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in necessitie The Emporiall lawe ordeineth that a Capteine
ought to exercyse his soldiers when leysr srueth: ffor a man
longe nourished in Idlenes doothe channge his valianncie got:
ten by discipline. Vigetio in an other place saith The
knowledge of Armes is kepte by often exercyse and more
helpeth the vse of fighte then fortitude, wch disused from
armes, differeth not from effeminacie. St Jerome saith
the bodie accustomed to delicate garments doth vnwillinglie
weare the weightie Corslett. ffor thease respects the vn:
skillfull sholde eschue the conflicte, wherto his members wolde
have bene framed. ffor who so hath his weake bones covered
wth tender flesh, enconntred wth an olde soldier, shall easelie
be oppressed. He ought therfore to be so vsed to armes, that
either armed or disarmed, he may finde him self wieldie and
dispozed. Tullius writeth that the soldier vnexercysed in
armes, placed in [quadron?], sheweth him selfe like a woman
St Jerome saith that the good soldier muste ever seeke
occasion wherby he maye declare the magnaminitie of
his minde, and he yf seeketh rewardes therof, let him
shewe his hurtes for an ornamente. Quintilliano af:
firmeth that the good soldier never refuzeth the heates
of sommer, nor seeketh the furred garmente to defende the
winters coulde: Such therfore as are nursed in delicacies
cannot indure the weightie armour, and they yf have not
shed the blood of their bodeis by gevinge & receavinge gre:
vous wondes, yt is not likely that at their handes, victorie
is to be looked for, but only thorough the grace of the
almightie powre, and not their owne virtue, Suche there
fore as are to fighte for life, a longe time is geven to pve [prove]
the listes, and wth other men at armes to practize them
selues, and in suche exercyses to prepare the witte, dispose
their force, encorage the minde, make apte eache member,
and by experte counsell to forsee the deceipt of thennemie
wch Solomon in his proverbs allowth sainge, counsell is need:
full in battell. Also Seneca saith that longe preparation
to fighte giveth a firme hope of desired victorie. It is
then needfull to prepare discreetlie to learne to furnish
both man and horse of armes both offensive and defensive
needefull to the offence of the ennemie, nor in anye wise