from the enemies, that were on horsebacke, it behooveth them to seeke of the aunciente orders, and to finde weapons, whiche from the furie of horses, should defende them:  This necessitie hath made either to be maintayned, or to bee founde of them the aunciente orders, without whiche, as everye prudente man affirmeth, the footemen is altogether unprofitable.  Therefore, they tooke for their weapon the Pike, a moste profitable weapon, not only to withstande horses, but to overcome them:  and the Dutchemen have by vertue of these weapons, and of these orders, taken such boldnesse, that XV. or XX. thousande of them, will assault the greatest nomber of horse that maye be:  and of this, there hath beene experience enough within this XXV. yeres.  And the insamples of their vertue hath bene so mightie, grounded upon these weapons, and these orders, that sence King Charles passed into Italie, everye nation hath imitated them:  so that the Spanish armies, are become into most great reputation.

COSIMO.  Which maner of arming, do you praise moste, either these Dutchemens, or the auncient Romanes?

[Sidenote:  Whether the Romanes maner in arming of men, be better then the arming of men, that is used nowe a daies.]

FABRICIO.  The Romane without doubte, and I will tell the commoditie, and the discommoditie of the one, and the other.  The Dutche footemen, are able to withstande, and overcome the horses:  they bee moste speedie to marche, and to be set in araye, being not laden with armours:  of the other part, they be subjecte to all blowes, both farre of, and at hande:  because they be unarmed, they bee unprofitable unto the battaile on the lande, and to everye fighte, where is strong resistaunce.  But the Romanes withstoode, and overcame the horses, as well as the Dutchemen, they were safe from blowes at hande, and farre of, being covered with armours:  they were also better able to charge, and better able to sustaine charges, having Targaettes:  they might more aptly in the preace fight with the swoorde, then these with the Pike, and though the Dutchemen have likewise swoordes, yet being without Targaets, they become in suche case unprofitable:  The Romanes might safelye assault townes, having their bodies cleane covered with armour, and being better able to cover themselves with their Targaettes.  So that they had no other incommoditie, then the waightynesse of their armours, and the pain to cary them:  the whiche thinges thei overcame, with accustomyng the body to diseases, and with hardenyng it, to bee able to indure labour.  And you knowe, how that in thinges accustomed, men suffer no grief.  And you have to understand this, that the footemen maie be constrained, to faight with footemen, and with horse, and alwaies those be unprofitable, whiche cannot either sustain the horses, or beyng able to sustain them, have notwithstandyng neede to feare the footemen, whiche be better armed, and better ordeined then thei.  Now if you consider the Duchemen, and the Romaines, you shall finde in the Duchemen activitie (as we have said) to overcome the horses, but greate dissavauntage, when thei faighte with menne, ordeined as thei them selves are, and armed as the Romaines were:  so that there shall be this advauntage more of the one, then of thother, that the Romaines could overcome the men, and the horses, the Duchemen onely the horses.