and runnyng violently upon theim, passed before thei could
provide any remedy, whom beyng passed, destroied and spoiled the
countrie after soche sorte, that thei constrained the enemies, to leave
the passage free to the armie of Lucius. Some capitaine, whiche hath
perceived hymself to be assaulted of a greate multitude of enemies, hath
drawen together his men, and hath given to the enemie commoditie, to
compasse hym all about, and then on thesame part, whiche he hath
perceived to be moste weake, hath made force, and by thesame waie, hath
caused to make waie, and saved hymself.

Marcus Antonius retiryng before the armie of the Parthians, perceived
how the enemies every daie before Sunne risyng, when he removed,
assaulted him, and all the waie troubled hym: in so moch, that he
determined not to departe the nexte daie, before None: so that the
Parthians beleving, that he would not remove that daie, retourned to
their tentes. Whereby Marcus Antonius might then all the reste of the
daie, marche without any disquietnesse. This self same man for to avoide
the arrowes of the Parthians, commaunded his men, that when the
Parthians came towardes them, thei should knele, and that the second
ranke of the battailes, should cover with their Targaettes, the heddes
of the firste, the thirde, the seconde, the fowerth the third, and so
successively, that all the armie came, to be as it were under a
pentehouse, and defended from the shotte of the enemies. This is as
moche as is come into my remembraunce, to tell you, which maie happen
unto an armie marchyng: therefore, if you remember not any thyng els, I
will passe to an other parte.

THE SIXTHE BOOKE

ZANOBI. I beleve that it is good, seyng the reasonyng must be chaunged,
that Baptiste take his office, and I to resigne myne, and wee shall come
in this case, to imitate the good Capitaines (accordyng as I have nowe
here understoode of the gentilman) who place the beste souldiours,
before and behinde the armie, semyng unto theim necessarie to have
before, soche as maie lustely beginne the faight, and soche as behinde
maie lustely sustaine it. Now seyng Cosimus began this reasonyng
prudently, Baptiste prudently shall ende it. As for Luigi and I, have in
this middeste intertained it, and as every one of us hath taken his part
willingly, so I beleve not, that Baptiste wil refuse it.

BAPTISTE. I have let my self been governed hetherto, so I minde to doe
still. Therfore be contente