'TIS not at all strange to see the best things Evil spoken of. The Wisest Counsels and most Regular Conduct have often been severely Censur'd even by those who have largely shar'd their good Effects. There have been some in all Ages, who have had such a pre­dominant and unhappy mixture of Ill-nature in their Constitutions, that they have taken a pleasure to [Page 2]be always out of Humour, ever complaining and murmuring, never pleas'd with either good or bad Fortune; and since the whole delight of such wretches consists in a constant exercise of their Spleen, they take care never to want this dev'lish diversion, by continually employing themselves in finding faults in others; not putting themselves to the trouble of distinguishing between Good, and Ill, unless it be to bestow their bitterest Reproaches where they find the greatest Excellencies, because most directly op­posite to their own Imperfections.

That this is the case of most of our Malecontents I believe we may be pretty sure; for it can easi­ly be shewn, that the very same Persons have been noted Grumbletonians in the Luxurious and Effemi­nate Reign of Charles the II. the Arbitrary and Tyrannical Reign of the late King James, and still keep up their snarling Humours even in the Mild and Easie one of his present Majesty King William: So that 'tis plain the fault lies only in their own corrupted Blood and vicious Tempers.

That such People shou'd have any regard, or that any one shou'd be drawn in to mind or value, much less to cry up, their wicked Insinuations and mischeivous Complaints, which have no other source than the too great abundance of their Spleen, and their own settled ill dispositions, which no Art can correct or cure, is a very surprizing and sad Acci­dent, and ought to be dreaded by every good person; for in the end the Consequences may prove very fatal and prejudicial.

Amongst these sort of Men none have made a greater Noise or seem'd to have more plausible pretences, than those Persons who have employ'd their Pens in terrifying the People with the dan­ger of a Standing Army. Liberty is their Cry, a Glorious Topick indeed when it is not abus'd; but it has ever been made the Stalking-Horse to all De­signs, and dress'd up in as various shapes as the Witt and Cunning of Designing Persons found ne­cessary and convenient to their Ends and Purpo­ses; 'tis an Argument very specious and plausible, never failing to dazle the Eyes of the Unthinking Vul­gar, who run away with the word, and consider no farther than the bare out side of things.

Whether or no there lies any ill Designs, at the bottom of the present clamour against a Standing Army, I know not; but I am afraid of what might follow if these Gentlemens Notions were embrac'd, and their desires satisfyed; I cannot but think we shou'd be in very ill Circumstances if we were left Unguarded, and without Forces sufficient to secure us from the Insults of our Enemies; but I hope their ill counsels will never prevail to reduce us to so lamentable a condition, as to be more beholden to the Generosity or Imprudence of an Enemy, than to our own Strength and Wisdom.

Nay I dare engage, that these same Gentlemen, who are now so very hot for the Disbanding the Army, shou'd the Army be Disbanded, wou'd be so far from being better satisfied, or cur'd of the [Page 4]spleenetick Humours they are overrun with, that they wou'd then make the Want of an Army the Grounds and Occasions of new Complaints; they wou'd then with open Mouths, and a full Cry, and with something more reason on their side, roar out, that we were neither safe nor secure, but left naked and defenceless to a Potent and Inveterate Enemy, who might, (if he pleas'd) make an easie Con­quest of us, and quickly be Master both of our Lives and Estates; This wou'd then be the Out­cry, and we shou'd be Impos'd on with the continual AIarms of an Invasion from abroad, by the very same Persons, who now endeavour to frighten us with the Loss of our Freedom and Li­berties by an Army at home; the grumbling Hu­mor wou'd still find something to feed on, and preserve it self alive in spite of either Cure or Poison.

But to begin with our Author of the History of Standing Armies in England; Page first he says, If any Man doubts whether a standing Army is Sla­very, Popery, Mahometism, Paganism, Atheism, or any thing which they please. How Sir, A Standing Army to be so many several things or what you please, this is strange indeed, and if this is all, we need not fear; for to be every thing, or what you please, is to be nothing at all, I admire this Gentleman shou'd stumble on so odd a beginning; but to go on, let him read first, the story of Matho and Spendius at Carthage; Secondly, the Histories of Strada and Bentivoglio: where he will find what work Nine Thousand Spaniards made in the 17 Provinces, tho' [Page 5]the Country was full of fortified Towns, possess'd by the Low-Country Lords, and they had assistance from Germany, England and France. I think this one Paragraph is a direct Confutation of the whole Book; for if Nine Thousand Spaniards well Disci­plin'd, made such havock in the 17 Provinces, tho' the Country was full of fortified Towns, and in the Possession of the Low-Country Lords, as­sisted too by Germany, England and France; I think we, (who can't boast of many strong fortified Towns, nor can't reasonably expect any quick Assistance from Abroad,) shou'd think of keeping up a Force able and sufficient to protect us in case of Necessity, and not of leaving our selves Open and Unguarded; this is so very obvious to the meanest degree of Sense, that I wonder how these Gentlemen or any one else can have a thought to the contrary.

But he goes on confuting his own Notions; for he confesses that we have always had an Establish'd Force among us, if so, then I think the dispute may be brought into a narrow Compass; for the questi­on will not be, if a Standing Force here is Legal; for that's granted, but the question will be, what Forces are Necessary to be kept in Pay at this time; which may be immediately resolv'd, by con­sidering what an Army is rais'd and kept in Pay for; and it is either to Invade and Offend our E­nemies, or to be a Security and Defence to our selves, when we have reason to fear an An­noyance or Invasion from Abroad; and I sup­pose all Englishmen will see the occasion of a Standing Force, and a pretty large one too; for if [Page 6]we have not an Army sufficient for our Security and Preservation, we had as good have none; so that all the pains this Gentleman has been at in computing the Forces now in Pay, on purpose to in­still Fears and Jealousies in the hearts of his Maje­sty's good Subjects, is to no manner of purpose, unless it be to give us the greater reason to re­joyce in our Security, and to thank God that we are so well provided for our Defence. 'Tis true indeed we have just had a Peace; which gives these Gentlemen occasion to say, that we have nothing to fear, and consequently no Use for an Army, but if we consider how apt a certain Prince is to disturb and Invade his Neighbours, and how able he is at this time to do it; how often also he has found pretences to break the most Solemn Leagues, we shou'd quickly be convinc'd of the contrary, and find very good Grounds to fear an attempt upon us if we are not able to prevent it. In Page 3 he highly extolls the Merits of Queen Elizabeth, and deservedly too, he tells us, She assisted the Dutch, whereby She trained up her Subjects in the Art of War, That She wou'd never permit them nor France to build any great Ships; kept the Keys of the Maes and Scheld in her own hands; and died with an un­control'd Dominion of the Seas, and Arbitress of Christendom; all this She did with a Revenue not ex­ceding 300000 l. per Annum, and had but inconsi­derable Taxes from her People.

To dispute with these Men, we must set things in a right Light. 'Tis plain, they built upon false suppositions, which few People observe, being dazled [Page 7]with the plausibleness of their Arguments, and blind­ed with their pretended concern for their Country; but to argue truly upon the matter, and to state the Case aright, we must consider the Alterations, and Revolutions, that have happen'd in Europe, within these hundred Years. France is now arriv'd to a vast Height, 'tis now no more that France which we could Invade and almost Conquer at our plea­sure. We may indeed forbid them building great Ships, but I fancy they wou'd hardly mind us. Ships they have to compose a strong and mighty Fleet, with Seamen able and experienc'd to Man them, great Armies at Land in constant Pay; this is a State far differing from what they were for­merly; therefore we go a wrong way to work, when we suppose them in the same condition they were in a hundred Years ago, and build Maxims for present use on those suppositions; for 'tis evident they are encreas'd to an incredible pitch in extent of their Country, Riches, and multitudes of the Inhabitants; that this is no groundless supposition, is very clear, by their being able to cope with a Confederacy of the most Potent Princes of Europe for ten Years to­gether: As the Author of the account of Den­mark says in his Preface, we have lately bought the experience of this truth too dear not to be now sen­sible of it. 'Tis not very long ago since nothing was-more generally believ'd (even by Men of the best Sense) than that the Power of England was so unquestiona­bly establish'd at Sea, that no Force cou'd possibly shake it; that the English Valour and Manner of Fighting was so far beyond all others, that nothing was more desirable than a War with France. Shou'd any [Page 8]one have been so regardless of his reputation at that time to have represented the French an over­match for the Ʋnited Forces of England and Hol­land; or have said, that we shou'd live to see our selves insulted on our own Coasts, and our Trade endan­ger'd by them, that we shou'd be in apprehensions of an Invasion and a French Conquest, such a venturesome Man must hav e expected to have pass'd for a very Traveller, or at best, for an illnatur'd and unthink­ing Person, who little consider'd what the resistless Force of an English Arm was; but our late Expertence has reclaim'd us from these Mistakes: Our Fathers and Grand Fathers told us indeed these things, when they were true, when our Yeomanry and Commonalty were every day Exercis'd in drawing the Long Bow, and handling the Brown Bill, with other Weapons then in use, wherein we excell'd all the World.

To set this still in a clearer Light, 'twill not be amiss if we consider the State of England in re­spect of what it was formerly; and I believe we may, without much thought, affirm that our Monar­chy was at its highest pitch in the Reign of our glorious Queen Elizabeth, the remissness and care­lessness of some of the late Reigns have soften'd our Spirits, and brought a Luxury unknown to our Fore-Fathers in vogue among us, whereby we are degenerated from that old hardiness and Fortitude, our Ancestors were so famous for. This being the true State of the Case without partiality on either side; these Gentlemens Notions will naturally fall to peices; and I hope that true Englishmen will no longer suffer themselves to be impos'd on by [Page 9]a single of Words, that have only an empty sound to recommend them; 'tis time I think to look a­bout us, and consider seriously on the matter, be­fore we part with those Forces that have so bravely fought for us Abroad, and are still so willing and able to defend us at Home: But before I part with this Gentleman on this head, I can't but take no­tice of the sly Insinuation he makes of Queen Eli­zabeth's doing all those great things with only 300000 l. per Annum, and some inconsiderable Taxes besides; his design is that Peple shou'd immediately make reflections on the Taxes that have been rais'd to Maintain this War; but if this Gentleman had that Ingenuity he pretends to, he wou'd hinder such Reflections, by letting us know that such a Summ was more than 3 times as much in our Days, and that by her Privateers She took several Millions from the Spaniards, besides the Customs and Interest were paid her by the Dutch, with these She did all those great things: that She had but an Army between 1400 and 2000 Men in time of Peace is evidently false; for there were a greater Number than that requisite to the Garrisoning of the Cau­tionary Towns in her hands in Flanders; but I think 'tis needless to follow him in his Historical Account or things, for they are very little, to his purpose, or indeed to any purpose at all.

In Page 19 he tells us, That his present Majesty was invited over, and landed at Torbay, publishing a Declaration, which set forth all the Oppressions of the late Reign, (but the keeping up a Standing Ar­my) declar'd for a free Parliament, in which things [Page 10]were to be so settled, that there shou'd be no danger of falling again into Slavery; and promis'd to send back all his foreign Forces as soon as this was done.

Sure these Gentlemen imagine they may say any thing; they are great Instances of the Mildness of the present Government, when they are not brought to an Account, for taking such Liberties both in their Speech­es and Writings, to Insinuate whatever they think may be prejudicial to those above them; for to tell us that a Standing Army is certain Slavery, and to Insinu­ate that his present Majesty intended from the very first to maintain a Standing Army, is as plain as they can speak, to asperse His Majesty with what they daily experience to be false: such Liberties are too bold, and that they are not call'd to Account for them, is plain demonstration of the Idleness and Vani­ty of their Fears.

Here again he lays t he blame of Ireland's not be­ing timely succour'd on the Government, when we all know how earnest His Majesty was for the Re­lief of those distressed People; tho' he tell us, that Ireland was neglected to be relieved, for a pretence for the raising a greater Army; I wou'd have these Gentlemen take care how they provoke Mercy.

In Page 21, he tells us, the King acquainted the Parliament the 8th of March, when speaking of the deplo­rable Condition of Ireland, that he thought it not advise­able to undertake the reducing of it, with less than 20000 Horse and Foot. This was a better Pill to the Parli­ament, who thought they might have managed their [Page 11]share of the War with France by a Fleet at Sea, but there was no Remedy, a greater Army must be rais'd, or Ireland lost. This Gentleman writes fiast I suppose, and seldom minds his Sense. Did the Parliament think of Conquering Ireland by a Fleet? He wou'd have had them landed their Seamen, and left their Ships a prey to the French. We'll forgive him one blunder however, if he'll take care what he writes hereafter: but I admire how this Gentleman makes the Conquest of Ireland and a War with France the same thing; for I take them to be distinct: Ireland is our own Country, and when we fought for that, we fought for what was immediate ely our own, we were not at War with France, or any Foreign Prince, we were reducing a People, who were in actual Re­bellion to the Crown of England, but we'll not quar­rel about Terms; tho' by the way, the miseries and hardships our Fellow Subjects of Ireland felt, shou'd make us terribly afraid of giving any Neighbouring Prince the least hopes of succeeding in any Attempt upon us; for 'tis an undeniable Maxim, that opportu­nity makes the Thief, and by Disbanding our Troops, we may possibly give some grounds for hopes of Suc­cess to a Prince naturally Aspiring and Ambitious, and very apt to fancy himself capable of doing more than he is able; but to return, I wou'd ask this Gen­tleman how he came to be so sure that the Parliament thought to have managed their share of this War by a Fleet at Sea, which he so possitively asserts. We are all sure that the Parliaments of England were of ano­ther mind in former Days, or they wou'd never have contributed so largely and liberally towards an Inva­sion of France as they often did, Nay, in all our [Page 12]Histories, I never found they ever parted with their Money more heartily, than when it was for a War with that Country, and yet they never so much as dream't of their carrying on a War, only by a Fleet at Sea, but quite the contrary; for we all of us know, that our Kings very frequently Transported great Armies over into Flanders, Normandy, or some part of France, thinking it more adviseable to Seat the War in an Enemies Country rather than their own. To give some Instances,

William the Conqueror enter'd France with a great Army. William Rufus Invaded Normandy, so did Henry the V. and Richard the I. Henry the III. twice Transported great Armies over to France. Edward the I. twice Invaded France. There were no less than five several Armies Transpor­ted over to France in the Reign of Edward the II. Henry the V. had continually an Army in France. Many more Instances might, be given of the like nature, but these are enough to let us see, that in former times our Parliaments thought it no di­minution to their Wisdom to carry on their Warrs in Foreign Parts by Land-Forces; tho' in those Days they were confessedly stronger at Sea than any of their Neighbours; and amongst all our Princes we find none more belov'd, and extoll'd, than those Marti­al Monarchs, who Transported and Headed their En­glish Armies in Foreign Parts. Besides, whoever do's but consider how liberally and largely our late Parliaments have contributed towards the Expence of a ten Years War, and what a happy Agreement and Union there has been all along betwixt the King and [Page 13]them, I say, whoever considers this, can by no means believe he speakes truth, when he tells us, that the Parliament thought they might have manag'd their share of the War with France by a Fleet at Sea, and that they thought the raising a Land Force a bitter Pill.

I think this Gentleman should be requir'd to give a more publick account of this Assertion. To make us believe the King out-witted the Parliament, and that the Parliament themselves acted disagreeably to their own opinions, this is a New contrivance, and may in time produce very evil Consequences. But I hope Men of Sense will take care how they are ca­jol'd by such horrid Insinuations.

Well, now he comes to his dear beloved Militia, and tells us what wonders were done in Ireland by the Iniskilling-Men, and those of Londonderry; but pray let us stop a little to consider the matter, and not suffer this Phamphleteer to run away with Noise and Nonsense. The Iniskilling Men were People made desperate by the Ruins of their Estates and Fortunes, almost weary of their Lives by the Cruelties and Hardships they suffer'd from the Irish Papists, having the cries of their Wives and Children, (labou­ring under the greatest Miseries) ever in their Ears, and the deplorable condition of their Native Country be­fore their Eyes; beside they were not a Militia, as our Author falsely boasts, but were for the most part Gentlemen and others that sled from the Barbarities of the Irish Papists from all parts of Ireland, and ga­ther'd in a Body for their security at Iniskilling, and great Numbers of them Officers and private Soldiers [Page 14]of the Army, whom Tryconnel had Disbanded because Protestants, Men that had been in Pay and Discipline a great part of the Reign of King Chales the II. So that 'tis a mistake to say they were a Militia; far­ther, if it be consider'd whom they fought with, there's none will wonder at what they did, they en­countred poor senseless wretches that knew not their Right hands from their Left; and always look be­hind them when they draw their Swords. And if these are the Wonders they boast of, they had as good be si­lent, and say nothing of the matter.

In the next Page he says, at last by our great Ar­mies and Fleets, and the constant Expence of maintain­ing them, we were too hard for the OEconomy, Skill, and Policy of France, and notwithstanding all our difficulties, brought them to terms both Safe and Ho­nourable. Did we so Sir. then I think we have very little reason to complain, and if our Fleet and Armies procur'd us this Peace, They only can preserve it; by parting with either we make it precarious, and to depend meerly on the Generosity of an Enemy, who is not us'd to be firmer to his Word than his Interest; several true sensible Englishmen are of the opinion, that the longer we maintain a Standing Armed Force, we shall be the longer from having Occasion to make use of them; but that on the contrary, the sooner we Disband them, the sooner we shall be put to the trou­ble and charge of raising New; For 'tis certainly true, that that Nation which is most able to wage War, will be the unlikeliest to be put to the trouble of it.

But here he says, I shall omit giving any account of the Conduct of our Fleet during this War, how few Advantages we reap'd by it, and how many occasions was lost of Destroying the French; only thus much I will Observe, that tho' a great part of it may be attributed to the Negligence, Ignorance, or Treachery of Inferior Officers, yet it cou'd not universally happen (the Gen­tleman is positive in what he says) and unpunish'd too, notwithstanding the Clamours of the Merchants, and repeated complaints in Parliament, unless the Cause had laid deeper. Now this Gentleman shou'd take care to be well inform'd, before he so possitively Asserts things of this Nature; he may be call'd on to give an Account of his knowledge in the Affairs he pretends to 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 [Page 16]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 Ʋnguard­ed, 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 [Page 17]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: 'Tis 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, 'twou'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, [Page 18]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, 'twou'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, 'tis 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 [Page 19] 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. 'Twill 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 to be at all a Benefit or Advantage to the Nation, if it might be dispens'd with on good Terms, no, rather quite the contrary, I think the only Reason, that can be giving for the keeping a Standing Force in Pay, is Necessity: But I hardly think a Mititia can be form'd to serve our occasions now. For,

First, by the cunning and contrivance of Humane reach and Invention, and the charge of Times and Acci­dents, War now is become a Trade, it consists not so much in strength of Body, or a real Courage, as in Slight and Witt; to be able to fortifie Camps and Towns, to draw your Enemy into Ambuscades, or drill him along into disadvantageous Places, to be able to draw him to Battle, or secure your self from being forc'd to one, these are now the best Martial Qualifications, and these are things must be learnt by Ʋse and Practice, none can be perfect in them but by Experience, there must be an Apprenticeship serv'd for the learning them. [Page 20]This I think is sufficient, to make us believe that a Militia can very hardly be so regulated, as to prove useful at this time of Day.

2dly, Supposing a Militia might be brought to good Discipline and Order, yet twou'd be a very great while before such a thing cou'd be done, and wou'd these in­considerate Gentlemen have us leave our selves Naked and Open all the time, this wou'd be an Imprudence that our Enemies perhaps wou'd be glad to find us guilty of, since I believe they only wou'd be the gainers by it.

3dly, Tho' our Militia was serviceable, yet we shou'd find very few of them forward to go over to any Foreign Parts, where it might be convenient and neces­sary for us to employ our Forces, for they wou'd be Men that were settled and fixt by Wives and Families at home, whereas our Standing Forces (the Private Soldiers) are most of them Men that have no fixt Habitations are not ty'd at home by Wives and Families, but taken either young before they had settled themselves, or mostly from among those that were Vagabonds, and Wanderers, that had no business, and were rather a Burthen than Benefit to their Country, but by being put into the Army are now become useful and benefici­al to it; whereas if they are Disbanded, what can be expected from such people, who are not fixt at home by the tye of Families or Interest, but to go abroad, atd enter into any Service that will be so kind as to enter­tain them; and who can blame them, since they know no other way of Livelihood; the Consequence of which thing alone might fright us from what these Gentlemen wou'd have us immediately do, and make us very cau­tious how we part from that Force, which have done [Page 21]us so much good even when they were but learning their Trade, which at our Cost and Expences they have learnt so well as to be Masters of; but by Disbanding them, and turning them abroad, we give our Neigh­bours the opportunity of reaping the Profit and Ad­vantage.

But this Gentleman tells us we need not send Forces into Foreign Parts, we need only have a strong Fleet at Sea, and that wou'd be security enough: But I think the Practice of all our Kings and Parliaments, as I have al­ready Instanc'd, may be enough to confute one part of this Assertion; for I take it, our Fore Fathers were as wise and knowing in what concern'd their Interest, as any of us now can pretend to; and if we loak back into former Stories we shall find enough to convince us of the folly of trusting too much to the other part; by seeing what has happen'd, we shall quickly find that a Fleet will not secure us from Invasions. To give some Instances to these Positive Gentlemen, How often did the Danes land great Numbers of Armed Forces, in al­most every part of this Island? continually alarming the poor People, ruining and making horrible devastations wherever they came; exercising all manner of Barbara­ties on the poor unprovided English, putting whole Towns, Men, Women and Children to the Sword; till at last they Lorded it over the whole Island; and per­haps there are a People in the World, wou'd not be much civiller on an occasion, which God forbid they shou'd ever have; and which while we have a good Army, we need not fear; but to give some more Instances. William the Conqueror landed with an Army here, so did his Son Robert, Duke of Normandy, in the Reign of William Rufus, and in the Reign of Henry the First. The [Page 22]Empress Maud landed an Army in the Reign of King Stephen, so did Henry II. The French Invaded the Land in the Reign of Henry III. Queen Isabel landed with an Army at Orwel, in Sussex, in the Reign of Edward the Second. Henry the Seventh landed with an Army, tho' Richard the Third took all possible care to hinder him. And whenever there have been heats and discon­tents in this Kingdom, the French have ever assisted one or another party to keep up the Contention; tho' our Princes by their Fleets have always endeavour'd to hin­der it. These are enough to convince every lover of his Country, of the falsity of these Gentlemen's, saying that a Fleet only is able to protect us.

Perhaps they will object against what has been said, and say, That in those days we were weak at Sea, but that now we are grown much stronger. So is our Neigh­bours too, as we very well know by experience; I scarce think any of these angry Gentlemen will venture to af­firm, that we are at this time, the most potent at Sea, or that none of our Neighbours dare to look us in the face on that Element; whereas in former days, tho' we were but mean at Sea, in comparison of what we are now; yet our Neighbours were much meaner, we were formerly confessedly the most powerful in Shipping, and enjoyed an absolute and uncontroul'd dominion on the Seas; and if in those days, when we bore so great a sway on the Ocean, and all the Nations around us so little, a Fleet cou'd not hinder Armies from landing in England; I can't think how it shou'd do it now, when our Neighbours are as strong in Shipping, and as Pow­erful at Sea as our Selves. This I think is a plain case, an Argument so clear, that I wonder how any sensible per­sons can overlook it. And if we may be Invaded, tho' [Page 23]we have a good Fleet, as 'tis plain we may, we shou'd be careful how we parted with a Land Force; which wou'd then be our only safety, and can be no Injury at all to us, as long as his Majesty is so clearly in the Interest of his People.

All this great Clamour and Noise against a Standing Army, can have no other meaning than this, That they dare not trust his Majesty, or rely on his Integrity; these are hard things, and a very ungrateful way of dealing with a Prince, who has all his Life-time hazarded his Person for the relief and succour of the Distressed; who cou'd never be wrought upon, either by bribes or me­naces, to be unjust to his word, even in the smallest par­ticle; a Prince whose single Reputation caused a strict band and Union amongst Princes of the most disagreeing Interests, Humours, and Religions. That this Prince shou'd be mistrusted by a People of the same Religion, is a thing wonderful and surprizing; and will hardly be credited in after Ages, especially when they shall know that he rescue'd these same People from the Jaws of Slavery and Popery; and sav'd them just sinking into the Pit of Destruction; but this is more than these Gentlemen dare openly own; therefore they complain against the Court, and the Government; concealing their base Reflections and ill-manner'd Insinuations, under double and ambi­guous meanings; but the skreen is too thin and transpa­rent; 'tis easily seen through, and their throughts as readily apprehended as if they had writ them at length.

But to go on with this Gentleman, and come to his Crisis, Page 42, where he says, several Accidents con­cur to make the Disbanding of an Army practicable which may not happen again. To be even with him, and give [Page 24]him a Rowland for his Oliver; several Accidents concur to oblige us to keep up a Standing Army here, which ne­ver did happen, nor never may again: There's a King beyond Sea, who maintains pretensions to the Crown, with a Prince whom he owns to be his Lawful Son and Heir; so young that he may live according to an in­different Computation these 40 Years or more, and tho' they may seem quiet and dormant for a time, yet 'tis hardly to be expected they will let slip any opportunity, they may think favourable to the regaining their pre­tended Rights; 'tis to be consider'd also, that they are of a Religion which no Oaths can bind or secure, when their Church will be a gainer by the Breach of them; add to this, that this Nation has been always the bar and hindrance to all the ambitious designs Projects of that Communion, and this has created an incurable hatred in them towards us, which they never fail to let us know upon all occasions; so that we have all the reason in the World to look about us, especially, considering there are such Multitudes against us, and so few to assist us; tis true we have just made a Peace, after a charge­able and Expensive War; but as 'twas the Number and Valour of our Troops that forc't it from an Ambitious and inveterate Enemy; so nothing but the same can preserve it to us; for we are all pretty confident, that he whom we have had to deal with, has not been tender in break­ing the most solemn Leagues, when either his Interest or Ambition has thought it convenient.

Besides we see he has not deliver'd Brisack to the Em­perour, which he ought to have done, but finds pretences to delay it till Spring, and we know not whether he'l do it then or no, unless he finds he shall be forc't to it. Add to these, the great Number of Jacobites we have at home, [Page 25]who are a People restless and uneasie; ready to Plot and execute any base and Villainous designs: Add also, that the King of Spain lies a dying, and the King of France has great Armies ready to enter into that Country; at so favourable a Juncture, to support the right he pre­tends to that Crown; I say, all these things truly con­sider'd, Here's a concurrence of Circumstances that never happen'd at once till now, nor perhaps never may again, that call upon us, and oblige us to keep up our Standing Forces at this Time.

I think I have said enough to convince any reasonable Persons of the Necessity of an Army at this time; which is all need be done, to answer this Historian; for if there is a necessity of an Army, 'tis certain it shou'd be one that may be sufficient and able to cope with any force our Enemies may bring against us; or else we had as good have none at all: In former times when our Neigh­bours had but five or ten thousand Men in Arms there was no occasion for our having a greater Number; but if they encrease to a Hundred thousand or more, we must also be in some tolerable degree equal with them, or be contented to be Insulted or Invaded by those that are stronger; this is so very plain and clear, I shall argue it no farther, but shew the danger of trusting to a Militia, when they are attack'd by regular and disciplin'd Troops and so conclude,

And the Want of a sufficient Number of Standing and Disciplin'd Troops may be learnt from the Dutch, who were almost brought to the brink of ruin, in the Year 1672, when the French, who seldom fail to make their advantages of the over-sites and Neglects of their Neighbours; Invaded them with mighty Armies, which [Page 26]like a Torrent over-run Three large Provinces, taking above Forty strong Towns in almost as many days. Whoever reads Sir William Temple's Observations, will find that Great Man makes out the want of regular Standing Forces, one of the chief reasons of their Mis­fortunes, which had like to have been the utter Ruin of their Commonwealth; he says, it was their too great parsimony in disbanding the best of their Foreign Officers and Troops, after the Peace of Munster; he tells us, those Ministers who had the Directions of Affairs, bent their Chief application to the Strength and Order of their Fleet, and totally Neglected their Land Army; so that those few Souldiers they had were without Discipline. These were the Reasons made the French King suppose their Conquest Easie, and invited him to invade them, and upon Tryal he found he was not mistaken, for they were not able to resist him; tho' 'tis Observable that for Twenty Years before, they had been regulating their Militia, and endeavouring to make it serviceable, but 'twas so far from being so, that they suffer'd the French to become Masters of their strong Fortified Towns al­most as soon as they approach'd them, this is so lively and near an Example and so well fitted for our Instructi­on, that methinks we shou'd take warning by it, with­out desiring to make the Experiment our selves.

How often has Poland, (a Country these Gentlemen are pleas'd to produce as an Instance of supporting them­selves by a Militia) been revag'd and Insulted by the Sweeds, Muscovites, and Tartars, and suffer'd all the Extremities of Fire and Sword for the want of Standing and Regular Troops.

Now I think I have sufficiently shew'd the weakness of these Gentlemen's Arguments, and the absolute Neces­sity for our keeping up a Land Force, not by false Com­putations of things, but by a true consideration of the present Circumstances of Affairs, which is the only means to find the right of this Matter; So that I hope no true Englishman, who desires the good of his Coun­try, will be for the Disbanding the Forces till either our Neighbours have done the same, or that our Militia be so well regulated, that they may be able to Cope with any Disciplin'd Troops whatsoever.

For supposing, on our Immediate Disbanding our For­ces any of our Neighbours shou'd think it the Critical time to attempt an Invasion of England, before our Mi­litia was ready to receive them, and this is none of the unlikeliest Suppositions, wou'd ask these Gentlemen, if we shou'd not have some Reasons for apprehending of of danger, when we have only the Success of a Fleet to depend on, several Accidents might happen to ren­der it unserviceable to us, as our being kept in Port by contrary Winds, or our not being in a readiness enough to hinder them, these are no very Improbable things, we have had the knowledge of their Possibility by Ex­perience, and I say, imagining it happen'd that we were Invaded, I desire to know what resistance our Militia cou'd make against 20 or 30 Thousand Regular Troops well Disciplin'd and inur'd the War; we shou'd then wish for our Forces when they were not to be had, nay perhaps when a considerable Number of them were listed in the Enemies Service, having been so ungrate­fully us'd here as to be turn'd loose to Want and Misery, after having spent their Youth and Blood in our Service; and what Nation wou'd pitty us? Wou'd not all the [Page 28]World cry out we deservedly fell Martyrs of our Folly? that we cou'd blame none but our selves, for that our selves only were the Authors of our Destruction.

After all that can be said on both sides, and to sup­pose even all the Idle Chimeras these Grumbletonians wou'd fright us with, the whole matter absolutely depends on our coosing one of these two things, viz. either to trust King William or King Lewis.