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Page:MS V.b.104 018v.png
to presume of his owne force further then reason and wysedome wolde
ffor [Ægesoippo?] writinge of the Iewish warrs saith that wise:
dome in the vse of armes is of great importannce, but fortitude
wthout wisedome is meere rashnes. A man muste therfore be
well practized before he commeth to the vuse of his sworde, putting
of all feare and vilitie of minde, for saith Solomon in his pro:
verbs, feare is cause of ouerthrowinge, and Saluste saith, he
receaveth moste harme in fighte that moste doothe feare, for
hardiness is a defence for the fighter, Also Seneca in his
tragedies writeth that fearefullnes in battell is worse
then the battell it selfe. Wherfore concludinge I saye, that
wth fortitude and wisedome, all perilous enterprises are
to be begon and ended, neither muste a souldier so chardge
him selfe wth armour as his bodie be combred, that rather
by his owne armes then his ennemies he becommeth vanqui:
shed, we reade that Dauid goinge to assaile Goliah the
giante, he disburthened him selfe of his corslett, sayennge, the
same did rather hinder then helpe him, and so fightinge dis:
armed he became victorious. The whole bodie therfore
wolde accordinge to the opinion of Plato and Tullie be ar:
med wth an invinsible minde, fightinge alwaies in hope
of devine iustice, and esteminge thennemie, wiselie to
foresee his subtletie, and firmelie to truste at the ende
thoroughe a valiant minde to obteine victorie wthout
doubte or dispaire of evill successe, and thus from time
to time to releive his force in fighte, and at the laste
so shall remaine wth victorie.
How particular Combatts ni certeine places & times be forbidden