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A14722 Anima'dversions of vvarre; or, A militarie magazine of the truest rules, and ablest instructions, for the managing of warre Composed, of the most refined discipline, and choice experiments that these late Netherlandish, and Swedish warres have produced. With divers new inventions, both of fortifications and stratagems. As also sundry collections taken out of the most approved authors, ancient and moderne, either in Greeke. Latine. Italian. French. Spanish. Dutch, or English. In two bookes. By Robert Ward, Gentleman and commander. Ward, Robert, fl. 1639.; Marshall, William, fl. 1617-1650, engraver. 1639 (1639) STC 25025; ESTC S118037 599,688 501

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imitate the worthes and valours of former Ages who pluckt out their Calvish hearts and infused the spirits of Lions into themselves whereby they accomplisht deeds which merrited wonder and the rather the more to bee admired because of their meane breeding and simple parentage which could not afford them education As we finde it recorded in holy Writ David Saul Gideon of meane parentage brought up in rurall affaires one keeping Sheepe the other Asses the last with his Flayle yet when they assumed the countenance and spirits of the Valiant what wonders they wrought and with what honours were they dignified the dangerous't enterprises that ever happened in their times they feared not to attempt which was the stirrope that elevated them into there Thrones of highest dignity Likewise we finde in Histories what admirable parts men of meane parentage have attained unto and what Warlike wonders they have wrought As Achilles the Sonne of Aeacus was a long time hid under the garments of a Woman amongst the daughters of Licomedes yet afterwards his spirit aspired so high that hee concluded the Trojans greatnesse and overthrew their Citty from the toppe to the bottome Galerius Maximianus borne and bred up basely wherefore he was termed Armentarius because hee was a Neat-heards Sonne hee grew very fortunate in the Warres being indued with great valour and courage was after for his deserts made Emperour Iustia was first a Swine-heard afterwards a Cow-heard next a Carpenter a common Souldier a Captaine and by his conquests which he obtained by his valour was made Emperour Pompienus Maximus Sonne to a Smith gave himselfe to vertue and Millitary services proving fortunate against the Polonians and Germanes in divers valiant Conquests was after created Emperour of Italy Also Maximinus a silly Shepheard at his first inition into the Warres behaved himselfe so honourably that he was by the Souldiers made Emperour It is wonderfull remarkable what strange adventures the worth and valour of men have spurred them unto to undertake for their Countryes good and their immortall honours It were worth the observation if one of a thousand in these our dayes would endeavour to performe the like either for their private or popular good As the Phileni did for the Carthagenians who were in controversie with the Cyrenians about the bounds of their Territories They being willing to end the quarrell chose certaine men of either City that should set out at one instant and where they met there the confines should determine These Phileni being swift of foot got farre into the Countrey of Cyrene before they were met whereupon the Cyrenians being inraged wisht them either to returne backe into their Countrey or dye on the place the valiant young men preferring the common good before private safety accepted to bee slaine That Reverent Fether of the Church Swinglius a man not onely indued with divine knowledge but great learning thought it a dishonour to him to withdraw his hands from the Warres for his Countryes good and the rather because hee had incited others to be valiant in their Countryes behalfe and to spend their bloud in the defence of it was himselfe the formost man in the Battell fought neere Zurich in Helvetia where by his eager valour pressing upon all disadvantages hee was slaine Many Divines of our Age are not of that temper but had rather appropriate some strange irregular wayes to themselves whereby contentions and factions may breed at home amongst their brethren then to exhort men to doe their Couutrey service but by their detractions rather diswade them then stretch out their owne hands or hazard their bodies for the good of their King and Countrey for we are growne so farre from incouraging one th' other to follow the Warres or to distribute any maintenance towards them that wee altogether discourage those that would venter their Purses and hazard their bodyes for the good of their Countrey But we may learne of that ever renowned Lady Tiphania Wife to Bertran du Gues●lin and let her bee the patterne to all such detractors which seeke to deterre men from their due service and honourable performances This Warlike knight renowned in divers Histories for his worthy enterprises espoused himselfe to this fayre Lady of a noble Family his fame and honour being one chiefe cause she setled her affections perceiving shee by her amorous courses did withdraw his spirits and love from following the Warres whereby his honour began to diminish shee gently reproved him as hee was courting of her and blamed him for effeminizing himselfe and leaving the Warres whereby formerly hee had atchieved his greatest reputation and that it neither suted with the nature of valour nor duty of a true Gentleman to lose the least repute of honour wone before by over much affecting his new made choice as for my part quoth shee I ought to shine by the bright radience of your splendent fame and shall thinke my selfe too much dejected if you doe not prosecute so honourable a course begun and loose your spirits in doting on love These her noble and wise corrections did so neere touch and trench upon the knights worth and valour that hee re-assumed a Warlike course presenting his body against the hottest assaults that ever our English Nation tendred to the Kingdome of France he fought against Edward called the blacke Prince Hee restored Henry the eleventh king of Castile in his Kingdome maugre the English Forces hee was after made Constable of France and highly indeered unto Charles the Fifth I could gladly wish all Ladies and Gentlewomen of so noble a temper esteeming no honour to the fame purchast by Warlike actions and instead of their teares and fond embraces to rouze their noble Husbands to prosecute the use of Armes as the brave spirited women of former ages have done and for an example of their worths it is recorded in History how the Women of Aquilegia a City in Italy did so animate and assist their Husbands and other Souldiers being beleaguered by Maximinus that when their Bowstrings fayled they cut the haire of their heads and made them new strings all other materialls being spent whereby they preserved their Citty and confounded their Enemies to their never dying honours I hope I have sayd sufficient concerning this subject and I take it for granted that all mens spirits have taken this Cordiall of valour so that now it stands requisite we should give some Rules how and when wee should set our Valours a broach and when to refraine First when two Armies are dayly in readinesse to give Battell there are three principall things to bee considered as namely if wee shall gaine lesse profit by the Victory then wee may feare detriment if wee should suffer an overthrow upon this occasion we are to forbeare and Souldiers must not construe it as a trick of cowardize To give you an example of the Duke of Guise when hee invaded the Kingdome of Naples the Duke of Alva had beene unwise if hee
and destroy ours what cause I pray you had there been for Darius first and now for Xerxes to make Warre on us but onely this wee would not forsake you Rebells when hee desired to chastise you but t is no matter doe you but onely this come from them to us or if that be too full of danger then when the Battell is begun doe but recoyle doe but slacken your Oares and ye may safely depart away But while these things were a working at Sea his Forces at Land sacked Plateae and Thespiae two famous Cities of Boeotia and Athens on the Sea-coast but all of them forsaken by their Inhabitants and behold his spleene quoniam ferro non poterat in homines in aedificia igne grassatur yea which was more as if hee had Warred not onely with the Greekes but their gods also Hee destroyed the Temple of Apollo at Delphos so famous through the World These things startled the Princes of those Cities which were joyned with the Athenians they knew not how soone their Cities might runne the same hazzard wherefore they began to consult of their departure for the defence of their owne Territories Which thing so soone as Themistocles perceived least their forces should bee diminished by the departure of their Associates he gives Xerxes to understand by a faithfull servant of his owne that now at this instant hee might easily intercept all the force and flower of Greece contracted into one place who if they were severed as presently they were like to do it would bee to his greater labour and cost to hunt after them in severall places and by this deceit hee necessitated the King to give the signall of Battell and the Grecians busied with the approaches of the King with their joynt forces entertayned the Skirmish While the Battell remained somewhat doubtfull the Ionians according to the advice of Themistocles withdrew themselves and their flight dashed the leaden courages of the Persians so that presently they turned their backs and fled Xerxes being at his wits end at this overthrow Mardonius his great Captaine and Counsellour adviseth him in his owne Person to hasten home least the fame of this unlucky battell move sedition there and tells him that if he will leave but 300000 of his choyce men with them hee will either tame Greece to his Masters glory or yeeld to the Adversary without his ignominie This advice did Xerxes like well enough wherefore hee delivered 300000 of his Souldiers to Mardonius and with the rest hee prepared to goe backe into his Kingdome Which the Grecians perceiving resolved to breake the bridge that hee had built at Abydo● that so his passage being cut off hee might perish with his Army or at least being driven to despaire might sue for peace But here againe did the wisedome of Themistocles appeare for fearing that the enemy when hee was cooped up and so necessitated to fight would turne his cowardize into valour adviseth the Greekes that they had enemies too many in the Countrey and it was not convenient to increase their number by stopping those that would bee gone but seeing hee could not prevaile with his advise hee sent his servant a second time to Xerxes to acquaint him with the resolution of the Greekes which when Xerxes knew in a shamefull afright with a few of his servants onely hee fled in all haste to Abydos commanding his Captaine speedily to March after him with their Troopes but comming to Hellesponte and finding the Bridge broken with the Tempests of the fore-passed Winter Hee ferried over alone in a poore Fi●herboate an admirable spectacle to behold he whose followers the earth groaned to beare but a yeare agoe is glad to flye now without one to attend him Cujus introitus in Greciam quam terribilis tam turpis ac foedus discessus fuit After that dishonourable flight of Xerxes Mardonius his Generall followed the warfare at land Olinthus was the first Towne hee sate downe before and it hee tooke by Assault After this hee laboured to reconcile the Athenians to the King his Master promising them restitution for the losse of their City which was burned but after hee perceived they would not part with their Liberty and freedome at any rate hee set fire to those buildings they had begun to reedifie and so Marched into Boeotia where the maine Army of the Greeks was inquartered consisting of a 100000 men there they came to blowes neere the City Plataeae which was not farre from Thebes Sed fortuna Regis cum duce mutata non est For Mardonius was there utterly overthrowne himselfe slaine by a common Souldier his Tents stuffed with the Kings Treasure seized on and finally Greece freed from the Persian Warre The Athenians would not loose the benefit of this victory but with their Sea forces sayled up the Hellesponte and by Assault tooke the Towne of Sestos from the Persians and sacked it After this they turned home built and fortified their City and joyning them with other Cities of Greece under the conduct of Pausanius and Aristides they tooke Cypria and Bizantium frym the Persian Thus you see this great Monarch who had so many Millions of men under his dominions could not live in Peace yea and for want of good order in his Army suffered many shamefull overthrows which together with some other iniquities of his owne brought him in contempt with his owne Subjects who before was a terror to other Nations and by and by after hee was slaine by his Lieutenant Artabanus His Successor was Artaxerxes who was also called Longimanus quia dextra longior fuit quam sinistra There is not any mention in History of any great trouble that happened in this Kings Reigne after that hee had put to death Artabanus and his sonnes who were the murtherers of his Predecessor Xerxes and had layd their plots also against him had it not beene in a fit time discovered by one Baccabassus a man well content with the present government This Prince having Reigned peaceably 37. yeares expired and left his Scepter to Darius Nothus his Sisters Husband who in like manner governed the Kingdome peaceably 19. yeares and then yeelded it up to his eldest Sonne Artaxerxes Mnemon whose Reigne was somwhat troublesome with the great Spirit of his younger Brother Cyrus to whom his Father had by will assigned the government of Lidia and Ionia where hee was in his Fathers dayes Lieutenant but without the title of King But this gave no content to the high spirit of Cyrus who aymed at farre greater matters wherefore he began first privately to make preparation against the King his Brother which being disclosed to the King hee sent for Cyrus who dissembled the matter and pleaded not guilty yet for all that the King bound him in golden fetters deprived him of liberty and had done so by his life also in matter prohibuisset But afterwards obtaining liberty hee was so much inraged against his Brother by this
distracts the minde and flai●es the faculties and affections from their due consultations of remedy the second makes an earthquake in the soule being not sensible of the event as the Imbellicke Pesant quakes at the report of a Musquet at his first hearing of it The third dejects the spirits being voide of all hopes either of evasion or defence much lesse of conquering Therefore lest wee should make our Enemies more terrible to us then indeed they can bee let us daily expect them that when they come we may not be to seeke how to expulse them And for conclusion of this seventh Section let every true-hearted Subject imitate the Thracian Captaine Protesilaus sonne to Iphiclus who to shew the truth of his love and loyaltie to his Soveraigne would be the first man of all the warlike Greekes that should set foot on Troy albeit he knew that hee should surely die that first toucht the Trojan Land which came to passe for he was slaine by Hector about whose Tombe the Poets were pleased to record to his perpetuall honour that divers goodly tall greene Trees did divinely spring up whose branches covered the ruines of Troy By this we may see in what estimation and honour loyalty and valour was honoured withall as one truly sayes such men deserve all respects and honour that may be to mortall men ascribed for they are as the Lockes and Barres of the Kings Pallace and so long as they are kept fixe strong and close they preserve all in safety but if infected with Cankered disloyalty rustie cowardise and mossie securitie they leave all open as a prey to Theeves and Robbers THE TRVE VALOVR OF SVBIECTS AND SOVLDIERS IN FORT AND FIELD SECT VIII CHAP. LIX The true nature of Valour described and how men ought to be qualified with it to make them sit Subjects and Souldiers TRue Valour in Subjects and Souldiers is the summoning of the Faculties of the irascible parts to a mature Consultation with Reason Iudgement being the principall Engine and Resolution the Modell that turnes all the Wheeles both of Invention and execution which makes a man truly valiant to undertake without rashnesse and to performe without feare bearing downe dangers with a loftie courage trampling on them with successe it makes a Souldier looke Death in the face and passe by it with a smile it makes him afraid of nothing but to be betrayed by feare desiring rather to have his bloud seen then his back it makes a Souldier disdaine life upon all base conditions Making him prodigall of his bloud when God his King and Countrey shall command it His boldnesse proceedeth neither from Ignorance nor senslesnesse But first he values the danger and then disdaines it having his feares least when perills are greatest His Magnanimous mind scornes flatteries esteeming such as Flyes blowing corruption upon sweet vertues he hates to feed his spirits upon the fulsomnesse of surfeiting ease his confidence keepes him safe and his unapaled lookes doth daunt a base attempter it is more prevalent then Briareus with his hundred hands and more potent then Chiron the Centaure whose strength and wisedome was matchlesse Valour hath double oddes of a fearefull Coward for the undaunted carriage of a valiant man drives feare up to the hilts in a Cowards heart so that he hath no ability left to offend his enemy or defend himselfe This makes victory so easily gaind for the spirits of a Coward are so retired and pent up with anguish and distresse being wrapt up with feare of the approaching evill and dispayring of his fortitude to avoide it that there is hardly strength left to make the least resistance whereby Valour takes his advantage to atchieve his Honourable ends without much trouble and lesse danger for as boldnesse fortifies the passions of the soule against the greatest miseries which are most difficult to be avoided and incourageth it to pursue Honourable atchievements that are most hard to obtaine so many times fearefull cowardize doth wannesse in it selfe its strength failing many times fearing that which is not to be feared having only but a shew of danger Saepius opinione laboramus quam re Many times more troubled and dejected with conceits then the thing it selfe A Cowards eye is of the nature of an augmentation glasse dilating a small danger and causing it to appeare tenne times greater then the accident can be whereas Valour accordeth with the deminution glasse contracting the dimentions of perils into so smal an Image that they appeare as shadowes In a poore faint leaden spirit there are foure kindes of feare that undermine the Heart first a naturall feare whereby every thing shunnes the destruction of it selfe and this is most proper in beasts Secondly humane which ariseth of too much desire of this life Thirdly a base worldly feare when a man despaires to hazard the losse of goods and credit Fourthly a stinking servile disposition which causeth a feare of receiving wounds and death any one of these is able to subvert the whole fabrick of Valour That warlike Caesar was free from the least tincture of any of these feares when his boyling worth in the middest of eminent perils cheared up his Souldiers and Mariners and banisht their feares with the comfortable words that Caesar and his fortunes were aboard Hee was very expert in the opperations of conceits and passions of the minde upon the body He being a warlike Physitian in the prescription of Regiments to his fearfull Souldiers he did alwayes consider Accidentia animi to be of greatest force to further or hinder the atchieving of Victory and fortune for questionlesse imagination is prevalent in altering the faculties and spirits of the imaginant having a manifest power to hurt deject and weaken the opperation of the spirits so that there is to be observed an art in warre and to be used to coroborate and strengthen the imagination that they may like the Loadstone fix their conceits upon nothing but honours victory and riches which elevates the spirits into a majestick Spheare There is a great deale of difference betweene a naturall inbred hardinesse and a soffisticated valour a silly sheepe may be made managed and tuter'd to oppose and use violence to a dogge but when the victory comes to competition the wing is preferred before the claw whereas in a Lyon his naturall inbred magnanimitie cannot be altered without the bereaving of life The subject of Warre is variable and is only judged by the successe and event Whereas other Arts and Sciences are judged by acts as the Pilot is judged by directing his course aright and not by the fortune of the voyage it is otherwise with valour for that may have an aspertion of timerosity and taxed with indiscreet judgement when the event is not answerable to the acts performed when as Imbellick fellowes may stumble on a victory by some strange accident when neither art nor courage did attend them which by the weaknesse and credulity of men shall be highly esteemed
circumstances which may tend to the beautifying of this Profession as it is recorded in the commendations of that valiant Souldier Pyrrhus that in what place so ever hee became hee in his walking would take notice of the Scituation of each place hee came into and in his fancy would contrive how hee should order his Battell there with the best advantages observing the fittest places to hide some Ambusheadoes in to fall upon the Enemies Flankes or Reare and also which were his convenientest places for his retyre or for the safe encamping his Army what passages were fittest to bee guarded and the like Also in Fortified Townes hee would observe the strength of their Fortification and which place hee could have best advantage to make his assault with the nature and quality of the ground for the most advantagious placing his Engines of Battery with millions of plots and devices which in his fancy hee contrived whereby hee grew so expert that neither time nor place could poze him This caused Haniball to answer Scipio that Pyrrhus was the best Souldier And to conclude this discourse let us observe and follow the command that God himselfe gave to his Generall Ioshua in charge which was That hee should bee strong and of a valiant courage whereby prosperity should follow him wheresoever his Army should goe The Lord of Hosts seeing it was a thing of such high consequence Hee reitterated his former charge in a more emphaticall speech being a charge so speciall that onely and above all things they should bee strong and of a valiant courage for without this nothing could bee effected in the Warres In consideration of this necessity of courage and valour that valiant Generall Consalus when hee had drawne his Army before Naples he gave his Souldiers to understand by his earnest protestations hoping they would imitate him that hee had rather dye one foot forwards then to have his life secured for long by one foot of retreate Such noble acts and honourable deeds of valiant Souldiers cannot be buried in oblivion but like the Phoenix from whose preserved ashes one or other still doth spring up like unto them The Ancients did so esteeme of a famous name that they deemed it immortall which made them ever ready to sacrifice their lives to gaine honour which was esteemed above the Worlds endowments Thus according to my poore ability I have finisht this discourse though not so exactly as the subject requires in regard my Schollership and capacity are corrivalls in simplicity In the next place I intend to bring in a discourse concerning Duells being a thing which assumes the cloake of valour and may challenge a place in this discourse but I have thought it most fit to make a particular draught of it by it selfe wherein is shewed who hath favoured this kinde of vindicating of honour by the sword and what circumstances may bee alleadged for the supposed lawfulnesse of it with divers admonitions for the regayning of friendship and lastly the unlawfulnesse of it proved both by Lawes divine and humane A DISCOVRS VPON VNIVST VALOVR IN DVELS SECT IX CHAP. LX. Of the opinions of divers Learned men concerning Duels with the chiefest Circumstances that can be alledged for the lawfulnesse of it and so confuted both by Divine and humane reason and so concluding with divers exhortive reasons for Enemies to entertaine a reconciliation IN regard this discourse of Duels hath so neere a correspondency to the former discourse of valour I thought it meet to intreate of it in this place and I must confesse it is a high pitch of Magnanimitie could it be warranted by divine and humane authority and having duly weighed the nature of Duels and likewise observed the oppinions of divers learned they holding it altogether unlawfull in regard it is repugnant to Gods commandements and the Lawes of all Nations which hate the idle expence of such precious bloud and will not lycence the spilling of it without a lawfull calling for the preservation of King and Countrey to these I must assent Yet divers hot spirits have desired to prie further into this subject thinking to skrew out a lawfulnesse of the which they have falne short I have therefore used my best endeavours to summon up the likeliest arguments and pregnantest examples that my poore reading can afford to set the best glosse on it for their sakes although to little purpose wherefore give me leave to speake my best in the behalfe of the Duellist and afterwards I will be an Attourney of the other side wherefore suppose there are divers probabilities that may induce to conceive a lawfulnesse in some particular cases having a respect to the limitations and cautions that ought to attend upon Duels and first having a regard to the necessitie of Warre and then duly weighing the circumstances belonging unto it we shall find a secret policie lye hidden which will plead for it selfe and will goe neere to prove that combats are necessary and happily within the limits of lawfulnesse And although Yno Bishop of Chartres did complaine against the French Church-men and especially in his letter to the Bishop of Orlians he assenting with divers other learned men which had taken a mature consideration of the good effects the which might be produced from it and having likewise scand the ill and mischiefe that might consequently follow did manifest and ratifie the lawfulnesse of challenging the Combat which I must likewise suppose they did upon good grounds they having considered the manifold abuses and most horrid aspersions that the 〈◊〉 of some degenerat spirits would invent and falsely lay to the charges of those they hated whereby both reputation and life of innocent men are indangered by false accusations which being beyond the wit of man to screw out the truth in regard no proofe can be produced to leade Authoritie to discerne where the abuse lyes but only the justifying and denying of the partyes accusing and accused so that the Engine of wit cannot invent a more politique and discreet way then by decyding the controversie by their Weapons for reason tells a man that in a just cause there is no man but will be resolute to defend his honour and put forth his best valour to offend his Antagonist his Combat being to maintaine the truth and having a good conscience on his side doth adde vigour to his courage whereas contrarily a guilty conscience will so detract from the worth and valour of the false accuser that feare will under mine his heart whereby he cannot performe in such a manly way as that party which hath right on his side But admit there were no such thing in it yet it would be prevalent to make men cautelous in abusing their Neighbour causing to weigh the perill they must hazard And although some have made this objection that all men are not of like strength and valour so that in that kind it may seeme unjust Yet it is to be supposed in way of answer
Emperour fled to Heaven as Herodian witnesseth And Iustin Martyr affirmeth that there was alwayes one deputed and ordained by the Successor of the dead Emperor who should upon his oath averre that hee had seene the Soule of the Emperour which was said to be deified to issue out from the pile of fire and to flee directly up into heaven the same doth Dion write who saith that Livia the wife of Augustus did give ten thousand crownes unto Numerus Atticus Pretor to have an Affidavid made that he saw Caesar Augustus mount up into Heaven CHAP. CCXLI. A Politique Imposture able to seduce multitudes by walking upon the water CArdan in lib. de varietate rerum reports how that by subtilty and artificiall skill men have walked upon the top of waters without sinking by meanes of Corke and bladders tyed to the soles of their feete Likewise Lucian writeth what strange Terror he was put in by the sight of those Phillopodes or corke-footed persons that walked upon the waves of the Sea what could not such an Imposture perswade men unto or disswade them from the strangenesse of the thing would make men beleeve they were divine CHAP. CCXLII. Illusions whereby divers learned judicious men have beene deceived through the faigned voyces of men expert in that qualitie THere have beene some men naturally disposed so subtill and ingenious that they were able to delude and deceive even the best advised their voyce hath beene so subtile and so divers that they would imitate the voyce of all living creatures likewise the organs of their voyce and their throats were so fine and small that being very neere to a man they will call him by his name or use other discourse yet it will seeme to the party called to bee some strange Angelicall voyce and that it is farre remote from him in the French History of Peter de Loir hee relates a story of a Merchant of Lyons who was exceeding rich both in Banque and in other goods and Possessions and being noted for a notable Vsurer hee went one day walking into the Countrey onely accompanied with his servant and as they were entred into a great Champion Field the Servant began his illusions speaking unto him and telling him that hee was an Angell which came unto him purposely from God to tell him that he should give and distribute part of his goods ill gotten unto the poore and that hee should liberally recompence his Servant that had of a long time served him without any reward or preferment at all received from him the Merchant being astonished and abused at the voyce demanded of his Servant if he heard nothing repeating unto him the strange voice himselfe had heard the servant counterfeiting a kinde of wonder and astonishment denyed that he heard any thing and immediately with a voice farre more stronger and subtill then the former hee repeated the same words againe and that with such admiration of the Merchant that he was brought into a full beliefe that it was an Angell from Heaven that spake unto him insomuch that being arrived in his lodging he gave unto his Servant a good and large recompence after the death of the Merchant this Servant discovered the Imposture Likewise Monsieur de la Cazedin having invited divers learned men the most excellent spirits then in Paris to a Banquet in the meane time a merry fellow that was his crafts-Master in these kind of Illusions was caused to bee there present by the said Monsieur for to provoke mirth at this feast in imitation of that of Xenophon or of the Emperour Iulian wherein there was a Silenus that kept company with the Gods etc. This fellow called one of the company by name a man well knowne for doctrine and eloquence this party hearing his name called arose imediately from the Table supposing some one without the doores had called him albeit it was no other but that same pleasant companion that was set at Table by him By these few instances we may learne what good or hurt may bee done to an Army they being deluded with these or the like Impostures may either bee animated to observe any Lawes or undertake any difficult atchievements or by the helpe of some trusty Complices in an Enemies Armie that are their crafts-Masters in this Art how they may dishearten the Army or divert the Generall from some intended designe which may be the occasion of their overthrow CHAP. CCXLIII How Marquesse Spinola at the Siege of Breda by the helpe of a wittie Peasant gained intilligence of all the proceedings both in the Prince of Oranges Campe and in the Towne of Breda by the discovering of their owne Letters MArquesse Spinola made use of a Countrey Peasant who was expert of all Places and passages there about and being forward to accomplish any thing he was commanded for a reward did undertake to carry Butter Tobacco and Cheese to the besieged Towne making shew of having narrowly and with great danger escaped the Enemies Sentinels and Guards and being arrived hee was to offer his service to the Governour to carry Letters from him to the Prince of Orange he being there arrived was much welcomed to the hungry Souldiers in regard of the provision hee brought and the Governour desirous to know particulars examined him about Spinola's Campe about the passage hee found into the Towne and what was the received opinion abroad of the state of their affaires the fellow being subtill related many true things and feigned as many of his owne head which begat a great beliefe in them of his honestie and trust at last being demanded whether he durst carry any Letters by that passage by which he escaped into the Towne hee shewed himselfe at first fearfull and doubtfull what to answer suffered them by promises to worke him to that to which of all things under pretence of backwardnesse hee desired to bee perswaded The Governour therefore trusted him with his Letters to the Prince of Orange promising him great rewards if he brought him an answer Hee promised to doe his best but in his returne he brought the Letter to Spinola to peruse Spinola having perused the Letters sealed them up againe fairely and dispatched this subtill fellow away with them to the Prince of Orange promising him a double reward if hee could bring an answere from the Prince The Prince of Orange beleeving that hee might confidently repose his trust in this fellow who had beene so carefull to bring him the Letters returned his answere by this Peasant giving him a large reward this craftie fellow brought the Letters to Spinola and was liberally rewarded by him also for his paines afterwards the Prince of Orange dying and his brother Count Henricke being in his place Spinola could gaine no newes of his proceedings wherefore he bethought him of his nimble-witted Peasant but he being not so well knowne to this Prince as he was to his Brother he contrived his acquaintance by this
perswasion will serve to cause the Souldiers to encounter a second time for as the proverbe saith victoria victoriam parat animumque victoribus anget adversariis anfert for questionlesse one victory begets another and puts great courage into those that have already had the better and it beats the edge of courage and spirit from those that have beene beaten wherefore a Generall must be very wise and carefull how hee brings on his men to fight after an overthrow once received unlesse it bee upon great advantages and firme hopes of a Conquest When a Generall intends to make a retreat from his enemy hee must bee very circumspect careful in his carriage and demeaning of his actions for his better safety and strengthning for feare his souldiers perceive any cause of feare should constraine him in regard of the nearnesse or potency of the enemies army but hee is to let his souldiers understand that his retreat is to draw the enemy after him to bee surprized in some ambushkado or rather if it may bee with conveniency for his better advantage to give the enemy battell for there are divers inconveniences attend a retrait if the enemie be in view for although a Generall may ayme at some place of better advantage yet unhappily there may bee divers ill passages and streights to hinder their quick passage besides these kinde of retraits breede a jealousie both in souldiers and their Officers for they know that hee that forsakes the field feares some danger so that the safest way is either to recreat before an enemy be at hand or being neare at hand secretly in the night for it is a Maxime to be observed Rather to retreat in the darke than be beaten in the light Si certamen quandoque dubium videatur tacitam miles arripiat fugam fuga enim aliquando lauda●da saith a learned Generall But indeed of all motions in the warre a safe retrait is the most difficult but that danger will ever attend as Monluc high Marshall of France once said Je ne trove poynt nul fait des armes choses si difficille qu ●ne retraite A Generall must have a jealous eye over an enemy that is revolted from his King and beware what confidence hee reposeth in him for divers respects as namely first they are not to be used in any great enterprizes neither are they to be trusted in any frontier Towne or Fort of any consequence for they may redeeme their reputations liberties and estates lost by surrendring up those Forts The French had experience of this when Don Pedro de Navarro being banisht Spaine was trusted with Fonterable and to gaine his former freedome he surrendred up this Towne anno 1523. A Generall may make use of a Treason but let him never trust the Traitor A Generall must take this for a Maxime If a Commander of any high authority hath wilfully transgrest either not to strike at all or else to strike home for he shall be sure afterwards to be rewarded to purpose A delinquent regaining liberty may endanger the estate of an army and the life of a Generall for high spirits will seeke revenge as by our late wofull experience of that treacherous Felton who spightfully murthered our noble Generall the Duke of Buckingham therefore there is but three wayes for a Generall to deale with such wilfull transgressors whose spirits cannot be subjected namely first to put them to present execution although it be a solemne thing yet it must be allowed where it cannot be helped but where with safety it may be helped it is to be disallowed The second is to keepe a delinquent close prisoner or confine him to the custody of some man in trust and in this there is a great caution to be used for our Histories report of Morton Bishop of Ely who was committed to the custody of Buckingham by King Richard the third he by his policie not onely gained his owne freedome but wrought the Duke to his owne faction The third and last is the more noble and gentile and in most cases surest and that is a free and gracious pardon both of life and for liberty which although of it selfe it may seem partly unsafe yet if the delinquent be of a noble disposition and have any spark of worth in him there is no better way to endeare him to his Superiour than by promising him promotions and honours or advancing him to some place of gaine or trust This was practised by Oth● who not onely pardoned Marius Celsus the chiefe man of Galba's faction but put him in a place of great command and honour in the Wars against Vtelius He yeelding this reason for it Ne hostis metum reconciliationis adhiberet a pardoned enemy is jealous of the breach making up The chiefest meanes whereby a souldier will bee drawne to love and honour his Generall is by receiving courteous carriage and carefull provision for those that are wounded and maymed in the Warres and by a strict command that the Officers do not wrongfully abuse them if any souldier should be taken prisoner order is presently to be taken for his ransome This will encourage souldiers to venture themselves upon all perilous dangers A Generall ought to be very carefull to prevent discontents and to appease mutinies which for the most part grow from the neglect of the due and well paying of the souldiers their weekly pay which drawes infinite dangers after it for usually they take the advantage to rebell when the most present and urgent occasion of service is to be performed as appeared at the siege of Ostend where Duke Albertus his forces would not be entreated to goe upon the service intended without they had first their present pay which he not being able to performe nor having the art to insinuate into their affection to gaine their patience and loves but rather trusting to his power to reduce them to his service by force of armes caused two thousand of his army to revolt to the enemy which might have been the ruine of his designe In such a desperate case there is no better way to prevent them than by making loving protestations and large promises and to satisfie so farre as ability will extend They that are the chiefest in the faction in a fit time and season are to bee privately apprehended and punished whereby the whole faction will be enervated and weakned by degrees and the inferiours seeing the chiefest in the rebellion to bee surprized will yeeld quietly of themselves so that they shall be brought under obedience without any hazzarding of the Generals person A Generall must conceive that advice may be given and taken to a mans owne destruction for it may as well bee the wise mans fall as the fooles advancement and is oftnest most dangerous in wounding when it stroakes with a silken hand for a base Polititian is indeed a devouring furie in the shape of friendship to advantage his deceit the more That Generall that is
the other in prowesse The King of Sweden made use of this policie many times and it stood him in gread stead the same did Monsieur de Lautrec against the Emperors Army in the Kingdome of Naples his Army consisting of divers Nations as Italians Switzers French-men Gaescoins Almaignes because none of them should be disparaged hee plac'd them all in on Front for he knew of their great emulation that one Nation desired to be thought more valiant than the other Now it remains to speak of the Cavialry how they ought to be plac'd and in this a great care and circumspection is to be had first in ordering them into convenient Battalia's or proportionable Divisions that they bee neither too big nor too small these are to be ranged upon each Wing of the Foot-troops fifty or sixty paces distant from the Flanks of the Army lest by their unrulinesse and disorderly retraiting they presse upon your own Troops and dis-rank them Many times the Horse-troops are divided into six Battalia's viz. three plac'd upon one Wing and three upon the other the formost Battalia's are to consist of as many more as the second and the third is to be least of all As suppose the number of 4000. Horse the two formost Battels upon each Wing are to consist of 1100. the two second Battels of 500. apeece and the two third and last Battels of 400. in each there ought to be a good distance betwixt each of these Battalia's If your Horse-Troops should be too weak for the enemy you must line their Files with Shot and also have in a readinesse certain extraordinary Pikes to assist the Horse and Shot if they should be overcharged The Horse are to shelter themselves in the Rear of the Foot-Battalia's untill such time as the enemies Ordnance are surprized for the Horse are subject to more danger of the enemies Ordnance than the Foot possibly can be in regard they are lower and a ●annon-shot is subject to mount The Harquebuziers and Carbines many times are imployed to assault the enemy not having so much respect in keeping of their Ranks The Curassires are to bee ordered next the Flank of the Battell for the most part and the Harquebuziers and Carbines outmost of all for the Curassiers ought to stirre as little as possibly may be from the Wings of the Foot-Battalia's for most properly they are to resist and seldome to assaile The best and safest way both for Horse and Foot is to keep their ground untill the enemy be drawn very near unto your Battell and then to receive their charge The Cavalry being ordered as before into three severall Battels viz. the main Battel which is to consist of Carbines the Battel of succour is to consist of Harquebuziers and the Rear-Battell of Curassiers and many times the Troops of the Carbines and Harquebuziers are next in the formost Battel are to do the first execution upon the enemies troops the Curassiers are to finish what they have begun to ruine disorder The Battell of succour is to be in distance behind the main Battel forty or fifty paces and is to have spaces as the Foot hath for the Divisions to retrait into the like must the Rear-Battell have and it is to be ordered in distance twice as far behind the Battell of succour as the Battell of succour is from the main Battell viz. 80. or 100. foot or more or lesse according to the situation of the ground If the enemy should charge your Horses in the Rear in the time of the conflict then the Generall must send the Light-armed Horse to resist them and there must bee alwaies in a readinesse certain Maniples both of Pikes and Shot plac'd in the Rear of the Battel to draw out to assist either the Horse or Foot upon all occasions Lastly It remains to speak of the waies and means to encourage the souldiers and to breed Spirit in them making them undervalue their enemies and to charge them with a boldnesse and this is to be done by some pithy Oration and perswasive Speech which ancient Generals have found by experience to bee of great efficacie to induce them to wonderfull performances The Speech may be according as the Generall shall please or as if he should in the head of his Troops pronounce these words Right valiant Captains and fellow-souldiers I have here ordered you in forme of Battell ready to charge our enemies and doe require of you in the Name of the Lord of Hosts two things especially namely the utmost of your Valours and the truth of your Loves in obedience For what man soever doth not use his best indeavours to subdue his enemies is not only a murtherer of himselfe but of his dear friends and by disobedience may bee the means of the Armies overthrow for which there can be no plea before Gods Tribunal but his just sentence of condemnation besides the in supportable shame and intollerable servitude wee bring our selves that shall survive with our dear friends into which though it may seem as a green wound only to smart at first yet at last the reproach and disgrace will gnaw and fret to the bone Wherefore brave Souldiers let your golden Spirits shine and your steely mettalls hew out a Conquest for the glory of our great God and the honour of our gracious King and beloved Countrey God would have the Israelites fight valiantly as well as Moses to hold up his hands and pray or else no Conquest could be expected wherefore let us performe both that the great God of Hosts may bee propitious unto us according as hee hath promised to them that seek him Wherefore let us be confident of Victory and not seek our ruines by unbeliefe Let us call to mind our Ancestors what noble atchievements their magnanimous Spirits by Gods assistance effected whereby our Nation hath been not only the Mirrour but the ●errour to the world How did they in France at the Battell of Poyteirs with an handfull of men confound the mighty Army that would have swallowed them up The like at Agen court c. And how gracious was God to us in 88. to dissipate and destroy our invincible enemie by his prospering our poor endevours Wherfore now let us not despair of his help but with one joynt consent let us furiously assault our proud enemies that wee may enjoy their riches and eternize our memories to Posterity For my own part I am confident that if wee resist but three of their charges that they shall not dare to adventure the fourth but to their utter ruine Wherefore if there be any man timerous or faint-hearted let him depart weth his brand of infamy to be rewarded by his King and Countrey according to his demerits But let all Heroick Spirits ejaculate their petitions to heaven and say with me Let God arise and his enemies shall bee scattered RULES AND OBSERVATIONS TO BE VSED IN TIME OF FIGHT SECT XX. CHAP. IX Divers Observations