their armoures, and their orders, could not over run it, without
their grevous hurt (those that defended it, being on horsebacke mooste
expedite) so that thei were to daie in one place, and to morowe distaunt
fiftie miles. Hereof it grewe, that the Parthians might prevaile with
their chivalrie onely, bothe to the ruine of the armie of Crassus, and
to the perill of thesame, of Marcus Antonius: but I (as I have told you)
doe not intende in this my reasonyng, to speake of the warfare out of
Europe, therfore I will stand upon thesame, whiche in times past, the
Romaines ordained, and the Grekes, and as the Duchemen doe now adaies.
But let us se to the other question of yours, where you desire to
understande, what order, or what naturall vertue makes, that the
footemen overcome the horsmen. And I saie unto you first that the horses
cannot go, as the footmen in every place: Thei are slower then the
footemen to obeie, when it is requisite to alter the order: for as
moche, as if it be nedefull, either goyng forward, to turne backwarde,
or tournyng backwarde, to go forwarde, or to move themselves standing
stil, or goyng to stand still, without doubt, the horsemen cannot dooe
it so redilie as the footemen: the horsemen cannot, being of some
violence, disordained, returne in their orders, but with difficultie,
although thesame violence cease, the whiche the footemen dooe moste
easely and quickly. Besides this, it happeneth many tymes, that a hardie
manne shall be upon a vile horse, and a coward upon a good, whereby it
foloweth, that this evill matchyng of stomackes, makes disorder. Nor no
man doeth marvell, that a bande of footemenne, susteineth all violence
of horse for that a horse is a beaste, that hath sence, and knoweth the
perilles, and with an ill will, will enter in them: and if you consider,
what force maketh theim go forwarde, and what holdeth them backwarde,
you shall se without doubt thesame to be greater, whiche kepeth them
backe, then that whiche maketh them go forwardes: For that the spurre
maketh theim go forwarde, and of the other side, either the swearde, or
the Pike, kepeth theim backe: so that it hath been seen by the olde, and
by the late experience, a bande of footemen to bee moste safe, ye,
invinsible for horses. And if you should argue to this, that the heate,
with whiche thei come, maketh theim more furious to incounter who that
would withstande them, and lesse to regard the Pike, then the spurre: I
saie, th