The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Campe Diſcipline.
THVS having ſpoken of the body of a Camp, I come to that which is the very ſoule of a Camp, namely, Camp Diſcipline: For as the body without a ſoule, be the portrature never ſo goodly, is but a carkaſſe; or as a goodly body animated and activated with the ſoule, yet the ſoules faculties are either obfuſcated with dark and cold melancholy, or ſet on fire with black burnt choler; ſo that either nothing is done, or that which is worſe then nothing. Such is a goodly Army, except this reaſonable ſoule of diſcipline doe organize the body. Nullus est uſus fortitudinis niſi adſit iuſticia.Agiſilaus that great King of the Lacedemonians, having the queſtion put, whether fortitude, or righteouſneſſe were the better, anſwered grauely, that there was no uſe of fortitude, except it were governed with righteouſneſs. It may well be compared to the firſt …eece of armour, namely, to the girdle of truth; Eph. 6.14.for it ty…eth all the Armes, and all the ſervices in Armes, faſt unto the ſouldiers loynes, in a comely order. In warre it ſelfe, it is the bond of peace: yea, as that which driveth a ſtake into the ground, or a peece of wood into another is called the Commmander; ſo Diſcipline driveth the nayle in the Tent, and is the chiefe Commandreſſe in Martiall affaires; yea, it is the beſt Phyſitian for peccant humors; Chyrurgion for wounds and ſores; and the onelyonly beſt bone-ſetter for fracture or laxation. This is a main key in Church, or Common-wealth, that ſhutteth out enemies, and intertaineth friends. Caſsiodor telleth us, that it is the onelyonly fort, and beſt guard that an Army poſſibly can hauehave: Non al…unde robustius quam diſciplina, armatur exercitus lib. 12.and as I ſaid of Cities and townes, ſo may I ſay again of a Camp; fortifie it with all the ſtrength and Art that nature can affoord; without diſcipline it will be but as a paper wall. For, as I hauehave ſhewed, the ruin of diſcipline is the racing out of Armes, and the deſtruction of a Nation. The learned obſerue, Dicta autē caſtra quaſi caſta, eo quod ibi caſtraretur libid…. Etymolog. lib. 9. Annal. 14, in quo vide Lipſium.that the very name of a Camp implyeth Diſcipline. A Campe, ſaith Iſidor, is called Castrum; becauſe it ſhould be chaſte, and all lewdneſſe and luſt ſhould be caſhiered from it. Yea, as Tacitus writeth, the Romane ſouldiers were interdicted Matrimony, which is the beſt ground (I take) that the Romiſh Prieſts hauehave againſt their Marriage; that though it be a Sacrament (as they ſay) yet the Sacrament of orders barreth them of it, as the military ſacrament did bar the ſouldier. But Severus more wiſely, Herodian lib. 3.& upon better warrant, gaue them free liberty to hauehave their wiues at home: but Alexander permitted them to hauehave them in their Camps, with their families, after the Perſian manner, and ſo to liue and breed in Camps, as the Hollander doth at Sea. Though this proved well for Alexander, as every thing did; and though a great many loving wiues, willing to liue and die with their huſbands, would be of his mind; yet upon mature judgement the middle rule ſhall proue the beſt; but I leaue it to the ſcanning of the judicious, and I come again to Diſcipline Sejanus, as Tacitus reporteth, would hauehave Camps remote from Cities, except they did beleagre them, that by the evils of the Cities they might not be corrupted. Yea, the laſcivious and diſordered youths were brought into the Campes, Iuvenē urbano luxu laſcivientem melius eſt in caſtris haberi lib. 2. Annal.that by the force of Diſcipline they might be reclaimed. For as the Synagogue of Rome, and all the lymmes of that confuſed Babel, liketh nothing worſe then the Diſcipline of Chriſts Campe: ſo to the looſe Atacticks of theſe evill times, there is nothing more contrary, then the medicine of Diſcipline: A great many therefore had need to be in Camps, if Campes were as they ſhould be, the ſchooles of Diſcipline.
As the neceſſitie of this Diſcipline is evident, from the exorbitancy of corrupt nature, and the evils incident to a militarie life: ſo it is more then manifeſt; from Gods own command, concerning the government of the Iſraelites Camp; wherunto Moſes and Ioſ hua had a great reſpect; namely, that Diſcipline ſhould be exactly exerciſed, as appeareth in the cenſure of Achan, and others. Yea, the Romans, whoſe glory was their God, and their Common-wealth their best inheritance, made this the inlarger and maintainer of their Dominions. It was ſaid of Scipio, to his great commendation, that hee was the reſtorer of Diſcipline, not onelyonly fayling, but alſo neglected among the Romanes; inſomuch that hee held it a greater labour to reduce his own forces to Diſcipline, then to giuegive battle to the Numantines his enemies; therefore he abandoned all Bauds, Whoores, Coſeners, Coggers, Diviners, and Figure-flingers. And to giuegive our enemies their due (for the wicked are wiſe in their own generation) how admirable hath the Turkes been in the …ictneſſe of Diſcipline, I formerly ſhewed, Pandect. Turc. cap. 24.whereof you …ay ſee more at large in Leunclavius, Hypolitus, Busbequius, …d others: Yea, to come to a latter inſtance, in one of …e greateſt of Gods enemies that this age affoorded, name… the Duke de Maine, for excellency in diſcipline he was …cond to none. For the ruin of this, The cauſes of the decay of DiſciplineI may again with …e learned renew my complaint, but I hauehave handled that before: onelyonly the cauſes would be obſerved, which I take. Firſt, to be want of piety: the duties of the ſecond Table, wiſe from the duties of the firſt. Other cauſes we may gather from the words of Appian; Lib. 4. de bello civili.Theſe are the things (ſaith he) that layeth millitary Diſcipline in the duſt, every one forgetteth his place; namely, that he is a ſouldier; hee preferreth the ſerving of a private humour, or his own luſt, to the publique good; great Ones, or Princes, abuſe the ſervice of Inferiours to their own onelyonly gain. In ſua orat. apud Dionyſ. Ha… carnas.Appius Clau…us giveth another cauſe, namely, mans palliating foule ſins with abuſed names, as haughtineſſe and contempt with the name of gravity; filthy ribauldry with the name of merriment; palpable foolery with the name of ſimplicity, ſtarke ſtaring madneſſe, with the name of fortitude; bloudie oaths, with the name of big ſouldier-like words; drunkenneſſe, with the name of good fellowſhip; the Idolmaker of a Cup, with the name of a good ſubject: and laſtly, the looſe carriage of great Ones, with the names of refreſhing themſelues. And by the contrary, the beſt things are branded, with the worſt and fouleſt names; as piety by the name of Puritaniſm; humility, with the name of puſillanimity; ſimplicity of ſpeech is called hypocriſie; and ſobriety, ſingularity; and reproofe of ſin, too much holineſſe; due execution of diſcipline, cruelty; but remiſſeneſſe of diſcipline, gentleneſſe.
As the evill is manifeſt, with the cauſes thereof; ſo of neceſſity there muſt be a medicine, elſe all is mard; and with this, as I ſhewed, the great Ones, in themſelues muſt begin Moſes and Ioſua, if they will leade the Lords forces, muſt diſciplinate themſelues before they direct others. If a King … in the Camp, Diſcipline ſhould rule him. It is very baſe flattery, and meat and drink to many, to ſuggeſt to Kings, that they may rule others by Laws, and themſelues by their our wils. The very Heathen Emperours, who had no mo… knowledge then the bookes of Nature; or at moſt, ſuch … Morall Philoſophy could affoord, and no more glory b… tranſitory command; yet they would ſubject themſelues t… the ſelfe-ſame Laws that they willed others to obey. A notable inſtance in this, we hauehave in Adrian the Emperour, the firſt after Octavius Caeſar, that revived Diſcipline, and therefore much magnified by Aelian in his Tackticks; Sparlian in vita Hadrian. Lib. 5. eb 6. foreign.it was the manner, in creating of a Tribune of war, to put a ſword into his hand, as an Enſign of command, vvhichwhich the Emperour holding out to the Tribune: Behold (ſaith he) recei… this ſword, which if I command and rule in reaſon, as a Prine ſhould doe, draw it out and uſe it for me: but if I doe otherwiſe uſe it againſt me. Crinitus hath words to the ſame effect, ſpoken by the Emperour to Sura, when hee ſet him over the Pretorian forces. So Dio. But Suidas hath the words in Greeke.
Secondly, if Commanders would hauehave Diſcipline, the muſt not diſdain to ſhew them the way; And that, great Generals hauehave not denyed to doe, in things even inferiour to their place: As I ſhewed you before in Adrian, ſo by a whole Iury of the learned, the like is teſtified of Scipio, the reſtorer of Diſcipline. He would hauehave no beds; and to ſhew them an example, he uſed himſelfe to much hardneſſe, lying no better then on a bed filled with Hay; hee abandoned all dainties and delicacies, Ign…viam, aliaque mi litum vitta exercendo potius in caſtris velut in ſcholis quam puniendo ſuſtulit. Appian: de bell. Hiſpā. 1. & alij.ſo that eaſe had no intertainment; and by theſe pains he obtained his end: As it is ſaid of him to his great praiſe; That hee tooke away ſloth, and other vices of the ſouldiers, rather by his exerciſe in the Campe as in a ſchoole, then by inflicting of punishment. …et Chriſtian Kings and Commanders learne this of …od, the great Commander of all the world, who often …eth words and under them expreſſeth actions, more ſuta…e to our ſhallow capacitie, then befitting ſo glorious a …ajeſtie. There is one manner of majeſtie for the field, and another for the chayre of State, or the Preſence. The lovver …e looketh in the field, the higher he is; and the leſſer he is to himſelfe in the campe, the greater he is to his ſouldiers. Alexander the great, thought it no diſparagement to his greatneſſe, as he ſate by the fire to take a ſouldier almoſt …arved vvith cold, and ſet him in his ovvne ſeat, telling him, that if he had been a Perſian borne, the ſitting in the kings ſeate vvould hauehave coſt him his head; but as he vvas a Macedonian borne, he might ſafely doe it. You ſee hovv this great king, in this one act, ſhevved both great humanirie and humilitie. Front. Strat. lib. 4 cap. 6.The like is obſerved of the Noble and learned Xenophon; vvho being on his horſe, and commanding his …ouldiers as they marched along, to take a narrovv paſſage, …lazie fellovv, amongſt the reſt, fell a murmuring, and ſaid, it was an eaſie matter for him to ſit on his horſe and command; vvhichwhich he over hearing, leapes from his horſe, and cauſeth the common ſouldier to get up in his place, and marched a long on foote a great pace to the taking of the paſſage, the reſt of the ſouldiers flouting and hiſſing at lazie …ones their new Generall: He came downe vvith ſhame …nough, and hardly could they perſwade Xenophon to take …orſe againe, and to reſerve him ſelfe for a better uſe.
A third meane to advance diſcipline, is to be very …hoyſe in the chooſing of Officers. This was Adrians …are in the choyſe of Tribunes of war, that he admitted none but men of prudence, learning, courage, good report, & ver…uous converſation. As diſcipline hath advanced the Turke, ſo this hath been a meanes with him to preſerve diſcipline; for neither, birth, wealth, friends, or any by reſpect, prevaileth with them in the choyce of Officers; but according to hi… deſert and cariage he is advanced to place: where, on the contrarie, our making, or admitting of Commanders for mony or intreatie of great Ones, makes us miſſe ſuch a point o… our Compas as may mar all the courſe: when deſert looſed place who will ſtrive to deſerve? All the Turks care is, wh… he is, not, what he hath, or of whom he is come.
The fourth and laſt meanes to preſerve diſcipline, is exerciſe of diſcipline; wherein, as I hauehave ſhewed, there muſt be a due temperature, wherein merciemercy and Iuſtice muſt meete together. Temp eramentum ſit ad juſticiā.That example of Manlius upon his owne ſon, … pure unmixed Iuſtice, is not unknowne to thoſe that reade: who, fighting againſt the commandment of his father, notwithſtanding of his ſucceſſe, was firſt beaten with rods in the face of the Army, and after had his head chopt off with an axe: After which act he was euer called by the name of Manlius the Imperious. Front. lib. 4. cap. 4.In this kind the Germaines were very ſtrict; traytors and fugitives, they hanged up; baſe and idle fellowes, Cornel: Tacit. de moribus Germanorum.and all infamous perſons, they ſtifled in mire and clay, and caſt a heap of ſtones upon them. You may reade at large in the Romane hiſtoryes for divers crimes, divers puniſhmēts; as for adultery, drunkeneſſe, &c. Maximus the Emperour, Iulius Capitolinus.cauſed put tvvo ſouldiers for abuſing of a maide in the bellies of tvvo ſlit oxen, vvith the oxens heads cut off, that the one might ſpeake to the other. But not to inſiſt in examples, this rule vvill doe vvell, that according to the nature of the ſin, the circumſtances of the qualitie, and place of the offender, the punishment be inflicted. And to ſhut up the point, let it be euer holden a great part of Diſcipline, to keepe the ſouldiers from unlawfull ſpoiles, vvhichwhich is indced robbery. The Turke is exceeding ſtrict in this, vvherein her glorieth much. Many examples there be in hiſtories. A Ianizarie drunke off a milke vvomans milke in the market, and being accuſed before the Iudge, he denyed the thing; but he cauſed to hang him up by the feet, and tye him ſtrait vvith acord about the middle, by vvhichwhich meanes he vomitted out …e milke; and vvas preſently after that ſtrangled for the of…nce. Lyſander the Lacedoman beat a ſouldier, onelyonly for …e ſtepping out of the vvay, vvho pleading for himſelfe …at he meant not to ravin, the Generall anſvvered, he would …ue him to giuegive no appearance of evill.