GEntleman , wel ouertaken , I hope you are riding towardes London , whither my selfe am likewise trauailing , and would be glad of good company .

I am trauelling towards London indéede sir , and am glad I haue met with so good company as your selfe doe séeme to be , but I pray you sir , let me craue your name .

Sir , you shal vnderstand that I am by profession a souldier , and haue serued in the French and Low country seruices diuers times , and in some other expeditions I haue had charge , and therefore by such as know me , I am called by the name of Captaine Skill .

Truely sir , I doe loue you so much the better , for I my selfe am likewise a professor of Armes , and am called by the name of Captaine Pill : and therefore I must loue souldiers , nay more , I do reuerence them , nay more yet , I doe honor them : and I beléeue , that on● selfe same occasion hath now drawne on our acquaintance , and I thinke we goe to London both of one arrand .

And I pray you sir , what might that be as you doe thinke ?

Mary I thinke that this mustering in euerie parte of the realme , and this preparation for the making ready of souldiers , is a signe of same great seruice intended , and I thinke of you as I thinke of my selfe , that being a noble captaine as I am , you would be glad of imployment , as I wold be , and for that purpose you are going vppe to London , to make sute for a company of men , and I promise you so am I

If that be your intent sir , God send you good spéed , but in trueth it is no part of my businesse : I neuer yet made speciall sute for a charge , and I will not beginne now , and yet I haue euermore béene willing and ready to serue my Prince and countrie , and so I will continue as long as it shal please God to giue me life and abilitie of body . But especially in these dayes , when so worthy a Commaunder , so noble an Earle doth indeuour himselfe in his owne person , and hath so honoured his countrie with his exploites , that all Europe doth sound out his praise : first , the magnanimitie of his minde in vndertaking , his resolution and prowesse in performing , his noble and valorous courage in conquering , his mercy to the conquered , his incoragement to those that serue and follow him , his comfort to the one , his curtesie to the other , his affabilitie to both , his liberality to all , and his magnificence , as it hath not bin common to Generalles till now of late yeares , so in any enterprise that hée shal vndertake , who would neglect to follow him , that may not onely be said to be Englands Mars , but may also be termed to be Europes Honour ?

Captaine Skill , you haue inflamed me , nay you haue mightily inflamed me with an honourable desire , and although hitherto I neuer made triall of my martiall skill before any forraine foe , yet now by the faith of a Souldier I protesh , that whosoeuer be the commaunder , or whither soener the iourney , if I can get charge , eyther of horse or of foote , I wil approoue my selfe , and wil not tarry behinde .

I know not Captaine Pill how I might commend your courage , for me thinks I heare you say you neuer yet haue incountred with any forraigne foe , I pray you sir , where haue you then had charge ?

Truely sir I neuer had charge , but once in Finsbury fields , in the mightie incounters betweene the renowned Duke of Shordich , and the puissant Prince Arthur , where I was a Wister in the field , and had the command of such a gallant troupe , that if a man had the leading of them either in France or Flaunders , he might be thought a verie vnskilfull Captaine that could not picke out a thousande pounds a yeare amongst them .

You should do wel to procure 150. of them for this expedition which you thinke is now intended : but I pray you sir , haue you neuer had any other command then this that you haue spoken of ?

Why do you aske that question ?

Because by your owne wordes you should seeme to carrie the title and reputation of a Captaine , againe you say , your iourney nowe towardes London , is to seeke for a charge , nowe both your title and your intent doe argue a farre greater abilitie in you , then you haue hitherto commended in your selfe , for he is not worthy to be called Captaine , nor fit to haue a charge , that hath had no better training then Finsburie fields doth afford .

But nowe Captaine Skill , me thinks you skip a little beyond your skill , for if you haue beene of that continuance in seruice as your self doth report of , if you haue not knowne , yet I am sure you haue heard of Captaines of lesse practise then this that I haue spoken of . Why man there be many of our Regiment , that are not onely reputed for Captaines by name ( as to be called Master Captain when they walke vppe and downe in Poules , but otherwise by meanes of friendes they haue gotten charge indéede ) when some of them knowe not so much as their owne place in the field : but I must tell you , you are too precise if you will not admitte of this : first hee that hath had but the conducting of souldiours ( be they more or lesse ) to the water side , though he neuer serued in the field , yet hee is a Captaine , nay he will be a Captaine , hee that hath but seene an ensigne thrée times spread in the field , though he neuer sawe ensigne of the enemies , he must be a Captaine : he that puts himselfe into the arming doublet , with the poynts with the siluer tagges , tied vp in the pitch of the shoulder , a scarfe about his arme , and a feather in his cappe , he shal be a Captaine : and he that will gainesay any of these , let him take héede to himselfe : but to dishonour a Captaine deserues no lesse then a stabbe .

I know ( indéed ) that some of them are as colericke as the Brewers horse , but you shal sée I wil stand out of their way , and I would be loth to dishonour them more then they dishonour themselues , but is not he to be registred amongst your crew of Captaines that will giue money for his charge , and will buy a companie of men , because hee would be a Captaine ?

Marie sir I will stande to it he is worthie to be a Captaine , for he that hath money in his purse , and will disburse it to purchase a companie of Souldiours , it argues great valew and honestie tooin him that will do it .

Valure as much as you list sir , but fie vppon that honestie .

Your reason why .

Because , if he be an honest man that buyeth a companie of Souldiours , he shall neuer make his money againe of them .

And he is a foole that wil lay out his money to losse in this age .

Why then lette vs commend his wit , but not his honestie .

It is no matter sir what you commend or discommend , I warrant you they are at a poynt for that : but there are a number of Souldiours noweadayes , who because they haue had a little more training before an enemie , then we that neuer saw an enemie , doo therefore thinke themselues to be so priuileged , that they would haue none to be imployed with charge but themselues , but they are deceiued , for perhaps we haue better meanes for the matter then they , for we haue money to procure friends , and we haue friendes to procure vs charge , when sometime they shall go without .

And the most of them when they haue gotten charge , are as skilfull both to deceiue the Prince , and to coosin the Souldiours , as the proudest Captain in England , that hath serued longest .

Fie Captaine Skill I must néedes condemne you now , your words doo stretch too farre , howe vnséemely is it for Souldiours to inuey against Souldiours : what speake you of deceiuing the Prince , when euerie man doth seeke to liue by the Prince ? he that hath an office and cannot gain by it , is a foole , and why should not Captaines helpe themselues amongst the rest ? And for the coosining of the Souldiour , what and if a Captaine do now and then gette a crowne out of his Souldiours moneths pay , alas it is nothing , it will scarce pay for an ounce of gold lace : and hée that is not gallantly gilded , he is but of the basest sort of Captaines , and therefore they must haue helpes .

I haue knowne Captaines that haue worne both golde and siluer , without any cosonage or other deceit , either to Prince or Souldiour : and to say truly , gold and siluer is fittest for Captaines , for those that may be sayde ( indéede ) to be Captaines of worth .

There are not many of those , for I know verie few Captaines nowadayes that are worth much , and therfore he that will be a Captaine of worth , he must learne to shift betimes , or it will not be .

Captaine Pill , your construction of a Captaine of worth doth so commend your Martiall skill , that I thinke a man of your experience were more worthie to be made a great officer in the field , then to be so meanely imployed in the place of a priuate Captaine , to haue the command but of a hundred and fiftie poore Souldiours .

I tell you Captaine Skill my words are mysticall , and not to be conceited by euerie ordinarie Souldiour that is but of a darke & cloudy vnderstanding , and for this sufficiency that you finde to be in me , I doe as highly commend your iudgement , that can so readily discerne it , and although that I haue hitherto hidden my talent , yet now séeing so many men of lesse training then my selfe , are so readie to thrust themselues forward , and many times haue obtained what they thrust so fast for , I will therefore venture my stake amongst the rest , for I sée it is but fortune that ruleth all , vertue helpes little , desert much lesse : Captaines are not so much appoynted for the knowledge they haue gotten by seruice , as for the friendes they are able to make , my Lord he speaks for one , my lady she sues for another : my Lord commendes his man for his stomacke , my Ladie shée prayses her man for his courage : men haue skill to perswade , women must not be denied when they sue , and hée that hath a good stomacke and is of a lustie courage , is fitte to be a Captaine .

Indéed valiance is a speciall vertue for a Souldier , if these men may be saide to haue it .

Why who will denie it them , or make any doubt but that they haue it ? he that hath liued all the dayes of his life at home amongst his friendes , and neuer sawe an enemie that might hurt him , and now wil make a special sute to be a Captaine , and to appose himselfe into so many perils , as he knowes not what they are , nor what they mean : who will denie this man to be valiant ?

No man that is wise but will confesse him to be as valiant a captaine as euer ran him selfe in to danger without iudgement , or as he that wil leape the hedge before hée hath séene the ditch .

Yet there he some that will saye it is a desperate kinde of boldnes , and they will call it rashnes , and foolish hardines , then they will make destinctions what is true valiance indéed , but these distinguishers are fitter for the schoole then for the field .

And I thinke these Captaines had neede to go to schoole with them , to learne a little wit howe to demeane themselues when they come to the field .

Why should you thinke so , do you imagine that martiall knowledge fit for the fielde is to be learned at a schoole ?

And how should he come by that martiall knowledge , that neuer came in the field ?

And wherefore doe men séeke charge , but because they are willing to learne ?

Let them first learn , to obey , before they take vpon them to commaund .

It is a base minde in a Gentleman to serue vnlesse he may commaund .

It is a vaine presumptuous minde in any man to séeke to commaund , before he knowes how to commaund .

Do you call it presumption for a Gentleman t● indeuoure himselfe to serue his Prince and country ?

I say it is the most honourable thing that any gentleman can indeuoure , but I cal it presumption in him that will take vppon him to commaund before he haue experience how .

And howe is experience sooner attained vnto , then for a man to be in place where he may commaund ?

But that experience is at too high a rate , for the vnskilfull Phisitian , and the ignorant Captaine do buy their experience with the price of mens liues , and therefore in the olde time there was great regard had in the choosing of their Captaines , and no man might commaund or haue authoritie , that was vnder thirtie yeeres of age , but Alexander amongst the rest admitted none to the place of a Captaine that was vnder thréescore .

But men were not so capable in those days as they are now , for now there be some , if they haue but séene Souldiers trayned on Mile-end-greene , or haue borne office in a Midsummer sight , or haue bin at the fetching home a Maie-pole , they wil by and by put themselues into the Captaines trayne , and they will looke as big as Haniball the great captain of Carthage , but he that shuld heare their table-talk when they be at their ordinaries , or amongst such company as knowes them not , but by their owne reportes , would thinke that the nine worthies were but fooles in comparison of these men , they will shake off their skermishes , they wil martiall their battells into squares , into triangles , into sheares , into saws , into halfe moones , into snailes , into gées , into esses , and into more proportions then either Langius Vygetius , or Machiuell himselfe did euer knowe of , though he wrote the arte of warre .

Now for the winning of walled townes , the assailing of cittiedales , or the scaling of castles , what fortification so strong , which they will not surprise , but with discharging of two or thrée volies of oathes ? And where was there euer Generall , were he neuer so noble , that could performe any seruice , how honourable so euer , which they will not censure and séeme to controule . In one thing they wil say , oportunitie was neglected , in another they will say , aduantage was not taken , heere they wil say , discipline wanted , there againe , foresight was not had , this might haue béene preuented thus , and that might haue béene done with better safetie tother way . Now who can thinke but that these men were crept into the very guttes of martiall skill , that are so skilful to finde all manner of faultes , and so expert besides in all other militarie practise ?

For the new discipline , they haue it as freshly at their fingers endes , as he that first founde it out , and they can commaunde with as good a grace . And do but imagine now that I were at a training somewhere about London , mark how I could behaue my selfe .

Souldiers ranke your selues into fiue , drawe forward shot , so , very well done : now rancke your selues into sixe , double your ranckes on the right hand , again as you were , march on faire and easily , double your files on the left hand , open your rancks , close your files .

No more good Captaine Pill , for héere is no body to maintaine the skirmish but you and I , and it is pittie you should appose your selfe to perill , where there is no better rescues at hand .

But howe do you like of my commaunde Captaine Skill ? you sée now I could do somewhat : but speake truly , how do you like of it ?

There is no man that can dislike of it , it may passe in dispite of all the pages in the court , but you neuer learned this at Finsbury , I am sure of that .

Wheresoeuer I learned it , no matter for that , you see I haue it , & cunning is no burthen , but do you not think my experience sufficient for the conduct of an hundred and fiftie souldiers ?

Yes , and enough to cousin them all of their paye : and nowe I perceiue indéed that yong Captaines are farre more capable then they were in Alexanders time , or else they would neuer make so great sute to gette charge , but I sée it is skil that leades them vnto it , and I haue heard of some of those capable Captaines , in place where they haue béene imployed , that if they haue but once mustered 100. men , within one moneth after they will not haue 30. and yet I durst depose for them , that if they were brought to a dayes seruice , they would performe as great skil with that small number , as if they had fiue hundred to commaund .

I think so , and it is no great wonder , for take héed of any man that is once growne so capable that he is apt to take any thing , but I will tell you of a Captaine of a speciall vertue , that was once imployed , I will not tell you the place whither , but it is no great matter though I name you the man , it was Captaine Flant , who was sent with a hundred Souldiours to a place of seruice , where he had not stayed long , but he reduced his whole hundred of men into a iust proportion of fiftéene , besides his officers , which was a Lieutenant , an Ensigne , a Sergeant , and a Drum . The 15 he reduced into three Squadrons , which was foure to euerie Squadron , besides the thrée Corporalles .

For his march , he would lightly ranke them into thrée , and his fiftéene men made iust fiue rankes , neuer a man to spare .

For an instant of seruice , vpon any ground of aduantage , he would bid them to turne their faces on the right or left hand , and then they were imbatteled into a broade square , ●…ue in front , and thrée in flanke . If vpon the plaine he were inforced to a square battaile , by thrusting in his Ensigne , his number was iust sixtéene , which being drawn into Maniples , of foure made a perfect square , euerie of like strength .

If at any time he were disposed to martiall them into Batalions , he would neuer make aboue three Batalions of his fiftéene men , neither would he admit any more then fiue men to a Batalion , because hee would do all things by proportion and art .

To shew his skill in the new discipline , hee would ranke his fiftéene men into seuen , which made two rankes , and one man to spare , then would he bid them to double their rankes on the right hand , so then he had iust fouretéene in ranke , but where be the files ? and this is called the wilegoose ranke . Now if they had but turned their faces to the left hand , then the file was fouretéene , but where be the rankes ? and now they were drawne into an excellent proportion , fitte to haue passed any straight that had not béene wonderfull narrow .

This is inough concerning his discipline , and now I will tell you how he passed a muster .

It fell out , that the Lord Deputie , or Generall , or some bodie it was that had the chéefe commaunde in that place , would himselfe be present at a generall muster , where Captaine Flant amongst the rest , bringing in his muster role , his officers being first called , his Souldiours were now to answere to their names .

There was first called Thomas Tatter , that had neuer a whole ragge to put vpon his backe , not almost so much as would hide his taile . Captaine Flant ( quoth my Lorde ) if the rest of your companie be in as good plight as this , me thinks they shuld be able to maintein a great daies march , because they are not pestered with too much carriage at their backes .

I warrant you my Lorde ( answered the Captaine ) you shall finde them all alike , and I hope your Lordship shall sée so seruiceable a companie , as would be glad to get their pay in any place in Christendome : well passe you by Thomas Tatter , who is next ?

What Slim , bare legged and barefooted both ? it is not yet a quarter of a yeare agoe sithence I gaue you twelue pence to buy brooges , but I sée you haue spent your money at the alehouse : I will tell your Lordshippe , if this man would not sometimes take thrée pottes too many , hée were as braue a footeman as euer marcht vppon two bare féete , and I vse him indeede for my vauntcurrour , to discouer Ambuscados when I march in Bodalia : well passe by Slim Slatter , the next .

come on Nicholas , a most dainty shot my Lorde , and an excellent marke man , I do value him to be worth foure men for his readinesse and skill : he hath but one fault , and that is , he will neuer carrie any pouder in his slaske , I thinke he would sell his soule for good drinke : passe by Nicholas Needie to the next .

a verie lustie fellow , and a speciall Souldiour , for a ward , or any place fortified : he loues not the fielde , but if he gettes into a towne , you shall neuer gette him out againe , till you plucke him out by the eares : Gilbert follow your fellow , and to the next .

an excellent shot , I had rather haue him on my side in the day of seruice , then sixe of the best shotte againe in the field , that are not of mine owne companie , hee hath lost the seere of his péece , but wee will haue it amended against the next musters , passe on Tom Trudge , who is next ?

a man of a great spright , I haue known when he hath séene two hundred enemies in view , and he hath wisht them all fast bound , both hand and foote , and himselfe amongst the thickest of them all alone , and had but a browne bill in his hand : well passe along Dauie , and to the next .

mine owne countreyman , wee were borne both in a parish , and for seuen yeres togither , I was sure once in a month to finde him in a paire of stocks , or in a pillorie : but for an able Souldiour , I would not leaue him for tenne other in his place : go along Thomas , the next his Camirado .

an excellent skilfull Souldier , more fit to leade others then to be commanded by any , he is so careful in his conduct , that I dare vndertake he would neuer leade his company ( with his owne good will ) where they should take any harme : Peter follow your Camirado , I do value that man for his skill to be worth 20 ordinary Souldiers : the next .

an olde Souldier you may sée by all his furniture , it will scarce hang together with very antiquitie : folowe your fellowes Iohn Dory , to the next .

stand forth man : What I thinke thou hast bin dauncing of Friskin that solde for & hath solde his hatband for good ale , but I thinke thou hast solde al the clothes from thy backe for good ale : but there treades not a better souldier vpon this ground this day , and although he be not very sumptuous in his apparel , yet I dare vndertake he shal shoote as farre out of a musket , as he that is clad in sattin and veluet : passe along Sim , who is next ?

a man if it were to fight a combate for a kingdome , and not worth so litle as twentie mens pay : but a P. take the Beadles of Bridewell , they haue made him lame of both his armes , but I warrant for his legges , if it come once to running retrait , the proudest of them al cannot mend him : passe along Laurence , to the next .

if I should speake of this man as I know he deserueth , I might craue patience to take halfe an houres breath . The seueral seruices that he hath séene , aswel vpon plaines , hilles , dales , streights woodes , groues , thickets & all other groundes of aduantage , the dangers that he hath escaped from Constables , Headborrowes , and such other that are the common disturbers of that society , that loues not to medle with her Maiesties Officers , the stratagems he hath deuised to passe watches , wardes and other ambushments that hau bin layde to intercept him in his passages , if I should speake particuarly of his peregrinations what he hath séene & past , you would say that if a hundred men should attempt the like , if one escaped scotfrée , all the rest would be hanged . But to speake briefly of his knowledge in the arte Militarie , I say he is able to martiall an army of 20000 souldiers , to rancke them into any fit proportion of bataile , either for the encounter in the fielde , or for the assault of a breach , to quarter them , to encampe them , to bring them before any fortification , to plant them , to intrench them , nay , what can he not do that I my selfe can do ? And what are an hundred ordinary souldiers to be compared to a man of his seruice ?

Héere the Gouernour interrupting Captaine Flant , demaunded of him how many there were yet in his roule behinde to be called , the Captaine answered there were yet thrée , then said the Gouernour that maketh iust 15. men by the poule , but as you haue rated them , some one man to be worth foure , some other sixe , some ten , some twentie , and now this last you say at a hundred , by this reckoning you haue mustered already aboue an hundred & fiftie , and you haue pay but for one hundred , me thinks you do hinder your selfe mightilie to keep fifty or thréescore men more then you haue pay for .

My good Lorde ( saide the Captaine ) I would be loth to cousen my Prince , by taking her pay for a hundred , but I would bring her sixe score to the hundred , if I want of my number by poule , as it may séeme now I want a few , yet if these that I haue be duely considered of according to their worthines ( that are all of them especial choice men ) I hope her Maiestie may wish she had more such Captaines , that so regardefully doth tender her seruice .

But saide the Gouernour , your men do make no such shewe as you do commend in them , for there is not any one amongst them that hath a good garment about him , nor almost a paire of shooes to his féet . O my Lorde ( answered the Captaine ) that is but their owne humilitie , they cannot abide any pride , fie vpon it ; and fie vpon these garded garments , these fethers and scarffes , they cannot abide them .

But how now Captaine Skill ? me thinkes you are halfe asléep , while I haue beene mustring of an hundred men , and yet haue past but twelue by the powle .

You are deceiued Captaine Pill , I am not asléepe ; nay I am not so much as drowsie , for all this while that you haue séene me thus silent , I haue bin learning of Captaine Flant , first the martiall skill that he vsed in his order and discipline , then the gallant shewe of selected Souldiers that he brought to the musters : but especially his fidelitie to her Maiestie , that would take pay for an hundred and serue her with fifteene , a great argument of his dutifull care .

but you must consider of his souldiers , what choice men they were , what speciall skill they had , and therefore how to be estéemed .

That is a matter indéed of great consideration , a very choyce company , some chosen from the stockes , some from the pillory , some from Bridewel , some I think from New gate , and all fit for Bedlem .

And why should you thinke them to be fit for Bedlem ?

Who were he that should sée them so betottered , & betorne , but would rather thinke them to be mad men then souldiers ? but how was Captaine Flant himselfe , I hope he was better suted for a Captaine ?

You may be sure Captaine Flant wanted no sutes that was fit for a Captaine , and I wil not giue a penny for a captaine nowadayes that is not al to be gilded .

And two pence apéece were a great deale more than some of them be worth , when they haue gilded themselues as well as they can .

You would make lowe prizd captaines , and I perceiue we should haue captaines dogge cheape , if you might haue the rating of them .

I promise you I would value them by their experience , not by their apparell , by their déedes , not by their wordes , for the Cornish diamond doth shine , yet but a counterfeit , and the bray of an Asse is no lesse hideous to the simple than the roare of a Lion .

These are fowle comparisons , and great indignitie to the reputation of Captaines to be made Counterfeites , or to be reputed for Asses .

Captaine Pil , you mistake your text , I would bée loth to preiudice a captains page by my spéeches , much lesse therefore his maister : and is the perfect diamond the lesse to be estéemed of , because it is sometimes counterfeited ? or may not a man say , an asse is but an asse , though he be wrapt in a lions skinne , without any offence to the lion himselfe ?

But I speake of no counterfets , I speake of captains , such as haue had charge , and haue had the leading of souldiers in the field .

And I speake of no captaines that can either leade or commaund with skill , I speake but of counterfeits , that can doe neither of both , and yet wil take vppon them to be captaines .

I cannot tel what those differences be that you wold séeme to make betwéene captaines and captaines , but I call him a captaine that hath had charge in the field , and I think him to be skilfull enough , that hath courage enough to encounter with his enimie .

Then Iacke may be a Gentleman , because he hath bestrid my lord Maiors mule , but set a foole on horse backe , and he wil either catch a fall , or ride his horse out of breath : and for the corage that you speake of , who is so bold as blind bayard ? But because you say you doe not vnderstand what the differences should be that I should make betwéene captaines and captaines , I am contented to acquaint you with thus much what it is that I meane .

There is no estate , be it empire , kingdome , or other common wealth whatsoeuer , that may be saide to be established or surely setled , either from forraine inuasion or intestine rebellion , which is not strengthned , staid , vpholden , and propped vp by force of armes . This was the cause that Salomon , who in the holy scriptures is called Rex pacificus , and was stil busied with the building of the holy Temple , forgat not yet to furnish his garrisons with expert men of warre , horses and charriots , neither hath there béene any well gouerued commonwelth , which hath neglected this care , but they haue béene at all times , in all ages , and in all places especially prouident in this behalfe .

It would be tedious for me to deliuer , how chéereful they haue béene in incouraging , how liberal in rewarding , how industrious in training , how diligent in instructing and practising of men to inable them with skill , and to make them expert in the knowledge and feates of war , when they were not ignorant , but would alwayes acknowledge , that both prince , country , life , libertie , goods , law , iustice , religion , and all together , depended in the skil of the souldier , and the knowledge of armes .

If the matter be of this importance , can you blame princes , that haue euermore béene scrupulous in the appointing of their armies , and would neuer admit of any to be conduetors , leaders , and commaunders , but such as by continuance and practise were found to be of approoued skil , and of tried and knowne experience , and not to pester their squadrons with yonglings of little wit and lesse vnderstanding , who , because they haue séene souldiers alittle trained and made ready , or perhappes haue serued some moneth or sixe wéekes where they might sée alittle , wil vpon this presume to thrust themselues into charge , foolishly taking vpon them that they are not able to performe , when by the indiscretion of such a captaine a whole army may be ouerthrown , which may concerne no lesse than the subuersion of a kingdome , and the losse of a princes crowne .

The matter therefore is not lightly to be regarded , thogh I do not amplifie and inforce it as I could , and her Maiestie hath payed dearely for the seruice of some of these hasly mad captaines , in some places I could name , if I were disposed to inferre presidents : but letting this passe , if for the attainment of a séely occupation no lesse than seauen yéeres , apprentiship is required , before a man may be thought sufficient in skill or admitted to trade , how happeneth it then that in the Arte Militarie , wherein there was neuer man so wel practised ( no though he had serued seuen times seuen yeares ) which was not yet to séeke , and euerie day to learne , and yet nouices that haue not bene of seuen moneths practise , nay sometimes not of seauen wéekes training haue béene thrust into charge , that hath neither skil nor science to command , no nor to performe the least duty that appertaineth to a captaine of vnderstanding .