nearest neighbour. The factions were many and violent; not only in general through the whole country, but between petty states—yea, in every city; and almost in every house. What greater advantage could a conqueror desire?
Yet there was a greater. ARIOVISTUS, with his Germans, had overrun the country; and held much part of it in subjection, little different from mere slavery. Yea, so often had the Germans prevailed in war upon the Gauls; that the Gauls—who had sometimes been the better soldiers—did hold themselves no way equal to those daily invaders.
Had France been so prepared unto our English kings, Rome itself—by this time, and long ere this time—would have been ours. But when King EDWARD III. began his war upon France, he found the whole country settled in obedience to one mighty King. A King, whose reputation abroad was no less than his puissance at home. Under whose ensign, the King of Bohemia did serve in person; at whose call, the Genoese and other neighbouring states were ready to take arms: finally, a King unto whom one Prince—the Dauphin of Viennois—gave away his dominion, for love; and another—the King of Majorca—sold away a goodly city and territory, for money.
The country lying so open to the Romans; and being so well fenced against the English: it is noteworthy, not who prevailed most therein—for it were mere vanity to match the English purchases with the Roman conquest; but whether of the two gave the greater proof of military virtue?
CÆSAR himself doth witness, that the Gauls complained of their own ignorance in the art of war; and that their own hardiness was overmatched by the skill of their enemies. Poor men! they admired the Roman towers and engines of battery raised and planted against their walls, as more than human. What greater wonder is it, that such people were beaten by the Romans; than that the Caribs—a naked people, but valiant as any under the sky—are commonly put to the worse by the Spaniards?
Besides all this we are to have regard of the great difficulty that was found in drawing all Gauls or any great part of them to one head; that with joint forces they might oppose their assailants: as also the much more [greater] difficulty of holding them long together. For hereby it came to pass,
