barre, or in wrestlyng: and these three qualities, be as it were
necessarie in souldiours. For that swiftnesse, maketh theim apte to
possesse places, before the enemie, and to come to them unloked for, and
at unwares to pursue them, when thei are discomfaicted: the readinesse,
maketh theim apte to avoide a blowe, to leape over a diche, to winne a
banke: strength, maketh them the better able to beare their armours, to
incounter the enemie, to withstande a violence. And above all, to make
the bodie the more apte to take paines, thei used to beare greate
burthens, the whiche custome is necessarie: for that in difficulte
expedicions it is requisite many tymes, that the souldiour beside his
armours, beare vitualles for many daies, and if he were not accustomed
to this labour, he could not dooe it: and without this, there can
neither bee avoided a perill, nor a victorie gotten with fame.
Concernyng to learne how to handell the weapons, thei exercised theim,
in this maner: thei would have the yong menne, to put on armour, whiche
should waie twise as moche, as their field armour, and in stede of a
swearde, thei gave them a cudgell leaded, whiche in comparison of a
verie swearde in deede, was moste heavie; thei made for every one of
them, a poste to be set up in the ground, which should be in height twoo
yardes and a quarter, and in soche maner, and so strong, that the blowes
should not slur nor hurle it doune, against the whiche poste, the yong
man with a targaet, and with the cudgell, as against an enemie did
exercise, and some whiles he stroke, as though he would hurte the hedde,
or the face, somewhile he retired backe, an other while he made
forewarde: and thei had in this exercise, this advertisment, to make
theim apt to cover theim selves, and to hurte the enemie: and havyng the
counterfaight armours moste heavy, their ordinarie armours semed after
unto them more lighter. The Romanies, would that their souldiours should
hurte with the pricke, and not with the cutte, as well bicause the
pricke is more mortalle, and hath lesse defence, as also to thentent