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trophies, and been numbered among its worthies; nor did our ancestors ever account it mercenary thus to let out their swords to hire, in the cause of the reformed religion. The profession of a lawful soldier can no man honour too much; but to mercenaries, who sell themselves for pay and plunder, are butchers and hangmen to be preferred, seeing that they follow lawful vocations. But an honest conscientious soldier is one beloved of heaven, like that Joshua, who did fight his Lord's battles; of whom the sun and moon were enamoured for his virtue, and stood still, to a miracle, to behold his courage. It was sin that introduced the necessity of arms, without which good laws are of no use; and the soldier, as well as the magistrate, doth carry God's sword; which is the last appeal and remedy, "to be trusted only in the hands of sovereign princes," and is an edged tool, dangerous for priests or people to play withal. Afterwards, he served under the Lord Goring, a nobleman of great parts and courage, but "some few extravagances," of whom he learned what it became a soldier to practise, and neglected whatever else did not square with the honour of his profession.

On his return to England, he found that men of his profession were only in too great request; the Scottish nation having entered into an unhappy war with the king, for "the pretences of religion," a preface too good to be the introduction of rebellion. Here he did good service; and the enemy attempting to pass the Tyne at Newborn, his regiment, though with but one bullet and one charge of powder apiece, employed that modicum with so much effect," that the Scots durst scarcely look after him." Of this treachery or madness, on the part of those whose business it was to supply the army with ammunition, the general used often to complain, observing, "that he had never seen such gallant horse and foot in all his time, men able to reduce many such kingdoms as Scotland." But the mismanagement in this war did not proceed from the treachery of men, but by the wise dispensation of Providence, to punish a nation" insensible of the blessings of peace and plenty, and neglectful both of their duty to God and obedience to the king."

At this period, when it was in agitation to plant colonies in Madagascar, the general entertained a design of embarking his fortunes in that adventure; which, if he had carried it into effect, would doubtless have been attended with infinite advantage both to the nation and the persons concerned; for, "like Cato Senior, in whatsoever condition he had engaged, he had found or made a great fortune." He thought that plantations conduced greatly to the increase of trade, and particularly that those in America offered the prospect of vast commercial advantages. Indeed, the strength of those colonies is such as

to make the entire reduction of that continent-even of the rich Spanish provinces-not only probable but easy, did not the colonists apply themselves to traffic and husbandry more than to martial exercises. For where was there ever seen a colony like that of New-England, which trades with above fourscore sail of great ships upon the coast, and is able to raise above forty thousand men, without depriving the land of the necessary number of labourers? But then their "niceness in point of religion," none but the "gathered churches" having an interest in the government, and the pretensions of the many to rule the community-" as according to the law of corrupt nature they ought, and by their power and force they will"are likely to introduce some dangerous commotion. No Englishman can be an enemy to his people, but must wish their prosperity, and that they may regulate their affairs with the prudence and moderation that will most conduce to their future happiness. Yet these plantations, though they advance the trade, materially lessen the population of the mother country, in which she is rather defective than abundant; and if the rage for emigration increase, she may in time, like Spain, become exhausted and desolate.

Before the Scottish troubles were effectually quietedwhich, indeed, they never were till his majesty's happy restoration-the Earl of Leicester being appointed, with the consent both of king and parliament, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (a great wonder, it being not usual for them at this time to agree in any thing,) this noble person chose his cousin, George Monk, colonel of his own regiment. Though the earl himself never went, being too wise a man to hazard his reputation, without men and money adequate to the service, yet the colonel proceeded to his destination, where, with his usual singular good fortune, he gathered laurels and booty in abundance. His zeal and fidelity appeared so great, that the lords justices appointed him governor of Dublin; which was, in effect, to commit all they had to his custody; for except this city, and a town or two in Munster and the North, the Protestants of Ireland had little left in their possession. Here he made several expeditions into the country with such success, that he became purveyor of provisions to the whole city; and the soldiers would submit to any hardship rather than not go out with honest George Monk, for so they familiarly called him. Even after he had become duke and general, this was the appellation they most frequently gave him;-" a brave title, no disgrace to the highest condition, for every one is bound to be honest, though all cannot be great."

Suddenly, from England, whatever might be the cause thereof, comes a new commission, and he is degraded from the government of Dublin; and, as whom we injure we suspect, his

regiment was at the same time taken from him, and transported to the king's assistance into England. Notwithstanding, he came over in very good grace and favour, and being presented to his majesty of blessed memory, in Christ Church gardens at Oxford, he dealt very frankly with the king,-assuring him, that no good could be done with an army managed as his was,-that want of discipline would be its ruin, for whosoever commanded, none would obey-but that if ten thousand men were picked out of all the royal forces, and entrusted to officers experienced in the art of war, and who had lived under discipline abroad, he made no doubt of their being able to maintain themselves at their swords' points, and make the parliament weary of the contest. And this he would, doubtless, have performed, for he was not a man that played with the profession of a soldier, but made it his business, and studied to do his duty. The king had it in his mind to entrust him with some command suitable to the proposition; but, in the mean time, Colonel Monk had the misfortune to be surprised by the parliament forces under Sir Thomas Fairfax, and sent prisoner to London. Here, by a special order of parliament, he was lodged in the Tower of London, his conduct and virtue being regarded as criminal, for "too often does honesty meet with suffering instead of preferment." "And now he is safe in the Tower of London; there they resolve to keep him; and there he languisheth many years, and hears from none of his friends; they are remote in Devonshire, in the king's quarters, and cannot furnish him; he a younger brother, and in the fashion," having but a younger brother's inheritance. His majesty, indeed, sent him, as a testimony of his kindness, a hundred pounds in gold,-a great sum at that time, when Oxford and the Indies had little commerce,-and this bounty did work upon his affections, and endear to him both the royal family and cause. We now see the reward of gratitude :

what the father could not, by reason of the iniquity of the times, confer, hath the son of this great king largely bestowed; and thereby laid an everlasting obligation upon all his people to be loyal, and consecrated an altar to gratitude.

This great soul could not but suffer extreme languor, to lie in rust among the old arms of the Tower, who used to be clad in bright steel, and to live in the midst of wounds and danger. But to moulder away in prison, is not so loathsome as disloyalty; there will he rot, sooner than accept a command under the parliament. Still, to be confined within stone walls and iron bars, is more contrary to the nature of man, who is a social creature; and even the little birds, that are provided with all necessaries to nourish and delight, and yet do sing sadly, and strive for liberty, teach us how much freedom is to be preferred to every luxury. He is persuaded, at length, to undertake the

charge of a regiment in Ireland; but being about to step out of the Tower, he meets with a great obstruction at the thresholdhe must fall down and worship the Scottish idol of the covenant-a condition to which he, a loyal and true believer, cannot easily be brought to submit. He had many conferences both with the clergy and laity, who were his fellow sufferers in the Tower; but what was the issue of their deliberations, and whether he took the covenant, I cannot with certainty affirm. "This I know, he loved not the remembrance of that troublesome fire-brand." This covenant was imposed when I was a child, and was almost forgotten in the nation, till the late act for renouncing it recalled the memory thereof. Balls of wild-fire should be quenched in silence, and cast out of the way of observation. Among a divided people, water is more necessary than fire or zeal; "Moses, that delivered the Israelites, was of a calm and meek spirit; and without controversy, nothing is so healing of the wounds of a nation, as forgiveness and forgetfulness."

Having continued in Ireland till the expiration of the Lord Deputy's commission, he returned with him to London, where he was caressed by parliament, to undertake the command of the British forces in Ulster. And he hath an admirable memory among all the Protestants of their party; for, in a barren country he did reap great booty, and maintain a long and sharp war with the stoutest of the rebels. By laying the country waste, he forced their commander, Owen O'Neale, to seek for new quarters; the sure way to remove an enemy, being to cut off his supplies;-" without provender the steed will starve."-Had Darius desolated two or three provinces in the Lesser Asia, and declined fighting, the young Macedonian might have been contented with his own kingdom, and been glad to run home for his breakfast. If Cromwell had been thus treated, when he invaded the Scots, he had never been Protector. Harold lost the crown by an error of this kind;— an invader comes to fight, and we must never oblige an enemy. In the whole of his government, he performed the part as well of a just judge, as of a good captain; and that apothegm did not ill become him,-" what others discoursed of in long harangues, he executed in honest and prudent actions." He was always upon his guard, and looked upon it as the chief duty of a commander to have good intelligence; an article he never wanted, as he was easy of access, and very humble and familiar in all his conversation. He thus prevented a design laid by the Scottish officers under his command, at the time, when the division took place between the parliament and that people, to seize him; and then entered into an agreement with O'Neale, and furnished him with ammunition to relieve Londonderry, besieged by the Scots. For this action little can be said, except that it was dic

tated by necessity, and done by the special command of Cromwell. Being left with only seventeen men to defend Dundalk, all the rest of his soldiers having deserted from him, he retired into England, where he took upon himself the odium of the agreement with the rebels, as done like a soldier, and in a case of extreme necessity. This won him the favour and friendship of Cromwell, "for there are some evil men whom good turns will endear," but it gave great displeasure to many members of the parliament. He was even questioned strictly about the agreement, and some one moved to commit him to his old lodgings in the Tower; but the politicians of the house, who regarded it as a measure highly advantageous to themselves, replied, "that it was fitter to commit the Tower to him." truth was, the desertion of the Scots' officers, and no very good usage from some others in Ireland, provoked him into this agreement" injury must never provoke a good man to go out of his right way."

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He was not allowed to continue long inactive: some men are born for motion; and the age being barren of great spirits, his services were wanted on all occasions. We must allow him to have been as fortunate as ever man was, who, amidst reverses that crushed others out of their lives and property, contrived to turn all to his own advantage. The Scots, who had formerly digged the grave, and helped to bury this ancient monarchy, would now have revived it with the loss of their lives. They renounced all alliance with the pretended high and mighty states of England; and sent commissions to Breda, to bring home his majesty. This demonstrates, that though they did grievously err in their means and methods to alter, it was never their aim to ruin the monarchy; "but men that go out of God's way meet with God's judgment." They are a people led too much by the authority of their ministers; whose fanatic zeal did not hesitate to set three nations in a flame, that by the heat thereof they might sacrifice to the idol of Calvin's invention at Geneva. This might be well enough adapted to the precincts of that little city; but is not calculated to the meridian of a great kingdom. They shewed themselves, also, far too scrupulous in clogging majesty with conditions, and widened the divisions of their country; but for this, and all their other acts of disloyalty, they have since done penance under the tyranny of the English, who were rods in the hands of Providence, to punish their rebellion, though he afterwards threw his rods into the fire.

The commonwealth's men did not relish the propinquity of the son of a king, in whose blood they had so lately bathed their hands. They resolved, therefore, to send an army into Scotland; and General Fairfax was requested to assume the command. But this honest gentleman had lamented in dust

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