Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	great_a	king_n	time_n	14,389	5	3.4431	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28916	Plaine English, or, A discourse concerning the accommodation, the armie, the association	Bowles, Edward, 1613-1662.	1643 (1643)	Wing B3878; ESTC R9421	29,388	30

never attempt it mens wishes may be modest enough all things considered and yet not easily expressed The Parliament finde it an extreme hard thing to say what themselves would have they are as men walking among Quagmires know not where to fasten a foot No wonder though the poore people whose thoughts are all swallowed up in danger and distraction cannot say what they would have for their owne safety But for the matter of the Army this Treaty is not like to be of so speedy dispatch if safely carried but it will admit nay urge a consideration of maintaining the Army and finding out a settled way of maintenance The Kingdome hath hitherto supplyed the Army as the King supplyed himselfe before the Parliament by loanes and bargaines and a contribution liable to two great mischiefes trouble and uncertainty it were good some constant course were undertaken that we might be rid of our feares and the hopes of our enemies a little dash'd who flatter themselves with the failing of our treasure knowing we have not the Conscience to live as they doe And to this purpose an excize a weekly assessement or voluntary contribution must bee thought on As it is no contemptible summe that is paid upon a voluntary monethly contribution so it might be made more considerable if men were by some meanes or other brought to a levell for it is the unevenesse of the grounds men are upon that makes them stumble at this way of supply they say and say justly that unlesse the disaffected party be reduced to some proportionable termes they shall goe on to impoverish themselves and make themselves the objects of the scorne and insolencie of their enemies and the pity of their friends Here therefore let it be considered nay let it bee no longer considered Inretam iustâ nonest deliberandum whether with all diligence I had almost said with all violence the Ordinance for assessing the Non-contributors be not to be put in execution I am ashamed of the excuses made in this particular some that are employed pretend they are affraid of the ill will of their ill neighbours But what equitie is there in this proceeding it is a continuall quarrell ad ravim usque in the City that the Army marches not against brestworkes batteries and the mouth of the Ordnance when themselves doe not and pretend dare not with the advantage of an Ordinance of Parliament adventure upon the open mouth of a malignant upon the hopes of our ruine mounted against them But it may be some feare their hands more then their thoughts or tongues That is hard that the power of Parliament and Militia in the hands of men well-affected to the Parliament should leave grounds of terrour in the minds of the Citie let them assure themselves that feare this feare that they shall never have lesse reason to be afraid then now they have and if they let them goe on at this rate the thing that they feare will come upon them our diffidence is their strength We have so used them hitherto that they can bee more merry in a prison then we in our freest meetings And it is ●o mee a sad thought which the mention of a prison hath brought to my minde that our prisoners men of repute piety and valour should be so unworthily used by our adversaries and we in the meane time suffer theirs to enjoy not only unnecessary but unlawfull contents witnesse the plenty of wine and the resort of women where there be Cats there must be Vermine at Lambeth house How just were it that we had twentie or thirtie of the Chiefe of them some of the souldiers some of the Citizens sent to Windsor Castle or some other place where they might at the best fare but like souldiers or otherwise according to intelligence Let the Parliament bee assured that if they give up on these termes they will leave an everlasting discouragement upon their friends and not know where to find men to sticke to th●m for themselves see how they are abused by the petitioners for peace whose sense is fully enough expressed in the libellous complaint to the Commons when they shall have need which I am confident through the restlesse designes of them who lye at the bottome of this businesse they will quickly have But it will be here objected the Army give continuall disadvantage to their owne maintenance and encouragement by the ill managing the affaires committed to their trust To this I answer First that I would not be taken for the generall Advocate of the Army doubtlesse there are faults personall and reall more then I know more then can be excused But first there have been many things said against the Army that never were or could be proved and further the Army is prejudiced by the expectation of things impossible When the people are unchangeable and the Parliament infallible the Army shall be unblameable It is expected by the Parliament and Citie that the Officers should be all honest and faithfull what an unreasonable thing is this will you expect that in a Camp that you find not in a Court no not in the two great Courts of the Kingdome and City the Councell of the Commons and the Common-Councell And to make good my title and speake Plaine English The Parliament and City have shared in the power of the Army it is good reason likewise they should share in the blame They have recommended many of the Officers they finde fault with whatsoever other men are I can assure they are not all Saints that they have put into the Calendar For the consequent of corrupt Officers which is false Musters it is a great and a just quarrell which all honest men desire to remove the ground of But first let it bee considered that it is the common lot of all the Armies of Christendome the Prince of Orange makes the same complaint to which purpose I could tell you a story but that I am resolv'd against tediousnesse The noble and victorious King of Sweden did by his very great diligence provide against it as much as was possible But in stead of quarrelling let us attempt a not impossible redresse Let the Parliament or Citie if they can in this wicked world find some stoicall men that despise money Quos dignos spectatu arbitremur appoint pay-masters to every Regiment from whom the Officers and Souldiers should receive their pay let them attend constantly and pay two or three times a weeke at an appointed place in the quarter with the forfeiture of pay upon an unlawfull absence The honest Officers would heartily embrace this motion and be glad to be free from the continuall trouble they now endure from their importunate retinue as for Knaves they will not speake against it least they shew themselves so It being alwayes reserved that honest men upon better reason may speak against this motion to which I submit This would be a way to save money to keepe the souldiers together only let