be sette all a fyre or euere he began to fyght ¶ Item whan Scypion the seconde Affrycan conduytte hys seconde oost in Affryke hit happed hym to falle to the grounde whan he yssued out of hys shippe he soone behilde the contenaunce of his folke perceyued that they toke this fall for an euyll token that they were al redy as dysconforted therfore Thenne aduysed the ryght wise werryour in hym self of a wise worde for to saie wherby he myght gyue surtye to hÌ„is peple
within the engyns may smyte grete strokes with this maste ayenst the walles and so shaken that they be all astonyed wyth all whiche engyne gyueth hys strokes euen soo as a raÌ„me doeth whan he reculeth a bak for to hurte whith hys hornes and therfore is thys engyne called a Mouton ¶ Item the fourthe is called vygne of whyche men vse but selden but yf it be to a grete effort It is made of grete tymber and it hath viij fote of brede and xvj of lengthe and is couerd wyth hyrdell is horsdonge to th ende that stones may not hurte hym and enuyromed al aboute wyth hydes rowhÌ„ for the fyre Vndre the same engyne ben the men of armes that percen the walle and vpon powâ—t leveiz that be made faste therto whiche are called flyghyng brygges and may reche vnto the walles they sette and dresse vp they re ladders to dyuers stallages ¶ Item the v engyn is yet of more grete strengthe and lasse in vsage by cause that it byhoueth not but to the sawtes of grete and notables cytees or fortres and stronge places sore desyred where as a syege be kepte by longe leyser Thys engyn is called Towre It is an edyfyce made of grete tymber and of tablementes with many loftes and stallages And therfore saithe vegece that so grete an edyfyce ought to be wel kepte It behoueth hym to be couered that may wyth lamynes of yron lest fyre sholde be caste or sette therin or at the leste wyth hydes rowhÌ„ all fressle To the whiche engynes men gyuen lyght after as they be hyghe or lowe For som be of xxx fote som of L And namely somÌ„ there ben so highe that not onely they surmonten the walles but also the highest towres Thys engyn is sette vpon moeuable wheles that by force of men and of horses are ledde as nyghe the walles as men can And flighynge brygges there be that as they be let doune men may therupon reche ouere the walles And yf it hap that thys Towre may be approched 〈◊〉 the walles ouere harde a thynge it were but that the towne shal be taken soone at an owre For therynne ben grete foyson of men of armes in al the loftes and stallages of whiche they of aboue with gode shode and hande to hande fyghten wyth them that ben vpon the walles and of lyght may ouercome hem They of the lowe loftes or stallages percen the walle And thus is the cytee or fortresse enuaysshed of suche effort that they of withynne wote not what parte to resyste nor deffende so ben they abasshed and lightly taken And it is that whiche vegece mente whan he saith the more partes and by more engyns and more strengthe that thou shall assaylle the fortres all atones the more are abasshed they that make deffence and the sooner they shall yelde hem vp And by cause that for to doo thys serven the ladders and muche proffyten herto and in lyke wise all engyns that can be made for to clyme highe It is nede for to make bettre thys manere of clymers that men know fyrst the heyght of the walles And therfore for to knowe thys vegece techeth it by two wayes and sayth that an arowe shal be thrawen vnto the height of the walle to the whiche arowe shall a long threde be made faste that shal be holde vndrenethe and by this shal mowe be knowen the heyght of the walles ¶ Item that other waye is whan the sonne is so tourned that he casted the shadowe of the walles and of the towres to the grounde thenne men may mesure the space of the walles wyth two staues y pyght atte eyther ende of the shadowe And by thaduyse of a gode wyse consyderer may be estemed what heyght the ladders and other engyns moste haue ¶ Begynneth to speke of deffensynge of castelles and vytaylles ¶ Capytulo xxxvo· IT is certeyn that lyghtly ynoughe myght al manere of a stronge place be ouercome and taken without folke were there that shuld deffende hit and therfore euyn soo as vegece dide putte in his boke for the doctrine techynge of 〈◊〉 the manyere for to assaylle citees townes and semblably for to deffende and kepe hem here he saith that ayâ—nst the engyns aboue named and other dyuerse paryllis wherof myght be vsed in faytte of assawlte yf ther be wytty deffensours that haue in them yâ— vertue of knyhthode marâ—y a remedye may be hadd For there is noo syknes but that som socours is gyuen therunto And in armes is subtylyte mykel more worthe than is strengthe as it happeth ofte namely in takynge of castelles and cytees As it beffelle som tyme of the rommayns that by a subtyl polycye wytte toke the cyte of capsa that longed vnto Tygram the kinge of Armenye that werred theym For as the ambaxatours of the sayd cytee went and came for to treatte of â—eas the rommayns malycyously made on a nyght abusshement of them self within the gardyns that nygh were to the walle and whan the said ambaxatoures trowed to haue entred ayen within the yates of the cyte the rommayns â—epte vpon the brygge so hastly that they toke the yate And so long kepte hyt tyl the oost entred al ynne And thus by crafte and subtyl witte was the cyte taken that was so stronge and so wel garnysshed that by noo sawtynge hyt myght not be taken And moreuere sayth vegece that they that kepe and deffende a place haue more avauntage than they that doo assaylle hyt for dyuers reasons and namely in befyghtyng For that whiche men caste from hyghe be it sperys stones dartes or other shot the more highe that it commeth fro the moche more hyt hurteth To the whiche thynges yf grete vertue and myght be putte therto noo manere of warantyse can not kepe theym that so assaylle yf they be hytte with all but that they shal be beten doune as the thondre felle vpon hem First of all they of within may be socoured by they re lorde yf he be not there hym self that wyth a power of men shal mowe come to reyse the syege and to gyue hem socours or by som other of they re freÌ„des whome they shall ahue sent worde and prayde for helpe socoure as it be fell whan the duke Lentulus hed captayne of the ost romayn went ayenst the kynge Mytrydates that sent worde to his folke that were withyn the cyte of Mycene that so stronge was that the see smote there at the one syde of her was aduironned with double walles that they shulde not abashe hem self for the grete puyssauÌ„ce of the kynge Mytridates that soone socours they shuld haue And a grete thynge it was to the messauÌ„ger for to passe thrughe so many folke goo there but it was by nyght and swymyng where he dide putte two grete boteylles vndre his okselles swymed viij thousand passes in the see and by thys manere of waye he cam and entred in to the
whether euery lorde may gyue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ It begynneth to speke of chaÌ„p de bataylle 〈◊〉 it is a ryghtwis thiÌ„ge of ryght that a man shall proue 〈◊〉 body aienst another that thiÌ„ge that is secrete not knowen â— vi◠¶ Item sheweth for what manere of cas ordeyned 〈…〉 imperyall champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· vâ—â—◠¶ Item for what manere of cas lombardys lawe ordeyned champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· ix ¶ Item how champ de bataylle sheweth representeth som what the dede of a questyon pleetable And whether it is ryght that at thentrynge of the felde the champyons gyue they re othes ¶ Capio· x ¶ Item yf it hap that one of the champyons leseth any of his armes while that he fyghteth wether men ought to yelde hem ayen or not And yf the kynge wolde pardonne hym that is vaynquished whether the vyctoryouse may aske hys costes or not And yf there be founde that a man is accused wrongfully what men ought to doo of hym that hath accused that other ¶ Capio· xj ¶ Item asketh yf a man is punyshed of a misdede proued by champ de bataylle whether the iustice may punyshe hym vpon a new therfor and yf one calleth another to a champ whether he that calleth that other may repente him self of his callynge atte his owne wylle ¶ Capio· xij ¶ It deuyseth to whiche thinge a kynge or a prynce ought to see to bifore that he iugeth eny champ de bataille what counseill men ought to giue to them that shal befight eche other ¶ Capio· xiij ¶ It whether batailles may be doon after right vpon a holy day or not whether the lawe holdeth that men may saue hemself in excercyting thoffyce of armes And whether clerkes may or ought after the lawe go to a bataille C xiiij ¶ Item beginneth to speke of the fayte of blasonnyng of armes whether euery man may take of his owne auctoryte suche armes as he wyl ¶ Capio· xv ¶ Item in what manere a gentylman may chalenge another mannys armes and in what manere not C xvj ¶ It of the armes penoncelles and of the colours moste noble that apparteyne to the fayte of blasonnyng C xvij ¶ Here begynneth the foureth and last part of thys boke ¶ In the first chapytre demauÌ„ded Crystyne yf a lorde sendeth a saufconduyt to another his enemye and that the saufconduyt speketh but of sauf comynge whether after right he may arreste hym atte his gooyng hom ageyne Capio· j AT the begynnyng of thys fourth part of thys boke ryght dere master I wil entre in to another dyffereÌ„t purpos of werre dependyng of that whiche is afore said that is to wite in to a manere of assuryng whiche is giuen to them that goo and come from a contrey to anothâ—r that haue werre to eche other whiche assuring men calle lettres of saufconduyt wherof I wil first make vnto the suche a demaunde I putte cas that a baron haue werre with a knyght of the whiche werre the frendes of bothe partyes reyne hem self for to make a goode peas wherfore the saide baron sendeth hys lettres of saufconduyt to the sayde knyght vndre whiche he may com towardis hym sendeth to hâ—m worde with all that he may com surely the knyght trusting vpon the assuryng of the same lettres cometh to the sayd baron but whan they haue spoken bothe togyder and that the knyght wyl departe the baron doeth arreste hym and sayth and proposeth that he is hys prysoner For he saythe ye be atte werre wyth me as euery man knoweth well wherfor I may take you atte myn aduauntage where someuere I can fynde you that other ansuereth that he may not doo soo For the strengthe of his owne saufconduit deffendeth the same the baron saith that this helpeth him not for bicause that the saufconduit speketh onely of the coming thither not of there tournyng ayen wherfore he doo him noo wronge yf he kepe hym Soo demauÌ„de I of the whether the baron hathe a gode cause For it shulde seme ye seeyng that hit suffiseth emonge enemyes to take heede to the tenoure of the lettre vpon that whiche is wryton sith that the knight hathe be so folyshe that he vndrestode not wel that whiche the sayde barons wrytinge conteyned it is not without reason yf he bere a penaunce therfore For it behoueth in fayttes of werre as thy self hast said here byfore to vse of cawteles for to deceyue eche other late kepe him self that may I telle the fayre loue that thou myssest in thy sayeng in this byhalfe For yf it were as thou saist ouer many Inconuenyentes shulde folowe therof and therfore the lawe hathe purueyed therto that deffendeth expressely that noone shall deceyue by wordes of fallace nor cawtelouse For shuldest thou trowe theÌ„ne that a man shulde be herde atte a Iugement for to saye I haue solde to another an hondred pownde worthe of lande and fayre and well I haue delyuered hit vnto his handes wherof he is holden vnto me in suche a som of money that he moste paye me for semblably of other suche thinges of the whiche as wel I telle the shulde not be reputed nor taken in Iugement but for a trifle or a mocke and the man begiler that wolde vse therof shulde be punyshed therfore And therfore to oure propos what that for to take awaye all scrupulenes a man ought neuer to trust in suche lettres without that it be wel expressed of sauff gooyng and sauffe comyng ayen and also of sauf abydyng of al the other circomstances that bylongen therunto how be it that the lawe wol not that the malyce of the frawdylouse deceyuer take soo straytly the symplenes of hym that gooth thus vpon and vndre the termes of gode feythe ¶ Soo ought to be vndrestande the saufconduyt th entent of hym vnto whome it is yeven By the whiche saufconduyt he holdeth hym self sure aswel for to abyde sauf as for to goo retourne ayen sauf otherwise it were noo saufconduit but it shulde be treason that ouer gretly were to be blamed suche is the certeintee therof NotwistaÌ„ding it may be the som in dede without right nor reason haue vsed or wolde gladly vse therof whiche ought to tourne them in to grete vituperye and blame but euery man hathe not the power for to doo al the euyll that he gladly wolde doo ¶ Yf a knyght or som other gentylman had a saufconduit for his persone for ix men with him whether he myght vndre coloure of the same take wyth him in to the countrey of enemyes som grete lorde in stede of one of the ix men Cij Syth that we be entred in matere of saufconduytes an suere me now of another question A knyght of englond hathe a saufconduyt of the kyng of FrauÌ„ce for hym for ix other with him on horsbacke for to câ—mâ—n to Fraunce for som adoo he hathe there it happeth
grete oost ayeÌ„st hym ¶ So dyde he ryght wel garnysshe the townes and castelles where they sholde passe by And gaffe comaundement by hys ordynaunce that whan the enemyes were comme nyghe that hys garnysons shulde yssue out of the castelles and townes as thoughe they were a ferde and that they shulde come to hyme atte Cyracuse And thenne the Cartagyens that trowed to haue goten all the contrey toke seased all the sayd fortresses townes garnisshed them with theire owne peple and of so muche was they re oost made lesse And the oost of Denys encreaced whyche delyuered them bataylle soone after where they were ouercome and the other cartagiens that kepte the said townes and castelles were famysshed ¶ Of them of hyspayne of Alexandrie of Pirre of Lapcenes of hanybal and of other ¶ Capitulo iiij UPon a tyme the spaynardes shuld haue fought ayenst Amulcar the leder was of the oost of Cartage where muche folke were in a goode ordynaunce They be thoughte hem self of a wyle for to breke the bataylle of they re enemyes they toke many oxen that drewe the plonghe and enoyncted with oyle and brymestone a staffe that was putte vndre they re taylle and was all couered with towe of flaxe that wel embybed were with oyle and this oxen they dyde putte at the forefront of they re bataylle when they shulde assemble wyth they re enemyes And whan the fyre was sette in to the sayd towe they chassed and droof hem fourth ayenst the Cartagyens the whyche oxen as full of a Rage entred and brake al they re bataylles and so was the said Amulcar dyscomfyted ¶ Item Alexaundre prynce of Pirre had werre ayenst a folke that men callid Illyriens that bare habytes and gownes dyfferent from al other garmeÌ„tes The sayd alexaundre toke with hym a grete quantyte of hys men and clothed rayde them after the maniere of the Illyriens And thus arrayed comaunded them that when the Illyryens were so nyghe that they coude see hem they shulde take vpon hem self for to brenne they re owne cornes that grewe vpon the feldes and that they shulde make hem self as besy as they wolde dystroye waste all ¶ Of the whyche thynge the sayd comandement accomplysshed the enemyes that sawe thesame trowed that they had be of they re folke folowed them that so went fourth destroyng al thinges afore hem vnto the tyme that they came in to a narowe waie where as Alexaunder had putte a busshement there the illiryens for the moost partye were taken slayne ¶ Item in lyke wise dide Laptenes prince of Syracuse to them of the cyte of Cartage that vpon hym were come to bataylle For he made hys owne men to sette on a fyre certeyn of his owne townes castelles wherby the Cartagyens that wende that it had be of they re folke that thus wasted all wolde renne thider anoone but Laptenes had sette awayte for them by the waye where they muste passe and thus they were al slayne Item Hanybal the goode werryer duke of cartage of whome I haue spoke afore shuld ones goo vpon theim of Affrycke that were rebell and he knewe wel that folke was sore sette vpon this wine So made he thenne to take therof a grete quantyte meÌ„gled hit with certein herbe that is called mandglorye whiche maketh folke to be soone dronke and slepy And after al for the nonys made a lityl bataylle of hys peple to be redy to whom he comaunded that they shuld renne awaye as thoughe they were aferde when the enemyes shuld come nyghe hem And whan the other that trowed to haue wonnen all were come nyghe Hanybal with hys folke makynge as he durst not abyde hem lefte his lodgis al alone that was full of goodes and of this medled wyne and departed about nydnyght and on the morne whan the enemyes sawe there noo body they came to the lodgis with grete Ioye and dyspoilled hit about and as folke that dede was for honger ete glotonsly of the swete metes and dranke of the wynes evyl appareylled for theym For they all were made heuy a slepe and so dronke therby that they lay styl as ded men Thenne came ayen hanybal whan hym lyste and al them he dyde putte to the swerde ¶ Item thoos that fought ayenst a folke that men called Heryteos toke the swerde of they re enemyes and made hem to confesse telle there couuyne they re propos after toke they re raymeÌ„tes fro them reuested they re owne folke with thesame made hem to ceÌ„me vp vpon a highe hille that they might be seen of the ost And bicause the enemyes had comauÌ„ded to the sayde espyes that after that which they shulde fynde they shulde make hem a sygne and they that were vpon the montayne made a signe that they shulde come more nyghe they dide soo by cause they wende that hit had be theire espies in so muche that they entred in to the busshementê of they re enemyes where as they were al slayne ¶ Of Menoles kyng of the rodes of Scypion of Xertoryus of Hanibal of Lentulus of Acoriolo and of Fuluyus nobilius ¶ Capitulo v MEnoles kynge of the rodes was atte an oost ayenst his enemyes and had more of bettre men on horsbacke than his aduersaryes whiche kept the montaynes to th eÌ„de that menoles myght not lyghtly befyght them Soo aduysed Menoles a cawtele for to make them to come doune he toke a knyght of hys wyse hardy and hym charged that he shuld behaue hym self as one that was fled frome his oost that was euyl content with hym of his wages that he shulde goo to that other partye And he dyde as he was charged And with other euylles harmes that he shewed to hem of menoles he made them to byleue that throughe his euyl ordynaunce was a grete dyscencyon in his oost that for thesame cause many one departed from hym and to th ende that they shulde byleue bettre thees thinges Menoles dyde departe dyuerse of his folke so that they that were vpon the hilles might see hem goo awaie but he made them to be leyed in to dyuers busshementes here and there And by this manere of deceyte thoo that were vpon the montaynes cam doune whan they see the ost of Menoles so lessed that they thoughte to be able for theym but ryght soone they were enuyroned all about with the horsmen that killed and slewe theym euerychone Item whan scipion shulde ones goo ayenst the spaynardes with a grete armee the kynge syphax sent hym certeyn messangers that shewed hym grete threttnynges wordes of grete feere aswel of the hardnes of the lande as of the folke of thesame of they re quantyte strengthe of the whiche thinge not sore affrayed was the valyaunt man scypion but to th eÌ„de that thisâ— ambassadours shulde not sprede suche wordes a brode emonge his folke wherby they might be affrayed