had wise Princes,
have not taken anie good order: and for havyng not had the same
necessitie, whiche the Spaniardes have hadde, they have not taken it of
theim selves, so that they remaine the shame of the worlde: and the
people be not to blame, but onely their princes, who have ben chastised,
and for their ignorance have ben justely punisshed, leesinge moste
shamefully their states, without shewing anie vertuous ensample. And if
you will see whether this that I say be trew: consider how manie warres
have ben in Italie since the departure of kyng Charles to this day,
where the war beyng wonte to make men warlyke and of reputacion, these
the greater and fierser that they have been, so muche the more they have
made the reputacion of the members and of the headdes therof to bee
loste. This proveth that it groweth, that the accustomed orders were not
nor bee not good, and of the newe orders, there is not anie whiche have
knowen how to take them. Nor never beleeve that reputacion will be
gotten, by the Italians weapons, but by the same waie that I have
shewed, and by means of theim, that have great states in Italie: for
that this forme maie be impressed in simple rude men, of their owne, and
not in malicious, ill brought up, and straungers. Nor there shall never
bee founde anie good mason, whiche will beleeve to be able to make a
faire image of a peece of Marbell ill hewed, but verye well of a rude
peece.

[Sidenote: A discription of the folishenesse of the Italian princes;
Cesar and Alexander, were the formoste in battell; The Venecians and the
duke of Ferare began to have reduced the warfare to the Aunciente
maners; He that despiseth the servis of warre, despiseth his own
welthe.]

Our Italian Princes beleved, before thei tasted the blowes of the
outlandishe warre, that it should suffice a Prince to knowe by
writynges, how to make a subtell answere, to write a goodly letter, to
shewe in saiynges, and in woordes, witte and promptenesse, to knowe how
to canvas a fraude, to decke theim selves with precious stones and gold,
to slepe and to eate with greater glorie then other: To keepe many
lascivious persones aboute them, to governe theim selves with their
subjectes, covetuously and proudely: To rotte in idlenesse, to give the
degrees of the exercise of warre, for good will, to despise if any
should have shewed them any laudable waie, minding that their wordes
should bee aunswers of oracles: nor the sely wretches were not a