DISCOURSE

O F

GOVERNMENT

With relation to

MILITIA'S

Edinburgh ; Printed in the Year MDCXCVIIL

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A

DISCOURSE

O F

GOVERNMENT

41

With relation to

MILITIA'S

THERE is not perhaps in hu- mane Affairs any thing fo un- accountable as the Indignity and Cruelty with which the far greater part of Mankind fuffer them) elves to be ufed under pretence of Government. Forfome Men faljly perfwading themf elves that bad Governments are advantageous to, them, as mofi conducing to gratify their Ambit iony Avarice and Luxury , jet them- A 2 [elves

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felves with the utmofi art and violence to procure thek Efi ablilhment : and by fuch Men almofi the whole World has been trampled under foot, andfubjecled to Ty- ranny, for want of under ft anding by what means and methods they were enflaved. For tho Mankind take great care and pains to infiruci themfelves in other Arts and Sciences ', yet very few apply themfelves to confider the nature of Government ? an Enquiry fg ufeful and neceffary both to Magijlrate and People. Nay, in mofi Countries the Arts of State being altoge- ther directed either to enjlave the People, or to keep them under Jlavery \ it is become almofi every where a Crime to reafon about Matters of Govemmeut. But if Men would befiow a fmall part of the Time and Application which they throw away upon curious but ufelefs Studies, or endlefs Gam- ingy in perufing thofe excellent Rules and Examples of Government which the An- t tents have left m, they would foon be en- abled to dij cover all fuch Abufes and Cor- ruptions as tend to the Ruin of Publick Societies. *Tis therefore very fi range that

they

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they fhould think Study and K^nowledg ne- cejfary in every thing they go about, except in the nobleji and mofi ufeful of all Appli- cations^ The Art of Government.

Now if any Man in companion to the Miferies of a People fljould endeavour to di fab ufe them in any things relating to Go- vernment, he will certainly incur the Dif pleajure, and perhaps be purfued by the Rage ofthofe, who think they find their Ac- count in the oppreffion of the JVorfd • but will hardly fucceed in his Endeavours to unde- ceive 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 he retained, let the nature of it be never fo much altered, they continue to dream that they /hall Jl ill enjoy their former Liberty, and are not to be awakned till it prove too late. Of this there are many remarkable Examples in Hiflory ; but that particular Inflame which I have chofen to infift on, as mofi futable to my purpofe, is, the Al- teration of Government which happened in mofi Countries of Europe about the year ' A i 1 500.

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1 500. And *tis worth obfervation, that tho this Change was fatal to their Liberty , jet it was not introduced, by the Contrivance of ill-defigning Men ; nor were the mif- chievous Conferences perceived, unlefs per- haps by a few wife Men, who, if they f aw it, wanted Power to prevent it,

Two hundred years being already paffed ftnce this Alteration began, Europe has felt the Effects of it by fad Experience ; and the true Caufes of the Change are now be- come more vifible.

To lay open this matter in its full Ex- tent, it null be necejfary to look farther back, and examin the Original and Confli- tution of thofe Governments that were eflabliflied 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 headers, overrun the Vie (tern Parts of the Roman Empire, they introduced the following Form of Govern- ment into all the Nations they fub due d. The General of the Army became Kjng of the Conquered Country \ and the Con-

queji

(7) quefl being abfolute, he divided the Lands amongU the great Officers of his Army, af- terwards called Barons ; who again parcelled out their fever al Territories infmaller Por- tions to the inferiour Souldiers that had fol- lowed them in the Wars, and who then be- came their Vaffals, enjoying thofe Lands for Military Service. The K^}ng rejerved to bimfelf fome Demeafnes for the mainte- nance 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 re- quired an Army, the Kjng fummoned the Barons to his Standard, who came attend- ed with their Vaffals. Thus were the Ar- mies of Europe compofed for about eleven hundred years ; and this Conflitution of Government put the Sword into the hands of the Subject, becaufe the Vaffals depend- ed more immediately on the Barons than on the Kjng, which effectually fee ured the freedom of thofe Governments. For the Barons could not make ufe of their Power to deftroy thofe limited Monarchies, without

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deftroying their own Grandeur ; nor could the KJng invade their Privileges, having no other Forces than the Vajfals of his own Demeafnes to rely upon for his fupport in fuch an Attempt.

I lay no great firefs on any other Limi- tations ofthofe Monarchies ; nor do I think any fo effential to the Liberties of the Peo- ple, as that which placed the Sword in the hands of the Subject. And fince in our time mofl Princes of Europe are in pojfetfi- en of the Sword, by Standing Mercenary Forces kept up in time of Peace, abfolutely depending upon them, I fay that all fuch Governments are changed from Monarchies to Tyrannies. * Nor can the Power of granting or refujing Money, tho vefted in the Subject, be a fujpeient fecurity for Li- berty, where a Standing Mercenary Army ts kept up in time of Peace : For he that is arnPd, is always Mafier of the Purfe of him that is unarmed. And not only that Go- vernment is tyrannical, which is tyranni- cally exercifed ; but all Governments are ty- rannical, which have not in their '-Confiit na- tion a fufficient Security againfi the Arbi- trary Power of the Prince. I

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J do not deny that thefe-limited Monar- chies during the greatnefs of the Barons, had fome Defects : I know few Govern- ments free from them. But after all, there was a Balance that kept thofe Governments fleady, and an effeBualProvifion again ft the Encroachments of the Crown. I do lefs pretend that the prefent Governments can he reft or ed to the Conftitution before men- tioned. The following Difcourfe will {how the impoffibility of it. My dejign in the frjl place is, to explain the Nature of the p aft and prefent Governments of Europe, and to difabufe thofe who think them the fame, becaufe they are called by the fame Names ; and who ignorantly clamour a- gainft fuch as would preferve that Liberty which is yet left.

In order to this, and for a further and clearer llluflration of the Matter, I floall deduce from their Original, the Caufes, Occajions, and the Complication of thofe many unforefeen Accidents ; which falling out much about the fame time, produced fo great a Change. And it will at fir ft fight feem very ftrange, when I fly all name the

Re-

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Re(loration of Learnings the Invention of Printing, of the Needle and of Gunpow- der, as the chief of them ; things in them- felves fo excellent, and which, the Ufl on- ly excepted, might have proved of infinite Advantage to the World, if their remote Influence upon Government had been obvia- ted by futable Remedies, Such odd Confe- rences, and of fuch a different Nature, accompany extraordinary Inventions of any kind,

Confiantinople being taken by Mahomet the Second, in the Tear 145 j, many Learned Greeks fed over into Italy ; where the favourable reception they found from the Popes, Princes, and Republicks of that Country, foon introduced amongH the letter fort of Men, the fiudy of the Greek Tongue, and of the Antient Authors in that Language. About the fame time likewife fome Learned Men began to refiore the Purity of the Latin Tongue. . But that which mofi contributed to the Ad- vancement of all kind of Learning, and ejpecially the fiudy of the Antient s, was the Art of Printing \ which was brought

to

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to a great degree of Perfection a few. Tears after. By this nieans their Books became common , and their Arts generally under- flood and admired. But as Mankind from a natural propenfion to Pleafure, is always ready to chufe out of every thing what may moft gratify that vicious Appe- tite ; fo the Arts which the Italians frft applied themfelves to improve, were prin- cipally thofe that had been fubfervient to the Luxury of the Antients in the moft corrupt Agesy of which they had many Mo- numents fill remaining. Italy was pre- fently filed with Architect sy Painters and Sculptors ; and a prodigious Expence was made in Buildings y Pictures and Statues. Thus the Italians began to come off from their frugal and military way of living y -and addicted themjelves to the purfuit of refned and expenfive Pleafuresy as much as the Wars of thofe Times would permit. This Infection fpread it felf by degrees into the Neighbouring Nations. But thefe things alone had not been fufficient to work fo great a Change in Government y if a pre- ceding Invention, brought into common

ufe

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nfe about that time, had not produced ?nore new and extraordinary Effects than any had ever done before ; which probably way have many Conferences yet unfore- feen, and a farther Influence upon the Manners of Men, as long as the World lafls : I mean, the Invention of the Nee- dle, by the help of which Navigation was greatly improved ; a Paffage opened by Sea to the E aft -Indies, and a new World dif covered. By this means the Luxury of Afia and America was added to that of the Ant lent s ; and all Ages, and all Countries concurred to (ink Europe into an Abyfs of Pleafures ; which were rendered the more expe'nfive by a perpetual Change of the Fafhions in Clothes, Equipage and Furni- ture of Houfes.

Thefe things brought a total Alteration in the way of living, upon which all Go- vernment depends. °Tis true, Kjiowledg -being mightily increafed, and a great Cu- riofity and Nicety in every thing introdu- ced, Men imagined themfelves to be gain- ers in all Points, hy changing from their jrugal and military way of living, which I

muft

mufi confefs had fome mixture of Rude- net's and Ignorance in it, tho not infep arable from it. But at the fame time they did not confider the unfpeakable Evils that are altogether infef arable from an expenfive way of living.

To touch upon all thefe, tho pghtlyy would carry me too far from my Subject : 1 (hall therefore content my felf to apply what has been faid, to the immediate De- (ign of this Difcourfe.

The far greater jhare of all thofe Ex^ fences fell upon the Barons ; for they were the Perfons mofl able to make them, and their Dignity feemed to challenge whatever might dijlingui(h them from other Men. This plunged them on a fudden into fo great Debts, that if they did not fell, or otherwife alienate their Lands, they found themfelves at leafl obliged to turn the Mi- litary Service their Vaffals owed them, into Money ; partly by way of Rent, and partly by way of Leafe, or Fine, for paiment of their Creditors. And by this means the Vaffal having his Lands no longer at fo eafy a Rate as before ^ could no more be obliged

to

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to Military Service, and fo became a Te- nant. Thus the Armies, which in pre- ceding times had been always compofed of fuch Men as thefe, ceafed of courfe, and the Sword fell out of the hands of the Barons. But there being always a necefflty to pro- vide for the Defence of every Country, Princes were afterwards allowed to raife 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 difpirited for want of Milita- ry Exercife. Such Forces were at firfl only raifed for prefent Exigencies \ and conti- nued no longer on foot than the Occafions lajled. But Princes foon found Preten- ces to make them perpetual, the chief of which was the garifoning Frontier Towns and Fortrejfes ; 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 thefe Mercenary Armies depending for their SubfiHence and Preferment, as im- mediately upon the Prince, as the former

Mill*

Militia? s did upon the Barons, the Power of the Sword was transferred from the Subject to the Kjng, and War grew a con- ft ant Trade to live by. Nay, many of the Barons themfelves being reduced to Poverty by their expenftve way of living, took Com- mands in thofe Mercenary Troop ; and be- ing fill continued Hereditary Members of Diets, and other Ajfemblies of St ate y af- ter the lofs of their Vaffals, whom they formerly reprefented, they were now the readiejl of all others to load the People with heavy Taxes, which were employed to m- creafe the Prince's Military Power, by^ Guards, Armies, and Citadels, heyond Bounds or Remedy.

Some Princes with much impatience preyed on to Arbitrary Power before things were ripe, as the Kjngs of France and Charles Duke of Burgundy. Philip dp Commines fays of the latter, i That hav- c ing made a Truce with the Kjng of France * he called an Affembly of the Eftates of his c Country, and remonfirated to them the pre^ c judice he had fuftained by not having c Standing Troops as that Kjng had ; that

< if five hundred Men had been in garifon i ufon their Frontier^ the K^ing of France c would never have undertaken that War ; c and having reprefented the Mifchiefs that c were ready to fall upon them for want of 1 fuch a Force ^ he earnefily prejfed them to

* grant fuch a Sum as would maintain eight i hundred Lances. At length they gave him 1 a hundred and twenty thoufand Crowns

< more than his ordinary Revenue, (from ' which Tax Burgundy was exempted) But ' his Subjects were for many reafons under c great Apprehenfions of falling into the fub- 'jeBion to which they Jaw the Kjngdom of i France already reduced by means of fuch

* Troops. And truly their Apprehenfions ' were not ill-grounded ; for when he had

* got together five or fix hundred Men at

* Arms, he prefently had a mind to morey 6 and with them dijlurbed the peace of all his 1 Neighbours : He augmented the tax from

* one hundred and twenty to five hundred c thoufand Crowns, and increafed the Num-

* bers of thofe Men at Arms^ by whom his c Subjects were greatly opprefi. Francis de Beaucaire Bijhop of Metz in his Hi/lory of

France

O?)

France fpeaking of the fame Affair, fays, c That the fore [aid States could not beindu- c ced to maintain Mercenary Forces , being cfenfible of the Difficulties into which the i Commonalty of France had brought them- ' fefo.es by the like Conceljton ; that Princes 6 might increafe their Forces at pleafure, and c fometimes (even when they had obtained 6 Money) pay them ill, to the vexation and 4 deftruciion of the poor People ; and like- 6 wife that KJngs and Princes not contented i with their antient Patrimony, were always 1 ready under this pretext to break in upon 1 the Properties of all Men, and to raife c what Money they pleafed. That never the- 6 lefs they gave him a hundred and twenty * thou f and Crowns yearly, which he foon in- 1 creafed to five hundred thoufand : But c that Burgundy (which was the antient Do- c minion of that Family) retained its an- 1 tient Liberty \ and could by no means be ob- i liged to pay any part of this new Tax. JTis true, Philip de Commines fubjoins to the forecited pajfage, that he believes ftanding Forces may be well employed under a wife Kjng or Prince ; but that if he be

B not

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not fo, or leaves his Children young, the u/i that he or their Governours make of them, is not always profitable either for , the Kjng or his Subjects. If this Addi- tion be his own y and not rather an Infer - tion added by the Prefident of the Parlia- ment of Paris, who publiffjed, and, as the for ef aid Francis de Beaucaire fays he was credibly informed, corrupted his Memoirs ; yet Experience Jhews him to be miftaken : For the Example of his Mafier Lewis the nth, whom upon many occafions he calls a Wife Prince, and thofe of mofl Princes under whom ftanding Forces were frfi al- lowed, demonstrates, that they are more dan- gerous under a wife Prince than any other : And Reafon teds us, that if they are the only proper Inflruments to introduce Ar- bitrary Power, as fhall be made plain, a cunning and able Prince f who by the World is called a Wife one, is more capable oj u- fing them to that end than a weak Prince, or Governors during a Minority ; and that a wife Prince having once procured them to be ejfablifhed? they will maintain them- filves under any.

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/ am not ignorant that before this Change, Subfidies were often given by Di- ets, States and Parliaments, and fome raifedby the Edicts of Princes for main- taining Wars ; but thefe were fmall, and no way fuffcient to fubfist fuch nume- rous Armies as thofe of the Barons Militia* There were likewise Mercenary Troops fome- times entertained by Princes who aimed at Arbitrary Power, and by fome Common- wealths in time of War for their own de- fence ; but thefe were only Strangers, or in very fmall numbers, and held no proporti- on with thofe vaft Armies of Mercenaries which this change has fix^d upon Europe to her affliction and ruin.

What I have faid hitherto has been al- ways with regard to one or other, and often to mo(l Countries in Europe. What fol- lows wilt have a more particular regard to Britain ; where, tho the Power of the Ba- rons be ceafed, yet no mercenary Troops are yet e flab lifted.' The Reafon of which is9 that England had before this great Altera* tion loft all her Conquejts in France, the Tqwrtof Calais only excepted \ and that aL J5 2 fo

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Jb was taken by the French , before the Change was thorowly made. So that the Isjngs of England had no Pretence to keep up Stand- ing forces, either to defend Conquefts a- broad, or to gar if on a Frontier towards France ■, fwce the Sea was now become the only Frontier between thofe two Countries.

Neither could the Frontier towards Scot- land afford any colour to thofe Princes for raifmg fuch Forces, fince the KJngs mof Scotland had none ; and that Scotland was not able to give Money for the fubfisiing any confiderable ?iumber. °Tis true, the Example of France, with which Country Scotland had conftant correfpondence, and fome French Counfellors about Mary of Guife, Queen Dowager and Regent of Scotland^ induced her to propofe a Tax for the fubfifiing of Mercenary Soldiers to be employed for the defence of the Frontier of Scotland ; and to eafe~as was pretended, the Barons of that trouble. But in that honourable and wife Remonflrame, which was made by joo of the lejfer Barons (as much dijfatisfied with the Lords, who by their filence betrayed the publick Liberty,

as

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as with the Regent her felf) fie was told; That their forefathers had defended them- felves and their fortunes againji the Eng~ li(h, when that Nation , was much more -powerful than they were at that time, and had made frequent ihcmfibns into their Country : That they themfelves had not fo far degenerated from their Ancejlors^ \ to re- fufe^ whinoccafwn required, to hazard their Lives and fortunes tn the Service* of their Country : That as to the hiring of Merce- nary Soldier s, it was a thing of great dan- fer to put the Liberty of Scotland into the dnds of Men, who are of no Fortunes^ nor have any hopes hut in the pMkk C

mity ; who for Money would attempt any thing ; whofe excefflve Avarice opportunity would inflame to a defire of all manner of Innovations^ and whofe faith would fol- low the Wheel of Fortune. That tho thefe Men fhould he more mindful of the Duty they owe to their Country >, than of their own particular Inter1 eft , was it to be fup- pofedj that Mercenaries would fight more bravely for the defence of other Mens For- tunes, than the Pojfejfors would do for B i ' them-

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themf elves or their own ; or that a little Money jhould excite their ignoble Minds to a higher pitch of Honour than that with which the Barons are infpired, when they fight for the preservation of their For- tunes': Wives and Children, Religion and Liberty : That mofi. Men did fufyecl and apprehend, that this new way of making War ; might be not only ufelefi, but dan- gerous to the Nation ; fmce the Englifh, if they fljould imitate the Example \7 might , without any great trouble to their People, raife far greater Sums for the mainte- nance of Mercenary Soldiers, than Scot- land could ; a?id by this means not only Jpoil and lay open the Frontier, but pene- trate into the Bowels of the Kjngdom : And that it was in the Militia of the Ba- rons their Ancejlors had placed their chief Trufl, for the defence of themfelves agdinfl a greater Power.

By thefe powerful Reafons being made fenfible of her Error, the Queen defifled firvfae her Demands. Her Daughter Queen Mary, who,as the great Hiftorianfays, looked upon the moderate Government of a limited

Kjng-

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Kjngdom, to be difgraceful to Monarch s, and upon the flavery of the People, as the freedom of Kjngs, refolvedto have 'Guards about her Perfon ; but could not fall upon a way to compafs them : for (be could find no Pretext, unlefs it were the empty jhcv of Magnificence which belongs to a Court ? and the Example of Foreign Princes ; for the former KJngs had always trufled themfelves to the Faith of the Barons. At length upon a falfe and ridiculous pre- tence^ of an Intention in a certain Noble- man to feize her Perfon,JJje affumed them ; but they were foon abolijhed. Nor had her Son Kjng James any other Guards whilfi he was Kjng of Scotland only, than forty Gentlemen : And that Kjng declares in the Act of Parliament •, by which they are ejlablifbed, that he will not bur den his Peo- ple by any Tax or Impofition for their Maintenance.

Henry the Seventh ', Kjng of England^ feems to have perceived fooner, and un- der flood better the Alteration before-men- tioned, than any Prince of his time, and obtained fever al haws to favour and fa- B 4 cilitate

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cilitate it. But his Succejfors were altoge- ther improper to fecond him : For Henry the Eighth was an unthinking Prince. The Reigns of Edward the Sixth , and Queen Mary, were (hort ; and Queen Elizabeth loved her People too well to attempt it. Kjng James, who fucceeded her, was a fir anger in England, and of no Inter efi a- broad. Kjng Charles 7. did indeed endea- vour to make himfelf Absolute, tho fome- what prepofleroujly ; for he attempted to feize the Purfe, before he was'Mafter of the Sword. But very wife Men have been of Opinion, that if he had been poffeffed of as numerous Guards as thofe which were afterwards raifed, and constantly kept up by Kjng Charles the Second, he might eafily have fucceeded in his Enterprise. For we fee that in thofe Struggles which the Country Party had with Kjng Charles the Second, and in thofe Endeavours they ufed to bring about that Revolution which was afterwards compaffed by a Foreign Power ; the chief and infuperable Difficulty they met with, was from thofe Guards. And tho Kjng James the Second had provoked

thefe

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thefe Nations to the lafl degree, and made his own Game as hard as poffible, not only by invading our Civil Liberties, but like- wife by endeavouring to change the Efla- blifhed Religion for another which the Peo- ple abhorred, whereby he lofi their Affection sy and even thofe of a great fart of his Ar- my : Tet n o tw it h /landing all this mifma- nagement, Britain flood in need of a 'Fo- reign Force to fave it ; and how dangerous a Remedy that is, the Hi (lories of all Ages can wiinefs. 'Tis true, this Cir cum fiance was favourable, that a Prince who had married the next Heir to thefe KJngdoms, was at the He ad of our Deliverance : yet did it engage us in a long and expen five V\ V ar. And novo that we are much iwpo- veri(hed, and England by means of her former Riches and frefent Poverty, fallen into all the Corruptions which thofe great Enemies of Vertuey Want, and Excefs of Riches can produce ; that there are fuch numbers of Mercenary Forces on. foot at home and abroad', thai the great eft part of the Officers have no other n>ay to. fubfiH ; that they are commanded by a wife and

relive

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active Kjng, who has at his Difpofal the formidable Land and Sea Forces of a Neigh- bouring Nation, the great Rival of our Trade : A Kjng, who by Blood, Relation, other Particular Ties, and common Inte- reft, has the Houfe of Auflria^ mofi of the Princes of Germany , and Potentates of the North, for his Friends and Allies ; who can, whatever Intereft he join with, do what he thinks fit in Europe : I fay, if a Mercenary Standing Army be kept up, (the firjl of that kind, except thofe of the Vfurper Cromwel, and the late Kjng James, that Britain has feen for thirteen hundred Tears) I defire to know where the Security of the Britifh Liberties lies, un- lefs in the good Will and Pleafure of the Kjng : I defire to know, what real Securi- ty can be had againfl Standing Armies of Mercenaries, backed by the Corruption of both Nations, the Tendency of the way of Living, the Genius of the Age, and the Example of the World.

Having (hown the difference between the pafl and prefent Government of Britain,

how

(2?)

how precarious our Liberties are, and how from having the be (I fecurity for them we are in hazard of having none at all ; 'tis to be hoped that thofe who are for a Standing Army, and lofing no occasion of advancing and extending the Prerogative* from a miflaken Opinion that they efla- blifb the ant tent Government of thefe Na- tions, will fee what fort of Patriots they are.

But we are told, that only Standing Mercenary Forces can defend Britain from the perpetual Standing Armies of France. However frivolous this AJfertion be, as in- deed no good Argument can be brought to fupport it, either from R eafon or Experi- ence, as Jhall be proved hereafter ; yet al- lowing it to be good, what Security can the Nations have, that thefe Standing Forces jhall not at fome time or other be made ufe of to fupprefs the Liberties of the People, tho not in this Kjngs ti?ne, to whom we owe their Prefervation ? For I hope there is no Man fo weak to think, that keeping up the Army for a year, or for any longer time than the Parliaments of both Nations

jhall

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/hall have engaged the pub lick Faith to make good all Deficiencies of Funds granted for their Maintenance, is not the keeping them up for ever. ^Tis a pitiful fhift in the Undertakers for a Standing Army, to fay, , We are not for a Standing Army ; We are onij for an Army from year to year, or till the Militia be made ufeful. For Britain cannot be in any hazard from France ; at leafl till that Kjngdom, fo much exhaufied by War and Perfecution, /ball have a breathing fpace to recover. Before that :time our Militias will be in or- der ; and in the mean time the Fleet. Be- fides, no Prince ever furrendred fo great Countries and fo many flrong Places, I /halt not fay, in order to make a new War ; but as thefe Men will have it, to continue the fame. The French KJng is old and difeafed, and was never willing to hazard much by any bold Attempt. If he, or the "Dauphin, upon his Deceafe, may befufpeci- ed of any farther Defign, it muft be upon 'the Spanijh Monarchy, in cafe of the death of jhat Kjng. And if it be objected, that we /hall fi and in need of an Army, in 'fetch

a

( 29 ) & Conjuncture ; / anfiyer, that our Part in that, or in any other foreign War, will he be ft managed by Sea, as jhail be jhown here - after. ■

Let us then fee if Mercenary Annies be not exactly calculated to enflave a Nation. Which I think may be ejifily, proved, if we confider that fuch Troop are generally com* pofedof Men who make a Trade of War ; and having little or no Patrimony, or fpent what they once had, enter into that Employment in hopes of its Continuance du- ring Life j not at ail thinking how to wake^ themfelves capable of any other. By which means heavy and perpetual Taxes mujl be entaiPd for ever upon the People for their Sub ft ft e nee ; and fince all their Relations fland engaged to fufport their Inter eft, let all Men judg, if this will not prove a very united and formidable Party in a Nation.

But the 'Undertakers mujl pardon me if I tell them, that no welUconftituted Go* vtrnment ever fuff ere d any fuch Men in it, whofe Interejl leads them to imbroil the State in W ar, and are a ufelefs and inf up- port able Bur den in time of Peace, Venice

or

or Holland are neither of them examples to ■prove the contrary ; for had not their fit u at ion been different from that of other Countries, their Liberty had not continued to this time. And they fuffer no Forces to remain within thofe inacceffible places , which are the chief feats of their power . Carthage, that had not thofe advantages of fituaiion, and yet ufed Mercenary forces, was brought to the brink of ruin by them in a time of Peace ; beaten in three Wars, and at laft fubdued by the Romans. If ever any Government flood in need of fuch a fort of Men, ^t was that of antient Rome, becaufe they were engag- ed in perpetual War. The Argument can never be fo ftrong in any other Cafe. Rut the Romans well knowing fuch Men and Li- berty to be incompatible, and yet being under a necefjity of having Armies confiantly on foot, made frequent Changes of the Men that ferved in them ; who, when they had been Jome time in the Army, were permit- ted to return to their Roffeffions, Trades, or other Emploiments. And to fhow how true a judgment that wife State made of this Matter, it is fuff\cient to obfirve, that

thofe

thofe who fubverted that Government, the greatejl that ever was amongst Men, found themfelves obliged to continue the fame Souldiers always in conjtant Pay and Ser- vice.

If during the late War we had followed fo wife a courfe as that of Rome, there had been thrice as many trained Men in the Na- tions as at prefent there are ; no difficulties about Recruits, nor debates about keeping up Armies in time of Peace, becaufe fome Men refolve to live by Arms in time of Peace, whether it be for the good of the Nations or not. And fwce fuch was the practice of Rome, I hope no man will have the confidence to fay, that this method was not as effectual for War as any other. If it be objected, that Rome had perpetual Wars, and therefore that might be a good practice among them, which would not be fo with m ; I confefs I cannot fee the Con- fequence ; for if Rome had perpetual Wars, the Romans ought ftill to have continued the fame men in their Armies, that they might, according to the Notion of thefe men>> render their Troops more ufefuL

And

And if we did change our men during a

War, we fljould have more men that

would underftand, fomething of it. If any

man fay, not fo much as if they continued

in the Army : I an fiver, that many of thofe

who continue in the Army, are afterwards

fwept away by the War, and live not to be

of ufe in time of Peace ; that thofe who

efcape the War, being fewer than in the

other . cafe, are foon confumed : and that

Mercenary Standing Forces in time of

Peace, ij not employed to do mifchief foon

become like thofe of Holland in 72, ft

only to lofe forty Jlrong places in forty

days.

There is another thing which I would not mention if it were not abfolutely neceffary to my prefent purpofe ; and that is, the ufual Manners of thofe who are engaged in Mercenary Armies. Ifpeak now of Officers in other Parts of Europe, and not of thofe in our Armies, allowing them to be the be ft ; and if they will have it fo, quite dif- ferent from all others. I will not apply to them any part of what I (hall fay concern- ing the reft. They themfelves bejl know

how

how far any thing of that Nature may be applicable to them. I fay then, mdft prin- ce's of Europe having put themfehes ufm the foot of keeping up forces ; rather nume- rous than well entertained, can give but fm all Allowance to Officers, and that like- wife is for the mofl fart very ill f aid y in or- der to render them the more neceffitoMs and defending ; and yet they fermit them to live in all that, extravagancy which mutual example and emulation prompts them to. By which means the Officers beco?ne infenfibly engaged in numberlefs frauds^ Offreffions and Cruelties, the Colonels againft the Caf tains, and the C aft ains againft the inferiour Souldiers ; and all' of them againft ail ferfons with whom they have any kind of bufinefs. So that there is hardly any fort of Men who are lefs Men of Honour than the Officers of Mercenary forces : and indeed- Honour has now no other fignification among ft them than Courage. Befides, mofl Men that enter into thofe Armies, whether Officers or Souldiers, as if. they were obliged to /how themfelves new Creatures, andfer- C fecily

(34)

fectly regenerate, if before they were modejl or fober, immediately turn themselves to all manner of Debauchery and Wickednefs, committing all kind oflnjuflice and Barbari- ty againjl poor and defencelefs People. Now tho the natural Temper of our Men be more jufi and hone ft than that of the French , or of any other People, yet may it not be feared, that fuch bad Manners may prove contagi- ous ? And if fuch Manners do not ft Men to enflave a Nation, Devils only mufl do it. On the other hand, if it fhould happen that the Officers of Standing Armies in Britain fhould live with greater Regularity and Madefy than was ever yet feen in that fort of Men, it might very probably fall out, that being quartered in all Parts of the Country, fome of them might be% returned Members of Parliament for divers of the ElecJing Boroughs ; and of what Conference that would bey I leave all men to judg. So that whatever be the Conduct of a Mercenary Army, we cAn never be fecure as long as any fuch Force is kept up in Britain.

But

<J5>

But the Undertakers for a Standing Army mil fay ; Will you turnfo many Gentlemen to ftarve, who have faithfully fervid the Government ? This Que (lion I allow to be founded upon fome reafon. For it ought to be acknowledged in juftice to our Souldiery, that on all occaftons, and in all actions, both Officers and Souldiers have done their fart ; and therefore I think it may be rea- sonable y that all Officers and Souldiers of above forty years, in confederation of their unftnefs to apply themfelves at that age to any other Employment, jhould be recom- mended to the bounty of both Parliaments.

I confefs I do not fee by what Rules of good Policy any Mercenary Forces have heen connived at either in Scotland, Eng- land, or Ireland. Sure, ^tis allowing the difpenfing Power in the ?nofl effential Point of the Conjlitution of Government in thefe Nations.

Scotland and England are Nations that were formerly very jealous of Liberty ; of which there are many remarkable Infiances in the Hifiories of thefe Countries. And we may hope that the late Revolution having given C 2 fitch

fuch a blow to Arbitrary power in thefe kingdoms, they will be very careful to pre- fer ve their Rights and Privileges. And fure it is not very jut able to thefe, that any Standing Forces be kept up in Britain : or that there fhould be any Scots, Englifh, or Irifj Regiments maintained in Ireland, or any where abroad ; or Regiments of any Nation at the charge of England. I fhall not fay how readily the Regiments that were in the fervice of Holland, came over againfi the Duke of Mon- mouth :. He was a Rebel, and, did not fucceed. But we all know with what ex- pedition the Irifb Mercenary Forces, were brought into Britain to oppofe his prefent Majefty in that glorious Enterprise for our Deliverance.

The Subjects formerly had a real Secu- rity for their Liberty, by having the Sword in their ow?t hands. That Security, which is the greatefl of all others, is loft ; and not only fb,- but the Sword is put into the hand of the Kjng by his Rower over the Militia. All' this is not enough ; but we mufi have in both KJngdoms Standing

Armies

07)

Armies of Mercenaries, who for the mofi part have no other way tofubfifi, and confer auently are capable to execute any Commands : And yet every Man mufi think his Liber- ties as fafe as ever, under pain of being thought difajfected to the Monarchy. But fure it mufi not be the antient limited and legal Monarchies of Scotland and England, that thefe Gentlemen mean. It mufi he a, French Fajhion of Monarchy, where the Kjng has powej to do what he pleafes, and the People no fecurity for any thing they poffefs. We have quitted our antient Se- curity, and put the Militia into the power of the Kjng. The only remaining Securi* ty we have is, That no Standing Armies were ever yet allowed in time of Peace, the Parliament of England having fo often and fo exprefly declared them to be contrary to Law : and that of Scotland having not only declared them to be a Grievance, but made the keeping them up an Article in the Forfeiture of the late Kjng James. If a Standing Army be allow d, What /Diffe- rence will there be between the Government we fhall then live under, and any kind of t C 5 • Govern^

(38)

Government under a good Prince ? Of which there have been fome in the mofi de- fpotick Tyrannies. If thefe be limited and not ahfolute Monarchies f then, as there are Conditions , fo there ought to be Securi- ties on both fides. The Barons never pre- tended that their Militias fhould be con- flantly on foot, and together in Bodies in times of Peace. °Tis evident that would have fubverted the Conflitution, and made every one of them a petty Tyrant. And ^tis as evident ■, that Standing Forces are the ftteji Infiruments to make a Tyrant. Whoever is for making the KJngfs Power too great or too little, is an Enemy to the Monarchy. But to give him Standing Ar- mies^ puts his Power beyond controul, and confequently makes him ahfolute. If the People had any other real Security for their Liberty than that there be no Standing Ar- mies in time of Peace, there might be fome colour to demand them. But if that only remaining Security be taken away from the Peopley we have dejlroyed thefe Monar- chies.

ris

09)

Tar pretended \ we are in hazard of bet- ing invaded by a powerful Enemy ; fhall we therefore deflroy our Government ? What is it then that we would defend I Is it our Perfons, by the ruin of our Government ? In what then fhall we be gainers ? In faving our Lives by the lofs of our Liberties ? If our Pleafures and Luxury make us live like Brutes, it feems we mujl not pretend to reafon any better than they. I would fain know j if there be any other way of making a Prince Ahfolute, than by allowing him a, Standing Army : if by it all Princes have not been made Ahfolute ; if without ity any. Whether our Enemies fljall conquer us is uncertain ; but whether Standing Armies will enflave us, neither Reafon nor Experience will fuffer us to doubt. °Tis therefore evident, that no pretence of dan- ger from abroad, can be an Argument to keep up Standing Armies, or any Mercena* ry Forces.

Let us now confider whether we may not

be able to defend our felves by well-regulated

Militiats againjl any Foreign Force, tho

never fo formidable : that thefe Nations

C 4 may

(4o) may be free from the fears of Invafion from abroad, as well as from the danger of Slavery at home.

After the Barons had loft the Military Service of their Vafjals, Militias of feme kind or other were eftablifhed in mofl farts of Europe. But the Prince having eve- ry where the power of naming and prefer- ring the Officers- of thefe Militia* s, they could be no Balance in Government as the former were. And he that will confider what has been faid in this Difcourfe, will eafily perceive that the effential Quality re- quifite to fuch a Militia, as might fully anfwer the Ends of the former, mujl be, that the Officers fhould be named and pre- ferpd^ as well as they and the Souldiers paid, by the People that fet them out. So that if Princes look upon the prefent Mi- litias as not capable of defending a Nation avainjl Foreign Armies ; the People have link reafon to entrufv them with the De- fence of their Liberties.

And tho upon the diffolutionofthat An- tient Militia under the Barons, which made thefe Nations fo Great and Gloriow, by

fetting

(4') jetting up Militia? s generally through Eu- rope, the Sword came not into the hands of tloe Commons ; which was the only thing . could have continued the former Balance of Government j but was everywhere pit into the hands of the Kjng : Neverthelejs ambitious Princes, who aimed at Abjolute Power i thinking they could never ufe it effectually to that end, unlefs it were wielded by Mercenaries r and Men that had no other Interejl in the Commonwealth than their Pay, have jiill endeavoured by all means to difcredit Militias, and render them bur- denfom to the People, by never fuffering them to be upon any right, or fo much as tolerable Foot, and all to perfwade the Ne- ceffity of Standing Forces. And indeed they have fucceeded too well in this Defign : For the greatejl part of the World has been fooPd into an opinion, That a Militia can- not be made ferviceable, I fhall not fay • 'twas only Militia's could conquer the World ; / and that Princes to have fuc- ceeded fully in the Defign before-mentioned7 muft have dejlroyed all the Hi/lory and Me- mory of Ant lent Governments, where the

Accounts

(40

Accounts of fo many excellent Models of Militia are yet extant. I know the Pre* judice and Ignorance of the World con* cerning the Art of War, as it was prac- tifed by the Antients ; tho what remains of that Kjiowledg in their Writings be fuffi- cient to give a mean Opinion of the Mo- dern Discipline. For this reafon I {hall examine, by what has faffed of late Tears in thefe Nations, whether Experience have convinced us, that Officers bred in Foreign Wars, be fo far preferable to others who have been under no other Difcipline than that of an ordinary and ill-regulated Mi- litia ; and if the Commonalty of both Kingdoms, at their frjl entrance upon Service, be not as capable of a refolute Military Action, as any Standing Forces. This doubt will be fully refolved, by conf- dering the Actions of the Mar que fs of Mon- tr ofe, which may be compared, all Qiycum- ftances confidered, -with thofe of Cefar, as well for the Military Skill, as the bad ten- dency of them ;' tho the Mar que fs had ne- ver ferved abroad, nor feen any Action, before the fix Victories y which, with Num- bers

(4?) hers much inferior to thofe of his Enemies., he obtained in one Tear ; and the mojl con- fiderable of them were chiefly gained by the affiHance of the Tenants and Vaffals of the Family of Gordon. The Battel of Nafeby mil be a farther illufiration of this matter, which is generally thought to have been the deciding AcTion of the late Civil War. The Number of forces ivas equal on both fides ; nor was there any Advan- tage in the Ground^ or extraordinary Ac- client that happened during the Fight, which could be of confiderable Importance to either. In the Army of the Parlia- ment, nine only of the Officers had ferved abroad, and moft of the Souldiers were Prentices drawn out of London but two months before. In the Kjngs Army there were above a thoufand Officers that had fir - ved in Foreign parts : Yet was that Ar- my routed and broken by thofe new- raifed Prentices ; who were obferved to be obedient to Command, and brave in Fight '7 not only in that ABion, but on all Occafi- ons during that active Campagn. The People of thefe Nations are not & dafiardly.

Crewy

(44) Crew, like thofe born in Mifery under Op* preffion and Slavery, who ?nu(l have time to rub off that Fear, Cowardice snd Stupidity which they bring from home. And tho Officers feem to (land in more need of Ex- perience than private Souldiers ; yet in that Battel it was feen, that the Sobriety and Principle of the Officers on the one fide, prevailed over the Experience of thofe on the other.

^T is well known that divers Regiments of our Army lately in Flanders have, ne- ver bee^n once in Action, and not one half of them above thrice, nor any of them five times during the whole War. 0, but they have been under Discipline y and accuflomed to obey ! And fb may men in Militia?, s. We have had to do with an Enemy, who, tho abounding in numbers of excellent Of- ficer s\ yet durft never fight us without a vifible Advantage. Is that Enemy like to invade us, when he mujl be unavoidably necejfltated to put all to hazard in ten days, Gr jlarve ?

A good Militia is of fuch Importance to a Nation y that it is the chief part of the

Con-

(45.)

Confiitution of any free Government, For tho as to other things, the Confutation he never fo flight, a good Militia will always preferve the fab lick Liberty. Bat in the hefi Conflitation that ever wa$$ as to all other parts of Government ; if the Mili- tia be not upon a right foot, the Liberty of that people muft per if h. The Militia of "Ant tent Rome, the befc that ever was in any Government, made her Miftrefs of the World : Bat Standing Armies injlaved that great People y and their excellent Mi- litia and Freedom perifhed together. The Lacedemonians continued 800 Tears free, and in great Honour, becaafe they had a good Militia. The Swiffes at this day are the freefi, happiefi, and the People of all Europe who can heft defend themfelves, be- caufe they have the heft Militia.

I havejhown that Liberty in the Monar- chical Governments of Europe, fabfifled fo long as the Militia of the Barons was on foot : And that on the decay of their Militia, (which tho it was none of the heft, fo was it none of the worfl) Standing Forces and Tyranny have been every-where introduced,

unlefs

(4<$)

'unlefs in Britain and Ireland ; which by reafon of their fituation, having the Sea for Frontier , and a powerful Fleet to fro- feci them, could afford no pretence for fuch Forces. And tho any Militia, how- ever fiightly constituted, he fufficient for that reafon to defend us ; yet all Improve- ments in the Conjlitution of Militia? s, be- ing further Securities for the Liberty of the People, I think we ought to endeavour the amendment of them, and till that can take place, to make the prefent Militia? s ufeful in the former and ordinary Me- thods.

That the whole free People of any Na- tion ought to be exercifed to Arms, not on- ly the Example of our Anceftors, as ap- pears by the Atls of Parliament made in both Kjngdoms to that purpofe, and that of the wifefi Governments among the Anti- ents ; but the advantage of chufmg out of great numbers, feems clearly todemonftrate. For in Countries where Husbandry, Trade > Manufactures, and other mechanical Arts are carried on, even in time of War ; the Impediments of men are fo many andfo

various,

(47) various, that unlefs the whole People be exercifed, no considerable numbers of men can be drawn out, without diflurbing thofe Employments, which are the Vitals of the Political Body. Be fides, that upon great Defeats, and. under extream Calamities, from which no Government was ever ex- empted, every Nation jlands in need of all the People, as the Antients fometimes did of their Slaves. And I cannot fee, why Arms ffjould be denied to any man who is not a Slave, fince they are the only true Badges of Liberty ; and ought never, but in times of utmofi Necefflty, to be put into the hands of Mercenaries or Slaves : neither can I under fl and, why any man that has Arms, fhould not be taught the ufe of them.

By the Constitution of the prefent Mili- tia in both Nations, there is but a fmaS number of the men able to bear Arms ex- era fed ; and Men of Quality and Eft ate, are allowed to fend any wretched Servant in their place : fo that they themfelves are become mean, by being difufed to handle Arms ; and will not learn the ufe of themy

becaufe

US)

becaufe they are ajhamed of their Ignorance : by which means the Militias being com- pofed only of Servants, thefe Nations feem altogether unfit to defend themfelves^ and Standing Forces to be 'neceffary. Now can it be fuppofed that a few Servants will fight for the defence of their Mafiers Eftates, if their Mafiers only look on I Or that fome inconfiderable Freeholders, as for the moft part thofe who command the Militia are y fhould, at the head of thofe Servants, expofe^ their Lives for men of more -plentiful Efiates, without being afi filed by them? No Bodies of Military Men can he of any force or value ^ unlefs many Perfons of Quality or Education be among them ; and fuch men fhould blu[h to think of excufzng themfelves from ferving their Country, at leafi for fome Tears, in a military Capacity,, if they con- fider that every Roman was obliged tofpend fifteen Tears of his Life in their Armies. Is it not a fhame that any man who pofi feffes an Eflate, and is at the fame time healthful and young, fhould not fit himfelf by all ?neans for the defence of that, and

his

( 49 )

his Country, rather than to pay Taxes to maintain a Mercenary, who tho he may de- fend him during a War, will be fure to in- fult and enflave him in time of Peace.. Men muft not think that any Country can be in a conflant poflure of Defence, with- out fome trouble and charge ; but certain- ly ^tis better to undergo this, and to pre- serve our Liberty with Honour, than to be fubjeffed to heavy Taxes, and yet have it infolently ravijhed from m, to. our pre- fent Oppreffion, and the Lifting Mifery of our Poflerity. But it will be faid, Where are the men to be found who fhall exerctfe all this People in fo many fever al places at once ? for the Nobility and Gentry know nothing of the matter ; and to hire fo ma- ny Souldiers of Fortune, as they call them, will be chargeable, ani may be dangerous, thefe men being all Mercenaries, and always the fame men, in the fame Trujis : Be fides that the employing filch men would not bz futable to the Defign, of breeding the Men of Quality and Eflate to command, 'as well. as the others to obey,

D To-

(5°)

To obviate thefe Difficulties ; and becaufe the want of a good Model of Militia, and a right Method for training people in time of Peace, Jo as they need not appre- hend any War, tho never fo fudden, is at this day the bane of the Liberty of Europe, I /ball propofe one, accommodated to the invincible Difficulty of bringing Men of Quality and Eft ate, or men of any Rank, vpho have pajjed the time of Youth, to the ufe of Arms ; and new, becaufe tho we have many excellent Models of Militia, delivered to m by antient Authors, with refpecl to the ufe of them in time of War, yet they give us but little information concerning the Me- thods by which they trained their whole Peo- ple for War in time of Peace ; fo that ij the Model which I fball propofe, have not the Authority of the Antient s to recommend it, yet perhaps by a fever e Difcipline, and a right method of difpofing the minds of men, as well as forming their bodies, for military and vertuou* Actions, it may have fome refemblance of their excellent Inftitutions.

What

(50

What I would offer is, that four Camps be formed, one in Scotland, and three in England ; into which all the young men of the r effective Countries fhould enter, on the firfi day of the two and twentieth Tear of their Age ; and remain there the fpace of two Tears, if they be of Fortunes fufficient to maintain themfelves ; but if they are not, then to remain a Tear only, at the Expence of the Pablick. In this Camp they fhould be taught the ufe of all forts of Arms, with the neceffary Evolutions ; as alfo Wreflling, Leaping, Swimming, and the like Exercifis. He whoje condition would permit him to buy and maintain & Horfe, fhould be obliged fo to do, and be taught to vault, to ride, and to manage his own Horfe. This Camp fhould feldom remain above eight days in one place , but remove from Heath to Heath ; not only upon the account of cleanlinefs and health, but to teach the Touth to fortify a Camp, to march, and to accujtom them (refpecl being always had to ihofe of a weak Confli- tution) to carry as much in their ?narch as D 2 ever

(52)

ever any Roman Souldier did ; that is to fay, Their Tents, Provifion, Arms, Armour, their Vtenfils, and the Pali&adoes of their Camp, They fhould be taught to Forage, and be obliged to ufe the Countrymen with all jujlice in their Bargains, for that and all other things they (land in need of from them. The Food of every man within the Camp fljould be the fame ; for Bread they jhould have only Wheat, which they are to be obliged to grind with Hand-mills ; they fhould have forne Salt, and a certain num- ber of Beeves allowed them at certain times of the Tear. Their Drink fhould be Wa- ter, fometimes tempered with a proportion of Brandy, and at other times with Vine- gar. Their Clothes fhould be plain, coarfe, and of a fafhion fitted in every thing for the Fatigue of a Camp. For all thefe things tbofe who could, fhould pay ; and thoje who could not,, jhould be defrayed by the Publick, as has been laid. The Camp fhould be fometimes divided into two parts, whi(h fhould remove from each other ma- ny miles > ana jliould break up again at

the

.(5?)

the fame time, in order to meet upon fome mountainous, mart/by, woody, or in a word, crofs ground ; that not only their diligence,, patience, and fuffering in marches , but their skill in feiztng of Grounds, pofling bodies of Horfe and Foot, and advancing towards each other ; their chufing a Camp^ and drawing out of it in order to a Battel. might be feen, as well as what Orders of Battel they would form upon the variety of different Grounds. The Perfons of Quality or Eflate jhould likewife be in^ flrucled in Fortification, Gunnery, and all things belonging to the Duty of an Inge- nier : And Forts jfjould be fometimes built by the whole Camp, where all the Arts of attacking and defending Places jhould be praclifed. The Touth having been taught to read at Schools, jhould be obliged to read at Jpare hours fome excellent Hiflories, but chiefly thofe in which Military Actions are befi- de/cr ibed; with the Books thai have been bejl written concerning the Mi- litary Art. Speeches exhorting to mi- litary and vertuous ' Aciions, jhould be of- D $ tm

(54)

ten compofed, and pronounced publickly by fuch of the Toutb as were, by Education and natural Talents , qualified for it, There being none but Military Men allowed within the Camp, and no Churchmen be- ing of that number, fuch of the Touth as may be ft to exhort the reft to all Chrijli- an and Moral Duties, chiefly to Humility y Mode fly , Charity, and the pardoning of pri- vate Injur ies,fhould bechofen to do it every Sunday, and the reft of that day Jpent in reading Books, and in converfation direc- ted to the fame end. And all this under fo fever e and rigorous Orders, attended with fo exact an execution by Reward and Pu- nifhment7 that no Officer within the Camp fhould have the power of pardoning the one, or withholding the other. The Re- wards fhould be all honorary, and con- trived to fute the Nature of the different good Qualities and Degrees in which any of the Touth had fh own, either his Mode- fly, Obedience, Patience in fuffering, Tem- perance, Diligence, Addrefs, Invention, judgment, Temper or Valour. The Pu-

nijhments

(55)

mjhments (Jjould be much more rigorous than thofe inflicted for the fame Crimes by the Law of the Land. And there jhould be Punijhments for fome things, not liable to any bj the common Lawy im- modefl and infolent Words or Actions y Gaming, and the like. No Woman jhottld be fufferedto come within the Campy and the Crimes of abufing their own Bodies any m tinner of way, punijhed with death. All the fe things to be judged by their own Councils of War ; and thofe Councils to have for rule, certain Articles drdwn up and approved by the r effective Parliaments. The Officers and Mafters, for infracting and teaching the Youth, in all the exercifes above-mentioned, jhould upon the fir fi efia- blijhment offuch a Camp, be the mo (I expert men in thofe Difciplines ; and brought by incour agement s from all places of Europe ; due care being taken that they jhould not in- fe& the youth with foreign Manners. But afterwards they ought to confifi of fuch Men of quality or fortune as jhou Id be cho- Jen for that end, out of thofe who had D 4 formerly

farmerh pafl two years in the Camp, and fince that time had improved themfelves in the Wars; who upon their return jhould be obliged I to ferve two years in that Station. As for the numbers of thofe Officers, or Majlers ; their fever al duties ; that of the Camp-Mdfier-General , and of the Commijfaries ; the times and manner of Exercife, with divers other particulars of lefs confider ation, and yet neceffary to be de- termined, in order to put fuch a deftgn in execution, for brevitf s fake I omit them, as eafy to be refolved. But certainly it were no hard matter, for men that hadpaf fed through fuch a Difcipline as that of the Camp I have defer ibed, to retain it after they fhould return to their fever al homes ; if the people of every Town and Village, together with thofe of the adjacent Habita- tions, were obliged to meet 50 times in the Tear, on fuch days as Jhould be found mojl convenient ; and exercife four hours every time : for all men being inflrucled in what they are to do ; and the men of quality and eflate ?nojl knowing, and expert, of all

other S)

(57) other S) the Exercife might be performed in great perfection. There might alfo be year- ly in the Summer time, a Camp of fome thoufands of the near eft Neighbours brought and kept together for a week to do thofe Exercifes, which cannot be performed in any other place : every Man of a certain Efiat^ being obliged to keep a Horfe fit for the War. By this means it would be eafy up- on any occafion, tho never fo fmall (as for example, the keeping of the Peace, and putting the Laws in execution where force is necejfary) or never fo great and fudden (as upon account of Invafions and Con/pi- racies) to bring together fuch numbers of Officers and Souldiers as the exigence re- quired, according to the practice of antient Rome ; which in this particular might be imitated by us without difficulty : And if fuch a Method were once eftablifhed, there would be no necejjity of keeping up a Militia formed into Regiments of foot and Horfe in time of Peace. Now if this Militia jhould (land in need of any farther improv- ment (becaufe no Militias feem compara- ble

(5*)

ble to thofc exercifed in actual War ; as that of the Barons by their confiant Feuds ; and that of Rome, and fome other anti- ent Commonwealths \ by their perpetual Wars) a certain fmall number of Forces might be employed in any foreign Country where there foould be aHion ; a fourth part of which might be changed every year \ that all thofe who had in this manner acquired experience^ might be difperfed among the fe- deral Regiments of any Army^ that the de- fence of thefe Countries fhould at any time call for ; which would ferve to confirm and give affurance to the reft. Such a Mili- tia would be of no great expence to thefe Nations ; for the mean clothing and pro- vifions for thofe who could not maintain themfehesj being given only for one year ^ would amount to little ; and no other ex- pence would be needful, except for their Armsy a fmall train of Artillery for each Campy and what is to begivtnfor the en- couragement of the firfl Officers and Ma- fiers.

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A Militia upon fuch afoot, would have none of the infinite and infuperable Diffi- culties there are, to bring a few Men who live at . a great dt 'fiance from one another y frequently together to exercife ; at which tonfecjuently they mufk be from home every time fever al days : of finding fuch a num- ber of MajlerSy as are necejfaryto train fh many thoufands of People ignorant of ail exercife, info many different places, and for the mofi part at the fame time : It would have none of thofe innumerable Incum- brances, and unnecejfary Expenses, with which a Militia formed into Regi?nents of Foot and Horfe in time of Peace is attend- ed. In fuch a Camp the youth would not only be taught the exercife of a Muf- ket with a few Evolutions, which is all that men in ordinary Militia* s pretend toy and is the leajl part of the duty of a Soul- dier ; but be fides a great many Exercife s tofirengthen and dijpofe the Body for fight y they would learn to fence, to ride, and ma- nage a Horfe for the War ; to forage and live in a C amp \ to fortify, attack, and de- fend

(6o) fend any place ; and what is no lefs necef- fary, to undergo the greateft Toils, and to give obedience to the ' / ever eft Orders. Such d Militia by fending beyond Seas certain Proportions of it, and relieving them from time to time, would enable us to affifi our Allies more powerfully than by Standing Armies we could ever do. Such a Ca?np would take away the great difficulty of bring- ing men of all Conditions \ who have faf- fed the time of their youth , to apply them- /elves to the ufe and exercife of Arms ; and beginning with them early, when like wax they may be moulded into any jhape, would difpofe them to place their great e\ft Honour in the performance of thofe Exercifes,and in- fpirethem with the Fires of Military Glory, to which that Age is fo enclined ; which Im- preffion being made upon their youth ', would I aft as long as life. Such a Camp would be as great a School of Vertue as of mili- tary Difcipline : In which the Touth would learn to Jland in me jf few things ; to. he content with that frnall allowance which nature requires ; to fujfer, as well as to

afr;

(60

aci ; to be modefl, as well as brave ; to be as much ajhamed of doing any thing info- lent or injurious, as of turning their back upon an Enemy ; they would learn to for- give Injuries done to themfelves, but to em- brace with joy the occafions of dying to revenge thofe done to their Country : And Vertue imbibed in younger years would, caji a flavour to the utmofi periods of life. In a word they would learn greater and bet- ter things than the Military Art, and more necejfary too, if any thing can be more necejfary than the defence of our Coun- try. Such a Militia might not only defend a People living in an IJland, but evenfuch as are placed in themidfl of the mo ft war- like Nations of the World.

Now till fuch a Militia may be brought to fome perfection, our prefent Militia is not only fufficient to defend m ; but con- sidering the Circumjlances of the French Affairs, efpecially with relation to Spain, Britain cannot juflly apprehend an Inva- fion, if the Fleet of England, to which Scotland furnifb'd during the late War

fi

even-

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feven or eight thoufand Seamen, were in fuch order as it ought to be. And it can never be the Inter eft of thefe Nations to take any other jhare in preferving the Ba- lance of Europe, than what may be per- formed by our Fleet. By which means our Money wiS be fpent amongtt our felves, om Trade preferred to fupport the Charge of the Navy ; our Enemies totally driven out of the Sea, and great numbers of their tones diverted from oppofing the Armies of our Allies abroad, to the defence of their own Coajis.

If this Method had been taken in the late War , I prefume it would have pro- ved, not only more advantagiom to us, but aifo more ferviceable to our Allies than that which was followed. And ^tis in vain to fay, that at this rate we jhall have m Allies at all : For the weaker Party on the Continent muft be contented to ac- cept our AjfiBance in the manner we think fit to give it ; or imvitably perijh. But if we fend any Forces beyond the Seas to join thofe of our Allies, they ought to

he

be part of our Militia, as has been faid, and not Standing Forces ; otherwife, at the end of every War, the prefent ftruggle will recur, and at one time or other thefe Nations will be betrayed, and a Standing Army efiablijbed : So that nothing $an fave us from following the Fate of all th& other Kjngdoms in Europe, but putting our Trufi altogether in our Fleet and Mi- litiars, and having no other Forces thaw thefe. The Sea is the only Empire which can naturally belong to us. Conquefl u not our Interefi, much lefs to confume our 'People and Treafure in conquering for others.

To conclude ; If we ferioufly confider the happy Condition of thefe Nations, wha have lived fo long under the Blejfings of Liberty, we cannot but be affected with the moft tender Compaljion to think that the Scots, who have for fo many Ages, with fuch Refolution, defended their Liberty a- gainfi the Picls, Brttans, Romans, Sax- ons, Danes, Irijb* Normals, and Eng-

lifb, as well as againft the Violence and Tyranny of fo many of their own Princes : That the Englijh, who whatever Revolu- tions their Country has been fubject tojiave Jtill maintained their Rights and Liberties againft all Attempts ; who pojjefs a Coun- try, every where cultivated and improved by the Indujlry of rich Husbandmen ; her Rivers and Harbours filed with Ships ; her Cities, Towns, and Villages, enriched with Manufactures ; where Men of vaft EJtates live in fecure poffeffion of them, and who fe Merchants live in as great Jflen- dor as the Nobility of other Nations : that Scotland which has a Gentry born to excel in Arts and Arms : that England which has a Commonalty, not only furpafftng all thoje of that degree which the World can now boafl of, but alfo thofe of all former Ages, in Courage, Honefiy, good Senfe, Indufiry, and Generofity of Temper ; in whofe very hooks there are fetch vifible Marks of a free and liberal Education ; which Advantages cannot be imputed to the Climate, or to any other Caufe, but

the

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the Freedom of the Government under which they live : I fay, it cannot but make the Hearts of all honefl Men bleed to think y that in their Days the Felicity and Liber- ties of fuch Countries mufl come , to a, Pe- riod, if the Parliaments do not prevent it, and his Ma] e fly be not prevailed upon to lay afide the Thoughts of Mercenary [Ar- mies, which if once eflab lifted, will ine- vitably produce thofe fatal Conferences that have always attended fuch Forces in the other Kjngdoms of Europe ; Violation of Property, Decay of Trade, Opprejjion of the Country by heavy Taxes and Quar- ters, the utmofl Mifery and Slavery of the poorer fort, the Ruin of the Nobility by their Expences in Court and Army, Deceit and Treachery in all Ranks of Men, oc- cafioned by Want and Necefjity. Then fhall we fee the Gentry of Scotland, ig- norant through want of Education, and cowardly by being oppreffed ; then fhall we fee the once happy Commonalty of Eng- land become bafe and abjeff, by being con- tinually expofed to the brutal Infolenceof E the

{66)

the ISouldiers ; the Women debauched by theit Luft \ ugly and nafly through Po- <verty, and the want of things necejfary to -preferve their natural Beauty. Then Jha/l we fee that great City, the Pride and Glory, not only of our IJland, but of the World , fubjetted to the excefftve Impojitions Paris now lies under y and reduced to a Pedling Trade, ferving only to foment the Luxury of a Court. Then will Britain know what Obligations Jhe has to thofe who are for Mercenary Ar-

mies*

finis.