,
Fishers, Cookes, baudes, nor none that use any science of
voluptuousnesse. But thei will, that there bee taken Plowmen, Ferrars,
Smithes, Carpenters, Buchars, Hunters, and soche like: but I would make
little difference, through conjecture of the science, concernyng the
goodnesse of the man, notwithstandyng, in as moche as to be able with
more profite to use theim, I would make difference, and for this cause,
the countrie men, which are used to till the grounde, are more
profitable then any other. Next to whom be Smithes, Carpentars, Ferrars,
Masons, wherof it is profitable to have enough: for that their
occupacions, serve well in many thynges: beyng a thyng verie good to
have a souldiour, of whom maie be had double servise.

[Sidenote: Howe to chose a souldiour.]

COSIMO. Wherby doe thei knowe those, that be, or are not sufficient to
serve.

FABRICIO. I will speake of the maner of chusing a new ordinaunce, to
make an armie after, for that parte of this matter, doeth come also to
be reasoned of, in the election, which should be made for the
replenishing, or restoring of an old ordinaunce. I saie therfore, that
the goodnesse of one, whiche thou muste chuse for a Souldiour, is knowen
either by experience, thorough meane of some of his worthy doynges, or
by conjecture. The proofe of vertue, cannot be founde in men whiche are
chosen of newe, and whiche never afore have ben chosen, and of these are
founde either fewe or none, in the ordinaunce that of newe is ordeined.
It is necessarie therefore, lackyng this experience, to runne to the
conjecture, whiche is taken by the yeres, by the occupacion, and by the
personage: of those two first, hath been reasoned, there remaineth to
speake of the thirde. And therefore, I saie how some have willed, that
the souldiour bee greate, emongest whom was Pirrus. Some other have
chosen theim onely, by the lustinesse of the body, as Cesar did: whiche
lustinesse of bodie and mynde, is conjectured by the composicion of the
members, and of the grace of the countenaunce: and therefore, these that
write saie, that thei would have the iyes lively and cherefull, the
necke full of sinowes, the breaste large, the armes full of musculles,
the fingers long, little beallie, the flankes rounde, the legges and
feete drie: whiche partes are wont alwayes to make a manne nimble and
strong, whiche are twoo thynges, that in a souldiour are sought above al
other. Regarde ought to bee had above all thynges, t