shadow, knowing how to occupy the spade, to make a diche, to carrie a
burden, and to bee without any deceite, and without malisiousnes. But in
this parte my opinion should be, that beyng two sortes of souldiours, on
foote, and on horsebacke, that those on foote, should be chosen out of
the countrie, and those on horseback, oute of the Cities.

[Sidenote: Of what age Souldiours ought to bee chosen.]

COSIMO. Of what age would you choose them?

FABRICIO. I would take them, when I had to make a newe armie, from xvii.
to xl. yeres: when it were made alredy, and I had to restore them, of
xvii. alwaies.

COSIMO. I doe not understonde well this distinction.

FABRICIO. I shall tell you: when I should ordaine an hooste to make
warre, where were no hooste alredy, it should be necessarie to chuse all
those men, which were most fitte and apte for the warre, so that they
were of servisable age, that I might bee able to instructe theim, as by
me shalbe declared: but when I would make my choise of menne in places,
where a powre were alredy prepared, for suppliyng of thesame, I would
take them of xvii. yeres: for as much as the other of more age be alredy
chosen and apoincted.

COSIMO. Then woulde you prepare a power like to those whiche is in our
countrie?

FABRICIO. Ye truly, it is so that I would arme them, Captaine them,
exercise and order them in a maner, whiche I cannot tell, if you have