A DISCOURSE Concerning MILITIA'S AND Standing Armies With relation to the Past and Present Governments of EVROPE AND OF ENGLAND in particular Res est periculi plena summam Rei Publicae hominibus Mercenariis sine re sine spe quidvis ob pecuniam ausuris committere quorum profundam avaritiam incendat ad nova molienda occasio fortuna secum fidem circumagat Thuan. Hist London Printed in the Year 1697. A DISCOURSE Concerning Militia's and Standing Armies THERE is not perhaps in humane Affairs any thing so unaccountable as the Indignity and Cruelty with which the far greater part of Mankind suffer themselves to be used under pretence of Government For some Men falsly perswading themselves that bad Governments are advantageous to them as most conducing to gratify their Ambition Avarice and Luxury set themselves with the utmost Art and Violence to procure their Establishment and almost the whole World has been trampled under foot and subjected to Tyranny for want of understanding by what Methods they were brought into it For tho Mankind take great Care and Pains to instruct themselves in other Arts and Sciences yet very few apply themselves to consider the Nature of Government an Enquiry so useful and necessary both to Magistrate and People Nay in most Countries the Arts of State being altogether directed either to enslave the People or to keep them under Slavery it is become almost every where a Crime to reason about Matters of Government But if Men would bestow a small part of the Time and Application which they throw away upon curious but useless Studies or endless Gaming in perusing those excellent Rules of Government which the Antients have left us they would be enabled to discover all such Abuses and Corruptions as tend to the Ruine of Publick Societies 'T is therefore very strange that they should think Study and Knowledg necessary in every thing they go about except in the noblest and most useful of all Applications The Art of Government Now if any Man in compassion to the Miseries of a People should endeavour to disabuse them in any thing relating to Government he will certainly incur the Displeasure and perhaps be pursued by the Rage of those who think they find their Account in the Oppression of the World but will hardly succeed in his Endeavours to undeceive the Multitude For the Generality of all Ranks of Men are cheated by Words and Names and provided the antient Terms and outward Forms of any Government be retained let the Nature of it be never so much altered they continue to dream that they shall still enjoy their former Liberty and are not to be awakned till it prove too late Of this there are many remarkable Examples in History but that particular Instance which I have chosen to insist on as most sutable to my purpose is the Alteration of Government which happened in most Countries of Europe about the Year 1500. And 't is worth Observation that tho this Change was fatal to their Liberty yet it was not introduced by the Contrivance of ill-designing Men nor were the mischievous Consequences perceived unless by a few wise Men who if they saw it wanted Power to prevent it Two hundred Years being already passed since this Alteration began Europe has felt the Effects of it by sad Experience and the true Causes of the Change are now become more visible To lay open this Matter in its full Extent it will be necessary to look farther back and examin the Original and Constitution of those Governments that were established in Europe about the Year 400 and continued till this Alteration When the Goths Vandals and other warlike Nations had at different Times and under different Leaders over-run the Western Parts of the Roman Empire they introduced the following Form of Government into all the Nations they subdued The General of the Army became King of the Conquered Country and the Conquest being absolute he divided the Lands amongst the Great Officers of his Army afterwards called Barons who again parcelled out their several Territories in smaller Portions to the inferiour Souldiers that had followed them in the Wars and who then became their Vassals enjoying those Lands for Military Service The King reserved to himself some Demeasnes for the Maintenance of his Court and Attendance When this was done there was no longer any standing Army kept on foot but every Man went to live upon his own Lands and when the Defence of the Country required an Army the King summoned the Barons to his Standard who came attended with their Vassals Thus were the Armies of Europe composed for about eleven hundred Years and this Constitution of Government put the Sword into the hands of the Subject because the Vassals depended more immediately on the Barons than on the King which effectually secured the Freedom of those Governments For the Barons could not make use of their Power to destroy those limited Monarchies without destroying their own Grandeur nor could the King invade their Privileges having no other Forces than the Vassals of his own Demeasnes to rely upon for his Support in such an Attempt I lay no great stress on any other Limitations of those Monarchies nor do I think any so essential to the Liberties of the People as that which placed the Sword in the hands of the Subject But since in our time most Princes of Europe are in possession of the Sword by standing Mercenary Forces kept up in time of Peace and absolutely depending upon them I say that all such Governments are changed from Monarchies to Tyrannies Nor can the Power of granting or refusing Money tho vested in the Subject be a sufficient Security for Liberty where a standing Mercenary Army is kept up in time of Peace For he that is arm'd is always Master of the Purse of him that is unarm'd And not only that Government is Tyrannical which is tyrannically exercised but all Governments are Tyrannical which have not in their Constitution a sufficient Security against the Arbitrary Power of the Prince I do not deny that these limited Monarchies during the greatness of the Barons had some Defects I know few Governments free from them But after all there was a Balance that kept those Governments steady and an effectual Provision against the Encroachments of the Crown I do less pretend that the present Governments can be restored to the Constitution before-mentioned The following Discourse will show the impossibility of it My Design is first of all to explain the Nature of the past and present Governments of Europe and to disabuse those who think them the same because they are called by the same Names and who ignorantly clamour against such as would preserve that Liberty which is yet left In order to this and for a further and clearer Illustration of the Matter I shall deduce from their Original the Causes Occasions and the Complication of those many unforeseen Accidents which falling out much about the same time
well as from the Danger of Slavery at home 'T is well known that after the Barons had lost the Military Service of their Vassals Militia's of some kind or other were established in most parts of Europe But the prince having the Power of naming and preserring the Officers of these Militia's they could he no Balance in Government as the former were And he that will consider what has been said in this Discourse will easily perceive that the essential Quality requisite to such a Militia as might fully answer the Ends of the former must be that the Officers should be named and preferr'd as well as they and the Souldiers paid by the People that set them out So that if Princes look upon the present Militia's as not capable of defending a Nation against Foreign Armies the People have little reason to entrust them with the Defence of their Liberties 'T is as well known that after the dissolution of that Antient Militia under the Barons which made this Nation so Great and Glorious tho by setting up Militia's generally through Europe the Sword came not into the Hands of the Commons which was the only thing could have continued the former Balance of Government but was every where put into the Hands of the King nevertheless ambitious Princes who aimed at absolute Power thinking they could never use it effectually to that unless it were â—â—â—â—ed by Mercenaries and â—…en that had no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Coâ—mon-weâ—â—th then their 〈◊〉 have still endeavoured by all means to discredit Militia's and render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the People by never suffering them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right or so much as tolerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all to perâ—â—â—… the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed they have succeeded too well in this Design For the greatest part of the World has been fool'd into an opinion That a Militia cannot be made serviceable I shall not say 't was only Militia's could conquer the World and that Princes to have succeeded fully in the Design before-mentioned must have destroyed all the History and Memory of Antient Governments where the Accounts of so many excellent Models of Militia are yet extant I know the Prejudice and Ignorance of the World concerning the Art of War as it was practised by the Antionts tho what remains of that Knowledg in their Writings be sufficient to give a mean Opinion of the Modern Discipline For this Reason I shall examine by what has passed of late Years in this Nation whether Experience have convinced us that Officers bred in Foreign Wars be so far preserable to others who have been under no other Discipline than that of an ordinary and ill-regulated Militia and if the Commonalty of England at their first entrance upon Service be not as capable of a resolute Military Action as any standing Forces The Battel of Naseby will fully resolve this Doubt which is generally thought to have been the deciding Action of the late Civil War The Number of Forces was equal on both sides nor was there any Advantage in the Ground or extraordinary Accident that happened during the Fight which could be of considerable importance to either side In the Army of the Parliament nine only of the Officers had served abroad and most of the Souldiers were Prentices drawn out of London but two months before In the King's Army there was above a thousand Officers that had served in foreign Parts Yet were they routed and broken by those new-raised Prentices who were observed to be obedient to Command and brave in Fight not only in that Action but on all Occasions during that active Campagn The People of this Nation are not a dastardly Crew like those born in Misery under Oppression and Slavery who must have time to rub off that Fear Cowardice and Stupidity which they bring from home And tho Officers seem to stand in more need of Experience than private Souldiers yet in that Battel it was seen that the Sobriety and Principle of the Officers on the one side prevailed over the Experience of those on the other 'T is well known that divers Regiments of our Army lately in Flanders have never been once in Action and not one half of them above thrice nor any of them five times during the whole War O but they have been under Discipline and accustomed to obey And so may Men in Militia's We have had to do with an Enemy who tho abounding in Numbers of excellent Officers yet durst never fight us without a visible Advantage Is that Enemy like to invade us when he must be unavoidably necessitated to put all to hazard in ten days or starve unless we will suppose we are to have no Fleet at all But to come to some of the Capital Errors committed by those that established the Modern Militia's besides what has been already mentioned One of the chief was the discontinuing to exercise the whole People for which there were many excellent and wholsome Laws in this Nation and almost every where else Another Error was the taking Men without distinction and for the most part the Scum of the People into that small number which they listed and exercised Whereas if a small number only was to be exercised no Man of Quality or Riches ought to be excused from that Duty Thus it was that these Militia's fell into contempt and Men of Quality and Estates having Power to send any wretched Servant in their place became themselves abject and timorous by being disused to handle Arms 'T is well observed by a Judicious Author that 't is easier to exercise a greater Number than a less and consequently all that are able to bear Arms in a Nation than a small Number pickt out of a wide Country who must march far and be from home several days at each Exercise And perhaps it might be found an unnecessary trouble and burden to have certain numbers of Men listed and formed into Bodies in time of Peace if the whole People were exercised and an easy Method laid down by which such numbers of Men as shall be thought convenient may always be drawn out even upon the most sudden Occasion For by this means the Choice will be greater as it ought to be that so Trade Manufactures and Husbandry may be as little disturbed as possible since the Impediments of the several Conditions of Men are so many and so various 'T will be said That I insist much upon the Errors of the present Militia and do not propose a new Model by which they may be amended I answer A Parliament only can do that The People are to tell wherein they are agrieved and what is amiss It belongs only to that Wise Council to apply sutable Remedies Which cannot be difficult when the Causes of the Disease are discovered And there are many Models of Militia both Antient and Modern from which divers useful things may be taken Of the Fleet I shall say little having chiefly undertaken to speak of Militia's and
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