But whether these silken , golden , embroydered delicate Captaines ( with their demy feeble Ensignes ) Or the other plaine leather , well armed , sober , painefull , valiant Captaines ( with their compleat Ensignes of armed souldiers maintained as their companions ) shall doo their Prince or Countrey more honour at a day of Seruice ? If wee haue not yet learned , wee shall I doubt hereafter , if these abuses bee not reformed , with the dishonourable losse of many more English Ensignes , than all the Chronicles these 500. yeares before could tell vs of , to remaine for an vnhonorable monument of these our errors , to all posteritie .

For I haue euer found it in my experience a Rule almost infallible among priuate Captaines : The more braue and gallant the Captaine is in his apparrell , and Wastfull in Expences , the more poore , feeble , weake and miserable ye shall for the most part finde his souldiers full of lice many times , & stinking for want of a shirt to change them , when such Commaunders with some few Fauorites are ouer sweete and fine .

And then is it any Meruaile if so braue and gallant a Gentleman ( perfumed perhaps with Muske and Syuet ) disdain to haunt the filthy Corps du gardes of ragged , lothsome , lowsie souldiers ? Or is it any meruaile then , ( where Captains giue this Example : ) If Lieutenants & Ensignes also do take their ease , and liuing in like delicacy , disdaine to associate themselues with their poore flocks .

If Townes of great Importance haue beene lost by the cowardize of some one Corps du gard , that beastly haue abandoned without blowes , a ground of such aduantage as was defensible against any Royall Army : Onely , because at the approach therof , there was neither Captaine , Lieutenant nor Ensigne present on the guard , but a knot only of these poore Ghosts : And thereby dishonorably a town of great Importance lost , very experience ( me thinks ) should teach vs rather to choose such Captains as would so apparrell themselues , and regard their fellow-souldiers , as they should not disdaine their company , or abhorre their stinke .

I haue read , that a worthy Generall of the Graecians , after hee had with a small Army of valiant , rude , plaine , sober , obedient souldiers conquered ten times as many of the rich , silken , golden , riotous perfumed Persians , abounding with horses and chariots and Armours of golde , because ( quoth hee ) the Persians were so delicately and daintily bred , as they were not able to abide the sauor of my souldiers arme-holes .

I would therefore wish no Captaines chosen but such as should contemne vtterly such feminine delicacy in apparrell and wastfull riotous expences , and could be content to make himselfe a companion of his fellow souldiers , and think his honour consisted ( not in gay garments ) but in good Armes , in the strength of his band , in his trauels , paines , watchings , and aduentures , and not in c●rowsing or perfuming , or any other delitious , idle , or rather effeminate vnmanly vanitie . For as Marius the Romane Generall auerred : Munditias mulieribus , viris laborem conuenire : So , if Souldiers and Captaines would contend one to excell another therein , ( I meane in Military labours and carefull aduenterous endeauours , contemning all delitious pompes and idle ease , as effeminate and vnworthy their professions ) then should wee see a great alteration , both of the fortune and fame of our Nation which heeretofore hath euer been comparable with the best and most renowned .

But the onely or chiefe meanes to bring this to passe , is , first to allow vnto the Generall and chiefe Commaunders so honourable and conuenient Entertainment , as may suffice to maintaine the port and honour of their place , without practising or consenting to any corruptions , especially such as vtterly disgrace the good , and enrich the bad , deface the painfull , carefull , sober , valiant Captaine , and aduance the idle , negligent , riotous coward . But aboue all things to haue him detested more than a coward , that ( of a base corrupt minde ) shall seeke to make his gaine by keeping his band feeble and weake , and by deceipts , fraud and periuries at Musters to contriue the same : For by this meanes hee doth not onely rob his Princes treasure , but is also guiltie of the bloud of those souldiers that are slaine for want of hands to fight when the honour of their Nation comes to triall .

As all true Martiall Discipline therefore is not to be reuiued and put in execution among our Nation : So especially that part which concerneth this mightie and grosse abuse ( aboue all other ) ought most seuerely to bee regarded . And to the end Officers of Musters may by the Generall or chiefe Gouernours be countenanced in their honest proceedings ( for discouerie and correction of such abhominable frauds and Robberies as so vsually and shamelesly haue beene practized ) I would wish their owne particular bands ( where they haue any ) should alway bee allowed them without checke , for any default : presuming in honour they would bee the more carefull to bee an example to other , when they shall see themselues by their Prince so trusted . And then hauing lesse cause ( in respect of their priuate profit ) to fauour any such deceipt in others , there is no doubt , but ( hauing also honorable entertainment ) they will ( as they are by a double duty bound ) honorably aduance that course of discipline which shall make their Armies victorious , themselues famous , and their Countrey felicious ; especially if due regard bee had in the choise of such chiefe and principall Commaunders , who ought indeed to bee honorable and not base minded persons .

And as good trees are not iudged by the blossomes , but by the fruits : So surely are men rather by their deedes than by shewes or partial Fame to be discerned : For , as in all other vocations , so chiefly in the warres by common Fame such Commaunders euer shall be most extolled of their Followers , as most content their humors . Now if Captaines humors in this age of corruption , be for the greater part infected or depraued , to make choise yet by common fame or opinion , should be an error exceeding great : For as in the pestilent Feauers & like violent diseases , the Patient many times doth farre better like that Phisition which suffereth him to take colde liquors , & other pleasing phancies , agreeable to his appetite , which as very poysons doo cause his death , than such a Phisition as prescribeth a seuere dyet , accompanied with such bitter Medicines as only is able to saue his life , and restore his health and strength . And as the error therein were great to choose a Phisition after such sick-mens appetites : so surely for reformation of these Martiall diseases , the error were no lesse absurd at the beginning , to choose such Generals or chiefe Commaunders by common Fame , or liking of most Captaines . But after Martiall discipline is againe in some good measure restored , & that Captaines begin to detest riotous expences in meate , drinke , and apparell ( as effeminate delicacie ) and contend who may exceede other in labour , paines , watchings , diligence , and vertuous Martiall Actions , hauing a right taste and sence in deede of true honour and Martiall valour , and wherein the same consisteth , and by some conuenient continuance of Exercise and vse made the same not greeuous but familiar vnto them : Then were there no more compotent Iudges ( of the abilitie and sufficiencie of a Generall , ) than such , as ( aduenturing their lyues with him ) haue greatest neede and vse thereof .

But as that famous Generall and Censor Cato at Rome exclamed in his time , The publique had neede of a sharpe and mercilesse Phisition , and a violent purgation : And that therefore they were to choose ( not such Commaunders as should be gratefull and gracious , ) but resolute and seuere : So surely much more in this time and state of warres haue wee cause to proclaime such choise , or rather great Princes and Magistrates to haue especiall care and regard thereof .

Now therefore if the Collonell or chiefe Commaunder be chosen such an honourable person , as of himselfe abhorres deceipt , feare God , contemne gourmandize and quaffing , and other more base and beastly pleasures , or effeminate delicacies , by the example of many worthie Romaine Generals , as also of that famous victorious Lacedemonian Generall King Agesilaus , it shall be easie for him ( hauing conuenient and honourable pay ) to banish these Monsters out of his Campe or gouernment , as vnworthie for Souldiers professing Armes , & fitter for the pompous rich slaues of Persia.

But if contrariwise any chiefe Commaunders be persons that will winke at deceipts or fraudes in Musters , and make their profit ( as infinitely they may thereby ) no wonder if all the inferiour Captaines insolently put the same in execution , and keepe their Counsels and ordinarie Consultations how to exploite and execute those deceipts , and by all vnhonest practises , slaunders , and lybels , &c , to disgrace any Officer that shall oppose himselfe dutifully against it : And so their Bands continued euer feeble , weake , and miserable .

Or if this Coronell or chiefe Commaunder be a person that hath no compassion on the poore priuate Souldiers , nor care to preserue and maintaine their lyues , but rather ( respecting how largely he may make his gaine by their deaths ( expose them to the Butcherie , yee shall presently haue almost all the Captaines regard them lesse than dogges .

Or if the Collonell or Generall ( forgetting that right Lacedemonian law , that whosoeuer did saue his life by flight in the field , was infamous euer after euen to his graue ) doo take so little shame ( of running away in the field ) as hee will haue for himselfe a horse of swift cariere alway in readinesse vpon any daunger to take his leaue : What meruaile if yee haue inferiour Captaines prouided for the like ? Yea many times Liuetenants , and Ensignes also ? And what is then to bee expected , but dishonourable flight , shame and confusion , whensoeuer they are roundly charged by any souldiers ?

If the Collonell or chiefe Commaunder bee a man , that ( regarding wholy his profit ) will winke at the extorsions of his Captaines , they haue reason to spare him halfe their pay , or all their Imprestes , for that they can full easily ( from the Booer or Burgher vnder their crushing ) extort much more than the greatest pay any Christian King yet gaue , and thereby so enrich themselues with Golde and Iewels , as they haue no reason any more to hazard their life , but to prouide themselues good horses to escape away with their wealth whensoeuer they shal be charged : Leauing their souldiers to the slaughter , by whose deaths also there may grow a good Diuidend , to bee shared among such artificial Fugitiues .

If Coronels or chiefe Commaunders of their ease , pleasure or priuate respects holde it no disgrace or shame to bee absent from their Regiments : No meruaile if any inferiour Captains bee readie to follow such discipline also , and consequently all their Fauorites and persons best appointed . And then what meruaile if the silly Remnant of the feeble flocke ( hauing scarcely Sheepeheard or Sheepeheards Dogge left to take the care and charge of them ) become a pray to the Rauening Wolfe , that will not let slip so good an opportunitie .

But if the Coronell or chiefe Commaunder himselfe be such a one as takes no shame in Field to saue his life by flight : It is not strange that Captaines vnder his charge should imitate his discipline . And then much lesse reason haue priuate souldiers to stand so much vpon their honour , or rather to die than turne their face . But if such indeed bee the true profession of a souldier rather to die reasolutely in his ranke , than turne his face , or cowardly by flight to saue his life . If this bee the dutie of the meanest and most priuate souldier , then how much rather is the Captaine , and much more the Coronell bound to such an honorable Resolution ?

If in the most honorable and Martiall Nations of the World , Such cowardize in a priuate souldier hath beene noted with perpetuall shame , how much more ought it to bee detested in Captaines ? And then à fortiori in their Superiors .

But if by corrupt custome and education in licentious loose warres , such principall persons bee growne so farre past Shame , as not onely to commit these base and vnsouldierlike errrors , but also ( that most miserable is ) in their ordinarie Discourses and banquets amids their Sacrifices to Bacchus at open Tables to vaunt of these their Stratagems , Recounting in how many Encounters , the places where , and when they fled gallantly , and spurred their horses in their Violent Retreits , who might runne swiftest : What shall wee say but that such degenerate shamelesse persons might ( with much better reason ) vant how many Bastinadoes they had receiued brauely ?

For surely cowardize in a Man ( especially professing Armes ) hath euer beene accounted the foulest vice : As Incontinency the greatest dishonestie in a woman . And as an honest woman may fortune by violence to bee abused , and yet all her life time after cannot but blush to haue it spoken of : So though an honest man ( I meane a valiant man in the Field ) by violence and multitude of Enemies vnhappily should be enforced to turne his face : Yet ashamed should hee bee euer to heare it spoken of . But as that State were horribly wicked where women should aduant openly of their Incontinency : So , desperate is their disease that are so farre past shame to aduant of their cowardize : And miserable that State must needs become , where such impudency should bee tollerable for men professing Armes shamelesly to vaunt of their fearefull flights , or as they are termed in their new Discipline , Their violent retraitz .

But ( that most lamentable is ) many times it may come to passe , that these impudent Runawaies being escaped ( consorting themselues ) shal by Rumors , letters , or printed Pamphlets perhaps sometimes disgrace those valiant men that resolutely died in the place , rather than they would shame themselues , and dishonour their countrey with a cowardly flight . And then such Fugitiues ( extolling one another with Heroicall names , hauing also by their former pikories store of crowns to purchase friends , by such Thrasonicall Stratagems ) of the ignorant multitude bee counted gallant souldiers , and fit for newe imployments . An error of all other the most daungerous : That ( contrarie to all Martiall discipline ) that fault that deserueth death or dishonourable disarming vnder a Gallowes , should bee honoured with new imployments , or greater credit .

But as the disgrace of a few Ringleaders of Runawaies and other corruptions would wonderfully repaire the honour of any Nation : So the tolleration of them , and much more the imploying of them again in new charges by their Example may breed effects most dangerous and fearefull , if in time ( by due execution of right Martiall discipline ) such weeds bee not eradicate .

The Lacedemonians ( by due obedience to their Martiall lawes ) were become the most mighty and puissant State of all the Graecians , which then for Heroical prowesse surmounted all the world besides , as by the multitude of their victories on the Orientall Nations , and Asiaticall mightie Empires is apparant : Whose huge Armies and innumerable Forces they vanquished in a number of Battailes with a very few , but choise , painefull , sober , well trained and disciplined Bands , being accustomed from their infancy to trauaile , paines , sobriety , and hardnes . And by the same custome and education learned also with all dutie to obey their Superiors , Reuerence the Elders , and to feare nothing but shame and infamie : And of all infamies none so great to a man there as cowardize , being by their verie lawes noted with disgrace perpetuall to his death that ran away from his Enemies in the field , or saued his life by flight : Which fault was held so soule and base , as the very Mothers abhorred and renounced them , yea and some with their owne hands haue killed such of their sons as by flight in the field haue saued their liues , as Traitors to their countrey , and dishonorable to their parentes : Yea they were disgraded from all honour and imployment , marked by shauing of halfe their heades and beards , derided and disdained of all their countrimen , and lawfull for all men to abuse and beat them as seruiceable Slaues . These were the shames ordained for Fugitiues in those warlike Nations . Whereupon a King of theirs being demanded how it came to passe that the Lacedemonians so farre excelled all others in prowesse and armes ? Because ( quoth he ) they are taught from their infancy not to feare death , but shame . As Marius also that famous Romane Generall said of himselfe , hee had learned to feare nothing but Infamy . They therefore that by education in lawlesse warres grow so impudent as to vant of their foiles and flights ( which by true Martiall lawes , especially in leaders and Commanders should bee noted and punished with perpetuall shame ) are so farre of from true Souldiery , and Martial honor as they are fitter ( like most dangerous contagious sheep ) to be expelled & seuered in time , lest they infect with their leprosy the whole troup & Military flock : howsoeuer the corruptions of this age & ignorance of the dangers that ensue by contempt of true Martial honor may excuse or delay their due punishment or shame for a time . For if a chief Commander shal neither blush to saue himself by flight , nor corruptly to make his gain by the death of his poore Souldiers through Frauds , periury , and deceipt in Musters : his readiest plot to grow rich and puissant is , presently so soone as hee can finger his souldiers pay , or Princes Treasure , To deuise some desperate vnfeasible Seruice , where he may bring his Fantery to haue their throats cut , and then hauing choise horses to saue himselfe by flight , and his confederate Fauorites with the pay of the dead , they may banquet and riot their fill , and haue so great Masses of Treasure to make friends , as none of these Tragedies can come to vnripping , if once it bee perswaded lawfull or intollerable for a Generall or chiefe Commaunders to saue themselues by flight .

But the tollaration thereof and of these Fraudes and abuses in Musters , and the immeasurable sweete gaines that bad consciences see they may make thereby ( if they can also shake of shame , and extinguish true Martiall discipline ) is the chiefest ●● use of all base and dishonorable corruptions , and will still encrease such impudency and insolency as corrupt persons by sufferance will grow vnto : Which ought so much the more seuerely and speedily with the sword of Iustice and true Militarie Lawes in time to bee corrected , as the continuance doth make the disease more desperate and perrilous to their State , and more hard to bee recured , when wealthie wickednes thereby getteth such authoritie and purchaseth such parties , as after by Iustice shall hardly bee suppressed , vnlesse the Souereigne Maiestie or Ephores of the State in time I say minister the bitter Medicine , that onely must cure this pestilent and contagious sicknesse .

For if Demetria of Sparta with her owne hands killed ( for cowardize ) her sonne Demetrien as a degenerate Monster not worthy to bee called a Lacedemonian or to walk on the earth , being ( as she said ) a monument dishonourable to his countrey and parents , and the like done by diuers other Ladies and worthy Women of that State to their owne children , for abandoning onely of their Ranke , to saue their liues when they were forced with violence and Multitudes of their Enemies : What could these woorthy women haue done to such sonnes as premeditately before hand prouided them horses of swift carrier to saue themselues , so soone as they shall finde any danger growing . Or if this fault of Flying or abandoning their Rank only hath beene in a priuate souldier so abhorred , as his owne Mother hath executed Martiall Iustice vpon him , with detestation of his cowardize as vnworthie to drinke of the Riuer Eurotas , or to beare the name of a Lacedemonian : How much more is the same to bee detested in a Commaunder , On whose error or cowardize the liues of so many as are vnder his charge dependeth , besides the dishonour of his Nation ?