FABRICIO.  I doe not beleve that you beleve this, that in time of peace everie man may have place, bicause, put case that there coulde not be brought other reason, the small number, that all they make, whiche remaine in the places alledged of you, would answer you.  What proporcion have the souldiours, whiche are requiset to bee in the warre with those, whiche in the peace are occupied?  For as much as the fortreses, and the cities that be warded in time of peace, in the warre are warded muche more, unto whome are joyned the souldiours, whiche kepe in the fielde, whiche are a great number, all whiche in the peace be putte awaie.  And concerning the garde of states, whiche are a small number, Pope July, and you have shewed to everie man, how muche are to be feared those, who will not learne to exercise any other art, then the warre, and you have for there insolence, deprived them from your garde, and have placed therin Swisers, as men borne and brought up under lawes, and chosen of the cominaltie, according to the true election:  so that saie no more, that in peace is place for everie man.  Concerning men at armes, thei al remaining in peace with their wages, maketh this resolution to seme more difficulte:  notwithstandyng who considereth well all, shall finde the answere easie, bicause this manner of keping men of armes, is a corrupted manner and not good, the occasion is, for that they be men, who make thereof an arte, and of them their should grow every daie a thousande inconveniencies in the states, where thei should be, if thei were accompanied of sufficient company:  but beyng fewe, and not able by them selves to make an armie, they cannot often doe suche grevous hurtes, neverthelesse they have done oftentimes:  as I have said of Frances, and of Sforza his father, and of Braccio of Perugia:  so that this use of keping men of armes, I doe not alowe, for it is a corrupte maner, and it may make great inconveniencies.

COSIMO.  Woulde you live without them? or keping them, how would you kepe them?

[Sidenote:  A kinge that hath about him any that are to much lovers of warre, or to much lovers of peace shal cause him to erre.]

FABRICIO.  By waie of ordinaunce, not like to those of the king of Fraunce:  for as muche as they be perilous, and insolent like unto ours, but I would kepe them like unto those of the auncient Romaines, whom created their chivalry of their own subjectes, and in peace time, thei sente them home unto their houses, to live of their owne trades, as more largely before this reasoning ende, I shal dispute.  So that if now this part of an armie, can live in such exercise, as wel when it is peace, it groweth of the corrupt order.  Concerning the provisions, which are reserved to me, and to other capitaines, I saie unto you, that this likewise is an order moste corrupted:  for as much as a wise common weale, ought not to give such stipendes to any, but rather thei ought to use for Capitaines in the warre, their Citezeins, and in