CHAP. V.
The difference betwixt men at Arms and foot, and upon which we are most to rely.
WE come now to your other demand, in which you desire to understand what order, or what natural virtue it is that makes the foot better than the horse.
I say in the first place, horse cannot march in all Countries as foot can; they are not so ready to obey orders when there is any sudden occasion to change them: for when they are upon their march, if there be occasion to wheel, or face about, to advance, or stop, or retreat, they cannot do it with that dexterity as the foot. Upon any rout or disorder, horse cannot rally so well, (though perhaps they are not pursued) which is not so with the foot.
Again, it is frequently seen, a brave and a daring man may be upon a bad horse, and a coward upon a good, and that inequality is the occasion of many disorders. Nor let any one think strange that a body of foot can sustain the fury of the horse, because an horse is a sensible creature, and being apprehensive of danger, is not easily brought into it. And if it be considered what forces them on, and what forces them off, it will be found that that which keeps them off, is greater than that which pricks them on; for that which puts them forward is but a spur, whilst that which keeps them off, is a pike or a sword. So that it has been many times seen both by ancient and modern experience, that a body of foot are se∣cure, and insuperable by horse. If you object, that coming on galloping to the charge, makes the horse rush furiously upon the Enemy, and to be less careful of the pike than the spur. I answer, that though a horse be in his career, when he sees the pikes, he will stop of himself; and when he feels them prick, he will stop short; and when you press him on, will turn either on the one side or the other: and if you have a mind to make the ex∣periment, try if you can to run a horse against a wall, and you shall find very few that will do it. Caesar, when he was in France, being to fight a battel with the Swizzers, caused all his horse to dismount, and send their horses away, as being fitter to fly than to fight upon. But though horse are naturally subject to these impediments, he who com∣mands the foot is to march such ways as are likely to be most difficult for horse, and he shall scarce come into a Country but such ways are to be found. If you march over mountainous and hilly places, the very situation will secure you against the fury of the horse; if your march be in a plain, you will seldom march any where but you will have plow'd-fields, or hedges, or woods to secure you: for every ditch, every bank, how inconsiderable so ever, takes off from the fury of the horse, and every plow'd-field or vineyards retards them. And if you come to a battel, it will be the same as in a march; for every small accident that happens to a horse, dismays him, and takes off his courage. However, I will not omit to tell you one thing that the Romans trusted so much to their orders, and arms, that had it been in their power to have chosen a place that had been sleep, and covenient to secure them against horse, (though they had not been able to draw themselves up) or an open place (more obnoxious to the horse) where they might put themselves handsomly in Battalia, they