found more perilous men, then those, whiche make the
warre as their arte: bicause in such case, a king is inforsed either
alwaies to make warre, or to paie them alwaies, or else to bee in
perill, that they take not from him his kingdome. To make warre alwaies,
it is not possible: to paie them alwaies it can not be: see that of
necessitie, he runneth in peril to lese the state. The Romaines (as I
have saide) so long as they were wise and good, would never permitte,
that their Citizeins should take this exercise for their arte, although
they were able to nurrishe them therin alwaies, for that that alwaies
they made warre: but to avoide thesame hurte, whiche this continuall
exercise might doe them, seyng the time did not varie, they changed the
men, and from time to time toke such order with their legions, that in
xv. yeres alwaies, they renewed them: and so thei had their men in the
floure of their age, that is from xviij. to xxxiij. yeres, in which time
the legges, the handes, and the yes answere the one the other, nor thei
tarried not till there strengthe should decaie, and there naghtines
increase, as it did after in the corrupted times. For as muche as
Octavian first, and after Tiberius, minding more their own proper power,
then the publicke profite, began to unarme the Romaine people, to be
able easely to commaunde them, and to kepe continually those same armies
on the frontries of the Empire: and bicause also they judged those, not
sufficient to kepe brideled the people and Romaine Senate, they ordeined
an armie called Pretoriano, which laie harde by the walles of Rome, and
was as a rocke on the backe of the same Citie. And for as much as then
thei began frely to permitte, that suche men as were apoincted in suche
exercises, should use the service of warre for their arte, streight waie
the insolence of theim grewe, that they became fearful unto the Senate,
and hurtefull to the Emperour, whereby ensued suche harme, that manie
were slaine thorough there insolensie: for that they gave, and toke
awaie the Empire, to whome they thought good. And some while it hapned,
that in one self time there were manie Emperours, created of divers
armies, of whiche thinges proceded first the devision of the Empire, and
at laste the ruine of the same. Therefore kinges ought, if thei wil live
safely, to have there souldiours made of men, who when it is time to
make warre, willingly for his love will go to the same, and when the
peace come