[Sidenote:  Of what science soldiours ought to bee chosen.]

COSIMO.  Would you make any difference, of what science you would chuse them?

FABRICIO.  The aucthours, which have written of the arte of warre, make difference, for that thei will not, that there bee taken Foulers, Fishers, Cookes, baudes, nor none that use any science of voluptuousnesse.  But thei will, that there bee taken Plowmen, Ferrars, Smithes, Carpenters, Buchars, Hunters, and soche like:  but I would make little difference, through conjecture of the science, concernyng the goodnesse of the man, notwithstandyng, in as moche as to be able with more profite to use theim, I would make difference, and for this cause, the countrie men, which are used to till the grounde, are more profitable then any other.  Next to whom be Smithes, Carpentars, Ferrars, Masons, wherof it is profitable to have enough:  for that their occupacions, serve well in many thynges:  beyng a thyng verie good to have a souldiour, of whom maie be had double servise.

[Sidenote:  Howe to chose a souldiour.]

COSIMO.  Wherby doe thei knowe those, that be, or are not sufficient to serve.

FABRICIO.  I will speake of the maner of chusing a new ordinaunce, to make an armie after, for that parte of this matter, doeth come also to be reasoned of, in the election, which should be made for the replenishing, or restoring of an old ordinaunce.  I saie therfore, that the goodnesse of one, whiche thou muste chuse for a Souldiour, is knowen either by experience, thorough meane of some of his worthy doynges, or by conjecture.  The proofe of vertue, cannot be founde in men whiche are chosen of newe, and whiche never afore have ben chosen, and of these are founde either fewe or none, in the ordinaunce that of newe is ordeined.  It is necessarie therefore, lackyng this experience, to runne to the conjecture, whiche is taken by the yeres, by the occupacion, and by the personage:  of those two first, hath been reasoned, there remaineth to speake of the thirde.  And therefore, I saie how some have willed, that the souldiour bee greate, emongest whom was Pirrus.  Some other have chosen theim onely, by the lustinesse of the body, as Cesar did:  whiche lustinesse of bodie and mynde, is conjectured by the composicion of the members, and of the grace of the countenaunce:  and therefore, these that write saie, that thei would have the iyes lively and cherefull, the necke full of sinowes, the breaste large, the armes full of musculles, the fingers long, little beallie, the flankes rounde, the legges and feete drie:  whiche partes are wont alwayes to make a manne nimble and strong, whiche are twoo thynges, that in a souldiour are sought above al other.  Regarde ought to bee had above all thynges, to his customes, and that in hym bee honestie, and shame:  otherwise, there shall bee chosen an instrumente of mischief, and a beginnyng of corrupcion:  for that lette no manne beleve that in the dishoneste