The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 27 – Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVII. The wiſe carriage of Counſell.
NOW I come to the laſt thing in Counſell, which is th… wiſe carriage of it, namely, it muſt be kept ſecret, no… onelyonly from the enemy, but alſo from all that are not o… the Councell of War. The diſcovery of the enemies counſell.I ſhewed the diſcovery of the enemies counſell to be no ſmall advantage; ſo the ſecrecy … our own counſell, is the lock and key to good ſucceſſe. Fo… the diſcovery of the former, not onelyonly common ſouldiers, or ordinary Commanders, hauehave adventured their liues; but even great Generals and Princes themſelues, as Fabius Caſe, brother to Fabius Maximus, in an Hetruſsian habite, diſcovered their forces and intent. Saladine, Sultain of Egipt hearing of the preparation and expedition of the Chriſtian for the recovery of Ieruſalem; Egnat. l. 9. cap. 8.himſelfe in the habite of a private man, went through France, Germany and Spain; and diſcovering what he could returned to his Kingdom i… ſafety. So Athertus Brandoline, in the habit of a Labourer, under the pretence of ſelling Grapes, entred the Camp o… Francis Sforcia, Duke of Millain, and diſcovered his forces. But to clear thoſe attempts in ſuch perſonages of temerity, The ſecreſie of their own counſell. Nulla concilia m…iora ſunt, quā illa quae ignoraverit adverſarius antequam fac…as.… will not ſtand.
For the latter, namely, the keeping of their own counſell ſecret, it concerneth the greateſt and the beſt. It is the plain poſition of Vegetius; That there is no counſell better the… that which is concealed from the enemy before it be put in execution. The ſame Authour in another place, giveth a reaſon of the ſaid poſition: It is the ſafest (ſaith he) that all the things we doe in preparations, or expeditions, be hid from the knowledge of the enemies Hence it is (as the ſame Author and others report,) lib. 3. c. 26. Tutiſſimum namque in expeditionibus, &c.that the ancients gaue the Minotaur in their enſignes, that as he was placed by Dedalus in an inacceſſable aborinth, ſo the counſel of war ſhould be wonderfull ſecret. Hereupon One hath made a prettie Embleme, the application whereof is this, unfolding the reaſon:
Noſque monent debere ducum ſecreta latere
Conſilia: authori cognita techna nocet.
This teacheth Captaines to keepe ſecrets cloſſe,
For theſe reveald turns to the Authors loſſe.
For keeping of ſecreſie in war, Vegetius hath a marveylous good rule; of that which ſeemeth fit to be done conſult with many; Quid fieri debet tractato cum multis quid vero facturus ſis, &c.of that which you intend to doe, indeed, conſult with a few, and that faithfull ones; yea rather with your felfe (meaning the Generall) ſo that from the common ſouldier, or ordinarie Commanders, the courſes intended are to be concealed.
There be many notable inſtances of well concealed counſell, and the enſuing good in militarie writers; amongſt the reſt, none more common, and yet none more remarkable then that of Q. Metellus Pius proconſull in the Spaniſh War, againſt the Ce…iberi or French-Spaniſh: as he beleagred Contrebia the chiefe citie of that precinct; with all his forces he could not overcome it. After long deliberation with himſelfe what to doe, he withdraweth his forces on a ſudden, and marcheth a pace to other parts, and encamping ſometimes here, and ſometimes there, the cauſe of his ſo doing wa not onelyonly hid from his enemies, who did not regard it; but alſo from his owne ſouldiers; who wondring at his ſtrange courſes, one amongſt the reſt being very inward with him, demanded what he meant by theſe removals, Valerius M…x lib 7. cap. 4 Front lib. 1. cap. 1.Let alone (ſaith he) further to inquire, for if my ſhirt knew what I meant to doe, I would cauſe it to be burned: thus ſeeming to direct his courſe another way, he brings his forces before the cittie; he give…h the aſſault unexpected, wherein they were ſurpriſed with ſuch a ſudden feare, that without more a doe he tooke it. Ceſar C. Nero attending Hanibal, deſired exceedingly to prevent Aſdrubal his brothers forces, from ioyning with him▪ but how to hold Hanibal in hand by concealing the matter… from him there was the cunning. He draweth out of hi… forces ten thouſand of the beſt, and commandeth his Legates whom he left, to keepe the ſame ſtation, to make ſ… many fires as they uſed to doe, to giuegive the ſame face, or ſhew, of an intire Campe, and Hanibal indeed did take it ſo to be. In the meane time he ioyneth with Livius Salinator his coleague, who was too weake of himſelfe to ioyne battle with Asdrubal; but the forces being ioyned, and yet concealed from ſhew (leaſt Asdrubal ſhould detract fight) they ioyne battle; Asdrubal is defeated and Nero returneth to the Campe ere Hanibal knew any thing. So that of two of the wittieſt Captaines that euer Carthage had, the one was defeared, and the other was deluded, and that by well conceaſed counſell: for if Hanibal had had but the leaſt ſuſpition, they might hauehave loſt their whole forces. One example more in Iaſon, who going to beſiege a Towne in Theſſalia, he cauſed his ſouldiers to Arm, and led them out, being ignorant whether to goe, or what to doe. As they were marching, he cauſeth a meſſage to be brought that the enemy was marching toward them, and that he had ſpoiled the fields all about: whereat the ſouldiers being incenſed, the Generall leadeth them on to the very walls, which they aſſaulted ſo fiercely & unexpectedly, that the Towne was takē (as the Author ſaith) before eyther the conquered or the conquerour knew. …olyan. lib. 5.Antigonus was ſo wary in keeping his counſell, that when his ſon Phillip aſked him, in the hearing of divers, when he meant to remove the Campe, he gaue him no other anſwere but this; Are you afraid (ſaith he) that you ſhall not hear when the trumpet ſoundeth; taxing thereby, partly the unadviſednes of the Prince, C…lins Rhod…. lib. 13. c. 5.who would aſke his father ſuch a queſtion in the hearing of others, and partly intimating, that Princes counſell (eſpecially in warre) is to be concealed. Alexander, having ſuffered Epheſtion to looke upon a very …ecret letter, ſealed his lips with his ring, inioyning him ther…y ſecrecie. If ſome of our counſellors hearts had been ſealed with fidelitie, & their lips with ſecrecie, the ſoule of Gondomar …ad not ſo eaſily entered into the cabinat of our ſecrets, where …e lay ſo long like an old rat, feeding on a parmiſan; That all …e ratsbane in the citie will ſcarſe ſerue to kill the theeviſh …rood of his up-bringing: theſe hauehave eat the heart out of …ur counſell, the Romiſh night-crowes were his diſcoverers, …t the leaking ſhe-counſellers convayed all the waters of our …ounſell to Holburn conduit; but what remedy for this? In my …pinion it were beſt to cleanſe the houſe of the old Spaniſh …ts, make them pay for what they hauehave eat, and ſpoyled, and …aue no more to doe with them: ferrit out that corroding …rood, with their leaders, clip the wings of the night-crowes, … for the grand-couzeners of State, whoſe lips are not ſealed with the ring, of ſtate-ſecrecie, Two Courts of guard for ſecrecie. The out ward Court of guard for ſecrecie. Ne exploratores inter noſtros verſentur impune. Vegetius lib. 3. cap. 5. Direction for the diſcovery of Spies.it is a pitty but their lips ſhould …e ſeared with a hot Yron, & their foreheads with indignitie. … For the cuſtody of ſecrecie in counſell their be two Courts of guard, the one an outward Court for the attaching of ſpies from the enemies winding themſelvs into the Camp for the diſcovery of forces or counſell, or to get the word. The ſecond is an inward Court, with Argos eyes, attending the carriage of their owne, that none bewray their counſell to the enemy: againſt the former, namely, ſpies from the enemies. There is a rule in war, that ſpies in the Campe goe not unpuniſhed. It is the approved uſe and cuſtome (ſaith a Civilian) though not a writtē law, that ſpies from the enemies ſhall looſe their heads.
Directions for the diſcovery of Spies, out of the actions of the greateſt warriours are reduced to theſe three particulars; as to cauſe eueryevery one to attach his fellow, to giuegive an accompt what he is, & whence he is, to cauſe them march through ſome ſtrayt, which the Spies will labour to ſhun, finally to cauſe every one to retire to his tent: But varietie of occaſions & dexteritie of wit will afford more directions then rules can contayne. Notwithſtanding of all this it is true that your greateſt Captaines, hauehave taken the Spies of the enemies into their Camps, ſhewed them their forces, munition and order, and ſent them away untouched. And thi… they hauehave done, eyther to terrifie the enemy, or to keepe correſpondency with the Spy in his kind, under a ſemblance of giving credit to ſerve their owne ends. An inſtance of the former, Lib. bellorū punicorum.wee hauehave in Scipio, of whom Appian reporteth that he cauſed the apprehended Spies of Haniball, which he had ſent three ſeverall times into the Romane Camp, to be carried about the Camp, and through the Campe, & ſhewed them all the Armory, munition, the order of incamping, and the courſe of their diſcipline. Which being done, Preter morem castrenſem (as the Author obſerveth) not giving them the courſe of Campe law, he ſendeth them ſafe away, that they might tell their Generall what they had ſeene, and withall extoll Scipio his generous diſpoſition. For the latter, wee hauehave an inſtance of that witty uſe that the Generall Ventidius in the Parthian war, A wittie Stratagemmade of King Pacorus his Spy, named Pharneus, who made ſhew to Ventidius of diſcovery of the Parthian affaires, & intent, but directly intending to diſcover Ventidius to the Parthians. The witty Generall ſerved him in his owne kind, and made him againſt his intent, to ſerve his purpoſe. And to bring this about, he uſed this generall, whatſoever he deſired that the Parthians ſhould doe indeed, he told the Spy that he feared they ſhould doe the ſame. According to which (being the direct rule) Pharneus gaue the Parthians intelligence, but being ignorant of the croſse rule by which Ventidius walked, he brought them to the pit of deſtruction, by this trick put upon him. Ventidius of all things feared moſt, It is required that a Generall be a good Geographer.that the Parthians ſhould paſſe Euphrates, before the Legionary forces that were beyond Taurus in Capadocia ſhould come and ioyne with his: Wherefore he dealeth earneſtly with the Spie; that he would perſwade the Parthians to croſſe Euphrates at Zuma, where the river was narroweſt and the cut ſhorteſt, where that by the ſtreightneſſe of the paſſage, and advantage of the adiacent hills, he might offend them, and delude the force of their Archers: for his onelyonly feare, as he faigned, was that they ſhould fet a compaſſe, and croſſe the river againſt the plaine fields, where he ſhould never be able to defend himſelfe, nor to bid them battel. The Spie taking the Generall, as he ſpake, & not as he meant (for what he ſeemed to deſire he feared moſt, and what he ſeemed to feare, he deſired moſt) perſwadeth the Parthians to doe what he ſeemed to feare. They bring their forces about, and through the many impediments they found, and the great deale a doe in making and ioyning bridges and other engines, they ſpent 40 dayes ere they could paſſe the river, by which time Ventidius, and his other forces were come together, Front. lib. 1 Cap. 1.and ſet in order three dayes before the enemies approached, to whom they gaue battle, and therein gaue them a ſore overthrow.
Now to come to the latter, namely, intestine perfidie, The inward Court of guard for ſecreſie.in the diſcoveries of counſel; as it is the more dangerous; ſo it requireth the more watchfulnes, and the narrower ſearch. For it is an euill ſhut dore, when the thiefe is left in the houſe. When the King of Syria his counſell was diſcovered to the King of Iſraell, it is ſaid, that his heart for that was fore troubled, and he called his ſervants and ſaid unto them, will you not ſhew, which of us is for the King of Iſrael? Where firſt obſerve, what a heauy trouble it is to hauehave a counſell-carryer within; And ſecondly, by the ſearch it is implyed, that if there had beene ſuch an one indeed, what ſhould hauehave beene his portion if he had beene found out? Egnatius lib. 7. cap. 4Shamefull and fearfull was the end of Robert Recatenſis, a ſpecial commander of Venice. This man, being much affected by the ſouldiers, and deſirous to be great, he bewrayes their counſell of Venice to Genua, with whom they were at warre. But his perfidious dealiug was diſcovered by Carolus Zenus, another Camillus; yea the reſtorer and conſervator of the Venetian commonwealth. He ſuffered the ſaid Robert to enter Clodia, but with a watchfull attendant of his owne appointment, by who… his treachery being diſcovered, he had in Iuſtice his deſerved puniſhment. It ſhall then be the part of eueryevery wiſe warriour to looke well to his counſell, and whom he maketh his counſellours. Counſell concealed can doe no hurt, bu… once revealed it cannot be called backe againe. I hauehave rea… of a man that was in the mouthes of many, and of excellent parts if he could hauehave uſed them. He had cunned by heart, the leſſon of Q. Metellus, and had it often in his mouth, That if his ſhirt were privy to his counſell, and could ſpeake, he would burne it. But like a bad hearer, he ſaid and did not: for had his practice anſwered his theorick, he might happily, as yet, hauehave knowen where to hauehave found his head, & all the cunning of the proiecting Spaniard had not ſerved to picke the Elixir out of it.
It ſhall not be amiſſe for Gods people to learne this of their enemies. Simeon and Levi diggs deeply and cloſely through the wall, into whoſe ſecrets the ſoule of Iſrael doth not enter. To theſe ſecret and deepe diggers, that Hierogliph of counſell, ſet out by the learned, doth very well agree. They picture Pluto with an helmet on his head, and Proſcerpi… na raviſhing. By which they would ſignifie the ſubterranea… ſecrecie of counſel, ſo their deep counſels, are helliſh indeed, cloſely covered, hauing Pluto and Proſerpina for their Preſident. Yea the Cabala is kept no cloſer by the Iewes, nor the Sibills by the Romans, nor the Druides verſes by the ancient Gaules; then they keepe their ſecrets. It is good to caſt a counter-Mine againſt this counſell, and though you worke not on the like ſubiect, but rather on the contrarie: yet labour to keepe as cloſe as they doe. When God will giuegive his people into the hands of their enemies, he either taketh away the ſpirit of councell, as he did from Iſrael when they grieved him; or he diſcovereth it to the enemie as he did the counſell of the King of Siria. Therefore, as I hauehave ſhewed, let his people conſult with God, and let him be preſident over all their counſels, againſt whom there is no counſell: and let them looke likewiſe to the ſealing of their counſell, that their enemies might not reade it. Take heed of the Babyloniſh Spyes that convey themſelues into your Courts, Camps and Chambers, in ſtrange habits, under the colour of travell, traffique, profeſsion of Sciences, or any ſuch like. Theſe be the Hyenaes that lye by the walles, with mens voyces, but wolues hearts, ready to diſcover every one that looketh out at dores. Theſe be like to that diſſembling Romiſh hypocrite, Aenobarbus, with a brazen face indeed, and a leaden heart. Theſe are trayned up and taught the Art of diſcovery, ſo that all Cyphers and Hyerogliphs are familiar to them; but if they be caught, it is good to make them pay for their learning.
But to come neerer home, into the inward ſociety of ſecrets: Kings and Generals in theſe daies eſpecially, had need, not with Oſiris King of Egipt to hauehave an eye onelyonly in the top of the Scepter, or Sword; but they muſt hauehave their eyes in their own heads: yea, in their hearts, ad diſcernenda regia pericula opus est oculo animi. To diſcover the danger of great ones, they had need of the eye of the minde. As Achitophel is without giving counſell againſt David; ſo Doeg is ſtanding before the Lord when David asketh counſel of Achimelech, whereof Saul being by him informed, it coſts the Prieſts their liues. You ſee this hel-bound came to the place of Gods ſervice; as ſome it may be with us come to the Church to blow up the Church; and made likewiſe a ſhew of Gods ſervice, 1 Sam. 21.7, an Edomite by Nation and Condition; yet an Iſraelite by outward profeſſion. This ſhew without doubt made the Prieſts not miſtruſt him, but like a bloudie Edomite or Eſauite he ſeeks their bloud, and hath it. His heart was dyed in bloud; for there he conceiveth the murther, his tongue dipped in bloud; he maketh the matter worſe by relating; his hand bathed in bloud; with that he executeth the malice of his heart. Secrecie (if God had ſo ſo ordained,) might hauehave ſaved all this. Such be the kanker wormes, and fretting moaths that cat out the heart of good counſell, ere ever it come to light. Such be the picklocks of the Cabinat of counſell. Yea, ſuch and ſo many cloſe deceivers now there be of all ſorts, Quos fugiamus ſei mus, quibus credemus neſctmus. Cic. ad Atti. Micah 7.5.6.7.that it may be too truely ſaid, as Tully ſaid in another caſe: Whom to ſhun wee know, but whom to beleeue we know not. Yea, the book of God maketh it good of theſe evill daies; Truſt yee not in a friend, put no confidence in a guide, &c. He ſheweth a reaſon, The ſon diſhonoureth the father, &c. In a word, a mans enemies are th… of his own houſe. If Sampſon be deceived by his own Heifer, and Noah diſhonoured by his own ſon; Iſaak mocked by his own brother, and David finde no place to reſt in for his own father-in-law, Pſal. 12.what ſhall a man ſay then? Surely, this is his beſt refuge; Help Iehovah, for the gracious Saint is ended, and the faithfull diminiſhed from the ſonnes of Adam: And for the preſent, till the world mend, it ſhall not be amiſſe to follow the counſell of Epicharmus; Sis prudēs, memento diffidere.Be wiſe, remember to diſtruſt.
But ſince counſell muſt be uſed, queſt. and ſome muſt be truſted with counſell; here a queſtion may be moved, what ſhould be done in this?
I anſwer, anſw. doe as Constantine did with his ſervants; firſt try, and then truſt. Yea, here ariſeth another queſtion, how ſhould they be tryed? To which I anſwer; Firſt, juſt as he tryed his ſervants, as I ſhewed in the qualification of a good Counſellour. For he that conſulteth with God, can both giuegive counſell, and keep counſell: He that keepeth with God, will keep with man: but becauſe theſe are very rare birds, as I hauehave ſhewed you, and one of theſe is as a Lilie amongſt thorns: For the tryall of meer civill men, let the practiſe of ſome great Warriours be inſteed of a rule. Rules of tryall.They would firſt try their fidelity with things of ſeeming importance, but in themſelues of no moment. Dionyſius going by Sea to beſiege a Citie, gaue a ſealed commiſſion in ſhew, to every ſhip-maſter, but never a word written in it. Withall he commanded, ſo ſoon as ever a ſigne was given from a ſhip, thereunto appointed, they ſhould open their Commiſſions, and make their courſe whether they ſhould direct them. Withall he ſhips himſelfe preſently in one of the beſt Saylors, and comming about before the ſign was given, he demandeth of every man his Commiſſion: thoſe that had opened their Commiſſion againſt the charge, he executed as Traytors; to the reſt who had obeyed, he gaue commiſſion indeed whether to direct their courſe. By which means he both diſcovered the perfidious from the faithfull, Polyaen. li. 5and by his ſecreſie concealed, he aſſaults and takes Amphipolis, that neither expected him, nor was provided againſt him. Again another rule of tryall of truſt directeth you to take heed of two ſorts. The firſt is ſuch as their very Religion maintaineth treachery; namely, Papiſts, profeſſing that faith is not to be kept with Hereticks upon any relation. The ſecond ſort is ſuch as by their practiſe hauehave made ſhip wrack of their fidelity to any. Qui ſemel eſt malus ſemper praeſ…mitur eſſe m…lus in eodem genere.He that is once evill is ever ſo preſumed to be in the ſame kind, except the Lord renew him by repentance. It is the nature of faith, neither for fear nor flattery, for gain or glory, for hatred or applauſe of men to deceiue. Pontius Centurio, a Captain of Caeſars, being taken by Scipio, Pompey his father-in law, had his life offered him, with an honourable place, if he would ſerue Pompey, who anſwered Scipio, That he thanked him exceedingly, Bruſoni l. 2. c. 35.but of life upon ſuch unequall conditions, he ſtood in no need. So he choſed rather to die, then to falſifie his faith to Caeſar. Constantine would truſt thoſe Courtiers no more that had cracked their credit with God. Theoderick an Arrian King, did exceedingly affect a certain Deacon, although he was an Orthodox: This Deacon, thinking that he ſhould gratifie Theoderick much, and attain to advancement, became an Arrian, which when the King underſtood, he changed his louelove into hatred, and curſed the head to be ſtruck from him; affirming▪ that if hee kept not his faith to God, Euſeb. lib. 2what duty in conſcience could a man expect from him. But to conclude this point of keeping counſell, pray to God for wiſedom, and for wiſe and faithfull Counſellours; for it is God that giveth and directeth the counſell of the wiſe; Cum conſilium tuum cognoveris adverſariis proditum, diſpoſitionē …uta. lib. 3. cap. 23.and alſo diſcovereth and confoundeth the counſell of Achitophel. To end then with the rule of Vegetius; if your counſell be diſcovered to the enemy, take an other courſe.
CHAP. XXVIII. The execution of things conſulted on.
THVS having finiſhed my diſcourſe of Counſell, with the conditions thereof, together with other things conducent to the good and guiding of warre, I come now to the execution or managing of things wiſely conſulted of: or if you will, to diſcourſe of the practick of warr. As in all Arts and Sciences practicall, practice is the proper end; ſo eſpecially in the Art of War, wherin Counſell and Strength are required. Innata eſt nobis vis a magis communibus ad minus communis procedere. Primo Phyſicor.Counſell to deliberate, and Strength to execute. There is an inbred ſagacity in man, as Ariſtotle ſaith, to proceed from things more common, to things more particular; which courſe in this Treatiſe I keep, applying the unfolded generall rules to their particular objects; not that I take upon me to direct in every particular (for that is both beyond my element, and unpoſſible to the beſt experienced, by reaſon of new occaſions ariſing, requiring rather an exception then a rule.) As it is the diſcretion of the Phiſitian, in the cure of this or that particular man, by reaſon of occurring circumſtances, of implicate or oppoſite diſeaſes, not to walk by his generall rules; for ſo he may kill rather then cure: ſo an excellent rule of war, evill applyed in the particular, is like a Cataplaſme to a true Pluriſie, in ſteed of Phlebotomie. But not to inſiſt in Apologie, I intend to follow my ayme; namely, having touched the particulars, to take them along with me to the ſtandard of the Word, whereby they being ordered and directed; they may likewiſe be bleſſed from aboue.