THE Defence of Military profession.  
Wherein is eloquently showed the due commendation of Martial prowess, and plainly proved how necessary the exercise of Arms is for this our age.  
❧ IMPRINted at London by Henry Middleton, for john Harison. 1579.   


VERO NIHIL VERIUS    

¶ TO THE RIGHT honourable, Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxenford, viscount Bulbecke, Lord of Escales and Bladesmere, and Lord great Chamberlain of England.  
EXperience beareth such a sovereignty over all things human and divine, that without it the quality or power either of word, deed, devise, or matter, cannot make itself known to the understanding of men: for the heavenly truth justifieth itself by the effects of his nature and power, made apparent to the eyes & capacities of earthly creatures.  
Adam not well stayed upon the truth of God's word, transgressed the commandment, & feeling the plagues of his offence, had thereby experience of the power & truth of his Almighty Creator.  
The first world overflowing in wickedness, was drowned in the flood of God's vengeance: to give experience to the world that ensued, what it is to contemn his word and Prophets.  
Noah believed the word of the Lord, and obeying his commandment, prepared the Ark & was saved in the flood, he & all his family: by experience whereof the world is made to understand the power and assurance of God's truth and favour toward his elect people.  
The Lord willed Moses to denounce his plagues against Egypt, and in the effect of his power & truth he accomplished the same upon man and beast, upon fruit and tree, upon earth and water: the experience whereof made Moses and the Israelites so hardy in faith, that they took their way through the read Sea, as through the fields on dry land.  
Pharaoh in the hardness of his heart pursued the Israelites, and was drowned, he and all his army in the paths where jacob went dry shod▪ whereby all the kings and princes of the earth had & have experience, what it is to contemn God, to persecute his people, & to despise his word and ministers.  
The like experience made josuah bold to lead Israel through the deep waters of Iorden: where they passed on foot, and went dry shod to land.  
The Israelites breaking the covenant of the Lord their God, & standing in their rebellion were destroyed out of the land of judah, and jerusalem, and made slaves to the Chaldeans: whereby they were taught by experience (and so are we by the same example) what it is to despise the Lord of hosts, and to stand in disobedience against his majesty.  
The Lord restoring jacob out of Chaldea to his inheritance again, according as he had promised by the mouths of his Prophets: doth teach us by experience how faithful he is in his promises, that we therefore should rest upon him without doubting.  
Christ our Saviour wrought wonders before all Israel, that their eyes might see his divine power and believe him for his works sake: but they believed not their own eyes, and are therefore confounded by the experience that testifieth against their own consciences.  
By examples of experience, the Lord jesus taught the jews, as by that of Dives and Lazarus, of the sour of seed, of the evil Steward etc. As by familiar demonstrations.  
Our forefathers the old Christians, so polluted their Tabernacles with the works of impiety, that they extinguished the holy Ghost in the Sanctuary, whereby they fell to ignorance and corruption▪ and were given over to superstition and Idolatry. The experience whereof should teach us of these days, and our children to walk wisely in the presence of our God.  
Experience discovereth the effects of wisdom and folly: and maketh demonstration of the fruits of virtue and of vice, and teacheth to distinguish, betwixt the righteous and the wicked, betwixt the fool and the wise man, etc.  
Experience is the mother and nurse of the policies and governments, civil and martial, private & public, guiding the counsels and doings of men with orderly discretion.  
Experience of the inordinate iniquities of men fuonded the laws and the judgement seat.  
The experience of the troublesome furies of men founded Arms, and advanced Military profession, for the repressing and restraining of the tyrannies and noyful malice of the wicked.  
The experience of the profit and value of law and arms, maketh all prudent states and commonwealths, to embrace and to uphold them both with much care and endeavour.  
So to conclude, experience is the ordinary companion and natural ornament of reason, which maketh men wise in knowledge, & prudent in the direction and use of things. He therefore that judgeth or directeth against experience, is not in deed a man, but a fool more ignorant than a beast.  
The experience of other men's harms, warneth the wise to be ware.  
The experience of foreign evils, warneth England to waken itself out of security, and to be watchful, and wisely to take itself.  
Experience hath taught me to love and to honour arms, and in the zeal of a good heart to covet the advancement of martial occupation, which made me (an unlettered man) to take unto me a notary to set down in writing this drift in the defence and praise of warlike prowess, against all contemners of the same: for the benefit and encouragement of my country & countrymen.  
And finally, the experience of the high nobleness & honour of you, my singular good Lord, doth embolden me (in the love of a faithful heart, to your renowned virtues) most humbly to commend this little work to your honourable protection, that under the shield of your noble favour and judgement, it may stand in grace before our nation, to some good effect. God grant it. To whom be praise, & to your good Lordship, abundance of heavenly graces, and fatherly blessings, even to everlasting life. Amen. London. 23 Decemb. 1578.  
Your honours most humble GEFFREY GATES.   

¶ The defence of Military Profession.  
IT hath been an old controversy in the opinions of the English nation, what profession of life is most honourable in worldly states. 
What worldly estate most honourable  They being Islanders, what by their famous might and prowess, and what by the natural safety of the situation of their Soil, (environed with the main Ocean sea, and dwelling in greater security, than any one nation that inhabiteth the continent) they may reasonably differ from the judgement both of greeks & Romans in discussing this question. For it may well be granted, that the profession and occupation that is most in use, and most necessary for the maintenance and preservation of the common wealth, that the same should be had most in honour, standing most in use and value. England therefore dwelling in safety and commonly in peace, may seem to give the pre-eminence unto the lawer: For by his wisdom and travel is justice ministered, to the maintenance and advancement of sovereign authority: by the benefit of whose majesty, Revenge and Tyranny is forbidden in public and private, every injury and quarrel committed to the judgement and direction of the law: that the unnatural rage and furies of the mighty, of the cruel, & of the wicked, being restrained and repressed, social unity and universal obedience may be nourished and holden in the civil fellowship of men: so that the Lamb may suck safely by the Wolf, the Calf by the leopard, and the Ass feed quietly by the Lion, etc. And happy is the state where this is accomplished by the industry and prudence of the peaceable Lawyer. But forasmuch as the thoughts of man are wicked even from his youth, and all his ways naturally inclined to extreme evil, desirous to satisfy his own lusts and affections with injury and cruelty, to revenge, and to reign in his 
The only mean to uphold the seat of justice, & all other estates, is the profession of Arms.  own will and power without correction, and yieldeth not unto the obedience and direction of any other but for fear of stripes: There must be therefore an other state and profession of men, whose power and prudence must comprehend the maintenance and defence, not only of the Seat of Justice, but also of the Cow and Plough, of the Bed and Cradle, yea of the Altar and of the sovereign state: which resteth in the profession neither of the Priest nor Lawyer, nor in the occupation of the husbandmen, Artisans nor Merchants: but lieth in the prowess and value of them that profess Arms. For when Preaching, process, Plea, or Persuasion cannot prevail, in reforming the evils and outrages of the wicked: then must the sword of violence be put in execution, by the hands of them that are able, and skilful to abase and to extinguish the furies of tumults and Rebellions: and either to bring to obedience the disordered multitude, or else to cut them off from the earth, that peace and civil justice may possess and rule all the land, to the restitution and preservation of domestical concord and Society, without the which mankind should decay from the face of the earth, & the rest that remained in the world, should be in more miserable state than the wild beasts of the desert. And as it is proved by experience in all ages, that Justice and Civil policy is not surely seated without the aid & attendance of Martial guard: So is it to be seen, that where military prowess hath in any part of the world most prevailed, there 
Where military prowess prevaileth justice flourisheth & all virtues  hath orderly most flourished, Justice, Nobleness, Science and all manner of virtuous and commendable occupations both of body & mind. Witness of Greece, Italy, and France, and now last of Germany. Whereupon this is to be concluded, that as Justice is not of itself able to set up itself in authority, and to exercise rule over the multitude of Adam's rebellious and stiffnecked brood, without the friendship & aid of Arms: so must we esteem martial prowess, as the common fortress, wherein civil Policy with all her parts and appendants, are hatched, nourished, & preserved: for the orderly nourishment and preservation of Man and Beast, of Fish and Fowl, of Fire and Salt, of Earth & Water. Where this benefit wanteth, there wanteth Science and government, without which, the whole world would soon become a desolate wilderness, ewithout man to manure or to inhabit it. So that the wickedness and transgressions of men being the founder and mother of human laws and policies, we must give most honourable place to that profession and occupation, that is most of force and value to chastise the wickedness of the wicked, and to uphold the righteous: to preserve the weaklings & little ones, and to give free passage and estimation to right, and virtue. And further, as man naturally is inclined to pride and emulation, and thereby infected with malice and covetousness, and look how much mightier the person is that is possessed of the vices, so much the more hurtful they are in work and practise. And therefore are they most pestiferous and noyful in kings and sovereign Princes, which as they are of haughty courage and ambitious, so are they dangerous and commonly full of quarrels & troublesome to their Neighbours. When such are encouraged with a desire to conquer and to bring to their obedience, them that are free from their bondage, or to spoil them of lives, goods, and habitations: they are not ruled over by the equity of law, neither pacified by persuasions nor mollified with praying or preaching, but violence must be resisted with violence, and one lawless 
No state in safety without Military profession.  injury satisfied with an other injury, which without the force and terror of arms cannot be once offered, much less accomplished. Every state therefore that wanteth the guard and assistance of martial prowess, lieth open to be ruinated by every spoiler that will invade it: whereby we find that no state, Kingdom, Empire, or common wealth, can stand in any assured safety, either inward or outward but by the benefit of military profession, the friend and nurse of Laws, of Religion and of civil concord. The necessary use and high value whereof made the wise Grecians and valiant Romans, to commend all high courages to the use and exercise of Arms, as the noblest and most profitable occupation that a worthy mind should desire: which estimation it also holdeth continually and must in all estates kingdoms, and Empires of the continent of the world. And though the wickedness & infidelity of the world, be generally punished by sword fire, famine, spoil, and murder, the ordinary works of war, Whereby the Justice of God is executed upon the inhabitants of the earth: yet hath the Lord planted, maintained, and restored, his truth and religion, by the means and assistance of warlike force and policy, and practised his most especial Sons in the knowledge of Arms. For Abraham being called to 
Abraham▪ had fighting men.  receive the promise of salvation to the whole world, and brought by the Lord his God to devil in the land of Canaan, had of his own family and alliance above three hundred fight men, by whose power and courage, he not only defended himself and all his from the spoil and injuries of the wicked, but also revenged the wrong done to his neighbours, the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha, and recovering their goods from the spoilers, he restored to every man his part that was lost by the overthrow. For which famous deed of prowess, Melchisedech the King of Salem blessed Abraham and praised the Lord God, possessor of heaven & earth in his behalf.  
In the value of warlike prowess, Simeon and Levi, the Sons of jacob, revenged the violation of their 
jacob's sons.  Sister Dyna, upon the sons of Sychem.  
By force of Arms, the Israelites coming out of Egypt, 
The Israelites.  made their way through the Amalekites, & vanquished the Kings of Hesbon and Basan: and possessed their lands, their cities, and their riches: so did they vanquish and destroy the mighty Kings, and invincible people of Canaan, and possessed their lands, and cities. By Arms their posterity defended their inheritance, and held the same: for by Arms the Lord God vanquished and destroyed the enemies of jacob, and therefore is called the Lord God of hosts. By Arms Cyrus conquered Chaldea, and possessed Babylon, giving 
Cyrus.  liberty to Israel: yea, and through his great victories restored Zion and jerusalem, and the people to their inheritance again. By Arms the Romans enlarged their Empire over many nations, & by virtue of their 
The Romans.  wisdom and prowess they brought many barbarous countries to civility and prosperity: For where they governed, there reigned Prudence and Justice, as ordinary companions to Martial nobleness.  
By the Arms of rude nations, the Goths, Huns, & vandals: the Lord visited the proud Empire of the Romans, for their pride and tyranny, & confounded it.  
By the Arms and prowess of the Emperor Constantine the Lord relieved his church, and restored true religion amongst many nations.  
By Arms, El Enfante de Pelago recovered the kingdom of Leon, and comforted Spain, in the days of cruel afflictions, when all the land was harrowed and possessed by the Moors and Infidels.  
By Arms is the worthy kingdom of France guarded and preserved in a State most honourable: so is Spain: so are the commonweals and principalities in Italy.  
By Arms, the Swissers purchased their freedom, and by Arms they defend and preserve their limits and liberties, to their great fame and benefit.  
By Arms hath Germany made her might and prudence known to the whole world: by Arms they hold the majesty of the Empire in their power and election: and bytheir invincible prowess, they maintain and preserve their states and honours, private and public, and are terrible to the nations round about them.  
By Arms are the kingdoms of Denmark and Polonia defended and saved from the power of the cruel Russians and Muscovites.  
So is Germany from the powers of the cruel and mighty spoilers of the world: the Turks, Tartarians, Muscovites also, and Russians: and by Arms, they establish peace amongst themselves, and are preserved at home and abroad.  
By Arms, Ferdinando the king of Spain seized into his power the West India's, and by Arms are the same possessed and holden in obedience to the Sceptre of Spain.  
By the Arms and prowess of civil princes, are many rude and savage nations subdued to civil government.  
The Lord our God useth no occupation of men in his works and proceedings upon earth, like as he doth Military prowess: For by it he executeth his wrath and Justice upon the rebellious and faithless people of the world.  
Also by the same means it pleaseth the heavenly majesty to deliver the righteous from oppression, and to give way to his truth upon the earth, to restore his Church, and to defend his Sanctuary from the rage and violence of the tyrants: As for example.  
After the great and wonderful favour of God in relieving and comforting his Church in old time by the 
Constantine by arms restored religion.  Emperor Constantine, being suffocated with heresies and ruinated by persecutions: the rebellious and bastard christians, falling from the way of truth, and abandoning the paths of righteousness, were not only delivered over to the regiment and conduction of Antichrist, 
Turk's were raised of a vile people to spoil the bastard Christians.  and made slaves to the Sceptre of darkness: but were also for their incurable corruptions in Asia, Greece, and Africa, delivered over into the power of the cruel Turks and Sarrasens: whom the Lord raised of a vile people, to be mighty, dreadful, and invincible in Arms, for the lamentable spoil, ruin, and extirpation of many Empires, states, kingdoms, & nations, not only in honour, names, bounds, and liberties: but also in civil policies, honest sciences, in knowledge of true religion, and in the very tongues, generations, and procreations of the vanquished people. Wherein the Lord hath showed forth a fearful hand of his intolerable wrath and Justice for the sin and disobedience of these irrecoverable nations: to the good warning of the nations that do yet rest in their old seats, in knowledge eke and liberty to profess and to serve GOD, according to his truth in Christ Jesus. Which if they abuse and contemn as their forefathers did, and as they of Asia, Africa, and Greece have also done, and received their 
The victory is of God.  punishment for their offences by utter destruction: then let us and our children look that the Lord God of hosts (High general of all wars) can levy an invincible Army, when and where him listeth, to vex us, and to punish us, and utterly to destroy us. For it is he only that beareth the sword of vengeance, that striketh in the battle, and giveth the victory to himself. The war is his, the Army is his, and he is cheefteyne of the field: and as he useth them for the punishment of the world, so doth he occupy the same also to the comfort and deliverance of the righteous, and to make way for the Sceptre of peace, (that is, of true religion) to come to her regiment and orderly occupation. Wherein the Lord hath showed and daily doth more and more show, his wonderful works and power in this last restitution of his Gospel: which began in Germany with peace, but was forced to hold on the way, by the aid of warlike prowess and fidelity: which was valiantly attempted, and prosperously 
Maurice.  achieved by that famous Soldier of God, Maurice Duke of Saxoni, the first vanquisher of the Armed enemies of the Gospel in this latter restitution.  
By the fidelity also and industry of Military occupation, doth the Lord hold possession for his saints in the proud and mighty kingdom of France, preserving Rochel the fortress of his sanctuary, for the invocation 
Rochel.  of his holy name amongst that nation, in true religion.  
That holy city Geneva with all the godly places 
Geneva.  of the neighbourhood and confederacy, are also guarded by Arms, as the appointed means which God occupieth for the defence of his people, against the power of their enemies. By arms also, hath the Lord God of hosts entered foot in Belgia, and there taught the ignorant hands to fight, and the slow couraged, 
War in Belgia.  to be bold and hardy. Whereby the pride of the enemies is dauted, and their glory abased, (and that before our eyes) in such apparent and wonderful manner, as we may well say that the Lord of hosts is abroad with his armies, to purchase to himself honour and praise, for the year of his redeemed is come: neither will he give over the field any more, till he hath utterly destroyed his enemies, and confounded the wicked for evermore, and give perpetual rest to Israel, according as it is written.  
These being the public effects and works of martial Judustrie: what occupation or vocation dare put forth itself to make comparison withit? the exercise and substance whereof consisteth of 
Whereof warlike industry consisteth  prudence, high courage, and magnanimity. Prudence, to invent, to direct, and to govern. Courage, to execute and to perform that which politic prudence hath devised and set down to be done. And magnanimity, to sustain with irremovable temperancy what soever happeneth. And farther to amplify upon the praise of this occupation, what work or volume can be sufficient to express in orderly recital the nobleness and particular virtues of the famous martialistes of the old and later world, which stand renowned in histories: and for every one left to memory by name, a thousand of great worthiness are passed over without mentione. But this is generally to 
Warlike Princes.  be noted in the warlike Princes and Nobility: that as they exceed in military prowess and worthiness, so do they excel in wisdom and all nobleness of heart: and he that will worthily be called a military man, must cast off all villainies and baseness of mind: and full charge his thoughts and doings with honest inclinationes and like effects. Neither are the commendable virtues of the mind so necessary for any occupatione, as they are for them that profess and 
Commendable virtues necessary for them that profess Arms.  exercise arms. And the martialist that wanteth them, shall not prospero in war, but sink in obloquy and dishonour: neither is there any state or vocation of man that can worse sustain, the infection and use of vices, then can an army governed in warlike manner. Foolish therefore and beastly is the common speech, used of the base and humble minded sort of our natione, that do not only say, but also affirm in their doings, that the worst sort of men, (and such as for the vileness of their conditiones the earth is not able to sustain) are fit for the wars: and accordingly do call out the refuse of the people to be soldiers for the service of their Prince and country, where in deed the worthiest people aught to be chosen, and preferred: as to a state most honourable, and of most credit and importance.  
But if England stood in the continent of the world environed with mighty nationes, that in the days of friendship would move discretion to fear their malice in the time of controversy: then should it know the value of a soldier, & lick the dust off the feet of her men of prowess: then would the lawer & the marcheant humble themselves to the warriors, & be glad to give honour & salary to the martialist: and show friendly grace to his page, and favour to his lackye. And all be it our state is better at ease and that we by the benefit of the seat of our land, do stand in more security than the nations of the firm land: yet is not our assurance such as may so deliver us up in the time of peace, to the careless & spiteful contempt of arms: as though the common wealth and state public stood in such prosperity and safety, by the wisdom of the lawyer and by the riches of the merchant, as that they should never stand in need of military forces, nor to nourish men of war, but to consume them with penury and with the gallows. Let all the miserable drudges 
The glorious effects of Military industry.  of this present world, (whose God is their belly, and whose idol is their riches) that so beastly and opprobriously disdain the warlike people, look into the records not only of the former times of old, but also of these present days, and see in what hazard, not only the Throne of their sovereign Prince, but also the whole state of the common wealth (and consequently, the chest, the chamber, the bed, and cradle, the wife and daughter of the lawyer and merchant, the pulpit, and Preacher, the Judge and the Judgement seat) have been to suffer general and particular shippwracke, by the conspiracies, mutinies, and tumults, of traitors and of the rebellion's multitudes of the vulgar people, cruel and implacable: And confess by whose diligence, wisdom, peril, iudustrie and blood, all these things have been defended, and saved out of the power of the furious spoilers, restoring justice to her seat, the plough to the field, the cow to the pail, the shepherd to his flock, the merchant to his trade, and the learned to his quiet study and exercise. Yea and let them be ashamed of their ignobility of hearts, & consent with other nationes to give unto the people of prowess, and milytarie profession, the honour that is due unto them. For it is a rare age of the world, wherein the surest Kingdom, and the safest state and nation upon earth, flieth not at one time or other to the covert and succour of Arms, to save itself either from intestine violence, or from foreign depopulation, or else from both.  
whosoever therefore will see the value of martial prowess in preserving a kingdom, in upholding the sovereign majesty of their Prince, in redeeming their country from the power of foreign enemies mighty and warlike, in pacifying civil uproars, and in extinguishing the most ragiouse furies of any rebels in the world: and in reducing the government to obedience, justice, housbandry, traffic, literal exercise, and all civil policies and ordinances to their places again. Look through the state of France, from the beginning even to this day: But specially in the days of King john, of his son also King Charles the fift, and eke of Charles 
Valiant Kings in France.  the sixth, and above all in the days of Charles the seventh, who being so molested, and ruinated not only by the victorious wars of the Englishmen and Bourgonyons: but also by intestine divisiones & civil uproars, that he held not the fift part of his kingdom in obedience, insomuch that he was driven to hold himself in a small corner of his land, and was contemptuously called King of Bourges: For his enemies possessed & ranged all the parts else of his Realm at their pleasures. But that famous King (aided with the prowess & fidelity of his approved martialistes:) never gave over the field till he recovered his kingdom and restored the common wealth: which had been so spoiled, wasted, and depopulat, that the fields and vineiards were grown to a wilderness, their cities become heaps, and their habitationes desolate. 
Peace and idleness before conquests.   
When the Lord meaneth to plague a wicked natione for sin and to translate them to the power and sceptre of another nation: then he filleth them with the fatness of the earth, and giveth them peace that they may wax rotten in idleness, and become of dull wits, slow of courage, weak handed, and feeble kneede: that when the spoiler cometh, they may in all points be unfurnished of warlike prowess, and not able to resist, but so made a pray to their enemies. As the Persians were to Alexander, the greeks and Hungarians with many other natones to the Turks: and the old Brutes to the Saxons.  
And likewise when the Lord meaneth to advance 
God maketh apt to war, whom he will advance.  a nation and to make any people famous and honourable upon earth: he stirreth them up to high courage, and maketh their minds and bodies apt to the war, and in all points sufficient for the pursuit and accomplishment of Military travail. As he did the Israelites for the recovery of their promised inheritance, by subduing and destroying the mighty Canaanites. Cyrus & the 
Cyrus and Alexander  Persians for the subverting of the empire of Syria: Alexander & the Grecians for the conquering of the Persians, & for translating of the Monarchy from Asia to Europa. The Romans eke being a poor small people, and of an 
Romans  opprobrious foundation, were made fit in policy and courage for the pursuit and exercise of Arms: whereby they become Lords and commanders of all the chief nations, Empires, states, and kingdoms of the world. And again, for the chastisement and confusion of them the Lord raised up to Arms and warlike courage, the rude and barbarous multitudes of the Goths, Huns and Vandals. And so the Turks of a small people, and 
Goths, etc.  of the savage Scythian kind, to be the most cruel and noyful spoilers and destroyers that ever were upon earth, to subvert all the civil states and Empires of Asia 
Turks.  and Africa, and to subdue and depopulat▪ the noble Empire of Greece and the kingdom of Hungary, Tamberlan 
Tamberlan.  a herdman with the rude Scythians to chastise Baiezet the Turkish Emperor and all his dominions▪ And last the Spaniard to chastise France, Italy, 
Spaniards  Germany and low Duchland. And now let us farther behold with discretion what work the Lord is entered into by Arms, in these last days of the world: And how martial prowess and industry hath mightily served to advance the name and glory of God, and to give passage to his Gospel, where it lay prostrate and trodden under the feet of Antichrist and his consorts. For when the time was come, in the year of our Saviour Christ 1517. that the Lord set foot on earth to restore his Sanctuary, he began his business by a poor ministry under the covert & protection of the most worthy prince Duke Frederick of Saxony, and so increased under the defence of the most noble Princes, john Duke 
The worthy acts of the Duke of Saxoni, Landgrave etc.  of Saxony, & Philipe Landgrave of Hesse, & of the famous and warlike cities, Augsborough, Strasborough, Vlmes Magdeborough. etc. And when the champions of the kingdom of darkness (under the conduct of the most renowned Emperor Charles the fifth) seemed to range the host of Israel under a terrible victory: then did the Lord of hosts bestir himself, and frustrating the counsels, and dispersing the forces of his enemies, he vanquished the troops of the Philistims by the Armed hand of his chosen captain Maurice Duke of Saxoni: who by the virtue of Martial prowess aided by the Lord God of hosts, broke the teeth of the ungodly, and restored the word of God to a free passage throughout all Germany. So did the Lord prevail by Arms in Surike: by virtue of which also, widened the passage of his gospel into France, and by the force and power of one poor town, there holdeth possession for his Sanctuary, maugre the might and malice of all his enemies. This being the most glorious effects of Military industry in these said countries, to the enlarging of Christ's kingdom for the salvation of many, and comfort of the whole world: praise the invincible Arm of our God mighty and victorious in battle: and see yet a greater work than all these, now a doing by force of Arms for the civil liberty, and for the freedom of true Religion in low Dutchelande: where the hand of the Lord hath been so apparent favourable, that in all the progress and success of these wars it may be said: This is the work of the Lord our God, in the sight of all the Heathen, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Let us therefore examine some part of those affairs, & see how jacob hath prevailed in his wars by slow and unexpert soldiers, against the most famous, arrogant, & implacable enemies of the gospel of Christ: and then let the swinish fools that contemn martial profession, stop their mouths and be ashamed. For the heavens do rejoice, the world is comforted, and Israel shallbe glad through the victories of God, purchased by the fidelity & prowess of his valiant men at arms.  
When King Philip had wearied his good subjects of 
Philip, vexed low Duchland  low Duchland, with feigned pacifications, in the advantage whereof the defendants being taken unprovided & unarmed, were daily spoiled and murdered, they fell to arms for public defence, & stood upon their guard: but being overcome by the false promises of the faithless Regent, the Duchess of Parma, they accepted conditions of agreement, and while they rested upon the same, came the Duke of Alva accompanied with chosen 
The duke of Alva his force.  forces, and took the country in charge, as Lieutenant to the King. He planted his bands of war in all the strong towns and holds through out the Low country: he apprehended the Counties of Horn, and Degremont, and executed them as captains and chief pillars of the Mutineers. He builded the Castle of Antwerp for mastering of that proud city, and renged all the whole Land under fear and oppression, minding to bring the people under extreme exactions, for the nourishment of their own plagues & servitude: I mean for the maintenance of the king's forces & fortifications throughout, for the holding of the people in subjection to what yoke or ordinances so ever should be enforced upon them: Wherein the Duke miss the tract of that wisdom and policy that was famed to be in him. For this tyrannous purpose coming to common appearance, than revolted the Hollanders and Zelanders, 
God by an unlikely host showeth his might  in an unlikely state to stand to their cause. But the Lord God of hosts that had stirred up this quarrel, meaning to prove the force of his blow by an unlikely host, against the troops of the proud and dreadful warriors his enemies,) did show himself sufficient, able to confound the mighty by the weak, the prudent by the foolish, the industrious by the slow, the courageous by the coward, the glorious by the vile, the noble by the churl, and the King by the vassal, the rich and imperial by the poor and servile multitude: For comparison being considerately made of the Hollanders 
Hollanders and zelanders against Philippe King of Spain.  and rude Zelanders with their King: he mighty in powers both by land and by sea, standing in continual readiness: they weak and unprovided both for land and water: he in renowned arms, strong, experimented, and politic: they naked, and of all other their King's people and subjects, contemned for their natural slowenes, cowardice, ignorance, drunkenness, and most unwarlike spirits: the King infinite in artillery, munitiones, treasures, and eke in friends, lieutenants, commanders, & martial bands of incomparable fame and approved value: the mutineers easy to be exhausted of their money, unfurnished of all habilementes of war, of trained Soldiers, and experimented Captains, and having their nearest neighbours, yea and them of their kindred and alience, to be their most fierce and noifull enemies. And in this unequal match to entre war, it would have seemed a motion in the mutineers, proceeding rather of a desperate rage, then grounded upon any reasonable hope to prevail to any other effect, then to the thraldom and confusion of themselves, and of their posterity. How be it the Lord that commandeth his Soldiers, and captains that bear arms in the quarrel of truth and righteousness, not to fear the multitude of their enemies: stood by the Hollanders in their honest cause, and hath justified their quarrel, & will maintain it to the end, as it seemeth at this day. For he hath in the behalf of that contemned people (nay rather to make good the glory of his great name against the vanity of flesh & blood) brought impossible things to a marvelous proof: Else could it not have come to pass, that poor little and weak Vlushing, should 
Little Vlushing famished strong Middleborough.  have famished and subdued the rich, large, and strong City of Middlebourgh, aided by the rich and mighty towns of Antwerp and Ansterdam, and eke of Tregose, and barrow: and guarded with 2000 approved Soldiers, under the commandment of that famous Gentleman, Mont Darragon, who was driven by distress of victuals (all the forces of the king being not able either to relieve him or to secure him) to tender up the town, departing from it with 1400 men of war in arms: whereby the whole Island of Walkeren came entirely under the direction of the Prince of Orange, to the inspeakable comfort of the cause public. For by the benefit of this victory, the Zelanders, utterly vanquished the kings forces upon the Sea and bet him quite from it: whereby the Brabanders and Flemings, 
The low country revolted from the Spaniards  were put from their fishing and traffic, other then under the courtesy of the Zelanders: which so endamaged all the continent of the low country, that the inhabitants finding themselves pressed in an extreme wrench, betwixt the wars of their neighbours, and the oppression of the spaniards: they fell in conclusion to join hands with the mutineers, in a more convenient and a far better policy, and in a more assured hope, that by a general consent in Arms, they might redeem their country from the power of the oppressers, and drive the Spaniards with their adherents out of the land: then to nourish the wars against their neighbours, in whose discomfiture and subversion stood the thraldom of them all: in whose victory, the liberty and desired restitution of the one and of the other should rest assured. Hereupon proceeded the general revolt of all the low country, yea rather enforced by the good success and prowess of the Hollanders and Zelanders, then willingly accepted of them of Flanders, Brabant, 
The good success of the Hollanders and zelanders, caused the rest of the countries to join with them  and of other Countries, for any free zeal to the cause public. But blind were the hearts of them that did not see, that the Prince of Orange and his poor unexperimented adherents, were the very Army of the Lord God of hosts, who will never fail to break the Jaws of his adversaries, turning their wisdom to folly, and their glory to shame: which was fully accomplished in the Duke of Alva, that dreadful and renowned chieftain of the Papists. For had not he been overcome with a very tyrannous madness, he would not have entered his government in Belgia with oppression, murder, pillage, and intolerable decrees, upon the people that were (by easier provocations than these, stirred and ready to break out in Arms) in mind rather to die in the field for the defence of their ancient liberties (so dearly purchased and defended by the blood of their forefathers) then to yield themselves and their posterity under the heavy yoke, and arrogant domination of so implacable people, as be the spaniards: which might well have been considered in the wisdom of the Duke of Alva, but that God blinded him with the might of his Prince, and the opinion of himself, that if this whole Country of low Ducheland, should in general consent fall to Arms, and withstand their Prince by violence, and that they were not to be reduced to obedience, but by extreme wars, and infinite charges: after much blood and spoil of the land, the King should reduce them to his yoke and subjection by the sword: that even so, and by that wearisome and cruel means, he must ever after retain them & their posterity in his obedience: which would be an intolerable charge to him, and would set down a continual pillage and oppression upon the Subjects: whereof should ensue the orderly decay of the common wealth, and nourish a perpetual malice in the people against their Sovereign Lord, and continually prick them to tumults: which at the last, should either set them free and reject their Prince, or else utterly confound them by the increase of their tyranny and miserable servitude, which also would eat the king out of his inheritance. But had the Duke called to memory how apt this nation hath been in old time to fall to war in quarrel of their liberties, and for defence of their ancient compositions: and how they shook of the tyrannous Sovereignty of the French kings (yet more gentle and profitable than this of the Spaniards) and how dearly and painfully the French kings have in times past forced their obedience, and could not, but were at the last, after much wars and many bloody victories, quite shut out: he would have endeavoured his wisdom and labour to reconcile them by mollifying the government, and by gracious gentleness and bounty, rather than proudly to press down the yoke that had already 
Tyranny abhorred of God ● man.  wearied them: which cannot prospero, nor long endure: for the Lord God in his Justice hateth tyranny, and destroyeth tyrants from the face of the earth: and usually destroyeth the root and branch of every cruel grinder of the faces of the poor, and casteth him of for evermore.  
And farther, he fell into this oversight: that he exceeded so far in the proportion of the king's charges, by fortifications, and superfluous supplies: above all the levy and receipts that were to come in, by all the pillage, duties, and lones that he could devise: that he ran indebted to the men of war, above xxxiij. Months pay, whereby the soldiers become disordered spoilers: & at the last so mutinous, that the spaniards forced their pay, and bound the Duke to shameful conditions, and for his last farewell he was forced to keep his lodging under guard, & durst not present himself openly to the men of war at his departure out of Belgia, until the Commander Don Lewes de Requezes the new lieutenant, had given his promise, in the words of the king, and set down an order for the soldiers full pay.  
With these errors he joined many faults in the direction & pursuit of these wars: which turned to the advantage of the poor defendants, but much to the disgrace & discredit of himself. Immediately upon the getting of Harlam, & the horrible massacher there done: the 
The siege of Harlam  Spaniards mutined for their pay: & putting away their commanders & officers of sworn loyalty, they chose unto themselves a colonel, captains, & other officers, & at the opening of the day, they took up their ensigns & marched toward the walls of Harlam, & making upon them that guarded the unrepaired breaches of the same, they drove them to abandon their charge, & followed them with match in the cock into the market place: & there Monseur Lamot & don julius Rhomero (who with five ensigns of footmen possessed & guarded the town) being assembled with their companies, departed with their people, leaving the town to the possession of the mutineers: which standing stiffly upon the demand of their full pay, & finding the Duke slow & oversterne to yield to the same, they feigned that they would keep the town to the use of the States of Holland, & the prince of Orange: & that they would surrender it to Monseur Delorge: which brought the Duke into such a perplexity, that he passed conditions with the mutineers: such as daunted his glory and haughtiness, more than any one matter that ever happened to him in all his life.  
Thus was he impeached, and could not, neither did he seem to be desirous to follow the opportunity that the victory over Harlam did present, to the great advancement of his service, had he followed it with like industry & expedition: For the terror of that achievement, & eke of the overthrow of the country Batenburgh with the Prince's army, had opened unto him all the Gates in Holland, had he hotly pursued the advantage given.  
After he had reconciled the mutineers, & set all things in order in Harlam, he went forth to beset Alkemer: where he arrived upon the day of a great fair holden in the town: which was therefore filled with the country 
The duke of Alva by a tempest driven from the siege of Alkemer.  people young & old, & with cattle, without guard of men of war, without store of victuales, or of any other habilements of war: saving the captain Richavor through great peril & industry entered the town with 500 men of war. The Duke battered the town in sundry places, & assaulted it fiercely, & was repulsed: he commanded the second assault, & as the Spaniards made toward the wall, there fell a very terrible tempest of hail rain wind and thunder, that so daunted & the Soldiers, that refusing the service they turned upon their Commanders, and would not forward: for the former attempts were dearly bought. The Duke seeing the Capteins to slay their own soldiers for their disobedience, commanded retreat, and so the assailants returned to their lodgings, minding to gather better courage against the next day: But the tempest continued all that night, and powered down such abundance of rain, that by the morning, their chief enchamping ground was all under water, & most of the pieces that battered, lay sunken up to the axle-tree, & for the softness of the ground might not then by no means be recovered. Whereupon the Duke dislodged himself, & encamped farther from the town in a dry soil, from whence also within a few days he removed quite away, after that he had spent full six weeks in that siege to his great loss & dishonour: for by that day that he gave it over, the Town was not victualled for six days.  
This was the Duke's last attempt in Holland, and this his repulse much hardened & encouraged the Hollanders to stand fast in their cause.  
He had so far exhausted the King's Treasure and his own money, that he borrowed. 12000. gylderns of 
The duke of Alva unto his last trump  his host in Amsterdam, to bear his charges into Spain. Thus this great Duke that came into Belgia so glorious and dreadful, is daunted & returned into Spain with shame and discredit.  
Then succeeded in his charge, Don Lewes de Requezes great Commander of Castille: who practising to mingle hypocrisy and blood in one drift and policy, (that was to snare and to confound the Prince of Orange) he prevailed in both less than he hoped. For he could no more prevail against Israel, then did Fernando de Toledo. During his government, was the kings navy and all his forces by sea quite vanquished and broken. First as they relieved Midleburgh by Estecaple under the conduct of S. de Bevoys: in which exploit perished viii. or ix. ships great and small.  
At the conflict by Rhomers wall, the Papists making forth to the fight, under the government of julius Rhomero: they were discomfited with the loss of xuj. or xvii. boats of war, & above 1500. of their most chosen Soldiers: where that valeant julius flying the terror of the Zelanders, hardly saved his life, recovering to land by a Scute, where also the Commander stood looking on the fight with a cross in his hand, and a Friar at the right side of him, praying together for the good success of the battle: wherein it appeared that the Lord heard them not, yet were the Zelanders sore spent and weakened, with ix. weeks cold winter lying on shippeboorde, thinly clothed, & as thinly dieted, with brown bread, cheese, red herrings and small beer, in all points inferior to their enemies: but God was with the poor, against the proud and mighty: to him be the glory and the praise.  
Upon Whitsondaye next following, the Zelanders invaded & spoiled the rest of the King's navy in the river of Andwerpe. The Papists once besieged the city of Leyden for the space of six months, and prevailing not, they departed. Now being informed that the Town was unfurnished of men of war, and none would receive, and unstored of victuals and none would provide, but rejected the commandment of the Prince in both these points, they come again, and shut up the unarmed city with such forces, that the prince and states were not able to make any reasonable attempt to succour the distressed Town by land: which made them to fall in devise to drown the country, preparingé an Armada, of small boats well appointed for 
The Lord provideth for the zelanders contrary to expectation.  the purpose: which after dificult passage on the most part of their way, were stalled at Sonterwold xi. days in wan hope for want of water to carry them through their appointed voyage. The Admiral Boysot having one day dispatched a post to the Prince lying at Delft, with letters to certify his excellency of the untowardness of their attempt: the besieged in that while, destitute of all manner of victuals, were in an inclination to talk for compositiones with the enemy. But the Lord that would bring them to understand how much he was on their side, and ever at hand with them that faithfully trust in him, in the same very night next following the said dispatch of the post with the Admiral's comfortelesse letters to the Prince, & when that all their councils were shut up in a hopeless dungel, came a mighty wind from the north West, which drove the Ocean sea to run in at the sluices & breaches of the sea walls so violently, that in the drift of one tide, the water was flowed up three foot and a half deep, where it was not a shaftment deep, at the dispatch of the said post. Then did the Admiral so bestir him, that he the next forenoon dislodged them of the first scout, & so them of Leiden Dam, and of Leiden Dorp: and so terrified all the enemies dispersed in scouts, to the number of 12000▪ men of war, that they ran away from all their standings, and abandoned the siege, in a flying fear. And the Admiral poursuinge the occasion with great industry and courage, arrived with his shallow and vitorious navy at the walls of the hungry Town. And forthwith sent advertisements to the Prince of this most happy and unlooked success, within xxiiii. hours of the former contrary letteres. And this was a wonderful work of God, by the hands of a people, erst slow, fearful and unwarrelike: and now (by the exercise of Arms, and conduct of the General commander of all Armies) industrious, hardy, and vanquishers of the most warlike. Here is to be noted for a wondered work of God also. In the very night that the wind so served the point, to drive the flood over the land, 200. paces of the wales of the besieged City fell into the ditch, with such a noise as terrified the enemies, as it had been the noise and stir of the adversaries coming in a Camisado, which made the Papists to fly their places, to the discomfiture of all them that were in the farther scouts, assaulted by the Admiral and his people, and so ran all away without any reasonable cause why, other than the fear that God struck in their hearts. God also provided further for the miraculous preservation of that Town: that where at the first pitching of the siege, they made proportion of their victuals but for two months, according to the number within: the Lord sent a plague that diminished of them six thousand and more: and so leaving not above seven hundredth able men to wear Arms, the victuals served for six months: but xv. days before the succours came, they were universally without bread within the town, & two or three days without any manner of food: yet were not the faithful & valeant Bourgars weighed of their parts: so dear is civil liberty, and so terrible & odious is irksome servitude and oppression to honest & manly hearts. Then followed, the surprise of Schonehoven, Olderkyrk. etc. by the Papists: and invading also the Island of Zealand called Scowen, where at their entry, perished the noble and faithful gentleman Charles Boysot General governor for the Prince in Zealand, being hurt with the shot of one of his own people. They besieged Bomenyer, a little village fortified at the sudden by the country men, who had to their aid and defence of the place, captain Hooke and two hundredth Germans, who together with the valiant Boors (newly made martialists) so approved their prowess and fidelity, that they all (saving five men) spent their lives in resisting the fierce assaults of the enemies, which at the sixth assault recovered the place, where many a worthy Soldier of the spaniards perished, to the number of 3000▪ and upwards: among which were some such special Captains and Gentlemen, as the loss of them broke the very heart of the famous Marquis Vittello, whereupon the Commander made a vow, that he would never more attempt to win town in Holland or Zelande by force of assault.  
Zurickesea being also surprised by the Papists (a 
Zuriksea surprised, by the Papists.  town full of corrupt Papists, & common whores) the Hollanders and Zelanders began to doubt of their matters: and greatly to fear the forewardenesse and success of their enemies: and distrusting their own state and value, they laboured for to obtain aid and confederacy abroad: where they found such cold comfort, that they might well say. Non est Salus in filijs hominum. Whilst they stood yet reeling and could not find a sure ground to rest upon, the Lord that in this manner doth use to try the faith of his people (and findeth little in flesh and blood but fear and distrust in God) awakened, and wrought for himself: and at a moment altered so the state of things that the Commander being dead, the Duke of Arskot, the county Meusfeelde and Monseur Barliamount, entered the Government civil and martial, until the King sent thither the Lord john of Austria: who at his first coming 
The duke of Austria his fond & false devise failed him.  behaved himself so sweetly, that he would seem of faithful intent and devoir to reduce the common wealth to peace, concord, and obedience, by gentleness & liberal dealing: and upon this devise, passed covenants of reconciliation through all: for the credit & accomplisment whereof, he forced himself to serve from all reasonable policies, in drawing the spaniards and the bands of war out of the strong places, in abandoning the Castle of Andwerp, in removing the King's forces out of all the low country, in executing certain spaniards, in concluding himself to do nothing without the consent of the States, in the government civil or martial, in ratifying the pacification of Gannt: In all which drifts he meant to illude the States, and to dare the Prince of Orange (as a lark) till he had snared them all in his power, and then to execute his bloody intention: which the Lord God frustrated, turning this wise plat of the Papists, to the utter overthrow of their purpose, and to the everlasting shame and discredit of the Lord john: who by this fond fet devise, shut himself out of all, and dying vanquished by his own folly and slowenes, he is for ever shrouded with this opinion amongst wise men, that he was very void of deep policies, of martial prowess, and eke of military industry, and so let him rest with Don Lewis. Their boasting pride and malice is at an end, & the Lord God of hosts proceedeth in his wars, and so shall he confound and consume all his enemies from the face of the earth: prospero and advance his name, his truth, and glory, and make the Crown of his anointed to flourish, by the hands of his men of prowess, and by the value of his armed martialistes, by whose labour and industry he hath wrought and done all these things before our eyes, and we behold them even in our beads. Praise God therefore, and give honour to his faithful Soldiers: & let the covetous merchant, and the ambitious lawyer leave of his drudgery for greedy lucre, despise the delicacy of his belly, & dassh the wantonness of his eyes, and cast his idol out of his servile heart: that is, senseless avarice, and put on Arms, & furnish himself with policy and warlike Prowess, if he will justly be numbered amongst the people of nobleness & honour.  
Having said somewhat concerning military profession and military men in general, now behoveth it to describe what kind of man is worthy of the name of a martialist, what men did proffesse and exercise this occupation in old time, now do, and hereafter must: and eke to distinguish betwixt Soldier and Soldier: 
The qualities of military men.  that the profession in his self nature and quality may stand unattaynted before the malignant & foolish adversary, & walk freely delivered from the scourfe and corruptions of the lewd multitude that vaunt themselves of Soldiership, that through their vileness, do give matter to the rotten & idle bellies to deprave, & so to despise martial Arms, that in their servile discretion they judge it a discredit for an honest man to be a soldier.  
The man that loveth right and honoureth justice, is fit to be the defender of the same: he that is merciful to the poor, and pitieth the afflicted, is a meet man to secure his country nation & against the violence of tyrants and oppressors: he that loveth the habitationes of the just, & the prosperity of the righteous: he that tendereth the widow and the fatherless: he that delighteth to see science, social amity, and virtue to flourish in his country, divine 
Who is to be accounted a right soldier.  honour advanced, faith, peace, and equity to reign in every fellowship, and hateth covetousness, robbery, theft, extortion, brawlings, strife, murder, fornication, idleness and drunkenness, that man is worthy and fit to be a Soldier. For the first foundation and use of Arms was erected of necessity, to restrain and to repress the violent cruelty, and beastly disorder of men, and to establish social peace and Justice upon earth: which else could have had neither seat nor possession in the world, for that the nature of man is so evil, and his heart so perverse that there is no mean to bridle his furies, and to hold him any while in a peaceable order, but by fear of corporal punishment. For how unwilling man is naturally to be subject to the rule and direction of an other, and to suffer an examiner of his offences, and to minister stripes for the same, that woteth every heart of flesh in his own feeling and understanding. The power therefore and wisdom, to reform & to govern people is absolutely given of God, for the benefit and preservation of mankind, established & upholden by force of Arms, as the mean, judged fittest in the heavenely wisdom, to preserve and to govern this rude and rebellious world.  
The chief man therefore of military order, is each sovereign prince in his state & government. He being a man complete in all the virtues & conditions that are behoveful to one of that charge and proffession: shall pass full freighted of love & honour, and rest in glory & praise upon earth, as the Sun in the firmament.  
The office & charge of every soveriegne majesty in general, is to minister justice, for the maintenance of right and domestical peace amongst his people, & eke to defend the same from intestine and foreign violence. For the true accomplisment whereof, this Prince or chieftain, must be furnished with prudence to consider the state and nature of all parts and particulars pertaining to the commodity and advancement of the health and wealth of his people, private, and public: and accordingly to provide to establish and to continued the same.  
For as he is the head of his people, so must he be their wisdom, their light, and their example: and look 
The prince should be an example to his people.  what equity, what modesty, what temperance, what use and exercises of virtue he would should reign and devil in his people, of the same must he himself be the very springing Fountain, running in continual streams throughout all his Regiment: In vulgus enim manant exempla regentum. The Commons do follow, as they have their ruler for a guide. But seeing that corruption doth stick so fast in flesh and blood, that neither Prince nor vassal can be without imperfections: we must allow more liberty of infirmities, in the city then in the field.  
For as the Armed host is the extreme remedy to chastise, and to repress the insolency, injuries, and▪ offences 
Vices in soldiers must strongly be bridled.  of others, so should the regiment of war be free from the same: & every vice in a Soldier strongly bridled and extremely punished. So did and do all Cheiftaines that ever prevailed, or shall prevail by Arms, and be renowned in Military prowess. For where corruption and liberty is suffered in a Soldier, there is the shame and confusion of Arms. Precise Discipline therefore, is the ordinary nurse of honourable warfare: whereby the Proverb (not less wise than it is old) is also profitable, as it is most true, He that is fit for the Chapel, is meet for the field. And whereas Arms are most in use and be best governed, there are the virtues and worthiness of the mind had most in exercise and honour. Whereof it followeth, that the Cheeftaine must be wise in counsel, temperate in life, affable in speech, faithful in words, courteous in greeting, wakeful in charge, provident in peril, abstinent in diet, continent in life, apt to travail, prudent and courageous in Battle, constant in wisdom, prowess, and virtue: bountiful to the worthy, amiable to the honest, severe to the wicked, gracious to the afflicted, and merciful to the Captive, modest in victory, and constant in magnanimity, not fearing the frailty of warlike state and prosperity, nor drooping under the alteration of the same: Such a prince is a complete Martialist. Such was jupiter 
jupiter Belus:  Belus, that first repressed by force of Arms, the furious cruelty, and ragious insolency of men, and subdued many people to the authority of civil government, laying thereby the foundation of the Empire of Syria: whereof proceeded such a benefit to mankind, that he was esteemed and honoured as a sovereign God amongst the Gentiles. So was Hercules of Lybia, that for 
Hercules.  to chastise the tyrannous Girones that usurped and oppressed Spain, took his voyage out of his country into Spain and destroyed them: And after his return, came Cacus out of Italy and molested Spain, which brought Hercules again: who vanquishing the robber, redeemed the land and people, restoring them to civil peace and liberty: whereby he purchased divine honour amongst the heathen.  
Such also was Cyrus' King of Persia. Such was Alexander the great, till he began to wax idle (as not having whereupon to exercise his prowess) and to give over his life to drunkenness and incontinency. Such was Philippe the Father of Alexander. Such was Agesilaus: Themystocles, Simon, Aristides, and other most famous Captains amongst the greeks. Such were the Metelli, the Fabii, the Scipiones, & such was Pompeius: and many other most renowned Cheefteynes amongst the Romans.  
Such was Mythridates the most valiant and warlike king of Pontus: and such was Pyrrhus' king of Epyrus.  
Such was julius Caesar, the most worthy and best renowned martialist of the world. Such were also Octavius Augustus, Marcus Antonius Pius, Alexander severus: and many other renowned Emperors, kings, and Cheefteins amongst the old heathen. And by these virtues they prospered in Arms, and become great in the world: & under the government, nourishment, and protection of them, flourished science, honest exercises, and civil policies.  
Among the Israelites and Christians are also to be remembered in dutiful love and honour, many Emperors, kings and princes, endued with plenty of high and most noble virtues, and as they excelled in 
Israelites that excelled in Arms.  Arms, so were they rich in wisdom and goodness, to the great benefit of the world, to the everlasting praise of themselves, and eke to the glorious relief & advancement of the knowledge and honour of God upon earth: which without the zeal, industry, wisdom and prowess of noble princes had been in hazard to make utter shipwreck many hundredth years past. And of these, are chief to be renowned with sacred reverence, & perpetual thansgiving to our good God, Moses, the first ruler & captain of the special people & Army of the Lord God of hosts. Then josua. Othniel, Gedeon, Samson, jephthe Samuel, & Deborah the woman. Then David, the most acceptable & worthy captain & prophet, gods special & chosen king over his people Israel, by whose mighty value & martial prowess, the Lord stretched forth the kingdom of jacob, to the promised bounds: & being a terror to the enemies of Israel abroad, & a chastiser of the rebels & hypocrites at home he, established peace & Justice in Israel, and applied his wisdom, zeal, travail and treasure to advance the honour, truth, and true worshipping of God & his covenant in all the common wealth of Israel: which he pursued with such endeavour & integrity of heart, that all things so prospered in his hand to the glory of the Lord, and to the health and wealth of Israel: that (in that respect) the Lord said: that He had found David his servant, a man after his own heart.  
Such also were Zedekiah, josaphat, and josias, renowned in the Scriptures of God.  
With these are to be numbered (though not in that pre-eminency) many Princes of the Christians, greatly endued with wisdom, civil virtues, and prowess: which ever go together, working the effect of peace and prosperity, in all places where they devil in use and power. Among such are chief to be named Constantine the great, Charles the great, and many more Emperors of the old time: and now lately, Charles the fifth: neither is the last Ferdinando cast out of the 
Kings of high prowess and virtues.  Catalogue of good Princes: for he was very learned, desirous of peace, meek, and modest, and liberal to honest deserts.  
Of the French kings, many were of high prowess virtues and value, & great nourishers of iberall Sciences. As were Charles martel, Lewes the piteous, Philip Augustus, the holy Lewes, Philippe the fair, Philippe de Valois. john, Charles the fift. Charles the sixth, a very sufficient Prince till he become Lunatic, Charles the seventh, Lewes the eleventh, Charles the eight, Lewes the twelfth, and Frances renowned for his prowess, modesty, prudence, and for his affection and advancement of learning, commonly called, The Father of Sciences. Then succeeded his Son King Henry, a prince of high value in Chivalry, gracious to his people, and bountiful to his friends, and very ready to gratify the deserts of men, and to advance men of worthiness, and in Arms most valiant.  
And considering what rebellious and furious people the French are: it is to be wondered, that the prudence and industry of their kings was continually able to repress to refourm, and to reconcile so mutinous and rageous a nation, as they have always showed themselves to be, molesting, vexing, and spoiling the King, the government, and common wealth, by peopetuall uproars, continuing in Arms. Pillage, murders, horrible massachres and disloyalty (in some ages) three score years together. As in the days of King john, Charles the fifth, Charles the sixth, & Charles the seventh, which approveth great fidelity, prowess, and prudence, in the gentlemen, nobility, and bands of war: by whose value, so implacable and mad rebels could be repressed and the state reformed.  
Of the Kings of England been also many renowned 
Renowned Kings of England.  amongst the good Princes: And he of them that exceeded in military feats and prowess, the same verily (as I have often said) excelled also, in wisdom, justice, and civil virtues. As did Arthur amongst the Brutes. Edmonde, Edgar, Athelston, Edward and Edward amongst the Saxons. And since the conquest: William the conqueror himself, Henry the second, Richard the first, Edward the first, Edward the third, Henry the fift, and Henry the seventh, and Henry the eight.  
Of Spain King Pellaro: and some others: but lastly and chiefly Fernando the fifth, the first entire Monarch of Spain, that by his noble wisdom and passing value in Arms, recovered the kingdom of Granado from the Moors: took the kingdom of Naples, held Sicilia in peace, and possessed the India's.  
The Charles, that advanced the honour and state of Spain to the full sum: by virtue of military industry and martial prudence, become renowned among the most warlike Princes of the world.  
Now omitting the famous Kings and Princes of other countries and nations, for that I have inferred authorities sufficient in force and number, to approve and to magnify the praise of Arms: and to avoid more tediousness than here needeth: I will sum up the Catalogue of renowned Princes, with the sacred memory of them that are most worthy to be praised among 
Renowned princes of our age.  the Christians of these days, for the incomparable value of their prowess and wars, as due unto the special martialists of the Lord God of hosts, by whose Arms, he did put in foot to fight with Satan in plain battle, for the recovery of his holy Sanctuary, that lay many a tedious year trodden under the feet of Antichrist: and erst durst not be attempted, till the Lord had provided his Army, and appointed his Cheefteynes of courage, faith, and Military prudence, fit for the wars of jacob. As were Frederick, john, and Maurice, the renowned Princes in honour, chivalry, and virtues, Dukes of Saxoni: Philippe Landgrave of Hesse: Albert Marquis of Brandenbourgh, Christopher Duke of Wyrtembergh, the warlike and faithful states of Germany and Zurik. The Nobility of France, and above them all, William, Earl of Nassau, the virtuous, good, and happy Prince of Orange. By virtue of the faith, industry, and prowess, of these sacred martialists, is the gospel, and kingdom of Christ Jesus, brought again to their passage, & freely preached to the world, an unspeakable comfort & riches to all mankind, and that specially to the elect children of God, to whom be praise, Amen.  
These Military men being the most renowned, the most sacred, beneficial, and profitable personages of the world: to the world, and to all that devil, and have dwelled upon earth, and that by warlike industry: It must be granted, that all their assistants, and adherents: by whose labours, perils, blood, and valiancy, the great effects of Arms have been wrought: must be comprehended in the fame, and honour of their Princes, as a matter justly to be imparted to every one, according to the value of his worthiness: wherein the Romans used orderly distributions of advancement, & graces to each on, as the prowess & nobleness of the Soldiers deserved.  
The nature and due honour, of Military profession being such: what meaneth the vulgar multitude of the English Nation, so maliciously to contemn soldiership, and so bravely to despise the profession of Arms, as a vile, and damnable occupation? Surely, because they are of servile and unnoble hearts: foolish in discretion, idle bellies, careless of the common wealth of their country, little friendly to mankind in general, and less zealous toward the glory and preservation of their Sovereign Prince and government. Now be it they may seem to void this rebuke with a sleight, in denying to contemn Military profession: for they honour thee, profession, and do accordingly esteem of all them that worthily pursued the same: But to despise the common sort 
Dissolute soldiers are worthily despised.  of our Country men that go to war, of purpose more to spoil, then to serve: and as under colour of pursuit of Arms, they put themselves to the liberty and use of swearing, drunkenness, shameless fornication, dicing, and Thievery, in slow wars, & under lose government in the tumultuous state of a foreign nation, where they think it a foolish scrupulosity, to use either tenderness of conscience, or yet any honest manners: So do they return into their Country, so much corrupted with all manner of evils, that they seem rather to come from hell, then from the exercise of warlike arms, or from the regiment of military discipline: & therefore so venomous a brood to their native country (standing in civil peace and government) that they are rather to be vometed out of the bulk of the common wealth, then to be nourished in the same. To contemn such (say they) yea, to abhor them as the shame of martial arms, & to cut them of, as the most infective nest of domestical society, is both honest & necessary by all civil, & divine policy, & discretion. And as for those that are worthily called martialistes, bearing the true form and substance of military men, they (say our people) are highly to be esteemed and maintained as the honourable and necessary members of the state public.  
If the contemners of martial Arms did keep themselves within the compass of these reasons and discretion, they could not be justly reproved: for the wicked in his wickedness is not to be defended, because he professeth chivalry, or because he is a divine. Let the evil therefore bear the blame and shame of his 
The profession of Arms is honourable though some professors stand rightly unreproved.  own trespass, and let the profession that is honourable in itself nature, go unuiolat, though all the professors of the same should stand rightly reproved. If all the Preachers of the word of truth and salvation were corrupt bellies: yet standeth the heavenly doctrine true and perfect in his own quality. Military occupation doth execute the high Justice of God upon earth, though all the followers of the same were most horrible & wicked (as the greater number of them is) yet must the occupation by itself property stand honourable in the world, as the two edged sword of the Lord God of hosts, to whom all Sceptres & sword do pertain, and by his power and direction are used to effect.  
Now let us examine the matter to try whether these contemners do directly despise the very self profession of Arms, or no. If they do not, then do they favour it: and granting it to be commendable and necessary, they desire to practise the use thereof in their domestical pastimes and exercises: they covet the company of such as can instruct them in the same: they are provided of habilements for the purpose, they love honest Soldiers, & are friendly to them: they put themselves forth to the public show & practise before the presence of the royal majesty and the nobility: they strive in emulation to excel in the readiness & knowledge of Military order, and in the use of their weapons: they desire to serve against the intestine disturbers of the State public, and covet to fight against the invaders of their country: and are liberal in contributing to the charges of wars. But when the prince commandeth Musters through the realm in city, town, and country, and to appoint selecte people to be numbered and divided into bands, for to be practised and exercised in the use and order of Arms, that thereby the realm may be the better furnished of Military men for the field, and thereby stand in the more assurance if need of war shall happen: for the host of an unskilful multitude in Arms, is before an Army of experimented warriors, as a flock of sheep before a troop of wolves: which consideration should move honest hearts fervently to desire to be of profitable value for this occupation: wherein consisteth the preservation of the sovereign majesty, and of the state public: and consequently of every particular state and person comprehended in the same.  
If then I say, the rural man, by bribes, by a livery 
Contemners of Arm  Coat, by frank laboured friendship, by counterfeit sickensse, or by starting from his house under colour of far business, doth shift himself from the ordinances of the prince, in so high and provident direction: he is not only to be counted a contemner of Arms, but is also (whether he be gentleman, or yeoman) to be rebuked with discredit, either as a slothful coward, or else to be punished with stripes, as a traitorous contempner of his sovereign prince and country. If the citizen or townsman, do inlike wise put forth his apprentice, his servant, or poor hireling, to supply his place, and to withdraweth his own person from the royal ordinances being himself of commendable sufficiency in body had it an honest heart) he is to be noted, either a fearful coward, and dare not deal with Arms, or else a slothful beast, or else in the abundance of his wealth, in the height of his proud countenance, or in the opinion of his gravity: a despiser of so contemptible a state, as to march with a caliver, or a Pike on his back in the ranks of poor soldiers (men stripped in light clotheses, bearing their tools in their hands, ready at every moment to be offered up in the praise of martial prowess, for the service of their prince & country) & consequently, disdaineth the profession, and beareth a faint courage toward his sovereign prince & country: & therefore not to be accepted amongst the men of sound loyalty, & honourable 
The description of them that be no lovers of Arms.  value: not though his riches be never so much. He (whatsoever state or profession he be of) that hath liver bestow five pounds on a superfluous banquet, to fill the gluttonish wombs of greasy swine the are over fat, rather than a shilling on a destitute soldier: he is no lover of Arms.  
He that will rather bestow ten thousand pound on a purchase, then give his xl. s. toward the furnishing of an honest minded poor gentleman to the wars: the same is no lover of Arms.  
He that seeth a man of good ableness, distressed with nakedness, & hunger, begging his relief, & wandering in miseries, without home or harborogh? & rather than he will comfort them with a Testone, would bestow five pounds on the lining of a summer gown, & five thousand pounds to purchase leases over the heads of the poor, & to build up old rotten tenements of the new, that he may enhance the rents thereof: that fellow is no lover of arms, but a caterpillar in the orchards, and a noyful swine in the meadows of the common wealth of his country.  
He that will rather bestow a hundredth pounds on building of a banqueting house in his garden, than a hundredth shillings in a subsidy to aid the charges of his prince in the affairs of his country: the same surely, (if any such be in England) is no lover of Arms: neither hath he any fancy to military exercise.  
He that had rather hung twenty able men for small offences (forced through the extreme oppression of miserable want) then to relieve on distressed body, & to plant him in state to live without evil shifts: surely the same man is no lover of Arms. For he that loveth Arms, loveth men also: & he that acknowledgeth the honour and value of warlike profession, will be tender over the lives of men: and will therefore open his purse to help the distressed: jest through want he fall to evil & perdition.  
Look so many of our nation as are tainted with these faults, & such like, are contemners of arms, & consequently no faithful friends or lovers of their prince & country, & likewise improvident toward their own private state: 
The estate of that country is ruinous that is not able to stand in Arms.  for where the common wealth is in hazard, there the coward & the covetous are in one assurance: & where the state public maketh wrack, there doth perish the lover of himself, & the foolish contemner of arms also. For the state & nation that is not able to stand in arms, & to vanquish the rage & power of both intestine & foreign violence, the same is sure to be revenged under the oppression & lust of the spoilers, at one time or other: & then go all things to havoc, the gold of the covetous, & the money of the usurer, the dainty wife, & the tender daughter, the delicate son made a slave, the proud & rich father laden with gives, clothed with vermin, & fed with penury, & beaten with stripes, till he 'gree to redeem himself with a greater ransom than he is ever able to satisfy. The gay houses with the winter parlours, and summer parlours, with the inner Chambers, and the utter, consumed with flames, and the whole City with fire: their streets and fields lying covered with the dead carcases of them that contemned prowess, and had Arms in derision: the wives and children wandering harbourless without honour, or succour, bestow their carcases amongst the ashes, and ruins of their desolate habitations, and in the Bushes, the infant likewise with his mother, starve with hunger and nakedness. These dreadful matters, made the wise Lacedæmonians, to bring up all their youth in hard diet, thinly clothed, poorly bedded: extremely 
The Lacedemonias bringing up.  holden in the practice of difficult feats, in labour of the body, in the feats of activity, and under the practice and rudiments of military weapons and orders: that in all points they might be perfectly fashioned for the wars.  
The like considerations made the Romans to pursue the exercise of war (for many years at the foundation of their state) without wages or stipend: and whilst they did grow, there was never Citizen in Rome esteemed noble for his riches, but for his prudence & prowess. Nay, the man of Rome that omitted arms, and become a merchant, for gathering of abundance of riches, was rather reckoned amongst the servants, then esteemed as a very Roman.  
The French also do not esteem a merchant worth thousands, so much as they do a valiant soldier not worth a Testone in wealth. So in Germany, & likewise in Spain, howbeit, the Lawyer, and Merchant, the Rustic, and Clerk, that by honest bounty and friendly grace toward Martialistes, do show themselves to be lovers of arms, and to honour warlike prowess: are in their vocation greatly to be worshipped and praised. But the merchants and Lawyers of most countries in the continent, think not so to satisfy the desire of their own credit and estimation, or so to accomplish their bounden loyalty toward the state public: that by their favour & liberality towards men of war, it were seemly & lawful for them to withdraw themselves from the policy and use of arms: and therefore do labour to be skilful in the use of warlike weapons, and in the policies eke, and orders of the war, and stand) each according to his ability) always furnished for the field, as the merchants, & Citizens in high Almain, are horsemen: the Artificers are footmen. Neither do the citizens of high Almain, that are of segnioritie and worship, ever walk abroad in the streets, without their sword by their sides: For where the men of chief rule and credit in a city, do leave of the usual wearing of domestical weapons, within their own jurisdictions, there seemeth the state or city to be vanquished and subdued to an Armed ruler, that for avoiding of mutinies and rebellions, forbiddeth the inhabitants to bear any armory.  
Well, this discourse may seem more tedious than available: for it is hard to teach an old horse to manach: so is it nothing hopeful, to see the secure rustics, and dainty citizens of England, faithfully to favour the pursuit of Arms, much less to practise the use and skill thereof: For say they, it belongeth not unto them, neither doth the state of our Country (and as they hope it shall not) stand in any such need, that men of credit, of worship, and of wealth, should be driven to enter the occupations of Soldiers: for their purses shall serve the turn.  
If they will answer men so, I will reason a little 
They that make shifts not to bear armour are corrupted with three vices.  farther with them, letting then to understand more plainly, the improvidence and straightness of their hearts: for these reprovable shifts cannot proceed but from a mind specially corrupted with three great faults: the one is Avarice, the other is Self love, the third is very disdain, & (as I have said) a very great contempt of the profession itself: which have no dwelling places, but in hearts wanting wisdom, and all the parts of high and virtuous nobleness.  
If these men would lift up their eyes from the greedy desire of fleshly lust, and set their hearts at liberty from the wretched bondage of servile love to this present world and to the vanities thereof, and discreetly consider the alterations and troubles of all the States, kingdoms, and nations of the continent, throughout all the whole flower of the old Roman Empire, and how things do daily more and more enclive to dangerous and dreadful changes, and then conclude that England also (though in the midst of the great Ocean) is a worldly state and kingdom, subject (as the rest are) to the uncertenty of peace & prosperity, standing renged withal the world, under the sword of God's high justice: and therefore, doubt the frail felicity of their Country, and accordingly have care and regard to the same. Then would they use the endeavours of wise hearts, than would they love virtue, embrace godliness, honour Arms, and consequently provide and furnish themselves (each one after his ability) of those habilements that are behoveful and necessary for covert & defence, in the day when the Lord shall visit the pride and security of men, pouring out the tempest of is wrathful indignation, either by foreign: or intestine war, or else by both: which doth orderly fall at one time or other, upon all and every nation upon earth, so that not one city of the whole world can scape the arraignment of the most high, when he setteth him down to judge. The armour that saveth all men, and nations from the dint and dart of the enemy, is a sure faith, an humble fear, sound love and trust in the Lord God of hosts, through Christ Jesus our Lord, that great conqueror, king of kings, Lord of Lords. The wisdom eke and prowess that doth make a man politic in wars, is heavenly contemplation, and a righteous heart maketh the soldier invincible in the battle: adding unto these matters, the iron armour, the sword, the spear, the shield, and the horse, the corselet, and the pike, the morion, and the caliver, the bow and the bill: with the requisite skill, courage, industry and agility that do appertain unto the use of the same. The city or kingdom that is stored of men, furnished with these habilements, may well set forth an army, complete in arms, hopeful of victory, and assured of triumph.  
Of such a suit of Military men, consisted the hosts of Moses, and jehosuah, and Gedeons' three hundredth, by 
The Midianites vanquished by Gedeon.  whose prowess he vanquished the mighty and dreadful Army of the enemies of Israel. When jacob was appointed with any captains, and bands of this Military perfection: then went the Lord God of hosts with their Armies into the field: then were they sure to vanquish their enemies, and to return to their houses with a joyful victory: For one true Israelite was able to drive a thousand Philistims to the flight. Such a Soldier was jonathas, and such was Caleb, and his sons: such was David, and his worthy men, and such was also judas Macchabeus and his brethren.  
These were the good children of God: most valiant, and most famous in warlike prowess: For by virtue and arms, they become invincible in the field, and most profitable in the city. The christan therefore, that desireth to be worthily reckoned amongst the honourable, praised of the honest, & esteemed with the wise & faithful sort: the same must in martial arms, & eke in heavenly virtues, be a complete Israelite. This being true, (as it is a heavenly truth, and cannot be repugned, without the contempt of the high majesty of the lord God of hosts) let every citizen & rural man, gentle or ungentle, noble or unnoble, rich or poor, that meaneth to prove himself a good christian, a faithful Englishman, zealous toward the state public of his country, of commendable integrity toward his prince and fervent in the love and maintenance of God's kingdom and glory upon earth: let every such one I say, embrace godliness: honour, nourish, and exercise Arms, and learn with diligence, the skill and prudence that do necessarily accompany the same.  
Though the purses of the rich, do sufficiently serve the turn in furnishing forth other's, to serve in their steed in these wars, that seem rather voluntary or politic, than dangerous to the state public of their Country: yet should they each in his order, and sense, covet to know the policies and discipline of war: and so desire, and voluntarily put forth themselves, to advance Mililitary knowledge and activity, that they would rather beseech the Sovereign Majesty, to give them liberty to practise the field upon their free courage and charges, then to tarry the commandment and direction of 
what danger may ensue by preferring hirelings to the service of war.  the Prince for the same, and then do it so unwillingly, as I will not speak, and so contemptuously, that the servant and hireling is preferred to serve the ordinances of the Prince, whereby that good policy and purpose of the sovereign Majesty is greatly deceived, and the pretended providence should (by this fraud) be poorly satisfied in the day of service, as need might possibly happen. For if civil discord should rise, and the realm fall to Arms (as it is a rife matter) who were fittest to defend the Throne of the royal Majesty, the Judgement seat and the City, the Cradle, and Pulpit? Surely they that are likeliest, of faith, credit, and ability: therefore, are even they to be committed to the practice and trust of Arms: For in the day of tumult, the armed servant will be a commander of his unarmed master, and the armed Son will be a terror to the unarmed Father. Then will the drudge and servile man, the hireling, and fugitive person, start from his Musters, and join himself with the mutineers: for unto such the hope of common spoil, and the desire of ruinous theft and liberty, is more delicate than the defence of civil government, or the preservation of the weal public: which should move them to prefer themselves, and not their servants, to the practice and profession of Arms.  
Let London therefore, the royal Chamber, and head of the state, appear to love Arms, and endeavour themselves to advance the knowledge & practice of the same: and as they are more prudent, more honourable, more mighty, & more able than any state, or particular country else within the Realm, and most conveniently associated and united together, to enter, and to erect the familiar & domestical practice of Military knowledge & activity: so should they be an example & an encouragement to all the rest of the commonalty, to imitate them with honest emulation, through the favour & authority of the sovereign majesty, the same being admitted to the people of honest state & credit, & likeliest in civil towardness. So should London be more honourable than erst it hath been, and the nation strong and prudent against the day that those virtues might hap to stand them in better steed than much riches, and more available to the common wealth, than all the law and merchandise in the land.  
For methinketh that it is poor thing and a very ignominious 
Citizen's should be furnished and practised for the field.  to see so large and rich a city, so populous of select and passing manry, to be so ignorant and so naked of warlike addressed and endeavours. The French citizens are furnished and practised for the field, so are the youths, their sons and servants. The citizens of Italy do strive to excel the nobility in the knowledge and feats of Arms. The citizines of Germany profess Arms, and are accordingly exercised and furnished for the same.  
In the little city Geneva, are 5000. citiziens of ordinary 
Defenced cities.  bands sworn in Arms: ready at a call in every moment. In Strasbourgh are likewise 8000. citizens ready to Arms at a call: the like in Ausburge, in Norynbergh, and after the same manner in all other cities of Germany, and the East Countries, each in addressed, and appointment of Military forces, according to their largeness, & ability. And is London so sure that it needeth not the very simple knowledge of Arms? and is it so careless that it despiseth the exercise of the field, as a matter nothing appertaining unto them? Such sloth, and security hath brought many a famous city of the world to ruin, desolation, and servitude. London might often times (in her life days) have been brought to the same predicament, had not their kings been at hand, to stop and to vanquish the insolency of ragious 
Wherefore the Majors of London are adorned with knighthood.  rebels, by the force of Arms. The sword of one noble, citizen won more fame and honour to the city of London, in kill the arrogant rebel jacke straw, than ever it had afore: and for that worthy fact, the Majors of London, are adorned with knighthood, which is an honour properly pertaining to chivalry: not to merchandise, nor to any other occupation, nor yet to the abundance of riches.  
If they then, and their ancestors, citizens of London, are beholding to Military prowess, for the chief honour & ancient (yea, and new) preservation of their city: why do they not honour the profession, & desire liberty of their prince, to practise arms, and to nourish Military practice amongst themselves? Their approved loyalty shall not fail to obtain that grace of their blessed Queen. Then should London be martial against the day of war, and able upon the sudden to put itself in arms (the sovereign prince and nobility being far of, and otherwise entangled) for the repression of domestical mutinies if any should happen near them, or toward them: As all rebels have their chief purpose to make havoc of London.  
It were a small matter for the city of London to have five thousand citizens of special manry, trained in arms, booked, and divided into bands, and ready at a moment, if need were: in which number, should no servant nor fugitive person be admitted, but the very householders, and their sons: neither were it much for them to have five hundredth furnished & exercised horses for the field. Anthony Fugger, the great money master of all Christendom, 
Anthony Fugger,  kept always fifty horses of service in his own stables in Augusta, and so many warlike chosen Reisters of his own family. This number of trained people being ever ready to be levied out of one city at the sudden commandment of their prince upon sudden occasion, might serve to a greater purpose, than twenty thousand long in gathering, and them of rude and ignorant rural people.  
And to speak in general, pity it is to see so worthy a nation as ours is (so valiant & active in arms, when they be entered in the exercise thereof) to be so poorly inclined to follow wars, & to continue the pursuit of chivalry: the punishment therefore of our idle people cannot be to extreme: so that there were a sufficient order set down for the employment of them But to say truly, let the sovereign majesty & the court of parliament, provide & establish never so easy, & never so profitable & seemly means for the succour of the poor, & for employment of the able people, this nation will not observe it: such sloth & corruption is in the Justices of the country, & in the magistrates of towns & cities, & eke such perverse obstinacy in the merciless hearts of rich folk, both of town and country, that every man's endeavour wholly tendeth to his own private profit, that of all hands they neglect, yea, & contemn the public wealth & honour of their country: much less do they regard the preservation of the poor: so dull & senseless is the common sort of this nation: neither will it be remedied for any thing that can be devised or commanded, till God himself do remedy it with a scourge of his own making. Five persons standing at the bar condemned to die upon the statute of Rogues, & upon no other matter, proclamation was made in the full appearance of the country, that if any would come forth and take any one of the condemned, and retain him in service, & answer for his behaviour, he should deliver a man from death, in all the throngs of the people there was not one moved with compassion so to do, than were all these miserable wretches executed: surely a hard condition amongst the people that profess Christ: whose commandment it is, that as we are his, so must we love one another as he loved us.  
Christ committed his body to the shameful Cross, & his soul to the torments of hell, for the redemption of traitorous rebels against the high Majesty of God, and to reconcile the wicked to grace: and willeth us to be merciful, as our Heavenly Father is merciful. But how far we are from these qualities, the Lord he knoweth it, and so do the poor. God surely will judge it with a heavy sentence.  
But surely, this is a true conclusion, that the man, the people, or nation that favour not the renown and maintenance of Military prowess, nor embrace the high value of Arms, the same are enemies to all virtues, neither have they respect to godliness: but all to their own bellies, as the swine. If the nourishment and practice of Arms should depend on the voluntary charges and endeavours of the common multitude, Martial profession should lie in the street, until it were trodden to dung.  
In deed it is not a matter that doth properly appertain to base & servile minds, but doth belong to the noble and ambitious courages. Let them therefore that are truly noble, love Arms, and let them that challenge, or love the name of honour, virtue, honesty, or worthiness, put their hands to the use and advancement of warlike knowledge and activity: yea, the more noble, the more prudent, and honourable that men will be esteemed, so much the more friendly to Arms aught they to be, and the like delightful in the practice and use of the same.  
And as they esteem of it, so to esteem of them that do apply the occupation thereof in the field, where they sustain no wanton labour, but are in continual travail of the body, and eke of the mind, daily presented to the dangers of death: whose hourly appearance to the Martialist in Arms, should make him to consider the frailty of his state, and the fewness of his days, and therefore to apply his heart to wisdom, and virtue, and to be always, as a man prepared, and ready to be sacrificed? yet when the secure belly doth rest upon an assured hope of long life: and hating the remembrance of death, hideth himself from the sight of wisdom, and giveth over his heart to lust and covetousness, the mother and nurse of all evils.  
If any tongues more malicious, then discreet, will disable our martialists, and defame our soldiers, and then make a false conclusion, against the profession itself: let those malignant spirits confess the renowned 
Englishmen by training up, the most valiant and famous in martial feats and knowledge  value of our nation in the old time, and grant (in spite of their beards) that we are the sons of those our Fathers, whose strength and courage in martial activity, neither Scots, French, nor Spaniards, were able to resist: nor yet safely to stand within the compass and industry of the Captains: and that this present generation of the English people, being trained and exercised under the like conduct, nourishment, & government as our kindred were under the most famous kings, Richard the first, Edward the first, Edward the third, Edward the black Prince, Henry the fifth, the Duke of Bedford, etc. would show itself to be the rightfully begotten children of the old English Fathers, most valiant and famous in Military feats and knowledge: yea, look how much more subtle and perilous the wars at these days are, than they were in the old time: by so much the more should we exceed our ancestors in the affairs of the same, if we were accordingly employed and maintained.  
Let therefore, the gracious Nobility of England (Fathers to their Prince, people, and common wealth) remember, that as martial profession must of necessity be used and nourished, that even the followers of the same must be likewise esteemed and maintained: and eke to set down an arrest, for the domestical practice of the same. Vsus enim promptos facit. And that being continued through the Realm by such order and direction, as may conveniently and sufficiently be proportioned and established: there should be within a few years, many thousands of able Soldiers in England, that never saw enemy in the field: and that with small charges to the Sovereign Majesty.  
And as all Soldiers of worthiness and knowledge are to be highly esteemed and maintained, so are the gentlemen, and worthy people of our nation that have pursued the defensory wars in the low Country, specially to be praised: for they have approved that the old English valiancy is not so extinguished in the English nation through long security, and corrupt idleness, but it is soon stirred up to a double force, when it hath a while acquainted itself with the exercise of the field.  
Record of their service in Brabant against the Spaniards, upon Lammas day last: where the Commanders showed commendable value of prudence and courage, and in likewise the common servitors, honest hardiness, and worthy activity: and are therefore to be cherished for their own deserts, and eke to be esteemed foe the encouragement of others.  
And for that I have here made mention of the service of our nation in Brabant, that it may breed further encouragement unto others that are likewise well minded unto Martial occupation: I have thought good briefly to set down the manner of their service done at the same time, that the worthy acts of those valiant & worthy captains and soldiers, may remain a proof of the value of the English nation, and show that they are not so far degenerate from the high courage and manliness of their ancestors & forefathers, but that (if they were exercised and accustomed to the field & practise thereof) they would soon attain and deserve their pristinate valiantness, and so become a terror to their enemies, as their forefathers in times past have been.  
It is to be noted, that the camp of the States of the low Country, lay entrenched in a great heath or sandy ground, on the right hand of whose camp towards Loveine there was a river ran all along, and without the trenches on the same side, was the English and Scottish men's ward, wherein was a hill that the spaniards laid hard at to have gotten, which if they could have won, from the same they might have descried all their manner of dealing in the States Campe. On the other side of the camp toward Askot, was another hill, upon the which, the horsemen of the States kept scoutwatch, and between these two hills was a great valley of champion ground, with some small sandy hills at the entering into the plain.  
On the farther side of the plain, were certain houses, which the Englishmen set on fire, thereby to annoy the enemy. The horsemen of the States which lay in scout upon the hill, on the left hand, perceiving the Army of Don john to approach out of the straight into the plain, sent word unto the Captains of the Englishmen and Scots, willing them to stand manfully to it that day against the enemy, and to do their best, and they should be assured that they would not forsake them, but live and die with them.  
Whereupon the Chief commanders of the English and Scottish regiments went to counsel, to take advice for the ordering of their companies, and how they might endamage the enemy, fully purposing to try the value and courage of their enemies, for that such a brute had been spread over the world (but especially in all the low Countries) of their invincible prowess and knowledge in Martial discipline, as though there were not any nation that durst encounter them in the field. After good advice taken, every Captain & officer was appointed to his charge for the day, as some to stand in battle, some to lie in ambush, others to relieve their fellows with fresh shot, and some to furnish them that wanted shot and powder: and the chief Coranels taking to them certain valiant gentlemen, and a convenient number of approved soldiers, determined to give the onset upon the enemy.  
Betwixt nine and ten of the clock in the morning, the horsemen of Don john issued out of the straight, into the plain & champion ground, whereupon the States horsemen (for what purpose, it was to us unknown) 
The English and Scottishmen encounter the Spaniards at Pel Mel.  retired within their trenches, and there abode until they saw which way the game went, and who had the better. The footmen also of the Spaniards, being entered into the plain, the chief Coranels of the English and Scottish regiments, taking to them those lose shot which were before appointed, encountered the Spaniards upon the plain, and dealt so hotly and frankly with them at Pel Mel, that within three quarters of an hour they made them forsake the plain, and retire over, into the fields, there near adjoining: at the entry whereof was many a man slain, to the great discouragement of the whole Army of Don john, and the spaniards. Thus through the goodness of God (in whose quarrel they fought) for the advancement of his name and true religion, and by the prowess of those valiant English men that there served under the States (whose noble hearts showeth forth a lively pattern of the prowess of their progenitors) with the aid only of a few Scottish men that served there also: so terrified the hearts of the Spaniards, that amongst all the encounters that I have seen in all the time that I have served, for these xxij. years, I never saw enemies so daunted with any loss or repulse as the Spaniards were that day, in flying the fury of the people, they being of so great strength, and our folk but a few lose shot. Then issued forth the Grave van Bussu, general of the State's army, and stood upon a little hill, facing the horsemen of of Don john, and viewing the manner of the skirmish. After that the Spaniards were thus driven to forsake the plain, and to retire into the closes near adjoining, seeing the invincible courage of our men, durst not any more come forth into the plain, but now and then sallied out, and strait ways retired in again. About four or five a clock in the after noon, the English and Scottish soldiers were so stirred up, that they determined no longer to stand dallying with the spaniards, but purposed to forsake the plain champion, and to follow the spaniards into 
The Spaniards put to flight.  the fields, and there to have them by the ears. Don john seeing his footmen were put to the worse, and fearing a further mischief, was driven of necessity to make a proffer with his horsemen, but did not break, which caused our men to stay their going over into the fields, so that in this mean while, the Spanish footmen (before the English & Scottish men were a ware) were a quarter of a mile off, retiring in running manner over hedge and ditch with their ensigns, and so ended the skirmish. The Coranels and captains both of the Englishmen and Scots did lead the service themselves that day, with such great boldness, that it greatly embased the glory and force of the Spaniards, and had utterly overthrown them, if the horsemen had done their endeavour half so well as did the footmen.  
Thus gentle reader I have briefly described the service of our countrymen upon Lammas day last passed, whose valiant service, for the exalting of the word of God, & honour of their country, deserveth the favourable liberality of all honest and loving hearts, that where occasion serveth and need requireth, they would reach forth their hands, and out of their plenty, relieve the necessity of such poor soldiers as have adventured their lives for the advancement of true religion: so shall others thereby be encouraged to employ themselves in the like service, and be ready, and priest at all times to offer up themselves and their service in the defence of the quiet state and prosperity of their prince and country: for these days are dangerous, and more dangerous will yet be.  Honos enim alit arts. 
Let England therefore while it hath blessed rest and leisure, wise regiment, and God present in the Sanctuary, waken itself out of senseless security, and diligently look to her Tacles: for a storm will come, and a tempest will fall: for at this present hour, the hand of the Lord God of hosts is in the second time for gathering together of the remnant of Israel: the year of his redeemed is come, and every kingdom that will not serve the Lord, shall utterly perish from the earth: stand fast therefore, O ye people of England, for the sword of the Almighty is drawn, and will not be put up till he hath confounded, and utterly consumed all the enemies of jacob from the face of the earth for evermore. Every vain and misbelieving soul is adversary to jacob, and it shallbe cut of. Serve the Lord therefore in truth of heart, and remember the wondered benefits and blessings of God so abundantly bestowed upon you, & upon your fathers, and be thankful: for you and they have enjoyed your country many years in universal peace, and in daily increase of private and public prosperity. The Lord hath now twice delivered you his Gospel without blood, and in this second restitution, he hath holden you twenty years in the free occupation thereof, without murder or molestation: the Lord hath not so dealt with your neighbours, look upon the miserable state of France, and low Dutchland, and in the view thereof consider the goodness and providence of your heavenly Father towards you: for their troubles have nourished your rest, and their miseries have continued your blessings. See into the proceedings of the Amighty, and be wise hearted, jest through lewd ingratitude you move the Lord God of hosts to wrath, & through your rebellious insolency, you provoke the most high to forsake his Sanctuary in England: as they of judah and jerusalem through their wickedness drove him to abandon his holy mount Zion in the days of Zedekiah. But if the Lord departed from you, woe shallbe unto you, as it was to them of judah and jerusalem.  
Look wisely to yourselves, and as ye love the advancement of God's kingdom in England, so will you pray and labour for the preferment of the same amongst the French & Dutch: as that the Lord may set his sanctuary at rest amongst them as he hath done it amongst us, and that they may have the grace so to receive, and so to retain the Lord their God, as he may have delight to continued with them.  
As time draweth to his end, and the corrupt world to her death, so shall all manner of evils abound amongst men: and these last days shallbe troublesome, dangerous and cruel, for the last drams of Satan that must fill up the measure of wickedness to the brim, shallbe most infective and pestiferous: be wise therefore, and acquaint yourselves with arms, both corporal and spiritual, that you may at all times and in all causes be complete Israelites ready for the field. God grant▪ it  
The Lord God of hosts bless and preserve our good Queen ELIZABETH, the Nobility, people, and commonalty of England. Lord, Amen.  
FINIS.