thei can never alter, if the capitaines, which you give them, cause not
the alteracion, and the waie to make this, shall be tolde now: but if
the countrie where you ordein them, be warlike and disunited, this order
onely shal be occasion to unite them: bicause this order giveth them
armours profitable for the warre, and heddes, extinguishers of
discencion: where their owne armours bee unprofitable for the warres,
and their heddes nourishers of discorde. For that so sone as any in
thesame countrie is offended, he resorteth by and by to his capitain to
make complaint, who for to maintain his reputacion, comforteth hym to
revengement not to peace. To the contrary doeth the publike hed, so that
by this meanes, thoccasion of discorde is taken awaie, and the occasion
of union is prepared, and the provinces united and effeminated, gette
utilitie, and maintain union: the disunited and discencious, doe agree,
and thesame their fearsnesse, which is wont disordinately to worke, is
tourned into publike utilitie. To minde to have them, to doe no hurt
against other, it ought to bee considered, that thei cannot dooe this,
except by meane of the heddes, whiche governe them. To will that the
heddes make no disorder, it is necessarie to have care, that thei get
not over them to much auctoritie. And you must consider that this
auctoritie, is gotten either by nature, or by accidente: and as to
nature, it behoveth to provide, that he which is boren in one place, be
not apoincted to the men billed in the same, but be made hedde of those
places, where he hath not any naturall aquaintance: and as to the
accident, the thing ought to be ordeined in suche maner, that every yere
the heddes maie be changed from governement to goverment: for as muche
as the continuall auctoritie over one sorte of menne, breedeth among
them so muche union, that it maie turne easely to the prejudice of the
Prince: whiche permutations howe profitable they be to those who have
used theim, and hurtefull to them that have not observed theim, it is
well knowen by the kingdome of the Assirians, and by the Empire of the