t growe exceadyng many excellente menne. And so likewise
in Fraunce, and in Spaine: but that vertue, whiche the writers did not
celebrate in particuler menne, thei celebrated generally in the people,
where thei exalte to the starres, the obstinatenesse that was in them,
to defende their libertie. Beyng then true, that where bee moste
dominions, there riseth moste valiaunt menne, it foloweth of necessitie,
that extinguishyng those, vertue is extincte straighte waie, the
occasion decaiyng, whiche maketh menne vertuous. Therefore, the Romaine
Empire beyng after increased, and havyng extinguished all the common
weales, and Princedomes of Europe, and of Afrike, and for the moste part
those of Asia, it lefte not any waie to vertue, excepte Rome: whereby
grewe, that vertuous menne began to be as fewe in Europe, as in Asia:
the whiche vertue, came after to the laste caste: For as moche, as all
the vertue beyng reduced to Roome, so sone as thesame was corrupted,
almoste all the worlde came to bee corrupted: and the Scithian people,
were able to come to spoile thesame Empire, the whiche had extinguished
the vertue of other, and knewe not howe to maintaine their owne: and
after, although through the inundacion of those barberous nacions,
thesame Empire was devided into many partes, this vertue is not renued:

[Sidenote: The causes why the aunciente orders are neclected.]

The one cause is, for that it greveth theim moche, to take againe the
orders when thei are marde, the other, bicause the maner of livyng now
adaies, having respect to the Christian religion, commaundeth not
thesame necessitie to menne, to defende themselves, whiche in olde tyme
was: for that then, the menne overcome in warre, either were killed, or
remained perpetuall slaves, where thei led their lives moste miserably:
The tounes overcome, either were rased, or the inhabiters thereof driven
out, their goodes taken awaie, sent dispersed through the worlde: so
that the vanquished in warre, suffered all extreme miserie: of this
feare, men beyng made afraied, thei wer driven to kepe lively the
warlike exercises, and thei honoured soche as were excellente in theim:
But nowe adaies, this feare for the moste part is not regarded: of those
that are overcom, fewe bee killed, none is kepte longe in prison: for
that with facelitie, thei are sette at libertie: the citees also, whiche
a thousande tymes have rebelled, are not destroied, the men wherof, are
let a lone with thei