, or quantity of
money, to bring into the field a compleat armie, and joyn battel with
whoever comes to assail them: and so I think those alwaies to stand in
need of others help, who are not able to appear in the field against the
enemy, but are forc'd to retire within their walls and guard them.
Touching the first case, we have treated already, and shall adde somwhat
thereto as occasion shall require. In the second case, we cannot say
other, save only to encourage such Princes to fortifie and guard their
own Capital city, and of the countrey about, not to hold much account;
and whoever shall have well fortified that town, and touching other
matters of governments shall have behaved himself towards his subjects,
as hath been formerly said, and hereafter shall be, shall never be
assaild but with great regard; for men willingly undertake not
enterprises, where they see difficulty to work them through; nor can
much facility be there found, where one assails him, who hath his town
strong and wel guarded, and is not hated of his people. The cities of
Germany are very free; they have but very little of the countrey about
them belonging to them; and they obey the Emperor, when they please, and
they stand not in fear, neither of him nor any other Potentate about
them: for they are in such a manner fortified, that every one thinks the
siege of any of them would prove hard and tedious: for all of them have
ditches, and rampires, and good store of Artillery, and alwaies have
their publick cellars well provided with meat and drink and firing for a
yeer: besides this, whereby to feed the common people, and without any
loss to the publick, they have alwaies in common whereby they are able
for a year to imploy them in the labor of those trades that are the
sinews and the life of that city, and of that industry whereby the
commons ordinarily supported themselves: they hold up also the military
exercises in repute, and hereupon have they many orders to maintain
them. A Prince then that is master of a good strong city, and causeth
not himself to be hated, cannot be assaulted; and in case he were, he
that should assail him, would be fain to quit him with shame: for the
affairs of the world are so various, that it is almost impossible that
an army can lie incampt before a town for the space of a whole yeer: and
if any should reply, that the people having their possessions abroad, in
case they should see them a fire, would not have patience,