The order that oughte to be taken is thus, that the women, the olde
folkes, the children, and the impotent, be made to keepe within doores,
that the Towne maye be left free, to yong and lustie men, whom being
armed, must be destributed for the defence of the same, appointing part
of them to the wall, parte to the gates, parte to the principall places
of the Citie, for to remedie those inconveniences, that might growe
within: an other parte must not be bound to any place, but be ready to
succour all, neede requiring: and the thing beeing ordained thus, with
difficultie tumulte can growe, whiche maye disorder thee. Also I will
that you note this, in the besieging and defending of a Citie, that
nothing geveth so muche hoope to the adversarye to be able to winne a
towne, as when he knoweth that the same is not accustomed to see the
enemie: for that many times for feare onely without other experience of
force, cities have bene loste: Therefore a man oughte, when he
assaulteth a like Citie, to make all his ostentacions terrible. On the
other parte he that is assaulted, oughte to appoincte to the same parte,
whiche the enemie fighteth againste, strong men and suche as opinion
makethe not afraide, but weapons onely: for that if the first proofe
turne vaine, it increaseth boldenesse to the besieged, and then the
enemie is constrained to overcome them within, with vertue and
reputacion. The instrumentes wherwith the antiquitie defended townes,
where manie: as balistes, onagris, scorpions, Arcubalistes, Fustibals,
Slinges: and also those were manie with which thei gave assaultes. As
Arrieti, Towers, Musculi Plutei, Viney, Falci, testudeni, in steede of
which thynges be now a daies the ordinance, the whiche serve him that
bessegeth, and him that defendeth: and therfore I will speake no forther
of theim: But let us retourne to our reasonyng and let us come to
particular offences. They ought to have care not to be taken by famine,
and not to be overcome through assaultes: concernyng famin, it hath ben
tolde, that it is requiset before the siege come, to be well provided of
vitualles. But when a towne throughe longe siege, lacketh victuals, some
times hath ben seen used certaine extraordinarie waies to be provided of
their friendes, whome woulde save them: inespeciall if through the
middest of the besieged Citie there runne a river, as the Romaines
vittelled their castell called Casalino besieged of Anibal, whom being
not able by the river to sende them other victual then Nuttes, wherof
castyng in the same great quantitie, the which carried of the river,
without beyng abel to be letted, fedde longe time the Casalinians. Some
besieged, for to shew unto the enemie, that they have graine more then
inough and for to make him to dispaire, that he cannot, by famin
overcome theim, have caste breade oute of the gates, or geven a Bullocke
graine to eate, and after have suffered the same to be taken, to the
intent that kilde and founde full of graine, might shewe that