Practical Manual of Artillery

another supports sharp, & heavy horns; one defends itself with its feet, & wounds with its nails; & another tears with most atrocious teeth: of which natural arms, just as with instruments of war, all make use, to defend themselves, & to offend other animals, their enemies. Whence are seen most fierce & cruel battles in the air, on the earth, & in the waters. If we consider therefore the end of this militia, it is found to be most noble, & founded upon excellent virtue; considering that, for the most part, regard is had to obtaining peace, so useful to the governance, & to the conservation of Kingdoms, & of Republics, as Cicero affirms, saying:
1st De Officiis

Wars are indeed to be undertaken for this cause, that we may live in peace without injury. Finally, it is so great, illustrious Duke, the excellence of the military art, that peace itself without the protection of arms could in no place, nor at any time be secure, nor could mortals enjoy its healthy effects, that is, a holy tranquility of spirit, sweet quiet of mind, & soft bodily rest, (things by natural instinct desired with supreme affection by all;) and hence it happens, that the greater part of the Emperors, & Princes of the world with every study, & art, some with the sword, & some with the pen in hand, have always illustrated, & exalted even to Heaven, this most noble exercise. What did the great Cyrus, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, & Pompey not do, with many other valiant Captains of ancient time? whose high value neither Fortune, nor Time have caused not to be perpetually celebrated in the world. But to what end do I tire myself to renew the memory of so many Heroes, having before my eyes the clear discourse of the life of Your Excellency? Which, all well considered by itself, is nothing other than a continuous & egregious militia; for Your Excellency has been present in the greater part of the military enterprises of our age, now under the discipline of the Invincible Carlo V, crowned Emperor, now under that of the great Philip his son, & primarily beginning from the horrible enterprise of Algiers in Barbary, the troublesome wars of Asais, of Landrecies, & of Saint-Dizier in France, & of the difficult taking of Dura, & likewise of those of Flanders, & of all Germany. It is a manifest thing to the men of our times, that in all these Your Excellency has served, & demonstrated to the world the high value, & the great strength of your spirit. Whence after such immense labors, Your Excellency having returned to rest a while in the pleasant fatherland, not even there does one rest for a single moment, rather being many times proposed by the same Catholic Majesty to the government of that most noble Kingdom of Sicily, has performed in it things worthy of eternal memory, and principally in that time, when the fleet of the Christian League sailed, & the most powerful Turkish fleet was broken. Who with such immense liberality, & incredible diligence would have provided people, money, & munitions to such a powerful & large fleet, as Your Excellency did? Wherefore a great part of the glory, & of the triumph of such an enterprise, can deservedly be attributed to that. It is also manifest to the world, how much