FABRICIO. I doe not beleve that you beleve this, that in time of peace
everie man may have place, bicause, put case that there coulde not be
brought other reason, the small number, that all they make, whiche
remaine in the places alledged of you, would answer you. What proporcion
have the souldiours, whiche are requiset to bee in the warre with those,
whiche in the peace are occupied? For as much as the fortreses, and the
cities that be warded in time of peace, in the warre are warded muche
more, unto whome are joyned the souldiours, whiche kepe in the fielde,
whiche are a great number, all whiche in the peace be putte awaie. And
concerning the garde of states, whiche are a small number, Pope July,
and you have shewed to everie man, how muche are to be feared those, who
will not learne to exercise any other art, then the warre, and you have
for there insolence, deprived them from your garde, and have placed
therin Swisers, as men borne and brought up under lawes, and chosen of
the cominaltie, according to the true election: so that saie no more,
that in peace is place for everie man. Concerning men at armes, thei al
remaining in peace with their wages, maketh this resolution to seme more
difficulte: notwithstandyng who considereth well all, shall finde the
answere easie, bicause this manner of keping men of armes, is a
corrupted manner and not good, the occasion is, for that they be men,
who make thereof an arte, and of them their should grow every daie a
thousande inconveniencies in the states, where thei should be, if thei
were accompanied of sufficient company: but beyng fewe, and not able by
them selves to make an armie, they cannot often doe suche grevous
hurtes, neverthelesse they have done oftentimes: as I have said of
Frances, and of Sforza his father, and of Braccio of Perugia: so that
this use of keping men of armes, I doe not alowe, for it is a corrupte
maner, and it may make great inconveniencies.
COSIMO. Woulde you live without them? or keping them, how would you kepe
them?
[Sidenote: A kinge that hath about him any that are to much lovers of
warre, or to much lovers of peace shal cause him to erre.]