Pendennis and All Other Standing Forts Dismantled, Title page – Errata
PENDENNIS and all other ſtanding Forts DISMANTLED: Or, EIGHT Military Aphoriſmes, Demonſtrating the Ʋſeleſneſs, unprofitableneſs, hurtfulneſs, and Prodigall Expenſivenes of all ſtanding Engliſh Forts and Garriſons, to the People of England: their inability to protect them from Invaſions, Depredations of Enemies or Pyrates by Sea or Land: The great miſchiefs, Preſſures, Inconveniences they draw upon the Inhabitants, Country, and adjacent places in times of open wars, when pretended moſt uſefull: and the grand Overſight, Miſtake, Injury in continuing them for the preſent or furure Reall Defence of the peoples Lives, Liberties, Eſtates, the only ends pretended for them.
Penned by William Prynne of Swainſwick, Eſquire, during his cloſe impriſonment in Pendennis Caſtle. And now publiſhed for the common benefit, eaſe, information of the whole Nation.
Habak. 1. 10.
They ſhall deride every ſtrong hold, for they ſhall heap duſt, and take it.
Hoſea 3. 14.
Iudah hath multiplied fenced Cities, but I will ſend a fire upon his Cities which ſhall devoure the palaces thereof.
2 Chron. 12. 4.
And he took the fenced Cities which appertained to Judah.
Dan. 11. 15.
The King of the North ſhall come, and caſt up a mount, and take the moſt fenced Cities; neither ſhall there be any ſtrength to withſtand.
Ezeck. 26. 11, 12.
He ſhall ſlay thy people by the ſword, and thy ſtrong garriſons ſhall go down to the ground: and they ſhall make a ſpoile of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandiſe; and they ſhall break down thy wals, and deſtroy thy pleaſant houſes, and they ſhall lay thy stones, and thy timber, and thy duſt in the middeſt of the water.
London, Printed for the Author, and are to be ſold by Edward Thomas in Green-Arbour, 1657▪
To the ingenuous READER.
DUring my neer 3 years cauſeleſs cloſe Impriſonments, (without the leaſt Accuſation, hearing, crime, then or ſince ſuggeſted againſt me) by John Bradſhaw and …his Whitehall Aſſociates, in the ſince ſlighted diſgarriſon'd Caſtles of Dunſter & Taunton in Sumerſetſhire, and yet continued Garriſon of Pendennis Caſtle in Cornwell; I had ſeverall Diſcourſes with their Officers and Souldiers (who, though ſeeming zealous profeſſors of the Goſpell, I found very unwilling, *Iſay. 24. Mic. 4. 3. Lu. 2. 14. Heb. 13, 14. Jam. 4. 1, 2.to beat their ſwords into Ploughſhares, and their ſpears into pruning Hooks, and not to lift up a ſword againſt any Chriſtian Nation, nor to leavy Wars any more, as the God and Goſpell of Peace preſcribe them) concerning the Ʋſeleſſeneſſe, Hurtfulneſſe, and prodigall unneceſſary annuall expenſiveneſſe of thoſe and other ſtanding Forts, Garriſons, In-land and maritine, both in times of Warr and Peace, as being unable to defend the Realm, or Countrey round about them from invading forraign Enemies, or pillaging Pyrates, much leſſe any parts of the Kingdome remoter from them, and drawing many intollerable preſſures, miſchiefs upon the Inhabitants in or near them, and on the whole Nation (eſpecially in times of Hoſtility when pretended moſt beneficiall) infinitely over-ballancing all the advantages that could be alleadged either for their originall Erection, or future continuation, if duly pondered in the Scales of right reaſon. Which being a Theam never yet (to my knowledge) publickly debated in Print, tending much to the common eaſe and benefit of the whole Nation from theſe unneceſſary Peſts and Burdens, I did thereupon in my dark Pendennis Cell (where I had few Books and leſſe light to read) in September 1652. to paſſe away idle hours, digeſt the ſubſtance of my Diſcourſes againſt Forts, and Garriſous (to which I could receive no ſatisfactory replies from any Officers or Souldiers) into theſe enſuing Aphoriſms, which I ſent from thence to a ſince deceaſed Friend in London. Where Gods providence (after his death and my enlargement) unexpectedly bringing them to my hands, I was thereupon induced to make them publick; humbly ſubmitting them to the ſerious Conſideration, Approbation, or Correction of every candid Reader, and publick ſpirited Stateſman, Sword-man, preferring the Co mmonwealth, eaſe, intereſt of the over-exhauſted Nation, before his own perſonall Pay, Honour, Command, and ſelf-reſpects. A very rare Vertue in this ſelf-ſeeking Age; wherein few Chriſtian Souldiers can truly ſay of themſelves, as the Thebaean Chriſtian Legion under Diocleſian the Emperour did; *Grotius de jure Belli & pacis l. 1. c. 2. p. 36.Offerimus noſtras in quemlibet hoſtem manus, quas ſanguine innocentium cruentare nefas ducimus. Dextrae ipſae pugnare adverſus impios & inimicos ſciunt, laniare pios & cives neſciunt. Meminimus nos pro civibus potius quam adverſus Cives arma ſumpſiſſe. Pugnavimus ſemper pro juſtitia, pro pietate, pro innocentium ſalute; haec fuerunt hactenus pretia periculorum. Pugnavimus pro fide, quam quo pacto cenſeruemus tibi, ſi hanc Deo noſtro non exhibemus? And wherein we may juſtly take up the Apoſtles ſad Complaint in his time, as ſuited to ours, Phil. 1. 20. 21. I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your Eſtate: For ALL SEEKE THEIR OWN, NOT THE THINGS THAT ARE JESUS CHRISTS, or things really tending to the publick liberty, Eaſe, Wealth, and Happineſſe of the Nation; pretended to by all, for ſelfadvantages alone; but ſincerely intended, endeavoured by few or none, if VOX POPULI, or DEI, may be credited. Accept and peruſe this Treatiſe (I beſeech thee) as a New light, ſpringing out of darkneſſe, firſt Compiled, and now Divulged, onelyonly for the generall Eaſe and Welfare of our Engliſh Nation, by him who hath ever ſtudied, to promote Gods Glory, and his Countries publick Liberty, Intereſt, eaſe, more than his own private ſafety, or ſelf-advantage, and deſires to live no longer then he ſhall manifeſt himſelf upon all occaſions to be,
Lincolns Inne. December 6. 1654. His Native Countries faithfull Freind and Servant, William Prynne.
Errata.
Pag. 4. l. 25 …lay. r. ſtay. l. 28. r. rovers. p. 5. l. 10. if of. p. 32. l. 11. Pruda Penda▪ Margin. p. 27. l. 7▪ Gul. Nubrig▪ l. 10. Eccleſiae. l. 14. Bromten.