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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10710	A martial conference pleasantly discoursed betweene two souldiers, the one Captaine Skil, trained vp in the French and Low Country seruices, the other Captaine Pill, only practised in Finsburie fields in the modern warres of the renowmed Duke of Shordich and the mightie Prince Arthur / newly translated out of Essex into English by Barnabe Rich ...	Rich, Barnabe, 1540?-1617.	1598 (1598)	STC 20991.3; ESTC S2298	52,687	92

that are worth much and therfore he that will be a Captaine of worth he must learne to shift betimes or it will not be Skill Captaine Pill your construction of a Captaine of worth doth so commend your Martiall skill that I thinke a man of your experience were more worthie to be made a great officer in the field then to be so meanely imployed in the place of a priuate Captaine to haue the command but of a hundred and fiftie poore Souldiours Pill I tell you Captaine Skill my words are mysticall and not to be conceited by euerie ordinarie Souldiour that is but of a darke cloudy vnderstanding and for this sufficiency that you finde to be in me I doe as highly commend your iudgement that can so readily discerne it and although that I haue hitherto hidden my talent yet now séeing so many men of lesse training then my selfe are so readie to thrust themselues forward and many times haue obtained what they thrust so fast for I will therefore venture my stake amongst the rest for I sée it is but fortune that ruleth all vertue helpes little desert much lesse Captaines are not so much appoynted for the knowledge they haue gotten by seruice as for the friendes they are able to make my Lord he speaks for one my lady she sues for another my Lord commendes his man for his stomacke my Ladie shée prayses her man for his courage men haue skill to perswade women must not be denied when they sue and hée that hath a good stomacke and is of a lustie courage is fitte to be a Captaine Skill Indéed valiance is a speciall vertue for a Souldier if these men may be saide to haue it Pill Why who will denie it them or make any doubt but that they haue it he that hath liued all the dayes of his life at home amongst his friendes and neuer sawe an enemie that might hurt him and now wil make a special sute to be a Captaine and to appose himselfe into so many perils as he knowes not what they are nor what they mean who will denie this man to be valiant Skill No man that is wise but will confesse him to be as valiant a captaine as euer ran him selfe in to danger without iudgement or as he that wil leape the hedge before hée hath séene the ditch Pill Yet there he some that will saye it is a desperate kinde of holdnes and they will call it rashnes and foolish hardines then they will make destinctions what is true valiance indéed but these distinguishers are fitter for the schoole then for the field Sill And I thinke these Captaines had neede to go to schoole with them to learne a little wit howe to demeane themselues when they come to the field Pill Why should you thinke so do you imagine that martiall knowledge fit for the fielde is to be learned at a schoole Skill And how should he come by that martiall knowledge that neuer came in the field Pill And wherefore doe men séeke charge but because they are willing to learne Skill Let them first learn to obey before they take vpon them to commaund Pill It is a base minde in a Gentleman to serue vnlesse he may commaund Skill It is a vaine presumptuous minde in any man to séeke to commaund before he knowes how to commaund Pill Do you call it presumption for a Gentleman t● indeuoure himselfe to serue his Prince and country Skill I say it is the most honourable thing that any gentleman can indeuoure but I cal it presumption in him that will take vppon him to commaund before he haue experience how Pill And howe is experience sooner attained vnto then for a man to be in place where he may commaund Skill But that experience is at too high a rate for the vnskilfull Phisitian and the ignorant Captaine do buy their experience with the price of mens liues and therefore in the olde time there was great regard had in the choosing of their Captaines and no man might commaund or haue authoritie that was vnder thirtie yeeres of age but Alexander amongst the rest admitted none to the place of a Captaine that was vnder thréescore Pill But men were not so capable in those days as they are now for now there be some if they haue but séene Souldiers trayned on Mile-end-greene or haue borne office in a Midsummer sight or haue bin at the fetching home a Maie-pole they wil by and by put themselues into the Captaines trayne and they will looke as big as Haniball the great captain of Carthage but he that shuld heare their table-talk when they be at their ordinaries or amongst such company as knowes them not but by their owne reportes would thinke that the nine worthies were but fooles in comparison of these men they will shake off their skermishes they wil martiall their battells into squares into triangles into sheares into saws into halfe moones into snailes into gées into esses and into more proportions then either Langius Vygetius or Machiuell himselfe did euer knowe of though he wrote the arte of warre Now for the winning of walled townes the assailing of cittiedales or the scaling of castles what fortification so strong which they will not surprise but with discharging of two or thrée volies of oathes And where was there euer Generall were he neuer so noble that could performe any seruice how honourable so euer which they will not censure and séeme to controule In one thing they wil say oportunitie was neglected in another they will say aduantage was not taken heere they wil say discipline wanted there againe foresight was not had this might haue béene preuented thus and that might haue béene done with better safetie tother way Now who can thinke but that these men were crept into the very guttes of martiall skill that are so skilful to finde all manner of faultes and so expert besides in all other militarie practise For the new discipline they haue it as freshly at their fingers endes as he that first founde it out and they can commaunde with as good a grace And do but imagine now that I were at a training somewhere about London mark how I could behaue my selfe Souldiers ranke your selues into fiue drawe forward shot so very well done now rancke your selues into sixe double your ranckes on the right hand again as you were march on faire and easily double your files on the left hand open your rancks close your files Skill No more good Captaine Pill for héere is no body to maintaine the skirmish but you and I and it is pittie you should appose your selfe to perill where there is no better rescues at hand Pill But howe do you like of my commaunde Captaine Skill you sée now I could do somewhat but speake truly how do you like of it Skill There is no man that can dislike of it it may passe in dispite of all the pages in the court but you neuer learned this at Finsbury

I am sure of that Pill Wheresoeuer I learned it no matter for that you see I haue it cunning is no burthen but do you not think my experience sufficient for the conduct of an hundred and fiftie souldiers Skill Yes and enough to cousin them all of their paye and nowe I perceiue indéed that yong Captaines are farre more capable then they were in Alexanders time or else they would neuer make so great sute to gette charge but I sée it is skil that leades them vnto it and I haue heard of some of those capable Captaines in place where they haue béene imployed that if they haue but once mustered 100. men within one moneth after they will not haue 30. and yet I durst depose for them that if they were brought to a dayes seruice they would performe as great skil with that small number as if they had fiue hundred to commaund Pill I think so and it is no great wonder for take héed of any man that is once growne so capable that he is apt to take any thing but I will tell you of a Captaine of a speciall vertue that was once imployed I will not tell you the place whither but it is no great matter though I name you the man it was Captaine Flant who was sent with a hundred Souldiours to a place of seruice where he had not stayed long but he reduced his whole hundred of men into a iust proportion of fiftéene besides his officers which was a Lieutenant an Ensigne a Sergeant and a Drum The 15 he reduced into three Squadrons which was foure to euerie Squadron besides the thrée Corporalles For his march he would lightly ranke them into thrée and his fiftéene men made iust fiue rankes neuer a man to spare For an instant of seruice vpon any ground of aduantage he would bid them to turne their faces on the right or left hand and then they were imbatteled into a broade square ●…ue in front and thrée in flanke If vpon the plaine he were inforced to a square battaile by thrusting in his Ensigne his number was iust sixtéene which being drawn into Maniples of foure made a perfect square euerie of like strength If at any time he were disposed to martiall them into Batalions he would neuer make aboue three Batalions of his fiftéene men neither would he admit any more then fiue men to a Batalion because hee would do all things by proportion and art To shew his skill in the new discipline hee would ranke his fiftéene men into seuen which made two rankes and one man to spare then would he bid them to double their rankes on the right hand so then he had iust fouretéene in ranke but where be the files and this is called the wilegoose ranke Now if they had but turned their faces to the left hand then the file was fouretéene but where be the rankes and now they were drawne into an excellent proportion fitte to haue passed any straight that had not béene wonderfull narrow This is inough concerning his discipline and now I will tell you how he passed a muster It fell out that the Lord Deputie or Generall or some bodie it was that had the chéefe commaunde in that place would himselfe be present at a generall muster where Captaine Flant amongst the rest bringing in his muster role his officers being first called his Souldiours were now to answere to their names There was first called Thomas Tatter that had neuer a whole ragge to put vpon his backe not almost so much as would hide his taile Captaine Flant quoth my Lorde if the rest of your companie be in as good plight as this me thinks they shuld be able to maintein a great daies march because they are not pestered with too much carriage at their backes I warrant you my Lorde answered the Captaine you shall finde them all alike and I hope your Lordship shall sée so seruiceable a companie as would be glad to get their pay in any place in Christendome well passe you by Thomas Tatter who is next Slim Slatter What Slim bare legged and barefooted both it is not yet a quarter of a yeare agoe sithence I gaue you twelue pence to buy brooges but I sée you haue spent your money at the alehouse I will tell your Lordshippe if this man would not sometimes take thrée pottes too many hée were as braue a footeman as euer marcht vppon two bare féete and I vse him indeede for my vauntcurrour to discouer Ambuscados when I march in Bodalia well passe by Slim Slatter the next Nicholas Needie come on Nicholas a most dainty shot my Lorde and an excellent marke man I do value him to be worth foure men for his readinesse and skill he hath but one fault and that is he will neuer carrie any pouder in his slaske I thinke he would sell his soule for good drinke passe by Nicholas Needie to the next Gilbert Greedie a verie lustie fellow and a speciall Souldiour for a ward or any place fortified he loues not the fielde but if he gettes into a towne you shall neuer gette him out againe till you plucke him out by the eares Gilbert follow your fellow and to the next Tom Trudge an excellent shot I had rather haue him on my side in the day of seruice then sixe of the best shotte againe in the field that are not of mine owne companie hee hath lost the seere of his péece but wee will haue it amended against the next musters passe on Tom Trudge who is next Dauie Drudge a man of a great spright I haue known when he hath séene two hundred enemies in view and he hath wisht them all fast bound both hand and foote and himselfe amongst the thickest of them all alone and had but a browne bill in his hand well passe along Dauie and to the next Thomas Tattell mine owne countreyman wee were borne both in a parish and for seuen yeres togither I was sure once in a month to finde him in a paire of stocks or in a pillorie but for an able Souldiour I would not leaue him for tenne other in his place go along Thomas the next his Camirado Peter Pratle an excellent skilfull Souldier more fit to leade others then to be commanded by any he is so careful in his conduct that I dare vndertake he would neuer leade his company with his owne good will where they should take any harme Peter follow your Camirado I do value that man for his skill to be worth 20 ordinary Souldiers the next Iohn Dory an olde Souldier you may sée by all his furniture it will scarce hang together with very antiquitie folowe your fellowes Iohn Dory to the next Sim Sory stand forth man What I thinke thou hast bin dauncing of Friskin that solde for hath solde his hatband for good ale but I thinke thou hast solde al the clothes from thy backe for good ale but there treades not a better souldier vpon this ground

meane There is no estate be it empire kingdome or other common wealth whatsoeuer that may be saide to be established or surely setled either from forraine inuasion or intestine rebellion which is not strengthned staid vpholden and propped vp by force of armes This was the cause that Salomon who in the holy scriptures is called Rex pacificus and was stil busied with the building of the holy Temple forgat not yet to furnish his garrisons with expert men of warre horses and charriots neither hath there béene any well gouerued commonwelth which hath neglected this care but they haue béene at all times in all ages and in all places especially prouident in this behalfe It would be tedious for me to deliuer how chéereful they haue béene in incouraging how liberal in rewarding how industrious in training how diligent in instructing and practising of men to inable them with skill and to make them expert in the knowledge and feates of war when they were not ignorant but would alwayes acknowledge that both prince country life libertie goods law iustice religion and all together depended in the skil of the souldier and the knowledge of armes If the matter be of this importance can you blame princes that haue euermore béene scrupulous in the appointing of their armies and would neuer admit of any to be conduetors leaders and commaunders but such as by continuance and practise were found to be of approoued skil and of tried and knowne experience and not to pester their squadrons with yonglings of little wit and lesse vnderstanding who because they haue séene souldiers alittle trained and made ready or perhappes haue serued some moneth or sixe wéekes where they might sée alittle wil vpon this presume to thrust themselues into charge foolishly taking vpon them that they are not able to performe when by the indiscretion of such a captaine a whole army may be ouerthrown which may concerne no lesse than the subuersion of a kingdome and the losse of a princes crowne The matter therefore is not lightly to be regarded thogh I do not amplifie and inforce it as I could and her Maiestie hath payed dearely for the seruice of some of these hasly mad captaines in some places I could name if I were disposed to inferre presidents but letting this passe if for the attainment of a séely occupation no lesse than seauen yéeres apprentiship is required before a man may be thought sufficient in skill or admitted to trade how happeneth it then that in the Arte Militarie wherein there was neuer man so wel practised no though he had serued seuen times seuen yeares which was not yet to séeke and euerie day to learne and yet nouices that haue not bene of seuen moneths practise nay sometimes not of seauen wéekes training haue béene thrust into charge that hath neither skil nor science to command no nor to performe the least duty that appertaineth to a captaine of vnderstanding It is not enough for a man that shall haue charge to march before his company with a feather in his cappe and a gilt leading staffe in his hand not althogh he haue daring enough in him to bring his men to a hot incounter for Fortune is in nothing more variable than in the action of war and more victories haue béene lost for want of skill than for want of strength or corage but if it be true that he that hath courage enough may be thought to haue skil enough it were happy for our English nation that are generally a people of so great courage and valure as they are not agaïne to be seconded with the like and yet euermore ouer reached by policie sometimes with the barbarous Irish The Captaine therefore that relieth so much in his courage without skill is like a blind man in a dangerous passage and thinketh scorne to be led for although that courage be an especiall ornament wherewith a Captaine should be iudued yet courage without skill is not true valiance but rather may be sayde to be rash and foolish hardinesse for so it hath euer beene defined by the wise men of the world That courage saith Cicero that is forward to danger without iudgement may rather beare the name of lewd hardinesse then of manlinesse The want of knowledge bréedeth the want of skill sayth Xenophon And Solomon sayth a wise man is euer strong a man of vnderstanding increaseth in strength And Cato prescribeth thrée especiall speciall vertues that ought to be in a Captaine that is to say Experience Policie and Valiance Here you may sée that although Valiance be a speciall ornament for a Captaine yet it martheth in the rereward preferring the other twoo as more worthie for it is not inough for the valiant man to do what he can but hee must likewise take héede that he attempt nothing but what hée ought and therefore without experience he shal runne into many errors and where Valiance serueth onely but for execution Policie is he that prepareth the meane Pill But me thinks Captaine Skill you are somewhat too nice in mincing of this word Valiance which I do take to bee a naturall gift but you would seeme to couple it I know not to what skill and would admitte of no man to be valiant that were not almost as wise as Solomon Skil It I haue bin too nice in the mincing of my words they are the fitter for your queas●ie stomacke which I perceiue to be neither of sounde disgestion nor of sauorie vnderstanding for although I do not thinke that euerie valiant man must necessarily be almost as wise as Solomon yet of this I can vndoubtedly assure you that there was neuer foole that might be sayde to haue any valiance at al Pill But I speake not of extremities for say that a braue and gallant minded Gentleman would couragiously take a charge vpon him though he neuer in his life had serued before an enemie whereby to attaine to any knowledge may not this man yet be esteemed for valiant or would you not putte some difference betwéene him and a foole Skil Iust as much difference as is betweene a gréene Goose and a gosling and for his valiance you do partly know my minde but you say that I haue alreadie minced the word ouer nicely but I wil mince it a little better because I would be loath you shoulde hurt your teeth in she chewing Valiance is a vertue that fighteth for equitie and iustice for nothing may be holden for honest that is voyde of iustice and as that knowledge skil or policie that is seuered from iustice is rather called subtiltie then wisedome and in his best account is estéemed but for craft and deceit so that courage that is forward to danger more for vain glorie and greedie desire then for a common profite and a generall good is rather to be termed desperate boldnesse then valiance There is nothing therefore more inciting to true Christian valiance then when a man shall remember he goeth to fight in a