The foure bookes of Flauius Vegetius Renatus briefelye contayninge a plaine forme, and perfect knowledge of martiall policye, feates of chiualrie, and vvhatsoeuer pertayneth to warre. Translated out af [sic] lattine, into Englishe, by Iohn Sadler. Anno. 1572. Seene and allovved, accordinge to the order appointed.

¶What must be done if any captayne haue an army out of vse of fighting, or an armie of younge souldiours. Chapiter .x.

ALl artes and sciences, and all our dayly workes doe proceede and encrease by continuall vse and exercise, which if it be true in smal thinges, howe muche more ought it to bee obserued in the greatest affaires. And who doth doubte that the knowledge and skyll of warre, is more mightie then all other thinges: by the whiche libertie is mainteined, and the dignitie of a prince enlarged, and the Empire mainteined and preserued. The Lacedemonians, in tymes past (all other kyndes of learning set a side) did iudge this onely to be obserued, and after that the Romaines lyke∣wyse. And euen at this tyme, the barbarous and straunge nations, doe also thinke that this onely ought to be obserued and kepte. And they haue suche confidence herein, that they thynke all other thinges doe consiste in this: or that they may obtayne all thinges throughe this. This vnto them that muste fight, is very necessary, by whiche they may saue their lyfe, and obtaine the victorie. Therefore a captaine vn∣to whome the worthie honoures of so great power and au∣thoritie are geuen: to whose faithfulnes and prowes, the goodes of the possessours, the defence of cities, the safetie of the souldiours, the honour of the common wealthe is com∣mitted: ought to be carefull, not onely for the whole armie, but also for euery particuler cōpanie of the same. For what∣soeuer doth happen in the warre otherwyse then well, the faulte is his, but the iniurie and hurte is common. There∣fore if he guide an armie of younge souldiours, or suche as

haue bene long out of vse in chiualry, he ought diligently to trie and searche the strengthe, courage and experience of e∣uery bande of the legion, and also of euery company of the horsemen. Let him also knowe (if it bee possible) by name, who is captaine vnder him, who is tribune, whiche bee his housholde seruauntes, whiche be cōmon souldiours in euery hande, and howe muche he can doe in the warre: and let him get great authoritie by sharpenes and seueritie: let him pu∣nishe all the souldiours faultes by the lawes, let him not bee thought to winke at any that offendeth, let him vnderstande and knowe the proofe and triall of all in sundrie places vpon diuers occasions. These thinges (as it behoueth) being thus ordred and looked to, when the enemies doe wander abroade carelesse, dispersed here and there for booties, then let him sende expert and tried horsemen, or els footemen with the younge and meaner souldiours, to the entent that if, by occa∣sion the enemies bee foiled, they might bee made more cun∣ning, and the other more bolde and hardie. Let him place certayne companies very priuely to come sodainly on the e∣nemies at the passing ouer of Riuers, at the stiepe or fall of mountaynes, at the narrowe straightes of woodes, at the daungerous passages of fennes and other wayes. And let him order his owne iourney so, that beinge readye and well furnyshed, he may set vpon them, either when they are ea∣ting or sleaping, or being idle, careles, vnarmed, vnshodde, their horses being scattered abroade, suspecting nothing: be∣cause in suche skirmishes his souldiours may bee boldened and encouraged. For they whiche before of a longe tyme or neuer in their life haue seene men wounded or ••layne: at the first sight are so afrayde, that they quake and tremble: and being amased throught feare, haue more mynde of flying thē of fighting. Furthermore, if the enemies doe range abroade to make inuasions, let him set vpō them after they be weary with their longe viage: and let him inuade the hindermoste, euen at vnwares. Let him also sodainly preuēt with chosen mē, such as either for forage, or for a bootie do tarie a great waye from their companie. For these thinges must be tried

firste, whiche if they haue ill successe, it doth small harme: if they prosper well, it doth muche auayle. It is the pointe of a good captayne to minister and breede causes of discorde amongest th ennemies. For no nation though it bee very little, can quickely be destroyed of the enemies, except it bee consumed with priuate dissensions and hatred within it self. For ciuile discorde and hatred is to hastie and rashe in see∣king the destruction of the enemies, and to careles and vn∣heedy of foreseing of their owne defence and safetie. And in this enterpryse, this one thinge muste bee foretolde, that no man shoulde dispayre of the perfourminge of those thinges whiche haue bene done before. But some man may saye that no man in many yeares space doth enuironne an army which is pitched, in a place compassed about with a ditche, a ram∣pire or trenche. I aunsweare hym thus, that if this heede were taken the sodaine inuasion of enemies, neither by night nor daye, coulde doe any hurte at al. The Persians following the example of the Romaines, doe pitche their campes with diches drawen about: and for as muche as all places in a manner be sandie, they fill sackes, whiche they caried empty with earth very dustie and drie (which in those places is dig∣ged) and with an heape of them they doe make a rampire. Al the barbarous people hauing their cartes ioyned together in a rounde compasse, after the manner of a rampire, do passe ouer the nightes quietly, and out of daunger of them that do inuade them. And doe we feare that we can not learne those thinges whiche others haue learned of vs? These thinges must be learned by experience, and also by reading of suche thinges as before tyme were obserued: but being left of for a great whyle, no man hath sought them out, because that as long as peace flourished, the necessitie of warre was far out of mynde. But least it may seeme impossible to renewe and restore the knowledge of marshall affayres, being long intermitted and decayed for lacke of exercise, examples may sufficiently teache vs in this point. The knowledge of war∣fare hath oftentymes bene forgotten with them of olde, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hath bene sought out againe in bookes, and confirmed by

the skill and authoritie of good captaines. Scipio Aphrica∣nus, did take the armies which were in Spayne, being oftē∣times ouercome vnder dyuers generall captaines: and ob∣seruing the order and preceptes of warfare, hee so diligently exercised thē in casting of ditches, & making trēches, that he would saye commonly that diggers muste bee defiled with myre, whiche would be washed with the bloud of their ene∣mies. And at the lengthe with those he so fired the Numain∣tines, that their citie was taken, and neuer one escaped. Me∣tellus receiued an armie in Aph••ike, whiche was subdued vnder Albinus their generall captaine: whiche he did so re∣paire with olde preceptes and pollicie of the auncient war∣riours, that afterwarde they ouercame them, of whom they had bene subdued before. The Germaines also in Fraunce, destroied the legions whiche Cepio, Manilius and Sillanus led: the remnaunt wherof, whē Caius Marius had receiued, he so enstructed them with knowledge and skill of fighting, that hee destroyed in open battayle an innumerable multi∣tude, not onely of Zelanders, but also of Germaines, & Hun∣garians For it is easier to enstructe souldiours of new vnto prowesse, then to cal againe them that be throughly afraide.