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victorie or mysfortune consiste in the howres to have iustice
or the contrarye, though from God proceedeth the seconde
causes, and therby do channge the influence of the plannets
to the good or evell of them that fighte. But yf the allmigh:
tie powre of God dooth not deale herein: Then victorie
consisteth only in constellacion and their motions, wch are to be
vnderstoode, because the mindes of men doe alter wth decrease
and increase of force, at the howres predestined. And
theruppon Onessandro in his booke of the good Emperor
saithe, In battells it is necessarie to have astronomers
to knowe the good howres and minuts disposed to good or
evell, so the execution maye be performed in time, for wch
cause victorie in battell is doubtfull thorough the channge
of fortune, and sometimes thorough the vnluckines of one of
the fighters, and sometimes thorough a guiltie conscience
wherby courage abateth and strength diminisheth, yea sometime
thoroughe force or weaknes, and moste of all thoroughe
suspicioun to be overcome, as the proverb saithe, Suspicion
loseth the game, and somme thorough coniecture, because
before time his ennemie hath had the aduanntage, sometimes
thoroughe dysdaine or to muche assurannce, and so thorough
recklessnes become victored, otherwhiles thorough to muche
pride and sometimes by esteminge a companion to much, the
daye is loste. Somme are more disposed for battell then
others, some are borne vnder Mars, and somme vnder
Jupiter. All theas reasons are to be oberued, because
they helpe or hinder victorie. But when fortune cour:
age or the disposition of the heavens are all equall, dout:
les he remaineth victorious, that wth moste iustice en:
treth battell, for God disposeth him to receave victorie
though in manie places of the scripture, we finde yt
dyvers knights vnder the annsignes of Iustice, have
loste the battell, yet all victorie proceedeth from God
as in the next chapter yowe shall perceave.