Obseruations vpon the fiue first bookes of Cæsars commentaries setting fourth the practise of the art military in the time of the Roman Empire : wherein are handled all the chiefest point of their discipline, with the true reason of euery part, together with such instructions as may be drawn from their proceedings, for the better direction of our moderne warres / by Clement Edmunds.

READING AND DISCOVRSE, ARE REQVISITE TO MAKE A SOVL∣dier perfect in the Arte militarie, how great soe∣uer his knowledge may be, which long experi∣ence and much practise of Armes hath gayned.

WHEN I consider the weaknesse of mans iudg∣ment in censuring things best knowne vnto it selfe, and the disability of his discourse in dis∣couering the nature of vnacquanted obiectes; choosing rather to hold any sensible impressi∣on, which custome hath by long practise inu∣red, then to hearken to some other more rea∣sonable perswasion: I do not maruell that such soldiers, whose knowledge groweth only from experience and consisteth in the rules of their owne practise; are hardly perswaded, that hi∣story and speculatiue learning are of any vse in perfecting of their Arte, being so different in nature from the principles of their cunning, and of so small affinity with the life of action; wherein the vse of Armes and atchieuments of war seeme to haue their chiefest being. But those purer spirits embilished with learning, and enriched with the knowledge of o∣ther mens fortunes; wherein variety of accidents affordeth variety of instruc∣tions, and the mutuall conference of thinges happened, begetteth both si∣militudes and differences, contrary natures, but yet iointly concurring to sea∣son our iudgment with discretion, and to enstall wisedome in the gouernment of the minde: These men I say, mounting aloft, with the winges of contem∣plation, doe easily discouer the ignorance of such Martialistes, as are only trai∣ned vp in the schoole of practise, and taught their rudiments vnder a fewe yeares experience, which serueth to interpret no other author but it selfe, nor can approue his maximes, but by his own authority; and are rather moued to pittie their hard fortune, hauing learned onely to be ignorant, then to enuie their skill in matter of war, when they oppose themselues against so manifest a truth as this: that a meere practicall knowledge cannot make a perfect soldier.

Which proposition that I may the better confirme, giue me leaue to reason a little of the groundes of learning, and dispute from the habitude of Arts and sciences; which are then said to be perfectly attained, when their particular parts are in such sort apprehended, that from the variety of that indiuiduality, the in∣tellectuall power frameth generall notions and maximes of rule, vniting tearms of the same nature in one head, and distinguishing diuersities by differences of properties, aptely diuiding the whole body into his greatest and smallest branches, and fitting each part with his descriptions, duties, cautions and ex∣ceptions: for vnlesse the vnderstanding be in this sort qualified and able by logi∣sticall discourse, to ascend, by way of composition, from singularitie to catho∣like conceptions; and returne againe the same waie, to the lowest order of his partitions, the minde cannot be saide to haue the perfection of that Arte, nor instructed in the true vse of that knowledge: but guiding her selfe by some broken preceptes, feeleth more want by that shee hath not, then be∣nefite by that shee hath. Whereby it followeth, that a science deuided into manie braunches, and consisting in the multiplicitie of diuers mem∣bers, being all so interessed in the Bulke, that's Mayme of the smallest part causeth either debilitie or deformitie in the bodie, cannot be saide to bee throughlie attayned, nor conceiued with such a profiting apprehension as steeleth the minde with true iudgement, and maketh the scholler maister in his Arte, vnlesse the nature of these particularities bee first had and ob∣tained.

And for as much as no one science or faculty whatsoeuer, in multitude and pluralitie of partes, may anie waie be comparable to the Arte militarie, where∣in euery small and vnrespected circumstance quite altereth the nature of the Action, and breedeth such disparitie and difference, that the resemblance of their equall participating properties is blemished with the dissimilitude of their disagreeing partes; it cannot be denied, but he that is acquainted with most of these particular occurrences, and best knoweth the varietie of chances in the course of warre, must needes be thought a more perfect souldier, and deserueth a title of greater dignity in the profession of Armes, then such as content them∣selues with a fewe common precepts and ouer-worne rules: without which, as they cannot be said at all to be souldiers, so with them and no more, they no way deserue the name of skilfull and perfect men of war. Now whether meere experience, or experience ioyned with reading and discourse, doe feast the minde with more variety and choise of matter, or entertaine knowledge with greater plentie of nouelties, incident to expeditions and vse of Armes, I will vse no other reason to determine of this question, then that which Franciscus Patricius alleadgeth in his parallely, where he handleth this argument which I intreat of.

He that followeth a warre (saith he) doth see either the course of the whole, or but a part onely. If his knowledge extend no farther then a part, he hath lear∣ned lesse then he that sawe the whole: but admit he hath seene and learned the instructions of one whole warre, he hath notwithstanding learned lesse then he that hath seene the proceeding of two such warres. And hee againe hath not

seene so much as another that hath serued in three seuerall warres: and so by degrees, a souldier that hath serued ten yeares, must needes knowe more then one that hath not serued so long. And to conclude, he that hath receiued 22 yeares stipend (which was the iust time of seruice amongst the Romans before a souldier could be dismist) hath greater meanes of experience than another that hath not so long a time followed the campe, and cannot challenge a dis∣charge by order and custome: And hence it consequently followeth, that if in one or more or all these warres, there haue happened few or no actions of ser∣uice, which might teach a souldier the practise of Armes; that then his learning doth not counteruaile his labour. And if the warre through the negligence, or ignorance of the chiefe commanders haue beene ill caried, he can boast of no knowledge, but that which acquainted him with the corruptions of militarie dis∣cipline; if the part which he followed were defeated and ouerthrowne, he know∣eth by experience howe to loose, but not how to gaine: And therefore it is not onely experience and practice which maketh a souldier worthie of his name, but the knowledge of the manifold accidents which rise from the variety of humane actions, wherein reason and error, like merchants in trafficke, enterchange con∣trarie euentes of fortune, giuing sometime copper for siluer, and balme for poyson, and repaying againe the like commoditie as time and circumstances doe answere their directions. And this knowledge is onely to be learned in the registers of antiquitie and in histories, recording the motions of former ages.

Caius Iulius Caesar (whose actions are the subiect of these discourses) after his famous victories in France, and that he had gotten the prouinces of Spaine, broken the strength of the Romaine Empire at Pharsalia, was held a souldier surmounting enuie and all her exceptions; and yet notwithstanding all this, the battell he had with Pharnaces king of Pontus, was like to haue buried the glo∣rie of his former conquestes, in the dishonourable memorie of a wilfull ouer∣throw: for hauing possest himselfe of a hill of great aduantage, he began to encampe himselfe in the toppe thereof. Which Pharnaces perceiuing, (being lodged likewise with his campe vpon a mountaine confronting the Romaines) imbattelled his men, marched down from his campe into the valley, and moun∣ted his forces vp the hill, where the Romaines were busied about their intrench∣ments, to giue them battel. All which, Caesar tooke but for a brauado: and mea∣suring the enemie by himselfe, could not be perswaded that any such foole-har∣dines could carrie men headlong into so dangerous an aduenture, vntill they were come so neere, that he had scarce any time to call the legions from their worke, and to giue order for the battell: which so amazed the Romaines, that vnlesse, as Caesar himselfe saith, the aduantage of the place and the benignitie of the gods had greatly fauoured them; Pharnaces had at that time reuenged the ouerthrow of Pompei and the Senat, and restored the Romaine Empire to libertie. Which maie learne vs how necessary it is (besides experience, which in Caesar was infinit) to perfect our knowledge with variety of chances: and to me∣ditate vpon the effectes of other mens aduentures, that their harmes maie be our warnings, and their happie proceedings our fortunate directions.

And albeit amongst so manie decades of Historie, which pregnant wits haue

presented to these latter ages, we seldome or neuer meete with any one acci∣dent which iumpeth in all pointes with an other of the like nature, that shall happen to fall out in managing a warre, or setting forth of an armie; and so doe seeme to reape little benefit by that we reade, and make small vse of our great trauell. Yet we must vnderstand that in the Audit of Reason, there are many of∣fices, which through the soueraigne power of the discoursiue faculty, receiue great commodities by whatsoeuer falleth vnder their iurisdiction, and suffer no action to passe without due triall of his nature, and examination of his state; that so the iudgment maie not be defrauded of her reuenues, nor the minde of her learning: for notwithstanding disagreeing circumstances, and differences of formes, which seeme to cut off the priuiledge of imitation, and frustrate the knowledge we haue obtained by reading, the intellectuall facultie hath autho∣ritie to examine the vse, and looke into the inconueniences of these wants and diuersities, and by the helpe of reason to turne it to her aduantage; or so to counterpoise the defect, that in triall and execution it shall not appeare anie disaduantage. For as in all other sciences, and namely in geometrie, of certaine bare elements, and common sentences, which sense admitteth to the appre∣hension, the powers of the soule frame admirable Theoremes and Problemes of infinit vse, proceeding with certaintie of demonstration, from proposition to proposition, and from conclusion to conclusion, and still make new wonders as they go, besides the strangenesse of their Architecture, that vpon such plaine and easie foundations, they should erect such curious and beautifull buildings: so in the Arte Military, these examples, which are taken from histories, are but plaine kinde of principles, on which the minde worketh to her best aduantage, and vseth reason with such dexterity, that of inequalities she concludeth an equality, and of dissimilitudes most sweete resemblances; and so she worketh out her owne perfection by discourse, and in time groweth so absolute in know∣ledge, that her sufficiency needeth no further directions:* 1.1 but as Lomazzo the Milinese, in that excellent worke which he writ of picturing, saith of a skilfull painter, that being to drawe a portraiture of gracefull lineaments, will neuer stand to take the symmetry by scale, nor marke it out according to rule; but ha∣uing his iudgment habituated by knowledge, and perfected with the variety of shapes and proportions; his knowledge guideth his eie, and his eie directeth his hand, and his hand followeth both with such facilitie of cunning, that each of them serue for a rule wherby the true measures of nature are exactly expres∣sed. The like may I say of a skilfull Souldier, or any Artizan in his faculty, when knowledge hath once purified his iudgment, and tuned it to the key of true ap∣prehension.

And although there are many that will easily admit a reconciliation of this disagreement, in the resemblāce of accidents being referred to the arbitrement of a well tempered spirit; yet they will by no meanes acknowledge, that those monstrous and inimitable exāples of valour & magnanimity (whereof antiqui∣ty is prodigall, & spendeth as though time should neuer want such treasure) can anie way auaile the maners of these daies, which if they were as they ought to be, would appeare but conterfeit to the luster of a golden age, nor yet compara∣ble

to siluer or brasse, or the strength of yron, but deserue no better title then earth or clay, whereof the frame of this age consisteth. For what resemblance (say they) is betweene the customs of our times, & the actions of those ancient Heroes? They obserued equity as well in warre as in peace: for vertue rather flourished by the naturall disposition of men, then by lawe and authority; the tenure of their Empire was valour in warre and concord in peace; the grea∣test treasure which they esteemed, were the deedes of armes which they had at∣chieued for their countrey, adorning the temples of their gods with pietie, and their priuate houses with glory, pardoning rather then prosecuting a wrong, and taking nothing from the vanquished but ability of doing iniury: But the course of our times hath another bias, for couetousnesse hath subuerted both faith and equity, and our valour affecteth nothing but ambition, pride and cru∣elty tyrannize in our thoughtes, and subtilty teacheth vs to carrie rather a faire countenance, then a good nature; our meanes of getting are by fraud & extor∣tion, and our manner of spending is by wast and prodigality; not esteeming what we haue of our owne, but coueting that which is not ours; men effemina∣ted and women impudent, vsing ritches as seruants to wickednesse, and preuen∣ting natures appetite with want on luxurity; supplanting vertue with trecherie, and vsing victory with such impiety, as though iniuriant facere, were imperio vti: and therefore the exemplarie patternes of former times wherein true honour is expressed, may serue to be gazed vpon, but no way to be imitated by this age, being too subtile to deale with honesty, and wanting courage to incounter va∣lour. I must needes confesse, that he that compareth the history of Liuie with that of Guichardine shall finde great difference in the subiects which they han∣dle; for Liuie triumpheth in the conquestes of vertue, and in euery page erec∣teth trophes vnto valour, making his discourse like Cleanthes table, wherein vertue is described in her entire maiestie, and so sweetned with the presence & seruice of the graces, that all they which behold her are rapt with admiration of her excellencie, and charmed with the loue of her perfection: but Guichar∣dine hath more then Theseus taske to performe, being to winde through the la∣byrinthes of subtilty, and discouer the quaint practises of politians, where∣in publike and open dessignes are oftentimes but shadowes of more secret pro∣iectes, and these againe serue as foiles to more eminent intentions; being also discoloured with dissimulation, and so insnared in the sleightes of subtilty, that when you looke for war, you shall finde peace; and expecting peace, you shall fal into troubles, dissentions and wars: So crabbed and crooked is his argument in respect of Liuies fortune, and such arte is required to vnfolde the truth of these mysteries.

But to answere this obiection in a word, and so to proceede to that which followeth, I say those immortall memories of vertue which former time recor∣deth, are more necessary to be knowne, then any strategems of subtler ages: for equitie and valour being truely apprehended so season the motions of the soule, that albeit in so corrupt a course, they cannot peraduenture stir vp imi∣tation; yet they oftentimes hinder many malicious practises, and diuelish deui∣ses, when euill is reproued by the knowledge of good, and condemned by the

authority of better ages. And if we will needs follow those steppes which the present course of the world hath traced, and plaie the Cretian with the Creti∣an; this obiection hindereth nothing, but that historie, especiallie these of lat∣ter times; affordeth sufficient instructions to make a souldier perfect in that point.

Let not therefore anie man despise the sound instructions which learning af∣fordeth, nor refuse the helpes that historie doth offer to perfect the weaknesse of a short experience, especially when no worth can counteruaile the waight of so great a businesse for I take the office of a chiefe commander, to be a subiect ca∣pable of the greatest wisdedome that may be apprehended by naturall meanes, being to manage a multitude of disagreeing mindes, as a fit instrument to ex∣ecute a dessigne of much consequence and great expectation, and to qualifie both their affections and apprehensions according to the accidentes which rise in the course of his directions; besides the true iudgement, which he ought to haue of such circumstances as are most important to a fortunate end, wherein our prouidence cannot haue enough either from learning or experience, to preuent disaduantages, or to take holde of opportunities. Neither can it be de∣nied, but as this knowledge addeth perfection to our iudgment, so it serueth al∣so as a spur to glory, and increaseth the desire of honour in such as beholde the atchieuments of vertue, commended to a perpetuall posteritie, hauing them∣selues the like meanes to consecrate their memorie to succeeding ages, wherein they may serue for examples of valour, and reape the reward of true honour. Or to conclude, if we thirst after the knowledge of our owne fortune, and long to foresee the ende of that race which we haue taken, which is the chiefest matter of consequence in the vse of Armes; what better coniecture can be made, then to looke into the course of former times, which haue proceeded from like be∣ginnings, and were continued with like meanes, and therefore not vnlikely to sort vnto like endes?

And now if it be demanded whether reading or practice haue the first place in this Arte, and serueth as a foundation to the rest of the building? Let Mari∣us answere this question,* 1.2 who enuying at the nobilitie of Rome, saith thus. Qui postquam consules facti sunt, acta Maiorum & Graecorum militaria praecepta legere caeperint: homines praeposteri, nam legere quam fieri, tempore posterius, re & vsu prius est. Whereas (saith he) reading ought to go before practise (although it follow it in course of time, for there is no reading, but of some thing practised before,) these preposterous men, after they are made Consuls and placed at the helme of gouernment, begin to reade, when they should practise that which they had read; and so bewray their insufficiencie of knowledge by vsing out of time that, which in time is most necessarie. This testimonie gaue Marius of reading & booke learning, being himselfe an enemy to the same, for as much as all his knowledge came by meere experience. But howsoeuer his iudgment was good in this point: for since that all motion and action proceedeth from the soule, and cannot well be produced, vntill the Idea thereof be first imprinted in the minde, according to which patterne the outward being and sensible resem∣blance is duely fashioned; how is it possible that any action can be well expres∣sed,

when the minde is not directed by knowledge to dispose it in that sort, as shall best agree with the occurrentes of such natures, as are necessarily interes∣sed both in the meanes and in the end thereof? And therfore speculatiue know∣ledge as the Tramontane, to direct the course of all practise is first to bee re∣spected.

But that I may not seeme partiall in this controuersie, but carrie an equall hand betweene two so necessarie yoakefellowes, giue me leaue to conclude in a word, the benefite of practise, and define the good which commeth from ex∣perience; that so nothing that hath beene spoken may seeme to come from af∣fection, or proceede from the forge of vniust partiality. And first it cannot bee denied, but that practise giueth boldnesse and assurance in action, and maketh men expert in such things they take in hand, for no man can rest vpon such cer∣tainty, through the theorike of knowledge, as he that hath seene his learning verified by practise, and acknowledged by the testimony of assured proofe: Be∣sides, there are many other accōplements gotten only by practise, which grace the presence of knowledge, & giue credit to that which we haue read; as first to learne the vse and aduantage of the armes which we beare; secondly, by frequent aspect and familiarity of dangers, and accidents of terrour, to learne to feare nothing but dishonour, to make no difference betweene heate and cold, som∣mer and winter, to sleepe in all places as on a bed, and at the same time to take paines and suffer penury, with many other difficulties which custome maketh easie, and cannot be gotten but by vse and practise.

And thus at length, I haue brought a shallow discourse to an abrupt end, wi∣shing with greater zeale of affection then I am able with manifest proofe of rea∣son, to demonstrate the necessity, that both these partes were by our souldiers so regarded, that neither practise might march in obstinate blindnesse without learned knowledge; nor this againe be entertained with an idle apprehension without practise: but that both of them may be respected, as necessarie partes to make a compleat nature; wherein knowledge as the intellectuall part giueth life and spirit to the action, and practise as the materiall substance maketh it of a sensible being, and like a skilfull workman expresseth the excellency, which knowledge hath fore conceiued: wishing no man to despaire of effecting that by practise which the Theorike of knowledge commendeth. For Cur despe∣res nunc posse fieri, quod iam toties factum est?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 3.
• * 1.2

  Salust. de bello Iugur.