Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	accuse_v	forbear_v	great_a	12	3	2.0729	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35597	The Case of a standing army army [sic] fairly and impartially stated in answer to the late History of standing armies in England, and other pamphlets on that subject.		1698 (1698)	Wing C873; ESTC R3955	17,796	39

be so well acquainted with and it may go very hard with him if he can't prove what he Affirms and produce Grounds for his malicious Insinuations but if he is inform'd of the Nature of Affairs and so well knows the miscarriages that have befell us where the Source and Original of them lay their secret Springs and Movements he ought especially since he pretends to be such a Patriot to have pointed out the Persons discover'd the Authors and openly accus'd them to the World for God be thanked none need be silent now in a just Cause none need be afraid or backward to reveal the Truth we are unacquainted with Threats and Closettings so frequent in the late Reigns and are neither Brib'd nor terrified out of the Truth if they are only his own private Suggestions and Chimera's rais'd and fomented by his own ill Humors he ought to have forbore them particuly at this time of Day when they may embroil the King and Parliament into Heats and Jealousies of each other which might create greater hardships to the Nation than the whole ten Years War and might prove more fatal in the end However to satisfie these murmuring Gentlemen in this point we may give very good reasons that our Affairs at Sea were not manag'd to more advantage and also that they are not capable of being better manag'd without our having a Land Force at home for the French King found his Account lay in Pyrating on our Merchants where something was to be had rather than in Fighting our Fleets where besides the Uncertainty of Victory nothing but dry Blows were to be gain'd whereas by taking our Trading Vessels he not only impoverish'd us but at the same time enrich'd himself which was a double advantage and to hinder this Misfortune there was no way but one that was the dividing our Fleet as he did his into several small Squadrons and send them Cruising and Coasting about in all places where our Merchants had any business but then the Remedy wou'd have been worse than the Disease for we shou'd have left ourselves Open and Vnguarded at a time when our King was out of the Nation and all our Forces in Flanders and I believe the French wou'd scarce have let slip'd the opportunity of Invading us and hardly fail'd of making their Advantage of such an Over-sight This I think is enough to convince these Purblind Politicians of the Necessity of a Standing Army for if a War shou'd break out again having a Land Force to secure us our Fleet may divide themselves and either block our Enemies in their own Ports or attend and Convoy our Merchants in all places of Danger so hinder our Enemies from Enriching themselves by our Losses Whereas if we are without a Land Force sufficient to Protect us our Naval Forces cou'd take little care of our Merchants whereby they wou'd every where become an easie Prey to the Enemies Privateers for they must keep together in a Body at home to be able to secure us from Invasions least our Enemies shou'd come upon us so while we were Protecting our Trade we might lose the Kingdom Now he comes to his Computations which as I said signifie nothing to the purpose unless it be to make us rejoyce that we are in so good a Condition to resist our Enemies Abroad for I know of none we have at home if he knows of any let him speak out which I suppose is more than he is willing to do 'T is generally observ'd of such as make the greatest Noise and Stir that they are always the readiest to pull in their Horns and cry they know nothing of the matter Besides when he was computing 't wou'd have been but a little more trouble to have inform'd us the Number of the French Forces and what Troops the Dutch and other Nations have in Pay this wou'd have been very convenient we might have known the Strength of our Neighbours as well as our selves and then perhaps thought it might be prudent to keep it up in some tolerable degree of equality with theirs this I am persuaded would be the natural result of our reflecting on their great Strength If indeed this Gentleman or any of his Adherents cou'd actually engage our Neighbours to Disband their Forces we shou'd no longer dispute this point with him but I suppose this is more than he will promise therefore since all around us are in Arms and entertain vast Numbers of Armed Troops in constant Pay 't wou'd be a fatal blot in our Politicks to part with ours for since the Practice is grown so general No King or Prince tho' endowed with never so peaceable a Spirit and never so desirous of being at ease dares lead the Dance and disarm for fear of his Armed Neighbours whose Necessities or Ambition make them wait only for an opportunity to fall upon him that is worst provided to make resistance So that while our Neighbours keep up their Standing Forces 't is evident we must do so unless we will submit our selves to be Insulted by them Farther when this Gentleman tells us the greatness of our Standing Forces now and that in former Days they were very inconsiderable he only lets us know just as much as will serve his own turn and no more for there 's a vast alteration crept into the very Constitution of our Government within these hundred and fifty Years formerly the Nobility and Gentry held their Possessions and Lands from the Crown by Knight's Service and so were always bound to attend on their Kings in his Wars with certain Numbers of Armed Men according to the Tenure and Extent of their several Lordships or Lands and they had their Villains or Vassals who by a like Tenure from them were oblig'd to wait on their respective Lords or Landlords when requir'd for the Service of their King and Country and that they might not be Undisciplin'd when they were call'd for every Parish was to take care that all Boys shou'd at set times Exercise the Arms then in Use as Shooting in Bows handling the Battle Ax and such like so that by this Method there was no occasion for any great Standing Force for the People were Soldiers themselves and might be rais'd on any sudden Occasion by the Kings giving Notice to the Nobility and Gentry of his want of their Service and by their immediate Summoning their Vassals for the Attendance they were bound to pay 'T will be immediately reply'd why may it not be so now by this means we might rid our selves of the fears of a Standing Army and yet be able to defend our selves or Annoy our Enemy To this I answer I shou'd be very glad if some such Method cou'd be taken now and a Militia formed capable of managing their share of War and supporting our Credit and Reputation Abroad in the World without our being put to the Uneasiness and Expence of a Standing Force for I am not so rash as to affirm a Standing Army