Of the reasons that the Author giveth for a warning as to the death of
Gonçallo de Sintra.
In the event recorded in the last chapter there seemeth to me a great
mystery contained, for I know not whether it came about from the spirit
of covetousness or from the wish to render service, or from the desire
to gain honour. However, since the peril was so manifest, and might have
been avoided on that occasion if that Captain had been willing to
receive advice, I should say that of a certainty the wheels of
destiny[BB] had so ordained it, and that their appointed purpose blinded
his reason so that he knew not the ills that would be his. For although
St. Augustine doth write many and holy words reprobating the
predestination of celestial influences, yet methinks in other places I
find authorities to the contrary; as for example Job, who saith that God
hath placed us bounds which we cannot pass, and many besides in Holy
Scripture which I omit to mention, that I may not be drawn away from my
first purpose.[N85] But whether it were the predestination of fortune,
or a divine judgment for some other sin, or peradventure that God
thought good to take them so for their more certain salvation, it is
well for us to see if we can gather up some measure of profit from this
untoward event. And when I consider it, there appeareth to me seven
things from which we may take warning.
[Footnote BB: Lit., the heavens.]
Now the first is that no Captain who hath a superior, from whose hand he
receiveth his charge, ought in any way to transgress the mandate of his
lord or master. And we have an example of this in the deeds of the
Romans in the case of Julius Cæsar; for although he gained very glorious
victories, and made subject to the Roman power France, Brittany,
England, Spain, and Germany, yet, because he overpassed the space of
five years (which was the limit marked out for him in which to conquer
his enemies), the honour he ought to have received was denied and taken
from him, and for no other reason save that he had transgressed his
orders. And Vegetius, in the fourth book, _De re Militari_, relateth how
Aurelius the Consul would have his son serve among the foot soldiers
because he had gone beyond his commands. And again, St. Augustine in the
fifth book of the City of God, telleth of Torquatus that he slew his
son, although victorious, for having fought against his orders.[N86]
The second thing is that upon captured hostages and interpreters from a
foreign land a special guard should ever be placed to keep watch over
them with great caution. And the ill results that lately followed from a
neglect of this are evident.
The third thing is that when an enemy throweth in his lot[BC] with the
Captain the latter ought not to trust him, but should rather keep a
diligent look-out, and hold his coming as suspicious until the final
victory be won. For from a like cause was lost the battle of Cannæ (as
Titus Livius writeth in his book on the Second[BD] War), that is because
the Romans refused to be forewarned by those of the enemy who came over
to them.[N87]
[Footnote BC: Lit., himself.]
[Footnote BD: Punic.]
The fourth is that we should hearken to the counsel of those who are in
our own company and give us profitable advice; for, saith the Holy
Spirit, there is safety in a multitude of counsels. And so the sage in
the Book of Wisdom doth admonish all men to take counsel--where he
saith, in the sixth of Ecclesiasticus, "List, my son, and take thou
counsel alway. For every wise man doeth his actions with advice."
Moreover, Seneca layeth it down in his Treatise on the Virtues that
every governor, be he Prince or Prince's Captain, should be careful to
take counsel of the things he hath to do;--"Regard everything that may
chance to happen and revolve it in thy heart, and let nothing come as a
surprise but rather have it well provided against, for the wise man
never saith--I did not think this would come to pass; and this is
because he is not in doubt, but expecteth it, and conjectureth not, but
rather attendeth to the reason of all things; for when the beginning of
an affair is perceived, the end and egress should ever be watched."[N88]
And fifthly, that when our enemies have certain intelligence of our
power and intentions we should beware much of invading their land, for a
Captain's chief duty as regardeth his enemy is to conceal from them his
force; and the contrary leadeth only to his own destruction and that of
his men. And so Hannibal ever ordained his ambushes with such skill that
his foes might never think his strength to be greater than it appeared
for the moment.[N89]
Sixthly, that we should take much care not to be discovered on a coast
where we would make an inroad. And experience showeth examples of this
every day to those who keep armed ships on the sea. And greatly do I
marvel that Gonçallo de Sintra, a man who had ofttimes sailed in ships
of the Armada[N90] by his lord's command and had taken a part in very
great actions, both on the coast of Granada and in Ceuta, was not more
on his guard at such a time.
And the seventh conclusion I draw from the above event is that no man
who cannot swim should cross rising water in a hostile country, except
at the time for him to find that it hath ebbed away on his return.
Such then are the matters I have had to write for your warning, and
henceforth I will take up again the thread of my narrative.