The Christian souldier. Or, Preparation for battaile. A legend containing true rules for a souldier, in whom at once is met religion and resolution. Published by a well-willer to the gown and sword, T.J. Jordan, Thomas, 1612?-1685? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A87357 of text R12065 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E114_4). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 10 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A87357 Wing J1022 Thomason E114_4 ESTC R12065 99859202 99859202 111271 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A87357) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 111271) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 20:E114[4]) The Christian souldier. Or, Preparation for battaile. A legend containing true rules for a souldier, in whom at once is met religion and resolution. Published by a well-willer to the gown and sword, T.J. Jordan, Thomas, 1612?-1685? [2], 6 p. Printed for Edward Christopher, London : 1642. Anonymously published by Thomas Jordan -- Cf. Wing. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Aug: 24". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Soldiers -- Religious life -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Religious aspects -- Early works to 1800. A87357 R12065 (Thomason E114_4). civilwar no The Christian souldier. Or, Preparation for battaile.: A legend containing true rules for a souldier, in whom at once is met religion and r Jordan, Thomas 1642 1649 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-04 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2007-04 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion The Christian Souldier . OR , PREPARATION FOR BATTAILE . A Legend containing true Rules for a Souldier , in whom at once is met Religion and Resolution . Published by a well-willer to the Gown and Sword , T. J. To the Regiments on Foot . You who doe List your selves in numerous swarmes , Who think your Pikes and Muskets are safe charmes , Observe these Rules , you shall be free from harmes , And boldly give the word , — Stand to your Arms . To the Chevaleires , ( in English ) the Horsemen . A begger set on horseback rides apace , But he that wisely mounts , sits in full grace : Receive these few instructions , and you shall Returne victoriously , — Monte Chevall . LONDON , Printed for Edward Christopher . 1642. To all Gent. Souldiers , of what gradation soever , of Horse or Foote , fom the Colonel to the lowest Musquetier of the last Ranke and Foile . Give the word for silence . Noble Gent. ALthougb I am no Souldier , in that I never bore Armes , yet I am so exact an admirer of your glorious profession , I could not but tender my service to you in this rough Legend , in which I have endeavoured to picture a compleat Souldier ; and scored out in chalke and coale a well-shewing coward , that the excellencie of the one may the more glorious appeare , by how much the other is sordid ( in condition I meane , though not in forme ) and I doubt not but some unexperienced men ( if they doe not want gratitude as much as knowledge ) will give me thanks ; if not , I shall acknowledge my selfe enough requited if these rules bee onely practised , and it shall hereafter encourage him that daily wishes peace and prosperity to his King and Country , T. J. The Christian Souldier : OR , Preparation for Battaile . ARmes are altogether unlawfull , but where their onely necessary use is for the protection of Religion , defence against Heresie , maintenance of a Kings Right , in which consisteth the liberty of the Subject , and ( by that consequence ) the safety of a Kingdome : what ever is in opposition to this , must needs be illegall I cannot find it from the Creation of the first Adam , to the Expiration and Ascension of the last , that ever any Nation had command to teach their King to rule ; and hold it as unfit , as if the Sonne should enstruct the Parent , or the Scholar exhort his Schoolmaster . This being allowed , Civill-warre is altogether unlawfull , for they who have so little authority to enstruct , sure have lesse power to correct ; let his life be as wicked as Saul , or as divine as Solomon ; The unity betwixt a King and his people are as the Gordian knot twixt man and wife , ( for better for worse . ) Coronations and Marriages admit of no Conditions ; to prove which , I have ( with ease ) collected from the many Texts of Scripture to this purpose these following few : Prov. 17. 26. To punish the just is not good , nor to strike Princes for equity . Chap. 40. 31. Against a King there is no rising up . Ver. 32. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy selfe , lay thy hands on thy mouth . Chap. 20. 2. The feare of a King is as the roring of a Lion : who so provoketh him to anger , sinneth against his owne soule . Fellow souldiers , in this point you see there is no preparing for battaile , in respect it is unrighteous ; and you can receive no conquest but misery and destruction , as well of soule as of body , if you dare beleeve that eternall God that made you , who sayes thus in the Psalms of David : Psal. 45. 5. Thy arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies ; whereby the people fall under thee . Psal. 89. 23. I will beat downe his foes before his face , and plague them that hate him . Psal. 132. 18. His enemies will I cloathe with shame , but upon himselfe shall his crowne flourish . This is legible in the Bible , and ( beleeve it ) fellow-souldiers , our surest way of fighting is by the Booke ; it is not onely store of coyne , high spirited horse , good Ammunition , sound skill , fierce resolution , nor a strong Arme , but a strong Cause that makes a compleat souldier . There are three generall Postures belonging to the Musket : Make ready , Present , and Give fire , which ought to be joyned with these most necessary considerations : Ere you Make ready , remember your Cause ; when you Present , be not bloud-thirsty ; and when you Give fire , consider against whom . The field is a souldiers death-bed ; and when he stands stoutest in expectation of a ful victory , he is but drawing on : were it not most expedient then that his last actions should be his best ? Every fellow is not a souldier that struts , looks big , swears much , weares a broad blade , and takes Tobacco ; a perfect souldier is a perfect man , and shews most glorious in his civill valour : and such a one can kill without cruelty , and gaine a conquest without tyrannie : He holds it more victory to take one man prisoner , then put ten to the sword : You shall heare him say , that none but cowards feare to see their foes living . A valiant man in the expression of a battaile makes no noyse , but discourseth it with civill sorrow ; and when he comes to declare the conflict , ( though of his enemies ) he doth not glory in their confusion , but sayes , It is pity there should be so much bloud shed . You are safer in his armes , then at his swords point . If you be his enemie , the onely meanes to protect your selfe is to weare no weapon , and that is the onely way to conquer him , for he is angry because you goe without it . Your Coward , whom necessity and vain-glory have drawn into the field , at his return from silly service , in frighting language usher'd in with oathes , describes how many townes they burnt , how many women great with child were slaine , how many men blowne up at the springing of a mine , how desperately he returned their hand Granadoes into the enemies worke after the fire was given ; that in a set battaile he was forced to march up to the knees in bloud , and stumble over carkases ; when ( poore scab ) perhaps you might have found him asleep in the greazie armes of his Sutlers wife , or drunke under the barrels ; these are the men that cry aloud in Taverns By the faith of a souldier ; draw their swords often , and sweare it is that they get their living by ; weare great Belts , and hats cut on the brim ; great spurs , and uncompt haire , with a black taffety playster crosse the nose . I would have a compleat English Christian souldier observe such sots , to loathe them , and take these few instructions as true rules to fight by : 1. To examine the cause , 2. ( If his cause be just ) to spend a little griefe he hath that cause . 3. To come on holy and cheerfully without desire of bloud . 4. Not to make gaine , or vain-glory his onely object . 5. To be mercifull to a couchant enemie , and not to kill where he may save with his owne safety . 6. And lastly , to ascribe the honour of the conquest not due to his valour , but the all providence of his Maker . If he can doe this , let him gird his sword about his loynes , and fight couragiously ; Jehovah is his Generall . I will conclude the rest with these few lines , and leave them to your practice , whose lives and fortunes depend upon the sword , drawne for an honest cause . COme hither Souldier , if thou canst obey God and the King , doubt not to have the day . If thou canst sweare 't is for none other cause Thou fightest but for Religion and the Laws , Heaven protect thee ; may thy dayes encrease , He that doth justly fight makes way for peace . If thou canst save thy friend , and spare thy foe , When thou art up , and he trod downe below ; If thou canst grieve to spoile the plow-mans Village , And make it not thy aime to fight for pillage ; If in the furious sacking of a Towne Thou canst avoid to cast their women downe With their young new-born infants ; if thou fly From all base actions of red cruelty ; The Lord will sure protect thee from all harmes , And I my selfe will say , — Stand to your Arms . FINIS .