kept they might in the meane time receaue in ayde of mē or victuals And therefore the siege ought not to be slacked by suche pretence but good watche to be alwaies abrode For it hath chaūced that an army lying at the siege of a towne hath ben on the sodaine inuaded of enemies at the backe withall they of the towne haue issued foorth vpon them to their ouerthrowe It must be alwaies holden of the good captaine as a principall grounde that hee haue diligent espyall of the enemies doynges keepe his owne secrete And therefore hee consulteth and conferreth with manie what is best to be done but that which he determineth to doe hee reuealeth to fewe or none Hee must also haue regarde that his custome or certaine order vsed in some doinges disclose not anie of his purposes vn to the enemie and therefore the same must bee often varied and chaunged It is good also to encampe in suche place as the enemie see not what is done within the campe For if he perceaue that thou receaue in anie ayde or encrease of power or sende foorth anie troupe to anie attempte or exploycte he armeth him selfe and prouideth accordinglie For as sodaine daūgers be more dreadful so a man warned before is saide to be armed ¶ Howe the excellent Captaynes haue encouraged their souldiers vnto battail made thē hardie valiant in fight Ca. 6. IT is to be carefullie considered of the captaine that his souldiers be not afrayde when he goeth to battaill but that they maye valiauntlie desire to encounter the enemie And therefore such meanes as maye remooue from them doubte or distruste and put into them courage and hope are expedient for him to finde As for the purpose some people doe stumble muche at sygnes or tokens which fall before battaill cōiecturinge there by the determination of God and euente or successe of the battaile wherefore the wyse captayne will chearefullye expounde all suche chaunces for hys aduauntage as if an auncient happen to fall vppon the Captaines head before the battaill he sayeth the same is a happie sygne of the victorye fallinge vnto him For they which haue the substance of vertue are not to bee feared by the shadowe of coniectures It is written of Scipio that at his landing in Affryque his feete slipped so that he fell downe to the grounde where at when hee sawe diuers of his armie dismayed he laughed sayinge all is our owne I haue heare taken possession of the lande Other haue vsyd by some fayned dreame or olde prophecy to put their souldiours in firme hope expectation of victorye Marius when he was to deale with the Dutchmen an enemie not accustomed vnto the Romaines beynge tall bigge men of person they were not in cleane quiet conscience with the matter but somewhat afrayde whiche Marius perceauinge sayde those longe bodies shewe a sure signe that they be slowe lasye lowtes so stayed the battaill some dayes why lest that the Romaynes by custome of often syght some skirmishes had with them were established in stomacke desired to fight with thē It is written of a captaine when his armie was in the fielde ready to ioygne battail some of the formost ranke beinge afrayde seeinge the braue marching of the enemies he extēded helde his cloke before their faces sayinge nowe you see nothing to feare you are saufe by that meanes reprouing thē not to dreade beefore there was cause Alexander the great whē he was in the fielde with his plaine souldiours in his first warres manie of them beeinge poore fellowes hauinge woodden shyeldes and olde weapons vsed before in his father Phillip his warres whiche seeinge the huge hoste of Darius his enemie with the brauerie of the people their armure and all thinges glisteringe and gorgeous the noyse of a multitude of charyottes and horses also beinge terrible vnto them he saide to his men our enemies are come to make a shewe or maske therefore we must make them daunce runne also See you those golden armures gaye weapons and goodlie geare it is better to haue woodden shyeldes then woodden men to beare them the spoyle of this glorious hoste will make you riche gallant fellowes for all that you see is yours if you playe the men and whatsouer kinge Darius hath besides Also thinke you that thys dayes battaile maye geeue vs the dominion seigniourie ouer all the worlde For who can withstād vs if we conquere the great kinge Darius the fame of whiche victorie will moste swyftlie flye into Graecia and to the moste hyghe honour of your countrey all Prynces nations shall knowe the manhoode and prowesse of the Macaedoniens and where soeuer you goe the fame thereof shall followe you Nowesyth that hyther wee are come foorthe to wynne honoure lett not our longe trauayles bee frustrate or fruitelesse and wee to runne home deluded and laden wyth shame Our countrey shall then wyth dysdayne behoulde you remembringe howe your auncestours vnder my father by force euen on their shoulders lifted vp the dominion thereof ouer diuers natiōs your selues hunted chased home shal be ashamed to see your frindes And thearefore if we bee here repulsed wheare shall wee without reproche bee receaued So that to rest vpon wee haue but two wayes wheare of we must determine to take one that is either to wynne the victorie or to dye heare with honour By these perswasions wheare as Darius thought by his great pompe trayne of men to haue daunted dismayed the enemie Alexander turned the same to be a great encouragement vnto his armye Furthermore if the souldiour be afrayde by store of terrible ordinaunce straunge engins or daungerous deuyses of the enemie the same must be by like inuention industrie preuented or encountred as by setling sum̄ ambush priuelie to surprise the same or by settinge on sum̄ bande of horsemen to interrupte the plantinge theareof or to make sum̄ like exployte as noysome vnto the enemie that the battaile may come on before the same can take effecte to doe anye great hurt Thus must the politique captaine make readie an Oliuer for a roulāde to remoue all stumblinge blockes and impedimentes from the good courage of the Souldiour so that without stickinge most valiauntlie he maye marche to assaile the enemie Iulius Caesar excelled other for trayninge and makinge valiaunt noble minded souldiours by notable examples politike instructions and practises which he vsed to enduce thē thereunto and to aduaunce their courages to attempte and atchyeue moste highe and honorable thinges And with all he shewed such courtesie and good affection towardes thē that neuer any man had souldiours of greater endeuour and valure or more faithfull towardes their Captayne As it appeared a little before the great and finall battayle betwene him and Pompeye when his armie was in such necessitye of victualles that they hadde no foode but onelie of mylke and rootes as they coulde mingle the same Yet made they
plague the Philistynes with battaile The Assyriens were brought by hym into Iudea for the captiuitye of the people when they ranne at ryot and left to serue the true God whyche moste meruaylouslye had shewen hys power and moste tenderlye his loue vnto them Iudas Machabeus also and Gedeon were leaders of the Israelytes against the enemies of God by his ordinaunces by which also Iehu was mooued to make warres for the destruction of the house of Ahab And who sēt Titus from Rome to enuiron Hierusalem with the most dreadfull and fatall siege the ende ruyne where of was foretoulde by the mouth of the Almightie But for our purpose to shewe howe there maye be iust cause to leuie and prosecute warres to dyscerne of right herein we are to serch for the roote originall thereof The worlde God created gaue vnto the sonnes of men this conditiō the geeuer most iustlie annexed this he enioyned with all that no man shoulde couet that whiche to an other belōgeth and that to euery man belongeth which he without wrong enioyeth For in the beginninge when there was no auncient tytles to be made to landes or lordship possession caused good right this is the lawe of nature and equalitie it is also in the ciuill lawe allowed that those thinges wherein no man hath propertie or interest are his which first possesseth them which he maye lawfullie houlde therefore ought not by force to be dispossessed of the same Muche lesse where possession is planted and setled vppon auncyent ryght or grounded on other good tytle A later lawe there is of the most highe God generallie geuen which endureth the iustice of the first lawe that euerie mā shoulde doe so as hee woulde bee done vnto And this is the iust measure the direct rule certaine boūdes betwene righte wrong which beeinge considered we shall knowe how to vse warres and to dyrecte all our doynges well Now lett vs runne as farre as wee maye into the course of antiquitie to serche the first beginninges and causes of warres that wee may conferre them with the euentes and successe theareof for the better knowledge and iudgement herein We finde that Cain the eldest sonne of Adam in the firste time of the worlde liued so long that diuers lādes in the East partes beyng peopled he buylded a city for feare of his enemies knowinge iuste cause giuen by him to be odious vnto men for the vnnaturall parricy de and murder of his brother For at that time Iaball the sonne of Lamech was growen mightie and excercised armes against such as vsed vniust violence or oppression Tubalcain was thē the first that wrought on Iron forged weapons for that purpose For as yet theare was no kyngdome established nor countrey by conquest subdued the pompe of Princes was not knowen men desired not then soueraintie ouer estates but prepared by armes to shilde their owne in saufetie when they had no lawe to defende them This beginninge of warres was made in the first age and no more we reade of till after the floode when the three sonnes of Noah with their manifolde issue multiplyed possessed the sundrye regions of the worlde Sem setled in Asia Cam came into Afrique and Iaphet inhabited Europe whose ofspring shortlie spred abrode into the sudry partes regiōs prouinces of the same Then waxed Thuball the sōne of Iaphet mightie in power and bare rule aboue the rest This man renued againe the vse of weapons Soone after Nimrod began aduaūced the firste kingdome ouer Chaldea wheare he buylt the citie Babell subduinge people Countreies by oppression and oultrage of warres vnder his dominion And thearefore the same violent Empire lasted not longe but it shortlye sonke was drowned in the great estate which Assur raysed in assirya the lande yet now bearinge his name He buylt the Citye Niniue Rezen others by iust conquestes amplifiynge his seigniorie After him succeaded Ninus in the time of the patriarke Abraham whiche enuironned Babilon withe a stronge wall and muche beawtified the Citie as the chiefe seate of his estate Hee subdued the Bactriens and other nations makinge vnto him selfe a mightie Monarchye aboue other Kinges by honourable not iniurious warres as it may appeare by the continuaunce of thys Empyre whiche remained amonge the Assiryens aboue 1300. yeares vntill the raigne of Sardanapalus whose estate thoroughe his beastlike lasciuyous life was taken from him by Arbactus a Prince of the Medes Abraham him selfe made warres with the kinge of Sodome and fower other Princes vsinge at that time good order and policye in his battaile And thearefore they that affirme Ninus Mars or Hercules to bee the beginners and firste vsers of warres and order of battaile are not learned in reading for that theare is large proofe of those before alleaged And as for Mars he was the sonne of Saturne whiche was kinge of Crete at that time when Ianus raygned in Italye and that was about the time of Mofes And Hercules of Thebes lyued after that in the time of Saull king of Iudea or a little before by sum̄ writers which was soone after the buylding of Troye Mars made warre of ambition and lordlye minde to rule But Hercules the patron of Iustice and champion of noble prowesse thrust him selfe into all daungers of battaile to redresse iniuries represse rapyne oppression to roote out tirantes to maintayne defende right to spred the valyle of prosperous peace and wished saufe securitye ouer the worlde to shewe example of most hyghe vertue and valure punishinge robbers and purginge countryes of mischeuous malefactours and v le persons For whiche his ryghteous affection and iust minde as of deuyne vertue proceadinge he was after hys deathe honoured and holden as a god Romulus to erecte a famous Citie and establishe an happye estate withe excellent lawes orders and gouernement called people together and made warres for the compassinge and encreasinge thereof So dyd the auncient kinge Belus of Assiria and Phoroneus in Grecia subdue people to good order and conuenient course of lyfe geuinge vnto them lawes for their publique benefite and behoufe In like sorte Ianus before recyted and Licurgus in Lacedaemon reduced menne from idlenes and leude lasye lyfe vnto good trades ciuilitye and practyse of vertue for none other cause desirynge soueraigntye but for the good state and profytte of the people To thys ende Minerua Cecrops Cadmus vsed armes in their times before seeing mē to liue in diforder without gouernmēt neither comfortably to thē selues nor cōmodiouslye one for an other they extēded their power dominion ouer thē to refourme them into an happie ciuill sorte of life And diuers nations haue willinglie submitted put them selues vnder the rule scepter of such as they perceaued to be wise wel disposed carefull of the weale of a multitude to be a patron
subdued so many kinges and countreyes and extended their Empyre so farre into all the three partes of the worlde yet prosecuteth and thrusteth the same further daylie Now it is to be remēbred that the knowledge and practyse of the actes and feates of armes principallie and properlye are of the profession of noble menne and gentlemen of greate reuenues For and by whiche they were firste ordayned and preferred into that place to be a wall and defence for their countrye For the poore man hath not wheareof to lyue of his owne if hee employe time or expences hearein And thearefore the other ought to geue example bothe by his owne industrye in such practises and also maintayne the same in the meanor sorte Securitye and longe peace breadeth idlenes whiche sucketh the valure out of noble myndes A plaine proofe wheareof of the hurte that groweth theareby ys had by the Romaynes whiche in xxiiij yeares space betwene the first and seconde warres of Carthage weare so farre growen out of vse and good practyse of armes that wheare as before they weare euery wheare Conquerours In the seconde warres they went alwaies to wracke till their sundrye greate losses droue them vnto their olde course Bias againe Thus seeynge the causes of these defectes in Englishe men discouered the cure is the more plaine casie the rather if the remedie vnto the other impediment be applyed that ys want of skill or discipline which proceadinge growing partlie vpon the other cause vz. lacke of practise the reste is also to bee sought for and supplyed For as vse excercise maketh prompt readye skilfull in manye thinges So by most iust sure argumēt the contrarie which is the priuation or lacke theareof worketh causeth cōtrary effectes And yet not alwayes in all thinges doth ex cercise or labour bringe knowledge perfection but theare must be skill with all which in this matter is for the more parte to be obtayned by collection iudgement of the reportes historyes Chronicles written of warres For in matters of importāce which haue many Cauteles difficultyes obseruatiōs yt is necessarie that a way be opened a light geuen vnto him which would be a passynger hearein to directe encline his course vnto this knowledge For otherwise he shal trauail wāder in the darke trades vnknowē pathes like a blynde man which goeth he woteth not whither And proue to that there be diuers groūdes rules stratagemes enstructiōs to be set downe printed obserued in the memory of good souldiers as a plot foūdation of their busines The sūdrie bookes writen of these matters in the latine tongue other lāguages by great learned expert men may be a sufficient argumēt hearein Besides that reason wil easelye discusse that the knowledge of the aūcient orders gouernmēt of warre with the sundrie sortes attyre of battail vsed amonge sundry nations their maners practises the exāples of the antiquitie the experiēce pollicies prudent coūsailes most profitable and pitthye preceptes and admonishmentes moste excellent experimentes instructyons behauiour discipline of the greatest chyeftaines most renoumed conquerours that euer weare be requisite needefull vnto a good Captaine for what is the experience or opynion of one man to the practise iudgement of a great nūber of such as haue conquered in all Countreys vanquished great armyes ouerthrowē many mightie battailes honorablie passed al daūgers of warre whose doinges be iudicially perfectlie noted of most learned and wise men in sundrie great volumes writinges for example profite of the posteritie which the vnlearned can not tast or attayne without some preparatiue by plaine plott drawen or introductiō in apt order made to lead thē into the knowledge therof For accomplishinge wheareof thoughe thoroughe the grossenes of my style lacke of experience and sundrye kindes of knowledge whearewith a writer of so wayghtie a matter ought to be furnished together with my study of breuitie hearein little leasure which from myne other affaires I had one time longe after an other to accomplish this same I shall not sufficientlye in all pointes content the exquisite iudgementes whiche are to deame heareof Yet for the necessitie and scarcitie of writing in this matter A willynge minde and faithful affection to profite my Countreye thrusting me foorth to beare a burthē to bigge for my shoulders This labour of myne may be a beginninge to encourage sume other of their greatest experience to make larger addition or supplie hearein For yet nowe I finde Vegetius one lye an auncient writer Machiauell of these affayres well translated into Englishe whiche aucthours being bothe expert in warres and also verye learned their industrie herein is of so much the more commendation as those two qualityes are rare and seldome mete to gether For suche a one as hath knowledge ioygned with courage experience is a man worthe men maye auayle more then a number Yet for that the saide Machiauel is deamed sum what diffuse in his treatyse his opinions also not altogether agreeinge with all mens iudgementes nor reachinge to many matters mete for the state of our English warres And Vegetius being a writter when warres weare vsed in an other course then they are nowe a dayes Yt is therefore wished more to be done in this behalfe And it is maruail to see how the studies of many men haue ben addicted in this our time hauing store of rype wittes whiche can doe verye well Yet amonge so manye bookes as are written daylie of dreames fantacies introductions to pleasure familier fruiteles talkinges eloquent formall or ations little material of pleasant metinges fables amonge women of Caunterbury or courser tales with diuers iestes vaine deuises in earnest there is least labour layd on that arte wheareby kinges rule are ruled and conquered which erecteth buyldeth establisheth encreaseth beautifieth estates the ende and fruites whereof is honour most highe euen aduaunced to the skyes flowinge wealthe fame neuer faylinge or forgotten victorie and dominion withe out boundes The contrarie and wante wheareof is Captiuitye Ruyne Dishonour and desolation VVhearein to perswade by argument that which euerye man doth plainelye see yt weare waste of wordes and tyme And to styrre anye man to the studye of this knowledge Sith the worthynes theareof allureth and draweth all right English men which by the pricke and inclinatyon of nature doe with great desyre runne theare vnto I will thearefore omitte to spende further speache hearein and drawe vnto the matter whearein to make my course the plainer vnto the Reader I deuide this worke into two bookes Wheareof the first entreateth of the Captayne Souldiours And the seconde of the disciplyne obseruations admonitions of warre which two bookes also for the better helpe of memorye I appointe and distribute into certaine Chapiters braunches or principall pointes touchinge the substaunce of this matter as in my table appeareth beginninge with the
a Gouernour or Captaine can put on and faithfulnes is not by fee nor feare to be crased or corrupted ¶ VVhether it be more expedient to haue one Generall or manye Cap. 8. NOw to discusse by the examples of antiquity argumēts of reason whether it be conueniēt to haue more then one generall or highe Captayne of the Armie Belinus and Brennus two Princes beyng brothers were ioyntlye gouernours ouer their armie with which they subdued a great parte of Fraunce Germayne and Italye Fabius and Porsenna were likewise constituted ouer the Romainearmie against the same Belinus and Brennus Romulus and Remus by equall aucthoritie guyding their armie surprised the Cytie of Alba. King Mithridates Tigranes ioyntly lead their powers against the Romaines Cassius Brutus were ioygned generalles against Octauius Caesar and Antonius Fabius Minutius were thought to be well matched together against Hanniball the one graue and somewhat slowe by his age the other hott quicke and lusty the one excelling in aduise and experience the other better able to styrre and endure paynes So that albeit it hath bene more vsed to ordayne and depute one onely generall ouer an armie yet twayne may doe very well as it appeareth by the examples before recited which may the rather be allowed for that the one Generall being sicke hurt or slayne yet the Armie is not destitute of a heade or guide which sometime is the cause of losse of a battaile the head beeinge striken and Captayne slayne the bodie of the armie standeth in a maze and is highlie discomfited and oftentimes honourable attemptes ceasse thereby and goe backwardes as Crassus by Parthian falshood slaine the relyques of his armie were shortlie destroyed Antonius in his great battaile on the Sea against Octauius Augustus fliyng or rather following Cleopatra his whole army was ēforced to yelde vnto Caesar. Brennus as Iustine writeth beinge dead of hurtes in battaile receaued in Grecia his purposed conquestes in those partes ceassed and his armie dyspersed all that they had gotten beefore was lost for lacke of a good guyde Great Alexander beeinge dead the glorye of Macedonie dyed their victories proceaded no farther their armies returned and tourned to discention and diuision among them selues whereby the Empyre was rent and skambled and shortlie after taken from them by the Romaines So that where there hath been but one head or guyde of the warres the same beinge cutt of for the most parte the warrfare hath ended and expired with all whereas if there had been two generals ordayned ioyned in aucthoritie or else successiuelye three or fower one after an other nominated appointed after the death or losse of the generall to supplie the place and to establishe the state of the armie the warres myght still proceade vntill the purpose desired fruites thereof bee obtained But more then two generals of one armie at once I can not finde by any good president allowed Nicias Alcibiades Lamachus were sent as Generals by the Atheniens into Sicilia atchieued littel there likewise Tideus Adimātus Menāder against the Lacedaemoniēs ¶ Of the aucthoritie of the generall and what ought to bee hys chiefe desyre wished fruites and ende of warres what personne and of what qualities ought to be esteemed the best and most honourable Captayne Cap. 9. THe place and state of a generall is highe his credite his power and charge great and therefore his aucthoritie from the prince by or vnder whō he is deputed and ordeyned ought to be great To punishe and pardon to erect exalt pull downe to take order or truce with the enemie to receaue hostages remitt prisoners raunsomes and tributes to geue lawes libertie lordshyp bandes condicions of captiuitie to the conquered to ioygne or breake foreine frendshippe vpon vrgent cause and not otherwise to impart vnto the souldiers franklie of that which is taken and wonne to assygne victorious ensignes and solempnitye of honour prowesse to geue aduauncement of degrees and dignities vnto the worthye He maye also leuye for the great necessitie of the armie vpon the prynces subiectes where he serueth borrowe or receaue ayde of the princes frendes and herein extende his maisters credite and the prynce is bounde in honour to ratifie allowe perfourme thus farre the dealinge of the generall by him deputed and appointed which is also at all times remouable at the pleasure of the prynce at whose commaundemēt the warres cease ende or otherwise be turned And the Captaine ought not to make or establish peace without the consent will and aucthoritie of the prince nor to render anie towne countrey or forte conquered except for great aduauntage or extreame necessitie Hystories are full of examples to prooue the perticulers before recyted to bee incident to the function of a generall and therefore in a matter not doubtfull I will cyte but onelie the large graunt of Gaius Martius generall of an armye of the Romaines on a time when a battaill went verie harde with him hauinge in hys armie fifteene hundred hyred Souldiours of whose trust and endeuour he doubted consyderinge the strayghtes and daunger wherein hys armye stoode he promised vnto his sayd straūge retinue that if they woulde extende their valure to the wynnynge of the fielde to make euerye man of them a Cytyzen and free of Roome whiche in that time was a thinge hyghlie regarded of straungers for the honour great aduauntages and noble fraunchyses thereof wherewith beeinge encouraged they spared not to hazarde their lyues vsinge suche endeuour that the fielde was wonne And notwyth standynge that by the ordynaunces of the Cytye noe man myght bee made a Cytizen without the cōsent of the Senate yet hee alleagynge beefore them that necessytye is aboue lawe and that then tyme serued not to seeke the lawes but rather requyred to breake them hee obtayned the graunted freedome vnto the souldiours and honourablye hys promise was perfourmed And it is not inconuenient that the prynce should geeue hym credit power and aucthoritie in smaller matters vnto whose order and wisedome hee hath committed an armie which is the strength of the princes estate which trust if it can not saufely be committed vnto one it were better to ioyne an other in gouernment vnto him then that the place of the generall shoulde lacke or bee lame of power Nowe to see what the generall ought to desyre or seeke to gaine by the warres infinite examples of the antiquitie do shew especially in the most florishinge estates of Roome Grecia where vertue valure were chiefly fostered all the most excellēt Captaynes sought and endeuoured by victoryes to purchase fame vnto them selues honour and aduauncement vnto their countreys and common wealthes which they loued so dearelie and regarded so highlie that their endeuours vsed employed for the benefit of the same seeme to sur mount almost the power of men and also credite Glad was he which by dying valiantly could singulerlye profite his countrey As Brutus the first Consul Horatius
vnto them As Caius Sulpitius caused a manie of Pages vnder Romaine ensignes with bad cast horses cartes trumperie to make a great muster shew sodainelye vpon a hyll within sight whyle he was a fightinge with the Frenchmen whiche thereby being discomfited he obtayned the victorie But it is of greater effecte if in deede there be a troupe closelie conueyed or an ambushe layed on the sodaine to inuade the enemyes fightynge at their backe whiche maye most conuenientlie be done where there be hilles or couert nyghe Hanniball in a battaile against kynge Eumenes threwe earthen pottes full of snakes and vipers amonge his enemies wherewith they were presentlie frighted and disordered The Spaniardes against the armie of the Carthaginoys led by Amilcar put in their fronte Cartes full of Towe drawen with Oxen and ioygninge to fighte they kyndeled fire in the same by force whereof the Oxen thrust furth into the battaile of the enemyes and opened it The lyke hathe been done with Cartes full of hookes by great power enforced and dryuen vppon the fronte of the enemies For the auoydinge whereof Sylla the Romaine planted Pyles stakes before his battaile whereby the Cartes were stopped and dyd not hurte The lyke daunger maye bee auoyded by geeuynge waye vnto suche engyns thorough spaces prepared in the fronte or first rankes till they may bee turned a syde by which practise also great power and fierce assaulte of horsemen hath beecome vayne Nowe to remedie sodaine mischiefes whiche maye fall and to staye the armie from fearefull flight before there be cause there bee two firme and necessarie rules constantlie to bee kepte the one is that no man for anie sodaine chaunce terrour shewe by any practise or assault of the enemie made by daye or by night take anie other waye or purpose but to fight couragiouslie till there be certaine signe geuen by the generall to retyre or otherwise to deale The other rule is that the Captayne circumuented or deceaued by the enemie seeme to doe the same willinglie whiche hee is enforced vnto Tullus Hostilius in battayle seinge howe a bande of his hyred souldiours was tourned vnto the enemye whereby hys menne were muche troubled and affrayed hee foorthwith gaue vnderstandinge throughe oute the armie that there was nothinge done but by his commaundemēt and for a good purpose Scipio goinge to inuade Affryke hadde before made league and frendship with Syphax kinge of Numidia whiche afterwarde reuoltinge sent him worde that he woulde be a frende vnto the other parte but Scipio concealed this message from his souldiours and sayde that hee sent vnto him to make haste on the iourneye Moreouer yf parte of the armye flye be-before the whole battayle be moued and broken the wise and valiaunt Captaine may by vehemēt perswasions meanes bringe thē backe especially the hardynes noble courage of the general may auayle hearein As Lucius Silla in a battayle againste Mithridates certayne of hys legions or bandes beinge put to flyght he gott before thē with his swearde drawē crying if any aske you of your Captaines saye we lefte him in the fielde figh ting Phillip king of Macedon vnderstanding that his men feared the Scythiās placed behinde his armie certaine of his most trustie horsemen gaue commaundement to keape in and turne vpon the enemyes such as shoulde flye that they might bee slayne both of them and of their friendes wheareby his souldiours determininge rather to dye honourablye to the benefite of their Countrey thē with shame to the hurt thereof they became Conquerours Some Captaines to geue occasion to the souldiours to vse greater endeuour and to put out their force thoroughlye haue throwen an ensigne amongest the enemyes and appointed rewarde to him which could recouer it againe And whē they enemye lodgeth within streyghtes trenches or places enuirōned with hilles meanes may bee founde to prouoke him to battaile by cuttinge of his foragers and prouision of victualles or to faine that thou remouest to some other enterprise withdrawinge till hee be dislodged But Paulus Aemilius in Macedonia to encounter and deale with the Armye of Perses restinge at the foote of the hill Olympus in a place maruailouslye by nature enuironned by arte fortified hee conueyed his armye secretelye by night vp the stepe vnhaunted wayes of the hill not suspected or watched of the enemye so that he came downe the more sodainlie vppon them to their greater spoile losse Cato Maior by the verie same means came vpon Antiochus beinge stronglye guarded defended in the streyghtes of Thermopylae in Graecia at which enterprise the kinge Antiochus being greatly hurte with a stone his armie fledde Scipio the excellent Captaine goinge to subdue Afrique procured in so great warres the aide of K. Masinissa whom shorthe after his arryuall there he sēt to prouoke Hanno generall on the other side for the Carthaginois to fight who seing the small number with Masinissa led proceaded against him with all his power on a heape and the other after a feawe blowes fayninge to flye brought the enemy foorth vnto Fooles baye vpō the hoast of Scipio which he had arrayed and sett in excellent order of battaile readye to receaue the enemie So was Hanno there slayne and his disordered Armie put to flyghte Then Scipio purposinge the syege of the Citye Vtica and hearinge of the comminge of Hasdruball and Syphax with a myghtye power agaynst him hee planted his Armye vpon an hyll wheare he might saue and defende his nauye and also with sum̄ aduauntage fighte wyth the enemye And when he had vnderstandynge that the enemyes had setled bothe their campes nyghe and that their tentes weare made wythe woode and bull rushes warme for the wynter time he sent Masinissa and. C. Laelius to sett fire on thē by night and with all to assayle Syphax whyche done the fire also taketh Hasdruballes campe the Carthaginoys runninge foorth in heapes vnto the broyle they fell all into the Romaynes hādes So that theare weare then slaine almost xl thousande of them Thus mightie powers be by policie smothelie vanquished and great estates lyghtlie ouerthrowen wyse men seing the rocke wheareon other men wracke are warned and waxe ware taking by their losse a lesson to guyde their owne affayres ¶ Aduertysementes how the armye that is weaker then the enemyes may growe stronger or saue it selfe Cap. 3. IT is a policie in this case to drawe vnto thee sum̄ of the enemyes friendes or ayde by promise of great thinges hope of large dominyon benefites to follow or by practise to sowe discētion or mislike betwene thē as when Siphax king of Numidia had ioygned league with the Romaines to ayde thē in the warres of Afrique the Carthaginois sent Ambassadours vnto him declaringe the ambition of the Romaines howe by litle litle they sought cūninglie to subdue al other Princes being once entred into Afrique that they would not cease till they had obtayned it all wheareof his Countreye was
whether policie counsayleth as soone as thou arte entered into the enemies countrey and that he will offer battaile to receaue the same and shortlie to trye the matter Herein I am not of opinion that it is generally best to detracte battail except there be some aduantage to be taken and vsed in ioygning of the same for so the one may goe about the other longe enoughe to little purpose But other circumstances and accidentes are to be considered in this generaltie For commonlye it is for the behoufe of him whose Countrey is inuaded to seke battaile for auoydinge spoyle of the same But yet it is to be considered that if the other bee like shortely to be wearied or be neare some mischiefe by mutine or for some wantes forced to forsake the coūtrey that it shoulde be daungerous to deale wyth him for his force then policye perswadeth to protracte battaile on that parte And generallye the inuader as longe as he proceadeth with spoyle to plage the enemy to enritche himselfe hath not necessity to hasten battaile but maye take the time best for his aduauntage How be it occasions may growe on otherwise and be vrgent vnto him to ioygne battaile spedelye as by encrease of ayde comminge towardes the enemie or casuall empayring of his owne present power Moreouer vnto him which hath manye hyered souldiers it is more requisite to make hast vnto battaile and to end the warres as well for the great charge of that retinue as for the daylie daunger of their vnsure seruice and doubt of reuoltinge vnto the enemye being money men by corruption or for a greater paye they lightlie leaue their mayster in his greatest neade For seldome haue theare bene greate conquestes made by force of hyred menne The Romaynes and the Grekes warred withe their owne Souldiours against all nations Great Pompeye withe the natiue people of Italie ouercame Mithridates with hys huge Armye of more then twentye Nations Of later tymes the estates of Italye haue bene vsurped and ouerrunne by vsinge the helpe of hyred Souldiours And the Venetiās hauing otherwise moste excellent gouernement and plentyfull prouisyon of all thinges both for peace warre but for thys cause onelye had growen to haue greate Empyre This Realme of Britayne hath sum̄ experience of these hurtes beinge sumtime oppressed by the hyred Saxons vnder Hengistus But nowe to trie the truste and faithe of hired Souldiours before their infidelitie or defection maye greatlie hurte It is good before thy greate neade and daye of battaile to sende them foorthe wythe a feawe of thyne owne approued men to sum̄ exploite supposed to bee of greate importaunce and to plante priuelie by the waye or to sende after them a sufficient number of trustye Souldiours to doe the same feate if the other shoulde bee false or faile in the same Also it is policye for the same purpose to conferre with the Captaynes of them that are suspected of suche matters as thou entendest not to doe but in shewe to see if they wyll keape the same secrete or geue priuye aduertysement theareof vnto the Enemye The like proofe is made by delyuering to the leader of thē letters sealed pretending great wayght and purportinge little to bee sent foorthe to sum̄ friende to see whether the same should be opened or not saufelye conueyed in tyme. ¶ VVhether it be more profitable to seeke the great Towne or the lesse and how best to wynne the same Cap. 5. NOw is it further to bee knowen for takinge of houldes within the enemies dominiō that the larger be rather to be sought for thē the lesse And thearefore the Citie which is of greatest trade to enriche the enemie or such large towne as is so scituate that it may most annoye him if thou be able to furnishe the same with garrisons is most auaylable for diuers causes Alcibiades the excellēt Captaine entrynge Sicilia to make warres theare first tooke the greate Citye Rhegium nexte besyeged Catina not farre from Syracuse the chiefe Citye of the Realme Scipio began hys warres in Spayne withe the syege of newe Carthage the principall citie there both of trade power And in like sorte inuadyng Afrique he foorthwith layde syege vnto Vtica a famous citie stāding on the sea side wheare he also harboured and kept his shippes so that he might cut of all ayde succoure both by lande sea frō the towne Now for the maner of subduing holdes it is to be agreed that the best waye of wyn ning is that whych is with moste speade leaste losse And thearefore if a Towne maye not be surprised and taken by sum̄ trayne or policie it is lesse daunger to inuade and force the enemye by famine then with the swearde How Zopyrus suttlelie caughte the Babiloniens fayninge him selfe fledde from his Prince for crueltie shewed vnto him and being of them vnder fayned friendshipe receaued betrayed their Citie the maner theareof is declared at large in the first booke This shift also hath bene vsed when a Captayne had vnderstandynge of ayde looked for by the besyeged he hath apparelled a troupe of his owne souldyours vnder the ensigne of those whiche shoulde come vnto them and so to haue taken the Towne Cimon of Athens besieginge a Towne by nighte sett fire on a temple in the suburbes of the same whearefore sum̄ of the Townes men rashelie runninge out to succour it the enemie entered in vpon thē Also the besieged are more easelie enduced to yelde by signifiynge vnto them sum̄ great victorie latelye hadde against their Prince or other streightes that he is brought into Sum̄ haue practised to haue friendes within a towne to perswade them to issue out vpon the enemie or to doe sum̄ other acte vnto their owne ouerthrowe And such persons haue geuen intelligence by letters fastened to arrowes and shote foorthe vnto the enemies of the state and dealinges within the Towne as of the weakest parte theareof or least defended of the custome of the watche when and howe they maye be deceaued that the enemie maye enter vpō them vnware The Frenchmen corrupted Tarpeia a mayden to lett them in by a little posterne doore into the Capitall of Roome But in this case diligent examination must be made by captaines for double dealinge that they be not abused in their practises the same beinge disclosed vnto the enemie which hath sometime suffered parte of the aduersaries power to ēter within his houlde to their destructiō hauinge prepared sodainlie to repulse and shutt out the rest For the takinge of a stronge towne by famine it is a good waye to winne sum̄ weaker-nighe to tourne out the inhabitauntes thereof that they may be receaued into the other so their victualls the soner consumed Fabius suffered thē of a towne whom he woulde besiege to sowe their fieldes to the entēt that they shoulde haue the lesse corne in store Sometime townes be sieged haue desired a parle or truce for a time to the ende that the siege not beinge straightlie
enemie to sifte his purposes by conference had with him to vndermine his doings if he be not very well aduised to serch the state of his force gouernmeÌ„t And withal the good captaine must be vigilaÌ„t close in his owne affaires Thus shal not the time be detracted the armie with great charges maintayned without good purpose or profit ¶ Of the vse and ende of VVarres and of preparation therefore in time of peace Cap. 10 NOw is it to be determined that the vse of warres ought to be applyed for the defence of right to shyelde from iniuries to plant settle a coÌ„modious state of life this vse respecteth hath regarde vnto a further effecte to growe thereof which is the verie finall ende of warres that after valiauÌ„t victorie or reuenge had of the enemie peace may follow and be maintained with honour free froÌ„ violeÌ„ce hostile oppression So that other natioÌ„s seing the discipline martial prowesse of an estate so wel appointed defeÌ„ded may feare to offer theÌ„ iniuries gladlye desire to haue league fauour there wheÌ„ things in this good stay sauflie are coÌ„fourmed established theÌ„ shall learning trades florishe craftes men in cuÌ„ning encrease GouldeÌ„ quiet shal plante good order to foster frugality bringe foorth the fruites of plenty where by the laÌ„d wel peopled good gouernmeÌ„t shal spred the happie state of a prosperous coÌ„men weale ouer al. Good excercises shal be honourablie frequeÌ„ted vertue with all desire coÌ„tention endeuoured in which excellent course of life we shal finde our selues most happie doe our Lord God best seruice so that our felicitie may hereafter endure for euer One thinge more I would saye so coÌ„clude that is for the prouision of all thinges neadeful in time of peace for the mayntenance of warres for peace is the nourice of store encrease of thinges in which time if by good prouidence respecte be not had to haue readie furniture of armour weapons money munition menne prepared bothe in mindes by excercise trayned for this seruice it will cause fainte warres the affaires whereof being premeditate before hande proceade the better withe out stickinge or straungenesse as the iourneye where the waye is plaine and well knowen The time of warres is troublesome to take counsaile in and more vnfitte for exactions but most of all it is vnmete then to take order and to haue thinges to seke when they shoulde bee occupied Also this preparation furniture for the warres woulde bee had of euerie priuate manne accordinge to his abilitie as well as in comen stores of corporations and companies And suche person as is of wealthe and lesse able by his persone or good counsaile for the seruice and defence of his Countrey oughte to extende his good will and forwardnes the further for good purueyance to arme and furnishe others theareunto For he that is so sotted in simplicitye and drowned in basenes of minde that hopinge still vpon peace will neuer aduaunce his consideration or care for defence in time of warres but employe all his endeuour vnto his owne priuate gaine or pleasure and not laye out anye money for the behoufe of the comen state is like by his policye to saue a fether lose the birde while hee snatched at a shadowe he loseth the substaunce And the example of such grosse carelesse securitie is verye pernicious vnto a comon weale for diuers of them which haue the wealthe of the Realme beinge slacke negligent in this point it is not a feawe of the other though they weare neuer so careful or wel disposed appointed to serue that can sustaine the brunte of warres the poore man can little auayle hearein being thoroughe wante of abilitie naked both of armour experience hauing no spare time for the excercise of armes wheÌ„ all his endeuour emploied to purueye for his necessarie lyuinge can skantlie suffice theareunto but his trust is that thoroughe the circumspecte prouidence of them which haue whearewithall to doe good hearein hee shall enioye his pouertye saufe from captiuitye So if the other bee vnfurnished at the time of neade what doth he but bringe ruyne vpon him selfe and hys deare Countrey Is it not the wished wellfare and a right happye state wheare euerye man may enioye his owne quyetlie vnder their naturall and gratious Prince moste carefull and tender ouer the Countreye and people vsynge suche lawes as the wyse menne of the Realme can best deuyse and finde oute to bee moste profitable for all sortes of menne And an horrible miserye more odyous then anye deathe to haue oure Lawes lyues goodes and what soeuer is deare vnto vs at the lyst and vnder the contempte and rule of the insolent and cruell enemye to bee spoyled by force pylled by exactyons and trybutes to liue laden with seruitude villanyes If we will haue these auoyded then must theare be defence prepared for the good prosperous estate Els is the same by peace enriched vnto spoile and fatted fitt for the tothe of the enemie For yet neuer was theare great famous estate whearein armes and lawes ciuill gouernement and martiall prowesse florished not together And now for suche as shall serue in the warres that they might liue honestlie and ciuillye after the same ended whereby they should lesse feare to put them selues forth in dauÌ„gers if there weare in euery shire of this realme a house ordayned for maymed souldiours men worne in the warres withe suche prouision that they might be able to lyue theare not idlelye as lasye lorells haue done heretofore vnder cloke of religion but orderlie duelye to serue God at certaine feastes times conuenient to be leaders vnto the countrey men in the orders arraye of warre and teachers to the ignorant in the best vse of martiall weapons practises This I suppose should be well pleasinge vnto almightie GOD also right honourable profitable vnto the Realme FINIS ¶ Tout poiar louange a Dieu Amen Practise skyll Dido obtay ned somuch grounde to buylde the Citie vpon as might be compassed vvith an oxes hyde and that she cut in thonges Henrye the fifthe G. Scanderbeg Baiazet The arte of Nobilitie The diffinition of an armie Ninus Sardanapal â–ª Milciades Darius Xerxes Mardonius Cymon of Lacedaemon Alcibiades Mindaerus Pharnaebazus Leonidas with 4000. as some write Celtae BreÌ„niê° Belinus English men sonnes of Donwallo a Saxon King. Furius Camillus Martius Coriolanus Hanniball Fabius Scipio Alexander Paulus Emelius Perseus For this purpose great Alexander caried Homer alwaies in his pocket Heroicum of most high noblesse or valure Pius in deum in homines VVhen martiall lawe is to be vsed and how Exod. 18. Iethro gaue counsaile vnto Moyses to make the like distribution and coÌ„mission of the comen affaires vnto other that being eased of a great part of that burden he might better attend to the more waightie causes Ambition disturbeth wel ordered states Enuious and peruerse men of disposition VVyse Ianus is paynted with two faces one loking towardes things past the other to that which is to come Causes of affection and fryndship Arist. polit 3. He loseth the name of a good Citizen which preferreth priuat profit before the commen weale Deutero 20. Effeminatenes is contrarye to force manlynesse Moderate dyet One trayned souldiour worth ten untrayned Vegetius sayth that Gentlemen to whom the profession of armes is proper as their arte ought from their cradel to their graue to be practised thearein Plaut Feliciter is sapit qui alieno periculo sapit Samuel ca. 13 The Isralites for want of weapons vsed their matocks cowlters See also Deut. 20. 24. Formio a philosopher Leonidas and the armye of Xerxes Plutarch in vita Hannibalis Carts hooked Horsemen Stakes Tu ne cede malis sed coÌ„tra audentior esto Virg. Martius against the Dutchmen Flaminiê° against Phillip kinge of Macedon conueyed a troupe vp a hill to come downe vpon the enemy at their backes while they were in fight belowe It is written that Hanniball shoulde vse the same speache to kinge Antiochus leadinge his galant armye against the Romaines See Deut. 20. Iosua King Saul Sampson Iudas Mach. Gedeon Iehu Titus sonne of themperour Vespatien Cain Iaball Thubalcain Semin Asia Cam in Afrique Iaphet in Europe Thuball Nimrod Assur Sardanapalê° Arbactê° Abraham Ninus Mars Hercules Romulus Belus Phoroneus Ianus Licurgus Minerua Cecrops Cadmus Plato Magistratus excellens Pastor populi Math. 26. Act. Apost 10. Mathaew 10. Bellum gloriosum Paci turpi antefevendum Plato Optimè tum ciuitates instituuntur cum singuli suis operibus incumbunt Plaut Libertatem nemo bonus nisi cum anima simul amittit A happye coÌ„men weale wheare good lawes and armes are duelye vsed Iustice and chiualrye maintained