place by order or hauing of more or better men The necessity happeneth when they shall perceiue by deferringe of Battel it must néedes fall out to theyr discomodity as when famishment were ready to assaile them or when the enemie looketh for some newe supplie in these causes it were better to attempt Fortune where she may fauour rather then by deferringe to sée thy certaine ruine Vigesius giueth counsaile neuer to bring an armie to fight except they hope to haue the victory for what greater signe is there to loose then not to beleeue to bee able to winne to adde incouragement therefore to Souldiours there hath béene seuerall practises vsed by diuers L. Silla in the warres against Archelaus Mithridates Liefetenaunt at Pirea perceiuing his Souldiours had little stomacke to fight so weried then with continuall labour that they were glad to desire to fight Q Fabius knowing the Romaines to be of so liberal honest nature that by spiteful and contumelous dealing they would be soone mooued vexed and gréeued and looking for no honest nor equall dealinge of the Persians who were his enemies sent vnto Carthage Ambassadours to intreate of Peace which was consented vnto but with such proude and vnreasonable conditions that the whole armie of the Romanes were thereby stirred and incouraged to fight When Agesilaus had pight his fielde not farre from Orchomeno a Cittie that was in league with him and perceiuing that manie of his armie had theyr treasure and chéefe riches in the Campe hee commaunded the townes men to receiue nothing into the towne belonging to his armie to the intent his Souldiours might fight the more fiercelie knowing they should fight for liues and goodes Fabius Maximus fearing that his souldiours would not continue the fight manfully by reason they might quickly fly to their shippes commaunded they should be set on fire before he would begin the battaile Some haue constrained their men to fight through necessity takinge away from them al manner of hope of sauing them selues vnlesse they did ouercome And there is nothing to concitate the mindes of men more to incouragement then perswasion for him that knoweth howe to speake well for it kindleth the minde and humaine passions of a man it taketh away feare it ingendreth obstinacie to fight it discouereth deceiptes it sheweth perrilles and the way to auoide them it prayeth it promiseth rewardes it reprehendeth it threateneth it incourageth the mindes eyther of hope eyther else of dispaire Epaminondas being ready to enter battaile with the Lacedemonians to the ende that the strength of his Souldiours might be holpen by some ser uent meane pronounced to them in his exhortation that the Lacedemonians had determined if they gotte the victorie to slaie all theyr men to make theyr wiues and children bonde for euer and to beate down the Cittie of Thebes flat to the ground these wordes did so mooue the Thebanes to such heate and furie that at the first incounter they ouercame the Lacedemonians It is much beneficiall for Captaines aduisedlie to consider of the Captaine of his enemies whether he be rashe or politique whether he be fearefull or hardie whether he be more stronge in horsemen or in footemen and there after to vse his owne aduauntage Hannibal perceiuing that Fuluius the Romane Captaine was negligent and attempted many thinges vnaduisedly takinge the aduauntage of a miste that had some thinge obscured the ayre he made a small troupe of his Souldiours to shewe them selues to those that kept watche in the Romane tentes Fuluius hastelie rushing towards them with his Hoste Hanniball on the the other side inuaded his Campe and breaking out in the backe of the Romanes slue their captaine with 8000 of theyr best men at armes Iphicrates of Athens hauing knowledge that his enemies were accustomed to eate still at one time of the day hee therefore commaunded that his owne people should take theyr repast some thing more timelier then raunging foorth in battaile in that instant that his enemies should haue fallen to their victualles he so dalied with them as hée would neither giue them battaile neither suffer them to depart when it drewe towardes night with drawing him selfe as though he went to his lodging and kéeping his men still ready armed his enemies being aswell wearied with longe standinge and with long fasting made hast to refresh them selues and to betake them to theyr victualles Iphicrates bringinge foorth his armie againe on the suddaine setting on his enemies easely ouer came them It is many times behoueful for Captaines to 〈◊〉 from fight when the enemie is brought into some desperate passion through famine or other like naturall necessities and this caused the Lacedemonians béeing certified by theyr spyes that the Messenians were sette on such a rage that they came to the battaile men women and Children which caused the Lacedemonians to to deferre the fight Like wise when Caesar in the cyuill warre had inclosed the Host of Affranius and Petricus within a trench that they were pyned with thyrst in so much that they became desperate destroying all that would withstande them or proffered them fight which being perceiued by Caesar kept in his men supposing it then no time to begin The like respect is to be had that in fight they bring not the enemie into any extreame desperation so to inclose them that dispayre should make them fighte which caused Hanniball when he had inclosed the Germaines at Tarsimenus by which constraint they fought excéeding féercely to open his armie and to make them away to get out beating them downe as they fled with out any perrill to his owne people The like was vsed by L Marcius a Romane Knight when he had inclosed the Carthaginenses and so did Agesialus with the Thebanes When Themistocles had vanquished the power of Xerxes he would in no wise agrée that the bridge shold be broken ouer the which they should returne sayinge it were better to driue them out of Europe them to fight in dispaire All thinges thus considered and a willingnes setteled through the armie to fight let them force that the charge be not giuen in a furie which yet was neuer seconded by vertue for it bréedeth disorder and breache of araie that if victorie be not had at the very first brunte theyr confidence beginnes to quaile and then followeth presente discomfiture Nowe other wise where resolution with order is obserued there is no difficultye that may arise but will bee an occasion to confirme and strengthen theyr courage with hope of victorie which is neuer wanting where order and resolution are linked togeather Hanniball neuer gaue fight but he was still prepared with some Stratagem wherewith to amaze his enemies which many times did stand him in steede for the attaining of seuerall victories The spreading of rumours duringe the fight affirming the Captaine of the enemies to haue béene slaine hath manie times holpen as Iugurth in the battaile against C. Marius by the same policie made the Romanes to
thinke my labour might very well haue beene spared to write of any thing appertaininge to warres where euery man is desirous to liue in peace I knowe will rather purchase dislike then win mee looue yet as I am not ignorant that quiet peace is to be preferred before bloody warre so in the time of peace warlike disciplines must not be omitted in a well gouerned common wealth where so many euill neighbours are so readie to incroch but especially when both Prince Countrie religion lawe iustice subiectes and altogether are vnder the protection of armes VVhere is become the dominions of the Assirians Persians and Grecians or what is become of the glory of that learned Citty of Athens or what hath wasted the renowne of the Cittie of Rome that it had not beene perpetuall but onely when in the time of peace they fell to inordinate ryot and delicacie neglecting the feates of war laying aside their armes and weapons For to doubt and feare nothing was more hurtfull to common weales then their very neighbour enimies the feare of whome was their safety and assuraunce For this cause Scipio though it vnnecessary that Carthage should vtterly be destroyed fearing that after the subuersion the Romaines leauing of their martiall mindes should fall to idlenes ryot and outrage and as he looked for so it came to passe as it was testified after by Saint Augustine who in a booke which he had written intituled De ciuitate Dei hath these wordes More hurtefull was the Citty of Carthage to Rome after hys distruction then duringe the whole course season of the warres whych the Romanes had wyth her for that whylest they had enemyes in Affricke they knewe not what vyces meant in Roome In the time of peace therefore there must be had speciall regarde to the disciplines of warre and not onelie prouisions of warlike furnitures to be made but also men of seruice and practised Souldiours to be had releeued and maintained for what should you doo with armes weapons munitions and furnitures when you haue not men of experience to vse them King Phyllyp of Macedon vsed the lyke comparison to that noble Captaine Antipater in these wordes VVhat fearest thou the Cittyzens of Athens the Gallyes and theyr peere are but trifles vnto mee for what account is to be made of those fellowes that giue themselues to daunsinge loytring banqueting and to belly cheere but if Demostines onely were not amongst them I would sooner make account to winne Athens then eyther Thebes or Thessalia of which I am already possessed By these premisses it may be perceiued that it is the Souldiour that protecteth the Prince in his seate it is the Souldiour that defendeth the Diuine in his pulpet it is the Souldiour that vpholdeth the Iudge in his place of Iustice it is the Souldiour as Varo sayth that resisteth the outward force of enemies that represseth domesticall seditions and defendeth the libertie of subiects If his seruice be then so beneficiall to all O what pitty he is not better considered of by some that are so bountiful in rewarding pipers parasites singers and dauncers and other like ministers of their pleasures and suffer poore Souldiours to begge and will sooner affoorde him a payer of stockes then a single pennie for his almes Epaminondas Captaine generall of the Thebanes vndestanding of a very ritch man that had no care of the poore sent a needy souldiour vnto him cōmaunding him vnder great penaltie to giue 600 crownes to this poore man this Cittizen receiuing this commaundement came to knowe the cause it is quod Epaminōdas because this man being honest is poore and thou which hast liued by the spoyle of the common wealth art ritch O that our Vsurers in England might sometime haue such messengers sent vnto them I thinke the errande would neither offen de God nor man Neither can I see why there should not be a generall contribution giuen through the realme for the mayntenaunce of men of warre when theyr seruice concerneth such publique profit The Prince is not able to recompence all and the souldiour must fight in defence of all why should hee not be maintained by the helpe of all But here some wil think I speake for my selfe I confesse it souldiours must learne of other men to speake for them selues for there is no body else that will VVhat trade or handicrafte haue you so simple but if it begin a little to decay but by and by it pleades pouerty runninge to the Prince or Parliament for releefe eyther by repelling some statute by making some priuiledge or by attayning some consideration And if vppon any occasion betweene Nations trafique be stopte howe clamerous is the Marchaunt in the eares of hys Prynce till hee hath his passage againe freely set open The Lawyer will permitte no Edicte to come forth that makes against his owne profit though otherwise it be beneficial for the whole common wealth The Deuine findes fault that their spirituall promotiones should so many wayes bee bereaued them and I thinke complaineth of it not without some cause If euery profession hauelybertie to say for them selues giue souldiours leaue to speake when by the vnkindnes of their countrimen they are brought to the worst and yet as profitable members to their common wealth as they that thinkes them selues best Is it not the Souldiour by hasarding his life abroade that vpholdeth the Artificer to sit quietly by his worke at home And what would it auaile the Marchaunt to speake for forraine gaine if the souldiour were not to defende him from domesticall spoyle The Lawyer makes no plea but for priuat profitte and burldes goodly houses and purchaseth whole countries about him The souldiour serues his countrye for a small stypende and would be contended with alowance but to buie meate drinke and cloath And that very religion which the deuine but coates downe in his quiet studie without any perill that very religion the souldiour maintaineth with the losse of limme and life How much more might heere be alleadged in the behalfe of souldiours and their seruice yet these be they that the politique wyse man him I meane that is better practised in Machauils policies then studied in the new Testament would haue to be kept vnder But leauing prophane histories out of the which great volums might be writtē haue we not examples out of the holy Scriptures howe valiant mindes haue beene rewarded and men of seruice liberallie gratified in the 14. Chapter of the booke of Numbers Caleb was promised reward by Gods owne mouth for his owne constancie and couragious perswasion to the children of Israell The same Caleb to gratifie Othuiel his brothers sonne for takinge the Cittie Cariathe bestowed of him his faier daughter Athsah Dauid likewise receiued great ritches with the daughter of King Saule for killing Goliah Dauid him selfe promised great rewardes to such as should ouerthrowe the Iebusits and Iesus the sonne of Syrach sayth There be two thinges that greeue my hart
confederates that practyse agaynst her God so blesse her noble Counsaylers that in all theyr consultations they may determine nothyng but that may redounde to the safetye honour and renowne of noble England Amen ⧠A Path-waie to Militay Practise first of the election and choosinge a Generall AS sweete and quiet peace is the blessinge of God and is especially to be preferred amongest true Christians yet as Cicero sayeth wée must sometime take warres in hand to the ende that wée may the more safelye inioye this happye peace and Verro likewise affirmeth that armes are many times necessary to resiste the outward force of enemies to represse domestical seditions and to defend the liberty of subiectes and it is holden for a principle in common policie that it is better to offende then defend That Princes in policie shoulde vse all possible meanes for the defence of true religion for the safety of his owne estate for the maintenaunce of his louing subiectes for resisting the crueltyTyrantes is both warranted by the opinion of all politique wryters and in of the holy Scriptures not onelie tolerated but in manie places expresly commaunded In the 14. of Genesis Abraham entred into armes for the recouerye of hys brother Lot in the 31. of Numeri Moyses is willed to make warres vpon the Madianites by the expresse commaundement of God Saule in the first booke of Kinges the 15. Chapter hath the lyke commaundement in the book of Iudges Chapter 2. the children of Israell were blamed for making of peace with the Cananites A prince therefore that mindes to enter into armes is fyrst to consider of the equity of his cause then making choyse of a Generall such a one as feares God is likewise to fortefie him selfe with the goodnes of his quarrell neither is there any meane more rather to incite men to valiaunce then when they shall remember they goe to the fight in a righteous cause for fortitude euer fighteth for equitie and iustice and valiaunce without iustice is to be accounted rashnes but euery vertue hath his counterfeite folower as deceipt sometime créeping in is called policie so rashnes shrowdeth it selfe vnder the title of fortitude And as Plutarche sayth all valiaunt men are hardye but al hardy men not valiaunt the distinction groweth where men wil oppose thē selues into perril sometime without iustice sometime without iudgemēt according to this saying of Plato That not onely the knowledge which is seuered from Iustice is rather to be called subtiltie then wisedome but also the courage which is forwarde to daunger with out iudgement and for a common profit may rather beare the name of lewde hardines then valiaunce A Generall thus fortefied in his owne conscience with the iustice of his quarrell is nowe to satisfie his whole company with the example of his vertue and as the eye aboue the rest of our sences is least mistaken and the minde apter to receiue impresion by what the eye séeth then by that the eare heareth so there is not a more spèedy meane to make inferiours to embrace vertues then when they shall sée the gouernour or Generall giue first example in his owne person A Generall therefore must especially both looue and feare God he must not be without learned Preachers and Ministers of gods word which must instructe and teach the Armie practising them aswell in the feare of God as in duety and obedence to theyr Commaunders Captaines and Officers In his owne person he must be magnanimious curteous gratious easie to be spoken with constant in his counsayles quicke in his executions and secréete in his determinationes that his intentes may be kept close Thus shall he be honoured not for feare of his power but for the loone of his vertue the good opinion whereof béeing setled in the hartes of his souldiours is of wonderful eficacie for the accomplishment of al his attemptes and enterprises When Scipio had vndertaken the subuersion of Carthage in marchinge on his way towardes the execution a noble man demaunding of him wherein his hope consisted for the performaunce of so difficulte an enterprise Scipio aunswered in the looue of my Souldiours which I knowe to bee such towardes me that if I shall bidde them to cast them selues from the height of yonder Rocke they will not refuse it when it shall redounde to my honour and reputation Mercy and Iustice in a Generall be two precious ornamentes aswell to winne the looue of his owne people as to drawe the hartes of his very enemies and many times haue béene of greater effecte to subdue them then the force and strength of mighty armes there is no one thing more requisit in a General then a a francke and liberall minde which maketh a souldidiour more profitable to the battell in the day of fight then a miserable vnthankfull wretch with multitudes of treasure He must be milde courteous gentle and louing amongst his souldiours preferring the safety of his owne people before the killing of his enemies A Generall thus adorned in his owne person is nowe to make choyse of his counsaile for the warres his great Officers for the feelde his Captaines leaders and conductours of his army His counsalers should bee men of quicke capacitie ready witte and sound iudgement and here accordinge to the minde of the Philosopher I would wishe a generall should rather be aduised by suche as looues hym then by those that are best belooued of him selfe the first he shall fynde faithfull and firme for his honour the other perhappes may flatter and speake to please humours His Officers Captaines and leaders must bee chosen for vertue not for oppinion for knowledge not for fauour for experience not for fréendshippe They should not bée men detected with vices for pride bréeds disdaine couetousnes extorting bothe of Prince and Souldiour swearing bringeth hatefulnes to all honest eares Cato béeing Censurer to make choyse of a Generall of the Pannonian warres sayde with a loude voyce that hée woulde dysmisse Publius because hée had séene him walke the stréetes of Rome perfumed but in my oppinion it is a president of some errour to sée a Captayne that shall goe all to bée guilded and to sée hys poore Souldiours followe with neyther Hose to theyr legges nor Shooes to their féete Good perswasion and to knowe howe to speake wel is a most necessary vertue both in Generall Officer and Captaine some time by oration to adde incouragement to theyr Souldiours some time it containeth them in order and diseipline and many times it more preuaileth to bringe the enemy to composition and agreement then their squadrons and troupes were able to winne by force Cineas by the excellencie of his oraforie brought more townes in subiection is his maister Phyiihus by his tongue then Phyiihus him selfe could do by his valour Generalles are now to prouide for all manner of warlike munitions and prouisions both offenciue and defeneiue aswell for the féelde as the towne he must be prepared of pay of victuall
Gallies and to other places of like slauery And those Captaines that hath made triall of such Souldiours would gladly be ridde of his charge to be eased of his trouble The first thinge therefore that is to be respected in a Souldiour is the honesty of his minde which beeing lincked with religion there is no doubt but that Souldiour will be brought both to the feare of God to the obedience of his Captaine and to the obseruaunce of discipline The Romaines who for theyr martiall obseruation were most renowned the rather to kéepe Souldiours vnder awe and discipline they adioyned to theyr owne lawes and ordinaunces the authority of God and vsed with great ceremonie to make them sweare to keepe the disciplines of warre The Grecians in like manner their souldiours being armed and brought to the Church receiued this oathe I will not doo any thinge vnworthy the sacred and holy wars neither wil I abandō or forsake my band Captaine to whom I am appointed I will fight for the right of the Church and safety of the State I will not make my Countrey to be in worse case then it is but I will make it better then I founde it I will euer frame my selfe reuerently to obey those lawes also that the State shall hereafter by common assent inacte or sette downe that if any one shall chaunge the lawes or not obay them I will not suffer him to my power much lesse will I allowe in so dooing but I will be a sure defender of right aswell by my selfe alone as when I am with others and I wil euer more honor the religion of my Countrey To these my sayings I call the Gods to witnesse These and such other like cathes the antiquitie administred to their Souldiours to nourishe obedience for besides valiaunce a souldiour must be adorned with these special vertues which are silence obedience and truth a good souldiour must haue speciall regard to the kéeping of his furniture cleane seruiceable in stéede of dicing drincking swearing let him vse running wrasteling leaping or such other like exercises of agility let him kéepe his owne quarter and not depart without the licence of his officer a Souldiour thus disposed may cōfort him selfe with hope of aduauncemēt ¶ Of Disciplines AS these considerations in the choosing of Captaines officers and souldiours haue euer béene especiallie regarded amongst the most renowned and best experienced warriours so an army béeing thus chosen the lyke respect must be had in the appointing of lawes disciplines and orders the which the Generall by aduise of his counsaile is discréetly to set downe and to haue them openly published by sound of Trumpet that the whole Campe may take notyce therof and béeing thus proclaimed he must vse as great seuerity to haue thē maintained for what wil it auaile the making of good lawes where there is no care had to sée them surely kept We doo finde in the holy scriptures and that in many places aswell in the booke of Moses as the booke of Iosua where lawes and disciplines of warre were many times appointed by the almighty God him selfe and that he would not suffer disobedience to escape vnpunished it is euident by Corah Dathan and Abiram that were swallowed vp in the earth for mutinie But the Romanes who aboue the rest did most excéede for their martiall prescriptiones so they were as seuere in punishing the offences of suche as shoulde infringe and breake theyr lawes of armes They punished with death him that lacked in the watch he that forsooke the place that was giuen him to fight in he that caryed any thinge hidde out of the Campe if any man should say he had doone some worthy thinge in fight and had not doone it he that for feare had cast away his weapon and when it happened that the whole Legion had committed the like faulte their names were taken and put together in a bagge and euery tenth man as they were drawne were executed When Marcus Cato after a token giuen had loosed from the coast of his enemies where he had laine a certaine space and sawe one of his Souldiours lefte on the shore crying calling and beckoning to be taken in hée cast about with his whole Nauie to the shore againe and commaunded the same Souldiour to bee taken and straight put to death willinge rather to make him an example to the rest then that he should be slaine by his enemies with reproch and infamie The Romanes punished nothing with more seueritie then those actions that were either attempted against commaundement or enterprised against reason but as they punished those victories that were attained by lewde hardines so misfortune deminished not his reputation that attempted with discretion neyther attributing cowardlines to ill successe nor valiaunce to good fortune for the euent of such enterprises commendes not the execution neither is it the successe that makes vs perfect wise but to attempt with reason and iudgement confirmes wee séeme to haue wisdome Papirius Cursor being Dictatour required that Fabius Rutilius should first be beaten with roddes and then bée beheaded because he fought without his commaūdement notwithstanding he had the conquest neither would he forgiue the punishment for the contention or entercession and request of the Souldiours neither per suing him to Rome whether he fledde would he there remit this dreafull sentence till Fabius him selfe with his father fel both on their knées and that also the whole Senate and people made intercession for him This were a harde world for some hare brainde Captaines that are ready to choppe vpon euery chaunce like a gudgion that is readie to bite at euery baite neuer fearinge the hooke till she be hanged by the lippes Manlius Torquatus caused his sonnes head to be stricken of because he had forsaken his place and went to fight with an enemie that had challenged him and stue him And Salust dooth report that there were more souldiours put to death amongst the Romanes for setting vpō theyr enemies before they had licence then for running out of the fielde before they had fought And as the Romanes were thus precise in maintaininge theyr discyplines seuerely so their Campe in those daies was a Schoole of honour Iustice Obedience duety and loyaltie where nowe a denne of deceipte trechery theiuery iniurie and all manner of impiety ¶ Heereafter followeth sundry Stratagemes and many good instructions practised by the antiquity and necessary for diuers purposes ⧠What is to be respected before you enter Battel THe most renowned Emperour Augustus gaue these instructions for Captaines as followeth that although a Prince were mighty yet if he were wise hee would neuer giue battel vnlesse there were more apparant profit in the victory then losse if the enemie should ouercome And the most approoued Captaines helde this opinion that it were not good to bringe theyr men to fight except they had aduauntage or else brought to it by constraint The aduaūtage groweth by the Scituation of the