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A91238	Pendennis and all other standing forts dismantled: or, Eight military aphorismes, demonstrating the uselesness, unprofitableness, hurtfulness, and prodigall expensivenes of all standing English forts and garrisons, to the people of England: their inability to protect them from invasions, depredations of enemies or pyrates by sea or land: the great mischiefs, pressures, inconveniences they draw upon the inhabitants, country, and adjacent places in times of open wars, when pretended most usefull: and the grand oversight, mistake, injury in continuing them for the present or furure [sic] reall defence of the peoples lives, liberties, estates, the only ends pretended for them. / Penned by William Prynne of Swainswick, Esquire, during his close imprisonment in Pendennis Castle. And now published for the common benefit, ease, information of the whole nation.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1656 (1656)	Wing P4028; Thomason E896_5; ESTC R203277	28,770	45

the London Militia at VVhite-chapp●l to Guard both Houses whiles they sate at Westminster without auy other Guardians to secure them nearer hand It being both vanity and folly to fortifie only one inconsiderable part of a Town or Garrison and so if the Island if all therest be unfortified and lie alwaies open to all enemies Invasions without defence 4. That in all times of publick Peace or when and whiles there is no Enemy near it is Peace it self alone and want or absence of Enemies that secures the Peoples Nations Persons Estates from danger Plunder not Garisons or Field Armies which cannot universally protect their Lives or Goods in all places and at all times when there is any open War or Enemie in the Field as Peace alone always doth and will do still without cost or trouble Therefore it must needs be very ill Hu●bandry and no good State-●olicy in these or other times of Inland P●ace to keep up Land-Forces and Garrisons throughout the Nation at the Peoples intolerable costs now there is no Enemie at all in Arms amongst us to protect the Peoples Persons and Estates from spoil and danger when as our very Peace it self and want of armed Enemies doth and will absolutely secure them both without any charge at all or either of these costly Lordly Superfluous Guardi●n● which could not secure the greatest part of the Nation from the late Kings Forces Power and Plunder in times of ●●r nor yet the Kings Forts his Friends or Quarters from the Parliaments Forces 5. That in Times of open War no Garrisons throughout the Nation can secure themselves and those within them against a puissant Army or any Party stronger then these Garrisons which will soon * take them by Force Stratagem Composition or for want of Provision Ammunition and ot her Necessaries or by 〈◊〉 reachery or Mutiny within themselves unless timely relieved by a ●arching Field-Army able to raise their Seiges as late experience and all Histories attest Yea oft-times a small Party far less and nothing so numerous as those Garrisons by some Stratagem of War sodain Surprize or through security or negligence of the Garrison Soldiers or by the casual death of some eminent Commander unexpected forcing of a Passe or routing of some of the Garrison Soldiers in their Sa●l●●s and entring with them in their Retreat the successful springing up of some Mine the blowing up of a Magezine the stopping of all Provisions for their Relief advantage of Ground divisions amongst the Garrisons Treachery Bribery in Officers Soldiers Centinels or Townsmen and a thousand other Casualties have in all former ages and will hereafter do the like conquered sundry strong Garrisons throughout our three Nations and in all other parts of the World Besides no Garrisons in our Nation without the assistance of a Field Army either are or ever were yet able to protect themselves by their own strength against any powerful Enemies Seige who resolved for to gain them in times of War It can be therefore little less then apparent folly or frenzy for us to perpetuate and maintain them still at so vast a charge in these times of In-land Peace throughout the Nation to protect and secure the whole Land or Country about them being thus unable to defend and secure themselves in the heat o●●War from Foreign or Intestine Enemies 6. That Garrisons both in times of Peace and War are so far from being a benefit safeguard or protection to the whole Nattor or to the Inhabitants within them the Country about them and the Contributers towards them that in truth they are commonly their greatest Grievance Oppression Loss Damage Mischief and frequent occasions of their u●ter ruine both in Peace and War as shall be evidently demonstrated for our Soldiers State●-men and Nations future in formation and speedy suppression of these grandest Grievances by these particulars 1. In all times of Peace they put the whole Nation Inhabitants Country to an excessive prodigal expence of moneys which would be better imployed in relieving and setting poor people on work advancing Trade Manufactures Merchandize improving Lands and supplying the Peoples particular occasions to all which and the better relief of maimed Soldiers their continuance is and will be still extreamly prejudicial They much impoverish grieve oppress discontent the People by endless Taxes Excises to maintain them by Billeting Quartering and oft-times Free-quartering the Garrison Soldiers on them by the frequent Mutinies Misdemeanors Abuses Outrages of Garrison Soldiers and Lordly imperiousnesse of their Governors and Officers over-topping over-ruling and sometimes abusing in many places the Nobility Gentry Ministry and civil Magistracy as well as common People and interrupting the course of Justice by protecting both themselves and their Soldiers from Arrests and Executions for just Debts Duties Trespasses to the People by entertaining listing and detaining children against their Parents Servants and Apprentices against their Masters Husbands against their Wives and Families good wills to their great grief and prejudice by keeping of many thousands of able young lusty men in meer idlenesse spending their time in eating drinking gaming whoring sleeping lewdnesse or easie uselesse duties day and night onely to gaze about them to call to one another Stand c. and to spend much Match and Powder to no purpose but to waste them and our Treasure in complements and in the mean time robbing the Nation of the benefit of their honest painful Labors in their Callings by their frequent running away upon discontents or misdemeanors● leaving their Wives Children and not a few great Bellies and Bastards on the Inhabitants and Countries charge running into their scores and debts for Quarters and Necessaries and then departing without payment of them by infecting the Inhabitants and Country with the Vices Errors Blasphemies Sins Corruptions diseases of the worst and deboysest Soldiers by occasioning many Murders Men-slaughters Blood-sheds quarrels Brawls Robberies Thefts Burglaries Dlsorders Oppressions Drunkennesse Idlenesse Gaming Whoring Swearing neglect contempt of Magistracie Ministry Cods publike Ordinances Sacraments Sabbaths Disturbances of our Ministers and publike Assemblies in and near the Garrisons by dangerous Practices to undoe or vex many innocent Persons which else would be prevented by hindring peoples free ingresse into and egresse out of Garrisons about their urgent occasions concerning which their Centinels Corporals Governors strictlie interrogate them ex officio and force them to dance attendance on them sometimes many hours space to extort Beer or Money from them before they can passe or repasse about their businesse by searching the Houses Studies seising the persons Letters Writings of divers persons by their own bare Authorities or others unlawful Warrants against all Law and the Peoples Native Freedom upon feigned pretences causeless jealousies idle rumors vain fears and sometimes secret conspiracies against their very lives and Estates which are made a prey to these Soldiers By sundry other abuses in seising their Arms Birding and Fowling Piec s Moneys Plate Horses Goods and

PENDENNIS and all other standing Forts DISMANTLED Or EIGHT Military Aphorismes Demonstrating the Vselesness unprofitableness hurtfulness and Prodigall Expensivenes of all standing English Forts and Garrisons to the People of England their inability to protect them from Invasions Depredations of Enemies or Pyrates by Sea or Land The great mischiefs Pressures Inconveniences they draw upon the Inhabitants Country and adjacent places in times of open wars when pretended most usefull and the grand Oversight Mistake Injury in continuing them for the present or furure Reall Defence of the peoples Lives Liberties Estates the only ends pretended for them Penned by William Prynne of Swainswick Esquire during his close imprisonment in Pendennis Castle And now published for the common benefit ease information of the whole Nation Habak. 1. 10. They shall deride every strong hold for they shall heap dust and take it Hosea 3. 14. Iudah hath multiplied fenced Cities but I will send a fire upon his Cities which shall devoure the palaces thereof 2 Chron. 12. 4. And he took the fenced Cities which appertained to Judah Dan. 11. 15. The King of the North shall come and cast up a mount and take the most fenced Cities neither shall there be any strength to withstand Ezeck. 26. 11 12. He shall slay thy people by the sword and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground and they shall make a spoile of thy riches and make a prey of thy merchandise and they shall break down thy wals and destroy thy pleasant houses and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the middest of the water London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Edward Thomas in Green-Arbour 1657 To the ingenuous READER DUring my neer 3 years causeless close Imprisonments without the least Accusation hearing crime then or since suggested against me by John Bradshaw and ●his Whitehall Associates in the since slighted disgarrison'd Castles of Dunster Taunton in Sumersetshire and yet continued Garrison of Pendennis Castle in Cornwell I had severall Discourses with their Officers and Souldiers who though seeming zealous professors of the Gospell I found very unwilling * to beat their swords into Ploughshares and their spears into pruning Hooks and not to lift up a sword against any Christian Nation nor to leavy Wars any more as the God and Gospell of Peace prescribe them concerning the Vselessenesse Hurtfulnesse and prodigall unnecessary annuall expensivenesse of those and other standing Forts Garrisons In-land and maritine both in times of Warr and Peace as being unable to defend the Realm or Countrey round about them from invading forraign Enemies or pillaging Pyrates much lesse any parts of the Kingdome remoter from them and drawing many intollerable pressures mischiefs upon the Inhabitants in or near them and on the whole Nation especially in times of Hostility when pretended most beneficiall infinitely over-ballancing all the advantages that could be alleadged either for their originall Erection or future continuation if duly pondered in the Scales of right reason Which being a Theam never yet to my knowledge publickly debated in Print tending much to the common ease and benefit of the whole Nation from these unnecessary Pests and Burdens I did thereupon in my dark Pendennis Cell where I had few Books and lesse light to read in September 1652. to passe away idle hours digest the substance of my Discourses against Forts and Garrisous to which I could receive no satisfactory replies from any Officers or Souldiers into these ensuing Aphorisms which I sent from thence to a since deceased Friend in London Where Gods providence after his death and my enlargement unexpectedly bringing them to my hands I was thereupon induced to make them publick humbly submitting them to the serious Consideration Approbation or Correction of every candid Reader and publick spirited Statesman Sword-man preferring the Commonwealth ease interest of the over-exhausted Nation before his own personall Pay Honour Command and self-respects A very rare Vertue in this self-seeking Age wherein few Christian Souldiers can truly say of themselves as the Thebaean Christian Legion under Dioclesian the Emperour did * Offerimus nostras in quemlibet hostem manus quas sanguine innocentium cruentare nefas ducimus Dextrae ipsae pugnare adversus impios inimicos sciunt laniare pios cives nesciunt Meminimus nos pro civibus potius quam adversus Cives arma sumpsisse Pugnavimus semper pro justitia pro pietate pro innocentium salute haec fuerunt hactenus pretia periculorum Pugnavimus pro fide quam quo pacto censeruemus tibi si hanc Deo nostro non exhibemus And wherein we may justly take up the Apostles sad Complaint in his time as suited to ours Phil. 1. 20. 21. I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your Estate For ALL SEEKE THEIR OWN NOT THE THINGS THAT ARE JESUS CHRISTS or things really tending to the publick liberty Ease Wealth and Happinesse of the Nation pretended to by all for self-advantages alone but sincerely intended endeavoured by few or none if VOX POPULI or DEI may be credited Accept and peruse this Treatise I beseech thee as a New light springing out of darknesse first Compiled and now Divulged onely for the generall Ease and Welfare of our English Nation by him who hath ever studied to promote Gods Glory and his Countries publick Liberty Interest ease more than his own private safety or self-advantage and desires to live no longer then he shall manifest himself upon all occasions to be Lincolns Inne December 6. 1654. His Native Countries faithfull Freind and Servant William Prynne Errata Pag. 4. l. 25 ●lay r. stay l. 28. r. rovers p. 5. l. 10. if of p. 32. l. 11. Pruda Penda Margin p. 27. l. 7 Gul. Nubrig l. 10. Ecclesiae l. 14. Bromten 1 EIGHT Military Aphorisms DEMONSTRATING The uselesness unprofitableness hurtfulness and Prodigal expensivenesse of all standing English Garrisons to the people of ●ngland their Inability to protect them from Enemies Invasions Depredations by Sea or Land the great mischiefs they occasion in peace open War the oversight injury of continuing them at the Peoples excessive expence or any other mercinary Land-forces for the present or future real defence of the Peoples Persons Liberties Laws or Estates THough Garrisons in three or four of our greatest richest strongest Cities which are as so many Magazenes and places of refuge may in some respects be necessarie and convenient in times of war especially when guarded by the Cities own Arms and Forces yet that our ordinary standing mercenary Garrisons especially in small Castles and Blockhouses are not only altogether uselesse but most dangerous oppressive and mischievous grievances to the Nation both in times of war and Peace I shall briefly evidence by these ensuing Aphorisms 1. THat the Principal use end of Garrisons is onely to keep a * forraign conquered Enemy or Countrey in constant subjection and

losse of men on both sides and are usually seconded with many Skirmishes bloody Battels and incounters of Armies or Parties sent to victual relieve the besieged or raise the Siege occasioning more and greater slaughters then a pitched battel in the Field alone as all Histories and experience manifest Upon all which confiderations all Statesmen Soldiers and intelligent Inhabitants of Garrisons who have any brains remaining in their heads or consciences in their brests must ingenuouslye after due deliberation acknowledge that Garrisons even in times of open Wars especially intestine are so far from being a Benefit Blessing Security or Protection to their Inhabitants and Owners that they are the extreamest Pressures Grievances Curses Plagues Dangers and most destructive desolating Instruments that possible can befall them as bringing all the Furies Plagues Miseries and Extremities of War upon them in perfection so as it were better safer for the Inhabitants of all or most Garrisons at least and more conducing to their safety in respect of Bodies Goods and Freedom from all sorts of Inconveniences by War to continue disgarrison'd and lye open to both parties Armies as Countrey Villages do thereby to escape all the forementioned Plagues to which Garrisons are exposed or else if there be cause to fire their own houses before hand or leave them empty and flie with their Families Goods moneys and what else they have into Bogs Woods Rocks Caves Wildernesses as the the wilde Irish High-landers Scythi●ns and all Nations wanting Garrisons do and there to secure themselves from the Enemies till withdrawn thence routed or the Wars ended and thereby to save all or most they have for their own and Families uses then unadvisedly of their own heads or by the command of any in Power over them to put themselves to an extraordinary vast expence to erect fortifie furnish and maintain Garrisons of mercenaries to no other purpose at all if seriously considered unlesse able to defend themselves without any Mercenaries or Taxes but meerly voluntary when and where there is occasion only and no longer but meerly to expose themselves to all the premised Calamities of War and Garrisons under a Brain●esse pretext and lying imposture of defending their Persons and Estates from Danger or Molestation by the Enemies or others the contrary effects whereunto they ever occasion both in Peace and War Thirdly In times of open Wars Garrisons bring these manifold Evils and Miseries on the adjacent Countrey Villages and contributing Friends and Neighbors near them instead of any real benefit or protection from them which they neither do will nor can afford them in their greatest needs though they voluntarily or by co-action against all Reason and Conscience largely contribute to their fortifying and supplying for this end 1 Upon the approach of any Enemy to besiege them these very Garrisons their Friends and Protectors like professed Enemies oft fire their adjourning Houses cut pull down their Trees Orchards Fences Ditches Walls Pales drive away all their Cattel carry away all their Goods Money Plate Arms Houshold-Stuff with their very Houshold Provisions into their Garrisons by meer violence against their wills intreaties cryes tears without any price or consideration at all to victual and furnish the Garrisons with necessaries against the Siege or else to preserve them before the Enemies approach from the enemies possession or Plunder who else would seise them to their disadvantage when as the Enemies for their own better accommodation would use them more favorably and not plunder them half so much as these their pretended Friends and new Protectors Secondly They are more frequently visited Plundred spoiled captivated fined ransomed by the Enemy upon all advantages and occasions when there is no Siege then places more remote from Garrisons and not contributing to them for protection upon these two accompts 1. To deprive or straiten these Garrisons the more of all provisions necessaries Supplies and Contributions from them if not totally to withdraw them from them 2. Because they accompt them their professed Enemies for being Contributers Friends Neighbors to these Garrisons so all they have is lawful Plunder without dispute unlesse they will redeem it by Fines or Ransom s or by paying as great or greater constant Contributions to them and their nex t adjoyning Garrisons as they do to those to live in Peace being thus made a double prey to both sides under colour of Protection by and from both An intolerable double Pressure and Imposition of which our late Wars afforded many experimental Presidents in most places next to Garrisons who if the pillaging Enemies be strong at any time neither will dare not ought as they hold by the Laws of War to stir out of their Garrisons to encounter or protect their country neighboring contributors from their Plunder even under their Walls and view for fear of being cut off and losing the Garrison to them Such notable useful Protectors are they to the adjacent Countrey as not to stir one foot to help them at their greatest needs but expose them to their Enemies spoil without resistance if unato protect themselves Thirdly They are more frequently then any others of the Country further of oppressed vexed hindred impoverished with the seising impresting of their Servants Children Ploughs Carts Horses and sometimes taking them quite away by both sides alike either for publick services or private occasions to their vexation or undoing Fourthly They are more oppressed by laboring in and contributing to these Garrisons Fortifications carrying in their Ammunition and other Provisions cost-free or for little pay that long ere received constant Contributions to their Garrisons quartering Free-quartering insolences outrages abuses of the Garrison Soldiers of marc●ing Parties of the Field Army it self when drawn into Quarters then any parties more remote from Garrisons and their persons more oft Imprisoned Beaten Wounded their Wives Children Servants more abused their houses more ransacked Goods Monies more frequently seised and taken away upon malice jealousies pretences by crafty Knaves Officers and pillaging Soldiers then others farther off them Fifthly When these Garrisons are besieged as usually and frequently they are their Pressures and Miseries are beyond expression The Men if well affected to the Garrisons are all forced by fear or otherwise from their Houses into the Garrisons Woods or other Counties if not their Wives Children and whole Families likewise to avoid the Fury Pressures Troubles Insolencies of the besieging Enemies who fill all their houses with their free-quartering rude abusive Soldiers eating drinking up all their Beer and other Provisions whatsoever for man or beast both within without not leaving them or their Families bread to eat or beer to drink nor yet any Bed Bolster Cushion or ought else to rest their heads on or Straw to lie in Tread and eat out all their Grasse Hay Corn standing or cut with their Horses kill devour drive away all their Stock Cattel which the Garrisons have left them as good booty burn up all

Par●iament concerning the Commission of Array all former Statutes concerning Arrays Arms Musters and the old long continued practice of our ●rain'●-Bard in each County and Corporation formerly reputed the Nations chief ●●curity in intestine and invasive Wars with the late Militia'● raised on and by each County at their own vast expence to defend it and the nation as the best safestguard when all sorts were commanded to serve in person notwithstanding all Garrisons Mercenary Field-Forces and the Army then and since continued as our fafety And indeed common reason proves that as every man loves and prefers his own person family estate before a strangers or any others so he will more vigilantly sincerely effectually defend and protect them from Enemies or Dangers then a y Mercenaries how trusty and valiant soever they be And as every true S●epherd and owner of Sheep is more careful to defend and preserve them from Thieves and Robbers with the hazard of his own ●●fe then any Stranger or Hireling whose the Shee● are no● who will s●ie and desert or else he●p to prey upon them and play the ●hief himself in times of danger or advantage as Christ himself resolves John 10. So every able private person Family Parish Town County Association and by like consequence the whole Nation will better cheaper and with lesse inconveniences by far defend and secure themselves by their own unmercenary persons Arms voluntarily united according to their respective abilities without any general forced Taxes and illegal Excises imposed and continued on them against their wills then any Mercenary Officers and Soldiers whatsoever who making onely a Trade and Gain of War wil therefore spin it out as long as the Nation or People have any moneys or Estates to pay and inrich them and will sooner conclude and settle Peace upon their own terms upon all overtures and occasions then Mercenaries who neither desire nor intend our publike Peace in reality but interrupt it all they may when neer concluded as in the late Treaty with armed violence both against King and Parliament Uup on which grounds our A●cestors never usually entrusted any Mercenary Armies but themselves alone with their own and the Kingdoms defence scarce ever imposed any Taxes on the people by publike Parliamentary Authority in any civil Wars and very rarely except a Subsidy or fifteen now and then for the Kingdoms defence against forraign Invasion but onely for their Inva●ive De●ensive Forraign Wars in Fr●nce or elsewhere Why then the whole Nation Nobility Gentry and People of all sorts should not now again be trusted with their own arms and self-defence as well as in former Ages being their native Priviledg● and B●r●hr●gh their onely best security and prevention against all publike Enemies and Invaders but are forced to pur their Armes Lives Estates Protection into the hands of Mercenary Officers Soldiers Garrisons who notwithstanding ● their vast endlesse expences for their Pay have so often abused violated their Trusts lengthned our old engaged us since in successive new Wars against our Protestant Brethren and Confederates themselves and have almost eaten up all our real personal private Estates with the whole publike ancient Inheritance and standing Revenues of the Nation let all prudent Statesmen and Patrons of their Countreys Rights and Priviledges resolve the rather because our Mercenary Soldiers Garrisons Forts are so far perverted from their primitive use to preserve our Persons and Estates from Enemies and Violence that they are now made the only Janazaries Goalers Goa●s Prisons forcibly to seise imprison close imprison the persons ransack ●t he Houses Studies of the emminentest Parliament Member● Patrons and Freemen Sufferers for our publike Libe●tie● Laws Propertiesr Religion and the onely Instruments under the New Guardians of our Libertye to bring the whole Nation and all English Freemen of full age into perpetual Wardship to these new Seigniours since the old Cour● of Ward for ●nfants only till they came of full age is quite voted down as a Grievance though not comparable unto this of men of full age yea Parliament Members new strictest Wardships and close restraints under armed Garrisons and Centinels of meanest quality in these Garrison'd new Courts of Wards 8. That Maritine Garrisons Forts Blockhouses at the entrance of our Harbors as Pendennis and S. Mawdits Castles at the mouth of Falmouth Haven Harwich and others of that nature are altogether useless unnecessary expensive charges to the Republike unable to hinder the ingress egress or regress of any warlike ship ships or Navy into the Harbors much less to sinck them with all their Cannon-shot which I shall thus demonstrat● 1. In dark nights and misty days mornings evenings which take up neer halfe the space every yeere they can neither clearly see nor discern any ship or vessel passing into or out of their harbo●s muchlesse then hinder their free ingress or egr●ss by shot or otherwise when they cannot so much as see them 2. In clear sunshine dayes and moon-shine nights any small vessels much more then resolute men of War and whole Squadrons Navies may safely pass and repass into or out of these harbors or anchor in them without any great danger harm or sinking by their Cannons which standing for the most part high upon the Land especially at new Flood half Tide or Ebbe and not levell with the Sea at full tide an● being likewise not halfe so many in number nor so large in boar as most Men of Warre now carry in one tire or side discharged for the most part at rovers by unskilfull Gunners and Matrosses one after another and fixed upon one Platform whence they cannot easily or speedily bee removed can hardly in several shoots so much as hit any one single vessell much lesse hurt or sink it in its passage under saile by these forts and blockhouses being past their levell and danger at the first discharge of their Cannons over against them and quite out of it ere they can be recharged much lesse then can they stopp sinke or mischiefe an whole Navy or Squadron of Men of Warre which I shall demonstrate by several instances old and new beyond contradiction 1. Sir Francis Drake in his famous voyage to the West-Indies with a small squadron of ships entred five of the chiefe Ports the Spaniards there held took and fired their ships there riding under their Castles Forts Blockhouses and pillaged their Towns themselves notwithstanding all their Cannons and Artiliry playing upon his ships both from their Forts Castles Blockhouses and Ships there riding and that without the losse sinking or spoyling of any one of his Vessels And some other English Sea Captains then and since did the like as Mr. Harkluit in his printed Voyages at large relates 2. Our English Navy in Queen Elizabeths reign in their expedition against Cadez tooke the whole Iland and City in one day burnt and tooke all their ships treasure magazine and ordnance there notwithstanding all their forts

surprise them if they come and should they not then intrust the peoples persons estates to Gods Protection and their owne at this present without any mercenary Garrisons or Forces to guard them against their wills or desires to their superfluous vast expence when there is farr lesse probability or feare of danger to them in generall from armed Enemies then to their owne private persons Houses or moneys from Theeves and Robbers If they be thus continued on them onely to enrich the Officers Souldiers and secure their own Usurpations Intrusions or over ruling powers preferred before the peoples ease or weal under a pretext of danger from some Enemies that may or will infest plunder destroy the people so soone as the Army and Garrisons are disbanded we shall then desire that all officers Souldiers unwilling to disband upon this pretence of great imminent danger for the peoples more certaine security from Enemies and meriting of their future pay may be strictly enjoyned to put on all their Armes and draw up all their forces in battalio where they most feare the Enemies in the field and all their Garrisons likewise kept in a constant standing Posture to receive the Enemy in their respective Forts and there to stand night and day in their compleat armes in a perpetuall readinesse and posture of defence till the next sommer and our fears be ended without putting off their Arms as our * King Richard the first kept the Bishop of Bev●ies taken Prisoner by his forces in the field harnessed from head to foot in his iron Armes night and day above two months space without suffering him all that time to put them off lest some Enemies should surprise them our Island Garrisons on a sudden ere they could arme or put themselves in an actuall posture to receive them if permitted once to retire into their Winter quarters for their ease and then we suppose these pretenders of imminent danger only to get pay when and where they neither do nor can do the people the least reall Publick service but greatest prejudice as the premises evince will soone become as humble and earnest petitioners to our present swaying Powers who continue them and to the People who desire it to be forthwith disbanded and sent home again to their friends further imployments as this Harnessed Bishop was to our King Richard himselfe the Pope and his Brother Prelates to be disrobed disarmed of his heavy iron Rochet so long keept on his back and body to his little ease and lesse content it being altogether as just equitable and reasonable for them to keep the Army and Garrison Soldiers in this unreasonable hard constant duty and armed Posture day and night till they be disbanded as to lay unsupportable endlesse Taxes Excises on the oppressed peoples backs to maintain them in constant pay to their intolerable oppression till the next Sommer or longer upon the premised pretences If any now demand as many Officers and Souldiers oft do being their chief plea against disbanding how shall the Officers and Souldiers live after all their good Service in the Wars if they shall be now at last disbanded to ease and pleasure the people The Answer is very obvious just and equall 1. How shall the poor people live or maintain themselves and families if these Garrisons and Mercinary Forces be still continued being already like to starve 2. How do the poor people live who are still enforced to give them full pay and maintain them in idlenesse without any labour to do very little duty that wholly useless in Field or Garrisons wherein their onely necessary uselesse present dutie is to stand Centinell once or twice a week one houre or two to take Tobacco play sleep drink and cry stand or who goes there to one another in the night as they passe by the Centinels to as much purpose in relation to the peoples safety as one night Owles crying hallowing is to another or to demand of those that enter into the Garrisons in the day time Whence come you what are you what is your name businesse whom would you speak with Have you taken the new Engagement else you must not enter the Fort or Garrison no not alone in these times of no danger as if one disarmed Non Engager might surprise an whole lasie fortified Garrison in the day time aswell as a sleeping one in the night how much more then an armed Enemy Which learned questions standing the Nation in very many thousand pounds every year in Garisons now kept up as much concern the peoples security from Enemies as the Ministers interrogating of children formerly in the Church What is your name Who gave you this name And to maintain near a thousand Block-headed slothfull-Gunners in Blockhouses and Garrisons only to shoot away above six or seaven thousand pounds worth of powder in Courtship and Frolicks to ships and Visitors every year who deserve rather cashiering for this their prodigal and onely Dutie for which they receive great constant pay Certainly their Country pay-Masters live not by such idle uselesse fruitlesse rare duties but by hard studying sweating labouring night and day in their honest lawfull callings usefull for the publick the whole profits whereof these idle Lurdanes must still monthly devoure for such ridiculous services and new kinde of Catechising the people ex officio like our cashiered unpreaching Curates and so must these Officers and Souldiers too if they cannot otherwise live aswell as they 3. How did they live and maintain themselves before they were listed Souldiers Surely not as now but like other christian people by labouring daily in their lawfull callings living frugally soberly obediently like others of their equals not in such idlenesse luxury pride state as since And is it not possible that they may yea just equal that they should thus live and maintain themselves now and not still live like idle Drones in great sloath pompe state and honour upon the honey of the poore painfull Bees 4. How do many hundreds of formerly disbanded Officers Souldiers now live and maintain themselves who did as much and good service as those now in pay Doubtlesse by returning to the diligent exercise of their former callings or some other good imployments or going to some lawfull forraign Wars 5. If any old Officers and Souldiers in present service be so poor that they know not yet how to live if they be now disbanded certainly it is through their own ill husbandry pride or prodigality never Officers or Souldiers in the world being more royally duly justly paid and rewarded especially in a Civill War than they have been whereby thou●●●●● of them especially Generals Colonells Captains and Superiour Officers with many inferiour ones likewise are grown exceeding rich and wealthy over what they were before the Wars which have undone most others and are lately beyond expectation become the greatest Purchasers in the Nation of the richest publick and Private Mannors

impresting their Horses Ploughs Carts upon needless or wrongful publike or private occasions and pretences In all which and sundry other respects they are extraordinary Grievances to the Nation Garrison'd places and Countrey adjoining even in time of Peace Therefore not to be continued upon any vain pretence whatsoever 2. In times of War when they are pretended most necessarie they are then most chiefly prejudicial pernicious destructive both to the whole Nation in general the Places Garrison'd the adjacent Country and all contributing towards them as these experimental Demonstrations will undeniablie evidence against the erroneous Opinions and Practise of all Pseud●-Politicians and Soldiers contrary Pretences wherewith they delude yea cheat the ignorant people For in times of actual Wars especially civil when they are most pernicious they bring a general mischief on the whole Nation and that in these respects 1. By length ning and drawing out their intestine Wars with the Plagues and Miseries attending them for many yeers space as our ancient and late Wars manifest by a tedious and successive Seige of their Garrisons till reduced to the great waste spoile destruction and impoverishing of the people the innumerable increase of fatherlesse children Widdows poor and maimed persons the slaughters deaths of thousands more then if there were no such Garrisons 2. By multiplying the Peoples Taxes Expences to furnish and maintain these Garrisons and raise pay a great Field Army besides for these Garrisons security which would be a sufficient safeguard to the Nation without them 3. By lessening the number weakning the strength substracting the Military Provisions with all other supplies and recruits of the Field Armies in whose good or bad successe strength or weaknesse the Safety or Ruine Preservation or Conquest of the Nation next under God doth alone principally consist and whose Victories or ill successes the whole Nation with all Garrisons usually do will and must of necessity follow their Garrisons being unable to defend them from Plunder total and final Conquest if their Field Armies be quite routed or destroyed which would speedily end the Wars by Pitched Battels in the Field in a few dayes weeks months at furthest were it not for besieging and taking in Garrisons which through the Artifice of Mercenary O●ficers and Soldiers protract the Wars for many yeers and continue the Plagues and Miseries of war upon the Nation far longer then if there were no Garrisons in it as ancient and present experience must and will attest 2. They are in times of actual War most prejudicial to the Towns and Places Garrisond in these ensuing regards 1. By doubling trebling their Taxes Contributions Payments charges to new fortifie and furnish these Garrisons with Ammunition Artillery Cannons Provisions Magazines of all sorts augmenting their mercenary Guards and Soldiers by hundreds and thousands in some places to their great impoverishing and vexation and that oft times to betray them to the Enemy at last yea to lose those Garrisons in a few dayes or howrs which they have thus to their vast expence and trouble been fortifying furnishing guarding many moneths or yeers space together as the late Presidents of Bristol Hereford with other Garrisons belonging both to the King and Parliament in England Ireland Scotland and elsewhere demonstrate and the Histories of all Ages Countries testifie 2. By continual billetting quartering and free-quartering the Garrison Soldiers and Officers on the Inhabitants within or near the Garrisons to their great oppression vexation superadded to their Taxes oft times to their utter undoing 3. By drawing the Field-Forces likewise into them and free quartering them all the Winter long or when they are out of action for their better accommodation and safety to add to their former affliction and by continual uncessant qnartering of other marching Soldiers on them upon all expeditions parties sent out upon emergent occasions from which heavy Pressures ungarrison d places and Villages remote from Garrisons are either totally exempted or ten times more free then Garrisons which would be as free as they were they not made Garrisons 4. By exposing them to all the forementioned mischiefs and inconveniences of Officers and Garrison Soldiers in times of Peace doubled and trebled in seasons of Warre when the Soldiers are farre more unruly deboist injurious imperious over them in all kindes then in Peace 5. By inviting inducing or necessitating the Enemies Forces to besiege and inflict upon them the saddest Calamities and Plagues of War from which ungarrisoned Towns and places far from Garrisons are usually exempted or not so liable to especially in civil Wars To enumerate some particular miseries accompanying Seiges 1. Burning wasting destroying their own Suburbs Neighboring Houses Villages Orchards Gardens Trees in or near their Garrisons Walls or Works and that frequently by their own Officers and Garrison Soldiers to prevent the Enemies quartering in them or some annoyances from them or to contract their Works for their better and easier defence of what remaiins unburnt or unwasted to the undoing of hundreds and thousands left houslesse and harborless by this inhumane Policy as bad or worse then any Enemies rage as the sad late presidents of the firing the Suburbs of Bristol Excester Taunton Lincoln York Colchester and other Garrisons experiment with some stately Houses and whole Villages adjoyning to them To which may be added the like frequent furious devastations of them by the Enemies if spared by themselves Secondly Losse of all Trading Commerce and Markets during the Leaguers about them when they need them most of all Thirdly Perpetual Fears Alarms Disturbances Watchings Frights day and night continual hard military duties and skirmishes with the Enemy even by the Inhabitants themselves at their free cost notwithstanding their hired dear-waged Guardian Soldiers to secure them Fourthly Forcible seisures of the Inhabitants Houshold-Provisions of all sorts with their Beds Bedding Arms Money Plate to feed lodge arm pay their Mercenary Servants then in all things their most absolute Lording Masters who extort and will take from them and theirs all they have of purpose forsooth to protect them though those their protected Pay-masters and their whole Families starve lye cold or naked on the boards want money to buy them bread necessaries or lie sick in greatest distress Fifthly The losse of many of the Inhabitants lives by Assaults Granadoes Fire-works Sallies Shots wounds Famines Plagues Feavers and other Sicknesses usually accompanying Sieges and Wars by invented false accusations suspitions of holding intelligence with the Enemies or plotting to betray the Garrison to them by suddain fears frights discontents firing or beating down Houses springing of Mines and the li●e during their Seiges in many whereof if sharp or long or accompanyed with Plagues and Sicknesses above half the Inhabitants or more have frequently been quite consumed and the rest utterly undone though the Enemies left the Seige at last Sixthly The Wounding Maiming loss of Limbs of many of the Inhabitants multiplying of their poor Widows desolate Orphans by Seiges and

their new charge to relieve them Seventhly The total Banishment Captivity Slaughter and extirpation of all the Inhabitants and mercenary Soldiers too in Garrisons if taken by storm or assault by putting them all to the Sword Man Woman and Childe without distinction or the greatest number of them and carrying the rest Captives thence whereof there are hundreds of sad presidents in * Sacred and Prophane History The famous Protestant Town of Magdeburgh in Germany of late years was by bloody General Tilly put totally to the Sword and then burnt to ashes And Tredagh in Ireland though for the most part Protestants always constant to the Parliament enduring many long and sharp Seiges by the Irish Popish Rebels yet submitting to Marquesse Ormond a sincere Protestant formerly General for the Parliament in Ireland and then for the King and receiving a Garrison from him at the last when their Governor entred into an offensive and defensive League with Owen Roe-Oneal the General of the Popish Rebels their greatest Enemy and chief Contriver Fomenter of the Irish Massacre and Rebellion upon the late taking of it by storm most of the Inhabitants were thereupon put to t●e sword without distinction together with all the Garrison Soldiers by Gen. Cromwel himself and his Forces to the great grief of many good Protestants there which fatal desolation and total destruction they had all escaped had they not been a Garrison Eightly The total demolition and burning to the very ground of sundry private Garrisons Castles strong magnificent Houses of ancient Nobles and Gentlemen and of some fair Churches too when taken whereof our late Wars have produced many sad Spectacles as Rag land Castle Basing House Rowden House Cambden House Litchfiel● Clos● Banbury Pomfret Castles with sundry more And which is yet more grievous the burning to the ground and total desolation depopulation ruine of many great famous Garrisons Cities and Towns as Troy Jerusalem Tyrus Athens with hundreds more and of the best and greatest part of other stately Cities never since repaired re-peopled whereof * Sacred and Prophane Stories of former ages our own Annals and late experience can furnish us with multitudes of sad Presidents Which fatal Subversions Devastations they had all escaped had they not been Garrisoned and stood out a Siege Ninthly the total Spoil Plunder Confiscation of all the Inhabitants Goods and Estates if not their Lives to the Enemy if taken by Assault or Stratagem to their universal undoing and yet putting them to future Fines Ransoms and heavy Taxes afterward to buy their Peace or save them from the general subsequent Plunder of all not formerly spoiled by the Soldiers All which they had escaped if un-Garrisoned Tenthly The unavoidable reception of greater and usually worse domineering new Garrisons from the conquering Enemies oft spoiling plundering firing ransoming executing the wealthiest of the Inhabitants notwithstanding all Articles of agreement for their Indempnity and Security though taken by surrender onely not by storm which Articles are usually much violated and very seldome kept by faithlesse greedy rude plundering Officers or Soldiers who add affliction to affliction and a new undoing to the old to whose new Lording Lawlesse power Orders Pleasures Government the Inhabitants must all submit or else they their Families must be forthwith banished out of their native Habitations as enemies stript naked of all they have and forced to wander cold naked about the Countrey like vagrants for bread clothes relief houseroom which they plentifully enjoyed before to the breaking of their hearts and shortning of their lives Eleventhly These Garrisons are oft taken re-taken over and over and so as oft plundered re plundered spoiled ransomed and new garrison d by both sides yea those of them who were protected as friends and favorites to the one side are sure to be most spoiled plundered oppressed persecuted by the other and to suffer thus in their successive turns till they be quite undone and ruined by their frequent takings and re-takings on both sides as bristol Exeter with other places have found by late sad experience the vicissitudes and miseries of these Garrisons never ceasing till their Wars and Garrisons cease and they became no Garrisons Twelfly If any besieged Garrisons escape taking in the Wars by Seige as Gloces●er Hull and L●me did in our late Wars but scarce any else yet as it was more through Gods mercy and the valor vigilancie and strength of their own Inhabitants and other Volunteers then of their hired mercenaries so the length of Losses and damages by their very Leaguers did more indammage impoverish them then an honorable composition with the Enemy at first or the leaving their Towns quite ungarrison'd would have done besides their exemption from all those fears hardships and other miseries accompanying their Leaguers There was no Garrison in the late Wars throu ghout the Nation but if left ungarrison'd by either side might with the quarter or half quarter of its unnecessary expences to make and keep it a Garrison have avoided all the Miseries Losses Devastations Plunders Pressures it suffered as a Garrison on both or either side without an● great danger or Pillage to the Inhabitants persons or Estates by either side And half the charges of our Garrisons on both sides would have defrayed the whole charges of both the Field Armies and ended the Wars in far lesse then half the time they were protracted by means of Garrisons In brief our small Castles and Garrisons even in times of wars are can be no defence at all but great Oppressions and Grievances to the people and Countrey our great Garrisons are then but small defences and greater burdens and grievances to the people then smaller yea all of them after all their fortifications costs expences are or may be taken by * forc● stratagem Famine or Treachery at the last by any Enemy who is but Master of the Field Witnesse the strongest of Cities ●yrus Ezek. 26. and Ierusalem Gods own most fortified City of which the Prophet thus writes Lam. 4. 12. The Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the Adversary and the Enemy should have entred into the Gates of Jerusalem yet was it often taken pillaged dismantled and burnt by the enemies 2 Chron 12. 4. c. 2 Chron. 36. 7 10 17 to 21. Yea our own Garrisons were the principal seats theaters of all our former and late Wars epsecially when besieged by either party Whence a Siege is usually termed Le-Guerre from the F●ench that is to say THE WAR because there is no War to speak of till then Battels in the Field being fought and ended usually in half a day or lesse and oft within one hour or two at most when as Sieges accompanied alwaies with frequent Skirmishes constant Batteries sundry Assaults Sallies Stormings on all hands or in some quarter or other continue many dayes weeks months and yeers sometimes with far greater danger and

block-houses numerous mounted Cannons discharged against them without the loss or spoil of any one ship and of very few men as Mr. Cambden Speed and others inform us in her life 3. The Hollanders both in the East and West-Indies have frequently entred the Spanish Havens with their ships in despite of all their Cannons Forts and Blockhouses anchored in them and pillaged fired took the Spanish Vessels riding in them under their Castles without the sinking of any one man of Warre by their Cannons firing as the History of the Netherlands Purchas and Hackluit in their Voyages and others record 4. The Dutch men of Warre and other Vessels have sundry times in a drunken Bravado at mid-day passed in and out of our Harbors at Harwich Plimouth Falmouth Southampton without striking sail to the Forts there and gone away without any hurt danger stop notwithstanding all their cannon-shot to bring them in as I have heard by many credible eye-witnesses 5. Sir Robert Mansel in his Voyage against Algier with his boats fired sundry of their ships drawn on shore under their Castle-walls blockhouses without the loss of one boat or ship and very few men notwithstanding many thousands of cannon and more of musket-shot from the castle and ships as Captain George Carteret who saw it and was active in it informed mee whiles I was prisoner in Jersey 6. Since our late unhappy wars two very small squadrons of our ships successively landed the Parliaments forces under the very blockhouses and forts of Scilly and Jersey without the loss or hurt of one ship or barque by their Cannon shot and with the loss of very few men and reduced the Castles and Ilands too with a farre lesser land-force then the King had there in arms to defend them Since this Sir George Ascough with a smal Navy entred into the chief part harbor at the Barbadoes took brought out thence fourteen or more Dutch Vessels and others riding therein passing and repassing without the loss sinking hurt of any one ship or slaughter of one man within half pistol shot of their castle and blockhouses which plaid upon his ships all the time with their cannon musket shot and soon after he reduced the whole Iland notwithstanding all their forts and forces as the printed Diurnalls and Relation of its taking and Letters thence inform us 7. Since this I read in our Diurnalls that Prince Rupert took some of our Merchants ships riding under the Castles and Blockhouses of our English Plantations in the Indies which played upon him with their cannon without hurt he returning them two cannon shot for one and riding within musket shot of them without any fear or hurt 8. To come home to Pendennis Castle and St. Mawdits so much cryed up as the most usefull and considerable of all other Whiles they were in the Kings power since these warres as the inhabitants and some souldiers assure me a single man of warre of the Parliaments party in the day-time entred the harbor boorded took and carried away thence a rich ship there riding in the view of both the Garrisons notwithstanding all their cannon shot and blockhouses without any harm at all shee shooting as fast at the castles as they shot at her and so departed with her prize 9. Since my imprisonment in Pendennis Castle a Turkish man of Warr at mid-day in the view of all the Garrison and my selfe came up to the mouth of the Harbor and very neer the Blockhouse took a great English Lighter of thirty tun sunk the vessell in the place and carried away some twelve persons in it prisoners into Sally or Tunis after which she came close up to the harbor two or three mornings together till chased away from thence by a Man of Warre One stout ship of Warre being a better guard against Pyrates and Sea-enemies then all the Maritine forts and garrisons being able to pursue fight and take them which no forts or garrisons can do Not long after a little Pink not above nine or ten ●un anchored some three dayes together just between Pendennis Castle and St. Mawdits to carry away Tinne as was supposed Sir George Ascough sailing within view of the Castles with his whole fleet towards Plimouth some eight days before his fight with Ruttier sent four men of warre to convey such ships as were in the Harbour to Plymouth two of them came into the Harbour the other two plied up and downe at the mouth of it till the other two came out of the Harbour to them This little Pink thereupon hoysed saile as if she were bound for Plymouth with them without any discharge or leave from the Castles whereupon they shot two warning pieces over and under her to bring her in for this affront and to make her pay for the shot and custome of Tinne which they imagined she had stollen I looking on the Captain Gunners and souldiers told mee They would warrant mee shee would come in and submit but I observing her course told them Shee would no more come in to their lure then a wilde Hawke got loose whereupon both Castles discharged their cannons in earnest to hit sink or bring her back through fear but shee in despite of them though there were two men of warre before and two behinde her under saile got away from them all without any hurt or stop the whole Garrison looking on VVhereupon I laughing at their confidence and uselessness of these castles serving only to shoot away * powder and bullet in salutes and frollicks told them That our wise Statesmen and the Kingdome were very much overseen to keep two Castles three or four Blockhouses so many score Cannons Gunners Souldiers and Matrosses there as cost them eight or ten thonsand pounds a yeer under pretence to secure the Haven and Nation against Enemies and Pirates when they could not at noon day as they now saw by experience so much as stay take hurt or sink one little Pink of nine or ten tun with foure or five sea-men onely and not one Gun in her whenas there were four Men of War under sail so near her and she had stollen Customes Much lesse then could they stop hurt sinck any stout man of War or an whole squadron of Ships or Navy or hinder them from entring the Harbor riding or landing there and returning at their pleasures their Pieces and Bl●●khouses not commanding one half quarter of the Harbor when entred not being able to hurt or sink them in their entry or retiring as I clearly demonstrated to them then and afterwards especially by these unanswerable experiments in our late sea Fights Collonel Blake my Countrey-man in his first sea Fight with Van Trump as his and others printed Letters relate had many scores if no● hundreds of broad sides discharged against his ship by the Dutch at nearest distance by far greater better Cannons Cannoneers and Tyres of Ordinance charged with Chain and Crossbard shot as well

as Bullet lying nearer the water then any Guns in Pendennis or St. Maudits Castles Blockhouses or in any other of our Forts receiving no less then 3000. Cannon shot in his Hull tackling Masts Sails After which he received in his ship as many or more broad sides and shots in his third Fight with the Dutch in their return from France with their Merchant ships and Sir George Ascough received neer as many in his ship in his fight with Ruttier Yet all these broad sides thousands of shot did neither sink split fire nor make unservicable either of these ships which were soon repaired neither did they kill any store of their men with their Cannons their Musket shot and boording only doing their men most harm Therefore questionless so many thousand Cannon shot discharged agaiust any other stout single ship or man of War from these Castles and Blockhouses at greater distance uncertainty and higher level with smaller Ordnance balls by worser Guners can neither sink nor spoil her muchless sink hurt spoil stop or take an whole squadron of ships of war which our whole Fleets can hardly do when they cannot come neare to board or fire them by this proportion all the powder cannon shot bullets Guns in both Castles would not be sufficient to sink or spoil one single ship riding at Anchor within their command muchlesse in her passage in or out since 3000. shot in her bulk sails masts and tackling would not do it and half of the Cannons discharged would not hit but passe besides her Therefore to keep up such Castles and Blockhouses to secure Harbours sink●ships and hinder any fleets or squadrons of ships from entring or harbouring in them was but a prodigal oversight and mistake there being never any warlike ship yet sunk by our Forts blockhouses since their first erection for ought I could read in history or hear by information from credible Witnesses nor any Navy repelled from entring riding or landing by them had they a resolution to do it as the premised instances with sundry others manifest And one since these Aphorisins penned namely General Blakes fireing the Turkish ships lying under their very strongest Castle Walls notwithstanding all their cannons blockhouses ships playing upon our ships assaulting them and beating down their castle about their wars with the cannon from our ships without the loss sinking spoile of any of our ships A sufficient demonstrative evidence of the uselesness of Maritine forts and blockhouses which in truth are meer idle scarecrows and bugbears to fright raw cowardly sea-men not daunt or keep off experienced resolute ships or marriners VVherefore to draw towards a conclusion I shall onely adde That the onely pretended use of Mereenary Garrisons and Souldiers being but to defend the Peoples Persons and Estates in times of necessity when and whiles end angered by a Potent Enemy in actuall Armes who are secure enough without them when where and whiles there is no such visible Enemy to assault them it can be neither justice equity conscience honesty good husbandry nor true State-policy to continue any such Garisons or Feild Souldiers on them to their vast expence and undoing now there is no Armed Enemy in the Island and so strong a Fleet at Sea to secure them against forraigners upon endlesse full and constant former pay without any necessity or actuall service till the next spring or summer because then peradventure there may be some new imployments for them at home or abroad onely to enrich the Mercinary Officers Souldiers and oppresse undoe the undone people lying down like Issachars under both these heavy burthens of Mercenary Garrisons and a Mercenary field Army too even with broken backes and bleeding hearts without ease or commisseration notwithstanding all their clamours No present ruling Potentates or States-men who should help and right them will be such Prodigals or ill husbands of their owne Purses and Estates as to keep those Reapers Mowers who have cut down their Corne and done their harvest work the last Summer in ful constant harvest pay all the following Autumne Winter and all the succeeding spring till the Summer harvest come again without any other usefull work or imployment for them till then because peradventure they may then imploy them again for a month or two in reaping and inning their next yeares crop which they have not so much as sowen and are yet uncertaine whether to sow or not which if they did would render them ridiculous to every Country Clown who hath so much Policy and frugality as to discharge his mercenary harvest folke so soone as they have ended their harv st worke and not to keep them still idle and pay them harvest wages till the next Summer because he can then if need be soon hire them or other Reapers Mowers when his corne is ripe for cutting not before for lesse then one quarter of the money their pay would come to if kept in hire till that time without doing him any other service And shall our wise new Statesmen then be such Prodigals and ill husbands of the exhausted peoples purses and estates as to keep many thousands of mercinary Field and Garrison Horse and foot in constant full pay who many moneths since have done all their sommer and present publick worke for the peoples safety all the censuing Autumne winter Spring in no actuall necessary Service for them a● all onely because perhaps they may make use of them the Sommer following or a year or two hence if then to cut down imaginary armed Enemies in the Field or Island if any then appeare to invade the Peoples Persons and Estates of which there is yet no probability Verily if they shall still do thus every Country Peasant will despise deride and ensure this their folly and unthriftinesse and the whole exhausted oppressed Nation condemne if not casheir them for such grosse imprudence Certainly every rich private Statesmans Noblemans Gentlemans Peasants House Person in these necessitous times when theives are so busy in all parts of the Nation are in greater danger of being robbed plundred murdred by Murderers and Robbers then any Garrison Towne or Village to be piliaged by any forraigne forces or domestick Enemies appearing in no parts of the Isle nor likely to do it yet none of them will be so ridiculous prodigall or distrustfull of Gods protecting Providence as upon their owne purses to hire any Horse or foot perpetually to Guard their Persons Houses day and night till the next Sommer because some Theeves and Robbers these long tedious winter nights may probably assault their Houses steal their moneyes plate goods or murder their persons but will ease themselves of this cost and charge till they be certainly informed of a company of Robbers conspiring for to plunder rob or kill them about some certain time or have news that they are ready to execute this designe and then they will time enough summon their domestik servants freinds to encounter and