STATE OF ENGLAND IN 1685 .

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them, if he needed their help against a foreign or domestic

enemy. In the meantime they were maintained without any-

charge to him, and were kept under an excellent discipline,to which he could not have ventured to subject them. *

If the jealousy of the Parliament and of the nation made it The nl " 7,impossible for the King to maintain a formidable standingarmy, no similar impediment prevented him from makingEngland the first of maritime powers. Both Whigs and Torieswere ready to applaud every step tending to increase theefficiency of that force which, while it was the best protectionof the island against foreign enemies, was powerless againstcivil liberty. All the greatest exploits achieved within thememory of that generation by English soldiers had beenachieved in war against English princes. The victories ofour sailors had been won over foreign foes, and had avertedhavoc and rapine from our own soil. By at least half the nationthe battle of Naseby was remembered with horror, andthe battle of Dunbar with pride chequered by many painfulfeelings: but the defeat of the Armada, and the encountersof Blake with the Hollanders and Spaniards, were recollectedwith unmixed exultation by all parties. Ever since the Resto-ration, the Commons, even when most discontented and mostparsimonious, had always been bountiful even to profusionwhere the interest of the navy was concerned. It had beenrepresented to them, while Danby was minister, that manyof the vessels in the royal fleet were old and unfit for sea; and,although the House was, at that time, in no giving mood, anaid of near six hundred thousand pounds had been granted forthe building of thirty new men of war.

* Most of the materials which I have used for this account of theregular army will be found in the Historical Records of Regiments,published by command of King William the Fourth, and under the direc-tion of the Adjutant General. See also Chamberlayne’s State of England,

1GS4; Abridgment of the English Military Discipline, printed by especialcommand, 1685; Exercise of Foot, by their Majesties’command, 1690.