A VAINGLORIOUS COWARD IN COMMAND

Is one that hath bought his place, or come to it by some nobleman's

letter. He loves alive dead pays, yet wishes they may rather happen in

his company by the scurvy than by a battle. View him at a muster, and he

goes with such a nose as if his body were the wheelbarrow that carried

his judgment rumbling to drill his soldiers. No man can worse design

between pride and noble courtesy. He that salutes him not, so far as a

pistol carries level, gives him the disgust or affront, choose you

whether. He trains by the book, and reckons so many postures of the pike

and musket as if he were counting at noddy. When he comes at first upon

a camisado, he looks, like the four winds in painting, as if he would

blow away the enemy; but at the very first onset suffers fear and

trembling to dress themselves in his face apparently. He scorns any man

should take place before him, yet at the entering of a breach he hath

been so humble-minded as to let his lieutenant lead his troops for him.

He is so sure armed for taking hurt that he seldom does any; and while

he is putting on his arms, he is thinking what sum he can make to

satisfy his ransom. He will rail openly against all the great commanders

of the adverse party, yet in his own conscience allows them for better

men. Such is the nature of his fear that, contrary to all other filthy

qualities, it makes him think better of another man than himself. The

first part of him that is set a running is his eye-sight; when that is

once struck with terror all the costive physic in the world cannot stay

him. If ever he do anything beyond his own heart 'tis for a knighthood,

and he is the first kneels for it without bidding.

Character Writings of the Seventeenth Century · 第 77 / 429 题