Ciuill considerations vpon many and sundrie histories, as well ancient as moderne, and principallie vpon those of Guicciardin. Containing sundry rules and precepts for princes, common-wealths, captaines, coronels, ambassadours and others, agents and seruants of princes, with sundry aduertisements and counsels concerning a ciuill life, gathered out of the examples of the greatest princes and common-wealths in Christendome. Handled after the manner of a discourse, by the Lord Remy of Florence, and done into French by Gabriel Chappuys, Tourangeau, and out of French into English, by W.T.

CHAP. 56. No man ought to giue credit to the words and promises of Fu∣gitiues and runnawaies, for whoso reposeth trust in them, without being well assured of them, committeth a great [ B] error.

WE haue said aboue, that it is a great error to vn∣dertake an enterprise, through the perswasion of Rebels, because that for the most part such enterprises haue not preuailed, but haue been dammageable and preiudiciall to the authors thereof. But I finde not that there is lesse dan∣ger and preiudice, easilie to beleeue those which in deede are, or for some plot and se∣cret [ C] practise faine themselues to be fugitiues, principally when the warre is open, and to doe any thing at their perswasion, may breed great inconuenience. Wherefore I am of opinion, that those Colo∣nels and Captaines doe wisely, which when any of these fugitiues of their owne accord come vnto them, if they presently trust them not, nor giue any charge of importance; but opening thē their eyes, marke well their actions and manner of their behauiour, and see∣ming in words and outward signes that they trust them, keepe them busied, giuing them good hope, vntill they being well certified and assured of their nature and qualities, they may afterwards freely [ D] without any suspition commit to their charge any honourable en∣terprise. That to trust to the promise of fugitiues, is a great fault, and cause of most notable losse and dammage, the Citie of Babylon can well testifie, and Crassus Captaine for the Romanes. The Citie was depriued of her libertie and almost ruinated; and the other decei∣ued by a Fugitiue, lost the Romane Armie and his life with all, which came to passe in this manner. The Citie of Babylon rebelled against Darius King of Persia, the which to defend it selfe, and to re∣sist the forces of Darius, and fearing a tedious and long siege, made all necessarie prouision, as well for munition and things appertai∣ning

to the warres to defend and offend, as for victuals; and to the end that victuals should not be consumed by idle and vnprofitable persons for the warres, the Babylonians slue all their women, reser∣uing onely one in euery house, to giue order for those things which there are necessarie. Darius being aduertised of the rebellion and reuolt of so noble, rich, and strong a towne, hauing assembled a great and mightie armie, and made prouision of all things necessa∣rie thereto, took his way towards Babylon, and at length besieged it very strictly on euery side: those of Babylon were nothing amazed to see so great an armie about their walles, but in view of the ene∣mies they daunced vpon their rampiers, and gaue themselues to [ F] feasting and dancing, and also vsed some iniurious speeches against the Persians, without fearing or caring for the enemie, or his forces: the siege remained before the citie one whole yeere and seuen mo∣neths continually, and it was not possible to get it by force, policie, nor promise; for all that serued to no purpose. But a gentleman of Persia called Zophir, perceiuing that all the Persians, and the King himselfe, were wearie of so long a siege, attempted a most coura∣gious and profitable enterprise for his King: for hauing communi∣cated his desseignes and the course which he meant to hold to the King, he marred and mangled al his face with a knife, and fled from [ G] the Kings Campe to the Citie of Babylon. The Babylonians seeing him so ill handled receiued him friendly, and thinking that without any malice, or faining, hee was fled to the towne, they had many se∣cret discourses with him, whereby they were perswaded that he was a deadly enemie to the King of Persia; and they gaue him certaine companies of souldiers in charge: the tenth day he sallied out of the towne with his companies, and slew a thousand Persian souldiers, the which, according to the order concluded and agreed vpon be∣tweene King Darius and Zophir, had made a roade euen vnto the gate of Semiramis, which wanne Zophir great honour and maruei∣lous [ H] credit among the Babylonians. Seuen daies after King Darius sent another Captaine, with two thousand souldiers to the port of Ninus, which valiantly defending themselues, in the end were cut in peeces. Twentie daies after (following the accorde and agree∣ment) the King failed not to send foure thousand souldiers to the port of Caldea, the which likewise were defeated by the Babylo∣nians, by reason whereof, Zophir was held by them in such reputa∣tion, that they put into his hands the gouernment of the towne, and charge of the warre against the Persians, and Darius at the time ap∣pointed,

[ A] with all his whole armie valiantly assaulted the Citie of Ba∣bylon, and while as the people were vpon the walles to put back the enemie, Zophir opened two ports to the Persian armie, the port Ci∣siana and Belida, which being entred into the towne, sacked it, and the King caused the ports of the Citie to be taken away, defaced all, and put to death 3000. of the most noble and principall of the Citie. Hereby the Babylonians to their great losse knew, the great fault which they had committed, to beleeue a man which fained himselfe to be a fugitiue, and to giue him the charge and gouern∣ment of their Citie.

[ B]

Notes

• Crassus, a Ge∣nerall for the Romanes, was ouerthrowne and slaine, be∣ing betrayed by a Fugitiue.
• ••abilon strictly besieged, and the siege there∣of.
• Zophir by fraud put the citie of Babi∣lon into the hands of King Darius.