Machiavelli, Volume I — Niccolo Machiavelli — John Shaqi
Machiavelli, Volume I
Niccolo Machiavelli · en
FABRICIO. You thinke peraventure, that I have left it behinde: whereat
doe not marvell, for that I purpose for twoo causes, to speake therof
little, the one is, for that the strengthe, and the importaunce of an
armie, is the footemen, the other is, bicause this part of service of
warre, is lesse corrupted, then thesame of footemen. For that though it
be not stronger then the old, yet it maie compare with thesame,
nevertheles ther hath been spoken a little afore, of the maner of
exercisyng them. And concernyng tharmyng them, I would arme them as thei
doe at this present, as wel the light horsemen, as the menne of armes:
but the light horsemen, I would that thei should be all Crossebowe
shuters, with some Harkebutters emong them: the whiche though in the
other affaires of warre, thei bee little profitable, thei be for this
most profitable, to make afraied the countrie menne, and to drive them
from a passage, that were kept of them: bicause a Harkebutter, shall
feare them more, then twentie other armed. But commyng to the nomber, I
saie, that having taken in hand, to imitate the service of warre of the
Romaines, I would not ordein more then three hundred horse, profitable
for every maine battaile, of whiche I would that there were CL. men of
armes, and CL. light horsmen, and I would give to every one of these
partes, a hedde, making after emong them fiftene peticapitaines for a
bande, givyng to every one of them a Trompet, and a standarde: I would
that every ten menne of armes, should have five carriages, and every ten
light horsemen twoo, the whiche as those of the footemen, should carrie
the tentes, the vesselles, and the axes, and the stakes, and the rest of
their other harneis. Nor beleve not but that it is disorder, where the
menne of armes have to their service fower horse, bicause soche a thyng
is a corrupt use: for that the men of armes in Almaine, are seen to bee
with their horse alone, every twentie of theim, havyng onely a carte,
that carrieth after them their necessary thynges. The Romaine horsemen,
were likewise a lone: true it is, that the Triary lodged nere them,
whiche wer bound to minister helpe unto theim, in the kepyng of their
horses the whiche maie easely be imitated of us, as in the distributyng
of the lodgynges, I shall shewe you. Thesame then that the Romaines did,
and that whiche the Duchmen doe now a daies, we maie doe also, ye, not
doyng it, we erre. These horses ordained and appoincted together with a
main battaile, maie sometymes be put together, when the battailes bee
assembled, and to cause that betwene theim bee made some sight of
assault, the whiche should be more to make them acquainted together,
then for any other necessitie. But now of this part, there hath been
spoke sufficiently, wherefore let us facion the armie, to be able to
come into the field against the enemie, and hope to winne it: whiche
thyng is the ende, for whiche the exercise of warre is ordeined, and so
moche studie therein bestowed.