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