A miscellany of sundry essayes, paradoxes, and problematicall discourses, letters and characters; together with politicall deductions from the history of the Earl of Essex, executed under Queen Elizabeth. / By Francis Osborn Esquire.

A Letter to Mr. — in hope to disswade Him from going a Co∣lonel under Count Mansfield.

SIR,

I Cannot but own it, for a high Presumption, to offer such sud∣dain and crude Conceptions in a Businesse where I presume, you have employed, not only your Owne, but the most Serious Advice of Your Friends. To the Abilities and Dig∣nity of whom, though I am forced to give place, I may not justly be accounted behind them in Affection to your Selfe, or Affaires. Where∣fore having received so great an encouragement from your Com∣mands, no lesse then a Stimulation from my particular Desire to Serve you, I shall according to my small Experience, and the meaner Abilities

I have found in me, to employ it to the best Labour, to inform You, These Corrupt times have rendred many things Necessary to the Ger∣man Warres, are no wayes suteable to your Complexion, or Fortune, which your Generall, being a Stran∣ger, cannot in probability, advance, without Offending his own, and sin∣ning against an Article of Policy, and Nature. Nor shall you, though loa∣den with the Highest Merit, render your Return more gratefull to Your Naturall Prince: King James ha∣ving alwayes numbered Souldiers amongst those, he esteemes the worst of Men, and most formidable to His Person. The Expedition being by Him rather Connived at, then Ap∣proved, out of Hope, by this meanes, to facilitate the two Treaties of a Match with Spain, and the Restituti∣on of the Pallatinate: which ob∣tained, (according to the Mode of

Pusillanimous Princes) all endeavours will be used to discharge the State of You and Your Companions, as a Society most superfluous during Peace; the only Thing Our King doth study to promote: To whose Eares a Drum is more terrible then Thunder, and the Report of a Canon then the voyce of God Him∣selfe. Which, (if Our Church-Men may be credited) doth at this Day cry for vengeance, against the Cru∣elty, exercised upon Christians; especially from England, by an una∣nimous Consent chosen the Head of the Protestant League, till his Maje∣sty had forfeited that Honour to the brisker Assistance given by the French. Now, can you think he should indulge valour as a vertue in another, when nothing is more ma∣nifest, then that he labours to ex∣punge all Marks, or Occasions for it in Himselfe, or any about Him so

farre, as to Answer my Lo. — when he came from the Warres, and desired to Kisse his Hand, That he feared he would bite it, and there∣fore bad he should be muffled? Nor is it our Kings mode alone, (that never made use of Souldiers unlesse to slight them) But that of Spaigne; under whom the most deserving have dyed in Disgrace, if not by Poyson. And amongst the Catalogue of Those stand written with great Characters in the Kalender of Fame, few or none, are registred for Saints, or Happy. It being past Controversie, That, no Warre can be called Just, beares not a reall Tincture of Defen∣sative. And whosoever hath, or shall have enterprized the Contra∣ry, though his Name be never so richly enamelled on the Ring of Fortune, and Himself placed at the Top of her Wheele, yet he is but the Scourge of God: and doth for the

most part, fall, when he thinks him∣selfe most capable of standing. Like Charles the 5th, that was by the Duke of Saxony, (a Family of his own raysing) beaten over the Alps, by Torch-light, and himself like the Sword of Goliah, wound up into a High Contempt of this World, and layd in a Monastery. The Sins and Oversights of Gods Children are se∣verely punished. But it is as true, That nothing costs dearer, then the Bloud of his Saints. As may appear by such Horse-Leaches, as have been applyed to his Church; from whence a double quantity hath been drawn, by some unexpected meanes. But if these Reasons savour too much of Theology, Consider how unpossi∣ble it is to do any thing, without the Love of the Common Souldier a∣broad, and how unsafe He must needes be at home that enjoyes it; There being nothing more usuall

with Princes, then to be jealous of their Liberators. Manifest in Byron; who, after he had set the Crown upon Henry the fourths head, lost his own, out of a no more pious reason, then that upon a Contrary provoca∣tion, he might have removed it to another. And to shew of what vile esteeme Souldiers are in the dayes of Peace; I will not say (though I have heard it) that the Judges, af∣ter the Irish Warres, were given it in Charge: yet can assure you, they hanged Souldiers for Faults, which, Others (thought of more use in Peace) did scape, or obtained pardon for. If so unhappy, as to receive a Wound in your Person or Credit, it remains Yours, without the least Diminution. If Honour, Custome shares it between your Country, and He that Commands in Chiefe. Who, being a Forreyner, is not unlikely to rob you of your due; or by im∣ploying

you on Desperate Service, to Conclude Fame and your Life to∣gether. I know, your Resolution is too well lyned by Philosophy against the Storms of Danger, to admit a Parly with any Force but that of Reason: wherefore I forbear to Paynt them, lest I should seem to scare you with Feares, are for many yeares, left to be terrible to my Selfe. Who have long since thought it Ridiculous, to Court Sleep by Opiums, and protract Death by Cordialls; which is but the Head of the same Species, being both the effect of an unavoydable Lassitude. Yet though Life is im∣posed upon Mortalls without, if not against their Consent, it cannot be denyed the strongest Result of the Highest Wisdom, to Situate Your Selfe so, as it may consume at the most ease, and with the least Pertur∣bation; which is not to be expected from such a Flaring and intempe∣rate

a Course, as that of a Souldier: that can make choyce of no Friend nor Enemy, but what the State as∣signes Him; or proportion his Pitty or Justice, to his own Morality, but their Ambition and Jealousie, that Command in Chief. To whom in all things you are bound to obey, though contrary to the Grayn of Prudence it self. That arbitrary Go∣vernment you so much complain of at home, being the best you can in Reason, expect to finde, in an Army abroad; Where, the Stresse of Dis∣cipline lies more upon the Admini∣stration of Severity, then Justice. Such as are reported to list them∣selves under the Black Prince of Darkn sse, draw Articles before they Consigne their Bloud; And have a Circle enchanted, with a Power to protect them: whereas a Souldier hath nothing to plead for, against actuall obedience, but the narrow

Circumference of Protection, that lies in the will of a Generall. To whom, the Vertue and Valour of his Officers is no lesse formidable, in re∣lation to his particular Jealousies, then the Vices and Cowardice, of his meaner Souldiers, are thought per∣nicious to Successe in the Field. Wherefore no Prince deserves such Honourable Attendance as those, that Head their Armies themselves. Ge∣neralissimo's like Stepfathers, carry∣ing no other Naturall affection, but for the Advancement of their own Glory. So as they esteem, all inferi∣our Merit, as an Intrusion upon Theirs: It being ordinary with Custom, to award Fame to such as have least deserved it; and asperse with Infamy, those of more Glorious Merit. I confesse Necessity cannot onely abate the Edge of these Reasons; but turne their Poynts against the Urger. Yet,

since it is not impossible, but that the Electour may have miscarried in his Allegeance towards the Emperour, it cannot be indiscreet or impertinent to mind you, of the Hazard and small reward they commonly are capable of, that render themselves Arbitrators of a Forreign Difference; I do comply with you, in all the Pitty, Prayers, and Contributions can be of∣fered for the Restitution of the Ver∣tuous Lady Elizabeth: yet shall re∣serve my Person to bestow upon the Preservation of my Country, in the quarrell of which, I can onely justi∣fie, the spilling of my own Blood, or that of others. The universall imployment of a Souldier, not being yet legally made out to me, by any In∣junction either Morall, or Divine. The Practice of the Switzers in re∣lation to Forreign Quarrells, appea∣ring as remote from Christian Cha∣rity, as Natural Prudence. It cannot

be denyed, but That Souldiers are necessary, during the Distracted times of Invasion: So it is as true, That few Callings are looked upon with more Disdain, when a Nation enjoyes an absolute Tranquillity. Wherefore it can be no Act of Di∣scretion, to inrole your self, under a Profession, onely in esteem, during the Worser Ages, and not the Best. Wherein maims are considered ra∣ther as marks of an inconsiderate and brutish Valour, then a temperate and advised Prudence. Were You thrown upon it, by the Iron Hornes of an unavoydable Compulsion, or flattered into it, out of a more then probable Assurance of an Honourable Advantage; Something might be objected to the Prayers of Your Friends, and contrary Desires of your Enemies: who may not unpos∣sibly tempt you, into this uncertain Hope, out of a Design, to rob you of all you really enjoy.

Consider your Education, how much a Stranger it hath been, to the incommodious Treatment the Field doth afford: Out of whose Verge, it is more decent and safe, still to preserve your Selfe, then, at any time to retire, though upon the highest Provocation; of whose le∣gitimacy, your Enemies from whom you part, will be the Arbitrators, and not your Friends, to whom you re∣turn. Warre being a turbulent and destructive Calling, with more Credit and Safety alwayes neglected, then at any time for saken. He that never fought, receiving a fairer Encomium from Charity, then a Captain that hath deserted his Poste. Nor doth a Colonel stand for more, then a single Wheele, in the Frame of an Army, where the Generall remaines Heir to all Desert.—The rest is lost.