speciAL

coLLecrioNS

t)OUQlAS

LibRARy

queen's UNiveRsiiy

AT klNQSrON

kiNQSTON ONTARiO CANAt)A

3 . O Bo, 0*"7 h

—- ' /^ V.

^REFLECTIONSON T tr r.

^f^)

ON The

O F

Standing ArmiesI N

ENGLANDIn Vindication of i

His Majefly and Govemmem.\

Some Animadverfions"on a Paper En

^^ey(luxit miferos

Virg. Ed. r.

'-/fCfV.^^f. /?f^

r^

%vn tt'^^jV5

'

lii^

Preface.TH E refeaud Attempts of a Rejl/efs Party

to embroil * thcfe Nations in New Cmtefts

with their So'Veraign^ make it the indifpen-

[Me Duty $/ eroery good Subje^ to comrihute his Mitet& the Common Repoje^ and to the creating of a ffcod

Underjhndivg betwixt Prmce and Peap/e. Js in the

Natural^ fo m tfje Politick, Body^ all ObflruBions ofa Mutual Commwncation of Friendly Influence betwixt

the Head and the Members y tend to the Diffolution

and Dejiru&ion of the whole ; therefore it is abfolutely

?jecejjary to apply timely Remedies to fuch a Threat-

ning Difemper, It is net the Dejtgn of the following

Sheets to prefcribe the Jntichrij^ianRec-ipe cf ucere

jure tuo Cccfar, though'fometimes it TnaV^ atfoniulv

necejfary in Go'vemment^ as ' well as in Onrifrgery^ to

prailije the Maxim of

Imiuedicabllc Vuliius^

Enie recidendum ne pars fincera trahatun

PREFACE.The Author wijl7es the Con'Virfiony not the DeflruBion

of the Opfofite Party^ and that they would apply Cor^

di^fjj andriotCorrojhoes toTh'ree Langmjlnng Nations^

Vphoje Dm (ions haDe well-mgh undone ihem already,

T7jey may refl ajfured that he hath no Prejudice again

^

their Perfons^ whatever dtjlike he entertains of their

Principles ^ and that as he is under no Obligation to

th^ Frefent Government by Place of Profit or TruBy

he does not engage, in the Contro^Derfie either out oj a

iefire or exfettation of other Reward^ but that of a

Good Ccnfcience^ in doing his EndeaTours^ as People

ought to do in a General Conflagration^ to extinguifh

the Flames that threaten our DefiruSlion. He wtjhes

that the Perfins whom he cppofes may AB froni Prin-*

ciples equally harmlefs^ and fubmiis his hafly

Concept

tions to the Cenfure oj the Publicl^j for whofe Service

they are wholly dejtgnd»

REFLECTIONS

(O

REFLECTIONSO N T H E

Hiftory of Standing ArmiesI N

EN G LAND, Sec.

TH E Authors of the Hiftory of the Standing Army,lay down this Excellent Propofition in their Preface,

That tfje whole Ad^Jtery cf Goitrnment ts to makethe Interefi of the Govtrnours and CoveYncd the fame.

But the Difficulty is how to convince thofe concerned, that it

is fb, and to bring them to a right Underftanding of what is

really their joint Intereft ; for fometimes one, (bmetimes both,

are miftaken in that Point, as may be eafily evinced by the tol-

lowing Inftances. The People ot '£.nglarj judg'd truly that it

was dieir Intereft to have had the Bill of Exclullon pafsagainft

the Duke of 21t>^, but the Court thought the contrary. HisPrefent Majefty judg'd truly, that it was his and the Nation'sjoint Intereft that his Proteftant Subjcds of all Denominarionsfhould be rend red equally capable of ferving him in Maces ofPower and Truft ; but hitherto the Parliament have thoughtthe contrary. It were the Intereft of the Kin^ of Trance anc^

S^aiVy and their Subjeds too, to embrace the Reformed Reli-

B gion.

(2)̂

gion, as might be eafily demonftrated ; but hitherto both theGovernours and Governed have judg'd otherwife.

So that tho' the Rule be true, yet both Rulers and Peopleare often miibken in the Application of it, and make their

Humour their Intereft \ which can be afcrib'd to no otherCaufcj but the general Weaknefs and Corruption of" Mankindtho' our Author feems to deny it in the beginning of his ^Pie~'

face, upon what Account, or from what Principle, is befl

known to himfelf Nor is this Opinion of the Depravation ofMen, chargeable with that lazy, Confequence they fa' hen uponit. That therefcre People fuhjuit patiently to their Countries C^!.^mi-

tiesj and think a Reformation im^oljlhle ^ on the contrary theyought to take tlie more Care to guard againft publ'ckMifcar-

riages, as they generally do in all Revolutions and new Settle-

ment?, becaule the Corruption, of Mankind muft be reltrained

by the Fetters of Lavv^, and have been thus effe6lually reftrain''d

in all Ages, v^hcn fuch Laws have been daily put in execution^

as Hifto;y. and Experience teftifie.

But tocomeclofer to our Authors. What if "it fKould hap»

pen that they atft contrary to this Rule therafelves, by fuggefting

iiich Mifcarriages in the prefent Adminilh-ation, and impro-

ving them to that bad End of Perfwading the People that th^

prefent Government carries on a diftind: Intereft from theirs,

when no fuch thing can be demonfi-rated ? • Certainly fuch a

Pracftife is againft the Intereft both of the Governours and Go-verned •. Nor is it a probable way of obtaining Redrefs from-

a Pi^rliament, which they tell us hthQ Fountain Headfrom ivhenct

the People expeSl all their Happinefs^ and Redrefs of Grievances, to

inilhuate that they are choleia by external Force or Brikry. Nei-

ther does it feem to carry any great fign of AiFeclion to His

Majcfty, to tell the People that the Parliament is the Fountain,

from whence they muft exped all their Happinel^. Time was.

wliCn cur Parliament could have but done very little towards

our Relief, if he had not come in to their Aftiftancc ; and

feeing he was fo kind and generous then, when he had no

other Concern in us but a remote Profped of. Succeilion, and

tfce Prefervation of our Religion and Liberties, why Ihould.

he

(3)Ee be' excluded now from making up pan of the Fountain atleaft, whence we are to hope for Relief and Redrejs ?

Our Authors fay true , That moil of our Grievances andCorruptions are owing to King Charles II. being a''owed amercenary Army^ and fuch large Revenues, as enabled himboth to make ufe of Force and Briberj'-j in choofing Parlia-

ment Men, and bringing. Parliaments to a Compliance : Butwhat Comparifon is there betwixt that Reign and this ? Doesnot the World know that that Prince had no fuch Occafion for

either as this Government hath had, and ftili has ? He talk'd

indeed of an adual War with France^ but 'twas no longer thantill he had adually got Money out of our Pockets But it's

plain we had an adual and tedious War now, whicfc could ne-ver have been carried on without Money.

This Infinuation, that the Great Offices of State were better

in the Hands of the Nobility, and of llngle Perfons, than inthe Hands of Commoners, and chofe of Five, Seven, Nine ,

Fourteen, Ten, Eight, Sixteen, Two, and Four at a time,as the Treafury, Admiralty, Cufl-oms_, Excile, Navy-Office, &c.are now managed, does not fetm to be very favouralc to

their pretended Defign of the Peoples Intereft, which ce/ tainly

is better confulted, by diftrihuting piotitable Offices amongft as

many of 'em as poffible, than by enriching One Perfon withan overgrown Sallary

JanJbefidcs, it is the Didatc both of.

Scripture and Reafon, Tiiar in the Multitude of Counfellors .

there is Safety ; otherwife^ if we may be allowed to compareCnall Things with great, our Author's Argument will plead as-

ftrongly for abfolute Monarchy, without the Aflillance of a^

Parliament, as for having thofe Offices he fpeaks of" entrufted

in the Hands of fingle Perlbns. I am far from thinkingthcy de-

fign'd the Friends of Defpotical Power fo much Kindnels as to

argue for them, becaufe itis plain, that the Blow is aim'd at the

prefenc Government , for fpeaking of King charUs II. they fay.

He had not Tlaces enough nt his Dijpofal to jecure a Majority in the-

Houfe y for in ihofc atlj Days the Art was 7:ot fou7i.l out^ of [flit-

ting and r/}ul(iplyit.^ Places j as inffead of a LordTre.tJurer^ to ha've

Five Lords of the Treafttrj. ^c Envy and Malice knows noB 2 Boundi.,

(4)Bounds, but is fo dirci^iy oppofito to Charity, that thinks noEvil, that it will befuve to put the vvorft Senle apon everything

it will "bear. Good Nature and untainred Loyalty would put

a Conftructionof a contrary Tendenc}^, upon this Pra6t:ice of

the preftnt GoYernment, that whereas former Governours,

whodefign'd to fwallow up Property by Prerogative, did all

they could to render theii' Minifters as Defpotical in their feve-

ral Stadons, as themfelves , and that they might have the fewer

Witneites of their Defigns to bereave the People of their Money

and Liberty, put the chief Places of Profit and Truft, into as

few Hands as they could : The preient Governour, who came

to redrefs the Grievances committed by his Predeceflbrs, takes a

contrary Method, and is willing that thofe Offices of Power

and Truft Ihould be entrufted in more Hands, that the People

might be better fecur'd againft the Bribery of the Court, or a

Foreign Potentate, than they were in former Reigns, it being

highly improbable that Seven F.ords of the Admiralty would

connive at fending our Naval Stores, Ammunition, &c. to our

Enemies of France, though One Lord- Admiral did, and fo of

the reif , it being certainly much harder to Debauch fo many,'

than to Debauch One ; and if Care be taken to fill thofe Places

with Gentlemen of true Englifh Principles, as many of thofe

at leaff" who enjoy them at prefent are known to be ; the great-

.er the Number of fuch Perfons entrufted_, the more is the Nati-

on iecui'd.

The Gendemen's Argument that when thefe Offices were'

manag'd hy Lord', the Comm.ons u'ere fevere Inquifitors into

their Adions, is no very friendly Difcoverj^, nor does it any

ways leem to be calculated for promoting a good L^nderftand-

ing betwixt the Two Houfes, no more than betwixt the Lords

arid the King, who is hereby accufcd of giving thst away from

them, which according to our Autl ors the}^ ni'ght well plead

as their own by Prefcription ; feeing they would feem to fav,

that this, ando'thcr things they there mention, was the Engl/jh

Governn^ent from the time of the Romans to that of Kirg Charles LBnr as to the f;>:'ce of the Argument, they would do well to

p;aduce tlicar Kca(bn3,why the Commons /hould not be as fevere

- Inquilitors

.( s )

Jnquifitors into the A<^ions of fonic of their ovrn Numher,feeing he himfelf tells us that the Ar!vancement of Stn^fcrJznd

Noy by King Cbarlexl. ferved only to Exafperatc the reft ofthe Commons, becaufe he had not Places enough for all that

expefted them, nor Money enough to bribe them •, i: beingequally impoflible for hi-: prefent Msjefty ro provide Places for

all of the Commoners tliat ma}-- now expect them, or to hndMoney enough ro bribe them, except he lliould JplH all die

Places of Power and Truft in the Kingdom in Infinitum, as ourAuthors fay ^ but then lam afraid that no Body vvould think

them a Bribe worth the accepting, and ib it may eafe them of the

Horror which they fay they are fo much troubled withj to think

what danger this [I'plitting of Places] msy be to our Confti-

tution But to return to (he Argument of our authors again. Let

them oblige the World with their Reafons why thcfe Comn'cnsthat are diiappointed of their Expedations of Places and Mo-ney now, fliould not be as fsvere Inquifitors into the Actions

of thofe that have been happier^ as to that Matter, than them-lelves, as the Commons were into thole of StrnffirJ aad Nujj

in the Reign of King Charles I

I mufl alio beg leave of our Authors, to remark bj'the way;;

that notwithftanding their mighty Kindriefsp the People ofE^'glanJ, andthdr 2ieal for their Liberties and Laws, thev Teemto 'deal very unkindly with thofe Noble Patriots, that alThted

our Liberties in 1641. when they reficft upon 'em as (xingexafperated bccaufc they had noc the Money and PLiccs the}'-

expeclcd. What could the mofl imbittered Cavalier h^vefaid

more ? This is in downright Terms to ^iccufc them of the wo\Yabominable Hypocrifie, and Rebellion, that ever Was in the

World. Whether this was the Defign of our Autliors or only ari

advifcddafli of their Pen, I know not i but I am afraid there's

a Snrkein the Grafs, when neither tlic Patriots of thcle, norof thele times efcape their La/h. That Parliament which Ref-

cued the Expiiing Liberties of the Nation, did it bccaufe the

King did net bribe them; and the braveft Piince in thcUni-veifc, who hith not only Relcucd Three Nations, but dicPro-

tcftant Religioi:;, and the Common Liberty of E.'rcpc, muff beC nily

( 6

)

nilyaccasVi cf bribing liis Parliaments, to carry on an Intcrelt'.

diftind from that of his People.

Our Authors are mighty (blicitous to think 'jvhat "will become of

our Liberty y if in Ages to come all the Places (liould be ^;ven ta

Parliament Men. JVhat jloall be done(fay they) u>hen the Criminal'

becomes the Judge^ nnd the Mdefaclort are left to try tber/^felvts}

IVe may be jur^ their Common Danger "ivill U/nte them , and xbcy

ivill all Stan^ bygone another. The Country will be Unhappy,indeed if chat ever come to be the Cafe; but as I have feen the

Cime Charge, or one much like it, in odier Pamphlets againfl tha

Age that now is,, if our Authors think that the Charge is true, -

it had been more Ingenuous in them to Ipeak out boldly, and

not to lay the Plot in Ages to come. I am as far from appro-

vingfuchan Abule, as they or any Menalive, it bcinf; highly un*

reaFonable that a King fhould have the Legiflacive Power fo

much at Command j by making Members of the Houfe of

CommonSi when he has fuch an Inter.eft in the Upper PJoufe

by his Domelticks, Officers of Scare, by creating new Lords,

and making new Bifhops, upon every Vacancy ; But why all

this Clamour againit the prefent Government ? Have not

many of thofe Officers who have been formerly, or are nowehofen Members of Parliament, c^eferved well both of their

I^rince and Country ? And is it'ript poffible that they can be

true to the one^ without betraying the other ? I will put the

Cafe, that his Majefty (hould have kept up.the Army of Vo-

lunteers that alfembled to affift him at the Revolution, or

at leaft as many of them as would have been willing to have

continued in Arms till their own and the common Intereft of

Eui-ofe had been fecur'd, wliich many are of Opinion had. in

that Cafe been much fooner and eaHer effected, could Offices

Civil and Military have been more defcrvedl}^ beftow'd, than

upon thofe Genderaen that ventur'd their Lives and Eftates in lo

good a Caufe •, And muft none of thofe have been cholen Par-

HamentMen, becaufethey were in Office under die King ? Cer-

tainly they cannot but own the Abfurdity of fuch a Confequence*

Bat to come nearer them, it ha. been obferv'd by fome (truly^

erotherwife. lihallnot determine; that in many Places where,"

;^'

'-

•'" th&

(Y)iTie Clergy had moft Interefl-, fiich Men have been choftri, as are

commi^nly reputed Jacobites, crthnt way inclin'd ; and its b'Jt

reafonablc to believe itj becaufe that Order of Men v^as univer-

ially tainted with the Do6lrines of Nonrefiflance, and PafJive-

Obedience; and thofe that continue fo, mult needs be Enemiesto the prefent Confiirution. Then, fuppofing it to be fo. andconfiderlng the Interef^ the Clergy have iii EvgJajuJ. are any Menmore like to be a Br.lance to Jacobites of their chuling, and to

oppofc their ff}' and unfriendly Motions in Pailiament, thanthofet'mt are engaged by Intereft, as well as Affedrion^ to fup-

port his Majefty's Tide.

Fiom all which it is eafie to inferr, that thefe Gentlemen,ando'heri whofehave writ of the fame Side, ought to-diflin-

guifhjpctwixt Times and Seafbns. In the late Reigns the Courtaim'd vifibly at the Subverfion of our Religion and Liberties,

and therefore it was dangerous indeed to the Nation to chufethofe that had Places and Offices under the Government, be-

caufe generally none were employ'd by it but fuch as concurred

in the lame fnifchievous Defign ; Init can Malice itfelf fay anyfuch thing of this Government ? Hath not his prefent Majelly

-

i^6ftor'd us to our ancient Liberty, and fecur'd us from the Dan-ger that threatned our Religion ? Whence then do all thefe Jea-

ioulies of the Court now arife? Eidier they mult proceed fromthePapiftsand Jacobites, or Irom thole that are Enemies to

Kingly Government, or from both ; And is not this aliirprizing

Conju<5lion of Two luch oppofite Parties ? The Jacobites indeed,

adt anfwerably to their Principles in fo doing, for they are ge-

nerally of Opinion ^ that Kmgly Government, and a Lineal

Succelfionjar(rT3?r/'//'y;w,both which have been io exploded fince

the Revolution, that they are only fit to be enrertain'd by Menwho have lofl their Realbn ; but for an}' ot diofe calTd Com-monwealths-men who, though they think that Form the beft,

yet always profefs it as their Opinion, that rhejr ought to fub-

mit to any Species of Magiftracy that anlvvers the Ends of Go-

vernment ; It is mighty Itrange that ah^' of them ihould nowfallin wiih the Jacobites to render the pielent Government unr

eafie. It might have been reafonably hop'd, that their being

dropped

(8)droppM by the Jacobkes, Lift Scffion, in the Matter of Regu-

Ucingthe Militia, in iiopcs of which, fomc of 'em iiad been

inveagl'd to concur again ft the Standing Army, iliould have

now convinced them of their Milbke, and created in 'em a

geneious Contempt of that mllchievoiis Party, whole Nameought to be held in Execration by all that wifh well to their

Country, and the Protedant Religion, or that can rcinember

their lace Horrid Plot to AlMinatc His Majeflj^ and bring

in a French Army. Who then cmi have Patience to hear fome,

who pretend to he of oppofite Principles, applaud the Choice

of liich Perfons fot-Parliament Men, and exprefs dieir Hopes of

an}'' thing that is good to the Nation from them ?

1 know their principal Reafon of joining with them, is, that

they think they will oppof^a Sianding Army, and the chco-

(ing of thofe who have Places of Power and Truft under his

Maje(ry for Members of Parliament ; and that fome of themare fenlible too, that the Jacobites do tliis only to make wayfor the Return of the late King : Whereas they on the other

haid oppofe thofe things in this Reign, becaufe thej^ may be

drawn into Prelidant in ot-hers, which the People may perhaps

have no liich Pvcafon to truft. But then fhould thej^ do Evil,

that Good may come of it ? fnould they unhinge and fhake a

good Government, becaufe the}' are afraid they may fall un-

jp. then

ernmei

., c ^ .. Miying^

a Competent Land-Force, to iupprrt it left j and in that Cale,

tliat a French and Irifh Army fhould again be invited over bycur Jacobites, as formerly, and land upon iiponr us, whether

do they think that the Conunonwca'th, or the Jacobite Party,

would be moil: likely to prevail ? Would they not lind thcnj-

lelvcs obli^'d in iionour and Confcicncc to elpoule King l-'D/-

lia//.'i C-aufe in that Cale ? Could they find iuch anothei Ge-

neral for .lAliority,, or Fxperience, to fight under ? Wh}' then

ihouM ti'cy take li;cii ivicthods as natiir.:lly tend to biing us

to that unhapp) Condition ?

Is

[9]Is there no other way to prevent the Inconveniences that

may happen by a Standing Army, and Officers being chofenParliament Men in another Reign, but by expollng this ? Hadthey not aded much more like true Patriots to have oblig'd hisprefent Majefty by their Zeal and Aifedion for his Service^ tohave put them into fuch Pofts as might have made them m^oreCapable of preventing thofe Evils they fear, than ever nowthey are like to be ? Miift they becaufe they are not imploy-ed themfelvesj which perhaps is none of his Majeily's fault,

or that the Law does not allow it, muft they therefore embroilhis Affaii s ? Don't they know that in cafe his preient Majeftyfliould either be dethroned, or cut off by a violent Death, (whichGod forbid) that the Jacobites^ and the high-fiown Party ofthe Churchy are like to have the Afcendant, and that they arefworn Enemies, not only to a Commonwealth, bur to the An-cient Englilh Conftitution ? What Hopes then can the}^ enter-tain of aCommcnweahh,orof having the Grievances they nowcomplain of, redi efs'd in fuch a Cafe ? Don't they know^ andhear every Day, thatmofr of the Clergy areagainft Liberty ofConfcience, and the Form of Government that they plead for?And have they nor giv n inch Jiiftances of their Levity, a? iliews

thac moft of 'era are ret to be trufted ? Of about Ten Thou-fand Clergymen, or as fome will have it near that number ofLenefic d Men in Englar.J; don't they know that there are not

^ above iwo Thouland that adheaid to the true Engliih Princi-ples, after King Ch<irhs (he Second's Reftoration ; but all theJ eft fwore to the Slavilli Dodlrine of Paliive Obedience andNcnrefiftance, and many of 'em preach'd it up as necelfar)' to

be believ'd in order to Salvation ? Of all that number again,

who had fo fworn and preach'd, theie were fcarcely TwoHundred that held out, but contrary to their faid Oaths andDodrine, fubmitted to the prefent Government, many of themcheating rhemfelves and the Publick with the knaviJh Diitintai-

on of a King tie Jurc^ and de Facfo, as they cheat the Churchby figning her Do'lrinal Articles, not astl:c Articles of their

own Faith, but as Articles of Peace. What ConHdcnce thencan be put in thofe Men ? What Reafon have we to think

that they would not with lefi Reludlaiicy declare for the late

D Kinp

tio]King J'afTiet again, if he appear'd'in 'Engliiml with a Compe-tent Force, than evtr thsy dedar'd for King Wiliiaw^ whofe

Right they. have never recogniz'd by any Act of their Convo-CArion, nor have they laid their Ndnjuranc Brethren^ or thole

.

that abfoiv'd the AlTaffinSj under any Ecclefraftlcal Cenfure,

tho' they vvere-readj^ enough to dafo again!!: Diftenters. TheCafe then being thus, the Commonwealth Party muft-necefla-

rily be ruinM if this Government b2 overturn'dj and not only

fo. but all our Englifli Liberties eternaJly loft*

Upon all which it does naturally follow, that it is the part

of every true Englifhman and good Proteftant, rather to think

of Expedients how to render the prefent Government Impreg-

nable and Secure againfl: Violence from without , and Trea-

chery from within ^ howto enable the Nation to defend them-

jeives at home, and fuccour their Proteftant Brethren abroad ;

how CO put England infu^h a Condition, that as (he h;^s broke the

Chains from off the Necks of ail the Princes in Europe, Ihe

may alfo cut the Cords of rhe Ungodly Crew that draw long

and deep Furrows upon die Back of the Reformed Churches,

and have ungratefully begun a New Perfecution upon our Bre-

thren in Gennafj'/j who had affifl-ed them to Recover their Com-mon Liberty : Eut infiead of that happy Temper and Diipofi-

tion of Spirit, here's a Crew of Violent Churchmen on the onehand, and a Club of Fadious Diflcnters on the other , that

'

make it their whole Eufinefs to run down the Presbyterians, ns-

if the Nation were only in Danger from ihem ^ and here's the

Papifts and Jacobites on rhe onehand,and a parcel of Pretended-

Commonwealths-Men on the other, that are undermining the

prefent Government, as if there were no Tyranny or Jncroach-

ment upon our Liberties to be fear'd, butfiora thence. Thefe

are exactly the Meafures our Enemies would have us to take,

and the only rvlethods by which they can cffed our Rnine.

They have thrown 'an AppL\of Difco d into t're Empire of Ger-

man/, by Itining up the Treacherous Papifts to invade the"

Rights of the Protectants, contrary to the Fuiidamenral Lawsof the Empire : They have divided the Kingdom ol Spa-n by

means of rheir Bribes, and Biggotted Clei gy , and vcio'.^ noReafbn to doubt but they have a hand in our Divi/ions here ;

it

Ill']It being^e^ficenough for them to find Tools for their Piir-

pote, ill .til the di^rent'Parties of which this Nation is

compos'd ; efpecially^^ confidering the Number of thofe

that iliil profefs themielves- to bs for the Late King, andthaft;it was -only to preferre their Eftates and Implopment5, that many others have fubmitted to his jpi-efeni

Majeily. .

^

' -^,.-

•;'

It is high time I ihould come now to confider'the^ Bo-dy of this Pamphlet. It begins as if the Gentlemea whocompjs'd it had been in their Altitudes when the Ground-Plot was laid. If any Mm (fay they) doubts whether A

Standing-Army is SUvery^ Poffery^ Mxhomztlfm, Paganifr?^,

or any my things which they fkafe, kr him read, Src.

The Paflion wherewith this Commencement appearsto have been writ, promlles but little of foJiJ Reafon,from what is to follow. It perfectly befpeaks uhe Au-thors to have been in Francick Fits, and that the Th )ugh:5of a Standing Army did fo turn their Heads, that tiicy

knew not what tliey writ or faid. What Man in his

right Wits can think otherwife , to hear Men cry out,

that a Standing Army is Slavery, Popery, Mahoma-tifm, &c, where is t!ie Slavery in Holland^ a Common-wealth, though they have had a Standing Army for ma-ny Years, are they not the freed* People perhaps in theWorld ? Where's the Popery, Mahometifm, &^. in the

Ele6lorof Br^/7^f;?^.vr^^'s Dominions ? yet the Magnani-mous Prince his Father, of Glorious Memory, was ne-

ver without one ; nor has the prefent Ele£lor cal"hier'd his,

fince the Peace. I Iiave neither Time, nor is it worthwhile to turn to the Stories of M.itho and Spindius at Car-

thage ; nor need we go fo far back as tlie Mamilukes ofEgypt ; that of a latter Sultan deposed by his Janifaries,

is frefli in Memory. Their Inlhnces of the Netherlands

is foreign to the Purp:)re j there the Prince aad the PeopleD 2 diJer'd

[£2]differM In Religion ; the Spaniards were animated by the

Priefts, againll the Pioteftants, which, bleiTed be God, is

not our Ca(c. Our Prince is the greateft Protedor, un-

der God, of the Proteflant Faith. We are not to fear a-

ny Incroachment upon us on that Account. And the

iame Anfwer may lerve for all their Inftances in the

Late Reignf.

Our Princes were Papifts, or govern'd by fuch, and

were befides preach'd into Tyranny and Defpotical Pow-er by our Clergy ; They had no Caufe to fear an Inva-

fion from France, becaufe they w ere embarqu'd in the

fame Intereft and Defign with that Crown. They were

lb far from endeavouring to prevent the Slavery of Eu-

rcpe, and the R.uine of tlie Proteilant Religion, that they

contributed to both ; nor were their Titles controverted

by their SubjeQs, and an oppcfite Title maintain'd by a

mighty Potentate. There was no Prince then beyond

Sea that laid Claim to their Crown, or had a French and

Irifli Army at their Beck, whenever Opportunity oflPered

to alTert it, So that it was evident and plain that they'

could have no other work for a Standing Army, but to

enflave their own Subjects. But they mulr be wilfully

blind that don't perceive the Cafe to be otherwife now :

Here we have a Prince that is the Obje£lcf the Malice of

Popery and Tyranny, becaufe he hath put a Stop to the

Career of Both. He refcued his Native Country from

them, when a Striphng, and is not yet allow'd time to

breathe, fince he hath delivered all Europe from them,

and fought its Deliverance thro' Seas of Blood : Yet this

is the only Tyrant we are now to dread ; and his Armythat knock'd off our Chains, are the only Men that will

put them on again. A graceful Reward to a gailant

Prince and a valiant Army 1

Brifac

( ^3)Brifcx is ftiU detain'd by France, contrary to the Treaty-^

They threaten Military Execution upon the Proteftants ofGn-many^ fcr claiming the Freedom of their Religion, according

to the Fundamental Laws of the Empire. They have Nume-rous Armies ready to Invade It.".ly, SpainjGcrm(?.ny^:^rA the Na-therlajids, as (bon as the King of Spain dies. They folicit to

have that Succcflion fettled on one of the 'Princes of France,

contrary to as folemn^ Treaty and Renuntiation as vvas ever

made in the World. Yet England has no caufe to appre-

hend any thing, either from their Force or their Fraud j

tho we have Villanous AfTaflins at home reiidy to m.urder our

King on every opportunity, and unnatural Rebells enough to

invite oftr a French Army, to reftore their old Mr. when e-

vcr the Blow can be given.

Do thefe Gentlemen think that all the Aflaflinsfell in CharmchyPerkins and Keys, or that all the Confpirators that follicited

for the Great Bleffing of a French Invafion were Executed withFev.xvfck and Friend. Is their no Earl ftill alive, whofe Horfes

may be borrowed for a Tiimham-Green Expedition ? Are the

Clergy-men buried that abfolved the AfTaflins, and told them.

That going i(p to a Cart under Tyburn was the firfi fiep ta

Heaven ?

Is there no Great Prince in the World that owes King

William a Grudge for making him Difgorge his Conquefts,

and balking his Defign of the Univerfal Monarchy? Is there

no old Cuif in St. Feter'i Chair, that can Confecrate a Dag-

ger to Stab a Prince that hath hindered the enlarging of St.

Peter's Patrimony ? Is there no old Angry Prince alive that

had Sir Ed^nnnhirry Godfery Strangled , for taking the" Difco-

very of the PopiJlrPlot , and the Earl of Fffex\ Throte Cut,

becaufe he formerly knew too much of his Mcafures / And is

their no Cranbnrn or Keys that will do him tlie Service to be

Orderly Men to dogg his Rival, in order to Murder him ? Is

there no Young Perki?i beyond-Sea, that may make a Matchfor a Daughter of F. and lay the Foundation of future Titles

and Invafions ? Have no Fr. Wh s come over of late that

were well verftd in the myftery of Ploting in the days ot

Tm-e ? and have they forgot what influence proftitution had of

old to gain fome Men to their Party? Are there no angry

Clergymen in the Kingdom, that bear King Willam a Grudg,E be-

( 14 >becaufc he was born in a Commonwealth f is defccndedof Pro-

^nitors that never believed one v\'ord of the Dodrine of PaPhv c Obedience ? Is there none of 'em bear him ill will becaufc

he was bred amongft Dutch Presbyterians? hath reftored Pref-

bytry in Scotland^ and given Liberty of Conlcience in England,

Is there none of the Fadion remaining that branded all the

Religions, and Sobermen of the Church of England with the

nameofTrimers, and Presbyterians in Malqnerade, that Preach'd

from their Pulpits they loved the Papiits better than they

did them, and that ridiculed the belief of Popidi Plots ? Arethere none who ufc endeavours to divide the moderate Churchof, England-Men^ and. the DiflTentecs among themfelves, becaufe

they know they ar«^King Williams Strength, and that thro

their fides they might vs'ound him under the fifth Ribb ? if

there be none of thofe things in Nature, then we fiandinneed

of no defence, we may beat our Spears into Plowlliares and

our vSwords into Pruning hooks •, but if their be fuch things,

then let the World judge what Friends they are to the Prote*

flant Intcreft, and the Welfare of England^ that would have

«s deprived of a Land-force in our prefent Circumihnces.

.

It were to be wifhed that thefe Men in their Lucid Inter-

vals would be pleafed to confidera whether it be impoiTible for

our Fleet ever to be furprized in a Harbour, as it well nigh

happened not many- years ago^ whether they may not be wind-bound upon our own Coaits, whilll that of our Enemies is

brought upon us, as our Fleet was in Flimoitth Harbour, whenthe Spanijh Armada came into the Channel, and had not GodInfatuated them, and made the Stars in their CourCes to fight

againft them, might have blockt us up there wliiljl the Prince

cf Parma had Landed his Army in England^

They would do well likewife to confider whether a certain

Prince, who was never ji Slave to his Word, and feldom mifTes

to lay hold of his opportunitys, would not think it a very

good one to revenge himfelf upon a Prince and Nation, that

have broke all his Political and Ecclefiaftical Meafures, ifonce

he found them without a Defence, and could a better oppor-tunity be defired than to have him. and his Parliament fet at

Variance; his Troops disbanded againft his Will, and his peo-

ple pofTcfled with an opinion that he defigns to enflave them :

Vi-t thefe arethe things, this Pamphlet drives at, whether the

Au-

( 15

)

Authors have touch'd any Lewidors or not may be worth the En-quiry, for fome PaflTages in their Book make it very fuf.

picious.

Page 19. ' They tell us that the Prince of Oray^ge in his De-'claration, v\'hen he Landed, fet forth all the Oppreflions of'the laft Reign Coui to? uceiung m a frflntJurg; tonpj' declared for a free Parli.iment in which things were to be fo

'fettled that there rtiould be no danger of fiilling again into fla-

' very and promifed to fend back all his Foreign Forces as (bon* as this was done. By v>'hich they would inlinuate that he al-

ways defign d a ftanding Army, and that he hath broke his promifein not fending horns his foreign Trooos, But can thefe Gentle-men have the confidence to fay that^'e are hitherto delivered

from the danger of falling back into that very Slavery, and un-der that fame Prince too, from which he deliver'd us, do theynot remember how near the Fatal blow was being given to themoft valuable Life in the whole W^rld, but a few years a-

go, and that the late King with a: French Army was come as

far as Cdiis before ever we heard of him, and was immediate-ly to have Embarked upon a fi^nal from Lover Clifts, or aMcfTage that Kin^ William was murder'd, and that Fer,rvick

Friend^ and the reil of the Jacobites were to have joyn'd hint

upon his Landing : And is not a gireat Potentate in the Worldmore at leifure now to fecond and countenance fuch an Expe-dition than he was then ^ did it not appear attheTry-als of the Plotters, that he would have fent an Army to ioynthem fooner. if he had not been diverted with fo many Ene-mies, y^r/^ bras toufe their own Term., all at once .' does wotthe raging fury of the Papifts againftthe Proteftantsin France^Tledmcnt and Germany^ fmell ftrong of an irreconcilable hatredand Helli/h rancour againfl the Reformed Religion and its

known Champion ? does not that horiid divifion that they have(own in the Empire between the Papiiis and Proteftants there

deprive us of all hopes of aAiftance from our Allies beyondSea? and does not thefe ill tim'd ad fiery fuggelHons contain'd

in this Pamphlet again ll his A/ajefty and his Adminrftrations, alF

look as if there were a defign in hand ^ not only to depriveKing Williv.jn of the afiiftancc of his Friends beyond Sea, butto. render him fufpeded to his Friends on this fide, and is it healone that they aim at, or is it not the Proteftant Intereft whichhe hath fo gallantly deffeuded.

(16)In the 20th. Page they are very angry that the Article in

our Declaration of Right, which fays, 'That the raifing

' and keeping up an Army in time of Peace, is contrary to' Law. Had thefe words taggd to it, Without Anrhority of Var-

'linmcnt^ as if, iay they, the con Pent of the Parliament would' not have made it Legal without thofe words, or that their con-' fent would make it lefs dangerous, Bat by thele Gentlemensleave if it be not a mighty prefumption to oiler to argue with themthat lb much defpife the Wifclom of that Convention to which wcowe the fettlement of all the liberty we enjoy, 'tis very plain there

may be a Cafe when 'tis neceiTary for a Parliament to give

their Confent to the raifing or keeping up of a {landing Armyin time of Peace, as Infoi^uion of a defign to invade us fromabroad or of a Plot to bring us into Confufion at home, andthis may be done Avihout any danger to th^ Peoples Liberty,

whercis, if it be p.-rformed without Confent of Parliament, it

mult needs be Itrodudive of Tyranny,Page. 20. ' 1 hey irlfrft upon the miimanagement of affairs du-

ring the War in ireiand^ as if they had a mind Ik) charge the

'Rebellion there upon his Majefty, as that of 41 was charged'upon his Grandfather, for/?. 21. they tell us the Jacobites in' thofe early days, faid^that fe.me ill Councellers defign'd to play' the feme Game again of a Handing Army, and attributed un-' juftly thenegledof /rf/xWtothefame Caufe, bccaufeby that

'Oniffion it was made neceffary to raife a greater Army to re-

' duce it, with w^hich the King acqiiainted the Parliament the' 8th, of March^ and declared he thought it nor advifable to at-

' tempt the reducing it with lefs th/in 20000 Horfe and Foot.' This was a bitter Pill to the Parliament who thought they^ might have managed their ihare of the War with France at Sea,' but there was no Remedy, a greater Army mufi be rais'd or he-*'innd loft, and to gild it, all the Courtiers ufher'd in their' fpeeches with this Declaration that they would be the firft for* disbanding them when the War was over. p. 22. Thus the

'Wars in Ireland was nurs'd up, either thro' Chance, Inadver-

'tency, or the necefiity of our Affairs (fori am unwilling to' think it was defignj for at laft it was grown fb big, that no-' thing lefs tlian his Majefties great Genius, and the uiiial fuccefs* that always attends his Gondud, could have overcome it.

'Then they tell «s that the Parliament found Commiflliry' Shdes to be the caufe of a great part of the iMifcarriages, prayedJiisMajefty to acquaint who it .was that advifed the imploying him,

which

( 17 )V\vhich his Majeily did not remember, that before 5W^^ coWd be* brought to Englivjd^ the Parliament was prorogued, and after diiTol-* ved, and5W(p.ffoon after died. The negled of hclAnd this Year* ffay they) made it neceffary to raife more Forces, which afterwards

' ' 911 pretence oF Invading Ftukcc^ was advanced to 87698 xVlen. TheySay alfothat the people of Ireland demanded Arms, and CommiHions'tobefenttkem, which in all probability would have made the Re-'dudion of tliat Kingdom very eafie v And that in the Army raifed for'the reducing of Ireland^ ver^- few. Gentlemen of Eicates tlierecoulcl* get Impl©yments, tho' they were in a miferable Condition h€re,an<t' made their utmolt Application for them. -^

Let any man judge to what purpofe all this matter is rak'd togetherif it be not to render his Majelly Odious, and to polTefs the peo-ple with an opinionj, that he iUfFer'd the Affairs cf . Ireland tocome to that extremitj-, on purpofe that he might have an Armyrais'd, which is in plain Engliih to make him Guilty of alUhePro-teltant blood that was Ihed, and of all the Rapine and Spoil com-mitted in that Kingdom, and tli5.t to prevent the Parliaments enquiryinto it, hediflclved them.

1 have heard of a Crew about Town that drink healths to himthat (hall cut of the next King s-Head, and f think it plain by this

heavy Charge that fome men have a great mind to be at ading thelike Tragedy once more, but upon enquiry, 1 believe it will befound that whereas fome of thofe that were formerly concerned weregreat* pretenders to Religion, the Boutefcus and Incendiaries of theprefent time, will be foundjacks, Libertines, Deifts, and Socinians, andwhether fuch perfoos fee incapable of receivmg Bribes fcom Fordgnor Domelhck Enemies, to raife divifions amongit us : Let thoic whoJinow any thiuk ofthe \ irtuous difpofition, and the untainted Honour-of .... one of the mighty pretenders for a Commonwealtli, and thegreat Oracle of fome Fools ot the Party, determine. Is it not a /hamethat a perfon whom his Native Country hath vormted out for his

Odious Herefies fhoald be fo much Carefs d here by fome people

.

Let them enquireamongll: all that have known hiin from his Youth,into his Weathercock temper of Religion, and Commendable Mo-rals , and then let them judge accordmg to evidence, wh^^tljer

fuch a man as he may not be hired to do any fort of mifchief :

This I think enough to be a warning to the'Wife to avoid fuchCompany. We have no reafon to think, that fuch as are Enemiesto reveard Religion, are proper to confult as the Oracles of tire

Nation. The Liberty they plead for is meer Licentioufnefi. andit. may perhaps be worth the inquiry whether the ad agaim filaT-

F phjny.

( i8)pliemy and Prophanenefe Laft Seffions, hath not prompted themDy this means to feek a Revenge on the Nation. I have

heard that they threatned when that ad was Pafling, to be Re-venged on fome thrt promoted it, and we cannot but think their

Rancour extends to his Majelly that fign'd it, and* we may part-

ly guefs at the Orthodoxy of the Authors of this Pamphlet, by their

kerning to deny the Depravation of Humane Nature in the begin-

ning, and faying, Pag 1 8, That the Domination ej the Churchy is

the worft part of Popery, tho' I think all true Proteflantswill

Iky, that the Idolatry of the Church of Rome^ and her Dodrine of

Jiiiliification by works which renders the Death and Merit of our

Saviour of no ufe, are worfe than her Domination, tho' that be bad

enough, and worfe indeed than we have words to Exprefs it, but

any Religion provided they be not curb d in their Licentious pra-

(ftifes will go down with tliofe that are againft RevcaFd Religion,

And here 1 cannot pafs over their malicious Refleftion up'bn the

Clergy in General, to whom they fay. Popery was vm [o formida-

ble a thing hut with a little Cookery it might have been rtndred

palatable, 'l have faid enough already to convince the Gentlemen,

that I am no admirer of the Paffive Obedience Clergymen, and Ihall

fay furthei". That 1 believe the Kings and the Nations greateft E-

neraies, are amongft that Crew and their followers, and if our

Authors had taken asimuch pains to trace the Mifcarriages of our

Affairs up to the Fountain, as they have been at to Charge* them

upon his iMajefty and the Court, they would perhaps have ibund

tliat they were originally owing to the Difciples of Paffive Obedi-

ence, but at the ftme time I think my fel^ obliged in Confcience

andjuftice to fay that fuch moderate Churchmen as his Majefty

-hath advanced to .the Epifcopal Dignity fince his coming^ to the

Crown, and the Inferiour Clergy of their lentiments who are not

a ffew, and always underftood ^ Paffive Obedience, in a found

and limited fence, would ra.ther, have gone to the Stake then

havedigeiied Popery tho' n^,je io wellcook'd, either by Antichrifl's

or Biihop's Z.^;f4s Difciples.

But to return again to our Iri(lj Affairs; Now that thefe Gentle-

men have difcharged their Chokr, do they think the Nation haye for-

got, that his Majeflies Affairs were betray'd there, by Lieutenant

General Hamiltofr, and thax other perfon, for trufting of whom to

the apparent ruin of his Majefty's Intereft, Mr/ Temple did after-

wards unhappily drown himfelf ? Do they think that the Nation

will be gaird with fuch ftuff, that Parliament thought they could

have managed their (liare of tl^ War againft Fra-nce by Sea, whenthe

( 19)the Frefieh defeated our Squadron at Bafitry Bay, Landed an Ar-my afterwards in Ireland^ and poflTefs'd themfelvea of all the ftrongTowns in that Kingdom. Is it fuppofeabk that the King fuffered

matters to come to that Crifis in heUnd^ that he might therebyget an opportunity of raifing an Army, ^vhen the Progrefs of theFrench and /r///j was fuch as well nigh threatned the lofs of the o-

ther two Kingdoms? Why don't thcfe Gentlemen fay that he ex-

pos'd himfelf at the fame time to be vvounded by the French Ca-non, and fuffered his Fleet to be defeated by Monfieur deTonrvilleat the fame time, for that fame end too, and to give credit to the

Argument, which they mention P. 22. ^hnt a Fleet is no fecurity

to pa. Can any reafonable perfon think that it was a pleafure to

hisii/ajefty to be reduced to a neceflity of goisg to Ireland^ andthereby to give the French an opportunity of h-.vading England, as

they might eafily have done had not God prevented it after the

defeat of oar Fleet under Admiral Torrlngton, do they think that it

was a pleafure for his yt</ajefty to be .in Ireland when the French

were fo formidable in FUnders, and did fo much endanger his Na-tive Country of Holland, with the Care and Government of whichhe is alfo entruiled ; what reafon can the(e Gentlemen affign whyFlanders (liGuld not be look'd upon to be the Natural Barrier ofEnglmd now as well as in Queen Eliz.abethsi\m.t, andtliat we are

not as much concern'd in the defence of that Country now as then.

If they will allow themfelves a little freedom of thought, they mayfpeedily be convinced that we are much more concerned to defend

it now than then, In thofe days, it was the Power of Spain that

terrified all Europe •, but Fhilip the II. could not bring \'aft Armies

by Land into Flanders-, as the French King now can do, fo that there

was no fuch reafon to be afraid of him as we have now to be afraid

of the Frenck, who if they had the Seaports of Flanders and Hoi-

land once in pofTeflion, and that they might foon accomplifh if Eng-

land ftood Neuter, or did not affift the Netherlands, any otherwiJe

than by Sea , we muft quickly fubmit our Necks to the Gallican

Yoak, our Merchants could ftir no where but they muft become

their Prize, they might confidering their own ftrength at Sea, and

the acceffion it would thereby receive be able to cope with our Fleet,

and Invade us by Lind when they pleafed. With what realbn then

can thefe Gentlemen advance that the Parliament thought they could

manage their part of the War with France by Sea, can any manbe io little fenfible of the true Intereft of England r<> to think that

we (liould fit ftill, and tamely look on whilii: the French fwal low-

ed up the Netherlands, 1 remember indeed that this was the ufual

Topick

( 20 )

Tcpickinfiuod on by thcjacohhcsiu publick Company, what were weconcerned with FJanders. Kow wo'ald it affeft us liNamure^ &C.

were in Alhes \ what had we to do to fend Forces thither ? and

now it feerns, this Republican Club as they would have the Worldbelieve them to be, are become the J'acoh'.tei Eccho, and its well if

there be not Jacc^ites in mafquerade among them, tho' I think there's

little need of any fuch difguife when fome c^ the Hot-heads are not

a/hamed openly to profeis that they look for better things from

the known Jacobites, than from the Whiggs.

We have the more groiwd for this fufpicion, when thefe Gentle-

men tell . us page 24. That at tlie opening of the lail: Seffions of

Parliament, n N&x> Plot was faid to he difcq,vercd for tnhrctering

the King, and fearches were made at midnight through the whole

City, to the dijcovfry sf -plemyof ForniciV-lo>7, h'At rioTfaitors. Whatthen it feems the Court now have learned the art of making Shanty-

plots, as well as the Courts in former times, a handfome fug-

g^ion / Have our preteiaded Coii-unonwealth Club learned the art

of ridiculing Plots, from their Brethren the Tories, was their ne-

ver aiiy fucn thing as a . Plot to murder the King, it s pity butthat fome of the Authors of fach Raillery fhould be obliged to doPenance for ridiculing the Plot at the Gallows, where theAffaflnis

confeffed it : Are our Jacobites fo much reformed for the better,

that they are not capable of fuch an Execrable defign now, as wellas two or three years ago , will our pretended Commonwealth-Club become their Vouchers , then 1 hope the Jacobites will

be k> kind to them on the .other band as to undertake thatthey will cut off no more Kings by a wrefted form of Law : Thene'en let it be fo, with all my heart, fo have 1 ktn two ScabbedJades Nab on another with great pleafure for a while, till theycame to touch to the Quick and then fell at lafl: to determine theControverfie w/th their Heels after having founded a Charge withthe Trumpets of their Tails ? We2f, but it feems the fearchers didiiot lofe all their labour for they difcovercd plenty of Forcication,which our honeft Club think fit to make a Jeft of, and that is a-

nother proof of their good morals ; but in truth, 1 know no rea-fon why a pretended Socinian Commonwealth's-man fhould fcruplethe Commiiiion of tlut or any other Crime, more than a Popifljor Proteftant King Ji'.tness man, and perhaps a Love to Licentiouf-^lefs is the principal Tie of their prefent Unk)i7,

Others

( 21

)

Others will tell 'em that there is a C3r;ain Prince in theNA'orl i

wlio invaded a nefghbouiing Country for having given him

ill Satisfaction^ and is it not reafonabie to. thhik that Natural

Ambition, and defire of Revenge, mny prompt fach an one

md're ftrongly to Invade a Kingdom, tlut hath giv'n him au

open and avowed DiiTatisfaciiQn? Was there never any fuel]

thing as a MalTacre in rrance carried on under PreteacC: P,t a

MarriageTTrear3', and a Poviifex Ke'cem Colinii prohat writ upon

the Pope's Windows to juftifie the Lawfulnefs of it ? And is^

2?<jwt; become now fo tender- hearted^ and of fuch a Piuitanical-

Confciencc, th^t Ihe could not for fuch a good Caufe, as the

Extirpating the Northern HereHc, give a Vmtifex Jr.^l'ae covque-'

ftum & pcp.i!atioT:eryi prohjtj Jiotwitliiiandin^ a Publick Treaty ?

Their Refledions upon the Proceedings of Parliament abowo-

the Standing Army, and upon the King and Court, as haying^

adled therein contiary to the A<it of Parliament, and their own'

Promile, are fitter to be cenfar'd by the Government tlian ta-

ken notice of here. But be the Matters of Fad they alledge

true or falfe, it Hgnifics litde to the Matter in debate ; for if it

be true tHat we have a treacherous Party to deal with at Homeand Abroad, and that we are as much under a Neceffity of

preventing the i^ctberlands being fwallowM up by Frawe, as weJhould be under ot helping to quench the Flames in our Neigh-boiir's Houfe, left it Ihould afterwards confame our own. TheNeceflity of a Land-Force is uncontrovertible, and therefore

the Government ought not to be lafhM by every virulent Pen,

for rewarding thofe that are lb gpod Patriots to their Country,

as to oppofe the Current of Jacobites and others againft it, that

hang the onl^ way to hincUr our .Emmies from effecimg that in T^ime

«/* ?eact:\tbat they cohU never effecl in Time of IVar. And I amconfident every honeft and thinking Man will agree, tliat whenHis Majefty fo polltively declared that the Pofture of Affairs

abroad did require a Land-Force for (bme time ; his Opinionis to be ta'^en, and his Judgment to [)e relied on, fooner than

that of a mix'd .lub of Socinians, Jacobites, and PretendedRepublicans, who, for any thing appears as yet to the contrary^

feem more likely to be influenced by Papifts and Jacobites," and©thers/ that have a mind to embroil oar Affairs, and to bring

G thole

(-22 )

thole that afc i6t ^ 'ComTnonweakh uriaertfi'^'Hatrec! bf the

Publick, than to be allowed or encouraged by thofe that think

that Form of Government the beft.

Befides, we may plainly fee that it is not His Majefty and

the Court alone that thinks a Land-Force requifite for our

Safety, but the Wifdom of the Three Nations met in Parlia-

ment have concurr*d in it ; and tbo' the Number allowed be

not fo great as perhaps the Court might have defir'd, yet it is

fufficient to convince the Nations that the Parliaments of all

Three think a Land-Force neceffary ; and certainly theirjudg-

ment is preferable to that of our Authors, foms of whom, I

am apt to think, have little or no Eftate to be tax'd

One would think ifi were enough to convince any reafbnable

Man, that there's ground to fulped a mifchievous Defign at

the bottom of all this Clamour againft a Standing Army, be-

caufe the Jacobites in Parliament, and every where elfe, ap^

pear'd fo mightily for disbanding the Whole; which certainly

they would never have been, had they not hopM to find their

Account in it. And befides, the common Prudence and Po-

licy of Nations never allow of any fiich thing, whilfl thofe

that were their Enemies continue in a Pofture of Offence.

Their Objedion that we had fo long time decried the Power

of Frame, and publifti'd her declining Condition^ is nothing

to the purpolb. It has now been leen by thofe that formerly

would not believe it ; and if all our Confederates had been

tFue to the Alliance, the World would fbon have had a con-

vincing Proof of it : But that Opportunity being loftj the De-

folation and Poverty of Fr^,nce may give juft Caufe of Jealou-

ile to her Neighbours, that (he will be under a Ncceffity to

ever-run tliem with her numerous Troops of ftarving Inhabi-

tants, who ha,ve nothing left them to fubfift on at Home. ; the

Poverty of tlie Goths and Vandals having been none of the

leail Caiifes of their fecking for Entertainment abroad whenthey could not have it at home. Tho' Frar^re be comparatively

rained to what fhe was Tiiirty Years ago^ flie is iflrong enough

ftilUo ruine England^ if f\iQ have no Diverfion elfewhere.i which

cjoe Point, well conlider'd, wodt! itop all the Clamour iomc

(23)fff-minded People have rais'dagainft His Majefty's going beyondSea, and fpendinga little Money there at thisJuncture, in his In-

terviews and Conferences with neighbouring Princes and States.

We are not Co ftrong, nor vvell united at Home, as not to ftand

in need of an Alliance Abroad ; but fuch is the curied Temperof fome People in this Nation, that they love to dilTemin^te andentertain Jealoufies of a Prince, both in Relation to Churchand State, whom the whole Protedant World befides look up-

on to be the main Support of their Caufe, under God, to whomthey pour out ardent Prayers every Day for his Prefervation andlong Life -, and we fee the moft Zealous of the Catholick Prin-

ces had fuch an Opinion of his refin'd Vertue, that they trufted

him with the Command of their Aimios, as Genndijfimo ; whichput fuch an Opportunity into his haad, that had lae been offuch a boundle's Ambition as thofe Men would give out, the'Univerfal Monarchy feem'd in a manner to be at his De-votion '-, which I think is enough to convince any Man, that his •

own Subject iiaveno jufi: Cauieto fulpeci: him. . -,

The only Objedion ofvalue, that can be rais'd againft a Laml-'

Force, in our prefent Ciix:uinftances, is the rU ufe that m^y bemade of them in cafeof his Majefty's Death, and the Inability

of the Country to maintain them ; but its hop'ci it does not firr-

mount the Wifdom of an Englifh Parliament to find out properExpedients to obviate both thefe Inconveniencies. If theAr-my be put into the Hands of liich as the People love, and truft,

and are known to be Men of true Englilli Principles ; if theSol-

diers_be carefully JiUight their Duty , and inihudlcd in theGrounds of the Protelbnt Religion^ by Clergymen of honeltPrinciples \ and if a good Difcipline be kept aoiong 'em, or

that in cafe of no Military Imployment happen for them du-ring the Time limited for their being kept up, or till the Militia

be fb regulated and difciplin'd, as. they may be capable of de-fending their Count! y. ' If, 1 fey, in thatcafc the Parliament in

their Wifdom fliall think fit to employ theai in pnblick Works,for the good of the N.nion, all thofe Fears about them will quick-

ly vanim^ and infteadof being chargeable, the}/ may be bene-

ficial to- th^ir Country ^ whereas Idleneft hath in all Ages p:ov'd

G 2 fatal

(H)fatal to Armies, of which Hanihah at Cafua^ is one great and

vvell-Known Inftance.

As to thofe Mens Pjojoft, of leaving us in our prefent Con-dition, without any other Defence than the Milita, though it

cannot be deny'd, but that their Limbs and natural Courage mayJbe as good as that of the Standing Army, yet the faint Refiftance

they made to the Dutch at Cbattam, whilft one Regiment of

difciplin'd Scotch did fuch Wonders there, and the Confterna-

tionthe Nation was in when naked of difciplin'd Troops, upon

breaking out of the Plot here againft the King's Life, and the

Pears ot an Livafion from France^ are enough to ftop the Mouths

of all Gainfayers. No Man wlio has look'd into Hiftory, but

knows that the Roman Veterane Legions, and Alexander the

Great's difciplin'd Troops, were too hard for all the Nations that

ever encountred them, though many of them were nothing in-

feriour to them in natural Courage.

It were endlefs to run through all the infmuations of that

'Libel *, nor wiU Time allow me to fay any thing further, and

therefore, after having acquainted the Reader that I have had

no Time to digeft my Thoughts upon the Subjcd, he muft not

think it ftrange if I fall fhort of his Expedation in anfwering

all the Particulars of that Pamphlet •, which is the Product of ^Chib, and the Refult of their Mature Deliberations.

J^ 1 N I S.

criDt«

Fter the finlfhing of what goes before, another

If'aper caifie to hand, Enticuled Ccnfiierathm on

the Choich of a Sftik^r^ &c. which being writ,

as 'tis' fuppofeable, by the fame Party, and direded to

the fame end, of creating a Mifunderftanding betwixt

x\\^ Kirig,and tJie People, I thought might delerve (bmeAnimadverfions.

All the Arguments and Suggeftions therein contained,

proceed upon this Suppofiricn, That the King and Courtcajry on a diftind f'ntereli Irom that of the Country,

in dcfiring a Land -Force for a limited Time : The Falle-

hj^od of which I think is fiafficiently demonftrated al-

ready *, it being certainly the Iiiterefi: of the Country

ti.fcavea Defencej.and notto expofe themfelves to the

infults of a Foreign an4 Inteftine Enemy, for want of

Rcguldr Troops. If indeed thofe whom we»have mofl:

cjuTe^tQ ftar', had no ether Forces to attack us with, but

Cfei^'y Mifitla, or could not have any other in ^readi-

n^fs,, whenever Oppo/tiuirtydHcrs, '-there were itd need

oF keeping a Lnnd-Fbrce (landing in E>?i^/^;?^:^ b^it ite-

ing k is known that they have a Numerous A rrriy of the

beft difcipIiuM M.e.n \n Earofe, ihoic M'ho jiircfs v,ih io

mucli Violence to have all our Troops lii^bandcd, e^mto havxj an Intercft In view, di/lin£^ fro ra that of t^cir

Country.

; Tbc Master then being To,, it can be \vj iuiHcl-;iL :\r-

gumchtto rcfuie fiich a nirlbn for Sftaker, as is grateful

a to

Pojlfcript.

to His Maiefty, or parhaps has fome Employment under

him, if another cannot be found who is equally. capable

and grateful both to Ring and People. It is none of myBufinefs to meddle w ith theCharatlers of thofc Ferfons

whom this Paper feems to reiiecf upon ; only thus much

I may venture to lay, that I am afraid the Gentlemen

who are" the Authors of it would be. as much at a Lois,-

were it left to their Choice, to name a Speaker to pleafe

thcmiclves, as they would be to condefcend upon a Form •

of Govcrnaient, were the prefent Frame of ourConfti-

tution difTolv'd, and they at Liberty to cloofc one out of

all their own Utcpian Models.

It mud needs be a Differvice to the Country, to cre-

ate and foment Jealoufies at this time betwixt King and

People. His Majefly fits at the Helm, lees further into

thePoffureof Affairs, and Intrigues of Foreign Courts,

than it's polTible for any one elic to do ; and feeing there's

no Pveafon to think that he will advife to anything but

what is for the Intereftof that Country he hath fe. of-

ten ventured his Life to deliver, and make free; they

who oppofe themfelves to a Speaker that may be grate-

ful to him^ do jufi: as if unexpitrienc'd Mariners fhould

refufe a Pilot that an experienc'd Captain knows, and

can put Confidence in, becauTe they think he^is too much;n the Captain's Intereff, and may, peihaps, 'by forcing

him to accept one of their liking, run upon thofe very

Shelves that they thought to avoid.

Our Enemies omnotdefirea better Opportiinity againft

us, tlian that which aDivifion betwixt the King and Par-

liament will affgrd them ; therefore it feems to be the in--

difpenfible Duty of all that wifh well to their Country,'

to endeavour Expedients for promoting an Union ; but

certainlv thoy don't take jiich -Meafures, who fo pofrtive-

Fojlfctipt.

\y write again fl chufing a Speaker that may be m his Mi

.

jefty's Intercft. .We liad reafbn]indeed to oppole formerPrinces in that matter ; bur, blcffed be God, we have a

King now, who hath on all Occafions demonlirated htm-lelf to be P/iter^ and not peftis PatrU, as.fbme of themt

were ; and feeing our Brethren in Scotland and IrtUnd,

who are as much concern'd, and perhaps as zealous to

ieek the Welfare of their Country as we pofTibly canbc,have thought fit to fubmit to his Majedy's Defires, as

that which they are fenfible is abfolutely necelTary for

their own Safety; let it never be faid, that England, whowas the firft that invited him over, and contributed moO:to a'difl him in working out our common Deliverance^

fhall now only become Rifpicious of his Condud, andprove Froward and Ref-aftory, at the Inftigation of aParcel of Men, who make it their Sport and t^ecreatioa

to throw Darts and Firebrands about, and perhaps, upona thorow Enquiry, will be found, neither to have moreZeal for, nor greater Intereft in their Country than other

People, but are rather of chat Roman Conful's Mind,rvho thought there could be no ftioh thing as Liberty, except

People had aa JRotvance to ruine themfelvts if they had 4

mind to it.

FINIS.

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