To assure vs therefore of our associates the safest way is to stand vpon our owne strength and to trust more to our selues then to them the next is by hostages such as are well accompted of another means is by gages of towns King b Froissart Edward the third by seasing of Cherburg for pawne assured himselfe of the king of Nauarres loyall dealing The like course is taken in assuring the contract made betweene vs and the lowe countreys I would we were in like sort assured of the townes we hold there as he was The reasons we haue to feare are diuers but these in shew open that the townâ—â— men of Vlishing and Briel and the rest being armed and in number passing our â—arrison and giuing them victuals and munitions from hand to mouth may force the same eyther to yeelde or deâ—â—rs â—t pleasure That they haue not yet attempted it the feare of the Spaniard 〈◊〉 cause If that scruple were remoued I feare what will fullâ—â—â— without extraordinary diligence and better order and more force but to assure our selues of our associates there is no beâ—â—â—â— course then to doe them iustice The same c Amici officio fide partuntur Salust bel Iug. both procureth friendes â—â—inreineth them in deuotion For who will adhere 〈◊〉 them which wrong them and oppress them d Thucid. 1. Cic. offic lib. 1. Pausanias and 〈◊〉 by ruling their associates with rigour and extremitie caused them to â—â—e part the Lacedemonian armie discontent The like effect did the couetousnesse of the Athenians that respected onely their owne profite worke in their partisans in the Peleponesian warre They must also be defended against their enemies if we looke to haue their helpe against our enemies This reason moued a Caes bel gal 7. Caesar to hazard himselfe in the succouring of the Boians at Gergouia and Iosua to come in ayde to the Gibeonites although fraudulently they had caused him to enter into league with them The Romanes not sending ayde to the Sagâ—ntines besieged by Annibal in time lost not onely them but the fauour of all Spaine And vainely did wee looke for the helpe of Portugall being not prouided to defend the Countrey against the Spaniard To stand b Haec ratio nec amicos parit nec inimicos tollit Liu. aloofe when our neighbours require ayde is a course neither to helpe our friendes nor hurt our enemies Besides the same is most dishonorable for who doeth not despise those in whome they see no helpe yea and vnprofitable for the enemie is thereby strengthened and wee weakened Of the conditions and contractes of association I shall haue occasion to speake in the treatise of peace For the endes of warres are not onely the beginning of peace but also of associations and friendships for the most part Thus much onely may serue in this place that some are onely offensiue some offensiue some with equall conditions on both sides some with respect to one side and as great diuersities there are as of diuers states and conditions of things Anniball and Philip of Macedonia ioyned in league vpon these conditions that c Liui. 23. Philip should waste the coast of Italy with his Naâ—iâ—â— and make warre vpon the Romanes by sea and land vntill such 〈◊〉 â—s they had brought Italy in subiection which should then belong to the Carthaginians that the warres being there ended Annibal 〈◊〉 passe ouer with his army into Greece and helpe him to subdue that Countrey and the Lands adioyning which shoulde reâ—◠〈◊〉 â—o Philip. They of d Locrensibus iussu Annibalis data pax Societas eo iure stabat vt Poenus Locrensem Poenum Locrensis pace ac bello iâ—â—â—ret Liu. 24. Locres conditioned with Annibal that 〈…〉 helpe other both in warre and peace Many speciall mâ—â—erâ—â— knowe 〈…〉 and comprised in articles conâ—â—med on both â—â—des by 〈…〉 and sometime by othe And therefore whatsoeuer articles are agreed vpon they are diligently and loyally to 〈◊〉 â—erformeâ— It is a sure course to winne vs credite among our neighbours and to linke them in â—â—â—ine good wiâ—â— toward vs. CHAP. IIII. Part 1. Of the Generall and the partes and qualities required in him HItherto wee haue spoken of such preparatiues as are to bee made oft times in time of peace but alwayes before the warres nowe we are to speake of that which is the beginning and first care or at least act of warres I meane the musters and choise of captaines and souldiers This among the Romanes belonged to the Generals which vpon the first a Prima belli cura agere delectus reuocare veteranos Tacit. 18. mouing of warres called all the people according to the tribes or diuisions into a place appointed out of them to take such numbers and such men as were most fitting And most reasonable it is that the Generall that should leade men should haue the ouersight and chiefe if not onely direction in the choise of them For who can better make choise of instruments then such artificers as vse them in their workes When the Generals theÌ„selues were otherwise busied yet did b Coss dum ipsi quaestionibus impedicbantur T. Maenium delectui habeÌ„do praefecerunt Liu. 39. they commit the matter to men of great authoritie and wisdome Caesar c Caesar per legatos M. Silanum C. Antistium C Sextium delectum habere instituit Caes com bel gal 6 employed therein his counsell of warres which also in his absence were his lieutenants First therefore wee are to speake of the Generall then of inferiour commaunders and thirdly of common souldiers In the discourse concerning the Generall wee are to consider first what qualities and partes and sufficent Generall ought to haue secondly what instructions or councell he is to vse and lastly with what commission and power he ought to be furnished wichall The principall care that a Prince or State that entreth into warres is to haue is that there be choyse made of a sufficient Generall I knowe that the place is for the most part graunted eyther for respect of Nobilitie or kinred or fauour The Kings of this land in time past employed their children and vncles which notwithstanding prooued not the worst Richard the 2. d Froissart in the warres against the Nobilitie made the Duke of Ireland a fauourit of his Generall but he was not followed The French kings may impute most part of their had successe in their warres to the insufficieÌ„cie of their Generals In the warres of Naples Charles the 8. named a Montpensier fâ—tto luego tonenge delre piu stimato per la grandozza sua per esser del sangue reale che per proprio valore Guicciard lib. 1. Montpensier his lieutenant in respect of nobilitie rather then sufficiencie Lewis the 12. in his warres of b Guicciar hist Lombardy made Chaumont his minion Generall of his forces But nothing did more hasten the ouerthrowe of the French causes there
wherewith other small cities were so dismaid that they submitted themselues paid such tribute as he imposed on them and translating the warres into Italy he beset and tooke c Taurinum caput gentis expugnat Liu. 21. Taurinum the head city of all the countrey at the foot of the Alpes which made all the townes thereabout to yeeld themselues The Athenians inuading the Iland of Sicile made the attempt against Syracusae being the head city of the countrey first which course both the Carthaginians and Romanes in the Sicilian warres pursued The prince of Parma in the siege of of Antwerpe had like respect and reasons to make him begin there for commonly all the countrey doth follow the condition and proceeding of the capitall city Lautrec in the enterprise of Naples spending time in taking paltry townes by the way when his purpose was to go directly to the siege of Naples did tire his army spend his men and loose time which the enemy spent better in arming himselfe In our iourney to Portugall many do likewise mislike that setting our course for Lisbone we turned aside to Coronna which was no small hindrance to vs and helpe to the enemy In besieging of small townes there is often as much labour and cost as in greater and little or no gaine Those therefore that when they may goe to the head are paltring about small townes or castles are like vnskilfull souldiers that whē the hart lieth open without defence are still striking at the hand or foot but if our force serue not to besiege the strongest towne of the enemies countrey yet before we sit downe before any towne let vs see what commodity we may get by taking it Scipio considering that new Carthage in Spaine was a fit port for ships and the store house of the enemy and a place where his treasure and hostages lay did begin the warres with the siege of that towne Annibal made many attempts against Nola and Naples for the desire he had to haue a port in Italy that lay commodiously against Afrike failing of these at length he got Tarentum and Locri. For the same cause he made reckoning of Salapia for it lay conueniently in the midst of the country and was very commodious for the conueyance of victuals to his army King Edward the third after his victory at Cressi sat downe before Caleis for that it was a commodious port for his enterprises against France Those that spend great labour in winning paltry hamlets as did the French king that was also king of Poland in the winning of Liuron in Dauphinè although they winne the place yet winne nothing but repentance and if they faile scorne and losse Townes are taken diuers wayes viz. either by siege or by assault or surprise or by all or two of these ioyned together in euery of which the proceeding is diuers as the endes are diuers The end of a siege is to strait the towne so that either for want of victualles water munition souldiers hope of succour health or other commodity the same be driuen to yeeld The end of a surprise is slily to enter the towne without knowledge of the enemy The end of an assault is to force the enemy to giue vs entrance This diuersity of endes may teach vs both what to do and what to auoyd The end of sieges being to force the enemy to yeeld for want we are to vse all deuices and meanes to make him spend his store and to increase his want Alexander king of a Liu. 7. Epeirus hauing a purpose to besiege Leucadia suffered all the countrey people that would to enter the towne that they within might sooner spend their victualls When they of b Caes de bel Gal. 7. Alexia besieged by Caesar began to send out women and children and aged persons such as onely serued to spend victualles they could not be suffered to passe The French king that now is did otherwise in the siege of Paris an 1590 mooued with Christianity and pity but the practice of warre required rather rigour in that case In c Non facile est simul misereri sapere which hard it is both to shew mercy and wisedome together Where the defendants are not more politike then ordinary there the assailants may also by false shewes and fained escaladaes make them spend their powder in vaine In these late troubles of France while the braue souldiers within a certeine place shotte all the night at certeine matches conueyed from place to place and at an asse or two that made a stirre in the towne ditch in the morning they began to yeeld for want of powder Caesar by a d Caes bel Gal. 8. mine comming to the vaines of the spring that serued Vxellodunum tooke away the water from the towne and so forced the same to yeeld e Thucid. 1. Megabazus besieging the Athenians in the Iland Prosopis in Aegypt by a deuice turning away the water that ran into the hauen where their ships lay set their ships drie and gaue entrance to his men tooke away all escape from the enemy whose ships were on ground The towne of Chartres in France had likewise for want of water and other necessities bene driuen to great straits in the siege an 1568 the Protestants turning away the riuer out of the channell but that by conclusion of peace the siege was broken vp shortly after Caesar by keeping Pompey in a short compasse of ground by his entrenchments had almost famisht all his horse in which consisted his speciall strength Which gard and diligence if the Protestants anno 1569 had vsed in the siege of Poitiers they had not onely famisht all the horse of the enemy but otherwise hurt him but they did not so much as barre the wayes much lesse other ground so but that he sallied at pleasure There are two meanes principall to stoppe the towne besieged from victuals and things necessarie the one of which must necessarilie be vsed if wee meane to atchieue our purpose the first is to entrench the towne round about if it be a land towne if it stand vpon the water then to cast a banke about it on that part that is toward the land and with ships or boates to garde and stop the way to the sea or water The second is to barre the wayes and vpon all places of easie accesse to make in conuenient distances sconces or fortes The first is more laborious but very effectuall the second is easie but seldome taketh effect vnlesse time the weaknesse of the enemie doe helpe vs. Therefore was that course alwayes vsed of antiquitie this seldome vnlesse it were of such as either knew not what to doe or had not means to doe more The Lacedemonians besieging a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thucid. 2. Platea cast vp a banke round about the towne the same they garded with turrets built vpon it in equal distances and least any might climbe ouer it they
such time as his men forced the breach From the breach his men marched and tooke a place of aduantage others scoured the streetes and hauing assured himselfe of the towne in the ende he tooke the castell Scipio hauing enuironed the towne of new b Carthage in Spaine Liu. 25. and shaken the walles at noone time when the enemy was at rest sent part of his men by the lake and scaling the towne at one instant in diuers places both from the water and the land entred with part of his men which gaue accesse to their fellows which marching in order cut in peeces such as resisted and in the end tooke the castle The c Corona cinxit vrbem omnibus copiis admotis Liu. 10. Romane Consull besieging and assaulting the towne of Comimium first compassed the same round with all his forces against the gates hee opposed certaine troupes to repell those that should offer to sally out Couering his men with mantellets of wood he broke open the gates with others he scaled the walles marching into the towne with his men in order beat those that had seized the market place and assured himselfe of the walles and streetes In the assault of d Romani signo dato pars eminùs glande aut lapidibus pugnare alii succedere aut murum suffodere scalis aggredi Salust bel Iugurth Zama the Romanes hauing a signe giuen them by the generall at one instant some presented the scale others with slings stones beat the defendants others zapped the walles In the assault giuen to e Liu. 32. â—latia a towne in Greece they made shew to make all their force to enter in at the breach But when they perceiued the townesmen to drawthither they scaled the walles in an other place and so entred the towne The common course which antiquitie vsed in sieges and assaults as I haue declared was to compasse the towne besieged with banks and trenches The hauens or riuers they dammed with ships filled ful of stones and sunken If the same were broad they garded the issues with f Caes de bel ciu 1. towers built in the straitest places vpon which they placed their engins which Caesar practiced at Brundusium Sometimes they crossed the riuer with boats as g Liu. 29. Scipio did the hauen wheÌ„ he besieged Vtica and as h Liu. 2. Porsena did in the riuer of Tyber when he besieged Rome Before they went to assault the i Agger ab vniuersis coniectus ascensum dat Gallis quae in terram occultanerant Romani contegit Caes bel gal 7. walles they filled the ditches with earth The men that laboured they couered with mantellets made of square timber and fensed with occum made of olde ropes these planed the earth these beganne the trenches and bankes In working at their trenches bankes and mounts no man was exempted They neuer assaulted towne but with their whole forces and that in all places together Taking the towne first they assured themselues of the walles and gates and from thence in good order they went to take the open a Vt quisque intrauerat eques ad forum occupandum citato equo pergebat additum erat triariorum equiti praesidium Liu. places of the towne No man might depart from his b Inde signo dato milites discurrunt ad praedam Liu. 25. ensigne nor run to spoile but after a signe giuen And therefore no maruell if they preuailed for the most part as now men faile of their purpose for the most part being so far departed from the lawes of armes What is now the common proceeding in sieges batteries and assaults shall now appeare by the examples following The Protestants going about to besiege and win Poitiers 1569. first made their approches quartered their souldiers in the suburbs which they took at their first arriual for the most part Next they made their trenches mounts gabions for to accommodate their great ordonance Part was placed to batter the walles part to beate the enemy in flanke behind the cortine Certaine small peeces they leuelled against the parapet and certaine defenses made by the enemie vpon the walles Of these peeces some were placed in houses neere the walles others were ranged on the plaine behinde gabions or baskets of earth which they filled there in the night The breach being made 20 pases wide and very plaine the Admirall disposed his men to go to the assault in this order first 700. shot marched after them 300. gentlemen marched with targets on their armes after them followed halberds pikes the rest of the army was ready in armes to succor where neede should be But their errors were so many that these good orders auailed litle first they spent time about Lusignen and other small matters and made not their approch so soone as they might In which meane time the D. of Guise entred with his troupes fortified diuers weake places and prouided diuers thinges necessary secondly their auantgard going before the towne without direction did nothing but giue the enemy warning so returned thirdly they neither trenched nor barred the wayes nor kept such ward or gard but that both succors entred guided by Onoux and diuers times the enemy sallied both on horsebacke and on foote fourthly they did not take the suburbs nor bridge of Rochereuill but suffered the enemy to possesse it yet by reason that it flanked the breach stopped the water was it most necessary to be taken For the water being there stopped regorged vpward the enemy being there lodged had a ful marke at those that went along to the breach fiftly they made their breach beyond the riuer which by reason of the depth of it made them to their great preiudice differ the assalt al other things being ready and broke their arrayes as they went ouer the bridge They might haue done better to haue passed their troupes before had them on the other side before they went to the breach further they considered not that the ground behinde the breach being hie was not to be mounted albeit there had beene no wall And therefore a place euil chosen to make breach in For albeit they wan the breach yet could they not go forward vp the hill lastly they did neither diuert the enemies forces by escalades nor went to the assault with all their forces Of the simple prouision of victuals and bad gouernement in matters of iustice discipline of armes I wil say nothing because such disorders are inseparable companions of ciuil warres Yet was there not much better proceeding in the Kings campe besieging Rochell Anno 1573. which was in this sort The king before he sent his forces before the towne caused two enginers to goe thither about other matters but their purpose was to sound the hauen harbor and to marke the walles places of the towne to draw a plot of it Not loÌ„g after he sent Biron thither with
exercitus alant Liu. Carthage in Spaine to serue them in their warres in Spaine Caesar had his store at b Caes bel gal 7. Nouiodunum in the territory of the Heduans to serue him in his warres in France If so much cannot be prouided as is requisit then must men that possesse lands either serue vpon their owne charge as the Romanes did at the first and the Spartans did alwayes or else those that stay at home must maintaine those that serue abroad and a rate be laide vpon euerie shire and city how many souldiers they shal maintaine paid The c Sueui 100. millia armatorum bellandi causa suis ex finibus educunt reliqui qui domi remanserunt se atque illos alunt Caes bel gal 4. Sueuians by this means mainteined a hundred thousand men which euery yeere went out of the country to seeke aduentures Or else like slaues and pesants vnworthy the name of English must they serue strangers I will not say more for that it would be too great a shame if this whole country coulde not maintaine an army as well as Athens Sparta Argos Thebes Megara Locri Tarentum Syracusae and other cities and small states in Greece Italy Sicily other places Therefore leauing these supposals let good orders be set down strictly obserued if we be not so wise as to find the way our selues let vs yet learn of our enemies among which men of value bee aduanced to honor and fraudulent dealers be drawen vp to the gibbet The next care is to be had of d Of armes and furniture of warre armes all maner of furniture for the warre of al sorts of weapons as pikes halberds black bils musquets caliuers pedrinals pistoies lances bowes arrows swords and daggers of al armes defensiue as corsalets of proofe others morions targets of proofe and lighter iackets of male and plated doublets and other necessary peeces of great artillery both for battery and for the field of horses and their furniture of shippes mastes tacle artillerie and al prouision necessary for the sea of carriages both for ordonance munition and victuals as also for other necessarie vses of tents for encamping of powder and bullets and all things necessary both for great and smal shot of bridges and boats of spades mattocks axes wimbles baskets finally al other engins or prouisiō for wars al which is to be prouided laid vp in places neere to the enemy where we meane to go foorth against him Wherein wee shall not much erre if we follow the precedents of such as haue shewed themselues most obseruant of the lawes of Armes The e Lily beum tentbatur ad apparatum belli Liu. 21. Romanes intending to passe into Affrike against them of Carthage made their prouision at Lilybeum a port of Sicile looking toward Affrike Before that a Cirea armamentatia horrea aliumque belli apparatum visendū praetor legatique ducti Liu. 29. Scipio transported his army into Affrike hee made exceeding great prouision of armes and all warrelike furniture in Sicile which the messengers that were sent to view his proceeding could not behold without admiration landing in Affrike he had there like wise his workhouses storehouses of prouision The towne of New Carthage in Spaine serued the Carthaginians for a storehouse of al maner of prouision of armes warlike furniture for their warres in Spaine Liuy b Apparatus ingens belli opisices 2000. Liu. 26. saith there was infinit prouision and 2000. workmen that wrought continually The same towne being taken from the Carthaginians serued Scipio for the same vse who c Vibs strepebat apparatu belli ib. employed them in making of armes and engins of warre most diligently The Gaules reuolting from Caesar vsed wonderfull diligence in making of armes prouiding of horses furniture of war in euery d Caes bel Gal. 7. armorum quantū quaeque ciuitas domi quodque ante tempus efficiat constituit city appointing what nūber of armes weapons should be made The kings of Macedonia had diuers armories both within without their realme so that although e Chalcis horteum armamentarium Phi. lippi Liu. Chalcis Philips storehouse for armes were burnt yet did he not want Philip his son Perseus had infinit store hereof so that they contemned the Romans in respect of thēselues Antiochus dressed his armoiries workhouses in Lysimachia in his expeditiō against the Romans The Romans not only had publike storehouses of armes but f Arma habent Romani quae sibi quisque parauerit pauper miles Liu. 42. also priuate men had armes of their owne In this land although I doubt not but there is far more prouision of armes munition then hath bin in time past yet might there be an amends made if monopolies of pouder armes were taken away and if that which is in one place too much were placed in diuers conuenient storehouses in euery place sufficeint and finally if there were so much armes in priuate mens hands as the mosters pretend I neede not speake much of the prouision of shipping it were sufficient if that we haue were wel ordered and employed Of the vse of ships I shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter This may now suffice that if the shipping of this land and of our confederates were ioyned together and well furnished and vsed it woulde not be long ere peace should be offered by those which now braue vs with threats of warre because they see vs desirous of peace Cariages also cariage horses would be prouided not only for the drawing of ordonance arms but also of victuals munitiōs spades axes mattocks al other neccessaries of an armie The further the armie goeth from home the more care the generall ought to haue of carriages to take things necessary with him a Caesar bel gal 1. The Heluetians before they began to march into France prouided store of carts and horses and draught oxen for the purpose The Romanes in their b Liu. 42. expedition against Antiochus had carriages sufficient of the Macedonians Without a c Comitabatur Corbulonē praeter assueta belli magna vis camelorum onusta frumento Tacit. annal 15. number of Camels that followed the armie laden with all prouision and other carriages Corbulo coulde not haue preuailed against the Parthians Beside other ordinary cartes d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Xenophon exp Cyr. c. Cyrus in his expedition against his brother had 400. wagons laden with victuals which were not to be distributed but in time of necessitie What losses and trauaile our men haue endured in Flanders Portugall France for want hereof without my report it is sufficiently knowne to souldiers There ought no lesse care to be had of tents that souldiers may lie drie and more warme then commonly they doe For villages are not euery where to be found nor is it fitte that souldiers
made a strong Palissade vpon it and did sticke it ful of stakes The b Thucid. 1. Athenians vsed the same circumuallation about Potidaea which they compassed round with a strong banke deepe ditch Besieging c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. 1. MiletuÌ„ that part that was toward the land they compassed with three bankes and so many ditches and with their ships so crossed the hauen that none could enter or issue that way Caesar vsed yet more labour in besieging of townes in France Before Alexia first he made a trench 20 foote broad round about the towne This trench was neerer to the towne then his campe by 400 pases Beside that he made two other trenches without that each of them was 15 foote broad and behind the vtmost of the two d Caes bel Gal. 7. a banke of 12 foote hie with a parapet and crenels vpon it For garde whereof he caused sharpe forked stakes to be made fast in them Vpon the banke he built turrets round about one of them in distance from an other 80 foote in the ditches he pitched sharpe stakes and them couered with hurdles and earth The ground betwixt the trenches he set full of sharpe stakes and boords full of sharpe nailes with the points vpward and all this froÌ„ his campe inward to the towne The like trenches and banks and turrets he made round about his campe without for defence against those that should come to relieue the townsmeÌ„ without Things now incredible to be reported but then coÌ„monly vsed In few daies he compassed the citie e Vallo peâ—um 12 in circuitu 15 millium crebriscum castellis circummuniti erant Aduatici Caes bel Gal. 2. of the Aduaticans with a banke in circuit 15 miles in height 12 foote vpon the same he made turrets without it a deepe trench The same proceeding he vsed in the siege of Vtica in Afrike long before him Scipio besieging the same towne a Fossa vallo vrbem circumdat castella excitat modicis interuallis Liu. 25. Fuluius in the siege of Capua toward the towne did make a ditch of a great breadth and vpon it hee raised an high banke with turrets vpon the same round about the towne and the like defences he made against the enemie without so that not so much as a messenger could goe out nor any succour come in for to helpe the townsmen The same course another Fuluius vsed in the siege of Ambracia as Liuie testifieth The Gaules at length perceiuing the great commodity that these works brought with theÌ„ in effecting their purposes in sieges albeit vnacquainted with labor yet besieging b Caes bel Gal. 5. Quintus Cicero his campe coÌ„passed him in with hie banks and deepe trenches imitating all such works as they had seene the Romanes to make before them Annibal perceiuing that the castle of Tarentum which he besieged had the sea open perswaded the Tarentines to goe to sea and to stop the passage that way which if they could haue done in the end percase they might haue preuailed But the Romanes were too vigilant and sent them within succour in time If Lautrecke likewise had compassed them of Naples round about with banks and trenches and stopped the hauen so that no victuals had bene brought into the towne by sea or by land hee had not failed of his enterprise in taking the citie But now adayes our great commaunders thinke euery litle thing much and our souldiers are so idle and proude that they will not worke If with certaine Pioners they cut the high wayes and make certaine Barriquades vpon them and erect fiue or sixe weake sconces which are euill termed fortes being of no strength nor value they thinke they haue done much yea more then ordinarie either by water or by land they leaue the towne open so that seldome they come to the ende of their desires The French kings brother that was afterward king of Poland besieging Rochell an 1573. did not so much as cut the wayes so but that the townsmen diuers times sallied out vpoÌ„ him both with horse and foote Long was it ere his ships were come to barre the hauen and when they were come yet did they not so well gard it but that both ships with munitions victuals and messengers entred issued diuers times At Poitiers besieged by the Protestants an 1569. matters passed farre worse They neither barred the plaine nor the waies with any sufficient trenches succours entred horsemen and footemen sallied diuers times To this passe idlenes hath brought sieges that few take effect But let not our souldiers be ashamed to doe that which the Romanes did and practise of warre requireth Nay that valiant prince R. Edward the 3 hath shewed them by his example what they should doe for besieging Caleis he compassed it with a sufficient ditche and banke so that none could sally out and for defence of himselfe against such as should come with succour from without he made the like workes outward and in the ende preuailed So likewise townes besieged are to be enuironed with bankes and trenches and with the same our campe is likewise to be fenced The vse of the sea is to be taken from them with shippes as Marcellus did in the siege of Syracusae and Scipio in the siege of newe Carthage and Vtica If the same stand vpon riuers the same are to be barred with bridges as a Liu. 2. Porsena practised in the siege of Rome and not long since the Prince of Parma in the siege of Antwarpe If men will not take the paines to enuirone the towne with bankes and trenches round about yet must all hie waies and streetes and easie accesses at the least be well trenched and defended with bankes and sconces built in diuers places for the hinderance of succours and stopping of sallies The Duke of Alua did so in the siege of Arlem The Prince of Parma in the siege of Maestricht and in diuers other places Those which take diuers castles or els newe builde them two or three leagues distant from the Towne which they besiege thinking thereby to famish the Townesmen besieged seldome effect their purpose The Protestants anno 1567 seasing Pont Charenton Pont S. Clou Busenual S. Denis other places neere Paris thought to keepe it from victuals but the distances from Paris and of one place to another were so great that euen the Countrey people passed out and in betweene almost at pleasure The practise of the Earle of b Froissart Flanders that tooke like course in famishing of Gant in the dayes of Edward the thirde was likewise made frustrate First therefore the townes besieged are to be enuironed either with a banke and trenches or els with sconces very neere to the walles Secondly the same are to be kept with strong gardes and diligent watches that none enter in or passe out for defence whereof the banks are to be made high and well flanked the ditches deepe
garrisons in all the coast townes yet was he not able to gard the countrey from spoile of the Romanes that out of their nauy landed here and there The Athenians notwithstanding that the f Thucid. 3. 4. countrey was well garded both with horsemen and footemen yet landed diuers times and sacked and spoiled diuers townes in Peloponnesus Neither may we thinke that Afrike that so was spoiled by the Romanes was all that while without gard But the suddennesse of the inuasion preuented the gathering together of those that were to make resistance a Caes de bel ciu 2. Nasidius cōming vpō a suddē into the hauē of Messana tooke out a ship thēce in the sight of the Townesmen other ships Neither could the Atheniās keepe so diligēt b Thucid. 1. watch at their beacōs but that the enemie cōming on the sudden tooke 3. ships out of the hauē of Salamine set the towne in an vprore As for those that thinke it a hard matter to land quietly in the enemies country they seeme to be ignorāt not only how easily we landed our men in the voyage of Portugal both at Corōna Penicha but also of the easy landing of the Atheniās in Peloponnesus of the Romanes in Afrike in the coast of Spaine Greece Al the forces of this Iland being assembled together seeing Caesars cōming could not hinder his landing Nay whē Pompey held all the port townes of the coast of e Caesar inter saxa quietam nactus stationem milites exposuit Pompeianis omnia tenentibus Caes bel ciu 3. Epeirus with strong garisons had a most puissant army ready yet could he not forbid Caesar to land his army that came against him in a calme landed his men amōg rocks Sarlabous minding to stop the landing of Minguetiere in the yle of Oleron an 1569. charged him in the landing but with such disaduantage the others men being couered in their botes shalups he being on the open shore that he diuers men lost their liues in the place the rest had no way to escape but by running Those that land against those that resist them haue many aduantages they come vpō the sudden they haue great number of resolute souldiers they comeprepared to fight They stand close in their botes couered with their targets their small shot their falcons or other small pieces placed in the noses of their botes doth make them way Contrariwise souldiers are not gathered vpō a sudden tumultuary forces of the country come rather to gaze thē to fight Seldome do they endure blowes sometime they feare at the sound of pieces Those that present themselues vpō the shore lie opē to the enemies shot Neither captaine nor souldier can come in warlike sort being taken vpō such a sudden The only danger of those that land in a forreine country is least the tempest arysing suffer them not to be shipped againe Which happened to the d Thucid. Atheniās landing in Pelopōnesus And yet going to the next harbor they tooke the place and staied there vntill such time as their ships could come vnto thē In all which time the countrey was not yet come together in such numbers that they durst fight with them By the nauy the victuals that go to the enemie are intercepted Nabis the e Liu. 34. Lacedemonian with a fewe ships so watched the coast that no victuals could come to the Romanes that then warred against the Macedonians in Greece By the same a Classem paratam instructamque ad commeatus intercipiendos habebant Liu. 30. course the Carthaginians lying incertaine Ilands at the receite hindred the repaire of ships that brought victuals to the Romanes Neither could they redresse this disordred before they had taken all the b Toto mari pulsis hostium nauibus magni commeatus frumenti Romam subuecti sunt Liu. 28. Ilands from them and driuen their c Liu. 21. ships out of the sea Those that would defend the coast from the enemies spoiles are to proceede in this sort In d Carthaginenses speculas per singular promontoria ponebant Liu. 29. Promontories they are to keepe diligent watch at beacons To vnderstand the enemies proceeding they are to send forth their espials in shippes of good faile Vpon the coast they are to mainteine e Omnia oppida maritima praesidiis firmauit Liu 35. forces both on horsebacke foote to place in port townes good garisons This did the Carthaginians practise in their warres against the Romanes and long before them the Lacedemoniās against the Athenians other nations proceeded in like force and al litle ynough For where there is not a nauy ready furnisht to seeke out to fight with the enemie either in one place or other cōming with great forces he will land may for any resistance that can be made from the land vpon a sudden against such force doe the same without danger But if as in deede it is far better we purpose our selues to inuade the enemies to land our men in the countrey yet let vs procede more wisely orderly then heretofore some men haue done and let vs not alwaies presume vpon the enemies weakenes If former examples can not instruct vs yet may the smart of their losses hauing lost both many good friends and braue men make men more resolute more wary First therefore let vs cōsider the time when the enemie is most secure and the season that best serueth for vs that we thē go not when either heat or cold wil beate vs the country is least prouided to maintein vs with victuals or forrage Secondly let vs cōsider the place where the enemie is most open where there is most cōmoditie for vs further let those that attempt such enterprises prouide themselues of al things necessary for such a iourney Alas why should men be sent to sea to be famished or among the enemies to be dishonored Before things be ready let vs not discouer our purpose Neither let the Spaniard heare of our enterprises before that men be leuied that should execute them If the f Thucid. 1. Lacedemonians had repressed their anger vntil such time as they had prouided themselues both by land sea as Archidamus counselled them they had done more hurt then they did to the Atheniās But what if such as go in such seruices cānot haue things necessary then let them quiet themselues let those that are the hinderances of all good seruice goe themselues fight themselues first for by going in that sort they doe hazard their liues and loose their honour The prouision is to be made at a place certaine which being made all the souldiers are to haue their rendeuous giuen them at that place both they the prouision is to be shipped to depart with the next faire winde that bloweth after that time When we are a Vbi omnes iam in
rewarded Wherefore albeit warres in our times admit no such order which being ended are the beginning of beggarie and calamitie to many poore souldiers yet may I not omit the ordinarie course though interrupted and broken by men ignorant of warres and all good order There is nothing more effectuall to moue men to aduenture their liues in the seruice of their countrey then reward Lawe doth much and necessitie more yet neither of them in this behalfe are so effectuall as reward By a Magni animi magnis honoribus siunt Liu. 4. great honors men are encouraged to make great aduentures Men do b Eo impenditur labor periculum vnde emolumentum atque honor speratur nihilque non aggressuri sunt homines si magnis conatibus magna praemia proponantur Liu. 4. willingly hazard and bestow labour where there is profite and honor looked for Neither is there any thing so difficult which some will not attempt if braue seruice be recompensed with honorable rewards As it is in al arts and professioÌ„s so it is in the profession of a soldier c Honos alit artes c. iacentque ea semper quae apud quosque improbantur Cic. Tuscul there is best seruice where there is greatest honor for wel doing and contrariwise where there is no reward there is no man desireth to be singular Lysander being demanded what maner of gouernment he liked best answered that where valiant men had reward and cowards punishment that common wealth pleased him best Socrates praysed that state aboue all where most honors were giuen according to vertue and merit and none for meede nor money Of all lawes saith d Demosth aduers Leptin Demosthenes those deserue best to be continued which concerne the reward of good men and the punishment of lewd lozels And if reason cannot excite the cold affection of couetous wretches to consider the merits of valiant men yet in the ende necessitie will worke it For neither e Neque domus neque resp stare potest si in ea nec rectè factis praemia extant vlla nec supplicia peccatis common wealth nor priuate house can stand where there is neither reward for wel doing nor punishment for the contrary The common wealth of the Romanes had neuer growen to that greatnesse if among other their vertues their thankefulnesse to valiant men had not bene singular Horatius Cocles that repelled the force of the Hetruscians himselfe alone standing vpon the bridge of wood ouer Tyber had a f Statua in comitio posita agri quantum vna die circumarauit datum Liu. 2. statue of marble erected in the place of common meetings for continuance of his memoriall and so much ground giuen him as he could compasse with his plough in one day At the same time they gaue laÌ„ds also to g Mutio Scaeuolae ager trans Tyberim virtutis cause datus Liu. 2. Mutius Scaeuola for his singular valiantnesse Cornelius the Consul for a singular piece of seruice gaue vnto Decius a h Liui. 7. crown of gold and an huÌ„dred oxen to euery of the soldiers that went with him double allowance of victuals an oxe two sutes of apparell In the warres against the Samnites Sp. Nautius Sp. Papyrius 4 i Liu. 10. centurions one whole squadroÌ„ of targetters the Romans call them hastatos were rewarded with brace lets coronets of gold by their General Caesar a Caesar Sâ—aeuam ad primipiluÌ„ traduxit 2000 aeris dedit cohortem duplici stipendio frumento donauit aliis militaribus donis Cas de bel ciu 3. for his valiant seruice advanced Scaeua to the highest place in his regiment and gaue him two thousand pieces of mony the whole company he rewarded with double pay and allowance and other militarie presentes After the winning of new Carthage in Spaine b Liu. 26. Scipio gaue coronets of gold to those that first mounted the walles and rewarded others euery man according to his desert Likewise did he reward such as shewed themselues valiant men in the warres c Liu. 29. against Syphax the Carthaginians And after the warres were ended not only did he giue his souldiers money but the state gaue them lands also after the ende of warres the d Agri veteribus milâ—tibus qui auspicio Scipionis in Africa bellum perfecissent diuisi Liu. 31. Romans diuided ordinarily to some money to some e Romulus militibus agros captos diuisit Dionis Halic l. 2. lands Alexander f L. in agris ff de acquir rerdomin Seuerus diuided the contrie that was vpon the frontiers among the souldiers that serued there At that time honors and the highest places were rewards of valiant men Valer. g Hac dextra mihi tres consulatus summámque laudem peperi Liu. 7. Coruinus doubteth not to say that with his hands he had wonne to himselfe great praise three Consulships which was the highest dignitie in that state And Decius affirmeth that h Non generis sed virtutis est praemium Liu. 7. rewards were due to vertue rather then nobilitie When by reason of their great losses the Senat of Rome was much diminished must be supplied those were chosen which had the i Senatores lecti ex ijs qui spolia ex Rom. hoste sixa domi haberent aut ciuicam coronam accepissent Liui 23. spoiles of the enemie in their house or had for the sauing of the life of a citizen bene rewarded with a crowne The spoyle was not then as now it is giuen to those that forsaking their coulours runne after spoyle k Liui. 6. leauing the labour danger to others nor was it lawfull for any to goe before commandement giuen The Consuls did sell and diuide the spoyle sayth l Praedam coss vendiderunt diuiserúnt que Liu. 25. Liuy and rewarded those especially by whose forwardnesse the enemies campe was taken before others two captaines whose valiantnesse was singular And in another place m Data ex praeda militibus aeris octogeni bini sagáque tunicae praemia illa tempestate haudquaquam spernenda L. 10. he testifieth that the soldiers had euery man a sute of apparell and 82. pieces of money giuen him Neither were valiant soldiers forgotten no not in the most corrupt times for obseruance of military orders nor when the Roman empire began now to decline Tacitus n Tacit. annal 3. mentioneth those rewards that were giuen to Rufus Heluius at diuers times for his seruice o Constantinus filios in paternam militiam vocabat l. 1. 2. C. de fil off militis 12. Constantine was most bountifull to his souldiers and gaue the rewardes due to the father to his children also neither were they bountiful to their owne men but also such as serued with them Marcellus presented p Liu. 23. Bantius of Nola with a horse and furniture for his good seruice They of Preneste for rewarde
the ancient Britons hee vnderstoode the estate of the countrey and had great helpe to atchieue his purpose against it While they of the citie of a Phil. Comin Dinant suffered themselues to be disioyned from their associates of Liege Charles Duke of Burgundy did easily ouercome them If Lewis the xi of France had not separated and broken the league first betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy and afterward betwixt king Edward the fourth and the Duke of Burgundy he could not haue escaped with so litle losse nor vanquished his enemies with so great gaine We haue also domesticall examples of the same but too many and which I cannot without some griefe remember not with dint of sword nor open force but with secret practices with our associates and friendes in France the French tooke not onely Normandy but also Gascoyne and Guienne from the English nation And neuer omitting any opportunitie to trouble vs they wrought much woe vnto this land in the dayes of King Iohn by furthering and procuring the reuolt of the Nobilitie Neither can any estate continue that hath his partes deuided For as one sayth it falleth out that while euery man looking to his owne present safetie a Dum pugnant singuli vincuntur omnes Tacit. suffereth his friendes to fight single all are ouercome By this means the Spaniard hath so much preuailed in the Low countreys and the people haue hurt themselues For disioyning their counsailes and forces and refusing the b Resusans le secours des estrangers Hist de troubl de Fran. lib. 1. ayde of strangers they are for the most part a spoyle vnto the enemie And if we would haue vsed greater force and more diligence in withdrawing from the Spaniard his associates and subiects of Portugall of the Ilands and of the Low countreys hee would haue bene long ere this very gentle to deale withall But some wise men as they say haue not onely not sought to cause his subiects to reuolt but haue refused and still refuse to receiue them that holde out their hands crauing helpe of friends and long since are weary of the Spanish tyranny As for those that suppose the Spaniards to haue such holde of all the countreys which nowe they possesse and of the inhabitants thereof that we should but loose labour in attempting their reuolt they seeme to be ignorant not onely of the state of his countreys and of the Spanish gouernement but also of the nature of things It is well knowen with what discontentment and grudge both the Portugals and those of the Lowe countreys doe serue the Spaniard The Portugals were ready to receiue vs at our last expedition thither and would haue declared themselues further if they had perceiued that wee had bene able to defend them against the Spaniard The state of Milan is holden more by force then by loue or good title They of Naples and Sicile haue by many signes declared their great discontentment of the Spanish yoke The Indians would reuolt if they knewe which way In all countreys there are euer some that either for hope or hatred desire change of state Annibal after that hee had once or twise beaten the Romanes in Italy did afterwarde mainteine the warres for the most part with the aydes of that countrey And Caesar vsed the strength of the Gaules against the rest of the nation Vpon the first ouerthrow which Scipio gaue to the Carthaginians in Affrike he caused most of the countrey to turne enemie against them Neither may we thinke that the state of Spaine is in this point better then other nations especially seeing the stirres in Aragon and Grenade beside many other offers in Castile doe declare that there are among them many mal-contents The Spaniard doubteth not to finde many such among vs but it were to be wished that we would rather make triall first whether there were any such to be found in Spaine When the French made their expeditions into a Guicciard Hist Naples they found great aydes in the countrey some also beside exspectation Why then should Spaine differ from Italy But while we seeke to augment our forces with the succours of our associates and friendes we are not so to rely vpon them but that we prepare sufficient forces of our owne nation both to resist the enemie and if neede be to commaund our associates therein folowing the wise proceedings of the Romanes that neuer would admit a greater number of associates then they had of their citizens in their army and had alwayes an eye that they practised not with the enemie In this as in b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicharm other points to distrust is a great point of wisedome The Scipioes did trust but too much to the aydes of the Celtiberians in Spaine For being abandoned by them they were exposed naked and vnprouided to the mercy of their enemies c Liu. 1. Tullius Hostilius did deale more wisely For although hee had the succours of the Albans with him yet had hee force sufficient to vanquish his enemis without them If not he had farre worse speeded For in the middes of the battell he was forsaken by them The d Guicciard Hift. Switzers that came in ayde of Lewis Sforza solde him into the handes of Lewis the xij at Nouara and did not onely forsake him And of late yeres the Protestants that eame out of Germany vnder the guidance of the Dukes of Bouillion were in their greatest neede forsaken of the Lansknights that came to ayde them I neede not labour inueh to prooue this seeing the great expenses that by the French and others hane beene wasted vpon the Almains of late time doe teach vs howe little vse or hope there is of the ayde of that nation Of all those that folowe our ensignes and ioyne together with vs those are least to be trusted that are lately reuolted Good it were to trie such and then to trust them Two a Guicciardio Spaniards feining them selues fugitiues in the warres betwixt the Spaniards and the Venetians attempted to kill Aluian the Venetian Generall The like was attempted by certaine Turks against Scanderbeg The Numidians that reuolted to the Romans a litle before their battel with Annibal at Cannae made a great flaughter among the Romanes after the battell ioyued Maureuell that runagate pretending to forsake the enemie vpon some displeasure would haue slaine the Admirall but when he sawe howe that could not be done without euident danger he slew Mouy a valiant gentleman and so returned againe to the enemie Neuer any did wholy rely vpon his associates especially such as were newly come vnto him without losse or danger Good it had bene for vs not to haue looked for so much at the Portugales hands as we did it may be they would haue assisted vs if we had bene the stronger but euery one treadeth on those that are throwen vnder foote and thrusteth forward those that are falling
heads of contrary disposition Which mischiefe seeing it can be no otherwise remedied then by giuing the soueraintie to one the Prince is diligently to see that the soueraintie in the army be not diuided amongst many The Romanes albeit they had ordinarily two consuls yet in their greatest dangers they appointed one Dictator or Generall with absolute authoritie The soueraine commandement of one is a helpe and meanes to dispatch matters quickly to take opportunities and vse the time of warre b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olinth 1. Demosthene doeth playnely declare the same by the example of Philip king of Macedonia While one commaundeth he both vnderstandeth better what is wanting and howe it is to be had his care is greater his proceeding more formall and equall his counsel more speedy and secret Therefore did the Romanes send but one Gouernour into their Prouinces and employed for the most part but one Consull in the gouerument of their armies If both yet where they proceeded orderly the one gaue c In exercitu Rom. cum duo essent Coss potestate pari quod saluberrimum est in rerum magnarum administratione summa imperii concedente Agrippa penes Quintium erat Liu. 3. place to the other A matter most requisite for the dispatch of weighty matters as it is euident in the fact of Agrippa yeelding the chieftie to his felow Quintius The Athenians for that their state was popular vsed yeerely to chuse many captaines yet in their greatest dangers all the rest yeelded to be gouerned by one In the Marathonian fielde against Darius the supreme commandement was in Miltiades in the battell of Salamine against Xerxes in d Herodot Themistocles all the rest submitting themselues to be commanded by him Seldome hath any wise nation done otherwise if they did they payde for the most part the full price of their folly The Romanes were ruinated by the Gaules at the encounter of a Liu. 5. Allia partly by the disorder of the chiefe commanders being diners and hauing equall authoritie Those three b Tres duces delectu habito profecti sunt Veios documentoque fuere quam plurium imperium bello inutile esset Tendendo enim ad sua quisque consilia cum aliud alii videretur aperuerūt ad occasionem locum hosti Liu. 4. captaines that besieged Veij hauing all equal power may be a document vnto vs how vnprofitable the commandement of diuers Generals is for the gouernment of warres For euery man driuing all matters to his owne endes while one man thought one way an other otherwise they gaue occasion to their enemies to hurt them By the discorde c Liu. lib. 5. of the captaines while one refused to succour an other the Romanes were foyled before Veij The Aequians obseruing the disagreement betweene the d Liu. 4. Romane captaines although in force inferiour to the Romanes yet preuailed against them Neither was there any greater cause of the ruine of the e Thucid. 6. Athenian army in Sicile then the contrarietie of opinions and discorde of the three captaines sent thither with soueraigne commandement The originall of all the disorders that fell out in the army of the Protestants in Germany and of the victorie of f Sleidan Charles the fift was the diuers opinions of the Duke of Saxony and Lantgraue of Hesse When the Lantgraue woulde haue foughten the Duke was of another minde or percase was not ready What the one did profitably determine that the other did frustrate From the time of this discorde the affaires of the Protestants went to wracke The French were driuen out of the kingdome of g Discordia di capitani fa perdere Napoli a Francesi Guicciar lib. 3. Naples by a small force by reason of the dissention of the captaines Montpensier and Percy The enuie and contention that fell out betwixt the French and Hungarian captaines gaue an easy victorie to Amurathes the Turke at Nicopolis It had not bene possible for Caesar h Guicciard li. 5. Borgia to escape the hands of so many Princes confederate against him but that the captaines of the aduerse army did weaken their force by their owne disagreement The Venetians were ouerthrown at Ghiaradadda only by the pluralitie of commanders For while i Guicciard lib. 8. Bartholomew Aluian which was one of their Generals determined to fight and the Count Pittiglian which was the other commanded the army to marche the enemie charging them in this instant of their irresolution obteined a great victorie The soueraigne authoritie both of matters by land and by sea is to be giuen only to one otherwise there can be no good correspondence in both places While Lantreck k Guicciard commanded by land and Philippin Doria by sea the siege of Naples was discontinued the towne victualled which happened by reason of the dissention of the Generals It hath bene no small hinderance to our affaires in the Low countreys that those that haue commanded at land haue not likewsie had the gouernment at sea For by this meanes the enemie hath had greater store of victuals and our owne men greater want when the shippes and passages were in others keeping Nay where the commandement is part in the Generall and part in the States things are yet more confused For the States oft times victuall the enemie yea and coutinually trade into Spaine while our souldiers fight against the Spaniard I will not say what inconueniences come of this one point neglected otherwayes for that it would couch some men more particularly then my meaning is For remedy of this mischiefe the Romanes gaue to their captains power both in matters by land and sea Scipio as he had an army by land so he had a Nauie by sea both in the expedition of Spaine and Afrike Neither could Marcellus euer haue preuailed against the citie of Syracusae if he had not besieged the towne both by sea and land Caesar was enforced to goe to sea before he could subdue the sea townes of France But what neede I vse more wordes in a matter so playne both reason and experience teacheth vs that many a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commanders in matters of warre are not good And therefore let there be but one soueraigne commander both by land and sea with what authoritie he ought to be furnished resteth now to be discussed CHAP. IIII. Part. 4 Of the authoritie and Commission of the Generall ACcording to that opinion which Princes and States haue of their Captaines and sometimes respect had to the danger of the times their vse is to giue vnto them more ample or more straite commission But if they purpose that their affaires shal succeed wel of two things one is necessarie to wit that either they furnish them with meanes sufficient or giue them commission to furnish and helpe themselues and that either they doe direct them sufficiently which is scarce possible or els giue them leaue to take order according to
the occasions offered vpon present viewe and varietie of times or things For neither can he doe seruice vpon the enemie that wanteth either conuenient force or meanes nor may he or dare he take the aduantage of time and other circumstances that is brideled and bound by his instructions The Romanes although most expert in deedes of armes whose Senate consisted for the most part of such as in their time had bene commanders and altogether of men exercised in armes yet did not at any time prescribe their Generals what to doe and what they should not doe much lesse howe they should doe or when they should doe it Much more absurd therefore it is that men that neuer sawe enemie nor know the traine of warres should take vpon them to direct Generals what they should doe at land or sea and very strange it seemeth to me that Generals to whome armies are committed should like schooleboyes take forth such lessons as these ignorant pedants and scriuanoes should prescribe Warres are not made by indenture neither can any couenant with his enemie to doe this or not to doe it Nor can any man conceiue what is best to be done but such as are present And therefore the ordinary limitations of some commissions doe nothing els but binde the hands of our captaines that they shall not vse opportunitie or percase further and helpe the enemie Herein therefore it is good to imitate olde warriers at least to come so neere them as difference of times will permit The Romane captaines had authoritie most large and meanes sufficient Their forces were great their furniture and prouision plentifull least they should exact any thing of their associats they were furnished with all things a Liu. 25.26 necessary euen to their b Magistratus mulis tabernaculisque omni alio instrumento militari ornabantur ne quid tale imperarent sociis Liu. 42. 44. mules tentes and carriages That which was wanting or might more easily be had otherwhere they had authority to supply All which consisted was giuen them in one word Now captains haue many words in their commission litle scope or authority Vnder this one word imperium they coÌ„prised al authority necessary for the gouernement of the warres By the same they had power to leuy men to leade them to employ them as appeareth by the c Demus imperium Caesari sine quo exercitus haberi res militaris administrari non potest Cic. Philip Decreui imperium exercitum habenti Quid est enim sine imperio exercitus Cic. Philip. commission giuen to Octauius Caesar that afterward was called Augustus In the Prouince where they made warres they might beside the number they brought with them leuy other souldiers impose vpon the people necessary charges for the defence of the coutry Caesar d Prouinciae quaÌ„ maximum potest militum numeruÌ„ imperat Caes bel â—al 8. to resist the attempts of the Heluetians which threatned to passe through the Prouince of France subiect to the Romanes leuied as many men as he could in his gouernement Fuluius vnderstanding that the a Fuluius quia armare inuentutem Celliberos andiret ipse quanta poterat a sociis auxilia coÌ„traxerat Liu. 40. Celtiberians gathered newe forces he also in his gouernement procured what helpe hee could of his subiectes and associates From their associates and subiects in their gouernment they had power to take victuals carriages shippes and necessarie furniture of warre as is euident in the warres that Scipio made in Spaine and Afrike Caesar in France Sylla and Pompey in Asia and other Countreys They had also power to doe iustice as well to their associates and subiects as to their owue souldiers otherwise they could neither haue encountred with trechery of men euill affected nor defended their fauourers and friendes The defence of the Prouince and their b M. Messala L. Pisone Coss Senatus censuit vti quicunque Galliam prouinciam obtineret quod commodo reip facere posset Aeduos ecterósque amicos populi Rom. defenderet Caes bel gal 1. friendes both against seditious mutins and foreine inuasion was likewise committed vnto them and per consequent power giuen them to leuy power and vse all meanes for the maintenance of their associats and for the gouernment and execution of warres without which they could not be defended Good it had bene for our Generals likewise in the Lowe countreys and other where that their authoritie had bene also enlarged For while they had neither victuals nor lodging nor shippes nor cariages nor artillery nor munition nor other furniture of warre but at the pleasure of the States some whereof were too respectiue of their owne profite nor could execute any man of those Countreys for treason without their consent it is no maruaile if their proceedings were slowe their executions slender their wantes great Further the Romanes gaue their Generals power both to make warres by sea and land Do doubt they had also sufficient meanes without which all power is frustratory Our Captains in the Low countreys as they haue bene weake by land so they depended on others pleasures for matters at sea In later times also the same course hath bene taken When c Corbuloni reges praefecti praetores parere iussi potestas data qualis Pompelo bello Pyratico Tacit. annal 15. Corbulo was sent by Nero against the Parthians hee had power equall to that which Pompey had graunted vnto him in the warres against the Pirats Kings Gouernours of Prouinces and the Officers of the Romanes were enioyned to obey him It is the vse of all Nations both to furnish their Generals and to authorize them sufficiently What authoritie Annibal had it is partly euident by his actions for it is not to be presumed that he did matters without authority and partly by the wordes of Fabius perswading the Romanes to chuse a captaine equall to Annibal a leader sayth hee of great authoritie by reason of his continuance and not restrained by any limitation of times or lawes so but that he might doe all things according as opportunites of warre should require Herein Demosthenes a Olynth 1. declareth what great aduantage Philip king of Macedonia had aboue the captaines of the Athenians for he was not limited by any Superiors commandement nor restrained by termes or time as were they Which thing sayth he is very effectuall for dispatch of matters Those captaines sayth b Duces summi liberi impedimeÌ„tis omnibus dominique rerum teÌ„porumque trahunt consilijs cuncta Liu. 9. Liuy that haue absolute authoritie and are free from impediments and haue power ouer things and times doe worke great effectes with their counsels Whosoeuer therefore for enuy or feare or other cause goeth about to perswade Princes to pare their Generals authoritie and to binde them with strait conditions hath an euill minde himselfe and as much 〈◊〉 in him lyeth ruinateth the affaires of his Prince For what seruice can
at the pleasure of barbers scriuenoes and some giuen for the loue of ladies The abuse is but too auncient yet neuer so farre inured as now Tully at the b Cic. ad Attic. request of Brutus bestowed a colonels place vpon Scaptius which he refused And writing to Caesar in the fauour of c Huic ego neque tribunatum neque praefecturam peto Cic. ad Caes ep fam Trebatius he sheweth the such places were sometimes graunted of fauour but seldome without desert He obiecteth against d Centuriatus palà m vendidit ordines per seruū assignauit Cic. in Pison Piso as a great reproch that he sold the places of captains and other romes and inferiour offices at the request of his scribes and slaues Caesar in e Hirt. de bel Afric Affrike dismissed certaine of his colonels captaines with this speach to disgrace them that they had gotten those places for fauour without desert Afterward when the centurion began to take money of the common souldier for absence and redemption of other disorders of which Tacitus f Per sordes auaritiam Fonteius Capito adimebat assignabat militiae ordines Tacit. 17. complaineth the centurions place began to be also set to sale which was a great cause of the corruption of militarie discipline among the Romanes and cannot chuse but also worke bad effects among vs if it be continued There is none that buyeth his place that willingly doth hazard his carkasse or hath other respect then of gaine And no maruel if the common souldiers be pilled where the captaines at their entrance are so pinched The places of g Populus tribunos ad 4. primas legiones dixit reliquos coss Liu. 27. colonels were sometime giuen by the people of Rome but most cōmonly with greatest reason by the Generals For otherwise if it were how could they reward those that best deserued Therefore did Aemilius h Liu. 42. Paulus make request that he might bestow those places vpon men of greatest worth and merite which said he is for the honour also and profite of the common wealth Centurions were alwayes chosen by the Generals and by them aduanced for their i Virtutis causa in superiores erant ordines huius legionis traducti Caes bel gal 6. vertue Caesar preferred Scaeua to the highest centurions roome in in the legion for his noble seruice at Dyrrachium Among k Exped Cyr. 2. the Greekes those that were next in degree succeeded in their places that were next about them if any thing came at them The officers of companies namely lieutenants ensignes sergiants corporals are chosen by the captaines of companies But much better it were if as some doe so all did chuse them of their most able and valiant souldiers without respect or fauour Other officers are chosen some for the gouernment others for the prouision of the army Of the sort are the campmasters or marshals with their serieant maior field coporals colonel general lieutenant general of the horse scoutemasters trenchmasters quartermasters and such like Which all tend one way are but partes of the Generals duety which in time past he executed by his legates or lieutenants tribunes The master of the Ordonance captaine of Pioners are likewise but of a late inuention since the vse of artillerie came in and souldiers through slouth began to refuse the labours of warre The iudge and prouost marshall succeede also in a part of the Generals care for deciding and executing matters of iustice The muster-master likewise is of a late stampe namely since captaines began to pay the souldiers and Princes began to be defrauded of their numbers and their treasure Of the second sort are all Commissaries for the pay of souldiers for victuals armes munition carriages and whatsoeuer other prouision necessary For good choice whereof there is but one generall rule to be obserued to wit that all partiality and affection laid aside such be placed in gouernment as be skilfull loyal valiant diligent and haue respect of honour not of profite and in offices of prouision such as haue knowledge in such matters will deale faithfully Such as ambitiously or greedily sue for such places are not lightly to be heard and although they be once placed yet if they be conuicted of insufficiencie or negligence or fraude they are exemplarly to be punished or at the least remoued CHAP. IIII. Part 6. Of musters and choice of common souldiers THe Generals chiefe care is about the choice of his chiefe officers colonels captaines of companies yet may he not neglect the choice euen of cōmon souldiers A matter in our times either not at al or very litle regarded For when occasion is offered of seruice then for the most part order is giuen either to the officers of euery Parish to take vp roges or masterles men or inhabitants of prisons such as if they had their deserts they were to be sent rather to the gallowes then to the warres for the most part or if a greater number must be taken to the officers in the Countrey men for the most part ignorant of warlike actions and such as haue no other respect most commonly then to disburthen the Parish of rogues loyterers pikars drunkards and such as no other way can liue Among that which there is no honest man but would be loth to be numbred If any other be chosen it is for some priuate respect or grudge And of those that are chosen if they haue either friendes fauour or money most of thē are dismissed And sure when I cōsider how in forrein nations men are sent to the slaughter few in nūber vnprouided vnfurnished vnpaid and pilled of their gouernours contrary to all order of seruice I must needes say these men are the fittest to be sent But if Princes meane to haue their honour and countrey defended or their estate mainteined or seruice done vpon the enemie they must haue more regard to chuse men of more strength honestie and abilitie such as haue reason to fight for their Countrey and haue care of their honest reputation and are ashamed of villeny and lewde doing For how can captaines encourage those to fight for their countrey lands goods and honor that haue neither house nor home nor respect of honesty or shame nor care though all were fired so they might hooke somewhat and yet forsooth the Generals commanders that of late time haue bin emploied haue bin blamed that they haue not obserued the rules of militarie discipline among these men As if it were possible to keepe famished men from snatching of victuals or drunkardes from drinke or to master men that are masterles or to keepe rogues in order or to make loyterours to worke or pilferors to march in aray and keepe order or to preserue them aliue that haue neither paye nor prouision in time nor one peny to helpe themselues in their neede If they will therefore haue order
carriages wanted victuals and armes and munitions many things necessary But seeing they haue done such things at such disaduantage they may thinke our men would haue done much more if the party had bin equall or our men better prouided and furnished Beside this souldiers chosen of this nation are bound with a straiter bond to their prince country then any stranger They haue more reason to fight hauing not only the defence of their prince and country but also their religion lawes liberty wiues and children coÌ„mitted to their hands they are more patient in aduersity haue lesse cause to reuolt Wanting of pay or part of their pay which God wot they may percase do oft times they notwithstanding continue constant and loyal If they offend hauing their wiues children landes goods and friends behinde them they are more easily corrected Finally lesse pay doth content our souldiers then any forreine natioÌ„ I doubt not but if that mony which hath bin cast away vpoÌ„ the Dutch and French had bene emploied vpon our poore country souldiers the country had beene better stored with mony and the people better prouided for warres and greater seruice done vpon the enemy Let vs now compare strangers vnto the subiects of this land There is at all no trust in them a Infidas venâ—lésque manus ibi fas vbi maxima merces Their handes are saleable their heartes faithlesse They accompt that cause best where they may haue most hire It is follie saith b Polyb. lib. 2. Polybius and want of iudgement to put trust in strangers beeing more in number and strength then our owne nation The first time that euer the Romanes vsed mercenary souldiers was when the two Scipioes were gouernours of their forces in Spaine Those two being together with their army betrayed and ruinated by the Celtiberians that forsooke them in their neede may be an euident c Liu. 24. document neuer to trust strangers vnlesse wee haue force to commaund them and constraine them Annibal d Liu. 23. abandoned by the Spanish and Numidian horsemen was greatly weakened e Liu. 23. Mutines forsaking the Carthaginians in whose succour hee came out of Numidia disordered all their affaires in Sicile The Romanes giuing themselues to pleasures and ease and vsing forraine forces of Germanes and Gaules ruinated that huge Empire which was left them by their ancestors Which as Tacitus saith were inuincible so long as they vsed their owne souldiers The Gaules f Qua nihil in exercitu Rom. firmum nisi externum Tacit. 3. reuolted from the Romanes because they saw no strength in the Romane army but that which was of straÌ„gers Of whom they presumed that they would not ioyne with the Romans against them The Thessalian horsemen forsaking the Athenians in the battel of a Thucid. 1. Tanagra occasioned the victory to the Lacedemonians their enemies The same had hapned to the b Thucid. 4. Lacedemonians by the treachery of the Macedonians that forsooke them when the Thracians charged them had not the resolution of Brasidas remedied the disorder The departure of c Guicciar 15. 6000. Grisons that left Francis the first of France before Pauy was the beginning of his weakenesse 2000. mercenary men leauing Maximilian the Emperor broke his enterprise against the Venetians d Guicciar 2. Fabritio Prospero ColoÌ„na although highly aduanced by Charles the 8. of France yet in the end reuolted to Ferdinand In the days of Ed. the 3. Rich. the 2. Hen. the 5. and 6 the greatest e Froissart losses we had in France happened by the reuolt of the French which our men without cause trusted When al was lost yet did wée retaine Caleis vntil it was taken from vs by force for that it was kept peopled by the English nation Yet the same was almost betrayed by an Italian to whom Edw. the 3. gaue it in guard How the Germans that came into France of late in aide of the Protestants vnder the Dukes of Bouillion the baron Donaw behaued themselues I report me to the memory of those poore gentlemeÌ„ that by their disloyaltie and treason were left as a spoyle to the enemie Oft times strangers not only forsake their friends but also ioyne with the enemy oppugne them The f Liu. 21. Gaules in the 2. wars with Carthage flew the watch of the Romanes by night fled ioyned themselues with Annibal The Dutchmen that Charles the 8. of France left in the kingdome of g Guicciar lib. 3. Naples for the defence thereof corrupted with mony tooke part with the enemy The b Tacit. 20. Romans betrayed by their associats at one time were slain both by them by the enemy The ancient Britons vsing in time past the help of the Saxons were by them driuen out of their natiue country The like hapned to the i Caes bel gal 1. Sequanians long before For requiring aide of the Germanes against the Heduans their neighbors they were driuen out of their owne possessions by those that came to succour them k Salust bel Iugurth Iugurtha by the trechery of certaine Thracians that serued the Romanes in Affrike entred the Romane campe in the night and made a great slaughter therein The Turkes are now in possession of Constantinople in aide whereof they first came out of Asia Strangers are neuer satisfied with any pay yet seldome do they any seruice The l Dimissi Galli pecuniam ingentem sine labore ac periculo partam retulerunt Liu. 10. Gaules hired by the Hetruscians carried away their mony without doing anie seruice against the Romanes When the French had foyled the enemy then the hired Switzers and Dutchmen crying for mony hindered their victory They tooke mony saith a Guicciar lib. 2. 12. Guicciardin of al hands did seruice to none It is not possible saith he to manage the b Impossible a manegiar li Suizzerisenza denari infiniti Guicciar lib 9. Switzers without infinit treasure It is long to report al the discourses of their insatiable couetousnes treasons Of king Edw. the 3. purposing to recouer his right in France Froissart sayth that with great summes of mony he hired the Dutch to ioyne with him but he got no ayde of them nor other aduancement but a vaine title of Lieutenant to the Emperor Not long since the c Hie duitch or Germanes Dutch calling for mony when they should fight gaue the victorie to the Duke of Alua their enemie and betrayed their Generall the Prince of Orenge There is nothing more cowardly then strangers when they come to seruice They are d Non fide non affectu tenentur Sine pudore flagitii fugiunt Tacit. in vit Agric not reteined by affection nor regard promise and shame not to flye to saue their skinnes Nothing can bee deuised more disorderly nor rauinous The Switzers tooke their owne Captains prisoners in Lombardy and kept them as pledges
them therefore fight valiantly and not suffer themselues to bee skinned They that forecast what windes will blowe seldome sowe or set sayle in time Further a small force must needes lye in Townes and hide their heads where the enemie is stronger Against the enemie they haue neither strength to fight nor meanes to enterprise stil the Prince is at a continuall charge and without pay the souldiers famish but where a full and sufficient force arriueth in any Countrey they commaund the same vnlesse an armie be presently opposed against theÌ„ They enrich themselues with spoiles the fruites they lay vp for their owne store Many confederates some for feare others for other causes ioyne with them and either yeeld money or victuals or munitions Whatsoeuer corne forage or other prouision is without walled Townes that is theirs It must be a Towne of some strength that dare resist them When the armie is great the warres mainteyne themselues as said Cato Scipio with the profite that he drewe out of the Countrey of Spaine mainteined his armie there diuers yeres Sixteene yeres did Annibal maintaine warres in Italy at the charge of that Countrey almost without supplie of men or money from Carthage With the riches of France Caesar mainteined his armie 9. yeeres in France enriched himself and his countrey Besides the charge of the army defraied many Romane captains haue brought in great summes of money into the publike treasurie These are the fruits of victorie but victorie cannot be obteined without an armie If therefore any man hope for the end of warres or good successe in France Flanders or other Countrey let him wish that sufficient meanes were employed There is neither honor safetie profite nor hope of good hap in the course of warres commonly taken If you will not beleeue me then examine the proceedings of the smal companies that haue bin employed in seruice of late time examine the ancient and latter histories of forreigne nations that haue had good successe in their warres If you see nothing but disorder in the one and reason in the other then let captaines neuer for shame on this sort loose their men expend their money trifle the time dally with the enemie contrary to reason and all good proceeding but let them as in other points so in this also returne to the true discipline and practice of warre CHAP. IIII. Part. 11. Of the exercise and trayning of young souldiers whereby they are made apte and ready for the warres A Wise Generall hauing once enrolled his souldiers will not loose any one houre of time but will either exercise them or employ them in seruice There is nothing in warres more pretious then time which once passed cannot be recalled And whether the army be idle or well employed the pay and charge stil runneth on But because it is dangerous to bring yong souldiers into the face of the enemie before they be both fashioned by exercise also fleshed by light encounters with the enemie he ought both diligently to exercise them at such times as the enemie giueth him leysure also to harden them by skirmishes and other light enterprises against the enemie before he hazard to fight with his full forces Therein what example can I set before him better to follow then that of Scipio that ouercame Annibal and in al deedes of armes shewed himselfe most vigilant and skilfull He before he drew foorth his army out of new Carthage into the fielde when as yet the time of the yeere was not proper for seruice did continually diuers dayes exercise his men aswell in fight at sea as at land The first day he caused all his regiments to runne in array and order of battell 4. miles the second day he appointed euery man to make his armes cleane and fit the a Tertio die in modum iustae pugnae sudibus interse concurrerunt Liu. 26. third day he caused them to diuide themselues into two partes and in order of battel to fight the one against the other with cudgels and blunt dartes The same course hee tooke in Sicile before he transported his b Liu. 29. army into Afrike He caused his souldiers in order of battel to march and runne armed and set his ships in aray within the harbour in such good order as if hee were presently to fight The a Intentior quaÌ„ vnquam â—nte a muniendi exercendique militem cura ducibus Volscorum erat Liu. 4. Volscians hauing bin oftentimes foyled by the Romanes and determining to set vp their rest tooke great care in arming and exercising their men as if that were the onely meanes to harten and harden their souldiers And sure much good doth exercise and teaching as well in warre as other artes where the leaders are skilfull Tit. b Liu. 23. Sempronius by exercising his young souldiers taught them to followe their ensignes and keepe rankes both standing and fighting in array of battell and obteined by them diuers victories against the enemie c Liu. 34. Cato likewise in his voyage into Spaine tooke no small paines in exercising of his men before hee brought them to see the enemie whereby he so fashioned them that he gaue diuers repulses to the enemie Tullus Hostilius when the mindes of the Romanes were mollified ky long peace in the dayes of his predecessor Numa yet by exercise obteined so much that they durst encounter and were not inferiour to olde souldiers Epaminondas by framing and excercising the Thebanes made them of a base nation the most warlike people of Greece and with them ouerthrewe the Lacedemonians which from their youth vp were trayned vp in the exercise of armes In the first warres with Carthage the Romanes perceiuing that for want of skill in Sea causes they were inferiour to the Carthaginians practised their men in imaginarie Sea fightes and so long exercised them therein that at lenghth they ouercame them aswell by sea as by land d Liu. 24. Statorius the Romane teaching the souldiers of Syphax to followe their leaders and to keeperankes and other orders of warres in short time made them of nouices so expert that after that Syphax doubted not to encouÌ„ter the Carthaginians This caused Tissaphernes the Persian to make such reckoning of Phalinus a Grecian for that hee was e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exped Cyr. 2. Xenoph. skilfull in ordering of men and teaching them to fight in armes Of English men Philip of Comines giueth this testimonie tha although when they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they first come into France they haue small skill yet with exercise they become good souldiers and therefore seeing most of our souldiers are yong and of small experience in warres by reason of our long peace they are diligently to be exercised before that they see the enemie f Cassius quantum sine bello dabatur reuocat priscum morem exercet legiones Tacit. 12 Cassius the Romane according to the
expers belli multitudo Veget. l. 1. c. 1. companie of olde beaten souldiers is better then a multitude of people without knowledge and experience of warres Yong souldiers that haue not heard the noyse of battell nor seene the slaughter of men nor felt knockes will hardly abide them at the first If not in trayned souldiers much lesse in tumultuarie forces ought we to put any confidence The d Liu. 8 9. Latines and Hetruscians seeing the Romanes range their countrey in no great number came foorth by multitudes against them thinking to swallowe them vp But the first were no sooner slaine then the rest fled 500. olde souldiers put all the rascall route of e Tacit. 3. Tacfarinas in Affrike to flight At Liu. 21. Annibals first comming into Italy the countrey people seeing the spoiles he made had thought to haue cut a certaine out wing in pieces But in be ginning the execution 35. thousand were put to flight by a very sew The Spaniards at Puente de Butgos in Galicia assembled together in great numbers fledde from vs vpon the first approche of our men And so it is commonly in all yong souldiers Wherefore the best is to vse olde souldiers the next to mingle newe and olde together and diligently to teache them and trayne them before we hazard our whole state vpon them For albeit much is in mans naturall courage yet the same is much encreased by skill and exercise and that not feyned but in fight with the enemie CHAP. V. Part. 1. Wherein is declared what things are especially to be considered of those that leade an army by land or by sea into a forreine countrey VNcertainty and irresolution as in other actions so in the proceeding of warres worketh no good effect Time may not be spent nor money wasted vainely A wise captaine therefore purposing a iourney into an other countrey wil before hand resolue first what time is fittest to set forward secondly what things be necessary for his seruice that he may haue them ready against that time and thirdly what place is fittest both to make his prouision and to assemble his troupes in The consideration of the time is very materiall for neither is it conuenient to enter in the depth of Winter for that at that time forage for horses is very hard to come by nor in the heate of Sommer for that the time is hurtfull for mens bodyes to trauell in Caesar entring into France in the middest of Winter was driuen to great extremities and albeit hee had good helpe of friendes to relieue him with victuals and other nacessaries yet were his souldiers and horses almost famished Then it is hard to lye without doores the wayes then also are very troublesome The duke of Lancasters army arriuing in a Froistart Portugal in the dayes of king Richard the 2. in the heate of Sommer suffered no lesse through heate then the other through cold Much also did the b He himselfe in that iourney tooke that sicknesse whereof he died blacke Princes army suffer in Spaine through the heate of Sommer Neither did the heate of the Countrey in our late voyage of Portugal further our enterprise The most conuenient time to enter any Countrey with an army is when the same may finde greatest store of victuals for men of forrage for horses and is most temperate so that men may endure trauaile best without endangering their health Of this c Caes bel gal 2. 3. Caesar had respect both in his warres in France and Affrike and other places And euill did it befall those that without consideration of time rashly aduentured to goe in foreine seruices He that considereth not the time must make his prouision the greater The place also woulde be chosen and certainely resolued vpon where both our prouision is to be made our souldiers are to be appointed to meete The Romanes in their warres in Greece asseÌ„bled their forces at the port of d Vti omnes â—â—uenirent Brundusium idibus Maijs Liu. 36. BrundusiuÌ„ sayling into Affrike against the Carthaginians they made their prouision rendeuouz at Lilibaeum which say right ouer against Afrike as the other port was commodious for those that sailed into Greece Cato in his iourney into a Cato ad Lunae portum conuenire iustit Liu. 34. Spaine chose the port of Luna as lying directly against Spaine Annibal b Liu. 21. purposing a voyage into Italy assigned newe Carthage for his men to meete at When c Caes bel gal 5. Caesar entended the inuasion of this Iland he appointed his men to meete and his prouision to bee brought to Caleis and Bollein For that neither the time nor place of meeting was appointed certaine I report mee what hinderance it was to vs in the enterprise of Portugal But greatest care would be had first that we cary with vs force of our owne sufficient and secondly that we haue prouision of armes victuals munitions and all instruments of warre with vs. For in vayne looketh he for helpe of others or of the countrey where he goeth that is not strong of himselfe d Machiauel discors Banished men doe make those that goe in their succour beleeue that they haue great parties in the countrey and that the enterprise is easie but there is no wisedome to giue them futher credite then such men deserue In Portugall we may remember how we were abused or rather abused our selues to thinke that the countrey would reuolt before we had beaten the Spaniard that kept the people in subiection and too late it is to looke for supplie from home of men or victuals when we are presently to vse them The Romanes although they sent diuers times succours to other natioÌ„s as to the Greekes oppressed by the kings of Macedonia to the Sicilians inuaded by the Carthaginians yet neuer sent they lesse then a sufficient armie furnished with all things necessarie Caesar for that hee was driuen to leaue a great part of his armie and prouision behinde him both in his e De bel ciu 3. voyage against Pompey and against Scipio in f Hirt. de bel Afric Afrike was driuen to great extremities and omitted many opportunities before the rest of his armie came at him Hee that hath his men and all things ready with him oppresseth the Countrey before prouision can be made against him Yet may not the Prince that inuadeth others so prouide against the enemie that hee forget to couer and defende his owne Countrey and Coast and frontier Townes against all sudden enterprises Annibal marching towardes Italy before hand prouided one g Partiens curas inferendi arcendi belli Liu. 2 armie for the garde of Afrike another for the garde of Spaine And Caesar pursuing Pompey into Greece committed the a Caes bel ciu 3. guarde of Italy and the port townes thereof vnto Antony If b Liu. 29. Syphax going out of his countrey to warre against the
no hope of life nor escape but in victory can not chuse but fight valiantly Contrariwise they that haue refuge and hope another time to fight more happily which is the case of euery man in his owne countrey will not fight so resolutely The Gaules in their owne countrey gaue ground and fledde before Caesar and other Romane Captaines that in Italy had oft foyled the Romanes And those Africans that in Italy were victorious coulde not withstande Scipio in Afrike Alexander entring into the middest of the Persian Empire ouerthrewe the same vtterly Further it standeth with the Spaniard now as sometime it did with the Carthaginians doth with al that vse mercenary souldiers For so long as they may enioy their countrey reuenues therewith hire most valiant souldiers of other nations so long they are strong but if they be inuaded in their owne countrey both their reuenues will fayle and their owne people not being exercised in warres wil make but slender resistance So that suppose the Spanish army in the Low countreys be strong which notwithstanding hath bene dealt withall by our people yet are wee not to looke for such souldiers in Spaine The Athenians inuading Sicile were ouerthrowen by the disagreement and insufficiencie of the Captaines the disorders of the souldiers and want of things necessary which may be remedied by diligent foresight prouision and gouernement But suppose some did miscary in foreine warres shall we therefore condemne that course there is no reason seeing as warres at home are not condemned because many nations haue bene subdued and vanquished in their owne countrey Betwixt the Athenians or the Achaeans this kingdome there is no comparison in force or greatnesse But if the citie of Athens could subdue all Sicile except one onely citie it is no such difficult matter to inuade the Spaniard as is supposed Finally some in trembling maner demaund what if such an armie so farre caried away should miscary which is a very ridiculous point for men to care more for those mens liues that d ee willingly offer themselues to the aduenture then they doe themselues Seeing they dare venture nothing themselues yet let them not enuie and hinder others that will But suppose the army should miscary yet would the losse be farre lesse then if so many should be lost at home For here the sequele would be great there would be only losse of men which God be thanked this countrey may well spare But what simplicity is it to talke of loosing where men goe with a resolution rather to winne then loose neither Annibal going in Italy nor Scipio into Afrike cast any such doubt Suppose nowe on the other side that the Spaniard should doe that which hee once attempted and God more then our owne force would not suffer him to doe and that an army of Spaniards were prouided to inuade vs these things would fall out not knowing where the enemie will land all the coast must be furnished with souldiers For to thinke that our trayned men would be trayned together in time to make resistance is simplicitie And if any port be left open as good all should be disarmed But this would be double the charge of leuying and furnishing an army for Spaine and the longer the enemy holdeth vs in breath the greater would the charge arise and all this for any thing that I can see without effect seeing it is neither possible to keepe an army from landing nor safety to fight without great aduantage immediatly vpon the enemies landing If the enemy should land as well he may comming with great force we neither haue strong townes nor many great riuers to stoppe his proceedings nor any way to resist but by force of men in open fielde and howe dangerous it is to oppose yong souldiers and almost tumultuary forces against a puissant army of olde souldiers the victories of Annibal in Italy of Scipio in Afrike of the Greekes in Persia of the English in Spaine and infinite Histories declare If the enemy be suffered to take breath who seeth not howe hee will fortifie him selfe if hee be suffered to range without fight who considereth not the wracke and spoyles of the countrey that will folowe When the countrey is all in trouble the reuenues both of the Prince and priuate men either will cease or at least be greatly diminished Ferdinando king of Naples in the inuasion of his State made by the French found it 23 S'annihilauan l'entrate Guicciar lib. 1. true And reason may teach vs that where the husbandmen part by the rapines of the enemy and part by the spoyles of our owne souldiers can not enioy the fruites of their ground their rentes can not be payde and if rentes bee not payd howe will our souldiers be payd suppose then that the charge of an army in a foreine countrey be great yet may it well be borne being equally diuided so long as men enioy their liuings peaceably if that may not be howe shall we mainteine twise so many souldiers at home If when the enemies inuade vs malcontent persons should discouer themselues then as the number of our enemies so the heape of our troubles would increase But suppose for what danger in such a case is not to be forecast that our army should receiue some checke what townes haue wee or straits to arrest the enemy the countrey people being vnacquainted with warres what lawes cankeepe thē in order helpe can wee looke for none our friendes being either not able or not willing to helpe vs for some seeme offended with the spoyles of their shippes others beare vs in hand they will remember our slender helpe aforded to them which notwithstanding is more then they deserued Other secret wounds may not be opened neither needeth it seeing as euery man may perceiue by these reasons which already I haue brought how easy safe profitable and honourable it is to inuade the Spaniard and how disaduatageous it wil be to this land if either we stay with our hands folded together or els deferre to charge the Spaniard with full force vntill such time as he shall come to cut our throtes at home Hiero 25 Liu. 21. king of Sicile when the Romanes were inuaded by Annibal gaue them counsaile to transport an army ouer into Afrike the happy successe of Scipio doing the same fifteene yeeres afterward and by that meanes making an end of the warres doeth confirme that counsell to haue bene most excellent If when Philip 26 Liu. 24. king of Macedonia ioyned in league with Annibal they had not sent an army into Greece to finde him occupied at home hardly could they haue made resistance against the force of two so mightie enemies vnited together The experience of the warres with Annibal in Italy made them more wise afterward and speedy For hearing of Philips of Macedonia and Antiochus his preparatiues to transport their armies into Italy they eased them of the paine and met them in more then halfe
enemies of many commodities and spoyled their coastes by diuers sudden incursions And albeit they had no dominion in firme land yet kept they the Ilands in subiection so long as they kept the Sea The same people before that being inuaded by the Persians comming vpon them with huge array in so much that they thought themselues vnable to resist at land abandoned their Citie and made themselues strong at Sea By which meanes in the ende they vanquished their enemies and recouered their losses with great aduantage both of wealth and honour The Cities likewise on the coast of c Caes bel gal 6. France which is nowe called Briteine although they could not defend themselues against Caesars forces at land yet suffered no great losse as long as they had ships to commaund at Sea Their ships furnished them with things necessarie being besieged the same conueyed the men their goods away being distressed Contrariwise howe strong soeuer a Nation is by land yet cannot the same mainteine it selfe long nor continue in reputation without a sufficient power at Sea The Romanes were driuen to great straytes by the Pirates that kept the rule of the Sea a great time and continued it vntill such time as they were driuen thence by the victory of Pompey the great Sext. Pompeius keeping the Seas with his ships draue Augustus and Antony to a harde cōposition The Lacedemonians could not remedy the spoiles of their countrey made by the incursiōs of the Athenian ships nor could Caesar haue reason of the coast Townes of France before he had prouided a Nauy vanquished them at Sea Neither shall euer the Spaniard obteine his purpose of the Low-countries so long as they can keep the sea but if they faile of that it would goe hard with them This was the cause that made the Romanes albeit before that vnacquainted with sea causes to arme to sea Without their nauy they could neither haue defended their Empire against the Carthaginians first nor afterward against the pyrates nor without strength at sea coulde either Caesar haue subdued the coast townes of France or entred this Iland Nor could Augustus haue vanquished Pompey nor the Lacedemonians preuailed against the Athenians The experience of these nations and great warriers doth teach vs this conclusion that if we meane either to mainteine the honor reputation of our countrey or to defend our selues against the enemie the pursueth vs or to prosecute iniuries done vnto vs or to aide our friends that craue our helpe we must haue diligent regard to our seafaring men shipping that both may be mainteined kept in order Our owne experience diuers reasons may teach vs the same Before that this Nation did vse the sea first the Romanes then the Saxons after them the Danes nowe last of all the Normans haue taken possessed diuers partes of this coūtrey Neither could we wanting sufficient force at sea resist them Sithence that the kings of England haue had the gouernment at sea neither haue forreine nations had like courage to inuade vs nor haue we wanted meanes to defend our selues or aide our friends If that our ships had not had the vantage of sayling when the Spaniard came to inuade vs or that we had wanted shipping God knoweth what would haue bin the issue How much then is it better nowe then when our auncesters had neither nauy to defend their coasts nor to transport their armies to pursue their right or help their friends in the daies of king Edward the 3. and Edward the 4. our nation for want of shipping was beholding to the Flemmings and Hollanders for shipping to transport the English armie into France The vse of the nauy is great in peace greater in warres Thereby trafique entercourse betwixt friends is mainteined victuals that goe to the enemies are stopped our wants of victuals armes munition other necessaries are supplied the enemies coast is spoiled our owne defended the coast townes of the enemies countrey that liue vpon the sea are brought to great extremities our owne mainteined Without the same neither can the trade of marchandize be mainteined nor the sea townes of the enemie be besiged nor their country spoyled nor can we vnderstand the enemies proceedings nor helpe or wel defend our friēds or our selues For three causes especially as a Classem trium rerum causa parauimus vt Africae oram popularetur vt tuta nobis Italiae litota eslent ante omnia ne supplemētum cum stipendio commeatuque a Carthagine Annibali transportaretur Liu. 24. Fabius witnesseth did the Romanes furnish set out their nauy First to spoile the coast of Afrike next to gard the coast of Italy but chiefly to hinder that no supply of men victuals or money should come from Carthage to Annibal with whō then they had great wars Octacilius sayling frō Sicily toward Afrike cōming vpon the coast vpon a sudden first tooke Vtica a rich towne and then spoiled the country returned with 130. ships laden with spoile And all this within 3. or 4. dayes Caius Laelius cōming with his nauy to b C. Laelius nocte ad Hipponē Regium cùm accessistet luce prima ad populandum agrum sub signis milites sociosque nauales duxit Omnibus pacis modo incuriosè agentibus magna clades illata Liu. 29. Hippo on the coast of Afrike landed his men on the sudden and at the breake of day led forth his souldiers mariners in warlike manner vnder their colours and made a great spoile for that as in time of peace the people of the countrey were without care M. Valerius c Liu. 25. Messala sayled into Afrike aswel to spoile the country as to vnderstand the proceedings and purposes of the enemie which he learned by the examinations of diuers prisoners of good accompt which hee tooke there d Liu. 27. The Romanes vnderstanding what spoiles were done vpon their coastes by Pirates and others sent two captaines each of them with 10. ships to defend the coastes and to keepe the seas These vses of shipping although experience hath taught vs yet many will not admit nor beleeue For by reason of their want of skill they thinke that neither the enemie can land here nor we land in the enemies country And if the enemie should attempt any such mattter they verily beleeue that the countrey people with their forkes and the women with their rockes and spits will kill them downe But litle doe they knowe howe small trust there is in such defence nor what great actions may be performed when resolute men land in the enemies countrey vpon a sudden Which in part I haue shewed by the examples of Octacilius Laelius and Messala Neither will any trained men or small garrison helpe the matter as nowe I shall shewe The king of e Vrbem tenebat regium praesidium agrum circa depopulati sunt Romani exscēsione ex nauibus facta Liu. 37. Macedonia did place
nauibus erant scaphas circummisit vt ex omnibus nauibus gubernatores magistri nauium bini milites in forûm conuenirent ad mandata accipienda Li. 29 ready to depart then is direction to be giuē vnto the chiefe of euery ship either by word of mouth orin writing sealed to be opened at the sea That the enemie do not meete vs or crosse vs at sea we are to vnderstād by our espials where his shipping lieth what it is in what readines To come vpon the sudden the best course is as soone as we descrie land and see where we are to stay vntill the shutting of the euening and then to make toward the hauen or harbor If the weather be faire there is no danger Neither did the Romanes euer doubt to come on the coast in the night Laelius lāded at b Liu. 29. Hippo in the night c Liu. 31. Claudius lurking behind a promōtory so long as it was light landed his men in the euening and tooke Chalcis before day And some thinke we might haue sped better at Coronna if we had either entred in the euening or not discouered our selues so long before we entred Neither are braue d Formidolosum dictitans imperatori quo prohibentur plerunque conatus honesti Tacit. annal actions hindred by anything more then by pretence of feare The more expedition that is vsed in landing the greater execution is cōmonly done and the longer it is delaied the more time the enemie hath to resist or rather to runne away and conuey away his goods If we meane to do any great executiō our force must be the greater The Romanes emploied not in such enterprises lesse then an army but if we might land but 4000. foote and 200. horse leauing gard sufficient for our shippes I would thinke to doe some great matter with them Yet that we may speede the better it were good to resolue and giue direction before we depart from our countrey who should land first and what euery man should doe presently vpon landing Being landed wee are to proceede in order according to the practice of warre sending our espials before placing corps de gard in conuenient places to defend those that are ranging about to fetchin spoile The e Romani palati praeda graues interficiuntur ad naues compelluntur Liu. 27. Romanes marching dissolutely after their landing in Afrike and thinking their comming thither was onely to spoile and not to fight were discharged of their burthens driuen to their ships with losse Another time wandring vp and downe without f Cum multa caede foeda fugaretrò ad naues compulsisunt Liu. 22. care or feare they were drawen into an ambush and driuen backe to their shippes with great slaughter and shamefull flight Which mischiefe cannot happen to those that forecast dangers and go strong and dispatch quickly and prouide for their retrait As did Laelius and others whose examples I haue propoūded to be imitated in like enterprises Those that do not aswel prouide that their men may retire safely and be orderly shipped as that they may go forth orderly seldome escape danger or losse Therefore is there a defence to be made at the landing and certaine bankes trenches to be cast that our men may safely retire within them from them quietly without tumult take shipping repelling those the come to charge them At a Alexandrinis imminentibus nullus dabatur in naues receptus Hirt. de bel Alex. Alexandria when Caesars men being driuen frō their ground would haue fled to their ships they came so fast that they sunke the botes that were ready to receiue them so that fewe escaped saue such as could swimme the enemie pressed so fast vpon them and so litle order there was to fauour their retrait that was not looked for The like disorder b Caes bel ciu 2. happened to the remnant of Curioes souldiers in Afrike If they would haue gone orderly and quietly euery man might haue bin shipped because they striued the botemen were afraid to set their botes to the shore Although no enemie vrge vs yet great losse happeneth by such tumults as is euident by the tumultuous c Liu. 41. retrait of Appius his souldiers that ranne to their ships and were drowned many of them by their haste whē the enemie whō they feared folowed not Further we are to appoint a time whē euery man is to retire to his ships that no company stay to long And aboue althings we are to prouide that our ships stand safely both against the attempts of the enemie the force of the weather and to giue order in case they be forced before our returne to wey ancre where to meete vs. If the enemie can either burne our ships or botes or if there be not correspondence betwixt those at land and those at sea they both incurre a manifest danger therefore we are to chuse a safe place of landing to keepe a diligent strōg gard The Carthaginiās being charged by the Romanes while their men were at shore were ouer throwen at sea Neither did it helpe them that their men were in the port For while they hasted to get on bord to prouide themselues to fight d Omnia praeproperè agendo militum apparatu nautica ministeria impediuntur trepidatione nautarum capere aptare arm◠miles prohibetur Liu. 22. the souldiers hindred the mariners the mariners crossed the souldiers all was out of order Neuer therfore ought the ships to be left without sufficient defence The e Liu. 10. Greekes that went vp the riuer of Pò to seeke spoile were defeated by the pesants of the countrey for that going on land they left their botes in the riuer without defence or gard which being seased they were cut from their retrait Didius a Hirt. de bel Hispanico Caesars admirall in Spaine burnt Pompeis ships left without gard while he his men were gone on shore to feteh in water other prouisiō So he that escaped Caesars hands in the ouerthrow at Munda was here ouertaken by his owne negligence The same b Ibidem happened to Didius himself also For fearing no enemie at sea cōming himself his cōpany on land his ships were suddēly fired by certaine Lusitaniās that before had serued Pompey by whō also himselfe and his company was slaine Neither ought we to enter any hauen or harbour where the enemie may barre vs in or take vs single as we goe out The c Thucid. 3. Athenians taking the mouth of the harbour at Pylos shut in the nauy of the Lacedemonians so that it did them no seruice The same stratageme the Lacedemonians put in practise against the Athenians in Sicile For taking the d Thucid. 5. mouth of the hauen of Syracusae where al their nauy did lie they draue them in the end to forsake their ships which was the beginning
victuallas ni a impedir los conductores dellos ni a romper o quemar los molinos villas granias cazare y lugares de la comarca ni compre victuallas fuerae de las plaças qu◠para venderlas fuerē senna ladas y despues deapreciadas per los officiales Spanish gouernement such spoilers are seuerely punished and victuals both well saued and reasonably rated Neither are victuals onely to be looked vnto but also corne-mils and houses and granges that may serue for the vse of the army streames of water are to be kept cleane not onely for the vse of men but of cattell also These lawes being wel obserued and prouision made not only of victuals things necessary for the whole but also of phisick places of ease for the sick hurt I would wel hope that matters would proceed in better order among souldiers thē they haue done heretofore CHAP. XXI Part. 5. Wherein a forme of lawes especially concerning sea causes and ships going in publike seruice of the Prince is prescribed 1_THe ordinary practise and laws of warre concerning religion and the state also concerning obedience and peaceable conuersation betwixt fellows which haue course in seruice at land shal be obserued likewise at sea respect being alwayes had to the diuers circumstances which are diuers in either 2 The execution of iustice at sea appertaineth to the Generall or chiefe captaine with his counsell if a ship be seuered from the rest of the company then the punishment of faults that may not be differred belongeth to the captaine with the aduise of the most apparent men in the ship Prouided that no execution be done at sea contrary to the lawes of armes nor that such as offend and escape at sea do escape at land also especially where the fault is heinous For which cause those that haue iurisdiction at sea are to haue their iurisdiction cōtinued at land vntil such time as offences be punished 3 No ship shall go foorth vpon publike seruice without sufficient ordonance armes souldiers mariners munition victualles surgeons and other necessary furniture 4 No man shall sell away the armes tacle artillerie victualles or munitions belonging to the ship vpon paine of death 5 Whatsoeuer ship hauing directions to come to a place certaine shall not keepe course if it be possible nor come thither so soone as the winde wil serue the captaine and master and those that are in fault shal suffer death for it 6 Whosoeuer shall motion to do contrary to the Generals direction so long as there is possibilitie or meanes to folow it shall suffer imprisonment for the same and if he persuade the company so that the ship goeth another way both he and those that willingly yeeld to him shal suffer death for their disobedience 7 Whatsoeuer captaine or other doth boord a ship of the enemies without direction or reasonable cause or when commandement is giuen or a signe made of fight doth see a ship boarded vpon one side and doth not if he be able board her on the other side or at least do what hurt he can to the said shippe shall be dismissed from his charge and suffer such further punishment as the General shal thinke meete 8 Euery particular person shal execute his charge imposed vpō him in the ship where he is placed vpon paine of imprisonment 9 No souldier nor other whē the enemy attempteth to board our ship shal abandon his standing vpon paine of death 10 No souldier nor other appointed to board the enemies ship seeing his fellowes entred shal draw backe or resuse to folowe in his turne and order vpon paine of death 11 No man shal breake open his fellowes or others caban or coffer nor shal take any thing thence or from their persons or hide any thing that is not his vpon paine of death 12 He that neglecteth his watch or sleepeth leauing a candle or match light or any fire in any place and putteth it not out shall be put into the bilbowes and haue further punishment as the offence shall deserue 13 When a ship shall be taken then shal the spoile be brought to persons deputed by the Generall or Captaine And whosoeuer shal hide any thing of valew from their knowledge shal not onely loose the same but his share of the rest also Notes vpon the former lawes 1 The ordinary practice c. How many voyages haue bin broken of late time for want of gouernement euery one that is acquainted with sea causes that haue passed of late vnderstandeth Nothing therefore is more requisit then that such as go in those seruices that hereafter shal be attempted should haue both authority to do iustice a forme of proceeding set before them For this cause I haue made this light and as it were first draught that men of wisedome experience seeing what is wanting therein may adde more and bring the same to more perfection Those lawes that concerne treacheries against the prince and state or against the Generall or else concerne mutinies disobedience braules murders or else are common in seruice at land and sea I haue not here set downe for auoyding vnnecessary repetitions Yet are they no lesse necessary at sea then at land And therefore let them be borrowed thence that no militarie disorder nor other offence escape vnpunished 2 The execution of iustice c. The want of this consideration hath bin cause that many notorious treasons and villenies haue escaped without punishmēt I wil not name particulars for that my meaning is rather to prouide against future disorders then to haue the sword drawne for matters forepassed Onely let there bee heereafter care that such as go to sea may be furnished with authoritie to do iustice that rules be set downe that they may know what to doe 3 No ship shal c. The Admirall of France in time of peace at home hath speciall care of this matter In ciuill warres all things are in garboile He putteth into men of war the tenth man and is at a tenth of the charge and deserueth a tenth of the a Popelliniere in a treatise concerning the admitaltie of France prise Which many do wonder how in our daies certaine officers contrarie to all custome do come to challenge especially in goods taken by reprisall Where if law might take place neither the taker nor other ought to haue more then hath beene taken from him in forraine countries But if men will needes haue a tenth yet let them haue a tenth of the care that ships may go foorth well furnished that they be not lost and the land disfurnished in time of seruice 4 No man shall sell c. Euery gunner and petite officer in the Queenes ships can tell the mysterie of this law I woulde it were so wel knowne how we might meete with their filcheries The best means is to looke to matters narrowly and to punish such companions as offend seuerely 5 Whatsoeuer ship c. As at land