The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 36 – Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVI. The Generals and Souldiers part in Fight.
NOW the Battell being joyned: The duety of General & ſouldiers in fight.as the Generall and the ſouldiers, as head and body, are to perform the charge; ſo to each of thoſe in particular ſomewhat belongeth; as to the Generall, with the ſpirit of wiſedom and magnanimity to command and incourage; foreign.and that as Xenophon ſaid of Clearchus, with a pleaſant and cheerefull countenance, which will refreſh and incourage his Souldiers in their greateſt dangers: Boni duces publico certamine nū quam niſi occaſione, aut nimia neceſſitate conf ligunt. lib. 3. c. 25. Front. li. 4. cap. 7.but hee muſt not fight at all, except neceſſity driue him to it. Vegetius ſetteth it down as the property of a good Generall, not to fight except neceſsity compell him. When it was objected againſt Scipio Africanus, that hee was no great fighter; he was not aſhamed to anſwer, That his mother bare him, not to be a Fighter, but a Commander. The Romanes were ſo carefull of their Commanders, that Q. Petilius the Conſull, being ſlain in the fight againſt the Ligures, the Senate decreed, that that Legion in whoſe front he was ſlaine, Ibi. l. 4. c. 1ſhould be neglected, they ſhould hauehave no annuary ſtipend, and their Armes ſhould be broken. In PelopidaRaſhneſſe in a Generall deſerveth rather blame then commendation. Marcellus and Pelopidas, two great Captains, and very famous for their exploits; yet (as Plutarch telleth us) by adventurous raſhneſſe, they loſt both their repute and their liues.
As this rule of warineſſe is given by Vegetius to a General, that he ſhould not onelyonly hauehave a care of the whole Army, that he may bring them off, as he leadeth them on; but alſo of himſelfe: ſo Iphicrates giveth a good reaſon, from a ſimilitude taken from the head, which is the fountaine of life and motion; if it be cut off, the body is but a trunck; ſo the loſſe of the Generall, Caeſo duce facile vincuntur milites. 2 Sam. 18.3.is the loſſe of the Army. Agreeable to this, is that ſpeech of that loyall people of Iſrael to David their King, diſſwading him from going forth to battell, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us. Yet for all this, upon neceſſity, when honour, life and victory lyeth upon it, the Generall muſt (as many Noble ones hauehave done) put his life in his hand, and ſometimes with Pompey take the lot of a common Souldier. M. Furius Camillus, a man of Conſular dignity, perceiving his Army to ſlack the charging of the enemy, he layeth hold on the Enſigne, and carryeth him upon the enemy; whereat the Souldiers being aſhamed, they went on. Lucius Sylla, ſeeing the Legions giuegive way to Mithridates forces, under the leading of Archelaus, drawing his ſword, he made toward the body of the battle; telling his ſouldiers, that if any aſked for their Leader, they ſhould ſay they left him fighting in Boeſia; at which, the ſouldiers being aſhamed, they went on to their ſervice. I could inſtance the like attemps in a number of our own nation, as the renoumed Norice; the redoubted Vere, and the never dying Sidney, but let theſe ſuffice.
Now as the Generall, from whom the life and motion of the ſervice, dependeth muſt be carefull of his ſouldiers, & of himſelfe that he expoſe not them to any deſperate ſervice, nor himſelfe to danger beyond his place; ſo all the ſouldiers muſt be carefull to quit themſelves in their places: for the defence of their head; the maintenance of their good cauſe; the glory of their nation; the good of all that depend upon them; & their owne honour and reputation. For militarie directions in fight, I think there be no better rules then that of the Apoſtle Paul, though in another kind; namely, a ſpirituall fight. The termes are borrowed from a bodily fight, and therefore they are the fitter for the purpoſe. The words of the rule are very ſignificant and emphaticall, and therefore I ſet them downe; watch yee, ſtand faſt, 1. Cor. 16, 13.quit you like men, be strong. The words, as they are applyed by the Apoſtle, expreſſe the whole uſe of every part of the ſpirituall Armor, unfolding fully all the cunning and dexteritie of a ſpirituall fight; So the words in themſelves, are as ſo many rules, out of which every ſouldier may reade his duetie in fight.
All things required of a ſouldier in fight may be reduced to thoſe fiue heads. Vigilancie, Fidelitie, Five things required of ſoulciours in fight.Valorous Magnanimitie, Promptitude & Perſeverance. All theſe are included …n theforeſaid termes.
Firſt, then there muſt be a wiſe & heedie watchfulnes, eſpecially in ſubordinate Commanders, foreign.even from the file-leader …o the higheſt in ſubordination, that thereby they may take, or giuegive command, Nil magis ad victoria facit quam monitis obtemperare ſignorum. lib. 3. cap. 5. Intereſt quoque non parum ut milites in praelii confuſione de ducis conſilio certiores fiant. In Veget. pag. 216.by or from ſignall, cryer, or trumpet, o… from the motion of the Commander; which is an excellent director for all militarie motions. As there is nothing according to Vegetius, more avayling to victory then the true taking and obſerving of command, by what meanes ſoever i… be given; ſo there is nothing more dangerous, then the miſtake of the mind of the Commander. It is a matter of no ſmall conſequence, (ſaith Stuchus) for the ſouldiers in confuſion of fight to be well poſseſsed of the Generalls mind: and by the contrary, the miſtaking of his mind may mar all. Appi… nus giveth a pregnant inſtance of this in Hanibal, who being in fight, and ſeeing ſome troupes of French and Spani… horſes, goe to the aſcent of an hill, he made towards the… to bringe them on for renewing of the fight; the ſouldie… and Commanders, not underſtanding his intent, but ſuppoſing him to flee preſently forſooke fight, and routing themſelves fled without any order, not after their Generall, bu… whether each one liſted. By this you ſee what ſhame, & confuſion, followed upon a contrarie conſtruction of the Generalls intent. At the battle of Newport (as I hauehave been informed) there was a foule miſtake, & full of danger in Lieutenant Yakſlie, who having his command from General Vere t… bring up ſuch forces, for ſuch a ſervice, was ſo takē up, eyther with a jealous emulatiō of Lieutenant Honywood (with whom that very morning he ſhould hauehave fought) or with ſome other tranſporting cogitation, that he quite miſtooke the matter, and brought on ſuch as were not any way fi… for that ſervice; which the Generall perceving in grief & anger, gaue him this farewell; Goe on Yakſlie (ſaid he) and adieu, for th… haſt loſt this day, all the honour that ever thon hast got in thy life. The Lieutenant being brought to this ſtrayt, that there was no place for retreat, nor opportunitie for change was forced to lead them on howſoever, who being to weake to entertaine the charge of the enemie, gave preſently backe, and would not for any thing he could doe, or ſay, ſtand to it, whereat the Commander being vexed exceedingly; and being aſhamed to come off, & live with the blot of that miſſcarriage, deſperately threw himſelfe in the gulfe of the enemies fury, to the pittifull loſſe of a noble ſouldier, and a very brave Commander, and all as you ſee upon a miſtake. Thus then in fight, it is firſt required that the ſouldier hauehave a good eye, and a good eare, both being given in charge under the word watch.
Now to the ſecond thing required which is fidelitie, foreign.inioyned in the word ſtand, this is as much here as foreign, to be reſolutely bent to endure the worſt, or foreign to ſtay by it faithfully, and not to flee a foot: for as men muſt overcome the devill, not by flying or ſhifting; ſo muſt ſouldiers their enemies. And this word here is properly oppoſite to flight, which is holden by the currant of all millitarie lawes, very …ignominious, and if it be to the enemies very treacherous. Vegetius (as Stuchus expoundeth him) hath the very ſame in effect; to fly beastly, or to be taken cowardly, Illa ad ignominiā pertinet haec Remp. prodit. Lib. 1. cap. 20. pag. 44. In praeliis maxime timentibus maximum eſt periculū.is ignominious to the partie that doth it: but to flie to the enemie is to betray the cauſe and the country, hurting with thoſe ſame Armes and hands the very parties, that hauehave inarmed them. Againe as they endanger all the reſt; ſo they are ſo far from exempting themſelves from danger (as the ſame Author obſerveth) that they are in moſt danger of all others: and therefore he calleth it madneſſe in men to flee if they can doe any other. The caſe may ſo ſtand, and ſuch may be the adverſary that men had better dye like men in fight, then to forſake their colours and be at length made ſubjects of the enemies tyrannie: Wee read of the Romans in fight, that when it was told the Tribunes of the ſeventh Legion that the left wing was cleere defeated, their colours taken by the enemies, Caeſer 7. Belli Gall. Mercina…ia fides unnquam durat in adverſi….who were charging them upon their backes, they gaue not way one foote, but ſtood to it till they were ſlaine every man. But becauſe there is too much mercinarie faith, which never endureth in a ſtrayt, Generalls hauehave taken courſe ſomtimes to tye the run-awayes to their ſervice. Lucius Lucellus preceiving the Macedonian horſe to flee to the enemie, cauſed preſently an alarum to be given, and ſendeth ſome out after them; the enemie conceiving that they were comming againſt him, entertained them with a flight of darts. When the fugitives, preceived that they were purſued by their owne, & encountred with the enemie, they fell upon the enemie, and quit themſelves like honest men againſt their willes. So Datames following his fugative troupes, commended them, out of cunning, that they would firſt charge the enemie; with which ſpeech they being aſhamed, they did it indeed. It was very frequent with the Romanes to inviron ſuch as were ſuſpected of cowardize, or infidelitie, with their choyceſt troupes, who might eyther cauſe them, for feare, to ſtand to it; or cut them off if they attempted flight. It is reported to be the manner of the Cymbrians to tye their companies together with long chaynes, Alex. ab Alex. lib 4 Cap 7.that they ſhould not breake their orders nor run away in the fight.
Yet all this that hath been ſaid doth not abridge the ſouldier of the benefit of a faire retreat, which is a ſpeciall part of ſervice, and of no leſſe cunning and commendation, then the higheſt point of atchieving the victory; neither barreth it the benefit of an honest flight, which ſome Generalls hauehave commended, and accelerated upon good grounds for better occaſions. That brave retreat of Horatius Cocies, from the overſwaying power of Porcenna, is worth our memory. He cauſed his forces to returne by the bridge into the towne, and to cut the bridge, to cut off the enemies from following; but like a valiant Champion for his country, ſtayeth himſelfe to ſtop the enemie, Front lib. 2 cap. 13.till they cut the bridge; and when he heard the cracke of the fall thereof, he caſt himſelfe into the river, ſwimming through, loaden with his Armes, and a great many wounds upon him. As many were the brave ſervices of that noble and compleatly qualified ſouldier, Generall Norice, ſo none is held of greater note then that retreat at Gaunt. It is no leſse vertue ſometime to fly well, Non minor eſt virtus aliquando bene fugere, quam fortiter pugnare.then to fight ſtoutly. It was a pretty policie of Sertorius in Spaine, being compaſſed almoſt with the Army of Metellus, to cauſe his ſouldiers diſperſe themſelves by an orderly flight, and appointed them a place where againe they ſhould meete him.
The third & fourth things, foreignbe magnanimious valour, with a promptitude in the uſage of the ſame; which all are included in this phraſe, quit your ſelves like men. The Greeke verbe contayneth more indeed, then can be fully expreſt, without paraphraſe; yea, I read not one word in all the new Teſtament, that contayneth more in it, except the words that expreſſe the Dietie. The word doth import, an expreſsing of a manlike fortitude, by maney actions. The Latines tranſlate it viriliter agere, to play the man; this is that indeed which ſtriketh the ſtroake (as were ſay) This gets the day and gaynes the laurell wreath.
Two things (ſaith Stuchus commendeth a ſouldier, Aſide & viribus cō mendantur milites. pag. 224. Sermo ad militis tem. Pli. cap. 2.fidelitie & valour. And though Barnard was no ſouldier; yet he hit the marke prettily well in theſe directions. A ſouldier (ſaith he) muſt be circumſpect to ſaue himſelfe and others; he muſt be expedit, & faithfull in his place, & he muſt be valorous and prompt to give his enemies blowes. Admirable it is to read, how the heathens hauehave excelled in this. And becauſe all ſouldiers are perſwaded of the trueth of this, and hauehave plentie (if they have read) of inſtances in their memory. I will onelyonly preſent you with a view of the Lacedemonian valour, in Lucurge.much commended by Plutarch, & cited to good uſe, by that induſtrious Ambodexter (miſtake not the word) Captaine Bingham. pag. 70.A Goat being ſacrificed by the King, according to the Lacedemonian manner, and the command being given, they crowne their heads, and at the ſound of the flute, and the ſong Pean, taken up by the King himſelfe, they meaſure out their March, and come on with ſuch an undaunted, and adviſed reſolution, that they ſeeme ioyfully without aſtoniſhment to entertaine the encounter. And as herein they ſhew their magnanimious valour, ſo their carriage and demeanour is very fearfull to the enemy; according to this encounter they performe the ſervice.
I come at the laſt, foreign.to the laſt thing required; namely, conſtancie in holding out: be ſtrong, hold to it, endure to the end. So Ioſua is willed to be ſtrong; be ſtrong and of good courage, that is, continue in thy courage. To the ſame effect, ſaith one; he is ſaid to be a ſtrong man that hath endured with an unconquerable mind. It is not the giving of the firſt ſtroke, nor the getting of the firſt ground; but a continuance in valour, and holding out to the end, that carryeth the day: He that overcommeth, ſaith the Spirit, ſhall be clothed in white; which is the colour of triumphant victory. Pertinent is the ſpeech of a Father to this purpoſe, though in another caſe; Nec paranti ad proelium, nec pugnanti ad ſanguinem, multo minus tergiverſanti, ſed vincenti ad victoriam. Serm. 141. de reip. Non deſerā meum astitem, quo cū ſunctus fuere: pro ſacris & profanis, ſiue ſolus, ſiue cum mul…i… dimicabo.Not to him that prepares to fight; yea, nor to him that reſiſteth to bloud, much leſſe to a coward that giveth back in the battle; but to him that overcommeth by conqueſt ſhall the Crown be given. A continued battle proveth often like a Cock-fight, where the caſe is ſo altered on a ſudden, that he that was thought to be the Conqueror is the conquered. Stobeus maketh mention of an oath that the Athenians took, I ſhall not leaue my fellow in fight with whom I am ioyned, b… I ſhall fight for Religion and Country. It was one of Scanderbegs ſpeciall honours, that he never fled. It often falleth out, that by holding out, men obtain the victory that they hauehave little looked for. Divus Iulius, at the battell of Munda, being forſaken of ſome of his forces in fight, who ſaw they were like to hauehave the worſe, hee cauſed one to carry his horſe out of ſight, and leaped into the front of his foot: which the ſame ſouldiers obſerving, and being aſhamed to leaue their Commander in the field, they re-inforced the fight, and ſo had the day. This couragious holding out at the battell of Newport, eſpecially by that thrice truely Noble Sir Horace Vere; gaue the Spanyard a memorable foyle, got much honour to the Engliſh, and redeemed the Low-countries from the mouth of the graue.
For ſuch ſouldiers, ſo qualified, Applicatiōwe ſhould be earneſt with God, for a few of theſe are worth a great many meer mercenary fellows, that fight onelyonly for themſelues (that is) for their own gain, and flye for the advantage of their enemies. There is little good to be expected of the fearfull and faint-hearted, who when they come to joyn, are ready to lay down their armes, or run away, having no other thing to cover their cowardize withall but calling for pay. There is no way with thoſe, as ancient practiſe teacheth us, but hemming of them in, and holding them to it; and even in this the beſt is bad enough; for compelled prayers and forced fight, are much of one nature, and hath often the ſame effect. God himſelfe the great Warriour, and Lord of Hoaſts, who knoweth beſt the danger of feare, and faint-heartedneſſe in thoſe that are to fight; gaue a law concerning ſuch, that they ſhould depart from the Hoaſt to their home. Deut. 20.7.And to that end hee cauſed the officers to make proclamation: What man is there, that is ſoft or tender, (that is) faint-hearted, let him goe and return unto his houſe. The like proclamation did Gideon make at Gods command, when he was to fight againſt the Midianits; and of 32000 men that were with him, Iudg. 7.3. 1 Mach. 7.there returned 22000. Iudas Ma chabeus being to fight againſt Licias maketh the ſame proclamation. The Law-giver himſelfe giveth a reaſon of this Law, that his brothers heart melt not, or grow not faint as his heart: a good reaſon indeed; for as melting mettall caſt upon other, may make it alſo melt; ſo a ſort of fainting ſwoonding fellows, may caſt all the reſt in a ſyncope. As the faint-hearted ſpyes, returning from the view of Canaan, diſcouraged all the reſt; inſomuch that they durſt rather rebell againſt God, then look their enemies in the face; ſo a company of cowards may daſh the courage of the beſt: and as the Spyes brought a plague upon Iſrael, for their faintneſſe and incredulity; ſo faithleſſe and fearfull Cradons bringeth the reſt to deſtruction. And as this faintneſſe is dangerous to their fellow ſouldiers, ſo it bringeth themſelues to further evils then they are aware of. It bringeth ſin, ſhame and deſtruction: for beſides, that with deſerved ignominy, they die often like doggs and ſwine, they bring alſo (as the Hebrews obſerue) the bloud of all the rest upon their heads. Yea, theſe white livered fellowes hauehave a double curſe. Firſt, this ſoft, feeble, and effeminate heart is a curſe in it ſelfe▪ the Lord ſpeaking of the curſes that he would bring upon his people, if they would not obey, threatneth this as a ſpeciall one. I will even bring ſoftneſſe into their heart in the land of their enemies. Lev. 26.36.Secondly, they are accurſed in with-drawing their hand from Gods work, or in doing the work of the Lord deceitfully. Curſed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently, or deceitfully, and curſed be he that keepeth back his ſword from bloud. The 300 valiant and couragious men, that lapped water with their tongues, Indg. 7.4.5were worth all the 32000. Caleb and Ioſua having another heart, were of more eſteem with God, then all the reſt of the people. I would hauehave all Gods Warriours to take heed of ſoftneſſe of heart in this ſenſe; and at any hand not to truſt ſuch: for commonly they hauehave hard and cruell hearts againſt any thing that good is. The King of Britaines obſervation upon the Lords prayer, maketh this good by the inſtance of the Deer, which being the ſofteſt hearted and fearfulleſt of all other beaſts; yet is the cruelleſt of all, to minde an injury, and an opportunity to revenge it. Hence a fearfull man is called, A Man like a Hart. Ancients doe tell us, foreign.and examples doe teſtifie, that there is no greater Tyrant then a cowardly King; Witneſſe Nero, Caligula, Tiberius; yea, according to Plutarch, as feare and cowardize is the cauſe of their cruelties, ſo the greateſt coward of all is a faint hearted ſouldier. The idolatrous Gentiles both Roman… and Grecians, Dii …made a Temple to Fear, as to one of their … which they ſacrificed a dog, intimating thereby, Alex. ab Alex. l. 1. cap. 13. p. 21that they ſhould hauehave no fellowſhip with feare. It is better to hauehave a coward to thy foe, then to thy counſellour or copartner: for a man can look for no true good from the fearfull. Benevolentiae vis eſt metus insbecillis. 2. off.Faint feare (ſaith Tully) is an enemy to good will. The Camelion (ſaith Pliny) is the fearfullest creature of all other, and therfore it turneth it ſelfe into all colours that it may ſhift for it ſelfe. So fearfull men, without reſpect of faith or friendſhip, they turn themſelues into all colours but the truth, that they may ſaue themſelues. And whom they fear moſt, they ſerue moſt, though it be leaſt to their credit or commodity. foreign.Cowardize is well compared by the Grecians, to a white livered diſpoſition, whence we take our proverbe white livered: as that wateriſh duſcraſie, or diſtemper of the liver, cauſeth dropſies and Lienteries, and ſo hurteth the body more by corrupt humours, then it helpeth it by ſanguification; and howſoever life for a time be protracted; yet colour, ſtrength, and appetite faileth exceedingly, and breath at length forſaketh the body: ſo a fearfull white livered friend, may ſeem to keep life in a good cauſe for a time, but it is but an hydropick, or lienterick life, which being both together are ſymptomes of inevitable death. Some corrupt counſell, lukewarme comfort, and weake forces to no effect, they may affoord; but it is but a palliation; it is no cure: it is but to quench the Citie with a pottle pot when it is all on fire, which indeed will make it burn the faſter.
In a word, the fearfull man is a foe to his friend, and a ſriend to his foe. What made Saul eye David continually to doe him hurt, but his conceived feare; though other cauſes concurred, yet this was the ſpeciall: 1 Sam. 18.8.9.What can he hauehave more but the Kingdom? Whence aroſe the ruin of Achaz and all his, but from the ſervile feare wherewith they were poſſeſſed, as the the holy Ghoſt, by the Prophet Eſay witneſſeth: When hee heard that Syria was confederate with Ephraim, hi… heart was moved, and the heart of his people, 2. Tim. 1.17.as the trees of the wood. Where this ſpirit of ſlaviſh feare is, the ſpirit of God is not. God (ſaith Paul) to Timothy, hath not given the ſpirit of feare, but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind. Where the Apoſtle oppoſeth the ſpirit of God, or the graces of the ſpirit, as power, louelove, and ſoundnes of judgment, to this ſlaviſh feare, which for the prevayling power of it, he calleth the ſpirit of feare, which cannot conſiſt with the power of the foreſaid graces, whether it be in miniſters, ſouldiers, Captaines, Generalls, or Kings. As it is ſpoken there directly to the Miniſters; ſo of all men they had moſt need to looke to it: for the ſpirit of feare in a Miniſter is a moſt fearfull plague to himſelfe and others, eſpecially in theſe fearfull times, that requireth ſo much uſe of the Spirit of power. A ſound concluſiōBut obſerve this, as a main concluſion from the place touching all perſons, that where this ſpirit of feare reſideth, there is neither ſoundnes of judgment, nor ſinceritie of affection, foreign.nor power of action to be looked for. What ſhould men then doe with ſuch Miniſters, friends, ſouldiers, or any other ſuch? theſe white livered men, as the Grecian noteth well, are good for nothing.
As I deſire that all men might remember the fearfull puniſhment of this ſlaviſh feare; namely, the burning lake; for the fearefull and unbeleeving, Rev. 21.8.&c. Where obſerve, they are the very firſt in front, ſo I wiſh and pray, that all that put their hand to the worke and fight thoſe battels, would take courage to them. I would that ſpeech of God, by Moſes, unto the people might prevaile with them, Heare oh Iſrael, you approch this day to battle againſt your enemies, let not your heart be ſoft, feare not, and haſten not away; neyther be you terrified becauſe of them. The Lord addeth a reaſon, for Iehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you againſt your enemies; to ſaue you: Euen, ſo would he be with us, if we would be with him; if you will fight for God as David did, that bleſſing that was pronounced upon David by Abigail, ſhall be upon you and yours, the Lord would certainly make you a ſure houſe, and honour you and your children for ever, becauſe you fight the battels of the Lord: 1. Sam. 2….28.and he would bind up your ſoules in the bundle of life. I will not herein play the Pope, to aſſure life, and reliefe of friends, out of purgatorie for fighting of the Lords battles; No, if ſuch a fight would ſerve the turne, in vain, did Chriſt fight that great battle on the croſse: but thus much I will aſſure them, that they that fight theſe battles, they fight the battels of the Lord, for the maintenance of which, the Lord hath given his promiſe: and ſurely ſuch as dye in theſe, they dye for the Lord; and thrice happie they, if they dye in the Lord. As for their enemies fighting againſt the Lord, they hauehave none of this aſſurance, and howſoever it goe with them they can hauehave no ſound comfort.
One thing more in the fight to be obſerved is, that beaten rule of much uſe and practize; not onelyonly to let the enemy fly, but to make way for him to fly, if he be ſo diſpoſed, for this there be both lawes and a multitude of examples. Po…aen. lib. 1.Licurgus gaue a written law to the Lacones, not to ſtop the enemies flight. It was the ſaying of Scipio Africanus, that he would not onelyonly giuegive way, but he would alſo make way for his enemy to fly. A number of examples you hauehave in Frontine. Caeſar having incloſed the Germans, ſtanding to it deſperatly, made way for them to fly. Haniball did ſo with the Romans at the battle of Thraſimena opening his orders, he let them fly & ſo defeated them. So did Camillus with the Gauls. The Grecians having got the victory at Salamis, Polyaen. lib. 1.they determined to cut the bridge over Helleſpont, to ſtop Xerxes his paſſage: but Themistocles that old beaten ſouldier with danger, counſelled to let him paſſe: for it ſtood with greater wit to rid the land of him, then to force him to fight.
The reaſons of this rule be two; the firſt given by Vegetius; neceſsitie is a deſperat vertue which will effect (as Themiſtecles well obſerveth) that which neyther valour, nor magnanimitie durſt adventure to doe. Secondly, by this the victory is more eaſily obtayned: they may kill, and take at their pleaſure routed forces without the loſſe of themſelves, Deſperatio magnum eſt ad honeſte moriendum incitamentū Curtius lib. 9.where as by keeping them to it, they may buy the victory to deare. Deſpaire will incite ſome to dye with honour, (if dye they muſt) that it may be, never meant it. G. Maulius the Roman Conſull, keeping the Hetruſcians too ſtrayt, loſt his life, and had loſt the field, if his Legats had not opened their orders and let them paſſe, and ſo they had them at their pleaſure. Yea this ſometimes hath loſt the victory; witneſſe King Iohn of France invironing Edward the blacke Prince, not ſuffering him upon any conditions to paſſe, put him and his handfull ſo to it, that the French had ſhame and repentance for their paines. To conclude the point, I will ſhut it up with the ſaying of Count Poetiline; If mine enemie (ſaith he) would fly I would make him a bridg of gold to fly upon; yet all this muſt be taken with a graine of ſalt; Not ſo to let the enemie fly as to looſe the occaſion of the victory, or for feare, to hold backe the ſword from bloud (that were to incourage the enemie, to redintegrate the fight.) That wiſe ſpeech of Kings Agis, is worthy of obſervation, who in the purſuit of his flying enemies, Plutarch. in Apotheg.being counſelled to make way for them; anſwered thus: If wee be not able to overcome our flying enemies, how ſhould wee overcome our fighting enemies? intimating thereby that no occaſion against the enemie ſhould be loſt.
CHAP. XXXVII. Of the Iſſue of the hattle in Generall.
NOw I come to the Iſſue of the battle, which giueth the one partie the victory, and the other the overthrow: for ſeldome they part on an even hand. It is true indeed that the victory is ſo deare bought many times (that as the Learned obſerve) it ſcarſe deſerveth the name of victory. Victoria mag…o empta non eſt victoria ſed calamitas. foreign.Of that deare bought victory, the Grecians hauehave a pret…ie proverbe. The conqueror cryeth and the conquered is undonel. Pyrrhus that Mirror of Generalls made this good out of his owne experience; who having twice defeated the Romans, but at ſo deare a rate, that he was forced to ſay: ſuch another victory would undo us. Yet ſince there is alwayes a better and a worſe, my taſke putte…h me to it, to diſcover as briefly & perſpicuouſly as I can, how both the conquerour, and he conquered ſhould carry themſelues. Seneca layeth downe the generall:
Noſcere hoc primum decet,
Quid facere victor debeat, victus pati
It firſt becomes the conqueror to know
what he ſhould doe, the conquered alſo
what he ſhould ſuffer.