but repulced: wherefore many, whom have been
besieged, either in a Campe, or in a Toune, although
thei have been inferiour of power, have issued out
with their men at a sodaine, and have overcome the
enemie. This Marcellus of Nola did: this
did Cesar in Fraunce, where his Campe beeyng assaulted
of a moste great nomber of Frenchmen, and seeyng hymself
not able to defende it, beyng constrained to devide
his force into many partes, and not to bee able standyng
within the Listes, with violence to repulce thenemie:
he opened the campe on thone side, and turning towardes
thesame parte with all his power, made so moche violence
against them, and with moche valiantnes, that he vanquisshed
and overcame them. The constancie also of the
besieged, causeth many tymes displeasure, and maketh
afraied them that doe besiege. Pompei beyng against
Cesar, and Cesars armie beeyng in greate distresse
through famine, there was brought of his bredde to
Pompei, whom seyng it made of grasse, commaunded, that
it should not bee shewed unto his armie, least it
shoulde make them afraide, seyng what enemies they
had against theim. Nothyng caused so muche honour
to the Romaines in the warre of Aniball, as their
constancie: for as muche as in what so ever envious,
and adverse fortune thei were troubled, they never
demaunded peace, thei never made anie signe of feare,
but rather when Aniball was aboute Rome, thei solde
those fieldes, where he had pitched his campe, dearer
then ordinarie in other times shoulde have been solde:
and they stoode in so much obstinacie in their enterprises,
that for to defende Rome, thei would not raise their
campe from Capua, the whiche in the verie same time
that Roome was besieged, the Romaines did besiege.
I knowe that I have tolde you of manie thynges, the
whiche by your selfe you might have understoode, and
considered, notwithstandyng I have doen it (as to
daie also I have tolde you) for to be abell to shewe
you better by meane therof, the qualitie of this armie,
and also for to satisfie those, if there be anie,
whome have not had the same commoditie to understand
them as you. Nor me thinkes that there resteth
other to tell you, then certaine generall rules, the
whiche you shal have moste familiar, which be these.
[Sidenote: Generall rules of warre.]
The same that helpeth the enemie, hurteth thee:
and the same that helpeth thee, hurteth the enemie.
He that shall be in the warre moste vigilant to observe
the devises of the enemie, and shall take moste payne
to exercise his armie, shall incurre least perilles
and maie hope moste of the victorie.
Never conducte thy men to faight the field, if first
them hast not confirmed their mindes and knowest them
to be without feare, and to be in good order:
for thou oughteste never to enterprise any dangerous
thyng with thy souldiours, but when thou seest, that
they hope to overcome.
It is better to conquere the enemie with faminne,
then with yron: in the victorie of which, fortune
maie doe much more then valiantnesse.