THE PRACTICE PROCEEDINGS AND Lawes of armes described out of the doings of most valiant and expert Captaines and confirmed both by ancient and moderne examples and praecedents BY MATTHEVV SVTCLIFFE Luke 14.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What king going to make warre with a forreine prince sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether he be able with ten thousand to meete him that commeth against him with twentie thousand Cicer. offic lib. 1. In rep maximè conservanda sunt iura belli Ibidem Sunt qui quod sentiunt etsi optimum sit tamen inuidiae metu non audent dicere IMPRINTED AT LONdon by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1593 The excellencie of military prowesse REi militaris virtus praestat ceteris omnibus haec nomen populo Romano haec huic vrbi aeternam gloriam peperit haec orbem terrarum parere huic imperio coëgit Omnes vrbanae res omnia haec nostra praeclara studia haec forensis laus industria latent in tutela praesidio bellicae virtutis Cic. pro Murena The necessity vse of armes Magna imperia armis non ignauia tenentur Tacit. Annal. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pericles Thucid. 1. Without warres we cannot escape the malice of our enemies and the more willing and readie we are to beginne the lesse courage will our enemies haue to assaile vs saith Pericles Inermes prouinciae cuicunque seruitio expositae atque in pretium belli cessurae erant Tacit Annal. 17. Such countries as are disarmed are exposed to bondage and giuen as a spoile into the hands of the Conquerour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon exped Cyr. 3. They that by skill and practise of armes ouercome their enemies not only assure their owne estate but also purchase that which the vanquished possesse Vae victis sayde Brennus to the vanquished Romanes that went about to redeeme themselues with money for all calamities accompanie those that are ouercome Plutarch in Camillo Omnia a Liu. 5. What account is to be made of valiant captaines and souldiers virorum fortium sunt All things yeeld to valiant men Si omnes qui reip consulunt cari nobis esse debent certè inprimis imperatores quorum consilijs virtute periculis retinemus nostram salutem imperij dignitatem Cic. de orat lib. 2. If all those that care and haue the charge of the common wealth ought to be deare vnto vs then especially ought our noble Captaines by whose counsell prowesse and perill we mainteine the estate and honour of our countrey Salus publica in militibus Lamprid. in vit Alexand. Seuer The safetie of the state is committed to the hands of Souldiers Against such as for hope and desire of present peace bring vpon the state a dangerous warre Si Barbarorum est in diem viuere nostra consilia sempiternum tempus spectare debent Cic. de orat lib. 2. If barbarous nations onely respect the time present it behoueth vs in our counsels to foresee that by delayes we incurie no danger in time to come TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE EARLE OF ESSEX ALthough my good Lord discourses of armes in this time of peace and securitie may seeme vnseasonable to some kinde of men that mislike nothing more then to haue their eares grated with the sound of drummes rumors of warres yet to such as foresee those stormes that hang ouer our heads and see that there is no other sheltre but in the practise of armes I doubt not but they will be both pleasant and acceptable The beginning of all good successe is good counsell and direction the accomplishment is expedition in counsell nothing auayleth more then to followe good examples of expert and wise men If then we would eyther reforme the disorders of our proceedings in warres or settle the discipline of armes among our souldiers which is slenderly knowen or practised by them what course is better then to viewe consider and followe the doings of most famous warriours both of former and late times this argument therefore I haue chosen as most worthy my labour and most necessarie and profitable for this state and as I could haue finished the same We heare of our enemies preparatiues against vs and know their pride and malice nay we haue seene and felt their attempts admit the warres are not at our doores yet wee may easily perceiue that they are very neere vs and howe neere we knowe not why then doe we not awake nay why doe we not prouide and arme seeing the Spaniard by sending ouer such swarmes of trayterous and seditious priestes and Iesuites among vs hath giuen vs such cause of an alarme already he is come into Britaine that confronteth all the westerne coaste of England and shall we doubt whether he meaneth to come neerer vs and not doubting why are we so slowe in taking armes What prouision is to be made and how it is to be employed howe warres may be for causes enterprised and howe with honour and good successe prosecuted and atchieued so that neither the enemie shal haue cause to reioyce or hope nor we cause to lament or feare finally how we may reforme disorders and auoide future dangers of compassion of my louing countreymen and fellowes whereof some still followe the warres and mere loue to my deare countrey and no respect of gaine or glory God is my witnesse I haue in this discourse ensuing done my best endeuour to declare and I trust not altogether out of season for if we haue warres what more conuenient then to reason and talke of warres and if we are in expectation of warres yet do I not see what reason we haue to keepe silence in such doubt and expectation of warres but were it that neither we had warres with the Spaniard nor others nor stood in doubt of their attemptes or forces yet can we not continue many yeeres without warres Great a Nulla magna ciuitas diu quiescere potest si foris hostem non habet domi inuenit saith Annibal Liu. 30. countries and states cannot rest if they haue no enemies abroade yet restles heades seeke worke at home therefore can no time be thought vnseasonable for to discourse of these matters if we enioyed peace yet can we not assure vs of it without armes if we doubt our enemies practises there is no safer course then to arme He b qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum Veget. lib. 3. cap. 1. that desireth peace he must prepare for warres and long c longa belli praeparatio celerem facit victoriam Publius preparatiues of warre made in time of peace giue speedy victorie in time of warres men doe not easily prouoke or attempt warres againct a a Nemo bello lâ—cessere aut faceâ—â— audet iniuriam regnovel populo quem expedicuÌ„ 〈◊〉 promptum ad resistendum vindicandumque agnos cit Cassiod vaâ— 3. nation or countrey that is ready
state with force and by what other meanes wee can Most iust cause therefore had the Romanes to make warres vpon the Gaules vpon Annibal vpon the Daues and other barbarous nations that came to take away their country from them like cause had the Greeks to withstand the Persians other barbarous people that by armes would haue conquered them and depriued them of their country and liberty the same cause did the ancient Britons defend against the Romanes Saxons Danes and Normans though not with like successe And seeing of late time the Spaniard came vpon our coast with fire and sword menacing the English nation with all the calamities that follow such inuasions I thinke no man will deny but we haue iust cause to put on armes in defence of our countrey religion liues liberties and lawes in this case not onely our cause is iust but the warre is of necessity to be vndertaken which greatly helpeth the iustice of our cause for as the captaine of b Iustum bellum quibus necessarium pia arma quibus nulla nisi in armis relinquitur salus Liu. 9. Samnites said in like case that warre is iust whereto we are inforced and with good consâ—â—nce may we take armes when there is no safety for vs but in armes It is likewise lawfull to represse pirats and publique robbers by force of armes if they will not yeeld themselues to be tried by order of common iustice They are enemies of peace ciuil gouernment and by the lawes defyed and proclaimed as publike enemies of states their bodies may be taken and their goodes spoiled as in warres with other nations The warres made by the Romanes against Spartacus who assembling a mutinous route of rebelles and hindred al trade was iust and necessary in this c ff de iust iure L. fureÌ„ ad L. Corn. de sicar L. itaque case because such do rise and assaile vs vpon a sodaine the law of nature giueth warrant of defence without publike commandement or commission neither is it onely lawful to cleare the sea of pyrates but also honorable d Thucid. Minos made his name famous for that he cleared the sea of pyrats and opened the way for marchants which fact also procured great commendation to Pompey the Great Moreouer if our country be wasted and spoiled and our goods taken away by forreiners it is lawful by force and armes to seeke for restitution if otherwise it cannot be obtained Tully a Quod rebus repetitis geritur offic 1. accompteth that warre iust that is made after demand of things wrongfully taken vniustly deteined these quarrels often fal out betwixt borderers the b Romulus Albanis bellum in tulit quod eorum dictator nollet res raptas reddete Dion Hal. lib. antiq 3. Romans for this cause made diuers roades vpon the Sabins Volscians Albans and others their neighbors Tullus Hostilius had no other causes of his warres against the same people This hath bene the beginning of many contentions betwixt vs and the Scots of the warres betwixt the c Liu. 1. Romans and Sabins there was no other cause but the spoile of the Roman marchants among other causes of the third warres of the d Flor. Epir. Romanes against the Carthaginians the taking of certaine shippes and spoiling of certaine Marchants is alledged as principall The Switzers beganne their braules with the Duke of e Phil. Commin Burgundy for a loade of skinnes taken away by the Countie of Romont likewise it is where at a sodaine roade our goodes are spoyled or driuen away and deteined from vs. for which cause the Romanes warred vpon the f TarquinieÌ„sibus rebus nequicquaÌ„ repetitis quod agrum Rom. populati essent bellum indictum Liu. 7. Hetruscians diuers of their neighbors Iust cause therefore haue wee also in this respect to make warres vpon the Spaniard that without destance of warre stayed our shippes and our marchants and spoiled their goodes were not mens minds â—â—oled and almost frozen with feare and age these iniuries would inflame them howsoeuer it is men ought not to stay vntill the flames of our country enflame them In this case those that first offend do giue iust cause of warres not those that seeke restitution by armes as is euident g Liu. 1. by the example of the Romanes and Albans where the first iniury being offered by the Albans made inst the cause of the Romanes Yet if things taken away be offered againe and satisfaction be promised to bee made for wrongs done it is not iustice nor reason further to prosecute the quarrel begunne it seemeth not reason saieth h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 1. Archidamus to prosecute him by force that submitteth himselfe to order of lawe and commonly those that refuse reason when it is offered come afterward to wish they had taken it when they can not haue it The French disdaining and scorning the great offers made by the blacke Prince were shamefully by him ouerthrowne at the fielde of Poytiers The i Non suae redditae res non alienae accumulatae satis erant Liu. 9. Romanes refusing the satisfaction made by the Samnites receiued a notable disgrace being by composition disarmed to saue their liues at the streites of Caudium and Philip of Commines conceiueth that Charles duke of Burgundy prospered neuer the better for that he refused the humble submission and satisfaction of the Switzers desiring peace at his hands The iniurie that is done to the subiects redoundeth to the Prince and reproches and contumelies done to ambassadours and messengers returne vpon those that send them both these things minister lawfull cause for Princes states to take armes in hand The Romanes with sharpe wars prosecuted a Appian Alexandr Mithridates for that by one generall proclamation he had caused diuers of their people to be massacred in Asia the same cause armed them against the Latines and Volscians The Volscians againe inuaded the Romans for that reprochfully their people were commaunded out of the Citie at the time of their b Liui. 3. publike games The Heduans rebelled against Caesar vpon c Caes bel Gal. 7. conceit of some wrong offred to their people in the campe of the Romanes And among al causes of warres betwixt Princes this is commonly inserted for one that either their subiects are slaine or wronged as appeareth both in the beginnings of the Romane warres against the kings of Macedonia and also against the people of Carthage and the same was the common pretense of the d Froissart French to inuade vs when we held Gascoigne Guienne and Normandy Yet more neere doth it touch a Prince when his ambassadours are violated forasmuch as that iniurie is thought to be offered to his owne person Therefore did Dauid warre vpon the children of Ammon for the villeny they offered his ambassadors The shamefull reproche which the Corinthians offered the Romane ambassadours was the cause of
the warre betwixt the Romanes and them and of the sacke of Corinth Friderick Barbarosse for a scorne offered him by them of Milan besieged and tooke their Citie the first quarrell betweene the e Liu. Romanes and Veians grewe vpon a proud answere which the Veian Senate made And deare it cost the Rhodians that taking part with Perseus they abused the Romanes in their insolent termes The slaughter of the Romane ambassadours was the first cause that moued them to warre vpon Gentius-king of Illyrium and aggrauated the wrath of the Romanes against the Veians and caused Caesar to sacke diuers cities of the f Bel. Gal. 6. Armoricans The rebellion of subiects against their lawfull Princes is also a sufficient cause to arme the prince against them he carieth not the sword for other purpose but to represse the wicked and rebellious king Dauid prosecuted not onely the rebell Ziba but also his owne sonne Absaloâ— that rose against him the Romanes suppressed the seditious Gracchi Saturninus and Catiline and iust cause had our Princes to subdue by armes the seditious route that vnder the leading of Iacke Cade Iacke Strawe Kette and other rebels rose against their liege and soueraigne Princes for although rebels and pyrats and robbers are not accompted among the number of lawfull enemies which the Romans called hostes legitimos nor did enioy the a ff De captiu L. hostes right nor were to be vsed as enemies in lawfull warres yet is the force vsed against them most lawfull Moreouer it is a lawfull and iust cause for a prince or nation to arme their people in defence of their associates or such as flie vnto them for succour being vniustly oppressed Deliuer those sayth the wise man that are drawne to death those that are wronged sayth b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist rhet ad Alexandr Aristotle not onely may but ought for their honors sake to arme in defence of themselues their allyes and friends and to helpe their associates being oppressed Cicero in his bookes de rep alloweth those warres to be lawfull that are made aut pro fide aut pro salute that is eyther for our owne defence or for defence of our friendes whome wee are bound by promise to helpe and as well doeth he c Offic. 1. charge them with iniustice that repell not iniurie when they are able as those that doe wrong themselues And if we giue credit to Saint d Fortitudo quae per bella tuetur à Barbaris patriam vel defendit infirmos vel à latronibus socios plena iustitia est Ambros de offic Ambrose valiant men that defend their countrey from barbarous people and protect the weake and shielde their associates from such as would spoyle them doe the office of true iustice for defence of their e Populus Rom. sociis defendendis terrarum omnium potitus est Cic. de rep 3. confederates the Romanes receiued this reward that they became the lordes of the world the Romanes had no other cause to enterprise the warre against the f Visum est Campanos deditos noÌ„ prodi Liu. 7. Samnites but for the defence of the Campanians which were vniustly vexed had yeelded themselues into their protection The first Carthaginian warres had no other originall but for the defence of the Mamertines for the same cause likewise did they send defiance to Philip g Romani infensi Philippo ob infidam erga socios pacem Liu. 31. ob iniurias arma illata sociis populi Rom. belluÌ„ indictum Liu. 31. king of Macedonia for that he vexed and iniuried their confederates in Greece Iosua protected the Gibeonites requiring his ayde from the conspiracie of the kings of the Cananites the forsaking of our associates friends h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. Sthenelaidas the Spartian calleth treason and disuadeth the Spartans from committing any such offence the Romanes were a Saguntinos crules us quam Poenus hostis prodidit vos soci prodidistis L. 1.25 accused of treason for that they abandoned their confederates the Saguntines being besieged by Annibal for which fault they endured the penance of sixteene yeeres warres in Italy neither was any thing more infamous in Charles of Burgundy his actions then his colde defence of his associat the duke of Britaine Philip of Commines accuseth Lewes the 11. for abandoning his confederats of Liege Caesar b Verebarut Caesar ne Gallâ—â—ota deliceret h Gergouia capta nullum in annor praesidâ—m elleâ— Caes 7. bel Gal. least all his associates in France should forsake him was driuen with great hazard to succour his friends besieged in Gergouia the duke of Normandy yonger brother to Lewes the 11. ouerthrewe his owne estate departing from the association of Charles duke of Burgundy wherefore we haue not onely iust cause to warrant our proceedings against the Spaniard in defence of our confederates of France and the lowe Countries but also necessarie reasons to moue vs to prosecute matters more forcibly vnlesse we meane to engage our honour and neglect our owne estate what wisdome or honour it was to refuse them that yeelded themselues before the surrender of Antwerpe vnto the duke of Parma I report me to those that know those mysteries sure nowe that we haue begunne to assist them of Holland and Zeland it is neither honour nor safetie so to mince at the matter or to go backe whatsoeuer we call our doings it wil be as the king of Spaine will take it if euer be haue power to be iudge the onely meanes to marre and crosse his sentence is with great forces to withstand so mightie a Prince and not longer to dally Breach of couenants likewise is numbred among the iust causes of warres we put on armes saith c Plat. in Alcibiad one eyther being deceiued by our enemies that performe not promise or being constreyned the Romanes began their warres with Perseus king of d Liu. 42. Macedonia vpon occasion of breach of the articles of peace made before betwixt his father and them and for the like cause also renewed their warres with them of Carthage and for the same cause warres haue bene opened betwixt vs and the Scots as at Muscleborough fielde vpon the deniall of the Scottish Queene promised to king Edward and betweene the French and vs. Many wise princes haue an eye to their neighbours greatnesse and perceiuing how preiudiciall their encrochments may proue vnto theÌ„ haue iust cause to withstand them Lewis the 11. sent ayde to the Switzers Duke of Lorreine against Charles Duke of Burgundy hauing no other cause then the suspicion and feare of his greatnes The true a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. cause of the Peloponesian warre against them of Athens was the suspicion and feare that their neighbours had of their power and greatnes And yet that cause was not once mentioned The Princes and States of Italy of long time haue had a secret
for slaues If any of the Romans did wrong to the Ambassadors of other nations the Senate caused such men to be taken to be deliuered vnto them that they might iudge them as it pleased them selues as is apparant not only by iustice done vpon those that did iniury to the Ambassadors of c Qui Legatos Carthaginensiū pulsauerant Carthaginensibus traditi Liu. 38. Carthage but also vpon those that had wronged certaine messengers comming from d Val. max. l. 6. Apollonia Tatius neglecting to do iustice vpon those that had wronged the messengers of the Laurentins was him selfe e Liu. 1. slaine of them when he came among them But this priuiledge as it belongeth to Ambassadors betwixt Princes nations so f Bodin de la repub l. 1. some haue supposed that it belonged not to such messengers as come from rebels And thereupon defend the fact of Charles the 5. that imprisoned the messengers of the Duke of Milan that had reuolted from him And according to this supposall we vnderstand that hard measure hath bene offerd to diuers messengers sent from the Protestants of France to the aduerse party As if Princes should make warres with his subiects with all extremity and not admit the lawes of nations in matters which passe betwixt him and thē I graunt there is a great difference betwixt publike enemies rebels yet necessitie requireth oft times parley and if the Prince looke to haue his Ambassadors to haue good interteinment with them hee must likewise vse their messengers wel The Romans practiced that in the warre which they had against their g Bello sociali associates and did not offer violence to those which were sent by Antony yet there may be I graunt such warres that admit no entercourse of messengers which in the warres among the h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greekes was sometime practiced but that was inhumane cruelty and rather hurtfull to them selues then to the enemy Yet if any purpose to enioy the priuiledge of Ambassadors hee may not passe the bounds of an Ambassadour whose ordinary office is to denounce warre or treate of peace or truce or prisoners and such matters as by Ambassadors are ordinarily handled If Ambassadours come vnder that colour to espie our proceedings the name of their office doeth not warrant their lewd dealing Caesar a Caes bel gal 4. deteined the messengers of the Tenctherians perceiuing that they came for no other purpose but to winne time and to espie his forces The blacke b Froissart Prince caused a messenger that came from the French king to cite him to appeare in the Parliament of Paris to be arested but it was for that he came not as an Ambassador in matters of state but as a somner or bailif to doe him a disgrace Francis the French king the first of that name caused a gibet to be erected before hee woulde heare a certaine messenger that came from Charles the fift fearing that otherwise hee woulde haue abused him in termes That the Romanes did dismisse the c Lin. lib. 2. Ambassadors of Tarquin broching a conspiracie in Rome and the Ambassadors of the d Dionis Halic lib. 6. Volscians that came as espials and that her Maiestie did likewise dismisse Bernardin Mendoza that was an abettor if not a contriuer of great treasons wrought against her it was of speciall clemencie and fauour rather then for that the lawes of armes require it for they warrant none to practise treason nor rebellion nor to abuse a Prince nor to do other matters then belong to the office of Ambassadors The e Doctores in L. vlt. ff de legationibus Lawes of the Romans in matters of publike crimes against the lawes of nations make ambassadors to answere notwithstanding their priuiledge Neither doe any writers excuse the fact of Fabius Ambustus that being sent in ambassage to the Gaules besieging Clusium put on armes and fought against them Thus we see that Ambassadors comming from other Princes vnto vs in such matters as belong to that office are priuiledged but whether our enemies ambassadors going to other princes and nations or contrariwise comming from other princes to our enemies are likewise to be priuiledged it is of some doubted The French complaine that their ambassadors sent to the Turke were slaine by the Spaniard and some do thinke hardly of the fact of Charles the fift that allowed it but without cause For the word Ambassador or Messenger being a word that hath relation to those to whō a man is sent there can be no bond betwixt Ambassadors others to whom they are not sent The Romanes deteined not onely the ambassadors of Annibal sent to Philip king of Macedonia but also Philips ambassadors sent to Annibal And the Athenians put the ambassadors of the Lacedaemonians to death being taken as they were sent by them to require ayde of the king of Persia against the Athenians Ambassadours therefore woulde be well chosen and discreetely ought they to handle their businesse without curious intermedling with affayres that concerne them not Tully iesteth at a certaine Ambassade consisting of three persons one of which was an idiot the second had a great scarre in his head the third had the gout This Ambassade sayd he had neither head brayne nor feete nothing ought they to speake that may preiudice the affaires of the Prince wherein Philip of Comines noteth a certaine English Heralds ignorance whose foolish babbling was no small hinderance to the affaires of Edward the fourth that sent him Charles Duke of Burgundy conceiued great displeasure against Lewes the xi for certaine foolish a Phil. Comin wordes vttered against him by an Ambassador sent from the king to his father The Romanes to the Ambassadors of their enemies gaue audience without the Citie and when they had giuen them their answere sent certaine to conduct them to their shipping to see that they practised with no man The like course did the Athenians followe in hearing and interteining the Ambassadors of the Lacedaemonians Which course they may also folow that feare least vnder such colours cunning fellowes should espye our countrey and our doings And if those that haue the gouernment of garison townes haue care that no messenger shall come into the place but blindfold sure reason would that men should haue an eye also that such messengers as come into other countreys should neither see so much as they doe nor haue that libertie to talke with whom they list as now they haue For by such meanes often time they vnderstand their estate better then they doe themselues CHAP. XXI Wherein is declared that to encourage forward men to doe valiantly nothing is more effectuall then reward nor for maintenance of militarie discipline any thing more requisit then seuere punishment THe course of warres if nothing els did perswade vs yet sheweth vs that after victorie obteined or troubles ended such as haue done valiant seruice are to be
notice tooke the towne disfurnished of souldiers The a Qualquiera persona que hiziere o fixare carteles o dixiere palabras escandalosas de las quales puede causarse tumulto o motin muera por ello Que ningun soldado sobre enemistad o pendentia vieia durante la guerra y iornada rinne nitrate ni por pendentia nueua desafie a otro so pena de la vida al prouocante y destierro al prouocado Spaniards therefore doe expresly forbid all cartels iniurious wordes and braules vpon great penalties both in their armies and garrisons 20 21 No souldier nor other shal fraudulently c. Those that know what necessities poore souldiers are driuen vnto cannot chuse but pity their estate that contrary to orders of law are forced to shift Yet for the necessitie of some the disorder of others that as they stole at home so steale abroad may not passe vnpunished b Nemo pullum alienum rapiat ouem nemo contingat oleum salem lignum nemo exigat Vopisc in vita Aurel Aurelian the emperor would not suffer his souldiers to take so much as a pullet or oile or salt or wood from the country people For c De praeda hostium non lachrymis prouincialiū habeat Vopisc ibidem souldiers saith he ought to enrich themselues with the spoiles of the enemie not with teares of the people that are friends d Sueton. in Tyber Tiberius caused one of his gard to be put to death for taking a peacocke out of a mans yard e Tacit. annal Aufidius Cassius punished rapine and theft most extremely Of the Turke it is reported that he put one of his souldiers to death for taking away a poore womans milke f L. 3. § qui aliena ff de re milit Modestinus iudged him worthy of death that stole his fellows armes To restraine this disorder the Romane souldiers when they were first inrolled did sweare that they would bring to the general or his deputy whatsoeuer they should take vp Onely certaine trifling things were excepted Caesar setting gardes at the gates of the city of g Leptitanis se tradentibus centuriones ad portā posuit ne quis miles ingrederetur Hirt. de bel Afric Leptis that yeelded to him kept his souldiers out for feare they should spoile the inhabitants The Romanes most seuerely punished h Liu. 29. Pleminius and others that spoiled the towne of Locri wherein they lay in garrison And put to death al that legion that driuing out the townsmē seized Rhegium to their owne vse The Spaniards doe diligently a Que ningum soldado dentro ni suera del campo tome ni quite cosa alguna a persona alguna forbid such filcheries In summe the ancient orders of warre require that not only souldiers and others within the campe or garrison possesse their armes and goods in peace but also that our associats and friends be kept from spoyle 22 No man shall burne c. Many things may be found in the enemies countrey which might greatly benefit the army if they could be saued from the wanton spoyle of the souldier Wherefore that souldiers fall not into needlesse wants through their owne default let this law among others be diligently executed 23 All murders c. Such offences as by ciuil lawes are punished at home ought to haue like punishment abroad Yet must the Iudges and Officers that dealt herein proceede with great discretion For small matters in time of peace as neglecting of the watch and disobedience against Officers are seuerely punished in time of warres and contrariwise great matters in time of peace are for some euident cause neglected in warres Fauour and alliance b Aliter in ardore belli aliter in pace iudicandum saith Fabius Liu. 24. haue liew in choyce of Officers in peaceable gouernment but in warres they that make not choyce of worthy men worthily repent themselues Againe in time of peace proceeding is flow and formes are obserued but in proceeding in martiall causes neither formalities nor delayes are admitted Prouided alwayes that in cutting off formalities and delayes iniustice be not done 24 No souldier nor other c. The fift lawe of this Chapter concerneth Captains and Officers this is proper to souldiers and such as passe for souldiers Both are litle ynough to redresse disorders and if there were diuers other lawes made to the same purpose yet were it good if all could remedy the inconueniences that follow false and fraudulent dealing in mosters 25 No souldier that hath c. Military discipline is so farre growne out of vse that men are constreined by expresse lawes to prescribe many particular matters which otherwise might seeme either trifling or needeles And among other things as you see that souldiers dispence and spend their victuals moderatly or rather sparingly for he that betime spareth not very timely shall want CHAP. XXI Part. 4. Wherein orders especially concerning the campe or towne of garrison are conteined 1 WHosoeuer shall deale fraudulently or negligently in such matters as are by his Camerada committed to his trust or gouernment let him haue punishemnt according to his offence and make double restitution out of his pay 2 All manner of persons within the campe or garrison after the watch is set shall repaire to their quarter and there vse silence that euery man may rest All straglers and tumultuous persons that are taken abroad after that time shal be cōmitted to prison and there abide vntill their cause be examined by the officers of iustice order taken for their punishment or dismissing 3 No man in campe or garrison in time of warre shall lodge out of his quarter or delay to repaire thither vpon an alarme giuen vpon paine of imprisonment 4 No souldier nor other shall receiue any stranger into his cabine or lodging vpon paine of imprisonment nor shall harbour any spye or messenger from the enemie vpon paine of death 5 No manner of person shall passe in or out of the campe or towne of garrison any other then the ordinary wayes vpon payne of death 6 Women and boyes and such as do idlely follow the souldiers not being enterteined in pay as much as may be are to bee banished the campe 7 No captaine souldier nor other person in time of necessitie and for defence of himselfe and the armie or garrison shal refuse to worke with mattocke spade basket or other instrument vpon pain of imprisonment 8 No souldier appointed to stand sentinell shall depart from the place or sleepe in the place vpon paine of death nor shall sitte downe vpon paine of imprisonment 9 For keeping the campe cleane and mainteining of mens health some places shal be assigned for the slaughter of beasts others for other necessities at the outsides of the campe or towne of garrison out of which places it shall not be permitted to anie to kill beastes or doe other offices vpon paine of imprisonment Euery
proceeding and continuance of warres and warlike actions I haue followed in this discourse the order of time setting downe those things first which are first to bee considered prouided and executed and so prosecuting euery action of warre seuerally by it selfe Those that haue done otherwise I see they haue trifled away many words without any small profite They talke of rankes and arayes at large others of building of fortresses that belonging to a good Serieant properly this to a good mason But howe souldiers shal be prouided and how they shall proceede and howe souldiers and fortresses are to be gouerned they scarce mention sure few of them know or can declare Besides these they omit manie other necessarie poyntes of warre wherein the safetie of an armie and a state consisteth Wherefore omitting or slenderly handling those sleight poyntes I haue chosen other matters more important to dilate beginning first with the causes of warres then with the prouision that is made before warres be attemted For although souldiers are the principall actors in these tragicall matters yet before wee drawe an army into the fielde or make leuie of souldiers manie things are to be considered and prouided First wee are to consider that our cause be good and iust For warres without cause are nothing but robbery and violence contrary to humanitie and reason secondly all things necessary for the warres are to be prouided thē are souldiers to be leuied and exercised and so brought into the field to prosecute all other necessary faits of armes 1 First therefore I will God willing declare what causes make warres iust or vniust and what are the effects of lawfull warres and therein also what solemnities or circumstances are to be considered in defiance of our enemies or first attempts of warre 2 Secondly what prouision is to be made of treasure armes munition victuals ships by sea and carriages and tents by land 3 Thirdly that wee are to strengthen our selues with the helpe of confederates and associates so much as we can and to draw what friends or strength wee can from the enemie both before we attempt warres and after 4 Fourthly what partes and qualities are required in a General and what counsell he is to adioyne to himselfe and whether it is better to giue souereigne authoritie in warres to one alone or to more likewise what authority and commission the Generall ought to haue further what is to bee respected in the choyce of Colonels of Captaines of companies and other officers of the army and what in the choyce of common souldiers what othe they are to take and how much the souldiers of our owne nation are to be preferred before strangers what inconueniences ensue of want of pay what numbers of souldiers are required in warres and finally how souldiers are to be exercised that they may be made ready for the warres 5 Fiftly what things are to be considered of those that are to transport an army by sea or by land into an other countrey and whether it is better for the English nation to inuade the Spaniard or any other forreine enemie in his owne countrey then to receiue his assault at home or to stay vntil he come on our coast or within our countrey and lastly what cautions souldiers sent abroade in succour and ayde of other nations are to vse 6 Sixtly what order and aray an army is to obserue in marching and how the same may march safely in the enemies countrey surmounting all difficulties whereby either in champion or wooddy countries or els in the passage of riuers or hilles and straites it may be disordred stopped or hindred 7 And for that we are not onely to offend but also sometimes to defend we are also to shewe what oppositions and trauerses the defendants are to make thereby to stoppe the progression and marche of the enemie and how to send our men safely forth on forraging and howe to stoppe and cut off the enemies forragers 8 For that oft times time is vainely spent in deliberations daliances and delayes to the impouerishing of many states and ouerthrow of many good actions we will shew by many proofes that nothing is more aduantageous then expedition and celerity in preparing marching executing fighting and all enterprises of warre nor any thing more hurtfull or dangerous then delaies 9 What orders are to be obserued in the fortifying defending and gouerning of our campe and lodging that we be not either charged a l'improuista or easily forced to fight 10 We will also shewe that as the assaylants in the enemies countrey are to seeke that the matter may be soone tried by battell so the defendants without great aduantage are to auoyde it and further by what meanes the enemie may be brought to fight and how those that feare to fight may auoyde the encounter with least losse 11 Before the Generall doeth bring foorth his armie into the fielde many things are to be considered all which shal be declared in the eleuenth Chapter 12 In the twelfth we are to discourse of the aray and charge of an armie encountring the enemie in open fielde and therein of the vse of horsemen of pikes halberds targets small shot archerie and great ordonance 13 In the thirteenth shall follow a briefe treatise of stratagemes ambushes and whatsoeuer deuises serue for the more ready atchieuing of our purpose 14 After the victorie once obteined and the enemie vanquished in the next Chapter we are to shew how the victorie is to be vsed and the conquest may best be mainteined 15 And because the hazard of warre is doubtfull in the fifteenth Chapter we purpose to declare by what meanes an army that is foyled or feareth to fight may most safely or with least danger or losse retire and howe the enemie in following the course of his victorie may be stopped 16 The sixteenth Chapter shall conteine precepts and orders for the gouernment of a camp that besiegeth a citie or fort and what course is best in besieging battering assaulting or entring the same 17 For the behoofe of the defendants the 17. shall declare what proceeding is best in the defence and gouernment of a towne or place assayled besieged battered assaulted or demyforced 18 And for that sea townes are not easily defended nor besieged without a nauie at sea in the next place followeth a discourse concerning the vse of ships of warre and how they are to be prouided ranged and managed in sea-fightes 19 Next vnto the execution of warres followeth the treaty of peace truce and confederacies of which we are in the 19. Chapter to intreate and also of the assurance of articles of peace truce and confederacie and likewise of the priuiledges of ambassadors and messengers by which such matters are treated and brought to passe 20 After warres ensue rewardes of such as haue behaued themselues valiantly in the seruice of their countrey and therefore in the 20. Chapter we are to entreat of the rewards of valiant souldiers punishment of
cowards and disorderly persons 21 In the last Chapter for that our souldiers are for the most part raw and ignorant and would haue things expressed and taught them plainely I haue gathered together certaine militarie orders some concerning religion manners others concerning especially tending to the common safetie of the state armie or garrison or els concerning the speciall dueties of captains or common souldiers others respecting the campe or towne of garrison others specially belonging to sea causes and aduentures at sea others to the Officers of the army or fleete others concerning booties spoyles and prisoners and some concerning the execution of lawes and administration of iustice out of which I would haue so many as are fitting for the seruice in hand to be chosen out and put in writing and proclaymed openly and deliuered vnto euery captaine or colonell that euery man may vnderstand some part of his duetie and what punishment is due for his offences These things I haue for thy sake not without great labour brought together and layde foorth in this forme which I haue declared Reade them therefore with indifferencie and weigh them with iudgement and say not this can not be so for I neuer sawe it the authoritie is drawen from those which haue seene more then thy selfe and standeth vpon better reason then without experience thou canst imagine if thou allowest and likest my reasons followe them and vse them if not yet proceede not against reason my only desire was to profit my countrey and to content and profit thee other boone or reward I craue none but that I doe not receiue at thy hands disgrace for my diligence nor reproofe or scorne for my good will which because common humanitie forbiddeth me to feare I will bid thee a dieu and begin to addresse me to my purpose ¶ The right practice proceedings and lawes of Armes CHAP. I. What causes make warres iust or vniust and what are the effectes of lawfull warres and what solemnities or circumstances are to be considered in defiance of our enemies and first attempts of warres IT is needelesse as I suppose to dispute whether it be lawfull either for Christian Princes to make warres or for christians to serue in warres Those that thinke it vnlawfull as men deuoyd of iudgement in religion and state are declared long since to be both heretical and phrenetical persons The lawfulnes there of is apparent for that most godly and religious princes as Iosuah Dauid Iehosaphat Iudas Macabeus were great warriers their warres so allowed that the spirit of God calleth them the warres or battels of the Lord neither was the same altered by Christes comming as the Anabaptists dreame The holy a Rom. 13. Apostle sheweth that the Magistrate carrieth not the sword in vaine But he should carry it in vaine if hee might not as lawfully repell publike force as he may punish therewith priuate wrongs Iohn Baptist when the souldiers came vnto him he exhorted them not to giue ouer their manner of liuing but to content themselues with their wages to do wrong to no mau b Act. 9. Cornelius the Centurion notwithstanding his souldiers profession hath a notable testimony of the holie Ghost to be a man that feared God and if he had not beene such hee had not receiued the holie Ghost The true seruants of God sayth S. c Ad Bonifac. Augustine make warres that the wicked may be restrained and goodmen be relieued Beside this what state in this notable corruption malice of mens nature could endure any time if warres against violent persons were vnlawfull without warres who can warrant vs against spoyle and iniury it is the law of nature and nations that putteth weapons in our hands for our defence without warres ciuill lawes against rebellious subiects cannot be executed and so should remaine without edge S. a Ambr. de offic Ambrose saith that it is the office and parte of iustice by warre to defend our country from the enemy our confederates and such as by reason of their weakenes neede our aide from spoylers and oppressors Wherefore taking this as granted that some warres are lawfull let vs proceede to examine what those things are that giue vs iust cause of warres which is a matter much to be regarded vnlesse we will be accompted among those tyrants that rage and vexe men without cause If the cause of him that warreth be good the issue cannot be euill saith b Bern. de nou mil. Bernard the c Frangit attollit vires in milite causa Ouid. cause as it is good or euill so either abateth and breaketh or whetteth the souldiors courage d causa iubet superos melior sperare secundos Lucan and good and iust causes make men hope ro receiue fauour of God in the issue and triall e Euentus belli velut aequus iudex vnde ius stabat ei victoriam dabat Liui. 21. the euent oftentimes is according to the iustice and qualitie of the cause and f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip Electr. seldome do they returne in safety that go forth to draw their swordes in euill quarrels Dionysius of g Lib. 2. antiq Halicarnassus sayth that the Romanes therefore preuayled for the most part for that they enterprised no warres without iust causes contrariwise the h Ius in armis ferebant Liu. 5. Gaules which accompted that iustly gotten which they could winne with their sworde though otherwise very valiant receiued many great foiles for this cause as sayth Philip of i Phil. Com. li. 4. Commines Princes when they list to quarrel with their neighbors pretend honest causes although oft times vntrue The French that with some colour they might receiue such as in Gascoigne or Guienne rebelled against the kings of this realme suborned certaine Gascoignes and Poicteuins to complaine of vniust taxations made by the English in the dayes of Edward the third and Richard the second And Lewis the eleueuth of France instigated certaine rebelles to complaine of k Philip of Commines Charles duke of Burgundie that vnder colour of doing iustice he might with more reason inuade his territories These pretenses shewes make great disputes betwixt princes and states while euery man will seeme to make his cause good and to do nothing without iust causes Let vs therefore now consider what causes are sufficient to iustifie the taking of armes what are counterfeit and insufficient First it is lawfull to vse â—orce and take armes in defence of our country true religion our goodes or liberty a Hoc ratiodoctis mos gentibus feris natura ipsa praescripsit vt omnem semper vim a corpore a capite a vita iua propulsarent Cic. pro Mil. Reason teacheth the learned and custome instructeth all nations thus much which euen the instinct of nature printeth in wilde and sauage beastes that it is lawfull to repell force offered to our life to our person and the
league amongst them to moderate the excessiue power of the king of Spaine in that coūtrey if at any time he should go about to encroche vpon any one of them Herein consisted the speciall b Guicciard hist lib. 1. commendation of the great wisedome of Laurence Medici the elder that during his time he kept all the states of Italy as it were in equall ballance not suffering any to passe their ancient limits And I doubt not but our gouernours in the defence of the lowe Countries haue a speciall regard that the king of Spaine settle not himselfe in the quiet possession of Holland Zeland and the rest least that enioying so many commodious portes ships mariners and commodities he might percase afterward make that a steppe to stride ouer or at least to looke ouer into England As c Vt quisque ab oppresso proximus sit per omnes velut continens incendium peruadet Liu. 37. euery nation is neere to those that are subdued so will the fire once enflamed embrace it and so passe ouer to the rest as Antiochus said to Prusias perswading him in time to withstand the Romanes The Romanes perceiuing that the Samnites after they had subdued the d Liu. 7. Sidicins intended to warre vpon their next neighbours the Campanians they delayed the matter no longer nor suffered them to proceede further time it is therefore for Christian Princes to awake and iust cause they haue to withstand the encrochments of the king of Spaine that vnder pretence of the Romish religion eniambeth vpon al his neighbours vnlesse they will be swallowed vp in the vnsatiable gulfe of the ambitions tyrannie of the Spanish nation Last of all whosoeuer adhereth to our enemies and aideth them with men munitions and victuals against vs they are also our enemies and giue vs iust cause of warre against them this cause moued the Romanes to defie the e Latinis quod eorum iuuentus hostibus mixta populata esset Rom. agros bellā indictum Liu. lib. 6. 7. Latines that ayded their enemies and the same is reckened among the causes of their warres against Philip king f Liu. 31. of Macedonia for he did not only aide the Carthaginians with men but also ioyned with Annibal in league against the Romanes No iust cause therefore haue our neighbours to complaine that we haue stayed their shippes that caried victuals munitions and other commodities to the Spaniard There is no fault but one that as we haue stayed some so we haue dismissed others and haue not made prise of al by Publike authoritie and that those of the lowe Countries do commonly trade into Spaine for whose sake the quarrell is vndertaken with Spaine The Romanes as in the treatise of peace they comprised their owne confederates so in denouncing of warres they defied their enemies and their associates as is euident in that forme of defiance which they published against a cum Antiocho rege quique eiu sectā secuti sunr bellum initum Liui. 36. Antiochus Which the Greekes also obserued in the Peloponnesian warres made not onely against the principals but also all their adherents And it is the b Memoires de Fr. common forme of defiances vsed at this day As for warres vndertaken through c Libido dominandi causa belli Salust coniur Catil ambition and anger and such like affections they are vniust and the causes vnlawfull neither are they to be excused that forced by strong hand out of their owne countrey doe seeke by violence to possesse that which belongeth to others For this cause the Romanes resisted with such force the Gaules Germanes Danes Gothes and others that came to dwell in Italy And although such wanderers haue had good successe in diuers countreys by reason of the sinnes of the inhabitants as the Saxons Picts Danes and Normans in this land the Franks Burguignions and Normans in Gaule the Lombards Gothes in Italy and Spaine yet was not the cause of their warres iust for euery one is to holde him to his owne lot vnlesse the countrey be waste and dispeopled which countrey God giueth to these that can possesse it and therefore did the Sueuians iniuriously forbid any to dwell in their waste borders and the Spaniards haue no reason by force and lawe to keepe other nations out of the Indies which notwithstanding themselues are not able to people Yet to make iust d What beside the cause is to be respected in lawfull warres warres it is not sufficient only that the cause be iust but that they be enterprised first by those that haue soueraigne authoritie secondly that they be not begun especially by those that inuade others without demaund of restitution or satisfaction or denunciation and last of all that they be not prosecuted with barbarous crueltie The first point is expresly set downe in termes in the Romane lawes allowed by consent of all nations The e C. quid culpatur 23. qu. 1. Canons doe also confirme the same And if it were in others power great inconueniences would ensue It is a speciall marke of soueraintie to haue power of warre peace In Liuy these formes are very vsuall Praenestinis ex S.C. populi iussu bellū indictum est And againe ex auctoritate patrum populus Palaepolitanis bellum fieri iussit The wars of the Romans against the a Liu. 21.31.41 Carthaginians Philip Antiochus Perseus and others were not enterprised but by auctoritie of the people which in that state had soueraigne commandement in those times Him that beganne any braules or made peace with forreine nations of his owne priuate head b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 12. delegib Plato in his common wealth adiudgeth worthie of death And therefore did Hanno giue counsell to the Carthaginians that they should deliuer vp Annibal to the Romanes for that he had begunne the warres against them without publike authoritie Those that offended in this case by the c ff Ad L. Iul. maiest L. vnic C. vt armorum vsus lawes of the Romanes were in case of treason Marcellus vpon that ground building his reasons would haue perswaded the Senate to deliuer d Caes de bel ciu 1. Caesar to the Gaules And so scrupulous haue some men beene in this Realme in stirring without commission that they doubted whether without commaundement they might leuy forces to represse rebels This percase might seeme too scrupulous but they thought it better to be too slowe then too forward For they e Hostes sunt quibus publicè bellū indicitur reliqui sunt latrunculi praedones L. hostes ff de captiu are onely to be accompted publike enemies in warre who by those that haue supreme auctoritie are declared enemies If any vpon priuate motion fall on spoyling they are but theeues and robbers sayth Vlpian And this saith f cont Faust Manich. Augustine is the order of nature best agreeing with the peace of states that the
recouered are to be restored to their olde masters All h ff eodem l. Postliminium captiues returning from the enemie recouer their auncient libertie and right i ff Eodem L. si captiuus §. expulsis Paulus the lawyer sayth that when a Territory is recouered from the enemie the landes returne to their proper owners and so the Romanes practised in the restoring of Verrugo Sutrium and diuers other Townes to the Latines Sabines Campanians and others hauing recouered them out of the enemies hands Yet lands lost by cowardise or trecherie of the owners and recouered againe without their helpe and charge are without this case vnlesse the Prince restore them of fauour Those that runne to the k Transsugae enemie and traytors were seldome receiued to mercie among the Romanes Armes and horses of seruice lost in warres by cowardise returne not to the owner These rules although by couenants and some circumstances they receiue alteration yet for the most part they are obserued which men of iudgement can easily discerne And therefore leauing of further to discourse of the causes let vs nowe discende to discourse what things are to be prouided before warres be opened that in our necessitie we be not to seeke for things needefull CHAP. II. That before we beginne the warres prouision is first to be made of treasure armes munition shippes cariages victuals and all necessarie furniture and instruments of warre THe sequell and effectes of warres being so dangerous and pernicious and the causes so many and so easily offered it behoueth al Princes and States to make sufficient prouision for warres and alwayes to be ready but especially then when the enemie is at hand and threatneth to inuade vs which is now the case of England He a ostendite bellū pacem habebitis videant vos paratos ad vim ius ipsi remittent Liui. 6. that desireth peace must be armed for the warres and prepared and those obteine their right soonest that are prouided to winne it with force as said a certaine captaine of the Latines The b Diu apparandū est bellū utvincas celeriùs Publius prouision of things necessarie is to be made long before if thou meanest to obteine the victorie quickly Vegetius c Antequam inchoetur bellum de copiis expensisque solicitus fiat tractatus Veget. lib. 3. c. 3. exhorteth those that purpose to beginne warres carefully to weigh and consider their store and charges When we are in action and stand in neede of such things it will be then too late to wish to stirre to send Warres succeede not where such loose counsels goe before The things that are especially to be prouided before the leuie of men are these first mony then armes horses cariages shippes all munitions and furniture of warre thirdly victuals and clothes lastly the helpe of confederates and friends With money braue captaiues and souldiers are allured to serue and mainteined and payed in seruice all necessarie furniture of warre is bought victuals and clothes prouided intelligences with the enemie dressed and mainteined many cōmodities procured which otherwise cannot be had so that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demost wise men doubt not to call treasure the sinewes of warre without which they neither proceede nor mooue vnlesse it be backward Tit. e Liui. 35. Quintius merily noted Philopoemens want of money when he compared his army to a body that had strong armes legs but no belly much like vnto Philopoemen himselfe that was so made for as the armes legs outward partes receiue nourishment from the belly pine away if the belly be euil affected discrasied so an f Immensa pecunia inter ciuiles discordias ferro validior Tacit. 18 army that is not mainteined with mony is easily broken dissolued of it selfe Contrariwise as Archidamus the Spartan king said a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. store doth as much oft times sustaine the warres as force Pericles persuading the Athenians not to yeelde to the Lacedemonians whose army could not long keep the field or continue together for want of mony sheweth thē that the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 2. victory is furthered in warres more by coūsel and store of mony then violent inuasion Archidamus further saith that c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 1. warres are as wel administred by cost expense as by armes and that armes by expenses are made more availeable The Lacedemonians in the Peloponnesian warre increasing the pay of their marriners a small trifle a day drewe from the Athenians their best men What the Spanish duckats French crowns haue wrought of late times both Dutch French Italian English giue testimony Philip of Macedonia cōsulting with the Oracle by what means he might soonest onercome a certaine towne in most mens opinions impregnable receiued this answere If he fought with d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siluer lances Tacius the e Liu. 1. Captaine of the Sabins for gold bought the Capitoll of Rome f Liu. 25. Asdrubal with mony corrupted the Celtiberians made them shamefully abandon the Romane army which first had hired them and afterward was ruinated by them With a litle money the g Phil. Commi English army was persuaded by Lewis the eleuenth to returne backe into England to our great disgrace Money saith h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olynth 1. Demosthenes must be prouided and without it nothing can be atchiued in warres in order The Spartans that vsed no money a long time were at length taught that warre could not be managed without mony the manifold effects whereof our owne experience teacheth vs both at home and abroad for want whereof many disorders haue fallen among our forces which haue endured much through the enemies abundance Yet do I not yeeld so much to treasure as if treasure could doe all things We read that the naked i Iustin Scythian ouercame Cyrus and Darius notwithstanding all their riches and the poore Greekes in the k Xenoph. exp Cyr. expedition of Cyrus preuailed against the rich Persians The army of l Arr. Alexand. Alexander well fenced with yron ouercame the huge Persian army that was so rich in gold and siluer and likewise the m Liu. 9. 43. Romans armed with yron steele vanquished the armies of the Samnites and of Antiochus that glistered in gold and siluer Neither could the Carthaginian or Macedonian kings that farre surpassed the Romanes in wealth match them with force The rich man is commonly a spoyle to the well armed souldier and Caesars poore famished troupes did driue the gallants of Pompey out of the field The poore army of the English at the field of Poytiers ouercame the braue caualiers of France and a few poore naked a Philip. Com. Switzers ouerthrew Charles Duke of Burgundy notwithstanding his riches and greatnes They confessed that all their wealth would not buy the spurres
To assure vs therefore of our associates the safest way is to stand vpon our owne strength and to trust more to our selues then to them the next is by hostages such as are well accompted of another means is by gages of towns King b Froissart Edward the third by seasing of Cherburg for pawne assured himselfe of the king of Nauarres loyall dealing The like course is taken in assuring the contract made betweene vs and the lowe countreys I would we were in like sort assured of the townes we hold there as he was The reasons we haue to feare are diuers but these in shew open that the townâ—â— men of Vlishing and Briel and the rest being armed and in number passing our â—arrison and giuing them victuals and munitions from hand to mouth may force the same eyther to yeelde or deâ—â—rs â—t pleasure That they haue not yet attempted it the feare of the Spaniard 〈◊〉 cause If that scruple were remoued I feare what will fullâ—â—â— without extraordinary diligence and better order and more force but to assure our selues of our associates there is no beâ—â—â—â— course then to doe them iustice The same c Amici officio fide partuntur Salust bel Iug. both procureth friendes â—â—inreineth them in deuotion For who will adhere 〈◊〉 them which wrong them and oppress them d Thucid. 1. Cic. offic lib. 1. Pausanias and 〈◊〉 by ruling their associates with rigour and extremitie caused them to â—â—e part the Lacedemonian armie discontent The like effect did the couetousnesse of the Athenians that respected onely their owne profite worke in their partisans in the Peleponesian warre They must also be defended against their enemies if we looke to haue their helpe against our enemies This reason moued a Caes bel gal 7. Caesar to hazard himselfe in the succouring of the Boians at Gergouia and Iosua to come in ayde to the Gibeonites although fraudulently they had caused him to enter into league with them The Romanes not sending ayde to the Sagâ—ntines besieged by Annibal in time lost not onely them but the fauour of all Spaine And vainely did wee looke for the helpe of Portugall being not prouided to defend the Countrey against the Spaniard To stand b Haec ratio nec amicos parit nec inimicos tollit Liu. aloofe when our neighbours require ayde is a course neither to helpe our friendes nor hurt our enemies Besides the same is most dishonorable for who doeth not despise those in whome they see no helpe yea and vnprofitable for the enemie is thereby strengthened and wee weakened Of the conditions and contractes of association I shall haue occasion to speake in the treatise of peace For the endes of warres are not onely the beginning of peace but also of associations and friendships for the most part Thus much onely may serue in this place that some are onely offensiue some offensiue some with equall conditions on both sides some with respect to one side and as great diuersities there are as of diuers states and conditions of things Anniball and Philip of Macedonia ioyned in league vpon these conditions that c Liui. 23. Philip should waste the coast of Italy with his Naâ—iâ—â— and make warre vpon the Romanes by sea and land vntill such 〈◊〉 â—s they had brought Italy in subiection which should then belong to the Carthaginians that the warres being there ended Annibal 〈◊〉 passe ouer with his army into Greece and helpe him to subdue that Countrey and the Lands adioyning which shoulde reâ—◠〈◊〉 â—o Philip. They of d Locrensibus iussu Annibalis data pax Societas eo iure stabat vt Poenus Locrensem Poenum Locrensis pace ac bello iâ—â—â—ret Liu. 24. Locres conditioned with Annibal that 〈…〉 helpe other both in warre and peace Many speciall mâ—â—erâ—â— knowe 〈…〉 and comprised in articles conâ—â—med on both â—â—des by 〈…〉 and sometime by othe And therefore whatsoeuer articles are agreed vpon they are diligently and loyally to 〈◊〉 â—erformeâ— It is a sure course to winne vs credite among our neighbours and to linke them in â—â—â—ine good wiâ—â— toward vs. CHAP. IIII. Part 1. Of the Generall and the partes and qualities required in him HItherto wee haue spoken of such preparatiues as are to bee made oft times in time of peace but alwayes before the warres nowe we are to speake of that which is the beginning and first care or at least act of warres I meane the musters and choise of captaines and souldiers This among the Romanes belonged to the Generals which vpon the first a Prima belli cura agere delectus reuocare veteranos Tacit. 18. mouing of warres called all the people according to the tribes or diuisions into a place appointed out of them to take such numbers and such men as were most fitting And most reasonable it is that the Generall that should leade men should haue the ouersight and chiefe if not onely direction in the choise of them For who can better make choise of instruments then such artificers as vse them in their workes When the Generals theÌ„selues were otherwise busied yet did b Coss dum ipsi quaestionibus impedicbantur T. Maenium delectui habeÌ„do praefecerunt Liu. 39. they commit the matter to men of great authoritie and wisdome Caesar c Caesar per legatos M. Silanum C. Antistium C Sextium delectum habere instituit Caes com bel gal 6 employed therein his counsell of warres which also in his absence were his lieutenants First therefore wee are to speake of the Generall then of inferiour commaunders and thirdly of common souldiers In the discourse concerning the Generall wee are to consider first what qualities and partes and sufficent Generall ought to haue secondly what instructions or councell he is to vse and lastly with what commission and power he ought to be furnished wichall The principall care that a Prince or State that entreth into warres is to haue is that there be choyse made of a sufficient Generall I knowe that the place is for the most part graunted eyther for respect of Nobilitie or kinred or fauour The Kings of this land in time past employed their children and vncles which notwithstanding prooued not the worst Richard the 2. d Froissart in the warres against the Nobilitie made the Duke of Ireland a fauourit of his Generall but he was not followed The French kings may impute most part of their had successe in their warres to the insufficieÌ„cie of their Generals In the warres of Naples Charles the 8. named a Montpensier fâ—tto luego tonenge delre piu stimato per la grandozza sua per esser del sangue reale che per proprio valore Guicciard lib. 1. Montpensier his lieutenant in respect of nobilitie rather then sufficiencie Lewis the 12. in his warres of b Guicciar hist Lombardy made Chaumont his minion Generall of his forces But nothing did more hasten the ouerthrowe of the French causes there
ought to take heede of the enemies trappes to knowe howe to marche or e Imperatorij muneris est castris locum capere coÌ„meatus expedire ab insidijs praecanere tempus pugnae eligere aciem instruere subsidijs firmare Liu. 9. lodge safely howe to fight with aduantage where to employe horsemen where shotte where other sortes of weapons and to vnderstand the aduantages of all sortes of groundes he hought to vnderstand the times when to fight and advantages of weather and Sunne he ought not to be ignorant of any stratageme of warre nor of treaties and conditions of truce or peace least as our auncesters in time past did he loose by sleight that which before he had wonne by force finally in defending or besieging of Townes in assaultes escaladaes drawing of trenches mines making of batteries forcing or defending of passages of riuers or straytes he may not be ignorant of any point of warre proposing to him selfe the example of Iulius Caesar a man in all faites of armes most skifull Whose iudgement was such that a Hirt. de bel African sitting still in his Tent in his campe at Ruspina hee knewe what the enemie would doe or could doe and prescribed what was to be done against him And deigned not to looke out when Scipio made shewe to assault his campe This knowledge bringeth with it consideration and foresight Both which ought to bee in the General that least hee want things necessarie this least he runne into the snares layd for him by the enemie Of Aemilus b Aemilius dies noctesque intentus ea sola quae adid bellum pertinerent animo agitabat Liu. 4.4 Paulus it is reported that being chosen General for the warres in Macedonia his minde was wholy bent on that seruice so that he gaue himselfe no rest neither night nor day Captaines in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodor. Si cal warres must looke both forward and backward and euery way whence any danger or aduantage is toward For in warres d Non licetin bello bis peccare euery error in mortall Many doe more matters by sleight then by force Charles the fifth e Froissart of France did more represse the force of the English nation by practice then by force The Lacedemonians when their leaders preuailed f Plutarch gainst their enemies by counsell and stratagemes sacrificed an oxe when by open force a cocke onley The next vertue required in a Generall is g Virtutes imperatoris praecipuae labor in negotiis fortitudo in periculis industria in agendo celeritas in conficiendo consilium in prouidendo Cic. pro leg Manil. courage and speede to execute that which is wisely determined For vented counsels and vented wine doe foorthwith loose all good tasle And cowardly captaines discourage valiant men that suppose the danger to be as great as their leaders take it h Caes bel ciu 1. Domitius had no sooner determined with himselfe to flie away from Corfinium but the souldiers lost courage The cowardise of Crassus the i Appain bel Parth. rich gaue occasion to the great ouerthrowe which the Romanes had giuen them by the Parthians The faint heart of Titurius Sabinus charged by k Cas bel gal 5. Ambiorix made his souldiers faint Contrariwise resolute men giue courage to their souldiers and restore battels almost lost Caesars couragious heart occasioned the victorie against Pompeyes sonnes at Munda King Richard the third had almost hazarded the matter at the iourney of Bosworth if hee had but had three hundred men like him selfe the field had beene his But because his cause was not good it pleased not God to giue him the meanes l Iugurtha praelio strenuus erat bonus coÌ„silio quod difficile est nam alterum ex prouidentia tâ—morem altâ—rum ex audacia plerumque temeritatem efficit Salust bel Iuguâ— Iugurtha is by Salust commended both for prowesse and counsell Nothing doeth more auaile in warres then the example of the General He is a cowardly companion that dareth not to doe as he seeth his Generall doe Valerius Coruinus vsed no other incouragement to his souldiers then this that they should a Facta mea non dicta sequi volo nec disciplinam sed exemplum à me petere Liu. 7. imitate not his wordes but his deedes and do as they sawe him to giue them an example Not that the Generall ought lightly to hazard his person for that were great temeritie or vexe himselfe with labour for that were vaine but that hee ought to shewe himselfe alwayes couragious in dangers and forwarde in labours No lawes nor precepts can doe herein more then the Generals example The Romanes folowed b Lucan Cato through the drye and hotte sandes of Barbary and shame made Xenophons souldiers march vp the hill seeing him goe before them Neither hath any thing more animated the French Kings souldiers of late then the example of so valiant a Prince leading them They that haue skill and resolution in matters of warre cannot chuse if God be pleased but haue good successe and authoritie For what man wisely laying his plot and resolutely executing the same can fayle of his expectation or want an honourable reputation both with his owne men and with the enemie c Foelicitas rerum gestarum exercitus beneuolentiaÌ„ imperatoribus res aduersae odium conciliant Caes de bel ciu lib. 7. And therefore what neede precepts of these matters which is deede are rather in the power of others then of our selues and followe of those vertues which before I haue spoken of There are also other vertues required in a Generall which although they be not so necessarie as the former yet for the execution of matters are very requisite and profitable as namely iustice liberalitie courtesie clemencie temperance and loyaltie Iustice is an ornament both in warre and peace well beseeming all Gouernours but especially the Gouernours of armies It is profitable to reteine the good willes of our associates necessary for the winning of the good will of our owne souldiers The same hath vse as well in respect of enemies as friendes The Faliscians besieged by Camillus moued rather with the opinion of his iustice that sent backe vnto them the Schoolemaster that deliuered into his handes the youth of the Citie then by force yeelded their Citie vnto him Pyrrhus did neuer offer to treate of peace before the Romanes had sent him backe that traytour that offered for a certaine summe of money to empoyson him d Iustè non minus quà m fortiter bella gerimus Liu. lib. 5. Warres are to bee gouerned not by crueltie but by iustice When a Cic. offic 1. Pausanias in the Peloponnesian warre dealt rigorously with his associats they al forsooke him Which also happened to the Athenians in the same warre for like cause And who doth not hate the Spaniard that seldome suffereth men of qualitie that come in his power
the occasions offered vpon present viewe and varietie of times or things For neither can he doe seruice vpon the enemie that wanteth either conuenient force or meanes nor may he or dare he take the aduantage of time and other circumstances that is brideled and bound by his instructions The Romanes although most expert in deedes of armes whose Senate consisted for the most part of such as in their time had bene commanders and altogether of men exercised in armes yet did not at any time prescribe their Generals what to doe and what they should not doe much lesse howe they should doe or when they should doe it Much more absurd therefore it is that men that neuer sawe enemie nor know the traine of warres should take vpon them to direct Generals what they should doe at land or sea and very strange it seemeth to me that Generals to whome armies are committed should like schooleboyes take forth such lessons as these ignorant pedants and scriuanoes should prescribe Warres are not made by indenture neither can any couenant with his enemie to doe this or not to doe it Nor can any man conceiue what is best to be done but such as are present And therefore the ordinary limitations of some commissions doe nothing els but binde the hands of our captaines that they shall not vse opportunitie or percase further and helpe the enemie Herein therefore it is good to imitate olde warriers at least to come so neere them as difference of times will permit The Romane captaines had authoritie most large and meanes sufficient Their forces were great their furniture and prouision plentifull least they should exact any thing of their associats they were furnished with all things a Liu. 25.26 necessary euen to their b Magistratus mulis tabernaculisque omni alio instrumento militari ornabantur ne quid tale imperarent sociis Liu. 42. 44. mules tentes and carriages That which was wanting or might more easily be had otherwhere they had authority to supply All which consisted was giuen them in one word Now captains haue many words in their commission litle scope or authority Vnder this one word imperium they coÌ„prised al authority necessary for the gouernement of the warres By the same they had power to leuy men to leade them to employ them as appeareth by the c Demus imperium Caesari sine quo exercitus haberi res militaris administrari non potest Cic. Philip Decreui imperium exercitum habenti Quid est enim sine imperio exercitus Cic. Philip. commission giuen to Octauius Caesar that afterward was called Augustus In the Prouince where they made warres they might beside the number they brought with them leuy other souldiers impose vpon the people necessary charges for the defence of the coutry Caesar d Prouinciae quaÌ„ maximum potest militum numeruÌ„ imperat Caes bel â—al 8. to resist the attempts of the Heluetians which threatned to passe through the Prouince of France subiect to the Romanes leuied as many men as he could in his gouernement Fuluius vnderstanding that the a Fuluius quia armare inuentutem Celliberos andiret ipse quanta poterat a sociis auxilia coÌ„traxerat Liu. 40. Celtiberians gathered newe forces he also in his gouernement procured what helpe hee could of his subiectes and associates From their associates and subiects in their gouernment they had power to take victuals carriages shippes and necessarie furniture of warre as is euident in the warres that Scipio made in Spaine and Afrike Caesar in France Sylla and Pompey in Asia and other Countreys They had also power to doe iustice as well to their associates and subiects as to their owue souldiers otherwise they could neither haue encountred with trechery of men euill affected nor defended their fauourers and friendes The defence of the Prouince and their b M. Messala L. Pisone Coss Senatus censuit vti quicunque Galliam prouinciam obtineret quod commodo reip facere posset Aeduos ecterósque amicos populi Rom. defenderet Caes bel gal 1. friendes both against seditious mutins and foreine inuasion was likewise committed vnto them and per consequent power giuen them to leuy power and vse all meanes for the maintenance of their associats and for the gouernment and execution of warres without which they could not be defended Good it had bene for our Generals likewise in the Lowe countreys and other where that their authoritie had bene also enlarged For while they had neither victuals nor lodging nor shippes nor cariages nor artillery nor munition nor other furniture of warre but at the pleasure of the States some whereof were too respectiue of their owne profite nor could execute any man of those Countreys for treason without their consent it is no maruaile if their proceedings were slowe their executions slender their wantes great Further the Romanes gaue their Generals power both to make warres by sea and land Do doubt they had also sufficient meanes without which all power is frustratory Our Captains in the Low countreys as they haue bene weake by land so they depended on others pleasures for matters at sea In later times also the same course hath bene taken When c Corbuloni reges praefecti praetores parere iussi potestas data qualis Pompelo bello Pyratico Tacit. annal 15. Corbulo was sent by Nero against the Parthians hee had power equall to that which Pompey had graunted vnto him in the warres against the Pirats Kings Gouernours of Prouinces and the Officers of the Romanes were enioyned to obey him It is the vse of all Nations both to furnish their Generals and to authorize them sufficiently What authoritie Annibal had it is partly euident by his actions for it is not to be presumed that he did matters without authority and partly by the wordes of Fabius perswading the Romanes to chuse a captaine equall to Annibal a leader sayth hee of great authoritie by reason of his continuance and not restrained by any limitation of times or lawes so but that he might doe all things according as opportunites of warre should require Herein Demosthenes a Olynth 1. declareth what great aduantage Philip king of Macedonia had aboue the captaines of the Athenians for he was not limited by any Superiors commandement nor restrained by termes or time as were they Which thing sayth he is very effectuall for dispatch of matters Those captaines sayth b Duces summi liberi impedimeÌ„tis omnibus dominique rerum teÌ„porumque trahunt consilijs cuncta Liu. 9. Liuy that haue absolute authoritie and are free from impediments and haue power ouer things and times doe worke great effectes with their counsels Whosoeuer therefore for enuy or feare or other cause goeth about to perswade Princes to pare their Generals authoritie and to binde them with strait conditions hath an euill minde himselfe and as much 〈◊〉 in him lyeth ruinateth the affaires of his Prince For what seruice can
better for the Captaines for they should not be so condemned as they are of the countrey nor of their souldiers and some very wrongfully and who would for so small gaine incurre the losse of his honour or reputation but thus they shall neither liue themselues nor be able to rewarde their souldiers As if I wished them not larger pay and w ih honester conditions And as if they did vse to reward their men or that belonged to them it is the General that should do it vpon their report not they When a Citati milites nominatim stipendium ad nomen singulis persolutum Liu. 28. Scipio paide his souldiers in Spaine euery man receiued himselfe his due paye man by man Which was the continual practise of the b Stipendium praesens omnibus militibus dabatur Liu. 23. Romanes That I likewise confirmed by the example of Porsena the captaine of the Hetruscians who stoode by c Liu. 2. while euery man receiued his stipend Guicciardin disputing and weying the causes why the Frenchmen in the expedition of Charles the 8. into the kingdome of Naples so easily preuailed alleageth this for principall that the Kings souldiers were payed by the kings Officers and not as the Italian vse was by the Captaines For which cause now at length also the Spaniard weary of this abuse appointeth certaine Officers to pay euery souldier according to the a They call them Pagadores moster roll and diuers controllers of these paymasters This I thinke to be the best meanes to remedy the want of pay the fraude of Officers the disorders of souldiers and coruption of false mosters whereby many Princes haue bene greatly abused are like to be further if order be not taken Before Pauy the b Guicciar li. 15 French king Francis had not halfe the number of souldiers that were vpon his moster bookes which was the principall cause of the ruine of the army and of the taking of the king as Guicciardin affirmeth The same was the ruine of the army of Iulio the 2. before c Guicciar lib. 9. Gemuolo and causeth many to presume further then reason thinking their strength greater diuers to detest warres the disorders are so great This I thought necessary to speake concerning pay more perhaps then some will like But the commiseration I haue of poore souldiers and detestation I had of disorders that haue happened vpon this cause in the seruice where I haue bene and feare of worse haue extorted these complaints from me yet not to hurt any particular God is my witnes but generally to do my countrey good if I could to admonish those whom it concerneth to looke better vnto it hereafter CHAP. IIII. Part. 10. Wherein is declared that there is no hope of good successe in warres without a full army and force sufficient THose that know with what difficultie miserie Officers are wont to pay 4. or 5. M. men haue good cause to thinke it a matter very difficult to mainteine 30. or 40. M. and many percase will wonder what I meane to perswade the leuy of a full army seeing the vnwillingnes and vnreadines of this age in sending forth and furnishing any small number of men But notwithstanding the imagination of the first or wonderment of the second both the lawes and practise of armes doeth teach vs that to obteine victorie and to subdue our enemies a iust and full army must be employed and that small numbers of men doe rather feede the warres then end them rather anger the enemy then hurt him The Lacedemonians before the Peloponnensian warre consulting with the oracle by what meanes they might best preuaile against their enemies receiued this answere that the meanes to ouercome was to vse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. their full strength For if an army be a perfect body as the Athenian captaine Iphicrates was wont to say it must haue the iust proportion of partes and iust complement or els it will be monstrous and not able to doe the actions exspected of such a body The Romanes therefore as in other things so in this excelled that they neuer dealt with any enemie but with a full army If the power of the enemie were great they employed a Consulare army consisting of 4. legions of citizens beside the aide of their associates if lesse they vsed but two legions with the ayde of their friendes The greatest force that they vsually employed were two Consular armies ioyned together The number was diuers as the legions were greater or lesser full or imperfect but their greatest force amounted not past to 50. thousand their middle to 24. thousand their least to 12 or 15. thousand or thereaboutes Lesse number I doe not reade that they vsed in any seruice and therefore proceeding with sufficient force I maruell not if their successe were according It is the vse of all nations neither the French in their expeditious into Italy nor the Spaniard into France or Italy vseth to send lesse then a iust army The Duke of Alua beside 12. or 13. M. Almaines and those of the Low countries brought with him 9000. Spaniards and Italians when first he came into that countrey It is no good nor profitable course to send 4. or 5. thousand against what soeuer enemie If to famish they are too many if to fight too fewe Double that number is neither able to keepe the field nor to besiege any citie nor almost able to doe any enterprise of warre vnlesse it be to defend some place for some fewe dayes in the end to giue it ouer being in despaire of succour Our proceedings in France Flanders if mother reason wil pes wade vs may teach vs that this number is too little the effectes doe declare my speach to be true The b Thucid. 1. Lacedaemonians so long as they sent small numbers of men against the Athenians could doe no good against them but did hurt to themselues Small force doeth rather nourish and kindle the warres then extinguish them euen as a fewe drops sprinckled on the fixe doeth make the same to burne more bright and as much water powred on the fire doeth quench the same so a sufficient army maketh an end of brawles or at least bringeth them to triall Nay further a sufficient force doeth not only worke greater effect but also is lesse chargeable then warres made by these slender supplies It may percase seem a paradoxe to some but reason experience doth proue it true These warres of our times they haue no ende but where a sufficient armie goeth there is an end eyther one way or other There is no end of charge in lingring warres in these if the armie preuaile the victorie mainteineth the same if it be ouercome then is there an end of that armie and charge The burthen is onely in the setting of the same out and mainteyning of it in the meane while But will some say the hazard were great Let
olde guise of the Romanes exercised his souldiers at all idle times albeit many of them were expert in warres Much more therefore ought we to exercise our young souldiers and that first in fat̄tes of actiuities as running leaping throwing wrastling secondly in the vse of their weapon that both singly by themselues euery man also in company thirdly in marching and keeping of rankes and other exercises of warre By these exercises the souldiers obteine three commidities the body is first made actiue and strong and fit for labour souldiers also learne to march in their armes to carry some weight to run to work in trenches and other necessary fortification without which neither can the souldier rest safely in his campe nor so easily preuaile against the enemie in the fielde Caesar did no lesse preuaile against the Gaules with the mattocke and spade then with the sword In a short time he made huge trenches and mountes such as the a Cae. bel gal 2. enemie wondred at Now because we haue forgotten the true practise of warre our souldiers refuse to worke and Princes vse the helpe of pioners insomuch that hardly we see that brought to passe in a moneth which Caesar could effect in fewe houres The Romanes from their youth exercised their bodies in running leaping wrastling swimming Coruinus the Romane captaine in his youth in these exercises was b In ludo militari cum velocitatis viriū certamen esset ceteris par Liu. 7. equall to the best By this c Ferebant dimidiati mensis cibaria vallum Cic Tuscul qu. 2. exercise they were made able to carry beside their armes halfe a moneths victuals and certaine stakes Secondly euery souldier is made acquainted and cunning with the weapon wherewith he serueth The shot learneth to charge and discharge redily and at marke The piquier how to vse his pike both against footemen and borsemen the halbardier vnderstandeth the vse of his halberd both to defend to strike his enemie the targetter how to manage his sword and target and euery one learneth the vse of sword and dagger for that they are common weapons Without skill men oft times wearie themselues breake their weapons hurt not their enemie The d Discebant Romani tractarescutum obliquis ictibus venientia tela deflectere Veget. l. 1. c. 4 Romane youthes learned first to vse the target or shield and sword for that was their most cōmon armes and howe with slent blowes to breake the force of their enemies weapons or dartes Afterward they practised the vse of all other sortes of weapons And as absurd it is for a souldier to take on him that name not knowing the vse of his armes as for an ignorant person to call himselfe an artificer and yet not to know the vse of the tooles of his occupation Lastly by learning vnderstanding the arrayes iust distances of horsemen footemen the standings of all sortes of weapons and the differences in marching fighting retiring according to diuers sortes of groundes how to march to the assalt or defence of a Towne or place which may be shewed them by those that are good leaders Souldiers may learne howe to place themselues vpon an instant and not as I haue seene done runne away or runne vp downe like men amazed they may also vnderstand how to cake aduantage of the enemie howe to rally themselues being disordered and in what place euery kind of weapon is to be sorted employed with most aduantage In summe array order may both better be kept more easily repayred without which a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist polit armes haue no vse And as well can an armie march or fight being out of array as a body doe the functions of the body hauing the partes out of frame There is certainely nothing b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. oeconomic more beautifull in the eyes of friendes then an armie set in order neither is any thing more fearefull to the enemie But this cannot be done without instruction and exercise of which I hope our gouernours will haue more care hereafter But may some say what neede so many wordes in these matters especially if we consider both the charge labour that hath bin spent in trayning of souldiers within our Realme of late time men able as some thinke to encounter the most florshing armie in Christendome against whom I haue no purpose to speake Nay I wish with al my heart they were so strong and ready as is imagined Onely I thought good to shewe first the defectes in our trayning which I would wish were supplied and our men better instructed and next howe little trust there is to be put in trayned men that neuer sawe enemie vnlesse there be many olde souldiers mingled among them In trayning of souldiers therefore in places where I haue bin these wants I haue obserued First the souldiers are not alwayes best chosen secondly their bodies are not exercised as they should be thirdly they are not taught the vse of their seuerall weapons Fewe teach souldiers the right vse of the piece and none the vse of the pike halberd and sworde and target Fourthly the men are rather wearied in marching vp and downe and wheeling in ringes and filing of rankes which are to no vse in fighting then instructed howe to take their places in marching in fighting assalting retiring or other deede of armes Fifthly there is seldome or neuer sufficient companie brought together so that men may conceiue the reasons of the places of euery sort of weapons horsemen are seldome seene in traynings of souldiers So that hardly can any conceiue howe things should stand by any thing that is shewed Lastly such for the most part vpon some cōmendation of some great mans letters are employed in teaching our souldiers as either neuer went to the schoole of armes or know very little themselues So that I see no other effect of training men then expense of time powder And for mine owne part I wish rather to haue men neuer exercised then in this sort trayned But were they better trained then they are yet are we not to put too great trust in them The Venetians making reckoning of the trayned men of their state which are such like as ours are were abused saith a Guicciar lib. 8. Guicciardin and ouerthrowen And b Confidauano Piu Chenon si doueua ne fanti d'ordonnanza del su◠dominio i Fiorentini Però non si prouedeuan di soldadi e sercitati Guicciar lib. 11. euill were the Florentines apaid trusting in their trayned souldiers The same being appointed to the garde of Prato a Towne of their dominion seeing but two Spaniards to mount vpō a litle breach threwe downe their weapons and ranne as fast as they might out of the Towne Generally there is no trust in yong souldiers A small c Pluris facienda est parua veteranorum manus quà m indocta
bellū foret Fabius per Soranum agrum Decius per Sidicinum legiones duxit Liu. 10. Samnites led foorth their armies diuers wayes whereby the enemy being made vncertain of their comming could not preuent them nor depriue them of prouision Finally it is not possible for an army to enter any countrey but the same shall finde some weary of the present gouernement and desirous of innouation which may bee induced to helpe to furnish it with necessary prouision Caesar in his warres against the Heluetians and Ariouistus had his prouision from the Heduans in his iourney into Belgium from those of Rheimes Arriuing here in Britaine he found both partisans and prouision sufficient Neither are the times nowe changed In all estates there are some malcontents and many desirous of alterations If desire of innouation worke nothing yet if our army haue good successe the same shall procure vs friendes and meanes After Annibals victory at Cannae most of the subiectes of the Romanes reuolted and tooke part with him When the Frenchmen inuaded the b Guicciar lib. ◠15. kingdome of Naples the countrey either folowed them or tooke against them as they had prosperous or bad successe And if that our successe in Portugalll had bene good there is no doubt but that all the country would haue reuolted from the Spaniardes The Generall aboue all things is to haue regarde that hee spend no time vainely Opportunitie to doe great matters seldome offereth it selfe the second time By all meanes the enemy is to be prouoked to fight while our army is strong and his souldiers yong and vnexercised Annibal had more paine at the first to bring the Romans to fight then to ouercome them If the enemy refuse to fight he is to be pursued into some towne or straite or else by besieging of some strong place driuen to come to succour the same All the countrey doth followe the successe of the chiefe citie yet forasmuch as it is not sufficient to take vnlesse we keepe the same there is no lesse care to bee taken in fortifying and furnishing a towne taken then in taking the same Unlesse wee meane to loose our prize as the c Guicciard French did Nouara in the dayes of Lewis the twelth for want of prouision and good order Those that haue followed this course haue done great matters as is euident by the examples of Caesar Scipio Annibal the rest eyther failed of victory or could not maintaine their conquest I will not specifie it by our expeditions into France Portugal Flanders For that might be odious Although those that are wise by that which we wanted may see what we ought to haue had and done But I will rather vse forraine examples The enterprise of a Guicciard Lautrecke in the kingdome of Naples was broken by niggardly expenses slender preparatiues slowe proceeding couetousnesse of officers disorder and want of care about victualles and other prouisions The like disorder in the times of Charles the eight of France made the French to loose the kingdome of Naples which but lately before they had wonne Some of the chiefe gouernours spent their time in pleasures others minded nothing but spoyle they furnished not their townes with victualles nor with souldiers they pursued not the enemy so but that they suffered him to gather strength againe Neither may we impute the losse of Normandy Gascoigne and Guienne to other causes then to disorders in warres want of succour and supply and too much credulitie in trusting the French and presumption in hoping for successe without meanes But may some say to what end tendeth al this discourse seing mē now a daies are so farre from inuading their enemies that some can be content to leaue their friends languishing for want of help which are ioyned neere vnto them both by bond of religion and couenant and what hope is there that such shall giue the charge on others seeing they suffer the fire so neere their owne doores true it is that gouernours haue not beene so forward as some would haue wished and percase as some thinke their honour and the profite of their state required yet haue not matters beene so carelesly neglected as is surmised But suppose they had yet I hope the same course will not alwayes be continued nor that the discipline of armes shall foreuer be neglected of commanders There are yet a number left of the posteritie of those that haue made the name of the English nation famous in France Flanders Spaine and other countries and many do now beginne to mislike and condemne former disorders If at anie time such men may be heard or folowed I doubt not but that this discourse may be put in practise and such aduertisements heard and accepted more gratefully To annoy our enemies and procure our own safetie there is no better course then to translate warres frō our own doores into the enemies countrie Whatsoeuer wil be performed I thought it myduety not to conceale that which I thought not onely profitable but necessary for my countries honour as God willing by many reasons I shall shew vnto you CHAP. V. Part. 2. Wherein is prooued that it is farre better for the English nation things standing as now they do to inuade the Spaniard or any other enemy in his owne country then to receiue their assault and invasion here at home or to stay vntill we do see the enemy on our owne coast MAny there are I doubt not of a contrary minde but especially those that enioy honour wealth and ease These commonly vesire peace and detest warres and against such enterprises alleadge these reasons they say wee haue neither towne nor port in Spaine to receiue vs that the way thither is long and vncertaine by reason of contrarietie of windes and that it will be hard to remedie anie disorder that shall fall out in our army by reason of the distance of the place they alleadge further that we haue no friendes nor confederates in the countrey and that it will be more difficult to subdue the Spaniard in his countrey then abroad for euery man doeth 3 Ante ora patrū ante alta moenia Troiae The Troians were most venturous Virg. fight most valiantly when his wife and children and his owne landes and goodes are in his sight Lastly they suppose that the number of the enemies will be such as that an armie shall bee wearied with killing them On the other side if wee attend the Spaniardes comming hither say they they shall haue all obese things to make against them and wee all things fauorable for vs men municious and victuals sufficient our wines children country in our sight safe places to retrait vnto As Anteus wrastling with Hercules so oft as he touched the earth receiued new strength after his fall so they that in their owne countrey do◠fall rise againe very easily A 5 Tit. Quintius vsed this similitude to dissuade the Achaeans frō forreine warres Liu.
snayle so long as hee keepeth himselfe within his shell is defensed when he putteth out his head he lyeth open to danger So they that in their owne countrey may liue safe by making enterprises abroad oft times receiue blowes and alwayes lie open to danger The 6 Thucid. Athenians were vtterly ouerthrowen in Sicile that before that were well able to defend them selues at home And diuers great armies of Germans and Gaules inuincible if they had bene in their owne countreys were ruinated attempting to inuade forreine countreys Which reasons howsoeuer they seeme plausible in the eares of those that in matters of warres proceede like snayles and care not for any disgrace or future danger so they may enioy present ease yet are built on false grounds and matters mistaken For if we might safely rest at home I thinke him not wise nor sober that would seeke trouble abroad But seeing we can not haue peace the Spaniard hauing begun warres and threatning the destruction of our state the question is whether is better for vs to stay vntill he come vpon vs or to begin with him and seeke him in his owne countrey I say this is best my reasons are these He that first chargeth his enemie hath many aduantages it is his great foly if hee be not well prouided of souldiers mariners armes shippes horses and all prouisions for the warres hee may make choyce where to charge the enemy and proceedeth simply if he doe not there beginne where hee findeth his enemy weakest and most vnprouided He may make likewise choyce of his times take opportunities 7 Con le preuentioni diuersioni si vincono le guerre Guicciar lib. 1. Victorie is obteined by preuention and by the same warres are oft times diuerted as Alphonsus king of Naples sayd but practiced not For if hee had not lingred matters and had met the enemie in the way he had not so easily bene driuen out of his state No man obteineth better conditions of peace then he that first striketh Contrariwise dangerous it is to let the enemie come vpon vs. as 8 Malum nascens facilè opprimitur Inuereratum fit plerunque robustius Cic. Philip. diseases so the attempts and proceedings of the enemy at the first are easily stopped and both in time are strengthened and confirmed And oft times of light beginnings as 9 Tacit. annal 4. Tacitus sayth great troubles arise If thou 10 Veterem feâ—eÌ„do iniuriam inuitas nouam Liu. suffer one iniurie thou doest but giue thy enemy courage to offer thee another The enemy doeth oft times trie our patience and seeing vs patiently to endure iniuries as 12 Liu. 1. Ancus Martius sayd doeth contemne vs. And to 13 Latinos quasinihil non concedentibus Romanis ferociores fecit Liu. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 1. yeelde in one thing doeth giue the enemy courage to aske more Nothing doeth procure more enemies then patience and 14 Liu. 6. contempt Warre is like a fire if it proceede it embraceth whatsoeuer is neere as the Campamans sayd If 15 Liu. 7. Alexander king of Epeirus comming in succour of the Lucanians had had good successe the Romanes should haue felt his force therefore did they vse at the first to preuent matters Vndestanding that Philip king of Macedonia made preparations to come ouer into Italy they tooke paynes to meete him in his owne Countrey Likewise did they preuent the attemptes of Antiochus Which course if they had taken when Annibal first besieged 16 Cunctati Saguntinis opem ferre de Italia dimicauimus sayd a certaine Romane Senator Saguntum they had deriued the warres into Spaine and escaped the storme which Annibals army brought into Italy Those that feare to assayle the enemy vpon 17 Cauete ne spe pacis perpetuam pacem amittatis Cic. Philip. 7. hope of peace loose oft times peace for euer Tully feared it seeing the Romanes proceede so coldly against Antony and the issue prooued it true The obiect on s that are made are of no moment for admit we neither haue Port nor towne nor friende in the Spanish Dominions yet armes and victory procure all these The coast can neuer be so well garded but that an army may alwayes haue accesse to some Port or landing place or other The Romanes landed diuers times in Afrike during the warres with Carthage and spoyled their townes and countrey nay Caesar landed his army in Epeirus when the enemy with an army prepared helde all the Port townes The Athenians made diuers descentes into Peloponesus notwithstanding the diligent garde that the enemy made Who seeth not then howe easy it is to sease a Port or to land in Spaine the countrey being almost without garde of souldiers if any man doubted before yet since the voyage into Portugal I thinke there is none will make question of that matter Neither did Scipio doubt for want of Portes or friendes to sayle into Afrike or the Persians into Greece or other to inuade his enemy For armes procure friendes and winne Portes so that had we no friends in Spaine yet what resoluce man would refuse to goe against such enemies much more therefore nowe seeing the Portugals are discontent with the Spanish gouernment and Spaine is so stored with men of foreine nations and diuers malcontents As for the distance it is nothing where there is no resistance by the way And what reason haue we to accompt Spaine farre when the Romanes doubted not to transport their armies not onely into Afrike and Spaine but also into Asia which is a farre longer cut If winde and weather serue in three dayes and three dightes the voyage may be perforified The difficulty of supplyes may easily be holpen with prouision made beforehand If the army goe into Spaine well stored there is no such haste of supply but that it may come in good time Why not into Spaine from England as well as from Rome into Spaine Afrike Asia yea and Britein But the Spaniards are valiant at home and will not giue ground fighting for their Countrey wiues and children As if the Romanes a more warrelike and valiant people did not giue ground to Annibals army in Italy and as if the Gaules were not vanquished in diuers battels by Caesar and the Spaniards in time past by the Carthaginians and Romanes and since that by the Gothes and Mores yea and by the Portugales also their neighbours And not onely our ancesters in the dayes of Edward the third and Richard the second but wee our selues also haue had triall of that enemie both in Galicia and Portugal Hee that 19 Maior spes est maiorque animus inferentis vim quám arcencis Liu. 21. commeth to inuade others fighteth with greater courage then those that are inuaded by the testimonie of Annibal and proofe of experience 20 Illis ignauis esselicet qui receptum habent vobis necesse est fortibus viris esse Liu. 21. They that haue
way But what neede examples of foreine nations seeing it hath bene the vse of our ancesters to seeke their enemies alwayes abroade in their owne countreys this course is most honorable most safe yea and that which is nowe most accompted of by some most profitable and least chargeable for vs also Nothing can be more honorable then to defend our religion lawes and countrey against those that seeke to oppresse vs no course more safe then so to hazard that the losse doe not endanger our state no way more profitable then by keeping the enemy farre off to mainteine the reuenues of the Crowne and euery mans priuate liuing and trade at home Wherefore refusing the pernicious counsell of those that babble of I knowe not what peace let the Spaniard rather feele the effects of warre in Spaine then bee suffered be to drawe his vnsatiable sword in England his malice is not lesse then it was But hither to God hath broken his purposes and crossed his designements But if he be suffered quietly to possesse Britein the longer wee differre our warres the more dangerous we shall finde them and our selues more vnable to resist Nowe that hee hath a strong party against him in France and that the Low countreys either stand against him or are weary of his gouernement and that Portugal is malcontent with his newe tyranny is the time to hurt him and preuaile against him If we suffer him to settle his owne affaires and this good opportunitie to passe I feare we shall often wish for the like and hardly finde it CHAP. V. Part. 3. Wherein certaine aduertisements are giuen to our souldiers that are sent in ayde of foreine nations THe best counsell that I can giue my countreymen is to assayle the enemy in his owne countrey but seeing that I cannot I feare perswade them to that is best and safest the next good that I can doe them is to admonish them that being sent in small numbers to succour our friendes oppugned by our common enemy they proceede not rashly First therefore wisedome requireth that they goe strong for that in foreine countreys they are no lesse to feare the practices of double hearted friends then the force of open enemies The Romanes when they sent ayde to their friendes neuer sent lesse then a full army sufficient to encounter the enemy In sending lesse either they should not haue pleasured their friends or els haue endangerd their owne men Besides this it would haue bene dishonor to the name of the Romanes if either they had not bene able to ouercome the enemy or willing to see their friendes long languish in feare or their souldiers ouermatched and not able to looke out into the fielde For this cause being required ayde of the Campanians against the Samnites of the Latins against the Volscians they sent their Consuls Generals forth with a mighty force not only to driue the enemie from the townes but also to fight with him in the fielde And taking vpon them the protection of the Sicilians against them of Carthage they sent thither sufficient strength both by sea and land Caesar going in ayde of the Heduans and other the confederates of the Romanes in France oppressed by the Heluetians Germans led with him a most braue army furnished with all things necessary Neither was it the vse of the Romanes only but of all nations that vnderstood the practise of armes yea and of ours also The Blacke Prince in the dayes of Edward the third going into Spaine in succour of Don Pedro de Castile led thither a most florishing army where with he ouerthrew the power of Spaine and restored the Ring to his seate Likewise the Duke of Lancaster in his expedition into Portugall did not rely vpon the ayde of that nation but caried with him a gallant army of English men And when Edward the fourth went into France to ayde the Duke of Burgundy be caried with him such a power as the heartes of the French trembled to see it and the king rather by money and rewardes then by force sought to cause them to returne If the Romanes had sent three or foure thousand in ayde of their friendes in Sicile or Greece or Asia and so supplyed them by litle and litle the opinion of their wisdome and forces would neuer haue growen so glorious Neither could the Prince of Parma of late times if he had gone into France with a small force haue deliuered his confederates from danger or els broken the purposes of his enemies in that sort hee hath If then wee will not followe the ancient rules of warre yet let vs not shewe lesse iudgement and value in our proceedings then our enemie Whosoeuer therefore meaneth to winne honor in succour of his friends abroad let him as much as he can endeuour to cary with him a sufficient force Small numbers are neither esteemed of enemies nor friends Into the field they dare not come for they are too fewe and too weake being penned vp in cities they famish If our friends be stronger then our ayde then are they commaunded by them If any of their leaders want gouernement our men that are put to all hard seruices pay the prise of their folly If any calamitie happen to their army our people first feele it They shift for them selues being in their owne countrey ours are slayne both of enemies and friendes and if victuals waxe scant they sterue first I neede not shewe this by other examples then by our proceedings in France and the Lowe countries But suppose that by our aide our friendes should be able to ouercome or make peace with the enemy yet are not our people more assured then before When the Protestants in the first ciuil warres by the meanes of our forces had obteined that they would or at least tollerable conditions of peace they ioyned with our enemies to besiege vs in Newhauen and sent vs away without reward or thankes The Spaniards that had restored a Guicciar li. 16. Maximilian Sforza to the Duchie of Millan the warres being ended for their reward had like to haue had their throates cut But they stood so much vpon their gard that the practise of Hierome Moron and the Marquis of Pescara could take no effect In ancient time howe often haue our people bene deluded by the Dukes of Britaine and Burgundy in whose aide they went to venture their liues and doe we thinke that the people of the Lowe countries if once they be deliuered from the feare of the Spaniard will not turne out our garrisons and vse vs in like sort they will be able to doe it and others haue done so before Why then should we thinke our selues priuiledged To assure our selues therefore of our friendes the onely meanes is to haue a force sufficient to master them and correct their disloyaltie The same is the only course to preuaile against our enemies to helpe our friendes and mainteine our selues If that may not be obteined I
For there is no defence nor fortification such but it may be passed where there is none to defend it and garde it Before our souldiers disarme and euery man goe to his lodging both gardes and sentinels would be placed and not as some vse afterward those that offend in either of these pointes doe for the most part receiue sharp penance The d Ardeates Camillo duce castra Gallorâ—m intuta neglectaque ab omni parte nacti inuadunt nusquam praelium vbique caedes Liu. 5. Ardeatians led by Camillus finding the campe of the Gaules that a litle before had sacked Rome without either watch or sufficient defence slew them downe right without any resistance Philip king of Macedonia lying before Apollonia without either watch or good garde was forced to raise his e Liu. 24. fiege and had diuers of his men slaine by a very few sallying out of the towne in the night The negligent watch and garde of Syphax gaue opportunitie to f Liu. 29. Scipio in the night to enter his campe and fire the same and to make a great slaughter of his men The like security in Nabis his campe gaue entrance to Philopoemen captaine of the Achaeans who fired the tentes and slew his men before they could make head or wel vnderstood their danger The g Liu. 41. Romanes that lay in campe in Istria without feare therefore neither kept good watch nor garde were suddenly surprised by certaine Gaules and driuen to runne for their liues The army of the Capuans resting in their lodgings quietly were slaine by the a Liu. 23. Romanes that inuaded them in the night and tooke them without trenche sentinel or corps de garde The like aduantage Curio vsing against the b Caes bel ciu 2. Numidians that lay dispersed without defence or watch fell vpon them in the night and slew them Neither is it now lesse dangerous then in time past Don Pedro el cruel king of Spaine was slaine with his company by his base brother c Froissate Henriques taking him in the night vnprouided and lying without watch or defence The same negligence was the ruine of the Protestants at Donzerre An. 1569. and of the Spaniards at Corbueil An. 1590. and hath occasioned and brought to passe many surprises which otherwise could neuer haue taken effect The d Guicciar lib. â— Marques of Mantoua and other gentlemen for want of good sentinels were taken by the Venetian stradiots at Scala where they went to refresh them selues It is an easy marter to shewe this also by our owne harmes but that I would we should rather reforme our disorders by calamities of others then shame to heare our selues reprooued and therefore defend them The e What is required in assuring our lodging meanes to assure our selues and to deterre our enemies from these enterprises are these first good banks trenches barriquades palissadaes and such like defences secondly strong gardes wel placed thirdly good sentinels in conuenient distances within the ring of the campe good scoutes on horsebacke foote without fourthly good orders of the campe that no stranger nor person vnknowen lurke in any lodging or other place to discouer our secrets nor that our company lodge disioyned farre asunder the prouision that is to be made is of tentes and all instruments that serue vs for such fortification Where the Captaine is carefull to see these things done and the souldiers willing to labour and take paynes to doe them it is not possible to hurt the army especially â—â—ere the same is strong and in good estate But if the enemy be very â—â—ong and our company weake for number or otherwise and no helpe can come vnto vs then if the enemy doe assault vs in our lodgings so violently that wee are not able long to defende them our last remedy is to drawe our men together towarde the issues of our lodging and so to sally out and to charge the enemy vpon the backe in all places where he maketh resistance The suddennes of this execution if it be done resolutely cannot but worke great effects Ser. a Subitò cruptione omnibus portis facta neque cognoscendi neque sui colligendi hostibus facultateÌ„ relinquunt Caes bel gal 3. Sulpitius being not able to defend his campe any longer against the multitude of the mountaine people that assaulted it sallied forth vpon a sudden at all the gates thereof and surprising his enemies on a sudden made a great carnage of them put the rest to flight The same course did Caesar put in practice at the siege of Alexia where not being able to defend his trenches and workes against the multitude of the enemies that in all partes assaulted him at length b Caes bel gal 7. gathering his men together fallied foorth vpon them not giuing them so much as any time to take breath much lesse to gather their forces together and slew infinite multitudes of them being euery where dispersed and seeking rather to enter in then to defend them selues without But this is not but in time of necessitie to be executed and when we haue no other meanes of defence otherwise it is good safe fighting behinde a banke or other defence Wherefore as at all times so especially in the nightes and carelesse times of others it behoueth the Generall to bee c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer carefull for his people With care watchfulnesse and labour great enterprises may be atchieued if want hurt vs not and without care and labour neither great nor litle can be done with commendation nor can any army either marche safely or rest safely CHAP. X. Wherein is shewed that as the assaylants being entred into the enemies countrey are to seeke that the matter may be tryed by battell in open fielde so the defendants without great aduantage are to auoyde the Generall tryall and by what meanes eche of them may effect their seuerall purposes HE that entreth the enemies countrey without purpose to fight and hazard let him henceforth keepe his head d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iâ—â—ad warme at home and interteine Ladies Such aduentures are for resolute and hardy men as courage doeth pricke such valiant men forward so their owne profit requireth and necessitie forceth them so soone as they can to come to triall The sooner the better it wil be for them at the first their men are strong their munitions and armes whole and good of victualles and all things necessary they haue sufficient if they haue not the greater is their error Further their men are couragious and full of stomacke and contrariwise the enemy is neither prouided sufficiently of souldiers nor furniture of warre especially if he looke not for it neither is he so resolute to fight And what courage can he haue seeing his countrey flaming round about him that this ought to be the purpose of such as inuade others not only the example of
d Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 9. Admiral at Moncontour would willinglie haue passed the day without fight but being neere the enemie hee could neither passe the riuer without disordering his armie nor retire without manifest danger of being vtterly broken and ruinated Philip of Macedonia albeit hee was encamped vpon the banke of the riuer Aous very strongly and had most high mountaines for his defence vpon his backe yet being charged suddenly from the vpper ground he was both driuen to fight against his will and foyled by Tit. Quintius Wherefore considering the losse and calamities that come of suffering the country to be burned and spoyled the hazard that to wnes besieged by the enemie without hope of succour stand in the discouragement of our people that see and enemie in the countrey whom they dare not encounter I hold it a rule most certaine that no countrey nor state can well be defended against a strong enemie any long time vnlesse the same either haue or can procure an armie to come into the field able to encounter him and not vnwilling also if the same may haue any good aduantage to fight with him And therefore all valiant men that loue their countrey are rather to endeuour to ouercome the enemie by force then dull him and wearie him by patience and delaies which bring with them contempt of those that want an edge and force That wee may fight with aduantage and proceed with reason let vs now examine and see what things are to be foreseene and considered before that the General do bring foorth his armie into the field to fight CHAP. XI Conteining speciall matters to be well considered before the Generall bring foorth his armie to fight with the enemie in open field MAnie things in warre are executed by force and strength of men but seldome doeth force preuaile much without counsell and direction Counsell in all deedes of armes chalengeth a principall place but especially in ioyning battell with the enemie To refuse good counsell therefore in this case is a brutish follie oftentimes seuerely punished The Constable of France peeuishly refusing the good counsell of Coucy that dissuaded him at that time to fight with the Turkes was the cause of the miserable slaughter of Christians at Nicopolis The Frenchmen detest in their histories the pride and insolencie of a certaine Duke of Bourbon who a Froissart being Generall in a certaine enterprise against the Saracens in Afrike ouerthrew the action by disdaining to heare any man speake and refusing all counsell but his owne A man wise inough to ruinate any enterprise Wise captains therefore as they will consider many things themselues so I trust they will not disdaine to vnderstand the experience and aduise of others Before a Generall doeth resolue to fight with the enemie with all his force hee is first diligently to vnderstand both the strength of the enemie and the numbers and strength of his owne men least presuming too much of his owne power or contemning the enemie he doe that which afterward hee may repent a Guicciandin Francis the first of France not knowing how much hee was abused by his moster rolles and supposing his strength to bee greater then it was accepted of the battell of Pauie where himselfe was taken and his armie discomfited b Caes bel ciu ◠Curio not knowing the great strength of the enemies horsemen did rashly leaue the aduantage of the ground and fight with him that in the plaines was to strong for him which was his ruine Cassius in the battell of Philippi not vnderstanding the victorie of Brutus his companion desperately slew himselfe and was the cause of the discouragement of his side and the victorie of the enemie If therefore he shall vnderstand that his enemie is too strong for him let him keepe his aduantage of ground and auoyd fight if his owne power be greater let him not delay it for it is no lesse dishonour to let slip an opportunitie then to aduenture rashly Yong souldiers are not rashly to be brought into the field against an armie exercised and beaten with long practise of warre The Romanes found this true by their owne practise in the warres with their c Veterani exercitus tobore rex Rom. vicit Liu. 1. neighbours and with Annibal Where their armie was well trained they preuailed their fresh souldiers could not endure the force of Annibals beaten men Caesars old souldiers were inuincible With the men that Philip of Macedonia had exercised in many warres Alexander ouerthrew the Persian empire For it is not d Veteres non tam numerosos exercitus habere voluerunt quà m eruditos Veget. l. 3. c. 1. number that preuaileth but experience and skill The e Philip. Comin gallants of Charles Duke of Burgundie bragged that they would doe and venture but when they sawe their enemie they forgot their wordes and ranne away in the encounter with Lewis the eleuenth at Mont le herie Therefore did Caesar wisely that carying ouer with him diuers yong souldiers into Afrike f Noluit conuulncrari exercitum tyronmen Hirt de bel Afric would not put them to the triall before he had made them better acquainted with warres Souldiers likewise when they are faint wearie hungry or thirstie fight but faintly And therefore as there is no trust in young souldiers so there is no strength in souldiers that are faint with labour or want of victuals Doe not therefore rashly encounter the enemie when they men are either wearied with long marching or watching or faint for want of meate or drinke The a Inde cibo corpora firmare iussi vt si longior esset pugna viribus sufficerent Liu. 27. Romanes before they entred the battell refreshed their men with victuals and rest that if the same continued long yet their strength might continue b Syllanus ante pugnam militem cibum capere iubet Liu. 28. Syllanus being readie to charge the enemie commaunded his souldiers to dine first The principall cause of the ouerthrow of the Romanes at Trebia was that Annibal brought foorth his men to fight fresh hauing well dined warmed themselues and rested where as the Romane c Liu. 21. Generall brought foorth his armie fasting and cold by reason they passed a riuer and wearie for that they stoode many howers in armes before the battell began Aemilius in the warres against Perseus in Macedonia albeit his souldiers desired to fight with the d Statuit Aemilius lassitudinem sitim sentientes milites integro hostinon obijcere Liu. 44.214 enemie so soone as they saw him yet considering that by their long march they were wearie thirstie and faint would not fight with the enemie that was fresh and lustie but deferred it to the next day Yea although aduantage be offered yet if our e Furius lassitudini militum timens occasionem rei praeclarè gerendae omisit Liu. 31. souldiers be faint and wearie it is more safe to
argoletiers are to take heede that they come not neere the lances of the enemy lest they make holes in their horses sides if no worse Where the enemy is in disorder there al sorts of horsemen may do seruice At Cerisoles after that the shot had made way in the enemies battell the French entred with their horse among them and ouerthrew them Pikes are the onely defence of footemen against horsemen if they be taken in plaine ground Yet doe I not thinke it good that there should be such numbers of pikes in our armies as is vsed For that vse excepted which I spake of I see no other great profite they haue For execution is seldome doone by pikes Sometime I grant pikes do charge other pikes but it is not the piquier that maketh the slaughter In woodes and shrubbie or brushie groundes these kinde of long weapons are vnprofitable and vnweldie The Germanes by the disaduantage of their long pikes d being taken in such ground were ouerthrowen by Germanicus and the Romane targettiers In straites likewise when souldiers come to lay handes and haue prize ech on other long pikes cannot a Longae hast 〈◊〉 in syluis inter virgulta non tam aptae quam pila haerentia corpori tegmina gladij Tacit. 2. not be a Nec minor Germanis animus sed genere pugnae armorum superabantur cum ingens multitudo arctis locis praelongas hastas non protenderet nō colligeret Tacit. annal 2. managed as the experience of the Romanes fighting against the Germanes and Macedonians armed with long weapons teacheth vs. Further the assailants in assaults of townes and forts haue small vse of them For there is no vse of horsemen there greatly against which pikes are good neither do the defendants greatly vse them saue in the breach Pikemen are too heauie armed to pursue others and without shot they cannot well garde themselues either against shot or targets At Muscleborough field a fewe shot opened the Scottish squadrons of pikes for those that folowing after inuested them And likewise did the French arquebuziers at Cerisoles deale with the lancequenets among whose battelles making lanes they gaue entrance to the horsemen that presently charged them And so little defence there is in that weapon that not onely the Biscaine buckelers entred within them at the battaile of b In the dayes of Lewis the 12. of France Rauenna where they made a foule tailliada and slaughter but also the Counte of Carmignola dismounting himselfe and his company entred among the squadrons of the Switzers pikes and cut them in peeces in an other encounter in Lombardie The Romanes dealing with the c Sarissae Macedonicae Macedonian pikes both in the warres with Philip and Perseus kings of Macedonia and of Antiochus king of a great part of Asia neuer feared to enter vpon them with their targets nor made reckoning of that weapon And not without cause For who seeth not the strength and effect of the pike being in the point that as soone as targettiers or other armed men enter among pikes the piquiers throwe downe their pikes and take them to their other weapons the Portugalles did perceiue by the experience of that fight with the Moores where Sebastian their king was slaine that fewer pikes would haue serued and other weapons done better effects The Switzers that are for the most part piquiers will not march anie whither without their companies of shot attending on them for their garde At Moncontour the Almaine piquiers abandoned of their shot were miserably shot to death most of them For this cause I would haue onely so many pikes as woulde serue for the defence of the army against the enemies horse The Frenchmen haue but ten pikes to euery companie of shot which is too little yea and sometimes they haue no pikes at all But he is abused that maketh the French precedentes and examples to followe in any practice of warre The first rankes of pikes woulde bee armed with corsalets of caliuer proofe on the breast from the twelfth ranke backeward and inward it is sufficient if they haue anie armes or iackes of male Brassats and other peeces of armes except the head-peece gorgeron and corsalet I thinke to be more then they can eyther wel march with or fight with The Frenchmen in time past had some called a Cruppellarii cōtinuo ferri teg mine inferendis ictibus inhabiles dolabtis securibus à Romani◠caeduntur Tac. 3. Cruppellarii by Tacitus that were armed as they saie de cap en pied at which the Romane souldiers laughed For that they were vnable by reason of the weight of their armes eyther to strike the enemie or to defend themselues Therefore did they hew them downe with billes and pollaxes The pike I would haue if it might be of Spanish Ash and betwixt twentie and two and twentie foote long and by his side euerie piquier would haue sword and dagger and a dagge at his girdle especially in the vtmost ranks The number of targettiers I woulde haue encreased Not onely of such as haue targets of proofe which are vsed of those that stand in the first rankes but also of those that haue light targets These would be made of wood either hooped or barred with yron It would be three foote and a halfe in length for that was the measure of the Romane shield two foot a half in breadth in forme ouall A kinde of armes now disused but most excellent in all seruices saue against horsemen in the plaine field Against archers targets are a sure defence and dangerous to the enemy after that men come to close b Liu. 27. Scipio with his targetters cut the Carthaginian archers and slingars in peeces c Romani tela densatis excipiunt scutis Liu. 28. Targets are a good defence against stones in an assault and whatsoeuer is throwen from hand The same are very effectuall against shot A small number of targetters if once they come to reach shot with their swordes put great numbers of them out of the field Put case that some come shorte yet sure not manie considering that onely the first rankes of shot can discharge and that all doe not hit and few mortally especially if the first targets be of proofe and the men march resolutely to the charge Neither can shot retire where many of them are in the field nor saue thēselues in any place but targetters wil come to them Targetters also are mortall to the pikemen as not onely the Romanes dealing with the Macodonian and Germane pikes but also the Biskaines with their bucklers in the battell of Rauenna and Cirignola declared Targettiers in execution are singular and ready and light if their targets be light in following the chase They may be vsed in all seruices and all groundes In assaults of townes and in sallies in fighting in open field and in streites in woodes and in hils in retraites and in chases there is
succour where neede shall require Further thou must fortifie all townes neere where the enemy lyeth This was the proceeding of the Romanes against Annibal and of the Gaules against Caesar Philip the King a Philippus intra Tempe statiuis positis vt quisque locus ab hoste tentabatur praesidia per occasiones summittebat Liui. 31. of Macedonia after his ouerthrow by the Riuer of Aous encamped with his forces in tempe a place of very hard accesse put gardes in the cities rounde about and as any citie or castle was assailed by the enemy so hee succourd the same with men and other necessary prouision But in this course two things we are to take heede of first that we doe not take vpon vs to defend townes either weake by situation or want of defence or els that want things necessary for to susteine a siege Secondly that we doe not suffer the townes that are besieged to languish without hope of supply or succour For mainteyning of our credite with our friends and confederats which commonly yeeld to follow the current of good or bad successe if in the fielde we receiue some checke yet are wee as much as wee can to couer our hurtes and diminish the credite of the enemies victorie Caesar hauing receiued some losses at b Caes de bel Ciu. 3. Dyrrachium yet would hee not acknowledge them to his souldiers but ascribed the slender successe of his enterprise to errour rather then to the enemies force Vercingetorix after the losse of Auaricum where a few onely of many escaped and that in pitifull plight c Caes bel Gal. 7. apparelled them and hid their deformitie and diminished with the best wordes hee could the losse of the towne The Heluetians likewise being foyled by Caesar at the passage of the riuer of Sone did diminish the nomber of those that were ouerthrowne and assigned it rather to casualtie then vertue Nothing doeth more d Charles duke of Burgundy by ambassadors sent to Lewis the 11 of France couered the losse receiued at Morat Phil. comm discourage souldiers then when they see the Generall himselfe by the greatnesse of the calamitie discouraged This caused the souldiers of Domitius to forsake him at Corfinium and to yeelde the towne to Caesar e Liu. 23. Varro the Romane Consul discouering vnto the Capuans the wants of the Romanes and the great calamitie they had receiued at Cannae thereby thinking to mooue pity mooued them rather to reuolt as despairing that the Romanes could euer recouer themselues after such an ouerthrow The a Liu. 31. vgly sight of the Macedonians slaine and mangled by the Romanes which in wisedome the king should haue couered did greatly terrify the army when to praise them he shewed them openly Finally as all calamities ouerthrowes and mishaps do proceed from contempt of religion iustice and military discipline so there is no hope to repaire our losses but by restoring the worship of God by administring of good iustice and strict obseruance of military orders The Romanes as they lost their city and were ouerthrowen by the Gaules at Allia for their contempt of these things so restoring matters to their ancient forme recouered the same againe and afterward had great good successe in all their enterprises Againe when in the times of the latter emperours that state was giuen ouer to all impiety and iniustice and vtterly neglected the lawes of armes by which that empire had growen so great the same fell into vtter ruine For who can expect good successe in warres that neglect the worship of the Lord of hostes the supreme moderator of all warres As long therefore as religion and iustice is troden vnder foot and hypocrisy and shewes of ceremoniall reformation and Iewish toyes goe for good religion and the goods destinate to the seruice of God mainteinance of vertue and learning and reliefe of the poore are made a spoile of harpyes and rauiners and Gods ministers made a scorne of euery leud railing companion and honors are solde for mony and disloyalty and treason and all villeiny redeemed with bribery and glory is placed in stones silkes and strange fashions and men of value contemned for pouerty and vertue despised as dust and wealth esteemed as felicity and learning rewarded with almes and valiant souldiers cast of with proud and disdainfull words and base rascals command and ouerrule vertue and law with wealth and fauor and mens skinnes are not valued at the price of dogges skinnes and no man may do his countrey seruice but he shall therein endanger his honor state and life and no man careth for the common cause but euery man abuseth his honor and authority either to enrich himselfe and his brats or to winne money and wealth to spende the same againe in surfet leachery and excesse so long neither can any nation haue victory nor loosing can euer recouer their losse CHAP. XVI Wherein is shewed how martiall men proceed in the sieges of cities or fortes THus hauing declared what practise of armes requireth in accoiling the enemy that hasteth forward to the obteining of a full victory I am now to returne to speake of him that hauing driuen his enemy out of the field maketh him to take sanctuary within some fort or city for that is rather the beginning of victory then the end of warres and therefore may he not so suffer him to escape nor lay downe armes before he command as well in the townes as in open field Wherein that he may proceed orderly and loose no labor nor cost which of all other actions of warre is greatest in sieges Thucidides reporteth that the Athenians in the siege of Potideaa spent aboue a Thucid. 2. Two thousand talents of Athens passe that summe 350000 pounds sterling first he is to consider what townes are first to be besieged and assaulted secondly by what meanes he may preuaile against them and winne them Of townes therefore that do make resistance against vs those are first to be besieged where the General of the enemies is retired with his forces if he be gone farre away then we are next to beset those townes which for their authority or conuenient situation do cary with them the rest of the countrey and if warres be so managed that our forces will not serue both to besiege the capitall city of the countrey and to represse the courses of our enemies intercepting our vittualles then are we to go on forward orderly in the countrey and to leaue no towne behinde vs that may stop the conueyance of our victualles Caesar pursuing Vercingetorix made him take Alexia for his retrait and there besieged him Annibal to terrify the Spaniards and to enforce them to submit themselues to the empire of the Carthaginians assaulted tooke and sackt b Carteiam vrbē opulentam caput gētis eius expugnat diripitque quo metu perculsae minores ciuitates stipendio imposito imperium accepere Liu. 21. Carteia the principall city of the countrey
yet they would needs loose some of them going out to sâ—irmish with the enemie Oftentimes subtill enemies drawing out the townesmen by deuises doe make them come short home as I declared by the practise of Romulus against the Fidenians of Annibal against the Locrians At Nola b Liu. 23. drawing out the townesmen he circumuented a braue troupe of horsemen in an ambush laid for them Sallies therefore are to be made onely when we haue men sufficient and doe see the enemies negligence or other aduantage c Diaphanes Achaeus stationem Antiochi regis ad Pergamum inuadens semisomnem nullis stratis equis aut peditibus paratis fudit Liu. 37. Diaphanes sallying out of Pergamus vpon a corps de gard placed by Antiochus before the towne at such time as the same was negligent cut the same in pieces By opportune sallies many sieges haue bene raised as I declared by the example of Philip lying before Apollonia Souldiers that sallie vpon aduantage doe hinder the approches of the enemie so that he is to win inch after inch but wheÌ„they sallie let them take heed first that they go not too farre least they be drawen into ambush and secondly that they haue some behind to fauour their retrait as Aluarus Sandze obserued in his sallies vpon the Mores in defending a fort in Zerbe Before that the enemie approcheth the Gouernour is to cause all houses and villages neere the towne to be ruinated and fired and all the wood and timber as neere as may be either to be brought into the towne or spoyled Lamentable I confesse it will be to the country but who would not rather spoyle such things then suffer the enemie to vse them against himselfe In stopping of the enemies approches let him vse this course first if there be any narow wayes which the enemie must passe before hee can come before the towne let them bee well trenched and garded when the same cannot longer be garded for feare least the enemie cut betwixt the corps de gard and the towne let them then retire make head in the d The Italians call it Via coperta couert way behind the counterscarpe not onely for the defence thereof but also for defence of the playne before the towne especiallie of that place where the enemie meaneth to range his pieces for the batterie For defence whereof likewise both the great ordonance from the bulwarkes and other shot from the walles are to be imploied In case the enemie by his negligence giue occasion either in the euening or in the night hee may make a sallie vpon those that labour about the plaÌ„ting of the ordonance the gabions If the enemie be so strong that hee is able to take away the a The counterscarpe is the banke that is made all along without the ditch of the fortresse counterscarpe then by traines and b Casemates are defences of earth within ditches or trenches where the souldiers lie couered to shoote at those that present themselues vnto them casemates in the ditch by sallies and shot from the bulwarkes and wals he is to defend his ditch so long as hee can And last of all being beaten out of the ditch his last hope is in the defence of his wals and bulwarkes sustaining them with good terrasses of earth and when they are beaten downe repairing them and when no longer they can be defended by making retrenchments behind them For defence of a breach this course is good and commonly vsed First all along where the enemie maketh his batterie let there bee presently vpon the first shot a retrenchment made the deeper the ditch is and the higher the banke is raysed the better the worke prooueth vpon the banke or els behind the banke let some pieces be placed in counterbatterie In houses neere adioyning and vpon the banke let the small shot be disposed chicke Against the enemies artillerie that beateth in flanke let there be an high terrasse of earth raised On both sides of the breach in places conuenient the armed men are to be placed to repell such as escape the shot If the place haue bulwarkes or towers that looke along the ditch from thence the enemie is to be galled vpon the flankes as they enter the ditch if there be none then mounts or terrasses are to be raysed in such places as most commodiouslie wee may looke into the ditch and toward the breach Walles or bankes are to be cast vp beneath the breach in the ditch Lastly if store of men will permit it a sallie of targetters and other armed men is to bee made out of the towne vpon the sides of those that are vpon the counterscarpe or within the ditch which no doubt will make the enemie make more speed to returne This or the like proceeding both ancient and later practise of warre hath taught vs in the defence of townes besieged and assaulted The Plataeans besieged hauing set order for their prouision and the gouernement of their people to repell the enemies force raysed their walles higher in that part where the enemie made shew to assaile them All along the mount which the enemie built without they made a new wall within their olde When the a Thucid. 2. enemie went about to smother them and to burne their engines vpon the wall they defended themselues with their archerie and slingers and quenched the fire with water and earth and when they could no longer defend the towne in a tempestuous night they passed ouer the banke which the enemie raysed against them The Massilians when they perceiued Caesars intention to besiege them b Frumenti quod inuentum est in publicum conferunt Caes bel Ciu. 1. prouided souldiers brought corne out of the countrey into the citie erected workehouses for armes brought their prouision into the publike store repaired their walles trimmed vp their ships When the enemie began to force them they defended themselues by diuers sallies and engines fitted on the wals The like diligence did the Gaules vse agaynst Caesar besieging Auaricum they frustrated his engines with hookes c Laqueis falces auet tebant Caes bel Gal. 7. and other engines they caused his mount to sinke by vndermining Vpon the wals they made diuers towers by diuers sallies they hindered his workes his mines they opened with crosse mines and filled with great stones The like did the Prenestins d Transuersis cuniculis hostium cuniculos excipiebant Liu. 23. against Annibal Against escalades the e Caes bel Gal. 2. Aduaticans besieged by Caesar placed great stones and pieces of timber vpon the walles and likewise they of f Zamenses saxa voluere sudes pila picem sulphure taedam mixtamardenti mittebant Salust bel Iugurth Zama to resist the enemies assault Vpon those that set the ladders to the walles tumbled downe stones and pieces of timber and cast vpon them pitch brimstone and shot and cast dartes at them In the defence of new
some accompted of wel otherwise should therein deale more dishonourably foolishly then other nations For what could be more dishonorable then the surrender of Terwin Torney Bollein other places or the losse of Caleis and what more ridiculous then that our army going to fight should with a few French crownes be bought out and perswaded to returne But if the enemy will heare of no composition without surrender of the place the next consideration is that we may be assured of our liues and depart with our horses and armes without disgrace By the capitulation of S. a Hist de troubl lib. 10. Iean d'Angeli the captaines and souldiers departed with their armes horses and baggage Onely they were driuen to rolle vp their ensignes and to make promise that they would not beare armes in the cause of Religion for the space of foure moneths The garrison of Somieres surrendring the towne to the enemy were suffered to depart with their armes and goods and had seuen dayes respit giuen them to conuey away their goods in Like honourable composition had our men in the late surrender of Scluce The more resolute the garrison sheweth it selfe in standing vpon points the more honourable their composition doth commonly prooue And contrarywise those that will needes compound loose both life and honor The Romanes for the most part would not compound without surrender made of the defendants armes but the ancient faith and loyalty of the Romanes being now lost and gone let it be iudged what wisedome it is for men to put themselues into dissoyall mens handes all naked The greatest difficulty is in procuring of good assurance of the capitulation of surrender made which is most of all to be stood vpon For what auaileth it to haue good words without performance In these late brabbles of France the garrisons of Mucidam and Mailè and diuers other places haue bene cut in pieces contrary to composition And howsoeuer the prince of Parma dealt with our men yet the poore townesmen of Scluce and some of the Dutch complaine that all points were not performed The Protestants of France contrary to the articles of peace were shamefully massacred during the mirth and solemnities of the kinges sisters marriage And now it beginneth to be a rule that no faith nor lawes of warre are to be obserued to heretikes In which rolle seeing the Romanists doe moster all that are not of the Papall faction it behooueth vs to looke about how wee doe trust them especially giuing vs such warning by the feined treaty of Dunkirke Beside all this a certeine Spaniard a great man of law in the Lowe countries affirmeth that all a Baltazar Ayala de iure belli capitulations wherein any thing that belongeth to the state is alienated are voide and of no force Which if it were true then coulde hardly any composition of surrender be good further then they that haue the same surrendred keepe the same by force Wherefore that wee be not heerein abused by treacherous enemies let vs see by what meanes we may assure our selues In times past wee might trust mens wordes if they performed not wordes yet had they regard to writinges and seales b Hist de troubl de Franc. Captaine Piles for the assurance of the composition of S. Iean d' Angeli required only the kinges hand and seale But now such disloyalty is entred into the world that neither with words nor writings nor seales nor yet othes men can stand assured And therefore beside wordes and writing wise men now require sureties pledges and hostages The house of a Guicciard Bentiuogli in Bologna would not capitulate with Caesar Borgia vnlesse the French king and Florentines would giue their words and binde themselues for performance The b Phil. Comines constable of France would not trust Lewis the eleuenth his othe without pledge Both of Lysander in olde time and of Lewis the eleuenth in latter times stories affirme that they had small regard of promise or othe further then their profit required Therefore both in time past the Romanes and of late time others haue required and had other assurance The garrison of Brouage c Anno 1577. capitulating with the enemy about the surrender of Brouage doubting of the performance of couenants demanded and obteined hostages which were conueyed to Rochell before they gaue vp the place they of Somieres had likewise hostages deliuered vnto them such as they did nominate before they did deliuer vp the towne Without this assurance it is not safe for any to commit their heads into their enemies handes and farre more honorable it is to die like braue men in the field with our armes in our handes then like sheepe to haue our throates cut in the handes of perfidious butchers Tit. d Liu. 24. Sempronius seeing himselfe betrayed and that he must needs die exhorted his men to die rather fighting and doing somewhat in which case men haue lesse apprehension of death then vnder the kniues of executioners To auoid all cauilles about wordes the sentence is to be conceiued plainely and all circumstances to be expressed as nere as may be and the redresse of all contrauentions if it may be either by some meanes to be kept in our owne handes or in the determination of honorable persons The e Sleidan Lantgraue that yeelded himselfe and came to the presence of Charles the fift Maurice of Saxony being mediator betwixt them vpon cauill about one word was contrary to his meaning deteined prisoner and had bene longer if that Maurice had not conceiued indignation that vpon his word the good prince should be abused All we can do in this case is too litle For whē princes wil quarrell they can picke occasion and ground themselues vpon euery small point and make many faire pretenses as in the dealings that passed betwixt f Guicciard Lewis Sforza and the house of Medici bewixt pope Iulio the second and Lewis the twelft of France and betwixt them and Ferdinand king of Spaine is euident Of more then we haue in our owne power we can neuer assure our selues when we deale with perfidious enemies And therefore let all braue souldiers consider before hand and prouide that they come not into these straytes and if necessitie enforce them to compound let them deale wisely CHAP. XVIII Of the vse of the Nauy in warres and of diuers pointes to be considered of those that commaund at Sea THose Nations and Cities that haue the commaundement of the Sea howsoeuer they are foyled at land yet can neuer be throughly vanquished before they be beaten from the Sea A matter apparant by diuers examples The Athenians although their countrey was all wasted and the people driuen by the Lacedemonians their enemies to hide thēselues within the walles of the Citie yet so long as they were a Thucid. 1. Exorat Periclis strong at Sea not onely had all things necessarie for themselues but also depriued their
enemies of many commodities and spoyled their coastes by diuers sudden incursions And albeit they had no dominion in firme land yet kept they the Ilands in subiection so long as they kept the Sea The same people before that being inuaded by the Persians comming vpon them with huge array in so much that they thought themselues vnable to resist at land abandoned their Citie and made themselues strong at Sea By which meanes in the ende they vanquished their enemies and recouered their losses with great aduantage both of wealth and honour The Cities likewise on the coast of c Caes bel gal 6. France which is nowe called Briteine although they could not defend themselues against Caesars forces at land yet suffered no great losse as long as they had ships to commaund at Sea Their ships furnished them with things necessarie being besieged the same conueyed the men their goods away being distressed Contrariwise howe strong soeuer a Nation is by land yet cannot the same mainteine it selfe long nor continue in reputation without a sufficient power at Sea The Romanes were driuen to great straytes by the Pirates that kept the rule of the Sea a great time and continued it vntill such time as they were driuen thence by the victory of Pompey the great Sext. Pompeius keeping the Seas with his ships draue Augustus and Antony to a harde cōposition The Lacedemonians could not remedy the spoiles of their countrey made by the incursiōs of the Athenian ships nor could Caesar haue reason of the coast Townes of France before he had prouided a Nauy vanquished them at Sea Neither shall euer the Spaniard obteine his purpose of the Low-countries so long as they can keep the sea but if they faile of that it would goe hard with them This was the cause that made the Romanes albeit before that vnacquainted with sea causes to arme to sea Without their nauy they could neither haue defended their Empire against the Carthaginians first nor afterward against the pyrates nor without strength at sea coulde either Caesar haue subdued the coast townes of France or entred this Iland Nor could Augustus haue vanquished Pompey nor the Lacedemonians preuailed against the Athenians The experience of these nations and great warriers doth teach vs this conclusion that if we meane either to mainteine the honor reputation of our countrey or to defend our selues against the enemie the pursueth vs or to prosecute iniuries done vnto vs or to aide our friends that craue our helpe we must haue diligent regard to our seafaring men shipping that both may be mainteined kept in order Our owne experience diuers reasons may teach vs the same Before that this Nation did vse the sea first the Romanes then the Saxons after them the Danes nowe last of all the Normans haue taken possessed diuers partes of this coūtrey Neither could we wanting sufficient force at sea resist them Sithence that the kings of England haue had the gouernment at sea neither haue forreine nations had like courage to inuade vs nor haue we wanted meanes to defend our selues or aide our friends If that our ships had not had the vantage of sayling when the Spaniard came to inuade vs or that we had wanted shipping God knoweth what would haue bin the issue How much then is it better nowe then when our auncesters had neither nauy to defend their coasts nor to transport their armies to pursue their right or help their friends in the daies of king Edward the 3. and Edward the 4. our nation for want of shipping was beholding to the Flemmings and Hollanders for shipping to transport the English armie into France The vse of the nauy is great in peace greater in warres Thereby trafique entercourse betwixt friends is mainteined victuals that goe to the enemies are stopped our wants of victuals armes munition other necessaries are supplied the enemies coast is spoiled our owne defended the coast townes of the enemies countrey that liue vpon the sea are brought to great extremities our owne mainteined Without the same neither can the trade of marchandize be mainteined nor the sea townes of the enemie be besiged nor their country spoyled nor can we vnderstand the enemies proceedings nor helpe or wel defend our friēds or our selues For three causes especially as a Classem trium rerum causa parauimus vt Africae oram popularetur vt tuta nobis Italiae litota eslent ante omnia ne supplemētum cum stipendio commeatuque a Carthagine Annibali transportaretur Liu. 24. Fabius witnesseth did the Romanes furnish set out their nauy First to spoile the coast of Afrike next to gard the coast of Italy but chiefly to hinder that no supply of men victuals or money should come from Carthage to Annibal with whō then they had great wars Octacilius sayling frō Sicily toward Afrike cōming vpon the coast vpon a sudden first tooke Vtica a rich towne and then spoiled the country returned with 130. ships laden with spoile And all this within 3. or 4. dayes Caius Laelius cōming with his nauy to b C. Laelius nocte ad Hipponē Regium cùm accessistet luce prima ad populandum agrum sub signis milites sociosque nauales duxit Omnibus pacis modo incuriosè agentibus magna clades illata Liu. 29. Hippo on the coast of Afrike landed his men on the sudden and at the breake of day led forth his souldiers mariners in warlike manner vnder their colours and made a great spoile for that as in time of peace the people of the countrey were without care M. Valerius c Liu. 25. Messala sayled into Afrike aswel to spoile the country as to vnderstand the proceedings and purposes of the enemie which he learned by the examinations of diuers prisoners of good accompt which hee tooke there d Liu. 27. The Romanes vnderstanding what spoiles were done vpon their coastes by Pirates and others sent two captaines each of them with 10. ships to defend the coastes and to keepe the seas These vses of shipping although experience hath taught vs yet many will not admit nor beleeue For by reason of their want of skill they thinke that neither the enemie can land here nor we land in the enemies country And if the enemie should attempt any such mattter they verily beleeue that the countrey people with their forkes and the women with their rockes and spits will kill them downe But litle doe they knowe howe small trust there is in such defence nor what great actions may be performed when resolute men land in the enemies countrey vpon a sudden Which in part I haue shewed by the examples of Octacilius Laelius and Messala Neither will any trained men or small garrison helpe the matter as nowe I shall shewe The king of e Vrbem tenebat regium praesidium agrum circa depopulati sunt Romani exscēsione ex nauibus facta Liu. 37. Macedonia did place
warres and seeing that wee take armes in hand not to do wrong but that we may recouer or obtaine our owne right let no man refuse reason that may haue it But because many that seeme to offer peace haue nothing but warres in their hearts let vs now that we haue shewed the practise traine of war whose ende is peace declare also how we may assure our selues that we be not abused either with coloured treaties or vnequall conditions or bad assurance of peace which is more dangerous then any warre Metellus in c Verbis pax nunciabatur ceterùm re asperrimum bellum erat Salust bel Ingurth wordes and pretense made semblant that he would make peace with Iugurtha but his doings were the effectes of most sharp warres Maximilian the emperor being demanded what he meant to treate so much of peace with his enemy whom he deadly hated answered that thereby he hoped to giue him a d Per darli colpo mortale Guicciar mortal wouÌ„d when least he looked for it e Pompeius ab Augusto imagine pacis deceptus Lepidus amicitiae specie Tacit. annal 1. Sextus Pompeius by a fained shew of peace was abused by Augustus and Lepidus was ensnared vnder colour of friendship What the Spaniard meant by the treaty of Dunkirke his nauy at the same time comming in hostile manner vpon our coast declareth The very motion and mention of peace doth slake the preparatiues of warre and while men do either hope or desire peace they f Ex mentione spe pacis negligentia vt fit apud Paenos orta crat Liu. 29. stand more negligently vpon their garde Sometime vnder colour of seeking a Philippus de pace agendo nihil aliud nisi moram dilationâ— ad vires colligendas quâ—â—rebat Liu. 32. peace the enemy seeketh delayes vntill such time as he himselfe is ready Philip of Macedonia being foyled by the Romanes seemed very desirous of peace that in the meane time he might againe repayre his forces For this cause b Thucid. 1. Archidamus counselled the Lacedemonians rather to treat of peace then to denounce warre vnto the Athenians vntil such time as they were better prouided The Ambassadors of the c Caes bel gal 4. Tencterians and other Germans desired peace of Caesar that came against them because a great part of their forces was from them Sometimes trechery is wrought vnder colour of treaty of peace Metellus d Salust bel Iugurth during the treaty of peace with Iugurtha corrupted most of his friendes Scipio e Liu. 29. to the intent his men might haue accesse into Syphax his campe pretended the continuance of the treaty of peace albeit he misliked the conditions and meant nothing but to espy his campe and to surprise him at vn wares The messengers of the f Legati per speciem pacis petendae speculatum ad L. Aemilium venerunt Liu 40 Ligurians vnder colour of treaty of peace espyed what Aemilius did in his campe Cotys g Tacit. annal 2. king of Thrace vnder colour of confirming a league was drawen to a banquet and there slaine by his enemy Rhecuporis Caesar Borgia hauing made a solemne league with the Duke of h Guicciard Grauina other Princes of Italy contrary to his othe slew them hauing them once in his hands Therefore in treating of peace wee must first see that wee slacke not our preparatiues of warre nor defer to take any aduantage that is offered i Perseus ni vana spes pacis occaecasset consilia omnia praeparata atque instructa habens cùm nihil haberent Romani suo maximè tempore atque alieno hostibus incipere bellum potuit Liu. 42. Perseus king of Macedonia if a vaine hope of peace had not blinded his eyes might then with aduantage haue begun the warres when him selfe was most ready and the Romanes most vnready and vnprouided k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 1. Archidamus albeit hee perswaded the Lacedaemonians to talke of peace yet would he not haue them neglect to prouide for warre For peace is not obteined with parley or entreaty vnlesse wee also make ready our forces Secondly heede must be taken that wee trust not the enemy None are more easily abused then those that are light of credit we may not therefore let the enemy see our weaknesse or any thing that may preiudice vs nor commit our selues into our enemies handes either during the treaty or after the conclusion of peace Philip of Comines noteth it as a great simplicitie in our nation that hauing concluded peace with Lewis the French King did so familiarly come into Amiens and conuerse with the French that meant them no good Seeing peace is so easily violated vpon light occasions hee is not wise that will trust the enemy too farre That which certaine Italians perswaded Lewis Sforza that fayth is rather to be violated then wee suffer a Guicciar li. 4. any part of our State to be taken from vs that some doe nowe put in practice And yet breach of promise is oft times b Cosa facile a Principi di iustificar imprese con titoli Ch'apparisconâ— honesti Guicciar 16. iustified with glorious pretenses Wherefore seeing as experience teacheth vs that Princes c Principi si riconciliono piu tosto conle dimostrationi che con li effetti Guiciar lib. 1. are rather made friends in shew then in effect those that deale wisely doe so condition with the enemy that if hee breake they may haue the staffe in their owne handes to chastice him Thirdly great care is to be taken that wee yeelde no aduantage to the enemy The first iniury that we receiue at the enemies handes is but a step to the next as hath bene shewed and he that from the top of the staires descendeth one step shall sooner be thrust downe to the bottome then recouer the top againe Hee that once beginneth to fall is easily ouerthrowen The Africans that yeelded one little peece of ground to them of Carthage were in the end constreined to yeelde them their whole countrey The Germans receiued into France by the Gaules and Saxons into this Iland by the ancient inhabitants did after contend with them for the possession and right of the whole countrey The time to treat of peace which is fourthly to be considered is when both parties haue tasted of the cup of calamities that warres bring with them and yet neither part is ouerthrowen or throughly vanquished When things doe hang in equall ballance then is the fittest time to treat of peace by the iudgement of Annibal and then d Si integer quaÌ„ si victus pacem aequiorem impetrari posse ratus est Liu. 30. most equall conditions are liked of both parties For being vanquished the conquerour giueth rather then receiueth conditions as the Romanes did to the Carthaginians to Philip of Macedonia to Antiochus and to other Princes and nations which they vanquished Further
wee are to looke that the conditions of peace be reasonable If we contend about limits townes or countreys it is no honor to loose our right if we haue wrong done vnto vs it is no reason we should rest without satisfaction But because conditions are diuers according to the causes of warre the times and persons that contend and diuers other circumstances therefore that is to be referred to the iudgement of those that are employed in such affayres Whose chiefe ends should be the maiesty of God the honor of the Prince the safety and profit of their countrey But most especiall care is to be had that the conditions be performed without which all the treaty is nothing but a vayne shewe of fayre wordes This I commend as a specall matter to be considered of our nation who although many times they were victorious in the fielde against the French yet seldome could match them in conclusions of peace and also because it is a hard matter to assure conditions of peace The contempt of religion and true honour and griedy desire of gayne haue brought not onely promises but also othes into such contempt Yea some regard neither hostages nor pledges so they may take a good aduantage The a Histoir de troubl de Fr. l. 3. French Kings of late yeeres did so often breake with the Protestants that they litle regarded either their worde or their letters patents The ordinary meanes to assure the conditions agreed vpon in treaty of peace are diuers first worde or promise then writing and seale thirdly pledges of townes which the Protestants of France haue found to be the best assurance and we haue chosen for the assurance of the contract betwixt vs and the Low countrey Charles b Guicciar li. 10. the fifth would not trust Clement the seuenth for all his paternities holines without pledges Fourthly hostages of which King Edward the third accepted for confirmation of the peace agreed betwixt him and King Iohn of France The same is an olde practice and was vsed both of the Romanes and Carthaginians and other nations But forasmuch as those that list to c Nunquam causa deerit cur victi pacto non stent Liu. 9. quarrell neuer want pretense I see no other assurance of peace then either so to vse the enemy that hee can not if he would hurt thee or els to haue armes in hand that he can neuer breake without losse or disaduantage To auoyde quarrels and to take away al iust cause of brable it were good that the conditions were conceiued in good termes and set downe in writing confirmed with the seales of the Princes or States whome it concerneth Giulio the twelfth tooke d Guicciar lib. 8. exception against an Article agreed vpon betwixt him and Lewis the twelfth for that it was not written And e Guicciar lib. 2. Ferdinand of Spaine by cunning interpretation of wordes did directly contrary to his agreement with Charles the eight of France Further if any doubt should arise power would be giuen to some Prince that hath honor in recommendation and power to compell the froward to obey both to interpret the wordes and also to see the agreement performed Lastly as by conditions we couenant what should be done so likewise in case of contrauention there should penalties bee set downe Howsoeuer penalties be set downe wise Princes doe not only forecast howe to cause the enemy to performe conditions but also how in case he should breake promise he may be forced The same considerations that are vsed in treaty of peace haue also place in treaties concerning truce and confederacies For truce is nothing but a surceasing of hostilitie for a time the causes of warre hanging still vndecided whereof peace is or ought to bee a finall conclusion But peace is made sometime where there is no confederacy For this is among associates and friends that may be made betweene enemies The conditions of peace and confederacies are diuers according to the condition and state of the parties that are made friends Those that are vanquished whose case is a Vae victis Brēnus apud Plut. in vita Camilli most miserable are not to refuse any conditions as a certaine Spaniard perswaded the Saguntins Scipio offered peace to the Carthaginians with these conditions first that they should redeliuer vp all prisoners of warre which they had taken likewise all b Transfugas Liu. 3◠reuolters and fugitiues secondly that they should withdraw their forces out of Italy and Liguria nor afterward meddle with Spaine nor the Ilands betwixt Afrike and Italy thirdly that they should deliuer vp all their shippes of warre twenty excepted and should pay 500. measures of wheate and 3000. of barly fourthly that they should not make warres either in Afrike or out of Afrike without license obteined of the people of Rome fiftly that they should restore to Massinissa such things as they had taken from him and should pay the souldiers and finde them victuals vntill a certaine time sixtly that they should deliuer vp their Elephants and in time to come tame no more seuenthly that in 50. yeres by equall portiōs they should pay 10. thousand talents lastly for performance of these couenants they should giue a hundred hostages neither yonger then 14. yeres nor aboue thirty yeeres of age if these things were performed then the Romanes promised that the Carthaginians should liue free according to their lawes and possesse such cities and countreys in Afrike as they held before the beginning of the warres When the Romanes had vanquished the a Liu. 8. Samnites they imposed vpon them a tribute tooke from them some of their country enioyned them to furnish them with so many souldiers as was agreed vpon betwixt them Which conditions with others were also imposed vpon Philip b Liu. 33. of Macedonia and Antiochus c Liu. 38. king of Syria The d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. Thasians hauing long contended with the Athenians after three yeeres siege yeelded had peace vpon these conditions that they should pull downe the walles of their city and deliuer vp their ships of warre pay such summes of money as were due before that time forthwith afterward their ordinary tribute as it should be due and finally that they should forgoe their mines of metall possessions they had in the mayn land Those that were vanquished by the Romans as they were bound to helpe them so might they not either oppugne their associats or ayd their enemies with men mony or victuals albeit the same were not expressed in the articles of agreement If they did they prosecuted warres against them For that was the cause of the warres both e Liu. against the Carthaginians and Nabis and Philip of Macedonia and diuers other When Princes or people of equall power ioyne in league confederacy the conditions are more equall Such were the agreements that passed betwixt Lewis f Philip.
was commanded Some spared not their owne friendes no nor sonnes neglecting their commandements This generall rule therefore is to be obserued strictly and the offenders to be punished Neither may they or others make c Que si algun soldado hiriere a algun officiale especialmente su superior muera porello resistance against those officers that punish them for their offences Yet on the other side I doe not authorise rash braines to kill or hurt their souldiers There is difference betweene correction and killing By the orders of the Spaniards he that killeth his souldier disorderly dieth for it By commandements in this place are not vnderstood euery captaines priuate pleasures but orderly directions in time of seruice 2 No captaine nor officer c. No man may returne into his countrey without licence but captaines least of all for example sake For if this were lawfull it were not possible to keepe an army together Such as stay frō their garrison are to seeke when they should lead their company to the charge giue iust occasion of this law 3 All souldiers c. These are next in degree to those that flie out of the field For when they should fight then like traitorous cowards they hide themselues and therefore deserue equall punishment with those that flie 4 No captaine nor officer c. A farre greater fault it is that souldiers seldome haue that pay that their prince alloweth But yet may not those capteines officers be excused which of that which is comming to them do cut off some part and pinch them of the rest by diuers fraudes and deuises After that a Stipendio equites fraudātes Caesarem veriti transsugerunt Caes bel Ciu. 3. Caesar had notice how Roscillus and AEgus two captaines of horsemen had defrauded their men of their pay and taken from them their partes of the spoile as soone as they perceiued it fearing punishment they fled to the enemy 5 No captaine nor other c. Many are the incommodities that come of false mosters The prince is defrauded the army weakned seruice neglected opportunity giuen to the enemy Neither is there any thing that in our times more dishonoreth captaines and officers then the suspicion had of some in this behalfe The army of Iulio the second being in the moster b Guicciard l. 9. rolles double the number that it was indeed could doe nothing of those enterprises that were intended The abuse of mosters was the ruine of c Guicciard l. 15. Francis the first before Pauy Guicciardine reporteth that foure thousand d Guicciard l. 17. Suitzers were mostred and payd for sixe thousand and that Lansqueners seldome are halfe so many as are conteined in the moster rolles of which ensueth the spoile of princes without any effect done in seruice This abuse was not knowen in ancient time which maketh me much woonder that no man goeth about to remooue it and more that those that should reforme it in some places doe suffer captaines to haue certeine dead payes which is a meanes to mainteine it and couer it To remedy this abuse there are two meanes first to allow captaines honourable maintenance and to pay euery souldier by the poll as the e Liu. 28. Romanes did and as the Spaniards doe that haue their Pagadores or Paymasters for this purpose the next is that the Generall cause all the army to be mostred at once and all those that giue in false numbers or commit any abuse heerein to be punished most seuerely By the lawes of France they suffer death No captaine lieutenant c. This law may percase to some seeme needlesse for who would thinke that any man woulde come into the field to fight without armes but he that hath seene the disorder in warres in this point and considered how many captaines lieutenants sergeants which are the brauest men of their companies do come without armes defensiue into the field will acknowledge I doubt not that it is more then necessary to be thought vpon and redressed As it is now they onely leade men to fight and when they come neere conuey themselues out of the braule letting their souldiers fight if they will In time past centurions and their options or lieutenants were the first and principall men of their rankes and the strength of the battel and by the vantage of their armes preuailed against their enemies Would not then so many braue captaines lieutenants and sergeants now adde a great strength to the armie if they stoode in their rankes well armed Now standing out of array they serue for nothing but for cyphres in the ioyning of the battell vnlesse it be to giue euill example and to trouble others The Spaniardes at mosters pay none but such as present themselues before their officers with their armes and furniture If then in mosters armes are to be shewed sure more requisit it is that men should come armed into the field For what reason hath he to reproue and checke his souldiers for casting away or loosing their armes that hath no sufficient armes himselfe 7 No souldier nor other c. For want of sufficient markes and cognisances oft times souldiers of one side hurt their fellowes especially where diuers nations serue together This was the death of Ponsenac diuers braue men an 1569. slaine by their fellowes in a skirmish in France and is cause of many disorders Diligently therefore is this point to be looked vnto especially where the enemy and wee speake both one language Pompey himselfe for want of ready pronouncing the worde had like to haue bin slaine of one of his owne souldiers in the warres against Settorius in Spaine For this cause the Protestants in these late troubles in France wore white cassakes and the Dutch that came in their aide scarfes of colours of their Generall 8 No captaine officer c. Of this cause proceede many quarels among captaines and diuers fraudes in mosters and disobedience of souldiers to their superiors Which cannot be auoided if offending one captaine they may finde protection shelter vnder another Therfore both the receiuers they that are receiued deserue to be punished By the orders of the Spanish campe the captaine looseth his place the souldier is banished offending herein Among the Romanes such abuses were not vsuall But if so be the souldier be euill intreated of his captaine or the seruant by his master then vpon proofe the lord marshall or iudge marshal is to set order 9 Captaines officers of cōpanies c. For that the souldiers are oft times charged while their captaines are absent and therupon fly or commit some other error as men without gouernment therefore are a Que se Huuieren de Leuar vanderas a las guardias vayan los capitanes officiales y◠soldados con todas sus armas en orden pena de castigo arbitrario capteins officers to watch with their companies and to see that their soldiers depart not the place nor
there stay in disorder They of the b Eam fraudem noctes ac dies perstando in armis vitastis Liu. 24. garison of Aenna could not haue escaped the dangerous practise of the townesmen against them but by continuall watch day and night in armes The Admirall c Hist de troubl de Fr. li. 8. caused a certaine ensigne to be hanged in the siege of Poytiers for that hee was found playing at cardes while his company watched 10 No man shall march c. no man that hath care of his honor or reputation will be behind while his company is before but because all are not of one mettall and diuers regard not honor to remedie the disorders in marching this law is framed Many inconueniences come of disorderly marching the enemie hath opportunitie giuen him to charge vs particulars that wander among the countrie people are either slaine or taken d Scipio Romanum extra ordinem deprehendens vite extraneum fuste caedebat Flor. Epit Liu. 58. Scipio therefore did chastice such as he espied out of their rankes with a Vine wand if they were Romanes with a cudgell if they were other Cato e Siquis extra ordinem auidiùs procurrit ipse interequitans sparo percutit tribunos centurionesque castigare iubet Liu. 34. riding among the ranks of his soldiers as they were marching strooke those that were out of aray with his leading staffe and commaunded the colonels and captains to chastise them By greedinesse oftentimes of a litle spoile while souldiers range out of order an armie may be defeated The f Samnitium equites auiditate praedae impetum faciunt in impedimenta iis praepediti caesi sunt Liu. 8. Samnites bought dearelie the spoiles which they ranne after being ouertaken by the Romanes in disorder The Romanes therefore among other things when they were enrolled did sweare that they would keepe their araie 11 No companie shall c. Although companies do goe out with the Generals priuitie and sufficient order be taken to second theÌ„ and to fauour their retraite yet many times doe some come short of home What are then they to looke for that goe foorth without direction or succour that the body of the army be not weakened diuers good men lost by their own rashnesse that the enemie take not thereby opportunitie to charge vs let good direction be giuen al dangers be forecast The Romans g A procursationibus quaemultae temerè inter muruÌ„ valluÌ„ fiebaÌ„t edicto ne quis iniussu pugnaret ad opus milites traducti Liu. 5. in the siege of Veij seeing many men lost by sudden skirmishes betweene the towne and the campe forbade their soldiers to fight any more without commandement h Papyrius vincentem magistruÌ„ equâ—tum quòd iniussu pugnauerat caederevoluit Liu. 8. Papyrius would haue executed the generall of his horse for that hee fought contrary to his coÌ„mandement albeit he returned victorious Manlius punished this disobedience by the death of his owne sonne The a Que ningun soldado vaya a correre sin ordeny licencia de quin si la pudiere darque ningun soldado traue escaramuza o vaya a saccomanno sin orden so pena da to castigo arbitrario Sanch. dâ— Lond. Spaniards neither make roade nor skirmish without direction of their superior commanders 12 No soldier shall sell c. To sell away or to throw away their armes b Arma in bello alienare aut amittere capitale l. 3. § miles ff de re milit was capital to the Roman soldiers Appius c Appius armis amissis fugientes milites verborum insuper addita contumelia securi percussit Liu. 2. Claudius did behead those soldiers that throwing downe their armes fledde from the enemie Lycurgus among the Spartans made a lawe that no man should turne home that turned his backe to the enemie And therfore did they banish Archilochus the Poet out of their citie for that he affirmed that it was better for a man to loose his armes then his life The Lacedaemonian women when they deliuered shields to their sonnes d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 going into the warres exhorted them either to bring them backe againe or to die valiantly vpon their shields Epaminondas in the battell of Mantinea hauing receiued his deaths wound asked if his shielde were safe Chabrias when his ship was ready to sinke and he might by e Aemil. prob swimming haue saued himselfe chose rather to die with his armes then to saue himselfe without them In our time few doe cary all armes into the field of those that do few make conscience to loose them Yet did the Romanes carry beside their heauie armes both victuals and certaine stakes and thought it great dishonor to loose their armes Very requisit therefore it were that this law were put in practise Further it is not sufficient to haue armes vnlesse the same be well kept and seruiceable f Arma tersa sint ferramenta sana Vopisc in Aurelian Aurelian did enioyne his soldiers to keepe their armes whole and neate Aemilius g Arma habeat miles apta corpus pernix Liu. 44. required no more of his souldiers then that they should maintaine their bodies in streÌ„gth and their armes fit The h Que ningun soldado sin legitimo impedimento dexe de lleuar en la orden todas las armas con que estuuiere obligado a seruir sâ— pena de ser sacado de la hilera VergoÌ„ cosamente Spaniards haue at this day great care that euery souldier haue all his armes them sound and fit for seruice in which poynt whosoeuer offendeth they draw him out of his ranke with shame 13 No priuat captaine c. long experience hath taught men now to haue more care in this poynt then in time past when any captaines passeport was thought sufficient to dismisse his whole company and great reason there is men shoulde looke vnto it For while this was suffered braue men were dismissed for some little mony and weake persons receiued in their places and the pay of diuers soldiers emboursed by the captaines and the princes i Exercitum coÌ„sul infrequentem commeatibus datis per abitionem culpabat Liu. 40. seruice slackely perfourmed Fuluius k Liu. 40. a Colonell of the Romans was banished his countrey for that hee tooke vpon him without other authoritie to dismisse a legion whereof hee had the commaundemet Caius a C. Matienus quòd exercitum in Hispania deseruisset sub furca caesus nummo sestertio veniit Florus 55. l. epit Liu. Matienus for that he came from the armie in Spaine without pasport was beaten vnder a gibet sold for one piece of money to signifie vnto vs that such fugitiue rascals are of no more value While in the ciuill stirres in France euery souldier came went at pleasure in the seruice in Flanders and France there hath not bin that
statiuorum mutationes venditauit Fab. Valens foedis pactionibus Tacit. annal 17. mention it in one Fabius Valens as a notorious and singuler griedines and filthy kind of gaine That equallity might be therin obserued Arcadius e Tertia pars domus mil tibus assignabatur l. 2. Cod de metat epid Honorius decreed that no souldier lodging in any mans house should haue more then one third part therof the rest to remaine to the owner his family No souldier by the orders of the Romans might exact so much as salt light or vineger of those where he lodged The lawes of France vpon paine of death forbid their f Petr. Gregor Tholos Syntag. iuris furriers or quartermasters to take any money of any either for lodging or for sparing them for lodging By the law Iulia made against exactions g Lege Iulia repetundarum tenetur qui ob militem legendum mittendumue pecuniam acceperit l. eadem §. lege Iul. ff ad leg Iul. repetundaruÌ„ of Officers hee was banished and condemned to make restitution that either for choosing or dismissing of souldiers receiued mony Cassius caused a reuolt in Spaine by reason of the peoples discontentment For that he h Hiâ—t de bel Alexandr exacted mony of such as would not go with him into Afrike whither he pretended a voyage that rich men being inrolled might redeeme them selues with great summes of mony Of which abuse Caesar had no sooner vnderstanding but he gaue order for to displace him The Romanes condemned those Colonels Captains i Tribunus CeÌ„turio vel alius qui refert falsuna numerum militum stipendia intercipiens condeÌ„natur in quadruplum dâ—gnitate priuatur l vlt. § pro limitaneis Cod. de offic praefect Afric and Officers that brought in false moster rolles or inter cepted the pay of souldiers to pay foure folde and to loose their places By the constitutions of France such as deale in k Petr. Greg. Tholos Syntag. iuris mosters fraudulently whether they be Officers or others are condemned to dye and yet all this is not sufficient to restreine the vnlawfull shiftes and practices that are therein vsed The like seuerity did the Romanes vse against them that dealt fraudulently in any other military charge M. Posthumius and other a Liu. 25. marchants for deceit vsed in prouision of victuals and other necessaries for the army in Spaine and for giuing in false accompts and pretence of losse where in deede they lost nothing were banished the citie of Rome and all their goods confiscate But what should I neede to shew their iustice against fraude and deceit when they vsed to punish and dismisse those that were negligent in their charge Caesar disarmed and dismissed b Hirt. de bel Afric Auienus for that in a ship wherein he should haue transported souldiers into Afrike hee put nothing but his owne priuate seruants and goods And for that diuers of his men and ships were intercepted and taken by the enemy as they passed into Afrike hee c Quos apud Thapsum custodiae causa esse iusserat ob negligentiam ignominiae causa dimittendos ab exercitu curauit Hirt. de bel Afric dismissed his Admirall and others and put them from their charge For by their negligence hee receiued that great losse If then the Romanes when these offences were yet new and rare for repressing them vsed great diligence and seuerity howe much more ought Princes to vse iustice and seuerity herein when scarce any punishment vnles it be very peremptory can restrein mens griedy and vnsatiable desires the principall cause of the neglect of military discipline proceedeth from fraude negligence and insufficiency of Officers He therefore that desireth to bring things into order must begin with reformation of Officers who both first brought in and since haue continued many disorders in the proceeding and practice of armes CHAP. XXI Part. 8. Comprising orders concerning booties spoyles and prisoners taken in warres 1 AFter that the enemy is driuen out of the field or the fortresse or towne besieged is entred yet shall no man leaue his ranke or ensigne to runne to spoyle before licence or a signe giuen vpon paine of death 2 Whatsoeuer aduenturers that serue vpon their owne charge and are not enrolled in companies that receiue pay of the Prince or State shal winne from the enemy by their owne labour that shall they haue diuided among them selues except a fift part that goeth to the Prince If they ioyne with other companies in consort then shall there be a proportion made of the spoyle according the number of aduenturers and other souldiers Prouided alwayes that no aduenturers attempt any enterprise without direction from the Generall or lord Martiall 3 All spoyles taken from the enemy belong to the Prince or State that payeth the army And therefore whatsoeuer any souldier shall take or finde being in value aboue ten shillings the same is to be brought to the Generall or his deputy vpon paine of imprisonment and losse of the double value of the thing concealed By this meanes the Generall may reward the most valiant forward souldiers haue wherewith to make payment of the souldiers wages 4 Euery man shall haue liberty to ransome his prisoner taken in warres at his owne pleasure But if once he compound with his prisoner that composition shall stand if it be made without fraude Also if the prisoner be a Prince or great man then the Generall is to haue the prisoner to make what commodity hee can of him for the benefit of his Prince and countrey allowing to the taker either the valew of the prisoner or an honorable reward Annotations vpon the former lawes 1 After that the enemy c. This hath bene already enacted in former lawes in other termes Yet when I consider the disorders herein committed and griedines of souldiers I thought good more specially to prohibit their disorderly running to spoyle of which I haue by diuers examples shewed the inconueniences a Phil. Comm. Charles Duke of Burgundy hauing in the taking of Liege made proclamation against breaking of Churches killed a certaine souldier with his owne hands for that he tooke him in the manner doing contrary to his commandement 2 Whatsoeuer aduenturers c. This is to be vnderstoode of companies of aduenturers not of euery single person that shal folow the army vpon hope of spoyle likewise of spoiles taken only by their owne prowes and not of spoyles which the enemy forsaketh for feare of the army Such aduenturers we haue few in our warres therefore I say the lesse of them yet because good it were they should be there somewhat I thought good to say of them 3 Al spoyles taken c. Nothing is more equal nor profitable either for the Prince or the souldier then that the spoyle be brought to the Generall For by that meanes the Prince may be eased of some part of his charge and
to resist prouided to prosecute iniuries contrariwise the peaceable and inconsideratiue are a spoile and praye to their neighbors The careles and peaceable people of b Judges 18. Laish were easily oppressed by the children of Dan. so seely foules are a praye vnto the egles and rauening birdes suppose we should yeeld vnto ouer enemies any thing which in reason they can desire yet is that no meanes for vs to obteine peace for those that c veterem sâ—rendo iniuriam inuitas nouaÌ„ Lin. lâ—b endure one iniurie doe but giue courage vnto their enemies to offer an other and oftentimes the d hostes sibi aliquid dedi postulant vt illud sit ad reliqua agenda gradus Tacit. annal enemie desireth somewhat to be yelden to him that the same may be a steppe to further matters the bitch that desired of the shepheard as it is in the apologue a couch where to litter when her whelpes were growen great began not onely to defend that place as her owne but also to encroche more and to offer diuers iniuries vnto the shepheard the best therefore is to resist betime and though we doe not resist yet it is wisedome to be prouided for no time ought to be spent of wise gouernours in delights of peace before that matters be setled for the execution of warres It was one of the greatest commendations that Liuy giueth to Philopoemen that riding by the way Liui. 35. and in common talke his most common argument was vpon matters of warre which made him so skilfull in those matters much more therefore ought wee to consult and prouide for wars being heretofore openly defied inuaded now very hardly threatned by the Spaniard his nauie came in hostile maner vpon our coast his commissions giuen to his captaines declare that he holdeth vs for enemies his subiectes haue exercised diuers actes of hostilitie in taking our goodes imprisoning and ransomming our persons neither doth any Spaniard thinke but that such as are by the Popes bull excommunicat for heretikes are open enemies and may be inuaded without other defiance And if we did not likewise account the Spaniards to bee our enemies why haue wee sent our shippes to spoyle their countrey why haue we taken their persons and their goodes why doe wee assiste the enemies of Spaine and withstand the Kings proceedings wherein we may That warres are not proclaimed it skilleth not For warres saith a Bellum aut indicitur aut geritur Cic. offic 1. Tullie are eyther proclaymed or made without proclamation Neither can it passe for payment that some distinguish assistance from confederacie and colour all our doings at sea vnder the name of reprisals if the king of Spaine shall euer bee able to requite vs hee will well let vs vnderstand how litle our distinctions will helpe vs and will vse vs as enemies Perdicca King of b Thucid. 2. Macedonia although associate with the Athenians yet for that vnder hand hee ayded their enemies bought it deare as soone as his doubling came to be espied neither doe I thinke that wee shall escape better cheape if which God forbid the Spaniard shoulde at any time be iudge Wherefore seeing there is no other way to escape his malice but by force and armes let vs consider what course is best for the enterprising and prosecuting of warres which being helde of the Romanes at the first by c Disciplina militaris iam inde ab initiis vrbis tradita per manus in artis perpetuis praeceptis ordinatae modum venerat Liu. lib. 9. custome at length grew to Art was administred by certaine precepts by which they grew victorious not only ouer their neighbors but also ouer the greatest part of the worlde by obseruance whereof diuers ancient and later Captaines haue wonne to themselues perpetuall fame and which if it might be recalled would nowe also worke the same effectes Some percase will mislike this treatise as all other of like argument for that they suppose that skill in armes is rather to be learned by practise then rule and that all such discourses are vaine conceites and supposalles of men more able to speake then performe and true it is that as in all other things so in this especially speculation is nothing worth without practise among the Romanes the a Iuuentus in castris per laborem vsu militiaâ—â— discebat Salust coniur Catil youth did learne the Arte of warre by practise and labour in the field but what notorious follie is it to condemne Arte and reason because practise doth manie things oft times without reason or Arte and what man that liketh the effectes can iustly condemne the causes now then seeing as practise dependeth vpon certaine reasons and rules and is often vncertaine by reason that the same hath not the same groundes at all times let no man condemne rules and the reasons of warrelike proceedings in respect of his owne experience and knowledge for although a man shoulde be trayned vp in warres from his infancie yet can hee not knowe all the reasons of warre by his owne experience Wherefore admit a mans experience bee neuer so great yet shall hee learne much by reading of Military discourses more then euer his owne experience could teach him therefore did Scipio and Caesar and other famous captaines spend much time in reading of ancient deedes of Armes and Tully reporteth of b Cum totum iter nauigationem consumpsisset partim in percunctando à peritis partim in rebus gestis legendis in Asiam factus imperator venit cum esseâ— Roma profectus rei militaris rudis Cic. Academ 4. Lucullus that albeit his practise in Armes was not great yet by reading and questioning with those that had skill he grew in short time to be most skilfull if Xenophon had not learned more by reading then practise hee coulde neuer haue perfourmed so many duties of an excellent Captaine as hee shewed in leading of the Greekes so long a iourney and deliuering them from so many assaultes of their aduersaries in their returne from their voyage with Cyrus a Alphonsus a king of Spaine confessed de reb Alph. that by bookes he learned both the practise and lawes of armes Yea Selim the barbarous Emperour of Turkes as their histories witnesse was much conuersant and skilfull in Caesars commentaries translated into Arabicke and read diligently the histories conteyning the famous deedes of his ancestours he must be very arrogant that would say that the reading of Frontinus Vegetius Liuy Caesar Xenophon and other ancient histories and discourses of deedes of armes both of Greekes and Romanes could profite nothing nor adde any thing to his owne experience and meere follie it is where men may haue rules to followe there to rush in at all aduentures La Noue his discourses are much esteemed of men well experimented in armes but double commendation had he deserued if as he hath set downe certeine pointes of his
knowledge so he had deliuered all the orders and proceedings of warres and confirmed the same with examples of famous captaines and reasons of art rather then with such 〈◊〉 examples as he vseth Neither is it reason that the labours of all shoulde be measured by the presumption of some which write of matters of which they neuer had experience as Nicholas Machiauell and Robert Valturius a certaine Italian pedant which neuer had seene the field and some others which spend whole bookes in talking of the diuers formes of battels some like starres some like sheares some like sawes and some like winde-mill sailes which neuer haue vse but in mosters and leaue the most necessary points of warre in preparing for the warres choice of souldiors marching encamping fighting retiring besieging or defending of townes ambuscades stratagemes and such like necessary factions of armes Wherfore seeing I neither commend speculation without practise nor tread in the steppes of others but therein make supply where they are defectiue I trust my labours shall haue fauourable reading the rather for that they are not gathered by vaine speculation but proceede from him that hath had but too much experience in the disorderly warres of our time and hath no other respect then the redresse of disorders and the honour of his country It may be these rules should haue had more weight if they had proceeded from some great commaunder or man of auctoritie for of all men they deserue most credite that are both writers and doers themselues in which respect I do aboue all honor Caesar among the Romanes and Xenophon among the Greekes and of late writers Francis Guicciardin a man employed in great matters as for Iouius and Sabellicus and some others that I will not name for that they were al ignorant of matters of warre they make many very improbable ridiculous reports which no man of iudgement coulde allowe but what if men of authoritie haue not or will not or percase for their manifold distractions and busines cannot will not those that knowe not things themselues heare the same reported by others great wise men in time past haue not disdained to followe the aduise of simple men a Salust bel Iugurth Marius by the aduertisement of a common souldiour wanne a strong castle in Numidia b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exp Cyr. 4. Xenophon did not except the time of his refection or when he tooke his rest but admitted euery man that could giue him any important intelligēce to his speech Charles the last Duke of Burgundy refusing to heare a prisoner that craued audience c Phil. Comin lib. 7. fell into the traps of Campobacho his treason and doing all things vpon his owne head without admitting any relation or councell of others was defeated by the Switzers and by them miserably slaine at Nancy And if the chambers of some great commaunders in our time had not beene so straitly kept they could not haue beene so ignorant of the state of the enemy and of their owne forces and all addresses of warres as they were wherefore seeing I doe neither speake by speculation or heare-say nor rest vpon mine owne opinion nor desire any thing of mine to be beleeued further then the same is confirmed by the example of those against whom no exception can iustly be taken I trust that these either rules or aduertisements of mine shall not lightly be regarded But may some reply what do the examples of the ancient Romanes and Greekes and their proceedings in wars cōcerne vs whose practise stile in wars is so farre different these men imagine by reason of the vse of artillery lately inuented that the reasons rules of armes are changed and that the Romanes if they liued in our times would be new to seeke but they are much abused for the generall rules are alwayes the same there is and alwayes hath beene but one order of prouiding proceeding marching fighting retiring encamping besieging and defending of places and I doe not thinke but if any could recall or woulde practise the reasons and rules which the ancient Romans vsed hee should greatly preuaile if there be any speciall difference the same shal be noted in his proper place if then the ancient a agitatū in concilio est ut si quādo seuero imperio vllum bellum administratū esset tunc vti disciplina militaris ad priscos redigeretur mores Liui. 8. Romanes thought it their best course in their most dangerous warres to returne to their old discipline of armes and if b Flor. 58. Scipio coulde not ouercome the Numantins nor c Salust bel Iug. Metellus Iugurtha nor d Tacit. Corbulo the Parthians before they had setled their gouernement according to the ancient practise of armes let vs not disdaine to follow the examples of such great captaines and wise men in reforming of present errours and disorders according to the true and loyall practise of armes Hard I know it will be to returne backe for customes inueterate are not easily rooted out and desire of money hath corrupted many mens mindes without pay prouision the souldier is starued the warre is slacked and what hope haue souldiers either of better prouision or pay without these things how can the souldier march fight or keepe other orders of warre who wil aduenture without praise or reward who will serue his countrey when he seeth in most countries those aduāced soonest that spoile their country most to enrich themselues for this cause some vnworthy the name of Captaines make gaine of their places and souldiers refuse all extraordinary labour and valiant captains and souldiers are slenderly considered and lawes of armes lie silent for that there is none to execute them and few that know them for this cause and such like I had almost beene discouraged from writing this discourse and among others that keepe themselues for better times and liue an obscure life determined to settle my selfe for what hope could I haue of better seeing in all places all things bend to worse many seeke to enioy the pleasures of peace none maketh any prouision for warre souldiers neglect discipline of armes no reckoning is made in any place of braue souldiers captaines are employed onely for necessitie rewards come slowly only those are esteemed that haue mony The only hope that susteineth me and hath thus farre in these my endeuours auanced mee is grounded vpon that expectation which all this nation hath of your heroical actions God hath placed your Lordship as it were on a high stage in this estate neuer man had greater fauour of the beholders nor was more likely to obtaine a singular applause of the people all mens eyes are fixed vpon you to see what effectes will follow those vertues and noble partes the which already haue made your name honourable as others choose ease so your Lordship hath folowed the wearisome trauailes of warres by your owne experience in the seruice of
the Low Countries of Portugall and France you both vnderstand the practise of armes and the wants of the souldiors the generall hope of al souldiors nay of al that loue their countrey is that your Lordship which so wel vnderstandeth the common disorders of the warres and the great importance of them and hath so great fauour and meanes by reason of your auctoritie to correct them wil one day be a meane to see them in some part redressed all those parts which are required of a sufficient generall do seeme to florish and shew forth themselues in your doings and promise these things in your behalfe Through disorder of some ignorance in others to speake nothing of pinching false reckonings hitherto her Maiestie hath not bene resolued to bring into the field a sufficient armie and those small forces if I may so call such smal troupes that haue bene employed in diuers seruices haue wanted much of their necessary prouisions not that the charge is so great that it could not be borne nor for that her care was lesse then is conuenient for if the same order were abroad that is at home why may not this countrey mainteine thirty or fourty thousand abroad that mainteineth so many millions at home men do not spend more nor eate more abroad then at home but the reason why a sufficient army is hardly mainteined is because there wanteth good directions and orders and punishment of bad dealing some impute the fault to griedy mens insatiable couetousnes which like a goulfe wil neuer be filled but that is not all nor the greatest disorder others thinke it impossible for this Realme to beare the infinite charge of an army but why should not this whole kingdome be able to mainteine 30. thousand in pay when as the citie of Rome the territory being not past ten miles in breadth in that warre which the same had with the a Liui. lib. 8. 9. Latins sent forth ten legions which being full at that time amounted to 40000. foote beside horsmen but what should I speake of Rome the mistres of the world for warlike discipline when as the Cities of Athens and Sparta nay the townes of Thebes Corinth Argos and diuers other in Greece Italy mainteined great armies both at home abroad vpon their owne charges who seeth not then that the cause of these calamities and disorders is want of militarie knowledge and not want of meanes and that as disorder want of reward and punishment is cause that our enterprises are so easily dissolued and vanish of themselues so order and gouernement in ancient times were causes of their happy successe and would also make our affaires succeede the better I neede not seeke farre to finde examples for proofe of this matter seeing the good gouernment of Edward the first that so long warred in Scotland of Edward the third and Henry the fift and eight that were so victorious in France aforde vs such store if then the griedines of some were restreined with sharpe punishment men of heroical spirits not tainted with the base desire of gaine were allured with honor preferment to take vpon them the charge of matters if such were chosen for commanders as haue nothing before their eyes but honor and the enlargement of the commonwealth and all men were resolued to bestow more in iron and steele then in silkes and veluets and golden coates and most things were gouerned by lawe and order of warre and not by fauour and partialitie or which is worse by money in summe if true and ancient discipline of armes were either restored or setled among souldiers I would not doubt but that this Countrey would be able not onely to mainteine a sufficient strength of men but that we should also recouer the ancient glory of the English nation spread farre abroad in France Spaine and other countreys in time past now blemished only with some mens misgouernment Wherefore seeing it hath pleased God not only to make your Lordship acquainted but also partaker of the common calamities of souldiers and giuen you fauour and accesse to her Maiestie in whom it lyeth to reforme these abuses as you haue hitherto employed your person and goods in the seruice of her and your countrey so I beseech you cease not vntill such time as you haue accomplished the redresse of these disorders these are they that without any one stroke of the enemie haue broken our enterprises it is not the courage of the Spaniard nor force of the Dutch nor brauerie of the French that hath frustrated our late attemptes neither doeth force so often ouerthrow armies in fielde as daliance irresolution and delay then through niggardise and good husbandry want of pay and necessarie furniture thirdly presumption and want of strength and sufficient force and lastly those abuses which through want haue crept into armies of late time for pitie could not be corrected for what conscience is it to punish those that spoyle and wander abroad when if they should not thus doe they should sterue for hunger if a Generall haue sufficient force and prouision it is his fault if he doe nothing if he want either force or pay then it is their fault that should haue sent him foorth better prouided many doe great wrong to our Generals in the Portugall expedition when they impute the fault to them God knoweth that with such slender prouision nothing could be done more others that are more deepely to be charged for breaking that enterprise yea and famishing of many poore soules lye hid and I thinke meane not to answere vntill such time as God shall call them before his tribunall seate there to answere once for all If any meanes could bee deuised that abuses of imprests and false musters and accounts taken away loyall captaines might be chosen and poore souldiers be well furnished and that matters might proceed with speede and resolution and more force bee ioyned together I would then hope there would be some seruice done without forces cōuenient what reason hath any to hope for better for as a little water sprinkled on the fire doth make the same more to flame and sparkle so small supplies doe rather kindle and nourish warres then ende them or exstinguish them The onely meanes to redresse both these and all other disorders consisteth in the restoring and by sharpe punishment mainteining of true militarie discipline and orders Without this as a discrazied body is easily dissolued without outward force so an armie though neuer so great without one blow of the enemie is broken and scattered without doing any effect With exercise of armes and obseruance of true discipline of war great enterprises most happily are atchieued The a Romani sibi orbem subegerunt armorum exercitatione disciplina castrorum vsuque militiae Veget. de re mil. Romanes did subdue the world by the exercise of armes and their orders of encamping and practise of warre Neither did they excell the
b Quintilian in milit Mar. Germanes and Danes in multitude nor the Carthaginians nor kings of Macedonia and Asia in wealth but in strict obseruance of the discipline of armes Nor could the Spaniards haue done such things as they haue of late but that they excell others in the obseruance of militarie discipline Neither were it possible that the Turkes should haue preuailed so much against Christians but that they reward vertue highly and punish disorders seuerely and keepe a strict order in the gouernment of their campe armie If then we either desire or will hope for good successe in martiall affaires nay if wee meane to mainteine our state and our reputation of force we must obserue militarie and martiall orders Which if once by your Lordships meanes I might see restored which I doe hope then would I not feare either the malice or power or riches of the Spaniard or other forreine enemie of this state This therefore is the thing which especially I commend to your care which indeede is the cause of the whole countrey and ought to be the care of all that loue the honour peace and prosperitie of the same For confirmation of your Lordships iudgement that well knoweth more then I can say and for direction to such as be ignorant I haue as neere as I could described the right course true discipline of armes confirmed by ancient later precedents of most expert warriors and because it so pleased your Lordship published the same I haue likewise set downe not only the proceedings but also the causes and necessary prouisions of warres without which all order is vaine and all proceeding without effect The same I haue consecrated to my countries honour vnder the fauour of your honourable name Vouchsafe therefore my good Lord to accept this my simple goodwil not worthy the name of a gift Yet is it all which I haue wonne not onely by long obseruation but also by dangerous experience both in France Italy Flanders and Portugall It grieued me not a litle being in her Maiesties seruice to see such confusion among vs but much more that our wants were such that wee could not execute lawes The causes I haue declared before The redresse I haue set downe in the discourse following after The which for that your L. seemed to like the same and for that I doe thinke it may be profitable to my countriemen and fellowes in armes that stil continue that profession I thought it good vnder the shadow of your honorable fauour to communicate to others Partly delayes and presumption and partly disorder and misgouernment and partly want of necessary prouisions doth more hurt oftentimes then the enemies open force Of all disorders the onely remedie and medicine is as I haue saide true discipline of armes which I haue here to my vttermost skill and endeuour declared and with diuers examples of most renowmed Captaines confirmed against whose doings many may percase repugne but none can take iust exceptions I would once I might see the same put in execution vnder your Lordships gouernance for what auayleth knowledge of law without execution practise if not yet shall I wish all honour and good to those that shal endeuour to put orders in execution If any good come of my labours the same is wholly to be ascribed to your Lordship whose singular fauour towards me both at home and abroade gaue me first occasion leisure and meanes to write these discourses if none yet I trust indifferent men will accept my good meaning My purpose was if my experience hauing nowe almost ceassed from all such wearisome trauailes could doe others good to affoord them all the helpe I could and also to giue my countrey aduertisements concerning such matters as are very important requisite to be generally knowen that order may be taken in time The successe I commit to God the care to your Lordship and others whom it concerneth beseeching the Almightie that is Lord of armies and gouern our of all our actions so to direct the affaires of state vnder the gouernance of our gracious Soueraigne to giue that fauour to your endeuours that the glory of the English nation by your noble deedes may be increased the blemishes of our proceedings in warres washed away and all good orders restored Your Lordships most bounden and willing Matth. Sutcliffe ⧠To the Reader MAny doe wonder some complaine and those that haue least interest if so bee they haue any loue to their Countrey they cannot chuse but lament that in those warlike actions which of late yeeres haue bene attempted publikely the successe hath beene so slender the losse of men so great the charge so burdensome and the proceedings and effects so contrary to antiquitie and as naturall affection leadeth them I doubt not but many are inquisitiue and desirous to know the causes And to say trueth good it were that the true causes of disorders were publikely knowne that not onely those that are wrongfully charged may be cleared but that those that laugh in others griefes and rise out of the common ruines might be knowen and rewarded at least that the causes of former disorders may bee remoued and that such prouision and order as hath beene hitherto wanting may in time to come and in time also be better supplied For this cause I haue framed this discourse Wherein when thou shalt see what is required in the orderly proceeding and managing of warres thou maiest easily see what we wanted and I feare me shal want vnlesse it please God to touch mens hearts with a more zelous care of their countries honour hereafter I doe not meane any one speciall man more then others God is my witnesse What soeuer he is that by delayes irresolution niggardise rapine cowardise trechery and other villeny abuseth his prince and country let him not thinke that I aime particularly at his person but at delayes irresolution niggardise rapine briberie cowardise trechery want of skill and such other abuses I haue no meaning to touch any thing that may sound to any mans hurt or disgrace And therefore although I haue store of domesticall examples yet haue I chosen rather to exemplifie abuses by forreine histories My purpose is to doe good to all without hurt to any particulars vnlesse percase those that liue vpon pillage doe account the common good to be their priuate hurt when the meanes of their gaine shall be taken from them If then thou desirest to see the causes of former losses or els wishest to know how breaches of former time may be repayred behold but this treatise wherein as thou shalt see the good successe of all those that proceeded orderly and like men of warre so thou mayest also see that those that haue neglected discipline of armes and warlike proceeding haue had euents and successe according to their deseruing Now to the intent thou maiest the better both addresse thy affaires if thou hast any charge in warres and vnderstand the
exercitus alant Liu. Carthage in Spaine to serue them in their warres in Spaine Caesar had his store at b Caes bel gal 7. Nouiodunum in the territory of the Heduans to serue him in his warres in France If so much cannot be prouided as is requisit then must men that possesse lands either serue vpon their owne charge as the Romanes did at the first and the Spartans did alwayes or else those that stay at home must maintaine those that serue abroad and a rate be laide vpon euerie shire and city how many souldiers they shal maintaine paid The c Sueui 100. millia armatorum bellandi causa suis ex finibus educunt reliqui qui domi remanserunt se atque illos alunt Caes bel gal 4. Sueuians by this means mainteined a hundred thousand men which euery yeere went out of the country to seeke aduentures Or else like slaues and pesants vnworthy the name of English must they serue strangers I will not say more for that it would be too great a shame if this whole country coulde not maintaine an army as well as Athens Sparta Argos Thebes Megara Locri Tarentum Syracusae and other cities and small states in Greece Italy Sicily other places Therefore leauing these supposals let good orders be set down strictly obserued if we be not so wise as to find the way our selues let vs yet learn of our enemies among which men of value bee aduanced to honor and fraudulent dealers be drawen vp to the gibbet The next care is to be had of d Of armes and furniture of warre armes all maner of furniture for the warre of al sorts of weapons as pikes halberds black bils musquets caliuers pedrinals pistoies lances bowes arrows swords and daggers of al armes defensiue as corsalets of proofe others morions targets of proofe and lighter iackets of male and plated doublets and other necessary peeces of great artillery both for battery and for the field of horses and their furniture of shippes mastes tacle artillerie and al prouision necessary for the sea of carriages both for ordonance munition and victuals as also for other necessarie vses of tents for encamping of powder and bullets and all things necessary both for great and smal shot of bridges and boats of spades mattocks axes wimbles baskets finally al other engins or prouisiō for wars al which is to be prouided laid vp in places neere to the enemy where we meane to go foorth against him Wherein wee shall not much erre if we follow the precedents of such as haue shewed themselues most obseruant of the lawes of Armes The e Lily beum tentbatur ad apparatum belli Liu. 21. Romanes intending to passe into Affrike against them of Carthage made their prouision at Lilybeum a port of Sicile looking toward Affrike Before that a Cirea armamentatia horrea aliumque belli apparatum visendū praetor legatique ducti Liu. 29. Scipio transported his army into Affrike hee made exceeding great prouision of armes and all warrelike furniture in Sicile which the messengers that were sent to view his proceeding could not behold without admiration landing in Affrike he had there like wise his workhouses storehouses of prouision The towne of New Carthage in Spaine serued the Carthaginians for a storehouse of al maner of prouision of armes warlike furniture for their warres in Spaine Liuy b Apparatus ingens belli opisices 2000. Liu. 26. saith there was infinit prouision and 2000. workmen that wrought continually The same towne being taken from the Carthaginians serued Scipio for the same vse who c Vibs strepebat apparatu belli ib. employed them in making of armes and engins of warre most diligently The Gaules reuolting from Caesar vsed wonderfull diligence in making of armes prouiding of horses furniture of war in euery d Caes bel Gal. 7. armorum quantū quaeque ciuitas domi quodque ante tempus efficiat constituit city appointing what nūber of armes weapons should be made The kings of Macedonia had diuers armories both within without their realme so that although e Chalcis horteum armamentarium Phi. lippi Liu. Chalcis Philips storehouse for armes were burnt yet did he not want Philip his son Perseus had infinit store hereof so that they contemned the Romans in respect of thēselues Antiochus dressed his armoiries workhouses in Lysimachia in his expeditiō against the Romans The Romans not only had publike storehouses of armes but f Arma habent Romani quae sibi quisque parauerit pauper miles Liu. 42. also priuate men had armes of their owne In this land although I doubt not but there is far more prouision of armes munition then hath bin in time past yet might there be an amends made if monopolies of pouder armes were taken away and if that which is in one place too much were placed in diuers conuenient storehouses in euery place sufficeint and finally if there were so much armes in priuate mens hands as the mosters pretend I neede not speake much of the prouision of shipping it were sufficient if that we haue were wel ordered and employed Of the vse of ships I shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter This may now suffice that if the shipping of this land and of our confederates were ioyned together and well furnished and vsed it woulde not be long ere peace should be offered by those which now braue vs with threats of warre because they see vs desirous of peace Cariages also cariage horses would be prouided not only for the drawing of ordonance arms but also of victuals munitiōs spades axes mattocks al other neccessaries of an armie The further the armie goeth from home the more care the generall ought to haue of carriages to take things necessary with him a Caesar bel gal 1. The Heluetians before they began to march into France prouided store of carts and horses and draught oxen for the purpose The Romanes in their b Liu. 42. expedition against Antiochus had carriages sufficient of the Macedonians Without a c Comitabatur Corbulonē praeter assueta belli magna vis camelorum onusta frumento Tacit. annal 15. number of Camels that followed the armie laden with all prouision and other carriages Corbulo coulde not haue preuailed against the Parthians Beside other ordinary cartes d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Xenophon exp Cyr. c. Cyrus in his expedition against his brother had 400. wagons laden with victuals which were not to be distributed but in time of necessitie What losses and trauaile our men haue endured in Flanders Portugall France for want hereof without my report it is sufficiently knowne to souldiers There ought no lesse care to be had of tents that souldiers may lie drie and more warme then commonly they doe For villages are not euery where to be found nor is it fitte that souldiers
should be dispersed in villages when the enemie is at hande and cabines are not so soone built nor is stuffe in all places to bee founde to builde them with The Romanes to euery hundred had both cariages and tents assigned For want whereof our souldiers are seldome well lodged especially in marching and yet are they long about it And where they lye by reason of their cutting downe of woods they leaue marks of their being there many yeeres after Without spades mattocks axes baskets and such like instruments the souldier can neither enclose his enemie nor fortifie himselfe and therefore as very necessary things are such instruments to be prouided as also whatsoeuer is necessary for passing of riuers assalting of townes and other faites of armes I neede not make mention of horses of seruice seeing euery man knoweth what difficulties an armie destitute of horsemen susteineth That which shal be sufficient shal be spoken when we come to speake of horsemen Onely now I will admonish Gentlemen to haue more care of keeping races of horses because in case of present necessitie they that haue them not of their owne shall hardly obteine them of others The last thing that I am here to speake of is first to bee thought of I meane prouision of victuals without which men can neither liue in warres nor in peace It is a faint fight that hungersterued souldiers doe make In a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exp Cyr. 1. warres without things necessary there is neither vse of souldier nor captaine He that b Qui frumentuÌ„ neçessariumque cômeatum non parat vincitur sine ferro Veget. lib. 3. c. 26. prouideth not victuals beforehand is ouercome without drawing of a sword Against other mischiefes there are remedies but there is no wrastling against hunger Want driueth men to their wittes end When the Lacedemonian souldiers were straited their Generall writ thus to the Magistrates the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. souldiers are sterued for hunger what shall we do The two d Liui. 23. Scipioes writ to the Romane Senate that without supply of victuals their army must needes dissolue And Caesar e Caes bel Gal. 7. told his souldiers that were determined to retrayte that without their cariages where their victuals were they could no furthâ—r doe seruice against the enemie And therefore victuals must be had ready it is too late to seeke for them in Villages when the hungry souldier is ready to sterue Caesar f Re frumentaria comparata castra mouet bel gal 2. would not once moue towarde the enemie before he had his prouision with him g De obsessione non priùs agendum consticuit quam rem frumentariam expedisset Caes com bel gal lib. 7. Nor would he resolue to besiege any towne before he had taken order for sufficient victuals for his army His vse h Vbi instabat dies quo die frumentum militibus metiri oporceret Caes com 1. 6. bel gal was to deuide victuals to euery company for certaine dayes beforehand The garrison townes of the Romanes were furnished with wheat vineger bacon barley and straw for a yeere beforehand as Capitolinus sheweth in the life of Gordian The reason is laide downe by Tacitus that i Vtaduersus moras obsidionis annuis copiis firmentur Tacit. annal they might be stored with prouision against long sieges The Colonies which were peopled with Romanes and placed as gardes and propugnacles against their enemies were stored with all things necessary How our souldiers were furnished in Flanders and Portugall I report me to their knowledge that endured those seruices Beeing no better furnished it is not to be marueiled â—hough they kept no better order k Disciplinam seruare non potest ieiunus exercitus Cassiod 4. Var. lect c. 13. Hungry souldiers are hardly kept within the compasse of lawes The belly as is commonly sayde in this case hath no eares The cause of all such miseries in warres are diuers first want of care and good proceeding then niggardise and miserie thirdly fraude and deceite last of all impunitie Which are not to be redressed but with contrary proceeding and folowing the precedents of ancient warriers The Romanes gaue to their Generall both treasure and authoritie sufficient to prouide things necessary for the army They brought victuals into the army sufficient and for feare of want layde vp abundance in garners and storehouses in strong places neere to the countrey where their army soiourned Opposing their forces against Annibal they chose a Liu. 21. Clastidium for their storehouse Caesar in the wars against theÌ„ of Auuergne brought all his prouision to b Caes bel gal 7. Nouiodune because it lay neere The Romanes caused their ships of victuals to discharge at c Eo omnes ex Italia oneâ—ariae naues dirigebant cursum Liu. l. 37. Chios in their warres against Antiochus He chose Lysimachia for the place of his store For the warres of d Liu. l. 44. Macedonia they made their prouision in Thessaly e Caesar câ—rtis locis horrea constituit frumentum conquirâ— iussit de bel ciu 3. Caesar had his garners in conuenient places to supply his army in his warres against Pompey Pompey brought all his prouision to Dyrrhachium Asdrubal entring f Fines hostium ingrediens frumentum commeatusque in vrbem Asenam conuexit Liu. 23. Spaine caried all the victuals and store of the countrey into Asena and Scipio likewise landing g Horrea noua aedificata veteâ—a á Scipione repleta frumento ex population bus commeatu Siculo Liui. 29. in Afrike made newe storehouses and filled both new and olde partly with victuals sent out of Sicile and partly with those which hee got by the spoile of the countrey When a strong army commeth into any countrey it is no masterie for the same to finde h Formidine populationis obsides frumentum aalia quae vsui forent affatim praebita Salust bel Iugurth victuals forrage either by feare or force But the companies sent into France and Flanders being so weake it was no marnell if they pined being pend vp or confined within some garrison the enemie being alwayes stronger without For the assurance of our victuals that come vnto vs garisons would be placed in conuenient distances Caesar in the warres with the i PedituÌ„ 10000. sibi celeriter mitti voluit quò expeditiore re frumentaria vteretur Caes bel Gal. 7. Auuergnacs vsed 10. thousand Heduans to this purpose Neither would he suffer any k Vellaunodunum ne quem post se hostem relinqueret quo expeditiore refrumentaria vteretur oppugnare instituit ibidem towne to remaine vntaken betwixt him and his victuals For the fetching in of victuals a conuenient power of horsemen would be sent forth seconded with footemen to forrage and range the countrey Besides this the army would haue diuers cariages laden with
to escape and hath deuised a kind of proscription by which he offereth wages and rewards to such as will kill or empoison princes or others whom he maligneth and proscribeth without iustice the discipline of warre cannot be maintained neither hath the valiant reward without it nor the coward punishment Therefore had the Romans especial regard of iustice And iustice had in their camps a speciall b That place was called Principia Ius dicebat in principiis Liu. 28. place where it was administred Little needeth it that I declare how necessary liberalitie is in warres that both in peace and at all times hath such efficacie to attract mens fauours The souldiers dare aduenture any thing where there is large reward c Magni animi magnis honoribus fiunt Liu. 4. Nothing doth more stirre vp valiant minds then great honors d Eo impenditur labor periculuÌ„ vnde emolumentum honos speratur Liu. 4. Euery man bestoweth labor where he looketh for profit and reward Therefore had the Romanes most valiant souldiers for that they were most liberall in their rewardes Among them as their Generall Decius said the highest places and e Non generis sed virtutis est praemium Liu. 7. honors were giuen to valiant men for their vertue and prowesse not to cowards for their nobilitie or gentry They f Militem iis artibus fecerat periculi laboris auidum viz. By liberalitie Liu. 9. by their liberalitie made their souldiers forward in labour and danger The Captains of the Romanes although poore themselues yet enriched their souldiers Publicola Valerius and Menenius Agrippa were in their time great coÌ„manders yet did they not leaue behind them so much as to discharge their funerals But they enriched the state and left behind them a fame of vertue that will neuer decay Caesar g Caes bel ciu 3. with his great liberality had his souldiers so obsequent that in those ciuill warres which he had against Pompey and others few or none could be allured by any promises to forsake him whereas infinite of the enemies did daily reuolt and flie vnto him The Turks in warres are most venturous for that they know they shall haue great recompense for well doing He that first mounted the walles of Constantinople was afterward made Bascha And Ochiali of a poore mariner for his valiant seruice was made Admirall of the Turkes nauy and one of his counsell The hope that the Spaniards haue of their increase of pay which they call Ventaias and of preferment to higher places doth much encourage them to aduenture And what is the reason that so few doe hazard themselues in these dayes but this that the reward of hurts and long seruice is for the most part disgrace and beggarie the Generall hath no means to reward the valiant pillers and spoilers waxe rich and purchase valiant souldiers die naked and are vsed as abiects If a pot of golde were offered vnto them they would not refuse it as did a Cic. offic 1. Fabritius the Romane captaine but some would rather sell their father their countrey yea and soule rather then forgo it Nothing is more hurtefull to the proceedings of warres then miserable niggardise Although a captaine were endued with all other vertues yet this one fault would either suppresse them or disgrace them They woulde but b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 2. serue him to make all things more saleable as said Pericles c Praeceps Annibalis in auaritiam animus ad spolianda inclinans quae non poterat tueri foedum consilium dedit cum inceptu tum exitu Liu. 26. Annibal for that through couetousnes he fell to spoile his associats did alienate al their good willes Perseus the king of Macedonia sparing of his mony d Liu. 44. lost himselfe and his kingdome where if he would haue beene at any charge he might haue had the ayde of thirtie thousand Gaules most valiant men to serue him against the Romanes e Phi. Commin 5 Frederike the emperour the last of that name was of euery one contemned and abused for that they knew that he would rather incurre any disgrace then spend any mony f Constat potuisse conciliari animos militum quantulacunque parci senis liberalitate Tacit. lib. Hist 17. Galba the emperour might haue reteined the good wil of his souldiers with any small cost or expense bestowed vpon them but it was a death to him to spend mony Therefore was he forsaken of his souldiers and slaine of his enemy While men either haue not mony or will not spend it vpon necessary prouision before hand captaines want souldies souldiers want armes victuals munitions of warre and all things necessary Nay they want will and courage For what courage can men haue when there is no hope of rewarde By this g Auaritia fidem probitatem ceterasque bonas artes subuertit pro his superbiam crudelitatem does negligere omnia venalia habere docuit Salust coniur Cat. meanes all military discipline is disordered souldiers famished forward men impouerished the honor of military profession stained and vnworthy persons and greedy gulles that lie fatting and purchasing at home enriched with the spoiles of their countrey This was the first occasion of the ruine of Rome that all thinges were there set to sale it was the ouerthrow of the state of the h Largitionis praedaeque dulcedine priuati coÌ„modi sensus malorum publicoruÌ„ adimebatur Liu. 1. de Gabiis Gabians and I feare will be the bane of England if it be lawfull here also to do as others did without controlment The Generall would likewise be courteous clement and gentle Nothing doth more please the common souldier This was a special commendation of Charles the fift but borrowed from antiquity Caesar a Cic. pro Marcel among other his vertues had this commendation singular of affability and courtesie to his souldiers of clemency to ward his enemies b Veste habituque vix a gregario miliâ—e discrepans Tacit. 18. Vespasian by this meanes obtained the fauor of his souldiers and Titus c Tacit. 21. his sonne was their speciall delite d Germanicus circumire saucios vulnera intuens alium spe asium gloria cunctos alloquio cura sibique praelio â—irmabat Tacit annal 1. Germanicus with his care for his souldiers and his courteous speech bound them to loue him The sauage mindes of mutins are e Obsequio mitigantur animi Liu. oftentimes mitigated with faire wordes when no rigour could otherwise tame or pacifie them Contrariwise nothing doth more hurt sometimes then the vntimely rigour and austerity of the Generall Charles Duke of Burgundy in his latter time grew so austere and peremptory that no man durst councell him any thing or contrary him The same as Philip f Phil. Com. li. 7. Commines testifieth was his vtter ruine g Liu. 4. Posthumius for his rigour was stoned to
death of his owne souldiers which also happened to Cinna whose vntimely austerity was the ruine of their affaires Alexander if to his great valiantnesse hee had ioyned affabilitie and clemency he had not in the end growen odious to his owne souldiers Who doth not detest Annibal for his great crueltie Temperance is a vertue that shineth in peace especially yet hath it no small vse in the middest of warres and being wanting in a captaine doth make him want so much of perfection For how is it like that hee can gouerne others well that cannot rule himselfe nor his affection or who can looke for modestie and sobrietie in the souldiers where the Captaine is giuen to wine or women and spendeth his time in riot and excesse let this vertue therefore be added to the garland of an absolute Captaines perfections h Liu. 25. Scipio by restoring a faire woman to her husband Allucius wonne to himselfe the heart not onely of that man but also of the womans friends and diuers Spaniardes And i Xenoph. paed Cyr. Cyrus bound Abradata vnto him for sparing his wife Panthea k Quint. Curt. Alexander is renowmed among posterity for his continency toward the wife and daughters of Darius Like coÌ„mendation though in another subiect doth l Plutarch in Epaminond Epaminondas deserue who wheÌ„ his citizeÌ„s did feast riot walked soberly about the wall of Thebes to see that the enemy made no attempt against the city Nothing doth more hurt or hinder the proceedings of wars then riot and intemperancy Annibals souldiers were ouercome with the delights of Capua whom the Romanes with force could not subdue Antiochus in the midst of his preparatiues falling in loue spent a winter in making of a match so lost time and opportunitie to transport his army into Italy as Annibal aduised him The French grew odious to them of Sicilia by reason of their insolencies which gaue them cause to rebell and to murder them al in one euening The intemperance of the enemy giueth many opportunities to those that be watchful a Liu. 8. Cales was taken while the citizens lay drunken in a solemne feast The same was the destruction of Troy Marcellus perceiuing the negligent gard which the Syracusans made on a feast day at night surprised the towne by escalade The b Alphons de Vlloa Turkes took Zeresana a strong town in Sclauony vpon Shrouetuesday at night when the townesmen after their maner of their carneuall being drunke were carelesse and secure Much more therefore behoueth it the General to watch to be sober temperate and careful These vertues are singularly commended in a Generall yet may I not forget desire of true honor loue of the countrey and loyalty toward the Prince and Which vnlesse a Generall haue al other excellencies do rather make him suspected then commend him For who can trust him that hath intelligence with the enemy or receiueth pensioÌ„ from him The French men do merily scoffe at some great men of our nation that haue beene pensioners of the French Kings c Philip Comin and whose acquittances are extant in their Eschequer I would to God the guise were now euery where left C. Fabritius dwelling in a smoky house refused a great masse of gold presented vnto him by the Samnites How much more then ought they to haue care of their honor that dwell in the sight of the world in gorgeous houses that great men for a paltry pension should sell their honor it is intollerable For the loue of their country diuers in time past deuoted themselues to death as the two Decii as Curtius as Mutius Sceuola as Codrus as Leonidas and infinit others Is the race of them now extinct that so fewe of that sort are in our age and country to be found If we consider ancient times we shall finde that those great men whose memories continue vnto our times were endued both with these and many other vertues d Sueton. in vit Caes Plutarch C. Caesar in his actions was most consideratiue in hazard and danger most resolute in executions speedy oppressing his enemies oft times before the newes of his comming were heard painfull in labour in dangers watchfull in diet sober a liberall rewarder of valiant men a good iusticer where neede required if al his vertues were in a Generall what should be wanting beside religion This Generall I propose to all those that desire honor to imitate so neere as they can The honorable parts of Camillus Valer. Coruinus 〈◊〉 Scipio are no lesse to be set before the eies of Capteins Annibal among the Africans deserueth special price He was in his time subtil cautelous skilfull in al faits of armes He was very skilful that could escape his snares Laborious he was and watchfull and speedy and a strict obseruer of military orders Of a Cato parsimonia vigiliis labore cum vltimis militum certabat Liu. 34. Cato it is reported that in parsimony watching and labours hee contended to passe the common â—ouldiers Of the yonger Cato b Monstrabat tolerare labores Lucan Lucan giueth this testimony that in the painfull march thorow the desarts of Affrike he by his patience and example shewed what others were to do These things were in the old Romane captains and as I suppose in those that succeeded them c Acer militae anteire agmen locum castris capere noctu diuque consilio ac si res posceret manu hostibus obniti c. Tacit. annal 18. Vespasian is commended for a man of courage in fight skil in incamping and taking the aduantage of the ground Night and day he broke the enemies purposes oft by counsel sometime by force in diet apparel he was moderate scarce could you know him from a common souldier comparable with antiquitie if couetousnes had not blemished or rather defaced his other vertues By such men the Romane empire grew great by wants and vice of the Generals the same receiued many ouerthrowes Claudius d Polyb. who being captaine the Romanes were ouercome at sea in the first wars with Carthage was a contemner of religion ignorant of matters of warre simple and cowardly Flaminius that was slaine with his army by Annibal at the lake Thrasymene was irreligious rash vnskilful impetuous vnprouident Varro that occasioned the great slaughter of the Romanes at Cannae was a man of no merit nor iudgement wilful and vnexpert in matters of warre Crassus the rich seeking too greedily after spoyle was not aware in what country he marched before bee saw himselfe inclosed by the enemies Looke the latter emperours you shal not find in many of them any thing worthy commendation Maximinus a cruell tirant in matters of warre and state was vnskilfull Such were most of the rest e E cubiculo lectulo iubebat quicquid hosti conduceret Tacit 20. Such captaines he calleth Ignaua animalia Ordeonius that was ouerthrowne by the Germans being in
danger like a sluggish beast took his bed and as Tacitus saith did thence giue foorth such direction as made most for the enemy Wherefore seeing so many vertues are required in a captaine and so small faultes lay him open to the enemy it is no maruell if perfect Generals be so rare and hard to finde Philip king of Macedonia wondred that the Athenians changed their leaders so often as hauing great choice seeing that he in al his time could not find anie more then one that was excellent or answerable to his minde and that was Parmenio The more rare they are the more care all wise Princes and states ought to haue that vnto such as they commit their armies vnto they adioyne for a supply wise and experimented counsellers Yea though the Generall be neuer so wise yet may hee not want his counsell of warres Of this the order of our discourse leadeth vs now to speake CHAP. IIII. Part. 2. Of the Generalles counsell of warres IT were a principall point of wisedome for Princes and states that take warres in hand to make choice of such a Generall as hath such partes and vertues as before are described if they will not be persuaded but will needes for fauour or kinred or nobilitie commit their affaires to men young in yeares and greene in experience and destitute of merite the next remedy is to ioyne with them Captaines wise and experimented in matters of warre If they will doe neyther then shall the wofull euents of warres teach them which no counsell nor reason could perswade them that warres are managed by wisedome value and experience and not by fauour nobilitie nor great countenance In the late troubles of France a Hist. de troubl de Fr. li. 3. when Charles the ninth made his brother Henry de Valois his lieutenant generall to supply his want of yeares and experience hee assigned vnto him for his counsell the Dukes of Nemours and Longueuille the Marshall Cossè Tauanes Martigues Carnaualet Losses and others which were men of wisedome and value King Edward the third sending his sonne gouernor of his army into France ioyned with him diuers experimented heades to assist him Yea a Consilio cum legatis quaestore communicato c. Caesar omnes copias castris eduxit Cas bel gal 4. although the Generals themselues were men of worth and great experience yet both among the Romanes and other nations had they their counsels with them Many eyes see more then one and souldiers do more willingly execute that which they see by wise counsell to haue beene determined wisely before b Priùs quà m incipias consulto vbi consulueris maturè facto opus est Salust de coniur Catil Before any enterprise be begunne it is wisedome to consult and after consultation speedily to execute c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. It is neuer good to presume vpon the enemies disorders as if they would take an euil course but wee ought to consider and foresee in counsell all that may happen as if they did all that which they ought to doe saith Archidamus But this cannot be doone sufficiently nor orderly without a counsell of warres Therefore had the Romanes their d Legatos i. bellici consilij auctores muneris prouincialis ministros Cic. in Vatin legates lieutenants or counsellors assistant vnto them to giue counsell and to speede such matters as were committed vnto them more or lesse according to the importance of affaires in hand L. Furius in his warres against the Gaules had fiue Caesar in his warres in France had tenne Pompey in the warres against the pyrates had fifteene legates These serued the Generall for counsell in his absence they supplied his place in any seruice they had the charge eyther of some part of the army or some wing or some regiment The Lacedemonians sent e Thucid. Brasidas and others to assist their admirall Cnemus in the gouernement of sea causes When Commius f Iis delecti ex ciuitatibus attribuuntur quorum consilio bellum administraretur Caes bel gal li. 7. Virdumarus Eporedorix and Vergasillaunus were made Generalles of that army which the Gaules sent against Caesar they had also certaine wise men assigned to them out of euery state by whose counsell they were to proceede in the administration of the warres Where there is no set counsell yet is it not good to doe matters without counsell The Romanes vsed commonly to call a counsell of their chiefe officers colonelles and others about them Camillus before g Omnia ibi summo consilio ratione acta sunt Fortuna etiam vt fit secuta est Liu. 5. hee charged the Gaules he set downe in counsell howe euery thing shoulde bee perfourmed And therefore no maruell saith Liuy if good successe ensued seeing all thing were doone by order and deliberation Ser. Galba being beset by the people comming downe from the mountaines on euery side called a counsell of his chiefe men and h Concilio celeriter conuocato sententias exquirere caepit Galba Caes bel gal 3. asked aduise what euery man thought best to be done in that case The same did i Caes bel gal 5. Cotta and Titurius besieged by Ambiorix though not with like successe Curio a Concilio conuocato de summa rerum deliberare caepit Caes de bel ciu 2. calling his counsell about him after his comming into Affrike deliberated how to proceed in his matters Good it had bene for him if he had vsed like deliberation in all his affaires But if at any time sure before the ioyning of battell counsell is necessary Before that b Liu. 27. Scipio brought foorth his army to fight with Asdrubal he called his chiefe men to counsell c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. Cyrus before hee began the battell with his brother Artaxerxes called the colenels and chiefe commanders of the Greeks to counsel There they set down by common cōsent what course they were to take for the obtaining of the victory And so pretious a thing is good counsell that not onely chiefe commanders men of authority but also euery one that speaketh reason is to be heard d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 3. Xenophon to heare those that brought good intelligēce gaue order that his familiars should awake him if he were on sleepe He refused not to heare the counsel of any priuate souldier Let vs now see into what calamities they haue fallen which refusing to heare counsel did al things rashly and vpon their owne head Charles the Duke of Burgundy deserueth the first place who presuming of his owne wisedome and refusing to heare all counsell ouerthrew himselfe and his state He refused to heare one that came to discouer vnto him the treason of Campobacho The presumption of e Guicciar li. 19. Lautrecke that would heare no counsell nor followe any deuise but his owne brought the forces of France before
Naples to ruine It had beene good if Richard the 2. would haue folowed the aduise of his vncle It is reported that Charles the 5. was opinionatiue and did many things of his owne head and the rather for that he would seeme to imitate Caesar But the matter I thinke is mistaken for neither did Caesar nor Charles the 5. things without counsell nor can any prosper that do proceede without aduise Those things standing thus yet I know not how it commeth to passe that in great enterprises taken in hand in these times there is seldome any sound or set counsell appointed If any be yet are they the Generals familiars or men of no great merite or iudgement And which is very odious greatly offendeth braue men Princes f Difficultà grādissima d'entrar ' nelle camere nudientie del rè fe ce i Francesi odiosi Guicciard lib. 1. Generals chambers are close shut hard it is for a man to come to their speech whatsoeuer they haue to say Oft times the counsell is diuided which causeth slow resolution weak expedition and venteth al good counsels a matter much to be auoyded g Lib. 16. Guicciardin saith that the contrariety of Clement the 7. his two counsellers made him ridiculous slowe and vnhappy in all his enterprises yet was hee otherwise subtill and worldly wise Where there is emulation and contention betwixt those of the counsel there is nothing agreed vpon vntill all opportunities be passed Nowe and then the Generall although good counsell be giuen yet least he a Ne alienae sententiae indigens videretur in diuersa ac deterioca transibat Tac. 15. might seeme to want or neede counsell hee will rather take a worse course Which was the case of the Romane captaine through whose folly the Romanes were ouerthrowen by Vologeses Some men also there are which mislike all counsels but such as themselues deuise of which nature was b Consilii quamuis egregii quod non ipse afferret inimicus Tac. 17. Laco the gouernour of Galba the Emperours garde which was his owne ouerthrow and the ouerthrow of his Prince Such are to be excluded frō all counsel Some there are that in counsel resolue vpon euery light rumour and report which causeth them oft times ridiculously to reuoke their decrees and determinations This lightnes Caesar noteth in the c Rumoribus auditionibus permoti de summis saepè rebus consilia ineunt Caes bel gal 4. Gaules the d Negauit senatus ad rumores à priuatis consictos Senatusconsulta facienda Liu. 35. Senate of Rome with great grauitie reprooued where they shew that the Senate might not determine matters vpon rumours of priuate men that lightly proue counterfeit Of all others e Liu. 44. Aemilius Paulus most hated those that would talke and prate and busy themselues with matters which they vnderstood not And in deede it is an odious sort of men that doeth forge false rumours and take vpon them to prescribe the Generals what to doe But most dangerous counsellers are those which are hired of the enemie A matter not newe nor rare but sure very scandalous Guicciardine noteth it in the counsell f Sono venali spesso i consigli di principi Guicciard lib. 1. of Charles the 8. of France The same man declareth what g Jn molti poteuano assai i donatiui le promesse de Francesi Guicciar lib. 16. sway French Crownes did also beare among the counsellers of Charles the 5. Philip of Comines reporteth that Lewis the xj of France bestowed 16. thousand Duckets in pension vpon the English that followed Edward the 4. into France which brake the force of that iourney When the treaty of association was made betwixt Spaine and England against France in the dayes of Henry the 8. the Cardinal and others would not agree before that the Emperour Charles had giuen them caution for the h Guicciar li. 15. paiment of 20. thousand Duckets pension which they receiued of the French king and were loth to loose howsoeuer the common wealth might gaine by it These men call themselues Pensioners but their true name is Traitors hired for a litle golde to betray their Prince and Countrey These doe ruinate all enterprises against those that hire them and therefore deserue not on ely to be thrust out of the counsell of warres but also out of their countrey These doe make many good counsels knowen to the enemie and therefore are no way to be trusted Last of all through feare or delay of resolution or execution many occasions of seruice passe which are not alwayes offered vnto vs and when they come not easily to be pretermitted It is not wisedome to resolue rashly true no more is it wisedome to consult so long that the occasion passeth rash men therefore and slowe proceeders are fitter for other places then places of counsell in warres The remedie of these disorders is easy where the Generall is a man of iudgement and execution where otherwise it is a matter difficult and almost not possible In which case it is necessary that one be appointed with special authority next to the Generall Men of iudgement can soone discouer trecherous counsels and will easily correct their contentions and whatsoeuer other faultes are common in their proceeding Wherefore seeing nothing auaileth more in warres then counfell next vnto the choyse of the Generall regarde is to be had of the choyse of a sufficient counsell of men of knowledge experience secrecy loyaltie and other good partes fit for that place that as it was among the Romanes may both aduise and helpe the Generall And if by the lawe of armes no souldier may reueale any counsell to the enemie much lesse ought such abuse to proceede from the counsel I neede not declare how they should proceede nor how they should couer their enterprises by contrary pretenses as a Exped Cyr. 1. Cyrus did going against his brother Artaxerxes and as the Spaniards doe dayly nor how they should speedily resolue and presently execute They doe not deserue to be named counsellers that in those poynts want counsell Nowe least contrariety of opinions which hindereth both counsell and execution should arise of the diuersitie of counsellers affections I wil shew that the soueraine authoritie in warres is to be committed to one alone CHAP. IIII. Part. 3. Wherein is declared that the soueraigne commaundement in matters of warres is to be committed to one alone AS in a state well ordeined so in an army well gouerned there may not be any contrariety in the chiefe commaunders The army by Iphicrates the Athenian is compared to a body whereof the Generall is the head Wherefore as it is vnnaturall and a Resp benè constituta quod vnū tantum est corpus plura capita habere non potest Tyberius apud Tacit. monstrous for one body to haue two heads so it is inconuenient for an army to be encumbred with diuers
they doe that are not onely pinched in their prouisions but also bound fast by their commissions The c Le commissioni di Caesare haueuane espressa o tacita conditione di gonuernarhi secoÌ„do la varietà di tempi Guicciard lib. 17. commissions which Charles the fift gaue to his captaines had this condition either expressed or implyed that they should proceede according to the varietie of times and occasions notwithstanding any thing in them conteined And some very expert and wise men haue not doubted seeing a manifest aduantage to goe against their Princes commission d Il Triuultio anchora che la commessione del rèfusse che prima s' attendesse alle cose de Genoa prese il Bosco nel contado d' Alexandria Guicciard lib. 3. Triuultio although by his directions he was first to haue care of the affaires of Genoa yet doubted not to take Bosco a fit place in the territory of Alexandira And albeit that Lewis the 12. gaue his Captaines expresse charge that they should not fight with the Spaniards yet seeing their weakenes and their owne manifest aduantage they fought with them and foyled them at Cirignola Where for their defence is alleaged that the commaundements of the King being farre off and not seeing the state of things were rather e I commandamenti delrè essendo lontano erano più ricords che precetti Guicci ard lib. 5. remembrances then precepts to be followed Trimoille seeing the danger of the state of France assaulted by diuers enemies and also by the Switzers made f Accordà co i zuitzeri senza commessione salue la Francia Guicciar lib. 5. peace compounded with them although he had no commssion so to doe Of which act Guicciardin guieth this testimonie that by that accorde he saued the realme of France out of a mauifest danger And very absurd it were if a maÌ„ might not doe his countrey seruice without commission The a Salus reip â—â—prema lex safetie of the state and honor of the Prince are warrants and exceptions of a most high nature And for a man to doubt to take the enemie at aduantage for feare of violating his commission as the Spaniards say that the Duke of Medina did in his voyage for England is nothing but to spreade a cloke to couer his owne cowardise or insufficiencie Yet may not the Generall doe against his commission rashly or without apparant cause or sufficient order neither may he doe all things without commission He may not proclaime warres or inuade any nation that is out of commission onely if his enemie flie into an other Countrey he may followe him For in that case b Liuy Manlius auoweth his warres against the Gallo-grecians and c Liuy Fabius his voyage through the wood Ciminia Also all such as inuade his gouernement or his friends or associats he may prosecute without his gouernement He may not make peace or treate of peace with the enemie for he is sent to make warres He may not dimisse his armie without commandement nay he may not proceede against the lawes of Armes The d Dictator optima lege creatus summum imperium belli pacis paenarum sine prouocatione habebat Pompon in l. 2. §. popul ff de orig iuris Romane Dictator although he had great aucthoritie and could determine matters of life and death without appeale yet did not hee execute or iudge any but by the lawes of Armes That which in commoÌ„ termes some cal executing by martial lawe when innocent men are hanged without for me of lawe or cause may better be called martiall force then martiall lawe For this hath only place in warres and redresseth disorders against militarie proceedings e Si quid fraudulenter dux secerit de eo tenebitur L. in personam § generabile ff de reg iur Finally the General whatsoeuer his commission is may not deale fraudulently in his charge nor proceede contrary to militarie profession and practise in which case euery Generall is subiect f ff ad leg Iul. maiest l. 1. 2. to the lawe Very necessarie therefore it is that Generals should haue their commissions large both in respect of their prouision which by this meanes may in some sort be supplied and in respect of the expedition and g Imperator liberè ad summam imperri consulere debet Caes bel ciu 3. execution of warres which ought not to be hindred nor can conueniently be prescribed And without large aucthoritie neither can our owne souldiers nor associats be well gouerned The experience of the seruice in the Lowe Countries and disorders at sea which for want of power haue not bene redressed doe minister vnto vs sufficient proofe of this matter Some will say that it is dangerous to commit so large power into any mans hands especially if he should deale disloyally But what a reason is this because men may abuse their power not to giue them sufficient power for those matters which are committed to their charge Those that meane disloyally toward the State although they should haue neuer so strait limitations in their commissions would not stand vpon termes and wordes of lawe And rather it giueth them occasion of discontentment when they see themselues distrusted then bridleth any euill purpose if they should doe against their allegiance And why should any man without cause suspect any noble man that he will deale against his Countrey hauing so many pledges of his loyaltie but if any should be so euill disposed yet may we not thinke that all his army would follow him rebelling against his Countrey And if they should yet is it not the force of one armie that can preuaile against a whole kingdome that is well gouerned And therefore for feare of disloyaltie of some let no man feare or omitte to make sufficient prouision and rather let loyall men be sought out with diligence and disloyall men remoued then that the necessarie prouisions of warre should be neglected or the proceeding hindred for want of aucthoritie CHAP. IIII. Part 5. Of the choice of Colonels and Captaines of companies and other officers of the armie and their qualities and office DIuers other pointes concerning the place charge and office of the Generall deserue also to be particularly handled as namely who hath authoritie to appoint Generals in what case the Prince himselfe is to come in person into the field how farre the General ought to hazard himselfe and generally what belongeth to his office but the same may partly be vnderstood by that which hath bin spoken already shal more euidently be declared in this treatise for the executioÌ„ of al these matters appertaineth especially to the direction of the General And now we haste to speake of such matters as coÌ„cerne rathe the managing of warre then questioÌ„s of right It is sufficiently knowen that the power to make warre or peace is a marke of souerainty belongeth to the soueraine magistrat and to
seeme answerable yet for his lewd maners hee proueth for the most part vnprofitable and is therfore to be repelled or blotted out of the rolle In a souldier therefore I require first a Vt audaces sint animum habeant considentiam militarem Veget. lib. 1. c. 8. a vigorous and present mind and that he be not afraide of danger nor drawen swordes nor that hee despaire in trouble or thinke of death before it commeth nor yeeld though cast downe so long as by any possibilitie he may hope to rise againe Constancie also and resolution is much by b De bel ciu 3. Caesar commended and the only thing that atchieueth great enterprises For many are the hazards of warre and things succeede not alwayes at the first Without obedience and obseruance of military orders all other vertues are without effect Let the souldier therefore be obedient and quiet Those that c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutar. in Agid. Cleo. are most obedient to lawes prooue for the most part most valiant against the enemy It is a principall marke of a valiant souldier if he dare do what he is commanded by his superiors Contrariwise they that are mutinous against their gouernours and are euer bragging as if warres consisted in words only are seldome good souldiers or braue men in triall Souldiers would likewise be of quiet behauior and temperate in their diet There is no vse said d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 2. Clearchus of an army that is riotous and out of order I would likewise wish that souldiers were religious and thinke it very requisite if it might be obtained The very Pagans did nothing before they had consulted with oracles or sought to knowe the pleasure of God by e Nil nisi auspicatò gerebant Xenop exp Cyr. 2. Cic. de natur deor 3. birdes or entrals of beastes for that was their ignorance and beleeued that al euil successe in their warres came to them for neglect of religion Gods worship How much more then ought Christians to be religious There is nothing that more confirmeth the souldiers mind then when he is perswaded that God fauoreth him the goodnes of his cause nor worketh more assured resolution to die then when men vnderstand they go to a better life Contrariwise men of a bad conscience are alwayes timorous and doubtful I know blasphemers swearers and Atheists wil laugh at this rule But what wonder when they laugh also at God and religion these men will one day weepe for their laughter I pray God that others suffer not for their Atheisme and contempt of religion Finally souldiers would be more desirous of praise thē of gaine Such doth Xenophon report Cyrus his a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenop exped Cyr. 1. souldiers that followed him against Artaxerxes to haue beene And no small commendation is it in souldiers to be afraide of reproofe and desirous of honest report Men of honest condition shamefast while they b Honestas idoneum reddit militem verecundia dum prohibet fugere facit esse victorem Veget. lib. 1. are ashamed to fly win the victory win to thēselues the reputatiō of good souldiers Swearers the eues rogues whoremongers drunkards do better become the gaole then the campe And our c Non ca constantia gladiatoribus ad praelia quae militibus Tacit. 18. great cutters hackers in the streets of London are seldome great hackers of the enemy The third point which we are to respect in the choice of souldiers is the trade of their liuing although not in equall degree with the other two For many to win themselues a liuing are oftentimes driuen to follow base occupations that otherwise are couragious of a liberall dispositiō haue bodies fit for labor So that although the Spartans and d Opificum vulgus sellularii minimè militiae idoneum genus Liu. 8. Romanes refused such for souldiers as exercised manuall occupations and kept shops yet do I not thinke they deserue generally to be refused but onely such of them as be weake tender and effeminate All those that are hardened with labour as e Ex agricolis viri fortissimi Cato de re rust Veget. lib. 1. husbandmen for the most part and those that can sufferraine heate and cold and vse to fare hard and lie hard and sleepe little prooue braue men Our yong gentlemen seruingmen are easily trained made fit for the warres But of al others the old souldier if such may be had of what trade soeuer he is deserueth the first place They are so farre to bee praised aboue young souldiers as artificers excell their apprentises A handful of tried souldiers hath oftē put to flight multitudes of men not exercised in warres contrariwise seldome do yong souldiors abide the chamaillis hammering of armes Caesars old souldiers were inuincible And Annibals tried souldiers of Affrike of which nation now no reckoning is made did giue diuers foiles to the Romans these being vnexercised those hauing bin long indurat in wars It were therefore to be wished that more accōpt were made of valiant men that haue long serued their prince country in the choise of yōg souldiers it is sufficiēt if the former rules be obserued CHAP. IIII. Part. 7. Of the Othe of a souldier SOuldiers enrolled armed and furnished would in case orders of warre were obserued bee charged with an othe that they should come to the place at time assigned and faithfully serue their Prince and country liuing in obedience to their gouernours and superiour officers and those military lawes which are by the General and his counsel or the estates of the realm ordained for the good gouernement of the army This was vsed by the Romanes Athenians and other warrelike nations in time past and is not now in our times thought inconuenient The a Licurg in orat aduersus Leocrit Athenians when they came to military yeares and were enrolled in the moster rolles did sweare that they would neither dishonour the profession of armes nor forsake their array but woulde defend their country and enlarge the honour of it to their vttermost power The same is reported yet more particularly by b In Demost ora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vlpian who sheweth the place the manner and effect of their othe and that in the temple of Agraulos they came and swore hauing their armes on that they would fight for their country The wordes as Pollux hath them are in effect thus much I will not said he that swore dishonour the profession of armes I wil not forsake my Captaine I will fight for the religion and lawes of my countrey in array and alone I will saile whither I shall be appoynted I will obey lawes and not suffer them to be abrogated I will obserue the religion of my countrey and so let God helpe me and defend me Gellius out of Cincius his bookes of
carriages wanted victuals and armes and munitions many things necessary But seeing they haue done such things at such disaduantage they may thinke our men would haue done much more if the party had bin equall or our men better prouided and furnished Beside this souldiers chosen of this nation are bound with a straiter bond to their prince country then any stranger They haue more reason to fight hauing not only the defence of their prince and country but also their religion lawes liberty wiues and children coÌ„mitted to their hands they are more patient in aduersity haue lesse cause to reuolt Wanting of pay or part of their pay which God wot they may percase do oft times they notwithstanding continue constant and loyal If they offend hauing their wiues children landes goods and friends behinde them they are more easily corrected Finally lesse pay doth content our souldiers then any forreine natioÌ„ I doubt not but if that mony which hath bin cast away vpoÌ„ the Dutch and French had bene emploied vpon our poore country souldiers the country had beene better stored with mony and the people better prouided for warres and greater seruice done vpon the enemy Let vs now compare strangers vnto the subiects of this land There is at all no trust in them a Infidas venâ—lésque manus ibi fas vbi maxima merces Their handes are saleable their heartes faithlesse They accompt that cause best where they may haue most hire It is follie saith b Polyb. lib. 2. Polybius and want of iudgement to put trust in strangers beeing more in number and strength then our owne nation The first time that euer the Romanes vsed mercenary souldiers was when the two Scipioes were gouernours of their forces in Spaine Those two being together with their army betrayed and ruinated by the Celtiberians that forsooke them in their neede may be an euident c Liu. 24. document neuer to trust strangers vnlesse wee haue force to commaund them and constraine them Annibal d Liu. 23. abandoned by the Spanish and Numidian horsemen was greatly weakened e Liu. 23. Mutines forsaking the Carthaginians in whose succour hee came out of Numidia disordered all their affaires in Sicile The Romanes giuing themselues to pleasures and ease and vsing forraine forces of Germanes and Gaules ruinated that huge Empire which was left them by their ancestors Which as Tacitus saith were inuincible so long as they vsed their owne souldiers The Gaules f Qua nihil in exercitu Rom. firmum nisi externum Tacit. 3. reuolted from the Romanes because they saw no strength in the Romane army but that which was of straÌ„gers Of whom they presumed that they would not ioyne with the Romans against them The Thessalian horsemen forsaking the Athenians in the battel of a Thucid. 1. Tanagra occasioned the victory to the Lacedemonians their enemies The same had hapned to the b Thucid. 4. Lacedemonians by the treachery of the Macedonians that forsooke them when the Thracians charged them had not the resolution of Brasidas remedied the disorder The departure of c Guicciar 15. 6000. Grisons that left Francis the first of France before Pauy was the beginning of his weakenesse 2000. mercenary men leauing Maximilian the Emperor broke his enterprise against the Venetians d Guicciar 2. Fabritio Prospero ColoÌ„na although highly aduanced by Charles the 8. of France yet in the end reuolted to Ferdinand In the days of Ed. the 3. Rich. the 2. Hen. the 5. and 6 the greatest e Froissart losses we had in France happened by the reuolt of the French which our men without cause trusted When al was lost yet did wée retaine Caleis vntil it was taken from vs by force for that it was kept peopled by the English nation Yet the same was almost betrayed by an Italian to whom Edw. the 3. gaue it in guard How the Germans that came into France of late in aide of the Protestants vnder the Dukes of Bouillion the baron Donaw behaued themselues I report me to the memory of those poore gentlemeÌ„ that by their disloyaltie and treason were left as a spoyle to the enemie Oft times strangers not only forsake their friends but also ioyne with the enemy oppugne them The f Liu. 21. Gaules in the 2. wars with Carthage flew the watch of the Romanes by night fled ioyned themselues with Annibal The Dutchmen that Charles the 8. of France left in the kingdome of g Guicciar lib. 3. Naples for the defence thereof corrupted with mony tooke part with the enemy The b Tacit. 20. Romans betrayed by their associats at one time were slain both by them by the enemy The ancient Britons vsing in time past the help of the Saxons were by them driuen out of their natiue country The like hapned to the i Caes bel gal 1. Sequanians long before For requiring aide of the Germanes against the Heduans their neighbors they were driuen out of their owne possessions by those that came to succour them k Salust bel Iugurth Iugurtha by the trechery of certaine Thracians that serued the Romanes in Affrike entred the Romane campe in the night and made a great slaughter therein The Turkes are now in possession of Constantinople in aide whereof they first came out of Asia Strangers are neuer satisfied with any pay yet seldome do they any seruice The l Dimissi Galli pecuniam ingentem sine labore ac periculo partam retulerunt Liu. 10. Gaules hired by the Hetruscians carried away their mony without doing anie seruice against the Romanes When the French had foyled the enemy then the hired Switzers and Dutchmen crying for mony hindered their victory They tooke mony saith a Guicciar lib. 2. 12. Guicciardin of al hands did seruice to none It is not possible saith he to manage the b Impossible a manegiar li Suizzerisenza denari infiniti Guicciar lib 9. Switzers without infinit treasure It is long to report al the discourses of their insatiable couetousnes treasons Of king Edw. the 3. purposing to recouer his right in France Froissart sayth that with great summes of mony he hired the Dutch to ioyne with him but he got no ayde of them nor other aduancement but a vaine title of Lieutenant to the Emperor Not long since the c Hie duitch or Germanes Dutch calling for mony when they should fight gaue the victorie to the Duke of Alua their enemie and betrayed their Generall the Prince of Orenge There is nothing more cowardly then strangers when they come to seruice They are d Non fide non affectu tenentur Sine pudore flagitii fugiunt Tacit. in vit Agric not reteined by affection nor regard promise and shame not to flye to saue their skinnes Nothing can bee deuised more disorderly nor rauinous The Switzers tooke their owne Captains prisoners in Lombardy and kept them as pledges
them therefore fight valiantly and not suffer themselues to bee skinned They that forecast what windes will blowe seldome sowe or set sayle in time Further a small force must needes lye in Townes and hide their heads where the enemie is stronger Against the enemie they haue neither strength to fight nor meanes to enterprise stil the Prince is at a continuall charge and without pay the souldiers famish but where a full and sufficient force arriueth in any Countrey they commaund the same vnlesse an armie be presently opposed against theÌ„ They enrich themselues with spoiles the fruites they lay vp for their owne store Many confederates some for feare others for other causes ioyne with them and either yeeld money or victuals or munitions Whatsoeuer corne forage or other prouision is without walled Townes that is theirs It must be a Towne of some strength that dare resist them When the armie is great the warres mainteyne themselues as said Cato Scipio with the profite that he drewe out of the Countrey of Spaine mainteined his armie there diuers yeres Sixteene yeres did Annibal maintaine warres in Italy at the charge of that Countrey almost without supplie of men or money from Carthage With the riches of France Caesar mainteined his armie 9. yeeres in France enriched himself and his countrey Besides the charge of the army defraied many Romane captains haue brought in great summes of money into the publike treasurie These are the fruits of victorie but victorie cannot be obteined without an armie If therefore any man hope for the end of warres or good successe in France Flanders or other Countrey let him wish that sufficient meanes were employed There is neither honor safetie profite nor hope of good hap in the course of warres commonly taken If you will not beleeue me then examine the proceedings of the smal companies that haue bin employed in seruice of late time examine the ancient and latter histories of forreigne nations that haue had good successe in their warres If you see nothing but disorder in the one and reason in the other then let captaines neuer for shame on this sort loose their men expend their money trifle the time dally with the enemie contrary to reason and all good proceeding but let them as in other points so in this also returne to the true discipline and practice of warre CHAP. IIII. Part. 11. Of the exercise and trayning of young souldiers whereby they are made apte and ready for the warres A Wise Generall hauing once enrolled his souldiers will not loose any one houre of time but will either exercise them or employ them in seruice There is nothing in warres more pretious then time which once passed cannot be recalled And whether the army be idle or well employed the pay and charge stil runneth on But because it is dangerous to bring yong souldiers into the face of the enemie before they be both fashioned by exercise also fleshed by light encounters with the enemie he ought both diligently to exercise them at such times as the enemie giueth him leysure also to harden them by skirmishes and other light enterprises against the enemie before he hazard to fight with his full forces Therein what example can I set before him better to follow then that of Scipio that ouercame Annibal and in al deedes of armes shewed himselfe most vigilant and skilfull He before he drew foorth his army out of new Carthage into the fielde when as yet the time of the yeere was not proper for seruice did continually diuers dayes exercise his men aswell in fight at sea as at land The first day he caused all his regiments to runne in array and order of battell 4. miles the second day he appointed euery man to make his armes cleane and fit the a Tertio die in modum iustae pugnae sudibus interse concurrerunt Liu. 26. third day he caused them to diuide themselues into two partes and in order of battel to fight the one against the other with cudgels and blunt dartes The same course hee tooke in Sicile before he transported his b Liu. 29. army into Afrike He caused his souldiers in order of battel to march and runne armed and set his ships in aray within the harbour in such good order as if hee were presently to fight The a Intentior quaÌ„ vnquam â—nte a muniendi exercendique militem cura ducibus Volscorum erat Liu. 4. Volscians hauing bin oftentimes foyled by the Romanes and determining to set vp their rest tooke great care in arming and exercising their men as if that were the onely meanes to harten and harden their souldiers And sure much good doth exercise and teaching as well in warre as other artes where the leaders are skilfull Tit. b Liu. 23. Sempronius by exercising his young souldiers taught them to followe their ensignes and keepe rankes both standing and fighting in array of battell and obteined by them diuers victories against the enemie c Liu. 34. Cato likewise in his voyage into Spaine tooke no small paines in exercising of his men before hee brought them to see the enemie whereby he so fashioned them that he gaue diuers repulses to the enemie Tullus Hostilius when the mindes of the Romanes were mollified ky long peace in the dayes of his predecessor Numa yet by exercise obteined so much that they durst encounter and were not inferiour to olde souldiers Epaminondas by framing and excercising the Thebanes made them of a base nation the most warlike people of Greece and with them ouerthrewe the Lacedemonians which from their youth vp were trayned vp in the exercise of armes In the first warres with Carthage the Romanes perceiuing that for want of skill in Sea causes they were inferiour to the Carthaginians practised their men in imaginarie Sea fightes and so long exercised them therein that at lenghth they ouercame them aswell by sea as by land d Liu. 24. Statorius the Romane teaching the souldiers of Syphax to followe their leaders and to keeperankes and other orders of warres in short time made them of nouices so expert that after that Syphax doubted not to encouÌ„ter the Carthaginians This caused Tissaphernes the Persian to make such reckoning of Phalinus a Grecian for that hee was e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exped Cyr. 2. Xenoph. skilfull in ordering of men and teaching them to fight in armes Of English men Philip of Comines giueth this testimonie tha although when they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they become good souldiers and therefore seeing most of our souldiers are yong and of small experience in warres by reason of our long peace they are diligently to be exercised before that they see the enemie f Cassius quantum sine bello dabatur reuocat priscum morem exercet legiones Tacit. 12 Cassius the Romane according to the
expers belli multitudo Veget. l. 1. c. 1. companie of olde beaten souldiers is better then a multitude of people without knowledge and experience of warres Yong souldiers that haue not heard the noyse of battell nor seene the slaughter of men nor felt knockes will hardly abide them at the first If not in trayned souldiers much lesse in tumultuarie forces ought we to put any confidence The d Liu. 8 9. Latines and Hetruscians seeing the Romanes range their countrey in no great number came foorth by multitudes against them thinking to swallowe them vp But the first were no sooner slaine then the rest fled 500. olde souldiers put all the rascall route of e Tacit. 3. Tacfarinas in Affrike to flight At Liu. 21. Annibals first comming into Italy the countrey people seeing the spoiles he made had thought to haue cut a certaine out wing in pieces But in be ginning the execution 35. thousand were put to flight by a very sew The Spaniards at Puente de Butgos in Galicia assembled together in great numbers fledde from vs vpon the first approche of our men And so it is commonly in all yong souldiers Wherefore the best is to vse olde souldiers the next to mingle newe and olde together and diligently to teache them and trayne them before we hazard our whole state vpon them For albeit much is in mans naturall courage yet the same is much encreased by skill and exercise and that not feyned but in fight with the enemie CHAP. V. Part. 1. Wherein is declared what things are especially to be considered of those that leade an army by land or by sea into a forreine countrey VNcertainty and irresolution as in other actions so in the proceeding of warres worketh no good effect Time may not be spent nor money wasted vainely A wise captaine therefore purposing a iourney into an other countrey wil before hand resolue first what time is fittest to set forward secondly what things be necessary for his seruice that he may haue them ready against that time and thirdly what place is fittest both to make his prouision and to assemble his troupes in The consideration of the time is very materiall for neither is it conuenient to enter in the depth of Winter for that at that time forage for horses is very hard to come by nor in the heate of Sommer for that the time is hurtfull for mens bodyes to trauell in Caesar entring into France in the middest of Winter was driuen to great extremities and albeit hee had good helpe of friendes to relieue him with victuals and other nacessaries yet were his souldiers and horses almost famished Then it is hard to lye without doores the wayes then also are very troublesome The duke of Lancasters army arriuing in a Froistart Portugal in the dayes of king Richard the 2. in the heate of Sommer suffered no lesse through heate then the other through cold Much also did the b He himselfe in that iourney tooke that sicknesse whereof he died blacke Princes army suffer in Spaine through the heate of Sommer Neither did the heate of the Countrey in our late voyage of Portugal further our enterprise The most conuenient time to enter any Countrey with an army is when the same may finde greatest store of victuals for men of forrage for horses and is most temperate so that men may endure trauaile best without endangering their health Of this c Caes bel gal 2. 3. Caesar had respect both in his warres in France and Affrike and other places And euill did it befall those that without consideration of time rashly aduentured to goe in foreine seruices He that considereth not the time must make his prouision the greater The place also woulde be chosen and certainely resolued vpon where both our prouision is to be made our souldiers are to be appointed to meete The Romanes in their warres in Greece asseÌ„bled their forces at the port of d Vti omnes â—â—uenirent Brundusium idibus Maijs Liu. 36. BrundusiuÌ„ sayling into Affrike against the Carthaginians they made their prouision rendeuouz at Lilibaeum which say right ouer against Afrike as the other port was commodious for those that sailed into Greece Cato in his iourney into a Cato ad Lunae portum conuenire iustit Liu. 34. Spaine chose the port of Luna as lying directly against Spaine Annibal b Liu. 21. purposing a voyage into Italy assigned newe Carthage for his men to meete at When c Caes bel gal 5. Caesar entended the inuasion of this Iland he appointed his men to meete and his prouision to bee brought to Caleis and Bollein For that neither the time nor place of meeting was appointed certaine I report mee what hinderance it was to vs in the enterprise of Portugal But greatest care would be had first that we cary with vs force of our owne sufficient and secondly that we haue prouision of armes victuals munitions and all instruments of warre with vs. For in vayne looketh he for helpe of others or of the countrey where he goeth that is not strong of himselfe d Machiauel discors Banished men doe make those that goe in their succour beleeue that they haue great parties in the countrey and that the enterprise is easie but there is no wisedome to giue them futher credite then such men deserue In Portugall we may remember how we were abused or rather abused our selues to thinke that the countrey would reuolt before we had beaten the Spaniard that kept the people in subiection and too late it is to looke for supplie from home of men or victuals when we are presently to vse them The Romanes although they sent diuers times succours to other natioÌ„s as to the Greekes oppressed by the kings of Macedonia to the Sicilians inuaded by the Carthaginians yet neuer sent they lesse then a sufficient armie furnished with all things necessarie Caesar for that hee was driuen to leaue a great part of his armie and prouision behinde him both in his e De bel ciu 3. voyage against Pompey and against Scipio in f Hirt. de bel Afric Afrike was driuen to great extremities and omitted many opportunities before the rest of his armie came at him Hee that hath his men and all things ready with him oppresseth the Countrey before prouision can be made against him Yet may not the Prince that inuadeth others so prouide against the enemie that hee forget to couer and defende his owne Countrey and Coast and frontier Townes against all sudden enterprises Annibal marching towardes Italy before hand prouided one g Partiens curas inferendi arcendi belli Liu. 2 armie for the garde of Afrike another for the garde of Spaine And Caesar pursuing Pompey into Greece committed the a Caes bel ciu 3. guarde of Italy and the port townes thereof vnto Antony If b Liu. 29. Syphax going out of his countrey to warre against the
Romanes had had like care his country had not beene taken from him in his absence by Masinissa and Laelius Hee is not wise that seeking to strike his enemy lieth open himselfe But because warres spend both men and victuals and other prouisions especially where there is made great resistance wee must not onely thinke to send sufficient at the first but also cause the same to be supplied in time Nothing did cause Anniball to c Negando supplementum vos retraxistis saide Annibal to the Senate of Carthage Liu. 30. leaue his hold in Italy but want of succour and supplie The slownesse of d Hist de bel Afric Caesars supplies after his army transported into Afrike made him loose many aduantages and sustaine diuers losses I will not say what hurt want of supplie did vs in the Portugall action whhen it may be imputed rather to presumption that wee went foorth vnfurnished then to want of care that wee had no supply in time For wher to could supply haue serued where the whole was through want disordered before for guarde of shippes of carriage and assurance of the army the whole nauy where the passage is by sea is to be furnished and to saile in warrelike sort e Caes de bel ciu lib. 3. Caesar for that hee was driuen to passe his army in certaine Marchant shippes without guard of shippes of warre lost diuers of his souldiers sayling into Greece King Edward the third passing his army into France sailed in that warrelike sorte that encountring the French nauy at Scluce hee obtained a famous victory If the passage be not cleared by shippes of warre keeping the seas it is to be feared least the enemy lying in wait intercept diuers of our shippes and men passing betweene as hath often happened in the passage betweene England and the Low countries within these few yeares And as at sea so by land likewise the waie is to be cleared that no enemy bee lefte vpon our backes The Generrall being ready to set saile with all his company either by ticket sealed or else word of mouth hee is to declare to what port he will haue his company to bend their course to the ende that such as by tempest are seuered at sea may yet afterwarde meete at a port f Caesar tabellis signatis solebat dicere quem in loâ—â—m petiturus esset Hirt. de bel Afric Caesar vsed tickets g Liu. 29. Scipio sailing into Afrike calling two of euery ship declared what he would haue them do and whither to set their course Cato hauing all his ships and men together being ready to set saile for a Cato nauibus contractis edixit ad portum Pyrenei sequerentur Liu. 34. Spaine caused proclamation to bee made that all his shippes should direct their course to the porte neere the Pyreneies which I suppose was Emporia Because Caesar gaue not like direction in his voiages into Albany against Pompey and Afrike against Scipio he sustained diuers losses And in the voyage of Portugal such as lost sight of the fleet either returned or went to Rochel being vncertaine whither to go That the nauy faile not of the port euery ship is to haue a good pilot The better and more certainely the Generall vnderstandeth the state of the enemies country the ports and defences thereof and proceedings of the enemy the more certaine direction he shal be able to giue And therefore as at all times hee ought by his espialles to vnderstand what the enemy doth and what hee prepareth so in this time especially when hee goeth about to transporte an armie into his countrey For this cause b Caesar antequaÌ„ in Britanniam traijceret Volusenum qui omnia exploraret praemittit Caes bel gal 4. Caesar sent Commius and Volusenus into this Iland the one to vnderstand the state of the people the other to view the coast and sound the Ports Cato before hee went against the enemie in Spaine sent his espialles to vnderstand the number the place and proceeding of his armie After the arriuall of the nauy in the enemies countrey the first care of the Generall ought to be to seize vpon some commodious port towne or harbour and to fortifie the same that both his shipping may be safe there and that both succours and victualles may safely come thither and last of all that both from thence hee may safely proceede in his action and haue a safe retraite in a storme Caesar landing his men in Afrike fortified c Hirt. de bel Afric Ruspina and by trenches and bankes made it both a good harbour for shippes and a safe lodging for his army The same was practised before of Scipio who landing neere a point of land in Afrike did first make fortifications in that place But afterward perceiuing that Vtica thereby was more commodious hee tooke the towne and made that a d Eandem sedem ad cetera exequenda habituâ—us erat Liu. 29. castle of retrait from the land and an accesse for his shippes from sea and a place commodious for dispatch of other marters The reasons that moued Scipio to take newe Carthage in Spaine were these that hee might haue a conueient porte for accesse of his shippes and a commodious storehouse for his prouisions of warre Annibal made many attempts against a Liu. lib. 23. Naples and Nola that he might vse them for the same purposes lying commodiously for those that come out of his countrey Neither had Edward the third other respect in his long siege of Caleis but that he might haue a commodious port for his shipping on that side These causes at this present haue moued the Spaniardes that lately haue set foote in Brytaine to fortifie Hannebon and Bluet Little did the Macedonians vnderstand the practise of warre that taking b Liu. 31. Chalcis a very opportune port for their warres in Greece left the same without fortification or garrison That the nauy be not idle the Generall after he hath landed his men is to employ the same in ranging the coast fetching in of victualles and annoying the enemy both by land and sea Unlesse the same be at sea the enemy wil depriue him of succours and victualles Therein let him follow the precedent of Scipio in Spaine of Caesar in Afrike Those that inuade the enemy by land likewise are to seize some towne neere the enemy which may serue them for a fortresse whither to retire and whence to sally out The c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. Persians inuading Greece vsed the towne of Thebes as a retraite and propugnacle against the Greekes The Lacedemonians to straite the Athenians fortified Eleusis a bourgh in the territorie of the Athenians d Oringis arx fuit Asdrubalis ad excursiones circa in mediterraneos populos faciendas Liu. Asdrubal vsed the towne of Oringis in Spaine as a fortresse from whence hee made roades into the midland countrey thereabout Sulpitius the Romane
Consul in the Macedonian warre seizing a e Praesidium ibi imposuit Nam erat oppidum opportunum ad impetus in Macedoniam faciendos Liu. 31. towne that lay fitly against Macedonia did put garrison in it and from thence made diuers attempts against the Macedonians Antiochus f Liu. 45. purposing to inuade Aegypt furnished Pelusium which is the kay of that countrey with sufficient garrison Yet before the army be brought in sight of the enemy the same is to bee refreshed certaine dayes whether it bee of their trauailes by land in their march or iactation and disease at sea g Liu. 21. Annibal before hee brought foorth his army to fight with the Romanes in Italy caused the same to refresh and rest it selfe diuers dayes after his wearisome iourney through the Alpes And likewise returning out of Italie into Afrike to defend his Countrey against Scipio hee h Paucos dies ad reficiendum militem ex iactatione maritima sumpsit Liu. 30. refreshed his men certayne dayes of their trauaile at sea before he marched against the enemy Whether the country be knowen to the General or not yet ought be not to march without diligeÌ„t discouerers sent before at any time least of all when hee commeth into a strange country all enemy Wherefore after hee hath setled his matters in the towne or port which hee hath seased and refreshed his men let him then send forth espials and discouerers to vnderstand the site of the countrey and proceedings of the enemy a Annibal consulis consilia atque animum situÌ„ regionum itineraque explorauit Liu 22. Annibal before he incountred with Flaminius the Romane Generall sent before him certaine men to espy his purposes and to view the situation of the countrey and the wayes which he was to trauaile It is the practise of all wise Generalles The Romanes neglecting to make this discouery were enclosed at Caudium by the Samnites and shamefully ouercome and Annibal himselfe trusting an ignorant guide was almost intrapped at Cales by Fabius Curio b Caes de bel ciu l. 2. marching in the sandes of Afrike without knowledge of the enemies power or the disaduantage of the country being drie and plaine was ouerthrowen together with his whole army by the Numidian horsemen of Iuba Appius c Appius Boiorum agros populans inexplorato riullisque stationibus sirmatis caesus cum legionibus Liu. 31. spoyling the country of the Boyans without espiall sent before guards placed in conuenient distances was himselfe slaine together with his company The meanes to escape these trappes and ambushes is viligent espiall and discouery If our army do march farre vp into the countrey then is diligent heede to be taken that the enemy do not cut betweene vs and our succours or victuallers For fauour whereof wee are to assure our selues of the passages and to place garrisons in conuenient distances Caesar distributed tenne thousand d Caes bel gal 7. quo expeditiore re frumenâ—â—rià vteretur Heduans in diuers townes and fortes vpon the way that his victualles might come to his army with safety He tooke Vellaunodunum that lay upon the way lest the enemy might stop the passage The towne of e Liu. 28. Astapa in Spaine was taken and ruinated by L. Martius for that the garrison of the enemies there did spoyle the confederates of the Romanes and intercept the victuallers that came to the army The same course did f Caes de bel ciu lib. 3. Caesar take for the brideling of the enemy and assurance of his victualles in his warres against Pompey But because nothing is more to be feared of an army transported into a strange country then want of victuals therfore must the Generals mind be intentiue and carefull not only for the g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Cyr. paed 1. present but also for the future time He may not thinke that hee shall alwayes finde corne and prouision in the country especially if the enemy vnderstand the traine of warres Caesar found the same by experience in his warres in France when the enemy burned the country before him When the Persian king vnderstood the intention of Cyrus to be to depriue him of his crowne he sent a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 1. horsemen before to burne all things that might profitably serue the enemy And in the inuasion which Annibal made in Italy Fabius caused all the prouision that might serue for an army to be either spoyled or brought into strong townes in all places neere where Annibal and his company passed Therefore is it requisite that store of horses and carriages go along with the army for carriage of victualles munitions and other necessaries Cyrus b Xenoph. exped Cyr. 1. had foure hundred wagons laden with prouision beside those that belonged to particulars When in the country nothing is to be found then may this serue Further for fetching in of victualles the army ought to haue a sufficient strength of horsemen seconded with troupes of footemen for their retraite Annibal at one roade in Italy beside infinite cattell tooke foure thousand horses notwithstanding the strict commaundement of the Romanes that all things should be brought into strong holdes Whatsoeuer prouision may be found the same is to be saued and conueyed into those places that best may be defended and serue fittest for the prouision of our army c Salapiarn frumentum ex agris Metapontino Heracleensâ— comportat Annibal Liu. 24. Annibal brought all the corne and prouision which he found in the territorie of Metapontus and Heraclea into Salapia After that d Liu. 29. Scipio in his expedition in Afrike had taken Vtica he caused all the prouision and corne that could be found in the country to be carried thither and to be laid vp in store The same course did Quintius take in his warres against Nabis the tyrant and Caesar in his inuasion of this e Caef. bel gal 4. frumentum comportat Iland If the country where our army passeth doe not furnish vs with victualles the same is vtterly to be ruinated and burned Which if the countrey people do perceiue either for feare or for hope they will succour vs. f Liu 38. Manlius inuading the Gallogrecians forced all those countries where hee passed to compound for feare of spoyle For like dreade the Frenchmen where the English army g Froissart passed in the dayes of Edward the third did supplie the same with necessarie prouision It is a shame saieth h Cyr. paed 1. Xenophon for him that hath a sufficient army not to bee able to get victualles and things necessarie for the same If the enemie shall spoyle one countrey as looking for our forces that way yet shall it be hard for him to spoile the whole vnlesse hee meane to famish his owne people also The Romanes against the a Quò expeditiores commeatus essent incertior hostis quà venturum
no hope of life nor escape but in victory can not chuse but fight valiantly Contrariwise they that haue refuge and hope another time to fight more happily which is the case of euery man in his owne countrey will not fight so resolutely The Gaules in their owne countrey gaue ground and fledde before Caesar and other Romane Captaines that in Italy had oft foyled the Romanes And those Africans that in Italy were victorious coulde not withstande Scipio in Afrike Alexander entring into the middest of the Persian Empire ouerthrewe the same vtterly Further it standeth with the Spaniard now as sometime it did with the Carthaginians doth with al that vse mercenary souldiers For so long as they may enioy their countrey reuenues therewith hire most valiant souldiers of other nations so long they are strong but if they be inuaded in their owne countrey both their reuenues will fayle and their owne people not being exercised in warres wil make but slender resistance So that suppose the Spanish army in the Low countreys be strong which notwithstanding hath bene dealt withall by our people yet are wee not to looke for such souldiers in Spaine The Athenians inuading Sicile were ouerthrowen by the disagreement and insufficiencie of the Captaines the disorders of the souldiers and want of things necessary which may be remedied by diligent foresight prouision and gouernement But suppose some did miscary in foreine warres shall we therefore condemne that course there is no reason seeing as warres at home are not condemned because many nations haue bene subdued and vanquished in their owne countrey Betwixt the Athenians or the Achaeans this kingdome there is no comparison in force or greatnesse But if the citie of Athens could subdue all Sicile except one onely citie it is no such difficult matter to inuade the Spaniard as is supposed Finally some in trembling maner demaund what if such an armie so farre caried away should miscary which is a very ridiculous point for men to care more for those mens liues that d ee willingly offer themselues to the aduenture then they doe themselues Seeing they dare venture nothing themselues yet let them not enuie and hinder others that will But suppose the army should miscary yet would the losse be farre lesse then if so many should be lost at home For here the sequele would be great there would be only losse of men which God be thanked this countrey may well spare But what simplicity is it to talke of loosing where men goe with a resolution rather to winne then loose neither Annibal going in Italy nor Scipio into Afrike cast any such doubt Suppose nowe on the other side that the Spaniard should doe that which hee once attempted and God more then our owne force would not suffer him to doe and that an army of Spaniards were prouided to inuade vs these things would fall out not knowing where the enemie will land all the coast must be furnished with souldiers For to thinke that our trayned men would be trayned together in time to make resistance is simplicitie And if any port be left open as good all should be disarmed But this would be double the charge of leuying and furnishing an army for Spaine and the longer the enemy holdeth vs in breath the greater would the charge arise and all this for any thing that I can see without effect seeing it is neither possible to keepe an army from landing nor safety to fight without great aduantage immediatly vpon the enemies landing If the enemy should land as well he may comming with great force we neither haue strong townes nor many great riuers to stoppe his proceedings nor any way to resist but by force of men in open fielde and howe dangerous it is to oppose yong souldiers and almost tumultuary forces against a puissant army of olde souldiers the victories of Annibal in Italy of Scipio in Afrike of the Greekes in Persia of the English in Spaine and infinite Histories declare If the enemy be suffered to take breath who seeth not howe hee will fortifie him selfe if hee be suffered to range without fight who considereth not the wracke and spoyles of the countrey that will folowe When the countrey is all in trouble the reuenues both of the Prince and priuate men either will cease or at least be greatly diminished Ferdinando king of Naples in the inuasion of his State made by the French found it 23 S'annihilauan l'entrate Guicciar lib. 1. true And reason may teach vs that where the husbandmen part by the rapines of the enemy and part by the spoyles of our owne souldiers can not enioy the fruites of their ground their rentes can not be payde and if rentes bee not payd howe will our souldiers be payd suppose then that the charge of an army in a foreine countrey be great yet may it well be borne being equally diuided so long as men enioy their liuings peaceably if that may not be howe shall we mainteine twise so many souldiers at home If when the enemies inuade vs malcontent persons should discouer themselues then as the number of our enemies so the heape of our troubles would increase But suppose for what danger in such a case is not to be forecast that our army should receiue some checke what townes haue wee or straits to arrest the enemy the countrey people being vnacquainted with warres what lawes cankeepe thē in order helpe can wee looke for none our friendes being either not able or not willing to helpe vs for some seeme offended with the spoyles of their shippes others beare vs in hand they will remember our slender helpe aforded to them which notwithstanding is more then they deserued Other secret wounds may not be opened neither needeth it seeing as euery man may perceiue by these reasons which already I haue brought how easy safe profitable and honourable it is to inuade the Spaniard and how disaduatageous it wil be to this land if either we stay with our hands folded together or els deferre to charge the Spaniard with full force vntill such time as he shall come to cut our throtes at home Hiero 25 Liu. 21. king of Sicile when the Romanes were inuaded by Annibal gaue them counsaile to transport an army ouer into Afrike the happy successe of Scipio doing the same fifteene yeeres afterward and by that meanes making an end of the warres doeth confirme that counsell to haue bene most excellent If when Philip 26 Liu. 24. king of Macedonia ioyned in league with Annibal they had not sent an army into Greece to finde him occupied at home hardly could they haue made resistance against the force of two so mightie enemies vnited together The experience of the warres with Annibal in Italy made them more wise afterward and speedy For hearing of Philips of Macedonia and Antiochus his preparatiues to transport their armies into Italy they eased them of the paine and met them in more then halfe
as Caesar practised first against the a Caes bel Gal. 1. Heluetians then against the b Caes bel Gal. 2. Aduaticans and lastly against Petreius his c Caes bel ciu 1. armie in Spaine By which meanes he ouertooke those that were farre before him But this hath vse where we are stronger then the enemie in horse Howe many horsemen or shot or pikes or targets and other weapons shall march in a ranke I referre to the iudgement of a good Sergiant maior according to the bredth of the waies and approches of the enemie The more doe march in a ranke the lesse paine he shall haue to set them in order when he would place them in order of battell and the stronger the aray is d Guicciar lib. 9. Ten thousand Switzers in Lombardy in the warres betwixt the Spaniards and French marched foure score in a ranke harde by the French armie which seeing their resolution durst not charge them The same course is to be taken in the aray of the battell and arierward marching saue that these two partes following without any great distance betweene neede not light horsemen or auantcoureurs especially where the enemie is before Neither haue they such vse of shot or horsemen as the auantgard where they are vsed for supplies rather then to fight in front In the placing of horsemen footemen in sorting and employing of diuers weapons so that euery sort may doe best seruice consisteth the speciall iudgement of a wise leader For therein are infinite differences according to the diuers strength of the enemie and our owne forces and likewise according to the diuersities of grounds and times Yet commonly in marching this order is obserued first the light-horse seconded if need be with shot and targetters especially where the country is rough and wooddie serue for auantcoureurs Caliuers and musquetiers are not onely to march on the front but also on the sides and backe of the armed men Lances and men of armes are ranged the outmost on the sides for the most part Next to the shot march the pikes of that part of the armie these would bee rāged rather in battaillions according to the fashion of the Romans that the shot and other light armed men might saue themselues and againe make head within the distances then all in one front ioyned togither But this is where the plainnesse of the ground will giue leaue In euery battaillion the ensignes are to bee placed somewhat toward the first rankes garded with good store of targetters and halberds well armed In placing and sorting of weapons the Generall is to consider that the charge of horsemen against shot and targetters is mortall if they be not either garded with pikes or haue the vantage of ditches or hedges or woods where they cannot reach them In which case the shot gauleth the horse if they come within the leuell of the piece Shot and targetters against pikes worke good effects pikes ioined close and standing firme togither doe breake the carriere of horsemen especially where they haue their musquetiers placed neere by them Archers where they haue a defense before them doe good seruice in the field against horsemen These things let the General haue so in mind that he may rather take the aduantage of weapons in the encounter then giue it to the enemie In marching the distances of euery ranke from ranke and of euery souldier from his companion by him are greater then whē they stand ranged in battell readie to fight It skilleth not much what the distance be so they may beare their weapons commodiously march seemelie yet that euery man might know what distance is sufficient what is most seemly it were good that one rule were obserued Shot although in fighting they obserue rather a course then aray and are to stirre vp and downe to espie where they may hit the enemie yet that they may with more ease and speed bee drawen to seruice are to march in distance from ranke to ranke fiue or sixe foote from shoulder to shoulder one foote or a foote and a halfe Argoletiers or Pistoliers in march from horse to horse on the side are distant two foote from ranke to ranke a yarde and a halfe or thereabout The Lancier without bardes rideth in the same distance Pikemen from their fellowes side by them are distant a foote and a halfe or two foote from the pikemen behind and before by reason of the length of their pikes twelue foote Their march to their corps de gard when they hold their pikes vpright which the Italian calleth inalborar is out of this rule Of their distances in charging or receiuing the charge of horse or foote wee shall speake when we come to the place Halbardiers march a foote and a halfe from shoulder to shoulder and seuen foote from ranke to ranke The targetter may obserue the same distance from shoulder to shoulder but hee needeth not such distance from ranke to ranke The Generall as he hath the commandement so he ought to haue the care of all and therefore ought to be in all places But because he cannot bee in all places at one time therefore doeth the practise of warre require that he assigne the guiding of his three battaillions to three of his chiefe officers and commaunders that are men of iudgement and experience to see and commaund in his absence all men in their battaillion to march in order Himselfe may march with the battell vnlesse for some cause it shall please him to march in the vantgard or arierward The Romanes ouer euery legion or regiment of fiue or sixe thousand placed a principall commaunder they called him Legatum the same was of the Generals counsell and in his absence one of his lieutenants Euerie seuerall troupe of horsemen are to haue their seuerall commaunders and euery compaine of shot likewise All which ought to be obedient to the Generall of the horse or Colonell of the footemen which know the Generals counsell The seuerall troupes also of armed men are to haue their seuerall commaunders prouided alwayes that no one companie haue more then one commaunder for auoiding of confusion and that euery of these hearken to their superiours which vnder the Generall haue the chiefe gouernement of euery battaillion The Serieant maior and corporals of the field his officers are to acquaint euery commaunder with the Generals direction which the same is to execute These are therefore suffered to goe vp and downe to see things in order For others it is not good they should leaue their araie unlesse it bee for necessarie causes as sickenesse the necessities of nature and such like The commaunders of euery troupe are to march in the head of their troupes their lieutenants behind the same All other colonels captaines lieutenants and serieants are to keepe their ranke and araie wherein they shall be placed For although ouer their priuate companies when they are single they commaund yet in the armie vnited togither they
Liui. 6. Romane Consul hauing receiued newes that some of his company would be defeated without present succour and not reteining the messenger fell into an ambush layde for him The most assured way of intelligence is by espials secretly sent or discouerers approching the enemie Annibal f Liuy 30. returning out of Italy to defend his owne countrey against Scipio sent diuers espials into his campe g Pro perfugis speculandi gratia in Caesaris castra mittit Hirt. de bel Afric Scipio in the warres of Caesar in Afrike sent two Getulians to espie Caesars campe disguised as fugitiues But because such persons cannot long stay there without being discouered therefore sometimes vnder colour of parley and sometime vnder colour of buying or selling or other busines souldiers disguised like marchants espie out the enemies proceeding Scipio while the treatie of peace continued betwixt him and h Liui. 29. Syphax sent diuers captaines in slaues apparel which wandering about the enemies campe discouered the accesses and issues of it which being reported to Scipio gaue him the meanes to charge Syphax in the night being quiet and safe as he conceiued in his lodging i Scipio cum equitatu iaculatoribúsque expeditis profectus ad castra hostium exque propinquo copias quantae cuius generis essēt speculandas obuius fit Annibali ipsi cum equitibus ad exploranda circa loca progresso Liui. 21. Scipio this mans father before the battel with Annibal at Trebia drew foorth his horsemen and light armed to view Annibals campe Annibal for the same purpose came against him with other horsmen But because this maner of discouery cannot be made without force therefore did a Equitatum omnem ad numerum 4000 praemittit qui videant quas in partes hostes iter faciant Caes bel Gal. 1. Caesar pursuing the Heluetians send all his horsemen in number 4000 to see what wayes the enemies marched The b Histoir de trou de Franc. lib. 9. Admirall of France hauing receiued some losse in the plaines of S. Clere anno 1569 for want of good espiall sent certeine horsemen to the number of sixteene which going nere and taking some prisoners might vnderstand the enemies resolution but because they were so few they were beaten backe before they could see any thing and returned without effect Yet we thinke we doe much when we send foorth sixe or seuen horsemen badly mounted for some do rashly proceed without them but both courses are contrary to the practise of warre The view of the countrey well described in cards both teach a wise Generall many thinges for there he may see the tract of riuers the distances of places the rising of hilles and many such opportunities The c Mouerat senatum maximè maris terrarumque regionis eius situm demonstrando Liu. 32. Romanes in ancient time vsed when they consulted of any action to view the situation of the countrey layed before them The Counte of Purlitia in his aduertisements to Ferdinand the Emperour and Don Sancho de Londonno stand vpon the same as a necessary point for by view of regions described many thinges appeare that otherwise cannot be conceiued But much better may the countrey be discouered if men of iudgement go before with the horsemen to view the same and to follow the traces of the enemies those that obserue this course both go returne safely Marcellus d Exploratò cunfirmisque praesidijs tuto receptu praedatum ierat Liu. 23. searching out the lurking holes of the enemy and placing strong gards in places conuenient returned safely from forraging the countrey They that march forward blindely without either view of the countrey or knowledge of the enemies proceedinges are subiect to many mishaps The Romane armie at the straits of Caudium compassed in by the enemy on euery side complaineth that like e Non ducem locorum fuisse non exploratorem belluarum modo caecos in foueam missos Liu. 9. brute beastes going on without guide or espiall they were carried headlong as it were into a pit f Liu. 31. Appius spoiling the countrey of the Boians without either discouery or standes of men well placed was drawen into an ambush and slaine together with his army This one point neglected cost many of the Romanes their liues in the warres with Annibal Marcus Marcellus going himselfe with a small company to view the countrey was himselfe drawne into ambush and slaine g Vocula nec aduentum hostium explorauit eoque simul egressus victusque Tacit. 20. Vocula charging the enemy without knowledge of his forces was assoone slaine as he went fast out of his lodging to fight with him The Counte of Aremberge by the brauery of the Spaniard forced to passe the Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 1. riuer before he knew the strength of the enemy which seemed not great was defeated with his company by the Counte Lodwike The Admirals vantgard was broken in the plaines of S. Clere an 1569 b Ibidem lib. 9. for that the same did bluntly charge the enemy of whose forces and number the same was ignorant The carelesse march of Mouuans and Pierregourde that were charged before they vnderstood of the enemies approch was cause of their ouerthrow and hath also both vnto the enemy and to vs wrought many calamities in the Low countries which those that escaped narrowly may remember and can report Dangerous therefore it is to march by night especially in countries vnknowen and where the enemies proceedinges are vnknowen Asdrubal c Liu. 27. in the night lost his guide his way and wearied himselfe and being the next day forced to fight was ouercome by the Romanes at the riuer of Metaurus Puygalliard in these late troubles of France marching all night most of his troupes lost their way the rest the day following were defeated at S. Gemme by a very few Protestants Those that escape by policy out of straits as Annibal did at Cales and Asdrubal in Spaine he driuing away the corps de gard by feare of fire the other escaping during parley of yeelding and likewise they that haue had good successe charging the enemy at all aduentures haue bene more happy then wise Those therefore that march against their enemies are to discouer the countrey and affaires of the enemy diligently and to shun night marches but if necessity force them thereunto yet wisedome admonisheth them to vnderstand the enemies doings perfectly to procure sure guides and to keepe them fast to march close together now and then to make alta that those that lagge may come vp by sure marks to know frends frō enemies and to giue certeine perfect directions Which course while d Liu. 25. Martius did holde in Spaine Scipio in Afrike he ouercame the Carthaginians and dislodged them twise e Liu. 29. Scipio foiled Syphax and burnt his campe and slew his people in the night The countrey and proceeding of the
hurt his men and stopped their passage When Philip the king of Macedonia had lodged his armie by the banke of the riuer Aous and at the foote of certaine mightie mountains the Romane Generall by the direction of a shepeheard vnderstanding the site of the b Deleri exercitus Philippi potuit sed equitem angustiae â—ocorúmque asperitas peditem aâ—morum grauitas impedijt Liu. 32. ground sent foure thousand targetters about the hils and comming vpon his backe draue him from his ground and had vtterly defeated his armie had not the roughnesse and straightnesse of the ground hindered the carriere of his horsmen and the weight of their armes the speed of the footemen The Persians did driue Leonidas from the straites of Thermopylae by comming vpon his backe and taking the vpper ground which likewise was done by the Romane Generall Acilius when Antiochus kept the same straites to stop the proceeding of the Romane armie In all their expeditions through the mountaines of c Liu. 32. 46. Thessalie and Athamanie the Romanes passed without any losse into Macedonie for that they alwayes tooke the tops of the hils with their light armed before they suffered their armie to descend into the valleis Xenophon returning into his countrey through the hils of the Carduchians to passe them safely tooke this course d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 4. His companie he deuided equallie into two partes whereof if the first were stopped the second auancing it selfe forward another way wanne the hill and draue the enemies from their ground if the enemie made head against the second then did the first compasse the hill while that part held the enemies in breath The araie of the armie in passing of hils and straites is diuers from the common order of marching for here not the horsemen but shot and light armed targetters and short weapons march first and serue to discouer the enemie they also gard both the sides and backe of the armie next them march the horsemen and pikes with the baggage and great ordonance in the midst Diuers are the dangers and difficulties which an armie is subiect vnto passing of great riuers where there is no bridge nor easie foord no lesse to be considered then other impediments opposed against an armie marching for here the enemie commonly maketh head against vs here he lieth in waite either to charge vs in front or on the backe our forces being diuided and one part not able to succour the other If we bee driuen to fight in the riuer or as soâ—ne as we come on the other side our armes and clothes being wet doe hinder vs and tyre vs. If our armie passe by boates it is to bee feared least the enemie comming downe the riuer with greater vessels and boates then wee haue doe diuide our companie likewise and take away our meanes to passe bridges are broken with great waters yea with great barges and pieces of timber sent downe the riuer and falling ouerthwart them a Belgas nostri in flumine aggressi magnam corum partem conciderunt Caes bel Gal. 2. Caesar charging the Belgians as they passed a riuer cut a number of them in pieces The Spaniards that forced to passe a riuer in the pursuite of b Liu. 21. Annibal were likewise slayne in the midst of it by his horsemen returning backe vpon them and finding them in disorder When the c Inopinantes impeditos aggressus magnam eorum partem concidit Caes bel Gal. 1. Heluetians were all passed the riuer of Soane saue a fourth part Caesar setting vpon them that remained and looked for no such thing discomfited and killed the most of them d Caes bel Gal. 7. Labienus suffering them of Treuers to passe the riuer betwixt him and them before they were halfe passed set vpon them and ouerthrew them before the rest could passe Those e Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 9. Protestants likewise which for want of meanes could not passe so soone as their fellowes were defeated at the passage of Dordonne anno 1569. Hard it is and dangerous to passe a riuer where there is an armie on the other side readie to debate and denie the passage The f Heluetij nauibus iunctis ratibúsque compluribus factis alij vadis Rodani perruÌ„pere conati operis munitione militum concursu â—elis repulsi Caes bel Gal. 1. Heluetians at foordes and by boates often attempted to passe the riuer of Rone but what with the height of the bankes and trenches made and force of men they were repulsed Therefore in passing of great riuers the Generals had need to proceed discreetly and to looke both forward and backward that whether he passe by foords or by bridges made for the purpose or by boates or peeces of timber bound together or skinnes blowne full of winde or howsoeuer he loose none of his companie nor be troubled as men are that are taken vnprouided King Edward the third passed the riuer of Some at a foord notwithstanding the resistance made by the French but if withall he had passed ouer some thousand or two thousand archers which by appointment might haue come vpon the backe of the enemie the passage of the riuer had bene more easie and the defence of the enemie and escape more difficult for by that meanes Annibal defeated the Gaules in the passage of Rone For making she we to passe by force those companies that he had sent about an other way came vpon their backes and cut many of them in peeces The Admirall of France anno 1569 when he could not force the garde at Port de Pile by reason of the Gabions and Barriquadals vnder which the enemies shot lay couered sought and found a passage a litle aboue the place which the enemie had no sooner espied but he left his stand without any great intreatie The Prince of Orenge anno 1568 breaking the force of the streame of the riuer of Mosa by placing horses ouerthwart founde meanes to passe his armie ouer before the enemie knewe where he would passe There is no riuer but lightly higher or lower it may be foorded a Xenoph. exp cyr 3. Xenophon with his companie not being able otherwise to passe the riuer of Tygris yet marching vp towards the head of it founde a foorde b Fossis Caesar Sycorim auertens vadum fecit Caes bel ciu l. 1. Caesar by deepe trenches deriuing part of the riuer of Sycoris in Spaine made the rest so shallowe that the souldiers might wade ouer it Where the enemie doeth fortifie the bankes on the other side and deny vs passage there some part of the armie is to be sent about some other way to come vpon the enemies backes and to open the passage for the rest Annibal when the Gaules stopped him the passage of Rone in the night sent Hanno away with part of his armie which marching that night fiue and twentie miles vp the riuer and finding no
resistance vpon boates brought with him and timber bound together passed his men which making a signe to Annibal that they were passed came vpon the backes of the enemie at such time as Annibal was ready to passe in front c Caes bel Gal. 7. Caesar when by force he could not passe the riuer of Allier in France the enemie still coasting him on the other side cunningly leauing two legions behinde a wood and marching away with the rest of his army when the enemy followed him those that remained behinde hauing boates and things ready passed suddenly and made a bridge ouer the riuer so that the rest of Caesars army returning passed also at ease Neither could the enemie remedy it being drawne so farre from the place a Labienus magno tumultu aduersa Sequana partem copiarum ducens naues aliquot nactus in alio loco exercitum tâ—a luxit Caes bel Gal. 7. Labienus by like practise passed the riuer of Seyne notwithstanding the enemies gard and opposition part of his army he led vp against the riuer of Seyne in the night with great noise which the enemy hearing followed thinking that all his army had bene there In the meane while certeine chosen companies left behinde passed the riuer in great silence in boates made of purpose which taking the banke gaue passage to their fellowes returning Aemilius Paulus with a skirmish busying the mindes of the Macedonians at the same time sent certeine companies about the hils to passe there the riuer of Enipeus which comming on the enemies backes caused them speedily to dissodge and leaue the passage Caesar at b Nauibus ex leui materia viminibus corio contextis 22. millia denectis legione traducta collem occupat munit pontémque facit Caes bel ciu 1. another time when he could not passe the riuer of Sycoris at a foord made certeine boates of twigs and light timber and couered them with leather In those boates caried 22 miles off in one night he passed a regiment tooke a hill and fortified it and there made a bridge for the passing of the rest of the armie In the warres of Charles the 5 against the Protestants in Germany the c Sleidan Spaniards pursuing the Duke of Saxony passed with their horsemen at a foord and diuers of the rest swimming ouer the Elbe with their swords in their mouthes seased the boates that were tied on the other side and by that meanes passed ouer their fellowes The d Lusitani sine vtribus ad exercitus non eunt Caes bel ciu 1. Lusitanians in time past did seldome goe into the warres without girdles of skinnes which being blowne full of wind they easily passed any riuer The Germanes when no way they could force e Caes bel Gal. 4. a passage ouer the riuer of Rhein feined as if they returned into their owne countrey but hauing marched three daies iourney they ridde backe so farre in one night and comming backe vpon a sudden found the countrey peoples boates tied at the riuer side in which they passed themselues and sent backe the boates to passe the rest of the company Where the enemy maketh no resistance there it is easie to passe by boate yet the practise of warre requireth that either for quicke dispatch a bridge be made or els that trenches be made vpon the riuer side both for defence of those that passe first and for those that stay last and also that boates may passe and repasse safely vnder the fauour of some pieces placed on the bankes How a bridge may be made a Caes Bel gal 4. Caesar hath taught vs by the example of that which he made ouer Rhein Take two posts long or short according to the depth of the riuer and couple them two foote asunder and so driue them downe with a rammer leaning somewhat towards two other such posts so ioyned and driuen downe 30 or 40 foote aboue them in the riuer which fastened together with other timber below couered with square beames are the foundation of the bridge Vpon diuers such couples laying timber and couering the same with planks and hurdles and straw the armie hath meanes to passe I thinke there is no carpenter but he knoweth this kinde of worke and therefore the rest I referre to his occupation and workemanship The bridge being made great care is to be taken that the same be not broken as it happened to the bridge made by the Protestants ouer Garonne Anno 1569 caried away by timber wooden milles sent downe against it Which had not happened if either defences had bene made aboue or els a broade place left in the bridge for such things to passe Sometimes bridges are made of boats fastened with cables and stayed with ancres Such a bridge was made by the Prince of Parma ouer the riuer of Scald and also by the Protestants ouer the riuer of Garronne 1569. At the siege of Poytiers the same yere the Protestants made a bridge ouer the water vpon emptie pipes bound fast together with ropes Mouuans to assure his passage ouer the riuer of Rone dressed there a litle fort on the banke where some artillery being placed beat the fregates that would haue hindered the passage and defended the fort against such as would haue disturbed them in passing from the land The same course was also practised by Montbrune and diuers others But as the Generall is to haue care to passe toward the enemie so he is to haue care that he may repasse againe Therefore did Caesar passing ouer Rhine build two forts at either ende of the bridge one to assure himselfe a passage The Romane Emperour Crassus passing the riuer of Euphrates if hee had had the like care more of his armie percase might haue returned then did It was likewise a great error in the Counte Aremberge that passing the riuer he had no regard to assure himselfe of the bridge which being taken froÌ„ him by the enemie he was slaine with most of his company and depriued of retrait The aray of an army passing of riuers is much according to the opposition made by the enemie if none be made the common order is sufficient If the enemie she we himselfe the great ordonance is to be drawne to the banke on the sides of the army other shot likewise if they will reach so farre to the entent the enemie may be forced to giue place If the riuer be gueable let the shot marche on the sides the targets in front seconded with pikes the horsemen may follow in the midst And when the other side is assured then are the impediments and great ordonance to be passed the rest of the army following afterward the backe being armed as the front If the riuer be not to be passed at a forde then a part of our army being sent about to winne some more easie passage when that is ready to come on the enemies backs certaine boates with some small pieces in the
noses of them and furnished with shot and targets are first to set forward with equall front and after them other boates laden with piquiers are to folow the ordonance and impediments must come in the midst and the rest of the army afterward But in passing of plaines woods straites mountaines or riuers there is no course more effectual then to vse expedition celeritie In all practises of warre the same is most auaileable For by this meanes the danger is often passed before the enemie be ready to withstande vs. a Caes bel gal 7. Caesar by his expedition had woÌ„derful successe in al his affaires He passed the hils of Auuergne before the enemy had any suspition of his coÌ„ming He passed his army in one day ouer the riuer of Soan which the Heluetians could not do in many By the same he preuented b Caes bel ciu 1. al Pompeyes preparatiues and draue his enemies out of Italy before they had any respit giuen them to take breath c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 3. Xenophon taking the tops of the hils before the enemie looked for him passed great dangers with great ease Montgomery in his iourney into Bearne vsed that speede that before the enemies were assembled to resist him he had passed all the riuers straites and mountaines which were in his way No marueile therefore if they do nothing that make such intollerable delayes in all things Loyterers are taken in trappe and made often to flye because they will not runne The army of Afranius in Spaine being nere to the hils where they might haue escaped Caesars hands and marched safely delayed time and suffred Caesars army to come betwixt them and their safetie which was the ruine of that company Yet if the heauens should be ruinated some as it should seeme would not mend their pace CHAP. VII Part. 1. Wherein is declared what trauerses and oppositions the defendants are to make that thereby they may stoppe or hinder the progresse and march of the enemy THis may be vnderstood in part by that which hath bene said already For seeing the difficulties that hinder the proceeding of an army are either wants and weaknesse in it selfe or oppositions made by the enemy that taking the aduantages of hilles or wooddes or straits or riuers is alwayes ready to hurt or hinder it who seeth not that the stronger our oppositions are the slower will the army be able to proceed The principall meanes to breake the course of an army ranging vp and downe the countrey is want of prouision This was the course that Fabius vsed against Annibal in Italy To effect this strait order is to be taken that the a Edictum proponebatur vt quioê° oppida castellaque immunita essent in loca tuta commigrarent ex agris quoque vti demigrarent omnes regionis eius qua Annibal iturus esset tectis priùs incensis ac frugibus corruptis ne cuius rei copia esset Liu. 22. people saue themselues in places of strength and that thither also they conuey their corne prouision and cattell whatsoeuer cannot be carried away the same is to be burned and spoiled all along where the enemy commeth Which order Fabius caused to be proclamed and obserued in the warres in Italy with Annibal b Liu. Philip king of Macedonia not being able to defend the townes countrey of Thessalia transported the people into other places the townes villages he burnt the corne he laid vp safe the cattell he caused to be driuen into places of strength c Pabulatione commeatu Vercing etorix equitatu abuÌ„dans Caesarem prohibere conatus est Caes bel Gal. 7. Vercingetorix the captain of the Gaules seeing himselfe no way able to match Caesars army in open field yet by spoiling the country burning whatsoeuer might be coÌ„modious for the enemy draue him to great extremities and percase had done more if that the necessity of poore people hope to defend townes of no strength had not spared much that should haue bene spoiled The Greeks that returned froÌ„ the voyage of Cyrus into Persia were by nothing hurt more then by the wilfulnesse of the people through whose countries they passed which burning their prouision which they coulde not saue made them go far about suffer great want The duke of Alua had not bene so easily rid of the army which the prince of Orenge brought into the Low countries if he had not without compassion spoiled the country forced him to returne for feare of hunger The duke of Aumale likewise did spoile the country where the Almaines that came to ayd the Protestauts anno 1569 passed If pitie of the poore and fauor of friends will permit vs to execute this without respect there is nothing more auâ—â—lable against a strong enemy for whatsoeuer prouision the euemy bringeth with him yet if he finde no supply in the countrey he cannot long coÌ„tinue there a Adeoque inopia est coactus Annibal vt nisi tum fugâ—â— speciem abeâ—ndo timâ—isset Galliam repetituâ—us suerit Liu. 22. Fabius by following this course brought Annibal with his victorious army into those straits that had it not bene for shame and danger that would haue followed him by flying he would haue returned backe into France Lest the enemy range too farre abroad he is to be restreined with strong garrisons placed in cownes defensible and with a power of horsemen these will intercept straglers and garrisons sallying vpon outriders will keepe them in order It is not the point of a wise Generall to leaue the enemy vpon his backe b Repressus remotus Lucterius quod intrare intra praesidia periculosum putabat Caes Bel. Gal. 7. Lucterius the French capteine would willingly haue spoiled the countrey of the Romans in France but he stayed himselfe fearing to enter among the garrison townes which hee could not doe without apparant danger Caesar c VellaunodunuÌ„ ne quem post se hostem relinqueret oppugnare instituit Caes Bel. Gal. 7. besieged Vellaunodunum that lay in his way for feare the garrison of the enemy left there might doe him some annoyance The army of the Protestants anno 1569 retiring out of Poitou into Gascoigne thence into Dauphinè receiued many algarades of the enemies garrisons in the countrey where they passed but nothing doth keepe the enemy straiter nor more hinder his march then a power of horsemen galling him continually on the sides and watching all opportunities By them d Caes Bel. Gal. 7. Vercingetorix kept Caesars forragers very short Cassiuellanus with his e Pabulatores essedarijs aggressus ne latiùs vagarentur continuit Caes Bel. Gal. 5. essedarians that fought in charets kept the Romanes from going farre on forraging the countrey and f Frumentatum exeunti Annibali diuersis locis opportunè aderat Liu. 22. Fabius with his horsemen meeting at euery turne with such as Annibal had sent out to fetch in
corne and other prouision made them returne many times short home So long as horsemen do hang vpon the sides and taile of an army they make but a slow march Caesar sending his horsemen before to charge the enemies last troups did so trouble them that he ouertooke the g Caes Bel. Gal. 1. Heluetians and h Omnem equitatum qui nouissimuÌ„ agmen moraretur praemisit Caes Bel. Gal. 2. Belgians in France Afranius his army in Spaine although they had gotten farre before him himselfe and his army were so molested by the horsemen of i Hirti de bel Afric Scipio in Afrike that in foure houres he could not march much aboue an hundred paces being driuen to stay and receiue euery charge and stirre as also befell the Romans an other time a Ad crebros â—quitum velitum tumultus signa consistebant Liu. 28. encountring the enemie in his marche The French horsemen that coasted the Almaines that anno 1569. came in aide of the Protestants of France kept them from stragling but if they had bin more and durst haue charged them they had staied them longer in their iourney For if the first marche while those that are behinde fight then are these left to the butcherie as it happened to the b Caes de bel gal 2. Belgians pursued by Caesar Further such straites and hilles as the enemie is to passe if he meane to enter further into the Countrey are to be garded and the wayes to be trenched that both our men may haue a couer and the enemie more difficultie in forcing the passage Leonidas to stoppe the Persian army kept the straites of Thermopylae which was also practised by Antiochus against the Romanes Philip c Liu. 32. purposing to stop the Romane army at the straite of Aous trenched the passage and on the higher ground placed archers and slingers and the rest of his army in conuenient places But it succeeded not for that he suffered the enemie not onely to take the higher ground but also to come on his backe Which also was the ruine of Leonidas and Antiochus Those therefore that keepe hilles and passages are to take heede of three dangers the first that they suffer not the enemie to take the higher ground the second that they doe not so lye open that the enemie may come on their backes and thirdly that their company be not vnable to abide the enemies force or to defende the grounde committed to their charge For in this case those that seeke to stoppe other are often taken in trappe themselues especially if they lye not strong nor looke well to their garde If the enemie enter into a strayte which hath but two or three issues take those issues and garde them strongly and thou hast the enemie enclosed as it were in a nette So were the Romanes enclosed at Caudium and compassed in before and behinde on the sides But take heede that thy garde be strong and watchfull least the same be forced and all thy labour frustrated as happened to Fabius hauing enclosed Annibal at Cales by the weakenesse of the corps de garde placed on the hill Calicula If the king of Macedonia had placed strong garisons in the straites of Athamany and Thessaly and shewed himselfe in head of the Romanes they could d Ne Romani abnuunt se magna clade pugnaturos Liu. 42. neuer haue issued thence without great slaughter and losse There is no greater tryall of a captaine then in the taking of the aduantage of grounds And therefore let him proceede wisely and cause his men to worke diligently that his trenches be sufficient and well furnished with stones and shotte and all things necessarie And especially that he be not enclosed nor beaten from the higher ground Woods are a good couer for any enterprise and therefore wise captaines therein doe place such companies of souldiers as may eyther charge the enemie passing through or by them Yet let them take heede that they haue a place of retrait there that going about to hurt others they be not cutte in pieces themselues The surest defence against the enemies proceeding is a riuer not to be forded ouer but the bridges are to be broken and the botes to be taken from the other side and the bankes where they are most lowe and easy to be raysed with earth and fensed with stakes and the same to be garded with a competent force both of horsemen and footemen with their sconces in coÌ„uenient places By this meanes a Caes bel gal 1. Caesar kept the Heluetians at a baye and stopped them from passing the riuer of Rone notwithstanding their diuers attemptes both by night day the b Praesidia disponebant quibus locis videbatur pontesque rescindebant fluminuÌ„ Liu. 22. Romanes stopped the outcourses of Annibal Which course if the French king had taken the Protestants had not so easely retired from the battell of S. Dennis c Hist de troubl â—e Fr. l. 3. anno 1567 nor had they passed so many Riuers nor taken so many Townes so easely But neither were the Townes garded with souldiers nor the bridges broken nor the bankes garded In garding of Fordes great care is to be taken first that the enemie passe not ouer some other way and so come on our backes secondly that he force not our garde This is preuented by good fortification and that by diligent watch and sufficient number of men He that looketh not to these things is fitter to keepe goslings then the passages of Riuers By these meanes an army is slopped or at least hurt and hindred But for that men are hardely induced to fire their owne goods and fewe men can endure the lamentable flames of his countrey and without a sufficient force of men all other meanes to stoppe an enemie are nothing let there first be a sufficient armie leuied and opposed against the enemie not that I would haue the same to hazard lightly or come to the triall but for that he that hath an army ready may take all aduantages of Hilles Straites Woods and Riuers and cut off such as wander abroade and execute that which priuate men will not doe in spoyling where the enemie is to passe as the practice of Armes requireth a L. Portius Licinius per locâ— alta ducendo exercitum cum modò insideret angustos saltus vt transituÌ„ clauderet modo ab latere aut tergo carperet agmen ludificatus est Asdrubalem omnibus belli artibus Liu. 27. L. Licinius though inferiour in force to Asdrubal in Spaine yet taking the aduantage of hilles and straytes and nowe charging the enemie on the sides then on the backes practised on him all the precepts of warre for which he deserued great commendation The proceeding of Monsieur the French kings brother and lieutenant that disbanded his souldiers and sent them into garrison when he should haue resisted the Almaines that came to succour the Protestants anno
the mountaines nor colde of the weather did stop him Vnlesse he had vsed incredible celerity he coulde not so easely haue driuen Pompey his faction out of Italy hauing the power of the Romane Empire in his hands But he tooke him all vnprouided came vpon him before he looked for him and would not suffer him in any place to gather head Annibal a Magnis itineribus ita vt famam praeueniret ad Herdoneam contendit Liu. 26. with great iourneys and speedy marching cōming vpon Flaccus vpon the sudden ouerthrewe him at Herdonea Claudius Nero in b Liu. 27. 6. daies marched frō Canusium to Sena with 6000. footemen which distance our armies marche not in 16. By which expedition he holpe his companion Liuius to ouerthrowe Asdrubal tooke from Annibal all hope of succour c Celeritate sua hostem imparatū aggressus est Liu. 28. Syllanus by no other meanes vanquished his enemies in Spaine then by inuading them vnprouided which opportunitie his quicke speede did yeelde him If the Romanes had succoured Saguntum in time they had kept Annibal occupied in Spaine auoided the waste of Italy The smart whereof made them more quicke in the warres against Philip of Macedonia against Antiochus Perseus For they no sooner heard of their preparatiues but they caused an army to be transported into their countries to meete with them in the beginning Warres as d Guicciar 1. Alphonsus king of Naples was wont to say haue good successe where we preuent the enemie In a small e Puncto saepè temporis maximarum rerum momenta vertuntur Liu. 3. time there happeneth great alteration of things and therefore it is not safe to loose any moment of time Oftentimes also f In co victoria vertitur si loca opportuna socij praeoccuparentur Liu. 35. victories are made more easy by seasing of opportune places ioyning of confederates vnto vs to helpe our cause The Romanes for their expedition in martiall affaires deserue eternal honor aboue al others A certaine Ptolomeus in Aegypt was surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or lightning for his quicke dispatch Another was surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eagle for his swiftnes But they were but words of vaine flattery This praise it was deserued in the Romanes Scripio in one yere subduedal Afrike to the walles of Carthage Paulus Aemilius in a fewe moneths subuerted the Empire of the Macedonians g Quintius hostibus caesis 9. oppidis captis vicesimo die quam creatus erat dictatura se abdicauit Liu 6. Quintius leuied an army ouercame his enemies in opē field took 9. walled towns all this in one 20. dayes In the second warres of Carthage the Senators of Rome were continually in the Senate to heare the desires reports of their Generals to graunt dispatches When Scipio heard the cowardly determination of Metellus and his cōpanions to forsake their countrey after their ouerthrow at Cannae he drew his h Agendum non consultandum esse dixit Liu. 22. sword entring among them forced them to sweare that they would not forsake their countrey Which quick resolution saued his countrey And true it is that a Consilium tutum celeritas temerarium saepè mora facit Liu. 27. Claudius Nero said that expedition doth make our counsels prooue safe sure when as delaies make thē proue rash and dangerous The b Maturauit Romanus ne praelio vno cum Latino Volscoque contē deret Liu. 2. Romanes hauing diuers enemies making haste fought with them one after another singly and so ouercame them and I would to God the longer we differre to fight with the Spaniard we doe not finde him the stronger A c Malum nascens facilê opprimitur inueteratum sit plerunque robustius Cic. Philip. 5. mischiefe in the beginning is easily remedied in time it getteth strēgth That which comonly is obiected that speedy d Celer poenitētia sequitur praecipitata consilia Liu. 31. repentance foloweth rash counsell maketh nothing against our purpose For great difference there is betwixt speede and temeritie Temeritie is in counsell rashly followed speede is in quicke execution after mature counsell My meaning therfore is not that any should proceede without mature counsael but that after resolution there should follow e Primùm cōsulto posteà maturè facto opus est Salust speedy executiō Cōtrariwise both cōsultation without resolutiō and f Tardae lentoe deliberationes perniciosae Tacit. resolutiō without speedy execution are pernitious in martiall causes Counsels g Cunctando senescunt consilia Liu. 35. drawē in length by delay waxe nought in the end And being vented are no better then as I said before wine that hath taken vent h Belli necessitates non expectat humana consilia Liu. 4. Sometimes the necessities of warre so vrge vs that they will not suffer vs to attend mens counsels When the enemie is cōming vpon vs the i Dilationē pati bellum vicinum non potest Li. 1. warres are at our doores nothing is more pernicious thē delay The Romanes delaying to meete with Annibal in Spaine were afterwards forced to fight for their owne home countrey The delay of k Mora eius diei satis creditur fuisse saluti vrbi imperio Liu. 22. Annibal that after his victory at Cannae brought not presently his army before Rome was the ruine of his cause first beginning of his decay Likewise the delaies slow proceeding of the Carthaginian Senate in sending money supplies to l Post victoriam Cannensē cuncta segniter otiosè gerebat senatus Carthaginensis Liu. 23. Annibal after his victory at Cannae gaue heart leisure to the Romanes to repaire their strength m Flaccus primos hostis conatus per dissimulationem aluit Tac. 20 Delaies dissembling after that once we vnderstand the enemies practices doth helpe thē minister fauour to their proceedings as Tacitus declareth by the example of Flaccus n Bellum aluere quum si institissent egregium titulum per se liberatae Graeciae habere potuere Liu. 32. Attalus and the Rhodians hauing some vantage against Philip of Macedonia folowed it not which delay gaue him leysure to repaire his forces made them to be accōpted the nourishers of those warres which if they had vrged they might haue had the title of deliuerers of Greece themselues o Asdrubali quod celeritate intineris profectum erat id mora ad Placentiam dum frustra obsidet magis quà m oppugnat corrupit Liu. 27. Asdrubal by staying about Placentia lost whatsoeuer commoditie hee had before wonne by his speedy marche I will not say what harme our stay both here in England and at Coronna did vnto vs in the voyage of Portugal The Lauinians proceeding flowly in sending succours to their associates were scarce out of their citie gates when they heard newes that the
Romanes had ouerthrowen them For which small iourney one of the company told them that the a Pro paulula via magnaÌ„ mercedem Liu. 8. Romanes would make them pay deare Delayes of times vsed by Cecinna Tacitus b Per varias moras prima prodidit hostibuâ— tempora belli Tac. 18. calleth becraying of opportunitie c Inutil i cunctatione agendi teÌ„pora consultando consumpsit Tacit. 19. Fabius Valens going against Vespasians army with hurtfull delayes spent times of seruice in vnprofitable consultations The Athenians not stopping the proceedings of Philip of Macedonia at the first suffered him to grow so strong that all Greece could not in the end withstand his force I pray God that delayes of Christian Princes to resist Philip of Spaine doe not worke like effect in our times Delaies are not good in any time of seruice The times of d Non expectant belli tempora moras dilationes imperatoruÌ„ Liu. 31. warre doe not attend vpon the captaines or counsels pleasures Occasion e Si in occasionis momento cuius praeteruolat opportunitas cunctatus fueris nequicquam mox amissam querà ris Liu. 25. presenteth it selfe vnto them vpon a sudden but if thou embracest it not it passeth without returning though oft thou wish for it againe All which notwithstanding in our times deliberations in matters of warre are flowe the arrestes vncertaine the executions vaine They are like the globe of Saturne that finisheth his course but once in 30. yeeres That which others in time past called loosing of time some call winning of time and that which proceedeth either froÌ„ feare or couetousnes that they begin nothing that will they haue to proceede froÌ„ wisdome and maturity Fabius complained that the yeere passed while the f Nobis in apparatu ipso ac tantùm inchoantibus res annus circumagitur Liu. 24. Romanes were in their preparatiues against Annibal what would he say now if he liued to see some men neither prepare nor beginne any thing To excuse themselues they beare men in hand that they stay to see how matters will fall out and when the king of Spaine will die Vnto whom I say for answere as one of the AtheniaÌ„s said sometime that they that looke for the g Qui euentus expectamus praeda victoris erimus Liu. 32. eueÌ„ts of warre are coÌ„monly a spoile to the conqueror This course is that which as Pontius the Samnite said neither winneth friendship nor doth hurt to the enemie Those that are slowe to helpe others must looke for slowe friendship at others hands in their neede But say they still stay It is not good to be too rash h Vnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem Ennius Fabius by his staied proceeding restored the Romane Empire to the auncient estate that was shaken by others hastie heady rashnesse Then which example there is nothing can worse fit them Fabius in his time was a wise and resolute coÌ„mander ripe in counsell speedy in execution Annibal could turne nowhere but he was by him al his deuises he speedily preueÌ„ted Onely for this he was accompted flow that hee woulde not rashly venture the Romane Empire vpon one battell Yet when his collegue Minutius was in danger hee was ready to succour him He differred not to prouide an army nor to furnish it he would not suffer the enemy to do what he list What these men are and what they do I list not to report neither is it necessary being so wel knowen I pray God that as in other things so in this also they be not vnlike Fabius For he restored that which was shaken these are rather like to shake that which is sound by their cold delayes CHAP. IX Of orders to be obserued for the good gouernement and assurance of the campe or lodgings of the army AS in diuers other pointes so in the lodging of our army wee are farre declined from the true practice of armes The name of Campe remayneth but the thing is quite decayed and gone Seldome doth the army lie in the field vnlesse it be in the sieges of townes Wherein notwithstanding we bestow so many as we can in houses and villages In marching for the most part the companies are distributed in diuers villages and that three or foure miles asunder if not more The lodgings are seldome fenced vnlesse it be with a barriquade or barrier or small trench ouerthwart the wayes The watch is not so strong nor so diligent as it shoulde bee the confusion and noise is great the prouision of things necessary very small and seldome other then the souldiers can finde The which disorders make the army to lie open to camisadoes and many enterprises if the enemy be strong and iudicious For auoiding whereof the practise of warre requireth that the army do rest in no place but vnited nor without sufficient defence and garde Before that the practice of armes was brought to perfection the army lodged as nowe it doeth without trenches or defenses Pyrrhus seeing the default therein beganne first to fortifie his campe by entrenchment Which the Romanes receiuing from him did in short time excell their master Onely barbarous people commonly lay as before open and without defence which gaue the Romanes such aduantage against them And I doubt not but if the right order of encamping were recalled by anie man of iudgement that he should haue like aduantage against these of our times Many are the commondities that an army receiueth by their lodging well fortified They fight not but when they list and see their aduantage they sleepe soundly without feare and rest safely without danger such a Casta victori receptaculum victo persugium multi exercitus victi eruptione pugnantes hosteÌ„ pepulerunt Liu. 44. defenses are a receite to the conquerour a refuge to the vanquished and a porte and harbour to returne vnto in a storme Many armies saith Paulus Aemilius he that vanquished Perseus being foyled in open field haue retired into their campe and saued themselues and afterward fallying out vpon their enemies haue preuailed and vanquished them Therefore would hee no fight with the enemy before he had entrenched his campe Caesar albeit the was charged vpon the way by the Heluetians returning backe vpon him yet had no lesse care to fortifie his campe then to sustaine the enemies charge And therefore hauing set his army in order b Sarcinas in vnum locum conferri cum ab ijs qui in superiore acie constiterant muniri iussit Caes bel gal 1. he commanded the baggage to be brought into one place and the same to be entrenched by those that stoode last and on the highest ground while the vantgarde and the rest fought with the enemy And such was Caesars care therein that where the enemy was neere he would not suffer his chiefe c Ab opere singulisque legionibus singulos legatos Caesar discedere nisi muniâ—is castris vetuerat bel gal 2.
commanders and counsell to depart from legions or regiments before the worke fortification of the camp was finished Neither could the countenance of Afranius his army in Spaine making shew as if the same would sight deterre him but that he d Cas bel ciu 1. fortified his lodging keeping the rest in armes to receiue the enemies charge The barbarous Gaules by their many losses perceiuing the aduantages that the Romans had vpon them in this point at length by the counsel of Vercingetorix their leader began to e Caes bel gal 7. fortifie their camp as they saw the Romandes do He that doth not so lie entrenched goeth oftentimes out of his may to seeke ease for his souldiers lodgeth with his army disioyned looseth time and labour and lastly may not if hee be wise lodge neere an enemy as strong as himselfe that hath the vantage of ground and trenches He that chargeth an army that lyeth wel entrenched receiueth seldome honour of his rashnesse The Frenchmen because they vnderstoode not so much before were taught it of Prospero Colonna at the Bicocke in Lombardy For aduenturing rashly to fight with a Guicelardin Prospero and his company that lay strongly fortified within certaine bankes made for the keeping of the riuer within the channell they were tumbled into the ditch as fast as they came vp the bankes and many of them slaine That such fortification may be made orderly and strongly diuers rules are to be obserued and some prouision like wise is to be made more then ordinarie First a conuenient place in the way where the army marcheth is to be marked and staked out by the Quarter-master generall which woulde bee a man of iudgement with him also may bee sent other men of iudgement All these with a garde ought to goe b Centuriones exploratoresque praetermittit Caesar qui locum castris idoneum deligant Caes bel gal 2. before that at the comming of the army to the place euery man may knowe the gates and the sides and the places of the campe Within that presently they may begin to worke euerie man may know where to pitch his tent or make his caban to discharge the impediments and baggage and where the ordonance is to be placed This may seeme intricat at the first but with practice it may be made most easie Further to the end that our men be not disturbed when they are at their worke good espialles and discouerers would be sent before to see that the enemy lie not in ambush neere that place where wee meane to lodge Which happening to Caesar in the expeditioÌ„ against the Belgians did more endanger him then the enemies open force For his men c Caes bel gal 2. hauing laide downe their burthens and being scarâ—eâ—ed to fetch stakes earth and stones â—odainly the enemy appeareth out from vnder a hil there by and chargeth him The same was the ruine d Liu. 10. of Fabius his â—ieutenant For going to take a hil alreadie possessed by the enemy without espial he was there slaine in the place with al his comany For defence of those that worke one good part of the army woulde be kept in armes especially where the enemy is neere And those that worke are to haue euery man his sword and dagger girded to him and his other armes fast by him Which not only Caesar a master in these matters but al the Romanes generally obserued There is no time more pâ—oper for the enemies assault nor more daâ—gerous for vs then when wee are newly come to our lodging For then most are secure and put off their armes and either rest themselues or runne about to seeke things necessarie The e Castra ponentes Romanos Poeni aggressi sunt turbassentque munientes ni abditi post tumuluÌ„ opportunè ad id positi à Scipione equites in effusos incurrissent Liu. 28. Romanes as they were pitching their tentes were charged by the Carthaginians in their warres in Spaine and had beene soyled had not Scipio fearing such a matter run through theÌ„ with his horsemen which very opportunely hee had couered vnder a hill in the way as they came to the charge At that time also Caesar was set vpon by the Neruians and lost diuers braue men The Venetians were no sooner arriued in their a Conte de Purlilia ad Ferdinand lodgings at Trent and disarmed but the enemy obseruing his time commeth vpon them and forced them to seeke an other lodging Yet not all for many were lefte behinde to take vp their lodging in that place for euer The place most commodious for lodging is where our companie may not onely haue wood water good ayre and for horses forrage and if it may be some reliefe of victualles for our men but also aduantage of the ground fit to be wrought and hardly to be taken from vs by the enemy Wood may not be wanting for fire stakes and â—abans and lesse water for our men and cattell A riuer also doeth oftentimes ease our men of trauell Especially if it be deepe For that the campe is well fensed on that quarter Good ayre is necessarie for the health our souldiers especially when me lie long in a place The aduantage of ground is requisite for the defending of our lodging Which opportunities those that haue wanted haue beene driuen to great extremities b Caes bel ciu 1. Afranius his army was driuen to yeeld to Caesar in Spaine for want of water And by like necessitie Caesar forced the reliques of Pompeys army which hee c Caes bel ciu 3. besieged on a hill and excluded by trenches from the water to flie to his mercie Himselfe in d Hirt. de bel Alexandr Alexandria had beene driuen to great extremity for want of fresh water had hee not by digging of pits found store In hie and drie countries water is hard to be found vnlesse it be in valle is and deepe botcomes that shewe signes of moisture Lautrecke in the fiege of Naples lodging his army in the lowe grounds brought great contagion among his people and of New hauen and other places want of water and the filthy keeping of our lodgings which cannot be kept too cleane bred the pestilence among our men and wrought the victory to out enemies The disaduantage of the ground at Landresie not considered by the French had sike to haue taught them a lamentable lesson For being lodged in the lower ground they were continually amoyed by the artillery of the imperiallâ—s placed vpon a hill that comntâ—â—ed the French campe and almost forced them to fight with great disaduantage The Italians and Spaniardes were by the French forced to fight against their willes at a Guicciard Rauenna in Lewis the twelft his time for that being lodged in the lower and open ground they were beaten with the enemies great ordonance that continually stroke among their horsemen Which inconuenience coulde not be remedied so but that is was the
Annibal who by all meanes prouoked the Romanes to come to fight with him but also of the Romanes inuading the Macedonians of Caesar warring in France and folowing of Pompey into Epeirus and of our Kings transporting their forces into France and generally of all that euer knewe the trade of warre doeth teach vs. To force the enemy to accept that which willingly hee would shun the meanes are these first to pursue him with all conuenient speed If thy horsmen doe once ouertake any part of his army either he must stay to succor his men or els must he leaue them to thy mercy if hee haue so many a Eques carpeâ—â— do nouisâ—imos premendoque iniquis ad transitum locis agmen detinuit Liu. 8. stayes thou canst not chuse but ouertake him To depart farre away from thee is to yeelde the countrey into thy hands then which it were better to hazard many mens liues Caesar by b Caes bel gal 1. this meanes drew the Heluetians backe to fight with him which they would gladly haue passed and by the c Caes bel gal 2. same he so galled the Belgians that they were constreined to fight with disaduantage d Caes bel â—iu â— Afranius would gladly haue recouered the hie countreys with his army but Caesar did so trouble his marche with his horse men that vnlesse he meant to flye he could not runne from him without fighting He that flyeth long before thee without fighting he abandoneth a great countrey without fighting to be spoyled of thee Secondly if the enemy hath any courage by ranging and spoyling and firing whatsoeuer thou canst not saue for thine owne vse thou shalt either drawe him foorth into the fielde or breake his heart By that meanes the e Cos vastandâ—â— maximè agâ—is hostem ad conferoÌ„da propius castra dimicandumque acie exciuir Liu. 2. Romanes forced the Volscians and others to come downe from the hilles into euen ground and to defend their countrey from rauage and spoyle And although another time the force and prouision of the Romane army made the enemies to shut them selues vp within their walles as most safe for them yet when they sawe the spoyles and f Populatione agrorum inceÌ„dâ—js villarum coegit eos egâ—edi vâ—be Liu 5. flames of their countrey they coulde not continue their former deliberation but were forced to come forth and fight When Villages g populando atque vrendo recâ—â— hostium sataque in aciem extraâ—â— Liu. 8. are fired and the corne and the countrey spoyled he must be either very cowardly or very hard hearted that is not drawen foorth to fight Flaminius the Romane Consull could not endure to see the fires which Annibal kindled in Hetruria but would needes succour the countrey and fight with the enemy whatsoeuer it cost him Who can endure to see the enemy to rage spoyle without restraint or who can restreine him without fight The Frenchmen although alwayes vnwilling to deale with the English nation vpon euen hand yet haue bene diuers times forced thereto by vs what with indignitie to see their countrey spoyled and what with feare of further losse and what with necessitie to defend their country Albeit Fabius could in his time endure to see the rauage and spoyle of his countrey yet all haue not that singular patience If neither by celeritie thou canst ouertake the enemy nor by spoyles of the countrey moue him to defend the same yet will hee neuer endure vntill thou hast taken some of his principall cities Shame and necessitie wil in the end force him to come to their succour When the a Post quam Romulum castra ponere ad vrbem necedere VeieÌ„tes accepere egressi sunt obuià m vt potiùs acie decernerent quà m inclusi de tectis moenibusque dimicarent Liu. 1. Veians being beaten before refused to encounter the Romanes in the fielde any more yet when they perceiued that the Romanes made toward their citie they came foorth chusing rather to trye it in playne fielde then to be pend vp and fight for their houses and walles b Metellus vbi se dolis fatigari videt neque ab hoste copiam pugnandi fieri Zamam statuit oppugnate ratus Iugurtham subsidio suis venturum Salust bel Iugurth Metellus forced Iugurtha to come into the fielde by besieging Zama a citie which he specially fauoured albeit hee knew him selfe inferior in strength to the Romanes By like meanes Caesar in Afrike forced c Scipio ad necessitatem adductus dimicandi ne per summum dedecus Thapsitanos rebus suis fidissimos Virgilium amitteret Hirt. de bel Afric Scipio to bring his forces into euen ground least loosing a citie of importance that fauoured him and a Captaine of name hee should dishonor himselfe Philip de Valoys to raise the siege of Calais brought with him the power of France King Edward the third might haue fought with him if hee had would but hee would not fight with him but vpon aduantage The Protestants Anno 1567. by straiting the citie of Paris of victuals forced the king to send a power against them to fight with them Vnwise were they that not vnderstanding this had sent away a great part of their forces which might in that battell which was fought at Saint Denys had greatly ayded them to obteine the victorie If the siege of Poytiers An. 1569. had continued any longer then it did the King should haue bene forced to fight with the Protestants that besieged it But there was no neede that a Kings power should beat them whom want so many disorders had beaten before But if the Generall of the enemies forces be enforced to take a towne for his safegarde much more behoueth it them to come forth into the fielde to relieve him if he be besieged The whole power of France came before a Caes bel gal 7. Alexia to disengage Vercingetorix their Generall there besieged by Caesar Whosoeuer hee is that can be content to loose a citie and refuseth to come to fight with his enemy cannot long endure The reason that the Prince of Orenge so long helde out against the Spaniard was the tyranny of the enemy whom the people could not endure certaine small supplyes that came out of England and the Princes good will to helpe such townes as were distressed the best he could and last of all the libertie of the sea which the enemy could not take from him On the other side the defendants taking a contrary course for the safety of them selues and their countrey ought as much as they can to linger and weary the enemy and not to fight without manifest aduantage This course the Romanes tooke and found to be best not only against Annibal but also against other Barbarous nations that came to inuade them The same did experience teach the Gaules and Briteins to be best against Caesar And the generall practice of warre hath nowe confirmed it
for a precept to be folowed in such cases When b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 2. Sitacles King of Thracia inuaded the Macedonians the countrey people not being able to resist fled into strong cities and holdes and as occasion aduantage was offered from thence issued to fight with him as they could Many c Multa bella impetu valida peâ— taedia moâ—as euanuerunt praesertim vbi non est prouisum frumentum nec maiores expectaâ—a copiae Tacit. annal 18. warres that haue bene violent at the first brunt by delayes and tedious lingering haue come to nothing sayth Tacitus And therefore neuer is it good to fight with those that want prouision and looke for no further supply When the Gaules with great forces came into Italy some would haue had the Romane Generall to fight with them foorthwith but the d Dictatori neutiquam placebat cum nulla cogeret res fortunae â—o committere adversus hostem quem tempus deâ—eriorem indies locus alienâ—s faceret sine praeparato commâ—atu sine siâ—mo munimento morantem ad hoc â—js animis corporibusque quorum omnis in impetâ—vis esset parua eadem languesceret mora his coÌ„siliis dictator bellum trahebat Liu. 7. Generall thought it more wisedome to protract time His reasons were for that he dealt with an enemy which euery day waxed weaker by reason he was in another couÌ„trey had dayly more and more hinderances comming vpon him further neither had hee prouision nor towne of retraite therefore must needs be wearied with delayes and decay of himselfe and great folly sayd he were it to fight with men when they are stroÌ„g when they may deale with them when they are weake feeble When Caesar sent Crassus into Aquitany with part of his army to subdue the countrey the enemy being taught by experience would not come into open field but a Duces consuetudine populi Romani loca capere castra munire commeatibus nostros intercludere institâ—unt Romanos se rei frumentarâ—ae inopia recipientes impeditos agmimine sub sarcinis insirmiore animo adoriri cogitant Caes bel gal 3. began to take places of aduantage to fortifie his campe to keepe Crassus from victuals when the army for want should retire then he meant to charge the same being laden with baggage and out of aray in the marche That which Liuy sayth of the b Boij gens ad morae taedium minimè patiens dilapsi sunt Boyans we finde it true in many Northren nations they are impatient of delayes and if they be not fought withall doe scatter of them selues Those that fight with such enemies are like to those that hope to quench fire by throwing on of wood when as if the fire be not supplyed with wood it will goe out of it selfe And therefore our ancesters that haue fought with the Scots haue done valiantly but wisdome would haue perswaded them to let them dissolue of them selues The Romanes by their haste in fighting with Annibal receiued three great ouerthrowes and brought them selues within very litle of their ruine Pompey when he might haue ruinated Caesars army for want of victuals aduenturing to fight at the request of his army ouerthrew himselfe The way to weary the enemy without fight is first with an army consisting most of horsemen shot targets and halberdiers lightly armed to coast him a farre off next to spoyle the countrey where hee passeth and to bring all the cattell corne and prouision that may any way serue his turne into strong townes thirdly to store the townes of warre with prouision and assure them with strong garrisons fourthly to cut the bridges ouer great riuers and to sease all narow and straite passages The army that coasteth the enemy although it may not ioyne battell with him in euen ground yet hath many necessary vses and without it all other impediments are easily passed the same doth bridle the enemies courses that he dare not diuide his army to send the same on foraging It keepeth victuals from him and him from victuals it defendeth the straits and passages of riuers it succoureth such townes as are besieged it is ready to charge the enemy vpon all aduantages The Athenians c Thucid. 3. not being able to fight with the army of the Lacedemonians that came against them tooke this course for their defence they brought their people and all that they had into the citie placed gardes at passages and cut of the straglers with their horsemen Which course d Caes bel gal 7. Vercingetorix also vsed against Caesar in France hee burned the countrey droue away all the cattell kept the passages of riuers The e Custodias ad ripas Ligeris disponere equitatumque omnibus locis ostentare caeperunt Caes bel gal 7. Heduans reuolting from Caesar kept the banks of Loyre with gardes and in all places where the Romanes came charged them with their horsemen But of this matter I haue spoken sufficient where I shewed what trauerses made against the enemie are most effectuall Now I am to shew how the enemie is to be wearied without fight the meanes I haue set downe But this caution thou must vse further that thou keepe thy selfe and thy companie alwayes on the higher ground and take heede that the enemie doe not entrap thee nor compasse thee about Fabius in the warres of the Romanes against Annibal in Italie and Licinius in the warres against Asdrubal in Spaine haue by their example shewed thee what thou art to doe and how warilie thou art to garde thy selfe and to watch thy enemie These precepts haue vse in all countreys with whatsoeuer enemie thou dealest but especiallie where the countrey is full of hils woodes straites and great riuers and also where by force is neere equall to the enemie But if thy power be slender or if thy countrey bee playne and open then presume not to come neere the enemie for thou canst not auoyd but either thou must flie or fight The a Fuga se longinqua ab hosse tutati sunt Galli Liu. 6. Gaules pursued by Camillus seeing themselues vnable to fight with him had no other meanes to auoyd fight but to flie farre from him Neither could Asdrubal haue escaped from b Liu. 27. Scipio but that he fled with his armie from him into the vtmost coast of Spaine After that c Vercingetorix ne contra suam voluntatem dimicare cogeretur magnis iâ—ineribus antecessit Caes bel Gal. 7 Caesar had once passed the riuer of Allier which was betweene him the enemie Vercingetorix was coÌ„strained to go farre before least he might be constrained to fight agaynst his will For where the armies come neere each to other in eauen ground it is hard for the one to auoyd fight where the other seeketh it Antonie forced Cassius to fight at Philippi albeit he auoided it what he could and had the vantage both of ground and trenches The
passe it f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Clearchus seeing his souldiers faint and hungrie would not charge the enemie albeit good occasion was offered The prince of Conde bringing his men that had watched for the most part all the night into the field before Saint Denis anno 1567. found what faintnesse watching worketh Asdrubal being charged at Metaurus when his owne souldiers were wearie and sleepie by the reason of his nights march and his enemies fresh and lustie was ouerthrowen with a mightie slaughter The g Sitis calor hiantes caedendos capiendósque Gallos praebebat Liu. 27. Gaules gaping for thirst and heate and being wearied with trauell and watching were slaine or taken Puigalliard in these late troubles of France causing his troupes to march continually two dayes and two nights thinking by his speed to surprise the Protestants at S. h Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 13. Gemme was himselfe the cause that his men were cut in pieces by la None not being able for want of sleepe and rest to doe any seruice But least cause hath he to venture whose souldiers stand in feare of the enemies forces Caesar therefore would not begin his iourney against a Caes bel Gal. â— Ariouistus and the Germanes before he had resolued his men that stoode in feare of them to fight And hauing had euill successe in one or two encounters at Dyrrhachium which much dismated his souldiers he remooued from thence and would not fight vntill such time as his souldiers were confirmed He that doubteth any such thing in his men is first to confirme them with hope and report of their former valiant actions and with declaration of the enemies wantes and weakenes and disaduantages he is to encourage them with promises and hope of rewarde to feare them with shame and plainely to declare vnto them that there in no hope but in victorie and therefore that if not for their honour yet for b Virture pares necessiâ—ate superiores Liu. 21. sauing of themselues they ought to fight valiantly Necessitie c Nusquam nisi in virtute spes est milites Liu. 34. enforceth men to fight and the example of their Commanders ready to abide with them in all danger maketh them ashamed to flie Much did it encourage Caesars souldiers when they sawe him in the battell against the Heluetians put his horse from him ready to take the common hazard with them and a very coward he is that neither with persuasion nor example will be encouraged The souldiers for their persons strength and courage being such as they should be the next consideration of a Generall that purposeth to fight is that they haue their armes fitted and all baggage and impediments that may hinder them remooued Alexander before he fought with d Plutarch Darius forgat not so much as to giue order that the haire of his souldiers heades and beardes should be cut lest the enemie might take holde by it Small matters you will say but in this not the smallest matters are to be contemned But yet nothing is more to be respected then the ground where thou purposest to abide the enemie There is great aduantages in hedges ditches and the higher ground Caesars e Milites e loco superiore pilis missis facile hostium phalangem perfregerunt Caes bel Gal. 1. souldiers throwing their iauelins from the higher ground and following the same did easily breake the rankes of their enemies troupes f Pharnaces aduersus collem subiens detruditur vincitur Hirt. de bel Alexandr Pharnaces leading his men against the hill where Caesars armie stoode ranged was presently thrust downe and vanquished Caesar wondered at his rashnes The enemie hauing seased a hill by Rome the Consul g Temerè aduerso Ianiculo Seruilius ad castra hostium aciem erexit soedéque inde pulsus est sed interuentu collegae ipse exercitusque seruatus est Liu. 2. Seruilius mooued with the indignitie of it did rashly cause his troupes to march vp the hill against him which aduantage the enemie taking had ouerthrowne him and his armie had not his Collegue come in the instant and fauoured his retraite Marius a Plutarch in vita Marij ouerthrewe the Germanes and Danes more easily taking them mounting vp the higher ground Certeine of the Admirall of France his companies foolishly striuing to winne the hill neere the plaines of S. b Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 9. Clere were driuen backe with losse and had vtterly bene defeated if the Almanes belowe had not kept their ground and arrested the formost of the enemies that pursued them A smal c Exiguum loci ad decliuitatem fastigium magnum habet momentum Caes bel Gal. 7. aduantage in the vneauennes of the ground is much saith Caesar in the furthering of the victorie At Auaricum albeit he had the victorie in his handes and had foiled the enemie yet would he not followe them up the hill for feare of the discommoditie of the ground At Gergouia he lost many braue souldiers that contrary to his commandement would needes pursue the enemie vp the hill him selfe was neuer in greater danger to loose the fielde then at Munda in Spaine which happened by the forwardnes of his men that needes would d Hirt. de bel Hispanic charge the enemie standing on the higher ground That care that a Generall hath in the first charge of the enemie the same he ought also to continue in the pursuite of his victorie that his men descend not downe into the lower ground nor be too eger following them vp the hill The e Romanus cedentem hostem effuse sequendo in locum iniquum pertractus acie fusus Liu. 6. Romanes following the enemie without order and being drawne into a lowe valley were discomfited and slaine the enemie turning backe vpon them The Corinthians not looking before them in their retraite fell into a f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hollowe bottome of ground which the Athenians perceiuing and that there was no issue out compassed them round about with their light armed and slingers and stoned them all to death The Romanes entring the straite of Caudium were entrapped by the Samnites Annibal g Liu. 21. susteined many losses by the people of the mountaines that tooke the toppes of the hilles and rolled downe stones vpon his souldiers marching along the sides of the hilles Which difficulties h Xenoph. exped Cyr. 4. Xenophon also prooued in passing the mountaines of the Carduchians All difficulties which hinder the armie in marching as woods hilles straites riuers and such like are farre more dangerous if they be obiected against vs in fighting And therefore let the Generall take heede that he be not charged in passing of riuers or straites or at any like disaduantage Further let him diligently view and search the Countrey that the enemy haue not bestowed some part of his army in some wood or beyond some hil behinde or
on the sides of the place to charge him with aduantage when the battell is begun By which meanes Annibal ouerthre we the Romanes at Trebia and the Thrasimene lake Neither is it sufficient for him onely to prouide that the enemie haue no aduantage nor his owne souldiers any disaduantage but he must consider also if he may take the enemie either in trap or at any disaduantage and that either in vneauen ground or in straites or passing of riuers or any place where his army is disordered either in lodging or marching or fighting If the enemy be beaten out of the fielde by force it is in part the souldiers praise if he be entrapped by the Captaines pollicie that is his hondur In the ioyning of the battell the Generall is likewise to endeuour to take the winde and to haue the Sunne and Moone if the fight be in the night vpon his backe The winde being fauourable driueth our darts arrowes and whatsoeuer we throwe against the enemie with greater force forward and being contrarie doeth diminish their force and stoppeth the souldiers breath and filleth their eies full of dust In the battell betwixt Theodosius and Maximus the tyrant nothing holpe the a Histor Ecclese ast Theodoret. side of Theodosius more then the winde that draue backe the darts arrowes and stones of Maximus his souldiers The b Poeni auersiterga tantùm afflante vento in occaecatum puluere à Vulturno vento hostem pugnabant Liu. 22. Romane souldiers in the battell at Cannae hauing the winde against them had their eies and throates filled with dust which fauoured the Carthaginians blowing vpon their backs The Sunne with great heate frying the bodies of the Gaules made them c Sol ingenti ardore torrebat minimè patientia aestus corpora Gallorum Liu. 35. very faint fighting on a certeine time with the Romanes Vespasians souldiers hauing the d Tacit. l. 19. Moone on their backe when they fought in the night with Vitellius his army seemed greater then they were and did see to strike more directly The same aduantage had the Sicilians against the Athenians in that nights encounter wherein they ouerthrewe them neere Syracusae The season of the yeere also and the weather is to be considered before we range our army to fight Northren people endure colde better then heate And therefore as they are to auoide fighting in the heate of the day and summer season so they are to chuse the coole morning or euening and of the times of the yeere the Spring or drie Winter which Southren people can not brooke The Romanes protracting time vntill the heate of the day did then charge the e Liu. 9. Gaules when with heate and thirst they were of themselues ready to faint which occasioned vnto them a great victorie In rainie weather shot cannot doe almost any seruice that tyme therefore is fittest for armed men targetters and such like to charge them Finally whatsoeuer maketh for the encouragement of our souldiers or discouragement of the enemie the same ought a wise Generall to deuise and practise The strength of the enemy is in wordes to be diminished the goodnes of our cause and strength of our army to be amplified Whatsoeuer a Fama bellum conficit parua momenta in spem metúmque impellunt animos Liu. 27. reportes may hurt the enemy or helpe vs are to be spread abroad Reportes oft times preuaile as much as truth small matters make men in that case both feare and hope as said Claudius Nero. The report of a succour comming did daunt b Tacit. 19. Vitellius his army and confirmed the enemy Which also happened in a certeine incounter betwixt the Romanes and Samnites Wordes also cast out in the time of the battell as that their Generall is slaine or that part of the army flieth and such like profite much Therefore if at any time heere especially the skill and iudgement of a Capteine is to shewe it selfe in taking aduantages auoiding disaduantages preuenting of mischiefes laying ambushes for the enemy and vsing all maner of stratagems and deuises of warre Nowe hauing spent thus much time in considerations and preparatiues of a battell let vs come to the ranging of our battels and to the action it selfe in encountring and vanquishing the enemy CHAP. XII Wherein is discoursed what aray and course is best in charging the enemie THe aray of an army placed and prepared to fight is diuers according to the number and qualities both of the enemies and our owne forces likewise according to our strength in horsemen or footemen in shot or armed men and last of all according to the difference of groundes and places To part a small number into so many partes as we doe a full armie were rather to breake it then orderly to part it and a matter in shewe ridiculous If the enemies force be greater on the corners then in the midst we must haue consideration of that in framing and ranging our army Horsemen in rough ground in woods straits and hilles are vnprofitable If the enemy be stronger then wee in horse wee are to change the place of our horsemen to auance our footmen Where the wayes are strait we cannot spread our army as in open field This and other circumstances being referred to the iudgement of the Generall let vs now consider what aray is best in open field our army being full and hauing all the partes thereto required This I haue touched already where I shewed before how an army marching is suddenly to be drawen into order by what rules the same may be exactly performed remaineth now to be declared The whole army considered without horsemen or shot consisteth of three partes in the front I call them the a That word cōmeth neerest to the sence though not to the proper signification of the word right corner the middle battell and the left corner the Romanes called them Dextrum cornu mediam aciem sinistrum cornu and of two or three partes from front to the backe The first I call the front the second the supply the third if there be a third the last hope The Romanes diuided their aray as it was considered in depth or from front to backe in hastatos principes triarios The shot I would haue placed both before and on the sides and behinde euery of these partes diuided into seuerall troupes and guided by seuerall leaders Without the shot the horsemen would be placed on the winges vnlesse some speciall cause mooue vs to the contrary The three partes of the front may either stand ioyned together or with some distance separated and either may they be framed as one body with rankes continued or els euery of these partes may consist of diuers battaillions or squares of armed men very commodious for the seuerall vse of them and also for the retrait of shot within the distances The breadth and depth may be greater or lesser according to our
posterity howsoeuer in some circumstances they departed from these rules yet neuer did they neglect the Generall reasons of them neither ought they to be neglected of any as I will make manifest by particulars Scipio in the encounter betwixt him and Annibal in Afrike according to the Romane guise diuided his army from front to backe into three parts placing first those which they called hastatos next principes last triarios All these albeit at the first their armes were different yet when the Romane empire was come to the height were armed much after one sort with plated iackes which they called Loricas morions on their heads a shield on their left arme a sword well poynted and sharpe by their side and a iaueline which they called pilum in their right hand which they threw at the enemy when they ioyned battell and then fought with their sword and target Some had also defences for theyr thighes and legges and shooes plated in the soles that they might not be pearced with nayles The light armed by them called Velites which stood not among the armed men had onely a head piece and a target and sword or els if they were slingers onely a head piece a sting and a sword The Triarij that stoode last were the oldest and most tried and best armed souldiers and next them Principes that stood before them the hastati were yongest and of least experience first in place but last in accompt The front where the hastati were placed Scipio made not of Regiments ioyned together and placed before the ensignes but of companies of two hundred made into litle battaillions or squares distant one from another some space that the Elephants of the enemie receiued within these distances might not disorder the aray He placed Laelius with the Italian horsemen without on the left corner Masinissa and the Numidian horsemen on the right corner The distances betweene the battaillions he filled with the first troupes of the light armed which were arches and slingers commanding them when the Elephants came forwarde on them either to retire behinde the first battaillions or standing fast to the sides of them to giue the Elephants way and to throw their iauelins at them as they passed Liuyes words I haue set downe for the satisfaction of those that vnderstande the tongue which course I haue also in other examples out of him and other authors obserued If my translation answere not worde for worde yet doeth it answere the Romane vse of warre The wordes I could not translate precisely if I meant that any should vnderstand mee the termes of warre then and now being so different a Liu. 30. Instruit deinde primos hastatos post cos principes triarijs postremam aciem clausit Non confertas autem cohortes ante sua quámque signa instruebat sed manipulos aliquantum inter se distantes vt esset spatium quò Elephanti hostium accepti nihil ordines turbarent Laelium cum equitatu Italico ab sinistro cornu Masinissam Numidásque ab dextro opposuit Vias patentes inter manipulos antesignanorum velitibus compleuit dato praecepto vt ad impetum Elephantorum aut post rectos refugerent ordines aut in dextram laeuámque discursu applicantes se antesignanis viam qua irruerent in ancipitia tela belluis darent Annibal placed first his Elephants then the Ligurians Gaules hired to ayde the Carthaginians Among their troupes and before them he placed slingers and archers which were Mores and of the Ilands of Maiorca and Minorca In the second battel he set the Carthaginians and Africans and Macedonian Regiment ioyned in one aray and after them a litle way distant he placed his last hope or third battell consisting of Italians The Carthaginian horsemen were placed on the right wing the Numidians on the left His error if any error may be thought to haue bene in such an expert Captaine and not rather in the execution of his directions was this that not making any distances in his second battell for the first to retrayte into the first battell being repulsed was for the most part slaine and returning backe vpon the Carthaginians standing in the second battell had almost disordered them Percase he thought that seeing no place of retraite they would haue fought more desperatly But what can wearied and hurt men doe or who can animate men altogether discouraged Scipio contrarywise drawing backe the hurt and wearied men of his first battaillions auanced the second battel where those stoode which the Romanes called Principes on the one hande and the thirde battell which they termed Triarios on the other hande and so ioyntly charging the enemie on front with his footemen and on the backe with his horsemen he foyled Annibal and his army which before that had alwayes bene victorious a Liui. 30. Annibal primum Elephantos instruxit deinde auxilia Ligurum Gallorumque Balearibus Maurisque adiunctis in 2 acie Carthaginenses Afrósque Macedonum legionem modico interuallo relecto subsidiariam aciem Italicorum militum instruxit equitatum circumdedit cornibus dextrum Carthaginenses sinistrum Numidae tenuerunt At Trebia Annibal brought into the field first his archery and slingers of the Ilands of Maiorca and Minorca about 8000. men then his armed men ten thousand horsemen hee disposed by the right and left corners of the first battell and without them his Elephants diuided equally into two partes When the Romane legions vrged the light armed he drew them backe lightly into the spaces betwixt the midbattell and the right and left corner Afterwards hauing foyled and put to flight the Romane horsemen the archers slingers came forward charged the Romanes vpon the flanks of the armed men b Liui. 21. Annibal Baleares leuem armaturam 8 ferme millia hominum erant locat ante signa deinde grauiorem armis peditem in cornibus circumfundit decem millia equitum ab cornibus in vtrámque partem diuisos Elephantos statuit Balearibus cum maiore robore resisterent legiones diductae properè in cornua leues armaturae sunt Baleares pulso equite iaculabantur in latera The army of the Romanes and Carthaginians at the famous encoūter of Cannae by Liuie is thus described On the right corner stood the Romane horsemen and within them footemen the horsemen of their associats were ranged on the left corner within them footemen in the midst were placed the Romane legiōs diuided after their vsual maner into three parts hard before them ioyning with them were archers and slingers placed and before them other archers and slingers and other light armed souldiers of which consisted the first range of the battel Annibal set his slingers archers and light armed foremost on the front of the battell the Spanish and French horse he placed on the left wing against the Romane horsemen the Numidian horsemen on the right The midbattel he strengthened with footemen placing the Africans equally diuided in the right
a Auxilia Iubae impedita ac perturbata quòd nullo ordine essent sine timore iter fecerant in fugam se conjiciūt Caes bel Ciu. 2. Iubaes men being without order were no sooner charged but they fled Cato in his expedition into b Dum Hispani trepidant acie instruenda Cos iam paratis ordinatisque omnibus incompositos aggreditur Liu. 34. Spaine taking the enemy at like aduantage and charging him as he ranne vp and downe to set his forces in array did easily driue him out of the field If the c Liu. 22. Romanes as they passed the riuer before the battell of Trebia had not bene charged by Annibal they could not so easily haue receiued so great an ouerthrow Annibal himselfe albeit a most expert leader and of an army most expert in warre yet receiued losse being charged by Marcellus in that instant when he drew his men out of the campe to set them in order and if by long practise his men could not haue taken their standings themselues they had that day quite bene ouerthrowen by their d Toto passim campo pecorum modo incompositos se fuderunt Liu. 27. disorder The like had also happened vnto Caesars army charged by the e Caes bel Gal. 2. Neruians when it was dispersed and disordered about the fortification of the campe but that the skill of the souldiers that could euery man fall in array of himselfe remedied the disorder The Germanes a long time vsing to charge their enemies with more f Dirigūtur acies pari vtrinque spe nec vt olim apud Germanos vagis incursibus aut disiectas per cateruas quippe longa aduersus nos militia insueuerant signa sequi subsidijs firmari dicta imperatorum accipeic Tacit. annal 2. violence then order assailing them by squadrons seuerally rather then with an ordered army were ouerthrowen by the Romanes oft times but when by long vse they had learned the Romane array and obserued it they preuailed against them Those that come rather furiously then orderly to the charge as did the French at Cressy and Poitiers and both French and Spaniards at Aliubarota in the confines of Portogall where our ancesters of the English natiō obteined great victories are easily ouerthrowen Susteine the first brunt and presently they are cooled Those therefore that goe to charge the enemy let them obserue this a What is to be especially considered and performed before our army begin the charge course first let them set their men in order that euery man may know his place secondly let them giue certeine direction that euery commander may know both what to doe and in case he cannot performe so much where to retire Annibal not thinking of this when he fought with Scipio in Afrike occasionned his owne ouerthrow for when his first battell being wearied would haue retired to the succor there was no place left to retrait into so that the same not being receiued into the second battell began to fight with their owne fellowes and what by the enemy and by friends was most part slaine The French horse at the battell of Poitiers not knowing where to retire fell among their footmen and holpe to set them in disorder Thirdly in giuing directions let the Generall take heed that he employ all sorts of weapons where they may doe most seruice this I meane particularly to declare in the chapter following if he send horse against pikes standing fast or against shot being fenced with a trench he ruinateth his horse if he send shot against horse in open field or pikes against shot he vseth the matter with no iudgement Fourthly let him neuer order either his whole army or part of it without supply Many casualties may at the first discourage our men which being opportunely succored may take courage againe and begin a fresh charge vpon the enemy b Ex secunda acie subsidiarijs cohortibus in pugnam inductis suos accendit hostē fudit Liu. 34. Cato in his warres against the Spaniards relieuing his wearied men with a few fresh companies encouraged them and ouerthrew the enemies When Caesars men began to giue groūd in their battell against the Germanes c Crassus tertiam aciem laborantibus nostris subsidio misit ita praelium restitutum est atque omnes hostes terga verterunt Caes bel Gal. 1. Crassus by supplying them with a fresh company not onely restored the battell but made all the enemies to runne Where all the force of the army is employed at the first brunt and no order is taken for supplies as in a certeine battell betwixt the Romaines and Volscians the successe d Primo praelio non subsidijs firmata acie c. concursum est ideò Romani à Volscis premuntur Liu. 2. seldome is good Among other matters obiected against Fuluius accused as principall causer of the ouerthrow of the Romaine army by Annibal at Herdonea this was chiefe that he did not well order his army nor strengthen the same with supplies nor succours Fiftly looke with what part of the army himselfe is strongest let him there begin to charge the enemy where either by good intelligence or view of the aray or disaduantage of the ground or quality of the weapons he shall perceiue that the enemie is weakest Caesar in the a Caesar à dextro cornu quod eam partem minimè firmam hostium esse animaduerterat praelium commisit Caes bel gal 1. encounter he had with the Germanes beganne to charge them with that part of his armie that was ordered in the right corner for that hee sawe that the enemies were there weakest The same as Liuy testifieth was obserued in a certaine battell which the Romanes had with the Carthaginians in Spaine He is not wise that when he may charge the enemie on the side will goe directly to the front where his greatest force consisteth Sixtly after that hee hath set his men in order let him not stand long in armes before he goeth to the charge if he meane at all to fight By long standing the souldiers waxe wearie faint hungrie and a great part of their courage is thereby abated b Liu. 27. Asdrubal coulde not haue done his men greater wrong then to make them stand so long in armes before the battell begunne at Metaurus Thereof proceeded their faintnesse and contrariwise the courage and strenth of the Romanes for those being faint these came fresh to the battell c Liu. 22. Annibal at the battell of Trebia would not bring foorth his men to fight before hee perceiued the Romanes to be hungrie and almost tyred with long standing Which encreased his owne force and abated much of the courage and force of the enemie Further by no meanes let him suffer the enemie to preuent him in giuing the first charge As in the beginning of warres so in the d Verti in co res videbatur vtri prius arma inferrent Liu.
2. beginning of the battell there is great aduantage And as Pinarius saide to his men lying in garrison in Aenna a Citie of e Qui prior strinxerit ferrum cius victoria erit Liu. 24. Sicile so it falleth out very often that hee that draweth the sworde soonest first obteineth the victorie They that first beginne seeme to haue greater courage then those that stand still as it were to warde their blowes There is many aduantages in beginning the battell They may more easely take the aduantage of the winde and Sunne of the grounde and of the sort of weapons wherewith they fight then those that stand still which are forced to turne which way soeuer the enemie commeth They may there beginne where the enemie is weakest and themselues strongest and therefore the vse of the Romanes was first to begin the charge as appeareth both in the warres of Scipio in Spaine and Caesar in France A certaine f Lez consederez remanquet qu'en touts lez combus passez ils ont mieulx fait chargeans lez premiers que quand ils en◠attendu la desmarcke catholique Hist de troubl de Fr. Frenchman albeit he vnderstood not the reason yet by obseruation vnderstoode this poynt For sayth he in the warres of France it hath beene noted that the Protestants did alwayes preuaile more charging the enemies first then attending the enemies demarche and charge It appeareth both in the braule at Moncontour anno 1569. and diuers other skirmishes which they call battels Those that charge first take the aduantage of any disorder committed by the enemie which others let slippe Whatsoeuer can be deuised to encourage our owne souldiers or to discourage the enemie as at all times so especially in the hazard of battell is to be practised by cryes reportes shewes wordes spoken in the hearing of the enemie and whatsoeuer else can be imagined If there lye any wood or hollowe grounde neere the enemie the same is to be seased that in the heate of the fight our men suddenly arising thence may more amaze and hurt the enemie But of this point we shall haue better occasion to speake at large in the treatise of stratagemes and ambushes Least by flying of some cowardly companions the rest might be discouraged order is to be taken that whosoeuer in the fight beginneth to turne his backe bee presently slaine The a Cohorti suae dictator dat signum vt quem suorum fugientem viderint pro hoste habeant Liu. 2. Romane Generall by this strict commaundement and execution appointing certaine troupes to execute it made his armie stand resolutely Of Attilius it is reported that when his army beganne to giue ground by b Liu. 10. killing the first with his owne hands he made the rest to make head against the enemie which Annibal likewise practised in his battel with Scipio in Afrike albeit he had not like successe This is the case wherein Clearchus the Lacedemonian c Plutarch saide that souldiers ought more to feare their owne Generall then the enemie Finally when by his good direction and the valiantnesse of his souldiers the Generall shall perceiue the enemie to beginne to shrinke and giue ground then must he be most carefull first that he giue him no time to recouer himselfe or to supplie that which is broken secondly that hee keepe his souldirs from spoyle vntill such time as he hath assured himselfe of the victorie When the enemie beginneth to shrinke and to be dismaide any little force more maketh him to runne in a small time he recouereth himselfe againe Therefore d Orant vt perculsos inuadant nec restitui aciem sinant Liu. 29. then is he to bee vrged with the rest of our strength that remaineth entire and not to be suffered to escape Scipio in the battell with Asdrubal in Spaine when the e Liu. 28. Carthaginians disliking the party would haue retyred wholly together did so presse them on all sides that before they could recouer any place of safetie they were forced to change their pace and euery man to flye for his life In the a Caes de bel ciu 3. battell betwixt Caesar and Pompey when Pompeyes horsemen were driuen out of the fielde by those halfe pikes that hee had ordeined for succour of his owne horse with the same men he cut in pieces Pompeyes archers and light armed men That done with the same troupes he charged Pompeies battell that yet stoode firme vpon the backe And after he had driuen the enemie out of the fielde yet rested he not vntill such time as hee had taken his campe and dispersed the reliques of his armie Yet may some say it is not good to presse the enemie too farre and that a bridge of golde is to bee made to those that flie away Gaston de fois was ouerthrowen and slaine pursuing the Spaniards that retired after the battell of Rauenna And diuers others driuing the enemie to dispaire that otherwise would haue fledde haue hurt themselues But this is to be vnderstoode of an enemie that would so flye as he would also yeelde the victorie and contende no more in which case Themistocles perswaded the Greekes that meant to dissolue Xerxes his bridge to suffer the same to continue that thereby he might runne away Others that meane to fight againe are to be pursued diligently with all our forces Gaston de fois had not beene slaine but that hee was badly followed and too farre auaunced Neither coulde the Spaniards haue escaped if they had beene charged with shotte or taken at aduantage and kept from victuals The Romanes had so certaine an order in this point that they doubt not to accuse their b Ex subsidiis quòd tardiùs successissent signum equitibus tardiùs datum Cos accusatus Liu 35. General of trecherie for that when the enemie staggered hee gaue not the worde to the horsemen to charge nor aduaunced his footemen in time to supplie those that were wearie c Victor equestri praelio rex paruo momento si adiuuisset debellare potuit Liu. 42. Perseus for that hauing foyled the Romanes with his horse and hauing the victorie in his hand he did not pursue the rest of their troupes and breake them but suffered them to passe a Riuer quietly is condemned for a man of no iudgement in warres The same errour was committed by the Carthaginians in Spaine who hauing slain the two Scipioes foyled their armie gaue them selues to rest while the Romanes gathering head againe were able afterwarde to matche them and foyle them Those that cannot thrust the enemie downe that is already falling will be lesse able to doe it when he standeth vpright And therefore let wise captaines pursue their enemie to the vtmost and not suffer him when hee once beginneth to looke backe to turne head againe and take breath And in any case let him take heede that his souldiers runne not to spoyle before the victorie be assured and the
h Maxima pars ab equitibus in flumen acti sunt Liu. 1. pursue those that are put to flight But those that leade horsemen are to proceede with great caution they may not charge pikemen standing resolutely together The price of their folly that did otherwise our men did somewhat vnderstand at Muscleborough field Neither may they charge shot or archers that haue a defence either of a trench or a hedge or a wall or certaine rankes of pikes before them For in the case they make them selues markes to the enemie whom they cannot come at Further they had better charge the enemie disarrayed by shotte or other weapons then when the armie standeth close together For against an armie well empaled with pikes yea with halberds close set and well backed with shotte horse cannot preuaile whatsoeuer a certaine a Histoire de troubl de Fr. l. 2. French man in his glorious stile vaunteth of the strength of the French men of armes Against men out of order in open fielde horsemen worke great effectes and so no doubt they haue done in these late disorderly braules of France and did alwayes among b Arist polit barbarous nations which fought out of order But against an army well ordered they can do but little And any small impediment doth make them vnseruiceable The Romanes although their pikes were not halfe so long as ours yet did they not feare any numbers of horse Against the Macedonian pikes the Persian horse could doe no seruice Neither will the French horsemen looke vpon our pikes well backed with musquets if they be wise notwithstanding their great crakes Nay our archers at Agincourt fielde founde them not so rough in handling as they would seeme Horsemen therefore in all expeditions I accompt very requisite for the causes aboue rehearsed and for that without them albeit we could foyle the enemie yet we cannot kill many nor preuaile against him that is swifter of foote then we as c Xenoph. exped Cy. 2. Clearchus both said and proued by experience in the warres against Artaxerxes At the bridge of Burgos in Galicia where the Spaniards ranne so lightly before vs we felt what want we had of horse Of horsemen I thinke it requisite also to haue some part lances some light armed like to our borderers and some carbines The barded horsemē both for their heauines great charge I thinke not very needefull When Lucullus his men were much afraide of Tygranes his barded d Plutarch in Lucullo horses he willed them to be of good cheere for that there was more labour in spoyling them being so armed then in foyling thē they were so vnweldy And so it came to passe For I neuer read that euer they did any seruice but in diuers places that they were foiled e Xenoph. exped Cyr. 1. Cyrus had diuers barded horses in his iourney against his brother but there is not any mentiō of any seruice that they did Darius had multitudes of them in the encounter betwixt him and Alexander a Arrian exped Alex. 3. at Arbela and Antiochus in the battell against b Liu. Scipio but scarce did they giue one blowe to hinder the course of the enemies victorie The armour of the c Cataphracti inhabiles ad resurgendum humi dilabentes caduntur Tac. annal 17 man and the horse is so heauie and so boisterous that if they fall there they lye stopping the way to those that come after Neither can they auoide it but many shall lye vpon the ground especially if the pikes stand close and be well flanked or backed with mosquettiers shooting ouer their heades If we haue fewe horsemen or not so many that wee may therewith match the enemie we are then to followe the prudent deuise of Caesar both here in Briteine and in Afrike and Greece shewed him by valiant men before him Before Capua the Romanes not being able to match the enemie with horse seconded their men with certeine lusty young men armed lightly and weaponed with short pikes Which while their men were at the charge did so gall the enemie with their pikes that presently they turned visage Caesar by reason that his shippes wherein his horse were helde not their course comming into this Iland had onely 30. horse yet foyling the enemie with his footemen with those fewe horses and the lustiest of his young men he so pursued them that many remained behinde their company In Afrike likewise he susteined the charge of the enemies horsemen with his footemen and after that he had made them turne their backes did so charge them with some fewe horsemen which he had that they had no desire to returne thither againe Seconding his horsemen with certaine halfe pikes lightly armed he not only repelled Pompeis horsemen in Albany and Scipioes in Afrike but also vanquished their forces By the same d Caes bel gal 7. deuise before time he foyled 7000. Gaules well horsed with a very fewe of his owne ayded and seconded by his footemen e Xenoph. exped Eyr 3. Xenophon charging the enemie that would haue fled from him with a few carriage horses shewed vnto vs that bad horses serue for a shift to follow the chace and run better then good footemen In the warres of Naples 12. Italian horsemen fighting in steccato as they call it with so many Frenchmen the Italians f Guicciard 1. preuailed by this meanes In the place where they met the Italians let fal certain iauelins which those that were first vnhorsed by the French tooke vp ioyning with their companions striking the French in the faces preuailed against them The Admirall of France at the encounter of S. Denis by Paris being ouermatched by the enemy in horsemen placed behinde euery company a company of shot which following the horsemen going an easy trot to the charge vpon the approch of the enemy auanced themselues forward and discharged so thicke and full vpon him that all his companie came not to the charge and those that came were more gentle in handling then otherwise they would haue beene This may serue those that are inferior to the enemy in horsemen For this nation I trust this discourse is needelesse For albeit we haue hitherto had great want of horsemen in our expeditions in France Flanders and Portugal yet there is no reason that this land should want hereafter hauing such meanes There onely wanteth liberall mindes and good order that some part of that is now spent in surfet silkes golden laces and other vanities may be employed in keeping horses for seruice Lances and Carbines haue like vse in following the victory and chase But while the enemy standeth lances are best employed against shot and carbines against pikes But yet must they take heed how they do inuest them In discouering the enemy and fetching in of victualles and brideling the enemies forragers both lances and carbins and archebuziers on horsebacke would be ioyned together But carbins and
death of the Cardinal king Vnder colour of parley of peace at Dunkirke hee brought his Nauy vpon our coast before we looked for it and I may say before some were well prouided for it These pretenses though false yet make shewe and are beleeued of some and take simple people before they be prepared For when Scipio had put men aborde and prouided many things as for a siege e Vt ab eo quod parabat in alterius rei curam cōuerteret animo◠Liu. 29. Syphax beleeued that as the brute went he meant in deede to besiege Vtica but being in the night inuaded and seeing his campe all fired hee learned with the losse of his army one point of warre neuer to trust the enemy when hee giueth out such reportes Some vnder colour and during the treaty of composition haue wound them selues out of danger Asdrubal being taken by the Romanes at an aduantage promised that if he might be assured to depart out of that place hee would cary his army out of Spaine but while the Romanes were secure thinking that he would not stirre during the treaty of composition the man by litle and litle had gotten out of the snare into a safe ground The king of Macedonia sending messengers to treate with the Romanes for the buriall of his souldiers that lay slayne by their campe in the meane time of the parley remoued his campe out of a strayt and so escaped The Massilians besieged by Caesars souldiers began to treat of composition But when by diuers dayes vaine talke they perceiued their negligence and securitie they sallied vpon the sudden and burnt their engins works which cost them much labour Vnder colour of treaty of peace a Liu. Marcellus espied the walles of Syracusae and another time entred the towne of Salapia seasing a gate Nothing is more commodious for dressing of enterprises against a towne besieged The L. b In the dayes of Q. Marie Grey by the trechery of the French entring the trenches and ditches of Guines during the parley escaped narowly a great danger Rumours of succours comming encourage our souldiers discourage the enemy The c Liu. l. 9. 10. Romane Consull giuing out a report at the time of the beginning of the battell that another army was comming to charge the enemy vpon the backe made the enemy hearing it to doubt and his own souldiers to fight more courageously Vaine shewes doe often deceiue the enemy Caesar mounting certaine slaues and horse boyes vpon cariage horses and mules at Gergouia and causing them to shewe them selues a farre off made the d Caes bel gal 7. enemy feare least a company of horsemen were comming vpon them to charge them vpon the backe Which being practiced long before against the Samnites e Sp. Nautius mulos detractis clitellis alarijs impositis circumduxit quod Samnitibus terrorem attulit Liu. made them feare looke about Annibal not being able to force the garde that kept the passage of Calicula binding fagots on the heads of oxen setting them on fire driuing them toward the place what through wonderment what through feare made them to giue way Martigues seeing the inconuenience of his lodging neere f Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 5. Pampron An. 1568. at the shutting of the euening caused all his company to displace went away safely abusing the enemy with fires made and peeces of matches tyed among bushes which made the enemy suppose hee had bene there still The which practice he seemeth to haue learned of Annibal who fearing least he shoulde bee charged as hee remoued his campe left diuers tentes standing toward the enemy some souldiers armes as if the rest had bin stil there which long before had gained ground were gone Wordes making for vs comming to the enemies eares doe often strike a terror in them Quintius the a Quintius dicens Volscotum alterum cornu fugere pepulit Volscos Liu. 1. Romane Generall crying out aloud that the other corner of the battel of the Volscians fled made that where he stood to flie in deede Valerius Leuinus speaking aloud saying that he had slaine Pyrrhus with his owne hands holpe to discourage the enemy Annibal causing one of his owne men in the Romane Generals name to command the Romanes to flee to the hils next adioyning had done them some hurt but that the guile was perceiued I haue heard some say that a certaine voyce raised in the eares of the Scots at Muscleborough field how their company fled made them both feare and flie False sounds also signes doe often abuse those that are credulous Annibal hauing slaine the Romane Consul with his ring scaled diuers forged letters whereby he had deceiued some if the other Consul had not giuen the cities round about warning of it Hauing taken Tarentū he caused one to sound an alarme after the Romane note which caused diuers Romanes to fal into his hands and the Tarentines to imagine that the Romanes meant to betray them more harme it had done but that the trumpet sounded vnskilfully Suborned messengers are dangerous if credit be giuen vnto them A certaine Lucanian while Annibal warred with the Romanes in Italy led Sempronius a famous leader among them into an ambush promising him to bring him to the speech of his countrymē of whom he feined himself to be sent vnto him b Liu. Annibal causing them of Metapontus to write letters to Fabius as if they were purposed to deliuer vp their citie into his hands had almost drawne him into an ambush where with his army he lay ready to welcome him to the towne Men disguised like women or like countrey people or c Danaûm insignia nobis aptemus Chorabus apud Virgil. armed like the enemies entring within their strength doe now and then abuse them and giue their felowes meanes of entrance In d Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 12. these late troubles of France diuers negligent Gouernors haue by these practises bene surprised Enemies pretending friendship play many odious partes therefore not lightly to be credited Before the battell of Cannae certaine Numidians suborned by Annibal pretending discontentment and seeming to reuolt from him in the middest of the hurly burly charged the Romanes vpon the backe and greatly preiudiced them Ambiorix vnder colour of friendly counsell trayned Titurius Sabinus out of his strength and taking him at aduantage flew him and most of his company Such was a Metuo Danaos dona ferentes Virg. Sinons counsell who as Poets feigne betrayed Troy To auoyde these traps these rules are to be obserued first no b Inimicorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 counsell is to be trusted that proceedeth from the enemy for who can beleeue that he will counsell vs well that seeketh onely to doe vs hurt secondly if any reuolt from the enemy yet is he not to be trusted nor suffered to remaine among vs armed especially if he
long after by those whome before they had vanquished When such men erred it is not maruell if diuers errors were committed in these late French braules After the battell of S. Denys both Protestants and the kings side departed quietly each from other and at Moncontour albeit the kings brother gaue the Protestants a great ouerthrowe yet he suffered the Admirall to depart with a great part of his army and to gather newe forces to returne againe the next spring to fight againe But may some say it is not good to driue the enemy to vtter despaire for that constraineth men to aduenture and to try all meanes to escape c Desperatio vltima audere experiri cogebà t Aequos Liu. 3. Desperation saith Liuy caused the Aequians to aduenture and try their last refuge The Hetruscians being entered the campe of the Romanes and being compassed about without way to winde out fought so desperately that they slewe one of the Consuls and many braue men and had done much more d Maiorem cladem nisi data via fuisset dedissent Liu. 2. harme had not some wiser then the rest giuen them way to depart out of the campe quietly Afterward of themselues they fell into disorder and were easily vanquished by the horsemen that pursued them For this cause Themistocles said that a bridge of golde was to be made for an enemie that flieth that he might depart quietly All which I yeelde to be true in such an enemie as flieth without purpose to returne and which cannot be broken without great danger But if he purpose to returne no danger is to be refused nor labour to be shunned that he may be broken which in deede is no difficultie For he that cannot resist whole can euill resist broken And therefore this is a controuersie without firme reason of the contrary cause Yet in pursuing the enemie I would not haue him so stopped but that he may flie nor would I haue desperate men fought withall but I would haue them with hunger and disease forced to accept of their liues and so yeelding their armes to depart Which if the French had practised in the conquest of Naples they had not so ignominiously bene driuen out thence by 3 or 4 thousand Bisognos that they suffered to nestle in 2 or 3 out townes of the Countrey But if the enemies forces be vtterly dispersed and dare not looke vpon vs in the fielde then the next labour is to besiege their chiefe cities and that presently while the smart of their woundes is yet fresh Aswell in a Tam secundis quà m aduersis rebus non datur spatium ad cessandum si se Laelius cum equitatu victóque Syphace Cirtham praecedere sinat trepida omnia se metu oppressurum Liu. 30. good successe as in bad a prudent Capteine may not giue himselfe to rest Masinissa by shewing himselfe and his victorious companie before Cirtha so terrified the same especially vpon view of their king that was taken prisoner that the same yeelded vnto him presently Great is the terrour of a victorious armie and sufficient to make any towne to yeelde The Romanes by the terrour of their victorious troupes led by Quintius Cincinnatus obteined nine townes of the enemies in short space The b Antium paucos dies circumfessum deditur nulla oppugnantium noua vi sed quòd iam inde ab infoelici pugna castrisque amissis ceciderant animi Liu. 2. courage of the Volscians was so cooled after their ouerthrowe by the Romanes that they yeelded their citie for feare without any force Therefore Scipio after the ouerthrowe of Annibals army brought his forces presently before Carthage which he draue to accept of composition If Annibal vpon his victorie at Cannae had brought his victorious army before Rome he had proceeded with more iudgement The Rhodians c Stratoniceam recepissent Rhodij post victoriam nisi tempus in castellis recipiendis triuissent Liu. 33. hauing vanquished the enemy in open fielde spent time in taking of certeine paltry hamlets and castles whereas if they had vrged the enemy as they might haue done they had taken Stratonicea the head citie of the countrey There is no towne that dare holde out without hope of succour But may some say it is a hard labour to take townes well fortified and manned and stored with victuals I grant if armies that besiege them be such as ours and so furnished and the townes haue hope of reliefe otherwise as d Scipio vidit dissipatum bellum circumferre ad singulas vrbes arma diutini magis quà m magni esse operis Liu. 28. Scipio said it is a matter of more time then labour For where the Countrey is spoiled no townes can long holde out But that may be done easily where an army goeth vp and downe victorious without stoppe or encounter The reason that the townes of Holland and Zeland haue so long holden out against the Spaniard is that they haue both the sea open and many good friends and fauours in England A victorious army not only taketh whatsoeuer towne it besiegeth but also seaseth the whole countrey Annibal after the victory at Cannae possessed a good part of Italy After the ouerthrow of their forces by Scipio in Afrike the Carthaginians could not say that they had any one towne remaining in obedience After Caesars victorie at Alexia almost all France yeelded it selfe vnto him so well did he followe the victorie against Pompey in Epeirus against Scipio in Afrike against Afranius and Pompeyes sonnes in Spaine that with one victorie he assured himselfe of the whole Countrey and with one enemie fought no more but once The French by one victorie recouered all the kingdome of Naples and by one ouerthrowe at Gariglian lost it againe Francis the first by his victorie at Marignan came in possession of most of the Duchie of Millain being ouerthrowne and taken at Pauy he lost the same againe The Earle of Warwike after one victorie in the daies of Henrie the sixt assured all England to his Prince Edward the fourth by one victorie recouered the same againe and if that our ancestors had well followed the victories at Cressy Poytiers and Agincourt the French had not so easily dispossessed them of their holde in France But what cannot delaies want of supply and diuision worke in such cases First therefore the armie that is victorious ought not to suffer the enemie to gather head but to scatter his forces Secondly the same ought to besiege the chiefe Citie and to sease the Countrey into their handes not suffering the enemie in any place to rest The French king after his victorie at Moncontour besieging S. Iean d'Angeli lost there the vigour of his armie which might better haue bene emploied about Rochel Thirdly the Generals care ought to be howe to take away the enemies subiects from them and to depriue them of the aide of their confederats A matter not difficult if he proceede wisely in
is to send Colonies of the English nations into the country conquered But forasmuch as both garrisons and sometimes greater forces are required for defence of it the rentes of diuers cities countreys and grounds are that way to bee imploied And to this end the fruits of the roialties are to be conuerted and corne and prouision to be laid vp in storehouses The Romanes taking that course did in all places where they commaunded finde meanes to maintaine their armies without anie great exactions yea oftentimes the fruites of the countrey were so great that beside that charge there came much to the publike treasurie Charles b Guicciard lib. 1. the eight of France hauing conquered the kingdome of Naples and diuided the roialties yea and the publike store among his Fauorites when neede required had almost nothing to maintaine his armie and therefore as vnwoorthie of so good happe presently lost the same agayne Xenophon in the consultation of c Xenoph. Cyr. paed 2. Cyrus and Cyaxaris sheweth that for maintenance of the warres and of countreys vanquishe an armie must bee maintained and that an armie cannot bee maintained vnlesse the reuenues that maintaine it be certaine and continuall That lesse force may serue such as giue suspicion of reuolt are to bee disarmed so a Herodot Cyrus vsed the Lydians The Romanes likewise would not suffer such as were their subiects to b Liu. 8. arme without their commandemeÌ„t Futhermore those that are like to prooue heads of factions are to bee remooued out of the countrey for seldome doe the common people mooue vnlesse they be stirred by factious heads The Romanes hauing conquered the countrey of Macedonia and conuerted it into a prouince for more assurance of peace brought away with them the last c Regis amicos purpuratos ducésque exeâ—cituuâ—â— praefectósque nauium Liu. 45. kings friends and Fauorites and all his captaines both of his armie and nauie and likewise men of apparence and qualitie If so be time or sicknesse doe decaie our forces the same are to bee supplied in time that the rebellious take not occasion by our weakenesse to make stirres For want of this consideration in time past we lost our conquest in France and all that want it cannot chuse but loose For the rest if the gouernours of countreys newlie conquered be carefull and watchfull trust no man without cause vse equalitie in taxations and do good iustice against raueuours bribetakers and rebels they need not feare rebellion if they doe not all force that may bee vsed will not long serue to keepe them in subiection The d Liu. Priuernatians desiring peace of the Romanes and offering to yeeld themselues being demanded how long they would keepe it answered plainelie that if the conditions were reasonable long if vnreasonable and vniust no longer then they were forced For no people can long like of a gouernement wherein they are spoyled vexed iniuried and to say all in one worde pilled and tyrannised CHAP. XV. Containing a discourse concerning the meanes whereby an armie that is foiled or feareth to fight may most safely retire and how the enemie in folowing the course of his victorie may be stopped HOw an armie that is strong in the field may safely march fight with aduantage and vse the victorie I haue spoken sufficient But because the successe of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warres is doubtfull and Mars as Poets faine fauoureth b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now one then an another To perfite this discourse it remaineth that Ialso declare how when blastes of winde blow contrary wee may either retire from the enemie that seemeth to haue prise and fast hold on vs in marching or fighting or els stop his course that hee proceed no further or els our selues gather new forces It is a matter very difficult for an armie that is broken to rallie it selfe and depart without vtter discomfiture where the enemie knoweth it and vseth his aduantage For nothing can be more hardly remedied then feare and disorder of the multitude if once it enter throughly or the enemie followeth speedilie If the enemie giueth vs respite or our forces be not altogether broken the meanes to saue the rest and succour those that retire are these First if there be any ground of aduantage in the place the same is to bee taken with that part of the armie that remaineth intire which diuided into squabrons may receiue their owne people flying within the distances and repell the enemie from the higher ground In the meane while those that are in disorder are to be brought into order agayne behinde those squadrons The c Vulneribus defesti pedem referre quod mons suberat circiter mille passuum eò serecipere coeperunt Caes bel Gal. 1. Heluetians beyng wearried and foyled in the fight with Caesar retyred to a hill hath by and there making head saued the rest The forragers sent out by Cicero at Vatuca being charged by the Germanes retired and defended themselues well as long as they kept on the higher ground At d Caes bel Gal. 7. Gergouia when Caesars men pressed by the enemie and briuen from the higher ground began to flie hee succoured them and staied the enemies pursuite by placing other squadrous at the foote at the hill with whom they had no courage to encounter Neither did a Antonius cum cohortibus 12 descendens exloco superiore cernebatur cuius aduentus Pompeianos compiessit nostróque firmauit Cael de bel Ciu. 3. Pompeyes men that chased Caesars souldiers at Dyrrhachium pursue them after that they once saw Antony comming with succour from the higher ground If there be no higher ground neere to retrait vnto the next course is for those companies that are pressed to retire within the distances of those squadrons that stand firme For this cause the Romanes did alwayes so range their battels that the squadrons of the first battell might retire within the squadrons of the next and both be releeued within the squadrons of their last In the encounter at S. Clere Anno 1569 where the Kings Auantgard fled the same was succored by the battell that followed which so charged the Protestants that pursued it and draue them downe the hill that if the Lansquenets that stoode at the foote of the hill had not stoode firme many of them had there bene cut in pieces That aduantage which the higher ground giueth the same a deepe trenche or thicke hedge or a straite like wise affordeth so that if our squadrons that stande firme be there placed the rest that are discouraged may runne behinde them and take breath The Romanes retiring oft times within the fortifications of their campe haue there againe made head against the enemy and saued themselues If neither the place where the army is ordered nor the ranging of our battels do admit any such retraite the last remedy is to auance forward either our horsmen or some firme squadron of
footemen especially shot and targetters vpon the flanke of the enemy that chaseth our men and if hee stay not then resolutely to charge him In the meane time those that flie are to be rallyed againe Annibal in that last battell which hee fought with the Romanes in Afrike thrise rallyed his forces and so many fresh charges gaue he vnto them If his souldiers had bene answerable vnto him or els if the Romanes had not followed very orderly he might percase haue broken them b Liui. 35. Philopoemen charging the enemy that followed the chase of his men too egerly did ouerthrow him At Rauenna the c Guicciatâ— Spaniards that remained after the battel vnbroken retiring in good order and vsing the aduantage of the ground did so receiue the enemy that charged them that they slew the General and diuers of his company Those therefore that retire Iet them marche resolutely and orderly the shot let them approch neere to the flanks of the squadrons of pikes There also is the defence of targetters against horse The pikes let them not disdeine the helpe of shot and short weapons The horse are to bee ranged behinde the squadrons or on the flankes Which if they be vnited in one body are not easily broken nor rashly to be charged If being neere the enemy thou desirest to depart without fight at least without Iosse thy best course is to make him vncertaine of thy purpose by pretending that which thou meanest not By making of fires hauging of matches in bushes and standing of tentes the enemy is oftentimes abused especially in the night That thy companies may make more speede thou art before thou beginnest to dislodge to sende thy hurt and sicke together with the baggage and great ordonance before thee and then to followe with the rest a Sauciorum aegrorum habita ratione impedimenta omnia silentio prima nocte ex castris Apolloniam praemittit Ac conquiescere ante iter confectum vetuit his vna legio praesidio missa est Caes de bel Ciu. 3. Caesar departing from Pompey at Dyrrhachium that he might not be charged at disaduantage in his marche tooke this course The sicke hurt and baggage of the campe hee sent away first garded with one Regiment Other Regiments he caused to marche after them some good distance with two legions that remained hee followed last And hauing marched so much as he meant to doe that day and making shewe to lodge there when the enemy that followed was not aware and vnreaby hee departed presently and that day got so much ground that after ward hee ould neuer be ouertaken before hee came whither hee meant to goe If the enemy be ready in armes to follow it is hard to goe from him vnlesse the neerenesse of hils or straites doe fauour thy retraite Lest thou be charged in retiring with the enemies horse or shot or disordered in some straite great care must be vses To represse the force of horsemen vse either thy horsemen entermingled with some shot or squadrons of pikes flanked with musquetiers against shot vse horsemen in the plaine and shot and targetters in straites If thou fearest to be charged in some straite take the vpper ground with thy shot and targets and seeke those aduantages which before I haue shewed thee in the discourse of the vse of diuers weapons and aduantages of ground To stoppe the enemies pursuite where he must passe a straite before be come at thee it is a good course to cut downe trees and woods and to set them on fire For horse will hardly passe through the fire nor can lightly passe but in hye wayes or made wayes By this meanes Xenophon retired safe with his men from b Xenoph. exp Cyr. 5. Dryla and the a 〈…〉 Bellouacians escaped the handes of Caesar in the warrâ—s of France Pompey being to take shippe at Brundusium and fearing least if he abandoned the walles Caesar would enter the towne and charge his men as they went on boord b Pottas obstruit vias platealque inaedificat sâ—sâ—ar transuersas vijs perducir ibique sodes stipiésque praeacutos defigir haec ciatibus teriaque ina quat aditus ad portus maximis trabibus praesepit Milites silentio naues conscendunt expediti ex euocatiâ— sagittarijs in muro collocantur quibus certo loco actuarias naues relinquens signo dato renocat Caes de bel Ciu. 1. stopped and dammed vp all the gates and wayes saue one and in the streetes made blinde trenches staked them and couered them on the walles he placed his archery and light armed for defence of them vntill the rest were all shipped when all the rest were on boord then did these runne toward the porte where there were boates and fregates readie to receiue them That there may be some ende of flying either thou art to direct thy course to the hils and there to make head as aduantage is offered vnto thee or els to take some strong towne for thy safegard The Romanes keeping with their army in the higher ground wearied Annibals victorious army and cut betweene the same and prouision So long as the c Caes bel Gal. 7. Gaules kept on the higher ground and straited Caesars victuals hee coulde not hurt them D. Brutus in taking of Mutina arrested Antonies army that was going into France The retraite of Vercingetorix into Alexia stayed Caesar a great time in that siege in which meane time the Gaules leuied newe forces The siege of townes doe oftentimes breake the force of an army The Protestants finding no resistance in open fielde were harrassed and tyred out in the siege of d Hist de troubl de Fr. Poytiers and like hap had the aduerse party For being victorious at Moncontour they lost all vigour and strength at the siege of S. Iean d'Angeli That thou doe not receiue dishonour by retiring two things thou art especially to haue regard vnto first that thou doe not leaue behinde thee thy sicke and hurt men secondly that thou doe not loose thy carriages and baggage nor leaue them For without them thou canst neither commodiously cary armes nor victuals with thee nor mainteine thy company To do whatsoeuer in this case is requisite nothing is more auaileable then expedition By that thou dispatchest all impediments thou winnest ground thou preuentest the enemy thou sanest thy selfe and thy friends And therefore if in good successe much more in calamitie ought we to vse all celeritie Afranius being almost past all danger yet for idlenesse suffered the enemy to come betweene him and his retraite which e Caes de Bel. Ciuil lib. 1. was his ruine These things they hinder and stoppe the enemies proceeding for sometime But if thou meanest to driue him out of the countrey or to hinder him for winning any more ground newe forces must be leuied and an army sent into the fielde if not to fight with him vpon eauen grounde yet to watche all aduantages and to
wherewith other small cities were so dismaid that they submitted themselues paid such tribute as he imposed on them and translating the warres into Italy he beset and tooke c Taurinum caput gentis expugnat Liu. 21. Taurinum the head city of all the countrey at the foot of the Alpes which made all the townes thereabout to yeeld themselues The Athenians inuading the Iland of Sicile made the attempt against Syracusae being the head city of the countrey first which course both the Carthaginians and Romanes in the Sicilian warres pursued The prince of Parma in the siege of of Antwerpe had like respect and reasons to make him begin there for commonly all the countrey doth follow the condition and proceeding of the capitall city Lautrec in the enterprise of Naples spending time in taking paltry townes by the way when his purpose was to go directly to the siege of Naples did tire his army spend his men and loose time which the enemy spent better in arming himselfe In our iourney to Portugall many do likewise mislike that setting our course for Lisbone we turned aside to Coronna which was no small hindrance to vs and helpe to the enemy In besieging of small townes there is often as much labour and cost as in greater and little or no gaine Those therefore that when they may goe to the head are paltring about small townes or castles are like vnskilfull souldiers that whē the hart lieth open without defence are still striking at the hand or foot but if our force serue not to besiege the strongest towne of the enemies countrey yet before we sit downe before any towne let vs see what commodity we may get by taking it Scipio considering that new Carthage in Spaine was a fit port for ships and the store house of the enemy and a place where his treasure and hostages lay did begin the warres with the siege of that towne Annibal made many attempts against Nola and Naples for the desire he had to haue a port in Italy that lay commodiously against Afrike failing of these at length he got Tarentum and Locri. For the same cause he made reckoning of Salapia for it lay conueniently in the midst of the country and was very commodious for the conueyance of victuals to his army King Edward the third after his victory at Cressi sat downe before Caleis for that it was a commodious port for his enterprises against France Those that spend great labour in winning paltry hamlets as did the French king that was also king of Poland in the winning of Liuron in Dauphinè although they winne the place yet winne nothing but repentance and if they faile scorne and losse Townes are taken diuers wayes viz. either by siege or by assault or surprise or by all or two of these ioyned together in euery of which the proceeding is diuers as the endes are diuers The end of a siege is to strait the towne so that either for want of victualles water munition souldiers hope of succour health or other commodity the same be driuen to yeeld The end of a surprise is slily to enter the towne without knowledge of the enemy The end of an assault is to force the enemy to giue vs entrance This diuersity of endes may teach vs both what to do and what to auoyd The end of sieges being to force the enemy to yeeld for want we are to vse all deuices and meanes to make him spend his store and to increase his want Alexander king of a Liu. 7. Epeirus hauing a purpose to besiege Leucadia suffered all the countrey people that would to enter the towne that they within might sooner spend their victualls When they of b Caes de bel Gal. 7. Alexia besieged by Caesar began to send out women and children and aged persons such as onely serued to spend victualles they could not be suffered to passe The French king that now is did otherwise in the siege of Paris an 1590 mooued with Christianity and pity but the practice of warre required rather rigour in that case In c Non facile est simul misereri sapere which hard it is both to shew mercy and wisedome together Where the defendants are not more politike then ordinary there the assailants may also by false shewes and fained escaladaes make them spend their powder in vaine In these late troubles of France while the braue souldiers within a certeine place shotte all the night at certeine matches conueyed from place to place and at an asse or two that made a stirre in the towne ditch in the morning they began to yeeld for want of powder Caesar by a d Caes bel Gal. 8. mine comming to the vaines of the spring that serued Vxellodunum tooke away the water from the towne and so forced the same to yeeld e Thucid. 1. Megabazus besieging the Athenians in the Iland Prosopis in Aegypt by a deuice turning away the water that ran into the hauen where their ships lay set their ships drie and gaue entrance to his men tooke away all escape from the enemy whose ships were on ground The towne of Chartres in France had likewise for want of water and other necessities bene driuen to great straits in the siege an 1568 the Protestants turning away the riuer out of the channell but that by conclusion of peace the siege was broken vp shortly after Caesar by keeping Pompey in a short compasse of ground by his entrenchments had almost famisht all his horse in which consisted his speciall strength Which gard and diligence if the Protestants anno 1569 had vsed in the siege of Poitiers they had not onely famisht all the horse of the enemy but otherwise hurt him but they did not so much as barre the wayes much lesse other ground so but that he sallied at pleasure There are two meanes principall to stoppe the towne besieged from victuals and things necessarie the one of which must necessarilie be vsed if wee meane to atchieue our purpose the first is to entrench the towne round about if it be a land towne if it stand vpon the water then to cast a banke about it on that part that is toward the land and with ships or boates to garde and stop the way to the sea or water The second is to barre the wayes and vpon all places of easie accesse to make in conuenient distances sconces or fortes The first is more laborious but very effectuall the second is easie but seldome taketh effect vnlesse time the weaknesse of the enemie doe helpe vs. Therefore was that course alwayes vsed of antiquitie this seldome vnlesse it were of such as either knew not what to doe or had not means to doe more The Lacedemonians besieging a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thucid. 2. Platea cast vp a banke round about the towne the same they garded with turrets built vpon it in equal distances and least any might climbe ouer it they
commoditie we may not forget to rayse such a mount and make it formall for height breadth and length with his stayres parapets and places for the corps de garde that defendeth it So soone as the artillery is placed and fitted so soone the same ought to beginne to speake and that without intermission day or night vntill the breach bee made reasonable and the defences and flankers bee broken The continuance of the batterie and the artillerie that beateth in flanke together with the mosquetiers being placed where they may discouer the breach doeth hinder not onely the repayring of the breach but also the retrenchement behinde If thy batterie once cease thy labour and charge increaseth Nothing hurt Monluc more in the siege of Nyort nor la Chatre in the siege of Sancerre then the discontinuance of the batterie which happened by reason of want of powder Sausar remouing his batterie at Vezelay confirmed the Townesmen to holde out whose heartes before fainted Nothing did more helpe them of Rochel in the last siege then the frequent intermission of the batterie By which meanes they made defences stronger then the walles were before The more artillerie is employed the more speedy and forcible and lesse chargeable will the battery be The Turke in the battery of Vienna employed aboue threescore canons culuerins and other pieces At Rochel the king had fourtie and the prince of Parma litle lesse in the siege of Scluse He that employeth lesse then twenty cannons and other pieces cannot looke for any good effect That some hoped with foure small pieces to batter the walles of Coronna was without reason Yet I will not deny that in these late troubles of France the Protestants with three or foure pieces tooke diuers Townes For where the walles are bad and within them no defendants it is not hard to take Townes either with a fewe pieces or without pieces But where there are men within and walles sufficient it is better to make no battery then a battery not sufficient The great artillery being placed the canoniers are to place their pouder in safe places and to make their bollets rammers waddes charges matches and al these instruments fit and ready before they begin their worke What is the leuell randon charge and effect of euery piece euery canonier either knoweth or ought to knowe And therefore I neede not spend time about the declaring thereof While the canon is in placing and the batterie in making al those souldiers that are not employed about that worke are to fortifie their quarters with bankes trenches and barriquades and to barre and trenche the wayes and to keepe good garde or watche that none enter or sally out that if not with assault yet for feare of want the Towne may be forced to come to reason That against the breach bee made all things may proceede orderly ladders mantellets and targets and all things requisite for the assault are to be made ready and to bee deliuered to the companies that are to vse them If there be any time remayning the same is to be employed in making of trenches and parapets along the enemies counterscarpe likewise in stopping all the auenues and wayes whereby any may come to the succour of the Towne The horsemen and footemen that may be spared from the campe are to range the countrey to discouer to represse the enemie to conuey victuals to the campe All which may be done easely if there be no time lost nor any disorder in proceeding If the ground be fit to be wrought from the trenche behinde the counterscarpe it is no hard matter to carry a mine into the Towne or vnder the walles The earth that cōmeth out of the mine being cast into the ditch or vp to the banke shall seeme to come out of the trench especially where there is continuall working In making of mines obserue these rules first worke not if the ground be full of springs or rockes The a Liu. 36. Macedonians going about to vndermine Lamia were frustrated of their purpose encountring with rockes Secondly beginning to digge make the mine crooked that the force of the powder be not broken hauing vent backward Thirdly see that the distance from the entrance to the wall be well measured least the powder be placed either short of the wall or beyond it Arriuing to the foundation of the wall the miners are first to make a broade place along the foundation of it and to vnderproppe the earth well that it fall not secondly they are to place their barrels of powder with their heads knocked of and bored through with diuers holes and to strawe powder vpon the bordes where the barrels stand Thirdly they are to conuey a match well boyled in gunpowder in a pipe of wood or betweene boordes and therein also to make a traine of gunpowder from the place where fire is to be giuen to the barrels their next care is to see the mine well stopped and rammed that the fire breake not out backward Lastly when men stand ready to goe to the assault yet without danger of the mine and when the defendants approche the breach the fire is to be giuen Any of these points neglected doeth frustrate or hinder the effectes of the mine At Rochel the place where the powder was placed being too narrow and the entrance not wel stopped the mine did no great effect In the same siege the souldiers not being retired when fire was giuē many men lost their liues by their owne mine At Coronna the mine being direct not well stopped the force of it brake out backward Before the assault be giuen the breach is to be viewed whether it be reasonable likewise some men of iudgement are to consider whether the flankers be ruinated sufficiently These things appearing and the ditch made passable the assailantes are to march to the breach in this sorte first certaine targetters well armed and with them the ensignes after them halberdes and pikes On the flankes of the targetters and somewhat before them all along the counterscarpe are shot to be placed to beate them that offer themselues to the defence of the breach and wall These are to be seconded with other targetters halberdes and pikes with shot likewise on their flankes At the same time if there be other breaches in the bulworkes some are to march to them also ranged in like sorte The distances of men marching to the breach are small for they are to march so thicke as they can one by an other being first to enter then to fight The thinner they go the more open they are to the enemies force In these late warres of France commonly shot hath beene placed in the first rankes of those that went to the assault and therefore no maruell if they neuer preuayled where there was anie resistance But they could not do otherwise hauing so few armed men At that instant when the assault is to be giuen at the breach other companies are to be
such time as his men forced the breach From the breach his men marched and tooke a place of aduantage others scoured the streetes and hauing assured himselfe of the towne in the ende he tooke the castell Scipio hauing enuironed the towne of new b Carthage in Spaine Liu. 25. and shaken the walles at noone time when the enemy was at rest sent part of his men by the lake and scaling the towne at one instant in diuers places both from the water and the land entred with part of his men which gaue accesse to their fellows which marching in order cut in peeces such as resisted and in the end tooke the castle The c Corona cinxit vrbem omnibus copiis admotis Liu. 10. Romane Consull besieging and assaulting the towne of Comimium first compassed the same round with all his forces against the gates hee opposed certaine troupes to repell those that should offer to sally out Couering his men with mantellets of wood he broke open the gates with others he scaled the walles marching into the towne with his men in order beat those that had seized the market place and assured himselfe of the walles and streetes In the assault of d Romani signo dato pars eminùs glande aut lapidibus pugnare alii succedere aut murum suffodere scalis aggredi Salust bel Iugurth Zama the Romanes hauing a signe giuen them by the generall at one instant some presented the scale others with slings stones beat the defendants others zapped the walles In the assault giuen to e Liu. 32. â—latia a towne in Greece they made shew to make all their force to enter in at the breach But when they perceiued the townesmen to drawthither they scaled the walles in an other place and so entred the towne The common course which antiquitie vsed in sieges and assaults as I haue declared was to compasse the towne besieged with banks and trenches The hauens or riuers they dammed with ships filled ful of stones and sunken If the same were broad they garded the issues with f Caes de bel ciu 1. towers built in the straitest places vpon which they placed their engins which Caesar practiced at Brundusium Sometimes they crossed the riuer with boats as g Liu. 29. Scipio did the hauen wheÌ„ he besieged Vtica and as h Liu. 2. Porsena did in the riuer of Tyber when he besieged Rome Before they went to assault the i Agger ab vniuersis coniectus ascensum dat Gallis quae in terram occultanerant Romani contegit Caes bel gal 7. walles they filled the ditches with earth The men that laboured they couered with mantellets made of square timber and fensed with occum made of olde ropes these planed the earth these beganne the trenches and bankes In working at their trenches bankes and mounts no man was exempted They neuer assaulted towne but with their whole forces and that in all places together Taking the towne first they assured themselues of the walles and gates and from thence in good order they went to take the open a Vt quisque intrauerat eques ad forum occupandum citato equo pergebat additum erat triariorum equiti praesidium Liu. places of the towne No man might depart from his b Inde signo dato milites discurrunt ad praedam Liu. 25. ensigne nor run to spoile but after a signe giuen And therefore no maruell if they preuailed for the most part as now men faile of their purpose for the most part being so far departed from the lawes of armes What is now the common proceeding in sieges batteries and assaults shall now appeare by the examples following The Protestants going about to besiege and win Poitiers 1569. first made their approches quartered their souldiers in the suburbs which they took at their first arriual for the most part Next they made their trenches mounts gabions for to accommodate their great ordonance Part was placed to batter the walles part to beate the enemy in flanke behind the cortine Certaine small peeces they leuelled against the parapet and certaine defenses made by the enemie vpon the walles Of these peeces some were placed in houses neere the walles others were ranged on the plaine behinde gabions or baskets of earth which they filled there in the night The breach being made 20 pases wide and very plaine the Admirall disposed his men to go to the assault in this order first 700. shot marched after them 300. gentlemen marched with targets on their armes after them followed halberds pikes the rest of the army was ready in armes to succor where neede should be But their errors were so many that these good orders auailed litle first they spent time about Lusignen and other small matters and made not their approch so soone as they might In which meane time the D. of Guise entred with his troupes fortified diuers weake places and prouided diuers thinges necessary secondly their auantgard going before the towne without direction did nothing but giue the enemy warning so returned thirdly they neither trenched nor barred the wayes nor kept such ward or gard but that both succors entred guided by Onoux and diuers times the enemy sallied both on horsebacke and on foote fourthly they did not take the suburbs nor bridge of Rochereuill but suffered the enemy to possesse it yet by reason that it flanked the breach stopped the water was it most necessary to be taken For the water being there stopped regorged vpward the enemy being there lodged had a ful marke at those that went along to the breach fiftly they made their breach beyond the riuer which by reason of the depth of it made them to their great preiudice differ the assalt al other things being ready and broke their arrayes as they went ouer the bridge They might haue done better to haue passed their troupes before had them on the other side before they went to the breach further they considered not that the ground behinde the breach being hie was not to be mounted albeit there had beene no wall And therefore a place euil chosen to make breach in For albeit they wan the breach yet could they not go forward vp the hill lastly they did neither diuert the enemies forces by escalades nor went to the assault with all their forces Of the simple prouision of victuals and bad gouernement in matters of iustice discipline of armes I wil say nothing because such disorders are inseparable companions of ciuil warres Yet was there not much better proceeding in the Kings campe besieging Rochell Anno 1573. which was in this sort The king before he sent his forces before the towne caused two enginers to goe thither about other matters but their purpose was to sound the hauen harbor and to marke the walles places of the towne to draw a plot of it Not loÌ„g after he sent Biron thither with
of that calamitie that happened to them in Sicile The English in the daies of e Froissart Edward the 3. finding certaine Spanish ships in a certaine hauen in Briteine seasing the mouth of the hauen at flowing water sending certaine boates and barkes on fire among them fired them al. Polyxenidas f Liu. admiral vnto Antiochus taking the Rhodians with their ships in a strayte kept them within and when they forced to come out which they could not doe but two or three on front he tooke the formost before the rest could come to succour and so destroyed the Rhodian nauy Therfore ought we to haue no lesse care that we may lie safely within the harbour and goe out easely at pleasure then to winne the harbour Thus we see the manifold vses of shipping and howe it is to be garded and gouerned in forreine enterprises in countries abrode Let vs nowe therefore consider howe it is to be fashioned furnished and gouerned that the same may be vantageous in fight at Sea and fitte for seruice Wherein a principall point is that they be made swift of sayle sharpe to goe neere the winde This onely one vantage next vnto the power of God gaue the victorie to the nauy of England and the foyle to the supposed inuincible nauy of Spaine of late time D. Brutus g Caes de bel ciu 2. although in all pointes else hee were superiour to the Massilians yet by reason their ships were lighter and swifter could he not ouerthrowe them although many times hee foyled them If they be too weake those that are swift of sayle may safely depart if they preuaile no shippe can escape them by sayling They ought likewise to bee made strong both to abide the force of the Sea in a storme to beare the shaking of our owne ordonance and the blows of the enemies How that is to be wrought I referre my selfe to the masters of the occupation Further ships may not want victualles while they are at sea least either hauing the aduantage they be driuen to giue it ouer or being taken at aduantage they be not able to abide it out And most absurde it were if ships that go to fight should want ordonance munition and armes to fight with First therfore there ought to be good ordonance mounted on their carriages and fitted with their rings tacle and al instruments necessary Of al peeces the demy coluerine in the nose and poope is most effectuall both for the long reach and for that it giueth the fire all out of the ship There woulde be store of crosse barres chaine shot and other bullets How many peeces there ought to be in euery ship it cannot be determined considering the diuers makings and burthens of ships Much lesse can it be resolued what munitions victuals and furniture for great ordonance must be prouided further then in general that there must be sufficient Beside the great ordonance there ought to be prouisiō made of mosquets caliuers and pistoles swords daggers halfe pikes halberds glaiues blackbils and other sortes of weapons for the defense of the souldiers good cuyraces and morions and targets both of proofe lighter Likewise there woulde bee rampars made of wooll and for the defense of the waste and the decke a strong netting Beside castles made in the poope and foredecke for garde of the ship For which there would be made also mantellets of plankes filled with occum stuffed betweene and moueable that they may bee employed where neede is The castles would also be made to take downe that in sayling the ship be not hindred by them There would also turrets bridges or frames of wood be made leaning ouer boord that our men might more easily boorde the enemie The toppes would bee fensed with some frame of boords lined with occum furnished with stone shot But that need not be before we come to ioine The yard arms would haue sharp hooks in thē to cut the tacle of the enemies ships To fire the enemies shippes there would be balles of wildefire and other fire workes and engins deuised and to quench the enemies fire store of clay vineger and water set ready Besides all this axes hammers wimbles al instruments to worke withal and in summe whatsoeuer may serue to annoy the enemy or defend our selues the same is to be prouided Caesar albeit his ships were lower then those of the enemies yet did he raise vp turrets and a Turres excitabant in nauibus vnde in hostium naues altiores transcendebant Caes de bel gal 3. frames of boordes in them by meanes whereof his men when they came to boording did easily enter the enemies shippes and foyled them By which meanes hee vanquished the power of the Gaules at sea If that we haue to do with the Spaniard at sea either must we vse some such deuise or else shall we hardly enter their shippes being so high in respect of ours With b Vna erat magno vsui res praeparata à nostris falces praeacutae insertae affixaeque longuriis quibus funes abrumpebant Caes bel gal 3. hookes in the yard armes he cut the tacle of the enemies ships in the same fight But aboue al things there ought to be in euery ship store of valiant souldiers and mariners without which neither the ship nor the furniture can be employed to purpose I woulde onelie content me with mariners if they were souldiers also The Romans and Greekes that wel knew the difference betwixt them for euerie mariner put in their ships two souldiers which proportion the Spaniards obserue now making great difference betwixt mariners and souldiers although we do not therein make that difference that wee should The c Poenus vt sociis naualibus affatim instructam classem ita inopem milite habebat Extemplò 7. punicae naues circumuentae fugam ceterae coeperunt Liu. 20. Carthaginian shippes encountring with the Romanes were not able to make any fight for want of souldiers albeit they had store of mariners And in the encounters that Caesar had at sea against diuers enemies it was not the marriner but the legionarie souldier that gaue him the victorie Howsoeuer it is either with mariners or souldiers or both our ships are to be furnished so that both the great ordonance may be employed in the roomes below and diuers be placed to do all seruices necessary in the houle of the ship and also all the deckes and parts aboue be well manned and garded not forgetting the tops and other places If men set out their ships neyther well manned nor wel victualled nor wel furnished with armes and munition of warre what hope is there for them to vanquish the Spaniard or any other their enemies at sea Some I doubt not doe thinke to make them ducke at sea with great shot And therefore as they prouide somewhat slenderly for that so for other matters they goe to sea altogether vnprouided Besides that I vnderstand
that in some places the Princes shipping haue for the most part speciall instructions not to graple Matters very ridiculous to those that haue but any small skill at sea For it is not alwayes in their power to take and leaue as the lamentable experience of some of late hath declared Where the enemies shippes are swifter then thine he may if he find thee at sea and list to fight force thee against thy will to fight or to yeeld Yea admit he hath only some ships swifter then thine yet will it suffice to force thee to a generall fight vnlesse thou meanest shamefully to abandon to the enemies curtesie such ships as are slower of saile then the rest For we may not thinke that alwayes we shal meete with such a General as the duke of Medina Sidonia that alwayes fled and neuer made head againe or with those that haue commission to flie and not to fight Which if we do then beware those that are hindermost Besides this our ships may be taken sometimes in harbour or at some aduantage whē they cannot flie frō the enemie Were it not expediēt in this case that thy ships were wel prouided forgrapling al maner of defence vnlesse they be so furnished how can they abide a brunt or stay a time vntil they be succored or how can they be succored vnles the succors be prouided for grapling Finally suppose all thy nauy were swifter then the best ships of the enemy which cannot be and that thou haddest alwayes sea-roome which cannot be hoped yet all this maketh little to fighting but rather to flying The Parthians that shot backeward flying yet did not alwayes flie but now and then charge the enemy if aduantage were offered Sure in this kinde of fight of shippes there is altogether no honour no nor profite For how can they that flie subdue the enemy that commeth to spoile their coasts Howe can they hinder him but that hee may goe whither hee listeth and returne when hee listeth the winde and weather seruing him Suppose that by shot thou shouldest sincke a shippe yet the men may still be saued Those therefore that thus fight shooting and neuer come neere are like vnto those that strike the enemie downe but dare not set their feete vpon him and dispatche him As for those that thinke to worke wonders with great shot they doe onely feede themselues with imaginations that the enemie is like to women or children that feare the noise of great peeces For other great hurte it doeth not vnlesse it be to Marchants shippes heauy laden and where the men within cannot come to stop leakes if the sea moue neuer so little twentie to one but the shot falleth eyther hie or lowe vnles the ships come very neere which in fight with a nauy of ships I suppose no one ship wil and many cannot for feare of grapling which they forsweare I would gladly knowe of these men how many ships they haue knowen to haue bin taken with this maner of fight Don Pedroes ship although abandoned of all her fellows yet would neuer haue yeelded but that they within imagined they should be boorded of all the fleete Those ships that fell among the flats before Vlishingen being a remainder of the Spanish fleete yet abode a charge and would not yeeld but vpon feare they should haue beene inuested Did not our men at Coronna beate a great Biskaine ship from the land within mosquet shot a whole day with diuers great peeces yet could they neyther sinke the ship nor force the men to yeeld before that with their boats they made countenance either to fire her or to boord her They of Rochel An. 1569. besieging Brouage brought the great Venetian carrake hard to the side of the castle whence a man might haue spit into her not only hit her and shot into her Yet could not they of the castle with all their canon shot eyther sinke her or greatly hurt her but shee hurte them much more By grapling I haue heard of many ouercome at sea both in ancient time and also of late dayes as in the gulfe of Lepanto where the christians ouer came the Turkes and in the encounter betwixt the a Guicciard hist Spaniards and Philip Doria where Hugh Moncada and many Spaniards died of the sword not of the bullet But if great ordonance could do so much as is supposed yet where should we haue shot and pouder to furnish the continuall shot of our shippes when in the encounter betwixt the Spaniard and vs at sea in one two daies most of the shippes had spent all their pouder without any sensible losse to the enemy How shall we driue the Spaniard out of our ports without grapling if he come once againe as he threatneth How can we succour any towne by him besieged by sea without fighting Caesars shippes were heauy of saile yet lying before Massilia they could not be remoued nor could anie victualles enter into the towne by them Neither had the Spaniard beene so easily remooued from before Caleis but that God stroke them with feare without euident cause Those that are afraide to venture their shippes of warre a goodly colour for such cowards they may also be afraid to venture in the defence of their country For without aduenturing not only of timber but also of mens liues which howsoeuer some now in our time do not value thousands of men at the price of one rotten ship are far more pretious our country cannot be defended nor the prince serued These men therefore let them keepe their decayed wits and ioyntes warme and let them not henceforth tell vs of things impossible ridiculous yea and very dangerous For the way to hazard our ships is not by boording but by sparing of mony when they are not as they should be furnished for fight but must needes fall into the enemies hands if euer they be taken at any disaduantage by the breaking of their mastes tearing or burning of their sailes or cutting of their tacle This is a feare that neither the Romanes nor Athenians nor other nation euer feared and yet fire was then as dāgerous as now Neither the Spaniards French nor Dutch feare any such matter neither do our men of warre that go to sea forecast it Wherfore then should our best shippes and such as should be best furnished feare more then others this course especially being so fit to make the nauy of England vnprofitable to giue the enemy the victory if this be not so let it be shewed where the Queens ships haue taken any ship of warre by canonades but of marchants ships other men of warre we haue heard of diuers that by boording haue preuailed Let vs therefore so prouide that wee neede not to feare any such danger and that we may not onely ouercome the enemy with flying but with fighting as our ancestors did in the dayes of Edward the third and Henry the 8. famous kings of this land and as our
such honour to their diuines and a Sacerdotio augurum tantus honos accessit vt nihil belli domique postea nisi auspicatò gereretur Liui. 1. soothsayers that nothing was attemted either in matters of peace at home or in warres abroade but after consultation with them Before they beganne warres with any Prince or nation they sacrificed to their God and besought him to giue them good successe as is euident in all their attempts b Liui. 22. 23. against Annibal and in their warres against c Romani bello Philippo indicto à precatione re diuina inchoarunt Liui. 31. Philip of Macedonia and d Res diuinas faciebant supplicationes Liui. 36. Antiochus When after long warres Annibal e Praetor extemplò edixit vt aeditui sacras aedes tota vrbe aperierent vt salutandi Deos agendique gratias per totum diem populo potestas fieret Liui. 30. departed out of Italy they caused their temples to be set open that euery man might publikely giue thankes They did the same vpon the report of Scipioes good successe against their enemies in Afrike Contrarywise they imputed their euil successe to their contempt of Religion and ceremonies whereby then they thought they pleased God Fabius did so interpret the f Q. Fabius Max. ab dijs exorsus edocuit patres plus negligentia caeremo niarum auspiciorumque temeritate quam inscitia peccatum à Flaminio esse Liui. 22. cause of the calamitie happened vnto them in the ouerthrow of Flaminius at the lake Thrasimene The only meanes to recouer Gods fauour he declared to be reuerence of Religion and care to please God Camillus after the recouery of Rome out of the hands of the Gaules discoursing of religion affirmeth that all good successe did proceede from the g Intuemini horum deinceps annorum vel secundas vel secundas res vel aduersas inuenietis omnia prospera euenisse sequentibus Deos aduersa spernentibus Liui. 5. fauour of God while he was honoured and contrarywise that they had no good successe since Religion was by them contemned This was also the opinion of other nations Pontius the famous captaine of the Samnites saith that as h Rerum humanarum maximum momentum est quam propitijs rem quam aduersis agant dijs Liui 9. God fauoureth or disfauoureth their enterprises so they sway one way or other The auncient English and French vsed to compasse the Church within their fortifications or at least built a church within their castles for that they imagined i Hist de troubl de Fr. l. 5. that no fort could long holde out vnlesse God were there serued God promiseth to those that obserue his lawes that one of them should chase tenne and tenne a hundred and a hundred a thousand and threatneth the transgressors of them that although they were many in number yet they should flye many wayes before their enemies If therefore wee hope or expect good successe in our warres let vs first beginne with the seruice of God and let those be ashamed that professing themselues to be Christians yet are not so forward herein as the heathen that knewe not God and are occupied most in abusing Religion and pulling downe Gods Church 1 Euery morning c. Litle do they deserue fauour at Gods handes that will not open their mouthes to craue it neither do they deserue to be deliuered that will not seeke helpe in danger That therefore which is here set downe in this lawe is nothing els but the duetie of all Christians yet specially commended to souldiers considering their great negligence therein That they may do their dutie more willingly and knowe howe to doe it certaine short prayers would be framed for the purpose which in the absence or want of Ministers may be saide of the clerke of the band or any of the company Euery captaine ought to haue care that his company doe herein their duetie as the generall officers appointed for iustice ought to see the same done in the whole campe or garrison The penalties are according to the faults either more or lesse to wit either admonition losse of two dayes pay or imprisonment 2 No enterprise c. As the former lawe respecteth times so this respecteth seueral actions and enterprises and enioyneth souldiers in all matters of weight to require the helpe of God a thing acknowledged iust of all Christians and practised by the heathen The Romanes departed not from the citie to goe to the a Priùs quà m ab vrbe mouerunt prodigia procurarunt Liui 24. warres but first they pacified the wrath of God as before I haue shewed by diuers examples The forme of Scipioes prayer loosing from the coast of Sicile to goe into Afrike to warre against the Carthaginians is expressed in b Dij deaeque quae maria colitis vos precor quaesoque quae in meo imperio gerentur ea mihi populo plebÃque Romanae socijs nominique Latino c. bene verruncent eaque vos omnia bene iuuetis saluos victis perduellibus domos reduces sistatis Liui. 29. Liuie the sum of it is that God would giue him and his company goodsuccesse and safe returne with victorie They did not attempt any great enterprise but they made their c Supplicatio circa omnia puluinatia decreta Liui. 27. supplications before all their gods Fabius escaped a great danger by meanes he went not on his iourney being sent for by them of Metapontus before that after his maner he had consulted with God The same was likewise the proceeding of the Greekes d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 2. Archidamus bringing his army before Plataea beganne first with sacrifices to craue the fauour of God after his heathenish maner The like did the Greekes long before at Aulis going against Troy Xenophon in his returne out of his voyage with Cyrus would doe nothing before he had reconciled his company to God And when his men were in distresse he a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. exped Cyr. 3. encouraged them and willed them to put their confidence in God for that he was able to saue a few out of the hands of many in what danger soeuer they were Neither was euer any nation so b Caes bel Gal. 1. 4. barbarous as to suppose that victory came from other then God or could be procured by other meanes then Religion Shame then is it for Christians to be lesse religious then the heathen or to haue more irreligious conceits then they had The penaltie of the transgressors of this lawe howsoeuer some escape the handes of Iudges and officers is very seuerely imposed by God himselfe that ouerturneth their enterprises By enterprises in this place I vnderstande battels skirmishes sallyes ambushes and such like feates of Armes 3 Euery Sunday c. It is much to be lamented that among other the cares of Gouernors they haue had no due care of Religion and
the seruice of God among souldiers nor haue made any allowance for the Ministerie among them In so much that in some garrisons in the low Countreyes souldiers haue liued almost without exercise of Religion and in campes without any due exercise of the same This first gaue me occasion by this lawe to excite their care and the care of Generals and captaines both for more deuotion in religious exercises and also for better meanes If there were to euery two Regiments one or two Ministers allowed it were a very commendable course The Papists haue their priestes in their armies nay the very heathen had their exercises of Religion but in our times those that are most curious are in this point least carefull and religious c Que ningun sâ—ldado pâ—nga las manos en ningun sacerdote o religioso ni le tratarè mal'de palabra so pena de ser castigado ala calidad del delicto Sanch. de Lond. The Spaniards vnto euery tertio or Regiment haue diuers Priestes whom they haue in great estimation and punish those that doe violate them either in worde or deede The punishment of the offenders against this lawe is arbitrary according to the qualitie of the offence 4 Notorious swearers c. For that there are diuers sortes of othes and blasphemies in degree one worse then another therefore haue I left the punishment of them to the discretion of the iudges or officers that deale therein respect alwayes being had to the heinousnesse of the fault The Spaniards inflict grieuous a Ningun soldado rintegue ni blaspheme so pena porla primera vez de treinta pias dâ— drision por la seconda vez sesenta de mas de ser trahido a la verguenca câ—n vna mordaza a la lengua y por la tercera puesto en Galera perpetua â—a volundad Sanch. de Lond. penalties vpon them that transgresse in this behalfe and all Christians ought to detest and banish all abuses 5 All abuses c. Vnder this title are comprised all profane scoffes at religion all wicked opinions bolstered out with colours of religion which together with other faultes seuerally named are seuerely to be punished by the gouernors of campes and garrisons being contrary to good proceedinges in warre and in peace for which also they are condemned by ciuill lawes 6 Many offences c. In this point many abuses are committed by our souldiers of which insueth the displeasure of God and many other great inconueniences To furnish themselues at play some sell their armes others their apparell At play they loose their mony which should buy them victualles and other necessaries By losse some are driuen to steale and to vse other vnlawfull practises Some run to the enemy and commit diuers other outrages For this cause the Spaniard in time of seruice doth banish all b Que ningâ—â— soldado iuegue a iuegos illicitos Sanch. de Lond. vnlawfull games The best remedy of all these abuses is first to take away cardes and dice and to forbidde them the campe or garrison the next is to erect some other warlike exercise the third is punishment both of those that play and those also that mainteine such implements of play But as in other matters so in this also example is most auailable 7 Common women c. Among this number all those women that abuse their bodies vnlawfully are to be numbred For auoiding of which abuses no women are to be suffered to follow the campe nor any suspected women to keepe in the place of garrison The c Que ninguâ—â— soldado tenga in casa muger sâ—spechosa c. San. de Lond. Spaniards in their military lawes do restreine officers by losse of their place and common souldiers by other punishment from this abuse Among the Romane souldiers such abuses were seldome heard of but if they were very seuerely were they punished and carefully reformed Scipio the yoonger when military lawes grew in contempt among the souldiers of Spaine did for redresse banish all women out of the campe 8 For that god c. The voyage of Portugall taught vs the inconueniences of drunkennesse by experience but yet reason teacheth vs much more Thereof proceed quarrels iniuries mutinies and many other disorders Drunken men are vnfitte to march to watch to fight or to do any maner of seruice too common it is notwithstanding among common souldiers And I would to God that captaines and officers of companies were free from it In whomsoeuer it is the same may not be passed without punishment Wherein that neither sober men be touched wrongfully nor drunkardes escape scandalously I doe thinke that those deserue to be punished as drunkards which either through drinke commit any excesse which sober men would not commit or els are vnfit to do the seruice required at their handes CHAP. XXI Part. 2. Wherein lawes are set downe tending to the common safetie of the state armie or garrison 1 ALl souldiers or others that conspire against the state or Prince or Generall or go about to betray the Generall or the army or any part thereof or any city or ground in possession of the state or army shall suffer death and torments if the matter be heinous 2 Such as practise and enterteine intelligence with the enemy without direction or knowledge of their superiors shall be punished as traitors 3 Mutinous and rebellious persons are to be punished with death 4 Whosoeuer yeeldeth a towne or fort to the enemy or motioneth any such matter but vpon extremity and that to the Gouernor or in councell let him be executed as a traitor 5 No captaine officer nor souldier may refuse to come being interteined in pay nor depart the campe or place where he is appointed to serue if the enemy be ready to charge vs or we ready to charge the enemy vpon paine of death if it be not in time of seruice vpon paine of imprisonment Except those alwayes that haue licence of the Generall or chiefe Gouernour or other lawfull cause To hurt and sicke persons the Colonell of the regiment or Iudge martiall or other officer appointed may giue licence that they may depart for a time to refresh themselues 6 All that runne to the enemy or attempt to do it as traitors to their countrey are to be put to death 7 No man shall bewray the word to the enemy or giue a false word in time of seruice nor when the enemy is nere shall sleepe in the watch or suffer him to approch without giuing warning vpon paine of death 8 Whosoeuer of wantonnesse or foolery is cause that the enemy hath notice of our disseins and purposes so that some good opportunity of seruice is thereby omitted is to be punished according to the quality of his offence Interpretations and annotations vpon the former lawes 1 All souldiers c. If conspirators deserue death much more do they deserue the same that execute their treasons and conspiracies a Liu. 28.
firing of houses making of noyse in the march without speciall direction and also talking of secrete counsels of our gouernours at any time and to wish that the same were by lawe enacted CHAP. XXI part 3. Conteining lawes concerning the dueties of Captaines and soldiers yet more particularly 1 ALl Captaines souldiers and others shall yeeld their obedience to the lawfull cōmandements of their superiours Neither shall any lift his weapon against his commander correcting him or others for their offences orderly vpon paine of death 2 No Captaine nor officer of a companie shall depart the Campe or garrison without licence nor shall lodge or absent himselfe from his companie in time of seruice or when the enemie is ready to charge vpon paine of loosing his place except those alwayes that haue lawfull excuses of sickenesse or hurtes and haue appoynted sufficient deputies in their place 3 All souldiers that wilfully absent themselues without lawfull cause from their colours or companie that goeth to charge or resist the enemie deserue death 4 No Captaine nor officer shall defraud the souldier or other person of his pay that is committed to his handes to be deliuered vnto him vpon paine of losse of his place 5 No Captaine nor other shall preferre or subscribe to a false mostre rolle or fraudulently giue in more or other names then he hath presently in his companie vpon paine of imprisonment and losse of his place 6 No captaine lieutenant sergeant nor other that ought to be armed shall come into the field without their ordinary armes vpon paine of two armors to be deducted out of their pay the one to their owne vse the other to some other of the company that wanteth 7 No souldier nor other shall goe into seruice without the word and some other marke to be knowen by from the enemy especially in night seruice vpon paine of imprisonment 8 No captaine officer nor other priuate gentleman in pay shall intertaine any others souldier or seruant without consent or lawfull dimission from his former captaine or master vpon paine of losse of a moneths pay Neither shall any souldier or seruant depart from his captaine or master without lawfull cause vpon paine of imprisonment and returning againe of souldiers to their captaines of seruants to their masters 9 Captaines and officers of companies shall watch and ward with their colours and companies vpon paine of losse of a moneths pay 10 No man shal marche with the baggage but the companies appointed neither shall any marche out of his aray or straggle abroad or goe on pilfering when he should marche watch or serue vpon paine of imprisonment Such are also by bastonataes to bee corrected by their officers if they be taken in the maner 11 No companies shall goe on foraging or make any enterprise against the enemy vpon priuate motion without the knowledge and direction of their generall commanders 12 No souldier shall sell or pawne or lend or loose or giue or cast away or play or otherwise make away his horse or armes or weapons or furniture wherewith he is appointed to serue nor shall suffer his horse by his default to decay or his armes to rust or goe to spoile vpon paine of imprisonment and infamie both to him that offendeth and to his abettors and aydors 13 No priuate captaine shall giue Passe-port to his souldier that is able to serue vpō paine of losse of his place neither shal any souldier in time of seruice depart without Passe-port vpon paine of death 14 No souldier nor other being once placed in aray either in marching or fighting shall depart thence without lawfull cause Whosoeuer either to runne to spoile or to fly away doth abandon his ensigne or standing where he is rāged to serue shal suffer death 15 No souldier nor others shall vse any showting or crying or without cause discharge a piece in marching or embatteling or lying in ambush vpon paine of bastonataes presently to be inflicted by the officers vpon the offenders taken in the maner of imprisonment afterward 16 No man shall giue an alarme vnto the army marching or lodging without iust cause and that in quiet sort nor shall any tumultuously runne nor cry vpon an alarme taken vpon such penaltie as the circumstance of the offence shall require 17 He that by negligence or grosse ignorance killeth his fellow with his piece or other weapon let him die the death 18 No man shall challenge another or defie him in campe or garrison nor accept the challenge vpon paine of imprisonment and disarming before his company Neither shall any offer an iniurie to his fellow to prouoke him to fight nor shall others priuately reuenge it vpon paine of imprisonment 19 All braules and quarrels betwixt fellowes are to be punished seuerely Whatsoeuer therefore hee is that in campe or garrison killeth any man in any sudden braule or challenge except hee bee thereto forced for his owne defence or striketh his fellowe beeing placed in array ready to fight let him suffer death for it 20 No souldier nor other shal fraudulently or the euishly take any thing from any mans person or their lodging house or cabane vpon paine of death 21 When any company of souldiers shal be lodged in any village or passe through it or by any dwelling house or other belonging to our friendes they shall not hurt nor iniurie the people in their persons nor goods vpon paine of death or other grieuous punishment according to the qualitie of their offence 22 No man shall burne any corne hay or forrage or destroy any prouision or house barne or cornemill or other building that may serue for the vse of the army vpon paine of death 22 All murthers periuries forgeries forcing of women or maydens cosinages or other disorders whereby the army may any way receiue disgrace or hurt although not comprised in these lawes shall bee punished by such penalties as the ciuill lawes or els common lawes of England enioyne in such cases 24 No souldier nor other shall be mostered or answere in two companies or answere to two names in one company nor shall any victualler or other that is no souldier passe in mosters for a souldier vpon paine of death 25 No souldier that hath victualles deliuered vnto him for certeine dayes shall spoile or spend the same in lesse time then is appointed vpon paine of imprisonment Annotations vpon the former lawes 1 All captaines souldiers c. Obedience is the bond that keepeth all in order without which neither can our owne men be gouerned nor the enemy discomfited If saith a Liu. 24. Papyrius the common souldier might neglect the commandement of his captaine the captaine of his colonell the colonell of his superior commanders all military proceedings would fall out of order The b Dictator signiferum cunctantem signum vt iussus erat inferre occidit Liu. 4. Generall of the Romanes killed an ensigne-bearer that refused to auance himselfe forward among the enemies as he
order herein that was requisite neither they in France nor others could at any time assure themselues of their number or strength 14 No souldier nor other c. Among souldiers there can be no greater fault then to forsake their ensignes standing so to run out of the field Be it for feare or spoile the same is grieuously to be punished b Liu. 2. Appius beheaded the ensigne bearers centurions that fled away froÌ„ their ensignes To those companies that fled and lost their ensignes in a certeine encouÌ„ter with Annibal c Cohortibus quae signa amiserant hordeum dari iussit centurionesque manipulorum quorum signa amissa fuerat districtis gla dijs discinctos destituit Liu. 27. Marcellus gaue nothing but barly to eate the centurioÌ„s he caused to staÌ„d with their garments loose and swords drawen which among their souldiers was a great shame Caesar did put certaine ensigne bearer froÌ„ their d Caes bel ciu 3. places for that they lost their grouÌ„d in a certaine encounter with Pompey at DyrrhachiuÌ„ Crassus e Appian Alex. causing his souldiers that fled to cast lots put euery tenth man to death which Antony did likewise execute vpoÌ„ his souldiers flying froÌ„ the ParthiaÌ„s Antonius Primus f Vexillarium fugientem transuer berauit hasta Tacit 19. one of Vespasians captaines seeing an ensigne bearer turne his backe stroke him through with a iauelin In this case Clearchus would haue souldiers to feare their captaines more then the enemie The fault of those that runne to spoile is not much lesse then of those that runne away While those that pursued the enemie turned aside to spoile the French were ouerthrowen at Guinguast the ItaliaÌ„s at g Guicciard 1. Taro and the h Liu. 8. Samnites in a certaine encounter by the Romanes that turning head vpon the victors tooke the victorie out of their hands i Caesar à militibus contendit ne in praeda occupati reliqui negotij gerendi facultateÌ„ dimitterent Caes de bel ciu 3. Caesar hauing ouerthrowen Pompey in open field prayed his souldiers that they would not so set their mindes on spoile that they would omit the occasion to atchieue the victorie and perfite other matters The Romanes what with reward what with seueritie wrought so much in the mindes of their souldiers saith k In bello saepiùs vindicatum est in eos qui contra imperium in hostem pugnaueraÌ„t quà m qui signa reliquere aut pulsi loco cedere ausi sunt Salust coniur Catil Salust that they were more often punished for fighting without coÌ„mandement then for flying away or forsaking their ensignes The Lacedemonians banished such cowardly persons Aristotle no souldier but a Philosopher l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist thetoric 2. holdeth it a dishonorable thing for a souldier to flie or to cast away his armes A certaine souldier of Caesar albeit he had vanquished his enemy yet craued pardon for that he was driuen to forsake his shield 15 No souldiers nor others c. the cries tumult and running vp and downe of disorderly persons do much discourage yong souldiers and a Caes bel gal 5. hinder them that they cannot heare the commandements of their leaders and therefore are diligently to be auoyded b Aemilius cum clamoribus omnia confunderentur tribunos militum Primipilo legionis secretuÌ„ edere imperium iussit singulos proximo cuique dicere Liu. 44. Aemilius perceiuing the diuers inconueniences that grew hereof gaue all his directions to the colonels and they to the first man of the legion and he to the Centurions and euery one to his fellow secretly and quietly Among the c Que ningun soldado gritte ni hable en la ordâ—n c. so pena de ser sacado de la hilera vergonçosamente Sancho de Lond. Spaniards no man may cry out nor speake loud either marching or embattelled in squadrons The punishment of the offence among them is shame and infamy Onelie at the ioyning of the battel it is not only lawful but also profitable to beginne with a great noise Of which as it was greater or lesser some haue gathered a d Veget. presage either of losse or victorie 16 No man shall giue an alarme c. False alarmes disquiet the army very much and often trouble those that ought to rest And therfore doth the enemy oftentimes suborne some to keep our men in continuall alarme that more easily he may preuaile against vs being tyred and ouerwatched Those difficulties therefore which the enemie casteth in our way let vs not e Que ninguna persona de arma falsa sin ' erden ded que se la pudiere dar so pena de la vida increase by our vnskilfulnes let vs in our watches and discoueries keepe good order and the rather for that lodging for the most part without strong defence and marching without diligent discouery wee lie open to many surprises and sodaine attempts of the enemy The penaltie is arbitrarie and may be more or lesse according to the qualitie of the offence Yet in auoyding the excesse we must take heede that we runne not into the defect and so for want of warning be taken vnprouided 17. He that by negligence c. If this did not fall out too often amoÌ„g our yong souldiers that either for want of skill or through feare not looking before them do kill hurt their fellowes this law might seeme needles But as now it is I would thinke this law very profitable if by this prouiso the souldiers might be made more wary By the same not only those that hurt others negligently but also much more they that hurt their felows maliciously are to be punished 18 No man shall challenge c. f In l. 18. 19. The Romanes contended among themselues rather who should kill most enemies then who could ouercome most of their fellowes g CommilitoneÌ„ gladio ferire capitale erat lapide percutiens militia reijciebatur l. 3. §. qui aliena ff de re milit Those that stroke their fellowes with their sword died for it those that threwe stones at them were displaced with shame And therefore did seldome anie quarrell or braule arise among companions Among vs nothing is more common neither will any law serue to restraine such disorders Yet do I not doubt but if these lawes whereby not onely the original that is iniurious wordes and deedes but also the meanes that is challenges and acceptance of challenges is taken away were executed and braulers punished that these faults would be lesse common In experience wee finde that these spadassines and common quarellers prooue not most resolute souldiers Many inconueniences come of these quarels For not onely braue men are often lost but also the common cause hindred by them The quarrels betwixt captaines and gentlemen in Tifauges Anno. 1569. caused diuers to depart malecontent of which the enemy hauing
councill and auctoritie to make warres should rest in Princes That warres are to be denounced on the assaylants side diuers reasons perswade vs. g Nullum bellum est iustum nisi quod aut rebus repetitis geritur aut antè denunciarum est indictum Cic. offic 1. There is a iustice in warres to be obserued sayth Tully which iustice requireth that warres be eyther denounced or made after deniall of things demaunded that haue beene vniustly taken from vs. He speaketh of warres made by those that inuade others For to defend our selues without more wordes is lawfull by the lawes both of nature and nations and very ridiculous it were to threaten those that haue begun to strike vs already Those therefore that thinke we haue no warres with the Spaniard because they haue not heard them proclaimed are like to those that will not ward or strike an enemie that commeth vpon them without saying beware Caesar minding to assayle Ariouistus sent a h Caesar perlegatos bellum indixit Ariouisto de bel gal L. 1. defiance to him before hand When Annibal came with an huge army into Italy the Romanes defended themselues without spending time about denouncing or threatning of warres Otherwise those that first begin warres doe vse first to speake before they strike which was not only the course of antiquitie but also of later times Onely the king of Spaine hath thought it lawfull vnder colour of treatie of peace without any defiance to cut our throtes if he could It may be he taketh the Popes excōmunicatiō against that Prince people of this land for a sufficient denuntiation or warrant to inuade vs without other circumstance This he learned of Alphonsus a Castro that determineth warres a Li. 2. de iust haeret puniend against heretikes to be lawfull which he taketh to be defied by auctoritie of the Canon And in his determination b Aial de iur bel lib. 1. Baltazar Aiala a great man among the Spaniards resteth no maruell if they obserue no solemnities in warres against vs whō they hold for heretikes hauing already determined that faith c Concil constant and promise is not to be performed vnto heretikes I neede not to describe the forme wordes vsed in defiances He that will reade the forme in time past vsed by the Romanes let him peruse d Lib. 16. c. 4. Aulus Gellius Later formes are reported in later histories much talked of by Heralds that claime that to be part of their office But litle seemeth it materiall to know that formes of defiances seeing in these times neither forme nor substance is strictly in this behalfe obserued Onely thus much Princes messengers that goe vpon this arrand of defiance are to take heede first that they passe not the words of their cōmission secondly that they vse no words of reproch or scorne It is reported that Frācis the 1. king of France would not heare the Herald sent him from Charles the 5. with defiance before he had caused a gibet to be erected to put him in mind what he should haue if he kept not himselfe within compasse In executing of wars this precept must diligently be had in remembrance that there be no crueltie vsed There is moderation euen in the executiō of iustice not onely in other actions of warre And Caesar in his victory against Pompei cōmanded his souldiers to spare the Romanes to delight in blood is signe of a sauage nature e Con. Faust The desire of doing hurt and crueltie in execution a mind also implacable and sauage is iustly blamed in warres saith S. Augustine those that yeeld themselues are not to be slaine Galba for that he slewe the Lusitanians after that he had taken them vpon composition was iustly therefore accused by Cato It is no victory to kil an enemie disarmed nor iustice to kill our prisoners in colde blood The execution done in the Generals chamber vpon the prisoners after the battel of Cognac an 1569. did greatly blemish his honor Who doth not detest the f Histoire de troubl de Fr. executions that haue bin done vpon men disarmed after cōpositiō at Mailè Mucidan diuers other places during these late troubles of Frāce yet may not prisoners vpon this libertie presume to abuse or attempt any matter against those that haue taken them for then they deserue no fauour Caesars souldiers at a Hirt de bel Hisp Munda in Spaine vnderstanding that if the Townesmen sallyed out vpō them their prisoners would charge them vpon their backes were forced to massacre them likewise were the English forced to kill their prisoners after the battell of Poytiers fearing least they should vse some trechecie when the enemie made shewe to assayle them b Que ningun soldado mate muger ninno vieio ni person inhabil aunque sea en la furia del vincer so pena de la vida ni ponga la mano in tales personas Sancho de Londono Women children and old folkes by the orders of warre obserued nowe in the Spanish campe are exempted from the souldiers furie in the sacke of Townes The present French king deserueth great prayse for suffering the poore and impotent people of Paris to passe through his armie although it were much to his preiudice practice of armes required percase other rigour as appeareth by the crueltie executed by Caesars souldiers at Auaricum and the Sea townes of France on such kind of people thereby to make the besieged eyther sooner to yeelde or to spend their victuals but this best beseemed a Christian king The Turkes saue such for slaues Christians therefore ought to doe that for conscience which Turkes doe for gaine Of this discourse this is the summe that those c What warres are lawfull warres are iust and lawfull which are made by the soueraigne Magistrate for lawfull and iust causes being both orderly denounced in cas◠requisite moderatly prosecuted to the end that iustice may be done and an assured peace obteined In which case it is lawfull for any man with good conscience to serue in warres but if the warres be notoriously vniust let euery man take heede howe hee embrewe his handes in innocent blood The Christian souldiers that serued Iulian the Apostat would not drawe their swordes against Christians although they willingly serued him against all others Yet doe I not make priuate men iudges of Princes factes but what neede any iudgment where the facte is euident and who shall answere for men that execute Princes wicked commaundements before Christes tribunall seate if the iniustice of warres be not notorious the subiect is bound to pay and serue and the guilt shall be laide to his charge that commaundeth him to serue A good man may serue sayth d August lib. 22. con Faust Man c. 7. Saint Augustine vnder a sacrilegious Prince where the iniustice of the commandement shall bind the Prince as the duetie of obedience doth make the souldier innocent
theÌ„ their insufficiencie Lewis Sforsa passing ouer diuers men of accompt reposed all his trust in c Guicciar lib. 4. Galeaz Sanseuerin a man of small desert Leo the 10. for kinred sake woulde needes employe Lorence Medici in his warres with the Duke of Vrbin both which spedde alike Which examples with diuers other of our time which I will not mention least any man might thinke himselfe interessed thereby may moue vs to haue more care what Generals we doe employe in such seruices In other matters albeit fauour may take place yet sure least ought it to swaye in choyse of the General Nothing is more dangerous then the euill successe of warres What reason therefore haue Princes to chuse d Summo periculo summus quaerendus imperator vt summo periculo summus gubernator Liu. lib. 24. weake men Gouernours of greatest matters in warres seeing as in Sea causes men in greatest dangers are woont to make choyse of most skilfull Masters and Pilots Or what impudencie is it for a man to take charge of a Shippe that cannot see but by others eyes nor iudge but by others direction And why not likewise may they be e Impudentem gubernatorem imperatorem esse qui cum alienis oculis ei omnia agenda sint postulet sibi aliorum capita ac fortunas committi Liu. 26. accompted shamelesse that take vpon them the charge of mens liues and goodes which haue no iudgement but by others report and direction Of the weakenesse of Generals proceede contentions betwixt the chiefe commaunders delayes needelesse expenses disorders disgraces and the ouerthrowe of Armies and States And more shall an armie of Harts doe guided by a f Plutarch Lyon then an armie of Lyons ledde by a fearefull Hart. Caesars g Caes comment bel gal 5. inuincible olde souldiers were ouercome by the cowardise of Sabinus their leader yet such was the skill of Caesar that he could vse young souldiers and obteine great victories by small forces Marcellus with the reliques of the Romane armie ouerthrowne at Canne gaue vnto Annibal a great repulse The Romanes vnder the leading of C. Martius Coriolanus h Volsci duce Martio Coriolano vincentes ostenderunt ducibus potiùs quà m exercitu rem Rom. supetiorem â—â—sse Liu. ouercame the Volscians when the same man exiled vpon displeasure against his Countrey tooke on him to leade the Volscians they diuers times preuailed against the Romanes Which sheweth what moment a skilfull captaine bringeth towarde the obteyning of victorie And in the warres which the Romanes had against the Latines the forces being equall yet the Romanes preuailed by the good direction of their Generall Fabius whose gouernment was such that all men confessed as a Liu. 9. Liuy reporteth that what side soeuer should haue had him for their leader the same must needes haue preuailed In the battell of the Romanes against b Pyrrhus non Epirotae tomanos vicit Fabritius Plutar. apophth Pyrrhus king of Epeirus nowe Albany Fabritius acknowledged that they were ouercome onely by the skill of Pyrrhus more then by the force of his armie And contrariwise little accompt is to be made of an armie that wanteth direction Caesar feared not as himselfe c De bel ciu lib. 1. reporteth the olde companies of Spaine although otherwise much to be esteemed because he knewe their Generals Petreius Afranius to be men of no merite nor skill I haue my self heard some Spaniards greatly complain of the defectes of the Duke of Medina Sidonia the Generall of their Nauy when they came vpon our coast And although God was the authour yet I doubt not but that was some good meanes of their euill successe Wherefore if Princes looke for good successe in their warres let them without affection and partialitie make choise of a sufficient Generall religious skilfull couragious and adorned with such vertues both for warre and peace as the importance of the matters which he manageth requireth In a Generall first I require religion for if the Gentiles did suppose that those affaires succeeded best vnto them which they d Ab Ioue principium Arat. Phaenom began in Gods name shame it were for Christians to haue a worse conceit of that matter And if all other matters sure the hazardes of warre require religion in the chiefe directors God he is Lord of Hostes and giuer of victories and sure it is not probable he will giue it to those that aske it not at his handes God prescribed certaine exercises of religioÌ„ to his people in their wars before them he would haue the Priestes to sound certaine siluer Trumpets Constantine had all exercises of religion in his campe and so proued most victorious The Spaniards in their warres assigne to euery Tertio or Regiment certaine Priestes What should I speake of those that make profession of religion seeing the e Xenoph. exped Cyr. 1. Greekes did seldome attempt any dangerous seruice but their captaines first consulted with their gods f Cic. de Natur. deor Cicero doeth attribute the good successe which the Romanes had in their warres to the religious care they had of the obseruance of holy ceremonies and religion Whatsoeuer mishap came vnto their State or Armie they ascribed the same likewise to the neglect or contempt of religion They esteemed that to be the cause of their ouerthrowe at a Liu. 5. Allia by the Gaules at b Liu. 2.2 Thrasimene by Annibal and in diuers other vnfortunate incounters Machiauels diuinitie that thinketh religion in men of warre foolerie and proposeth that impious Atheist Caesar Borgia for a paterne to a Prince that aspireth to be great to be followed was detested euen of the barbarous nations which in warres attempted nothing but with religious ceremonies as Tacitus and Caesar declare in the Gaules and Germanes and Herodotus and Thucidides in the Thracians and barbarous people Wherefore let the Generall be religious and a mainteiner of religion and forbid blasphemies and other impieties too too common in the common sort if hee expect the fauour of God and good successe in his affaires The Generall ought further to haue knowledge and iudgement in matters of warre The same is the speciall and most proper ornament of a General in c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist polit li. 5. c. 9. whom the same is more respected then all other morall vertues C. Fabritus in the dangerous warres the Romanes had against Pyrrhus in labouring that d Aul. gel l. 4. c. 8. Cornelius a man rauinous but very expert in warre might be chosen Consull or Generall declareth that the skill and experience of a valiant Captaine couereth other faultes This knowledge and iudgement hath many branches the Generall ought to vnderstand as well the enemies estate as his owne he ought to knowe what forces and what prouision of armes horses carriages victuals and other furniture and munition will be sufficient and howe he is to haue the same he
warre and iustly after the victorie for as good successe procureth to the Conquerour friends so euery one abandoneth and contemneth the vanquished The Capuans and a great part of Italy reuolted from the Romanes after the infortunate encounter at Cannae Philip king of Macedonia being ouercome by Titus Quintius not onely sawe the departure of his confederates and friendes but also the rebellion of his owne subiects After that the Carthaginians side began to decline in their warres with the Romanes all their friendes forsooke them The same disloyall dealing of subiects and friendes Charles last Duke of Burgundy felt after his disastrous iourney against the Switzers at Granson Hereupon Philip of Comines taketh occasion to tell a long tale howe dangerous it is for a Prince to be ouercome in a pight fielde at which if he had knowne ancient histories he would not haue made such wonderment For there neuer was nor can be other successe looked for in such cases Wherefore after the victorie the Generall is to practise with the friendes and confederates of the vanquished and with good conditions to vnite them vnto him selfe Heerein the opinion of the iustice and good dealing of the Generall shall greatly further his desire as is euident by the example of Scipio and Annibal For Scipio sending vnto euery Citie in Spaine those pledges which the enemie had from them and which he had taken from the enemie he gotte him selfe much friendshippe and Annibal after his victorie dismissing such of the associats of the Romanes as he had taken without ransome and vsing them courteously procured him selfe amongest them great credite of good dealing so that many did adhere vnto him and forsake the Romanes Thus we see howe the victorie is to be pursued Nowe therefore let vs see howe our conquest may be mainteined and assured For want of which consideration we see whereto the victories of this nation in France and otherwhere are come and how hardly and chargeably that which we haue remaining in Ireland is kept in deuotion and what is there to be feared if euer any enemy with resolution and strength doe there assaile vs. To keepe our conquest there are two principall meanes both necessarie Force and Iustice for neither without force can those that are rebellious and desirous of innouation be repressed nor without iustice can the peaceable be defended or contented That Empire sayth a Id firmissimum longèimperiuÌ„ est quo obedientes gaudent Liu. 9. Camillus is most firme and durable which the subiects do willingly embrace and gladly continue And hard it is to keepe men discontent long in subiection by force A countrey a Impâ—rium sâ—cilèâ—js artibus râ—tinetur quibus initio partum est Salâ—st coniur Catilin subdued is kept by the same meanes that it was subdued that is saieth Salust by fortitude industrie iustice The vse of force is diuers First to repell the enemie if hee come againe and to keepe him downe that hee looke not vp Caesar vsed this course in the subduing of France being alwayes readie to represse the disobedient and the same was vsed both in the subduing of Spayne and Afrike and other countreys by the ancient Romanes The French not hauing force readie in Naples and Milan to encounter the Spaniards that came to molest them in their possession soone lost prise Secondly force is necessarie to subdue rebels and mutinous persons that may procure the trouble of the state The Romanes vntill the countrey was quiet which they had vanquished and vntill euery husbandman and other fell to labour kept an armie there continually when the same was pacified they brought away their maine force and placed some of their souldiers inhabitants in some strong places in the countrey which liued vpon the profites thereof and yet kept the same in obedience These townes they called Colonies The Romanes hauing diuers times vanquished the b Ea clade conterritis hostium animis vt etiam vbi ea remisissee terrore aliquo tenerentur Velitris auxere numerum Colonorum Romani Norbae in montes nouam Coloniam quae arx in pomptino esset miserunt Liu. 2. Volscians and Sabines and yet seeing them readie to rebell for to keepe them in order placed Romanes in the towne of Velitri and in the mountaines in Norba to serue as castles among them Afterward when they had vanquished the c Tum de praesidio regionis depopulatae agitari coeptum itaque placuit vt duae coloniae circa Vestinum Falernum agrum deducerentur Liu. 10. Vestinians and spoyled their countrey consulting by what gardes they might best keepe the countrey in deuotion They resolued to send two Colonies into the countrey of the Vestinians and the territorie neere the hill Falernum These townes being peopled with Romanes and placed in countreys of new conquest Tullie calleth propugnacles of the Romane empire Tacitus calleth Cremona a fortresse and d Propugnaculum aduersus Gallos trans Padum agenteâ— Tacit. 9. propugnacle against the Gaules beyond Padus This meanes also other nations haue thought fittest to keepe countreys in subiection And therefore nothing among them was more vsuall then to translate inhabitants from one place into another The kings of Syria hauing vanquished the Israelites placed a Colonie in Samaria The Athenians taking the Island e Thucid. 4. Cythera from the Lacedemonians remooued the old inhabitants and peopled it with their friends And against the f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid 1. Thracians in defence of their conquest they sent ten thousand inhabitants into Strymon The kings of this realme peopling Caleis with English kept the same long in their possession which they lost not but by force If they had likewise peopled Rochel Poitiers Limoges Burdeaux and other townes with this nation they would not haue bene so hard to keepe nor readie to reuolt not doing that they did soone loose the same by treason And if Colonies had now of late bene sent into Ireland not as now scattering and disunited and few in number but in good strength and vnited by lawes and dwelling in townes as the Romanes did I doubt not but the countrey would bee better assured and the charge farre lesser then now it is For the charge of garrisons is great the insolencie of garrison souldiers greater And if an enemie come against them their strength is nothing If any man say that it is hard to dispossesse the ancient inhabitants of the countrey out of their dwellings he considereth not that rebels and enemies are so to bee vsed and that if they bee placed other where it is of mercie rather then desert which notwithstanding in all cases may not bee vsed Hard it is sayd a Plutarch apopth Agesilaus to be mercifull and wise both together Yet if inhabitants when the time was had bene sent into Ireland being voyde in some places diuers English might haue bene placed without iniurie to any To maintaine a force therfore without great charge the meane