UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES

A N

E S S A Y

O N

DEFENSIVE WAR,

A N D A

CONSTITUTIONAL MILITIA;

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S Arrangements forrefifting the projected Invafion in the Year 1588, taken from authentic Records in the Britifh Mu- feum, and other Collections.

By AN OFFICER.

ce You that be Lieutenants and Gentlemen of Com- " mand in your Counties, I require you to take " care, Thct the People be well armed^ and in <c readinefs upon all Occajions,"

Queen Ehzr-.i'ftn's Speech to boih Koufe* of Pai-iidment.

L O N DON:

Printed for T. EVANS, in theStrand ; J. ROCSON,

ISew Bond-ftreeti and J. SEWELL, Ccrnhul.

M.DCC.LXXXII,

'-

... , \JLA

111

P P. E FACE,

3 / | ^O roufe the flumbering fpfrit of the

JL nation, and awaken its attention

to the dangers which furround it, confti-

a, tute the defign of this Efliy. — Not only

the probable chance of an invafion, but

^ even its poflibility mould be adverted to

^ and guarded againfl. — The prevention

of mifchief is at all times a wifer

plan than feeking remedies for it ; and

as far as human rcafon can extend its

forefight arnidlt the deliriums of ftates-

S men, it feems unlikely that any power

•^ on earth would venture the ram attempt

A 2 of

I

( iv )

of invading this country, \vhen fyftem- atically prepared for defence.

From men of cbfervation, it will be no unwelcome compliment to hear, that this work contains nothing new. It has never wandered amongft the fhadowy landicapes of imagination, or philofo- phized through the magic Ian thorn of hy- pothefis. A concife ftate of an interefting fubjedt, referred to immutable principles, is all its merit. Few perhaps can apply to their own reflection without finding the fame principles, often more refined. But if it pofTefs the luck of referring the reader to the ilores of his own reafon, it will anfwer the beft purpofe of many a better book. — Written in a camp, it has no claims to corrednefs or elegance of compofition. Other occupations have pre- vented fubfequent improvements, and for a time deftroyed all idea of making it public. The account of Queen Eliza- beth's

beth's arrangements have however been fmce added, through the affiftance of a diftinguifhed literary character ; and this part of the work, at leaft, demands at- tention. For th,e reft, I am too doubt- ful of its merits to hazard a name, even of no importance.

The preffing fituation of affairs calling it forth at the inftant, have prevented my taking advantage of Horace's counfel; therefore in its prefent ftate it is confided to the generofity of a nation, whofe dearefl interefhs it concerns.

CON-

( vii )

C ONTENTS.

~P~Reliminary Difcourfey—PrcJp€$ cf Invafion, - page i

CHAP. II. Hijloric View of the Princi- ples of defenfive War* 20

CKAP. III. Internal Arrangements of England in former Periods. - 45

CHAP IV. General Idea of Defence; — Utility of AJJociation. -- 104

CHAP. V. On the Militia, - 152 APPENDIX. * ,- 203

Errata.

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PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. PROSPECT OF INVASION.

CHAP. L

WHEN the exigencies of a great nation have driven her to feek fecurity inftead of conqiieft ; when every view of extending her commerce is loft in its protection * when public credit is fhaken to its bafe, and public wealth exifts but in avoiding bankruptcy, then reflection becomes the virtue of neceffity, and fhe looks around for thofe expedients which her fituation requires and her refources furnifh. At war with her colonies, deferted by her al- lies, and menaced by the molt powerful com- bina.ion of hoftile neighbours, it is from her- ftlf alone fhe can derive protection. What- B ever

ever means of internal defence nature has beftown mufl be called into action. Induftry and icience are the fprings of motion ; the mechanic powers which combine and invigo- rate the vaft bulk of natural defence, and erect an impregnable fortrefs from an inert mafs of wonderful materials. For in vain are thefe furnifhed by the bounteous hand of Pro- vidence, if our workmen are unfkilful in their employ, or no architect has traced a defign for the fabric. The hour of danger can fpare few moments to cool reflection, flill lefs can it digeft its plans to fage maturity. Pro- jects inftantaneoufly conceived, rafhly adopt- ed, and incorrectly executed, are the natural offspring of furprife ; confufion fupplants eve- ry idea of regular difpofition ; and uncertain- ty, the darkncfs of the mind, like that of the univerfe, doubles every danger that actually exifts, and creates new phantoms of its own. But the nation that in time of tranquility pre- pares for a defcent has little to fear from it; every advance of the invader produces fome defenfive advantage ; every inhabitant knows 4t the inftant where to refift, and how to con-

fiitute

( 3 )

ftltute a part of national flrength, inftead of being a lharer in national confufion. That thefe obfervations are well founded may be gathered from the unvarying records of a thoufand hiftories, which enable us to antici- pate good conduct by referring to the fate of others ; and if experience be the common- fenfe of memory, forefight is the prophetic infp' ration of wifdom. A nation unarranged cannot refift. Martial exercifes are infuffi- cient without fome general fyftem of em- ploying them. If the whole country armed it cannot be more military than the Romans were ; and yet they fuffered heavily when in- vaded by Hannibal^ merely from not having previoufly adopted fome plan of defence ; half their refources were thrown away before they difcovered how to employ the reft. The frnall alarm occafioned in this kingdom by- remote ideas of invafion is matter of curious fpeculation ; but with whatever avidity the man of obfervation enters on the toils, it will afford the thanklefs harveft of melancholy reflection. Inftead of that folid confidence derived from well concerted plans, frequently B 2 pra&ifedj,

( 4 )

practifed, and thence expertly executed, he will find the nation lulled by abfurdities almoft too grofs to mention. On the coafts he will be told that an invafion has been threatened every year of every war in their own time and in their fathers, but as it has not yet hap- pened they have given over expecting it. The inland counties conceive their diflance from the lea a fufficient protection : fome reckon upon the numbers who will arm around them, while others more illiberal, though hardly more ridiculous, are happy to dcfpife the perfonal courage of their enemies, and really expect a dozen Englifhmen to difmay a battalion.

Abfurd and painful as this is to recount, it is but too faithful a portraiture of national prejudice. No man ftands forth and tells you he is not alarmed becaufe a fleet inured to victory protects our coafts, or that the ar- rangements of the kingdom are fuch that an army actually landed could not penetrate ; that forage would be carried off, roads deftroy- pd, and bridges broken down with fuch expe- dition

( 5 )

dition in the midft of an armed peafantry, that no invader could by any poflibility exift half the time neceflary to vanquifti fuch ob- flructions.

Such is the language of reafon, and when- ever it becomes general in England, the word invafion may be obliterated from our dictiona- ries. New Alexanders may overrun the globe, and every neighbouring ftate become a prey to conqu^ft, while this nation fhall retain an undiflurbed tranquility amidft the wreck of empires. When this enviable fecurity is pointed out as what found policy may flill procure, there are not many, who, from a candid view of the very altered predicament a few late years have placed us in, can difcern what cau- fes had hitherto rendered invafions impracti- cable, and how far they have now ceafed to operate. The fcene, however gloomy, may be inftructive, and a few lines will review it. His prefent Majefty afcended the throne of thefe realms under every pofllble advantage a young and generous prince could wifli for. His victorious arms were on every fide render- ing

ing him refpeftable abroad, und poffefted of all the warmeft wifhes of his fubjefis, he reign- ed fecurely in their hearts at Lome. He faw himfelf at once the arbitrer of Europe, the fu- preme magiftrate of the happieft government, and the idol of all its inhabitants. He faw his commerce improved, his territories enlarged, his fubjefts enriched, and the profpeft of a, fpeedy advantageous peace to fecure thefe blef- fings in undifturbed enjoyment. With what heart-felt joy might this fcene be expiated on, and what reluctant language traces its reverfe. The great, the perpetuated, the fatal error ori- ginated in falfe notions of regal power, and a fuppofition that the greatnefs of a king could exift independent of the wellfare of the fubjec~l. This was a long exploded opinion, often re- vived, and as often confuted, but it prefented advantages too immediate, and profoevfts too fpecioufly alluring not to be tenacioufly adhe- red to when once adopted. Amidil all the prevalence of pafiion, it required great energy of foul and manly reafoning to diftinguifh be- tween abfolute and real po*ver: yet there is a very marked diftinction interwoven between

them

( 7 )

them in the nice texture of our matchlefs conflitution, whence they derive fudi an in- verfe relation, that the one can hardly be aug- mented without proportionablv lefTening the other. This alfo is no modern difcovery, fince a great flatefman long ago obferved, in cxprefTions too ftrong not to ufe his own lan- guage,. Quand un Roi d" Angle t err e eft Vbomme de Jon -peuple c'ejl le plus grand Roi du mends ; vent il etre $lus ! il tfcft rien.

Notwithflanding the aweful punifhment and ultimate failure of all encroachments on the nation's rights in earlier days, fuch attempts were now inceiTantly repeated, and the court revolted into open rebellion againft the peo- pie.

This, however, was not an age in which the iron grafp of power was ufhered with gi- gantic ftrides of favage countenance. Con- fifcation and profcription were unknown ; ju- flice between individuals was fairly admini- ftred ; and no private oppreffions extorted a complaint from injured innocence. The at- tacks

( 8 )

tacks on the conftitution itfelf were from mafked batteries, and a fecret undermining in- fluence was deftroying that fabric by fap which ten thoufand Machiavelian armies would have been repulfed from in attempting to florin. The fate of other empires teaches us to expect a period to our political as well as neutral ex- iftence ; and as the ftones on the fea beach, from conftantly rolling together, acquire a like figure, fo it is probable we are too much afiimilated in manners and opinions with the na- tions round, to be long pofTerTed of any fnpe- riority in the form of government. It is not necefiary here to fpecify the mournful cata- logue of events which flain our annals, or to dwell upon their having arifen from increafe of influence, the only engine a mild and gracious prince could employ to change a conftitu- tion.

But it mult be obferved that the nation, not entering into the neceflity of alteration and averfe to innovation, however mildly introduced, feemed to recollect that the high rank it held in the fcale of empires was

owing

( 9 )

owing to fomething more than its foil, extent, or lunation, and wifhed to preferve its great- nefs by every advantage that had confpirecl to raife it ; hence this growing influence was watched with jealous eyes, and the extreme unpopularity of their meafures foon occafioned an oftenfible change in the king's firft mi- ni fters, and whether the very fame men fecretly continued to prefide, is perfectly immaterial to the public, whofe feelings continued to be outraged, and whofe rights to be violated by t]ie unaltered predominancy of unconflitutional j meafures. — Univerfal difcontent occafioned new arrangements, fucceffive adminiftrations were repeatedly formed and difcarded with indecent rapidity : always- accelerated by any untract- able virtue of their conftituent members. The principles of one man, the integrity of another were infurmountable difqualifications whenever they intruded, and it employed feveral years to pack a compleat miniftry from the dregs of every party ; however the plan was at length moft .diabolically effected, and Lord North flood forth the Lucifer of the Pandemonium.

C A poy/-

A powerful oppofition raifcd againft this junro at home engaging all their attention, the prefervation of themfelves became the firft objed of their care -, for this purpofe, they went all lengths to fecure the royal counte- nance, by making common caufe to fcreen proceedings which were feldom right, under the fanction of that power which can do no •wrong ; thus by artfully amalgamating them together, the popularity of the moft beloved fovereign alloyed with the deteflation of his minifters, reduced both almoft below the com- mon currency of daily expenditure; and by fhifting off all refpofibility among themfelves, the public odium became indivifible and fell in the lump : even the private virtues of their mafter were eternally called in to ballance their negative qualities, and fwell their intolerable demands. Revered as thefe virtues were, men prudently obferved, that to entruft a monarch with the power to deflroy, becaufe he had the will to fave, would be like infecting a nation with the plague, becaufe there was a phyfician likely to cure it.

In

( II )

tn vain then did individuals murmur,, and the kingdom at large follow petitions by re- monftrances. The parliament -which Bacon and Montefquieu had foreboded as the only certain ruin to this conftitution, was now wholly de- voted to the crown, and with a little variance of form held its beds of juftice but to regifler the edicts of the cabinet ; fome efpecial cere- monies of ancient days were indeed preferved, for the minority Jaid what they pleafed, as com- pleatly as the minifters did it. — When reafon, ftubborn fact, or public utility are to be fur- mounted in grave debate, fome fterling argu- ment muft be adduced to preponderate the buoyant fcale j for this the baneful fyflem of corruption (too fuccefsfully employed by the able hands of Sir Robert Wai-pole ever to be totally relinquiftied) offered the deciding au- thority j it became the mode, the regular offi- cial mode of governing, pervading all ranks, and extending over all feels : electors and elected fuffered the fame infection, which like the plague of Egyptian darknefs, overfpread the face of the realm -, it was the algebraic cha-< racter that applied to all problems -3 the uni- C a verfal

verfal menftruum of opinion, and had that other chemical fecret, the phllofophers ftone been joined to it, twice as many deilinies as ever covered 'Troy could not have preferved this nation from deftruction. But the highefl exertions of human ingenuity have their limits, for bribery itfelf is neither an art or a fcience, fcarce even what mechanics call a craft, it is fo obvious to the meaneft capacity that a baby may perform it as fortunately as a politician ; and if it has been fo fuccefsfully practifed by Punch at an election, it were an ill compliment to fuppofe our minifters lefc dexterous. Ufortunately, however, corruption although it may claim the attributes of omni- potence and infallibility, is none of thofe felf- dependent beings which are co-eval with eter- nity, and promife an equal duration. Unfor- tunately, I fay, bribery hath its dependencies, and when places had been multiplied and ho- nours proftituted, till they even loft their nature, money was found to be the firft great caufe, the efience and the foul of modern go- vernment. To procure this plentifully from a nation already overwhelmed with enormous

debts,

( 13 )

fecmed beyond the power of this great agent itfelf, which could no longer prey upon its own bowels and be at once effect and caufe.— Hence the cabinet were driven to explore diftant fhores for that golden harvefl which an impoverifhed foil too fparingly afforded.- An oppofition, refpe&able from its number* from its confequence, and more fo from the characters of thofe who compofed it, was to be contended with j and money was the artil- lery to be employed on fuch a fervice. — The lavifh expenditure, compleat mifmanagement, and infamous peculation of the public trea- fure had almoft annihilated any fuch exiftence, more however was neceffaiy to be procured, and if poiTible without aggravating the feelings of a nation already opprefied. — Neceffity adds wings to the \vickednefs of invention ; and the mad project of obtaining a revenue from America became the fruitful mother of our prefent mis- fortunes. In vain were memory, wifdorn and prudence invoked to avert the attempt. Juilice alfo was appealed to, but (he ruled only the politics of Utopia , while expediency fupplant- ed the very word in minifterial glofiaries. — »

The

( 14 )

The colonies petitioned, the patriots harangued, the nation murmured, but the Premier carried every meafure he propofed •, thefe too were fuggefted by fuch re-iterated madnefs, fuch extravagance of folly, and fuch a fatality of error, as chance alone could hardly have effected ; there appeared to be fome talent, fome faculty of blundering, that muft have exceeded the belief of our anceftors had it been foretold, and will ftagger the faith of poflerity, when recorded. That meafures wickedly adopted were weakly executed might eafily be imagined, but furely fome darnion muft have fhaken his baneful pinions over the council board, if every thing operated exactly contrary to their intentions. When the minifter ftruck at wealth, national beggary was the refult. His endeavours to divide America, united the j whole continent. His Shutting up their ports deftroyed half the commerce of England and. ruined the Weft Indies. — His witholding our merchandize eftablifhed new manufactures for themfelves j his reftraining their fiflieries, manned their navy; his burning their villages, recruited their army j and his attempt at un-

con-

( is )

conditional fubrniffion, promifes to terminate in unlimited independence.

Thefe are the outlines filled by a thoufand minuter parts equally aftonifhing, equally exceeding all other tablatures of hiftoric nar- rative ; whofe very exiftence like that of our own being can hardly be demonflrated but by the immediate evidence of the fenfes.

From this view of our political fituation, we irr mediately deduce the war with the Houfe of Bourbon, and the confequential ideas of invafion which have given birth to this EfTay ; for furely the unravelling that clue which led us into danger, is no unfeafonable

enquiry towards extricating us from it. •

If a brave and gallant army have been devoted in America , this nation amidft all its diftrefies with grateful pity will commiferate their feel- ings. The veteran who fees himfelf the guardian of the people's liberties, joys to boaft i only thofe fears acquired in the fervice of his country. How few then are there v ho, with- out violence to thcmfclycs, could relinquish.

the

the moil ' facred ties of fociety, and arm their hands againft thofc very blefTings, which as Men, and Englifhmen, they had a right to fhare. A variance between duty and incli- nation was but a bad omen to ftart with, and an anry, impelled with reluctance to the field, where every generous pafilon impeded its career, wss not likely to atchieve fuch uncom- mon feats as the defperate exigencies of the minifter required. — It was not the ftarving pittance of fubfiflence that had heretofore crowned our armies with immortal wreaths ; every glorious incitement, evey potent ftimu- lus, that actuated our great forefathers was here cut off, nay more, was here turned againft us. — To overrun a vaft continent, and com- bat at once againft numbers and againft free- dom, was too much even for Britijb troops. — Whilft cur regiments were thus moulder- ing away, and wafting that matchlefs fpirit, which muft have dignified every other enter- prize •, the troops of Bourbon were feduloufly training for the lorg-meditated attack. In proportion as our army dwindled, theirs aug- mented. The inequality wiwened every hour,

and

and while America is to be the fink of our exertions, mull dill increafe.

Wrecked on the fame fatal coaft, our navy funk into fimilar inferiority. That navy which for ages had hailed this ifland Emprefs of the Deep, and bound Neptune's brows with the Britijb flag ; whofe feamen were the very foul of audacity and enterprife 3 and whofe officers with every martial virtue are not only the firlt in their own line, but excell in talents more admirably well adapted than any other fcience can boaft amongft its profeffors. — -A fad re- verfe of fortune exhibited this fleet betrayed by higher powers into the neceflity of unwilling flight. Thoufands of Englifh fubje&s, from their windows beheld their own danger in their country's difgrace j and execrations were liberally beftowed on the marine miniiler, \\ho after ruining a fleet by the vileft jobs, had driven from the fervice, the ableft and braved officers, to whom the nation looked up as moft capable of retrieving its ufurped domain. Miniilers had been too much occupied with their American Mantes, and parliamentary D cabals

cabals at home, to caft an obfervant eye on what was going forward abroad. Therefore the firft Lord of the Admiralty, whenever warned by Oppofition of foreign armaments, regularly exulted with confummate confidence in his own management, and repeatedly fledged himfelf that our navy Ihould be fuperior to the Houfe of Bourbon. — The pawn was but a forry flake. — Facts turn out fatally re-

verfe. Yet the fame minifler ftill continues

in fpite of univerfal infamy, and receives the damning contradiction of events with an un- blulhing countenance.

The Profpect of lima/ion ftands therefore on very different grounds, from thofe of the laft war ; when fhielded by the powers of an unrivalled navy, Great Britain re fled in perfect fecurity herfelf, while the whole world lay open to her arms. Lels anxious for her own commerce, than refolute to crufn that of her enemies; the ocean was her own. Not a gale ruffled its bofom, but wafted riches to her merchants, or victory to her flag. — An almoft undeviating feries of fuccefs had .familiarifcd

her

her to expeft them, and fcarce a fingle fail whitened the horizon of her ports without producing either wealth or conquest. — Her very bells acquired a monotony of p^ans, but then her monarch was a whig, and Pitt was minifter. — The fovereign was content to reign by his people's wifhes, and thofe wifhes made him the greateft of monarchs.

Thefe are periods which agonifmg memory intrudes upon our feelings. Not to contrail them with the prefent were impoffible ; and it

is mifery to do fo ! When the great

fcale of empires preponderated by the weight of Britain ; when the wifdom of her councils begat refpeft abroad, and confidence at home ; then commerce increaafed with confequence ; our territories were extended ; currents rofe; our manufaclutes flourifhed ; our merchants were monarchs, and the fovereign himfelf gloried to be diftinguifhed as ibs Firft Citizen, of the freejl State.

CHAP*

CHAP. II.

Hi/I or ic View of the Principles of Defenjive War.

A NECESSITY of preparing fome general plan to repel inVaflon cannot be too often inculcated. — Like the Delenda eft Car- thago of the Roman Patriot, it fhould preface every page, and terminate every period. With- out this, armies will in vain be difciplined, and treafures lavifhed. The nation, who in rhc hour of fecurity procraftinates the tafk of prudence, will find the moment of danger ill adapted to imbibe inftruclion. — From the phyfician who has his art to learn in the crifis of difeafe, the patient will fcarce derive convalefcence.

To

To point out the minute arrangements founded on the forte or foible of particular diftricts, would be unwife in moft inftances, and impoffible in many. Thefe muft be the progeny of events; but the grand outlines of all defenfive war, contain no fecrets for men of military obfervation.

To prevent an enemy actually on our coafts from effecting a landing, feems in thefe times but an hopelefs chance, if Britain's navy is no longer able to protect her there. However, what our intrepid anceftors have fuccefsfully practifed upon Gfffar himfelf, may at lead excite the imi- tation of their pofterity. Nor fhould it be idly urged, that thofe days of enthufiaftic freedom arc no more, or that the form of a fpruce enfign poiTeffes none of the flern virtues which fteel- ed the naked hofom of a Piff, and led him with brave defiance into the ocean itfelf to meet thofe boafted legions, formidable in clifcipline, and glowing with all the pride of conqueft. — True it is, the polifhed manners of this age wear a lefs rugged garb, but the gallantry of a Britifh Soldier remains

unfhaken.

unfhaken. — His foul confides in the fame he- roic principle. The fame fpark glows in his breaft, and its emanations are reciprocally darted through the ranks of a battalion. The celeflial fiame which beams on the altar of liberty has at times been latent half an age, but has never failed to blaze with undi- minifhed luftre, when events have called it forth. — Unextinguifhed through all the viciffi- tudes of time -, bigottry, fanaticifm, opprefiion and luxury, have in vain attempted its deftruction ; even corruption, more baleful than them all, has failed in reiterated endea- vours to fubdue it. — To this hour it pervades the multitude, and we have no Romans now to contend with. — The prefent enemies of Britain pofiefs no invincibility of difcipline beyond ourfelves ; no fuperiority of arms which we are deftitute of; no warlike engines tremendous in their effects, and doubly fo by their novelty. But the conflict becomes really unequal when we confider the immenfe ad- vantages pofTefled by ourfelves. Moft of thefe applying to military operations muft be re- ferved for another place. But the different

fprings

fprings of aftion which operate upon the hu- man mind are; of philofophic confideration and by no means to be difregarded. Thefe controul the orbits of the pafllons, roufe them to fly off in excentric tangents, or impel their gravitation towards reafon.- — Armies are com- pofed of individuals whofe diftincl: fenfations become the aggregate foul of an expedition. —Let us generoufly attribute to an enemy the nobleft motives, the love of glory and of conqueft ; principles too refined to animate the breaft of every private foldier but in a fain-: degrees their obj eels are too remote for any permanent impreflion : of the firft his fhafe is the indivifible fraction of an idea, from the latter he rarely derives any advantage what- ever j fince thofe days are pail v/hen nations fwarmed to feek a more aufpicious home, and every feudatory claiming his portion of glebe conquered for himfelf.

But let fame be their purfuit with all a general's ardour, no Englifhman will allow his country an inferior impulfe, and if we are equal hitherto, what refources remain in ftore 1

Our

Our liberties, our laws, our religion, our very being itfelf, will make that man an hero, who on minor occafions had been only not a coward. Thefe are fenfations within the reach of every one. Thefe offer to our fenfes, tangible fub- ftantial good, and will rouze the honed citizen, who, with unfeduced admiration, had fuffered glory to pafs on, fmiling at the unreal advan- tage of her gilded vifions.

If the fond partner of a man's happier days Ihould look up to a hufband's arm for protection from foreign luft, with mifery in her eye and anguifh in her heart, where is he who would not brave a legion to defend her. If parental afFeftion is doomed to ftrcam over the mangled bodies of his infants, or to find them .in the laft agonies ftretching out their little arms to embrace a father, who comes too late for any thing but torture ; tell me, ye who read the human foul, will this man fly in the engagement of to-morrow? — If an help- lefs parent, a fick friend, a beloved maiden remain a prey to cruelty in fome deferted village, will no feelings urge to vindicate

their

their wrongs ? Shall we fee our houfeKold gods themfelves, with the venerable manfions of our anceftors devoted to the flames, without kindling as they burn ? — No, my countrymen, we (hall arm ourfelves on fome facred fpot, v/hich with the birthright of liberty has been received from our forefathers ; acquired by their virtue, it fliall be maintained by ours, and with every hallowed privilege be tranfmitted to pofterity. — There, environed by our dearei'l connexions, ftimulated by love, duty, gratitude and juftice, each village will be invincible to armies. Our laws and liberties depend on us and will be gallantly fupported. Nay, there are fortreffes confecrated by enthu- fiaftic freedom to an impregnability beyond the adamantine walls of magic flory. Britons might unite in RUNNEYMEDE and brave the univerfe.

An energetic confidence thus built upon the nobleft foundation, removes all anxiety for the ultimate event of an invafion. No one dreams of Norman conquers, or permanent fubjeclion ; but to diminifh the immediate E mifchiefj

mifchief, to fave our towns from being facked, our villages from being laid wade, and our country from depopulation, are objects of no

trifling importance. All evils are better

prevented than remedied ; and this ifland can- not fupport that procraftination of defence, which a continent like America fubmits to without ruin. — The fyflem is the fame, but on a different fcale. The wealth, the culti- vation, the conftitution itfelf, all offer infur- mountable objections againft permitting exten- five inroads. Hazarding an engagement to prevent them, is, of all expedients, the moft dangerous, and fortified places do not exift. — Multiplied obftructions are the only refource; and thefe are fo abundantly fufficient, that an enemy, who unmolested could almoft threat- en the capital in two days, might by them be effectually reftrained from penetrating in any part above thirty miles from his own fleet.

Having obferved that the internal parts of this ifland afford no fortifications to retard the pfogrefs of an enemy, the neceffity of checking him by an engagement will obtrude itfelf

upon

upon many, as it has too generally done during the late encampments. But every reafoning principle and all the authorities of hiftory unite to combat fo fatal an error.

Whatever is moil eflential to the invader, the inhabitants ought ftudioufly to avoid. This is a •poftulatum which will readily be granted, and it will appear that to encounter the army of the country, muft be the firft object of every grand invafion, for the partial inroads of buccaneering parties, or flying fquadrons, have merely plunder and depredation in view in- ftead of conqueft. Nor could thefe have any pofiibility of exiftence, if every maritime country were once afibciated for its own de- fence, in the manner hereafter to be pointed out.-

So long as the army of the country remains oppofed to the invader, he can make no movements either with fafety or effect. A line of pofts lengthening as he advances muft be preferved to fecure a retreat whilft there re- mains a chance of being defeated. Forage will E 2 be,

( 28 )

be, with difficulty, if at all, procured, and his army conftantly harrafled in a manner that muft alone deftroy it. But the oppofing force once routed, all thefe difadyantages vanifh. He becomes matter of the country ; reconnoitres at eafe its inmoft recefles j choice guides his marches, which before were governed by ne- ceffity, and his troops in unmolefted confi- dence penetrate further in one day, than a month of inceflant ftruggles could have effected before. In fhort, it is an inconteflible fact, that an invader who defeats the army of the country never fails to accomplifti his purpofe thereby ; unlefs its object be remote enough to furnifh leifure for afiembling other levies conducted on wifer principles.

Hiftory is the fureft parent of juit decifion. Her leflbns are equally devoid of wild hypo- thefis or vulgar error. To argue on what is to come, from that which has conftantly hap- pened, is preferable to the Tallies of fantaflic imagination or the learned perplexities of re- fined theory ; and when the founded principles of reafon apply to caufcs which have invaria- bly

blyp" ^uuced the fame effects, they may fall fliort of mathematical demonftration, but will icarce imprefs lefs conviction. The inftances thus furnifhed by memory are too numerous and too pointed f> be filently pafTed over : leifure and the aflii, ance of a library might

have improved the feleJlion.

_ .

The important rank which Carthage former- ly held in the fcale of empires, and her con- neftions with Rome, have attracted the atten- tion of the moft able hifiorians, and alone afford the amplefl harveft of experience, with- out tracing her through the various petty- inroads of African powers, tho '.great invafions in which fhe bore a fhare and which have been fo faithfully related fhall be the objecl of a fliort

difcuilion. Agathocles forefeeing advantages

to be derived from making Carthage the feat of war, while their forces were occupied in the fiege of his own capital, for the fafety of which he was under no apprehenfions ; embarked in perfon for the coaft of Africa^ where fo unex- pected a vifitor fpread immediate confterna-

tion,. Carthage however in the midil of

commerce

commerce was too opulent not to furniih another army with great expedition. The modes of rafiig troops are in all countries objects of daily pra:li:e, and the prefence of an enemy only expedited their fuccefs ; for whenever plans are actually arranged, danger always pro- motes rapidity, and calls forth exertions. It fremed a profperous omen that the levies thus raifed, v?cr? at once fent out fuperior to the invader, thus far however the ftate of Car- tlage had only been executing in war what it had been accuftomed to in peace, and left no opening either for confufion or error ; but as the fyflem of refifting invafions had never been deliberated on, it was not probable that this army fnonld at once adopt the proper line of conduit ; it therefore liftened to the firft im- pulfe, fought a battle immediately, and being defeated, left the enemy rnafler of the country with all its advantages, which foon led him to the gate of their capital. Without entering into the detail of operations it is fufficient to obferve, that repeated defeats and a total de- feel: of fyftem expofed the Carthaginians to all the ravages of the conqueror, nor was it till

the

( 3' )

the fourth year of the war that they difcoverecl their error, and adopted fuch plans as could not have failed of fucceeding on the very firft landing of Agathocles, as compleatly as they did the moment they were put in praflice; for at length the Senate of Carthage^ compelled to wifdom, divided their forces into three bodies, and after defeating fome detachments lent againft them by the fon of^fgafboc/es, they blocked him up near Tunis ; and the hiftorian precifely fays all the pafTes and roads were fecured to the diilanee of an hundred furlongs, whereby all fupplies cf provifions .were en- tirely cut off, and the invaders reduced to the certain defeat which famine mud have atchiev- ed : thus without hazard to themfelves, this falutary meafure at once changed the face of the war, and he who had been conqueror in an hundred battles, faw himfelf at once vanquifned by the grave deliberations of a council, with- out a blow being ftruck. An example like this is not to be neglected •, it enforces beyond the logic of ten thoufand arguments. The fequel of the hiftory follows naturally, 4ga- thccks himfelf arrived at the inftant, he had

hopes

hopes that an enemy whofe want of fyftern he had long taken advantage of, were not grown compleatly wife, and endeavoured to entice them to a battle as heretofore j but the in- fluence of madncfs and folly was paft : the engagement was refufed ; and Agatboc les, com- pelled to attack their entrenchments, was re- pulfed, his army mutinied, and at length furrendered. Himfelf after being put in irons, efcaped under cover of darknefs and con- fufion.

The fituation and conduct of the Romans in the fecond Punick war is a recorded leffon of the higheft authority. Their fubfcquent con- duel: proves them to have been at firfr. fur- priied without a fyftem. They hazarded bat- tles and were defeated. Hannibal acquired allies with victories ; and thus inflead of being .fubjecl: to the inconveniencies attending an invader, he pofiefled every requifite to carry on the war on equal Terms. The Romans trembling for the very feat of empire, imputed their difaflers to want of generallhip in their commanders, nor was it till after their defeat

at

( 33 )

at T'lrafymene, that they difeovered their pro- ceeding from want of fyftem in themfelve*. From this period, the appointment and con- dud of Fabius changed the face of the war during his command, but the battle of Cannes loft by his fuccelTor again plunged his country into the extreme of rnifery, and held forth to pofterity a warning which all their hiflorians have dwelt upon, and which, but for HinnibaVs mifconduct giving time to reftore the com* mand to Fabius, had probably terminated in the definition of the Roman greatnefs.

When Alexander entered the dominions of Ptrfia, one would think he depended on the natural character of his antagonifls, and even that his taking with him a much (mailer army than he might have done, was from a pru- dential forefight of the hazards incurred from numbers. — As long as conqueft attended him all would go well, and on any reverfe, a few could extricate themfelves with the leaft en- cumbrance, and were not fo eafily ftarved., v/hich was the greateft danger. The pupil cf Arlftotle carried too much philofophy into the F field,

( 34 )

field, to fufped a want of it in his cabinet ; and if the council of Memnon the Rhodian had been followed, poflerity might have contem- plated the retreat of Alexander with as much admiration as ever his conquefts afforded. — Memnon (fay the hiilorians) endeavoured by all pofiible means to diffuade the fatraps from giving battle, and advifed them rather to fpoil and ravage the country, even trampling under their horfes feet what forage they could not carry off. The Perfian pride revolted at the idea. Diodorus Siculus fays they efteemed it dishonourable, and cafting a ftain upon their valour ; and for this punctilio rejected the certainty of fuccefs : the fequel proved that to conquer the Macedonians was no eafy tafk, but whoever looks at Darius'?, numbers will allow it to have been perfectly eafy to eat them up. — National pride of all human ridicule is the moft ridiculous ; it feems a twig of every man's abfurdity bound into a ftate-faggot. Zim- merman tells us the decent morality of an elder in an humped-backed nation reftrain- ing the jeers of his countrymen at a perfon perfectly ftrait, who had been fhipwrecked

annongd

( 35 )

amongft them, and advifing rather to go into the temples to return the Gods thanks for having endowed themfelves with fuch ornamental humps, than to triumph over the unhappy foreigner who was denied fuch

a bleffing. For individuals, honour efta-

blifhes a court of equity, to regulate what law cannot reach, they become members of fociety upon their terms, and whoever embraces an order is bound to abide by its rules, as long as he claims its benefits. This legislation like every other has its rewards and punilh- ments, not lefs effective for being incoporeal. Thefe however will only apply to the mem- bers of a ftate, and not to the flate itfelf ; for which, opiniori has no fupremacy, but every thing muft be fubftan dated, there is no fociety of empires to clafh or mingle with each other, no compliment, no preference to virtue, no reproach for vice, it is the intercourfe be- tween' dependent beings, that alone gives in- fluence to ideas j a RoUnfon Crufce never once cared what the world thought of him. — An individual through excefs of virtue renounces like IlelveliuSj an accumulating fortune, and F 2 we

( 36 )

we revere his difmtereflednefs ; but let a nation fcrutinize the right of conqueft and relinquifli a valuable territory acquired by their anceftors, will the fame morality apply, and enfure the confcientious monarch fimilar applaufe ? If it be allowed meritorious to facrifice our in- terefts in the one cafe, and necefiary always to purfue them in the other, does it not follow that this vapour of common life, this aerial code of opinion extends an impotent jurifdiction beyond our private actions ? We hear of national difgrace, what is it ? who feels, who owns it ? does it lefTen the dignity of a city-knight, interfere with the confe- quence of a country juftice, or deftroy the importance of a great man's butler ? do you, or any of your friends, find yourfelves one atom more mean and contemptible for your Jhare of difgrace ? Can you put a nation out of countenance, pull it by the nofe, or fet it in the pillory ? for in good truth unlefs you can fubftantiate evil, the ^honeft citizen who feels his commerce improving and his taxes eafy, will not take the trouble of being con- vinced how much his country is difgraced by

the

( 37 )

the conceflions which procured him thefe ad- vantages.— On the other hand, national honour is either fo indivifible that no-body gets a fhare of it, or its corpufcles are too minute even for microfcopic obfervation. We are fond enough of difplaying our glories in ge- neral, and yet none that I know have afked any credit upon the authority of being flock- holders in this general fund. The dunce in his pulpit, the clerk in his ftave, the fox-hun- ter at his leap, and the merry andrew in his grin, are each fond enough of honour to ex- pect it in their line, but they only claim what is due to their private merits. The abufe of language has produced more confufion than any perverfion of intellect ever did ; in borrowing a word to which ideas have once been rightly applied, we bear off all thofe ideas to fome topic which they cannot fit ; but becaufe we find a coat commodious in private life, fhall we freight a cargo of cloathing for an unin- habited ifland. If national honour be then only a word without meaning, it were to be wifhed it had been explained before we had fo much difpute about it with the Americans*

any

C 3* )•

Any thing but unconditional fubmifiion would affeft the honour of this country, by and bye this country's honour may talk of unconditional fubmiffion with the trifling difference of having it change fides. \Ve. debate wifely about acknowledging their independence, when per- haps it might not be amifs to get them to gua- rantee our own.

When Charles V. invaded France, her mo- narch was too wife to overlook the decifive mode of fruftrating his ambition, and the rea- Ibnablenefs of his conduct was diflinguifhed by fuch marked features that no able hiftorian however unacquainted with military affairs, could fail remarking them. Francis (fays Ro~ Icrijon) fixed upon the only proper and effec- tual plan for defeating the invafion of a power- ful enemy, and his prudence in chufing this plan, as well as his perfcverance in executing it deferve the greater praife as it was equally con- trary to his own natural temper, and the genius of the Frencb nation, he determined to remain altogether upon the defenfive, never to hazard a battle, or even a great fkirmifh, without cer- tainty

( 39 )

tainty of fuccefs ; to fortify his camps in a regular manner ; to throw garrifons only into towns of great ftrength ; to deprive the ene- my of fubfiltence by laying wafle the country before them, and to fave the whole kingdom

by facriftcing one of its provinces. The

execution of this plan, he committed entirely to the Marechal Montmorency^ who was the author of it ; a man wonderfully fitted by na- ture for fuch a truft, haughty, fevere, confi- dent in his own abilities, and defpifing thofe of other men, incapable of being diverted from any refolution by remonllrances or entreaties, and in profecuting any fcheme regardlefs alikQ of love and of pity.

Montmorency made choice of a flrong camp under the walls of Avignon^ at the confluence of the Rhone and the Durance, one of which plentifully fupplied his troops with all ne- ceflaries from the inland provinces, and the other covered his camp on that fide where it was moft probable the enemy would approach ; he laboured with unwearied induflry to rend'r the fortifications of this camp impregnable,

and

( 40 )

and aflembled there a confiderable army, though greatly inferior to that of the enemy, while the king with another body of troops encamp- ed at Faience higher up the Rhone. Marjeilhs and Aries were the only towns he thought ne- ceffary to defend, the former in order to retain the command of the fea, the latter as the bar- rier of the province of Languedoc, and each of thefe he furnifhcd with numerous garrifons of his bed troops commanded by officers, on \vhofe fidelity and valour he could rely. The inhabitants of the other towns, as well as of the open country were compelled to abandon tkeir houfes, and were conducted to the moun- tains, to the camp at Avignon or the inland provinces. The fortifications of fuch places as might have afforded Ihelter or defence to the enemy, were thrown down. Corn, forage, and provi lions of every kind were carried away or destroyed ; all the mills and ovens were ruined arcl the wells filled up or rendered ufelefs. The devaftation continued from the Al$s to MarfeilleS) and from the fea to the confines of Daupbine, nor does hiftory afford any inftance among civilized nations, in which

this

this cruel expedient for the public fafety was employed with the fame rigour. Meanwhile the emperor arrived with the van of his army on the frontiers of Provence, and was ftill fo pofleffed with confidence of fuccefs, that during a few days when he was obliged to halt until the reft of his troops came up, he began to divide his future conquefts among his officers, and, as a new incitement to ferve him with zeal, gave them liberal promifes of offices, lands, and honours in France. The face of defolation however, which prefented itfclf to him when he entered the country, began to damp his hopes, and convinced him that a monarch, who, in order to diflrefs an enemy, had volun- tarily ruined one of his richeft provinrcs, would defend the reft with obftinate defpair. Nor was it long before he became fenfible thzt Francis's plan of defence was as prudent, as it appeared to be extraordinary. His fleet, on which Charles chiefly depended for fubfift- ence, was prevented for fome time by contrary winds, and other accidents to which naval operations are fubject, from approaching the French coaft ; even after its arrival, it afforded Q at

( 4* )

at bed a precarious and fcanty fupply to fuch a numerous body of troops ; nothing was to be found in the country itfelf for their fup- port, nor could they draw any confidcrable aid from the dominions of the Duke of Savoy, ex- haufted already by maintaining two great ar- mies. The Emperor was no lefs embarraffed how to employ, than how to fubfift his forces, for though he was now in poiTeflion of almoft an entire province, he could not be faid to have the 'command of it while he held only defericeleis towns, and while the French, be- fides their camp at Avignon, continued Matters of Marjctlks and Aries. — At firft he thought cf attacking the camp, and of terminating the war by one decifive blow, but fkilful officers, who were appointed to view it, declared the attempt to be utterly impracticable j he then gave orders to inveft Marfeilles and Aiks, hoping that the French would quit their ad- vantageous pofts.in order to relieve them: but Moutmcrency, adhering firmly to his plan, remained immoveable at Avignon, and the kn- perialifts met with fuch a warm reception from the garrifons of both towns, that they rclin-

quifhed

( 43 )

quifhed their enterprizes with lofs and difgrace. As a laft effort, the Emperor advanced once more towards Avignon, though with an army harraffed by the perpetual incurfions of fmall parties of the French light troops, weakened by difeafes and difpirited by difafters which feemed more intolerable, as they were unex- pected.

The hillorian, in the next fection, recites the dangers to which Montmorency was expofed by the ardour of his own army, and that of Francis , who arrived to take the command, and was touched with their difcontent at this appearance of timidity, when he continues. — Happily the retreat of the enemy delivered the kingdom from the danger which any rafh refolution might have occaHoned. The Em- peror after fpending two inglorious months in Provence^ without having performed any thing fui table to his vaft preparations, or that could juftify the confidence with which he had boa:°:ed his own power, found that, befides Antonio de Leyva and other officers of diftinc- tion, he had loft one half of his troops by ' G 2 diieafes

( 44 )

difeafes or by famine, and that the reft were in no condition to ftruggle any longer with calamities, by which fo many of their compa- nions had perilhed. NecelTity therefore ex- torted from him orders to retire ; and though he was fometime in motion before the French fufpe&ed his intention, a body of light troops, alTifted by crouds of peafants eager to be re- venged on thofe who had brought fuch de- ftrmftion on their country, hung upon the rear of the Imperialifts, and by feizing every opportunity of attacking them, threw them often into confufion. The road by which they fled, (for they purfued their march with fuch diforder and precipitation, that it hardly de- ferves the name of a retreat,) was ftrewed with arms or baggage, which in their hurry and trepidation, they had abandoned, and covered with the fick, the wounded, and the dead T in- fomuch that Martin Bellay, an eye-witnefs of their calamities, endeavours to give his readers ibme idea of it, by comparing their miferies to thofe which the Jews fuffered from the victorious and definitive arms of the Romans, if Montmorency at this critical moment had

come

( 45 )

come up with all his forces, nothing could have faved the whole Imperial army from utter ruin. But that General, by {landing fo long and fo obflinately on the defenfive, had become cautious to excefs ,- his mind, tenacious of any bent it had once taken could not afTume a contrary one as fuddenly as the change of circumflances required ; and he ftill continued to repeat his favorite maxims that it was more prudent to allow the lion to eicape, than to drive him to defpair, and that a bridge of gold fhould be made for a re- treating enemy.

The prefent moment prefents us with a (Inking feature in the outline of defenfive war, but the fubjecl: is tender j and no man chufes to comment upon a period concerning which the feelings of his readers are fo " tremblingly alive." — Not to extoll much of the Americans conduct would be making a public default in the account of juftice ; and the author whofe ardent prayer is for the welfare of Great Britain gladly relinquifhes the theme, however appo- fite to his defign.

CHAP.

( 46 )

C H A P. III.

Internal Arrangements of England in former Periods.

THE Military Tenures placed our anceftors in a much more advantageous pofture of defence at all times, than the militia alone can afford to ourfelves. Not only on account of the actual numbers bound to immediate fervice, but from that univerfal habitude to arms, which confecrated the exercifes of every peafaqt to the hallowed object of his country's fafety. — Notwithftanding thefe feudal advan- tages, an equal prevalence of military enter- prifes in furrounding nations, rendered the in- terpofition of the legiflature frequently ne- ceffary for the purpofes of regulating and arraying the foldiers thus raifed ; as well ns

eftabiifh-

( 47 )

eftablifhing general and Hated provifions of armour' for the public defence. Accordingly all our old records are full of fuch regulations. There is in the Mufeum, a writ of Ed. II. giving to John, Earl of Suffix, the cuftody of the fea-coafts, and commanding him to array all the men between 16 and 60 years of age, for its defence. To the Archbifhop of Can- terbury and other bifhops is given a power of adminiftering the facrament, to exact from the faid earl and others (called Cuflodes Per fa- rum} a folemn oath of fidelity, that the ports allotted to their charge be diligently kept, and alfo that they (hall infpect and fee that all the men of all the counties in England, be provided with proper arms fuitable to their condition *.-*-— At this time the coails and even the whole kingdom were formed into diftricts, and the charge of each given to par- ticular perfons, fome of thefe diftributions are yet preferved, and their extent feems very

* Juxta Jlatum fuum is the old law expreffion, and there are flatutcs exj refiing the fize, weight, and nature of weapons, to be furnifhtd by particular qualifications of eltate.

fmall

( 48 )

Imall. It appears alfo, that the divifions of counties and hundreds were originally adopted as well for defenfive as civil purpofes. For the Mirror fays, " When kings were firil or- *e dained in this realm, the kingdom was di- " vided into forty portions, and every one of <c thofe portions or counties was * committed " to fome earl to govern and defend againft " the enemies of the realm. Thefe earls after " they had received the government of each " county, divided them into centuries or hun- " dreds, to every hundred was appointed a " centurion or conftable, who had his portion cc and limits afiigned to him to keep and " defend with the power of the hundred, and " were to be ready on all alarms with their " arms againft the common enemy."

In the warlike reign of Edward III. mili- tary arrangements are without number, I have annexed a few in the Appendix, Ihewing his

* Formerly the lieutenants of every county were defied by the freeholders (See LamlariTt Saxon LW,) There was a trad pu'ulifiied in 1642, impeaching the validity of the militia ordinances on this ground.

univerfal

( 49 )

univerfal array of all lay-men between 16 and 60, as well knights and efquires, as others ca- pable of bearing arms, under the fevered pe- nalties of life and limb and univerfal forfeiture. Alfo his charge of the beacons, which were no new eftablifliment, and allowance of procuring

fubftitutes in fome inftances. Without

fwelling the appendix with an unnecelTary number of authorities, It may be fufficient to obferve, that this array was only for the pur- pofe of defenfive war ; in which cafe alone it could be juftified, and that the calling out the whole body with fome exceptions, when only a few were to be actually employed, was in fact no more than happens with us, when frefh ballots are demanded for the militia ; except as to the article of all being furnifhed with arms, the reafon of which difference will appear the moment we recollect the accoutre- ments with which a foldier then entered the field, and that his armour muft have been adapted to his own perfon ; whereas now a mufket at once fits the fhoulder of a fublti-

tute, as well as that of his principal.

In the courfe of this efTay, it has been ob- H ferved,

( 5° )

ferved, that the powers of being ufeful in defence extended to many who were ill-adapted to the bufmefs of attack, or more active ope- rations of a campaign, and there is a pafTage too ftrongly worded in the orders fent the Mayor of Lynn, for me not to conceive it con- veyed the fame meaning. The inflrudtions for array in this inftance being not of all able men, but it is exprefTed to be on the alarm of inya- fion, and therefore all men capable of defence (omnes homines defenjibiles) are to be called

upon. After muttering the whole numbers

of the realm, we have an account of thofe actually ordered to be embodied ; and although fome of the counties are milling, and the quota to be furniihed by the cities not fully afcertained ; they amount to upwards of feventy thoufand, who during the time the king remained in Scotland^ were afiembled in two bodies, at Lcndon and at Norwich, under different commanders, with a flrong exhortation to orderly demeanour, which the turbulence of the age rendered ne- cefifary. — Befides thofc who by their tenures were bound to maintain particular diftricts, we find frequent inflances of writs for fuch

fervice,

( 5' )

fervicc. The original of one of thefe is pre- ferved in the Mufeum, it is in Henry Vlths- time, commanding divers perfons of the county of Dorfet, to make watch and ward, and keep the toivn and port cf tbe Pool, and coafts cf the fsa thereabout, concluding — Thefe be the names of the $ e" fens that be bounden to keepe watch and warde. — a great many of thefe narres are ftill legible, and there can be no doubt but that whenever it becomes neceiTary to make ferious provifion for defence at home, we lhall revert to the wifdom of our anceftors, and fpecify the nature of the aid required from every indivi- dual. There are periods of antiquity, to which the arts look up with gratitude and veneration, here the fenfes all confpire againft our arro- gance, and compel us to yield -the palm, but in matters cf philofophy and all abftraft fpe- culations, being fortunately preferved from the humiliation of fuch palpable inferiority, we avenge ourfclves by afTuming the haughtieft pre-eminence ; thus as if truth, changed, with the fafhions of the court, antiquated knowledge becomes a term of ridicule. May it not be H 2 that

( 5' )

that we fee ourfclves do worfe, and only fancy we reafon better ?

Whoever relates the tranfan&ions of former 2ges, of courfe muft borow all he writes. So long as fidelity guides his narration, he can add nothing of his own but fuch remarks as arife from the nature of the fubjecl, either tending to elucidate the facts themfelves, or to draw conclufions from them. It will there- fore, be allowable, to ufe the very words of Stow* and Camden, in referring to the fituation of this country under £>ueen Elizabeth: with a view of proving that a fovereign, whom heaven had endowed with thofe tranfcendent faculties of difcermnent requifite to felect an able miniflry, could never leave this ifland unprepared, when an invafion \vas meditated. The neceility of forming previous arrange- ments for general defence, was in itfelf a dif- covery, which like thofe of Columbus, left all that was to follow any eafy talk. Unfortu- nately, the geographical allufion may be pur- fued to a refemblance with what old maps reprefented Van Diemerfs Land; a point hit

upon

( 53 )

upon by our forefathers, which their children long again loft fight of. The Refolution therefore, of timely calling forth, combining and methodizing the powers of natural de- fence, was fuch an advanced ftage on the road to wifdom, as opened every profpect of the whole career i and if hiflory had been wholly filent upon the fubfequent proceedings, it would have been Cynically uncandid, not to have augured well for them. When a fun beams forth, it muft illumine an hemifpherej and no man who views the flupendous foun- dation of an Egyptian pyramid, could con- ceive it intended to fupport a pidgeon-houfe. To argue merely a priori it was impoflible for fuch a council, ftarting from fuch a point not to have adopted proper meafures. Hifto- rians have fortunately furnifhed us with the means of remarking, that they actually did refolve on the moil wife, the moft falutary, and the only ones certain of attaining their object. Meafures backed by all the experi- ence of remote ages, enforced by all the in- vincibility of found reafoning, and approved by every eflabliihed principle of military fci-

ence.

( 54 )

cnce. It was not the fenfelefs pageantry of review camps, ufelefs but to entertain idlefrs , at COMPIEGNE*, and harrafs a difgufted army with an unvaried repitition of trifling manoeu- vres; but one great, rational, well-digefted plan, produced in full maturity by the energy of manly councils, and moft heartily adopted by a free and united people, whofe confidence in government, and approbation of its mea- fures, mutually begot and foflered each other. Stowe begins with remarking the queen's "pro- <f vident regard of her own, her peoples, and coun- " try'sfafety" and her fuhj efts exceeding forward- nefs m their juft defence, which was promoted for two years together by every method the council could fugged, caufing he fays, tbe winjfters to mamfeft to their congregation, the furious purpofe of the Spanijh King, &c. " by <c whofe pains and induftrie, the Englijh na- " tion were fo combined in heart, that I here " confeffe I want art lively to exprefTe the '• fympathy of iove betweene the fubjecls aad the foveraigne.

* Where the King of France ufually has his Review Camps.

" Citties

( 55 )

ff Citties, counties, towns, and villages, the cinque ports, and all other havens of England^ manifefted as .great forwardnes in their zealous love and dutie, as*eyther fubjecls coulde per- ** forme, or prince expe6t. To lingle out <c the admirable dexterity and bountie of any <f one perticular place, or people, were ap- (< parent wrong to all, yet for a tafte of {< truth, in all thus much may be fayde of " London : After the counfell had demanded fc what the cittie would doe in their prince fe and countries right, the lord maior and (f aldermen humblie beiought their honors to <f fette downe what their wifdomes held re- fc quili te in fuch a cafe. The lords demand- <c ed five thoufand men and fifteen fhips; fc the cittie craved two days refpite for an-» " fwere,- which was granted; and then en- " treated their lordiliips, in figne of their per- " feel love and loyaltie to their prince and countrey, kindly to accept tenne thoufand Cf men, and. thirtie fhippes amply furnifhed} ff and even as London, London-like, gave the ff prefident, the whole king-dom kept true v rank and equipage.

«' The

cc The whole nobilitie, moft nobely, like <* planets of the higher orbes, in kind con- <c junction knit their harts in one whofe " princely valour equalling their love, af- " fured their foveraygne of triumphant vic- «* torie.

" About three yeares before, at which cc time the Cittie of London was greatly trou- " bled and charged with continuall mufters ff and trayning of foldiers -, certaine gallant <c and a6live citizens, having had experience " both abroad and at home, voluntarily ex- " erciled themfelves, and trayned tippe others " for the readie ufe of warre, fo as within ce two yeares there was almoft three hundred " marchants, and others of like quality, very cc fufRcient to traine and teach common foul- *e diei-s the managing their pieces, pikes, and " halberds, to march counter-march, and cc ring, which faid marchants for their owne " perfection in military affayres and difci- " pline, met every Tuefday in the ycare, te pra6lifmg all ufuall poyntes of warre, every " man by turne bare orderly office, from the

if corporal 1

( 57 )

f< corporall to the captaine, fome of them this " yeare had charge of men in the great camp, " and were generally called Captaines of the " Artillerie Garden, and thefe tooke prefident <c from the merchants of Antwerp." After mentioning fome naval arrangements, which have no immediate reference to thefe times, he proceeds

cc Thus the queen having fent competent " centinells and ftrength to guard her confines, " and fecure her lands from fudden invafiori : " the counfel upon mature deliberation gave " order for the executing and difpofmg the •c land fervice, and chiefly what ftrength and " in what place were beft to plant to the armie. " of defence, and in the end it was concluded " the rendevous fhoulde be at Tilbury. The <c ground having been furveyed before, forth- " with were trenches cutte": their next thwart " neighbour, neighbour Grcvefend v/as thenlike- " wife fortified, and wefterne barges thither <c brought to make a bridge like to that of " Antwerp, to ftop the entrance of the daring *-'• foe, and give free pafTage both to horfe and I « foot?

" foote betweenc Kent and Effex, as occafion « ferved,

" All the fhires and cities of the land, <( having their trained foldiers aptly furnifhed <e with captaines, officers, and fit abiJliments " for warre, attended the hourely pleafure of ({ the prince, provided allways and was ever <f meant that all frontier ports, eyther to the " Jea or other Jlaticn, Jhoulde fdll retaine their fc -proper ftrengtbs, and from the inland onely to " Jeleff fuch tnen> as were fitteft for the generall u campe.

The land army mentioned by this author, confided of the following numbers, furnifhed of the refpeclive counties,

Horfemen, Light Lances, Horfe,

Bedfordfhire 17 40

Buckingham - - 18 §3

Hartfordihire - - 2^ 60

Kent - - _ 50 ioo

Suffolk - - - 50 200

EiTex - - - 50 ioo

Middle-,

Middiefex Surrey -

( 59 3

- - 35 - - 8

Sum 253

769

I	rootmeh,
Bedford	500
Buckingham - -	500
Hartford -	1000
Surrey -	IOOO
Barkfhire - - - -	IOOO
Oxford -----	IOOO
London -----	IOOO
Suffolke - - - - -	3000
EfTex - .- - - -	5000
Kent -----	5000
	ooon

Sum 22000

This number of footmen was allotted for the camp at Tylbury, but the number affembled amounted onely to 16500.

The armie for the guard of her Majeflies

perfon urtder the charge of the Lord Cham-

I 2 fe

C 60 )

berlayne, confifting both of horfe and foote, levycd out of thefe (hires following,

Horfemen, Light

LanceSj Horfe,

Glouceftcr - - - 20 100

Somerfet 50 100

Suffex - - - - 20 100

Wilton - . - - - 25 zoo

Barklhire - - - 10 85

Oxford - - - - 23 103

Cambridge - - - 13 40

Northampton 20 80

Leicefter 9 70

Warwick - - 17 76

Huntington 6 26

Dorfet - - - - 120 o

Suffolke 70 230

Norfolke 80 321

Sum 481 1431

Footemen,

Gloucefter - 2500

Somerfet ---,-- 4000

SuiTex •----. 2500

Wilton

( 61 )

Wilton - 2300

Cambridge - - 700

Northampton - 600

Leicefter - 500

Warwicke - - - 500

Huntington - 400

Dorfet T 1000

Suffolke - - - - 3000

Hartford - - - - 500

Surrey - - - . 500

Barkfhire - 500

Oxford ----- 150

Worcefter ----- 400

Southampton - , - - 2000

Devon ----- 2000

London - 9000

Middlefex - 1000

34050

Cambden, after reciting the Naval Prepara- tions of Queen Elifabcth, and proving thereby that the wifdom of her councils had over-ruled the infanity of thofe valourous Quixotes, " who earneflly perfuaded her to expect the

enemy's

enemy's coming, and to welcome him with a land battle," proceeds to her internal arrange- mentSi thus,

" For land fervice, there were difpofed along <e the Southern Coafts twenty thoufand men, <f befides which two armies were raifed of " choice well difciplined men : the one under " the command of the Earl of Leicefter, con- " fitting of a thoufand horfe and twenty-two " thoufand foot, which encamped at tilbury, " not far from the Thames mouth (for the cc enemy was fully refolved. to fet firft upon <c London) the other under the leading of Lord <f Hunfdon, confifting of thirty-four thoufand <f foot and two thoufand horfe to guard the <c Queen's perfon.

" Artbut Lord Grey, Sir Francis Knottes, Sir " John NorriSy Sir Richard Bingham, and Sir " Roger Williams, Knights, and excellent fol- *' diers, were made choice of, to confult about ce the beft way of managing the war at land. <c Thefe men thought good, that the moft *f convenient landing-places for the enemy, as

" well

" well out of Spain as out of the Low Coun- " fries, fhould be well manned and fortified ; ff namely, Milford-Haven, Falmouth, Plymouth) « Portland, the Ifle of Wight, Portsmouth, that " open coaft of Kent which we call the Downs, " the Thames Mouth, Harwich, Tarmsutb, Hull, <( &c. and that the trained bands all along <f the maritime counties, fhould meet in arms, " upon a fignal given, to defend the faid parts, ff and do their belt to prohibit the enemys ff landing; and if the enemy did land, to lay fc all the country wafte round about, and to ec fpoil all things that might be of any ufe to <f them, that fo they might find no food but ec what they brought with them on their fhoul- " ders, and to bufy the enemy night and day, <f with continual alarms, fo as to give them " no reft, but not to put it to the hazard of cc a battle, till more commanders with their f< companies were come up to them, of which Cf commanders they nominated on in every cc fhire, to have the chief command and con- " dudl. I lift not to relate, what midland " fhires they afligned to aid this and that

" coaft

( 64 )

« coaft, what numbers, what arms, and what " manner of fight they agreed upon."

The inexhauftible fund of found informa- tion, with which the annals of this period are replete, renders it neceffary to fubjoin verba- tim, the council of war as it has been tranf- mitted to us, and which is preferved in the Britifh Muleum.

COUNCIL of WAR, held in the Year 1587,

Lord Grey,

Sir Francis Knolles, Treafurerof the Houfe-

hold,

Sir Thomas Laken, Sir Walter Rawleigh, Sir Richard Granvill, Sir John Norris, Sir Richard Bingham, Sir Roger Williams, Ralph Lane, Efq;

PRO-

PROPOSITIONS;

Such means as are confidered to be fitteft to put the forces of the realm in order, to with- fland an invafion ; and the places moft to be fufpected, that the Spaniards intend to land in,

Milford,

Helford,

Falmouth,

Plymouth,

Torbay,

Portland,

The Ille of Wight,

•

Thefe are apteft for the army of Spain to land,

NefTe, in Suflex,

The Downs,

Margate, in Kent,

The River of Thames,

Harwich,

Yarmouth,

Hull and Scotland.

K Thefe

( 66 )

Thefe are apteft for the army in Flanders. How many of thefe places may be put in de- fence, to hinder their landing.

MU ford, in Wales,

Plymouth, for the Weft,

Portland, for the middle of the Weft Parts;

The IHe of Weight,

Portfmouth, and

The River of Thames.

M i L F o R D,

Although we do fuppofe the barrennefs of the country to be fuch, as it is not likely to be invaded i yet touching Milfcrd+Haven, in refpe& of the goodnefs of the fame, we think it convenient that there ihould be trained the number of two thonfand foot, and five hun- dred horfe, to be levied and had in readinefs, and for the increafe of horfemen, if any lack be then. The gentlemen, with their ferving- men, may be commanded to fupply the de- fault of the number aforefaid.

PLYMOUTH

( 6; )

PLYMOUTH.

The reafon why Plymouth is thought to be the moft likely place, is, for that it is unlikely the King of Spain will engage his fleet too far within the channel, before he has maftered fome good harbour j and Plymouth is the near-' eft to Spain, eafy to be won, fpeedily to be by them fortified, and conveniently fituated, to fend fuccour either out of Spain or France*

PORTLAND.

The reafon why Portland is alfo an apt place to land in, is, for that there is a great harbour for all his fhips to ride in, and good landing for the men; the Ifle being won, is a ftrong place of retreat, and the country ad- joining C&ampaign, where, with great conve- niency, he may march with his whole army.

The reafon why the Downs, Margate, and the river of Thames, are thought fit landing- places, is, in refpect of the commodity of landing, and nearnefs to the Prince of Parma, K 2 in

( 68 )

in whofe forces the King of Spain repofcd fpecial truft.

Now in thefe places following, order may be taken to hinder their landing, whether by fortification, or afiembly of the people, or both.

For PLYMOUTH, both by Fortification and Aflembly of People.

In Devon and Cornwall, there arc of trained men in the counties and ftannaries five thou- fand which are to affemble for the defence of Plymouth, (landing equal to both counties, of which we are of opinion, in place of mufter- days, which are very chargeable, and in effect to no purpofe, that two thoufands of thefe fhould be afiembled together at Plymouth ', under fuch a general as fhall be ordained to govern, that Weftern Army, to the intent that they may know their leaders, be acquainted, be thoroughly inftructed to all purpofes, that on fudden occafions, there may be no amaze or any confufion. This fhall be done the one half at the charge of her Majefty, the other at the

charge

( 69 )

charge of the country, if the country's charge do not furmount the ordinary trainings.

For PORTLAND, by affembling of Men and fortifying.

In Dorfet and IViltJhire there are of trained men two thoufand feven hundred, which are to be aiTembled for the defence of that place ; and that two thoufand of the faid number fliould be afTembled and exercifed as before is faid, at Plymouth, or in fome place of Wiltfjire, ap- pointed for the IJle of Wight, to take Somer- Jetfhire, in which there is two thoufand foot.

At SANDWICH and THE DOWNS, by affembling of Men.

In Kent and SuJ/ex, there are of trained men four thoufand five hundred, which are to be affembled in thofe places for defence thereof, and two thoufand of the feme number to be alTembled at Sandwich, to bs governed and exercifed as before is faid for Plymouth.

So likewifc for Norfolk and Suffolk, like order to be obferved.

Our

C 70 )

Our farther meaning is, that thefe garrifons fhall remain but twenty days to be thoroughly trained and acquainted with encamping, and then every fuch two thoufand men in garrifon, being fo acquainted with difcipline, fhall give example to a great army of raw men, whereby fhall be no manner of confufion, on all iud- den emergencies. Further, we are of opinion, that to thefe two thoufand men, there fhall be twenty captains appointed; which twenty cap- tains, having each of them, one hundred trained men, fhall receive under their charge when the army fhall afiemble, one hundred more, fo as in effect, there fhall be four thoufand men in order, and under martial difcipline. The choice of which captains, we think, for the one half to be left for the choice of the general of the army, and the other to be of the principal gen- tlemen of the county, under whom there may be foldiers appointed for their lieutenants. The like order is to be obferved in every of the other places of garrifon.

What Order muft be taken to fight with the Enemy, if by force, he be landed.

For

( 7' )

For the manner how to fight with the enemy, it muft be left to the difcretion of the general ; only we give this advice, that at his landing, he may be impeded, if conveniently it may be done ; and if he march forward, that the country be driven, fo as no victuals remain, but fuch as they fhall carry on their backs, which will be fmall, that he be kept waking with continual alarms; but that in no cafe, that any battle be adventured till fuch time as divers lieutenants be affembled to make a grofs army, as we have fpecified, except upon a fpecial ad-

Farther, it is thought neceiTary, that in thefe two provinces, and in all others where many lieutenants be, there Ihould one be appointed to be chief, for among many lieutenants there may be fome draining of courtefy; left by fuch delay and confufion, great inconveniences do grow to the country, and advantages to enemy j and therefore, any lieutenant coming out of any country with his force, his autho- rity only to extend to govern his company, as colonel of that regiment, and fo to be com- manded

( 72 )

manded by the general lieutenant. As for ex- ample j in Devon and Cornwall, there are ten lieutenants, whereby it may be known, who fhall command in either, as need fhall re- quire.

"What Proportion of Men fhall be prepared to ferve that End.

Wherefoever the enemy fhall land, as if at Plymouth for example, then by the computation of fix thoufand men, armed and furnifhed in Devon and Cornwall, we conceive that the af- Mance of Wiltjbire, Dorjet, and Somerjet, ad- joing to the fix thoufand of the Weft, will make a fufficient army, being ftrengthened by the gentlemen, and ferving-men, and other of the country that fhall be adjoined, though not fo thoroughly armed as the Weft; and if it happen, either by defign or contrary weather, that the enemy pafs over Plymouth, and land at Portland) then the .armed men and trained foldiers of the Weft* .fhall repair to them; and further, if the invafion be in Kent, or any other ways to the Weft of the River of Thames ^

then

(,73 )

then thofe middle fhires directed to afTifl the Weft, may turn to the Eaft, along the coafl.

If the army of Flanders land in the River of Thames ', then the fame order is to be taken with the fhires adjoining as is sforefeid ; name- ly, Suffolk, Norfolk, Efez, and the Gity of Lon- ' den. And becaufe there -is a fpecial regard to be had of her Majefly's perfon, v/c think.it mofl necelTary that an army fhould be pro- vided to that end, to be compofed of fuch counties as are appointed and referved for that purpofc, and to join with the forces of the City of London and fuch others, as may be armed out of her Majefly's flores.

Furthermore, for the increafc of foot, lack- ing armour, we think it fit that there be of able men unarmed, whereof choice may be made of the trained men armedj one fourth part more of which fourth part of unarmed men, eighty may be pikes, and twenty bill- men, for the providing of which pikes and bills, there muft be fpcedy provifion made, being weapons that the realm doth furnifh* L Alfa

( 74 )

Alfo for the increafe of armed pikemen, in this time of fcarcity of armour, we do think it good, that all the armed bill-men may be con- verted to be made armed pikemen, and that all able bill-men unarmed, fliould be levied and chofen in their places, becaufe the ranks of bill- men in order of battle,' are always environed and encompafTed about with pikemen, for the bill-men ferve efpecially for execution, if the enemy in battle fhall be overthrown. But, here it is to be noted, that there muft be re- ferved a few armed bill-men and halberdiers, to guard the ranks, wherein the enfigns, drums, &c. are placed in order of battle.

Alfo, fmce upon any fudden invafion, it would be too late to provide fthefe things which fhall be neceffary for defence, it is thought neceflary that before-hand, a ftore of ordnance and ammunition be provided, as alfo powder-fpades, and all other furniture whatfo- ever j and to be left in thefe fore-named places, in which there garrifons fhall remain; it is alfo to be provided, that in all thofe general afTem- blies be held for training as well horfemen as

footmen ;

( 75 )

footmen j and to that end, that at Plymouth, Portland, Sandwich, and any other places, that fhall be fit to have the like training, the norfe? men of the next adjoining counties be brought together: as namely, at Plymouth, thofe of Devon, Cornwall, and Somerfet ; at Portland, thofe of Dorfet, and Wiltjknre, Hampjhire, and. Eerkjhire ; at Sandwich, thofe of Kent, Suffex, Surry, &c. But becaufe it may fall out in thofe places appointed for training of the in- fantry, they may want forage, or place fit for horfemen, it may be left to the difcretion of the lieutenants, tho chufe the fitteft for the ca- valry, as near the foot a.s conveniently they may.

• SCOTLAND.

Farther, as touching Scotland, where landing we cannot refift, we think it meet that a ftronger proportion be confidered of, for that part ; namely fix thoufand foot, and two thou- fand horfe, whereof to be a thoufand lances ; arms of far more defence, and may be fur- niflied as good and cheap as the jack, and to be taken out of the tower.

L 2 If

' If therefore, the army of Flanders ihculd happen to land in Scotland, whereby their force and ilrcngth fhall be fo great, as the army af >refaid fhall not be able to encounter them; then we think fit that a good part of the army prepared to guard her Majefty's perfon, (hall march to fupport the army of the North, againft that enemy j and joined with the trained of that country, and the army of the Wcft brought to fupply that charge.

, It is alfo mod carefully to be considered, •that the King of Spain, is not hopelefs of fome party of Pcpifis and malecontents.

All which, if thefe fmall regiments before fpoken of, be not in readinefs, both to aiTem- ble for refiflance of any foreign enemy, and to v/ithfcand them at home ix>th in one day; for every man fhall francl in fear of firing of his own houfe, and deflruction of his family : Therefore, if any ftir fhould happen, fuch fc- vere proceedings or execution towards fuch offenders, would be ufed by martial law.

And

( 77 )

And to conclude, when it ihail be bruited in Spain, that there are at Plymouth^ and other places, fuch a number of armed foldiers, un- der enfigns and leaders, the number will be reported to be double or treble; fo as the King of Spain, upon good probability, may concieve, that thefe foldiers, and fuch as arc in other places upon the coaft, in like readi- nefs arc determined to land in Portugal or

o

the Indies ; the fame opinion being fortified by the preparation of fo many Ihips as are given in charge to be made ready in thofe parts, by Sir Francis Drake.

We think it alfo very necefiary, that throughout all the countries of the realm, this proportion as well amongft the armed and trained as the unarmed, pikes and bills may be obferved; that is to fay, that of every hundred there be eighty pikes, and twenty bills.

We think it neceflary that fome order and provifion be alfo taken by their lordfhips, that

her

her Majefty's fhips being at Rccbejter be not entrapped."

Then follows an arrangement of bill-men and pike-men, with their difpofition in com- panies of one hundred each and the appoint- ment of a chief, urider fuch title, as fhall feem good to the Lords of the Council, to be afiifted with a fufficient number of experienced captains to be in her Majefty's pay. The faid chief gentleman to give fuch orders for the training and cxercifmg the faid regiment, with the affiftance of the faid experienced captains, as lhall feem good unto him, and alib for training the horfemen.

Ibis ends the Council of lr/ar. '—- — Dated

37 tb Nov. 1587.

From Steve's account, it appears, that the forces in readinefs, amounted to 58,984 men. And he adds, " yet there were ready in all places, many thoufands more to back and fe~ cond them.

QaKibdeni

( 79 )

Cambden alfo in round numbers tells us, there were 59,000 in the two armies, befides 20^000 difpofed along the Southern coafts. Lord Bacon too fays, that befides the levies actually embodied, " There were alfo other dormant <f muilers of foldiers throughout all parts of f' realm that were put in readinefs, but not '• drawn together."

To what immenfe numbers thefe might amount* may be .gathered from a manufcript in the Cottoman collection, which relates the number of able men returned to government to be in the Englijb counties, 298,068. In the Weld, 18,026; and in the cities and towns corpo- rate, 5472. 1 have alfo fubjoined to the

appendix, an incompleat abftract of the lord lieutenants certificates of them and their array; befides all which, the levies of individuals were prodigious.

I have taken the pains to decypher a variety of papers, fome extracts of which cannot be uninterrefting ; either as eftabiifhing the fyftem of defence, or Ihewing the wifdom of the fo-

vereign,

vereign, afking and courteoufly receiving, the opinions of all ; and the imiverfal ardour which pervaded the whole nation.

Lord-keeper Sir Nicholas Ec.con to Queen

Elizabeth, 2oth Nov. 1557. " and con-

IC cerning matters at home, I think that your " Hignefs's mufters be continued, and their " certificates carefully perufed j and thereupon "'order taken from time to time, to fupply " all wants, as well of captains, munition, " men, and armour, againfl all fudden chances.

" I truft there fhall be fmall caufe of fear, " for any want at home."

Lord Nor ft: to the Lord-treafurer. — 1587.

"Now, my good lord, knowing no man c* living, more careful for the fervice of her " Majefty than yourfclf, I come only to you, <f letting your lordihip know, that this county " of Cambridge, and the Ifle of Ely, which " reacheth to the fea, is put in no reddinefs, " either of men, horfes, or armour; there " hath been no mufter or view taken here M thefe three or four years. All other fhires

" about

** about lis, mutter, arm, and put in readinefs, fc what they can pofiibly. To have the forces " of this place in like readinefs, if your lord- " Ihip thinks fo good were convenient, the " fooner the better, that men may have time " to furnifh themfelves, not law-like, but lov- <e ingly to furniih themfelves after a reafona- <€ able rate, which no doubt will be done here " very dutifully. Your good Lordfhip will €c pardon me if I exceed my bounds ; love " to her Majefly's. Service moveth me to put tf your Lordfhip in mind thereof."

The pains taken to roufe the people, and apprize them of their danger, were not merely confined to the pulpit, for a letter from the Queen herfelf to the Lord Lieutenant of LAH~ cajhire bids him enforce,- " how every man's '* particular eftate is threatened in .the highefl " degree to be touched in refpect of country^ " liberty, wyffe, children* lands, lyffe and re- " ligion; and looking that moft of them fhould ** have upon this inflant extraordinary occafion " a larger proportion of furniture for foot and " horfe than hath been certified."—

M A

A letter from the lords of the council to the Earl of Bath, Lord Lieutenant of the county

of Devon : " directs him to fortify the ifland

of St. Nicholas, and fays that in regard of the late warnings, it cannot be but that they are very alert and prepared, and therefore when it is once put in a pofture of defence, he may for the eafe of the country let them go home, ordering thefe of the neareft villages to be conftantly in readinefs to throw themfelves into it upon an hours warning, confidering alfo what numbers ihould conftantly remain to pre- vent a fudden furprize, — and he is further or- dered to fend boats to lie along to the weft- ward to make fignals to the coaft.— —

As a proof how early the plans of defence were adopted, the following are minutes of orders fent to the Lord Lieutenant in 1585.

To caufe a view to be taken of all places of defence, and to confider what fconces, or other kind of defence may be made there, without any great charge to the county ; and that the enemy may be impeached in landing.

To

( 83 )

To confider if the landing places fliould be taken, what flrcights and other apt places, there are to make head againft him.

To appoint by way of diftribution, certain of the trained men and others, to repair to the faid places. To make choice of certain pioneers to refort unto the places of defence. To fee the beacons erected, and well kept. To fend certificates of the Hate of the county.

Further minutes of council about the fame time, are, That except it be a general mufter of the whole county, no man may be compelled to go above feven or eight mliesto train ', in his own di-vi- fion. That upon any invafion, the foldiers may repair to the next captain's dwelling upon the fea coafls, and not go to their own captain, who dwelleth fome ten miles within land, and leave the coaft unfurnifned.

That order be taken, that arms may be ferved at reafonable rates at the armourer's office at Plymouth, .

M 2 That

( 84 )

That an aft or order be taken, that all muf- kets and piftols be of a bore, and that thofe hereafter charged may find fuch; that the match, powder, and bullets, may be kept in fome fit place in each divifion, to be ready when need fhall require, and to be had at the King's price, as formerly.

There are alfo, orders to confult with ex- perienced per Tons of the country, and confulta- tions with the Lord-lieutenants, about quar- tering the troops, defiring their opinions> which this council was not alhamed of afking. Taxes were levied in the 'different hundreds, for watching their beacons, and inftructions fent to the Lord Mayor to prefs Weil-country barges, to fortify the Thames-, and the fame care was extended to all the Southern ports ; for there are accounts of no lefs than feven* teen forts and cafbles, fpecified in the county of Suffix alcne.

Some other interefting papers are referred to. the Appendix, together with the inftruc"lions iffued to the Lord-iieutenants of counties,

•which

which difplay fuch admirable wifdom of good policy, as leaves me to regret that part is yet wanting, which all my endeavours to difcover, have been ineffectual.

Having feen what were the armaments of this kingdom, let us turn to thofe of the enemy,, according to the beft accounts handed down, which is related as follows.

I omit what belongs to the naval depart- ment, having only to mention the troops which could be opppfed to thofe of the coun- try.

Camden relates the number of foldiers on

froard the Armada -• - 19,293

Strype ditto - , - J9i295

Stowe ditto - - _ 20,000

Befides thefe, the Duke of Parma had with him 30,000, and the Duke of Guife was to have brought 12,000 more, but thefe were very early difbanded. And it is more than probable thefe numbers would have fallen very ihort in effective fighting men, if we are to judge

from

from the following ftate of the lumber which encumbered the grand part of the expedition

Relation of the fhippes, munition, victuals and men both foldiers and mariners^ of the army of Spaine. Printed in Lifburne and prefented to the King, the 9th day of May, 1558.

Soldiers

Mariners - 8050

Volunteer Gentlemen 1 24

Their Servants 464

Gentlemen ferving for Pay 238

Their Servants i6j

Gunners and their Mates - - 167

Surgeons and Barbers - 85

Friars and Orders to Prayer 180

Gentlemen of th» Duke's Houfe 22

Their Servants - 50

Muilerers and Overfecrs 17

Their Servants - 50

Juftices to execute Jufiice - 19

In the Galiies and Galliaffes to

row with Oars - 2088

Total

Abftract of a Paper tranfmitted to the Lords Lieutenant.

From the Sloan. Manufcripts.

A Note what forces fhall repair to the prin- cipal havens in every county upon the fea- coaft, when the enemy fhall attempt to take land •, which forces are to be taken of the beft and befl furnifhed men in every Ihire.

Men appointed to repair to Fahnoutb in Cornwall, when any enemy Ihould attempt to land. Their men to be employed there, or in other places of the Ihore where mofl need (hall be.

FAL MOUTH, From Cornwall 4000

Devon - 4000 Somerfet 3000

Total 1 1 ooo

Men appointed to repair to Plymouth in Dttonjbire) when any enemy jhould attempt to land, there to be employed.

PLY-

PLYMOUTH,

POOLE,

( 88 )
Devon	6000
Cornwall	2000
Dorfet	3000
Somerfet r:»u	4000
Wilts - -	2000
	I7OOO
Dorfet . .	4000
Devon	4000
Somerfet	4OOO
Wilts - -	2OOO
	I4OCO
Hants - •	400O
Wilts - -	2000
Berks - -	3000
Sufiex - -	4OOO
Surrey	3000
	I6OOO
x, SufTex	7000
Hants	3000
Kent	4000
Surrey	3000
	15000
	Ifle

( 89

Ifle of SHEPPEY, or KENT,

HARWICH,

YARMOUTH,

Kent - *	6000
Suffex	4000
Surrey	3000
London	3000
Effex * -	4000

Effex Kent London Hertford

20000

6000 4006 3006

1000

Cambridge and Ely 700 Suffolk * 3000

17700

Norfolk

Suffolk

Lincoln

Cambridge Huntingdon

14000

N

SUP,-

( 90 )

SUFFOLK, Suffolk 7000

Norfolk - 3000

"EfTex - - 4000

Cambridge - 500

Huntingdon - 300

Herts - - 500

I53CQ

It was the good policy of this reign, to make ufe of talents wherever they could be found ; and accordingly, the moft intelligent gentle- men of each county were applied to for infor- mation, relative to the principal circumftanccs in their vicinity. And I had an opportunity of admiring the importance of fuch a meafure, in the extreme attention paid by two country gen- tlemen, to a large extent of coaft; the furvey of which is preferred in a private library, and contains the moft exaft delineation and account of the Ihoals, rocks, clifts, beacons, and land- ing places, with remarks upon works made or intended, the return of cannon and ammuni- tion, and many obfervations on the flrength or

weak-

( 9< ) weaknefs of ports, which even at this day, it

would not be prudent to publifh. Befides

this, men of approved abilities, were fent down by the council, whofe bufmefs cannot be better explained, than by fubjoinin'g their inftructions as follows.

HARLEAN MS. 4228 p. 38 b. Inftructions given to Sir John Norris, and other martial men, fent into the maritime countrie, the 1 2th of A-prily 1588.

For as much as it is greatly to be doubted, that in cafe the enemy fhculd make any at- tempt or difcent, into any of the maritime counties, for lack of fome good eftablifhed order, both for the impeachment of his landing and difcent, and the choife of fomc apt and fit places for retreat of forces to withfland him, and for erecting the body of an army to make head againft him, great confufion is like to fall out, to the difmaying of the good fubjecls, and the encouraging of the enemy. It is thought meet by her Majeily, that fome perfons of (kill and judgment, fhould be fent down to confer N 2 with

( 9* )

with the feveral lieutenants of the maritime counties, for the eftablifhing of fome fuch good orders ; whereby the confufion likely to enfue, may be avoided. And for that there hath been fpecial choife made of you, in refpect of your fkill in martial affairs, to take a view of the counties of A, B, C, D. you lhall with as much fpeed as you may, make your repair to the faid counties, beginning at the county of A, and fo to continue and proceed in the viewing of the faid feveral counties, until you lhall have finiihed the fervice according to the directions hereafter following,

Firft, you fhall receive our letters, directed to the feveral IherifFs of the counties committed to your charge, by the which they are required to notify unto the lieutenant of the feveral counties, that her Majeflies pleafure is, that they repair to their towns of each county, or to the principal place in the faid county, ufu- ally accuftomed for fuch affembly, to meet with you at fuch time, as by your particular letter fhall be fignined unto the faid Jheriff; you fhall at the affembly make the faid lieute- nants.

( 93 )

nants, or their deputies, acquainted with the caufe of your repair thither, and require them by virtue of fuch letters as you lhall receive from her Majeflie for that purpofe, to affift you in the fervice committed to your charge.

And firft, for the viewing of the places of defcent, you fhall let them underltand that her Majefties pleafure is, that both they and you fhall repair to the faid places, accompanied only with fuch perfons as have fkill, and men of truft, for it is thought convenient, that there fhould not be many acquainted with the danger and weaknefs of the faid places.

And after a view taken of the faid places, you fhall, after conference had with the faid lieutenants, deliver unto the faid lieutenants, in writing, your bed advice for the impeaching of the enemies defcent ; as alfo how the forces of the country may make their retreat with fafety and honour, to fuch places of ftrength, as by you fhall be thought meet.

Amongft

( 94 )

other things, It fhall be verv re- quifite, "that feme of the beft trayned band* within that countv, and beft furnifhed with martial men, be appointed to impeach the (aid defcent, to be executed according to- fuch directions as by you fhall be given to the faid litutenants, with the advice of fuch captains as you (hall leave there to affift the lieutenants, and to fee due execution of fuch advice as you fhall leave with them in writing.

After the view of the faid places of defcent, you fhall then confider of fonie fit place within the faid counties, that by the fituation, with the help of fom£ rivers or other ftraights, fhall be moft fit, with the v.fe and adi fiance of the pio- neers, to be put in fome fuch ftrength, as may be able to make head unto the enemy, and to flay his incurficns until fuch time as the forces of other counties appointed to yield afiiftance, fhu-1 repair th'ther; as aifo, until they fhall receive orders and directions from h6r Majeftie, how to proceed, and deal with the enemy.

And

( 95 )

And forasmuch as nothing will be more ne- ceflary for the ftrengthening.fuch places of de- fence upon the fuddain, than the ufe of many piorieers, and other artificers, you fhall require the faid lieutenants in her Majefties name, to take a fpeqial care, to have fuch numbers of pioneers in a readinefs, as by you fhall be thought fufficient fur the flrengthening the faid places of retreat; and to fee that there be pro- vifion made of mattocks, fpades, fhov,els, and all other necefTaries fit to be ufed and employed in that fervice, by the 'fame pioneers : you lhall alfo give directions unto the fame lieute- nants, how fuch horfemen as are within the fame counties, may be beft employed in the champion or plaine places of the faid coun- ties, as well for the annoying of the enemy, as for the defence in the retreat of fuch bands, as fhall be ufed in the impeaching of the ene- mies defcent : you fhall alfo take a view in the faid counties, of the feveral bands, both horfe- men and footmen ; and in cafe you fhall find them not fufficiently trayned, or not that chocs made of the men, or not fo fufficiently fur- nifhed with armour and weapon, as apper-

taineth

C 96 )

taineth, you {hall require the faid lieutenants, in her Majefties name, to fee the faid defects reformed, and to take order with the faid cap- tains whom you fliall leave in the faid coun- ties, as well to put the faid lieutenant to fee fpeedy redrefs of the faid defects; as alfo to employ themfelves in the trayning of the faid bands, as well horfe as foot.

Amongft other matters of importance to be obferved, you Ihall confer with the faid lieute- nants, in cafe the enemy fhould take footing, on land, how there may be good order taken, for the removing into the inland parts of the country, of all manner of cattle, victuals, and other necefiaries, that may in any fort relieve the enemy; and to fee the places of retreat fur- nifhed with a convenient portion of victuals for the number of forces that fhall be there placed.

For execution whereof, it Ihall be meet that fome fpecial perfons fliall be appointed, that Ihall be men of credit and difcretion, fit for that fervice, for that otherwife, it is likely there

will

( 97 )

will fall out a great confufion -, you fliall alfo confer with the faid lieutenants, about the due execution of fome nccefTary points contained in former inftructions, as have been heretofore given unto them, whereof you Ihall have a copy, fo far forth as they fliall not be found re- pugnant to thefe prefents.

And for her Majefties fatisfaction in the mean time, untill you return, you fliall certify from time to time, how you find the ftate of the feveral counties, after you have taken a view of them, and fliall fend a copy of iuch directions as you fhall leave with the faid lieu- tenants.

And whereas this fervice might feem to re- quire many other particular directions j foras- much as by thefe inftructions, it might appear unto you, that her Majefties intention is to have the forces of thefe counties to be made apt, and in readinefs for a fervice, and all things necefTary for defence provided accord- ingly ; upon conference with the lieutenants or deputies, and view of the forces, and ftate of O the

the countries, you (hall be able to confide? and conceive, what you think further meet to be done in that behalf. Wherein, and in all things meet to adorn this fervice, you (hall give your beft advice to the faid lieutenants and direction for executing that which fhall be thought requi- lite,

Convinced, that nothing I can offer, would be fo interefling as this hiftoric authentication of the principles of defenfive war in general, and their immediate application to this parti- cular ifland. I lhall be juftified in fhewing the teftimony of another hiftorian, whofe expref- fions are flrong enough to carry a conviction, how the conduft of this great princefs, has ever imprefled the minds of thofe who thought upon the fubjeft.

fays, that befides the armies there was in each county a body of militia well armed, under leaders who had orders to join one ano- ther as occafion fhould require. The fea ports were fortified, as much as the time would per- fnjt, and fignals were every where appointed

to

( 99 )

to mow the places where the troops were to march.— In fhort, it was refolved that if the Spaniards made a defcent, the country about them mould be laid wafte, that they might have nothing to fubfift upon but what they brought from the fleet. This was the 'courfe taken by Francis I. in Provence againft Charles V. with a fuccefs that anfwered his expecta- tion. Thefe meafures being taken the enemy was expected with uncommon alacrity, though it mould feem that on fuch an occafion every one mould have been in the utmoft confler- nation.

The hiftorian afterwards exprefTes the Queen's juft dread, becaufe if me could not hinder, the Spaniards from landing in England, me muft neceflarily refolve to hazard a battle^ the country not being proper to prolong the war. — But he allows if ever fhe difcovered abi- lity, it was on this important occafion, for fhe looked to every thing with a wonderful prudence and a prefence of mind, rarely to be found in the greateft men, and which gained her the! admiration and praifes of all the world.

O a From

From this view of the tranfaftion of the year 1 588, it will clearly be deduced that Queen TZKzabetb and her minifters adjudged a general line of defence neceflary to be traced out and adopted beforehand, and that they according- ly did adopt fuch a plan : that their mea- fures were wife, and falutary \ formed on true principles, and ought to be adverted to in fimilar fituations. — That intelligent perfons were every where confulted ; and the inhabi- tants countenanced to afibciate a confiderable time (Stowe fays three years) beforehand. That the fyftem of harrafiing the enemy, deflroying forage, throwing up entrenchments, and avoid- ing battle was particularly inculcated. That the tr cops of the maritime counties were ftudioujly appoint d to the defence of their own coajls, and that the Queen took all thefe precautions not- withflanding fhe had an active navy, which alone under God defeated the armada, and a land force aftually embodied fuperior to what

was bringing againft her. Thefe are part of

the material deductions this narrative affords ; the intelligent reader will find fo many others, that he will pardon the pointing thefe out, in

con-

confideration of the numbers who in reading hiftory retain faithfully all its events, without e xtracting one folid opinion, or maturing their judgment by a fmgle reflexion, which is but the triumph of memory over the unckrftand-

ing. How much better would it be if our

youth were inftructed to confider facts as but the fcaffbld to a nobler ftructure. The inflexi- bility of an impartial magistrate, the Juftice to h erf elf fever e might be derived from a former imprefiion without immediately recollecting Brutus ', and even if the name of Lycurgus were forgotten, a conviction might remain that the love of pleafure, and the dread of fhame were powerful fprings of action, one of which is wholly unknown to modern legiflators, the

other rarely applied to. If the records of

antiquity are merely to be turned over for the adventures they contain, they fhould be ap- propriated to fhe ufe of nurferies, fome old goflip made Cuftos Rotulorum^ and Tom Thumb would be the firft of hiftories. — The human mind being only capable of retaining and com- bining a finite quantity of intellectual matter there needs little hefitation to pronounce, that

it

(( 102 )

it fhould confift of the moft valuable and re- fined fubftance ; hence chronology is the very chaff of literature. — The defects of our public education in this point, are perhaps without remedy, but that thofe entrufled with the charge of a fingle pupil Ihoukl fluff his head with the rubbifli of words, dates, and names, is not to be forgiven.— Necefiity has furnifhed a wifcr fyfte;n for arts and manufactures, a painter, a mufician. apply at once to the inftru- ments of their profeffion. A carpenter ufes thofe tools by which he is to earn his bread, but the art of employing reafon,. which is to be the end of fcientiiic education, forms no part of it. Roujjeau indeed taught his Emik to .think, for hinnfelf, but he thinks for himfelf only; without extending his ideas fufficiently to- the. relative eftablifhments of fociety. This principle of diving conftantly beyond the fur- face fotf fomewhat to bear off, explodes all trifling. — The mind habituated to fubflance grafps at no fhadows. This at once let De Retz into the character that could obferve how many years the fame pen had been employed. — This taught Alexander to reward with a bulhel .of

corn,

corn, the man whofe merit confided in tofiing the grains through the eye of a bodkin. To appreciate the fterling value of things is furely the grand object, and for want of this know- ledge there exifts at this day a man of great reading, who can tell the author, date, printer, price, edition, and fize of almoft every book extant, without having ever made the fmalleft enquiry into the contents of any of them. — What fuch intenfe application might have atchieved, is lefs material than to obferve, that he, who abfurbed in folid reflexion fhould even confound William fbe Conqueror with Wil^ Ham Prince of Orange^ would in point of fcienee fcarce appear lefs refpectably verfed in hi (lory, than the more fafhionable reader whofe head imembarrafied by meditation retained every date, without one remark on the origin of power, and thofe breaches of the focial con- tract, under which it was delegated that fancti- fied the Revolution j orvho views the Norman conqueft without perceiving its effects on our laws and cuftoms, or obferving that Harold facrificed his crown and his life to an ignorance Of the firft principles of denfenfive war.

CHAP.

( 104 )

CHAP. IV.

General Idea of Defence. — Utility of Aff Gelation.

TO fuppofe a plan of operations for artl enemy who fhould land in this country* would be abfurd in him who wanted abilities* and attended with worfe confluences front' the foldier who polTeffed them. But a few general remarks either on matters notonoufly public or palpably obvious, may awaken at« tention at home, without conveying orher in- formation abroad than it would be ridiculous to conceive an enemy unpofTeiTed of. It may* therefore be faid, that as the fouth andweftero il coails offer the neareft and moil advantageou-t i footing to the Houfe of Bourbon, its attacks > would probably be directed to forne of thofe ;; ,

whilft

whilft, if a fpirit of enterprize feize the Dutch the eaftern part of the ifland prefcnts a ihore well known, and invitingly contiguous. — It is unfortunately needlefs to debate whether the Englifh navy be in a fituation to block up an armament, which is within the recollection of better days j but were thofe days to return, Holland might have a "fhare in the bulinefs not fo pleafant to deal with ; there is no riding near her ihores in bad weather, and the fame winds that could waft them hither would ef- fectually oppofe our fleets meeting them. — Again while Spithead is our head quarters, if ourwefterly trade winds fet in, what fecures the weftern counties from Breft or UOricnt.

The want of a fufEcient object is indeed a confideration at fuch a diftance from the ca- pital, efpecially as Plymouth warned by her miraculous efcape, is too ftrong for a coup de maint and we have too much cavalry for an enemy to think of penetrating through Dor- fet/bire or Hants. — Sujfix and Kent are full of pods, that might be defended by the inhabi- tants, provided their own militia were left to P fcco.nd

fccond them, and the principal force of the realm has been very properly diftributed Eaft of the capital, — Notwithftariding my profeffing to difcufs nothing but topics univerfally known, I have been prevailed on to mutilate this chap^ ter, by obliterating all obfervations on fpecific enterprifes, or particular diilricls. I fhall there- fore proceed to obferve that, befides the great general principles of defenfive war, there are certain conficlerations of no lefs moment, adapt- ed to the peculiar fituation, foil, extent, and government of every country. Of thefe, ex- amples but too recent may be derived from America and the Weft Indies. In the firft, a prodigious tract of dominion, thinly peopled, and partially cultivated, throws a very fmall portion of national wealth into the hands of an, enemy. An inroad of an hundred miles pro- duces comparatively the moil trifling devafta- tions. While in the iflands all this is precifely reverfed, the growing crop, the utenfils, the negroes, and the buildings bear fuch a vafl proportion to the value of the territory itfelf, that all fyftem of defenfive war becomes to- tally impracticable. The chance of an imme- diate

diate engagement is the only relburce of the. inhabitants, and its event at once decides all conteft. — Between thefcj Great Britain fleers a kind of" middle courfe, equally incapable of fupporting all the confequences of continental condudr. ; and preferved from the defperate ex- pofure of Weft Indian neceffity. — It is there- fore obvious, that her defenfive operations muft partake of both, And if the inroads of an in- vader are to be limitted without the dangerous experiment of a battle, it muft be atchieved by Rich univerfal preparations of refiflance, as may impede his progrefs, and raife a feries of obftacles conftantly accumulating, till they be- come infarmountable. — Thefe are not the pro- duction of an hour. Nothing but a garrifoned fortrefs or a compleat overthrow, occafions an immediate check. The firft we are not fur- nifhed with. The latter muft not be hazarded while the controul of fortune may decide the viclory which fkill and valour have in vain conteiled. Whoever has fludied the geography of this ifland with a military eye, will fcrefee an event far within the fcale of human polEbi- lity i, it is, that an enemy wholly un-impedec\ P 2 by

by the efforts of the neighbourhood, may in certain fituations be able to penetrate fo far, before our army could take pod in force, as to render it impoflible for that army to cover the capital without an engagement. — A par- ticular fpot unfortified can only be maintained by an action, at the will of thofe who mean to carry it. All operations of delay allow fome lofs of ground, and the lofing ground necefTa- rily fuppofcs a fcope, and choice of interior polls, which every mile does not furnifh.-— — There are cafes when the retarding an ene- my's progrefs for a fmgle day, might afTemble and afford the Eriiijh army every fituation it wifhed for. It is therefore of momentous im- portance, that the obftructions be immediate. Not to oppofc the very landing would be mad- nefs, and with reluctance the melancholy fact is extorted, that at this inftant they are places wherein it might be effected by almoft any number, without a fmgle fhot being fired, after three years alarm of projected invafions.

Admitting therefore, as we mult, thepofli- fcility of this being atchieved ; it would be

unwife

imwife to reject the fmalleft afMance, or to conclude that becaufe a body of armed peafams were not likely to repell the enemy, they could not annoy him : when the very fhadow of re- fiftance would have weight, and would compel fiich mancevures and arrangements as muft breed inconceivable delay. A ploughman may at leaft break down a bridge as effectually as Vauban himfelf could have done it ; and his neighbours may be equally active in destroying the roads that would conduct pontoons to the river ; perhaps too a few volunteers firing from the oppofite bank might oblige him to bring up cannon before they were diflodged,

Hence the propriety of armed afTociations, a meafure which we have feen Queen Elizabeth wifely promoting : and if we confider the names that compofed her council, and the fuccefsful refult of their proceedings, perhaps even our more enlightened miniftry need not hold them abfolutely in contempt.

To carry the plan of afTociarion generally intp execution, little, more is ncceflary thaa

for

( no )

for government to trace out one regular ra- tional outline ; which it would be hard not to give them credit for, coniidering the variety of modes in which it might be defigned, and the numerous expedients for giving it the ne- ceiTary liability, — Let us fuppofe a legiflature entering philofophically into the fources of human conduct, and difcovering, that a manly candid ftate of our internal refources would appeal to the underflanding of the wife j that a new and interefting employ would awaken the curiofity of the light; tha: opportunities of public exhibition would allure the vain ; and fome well devifed honorary diflinftions, however trifling, feathers, medals, or cockades of different gradations of colour would operate upon all. The human heart is in no ftate in- fenfible to glory, To command the attention of an applauding fenate, to roar the befl catch in a drunken club, have each their charms ; and the mod dexterous in a gang of pick- pockets has as much envy in his way, as ever the juftice of Ariflidss excited, and probably more rivals.

Let

( III )

Let not therefore the pride of pompous af- fectation raife a contemptuous fneer, at the homely rewards of village virtue. To have their actions recited in the fongs of dancing virgins', foftered all the Spartan heroifm. Per- haps the name of the moft meritorious affbcia- tor recorded in gilt letters, in a country church, would tranfmit a local reputation to his pofte- rity, as much emulated as any honours hiftory can beftow on thofe who move in higher orbits. England, thus arrayed, could never afford an opportunity of difplaying perfonal intrepidity in real action, to decide thefe claims, for no power on earth, would venture to invade her; therefore, a conftant attendance at the exercifes, and expertnefs in them, might be the merits to deferve difbinction, and the mode of conferring it fairly, might be borrowed from the Oflracifm of the Athenians.

A^ithout entering into a minute detail of any one plan, it is evident, on thefe principles, many might be adopted, to furnifh Great Bri- tain with an army, confuting of every inhabi- tant capable of the operations of defenfive

war;

war ; which includes infinitely more than thofe fit to bear arms, for the aged and children in retiring, might drive off the cattle, and the women themfelves could make cartridges, light beacon's, &c. if fuch exertions could by any pof- fibility be required. However, without ferioufiy propofing to eftiploy females in this line, it : is to be wilhed the policy of this country had been fuch, as to have reftored by their means, an immenfe number of men to the fervice of the community, who are ignobly ftolen from it by feminine profefiions. An effective man making ftays, perriwigs, or gloves, is throwing away flii-fules at a diftaffj at any period it is ridicu- lous, in thefe days it Ihould be criminal, In every commercial ftate, the aggregate of pri- vate coulributions to the public wealth, fhould be z maximum; at leaft, it will be the ntarer perfection, as the refult of individuals labour approaches to the greatefl poffible. But if we employ a crane to raife a pincufhion, 'our me- chanic powers are ill employed. I fhall hardly take upon me to fay, what women are not r> for, having feen them at fcigtmtufo, become excellent mariners j and in other countries per- forming

forming all the operations of husbandry, while' in this, it is furely hard upon- the fex, to be al- moft entirely reftramed to the profeffions of milliners, mantua-makers, or proflitutes, and even to have thefe encroached upon.

The neceflities of the ftatej in every age, have awakened the feelings of its members. Danger can give activity to the fupine, and vi- gour to the weak. Fertile in expedients, and rapid in its execution, its approach calls forth new refources. — No fooner had the hoftile ban- ners of Bourbon appeared off Plymouth, than the whole weftern coaft was in the field, and as if fome new Cadmus had fown his ferpents teethj the country teemed with armed men, Not a village but prefented its volunteer company, not a hamlet but aftbciated with the next. Fif- teen hundred men raifed in a few hours, by one gentlemen * and his neighbours, fet off inftant- ly with a numerous body of priibners, and after the fatigues of three days very unpleafant march, were not diflatisfied at being obliged to guard

* Mr. Baftaid, of KiteJy.

Q them

them all night in the fields. When they ar- rived at Exeter, the inhabitants of that city, had already formed themfelves into five fuch companies, for character, refpeclability of for- tune, as perhaps, were never before afiembled. Thefe with mod diftinguifhed humanity, were* drawn up in readinefs, to relieve their exhaufted neighbours, the moment they arrived ; and con- tinued guarding the prilbners feveral weeks, with unremitted attention ; gentlemen of the beft property, taking their tour to ftand centi- nel as regularly, and discharging the duty at leaft as faithfully, as any high-dreffed foldier whatever.

This was beginning to make the efforts of the country appear refpeclable ; had the enemy remained, a very Ihort time would have ren- dered them formidable ; and doubly fo they might have been, if any fyftem had been adopted beforehand, or any arrangements made to unite the gallantry of individuals, and direfb its efforts to the general good. For want of this, thoufands remained inaflive, with both the wifhes and abilities for fervice. — Others

again

again felt the neceffity of concentrating their force, and aflembling in bodies ; flill without an object, but burning with fuch an arcjour to be ufeful, that folly herfelf would call it mad- nefs, to difqualify them for it in future.

In every ftate liable to invafion, armed affo- ciations fhould be early adopted and encou- raged, on every principle of patriotic prudence. The word Patriotic, is ufed with no party de- fignation. To minifters themfelves, I cannot hefitate to attribute that patriotifm, which would protect this country from tyranny, or any op- preflions but their own, and even faction would unite in any well-formed plan, for national fe- curity. Yet it has been held out as the lan- guage of the day, that the people are not to be trufled with arms. A doctrine illegal, im- politic, and which can only originate in guilt or error. The univerfal underrtanding of an enlightened nation, is furely to be depended on. Corruption or depravity may influence the con- duct of the ruling few, and direct the force of the unhappy nation they mifguide, againfl its ov/n colonies ; but when the many are left to 2 the

( n6 )

the operation of their rcafon, their weapons can only threaten the enemies of their country. And fhould a race nurtured in its bofom, merit that ungracious appellation ? Heaven forbid, their being minifters would fcreen them from the vengeance of an injured people ! However cherifhed, however protected, the very hand that raifed them is impotent to break their fall. Much indeed, has been faid and written, on the enervated depravity of the age j but dlCQpation, however hoflile to the redundance of that vir- tue which diftinguifhed our illuftrious ancef- tors, ftill haves a fpring to actuate the minds of their defcendents, however unconfcious of its power, however weakened in it. There are refonrces, which a torpid infenfibility alone can {Hlroy; and that ftate can never be the lot of England^ fo long as the very form of her con- ftitution is preferved. The liberty of the prefs alone, becomes the Palladium of our feelings, and guarantees us from the danger of inertnefs. Thefanguine animation of individuals may an- ticipate the hour of danger, but the folid fpi- rit of the nation kindles at the inftant of its arrival. A certain latent fpark pervades every

rank,

( "7 )

rank, and infpires every breaft; fome cafual blaft excites a conflagration, and the whole ex- plodes. Even Blackftone, allows there are cafes when the nation has very juftifiaby rifen. But the refentment of an injured people, in this nor- thern climate, however ultimately decisive; has P*»

at all times appeared to be tardive, and met the derifioa of thofe who were doomed to be its object. The favourites of monarchs, con- fided in the power of their mailers, without once recollecting, that it failed at the fame mo- ment it became neceflary to their own prefer- vation. The Penfioned Conftellation * of party literature, in the fame work where he goes out of his way to call Hamfden the Zealot of Rebellion ; remarks the infenfibility of 'James the Second's courtiers to the dangers of the precipice they flood on. What could appear more honelefs than the Revolution, when ano- ther Zealot of Rebellion, the galhnt RuJJcl, la- mented its impoflibility, becaufe we had no great men left. Yet even his father lived to witnefs it ; lived to fee the weak monarch taught, that

* Viz. Urfa major.

f See Lord Ru/el"s Speech on his Trial.

royalty

royalty in fuch hands, is but the gilded weather- cock that tops the ftrufhire of the Hate. A ftorm rends its fides, an earthquake roots up the foundation, and the atom perifhes unen- quired for in the ruin. A blaft too impotent to (hake the walls, may overfet the bauble, and leave the fabric unimpaired ; to (land the won- der of fuccceding ages, with the illuftrious dig- nified names of Bmnfwick) or Naffau. Thus may it long continue, fpite of the machinations of thole who would deftroy its fymmetry, and have difmembered its domain, flattering them- felves that while they can drown the voice of juftice, its hand can never reach them j or con- fiding in the idea that this country, however irritated, can make no exertions, becaufs K-e have no great men left, as if, even admitting it to be true, great events would not produce fuch. From what neft of fanatics, fprang the infant Cromwell? where (lumbered the immor- tal WaflnngiQn, till opprefiion called him forth the Saviour of his country.

Whatever may be the tenets of the court on thefe prints, it feems beyond he tracklefs chaos

of

< "9 )

of political cafuiftry, to frame one plaufiblc objection againft arming every inhabitant of a free country, and training him with all necef- fary attention. An army fuperior by its num- bers, infinitely fo by its conftituents, to what- ever the combined navies of Europe could land in this ifiand, might be formed without ex- pence j and which, excepting the article of drefs, might in one fummer confefs no inferi- ority to any opponents. If this be really an inferiority or not, I fhall leave to the difcuf- li on of modern difciplinarians, and army taylors, who all are equal to it. Whether a man fights beft in a red coat, or a carter's frock 5 a flouched hat, or fool's cap and feathers, are difquifitions too nice, to be raihly entered upon. — But if the yeomanry, the farmers, the hufbandmen of the country j together with the tradefmen and mechanics of great towns, were trained to the ufeful parts of a foldier's employ, which af- ter all, contains nothing myfterious or intri- cate > our troops might extend their conquefts on every fide of the globe, and this nation re- main in perfect fecurity, competent to its own defence.— Train them to martial exercifes, and

every

( 120 )

every village, whole defiles offered a Thermo- $yla could furnifh a Leonidas \ for the rudeft ploughman in an Englijh cottage, v/ants no- thing but the habitude of arms, to be formi- dable in ufmg them. Courage forms a great part of the education of our lower ranks, and of all the qualities of the mind, none is more artificial. — In thofe of more elevated ftations, it aflumes another name -t and although a dif- ferent texture of nerves, or degree of activity, may produce different modifications of it; yet every man of honour has precifely the fame fund of courage at the bottom, whether it be foberly confined, or fretting out at the bung- hole. — The defence of one's country is how- ever one of the few general lights in which it can be fairly compared or reafoned upon. — An artificial production muft depend upon that fcience, addrefs and practice which have created it. From thefe alone a man derives confidence in every fituation. A fox-hunter will leap a precipice, a failor brave a tempeft that would difmay an Ajax. Ccefar himfelf was timid in a carnage, and regularly obferved

a fu-

a fuperftitious ceremony to avert his danger" when he mounted one.

The hiftory of almoft every nation abounds with inftances of fignal good effects derived from the provident exertions of individuals j and fatal evils arifing from their ignorance or inactivity. The inroads of the Scots formerly kept our northern frontiers conftantly arrayed, and trained to arms in the fchool of necefiity. A danger lefs immediate, frequently expofed the coafts oppofite France to be caught unpre- pared j and whenever that happened they be- came the victims of their own imprudence. While the iuccefs which never failed to reward the forefight of their more alert neighbours, mud have convicted themfelves, and fhould re- main a monument of wifdom to their pofterity.

Stowe mentions particularly an Abbot of* teat tie in Richard tbe Second's time, who twice preferved the town of ffiihcbelfea from French depredations j whilft the inhabitants of Ryg, " in coxfiditice of ftrcvgth" expofed themfelves to a defeat, which occasioned their town and its beautiful church to be reduced to aihes and R ortlf

only eight of thcmfelves left alive to witnefs it. — The conduct of this gallant Abbot is the more meritorious, when after evincing his courage by volunteering dangers which his pro- fefiion exempted him from, he had good fenfe enough to reftrain that courage from urging him beyond the limits of defenfive war. Thus when the enemy wearied out by his diligence, at their fecond vifit had in vain endeavoured by all means to bring him to a&ion, they at length fent to him, " requesting that if hee <f woulde not have peace, he would fend forth " to fighte man, to man ; or more in number " if hee woulde to trie the matter in viewe of *f armes,but neithere woulde the Abbot admitte " the one requefte or the othere, faying hee " was a religious man, and therefore not to <f admitte fuch petition, and that hee came not " thither to fighte but to defend, and preferve

" the peace of the countrie." Had the IJle

of Wight men been equally \*ife, they would not have loft their ifland as they did about this time, by fuffering the enemy to land, en purpofe to give him bat'/le.

The

( 123 )

The nation who in times of danger has no- thing to depend on but a {landing army is in a fituation to be pitied ; but, if this country, all powerful in refources, neglecting them, fhould look up to an army that hardly exifts, the moft humane fpectator, even if too benevo- lent to laugh at our abfurdity would at leaft difpenfe with any tribute of compaffion.

The advantages which arife from pre-efta- blifhed order imprefs themfelves forcibly upon our reafon in every tranfaction liable to buftlc and confufion 3 thefe advantages it is vain to expect in the tumult of action. To be fervice- able then, men muft have their leflon at hand. A wife minifter can in all ages and all govern- ments find means to form aflbciations, and make fervice palatable, when fuch plans do not originate in the people themfelves ; P^cbert- foa, in fpeaking of Cardinal Ximenes fays, " As " mercenary ftanding armies were unknown " under the feudal government, and would " have been odious to a martial and generous <f people, he ifiued a proclamation, command- f< ing every city in Caftilc to enrole a certain R 2 " number

( 124 )

c' number of its burgefles in order that they *f might be trained to the ufe of arms on Sun- *< days and holidays •, he engaged to provide " officers to command them at the public ex- <f pence, and as an encouragement to the pri- " vate men, promifed them an exemption from f all taxes and jrnpofitions. — "

Not only every appeal to the fenfes and under- ftanding fhould be made in favour of this meafure, but there are periods, when government fhould fubflantiate rewards j although penalties fhould rarely be inflicted on thofe who witheld their fervice. Every philofophic principle of legifla- ture, convinces us that rewards, if not equally powerful, are a much nobler fpring of action, than punifhments ; and as thefe have only the negative effect to deter from evil, they muft be mifplaced, when the active virtues are to be roufed that impel to good. Confidered how- ever in fome points of view, all local gratifi- cations, partake of the nature of punifhments pperating over a certain circle, wherein they tend either to increafe difparity of condition already obnoxious, or to create it.

However

( 1*5 )

However education may humanize the mind, there exifts in every breaft an innate love of equality, which it never fees violated with fa- tisfaction,. Good breeding, and good fenfe, but conceal or moderate its effects ; for the befl heart, howevever fmcerely it rejoice at the fuc- cefs of thofe in remote ranks, either above him- or beneath, witholds its delight at the luck, which immediately conftitutes a fuperior of an equal, — Fortunately for human nature, vanity fleps in and extends the line which levels our philantrophy. Some intrinfic perfection, fom'e peculiar quality fteals us a few inches above ourfelves, and foftens the harlh deformity of every ftep into an imperceptible flops, My title confoles me for Burke's virtue ; my pro- perty outbalances Charles Fox's genius ; and Keppel with all his country's wiihes wants my conftitution. In fhort, if comforts of every other kind are denied, the redundancy of men- tal qualifications will compenfate for all defects. Here the Gods have been profufe in univerfal liberality. Want of health, figure, or fortune are frequent fubjecls of repining j education is fometimes blamed, but no man ever ferioufly

complained

complained of the fhallownefs of his capacity, or impeached the juftice of Providence for giving his neighbour a larger fhare of intellect. —-It feems, as if not light itfelf could be more plentifully or more equally beftowed. The tree of knowledge grows in every hedge, and an Agrarian Law divides the realms of fcience to the perfect fatisfaction. of every individual. Rochefoucault, who looked through human na- ture with a penetration unblunted by the af- fectation of common-place benevolence, painted what he faw in vivid tints, without the varnifli of flattery, and obferves that " in the adverfity, even of cur beft friends, we always find Jomething to corjole ourfihes ;" — at leaft it is certain, that no man is completely miferable for any mif- fortunes but his own.

With regard therefore to afibciators, the re- wards of thofe who aiTembled, might be indi- rectly, penal upon non-conformifts, by half- rating the firft to the revenue in fomc inftance, as Roman Catholics are doubled. A parifh flill raifmg its quota, the refidue muft of courfe fall on the others. — Or, it not being poflible

to forefee how few or how numerous the dif- fentients would be in particular diftricts, the feiTions might be furnifhed with a general power of relieving from highway duty, and faddling it on thofe who refufed their fervices to the public in another line.

A variety of fuch inducements might be held out, which need not be recapitulated, for thank heaven, we have a miniitry who under- ftand the management of douceurs. — Nor do fuch details, conftitute any part of an author's bufmefs, whofe authority is ineffectal towards putting them in practice. It is fufficient to re- peat, that the inhabitants of a county liable to invafion, fhould not be unprepared for defence. The modes of compelling, or what is much better, of p'erfuading them to acquire the re- quifite preliminary expertnefs, are almofl infi- nite in the hands of legiilature. The talk, is fo far from being arduous or impracticable, that a thoufand plans might be formed, for carrying it into execution •> and that fo effec- tually, that it fhould be a difgrace to a young man, to have miffed the meeting of his com- rades

( "8 )

rades. Government might fell them arms, to be paid for by a pound rate -, a tax fo confo- nant to public weal, would hardly be complained of, when our patient endurance fubmits to fo many of another ftamp. The day of exercife leaft inconvenient to the parties, and befl af- forded by an impoverilhed nation, would be Sunday ,- efpecially as the arming in defence of our religion, muft be deemed no equivocal demonftration of it j provided our pulpits in- culcated it as earneftly as in the time cf Queen Elizabeth.

To load with dexterity, to fire with preci- fion, to advance and retreat with order, and celerity •, the habitude of deriving mutual fup- port, and unity of force, from maintaining a rank, is all that need be learned, and may be acquired in very fmall detachments. — But if time allowed, the purfuing it through higher gradations of utility ; when it became, as it foon would, matter cf emulative recreation. The villages of a rape might meet each other during the fummer months, and on thofe days, be inflrucled in the general outline of irregu- lar

I29

far defence, as far as related to throwing lip flight works, or fecuring themfelves behind walls, banks, rivulets, and abbatis,— If for this purpofe, fome worthy worn-out officer were called with a decent allowance, from penury, and half-pay; it might not be the moft exceptionable chafge of the army extra- ordinaries*

The greater!: difficulty that occurs in calling forth the fervice of mixed and large bodies of people, is to avoid confufion j while a diftinct eftablifhment of regularity is the firft ftep to fuccelsful operation. Men muft not only know the fignals which are to call them out, but where they are to aiTemble, for what purpofe, and the arms or tools nece/Tary to effecl; it. The moft minute detail of arrangement muft not be omitted : for the coaft, on which an enemy attempts to land, will fully need the ex- ertions of all its inhabitants, without a moment to fpare, in debating how they fhould be em- ployed. When their labours ought to have already commenced, it is too late to plan them. Country gentlemen cannot be expected to pof- S fefs

fefs the knowledge requifite for general opera- tion.— Here government fhould take the lead. Engineers of capacity, fhould be employed to make accurate furveys on the coafts, the rivers, fords, heights, roads, and defiles; with the fituation of the villages, and number of inha- bitants. Thefe fhould all be derived from actual obfervation, a fmall diftricl:, not exceed- in0" twenty miles allotted to each, and reports given in, after a refidence of three or four months. Wherever Perfons properly qualified for this employment could be procured on the fpot, their information would probably be the moft fatisfa&ory. The emoluments for this fhould be fmall, to prevent it becoming a job, and ^at no diftinfbion of parties might have a chance of fuperfeding abilities. Thefe re- ports, would be only a foundation for the Commander in Chief to work upon; whofe labour being fhortened by inftruclions where to feek the important pofts, fhould vifit them perfonally, eftablifh the fituation of beacons, and trace out the whole plan of defence. — It fhould be obferved that hundreds are but an inconvenient divifion for any but civil purpofes,

it

it would therefore be better if each county were allotted into military diftrifts, whofe forces might be more concentrated -, each of thefe to elecl: fome magiftrate, or other intelli- gent perfon, to whom government might com- municate the refult of their enquiries and de- liberations fo far as was proper for his gui- dance. There appears no neceflity for convey- ing the whole of thefe in the nature of pofitive regulations, but partly as matters of inflruc- tion*. For if it be recommended to break down fuch a bridge, make an abbatis here, or a fort there, thefe are points, which in the moment of peril will never be contefted through caprice or felf-conceit, Nothing but a certain- ty of better meafures from unforefeen circum- flances can occafion their being fet afide ; and no peremptory decifion at a diflance fhould anticipate what events may alter the nature of.

The care of the Hate fhould farther extend to the fupplying fuch cannon, arms and {lores, as their reports evinced the propriety of

•* Not Law like, but lovingly. Lord North's let- ter, 1587. See chap. iii. ant?

S 2 grant*

( '3* )

granting,- and henceforward the charge de- volves upon the magiftrate or deputy lieute- nant above-mentioned, who fhould lofe no time in arranging matters with the neighbouring gentlemen, and form committees to fuper-in- tend the regular trainings, with the addition of tracing a few flight works on the ground pointed out, wherever it could be effected,

Perhaps there yet remains fomething to be guarded againft, wherein this army of a few villages may require the interference of legifla- tion. No man is fo loft to all the generofity of juftice, which the gallant fentiments of this nation demand, as to fulpect any Englijhman would be backward in his country's caufe, if ever the hour of trial Ihould arrive; few perhaps are impreffed with a contrary peril from excefs of virtue, and how probable it is for an ebulli- tion of valour to arm every peafant with gun or pitch-fork, without order, without fyftem : and totally neglectful of thofe advantages which were immediately attainable. It fhould there- fore be rendered highly penal in cafe of an actual landing or attempt to land, for any in- dividual I

( 133 )

dividual to difobey the orders of fucli magif- trate, always underftanding this to extend only to his temporary command, 'till the lord lieutenant or other fuperior legally authorifed fliould arrive. Secure however of this au- thority when requifite, all details might be pre- vioufly arranged ; and thofe inhabitants named who fhould repair with tools to the appointed rendezvous, for the purpofe of throwing up the firft work which had been already traced before them. It fhould alfo be fpecined who fhould fire the beacons *, who ride to array the neighbouring villages, and quicken their operations, which are equally methodized. —

* In order that the commanding officer at any camp or poft with which the beacons communicate, may be able to afcertain from what part of the coaft the alarm is firft given, certain diftinguiihing fignals mould be fixed on ; for example, from the IJle of Thanet to the South Forelandt one rocket ; from South Foreland to Dungenefs, two ditto ; from Dungenefs to Beacbj, three ditto ; from Beachy to Brigbtelmftone, four ; from Brightelmjlone to Selfey . five ; after which, to avoid confufion from a number, the next diftridl might begin again with one rocket, being fufficiently diftant from the firft, to obviate any miftake from the fignals being alike/ Thefe might alfo be fur- ther fubdivided, if neceffary.

Other

( 134 )

Other perfons arc previoufly allotted to fell trees for abbatis, and prepare fafcines * .; the teams of the neareft farms to draw them. The cattle to be driven off by another fet of lefs able men, to be affifted by women and chil- dren. In fhort, every one fnould know pre- cifely v/here he is to be placed, and what are the immediate fervices his country demands at bis hands.

"When an enemy has once obtained footing in a country, the laws which ncceffity impofes upon felf-defence are dreadfully fevere; but like the operations of furgery, from fuch painful fa- crifices alone relief can be expected. — To con- fidential hands therefore muft be entrufted the cruel tafk of deftroying the fubfiftence of an enemy -, frequently when danger preffes, con- ftrained to devote the very barns and granaries to the flames, and every where oppofed by the

* It is to be wifhed feme uniform fiandard adapted to military purpofes could be fettfed, for tying up at leaft a part of all coppice wood near the coafts. This might be of great advantage, and the inconvenience fmall ; for fifcines, are « good as any other faggots.

plaints

( 135 )

plaints or curfes of the proprietor. This

fervice however mufc be qualified by the re- flriclions of prudence ; the enemy's fituatioa pointing out the moment that mull fentence each diftrict : left the fuperabundance of zeal caufe unneceflary devaftition. — There are vil- lages fheltered by rivers, woods, or morafTes which by a little attention to guard and fortify their bridge, avenue or caufeway, might pre- ferve their property to the • laft. An open country denies thefe advantages, and as all forage in fuch is generally the lefs eafily pro- cured, by.fo much the urgency of having it timely cut off is augmented.

It is not to be expected that the neighbour- hood who pour in the firft day or two of a landing, are to effect more in point of fighting than what the mere prefence of armed men will do ; which is to keep the enemy extremely reftlefs and unquiet, to turn out his guards all night, and prevent his reconnoitring, fo as to fecure important pa'iTes before the arrival of your army. — The impeding his route by mul- tiplied obfcacles is perfectly adapted to the

body

body thus affembled, and may be effected to inconquerable perfection. — Trous des loups and fougafles if they have plenty of powder, are of eafy fabric, and a few chofen markfmen in am- bufh near them would feldom fail difconcerting a vanguard. Thefe are the very perfection of irregulars ; they are operations attended with little hazard to themfelves, and infinite incon- venience to the enemy. An induflrious per- fevering annoyance will fupply all defiderata of military fkill, and keep the invader at bay, partly by real difficulties, and partly through ignorance of what he has to cop&with.

Whatever advantages this country affords which the enemy cannot ib equally pofTefs muft always be attended to. Hence the introduction of fencible cavalry is judicious, in cafe a conti- nental war fhould call our own abroad, howe- ver fuperfluous it may appear at prefent. — The quantity, the calibre, and efpecially the length of artillery, are ftill more efTential objects. The enemy can bring none but what is of light tranfport, whereas every refource of horfes, forage and roads is open to us and impractica- ble >

( '37 )

ble for him, even if the difficulties of landing were furmounted. — There is however, one ex- ception to long cannon, for whofoever unites the love of his country to intelligence in the art of gunnery will, above all things recommend the ufe of howitzer, as excelling every other piece of ordnance yet difcovered, Suppofing their {hell to act only as a ball in fome in- flances, the ftroke of it is not lefs fatal than any other, and its direction infinitely more certain -, but the properties of (hells are won- derfully more tremendous ; for befides their actual effects the very fight of them with burning fufees rolling amongft the ranks, creates more difmay than the rapid execution of ten times as many cannon balls. Cafe fhot of any nature may be adapted to them for clofe aclion with prodigious fuccefs, as a pier- rier their ufe in many fitualions would be ad- mirable j and with a trifling alteration in the conftrudtion of their carnages, they become fuperior to a firnilar mortar, and produce a greater range. Their commodious form, fmall confumption of powder, and a variety of other arguments might be alledged, all which may

T be

( '38 )

be much better derived from the fountain head : meaning the corps of artillery ; towhofe diftin- guifhed merits, the united fuffrages of all that have fcen fervice in the Britijh army do ample juftice. — Not even the navy of England pre- eminent as it fhines over every other line, can furpafs this body in well-adapted profefiional talents. Here are no idle extravagancies of attitude in tofTmg about a firelock ; no precife unmeaning motions tempting Jacquet Droz to advertife a portable flugal man of clock work, that fhould perform the manual exactly in two feconds and an half, according to the ordinance. All here is reafoning and obferva- vation ; philofophy lends her aid to mathema- tics, the laws of motion, the flight of found, the principles of gravitation, become the ob- jects of ferious ftudy and have the invei'iigation of daily practice. — An effay on national de- fence muft lofe fight of its object, if it omitted to lament the neglect of a body fo efTential to its purpofes. Reafon, experience and the prac- tice of wifer nations all revolt at their treat- ment j while common fenfe remains in painful dubiety whether it be more unjuft, or more \

impolitic 1

C '39.).,

impolitic to reward fuch a corps with the pro* fpect of repeated promotions around, in which themfelves are not included j and to obferve that the higheft exertions (which with as laud- able wifhes inferior officers in the army have feldom an opportunity of equalling) leave them, after many years invaluable fervice, junior in rank to every man they flafted with, whofe better fortune placed him in a marching regi- ment.— However fatal this may ultimately provp to a corps on which our conquefts and fecurity depend, its fource is not difficult to trace. Intereft and money being fure grounds of promotion in the army naturally tempt men of family thither, while the inferior diftinctions of merit and long fervice are the only plea for preferment in the artillery. Under fuch diffe- rent patronage, the rife of each may eafily be forefeen, but it will hardly be wife to urge the difparity too far.

An obje<fl fo important to the military

powers of this nation is by no means a di-

grefiion, and fmce the fyfterh of modern war

allows fuch confcquence to artillery, all the

T 2 militia

( 140 )

militia fhould be trained to the familiar branches of it. Nor merely for the fake of in- forming them as militia, but in the hope that when they are difbanded, every town may fur- nifh a number of men capable of working the guns which fhould be difperfed throughout the kingdom. Every populous fpot near the coafts that feems of confequence, fhould be provided in time with a fmall train and fuitable ftores, which it requires no multiplication of offices to entruft in proper hands. The captain of the neighbouring aflbciation, the neareft juftice of the peace, even the churchwarden of the pa- rifh could difcharge fuch a trufl with fidelity, for the public good.

I have in my pofTefiion fome lances made for an aflbciation in one of our maritime counties about the year 1745, a fpecies of arms proba- bly adopte^. from neceflityj or on falfe prin- ciples, if preferred for the purpofe of forcing

an enemy from the clifts. It requires the

obfervation of veteran troops to difcover the general inefficacy of fire arms, of which among many inflances to be found, Marjhal Saxs

vouches

vouches for one very remarkable. It is of two German battalions giving a general volley at a large body of Turkijb horfe, not more than forty paces diftant and killing only thirty-two men, in confequence of -which the cavalry rufhed upon them, and they were all cut to pieces in an inflant. — It is univerfally allowed that not one fhot in thirty takes place j nor can this be wondered at when we confider that hitting the mark, which is the perfection of a foldier in action, conftitutes the leaft part of his military education. — In the fmall number of trials, I have feen, very few from want of habitude attain the object even in the cool moments of exercife ; no wonder then, fo many fliots are thrown away when all the paflions are afloat.—— It is not hence to be inferred that the influence of fear is by any means predominant ; for it is certain that in the field it rarely occurs as a principle for individuals -, although there are inflances of momentary impreflions, creating a general pannic amongfc the braved troops *.

* Marjhal Saxe alfo mentions an alarm fpread through a vi&orious army, only by a cafual exclamation of, We are cut of*

A young

A young partridge (hooter milling through the •whole day, has certainly no fears about him : yet in the moment of eagernefs, nothing can bring the piece to its proper level but frequent practice, and the being long inured to its di- rection.

Thofe who in a feries of engagements, have experienced the comparative harmlefnefs of fmall arms, might upon occafion, ufe the pike fuccefsfully. But a body of raw peafants im- preffed with murderous ideas of a gun, how- ever they might brave the enemy on equal terms, will never be induced to hazard the flrfr. onfet within reach of their lances. Yet per- haps, thefe ought not to be wholly exploded, on fudden emergencies in default of better array. For though inefficacious on the coafls, there are fituations in the more internal parts, where trenches might be fupported by ^thern, joined to the fire arms with which the maritime counties, who had retired inwards, were all provided. This however, fuppofes a cafe of cbflinate refinance, which hardly even ought to happen, and alfo a deficiency of mufkets

and

( 143 >;

and bayonets, always to be preferred. Sup- poling government only to fupply thefe for the fea ports, yet there is an eafy way of eftablifri- ing a flandard of arnns for the whole kingdom, adapted to the army ammunition. — And this by a heavy tax on gun barrels not made con- formable to the flandard for carrying an ounce ball. This can be no grievance, for if every Englijhman have a right to arms, for the de- fence of his own houfe, this is equal to any in other refpects, and fuperior as a branch of national defence. If qualified gentlemen chofe to indulge themfelves in other diverfions for their fport, the tax would only fall upon a luxury, with the additional fatisfaclion to the financier, of being afiured by that very quali- fication, of the party's ability as well as incli- nation to incur it.

Whenever the invaded are driven to the ne- ceiTity of active war, it can be no ether than a war of ports. Their frequent enterprizes, may attack thofe of die enemy, but their hourly attention muft be to the defence of their own. It is needlefs to repeat that the cxercifes of kifure, fhould be the rehearfals of

fervice

( 144 )

fervice. Regiments fhould frequently be thrown into out- houfes, courts, orchards, church-yards, &c. They fhould be taught to feek a breaft- work in every bank, and a rampart in every wall. They fhould fee at the inflant, what an- gles of it flanked an enemy's approach ; and v/hat other angles, buildings, or abuttments, prevented themfelves being enfiladed. If no fuch are found, the farmers facks ready filled as they may be, or fluffed with earth from his garden, from fuch a traverfe in an inflant. The advantges of an abbatis, are fometimes to be compleatly procured in the fhorteft time, and there are fituations wherein they are of efTential fervice, A caufeway, a ford, a hollow pafs, invite fuch a defence. It is applicable to every road where the adjoin- ing meadows are divided by ditches, as they are near London, ;md in all low grounds; it is flili more fo, where the inclofures are formed by high and woody banks, like Devonjhire. No man fhould be ignorant of the flrength his village would acquire by cutting down a few trees, and difperfing them if pofTible, in fome faliant angle, which he can contrive to flank. With the habitude of feeking thefe ad-.

vantages, \

( I4S )

vantages, every cottage is a fortrefs. But place me a parade ferjeant in a hamlet with a dozen fpruce foldiers, and let them be alTailed by a fuperiorhy of force ; courage may brave the unequal combat, prudence may effect a retreat through the gardens, but wifdom would have feen how fafely the poft was to be main- tained, had you ever taught it him j or incuU cated, that to obftruct the enemy with the lead hazard to the invaded, is the leading principle to defenfive war.

There is no danger of cenfurable tautology, in perpetual repititions of the necefiity of works for this purpofe. They fliould be con- ilrucled every where, and arranged in fuch mi- nute detail, that every village fliould know where to ered them, and on what plan, whatever fide the enemy advanced on. Thus pre-inftructed, it fhould be their care to have them ready againft the arrival of the army who were to defend them, in cafe themfelves are inefficient for the purpofe. Thefe works ought by no means to be fo refolutely main- tained as to hazard the troops within, who U muft

muft never be expofed to be ftormed or cut off. So long as their retreat is fafely effected, the enemy obtains no victory, and perhaps, after a fcvere Caughter, only finds himfelf matter of a few hundred yards, prefenting a ftill * flronger work before him. The precife point of time, at which evacuation is neceflary, muft depend on the facility of the retreat, the dif- tance of the next poft, and the flrength of that they are defending. Some are tenable if well fraizsd or palifadoed, till the enemy reach the very ditch ; a paffage through the abbatisy or more remote defence, may decide the fate of others : but the fundamental maxim of all is flill the fame ; to defend them only fo long as to fecure retreat. For thefe reafons, therefore, it fhould have been obferved, that affociations need not abfolutely confiil of men with arms in their hands, fince a corps of ar- tificers from every village, with hatchets, pick- axes, and fpades, might be as ufefully em- ployed half a mile beyond the fcene of action, in conftructing a breaft-work for the reft. This fort of chicanery may be extended to the moft infurmountable degree; there are

pofts

( 147 )

pofts which cannot be turned, and to effect this in any cafe, the enemy, under a variety of difadvantges, muft traverfe a larger orbit, whilft the defenders unembarraffed, matter of the territory, and acquainted with its roads,- move in the interior circle. This mull al- ways enable them to perform their marches with fuch fuperior rapidity, as to prcfent equal difficultes in every new line of operation to. which the invaded may be driven; befides, that all this is effectually gaining time. — And time, by enabling the nation to call forth its moft diftant reiburces, is in itfelf an hourly victory.

Thofe who have hitherto written on the dif- ferent branches of fortification, have confidered it abftratledly, without any relative confidera- tion of circumftances. However bewildered and fubdivided in detail this fcience may be, its firft principles like that of many others, are extremely fimple j and there is no man of common underftanding, with as decent a fhare of mathematics as every gentleman ought to poffefs, but what could acquire a very compe- V ? tent

tent fkill in it, more eafily, than himfelf ex- pects. Every fcience, it is true, difplays gra- dations of merit amongft its profeflbrs, and our corps of engineers, are very far from the bottom of the fcalej fome there are, whofe talents, the proudeft difnlay of foreign fchools, might wifely emulate -, yet I have never hap- pened to meet with any fyftem of field forti- cation, adapted exprefsly to defenfive warj and ftill further, to defenfive war in Great Britain. There is a captious facility in putting quef- tions, that might afk if the whole bufinefs of entrenchment, be not defenfive war, and it will be agreed to in a large extent ; but great defi- derata ftill remain. We are taught ably to de- fend a poft, teach us to defend a country; thefe are furely ideas beyond bare repitition, and multiplication. One reflection arifes from human nature itfelf. Men will fight on better terms, knowing a fecure retreat to works re- plete with new difficulties to the afTailant. — Another circumftance feems to alter every ef- tablllhed rule of fortification, which is, that (excepting one pofiible cafe, the laft works round the capital) the troops of the country

muft

( '49 )

muft never be expofed to being cut off, and therefore, the flanking fire fhould be directed to a remoter diflance than the ditch of the fa- liant angle. The title of Le Cointes fcience des foftes militairey promifes more than it performs. Clairac has not an idea of it -, and Capt. Pleydell leaves us to wiih he would enlarge his fcale.

Againft a nation properly and univerfally aflbciated for its defence, the lhalloweft poli- tician of an hoftile ftate would hardly projedl an invafion. To level an attack immediately at the ftrongefl fide is too grofs an error for the youngeft foldier j and to land a body of troops in a country like this when arrayed, would be relinquifhing all chance of equal confli<5t, with a certainty of incurring every poffible military difadvantage, far from every fource of fupply for repairing the cafual lofles, or necefiary expenditure of war. Whilfl the inhabitants with armies ever recruiting, re- fources ever fp ringing, and advantages ever in- creafing, would acquire ftrength and confidence every hour. Montcfqulm indeed reports a fay- ing, "that <c the Englijh were never fo eafy to

" conquer

( 1 5° )

fc conquer as at home/* which he qualifies by agreeing that it only holds good in the cafe of her being exhaufted by diflant wars j and thus far it is an oracle to warn us againft the dan- gers of our prefent lituation, and point out the urgency of warding the blow, to which our wild heroics in America have expofed us. Great Britain, deflituteof allies, kept at bay by her own colonies, and aflailed by the moft formid- able confederacy, that ever threatened her do- minion, has no army to look up to. 1 hat continent wherein the active valour of a Tar- Ictcn has been debafed, hardly admired, never applauded * j where Burgoyne with courage and with conduct was difgraced, and where ten thoufand gallant undiftinguirtied efforts have been configncd to periihable infamy. That fatal continent which not the mofl delirious fallies of the Swedijh Charles could dream of conquering, has facrificed an army, that in

* i The Toil cf War,

Which hath as eft a ftand'rous Epitaph, As Record of fair Aft ; nay, many time, Doth ill deferve, by doing well : what's worfe, JVJuft CBrt'fey at the Cenfure. CYMBELINE.

defence

defence of this nation might have Iraved a world in arms. What then remains for our fecurity but to array every citizen and defend

ourfelves. Long e'er the art of fubfidizing

troops created a military fyftem ufeful to com- mercial ftates, which made a merchandize of fervice, the nations round bore their own arms, and a man's helmet fitted himfelf alone. Thus our anceftors were their own avengers, till civilization united to wealth, introduced a more commodious and in moft refpects a better plan ; but if neceflity obliges us to revert to antique cuftoms, we fhall confole ourfelves by the recollection that fuch have been praclifed with fuccefs, and need not abandon our hopes while we can ferve ourfelves.

CHAP,

( '5* )

CHAP. V.

0?i the Militia.

.

WHEN the abolition of the feudal tenures had difarmed the yeomanry and pea- fants, whofe vafialage heretofore rendered them immediate foldiers at the call of their refpective lords, while thefe held their own pofTefiions under the fovereign, as lord para- mount; it became neceflary to frame fome eftablifhment of troops, prepared for the in- flantaneous defence of the realm, in cafe of ludden emergencies. But as neither the exi- gencies of theftate, or its constitution, required thefe to be conftantly embodied ; they were only occafionally trained, and then, on max- ims of the foundefl policy, returned to their different occupations. No human inftitution

could

( '53 )

could be more wifely planned. A body of men, firft chofen by lot, were particularly de- figned and marked out, whofe fervices in the field the nation was entitled to exact without delay. But this was at moft periods, a remote consideration, while their duties as citizens were indifpenfable, and of daily advantge to the community. To this fyftem, tinder vari- ous modifications, we owe our prefcnt militia> the great fterling defence of this kingdom, and the only army its unfophifticated conftitution could acknowledge. Whatever variations have been introduced in partial claufes, the legifla- ture has never yet loil fight of the original in- ftitution. The inhabitants are felected by bal- lot. Thofe of the neighbourhood are exprefs- ly directed to be polled together. Qualifica- tions too, have been uniformly infifted on for* the officers, in order to give Weight, arid fecu- rity to the eftablifhment. The executive partj has not however kept pace with the fpirit that enacted thefe falutary laws. The fundamental principle of embodying the inhabitants of a county, under the aufpices of their landlords and neighbours, has been completely forgotten, X Qualifications

( IJ+ )

Qualifications have firfl been fhamefully evaded, and then necefTarily difpenfed with. The ad- miflion of fubftitutes, in itfelf a fair and rea- fonable accommodation under proper reftric- tions, has been univerfally allowed without any limitation, or regulation whatever, to the ut- ter difgrace and difparagement of the fervicc. Whenever the perfonal abilities, manual {kill, or commercial connexions of an individual can, by advancing fcience, improving manufactures, or any other mode, increafe national wealth, or ftrengthen natural defence more than his perfonal fervice could effect, every idea of moral juftice unites with political expediency, in accepting fuch a compromife as Ihall be moft beneficial to the party, as well as to the community at large. But then fubftitutes themfeves, fhould invariably be procured from the fame county; for neither the private or even the relative fituation of any fubjecl, can authorife an alteration that deflroys the firft principle of the eftablifhment itfelf, and inftead of arming the moft repectable body of the neighbourhood, furnifhes a corps of aliens to the counties they reprefent ; unacquainted

with

•with its defence, unconnected with its inter- efts, and the heaviefl clog to the recruiting that army, which an annual law, declares ne~ cefTary for the Cf fafety of this kingdom, the <c defence of the pofTeffions of the crown of " Great Britain, and the prefervation of the - tc balance of power in Europe *."

Befides this, it feems that by the fpirit of the Militia Laws, our anceftors had in view the training by fuccefiion, a much larger body of citizens to the fcience of defenfive war, than can poflibly be effected under their prefent fyftem. For this reafon, among many others, by way of prelude to perfonal fervice, it is to be wilhed, that during the time of war, when the militia was actually called out and embo- died, it could be reduced from triennial to annual. For although the former be a reafon- able period for a peace-eftablifhment, yet it will hardly be contended, that one year of con- ftant excercife, is not more than equivalent to the thrice twenty-eight days, as well as abun- dantly fufficient for all the practice and infor- * Preamble to the Mutiny Aft. X 2

mation, necefTary to make the inhabitant ufe- ful. At any rate, the ufage of hiring fubfti- tutes, fhould be clogged with fome reftrictions ; and whenever difficulties occur, they can be adj Lifted by no mode fo congenial to the prin- ciples of our legiflation, as by the fummary verdict of a jury, before the deputy lieute- nants. The rights of exemption from perfo- nal fervice, pleadable in fuch inftances, might be the practice of any liberal art, an exten- five commerce, a beneficial manufactory, ill health, and above all, a jus trium liberonim : or fome fimilar indulgence, ought full to be al- lowed in this inftance, as in the prefent depo- pulating period, it (hould be in a variety of others. There are alfo cafes, in which a libe- ral government might indulge inclination, in order to obviate all imprefilons of difguft to a fervice, that ihould be rendered pleafant. But then caprice is a fair fubje£fc for taxation. Con- fequently, an exemption from perfonal fervice,, fhould be allowed de jure, without any fpecific plea for hiring a fubftitute, on payment of a. fine not lefs than 20 1. or exceeding fifty, to be by the jury, according to the ability

of

of the party. Without recurring to the ac- knowledged maxim, of {offering a partial evil that a general good may refult, in order to palliate inconvenience, and in fome cafes to fanctify oppreaion ; it may not be difficult to fhew, that the militia, on its true constitutional footing, is no fuch bugbear as to induce very frequent appeals from the ballot. Reduced, as it is to the footing of a regular army, it ac- quires inconveniencies not its own, which the farmer, the mechanic, and even the common hufbanclman muil wifli to obviate, before he can readily embrace it, but thefe grievances, conftitute no part of the militia eflabiifhment ; on the contrary, they are in confident with found policy, repugnant to the fpirit of its laws, and foreign to the genius of the confli- tution itfelf. A militia-man fairly conndered, is not a foldier, either by choice or by law. The inhabitants of a country find it neceffary, amidft the hoftilities that ravage the globe, to have fome internal eftablifhment of defence; jnftead of hiring dorceftic or foreign troops, a certain evil, for a precarious good: they adopt the wifer plan of agreeing by their re-

prefentatives,

prefentatlves, that a number from their own body fhall be configned to this charge; and they caft lots, to afcertain the perfons to be arrayed, for a certain ftipulated period. But the men thus elected, are by no reafonable confiruclion, fubjeftto any other covenants than thofe of being in readinefs, and in fufficient training, for the purpofes of national defence. They have never embraced the profeflion of arms, or devoted themfelves to the caprice of reforming generals. They have abandoned no privileges, by felling the laws of their country, and accepting an arbitrary code in exchange. Their difcipline, fays Black/lone, is LIBERAL AND EASY, and he thinks the articles of war an hard- fhip on them, which taken in their extent, they certainly arej for, granting that it may be ex- pedient to form new regulations for every dif- ferent incorporation of men, it does not there- fore follow, that an involuntary and fortuitous predicament, fhould fubjecl a man to the fame penalties for failure in parade, etiqutte, or even in fome degree, neglecting a three years charge of a fmgle ifland •, as for abandoning the duties of a profelfion, which by his ov/n afb he had

devoted

devoted himfelf to for life, fubjecl: to Hated regulations, extending to all parts of the globe, and who, at the very making this contraft, had received what he chofe to imagine an equi- valent.

Faffing however the articles of war, (not- withftanding the authority of a Black/lone, and the palpable injuftice of difproportioned or ar- bitrary punifhments) to avoid all experiment of innovation in the hour of peril. There are points flill more effential, which that very peril magnifies the importance of. Too long have the maffive chains of prejudice rivettcd our underftandings; we have equally loft fight of what is equitable towards others or ufeful to ourfelves j and in the exercife, the difcipline, - the regulation of the militia, we have fuffered faihion to introduce all her abfurdities, to the total fubverfion of more eflential defenfive principles, and with an outrageous violation of contract, that nothing can extenuate. — It may perhaps require ibme degree of military (kill, or rather an enfranchifement from military pre- judice to detecl the manual exercife itfelf, which

like

( 160 )

}ike the hocus-pocus of a juggler, or Mr. Bayes's plot, is merely calculated to elevate and furprife ; yet however well it may ferve to iinarten, or fill up the time of a foot-foldier is worfe than abfuid when extended further. — It is not legerdemain, or teaching a man the tricks of a monkey, that can either defend his country, or annoy his enemy. All thefe cere- monial performances ought therefore to be in- flantly exploded as fenfelefs and unmeaning; even if the right itfelf of fadling them upon the militia were enquired into, it would hard- ly bear difcuffion, unlefs they could be proved contributory to the purpofes of national de- fence, for which alone the citizens of this ftate have agreed to arm. — It is no juftification of this right to alledge that the act of Charles II. which declares the militia under the com- mand of the crown, fubmitted generally the mode, of training it. — For it would be replied that it could only fubmit the training it as a militia and not as an army. — To urge Mill fur- ther a fovereign and fole power of judging what is right, would be yet more unfatisfactory. To an unbounded uncontroulable prerogative,

the

the wifdom of this nation has never annexed exiftence, and no general in fupport of this unlimitted command will venture as yet to fend a militia regiment chained on board the gallies, by way of experiment to prove rowing a part of their exercife. — The fupreme com- mand refides ultimately here, as in every other inftance is the common fenfe of the nation, the fovereign is but the mouth-piece to de- clare their will, and if he perverts the employ of the militia by directing it to any other pur- pofes than thofe of national defence, he arro- gates an authority never delegated, and rebels againft that facred fource of all power, the majefiy of the people.

When an old officer is feen putting a militia corps through all the exhibition of a parade field day, revolted reafon enquires how many of thofe pretty ceremonies are applicable to his country's fervice, and candour itfdf but re- ftrains the laugh through refpect for the nn- pliancy of high military notions, early imbibed, and confecrated by cotemporary folly. — The greateft (kill in the fmalleft matters isa the Y chara&eriftic

characteriftic of modern tallies. A certain ton and bel ufuage have erected a fyflem of which the art of reafoning conftitutes no part. What in the name of wonder can it fignify whether fuch a militia regiment ftep off with one leg, or with the other ? reft the firelock or order it ? turn to the right or left about ? It were better perhaps for this country, to have them do it the way called wrong than right, provided it be equally expeditious ; for the time taken up in learning thefe matters, whether one hour or one month, might be much more ufefully employed. — Inftead of infulting the rational faculties of country gentlemen with all the puppy ifms of parade, can no exercife be formed on ideas of utility, and might not a little Ihow be facrificed in Times like thefe, to objects of intrinfic importance. If the pnrpofe of the mufltet be to fire with precifion and rapidity, might not thefe be practifed at a target, with fome propriety. To be well acquainted with the forte and foible of their own coafts ; to judge the natural flrength of pofts, and the artificial modes of augmenting it, are at leaf! a,s dTential, as to have hats exactly the fame

cock*

cock, and qucus exactly the fame length. But thefe notions are a fort of hcrefy in tactics, where ferioiis debates have arifen, whether a foldier's legs ought to be all white, or all black, or half of both, although neither fignified three flraws, or anfwered any end, except that of exciting difgufl in every man of common underftanding. Such however, are at prefent, important fubjects; and a war of buttons, is carried on with more pertinacity, than any other object of the campaign.

There is a maxim, which might fafely be extended to armies in general, but is an incon- trovertible axiom when applied to militia, this is, That all duty Jhould be carried on with the Isaft poffible inconvenience, confiftent with real utility. The mind employed in objects worthy its attention, will ever give it ; but long trifled with, it re- taliates, and trifles in its turn. So few ufeful points are to be obtained in a feries of modern field days, that the minute portion of ore is hardly worth refining from its quantity of drofs, nor do many poflfefs the microfcopic eye re- quired, to feek it there. When an independent Y i country1

country gentleman, relinquishing his fortune and his eafe, fteps forth to infpire his tenants with patriotic animation, with what fenfations can one endure a pert adjutant from the army, whifpering an ignoramus colonel, (who con- ceives difcipline depends upon it) that Captain Such-an-one wears a fcratch wig, when he ought to appear in a bob. In the name of wonder, cannot a plain honeft EngUJbman^ dif- play the fterling energy of his character, with- out having it debafed by foppery, and fophifti- cated by conceit? May not a glorious ardor irnpell a man to ferve his country, although he poffefs no talents for the ton. The modifh re- finements of polite life, may not have reached the happier villages which flourifhed under his paternal magiitracy; or perchance, the uncon- querable fpirit of CreJJy and Agmcourt, has ren- derd the ftern foul of fome modern CaraRacus, impervious to their penetration. Hampden, and Sidney, were plain men, whofe appearance, would now be as unfafhi enable as their tenets ; and even Cromwell, no bad foldier in his day, would make a forry figure at the Horje Guards. For heaven's fake, let the prevalence of folly

model

model as it will that {landing army, which ilate necefiity and continental madnefs, im- pofes on our freedom ; and if a foldier cannot exift otherwife, at lead let us be militia-men without being coxcombs. — Whenever it ihall be demonftrated that a man in a red waiftcoat is thereby incapable of being equally brave with his neighbour in a white one ; it will be- come a naticnal concern, and the militia muft be worried into conformity ; but until that fhall be clearly afcertained the fting of ridicule muft await a bigotry fo idolatrous. Happy for this nation were it only laughable, but if by hunting men of fenfe and confequence from the fcrvice it become pernicious, the joke exifts no longer. — A declining empire cannot afford to facrifice flable and conilitutional fecurity to idle foppery and the unreal advantage of mili- tary vagaries. To conflrucl redoubts, to throw up lines, to form abbatis, and defend pofts already formed, are the true employments of fuch troops. Even fougaftes, trous de loups, and all the variety of device which ingenious man has invented for his own deftruction, be- come (to ufe a courtly phrafe,) " The arms wfacb

" Ccd

lc God and Nature have furni/hed" and perhaps not worfe applied to the defence of our laws, our liberties and our religion, than in the attempt to deprive our children of thefc bleflings.

Field days fhould no longer confft of a for- mal bill of fare, divided like the acts of a play into a regular ftring of manoeuvres. — Inftead of thefe fliould be fubflituted frequent marches, and the reprefentation of actual war over a line of country ; rehearfmg as much as could be forefeen on the very fpots moft liable to be the icenes of defence. — Flying camps fliould often vifit the principal landing places, form on the neighbouring heights, take pofts and fecure them ; in their retreat to others, explore the ihortefl communication of bye roads, try every ford, ascertain the poftibility of inundations, found every mcrafs, and know the extent of every plain. Thefe are occupations that add ftrength, infjrire confidence, and carry con- viction.— To break up roads effectually, and with expedition ; to fcour the country in de- tached parties with fuch geographic knowledge

as

as always to fall back in the fhorteft line to a fupporting body, are things not to be omitted ; for although the troops of this coun- try would be under no neccfiity of feeking forage for themfelves ; yet the effectually cut* ting off all means of procuring it from the enemy is a moft material concern, and would now be feebly executed. — All militia ought to be light infantry, not by the fafhionar le mode of cutting off their fkirts, but by the rapidity of their movements, and the burthenfome ir- regularity of their attacks. — Their exercifes fliould rarely lead them to march the grand road : that cannot be miflaken, the enemy himfelf will follow it without erring j but to know the diilance, the bearings, the ftrcngth of bye-ways, with the moil expeditious track to regain their own camp through a thoufand in- tricacies, are advantages he cannot pofiefs, and we iliould not be without. Many a de~ tachment had been fccure in gaining a pofb within an hundred yards, when they were loft for want of knowing it. How many cnterpriles have failed from troops miffing their way ? How many furprifes might have been effected,

that

( 1*8 )

that were never thought of through the fame defed ? Our militia captains are all fox-hun- ters, and well imprefled with the convenience of knowing a country. Never did a general revifit in peaceful hours the fcenes of his former campaign without being ftriick with the difco- very of advantages miffed on both fides. — I have twice feen regiments in England lofe their way in fituations, that had been fatal, if an enemy had exifled ; and if this can happen without either the confufion of action or terrors of defeat, how fludioufly fhould it be guarded againit, when thefe have a poffibility of uniting ?

At prefent the firft drilling of a militia- man confifls in marching flow time ; a bufmefs he need never be confined to above a week, for Itately as it is, adding dignity to motion, it conftitutes no part of defcnfive operation. — I remember formerly to have acquiefced in the long continuance of this practice, from a con- viction of the necefiity of fome meafured pace, that fhould reduce the different movements of individuals to uniform certainty j and by uni- ting

ting the whole body teach it to acquire one momentum. — This fecmed likely to be com- pafled with greater eafe and precifion, by com- mencing with paces more flow and ftrongly marked •, however tfre experience of an whole regiment marching in battalion with the ut- mofl exaftnefs, without ever praclifing the flow ftep ten days, has convinced me it is not ne- ceflary. — If it be allowable as matter of rudi- ment, it fhould never be hunted down for the purpofes of parade. It certainly does fet the foldier upright, and (hew him in the handfomcfl ilile, and wherever thefe are eflential points, it ought to be the firft object of dicipline, but if one atom of convenience is to be facrifked, no advantages prefent themfclvcs to authorife ita fo long as the militia are not confidered as holliday puppets for the mob to gaze at. — On the contrary, the curved attitude, neceflary for many trades and moft operations of hufbandry, fo habituate the dorfal mufcles to inflexion, that at a certain time of life it becomes as painful for thcfe people to maintain an erect pofition, as it would be for a gentleman to remain long {looping ; and that this is no trU Z fling

fling inconvenience every one has experienced in a variety of exercifes. — For what purpofe then is the frame of man to be diflorted ? Will he be more a<5Hve, or better enabled to endure fatigue, in a diftrefsful than in a natural po- fition ? — To fuppofe that an attitude is e^fy, becaufe it pleafes the eye of tafte, is irrational. •—The flowing elegance of the Antinous imi- tated for ten minutes would be more incon- venient than the pillory. Few trivial points are more graceful than turning out the toes, yet the lectures, of a public academy have very ably demonftrated this to be an unnatural diftortion, which if not early adopted muft be more than unpleafant to acquire. — Hence if caprice and fafhion are to new model our . frames, at any age, the iron bed of Prccrufies may be again introduced. Or if fome future Alexander fhould have one (boulder higher than the other, the modifh conformity of his courtiers, for aught we can forefee may deform the whole army j but even then I ihould vote for leaving the militia as their Creator formed them ; it is not every general that is competent to mend his works.

Sup- 1

Suppofing the militia thus trained, to march with order and rapidity in the pofture they can mod eafily fupport> every unmeaning exhi-*- bition of the manual difcarded ; the platoon- exercife becomes an object of attention, con- ftantly to be practifed, with all the celerity that exactitude can furnifh. In this, however, the fpringing the ramrod fhould be avoided -t it is a motion of fignal effect on the ear as well as on the eye, but not adequate to its purpofe. Whoever going to fire at a mark, much more to hazard his life upon a fhot, would load in fo precarious, fo flovenly a flile. Neither fhould the motions of loading demand that exact pre- cifion of time, neceffary in marching or ma- noeuvres : the fize, the age, or the agility of a man, mud create fome variance ; one half can never ram down their charge at all, if all are expected to do it in equal time ; and to keep a part waiting for the reft, is reducing the whole to the level of the awk«irdeft, at the very moment aftivity is the moil defireable. Hence the irregular or independent fire acquires one of its advantages, its continuity and the uncertainty it imprefles on an enemy's advance, Z a are

arc additional ones j but perhaps the firing by platoons, or any larger divifions, would be en- tirely exploded, by confidering what further facrifice muft await its regular performance. Admitting that human nature, in every fitu- ation, is capable of only a certain degree of attention, which we may exprefs numerically, by calling it equal to fix ; then if one, two, or three of thefe degrees are employed in obferving to fire together, there remains fo many lefs to be exerted in levelling properly at the object; whereas in the independent firings, this alone occupies the mind. At prefent, it is greatly too much to fuppofe the attention equally divided ; at leaft five fixths of it go to the word of command* while the obtaining a pro- per fight becomes a very inferior confideration. The militia therefore, not having to learn the knack of firing together, which a fet of Auto- matons would do infinitely better by a fmgle fpring, have no occafion for wafting powder in the acquifition of ridiculous applaufe. Car- tridges of this fort, fhould be referved for birth- day fquibs : they fhould receive none without a ball, and with fuch they cannot praftife too

often

( '73 )

often, fo long as the definition of an enemy is necefiary to conqueft, and their country's prefervation. — But on the other hand, if the powers expected to invade, are, like the Indian^ on the fiffr, inroads of Chriftian bu cancers, to be difmayed by the very found of fire-arms, let us in pity to humanity, obtain bloodlefs vi dories, and leave the platoon filing in the full difplay of fonorous infignificance.

Whatever is here fpoken of militia, extends no general reference to regular troops ; whofe eftablifhment, whole contract, whofe purpofes are different ; but there are fome inflances, which common fenfe may pofiibly apply.

A proper cloathing is neceflary to cleanli- nefs, and all its falutary confluences ; it fliould be that which is moft convenient far exercife, and moft conducive to health. A light jacket is generally beft adapted to the former, a large cloak will be frequently dc- firable for the latter.

A fierce*

( 174 )

A fierce-cocked hat, looks valiant, but pof- fibly has not in itfelf the faculty cf creating courage. If not, a round one is a better de- fence againft the fun and rain j a fort of fo- raging cap with flaps, would anfwer both pur- pofes, and be convenient to lie down in be- fides. — Good fhoes, and worfted flocking, or thread with worfted feet, are requifite for fre- quent marches, and by keeping up the tem- perature of the extremeties, obviate many dif- eafes. The free ufe of the mufcles of the leg, and joints of the knee and ancle, is too eflen- tial to be facrifked to gaiters and tops, which in a greater or fmaller degree, impede their motion. Some defence againft cold and dirt, fhould be procured in Winter, and againft gra- vel and briars, at all leafons. A kind of boot, or rather upper itocking, of woollen cloth, foft tanned leather, or canvas made tolerably loofe, fhould be adapted to the feafon. Thefe could be no obftade in walking, and would fparethe eternal trouble of buttoning and clean- ing the prefent cumberfome equipment.

Aeon-

A conftant attention to cleanlinefs fhould fupcrfede all confiderations of parade, and with this view the hair might be cropped like a fchool-boys, for the mofl diftant profpect of utility is not to be neglected for mere orna- ment, efpecially in a body with whom we have no right to play tricks for entertainment -, who are devoted to purpofes too facred to be bur- lefqued with the impertinence of foppery. The plain rough hewn Engti/b peafant ought after three year's fervice to be returned unfo- phifticated to the plough tail, whereas now a militia education ruins every hufbandman it gets hold of. If this is not fatal to the agriculture of this country it is becaufe the enrollments of this clafs have not been very numerous, and, that they have not been fo, is the fortunate re- fult of another evil, the too common admiffion of fubflitutes. If a fmall proportion of hufbandmen are drawn away, it is becaufe only a fmall proportion of the nation are trained to arms. Thofe firft ballotted infteaa of fuper- adding the bufmefs of a militia-man to theijr- own profefiions, relinquish, thefe and become downright foldiers. At the clofe of the warx

fb few of them1 return to labour, that it is for- tunate if \\ e retain foreign garrifons enough to cafe the talk of jufuce ; for if marching regi- ments cannot provide for them ; idlenefs will. TMs however is a ibrry exchange for the com- munity. Inftead of having at the end of feven years, near ninety thoufancl induftrious citizens inftruc"bed in national defence, the utmoft we can now hope is to have thirty thoufand men torn from us and trained to arms, at the im- menfe facrifke of every other occupation. Thefe are times in which national wealth can hardly afford thi?, or national fecurity autho- rize it. The morals of the militia (once re- florcd to a conftitutional footing) are a more important object than any yet confidered ; this h a facred charge entrusted to the good faith of the officers, their neighbours have indivi dually cldiais upon the benevolence of thofe T*ho ars to lead their children forth in a new Kne, and public jufcice eftablifhes this attendon as a debt, not only to the county, but to the Jiingdom at large. \Vhen a regiment is to be disbanded, it is by no means indifferent whe- ther a well-regulated body is to be rcflored

to

to fociety, or a gang of banditti turned loofe upon the neighbourhood.

To march the coaft militia out of their rcfpeclii's counties is to weaken the powers of national de- fence ; and this fo materially in every military point of view, that it is hardly pofiible for the moft prudential arrangements in other refpecls to counterbalance the inconveniencies of the prefent abfurd and illegal fyflem. Knowledge of the country is amongft the firft and prin- cipal advantages which troops at home poffefs over an enemy. To fhift every militia from its own coaft, and bring ftrangers as little acquainted with it as with the coafts of Otaheite> is an ingenious contrivance for deflroying this -fuperiority, and reducing us to "act upon terms equally unfavourable. Tis true we fhall not want guides ; nor probably will they : but the officer who can fleer for himfelf flands on a very different footing. Suppofing it otherwife, the moft defireable cafe is, that fome perfon converfant in military matters could be found to conduct his party, and then the odds are very considerable that he never attains the exact A a pofition

( 17* )

pofition fuited to the intention of the officer who is to aft in it. Thus like the ancient drama, wherein one of the perfonages enacted, what was recited by the other, the whole can never be of a piece; nor is it poflible for the communication of ideas to be as perfect and diftindt as their conception.

If an intimate acquaintance with the ground be advantageous, the ftate of its fupplies in horfes, forage, Mores, carriages, artificers, &c. is no lefs fo ; this is only to be found at home, and thofe even of the next county muft be de- ficient. The fuperior countenance and afilflance furnifhed by their own militia to all provincial affociations muft not be forgotten ; but above all the facred ardor which a man feels for his own houfehold gods. In one flep further the enemy deftroys the venerable cottage of his grandfire. His family already fhudder at the profpect of roaming the unfheltered wafle. Good heavens ! if this fituation could happen but once, and were confined to the feelings of a fmgle individual,, it promifes more for Britain's fafety, than every thing that can be urged for

moving them. Indeed I never heard one ar- gument for this, that was not abfurd and dif- graceful. For if any colonel be incompetent to training the militia properly at home; he is certainly unfit to be entrufted with it elfewhere.

The flation of the inland regiments ought therefore to be the neareft coafts where it is thought proper "to place luch a body. — Above all things it (hould never be forgotten that the quarters of every militia man ought to be the neareft to his own abode confift'ent with public fafety. — It muft be confidered how foon he may return to the duties of private life, and how neceflary it is for him to keep up the citizen in the foldier, which was indifputably the conflitutional object of our anceftors. That a man fhould be within reach of his own little concerns, is by no means indifferent to his country, which he may enrich as well as defend. His farrn, his hop-garden, a few looms at home may all derive advantage from

his fuperintendance. Let us again confider,

that the dangers to which this kingdom might

be expofed from foreign enemies, when the

A a 2 influx

( i3o )

influx of commerce had dedroyed the univer- fal array of lefs wealthy periods, fird induced the inhabitants tD agree by their reprefenta- tives that a certain number of themfelves fhould

be trained for its defence. To chufe thofe

perfons by lot for a dated time was a fair and 9, reafonable plan, but they were of courfe to be fubject to the lead pofiible inconve- nience confident with public fecurity.

When an individual is thus compelled to a profeflion, he has undoubted claims upon all its fair conditions ; and it is a very fair one, that he fhould not be harrafTed by any employ- ment, fervice, or removal, not efie Finally con- ducive to the public fafety. It goes far be- yond expedience and propriety ; it is the un- doubted right of every maritime militia to remahr in its own county, unlejs the public danger be thereby augmented^ which can rarely happen, except on fuch coads as appear otherwife defended, or very remote from all probability of invafion •, or in cafe of actual intelligence of an enemy's defigns elfewhere. On the fame principle, the militia of every inland county, has a juft claim to be ftationed at the neared pod. Thus be-

fides

fides the great national benefit as a firft object; many will have the advantage of their own homes, moft of their families, friends and for- tunes, together with a thoufand comforts, which they never meant to relinquifh ; and which it is an unjuft, impolitic, and indecent violation of the contract, for government to deprive them of.

Nothing but a total ignorance of the wife principles of our laws, or an arbitrary perver- fion of them, could have introduced the pre - fent unreafonable practice: our ftatutes from the very firft notice taken of the militia, are exprefs in fupport of this doctrine : and fubfe- quent acts have continued the fame equitable regulations, till very late periods. — The words of the aft of parliament, ift Ed. III. Ch. $. are,

" That no man be compelled to go out of " his (hire, but where necefiity requireth, and " and fuddain coming of fbrange enemies into f the realm, and then it (hall be done as hath " been ufed in times pair., for the defence of

" the

" the realm." This is confirmed by 4th of Hot. IV.

Cbartes the Second, in aflerting his right of command over the militia, only claimed to move them in cafes of infurrection, rebellion, or invafion, as will appear by the following extract, 13 & 14 Cb. II. chap. 3.

. c* Which lieutenants fhall have full power '< and authority, to call together all fuch perfons " at fuch times, and to arm and array them " in fuch manner as is hereafter exprefTed and 11 declared, and to form them into companies, lf troops, and regiments : And in cafe of in- " June ft ion, rebellion, or invafion 9 then to lead, " conduil, and employ, or caule to be led, " conducted, and employed, as well within the " laid feveral counties, cities, and places afore- <f faid, for which they fhall be commifiioned " refpeclively ; as alfo into any other the " counties and places aforefaid, for fuppreffing cc of all fuch infurrec~nons and rebellions, and cc repelling invafions, as may happen to be, t( according as they fhall from time to time, re-

" ceive

C 183 )

*' ceive directions from his Majefty, his heirs, " and fucceflbrs."

The wife of every age, have agreed in own- ing how dangerous it is, to trufl even the moft moderate man with power, and that the tempt- ing command of it, which the extent of milU tary difcipline affords j has been long too fa- tally alluring *. Thofe very perfons whofe in- fluence and abilities fhould protect the rights of the militia, have acquiefced in facrificing them frequently to theirownjauthority. Ayoung nobleman, called by the moil generous impulfe to the head of a corps, overlooks in the animated purity of his intentions, what other objects may be devoted to making a fine regiment. His own credit feems flaked ; his emulation is roufed, a little vanity fpurs him on, and the body entrufled to his charge, for purpofes that ought to have been accomplished in the eafieft manner, is harraffed through all the manceuvres

* C'eft une experience eternelle que tout homme qai a du pouvoir eft porte a en abufer ; 11 va jufqu 'a ce qu'il trouve des limittcs — Qui Ic diroit! la vertu mene a befoin des limittcs. E/prit des Loix.

of

( 1 84 )

of modern tactics. One half of thefe are .abfurdities when faddled upon the regulars. Nine-tenths are unconftitutionally extended to the militia j even if this proceeding did no harm, its grofs injuftice muft prevent its being treated merely as ridiculous ; but when it is big with fuch fatal mifchiefs, it becomes criminal, and Ihould be feverely punifhed. The moft atrocious of all treafons, is treafon againft the majefty of the people, and fuch is this. The fafety of this kingdom, can never depend upon the fooleries of the firelock, or the puppyifms of parade j but her danger muft be augmented by their injudicious introduction. Whoever would put a militia on the footing of a march- ing regiment, muft facrifice a greater object, a more ftable, a more constitutional fecurity ; and by direct confequence, whoever is defirous of promoting that equality, has views incom- patible with the wellfare of his country. It might appear a ftrong affertion, to fay at once, that the militia ought not to be foldiers ; yet fureiy the idea of armed citizens, is more fa- cred and not lefs invincible •, more endeared to the feelings of a Briton^ and infinitely more

har-

harmonized to the principles of the conftitudonV The doctrine of Judge Black/tone, has already been taken notice of, and the opinions of this great man, when unperverted by courtly poli- tics, were drawn from the - richefi fources of our invaluable code, and digefted by the moft profound reflection. It is the want of that li- beral and eafy fyftem he mentions, that at this moment reduces the militia infinitely beloW what it might be. Men of weight and confe- quence, not immediately in command, foort ficken of a fervice replete with troublefome, trifling, and unneceffary fatigue ; hence the of- ficers dwindle fo faft, that if it be better not td enact laws, than to lead people into difobeying them, rhe qualification claufes will want re- pealing before next feffions. The mere life of a foot-foldier, is naturally enough a bugbear that deters the fons of farmers and decent tradefmen, from perfonal fervice ; and on the prcfent footing, it would be unreafonable to compell it. But, there are modes of reftoring k to credit; of training in thd coiirfe of a few* years, a much larger proportion of the nation, and thefe principally of the molt refpedable B b elates*

claffes, whofe property and character would en- noble the eftabliihmentwith fentiment, rivaling what the boafted houlhold troops of France could ever poflefs.

One of the firft fteps to this defireable reform, is to fend all the militia in winter not only to their own counties, which (except in cafes of adtual invafion elfewhere) it is madnefs ever to remove them from ; but to their own homes. The private concerns of every individual are objects worthy the atten- tion of the ftate. Much of its wealth depends upon them ; and this alone according to the prefent financial fyftem of war becomes a part of military arrangement. — His children too, the feeds of future armies are not to be negledled, for if the population of this king- dom decreafe as japidly as a late eminent writer * conceives, every p-ofpecl: of repairing the havock is a matter of national importance. The perfonal labours of thirty thoufand men during five months annually are not to be overlooked in times of poverty, any more than

• Dr. Price.

the

the additional exertions their prefence , might occafion in the induftry of their families. In the pay and cloathing fomething might be faved, and if the convenience of the public be thrown into the fcale all thefe together will have weight. — The adjutant and ferjeants being in fact regulars employed to train the - militia, might remain to take charge of re- cruits ; for in order that the whole fhould on emergencies have a competent knowledge of their bufmefs, it would be necefiary to make a refervation of fuch as joined late in the Au- tumn ; but which might be a good deal ob- viated in future, if all ballots except cafual ones took place in the Spring. The moral good effects of this meafure might be traced beyond the re-uniting thofe bonds of fociety, which fhould never be diiTolved, and which as well as the principles of qualification, the im- mortal Mentejquieu extends to armies in general*.

* " Pour que cclui qui execute nepuifTe pas opprimcr, " il faut que les armes qu'on lui confie foient peuple, " et ayent le meme efprit que le peuple. * * * et que " ceux que 1'on employe dans 1'arrnee, syent afTez de " bien pour repondre cie Jeur conduite aux autres ci- •* toyens, * * * — que les foldats habitent aVec les citoyen?, " et qu'il n'y ait ni camp fepare, ni caferacs, ni place " de guerre."

B b 2 • . No

No military objection can be raifed upon any reafonable grounds to fending men home, periodically, and the practice of the King of Prujfia with the highefl dreft troops in the univerfe muft filence the cavils of the igno- rant.— At any rate, furloughs ought in mod occafions to be granted on the eafieft terms ; always to bufmefs, or - emolument j frequently to-inclination, and even to caprice. To invite proper' perfons into the fervice, the going out ihould be perfectly eafy j a difcharge mould never be a matter of difficulty, hardly even of favour i for under certain regulations, it mould be a matter of right. — No one who can derive cflential advantage from quitting, mould be detained on finding a fubflitute. If a young man was fure of getting off, when he could engage a farm or mop, he would readily ferve 'till fuch opportunities offered -, and numbers would be ready to fupply his place on fimilar conditions. Thefe changes would not be very frequent, but the more fo the better, for a greater number of inhabitants would thereby {>e trained to the bufmefs of defence.

The

( 189 )

The appointment of a fecond captain to each company would anfwer fome purpofes of accommoc'atioD, and enable country gentlemen of greater corifequence to quit their homes when the period was Ihort and ftated. One only of thefe to be in pay at a time, and to re- lieve each other every three months. A militia on this footing would fubject the officers to few inconveniencies, thofe of the firft property would be tempted to fland forth j and even if the qualifications were doubled, enough

would then be found. Subalterns would

probably be procured with equal facility, if the. duty were really liberal and eafy ; fuppofmg the fame indulgence propofed for the men of occa- fional leave of abfence to be flill more fre- quently extended here. The pay would be no obje<5l to the defcription of gentlemen who would crowd in, nor would the duty of either commifiion be infupportably troublefome. On the prefent footing, a fcarcity of fubalterns may in time produce improper appointments, un- lefs it be obviated. — Something like this might be done by reducing the captain's pay to eight {hillings per diem> augmenting the lieutenants

with

with this faving to fix {Killings and eight pence, and giving army rank to the enfigns after two years fervice ; this would induce young men of family fometimes to ferve firfl here, under the eye of their friends and in the way of promo- tion. The engaging fuch is a defireable and conftitutional object, nor could it materially affect the regulars, which extending rank to lieutenants might do.

Since the value of money has fc much lef- fened its proportion to the necefi'aries of life, the pay of foldiers is become a pittiance, that requires forne exertions of judgment, to regu- late its oceconornical expenditure ; and for the honour of humanity, there are many officers who have beftowed the moft meritorious at- tention on it. That a foldier fhould be well fed, well cloathed, and well lodged, are three points, which in length of fervice muft fuper- fede every other. Thofe who are called out for a temporary exertion, may poflibly fhift for themfelves ; but in all permanent eftablifli- ments, the army in which thefe matters are beft regulated, will have fuch advantages over

that

that in which they are neglected, as nothing can outbalance. Good order, health, and fo- briety, the very foul of difcipline, depend upon them. The fuperintendence of markets, and eftablifhment of meffes are no ignoble attentions. By the firft, a wholefome and proper diet is felected at an attainable price; by the laft, fuel and utenfils are faved : and, the very water that boils the meat, converted into a nutritious aliment. A foldier may fight feme day, he muft eat every day ; and a parade of puddings, affords more folid advantages, than twenty of- tentatious roll-callings, with half as much flower wailed on the hair.

The fame fedulous regard fhould extend it- felf every where to the lodging of troops, fre- quently liable to be much crouded together. — The windows of their apartments fhould be constantly open in the day-time. — Air, if the firft cf vital requifites is furely net the laft of medical ones ; and indeed the greatcft improve- ments of modern practice have their origin jn attention to its effects ; hence the fuperior afcendancy acquired over inflammatory com- plaints

( '9* )

plaints, hence too the fmall pox which fo lately defolated Europe like a fecond plague, has loft its horrors j while youth and beauty tri- umph in its defeat. — In fultry weather, a free circulation is abfolutely necefTary to exiflence ; putrid fevers of the moil dangerous kind are the immediate confequences of ftagnated air. In dry cold weather, however the hazards of ne- glecting this may be lefTened, it ftill prefents advantages to the conltitution. While the at- mofphere ads as a perpetual cold bath, it re- Itores the elaftic tone of the fibres, and repairs that debility, which unwearied relaxation would foon produce. When the rooms in which foldiers lodge are tolerably fpacious, I am no advocate for this communication with the external atmofphere in very damp weather ; \vhichin this climate produces more chronic dif- orders, than every other caufe united; this, however is fubject to fome regulation of feafons andfpace; for generally frefh air with all the confequences of dampnefs is lefs dangerous than a foul contaminated medium. — By means of proper covering, principally woollen, the pores may in -many inftances be protected from ex- cels

cefs of moifture, while the lungs are better fupplied for the purpofes of refpiration. — Clean- linefs is amongft the principal articles of quar- tering foldiers, and fhould be moft feduloufly attended to by the fcrjeants and corporals, on •whom it principally depends ; for officers can- not be conftantly in quarters. By frequent air- ing and changing of bedding, fweeping or wafhing rooms, moft cutaneous and many con- tagious difeafes may be prevented.

To keep men wilfully out in bad weather, who have few changes or conveniencies for re- floring falutary warmth, is equally impolitic and inhuman. It requires no practice to endure fnow or rain when exigencies render it necefTaryj but on the contrary frequent expofures hazard the ftrongeft confiitution in fpight of every effort of the will. Julius C<efar himfelf would be no more proof againft a Rheumatifm, than a common drummer ; and illnefs would as effe<ftu- ally difable the one as the other. The ap- pellation of fair-weather foldiers may be pro- digioufly facetious ; but until it ftjall be fettled that valour confifts in braving a hail florm, C c every

every good officer will avoid trifling with the health of individuals, efpecially when it is im- material to the fervice, whether the field-day commence this inftant, or to-morrow. For this reafon alfo, the Summer bufmefs fhould be car- ried on in the cooleft hours, and moft airy or {haded fituation. The exercifes of this feafon, Jhould be the leaft violent j pra&ifmg to load with expertnefs, firing at marks, and fuch like, Thofe of the Spring and Autumn, on the con- trary, fhould never confifl of few movements, or be on bleak expofures ; rapid marches, and the operations of field engineering, fliould at this time conftitute the principal employments. Not that pofitive reflections are neceflary to any feafon, but fome general outline fhould ever be preferved.

If any details attendant on the militia were to be entered into, we fhould be ftruck at firft fight, with the fhameful neglect of articles, whofe influence on natural defence, is of the firft confequence -, and it would be impoflible pot to remark, that much of the powder fup- plied by the ordnance is too weak to range its

ball

( «9S )

ball to a proper diftance with efFe6t j and this from a variety of mifmanagemcnt in that myfte- rious and inexplicable board. Their flints alfo, are fo fcandaloufly bad, as to be almoft uni- verfally unfit for ufe ; fuch as no man would think of rifking his diverfion upon after game, are yet to be entrufted with the lives, liberties, properties, perhaps the very exiftence of this kingdom -, and this merely to anfwer the pur- pofe of fome vile job, fince the expence of pro- curing the very befl is of the moft trifling na- ture. If the fire of 20,000 men well appointed, be fuperior to that of 30,000 witji the prefent unferviceable flints, (and it is at leafi in that proportion) it muft follow, that the nation which can afford to throw away one third of its defence, has too large an army ; or, that if the whole, may by any poffibility be wanted, fome reform is neceflfary in the article that waftes it*

Having obferved as the moft eflential of all points, that the militia ought invariably to be fent to their own homes in Winter, and to re-* main in their own counties at all times 5 it fhould be added, that flying camps enabling them to

C C 2 Vlflt

( '96 )

vffit the landing-places therein, and rendering them ftill more perfectly matters of its defence, fhould be their Summer deftination ; confidering always how foon they are to return to their ftations in private life ; which that they may not be feduced from, or lofe fight of, all op- portunities of working at their refpe6tive trades fhould be caught at, and the implements of them carried at the public expence, when not too unwieldy. Every ftimulus to induftry Hiould be conflantly applied, and premiums given to reward it. This is by no means in- compatible with their martial eftablifhment, if national wealth he a part of natural ftrength, which will hardly be denied. But military ideas are too apt to abforb every other confideration if its tendency to the fame objecVbe at all re- mote, however ultimately decifive in effect. The philofopher reads with admiration of only one army, whofe forefight during a tedious fiege, detached a part of its force for the ra< tional purpofe of begetting children for the ftatc at home; and however ludicrouily the Cubjeft may now be handled, it was no con- temp table ftroke in the politics of war.

Upon

( 197 )

Upon the fame principles, an attention to the landed interefls of the nation demands that the militia encampments break up the begin- ning of harveft, unlefs in times of immediate danger. Their fervices then will be beneficial, and bad policy alone can make an eftablifhment burthenfome, which offers fuperior advantages by being ufeful in every fituation. — Nothing can extenuate the phyfical error of keeping them out fo late, as was done in 1778 and 1779, it is obvious how weighty and numerous the arguments are againft it, and the conve- nience of publicans the only one in its favour : for the probability of an enemy's chufing that time of the year for invafion has very little ra- tional foundation, — To argue however the impoflibility of this, would be equally abfurd, the added difficulties of the feafon are not in- furmountable, and the French minifters may chufe to incur them ; there is no reafoning upon the future deliberations of a cabinet, when our own has fo ftedfaftly borne witnefs to the truth of De Wit's obfervation, " that no wife " man can forefee the extent of folly" — However, it may be aflferted that no well-planned expedi- tion

C 198 )

tion could take place very late with a profpeft of fuccefs. Our climate itfelf would defeat it during the winter months, when joined to the fatigues and hardfhips flrangcrs muft en- dure. The lands would afford no forage, the country no fuflenance ; thus Nature herfelf is our ally. — But even allowing fome latitude to the injudicious timidity of government, if troops muft be kept together, the mofl incon- venient cantonments are preferable to tents in November ; barns, flables, out-buildings, arc always to be procured, and in the preicnt flate of commerce all the warehoufes on our coafts are not employed.

No talk is more replete with Herculean dif- ficulties, than that of combatting prejudices early imbibed, and there is fcarce a rank more overwhelmed with thefe, than the gentlemen of the army. — Entering young into a profefilon, to which they facrifice that very freedom, which in maturer years nothing could tempt a Briton to relinquish; fortunately for their country, they imbibe new opinions with new laws, and feeing with juflice that their profeflion is the

moft

( 199 )

mofl honourable, eafily conceive it the moft perfect. — Hence the defpotic edict of command bears a ftamp of higher authority, than the fa- cred mandates of the decalogue. — Subordina- tion and eternal conflraint become deities for them, and relaxation the demon that rebels againft the heaven of difcipline. — Such is their religion ; and in every age, tenets early adhered to, have effectually overpowered every effort of the moft nervous underdanding. Ccnfucixs worfhipped the idol of a Paged, as ftedfadly as the fages of Egypt their monkies or their- onions j even the moft enlightened moderns have been attached by this lethargy cf reafon, and thus it is that officers from the army, en- dowed with matchlefs abilities and fuperior talents, bring the bigottry of their earlier creed uncorrected to fophifticate the miLtia.

If therefore the gloomy hemifphere of fact intrude a mournful profpect on the eye, at leaft we may travel the regions of imagina- tion, where fancy's mirror can prefcnt a clearer funfhine. Let us for a moment forget the per- verfion of that liberal and eafy fyflem eita-

biiihed

( 200 )

blifhed by our anceftors, and rcftove, at leaft in idea, a millitia formed on the broad bafis of conflitutional right. Un-awed by military prejudice, their difcipline fhall be the child of reafon, not the abortion of ferviiity. — They Jhall be the foldiers of the people. — Receiving their orders from the crown, they fhall feel that ar monarch's right of command, and their duty of obedience depend on conformity to public weal. — Referring to the origin of all power, it will be found delegated for general good ; and r.n acquiescence under it on other terms is to abandon thofe very principles they are fe- lecled to protect. Their fovereign can only fpeak the voice of the people* they can obey no other, fo long as they continue the guardians of the nation's rights, and not, the flaves of perverted authority. — The eafe of their difci- pline, the utility of their employments, the glory of the caufe would exhilerate every hour of fervice, and fill the ranks with men of property and fentiment. — Sentiment which the importance of their charge, the love of thofe laws, thofe liberties and that religion, they were entrulted to preferve would animate to

the

( 201 )

the moft enthufiaitic heroifm. A filial attach- ment to their native foil, will be fublimed into patriotic ardour, by a grateful recollection of thofe bleffings which no other land beftov?. • — The peafant in the humbleft cottage of a village, owns the felicity of that conflitution, which leaves him fecure from oppreffion in the enjoyment of more imdifturbed tranquility, than the grandee of every defpotic government. — Happy, thrice happy ! if he feel thefe inva- luable privileges enough to watch over them with a jealous eye, -convinced that whatever al- lurements may induce the rich to relinquifh them, he, who mares no part in a fyftcm of plunder and corruption, obtains not the fhadow of an equivalent, nor can have any thing left worth preferving, if robbed of thefe. F.ven if his own interefls could be lulled, where is the Briton who could bafely defert his children's title to inherit thofe privileges, purchafed with the blood of their anceftors, and confided to his arm to be tranfmitted down with undimi- nifhed luftre. And fhould a period arrive, which heaven avert ! when this glorious fabric becomes endangered, either by the depravity D d of

( 202 )

of domeftic minifters, or the invafion of foreign enemies j there is virtue enough in this king- dom to avenge itfeifmoft amply. — Every inha- bitant would fly to arms, and in fuch a caufe the weakefl becomes invincible. There was an energy in the fouls of thofe who grafped Magna Charta from the hands of a tyrant, that ftill flows in the veins of their progeny ; and even if the flroke were levelled too ludden'y to roufe the nation at large, the militia glory to exift for its protection, and will ftand forth the great bulwark of their country's freedom.

FINIS.

APPENDIX.

COTTON. MSS. JULIUS, C. iv.

A. x. Edw. III. Proclamacio quod qidlilet armis mumatur.

1 6 Febr. Quia ex nonullorum relationibus regi eft intimatum, quod qnidam homines dc Scotia quafdam allegationes, &c. ut fupra., Rex mandavit fingulls vicecomites per Angiiam quod publice proclamari faciant quod omnes homines inter etates Ix. & xvi. annorum ex- iftentes. Ac omnes alii homines tarn milites quam armigeri, ad pugnandam potentes fub pcena forfiturs vitas & membroruiri, terrarum^ tenementorum, bonorum & catallorum. ac om- nium quae regi forfitafle potcrunt, armis com- D d 2 peten-

( 204 )

petentibus, juxta formam ftatuti apudWinton. editam, fe munlant abfque dilatationc qua- cunquc. luque quod ipfi fie muniti fmt pa- ,rati ad proficieiidum pro defcnfione regni, et cxpugnanclum omnes illos qui idem regnum per tcrram vel per marc aut populum fuum, gravare refumpferint, &c. quando ex parte regis premuniti fuerint.

De Jlgnis fariendis.

Et mandatum eil fmgulis fupradidis cufto- dibus portuum et littorum prsedidlorum fepc- ratim, quod aliquod commune fignum per ig- nem fuper montes, vel alio modo, in comita- tibus prediftis fieri faciant, prout alias in hujuf- modi cafu fieri confuevit per quod propria dc periculis potent premuniri.

Eodem mcdo aflignantur feperatim alii ho- mines ad arraiandum omnes homines tarn mi- lites, &c. in fmgulis comitatibus Anglic, et ad eos ducendos ad cuftodes portuum et littorum eorundem. m. 24. et m. 21.

Po-

( 205 >

•' f

Potentes altos Juljliterent.

Ordinatio fa<5ta per regem et concilium, de hominibus impotentibus terrarum, tenimentar. et catalla, ad valorem fupradict. habentibus, alios loco fuo muniendos juxta formam prc- dictam. Et quod omnes alii, tencmenta & catalla ad valent. predict, non habentes, viz. tarn foreftarii, fervientes religioforum, et alii quicunque certis minutis armaturis muniantur,. &c. dorf. m. 24.

Et confimilis commifllones diriguntur quam plurimis civitatibus et oppidis primariis regni, de hominibus in iifdem morantibus, arraiandis & armandis juxta formam fuprafcriptam. In dorfo, m. 24.

Pro hominibus in pcrtubus regni arraiandis.

3 Oftobr. Licet rex nuper affignaverit quof- dam fideles fuos ad arraiandum omnes homines clefenfibiles in comitatu NorfF. & alibi infra regnum Anglic, & ad aflidendum ad arma juxta formam ftatuti Winton. &c. pro eo ta- rn en

( 206 )

men quod alieni gentis congregato navigio regnum fuum invadere nituntur. Ac proptef alia nova regi delata. Rex ex abundant! man- davit majore et balivis villas dc Lyne, fub fori- fkura omnium que regi forfitafTe poterunt, quod omnes homines dictre villas defenhbiles fine dilatione arraiari et parari faciant. Ita quod fmt parati, pro defenfione villas preditftas pro repellendis hoftibus prediftis, fi illuc vene- runt, &c. In dorfo, m. 9.

Eodem modo mandatum eft majoribus et balivis villarum de, &c.

De bominibusper totmn regnum Anglla arralar.dis contra hcftium in-vajicnes.

3 Offcbr. Cum rex nuper adignavcrit Jo. Segrave, G. &:c. in comitatu Kantiae, ad om- nes homines ibidem corporis potentes armari faciendum, viz. 40 et 20 libras tcrre, vel red- ditus, habentcs, armis competentibus et eqni- taturis juxta datum fuum, &c. et omnes alios habentes cxv. li. terre & catalla ad valentiam xl. in earum habitatione. capello, ferreo, gla-

dius,

( 207 )

dius, &c. Ac jam in magno coniilio regis apud Nottingham convocato, audito rumore quod alienigene magnum navigium fupra mare con- gregare fecerunt, fatagentes hoftiliter invadere regnum funm, habitaque in difto confilio de liberatione qualiter fufficiens poffe infra di<5lum regnum citius afiumi poterit & ipfnm regnum defenfari : ibidem ordinatum fuit pro poten- tiori repulfione hoftium prediclorum, ac minor! onere & gravemine populi. Quod de qualibet villa ejufdem regni, eligantur unus, duo, tres vel quatuor, et ultra lecundum quod ville illc minores fmt vel m.ijores, de fortioribus ct potentioribus hominibus vcllarum earundem, qui juxta flatus fui decentiam armis competen- tibus muniantur.

Eodem modo afilgnantur allii commi.Tiona- rii in aliis comitatibus ad certbs numeros, ibidem eligend. arraiand. &c. viz. Eborum - 4500

In Weft Riding, 1500, exceptis villis de Fomfret & Doncaflcr.

In

208 )

In North Riding, 1500, exceptis villis Rippon & Eborum.

In Eafl Riding, 1500, except, vill. Beverley.

In partibus de Lindefey,

Lane. - 4000 Lincoln - 4000

In partibus de Kefteven, J333> exceptis villis dc Stamford & Grantham. In partibus de Holland, 1333> excepta villa de Sto. Botholpho. Nott. * 1500 exceptis villis de Netting.

& Newarke.

Leic. - 2000 excepta villa de Leicefler. North. - 3000 excepta villa North. Rutt. - - 400

Cantabar. - 1500 excepta villa de Cantorberi. Hunt. - 1500 excepta villa de Huntingdon. Norff. - 6000 excepta villa de Norwich. Suff. - - 2500 excepta villa de S&o. Ed- munda.

EfTex

EfTex -

Hertf.

Bucks.

Bedd. -

Oxon.

Berks.

Warn -

Staff. -

Salopp.

V/igorn.

Glouc.

Heref.

SufTex. • Surr. -. Southn.

Somerfet Dorfct • Devon. Cornub. Midd. - Wilts. -

( 209 )

5000 excepta villa de Colceftr. 1000 excepta villa de S. Albano. 1500 excepra villa de Buck. 1500 excepta villa dc Bedford. 1500 excepta villa de Oxfon. 1000 excepta villa de Reding. 1500 excepta villa de Warr. 2000 excepta villa de Stafford. 2000 excepta villa de Salop. 1500 excepta villa de Wigcrn, 2500 exceptis villis de Glouc. &

Briftowe,

2000 excepta villa de Hereford, 2O«o excepta villa de Cicefler. jooo excepta villa de Guilford. 1500 exceptis villis de Southt. &

Win ton. 3000

1500

5000 excepta civ it. Exon. 4000 400 2400 excepra civit. Sarum.

Ee

Ccnfimlle in cfaitat. & burgh regni.

Cum in magno confiiio regis apud Nottin^-h. convocato, audito rtimore quod alienigene magnum navigium, &c. ut fupra ordinatum fuerit; quod &c. ut fupra. Rex volens con- cordiam preditftam efficacem, forte ri rran- davit major! & balivis civitatis Cantuar. quod centum homines dc civitate et fuburbiis cli- gant & armis muniri facianr, &c. Ita quod arraiata et munita uno flandardo, pro eis ordinato prompt! fint et parati ad proficien- dum, &c. cum vi6luaiibus pro tribus fepta? menis, &c, ut fupra.

Et manchtum eft omnibus & fingulis COT

mitibus, baronibus, militibus, miniftris & aliis

fidelibus regis ad periculis ponderatis, & con-

fidecato quod primogenitores fui reges Anglias

in turbaciones inter ipfos &: aiics ex terrarum

terrarum dominos motis. Domini maris & tranf-

marini pafiagii totis temporibus retraftis cxti-

terunt, et quod plurimum ipfum lederct, fi

honor fuus regius fuis temporibus in aliquo

lederetur. Qucdque ipfi & ceteri homines dc

regne

( "I )

regno fuo pro clefennone ejm'ciern, fe & fua conrra hoilium invafiones exponere tenentur. Prefatis archiepifcopo, epifcopo, &c. in'pre- diclo traftatu intcndentcs fmt & obfequentes. Et potefhs conccfla eft prefato archiep. &c, cafiigandum e* puniendum rebclles, ^cc. m. 3.,

HARLEANMS, 168, p. 132.

letters to the lord Ihutcnants and CGmmitJichers' for the r.niftsrs in the federal ccuntiss here- under named that are to Jsnd fii-p^lles to the ma~

ritime counties.

1599. Your lordihips lhall understand that her majefty hath lately received divers and fundrie advercifements, that the king of Spain doth renew his operations by fea, and cloth add to Lis other forces of (hipping a number of gallies, and are either already arrived or very Ihortly to arrive at the haven of Brcft irl Brittanye, which is an evident argument that he hath a purpofe to make fome attempt on fome part of the eoaft of this realm, and therefore her majeftie, in her princely wifdom Eei and

and provident care for the defence of this her

kingdom and loving fubjects, doth forfee by

timely provision to withfrand and prevent his

malicious attempts ; for which purpofc we have

written our letters to the maritime counties

to have their forces of horfc and foot in a rea-

dinefs, ancj we are alfo to put you in mind of

thefe fpecial directions you have received from

us by her majefty's commandment, at fuch

time as the like danger was threatened and

expected thefe late years, wherein particular

directions were fet *dow;i in what fort your

lordfhip was to govern youifelf, and to direct

the forces of that county of A. upon notice

given you from the lieutenants and com-

miffioners of mu£ers for the counties of Devon,

Dorfet and Southampton, in fending 2000 men

into either county, that you fhall be required

upon appearance and intended courie of the

ejiemy difcovered to land in either of thofe

counties, to whom befides the forefaid number

of foot, you are to fend alfo all the horfes

that are inrolled in fhat county, or fo many as

fhall be required of you with fuch other necef-

fary provifion. as by our former direction hath

been

been prefcribed unto you, whereunto we do refer you and fpecially require of you for the furtherance of her majefties fervice to perufc diligently our former directions and inilruc- tions given you in that behalf, that there may no default be found in you in thefe occafions, concerning the defence of the realm, and with- {landing the attempts of the enemy. So we bid you farewell.

f Devon,

Wilts, to fend 2000 to <JDorfet, or

C Scmerfet.

f Devon,

Somerfet 4000 — < r

I Dorfet.

Berks 3000 — Southampton,

Southampton, Sufiex — 4000

f South I Kent.

f Southampton,

Surrey, 1000 — ^

I Kent.

j Kent,

London, 3000 — <J

( SufTex.

1000 ElTex, 500 Suffolk.

Cam-

Harteford <

C Suffolk,

CamDndge roo

(Norfolk.

-i

500 Suffolk,

Huntingdon «J

500 Norfolk.

Lincolnfhire . ^ooo Norfolk.

HA.RLEIAN MS. 168, p. 137, b.

A letter from the lords cf the council Fo the Earl of Pembroke , requiring him to fee the hwje and foci to b& in rscdinefs -within the Principality of WaleS) and aljo to take order that th: beacons h duly. watched.

1599. Whereas her majcfric hath of late received divers and fundrie advertifements, that the king of Spain maketh great prepara- tions by fea, both of fhips and gallics, with purpofe and intent to invade feme part of this realm, as we have written our letter by her majeflies exprefs commandment both to the maritime and fundry inland counties of the realm, to have all the horfc and foot in readi- nefs to withftand the attempt of the enemy, with direction how the maritime counties (hall

be

{ eiS )

jbe fupplied out of other counties adjoining as occafion ihali require. So we have thought good likewife to give your lordfhip notice thereof. And do pray you to caufe all the numbers of horfc and foot within the feveral counties in the principality of Wales (efpecialy in the maritime counties) to be likewife in rea- dinefs, as hath been in former times, and to fee the beacons duly and carefully watched alongelt the fea coaft, and meete places near the fea cofle, better to difcover any attempt, navie, or number of fhips that may come to- wards any part of that coafl, and to take fpecial regard of Milford Haven, to which end you fhall give directions that one of the deputy- lieutenants may be there in perfon, wherein praying your good lordfhippe to take prcfent order: we bid, &c.

HAR-

( 216 )

HARLEAN MSS. 1 6 8. p. 146, b.

A letter to the Lord Cobham, Lieutenant of the county of Kent, requiring him to take order for the making of trenches upon tbcfe places where the enemy is likelies to land.

1599. Her Majefty by advice that comes from fundry parts finding the intelligence your lordfoip hath heard of the Spanifh preparations to be confirmed, and that it is greatly fufpecled by the manner of their preparations, that cor- refpondencc is held with his forces of the Low Countries, and by advertifements and other reafons, that he will attempt to land his forces either in the Downes, or at Margett j her ma- jcfties pleafure is, your lordfhip fhall prefently fend to Sir Thomas Wilford, being one of the deputy lieutenants for the Eaft part, and to command him forthwith to coimder where and how fome provifion may be made by caft- ing up trenches, or any other way of impeach-* ment, at their likeft landing places, either in the Downes or at Margett, which may ferve

alfo

alfo for defence of thofe forces which fhall be ufed againft them, the performance whereof we pray your lordfhip to leave to his confide- ration, fo it be done with all expedition; and further as we doubt not but your lordfhip will have all the foot companies in readinefs, fo befides your ordinary horfe bands we pray your lordfhip to forefee that the number of horfes may be increafed, by moving the gentlemen to bring as many of their fervants well horfed to fuch place of rendezvous as fhall be ap- pointed. And thus, &c.

HARLEAV. MSS. 5844. p. 55.

Memorial of injlruftions for fuch martial men, as Jhall be employed into the maritime coafts.

For the better defence of the maritime coun- ties, and avoyding of confufion, upon any at- tempt to be made by the enemy. It is necef- fary to make choice of martial men, having fkill in fortification and martial affairs, to be fent down to conferr with the lieutenants or deputy lieutenants upon the points following, and to make report unto his majefcie or the Ff lords

lords of the councell, how they find the coun- ties furnifhed, and put in order for defence.

Firft, it is necefiary to view the places of defcent, and to confider what fconces or other kind of defences may be made to impeach the enemy, and how fuch field-pieces as may be in the county already, or to be fent down, or furnilhed by the country, may be employed for impeaching of the faid defcent.

They having viewed the trained bands (hall moove the lieutenants or deputies, to appoint fomeof-the beft bands that have the moft fkil- ful leaders, to make head to the enemy upon any fuch defcent, and fhall aifo infinite them how and in what fort they (hall make head, and how they fhall make retreat, in cafe the enemy fhall fet foot on land.

They fhall alfo, having viewed the ground neare to the place of defcent, make choice of fit places to retreat, to be re-inforced by pioners, whilft the trayned bands be employ- ed in impeaching the defcent of the enemy,

where

\vhere it Ihall be meete to place fome part of the flrength of the body of the fhire to make head againlt the enemy.

They fhall alfo confider how the horfemen of the county may be employed to the beft purpofe to annoy the enemy. And therefore it is meete they fhould be very well trayned -, to which purpofe they are to be advifed to make choice of fome men of fkill, to traine them out of hand, and commandment to be given to the lieutenants, that fuch as are bound to find horfes or geldings, during thefe times of dan- ger, keep them in the liable.

That the lieutenants hazard not to fight with the enemy, otherwife than to impeach their defcent, until they receive direction from his mojetiy, or the lords of the councell how to govern themfelves. And therefore forne fe- cond place of retreat is to be thought on, in cafe the firft fliall be forced by the enemy.

To re-info rce the places of retreat, and fof

other good purpofes to annoy and impeach the

F f 2 enemy

enemy, the proportion of loopyoneers to every 1000 foldiers, is to be obferved. And they are alfo to be reduced under captains, and every pioneer to be furniihed with a fkull and a black bill. To be captain of the pioneers, the high conftable will be the fitteft man, having fome fpecial gentleman appointed to be their collonell.

Places of afTembly to be appointed near to the places of defcent, whereunto upon the firing of any beacon, the trayned bands and other forces of the (hire might repair. As alfo the pioneers to be ready at hand to be em- ployed according to fuch plotts as lhall be fett down by the faid martial men, upon conference vith the lieutenants. To which end they are before-hand prefently to take an exact furvey of all grounds and paflages, that with fmall labour and induftry may be made of ufe to flop the enemy. And in this cafe, if the numbers of pyoneers proportioned fhall not be fufficient for the work, that the countrie, being there- unto required by the lord lieutenants or deputy

lieu-

lieutenants, fend in as many others furnifhed, as ftiall be poffible.

That none frail repaire to the places of affembly, but fuch as by the lieutenants fhall be appointed; and therefore it will be fit, that in all great towns, thoroughfares, and bridges, certain Handing v/atches be appointed to examine all paflengers, and to fuffer none to pafs, but fuch as are of the known bands, and fuch as fhall have certain fpecial marks to be agreed on by the lieutenants, whereby it may appear that they be of the number that fliould repair to the faid places cf afTembly.

And for the better execution hereof, it fliall be necefTary that fome difcreet gentleman dwel- ling near the faid thoroughfares and paffages, be appointed to have the overfight of the faid (landing watches, who are to have an eye to perfons doubtfull, leaft they be employed by ill-affected fubjecls towards the enemy.

The

The lieutenants according to former direction, to appoint captains to the reft of the (hire befides the trayned bands, who are alfo to be exereifed with fuch arms as are to be found, and mufl be moved to provide drumms and enfigns, which will be fome terror to the [enemy, when he fhall fee the troops which are to make head againfl him are put in fome martial order.

The captains of the trayned bands men would be perfuaded to entertayn fome fkilful lieutenants and farjeants, the charge whereof would be defrayed upon fome public contri- bution ; wherein the recufants who do not an- fwer to his majefty, the penalty appointed by the ftatute, would not be forgotten.

Some fkilful men in matters of fortification would be procured from the Low Countries for directing the pyoneers, and diftributed in the maritime counties to be ufed in cafe of ne- cefiity.

That as well the bands of pyoneers as fol- diers have a proportion of victuals for #days,

and

and carriages appointed for conveying the fame from place to place. For execution thereof fome fpecial perfons would be appointed to have the charge and overfight hereof.

Some carriages to be appointed for mat- tocks, Jhovells, pick-axes, and other like tools meete for pyoneers -, and becaufe it will be necefikry befides pyoneers to ufe divers ar- tificers, as fmiths, carpenters, and wheel- wrights, it is meete that in every band of pyoneers, fome fuch artificers be placed.

That competent forces be afllgned for de- fence of the coaft of Effex. And that befides the defence alreacy made for Harwich, there be muftered and enrolled 200 able men out of the towns next adjoining, befides the proper forces of that place, to repair thither upon in hours warning for defence of the fame, untill the greater forces appointed thither may come. The faid 200 men to be armed and fedd by the town, and conducted by fome feleded perfons.

That

( 422 )

That to fuch principal commanders, as fhall be fent into the maritime counties, certain experienced captains be adjoined, to the num- ber of 8 or 10, to each principal com- mander.

HARLEAN MS. 6844. p. 58. MINUTES OF COUNCIL, 1558.

Letter to the Lord Mayor to enquire and certife vjhat ftore of powder remains in the hands of particular perfons within the city of London.

The directions to the maritime counties, for withftanding the landing of an enemy, and what affiftance fhall be fent to their fuc- cours from the adjoining counties, to be re- £olved on, that letters may be prepared.

The return of the certificates of the trayn- ed bands in all counties to be haflened for the perfecting of this proportion.

To

( "5 )

To confider what experienced perfons mail be fent, to view the 'places of defcent, and have the conduct and ordering of fuch forces, as fhall be afligned for defence of thofe places.

Orders to be given for the commifllcn, touching maintenance of ftallions and mares for breed, and gelding for fervice.

L. RuffePs propofitions touching horfe in Devonmire to be confidered.

Propofitions in 1588, over and above thofe things in ivhich there is or:'er now given,

To fee how the forces who are to repair to the places of defcent for withftanding the landing of the enemy, may be covered from the mot of the enemy with trenches or pa- rapetts.

To make ditches and pitts where the land- ing is eafy.

To

( 226 )

To plant fharp flakes deep in the ground.

To have fome field pieces and munkion with victuals and carnages.

The horfes to be kept in the ftable.

And befides the horfe that are reduced into band, to have the horfes of the gentlemen with their retinue in readinefs.

The horfe as well as the arms of the recu- fants, to be fcqueftred into the hands of per- fons well affected.

Upon firing of the beacons, to beware of confufed repair to the fea coafls, but to places of rendezvous

None to flirr but the appointed numbers without direction.

Strong watches to be placed and kept at sill bridges, pafTages and thoroughfares.

Turn-

Turnpikes to be fet up infuch places*

The captains of the trayned companies not to be abfent.

To know what martial experienced men arc in the feveral counties,

It was alfo propounded that private cap- tains fhould have under their command only one fort of weapon.

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*«1

Hence it appears, that the numbers actually armed at this time were 105,827. Befides the forces upon the Borders and the forces of York- fhire, referved to -anfwer the fervices North- ward, which were 40,000 foot and near 10,000 horfe, and fundry fhires which are not certified. — The Marquis of Winchefter furniihed 4037 men, and the Earl of SulTcx, 2678 ; — and we have a very numerous lift of nobility and others, who raifed bodies at their own expence, the numbers of which are not fpecified, only in ge- neral terms, that they amounted to Jeveral y horfe and foot.

It is by fimilar exertions, that a fifter-king- dom has proved competent to her own de- fence, and perhaps been no lefs fuccefsful in preferving her property from foreign inroads, than from home-born-oppreffion. — 1 he fpirit, the unanimity, the unconquerable ardour, which, animated the AfTociators of Ireland, merited fomething more than domeftic fecurity. — Glo- rying

lying in the caufe of freedom, their vrews were enlarged beyond all partial emolument, and in the glorious fatisfaflion of emancipat-, ing the commerce of their country, Public Virtue met its firft reward in the Public Good.

FINIS.

i

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES

THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped belov

134&

•

,940

DEff 2 1940

10m -8, '38(7752)

OF CAUFORHlA AT

L08 ANGELES LIBRARY

UA

647 Dorset D73e An_e_ssa;

on

• fensive

war

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