government, if the militia be not upon a right foot, the liberty of that people must perish. The militia of antient Rome, the best that ever was in any government, made her mistress of the world: But standing armies enslaved that great people, and their excellent militia and freedom perifhed together. The Lacedemonians continued eight hundred years free, and in great honour, because they had a good militia. The Swiffes at this day are the freest, happiest, and the people of all Europe who can beft defend themselves, because they have the best militia.

I HAVE fhewn that liberty in the monarchical governments of Europe, fubfifted fo long as the militia of the barons was on foot: And that on the decay of their militia, (which though it was none of the best, so was it none of the worst) ftanding forces and tyranny have been every-where introduced, unless in Britain and Ireland; which by reason of their fituation, having the fea for fron

tier, and a powerful fleet to protect them, could afford no pretence for such forces. And though any militia, however flightly constituted, be fufficient for that reafon to defend us; yet all improvements in the conftitution of militia's, being further fecurities for the liberty of the people, I think we ought to endeavour the amendment of them, and till that can take place, to make the present militia's useful in the former and ordinary methods.

THAT the whole free people of any nation ought to be exercised to arms, not only the example of our ancestors, as appears by the acts of parliament made in both kingdoms to that purpose, and that of the wifeft governments among the antients; but the advantage of chufing out of great numbers, feems clearly to demonftrate. For in countries where husbandry, trade, manufactures, and other mechanical arts are carried on, even in time of war, the impediments of men are so many and fo various, that unless E

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the whole people be exercised, no confiderable numbers of men can be drawn out, without disturbing those employments, which are the vitals of the political body. Besides, that upon great defeats, and under extreme calamities, from which no government was ever exempted, every nation ftands in need of all the people, as the antients fometimes did of their flaves. And I cannot fee, why arms should be denied to any man who is not a flave, fince they are the only true badges of liberty; and ought never, but in times of utmost neceffity, to be put into the hands of mercenaries or flaves: neither can I understand, why any man that has arms, should not be taught the use of them.

By the conftitution of the present militia in both nations, there is but a small number of the men able to bear arms exercised; and men of quality and eftate are allowed to fend any wretched servant in their place: fo that they themselves are become mean, by being difused to

handle

handle arms; and will not learn the use of them, because they are ashamed of their ignorance: by which means the militia's being compofed only of servants, these nations feem altogether unfit to defend themselves, and standing forces to be neceffary. Now can it be supposed that a few fervants will fight for the defence of their mafters eftates, if their masters only look on? Or that fome inconfiderate freeholders, as for the most part those who command the militia are, fhould, at the head of thofe fervants, expose their lives for men of more plentiful eftates, without being affifted by them? No bodies of military men can be of any force or value, unless many perfons of quality or education be among them; and fuch men should blush to think of excufing themselves from serving their country, at least for fome years, in a military capacity, if they confider that every Roman was obliged to spend fifteen years of his life in their armies. Is it not a fhame that any man who poffeffes

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poffeffes an eftate, and is at the fame time healthful and young, fhould not fit himself by all means for the defence of that, and his country, rather than to pay taxes to maintain a mercenary, who though he may defend him during a war, will be fure to infult and enflave him in time of peace. Men must not think that any country can be in a constant posture of defence, without fome trouble and charge; but certainly 'tis better to undergo this, and to preserve our liberty with honour, than to be subjected to heavy taxes, and yet have it infolently ravished from us, to our present oppreffion, and the lafting mifery of our pofterity. But it will be faid, Where are the men to be found who fhall exercise all this people in fo many feveral places at once? for the nobility and gentry know nothing of the matter; and to hire fo many foldiers of fortune, as they call them, will be chargeable, and may be dangerous, thefe men being all mercenaries, and always the fame men, in the

fame