MHS Collections Online

I. Seven Dollars a Month.

II. Fresh Provisions, and in Plenty.

III. Health.

IV. Freedom, Ease, Affluence and a good Farm.

I. Three Pence a Day.

II. Rotten Salt Pork.

III. The Scurvy.

IV. Slavery, Beggary and Want.

GENTLEMEN,

YOU are about to embark for America, to compel your
Fellow Subjects there to submit to POPERY and
SLAVERY.

It is the Glory of the British Soldier, that he is the
Defender, not the Destroyer, of the Civil and Religious
Rights of the People. The English Soldiery are immor-
talized in History, for their Attachment to the Religion
and Liberties of their Country.

When King JAMES the Second endeavoured to intro-
duce the Roman-catholic Religion and arbitrary Power
into Great Britain, he had an Army encamped on Houn-
slow-Heath, to terrify the People. Seven Bishops were
seized upon, and sent to the Tower. But they appealed
to the Laws of their Country, and were set at Liberty.
When this News reached the Camp, the Shouts of Joy
were so great, that they re-ecchoed in the Royal Palace.
This, however, did not quite convince the King, of the
Aversion of the Soldiers to be the Instruments of Op-
pression against their Fellow Subjects. He therefore made
another Trial. He ordered the Guards to be drawn up,
and the Word was given, that those who did not chuse to
support the King's measures, should ground their Arms.
When, behold to his utter Confusion, and their eternal
Honour -- The whole Body grounded their Arms.

You, Gentlemen, will soon have an Opportunity of
shewing equal Virtue. You will be called upon to im-
brue your Hands in the Blood of your Fellow Subjects in
America, because they will not submit to be Slaves, and
are alarmed at the Establishment of Popery and Arbitrary
Power in one Half of their Country.

Whether you will draw those Swords which have de-
fended them against their Enemies, to butcher them into
a Resignation of their Rights, which they hold as the
Sons of Englishmen, is in your Breasts. That you will
not stain the Laurels you have gained from France, by
dipping them in Civil Blood, is every good Man's Hope.

Arts will no Doubt be used to persuade you, that it is
your Duty to obey Orders; and that you are sent upon
the just and righteous Errand of crushing Rebellion.
But your own Hearts will tell you, that the People may
be so ill treated, as to make Resistance necessary. You
know, that Violence and Injury offered from one Man to
another, has always some Pretence of Right and Reason
to justify it. So it is between the People and their
Rulers.

Therefore, whatever hard Names and heavy Accusa-
sations may be bestowed upon your Fellow Subjects in
America, be assured they have not deserved them; but
are driven, by the most cruel Treatment, into Despair.
In this Despair they are compelled to defend their Liber-
ties, after having tried, in Vain, every peaceable Means
of obtaining Redress of their manifold Grievances.

Before God and Man they are right.

Your Honour then, Gentlemen, as Soldiers, and your
Humanity as Men, forbid you to be the Instruments of
forcing Chains upon your injured and oppressed Fellow
Subjects. Remember that your first Obedience is due
to God, and that whoever bids you shed innocent Blood,
bids you act contrary to his Commandments.