o unto yong men it is pleasaunt.
Concernyng to bee able to paie the lesse nomber, and for this to kepe
theim more obediente, and more contented, I answere, how there cannot be
made an ordinaunce of so fewe, whiche maie be in maner continually
paied, where thesame paiment of theirs maie satisfie them. As for
ensample, if there were ordeined a power of v. thousande men, for to
paie them after soche sorte, that it might be thought sufficient, to
content them, it shal bee convenient to give theim at least, ten
thousaunde crounes the moneth: first, this nomber of men are not able to
make an armie, this paie is intolerable to a state, and of the other
side, it is not sufficiente to kepe men contented, and bounde to be able
to serve at al times: so that in doyng this, there shall be spent moche,
and a small power kept, whiche shall not be sufficient to defend thee,
or to doe any enterprise of thine. If thou shouldest give theim more, or
shouldest take more, so moche more impossibilitie it should be, for thee
to paie theim: if thou shouldest give them lesse, or should take lesse,
so moche the lesse contentacion should be in them, or so moche the lesse
profite thei shal bring thee. Therfore, those that reason of makyng an
ordinaunce, and whilest thei tary at home to paie them, thei reason of a
thing either impossible, or unprofitable, but it is necessarie to paie
them, when thei are taken up to be led to the warre: albeit, though
soche order should somewhat disease those, in time of peace, that are
appoincted in thesame, which I se not how, there is for recompence all
those benefites, whiche a power brynges, that is ordeined in a countrie:
for that without thesame, there is nothyng sure. I conclude, that he
that will have the little nomber, to be able to paie them, or for any of
the other causes alledged of you, doeth not understande, for that also
it maketh for my opinion, that every nomber shall deminishe in thy
handes, through infinite impedimentes, whiche men have: so that the
little nomber shall tourne to nothing: again havyng thordinaunce greate,
thou maiest at thy pleasure use fewe of many, besides this, it must
serve thee in deede, and in reputacion and alwaies the great nomber
shall give thee moste reputacion. More over, makyng the ordinaunce to
kepe menne exercised, if thou appoincte a fewe nomber of men in many
countries, the handes of men bee so farre a sonder, the one from the
other, that thou canst not without their