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
a Gouernour or Captaine can put on and faithfulnes is not by fee nor feare to be crased or corrupted ¶ VVhether it be more expedient to haue one Generall or manye Cap. 8. NOw to discusse by the examples of antiquity argumēts of reason whether it be conueniēt to haue more then one generall or highe Captayne of the Armie Belinus and Brennus two Princes beyng brothers were ioyntlye gouernours ouer their armie with which they subdued a great parte of Fraunce Germayne and Italye Fabius and Porsenna were likewise constituted ouer the Romainearmie against the same Belinus and Brennus Romulus and Remus by equall aucthoritie guyding their armie surprised the Cytie of Alba. King Mithridates Tigranes ioyntly lead their powers against the Romaines Cassius Brutus were ioygned generalles against Octauius Caesar and Antonius Fabius Minutius were thought to be well matched together against Hanniball the one graue and somewhat slowe by his age the other hott quicke and lusty the one excelling in aduise and experience the other better able to styrre and endure paynes So that albeit it hath bene more vsed to ordayne and depute one onely generall ouer an armie yet twayne may doe very well as it appeareth by the examples before recited which may the rather be allowed for that the one Generall being sicke hurt or slayne yet the Armie is not destitute of a heade or guide which sometime is the cause of losse of a battaile the head beeinge striken and Captayne slayne the bodie of the armie standeth in a maze and is highlie discomfited and oftentimes honourable attemptes ceasse thereby and goe backwardes as Crassus by Parthian falshood slaine the relyques of his armie were shortlie destroyed Antonius in his great battaile on the Sea against Octauius Augustus fliyng or rather following Cleopatra his whole army was ēforced to yelde vnto Caesar. Brennus as Iustine writeth beinge dead of hurtes in battaile receaued in Grecia his purposed conquestes in those partes ceassed and his armie dyspersed all that they had gotten beefore was lost for lacke of a good guyde Great Alexander beeinge dead the glorye of Macedonie dyed their victories proceaded no farther their armies returned and tourned to discention and diuision among them selues whereby the Empyre was rent and skambled and shortlie after taken from them by the Romaines So that where there hath been but one head or guyde of the warres the same beinge cutt of for the most parte the warrfare hath ended and expired with all whereas if there had been two generals ordayned ioyned in aucthoritie or else successiuelye three or fower one after an other nominated appointed after the death or losse of the generall to supplie the place and to establishe the state of the armie the warres myght still proceade vntill the purpose desired fruites thereof bee obtained But more then two generals of one armie at once I can not finde by any good president allowed Nicias Alcibiades Lamachus were sent as Generals by the Atheniens into Sicilia atchieued littel there likewise Tideus Adimātus Menāder against the Lacedaemoniēs ¶ Of the aucthoritie of the generall and what ought to bee hys chiefe desyre wished fruites and ende of warres what personne and of what qualities ought to be esteemed the best and most honourable Captayne Cap. 9. THe place and state of a generall is highe his credite his power and charge great and therefore his aucthoritie from the prince by or vnder whō he is deputed and ordeyned ought to be great To punishe and pardon to erect exalt pull downe to take order or truce with the enemie to receaue hostages remitt prisoners raunsomes and tributes to geue lawes libertie lordshyp bandes condicions of captiuitie to the conquered to ioygne or breake foreine frendshippe vpon vrgent cause and not otherwise to impart vnto the souldiers franklie of that which is taken and wonne to assygne victorious ensignes and solempnitye of honour prowesse to geue aduauncement of degrees and dignities vnto the worthye He maye also leuye for the great necessitie of the armie vpon the prynces subiectes where he serueth borrowe or receaue ayde of the princes frendes and herein extende his maisters credite and the prynce is bounde in honour to ratifie allowe perfourme thus farre the dealinge of the generall by him deputed and appointed which is also at all times remouable at the pleasure of the prynce at whose commaundemēt the warres cease ende or otherwise be turned And the Captaine ought not to make or establish peace without the consent will and aucthoritie of the prince nor to render anie towne countrey or forte conquered except for great aduauntage or extreame necessitie Hystories are full of examples to prooue the perticulers before recyted to bee incident to the function of a generall and therefore in a matter not doubtfull I will cyte but onelie the large graunt of Gaius Martius generall of an armye of the Romaines on a time when a battaill went verie harde with him hauinge in hys armie fifteene hundred hyred Souldiours of whose trust and endeuour he doubted consyderinge the strayghtes and daunger wherein hys armye stoode he promised vnto his sayd straūge retinue that if they woulde extende their valure to the wynnynge of the fielde to make euerye man of them a Cytyzen and free of Roome whiche in that time was a thinge hyghlie regarded of straungers for the honour great aduauntages and noble fraunchyses thereof wherewith beeinge encouraged they spared not to hazarde their lyues vsinge suche endeuour that the fielde was wonne And notwyth standynge that by the ordynaunces of the Cytye noe man myght bee made a Cytizen without the cōsent of the Senate yet hee alleagynge beefore them that necessytye is aboue lawe and that then tyme serued not to seeke the lawes but rather requyred to breake them hee obtayned the graunted freedome vnto the souldiours and honourablye hys promise was perfourmed And it is not inconuenient that the prynce should geeue hym credit power and aucthoritie in smaller matters vnto whose order and wisedome hee hath committed an armie which is the strength of the princes estate which trust if it can not saufely be committed vnto one it were better to ioyne an other in gouernment vnto him then that the place of the generall shoulde lacke or bee lame of power Nowe to see what the generall ought to desyre or seeke to gaine by the warres infinite examples of the antiquitie do shew especially in the most florishinge estates of Roome Grecia where vertue valure were chiefly fostered all the most excellēt Captaynes sought and endeuoured by victoryes to purchase fame vnto them selues honour and aduauncement vnto their countreys and common wealthes which they loued so dearelie and regarded so highlie that their endeuours vsed employed for the benefit of the same seeme to sur mount almost the power of men and also credite Glad was he which by dying valiantly could singulerlye profite his countrey As Brutus the first Consul Horatius
Cocles the two Decij Curtius Atilius Regulus Scaeuola Lucinius Dentatus Codrus Leonidas and iiij hundred gentlemeÌ„ of Lacedaemon with him And of the spoiles prises of their conquests the great captaines of Roome and Grecia enriched them selues little but rendred all to the publique treasure behoufe of the comen wealth So that diuers Dictatoures which was the place of a great Prince and Gouernour ouer the whole Empyre duringe the time of the warres after the same finished and great kinges by them conquered and lead in triumphe with all their treasures and substance yet haue they returned little the richer for all that which passed thorough their handes to their oulde state and meane degree of liuynge from whence they weare called not for their Lordship but for their vertues And some of them after liuynge thriftelye of a little haue dyed possessed of so short substance that for the iust honour of their funeralles due vnto parsonages of so great vertues for want of their owne abilitie the commen Treasure hath supplied the charges and expences thereunto And thoughe some esteeme fame as a bare rewarde without fruites of profit yet they regarded nothing of ryches in comparison of honour The Romaynes ordained for honour to victours coÌ„querours triumphes whearein their Generall returninge in great pompe from the warres all his Captaines spoyles following his Emperiall charyot he was with his Armie receaued of his Countrey with all ioye and honour that might be deuised erectinge also for the perpetuall fame and memory of such as had greatly aduaunced their Countrey images set vp in open places with inscriptions This was the father of his couÌ„trey This was the champion of Roome terrour of their enemyes And for priuat meane souldiours which first had bourded a ship of the enemyes entred their campe or Towne saued a Citizen slayne a Captaine of the enemyes gotten an auÌ„cient broken a rancke or atchieued any great exploite they ordayned crownes of siluer bracellets collers of goulde with such like conisaunces the worthy wearinge whereof the souldiours estemed as much as of great seigniorye Whereof there is an example written of a certaine yonge man in the Armie of Scipio which had done marueylous deades of Armes in a battaile of his so that he had deserued such a like rewarde of prowesse as is spoken of before in liewe whereof Scipio thinkinge better to content hym gaue him a great substaunce of goulde exhorting him to continewe manlike valiaunt but he verye sadde threwe downe the monye at Scipio his feete who demaundinge of hym whether hee woulde rather haue the appoynted rewarde and ensigne of manhoode hee aunswered that therefore he had trauayled preferringe worshippe aboue ryches The Generall ought to gyue great regarde both by hymselfe and by others which without partialitye maye bee markers and obseruers of such as best deserue in battaile And moreouer the most expert and valiaunt men shoulde bee from one place vnto another aduaunced to the hyghest degrees and offices in the Armye that the commendation and rewarde bee duelie assigned accordinge to desert Also he must obserue and execute the lawes and orders of warre for theare is no Arte without rules and in none more necessarye rules then in this wherein also disorder most of all hurteth as neglygence in the watche or warde in espyall for discoueringe the Countrey where the Armye soiourneth or is to passe wante of furniture or any prouisyon allowed or charged vnto any man breache of arraye mutyne affraye ryott faylinge of duetye in any poynte or transgressinge the Captaynes commaundement which muste stande for a lawe and rule vnto the Souldiours These misdemeanours and offences the victoryous Romaynes punished streyghtlye yea sometyme thoughe aduauntage and benefite grewe vnto the Armye by exceadinge the Generalles commaundement yet the Captayne in thys offence hath not spared hys owne Sonne from sharpe Iustice and punishment of the lawe and ordinaunce violated For the due keepinge of Lawes and orders is the staye of all the affayres of VVarre Also the Captayne hath muche more neade to bee wyse in iudgement then the ciuill Magistrate in peace for that hee hathe not so manye assystentes to ayde hym in counsayle neyther like leasure in deliberation and aduyse Some time hauinge sodayne daungerous comminge on to disturbe and interupt the same Sodaine passions saye the Philosophers troubleth and disordreth the minde and quiete establisheth the vnderstandinge and ripenethe counsailes The greke Philosopher Isocrates sheweth that two sortes of men theare are to be commended First he which is of his iudgement able to geue good aduise the other that is of wisedome to vnderstande good counsaile gyuen by an other and of inclination to followe the same diligence and good will supplieth a number of wantes There hath bene diuers Generalls of great vertue in trayning of their souldiours beinge able of their owne practise to instructe them in all feates and pointes of a Souldier as in well vsinge of armes and weapons of warres bothe on horsebacke and on foote in chosinge and appointing fitt and good furniture for euery man and euerye purpose to encounter the ordinauÌ„ce and engins of the aduersaries by policie planting and hardye and victorious minde in their souldiours In which Cirus Romulê° Paulê° Aemilius Scipio Hannibal Caius Caesar chiefely excelled How be it that Captaine which is able wel to leade and gouerne an army trayned ordered and martialled to his hande is also to be coÌ„mended and the better if he vse consideration and diligence in taking order that his souldiours may practise the exercises profitable for the warres It is to be regarded that the Captaine be generally of good nature disposition not subiecte to malitious anger crueltie or enuie that hee haue his conuersation and conference with the most vertuous and best affected sorte to suppresse wrongfull dealynge and ryot the mother of disorder and ruine The Emperour Charles the fifte was coÌ„mended of great sobrietie and diligence in his affaires and to be verie skilfull in settinge and orderinge his battailes for anie aduauntage The Captayne ought to flye the faulte of infidelitie and vntrothe as from a rocke For there is no regarde to bee hadde of the man that is not iust honest and firme of his woorde but fycle and variable of promise which ought alwaies to bee perfourmed towardes souldiours frende enemie The breache whereof hath manye times bread great myseries and brought great wracke as Laodislaus kinge of Hungarie vppon presumption of dispensation froÌ„ the Pope breakinge his faythe geeuen and league made wyth the Turke fell afterwardes into his handes crueltie The Carthaginoys breakinge league made with the Romaines and afterwardes beeinge in parle and towardes a composition or ende verie necessarie greatlie desired of the Carthaginens the Romaines demaunded of them what pledges of their trothe they coulde geeue or what newe Gods they had now to sweare by vowe the perfourmaunce of the coÌ„dicions agreed seeing they had sworne by all
parte and by other such enducementes withdrewe him from the Romaynes with all his power to assiste them The like deuise had Hannibal after to wynne Antiochus kinge of Macedonia and Prusias kinge of Bithynia to the aide of the Carthaginoys Also it profiteth no lesse to geue occasion vnto the enemye to distrust or displace their best friendes or Captaines The Atheniens weare alwayes victours till they banished their excellent Captaine Alcibiades and shortlye after weare subdued by the Lacedaemoniens And if the Romaines had not banished Coriolan The Volsciens before subdued had not afterwardes put Rome in daūger of ruyne vtter ouerthowe Alcibiades vsed the like practise to make a iarre betweene Duke Tissaphernes and his mayster the kinge of Persia. Hanniball wasted and spoyled wheare euer he went in Italye sauinge onelye the possessions of Fabius vntouched which he dyd to cause the Romaines to houlde their best Captaine suspected Some haue vsed to the same ende to make manye priuate conferēces with the Generall of the enemyes sending sundry letters secretelye sometime presentes working also that some suspitious letter of an imagined conference or practise betwene thē may come to the Princes hādes vnder whom such Generall is deputed By these meanes haue excellēt Captaynes bene displaced warres stayed and the weaker parte in the meane tyme hathe gathered strength Other wayes there are to detracte battaile and to saue an armie at neede frō the greater power of the enemie which is to encampe stronglie within some trenche or lyke place or else to bee backed with some fenne maryshe steepe hyll or ryuer so that the enemye haue but one waye vnto them and that beinge the streyghter is the more aduauntage for the fewer number Fabius vsed this waye with Hanniball seekinge and endeuoutinge daylie for thauoydinge of dyuers enconueniences to fighte wyth him but Fabius encamped alwayes so cunninglie and with suche aduauntages for the fielde that the other without great daunger coulde not deale with him Marius thus encamped at the mouthe of the ryuer Rhodanus the infinite multitude of the Duchemen durst not inuade him till hee brought foorth his armie into the fieldes But two other wayes there are more certaine to bee saufe from the enemie The one is to puruey thy campe distant at the leaste a dayes iourneye from hym remoouinge alwayes in the open countrey that thou bee not stayed by hilles or ryuers c to passe vnto the sea syde or suche place where thou desyrest to rest thyne armie The other helpe is if thou bee wylling to assaye the force of the enemie without anie great losse and to abyde him in the fielde then it is best for thee to keepe thy selfe neare vnto some strong towne of thine owne or thy frendes where thou mayst withdrawe thine armie from pursute of the enemie if he prooue the stronger in battaile So did Eumenes saufelie retyre into the Cytie Nora from the armie of Antigonus It is good to prouyde for the woorst as it is common lie saide for the best will saue it selfe ¶ Howe to conducte an armie proceade with the same in a foreyne countrey of the necessaries thereunto Cap. 4. IT is first to be considered that armed men victualls and moneye be the accidentes inseperable or rather the substaunce and strengthe of warres There must bee prouyded also for an armie store of Iron and staffe tymber to make weapons of all sortes with sundrie artificers for dyuers purposes powder must bee had with plentie carriages and cattaill good store to followe the campe for necessaryes with vtensyles and suche like And if an armie be led into a foreyne countrey there must be the greater store of this prouision and forage also to bee had and yet maye not the campe bee pestered with caryages for then it can not so lightlie remoue as occasions maye require Also when souldiours haue muche carriage beinge greatlie enritched with spoyles their mindes are sometime more vppon their baggage thē vpon battaill And if they sende often of the same into their countrey their hartes be also at home Great Alexander therefore seeinge his armie one time so laden with booties and pryses he burned all the surplusage of the carriages whiche myght encumber them beinge of a great substance But a more politike and profitable waye it weare to pro uyde to haue some one stronge towne or twayne where the warres are to conuey the same into which shal bee moreouer a maker of great benefite vse daylie vnto the armie and to the state of the warres dyuers wayes as for reliefe of suche as bee hurte from time to time also to receaue suche ayde of men victualles or other necessaries as shal be sent from home to keepe the same till it maye be saufelie conueyed into the armie and not surprysed of the enemie by the waye Also it is a necessarie place to soiourne in wynter time for the wynter warres be more noysome tedious then profitable or to withdrawe into when the armie or store of thinges is spent or worne with warres there it is a good restinge place till supplie be had of their wantes And if the same be neare vnto the Sea syde and towardes home It is farre the more commodious Nowe the waye to obtayne and wynne suche a towne or herbour the more easelie is in the begynninge to make thyne aryuall so dayne and in a place vnlooked for that the enemye maye bee surprysed vnfurnyshed And it is not best to spende muche of thy store of menne or pouysion in the wynninge of manye Townes at the fyrste For fyue battayles haue beene fougheten wyth losse of fewer menne them some one Cytye is wonne withall and therefore will not the wise Captayne so weaken him selfe before the great necessitie mayne force of battayle For it is to be considered withall that manie townes taken requyre ma nie garrisons to bee assigned for the defence and keepinge of the same all whiche dismember an armie and put it downe as muche as anie practise of the enemie against the same maye do For the armie is the assurāce of warres without which thou canst little annoye or terrifie the enemie nor yet longe maintaine or defende thy walled townes from hym for if hee possesse the countrey with his men hee shall cutt of tyllage and stoppe all trades vnto the townes by whiche they onely maye liue and be maintained And therefore that Prince that possesseth stronge townes and dareth not or hath not power to keepe the fielde and defende his countrey by battaile if he be cunninglie dealt with will vndoubtedlie prooue a pesant And therefore the knowledge to guyde an armie into the fielde and to order make battaile with skill and aduauntage is misteresse of all dominion and victorye for thereunto all warres maye bee brought in the ende And in passinge foorth with his armie let the generall auoide streightes obserue good orders and choose his grounde and wayes commodious as he goeth Nowe let vs see
Of iustice Cap. v. THen followeth the third vertue Iustice whych is a deuyne motion or affection of the mind to deale vprightly and to render vnto euery man that which vnto him belongeth Yt may be called a deuyne vertue for that it procedeth principally of the feare of GOD who is the head and fountaine of all Iustice by whom al power is geeuen to bee duely vsed and administred And hee is the most high and aeternall Iudge ouer all This vertue is one of the braunches of pyetie by whych good and vpright men be called godly or like vn to god The other part or braunch of pietye is to serue God religiously and duely which because it ought to bee a ground worke proper vnto euery Christian man therfore haue I not noted the same as a peculier or perticuler vertue heare But I say the more Christian the meater Captaine and the better hee serueth God the better hee shall hys Prince and Countrey In this vertue of Iustice the Captaine ought to bee very diligent and circumspect to see as well the iust rewardes of vertue as the due punishment and correction of tumultes rapyne iniuryes disorder and breach of discipline and lawes of warre wherein the quantitie and qualitie with the circumstances of time person place is to be waighed in iudgement by the paise of wysedome in the balance of endifferency hanging vpon the beame and rule of right that reformation may grow and not confusion follow there of that by example of a feaw many may be warned and yet no such remisse clemencie to be vsed that negligence of Iustice should breake all good order But if by faire meanes or perswasion the euil might be wonne or reformed it is first so to be assayed and when none other remedy then rygour roughly to be extended How be it often times the greatnes of the mischiefe requireth sodaine iustice For in warres the like time of deliberatiō staye in iudgement and execution is not giuen as in peace for the generall affaires and state of the armie maye not be stayed or neglected for priuate causes And therefore the Captaines dome order or sentence in this case of spedie Iustice standeth for law and is called martial lawe This lawe king Artaxerxes vsed towardes Artabanus whē he had slaine his father Xerxes and his brother Darius conspiring also to dispatche him and vsurpe the Empyre After that he had certaine secrete vnder standing thereof because that for the great power of him and his sonnes yt was daungerous to apprehende him he discloseth the same vnto some of his trusty friendes and calling Artabanus out of the armye fayning that he would chaunge his armour with him when he had put of the same the King remayning stil armed thrust him thorough with his swerd and so deliuered his estate from daunger King Aswerus likewise caused Aman his sonnes to be sodainly apprehēded executed because that thorough their great power the stay thereof had bene daungerous How be it this kind of Iustice is in the greatest extremitie But the martiall Law or sentence would be vsed and executed vnder this forme and order that the generall calling vnto him such of the Captaines and principall persons of the Army as he shall thinke conuenient thereunto reciting shortly the maner of the offence the mischiefe that might grow therof the odiousnes and villanye of vnnatural Treason and dissention within an armye tending to the ouerthrowen of most valiant worthy personages of most honorable attemptes and purposes the quayling of most great and high endeuours before in that seruice vsed and to the miserable spoyle of the whole army with the decay and dishonour of the countrey of whence they are and there with all the proofes being heard and openly declared to geeue iudgement according to the nature of the offence and commit ouer order for executing the same And sometime for the better satisfiyng of the army if time permit it is conuenient for the punishment of criminall causes to referre the hearinge thereof to the Captaines of euery bande and certaine of them to speake theyr mindes for the qualitie and odiousnes of the offence with some admonishment at the last to the rest of the hearers And sometime it is policie to commit the same vnto twelue or more of the meaner sort or commen souldiers as circumstances may require And if the partie accused and vnder iudgement be a straunger it is the better order of Iustice that he haue parte of his triall by some of his owne Countrey if the matter be playne that they be not to be suspected of partialitie And the whilest that other haue the handling of this matter the generall may the better attend his greater affaires For the other part of Iustice what course is best to be taken in rewarding the valure and well deseruing of those which with great endeuour labour for same to the honour and aduauncement of their Countrey Hearein the good iudgement of the Captaine is to be exercised for wel noting and right regarding the dispositions endeuours and doinges of each person For some are geeuen not to make challenge or claime of theyr owne proper deedes and vertues other will make large report and ostentation of that which they do setting the same artificially forthe to the vtter most and further sometime clothing themselues with that which they neuer sponne and thrusting into the glorie of other mens desertes And diuers there are of disposition to extenuate and seeme to make lesse the vertues of other whom they cannot matche in valure And therefore sith that honour is the right reward of vertue as the Philosophers agree that Laudata virtus crescit and Honos alit artes commended vertue encreaseth and honour is the nouryce of valure which maketh men to excell in practises the Captaine ought to be wyse to sifte perceiue such knackes cunning colours from substāce that he be a iust distributer of the due salaire and rewarde vnto the vertuous without affection or parciality that they beyng encouraged encrease not discouraged cease from well doinge Moreouer for the maner of rewardes there is cōsyderation to be had of the person thus if he be poore he may be somewhat enryched thereby if he meane to bee a continuer in the seruice of warre to geue him a more highe place greater charge in the armie to call him vnto the more wayghtye secrete affaires If he be one that needeth or seeketh not wealth let him haue credite honour aucthoritye the more vse all curtesye towardes him findinge meanes to knowe hys delighte wherewith most to gladde or gratifie him as with horse Armour some rare Iewell or other acceptable thinge to geue him where euer he goe speache of credite honorable commendation and report If he desier to become expert in the knowledge of warre by all curtesye and meanes to further hym thereunto so that as neare as maye bee euerye man
batterye the towne rendred and yelded vppe vnto him Great Alexander vsed this cūninge to gett a fort of wonderfull strength hee conueyed a fewe actiue men vnarmed vp to a rocke not doubted or loked vnto of the enemye for the steepenesse and difficultie to bee clymmed and when they had possessed the toppe thereof beinge nighe the walles where they might greatlie anoy them within the houlde makinge a great shoute or noyse of triumph on a sodaine and aduauncinge their banners as though there had been a great parte of the armye with them and all sure their owne Alexander also on the other syde then fiercelie skalinge the walles the people within beeynge stryken with great feare and in a maze the Castell was easelie by him surprised taken Thus to conclude of this vertue of Prudence it is the lyne of the Captaine to measure hys owne doynges the touchestone and the syue to trye sift the sleightes of the enemie to discerne the substaūce frō the shadow to shunne hys trappe not to bee abused by anie paynted or coloured crafte And this vertue encludeth in it constancie without which a man is no man for as well without reason as without iudgement or resolution in time to vse the same after cōsultation and good aduisement hadd speadye executyon shoulde followe ¶ Of the loue and diligent regarde of the Captayne vnto his souldiours Cap. 7. THe last parte of the furniture whiche armethe our Captayne complete is a tender affectiō diligēt regarde vnto his souldiers So that a good mynde well and vertuouslie enclined and disposed serueth not without diligence in exercysinge and geuinge forthe the fruites thereof And therefore a Captaine besydes his prouident care and studie of the generall and publicke weale and affaires of his armye ought also to respect the state and necessities of pryuate persones and commen souldiers And therefore if the gouernours of Ciuill estates haue been called fathers as the Senatours of Roome had first that name to remember them of the fatherlie affeccion and care whyche they ought to beare towardes the people muche more ought the generall ouer his martiall commō weale to haue a fatherlie minde and regarde for the souldier leaueth father all his frendes and estate of liuinge at home to followe his captaine in foreine countrey committinge his life and all to the guyde and good fortune of him And if lyke desyers with concorde of studies affeccions and continuance of conuersatiō of life do cause most entier loue and stronge bande league of frendshyp much more ought this socyetie of myndes linked and ioyned in honourable desyres and purpose with the vowed felowshippe of bodies in all perylles yea in life and in death vnyte the hartes of the captaine and souldiers in most deare affection and amitie which the captaine ought to professe towardes his souldiers they eche towardes other If the souldier be sicke or hurte the Captaine must prouide Phisitions of Chirurgien for him if he be troubled in minde he ought to be hys friende to visite him and comfort him to further his desires and endeuours to encourage him if he be a worthy souldier to conferre with him some time familierly of his estate and to further and deuise how to encrease and amende the same as wel in the armie as at home For perchaunce hee hath none other friende to cherishe or to haue regarde vnto him in the armie if he be iniuried he hath not the commen ayde and helpe of lawe for his money as in peace he may Therefore the Captayne must be his staye helpe in all his necessities And least it be obiected that if he had Argos eyes hee cannot see the wantes of all men and leasure will not at all times suffer to discharge the partes aboue requyred to preuent the same I say he must onelye extende his diligence as farre as maye be herein Xenophon wrote vnto king Cyrus that a Gouernour ought to be towardes his people kinde as a father towarde his children To note some examples of thys vertue we reade that the great kinge Mithridates vsed such diligence and had such regarde vnto all his comen souldier that of a great armie he coulde call euery man priuatelye by hys name and hauinge people of more then xx seueral natiōs languages he would talke vnto them all familierly in their proper Coūtrey speache The great king Cyrus before remēbred which foūded the Monarchye of the Persians vsed great affabilitie towardes his souldiers The excellent Captayne Scipio is noted and honoured for this curtesie Alexander the great passinge some daies in the desertes barrē drye places of Arabia where as no water was to be foūde so that both the army himself weare pained with great thirst almost intollerable in this neade a cōmen souldiour had by great trauayll gotten one helmet full of water and brought it vnto the kinge which when he had receaued very thankfullye he powred it out vpon the groūd shewing him selfe willing to be partaker of the comē want necessitie of his armie whereby the rest seeing the abstinence and noble minde of their Gouernour forgott the pinche of theyr thirst prepared them selues to suffer any hardnesse and not to bee weryed but constantlie to continue to ouercomeall labours difficulties The same Alexander no greater in power then in noble vertue of minde an other time passinge a iourney in extreme intollerable frost sharpe weather with rough vncomfortable wayes findinge a souldiour stiffe almost dead with could of the percynge ayer he caused him presentlye to be caryed into his tente theare being sett in his owne chayer he sawe him tenderlye dressed and cherished geuinge vnto him of his owne clothes to keape him warme Caius Iulius hauing Alexāders minde in manye thinges so did he no lesse tender and regarde his souldiers when he went to battaile he woulde saye come fellowe souldiours goe we together and call them sometyme good friendes Charles the fifthe beinge a great Emperour and of notable skill and practise in warres endued also with sundrye noble vertues ridynge thoroughe his Campe to viewe the state of the same a commen souldiour sicke and wantinge necessaryes cryed out and rayled vpon him bitterlye wishinge a vengeance and the diuell on hym for that in his seruice beinge fallen into infirmitye disease now had he neither knowledge nor helpe of him the Emperour mildelye aunswered good woordes my good souldiour and thou shalt not want the helpe that may bee had Now to conclude thys vertue not paynfull to plant in thy maners and exercise in actions and deedes yet it bringeth great and happy fruites for it procureth such loue and honour of the Souldiour to the Captaine that thereby he possesseth the more safetie of person and quiet of minde he purchaseth greater fame at home and abroad his attemptes affaires procede the better to effecte for it maketh the endeuour of the Souldiour wonderfull Loue is the surest armour that