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Note on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was provided by Ben R. Schneider, Lawrence University, Wisconsin. It is in the public domain. "Florio's Translation of Montaigne's Essays was first published in 1603. In 'The World's Classics' the first volume was published in 1904, and reprinted in 1910 and 1924. " Content unique to this presentation is copyright © 1998 The University of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only.
ALOUR
hath his limits, as other vertues have: which if a man out-go, hee
shall
find himselfe in the traine of vice: in such sort, that unlesse a man
know
their right bounds, which in truth are not on a sudden easily hit upon,
he may fall into rashnesse, obstinacie and folly. For this
consideration
grew the custome wee hold in warres, to punish, and that with death,
those
who wilfully opiniate themselves to defend a place, which by the rules
of warre cannot be kept. Otherwise upon hope of impunitie, there should
bee no cottage that might not entertaine an Armie. The Lord Constable
Momorancie
at the siege of Pavia, having beene appointed to passe over the river
Tesine,
and to quarter himselfe in the suburbs of Saint Antonie, being
impeached
by a tower that stood at the end of the bridge. and which obstinately
would
needs hold out, yea and to be battered, caused all those that were
with-in
it, to be hanged. The same man afterward, accompanying my Lord the
Dolphin
of France in his iourney beyond the Alpes, having by force taken the
Castle
Villane, and all those that were within the same, having by the furie
of
the Souldiers bin put to the sword, except the Captaine, and his
Ancient,
for the same reason, caused them both to be hanged and strangled: As
did
also Captaine Mart in du Bellay, the Governour of Turin, in the same
conntrey,
the Captaine of Saint Bony: all the rest of his men having beene
massacred
at the taking of the place. But forsomuch as the judgement of the
strength
or weaknesse of the place is taken by the estimate and counterpoise of
the forces that assaile it (for som might justly opinionate himselfe
against
two culverins, that wold play the mad-man to expect thirtie cannons)
where
also the greatnesse of the Prince conquering must be considered, his
reputation,
and the rest that is due unto him: there is danger a man should
somewhat
bend the balance on that side. By which termes it hapneth, that some
have
so great an opinion of themselves, and their meanes, and deeming it
unreasonable,
anything should be worthie to make head against them, that so long as
their
fortune continueth, they overpasse what hill or difficultie soever they
finde to withstand or resist them: As is seene by the formes of
sommonings
and challenges, that the Princes of the East, and their successors yet
remaining, have in use, so fierce, so haughtie and so full of a
barbarous
kinde of commandement. And in those places where the Portugales abated
the pride of the Indians, they found some states observing this
universall
and inviolalile law, that what enemie soever he be, that is overcome by
the King in person, or by his Lieutenant, is exempted from all
composition
of ransome or mercie. So above all, a man who is able should take heed,
lest he fall into the hands of an enemie-judge, that is victorious and
armed.
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