ABSTRACT
A worthy commander is one that accounts learning the nourishment of military virtue, and lays that as his first foundation. The commander never bloudies his sword but in heat of battle; and had rather save one of his own soldiers than kill ten of his enemies. He accounts it an idle, vain-glorious, and suspected bounty to be full of good words; his rewarding, therefore, of the deserver arrives so timely, that his liberality can never be said to be gouty-handed. If ever he shake hands with war, he can die more calmly than most courtiers, for his continual dangers have been, as it were, so many meditations of death; commander thinks not out of his own calling when he accounts life a continual warfare, and his prayers then best become him when armed cap-à-pie. Commander utters them like the great Hebrew general, on horseback. He is so honourably merciful to women in surprisal, which only makes him an excellent courtier.
