Page:Trenchard Tracts 074-124.djvu/8

 they ever attempted to keep up a Standing Army. Such was the virtue of thoe times, that they would rather run the hazard of forefeiting their Heds and Etates to the rage of the oppoite Party, than certainly inlave their Country, tho' they themelves were to be the.

Nor would they uffer our Kings to keep up an Army in Ireland, tho' there were frequent Rebellions there, and by that means their Subjection very precarious; as well knowing they would be in England when called for. In the firt three hundred Years that the Englih had of that Country, there were no Armies there but in times of War. The firt Force that was etablih'd was in the 14th of Edward the fourth, when 120 Archers on Horeback, 40 Horemen, and 40 Pages were etablih'd by Parliament there; which fix Years after were reduc'd to 80 Archers, and 20 Spearmen on Horeback. in Henry the Eighth's time, in the Year 1535, the Army in Ireland was 300; and in 1543, they were to 380 Hore and 160 Foot, which was the  then. I peak this of times of Peace: for when the Irih were in Rebellion, which was very, the Armies were much more coniderable. In Queen Mary's time the Standing Forces were about 1200. In mot of Queen Elizabeth's Reign the Irih were in open Rebellion; but when they were all uppres'd, the Army etablih'd was between 1500 and 2000: about which number they continued till the Army rais'd by Strafford, the 15th of Charles the 1t.

In the Year 1602 dy'd Queen Elizabeth, and with her all the Virtue of the Plantagenets, and the Tudors. She made the English Glory found thro' the whole Earth: She firt taught her Country the Advantages of Trade; et bounds to the Ambition of France and Spain; aited the Dutch, but would neither permit them or France to build any great Ships; kept the Keys of the Rivers Maes and Scheld in her own hands; and died with an uncontrol'd Dominion of the Seas, and Arbitres of Chritendom. All this he did with a Revenue not exceeding 300000 pounds per Annum; and had but inconiderable Taxes from her People.