He that prepareth not necessarie victualles to live upon, is_Machiavelli, Volume I

without yron.

He that trusteth more in horsemen then in footemen, more in footemen

then in horsemen, must accommodate him selfe with the situacion.

When thou wilte see if in the daie there be comen anie spie into the

Campe, cause everie man to goe to his lodgynge.

Chaunge purpose, when thou perceivest that the enemie hath forseene it.

[Sidenote: How to consulte.]

Consulte with many of those thinges, which thou oughtest to dooe: the

same that thou wilt after dooe, conferre with fewe.

Souldiours when thei abide at home, are mainteined with feare and

punishemente, after when thei ar led to the warre with hope and with

rewarde.

Good Capitaines come never to faight the fielde, excepte necessitie

constraine theim, and occasion call them.

Cause that thenemies know not, how thou wilte order thy armie to faight,

and in what so ever maner that thou ordainest it, make that the firste

bande may be received of the seconde and of the thirde.

In the faight never occupie a battell to any other thyng, then to the

same, for whiche thou haste apoineted it, if thou wilt make no disorder.

The sodene accidentes, with difficultie are reamedied: those that are

thought upon, with facilitie.

[Sidenote: What thynges are the strength of the warre.]

Men, yron, money, and bread, be the strengthe of the warre, but of these

fower, the first twoo be moste necessarie: because men and yron, finde

money and breade: but breade and money fynde not men and yron.

The unarmed riche man, is a bootie to the poore souldiour.

Accustome thy souldiours to dispise delicate livyng and lacivius

aparell.

This is as muche as hapneth me generally to remember you, and I know

that there might have ben saied manie other thynges in all this my

reasonynge: as should be, howe and in howe manie kinde of waies the

antiquitie ordered their bandes, how thei appareled them, and how in

manie other thynges they exercised them, and to have joygned hereunto

manie other particulars, the whiche I have not judged necessarie to

shew, as wel for that you your self may se them, as also for that my

intente hath not been to shew juste how the olde servis of warre was

apoincted, but howe in these daies a servis of warre might be ordained,

whiche should have more vertue then the same that is used. Wherfore I

have not thought good of the auncient thynges to reason other, then

that, which I have judged to suche introduction necessarie. I know also

that I might have delated more upon the service on horsebacke, and after

have reasoned of the warre on the Sea: for as muche as he that

destinguissheth the servis of warre, saieth, how there is an armie on

the sea, and of the lande, on foote, and on horsebacke. Of that on the

sea, I will not presume to speake, for that I have no knowledge therof:

but I will let the Genoues, and the Venecians speake therof, whome with

like studies have heretofore doen great thinges.

Also of horses, I wil speake no other, then as afore I have saied, this

parte beynge (as I have declared) least corrupted. Besides this, the

footemen being wel ordained, which is the puissance of the armie, good

horses of necessitie will come to be made.

[Sidenote: Provisions that maie bee made to fill a Realme full of good

horse; The knowledge that a capitaine oughte to have.]

Onely I counsel him that would ordayne the exercise of armes in his owne

countrey, and desireth to fill the same with good horses, that he make

two provisions: the one is, that he destribute Mares of a good race

throughe his dominion, and accustome his menne to make choise of coltes,

as you in this countrie make of Calves and Mules: the other is, that to

thentente the excepted might finde a byer, I woulde prohibet that no man

should kepe a Mule excepte he woulde keepe a horse: so that he that

woulde kepe but one beaste to ride on, shoulde be constrained to keepe a

horse: and moreover that no man should weare fine cloathe except he

which doeth keepe a horse: this order I under stande hath beene devised

of certaine princes in our time, whome in short space have therby,

brought into their countrey an excellente numbre of good horses. Aboute

the other thynges, as much as might be looked for concernynge horse, I

remit to as much as I have saied to daie, and to that whiche they use.

Peradventure also you woulde desire to understand what condicions a

Capitaine ought to have: wherof I shal satisfie you moste breeflie: for

that I cannot tell how to chose anie other man then the same, who

shoulde know howe to doe all those thynges whiche this daie hath ben

reasoned of by us: the which also should not suffise, when he should not

knowe howe to devise of him selfe: for that no man without invencion,

was ever excellent in anie science: and if invencion causeth honour in

other thynges, in this above all, it maketh a man honorable: for everie

invention is seen, although it were but simple, to be of writers

celebrated: as it is seen, where Alexander Magnus is praised, who for to

remove his Campe moste secretely, gave not warnyng with the Trumpette,

but with a hatte upon a Launce. And was praised also for havyng taken

order that his souldiours in buckelynge with the enemies, shoulde kneele

with the lefte legge, to bee able more strongly to withstande their

violence: the whiche havyng geven him the victorie, it got him also so

muche praise, that all the Images, whiche were erected in his honour,

stoode after the same facion. But because it is tyme to finishe this

reasonyng, I wil turne againe to my first purpose, and partly I shall

avoide the same reproche, wherin they use to condempne in this towne,

such as knoweth not when to make an ende.

[Sidenote: The auctor retorneth to his first purpose and maketh a littel

discorse to make an ende of his reasonyng.]

If you remembre Cosimus you tolde me, that I beyng of one side an

exalter of the antiquitie, and a dispraiser of those, which in waightie

matters imitated them not, and of the other side, I havynge not in the

affaires of war, wherin I have taken paine, imitated them, you coulde

not perceive the occasion: wherunto I answered, how that men which wil

doo any thing, muste firste prepare to knowe how to doe it, for to be

able, after to use it, when occasion permitteth: whether I doe know how

to bryng the servis of warre to the auncient manners or no, I will be

judged by you, whiche have hearde me upon this matter longe dispute

wherby you may know, how much time I have consumed in these studies: and

also I beleeve that you maie imagen, how much desire is in me to brynge

it to effecte: the whiche whether I have been able to have doen, or that

ever occasion hath been geven me, most easely you maie conjecture: yet

for to make you more certaine and for my better justificacion, I will

also aledge the occasions: and as much as I have promised, I will

partely performe, to shew you the difficultie and the facelitie, whiche

bee at this presente in suche imitacions.

[Sidenote: A prince may easelie brynge to intiere perfection the servis

of warre; Two sortes of Capitaines worthie to bee praysed.]

Therfore I saie, how that no deede that is doen now a daies emong men,

is more easie to be reduced unto the aunciente maners, then the service

of Warre: but by them onely that be Princes of so moche state, who can

at least gather together of their owne subjectes, xv. or twentie

thousande yong menne: otherwise, no thyng is more difficulte, then this,

to them whiche have not soche commoditie: and for that you maie the

better understande this parte, you have to knowe, howe that there bee of

twoo condicions, Capitaines to bee praised: The one are those, that with

an armie ordained through the naturalle discipline thereof, have dooen

greate thynges: as were the greater parte of the Romaine Citezeins, and

suche as have ledde armies, the which have had no other paine, then to

maintaine them good, and to se them guided safely: the other are they,

whiche not onely have had to overcome the enemie, but before they come

to the same, have been constrained to make good and well ordered their

armie: who without doubte deserve muche more praise, then those have

deserved, which with olde armies, and good, have valiantely wrought. Of

these, such wer Pelopida, and Epaminonda, Tullus Hostillius, Phillip of

Macedony father of Alexander, Cirus kyng of the Percians, Graccus a

Romaine: they all were driven first to make their armies good, and after

to faighte with them: they all coulde doe it, as well throughe their

prudence, as also for havynge subjectes whome thei might in like

exercises instruct: nor it shuld never have ben otherwise possible, that

anie of theim, though they had ben never so good and ful of al

excellencie, should have been able in a straunge countrey, full of men

corrupted, not used to anie honest obedience, to have brought to passe

anie laudable worke. It suffiseth not then in Italie, to know how to

governe an army made, but first it is necessarie to know how to make it

and after to know how to commaunde it: and to do these things it is

requisit they bee those princes, whome havyng much dominion, and

subjectes inoughe, maie have commoditie to doe it: of whiche I can not

bee, who never commaunded, nor cannot commaunde, but to armies of

straungers, and to men bounde to other, and not to me: in whiche if it

be possible, or no, to introduce anie of those thynges that this daie of

me hath ben reasoned, I will leave it to your judgement.

Albeit when coulde I make one of these souldiours which now a daies

practise, to weare more armur then the ordinarie, and besides the armur,

to beare their owne meate for two or three daies, with a mattocke: When

coulde I make theim to digge, or keepe theim every daie manie howers

armed, in fained exercises, for to bee able after in the verie thyng in

deede to prevaile? When woulde thei abstaine from plaie, from

laciviousnesse, from swearynge, from the insolence, whiche everie daie

they committe? when would they be reduced into so muche dissepline, into

so much obedience and reverence, that a tree full of appels in the

middest of their Campe, shoulde be founde there and lefte untouched? As

is redde, that in the auncient armies manie times hapned. What thynge

maye I promis them, by meane wherof thei may have me in reverence to

love, or to feare, when the warre beyng ended, they have not anie more

to doe with me? wher of maie I make them ashamed, whiche be borne and

brought up without shame? whie shoulde thei be ruled by me who knowe me

not? By what God or by what sainctes may I make them to sweare? By those

that thei worship, or by those that they blaspheme? Who they worship I

knowe not anie: but I knowe well they blaspheme all. How shoulde I

beleeve that thei will keepe their promise to them, whome everie hower

they dispise? How can they, that dispise God, reverence men? Then what

good fashion shoulde that be, whiche might be impressed in this matter?

And if you should aledge unto me that Suyzzers and Spaniardes bee good

souldiours, I woulde confesse unto you, how they be farre better then

the Italians: but if you note my reasonynge, and the maner of procedyng

of bothe, you shall see, howe they lacke many thynges to joygne to the

perfection of the antiquetie. And how the Suyzzers be made good of one

of their naturall uses caused of that, whiche to daie I tolde you: those

other are made good by mean of a necessitie: for that servyng in a

straunge countrie, and seemyng unto them to be constrained either to

die, or to overcome, thei perceivynge to have no place to flie, doe

become good: but it is a goodnesse in manie partes fawtie: for that in

the same there is no other good, but that they bee accustomed to tarie

the enemie at the Pike and sweardes poincte: nor that, which thei lacke,

no man should be meete to teache them, and so much the lesse, he that

coulde not speake their language.

[Sidenote: The Auctor excuseth the people of Italie to the great

reproche of their prynces for their ignorance in the affaires of warre.]

But let us turne to the Italians, who for havynge not had wise Princes,

have not taken anie good order: and for havyng not had the same

necessitie, whiche the Spaniardes have hadde, they have not taken it of

theim selves, so that they remaine the shame of the worlde: and the

people be not to blame, but onely their princes, who have ben chastised,

and for their ignorance have ben justely punisshed, leesinge moste

shamefully their states, without shewing anie vertuous ensample. And if

you will see whether this that I say be trew: consider how manie warres

have ben in Italie since the departure of kyng Charles to this day,

where the war beyng wonte to make men warlyke and of reputacion, these

the greater and fierser that they have been, so muche the more they have

made the reputacion of the members and of the headdes therof to bee

loste. This proveth that it groweth, that the accustomed orders were not

nor bee not good, and of the newe orders, there is not anie whiche have

knowen how to take them. Nor never beleeve that reputacion will be

gotten, by the Italians weapons, but by the same waie that I have

shewed, and by means of theim, that have great states in Italie: for

that this forme maie be impressed in simple rude men, of their owne, and

not in malicious, ill brought up, and straungers. Nor there shall never

bee founde anie good mason, whiche will beleeve to be able to make a

faire image of a peece of Marbell ill hewed, but verye well of a rude

peece.

[Sidenote: A discription of the folishenesse of the Italian princes;

Cesar and Alexander, were the formoste in battell; The Venecians and the

duke of Ferare began to have reduced the warfare to the Aunciente

maners; He that despiseth the servis of warre, despiseth his own

welthe.]

Our Italian Princes beleved, before thei tasted the blowes of the

outlandishe warre, that it should suffice a Prince to knowe by

writynges, how to make a subtell answere, to write a goodly letter, to

shewe in saiynges, and in woordes, witte and promptenesse, to knowe how

to canvas a fraude, to decke theim selves with precious stones and gold,

to slepe and to eate with greater glorie then other: To keepe many

lascivious persones aboute them, to governe theim selves with their

subjectes, covetuously and proudely: To rotte in idlenesse, to give the

degrees of the exercise of warre, for good will, to despise if any

should have shewed them any laudable waie, minding that their wordes

should bee aunswers of oracles: nor the sely wretches were not aware,

that thei prepared theim selves to bee a praie, to whom so ever should

assaulte theim. Hereby grewe then in the thousande fower hundred nintie

and fower yere, the greate feares, the sodain flightes, and the

marveilous losses: and so three most mightie states which were in

Italie, have been divers times sacked and destroied. But that which is

worse, is where those that remaine, continue in the verie same erroure,

and live in the verie same disorder, and consider not, that those, who

in old time would kepe their states, caused to be dooen these thynges,

which of me hath been reasoned, and that their studies wer, to prepare

the body to diseases, and the minde not to feare perilles. Whereby grewe

that Cesar, Alexander, and all those menne and excellente Princes in old

tyme, were the formoste emongest the faighters, goyng armed on foote:

and if thei loste their state, thei would loose their life, so that thei

lived and died vertuously. And if in theim, or in parte of theim, there

might bee condempned to muche ambicion to reason of: yet there shall

never bee founde, that in theim is condempned any tendernesse or any

thynge that maketh menne delicate and feable: the whiche thyng, if of

these Princes were redde and beleved, it should be impossible, that thei

should not change their forme of living, and their provinces not to

chaunge fortune. And for that you in the beginnyng of this our

reasonyng, lamented your ordinaunces, I saie unto you, that if you had

ordained it, as I afore have reasoned, and it had given of it self no

good experience, you might with reason have been greved therewith: but

if it bee not so ordained, and exercised, as I have saied, it maie be

greeved with you, who have made a counterfaite thereof, and no perfecte

figure. The Venecians also, and the Duke of Ferare, beganne it, and

followed it not, the whiche hath been through their faulte, not through

their menne. And therfore I assure you, that who so ever of those,

whiche at this daie have states in Italie, shall enter firste into this

waie, shall be firste, before any other, Lorde of this Province, and it

shall happen to his state, as to the kyngdome of the Macedonians, the

which commyng under Philip, who had learned the maner of settyng armies

in order of Epaminondas a Thebane, became with this order, and with

these exercises (whileste the reste of Grece stoode in idlenesse, and

attended to risite comedes) so puisant, that he was able in few yeres to

possesse it all, and to leave soche foundacion to his sonne, that he was

able to make hymself, prince of all the world. He then that despiseth

these studies, if he be a Prince, despiseth his Princedome: if he bee a

Citezein, his Citee. Wherefore, I lamente me of nature, the whiche

either ought not to have made me a knower of this, or it ought to have

given me power, to have been able to have executed it: For now beyng

olde, I cannot hope to have any occasion, to bee able so to dooe: In

consideracion whereof, I have been liberall with you, who beeyng grave

yong menne, maie (when the thynges saied of me shall please you) at due

tymes in favour of your Princes, helpe theim and counsaile them, wherein

I would have you not to bee afraied, or mistrustfull, bicause this

Province seemes to bee altogether given, to raise up againe the thynges

dedde, as is seen by the perfeccion that poesie, paintyng, and writing,

is now brought unto: Albeit, as moche as is looked for of me, beyng

strooken in yeres, I do mistruste. Where surely, if Fortune had

heretofore graunted me so moche state, as suffiseth for a like

enterprise, I would not have doubted, but in moste shorte tyme, to have

shewed to the worlde, how moche the aunciente orders availe: and without

peradventure, either I would have increased it with glory, or loste it

without shame.

* * * * *

The ende of the seventh and laste booke of the arte of warre, of

Nicholas Machiavell, Citezein and Secretarie of Florence, translated out

of Italian into Englishe: By Peter Whitehorne, felow of Graise Inne.

NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL,

CITEZEIN AND SECRETARIE OF FLORENCE,

TO THE READERS

To thentente that such as rede this booke maie without difficultie

understande the order of the battailes, or bandes of men, and of the

armies, and lodgynges in the Campe, accordynge as they in the

discription of theim are apoincted, I thinke it necessarie to shewe you

the figure of everie one of them: wherefore it is requiset firste, to

declare unto you, by what poinctes and letters, the footemen, the

horsemen, and everie other particuler membre are set foorthe.

KNOW THERFORE THAT

.} Signifieth {Targetmen.

'} {Pikemen.

c} {a Capitaine of ten men.

v} {Veliti ordinarie. (Those men that shoot with harcabuses or bowes)

r} {Veliti extraordinari.

C} {a Centurion or captaine of a hundred men.

k} {a Constable or a captaine of a band of fower hundred and fiftie men.

H} {The hed captain of a maine battel.

G} {The general Captaine of the whole armie.

t} {The Trompet.

d} {The Drum.

b} {The Ansigne.

s} {The Standerde.

m} {Men of Armes.

l} {Light horsemen.

A} {Artillerie or ordinance.

In the first figure nexte folowyng, is discribed the forme of an

ordinarie battaile or bande of fower hundred and fiftie men, and in what

maner it is redoubled by flanke. And also how with the verie same order

of lxxx. rankes, by chaungyng onely to the hinder parte the five rankes

of Pikes which were the formost of everie Centurie, thei maye likewise

in bringyng them in battaile raie, come to bee placed behinde: whiche

may be doen, when in marchyng, the enemies should come to assaulte them

at their backes: accordynge as the orderyng therof is before declared.

Fol. 87.

In the seconde figure, is shewed how a battaile or bande of men is

ordered, whiche in marchyng should be driven to faight on the flanke:

accordyng as in the booke is declared. Fol. 87.

In the thirde figure, is shewed how a battaile or bande of men, is

ordered with two hornes, fol. 88, and after is shewed how the same maie

be made with a voide place in the middest: accordynge as the orderyng

therof, in the booke moste plainely is declared, fol. 89.

In the fowerth figure, is shewed the forme or facion of an armie

apoincted to faight the battaile with the enemies: and for the better

understandynge thereof, the verie same is plainlier set foorthe in the

figure next unto it, wherby the other two figures next folowyng maie the

easier be understoode: accordynge as in the booke is expressed. Fol.

105.

In the fifte figure, is shewed the forme of a fower square armie: as in

the booke is discribed. Fol. 152.

In the sixte figure, is shewed howe an Armie is brought from a fower

square facion, to the ordinarie forme, to faight a fielde: accordyng as

afore is declared. Fol. 156.

In the seventh figure, is discribed the maner of incamping: according as

the same in the booke is declared. Fol. 174.

THE FIRSTE FIGURE

This is the maner of ordering of CCCC. men, into lxxx. rankes, five to a

ranke, to bring them into a iiii square battaile with the Pikes on the

front, as after foloweth.

c''''

c....

'''''

.....

'''''

.....

''''c

....c

This is the foresaied lxxx. rankes of iiii. C. men brought into a fower

square battaile with the Pikes on the fronte. And the fiftie Veliti on

the sides and on the backe.

C C

vc''''''''''''''''''cv

vc........dkb.......cv

vc..................cv

C v v v v v v v v v v C

THE SECONDE FIGURE

This is the maner of ordering of CCCC. men, into lxxx. rankes, five to a

ranke, to bring them into a iiii square battaile with the Pikes on the

side, as after foloweth.

ccccc

'''''

ccccc

.....

ccccc

.....

ccccc

.....

ccccc

This is the foresaied lxxx. rankes of iiii. C. men brought into a fower

square battaile with the Pikes on the side.

CvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvC

cccccccccccccccccccc

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

...............'''''

v...............'''''

cccccccccccccccccccc

CvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvC

THE THYRDE FIGURE

These are the nombers of rankes appoincted to make the horned battaile

of, and the square battaile with the voide space in the middest, as

after foloweth.

He that prepareth not necessarie victualles to live upon, is overcome