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paring, upon many Reafons alledg'd, too tedious now to repeat; with one Confent it was refused; whereupon there was Offer made by him who next the King feemed to have beft Authority, that if they would but contribute 40000l. they should chufe their Enemy, whereupon I infer, that before that Propofition there was no Enemy; and therefore no Wars.

The Motion of Money being denied, the Parliament inftantly broke up, and seeing no Enemy was nominated, nor Money confented to by us, I fee not how the Houfe can be taxed for Peace-breakers, but rather the Name caft upon fome young Men; for Youth by Nature is prone to Pride, especially where Experience wants; they are credulous in what they hear, that pleaseth them, and incredulous with what is told them by wife Men; they are Defpifers of others Counfels, and very poor in their own. They are dangerous for Princes to rely on, for Self-will is of greater Force than Precepts.

Now to proceed, in October following the Fleet put to Sea, and what they did is apparent by Relation, written by their General at his Return.

The Voyage being ended, another followed next Summer, under the Command of that Noble Lord, the Earl of Lindsey, which through the Weakness and Difability of the Ships, was not able to perform what he had in Charge, and what he defired.

The laft and most lamentable, was That to the Ifle of Rhee, which f likewife refer to a Man I have feen, and to the Books printed and extant.

This with That to Algiers, to make up a Mefs of Island-Voyages, I wish might be referred to Examination of choice, and experienced Soldiers by Land and by Sea to report their Opinions of it, that fo their Errors, their wafteful Expences, their Negligences, their weak Defigns, and Want of Experience may appear with the Succefs that might have proved, if Advice and Counfel had had Pre-eminence above Will and Arrogance; for he that is ignorant of Truth and Knowledge, and led away with Pride of his own. Opinions, muft needs err.

After it hath past your Approbation, it is worthy his Majefty's View, who then fhall fee the Difference of Actions well managed, and rafh and heady Enterprizes, undertook by Ignorance, and performed with Folly.

Bufineffes of fo great a Confequence ought to be confidered of with Council, and not only of the Neceffity, Profit and Honour, but of the Poffibility that was like to follow; for an Action well begun is half ended.

My Experience in Difcipline of War, by Land and Sea, can fay no more than to refer it to others; for it is a Course I never was bred to in my Youth, and now too late in mine Age to practife; only one Thing I obferve, that in the two Journies of Cadefh and Rhee: In the firft,' a Land-Soldier commanded at Sea, who knew not what belonged thereunto; and the other was carried by him that was Soldier neither by Land nor by Sea, and the Succefs proved accordingly in both, yet their Errors were never questioned, but they both highly advanced.

In my Opinion, the Charge they took upon them was as improper, as for a Merchant to become a Judge; for I have ever heard, that there are five Things

Things neceffary in a General, to wit, Knowledge, Valour, Prevention, Authority, and Fortune, whereof the last but one, had been better spared at the Isle of Rhee; for alfo late Authority, joined with Wilfulness of the Commander, was the Bane of the Action, as the Relation tells us.

And it is no Marvel; for according to the old Saying (the best Fencer is not always the beft Fighter, the fairest Tilter, not the beft experienced Soldier, nor the Ear of a Favourite at Court, the beft General of an Hoft) and whofoever takes upon him that Command, without Knowledge, beholds himself in a falfe Glafs, and makes him feem what he is not; as on the contrary, Experience is the Mother of Prudence, and Prudence will not take Counfel, left the join her Will with her Will: Haftiness causeth Repentance, and Frowardness causeth Hinderance.

For the Evils that follow upon these two Voyages, yourfelves are fufficient Witnesses, and can judge of it; as, namely, Billetting of Soldiers in the Country, and bringing their Ships into Harbours, not abating the Entertainment of the one, nor the Ways of the other; and yet notwithstanding this needlefs Coft and Charges, our Ships and Coafts are daily infested in fuch Sort, as we dare not peep out of Harbour.

Were the Courage of Things now answerable to the Prudence and Precedents of former Times, we cannot pretend a Fear of Invafion, because our Ships are divided into feveral Harbours, and our Soldiers billetted in inward Countries; befides the Seafon of the Year giveth no Opportunity to the Enemy to attempt it.

Here is a Mafs of Wealth carelefly confumed, whether the King or Subject bear it, and no Man bettered, but only those that have the Title of Soldiers, yet never had the Happiness or Honour to fee what appertained to Service, they are taught instead of Work, by which they have lived and been bred, now to fpend their Time in Idlenefs and Alehouses, and to forget their Occupation; their Example of Disorder encourageth others to follow their Liberty; People that are wont to live poorly, yet fafely, are now by thefe Fellows and their Followers, robbed and fpoiled, and no Remedy for Redrefs.

The Rich ftand upon their Guard, and dare not refort to Church, left in their Abfence, their Houfes be furprized and rifled.

The Juftices have only the Name of Officers, but have no Power to punish Injustice; all Mens Prayers are now a-days to be defended from the Wrath of a mighty Man, and the Tumult of the People.

Garrifons in England, which have no ftrong walled Towns, nor is used but to the Disorder and loofe Carriage of Soldiers, is more perilous, uncouth, and ftrange, than where War is practifed. Innovations in all States are dangerous, efpecially where there is a Diminution of the Laws, or a Fear to execute Juftice, through too much Liberty given to Soldiers; no Country but hath more Hurt by their Garrifons, than by their Enemies; Enemies only rob the Frontier, the other the whole Country; the Enemy may be refifted, the other not fpoken againft; the Enemy giveth a fudden Attempt,

Lil 2

tempt, and returneth; the others do every Day rob and spoil; the Enemy furprizeth with Fear; the others have neither Fear nor Shame.

The first Leffening the Greatness of the Roman Empire was by the Infolency of Soldiers, and the first Raising of the Houfe of Ottoman was by Permiffion and conniving at his Army.

What Man is fo old in England, that hath feen, or what Youth fo young, that ever thought to fee, Scotchmen and Irishmen garrifoned in England, and no Enemy appear against us? Or who could have imagined he fhould ever fee our own People tyrannized over in our own Kingdom, by those of our own Nation, and thofe Scotch and Irish, yea, and dare not fo much as complain? Would our Forefathers have thought it Safety or Policy to draw 2000 Scotchmen and Irish in the Isle of Wight, for their Defence against France, when they of the Ifle defired it not, nay when they oppofed it? Would they have thought it Wisdom, that 2000 Mouths, befides the Inhabitants, should live on the Food of that Ifland, and fo bring themselves into Want and Penury of Victuals? If they fhould in Earneft be attempted by an Enemy, would they have thought fit the Charge of it should be required of them, and yet they to fuffer all Injuries from the Hands of ftrange Soldiers, where the meaneft Boy in the Inland is taught to manage Arms, better than the best of them that are billetted? No, but they would rather have thought it Discretion, upon the Return of thofe Voyages, to have caused the Men to repair to the Place where they were preffed, and to have ordered, that each Parish should have fet them on Work for their Maintenance, with Command to be ready upon Warning to repair to the Place of Rendezvous : . There is no Part or Place in England fo remote from the Sea, but they must have reforted to the Port affigned before the Ships could be furnished or drawn together. They would have thought it more Wisdom to have retired to their own Harbours, and to have had their Men discharged, than to have continued this needlefs and expenfive Courfe that is taken.

They would have judged it better to have fupplied the Isle of Wight with 20co Men out of the main Land, when they feared any Evil to the Inland, than to fend for them into Scotland, and to keep them in continual Enter

tainment.

They would have thought it more fit to have returned the barbarous Iriso into the Country from whence they came, than to make them a Vexation to the Places and Parts where they remain; feeing no Shadow of Reason can be pretended for it.

England wants no Men, and hath as good and able Men as either of the other two Nations, if his Majefty had Occafion to ufe them; England with fmall Charge and Trouble can raife what Men his Majefty pleafeth to command, and that fuddenly, and discharge them again without Trouble or Charge as quickly. The wife Men of England would have thought 2 or 300,cool. better fpared, than thus wastefully confumed, and Disorders committed; we may compute it to that Sum, and yet keep ourfelves within Compafs, and notwithstanding the Want of Money, and the Ways to exact it of the Sub

ject

ject is all the Song now fung; he that fees and complains of the evil managing of Things is either imprifoned, banished the Court, or cenfured for a Discontent.

There is no Englishman, but knoweth the Heart of every other truehearted Englishman, and with one Confent will all obey our Prince, and to his Perfon we all do Reverence, and we may truly fay, no King is more happy in Subjects for their Love, nor no Subjects readier to serve their King with their Purfes and Perfons, nor never People was better bleffed with a King, who is endued with all Kind of Virtues, and stained with no Manner of Vice; his Mercy, his Temper, his Chastity, and his Meekness is such, as we may fay of him, as of David, he is a Man according to God's own Heart; but if any Man fhall poifon this Opinion of ours, by finifter Reports, he is a Worker of Sedition, he hath a lying Tongue, and speaketh not Truth; he is worthy to be fpewed out, not only of the Court, but even from the Face of the Earth. Falfe Informers and Mifguiders of good Kings are much more. perilous, than if Princes themselves were evil; for commonly, as Worms breed fooneft in foft and fweet Wood; fo are the beft Natures, inclined to Honour and Justice, fooneft abused by false Flatterers.

The Evil they commit, under the Authority of good Princes, is accounted as done by the Prince himself, but commonly fuch People in the End pay. for it; for he that defires not to do Good, cannot be wife, but will fall into a thousand Follies.

One of the first Propofitions made to the Houfe, will be for Money to fupport his Majesty's vaft Expence at this Time, that the Enemy threatens Thunder against the Kingdom; your often Alarms upon fuch Pretences, may make you now too fecure; for true it is, that the laft Parliament-Books were publifhed of invincible Preparation intended against us, and Nothing came of it, but beware you be not deceived by an old Saying, that when one ufually tells Lies, he is not trufted when he speaks Truth; for certainly the Danger is much more than by the Power and Greatness of another Enemy.

In this Cafe, you must give for your own Sakes, that fo you may be fure to enjoy what is yours; for your Sovereign's Sake, to maintain his Greatnefs and State; and for your Country's Sake, to keep it from Oppreffion of the Enemy; but with all, you ought to lay down the Condition of the Kingdom, and to shew that your Neceffities cannot parallel with your Hearts and Defires, that your Minds will be carried with a Willingness to give, but your Hands will keep back your Hearts for Want of Ability to give.

Themistocles demanding Tribute of the Athenians, told them, he brought two Gods with him, that is to fay, Perfuafion and Violence; they answered they had two other Gods in their Country, Both great and powerful, which were Poverty and Impoffibility, which hindered them from giving.

But, leaft this Anfwer fhould be poifoned, or mifreprefented to his Majefty, and wrested to the worst Senfe, I pray you to examine the Eftate and Condition of every Man in particular, and their Impoffibility of giving, will

appear.

What

What can be hoped from the Merchant, that is prohibited the greateft Trade of Profit and Gain, and daily damnified by the Spoil of Dunkirkers? What can we expect from the Owners of Ships, that have fuffered more Shipwreck lately, than in one hundred Years before?

What can we look for from the Husbandmen, when Corn and Wool is under Foot? For it was an Obfervation of the wife Lord Burleigh, that every Shilling abated in a Stone of Wool was 100,000 . Lofs to the Kingdom.

What can be required from the Multitude, confidering the little Commerce, the daily Payments to the King, to the Houfes of Correction, to the Poor, to the maim'd Soldiers, to the often appearing at Musters, the altering of Beacons, and other Services at the Juftices Command ?

What can Knights or Gentlemen give, their Sheep dying, their Tenants decaying, and their Rents falling and failing?

What can be looked for from the Clergy, confidering their Charge of Induction, their first Fruits, the Maintenance of their Wives, Children and Families; yea, although they came freely to their Benefices?

What can be expected from the Artificers or Tradefmen, when all the other either want or decay; now People will be contented with one Suit of Cloaths, that two heretofore would not have served; Shoes, Boots, and Hats, and all other Apparel they will husband after that Proportion?

There are two Sorts of People in the Common-wealth well able to give; the One, the Ufurer, who commonly is free from all Payments, in regard the Neceffities of moft, making them beholding to them in one Kind or other, for themselves and their Friends; they in Requital fhew them all poffible Eafe and Favour in publick Disbursements; the Other are Noblemen and Gentlemen, formerly fpoken of, that have had their Advancements from the King and his Father, though not immediately, but collaterally; for, if you caft your Eyes upon divers Servants of great l'erfons, and remember what you have known them ten or twelve Years paft, it would put you to an Admiration, yea fome from Horfe-keepers and other bafe Callings, are now promoted to the Degrees of Baronets, Knights, and the like; for though that new-devised Order of Baronets was first inftituted for Money, yet fuch is the Fortune of the Servants; if one great Man that is their Mafter once prefer them to the King, the first Day they enjoy the Dignities of Baronets, when Gentlemen of great Rank and Quality, that have long ferved their Princes, cannot compafs it, without Confideration-Money.

When thefe Things you fhall collect, and feriously call to Mind, you would think yourselves thefe twelve Years laft paft afleep, and that you are now newly awakened, you fhall hear of many Things paft in that Space, as making and removing of Treasurers, Keepers, Secretaries, Judges, and all, Manner of Counsellors and Officers, with a Million of fuch memorable and unlooked-for Accidents; but leaving these as Grievances and Vexations to the Subjects, let us come to a nearer Point, which is the Safety of the Kingdom. that the Enemy threatens fo in Danger, we may truly fay, that God hath fo placed and feated this Ifle of England, that Nothing but evil Counsel

can

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