decorative border with a medallion on each jamb incorporating printer's device of William Middleton (1551-57) on a shield supported by two cherubs, including the initials W and M (McKerrow No. 106)  
¶ An order / which a Prince in battle must observe, and keep, yf he intend to subdue, or pass clothe his enemies lands.  
☞ {fleur-de-lys} ☜   

¶ A necessare order to be observed in battle.  

first he must examine, whether his cause be lawful and just, for in a just cause: God shall assist him.  
Item he must provide that he haue a sufficient number of men and money redy for them.  
Item he must counsel, with the most wise & expert men of his realm, of the weight and dangers, that may fall: so that as far as reason may lead him, he be not ignorant, what fruit shall follow of his battle.  
Item he must provide that his host lack no victuals.  
Item he must see that he lack no engine and other thing required to defend himself or invade his enemy.  
Item that he haue captains expert in warres the which shall execute his commandment Item let him be assured of his own country or he invade his enemy, and yf case require, set it quiet or elles depart not.  
Item let him leave behind him sum noble and crusted man to order and yf need be to subdew his enemies in his absence and order them.  
Item that the most strongest fortress be committed to his most trusty freyndes.  
Item the he oftentimes consult & counsiall with his wise & expert counsiall that he may know what is most expedient to do, and let him use their counsel.  
Item when he entereth his enemies lands, he shall call his host before him that he may know the number, and yf he finde any unable to battle put him away.  
Item that he haue no superfluous carriage, for ther of groweth great displeasure, specially, when a prince intendeth short victory, and then let his victuals be his most carriage wherein must be taken a good order, so that he haue thē with him or pass by such places where it maibe had or else he wasshethe a ston, that is to say, he laboureth in vain.  
Howe onely by customable usage of deeds of arms the romans had the victory of all other nations.  
The old custō to choose knights at .xvi. year was age of to be perfete in their age and to the custom of war.  
Also a prince must diligently consider, which be most principal and most expert, & over that. what every man in his host is most apt unto.  
For it is very perilous to set an vnexperte man in aucthoryte: for diuers men haue diverse wits, and as they be, they must be used. Some be able to rewie an host: Some. C. foremen, other a hundreth horsemen, some be good on horse, some be good on foot, other be good in field or battle, other to invade a castle, other to de fiend it, other suddenly on horse to invade an host, otherwyfte on horseback to espy news, other in riding, to compass a field and note they re number, other apt to choose a meet or apt place for a field, other be expert in bat taill, & nought when they be at it, whose counsel is not to be refused, other haue no experience, how be it they be valiant when they be put thereto, other be both exper te and victoryous, other be able neither to counsel defend nor invade, they be good at home. {quod} secta in utilis. other be good in ingynes, other to make brydges & passages, other to espy they renemyes secrets, in dyssymuled habit, other to give counsel and dyscusse ambassades, other meet for execution of iustice, other me te to keep a princes treasure, and other things of charge.  
Item the fore ward of the battle must be strong as well with horsemen, as with footmen, and let there be put his capitaines of the valyaunste.  
Item he must consider that his field be set to a advantage and according thereto the host must be ordered.  
Item that he provide, where his host shall commodyously rest or he depart from whence he is and diligently let him note the country whether it be plain, hilly, mountains or full of waters, & what straytes be therein.  
Item yf he may, let him haue it trewlye painted or he enter: so that the daungiers may be known and the horsemen may help the footmen in time of war.  
Item let him provide that his carriage trouble not his host, yf they be invaded, wherefore let them be conveyed by the one side: provided that they be surely guarded.  
Item there must be pronysion, that all artillery may be surely carried: for the loss of that is the peril of the host.  
Item that the explorators be sent to espy the journeys of the adversaries, and what vyttaylles they haue, with all other things by them intended.  
Item that he take deliberation, yf he may get the frendeshyp of any great man of his enemies counsel, by corruption of money or otherwise, by whom he may know the purpose of his said enemies.  
Item that every day, there be sent light horsemen to the aduersaries host to perceive their purpose, lest they be suddenly invaded, and also to thentente he may invade them vnprouyded yf the case so required. Requiruntur multi secreti et fideles.  
Item yf he can perceive that his adversary intend hasty battle, let him take himself in a wait, that he may provide him in taking of his field to his advantage, & put himself shortcely in order.  
Item yf he know any daungerous way between him and his enemeis, he shall by wisdom and diligence procede toward that, until he come within .iii. or. iiii. bow shotes, and ther put himself in order to invade his host.  
Item he must espy what artyllary his enemies use & what order they take.  
Item every country hath his maner of fighting to there advantage, and there enemies confusion.  
Item he must beware of every hard and dowtefull passage, except he haue leisure to conuaye his host or except necessity compelle him.  
Item it is better to abide the coming to a battle, then to invade, for the first comers commonly lack order.  
Item yf the enemies ride out of order, and wander, invade thē, for lack of order shal destroy thē  
Item yf thyn enemies draw to hostry of no strength and dysperse themself, then they be esylyer taken.  
Item when the host draweth nere to the enemies, let the wards come night together for their better surcottes.  
Item that footmen be on the one side not mixed with horsemen, {quod} generaretur confusio.  
Item in every ward must be some with hand guns, crossbows and other manual ingyns, and likewise in the latter ward, to put a side the lyhgt horsemen.  
Item yf he may let him, provide that the son and wind, be for him, specially for dust, yf there be any.  
Item yf he be horsed, and stronger then his enemy, let him provoke him to open battle in the plain field, and yf his footmen be myghtyer then his enemies horsemen, let him take the aduauntage of a straight place.  
Item when he invadeth his enemy let his carriage be put, in the one side & surely guarded.  
Item he shall put his ingynes of battle between him and his enemies and well defend them.  
Item yf he be compelled to follow his enemy, and for default of victual to invade therni, or yf he dread lest his host fortefy his company, so that he cannot escape, except he overcome his host, let him study to break his field, that is to say, let him vex thē with gonnes and other poyntes of war, so that they may disorder themselves.  
Item a prince must note the time and use as it serveth him.  
Item when he is actually entered battle, his host shall stand still in a clust, errand in no wise remove from the place, whatsoever he see, though he see his company partly flee & partly slain, and also though he see his enemies flee, for order make the and marreth all.  
Item when thou hast invaded thine enemies with the fore & hinder ward, let the middle stand likewise and close to help both, as need shall require, and when both wards haue well fought, let the middle ward fight, but for all that let, them not dysorder themself except compulsyon.  
Item he must haue provision for passages of waters,  
Item before the battle, a prince must see the order of his host, and reform all things mysordered, and this may not be forgotten.  
Item he shal show them, that he will live and die with them that day, and that besides their perpetual honour, he will never forget to honour & reward thē. additio. A and for this let him see couragyous princes orations, as Alexander, Catiline, with other infinite. &c.  
Item he shal neither magnify his enemy nor despise him but encourage his capytaygnes, to keep there order, & yf that they so do, the victory will follow.  
Item he shall practise that both his enemy and his host, may alway think that more strength is coming to him.  
Item that he see no robbing, and that he command his captaines to see that observed, pain of death.  
Item that he execute indyfferently iustice, and punish them, that cause debates.  
Item when his enemies do treat of peace, then let himself left await. Propter pericula in hoe casu experta.  
Item let no man pass his country, and invade an other, without need require, except he see, howe he may return with honour, or howe he may surely abide there: it is but simpleness to go up and down in a cnntry, and to ride far in it, and hard it is to be long sure in a country strange, and to return with honor, for in the time of Talbot. vl knights of england laid siege to the tower of Roane, and when they lacked that was necessary for their defence, therfore they lost it, & like things were done in at britain at Vans where they lost all.  
Item yf any tidings come forthwith, let them be herde, and follow thē, as the time shall serve  
Item a prince, must be keeping his promise, elles no man shall trust him.  
Item he must study to haue the favour of the beste of the cūstrey, and he must be just and equal.  
Item a prince must study to haue the freindeshyp of the cuntreis adjoining, and let him not haue, battle with diuers at once, except he be compelled, for there is much subtlety used.  
Item in the day of the battle he must haue about him, a certain of the wisest & most expert men, to keep follow and counsel them.  
Item he must provide that his enemies espy not the number of his host and the order of the same.  
Item yf it fortune him to lese a battle or .ii. or to lese his actillary, then policy is to resort to some fortress, and there to call his host together, & to refresh them as nedethe and to get new men, and to take peace yf he can, and in the mean time to make his fortress strong, till he be able by some means to make battle, and to haue all things rede therfore.  
Item he shall set his tentes nigh to his enemies host that he may trouble and break their array.  
Item he must beware that he be not besieged.  
Item he must beware that after one battle lost, he begine not another forth with, except necessity compel him, for after a dystrage the host can not sodenely be apt to fight, for wounds and mornynges shall let them & their enemies after victory, be more imboldet, how be it oftentimes, men think vpon displeasure to be revenged and so for lack of policy take fury rebuk and in this maner Charles duke of Burgon was destroyed, wherefore set reason before will, and begin to think nothing hard to perform.  
Item yf thou win a battle or a fortress of thine enemies, pursew him graciously, and suffer him neither to rest nor to restable his stregth, wisdom it is to follow the advantage.  
Item yf thou get a country committe it to some great man, and likewise of forteresses, and let him be well entreated, and lack no money for such men would be cherished.   

¶ The maner of besegyng a fortress.  
first a Prince must remembre whether he haue sufficient men to besege yt in .iii. diuers parties, & whether over that he haue men sufficyente for his own defence and money both.  
Item he must provide artyllary and victuals necessary and let him well beware that his vittayll come not to his enemies hands, and this principal to be noted.  
Item he must espy some man that knoweth the strength of the fortress and thery counsel must he use.  
Item he must espy how it be most easily taken where and his host may beste set their field for their assuerty.  
Item that done set them in the forward that were before sent to espy the strength of the fortress well furnished with archers, and dyggers and all other things.  
Item let them comme as nigh to the walls as they can and so order them that they may reject their enemies darts.  
Item above all things provide that nothing may pass out or enter into the fortress, for yf one gate be open it shall be never euercome.  
Item let one ward be ever redy to help the other as need shal require.  
Item the first day of besegyng the field must be fortyfied.  
Item men must be sent to every place to espy whether any rescue be intended. &c. and yf it so be let him consider there power and yf he see parell remowe his host and his artyllary lest he be invaded in both sides, & void to some sure fortress, for the time  
Item yf he see his enemies of small power he may set some to fight with thē and other to keep the siege.  
Item when the walls be broken fortyfy his men, and make an assawte, provided that he leave behind them both horsemen and footmen, to withstand his back enemies for that not doing the earl of Arminac lost by Sander a castle of Lumbardy.  
Item yf he be put a back in the first conflict let him invade as soon as the day following, for vpon a victory oftentimes the opidanis be negligent, trusting not suddenly to be invaded, by this provision many places and forteres hath ben obtained.  
Item many other things be required how be it a prince must specially beware of treason and simulation.   

❧ Howe a Prince besieged shall order himself.  
above all thing a prince must study aswell in time of peace as in war be know his neighbours minds, and oftentimes to semde orators to thē as well to nourish love as to know their good will.  
Item yf he see by a princes ordinance that he intendeth war let him streyngthe his fortress towards that country.  
Item let him make some freinde in that Princes house by whom he may know what is intended.  
Item yf he be assured that the prince intedeth him war let him prepare an host of as mighty men as his money will suffer him to do, and yf he think him sufficient to overcome him, let him follow his fortune and tarry his enemy in the entre to his country or yf he may in his enemies contrye.  
Item yf he think himself vnsufficyente in men and money let him fortify his head places next to his enemies, and guard them with money.  
Item yf there be more forteresses then he may furnysshe let them be take down and all maner vyttayll be carried from thence, and the country left bare.  
Item let him haue good capitaygnes in his Forteresses the which may do his enemies daily displeasure and dysperse his host, as it was done at Mitz and other places.  
Item horsemen must be provided as it shalbe thought necessary to take the messengers, and then make provision with order.  
item yf such obstacles be purveyed for enemies they shal little prevail.   

❧ How a fortress shal be kept and howe they that be besieged shall order theyr selfe.  
first dig up the earth to the height of the walls, for gonnes and other ingynes.  
Item the bulwarks must be fortefyed and he must beware that the innar byldynges join not to the walls for nigh to the wall inwardly must be made a trench to a good height so that yf the wall fail the wall of earth may help.  
Item he must haue good captains to order and visit his watch of the walls and men expert.  
Item crossbows, bumbardes, dykers, physicians, surgeons, potticares, with all other things necessary.  
Item he must haue one captain to order his watches as need shall require.  
Item every night the walls must be sene and an order set and kept for there sure custody,  
Item there must be watch kept nigh to the walls to help there keepers as need shall require, and also to withstand inward treason.  
Item yf there be any noise let every man go to there own place for oftentimes such noise is made, to maike men ronne together, while their enemies invade.  
Item let it be taken head their whiles, that their waters be not poisoned.  
Item when he shall invade, let him well counsel, and his commodities foreseen.  
Item yf the walls be broken, let thē be amended forth with, for fear of invasion, as it was at the Rodes, whiles the lord was at mass.  
Item let it ever be commoned, that more people shall comme, to help to put them in better conforte.  
Item a prince must be ware that their be noo murmur in the host and yf their be, that they be openly punished.  
Item yf the captain understand, that any battle is lost, or foreteresse taken, unknown unto his host, let that be kept secret, and let him ever show his host, things of comfort and pleasure.  
Item in the principal partes, must be set principal men.  
Item he must haue gnydes, that know the country.  
Item yf any message come, let him ponder, and repelye discuss yt, and be not over light of credence.  
Item yf it be a country of hills, waters, or of straytes, he must haue the more footmen.  
Item when it is proceeded in battle, some wise men strong and sure, must be leste behind, leste they inuayde in the inner parte of the battle.  
Item let new locks of gaytes oft be maid for fear of counterfeytynge, and it must be provided of sure keepers.  
Item in the night, there must be sure watch, about, the yates for dangers, that may fall, as it was done at Arras.  
Item there must be made barrars, nigh unto the foreteresse for the defence of footmen, and the sauety othorsemen, and diverse other considerations.  
Item the walls shall be strengthed with thorns, for shakinge.  
Item innkeepers must be well entreated, and yf thou take him that is not true unto his prince, punish him forth withal.  
Item yf any enemies treat of deliverance, of their foreteresses hear it well, but be not light of credence, for their be many souttelryes imagined, and at Betynam many were by that mean destroyed.  
Item the watch must be kept all night, and the watch men not depart, until every thing be sure.  
Item when the yates must be opened, there must be so many present, as may withstand the secret assault of their enemies, for by this mean Leystoure was taken, for when .ii. or .iii. had opened the yates, their enemies secretly hid, invaded them and slew them, and their was treason within.  
Item there must be many porters, for few may be sone slain by treason. &c.  
Item yf any in the night season call to come in the which by name and voice be known, that notwithstanding, lie secret espies let it be known, what number there be of thē & when thou openeste the utter gayte, see the innatre gayte shytte, for french men by this mean, took Moelā, for .iiii. traitors feigned, that they had brought Inglyshe men from the bartaylle of saint Denys, they opened the gaytes, and were dysceyued,  
Item many men will consider and counsel diverse, and great things, to be attempted, be not swift to fololwe their counsel.  
Item some be ignorant, and dread no pareylle.  
Item some will persuade, and counsel great things to be done, that they may be taken, and thought cowragyous, the which in effect be of noo courage, Hi in bello extremi.  
Item let him beware, that none of his host haue to great familyarytie with his enemies for fear of treason.  
Item when he will battle let it be secretly done, that the guyders know it not, and let the gaytes be fast shytte before he cause men to put them in arms, also let men be set to keep diligentelie the passages, out of the city, that none may go unto their enemies to show the preparations that is made against them, also when he shal come unto the field with his ennemyes to fight, let him take away contrary unto that way, which might be thought he would take, and after he hath gone .ii. or .iii. miles, in that way, let him return unto the way, which was first thought, that he would haue taken, but let him take good counsel hede, that neither the guides, nor other of his company know whether he will go unto the tymethat they be in the feylde.  
Item yf any of the carriages or guides of the waynes come in to the town let it be seen that, at their coming in, one of the yares be shit,  
Item yf it fortune any of the sowldyers to be hurt, or wounded in battle or elles out of the battle, let the princes or their ministers see the medicine be ministered unto them in dew order let them be visited and gentellye entreated with good and soft words, and let thē neither lack phesicyon nor surgyon for these said things do encourage and nourish the hartes of warryers, and make them strong and willing to fight,  
Item it behoveth a prince to make good search and to know which of his company be most diligent valiant and taught in feats of war, and of them make most and to nourish them with great liberalyte according to their merites, for the lyberalite of a prince causeth his company to be diligent, and also multeplyeth and increaseth the same  
Item it appertaineth to a prince to forbid that none of his company intend conflycte or to go out of his host without licence of their capitains.  
Item many other things might be rehearsed, whereby enemies might be constrained and repressed, but take this for a general conclusion, that the effect of battle consystethe and standeth in .iii. things, that is to say in the abundance of money, in good order put and kept, and in following the counsel and advertisement of wise and expert warryers.   

¶ To pacify the sedition of sowldyours.  
Wan A. Manlius consul, had perceived, that his sowdiours grudged against the men of Campania, where they were now lodged, conspyrynge together to slay their hostes, and after to take away their goods, he spread abroad this ruinour, that they should lie there still all the winter, and thus they of their purpose let and dysturbed, he delivered Campania from great peril, and as time and occasion served, punished them that were causers of that sedition.  
What time the legyons of the romans were furyousely sent and bent on perilous sedytion, Lucius Sylla restored them from their rage unto a quietenes by this policy: He commanded, that word should be brought hastily to the host, that their enemies were at hand, and that they should raise up a cry, and call them to harneys, and blow up the trumpets, whereby he broke of the seditron, they all together consenting as need required, against their enemies.  
What time Pompeius host had slain the Senatoures of Millan, for fear of trouble and business, that might haue happened, yf he should haue called the offenders alone to examination, he sent for them all together, as well for the fautlesse, as the guilty, so that they seemed to be sent for, for some other purpose and therfore appeared they that were fautye, with less fear, because they came not alone: and they, whose conscience pleaded them not guilty, gave good attendance, to keep them that were fautie, lest peradventure their escape and flight, might haue turned thē to displeasure.    

❧ Imprinted at London in saint Andrews parish beside Baynards castle by Thomas Raynold and William hill.