The soldiers honour Wherein by divers inferences and gradations it is evinced, that the…The souldiers honour Wherein by diuers inferences and gradations it is euinced, that the…

2. The next caution, after a good ingression, is to be sure of a good prosecution. We say of the Chirurgeon, that he should have a Ladies hand, and a Lyons heart: but the Christian soldier should have a Ladies heart, and a Lyons hand. I mean, though he deal valiant blows, yet not destroy without compassion. Fortitudo virtus bellica, man suetudo virtus bella. Though manfulness be a warlike virtue, yet gentleness is a Christian virtue. The sword should not be bloodied, but in the heat of battle. And after victory, when a soldier looks on the dead bodies of his enemies, pity should sit in his eyes rather then insultation. He should not strike the yielding, nor prey upon prostrate fortunes.

2. The next caution, after a good ingression, is to be sure of a good prosecution. Wee say of the Chirurgion, that he should haue a Ladies hand, and a Lyons heart: but the Christian souldier should haue a Ladies heart, and a Lyons hand. I meane, though hee deale valiant blowes, yet not destroy without compassion. Fortitudo virtus bellica, man suetudo virtus bella. Though manfulnesse be a warlike vertue, yet gentlenesse is a Christian vertue. The sword should not bee bloudied, but in the heat of battell. And after victorie, when a souldier lookes on the dead bodies of his enemies, pittie should sit in his eyes rather then insultation. Hee should not strike the yeelding, nor prey vpon prostrate fortunes.

I know that divers aspersions are cast upon men of this rank, They think that many take armes, Non ut seruiant, sed ut soeviant; not to serve for their Country, but to rage and forage: making their Cote-armour a defence for drinking, whoring, swearing, dicing; and such disorders. As if it were impossible, that a tender conscience should dwell in one bosom with a valiant heart.¹ Olim castra quasi casta dicebantur; quia castratur in ijs libido. The Camp seemed to take the denomination, saith he, from chastity; because in the wars lust was beaten down. But now Venus is gotten into the arms of Mars. Militat omnis amans, & habet sua castra Cupido. Cupid hath displayed his Colours, and pitched his Tent in the midst of the Army; as if it were the only bravery of a Soldier, to drink valiant healths to his Mistress. One writes of the Turks, that though they are the most monstrous beasts at home in peace, and sin even against nature: yet in wars caute & caste vivunt, they live charily and chastely. Not as the Fryers say, Caute si non caste: the Turks are better then the Fryers in this. Vitia sua domi deponunt, saith he: they leave all their naughtiness behind them at home. But he adds withal to our reproach, Christianus assumit: the Christians there take up those vices, as if they found them sown in a pitched field. That there is often, saith he, Gravior turba meretricum, quam militum: it is hard to judge, whether the number of soldiers