ave the victorie: the other maketh thee more warie, and lesse apte to
be begyled. And thou hast to understand, that when men marche thoroughe
the enemies countrey, they ar in muche more, and greater perils, then in
fayghtyng the fielde: and therefore the Capitaine in marchyng, ought to
use double diligence: and the first thyng that he ought to doo, is to
get described, and payncted oute all the countrie, thorough the which he
must marche, so that he maye know the places, the number, the distances,
the waies, the hilles, the rivers, the fennes, and all the quallites of
them: and to cause this to bee knowen, it is convenient to have with him
diversly, and in sundrie maners such men, as know the places, and to
aske them with diligence, and to se whether their talke agree, and
accordyng to the agreyng therof, to note: he oughte also to sende afore
the horsemen, and with them prudente heddes, not so muche to discover
the enemie, as to viewe the countrey, to se whether it agree with the
description, and with the knowledge that they have of the same. Also the
guydes that are sente, ought to be kepte with hope of rewarde, and feare
of paine. And above all thynges it ought to be provided, that the armie
knowe not to what businesse he leadeth them: for that there is nothyng
in the warre more profitable, then to keepe secret the thynges that is
to be dooen: and to thintente a suddeine assaulte dooe not trouble thy
soldiours, thou oughteste to see them to stande reddie with their
weapons, because the thynges that ar provided for, offend lesse. Manie
for to avoyde the confusion of marchyng, have placed under the
standerde, the carriages, and the unarmed, and have commaunded them to
folow the same, to the intente that in marchyng needyng to staye, or to
retire, they might dooe it more easely, which thyng as profitable, I
alowe very muche. Also in marchyng, advertismente ought to be had, that
the one parte of the armie goe not a sunder from the other, or that
thoroughe some goyng fast, and some softe, the armie become not slender:
the whiche thynges, be occation of dissorder: therfore the heddes muste
be placed in suche wise, that they may maintaine the pace even, causing
to goe softe those that goe to fast, and to haste forward the other that
goe to sloe, the whiche pace can not bee better ruled, then by the
stroke of the drumme. The waies ought to be caused to be inlarged, so
that alwaies at least a bande of iiii. hundred men may march