they have Cardinals; because they nourish the factions both in Rome, and
abroad; and the Barons then are forced to undertake the defence of them:
and thus from the Prelates ambitions arise the discords and tumults
among the Barons. And now hath Pope Leo his Holiness found the Popedome
exceeding puissant, of whom it is hoped, that if they amplified it by
armes, he by his goodness, and infinite other vertues, will much more
advantage and dignifie it.
CHAP. XII
How many sorts of Military discipline there are and touching Mercenary
soldiers.
Having treated particularly of the qualities of those Principalities,
which in the beginning I propounded to discourse upon, and considered in
some part the reasons of their well and ill being, and shewd the waies
whereby many have sought to gain, and hold them, it remains now that I
speak in general of the offences and defences, that may chance in each
of the forenamed. We have formerly said that it is necessary for a
Prince to have good foundations laid; otherwise it must needs be that he
go to wrack. The Principal foundations that all States have, as well
new, as old, or mixt, are good laws, and good armes; and because there
cannot be good laws, where there are not good armes; and where there are
good armes, there must needs be good laws, I will omit to discourse of
the laws, and speak of armes. I say then that the armes, wherewithall a
Prince defends his State, either are his own, or mercenary, or
auxiliary, or mixt. Those that are mercenary and auxiliar, are
unprofitable, and dangerous, and if any one holds his State founded upon
mercenary armes, he shall never be quiet, nor secure, because they are
never well united, ambitious, and without discipline, treacherous, among
their friends stour, among their enemies cowardly; they have no fear of
God, nor keep any faith with men; and so long only defer they the doing
of mischief, till the enemy comes to assul thee; and in time of peace
thou art despoyled by them, in war by thy enemies: the reason hereof is,
because they have no other love, nor other cause to keep them in the
field, but only a small stipend, which is not of force to make them
willing to hazard their lives for thee: they are willing indeed to be
thy soldiers, till thou goest to fight; but then they fly, or run away;
which thing would cost me but small pains to perswade; for the ruine of
Italy hath not had any other cause now a dayes, than for that it hath
these many years rely'd upon mercenary armes; which a good while since
perhaps may have done some man some service, and among themselves they
may have been thought valiant: but so soon as any forrein enemy
appeared, they quickly shewed what they were. Whereupon Charles the King
of France, without opposition, made himself master of all Italy: and he
that said, that the causes thereof were our faults, said true; but these
were not those they beleeved, but what I have told; and because they