produced so great a Change And it will at first sight seem very strange when I shall name the Restoration of Learning the Invention of Printing of the Needle and of Gunpowder as the chief of them things in themselves so excellent and which the last only excepted might have proved of infinite Advantage to the World if their remote Influence upon Government had been obviated by sutable Remedies Such odd Consequences and of such a different Nature accompany extraordinary Inventions of any kind Constantinople being taken by Mahomet the Second in the Year 1453 many Learned Greeks fled over into Italy where the favourable reception they found from the Popes Princes and Republicks of that Country soon introduced amongst the better sort of Men the study of the Greek Tongue and the Antient Authors in that Language About the same time likewise some Learned Men began to restore the Purity of the Latin Tongue But that which most contributed to the Advancement of all kind of Learning and especially the study of the Antients was the Art of Printing which was brought to a great degree of Perfection a few Years after By this means their Books became common and their Arts generally understood and admired But as Mankind from a natural propension to Pleasure is always ready to chuse out of every thing what may most gratify their vicious Appetites so the Arts which the Italians first applied themselves to improve were principally those that had been subservient to the Luxury of the Antients in the most corrupt Ages of which they had many Monuments still remaining Italy was presently filled with Architects Painters and Sculptors and a prodigious Expence was made in Buildings Pictures and Statues Thus the Italians began to come off from their frugal and military way of living and addicted themselves to the pursuit of refined and expensive Pleasures as much as the Wars of those times would permit This Infection spread it self by degrees into the Neighbouring Nations But these things alone had not been sufficient to work so great a Change in Government if a preceding Invention brought into common use about that time had not produced more new and extraordinary Effects than any had ever done before which probably may have many Consequences yet unforeseen and a farther Influence upon the Manners of Men as long as the World lasts I mean the Invention of the Needle by the help of which Navigation was greatly improved a Passage opened by Sea to the East-Indies and a new World discovered By this means the Luxury of Asia and America was added to that of the Antients and all Ages and all Countries concurred to sink Europe into an Abyss of Pleasures which were rendred the more expensive by a perpetual Change of the Fashions in Clothes Equipage and Furniture of Houses These things brought a total Alteration in the way of living upon which all Government depends 'T is true Knowledg being mightily increased and a great Curiosity and Nicety in every thing introduced Men imagined themselves to be gainers in all Points by changing from their frugal and military way of living which I must confess had some mixture of Rudeness and Ignorance in it tho not inseparable from it But at the same time they did not consider the unspeakable Evils that are altogether inseparable from an expensive way of living To touch upon all these tho slightly would carry me too far from my Subject I shall therefore content my self to apply what has been said to the immediate Design of this Discourse The far greater share of all those Expences fell upon the Barons for they were the Persons most able to make them and their Dignity seemed to challenge whatever might distinguish them from other Men This plunged them on a sudden into so great Debts that if they did not sell or otherwise alienate their Lands they found themselves at least obliged to turn the military Service their Vassals owed them into Money partly by way of Rent and partly by way of Lease or Fine for paiment of their Creditors And by this means the Vassal having his Lands no longer at so easy a Rate as before could no more be obliged to military Service and so became a Tenant Thus the Armies which in preceding times had been always composed of such Men as these ceased of course and the Sword sell out of the hands of the Barons But there being always a necessity to provide for the Defence of every Country Princes were afterwards allowed to raise Armies of Volunteers and Mercenaries And great Sums were given by Diets and Parliaments for their Maintenance to be levied upon the People grown rich by Trade and dispirited for want of Military Exercise Such Forces were at first only raised for present Exigencies and continued no longer on foot than the Occasions lasted But Princes soon found Pretences to make them perpetual the chief of which was the garisoning Frontier Towns and Fortresses the Methods of War being altered to the tedious and chargeable way of Sieges principally by the Invention of Gunpowder The Officers and Souldiers of these Mercenary Armies depending for their Subsistence and Preferment as immediately upon the Prince as the former Militia's did upon the Barons the Power of the Sword was transferred from the Subject to the King and War grew a constant Trade to live by Nay many of the Barons themselves being reduced to Poverty by their expensive way of living took Commands in those Mercenary Troops and being still continued Hereditary Members of Diets and other Assemblies of State after the loss of their Vassals whom they formerly represented they were now the readiest of all others to load the People with heavy Taxes which were employed to increase the Prince's Military Power by Guards Armies and Citadels beyond Bounds or Remedy I am not ignorant that before this Change Subsidies were often givâ—â— by Diets States and Parliaments for maintaining Wars but these were small and no way sufficient to subsist such numerous Armies as those of the Barons Militia What I have said hitherto has been always with regard to one or other and often to most Countries in Europe What follows will have a more particular regard to England where tho the Power of the Barons be ceased yet no mercenary Troops are yet established The Reason of which is that England had before this great Alteration lost all her Conquests in France the Town of Calais only excepted and that also was taken by the French before the Change was thorowly introduced So that the Kings of England had no Pretence to keep up Standing Forces either to defend Conquests abroad or to garison a Frontier towards France which was their formidable Enemy since the Sea was now become the only Frontier between those two Countries Henry the Seventh seems to have perceived the Alteration before-mentioned more than any Prince of his time and obtained several Laws to favour and facilitate it But the succeeding Princes were altogether improper
were And Holland in the Year 1672 how useless to defend them If ever any Government stood in need of such a sort of Men 't was that of antient Rome because they were engaged in perpetual War The Argument can never be so strong in any other Case But the Romans well knowing such Men and Liberty to be incompatible and yet being under a necessity of having Armies constantly on foot made frequent Changes of the Men that served in them who when they had been some time in the Army were permitted to return to their Possessions Trades or other Employments And to show how true a Judgment that wise State made of this Matter it is sufficient to observe that those who subverted that Government the greatest that ever was amongst Men found themselves obliged to continue the same Souldiers always in constant Pay and Service There is another thing which I would not mention if it were not absolutely necessary to my present purpose and that is the usual Manners of those who are engaged in Mercenary Armies I speak now of Officers in other Parts of Europe and not of those in our Army allowing them to be the best and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have it so quite different from all â—thers will not apply to them any part of what I shall say concerning the rest They themselves best know how far any thing of thâ—â— Nature may be applicable to them I say thâ—â—… most Princes of Europe having put themselve upon the foot of keeping up Forces rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than well entertain'd can give but small Allowance to Officers whom notwithstanding they permit to live in all that Extravagancy which mutual Example and Emulation prompts them to By which means the Officers become insensibly engaged in numberless Oppressions and Cruelties the Colonels against the Captains and the Captains against the inferior Souldiers So that there is hardly any sort of Men who are less Men of Honour than the Officers of Mercenary Forces and indeed Honour has now no other Signification amongst them than Courage Besides most Men that enter into those Armies whether Officers or Souldiers as if they were obliged to show themselves new Creatures and perfectly regenerate if before they were modest or sober immediately turn themselves to all manner of Debauchery and Wickedness committing all kind of Injustice and Barbarity against poor and defenceless People Now tho the natural Temper of our Men be more just and honest than that of the French or of any other People yet may it not be feared that such bad Manners may prove contagious And if such Manners do not fit Men to enslave a Nation Devils only must do it On the other hand if it should happen that the Officers of a Standing Army in England should live with greateâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Modesty than was ever yet seen in that sort of Men it might very probably fall out that being quarter'd in all Parts of the Country they might be returned Members of Parliament for most of the Electing Boroughs and of what Consequence that would be I leave all Men to judg So that whatever be the Conduct of a Mercenary Army we can never be secure as long as any such Force is kept up in England and I confess I do not see by what Rules of good Policy any Mercenary Forces have been connived at either in England or elsewhere Sure 't is allowing the Dispensing Power in the most essential Point of the Constitution The Subjects formerly had a real Security for their Liberty by having the Sword in their own hands That Security which is the greatest of all others is lost and not only 〈◊〉 but the Sword is put into the Hand of the King by his Power over the Militia All this is not enough but we must have a Standing Army of Mercenaries who for the most part have no other way to subsist and consequently are capable to execute any Commands And yet every Maâ—… 〈◊〉 think his â—â—â—…erties as safe as ever under pain of being thoâ—â—ht disaffected to the Monarchy But sure it must not be the antient Limited and Legal Monarchy of England that these Gentlemen mea It must be a French Fashion of Monarchy where the King has Power to do what he pleases and the People no Security for any thing they possess We have quitted our antient Security and put the Militia into the Power of the King The only remaining Security we have is That no Standing Army was ever yet allowed in time of Peace the Parliament having so often and so expresly declared it to be contrary to Law If a Standing Army be allow'd what Difference will there be between the Government we shall then live under and any kind of Government under a good Prince Of which there have been some in the most despotick Tyrannies If this be a Limited and not an Absolute Monarchy then as there are Conditions so there ought to be Securities on both sides The Barons never pretended that their Militia's should be constantly on foot and together in Bodies in times of Peace 'T is evident that would have subverted the Constitution and made every one of them a Petty Tyrant And 't is as evident that Standing Forces are the fittest Instruments to make a Tyrant tho not of so gracious a Prince as we now live under yet to be sure of some of his Successors Whoever is for making the King's Power too great or too little is an Enemy to the Monarchy But to give him a Standing Army puts his Power beyond Controul and consequently makes him Absolute If the People had any other real Security for their Liberty than that there be no Standing Army in time of Peace there might be some colour to demand it But if that only remaining Security be taken away from the People we have destroyed the Monarchy 'T is pretended we are in hazard of being invaded by a powerful Enemy Shall we therefore destroy our Constitution What is it then that we would defend Is it our Persons by the Ruine of our Constitution In what then shall we be Gainers In saving our Lives by the Loss of our Liberties If our Pleasures and Luxury make us live like Brutes it seems we must not pretend to reason any better than they I would fain know if there be any other way of making a Prince Absolute than by allowing him a Standing Army If by it all Princes have not been made Absolute If without it any Whether our Enemies shall conquer us is uncertain But whether a Standing Army will enslave as neither Reason nor Experience will suffer us to doubt 'T is therefore evident that no Pretence of Danger from abroad can be an Argument to keep up a Standing Army or any Mercenary Forces Let us now consider whether we may not be able to defend our selves by a well-regulated Militia against any Foreign Force tho never so formidably that the Nation may be free from the Fears of Invasion from abroad as
to second him For Henry the Eighth was an unthinking Prince The Reigns of Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary were short and Queen Elizabeth loved her People too well to attempt it King James the First was a Stranger and of no Interest abroad King Charles the First did indeed endeavour to make himself Absolute tho somewhat preposterously for he attempted to seize the Purse before he was Master of the Sword But very wise Men have been of Opinion that if he had been possessed of as numerous Troops as those which were afterwards raised and constantly kept up by King Charles the Second he might easily have succeeded in his Enterprize For we see that in those Struggles which the Country Party had with King Charles the Second and in those Endeavours they used to bring about that Revolution which was afterwards compassed by a Foreign Power the chief and insuperable Difficulty they met with was from those Forces And tho King James the Second had provoked the Nation to the last degree and made his own Game as hard as possible not only by invading our Civil Liberties but likewise by endeavouring to change the Established Religion for another which the People abhorred whereby he lost their Affections and even those of a great part of his Army yet notwithstanding all this Mismanagement England stood in need of a foreign Force to save it and how dangerous a Remedy that is the Histories of all Ages can witness 'T is true this Circumstance was favourable to the Nation that a Prince who had married the next Heir to the Crown was at the Head of our Deliverance yet did it engage us in a long and expensive War And now that we are much impoverished and by means of our former Riches and present Poverty fallen into all the Corruptions which those great Enemies of Vertue want and Excess of Riches can produce that there are such Numbers of Mercenary Forces on foot at home and abroad that the greatest part of the Officers have no other way to subsist that they are commanded by a wise and active King who has at his Disposal the formidable Land and Sea Forces of a Neighbouring Nation the great Rival of our Trade A King who by Blood Relation other particular Ties and common Interest has the House of Austria most of the Princes of Germany and Potentates of the North for his Friends and Allies who can whatever Interest he join with do what he thinks fit in Europe I say if a Mercenary Standing Army be kept up the first of that kind except those of the Usurper Cromwel and the late King James that England has seen for thirteen hundred Years I desire to know where the Security of the Liberties of England lies unless in the good Will and Pleasure of the King I desire to know what real Security can be had against a Standing Army of Mercenaries backed by the Corruption of a Nation the Tendency of the way of Living the Genius of the Age and the Example of the World Having shown the Difference between the past and present Government of England how precarious our Libertâ—â—â— are and how from having the best Security 〈◊〉 them we are in hazard of having none at alâ—… 't is to be hoped that those who are for a Standing Army and losing no occasion of advancing and extending the Prerogative from a mistaken Oâ—inion that they establish the antient Government of England will see what sort of Patriots they are But we are told that only Standing Mercenary Forces can defend England from the perpetual Standing Armies of France However frivolous this Assertion be as indeed no good Argument can be brought to support it either from Reason or Experience yet allowing it to be good what Security can the Nation have that these Standing Forces shall not at some time or other be made use of to suppress the Liberties of the People tho not in this King's time to whom we owe their Preservation For I hope there is no Man so weak to think that keeping up the Army for a Year or for any longer time than the Parliament shall have engaged the Publick Faith to make good all Deficiencies of Funds granted for their Maintenance is not the keeping them up for ever 'T is a pitiful shift in the Undertakers for a Standing Army to say We are not for a Standing Army We are only for an Army from Year to Year or till the Militia be made useful For England cannot be in any hazard from France at least till that Kingdom so much exhausted by War and Persecution shall have a breathing space to recover Before that time our Militia will be in order and in the mean time our Fleets Besides no Prince ever surrendred so great Countries and so many strong Places I shall not say in order to make a new War but as these Men will have it to continue the same The French King is old and diseased and was never willing to hazard much by any bold Attempt If he or the Dauphin upon his Decease may be suspected of any farther Design it must be upon the Spanish Monarchy in case of the Death of that King And if it be objected that we shall stand in need of an Army in such a Conjuncture I answer that our Part in that or in any other foreign War will be best managed by Sea as shall be shown hereafter Let us then see if Mercenary Armies be not exactly calculated to enslave a Nation Which I think may be easily proved if we consider that such Troops are generally composed of Men who make a Trade of War and having little or no Patrimony or spent what they once had enter into that Employment in hopes of its Continuance during Life not at all thinking how to make themselves capable of any other By which means heavy and perpetual Taxes must be entail'd for ever upon the People for their Subsistence and since all their Relations stand engaged to support their Interest let all Men judg if this will not prove a very united and formidable Party in a Nation But the Undertakers for a Standing Army will say Will you turn so many Gentlemen out to starve who have faithfully served the Government This Question I allow to be founded upon some Reason For it ought to be acknowledged in Justice to our Army that on all Occasions and in all Actions both Officers and Souldiers have done their part And therefore I think it may be reasonable that all Officers and Souldiers of above forty Years in consideration of their Unfitness to apply themselves at that Age to any other Employment should be recommended to the Bounty of the Parliament But the Undertakers must pardon me if I tell them That no well-constituted Government ever suffered any such Men in it whose Interest leads them to imbroil the State in War and are an useless and insupportable Burden in time of Peace Carthage after the first Roman War found how dangerous they