lesse he should have been able to accomplishe this with the powers of
the lande: whereby thei ought to se that the weapons in the handes of
their Citezeins, could not make tirantes: but the naughtie orders of the
governement, whiche maketh tirannie in a citee, and thei havyng good
governement, thei nede not to feare their owne weapons: thei toke
therefore an unwise waie, the whiche hath been occasion, to take from
them moche glorie, and moche felicitie. Concernyng the erroure, whiche
the kyng of Fraunce committeth not kepyng instructed his people in the
warre, the whiche those your wise men alledge for ensample, there is no
man, (his particulare passions laied a side) that doeth not judge this
fault, to be in thesame kyngdome, and this negligence onely to make hym
weake. But I have made to greate a digression, and peradventure am come
out of my purpose, albeit I have doen it to aunswere you, and to shewe
you, that in no countrie, there can bee made sure foundacion, for
defence in other powers but of their owne subjectes: and their own
power, cannot be prepared otherwise, then by waie of an ordinaunce, nor
by other waie, to induce the facion of an armie in any place, nor by
other meane to ordein an instruction of warfare. If you have red the
orders, whiche those first kynges made in Rome, and inespecially Servio
Tullo, you shall finde that the orders of the Classi is no other, then
an ordinaunce, to bee able at a sodaine, to bryng together an armie, for
defence of thesame citee. But let us retourne to our choise, I saie
againe, that havyng to renewe an olde order, I would take them of xvii.
havyng to make a newe armie, I would take them of all ages, betwene
xvii. and xl. to be able to warre straight waie.

[Sidenote: Of what science soldiours ought to bee chosen.]

COSIMO. Would you make any difference, of what science you would chuse
them?