Page:Trenchard Tracts 074-124.djvu/19

Being at this Day. Much about the ſame Time he raiſed Guards in England (a Thing unheard of before in our Engliſh Conſtitution) and by Degrees increas'd them, till they became a formidable Army; for firſt they were but very few, but by adding inſenſibly more Men to a Troop or Company, and then more Troops or Companies to a Regiment, before the ſecond Dutch War he had multiplied them to near 5000 Men. He then began that War in Conjunction with France, and the Parliament gave him two Millions and a half to maintain it, with Part of which Monday he rais'd about 12000 Men, which were called the Black-Heath Army (appointing Marſhal Shomberg to be their General, and Fitz Gerald, an Iriſh Papiſt, their Lieutenant-General) and pretended he rais'd them to attack Holland; but inſtead of uſing them to that purpoſe, he kept them encamped upon Black-Heath, hovering over the City of London, which put both the Parliament and City in ſuch Confuſion, that the King was forced at laſt to diſband them. But there were ſeveral Accidents contributed to it: Firſt, the ill Succeſs he had in the War with the Dutch, ſuch Gallantries being not to be attempted but in the higheſt Raptures of Fortune: Next, the never to be forgotten Generoſity of that great Man General Shomberg, whoſe mighty Genius ſcorn'd ſo ignoble an Action as to put Chains upon a free People; and laſt of all, the Army themſelves mutinied for want of Pay; which added to the ill Humours that were then in the Nation, made the King willing to diſband them. But at the ſame time, contrary to the Articles of Peace with the Dutch, he continu'd ten thouſand Men in the French Service, for the moſt part under Popiſh Officers, to be ſeaſon'd there in ſlaviſh Principles, that they might be ready to execute any Commands when they were ſent for over. The Parliament never met, but they addreſs'd the King to recall theſe Forces out of France, and diſband them; and ſeveral times prepar'd Bills to that purpoſe, which the King always prevented by a Prorogation; but at laſt was prevail'd upon to iſſue forth a Proclamation to recall them, yet at the ſame time ſupplied them with Recruits, encourag'd ſome to go voluntarily into that Service, and preſs'd, impriſon'd, and carried over others