of the riuer is shallow or otherwise most conuenientlye to be passed thē to carry away the enemy by colour of some attēpt in another place after to retourne vnto the same by night or secretelie to lodge some sufficiēt parte of the armye behinde to passe the same inuade the enemie on a sodayne at their backe while the other parte of the armye proceadeth before in the viewe gaze of the enemy For the polityke Captayne oughte nothinge lesse to pretende in shewe then that whiche in purpose he intendeth For so haue famous Cityes bene surprised on the sodayne vnprouided while a counterfaite preparation hath bene made by the enemye a power lead an other waye sometime againste a secrete friende being in apparāce an enemy till they haue both ioygned to the mischiefe of a third partye so is it a practise at the syege of a Towne to bende encline al force batterie in shewe to one side of the sāe whē a secrete power is prepared to skale surprise it on sōe other parte little regarded or defended Hanno a Captayne of Carthage being streightlie besyeged within a trenche he enclosed himselfe most stronglye as it seemed on that parte where he purposed to breake forthe which he afterwardes setting on fire escaped thorough wyth his armie the enemies geuing no watche vnto that place Nabides at the syege of Lacedaemon set fire on a parte of the Towne where enemies weare entred by the trouble thereof with a fresh assaulte made of the Townesmen draue thē out agayne Hanniball on a time driuen into a streyght by Fabius the Romayne so that hee was enforced by a great enconueniēce to passe a hill where the armie of Fabius lay on the top thereof he therefore caused linkes brādes to be fastened vnto the hornes of a great nūber of oxen which weare in the campe setting thē on fire by night the cattail were driuē with great noise larum vp to the enemies campe which hearinge the terrible noise of the beastes whē they felt the force of the fire also being ama zed with the sight as though they stoode in doubt to fight with the dyuell that made such a whorlye burlie Hannibal the whilest quietly cōueied ouer his armie Diuers Captaynes whē they haue bene hardlie pursued or let in like passage by the enemy they haue setled their armies and begonne trenches as thoughe they would haue rested theare or ioygned battaile shortlye withe the enemye which markinge obseruinge the same hath encamped made the like preparation whilest that the other haue vsed oportunitie to passe suche ryuers hilles or gayne such groūde as they desired Also the excellent Captaines haue accustomed when they vnderstoode that the enemie had made strongest the front or some other singuler part of his battaile they haue sett against the flanke or weakest side theareof Some other haue suffered them selues to be enclosed by the enemies armie to the ende that the same beeinge brought out of order they woulde breake thoroughe the weakest parte theareof whiche hath happened to the great hurt of the enemie Manye thinges theare are to be obserued which geue great aduaūtage in the ioygninge of battaile as if thou canst trayne thy enemie into a streight or valley thy selfe to possesse the hilles on bothe sides as Hanniball caught the Romaine armie at Cannae And alwayes it is good policie to haue the higher ground of the enemy and to haue the aduauntage of the winde and the sunne for the same being in the face of the enemie thou maist sett furthe a part of thine armye to inuade his battaile on the one side or at the backe that their sight being troubled they shall not perceaue wheare about thou goest wheareby also if thou haue any ambushe in anye trenche wood or couert laide as he shall marche he is more apte to come into the same vndiscouered then sodaine daungers when they be not knowen or perfectlie sene are the more feared As the experience hereof was had by Epaminondas a famous Captayne of Grecia which supplyed this aduantage of the sonne another waye hee caused his light horsemen in verie dustie wayes to make an attempte vpon the enemye and shortlie to withdrawe and gallop backe before thē the whilest Epaminondas came about vppon them on the one syde before they coulde discerne the order of his battaile for the dust that was raysed so easelie vanquished them The like practise maye be by a pyle of wood or olde hedges in the waye of the enemyes sette on fire to rayse a smoke for a impedyment of their sighte till some enterprise bee atchyeued Where the one parte is exceading stronge by store of horsemen or of shott it is vndoubtedlie for the aduantage and sauftie of the other to keepe in rough groundes or neare some bankes hilles or woodes also to keepe their armie close that the horse men or shot be verie nigh vpon them before they bringe foorth their battaill So shall not the shott haue leasure or leuell to discharge likelie to hurte and horses in suche groundes disordered and leapinge one vpon an others backe for lacke of roome shall loose their force to take the starte vpō the enemie Great policie also it is if thou canst come with thy armie freshe vpon the enemie wearied with muche trauaile or beinge in anie mutine amonge thē selues weakened or discouraged by want of victualles or anie other perplexitie or distresse by ill tydinges out of their countrey or some losse else where sustayned before the same bee salued or supplyed by anie later victorye or other good happe fallen vnto them and it hathe been vsed cūninglie to coygne and cast abrode imagined rumours of mischiefes towardes to appall and dismaye the enemie Manie singuler and famous exploytes and victories haue been had done when the enemie hath been surprysed on the sodaine in disorder or by nighte for want of good espyall when hee hathe not doubted anie daunger and therefore it is good to bee circumspect and readie to stande still vpon guarde and defence and little to truste the enemie duringe the warres Titus Didius beinge weaker then his enemie which was remouinge to encoūter a legion comminge into his ayde to staye that purpose hee publyshed thoroughe out all his armie that he entended the next daye to fighte the fielde and suffered certaine prysoners colourablie to escape which freshlie coulde so orthe those newes when they retourned into their campe whereby the enemie stayed and the other sauflie receaued the succour sent vnto him ¶ To breake or disorder the battaile of the enemye Cap. 2. OTher policyes there are to be remembred and practised when a battayle is orderlie sette to breake or trouble the same and this is one to geue out with great noyse duringe the fight that the generall on the other syde is slayne or that parte of hys battaile duringe the fighte flyeth or to make some sodaine shewe to be a terrour
vnto them As Caius Sulpitius caused a manie of Pages vnder Romaine ensignes with bad cast horses cartes trumperie to make a great muster shew sodainelye vpon a hyll within sight whyle he was a fightinge with the Frenchmen whiche thereby being discomfited he obtayned the victorie But it is of greater effecte if in deede there be a troupe closelie conueyed or an ambushe layed on the sodaine to inuade the enemyes fightynge at their backe whiche maye most conuenientlie be done where there be hilles or couert nyghe Hanniball in a battaile against kynge Eumenes threwe earthen pottes full of snakes and vipers amonge his enemies wherewith they were presentlie frighted and disordered The Spaniardes against the armie of the Carthaginoys led by Amilcar put in their fronte Cartes full of Towe drawen with Oxen and ioygninge to fighte they kyndeled fire in the same by force whereof the Oxen thrust furth into the battaile of the enemyes and opened it The lyke hathe been done with Cartes full of hookes by great power enforced and dryuen vppon the fronte of the enemies For the auoydinge whereof Sylla the Romaine planted Pyles stakes before his battaile whereby the Cartes were stopped and dyd not hurte The lyke daunger maye bee auoyded by geeuynge waye vnto suche engyns thorough spaces prepared in the fronte or first rankes till they may bee turned a syde by which practise also great power and fierce assaulte of horsemen hath beecome vayne Nowe to remedie sodaine mischiefes whiche maye fall and to staye the armie from fearefull flight before there be cause there bee two firme and necessarie rules constantlie to bee kepte the one is that no man for anie sodaine chaunce terrour shewe by any practise or assault of the enemie made by daye or by night take anie other waye or purpose but to fight couragiouslie till there be certaine signe geuen by the generall to retyre or otherwise to deale The other rule is that the Captayne circumuented or deceaued by the enemie seeme to doe the same willinglie whiche hee is enforced vnto Tullus Hostilius in battayle seinge howe a bande of his hyred souldiours was tourned vnto the enemye whereby hys menne were muche troubled and affrayed hee foorthwith gaue vnderstandinge throughe oute the armie that there was nothinge done but by his commaundemēt and for a good purpose Scipio goinge to inuade Affryke hadde before made league and frendship with Syphax kinge of Numidia whiche afterwarde reuoltinge sent him worde that he woulde be a frende vnto the other parte but Scipio concealed this message from his souldiours and sayde that hee sent vnto him to make haste on the iourneye Moreouer yf parte of the armye flye be-before the whole battayle be moued and broken the wise and valiaunt Captaine may by vehemēt perswasions meanes bringe thē backe especially the hardynes noble courage of the general may auayle hearein As Lucius Silla in a battayle againste Mithridates certayne of hys legions or bandes beinge put to flyght he gott before thē with his swearde drawē crying if any aske you of your Captaines saye we lefte him in the fielde figh ting Phillip king of Macedon vnderstanding that his men feared the Scythiās placed behinde his armie certaine of his most trustie horsemen gaue commaundement to keape in and turne vpon the enemyes such as shoulde flye that they might bee slayne both of them and of their friendes wheareby his souldiours determininge rather to dye honourablye to the benefite of their Countrey thē with shame to the hurt thereof they became Conquerours Some Captaines to geue occasion to the souldiours to vse greater endeuour and to put out their force thoroughlye haue throwen an ensigne amongest the enemyes and appointed rewarde to him which could recouer it againe And whē they enemye lodgeth within streyghtes trenches or places enuirōned with hilles meanes may bee founde to prouoke him to battaile by cuttinge of his foragers and prouision of victualles or to faine that thou remouest to some other enterprise withdrawinge till hee be dislodged But Paulus Aemilius in Macedonia to encounter and deale with the Armye of Perses restinge at the foote of the hill Olympus in a place maruailouslye by nature enuironned by arte fortified hee conueyed his armye secretelye by night vp the stepe vnhaunted wayes of the hill not suspected or watched of the enemye so that he came downe the more sodainlie vppon them to their greater spoile losse Cato Maior by the verie same means came vpon Antiochus beinge stronglye guarded defended in the streyghtes of Thermopylae in Graecia at which enterprise the kinge Antiochus being greatly hurte with a stone his armie fledde Scipio the excellent Captaine goinge to subdue Afrique procured in so great warres the aide of K. Masinissa whom shorthe after his arryuall there he sēt to prouoke Hanno generall on the other side for the Carthaginois to fight who seing the small number with Masinissa led proceaded against him with all his power on a heape and the other after a feawe blowes fayninge to flye brought the enemy foorth vnto Fooles baye vpō the hoast of Scipio which he had arrayed and sett in excellent order of battaile readye to receaue the enemie So was Hanno there slayne and his disordered Armie put to flyghte Then Scipio purposinge the syege of the Citye Vtica and hearinge of the comminge of Hasdruball and Syphax with a myghtye power agaynst him hee planted his Armye vpon an hyll wheare he might saue and defende his nauye and also with sum̄ aduauntage fighte wyth the enemye And when he had vnderstandynge that the enemyes had setled bothe their campes nyghe and that their tentes weare made wythe woode and bull rushes warme for the wynter time he sent Masinissa and. C. Laelius to sett fire on thē by night and with all to assayle Syphax whyche done the fire also taketh Hasdruballes campe the Carthaginoys runninge foorth in heapes vnto the broyle they fell all into the Romaynes hādes So that theare weare then slaine almost xl thousande of them Thus mightie powers be by policie smothelie vanquished and great estates lyghtlie ouerthrowen wyse men seing the rocke wheareon other men wracke are warned and waxe ware taking by their losse a lesson to guyde their owne affayres ¶ Aduertysementes how the armye that is weaker then the enemyes may growe stronger or saue it selfe Cap. 3. IT is a policie in this case to drawe vnto thee sum̄ of the enemyes friendes or ayde by promise of great thinges hope of large dominyon benefites to follow or by practise to sowe discētion or mislike betwene thē as when Siphax king of Numidia had ioygned league with the Romaines to ayde thē in the warres of Afrique the Carthaginois sent Ambassadours vnto him declaringe the ambition of the Romaines howe by litle litle they sought cūninglie to subdue al other Princes being once entred into Afrique that they would not cease till they had obtayned it all wheareof his Countreye was
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
daylye skirmishes withe the contrarie parte and eftsoones preuayled thearein An other tyme a shippe of Caesars souldiours beeinge taken by a gouernour vnder Pompeye which promised vnto one of them for the good reporte whiche hee had of his manhode that he should haue pardone and be receaued to serue Pompeye he aunswered that Caesars Souldiours vsed to geue life and libertie vnto other and not to receaue the same of almes or to sell their Captayne for crauenous feare And so resisting to be apprehēded after that hee had slayne diuers of his enemyes hee leaped into a riuer and escaped by swimming The souldiours of Caesar also sustayning so constantlie the greate and continuall battailles in Fraunce and Germanye withe terrible trauayles ouer mountaynes and harde passage of ryuers and floodes in the percyng coulde and sharpe stormes of winter shewed their inuincible courage good will to follow their Captayne ¶ How to vse victorye and what clemencye is to be vsed towardes the conquered and of the hurte which commeth by securitye Cap. 7. AFter a victorye obtayned howe to pursue the same to deale with the enemye two thinges are to be considered one is the enemye being subdued and all setled and confirmed in quyet that tyrannie bee not shewed but reasonable lawes orders and conditions established vnto the con quered The other is that theare bee no slacknes or negligence vsed vntill the victorye bee perfecte and accomplyshed in euerye parte daungers fledde farre awaye the force of the Enemye broken downe and suppressed For by securitye these myschiefes haue growen that after manye battayles withe greate honour and prowesse foughten infinyte trauayles sustayned and sundrye Realmes subdued one dayes careles securitye and vndiscrete dysorder hathe subuerted all turnynge the state of Conquerours into captiuitye As the Carthaginoys hauynge slayne the two Scipioes in Spayne and wythe greate ruyne repulsed and pulled downe the Romayne power not regarding those that remayned theareof dispersed they weare by the relycques of the same armie gathered together vnder Lucius Martius ouerthrowen Brennus Belinus before mencioned beeinge enryched by the plentifull spoiles of Italie and sacke of Rome as they retourned in securitie and disorder weare on the sodaine inuaded by Camillus withe a feawe of the people before conquered and the victorie being wrested againe out of their handes they weare cleane bereft the fruites of their former conquest The redoubted Cyrus beinge the verye example of great Alexanders noble courage when he had by martiall prowesse obtayned the mightie estate of Persia and subdued diuers kingdomes afterwardes inuadinge Scythia wheare he had a great victorye against that fierce nation by this policye fayning when he was entred within the Countrey that he repented of his attempte and makinge a shewe of hastie fliynge lefte his tentes stored withe good wynes and delicate cheare which the barbarous people pursuing after so plyed and typled square that tomblinge together at night surcharged with wyne and heauie of sleape Cyrus not farre with drawen came vpon them and slewe them euerye mothers sonne After which victorie Thomyris Queene of the lande not discomforted womanlike as Cyrus thought reckoning to rashely with a shrewde hostis but purposing preparing a reuenge by like crafte to acquite him ouer reache him in his owne arte she fled farre within the coūtrey fayninge feare but meaninge mischiefe to trayne the enemie followinge in disorder roominge at random into streigtes where she had priuelye plāted ambushes on the hilles on euery side which sodainlye inuadinge Cyrus and his hoste slewe them all so that of two hundred thousande men there escaped not one to make reporte of the battaill Marcus Antonius after manie most famous victories restinge in Egipt out of tyme regarded not the daungers at Roome whiche seemed so farre of remooued from him but soone they came on him whyle he snorted in carelesse securitie to his vtter ouerthrowe He that will goe drye must carrye a cloke for feare of the cloude which sheweth from a farre I will not waste tyme to declare the further mischiefes destructyons chaunced thoroughe rashe and ouerhastie reckoninge of vnrype victorie and vnsure saufetye These maye suffyce to warne him which maye assure him selfe by good order in armes and battaill to be saufe of power inuincible that by rashnes for lacke of guyde and circumspect foresyght hee tumble not vpon the enemies swerde After one victorie had foorth with the enemie must bee orderlie pursued and not suffered by rest to renue his faintinge force but when he staggereth stryke on still till he be downe and his power fast shutt vp Then the warres beinge thoroughlie ended the captiue liuinge vnder the lawe rule of the conquerour his honour is muche encreased by shewinge of clemencie shunninge of hatefull crueltye For that humanitie requireth this christianitye cōmaundeth to doe Sum̄ haue vsed their conquestes ouer suche as haue yelded vnto their dominion that sauinge onelie the chaūge of their prince or gouernour they haue suffered no alteration of lawes libertie estate or degree The Romaines vsed to appoint deputies gouernours with competent garrisons vnto the landes conquered taxinge them with a meane tribute and takinge hostages for the same so they retourned left thē quiet The noble courtesie which great Alexander vsed towardes the captyue wyfe and daughters of Darius enlarged spred abrode his honour to the furtherāce of his conquestes following What a preparatiue was made vnto Scipio his good successe what a foūdation towardes the proceadinge of his warrelike affaires by his honourable vsinge of prince Luceius his wife lyberalitie vsed towardes Masinissaes nephewe the great and continuall seruice of those princes afterwardes in his warres as before is recyted suffy cientlie sheweth And whatsoeuer lawes fraunchyse or grauntes the generalls of armies haue establyshed made vnto the conquered the princes and estates vnder whom they were deputed ordayned haue alwaies ratified inuiolablye obserued and allowed the same compositions ¶ Of the beginninge iust cause of warres Cap. 8. FOr that the iust quarell encouragethe and commenlye bryngethe prosperous successe it is to bee consydered what maye bee a good grounde and cause to vse weapons and begynne warres by the lawe of nature Iustice and pryncipallie by the lawe of God whiche ought to bee the foundation and rule of all our doynges of whom wee ought to take all our begynninges by whom affayres prosperouslye proceade and happelye ende without whom nothinge encreasethe or groweth to anie good effecte That warres may bee iustlye made and howe diuers good menne haue attempted and vsed the same we reade in the holye booke Almightie God hath stirred vp dyuers as well Prynces as priuate menne or commen persons to take armes and vse force agaynst the wicked The children of Israell vnder Iosua by the cōmaundement leadinge of God conquered the Cananites expelled the miscreaunt and idolotrous nations and possessed their landes Saul Sampson were raysed by him to
a refuge by their wisedome experience vnto thē in their troubles neades Thus seeing that inuasion in sum̄ cases is tollerable yelding sufficiēt matter for noble courages to worke vpō so that prowesse shal neuer be so shut vp but it may haue a cōmendable course if theare be a regarde to the feare of God for the vertuous direction good ende theareof the warres for defēce must neades more generallie be allowed whensoeuer wronge is offered by the enemie of anie estate to the losse vexation or empayringe of the same wheareby in bodies goodes mindes possessions fraunchises lawes iurisdictions credit honour or anye thinge that is of profit or contentation vnto thē they be anoyed or hurte the resistinge encountring wheare of is iust honourable necessarye The aūcient warres of Troye Thebes arose vpon great wronges offered the first of them in the time that K. Dauid raygned the other not longe after The Grekes maintained continuall warres for their libertie to preserue their publique states vnder elected gouernours especially to auoyde subiection to anie foreine nation which they esteamed barbarous and rascall in respect of them selues The Scythiens hauinge no riche or delycate possessions of pleasant or frutefull fieldes no substaunce or store of goodes to loose yet they fought fiercelie to defende the tombes of their aūcestours whereof they had their greatest care frō iniuries of the enemie defacing And generallie nature hath geuē to liuinge thinges a desire of defēce resistinge of wronges wherefore that force is better to be allowed of thē inuasion Iudas Machabeus saide to the Israelites let vs fight for our liues our lawes And thus to cut of our course in to the antiquitie of warres seing that it is not my purpose nowe to wryte thereof yet supposinge thus muche not to be impertinent vnto hym that woulde bee a trauayler in the knoweledge and affaires of warres we conclude by plentiful proofe out of the store of histories accordinge to our propositiō That warres iustlie made for the more parte growe to good effecte and the violent empyre lasteth not longe Battail attēpted for pompe or ambitious desire of dominion not regardinge right or wōge seldome hath good successe or els the frutes had thereby soone fade suche victories take no roote But yet it remayneth to aunswere one obiection that seemeth to ouerthrowe and quyte condempne all our warres whiche is that our Lorde Iesus hath sayde that he which striketh with the swerde shall perishe with the same which is to be vnderstoode eyther of wrōgfull striking ' or else betwene pryuate persons which haue the sworde of the prince defēce of the lawe to remedie their wronges Also where it is cōmaūded that he which is strykē on the one eare should turne the other toreceaue the like it is expoūded whereas the exāple of such singuler pacience maye greatlie auaile to make such insolēt oultrage the more odious detestable that there is a law to punish the same otherwise warres armes maye be vsed for maintenance defence of vertue ryght great good grow therof For in the x of the Actes of the Apostles we reade that the cōuersation order of life of the captaine Cornelius was verie well pleasinge acceptable vnto God and in the tenth of saint Mathaew our sauiour saieth I came not to sēd peace into the earth but a swerde which proueth that the same maye be vsed according to the good pleasure of God thus if we serch his will we shall finde it and knowe howe to obserue keepe it ¶ Of vyctories which is the best and what truce maye be honourablye made Cap. ix THat victorie is most to be preferred which maye be soonest compassed obtained with least expence inconuenience losse especiallie of men wherein it is to be cōsidered that the same is made more honourable of greater importāce fame if periurie cruel murthers infamous treasōs poysoninge of victualls or such odious extremities be not vsed therein Fabius had excellent regarde of honour in his conquest when besieginge a citie of the Faliscyens a schoolemaster which had the chiefest mens sonnes of the towne in gouenrmēt teaching trayned them forth on a time apte for his purpose for hope of rewarde brought them into the enemies handes to the ende that thereby their fathers frendes shoulde be fayne to render the towne But Fabius rewarding him not iumpe accordinge to his expectation but duelie for hys desertes he caused the boyes to scurge their schole mayster well with roddes for betrayinge the trust of their parentes and so sent them home together singinge vnto the citizens which hauinge his noble vertue in highe admiration forthwith rendred vnto him the towne Dauid sought not by murder to wrest the kingdome out of the hādes of Saul but punished him which had laide hādes vpon his Lorde anoynted elected of god Caesar procured not Pompeye to be slayne but wept when hee sawe his enemies head Alexander pursued Bessus to reuenge the trayterous murther by him cōmytted vpon his enemie kinge Darius The Romaines generallie had regarde to conquere by valure prowesse wherefore they grewe most great in Em pire were had in honour awe of all nations The Carthagynoys contrarywyse not carynge howe so they had victorie vsinge foule practises infidelitie and all bad shiftes to attaine the same shortlie lost all So that the vertue and honourable dealinge of the generall shall alwaies auayle muche to the prosperous proceadinge of his warres and more easye accomplyshynge of victorye Hee oughte to bee as a tutor or rather as a father tender and carefull ouer the souldiours committed vnto his guyde good order diligent prouidence The excellent captaines of Roome desired rather to saue one citizē in battail thē to destroye manie enemies Crueltie is to be eschued excepte when seueritie sharpelie shewed maye geue great example But where lenitie and prudent meanes maye expresse worke th effecte of rigour euen towardes enemies the same is to be vsed that they seeinge the excellent vertue wisedome and order of gouernment in the conquerour maye the rather bee allured to commit them selues vnto him when by suffringe exchaunge of a ruler thestate of their welfare shall not be ouerthrowen or vndone nor slauerie or vile seruitude more odious then death is not sett before them most obstinatelie desperatelie to bee encountred Nowe touchinge occasiōs of truce intermission of warres it is to be cōsidered that the same be made done without dishonour so that the warres thereby be come not frutelesse or the armie in worse case then before as if the enemie craue that for feare which shall like auaile him and muche encourage the other partie But pollicye willeth not to seeke truce or delaye but by constrainte of necessitie or for sum̄ auantage to be taken as sum̄ ayde looked for or in the meanetime to growe into the secrets of the
diffinition of warres Firste in the porche or entrye of this worke to be vnfoulded before we enter into the particuler inner partes theareof beinge the matter wherevpon this buyldinge is founded and framed Vale. Errata Pag. Leafe Lyne Faultes Correccion 1 1 4 For it is a contention Reade it is defined a cōtention 2 2 1 Tvvo for Tenne 1 4 30 Heard of for Hard 2 18 24 Nobis for Orbis 1 27 27 Auoyde for Annoye 2 42 23 Endureth for includeth FINIS The Table or contentes of the chapters contayned in the first booke 1 OF the diffinition of Warre of an Armye Fol. 1 2 Of the valure of the generall Fol. 2 3 Of the vertues and qualities requisite for the function of the Captaine or generall Fol. 3 4 Of magnanimitie and provvesse in the Generall Fol. 4 5 Of Iustice. Fol. 5 6 Of Prudence Fol. 8 7 Of the loue good affection of the Captaine to his souldiours Fol. 10 8 Whether it bee more expedient to haue one Generall or manye Fol. 12 9 Of the aucthoritye of the Generall and vvhat ought to be his chiefe desire vvished fruites ende of vvarres vvhat person of vvhat qualities oughte to be deamed the best and most honourable Captayne Fol. 13 10 Of a Souldier the qualities vvhich he ought to haue Fol. 18 11 Of vvhat constitution of bodye trade and sorte of lyfe the meetest souldiour is to bee chosen vvhat exercises and practises are profitable for him to vse Fol. 21 12 Of the sundrye sorte of vveapons vsed by diuers nations in the auncient vvarres and vvhiche are novve most necessarie vvythe sume respectes of pressing of souldiours Fol. 25 The Table of the seconde Booke Capit. 1. OF the disciplyne and admonitions of vvarre Folio 26 2 To breake or disorder the battaile of the enemye Fol. 29 3 Aduertismentes hovv the Armye that is vveaker then the enemyes maye grovve stronger or saue it selfe Fol. 32 4 Hovv to conducte an armye proceade vvith the same in a foreine Countreye and of the necessaries thereunto Fol. 33 5 Whether it bee more profitable to seeke for the greate Tovvne or the lesse and hovve best to vvynne the same Fol. 36 6 Hovve the excellent Captaynes haue encouraged their Souldiours vnto battayle and made them hardye and valiaunt in fight Fol. 37 7 Hovv to vse victorie vvhat clemencie is to be vsed tovvardes the conquered of the hurte that commeth by securitie Fol. 40 8 Of the beginninge and iust cause of vvarre Fol. 41 9 Of victories vvhich is the best vvhat truce maye behonourablye made Fol. 45 10 Of the vse and ende of vvarres of preparation therefore in time of peace Fol. 47 FINIS ¶ The first booke ¶ Of the diffinition of warre WArre generallye is sayd to bee the exercyse of armes agaynst enemies But properlye it is a Contention between princes or estates by armes and force of men vnder orders and gouernment to obtaine victorye Victorie consisteth in three pointes in Conquering and subduyng the dominions bodyes or goodes of the enemies The endes of warres are twayne Immediate to obtaine victory Mediate to liue the better afterwardes in peace and honour ¶ The diuision of warre VVarre is deuyded into three sortes or kindes In the open fielde By Incursiō or skirmish By battel ioyned VVithin wall or trench of place fortified By Nauie on the Sea. THe skill and knowledge of all which are verie necessarie for our nation but especially of the first the last Now for explanation of the diffinition aboue I wil go vnto the singuler partes there of Warre is first sayd to be a contencion which is deryued of the latine woord tendo it signifieth properly to bēde so that with this particle Con it is by the Etymologie or Interpretation of the woord a bēdyng of the forces an inclinyng of al endeuour a striuinge vnto some purpose betwene what parties it followeth betwene princes or estates for if it be betwene subiectes without aucthoritie of the prince it is a faccion if the same be vsed agaynst the prince it is a rebellion a contention against lawe duetye naturall allegeaunce and agaynst the cōmon wealth By what meanes and instrumentes is this stryfe made and pursued By armes and force of menne whych are to bee vsed for the defence of the Realme Territories Lawes bondes libertyes and rightes of the same And this same power of men which is the pythe and matter of the warre is also to receyue some forme which shapeth things in their perfecciō that therein is guyde gouernment for without order and conduct thys force is not woorthye the name of warre but it is a tumulte route or assemblie of people prepared not for victorie but rūnynge headlong or rather tumblinge headlesse into Ruine So that it is to bee concluded that a prynce for the ordayninge and waginge of warre is to prepare and gather together a power of men vnder orders and gouernmentes whych power so appoynted is called an armye the seuerall bandes and partes whereof must haue sundrie guydes and Captaynes and ouer the whole bodie of the armie there is to be constituted and ordained one generall head or gouernour ¶ Of the generall WIth the head of thys armye wee will beginne our second chapter for that the same consystyng of a Captayne and souldiours the captaine is the pryncipall part thereof vppon whom the greatest wayght and hope of the warres lyeth not in the force of hys personne whych is but one singuler man but in hys policie and skyll in leadynge and orderynge of his armie in vsing the aduantages and foreseeynge the preiudices of warre As by sundrie examples wee shall well prooue who hath not read that Ninus kynge of the Assiryens by industrie and deedes of armes wherein hee caused his souldiers to bee practysed raysed thereby set vp the first Monarchy or greatest estate of the worlde And agayne it is as well knowne that the same nation beeing effeminate vnder the dissolute raigne of Sardanapalus for want of discipline and good guyde of warre was subdued by the Medes whom beefore they had conquered and their empire earst honourablie aduaunced now shamefullie lost and taken from them where they were lordes they became vssalles and captyues by the valure and good partes of a Captaine Milciades of Athens hauinge the conduct of twelue thousand menne ouerthrewe and vanquished an army of an hundred thowsand footemen and twoe thowsand horsemen sent by the first Darius sonne of Hydaspis to inuade Grecia And not longe after the greatest armie that euer was assembled by report of histories lead by Xerxes king of Persia for the same purpose that the other of Darius was before into Grecia amoūting nighe to the number of tenne hundred thousand men by the consent of the best wryters was by the politike and valiant Themistocles vanquished first in a battaile on the Sea afterwards his captaine Mardonius with his whole
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
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
skilfull in vsynge of weapons is lykelye to prooue a valyaunt and an excellent souldiour But hee that feareth not to receaue hurte excepte he knowe howe to inflicte daunger doe harmes vnto the enemie is not profitable And therefore when there was one cōmended vnto an expert captaine by his manie skarres of woūdes receaued that he was a great souldier a verie man the captaine asked streight where is the man which hurt him thus brynge him vnto mee quod he I will entertayne him presentlie for in this case I like the geeuer better then the taker Nowe are wee next to see what exercyses are most conuenient and expedient to bee vsed of souldiours And generallie suche are moste auaylable in the seruice of warres as cause anie of these effectes that is to saye to harden the bodie to make it nymbler stronger or to bee well breathed as for the purpose wrastlynge shootinge dartynge leapinge castinge of great stones vawting swymminge and to labour in armour heauyer then the commen forte which is vsed in seruice for custome maketh labour lyght as it is pro ued by the practyse of Milo whiche begynninge to carriea Calfe into the fielde to pasture euerie daye on his necke hee continued with the same burthen till it was growen a great Oxe addynge still encrease of goodwil to supplie the daylie growing of hys burthen not sufferyng his force to be sodaynlie so surmounted that he woulde at anie time shrynke or yelde vnto the trauaile burthē of the daye before passed So that custome seemeth to alter or excell nature eftsones Nowe the bodie beeynge made apte and nymble yet doe there twoe other exercyses remayne to bee put into the practise of a souldyour for their skyll order in warres The first is that hee exercyse to handle hys bowe peece pyke or other weapon wherwith he shal be charged nimblie cūningly that he be able to doe his feate thearewith and if he be a horseman skilfullye to vse his horse and staffe to bee readie to mount or alight nymblye at a becke for any purpose or aduauntage to bee taken of the enemye The other practise is to be perfecte in keapynge the arrayes ranckes and orders of warre in marching encampinge fight or pursute of thenemye yea and in reducing and bringinge them selues againe into any fourme of arraye if perchaunce they shal be broken or disordered by force of the enemy that spedelie at the voyce of the Captaine or sounde of Trumpet or Drumme which alwayes stande by him for the same purpose or by any other noyse or certayne signe which hee vseth sometime secretelie and sometime open to geeue out vnderstandinge of his minde as to marche or proceade to retyre to take this waye or that And hearein it is to bee certainlye obserued a thinge by all experience alwaies approued that no force of men prouisyon power industrie or furniture can preuaile without arraye and order of battaile against the well appoynted whereof a feaw shall easelie vanquishe a multitude disordred and confusely clusteringe together The souldiour thus expert and by practise thoroughlye manned furnished and made perfecte mayster and possessour of his Arte shall boldelye and courageouslie proceade into the fielde For feawe men feare or shrinke to doe that whearein they are skillfull and well practized Now for the more endeuour and exercise to bee vsed and had hearein thorough out this lande it is a thinge not after anye other to bee looked vppon and effectuallye considered vnto reformation leaste wee doynge nothinge thinke to do muche beeinge naked vnder a nette suppose our selues armed when wee are nothinge couered For such is the dulnesse of some people I will recyte some Examples of the dilygence vsed by the moste excellent estates hearein First in the foundation of the greatest Monarchye of the worlde vnder Rome what ordynaunces and continuall excersyses of warre Romulus established theare it is not doubtfull For the Romaynes allwayes after vsynge the same orders whiche hee instituted and deliuered vnto their handes vppon the same foundation proceadynge in prowesse attayned to moste highe honour of Armes and erected their famous Empyre Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Martius kinges theare bestowed greate trauayle and industrye in encreasinge the sayde Disciplyne of warre In Lacedaemon a Citye of Grecia which by excellent gouernement grewe to haue dominion ouer dyuers Kingdomes Lycurgus the politique Prince amonge his Lawes and customes whiche hee established theare ordayned that all spare tyme shoulde bee expended in vertuous exercises and principallye in the noble practyses of Armes to gett honour and soueraynetye of the enemyes cleane cuttinge of vnthriftye wastfull ryott abandoninge delycate nycenesse and banyshinge idle and chyldishe Games as commen Cardeplaye Cayles Coytes Slydebourde Bowles and Blowepoynt which weare throwen oute of the commen wealthe From whence also hee dyscarded and expelled Ianglers Iesters Iuglers Puppetplayers Pypers and suche like vnprofitable persons in steade of which weare mayntayned menne of valure frequentynge and exercisynge actiuitye of wrastelinge dartynge throwinge the Barre the sledge vsinge the weapons of Warre in skyrmishes and lyke actes to example the practises exployts of warre as skalynge of Fortes skilfull ridinge runninge at the rynge marchinge eftsoones in arraye of battayle c. And publique places weare appoynted commodiouslye for the commen vsinge of the same and moste actyue menne to bee teachers hearein The honourable exercyses called Olimpiades celebrated in Grecia withe concourse of people from all partes of the worlde to trye valure and wynne the Vyctours Crowne thys contentyon in all practises and qualyties of vertue and commendation caused Grecia first aboue all other nations to floryshe in honour of armes learninge and other laudable trades wheare the righte and excellent Dyscipline and order of VVarre was nouryshed and maintened wythe great soueraintie dominion The famous spectacle of the exercises of Armes in Campus Martius in the latter time of the triumphant estate of Rome was of great industrie actiuitie being alwayes nolesse honourablye then duelie on the holidayes frequented and obserued of al sortes And at this daye vnder diuers estates in Germanye this diligence is vsed in trayning of souldiours preparation for warres they deuide the inhabiters of euerye citie or shire into certaine partes or bādes geuing vnto them the names of such weapons as they will chose to bee charged with for their furniture seruice in the time of warres as Archers Pikemen Demilaunces such like so that theare is no able person exempted out of these orders either for exercise or supplye contribution to the charges of one sorte of these weapons which companies bee thus on their holydaies and spare times duelie trayned and practised The Turke also what numbers hee causeth from verie yonge yeares to bee brought vp and skilfullye practised vnto the feates and seruice of warres and what huge garrisons and armies of Souldiours he continuallie maintaineth it is well knowen and with all no Prince Realme or estate more free
from Rebellion of subiectes and forewarde in victories then he So to conclude God graunt that the examples of others maye stirre the flacke and dull sorte well to vse Armes before their harmes ¶ Of the sundric sortes of weapons vsed by diuers nations in the auncient warres and which are nowe most necessarie with some respectes of pressynge souldiours Cap. xii THe weapons which the antiquitie vsed in their warres were diuers They hadd crossebowes slynges dartes and hatchettes all which the harquebus hath nowe displaced beinge more auaylable for the warres They vsed also malles like our pollaxes glayues hammers and battail axes The Romaines vsed most for their footemen the swerd and target speares or iauelins The Macedonien weapon was a longe speare called Sarissa whych our partizans and pykes well supplie The Parthiens were all light horsemen vsinge bowes and arrowes by which in the large plaine coūtreis where they sought to ioigne battaill they archieued manie notable conquestes In steade of the Parthyens bowe mee thynketh the curryer weare of better vse for some light horsemen for that he shooteth more certainelie and stryketh more daungerouslie then the arrowe and when hee hath dyscharged he maye be gone and remooue lightlie to charge againe but his horse must bee well managed heareunto as vnto all other feates of the warre Moreouer in myne oppinion it were an excellent furniture for the pikeman to haue a dagge or a case of dagges at his girdle for diuers purposes But it is needefull for euerie souldiour in the fielde to haue a good swerde and dagger and for the armed souldiour the same woulde bee but shorte with waightie pomells stronge narrowe poynted One other thinge I woulde saye and conclude for the regarde of souldiours when a power is to be leuied and men prest into the warres if it stande vppon no greater necessitie but that such choyse maye be made it is to be respected that men of occupation husbandmen and suche like which after the warres ended maye retourne to their trades or els haue somwhat of their owne to liue ciuillye with all be first taken Secondlie it is to be considered that men hauinge great charge of children or occupyinge be the rather spared exempted from the warres For Iudas Machabeus the most redoubted Captaine of the hoast of Israell dismissed out of his armie suche as newely maried wyues buylded houses or planted vineardes whereby their hartes beeynge left at home they shoulde be the lesse valiaunt and more lothe to hazarde their lynes Good order must bee taken that the commen wealthe be not pestered wyth idle and vnprofitable men and the same once beeinge purged if none be after taken into the warres but such as by their trades or other staye are lyke to liue conuenientlie by their owne industrie or hauoyr except so manie as maye be maintayned by the warres preferred by pentions or placed in garrisons afterwardes souldiours shall not be discouraged to see manie of that sorte the warres beinge dissolued needie neglected and fallen into miseries For surelie the souldiour that is a ciuill man with all is an especiall member of his countrey to be regarded more then hee which is lesse able to serue the same for it is a blessinge of God both for the vse necessarie of valure worthye estimation And therefore principallie the generall and Captaines ought after the warres ended to retayne their tender affection towardes the souldiours which haue serued them well and to endeuour as they may to preferre them But generallie all good men ought to fauour and further honest souldiours which hath a valiaunt desire to propulse the enemie to purchase honour and sauftie vnto their natiue countryes The seconde booke ¶ Of the disciplyne and admonitions of warre AL bee it that there can not bee rules appointed or prescribed to direct al the doinges affaires of warre as well for that there is no leasure vppon sodaine mischiefes to searche out presidētes or ponder lessons rules as also because of the infinite occasions chaūces that happen beyonde expectatiō It were therefore an infinite I may saye as Hanniball did by the dotinge discourse of olde Formio a madd peece of woorke to prescribe a particuler order for euerie acte to be done in the warres wherein the Captaine must followe the grounde and dyrection of his wisedome and experience But yet some certaine obseruatiōs there are for him most needefull and presidentes of other excellēt captaines in great difficulties maye bee good warninges lessons in the like to make a foundation and plott of politique inuention good iudgement so that the Iron or stuffe thereby maye bee supplyed but the hammer of the Captaines wisedome must worke and frame the same vnto hys seuerall practises and occasiōs Now therefore to goe into the matter let vs see what aduātages policie by good experience and sure grounde of reason hath taught vs to seeke in ioygninge battaile and encounter with the enemie First if he come by sea to aryue take his landynge Cassibellans example sheweth what is best to doe who vnderstandinge of Iulius Caesars cōming out of Fraūce to inuade this land of Britayne he foorth with gathered his power together and ioyning them with the aide of Androgeus king of Kent they proceaded to the Sea side wheare valiauntlie resistinge the arriuall of the Romaines they were repulsed and driuen backe to their shippes well laden with blowes Which declareth that great aduauntage is had to deale with the enemie before he haue discharged all his power out of the shippes being disordered and straighted in rome and standing on slipperie places hauinge some impediment of the water before they can winne the firme shore The like facilitie is there to withstand the enemie at the mouthe or entringe of some streyghtes or at the passinge of highe stepe hilles Leonidas wyth 600. Lacedemoniens keapinge the toppe of the hill where the huge hoaste of the Persiens were to passe and enter into Grecia at the streyghtes of Thermopilae slewe theare more then xx thousād of them Caesar before recited beeing to conueye his Armie ouer a riuer in Fraunce the passage wheareof was defended kept on the other side by Vergintorix leader of the Frenchmen he there fore knowinge how muche the enemie might auoide him before he could gett ouer vsed this policie to beguyle them He caused a portion of hys armie drawen out of diuers bandes to be priuelye lodged in a woode nighe and theare to frame a little bridge on the sodayne to be cast ouer the ryuer thē downe goeth he alonge by the shore as thoughe he sought passage in some other place The Frēchmen seing him remoue bearing the iust nūber of his ensignes not doubting any double dealing followeth wayghting vpō him alonge the other side Caesar by that the bridge was made spede lie retourning passed ouer without lett or trouble The like policye may bee well vsed mee thinketh thus to espy where sum̄ part
whether policie counsayleth as soone as thou arte entered into the enemies countrey and that he will offer battaile to receaue the same and shortlie to trye the matter Herein I am not of opinion that it is generally best to detracte battail except there be some aduantage to be taken and vsed in ioygning of the same for so the one may goe about the other longe enoughe to little purpose But other circumstances and accidentes are to be considered in this generaltie For commonlye it is for the behoufe of him whose Countrey is inuaded to seke battaile for auoydinge spoyle of the same But yet it is to be considered that if the other bee like shortely to be wearied or be neare some mischiefe by mutine or for some wantes forced to forsake the coūtrey that it shoulde be daungerous to deale wyth him for his force then policye perswadeth to protracte battaile on that parte And generallye the inuader as longe as he proceadeth with spoyle to plage the enemy to enritche himselfe hath not necessity to hasten battaile but maye take the time best for his aduauntage How be it occasions may growe on otherwise and be vrgent vnto him to ioygne battaile spedelye as by encrease of ayde comminge towardes the enemie or casuall empayring of his owne present power Moreouer vnto him which hath manye hyered souldiers it is more requisite to make hast vnto battaile and to end the warres as well for the great charge of that retinue as for the daylie daunger of their vnsure seruice and doubt of reuoltinge vnto the enemye being money men by corruption or for a greater paye they lightlie leaue their mayster in his greatest neade For seldome haue theare bene greate conquestes made by force of hyred menne The Romaynes and the Grekes warred withe their owne Souldiours against all nations Great Pompeye withe the natiue people of Italie ouercame Mithridates with hys huge Armye of more then twentye Nations Of later tymes the estates of Italye haue bene vsurped and ouerrunne by vsinge the helpe of hyred Souldiours And the Venetiās hauing otherwise moste excellent gouernement and plentyfull prouisyon of all thinges both for peace warre but for thys cause onelye had growen to haue greate Empyre This Realme of Britayne hath sum̄ experience of these hurtes beinge sumtime oppressed by the hyred Saxons vnder Hengistus But nowe to trie the truste and faithe of hired Souldiours before their infidelitie or defection maye greatlie hurte It is good before thy greate neade and daye of battaile to sende them foorthe wythe a feawe of thyne owne approued men to sum̄ exploite supposed to bee of greate importaunce and to plante priuelie by the waye or to sende after them a sufficient number of trustye Souldiours to doe the same feate if the other shoulde bee false or faile in the same Also it is policye for the same purpose to conferre with the Captaynes of them that are suspected of suche matters as thou entendest not to doe but in shewe to see if they wyll keape the same secrete or geue priuye aduertysement theareof vnto the Enemye The like proofe is made by delyuering to the leader of thē letters sealed pretending great wayght and purportinge little to bee sent foorthe to sum̄ friende to see whether the same should be opened or not saufelye conueyed in tyme. ¶ VVhether it be more profitable to seeke the great Towne or the lesse and how best to wynne the same Cap. 5. NOw is it further to bee knowen for takinge of houldes within the enemies dominiō that the larger be rather to be sought for thē the lesse And thearefore the Citie which is of greatest trade to enriche the enemie or such large towne as is so scituate that it may most annoye him if thou be able to furnishe the same with garrisons is most auaylable for diuers causes Alcibiades the excellēt Captaine entrynge Sicilia to make warres theare first tooke the greate Citye Rhegium nexte besyeged Catina not farre from Syracuse the chiefe Citye of the Realme Scipio began hys warres in Spayne withe the syege of newe Carthage the principall citie there both of trade power And in like sorte inuadyng Afrique he foorthwith layde syege vnto Vtica a famous citie stāding on the sea side wheare he also harboured and kept his shippes so that he might cut of all ayde succoure both by lande sea frō the towne Now for the maner of subduing holdes it is to be agreed that the best waye of wyn ning is that whych is with moste speade leaste losse And thearefore if a Towne maye not be surprised and taken by sum̄ trayne or policie it is lesse daunger to inuade and force the enemye by famine then with the swearde How Zopyrus suttlelie caughte the Babiloniens fayninge him selfe fledde from his Prince for crueltie shewed vnto him and being of them vnder fayned friendshipe receaued betrayed their Citie the maner theareof is declared at large in the first booke This shift also hath bene vsed when a Captayne had vnderstandynge of ayde looked for by the besyeged he hath apparelled a troupe of his owne souldyours vnder the ensigne of those whiche shoulde come vnto them and so to haue taken the Towne Cimon of Athens besieginge a Towne by nighte sett fire on a temple in the suburbes of the same whearefore sum̄ of the Townes men rashelie runninge out to succour it the enemie entered in vpon thē Also the besieged are more easelie enduced to yelde by signifiynge vnto them sum̄ great victorie latelye hadde against their Prince or other streightes that he is brought into Sum̄ haue practised to haue friendes within a towne to perswade them to issue out vpon the enemie or to doe sum̄ other acte vnto their owne ouerthrowe And such persons haue geuen intelligence by letters fastened to arrowes and shote foorthe vnto the enemies of the state and dealinges within the Towne as of the weakest parte theareof or least defended of the custome of the watche when and howe they maye be deceaued that the enemie maye enter vpō them vnware The Frenchmen corrupted Tarpeia a mayden to lett them in by a little posterne doore into the Capitall of Roome But in this case diligent examination must be made by captaines for double dealinge that they be not abused in their practises the same beinge disclosed vnto the enemie which hath sometime suffered parte of the aduersaries power to ēter within his houlde to their destructiō hauinge prepared sodainlie to repulse and shutt out the rest For the takinge of a stronge towne by famine it is a good waye to winne sum̄ weaker-nighe to tourne out the inhabitauntes thereof that they may be receaued into the other so their victualls the soner consumed Fabius suffered thē of a towne whom he woulde besiege to sowe their fieldes to the entēt that they shoulde haue the lesse corne in store Sometime townes be sieged haue desired a parle or truce for a time to the ende that the siege not beinge straightlie
kept they might in the meane time receaue in ayde of mē or victuals And therefore the siege ought not to be slacked by suche pretence but good watche to be alwaies abrode For it hath chaūced that an army lying at the siege of a towne hath ben on the sodaine inuaded of enemies at the backe withall they of the towne haue issued foorth vpon them to their ouerthrowe It must be alwaies holden of the good captaine as a principall grounde that hee haue diligent espyall of the enemies doynges keepe his owne secrete And therefore hee consulteth and conferreth with manie what is best to be done but that which he determineth to doe hee reuealeth to fewe or none Hee must also haue regarde that his custome or certaine order vsed in some doinges disclose not anie of his purposes vn to the enemie and therefore the same must bee often varied and chaunged It is good also to encampe in suche place as the enemie see not what is done within the campe For if he perceaue that thou receaue in anie ayde or encrease of power or sende foorth anie troupe to anie attempte or exploycte he armeth him selfe and prouideth accordinglie For as sodaine daūgers be more dreadful so a man warned before is saide to be armed ¶ Howe the excellent Captaynes haue encouraged their souldiers vnto battail made thē hardie valiant in fight Ca. 6. IT is to be carefullie considered of the captaine that his souldiers be not afrayde when he goeth to battaill but that they maye valiauntlie desire to encounter the enemie And therefore such meanes as maye remooue from them doubte or distruste and put into them courage and hope are expedient for him to finde As for the purpose some people doe stumble muche at sygnes or tokens which fall before battaill cōiecturinge there by the determination of God and euente or successe of the battaile wherefore the wyse captayne will chearefullye expounde all suche chaunces for hys aduauntage as if an auncient happen to fall vppon the Captaines head before the battaill he sayeth the same is a happie sygne of the victorye fallinge vnto him For they which haue the substance of vertue are not to bee feared by the shadowe of coniectures It is written of Scipio that at his landing in Affryque his feete slipped so that he fell downe to the grounde where at when hee sawe diuers of his armie dismayed he laughed sayinge all is our owne I haue heare taken possession of the lande Other haue vsyd by some fayned dreame or olde prophecy to put their souldiours in firme hope expectation of victorye Marius when he was to deale with the Dutchmen an enemie not accustomed vnto the Romaines beynge tall bigge men of person they were not in cleane quiet conscience with the matter but somewhat afrayde whiche Marius perceauinge sayde those longe bodies shewe a sure signe that they be slowe lasye lowtes so stayed the battaill some dayes why lest that the Romaynes by custome of often syght some skirmishes had with them were established in stomacke desired to fight with thē It is written of a captaine when his armie was in the fielde ready to ioygne battail some of the formost ranke beinge afrayde seeinge the braue marching of the enemies he extēded helde his cloke before their faces sayinge nowe you see nothing to feare you are saufe by that meanes reprouing thē not to dreade beefore there was cause Alexander the great whē he was in the fielde with his plaine souldiours in his first warres manie of them beeinge poore fellowes hauinge woodden shyeldes and olde weapons vsed before in his father Phillip his warres whiche seeinge the huge hoste of Darius his enemie with the brauerie of the people their armure and all thinges glisteringe and gorgeous the noyse of a multitude of charyottes and horses also beinge terrible vnto them he saide to his men our enemies are come to make a shewe or maske therefore we must make them daunce runne also See you those golden armures gaye weapons and goodlie geare it is better to haue woodden shyeldes then woodden men to beare them the spoyle of this glorious hoste will make you riche gallant fellowes for all that you see is yours if you playe the men and whatsouer kinge Darius hath besides Also thinke you that thys dayes battaile maye geeue vs the dominion seigniourie ouer all the worlde For who can withstād vs if we conquere the great kinge Darius the fame of whiche victorie will moste swyftlie flye into Graecia and to the moste hyghe honour of your countrey all Prynces nations shall knowe the manhoode and prowesse of the Macaedoniens and where soeuer you goe the fame thereof shall followe you Nowesyth that hyther wee are come foorthe to wynne honoure lett not our longe trauayles bee frustrate or fruitelesse and wee to runne home deluded and laden wyth shame Our countrey shall then wyth dysdayne behoulde you remembringe howe your auncestours vnder my father by force euen on their shoulders lifted vp the dominion thereof ouer diuers natiōs your selues hunted chased home shal be ashamed to see your frindes And thearefore if we bee here repulsed wheare shall wee without reproche bee receaued So that to rest vpon wee haue but two wayes wheare of we must determine to take one that is either to wynne the victorie or to dye heare with honour By these perswasions wheare as Darius thought by his great pompe trayne of men to haue daunted dismayed the enemie Alexander turned the same to be a great encouragement vnto his armye Furthermore if the souldiour be afrayde by store of terrible ordinaunce straunge engins or daungerous deuyses of the enemie the same must be by like inuention industrie preuented or encountred as by setling sum̄ ambush priuelie to surprise the same or by settinge on sum̄ bande of horsemen to interrupte the plantinge theareof or to make sum̄ like exployte as noysome vnto the enemie that the battaile may come on before the same can take effecte to doe anye great hurt Thus must the politique captaine make readie an Oliuer for a roulāde to remoue all stumblinge blockes and impedimentes from the good courage of the Souldiour so that without stickinge most valiauntlie he maye marche to assaile the enemie Iulius Caesar excelled other for trayninge and makinge valiaunt noble minded souldiours by notable examples politike instructions and practises which he vsed to enduce thē thereunto and to aduaunce their courages to attempte and atchyeue moste highe and honorable thinges And with all he shewed such courtesie and good affection towardes thē that neuer any man had souldiours of greater endeuour and valure or more faithfull towardes their Captayne As it appeared a little before the great and finall battayle betwene him and Pompeye when his armie was in such necessitye of victualles that they hadde no foode but onelie of mylke and rootes as they coulde mingle the same Yet made they