minding to doo this, I suppose that it is a needefull thing to examine,
what armoure the antiquitie used, and of the same to chose the best. The
Romanes devided their foote men in heavie and lighte armed: Those that
were light armed, they called by the name of Veliti: Under this name
were understoode all those that threwe with Slinges, shot with
Crossebowes, cast Dartes, and they used the most parte of them for their
defence, to weare on their heade a Murion, with a Targaet on their arme:
they fought out of the orders, and farre of from the heavie armed, which
did weare a head peece, that came downe to their shoulders, a Corselet,
which with the tases came downe to the knees, and they had the legges
and armes, covered with greaves, and vambraces, with a targaet on the
left arme, a yarde and a halfe long, and three quarters of a yarde
brode, whiche had a hoope of Iron upon it, to bee able to sustaine a
blowe, and an other under, to the intente, that it being driven to the
earth, it should not breake: for to offende, they had girte on their
left flanke a swoorde, the length of a yearde and a naile, on their
righte side, a Dagger: they had a darte in every one of their handes,
the which they called Pilo, and in the beginning of the fight, they
threwe those at the enemie. This was the ordering, and importaunce of
the armours of the Romanes, by the which they possessed all the world.
And although some of these ancient writers gave them, besides the
foresayde weapons, a staffe in their hande like unto a Partasen, I
cannot tell howe a heavy staff, may of him that holdeth a Targaet be
occupied: for that to handle it with both hands, the Targaet should bee
an impediment, and to occupye the same with one hande, there can be done
no good therewith, by reason of the weightynesse thereof: besides this,
to faight in the strong, and in the orders with such long kinde of
weapon, it is unprofitable, except in the first front, where they have
space enough, to thrust out all the staffe, which in the orders within,
cannot be done, for that the nature of the battaile (as in the order of
the same, I shall tell you) is continually to throng together, which
although it be an inconvenience, yet in so doing they fear lesse, then
to stande wide, where the perill is most evident, so that all the
weapons, which passe in length a yarde and a halfe, in the throng, be
unprofitable: for that, if a man have the Partasen, and will occupye it
with both handes, put case that the Targaet let him not, he can not
hurte with the same an enemy, whom is upon him, if he take it with one
hande, to the intent to occupy also the Targaet, being not able to take
it, but in the middest, there remayneth so much of the staff behind,
that those which are behinde him, shall let him to welde it. And whether
it were true, either that the Romans had not this Partasen, or that
having it, did little good withal, read all the battailes, in the
historye thereof, celebrated of Titus Livius, and you shall see in the
same, most seldom times made mencion of Partasens, but rather alwaies he
saieth, that the Dartes being thrown, they laid their hands on their
sweardes. Therefore I will leave this staffe, and observe, concerning
the Romanes, the swoorde for to hurte, and for defense the Targaet, with
the other armours aforesaide.
[Sidenote: A brave and a terrible thing to the enemies.]
The Greekes did not arme them selves so heavyly, for their defense, as
the Romans dyd: but for to offend the enemies, they grounded more on
their staves, then on their swoordes, and in especiallye the Fallangye
of Macedonia, which used staves, that they called Sarisse, seven yardes
and a halfe long, with the which they opened the rankes of their
enemies, and they keept the orders in their Fallangy. And although some
writers saie, that they had also the Targaet, I can not tell (by the
reasons aforesayde) howe the Sarisse and they coulde stande together.
Besides this, in the battaile that Paulus Emilius made, with Persa king
of Macedonia, I do not remember, that there is made any mention of
Targaettes, but only of the Sarisse, and of the difficultie that the
Romane armie had, to overcome them: so that I conjecture, that a
Macedonicall Fallange, was no other wise, then is now a dayes a battaile
of Suizzers, the whiche in their Pikes have all their force, and all
their power. The Romanes did garnish (besides the armours) the footemen
with feathers; the whiche thinges makes the fight of an armie to the
friendes goodly, to the enemies terrible. The armour of the horsemen, in
the same first Romane antiquitie, was a rounde Targaet, and they had
their head armed, and the rest unarmed: They had a swoorde and a staffe,
with an Iron head onely before, long and small: whereby it happened,
that they were not able to staye the Targaet, and the staffe in the
incountring broke, and they through being unarmed, were subjecte to
hurtes: after, in processe of time, they armed them as the footemen,
albeit they used the Targaette muche shorter, square, and the staffe
more stiffe, and with twoo heades, to the entente, that breaking one of
the heades, they mighte prevaile with the other. With these armours as
well on foote, as on horsebacke, the Romanes conquered all the worlde,
and it is to be beleeved, by the fruiet thereof, whiche is seene, that
they were the beste appointed armies, that ever were: and Titus Livius
in his history, doeth testifie verye often, where comming to comparison
with the enemies armies, he saieth: But the Romanes, by vertue, by the
kinde of their armours, and piactise in the service of warre, were
superiours: and therfore I have more particularly reasoned of the
armours of conquerours, then of the conquered. But nowe mee thikes good,
to reason onelye of the manner of arming men at this presente. Footemen
have for their defence, a breast plate, and for to offende, a launce,
sixe yardes and three quarters long, which is called a pike, with a
swoorde on their side, rather rounde at the poinct, then sharpe. This is
the ordinarie arming of footemen nowe a dayes, for that fewe there be,
which have their legges armed, and their armes, the heade none, and
those fewe, beare insteede of a Pike, a Halberde, the staffe whereof as
you know, is twoo yardes and a quarter long, and it hath the Iron made
like an axe. Betweene them, they have Harkebutters, the which with the
violence of the fire, do the same office, which in olde time the
slingers did, and the Crosseboweshoters. This maner of arming, was found
out by the Dutchemen, inespeciallye of Suizzers, whom being poore, and
desirous to live free, they were, and be constrayned to fight, with the
ambition of the Princes of Almaine, who being riche, were able to keepe
horse, the which the same people could not do for povertye. Wherby it
grewe, that being on foote, minding to defende them selves from the
enemies, that were on horsebacke, it behooveth them to seeke of the
aunciente orders, and to finde weapons, whiche from the furie of horses,
should defende them: This necessitie hath made either to be maintayned,
or to bee founde of them the aunciente orders, without whiche, as everye
prudente man affirmeth, the footemen is altogether unprofitable.
Therefore, they tooke for their weapon the Pike, a moste profitable
weapon, not only to withstande horses, but to overcome them: and the
Dutchemen have by vertue of these weapons, and of these orders, taken
such boldnesse, that XV. or XX. thousande of them, will assault the
greatest nomber of horse that maye be: and of this, there hath beene
experience enough within this XXV. yeres. And the insamples of their
vertue hath bene so mightie, grounded upon these weapons, and these
orders, that sence King Charles passed into Italie, everye nation hath
imitated them: so that the Spanish armies, are become into most great
reputation.
COSIMO. Which maner of arming, do you praise moste, either these
Dutchemens, or the auncient Romanes?
[Sidenote: Whether the Romanes maner in arming of men, be better then
the arming of men, that is used nowe a daies.]
FABRICIO. The Romane without doubte, and I will tell the commoditie, and
the discommoditie of the one, and the other. The Dutche footemen, are
able to withstande, and overcome the horses: they bee moste speedie to
marche, and to be set in araye, being not laden with armours: of the
other part, they be subjecte to all blowes, both farre of, and at hande:
because they be unarmed, they bee unprofitable unto the battaile on the
lande, and to everye fighte, where is strong resistaunce. But the
Romanes withstoode, and overcame the horses, as well as the Dutchemen,
they were safe from blowes at hande, and farre of, being covered with
armours: they were also better able to charge, and better able to
sustaine charges, having Targaettes: they might more aptly in the preace
fight with the swoorde, then these with the Pike, and though the
Dutchemen have likewise swoordes, yet being without Targaets, they
become in suche case unprofitable: The Romanes might safelye assault
townes, having their bodies cleane covered with armour, and being better
able to cover themselves with their Targaettes. So that they had no
other incommoditie, then the waightynesse of their armours, and the pain
to cary them: the whiche thinges thei overcame, with accustomyng the
body to diseases, and with hardenyng it, to bee able to indure labour.
And you knowe, how that in thinges accustomed, men suffer no grief. And
you have to understand this, that the footemen maie be constrained, to
faight with footemen, and with horse, and alwaies those be unprofitable,
whiche cannot either sustain the horses, or beyng able to sustain them,
have notwithstandyng neede to feare the footemen, whiche be better
armed, and better ordeined then thei. Now if you consider the Duchemen,
and the Romaines, you shall finde in the Duchemen activitie (as we have
said) to overcome the horses, but greate dissavauntage, when thei
faighte with menne, ordeined as thei them selves are, and armed as the
Romaines were: so that there shall be this advauntage more of the one,
then of thother, that the Romaines could overcome the men, and the
horses, the Duchemen onely the horses.
COSIMO. I would desire, that you would come to some more particulare
insample, whereby wee maie better understande.
[Sidenote: An ensample whiche proveth that horsemen with staves, cannot
prevaile against footemen with Pikes, and what great advauntage the
armed have, againste the unarmed. The victory of Carminvola against the
Duchemen.]
FABRICIO. I saie thus, that you shall finde in many places of our
histories, the Romain footemen to have overcome innumerable horses, and
you shall never finde, that thei have been overcome of men on foote, for
default that thei have had in their armour, or thorowe the vantage that
the enemie hath had in the armours: For that if the maner of their
armyng, should have had defaulte, it had been necessarie, that there
should folowe, the one of these twoo thynges, either that findyng soche,
as should arme theim better then thei, thei should not have gone still
forwardes, with their conquestes, or that thei should have taken the
straungers maners, and should have left their owne, and for that it
folowed not in the one thing, nor in the other, there groweth that ther
maie be easely conjectured, that the maner of their armyng, was better
then thesame of any other. It is not yet thus happened to the Duchemen,
for that naughtie profe, hath ben seen made them, when soever thei have
chaunsed to faight with men on foote prepared, and as obstinate as thei,
the whiche is growen of the vauntage, whiche thesame have incountred in
thenemies armours. Philip Vicecounte of Milaine, being assaulted of
xviii. thousande Suizzers, sent against theim the Counte Carminvola,
whiche then was his capitaine. He with sixe thousande horse, and a fewe
footemen, went to mete with them, and incounteryng theim, he was
repulsed with his moste greate losse: wherby Carminvola as a prudente
man, knewe straight waie the puisaunce of the enemies weapons, and how
moche against the horses thei prevailed, and the debilitie of the
horses, againste those on foote so appoincted: and gatheryng his men
together again, he went to finde the Suizzers, and so sone as he was
nere them, he made his men of armes, to a light from their horse, and in
thesame mane, faightyng with them he slue theim all, excepte three
thousande: the whiche seyng them selves to consume, without havyng
reamedy, castyng their weapons to the grounde, yelded.
COSIMO. Whereof cometh so moche disavauntage?
[Sidenote: The battailes when thei are a faightyng, doe throng
together.]
FABRICIO. I have a little afore tolde you, but seyng that you have not
understoode it, I will rehearse it againe. The Duchemen (as a little
before I saied unto you) as it were unarmed, to defende themselves, have
to offende, the Pike and the swearde: thei come with these weapons, and
with their orders to finde the enemies, whom if thei bee well armed, to
defende theim selves, as were the menne of armes of Carminvola, whiche
made theim a lighte on foote, thei come with the sweard, and in their
orders to find them, and have no other difficultie, then to come nere to
the Suizzers, so that thei maie reche them with the sweard, for that so
sone as thei have gotten unto them, thei faight safely: for asmoche as
the Duch man cannot strike thenemie with the Pike, whom is upon him, for
the length of the staffe, wherefore it is conveniente for hym, to put
the hande to the sweard, the whiche to hym is unprofitable, he beyng
unarmed, and havyng against hym an enemie, that is all armed. Whereby he
that considereth the vantage, and the disavantage of the one, and of the
other, shall see, how the unarmed, shall have no maner of remeady, and
the overcommyng of the firste faight, and to passe the firste poinctes
of the Pikes, is not moche difficulte, he that faighteth beyng well
armed: for that the battailes go (as you shall better understande, when
I have shewed you, how thei are set together) and incounteryng the one
the other, of necessitie thei thrust together, after soche sorte, that
thei take the one thother by the bosome, and though by the Pikes some
bee slaine, or overthrowen, those that remain on their feete, be so
many, that thei suffice to obtaine the victorie. Hereof it grewe, that
Carminvola overcame them, with so greate slaughter of the Suizzers, and
with little losse of his.
COSIMO. Consider that those of Carminvola, were men of armes, whom
although thei wer on foote, thei were covered all with stele, and
therefore thei wer able to make the profe thei did: so that me thinkes,
that a power ought to be armed as thei, mindyng to make the verie same
profe.
FABRICIO. If you should remember, how I tolde you the Romaines were
armed, you would not thynke so: for as moche as a manne, that hath the
hedde covered with Iron, the breaste defended of a Corselet, and of a
Targaet, the armes and the legges armed, is moche more apt to defende
hymself from the Pike, and to enter emong them, then a man of armes on
foote. I wil give you a little of a late ensample. There wer come out of
Cicelie, into the kyngdome of Naples, a power of Spaniardes, for to go
to finde Consalvo, who was besieged in Barlet, of the Frenchemen: there
made against theim Mounsier de Vhigni, with his menne of armes, and with
aboute fower thousande Duchemen on foote: The Duchemen incountered with
their Pikes lowe, and thei opened the power of the Spaniardes: but those
beyng holp, by meane of their bucklers and of the agiletie of their
bodies, mingled togethers with the Duchemen, so that thei might reche
them with the swearde, whereby happened the death, almoste of all theim,
and the victorie to the Spaniardes. Every man knoweth, how many Duchemen
were slaine in the battaile of Ravenna, the whiche happened by the verie
same occasion: for that the Spanishe souldiours, got them within a
swerdes length of the Duche souldiours, and thei had destroied them all,
if of the Frenche horsemen, the Duchemen on foote, had not been
succored: notwithstandyng, the Spaniardes close together, brought
themselves into a safe place. I conclude therefore, that a good power
ought not onely to be able, to withstande the horses, but also not to
have fear of menne on foote, the which (as I have many tymes saied)
procedeth of the armours, and of the order.
[Sidenote: How to arme men, and what weapons to appoincte theim, after
the Romaine maner, and Duche facion.]
COSIMO. Tell therefore, how you would arme them?
FABRICIO. I would take of the Romaine armours, and of the Duchemennes
weapons, and I would that the one haulfe, should bee appoincted like the
Romaines, and the other haulfe like the Duchemen: for that if in sixe
thousande footemen (as I shall tell you a little hereafter) I should
have thre thousande men with Targaettes, after the Romain maner, and two
thousande Pikes, and a thousand Harkebutters, after the Duche facion,
thei should sufice me: for that I would place the Pikes, either in the
fronte of the battaile, or where I should feare moste the horses, and
those with the Targaetes and sweardes, shall serve me to make a backe to
the Pikes, and to winne the battaile, as I shall shewe you: so that I
beleeve, that a power thus ordayned, should overcome at this daye, any
other power.
COSIMO. This which hath beene saide, sufficeth concerning footemen, but
concerning horsemen, wee desire to understand which you thinke more
stronger armed, either ours, or the antiquitie.
[Sidenote: The victorie of Lucullo, against Tiarane king of Armenia; For
what pupose horsemen be most requisite.]
FABRICIO. I beleeve that in these daies, having respect to the Saddelles
bolstered, and to the stiroppes not used of the antiquitie, they stande
more stronglye on horsebacke, then in the olde time: I thinke also they
arme them more sure: so that at this daye, a bande of men of armes,
paysing very muche, commeth to be with more difficultie withstoode, then
were the horsemen of old time: notwithstanding for all this, I judge,
that there ought not to be made more accompt of horses, then in olde
time was made, for that (as afore is sayde) manye times in our dayes,
they have with the footemen receyved shame and shall receyve alwayes,
where they incounter, with a power of footemen armed, and ordered, as
above hath bene declared. Tigrane king of Armenia, had againste the
armie of the Romanes, wherof was Capitayne Lucullo, CL. thousande
horsemen, amongest the whiche, were many armed, like unto our men of
armes, which they called Catafratti, and of the other parte, the Romanes
were about sixe thousande, with xxv. thousand footemen: so that Tigrane
seeing the armie of the enemies, saide: these be horses enough for an
imbassage: notwithstanding, incountering together, he was overthrowen:
and he that writeth of the same fighte, disprayseth those Catafratti,
declaring them to be unprofitable; for that hee sayeth, because they had
their faces covered, they had muche a doe to see, and to offende the
enemie, and they falling, being laden with armour coulde not rise up
again, nor welde themselves in any maner to prevaile. I say therefore,
that those people or kingdomes, whiche shall esteeme more the power of
horses, then the power of footemen be alwaies weake, and subjecte to all
ruine, as by Italie hath been seene in our time, the whiche hath beene
taken, ruinated, and over run with straungers, through not other fault,
then for having taken litle care, of the service on foote, and being
brought the souldiours therof, all on horsebacke. Yet there ought to bee
had horses, but for seconde, and not for firste foundaion of an armie:
for that to make a discovery, to over run and to destroy the enemies
countrie, and to keepe troubled and disquieted, the armie of the same,
and in their armours alwayes, to let them of their victuals, they are
necessary, and most profitable: but concerning for the daye of battaile,
and for the fighte in the fielde, whiche is the importaunce of the
warre, and the ende, for which the armies are ordeined, they are more
meeter to follow the enemie being discomfited then to do any other thing
which in the same is to be done, and they bee in comparison, to the
footemen much inferiour.
COSIMO. There is happened unto mee twoo doubtes, the one, where I knowe,
that the Parthians dyd not use in the warre, other then horses, and yet
they devided the worlde with the Romanes: the other is, that I woulde
that you should shewe, howe the horsemen can be withstoode of footemen,
and wherof groweth the strength of these, and the debilitie of those?
[Sidenote: The reason why footmen are able to overcome horsemen; How
footmen maie save them selves from horsemen; The exercise of Souldiours,
ought to be devided into thre partes; What exercises the auncient common
weales used to exercise their youth in, and what commoditie insued
thereby; How the antiquitie, learned their yong soldiours, to handell
their weapons; What thantiquitie estemed moste happie in a common weale;
Mouster Maisters; for thexercisyng of yong men unexperte.]