prudente men and not hardy, the colde, hardy, and not prudente. This
rule is good to be geven, to one that were prince of all the world,
bicause it is lawfull for him to choose men out of those places, whiche
he shall thinke beste. But minding to give a rule, that every one may
use, it is mete to declare, that everie common weale, and every
kingdome, ought to choose their souldiours out of their owne countrie,
whether it be hote, colde, or temperate: for that it is scene by olde
ensamples, how that in every countrie with exercise, their is made good
souldiours: bicause where nature lacketh, the industry supplieth, the
which in this case is worthe more, then nature, and taking them in other
places, you shal not have of the choise, for choise is as much to saie,
as the best of a province, and to have power to chuse those that will
not, as well as those that wil serve. Wherfore, you muste take your
choise in those places, that are subjecte unto you, for that you cannot
take whome you liste, in the countries that are not yours, but you muste
take suche as will goe with you.

COSIMO. Yet there maie bee of those, that will come, taken and lefte,
and therefore, thei maie be called chosen.

[Sidenote: Oute of what Countrie is best to chuse Souldiours to make a
good election.]

FABUICIO. You saie the truthe in a certaine maner, but consider the
faultes, whiche soche a chosen manne hath in himselfe, for that also
many times it hapneth, that he is not a chosen manne. For those that are
not thy subjectes, and whiche willyngly doe serve, are not of the beste,
but rather of the worste of a Province, for as moche as if any be
sclanderous, idell, unruly, without Religion, fugetive from the rule of
their fathers, blasphemours, Dise plaiers, in every condicion evill
brought up, bee those, whiche will serve, whose customes cannot be more
contrarie, to a true and good servise: Albeit, when there bee offered
unto you, so many of soche men, as come to above the nomber, that you
have appoincted, you maie chuse them: but the matter beyng naught, the
choise is not possible to be good: also, many times it chaunceth, that
thei be not so many, as will make up the nomber, whereof you have nede,
so that beyng constrained to take them al, it commeth to passe, that
thei cannot then bee called chosen men, but hired Souldiours. With this
disorder the armies of Italie, are made now a daies, and in other
places, except in Almaine, bicause there thei do