THough Garrisons in three or four of our grea­test, richest, strongest Cities (which are as so many Magazenes and places of refuge) may in some respects be necessarie and conveni­ent in times of war; especially when guarded by the Cities own Arms and Forces yet that our ordinary standing mercenary Garrisons (especially in small Castles and Blockhouses are not only altogether uselesse, but most dangerous, oppressive and mischievous grievances to the Nation, both in times of war and Peace, I shall briefly evi­dence by these ensuing Aphorisms.

1. THat the Principal use, end of Garrisons is onely to keep a 2 Sam. 8.14. 1 Chr. 18.6.4, 1 Sam. 13.3, 1, 22, 23. C. 14.5, 22, 23. c. 10. forraign conquered Enemy or Coun­trey in constant subiect on and contribution to the Conquerers; therefore not to be contniued in our own free Nation by those who pretend its Freedom and Enfranchisement from bondage, unlesse they resolve to make us their conquered Vassals and Tribu­taries, instead of English-Freemen.

2. That all Garrisons, Castles, Forts & Block-houses through­out England if their works and fortifications were demo­lish'd, [Page 2] would be nothing else but meer despicable, worthless, barren Hills, or Clods of Earth, scarce worth two hundred pounds a yeer at their best improved value; which no wise Statesman or enemy, upon due consideration, would either value, look after, or go about to fortifie, more then those many thousand unfortified Rocks, Hills upon the Sea-coast or in inland Counties, which any forraign or Domestick Enemies might, with as much advantage to themselves, and prejudice to the Nation, soon fortifie and Garrison with ease and advantage, if they would bestow so much charge & pains, as on those now fortified & furnished to their hands at the peoples cost, if once but Masters of the Field w [...]h forts would stand the Enemies in no more stead, if now sleight­ed, then any other unfortified Hills, Rocks, or those Gar­rison'd Hills and Rocks would do before they were fortifi­ed and Garrison'd, being altogether as unuseful, unable to defend or secure the Nation and People near them from the Invasions, Plunders, Conquests of any Potent Enemy or Party stronger then these petty Garrisons, as any other un­fortified, ungarrisond Hills or Rocks throughout the Island of like, or as strong a situation, and really serving only to defend the bare mercenary Garrison-Soldiers in them; and the barren Rocks, Hills alone whereon they stand, not the whole Nation or Counties adjoining, in time of such Invasion, Danger, till they be either taken by, or surrendred to the prevailing Party & Enemy. There­fore to put the Nation, Countrey to a vast annual expence of many thousand pounds each yeer to fortifie, furnish and man such Garrison'd fruitlesse Rocks and Clods of Earth, (not worth 200.l. a yeer at utmost value) which can neither secure the whole Island nor people near them from For­raign or Domestick Enemies, and to continue them Garri­son'd at such a prodigal expence, is as great a Solecisir, Madnesse, Prodigality in true Martial & State Politicks, as it would be ill Countrey husbandry for the whole Na­tion or private Statesmen to bestow one hundred thousand pounds every yeer in Planting, sowing the Hills and Rocks [Page 3] whereon these Garrisons now stand, to reap a barren crop only of 200.l. a yeer at most; which (as they are now gar­rison'd) yeild them not one farthing towards the publice Revenue, and yet have cost the Nation very many thousand pounds out of their Purses every yeer, to no use or end at all, but to cast away so much money on lazie Gar­rison-Soldiers, to smoke Tobacco, and cry one to another, Who goes there? (as if we had stil too much mony in our dry-dra [...] ­ned-Purses) and to continue them at this grand charge, on­ly because the Island and places near them, might be endan­gered, if slighted, & their ruins supprised regarrisond by an enemy (who wil never certainly be so mad or sottish, as to fortifie any slighted Garrisons, unlesse able to defend them against the whole Nation) is as grosse an absurdity, as to argue; we must forthwith fortifie, Garrison, all other ad­vantagious Sea-coasts, Rocks, Hills, Basses in England, be­cause else any Enemy might master, seise and fortifie them to the Nations, Peoples danger, damage; and repair, forti­fie all old late demolished Castles, Forts, Block-houses, up­on the same reason and accompt, (which all the Indian Mines would not suffice to Garrison)

3. That England being subject to the Forraign Invasi­ons, Depredation of Enemies or Pirates, only by Sea with Ships, which no fixed Land-Garrisons can incounter, as­sault, board, take, sink, or pursue from place to place, nor hinder from landing under their Noses, if stronger then they; muchlesse in any other place out of their command; (as is undeniable by our ancient seising of Cadez and sundry Townes, Garrisons in the Indies by Sir Francis Drak, & others, and our late invading and taking in of the Isles of S [...]lly, Ge [...]sey, Ga [...]nsey, the Barbadoes and Scottish I­sland, without the losse of any one Ship, and of very few men, notwithstanding all their Blockhouses, Forts, Garrisons, for to secure them they are altogether useless Prodigalit [...]es; our victorious puissant Navy being the sole, best, sufficient defence against them, and only able to resist, take, sink and surprise them: That England (as Mr. Cambaen and M [...]rcator, Hey­lyn, Sir Thomas Smah. others [Page 4] write) being 1836. Miles in compasse, all invironed with the Sea, except for some few Miles space next to Scotland; it is as great a mistake in point of State-Policy, & as grosse an Absurdity in Military-Skill, to assert or believe, that 40. or 50. standing Garrisons, Forts and Block-houses, distant sun­dry Miles one from the other, not taking up or securing 40. whole Miles of this vast Circuit, and leaving no lesse then 1800. Miles thereof, and near as many Landing Pla­ces for Enemies and Rovers open to their Invasions; with­out any defence at all, can hinder either their Landing or Pillaging, or secure the Island from Invasion, by any con­siderable Fleet and Forces now, which they never could do in former Ages, as its frequent Invasions and Conquests too by the Romans, Saxons, Danes Normans and others, not­withstanding all our ancient Castles and Garrisons attest. And to continue them for this very end upon the impover­ished Nations drained-Purses, by imposing unusual, unsup­portable taxes, Excises on them for their support, is as grosse a conceit, as to assert, that the Garrison and Guns in Dover Castle can forciblie keep off any Forraign Fleet of Enemies or Pirates from Landing or Plundering at the Lands-end, Lizards Point, or Whitsand-Bay in Cornwall, or at St. Davids in Wales; or, that the fortifying of the Tower of London alone, or the uselesse Block- [...]ouse [...] at Grave [...]-end (which can neither slay, hurt nor sink any resolute Ship or Vessel, much less an whole Fleet in a Sunshine-day, nor yet discern them in a mist or darksome night, and can dis­charge their Guns at them only at roves but once at most, with more expence of Powder and Bullet to the State, then harm to the Vessels they shoot at) will hinder a Whe­ry-Boat or Navy fraighted with Soldiers at Brainford from landing in [...]utile-Fields or VVindsor; or the guarding and locking up of Crippl [...]-Gate alone, hinder an whole Army or Brigade from entring into London at New-gate, or any other Gate of the City, though they all stood open, unguarded, & though all its Walls and Works (like the late Line about it) were levelled to the ground. Yea, as vain a State, a Military Policy, as formerly to have built a Fort [Page 5] onely at Tyburn to secure all London, Westminster and Southwark, against the late Kings Army, without draw­ing any Line of Communication round about them, or placing any other Guards then those in Tyburn Fort for their defence against them; or to have placed a single Company of the London Militia at VVhite-chappel, to Guard both Houses whiles they sate at Westminster, without any other Guardians to secure them nearer hand; It being both vanity and folly to fortifie only one inconsi­derable part of a Town or Garrison (and so if the Island) if all therest be unfortified, and lie alwaies open to all ene­mies Invasions without defence.

4. That in all times of publick Peace, or when and whiles there is no Enemy near, it is Peace it self alone, and want or absence of Enemies that secures the Peoples, Na­tions Persons Estates from danger, Plunder; not Ga­risons or Field Armies; which cannot universally pro­tect their Lives or Goods in all places and at all times, when there is any open War or Enemie in the Field, as Peace alone always doth, and will do still, without cost or trouble: Therefore it must needs be very ill Husbandry and no good State-Policy [in these or other times of In­land Peace] to keep up Land-Forces and Garrisons through­out the Nation at the Peoples intolerable costs, now there is no Enemie at all in Arms amongst us, to protect the Peoples Persons and Estates from spoil and danger, when as our very Peace it self and want of armed Enemies, doth and will absolutely secure them both, without any charge at all, or either of these costly Lordly Superfluous Guardians; which could not secure the greatest part of the Nation from the late Kings Forces, Power and Plunder in times of War, nor yet the Kings Forts, his Friends or Quar [...] from the Parliaments Forces.

5. That in Times of open War, no Garrisons through­out the Nation can secure themselves and those within them against a puissant Army, or any Party stronger then these Garrisons; which will soon 2 Kings 18.13. 1 Sam. 13.3, 4 [...] Hab. 1.10. Dan. 11.15. take them by Force, [Page 6] Stratagem, Composition; or for want of Provision, Ammu­nition, and other Necessaries; or by Treachery or Mutiny within themselves, unless timely relieved by a marching Field-Army able to raise their Seiges, as late experience and all Histories attest: Yea oft-times a small Party, far less and nothing so numerous as those Garrisons, by some Stratagem of War, sodain Surprize, or through security or negligence of the Garrison Soldiers, or by the casual death of some eminent Commander; unexpected forcing of a Passe, or routing of some of the Garrison Soldiers in their Salli [...]s and entring with them in their Retreat; the successful springing up of some Mine; the blowing up of a Magezine; the stopping of all Provisions for their Relief, advantage of Ground, divisions amongst the Garrisons, Treachery, Bribery in Officers, Soldiers, Cen­tinels, or Townsmen, and a thousand other Casualties, have in all former ages (and will hereafter do the like) con­quered sundry strong Garrisons throughout our three Nations, and in all other parts of the World: Besides no Garrisons in our Nation, without the assistance of a F [...]e [...]d Army, either are or ever were yet able to protect them­selves by their own strength against any powerful Enemies Seige, who resolved for to gain them, in times of War. It can be therefore little less then apparent folly or frenzy for us, to perpetuate and maintain them still at so vast a charge in these times of In-land Peace throughout the Nation, to protect and secure the whole Land or Country about them; being thus unable to defend and secure themselves in the heat of War from Foreign or Intestine Ene­mies.

6. That Garrisons both in times of Peace and War, are so far from being a benefit, safeguard or protection to the whole Nation, or to the Inhabitants within them, the Country about them, and the Contributers towards them; that in truth they are commonly their greatest Grievance, Oppression, Loss, Damage, Mischief, and frequent occasions of their utter ruine both in Peace and War, as shall be evi­dently [Page 7] demonstrated for our Soldiers, States-men, and Na­tions future in formation, and speedy suppression of these grandest Grievances, by these particulars

1. In all times of Peace, they put the whole Nation, In­habitants, Country, to an excessive prodigal expence of moneys, which would be better imployed in relieving and setting poor people on work, advancing Trade, Ma­nufactures, Merchandize, improving Lands, and supply­ing the Peoples particular occasions; to all which, and the better relief of maimed Soldiers, their continuance is and will be still extreamly prejudicial: They much impoverish, grieve, oppress, discontent the People by endless Taxes, Excises to maintain them▪ by Billeting, Quartering, and oft-times Free-quartering the Garrison Soldiers on them; by the frequent Mutinies, Misdemeanors, Abuses, Out­rages of Garrison Soldiers, and Lordly imperiousnesse of their Governors and Officers, over-topping, over­ruling, and sometimes abusing in many places the Nobi­lity, Gentry, Ministry, and civil Magistracy, as well as common People; and interrupting the course of Justice, by protecting both themselves and their Soldiers from Arrests and Executions for just Debts, Duties, Trespasses to the People; by entertaining, listing and detaining children against their Parents, Servants and Apprentices against their Masters, Husbands against their Wives and Families good wills, to their great grief and prejudice▪ by keeping of many thousands of able, young, lusty men in meer idlenesse, spending their time in eating, drinking, gaming, whoring, sleeping, lewdnesse, or easie uselesse duties day and night, onely to gaze about them; to call to one ano­ther, Stand, &c. and to spend much Match and Powder to no purpose, but to waste them and our Treasure in com­plements; and in the mean time robbing the Nation of the benefit of their honest painful Labors in their Callings; by their frequent running away upon discontents or mis­demeanors, leaving their Wives, Children, and not a few great Bellies and Bastards on the Inhabitants and [Page 8] Countries charge; running into their scores and debts for Quarters and Necessaries, and then departing without payment of them; by infecting the Inhabitants and Country with the Vices, Errors, Blasphemies, Sins, Cor­ruptions, diseases of the worst and deboysest Soldiers: by occasioning many Murders, Men-slaughters Blood-sheds, quarrels, Brawls, Robberies, Thefts Burglaries, Disorders, Oppressions, Drunkennesse, Idlenesse, Gaming Whoring, Swearing, neglect contempt of Magistracie, Ministry Gods publike Ordinances, Sacraments, Sabbaths Disturbances of our Ministers and publike Assemblies in and near the Garrisons, by dangerous Practices to undoe or vex many innocent Persons, which else would be prevented; by hin­dring peoples free ingresse into, and egresse out of Garri­sons about their urgent occasions, concerning which their Centinels, Corporals, Governors strictlie interrogate them ex officio, and force them to dance attendance on them sometimes many hours space, to extort Beer or Money from them before they can passe or repasse about their bu­sinesse; by searching the Houses, Studies, seising the per­sons, Letters, Writings of divers persons by their own bare Authorities or others unlawful Warrants, against all Law and the Peoples Native Freedom, upon feigned pretences, causeless jealousies, idle rumors vain fears, and sometimes secret conspiracies against their very lives and Estates, which are made a prey to these Soldiers: By sundry other abuses, in seising their Arms, Birding and Fowling Pieces, Moneys Plate, Horses, Goods; and impresting their Hor­ses Ploughs Carts upon needless, or wrongful publike or private occasions and pretences. In all which, and sundry other respects they are extraordinary Grievances to the Nation, Garrison'd places, and Countrey adjoining even in time of Peace. Therefore not to be continued upon any vain pretence whatsoever.

2. In times of War, when they are pretended most ne­cessarie, they are then most chiefly prejudicial, pernicious, destructive both to the whole Nation in general; the Places Garrison'd; [Page 9] the adjacent Country and all contributing to­wards them, as these experimental Demonstrations will undeniablie evidence against the erroneous Opinions and Practise of all Pseudo-Politicians and Soldiers contrary Pretences, wherewith they delude, yea, cheat the ignorant people: For, in times of actual Wars (especially ci­vil, when they are most pernicious) they bring a general mischief on the whole Nation, and that in these respects: 1. By lengthning and drawing out their intestine Wars with the Plagues and Miseries attending them, for many yeers space, as our ancient and late Wars manifest) by a tedious and successive Seige of their Garrisons, till redu­ced; to the great waste, spoile, destruction and impoverish­ing of the people; the innumerable increase of fatherlesse children, Widdows, poor and maimed persons, the slaugh­ters, deaths of thousands more then if there were no such Garrisons. 2. By multiplying the Peoples Taxes, Expences, to furnish and maintain these Garrisons, and raise, pay a great Field Army besides, for these Garrisons security, which would be a sufficient safeguard to the Nation without them. 3. By lessening the number, weakning the strength, sub­stracting the Military Provisions with all other supplies and recruits of the Field Armies, in whose good or bad successe, strength or weaknesse, the Safety or Ruine, Preservation or Conquest of the Nation (next under God) doth alone principally consist; and whose Victories or ill successes the whole Nation, with all Garrisons usually do, will and must of necessity follow; their Garrisons being unable to defend them from Plunder, total and final Conquest, if their Field Armies be quite routed or destroyed; which would speedily end the Wars by Pitched Battels in the Field in a few dayes, weeks, months at furthest, were it not for besie­ging and taking in Garrisons, which (through the Artifice of Mercenary Officers and Soldiers) protract the Wars for many yeers, and continue the Plagues and Miseries of war upon the Nation far longer then if there were no Garri­sons [Page 10] in it as, ancient and present experience must and will attest.

2. They are in times of actual War most prejudicial to the Towns and Places Garrisond in these ensuing regards. 1. By doubling, trebling their Taxes, Contributions, Pay­ments, charges to new fortifie and furnish these Garrisons with Ammunition, Artillery, Cannons, Provisions, Maga­zines of all sorts; augmenting their mercenary Guards and Soldiers by hundreds and thousands in some places, to their great impoverishing and vexation; and that oft times, to betray them to the Enemy at last; yea, to lose those Gar­risons in a few dayes or howrs, which they have thus (to their vast expence and trouble) been fortifying, furnishing, guarding many moneths or yeers space together, as the late Presidents of Bristol, Hereford, with other Garrisons belonging both to the King and Parliament in England, Ireland, Scotland and elsewhere, demonstrate; and the Hi­stories of all Ages, Countries testifie. 2. By continual bil­letting quartering and free-quartering the Garrison Sol­diers and Officers on the Inhabitants, within or near the Garrisons, to their great oppression, vexation (superadded to their Taxes) oft times to their utter undoing. 3. By drawing the Field-Forces likewise into them, and free quartering them all the Winter long, or when they are out of action, for their better accommodation and safe­ty, to add to their former affliction; and by continual un­cessant quartering of other marching Soldiers on them upon all expeditions, parties sent out upon emergent occasions; from which heavy Pressures, ungarrison'd pla­ces and Villages remote from Garrisons are either totally exempted or ten times more free then Garrisons; which would be as free as they, were they not made Garrisons. 4. By exposing them to all the forementioned mischiefs and inconveniences of Officers and Garrison Soldiers in times of Peace doubled and trebled in seasons of Warre, when the Soldiers are farre more unruly, deboist, injurious imperious over them in all kindes then in Peace.

[Page 11]5. By inviting, inducing or necessitating the Enemies Forces to besiege, and inflict upon them the saddest Cala­mities and Plagues of War, from which ungarrisoned Towns, and places far from Garrisons are usually exempt­ed; or not so liable to, especially in civil Wars. To enu­merate some particular miseries accompanying Seiges. 1. Burning, wasting, destroying their own Suburbs, Neighboring Houses, Villages, Orchards, Gardens, Trees in or near their Garrisons, Walls or Works, and that frequently by their own Officers and Garrison Soldiers, to prevent the Enemies quartering in them or some an­noyances from them; or to contract their Works for their better and easier defence of what remaiins unburnt or unwasted, to the undoing of hundreds and thousands, left houslesse and harborless by this inhumane Policy, as bad or worse then any Enemies rage; as the sad late pre­sidents of the firing the Suburbs of Bristol, Excester, Taun­ton, Lincoln, York, Colchester, and other Garrisons, expe­riment; with some stately Houses, and whole Villages adjoyning to them: To which may be added, the like fre­quent furious devastations of them by the Enemies, if spared by themselves. Secondly, Losse of all Trading, Commerce, and Markets, during the Leaguers about them, when they need them most of all. Thirdly, Perpetual Fears, Alarms, Disturbances, Watchings, Frights, day and night; continual hard military duties and skirmishes with the Enemy, even by the Inhabitants themselves at their free cost, notwithstanding their hired, dear-waged Guar­dian Soldiers to secure them. Fourthly, Forcible seisures of the Inhabitants Houshold-Provisions of all sorts, with their Beds, Bedding, Arms, Money, Plate, to feed, lodge, arm, pay, their Mercenary Servants (then in all things, their most absolute Lording Masters) who extort and will take from them and theirs all they have, of purpose forsooth to protect them, though those their protected Pay-masters and their whole Families starve, lye cold or naked on the boards, want money to buy them bread, ne­cessaries, [Page 12] or lie sick in greatest distress. Fifthly, The losse of many of the Inhabitants lives by Assaults, Granadoes, Fire-works, Sallies, Shots, wounds, Famines, Plagues, Feavers, and other Sicknesses (usually accompanying Sieges and Wars) by invented false accusations, suspitions of holding intelligence with the Enemies, or plotting to betray the Garrison to them; by suddain fears, frights, discontents, firing or beating down Houses, springing of Mines, and the like, during their Seiges; in many whereof if sharp or long, or accompanyed with Plagues and Sick­nesses, above half the Inhabitants or more have frequently been quite consumed, and the rest utterly undone, though the Enemies left the Seige at last. Sixthly, The Wound­ing, Maiming, loss of Limbs of many of the Inhabitants, multiplying of their poor Widows, desolate Orphans by Seiges, and their new charge to relieve them. Seventhly, The total Banishment, Captivity, Slaughter and extirpa­tion of all the Inhabitants and mercenary Soldiers too in Garrisons, if taken by storm or assault, by putting them all to the Sword, Man, Woman, and Childe, without di­stinction, or the greatest number of them, and carrying the rest Captives thence, whereof there are hundreds of sad presidents in Josh. 8.21, 22. c. 6.20, 21. c. 10.28. to 41. 1 Sam. 13.3, 4. 2 Kings 25.8. to 22. 2 Chr. 36.17, &c. Sacred and Prophane History. The fa­mous Protestant Town of Magdeburgh in Germany, of late years was by bloody General Tilly, put totally to the Sword, and then burnt to ashes: And Tredagh in Ireland, though for the most part Protestants, always constant to the Parliament, enduring many long and sharp Seiges by the Irish Popish Rebels; yet submitting to Marquesse Or­mond (a sincere Protestant, formerly General for the Par­liament in Ireland, and then for the King) and receiving a Garrison from him at the last, when their Governor entred into an offensive and defensive League with Owen Roe-Oneal (the General of the Popish Rebels) their greatest Enemy, and chief Contriver, Fomenter of the Irish Massacre and Rebellion; upon the late taking of it by storm, most of the Inhabitants were thereupon put to the sword, [Page 13] without distinction, together with all the Garrison Sol­diers, by Gen. Cromwell himself and his Forces, to the great grief of many good Protestants there; which fatal desolation and total destruction they had all escaped, had they not been a Garrison. Eightly, The total demolition and burning to the very ground, of sundry private Gar­risons, Castles, strong magnificent Houses of ancient Nobles and Gentlemen, and of some fair Churches too, when taken; whereof our late Wars have produced many sad Spectacles, as Rag land Castle, Basing House, Rowden House, Cambden House, Litchfield Clos [...], Banbury, Pomfret Castles, with sundry more: And which is yet more grie­vous, the burning to the ground, and total desolation, depopulation, ruine of many great famous Garrisons, Cities and Towns; as Troy, Jerusalem, Tyrus, Athens, with hundreds more; and of the best and greatest part of other stately Cities, never since repaired, re-peopled, whereof Josh. 8. [...]9, 20, 28. c. 6.21, 22, 26. 2 Kings 19, 25. c. 25.9, 10, 11, &c. Isa. 17·1, 2. c. 25.12. Jer. 49.37. Ezek. 26.10. to 15. — Amos 1.7, 8, 10, 14, 15. c. 2.2, 3, 5. Isa. 30.13. c. 32.13, 14. Ez 26.10, 11, 12. Sacred and Prophane Stories of former ages, our own Annals, and late experience can furnish us with multitudes of sad Presidents: Which fatal Subversions, Devastations, they had all escaped, had they not been Garrisoned and stood out a Siege. Ninthly, the total Spoil, Plunder, Confiscation of all the Inhabitants Goods and Estates (if not their Lives) to the Enemy, if taken by Assault or Stratagem, to their universal undoing; and yet putting them to future Fines, Ransoms, and heavy Taxes afterward, to buy their Peace, or save them from the general subsequent Plunder of all not formerly spoiled by the Soldiers; All which they had escaped, if un-Garri­soned. Tenthly, The unavoidable reception of greater, and usually worse domineering new Garrisons from the conquering Enemies; oft spoiling, plundering firing ran­soming, executing the wealthiest of the Inhabitants (not­withstanding all Articles of agreement for their Indemp­nity and Security) though taken by surrender onely, not by storm; which Articles are usually much violated, and [Page 14] very seldome kept by faithlesse, greedy, rude, plundering Officers or Soldiers, who add affliction to affliction, and a new undoing to the old; to whose new Lording Lawlesse power, Orders, Pleasures, Government, the Inhabitants must all submit, or else they & their Families must be forth­with banished out of their native Habitations, as enemies, stript naked of all they have, and forced to wander cold & naked about the Countrey like vagrants for bread, clothes, relief, houseroom, which they plentifully enjoyed before, to the breaking of their hearts, and shortning of their lives. Eleventhly, These Garrisons are oft taken & re-taken over and over▪ and so as oft plundered, re plundered, spoil­ed, ransomed, and new garrisond by both sides; yea those of them who were protected as friends and favorites to the one side, are sure to be most spoiled, plundered, oppres­sed, persecuted by the other, and to suffer thus in their suc­cessive turns till they be quite undone and ruined by their frequent takings and re-takings on both sides; as Bristol, Exeter, with other places, have found by late sad experi­ence: the vicissitudes and miseries of these Garrisons ne­ver ceasing till their Wars and Garrisons cease, and they became no Garrisons. Twelfly: If any besieged Garrisons escape taking in the Wars by Seige (as Glocester, Hull and Lime did in our late Wars; but scarce any else) yet, as it was more through Gods mercy, and the valor, vigilancie and strength of their own Inhabitants and other Volun­teers then of their hired mercenaries; so the length of Los­ses and damages by their very Leaguers, did more indam­mage, impoverish them, then an honorable composition with the Enemy at first, or the leaving their Towns quite ungarrison'd would have done; besides their exemption from all those fears; hardships and other miseries accompa­nying their Leaguers. There was no Garrison in the late Wars throughout the Nation, but if left ungarrison'd by either side, might with the quarter or half quarter of its unnecessary expences to make and keep it a Garrison, have avoided all the Miseries, Losses, Devastations, Plunders, [Page 15] Pressures it suffered as a Garrison on both or either side, without any great danger or Pillage to the Inhabitants, persons or Estates by either side: And half the charges of our Garrisons on both sides, would have defrayed the whole charges of both the Field Armies, and ended the Wars in far lesse then half the time they were protracted by means of Garrisons. In brief, our small Castles and Garrisons even in times of wars, are, & can be no defence at all, but great Oppressions and Grievances to the people and Countrey; our great Garrisons are then but small de­fences and greater burdens and grievances to the people then smaller; yea, all of them after all their fortifications, costs & expences, are, or may be taken by Hab. 1.10. Josh. 10.28. to 41. 2 King. 18.10. 2 Chron. 12.4. c. 32.2, 1. Sam. 3.4. Dan. 11, 17. Zeph. 1.26. force, stratagem, Famine or Treachery at the last, by any Enemy who is but Master of the Field; Witnesse the strongest of Cities, [...]yrus, Ezek. 26. and Ierusalem Gods own most fortified City, of which the Prophet thus writes, Lam. 4.12. The Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the Adversary and the Enemy should have en­tred into the Gates of Jerusalem; yet was it often taken, pillaged, dismantled and burnt by the enemies, 2 Chron 12.4. &c. 2 Chron. 36.7, 10, 17, to 21. Yea, our own Garrisons were the principal seats, theaters of all our former and late Wars, epsecially when besieged by either party: Whence a Siege is usually termed Le-Guerre, from the French, that is to say, THE WAR; because there is no War to speak of, till then: Battels in the Field being fought and ended usually in half a day or lesse, and oft within one hour or two at most; when as Sieges (accompanied alwaies with frequent Skirmishes, constant Batteries, sundry Assaults, Sallies, Stormings on all hands, or in some quarter or other) continue many dayes, weeks, months and yeers, sometimes with far greater danger and losse of men on both sides; and are usually seconded with many Skirmishes, bloody Battels and incounters of Armies or Parties sent to victual, relieve the besieged, or raise the Siege, occasioning more and grea­ter slaughters then a pitched battel in the Field alone, as all [Page 8] Histories and experience manifest. Upon all which confi­derations, all Statesmen, Soldiers and intelligent Inhabi­tants of Garrisons, who have any brains remaining in their heads, or consciences in their brests) must ingenuous­lye (after due deliberation) acknowledge; that Garrisons even in times of open Wars (especially intestine) are so far from being a Benefit, Blessing, Security or Protection to their Inhabitants and Owners, that they are the extream­est Pressures, Grievances, Curses, Plagues, Dangers, and most destructive, desolating Instruments that possible can befall them; as bringing all the Furies, Plagues, Miseries and Extremities of War upon them in perfection, so as it were better, safer for the Inhabitants of all or most Gar­risons at least, and more conducing to their safety in re­spect of Bodies, Goods, and Freedom from all sorts of In­conveniences by War, to continue disgarrison'd, and lye open to both parties Armies, as Countrey Villages do, thereby to escape all the forementioned Plagues, to which Garrisons are exposed; or else (if there be cause) to fire their own houses before hand, or leave them empty, and flie with their Families, Goods, moneys, and what else they have, into Bogs, Woods, Rocks, Caves, Wildernesses (as the the wilde Irish, High-landers, Scythians, and all Na­tions wanting Garrisons do) and there to secure themselves from the Enemies, till withdrawn thence, routed, or the Wars ended; and thereby to save all or most they have for their own and Families uses; then unadvisedly of their own heads, or by the command of any in Power over them, to put themselves to an extraordinary vast expence to e­rect, fortifie, furnish and maintain Garrisons of mercena­ries to no other purpose at all, if seriously considered (un­lesse able to defend themselves without any Mercenaries or Taxes, but meerly voluntary, when and where there is oc­casion only and no longer) but meerly to expose them­selves to all the premised Calamities of War and Garri­sons, under a Brainlesse pretext and lying imposture of defen­ding their Persons and Estates from Danger or Molesta­tion [Page 17] by the Enemies or others, the contrary effects where­unto they ever occasion, both in Peace and War.

Thirdly, In times of open Wars Garrisons bring these manifold Evils and Miseries on the adjacent Countrey-Vil­lages and contributing Friends and Neighbors near them, instead of any real benefit or protection from them, which they neither do, will nor can afford them in their greatest needs, though they; voluntarily or by co-action (against all Reason and Conscience) largely contribute to their forti­fying and supplying for this end. 1, Upon the approach of any Enemy to besiege them, these very Garrisons (their Friends and Protectors) like professed Enemies, oft fire their adjourning Houses, cut, pull down their Trees, Or­chards, Fences, Ditches, Walls, Pales, drive away all their Cattel, carry away all their Goods, Money, Plate, Arms, Houshold-Stuff, with their very Houshold Provisions into their Garrisons; by meer violence against their wills, in­treaties, cryes, tears, without any price or consideration at all, to victual and furnish the Garrisons with necessaries against the Siege, or else to preserve them (before the Ene­mies approach) from the enemies possession or Plunder, who else would seise them to their disadvantage, when as the Enemies for their own better accommodation, would use them more favorably, and not plunder them half so much as these their pretended Friends and new Protectors. Se­condly, They are more frequently visited, Plundred, spoi­led, captivated, fined, ransomed by the Enemy upon all advantages and occasions, when there is no Siege, then places more remote from Garrisons, and not contributing to them for protection, upon these two accompts. 1. To deprive or straiten these Garrisons the more of all provi­sions, necessaries, Supplies and Contributions from them, if not totally to withdraw them from them. 2. Because they accompt them their professed Enemies, for being Contri­buters, Friends, Neighbors to these Garrisons, & so all they have is lawful Plunder without dispute, unlesse they will redeem it, by Fines or Ransoms, or by paying as [...] [Page] or greater constant Contributions to them and their next adjoyning Garrisons, as they do to those, to live in Peace; being thus made a double prey to both sides, under colour of Protection by and from both. An intolerable double Pressure and Imposition, of which our late Wars afford­ed many experimental Presidents, in most places next to Garrisons; who if the pillaging Enemies be strong at any time, neither will, dare nor ought (as they hold by the Laws of War to stir out of their Garrisons to encounter or protect their country neighboring contributors from their Plunder, even under their Walls and view, for fear of be­ing cut off, and losing the Garrison to them: Such notable useful Protectors are they to the adjacent Countrey, as not to stir one foot to help them at their greatest needs, but ex­pose them to their Enemies spoil without resistance, if una­to protect themselves. Thirdly, They are more frequent­ly then any others of the Country further of, oppressed, vexed, hindred, impoverished, with the seising impresting of their Servants, Children, Ploughs, Carts, Horses, and sometimes taking them quite away, by both sides alike, ei­ther for publick services or private occasions, to their vex­ation or undoing. Fourthly, They are more oppressed by laboring in, and contributing to these Garrisons Fortifica­tions, carrying in their Ammunition and other Provisions cost-free, or for little pay & that long ere received) constant Contributions to their Garrisons; quartering, Free-quartering, insolences, outrages, abuses of the Garrison Soldiers, of marching Parties of the Field Army it self, when drawn into Quarters, then any parties more re­mote from Garrisons, and their persons more oft Impri­soned, Beaten, Wounded, their Wives, Children, Servants, more abused, their houses more ransacked; Goods, Monies, more frequently seised and taken away upon malice, jealou­sies, pretences by crafty Knaves, Officers and pillaging Sol­diers, then others farther off them. Fifthly, When these Garrisons are besieged (as usually and frequently they are) their Pressures and Miseries are beyond expression: The [Page 18] Men, if well affected to the Garrisons, are all forced by fear or otherwise from their Houses into the Garrisons, Woods or other Counties if not their Wives, Children, and whole Families likewise, to avoid the Fury, Pressures, Troubles, Insolencies of the besieging Enemies, who fill all their houses with their free-quartering rude abusive Sol­diers, eating, drinking up all their Beer and other Provisi­ons whatsoever for man or beast, both within & without, not leaving them or their Families bread to eat, or beer to drink, nor yet any Bed, Bolster, Cushion, or ought else to rest their heads on, or Straw to lie in: Tread and eat out all their Grasse, Hay, Corn standing or cut, with their Horses: kill, devour, drive away all their Stock, Cattel, which the Garrisons have left them, as good booty; burn up all their Pales, Houses, Wood, Timber-Trees, fruit-Trees, for firing, & soon make them all as poor as Job himself.

6. They are more frequently then any others of the Countrey further off, oppressed, vexed, hindred, impo­verished, as aforesaid; and every new Siege by either party reiterates the same or worse effects as the first, to their re­iterated beggerie, as many late experiments fresh in peo­ples minds about Plimouth, Excester, Lime, Taunton, Bri­stol, Glocester, Worcester, Oxford, York, Hull (whose first Siege produced the drowning of all the Countrey round it in the beginning of our Wars) and most besieged Gar­risons evidence beyond contradiction; which miseries Countries void of Garrisons, or remoter from them, doe not sustain; the quarterings on them being neither so fre­quent, thick, long-lasting, or oppressive as in places next to Garrisons, especially in Sieges. 7. In these Garrisond Leaguers their Gardens, Grounds, Orchards Houses, are frequentlie destroyed, digged up, or pulled down, their Trees and Timber felled, their Men, Women, Children, Ploughs, Carts, Horses forced day after day, to toile and labour in making Trenches, Sconces, Batteries, Approa­cees, Mines, Redoubts, or carry Timber, Provisions, Artil­lery, [Page] Armes, and other Baggage, which remoter Pari­shes are free from; and themselves would be so too, but for these Garrisons, which occasion and enforce these Sieges. 8. If the Opposites Field Armie or strong Par­ties from them during the Sieges, approach to raise them, or to victual or relieve the Garrisons, the oppressions of the adjoyning Parts ate then doubled, trebled, and spread wider round about these Garrisons, till the whole Country, ten, twenty, or thirty miles about, by the long quarter­ing and lying of so many Armies, Parties upon them, and Marches to and fro to take or relieve the Garrisons, be quite undone and eaten out; and so one or both Armies necessitated to seek out fresh quarters; or the Garrisons taken or relieved. After this the necessitated neer-starved Garrisons requiring new supplies of all sorts, if not taken, extort them from the adjacent Countries, if they be to be had above ground, which addes much to all their former afflictions: And then again some other new Sieges or oc­casions drawing one or both Armies thither afresh, so soon as the miserable Country People have gotten any thing a­bout them, they are, to their endlesse vexation, exposed afresh to all the fformer miseries of Wars, Sieges, and ne­ver eased of them till the Garrisons either be demolished or disbanded. From all which experimentall Arguments, and real Demonstrations of undoubted verity, all ratio­nal men whatsoever, and no doubt the whole Nation, Country, Inhabitants of Garrisons, with all conscienci­ous self-denying Statesmen and Souldiers, who really in­tend or affect the peoples true weal, ease, or safety (the Supream Law, the principal end of War, Peace, Garrisons, Armies, Parliaments, Councils, Magistrates, Govern­ment and higher Powers) as the Army-Officers themselves remonstrated, in the very worst of their Remonstrances, Nov. 20 1648. making it the Basis of all their exorbi­tant unparalleled Demands therein, & of their violent Pro­ceedings in pursuit of them ever since) will and must [Page 19] henceforth confesse, conclude against all Erroneous O­pinions and Practises to the contrary; That the raising, fortifying and holding up of Garrisons, kept by Mercenary Soldiers, even in times of Civil or other Wars, is so farre from being a Protection, Advantage, Security to the Nation in General, the Garison Inhabitants, Owners of Garrison'd Castles, or Houses themselves, or the Country adjoyning to and contributing towards them; that they are their Greatest Oppressions, Grievances, Calamities, Plagues, Burdens, Vex­ations, Damages, Tortures, Heart-breakings, and usually the chief occasions of their oppression, utter ruine, desolation, devastation in War and Peace; and so in Reason, Justice, Conscience, Prudence, ought to be eternally exploded, dis­mantled, disgarrison'd (as well as sundry heretofore and of late, there being the selfe same Reason for all as for any) for the Nations, Inhabitants, Countries Ease, Peace, Weal, and future exemption from all the forementioned evils and miseries attending them both in Peace and War, without delay or further dispute, by all in present Power, or by the Supream Authority of the people themselves in their wilful neglect or delay out of any Sinister or self seeking ends or designs whatsoever, which their publike ease and benefit should outvie.

7. That in all times of civil or other Wars wlthin the Nation, the true interest, safety, preservation and prote­ction of the Island and Peoples Persons, Estates, Laws, Li­berties, Inheritances, Rights, consist not in our Garrisons, or any Mercenary Officers and Soldiers, English or For­raigners, modelled or new modelled into a Field Army, since Mercenaries, as well Domestick as forraign, in all ages have ever sought nought else but their own private Lucre, Honor, Power, Advancement to places of greatest Au­thority, Gain, Trust, and frequently (after good Successe in Wars, presuming on their strength and merits) have sup­planted, subverted, suppressed, destroyed those very Pow­ers [Page] and [...] who first raised, paid and confided in them [...] their preservation, and preferred their own mercenary Officers and Generals by Treachery, Murther, Perjury and open Violence to the Imperial and Royal Thrones of their Lawful Soveraigns and Superiors (murdered and deposed by them) as the See Entropius Zonarus, and Grimstons Im­perial History. Roman Histories and others; the practice of the Mamalukes— in Egypt; of Alexander the Great his own Captains, who notwithstanding their extraordinaay pretences of honor and respect unto him and his, not on­ly poysoned himself (as some Authors write) but murder­ed his own Son, Heir to his Empires & Conquests, together with his mother, wife, & all his remotest k [...]n [...]e [...] that might lay claim to his Dominions by Hereditary Right & then divided his Territories between themselves made, crowned & styled themselves Kings; and then by Gods avenging Iustice out of covetous, ambitious spirits, warred upon each other so long, till they had all murdered and slain each other as Arrianus, Plutarch, Justin, Curtius, Diodorus Siculus and Dr. Usher in his Ecclesiastical Annals of the old Testament record at large; with Heylyns Mitro­cosme, p. 7.56, 757, 758, 145, 146, 147, 613, 614, 586. to 590. other innumerable presidents abroad; and the practice of Vortigerr, Heng [...]st, Horsa and divers others at Home, sufficiently manifest in all times, with Scrip­ture presidents likewise: But our real Interest, Protection, Safety resides next under God) in the Nobilities, Gentries, and Peoples united voluntary, unmercenary defence and protection of themselves in and by their own persons, with their own Arms Servants, Sons, Tenants, Retainers, ac­cording to their respective abilities; as appears by the Poli­tique original Institution of ancient See Cooks 1. Iust. Tenures in Knights-Service, Escuage, Castle-Guards, and the like; the old Char­ters of our Corporations and Cinque-Ports, obliging them to finde a certain number of men and ships at their own costs, to defend the Realm in times of War; with all ancient Writs, Commissions, Precepts for arraying the people of the Realm in times of War and danger, according to their Tenures, Estates, Customs, to defend the Realm and themselves from invading [Page 20] Enemies at all times (cited in the printed Arguments con­cerning Ship-money, and the Exact collect. p. 336. & 608.850. &c. Declarations both of the King and Parliament concerning the Commission of Array) all for­mer Statutes concerning Arrays, Arms, Musters; and the old long continued practice of our Train's-Band in each County and Corporation, formerly reputed the Nations chief Security in intestine and invasive Wars, with the late Militia's raised on and by each County at their own vast expence to defend it and the nation, as the best & safestguard when all sorts were commanded to serve in person, (not­withstanding all Garrisons, Mercenary Field-Forces, and the Army then and since continued) as our safety. And in­deed common reason proves, that as every man loves and prefers his own person, family, estate before a strangers, or any others; so he will more vigilantly, sincerely, effectual­ly defend and protect them from Enemies or Dangers then any Mercenaries, how trusty and valiant soever they be. And as every true Shepherd and owner of Sheep is more careful to defend and preserve them from Thieves and Rob­bers with the hazard of his own life, then any Stranger or Hireling whose the Sheep are not, who will slie and desert, or else help to prey upon them, and play the thief himself in times of danger or advantage, as Christ himself resolves John 10. So every able private person, Family, Parish, Town County, Association (and by like consequence the whole Nation) will better, cheaper, and with lesse inconvenien­ces by far, defend and secure themselves by their own un­mercenary persons & Arms voluntarily united according to their respective abilities, without any general forced Taxes and illegal Excises imposed and continued on them against their wills, then any Mercenary Officers and Sol­diers whatsoever, (who making onely a Trade and Gain of War wil therefore spin it out as long as the Nation or Peo­ple have any moneys or Estates to pay and inrich them) and will sooner conclude and settle Peace upon their own terms upon all overtures and occasions, then Mercenaries, who [Page] neither desire nor intend our publike Peace in reality but interrupt it all they may when neer concluded, (as in the late Treaty) with armed violence both against King and Parliament. Uupon which grounds our Ancestors never usually entrusted any Mercenary Armies, but themselves alone with their own and the Kingdoms defence, scarce ever imposed any Taxes on the people by publike Parlia­mentary Authority in any civil Wars and very rarely (ex­cept a Subsidy, or fifteen now and then) for the Kingdoms defence against forraign Invasion; but onely for their In­vasive, Defensive Forraign Wars in France or elsewhere. Why then the whole Nation, Nobility, Gentry and Peo­ple of all sorts, should not now again be trusted with their own arms and self-defence, as well as in former Ages, being their native Priviledge and Birthright, their onely best se­curity and prevention against all publike Enemies and In­vaders, but are forced to pur their Armes, Lives, Estates Protection into the hands of Mercenary Officers, Soldiers Garrisons, who notwithstanding their vast endlesse ex­pences for their Pay, have so often abused, violated their Trusts, lengthned our old, engaged us since in successive new Wars against our Protestant Brethren and Confede­rates themselves, and have almost eaten up all our real & personal private Estates, with, the whole publike ancient Inheritance and standing Revenues of the Nation; let all prudent Statesmen, and Patrons of their Countreys Rights and Priviledges resolve; the rather, because our Mercenary Soldiers, Garrisons, Forts, are so far per­verted from their primitive use, to preserve our Persons and Estates from Enemies and Violence, that they are now made the only Janazaries, Goalers, Goa [...]s, Prisons forcibly to seise, imprison, close imprison the persons, ransack the Houses, Studies of the emminentest Parliament Mem­bers, Patrons and Freemen Sufferers for our publike Liber­ties, Laws, Propertiesr, Religion; and the onely Instruments under the New Guardians of our Libertye, to bring the [Page 21] whole Nation and all English Freemen of full age, into per­petual Wardship to these new Seigniours, since the old Court of Wards for Infants, only till they came of full age, is quite voted down as a Grievance, though not compara­ble unto this, of men of full age; yea, Parliament Mem­bers new strictest Wardships and close restraints under armed Garrisons and Centinels of meanest quality in these Garrison'd new Courts of Wards.

8. That Maritine Garrisons, Forts, Blockhouses at the entrance of our Harbors (as Pendennis and S. Mawdits Castles at the mouth of Falmouth Haven, Harwich, and others of that nature) are altogether useless, unnecessary expensive charges to the Re­publike, unable to hinder the ingress, egress, or regress of any warlike ship, ships, or Navy into the Harbors, much less to sinck them, with all their Cannon-shot, which I shall thus demonstrate. 1. In dark nights, and misty days, mornings, e­venings (which take up neer halfe the space every yeere) they can neither clearly see nor discern any ship or vessel passing into or out of their harbors, muchlesse then hinder their free ingress or egress by shot or otherwise, when they cannot so much as see them. 2. In clear sunshine dayes, and moon­shine nights, any small vessels (much more then resolute men of War, and whole Squadrons, Na­vies) may safely pass and repass into or out of these harbors, or anchor in them without any great danger, harm, or sinking by their Cannons; which standing for the most part high upon the Land (especially at new Flood, half Tide or Ebbe) and not levell with the Sea at full tide; and being likewise not halfe so many in number, not so large [Page] in boar, as most Men of Warre now carry in one tire or side, discharged for the most part at rovers by unskilfull Gunners and Matrosses one after ano­ther, and fixed upon one Platform, whence they cannot easily or speedily bee removed, can hardly in several shoots so much as hit any one single vessell, much lesse hurt or sink it in its passage under saile by these forts and blockhouses, being past their le­vell and danger at the first discharge of their Can­nons over against them, and quite out of it ere they can be recharged; much lesse then can they stopp, sinke or mischiefe an whole Navy or Squadron of Men of Warre, which I shall demonstrate by several instances old and new, beyond contradicti­on. 1. Sir Francis Drake in his famous voyage to the West-Indies with a small squadron of ships, entred five of the chiefe Ports the Spaniards there held, took and fired their ships there riding under their Castles, Forts, Blockhouses, and pillaged their Towns themselves, notwithstanding all their Cannons and Artiliry playing upon his ships, both from their Forts, Castles, Blockhouses and Ships there riding, and that without the losse, sinking or spoyling of any one of his Vessels: And some other English Sea. Captains then and since did the like, as Mr. Harkluit in his printed Voyages at large relates. 2. Our English Navy in Queen Elizabeths reign, in their expedition against Cadez, tooke the whole Iland and City in one day, burnt and tooke all their ships, treasure, magazine and ordnance there, notwithstanding all their forts, block-hou­ses, numerous mounted Cannons discharged a­gainst [Page 22] them, without the loss or spoil of any one ship, and of very few men, as Mr. Cambden, Speed, and others inform us in her life. 3. The Hollan­ders both in the East and West-Indies have fre­quently entred the Spanish Havens with their ships, in despite of all their Cannons, Forts and Blockhou­ses, anchored in them, and pillaged, fired, took the Spanish Vessels riding in them under their Castles, without the sinking of any one man of Warre by their Cannons firing, as the History of the Nether­lands, Purchas and Hackluit in their Voyages, and others record. 4. The Dutch men of Warre, and other Vessels have sundry times in a drunken Bra­vado, at mid-day passed in and out of our Harbors at Harwich, Plimouth, Falmouth, & Southampton, with­out striking fail to the Forts there, and gone away without any hurt, danger, stop, notwithstanding all their cannon-shot to bring them in, as I have heard by many credible eye-witnesses. 5. Sir Robert Mansel in his Voyage against Algier, with his boats fired sundry of their ships, drawn on shore under their Castle-walls & blockhouses, without the loss of one boat or ship, and very few men, notwithstanding many thousands of cannon and more of musket-shot from the castle and ships, as Captain George Carteret who saw it, and was active in it, informed mee whiles I was prisoner in Jersey. 6. Since our late unhappy wars, two very small squadrons of our ships successively landed the Parliaments forces under the very blockhouses and forts of Scilly and Jersey, without the loss or hurt of one ship or barque by their Cannon shot, and with the loss of very few [Page] men, and reduced the Castles and Ilands too with a farre lesser land-force then the King had there in arms to defend them. Since this, Sir George As­cough with a smal Navy entred into the chief part & harbor at the Barbadoes, took & brought out thence fourteen or more Dutch Vessels, and others riding therein, passing and repassing, without the loss, sinking, hurt, of any one ship, or slaughter of one man, within half pistol shot of their castle and blockhouses, which plaid upon his ships all the time with their cannon & musket shot; and soon after he reduced the whole Iland notwithstanding all their forts and forces; as the printed Diurnalls and Rela­tion of its taking, and Letters thence inform us. 7. Since this I read in our Diurnalls, that Prince Rupert took some of our Merchants ships riding under the Castles and Blockhouses of our English Plantations in the Indies, which played upon him with their cannon without hurt, he returning them two cannon shot for one, and riding within musket shot of them without any fear or hurt. 8. To come home to Pendennis Castle and St. Mawdits, so much cryed up as the most usefull and considerable of all other: Whiles they were in the Kings pow­er since these warres, as the inhabitants and some souldiers assure me, a single man of warre of the Parliaments party in the day-time entred the har­bor, boorded, took and carried away thence a rich ship there riding in the view of both the Garrisons, notwithstanding all their cannon shot and block-houses, without any harm at all, shee shooting as fast at the castles as they shot at her, and so depar­ted [Page 23] with her prize. 9. Since my imprisonment in Pendennis Castle, a Turkish man of Warr at mid-day, in the view of all the Garrison, and my selfe, came up to the mouth of the Harbor, and very neer the Blockhouse, took a great English Lighter of thirty tun, sunk the vessell in the place, and carried away some twelve persons in it prisoners into Sally or Tunis; after which, she came close up to the har­bor two or three mornings together till chased away from thence by a Man of Warre; One stout ship of Warre being a better guard against Pyrates and Sea-enemies then all the Maritine forts and garrisons, being able to pursue, fight and take them, which no forts or garrisons can do. Not long after a little Pink, not above nine or ten tun, anchored some three dayes together just between Pendennis Castle and St. Mawdits, to carry away Tinne, as was supposed; Sir George Ascough sail­ing within view of the Castles with his whole fleet towards Plimouth, (some eight days before his fight with Ruttier) sent four men of warre to convey such ships as were in the Harbour to Ply­mouth; two of them came into the Harbour, the other two plied up and downe at the mouth of it, till the other two came out of the Harbour to them: This little Pink thereupon hoysed saile, as if she were bound for Plymouth with them, without any discharge or leave from the Castles; where­upon they shot two warning pieces over, and under her, to bring her in for this affront, and to make her pay for the shot and custome of Tinne, which they imagined she had stollen; I looking on, the [Page] Captain, Gunners, and souldiers told mee, They would warrant mee shee would come in and sub­mit; but I observing her course, told them, Shee would no more come in to their lure then a wilde Hawke got loose; whereupon both Castles discharged their cannons in earnest, to hit, sink, or bring her back through fear, but shee in despite of them (though there were two men of warre before, and two be­hinde her under saile) got away from them all without any hurt or stop, the whole Garrison looking on. VVhereupon I laughing at their con­fidence, and uselessness of these castles, (serving only to shoot away They have often dischar­ged 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can­nons or more at a time to ships coming in, & the ships as many to them, since my imprison­ment there: A strange prodi­gality! powder and bullet in salutes and frollicks) told them, That our wise Statesmen and the Kingdome were very much overseen to keep two Castles, three or four Blockhouses, so many score Cannons, Gunners, Souldiers, and Matrosses there, as cost them eight or ten thousand pounds a year, under pretence to secure the Haven and Nation against Enemies and Pirates, when they could not at noon day (as they now saw by experience) so much as stay, take, hurt or sink one little Pink of nine or ten tun with foure or five sea­men onely, and not one Gun in her, when as there were four Men of War under sail so near her, and she had stolen Customes: Much lesse then could they stop, hurt sinck any stout man of War, or an whole squadron of Ships or Navy, or hinder them from entring the Har­bor, riding or landing there, and returning at their plea­sures, their Pieces and Blockhouses not commanding one half quarter of the Harbor when entred, not being able to hurt or sink them in their entry or retiring, as I clearly demonstrated [Page 24] to them, then and afterwards, especially by these unanswerable experiments in our late sea Fights. Collonel Blake (my Countrey-man) in his first sea Fight with Van Trump, as his and others printed Letters relate, had many scores (if not hundreds) of broad sides discharged against his ship by the Dutch, at nearest distance, by far greater better Cannons, Cannoneers and Tyres of Ordi­nance, charged with Chain and Cross [...]a [...] shot as well as Bullet, lying nearer the water then any Guns in Pendennis or St. Maudits Castles, Blockhouses, or in any other of our Forts, receiving no less then 3000. Cannon shot in his Hull, tackling M. st▪ Sa [...]ls, After which he received in his ship as many or more broad sides and shots in his third Fight with the Dutch in their return from France with their Mer­chant ships; and Sir George Ascough received neer as many in his ship in his fight with Ruttier: Yet all these road sides & thousands of shot, did neither sink split, fire, nor make unservicable either of these ships, which were soon repaired, neither did they kill any store of their men with their Cannons, their Mus­ket shot and boording only doing their men most harm. Therefore questionless so many thousand Cannon shot discharged against any other stout single ship or man of War from these Castles and Blockhouses at greater distance, uncertainty, and higher level, with smaller Ordnance balls, by worser Guners can neither sink nor spoil her, much­less sink, h [...]rt, spoil, stop or take an whole squa­dron of ships of war (which our whole Fleets can hardly do) when they cannot come neare to [Page] board or fire them; & by this proportion, all the pow­der, cannon shot, bullets, Guns in both Castles would not be sufficient to sink or spoil one single ship ri­ding at Anchor within their command, much­lesse in her passage in or out, since 3000. shot in her bulk, sails, masts and tackling would not do it; and half of the Cannons discharged would not hit, but passe besides her: Therefore to keep up such Castles and Blockhouses to secure Harbours, sink ships, and hinder any fleets or squadrons of ships from entring or harbouring in them, was but a prodigal oversight and mistake: there being never any warlike ship yet sunk by our Forts & blockhou­ses since their first erection, for ought I could read in history, or hear by information from credible Witnesses; nor any Navy repelled from entring, riding, or landing by them, had they a resolution to do it, as the premised instances with sundry others manifest. (And one since these Aphorisms penned namely General Blakes fireing the Turkish ships ly­ing under their very strongest Castle Walls, not­withstanding all their cannons, blockhouses, ships playing upon our ships, assaulting them and beating down their castle about their ears, with the cannon from our ships, without the loss, sink­ing, spoile of any of our ships.) A sufficient demon­strative evidence of the uselesness of Maritine forts and blockhouses, which in truth are meer idle scare­crows and bugbears to fright raw cowardly sea­men, not daunt or keep off experienced resolute ships or marriners. VVherefore to draw towards a conclusion, I shall onely adde,

[Page 25]That the onely pretended use of Mercenary Garrisons and Souldiers,, being but to defend the Peoples Persons and Estates in times of necessity, when and whiles end angered by a Potent Enemy in actuall Armes, who are secure enough without them, when, where and whiles there is no such visible Enemy to assault them; it can be neither justice, equity, conscience, honesty, good husbandry nor true State-policy, to continue any such Garisons or Feild Souldiers on them to their vast expence and undoing, (now there is no Armed Enemy in the Island, and so strong a Fleet at Sea to secure them against forraigners) upon endlesse, full and constant former pay, without any ne­cessity or actuall service till the next spring or summer, because then peradventure, there may be some new im­ployments for them, (at home or abroad,) onely to enrich the Mercinary Officers, Souldiers, and oppresse, undoe the undone people, lying down like Issachars under both these heavy burthens of Mercenary Garrisons and a Mercenary field Army too, even with broken backes and bleeding hearts, without ease or commisseration, notwithstanding all their clamours. No present ruling Potentates or States­men (who should help and right them) will be such Pro­digals or ill husbands of their owne Purses and Estates, as to keep those Reapers, Mowers, who have cut down their Corne and done their harvest work the last Summer, in ful constant harvest pay all the following Autumne, Winter and all the succeeding spring till the Summer harvest come again, without any other usefull work or imploy­ment for them, till then, because peradventure they may then imploy them again for a month or two in reaping and inning their next yeares crop, which they have not so much as sowen, and are yet uncertaine whether to sow or not; which if they did, would render them ridiculous to every Country Clown, who hath so much Policy, and fru­gality, as to discharge his mercenary harvest folke so soone as they have ended their harvest worke, and not to keep them still idle and pay them harvest wages till the [Page 26] next Summer; because he can then, if need be, soon hire them or other Reapers, Mowers, when his corne is ripe for cutting, not before, for lesse then one quarter of the money their pay would come to if kept in hire till that time, without doing him any other service: And shall our wise new Statesmen then be such Prodigals and ill hus­bands of the exhausted peoples purses and estates; as to keep many thousands of mercinary Field and Garrison Horse and foot in constant full pay, (who many moneths since have done all their sommer and present publick worke for the peoples safety,) all the censuing Autumne, win­ter, Spring in no actuall necessary Service for them at all, onely because perhaps they may make use of them the Sommer following, or a year or two hence (if then) to cut down imaginary armed Enemies in the Field or Island, if any then appeare to invade the Peoples Persons and E­states; of which there is yet no probability. Verily if they shall still do thus, every Country Peasant will despise, deride and ensure this their folly and unthriftinesse, and the whole exhausted oppressed Nation condemne, if not casheir them for such grosse imprudence. Certainly e­very rich private Statesmans, Noblemans, Gentlemans, Peasants House, Person, in these necessitous times, when theives are so busy in all parts of the Nation, are in grea­ter danger of being robbed, plundred, murdred by Murderers and Robbers, then any Garrison, Towne or Village to be piliaged by any forraigne forces or dome­stick Enemies, appearing in no parts of the Isle, nor likely to do it; yet none of them will be so ridiculous, prodigall, or distrustfull of Gods protecting Providence, as upon their owne purses to hire any Horse, or foot per­petually to Guard their Persons, Houses day and night till the next Sommer, because some Theeves and Robbers (these long tedious winter nights) may probably assault their Houses, steal their moneyes, plate, goods, or mur­der their persons, but will ease themselves of this cost and charge, till they be certainly informed of a company of [Page 27] Robbers conspiring for to plunder, rob, or kill them a­bout some certain time, or have news that they are ready to execute this designe; and then they will time enough summon their domestik servants & freinds to encounter, and surprise them if they come: and should they not then intrust the peoples persons, estates to Gods Protection and their owne, at this present, without any mercenary Gar­risons or Forces to guard them against their wills or de­sires, to their superfluous vast expence, when there is farr lesse probability or feare of danger to them in generall from armed Enemies, then to their owne private persons, Houses or moneys, from Theeves and Robbers? If they be thus continued on them, onely to enrich the Officers, Souldiers, and secure their own Usurpations, Intrusions, or over ruling powers (preferred before the peoples ease or weal) under a pretext of danger from some Ene­mies that may or will infest, plunder, destroy the people so soone as the Army and Garrisons are disbanded; we shall then desire, that all officers, Souldiers unwilling to disband upon this pretence of great imminent danger for the peoples more certaine security from Ene­mies, and meriting of their future pay, may be strictly enjoyned to put on all their Armes, and draw up all their forces in battalio, where they most feare the Enemies, in the field; and all their Garrisons likewise kept in a constant standing Posture to receive the Enemy, in their respective Forts; and there to stand night and day in their compleat armes, in a perpetuall readinesse and posture of defence, till the next sommer and our fears be ended, without putting off their Arms; as our Roger de Hovesd [...]n Annal pa [...] posterior p. 768 778. Mat Westm An. 1196 p. 17. Gal. Nubigen­sis. l [...]5. c. In Antique Ec­clesia Brit. p. 140 Hol [...]nsh [...]d p. 150.151. Chron Johanis Bu [...]öt con [...]or [...] 127 [...].12 [...]. King Ri­chard the first kept the Bishop of Bev [...]ies taken Prisoner by his forces in the field, harnessed from head to foot, in his iron Armes night and day, above two months space, without suffering him all that time to put them off, lest some Enemies should surprise them, our Island & Garrisons on a sudden, ere they could arme or put themselves in an actuall posture to receive them, if permitted once to retire into their Winter quar­ters [Page 28] for their ease; and then we suppose these pretenders of imminent danger, only to get pay, when and where they neither do nor can do the people the least reall Publick service, but greatest prejudice, as the premises evince; will soone become as humble and earnest petitioners to our present swaying Powers who continue them, and to the People (who desire it) to be forthwith disbanded and sent home again to their friends & further imployments as this Harnessed Bishop was to our King Richard him­selfe, the Pope and his Brother Prelates, to be disrobed, dis­armed of his heavy iron Rochet, so long keept on his back and body to his little ease and lesse content; it being alto­gether as just, equitable, and reasonable for them to keep the Army and Garrison Soldiers in this unreasonable hard constant duty and armed Posture day and night till they be disbanded, as to lay unsupportable endlesse Taxes, Excises on the oppressed peoples backs to maintain them in constant pay to their intolerable oppression, till the next Sommer or longer upon the premised pretences.

Quest.If any now demand (as many Officers and Souldiers oft do, being their chief plea against disbanding) how shall the Officers and Souldiers live, after all their good Service in the Wars, if they shall be now at last disbanded to ease and pleasure the people?

The Answer is very obvious, Answ. just and equall. 1. How shall the poor people live or maintain themselves and families, if these Garrisons and Mercinary Forces be still continued, being already like to starve? 2. How do the poor people live who are still enforced to give them full pay and maintain them in idlenesse without any la­bour, to do very little duty, & that wholly useless, in Field or Garrisons; wherein their onely necessary, uselesse, present dutie is, to stand Centinell once or twice a week, one houre or two; to take Tobacco, play, sleep, drink, and cry stand; or, who goes there? to one another in the night, as they passe by the Centinels; to as much purpose, in relation to the peoples safety, as one night-Owles [Page 29] crying, hallowing is to another; or to demand of those that enter into the Garrisons in the day time Whence come you? what are you? what is your name? bu­sinesse? whom would you speak with? Have you taken the new Engagement? else you must not enter the Fort or Garrison, no not alone in these times of no danger, as if one disarmed Non Engager might surprise an whole lasie fortified Garrison, in the day time, aswell as a sleeping one in the night; how much more then an armed Enemy? Which learned questions standing the Nation in very ma­ny thousand pounds every year in Garisons now kept up, as much concern the peoples security from Enemies, as the Ministers interrogating of children formerly in the Church, What is your name? Who gave you this name? And to maintain near a thousand Block-headed slothfull- Gun­ners in Blockhouses and Garrisons only to shoot away above six or seaven thousand pounds worth of powder in Courtship, and Frolicks to ships, and Visitors every year, who deserve rather cashiering for this their prodigal and onely Dutie, for which they receive great constant pay. Certainly their Country pay- Masters live not by such idle, uselesse, fruitlesse, rare duties; but by hard stu­dying, sweating, labouring night and day in their ho­nest lawfull callings usefull for the publick (the whole profits whereof these idle Lurdanes must still monthly devoure for such ridiculous services, and new kinde of Catechising the people ex officio like our cashiered unprea­ching Curates;) and so must these Officers and Souldiers too, if they cannot otherwise live aswell as they. 3. How did they live and maintain themselves before they were listed Souldiers? Surely not as now, but like other chri­stian people, by labouring daily in their lawfull callings, living frugally, soberly, obediently like others of their equals, not in such idlenesse, luxury, pride, & state as since: And is it not possible that they may, yea just & equal that they should thus live and maintain themselves now, and not still live like idle Drones in great sloath, pompe, state, [Page 30] and honour upon the honey of the poore painfull Bees 4. How do many hundreds of formerly disbanded Officers, Souldiers now live and maintain themselves, who did as much, and good service as those now in pay? Doubtlesse by returning to the diligent exercise of their former cal­lings, or some other good imployments, or going to some lawfull forraign Wars. 5. If any old Officers and Souldiers in present service be so poor, that they know not yet how to live if they be now disbanded, certainly it is through their own ill husbandry, pride, or prodi­gality; never Officers or Souldiers in the world being more royally, duly, justly paid and rewarded (especial­ly in a Civill War) than they have been; whereby thou­of them (especially Generals, Colonells, Captains, and Superiour Officers, with many inferiour ones likewise) are grown exceeding rich and wealthy over what they were before the Wars (which have undone most others) and are lately beyond expectation, become the greatest Purchasers in the Nation of the richest publick and Private Mannors, Seates, Revenues, Offices; this Ci­vill War being the richest trade they ever yet met withall in their lives, which makes them so unwilling now to give it over; & to continue these poor unthrifty Souldiers still in pay till they grow as rich as these their fellowes, is to be worse husbands for the Nation for the future, than these unthriving Officers and Souldiers (who have not yet gotten enough to live by the Wars) have been for themselves in time past, and that onely to maintain and enrich them with the whole Nations ruine. 6. The plain meaning of those who make this Demand is, that they expect and intend our mercinary Armies, and Garri­sons shall by one means or other, be continued in pay, and our Wars not ended, our peace not settled till Doomsday, or at least so long as the people have either Lands, stock, goods, or moneys left, to pay heavy unceasing Taxes and Excises for them to live upon, at that high, lasie rate as now they do. But better ten thousand times such idle [Page 31] wretches should be disbanded, though they starve and perish, if they will not betake themselves to some honest vocation to live by it; then that the whole Nation should starve or perish, to keep them and our unnaturall, unchristian Wars still a live, to murther our own Christi­an Brethren or allies, of purpose to keep our Armies and Garrisons in action and preserve them from present or future disbanding. As Deut 28.22. c. 23 22. to 27. Levit 26.25. to 38. 1 Kings 19.17. Ezr. 9 8. Job. 19.29. Isay. 51.19. c: 65.12. c. 66.17 Jer. 9.16. to 23 c. 12.12. c. 14.13. to 20. c. 15.2. to 15 c. 24.10 c. 25.16. to 34 c. 29.17.18 c. 34.17. and c. 43 11. c. 40.10. to 27. c. 47.6, 7 c. 50 16.35, 36, 37. Ezech. 5.2. to 18. c. 14.21. c. 21.9. to 30. Jer. 4.19.20. tos 31. I [...]ay. 19.3. 2 Cron. 15.6. War and the oppressing Sword of war (especially when Civill) are in Gods own Judgement and all wise mens, the severest Curse, Plague, Punishment, that God in his wrath can here inflict upon any people for their sinns and wickednesse, as including all sorts of other evills, spirituall and temporall, in its bowells; So for any to make a Trade of War, & to continue, perpetuate this heaviest Plague and Curse upon their own Native Coun­try without absolute Necessity, or just grounds, is the worst of Crimes and Treasons; and those that are guilty there­of the worst of Traytors, of christian men, unworthy the name of Saints or Christians, whatever their pretences be to colour it. If therefore Machiavills Atheisticall infernal Paradox (applauded and oft justified in Print by his new Disciple Who hath printed it many times with [...] approbationpunc; Politicus) He that hath once drawn his sword a­gainst his lawfull Soveraign, must throw away the scabbard, and never sheath it more; no, not after he hath cut off his Soveraigns Head therewith; hath prevailed more with any Machivilian States-men or Sword-men, than our Saviours own more sacred Christian Gospell precept and speech to Peter, when he drew his sword, and onely cut off Malchus his ear (not Head) coming then forcibly to apprehend our Saviour (who presently cured his ear again, and gave this command to Peter, though certain himself to be crucified, if then apprehended) Mat. 26.5 [...].52. Put up thy sword into his sheath a­gain; for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword; and therefore upon his diabolicall advise they peremptorily resolve to keep our Mercinary Armies Garrisons swords still drawn, and unsheathed amongst us, without ever putting them up again, upon the peoples [Page 32] dry drained Purses, notwithstanding all their cries and pre­mised reasons against it; (not for the peoples safey, which cannot now be so much as henceforth surmised, after this discovery of its grosse Imposture, but for their own private present and future Indempnity alone.)

Let all such cheating oppressing unrighteous Machivilians assuredly know; that these words of Christ will certainly prove true and take hold of them in conclusion, he Lam. 1.20. Rev. 13.9.10. being truth it selfe that spake them; and that such who resolve to live in Warre still, shall never die nor rest in Peace, but perish by and with John. 14 6. Gen. 9.6. the sword at last (as Pompey, Cyrus, Pruda, and others have done,) though they had all the Garri­sons and Armies on earth to protect them; whom God in his Justice, if other instruments be wanting, can make their unexpected Executioners in stead of Guardians, when they wander out of his Protection in wayes of violence, Oppression, Rapine, Blood, Warre, Discord, and will neither know nor pursue the wayes of Peace and Christi­an unity, for the Peoples publick Ease and whole Nations Welfare.