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ANd yf it be so that the said chief captayne goo purpo¦syngly to assemble in bataille with his enemyes of whiche he awayteth theyre comyng / wherfor hym nedeth to
kepe the feldis for a space of tyme and to lodge there his ost he shal aduise with a good hede after the supposyng that he hathe of commyng of his aduersaries / to lodge his oost in the best wyse he can / and to take fyrst yf he may the aduaun¦tage of the grounde & the best waye for hym self to the hurt and hynderaunce of his enemyes / And tytus liuius sayth that som tyme whan they of gallya were goon with they∣re oostes vpon the romayns / whiche knowyng theyre com∣myng went ayenst them / & as they first toke thaduaunta¦ge of the feld and of the place dide lodge hem self in suche ma¦nere that they were betwix theyre enemyes & the ryuer For the whiche cause they vaynquisshed and ouercome theyre en¦nemyes more by thurst / than by armes / And it suffyseth not to take a gode place in a felde / but suche that theyr ene∣myes yf they approche may not chese for them self ony bettre So shall he establisshe his lodgis to the highest part of the feld nyghe the ryuere and that noo hille shadowe them yf he may and that the place of theyre lodgis be of gode ayer and of gode compas yf he may / And after vegece / in a place whe¦re pastures water and wode be / and that the feldys be not disposyd to kepe rayne watre long vpon the erthe / nor where as to the enemyes myght fall grete russhyng & habondan∣ce of watres by brekyng of som̄ pondes and stangs or som̄ scluses / And it is to wite that after the quantite of fol¦ke and the plente of charyotis & cartis baggage and fardel∣lages must be taken the spaces of the lodgys in suche ma∣nere that a grete multytude be not to narow sett / nor also mo¦re a brode than it nedeth for to be / For of lesse strengthe they shold be thereby / and ought the cartisand caryage to be set∣te rounde a bout Ioynyng to gyder / and more fayre is the lodgys holden when the place is taken more in lengthe by
the thirde parte than it is in the brede / And in the myddis ought the place to be fortyffyed moost of all / As a strong hold made wyth tymbre yf men may and that nede be / Of whyche the yate shal be euyn ayenst the fronte of the enemyes / And other yatis must there be / by whiche the vy∣taylles shall com̄ in / And vegece sayth that many baners ought to be sette ther vp on high / and yf the chyef captayne thynketh to kepe his oost long there he shal doo fortifye the place with dyches & palis rounde a bout and wyth closur•• made of tymbre as it were a castell wherin shal be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the garnysons / to the vytayllyng of whiche ought to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / for byfore al other werke ryght wysely and wel 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as vegece saith more gryeuous is honger than wepe•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 many thyngis may be borne and suffred in an ost but ••••••cessyte and lacke of mete in a feld hath noo suffraunce 〈◊〉〈◊〉 remedye without vitaylle com thyther / how be it ••e saith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 al thing is couenable to an oost yt a man concence 〈◊〉〈◊〉 self with a lityl mete / And therfore the wise captayn ought so to purueye / that vitailles faille not or euer the siege why¦che oftymes lasteth lenger than men wene of be reysed or go fro / For whan thaduersary feleth the ost nedy of vitail¦lis so moche more sharp & fers he is ayenst hem & as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thinke lightly to take hem & for this cause it happeth y• folke of an oost force them self so moche to take vitaille one fro that other / & in especyall folke that kepe a siege bifore a fortresse doo soo / wherfore gode hede wold be taken that the dyspensatours & vitaillers of the oost be not theuys hemself & robbe not the oost as they by crafty wiles may doo / for by suche away hath many an oost suffred emonge grete honger & moche mysease & grete parell / wherfore it is gode & wysely doon to loke therto /