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NOw we haue how the kynge or souerayn prynce for the wele and surete of the comyn wele ought not light¦ly delybere ne conclude in hym self to goo in to bataylle / Thē
ne is it to be aduysed to what personnes •• for to one onely suffyseth not to be cōmysed the fayttes of so grete offyces / as maystres & conduytours of his chyualrye / that for hym & in his name excercyseth the fayt of his warres / of whiche thynge without faylle by right to take hede is none other of more grete regarde / than to make thelection of theym •• for of so moche as thexcercyte of their offyce passeth in poys & perill alle other / of so moche it apperteyneth & byhoueth the more co¦uenable persones / & by especyal ought by grete aduyse to haue regarde & delyberaciō to chese hym to whome is comysed ye prin¦cypal charge aboue alle other / The whiche offyce the auncyēs called duc of bataylles or souerayn maistre of the chyual¦rye / whome we calle now in fraūce Conestable And after in folowyng thusage of fraūce the two marchallis vnder y• whiche pryncypall offyces / ben after sette diu{er}se and many captaynes of certayn nombre & quantyte of men of armes / In thelection in specyal of the souerayn maystre of the chy∣ualrye of the prynce / ought to be aduysed •• that he be a persone right notable / especyally in all that whiche behoueth in thyn¦ges that requyre armes / That is to wite / that by longe expe¦ryēce he be so vsed / that it be to hym as a naturel craft or mes¦tier / and that the contynuel excersite hath rendrid h̄ym a mai¦ster of all that whiche byhoueth / as he whiche by many tymes h̄ath be founden in diuerses aduentures happened in fayttes of warre by diu{er}se contrees & nacōns / For vegece saith that lengthe of aage / ne grete nombre of yeres yeue not onely ar¦te & manere of fyghtyng / but thusage / So that he be not to lerne the ordres & maners / whiche ought to be holden / in trea¦tyng of men of Warre and of Armes / be it in tyme of reste / or in trauayll of Warre / And that he can ma∣yntene / lede / conduyte / And put in arraye so and in manere
as it apperteyneth for the beste / And it is to wyte that in the said electiō ought to be more regarde to the perfection of the sayd thynges / with the other maners & condicōns / whi∣che apperteyne to hym / Than to the gretenes of his lignage & hye blood of his persone / and alle that he may assēble to be shalbe moche expedyent / by cause that of somoche as he shal be more noble of blood / so moche the more shal he be the mo∣re dradde & holde in reuerence / in h̄is sayd offyce / the whiche thyng is necessary to euery captayn / for to this purpoos re∣counteth valere / that the auncyents / whiche made the grete conquestes / for to be the more doubted in theyr oostes / fayg∣ned theym to be so grete & so hye in lignage / that they saide them self parents & kynne to the goddes / But neuertheles it suffyseth not this onely couenablete / without the other {pro}∣pretees therfore the regarde of the eliseurs or chesars ought more to pourueye to the wele of thoffyce / then to the persone For it shold be a thyng moche to be reprened to chese one of hye blood beyng ygnoraūt / & to sette hym in thoffyce / in whi∣che subtylte / wysedom / and long vsage hath ofte more grete nede / than the quantite of peple or ony other strengthe / For Cathon saith that of alle other thynges the faultes may be amended / sauf suche that be doon in bataylles / of the why∣che the payne ensieweth anone the faulte / For euyl perisshe they that canne not wel deffende / and to fugityues vnneth or with grete payne cometh agayn the herte to fighte / Ther fore also with the other forsaid thynges it is necessarie that he be wyse / of good naturel witte / as he to whome hath be cō¦mysed the knowelege of many thynges / and that is as chy¦ef of Iustyce & lieutenaunt of the prynce for to doo right to euerich̄ of causes that may happen in caas of armes & feat¦tes of cheualrye / of alle them that be vnder hym and also of
straūgers whiche ofte happen in dyuerce maners / And it is to wete that after the ryght of gentilnes and hye nobles∣se of courage apperteyneth to a good captayne whiche vseth thexcersyte of armes / in alle caases that may to hym happe∣ne of all that gentylnes requyreth yf he wyl gete honour that is to wyte that also to his enemyes he be ryghtful & ve¦rytable in feat & in Iugement where it shall falle And w∣ith this that he honoure the good & the valyaūt in lyke wy¦se as he wold be of them honoured / And this manere helde the valyaūt kyng pirrus of Macedone wherof he gate grete loos / whiche by cause he had founde so many valyaūces in the romayns / how wel they were his grete enemyes ••e ho∣noured them right gretely / whan an ambassade cam to hym And also theym whom he slewe in bataylle / he dyde doo bu•••••• theym honorably / And of the noblesse of this kyng & of his grete fraūchyse it is yet wreton / that he had in so grete 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the prysonners whiche he had taken in his batayl••es 〈…〉〈…〉 wold not kepe ne reteyne them as prysōners / but rend••••d 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deliuerd them all quyte / The maners and condicōns 〈◊〉〈◊〉 belongen to a good conestable ben these that he be not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hastyf / hoot / fell / ne angry / But amesured and at••empo••a•• rightful in iustice / benygne in conuersacōn of hye mayn•••••••• & of lytyl wordes / Sadde in coūtenaūce no grete dys••ur of truffes / verytable in worde and promesse hardy: sure 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dy¦ligent: not coueyto{us} / fiers to his enemyes pyetous to them that be vainquissed / and to them that be vnder hym he be not lightly angry / ne be not moeued for lytyl occasion ne byleue ouer hastely for lityl apprence / Ne yeue fayth to wordes w¦hiche haue ne colour of trouthe •• ne that he be not curyous of mygnotes / Iolyetes / ne of iewellis •• but be he habylled & arra¦yed / rychely in harnoys & moūtures / & contiene hym fiersly /
Ne be he not slouthful / sluggyssh / ne slepy / ne curyous in me¦tes & festes in lyf delycate / & in serchyng alleway thestate & couuyne of his adu{er}saires / & be he subtyl / pourueyed & wyly to deffende hym fro theym / & wysely to assaille them / wel ad∣uysed vpon their espies & watches. & that he knowe to gou∣uerne his owen peple & holde in ordre & drede / & to doo right where he ought to doo it / And that he be not ouer curyous to playe in noo games / to honoure the good and them that be worthy / & nyghe to hym / & wel to rewarde theym that deser∣ue it / And that he be large & lyberal in caas that it be requy¦syte / & that his comyn speche be of armes: of fayttes: of chy∣ualrye and of the valyaūces of good men. And that he ke∣pe hym wel from avauntyng / & be he louyng hys prynce & trewe to hym / fauorable to wedowes / to orphans / & to the poure / ne make grete compt of a lityl trespace doon to his per¦sone / And smale debate to pardone lightly to hym that repen¦teth / and aboue all other thyng to loue god & the chyrche & to sustene & helpe right / Thyse sayd condycōns bylongen to a good conestable / And by consequent to the marchallis / & to alle theym of semblable offyces /