make evill effectes. Yet I saie not for all this, that it cannot bee
overcome, for that full many tymes, were overcome the Romaine armies,
and the armie of Aniball was overcome, so that it is seen, that an armie
cannot be ordained so sure, that it cannot be overthrowen. Therefore,
these your wise men, ought not to measure this unprofitablenesse, for
havyng loste ones, but to beleve, that like as thei lese, so thei maie
winne, and remeadie the occasion of the losse: and when thei shall seke
this thei shall finde, that it hath not been through faulte of the waie,
but of the order, whiche had not his perfeccion and as I have saied,
thei ought to provide, not with blamyng the order, but with redressing
it, the whiche how it ought to be doen, you shall understande, from
poinct to poinct. Concernyng the doubte, leste soche ordinaunces, take
not from thee thy state, by meane of one, whiche is made hedde therof, I
answere, that the armure on the backes of citezeins, or subjectes, given
by the disposicion of order and lawe, did never harme, but rather
alwaies it doeth good, and mainteineth the citee, moche lenger in
suretie, through helpe of this armure, then without. Rome continued free
CCCC. yeres, and was armed. Sparta viii.C. Many other citees have been
disarmed, and have remained free, lesse then xl. For as moche as citees
have nede of defence, and when thei have no defence of their owne, thei
hire straungers, and the straunges defence, shall hurte moche soner the
common weale, then their owne: bicause thei be moche easier to be
corrupted, and a citezein that becommeth mightie, maie moche soner
usurpe, and more easely bryng his purpose to passe, where the people bee
disarmed, that he seketh to oppresse: besides this, a citee ought to
feare a greate deale more, twoo enemies then one. Thesame citee that
useth straungers power, feareth at one instant the straunger, whiche it
hireth, and the Citezein: and whether this feare ought to be, remember
thesame, whiche I rehearsed a little a fore of Frances Sforza. That
citee, whiche useth her own proper power, feareth no man, other then