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honnor. And they yt are in defence of the common weale & con:
tinuallie in armes have a dignitie as a deserte most honnorable as
it appeareth by manie examples and cheiflie of the Romaines
who refuzed no death for their contrie.Vigetio de re militare
saith that soldiers are to be rewarded wth honnor, as men more
worthie then such as continue in Idlenes voide of that virtue &
such like. Soldiers are allowed manie priviledges in all books of
lawe, wch gent only by their birthe have not vnles they have
exercised armes. The exercise of armes is of such exellencie
as none but gent borne are compelled to make profession therof
wch nobilitie, the rurall sorte may by longe practize in warrs
attaine vnto, but otherwise they are refuzed, and shall growe to
nobilite by degrees, from time to time aduaunsinge them selues
first from lacqueis to seruaunts, after to weare armour, & so becom
men at armes, to whom shalbe geven armours weapon and horse
ffor his former virtue approued, he shall have chardge of others
and conducte. Then shall they weare a Cimero in their helmetts
in signe of honnor, therwthall they are crowned and marked in to:
ken of their virtue, they are also made noble and placed emongest
the greater nomber of men at armes. And for such virtue
shall the vilitie of their forefathers be wiped owte, and they be:
come noble, because they are in office to defende the common weale
and companions to Princes, who allwaies doe call soldiers
companions in armes. The honnor of armes is so great, yt
themperor is called a man at armes or a knight. The honnor
of armes is so great also, that an Emperor kinge or Prince
that hath the hiest degree in honnor, the more worthie he be in
this exercise, the more he is reputed worthie his Empire king:
dome or governmnete, ffrom them doe pceede all worldlie dignities
as Rivers from the Seae, and as manie rivers met together
maketh a Seae, so honnor ioyned to honnor maketh a man most
noble. All dignities & honnor ought to be for virtue, & not
nobilitie alone, wch is approued in kinge Dauid and kinge
Saule who were shepherdes & after for their virtue became
kings. And yf they had not bene geven to virtue martiall
God wolde not have them appointed for kings. Auntient
soldiers by the Ciuile lawe sholde be entreated as gent, & for
offence committed in the warrs, sholde be punished as gentlemen
& not as common men. In time of peace, beinge olde soldiers
they maye not be emploied in any vile seruis, but intreated as
gent, and (as the lawe willeth) honnored accordinglie. Bartho:
lo saith that a man of base birth havinge serued in the warrs