The history of the government of France, under the administration of the great Armand du Plessis, Cardinall and Duke of Richlieu, and chief minister of state in that kingdome wherein occur many important negotiations relating to most part of Christendome in his time : with politique observations upon the chapters / translated out of French by J.D. Esq.

Politique Observation.

THE Laws of military policy require the preparing of great Magazines near the places designed for an enterprize, before the first attempt; and especially not to enter upon an enemies Countrey without making sure of a dayly provision for the Souldiers, that they are not brought to want. Armies are oftner ruined by hunger then by Battel; whence it happens that he who is not very carefull of carrying his Provisions with him, or sure of finding them where he comes, will soon see himself destitute of Troops; and in such confusion as will render him contempti∣ble to his enemies, and despicable to his friends. This was one of the rules Cam∣bises taught his son Cyrus, as Xenophon relateth it, and Cyrus was no lesse carefull

to practise it in the Wars which he made against the Assyrians, as the same Au∣thor observeth. The Turks are very exact at it, indeed their temperance gives them one great advantage, because the carriage of them is not very difficult, a∣mongst them, who use neither Wine nor other dainties. It were to be wished that ours would follow their example, because the plenty in which most of our Com∣manders have used to live, renders them unable for labour, or to make any great enterprizes upon the Spaniard, by reason of the difficulty of carrying provisions with them. The Romans were not ignorant of this truth, when their Empire was in its most flourishing condition; and for this reason it was, that they accu∣stomed their forces to great abstinency, and those Nations which were least brought up in delicacies, were alwaies by them esteemed the most war-like. Thus Julius Caesar thought the Flemmings more valiant then the rest of the Gauls, because they lived upon harder fare. Hannibal to his cost found what losses befell his Ar∣my, after they had been accustomed to a lithe ease and plenty, when after the bat∣tel of Cannes, warring with lesse fear of the Romans, he permitted them to live in all pleasure and abundance, and afterwards being to make use of them, he found that by that means they had lost their courages. A Captain however in avoiding this delicacy, ought not to be defective in carrying that which is necessary for his Souldiers. The inconveniences which will follow by such neglect, are not onely as hath been said, that he will see them disband, but withall he will find them to run to his enemies Quarters, in hope to find there better maintenance. Thus did the most part of Afranius and Petrius souldiers flie to Caesars Camp, and those of Caesar upon the like necessity went unto Pompey; besides all this, want occasion∣eth diseases, as the French found at Carignan (as Guieciardin reporteth) and sometimes causeth a Mutiny: In fine, it is impossible in such occasions but a Com∣mander must soon see his forces in confusion among themselves, and vanquished by their enemies, as Vegetius hath very judicially observed.