hat parte, whiche is
betwene the water, that is stilleste, and the water that runneth
fastest, there is least depth and it is a place more meete to be looked
on, then any other where. For that alwaies in thesame place, the river
is moste shallowest. The whiche thyng, bicause it hath been proved many
tymes, is moste true.

ZANOBI. If it chaunce that the River hath marde the Foorde, so that the
horses sincke, what reamedy have you?

[Sidenote: Howe to escape oute of a straight where the same is besette
with enemies; Howe Lutius Minutius escaped out of a strayght wherin he
was inclosed of his enemies; Howe some Capitaynes have suffered them
selves to be compassed aboute of their enemies; A polecie of Marcus
Antonius; A defence for the shotte of arrowes.]

FABRICIO. The remedie is to make hardels of roddes whiche must be placed
in the bottome of the river, and so to passe upon those: but let us
folowe our reasonyng. If it happen that a capitain be led with his
armie, betwen two hilles, and that he have not but twoo waies to save
hymself, either that before, or that behinde, and those beyng beset of
thenemies, he hath for remidie to doe the same, which some have doen
heretofore: that which have made on their hinder parte a greate trenche,
difficult to passe over, and semed to the enemie, to mynde to kepe him
of, for to be able with al his power, without neding to feare behinde,
to make force that waie, whiche before remaineth open. The whiche the
enemies belevyng, have made theim selves stronge, towardes the open
parte, and have forsaken the inclosed and he then castyng a bridge of
woode over the Trenche, for soche an effect prepared, bothe on thesame
parte, with out any impedimente hath passed, and also delivered hymself
out of the handes of the enemie. Lucius Minutus a Consul of Rome, was in
Liguria with an armie, and was of the enemies inclosed, betwene certaine
hilles, whereby he could not go out: therefore he sente certaine
souldiours of Numidia on horsebacke, whiche he had in his armie (whom
were evill armed, and upon little leane horses) towardes the places that
were kepte of the enemies, whom at the first sight made the enemies, to
order theim selves together, to defende the passage: but after that thei
sawe those men ill apoincted, and accordyng to their facion evill
horsed, regardyng theim little, enlarged the orders of their warde,
wherof so sone as the Numidians wer a ware, givyng the spurres to their
horses,