he
time in shewing you howe that besides the foresayde thinges, it is
requisite to have provision of victualles, and wherewith to fight, for
that they be thinges that everye man underdeth, and without them, all
other provision is vaine: and generally twoo thinges oughte to be done,
to provide and to take the commoditie from the enemie that he availe not
by the things of thy countrey: therfore the straw, the beastes, the
graine, whiche thou canste not receive into house, ought to be
destroied. Also he that defendeth a Towne, oughte to provide that
nothing bee done tumultuouslye and disordinatelye, and to take suche
order, that in all accidentes everye man maye knowe what he hath to doo.

[Sidenote: What incoragethe the enemy most that besiegeth a toune; What
he that besiegeth and he that defendeth oughte to doo; Advertisementes
for a besieged towne; Howe the Romaines vitaled Casalino besieged of
Aniball; A policie for the besieged.]

The order that oughte to be taken is thus, that the women, the olde
folkes, the children, and the impotent, be made to keepe within doores,
that the Towne maye be left free, to yong and lustie men, whom being
armed, must be destributed for the defence of the same, appointing part
of them to the wall, parte to the gates, parte to the principall places
of the Citie, for to remedie those inconveniences, that might growe
within: an other parte must not be bound to any place, but be ready to
succour all, neede requiring: and the thing beeing ordained thus, with
difficultie tumulte can growe, whiche maye disorder thee. Also I will
that you note this, in the besieging and defending of a Citie, that
nothing geveth so muche hoope to the adversarye to be able to winne a
towne, as when he knoweth that the same is not accustomed to see the
enemie: for that many times for feare onely without other experience of
force, cities have bene loste: Therefore a man oughte, when he
assaulteth a like Citie, to make all his ostentacions terrible. On the
other parte he that is assaulted, oughte to appoincte to the same parte,
whiche the enemie fighteth againste, strong men and suche as opinion
makethe not afraide, but weapons onely: for that if the first proofe
turne vaine, it increaseth boldenesse to the besieged, and then the
enemie is constrained to overcome them within, with vertue and
reputacion. The instrumentes wherwith the antiquitie defended townes,
where manie: as balistes, onagris, scorpions, Arcubaliste