OBSERVATIONS.
THere are three principall means to draw a State into a partie which of it self standeth neutrall,* 1.1 or to win the minds of men, when they carrie equall or indifferent affections. The first is,* 1.2 by favour or friendship; the second, by authoritie;* 1.3 and the third, by money.
Friendship relieth upon former respects, and the exchange of precedent courtesies.* 1.4 Authority concludeth from future dangers, and the incon∣veniences which may follow the refusall. Mo∣ney doth govern the present occasion, and is more generall then either favour or authoritie. The Galles were not wanting to make their par∣tie good in any of these three perswading mo∣tives: but, as Caesar saith, Quantum gratia, au∣thoritate, pecunia valent, ad sollicitandas civi∣tates n••tuntur: they sollicited the neighbour States, as farre as friendship, authority, and mo∣ney would go.
Wherein as they went about to lay the stock upon it, so they left themselves but one triall for the right of their cause, and joyned issue for all upon the fortune of that action: for when they should see their best possibilities too weak, and their uttermost endeavours profit nothing against a mighty prevailing enemy, the greater their hopes were which they had in the means, the greater would be their despair when such means were spent; for it is a shrewd thing for men to be out of means, and not to drive a hope before them.
It is usuall upon such main occasions to imploy the chiefest man in a State, in whom the souldi∣ers may have most assurance, and to accom∣pany him with such means as the strength of the Commonweal may afford him: but if their great∣est hopes die in his ill successe, or wax faint through cold fortune, the kingdome receiveth losse, and the enemy getteth advantage, as may appear by the sequele of this great preparation.