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¶That younge souldiours be taught cunningly to handle weapons. Chapter .xiij.
MOreouer, the younge souldiour must bee perfectly enstructed, cunningly to handle his weapon: whiche thing is set forth by them that teache the same in the fieldes, or other places of exercise, the whiche vse yet in some parte is kepte For it is playne that euen nowe, in all maner of battayles, those that can best vse and hādle their weapōs, doo fighte a great deale more conuenientlye then others. Wherein the difference may bee perceiued betwene a well practised souldiour, and him that hath had litle or no exerci∣se: when as they that are but meanely this waye instructed, farre passe and goe beyonde their fellowes in artificiall and cunning fighting. And so carefully did our auncestours ob∣serue this practised discipline, that thei doubly rewarded the teachers thereof. And as for the souldiours whiche had but smally profited in this same practise, in steade of wheate wer fayne to take barley, and not one of thē had euer any wheatē breade geuen him, till in the presence of the lieutenante, the captaines and suche as were chiefe, they had shewed by sure proofes that they had fulfilled all thinges which were to be required in a good souldiour. For there is nothing more sure, more happy, nor more commendable then suche a com∣mon wealth, whiche hath plēty of experte and learned soul∣diours, It is not glistering and gaie apparell, it is not ple••∣ty of golde, siluer, & precious stones, that makes the enemies to stoupe or seke for fauour, but the onely terrour of weapōs that subdueth thē. Besides, in other thinges, as saith Cato, if ought be done amisse, it may afterward be amended: but a faulte committed in battaile, is altogether past cure, whē present punishement followeth by and by vpō the ouersight. For either they are forthwith slayne whiche haue cowardly or ignorauntly foughte, or els being once put to flight, they dare not euer after deale and encounter againe with those that ouercame them.