The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

CHAP. I.

The* 1.1 Ʋsipetes and* 1.2 Tenchtheri bring great multi∣tudes of people over the Rhene into Gallia. The nature of the Suevi.

THe winter following,* 1.3 Pompey and Crassus being Consuls, the Usipetes and Tenchtheri, two German nati∣ons, passed over the Rhene with great multitudes of people, not farre from the place where it falleth into the sea. The reason of their slitting was, the ill intreaty which for ma∣ny years together they had received of the Sue∣vi, the greatest and warlikest nation amongst the Germans. For these Suevi had one hundred Cantons or shires, which yearly furnished their warres with a thousand men apiece; and kept as many at home to maintain both themselves and their Armies abroad: and these the year fol∣lowing were in Armes, and the other stayed at home and performed the like duty; and so by this means they all continued their experience both of tillage and matter of warre. No man had any ground proper to himself, neither might they abide longer then a year in one place. They li∣ved chiefly upon cattell and milk, and used much hunting; which was the cause (what through the quality of their diet, their continuall exer∣cise, and liberty of life, being never brought up to any calling or tyed to any discipline, nor urged to any thing against their disposition) that they were strong and of a large stature: and they had used themselves so to it, that they never cared for any cloathing in the coldest place they came in, more then skins and hides, which covered but part of their body, the rest being naked: and they wash their bodies usually in the rivers. They have merchants that frequent their ports, not so much to bring them any commodities from abroad, as to buy the prey and spoil they take in warre. And whereas the Galles take much de∣light in oxen and other beasts, and stick not to give any price for them; the Germans care not for the bringing of them amongst them, but ra∣ther use their own mishapen ugly cattel, which by daily inuring they bring to perform any ser∣vice. Their horsemen oftentimes in time of bat∣tel forsook their horse, and fought on foot; their horses being taught to stand still in one place, that when they would they might return unto them. Neither was there any thing accounted more base, or uselesse in the course of their life, then to use furniture for horses: and therefore they would adventure to charge upon great troups of horse that used Equipage, with a few of their own quality. They admitted no wine to be brought in unto them, least it might effeminate their warlike inclination, or make them unapt for labour. The greatest honour in their opinion was, to have then bordering Territories ly waste and desolate: for so it would be thought that many States together could not resist their con∣quering valour: and it was reported that the countrey lay waste from the Suevi one way six hundred miles together.

THE OBSERVATION.

BY this practice of the Suevi it appeareth how little a naked resolution of valour availeth, when it wanteth the ornaments of moral 〈◊〉〈◊〉

and civile discretion, to make use of that greatnesse which prowesse hath obtained: for notwithstanding that they were a nation both warlike and of good ability, they were so vainly carried on with a conceit of manhood, that it sor∣ted to no other end then to maintain barbarisme at home, and desolation abroad; whereas true valour is alwayes subordinate to the preservation of Commonweals, and is as the defensive Armes of civile society. Which I have the rather noted, inasmuch as it resembleth an humour that aboun∣deth in this age, especially in the particular havi∣our of our young Gallants; whose naked valour revealing it self only in the lie and in the stabb, for want of other assistant vertues to temper the heat of so brittle a metall, leadeth them into such inconveniences and disordered actions, that it changeth the nature thereof into giddy-headed rashnesse; and in lieu of vertues guerdon, is re∣paied with irrision.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Those of Zutphen.
• * 1.2

  Of Hassia.
• * 1.3

  Caesar.