Pompei doubtyng of the Catinensians, praied them that thei would bee
contente, to receive certaine sicke menne, that he had in his armie, and
sendyng under the habite of sicke persones, most lustie menne, gotte the
toune. Publius Valerius, fearyng the fidelitie of the Epidannians,
caused to come, as who saieth, a Pardon to a churche without the toune,
and when al the people wer gone for Pardon, he shutte the gates,
receivyng after none in, but those whom he trusted. Alexander Magnus,
mindyng to goe into Asia, and to assure himself of Thracia, toke with
him all the principall of thesame Province, givyng theim provision, and
he set over the common people of Thracia, men of lowe degree, and so he
made the Princes contented with paiyng theim, and the people quiete,
havyng no heddes that should disquiete them: But emong all the thynges,
with the whiche the Capitaines, winne the hartes of the people, be the
insamples of chastitie and justice, as was thesame of Scipio in Spaine,
when he rendered that yong woman, moste faire of personage to her
father, and to her housebande: the whiche made him more, then with force
of armes to winne Spain.
Cesar having caused that woodde to bee paied for, whiche he had occupied
for to make the Listes, about his armie in Fraunce, got so moche a name
of justice, that he made easier the conquest of thesame province. I
cannot tell what remaineth me, to speake more upon these accidentes, for
that concerning this matter, there is not lefte any parte, that hath not
been of us disputed. Onely there lacketh to tell, of the maner of
winnyng, and defendyng a toune: the whiche I am readie to doe willingly,
if you be not now wearie.
BAPTISTE. Your humanitie is so moche, that it maketh us to followe our
desires, without beyng afraied to be reputed presumptuous, seyng that
you liberally offer thesame, whiche we should have been ashamed, to have
asked you: Therefore, we saie unto you onely this, that to us you cannot
dooe a greater, nor a more gratefuller benefite, then to finishe this
reasonyng. But before that you passe to that other matter, declare us a
doubte, whether it bee better to continewe the warre, as well in the
Winter, as thei use now adaies, or to make it onely in the Sommer, and
to goe home in the Winter, as the antiquitie did.
[Sidenote: Warre ought not to be made in winter; Rough situacions, colde
and watrie times, are enemies to the oder of warre; An overthrowe caused
by winter.]