Solon his follie, or a politique discourse, touching the reformation of common-weales conquered, declined or corrupted. By Richard Beacon ...

CAP. 7. The occasions of declining, which vsually arise vnto the state by the disorders and oppression of the souldier.

EPI:

Noe lesse occasion is offered of declining, when by the oppression of the souldier, the people remaine discontented.

Sol:

You saie truely: for the disorder and violence of the souldiers draweth with it a suspition of perpetual servitude, which caused the Italians to abandon the power of the French, for that they committed many disorders, and offered violence vnto the people; so as that loue, that desire, that affection, wherewith they honoured them before, had now taken contrary qualitie, and not only turned into hatred, conspiracie, and accursings against them, but also in the place of the malice they bare to the Arra∣gons, there was new insinuation of compassion to Ferdinando, in such sorte, as all the kingdome vvith no lesse desire expected an opportunity, to repeale the Arragons, then a fevve monethes be∣fore they had desired their destruction.

Sol:

The same historie doeth witnesse the like in sundry other places, saying, that garri∣sons governed vvith a desire to spoile, and pray, be the authoures of great discontentment: yet some there be carried with a contra∣ry opinion, which give liberty vnto the souldiers to oppresse and spoile the people, following the counsell of Severus Imperator, which sometimes he gave vnto his children, saying, Inter vos con∣sentite, milites vitate, reliquos omnes spernite.

Epi:

This counsell of Severus Imperator, no Prince maie safelie put in practise, but

such as have a collected power and force into the strength of one entire armie, vvhich shall farre exceede the force and strength of the people: as the Sulthan, the Turke, and such like kingdomes, which hath of footemen, twelue thousande in number, and six∣teene of horsemen, for the garde of his person. These king∣domes and such like, shall more wisely favour and enrich, rather the souldier, then the people. But such Princes which have not a collected power, and force, and such as doeth farre exceede the strength and power of the people, are no farther to satisfie the souldiour then iustice, his desertes, and the lawes of the lande shall require. Therefore Carolus passing manie countries, where the forces of his souldiers were inferiour to the people, did streight∣ly commaunde, that they shoulde abstaine from committing of vvronges and iniuries.

Sol:

This vvhich you have saide agreeth vvith reason, but sometimes not vvith the necessity of times, vvhich vvas never yet subiect to humane discretion.

Epi:

It must be confessed, that the times of warres, and peace are not all one, but yet as vvell in the times of vvarres, as also in times peaceable, we ought to shew our selves studious in delivering the people from oppression: For vvhat hope may we have of those cities, vbi milites in cives graviùs quam in hostes grassantur.