If, therefore, yourillustrioushousewishestofollowtheseremarkablemenwhohaveredeemedtheircountry, itisnecessarybeforeallthings, asatruefoundationforeveryenterprise, tobeprovidedwithyourownforces, becausetherecanbenomorefaithful, truer, , altogethertheywillbemuchbetterwhentheyfindthemselvescommandedbytheirprince, honouredbyhim, , sothatyoucanbedefendedagainstforeignersbyItalianvalour.
AndalthoughSwissandSpanishinfantrymaybeconsideredveryformidable, neverthelessthereisadefectinboth, byreasonofwhichathirdorderwouldnotonlybeabletoopposethem, , , ashasbeenandmayagainbeseen, theSpaniardsareunabletoresistFrenchcavalry, , neverthelesstherewassomeevidenceofitatthebattleofRavenna, whentheSpanishinfantrywereconfrontedbyGermanbattalions, whofollowthesametacticsastheSwiss; whentheSpaniards, byagilityofbodyandwiththeaidoftheirshields, gotinunderthepikesoftheGermansandstoodoutofdanger, abletoattack, whiletheGermansstoodhelpless, and, ifthecavalryhadnotdashedup, , therefore, knowingthedefectsofboththeseinfantries, toinventanewone, whichwillresistcavalryandnotbeafraidofinfantry; thisneednotcreateaneworderofarms, .
Thisopportunity, therefore, , withwhatthirstforrevenge, withwhatstubbornfaith, withwhatdevotion, ? Whowouldrefuseobediencetohim? Whatenvywouldhinderhim? WhatItalianwouldrefusehimhomage? , therefore, yourillustrioushousetakeupthischargewiththatcourageandhopewithwhichalljustenterprisesareundertaken, sothatunderitsstandardournativecountrymaybeennobled, andunderitsauspicesmaybeverifiedthatsayingofPetrarch:
VirtucontroalFurorePrenderal'arme, efiailcombattercorto: Chel'anticovaloreNegliitalicicuornoneancormorto.
Virtueagainstfuryshalladvancethefight, Anditi' th' combatsoonshallputtoflight: FortheoldRomanvalourisnotdead, Norinth' Italians' brestsextinguished.
EdwardDacre, 1640.
[1].In1523GiulianowaselectedPope, andtookthetitleofClementVII.
[2]ThebattlesofIlTaro, 1495; Alessandria, 1499; Capua, 1501; Genoa, 1507; Vaila, 1509; Bologna, 1511; Mestri, 1513.
