King doth keepe in his seruice or the greatest part of them What good order then may be taken in this matter Certainly my Lord you will aunswere me none but who would haue simple and plaine men so that they were the Kings subiects whom it were farre better to take into seruice supposing that they were leuied and chosen as appertaineth albeit that they neuer had been at any seruice and that they do come but from houlding of the plough then those that had long time exercised the occupation of armes although they be alswell experimented as they might be so that they were otherwise ill conditioned for that you shall finde that it is easier to make simple and newe men good Souldiers then it is to bring the wicked to good waies after that they are once gone astray It is not then without cause that I praise the leuie of those that may bée made good Souldiers with little difficultie and that I crye against those which are so excéeding wicked that there is not almost any remedie to amend them And therefore it were not conuenient that my sayings should be dispraised nor condemned if I haue spoken against the wicked for my meaning was to prick them only and no others nor it were no reason that I should bee reproued although I haue blamed the manner that wee do vse in leuying Aduenturers for I haue not done it before I had iustly praised to weet whether the Legionaries or the said voluntaries were better nor before regard taken diligently vnto the profite that may come of the one vnto the inconueniences and euils of which the others are commonly causers for if I had made any comparison on mine owne side I would neuer bee so rash as to put it to iudgement as I do But bee it that those that doe maintaine their part should finde mine opinion euill and the libertie I haue vsed in speaking yet will I not therefore leaue to exhort al those that vse the warres and doe delight to haue the title of Aduenturers that they should chaunge for some other maner that should be better then that which we haue handled hetherto and that of euill liuers as we are euery man should bestowe his labour to become a man of good life and if wee haue béen inexpert in the feates of armes heretofore let vs endeuour to reforme our selues hereafter in such sort that the King seeing vs to bee well conditioned and perfect good Souldiers may thinke himselfe happie specially finding such Souldiers to be in his realme that our enemies or neighbours who daylie raunsack vs being aduertised of our valour should make greater difficultie to mooue warre against the sayd Lord to morrowe or next day then they are accustomed or to hould themselues at too high a price if he had need of the ayd of his sayd neighbours knowing how much we do excell them in vertue and discipline Here endeth the third and last Booke FINIS THE PRACTISE of Fortification Wherein is shewed the manner of fortifying in all sorts of scituations with the considerations to be vsed in delining and making of royal Frontiers Skonces and renforcing of ould walled Townes Compiled in a most easie and compendious method by Paule Iue Gent. Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man and Toby Cooke 1589. To the Right Honorable Sir William Brooke of the most noble order of the Garter Knight Lord Cobham Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and their members of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsaile and Lord Lieutenant of the Countie of Kent And vnto the Right Honorable Sir Frauncis Walsingham Knight principall Secretarie to her Maiestie Chancelor of the Dutchie of Lancaster and of her Highnesse most honorable priuie Counsaile THe manifold benefites that I haue receiued at your Honors hands since my returne into England haue enforced me to seeke some meanes whereby J might make known my thankfulnes for the same And finding nothing more agreeable vnto your Honorable cares in the seruice of her Maiestie wherein I might do you more humble seruice then in the practise of Fortification hauing had sight therein since the view taken by the Marques Vitell for the oppressing of the Lowe Countries with the yoke of Citadels and exercise sithence Don Johns departing from Bruxels vnto Namure which practise although it be not so common amongst vs or of some thought altogether so necessary for vs as for the nations whose countries do lie adioyning together where an enemie may enter with a great number of horse men vpon the sodaine yet is the knowledge necessarie that when the practise should bee put in execution in the seruice of her Maiestie that perfection might be efected that might do her Highnesse seruice And therfore I haue compiled this little treatise of the practise of Fortification which J most humbly present vnto your Honors beseeching you to receiue it as a most humble token of the desire J haue to do you seruice Your Honors most humblie readie at commaundement Paule Iue The Practise of Fortification The necessary placing of a Forte The 1. Chapter THE reason that moued men first to enclose their Cities and other habitations with walles was to be assured from enemies and that a small number might defende themselues from the violence and oppressions of a great wherein their first practise extended no farther then the preseruation of priuate estates vntill such time as it was considered that not only perticuler places but also the generall estate of a Kingdome Prouince or Countrey might be defended by placing of walled Townes Castels and Fortresses vpon the edge and borders of the same of such sufficient strength and greatnesse as that in time of peace they might be kept with a fewe men and vppon a surmize of warre receiue a greater number by whome the enemye borderer should not only be anoyed in his Countrey and hindered to enter vppon the lands of his neighbours so frontierd with any small power vpon the suddaine but bringing any great army be constrained not to passe the Fort without subduing it for auoiding the great mischiefe he might receiue of so noysome an enemy left behinde him which to inuade would aske great charge time and trauell besides the danger that might happen In placing of which Fortresses two things are chiefely to be considered of the necessitie and the scituation for as a Forte not placed where it were néedefull might skantly be accompted for frontier so hauing no benefit of the place it standeth in it might hardly be reckoned for fortresse so that the one must helpe the other to the best effect that may be A Fort therefore that shall serue for a frontier must bée set néere the walled Townes Castels and frontiers of the enemy borderer or néere other places where an enemy may make any suddaine assembly of people in hys Countrey hauing the way from thence commodious to enter vppon the lands of his neighbours and the retreate good and vppon the Seacoasts
Instructions for the warres Amply learnedly and politiquely discoursing the method of Militarie Discipline Originally written in French by that rare and worthy Generall Monsieur William de Bellay Lord of Langey Knight of the order of Fraunce and the Kings Lieutenant in Thurin Translated by Paule Iue Gent. AT LONDON Printed for Thomas Man and Tobie Cooke 1589. ⧠TO THE RIGHT HOnorable William Dauison Esquier one of her Maiesties principall Secretaries and of hir Highnesse most Honourable priuie Councell HAuing deuested out of his French attyre this learned and martiall woorke of that famous and experienced Captaine Mounsieur de Bellay the attempting and perfourming whereof beeing by mee taken in hand through the commaundement and cheerefull encouragement of your Honour I thought my selfe tyed by dutie to present you with the rype croppe of that reaped graine which by your owne good direction was sowen and manured Yea a point of vnpardonable ingratitude might it bee noted in me if that which was hatched vnder the shelter of your fouourable protection and deliuered vnto mee by your Honours own hands to be translated for the benefit of your louing countrymen whose weale you haue alwaies most carefully respected should now as a fugitiue runne away from your Honour else-where to seeke anye other maister friend or patrone Acknowledge therefore I most humbly beseech you your owne and vouchsafe fauourablie to accept my poore selfe and these my simple trauels heerein imployed according vnto the generositie of your worthie minde As I during life shall remaine a daylye petitioner vnto the Almightie for his graces bountifully to bee powred vpon you to the aduancement of his glory the benefit of your countrie and your owne comfort Your Honours most humblie readie to doe you seruice Paule Iue To all Gentlemen Souldiers and others the Readers of this Booke A Lawfull vse of Armes there is a time of wreckfull warre When Countries cause dooth craue defence from force of forren iarre Els should we not our liues our Wiues our Babes ne goods enioye From rampaunt clawe of greedie Gull that thirsts for our annoye And Prince might seeme in vaine to sway the Sword and regall Mace If that hee should not curbe the rage of foes deuoid of grace Let vs therefore in egall Skales all circumstances waye Why when where how vnder whom wee dinting Sword assaye And wee shall finde in sacred lore how warre from God aboue Good warrant hath who dooth the same by sundrie texts approoue The Israelites great slaughter made Num. 31. of them of Mydian land And all the pray and spoyle was dealt among their warlike band Th' Amalechits by Ioshua stoute Exod. 17. in warre were ouerthrowne And Moses this from Gods own mouthe made cleerely to be knowne Psalm 18 144. King Dauid ioyed in his skill of warlike feates at large And sayeth that God taught him to fight and knowe a Warriours charge And warres were so accounted of by God in time of yore Deut. 20. That Militare decrees were made in great aboundant store Yea not so much omitted was as Trumpets how to frame Num. 10. And how to vse when neede requird the force of foes to tame What praise for constant faith and life did Christ himselfe confesse Matth. 8. To be in that Centurions hart who warfare did professe Cornelius he that Captaine was vnto th' Italian band Act. 10. And liu'd by Warres much fauor found at God almighties hand Luke 3. Iohn Baptist bidding Souldiers liue contented with their wage Allowes their trade so that they shew to no man dire outrage This and much more shall plaine appeare by Langeys stately style And by the reasons that haue past his braue and lettred fyle With pollicie and valour eke he rites religious brings And no mans dutie leaues vntoucht ne other needfull things The Generall Chiefe his office heere beholds as in a Glasse The Marshall of the Campe his charge and so from him to passe The Maister of th' Artillarie the Treasurer the Iudge The Colonell the Corporall that at no paines must grudge The Serieant Maior Victailer the Maister of the watche The Ensigne bearer Drumslade Clarke and Shot that serue with matche And euery other pettie charge most liuely set abroach As they shall finde that to this Booke with heedfull care approache Both how to muster how to martch and battaile how to giue On Horsse with Launce on foote with Pike each way their foe to grieue How Winges to place how Flankes to plant and how for to retyre At vantage how to sallie out to pay the foe his hyre With each appendance vnto warre and that so passing well That Langey now by doome of best dooth beare away the Bell. Heere may wee learne how to enskonce in Barbican or Pyle In Castle Fort or walled towne and how to drop a wile Or plant an Ambush to surprise the Enmie in a snare And catche him in a net ere he bee once thereof aware These helps are now new brought to light by Iuies painfull quill Who publisht hath in English phrase through entire heartie will And loyall zeale to Countries weale this rare and learned worke Not suffring it in forren toong from vs vnknowne to lurke Such painful works such Captaines good such Souldiers at our neede As heerein are describde and taught God graunt this Realme may breede So should that venimd Vipers broode that gapes for Englands spoyle Be quickly brought to know themselues and easly put to foyle Tho. Newton Cestresh ⧠The Authour his Preface wherein he disputeth whether it be lawfull for Christians to make Warres or not ALthough that the question to weet whether it be lawfull for Christians to make warres among themselues doth yet hang in controuersie not hauing at any time bin fully decided because it is hard to iudge in a difference where the reasons that either party alleadgeth for himselfe do make it so doubtfull that hardly it may be resolued notwithstanding I dare beleeue that those warres which are taken in hand neither for ambition nor for the desire of reuenge nor voluntarily nor to the intent to vsurpe other mennes goods are iust and lawfull especially for a Prince if it bee to defend his countrey and subiects for whose safety he is bound to hazard his life And in mine opinion it serueth to no purpose that some alleadge out of the holy Scripture to the contrary saying that a good Christian ought patiently to suffer the iniuries and wrongs that are done vnto him without making resistance vnto those that would take away his goods or would strike him For I hould opinion that that was only spoken vnto the Apostles and their like vnto whome it was necessary to haue humilitie and patience in all their busines if they would that the doctrine which they preached should bring foorth good fruite and take roote because it was not in them to vse force and that in truth those things which we perswade with humilitie
that hée that doth assayle hath many aduantages vpon his side I finde that he that is assayled hath many also vpon his side and it little auayleth that some maintaine that those that assaile haue more courage then those that are assailed for although that this may sometimes bee true yet is it not alwaies so for a Generall may embolden his men many waies to make but little accompt of those whom they feared at the first Moreouer the iust and holie quarrell that bindeth euery man to defend his countrie may be layd out before them which is a thing that hath a more force in it then the desire or hope of the enemies to be rich by other mens goods And if wee will say that a Prince that doth assault another doth take from his enemies the commoditie which he had before of the assistance of his subiects for that the countrie will bee destroyed and his subiects so that hée may be no more assisted by them it may bee aunswered that although the goods be lost yet the losse of goods doth not alienate nor turne the peoples hearts from the affection that they beare vnto their naturall Prince But it is an occasion to roote them in it more and more and to stirre them vp and hearten them agaynst those that haue endomaged them so that one of those that haue lost their goods are worth foure of them that haue lost nothing or that make warres for their Princes perticular quarrell Euerie man knoweth what domage those of Prouince did of late vnto the Spanyards that spoyled them which domage had not béen so great if they had not misused the countrie people or had not béen the occasion of the destroying of their fruites that could not be saued As for to ground vpon that that a Prince which is assaulted is constrayned to haue the greater regard in taxing of his subiects or in commaunding them to do any thing least his people should refuse or denie to do it vpon the hope they might haue to ioyne with his enemies if their sayd Prince should misuse them or neuer so little threaten them is an argument that may be resolued in one word to weet that this assistance cannot bee taken from a Prince except that he do léese all his lands and all his friends for otherwise he shall be succoured in despite of his enemies as appeareth by the succour that the Kings of Fraunce haue had of their subiects at all times although that the Englishmen Nauarrians and a great number of the Princes of the realme were almost possessed of al France so that the Kings of Fraunce knewe not where to set a foote for theirs yet notwithstanding they were alwaies obeyed none of all those that were left theirs refusing to bee taxed or to bee imployed at the King his pleasure so that this patience preuayled and in the ende chased his enemies out of the realme I do beleeue that if a Prince did vse himselfe towards his subiects like a Tyrant alwaies euill intreating and misusing them that if an enemie did assault him in his countrie he might then bee in hazard to be ill followed and obeyed of his people but in doing the contrarie there is no doubt to be had in this matter One thing there is for them that do assaile which is a great poynt that is that Souldiers who find themselues in a strange countrie farre from any refuge to retyre vnto seeing themselues in that extremitie do fight so much the more resolute making a vertue of necessitie but this necessitie may not be compared vnto the need that those haue to fight vertuously that are assailed because that they are in danger to abide many extremities more then the assailants if the said assailants should ouerthrow them for the losse of life raunsome or imprisonment do pay the reckoning for them whereas those that are assailed do lose their goods the honest reputation of their wiues and daughters and their liues and if so bee that they do escape killing yet do they looke for a perpetuall seruitude with an infinite number of other mischiefs so that the aduantage on both sides is cléerely seen and the assailant cannot haue one reason so strong for him but the assailed may haue a better Wherefore I do make no doubt to rest vpon this conclusion that is that euery Prince ought to haue a regarde before hee enter into the countrie of another Prince his neighbour that is as mightie as himselfe and moreouer maketh himselfe to be well beloued and obeyed of his subiects as wée see the King is And besides the reasons aforesayd he that is assayled may attend the comming of his enemies into his countrie with a great aduantage for that he may famish thē and take from them the vse of all things appertayning vnto a Campe without the daunger of hauing any lacke of victuall on his side Moreouer he may withstand the enterprises of his enemies and impeach them to be executed if the assailed haue better notice of the countrie and passages than the assailants haue To bee briefe he may make great store of people in short time for there is no bodie but will be readie at a néed to enter into battaile to defend his owne and of these there will be found an hundred to one of those that are content to leaue their owne dunghill to the intent to make warres against other men But let vs suppose that a Prince that is assayled in his owne countrie is ouerthrowne euery man knoweth well that he may recouer it againe in short space because that the vanquished cannot bée so vtterly ouerthrowne but that there will a great many saue themselues because of the retreat they haue so nere them moreouer his succour is not farre of to come vnto him In somme he that is assayled in his countrie can hazard little but part of his forces but if the assailant bee ouerthrowne he doth not only put his people in hazard but also his state goods and subiects notwithstanding that he is out of his countrie for being taken he shall bee constrayned to remayne prisoner all the daies of his life or to accomplish the wil of the vanquisher and God knowes what conditions of peace are vsed to bee giuen vnto those that are in hands if they make peace and what raunsomes they must pay for their deliuerie before that they bee let goe Besides all this daunger into what inconuenience would the assailant his countrie fall into if he were slaine Would it be possible that a battaile might be lost vpon another man his ground without the slaughter of all the best Captaines and Souldiers Or that his countrie being aduertised of his death of the ouerthrow of his men would not loose all their hope to defend themselues if they should be assayled vpon the heate of this trouble All these things considered I may conclude that he is in greater hazard that doth assayle his neighbour then he that doth stay
for to resist him as the comming of the aboue sayd Emperour doth giue me occasion to speake which is the fittest example that I may alleadge for this matter And although that the sayd Emperour did not taste of the inconueniences that might haue insued of such an enterprise yet he was vpon the way to haue prooued them all if hée had stayed any thing longer in the king his countrie And this is so well knowne that there is no man that can speake against it how little iudgement soeuer he haue Concerning this matter I must here make aunswere vnto some that misliked at that time as it was told me that the sayd Lord Constable went not forwards towards the mountaynes to stoppe the passage of the Emperour saying that because of the difficultie of the passage fiue hundred men had béen sufficient to haue stopped ten thousand and that therefore the one halfe of our people had been strong enough to haue repulsed our enemies or if that the aforesayd Lord Constable had been forced he might haue retyred time enough vnto Auignon if so bee that he would haue encamped there as he did and that in so doing Prouince had not béen destroyed But those that vsed these words did not looke néere enough into the daungers that we might haue fallen into if that their opinion had had place for first of all it had not been wisely done to haue stayed to defend a passage agaynst such a power as that was that came against vs nor likewise for him to haue inclosed himselfe in a naughtie barren countrie out of which he could not haue retyred and haue had safe going and comming at all times except the place had been so large besides so fit for the attendants that they might haue placed a great Camp easely and there haue raunged their battailes in order to fight If it had been so their counsaile had been good specially for if that the enemies would haue assayled them they must haue done it in disorder our men attending in their fort in good order to receiue them but it is so as it hath béen tolde me that there is no place in all that passage wherein it was possible for vs to finde that commoditie or to impeach the sayd assaylants from comming diuers waies vppon the backes of the attendants Wherefore considering of the sodaine comming and of the great force of the sayd assaylants who were maisters of the Sea and so mightie vpon land as euery man knoweth that it had been in their powers to haue inclosed and assayled on euery side all those that should haue shewed their faces in those straights it was better done of the sayd Lord to keepe himselfe farre from them then to haue been there and to haue lodged himselfe in this daunger Suppose that he might haue made a good retreat at all times yet is it so that if he had been driuen away by his enemies his reputation had béen lesse worthie by a great deale And when as a Generall doth make his accompt to keepe a place or passage and that his Souldiers do trust thereunto if it happen afterwards that his enemies do enforce him to forsake it it is sure that such a feare will come vpon them al at once that it will be hard in long time after to put them in heart agayne specially if there haue been some small number beaten for that will make others that shall but heare of it to be as much a feard as if they had carried part of the blowes themselues The Spanyards that kept the passage at Suze albeit that they were a great number yet the Lord Constable ouerthrew them easie enough so that thereby may bée knowne that it is not so sure a match to stay and keepe these straights specially the attendants not hauing many aduantages on their sides and an enemie of great force in his teeth which doth assaile him fiercely as the sayd Lord and his did The sayd Spanyards might well haue perceiued the errour which they did commit in reposing all their trust in the keeping of the sayd passage for being driuen away by force they were so scared that hardly they durst looke behind them to see who perused them and not only those that had been beaten were so astonied but also they were so afeard that besieged Pignerol that they ranne away secretly by night and all those that were of the league were afeard vntill such time as we ceased to pursue them Moreouer the Lord Constable did wisely to leaue the straight and to keepe himselfe at large for by that meane he might haue made resistance vnto the sayd enemies if that they had come any other way then that they did which he could not haue done if he had busied himselfe to keepe one passage expressely for that it is not sayd that there are no more passages through the mountaines to enter into Fraunce then that which they came nor likewise that they should haue lacked guides to haue shewed them some entrance so that although that the sayd Lord had kept them yet it had not been possible for him to haue kept all the other and consequently to haue kept himselfe from being inclosed or that his enemie should not haue béen farre entred into the countrie before that he could haue gotten vnto his refuge The Switzers in the yeare 1515. did ceaze vpon many passages in the mountaines to the intent to keepe the King from entring into Italye but so it was that they kept them not all or it may be that they knew them not all or that they would not deuide themselues into too many bands It may be also thought that the King would neuer haue passed his armie whereas they did passe but bee it the one or the other no bodie hindred them from looking vnto it The sayd Lorde found one passage free at which he and his passed it failed but little that he had not surprised a great companie within Coulny yet they vnderstood of his comming in so good time that they saued themselues in running away I say that the retreat of the sayd Switzers who made their accoumpt that the Frenchmen should not passe was cause that many townes in Italy turned vnto vs incontinent for hauing reposed all their trust in the Switzers promise and finding immediatlye after that our armie was within the countrie and had passed contrarye vnto the opinion of all men the Lombards were so discouraged and in that extremitie that they knewe not vnto what sainct to bequeath themselues or to take any other counsell but to render themselues at the hearing of it as it may bee thought the townes in the plaine countrey of Daulphine and Prouince would haue done if our armie had beene placed to keepe the passages and that the Emperour should haue driuen them away To bee short those that thought it to bee strange that our Campe was lodged so far from the mountaines doe shew that they haue not greatly vsed this
sodden which they do eate very well without bread and drinke water And moreouer they are not troubled with the carrying of kettles or pannes because that they do see the their flesh in the skinnes of beastes when they haue flayed them nor haue no care to carrie prouision with them because they are sure to finde in the countrie where they do pretend to make warre One thing they haue care of that is to carrie a plate of yron and a bagge of meale to the intent that when they feele their stomackes weake and féeble with the eating of too much rawe flesh they might comfort them with cakes which they do make after this manner They temper a little meale in a dish and cast their plate into the fire and when the plate is hot enough they do make little cakes of their paste and bake them vpon the sayd plate and by this meanes they do make great iournies to surprise their neighbours without rumour of their enterprises and without any great cost As for vs Frenchmen we will haue a regard not to liue so soberly what need soeuer there were for hardly wil we one houre indure the lacke of good wine or good bread nor of any other daintie no more then if we were at home in our owne houses and that euerie man were of abilitie to haue all that he desired And therfore our armies are quickly famished as well for that it is hard to make prouision for many daies of so many things as wee do require as also for the meruelous spoyle that are made of our prouisions when we haue them Wherefore we must reforme our hoasts after a new manner that is neuer to suffer men of warre to eate other bread then that they should bake themselues And in so doing it should be necessarie to furnish the sayd Souldiers euery man with a quantitie of meale whether it were by gift or in rebating it vpō their wages As for wine the General should not trouble himselfe to prouide any nor impeach the victuallers from bringing it aboundantly and yet he should vse no great diligence on his part to cause any to be brought vnto the Camp As for the other prouisions they may bee vsed altogether according vnto the auncient manner This doing all well considered you shall finde that a Lieutenant Generall shall free his armie of a most great charge and ease himselfe of a great burthen And to the intent that our Legionaries should finde the want of victualls to bee the lesse straunge vnto them if that they should lacke at any time and that they might passe at a neede without wine and choyse of meates I am of opinion that in going and returning from their musters they should be forbidden to drinke wine and to eate bread baked in an ouen and likewise the eating of flesh except lard whereof only I would cause prouision to be made at the places where they should passe lodge and for the rest they should carrie vpon their backs asmuch meale as should serue them during the voyadge if that they would eate for other prouision I would make them none of any thing Through this order the Souldiers would learne to suffer all necessities at a need the countrie should be eased and the Souldiers would not bee so readie to make quarrels and debates amongst themselues as they are when they haue great aboundance of victualls To treate of the booties that are gotten after the winning of a battaile or in going through an enemie his countrie or in getting any towne by assault or by the raunsoming of the towne or countrie where an armie doth passe and for prisoners that may bee taken first it shall not bee amisse to examine how the auncient Chiefes did gouerne their armies in the like busines And consider what is the cause that the warres at these daies do aswell impouerish the Princes that are vanquishers as those which are vanquished for that if the one do loose honor and any part of his lands the other doth spend his treasure and his goods which was not so in times past because that the vanquisher enriched himselfe alwaies with the goods and spoyles of his enemies and at this time we do make no such accompt of the booties which we do get as they did then but all is abandoned vnto the Souldiers which is cause of two great disorders the one is that which I haue spoken of touching the impourishing of a Prince and the other is that the Souldiers do become the more couetous to get and lesse carefull to keepe the orders of the warres For many times it hath béen seen that the couetousnesse of the pillage hath ouerthrowne the vanquisher as happened vnto the Frenchmen at Guyngate where the victorie was wholly ours if the French Archers had not giuen themselues vnto pillage which they payd for dearely for they lost all their liues there The Romanes who without doubt haue béen the maisters of this exercise did prouide wisely for these two inconueniences for it was ordayned amongst them that the bootie that was gotten should appertaine vnto the common vse and that the Consull should distribute it as he thought good in the name of the Senate and people And in this case they had Questors which were as we would say Treasourers into whose hands were assigned all the booties and raunsomes that were made wherewithall the Consull did helpe to pay his Souldiers to succour sicke and hurt men and to helpe to support the other charges of the hoast But yet the Consull might suffer his men to ransacke and they did it sometimes but it neuer caused any disorder for that their enemies hoast being ouerthrowne al the spoyle was placed in the middest of the armie and afterward it was distributed vnto euery man according vnto his qualitie and vertue which manner was cause that the Souldiers gaue themselues vnto the fight and not vnto pillage and also that the ordinarie bands raunged in the bodie of the Battailon did not pursue those that fled but continued fast in their rankes without daunger for the light armed men only had the charge to followe the victorie so that if the bootie should haue appertayned vnto those that did first gather it vp it had not béen possible nor agreeing vnto equitie to haue kept the battailons in order haue giuen others libertie to make their profite By this meanes the common treasure augmented merueilously and that was the occasion that a Consull carried so much treasure at his triumph hauing gathered it together of his booties and raunsomes The Romanes did also another thing with great consideration that was that the one third part of the wages that they gaue monthly vnto euery Souldier was deliuered into the hands of the Ensigne-bearer which he might not render vnto them agayne vntill such time as the warres were finished And this did they being thereunto mooued by two reasons the one was to the intent that the Souldiers might haue some profite
night as he did before in foure daies I had forgotten to tell that in pretending to besiege one towne a Generall may make shew to besiege another to the intent that the towne that doth doubt nothing might vnfurnish it selfe of garrison for to helpe the other wherevpon that may be left which is furnished the other besieged that is vnarmed as the Lord of Lautrec did when as he approached néere vnto Milan who fayned that he cared not for Pauie although it was the towne that he sought for after that he was aduertised that the Countie of Belleioyense had sent part of his people vnto the succour of Milan and thereby to haue disarmed Pauie which he ought to haue better furnished and armed the said Lord of Lautrec placed his siege before Pauie tooke it easie enough But for to get out of this matter leauing all these subtilties a part I say that a Lieutenant Generall ought neuer to keepe the field nor an assiege so long as winter lasteth for it will be a great chaunge if it do not happen ill in the ende for that a winter siege wasteth and consumeth an armie whereas those within a towne are well lodged and do take no more care then they neede Moreouer the besiegers are at the mercie of the colde snowes raines and a thousand other persecutions so that there néedeth no other enemie but the wether it selfe to ouerthrowe them if the siege do continue any time besides in winter victuals can hardly be brought vnto a Campe for the difficultie of the waies waters if so bée it should come by land and if it should come by sea the tempestes and outrages which are more common in the winter then at any other time would hinder the bringing of it so that we must conclude that all things necessarie for the maintenance of a siege will then fall out ill for the besiegers Winter therfore is a most daungerous season for those that do keepe the Campe and of most aduantage for those that are besieged so that if they bee strong and can tarrie for a time conuenient they may raise the siege and ouerthrowe all or at the least giue the besiegers some scourges Also the Garrisons of the other townes and forts that are in the countrie may be in short time assembled to charge the sayd Campe of whome in mine opinion they might haue as good a market as they would wish forasmuch as the sayd Garrisons are fresh and rested men and the others are pined and halfe dead with famine The like may happen vnto those that do keepe the fielde or do martch from place to place in an enemie his countrie in the winter for that ill wether will consume them in short time if so be that they lodge without doores and for to lodge them couered they shall be forced to seperate themselues in villages here and there and being assaulted when as they are so lodged they may bee ouerthrowne easely In fine the best way for a Generall is to retyre his men into townes when as winter doth come and to go into the field about the last of March and to keepe the field vntill the last of October the countries might be such where the wars should be made that the moneths of Iuly and August would be asmuch to be feared by reason of the extreame heate that it doth make in some regions as the most coldest winter that might be for these two extremities are not to be indured for either of them may be causes of many great sicknesses and euills who so doth not prouide for it Wherefore the Generall must haue a care to ende his warres before winter And being constrayned to keepe his armie in the field in a very hote countrie he must alwaies plant his Camp in such places where it might be couered with trees and watred with springs to refresh his Souldiers And moreouer lodge them housed if it were possible to keepe them from the heate But this matter hath lasted long enough specially for that mens wittes at these daies are so quicke that they do prouide of themselues for al things that are necessarie in such like cases I do but only say that if the Generall do get a towne by composition that he ought to keepe all the articles that haue béen agreed vpon betwixt him those of the towne from poynt to poynt for in doing otherwise he should neuer finde towne or man that would giue him credit or trust his promise afterward but they would do all that they could imagine before that they would fall into his hands As I do say he ought to keepe his promise vnto those of a towne that doth yeeld so meane I that he should keepe it vnto all others after that he hath once passed his word vsing towards all those that he doth conquer as great lenitie and méekenes as he may possible and aboue all things to eschue crueltie because that the true office of a conquerour is to pardon and to haue pitie vpon the conquered yet reason would that this pardoning should be done with aduise least he do giue them an occasion to begin the warres againe at their owne appetites For oftentimes the clemencie of Captaine Generalles of hoasts is so great that they do pardon all those whome they do conquer and all those that haue offended which facilitie in pardoning doth cause them ofttimes to commit newe offences for that they doe looke to bee receiued whensoeuer they should yéeld In such cases me think there ought a meane to be vsed somtimes some one ought to bee chastened to make others to bee afrayd specially those which do reuolt without cause I doe say moreouer that they ought likewise to bee chastened that are so foole hardie that they dare defend a place which is not defenceable and but a doue house hoping to be receiued vnto mercie at all times causing vpon this hope a great quantitie of prouision to bee spent and an armie to spend time for a thing of no value I say that such ought to be vsed somewhat rigorously so wee do reasonablie well at this day for their least punishment is to bee married vnto the Gallies for euer yet some doe vse it more gratiously then others of whome the Countie of Tende is one who might haue vsed prisoners more rigorously then he did but it is not sayd that faults should bee alwaies punished according vnto their deserts specially if he that hath fayled bee otherwise a man of vertue nor likewise that great harts should not shewe their greatnes many waies specially to pardon a fault that toucheth them perticularly as the sayd Countie did the offence of a certaine Captaine which he tooke in one of his fortresses in Piemont whome he vsed alwaies so courteously that the remembrance of that clemencie ought not to bee forgotten and for that cause I haue inferred it in this place But the crueltie that a Lieutenant Generall ought to flie is
at Hauens and Roades where a Fléete of Ships may be harboured and haue commodious landing in which places because the grounds may be of diuers natures for this purpose I will shewe the manner of fortifieng in all sorts of grounds and the commodities and discommodities that a fort may haue of the place where it standeth in The manner of fortifying in all sorts of grounds and the commodities and discommodities a Fort may haue of it scituation The 2. Chapter WHo so shall fortifie in playne ground may make the Fort he pretendeth of what forme or figure he will and therefore he may with lesse compasse of wall enclose a more superficies of ground then where that scope may not be had Also it may be the perfecter because the angles that do happen in it may be made the flatter or sharper Moreouer the ground in plaines is good to make ramperts of and easie for cariage but where water water wanteth the building is costly and chargeable for that a Fort scituated in a dry playne must haue déepe ditches high walles great bulwarks large ramparts and caualieros besides it must be great to lodge fiue or sixe thousand men and haue great place in it for them to fight ranked in battaile It must also haue countermines priuie ditches secret issuings out to defende the ditch casmats in the ditch couered wayes round about it and an argine or banke to empeache the approach will require great garrison much artillerie powder victuals and other things necessarie for the kéeping and mainteining of it is subiect to mynes and to caualieros may be surprised skaled battered and assaulted on euery side and may be kept besieged with forts men horsse and artillerie Where water may be found the fort may be the lesse and needeth not the ditches so déepe as in dry ground for it will be frée from surprise skale and myning and being battered the assault will be troublesome for that one man standing vppon firme ground may resist fiue vpon a bridge boat floate or such like Moreouer the fort standing neere vnto any riuer may receiue great commodities of it for the bringing of things necessarie vnto it both for making and mainteining of it and it may haue the riuer turned into the ditch to skowre the ditch of any thing that may be cast into it and the same may also be kept vp with stuses within the fort to drowne the ground about it and in those lowe places which abound with water an enemy can hardly couer himselfe from the fort Betwixt these two scituations there are diuers opinions helde some commending dry ditches alleadging that by a dry ditch a fort may receiue reliefe the ruine that a batterie maketh may be taken away and any thing that an enemy may cast into the ditch to fill it may be burnt by the sallies that may be made out of a dry ditch an enemy may be charged in his trenches on euery part which may serue the turne for a while but these consider not the counterscarpe being wonne the benefit and vse of the ditch will be taken away by the artillerie and harquebusserie of the enemy nor that of those three meanes wherewith a wall may be breached to wit the Cannon myne and mens hands water hindereth the putting in practise of two of them The discommodities that proceede of water are these in hoate Countreys standing water engendreth infectiue ayres and in colde Countreys it freeseth that men horsse and artillerie may passe ouer In fortifying amongst hilles make choise of those that are like piramides or that haue no ground of equall height with the superficies of their tops more then the fort and the ditch will occupy to the intent that from the Fort an enemy may be impeached the assent of the hill For which consideration the fortifier shall be oftentimes constrained to make the Fort greater then it were néedfull it should be and ofttimes with great circuit of wall shall enclose but a small superficies of ground but being so placed it néedeth no great place in it nor royall defences as great Bullwarks Flanks or Ramparts because it will not be subiect vnto batterie but will be assured through the valley and hanging of the hill which will giue an enemy trouble in lodging trenching taking away the defences batterie and assault and being myned the effect might happen to little proffit for the inequalitie of the ground Besides if the defenders should charge their besiegers the one quarter of the Campe could not succour or be succoured of the other Or if the defenders should be enforced to retire they might do it with aduantage ynough hauing most commonly a higher ground to repaire vnto but when that choise may not be had but that the superficies of the hill top be more then the Fort may occupy then must he choose the higher part of the hill placing the Fort that so great part of it may enioy the benefit of the hanging of the hill as possible may and towarde the other part of the same build as in a dry playne for as part in respecte of the valley vnder it may enioy the benefite of the hilly scituation so part in respect af the equalitie of the ground without it vppon which an enemy may lodge trenche myne batter and assault especially if the grounde may be broken with Spade Pickaxe and such like is subiect to all those discommodities that a Fort scituated in a dry plaine A Fort scituated among Mountaines can hardly be kept besieged with fortes men horsse and artillerie but those fortes that are scituated vpon hills and mountaines are troublesome to make for the difficultie of bringing of stuffe to the place are subiect to surprize suffer oft times great penurie of water and oft times are troubled with great raynes which séeking issue do cause ruyne of their walles A Fort scituated in a lake néedeth no great defences as great bulwarks ramparts caualieros nor large flanks because it is frée from batterie and assault but through the euill aire of the lake it will oft times be besieged of it selfe Besides an enemy may easily besiege it in placing Forts where it hath recourse to the land and procéede on hys voyage assuring himselfe that the Fort must come into his hands for as it is hard to be aborded so it is to receiue succour and able to do an enemy but little hurt Of Forts placed vppon small riuers is sufficiently spoken before and those that stand vpon great riuers may partly be compared with those in lakes but where they may be approched their defences must be great are free of the infectiue aire which the lake oft times yéeldeth may better receiue succour and giue an enemy great trauell in the assiege A Fort scituated in the Sea is not only free from batterie and assault because the batterie that may be made at Sea is feeble weake and vncertayne by reason of the Seas continuall motion but also is free from besieging not
only for that those enemyes are fewe that can put any great armye to Sea but also because the Winde and Seas alteration is such that an Assige at Sea cannot be continued Moreouer it may be mainteined with Merchant trade and with it Shipping occupye thyngs apperteyning to other men But a Fort that standeth in the Sea cannot serue the land it standeth neere vnto for frontier but at Sea only because it may not put men and horsse a shoare and serue them for retreate A Fort that must serue for frontier vppon the Sea coast at hauens roades and such like landing places must be set part within the Sea or at least so neere vnto the Sea that an enemy may make no Fort Trench or other couerture how little so euer it be to saue himselfe from the violence of the Fort betwixt the Sea and it nor may vse any artillerie within one or two hundred paces on neither side of the porte or hauen to impeache the free entring and going out of Ships and being so placed for the benefit it hath of the Sea it may be the greater and both in time of warre and peace be kepte and defended with lesse number of men and prouision because it may be succoured at all times and may serue it selfe with the commodities both of Sea and Land and may serue for frontier vnto both for that it may kéepe shipping men and horsse And to besiege a Fort so placed an enemy that dwelleth vppon the same mayne the Fort standeth shall be enforced to haue two armyes the one by Sea and the other by Lande and comming from any other part shall be constrayned to bring in so great an armye by Sea as that may carry men horsse artillerie and other things for the mainteyning of the armye to put ashore and yet must kéepe the Seas also but how hard a matter it is to lande an armye and troublesome to continue an assiege at Sea and of what valewe those Townes are that haue this scituation Flushing Rochell and Ostende do and will beare witnesse but the discommoditie that those Forts haue that stand by the Sea side where great ebbes do runne is they are subiect vnto surprize at lowe water The manner of the lyning out of a Fort and the considerations to be vsed therein The 3. Chapter IN the delineation of a Fort that shall serue for a royall frontier the figure triangular is not to be vsed at all nor the quadrant but only in those watrie grounds where it can not be approched neither is the cynqueangle to be chosen for any perfection that is in the figure for this purpose although that many good Forts are made in that forme of the Castell of Antwerpe the citadell of Turyne and others but rather for sparing of charges in building mainteing the Fort for the exteriour angles of the bulwarks placed vpon the angles of those figures do fall out sharpe and therefore are weake to resist a batterie and hard to be defended but in other figures they become flatter and the more bulwarks a Fort hath from the more places it may trauell and offende an enemy but then it will require the greater garrison prouision and artillerie the more cost in making and care in kéeping All which being considered lyne out the Fort you pretend if nothing do hinder the deliniation nor that any part may be lesse approchable then other with equall sides and angles but if any part may be better assured of the scituation then the rest on that side lay out the longer sides and sharper angles or both to the intent the other part more easie to be approched may be the more defenceable yet héerein there must be a foresight that the Fort may fall out as circular as possible it may and being constrayned to fortifie néere any banke or high ground place a curten against it and not a bulwarke because a curten lying betwixt two flanks may be better defended then the front of a bulwarke from one and that high ground more offended from the bulwarks on either side of it but if the banke be so large that it woulde reache from the front of one bulwarke vnto another then in no case build neere none so noysome a neighbour for vppon such a high grounde with little laboure may be cauelieros raysed in short tyme which with artillerie may commaunde ouer the Fort and impeache the defence of a breache notwithstanding any trauers that may be made and finding any olde Fortresse subiecte to this mischiefe from whiche you woulde assure it make on that parte the walles ditches ramparts bulwarks cauelieros and parapetes déeper higher and larger then of custome laying the superficies of the rampart hanging somewhat inwarde The Citie of Gaunt being subiect to such a high ground that lay hard vnto the ditch side thereof by the aduise of the foresight the Prince of Orange fell to worke with spade pickaxe horsse cart willing people and in short time rebated the pride of it carying away parte into a valley and bringing parte into the Citie making of it bulwarks ramparts cauelieros parapets and the rest so that that ground which first commaunded the Citie was afterward made subiect the Citie commaunding it but these like labors may be practised where necessitie enforceth but not where frée choise may be vsed for auoiding of superfluous charges time trauell and anoyance The circuit of the fort being laide out to fashion out the Bulwarks proportionall defensiue to the same take the one angle of the figure before going which shall bee the angle F. A. B. imagining it to bee placed in a drye plaine and frame vppon it one Bulwarke in which all the defences necessarie vnto a Forte maye bee shewed which you shall doe in this maner First vpon the line A. B. take 165. foote or 33. paces at 5. foot euery pace for the length of the Bulwarke which is the line A. C. whiche length must bee taken with this consideration that vnto euery place in the flancke where you pretend to vse Artillerie you must giue 50. foote at the least for the recoyle of a Cannon and defend the same Cannon from the enemies Artillerie with a parapet of 25. or 30. foot thicke and therefore at the pricke C. erect a perpendicular line of infinite length which shall be the line C.D. so shall the Curtin which is the distance betwixt two Bulwarkes be 134. paces long which Curtin lying vpon the side of a towne difficill to bée approached and wel watered may be 12. paces longer but in a drie scituation the sayd Curtin should neuer be so long by 12. or 16. paces and of the line C.D. take a portion for the thicknes of the shoulder of the Bulwarke and breadth of the flancke which shall bee the line C. E. which breadth and thicknes of both together may be 27. paces or 135. foote giuing vnto a flancke where two Cannons may be vsed not lesse then 25. foot nor more