other goodes whatsoeuer are but small Nobilitie is a goodly matter but it is but a benefite of our auncestors Ritehes are most precious but they consist in the power of fortune Glorie is reuerent but vncertaine and chaungeable Health is pretious but subiect to chaunge Contrariwise knowledge is the onely deuine and immortall qualitie in vs. For there are in mans nature two principall partes vnderstanding and speech whereof vnderstanding is as it were the maister that commaundeth and speech the seruant that obeyeth but this vnderstanding is neuer habandoned to fortune It cannot bee taken away by sâ—launder corrupted by sicknesse nor wasted by age because it only waxeth young in age Warre which as a vyolent streame taketh away and scattereth all things can not carie away knowledge Also the aunswer that Stilpon the Megarian made when Demetrius hauing taken the towne of Megara demaunded whether he had lost any thing of his saying No for warre cannot take away vertue deserueth remembraunce Hereby may wee knowe the inestimable benefite that proceedeth of good bringing vp which although it bee most necessarie yet are there other thinges that as saith the same Author must concurre therewith to make a young man perfect in vertue Now he nameth three Nature Reason and Vse By Nature he meaneth inclination by Reason doctrine of precepts and by Vse exercise The beginning sayth he doth come to vs by nature the encrease by the precepts of reason and the accomplishment by vse and exercise And the tyme of perfection by all there conioyned If there bee defect in any of these three partes nature must bee of force therein defectiue and deminished For Nature without doctrine and nurture is blinde Doctrine without nature is defectiue and Use without the two former is vnperfect This instruction ought well to bee noted as conteyning the principall matters that Parentes are to consider in the fashioning and disposing of their Children to vertue And although they can not bee alwaies founde so well together as a man would wish yet should not that discourage them from proceeding to approach to the best and eschue the worst Some Parents there are whose Children they finde to bee of so lumpish and heauie a nature that they thinke it but lost labour to goe about to teach them the things that they presume they can neuer learne But herein doe they erre for vpon those that want the power of nature is most arte and labour to be employed there with to supplye the first defectes so sometymes in tyme the one amendeth by the other Experience daylie teacheth vs that when a Horsekeeper is disposed to take paines he doth in one yeere so forme and teach euen a great carte Horse that he maketh him shewe some actiuitie and become profitable in certaine péeces of seruice Is there lesse hope then to bee conceiued of a young childe Who although he haue some naturall imperfections wee meane not such as may hinder the principall actions of either the minde or bodie yet with continuall exercise may bee brought into frame to learne sufficient ciuilitie to keepe himselfe from dishonoring his Parentes Likewise in doctrine and nurture I will here note another error that often happeneth and Plutarke reproueth There are now sayth he some Parents who through want of experience doe commit their children to such maisters as falsely professe themselues to bee that which they are not sometymes also they knowe the insufficiencie of such maisters and yet will put them in trust therein imitating the sicke man who refusing the skilfull Phisition reposeth himselfe vpon such a one as by ignorance killeth him Others there are also who through couetousnesse for sparing a little wages doe choose simple maisters therein seeking a good penyworth of ignorance Uppon which saying Aristippus on a tyme iested with such a father For when this father asked him what hee would take to teach and instruct his sonne he aunswered a hundred Crownes A hundred Crownes quoth the father O Herculesâ— that is much Why I can buy a good slaue for a hundred Crownes True sayd Aristippus and so thou maiest haue two slaues Thy sonne and him whome thou hast bought Truely that father is very vnwise that trauaileth continually to gather much goodes and yet will denye a small parte thereof for the instructing of those that must one day possesse them But what commeth of this nigardlinesse After his death they prodigally wast that which with so greate labour hee hath gathered together or els become extreame couetous for lacke of good teaching how to vse ritches But those men are to bée moaned who hauing many Children and being poore cannot satisfie their desire to haue them well instructed but are forced to put them some here and some there into other mens handes where they may bee in daunger of euill example Albeit thereof they are to haue an especiall care that they mistake not but of that wée will speake more at large in an other place Youth likewise doe faile in that which concerneth the vse and exercise of the good things that they haue begunne to learne for when they should put them in practise to the ende to settle a good foundation in them they growe carelesse or suffer themselues to bée led away by the force of vitious affections which striue to suppresse in them the rudiments of doctrine and vertue Then therefore is the tyme that Parents should especially beware of discontinuance from that which cannot bée formed in them without continuance A man when he hath planted a tree is very carefull to proyne and looke to it vntill it hath brought foorth fruite and then is he satisfied in that he seeth it is not barren neither his labour lost The like care is to bee had of young Children for to the ende to bée assured that they haue profited wée must first see most euident testimonies and then is the care the lesse Oh how happie are the Children whose fathers euen from the cradle are so fauourable as neuer to cease their instructions vntill the yéeres of discretion to the ende their mindes and handes haue no lesse perfection then their bodies growth force and health For sith the conduct of their life is afterward to bée grounded vppon themselues it is very requisite to procure that the foundation bée good Thus much in generall briefly what is after the doctrine of Plutarke to be obserued in the instruction of youth Now must wee see the maner how the French gentrie doe behaue themselues in the nurturing thereof so to knowe wherein they doe ill and wherein well Then to shewe what may be added for the establishing of a better order then any that yet is vsed in so necessarie a matter But before wee speake of those that herein doe shewe their good affection to their Children I must say somewhat of the others that doe but little or not at all discharge their dueties therein Truely those bee such people as would bee sent to schoole
carrier Touching the first that are so violent in their opinions and propound nothing but sword and fire I cannot me think like of them For notwithstanding they seeme to desire the generall benefite yet doe they indeede rather seeke their owne contentations and perticuler profit Wherin seeing reason resisteth their vehemēt nature they haue recourse to force with the which if it lay in them they would not helpe themselues much better then a mad man with a sharpe sword It is straunge to see that men in the gouernment of brute beastes can vse moderation and patience and yet in the regiment of their like endued with reasonable soule and which are persuasible nothing may serue but cruelty In the correction of things hurtfull we are sometymes forced to shewe rigour which is not to be blamed if the causes so require and that withall wee put away all desire of reuenge But to guide the instruments of rigour with enuious passions is the way to marre and ouerthrowe all And this haue we throughly experimented in our poore countrie who is so oppressed with those calamities which through the rage of her owne children she hath suffered that now she doth clutter but with one wing And what is the cause thereof but these vyolent counsailes from whence are procéeded murders manslaughters beginnings of warres depopulatiōs wrongfull cōdemnatiōs sackings and other mischiefes with which meanes some say that we should helpe our selues for the sauing of the state from destruction and expelling the inconueniences alreadie happened Howbeit in the ende we haue found such remedies to bee farre worse then the sicknesse and more meete to encrease thē to decrease the disease They are not therefore to bee termed remedies but rather most cruell reuenges and destructions which haue rauished and caried away whatsoeuer the most excellent commodities of this realme namely the flower and aboundance of men What can those men now say that take such felicitie in the warre are so readie to perswade it for now I protest that they sée that notwithstanding it hath bene sixe tymes renewed it bringeth vs no commoditie but rather plungeth our France in all desolation But what will some passionate Catholicke say How can wee roote out those of the new opinion if wee may not helpe our selues with our weapons Truely my maisters may we aunswer first it were requisite you should proue it a iust matter and for the common commoditie to polute your hands in the bowelles of your fellowe countrimen before you bee permitted to make such a butcherly slaughter Were it not better for you by clemencie to bring them to concord and by good examples in life to endeuour to cōuert them It may be also that some Protestant offended at things passed will say Wee must haue no peace with these Papistes that haue done vs so much mischiefe before our swords haue made cruell reuenge To them would I priuatly say Why are not you yet wearie hauing tasted so many paines miseries but that you must reenter againe into newe Let vs rather make warre against our imperfections then mainteyne them in our land and endeuour to mollifie the hearts of those that hate vs by instructions seruices mutuall dueties and so will God send vs an assured peace Thus me thinkes wee should aunswer those men that are so sharp set vpon blood When vpon euill will we seeke warre it must needes be vniust but when to repulse crueltie and defend our innocencie wee are forced to beare it it is excusable because necessitie constrayneth But among all the Frenchmens furies there haue none bene so terrible as the massacres They were say some the last remedies to restore France to vnion And yet did neuer any thing happen that so farre disunited it Hereby wee might bee taught to refraine therefro because such vyolent waies in liew of restoring doe destroye And when all is sayd such counsailors deserue not the name of reformers but of deformers If the correction of any abuse come in question some are not content with the rooting of it out but they must also spoyle driue away and kill those whome they pretend to bee the abusers without destinction of person or trespasse And if the Italians who are mightely multiplyed in France bee spoken of they wrappe them all in one offence and say that they must be thus and thus vsed But they should first thinke that as among the French there bee both good and bad so are there among them of both sortes And a man may affirme that such of them as applye their mindes to goodnesse doe prooue most excellent as also those that are giuen to mischiefe are aswicked Moreouer is it possible to imagine any greater confusion and vniustice then for the punishment of some tenne or twelue guiltie persons to giue in pray a thousand innocents to vnbridled furie If some Italians haue brought wicked customes and inuentions into France watch them and finding them guiltie punish them but doe not imitate them for so might ye afterward be ashamed to condemne them Some accuse them to bee the aucthors of impositions and extraordinary taxes which haue almost oppressed the whole communaltie It is a cursed crime and those that are so vnthankfull to France where they are susteyned and growe into welth as to be the occasions of causing it to be eaten vp and so oppressed are vnworthie to dwell in it But we must marke well who they bee and not impute the fault of a fewe vnto all What must we then doe For sooth we must not repose any credite in them but in the gouernment of the state vse such Princes Lords notable persons as alwaies haue bene accustomed to counsell our Kings Neuerthelesse if peraduenture there chaunce to bee some among them who in respect of their singuler vertue and fidelitie might deserue to perticipate in the chiefest honors whereto the histories do testifie that in tymes past diuers straungers haue atchieued who would debarre them And herevpon I would demaund of them what Frenchmen were more affectionate to the estate then one Iames also Theodore Triuolsse one Prince of Melphy one Duke Horatius Fernesius aboue all the valiant race of the Strossyes of whom the last who deserued to march in the first ranke of y e best Frenchmen did voluntarily sacrifice his life for the turning aside of those ciuill warres that began againe to threaten our France I would wish we had halfe a dosen such straungers euen in our priuie councell They haue will some man say I speake of those that traficke al the greatest Farmes of the Realme I do not meruaile thereat sith they are giuen them If a Frenchman could find any such commodities in Italie he would post thether apace The best remedie for that is to preferre our owne nation before them This is not yet all for these men can in fiue or sixe yeres make thē selues ritch Truely if they atteyne to their wealth with either our publique
of priuate quarels with the abuses therein committed which greatly want reformation THe true spring and originall whereof so many quarels doe arise which are now more common among the French nation than euer heeretofore are Pride and Wealth Two most vehement passions that so farre transport them as to dissolue the bonds of amity and friendship which held them vnited together And not withstanding many do labour to restraine them yet are they in great force by reason that euill customes in liew of quenching do kindle the fire of the same whereby no man can well exempt himselfe from iniurie yea eueÌ„ the nobilitie which hetherto hath alwaies ben most readie to all braue enterprises is at this day the formost in maintaining these abuses To them therefore do I direct my speech to the end to assaie by some meanes to diuert them from pursuing the errors that molest them and tend to their confusion Many men of iudgement there are that thinke so many braules quarelles as ordinarily fall out to be necessarie euils which it were meete somewhat to tollerate so to auoide others farre greater For they imagine that this heate being very naturall to our nation must of necessity dissolue and euaporate in small matters least otherwise it proue an occasion to cast vs into ciuill dissention yea they affirm that proces of law tend also to the same end because they be occupations during the which the abundaunce of choler weareth awaie This opinion truly â—auoureth somewhat of a paradoxe in being alleadged in such a season as seemeth no whit to fauour it Yet had it borne some likelyhood if it had ben propounded in the daies of our former kings But since such terrible ciuill warres haue ouertaken vs we haue greater reason to think that they haue ingendered these perticular disorders rather than to imagine y e same to haue alwaies bene such as we now see them either that they haue ben accounted as preseruatiues against greater mischiefs I knowe well in ought that warlike mindes are hardly restrained also that it is necessarie to entertaine them in some kinde of exercise whereby to alaie the heat of their courages But to suffer them to hurt or by armes to assault each other and not to restraine them we haue verie few examples vnlesse among the barbarous nations For so should wee submit the lawes which are rather made to suppresse violence to the imperfections of men In Italie where are the greatest politikes the common Courtisans are suffered to dwell in euerie Towne to the end through such libertie to eschue other more hainous leudnesse Wherof notwithstanding no good coÌ„meth but rather it seemeth that al intemperancie doth ouerflow Such vâ—ces as in y e â—ight of God are abhominable as whooredome murther ought neuer vnder colour of eschuing greater incouneniences to be permitted But some man will saie Are not combats forbidden in France Yes such as are made with lawes publik ceremonies which likewise the Pope hath forbidden so farre as his dominion stretchech it is a good lawe howbeit that notwithstanding wee are not yet at rest For now all respect being taken awaie they appoint theyr coÌ„bats without authoritie and go to fight whensoeuer the toy taketh them in the heads as wel against those whom they hate as against their owne friends as if all were good ware And if we should diligently account how many are yerely slain by such priuate braules we should find that there haue bene battels fought w t lesse losse both of gentrie souldiors Those that consider but the present time or are but young as neuer to baue scene other do peraduenture think that men haue alwaies so liued in this Realme wherein they are greatly deceiued For it is not yet fortie yeeres since quarels were rare among Gentlemen who so was noted to be a quareller was shunned as a kicking â—ade which proceeded in that their manners were more pure and the true points of honour better knowen than at this day Thus are the euills that in old time were small toward the end of this age wonderfully increased so as we may say them to be rather our sinnes than the sinnes of our fathers Some haue imagined that our troubles haue bred theÌ„ by extinguishing the ancient coÌ„cord exasperating the minds of y e French natioÌ„ which I confesse to be in part true but my opinion is y t many other occasions haue holpen as much or more to procure the same First a presumption y t many haue conceiued of their owne strength dexteritie which haue made them more readie to doe iniurie For since y e exercise of fencing which of it selfe is comeÌ„dable came to be vsed also y t yong meÌ„ especially haue found theÌ„selues to be perfectly instructed therin they haue imagined y t they might braue it out at their pleasures obtaine reputation of valiancie considering that experience teacheth that he that is perfect in the vse of his wepon withall wanteth no courage hath almost alwaies the better hand of him that is ignorant and in deed there is no doubt but the skilfull hath great aduantage of the vnskilfull Thus are men entered into a foule abuse in vsing such skill as they haue attained vnto to the wronging of others which ought not to be imploied but to the preseruation of life that in case of necessity The 2. cause is the exaÌ„ple of some Lords notable courtiers y t haue ben seene fight both in the court in the middest of the chiefe townes wherby other gentlemen who are very diligent imitators of exaÌ„ples either good or bad haue ben induced to cast off all regard of ciuilitie to seeke to decide their coÌ„trouersies as they see others do The 3. is impunity For seeing such disorders to escape without punishment it hath emboldned them not only to fight one with another but also to put in execution most villanous reuenges The fourth hath growen because men haue tied honour to the mangling of arms and legs mayming or killing one of another which y e nobilitie hauing noted as couetous of glorie haue sought by such meanes to attaine thereto Of all these causes together with the had affections which these long ciuill warres haue ingendered is this hideous beast Quarell formed which intruding it selfe among the nobilitie dooth vnperceiued by little and little deuour the same What a deede was that of the sixe Gentlemen of the Court who appointing to meet at the Tournels were so fleshed each vpon other that foure of them there remayned and the other two were sore wounded There were among them such as in time might haue attayned to great dignitie yet lead by extreame follie chose rather to perish in the flower of their age which was lamentable Diuerse other coÌ„bats there haue ben both in Paris and at the Court which haue sent many valiant persons to the graue In the meane time
that they haue made slaughters and ouerthrowne the speares whereby their Captaines haue learned wit and doe now make them to keepe better orders Now let vs speake of the meeting of two squadrons whervpon I will say that although the squadron of Speares doe giue a valiant charge yet can it worke no great effect for at the onset it killeth none yea it is a miracle if any be slayne with the speare onely it may wound some horse and as for the shocke it is many times of small force where the perfect Reistres doe neuer discharge their Pistols but in ioyning and striking at hand they wound ayming alwaies either at the face or thigh The second ranck likewise shooteth of so as the forefront of the men of armes squadron is at the first meeting halfe ouerthrowne and maymed Also although the first rancke may with their speares doe some hurt especially to the horse yet the other ranckes following cannot doe so at the least the second and third but are driuen to cast away their speares helpe themselues with their swordes Herein wee are to consider two things which experience hath confirmed The one that the Reistres are neuer so daungerous as when they bee mingled with the enemie for then be they all fire The other the two squadrons meeting they haue scarce discharged the second pistoll but either the one or the other turneth away For they contest no lenger as the Romaines did against other nations who oftentimes kept the field two houres fighting face to face before either partie turned backe By all the aforesaid reasons I am driuen to aduowe that a squadron of pistols doing their dueties shall breake a squadron of speares It may hereto bee replied that the man of armes carieth also one pistoll which he vseth when his speare is broken It is soone sayd but coldly practised for the most of them scarce caring to charge doe referre that to their men who haue no greater vse of it then themselues and when they come to fight the one halfe doe faile as hath bene oft enough tryed or at the least through euill charging doe no hurt He that will haue any vse of those weapons must bee as carefull of them as of a horse whereto it is hard to bring other nations which accompt this a base and seruile occupation Some man may in the fauour of the men of armes say that they may in such sorte ioyne the squadron of Reistres that they may ouerthrowe them That is that comming within 80. paces they may sende foorth their three last ranckes of speares gallantly to assaile their flancke so shall they open it breake the force therof and bring such a feare vpō them that-the squadron of speares may the better deale with them Hereto I aunswer the obseruation is good though not greatly in vse Neuerthelesse it is a matter common as well to the one as to the other For teach it to the Reistre and he will pay you in the same coyne by sending foorth parte of his troope to strike into your sides so shall your inuentions be a remedie to him and peraduenture he shall preuaile more therewith then your selues Now notwithstanding whatsoeuer I haue herein discoursed my entent is not to bring the French nation in dislike with the speare which I take to be wonderfull proper weapons for them so long as their mindes are no otherwise disposed then yet they bee And vntill they haue learned more stedfastly to keepe order and to be more carefull of their weapons they will neuer worke the like effects with the pistoll as the Reistres Such as imagine the pistoll to bee such a terrible and offensiue weapon are not greatly deceiued neither will I gainsay them in case it come in valiant hands The ende of the first Paradoxe The second Paradoxe That 2500. Corcelets and 1500. Harquebuziers may more easely retire three French leagues in a plaine fielde then 2000. Speares AMong all militarie actions accompted notable this hath the first place as one of the most difficult as also it is a great testimonie of the sufficiencie of the. Captaine that can compasse it And as there are fewe willing to vndertake it for feare of fayling so peraduenture shall we finde fewer that will beleeue that it may be done because it is a thing that happeneth so sieldome Neither would I reproue their opinion if they ment that in the weakenesse wherein our infantery now cōsisteth it were vnpossible to attaine to y t effect For hauing no vse of the pike voyd of discipline I do not thinke that 10000. harquebuziers taken frō thence durst shew themselues in the plaine before 600. speares But with the 4000. men of whō I meane to speake all of our owne nation and of no other reduced into good order and obedience and in their auncient armes I will vphould that the retraict propounded may be performed Such as will gainsay of whome there are many will propound an argument gathered of experience saying that no Historiographer setteth downe any such example at the least none of those that haue written of the warres happened since the yeere 1494. hetherto which haue bene very notable also that these proofes appeared only in the time of the Romaines Whereto for my aunswer sith they beate me with experience I will defend my selfe by the same and say that it maketh no more against me then with me For regarding what is past we may note such happes as verifie my proposition not to bee vnpossible First I will alleadge the braue retraict of Don Aluares of Sande in Afflicke He had as I haue heard 4000. Spanyards souldiers of great valour and to come where he purposed he was to passe a plaine of foure or fiue miles which trusting to his men he aduentured to doe But he was not so soone set forward but eightéene or twentie thousand horse of the Moores were at his heeles who coueted to catch him in this bad aduantage He then hauing ordered his battaile and exhorted his men went forward on his way where all these horse did fiue or sixe times set vpon him but he bare their brunt and so brauely repulsed them that with the losse of 80. men at the most he brought the rest into safetie and slew seuen or eight hundred of the enemies Some will say that they wanting armour did not pearce so sharply as do the Christian horsemen who doe farre passe them in courage I graunt ours are more valiant but theirs did not assaile very slackly or els they had not lost so many And by this exployt it appeareth that footmen resolute and well led may passe any where Guicciardine also in his historie reporteth a gallant retraict of 2000. Spanyards after the Frenchmen had broken their armie at Rauenna for being ioyned againe into their bodie although the horsemen did follow and charge them yet did they saue themselues yea and slewe Gaston de Foix the conquerour that pursued them In
these retraicts here do appeare great determinatiō but small arte which neuerthelesse is very necessarie in such affayres wherto I will also adde the instruction of the souldiers For when all these three things shall concurre in one troope I doubt not but it may worke greater meruailes then the former Some will say that the Frenchmen can at this day hardly helpe themselues with the pike which is true neither do I merueile thereat for in deliuering both it and the corcelet to any man men looke to no more but whether he hath good shoulders as if it were to carie some coffer like a moyle and as for the gentrie they haue quite giuen it ouer This is the reason why I wish the restoring of martiall discipline as also that they would againe practise the pike wherewith to fight at hand and open and to leaue to the youth and poore Souldiers the handling of the harquebuze because that therewith they ordinarily fight a farre of and in couert for the one is farre more honorable then the other Captaines in ould time venturing vpon some difficult enterprise wished to haue their Souldiers not only well ordered but also old beaten warriours because their assurance is the greater For it were but an ouersight to attempt any perillous aduenture with newe men Now will I come to Instruction which is as I haue sayd merueilously requisite in extraordinary matters And yet we now see that the Souldier contemneth it and the Captaine careth not for it But admit a Souldier bee valiant and that wheresoeuer he be placed he will doe his duetie thinke you he will not doe it much better or that he will not fight more resolutly when before he hath by good reasons bene perswaded that the horse cannot force a battaile in the face likewise that for the flancke they must vse such fortification as I will hereafter set downe then if he were vtterly ignorant and wist not what might happen I thinke no man will denie it for certainly ignorance is in parte cause of the feare that many men of warre doe oftentimes conceiue For that seeing the enemie in their faces they thinke they should according to the prouerbe euen eate yron charets I know that practise teacheth to knowe the true from the false but there is much time spent therein vnlesse it bee holpen by familier and ordinarie documents which those captaines that seeke to haue the best companies doe diligently giue to their souldiers The ordering of the footmen asorenamed to withstand the hotse in the fielde For marching but 80. paces asunder and coasting each other it followeth that the head of the battaile marked A can hardly bee charged because the side of the battaile marked 3 doth flancke it as likewise the sayd head doth as much for the sayd flancke by the same reason also one of the heads of the battaile marked 2. and the flancke of the other marked D doe also succour each other by their harquebuziers so as it is very daungerous for the horse to assayle in such places which enterflancke each other But may some man say although the two battailes cannot be assaulted but each vpon two sides why is it not as good to make but one onely which cannot be assailed in any more places For it seemeth the resistance would bee more gallant because that force vnited is much greater then deuided I am of opinion that in these actions it is not so requisite to looke to the greatnesse or smalnesse of the battailes as to the difficultie and hinderance when they finde themselues assayled on euery side For it is a great aduenture but there will growe some disorder when one bodie must make defence in foure places but when they neede not to looke but to two sides the men doe frame themselues thereto with greater ease and much better order This reason shall content me for the verifying of my speech notwithstanding I could alleadge others Concerning the ordering of the battailes I would wish euery rancke to conteyne fiftie Corcelets whereof there should be seauen at the head which would make three hundred and fiftie then tenne ranckes of harquebuziers and in the middest of them the rancke of Ensignes afterward for the tayle sixe ranckes of Corcelets which in all make sixe hundred and fiftie Corcelets and fiue hundred harquebuziers placed in foure and twentie rankes For the flanckes wherein al the difficultie doth consist they should be ordered in maner following I would neuer place there any harquebuziers as hath hetherto bene vsed but make sixe rankes of three hundred Corcelets in each fiftie men which should serue to make head on those sides The enemies being néere they should march otherwise then the rest namely close and carying their Pikes vpright leaning against their shoulders which is now sufficiently in vse Whereas at the heads of the battaile when any thing is to be done in their march they trayle them which maketh much distance betweene their rankes Now these sixe ranckes when the charge is offered after they stand shall doe nothing but make halfe a turne and so continue in their array with their face to the enemie and by my aduice they should take but threescore common paces in length which properly should bee the same which the battaile being closed to fight may haue open by the flanckes Thus should they bee armed to withstand the horsemen which cannot bee well done but with Pikes for the harquebuze shot without couert wil easely be ouerthrowne There remaine yet two hundred and fiftie harquebuziers to bee placed in the battaile counting the Muskets whom I would wish to bee distributed into foure partes in each threescore and somewhat more to stande as it were loose before the Pikes and at the charge to arange themselues vnder those of the first ranckes on the foure sides of the battaile Some will mislike I should make the heades so weake and only of sixe ranckes of Corcelets thinking them too fewe to beare the brunt of a whole hande of horse To whom I may say that if there were tenne it were the better but I haue cut my coate after my cloath howbeit I thinke such frontes sufficient to resist the horse which may easely bée done if the men haue courage and will be sure to stand strongly and fewe battailes haue wee seene ouerthrowne by any assault of the horse at the head As for the flankes which I haue described in such sorte as before they be as strong as the heades so long as they can keepe their order And this order I would wish them to keepe in their fight First while the horse were farre of it were good the battailes did goe forwarde but seeing them readie to charge to stay to the ende the better to settle themselues in order and with good footing to beare their first brunt The first rancke of Corcelets to plant the endes of their Pikes sure in the ground and not to stirre though a horse should goare
of water will be as long and the inner trench being almost equall with the heigth of the rampier that is beaten downe may be kept as long or longer prouided alwaies that it be made 60. or 80. foote from the Courtine Now I take this at the worst for there bee such weake assailants of Houlds as shall labour two moneths about the winning of a Raueline There are that thinke it an easie matter to keepe them from passing the ditch but for my parte I thinke it harde for they will enter either by night or day Thus when a frontier towne shal haue stopped a mightie armie so long as I haue sayd it shall haue quit it selfe well for there bee fewe townes inpregnable and the Prince that may haue lost it shall haue this comfort That as the fencing of it had cost him little so his enemie shall haue spent much time many men and money enough in the winning of it Some Ingeniour may say that water vndermindeth the foundations of a Rampier and that from tenne yeeres to tenne yeeres they runne out which they do not if they be walled within It is so indeede where the water is a running water but the repairing cost little as also doe the props that beare vp nothing but earth Howbeit I say that a man may fortifie a whole small towne with earth with the charges of one enclosure to a Bastion made of bricke or stone with the countermynes thereof This maner do I here alow for an other respect which is that Potentates Commonwelths are better able to prouide for the inward fortifications which must accompanie the outward do consist in al kinds of necessarie prouision that want in many townes though not in whole yet in parte And as many are lost through this default as for lack of Bastions They may likewise spare great sommes which are spent in these great workes and with the same maintaine a sufficient armie through want whereof the strongest places are taken as hath bene seene in Flanders Many thinges more may bee obiected to beate downe this our Bulwarke which is much more profitable to the weake then beautifull to the mightie Monarkes In the meane time such as shall followe this construction shall not finde themselues the worse thereby as the future experience peraduenture will teach better then the passed The ninetenth Discourse That the continuation of the wicked proceedings of the warres of these daies doe make a iust cause to seeme vniust PHilippe Comines in his remembrances reporteth that the Duke of Guyenne the brother of King Lewes the 11. ioyning with Duke Charles of Burgundy in the warre for the Commonwealth when he considered the number of the wounded and slayne at the battaile of Montleherie with the spoyles that the Souldiers made all ouer the Countrie was merueilously daunted thereat and tolde Duke Charles that it had bene better neuer to haue begunne that warre that bred such mischiefe and ruine who aunswered him that those things were not to bee meruailed at sith such were the naturall fruites thereof But being afterward alone among his familiers he scorned that yong Prince which brought pitie and compassion vnto the Theaters of Mars where rigour and vengeaunce doe holde their soueraigne Empyre In these daies wee heare some make almost the like aunswers to many that curse our ciuill stormes for they tell them It is the warre and so doe weene that that word being heard should make them to shrinke vp the shoulder after the Italian maner and prouide to suffer worse matter But in my opinion such reasons are to bee suspected as procéeding from those that hauing no other delight or sustenance but in other mens spoyles would make men to accompt warre to be a necessary euill to the end they should not be slacke in giuing to them that foode which they do desire Truely these men are not altogether to be beleeued least wee confound crueltie and iniustice with equitie and humanitie and so of an extraordinarie accident make an ordinary custume Neither must we print in our phantasies the imaginations of many others who wish to sée a warre exempt from the things that of long time haue bene proper thereto and are as it were essentials namely rapine disorder and crueltie for in these daies wherein wee liue vertue being tyed vp and vice let loose wee cannot atteyne to this perfection What shall we then say hereof For sooth that to the ende well to measure the matters whereof we now speake wee must take the olde rules not of Iron which cannot bend but of leade which are somewhat plyable and frame them to the crooked and difformed stones whereof our ciuill warres are composed that is to say to our confusions and then finding what is somewhat â—ollerable as also what is to bee reiected to patch vp againe so well as wee may this house of bondage wherein so many persons within these fiue and twentie yeeres haue bene tormented or els quite to rase it to the foundation by an assured peace which were the better way I meane not here curiously to examine or way the right or wrong of those that are in armes because I will not offend any Only I am content generally to say that such on either side as loue godlinesse or vertue doe for the satisfying of themselues either inwardly or outwardly vnderproppe their actions with iustice Neither should any warres bee vndertaken without that good faundation least otherwise wee bee found guiltie before God who will not that men vse such vyolent remedies but vpon great necessitie neither guide them after their owne disordinate affections Now in these controuersies and publique quarelles as well ciuill as others furiously raised through mans mallice it often falleth out that all the right lighteth on one side and all the wrong on the other Sometimes that both parties are led by like mallice and sometime that he which in deede hath the right doth seeme to haue the wrong and so to the contrary As also that sometimes in some one of the poynts thereof a man may be in the right and in all the rest in the wrong of all which differences I meane not here to entreate Only I would aduertise the readers to note them in reading the histories wherein the diuersities of so many martiall purposes are liuely set out But for my self I wil procéed in discoursing vpon my first proposition of the euill behauiours which are to bée seene in our sayd ciuill warres together with their consequences I thinke they cannot bee better compared then to an ouer flowing brooke which with the vyolent force thereof not only destroyeth the whole â—roppe of a plaine but also carieth downe the trees buildings and bridges where it goeth so as neither arte nor diligence are able to preuent it Whosoeuer would walke through France and Flanders might see euen vpon insensible things the footsteps of our daily furies which are not neuerthelesse the greatest domages for those
is deuided weakened and poore because the auncient hatred of those that seeke the abasing thereof may yet gather strength and force This mooueth them to feare perpetuall reproach with manifest daunger to the state if they should counsaile their maister to depriue himselfe of such succour the losse whereof may embolden the neighbors to more willingly the assaile him That they are not ignorant but that the confederacie with the Turke beareth apparance of vniustice howbeit for counterpaize thereof that the profite which it yéeldeth is so great that in these daies wherein wee liue which are replenished with suspition surprises it may without infamie be tollerated considering that the Catholique King whatsoeuer regard he hath to conscience and honor maketh no doubt of confederating himselfe with the Persian who is a Mahumetist as well as the other And who can tell wil they say whether the most Christian King when vnder colour of vniuersall benefite he may haue made of his friend his foe if he should bee afterward assailed be assured of the loue of those Princes with whome he hath bene at so great controuersie Without manifest testimonie therefore of a good reunion and assurance to his Realme they would be loath to perswade him to abandon his auncient confederaties Moreouer y t although al Christian Princes should vnite themselues to assaile the Turkes and atchieue great victories against them yet is it likely that all the fruites of their labours both by sea and land shall redound to the profite of the house of Austrich which alreadie is clambred so high that all the neighbours begin to stand in feare thereof and so should their maister reape nothing but labour and cost which poynt is to be considered of These in my opinion are the chiefe reasons that our Kings officers can alieadge which it were requisite to ouerthrowe by better before wee bring them to the league aforesayd I thinke if the Princes afore named would proceede sincerely vnto words adioyning good demonstrations this might be compassed For besides the equitie of the matter the desire of many good men which seeke no more but the exaltation of the name of Christ shall accompanie them But if they labour with subteâ—tie as men doe many times there will no fruite come of it but they shall be requited with subteltie Howbeit I will beléeue that they meane very well which if they doe there resteth no more but to aunswer to that which hath bene propounded and so to decide the difficulties aforesayd whereof I will not speake in that I can say little in respect of that which so many heads as well in Spayne as Italy are able to set downe neither doe I doubt but these Princes would graunt to the most Christian King good assurance to induce him to enter into this confederatie For if there arise any controuersie vpon this saying The assurance is not strong enough or vpon the aunswer we can giue no other the same were an euident token of a bad minde to the common benefite in him whoÌ„ we should see vnwilling to yeeld vnto reason For if it should happen such a King as he of France to bee assotiated it would afterward be an easie matter to make all the other Potentates to enter into the generall vnion yea euen the King of Poleland now raiguing And withall if any one would be slacke when he should see the whole bodie set forward the same should deserue to bee forred thereto Yet were all this in vaine and to no purpose vnlesse withall order be taken to appeaâ—e all present warres also to prouide for such as may arise as well betwene Prince and Prince as betwene them and their subiects It seemeth that at this day there is small cause of controuersie betweene them sith the Duke of Anieow is deceased who was at debate with the Catholique King hauing wonne for all his paines the onely towne of Cambray which some may thinke to bee rather an occasion to breede discord betweene the two Kings of Spayne and France which neuerthelesse I cannot beleeue for they will neuer so farre ouershoote themselues as for so small a matter to hazard both their Realmes into charges calamitie and destruction Neither to speake as a Christian should any man wish two so mightie Monarchies to goe together by the eares For so should they bring their confederates to partaking and of a priuate controuersie make a generall warre And no doubt the Turke would thereof take occasion to worke wonderfull practises against vs which for want of withstanding through our domesticall dissentions would breede our great hinderances Some man will adde that the small Potentates will bee glad the great ones should feede each vpon other truely if the great ones should seeke to deuoure them they might haue great reason to wish it but seeing them willing to vndertake to do that which may profite all all ought likewise to wish their good and to helpe them therein The true meanes therefore to take away the feare from some and couetousnesse from other some were ioyntly to employ themselues in these high enterprises As for the warres of Princes against their subiects it were good if it were possible to quench them because they are sufficient to diuert them from all other intents To which purpose I say that subiects are to remember that their soueraigne Princes are as the visible Images of God whom he hath established vpon the earth as his Lieutenants to driue men to liue in Pietie Iustice and honestie and to defend them from oppression In respect whereof they are to yeeld vnto them all honor fidelitie seruice obedience as also the Princes are to beare them like goodwill as a father doth to his childe and neuer to driue them into necessitie least they enter into dispayre Through the maintenaunce of this goodly concord states doe florish whereas contrariwise the breach thereof hasteneth their destruction as hath bene lately tryed to the great hurt of all France and is yet in practise in Flanders to the desolation therof It is a lamentable matter to see those that worship one self Christ thus to pursue each other with fire blood like wild beastes and the whiles to suffer these Mahumetistes to tryumph ouer the liues lands and spoyles of the poore Christians of the East countries For if this alteration of the Low countries were ceased all Christendome should seeme to be at peace But this reconsiliation will not be 〈…〉 y purchased howbeit al lets must be ouercome to the ende to creepe out of these long miseries that make both the assailants and defendants miserable The Catholique Maiestie who as it is sayd is very courteous and thereof daily sheweth great proofes in most but my selfe should diligently looke hereto for all this bloodie tragedie is played at his costs Now is there no question of state but only for religion whereof albeit no man asketh my counsaile neither wil beléeue me yet I will speake a
lodge scattering abroade in the good villages the sayde commissaries besides theyr ordinarie carriages kept still in euery cornet a baker and two horse of burthen which came no sooner to their quarter but they fell to making of bread and so sent it to the footemen All these small helpes proceeding from fortie cornets for there about wee then were being gathered together amounted vnto a great deale yea and thence sometimes they sent both flesh and wine whereto the Gentrie were so affectionate that from their lodgings they would not spare their carriages for conduct of whatsoeuer was requisite The small Townes that were taken were reserued for the munitionaries and they threatned the rest that kept no garrisons to fire all a league rounde about if they sent in no prouision whereby our footmen who lodged close were ordinarilie well prouided I doe not heere speake of the booties which as well the footemen as horsemen wonne from the aduersaries neyther is it anie doubt but this denouring animall passing through so many Prouinces could still finde soule pasture where with was sometimes mixed the poore mans garment yea and the friendes to so sore did necessitie and desire to catch incite those that wanted no excuses to coulour their spoile Of these fruites were many prouided of those things which besides foode the soldiour is to buy as garments weapons which are most neâ—essarie things Now must I speake of the lodging of the armie which they were forced to scatter abroade and that for two principall reasons The one for the commoditie of virtuall the other that it might be vnder couert whereby to be defended from the iniurie of the winter for without this help it could not consist I know this to be a verie bad kinde of lodging also that in imperial royall warres men would beware of committing such ouer sights least they might be straight wayes surprised But in ciuill warres both partes were forced and accustomed so to doe at the least in France The footmen were lodged in two bodies viz. in a maine battayle and an auantgarde and the horsemen in the villages next to hand Uppon anie earnest allarum the horsemen drewe to their quarters likewise if one seuerall lodging were assayled the others went straight to the rescue Among the Cornets there were many harquebuziers on horsback and when they were come to their quarter all the wayes were very well fortefied and many times they prouided themselues in the Churches and Castles so to holde out two good houres vntill they might haue succour I haue sometimes seene one of the Generals march with fiue or sixe hundred men and beate back the enimie that had assayled some lodging Howbeit notwithstanding whatsoeuer watch on all sides yet there happened many surprises albeit the waies were beaten both night and daie Many times wee had our best aduice from the Picorers who buzzing abroade like flyes did ordinarilie meet with the enimie and so some one brought in word for these men to flie are as swift as hares and when they goe about some bootie they euen flie The head towarde the enimie who had light horsmen did commonlie consist of fiue hundred good horse and as many harquebuziers on horsebacke with small store of carriage except horse of burthen which was done to the end to keepe the enimies busie that they should make no enterprise also that the armie might alwayes haue warning Concerning the order of the march all the troopes had theyr meeting nominated at a certaine houre in place conuenient for the diuision of the lodgings and thence they repayred each to his quarter as also they vsed greate speede when they were to trauayle sundrie wayes One inconuenience there was in marching thus scatteringlie namelie that oftentimes they did vse many false allarums Neuerthelesse it was neuer noted that the Prince of Condie had euer anie notable surprise Neither woulde I that anie man should build anie rule vpon these examples which necessitie engendered vnlesse vppon the lyke reason as then bare swaie for so may they be vsed in accomodating them to time place and persons But the surest waie were to reforme our customes by the ancient militarie rules wherin is more perfection than in those which wee now a dayes doe practise Yet must we not saie that these great Captaines ought to haue done otherwise than they did for they neuer fayled in ought that either could or should be done As also their most notable actions are since their deathes vanished away Of the new forces out of sundrie Prouinces that met at Orleance which inuitéd the Prince of Condy to vndertake the voiage to Chartres IN the first ciuill warres most of the Protestants namely their heads toke this for a principle That it was hard without an armie in y e field to make anie honourable warre or profitable peace In consideration heereof they exhorted their partakers to helpe to make a braue power the benefit wher of should redound to the whole body which was the reason that made so many readie to come in But they found an inconuenience in abandoning to this effecte such good places as before they held in the prouinces for afterward they had no place of retreate as also they haue somtimes failed in the other point viz. by keeping ouer many Wherin we may learne to auoid all extremities Which notwithstanding yet were not the prouinces free froÌ„ war as wel in the first troubles as in these Yea who so list well to consider the dealings of the Baron of Adrets and other the braue exploites of sundrie Captaines both Catholikes and Protestants recorded in the histories shall see miserable matters valiantly and wisely executed But because I haue tied my selfe to speake of no more than I haue either seene or learned in good places I haue abstained from entering the carrier of vnknowen Countries for feare of stumbling Now the Prince of Condie being enformed that his forces out of Gascoyne and Daulphine amounting neere to sixe thousand men were ariued at Orleance thought it good to imploie them therefore sent them worde to be ready as also to prouide pouder and shot with three or foure bad peeces of artillerie that were left for albeit the Catholiks accounted the Protestants fierie people yet were they alwayes but meanelie prouided of such instrumentes neither haue they as themselues anie Saint Anthonie whome men saie to be president of this element His intent was before his enimies knew his purpose to haue enuironed the town that he meant to besiege whereof he thought none so commodious for his affayres as Chartres which being taken he purposed to fortefie so to keepe a continuall thorne in the Parisians foote and vnder the fauour therof somewhat to preserue his Countries which were behinde To this effect being aboue twentie leagues of he sent three thousande horse to enclose it which diligence turned to no greate profite for a regiment of footmen which lay but foure leagues off
yeelded Concord good manners and obedience to the lawes were alâ—eadie in so good forwardnesse throughout Fraunce that it seemed to bee wholie restored but discorde with her secrete driftes troubled all Concerning the seconde it was a peace but no peace neyther had it anie more than the name for in effect it was secrete warre It may be tearmed The reward of the Protestants follie because that not withstanding all aduertisements that it wold be very bad they would neuerthelesse receiue it The third was much desired in respect of the ruines past the necessitie present and that euery man was wearie of labour and trouble for as the Frenchman is vnpatient so doth he fit the warre to his owne humors And in as much as the conditions were equall or rather better than the former it ought in my minde to be tollerable to the Protestants considering withall y t there was no meanes to haue anie better Like wise for the two yeeres that it lasted fewe can complayne except at the very breach thereof which was in such horrible sort as it deserueth to be quite buried vp Nowe who so euer shall consider all these peaces in their iust obseruation hee will as I suppose iudge them to haue beene a profitable and necessarie remedie vnto all but if hee haue respect but onelie to their endes he cannot choose but name them dissembling peaces And this hath made some so time rous that they beleeue that stil there is some poison hidden vnder the faire glosse of this golde In Fraunce wee haue alreadie had sixe generall like as wee had in the ciuill warres of Burgundie and Orleance and as well the one as the other were infringed but the seauenth which was concluded at Arras was durable and holpe to restore Fraunce by which example it may bee inferred that our seauenth shoulde bee good albeit it were to be wished wee neuer came to those tearmes for to wish to bee sicke that wee might recouer health may seeme impertinent I beseech God to prouide therefore according to his good pleasure Trulie euerie man seeing the Realme flaming in warres ought to set before his eies Gods wrath and displeasure and the same against himselfe rather than agaynst his enemies where nowe some doe saie These bee the Protestants who through their heresies doo strrre vp Gods wrath against them Others doe replie They bee the Catholikes who with their Idolatries do prouoke the same And thus in these discourses no man accuseth himselfe In the meane time the first thing that wee ought to doe is in these vniuersal calamities to examine and accuse our owne imperfections to the end to amend them then to loke vpon others mens faults Likewise when we see a short counterfait peace we should saie y t we deserue no better because y t according to the prouerb when we are ouer the bridge wee mocke the saint most of vs returne to our vanities and accustomed ingratitude Howbeit it is a commendable affection which desireth peace I meane a good peace for y e bad are verie cut throats because therby pietie and vertue doth seeme to reuiue whereas contrariwise ciuill warres are the shops of all wickednesse which good men doe abhorre The time hath bene that of both parts their haue ben diuerse that toke no great delight in hearing peace spokeÌ„ of of whom some sayd That it was an vnworthie and vniust deede to make peace with rebols and heretikes who deserued grieuous punishment yea they persisted in their speeches vntill their disease were cured on this sorte If they were warriors they were inioyned to march formost at an assault or in a skirmish so to kill vp these wretched Protestants of which punishment by that time they had twice tasted they soone changed opinion As for the rest which were either cleargie men or of the long robe by telling them that they must part with halfe their rents to paie the soldiour they consented to the peace To be briefe whatsoeuer their pretence were whether pietie or iustice sure their passions were cruell Other there were euen among the Protestants which did no lesse reiect the peace as tearming it to bee nothing but treason but had it bene neuer so good they woulde haue said as much because the warre was their nursemother and rising One good waie to reduce them to reason were to propound in respect of necessitie thereof the cutting off of their paies or the leauiing of some lones of them so would they long after some good end For take from many of these people their profites and honour then will they iudge more sincerely of matters Also for counsayle in waightie matters we ought to choose those that serue God and are endued with greatest discretion for they still preferre the common wealth before their owne commodities and affections I will likewise speake of another sort of people who indifferentlie do like of all kinds of peace and mislike of euerie kind of warre who if they might be assured in quiet to eate their wortes and laie vp their crops could well enough let euerie time slide yea albeit at euerie of the foure quarters of the yere they should haue halfe a dozen good bastonadoes These haue in my opinion locked vp hidden their honours and consciences in the bottome of some coffer The good Citizen ought alwayes to beare a zeale to the common wealth also to looke farther than to liue in shamefull bondage To conclude in these affayres reason ought to be our guide which doth admonish vs neuer to enter wars vnlesse a iust cause and great necessitie constraineth vs for warre is a most violent and extraordinarie remedie which in healing one wound maketh more and therefore is not to bee vsed but extraordinarily whereas contrariwise we are alwaies to wish for peace I meane not such peace as may be presumed to be stedfast not vniust for the false on s do not deserue y e title but rather to be tearmed traps snares as was the same of the second troubles The rest may some men say were not much better because they lasted not long but I am not of that minde for A doe thinke that vntill they were broken they were moste prosâ—table so doth experience giue vs to vnderstand neither is that any better argument then to say This man was naught because he linen but fifteene yeéres but I will argue and pleade to the contrary saying they were good because men woulde not suffer them to last any longer for had they bene noisome to the Protestants they would haue â—et them haue had their course God graunt so good a one to France nowe torue with ruines and destitute of good manners that she may renue in beauty and be no longer the fable of all nations but an examplary of vertue INPRINTED AT LONdon by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Cadman and Edward Aggas 1588. In what considerations this discourse is necessarie and ought to bee published Three causes