COSIMO.  What waie ought to bee used then?

FABRICIO.  The same waie that I saied, to chuse them of their owne subjectes, and with the auethoritie of the Prince.

COSMO.  In the chosen, shall there bee likewise brought in any auncient facion?

FABRICIO.  You know well enough that ye:  when he that should commaunde theim, were their Prince, or ordinarie lorde, whether he were made chief, or as a Citezein, and for the same tyme Capitaine, beyng a common weale, otherwise it is harde to make any thyng good.

COSIMO.  Why?

FABRICIO.  I will tell you a nane:  For this time I will that this suffise you, that it cannot be wrought well by other waie.

[Sidenote:  Whether it be better to take menne oute of townes or out of the countrie to serve.]

COSIMO.  Having then to make this choyse of men in their owne countries, whether judge you that it be better to take them oute of the citie, or out of the countrie?

FABRICIO.  Those that have written of such matters, doe all agree, that it is best to chuse them out of the countrie, being men accustomed to no ease, nurished in labours, used to stonde in the sunne, to flie the shadow, knowing how to occupy the spade, to make a diche, to carrie a burden, and to bee without any deceite, and without malisiousnes.  But in this parte my opinion should be, that beyng two sortes of souldiours, on foote, and on horsebacke, that those on foote, should be chosen out of the countrie, and those on horseback, oute of the Cities.

[Sidenote:  Of what age Souldiours ought to bee chosen.]

COSIMO.  Of what age would you choose them?

FABRICIO.  I would take them, when I had to make a newe armie, from xvii. to xl. yeres:  when it were made alredy, and I had to restore them, of xvii. alwaies.

COSIMO.  I doe not understonde well this distinction.

FABRICIO.  I shall tell you:  when I should ordaine an hooste to make warre, where were no hooste alredy, it should be necessarie to chuse all those men, which were most fitte and apte for the warre, so that they were of servisable age, that I might bee able to instructe theim, as by me shalbe declared:  but when I would make my choise of menne in places, where a powre were alredy prepared, for suppliyng of thesame, I would take them of xvii. yeres:  for as much as the other of more age be alredy chosen and apoincted.

COSIMO.  Then woulde you prepare a power like to those whiche is in our countrie?

FABRICIO.  Ye truly, it is so that I would arme them, Captaine them, exercise and order them in a maner, whiche I cannot tell, if you have ordred them so.

COSIMO.  Then do you praise the keping of order?

FABRICIO.  Wherefore would you that I should dispraise it?

COSIMO.  Bicause many wise menne have alwaies blamed it.

FABRICIO.  You speake against all reason, to saie that a wise man blameth order, he maie bee well thought wise, and be nothyng so.