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.

THE FOVRTH OBSERVATION.

THe last circumstance which I note in this speech, was the trust which he reposed in the tenth legion, being in it selfe peraduenture as faul∣tie as any other: wherein he shewed great arte and singular wisdome. For he that hath once offended and is both burthened with the guilt of conscience, and vpbraided with the reproch of men, can hardly be perswa∣ded that his fault can bee purged with any satisfaction. And although the pu∣nishment be remitted, yet the memorie of the fact will neuer be blotted out with any vertuous action; but still remaineth to cast dishonour vpon the offen∣der, and to accuse him of disloialtie: And therefore it oftentimes happeneth, that an errour being once rashly committed, through despaire of remission ad∣mitteth no true penitencie, but either draweth on more grieuous crimes, confir∣ming that of the Poet, Scelere scelus luendum est; or maintaineth his errour by

wilfull obstinacie: as it is saide of the Lyon that being found by hunters in a caue, will rather die in the place then quit it, for shame that he was found in so base a place of refuge; and therfore his propertie is thus expressed, ingrediendo caecus, exeundo proteruus. This did Caesar wisely preuent, by cleering the tenth legion of that, which he accused the rest of the Armie, which made them so much the more earnest to answere his expectation, in as much as they were wit∣nes to themselues of a common errour: and the other legions, enuying at their fortune, resolued to shew as great alacrity in the sequell of the warre, and to de∣serue more then the iudgment of the Emperour had imputed to their fellowes.