the other but when they came to joyne battell Antigonus was slaine and the battell on his part lost And as Plutarch saith through the too violent chase that Demetrius gave to young Antiochus Sonne of Seleucus For Demetrius having overthrowne that part of the Army which Antiochus led and put him to flight hee pursued so farre and with such heate that before hee came backe againe the Macedonian Phalanx and bodie of his Fathers Army was overthrowne wherefore finding the affaires in such ill case at his returne hee was glad to flye hastily towards Athens with 5000 Foote and 4000 Horse where for all his former kindesse unto them hee was forbid to enter the City quoniam regum neminem tuâ—â— recipere statuissent This victory was the occasion of new trouble among the Victors for Seleucus who was present at the battell in parting the prey pleased himselfe but displeased his adherents who were absent Wherefore Ptolomy and Lysimachus joyne against him supposing him now as dangerous an enemy as Antigonus was before Seleucus to strengthen himselfe joyned with Demetrius and to make this League the firmer takes Stratonice Daughter of Demetrius to Wife And about the begining of these troubles Cassander died in Macedonia and so did Philip his eldest Sonne After whose deaths another Warre also happened betweene Antipater and Alexander the two surviving Sonnes of Cassander Thessalonica Mother to them both seemed to take part with the younger Brother wherefore Antipater the elder slue her The younger Brother to â—ee revenged for his Mothers death called in Demetrius for his ayde wherefore Lysimachus who was Father in Law to Antipater perswaded him to reconcile himselfe to his Brother rather then to admit his Fathers enemy into the Kingdome But Demetrius would not now bee kept out with their reconciliation but by treachery murthered Alexander and possessed that part of his Kingdome that was falne to his share and Lysimachus being at that time intangled in a dangerous Warre against Doricetus King of Thrace that Demetrius might not be his enemy delivered also up to him the other part of Macedonia which was Antipaters his Sonne in Law Thus Demetrius being wholy possest of that Kingdome begins a fresh to prepare for the recovery of that which hee had lost in Asia which occasioned a new League betweene Ptolomy Seleuchus and Lysimachus into which society Pirrhus King of Epirus was drawne and so to prevent the invasion of Asia they send against Demetrius their Armies into Europe with which hee being circumvented Cum posset honeste mori turpiter se debere Seleuco maluit After the end of this Warre died Ptolomy Sonne of Lagus King of Egypt leaving for his Successor Ptolomy Philodelphus his youngest Sonne After whose death there were left alive no more but two of Alexanders great Captaines to wit Seleuchus and Lysimachus and these two being equalls quickly fell at difference both striving for superiority And this was the last Battell that ever was fought betweene those great Captaines that accompanied Alexander in the Persian expedition and truely the sudaine fall of the City of Lysimachia by an Earthquake did foreshew the event of the battell which immediately followed for therein Lysimachus fell and Seleuchus was not more joyfull of the victory then that hee was the last of Alexanders traine and that he was victor over those that had beene Conquerors over others but this his great joy did not long continue with him for about seven moneths after hee was circumvented by Ptolomy Cerannus whose Sister Lysimachus had married Regnumque Macedoniae quod Lysimacho eripuerat cum vita pariter amittit and within a while after this Cerannus was slaine by the Gaules under the leading of their Captaine Brennus Thus have you seen the horrible Warres and bloudy Massacres that happened during the time of this third Monarchie among the Successors of great Alexander neither did these Wars end when they had brought these great men to their graves but continued still as fierce as before amongst their posterity untill they had greatly spoyled all those Countreys and prepared a way for the Romans entrance Of which it is high time that I now speake for I suppose I have already sayd enough to satisfie any man concerning the troubles of the third Monarchie although a great deale more might bee sayd of those Warres which happened betweene the Kings of Syria and Egypt which tooke beginning at the murther of Brenice widdow of Antiochus Theos and Sister of Ptolomy Enargetes of which the Prophet Daniel hath so plainely spoken as that those that are acquainted with the Story will I am sure testifie with mee that hee seemes rather to write a History then a Prophesie But these and many more troubles I must of necessity passe by to come to the fourth Monarchie of the Romans which was not in strength inferior to any of the other Dan. 7. 7. Yet could it not perpetuate Peace to it selfe no more then any of the former Monarchies as the next Chapter will make it evidently appeare CHAP. V. Of the Roman Monarchie and the Warres thereof THe Roman Empire whose foundation was first layd by Romulus their first King was at the beginning of all other Empires the smallest but in processe of time it did become the most ample and large that any History mentioneth containing within the limits and bounds thereof all that ever any of the other three Monarchies had in Asia and Africa besides all Europe into the bargaine Lucius Florus considereth in the Common-wealth of the Romans foure degrees or Ages the first under Kings which continued about 250 yeares During which time Rome strove for mastery with her mother the Citie Alba under the leading of their third King Tullus Hostilius who was the first that taught them martiall Discipline and the Art of Warre in which Warre happened that famous Combate between the Horatii three brethren of the Roman party and the Curatii three brethren of the City Alba upon whose victory depended the well or woe of both Cities auceps pulchra contentio a brave but a doubtfull fight wherein three of the one side being wounded and two of the other slaine that Horatius which survived helping out his valour with his wit feigned himselfe to flye so to single forth the enemy and then turning upon each as they were to follow overcame them all Sic rarum unius manu parta victoria est Besides this Warre betweene Rome and the City Alba there were other betweene her and the City Fidâ—na To be breife under the rule of Kings they conquered all the Townes round about for some fifteene myles space as Suessa Pometia Otriculum and divers other Townes in Latium but because Rome was now but in her infancy and had not obtained the Monarchie I let these passe in silence The next Age of Rome sayes Florus was from the time of Brutus and Collarinus their two first Consuls untill such time as Apius
Persians and the Warres thereof THis of the Medes and Persians was a very strong Kingdome also though inferiour to the former Vnder whose Dominion there were no lesse then 127. Provinces whose confines reached from India to Ethiopia Yet was not this Kingdome for all the greatnesse without Warre and trouble Cyrus himselfe raysing an Armie in Persia assailed his Grandfather in Media and overthrew his Army under the conduct of his Generall Harpagus but the King would not bee discouraged for the losse of one Battell but Armes the second time and leades them himselfe into the Field where hee divides them into two Battells Commanding the hindmost that if they did perceive any of the formost Bands to recoyle they should slay them like enemies and declaring to the formost that unlesse they did carry the victory Non minus fortes etiam post terga inventuros quam a frontibus viros a stratagem that put such hardy courage into his formost Souldiers as that with great resolution they beate backe the Persians formost troops which being perceived of the Women their Mothers and Wives met them flying homewards and earnestly intreated them to returne to battell but they delaying Sublata veste as Iustin sayes obscana corporis ostendunt rogantes in uteros matrem velint refugere With which correction they were so ashamed as that they returned into the Battell more furious then before Et facta impessione quos fugiebant fugere cumpellunt and so Astyages was taken Prisoner and his Crowne set upon his Grand-childes head But for all this Cyrus could not perpetuate his owne and Kingdomes peace for the Cities of the Medes rebelled against him the Babylonians made Warre upon him and to strengthen their party drue into their League Crassus the Potent King of Lydia Cujus opes et divitiae insignes ea tempestate erant so that if he had not beene a Souldier his Kingdome had beene dissolved before it had beene very well setled But through his prudence and valour hee brake through all these difficulties quieted the Rebellion subdued the Babylonians and overcame the Lydian their Auxiliarie who hee used with such Lenity as that thereby hee politickly avoided a most dangerous Warre with the Greekes the most entire friends of Crassus For as Iustin sayes Tantus Crassi amor apud omnes urbes erat re passurus Cyrus grave bellum Greciae fuerit si quid in Crassum Crudelius consuluisset This Cyrus afterwards was slaine and his whole Army roughted by Tomaris Queene of the Massagetes So fickle a thing is Peace and Prosperity in this World seeme it never so firmely to bee setled and grounded After the decease of Cyrus or rather before for when Cyrus was gone against the Messagetes Cambyces in his Fathers absence was declared King But for his cruelty Almighty God cut him short by a grievous wound in his thigh made by the falling of his owne sword out of the scabbard as hee was mounting on Horsebacke Hee was no sooner dead but one of the Magi by name Comaris or as others say Praxaspis thinking to transferre the Scepter into his owne Line sets up his owne Brother Oropastes under the name of Smerdis the deceased Kings Brother which hee himselfe by the Kings Commandement had formerly slaine Erat enim oris et corporis liniamentis persimilis But this cozenage was quickly found out by the policie of Othanes one of the Nobilitie for this mocking wanted eares which Smerdis the Kings Brother and Heire apparent to the Crowne did not had he beene alive upon this discovery A conspiracy is made by Seven of the Nobilitie and the Kingdome delivered from the slavery of the Imposture hee and his Abettors being slaine In whose stead Darius Sonne of Histaspis surnamed Artaxerxes was saluted King upon occasion of the neighing of his Horse For so it was determined that those of the Nobility who had freed their Country from servitude meeting in the Suburbs next morning on Horsebacke hee whose Horse first neighed should bee saluted King and this they did to avoyd contention amongst them which otherwise were equall This Darius as some thinke was that great King Ahaâ—uerus who put away his Wife Vasti by Herodotus called Attasha Daughter to King Cyrus and married Ester or Aristona as Herodotus calleth her kinswoman of Mordecai the 〈◊〉 This mighty Prince whose strength and power is described largely in the booke of Hester could not live without Warre and trouble The Babylonians rebelled against him and had hee not had a Zophirus to gaine his Master Babylon lost his owne Nose and Fares which occasioned the King on a time having a Pomgranet in his hand to say Se non optare majorem Thesaurum ullum quam ut tot haberet Zopyrus quot grava sint illius pomi This Darius sought to incorporate Macedonia the next bordering Kingdome with his owne Territories and the rather because hee heard that there were most rich veines of mettall And for this purpose sent Messengers to Amintus of Macedon who required Vt terram et aquam traderet Dario. Amintus fearing the Persian power answered mildely and invited the Ambassadours to a Banquet during which they behaved themselves laciviously towards the noble Ladies that were placed betweene them at the Table for their greater honour Which thing moved both Amintus the old King and Alexander his young Sonne to anger Whereupon Amintus at his Sonnes intreaty departeth as it were to take some rest But young Alexander first for a while fained mirth and afterwards craves leave for the Ladies absence for some little time promising their speedy returne But being dismissed hee commanded so many Noble young Men to put on the Ladies garments and secretly to carry poynards underneath them with this charge that when the Persians began to toy they with their weapons should stabbe them which charge afterwards was performed to purpose Et lasciviae ac potulantiae poenas legati justus dederunt After this the Iones by the perswasion of one Istiaeus fell from him and with the helpe of the Athenians they burnt the City Sardis But they being overcome in a Sea Battell and the Sedition pacified with some difficulty hee turneth about and turns all his fury against the Athenians their assistants being further urged hereunto by Hippias Sonne of Pisistratus the Tyrant whom the Athenians had banished Whereupon Darius sent against the Athenians a very great Army under the leading of the sayd Hippias Against them marcheth Miltiades the Athenian Generall by whose prudent Conduct and the Souldiers valour they were routed in the Field of Marathon and leaving behind them Two hundred thousand of there men with great astonishment they fled to their Ships where the proper valour of one Cynaegirus an Athenian Souldier appeared for hee not wearied with innumerable slaughter in the Battell layes hold with his right hand on one of the flying Ships and would not let her goe till both were dismembred from his valiant
feare that a cowardly Commander stamps in his Souldiers dispositions and likewise to manifest the worth and courage which is wrought in poore imbellicke Creatures by the forwardnesse and bold hardy courage of some in chiefe you shall finde by the Story of Contarenus the Venetian Governour he having intelligence of the invasion of Vluz Ali with a Navie of 60 Gallyes was so stricken with a quaking agne so that by his cowardly and unmanly carriage caused all the Townesmen to runne after him leaving the strong Towne of Curzola to be defended by none but their silly wives the simple women perceiving eminent danger and destruction to approach plucke up their womanly spirits and defended the Walles with stones fire and such other weapons as they had beate the Enemy from the Walles and God being propitious to them in sending a suddaine violent Tempest which forc'd the Turkes Generall to remove his Galleyes to a place of more safety The like pusillanimity was found in King Etheldred who in the yeare 978. swayed the Scepter in this Kingdome being invaded by Swayne King of Denmarke with a Navie of 350 Sayle durst not withstand the storme but tooke his opportunity the speediest way into Normandy leaving his Subjects to the mercy of the Danish King who tyrannized over them untill his death In all the passages of Martiall Affaires I have onely observed three severall passages whereby valiant men have beene subdued The first may bee sayd miraculously as when God is seene plainely and manifestly to bee the Author of a Conquest by a secondary meanes of lesse worth and power used and that is most usually when God and his Glory is interressed in it as in sacred Scriptures the overthrow of Goliah a man of mighty strength and valour by David although valiant yet a Childe in comparison to the Gyant for valour and strength must have a cerrivall to make a man compleate Also the overthrow of King Saul and Ionathan who had ever beene victorious against their Enemies Yet the Almighty being at ods with them for their rebellions in not performing execution against Agag they were subdued by their Enemies yet David stiles them in his Lamentations for them valiant men Also Marcus Antonius the Emperour making Warre against the Quadi being a Warlicke people that inhabited Silesia who by their worthes and policies had gotten the Emperours Army in such a straight the mountaines invironing them on the one side and the Quadi ready to give battell in their teeth And as calamities seldome walke alone the season of the yeare was very hot and infinitely dry the Emperour being ready to compound his safety with his Enemy rather then hazard all feare had taken such possession of him and his Army being in this deepe agony a certaine Captaine presents himselfe letting the Emperour understand that hee had divers Millitents meaning Christians which by their prayers to their God could obtaine victory for whose sakes God was pleased to interest himselfe in this conquest by sending a miraculous Thunder and Haile which so beate in their Enemies faces that they with ease vanquisht them Secondly Valiant Commanders may bee foyled by their owne presumption it being a domesticke traytor which attends the ruine to valour and so neere allied to it that it 's hard to bee seperated and many times it doth trayne and usher forth valour upon extraordinary disadvantages or blindes it with a superstitious remissenesse and loosenesse in suggesting and acting such things as should bee requisite for safety abandoning all such rules and meanes as might tend to preservation and furtherance in their designes making meere naked valour the Rocke to ground their confidence upon as in the Battell betweene L. Silla and the Romans against Archelans Generall to Mithridates King of Pontus whose Army consisted of 120000 Souldiers these reposing their confidence in their valours and great multitudes of men having an over-weening presumption of their owne strengths and deserts caused them to neglect such courses and advantages as might have beene prevalent to a victorious conquest whereby L. Silla tooke an occasion to give them an overthrow with the losse but of fourteene of his owne men But Archelans paying for his presumption the lives of 2000 of his valiantest youths Thirdly as we have discovered Valour to be of too high a temper that is compounded with presumption so likewise when it is of too soft a temper being compounded with feare as in Instruments of Steele that which is absolutly Steele and of too high a temper is of hardnesse sufficient to file in peeces any Mettall of a softer temper only it is brittle and subject to breake through its owne hardnesse So that Sword that is partly Steele and partly Iron so farre as the Steele is in it and of a true temper it will indure the stroake and will give no more way but equally to that which is all Steele but when the Steele is chopt and hackt through to the Iron then that which is all Steele soone destroyes and cuts through the softer Mettall accordingly when two valours meet in opposition happily both sides indures the brunt a long time so farre as strength and worth will give way but being cut and worne to the quicke the tempered edge is taken off and a softer mettall appeares which is soone fretted asunder by the true tempered weapon that hath not that quantity of Iron in it to soften it So that that Army which indures the assault longest is most sure of the victory so that too hard is better then too soft but the golden meane betwixt them is the best temper of all which is tough and apt to indure any hardship that shall be opposed as that famous Battell fought for a Kingdome betweene King Harold and William the Conquerour their Mettals were so neere of a temper and so truly tempered that the victory was uncertaine which side it would favour untill the edge of the English valours was worne through by the ominous death of King Harold then their courages grew so soft and poore that the hardy Normans destroyed them like Grashoppers It was farre otherwise with the true mettalled Swedes although the Emperours Army had deeply worne into them by seeking to blunt their edges by the slaughter of the most valiant King Gustavus Yet in regard there was nothing but true tempered mettall remaining they indured the force of their Enemies opposition and induring their greatest onsets and assaults they were predominant over their enemies standing to their tackling untill they had consumed their foes Thus you see the two ill tempers as before I have said which attends fortitude is feare and rashnesse The golden meane betweene these two is only to be chosen by a Souldier this is a path so difficult to walke in that few there are but erres As one compares this meane to the roofe of a Church on whose top there is scarse roome to turne a foot upon but on either side a broad rode to
possesse a perpetuall peace It is good therefore in time of Peace to provide for Warre THe Hieroglyphicke of happie Peace in this transitory World may very well be exprest by the splendent progresse of the Sunne which hath both his Summer and his Winter Solstice The one ushering in the most pleasant Spring The other pushing forwards the Crest falne Autumne The one of them spreads the fayre greene Carpet on the Table of the Earth the other as if the Banquet were ended with-draws and takes away again Thus fareth it betweene these two opposites Peace and Warre Peace like the Summer Solstice where shee goes makes all things looke bucksome for shee her selfe if you please to have her described is a pure and unspotted Virgin in whose forehead never appeared any one frowning wrinckle shee is the Mother of learning and the Nurse of Arts A Daughter of as royall a discent as any for she hath God for her Father and she hath a Royall Mother also even true and unfeigned Love a vertue beyond comparison Alacke that this Royall Virgin whose presence makes all things prosper is of no longer durance amongst men but it is decreed all things below are subject to mutability The Winter Solstice must succeed the Summer and Warre must follow Peace the Table must not alwaies bee covered a time of with-drawing will come at last For proofe of which le ts take a survey of some of those Kingdomes which in former ages have most flourished in this World and by their mutability judge whether it bee possible for any Kingdome how strong and setled so ever to perpetuate Peace unto it selfe And it will not bee amisse to begin at the golden head of that Image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dreame Dan. 2. Prefiguring himselfe and the Kingdome hee ruled over even the Kingdome of Assyria CHAP. II. Of the Monarchie of the Assyrians and the Warres thereof THis Kingdome of the Ayssrians was without question the strongest and best setled Kingdome that ever was before or ever followed after it in succeeding Ages And therefore prefigured by a head of Gold It is marvellous what Historians reporte of this Kingdome but because some in these times doe doubt of the truth of their reports I will point you onely to that which the sacred Oracles of God avouch which no man can doubt of For the King himselfe he was every way renowned Rex Regum a King of Kings and that of the Lords owne establishing For God had given him a Kingdome power strength and glory Dan. 2. 37. For the amplitude of the Kingdome it was not bounded within lesser limits then the Confines of the then inhabited World Dan. 2. 38. and wheresoever the Children of men dwell the Beasts of the Field and the Foules of the Heaven hath hee given into thy hands If you please to compare it with that famous Monarchie of the Medes and Persians which succeeded it You shall finde that as the Persians were after it in time so also in Power and Noblenesse Dan. 2. 39. And after you shall arise another Kingdome inferiour to you Here now is a Monarchie one would thinke so strongly seated as that a face of Warre should not dare to looke upon it yet did it runne many hazzards and endure many changes by dint of the sword and that at severall times also And first in the dayes of that lusty Virago Semiramis She not content to defend the limits of her Kingdome left her by the conquest of her deceased Husband was the first that ever with sword in hand ventured into the Indies quo praeter illam Alexandrum magnum nemo itravit And this happened in the dayes of Staurobates who met her in the confines of his Kingdome and though hee suffered losse in the first shocke yet renuing his Forces renewed also the Battell fought with her hand to hand wounded her sore and at last forced her over the River Indus where multitude of her Souldiers the Bridge being broken came to their ends But this wound was afterwards well healed up and the Kingdome well setled again in a long lasting Peace which endured the Reignes of above Thirty Kings untill at last came Sardanapalus who was Vir muliere corruptior Into whose presence when as Arbactus his Lieutenant in Media with much adoe was admitted he found him spinning more like a good houswife then a Royall King amongst a company of tender Ladies himselfe in softnesse excelling them all At which sight the great Captaine disdaining and stomacking that so many valiant men should bee subject to such an estiminate King and that those who were used to handle swords and speares should obey him whose hands were inured to nothing but a distaffe hee comes away with shame and makes report to his fellowes of that ignominious sight Negans se ei parere posse qui sic faeminam malit esse quam virum Forthwith a conspiracy is made and Warre denounced against Sardanapalus which when hee had notice of hee does not like a man prepare to defend himselfe but as Women which are afraid of death Primo latebras 〈◊〉 first lookes about where hee may hide himselfe but finding no remedy there at last with a few and those disordered Troopes and untrayned hee comes to battell and being with much ease overthrowne hee withdrawes himselfe into his Pallace and there â—ires himselfe and all his Riches Hoc solo imitatus virum as some Historians sayes of him And so the Kingdome was translated to Arbactus or rather divided betweene him and the Lieutenant of Babylon Belochus who is as some thinke called Pull King of Assyria in the sacred Scriptures 2. Kings 15. 19. In whose Posteritie the Scepter continued for some few generations following untill Senacherib his great Grand-child who was betrayed and slaine by two of his owne Sonnes to wit by Adramalech and Sharezer But Esarhaddon his Sonne who governed the Kingdome in his Fathers absence stept into the Chayre of Estate yet could hee not possesse it without much trouble For first these two Brethren that had slaine their Father put themselves also in Armes against their Brother hoping by this meanes to share equally with him This trouble amongst the brethren occasioned Merodath which the Scripture calls Merodach Baladan Isa. 39. 1. Liuetenant of Babylon to rebell against Esarhaddon and first drawing partly by fayre means partly by threats the people about Babylon to side with him forthwith hee defieth his Master and finally in the Twelfe yeare of his Reigne utterly overthrew him and so joyned the Empire of the Assirians unto the City of Babylon In the Posteritie of this Merodach did the Monarchie continue for three descents To wit Nebuchadnezzar Evill-merodach and Belshazzar in whose daies Darius the Mede called by Historians Chaxares sonne of Astyages and Cyrus the Persian Grandchilde to the aforesayd Astyages subdued the Assirians and translated the Monarchie to the Medes and Persians CHAP. III. Of the Monarchie of the Medes and
disgrace as that hee began openly to threaten him with Warre And for that purpose hee gathered a great Army out of Asia the lesse and 10000 Auxiliaries also out of Greece with which hee marched against his Royall Brother beyond the River Euphrates Artaxerxes was not unmindfull of these affaires but like a wise and a valiant man prepared forces to bid his Brother battell When they came to blowes Cyrus wounded his Brother and forced part of his Army to give ground but being of a hot and haughty spirit and with weake Attendants beating to farre within his Brothers Troopes at last hee was slaine by his Brothers Guard Vpon the newes of his death the whole Army tooke the Route save onely the 10000 Greekes who in despight of Artaxerxes departed whole away and came safe into their owne Countrey After the death of Cyrus the faire Lady Alpasia was taken in his Tents on whom Artaxerxes when hee beheld her set his affections and this Lady was the cause of a new insurrection for being equally beloved of the Father and the Sonne the Sonne petitioned to his Father for her and had her granted But the Father afterwards condoling his owne losse tooke her away againe Whereupon the Sonne conspired with one Terebathus that they two with some armed Troopes should on a certaine day breake into the Kings Closet and slay him but this plot being discovered the King escaped the Treason Terebathus and his Troopes were slaine by the Kings Guard and Darius the Kings Sonne apprehended as a Traitour and adjudged to death by the Councell of Princes before whom his Father would have him stand for his tryall after his death also the King himself languished and died and appointed for his successor Othus the youngest of those three Sonnes that hee had by his lawfull Queene Othus Reigned about Twenty Sixe yeares more like a Tyrant then a King for hee filled his Royall Pallace with the bloud of Princes his owne kindred Nulla non sanguinis non sexus non aetatis misericordia perm tus and for his cruelty was slaine afterwards by the Prince Bagoas who thought to have seated himselfe in the Royall Chayre but having not power enough to effect that he Proclaimes Arsames Sonne of Othus King who hee also slew afterwards Metuens filium propter necem paternam And here was an end of all the Stocke of Cyrus and the end of this Monarchy followed about Sixe yeares after For when Arsames was slaine Bagoas the murtherer repaired to Codomamius who for his vertue and valour against the enemy was first made Ruler of Armenia and now King of Persia After the obtaining of which he changed his Name and is commonly knowne by the name of Darius Vltimus a Prince nothing inferiour to any of his Predecessors And yet in this King happened the subversion of this mighty Kingdome Against him first of all Philip King of Macedon being elected Generall of the Grecians tooke Arms and sent his Forces into Asia under the conduct of Farmenio Amynters and Attalus against them Darius tooke Armes and sent his Army over which hee placed Memnon of Rhodes an expert Souldier as Generall But while these Wars were managed abroad by their substitutes Philip himselfe was slaine at home by one Pausanias a Noble Macedonian upon this occasion Pausanias was abused in his tender age through the lust of Attalus which the young Man taking in ill part complained to Philip and craved justice against the offender but was put off in derision and the Malefactor honoured with a Generalls place in the Warres Whereupon Pausanius turnes his anger against Philip and as Iustin sayes Vltionem quam adversario non poterat ab iniquo judice exegit But the Persian Warre was not given over upon the Kings death for Alexander the great his Sonne and Heire after that hee had quieted the Cities of Greece which the Persians politickly had stirred up to rebell against him by that meanes hoping to divert the Warre out of Asia Having collected and shipped his Army goes in his owne Person into Asia and divides his Patrimony in Europe amongst his friends saying Sibi Asiam sufficere His Army consisting of 32000 foot and 4500 Horse hee wafted over in 182 Ships An admirable thing that hee durst attempt the conquest of the greatest Monarchy of the World with so small a number but marke who they were not yong striplings primâ— flore aetatis but veterares plerosque old beaten Souldiers for the most part such as had borne Armes under his Father and Vncles they were through their long experience Non solum millites sed magistri militiae not onely Warriours but masters of the Warre there was never a Captaine which was lesse then Sixty yeares of age Vt si principia castrorum cerneres Senatum se alicujus priscae reipublicae vider diceres and they all resembled the King for courage for they minded nothing but victory and after that the enjoying the riches of the Orient Against these Darius led his Army into the field consisting of 600000 men in whose valour and fortitude hee had such confidence as that hee neglected to take any advantage which was by policy to bee acquired Affirmans suis occulta consilia victoriae furtivae non convenire and upon this conceipt hee refused to prevent his enemies landing but received them into the very heart of his Kingdome Gloriosius ratus repellere Bellum quam non admittere which thing though it shewed a magnanimous and great spirit yet it argues weakenesse of understanding for truely so victory may bee gained it stickes not whether it bee obtained by valour or policie the safest therfore for him had beene to have prevented their landing if possibly hee could for enemies are more easily repelled from the Coasts then expelled after they have got footing But this out of a Millitary bravery hee neglected and it cost him no lesse then the losse of the battell and afterwards of his life and Kingdome The first battell betweene the two Kings was in the field of Adrastia where the Persians were vanquished Non minus arte Alexandri quam virtute Macedonium After this Alexander fought another Battell with Rhaesaces and Spithradates two of Darius his Captaines at the River Granicus quos jam non tam armis quam terrore nominis sui vicit and in this encounter both the Persian Chiefetaynes were slaine Rhaesaces by Alexanders owne hand and Spithradates by the hand of Clytus After their overthrow having yet no more to doe in the Field hee fell to taking in of Cities Sardis Miletus Helicarnassus and all such places as bordered upon them were taken in and so comming through Pamphilia hee tamed the Inhabitants of of Pisidia and Phrigia At last hee tooke the City of Gordis which above all other hee desired to take not for the spoyle but because hee had heard that there in the Temple of Iupiter was kept the consecrated yoke of Gordians Waine whose
Goate is the King of Grecia and the great horne that is betwixt his eyes is the first King which was Alexander the Great Now that being broken whereas foure stood up for it Foure Kingdomes shall stand up out of the Nation but not in his power Now these Kingdomes are the foure I have last spoken of for however by the first composition they were to bee but Provinces and these Princes forenamed to rule in them onely as Lieutenants to Arideus yet afterward that agreement was rejected and every of these made themselves absolute Kings 1. Mac. 1. 9. And this was the first occasion Perdiccas to whom nothing fell in this division but the tuition of the weake King and the conduct of the best Army cast about how hee might make himselfe equall with the rest for this purpose hee set upon Ariarathes King of Capadocia in which Warre hee proved victorious yet gained little more then the bare and naked Kingdome for his enemies being overthrowne they fly to their chiefe City where they burnt themselves their houses and all that ever they had Vt nihil hostis victor suarum rearum preter incendii Spectacula frueretur This Kingdome hee left to the custody of his best betrusted friend Eumenes to bee a place of sure retreate upon any occasion but as for himselfe hee aspired after greater matters Power enough hee had in the Army hee conducted but hee wanted Royall authority to countenance his Power and Capadocia was to little to limit his high thoughts Now that hee had proved his strength to make himselfe equall with the other hee would try one cast more too for the superiority to this end hee secretly treated a match with Cleopatra the sister of great Alexander by whom hee hoped to attaine the Soverainty of all the rest but belike hee was jealous that Antipater in whose power the Lady was would crosse this marriage Wherefore to cover his intents hee fained love to Nicaea one of Antipaters Daughters hoping under that pretext to gaine the Lady before any were aware of it but the old Foxe quickly espied his drift Et dum duas eodem tempore uxores quaerit neutram obtinuit This plot of his being overthrowne by the cunning of Antipater hee sets his wits abroach againe upon another designe for the winning of the Lady and that was to transferre the Army into Europe under the pretence of bringing the King into Macedonia the seate of his Ancestors and head of the Empire whose presence hee knew would actually make voyd for the time the office of the Viceroyes and so Antipater with Craterus being once in case of private men and himselfe onely in authority the match with Cleopatra then might easily bee effected and so should his greatnesse meet with a good title and what obstacle then could there bee to debarre him from the Empire There are two men taken into consideration which hee thought might bee some hinderance to him in that accomplishment of this project And they were Antigonus Lieutenant of Phrigia and Ptolomie of Aegypt For the first hee caused to bee accused of certaine crimes which might very well have served to take away his life which Antigonus would not seeme to take notice of but prepared himselfe in shew to come to his Answer but in the meane while hee made an escape and came into Aetolia where Antipater and Craterus were with their Armies about the conquest of the Countrey These tydings which Antipater brought quickly finished the Aetolian Warre and caused both Antipater and Craterus to foresee their owne danger Ptolomy also being advertised of these passages apprehended them deepely and therfore was easily drawn to side with Antipater his Coleagues Craterus and Antigonus Being thus joyned in League they begin to prepare for defence And Perdiccas understanding by the flight of Antigonus and the League that now was betweene him and the aforesayd parties that all his drifts were discovered resolved to carry all before him by fine force having both the strongest Army and the Kings name to countenance all his actions But the thing that troubled him was against which of the Coleagues hee should first attempt This being propounded in Councell some advised hee should transferre the Warre into Macedonia where Olimpias the Mother of great Alexander then was whose presence and the peoples favour would much promote all their enterprises Others advised that they should first attempt on Ptolomy in Aegypt least while they were in Macedonia hee should invade Asia and this advice prevailed whereupon Eumenes is charged to have regard of Asia and to him were joyned Alcetus Brother of Perdiccas and Neoptolemus as assistants in case Antipater or Craterus should invade those parts Sic Macedonia in duas partes discurrentibus ducibus in sua viscera armatur ferrumque ab hostili bello in civilem sanguine vertit When as Perdiccas had wafted his Army into Aegypt like a wilfull man hee tyred his Souldiers in hard enterprizes without successe which brought their hatred upon him which Pithom perceiving called an hundred of the Captaines and some of the Horse unto him and so entred his Tent and slue him Thus qui primus inter duces bellum movit primus interfectus est sayes Caryon Eumenes who was left by Perdiccas for the defence of Asia when hee understood of the great preparation that was made by Antipater and Craterus for the invasion of those Provinces committed to his charge presently sent for Alcetus and Neoptolemus to come to his ayd letting them know that the Adversary had already passed his forces and the Hellesponte Alcetus flatly denied his assistance alledging the backwardnesse of his men to Beare Armes against so great a person as Antipater and a man so honoured as Craterus Neoptolemus was content to make a fayre show of ayding him but had secretly covenanted with Antipater to open for him a way to the conquest of Asia which thing Eumenes carefully espied and prepared in time to prevent his evill designes And this hee did in a fierce battell wherein hee put him to flight and received his Foot-forces from whom hee was fled for his owne safegard into his service Neoptolemus after his overthrow fled to Antipater and Craterus perswading them that if by great journyes they would hasten their march they might certainely take Eumenes napping being now joyfull of his late victory secure by reason of his flight This councell was put in execution but not with such successe as was hoped for because Eumenes was watchfull over their proceedings perceived all their intents wherefore they that thought to intrap him on the suddain were unexpectedly in the trap themselves being set upon while they were secure in their march and much wearied with night-watches In this battell both Craterus and Neoptolemus were slaine and their Army routed and overthrowne After the death of Craterus whom the Souldiers exceedingly loved they chose Antigonus their Generall against Eumenes whom earnestly they
Claudius and Quintus Iulius obtained the Consulship which was about 200 yeares after During which time they had many sharpe Warres as first with Tarquinius their expulsed King who was ayded by the Vrientines and Tarquiniences for the recovery of his Kingdom In the very first onset of this battell was Brutus the Consull and Aruus Tarquinius the Kings Sonne both Generalls of the Horse slaine one by the other for as Livy saith Adeoque infestis animis concurrerunt neutrum dum hostem vulneraret sui protegendi corporis memor ut contraâ—io ictu par parmam uterque transfixus The victory was very doubtfull for the right Winges of both the Armies overcame so that both sides feared the worst till the doubt were removed by a miracle a strange voice out of the Arsian wood which affirmed that the Romans had lost one lesse then their enemies The next Warre was against King Porsenuae who would have re-established Tarquinius and hee wanted but little of taking the Citie for hee had already surprized Mountaine Ianiculus on the other side of Tiber from whence hee had a faire way to the City over the Bridge called Sublicius where by good hap Horatius Câ—cles a valiant Roman was present who placed himselfe upon the Bridge and with his sole bodie defended the passage against all the Kings Army untill such time as the bridge behinde him was broken downe neither could they bee freed from the danger of this King untill Mutius Scaevola had made an attempt to slay him in his Campe of which neverthelesse hee fayled through his ignorance of the Kings person killing his Scribe instead of him for which fact being had in examination hee cried out sayes Livy Romanus sum Ciâ—is Quintus Mutium vocant hostis hostem occidere volui When they threatned him with punishment hee answered hee was as resolved to die as to have killed the King for sayes hee Facere pati fortiae Romanum est and forthwith hee thrust his hand into the fire untill it were past sense Vt sciat Rex sayes Florus quem virum effugerit Telling the King that there were 300 valiant young men of Rome had conspired his death with which the King was so terrified that he presently dissolved the siege and made peace with the Romans To bee breife besides this Warre they had also within the 200 yeares afore named warres with the Lattins Thuscans Gaâ—â—es Sabines Saâ—â—ites and lastly with the Tarrentines and King Pyrrhus but all these within the confines of Italy which by this time they had mastered and made their owne yet were they so farre from the Monarchie as that they had never led their forces out of Italy and therefore I passe by these also The next Age of Rome Lucius Florus was from that time Apius Claudius and Quintus Fulvius were Conâ—ulls untill the time of Caesar Augustus which was 250 yeares about which time they obtained the Monarchie of the World Which before they could effect they endured many sharpe Warres as with Carthage three severall times In the second of which Punicke Warres Rome was in as much feare as ever since her walls were builded Livy saith adeo varia belli fortuna ut proprius periculo fuerint qui vicere Three overthrowes Haniball gave the Romans one after another the first at Ticâ—num now called Pavia where the Consull Publius Cornelius Scipio had beene slaine but that hee was rescued by his owne Sonne young Scipio afterwards called Affricanus The next was at the floud Trebia where hee overthrew the other Consull Titus Sempronius who was very eager to fight with Haniball before his fellows were healed of their hurts received in the former battel The third was at the Lake of Thâ—asimene Caius Flaminius being Consull who very rashly lost both Army and life The ill successe of which battell was foreshowen before it began for Titus Livius saith the Ensigne could not with all his strength remove his Colours which with some other ill signes put all the Army in afright which thing when it was told to the unadvised Consull hee sayd to the messenger Abi nuntia signum effodiant si ad convâ—llendum manus prae metu obcorpuerint The newes of this overthrow made the Romans speedily nominate a Dictator and in good time they chose Quintus Fabius Maximus one that followed Haniball wheresoever hee went but with this purpose Vt cunctando non bellando inimicorum vires attereret sayth Plutarch Thus for a while hee wearied Haniball but his owne people also were wearied with this lingring Warre Minutius who was Magister equitum hee cried out in the Army Doe we come hither to behold the slaughter and destruction of our Confederates and Companions are wee not ashamed that those Citizens which our Fathers sent as Colonyes into Sâ—ssa that this coast might be safe from our enemies the Samnits which now not our Neighbour Samnite but a Carthagenian stranger doth waste and spoyle having marched from the further parts of the World to this place by meanes of our delayes So farre ah the griefe doe wee degenerate from the vertues of our Ancestors that neere our Coast they thought it a dishonour to their Empire but to suffer the Carthagenians Navie to sayle the same wee now see repleate with the Numidians and Mores our enemies It is great folly to believe that wee are able to subdue our enemies with sitting still it behoves us to arme our troopes and bring them downe into the plaines and encounter them man to man Audendo agendoque res Romana crevit non his sensibus Consiliis neque timidi cauta vocant This trouble happening in the Campe and the like in the City causeth the Senate to joyne Minutius in equall authority with the Dictator but still the Warre is prolonged by Fabius his cunning Then does Bebius Herennius Tribune of the people declaime both against the Senate and Nobility for trayning Haniball into Italy and prolonging the Warre which might sooner have beene put to an end if a Plebean Consull had beene chosen Hereupon Quintus Terentius a Plebean is created Consull and Lucius Aemilius Paulus is his Colleague They follow the battell of Cannae by the rashnesse of Terentius Varro the Plebean Consull wherein the Romans were overthrowne and one of their Consulls slaine and with him twenty more of the order of Consulls and Praetors of Senators there were taken and slaine thirty of Noblemen to the number of 300 of Souldiers to the number of 40000 and 3500 gentlemen besides Haec est pugna Cannensi clade nobilitata saith Livy There had beene no doubt but that Rome then might easily have beene taken if Haniball as Maherbal sayd had but knowne how to use a victory as to get one But Hanibal quum victoria posset uti frui maluit And so leaving Rome hee hastens to Capua the pleasures of which towne utterly effeminated his whole Army and as Florus
with their Wives Families and Servants without any wrong offered them untill they have recovered their health and strength againe and then a free passe shall bee given them to depart to what place they please Item No Officer of the Armie Souldier or Captaine or any other whatsoever comprehended in the aforesayd Articles who shall now goe out with the Garrison or shall remaine in the Towne till hee have recovered his health shall afterwards bee troubled as not being comprehended in the sayd Articles for by vertue of these Articles it shall bee lawfull for him to goe freely at any time and hee shall have credit for Money upon his Bond or any other assurance hee shall bee able to give Item The Governour Captaines Officers and Souldiers comprehended in these Articles or any other whatsoever being in Pay and subjection of the united States shall have in Breda any houses or possessions moveables or immoveables comprehending as well the Captaine Officers and Souldiers of the Companies of as the Widowes and Children belonging to those Troopes c. or any other Companies which for two yeares before have beene in Garrison in Breda shall have a yeare and a halfe beginning within a Moneth after the signing of these Covenants to transport their goods to what place they please or to Sell Morgage Alienate or exchange them according to the Lawes and Customes in that particular And in the meane season they shall enjoy all Rents Profits and Commodities of their Inheritance accrewing to them for the present or to accrew and in conclusion they shall enjoy any thing belonging to them in the Towne Item The Souldiers either of the Garrison or our Campe being now Prisoners either in the Towne or in the Campe at the signing of these Covenants shall bee set at liberty without Ransome paying onely their charges according to the taxation of the place Item No man shall take any thing from any of the Garrison of any price hee hath made all such things being to passe under the title of the Souldiers owne goods Item After the signing of these Articles it shall be lawfull for the Governour of Breda to send any Officer or whom so ever else to the Prince of Orange who shall bee permitted safely to goe and come Item After the signing of these Covenants there shall bee a suspension of Armes on both sides Howbeit on each side the Souldiers shall maintaine their Workes permitting no man to come neere them either by day or night Item Before the Garrison march out of Towne two sufficient Hostages shall be given who shall accompany the Garrison to the next Fort or Towne of strength and shall remaine there the twelve dayes in which the River is to remaine open and the Covenants to bee fulfilled and this terme being expired if the Covenants in any point have not beene broken they shall returne backe againe Item These Covenants being signed Hostages on both sides shall bee given of equall number and quallitie and ours shall returne home againe upon the delivering of the Towne Item It shall bee lawfull for the Hostages of the Garrison of Breda to returne as soone as the sayd Garrison hath quit the Towne that they may depart away with the Garrison Item The Governour and Garrison of Breda promise to march away upon Thursday next ensuing early in the morning being the fift day of June Vnder the place of the Seale the Governour wrote as followeth Wee Justin of Nassaw doe promise to see the contents of the former Articles fulfilled as much as lieth in us In Witnesse of which with the consent of the Colonells and Councell of Warre here Wee have signed these this second day of Iune 1625. In the next place you shall see what Articles the Magistrates and Burgers of Breda did demand of Spinola as followeth Imprimis Pardon is granted to all Burgers and Towne dwellers of Breda of what quallitie or condition soever for any offence committed before or since the surprising of the Towne which was in the yeare no inquiry or information shall bee taken against any man not so much as under the pretext of Treason or of other offence whatsoever Item All the sayd Burgers or Towne dwellers either absent or present of what condition soever whether they bee actually in service of the States or the Prince of Orange or the Towne or whether they bee not in service may safely remaine in Breda the two first yeares no inquiry being made after them for matters of Religion nor having no obligation to change their Religion provided they carry themselves modestly and without scandall that in the space of these two yeares they may resolve either to continue their residence here or to goe to any other place and whensoever they shall desire to depart they shall bee permitted to goe freely and in like manner they shall bee permitted to enjoy their goods carrying them with them Selling Morgaging or Alienating them at their owne liberty or at the liberty of such as shall have the administration of them The goods of such as dye within or without the Towne shall accrew to them to whom they shall leave them by their last Wiils or if they die Intestate to the next Heires Item It shall bee lawfully for any of the sayd Burgers or Towne dwellers whether he be now in service or no if after these Covenants hee have a desire to depart out of the Town either to change his habitation or for any other respect to depart at any time either by Water or by Land with his Wife Children Family Houshold-stuffe Marchandize or any moveables whatsoever without any impeachment for any respect whatsoever onely by vertue of this Covenant without any other Pasport And such as desire to make choice of their residence in the Kingdomes Estates or Provinces either neuterall or such as pay contribution may at any time passe or repasse into the Townes and Countries subject to the King of Spaine and traffique or dispose of their goods moveables or others whensoever they thinke good And the Catholiks shall not stand in need of any other deed more then these Covenants by vertue of which to returne and make their residence here and possesse such Houses as they have in Breda Item It shall bee lawfull for all such as desire to goe about their occasions into any of the united Provinces to take their journey thither foure times in the yeare giving first the Governour notice of it of whom they must of necessity demaund licence who shall not refuse them without just cause and they shall returne within the two yeares agreed upon in these Covenants to continue their residence in the Towne or make choice of any other place under contribution in all which places they shall enjoy the aforesayd liberty of passing freely to any place about their businesses and make use of any other benefit of these Covenants Item All Ministers may depart freely with their Wives Children Families goods and moveables without any wrong
hand then happily halfe Companies or whole Companies must watch in compleate Armes The Governours Drumme with the Captaine of the Watches are to beat about the Streets to gather the Souldiers together to cut the yce in Winter time the Burgers and Citizens doe the like every Company hath his just allowance to cut it is to be cut 16 or 18 foot wide that the Enemy may be hindered to passe to the Walles The Mayor is to deliver out Powder Match Bullets and all kinde of Tooles to the Serjeants for the use of the Souldiers the Tooles are to be returned safe againe this shall suffice at this time Next I will briefly discourâ—â— of the dutie of Officers in the Field and also of Souldiers CHAP. LVII The duties of Officers and Souldiers in the Campe or Field THe duties of Officers and Souldiers in the Field or Campe doe not much differ from those in Garrison wherefore I shall bee very short in this and then I will proceed to discourse of the particular Office of each Commander beginning at the meanest and so proceed to the chiefest in Authority demonstrating every particular thing belonging to their Offices Now by the way observe that every Army consists of a Generall Lieutenant-Generall Field-Marshall Treasurer Master of the Ordnance Serjeant Major Generall These are the chiefe Officers of the Field and are â—mployed dayly in the Councell of Warre with their Prince about State-affaires then the Troopes are divided into Colonies both the Infantry and Cavalliary the chiefe whereof is the Colonell the the Lieutenant Colonell the Serjeant Major these are the chiefest in command in each Regiment Every Regiment is compounded of divers Companies the chiefe of them is the Captaine the Lieutenant Ensigne Serjeants and Corporalâ— These last are exposed to doe their duty in person with their Companies the other in higher authority for the most part leave it to their inferiour Officers unlesse it be in times and cases of Danger The Army being Encamped the Colonels Lieutenant of each Regiment who beares the titular name of Captaine takes place to be the first Captaine of the Watch then successively according to the antiquity of the Captaine Their watch is set after the same manner as it is in Garrison onely no drumme is to beate neither for the setting of the Watch at night nor for the releeving of the Guards in the Morning untill the Drum-Majors drum beates then all are to imitate him The Captaine of the Watch is to goe no further than the Limits of his owne quarters where he is to be attended with the Gentlemen of the round and to take the Word as before is shewed that Night his turne is to be Captaine of the Watch the whole Company is to watch upon some convenient place by the Brest-worke before their quarters The Serjeant-Major of each Regiment Colonell or Lieutenant Colonell may walke the limits of his owne Regiment The Serjeant-Major Generall of the Army may ride through all the quarters of the Army and take the Word If there be any Out-workes as Redouts to be guarded then the Serjeant-Major of each particular Regiment is to give Billets to every Captaine what guards they shall keepe then accordingly the whole Company is to march to those Redouts leaving their colours in the head of their quarters which is to bee guarded by certaine Senteries appointed out of the next Company whose duty is also to guard the quarters and Hutts that no abuses bee committed The Armes that the Captaine and Ensigne beares with them is a Pike and his Armour of proofe hee is to set out his Sentrye Perdues upon all passages and likewise a Sentery within the Redout these are to bee relieved by the Serjant or other Officers every houre or two at the most That Company which shall come to relieve the Watch must stand in their compleate Armes untill such times as their Senteryes bee plac't out and the Bridge drawne up least the Enemy should take an advantage to fall upon them when they are in a confusion To resist the Enemy in their worke they are to place betwixt each two Pikes a Musquet Any of the chiefest Officers in high authority may command a Guard from one Redout to another and visit them at any season of the day or night and are to take the Word from the Captaine himselfe Every Souldier must bee very carefull of giving a false Alarum because all the whole Army will bee disturbed and presently in Armes If the Enemy comes upon the Sentry perdue hee is to retreate to the next Sentry behind him then if the Enemy seeme many they are to retreate into the Worke and prepare to give them a Vallye Those Horses that watch must bee plac't to keepe some passage they must send out their Horse Centryes to stand upon some way which the Enemy must take their stations are to bee a quarter of a mile beyond the foot the whole Company must not move off their saddles untill they are relieved Those Perdues that are layed out against a besieged Towne are to lye flat on their bellies because of the Enemies neerenes and continuall shooting and this shall suffice and before I proceed any farther I will have a more particuler discourse of the obedience and vallours both of Souldiers and Subjects CHAP. LVIII Of the due obedience both Subjects Officers and Souldiers should beare to their Prince or Generall with a demonstration how Mutinies and Treasons have beene rewarded with infinite miseries NO Kingdome so Fortunate and happy as those where obedience flowes in a cleare streame so farre from the power of gusts and stormes that gentle calmes are perpetuated to times and all seasons are as Halcion dayes when Subjects of all conditions and in all respects simpathize with their Soveraigne in authority to his lawfull behests and commands as the shadow imitates the body or as the parts of the body are ready bent to observe and execute the pleasures and intents of the heart and faculties of the minde Obedience and loyalty are the Nerves and Sinewes which strengthen and unite the members of a body politicke to the head and the strongest Fortifications that Kingdomes can bee defended with These are they which are the onely conquerours in Warre and stedfast preservatives in Peace these are the precious jewells which make the Crowne and dignity of a King most splendent and glorious these are the most precious Diadems that a State can bee adorned with the commanding power thereof is so potent that in an excellent transcendency they daunt the puposes of an Enemy forfeiting his designes they so farre strengthen the body of authority that none of the members can possibly bee infected where these Cordialls are placed next the heart without these Kingdomes are falling into a consumption and nothing can be expected but ruine and destruction as may evidently be seene by taking a survey of such Histories which record the confusion of Empires and Kingdomes And first the
flourishing Romans whose hearts were elevated by their famous conquests the whole Orbe of this terrestiall World was filled with the Ecchoes of their resounding honours So long as they stayed themselves upon these Diamond Rocks of obedience and loyalty their loyalties being ready imbarqued to steere such courses in the streames of fidelity that their Princes and Generalls which were their Consulls should direct and command by which they victoriously not onely conquered their Princes love and affections but withall gayned Cities and Countreys to be in subjection to their Royall Scepter As Italy and the Carthagenians whose conquests made a faire way for sundry other spacious possessions to bee cast into the lappe of Rome they not forsaking their Generalls untill they had gained footing in all quarters of the earth both in Europe Asia and Africa subduing people of all conditions as the Helvetians Germaines Gaules Belgians Swissons Neruijans Sedunians Veragrians Aquittanians and Brittaines So that they made themselves to be admired of the World that with such constancy they should persevere and trample over such eminent dangers wearisome toyles and pinching penuries as there indefatagable constant spirits led them through But at last the pride and ambition of those Cheifes in authority being confultiated and propt up with their infinite treasures and vastnesse of their Territories began to draw a Regency to themselves The heate whereof melted their loyalty and obedience into a Sea of Factions Mutinies and dissentions the Waves and Billowes sometimes flasht and foamed betweene the Nobles and Commons Sometimes the Tribunes swelled over the Bankes and many times the Consulls prevailed So that in Townes and Cities were light Skirmishes The seed of Civill Warre being sowne soone sprung up like an ill weed in fertile ground choaking and extirpating that tender precious Plant of Loyalty they most inhumanely like Beasts of prey conspire the destruction of their valiant Prince they had chose their Generall Caesar which was wrought by degrees through the frets and wounds which they secretly made in the Empire that a dayly falling off from the State was exercised untill Constantines Reigne who neither by Art nor Physicke could keepe it from falling into the Hectick consumption So continuing in a decaying condition until Augustus In whose dayes the whole Monarchie suncke under the burthen of their base disloyalty They not onely slighting such commandments as Authority commended to them but altogether neglected the use of Armes and became most degenerate spirits made up of nothing but Mutinies and perverse courses whereby the Barbarous Nations ad-joyning made use of those times and tooke their fit opportunity with advantage to invade the Romans and brought Italy seven severall times to the brincke of destruction by fire and sword Attila King of the Hunnes spoyled Florence and Lombardy Genserius King of the Vandalls Biergus King of the Lithuani fiftly Goacer King of the Hâ—rulij who drave Augustulus quite out of Italy The Heavens in reward of their disobedience neglects and factions layd the Countrey dessolate twice in thirteene yeares Sixtly by Theodoricus King of the Gothes Seventhly by Gundiball King of the Burgundians hee had the pillaging of all Lombardy and so left it to the Gothes they injoying this perfidious Countrey 17 yeares and had nothing to trouble them but that they were troubled with nothing which caused the Mosse of security to grow on their backes so that pride and riches made them esteeme themselves too great to live under the Rules and Commands prescribed by soveraignty but grew factious and rebellious Whereupon Bellisarius and Narses tooke a faire opportunity to destroy them being a just reward for such mutinous Rebells Likewise in what a blessed estate and happy prosperity did the Subjects of the house of Burgundie live in untill divisions and rebellious thoughts were hatcht and nurtured And though they were a free State of themselves whereby they might have assumed some colour for their detractions and rebellions yet the Heavens would not bee propitious to such monsters who were bound in Allegeance to Lewis the King of France But they slighting that regall bond which men and Angells honour with titles of dignity began to conceive and project how to set a foot divers inovations thinking politiquely the greater part would have sided with them wherby they should have wrung themselves out of their golden fetters of Alleageance which their base mindes delighting in charge esteemed a heavie yoake The Fates would not suffer their expectations to bee answerable to their thoughts and wished desires They having prepared an Army and brought them before Paris their basenesse was repayed with their owne base Coine their owne Souldiers refused to bee subject to their Officers and would not bee commanded by Authority neglected altogether their duties A long peace having worne out the stampe of Mars they were routed and defeated by the King of France suffering the sword to range amongst their Troopes their bloud being the sacrifice which made their new attonement In the Reigne of Henry the First who invaded France and prosecuted Warres many yeares his Subjects and Souldiers being very loyall trusty faithfull and obedient unto him that neither penury nor death could betray their fidelities which they had sworne unto him was the cheife and principall thing adding their vallours which possest him in most of the cheife Cities Forts and Territories in France whereby they had heaped up such infinite store of riches which was the imediate occasion of puffing up his Subjects and Souldiers thinking then most arrogantly their abilities would beare them out to peeke beyond the Piller of obedience although they very well knew it had the Herculian inscription Nil ultra Whereupon the Nobles began to fume and parts taking amongst inferiour Subjects whereby their happie Peace was turned topsie turvey both in France and England so that by degrees that which by their loyalty and vallour they had gained in France now by their basenesse and discords melted away like Ice against the Sunne Then Henry the Sixt Reigned in those critticall dayes when Samsons Foxes had swinged their fiery tayles of dissention about this Kingdome that no security could bee enjoyed neither by Peere nor poore so that this Ratsbane of disloyalty wrought so strongly that the murthering of three of their lawfull Kings was hellishly effected But marke what was their successe The vengeance of Almighty God would not bee appeased untill these abhominable Traitors were scourged with their owne rods They employing their disloyall malicious braines like mad doggs to teare and devoure one the other The chiefe of these Rebels being the Duke of Yorke was slain In battell and his head smitten off all the Nobility of the house of Warwick Somerset were either slaine in these civell broyles or by due course of Law beheaded The Duke of Gloster most inhumanely murthered his Brothers Sonnes to usurpe King Edwards Crowne But was not the Almighty a just avenger yes questionlesse He stirred up a poore prisoner the Earle
of Richmond who had beene in durance in Brittany in France who by poore meanes and altogether unexpectedly was furnished from those parts with ayde to come against England and at his arrivall gave the usurper battell and â—â—ue that bloudy butcher Thus the Almighty avenger rewarded disloyalty stubbing them up roote and branch as Edward at Fourtâ— was constrained to hazzard his Person in sixe or seven bloudy battells to suppresse the distempers of his disobedient Subjects wherein the sword of vengeance cut off most of his Nobility and much of the Comonalty flaine and put to flight Some young Noblemen made an escape into Burgundy thinking to have beene there secured from the fury of Gods revenging sword yet they were deceived for Gods Iustice did not onely prosecute them thither but persecuted them there with overwhelming penury and reduc't them to the greatest exigent of misery that nature could possibly undergoe as was seene by that young Nobleman the Duke of Excester who was constrained by extreame poverty to runne bare-legged up to the ancles in durt after the Duke of Burgundies trayne begging an Almes for Christs sake The serious contemplation of this very one thing a man would thinke should make the haire of a disloyall treacherous hel-hound to stand upright and that it should bee a president of matchlesse misery for such future times wherein such Vultures and Bafilisks and Cockatriâ—es should bee hatcht in for did these devouring Dragons consider how in all ages God by his mighty Arme in a transcendent way hath used the heighth of severity against such delinquents they would not dare to harbour the least thought of disloyalty no not in thâ—ir seeretst Closets fearing least the Birds of the Ayre should reveale it for God will have Subjects know how hee is interrested and stands ingaged to defend the right of Supreame authority with his right Arme establishing and supporting such Lawes and Edicts as the Royall Majesty of a King shall constitute being lawfully grounded upon the Lawes of God of Nature and Nations Kings Prerogatives must and will swimme above the infectious distempers of seditious Subjects like the precious oyle over the billowes of putrified waters and as one truely sayes Lex est Sanctio Sancta Jubens honesta prohibens contraria had wisdome beene the guide to those geare-braynd transgressours they would have had a respect to the end whereas their fancie extended no farther then the begining for had they fixed one eye upon the act which is both in the sight of God and man detestable and the other eye upon the consequence which determines their owne confusion They would have prized obedience and loyalty although a severe government had beene exercised over them as the most soveraigne preservative against all mortall infections that might betide a Kingdome either in Warre and Peace But as Salust well observed Illis quieta movere magna merces videbatur the basenesse of people is such that they thinke the very disturbances of things established to bee a hire sufficient to set them on worke and as in times of Pestilence all diseases turne to the Plague so in generall discontents all turnes to Mutinies Tumults and Rebellions And this is the Sun-shine wherein an Enemy desires to make his Hay in and they expect the best crop when their labour and tillage hath made fit to receive the seeds of Sedition and strifes wherein they spare no cost in manuring such persons with great summes as they shall finde fit and tractable for their purposes for neither gifts nor promises of honours and preferment shall bee wanting to accomplish their ends as was well seene by Barnavelt who was an Annuall Pentioner to the Court of Spaine whose deeds and projects are yet fresh in memory How had they seduc't those monsters of Men by their gifts and promises to the subversion and cloudie destruction of State King and Nobles had not God beene propitious to our Land by a miraculous discovery which sutes with that of the Prophet Daniell There is a God in Heaven sayes hee which revealeth secrets and maketh knowne to the King what shall bee How had Lewis the Eleventh of France wound in divers of the chiefe Subjects of King Edward of England to bee his Pentioners hee distributed 16000 Crownes a yeare amongst them The chiefe whereof was the Lord Chancellor the Master of the Roules the Lord Chamberlaine c. These were to disswade the King from assisting the young Lady of Burgundy and likewise when any Ambassage came they were to set it forwards Though these things might seeme tollerable yet few Kings would like such familiarity though a wise Statesman may performe wonderfull good service to his King by being inward with the Estates of another kingdome but there must bee a great deale of grace and honesty to the ground-worke for a King and State to build their confidence upon In all the Histories that either I have heard or read either divine or prophane those Subjects never escaped unpunished which had maliciously and wrongfully perpetrated any disloyalty to their Soveraign nay not amongst barbarous Nations much rather Gods correcting hand will bee knowne amongst Christians but that either they have perisht before the act of their conspiracy or in the act or after the act The holy Scriptures make mention of divers punishments inflicted upon the Israelitish Forces for their Murmurings Mutinies and disobediences committed against their chiefe Generall Moses Divines distinguish obedience in a double respect as filiall and legall which holds good in the dutie of a subject to his Soveraigne or to such as he shall constitute over us in the managing of publike affaires and I hope none are so devoide of reason but will submit to what Soveraigntie shall lawfully injoyne in regard punishment attends in a readinesse to be put in execution But those are a degree neerer who weare the true character of obedience wrapt up in a tender loving heart fearing to displease because love injoynes them to obey and the frownes of their Soveraigne are like needles at their hearts ever pricking untill the sunshine of his favour bee regained This was the obedience and loyaltie the antient Romans honoured their Senators withall for their loves did flow in a freer current then their Lawes and Edicts did injoyne they were prodigall in bestowing their lives and goods when Authoritie commanded in their Countreyes behalfe How famous was Artillus Regâ—â—us that noble Consull of Rome being taken prisoner by the Carthaginiaâ—s and by them sent home to redeeme divers of their Captaines which the Romans had in custodie Hee made a learned Oration to the Senat letting them understand that hee was old and worne out with yeares and that his zeale for the good of his Countrey was such that he would not admit of the sending backe those able Carthaginian Officers who might doe much harme to Rome but would rather returne backe and suffer a cruell death with his enemies Further in the
same Warres which the Romans managed against the Carthaginians by the unexpertnesse of the Generall their whole Navy was overthrowne yet the wonderfull love and loyaltie of the Commons freely demonstrating their sincerity and obedience as a rule for Subjects in future ages at their owne proper costs and charges built a new Fleete in all points fit for service I would this age wherein we live were so mindfull of their loyalties and obedience and not to mutter and repine when Authority justly commands such a poore thing as an Annuall stipend for the setting forth a Navy for the honour and safetie of our Kingdome The Netherlanders are to bee admired and commended for setting their loves afloate above their Lawes daily tendering their lives and goods in doing their States service they are so free from grumbling or having any seditious thoughts or actions that even voluntarily they condescend to pay an Impost out of their Meates and Drinkes towards the maintenance of their Warres besides their patience in induring their goods many times taken and their houses ruined by Souldiers they are so farre from repining that they thinke all well bestowed that tends to the publike good they banish desire and will not acknowledge it an act of their obedience the property thereof being only to looke at things to come but rather ground their actions upon Love which points at things present Wee can protest we desire his Majesties wants were supplyed but where is the love that should command our purse-string I say no more let every obstinate fellow blush and see if his desires without performance can command the advise and costly Drugges from his learned Physitian for the prevention of some eminent sicknesse which the Physitian by his wisedome and skill foresees that without speedy prevention will prove an incurable destruction to his body let him rest upon it that hath a desire that either his body or his estate should languish Let us but take a further survey of this dutie of obedience and you shall find it defective where feare only bindes and love doth not joyne with it Triplex amor as Scholers define it Emanans imperatus elicitus Naturall love all sensitive creatures participate in being led by an instinct to their objects there being a kind of necessitie inforcing as the Pismires love and care is to provide in Summer against Winter Even so Man in the same kind guided by certaine reasons is by love transported to his object Commanding love is when firme reasons demonstrate some good thing fit to be beloved and then our wills command us to affect the same Free love is when the affections makes choyce of some good thing of excellent qualitie freely and in contemplation of the goodnesse and priviledges that is thereby injoyed drives the spectators into admiration and the circumstances that attend the actions and demeanours of the object begets his free love and the prosperitie and welfare that it is possest withall satisfieth the whole desires Naturall love seekes only its owne profit but that is not here meant nor commendable in a Subject when he loves his Prince only for the quiet gaining or enjoying of gooods in this a Prince is not really to returne love againe Secondly when a Subjects will and affections commands love for by-respects and â—inister ends as to be favoured in wicked and impious courses this of all the rest is not to be respected but utterly rejected The third kind of Love is the true root from Whence Loyaltie and obedience springs and that is pure without by-aymes or ends of an enargeticall and working quality ever seeking and working such things as may bring Honour and safetie to their Prince and State Nam anima magis est ubi amat quam ubi animat The members of a Common-wealth should take instructions from the Philosophers who hold that the Parts love the beeing of the whole better then it selfe As for example the water being but the fourth part of the Elements that the great World is compounded of ascends up to the ayre that there should not be a Vaccuum or emptinesse in the universe for the Elements touch one the other as may be further proved by a small-mouthed glasse the water contrary to the nature of it runneth up to the ayre as it is pouring out that there may not be a voide place it preferres the good of the whole to its owne proper Center and so in the little world Man when occasion of danger is offered the hand is ever ready to defend and preserve the head Even so ready bent and prest should every member of a body politique be to defend and preserve their Prince and State and to administer such helps as his necessities require with a free consent he being our head and all in all to us we should and are bound in dutie to hazard all for him For if we consider the large commission which Almighty God hath beene pleased to give to his Vice-Roys upon earth and in such a copious manner estated them in their thrones of Regencie that the sonnes of men never had the like priviledges as may bee seene by the large Commission granted to Moses his chiefe and Generall over his peculiar people where God commands him to make him a Trumpet of silver to assemble the people and to remove the Campe It was a thing of such great importance that in the infancy of the world God himselfe did immediatly by his owne mouth assemble the Congregations and directed them how when and where to incampe limitting the times of their removals But after he had made choyce of a chiefe to be his Generall over the people he committed his care and his office of command over to Moses and left him ample power to goe in and out before his people as formerly hee himselfe had done and to take and claime such priviledges as are due from inferiours to a Majestie Which made our Saviour Christ very forward for examples sake to worke a Miracle rather then he would stand in contention with Caesar he would disburse for himselfe and his friend although he might have pleaded his freedome as being a man free-borne or might have claimed the due to himselfe as being King of Kings but he well knew affaires of importancy belonging to a State could not be compassed without daily revenewes this made him so willingly pay his tribute which the wisedome of Caesar had imposed upon his Subjects for the securing of his kingdome and especially in times of warre as our Saviour Christ drawing a Parable from the chargeablenesse and dangerousnesse of it wished a King first to sit downe and count before he entertaines warre Whether his power and abilitie that is to be understood not only the quantitie of armed men but the qualitie to sustaine them with which is Money Munition and Victuals and these are to bee derived from the inferiour members as they may well be paralelled to the rootes of a high spreading Ceder which
as may bee manifested by the overthrow of the Duke of Brunswickes Army who were knowne to bee very valiant and had so declared and manifested themselves in divers bloudy skirmishes and principally in a battell fought against Seignior Tilly where he had all the advantage both in force and place yet most valiantly the Duke forced a way thorow the enemies Army the greatest losse to himselfe was only the losse of his hand yet these brave Souldiers not long after were routed and ruined by a few base countrey Bores joyned with a few Souldiers which were privatly drawne out of the adjacent Townes to hinder the Enemies pillaging these in the dead time of the night found sufficient advantage to set their base mettall a worke the Brunswickians being confusedly quartered and their guards neglected upon a plaine neere Brafford in Gelderland so as the divisions could not have the priviledge to draw themselves into order of Battell to make their resistance for I dare then say those Grollians and Bores would have fled at the first charge like Sheepe from Wolves True valour is of the nature of perfect coyne which goes currant in all places without contradiction and dares indure the touchstone when as seeming hardinesse like base mettall will not indure the tryall nor passe currant in valuation yet happily it may to the view seeme very splendant as courage raised by the spirits of Wine may seeme more headstrong and violent as one truly tearmes it a madnesse or a worth out of the wits then the true valour which goes upon the feet of judgement and resolution yet it will be nipt in the bud and fall before the fruit be mature when as true hardyâ—Souldiers well exercised and acquainted with dangers feare them not Neglecto periculo iminentis mali opus ipsum quantumvis difficile agrediuntur They goe about the businesse it selfe how hard soever it be although they consider the danger with the mischiefe over their heads it may probably bring which would distract a Coward A Souldier must be so qualified that adversity must not lessen his courage nor prosperity his circumspection our English in former Ages have beene esteemed the best tempered mettals transcending other Nations of the world for true valour and expertnesse in the use of Armes whereby they have atchieved great victories as in the Battell of Poictiers where the French had all advantage against the Blacke-Prince both in number force shew Country and conceit with the chiefe strength of the Horse of his Kingdome which were esteemed the best in Europe assisted with the greatest and wisest Captaines of his Realme so that the French Army consisted of 40000. men well appointed and expert Warriours nothing wanting in them but the golden spirits of our English whose Army consisted but of 8000. men overthrew the French Army and tooke their King Prisoner The like difference of worth in Souldiers was manifestly seene at the Battaile fought by the Estates of the Netherlands and the Archdukes forces neare Newport in Flanders where our English did workes of Supererogation by the prudency and valour of the Veres with a handfull of disbanded men routed the Battalia's of the Enemy and redeemed the victory lost of their owne side snatching it out of their Enemies hands when in the judgement of all men it was lost And that incredible animosity and courage of a poore handfull of Souldiers which attended Charles King of France in his junenesse unto the Warres which he intended in Italy after the sacking of divers Townes there he marcht with his Army to the Gates of Rome and entering a breach in the Wall drove the inhabitants to such perplexities that the Pope gladly condiscended to any conditions which they should propound so as the World did admire their valour wondring to see that no opposition could withstand their warlike hands so that Kingdomes trembled to see with what facility they suodued in all places Alphonso understanding this Army approacht neere Naples feare so farre possest him that he crowned his Sonne Ferand thinking that he more valiantly would have defended his Country for his owne security he fled into Sicily being indeed toucht in his conscience for his abhominable wickednesse but no sooner were the French arrived at the Ports of Naples but the sheepish Neopolitans durst not once offer a repulse but yeelded themselves with their Kingdome to his mercy where he was crowned King of Naples By these examples we may see the wonderfull difference betwixt an inbred naturall valour and a forc'd made hardinesse As there is a vertue in the Load-stone to draw Iron or Steele to it the vertue not extending to other mettals of the same nature is Valour which in a valiant Commander will draw all his Captaines Officers and common-Souldiers to step the same paces to gaine honour and renowne so that they will follow him in all desperate attempts if they have the least graine of steele in them which being wanting all the policy in the world is in vaine to seduce or draw them to any performances but like Leade before other mettals when it comes to the fire of tryall will soonest melt and runne As much may be sayd of an Effeminate Commander whose mettall is no better than the Minerall which Saturne ingenders if he be infected with the Pestilent disease of Cowardise all his Souldiers under his command will soone be infected and participate in his running fore before his begin to rise Souldiers are very superstitious dreaming there is more worth and wisedome in a Commander than many times is found and when they perceive timerosity doubts and no apt performances in him they conceit some strange effects are approaching that may tend to their confusion and so like valiant Cravens bethinke themselves best how to be secured reposing more confidence in one paire of Wings than in two paire of clawes as was well observed by the Battell betweene Poâ—â—bus Diazius a famous Leader of the Portugals and Alvara King of Congo who had in his Army 1200000. Souldiers who by the poore spirits of their Commanders were so astonisht not daring to maintaine the ground they stood on were utterly ruin'd by a handfull of Portugals Caesar one of our Schoole-masters in the Rudiments of Warre was not ignorant of the strange effects that the worth of a Commander begets in a Souldier and what poore Spirits and agast countenances are bred by the sickly courages of Commanders which made him haste to the Sea-coast understanding his Navie was assaulted by Achillis as it lay at Anchor by Pharas in Egipt over against Alexandria he being intercepted of his passage by the Egiptians was compelled to leape into the Sea swimming for his life divers times being constrained to dive into the water to preserve himselfe from their Darts with much difficulty and danger arrived at his ships whose presence with his valourous animating of his Souldiers got the victory which otherwise had beene doubtfull Likewise to confirme the base impression of
imitate the worthes and valours of former Ages who pluckt out their Calvish hearts and infused the spirits of Lions into themselves whereby they accomplisht deeds which merrited wonder and the rather the more to bee admired because of their meane breeding and simple parentage which could not afford them education As we finde it recorded in holy Writ David Saul Gideon of meane parentage brought up in rurall affaires one keeping Sheepe the other Asses the last with his Flayle yet when they assumed the countenance and spirits of the Valiant what wonders they wrought and with what honours were they dignified the dangerous't enterprises that ever happened in their times they feared not to attempt which was the stirrope that elevated them into there Thrones of highest dignity Likewise we finde in Histories what admirable parts men of meane parentage have attained unto and what Warlike wonders they have wrought As Achilles the Sonne of Aeacus was a long time hid under the garments of a Woman amongst the daughters of Licomedes yet afterwards his spirit aspired so high that hee concluded the Trojans greatnesse and overthrew their Citty from the toppe to the bottome Galerius Maximianus borne and bred up basely wherefore he was termed Armentarius because hee was a Neat-heards Sonne hee grew very fortunate in the Warres being indued with great valour and courage was after for his deserts made Emperour Iustia was first a Swine-heard afterwards a Cow-heard next a Carpenter a common Souldier a Captaine and by his conquests which he obtained by his valour was made Emperour Pompienus Maximus Sonne to a Smith gave himselfe to vertue and Millitary services proving fortunate against the Polonians and Germanes in divers valiant Conquests was after created Emperour of Italy Also Maximinus a silly Shepheard at his first inition into the Warres behaved himselfe so honourably that he was by the Souldiers made Emperour It is wonderfull remarkable what strange adventures the worth and valour of men have spurred them unto to undertake for their Countryes good and their immortall honours It were worth the observation if one of a thousand in these our dayes would endeavour to performe the like either for their private or popular good As the Phileni did for the Carthagenians who were in controversie with the Cyrenians about the bounds of their Territories They being willing to end the quarrell chose certaine men of either City that should set out at one instant and where they met there the confines should determine These Phileni being swift of foot got farre into the Countrey of Cyrene before they were met whereupon the Cyrenians being inraged wisht them either to returne backe into their Countrey or dye on the place the valiant young men preferring the common good before private safety accepted to bee slaine That Reverent Fether of the Church Swinglius a man not onely indued with divine knowledge but great learning thought it a dishonour to him to withdraw his hands from the Warres for his Countryes good and the rather because hee had incited others to be valiant in their Countryes behalfe and to spend their bloud in the defence of it was himselfe the formost man in the Battell fought neere Zurich in Helvetia where by his eager valour pressing upon all disadvantages hee was slaine Many Divines of our Age are not of that temper but had rather appropriate some strange irregular wayes to themselves whereby contentions and factions may breed at home amongst their brethren then to exhort men to doe their Couutrey service but by their detractions rather diswade them then stretch out their owne hands or hazard their bodies for the good of their King and Countrey for we are growne so farre from incouraging one th' other to follow the Warres or to distribute any maintenance towards them that wee altogether discourage those that would venter their Purses and hazard their bodyes for the good of their Countrey But we may learne of that ever renowned Lady Tiphania Wife to Bertran du Guesâ—lin and let her bee the patterne to all such detractors which seeke to deterre men from their due service and honourable performances This Warlike knight renowned in divers Histories for his worthy enterprises espoused himselfe to this fayre Lady of a noble Family his fame and honour being one chiefe cause she setled her affections perceiving shee by her amorous courses did withdraw his spirits and love from following the Warres whereby his honour began to diminish shee gently reproved him as hee was courting of her and blamed him for effeminizing himselfe and leaving the Warres whereby formerly hee had atchieved his greatest reputation and that it neither suted with the nature of valour nor duty of a true Gentleman to lose the least repute of honour wone before by over much affecting his new made choice as for my part quoth shee I ought to shine by the bright radience of your splendent fame and shall thinke my selfe too much dejected if you doe not prosecute so honourable a course begun and loose your spirits in doting on love These her noble and wise corrections did so neere touch and trench upon the knights worth and valour that hee re-assumed a Warlike course presenting his body against the hottest assaults that ever our English Nation tendred to the Kingdome of France he fought against Edward called the blacke Prince Hee restored Henry the eleventh king of Castile in his Kingdome maugre the English Forces hee was after made Constable of France and highly indeered unto Charles the Fifth I could gladly wish all Ladies and Gentlewomen of so noble a temper esteeming no honour to the fame purchast by Warlike actions and instead of their teares and fond embraces to rouze their noble Husbands to prosecute the use of Armes as the brave spirited women of former ages have done and for an example of their worths it is recorded in History how the Women of Aquilegia a City in Italy did so animate and assist their Husbands and other Souldiers being beleaguered by Maximinus that when their Bowstrings fayled they cut the haire of their heads and made them new strings all other materialls being spent whereby they preserved their Citty and confounded their Enemies to their never dying honours I hope I have sayd sufficient concerning this subject and I take it for granted that all mens spirits have taken this Cordiall of valour so that now it stands requisite we should give some Rules how and when wee should set our Valours a broach and when to refraine First when two Armies are dayly in readinesse to give Battell there are three principall things to bee considered as namely if wee shall gaine lesse profit by the Victory then wee may feare detriment if wee should suffer an overthrow upon this occasion we are to forbeare and Souldiers must not construe it as a trick of cowardize To give you an example of the Duke of Guise when hee invaded the Kingdome of Naples the Duke of Alva had beene unwise if hee
Army is departed they should come to the River and lay over their Bridges and strongly fortifie it the Enemy seeing the full number of Troopes and Colours will not mistrust any thing but will march on to prevent their going over as before they were accustomed those in ambush seeing the Coast cleere having finished their workes the Army hath stolne backe againe and marched over without danger or resistance CHAP. CLXXVIII A Politique Stratagem used by the Duke Bernhard of Saxon-Weymar whereby he surprised the strong Towne of Manheim in the Pallatinate DVke Bernhard of Saxon-Weymar by a Stratagem surprized the Towne of Manheim being the strongest in all the Pallatinate seated upon the River Rhine where the River Nekar flowes into it he marches towards the Towne with five hundred men ordering his men so that he might reach the Towne the next Morne an houre or two before day so soone as he approached sent word to the Governour that he was a Commander of a Towne of their side and named his name accordingly and that having beene out upon a Partee that night was by the Enemy beaten in thither for his refuge and that the Swedes were ready to fall upon the Reare of his Troopes hee earnestly desired to be let in with all expedition The Governor giving â—redence to his feigned tale opened the Ports and gave him free passage into the Towne whereby he tooke occasion to cut off the Guards and slew three hundred of the Garrison and tooke Maravelli the Governour and his Lieutenant Prisoners and injoyed the Towne which by force could not have beene taken without a long Siege CHAP. CLXXIX A Politique Stratagem used by Alexander whereby he forced his Enemy from a Passage which by strength he could not have ganed ALexander in the Warres against Darius was prevented by Bessius who had gotten the advantage of a streight Passage over a high Rocke which constrained Alexander to make use of a Stratagem he having the opportunity of a mighty windy day stackt upon a heape a huge pile or Wood and brush Fagots and setting it on fire the Winde carried the Coles Flame and Smoke so strongly in the face of the Enemy that they were glad to quit the place which otherwise would have beene impossible for his Army to have done in regard of the disadvantage of the place CHAP. CLXXX How Scipio by his Justice and chaste carriage towards a faire Lady which he had taken Prisoner wonne the hearts of his Enemies IVstice and Chastitie winnes the heart of an Enemy more than any policie else that may be devised as by the example of Scipio in Spaine where he rendred a young Lady very beautifull to her Father and Husband without offering her any discourtesie which made him winne more Cities and Townes in Spaine than formerly he could doe with his potent Army Likewise Caesar in his Warres in France caused the Timber and such necessaries to bee payed for which he used to make the Lists about his Army whereby he got such a name of Iustice that the Conquest of that Province was obtained with ease CHAP. CLXXXI A Politique answer of Alexander the Great unto certaine malicious Enemies and his wise devise to gaine their love ALexander the Great was solicited to take a strict revenge of Arcadian and Nicanor who had used evill speeches of Philip of Macedon father in Law to Alexander and that they conceived them for those affronts to be highly worthy of death to whom Alexander most politiquely and wisely answered that first it was to be considered whether the fault lay in them that used the abusive language or in King Philip Secondly that it lyes in the power of every man to be well spoken of if he will indeavour it which indeed proved so for after King Philip releeved their necessities there were none in the Kingdome did him more honour and truer service than they did in all the time of his Warres CHAP. CLXXXII A politique course used by Tamberlaine in his warres whereby hee gained speedy Conquests TAmberlaine the Great in all his Warres used his Enemies to three Banners the first day hee set up a white Flagge signifying favour and mercy if they yeelded immediatly The second day a Red Banner betokening bloud and losse of lives The third day a blacke Banner in token of the utter subversion of Cities or Townes burning them to asâ—es by this Policy hee made the world tremble to withstand his first Summons for hee never granted pardon after the first refusall whereby hee conquered with small paines or effuâ—ion of bloud CHAP. CLXXXIII A Policie used by King Edward the Fourth to suppresse his Rebels which otherwise had hazarded the ruine of his Kingdome THe Earle of Warwicke by the instigations of the Duke of Clarence who was Brother to King Edward the Fourth of England plotted a Rebellion in the North. The King perceiving the eminent danger that hee was like to hazard thought it great wisedome to grant his gracious Pardon to bee proclaimed unto all such as would lay downe their Armes and come in whereupon the Rebells considering the present danger they were in made the greatest part of them bethinke themselves that the safest course was to accept of this gracious offer and not to runne a double hazard whereupon they came in and acknowledged their hainous offences desiring to have his Majesties favour renewed CHAP. CLXXXIIII A Politique devise used by William Rufus to get Moneyes KIng Williaw Rufus had long wars in France which had much impoverished him and being brought into a great straite for lacke of Moneys he devised a Politique way to helpe himselfe by levying twenty thousand Souldiers being men of good ranke and fashion to be conducted into Normandy to ayde him against France who being in their March towards the Coasts side and ready to bee imbarqued it was signified unto them from the King that as well for their particular safeties as also for not disfurnishing the Realme of strength whosoever would pay ten shillings towards the levying of Souldiers in Normandy hee might be excused and stay at home the which favour they generally imbraced and willingly paid every man his stipend by this devise he gained 10000 pounds CHAP. CLXXXV A Politique course to keepe a new Conquered people from Innovations and Rebellions _â—Here a Conquest hath newly beene either in a Kingdome City or Towne the best way to prevent the people from inventing Rebellions and Innovations is to impoverish them so as they shall have no leisure noâ— meanes to put any mischiefe in practise for busying themselves in getting their livelyhood CHAP. CLXXXVI A politique way to stay Mutines in an Army and to cut off the chiefe Author without running a hazard WHen Mutines are a broaching a Generall must bee wise and circumspect in applying himselfe to appeale them and first to sever the Confederates in dividing them and breaking their Faction whereby to defeat it for if the Authors of it bee of any great command or
men of quality and that the originall proceeds from discontents and that they have drawne a strong party to side with them whereby the Lawes of the Field cannot take place without running a hazard to the whole Army then the best way is to deale mildly with them using faire tearmes and promises willingly condescending to such requests as shall bee by them desired dealing privately with some particular men and sometimes with many together and eft-soone filling them with promises and hopes using pensive yet vehement words which may induce them to beleeve that they proceed not from any dissembling intents and so by degrees prevaile to cut off the principall heads and then the rest of the body will soone fall off of it selfe CHAP. CLXXXVII A Policy used by King William to Malcolme King of Scotland who had invaded this Land thinking to gaine his peace hee would have yeelded to any Conditions KIng William the Second having weakened his Army by his great Wars in France Malcolme King of Scotland perceiving what broyles and Contentions this poore King was hemmed in withall tooke his opportunity to make use of it and with his Army invades England considering the Premisses he thought to bring King William to what tearmes of Peace he should desire and that in regard of his great losses hee would be very moderate in demanding any Articles from the King of Scotland this Project being brought to the upshot King William shewed himselfe more resolute then ever â—efore in his prosperity affirming in high tearmes that hee scorned to yeeld to any difficulties Whereupon Malcolme conjecturing that such a high confidence could not bee without good grounds he consented to any Condition that King William did desire CHAP. CLXXXVIII Politique Observations in a Confederate Warre THat Army which intends to invade an Enemy the strength whereof consists of divers Confederates the Service which is to be expected must be speedily done for in a short time such an Army will fall into divers inconveniences as either a dissipation and dissolvement or else fall into a confusion in regard of great difficulties that will arise and Straites that they must bee exposed unto especially being farre remote from succour and releefe or hardly to be releeved whereas the Enemy being in his owne Land at hand may have speedy supplyes both of Men and Amunition as by the example of Robert Duke of Normandy eldest Brother to King William who with divers other Princes of Europe had surprized Ierusalem and divers other Cities yet soone â—ell at oddes and were dissipated CHAP. CLXXXIX A policie used by the Governour of Croizon to make his cowardly Soldiers fight CRoyzon being besieged by Generall Norrice the Governour of the Fort seeing his Souldiers faint in the defence thereof wherfore to prevent it all that did play the Cowards or that did speake of yeelding hee caused to bee chained to a post set in some breach with his weapons in his hand to defend himselfe and it By this device the rest of their fellow Souldiers would rather venture their persons honourably then to be compelled with a greater danger dishonourably CHAP. CXC A Policie used by Generals to beguile hunger in a straight besieged Towne THe People of Lydia were the first that invented Games as Dice Cardes Chesse and the like necessity and hunger forcing them unto it according to that of Persius Artis Magister ingenijque Largitor venter For being sorely vext with famine in the time of Atis one of the Progenitors of Omphale they used every second day by playing at these Games to beguile their hungry bellies thus for 22 yeares they continued playing and eating by turnes CHAP. CXC A politique Stratagem practised by the Governour of Berghen against the Prince of Parma's Forces by which he destroyed divers of them and preserved the Towne from surprizing THe Prince of Parma bringing a mighty Army before Berghen-opzome the Governour made choyce of two English men who in former time had beene the Dukes prisoners to steale to the Dukes Campe to let him understand that the strength of the Towne was most English and that for divers discontents they were ready to mutinie and that if it pleased him hee could infect some chiefe Captaines that should command the principall Guards to give way for his entrance into the Towne and that the Governour should not mistrust any treachery they would onely shoot pouder at them in their Ordnance and Musquets without Bullets and that at such a night hee should not faile of his enterprise and for the better assurance one of those English-men was to be left in hostage to be slaine if they did not really effect it whereupon the Prince gave them large gifts with great promises of future preferment The signe being given that the Duke should come with his Army the English Hostage was bound hand and foot and for their better security was carried in the Front of the Army that if any treason should be he might be the first should suffer so finding the Ports open and the Pieces discharged onely with powder made them come flocking upon the Bridge but so soone as the formost was entred with the English Gentleman that was their Hostage the Lord Willoughby let downe the Port-cullisses and being ready with the whole strength of the Towne gave them such a Volley both of great and small Shot that they slew and drowned many hundreds This Project caused Parma to raise his Siege from before Berghen CHAP. CXCII A Politique Observation for a Generall if he feares the strength of his Enemies Battell to march from him by night OVr famous Generals used this Observation in their Warres Si pauci necessario cum multitudine pugnare cogantur consilium est noctis tempore Bellifortâ—â—â—â—tentare CHAP. CXCIII A Politique Stratagem whereby the King of Naples regained the possession of a City and Castle formerly lost to the King of France FErand King of Naples having lost his Kingdome to the King of France he understood the King of France had fought a great Battell with the Venetians and Millaâ—â—ys at Fernon conjectured with himselfe how by a wile to repossesse himselfe of the Castle in the City of Naples to which end having got some few Troopes in armes march'd towards the Citie and sent a Nuntio to the Governour to let him understand that their King was slaine and the Army discomfited and if they would yeild up the possession of the Castle they should have good quarter but if they did withstand this faire proâ—â—er they should expect nothing but utter confusion whereupon they being at a stand and hearing of a truth that such a Battell was fought but no certaine newes of the event made them give credit to the King of Naples his report and fearing the worst yeelded the City and Castle which occasioned the losse of the Realme CHAP. CXCIV A Politike Stratagem used by Nauplius the Father of Palamedes whereby he destroyed 200 of the Graecians ships as they came for the Island