# THE SECOND BOOKE

THE SECOND BOOKE


[Sidenote: Howe the Romaines armed their souldiers and what weapons thei
used.]

I beleeve that it is necessarye, men being founde, to arme them, and
minding to doo this, I suppose that it is a needefull thing to examine,
what armoure the antiquitie used, and of the same to chose the best. The
Romanes devided their foote men in heavie and lighte armed: Those that
were light armed, they called by the name of Veliti: Under this name
were understoode all those that threwe with Slinges, shot with
Crossebowes, cast Dartes, and they used the most parte of them for their
defence, to weare on their heade a Murion, with a Targaet on their arme:
they fought out of the orders, and farre of from the heavie armed, which
did weare a head peece, that came downe to their shoulders, a Corselet,
which with the tases came downe to the knees, and they had the legges
and armes, covered with greaves, and vambraces, with a targaet on the
left arme, a yarde and a halfe long, and three quarters of a yarde
brode, whiche had a hoope of Iron upon it, to bee able to sustaine a
blowe, and an other under, to the intente, that it being driven to the
earth, it should not breake: for to offende, they had girte on their
left flanke a swoorde, the length of a yearde and a naile, on their
righte side, a Dagger: they had a darte in every one of their handes,
the which they called Pilo, and in the beginning of the fight, they
threwe those at the enemie. This was the ordering, and importaunce of
the armours of the Romanes, by the which they possessed all the world.
And although some of these ancient writers gave them, besides the
foresayde weapons, a staffe in their hande like unto a Partasen, I
cannot tell howe a heavy staff, may of him that holdeth a Targaet be
occupied: for that to handle it with both hands, the Targaet should bee
an impediment, and to occupye the same with one hande, there can be done
no good therewith, by reason of the weightynesse thereof: besides this,
to faight in the strong, and in the orders with such long kinde of
weapon, it is unprofitable, except in the first front, where they have
space enough, to thrust out all the staffe, which in the orders within,
cannot be done, for that the nature of the battaile (as in the order of
the same, I shall tell you) is continually to throng together, which
although it be an inconvenience, yet in so doing they fear lesse, then
to stande wide, where the perill is most evident, so that all the
weapons, which passe in length a yarde and a halfe, in the throng, be
unprofitable: for that, if a man have the Partasen, and will occupye it
with both handes, put case that the Targaet let him not, he can not
hurte with the same an enemy, whom is upon him, if he take it with one
hande, to the intent to occupy also the Targaet, being not able to take
it, but in the middest, there remayneth so much of the staff behind,
that those which are behinde him, shall let him to welde it. And whether
it were true, either that the Romans had not this Partasen, or that
having it, did little good withal, read all the battailes, in the
historye thereof, celebrated of Titus Livius, and you shall see in the
same, most seldom times made mencion of Partasens, but rather alwaies he
saieth, that the Dartes being thrown, they laid their hands on their
sweardes. Therefore I will leave this staffe, and observe, concerning
the Romanes, the swoorde for to hurte, and for defense the Targaet, with
the other armours aforesaide.

[Sidenote: A brave and a terrible thing to the enemies.]

The Greekes did not arme them selves so heavyly, for their defense, as
the Romans dyd: but for to offend the enemies, they grounded more on
their staves, then on their swoordes, and in especiallye the Fallangye
of Macedonia, which used staves, that they called Sarisse, seven yardes
and a halfe long, with the which they opened the rankes of their
enemies, and they keept the orders in their Fallangy. And although some
writers saie, that they had also the Targaet, I can not tell (by the
reasons aforesayde) howe the Sarisse and they coulde stande together.
Besides this, in the battaile that Paulus Emilius made, with Persa king
of Macedonia, I do not remember, that there is made any mention of
Targaettes, but only of the Sarisse, and of the difficultie that the
Romane armie had, to overcome them: so that I conjecture, that a
Macedonicall Fallange, was no other wise, then is now a dayes a battaile
of Suizzers, the whiche in their Pikes have all their force, and all
their power. The Romanes did garnish (besides the armours) the footemen
with feathers; the whiche thinges makes the fight of an armie to the
friendes goodly, to the enemies terrible. The armour of the horsemen, in
the same first Romane antiquitie, was a rounde Targaet, and they had
their head armed, and the rest unarmed: They had a swoorde and a staffe,
with an Iron head onely before, long and small: whereby it happened,
that they were not able to staye the Targaet, and the staffe in the
incountring broke, and they through being unarmed, were subjecte to
hurtes: after, in processe of time, they armed them as the footemen,
albeit they used the Targaette muche shorter, square, and the staffe
more stiffe, and with twoo heades, to the entente, that breaking one of
the heades, they mighte prevaile with the other. With these armours as
well on foote, as on horsebacke, the Romanes conquered all the worlde,
and it is to be beleeved, by the fruiet thereof, whiche is seene, that
they were the beste appointed armies, that ever were: and Titus Livius
in his history, doeth testifie verye often, where comming to comparison
with the enemies armies, he saieth: But the Romanes, by vertue, by the
kinde of their armours, and piactise in the service of warre, were
superiours: and therfore I have more particularly reasoned of the
armours of conquerours, then of the conquered. But nowe mee thikes good,
to reason onelye of the manner of arming men at this presente. Footemen
have for their defence, a breast plate, and for to offende, a launce,
sixe yardes and three quarters long, which is called a pike, with a
swoorde on their side, rather rounde at the poinct, then sharpe. This is
the ordinarie arming of footemen nowe a dayes, for that fewe there be,
which have their legges armed, and their armes, the heade none, and
those fewe, beare insteede of a Pike, a Halberde, the staffe whereof as
you know, is twoo yardes and a quarter long, and it hath the Iron made
like an axe. Betweene them, they have Harkebutters, the which with the
violence of the fire, do the same office, which in olde time the
slingers did, and the Crosseboweshoters. This maner of arming, was found
out by the Dutchemen, inespeciallye of Suizzers, whom being poore, and
desirous to live free, they were, and be constrayned to fight, with the
ambition of the Princes of Almaine, who being riche, were able to keepe
horse, the which the same people could not do for povertye. Wherby it
grewe, that being on foote, minding to defende them selves from the
enemies, that were on horsebacke, it behooveth them to seeke of the
aunciente orders, and to finde weapons, whiche from the furie of horses,
should defende them: This necessitie hath made either to be maintayned,
or to bee founde of them the aunciente orders, without whiche, as everye
prudente man affirmeth, the footemen is altogether unprofitable.
Therefore, they tooke for their weapon the Pike, a moste profitable
weapon, not only to withstande horses, but to overcome them: and the
Dutchemen have by vertue of these weapons, and of these orders, taken
such boldnesse, that XV. or XX. thousande of them, will assault the
greatest nomber of horse that maye be: and of this, there hath beene
experience enough within this XXV. yeres. And the insamples of their
vertue hath bene so mightie, grounded upon these weapons, and these
orders, that sence King Charles passed into Italie, everye nation hath
imitated them: so that the Spanish armies, are become into most great
reputation.

COSIMO. Which maner of arming, do you praise moste, either these
Dutchemens, or the auncient Romanes?

[Sidenote: Whether the Romanes maner in arming of men, be better then
the arming of men, that is used nowe a daies.]

FABRICIO. The Romane without doubte, and I will tell the commoditie, and
the discommoditie of the one, and the other. The Dutche footemen, are
able to withstande, and overcome the horses: they bee moste speedie to
marche, and to be set in araye, being not laden with armours: of the
other part, they be subjecte to all blowes, both farre of, and at hande:
because they be unarmed, they bee unprofitable unto the battaile on the
lande, and to everye fighte, where is strong resistaunce. But the
Romanes withstoode, and overcame the horses, as well as the Dutchemen,
they were safe from blowes at hande, and farre of, being covered with
armours: they were also better able to charge, and better able to
sustaine charges, having Targaettes: they might more aptly in the preace
fight with the swoorde, then these with the Pike, and though the
Dutchemen have likewise swoordes, yet being without Targaets, they
become in suche case unprofitable: The Romanes might safelye assault
townes, having their bodies cleane covered with armour, and being better
able to cover themselves with their Targaettes. So that they had no
other incommoditie, then the waightynesse of their armours, and the pain
to cary them: the whiche thinges thei overcame, with accustomyng the
body to diseases, and with hardenyng it, to bee able to indure labour.
And you knowe, how that in thinges accustomed, men suffer no grief. And
you have to understand this, that the footemen maie be constrained, to
faight with footemen, and with horse, and alwaies those be unprofitable,
whiche cannot either sustain the horses, or beyng able to sustain them,
have notwithstandyng neede to feare the footemen, whiche be better
armed, and better ordeined then thei. Now if you consider the Duchemen,
and the Romaines, you shall finde in the Duchemen activitie (as we have
said) to overcome the horses, but greate dissavauntage, when thei
faighte with menne, ordeined as thei them selves are, and armed as the
Romaines were: so that there shall be this advauntage more of the one,
then of thother, that the Romaines could overcome the men, and the
horses, the Duchemen onely the horses.

COSIMO. I would desire, that you would come to some more particulare
insample, whereby wee maie better understande.

[Sidenote: An ensample whiche proveth that horsemen with staves, cannot
prevaile against footemen with Pikes, and what great advauntage the
armed have, againste the unarmed. The victory of Carminvola against the
Duchemen.]

FABRICIO. I saie thus, that you shall finde in many places of our
histories, the Romain footemen to have overcome innumerable horses, and
you shall never finde, that thei have been overcome of men on foote, for
default that thei have had in their armour, or thorowe the vantage that
the enemie hath had in the armours: For that if the maner of their
armyng, should have had defaulte, it had been necessarie, that there
should folowe, the one of these twoo thynges, either that findyng soche,
as should arme theim better then thei, thei should not have gone still
forwardes, with their conquestes, or that thei should have taken the
straungers maners, and should have left their owne, and for that it
folowed not in the one thing, nor in the other, there groweth that ther
maie be easely conjectured, that the maner of their armyng, was better
then thesame of any other. It is not yet thus happened to the Duchemen,
for that naughtie profe, hath ben seen made them, when soever thei have
chaunsed to faight with men on foote prepared, and as obstinate as thei,
the whiche is growen of the vauntage, whiche thesame have incountred in
thenemies armours. Philip Vicecounte of Milaine, being assaulted of
xviii. thousande Suizzers, sent against theim the Counte Carminvola,
whiche then was his capitaine. He with sixe thousande horse, and a fewe
footemen, went to mete with them, and incounteryng theim, he was
repulsed with his moste greate losse: wherby Carminvola as a prudente
man, knewe straight waie the puisaunce of the enemies weapons, and how
moche against the horses thei prevailed, and the debilitie of the
horses, againste those on foote so appoincted: and gatheryng his men
together again, he went to finde the Suizzers, and so sone as he was
nere them, he made his men of armes, to a light from their horse, and in
thesame mane, faightyng with them he slue theim all, excepte three
thousande: the whiche seyng them selves to consume, without havyng
reamedy, castyng their weapons to the grounde, yelded.

COSIMO. Whereof cometh so moche disavauntage?

[Sidenote: The battailes when thei are a faightyng, doe throng
together.]

FABRICIO. I have a little afore tolde you, but seyng that you have not
understoode it, I will rehearse it againe. The Duchemen (as a little
before I saied unto you) as it were unarmed, to defende themselves, have
to offende, the Pike and the swearde: thei come with these weapons, and
with their orders to finde the enemies, whom if thei bee well armed, to
defende theim selves, as were the menne of armes of Carminvola, whiche
made theim a lighte on foote, thei come with the sweard, and in their
orders to find them, and have no other difficultie, then to come nere to
the Suizzers, so that thei maie reche them with the sweard, for that so
sone as thei have gotten unto them, thei faight safely: for asmoche as
the Duch man cannot strike thenemie with the Pike, whom is upon him, for
the length of the staffe, wherefore it is conveniente for hym, to put
the hande to the sweard, the whiche to hym is unprofitable, he beyng
unarmed, and havyng against hym an enemie, that is all armed. Whereby he
that considereth the vantage, and the disavantage of the one, and of the
other, shall see, how the unarmed, shall have no maner of remeady, and
the overcommyng of the firste faight, and to passe the firste poinctes
of the Pikes, is not moche difficulte, he that faighteth beyng well
armed: for that the battailes go (as you shall better understande, when
I have shewed you, how thei are set together) and incounteryng the one
the other, of necessitie thei thrust together, after soche sorte, that
thei take the one thother by the bosome, and though by the Pikes some
bee slaine, or overthrowen, those that remain on their feete, be so
many, that thei suffice to obtaine the victorie. Hereof it grewe, that
Carminvola overcame them, with so greate slaughter of the Suizzers, and
with little losse of his.

COSIMO. Consider that those of Carminvola, were men of armes, whom
although thei wer on foote, thei were covered all with stele, and
therefore thei wer able to make the profe thei did: so that me thinkes,
that a power ought to be armed as thei, mindyng to make the verie same
profe.

FABRICIO. If you should remember, how I tolde you the Romaines were
armed, you would not thynke so: for as moche as a manne, that hath the
hedde covered with Iron, the breaste defended of a Corselet, and of a
Targaet, the armes and the legges armed, is moche more apt to defende
hymself from the Pike, and to enter emong them, then a man of armes on
foote. I wil give you a little of a late ensample. There wer come out of
Cicelie, into the kyngdome of Naples, a power of Spaniardes, for to go
to finde Consalvo, who was besieged in Barlet, of the Frenchemen: there
made against theim Mounsier de Vhigni, with his menne of armes, and with
aboute fower thousande Duchemen on foote: The Duchemen incountered with
their Pikes lowe, and thei opened the power of the Spaniardes: but those
beyng holp, by meane of their bucklers and of the agiletie of their
bodies, mingled togethers with the Duchemen, so that thei might reche
them with the swearde, whereby happened the death, almoste of all theim,
and the victorie to the Spaniardes. Every man knoweth, how many Duchemen
were slaine in the battaile of Ravenna, the whiche happened by the verie
same occasion: for that the Spanishe souldiours, got them within a
swerdes length of the Duche souldiours, and thei had destroied them all,
if of the Frenche horsemen, the Duchemen on foote, had not been
succored: notwithstandyng, the Spaniardes close together, brought
themselves into a safe place. I conclude therefore, that a good power
ought not onely to be able, to withstande the horses, but also not to
have fear of menne on foote, the which (as I have many tymes saied)
procedeth of the armours, and of the order.

[Sidenote: How to arme men, and what weapons to appoincte theim, after
the Romaine maner, and Duche facion.]

COSIMO. Tell therefore, how you would arme them?

FABRICIO. I would take of the Romaine armours, and of the Duchemennes
weapons, and I would that the one haulfe, should bee appoincted like the
Romaines, and the other haulfe like the Duchemen: for that if in sixe
thousande footemen (as I shall tell you a little hereafter) I should
have thre thousande men with Targaettes, after the Romain maner, and two
thousande Pikes, and a thousand Harkebutters, after the Duche facion,
thei should sufice me: for that I would place the Pikes, either in the
fronte of the battaile, or where I should feare moste the horses, and
those with the Targaetes and sweardes, shall serve me to make a backe to
the Pikes, and to winne the battaile, as I shall shewe you: so that I
beleeve, that a power thus ordayned, should overcome at this daye, any
other power.

COSIMO. This which hath beene saide, sufficeth concerning footemen, but
concerning horsemen, wee desire to understand which you thinke more
stronger armed, either ours, or the antiquitie.

[Sidenote: The victorie of Lucullo, against Tiarane king of Armenia; For
what pupose horsemen be most requisite.]

FABRICIO. I beleeve that in these daies, having respect to the Saddelles
bolstered, and to the stiroppes not used of the antiquitie, they stande
more stronglye on horsebacke, then in the olde time: I thinke also they
arme them more sure: so that at this daye, a bande of men of armes,
paysing very muche, commeth to be with more difficultie withstoode, then
were the horsemen of old time: notwithstanding for all this, I judge,
that there ought not to be made more accompt of horses, then in olde
time was made, for that (as afore is sayde) manye times in our dayes,
they have with the footemen receyved shame and shall receyve alwayes,
where they incounter, with a power of footemen armed, and ordered, as
above hath bene declared. Tigrane king of Armenia, had againste the
armie of the Romanes, wherof was Capitayne Lucullo, CL. thousande
horsemen, amongest the whiche, were many armed, like unto our men of
armes, which they called Catafratti, and of the other parte, the Romanes
were about sixe thousande, with xxv. thousand footemen: so that Tigrane
seeing the armie of the enemies, saide: these be horses enough for an
imbassage: notwithstanding, incountering together, he was overthrowen:
and he that writeth of the same fighte, disprayseth those Catafratti,
declaring them to be unprofitable; for that hee sayeth, because they had
their faces covered, they had muche a doe to see, and to offende the
enemie, and they falling, being laden with armour coulde not rise up
again, nor welde themselves in any maner to prevaile. I say therefore,
that those people or kingdomes, whiche shall esteeme more the power of
horses, then the power of footemen be alwaies weake, and subjecte to all
ruine, as by Italie hath been seene in our time, the whiche hath beene
taken, ruinated, and over run with straungers, through not other fault,
then for having taken litle care, of the service on foote, and being
brought the souldiours therof, all on horsebacke. Yet there ought to bee
had horses, but for seconde, and not for firste foundaion of an armie:
for that to make a discovery, to over run and to destroy the enemies
countrie, and to keepe troubled and disquieted, the armie of the same,
and in their armours alwayes, to let them of their victuals, they are
necessary, and most profitable: but concerning for the daye of battaile,
and for the fighte in the fielde, whiche is the importaunce of the
warre, and the ende, for which the armies are ordeined, they are more
meeter to follow the enemie being discomfited then to do any other thing
which in the same is to be done, and they bee in comparison, to the
footemen much inferiour.

COSIMO. There is happened unto mee twoo doubtes, the one, where I knowe,
that the Parthians dyd not use in the warre, other then horses, and yet
they devided the worlde with the Romanes: the other is, that I woulde
that you should shewe, howe the horsemen can be withstoode of footemen,
and wherof groweth the strength of these, and the debilitie of those?

[Sidenote: The reason why footmen are able to overcome horsemen; How
footmen maie save them selves from horsemen; The exercise of Souldiours,
ought to be devided into thre partes; What exercises the auncient common
weales used to exercise their youth in, and what commoditie insued
thereby; How the antiquitie, learned their yong soldiours, to handell
their weapons; What thantiquitie estemed moste happie in a common weale;
Mouster Maisters; for thexercisyng of yong men unexperte.]

FABRICIO. Either I have tolde you, or I minded to tell you, howe that my
reasoning of the affaires of warre, ought not to passe the boundes of
Europe: when thus it is, I am not bounde unto you, to make accompte of
the same, which is used in Asia, yet I muste saye unto you thus, that
the warring of the Parthians, was altogether contrarye, to the same of
the Romanes: for as muche as the Parthians, warred all on horsebacke,
and in the fight, they proceeded confusedlye, and scattered, and it was
a maner of fighte unstable, and full of uncertaintie. The Romanes were
(it maye be sayde) almoste al on foote, and thei fought close together
and sure, and thei overcame diversly, the one the other, according to
the largenesse, or straightnesse of the situation: for that in this the
Romaines were superiours, in thesame the Parthians, whom might make
greate proofe, with thesame maner of warryng, consideryng the region,
which thei had to defende, the which was moste large: for as moche as it
hath the sea coaste, distant a thousande miles, the rivers thone from
thother, twoo or three daies journey, the tounes in like maner and the
inhabitauntes few: so that a Romaine armie heavie and slowe, by meanes
of their armoures, and their orders, could not over run it, without
their grevous hurt (those that defended it, being on horsebacke mooste
expedite) so that thei were to daie in one place, and to morowe distaunt
fiftie miles. Hereof it grewe, that the Parthians might prevaile with
their chivalrie onely, bothe to the ruine of the armie of Crassus, and
to the perill of thesame, of Marcus Antonius: but I (as I have told you)
doe not intende in this my reasonyng, to speake of the warfare out of
Europe, therfore I will stand upon thesame, whiche in times past, the
Romaines ordained, and the Grekes, and as the Duchemen doe now adaies.
But let us se to the other question of yours, where you desire to
understande, what order, or what naturall vertue makes, that the
footemen overcome the horsmen. And I saie unto you first that the horses
cannot go, as the footmen in every place: Thei are slower then the
footemen to obeie, when it is requisite to alter the order: for as
moche, as if it be nedefull, either goyng forward, to turne backwarde,
or tournyng backwarde, to go forwarde, or to move themselves standing
stil, or goyng to stand still, without doubt, the horsemen cannot dooe
it so redilie as the footemen: the horsemen cannot, being of some
violence, disordained, returne in their orders, but with difficultie,
although thesame violence cease, the whiche the footemen dooe moste
easely and quickly. Besides this, it happeneth many tymes, that a hardie
manne shall be upon a vile horse, and a coward upon a good, whereby it
foloweth, that this evill matchyng of stomackes, makes disorder. Nor no
man doeth marvell, that a bande of footemenne, susteineth all violence
of horse for that a horse is a beaste, that hath sence, and knoweth the
perilles, and with an ill will, will enter in them: and if you consider,
what force maketh theim go forwarde, and what holdeth them backwarde,
you shall se without doubt thesame to be greater, whiche kepeth them
backe, then that whiche maketh them go forwardes: For that the spurre
maketh theim go forwarde, and of the other side, either the swearde, or
the Pike, kepeth theim backe: so that it hath been seen by the olde, and
by the late experience, a bande of footemen to bee moste safe, ye,
invinsible for horses. And if you should argue to this, that the heate,
with whiche thei come, maketh theim more furious to incounter who that
would withstande them, and lesse to regard the Pike, then the spurre: I
saie, that if the horse so disposed, begin to see, that he must run upon
the poincte of the Pike, either of himself, he wil refrain the course so
that so sone as he shall feele himself pricked, he will stande still
atones, or beeyng come to theim, he will tourne on the right, or on the
lefte hande. Whereof if you wil make experience, prove to run a horse
against a walle: you shall finde fewe, with what so ever furie he come
withall, will strike against it. Cesar havyng in Fraunce, to faighte
with the Suizzers, a lighted, and made every manne a light on foote, and
to avoide from the araies, the horses, as a thyng more meete to flie,
then to faight. But notwithstandyng these naturall impedimentes, whiche
horses have, thesame Capitaine, whiche leadeth the footemen, ought to
chuse waies, whiche have for horse, the moste impedimentes that maie
bee, and seldome tymes it happeneth, but that a manne maie save hymself,
by the qualitie of the countrie: for that if thou marche on the hilles,
the situacion doeth save thee from thesame furie, whereof you doubt,
that thei go withail in the plain, fewe plaines be, whiche through the
tillage or by meanes of the woddes, doe not assure thee: for that every
hillocke, every bancke, although it be but small, taketh awaie thesame
heate, and every culture where bee Vines, and other trees, lettes the
horses: and if thou come to battaile, the very same lettes happeneth,
that chaunceth in marchyng: for as moche as every little impedemente,
that the horse hath, abateth his furie. One thyng notwithstandyng, I
will not forgette to tell you, how the Romaines estemed so moche their
orders, and trusted so moche to their weapons, that if thei shuld have
had, to chuse either so rough a place to save theim selves from horses,
where thei should not have been able, to raunge their orders, or a place
where thei should have nede, to feare more of horses, but ben able to
deffende their battaile, alwaies thei toke this, and left that: but
bicause it is tyme, to passe to the armie, having armed these
souldiours, accordyng to the aunciente and newe use, let us see what
exercises the Romaines caused theim make, before the menne were brought
to the battaile. Although thei be well chosen, and better armed, thei
ought with moste greate studie be exercised, for that without this
exercise, there was never any souldiour good: these exercises ought to
be devided into three partes, the one, for to harden the bodie, and to
make it apte to take paines, and to bee more swifter and more readier,
the other, to teach them, how to handell their weapons, the third, for
to learne them to kepe the orders in the armie, as well in marchyng, as
in faightyng, and in the incampyng: The whiche be three principall
actes, that an armie doeth: for asmoche, as if an armie marche, incampe,
and faight with order, and expertly, the Capitaine leseth not his
honoure, although the battaile should have no good ende. Therfore, all
thauncient common weales, provided these exercises in maner, by custome,
and by lawe, that there should not be left behinde any part thereof.
Thei exercised then their youth, for to make them swift, in runnyng, to
make theim readie, in leapyng, for to make them strong, in throwyng the
barre, or in wrestlyng: and these three qualities, be as it were
necessarie in souldiours. For that swiftnesse, maketh theim apte to
possesse places, before the enemie, and to come to them unloked for, and
at unwares to pursue them, when thei are discomfaicted: the readinesse,
maketh theim apte to avoide a blowe, to leape over a diche, to winne a
banke: strength, maketh them the better able to beare their armours, to
incounter the enemie, to withstande a violence. And above all, to make
the bodie the more apte to take paines, thei used to beare greate
burthens, the whiche custome is necessarie: for that in difficulte
expedicions it is requisite many tymes, that the souldiour beside his
armours, beare vitualles for many daies, and if he were not accustomed
to this labour, he could not dooe it: and without this, there can
neither bee avoided a perill, nor a victorie gotten with fame.
Concernyng to learne how to handell the weapons, thei exercised theim,
in this maner: thei would have the yong menne, to put on armour, whiche
should waie twise as moche, as their field armour, and in stede of a
swearde, thei gave them a cudgell leaded, whiche in comparison of a
verie swearde in deede, was moste heavie; thei made for every one of
them, a poste to be set up in the ground, which should be in height twoo
yardes and a quarter, and in soche maner, and so strong, that the blowes
should not slur nor hurle it doune, against the whiche poste, the yong
man with a targaet, and with the cudgell, as against an enemie did
exercise, and some whiles he stroke, as though he would hurte the hedde,
or the face, somewhile he retired backe, an other while he made
forewarde: and thei had in this exercise, this advertisment, to make
theim apt to cover theim selves, and to hurte the enemie: and havyng the
counterfaight armours moste heavy, their ordinarie armours semed after
unto them more lighter. The Romanies, would that their souldiours should
hurte with the pricke, and not with the cutte, as well bicause the
pricke is more mortalle, and hath lesse defence, as also to thentent
that he that should hurt, might lye the lesse open, and be more apt to
redouble it, then with cuttes. Dooe not marvaile that these auncient
men, should thinke on these small thynges, for that where the
incounteryng of men is reasoned of, you shall perceive, that every
little vauntage, is of greate importaunce: and I remember you the same,
whiche the writers of this declare, rather then I to teache you. The
antiquitie estemed nothing move happie, in a common weale, then to be in
thesame, many men exercised in armes: bicause not the shining of
precious stones and of golde, maketh that the enemies submit themselves
unto thee, but onely the fear of the weapons: afterwarde the errours
whiche are made in other thynges, maie sometymes be corrected, but those
whiche are dooen in the warre, the paine straight waie commyng on,
cannot be amended. Besides that, the knowlege to faight, maketh men more
bold, bicause no man feareth to doe that thing, which he thinketh to
have learned to dooe. The antiquitie would therefore, that their
Citezeins should exercise themselves, in all marcial feates, and thei
made them to throwe against thesame poste, dartes moche hevier then the
ordinarie: the whiche exercise, besides the makyng men expert in
throwyng, maketh also the arme more nimble, and moche stronger. Thei
taught them also to shote in the long bowe, to whorle with the sling:
and to all these thynges, thei appoincted maisters, in soche maner, that
after when thei were chosen for to go to the warre, thei were now with
mynde and disposicion, souldiours. Nor there remained them to learn
other, then to go in the orders, and to maintain them selves in those,
either marchyng, or faightyng: The whiche moste easely thei learned,
mingeling themselves with those, whiche had long tyme served, whereby
thei knewe how to stande in the orders.

COSIMO. What exercises would you cause theim to make at this present?

[Sidenote: The exercises that souldiers ought to make in these daies;
The exercise of swimmyng; Tiber, is a river runnyng through Rome the
water wher of will never corrupte; Thexercise of vautyng, and the
commoditie thereof; An order that is taken in certain countries,
concerning exercises of warre; What knowledge a Souldiour ought to have;
A Cohorte is a bande of men; Of what nomer and of what kind of armours
and weapons, a maine battaile ought to bee, and the distributing and
appoinetyng of thesame; veliti are light armed men; Thecapitaines that
ar appointed to every band of men; Twoo orders observed in an armie; How
a captain muste instructe muste instructe his souldiours how thei ought
to governe themselves in the battaile.]

FABRICIO. A good many of those, whiche have been declared, as runnyng,
and wrestlyng, makyng theim to leape, makyng theim to labour in armours,
moche heavier then the ordinarie, making them shoote with Crosse bowes,
and longe bowes, whereunto I would joyne the harkabus, a newe instrument
(as you know) verie necessarie, and to these exercises I would use, al
the youth of my state, but with greater industrie, and more
sollicitatenesse thesame parte, whiche I should have alreadie appoincted
to serve, and alwaies in the idell daies, thei should bee exercised. I
would also that thei should learne to swimme, the whiche is a thyng
verie profitable: for that there be not alwaies bridges over rivers,
boates be not alwaies readie: so that thy army not knowyng howe to
swime, remaineth deprived of many commodities: and many occasions to
woorke well, is taken awaie. The Romaines for none other cause had
ordained, that the yong men should exercise them selves in Campus
Martius, then onely, for that havyng Tiber at hande, thei might, beyng
weried with the exercise on lande, refreshe theim selves in the water,
and partly in swimmyng, to exercise them selves. I would make also, as
the antiquitie, those whiche should serve on horsebacke to exercise, the
whiche is moste necessarie, for that besides to know how to ride, thei
muste knowe how on horsebacke thei maie prevaile of them selves. And for
this thei had ordeined horses of wood, upon the which thei practised, to
leape by armed, and unarmed, without any helpe, and on every hande: the
whiche made, that atones, and at a beck of a capitain, the horsmen were
on foote, and likewise at a token, thei mounted on horsebacke. And soche
exercises, bothe on foote and on horsebacke, as thei were then easie to
bee doen, so now thei should not be difficult to thesame common weale,
or to thesame prince, whiche would cause them to be put in practise of
their yong men. As by experience is seen, in certaine citees of the
Weste countrie, where is kepte a live like maners with this order. Thei
devide all their inhabiters into divers partes: and every parte thei
name of the kinde of those weapons, that thei use in the warre. And for
that thei use Pikes, Halbardes, Bowes, and Harkebuses, thei call them
Pike menne, Halberders, Harkebutters, and Archars: Therefore, it is mete
for all the inhabiters to declare, in what orders thei will be
appoincted in. And for that all men, either for age, or for other
impedimentes, be not fitte for the warre, every order maketh a choise of
men, and thei call them the sworen, whom in idell daies, be bounde to
exercise themselves in those weapons, wherof thei be named: and every
manne hath his place appoincted hym of the cominaltie, where soche
exercise ought to be made: and those whiche be of thesame order, but not
of the sworen, are contributaries with their money, to thesame expenses,
whiche in soche exercises be necessarie: therfore thesame that thei doe,
we maie doe. But our smal prudence dooeth not suffre us, to take any
good waie. Of these exercises there grewe, that the antiquitie had good
souldiours, and that now those of the Weste, bee better men then ours:
for as moche as the antiquitie exercised them, either at home (as those
common weales doe) or in the armies, as those Emperours did, for
thoccasions aforesaied: but we, at home will not exercise theim, in
Campe we cannot, bicause thei are not our subjectes, and for that we are
not able to binde them to other exercises then thei them selves liste to
doe: the whiche occacion hath made, that firste the armies bee
neclected, and after, the orders, and that the kyngdomes, and the common
weales, in especially Italians, live in soche debilitie. But let us
tourne to our order, and folowyng this matter of exercises, I saie, how
it suffiseth not to make good armies, for havyng hardened the men, made
them strong, swift, and handsome, it is nedefull also, that thei learne
to stande in the orders, to obeie to signes, to soundes, and to the
voice of the capitain: to knowe, standyng, to retire them selves, goyng
forwardes, bothe faightyng, and marchyng to maintain those: bicause
without this knowlege, withal serious diligence observed, and practised,
there was never armie good: and without doubt, the fierce and disordered
menne, bee moche more weaker, then the fearfull that are ordered, for
that thorder driveth awaie from men feare, the disorder abateth
fiercenesse. And to the entente you maie the better perceive that,
whiche here folowyng shalbe declared, you have to understande, how every
nation, in the orderyng of their men to the warre, have made in their
hoste, or in their armie, a principall member, the whiche though thei
have varied with the name, thei have little varied with the nomber of
the menne: for that thei all have made it, betwene sixe and viii. M.
men. This nomber of men was called of the Romaines, a Legion, of Grekes
a Fallange, of Frenchemen Caterva: this verie same in our tyme of the
Suizzers, whom onely of the auncient warfare, kepe some shadowe, is
called in their tongue that, whiche in ours signifieththe maine
battaile. True it is, that every one of them, hath after devided it,
accordyng to their purposes. Therefore me thinkes beste, that wee
grounde our talke, upon this name moste knowen, and after, according to
the aunciente, and to the orders now adaies, the beste that is possible
to ordaine it; and bicause the Romaines devided their Legion, whiche was
made betwene five and sixe thousande men, in ten Cohortes, I will that
wee devide our main battaile, into ten battailes, and that we make it of
sixe thousande menne on foote, and we will give to every battaile,
CCCCL. men, of whiche shall be, CCCC. armed with heavie armour, and L.
with light armour: the heavie armed, shall be CCC. Targettes with
sweardes, and shalbe called Target men: and C. with Pikes, whiche shalbe
called ordinarie Pikes: the light armed shalbe, L. men armed with
Harkabuses, Crosse bowes, and Partisans, and smal Targaettes, and these
by an aunciente name, were called ordinarie Veliti: all of the ten
battailes therefore, comes to have three thousande Targaet men, a
thousande ordinarie Pikes, CCCC. ordinarie Veliti, all whiche make the
nomber of fower thousande and five hundred men. And we saied, that we
would make the maine battaile of six thousande; therefore there must be
added an other thousande, five hundred men, of whiche I will appoinet a
thousande with Pikes, whom I will call extraordinarie Veliti, and thus
my menne should come (as a little before I have saied) to bee made halfe
of Targaetes, and halfe of Pikes and other weapons. I would appoinete to
everie battaile, or bande of men, a Conestable, fower Centurions and
fouretic peticapitaines, and moreover a hedde to the ordinarie Veliti.
with five peticapitaines; I would give to the thousande extraordinarie
Pikes, three Conestabelles, ten Centurions, and a hundred
peticapitaines; to the extraodrinarie Veliti, two Conestabelles, v.
Centurions, and l. peticapitaines: I would then apoinet a generall hed,
over all the main battaile: I would that every Conestable should have an
Ansigne, and a Drum. Thus there should be made a manne battaile of ten
battailes, of three thousande Targaet men, of a thousande ordinarie
Pikes, of a thousande extraordinarie of five hundred ordinarie Veliti,
of five hundred extraordinarie, so there should come to bee sixe
thousande men, emongeste the whiche there should bee M.D.
peticapitaines, and moreover, xv. Conestables, with xv. Drummes, and xv.
Ansignes, lv. Centurions, x. heddes of the ordinarie Veliti, and a
Capitaine over all the maine battaile with his Asigne and Drume, and I
have of purpose repeated this order the oftener, to the intent, that
after when I shall shewe you, the maners of orderyng the battailes, and
tharmies, you should not be confounded: I saie therefore, how that, that
king, or that common weale, whiche intendeth to ordeine their subjectes
to armes, ought to appoincte theim with these armoures and weapons, and
with these partes, and to make in their countrie so many maine
battailes, as it were able: and when thei should have ordained them,
according to the forsaid distribucion, minding to exercise them in the
orders, it should suffice to exercise every battaile by it self: and
although the nomber of the men, of every one of them, cannot by it self,
make the facion of a juste armie, notwithstandyng, every man maie learne
to dooe thesame, whiche particularly appertaineth unto hym: for that in
the armies, twoo orders is observed, the one, thesame that the men ought
to doe in every battaile, and the other that, whiche the battaile ought
to doe after, when it is with the other in an armie. And those men,
whiche doe wel the first, mooste easely maie observe the seconde: But
without knowyng thesame, thei can never come to the knowlege of the
seconde. Then (as I have saied) every one of these battailes, maie by
them selves, learne to kepe the orders of the araies, in every qualitie
of movyng, and of place, and after learne to put them selves togethers,
to understande the soundes, by meanes wherof in the faight thei are
commaunded, to learne to know by that, as the Gallics by the whissell,
what ought to be doen, either to stande still, or to tourne forward, or
to tourne backwarde or whiche waie to tourne the weapons, and the face:
so that knowyng how to kepe well the araie, after soche sorte, that
neither place nor movyng maie disorder them, understandyng well the
commaundementes of their heddes, by meanes of the sounde, and knowyng
quickly, how to retourne into their place, these battailes maie after
easly (as I have said) beyng brought many together, learne to do that,
whiche all the body together, with the other battailes in a juste armie,
is bounde to dooe. And bicause soche universall practise, is also not to
bee estemed a little, ones or twise a yere, when there is peace, all the
main battaile maie be brought together, to give it the facion of an
whole armie, some daies exercisyng theim, as though thei should faight a
fielde, settyng the fronte, and the sides with their succours in their
places. And bicause a capitaine ordeineth his hoste to the fielde,
either for coumpte of the enemie he seeth, or for that, of whiche
without seyng he doubteth, he ought to exercise his armie in the one
maner, and in the other, and to instructe theim in soche sorte, that
thei maie knowe how to marche, and to faight, when nede should require,
the wyng to his souldiours, how thei should governe theim selves, when
thei should happen to be assaulted of this, or of that side: and where
he ought to instructe theim how to faight againste the enemie, whom thei
should see: he must shewe them also, how the faight is begun, and where
thei ought to retire: being overthrowen, who hath to succeade in their
places, to what signes, to what soundes, to what voices, thei ought to
obeie, and to practise them in soche wise in the battaile, and with
fained assaultes, that thei may desire the verie thyng in deede. For
that an armie is not made coragious, bicause in thesame be hardie menne,
but by reason the orders thereof bee well appoineted: For as moche as if
I be one of the first faighters, and do knowe, beyng overcome, where I
maie retire, and who hath to succeade in my place, I shall alwaies
faight with boldnes, seing my succour at hand. If I shall be one of the
seconde faighters, the first being driven backe, and overthrowen, I
shall not bee afraied, for that I shall have presuposed that I maie bee,
and I shall have desire to be thesame, whiche maie give the victory to
my maister, and not to bee any of the other. These exercises bee moste
necessarie, where an armie is made of newe, and where the old armie is,
thei bee also necessarie: for that it is also seen, how the Romaines
knew from their infancie, thorder of their armies, notwithstandyng,
those capitaines before thei should come to thenemie, continually did
exercise them in those. And Josephus in his historie saieth, that the
continuall exercises of the Romaine armies, made that all thesame
multitude, whiche folowe the campe for gain, was in the daie of battaile
profitable: bicause thei all knewe, how to stande in the orders, and to
faight kepyng the same: but in the armies of newe men, whether thou have
putte theim together, to faight straight waie, or that thou make a power
to faight, when neede requires, without these exercises, as well of the
battailes severally by themselves, as of all the armie, is made nothing:
wherefore the orders beying necessarie, it is conveniente with double
industrie and laboure, to shewe them unto soche as knoweth them not, and
for to teache it, many excellent capitaines have travailed, without any
respecte.

COSIMO. My thinkes that this reasoning, hath sumwhat transported you:
for asmoche, as havyng not yet declared the waies, with the whiche the
battailes bee exercised, you have reasoned of the whole armie, and of
the daie of battaile.

[Sidenote: The chief importance in the exercisyng of bandes of men;
Three principall for thorderyng of menne into battaile raie; The manner
how to bryng a bande of men into battaile raie after a square facion;
The better waie for the ordring of a band of men in battaile raie, after
the first facion; How to exercise men, and to take soche order, whereby
a band of men that were by whatsoever chance disordred maye straighte
wai be brought into order againe; What advertisement ought to bee used
in tourning about a whole bande of menne, after soche sorte, as though
it were but one bodie; How to order a band of menne after soche sort
that thei maie make their front againste thenemie of whiche flanke thei
list; How a band of man oughte to be ordered, when in marchyng thei
should bee constrained to faighton their backes.]

FABRICIO. You saie truth, but surely thoccasion hath been the affection,
whiche I beare to these orders, and the grief that I feele, seyng thei
be not put in use: notwithstanding, doubt not but that I will tourne to
the purpose: as I have saied, the chief importaunce that is in
thexercise of the battailes, is to knowe how to kepe well the armies:
and bicause I tolde you that one of these battailes, ought to bee made
of fower hundred men heavie armed, I wil staie my self upon this nomber.
Thei ought then to be brought into lxxx. rankes, and five to a ranke:
afterward goyng fast, or softly, to knit them together, and to lose
them: the whiche how it is dooen, maie bee shewed better with deedes,
then with wordes. Which nedeth not gretly to be taught, for that every
manne, whom is practised in servise of warre, knoweth how this order
procedeth, whiche is good for no other, then to use the souldiours to
keepe the raie: but let us come to putte together one of these
battailes, I saie, that there is given them three facions principally,
the firste, and the moste profitablest is, to make al massive, and to
give it the facion of two squares, the second is, to make it square with
the front horned, the thirde is, to make it with a voide space in the
middest: the maner to put men together in the first facion, maie be of
twoo sortes, tho together in the first facion, maie be of twoo sortes,
thone is to double the rankes, that is, to make the seconde ranke enter
into the first, the iiii. into the third, the sixt into the fift, and so
foorth, so that where there was lxxx. rankes, five to a ranke, thei maie
become xl. rankes, x. to a ranke. Afterward cause theim to double ones
more in thesame maner, settyng the one ranke into an other, and so there
shall remain twentie rankes, twentie men to a ranke: this maketh twoo
squares aboute, for as moche as albeit that there bee as many men the
one waie, as in the other, notwithstandyng to wardes the hedde, thei
joine together, that the one side toucheth the other: but by the other
waie, thei be distant the one from the other, at least a yarde and a
haulfe, after soche sorte, that the square is moche longer, from the
backe to the fronte, then from the one side to thother: and bicause we
have at this presente, to speake often of the partes afore, of behinde,
and of the sides of these battailes, and of all the armie together,
knowe you, that when I saie either hedde or fronte, I meane the parte
afore, when I shall saie backe, the part behind, when I shall saie
flankes, the partes on the sides. The fiftie ordinarie veliti of the
battaile, muste not mingle with the other rankes, but so sone as the
battaile is facioned, thei shalbe set a long by the flankes therof. The
other waie to set together the battaile is this, and bicause it is
better then the firste, I will set it before your ives juste, how it
ought to bee ordeined. I beleve that you remember of what nomber of
menne, of what heddes it is made, and of what armours thei are armed,
then the facion, that this battaile ought to have, is (as I have saied)
of twentie rankes, twentie men to a ranke, five rankes of Pikes in the
front, and fiftene rankes of Targaettes on the backe, twoo Centurions
standying in the fronte, twoo behinde on the backe, who shall execute
the office of those, whiche the antiquitie called Tergiductori. The
Conestable with the Ansigne, and with the Drumme, shall stande in
thesame space, that is betwene the five rankes of the Pikes, and the
fiftene of the Targeaettes. Of the Peticapitaines, there shall stande
one upon every side of the ranckes, so that every one, maie have on his
side his men, those peticapitaines, whiche shalbe on the left hande, to
have their men on the right hand, those Peticapitaines, whiche shall be
on the right hand, to have their menne on the left hande: The fiftie
Veliti, muste stande a long the flankes, and on the backe of the
battaile. To mynde now, that this battaile maie be set together in this
facion, the men goyng ordinarily, it is convenient to order them thus.
Make the men to be brought into lxxx. rankes, five to a ranke, as a
little afore we have said, leavyng the Veliti either at the hedde, or at
the taile, so that thei stande out of this order: and it ought to be
ordeined, that every Centurion have behinde his back twentie rankes, and
to bee nexte behinde every Centurion, five rankes of Pikes, and the
reste Targaettes. The Conestable shall stande with the Drum, and the
Ansigne, in thesame space, whiche is betwene the Pikes, and the
Targaettes of the seconde Centurion, and to occupie the places of three
Targaette men. Of the Peticapitaines, twentie shall stand on the sides
of the rankes, of the first Centurion, on the lefte hande, and twentie
shall stande on the sides of the rankes, of the last Centurion on the
right hande. And you muste understande, that the Peticapitaine, whiche
hath to leade the Pikes, ought to have a Pike, and those that leade the
Targaettes, ought to have like weapons. Then the rankes beyng brought
into this order, and mindyng in marchyng, to bryng them into battaile,
for to make the hedde, the first Centurion must be caused to stande
still, with the firste twentie rankes, and the seconde to proceade
marchyng, and tournyng on the right hand, he must go a long the sides of
the twentie rankes that stande still, till he come to bee even with the
other Centurion, where he must also stande still, and the thirde
Centurion to procede marchyng, likewise tournyng on the right hand, and
a long the sides of the rankes that stande still, must go so farre, that
he be even with the other twoo Centurions, and he also standyng still,
the other Centurion must folowe with his rankes, likewise tournyng on
the right hande, a longe the sides of the rankes that stande still, so
farre that he come to the hed of the other, and then to stand still, and
straight waie twoo Centurions onely, shall depart from the front, and go
to the backe of the battaile, the whiche cometh to bee made in thesame
maner, and with thesame order juste, as a little afore I have shewed
you. The Veliti muste stande a long, by the flankes of thesame,
accordyng as is disposed in the first waie, whiche waie is called
redoublyng by right line, this is called redoublyng by flanke: the first
waie is more easie, this is with better order, and commeth better to
passe, and you maie better correcte it, after your owne maner, for that
in redoublyng by righte line, you muste bee ruled by the nomber, bicause
five maketh ten, ten twentie, twentie fourtie, so that with redoublyng
by right line, you cannot make a hedde of fiftene, nor of five and
twentie, nor of thirtie, nor of five and thirtie, but you must go where
thesame nomber will leade you. And yet it happeneth every daie in
particulare affaires, that it is convenient to make the forwarde with
sixe hundred, or eight hundred men, so that to redouble by right line,
should disorder you: therefore this liketh me better: that difficultie
that is, ought moste with practise, and with exercise to bee made easie.
Therefore I saie unto you, how it importeth more then any thyng, to have
the souldiours to know how to set themselves in araie quickly, and it is
necessarie to keepe theim in this battaile, to exercise theim therin,
and to make them to go apace, either forward or backward, to passe
through difficulte places, without troublyng thorder: for asmoche as the
souldiours, whiche can doe this well, be expert souldiours, and although
thei have never seen enemies in the face, thei maie be called old
souldiours, and contrariwise, those whiche cannot keepe these orders,
though thei have been in a thousande warres, thei ought alwaies to be
reputed new souldiours. This is, concernyng setting them together, when
thei are marching in small rankes: but beyng set, and after beyng broken
by some accident or chaunce, whiche groweth either of the situacion, or
of the enemie, to make that in a sodaine, thei maie come into order
againe, this is the importaunce and the difficultie, and where is
nedefull moche exercise, and moche practise, and wherin the antiquitie
bestowed moche studie. Therefore it is necessarie to doe twoo thynges,
firste to have this battaile full of countersignes, the other, to keepe
alwaies this order, that those same men maie stand alwaies in the ranke,
which thei were firste placed in: as for insample, if one have begon to
stande in the seconde, that he stande after alwaie in that, and not
onely in that self same rancke, but in that self same place: for the
observyng whereof (as I have saied) bee necessarie many countersignes.
In especially it is requisite, that the Ansigne bee after soche sorte
countersigned, that companyng with the other battailes, it maie be
knowen from theim, accordyng as the Conestable, and the Centurions have
plumes of fethers in their heddes differente, and easie to be knowen,
and that whiche importeth moste, is to ordaine that the peticapitaines
bee knowen. Whereunto the antiquitie had so moche care, that thei would
have nothing els written in their hedde peces, but the nomber that thei
were named by, callyng them firste, seconde, thirde, and fourthe xc. And
yet thei were not contented with this, but made every souldiour to have
written in his Targaet, the nomber of the ranke, and the nomber of the
place, in whiche ranke he was appoineted. Then the menne being
countersigned thus, and used to stande betwene these limites, it is an
easie thyng, thei beyng disordered, to sett theim all againe quickly
into order: considering, that the Ansigne standyng still, the
Centurions, and the Peticapitaines maie gesse their places by the iye,
and beyng brought the left of the left, the right of the right, with
their accustomed distance, the souldiours led by their rule, and by the
differences of the cognisances, maie be quickly in their proper places,
no otherwise, then as if the boordes of a tunne should bee taken a
sunder, whiche beyng first marked, moste easely maie bee set together
again, where thesame beyng not countersigned, were impossible to bryng
into order any more. These thynges, with diligence and with exercise,
are quickely taught, and quickly learned, and beyng learned, with
difficultie are forgotten: for that the newe menne, be led of the olde,
and with tyme, a Province with these exercises, may become throughly
practised in the war. It is also necessarie to teache theim, to tourne
theim selves all at ones, and when neede requires, to make of the
flankes, and of the backe, the fronte, and of the front, flankes, or
backe, whiche is moste easie: bicause it suffiseth that every manne doe
tourne his bodie, towardes thesame parte that he is commaunded, and
where thei tourne their faces, there the fronte commeth to bee. True it
is, that when thei tourne to any of the flanckes, the orders tourne out
of their proporcion: for that from the breast to the backe, there is
little difference, and from the one flancke to the other, there is verie
moche distance, the whiche is al contrarie to the ordinarie order of the
battaile: therefore it is convenient, that practise, and discrecion, doe
place them as thei ought to be: but this is small disorder, for that
moste easely by themselves, thei maie remedie it. But that whiche
importeth more, and where is requisite more practise, is when a battaile
would tourne all at ones, as though it were a whole bodie, here is meete
to have greate practise, and greate discrecion: bicause mindyng to
tourne, as for insample on the left hande, the left corner must stande
still, and those that be next to hym that standeth still, muste marche
so softly, that thei that bee in the right corner, nede not to runne:
otherwise all thing should be confounded. But bicause it happeneth
alwaies, when an armie marcheth from place to place, that the battailes,
whiche are not placed in the front, shall be driven to faight not by
hedde, but either by flancke, or by backe, so that a battaile muste in a
sodaine make of flancke, or of backe, hedde: and mindyng that like
battailes in soche cace, maie have their proporcion, as above is
declared, it is necessarie, that thei have the Pikes on thesame flancke,
that ought to be hedde, and the Peticapitaines, Centurions, and
Conestables, to resorte accordyngly to their places. Therefore to mynde
to dooe this, in plasyng them together, you must ordeine the fower skore
rankes, of five in a ranke, thus: Set all the Pikes in the first twentie
rankes, and place the Peticapitaines thereof, five in the first places,
and five in the last: the other three score rankes, whiche come after,
bee all of Targaettes, whiche come to bee three Centuries. Therefore,
the first and the laste ranke of every Centurion, would be
Peticapitaines, the Conestable with the Ansigne, and with the Drumme,
muste stande in the middest of the first Centurie of Targaettes, and the
Centurions in the hed of every Centurie. The bande thus ordained, when
you would have the Pikes to come on the left flancke, you must redouble
Centurie by Centurie, on the right flancke: if you would have them to
come on the right flancke, you must redouble theim on the lefte. And so
this battaile tourneth with the Pikes upon a flancke, and the Conestable
in the middeste: the whiche facion it hath marchyng: but the enemie
commyng, and the tyme that it would make of flancke hedde, it nedeth not
but to make every man to tourne his face, towardes thesame flancke,
where the Pikes be, and then the battaile tourneth with the rankes, and
with the heddes in thesame maner, as is aforesaied: for that every man
is in his place, excepte the Centurions, and the Centurions straight
waie, and without difficultie, place themselves: But when thei in
marchyng, should bee driven to faight on the backe, it is convenient to
ordein the rankes after soch sorte, that settyng theim in battaile, the
Pikes maie come behinde, and to doe this, there is to bee kepte no other
order, then where in orderyng the battaile, by the ordinarie, every
Centurie hath five rankes of Pikes before, to cause that thei maie have
them behind, and in all the other partes to observe thorder, whiche I
declared firste.

COSIMO. You have tolde (if I dooe well remember me) that this maner of
exercise, is to bee able to bryng these battailes together into an
armie, and that this practise, serveth to be able to order theim selves
in the same: But if it should happen, that these CCCCL. men, should have
to doe an acte seperate, how would you order them?

[Sidenote: How a battaile is made with twoo hornes; The orderyng of a
battaile with a voide space in the middeste.]

FABRICIO. He that leadeth them, ought then to judge, where he will place
the Pikes, and there to put them, the whiche doeth not repugne in any
part to the order above written: for that also, though thesame bee the
maner, that is observed to faighte a fielde, together with thother
battailes, notwithstandyng it is a rule, whiche serveth to all those
waies, wherein a band of menne should happen to have to doe: but in
shewyng you the other twoo waies of me propounded, of ordering the
battailes, I shal also satisfie you more to your question: for that
either thei are never used, or thei are used when a battaile is a lone,
and not in companie of other, and to come to the waie of ordering them,
with twoo hornes, I saie, that thou oughteste to order the lxxx. rankes,
five to a ranke, in this maner. Place in the middest, one Centurion, and
after hym xxv. rankes, whiche muste bee with twoo Pikes on the lefte
hande, and with three Targaettes on the right, and after the first five,
there must be put in the twentie folowyng, twentie Peticapitaines, all
betwene the pikes, and the Targaettes, excepte those whiche beare the
Pike, whom maie stand with the Pikes: after these xxv. rankes thus
ordered, there is to be placed an other Centurion, and behinde hym
fiftene rankes of Targaettes: after these, the Conestable betwene the
Drum and the Ansigne, who also must have after him, other fiftene rankes
of Targaettes: after this, the thirde Centurion must be placed, and
behinde hym, xxv. rankes, in every one of whiche, ought to bee three
Targaettes on the lefte flancke, and twoo Pikes on the right, and after
the five first rankes, there must be xx. Peticapitaines placed betwene
the Pikes, and the Targaettes: after these rankes, the fowerth Centurion
must folowe. Intendying therefore, of these rankes thus ordered, to make
a battaile with twoo hornes, the first Centurion must stand still, with
the xxv. rankes, whiche be behinde him, after the second Centurion muste
move, with the fiftene rankes of Targaettes, that bee behinde hym, and
to tourne on the right hande, and up by the right flancke of the xxv.
rankes, to go so farre, that he arrive to the xv. ranke, and there to
stande still: after, the Conestable muste move, with the fiftene rankes
of Targaettes, whiche be behinde hym, and tournyng likewise on the right
hande, up by the right flancke of the fiftene rankes, that wer firste
moved, muste marche so farre, that he come to their heddes, and there to
stand stil: after, the thirde Centurion muste move with the xxv. rankes,
and with the fowerth Centurion, whiche was behinde, and turnyng up
straight, must go a long by the right flanck of the fiftene last rankes
of the Targaettes, and not to stande still when he is at the heddes of
them, but to followe marchyng so farre, that the laste ranke of the xxv.
maie come to be even with the rankes behinde. And this dooen, the
Centurion, whiche was hedde of the firste fiftene rankes of Targaettes,
must go awaie from thens where he stoode, and go to the backe in the
lefte corner: and thus a battaile shall be made of xxv. rankes, after
twentie men to a rank, with two hornes, upon every side of the front,
one horn, and every one, shall have ten rankes, five to a ranke, and
there shall remain a space betwene the twoo hornes, as moche as
containeth ten men, whiche tourne their sides, the one to thother.
Betwene the two hornes, the capitain shall stande, and on every poinct
of a horne, a Centurion: There shall bee also behinde, on every corner,
a Centurion: there shal be twoo rankes of Pikes, and xx. Peticapitaines
on every flancke. These twoo hornes, serve to kepe betwene theim the
artillerie, when this battaile should have any withit, and the cariages:
The Veliti muste stande a long the flankes, under the Pikes. But mindyng
to bring this horned battaile, with a voide space in the middeste, there
ought no other to bee doen, then of fiftene rankes, of twentie to a
ranke, to take eight rankes, and to place them on the poinctes of the
twoo hornes, whiche then of hornes, become backe of the voide space, in
this place, the cariages are kept, the capitain standeth, and the
Ansigne, but never the Artillerie, the whiche is placed either in the
front, or a long the flankes. These be the waies, that a battaile maie
use when it is constrained to passe alone through suspected places:
notwithstandyng, the massive battaile without hornes, and without any
soche voide place is better, yet purposyng to assure the disarmed, the
same horned battaile is necessarie. The Suizzers make also many facions
of battailes, emong which, thei make one like unto a crosse: bicause in
the spaces that is betwen the armes therof, thei kepe safe their
Harkebuters from the daunger of the enemies: but bicause soche battailes
be good to faight by theim selves, and my intente is to shew, how many
battailes united, do faight with thenemie, I wil not labour further in
describing them.

COSIMO. My thinkes I have verie well comprehended the waie, that ought
to be kept to exercise the men in these battailes: But (if I remember me
well) you have saied, how that besides the tenne battailes, you joyne to
the maine battaile, a thousande extraordinarie Pikes, and five hundred
extraordinarie Veliti: will you not appoincte these to be exercised?

[Sidenote: To what purpose the Pikes and Velite extraordinarie must
serve.]

FABRICIO. I would have theim to bee exercised, and that with moste great
diligence: and the Pikes I would exercise, at leaste Ansigne after
Ansigne, in the orders of the battailes, as the other: For as moche as
these should doe me more servise, then the ordinarie battailes, in all
particulare affaires: as to make guides, to get booties, and to doe like
thynges: but the Veliti, I would exercise at home, without bringing them
together, for that their office being to faight a sonder, it is not
mete, that thei should companie with other, in the common exercises: for
that it shall suffice, to exercise them well in the particular
exercises. Thei ought then (as I firste tolde you, nor now me thynkes no
labour to rehearse it againe) to cause their men to exercise them selves
in these battailes, whereby thei maie knowe how to kepe the raie, to
knowe their places, to tourne quickly, when either enemie, or situacion
troubleth them: for that, when thei knowe how to do this, the place is
after easely learned, which a battaile hath to kepe, and what is the
office thereof in the armie: and when a Prince, or a common weale, will
take the paine, and will use their diligence in these orders, and in
these exercisyng, it shall alwaies happen, that in their countrie, there
shall bee good souldiours, and thei to be superiours to their
neighbours, and shalbe those, whiche shall give, and not receive the
lawes of other men: but (as I have saied) the disorder wherein thei
live, maketh that thei neclecte, and doe not esteme these thynges, and
therefore our armies be not good: and yet though there were either hed,
or member naturally vertuous, thei cannot shewe it.

COSIMO. What carriages would you, that every one of these battailes
should have?

[Sidenote: Neither Centurion nor Peticapitaine, ought not to ride; What
carriages the Capitaines ought to have, and the nomber of carrages
requisite to every bande of menne.]

FABRICIO. Firste, I would that neither Centurion, nor Peticapitain,
should be suffered to ride: and if the Conestable would nedes ride, I
would that he should have a Mule, and not a horse: I would allowe hym
twoo carriages, and one to every Centurion, and twoo to every three
Peticapitaines, for that so many wee lodge in a lodgyng, as in the place
therof we shall tell you: So that every battaile will come to have
xxxvi. carriages, the whiche I would should carrie of necessitie the
tentes, the vesselles to seeth meate, axes, barres of Iron, sufficient
to make the lodgynges, and then if thei can carry any other thyng, thei
maie dooe it at their pleasure.

COSIMO. I beleve that the heddes of you, ordeined in every one of these
battailes, be necessarie: albeit, I would doubt, lest that so many
commaunders, should confounde all.

[Sidenote: Without many capitaines, an armie cannot be governed; To what
purpose Ansignes ought to serve; For what purpose Drummes oughte to bee
used; The propertie that soundes of instrumentes have in mens myndes.]

FABRICIO. That should bee, when it were not referred to one man, but
referryng it, thei cause order, ye and without theim, it is impossible
to governe an armie: for that a wall, whiche on every parte enclineth,
requireth rather to have many proppes, and thicke, although not so
strong, then fewe, though thei were strong: bicause the vertue of one a
lone, doeth not remedie the ruine a farre of. And therefore in tharmies,
and emong every ten men, it is convenient that there bee one, of more
life, of more harte, or at leaste wise of more aucthoritie, who with
stomacke, with wordes, and with example, maie kepe them constante, and
disposed to faight, and these thynges of me declared, bee necessarie in
an armie, as the Heddes, the Ansignes, and the Drummes, is seen that wee
have theim all in our armies, but none doeth his office. First to mynde
that the Peticapitaines doe thesame, for whiche thei are ordeined, it is
necessarie (as I have said) that there bee a difference, betwene every
one of them and their men, and that thei lodge together, doyng their
duties, standyng in thorder with them: for that thei placed in their
places, bee a rule and a temperaunce, to maintaine the raies straight
and steddie, and it is impossible that thei disorder, or disorderyng,
dooe not reduce themselves quickly into their places. But we now adaies,
doe not use them to other purpose, then to give theim more wages, then
to other menne, and to cause that thei dooe some particulare feate: The
very same happeneth of the Ansigne bearers, for that thei are kept
rather to make a faire muster, then for any other warlike use: but the
antiquitie used theim for guides, and to bryng theim selves againe into
order: for that every man, so sone as the Ansigne stoode still, knewe
the place, that he kept nere to his Ansigne, wherunto he retourned
alwaies: thei knewe also, how that the same movyng, or standyng, thei
should staie, or move: therfore it is necessarie in an armie, that there
be many bodies, and every bande of menne to have his Ansigne, and his
guide: wherfore havyng this, it is mete that thei have stomackes inough,
and by consequence life enough. Then the menne ought to marche,
accordyng to the Ansigne: and the Ansigne to move, accordyng to the
Drumme, the whiche Drumme well ordered, commaundeth to the armie, the
whiche goyng with paces, that answereth the tyme of thesame, will come
to kepe easilie thorders: for whiche cause the antiquitie had Shalmes,
Flutes, and soundes perfectly tymed: For as moche as like as he that
daunseth, proceadeth with the tyme of the Musick, and goyng with thesame
doeth not erre, even so an armie obeiyng, in movyng it self to thesame
sounde, doeth not disorder: and therefore, thei varied the sounde,
accordyng as thei would varie the mocion, and accordyng as thei would
inflame, or quiete, or staie the mindes of men: and like as the soundes
were divers, so diversly thei named them: the sounde Dorico, ingendered
constancie, the sounde Frigio, furie: whereby thei saie, that Alexander
beyng at the Table, and one soundyng the sounde Frigio, it kendled so
moche his minde, that he laied hande on his weapons. All these maners
should be necessarie to finde again: and when this should bee
difficulte, at least there would not be left behind those that teache
the Souldiour to obeie, the whiche every man maie varie, and ordeine
after his owne facion, so that with practise, he accustome the eares of
his souldiours to knowe it: But now adaies of this sounde, there is no
other fruicte taken for the moste part, then to make a rumour.

COSIMO. I would desire to understande of you, if ever with your self you
have discourced, whereof groweth so moche vilenesse, and so moche
disorder, and so moche necligence in these daies of this exercise?

[Sidenote: A notable discourse of the aucthour, declaryng whereof
groweth so moche vilenes disorder and necligence in these daies,
concernyng the exercises of warre.]

FABRICIO. With a good will I will tell you thesame, that I thinke. You
knowe how that of the excellente men of warre, there hath been named
many in Europe, fewe in Affric, and lesse in Asia: this grewe, for that
these twoo laste partes of the worlde, have had not paste one kyngdome,
or twoo, and fewe common weales, but Europe onely, hath had many
kyngdomes, and infinite common weales, where menne became excellent, and
did shewe their vertue, accordyng as thei were sette a woorke, and
brought before their Prince, or common weale, or king that he be: it
followeth therefore, that where be many dominions, there rise many
valiaunt menne, and where be fewe, fewe. In Asia is founde Ninus, Cirus,
Artasercses, Mithridates: and verie fewe other, that to these maie be
compared. In Africk, is named (lettyng stande thesame auncient Egipt)
Massinissa, Jugurta, and those Capitaines, whiche of the Carthaginens
common weale were nourished, whom also in respecte to those of Europe,
are moste fewe: bicause in Europe, be excellente men without nomber, and
so many more should be, if together with those should bee named the
other, that be through the malignitie of time extincte: for that the
worlde hath been moste vertuous, where hath been moste states, whiche
have favoured vertue of necessitie, or for other humaine passion. There
rose therfore in Asia, fewe excellente menne: bicause thesame Province,
was all under one kyngdome, in the whiche for the greatnesse thereof,
thesame standing for the moste parte of tyme idell, there could not
growe men in doynges excellent. To Africke there happened the verie
same, yet there were nourished more then in Asia, by reason of the
Carthaginens common weale: for that in common weales, there growe more
excellent men, then in kingdomes, bicause in common weales for the most
part, vertue is honoured, in Kyngdomes it is helde backe: wherby
groweth, that in thone, vertuous men are nourished, in the other thei
are extincte. Therefore he that shall consider the partes of Europe,
shall finde it to have been full of common weales, and of princedomes,
the whiche for feare, that the one had of the other, thei wer
constrained to kepe lively the warlike orders, and to honor them, whiche
in those moste prevailed: for that in Grece, besides the kyngdome of the
Macedonians, there were many common weales, and in every one of theim,
were bred moste excellente men. In Italie, were the Romaines, the
Sannites, the Toscanes, the Gallie Cisalpini. Fraunce, and Almainie, wer
ful of common weales and princedomes. Spaine likewise: and although in
comparison of the Romaines, there are named fewe other, it groweth
through the malignitie of the writers, whom folowe fortune, and to theim
for the moste parte it suffised, to honour the conquerours: but it
standeth not with reason, that betwene the Sannites, and the Toscanes,
whom fought CL. yeres with the Romaine people, before thei wer overcome,
there should not growe exceadyng many excellente menne. And so likewise
in Fraunce, and in Spaine: but that vertue, whiche the writers did not
celebrate in particuler menne, thei celebrated generally in the people,
where thei exalte to the starres, the obstinatenesse that was in them,
to defende their libertie. Beyng then true, that where bee moste
dominions, there riseth moste valiaunt menne, it foloweth of necessitie,
that extinguishyng those, vertue is extincte straighte waie, the
occasion decaiyng, whiche maketh menne vertuous. Therefore, the Romaine
Empire beyng after increased, and havyng extinguished all the common
weales, and Princedomes of Europe, and of Afrike, and for the moste part
those of Asia, it lefte not any waie to vertue, excepte Rome: whereby
grewe, that vertuous menne began to be as fewe in Europe, as in Asia:
the whiche vertue, came after to the laste caste: For as moche, as all
the vertue beyng reduced to Roome, so sone as thesame was corrupted,
almoste all the worlde came to bee corrupted: and the Scithian people,
were able to come to spoile thesame Empire, the whiche had extinguished
the vertue of other, and knewe not howe to maintaine their owne: and
after, although through the inundacion of those barberous nacions,
thesame Empire was devided into many partes, this vertue is not renued:

[Sidenote: The causes why the aunciente orders are neclected.]

The one cause is, for that it greveth theim moche, to take againe the
orders when thei are marde, the other, bicause the maner of livyng now
adaies, having respect to the Christian religion, commaundeth not
thesame necessitie to menne, to defende themselves, whiche in olde tyme
was: for that then, the menne overcome in warre, either were killed, or
remained perpetuall slaves, where thei led their lives moste miserably:
The tounes overcome, either were rased, or the inhabiters thereof driven
out, their goodes taken awaie, sent dispersed through the worlde: so
that the vanquished in warre, suffered all extreme miserie: of this
feare, men beyng made afraied, thei wer driven to kepe lively the
warlike exercises, and thei honoured soche as were excellente in theim:
But nowe adaies, this feare for the moste part is not regarded: of those
that are overcom, fewe bee killed, none is kepte longe in prison: for
that with facelitie, thei are sette at libertie: the citees also, whiche
a thousande tymes have rebelled, are not destroied, the men wherof, are
let a lone with their goodes, so that the greateste hurte that is
feared, is but a taske: in so moche, that men will not submit them
selves to the orders of warre, and to abide alwaies under those, to
avoide the perilles whereof thei are little afraied: again these
Provinces of Europe, be under a verie fewe heddes, in respecte as it
hath been in times past: for that al Fraunce, obeieth one kyng, al
Spain, an other: Italie is in fewe partes, so that the weake citees, are
defended with leanyng to hym that overcometh, and the strong states, for
the causes aforesaied, feare no soche extreme ruine.

COSIMO. Yet ther hath ben seen many tounes that have ben sacked within
this xxv. yeres, and lost their dominions, whose insample, ought to
teache other how to live, and to take again some of those old orders.

FABRICIO. You saie true: but if you note what tounes have gone to sacke,
you shall not finde that thei have been the heddes of states, but of the
members; as was seen sacked Tortona, and not Milaine: Capua, and not
Napelles, Brescia, and not Venice, Ravenna, and not Roome: the whiche
insamples maketh those that governe, not to chaunge their purposes, but
rather maketh them to stande more in their opinion, to be able to redeme
again all thynges with taskes, and for this, thei will not submit theim
selves to the troubles of thexercises of warre, semyng unto them partly
not necessarie, partly, an intrinsicate matter, whiche thei understande
not: Those other, whiche bee subjectes to them, whom soche insamples
ought to make afraied, have no power to remedie it: and those Princes,
that have ones loste their estates, are no more able, and those which as
yet kept them, know not, nor wil not. Bicause thei will without any
disease rain by fortune, and not by their vertue: for that in the worlde
beyng but little vertue, thei see fortune governeth all thynges. And
thei will have it to rule theim, not thei to rule it. And to prove this
that I have discoursed to bee true, consider Almaine, in the whiche,
bicause there is many Princedomes, and common weales, there is moche
vertue, and all thesame, whiche in the present service of warre is good,
dependeth of the insamples of those people: who beyng all gellious of
their states, fearing servitude, the which in other places is not
feared, thei all maintaine theim selves Lordes, and honourable: this
that I have saied, shall suffice to shewe the occacions of the presente
utilitie, accordyng to my opinion: I cannot tell, whether it seeme
thesame unto you, or whether there be growen in you any doubtyng.

COSIMO. None, but rather I understande all verie well: onely I desire,
tournyng to our principall matter, to understande of you, how you would
ordein the horses with these battailes, and how many, and how thei
should be governed, and how armed.

[Sidenote: The armyng of horsemen; The weapons that light horsmenne
should have; The nombre of horsmen requisite for a maine bataille of six
thousand men; The nombre of carrages that men of armes and light horsmen
ought to have.]

FABRICIO. You thinke peraventure, that I have left it behinde: whereat
doe not marvell, for that I purpose for twoo causes, to speake therof
little, the one is, for that the strengthe, and the importaunce of an
armie, is the footemen, the other is, bicause this part of service of
warre, is lesse corrupted, then thesame of footemen. For that though it
be not stronger then the old, yet it maie compare with thesame,
nevertheles ther hath been spoken a little afore, of the maner of
exercisyng them. And concernyng tharmyng them, I would arme them as thei
doe at this present, as wel the light horsemen, as the menne of armes:
but the light horsemen, I would that thei should be all Crossebowe
shuters, with some Harkebutters emong them: the whiche though in the
other affaires of warre, thei bee little profitable, thei be for this
most profitable, to make afraied the countrie menne, and to drive them
from a passage, that were kept of them: bicause a Harkebutter, shall
feare them more, then twentie other armed. But commyng to the nomber, I
saie, that having taken in hand, to imitate the service of warre of the
Romaines, I would not ordein more then three hundred horse, profitable
for every maine battaile, of whiche I would that there were CL. men of
armes, and CL. light horsmen, and I would give to every one of these
partes, a hedde, making after emong them fiftene peticapitaines for a
bande, givyng to every one of them a Trompet, and a standarde: I would
that every ten menne of armes, should have five carriages, and every ten
light horsemen twoo, the whiche as those of the footemen, should carrie
the tentes, the vesselles, and the axes, and the stakes, and the rest of
their other harneis. Nor beleve not but that it is disorder, where the
menne of armes have to their service fower horse, bicause soche a thyng
is a corrupt use: for that the men of armes in Almaine, are seen to bee
with their horse alone, every twentie of theim, havyng onely a carte,
that carrieth after them their necessary thynges. The Romaine horsemen,
were likewise a lone: true it is, that the Triary lodged nere them,
whiche wer bound to minister helpe unto theim, in the kepyng of their
horses the whiche maie easely be imitated of us, as in the distributyng
of the lodgynges, I shall shewe you. Thesame then that the Romaines did,
and that whiche the Duchmen doe now a daies, we maie doe also, ye, not
doyng it, we erre. These horses ordained and appoincted together with a
main battaile, maie sometymes be put together, when the battailes bee
assembled, and to cause that betwene theim bee made some sight of
assault, the whiche should be more to make them acquainted together,
then for any other necessitie. But now of this part, there hath been
spoke sufficiently, wherefore let us facion the armie, to be able to
come into the field against the enemie, and hope to winne it: whiche
thyng is the ende, for whiche the exercise of warre is ordeined, and so
moche studie therein bestowed.




THE THIRDE BOOKE


COSIMO. Seeing that we chaunge reasonyng, I will that the demaunder be
chaunged: bicause I would not be thought presumptuous, the which I have
alwaies blamed in other: therfore, I resigne the Dictatorship, and give
this aucthoritie to hym that will have it, of these my other frendes.

ZANOBI. We would be moste glad, that you should procede, but seyng that
you will not, yet tell at leaste, whiche of us shall succede in your
place.

COSIMO. I will give this charge to signor Fabricio.

FABRICIO. I am content to take it, and I will that we folowe the
Venecian custome, that is, that the youngeste speake firste: bicause
this beyng an exercise for yong men, I perswade my self, that yong
menne, bee moste apt to reason thereof, as thei be moste readie to
execute it.

COSIMO. Then it falleth to you Luigi: and as I have pleasure of soche a
successour, so you shal satisfie your self of soche a demaunder:
therefore I praie you, let us tourne to the matter, and let us lese no
more tyme.

[Sidenote: The greateste disorder that is used now a daies in pitching
of a fielde; The order how a Romain Legion was appoincted to faight; The
maner that the Grekes used in their Falangi, when thei fought against
their enemies; The order that the Suizzers use in their main battailes
when thei faight; Howe to appoincte a main battaile with armour and
weapons, and to order thesame after the Greke and Romain maner.]

FABRICIO. I am certain, that to mynde to shewe wel, how an armie is
prepared, to faight a fielde, it should be necessarie to declare, how
the Grekes, and the Romaines ordeined the bandes of their armies:
Notwithstandyng, you your selves, beeyng able to rede, and to consider
these tnynges, by meanes of the auncient writers. I will passe over many
particulars: and I will onely bryng in those thynges, whiche I thinke
necessarie to imitate, mindyng at this tyme, to give to our exercise of
warre, some parte of perfection: The whiche shall make, that in one
instant, I shall shewe you, how an armie is prepared to the field, and
how it doeth incounter in the verie faight, and how it maie be exercised
in the fained. The greatest disorder, that thei make, whiche ordeine an
armie to the fielde, is in giving them onely one fronte, and to binde
them to one brunt, and to one fortune: the whiche groweth, of havyng
loste the waie, that the antiquitie used to receive one bande within an
other: bicause without this waie, thei can neither succour the formoste,
nor defende them, nor succede in the faight in their steede: the whiche
of the Romaines, was moste excellently well observed. Therefore,
purposyng to shewe this waie, I saie, how that the Romaines devided into
iii. partes every Legion, in Hastati, Prencipi, and Triarii, of which,
the Hastati wer placed in the first front, or forward of the armie, with
thorders thicke and sure, behinde whom wer the Prencipi, but placed with
their orders more thinne: after these, thei set the Triarii, and with so
moche thinnes of orders, that thei might, if nede wer, receive betwene
them the Prencipi, and the Hastati. Thei had besides these, the
Slingers, and Crosbowshoters, and the other lighte armed, the whiche
stoode not in these orders, but thei placed them in the bed of tharmie,
betwene the horses and the other bandes of footemen: therefore these
light armed, began the faight, if thei overcame (whiche happened seldom
times) thei folowed the victorie: if thei were repulced, thei retired by
the flanckes of the armie, or by the spaces ordained for soche purposes,
and thei brought them selves emong the unarmed: after the departure of
whom, the Hastati incountered with the enemie, the whiche if thei saw
themselves to be overcome, thei retired by a little and little, by the
rarenesse of thorders betwene the Prencipi, and together with those,
thei renued the faight if these also wer repulced, thei retired al in
the rarenesse of the orders of the Triarii, and al together on a heape,
began againe the faight: and then, if thei were overcome, there was no
more remeady, bicause there remained no more waies to renue them again.
The horses stoode on the corners of the armie, to the likenes of twoo
winges to a bodie, and somewhiles thei fought with the enemies horses,
an other while, thei rescued the fotmen, according as nede required.
This waie of renuyng theim selves three tymes, is almoste impossible to
overcome: for that, fortune muste three tymes forsake thee, and the
enemie to have so moche strengthe, that three tymes he maie overcome
thee. The Grekes, had not in their Falangi, this maner of renuyng them
selves, and although in those wer many heddes, and many orders,
notwithstandyng, thei made one bodie, or els one hedde: the maner that
thei kepte in rescuyng the one the other was, not to retire the one
order within the other, as the Romaines, but to enter the one manne into
the place of the other: the which thei did in this maner. Their Falange
brought into rankes, and admit, that thei put in a ranke fiftie menne,
commyng after with their hedde againste the enemie, of all the rankes
the foremoste sixe, mighte faight: Bicause their Launces, the whiche
thei called Sarisse, were so long, that the sixt ranke, passed with the
hedde of their Launces, out of the first ranke: then in faightyng, if
any of the first, either through death, or through woundes fell,
straight waie there entered into his place, thesame man, that was
behinde in the second ranke, and in the place that remained voide of the
seconde, thesame man entred, whiche was behind hym in the thirde, and
thus successively, in a sodaine the rankes behinde, restored the faultes
of those afore, so that the rankes alwaies remained whole, and no place
of the faighters was voide, except the laste rankes, the whiche came to
consume, havyng not menne behinde their backes, whom might restore
theim: So that the hurte that the first rankes suffered, consumed the
laste, and the firste remained alwaies whole: and thus these Falangi by
their order, might soner be consumed, then broken, for that the grosse
bodie, made it more immovable. The Romaines used at the beginnyng the
Falangi, and did set in order their Legions like unto them: after, this
order pleased them not, and thei devided the Legions into many bodies,
that is, in bandes and companies: Bicause thei judged (as a little afore
I saied) that thesame bodie, should have neede of many capitaines, and
that it should be made of sunderie partes, so that every one by it self,
might be governed. The maine battailes of the Suizzers, use at this
present, all the maners of the Falangi, as well in ordryng it grosse,
and whole, as in rescuyng the one the other: and in pitchyng the field,
thei set the main battailes, thone to the sides of the other: and though
thei set them the one behinde the other, thei have no waie, that the
firste retiryng it self, maie bee received of the seconde, but thei use
this order, to the entent to bee able to succour the one thother, where
thei put a maine battaile before, and an other behinde thesame on the
right hande: so that if the first have nede of helpe, that then the
other maie make forewarde, and succour it: the third main battaile, thei
put behind these, but distant from them, a Harkebus shot: this thei doe,
for that thesaid two main battailes being repulced, this maie make
forwarde, and have space for theim selves, and for the repulced, and
thesame that marcheth forward, to avoide the justling of the one the
other: for asmoche as a grosse multitude, cannot bee received as a
little bodie: and therefore, the little bodies beyng destincte, whiche
were in a Romaine Legion, might be placed in soche wise, that thei might
receive betwene theim, and rescue the one the other. And to prove this
order of the Suizzers not to be so good, as the auncient Romaines, many
insamples of the Romain Legions doe declare, when thei fought with the
Grekes Falangi, where alwaies thei were consumed of theim: for that the
kinde of their weapons (as I have said afore) and this waie of renuyng
themselves, could do more, then the massivenesse of the Falangi. Havyng
therefore, with these insamples to ordaine an armie, I have thought
good, partly to retaine the maner of armyng and the orders of the Grekes
Falangi, and partely of the Romain Legions: and therfore I have saied,
that I would have in a main battaile, twoo thousande pikes, whiche be
the weapons of the Macedonicall Falangi, and three thousande Targaettes
with sweardes, whiche be the Romain weapons: I have devided the main
battaile, into x. battailes, as the Romaines their Legion into ten
Cohortes: I have ordeined the Veliti, that is the light armed, to begin
the faight, as the Romaines used: and like as the weapons beyng mingled,
doe participate of thone and of the other nacion, so the orders also doe
participate: I have ordained, that every battaile shall have v. rankes
of Pikes in the fronte, and the rest of Targaettes, to bee able with the
front, to withstande the horses, and to enter easely into the battaile
of the enemies on foot, having in the firste fronte, or vawarde, Pikes,
as well as the enemie, the whiche shall suffice me to withstande them,
the Targaettes after to overcome theim. And if you note the vertue of
this order, you shal se al these weapons, to doe fully their office, for
that the Pikes, bee profitable against the horses, and when thei come
against the footemenne, thei dooe their office well, before the faight
throng together, bicause so sone as thei presse together, thei become
unprofitable: wherefore, the Suizzers to avoide this inconvenience, put
after everye three rankes of Pikes, a ranke of Halberdes, the whiche
they do to make roome to the Pikes, which is not yet so much as
suffiseth. Then putting our Pikes afore, and the Targaettes behinde,
they come to withstande the horses, and in the beginning of the fight,
they open the rayes, and molest the footemen: But when the fight is
thrust together, and that they become unprofitable, the Targaettes and
swoords succeede, which may in every narowe place be handled.

LUIGI. Wee looke nowe with desire to understande, howe you would ordeyne
the armie to fighte the fielde, with these weapons, and with these
order.

[Sidenote: The nomber of men that was in a Counsulles armie; How the
Romaines placed their Legions in the field; How to order an armie in the
fielde to fighte a battaile, according to the minde of the authour; How
the extraordinary pikes bee placed in the set battaile; The place where
thextraordinarie archars and harkebutters, and the men of armes and
lighte horsmen ought to stande when the field is pitched, and goeth to
faighte the battaile; The ordinarie archars and harkebutters are placed
aboute their owne battailes; The place where the generall hedde of a
maine battaile muste stande, when thesame power of men is appoincted to
faight; What menne a general capitain of a maine battaile oughte to have
aboute hym; The place wher a general capitain of all thearmie must stand
when the battaile is ready to be fought and what nomber of chosen men
oughte to be aboute hym; How many canons is requisite for an armie, and
of what sise they ought to bee; Where the artillerie ought to be placed
when thearmie is reedie to fight; An armie that were ordered as above is
declared, maie in fighting, use the Grekes maner, and the Roman fashion;
To what purpose the spaces that be betwene every bande of men do serve.]

FABRICIO. And I will not nowe shewe you other, then this: you have to
understande, how that in an ordinarye Romane armie, which they call a
Consull armie, there were no more, then twoo Legions of Romane Citezens
which were sixe hundred horse, and about aleven thousande footemen: they
had besides as many more footemen and horsemen, whiche were sente them
from their friends and confiderates, whome they divided into twoo
partes, and called the one, the right horne and the other the left
horne: nor they never permitted, that these aiding footemen, should
passe the nomber of the footemen of their Legions, they were well
contented, that the nomber of those horse shoulde be more then theirs:
with this armie, which was of xxii. thousand footemen, and about twoo
thousande good horse, a Consul executed all affaires, and went to all
enterprises: yet when it was needefull to set against a greater force,
twoo Consulles joyned together with twoo armies. You ought also to note
in especially, that in all the three principall actes, which an armie
doth that is, to march, to incampe, and to fight, the Romanes used to
put their Legions in the middeste, for that they woulde, that the same
power, wherein they most trusted, shoulde bee moste united, as in the
reasoning of these three actes, shall be shewed you: those aiding
footemen, through the practise they had with the Legion Souldiours, were
as profitable as they, because they were instructed, according as the
souldiours of the Legions were, and therefore, in like maner in pitching
the field, they pitched. Then he that knoweth how the Romaines disposed
a Legion in their armie, to fight a field, knoweth how they disposed
all: therefor, having tolde you how they devided a Legion into three
bandes, and how the one bande received the other, I have then told you,
how al tharmie in a fielde, was ordained. Wherefore, I minding to ordain
a field like unto the Romaines, as they had twoo Legions, I will take
ii. main batailes, and these being disposed, the disposicion of all an
armie shalbe understode therby: bycause in joyning more men, there is no
other to be doen, then to ingrosse the orders: I thinke I neede not to
rehearse how many men a maine battaile hath, and howe it hath ten
battailes, and what heades bee in a battaile and what weapons they have,
and which be the ordinarie Pikes and Veliti, and which the
extraordinarie for that a litle a fore I told you it destinctly, and I
willed you to kepe it in memorie as a necessarie thing to purpose, to
understande all the other orders: and therfore I will come to the
demonstracion of the order without repeating it any more: Me thinkes
good, that the ten battailes of one main battaile be set on the left
flanke, and the tenne other, of the other main battaile, on the right:
these that are placed on the left flanke, be ordeined in this maner,
there is put five battailes the one to the side of the other in the
fronte, after suche sorte, that betweene the one and the other, there
remaine a space of three yardes, whiche come to occupie for largenesse
Cvi. yardes, of ground, and for length thirtie: behinde these five
battailes, I would put three other distante by right line from the
firste thirtie yardes: twoo of the whiche, should come behinde by right
line, to the uttermoste of the five, and the other should kepe the space
in the middeste, and so these three, shall come to occupie for bredth
and length, as moche space, as the five doeth. But where the five have
betwene the one, and the other, a distaunce of three yardes, these shall
have a distance of xxv. yardes. After these, I would place the twoo last
battailes, in like maner behinde the three by right line, and distaunte
from those three, thirtie yardes, and I would place eche of theim,
behinde the uttermoste part of the three, so that the space, whiche
should remain betwen the one and the other, should be lxviii. yardes:
then al these battailes thus ordered, will take in bredth Cvi. yardes,
and in length CL. Thextraordinarie Pikes, I would deffende a long the
flanckes of these battailes, on the left side, distante from them
fiftene yardes, makyng Cxliij. rankes, seven to a ranke, after soche
sorte, that thei maie impale with their length, all the left sixe of the
tenne battailes in thesame wise, declared of me to be ordained: and
there shall remain fourtie rankes to keepe the carriages, and the
unarmed, whiche ought to remaine in the taile of the armie, distributyng
the Peticapitaines, and the Centurions, in their places: and of the
three Conestables, I would place one in the hedde, the other in the
middeste, the third in the laste ranke, the whiche should execute the
office of a Tergiductore, whom the antiquitie so called hym, that was
appoincted to the backe of the armie. But retournyng to the hedde of the
armie, I saie how that I would place nere to the extraordinarie pikes,
the Veliti extraordinarie, whiche you knowe to be five hundred, and I
would give them a space of xxx. yardes: on the side of these likewise on
the left hande, I would place the menne of armes, and I would thei
should have a space of a Cxii. yardes: after these, the light horsemen,
to whom I would appoinct as moche ground to stande in, as the menne of
armes have: the ordinarie veliti, I would leave about their owne
battailes, who should stand in those spaces, whiche I appoincte betwene
thone battaile and thother: whom should be as their ministers, if
sometyme I thought not good to place them under the extraordinarie
Pikes: in dooyng or not doyng whereof, I would proceade, accordyng as
should tourne best to my purpose. The generall hedde of all the maine
battaile, I would place in thesame space, that were betwene the first
and the seconde order of the battailes, or els in the hedde, and in
thesame space, that is betwene the laste battaile of the firste five,
and the extraordinarie Pikes, accordyng as beste should serve my
purpose, with thirtie or fourtie chosen men about hym, that knewe by
prudence, how to execute a commission, and by force, to withstande a
violence, and thei to be also betwen the Drumme and the Ansigne: this is
thorder, with the whiche I would dispose a maine battaile, whiche should
bee the disposyng of halfe the armie, and it should take in breadth
three hundred fourscore and twoo yardes, and in length as moche as above
is saied, not accomptyng the space, that thesame parte of the
extraordinarie Pikes will take, whiche muste make a defence for the
unarmed, whiche will bee aboute lxxv. yardes: the other maine battaile,
I would dispose on the righte side, after the same maner juste, as I
have disposed that on the lefte, leavyng betwene the one main battaile,
and thother, a space of xxii. yardes: in the hedde of whiche space, I
would set some little carriages of artillerie, behynde the whiche,
should stande the generall capitaine of all the armie, and should have
about hym with the Trumpet, and with the Capitaine standerde, twoo
hundred menne at least, chosen to be on foote the moste parte, emongest
whiche there should be tenne or more, mete to execute all
commaundementes, and should bee in soche wise a horsebacke, and armed,
that thei mighte bee on horsebacke, and on foote, accordyng as neede
should require. The artillerie of the armie, suffiseth ten Cannons, for
the winning of Townes, whose shotte shoulde not passe fiftie pounde: the
whiche in the fielde should serve mee more for defence of the campe,
then for to fight the battaile: The other artillerie, should bee rather
of ten, then of fifteene pounde the shotte: this I would place afore on
the front of all the armie, if sometime the countrie should not stande
in such wise, that I mighte place it by the flancke in a sure place,
where it mighte not of the enemie be in daunger: this fashion of an
armie thus ordered, may in fighting, use the order of the Falangi, and
the order of the Romane Legions: for that in the fronte, bee Pikes, all
the men bee set in the rankes, after such sorte, that incountering with
the enemie, and withstanding him, maye after the use of the Falangi,
restore the firste ranckes, with those behinde: on the other parte, if
they be charged so sore, that they be constrayned to breake the orders,
and to retire themselves, they maye enter into the voide places of the
seconde battailes, which they have behinde them, and unite their selves
with them, and making a new force, withstande the enemie, and overcome
him: and when this sufficeth not, they may in the verie same maner,
retire them selves the seconde time, and the third fight: so that in
this order, concerning to fight, there is to renue them selves, both
according to the Greeke maner, and according to the Romane: concerning
the strength of the armie, there cannot be ordayned a more stronger: for
as much, as the one and the other borne therof, is exceedingly well
replenished, both with heades, and weapons, nor there remayneth weake,
other then the part behinde of the unarmed, and the same also, hath the
flanckes impaled with the extraordinarie Pikes: nor the enemie can not
of anye parte assaulte it, where he shall not finde it well appointed,
and the hinder parte can not be assaulted: Because there can not bee an
enemie, that hath so much puissaunce, whome equallye maye assault thee
on everye side: for that hee having so great a power, thou oughtest not
then to matche thy selfe in the fielde with him: but when he were three
times more then thou, and as well appointed as thou, hee doth weaken him
selfe in assaulting thee in divers places, one part that thou breakest,
will cause all the reste go to naughte: concerning horses, although he
chaunce to have more then thine, thou needest not feare: for that the
orders of the Pikes, which impale thee, defende thee from all violence
of them, although thy horses were repulced. The heades besides this, be
disposed in such place, that they may easyly commaunde, and obeye: the
spaces that bee between the one battaile, and the other, and betweene
the one order, and the other, not onely serve to be able to receyve the
one the other, but also to give place to the messengers, whiche should
go and come by order of the Capitayne. And as I tolde you firste, howe
the Romanes had for an armie, aboute foure and twentie thousande men,
even so this oughte to bee: and as the other souldiours tooke ensample
of the Legions, for the maner of fighting, and the fashion of the armie,
so those souldiours, whiche you shoulde joyne to oure twoo mayne
battailes, oughte to take the forme and order of them: whereof having
put you an ensample, it is an easye matter to imitate it, for that
increasing, either twoo other mayne battailes unto the armie, or as many
other souldiours, as they bee, there is no other to bee done, then to
double the orders, and where was put tenne battailes on the lefte parte,
to put twentie, either ingrossing, or distending the orders, according
as the place, or the enemie shoulde compell thee.

LUIGI. Surelye sir I imagine in suche wise of this armie, that mee
thinkes I nowe see it, and I burne with a desire to see it incounter,
and I woulde for nothing in the worlde, that you shoulde become Fabius
Maximus intendyng to kepe the enemie at a baie, and to deferre the daie
of battaile: bicause I would saie worse of you, then the Romain people
saied of hym.

[Sidenote: The descripcion of a battaile that is a faightyng.]

FABRICIO. Doubt not: Doe you not heare the artillerie? Ours have alredie
shotte, but little hurte the enemie: and thextraordinarie Veliti,
issuyng out of their places together with the light horsemen, moste
speadely, and with moste merveilous furie, and greateste crie that maie
be, thei assaulte the enemie: whose artillerie hath discharged ones, and
hath passed over the heddes of our footemen, without doyng them any
hurt, and bicause it cannot shoote the seconde tyme, the Veliti, and our
horsemen, have nowe gotten it, and the enemies for to defende it, are
come fore warde, so that neither our ordinaunce, nor thenemies, can any
more doe their office. Se with how moche vertue, strengthe and agilitie
our men faighteth, and with how moche knowledge through the exercise,
whiche hath made them to abide, and by the confidence, that thei have in
the armie, the whiche, see, how with the pace therof, and with the men
of armes on the sides, it marcheth in good order, to give the charge on
the adversarie: See our artillerie, whiche to give theim place, and to
leave them the space free, is retired by thesame space, from whens the
Veliti issued: See how the capitaine incourageth them, sheweth them the
victorie certain: See how the Veliti and light horsemen bee inlarged,
and retourned on the flanckes of tharmie, to seke and view, if thei maie
by the flanck, doe any injurie to the adversaries: behold how the armies
be affronted. Se with how moche valiauntnesse thei have withstode the
violence of thenemies, and with how moche silence, and how the capitain
commaundeth the menne of armes, that thei sustain, and not charge, and
that thei breake not from the order of the footemen: see how our light
horsemen be gone, to give the charge on a band of the enemies
Harkebutters, whiche would have hurt our men by flancke, and how the
enemies horse have succoured them, so that tourned betwene the one and
the other horse, thei cannot shoote, but are faine to retire behinde
their owne battaile: see with what furie our Pikes doe also affront, and
how the footemen be now so nere together the one to the other, that the
Pikes can no more be occupied: so that according to the knowlege learned
of us, our pikes do retire a little and a little betwen the targaettes.
Se how in this while a great bande of men of armes of the enemies, have
charged our men of armes on the lefte side, and how ours, accordyng to
knowlege, bee retired under the extraordinarie Pikes, and with the help
of those, giving again a freshe charge, have repulced the adversaries,
and slain a good part of them: in so moche, that thordinarie pikes of
the first battailes, be hidden betwene the raies of the Targaettes, thei
havyng lefte the faight to the Targaet men: whom you maie see, with how
moche vertue, securitie, and leasure, thei kill the enemie: see you not
how moche by faightyng, the orders be thrust together? That thei can
scarse welde their sweardes? Behold with how moche furie the enemies
move: bicause beyng armed with the pike, and with the swerd unprofitable
(the one for beyng to long, the other for findyng thenemie to well
armed) in part thei fall hurt or dedde, in parte thei flie. See, thei
flie on the righte corner, thei flie also on the lefte: behold, the
victorie is ours. Have not we wonne a field moste happely? But with more
happinesse it should bee wonne, if it were graunted me to put it in
acte. And see, how there neded not the helpe of the seconde, nor of the
third order, for our first fronte hath sufficed to overcome theim: in
this part, I have no other to saie unto you, then to resolve if any
doubt be growen you.

[Sidenote: Questions concerning the shotyng of ordinaunce.]

LUIGI. You have with so moche furie wonne this fielde that I so moche
mervaile and am so astonied, that I beleve that I am not able to
expresse, if any doubt remain in my mynde: yet trustyng in your
prudence, I will be so bolde to tell thesame that I understande. Tell me
firste, why made you not your ordinaunce to shoote more then ones? And
why straighte waie you made them to retire into tharmie, nor after made
no mension of them? Me thought also, that you leveled the artillerie of
the enemie high, and appoincted it after your own devise: the whiche
might very well bee, yet when it should happen, as I beleve it chaunseth
often, that thei strike the rankes, what reamedie have you? And seyng
that I have begun of the artillerie, I will finishe all this question,
to the intente I nede not to reason therof any more. I have heard many
dispraise the armours, and the orders of the aunciente armies, arguyng,
how now a daies, thei can doe little, but rather should bee altogether
unprofitable, havyng respecte to the furie of the artillerie: bicause,
this breaketh the orders, and passeth the armours in soche wise, that it
semeth unto them a foolishenesse to make an order, whiche cannot bee
kepte, and to take pain to beare a harneis, that cannot defende a man.

[Sidenote: An aunswere to the questions that were demaunded, concernyng
the shoting of ordinaunce; The best remedie to avoide the hurte that the
enemie in the fielde maie doe with his ordinaunce; A policie against
bowes and dartes; Nothyng causeth greater confusion in an armie, than to
hinder mennes fightes; Nothing more blindeth the sight of men in an
armie, then the smoke of ordinaunce; A policie to trouble the enemies
sight; The shotte of greate ordinaunce in the fielde, is not moche to
bee feared of fotemenne; Bicause menne of armes stand closer together
then light horsmen, thei ought to remaine behinde the armie till the
enemies ordinaunce have done shootyng; The artillerie is no let, why the
auncient orders of warfar ought not to be used in these daies.]

FABRICIO. This question of yours (bicause it hath many heddes) hath
neede of a long aunswere. It is true, that I made not thartillery to
shoote more than ones, and also of thesame ones, I stoode in doubte: the
occasion was, for asmoche as it importeth more, for one to take hede not
to be striken, then it importeth to strike the enemie. You have to
understande, that to purpose that a pece of ordinaunce hurte you not, it
is necessarie either to stande where it cannot reche you, or to get
behinde a wall, or behinde a banke: other thing there is not that can
witholde it: and it is nedefull also, that the one and the other be
moste strong. Those capitaines whiche come to faight a field, cannot
stand behind a wal, or behind bankes, nor where thei maie not be
reached: therfore it is mete for them, seyng thei cannot finde a waie to
defende them, to finde some mean, by the whiche thei maie be least
hurte: nor thei cannot finde any other waie, then to prevente it
quickly: the waie to prevent it, is to go to finde it out of hande, and
hastely, not at leasure and in a heape: for that through spede, the
blowe is not suffered to bee redoubled, and by the thinnesse, lesse
nomber of menne maie be hurt. This, a bande of menne ordered, cannot
dooe; bicause if thesame marche hastely, it goweth out of order: if it
go scattered, the enemie shall have no paine to breake it, for that it
breaketh by it self: and therfore, I ordered the armie after soche
sorte, that it might dooe the one thyng and the other: for as moche as
havyng set in the corners thereof, a thousande Veliti, I appoincted that
after that our ordinaunce had shotte, thei should issue out together
with the light horsemen, to get the enemies artillerie: and therfore, I
made not my ordinance to shoote again, to the intente, to give no tyme
to the enemie to shoote: Bicause space could not be given to me, and
taken from other men, and for thesame occasion, where I made my
ordinaunce not to shoote the seconde tyme, was for that I would not have
suffered the enemie to have shot at al, if I had could: seyng that to
mynde that the enemies artillerie be unprofitable, there is no other
remedie, but to assaulte it spedely: for as moche as if the enemies
forsake it, thou takeste it, if thei will defende it, it is requisite
that thei leave it behind, so that being possessed of enemies, and of
frendes, it cannot shoote. I would beleve, that with out insamples these
reasons should suffice you, yet beyng able to shewe olde ensamples, to
prove my saiynges true, I will. Ventidio commyng to faight a field with
the Parthians, whose strength for the moste part, consisted in bowes and
arrowes, he suffered theim almoste to come harde to his campe, before he
drewe out his armie, the whiche onely he did, to be able quickly to
prevent them: and not to give them space to shoote. Cesar when he was in
Fraunce, maketh mencion, that in faighting a battaile with the enemies,
he was with so moche furie assaulted of them, that his menne had no time
to whorle their Dartes, accordyng to the custome of the Romaines:
wherfore it is seen, that to intende, that a thyng that shooteth farre
of, beyng in the field, doe not hurte thee, there is no other remedy,
then with as moche celeritie as maie bee, to prevente it. An other cause
moved me to procede, without shotyng the ordinaunce, whereat
peradventure you will laugh: yet I judge not that it is to be
dispraised. Ther is nothyng that causeth greater confusion in an armie,
then to hinder mennes fightes: whereby many moste puisaunte armies have
been broken, by meanes their fighte hath been letted, either with duste,
or with the Sunne: yet there is nothyng, that more letteth the sight
then the smoke that the artillerie maketh in shotyng: therfore, I would
thinke that it wer more wisedome, to suffer the enemie to blinde
hymself, then to purpose (thou being blind) to go to finde hym: for this
cause, either I would not shote, or (for that this should not be proved,
considering the reputacion that the artillerie hath) I would place it on
the corners of the armie, so that shootyng, it should not with the smoke
thereof, blinde the front of thesame, whiche is the importaunce of my
men. And to prove that it is a profitable thyng, to let the sight of the
enemie, there maie be brought for insample Epaminondas, whom to blind
the enemies armie, whiche came to faight with hym, he caused his light
horsemen, to run before the fronte of the enemies, to raise up the
duste, and to lette their sight, whereby he gotte the victorie. And
where it semeth unto you, that I have guided the shot of the artillerie,
after my owne devise, making it to passe over the heddes of my men, I
answer you, that most often tymes, and without comparison, the greate
ordinaunce misse the footemen, moche soner than hitte theim: for that
the footemen are so lowe, and those so difficult to shoote; that every
little that thou raisest theim, thei passe over the heddes of men: and
if thei be leveled never so little to lowe, thei strike in the yearth,
and the blowe cometh not to theim: also the unevenesse of the grounde
saveth them, for that every little hillocke, or high place that is,
betwene the men and thordinance, letteth the shot therof. And concernyng
horsmen, and in especially men of armes, bicause thei ought to stand
more close together, then the light horsemen, and for that thei are
moche higher, maie the better be stroken, thei maie, untill the
artillerie have shotte, be kepte in the taile of the armie. True it is,
that the Harkebutters doe moche more hurt, and the field peces, then the
greate ordinance, for the whiche, the greatest remedy is, to come to
hande strokes quickly: and if in the firste assaulte, there be slaine
some, alwaies there shall bee slaine: but a good capitaine, and a good
armie, ought not to make a coumpte of a hurte, that is particulare, but
of a generall, and to imitate the Suizzers, whom never eschue to faight,
beyng made afraied of the artillerie: but rather punishe with death
those, whiche for feare thereof, either should go out of the ranke, or
should make with his body any signe of feare. I made them (so sone as
thei had shotte) to bee retired into the armie, that thei might leave
the waie free for the battaile: I made no more mencion of theim, as of a
thyng unprofitable, the faight beyng begun. You have also saied, that
consideryng the violence of this instrument, many judge the armours, and
the auncient orders to be to no purpose, and it semeth by this your
talke, that men now a daies, have founde orders and armours, whiche are
able to defend them against the artillerie: if you knowe this, I would
bee glad that you would teache it me: for that hetherto, I never sawe
any, nor I beleve that there can any be founde: so that I would
understande of soche men, for what cause the souldiours on foote in
these daies, weare the breastplate, or the corselet of steele, and thei
on horsebacke go all armed: bicause seyng that thei blame the aunciente
armyng of men as unprofitable, considryng the artillery, thei ought to
despise also this? I would understande moreover, for what occasion the
Suizzers, like unto the auncient orders, make a battaile close together
of sixe, or eight thousande menne, and for what occasion all other have
imitated theim, this order bearyng the verie same perill, concernyng the
artillerie, that those other should beare, whiche should imitate the
antiquitie. I beleve thei should not knowe what to answere: but if you
should aske soche Souldiours, as had some judgement, thei would aunswere
first, that thei go armed, for that though thesame armoure defende theim
not from the artillerie: it defendeth them from crossebowes, from Pikes,
from sweardes, from stones, and from all other hurt, that commeth from
the enemies, thei would answere also, that thei went close together,
like the Suizzers, to be able more easely to overthrow the footemen, to
be able to withstand better the horse and to give more difficultie to
the enemie to breake them: so that it is seen, that the souldiours have
to fear, many other thynges besides the ordinance: from which thynges,
with the armours, and with the orders, thei are defended: whereof
foloweth, that the better that an armie is armed, and the closer that it
hath the orders, and stronger, so moche the surer it is: so that he that
is of thesame opinion, that you saie, it behoveth either that he bee of
smalle wisedome, or that in this thyng, he hath studied verie little:
for as moche as if we see, that so little a parte of the aunciente maner
of armyng, whiche is used now a daies, that is the pike, and so little a
parte of those orders, as are the maine battailes of the Suizzers, dooe
us so moche good, and cause our armies to bee so strong, why ought not
we to beleve, that the other armours, and thother orders whiche are
lefte, be profitable? Seyng that if we have no regard to the artillerie,
in puttyng our selves close together, as the Suizzers, what other orders
maie make us more to feare thesame? For as moche as no order can cause
us so moche to feare thesame, as those, whiche bryng men together.
Besides this, if the artillerie of the enemies should not make me
afraied, in besiegyng a Toune, where it hurteth me with more safegarde,
beyng defended of a wall, I beyng not able to prevente it, but onely
with tyme, with my artillerie to lette it, after soche sorte that it
maie double the blowe as it liste, why should I feare thesame in the
field, where I maie quickly prevent it? So that I conclude thus, that
the artillerie, according to my opinion, doeth not let, that the
aunciente maners cannot be used, and to shewe the auncient vertue: and
if I had not talked alreadie with you of this instrument, I would of
thesame, declare unto you more at length: but I will remit my self to
that, whiche then I saied.

LUIGI. Wee maie now understande verie well, how moche you have aboute
the artillerie discoursed: and in conclusion, my thinkes you have
shewed, that the preventyng it quickly, is the greatest remedie, that
maie be had for thesame, beyng in the fielde, and havyng an armie
againste you. Upon the whiche there groweth in me a doubte: bicause me
thinkes, that the enemie might place his ordinaunce in soche wise, in
his armie, that it should hurt you, and should be after soche sort
garded of the footemen, that it could not be prevented. You have (if you
remember your self well) in the orderyng of your armie to faight, made
distaunces of three yardes, betwene the one battaile and the other,
makyng those distaunces fiftene, whiche is from the battailes, to
thextraordinarie pikes: if thenemie, shuld order his armie like unto
yours, and should putte the artillerie a good waie within those spaces,
I beleve that from thens, it should hurte you with their moste greate
safegard: bicause menne can not enter into the force of their enemies to
prevent it.

[Sidenote: A generall rule againste soche thynges as cannot bee
withstoode.]

FABRICIO. You doubt moste prudently, and I will devise with my self,
either to resolve you the doubte, or shewe you the remedie: I have tolde
you, that continually these battailes, either through goyng, or thorowe
faightyng, are movyng, and alwaies naturally, thei come to drawe harde
together, so that if you make the distaunces of a small breadth, where
you set the artillerie, in a little tyme thei be shootte up, after soche
sort, that the artillerie cannot any more shoote: if you make theim
large, to avoide this perill, you incurre into a greater, where you
through those distances, not onely give commoditie to the enemie, to
take from you the artillerie, but to breake you: but you have to
understande, that it is impossible to keepe the artillerie betwene the
bandes, and in especially those whiche go on carriages: For that the
artillerie goeth one waie, and shooteth an other waie: So that havyng to
go and to shoote, it is necessary, before thei shote, that thei tourne,
and for to tourne theim, thei will have so moche space, that fiftie
cartes of artillerie, would disorder any armie: therfore, it is mete to
kepe them out of the bandes, where thei may be overcome in the maner, as
a little afore we have shewed: but admit thei might be kept, and that
there might be found a waie betwen bothe, and of soche condicion, that
the presyng together of men should not hinder the artillerie, and were
not so open that it should give waie to the enemie, I saie, that it is
remedied moste easely, with makyng distances in thy armie against it,
whiche maie give free passage to the shot of those, and so the violence
thereof shall come to be vain, the which maie be doen moste easely: for
asmoche, as the enemie mindyng to have his artillerie stand safe, it
behoveth that he put them behinde, in the furthest part of the
distances, so that the shot of the same, he purposyng that thei hurt not
his owne men, ought to passe by right line, and by that very same
alwaies: and therefore with givyng theim place, easely thei maie bee
avoided: for that this is a generall rule, that to those thynges, whiche
cannot be withstoode, there must bee given waie, as the antiquitie made
to the Eliphantes, and to the carres full of hookes. I beleve, ye, I am
more then certaine, that it semeth unto you, that I have ordered and
wonne a battaile after my own maner: notwithstanding, I answeer unto you
this, when so moche as I have saied hetherto, should not suffice, that
it should be impossible, that an armie thus ordered, and armed, should
not overcome at the first incounter, any other armie that should bee
ordained, as thei order the armies now adaies, whom most often tymes,
make not but one front, havyng no targaettes, and are in soche wise
unarmed, that thei cannot defende themselves from the enemie at hand,
and thei order theim after soche sorte, that if thei set their battailes
by flanck, the one to the other, thei make the armie thinne: if thei put
the one behind the other, havyng no waie to receive the one the other,
thei doe it confusedly, and apt to be easly troubled: and although thei
give three names to their armies, and devide them into thre companies,
vaward, battaile, and rereward, notwithstandyng it serveth to no other
purpose, then to marche, and to distinguis the lodgynges: but in the
daie of battaile, thei binde them all to the first brunte, and to the
first fortune.

LUIGI. I have noted also in the faightyng of your fielde, how your
horsemen were repulced of the enemies horsemen: for whiche cause thei
retired to the extraordinaire Pikes: whereby grewe, that with the aide
of theim, thei withstode, and drave the enemies backe? I beleve that the
Pikes maie withstande the horses, as you saie, but in a grosse and
thicke maine battaile, as the Suizzers make: but you in your army, have
for the hedde five rankes of Pikes, and for the flancke seven, so that I
cannot tell how thei maie bee able to withstande them.

[Sidenote: A Battaile how greate so ever it bee, cannot atones occupy
above v. rankes of Pikes.]

FABRICIO. Yet I have told you, how sixe rankes of pikes wer occupied at
ones, in the Macedonicall Falangi, albeit you ought to understande, that
a maine battaile of Suizzers, if it were made of a thousande rankes, it
cannot occupie more then fower, or at the most five: bicause the Pikes
be sixe yardes and three quarters longe, one yarde and halfe a quarter,
is occupied of the handes, wherefore to the firste ranke, there
remaineth free five yardes and a half, and a halfe quarter of Pike: the
seconde ranke besides that whiche is occupied with the hande, consumeth
a yarde and half a quarter in the space, whiche remaineth betwene the
one ranke and thother: so that there is not left of pike profitable,
more then fower yardes and a halfe: to the thirde ranke, by this verie
same reason, there remaineth three yardes and a quarter and a halfe: to
the fowerth, twoo yardes and a quarter: to the fift one yard and halfe a
quarter: the other rankes, for to hurte, be unprofitable, but thei serve
to restore these firste rankes, as we have declared, and to bee a
fortificacion to those v. Then if five of their rankes can withstande
the horse, why cannot five of ours withstande theim? to the whiche also
there lacketh not rankes behinde, that doeth sustain and make them the
very same staie, although thei have no pikes as the other. And when the
rankes of thextraordinarie pikes, which are placed on the flanckes,
should seme unto you thinne, thei maie bee brought into a quadrante, and
put on the flancke nere the twoo battailes, whiche I set in the laste
companie of the armie: From the whiche place, thei maie easely
altogether succour the fronte, and the backe of the armie, and minister
helpe to the horses, accordyng as nede shall require.

LUIGI. Would you alwaies use this forme of order, when you would pitche
a fielde.

[Sidenote: An advertiement concernyng the pitchying of a field.]

FABRICIO. No in no wise: for that you ought to varie the facion of the
armie, according to the qualitie of the situacion, and the condicion and
quantitie of the enemie, as before this reasonyng dooe ende, shall bee
shewed certaine insamples: but this forme is given unto you, not so
moche as moste strongeste of all, where in deede it is verie strong, as
to the intente that thereby you maie take a rule, and an order to learne
to knowe the waies to ordeine the other: for as moche, as every science
hath his generalitie, upon the whiche a good part of it is grounded. One
thing onely I advise you, that you never order an armie, after soche
sorte, that those that faight afore, cannot bee sucoured of theim,
whiche be set behind: bicause he that committeth this errour, maketh the
greateste parte of his armie to bee unprofitable, and if it incounter
any strength, it cannot overcome.

LUIGI. There is growen in me, upon this parte a doubte. I have seen that
in the placyng of the battailes, you make the fronte of five on a side,
the middeste of three, and the last partes of twoo, and I beleve, that
it were better to ordain them contrariwise: for that I thinke, that an
armie should with more difficultie bee broken, when he that should
charge upon it, the more that he should entre into the-same, so moche
the stronger he should finde it: and the order devised of you, me
thinkes maketh, that the more it is entered into, so moche the weaker it
is founde.

[Sidenote: How the front of the armie ought to bee made; How the middell
part of the armie ought to be ordered.]

FABRICIO. If you should remember how to the Triarii, whom were the
thirde order of the Romain Legions, there were not assigned more then
sixe hundred men, you would doubt lesse, havyng understode how thei were
placed in the laste companie: For that you should see, how I moved of
this insample, have placed in the last companie twoo battailes, whiche
are nine hundred men, so that I come rather (folowyng the insample of
the Romaine people) to erre, for havyng taken to many, then to fewe: and
although this insample should suffice, I will tell you the reason, the
which is this. The first fronte of the armie, is made perfectly whole
and thicke, bicause it must withstande the brunt of the enemies, and it
hath not to receive in it any of their felowes: and for this, it is
fitte that it bee full of menne: bicause a fewe menne, should make it
weake, either thinnesse, or for lacke of sufficiente nomber: but the
seconde companie, for as moche as it must first receive their frendes,
to sustain the enemie, it is mete that it have greate spaces, and for
this it behoveth, that it be of lesse nomber then the first: for that if
it wer of greater nomber, or equall, it should bee conveniente, either
not to leave the distaunces, the whiche should be disorder, or leavyng
theim, to passe the boundes of thoseafore, the whiche should make the
facion of the armie unperfecte: and it is not true that you saie, that
the enemie, the more that he entereth into the maine battaile, so moche
the weaker he findeth it: for that the enemie, can never faight with the
seconde order, except the first be joined with thesame: so that he
cometh to finde the middest of the maine battaile more stronger, and not
more weaker, havyng to faight with the first, and with the seconde order
altogether: the verie same happeneth, when the enemie should come to the
thirde companie: for that there, not with twoo battailes, whiche is
founde freshe, but with all the maine battaile he must faight: and for
that this last part hath to receive moste men, the spaces therof is
requisite to be greatest, and that whiche receiveth them, to be the
leste nomber.

[Sidenote: The orderyng of the hinder part of tharmy.]

LUIGI. It pleaseth me thesame that you have told: but answere me also
this: if the five first battailes doe retire betwene the three seconde
battailes, and after the eight betwene the twoo thirde, it semeth not
possible, that the eight beyng brought together, and then the tenne
together, maie bee received when thei bee eight, or when thei be tenne
in the verie same space, whiche received the five.

[Sidenote: The retire of the Pikes, to place the Targaet men.]

FABRICIO. The first thyng that I aunswere is, that it is not the verie
same space: For that the five have fower spaces in the middeste, whiche
retiryng betwene the thre, or betwene the twoo, thei occupie: then there
remaineth thesame space, that is betwene the one maine battaile and
other and thesame that is, betwene the battailes, and the extraordinarie
Pikes, al the whiche spaces makes largenesse: besides this, it is to bee
considered, that the battailes kepe other maner of spaces, when thei bee
in the orders without beyng altered, then when thei be altered: for that
in the alteracion: either thei throng together, or thei inlarge the
orders: thei inlarge theim, when thei feare so moche, that thei fall to
fliyng, thei thrust them together, when thei feare in soche wise, that
thei seke to save them selves, not with runnyng a waie, but with
defence: So that in this case, thei should come to be destingueshed, and
not to be inlarged. Moreover, the five rankes of the Pikes, that are
before, so sone as thei have begun the faighte, thei ought betwene their
battailes to retire, into the taile of the armie, for to give place to
the Targaet men, that thei maie faighte: and thei goyng into the taile
of the armie, maie dooe soche service as the capitain should judge, were
good to occupie theim aboute, where in the forward, the faight beyng
mingled, thei should otherwise bee altogether unprofitable. And for this
the spaces ordained, come to bee for the remnaunte of the menne, wide
inough to receive them: yet when these spaces should not suffice, the
flankes on the sides be men, and not walles, whom givyng place, and
inlargyng them selves, maie make the space to containe so moche, that it
maie bee sufficient to receive theim.

[Sidenote: How the pikes that are placed on the flankes of the armie
ought to governe them selves when the rest of the armie is driven to
retire.]

LUIGI. The rankes of the extraordinarie Pikes, whiche you place on the
flanckes of the armie, when the first battailes retire into the second,
will you have them to stande still, and remain with twoo homes to the
armie? Or will you that thei also retire together, with the battailes?
The whiche when thei should do, I see not how thei can, havyng no
battailes behinde with distaunces that maie receive them.

[Sidenote: Thexercise of the army in generall; The nomber that is mete
to be written in the Ansigne of every band of men; The degrees of
honours in an armie, whiche soche a man ought to rise by, as should bee
made a generall capitain.]

FABRICIO. If the enemie overcome theim not, when he inforceth the
battailes to retire, thei maie stande still in their order, and hurte
the enemie on the flanck, after that the firste battailes retired: but
if he should also overcome theim, as semeth reason, beyng so puisaunte,
that he is able to repulce the other, thei also ought to retire: whiche
thei maie dooe excellently well, although thei have not behinde, any to
receive them: bicause from the middest thei maie redouble by right line,
entring the one ranke into the other, in the maner whereof wee reasoned,
when it was spoken of the order of redoublyng: True it is, that to mynde
redoublyng to retire backe, it behoveth to take an other waie, then
thesame that I shewed you: for that I told you, that the second ranke,
ought to enter into the first, the fowerth into the thirde, and so
foorth: in this case, thei ought not to begin before, but behinde, so
that redoublyng the rankes, thei maie come to retire backewarde not to
tourne forward: but to aunswere to all thesame, that upon this foughten
field by me shewed, might of you bee replied. I saie unto you again,
that I have ordained you this armie, and shewed this foughten field for
two causes, thone, for to declare unto you how it is ordered, the other
to shewe you how it is exercised: thorder, I beleve you understande
moste well: and concernyng the exersice, I saie unto you, that thei
ought to be put together in this forme, as often times as maie be: for
as moche as the heddes learne therby, to kepe their battailes in these
orders: for that to particulare souldiours, it appertaineth to keepe
well the orders of every battaile, to the heddes of the battailes, it
appertaineth to keepe theim well in every order of the armie, and that
thei knowe how to obeie, at the commaundement of the generall capitain:
therefore, it is conveniente that thei knowe, how to joyne the one
battaile with thother, that thei maie knowe how to take their place
atones: and for this cause it is mete that thansigne of every battaile,
have written in some evident part, the nomber therof: as well for to be
able to commaunde them, as also for that the capitain, and the
souldiours by thesame nomber, maie more easely knowe theim againe: also
the maine battailes, ought to be nombred, and to have the nomber in
their principal Ansigne: Therefore it is requisite, to knowe of what
nomber the maine battaile shall be, that is placed on the left, or on
the right horne of what nombers the battailes bee, that are set in the
fronte, and in the middeste, and so foorthe of the other. The antiquitie
would also, that these nombers should bee steppes to degrees, of honors
of the armies: as for insample, the first degree, is the Peticapitain,
the seconde, the hedde of fiftie ordinarie Veliti, the thirde, the
Centurion, the fowerth, the hedde of the first battaile, the fifte, of
the second, the sixt, of the thirde, and so forthe, even to the tenth
battaile, the whiche must be honoured in the seconde place, nexte the
generall capitaine of a maine battaile: nor any ought to come to thesame
hedde, if first, he have not risen up by all these degrees. And bicause
besides these heddes, there be the three Conestables of the
extraordinarie Pikes, and twoo of the extraordinarie Veliti, I would
that thei should be in the same degree of the Conestable of the first
battaile: nor I would not care, that there were sixe men of like degree,
to thintent, that every one of them might strive, who should doe beste,
for to be promised to be hedde of the seconde battaile. Then every one
of these heddes, knowyng in what place his battaile ought to be sette
in, of necessitie it must folowe, that at a sounde of the Trompette, so
sone as the hedde standarde shall bee erected, all the armie shall be in
their places: and this is the first exercise, whereunto an armie ought
to bee accustomed, that is to set theim quickly together: and to doe
this, it is requisite every daie, and divers times in one daie, to set
them in order, and to disorder them.

LUIGI. What armes would you that thansignes of all the armie, shoul'd
have beside the nomber?

[Sidenote: The armes that oughte to bee in the standarde, and in the
ansignes of an armie; The second and thirde exercise of an armie; The
fowerth exercise of an armie; The soundes of the instrumentes of
musicke, that the antiquitie used in their armies; What is signified by
the sounde of the Trompet.]

FABRICIO. The standarde of the generall Capitaine oughte to have the
armes of the Prince of the armie, all the other, maie have the verie
same armes, and to varie with the fieldes, or to varie with the armes,
as should seme beste to the Lorde of the armie: Bicause this importeth
little, so that the effect growe, that thei be knowen the one from the
other. But let us passe to the other exercise: the which is to make them
to move, and with a convenient pace to marche, and to se, that marehyng
thei kepe the orders. The third exercise is, that thei learne to handle
themselves in thesame maner, whiche thei ought after to handle
theimselves in the daie of battaile, to cause the artillerie to shoote,
and to bee drawen out of the waie, to make the extraordinarie Veliti to
issue out, after a likenes of an assault, to retire theim: To make that
the firste battailes, as though thei wer sore charged, retire into the
spaces of the second: and after, all into the thirde, and from thens
every one to retourne to his place: and in soche wise to use theim in
this exercise, that to every manne, all thyng maie be knowen, and
familiar: the which with practise, and with familiaritie, is brought to
passe moste quickly. The fowerth exercise is, that thei learne to knowe
by meane of the sounde, and of the Ansigne, the commaundemente of their
capitaine: for as moche as that, whiche shall be to them pronounced by
voice, thei without other commaundemente, maie understande: and bicause
the importaunce of this commaundement, ought to growe of the sounde, I
shall tell you what soundes the antiquitie used. Of the Lacedemonians,
accordyng as Tucidido affirmeth, in their armies were used Flutes: for
that thei judged, that this armonie, was moste mete to make their armie
to procede with gravetie, and with furie: the Carthaginens beyng moved
by this verie same reason, in the first assaulte, used the violone.
Aliatte kyng of the Lidians, used in the warre the violone, and the
Flutes: but Alexander Magnus, and the Romaines, used hornes, and
Trumpettes, as thei, that thought by vertue of soche instrumentes, to
bee able to incourage more the myndes of Souldiours, and make theim to
faight the more lustely: but as we have in armyng the armie, taken of
the Greke maner, and of the Romaine, so in distrihutyng the soundes, we
will keepe the customes of the one, and of the other nacion: therefore,
nere the generall capitain, I would make the Trompettes to stand, as a
sounde not onely apt to inflame the armie, but apte to bee heard in all
the whole tumoult more, then any other sounde: all the other soundes,
whiche should bee aboute the Conestables, and the heddes of maine
battailes I would, that thei should bee smalle Drummes, and Flutes,
sounded not as thei sounde theim now but as thei use to sounde theim at
feastes. The capitaine then with the Trompet, should shewe when thei
must stande still, and go forward, or tourne backward, when the
artillerie must shoote, when the extraordinarie Veliti must move, and
with the varietie or distinccion of soche soundes, to shewe unto the
armie all those mocions, whiche generally maie bee shewed, the whiche
Trompettes, should bee after followed of the Drummes, and in this
exercise, bicause it importeth moche, it behoveth moche to exercise the
armie. Concernyng the horsemen, there would be used likewise Trompettes,
but of a lesse sounde, and of a divers voice from those of the
Capitaine. This is as moche as is come into my remembraunce, aboute the
order of the armie, and of the exercise of thesame.

LUIGI. I praie you let it not be grevous unto you to declare unto me an
other thyng, that is, for what cause you made the light horsmen, and the
extraordinarie Veliti, to goe with cries, rumours, and furie, when thei
gave the charge? And after in the incountering of the rest of tharmie,
you shewed, that the thing folowed with a moste greate scilence? And for
that I understande not the occasion of this varietie, I would desire
that you would declare it unto me.

[Sidenote: The cries, and rumours, wher with the firste charge is given
unto the enemies, and the silence that ought to bee used after, when the
faight is ones begunne.]

FABRICIO. The opinion of auncient capitaines, hath been divers about the
commyng to handes, whether thei ought with rumour to go a pace, or with
scilence to go faire and softely: this laste waie, serveth to kepe the
order more sure, and to understande better the commaundementes of the
Capitaine: the firste, serveth to incourage more the mindes of men: and
for that I beleve, that respecte ought to bee had to the one, and to the
other of these twoo thynges, I made the one goe with rumour, and thother
with scilence: nor me thinkes not in any wise, that the continuall
rumours bee to purpose: bicause thei lette the commaundementes, the
whiche is a thyng moste pernicious: nor it standeth not with reason,
that the Romaines used, except at the firste assaulte to make rumour:
for that in their histories, is seen many tymes to have happened, that
through the wordes, and comfortinges of the capitain the souldiours that
ranne awaie, were made to stande to it, and in sundrie wise by his
commaundemente, to have varied the orders, the whiche should not have
followed, if the rumoures had been louder then his voyce.




THE FOWERTH BOOKE


LUIGI. Seng that under my governement, a field hath been wonne so
honourably, I suppose that it is good, that I tempt not fortune any
more, knowyng how variable, and unstable she is: and therefore, I desire
to give up my governement, and that Zanobi do execute now this office of
demaundyng, mindyng to followe the order, whiche concerneth the
youngeste: and I knowe he will not refuse this honoure, or as we would
saie, this labour, as well for to doe me pleasure, as also for beyng
naturally of more stomach than I: nor it shall not make hym afraied, to
have to enter into these travailes, where he maie bee as well overcome,
as able to conquere.

ZANOBI. I am readie to do what soever shall please you to appoinete me,
although that I desire more willingly to heare: for as moche as
hetherto, your questions have satisfied me more, then those should have
pleased me, whiche in harkenyng to your reasonyng, hath chaunced to come
into my remembraunce. But sir, I beleve that it is good, that you lese
no tyme, and that you have pacience, if with these our Ceremonies we
trouble you.

FABRICIO. You doe me rather pleasure, for that this variacion of
demaunders, maketh me to knowe the sundrie wittes and sunderie appetites
of yours: But remaineth there any thyng, whiche seemeth unto you good,
to bee joyned to the matter, that alreadie hath been reasoned of?

ZANOBI. Twoo thinges I desire, before you passe to an other parte: the
one is, to have you to shewe, if in orderyng armies, there needeth to
bee used any other facion: the other, what respectes a capitaine ought
to have, before he conducte his men to the faight, and in thesame an
accidente risyng or growyng, what reamedie maie be had.

[Sidenote: To deffende moche the fronte of an armie, is most perillous;
What is beste for a capitaine to dooe, where his power is, moche lesse
then thenemies power; A general rule; The higher grounde ought to be
chosen; An advertisement not to place an armie wher the enemie maie se
what the same doeth; Respectes for the Sonne and Winde; The variyng of
order and place maie cause the conquered to become victorius; A policie
in the ordering of men and pitchyng of a fielde; How to compasse about
the enemies power; How a capitaine maie faight and bee as it were sure,
not to be overcome; How to trouble the orders of the enemie; What a
capitaine oughte to dooe when he hath not so many horsmen as the enemie;
A greate aide for horsemen; The policies used betwene Aniball and
Scipio.]

FABRICIO. I will inforce my self to satisfie you, I will not answere now
distinctly to your questions: for that whileste I shall aunswere to one,
many tymes it will come to passe, that I muste aunswere to an other. I
have tolde you, how I have shewed you a facion of an armie, to the
intent, that accordyng to thesame, there maie bee given all those
facions, that the enemie, and the situacion requireth: For as moche as
in this case, bothe accordyng to the power thereof, and accordyng to the
enemie, it proceadeth: but note this, that there is not a more perillous
facion, then to deffende moche the front of tharmie, if then thou have
not a most puisant, and moste great hoste: otherwise, thou oughtest to
make it rather grosse, and of small largenesse, then of moche largenes
and thin: for when thou hast fewe men in comparison to thenemie, thou
oughtest to seke other remedies, as is to ordain thine army in soche a
place, wher thou maiest be fortefied, either through rivers, or by
meanes of fennes, after soch sort, that thou canst not bee compassed
aboute, or to inclose thy self on the flanckes with diches, as Cesar did
in Fraunce. You have to take in this cace, this generall rule, to
inlarge your self, or to draw in your self with the front, according to
your nomber, and thesame of the enemie. For thenemies being of lesse
nomber, thou oughtest to seke large places, havyng in especially thy men
well instructed: to the intent thou maiest, not onely compasse aboute
the enemie, but to deffende thy orders: for that in places rough and
difficulte, beyng not able to prevaile of thy orders, thou commeste not
to have any advauntage, hereby grewe, that the Romaines almoste alwaies,
sought the open fieldes, and advoided the straightes. To the contrarie,
as I have said, thou oughtest to doe, if thou hast fewe menne, or ill
instructed: for that then thou oughteste to seeke places, either where
the little nomber maye be saved, and where the small experience dooe not
hurte thee: Thou oughtest also to chuse the higher grounde, to be able
more easily to infest them: notwithstandyng, this advertisment ought to
be had, not to ordaine thy armie, where the enemie maie spie what thou
doest and in place nere to the rootes of the same, where the enemies
armie maie come: For that in this case, havyng respecte unto the
artillerie, the higher place shall gette thee disadvauntage: Bicause
that alwaies and commodiously, thou mightest of the enemies artillerie
bee hurte, without beyng able to make any remedy, and thou couldest not
commodiously hurte thesame, beyng hindered by thine owne men. Also, he
that prepareth an armie to faight a battaile, ought to have respecte,
bothe to the Sunne, and to the Winde, that the one and the other, doe
not hurte the fronte, for that the one and the other, will let thee the
sight, the one with the beames, and the other with the duste: and
moreover, the Winde hindereth the weapons, whiche are stroken at the
enemie, and maketh their blowes more feable: and concerning the Sunne,
it sufficeth not to have care, that at the firste it shine not in the
face, but it is requisite to consider, that increasyng the daie, it
hurte thee not: and for this, it should bee requsite in orderyng the
men, to have it all on the backe, to the entente it should have to passe
moche tyme, to come to lye on the fronte. This waie was observed of
Aniball at Canne, and of Mario against the Cimbrians. If thou happen to
be moche inferiour of horses, ordaine thine armie emongeste Vines, and
trees, and like impedimentes, as in our time the Spaniardes did, when
thei overthrewe the Frenchmenne at Cirignuola. And it hath been seen
many times, with all one Souldiours, variyng onely the order, and the
place, that thei have become of losers victorers: as it happened to the
Carthageners, whom havyng been overcome of Marcus Regolus divers tymes,
were after by the counsaill of Santippo a Lacedemonian, victorious: whom
made them to go doune into the plaine, where by vertue of the horses,
and of Eliphantes, thei were able to overcome the Romaines. It semes
unto me, accordyng to the auncient insamples that almoste all the
excellente Capitaines, when thei have knowen, that the enemie hath made
strong one side of his battaile, thei have not set against it, the moste
strongest parte, but the moste weakest, and thother moste strongest thei
have set against the most weakest: after in the beginning the faighte,
thei have commaunded to their strongest parte, that onely thei sustaine
the enemie, and not to preace upon hym, and to the weaker, that thei
suffer them selves to be overcome, and to retire into the hindermoste
bandes of the armie. This breadeth twoo greate disorders to the enemie:
the firste, that he findeth his strongest parte compassed about, the
second is, that semyng unto him to have the victorie, seldome tymes it
happeneth, that thei disorder not theim selves, whereof groweth his
sodain losse. Cornelius Scipio beyng in Spain, againste Asdruball of
Carthage, and understanding how to Asdruball it was knowen, that he in
the orderyng the armie, placed his Legions in the middest, the whiche
was the strongest parte of his armie, and for this how Asdruball with
like order ought to procede: after when he came to faighte the battaile,
he chaunged order, and put his Legions on the hornes of the armie, and
in the middest, placed all his weakeste men: then commyng to the handes,
in a sodain those men placed in the middeste, he made to marche softly,
and the hornes of the armie, with celeritie to make forwarde, so that
onely the hornes of bothe the armies fought, and the bandes in the
middest, through beyng distaunt the one from the other, joyned not
together, and thus the strongest parte of Scipio, came to faight with
the weakest of Asdruball, and overcame hym. The whiche waie was then
profitable, but now havyng respect to the artillerie, it cannot be used:
bicause the same space, whiche should remain in the middest, betwene the
one armie and the other, should give tyme to thesame to shoote: The
whiche is moste pernicious, as above is saied: Therefore it is requisite
to laie this waie aside, and to use, as a little afore we saied, makyng
all the armie to incounter, and the weakest parte to give place. When a
capitaine perceiveth, that he hath a greater armie then his enemie,
mindyng to compasse hym aboute, before he be aware let hym ordaine his
fronte equall, to thesame of his adversaries, after, so sone as the
faight is begun, let hym make the fronte by a little and little to
retire, and the flanckes to deffende, and alwaies it shall happen, that
the enemie shal find hymself, before he be aware compassed about. When a
capitain will faight, as it wer sure not to be broken, let hym ordaine
his armie in place, where he hath refuge nere, and safe, either betwene
Fennes, or betwene hilles, or by some strong citee: for that in this
case, he cannot bee followed of the enemie, where the enemie maie be
pursued of him: this poincte was used of Aniball, when fortune began to
become his adversarie, and that he doubted of the valiauntnesse of
Marcus Marcello. Some to trouble the orders of the enemie, have
commaunded those that were light armed, to begin the faight, and that
beyng begunne, to retire betwene the orders: and when the armies were
after buckled together, and that the fronte of either of them were
occupied in faightyng, thei have made theim to issue out by the flanckes
of the battaile, and thesame have troubled and broken. If any perceive
hymself to bee inferiour of horse, he maie besides the waies that are
alredie shewed, place behinde his horsemen a battaile of Pikes, and in
faightyng take order, that thei give waie to the Pikes, and he shall
remain alwaies superiour. Many have accustomed to use certain fotemenne
lighte armed, to faighte emong horsemen, the whiche hath been to the
chivalrie moste greate helpe. Of all those, which have prepared armies
to the field, be moste praised Aniball and Scipio, when thei fought in
Africk: and for that Aniball had his armie made of Carthaginers, and of
straungers of divers nacions, he placed in the first fronte thereof
lxxx. Elephantes, after he placed the straungers, behinde whom he sette
his Carthaginers, in the hindermoste place, he putte the Italians, in
whom he trusted little: the whiche thing he ordained so, for that the
straungers havyng before theim the enemie, and behinde beyng inclosed of
his men, could not flie: so that being constrained to faight thei should
overcome, or wearie the Romaines, supposyng after with his freshe and
valiaunte men, to be then able easely to overcome the Romaines, beeyng
wearied. Against this order, Scipio set the Astati, the Prencipi, and
the Triarii, in the accustomed maner, to bee able to receive the one the
other, and to rescue the one the other: he made the fronte of the armie,
full of voide spaces, and bicause it should not be perceived but rather
should seme united, he filled them ful of veliti, to whom he commaunded,
that so sone as the Eliphantes came, thei should avoide, and by the
ordinarie spaces, should enter betwene the Legins, and leave open the
waie to the Eliphauntes, and so it came to passe, that it made vaine the
violence of theim, so that commyng to handes, he was superiour.

ZANOBI. You have made me to remember, in alledging me this battaile, how
Scipio in faighting, made not the Astati to retire into thorders of the
Prencipi, but he devided theim, and made theim to retire in the hornes
of the armie, to thintent thei might give place to the Prencipi, when he
would force forwarde: therfore I would you should tell me, what occasion
moved hym, not to observe the accustomed order.

[Sidenote: Cartes full of hookes made to destroie the enemies; The
remedy that was used against Cartes full of hookes; The straunge maner
that Silla used in orderyng his army against Archelaus; How to trouble
in the faighte the armie of the enemies; A policie of Caius Sulpitius,
to make his enemies afraied; A policie of Marius againste the Duchmenne;
A policie of greate importaunce, while a battaile is a faightyng; How
horsemen maie bee disordered; How the turke gave the Sophie an
overthrowe; How the Spaniardes overcame the armie of Amilcare; How to
traine the enemie, to his destruccion; A policie of Tullo Hostilio and
Lucius Silla in dessemlyng of a mischaunce; Sertorius slue a man for
telling him of the death of one of his capitaines; Howe certaine
captaines have staied their men that hath been running awaie; Attillius
constrained his men that ran awaie to tourne again and to faight; How
Philip king of Macedonia made his men afraied to run awaie; Victorie
ought with all celeritie to bee folowed; What a capitaine ought to dooe,
when he should chaunce to receive an overthrowe; How Martius overcame
the armie of the Carthaginers; A policie of Titus Dimius to hide a
losse, whiche he had received in a faight; A general rule; Aniball;
Scipio; Asdruball; A Capitaine ought not to faight without advantage,
excepte he be constrained; How advauntage maie bee taken of the enemies;
Furie withstode, converteth into vilenesse; What maner of men a
capitaine ought to have about him continually, to consult withall; The
condicions of the capitain of the enemies, and of those that are about
hym is moste requisite to bee knowen; A timerous army is not to be
conducted to faight; How to avoide the faightyng of a fielde.]

FABRICIO. I will tell you. Aniball had putte all the strengthe of his
armie, in the seconde bande: wherefore Scipio for to set againste
thesame like strengthe, gathered the Prencipi and the Triarii together:
So that the distaunces of the Prencipi, beyng occupied of the Triarii,
there was no place to bee able to receive the Astati: and therefore he
made the Astati to devide, and to go in the hornes of the armie, and he
drewe them not betwene the Prencipi. But note, that this waie of openyng
the first bande, for to give place to the seconde, cannot bee used, but
when a man is superiour to his enemie: for that then there is commoditie
to bee able to dooe it, as Scipio was able: but beyng under, and
repulced, it cannot be doen, but with thy manifest ruine: and therefore
it is convenient to have behinde, orders that maie receive thee, but let
us tourne to our reasonyng. The auncient Asiaticans, emongest other
thynges devised of them to hurt the enemies, used carres. The whiche had
on the sides certaine hookes, so that not onely thei served to open with
their violence the bandes, but also to kill with the hookes the
adversaries: against the violence of those, in thre maners thei
provided, either thei sustained theim with the thickenesse of the raies,
or thei received theim betwene the bandes, as the Eliphantes were
received, or els thei made with arte some strong resistence: As Silla a
Romaine made againste Archelaus, whom had many of these cartes, whiche
thei called hooked, who for to sustaine theim, drave many stakes into
the grounde, behinde his first bandes of men, whereby the cartes beyng
stopped, lost their violence. And the newe maner that Silla used against
hym in orderyng the armie, is to bee noted: for that he put the Veliti,
and the horse, behinde, and all the heavie armed afore, leavyng many
distaunces to be able to sende before those behinde, when necessite
required: whereby the fight beyng begun, with the helpe of the horsemen,
to the whiche he gave the waie, he got the victorie. To intende to
trouble in the faight the enemies armie, it is conveniente to make some
thyng to growe, that maie make theim afraied, either with showyng of
newe helpe that commeth, or with showyng thynges, whiche maie represente
a terrour unto theim: after soche sorte, that the enemies begiled of
that sight, maie be afraied, and being made afraied, thei maie easely
bee overcome: the whiche waies Minutio Rufo used, and Accilio Glabrione
Consulls of Rome. Caius Sulpitius also set a greate many of sackes upon
Mules, and other beastes unprofitable for the warre, but in soche wise
ordained, that thei semed men of armes, and he commaunded, that thei
should appere upon a hill, while he were a faightyng with the
Frenchemen, whereby grewe his victorie. The verie same did Marius, when
he foughte against the Duchemen. Then the fained assaultes availyng
moche, whilest the faight continueth, it is conveniente, that the very
assaultes in deede, dooe helpe moche: inespecially if at unwares in the
middest of the faight, the enemie might bee assaulted behinde, or on the
side: the whiche hardely maie be doen, if the countrie helpe thee not:
for that when it is open, parte of thy men cannot bee hid, as is mete to
bee doen in like enterprises: but in woddie or hille places, and for
this apt for ambusshes parte of thy men maie be well hidden, to be able
in a sodain, and contrary to thenemies opinion to assaut him, whiche
thyng alwaies shall be occasion to give thee the victorie. It hath been
sometyme of greate importaunce, whilest the faighte continueth, to sowe
voices, whiche doe pronounce the capitaine of thenemies to be dedde, or
to have overcome on the other side of the armie: the whiche many times
to them that have used it, hath given the victorie. The chivalrie of the
enemies maie bee easely troubled, either with sightes, or with rumours,
not used: as Creso did, whom put Camelles againste the horses of the
adversaries, and Pirrus sette againste the Romaine horsemen Eliphantes,
the sighte of whiche troubled and disordered them. In our time, the
Turke discomfited the Sophi in Persia, and the Soldane in Surria with no
other, then with the noise of Harkabuses, the whiche in soche wise, with
their straunge rumours, disturbed the horses of those, that the Turke
mighte easely overcome them: The Spaniardes to overcome the armie of
Amilcare, put in the firste fronte Cartes full of towe drawen of oxen,
and comming to handes, thei kindeled fire to thesame, wherfore the oxen
to flie from the fire, thrust into the armie of Amilcar, and opened it.
Thei are wonte (as we have saied) to begile the enemie in the faight,
drawyng him into their ambusshes, where the Countrie is commodious for
the same purpose, but where it were open and large, many have used to
make diches, and after have covered them lightly with bowes and yearth,
and lefte certain spaces whole, to be able betnene those to retire:
after, so sone as the faight hath been begunne, retiryng by those, and
the enemie folowing them, hath fallen in the pittes. If in the faight
there happen thee, any accident that maie feare thy souldiours, it is a
moste prudente thyng, to knowe how to desemble it, and to pervert it to
good, as Tullo Hostilio did, and Lucius Silla: whom seyng while thei
fought, how a parte of his men wer gone to the enemies side, and how
thesame thing had verie moche made afraied his men, he made straighte
waie throughout all the armie to be understoode, how all thing proceded,
accordyng to his order: the whiche not onely did not trouble the armie,
but it increased in them so moche stomack, that he remained victorious.
It happened also to Silla, that havyng sente certaine souldiours to doe
some businesse, and thei beyng slain he saied, to the intent his armie
should not be made afraied thereby, that he had with crafte sent theim
into the handes of the enemies, for that he had found them nothyng
faithfull. Sertorius faightyng a battaile in Spaine, slue one, whom
signified unto hym the death of one of his capitaines, for feare that
tellyng the very same to other, he should make theim afraied. It is a
moste difficult thyng, an armie beyng now moved to flie, to staie it,
and make it to faight. And you have to make this distinccion: either
that it is all moved, and then to be impossible to tourne it, or there
is moved a parte thereof, and then there is some remedie. Many Romain
capitaines, with making afore those whiche fled, have caused them to
staie, making them ashamed of running awaie, as Lucius Silla did, where
alredy parte of his Legions beyng tourned to flight, driven awaie by the
men of Mithridates, he made afore them with a swearde in his hande
criyng: if any aske you, where you left your capitaine, saie, we have
left hym in Boecia, where he faighteth. Attillius a consull set againste
that ran awaie, them that ranne not awaie, and made them to understande,
that if thei would not tourne, thei should be slaine of their frendes,
and of their enemies. Philip of Macedonia understanding how his men
feared the Scithian Souldiours, placed behinde his armie, certaine of
his moste trustie horsemen, and gave commission to theim, that thei
should kill whom so ever fledde: wherfore, his men mindyng rather to die
faightyng, then fliyng, overcame. Many Romaines, not so moche to staie a
flight, as for to give occasion to their men, to make greater force,
have whileste thei have foughte, taken an Ansigne out of their owne
mennes handes, and throwen it emongeste the enemies, and appoincted
rewardes to hym that could get it again. I doe not beleve that it is out
of purpose, to joyne to this reasonyng those thynges, whiche chaunce
after the faight, in especially beyng brief thinges, and not to be left
behinde, and to this reasonyng conformable inough. Therefore I saie, how
the fielde is loste, or els wonne: when it is wonne, the victorie ought
with all celeritie to be folowed, and in this case to imitate Cesar, and
not Aniball, whom staiyng after that he had discomfited the Romaines at
Canne, loste the Empire of Rome: The other never rested after the
victorie, but folowed the enemie beyng broken, with greater violence and
furie, then when he assalted hym whole: but when a capitaine dooeth
loese, he ought to see, if of the losse there maie growe any utilite
unto hym, inespecially if there remain any residue of tharmie. The
commoditie maie growe of the small advertisment of the enemie, whom
moste often times after the victorie, becometh negligent, and giveth
thee occasion to oppresse hym, as Marcius a Romaine oppressed the armie
of the Carthaginers, whom having slain the twoo Scipions, and broken
their armie, not estemyng thesame remnaunt of menne, whiche with Marcius
remained a live, were of hym assaulted and overthrowen: for that it is
seen, that there is no thing so moche to bee brought to passe, as
thesame, whiche the enemie thinketh, that thou canst not attempte:
bicause for the moste parte, men bee hurte moste, where thei doubt
leaste: therefore a capitain ought when he cannot doe this, to devise at
least with diligence, that the losse bee lesse hurtfull, to dooe this,
it is necessarie for thee to use meanes, that the enemie maie not easely
folowe thee, or to give him occasion to make delaie: in the first case,
some after thei have been sure to lese, have taken order with their
heddes, that in divers partes, and by divers waies thei should flie,
havyng appoincted wher thei should after assemble together: the which
made, that thenemie (fearing to devide the armie) was faine to let go
safe either all, or the greatest part of them. In the seconde case, many
have cast before the enemie, their dearest thinges, to the entent that
he tariyng about the spoile, might give them more laisure to flie. Titus
Dimius used no small policie to hide the losse, whiche he had received
in the faight, for asmoche as havyng fought untill night, with great
losse of his menne, he made in the night to be buried, the greatest part
of them, wherefore in the mornyng, the enemies seyng so many slaine of
theirs, and so fewe of the Romaines, belevyng that thei had the
disavauntage, ran awaie. I trust I have thus confusedly, as I saied,
satisfied in good part your demaunde: in dede about the facions of the
armies, there resteth me to tell you, how some tyme, by some Capitaines,
it hath been used to make theim with the fronte, like unto a wedge,
judgyng to bee able by soche meane, more easely to open the enemies
armie. Against this facion, thei have used to make a facion like unto a
paire of sheres, to be able betwene thesame voide place, to receive that
wedge, and to compasse it about, and to faight with it on every side:
whereupon I will that you take this generall rule, that the greatest
remedie that is used againste a devise of the enemie, is to dooe
willingly thesame, whiche he hath devised that thou shalt dooe perforce:
bicause that doyng it willingly, thou doest it with order, and with thy
advauntage, and his disadvauntage, if thou shouldest doe it beyng
inforced, it should be thy undoyng: For the provyng whereof, I care not
to reherse unto you, certain thynges alredy tolde. The adversary maketh
the wedge to open thy bandes: if thou gowest with them open, thou
disorderest hym, and he disordereth not thee. Aniball set the Elephantes
in the fronte of his armie, to open with theim the armie of Scipio.
Scipio went with it open, and it was the occasion of his victorie, and
of the ruine of hym. Asdruball placed his strongest men in the middest
of the fronte of his armie, to overthrowe Scipios menne: Scipio
commaunded, that by them selves thei should retire and he broke theim:
So that like devises when thei are foreseen, bee the causes of the
victorie of him, against whom thei be prepared. There remaineth me also,
if I remember my self well, to tell you what respectes a Capitaine ought
to have, before he leade his men to faight: upon whiche I have to tell
you firste, how a capitaine ought never to faight a battaile, except he
have advauntage, or be constrained. The vantage groweth of the
situacion, of the order, of havyng more, or better menne: the necessitie
groweth when thou seest how that not faightyng, thou muste in any wise
lose, as should bee for lackyng of money, and for this, thy armie to bee
ready all maner of waies to resolve, where famishemente is ready to
assaulte thee, where the enemie looketh to bee ingrosed with newe men:
in these cases, thou oughtest alwaies to faight, although with thy
disadvauntage: for that it is moche better to attempte fortune, where
she maie favour thee, then not attemptyng, to see thy certaine ruine:
and it is as grevous a faulte in this case, in a capitain not to faight,
as to have had occasion to overcome, and not to have either knowen it
through ignoraunce, or lefte it through vilenesse. The advauntages some
tymes the enemie giveth thee, and some tymes thy prudence: Many in
passyng Rivers have been broken of their enemie, that hath been aware
thereof, whom hath taried, till the one halfe hath been of the one side,
and the other halfe on the other, and then hath assaulted them: as Cesar
did to the Suizzers, where he destroied the fowerth parte of theim,
through beyng halfe over a river. Some tyme thy enemie is founde wearie,
for havyng folowed thee to undescritely, so that findyng thy self freshe
and lustie, thou oughtest not to let passe soche an occasion: besides
this, if the enemie offer unto thee in the mornyng betymes to faight,
thou maiest a good while deferre to issue out of thy lodgyng, and when
he hath stoode long in armour, and that he hath loste that same firste
heate, with the whiche he came, thou maiest then faight with him. This
waie Scipio and Metellus used in Spaine: the one against Asdruball, the
other against Sertorius. If the enemie be deminished of power, either
for havyng devided the armie, as the Scipions in Spain, or for some
other occasion, thou oughteste to prove chaunce. The greateste parte of
prudent capitaines, rather receive the violence of the enemies, then go
with violence to assalte them: for that the furie is easely withstoode
of sure and steddie menne, and the furie beyng sustained, converteth
lightly into vilenesse: Thus Fabius did againste the Sannites, and
against the Galles, and was victorious and his felowe Decius remained
slain. Some fearing the power of their enemies, have begun the faight a
little before night, to the intent that their men chaunsyng to bee
overcome, might then by the helpe of the darkenesse thereof, save theim
selves. Some havyng knowen, how the enemies armie beyng taken of
certaine supersticion, not to faight in soche a tyme, have chosen
thesame tyme to faighte, and overcome: The whiche Cesar observed in
Fraunce, againste Arionistus, and Vespasian in Surrie, againste the
Jewes. The greatest and moste importaunte advertismente, that a
capitaine ought to have, is to have aboute hym faithfull menne, that are
wise and moste expert in the warre, with whom he must continually
consulte and reason of his men, and of those of the enemies, whiche is
the greater nomber, whiche is beste armed, or beste on horsebacke, or
best exercised, whiche be moste apte to suffer necessitie, in whom he
trusteth moste, either in the footemen, or in the horsemen: after thei
ought to consider the place where thei be, and whether it be more to the
purpose for thenemie, then for him: which of theim hath victualles moste
commodious: whether it be good to deferre the battaile, or to faight it:
what good might bee given hym, or taken awaie by tyme: for that many
tymes, souldiours seyng the warre to be delaied, are greved, and beyng
wearie, in the pain and in the tediousnesse therof, wil forsake thee. It
importeth above all thyng, to knowe the capitain of the enemies, and
whom he hath aboute hym, whether he be rashe, or politike, whether he be
fearfull, or hardie: to see how thou maiest truste upon the aidyng
souldiours. And above all thyng thou oughtest to take hede, not to
conducte the armie to faight when it feareth, or when in any wise it
mistrusteth of the victorie: for that the greatest signe to lose, is
thei beleve not to be able to winne: and therfore in this case, thou
oughtest to avoide the faightyng of the fielde, either with doyng as
Fabius Maximus, whom incampyng in strong places, gave no courage to
Aniball, to goe to finde hym, or when thou shouldest thinke, that the
enemie also in strong places, would come to finde thee, to departe out
of the fielde, and to devide the menne into thy tounes to thentent that
tediousnesse of winnyng them, maie wearie hym.

ZANOBI. Cannot the faightyng of the battaile be otherwise avoided, then
in devidyng the armie in sunderie partes and placyng the men in tounes?

[Sidenote: Fabius Maximus.]

FABRICIO. I beleve that ones alreadie, with some of you I have reasoned,
how that he, that is in the field, cannot avoide to faight the battaile,
when he hath an enemie, which will faight with hym in any wise, and he
hath not, but one remedie, and that is, to place him self with his armie
distant fiftie miles at leaste, from his adversarie, to be able betymes
to avoide him, when he should go to finde hym. For Fabius Maximus never
avoided to faight the battaile with Aniball, but he would have it with
his advauntage: and Aniball did not presume to bee able to overcome hym,
goyng to finde hym in the places where he incamped: where if he had
presupposed, to have been able to have overcome, it had been conveniente
for Fabius, to have fought the battaile with hym, or to have avoided.

[Sidenote: Philip king of Macedonia, overcome by the Romaines; How
Cingentorige avoided the faightyng of the fielde with Cesar; The
ignorance of the Venecians; What is to be doen wher soldiours desire to
faight, contrary to their capitaines minde; How to incourage souldiers;
An advertisment to make the soldiour most obstinately to faight.]

Philip Kyng of Macedonia, thesame that was father to Perse, commyng to
warre with the Romaines, pitched his campe upon a verie high hill, to
the entent not to faight with theim: but the Romaines wente to find hym
on thesame hill, and discomfaited hym. Cingentorige capitain of the
Frenche menne, for that he would not faight the field with Cesar, whom
contrarie to his opinion, had passed a river, got awaie many miles with
his men. The Venecians in our tyme, if thei would not have come to have
fought with the Frenche kyng, thei ought not to have taried till the
Frenche armie, had passed the River Addus, but to have gotten from them
as Cingentorige, where thei havyng taried knewe not how to take in the
passyng of the men, the occasion to faight the battaile, nor to avoide
it: For that the Frenche men beyng nere unto them, as the Venecians went
out of their Campe, assaulted theim, and discomfited theim: so it is,
that the battaile cannot bee avoided, when the enemie in any wise will
faight, nor let no man alledge Fabius, for that so moche in thesame
case, he did flie the daie of battaile, as Aniball. It happeneth many
tymes, that thy souldiours be willyng to faight, and thou knoweste by
the nomber, and by the situacion, or for some other occasion to have
disadvauntage, and desirest to make them chaunge from this desire: it
happeneth also, that necessitie, or occasion, constraineth thee to
faight, and that thy souldiours are evill to be trusted, and smally
disposed to faight: where it is necessarie in thone case, to make theim
afraied, and in the other to incourage theim: In the firste case, when
perswacions suffiseth not, there is no better waie, then to give in
praie, a part of them unto thenemie, to thintent those that have, and
those that have not fought, maie beleve thee: and it may very wel be
doen with art, thesame which to Fabius Maximus hapned by chaunce.
Tharmie of Fabius (as you knowe) desired to faight with Aniballs armie:
the very same desire had the master of his horses: to Fabius it semed
not good, to attempte the faight: so that through soche contrary
opinions, he was fain to devide the armie: Fabius kept his men in the
campe, the other fought, and commyng into great perill, had been
overthrowen, if Fabius had not rescued him: by the whiche insample the
maister of the horse, together with all the armie, knewe how it was a
wise waie to obeie Fabius. Concernyng to incourage theim to faight, it
should be well doen, to make them to disdain the enemies, shewyng how
thei speake slaunderous woordes of them, to declare to have intelligence
with them, and to have corrupted part of them, to incampe in place,
where thei maie see the enemies, and make some light skirmishe with
them, for that the thyng that is dailie seen, with more facilitie is
despised: to shewe theim to bee unworthie, and with an oracion for the
purpose, to reprehende them of their cowardnesse, and for to make them
ashamed, to tell theim that you will faight alone, when thei will not
beare you companie. And you ought above all thyng to have this
advertismente, mindyng to make the Souldiour obstinate to faight, not to
permitte, that thei maie send home any of their substaunce, or to leave
it in any place, till the warre bee ended, that thei maie understande,
that although fliyng save their life, yet it saveth not theim their
goodes, the love whereof, is wonte no lesse then thesame, to make men
obstinate in defence.

ZANOBI. YOU have tolde, how the souldiours maie be tourned to faight,
with speakyng to theim: doe you meane by this, that all the armie must
bee spoken unto, or to the heddes thereof?

[Sidenote: It is requisite for excellent Capitaines to bee good orators;
Alexander Magnus used openly to perswade his armie; The effecteousnes of
speking; Souldiours ought to be accustomed to heare their Capitaine
speake; How in olde time souldiers were threatened for their faltes;
Enterprises maie the easelier be brought to passe by meanes of religion;
Sertorius; A policie of Silla; A policie of Charles the seventh king of
Fraunce against the Englishmen; How souldiers maiebee made to esteme
little their enemies; The surest wai to make souldiours moste obstinat
to faight; By what meanes obstinatenesse to faighte is increased.]

FABRICIO. TO perswade, or to diswade a thyng unto fewe, is verie easie,
for that if woordes suffise not, you maie then use aucthoritie and
force: but the difficultie is, to remove from a multitude an evill
opinion, and that whiche is contrary either to the common profite, or to
thy opinion, where cannot be used but woordes, the whiche is meete that
thei be heard of every man, mindyng to perswade them all. Wherfore, it
was requisite that the excellente Capitaines were oratours: for that
without knowyng how to speake to al the army, with difficultie maie be
wrought any good thing: the whiche altogether in this our tyme is laied
aside. Rede the life of Alexander Magnus, and you shall see how many
tymes it was necessarie for hym to perswade, and to speake publikly to
his armie: otherwise he should never have brought theim, beyng become
riche, and full of spoile, through the desertes of Arabia, and into
India with so moche his disease, and trouble: for that infinite tymes
there growe thynges, wherby an armie ruinateth, when the capitain either
knoweth not, or useth not to speake unto thesame, for that this speakyng
taketh awaie feare, in courageth the mindes, increaseth the obstinatenes
to faight, discovereth the deceiptes, promiseth rewardes, sheweth the
perilles, and the waie to avoide theim, reprehendeth, praieth,
threatened, filleth full of hope, praise, shame, and doeth a11 those
thynges, by the whiche the humaine passions are extincte or kendled:
wherefore, that prince, or common weale, whiche should appoincte to make
a newe power, and cause reputacion to their armie, ought to accustome
the Souldiours thereof, to heare the capitain to speake, and the
capitain to know how to speake unto them. In kepyng desposed the
souldiours in old tyme, to faight for their countrie, the religion
availed moche, and the othes whiche thei gave them, when thei led theim
to warfare: for as moche as in al their faultes, thei threatned them not
onely with those punishementes, whiche might be feared of men but with
those whiche of God might be looked for: the whiche thyng mingled with
the other Religious maners, made many tymes easie to the auncient
capitaines all enterprises, and will doe alwaies, where religion shall
be feared, and observed. Sertorius prevailed, by declaryng that he spake
with a Stagge, the whiche in Goddes parte, promised hym the victorie.
Silla saied, he spoke with an Image, whiche he had taken out of the
Temple of Apollo. Many have tolde how God hath appered unto them in
their slepe, whom hath admonished them to faight. In our fathers time,
Charles the seventh kyng of Fraunce, in the warre whiche he made
againste the Englishemen, saied, he counsailed with a maide, sent from
God, who was called every where the Damosell of Fraunce, the which was
occacion of his victorie. There maie be also used meanes, that maie make
thy men to esteme little the enemie, as Agesilao a Spartaine used, whom
shewed to his souldiours, certain Persians naked, to the intent that
seyng their delicate members, thei should not have cause to feare them.
Some have constrained their men to faight through necessitie, takyng
awaie from them all hope of savyng theim selves, savyng in overcommyng.
The whiche is the strongest, and the beste provision that is made, to
purpose to make the souldiour obstinate to faight: whiche obstinatenesse
is increased by the confidence, and love of the Capitaine, or of the
countrie. Confidence is caused through the armour, the order the late
victorie, and the opinion of the Capitaine. The love of the countrie, is
caused of nature: that of the Capitain, through vertue, more then by any
other benefite: the necessities maie be many, but that is strongest,
whiche constraineth thee; either to overcome, or to dye.




THE FIVETH BOOKE


[Sidenote: How the Romaines marched with their armies; How the Romaines
ordered their armie when it happened to be assaulted on the waie; How
the main battailes ought to marche; The orderyng of an armie after soche
sorte, that it maie marche safelie through the enemies countrie and be
alwaies in a redines to faight; The place in the armie wher the bowmen
and Harkabutters are appoincted; The place in the armie wher
thextraordinarie Pikes are appoincted. The place in the armie wherthe
generall capitain must be; Where the artillerie must be placed. The
light horsmenne must be sente before to discover the countrie and the
menne of armes to come behind tharmy; A generall rule concernyng horse;
Wher the carriages and the unarmed are placed; The waie must be made
plaine wher the armie shall marche in order; How many miles a day an
armie maie marche in battaile raie, to bee able to incampe before sunne
set; The orderyng of the armie, when it is assaulted on the vawarde; The
orderyng of tharmie when thenemie commes to assaulte it behinde; How the
armie is ordered when it is assaulted of any of the sides; doen when the
army is assaulted on twoo sides.]

FABRICIO. I have shewed you, how an armi, is ordained to faight a fielde
with an other armie, which is seen pitched against it, and have declared
unto you, howe the same is overcome, and after many circumstaunces, I
have likewise shewed you, what divers chaunces, maie happen about
thesame, so that me thinkes tyme to shewe you now, how an armie is
ordered, againste thesame enemie, whiche otherwise is not seen, but
continually feared, that he assaulte thee: this happeneth when an armie
marcheth through the enemies countrie, or through suspected places.
Firste, you must understande, how a Romaine armie, sent alwaies
ordinarely afore, certaine bandes of horsemen, as spies of the waie:
after followed the right horne, after this, came all the carriages,
whiche to thesame apperteined, after this, came a Legion, after it, the
carriages therof, after that, an other legion, and next to it, their
carriages, after whiche, came the left horne, with the carriages thereof
at their backe, and in the laste part, folowed the remnaunte of the
chivalrie: this was in effecte the maner, with whiche ordinarily thei
marched: and if it happened that the armie were assaulted in the waie on
the fronte, or on the backe, thei made straight waie all the carriages
to bee drawen, either on the right, or on the lefte side, accordyng as
chaunsed, or as thei could beste, havyng respecte to the situacion: and
all the men together free from their impedimentes, made hedde on that
parte, where the enemie came. If thei were assaulted on the flancke,
thei drue the carriages towardes thesame parte that was safe, and of the
other, thei made hedde. This waie beyng well and prudently governed, I
have thought meete to imitate, sending afore the light horsemen, as
exploratours of the Countrie: Then havyng fower maine battailes I would
make them to marche in araie, and every one with their carriages
folowyng theim. And for that there be twoo sortes of carriages, that is
partainyng to particulare souldiours, and partainyng to the publike use
of all the Campe, I would devide the publike Carriages into fower
partes, and to every maine battaile, I would appoinct his parte,
deviding also the artillerie into fower partes, and all the unarmed, so
that every nomber of armed menne, should equally have their
impedimentes. But bicause it happeneth some times, that thei marche
through the countrie, not onely suspected, but so daungerous, that thou
fearest every hower to be assaulted, thou art constrained for to go more
sure, to chaunge the forme of marchyng, and to goe in soche wise
prepared, that neither the countrie menne, nor any armie, maie hurte
thee, findyng thee in any parte unprovided. In soche case, the aunciente
capitaines were wont, to marche with the armie quadrante, whiche so thei
called this forme, not for that it was altogether quadrante, but for
that it was apte to faight of fower partes, and thei saied, that thei
wente prepared, bothe for the waie, and for the faight: from whiche
waie, I will not digresse, and I will ordaine my twoo maine battailes,
whiche I have taken for to make an armie of, to this effect. Mindyng
therefore, to marche safely through the enemies Countrie, and to bee
able to aunswere hym on every side, when at unwares the armie might
chaunce to be assaulted, and intendyng therefore, accordyng to the
antiquitie, to bryng thesame into a square, I would devise to make a
quadrant, that the rome therof should be of space on every part Clix.
yardes, in this maner. First I would put the flanckes, distant the one
flanck from the other, Clix. yardes, and I would place five battailes
for a flancke, in a raie in length, and distant the one from the other,
twoo yardes and a quarter: the whiche shall occupie with their spaces,
every battaile occupiyng thirtie yardes, Clix. yardes. Then betwen the
hedde and the taile of these two flanckes, I would place the other tenne
battailes, in every parte five, orderyng them after soche sorte, that
fower should joyne to the hedde of the right flanck, and fower to the
taile of the lefte flancke, leaving betwene every one of them, a
distance of thre yardes: one should after joyne to the hedde of the
lefte flancke, and one to the taile of the right flancke: and for that
the space that is betwene the one flancke and the other, is Clix.
yardes, and these battailes whiche are set the one to the side of the
other by breadth, and not by length, will come to occupie with the
distaunces one hundred yardes and a halfe yarde, there shall come
betwene theim fower battailes, placed in the fronte on the right
flancke, and the one placed in thesame on the lefte, to remaine a space
of fiftie and eighte yardes and a halfe, and the verie same space will
come to remaine in the battailes, placed in the hinder parte: nor there
shall bee no difference, saving that the one space shall come on the
parte behind towardes the right horne, and thother shall come on the
parte afore, towardes the lefte home. In the space of the lviii. yardes
and a halfe before, I would place all the ordinarie Veliti, in thesame
behinde, the extraordinarie, which wil come to be a thousande for a
space, and mindyng to have the space that ought to be within the armie,
to be every waie Clix. yardes, it is mete that the five battailes,
whiche are placed in the hedde, and those whiche are placed in the
taile, occupie not any parte of the space, whiche the flanckes keepe:
and therefore it shall be convenient, that the five battailes behinde,
doe touche with the fronte, the taile of their flanckes, and those
afore, with the taile to touche he hedde, after soche sorte, that upon
every corner of the ame armie, there maie remaine a space, to receive an
other battaile: and for that there bee fower spaces, I would take fower
bandes of the extraordinarie Pikes, and in every corner I would place
one, and the twoo Ansignes of the foresaied Pikes, whiche shall remain
overplus, I would sette in the middest of the rome of this armie, in a
square battaile, on the hedde whereof, should stande the generall
capitaine, with his menne about him. And for that these battailes
ordeined thus, marche all one waie, but faight not all one waie, in
puttyng them together, those sides ought to be ordained to faight,
whiche are not defended of thother battailes. And therfore it ought to
be considered, that the five battailes that be in the front, have all
their other partes defended, excepte the fronte: and therfore these
ought to bee put together in good order, and with the Pikes afore. The
five battailes whiche are behinde, have all their sides defended, except
the parte behinde, and therefore those ought to bee put together in
soche wise, that the Pikes come behind, as in the place therof we shall
shewe. The five battailes that bee in the right flancke, have all their
sides defended, except the right flancke. The five that be on the left
flanck, have all their partes defended, excepte the lefte flancke: and
therefore in orderyng the battailes, thei ought to bee made, that the
Pikes maie tourne on the same flanck, that lieth open: and the
Peticapitaines to stand on the hedde, and on the taile, so that nedyng
to faight, all the armour and weapons maie be in their due places, the
waie to doe this, is declared where we reasoned of the maner of orderyng
the battailes. The artillerie I would devide, and one parte I would
place without, on the lefte flancke, and the other on the right. The
light horsemen, I would sende afore to discover the countrie. Of the
menne of armes, I would place part behinde, on the right home, and parte
on the lefte, distante about thirtie yardes from the battailes: and
concerning horse, you have to take this for a general rule in every
condicion, where you ordaine an armie, that alwaies thei ought to be
put, either behinde, or on the flanckes of thesame: he that putteth them
afore, over against the armie, it behoveth hym to doe one of these twoo
thinges, either that he put them so moche afore, that beyng repulced,
thei maie have so moche space, that maie give them tyme, to be able to
go a side from thy footemen, and not to runne upon them, or to order
them in soche wise, with so many spaces, that the horses by those maie
enter betwene them, without disorderyng them. Nor let no man esteme
little this remembraunce, for as moche as many capitaines, whom havyng
taken no hede thereof, have been ruinated, and by themselves have been
disordered, and broken. The carriages and the unarmed menne are placed,
in the rome that remaineth within the armie, and in soche sorte equally
devided, that thei maie give the waie easely, to whom so ever would go,
either from the one corner to the other, or from the one hedde, to the
other of the armie. These battailes without the artillerie and the
horse, occupie every waie from the utter side, twoo hundred and eleven
yardes and a halfe of space: and bicause this quadrante is made of twoo
main battailes, it is convenient to distinguishe, what part thone maine
battaile maketh, and what the other: and for that the main battailes are
called by the nomber, and every of theim hath (as you knowe) tenne
battailes, and a generall hed, I would cause that the first main
battaile, should set the first v. battailes therof in the front, the
other five, in the left flanck, and the capitain of the same should
stande in the left corner of the front. The seconde maine battaile,
should then put the firste five battailes therof, in the right flanck,
and the other five in the taile, and the hedde capitain of thesame,
should stande in the right corner, whom should come to dooe the office
of the Tergiductor. The armie ordained in this maner, ought to be made
to move, and in the marchyng, to observe all this order, and without
doubte, it is sure from all the tumultes of the countrie men. Nor the
capitain ought not to make other provision, to the tumultuarie
assaultes, then to give sometyme Commission to some horse, or Ansigne of
Veliti, that thei set themselves in order: nor it shall never happen
that these tumultuous people, will come to finde thee at the drawyng of
the swerd, or pikes poincte: for that men out of order, have feare of
those that be in araie: and alwaies it shall bee seen, that with cries
and rumours, thei will make a greate assaulte, without otherwise commyng
nere unto thee, like unto barking curres aboute a Mastie. Aniball when
he came to the hurte of the Romaines into Italie, he passed through all
Fraunce, and alwaies of the Frenche tumultes, he took small regarde.
Mindyng to marche, it is conveniente to have plainers and labourers
afore, whom maie make thee the waie plaine, whiche shall bee garded of
those horsemen, that are sent afore to viewe the countrie: an armie in
this order maie marche tenne mile the daie, and shall have tyme inough
to incampe, and suppe before Sunne goyng doune, for that ordinarely, an
armie maie marche twentie mile: if it happen that thou be assaulted, of
an armie set in order, this assaulte cannot growe sodainly: for that an
armie in order, commeth with his pace, so that thou maiest have tyme
inough, to set thy self in order to faight the field, and reduce thy
menne quickly into thesame facion, or like to thesame facion of an
armie, which afore is shewed thee. For that if thou be assaulted, on the
parte afore, thou needeste not but to cause, that the artillerie that be
on the flanckes, and the horse that be behinde, to come before, and
place theimselves in those places, and with those distaunces, as afore
is declared. The thousande Veliti that bee before, must go out of their
place, and be devided into CCCCC. for a parte, and go into their place,
betwene the horse and the hornes of tharmy: then in the voide place that
thei shal leave, the twoo Ansignes of the extraordinarie Pikes muste
entre, whiche I did set in the middest of the quadrante of the armie.
The thousande Veliti, whiche I placed behinde, must departe from thesame
place, and devide them selves in the flanckes of the battailes, to the
fortificacion of those: and by the open place that thei shal leave, all
the carriages and unarmed menne must go out, and place themselves on the
backe of the battaile. Then the rome in the middeste beyng voided, and
every man gone to his place: the five battailes, whiche I placed behinde
on the armie, must make forward in the voide place, that is betwene the
one and the other flanck, and marche towardes the battailes, that stand
in the hedde, and three of theim, muste stande within thirtie yardes of
those, with equall distances, betwene the one and the other, and the
other twoo shal remain behinde, distaunte other thirtie yardes: the
whiche facion maie bee ordained in a sodaine, and commeth almoste to bee
like, unto the firste disposicion, whiche of tharmy afore we shewed. And
though it come straighter in the fronte, it commeth grosser in the
flanckes, whiche giveth it no lesse strength: but bicause the five
battailes, that be in the taile, have the Pikes on the hinder parte, for
the occasion that before we have declared, it is necessarie to make
theim to come on the parte afore, mindyng to have theim to make a backe
to the front of tharmie: and therfore it behoveth either to make them to
tourne battaile after battaile, as a whole body, or to make them quickly
to enter betwen thorders of targettes, and conduct them afore, the
whiche waie is more spedy, and of lesse disorder, then to make them to
turn al together: and so thou oughtest to doe of all those, whiche
remain behind in every condicion of assault, as I shal shewe you. If it
appere that thenemie come on the part behinde, the first thyng that
ought to bee dooen, is to cause that every man tourne his face where his
backe stode, and straight waie tharmie cometh to have made of taile,
hed, and of hed taile: then al those waies ought to be kept, in orderyng
thesame fronte, as I tolde afore. If the enemie come to incounter the
right flancke, the face of thy armie ought to bee made to tourne
towardes thesame side: after, make all those thynges in fortificacion of
thesame hedde, whiche above is saied, so that the horsemen, the Veliti,
and the artillerie, maie be in places conformable to the hed thereof:
onely you have this difference, that in variyng the hed of those, which
are transposed, some have to go more, and some lesse. In deede makyng
hedde of the right flancke, the Veliti ought to enter in the spaces,
that bee betwene the horne of the armie, and those horse, whiche were
nerest to the lefte flancke, in whose place ought to enter, the twoo
Ansignes of the extraordinarie Pikes, placed in the middest: But firste
the carriages and the unarmed, shall goe out by the open place, avoidyng
the rome in the middest, and retiryng themselves behinde the lefte
flancke, whiche shall come to bee then the taile of the armie: the other
Veliti that were placed in the taile, accordyng to the principall
orderyng of the armie, in this case, shall not move: Bicause the same
place should not remaine open, whiche of taile shall come to be flancke:
all other thyng ought to bee dooen, as in orderyng of the firste hedde
is saied: this that is told about the makyng hed of the right flanck,
must be understode to be told, havyng nede to make it of the left
flanck: for that the very same order ought to bee observed. If the
enemie should come grose, and in order to assaulte thee on twoo sides,
those twoo sides, whiche he commeth to assaulte thee on, ought to bee
made stronge with the other twoo sides, that are not assaulted, doublyng
the orders in eche of theim, and devidyng for bothe partes the
artillerie, the Veliti, and the horse. If he come on three or on fower
sides, it is necessarie that either thou or he lacke prudence: for that
if thou shalt bee wise, thou wilte never putte thy self in place, that
the enemie on three or fower sides, with a greate nomber of men, and in
order, maie assault thee: for that mindyng, safely to hurte thee, it is
requisit, that he be so great, that on every side, he maie assault thee,
with as many men, as thou haste almoste in al thy army: and if thou be
so unwise, that thou put thy self in the daunger and force of an enemie,
whom hath three tymes more menne ordained then thou, if thou catche
hurte, thou canste blame no man but thy self: if it happen not through
thy faulte, but throughe some mischaunce, the hurt shall be without the
shame, and it shal chaunce unto thee, as unto the Scipions in Spaine,
and to Asdruball in Italie but if the enemie have not many more men then
thou, and intende for to disorder thee, to assaulte thee on divers
sides, it shal be his foolishnesse, and thy good fortune: for as moche
as to doe so, it is convenient, that he become so thinne in soche wise,
that then easely thou maiste overthrow one bande, and withstande an
other, and in short time ruinate him: this maner of ordering an armie
against an enemie, whiche is not seen, but whiche is feared, is a
necessarie and a profitable thing, to accustome thy souldiours, to put
themselves together, and to march with soche order, and in marchyng, to
order theimselves to faight, accordyng to the first hedde, and after to
retourne in the forme, that thei marched in, then to make hedde of the
taile, after, of the flanckes, from these, to retourne into the first
facion: the whiche exercises and uses bee necessarie, mindyng to have an
armie, throughly instructed and practised: in whiche thyng the Princes
and the capitaines, ought to take paine. Nor the discipline of warre is
no other, then to knowe how to commaunde, and to execute these thynges.
Nor an instructed armie is no other, then an armie that is wel practised
in these orders: nor it cannot be possible, that who so ever in this
time, should use like disciplin shall ever bee broken. And if this
quadrante forme whiche I have shewed you, is somewhat difficulte, soche
difficultnesse is necessarie, takyng it for an exercise: for as moche as
knowyng well, how to set theim selves in order, and to maintaine theim
selves in the same, thei shall knowe after more easely, how to stand in
those, whiche should not have so moche difficultie.

ZANOBI. I beleve as you saie, that these orders bee verie necessarie,
and I for my parte, knowe not what to adde or take from it: true it is,
that I desire to know of you twoo thynges, the one, if when you will
make of the taile, or of the flancke hedde, and would make them to
tourne, whether this be commaunded by the voice, or with the sounde:
thother, whether those that you sende afore, to make plain the waie, for
the armie to marche, ought to be of the verie same souldiours of your
battailes, or other vile menne appoincted, to like exercise.

[Sidenote: Commaundementes of Capitaines being not wel understoode, maie
be the destruction of an armie; Respect that is to be had in
commaundementes made with the sounde of the Trompet; In commaundmentes
made with the voice, what respect is to be had; Of Pianars.]

FABRICIO. Your firste question importeth moche: for that many tymes the
commaundementes of Capitaines, beyng not well understoode, or evill
interpreted, have disordered their armie: therfore the voices, with the
whiche thei commaunde in perilles, ought to bee cleare, and nete. And if
thou commaunde with the sounde, it is convenient to make, that betwene
the one waie and the other, there be so moche difference, that the one
cannot be chaunged for the other: and if thou commaundest with the
voice, thou oughteste to take heede, that thou flie the general voices,
and to use the particulares, and of the particulars, to flie those,
whiche maie be interpreted sinisterly. Many tymes the saiyng backe,
backe, hath made to ruinate an armie; therfore this voice ought not to
be used, but in steede therof to use, retire you. If you will make theim
to tourne, for to chaunge the hedde, either to flanck, or to backe, use
never to saie tourne you, but saie to the lefte, to the right, to the
backe, to the front: thus all the other voices ought to be simple, and
nete, as thrust on, march, stande stronge, forwarde, retourne you: and
all those thynges, whiche maie bee dooen with the voice, thei doe, the
other is dooen with the sounde. Concernyng those menne, that must make
the waies plaine for the armie to marche, whiche is your seconde
question, I would cause my owne souldiours to dooe this office, as well
bicause in the aunciente warfare thei did so, as also for that there
should be in the armie, lesser nomber of unarmed men, and lesse
impedimentes: and I would choose out of every battaile, thesame nomber
that should nede, and I would make theim to take the instrumentes, meete
to plaine the grounde withall, and their weapons to leave with those
rankes, that should bee nereste them, who should carrie them, and the
enemie commyng, thei shall have no other to doe, then to take them
again, and to retourne into their araie.

ZANOBI. Who shall carrie thinstrumentes to make the waie plaine withall?

FABRICIO. The Cartes that are appoincted to carrie the like
instrumentes.

ZANOBI. I doubte whether you should ever brynge these our souldiours, to
labour with Shovell or Mattocke, after soche sorte.

[Sidenote: The victualles that thantiquitie made provision of, for their
armies.]

FABRICIO. All these thynges shall bee reasoned in the place thereof, but
now I will let alone this parte, and reason of the maner of the
victualing of the armie: for that me thinketh, havyng so moche
traivailed theim, it is tyme to refreshe them, and to comfort them with
meate. You have to understande, that a Prince ought to ordaine his
armie, as expedite as is possible, and take from thesame all those
thynges, whiche maie cause any trouble or burthen unto it, and make unto
hym any enterprise difficulte. Emongest those thynges that causeth moste
difficultie, is to be constrained to keepe the armie provided of wine,
and baked bread. The antiquitie cared not for Wine, for that lackyng it,
thei dranke water, mingeled with a little vinegre, to give it a taste:
For whiche cause, emong the municions of victualles for the hoste,
vineger was one, and not wine. Thei baked not the breade in Ovens, as
thei use for Citees, but thei provided the Meale, and of thesame, every
Souldiour after his owne maner, satisfied hym self, havyng for
condimente Larde and Baken, the whiche made the breade saverie, that
thei made, and maintained theim strong, so that the provision of
victualles for the armie, was Meale, Vineger, Larde, and Bacon, and for
the horses Barley. Thei had ordinarely heardes of greate beastes and
small, whiche folowed the armie, the whiche havyng no nede to bee
carried, caused not moche impedimente. Of this order there grewe, that
an armie in old time, marched somtymes many daies through solitarie
places, and difficulte, without sufferyng disease of victualles: for
that thei lived of thyngs, whiche easely thei might convey after them.
To the contrarie it happeneth in the armies, that are now a daies,
whiche mindyng not to lacke wine, and to eate baked breade in thesame
maner, as when thei are at home, whereof beyng not able to make
provision long, thei remaine often tymes famished, or though thei be
provided, it is dooen with disease, and with moste greate coste:
therfore I would reduce my armie to this maner of living: and I would
not that thei should eate other bread, then that, which by themselves
thei should bake. Concernyng wine, I would not prohibite the drinkyng
thereof, nor yet the commyng of it into the armie, but I would not use
indevour, nor any labour for to have it, and in the other provisions, I
would governe my self altogether, like unto the antiquitie: the whiche
thing, if you consider well, you shall see how moche difficultie is
taken awaie, and how moche trouble and disease, an armie and a capitaine
is avoided of, and how moche commoditie shall bee given, to what so ever
enterprise is to bee dooen.

ZANOBI. We have overcome thenemie in the field, marched afterward upon
his countrie, reason would, that spoiles be made, tounes sacked,
prisoners taken, therefore I would knowe how the antiquitie in these
thynges, governed them selves.

[Sidenote: The occasions why the warres made nowe adaies, doe
impoverishe the conquerors as well as the conquered; The order that the
Romaines toke, concerning the spoile and the booties that their
souldiours gotte; An order that the antiquitie tooke, concernyng their
soldiours wages.]

FABRICIO. Beholde, I will satisfie you. I beleve you have considered,
for that once alredie with some of you I have reasoned, howe these
present warres, impoverishe as well those lordes that overcome, as those
that leese: for that if the one leese his estate, the other leeseth his
money, and his movables: the whiche in olde time was not, for that the
conquerour of the warre, waxed ritche. This groweth of keepyng no compte
in these daies of the spoiles, as in olde tyme thei did, but thei leave
it to the discreacion of the souldiours. This manner maketh twoo moste
great disorders: the one, that whiche I have tolde: the other that the
souldiour becometh more covetous to spoyle, and lesse observeth the
orders: and manie times it hath been seen, howe the covetousnesse of the
praye, hath made those to leese, whome were victorious. Therefore the
Romaines whiche were princes of armies, provided to the one and to the
other of these inconvenienses, ordainyng that all the spoyle should
apertaine to the publicke, and that the publicke after should bestowe
it, as shoulde be thought good: and therfore thei had in tharmie the
questours, whom were as we would say, the chamberlaines, to whose charge
all the spoyle and booties were committed: whereof the consull was
served to geve the ordinarie pay to the souldiours, to succour the
wounded, and the sicke, and for the other businesse of the armie. The
consull might well, and he used it often, to graunte a spoyle to
soldiours: but this grauntyng, made no disorder: for that the armie
beyng broken all the pray was put in the middest, and distributed by
hedde, accordyng to the qualitee of everie man: the which maner thei
constituted, to thintente, that the soldiours should attend to overcome,
and not to robbe: and the Romaine Legions overcame the enemies, and
folowed them not, for that thei never departed from their orders: onely
there folowed them, the horsemenne with those that were light armed, and
if there were any other souldiours then those of the legions, they
likewyse pursued the chase. Where if the spoyle shoulde have ben his
that gotte it, it had not ben possible nor reasonable, to have kepte the
legions steddie, and to withstonde manie perils; hereby grewe therefore,
that the common weale inritched, and every Consull carried with his
triumphe into the treasurie, muche treasure, whiche all was of booties
and spoiles. An other thing the antiquetie did upon good consideration,
that of the wages, whiche they gave to every souldiour, the thirde parte
they woulde shoulde be laied up nexte to him, whome carried the ansigne
of their bande, whiche never gave it them againe, before the warre was
ended: this thei did, beyng moved of twoo reasons, the first was to
thintente, that the souldiour should thrive by his wages, because the
greatest parte of them beyng yonge men, and carelesse, the more thei
have, so muche the more without neede thei spende, the other cause was,
for that knowyng, that their movabelles were nexte to the ansigne, thei
should be constrained to have more care thereof, and with more
obstinatenesse to defende it: and this made them stronge and to holde
together: all which thynges is necessarie to observe, purposinge to
reduce the exercise of armes unto the intier perfection therof.

ZANOBI. I beleeve that it is not possible, that to an armie that
marcheth from place to place, there fal not perrilous accidentes, where
the industerie of the capitaine is needefull, and the worthinesse of the
souldiours, mindyng to avoyde them. Therefore I woulde be glad, that you
remembring any, would shew them.

[Sidenote: Captaines mai incurre the daunger of ambusshes twoo maner of
wayes; How to avoide the perill of ambusshes; Howe ambusshes have ben
perceived; Howe the Capitaine of the enemies ought to be esteemed; Where
men be in greatest perill; The description of the countrey where an army
muste marche, is most requiset for a Capitaine to have; A most
profitable thyng it is for a capitayne to be secrete in all his
affaires; An advertisment concernyng the marchyng of an armie; The
marching of an armie ought to be ruled by the stroke of the Drumme; The
condicion of the enemie ought to be considered.]

FABRICIO. I shall contente you with a good will, beyng inespetially
necessarie, intendyng to make of this exercise a perfecte science. The
Capitaines ought above all other thynges, whileste thei marche with an
armie, to take heede of ambusshes, wherein they incurre daunger twoo
waies, either marchynge thou entrest into them, or thoroughe crafte of
the enemie thou arte trained in before thou arte aware. In the first
case, mindyng to avoide suche perill, it is necessarie to sende afore
double warde, whome may discover the countrey, and so muche the more
dilligence ought to be used, the more that the countrey is apte for
ambusshes, as be the woddie or hilly countries, for that alwaies thei be
layd either in a wodde, or behind a hille: and as the ambusshe not
forseene, doeth ruin thee, so forseyng the same, it cannot hurte thee.
Manie tymes birdes or muche duste have discovered the enemie: for that
alwayes where the enemie cometh to finde thee, he shall make great
duste, whiche shall signifie unto thee his comyng: so often tymes a
Capitaine seyng in the places where he ought to passe, Doves to rise, or
other of those birdes that flie in flockes, and to tourne aboute and not
to light, hath knowen by the same the ambusshe of the enemies to be
there, and sendynge before his men, and sertainely understandyng it,
hath saved him selfe and hurte his enemie. Concernyng the seconde case,
to be trained in, (which these our men cal to be drawen to the shot)
thou ought to take heede, not straight way to beleve those thinges,
which are nothyng reasonable, that thei be as they seeme: as shoulde be,
if the enemie should set afore thee a praie, thou oughtest to beleeve
that in the same is the hooke, and that therin is hid the deceipte. If
many enemies be driven away by a fewe of thine, if a fewe enemies
assaulte manie of thine, if the enemies make a sodeine flight, and not
standynge with reason, alwaies thou oughtest in suche cases to feare
deceipte, and oughtest never to beleeve that the enemie knoweth not how
to doe his businesse, but rather intendyng that he may begile thee the
lesse, and mindyng to stand in lesse peril, the weaker that he is, and
the lesse craftier that the enemie is, so muche the more thou oughtest
to esteeme him: and thou muste in this case use twoo sundrie poinctes,
for that thou oughtest to feare him in thy minde and with the order, but
with wordes, and with other outewarde demonstracion, to seeme to dispyse
him: because this laste way, maketh that the souldiours hope the more to
have the victorie: the other maketh thee more warie, and lesse apte to
be begyled. And thou hast to understand, that when men marche thoroughe
the enemies countrey, they ar in muche more, and greater perils, then in
fayghtyng the fielde: and therefore the Capitaine in marchyng, ought to
use double diligence: and the first thyng that he ought to doo, is to
get described, and payncted oute all the countrie, thorough the which he
must marche, so that he maye know the places, the number, the distances,
the waies, the hilles, the rivers, the fennes, and all the quallites of
them: and to cause this to bee knowen, it is convenient to have with him
diversly, and in sundrie maners such men, as know the places, and to
aske them with diligence, and to se whether their talke agree, and
accordyng to the agreyng therof, to note: he oughte also to sende afore
the horsemen, and with them prudente heddes, not so muche to discover
the enemie, as to viewe the countrey, to se whether it agree with the
description, and with the knowledge that they have of the same. Also the
guydes that are sente, ought to be kepte with hope of rewarde, and feare
of paine. And above all thynges it ought to be provided, that the armie
knowe not to what businesse he leadeth them: for that there is nothyng
in the warre more profitable, then to keepe secret the thynges that is
to be dooen: and to thintente a suddeine assaulte dooe not trouble thy
soldiours, thou oughteste to see them to stande reddie with their
weapons, because the thynges that ar provided for, offend lesse. Manie
for to avoyde the confusion of marchyng, have placed under the
standerde, the carriages, and the unarmed, and have commaunded them to
folow the same, to the intente that in marchyng needyng to staye, or to
retire, they might dooe it more easely, which thyng as profitable, I
alowe very muche. Also in marchyng, advertismente ought to be had, that
the one parte of the armie goe not a sunder from the other, or that
thoroughe some goyng fast, and some softe, the armie become not slender:
the whiche thynges, be occation of dissorder: therfore the heddes muste
be placed in suche wise, that they may maintaine the pace even, causing
to goe softe those that goe to fast, and to haste forward the other that
goe to sloe, the whiche pace can not bee better ruled, then by the
stroke of the drumme. The waies ought to be caused to be inlarged, so
that alwaies at least a bande of iiii. hundred men may marche in order
of battaile. The custome and the qualitie of the enemie ought to be
considered, and whether that he wil assaulte thee either in the mornyng,
or at none or in the evenynge, and whether he be more puisante with
fotemen or horsemen, and accordyng as thou understandest, to ordeine and
to provide for thy self. But let us come to some particular accidente.
It hapneth sometime, that thou gettyng from the enemie, because thou
judgest thy selfe inferiour, and therfore mindynge not to faight with
him, and he comyng at thy backe, thou arivest at the banke of a river,
passyng over the which, asketh time, so that the enemie is redie to
overtake thee and to fayght with thee. Some, which chaunsing to bee in
suche perill, have inclosed their armie on the hinder parte with a
diche, and fillyng the same full of towe, and firyng it, have then
passed with the armie without beyng able to be letted of the enemie, he
beyng by the same fire that was betwene them held backe.

[Sidenote: Annone of Carthage.]

ZANOBI. I am harde of beliefe, that this fyre coulde stay theim, in
especially because I remember that I have harde, howe Annone of
Carthage, beyng besieged of enemies, inclosed him selfe on the same
parte, with wodde, which he did set on fire where he purposed to make
eruption. Wherfore the enemies beyng not intentive on the same parte to
looke to him, he made his armie to passe over the same flame, causing
every man to holde his Target before his face for to defend them from
the fire, and smoke.

[Sidenote: Nabide a spartayne; Quintus Luttatius pollecie to passe over
a river; How to passe a ryver without a bridge; A polecie of Cesar to
passe a river, where his enemie beyng on the other side therof sought to
lette hym.]

FABRICIO. You saye well: but consider you howe I have saied, and howe
Annone did: for as muche as I saied that they made a diche, and filled
it with towe, so that he, that woulde passe over the same, should be
constrained to contende with the diche and with fire: Annone made the
fire, without the diche, and because he intended to passe over it, he
made it not great, for that otherwise without the diche, it shoulde have
letted him. Dooe you not knowe, that Nabide a Spartan beyng besieged in
Sparta of the Romaines, set fire on parte of his towne to let the way to
the Romaines, who alredie wer entred in? And by meane of the same flame
not onely hindered their way, but drave them oute: but let us turne to
our matter. Quintus Luttatius a Romaine, havyng at his backe the Cimbri,
and commyng to a river, to thentente the enemie should give him time to
passe over, semed to geve time to them to faight with him: and therfore
he fained that he would lodge there, and caused trenches to be made, and
certaine pavilions to be erected, and sent certayne horsemen into the
countrie for forredge: so that the Cimbrise beleevyng, that he incamped,
they also incamped, and devided them selves into sundrie partes, to
provide for victuals, wherof Luttatius being aware, passed the river
they beyng not able to let him. Some for to passe a river havynge no
bridge, have devided it, and one parte they have turned behynde their
backes, and the other then becomynge shalower, with ease they have
passed it: when the rivers be swift, purposyng to have their footemen to
passe safely, they place their strongest horses on the higher side, that
thei may sustain the water, and an other parte be lowe that may succour
the men, if any of the river in passyng should be overcome with the
water: They passe also rivers, that be verie deepe, with bridges, with
botes, and with barrelles: and therfore it is good to have in a
redinesse in an armie wherewith to be able to make all these thynges. It
fortuneth sometime that in passyng a river, the enemie standynge agaynst
thee on the other banke, doeth let thee: to minde to overcome this
difficultie, I know not a better insample to folow, then the same of
Cesar, whome havynge his armie on the banke of a river in Fraunce, and
his passage beynge letted of Vergintorige a Frenche man, the whiche on
the other side of the river had his men, marched many daies a longe the
river, and the like did the enemie: wherfore Cesar incamping in a woddie
place, apte to hide men, he tooke out of every legion three cohortes,
and made them to tarie in the same place, commaundynge theim that so
soone as he was departed, they shoulde caste over a bridge, and should
fortefie it, and he with his other menne folowed on the waye: wherfore
Vergintorige seyng the number of the legions, thinkyng that there was
not left anie parte of theim behinde, folowed also his way: but Cesar
when he supposed that the bridge was made, tourned backewarde, and
findynge all thinges in order, passed the river without difficultee.

ZANOBI. Have ye any rule to know the foordes?

[Sidenote: How to know the Foordes of a river.]

FABRICIO. Yea, we have: alwaies the river, in that parte, whiche is
betwene the water, that is stilleste, and the water that runneth
fastest, there is least depth and it is a place more meete to be looked
on, then any other where. For that alwaies in thesame place, the river
is moste shallowest. The whiche thyng, bicause it hath been proved many
tymes, is moste true.

ZANOBI. If it chaunce that the River hath marde the Foorde, so that the
horses sincke, what reamedy have you?

[Sidenote: Howe to escape oute of a straight where the same is besette
with enemies; Howe Lutius Minutius escaped out of a strayght wherin he
was inclosed of his enemies; Howe some Capitaynes have suffered them
selves to be compassed aboute of their enemies; A polecie of Marcus
Antonius; A defence for the shotte of arrowes.]

FABRICIO. The remedie is to make hardels of roddes whiche must be placed
in the bottome of the river, and so to passe upon those: but let us
folowe our reasonyng. If it happen that a capitain be led with his
armie, betwen two hilles, and that he have not but twoo waies to save
hymself, either that before, or that behinde, and those beyng beset of
thenemies, he hath for remidie to doe the same, which some have doen
heretofore: that which have made on their hinder parte a greate trenche,
difficult to passe over, and semed to the enemie, to mynde to kepe him
of, for to be able with al his power, without neding to feare behinde,
to make force that waie, whiche before remaineth open. The whiche the
enemies belevyng, have made theim selves stronge, towardes the open
parte, and have forsaken the inclosed and he then castyng a bridge of
woode over the Trenche, for soche an effect prepared, bothe on thesame
parte, with out any impedimente hath passed, and also delivered hymself
out of the handes of the enemie. Lucius Minutus a Consul of Rome, was in
Liguria with an armie, and was of the enemies inclosed, betwene certaine
hilles, whereby he could not go out: therefore he sente certaine
souldiours of Numidia on horsebacke, whiche he had in his armie (whom
were evill armed, and upon little leane horses) towardes the places that
were kepte of the enemies, whom at the first sight made the enemies, to
order theim selves together, to defende the passage: but after that thei
sawe those men ill apoincted, and accordyng to their facion evill
horsed, regardyng theim little, enlarged the orders of their warde,
wherof so sone as the Numidians wer a ware, givyng the spurres to their
horses, and runnyng violently upon theim, passed before thei could
provide any remedy, whom beyng passed, destroied and spoiled the
countrie after soche sorte, that thei constrained the enemies, to leave
the passage free to the armie of Lucius. Some capitaine, whiche hath
perceived hymself to be assaulted of a greate multitude of enemies, hath
drawen together his men, and hath given to the enemie commoditie, to
compasse hym all about, and then on thesame part, whiche he hath
perceived to be moste weake, hath made force, and by thesame waie, hath
caused to make waie, and saved hymself.

Marcus Antonius retiryng before the armie of the Parthians, perceived
how the enemies every daie before Sunne risyng, when he removed,
assaulted him, and all the waie troubled hym: in so moch, that he
determined not to departe the nexte daie, before None: so that the
Parthians beleving, that he would not remove that daie, retourned to
their tentes. Whereby Marcus Antonius might then all the reste of the
daie, marche without any disquietnesse. This self same man for to avoide
the arrowes of the Parthians, commaunded his men, that when the
Parthians came towardes them, thei should knele, and that the second
ranke of the battailes, should cover with their Targaettes, the heddes
of the firste, the thirde, the seconde, the fowerth the third, and so
successively, that all the armie came, to be as it were under a
pentehouse, and defended from the shotte of the enemies. This is as
moche as is come into my remembraunce, to tell you, which maie happen
unto an armie marchyng: therefore, if you remember not any thyng els, I
will passe to an other parte.




THE SIXTHE BOOKE


ZANOBI. I beleve that it is good, seyng the reasonyng must be chaunged,
that Baptiste take his office, and I to resigne myne, and wee shall come
in this case, to imitate the good Capitaines (accordyng as I have nowe
here understoode of the gentilman) who place the beste souldiours,
before and behinde the armie, semyng unto theim necessarie to have
before, soche as maie lustely beginne the faight, and soche as behinde
maie lustely sustaine it. Now seyng Cosimus began this reasonyng
prudently, Baptiste prudently shall ende it. As for Luigi and I, have in
this middeste intertained it, and as every one of us hath taken his part
willingly, so I beleve not, that Baptiste wil refuse it.

BAPTISTE. I have let my self been governed hetherto, so I minde to doe
still. Therfore be contente sir, to folowe your reasonyng, and if we
interrupte you with this practise of ours, have us excused.

[Sidenote: How the Grekes incamped; Howe the Romaines incamped; The
maner of the incamping of an armie; The lodging for the generall
capitaine.]

FABRICIO. You dooe me, as all readie I have saied, a moste greate
pleasure; for this your interrupting me, taketh not awaie my fantasie,
but rather refresheth me. But mindyng to followe our matter I saie, how
that it is now tyme, that we lodge this our armie, for that you knowe
every thyng desireth reste and saftie, bicause to reste, and not to
reste safely, is no perfecte reste: I doubte moche, whether it hath not
been desired of you, that I should firste have lodged them, after made
theim to marche, and laste of all to faight, and we have doen the
contrary: whereunto necessitie hath brought us, for that intendyng to
shewe, how an armie in going, is reduced from the forme of marching, to
thesame maner of faightyng, it was necessarie to have firste shewed, how
thei ordered it to faight. But tournyng to our matter, I saie, that
minding to have the Campe sure, it is requisite that it be strong, and
in good order: the industrie of the Capitaine, maketh it in order, the
situacion, or the arte, maketh it stronge. The Grekes sought strong
situacions, nor thei would never place theim selves, where had not been
either cave, or bancke of a river, or multitude of trees, or other
naturall fortificacion, that might defende theim: but the Romaines not
so moche incamped safe through the situacion, as through arte, nor thei
would never incampe in place, where thei should not have been able to
have raunged all their bandes of menne, accordyng to their discipline.
Hereby grewe, that the Romaines might kepe alwaies one forme of
incamping, for that thei would, that the situacion should bee ruled by
them, not thei by the situacion: the which the Grekes could not observe,
for that beyng ruled by the situacion, and variyng the situacion and
forme, it was conveniente, that also thei should varie the maner of
incampyng, and the facion of their lodgynges. Therefore the Romaines,
where the situacion lacked strength thei supplied thesame with arte, and
with industrie. And for that I in this my declaracion, have willed to
imitate the Romaines, I will not departe from the maner of their
incamping, yet not observyng altogether their order, but takyng thesame
parte, whiche semeth unto me, to be mete for this present tyme. I have
told you many tymes, how the Romaines had in their consull armies, twoo
Legions of Romaine men, whiche were aboute a leven thousande footemen,
and sixe hundred horsemen, and moreover thei had an other leven
thousande footemen, sente from their frendes in their aide: nor in their
armie thei had never more souldiers that were straungers, then Romaines,
excepte horsemenne, whom thei cared not, though thei were more in nomber
then theirs: and in all their doynges, thei did place their Legions in
the middeste, and the aiders, on the sides: the whiche maner, thei
observed also in incampyng, as by your self you maie rede, in those
aucthoures, that write of their actes: and therefore I purpose not to
shewe you distinctly how thei incamped, but to tell you onely with what
order, I at this presente would incampe my armie, whereby you shall then
knowe, what parte I have taken out of the Romaine maners. You knowe,
that in stede of twoo Romaine Legions, I have taken twoo maine battailes
of footemen, of sixe thousande footemen, and three hundred horsemen,
profitable for a maine battaile, and into what battailes, into what
weapons, into what names I have devided theim: you knowe howe in
orderyng tharmie to marche, and to faight, I have not made mencion of
other men, but onely have shewed, how that doublyng the men, thei neded
not but to double the orders: but mindyng at this presente, to shew you
the maner of incampyng, me thinketh good not to stande onely with twoo
maine battailes, but to bryng together a juste armie, made like unto the
Romaines, of twoo maine battailes, and of as many more aidyng men: the
whiche I make, to the intent that the forme of the incampyng, maie be
the more perfect, by lodgyng a perfecte armie: whiche thyng in the other
demonstracions, hath not semed unto me so necessarie. Purposing then, to
incampe a juste armie, of xxiiii. thousande footemen, and of twoo
thousande good horsemenne, beeyng devided into fower maine battailes,
twoo of our owne menne, and twoo of straungers, I would take this waie.
The situacion beyng founde, where I would incampe, I would erecte the
hed standarde, and aboute it, I would marke out a quadrant, whiche
should have every side distante from it xxxvii. yardes and a half, of
whiche every one of them should lye, towardes one of the fower regions
of heaven, as Easte, Weste, Southe, and Northe: betwene the whiche
space, I would that the capitaines lodgyng should be appoincted. And
bicause I beleve that it is wisedom, to devide the armed from the
unarmed, seyng that so, for the moste parte the Romaines did, I would
therefore seperate the menne, that were cumbered with any thing, from
the uncombered. I would lodge all, or the greatest parte of the armed,
on the side towardes the Easte, and the unarmed, and the cumbred, on the
Weste side, makyng Easte the hedde, and Weste the backe of the Campe,
and Southe, and Northe should be the flanckes: and for to distinguishe
the lodgynges of the armed, I would take this waie. I would drawe a line
from the hedde standarde, and lead it towardes the Easte, the space of
CCCCC.x. yardes and a half: I would after, make two other lines, that
should place in the middeste the same, and should bee as longe as that,
but distante eche of theim from it a leven yardes and a quarter: in the
ende whereof, I would have the Easte gate, and the space that is betwene
the twoo uttermoste lines, should make a waie, that should go from the
gate, to the capitaines lodging, whiche shall come to be xxii. yardes
and a halfe broad, and CCCClxxii. yardes and a halfe longe, for the
xxxvii. yardes and a halfe, the lodgyng of the Capitaine will take up:
and this shall bee called the Capitaine waie. Then there shall be made
an other waie, from the Southe gate, to the Northe gate, and shall passe
by the hedde of the capitaine waie, and leave the Capitaines lodgyng
towardes theaste, whiche waie shalbe ix.C.xxxvii. yardes and a halfe
long (for the length therof wilbe as moche as the breadth of all the
lodgynges) and shall likewise be xxii. yardes and a half broad, and
shalbe called the crosse waie. Then so sone as the Capitaines lodgyng,
were appoincted out, and these twoo waies, there shall bee begun to be
appoincted out, the lodginges of our own two main battailes, one of the
whiche, I would lodge on the right hand of the capitaines waie, and the
other, on the lefte: and therefore passing over the space, that the
breadth of the crosse waie taketh, I would place xxxii. lodgynges, on
the lefte side of the capitain waie, and xxxii. on the right side,
leavyng betwene the xvi. and the xvii. lodgyng, a space of xxii. yardes
and a halfe, the whiche should serve for a waie overthwart, whiche
should runne overthwarte, throughout all the lodgynges of the maine
battailes as in the distributyng of them shall bee seen.

[Sidenote: The lodgings for the men of armes, and their Capitaine; Note,
which is breadth and whiche length in the square campe; The lodgings for
the lighte horsemen, and their capitain; The lodgings for the footemen
of twoo ordinary main battailes; The lodgings for the conestables; The
nomber of footemen appoincted to every lodging; The lodynges for the
chiefe Capitaines of the maine battayles and for the treasurers,
marshals and straungers; Lodginges for the horsemen, of the
extraordinarie mayne battailes; The lodgynges for the extraordinarie
Pykes and Veliti; How the Artillerie must be placed in the Campe;
Lodgynges for the unarmed men, and the places that are apoineted for the
impedimentes of the campe.]

Of these twoo orders of lodgynges in the beginnyng of the head, whiche
shall come to joygne to the crosse waye, I would lodge the Capitaine of
the men of armes, in the xv. lodgynges, which on everie side foloweth
next, their men of armes, where eche main battaile, havyng a CL. men of
armes, it will come to ten men of armes for a lodgyng. The spaces of the
Capitaines lodgynges, should be in bredth xxx. and in length vii. yardes
and a halfe. And note that when so ever I sai bredeth, it signifieth the
space of the middest from Southe to Northe, and saiyng length, that
whiche is from weste to Easte. Those of the men of armes, shoulde be xi.
yardes and a quarter in length, and xxii. yardes and a halfe in bredeth.
In the other xv. lodgynges, that on everie syde should folowe, the
whiche should have their beginnyng on the other side of the overthwarte
way, and whiche shall have the very same space, that those of the men of
armes had, I woulde lodge the light horsemen: wherof beynge a hundred
and fiftie, it will come to x. horsemen for a lodgyng, and in the xvi.
that remaineth, I woulde lodge their Capitaine, gevynge him the verie
same space, that is geven to the Capitain of the men of armes: and thus
the lodginges of the horsemen of two maine battailes, will come to place
in the middest the Capitaine way, and geve rule to the lodginges of the
footemen, as I shall declare. You have noted how I have lodged the CCC.
horsemen of everie main battaile with their Capitaines, in xxxii.
lodgynges placed on the Captaine waie, havynge begun from the crosse
waie, and how from the xvi. to the xvii. there remaineth a space of
xxii. yardes and a halfe, to make awaie overthwarte. Mindyng therefore
to lodge the xx. battailes, which the twoo ordinarie maine battailes
have, I woulde place the lodgyng of everie twoo battailes, behinde the
lodgynges of the horsemen, everie one of whiche, should have in length
xi. yardes and a quarter, and in bredeth xxii. yardes and a half as
those of the horsemens, and shoulde bee joigned on the hinder parte,
that thei shoulde touche the one the other. And in every first lodgyng
on everie side which cometh to lie on the crosse waie, I woulde lodge
the Counstable of a battaile, whiche should come to stand even with the
lodgyng of the Capitayne of the men of armes, and this lodgyng shall
have onely of space for bredeth xv. yardes, and for length vii. yardes
and a halfe. In the other xv. lodgynges, that on everie side followeth
after these, even unto the overthwarte way, I would lodge on everie part
a battaile of foote men, whiche beyng iiii. hundred and fiftie, there
will come to a lodgyng xxx. The other xv. lodgynges, I woulde place
continually on every side on those of the light horse men, with the
verie same spaces, where I woulde lodge on everie part, an other
battaile of fote men, and in the laste lodgyng, I would place on every
parte the Conestable of the battaile, whiche will come to joigne with
the same of the Capitaine of the lighte horsemen, with the space of vii.
yardes and a halfe for length, and xv. for bredeth: and so these two
firste orders of lodgynges, shal be halfe of horsemen, and halfe of
footemen. And for that I woulde (as in the place therof I have tolde
you) these horse menne shoulde be all profitable, and for this havynge
no servauntes whiche in kepyng the horses, or in other necessarie
thynges might helpe them, I woulde that these footemen, who lodge
behynde the horse, should bee bounde to helpe to provide, and to keepe
theim for their maisters: and for this to bee exempted from the other
doynges of the Campe. The whiche maner, was observed of the Romanies.
Then leavyng after these lodgynges on everie parte, a space of xxii.
yardes and a halfe, whiche shoulde make awaye, that shoulde be called
the one, the firste waye on the righte hande, and the other the firste
waie on the lefte hand, I woulde pitche on everie side an other order of
xxxii. double lodgynges, whiche should tourne their hinder partes the
one againste the other with the verie same spaces, as those that I have
tolde you of, and devided after the sixtenth in the verie same maner for
to make the overthwarte waie, where I would lodge on every side iiii.
battailes of footemen, with their constables in bothe endes. Then
leavyng on every side an other space of xxii. yardes and a halfe, that
shoulde make a waie, whiche shoulde be called of the one side, the
seconde waie on the right hande, and on the other syde, the seconde way
on the lefte hande, I would place an other order on everie side of
xxxii. double lodgynges, with the verie same distance and devisions,
where I would lodge on everie side, other iiii. battailes with their
Constables: and thus the horesemenne and the bandes of the twoo
ordinarie maine battailes, should come to be lodged in three orders of
lodgynges, on the one side of the capitaine waie, and in three other
orders of lodgynges on the other side of the Capitaine waie. The twoo
aidyng maine battels (for that I cause them to be made of the verie same
nation) I woulde lodge them on everie parte of these twoo ordinarie
maine battailes, with the very same orders of double lodgynges, pitchyng
first one order of lodgynges, where should lodge halfe the horsemen, and
half the foote men, distance xxii. yardes and a halfe from the other,
for to make a way whiche should be called the one, the thirde waie on
the right hande, and the other the thirde waie on the lefte hande. And
after, I woulde make on everie side, twoo other orders of lodgynges, in
the verie same maner destinguesshed and ordeined, as those were of the
ordinarie maine battelles, which shall make twoo other wayes, and they
all should be called of the numbre, and of the hande, where thei should
be placed: in suche wyse, that all this side of the armie, shoulde come
to be lodged in xii. orders of double lodgynges, and in xiii. waies,
reckenynge captaine waie, and crosse waie: I would there should remayne
a space from the lodgynges to the Trenche of lxxv. yardes rounde aboute:
and if you recken al these spaces, you shall see that from the middest
of the Capitaines lodgyng to the easte gate, there is Dx. yardes. Now
there remaineth twoo spaces, whereof one is from the Capitaines lodgyng
to the Southe gate, the other is from thense to the Northe gate: whiche
come to be (either of them measurynge them from the poincte in the
middest) CCCC.lxxvi. yardes. Then takyng out of everie one of these
spaces xxxvii. yardes and a halfe, whiche the Capitaynes lodgynge
occupieth, and xxxiiii. yardes everie waie for a market place, and xxii.
yardes and a halfe for way that devides everie one of the saied spaces
in the middest, and lxxv. yardes, that is lefte on everie part betweene
the lodgynges and the Trenche, there remaineth on every side a space for
lodginges of CCC. yardes broade, and lxxv. yardes longe, measurynge the
length with the space that the Captaines lodgynge taketh up. Devidynge
then in the middest the saied lengthe, there woulde be made on every
hande of the Capitaine xl. lodgynges xxxvii. yardes and a halfe longe,
and xv. broade, whiche will come to be in all lxxx. lodgynges, wherin
shall be lodged the heddes of the maine battailes, the Treasurers, the
Marshalles of the fielde, and all those that shoulde have office in the
armie, leavyng some voide for straungers that shoulde happen to come,
and for those that shall serve for good will of the Capitaine. On the
parte behinde the Capitaines lodgynge, I would have a way from Southe to
Northe xxiii. yardes large, and shoulde be called the bed way, whiche
shall come to be placed a longe by the lxxx. lodgynges aforesayd: for
that this waie, and the crosseway, shall come to place in the middest
betweene them bothe the Capitaines lodgynge, and the lxxx. lodgynges
that be on the sides therof. From this bed waie, and from over agaynst
the captaines lodgyng, I would make an other waie, which shoulde goe
from thens to the weste gate, lykewyse broade xxii. yardes and a halfe,
and should aunswer in situation and in length to the Captaine way, and
should be called the market waie. These twoo waies beynge made, I woulde
ordeine the market place, where the market shall bee kepte, whiche I
woulde place on the head of the market way over against the capitaines
lodgynge, and joigned to the head way, and I woulde have it to be
quadrante, and woulde assigne lxxxx. yardes and three quarters to a
square: and on the right hande and lefte hande, of the saied market
place, I would make two orders of lodginges, where everie order shal
have eight double lodginges, which shall take up in length, ix. yardes,
and in bredeth xxii. yardes and a halfe, so that there shall come to be
on every hande of the market place, xvi. lodgynges that shall place the
same in the middest which shall be in al xxxii. wherin I woulde lodge
those horsemen, which shoulde remaine to the aidyng mayne battailes: and
when these should not suffise, I woulde assigne theim some of those
lodginges that placeth between them the Capitaines lodgynge, and in
especially those, that lie towardes the Trenche. There resteth now to
lodge the Pikes, and extraordinarie Veliti, that everie main battaile
hath, which you know accordynge to our order, how everie one hath
besides the x. battailes M. extraordinarie Pikes, and five hundreth
Veliti: so that the twoo cheefe maine battailes, have two thousande
extraordinarie Pikes, and a thousande extraordinarie Veliti, and the
ayders as many as those, so that yet there remaineth to be lodged, vi.
M. menne, whome I woulde lodge all on the weste side, and a longe the
Trenche. Then from the ende of the hed waye, towardes Northe, leavyng
the space of lxxv. yardes from them to the trenche, I woulde place an
order of v. double lodgynges, whiche in all shoulde take up lvi. yardes
in lengthe, and xxx. in bredeth: so that the bredeth devided, there will
come to everie lodgyng xi. yardes and a quarter for lengthe, and for
bredeth twoo and twentie yardes and a half. And because there shall be
x. lodgynges, I will lodge three hundred men, apoinctyng to every
lodging xxx. men: leavyng then a space of three and twentie yardes and a
quarter, I woulde place in like wise, and with like spaces an other
order of five double lodgynges, and againe an other, till there were
five orders of five double lodgynges: which wil come to be fiftie
lodgynges placed by right line on the Northe side, every one of them
distante from the Trenche lxxv. yardes, which will lodge fifteene
hundred men. Tournyng after on the lefte hande towardes the weste gate,
I woulde pitche in all the same tracte, whiche were from them to the
saied gate, five other orders of double lodgynges, with the verie same
spaces, and with the verie same maner: true it is, that from the one
order to the other, there shall not be more then a xi. yardes and a
quarter of space: wherin shall be lodged also fifteene hundred men: and
thus from the Northe gate to the weste, as the Trenche turneth, in a
hundred lodginges devided in x. rewes of five double lodgynges in a
rowe, there will be lodged all the Pikes and extraordinarie Veliti of
the cheefe maine battayles. And so from the west gate to the Southe, as
the Trenche tourneth even in the verie same maner, in other ten rewes of
ten lodgynges in a rewe, there shall be lodged the pikes, and
extraordinarie Veliti of the aidyng mayne battailes. Their headdes or
their counstables may take those lodgynges, that shal seeme unto them
moste commodious, on the parte towardes the trenche. The Artillerie, I
woulde dispose throughoute all the Campe, a longe the banke of the
Trenche: and in all the other space that shoulde remaine towardes weste,
I woulde lodge all the unarmed, and place all the impedimentes of the
Campe. And it is to be understoode, that under this name of impedimentes
(as you know) the antiquitee mente all the same trayne, and all those
thynges, which are necessarie for an armie, besides the souldiours: as
are Carpenters, Smithes, Masons, Ingeners, Bombardiers, althoughe that
those might be counted in the numbre of the armed, herdemen with their
herdes of motons and beeves whiche for victuallyng of the armie, are
requiset: and moreover maisters of all sciences, together with publicke
carriages of the publicke munition, whiche pertaine as well to
victuallyng, as to armynge. Nor I would not distinguishe these lodginges
perticularly, only I would marke out the waies which should not be
occupied of them: then the other spaces, that betweene the waies shall
remaine, whiche shall be fower, I woulde appoincte theim generally for
all the saied impedimentes, that is one for the herdemen, the other for
artificers and craftes men, the thirde for publicke carriages of
victuals, the fowerth for the municion of armour and weapons. The waies
whiche I woulde shoulde be lefte without ocupiyng them, shal be the
market waie, the head waye, and more over a waie that shoulde be called
the midde waye, whiche should goe from Northe to Southe, and should
passe thoroughe the middest of the market waie, whiche from the weste
parte, shoulde serve for the same purpose that the overthwarte way doeth
on the east parte. And besides this, a waye whiche shall goe aboute on
the hinder parte, alonge the lodgynges of the Pikes and extraordinarie
Veliti, and all these wayes shall be twoo and tweentie vardes and a
halfe broade. And the Artilerie, I woulde place a longe the Trenche of
the Campe, rounde aboute the same.

BAPTISTE. I confesse that I understand not, nor I beleeve that also to
saye so, is any shame unto me, this beyng not my exercise:
notwithstandyng, this order pleaseth me muche: onely I woulde that you
shoulde declare me these doubtes: The one, whie you make the waie, and
the spaces aboute so large. The other, that troubleth me more, is these
spaces, whiche you apoincte oute for the lodgynges, howe they ought to
be used.

[Sidenote: The Campe ought to be all waies of one facion.]

FABRICIO. You must note, that I make all the waies, xxii. yardes and a
halfe broade, to the intente that thorowe them, maie go a battaile of
men in araie, where if you remember wel, I tolde you how every bande of
menne, taketh in breadth betwene xviii. and xxii. yardes of space to
marche or stande in. Nowe where the space that is betwene the trenche,
and the lodgynges, is lxxv. yardes broade, thesame is moste necessarie,
to the intent thei maie there order the battailes, and the artillerie,
bothe to conducte by thesame the praies, and to have space to retire
theim selves with newe trenches, and newe fortificacion if neede were:
The lodginges also, stande better so farre from the diches, beyng the
more out of daunger of fires, and other thynges, whiche the enemie,
might throwe to hurte them. Concernyng the seconde demaunde, my intent
is not that every space, of me marked out, bee covered with a pavilion
onely, but to be used, as tourneth commodious to soch as lodge there,
either with more or with lesse Tentes, so that thei go not out of the
boundes of thesame. And for to marke out these lodginges, there ought to
bee moste cunnyng menne, and moste excellente Architectours, whom, so
sone as the Capitaine hath chosen the place, maie knowe how to give it
the facion, and to distribute it, distinguishyng the waies, devidyng the
lodgynges with Coardes and staves, in soche practised wise, that
straight waie, thei maie bee ordained, and devided: and to minde that
there growe no confusion, it is conveniente to tourne the Campe, alwaies
one waie, to the intente that every manne maie knowe in what waie, in
what space he hath to finde his lodgyng: and this ought to be observed
in every tyme, in every place, and after soche maner, that it seme a
movyng Citee, the whiche where so ever it goweth, carrieth with it the
verie same waies, the verie same habitacions, and the verie same
aspectes, that it had at the firste: The whiche thing thei cannot
observe, whom sekyng strong situacions, must chaunge forme, accordyng to
the variacion of the grounde: but the Romaines in the plaine, made
stronge the place where thei incamped with trenches, and with Rampires,
bicause thei made a space about the campe, and before thesame a ditche,
ordinary broad fower yardes and a halfe, and depe aboute twoo yardes and
a quarter, the which spaces, thei increased, according as thei intended
to tarie in a place, and accordyng as thei feared the enemie. I for my
parte at this presente, would not make the listes, if I intende not to
Winter in a place: yet I would make the Trenche and the bancke no lesse,
then the foresaied, but greater, accordyng to necessitie. Also,
consideryng the artellerie, I would intrench upon every corner of the
Campe, a halfe circle of ground, from whens the artillerie might
flancke, whom so ever should seke to come over the Trenche. In this
practise in knowyng how to ordain a campe, the souldiours ought also to
be exercised, and to make with them the officers expert, that are
appoincted to marke it out, and the Souldiours readie to knowe their
places: nor nothyng therein is difficulte, as in the place thereof shall
bee declared: wherefore, I will goe forewarde at this tyme to the warde
of the campe, bicause without distribucion of the watche, all the other
pain that hath been taken, should be vain.

BAPTISTE. Before you passe to the watche, I desire that you would
declare unto me, when one would pitche his campe nere the enemie, what
waie is used: for that I knowe not, how a man maie have tyme, to be able
to ordaine it without perill.

FABRICIO. You shall understande this, that no Capitaine will lye nere
the enemie, except he, that is desposed to faight the fielde, when so
ever his adversarie will: and when a capitaine is so disposed, there is
no perill, but ordinarie: for that the twoo partes of the armie, stande
alwaies in a redinesse, to faight the battaile, and thother maketh the
lodginges. The Romaines in this case, gave this order of fortifiyng the
Campe, unto the Triarii: and the Prencipi, and the Astati, stoode in
armes. This thei did, for as moche as the Triarii, beyng the last to
faight, might have time inough, if the enemie came, to leave the woorke,
and to take their weapons, and to get them into their places. Therfore,
accordyng unto the Romaines maner, you ought to cause the Campe to be
made of those battailes, whiche you will set in the hinder parte of the
armie, in the place of the Triarii. But let us tourne to reason of the
watche.

[Sidenote: Theantiquitie used no Scoutes; The watche and warde of the
Campe.]

I thinke I have not founde, emongest the antiquitie, that for to warde
the campe in the night, thei have kepte watche without the Trenche,
distaunte as thei use now a daies, whom thei call Scoutes: the whiche I
beleve thei did, thinkyng that the armie might easely bee deceived,
through the difficultie, that is in seeyng them againe, for that thei
might bee either corrupted, or oppressed of the enemie: So that to
truste either in parte, or altogether on them, thei judged it perillous.
And therefore, all the strength of the watche, was with in the trenche,
whiche thei did withall diligence kepe, and with moste greate order,
punished with death, whom so ever observed not thesame order: the whiche
how it was of them ordained, I will tell you no other wise, leaste I
should bee tedious unto you, beyng able by your self to see it, if as
yet you have not seen it: I shall onely briefly tell that, whiche shall
make for my purpose, I wold cause to stand ordinarely every night, the
thirde parte of the armie armed, and of thesame, the fowerth parte
alwaies on foote, whom I would make to bee destributed, throughout all
the banckes, and throughout all the places of the armie, with double
warde, placed in every quadrante of thesame: Of whiche, parte should
stande still, parte continually should go from the one corner of the
Campe, to the other: and this order, I would observe also in the daie,
when I should have the enemie nere.

[Sidenote: Dilligence ought to be used, to knowe who lieth oute of the
Campe, and who they be that cometh of newe; Claudius Nero; The justice
that ought to be in a campe. The fauts that the antiquitie punisshed
with Death; Where greate punishementes be, there oughte likewise to bee
great rewardes; It was no marvel that the Romaines became mightie
Princes; A meane to punishe and execute Justice, without raising
tumultes; Manlius Capitolinus; Souldiours sworen to kepe the discipline
of warre.]

Concernyng the givyng of the watche worde, and renuyng thesame every
evening, and to doe the other thynges, whiche in like watches is used,
bicause thei are thynges well inough knowen, I will speake no further of
them: onely I shall remember one thyng, for that it is of greate
importaunce, and whiche causeth great saulfgarde observyng it, and not
observyng it, moche harme: The whiche is, that there be observed greate
diligence, to knowe at night, who lodgeth not in the Campe, and who
commeth a newe: and this is an easie thing to see who lodgeth, with
thesame order that wee have appoincted: for as moche as every lodgyng
havyng the determined nomber of menne, it is an easie matter to see, if
thei lacke, or if there be more menne: and when thei come to be absente
without lisence, to punishe them as Fugetives, and if there bee more, to
understande what thei be, what they make there, and of their other
condicions. This diligence maketh that the enemie cannot but with
difficultie, practise with thy capitaines, and have knowlege of thy
counsailes: which thing if of the Romaines, had not been diligently
observed, Claudius Nero could not, havyng Aniball nere hym, depart from
his Campe, whiche he had in Lucania, and to go and to retourne from
Marca, without Aniball should have firste heard thereof some thyng. But
it suffiseth not to make these orders good, excepte thei bee caused to
bee observed, with a greate severtie: for that there is nothyng that
would have more observacion, then is requisite in an armie: therefore
the lawes for the maintenaunce of thesame, ought to be sharpe and harde,
and the executour therof moste harde. The Romaines punished with death
him that lacked in the watch, he that forsoke the place that was given
hym to faight in, he that caried any thynge, hidde out of the Campe, if
any manne should saie, that he had doen some worthy thing in the faight,
and had not doen it, if any had fought without the commaundemente of the
Capitaine, if any had for feare, caste awaie his weapons: and when it
happened, that a Cohorte, or a whole Legion, had committed like fault,
bicause thei would not put to death all, thei yet tooke al their names,
and did put them in a bagge, and then by lotte, thei drue oute the
tenthe parte, and so those were put to death: the whiche punishemente,
was in soche wise made, that though every man did not feele it every man
notwithstandyng feared it: and bicause where be greate punishementes,
there ought to be also rewardes, mindyng to have menne at one instant,
to feare and to hope, thei had appoincted rewardes to every worthie
acte: as he that faighting, saved the life of one of his Citezeins, to
hym that firste leapte upon the walle of the enemies Toune, to hym that
entered firste into the Campe of the enemies, to hym that had in
faightyng hurte, or slaine the enemie, he that had stroken him from his
horse: and so every vertuous act, was of the Consulles knowen and
rewarded, and openly of every manne praised: and soche as obtained
giftes, for any of these thynges, besides the glorie and fame, whiche
thei got emongest the souldiours, after when thei returned into their
countrie, with solemne pompe, and with greate demonstracion emong their
frendes and kinsfolkes, thei shewed them. Therefore it was no marveile,
though thesame people gotte so moche dominion, having so moche
observacion in punishemente, and rewarde towardes theim, whom either for
their well doyng, or for their ill doyng, should deserve either praise
or blame: Of whiche thynges it were convenient, to observe the greater
parte. Nor I thinke not good to kepe secrete, one maner of punishmente
of theim observed, whiche was, that so sone as the offendour, was before
the Tribune, or Consulle convicted, he was of the same lightely stroken
with a rodde: after the whiche strikyng, it was lawfull for the
offendour to flie, and to all the Souldiours to kill hym: so that
straight waie, every man threwe at hym either stones, or dartes, or with
other weapons, stroke hym in soche wise, that he went but little waie a
live, and moste fewe escaped, and to those that so escaped, it was not
lawfull for them to retourne home, but with so many incommodities, and
soche greate shame and ignomie, that it should have ben moche better for
him to have died. This maner is seen to be almoste observed of the
Suizzers, who make the condempned to be put to death openly, of thother
souldiours, the whiche is well considered, and excellently dooen: for
that intendyng, that one be not a defendour of an evill doer, the
greateste reamedie that is founde, is to make hym punisher of thesame:
bicause otherwise, with other respecte he favoureth hym: where when he
hymself is made execucioner, with other desire, he desireth his
punishemente, then when the execucion commeth to an other. Therefore
mindyng, not to have one favored in his faulte of the people, a greate
remedie it is, to make that the people, maie have hym to judge. For the
greater proofe of this, thinsample of Manlius Capitolinus might be
brought, who being accused of the Scenate, was defended of the people,
so longe as thei were not Judge, but becommyng arbitratours in his
cause, thei condempned hym to death. This is then a waie to punishe,
without raisyng tumultes, and to make justise to be kepte: and for as
moche as to bridell armed menne, neither the feare of the Lawes, nor of
menne suffise not, the antiquitie joined thereunto the aucthoritie of
God: and therefore with moste greate Ceremonies, thei made their
souldiours to sweare, to kepe the discipline of warre, so that doyng
contrariewise, thei should not onely have to feare the Lawes, and menne,
but God: and thei used all diligence, to fill them with Religion.

[Sidenote: Women and idell games, were not suffered by the antiquitie,
to bee in their armies.]

BAPTISTE. Did the Romaines permitte, that women might bee in their
armies, or that there might be used these idell plaies, whiche thei use
now a daies.

FABRICIO. Thei prohibited the one and thother, and this prohibicion was
not moche difficulte: For that there were so many exercises, in the
whiche thei kept every daie the souldiours, some whiles particularely,
somewhiles generally occupied that thei had no time to thinke, either on
Venus, or on plaies, nor on any other thyng, whiche sedicious and
unproffitable souldiours doe.

BAPTISTE. I am herein satisfied, but tell me, when the armie had to
remove, what order kepte thei?

[Sidenote: Ordre in the removing the armie by the soundes of a Trumpet.]

FABRICIO. The chief Trumpet sounded three tymes, at the firste sound,
thei toke up the Tentes, and made the packes, at the seconde, thei laded
the carriage, at the thirde, thei removed in thesame maner aforsaied,
with the impedimentes after every parte of armed men, placyng the
Legions in the middeste: and therefore you ought to cause after thesame
sorte, an extraordinarie maine battaile to remove: and after that, the
particulare impedimentes therof, and with those, the fowerth part of the
publike impedimentes, which should bee all those, that were lodged in
one of those partes, whiche a little afore we declared: and therfore it
is conveniente, to have every one of them, appointed to a maine
battaile, to the entente that the armie removyng, every one might knowe
his place in marchyng: and thus every maine battaile ought to goe awaie,
with their owne impedimentes, and with the fowerth parte of the publike
impedimentes, followyng after in soche maner, as wee shewed that the
Romaines marched.

BAPTISTE. In pitchyng the Campe, had thei other respectes, then those
you have tolde?

[Sidenote: Respectes to be had for incampyng; How to choose a place to
incampe; How to avoide diseases from the armie; The wonderfull
commoditie of exercise; The provision of victualles that ought alwaies
to bee in a readinesse in an armie.]

FABRICIO. I tell you again, that the Romaines when thei encamped, would
be able to kepe the accustomed fashion of their maner, the whiche to
observe, thei had no other respecte: but concernyng for other
consideracions, thei had twoo principall, the one, to incampe theim
selves in a wholesome place, the other, to place themselves, where
thenemie could not besiege theim, nor take from them the waie to the
water, or victualles. Then for to avoide infirmitie, thei did flie from
places Fennie, or subjecte to hurtfull windes: whiche thei knewe not so
well, by the qualitie of the situacion, as by the face of the
inhabitours: for when thei sawe theim evill coloured, or swollen, or
full of other infeccion, thei would not lodge there: concernyng thother
respecte to provide not to be besieged, it is requisite to consider the
nature of the place, where the friendes lye, and thenemies, and of this
to make a conjecture, if thou maiest be besieged or no: and therefore it
is meete, that the Capitaine be moste experte, in the knowlege of
situacions of countries, and have aboute him divers men, that have the
verie same expertenes. Thei avoide also diseases, and famishment, with
causyng the armie to kepe no misrule, for that to purpose to maintain it
in health, it is nedefull to provide, that the souldiours maie slepe
under tentes, that thei maie lodge where bee Trees, that make shadowe,
where woodde is for to dresse their meate, that thei go not in the
heate, and therefore thei muste bee drawen out of the campe, before daie
in Summer, and in Winter, to take hede that thei marche not in the
Snowe, and in the Froste, without havyng comoditie to make fire, and not
to lack necessarie aparel, nor to drink naughtie water: those that fall
sicke by chaunce, make them to bee cured of Phisicions: bicause a
capitain hath no reamedie, when he hath to faight with sicknesse, and
with an enemie: but nothing is so profitable, to maintaine the armie in
health, as is the exercise: and therfore the antiquitie every daie, made
them to exercise: wherby is seen how muche exercise availeth: for that
in the Campe, it kepeth thee in health, and in the faight victorious.
Concernyng famishemente, it is necessarie to see, that the enemie hinder
thee not of thy victualles, but to provide where thou maieste have it,
and to see that thesame whiche thou haste, bee not loste: and therefore
it is requisite, that thou have alwaies in provision with the armie,
sufficiente victuall for a monethe, and then removyng into some strong
place, thou muste take order with thy nexte frendes, that daily thei
maie provide for thee, and above al thinges bestowe the victual with
diligence, givyng every daie to every manne, a reasonable measure, and
observe after soche sorte this poincte, that it disorder thee not:
bicause all other thyng in the warre, maie with tyme be overcome, this
onely with tyme overcometh thee: nor there shall never any enemie of
thyne, who maie overcome thee with famishemente, that will seeke to
overcome thee with iron. For that though the victory be not so
honourable, yet it is more sure and more certaine: Then, thesame armie
cannot avoide famishemente, that is not an observer of justice, whiche
licenciously consumeth what it liste: bicause the one disorder, maketh
that the victualls commeth not unto you, the other, that soche victuall
as commeth, is unprofitably consumed: therefore thantiquitie ordained,
that thei should spende thesame, whiche thei gave, and in thesame tyme
when thei appoincted: for that no souldiour did eate, but when the
Capitaine did eate: The whiche how moche it is observed of the armies
nowe adaies, every manne knoweth, and worthely thei can not bee called
menne of good order and sober, as the antiquitie, but lasivious and
drunkardes.

BAPTISTE. You saied in the beginnyng of orderynge the Campe, that you
woulde not stande onely uppon twoo maine battailes, but woulde take
fower, for to shewe how a juste armie incamped: therfore I would you
shoulde tell me twoo thynges, the one, when I shoulde have more or lesse
men, howe I ought to incampe them, the other, what numbre of souldiours
should suffice you to faight against what so ever enemie that were.

[Sidenote: Howe to lodge in the Campe more or lesse menne, then the
ordinarie; The nombre of men that an army ought to be made of, to bee
able to faighte with the puisantest enemie that is; Howe to cause men to
do soche a thing as shold bee profitable for thee, and hurtfull to them
selves; Howe to overcome menne at unwares; How to tourne to commoditie
the doynges of soche, as use to advertise thy enemie of thy
proceadynges; How to order the campe, that the enemie shal not perceive
whether the same bee deminished, or increased; A saiyng of Metellus;
Marcus Crassus; How to understand the secretes of thy enemie; A policie
of Marius, to understande howe he might truste the Frenchmen; What some
Capitaines have doen when their countrie have been invaded of enemies;
To make the enemie necligente in his doynges; Silla Asdruball; The
policie of Aniball, where by he escaped out of the danger of Fabius
Maximus; A Capitayne muste devise how to devide the force of his
enemies; How to cause the enemie to have in suspect his most trusty men;
Aniball Coriolanus; Metellus against Jugurte; A practis of the Romayne
oratours, to bryng Aniball out of Credit with Antiochus; Howe to cause
the enemie to devide his power; Howe Titus Didius staied his enemies
that wer going to incounter a legion of men that were commyng in his
ayde; Howe some have caused the enemie to devide his force; A policie to
winne the enemies countrie before he be aware; Howe to reforme sedicion
and discorde; The benefitte that the reputacion of the Capitaine
causeth, which is only gotten by vertue; The chiefe thyng that a
capitayne ought to doe; When paie wanteth, punishment is not to be
executed; The inconvenience of not punisshynge; Cesar chaunsynge to
fall, made the same to be supposed to signifi good lucke; Religion
taketh away fantasticall opinions; In what cases a Capitaine ought not
to faight with his enemie if he may otherwyse choose; A policie of
Fulvius wherby he got and spoyled his enemies Campe; A policie to
disorder the enemie; A policie to overcome the enemie; A policie; How to
beguile the enemie; Howe Mennonus trained his enemies oute of stronge
places to bee the better able to overcom them.]

FABRICIO. To the first question I answer you, that if the armie be more
or lesse, then fower or sixe thousande souldiours, the orders of
lodgynges, may bee taken awaie or joined, so many as suffiseth: and with
this way a man may goe in more, and in lesse, into infinite:
Notwithstandynge the Romaines, when thei joigned together twoo consull
armies, thei made twoo campes, and thei tourned the partes of the
unarmed, thone against thother. Concernyng the second question, I say
unto you, that the Romaines ordinary armie, was about xxiiii. M.
souldiours: but when thei were driven to faight against the greatest
power that might be, the moste that thei put together, wer L. M. With
this number, thei did set against two hundred thousand Frenchemen, whome
assaulted them after the first warre, that thei had with the
Carthageners. With this verie same numbre, thei fought againste
Anniball. And you muste note, that the Romaines, and the Grekes, have
made warre with fewe, fortefiyng themselves thorough order, and thorough
arte: the west, and the easte, have made it with multitude: But the one
of these nacions, doeth serve with naturall furie: as doe the men of the
west partes, the other through the great obedience whiche those men have
to their kyng. But in Grece, and in Italy, beyng no naturall furie, nor
the naturall reverence towardes their king, it hath been necessary for
them to learne the discipline of warre, the whiche is of so muche force,
that it hath made that a fewe, hath been able to overcome the furie, and
the naturall obstinatenesse of manie. Therefore I saie, that mindyng to
imitate the Romaines, and the Grekes, the number of L. M. souldiers
ought not to bee passed, but rather to take lesse: because manie make
confucion, nor suffer not the discipline to be observed, and the orders
learned, and Pirrus used to saie, that with xv. thousande men he woulde
assaile the worlde: but let us pas to an other parte. We have made this
our armie to winne a field and shewed the travailes, that in the same
fight may happen: we have made it to marche, and declared of what
impedimentes in marchyng it may be disturbed: and finally we have lodged
it: where not only it ought to take a littell reste of the labours
passed, but also to thinke howe the warre ought to be ended: for that in
the lodgynges, is handeled many thynges, inespecially thy enemies as yet
remainyng in the fielde, and in suspected townes, of whome it is good to
be assured, and those that be enemies to overcome them: therfore it is
necessarie to come to this demonstracion, and to passe this difficultie
with the same glorie, as hitherto we have warred. Therfore comynge to
particular matters, I saie that if it shoulde happen, that thou wouldest
have manie men, or many people to dooe a thyng, whiche were to thee
profittable, and to theim greate hurte, as should be to breake downe the
wall of their citie, or to sende into exile many of them, it is
necessarie for thee, either to beguile them in such wise that everie one
beleeve not that it toucheth him: so that succouryng not the one the
other, thei may finde them selves al to be oppressed without remedie, or
els unto all to commaunde the same, whiche they ought to dooe in one
selfe daie, to the intente that every man belevyng to be alone, to whome
the commaundement is made, maie thinke to obey and not to remedie it:
and so withoute tumulte thy commaundement to be of everie man executed.
If thou shouldest suspecte the fidelitie of anie people, and woulde
assure thee, and overcome them at unawares, for to colour thy intente
more easelie, thou canst not doe better, then to counsel with them of
some purpose of thine, desiryng their aide, and to seeme to intende to
make an other enterprise, and to have thy minde farre from thinkyng on
them: the whiche will make, that thei shall not think on their owne
defence, beleevyng not that thou purposest to hurte them, and thei shal
geve thee commoditie, to be able easely to satisfie thy desire. When
thou shouldest perceive, that there were in thine armie some, that used
to advertise thy enemie of thy devises, thou canst not doe better,
myndynge to take commoditie by their traiterous mindes, then to commen
with them of those thynges, that thou wilte not doe, and those that thou
wilt doe, to kepe secret, and to say to doubte of thynges, that thou
doubtest not, and those of whiche thou doubtest, to hide: the which
shall make thenemie to take some enterprise in hand, beleving to know
thy devises, where by easly thou maiest beguile and opresse hym. If thou
shouldest intende (as Claudius Nero did) to deminishe thy armie,
sendynge helpe to some freende, and that the enemie shoulde not bee
aware therof, it is necessarie not to deminishe the lodgynges, but to
maintayne the signes, and the orders whole, makyng the verie same fires,
and the verye same wardes throughout all the campe, as wer wont to be
afore. Lykewise if with thy armie there should joigne new men, and
wouldest that the enemie shoulde not know that thou werte ingrosed, it
is necessarie not to increase the lodgynges: Because keepyng secrete
doynges and devises, hath alwaies been moste profitable. Wherfore
Metellus beyng with an armie in Hispayne, to one, who asked him what he
would doe the nexte daie, answered, that if his sherte knew therof, he
would bourne it. Marcus Craussus, unto one, whome asked him, when the
armie shoulde remove, saied beleevest thou to be alone not to here the
trumpet? If thou shouldest desire to understande the secretes of thy
enemie, and to know his orders, some have used to sende embassadours,
and with theim in servauntes aparel, moste expertest men in warre: whom
havynge taken occasion to se the enemies armie, and to consider his
strengthe and weakenesse, it hath geven them oportunitie to overcome
him. Some have sente into exile one of their familiars, and by meanes of
the same, hath knowen the devises of his adversarie. Also like secrettes
are understoode of the enemies when for this effecte there were taken
any prisoners. Marius whiche in the warre that he made with the Cimbrie,
for to know the faieth of those Frenchmen, who then inhabited Lombardie,
and were in leage with the Romaine people, sent them letters open, and
sealed: and in the open he wrote, that they shoulde not open the sealed,
but at a certaine time, and before the same time demaundyng them againe,
and finding them opened, knew thereby that their faithe was not to be
trusted. Some Capitaines, being invaded, have not desired to goe to
meete the enemie, but have gone to assaulte his countrey, and
constrained him to retorne to defende his owne home: The whiche manie
times hath come wel to passe, for that those soldiours beginnyng to fil
them selves with booties, and confidence to overcome, shall sone make
the enemies souldiours to wexe afraide, when they supposynge theim
selves conquerours, shal understand to become losers: So that to him
that hath made this diversion, manie times it hath proved well. But
onely it may be doen by him, whiche hath his countrey stronger then that
of the enemies, because when it were otherwise, he should goe to leese.
It hath been often a profitable thyng to a capitaine, that hath been
besieged in his lodgynges by the enemie, to move an intreatie of
agreemente, and to make truse with him for certaine daies: the which is
wonte to make the enemies more necligente in all doynges: so that
avaylynge thee of their necligence, thou maiest easely have occacion to
get thee oute of handes. By this way Silla delivered him selfe twise
from the enemies: and with this verie same deceipte, Asdruball in
Hispayne got oute of the force of Claudious Nero, whome had besieged
him. It helpeth also to deliver a man out of the daunger of the enemie,
to do some thyng beside the forsaied, that may keepe him at a baye: this
is dooen in two maners, either to assaulte him with parte of thy power,
so that he beyng attentive to the same faight, may geve commoditie to
the reste of thy men to bee able to save theim selves, or to cause to
rise some newe accidente, which for the strayngenesse of the thynge,
maie make him to marvell, and for this occasion to stande doubtefull,
and still: as you knowe howe Anniball dyd, who beynge inclosed of Fabius
Maximus, tied in the nighte small Bavens kindeled beetweene the hornes
of manie Oxen, so that Fabius astonied at the strangenesse of the same
sight, thought not to lette him at all the passage. A Capitayne oughte
amonge all other of his affaires, with al subtiltie to devise to devide
the force of the enemie, either with makyng him to suspecte his owne
menne, in whome he trusteth, or to give him occasion, that he maye
seperate his menne, and therby to be come more weake. The fyrste way is
dooen with keepyng saulfe the thynges of some of those whiche he hath
aboute him, as to save in the warre their menne and their possessions,
renderynge theim their children, or other their necessaries withoute
raunsome. You know that Anniball havynge burned all the fieldes aboute
Rome, he made onely to bee reserved saulfe those of Fabius Maximus. You
know how Coriolanus comyng with an armie to Rome, preserved the
possessions of the nobilitie, and those of the comminaltie he bourned,
and sacked. Metellus havinge an armie againste Jugurte, all the
oratours, whiche of Jugurte were sente him, were required of him, that
they woulde geve him Jugurte prisoner, and after to the verie same men
writyng letters of the verie same matter, wrought in suche wise, that in
shorte tyme Jugurte havyng in suspecte all his counsellours, in diverse
maners put them to death. Anniball beynge fled to Antiochus, the Romaine
oratours practised with him so familiarly, that Antiochus beyng in
suspecte of him, trusted not anie more after to his counselles.
Concernyng to devide the enemies men, there is no more certainer waie,
then to cause their countrie to be assaulted to the intente that being
constrained to goe to defende the same, they maie forsake the warre.
This way Fabius used havynge agaynst his armie the power of the
Frenchemen, of the Tuscans, Umbries and Sannites. Titus Didius havyng a
few men in respecte to those of the enemies, and lookynge for a legion
from Rome, and the enemies purposinge to goe to incounter it, to the
intente that they should not goe caused to bee noised through all his
armie, that he intended the nexte daie to faighte the field with the
enemies: after he used means, that certaine of the prisoners, that he
had taken afore, had occasion to runne awaie. Who declaryng the order
that the Consull had taken to faighte the nexte daie, by reason wherof
the enemies beyng afraide to deminishe their owne strength, went not to
incounter the same legion, and by this way thei wer conducted safe. The
which means serveth not to devide the force of the enemies, but to
augmente a mans owne. Some have used to devide the enemies force, by
lettyng him to enter into their countrie, and in profe have let him take
manie townes, to the intente that puttynge in the same garrisons, he
might thereby deminishe his power, and by this waie havynge made him
weake, have assaulted and overcomen him. Some other mindyng to goe into
one province, have made as though they woulde have invaded an other, and
used so much diligence, that sodenly entryng into the same, where it was
not doubted that they woulde enter, they have first wonne it, before the
ennemie coulde have time to succour it: for that thy enemie beynge not
sure, whether thou purposest to tourne backe, to the place fyrste of
thee threatned, is constrained not to forsake the one place, to succour
the other, and so many times he defendeth neither the one nor the other.
It importeth besides the sayde thynges to a Capitaine, if there growe
sedicion or discorde amonge the souldiours, to knowe with arte howe to
extynguishe it: The beste waie is to chastise the headdes of the
faultes, but it muste be doen in such wise, that thou maiest first have
oppressed them, before they be able to be aware: The way is if they be
distante from thee, not onely to call the offenders, but together with
theim all the other, to the entente that not beleevynge, that it is for
any cause to punishe them, they become not contumelius, but geve
commoditie to the execution of the punishemente: when thei be present,
thou oughtest to make thy selfe stronge with those that be not in
faulte, and by meane of their helpe to punishe the other. When there
hapneth discorde amonge them, the beste waye is, to bryng them to the
perill, the feare whereof is wonte alwaies to make them agree. But that,
which above all other thynge kepeth the armie in unitee, is the
reputacion of the Capitaine, the whiche onely groweth of his vertue:
because neither bloud, nor authoritie gave it ever without vertue. And
the chiefe thyng, whiche of a Capitain is looked for to be doen, is, to
keepe his souldiours punisshed, and paied: for that when so ever the
paie lacketh, it is conveniente that the punisshement lacke: because
thou canst not correcte a souldiour, that robbeth, if thou doest not
paie him, nor the same mindynge to live, cannot abstaine from robbynge:
but if thou paiest him and punisshest him not, he beecometh in everie
condicion insolente: For that thou becomest of small estimacion, where
thou chaunsest not to bee able to maintaine the dignitie of thy degree,
and not mainetainyng it, there foloweth of necessitee tumulte, and
discorde, whiche is the ruine of an armie. Olde Capitaines had a
troubell, of the which the presente be almoste free, whiche was to
interprete to their purpose the sinister auguries: because if there fell
a thunderbolte in an armie, if the sunne were darkened or the Moone, if
there came an erthequake, if the Capitaine either in gettyng up, or in
lightynge of his horse fell, it was of the souldiours interpreted
sinisterously: And it ingendred in them so moche feare, that comynge to
faight the fielde, easely they should have lost it: and therefore the
aunciente Capitaines so sone as a lyke accidente grewe, either they
shewed the cause of the same, and redused it to a naturall cause, or
they interpreted it to their purpose. Cesar fallyng in Africa, in comyng
of the sea saied, Africa I have taken thee. Moreover manie have declared
the cause of the obscuryng of the Moone, and of earthquakes: which thing
in our time cannot happen, as well because our men be not so
supersticious, as also for that our religion taketh away altogether such
opinions: al be it when they should chaunse, the orders of the
antiquitie ought to be imitated. When either famishement, or other
naturall necessitie, or humaine passion, hath broughte thy enemie to an
utter desperation, and he driven of the same, cometh to faight with
thee, thou oughtest to stande within thy campe, and as muche as lieth in
thy power, to flie the faight. So the Lacedemonians did against the
Masonians, so Cesar did against Afranio, and Petreio. Fulvius beyng
Consul, against the Cimbrians, made his horsemen manie daies continually
to assaulte the enemies, and considered how thei issued out of their
campe for to folow them: wherfore he sette an ambusshe behinde the Campe
of the Cimbrians, and made them to be assaulted of his horsmen, and the
Cimbrians issuyng oute of their campe for to follow them. Fulvio gotte
it, and sacked it. It hath ben of great utilitie to a Capitaine, havyng
his armie nere to the enemies armie, to sende his menne with the enemies
ansignes to robbe, and to burne his owne countrey, whereby the enemies
beleevynge those to bee menne, whiche are come in their aide, have also
runne to helpe to make them the pray: and for this disorderyng them
selves, hathe therby given oportunitie to the adversary to overcome
them. This waie Alexander of Epirus used againste the Illirans and
Leptenus of Siracusa against the Carthaginers and bothe to the one and
to the other, the devise came to passe most happely. Manie have overcome
the enemie, gevyng him occasion to eate and to drinke oute of measure,
fayning to have feared, and leaving their Campes full of wyne and herdes
of cattell, wherof the enemie beyng filled above all naturall use, have
then assaulted him, and with his destruction overthrowen him. So Tamirus
did against Cirus, and Tiberius Graccus agaynst the Spaniardes. Some
have poysoned the wine, and other thynges to feede on, for to be able
more easely to overcome them. I saied a littel afore how I founde not,
that the antiquetie kepte in the night Scoutes abroade, and supposed
that they did it for to avoide the hurte, whiche might growe therby:
because it is founde, that through no other meane then throughe the
watche man, whiche was set in the daie to watche the enemie, hath been
cause of the ruin of him, that set him there: for that manie times it
hath hapned, that he beyng taken, hath been made perforce to tell theim
the token, whereby they might call his felowes, who commyng to the
token, have been slaine or taken. It helpeth to beguile the enemie
sometime to varie a custome of thine, whereupon he having grounded him
self, remaineth ruinated: as a Capitaine did once, whome usinge to cause
to be made signes to his men for comynge of the enemies in the night
with fire, and in the daie with smoke, commaunded that withoute anie
intermission, they shoulde make smoke and fire, and after commynge upon
them the enemie, they should reste, whome beleevyng to come without
beynge seen, perceivyng no signe to be made of beyng discovered, caused
(through goeyng disordered) more easie the victorie to his adversarie.
Mennonus a Rodian mindynge to drawe from stronge places the enemies
armie, sente one under colour of a fugitive, the whiche affirmed, howe
his armie was in discorde, and that the greater parte of them wente
awaie: and for to make the thynge to be credited, he caused to make in
sporte, certaine tumultes amonge the lodgynges: whereby the enemie
thvnkyng thereby to be able to discomfaighte them, assaultynge theim,
were overthrowen.

[Sidenote: The enemie ought not to be brought into extreme desperacion;
How Lucullus constrained certaine men that ran awaie from him to his
enemies, to fayght whether they wold or not.]

Besides thesaied thynges, regarde ought to be had not to brynge the
enemie into extreme desperacion: whereunto Cesar had regarde, faightyng
with the Duchemen, who opened them the waie, seyng, howe thei beyng not
able to flie, necessitie made them strong, and would rather take paine
to followe theim, when thei fled, then the perill to overcome them, when
thei defended them selves. Lucullus seyng, how certaine Macedonian
horsemenne, whiche were with hym, went to the enemies parte, straight
waie made to sounde to battaile, and commaunded, that the other men
should folowe hym: whereby the enemies beleving, that Lucullus would
begin the faight, went to incounter the same Macedonians, with soche
violence, that thei were constrained to defende themselves: and so thei
became against their willes, of fugetives, faighters. It importeth also
to knowe, how to be assured of a toune, when thou doubteste of the
fidelitie thereof, so sone as thou haste wonne the fielde, or before,
the whiche certain old insamples maie teache thee.

[Sidenote: A policie wher by Pompey got a towne; How Publius Valerius
assured him self of a towne; A policie that Alexander Magnus used to be
assured of all Tracia, which Philip kynge of Spaine did practise to be
asured of England when he wente to sainct Quintens; Examples for
Capitaines to winne the hartes of the people.]

Pompei doubtyng of the Catinensians, praied them that thei would bee
contente, to receive certaine sicke menne, that he had in his armie, and
sendyng under the habite of sicke persones, most lustie menne, gotte the
toune. Publius Valerius, fearyng the fidelitie of the Epidannians,
caused to come, as who saieth, a Pardon to a churche without the toune,
and when al the people wer gone for Pardon, he shutte the gates,
receivyng after none in, but those whom he trusted. Alexander Magnus,
mindyng to goe into Asia, and to assure himself of Thracia, toke with
him all the principall of thesame Province, givyng theim provision, and
he set over the common people of Thracia, men of lowe degree, and so he
made the Princes contented with paiyng theim, and the people quiete,
havyng no heddes that should disquiete them: But emong all the thynges,
with the whiche the Capitaines, winne the hartes of the people, be the
insamples of chastitie and justice, as was thesame of Scipio in Spaine,
when he rendered that yong woman, moste faire of personage to her
father, and to her housebande: the whiche made him more, then with force
of armes to winne Spain.

Cesar having caused that woodde to bee paied for, whiche he had occupied
for to make the Listes, about his armie in Fraunce, got so moche a name
of justice, that he made easier the conquest of thesame province. I
cannot tell what remaineth me, to speake more upon these accidentes, for
that concerning this matter, there is not lefte any parte, that hath not
been of us disputed. Onely there lacketh to tell, of the maner of
winnyng, and defendyng a toune: the whiche I am readie to doe willingly,
if you be not now wearie.

BAPTISTE. Your humanitie is so moche, that it maketh us to followe our
desires, without beyng afraied to be reputed presumptuous, seyng that
you liberally offer thesame, whiche we should have been ashamed, to have
asked you: Therefore, we saie unto you onely this, that to us you cannot
dooe a greater, nor a more gratefuller benefite, then to finishe this
reasonyng. But before that you passe to that other matter, declare us a
doubte, whether it bee better to continewe the warre, as well in the
Winter, as thei use now adaies, or to make it onely in the Sommer, and
to goe home in the Winter, as the antiquitie did.

[Sidenote: Warre ought not to be made in winter; Rough situacions, colde
and watrie times, are enemies to the oder of warre; An overthrowe caused
by winter.]

FABRICIO. See, that if the prudence of the demaunder were not, there had
remained behinde a speciall part, that deserveth consideracion. I
answere you againe, that the antiquitie did all thynges better, and with
more prudence then wee: and if wee in other things commit some erroure,
in the affaires of warre, wee commit all errour. There is nothing more
undiscrete, or more perrillous to a Capitayne, then to make warre in the
Winter, and muche more perrill beareth he, that maketh it, then he that
abideth it: the reason is this. All the industrie that is used in the
discipline of warre, is used for to bee prepared to fighte a fielde with
thy enemie, because this is the ende, whereunto a Capitayne oughte to
goo or endevour him selfe: For that the foughten field, geveth thee the
warre wonne or loste: then he that knoweth best how to order it, and he
that hath his army beste instructed, hath moste advauntage in this, and
maye beste hope to overcome. On the other side, there is nothing more
enemie to the orders, and then the rough situacions, or the colde watery
time: for that the rough situacions, suffereth thee not to deffende thy
bandes, according to thee discipline: the coulde and watery times,
suffereth thee not to keepe thy men together, nor thou canst not bring
them in good order to the enemy: but it is convenient for thee to lodge
them a sunder of necessitie, and without order, being constrayned to
obeye to Castells, to Boroughes, and to the Villages, that maye receyve
thee, in maner that all thy laboure of thee, used to instructe the army
is vaine. Nor marvayle you not though now a daies, they warre in the
Winter, because the armies being without discipline, know not the hurt
that it dooth them, in lodging not together, for that it is no griefe to
them not to be able to keepe those orders, and to observe that
discipline, which they have not: yet they oughte to see howe much harme,
the Camping in the Winter hath caused, and to remember, how the
Frenchmen in the yeare of oure Lorde God, a thousande five hundred and
three, were broken at Gariliano of the Winter, and not of the
Spaniardes: For as much as I have saide, he that assaulteth, hath more
disadvauntage then he that defendeth: because the fowle weather hurteth
him not a littell, being in the dominion of others and minding to make
warre. For that he is constrayned, either to stande together with his
men, and to sustaine the incommoditie of water and colde, or to avoide
it to devide his power: But he that defendeth, may chuse the place as he
listeth, and tary him with his freshe men: and he in a sodayne may set
his men in araye, and goo to find a band of the enemies men, who cannot
resiste the violence of them. So the Frenchemen were discomfited, and so
they shall alwayes be discomfited, which will assaulte in the Winter an
enemye, whoo hath in him prudence. Then he that will that force, that
orders, that discipline and vertue, in anye condition availe him not,
let him make warre in the fielde in the winter: and because that the
Romaines woulde that all these thinges, in which they bestowed so much
diligence, should availe them, fleedde no otherwise the Winter, then the
highe Alpes, and difficulte places, and whatsoever other thing shoulde
let them, for being able to shewe their arte and their vertue. So this
suffiseth to your demaund, wherefore we wil come to intreate of the
defending and besieging of tounes, and of their situacions and
edifications.