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 OBSERVATION.

AS these prouisoes were all requisite, so one thing was omitted, which might haue furthered their good fortune more then any thing thought of,* 1.1 which was to haue concealed by all meanes the time of their departure: for all the beastes of the wood must needes stand at gaze, when such lyons roused themselues out of their dens, and be then very watchfull of their safety when they knewe the instant of time, when some of their spoiles must needes be offered to appease their furie: Or at the least it be∣hooued them so to haue dealt by hostages and treaty, that such as were likeliest and best able to crosse their dessignements, might haue beene no hinderance of their proceedings: considering there were but two waies out of their coun∣trey by which they might go, the one narrow and difficult betwene the hill Iura and the riuer Rhone, by the countrey of the Sequani: the other through Pro∣uence far easier and shorter, but not to be taken but by the permission of the Romans. But howsoeuer their errour was, that after two yeares prouision to go, and hauing made an exterminating decree which inioyned them to go, when they came to the point they knew not what way to go.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The omission in the Helue∣tian expedi∣tion.