242 ARMS NO MORE SECURE THAN SIR-NAMES. one one extraction, another another, one the near resemblance of name, another of arms, another an old worm-eaten patent, and the least of them, great-grandchild to some foreign king. When they came to sit down to dinner, my friend, instead of taking his place amongst them, retiring with most profound congees, entreated the company to excuse him, for having hitherto liv'd with them at the sawcy rate of a companion but being now better inform'd of their quality, he would begin to pay them the respect due to their birth and grandeur, and that it would ill become him to sit down among so many princes; and ended the farce with a thousand reproaches. Let us in God's name satisfie our selves with what our fathers were contented, and with what we are: we are great enough, if we rightly understand how to maintain it: let us not disown the fortune and condition of our ancestors and lay aside these ridiculous pretences, that can never be wanting to any one that has the impudence to alledge them. Arms have no more security, than sir-names. I bear azure powdered with trefoiles, or, with a lyons paw of the same armed gules in fesse. What privilege to continue particularly in my house and name? A son-in-law will transport it into another family; or some paltry purchaser will make them his first arms; there is nothing wherein there is more change and confusion. But this consideration leads me perforce into another subject. Let us pry a little narrowly into, and in God's name examine upon what foundation we erect this glory and reputation, for which the world is turn'd topsy turvy: wherein do we place this renown, that we hunt after with so great flagrancy, and through so many impediments, and so much trouble? It is in conclusion, Peter or William that carries it, takes it into his possession, and whom it only concerns. O what a valiant faculty is hope, that in a mortal subject, and in a moment makes nothing of usurping infinity and immensity, and of supplying her masters indigence at her pleasure with all things he can imagine, or desire! Nature has given us this passion for a pretty toy to play withal. And this Peter or William, what is it but a sound when all is done? or three or four dashes with a pen, so easie to be varied, that I would fain know to whom is to be attributed the glory of so many victories, to Guesquin, to Glesquin, or to Gueaquin? and yet there would be something of greater moment in the case, than in Lucian, that Sigma should serve Tau with a process for, Non levia, aut ludicra petuntur Præmia.-Æneid. lib. 12. The chase is there in very good earnest: the question is, which of these letters is to be rewarded for so many sieges, battels, wounds, imprisonments, and services done to the crown of France, by this famous constable. Nicholas Denisot never concern'd himself further than the letters of his 'name, of which he has altered the whole contexture to build up by anagram the count of Alsinois, whom he has celebrated with the utmost force and glory of his poetry, and painting. And the historian Suetonius could be satisfied with nothing he writ, unless it might redound to his own particular honour, which made him casheer his fathers sirname Lewis, to leave Tranquillus succesor to the reputation of his writings. Who would believe that captain Bayard should have no honour, but what he derives from Peter Terrail; and that Antonio Escalin should suffer himself to his face, to be robb'd of the honour of so many navigations and commands at sea and land by captain Paulin and the Baron de la Garde; these are injuries of the pen, common to a thousand people. How many are there in every family of the same name and sirname? and how many more in several families, ages, and countries? History tells us of three of the name of Socrates, of five Plato's, of eight Aristotles, of seven Xenophons, of twenty Demetrius's, and of twenty Theodores; and how many more she was not acquainted with we may imagine. Who hinders my groom from calling himself Pompey the Great? But after all, by what vertue, what authority, or what secret conveyances are there, that fix upon my deceased groom, or the other Pompey, who had his head cut off in Egypt, this glorious renown, and these so much honoured flourishes of the pen, so as to be of any advantage to them? Id cinerem, et manes credis curare sepultos?—Ænid. lib. 4. Can we believe the dead regard such things? What sense have the two colleagues of the greatest esteem amongst men? Epaminondas of this glorious verse, that has been so many ages current in his praise; Consiliis nostris laus est attrita Laconum: or Africanus of this other? A sole exoriente, supra Mootis Paludes No one can match the deeds that I have done. Survivers indeed tickle themselves with these praises, and by them incited to jealousie or desire, inconsiderately, and according to their own fancy, attribute to the dead those vertues themselves pretend to most: God knows how vainly flattering themselves, that they shall one day in turn be capable of the same characters: however Ad hæc se 244 A DESPERATE FOE MAY TURN UPON YOU. Erexit; causas discriminis, atque laboris Greek, Roman and Barbarian chiefs to these, So much more potent is the thirst of fame CHAP. XLVII.-OF THE INCERTAINTY OF OUR JUDGMENT. IT was well said of the poet, Επέων δὲ πολὺς νόμος ἔνθα καὶ ἐνθα.—Homer Iliad. 20. There is every where liberty of arguing enough, and enough to be said on both sides: for example, Vince Annibal', et non seppe usar' poi Ben la vittoriosa sua ventura.-Petrar. Son. 83. To make the best use of his victories. Such as would improve this argument, and condemn the oversight of our leaders in not pushing home the victory at Moncontour; or accuse the king of Spain of not knowing how to make his best use of the advantage he had against us at St. Quintin, may conclude these oversights to proceed from a soul already drunk with success, or from a courage, which being full, and overgorg'd with this beginning of good fortune, had lost the appetite of adding to it, already having enough to do to digest what it had taken in: he has his arms full, and can embrace no more: unworthy of the benefit conferr'd upon him, and the advantage she had put into his hands: for what utility does he reap from it, if notwithstanding he give his enemy respite to rally to recover his astonishment, and to make head against him? What hope is there that he will dare at another time to attack an enemy reunited, and recompos'd, and arm'd anew with spite and revenge, who did not dare to pursue him when routed, and unmann'd by fear? Dum fortuna calet, dum conficit omnia terror.-Lucret. l. 7. Whilst fortune's in the heat, and terror does More than the sharpest swords subdue their foes. But withal, what better opportunity can he expect, than that he has lost? 'Tis not here, as in fencing, where the most hits gain the prize : for so long as the enemy is on foot, the game is new to begin, and that is not to be call'd a victory, that puts not an end to the war. In the encounter where Cæsar had the worse, near to the city of Oricum, he reproach'd Pompey's souldiers, that he had been lost, had their general known how to overcome; and afterwards claw'd him away in turn. But why may not a man also argue on the contrary, that it is the effect of a precipitous, and insatiate spirit, not to know how to bound, and restrain its ardour: that it is to abuse the favours of God to exceed the measure he has prescrib'd them: and that again to throw a mans self into danger, after a victory obtain'd, is again to expose himself to the mercy of fortune: an that it is one of the greatest discretions in the rule of war, not to drive an enemy to despair. Sylla and Marius in the associate war having defeated the Marsians; seeing yet a body of reserve, that prompted by despair, was coming on like enraged brutes to charge in upon them, thought it not convenient to stand their charge. Had not Monsieur de Foix his ardour transported him so precipitously to pursue the remains of the victory of Ravenna, he had not obscur'd it by his own death. And yet the recent memory of his examples serv'd to preserve Monsieur d' Anguien from the same misfortune at the battel of Serisoles. 'Tis dangerous to attack a man you have depriv'd of all means to escape, but by his arms: for necessity teaches violent resolutions: "Gravissimi sunt morsus irritatæ necessitatis."-Port. Lat. in Decla. "enrag'd necessity bites deep." Vincitur haud gratis jugulo qui provocat hostem. Luc. lib. 4. Mayes Luc. The foe that meets the sword ne'er gratis dies. This was it that made Pharax withhold the king of Lacedæmon, who had won a battel of the Mantineans, from going to charge a thousand Argians, who were escap'd in an entire body from the defeat; but rather let them steal off at liberty, that he might not encounter valour whetted and enrag'd by mischance, Clodomire King of Aquitaine, after his victory pursuing Gondemar, King of Burgundy, beaten, and making off as fast as he could for safety, compell'd him to face about, and make head, wherein his obstinacy depriv'd him of the fruit of his conquest, for he there lost his life. In like manner, if a man were to chuse, whether he would have his souldiers Ainquant, and richly accoutred with damaskt arms, or arm'd only for necessary defence; this argument would step in, in favour of the first (of which opinion was Sertorius, Philopomen, Brutus, Cæsar, and others) that it is to a soldier an enflaming of courage, and a spur to glory, to see himself brave, and withal an imitation to be more obstinate in fight, having his arms, which are in a manner his estate, and whole inheritance to defend, which is the reason (says Xenophon) why those of Asia, carried their wives, concubines, with their choicest jewels, and greatest wealth along with them to the wars. But then these arguments 246 PRESERVATION OF THE GENERAL IMPORTANT TO HIS MEN. would be as ready to stand up for the other side, that a general ought rather to render his men careless and desperate, than to encrease their solicitude of preserving themselves: that by this means they will be in a double fear of hazarding their persons; as it will be a double temptation to the enemy, to fight with greater resolution, where so great booty and so rich spoils are to be obtain'd: and this very thing has been observ'd in former times, notably to encourage the Romans against the Samnites. Antiochus shewing Hannibal the army he had raised wonderfully splendid, and rich in all sorts of equipage, askt him, if the Romans would be satisfied with that army? "Satisfied?" replied the other, "yes doubtless were their avarice never so great." Lycurgus not only forbad his souldiers all manner of bravery in their equipage, but moreover to strip their conquer'd enemies, because he would (as he said) that poverty, and frugality should shine with the rest of the battel. At sieges, and elsewhere, where occasion draws us near to the enemy, we willingly suffer our men to brave, rate, and affront the enemy with all sorts of injurious language; and not without some colour of reason for it is of no little consequence, to take from them all hopes of mercy, and composition, in representing to them, that there is no fair quarter to be expected from an enemy, they have incens'd to that degree, nor other remedy remaining but in the victory. And yet Vitellius found himself deceiv'd in this way of proceeding; for having to do with Otho, weaker in the valour of his souldiers, long unaccustomed to war, and effeminated with the delights of the city; he so nettled them at last with injurious language, reproaching them with cowardize, and the regret of the mistresses, and entertainments they had left behind at Rome, that by this means he inspir'd them with such resolution, as no exhortation had had the power to have done; and himself made them fall upon him, with whom their own captains before could by no means prevail. And indeed when they are injuries that touch to the quick, it may very well fall out, that he who went but ill-favour'dly to work in the behalf of his prince, will fall to't with another sort of mettle, when the quarrel is his own. To consider of how great importance is the preservation of the general of an army, and that the universal aim of an enemy is levell'd directly at the head, upon which all the others depend; the advice seems to admit of no dispute, which we know has been taken by so many great captains of changing their habit, and disguising their persons upon the point of going to engage. Nevertheless the inconvenience a man by so doing runs into, is not less than that he thinks to avoid : for the captain by this means being conceal'd from the knowledge of his own men, the courage they should derive from his presence and example, happens by degrees to cool and to decay; and not seeing the wonted marks, and ensigns of their leader, they presently conclude *As at the battle of Ivry, in the person of Henry the Great. |