The notes of the peo∣ples beneuolence promi∣sed in my letter.
THE warres, that about .MM. yeres a∣goe happened betwene the Romains and Car∣thaginenses, were so notable, as lightly the greatter haue not ben hearde of, as well for the puissance or greatnesse of both those common wealthes, as for the longe tyme of their obstinate con∣tencion. The circumstances wherof are to be redde in Liuie, and other good authours, that haue written it at length. But to my purpose now, ye must vnderstand, that Annibal (the notablest enemie that euer the Ro∣maines had) not longe before these matters, had diuers times ouerthro∣wen the Romaines in plaine battaile: Page [unnumbered] and had so beaten theim, that after their fall at Cannas, where a won∣derful nombre as well of Senatours as others, were slayne, it was reaso∣soned in Rome: whether it were bet∣ter for them to abandon the citie, and euery man to shyft for hym selfe: or els to abyde the aduenture that the Goddes woulde sende them. For vn∣doubtedly if Annibal after his victo∣rie had gone streight to Rome, the ro∣mayne astate had than finysshed his glorie. But whether his slackenesse gaue them courage: or their valiant∣nesse made theim desperate: or that the sterres had predestinate a greatter felicitie vnto theim: or what so euer the occasion was, the Romaines per∣seuered, and by littell and littell so recouered, that at length they chased Annibal out of Italie, and sendyng Scipio into Affrike, didde vnto Car∣thage that, whiche Annibal myght Page [unnumbered] haue done to Rome, sacked it, spoyled it, burned it, and rooted vp the verie foundacions. Neuerthelesse ete thei coulde bryng this to passe, thei were many tymes in so great extremitees, that if the priuate persons of Rome had not with their owne mainteined the publike charges, their thynges coulde neuer haue prospered as they dyd.
¶For first whan Titus Sempronius, and Quintus Fabius Maximus, were consules, the Scipios, that than had the gouernaunce of the armies in Spayne, wrote vnto Rome specially for garmentes and vittailes: without the whiche thei coulde not mainteine the warres. And because the tributes of Sicilia and Sardinia were scarse a∣ble to furnishe the armies continuyng in those countreis, and that there were so many Romaynes slayne at Tras•menus and Cannas, that few Page [unnumbered] were left to paie any tribute at home. Therfore Fuluius the Pretor, perswa∣ded the people, that for as muche as the customers and fermours of the re¦uenues of the common wealth, were become very ryche, as well of posses∣sions as of goodes, through the vse of publike thynges: Therfore it was now necessary they shoulde bee con∣streigned, with their substance to suc∣cour the common wealthes necessi∣tee, in furnishing the army of Spayne: to be paied agayne of the first money, that shoulde come to the Treasorie. For the whiche the Pretor appointed a daie, that the people shoulde assem∣ble to determine. At whiche daie XIX. of those customers and fer∣mours offered theim selues, to dis∣charge the whole prouision. So that the armie, for that tyme, was no lesse furnished, by priuate men, than the common wealth woulde haue done, in Page [unnumbered] tyme of their most prosperitee.
¶Afterwardes, in the consulate of Quintus Fabius Maximus, and Mar∣cus Marcellus, vpon the newes, that the Sicilians rebelled, and were in armes, whan Titus Octacilius should be sent with an armie thither: there wanted a nombre of mariners and o∣ther thynges to furnyshe the nauie.
Wherfore a generall order was ta∣ken, that the Romaines, after certaine rates of their substaunce shoulde pro∣uide mariners at their owne charges, some one, some .iii. some .v. and some vii. paide for an whole yere. Whiche was the first time, that euer any Ro∣mayne army was sette foorth at the charges of the priuate citesins.
¶An other tyme, whan the Treasou∣ry was cleane without money, so that the Censoures had not, wherwith to repaire the temples: nor to geue the Curules their horses, nor to doe suche Page [unnumbered] other thynges as apperteygued to their offices. The calamitee therof moued a nombre of those, that ought to haue had money of them, contrary wise to come with money vnto them, exhortyng them to doe all thynges as liberally, as if the common wealth florisshed, promisyng, not to demande repayment before the warres were fi∣nished: like as the masters, of whom the slaues were bought, refused to take their money before the ende of the warres. Whiche good disposi∣cion beyng also founde in the people, moued the officers to take vp the goodes of the widowes and orphanes vpon credite, to be aunswered of the common wealth: and so farre this good will increased, that the fame therof engendred so great a liberali∣tee emongest the souldiours in the campe, that no pryuate horse manne, nor Centurion, woulde receyue his Page [unnumbered] paies, callyng theim Mercenarij that otherwise did.
¶But the last and most notable was, after the seuere sentence geuen against the Capuans, perswaded by the ora∣cion of Marcus Attilius Regulus, the ambassadours, as well of Sicilia, as of Capua beyng than dispatched, the Consules tended to the appoinctment of the army, and that perfourmed, be∣ganne to treate of the furniture of their nauie. To the whiche, because thei wanted as well mariners as mo∣ney, thei commaunded euery priuate man, after his rate, to prouide mari∣ners and galey men: and to vittayle and paie them for .XXX. daies, as it had ben seene tofore. This procla∣macion so muche sterred mens hertes, that thei wanted rather capitaynes, than matter of rebellion, saiyng, that the Consules, after the ruine of the Sicilians and Capuans, had determi∣ned Page [unnumbered] also to destroie the romayne peo∣ple, whiche was alreadie consumed by the tributes of so many yeres: ha∣uyng nothyng left than but the bare lande spoyled by the warres: their slaues were all taken from theim, some to the feelde, and some to the sea: And betwene the findyng of ma∣riners, and paiyng of tributes, that little siluer and money that they had, was cleane spent. So that it was impossible to constreigne them, to geue that thei had not. Wherfore if they woulde sell their goodes, thei might: and than coulde thei vse no more cru∣eltee but agaynst their bodies, that onely rested: whiche if they shoulde be compelled to redeeme, they coulde not, wantyng wherwith.
¶These thinges were not spoken pri∣uately, or secretely, but openly, and to the Consules faces: the people as∣semblyng by heapes together, whom Page [unnumbered] thei pacified as well as they coulde. Neuerthelesse the next daie, the Se∣nate beyng assembled, it was after longe disputacion concluded, that whether it were right or wronge, this burdeine must needes be susteined by priuate persones, the Treasourie be∣yng vtterly without money. And e∣uery man restyng as it were amased at the mattier, the Consule Leuinus spake on this wise.
LIke as our office is aboue the Senate, and the Senatours su∣periours to the people in ho∣nour: so ought we to be the chiefe and firste of all other, to enterprise any great or weighty matter. For he that woll charge his inferiours with any greuous imposicion, and first practise it in hym selfe, shall finde theim the better disposed to obey, esteemyng theyr charge the lesse, whan they see their betters freely take the greatter Page [unnumbered] part of the burdein vpon them. Wher∣fore to the ende that the Romayne people be not disapointed of this na∣uie, that we intende to make, and that priuate men refuse not to fynde the mariners: let vs commaunde as well our selues as all you that be Sena∣tours, that to morow next we put all our golde and syluer, and out coyned brasse in common, i• suche wise as no man reteyne more to him selfe than his owne •ynges, his wiues, and chil∣dernes: and to his sonne his table tis: and he that hath wyfe or doughters, one vnce of golde. And they that haue fitten, as magistrates, in the feate Curule, maie reserue their horses for∣nimentes, and two poundes of siluer, to vse in a salt and goblette for the di∣uine seruice. The rest of the Sena∣tours to haue but one pounde of syl∣uer, and all other householders to re∣serue onely in masse money, 5000. as∣ses Page [unnumbered] a pece. All our other golde and siluer, and brasse money, let vs imme∣diately bryng vnto the .iii. magistra∣tes of the banke, without other deter∣minacion of the Senate, to the ende that our voluntarie contribucion and vehement desyre to the maintenance of our common wealth, maie fyrst al∣lure the myndes of the chiualrie, and consequentely of the people, to dooe the like. This onely waie we the Consules haue founde after muche disputacion, which with goddes helpe let vs take in hande. For as longe as we preserue the astate of our common wealth: so longe we dooe mainteyne the suretie of our owne priuate thyn∣ges. Where as habandonyng the publike, we can kepe nothyng our owne. Wherevnto vniuersally all their voyces were so agreable, that the Consules beyng highly thanked, and the Senate dissolued, euery man Page [unnumbered] applied him selfe with so muche hast, to bryng in their golde, siluer, and money, that well was he, whiche in the regesters myght bee wrytten e∣mongest the first, in suche wise, that neither the officers sufficed to re∣ceiue, nor the clerkes to write: which conformitie of the Senate, was ge∣nerally folowed by the knightes, and consequently by the people. So that without other commaundement or perswasion of the magistrates, the common Treasourie was furnisshed with money to make the paies, and the nauie sufficiently equipped to the sea. And so all thynges necessary for the warres beyng prouided, the Con∣sules departed towardes theyr pro∣uinces.
