Reason for the Parliamentarian Army's Involvement in the English Civil War (The Soldier's Catechism)

Q. What is it that moves you to take up arms, and to engage yourself in this Civil War?

A. 1. The love I bear to my country.

2. The preservation of our Parliament, laws and liberties.

3. The defense of our religion against Popery.

4. The care of our posterity.

5. The general forwardness of all good people.

6. The consent, and provocation of all God’s ministers.

7. The command of the Parliament, which is the higher power.

8. The necessity that now lies upon all that fear God in the land.

The Soldier’s Catechism was a pamphlet issued in 1644 to parliamentarian soldiers—including Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army—during the English Civil War between Parliament and King Charles I.

  

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 on Battery

90. He that beats his Host or his household servants, the first and second time hee shall be put in yrons, and made to fast with bread and water according as the wrong is that he hath done, if the harme be great, hee shall be punish'd thereafter, according to the discretion of theCourt. 

91. None shall presume to do wrong to any that brings necessaries to our Leagiier, Castle or Strength whatsoever, or to cast their goods down off their Horses, and take away their Horses perforce; which who so doth shall die for it.

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

  

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 on Pillage

89. No Souldier shall pillage anything from our subjects upon any March, Strength, Leaguer, or otherwise howsoever, upon pain of death. 

91. None shall presume to do wrong to any that brings necessaries to our Leagiier, Castle or Strength whatsoever, or to cast their goods down off their Horses, and take away their Horses perforce; which who so doth shall die for it. 

92. They that pillage or steal either in our Land or in the enemies, or from any of them that come to furnish our Leaguer or Strength, without leave, shall bee punish'd as for other theft.

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

  

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 on Arson

87. No man shall presume to set fire on any Town or Village in our Land: if any doe, he shall bee punished according to the importancy of the matter, so as the Judges shall sentence him.

88. No Souldier shall set fire upon any Town or Village in the enemies' Land, without he be commanded by his Captain: neither shall any Captain give any such command unlesse hee hath first received it from us or our Generall: who so doth the contrary, he shall answer it in the Generals Councell of Warre according to the importance of the matter; and if it be proved to bee prejudiciall unto us, and advantagious for the enemy, he shall suffer death for it. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 on Women in the Camp

86. No Whore shall be suffered in the Leaguer; but if any will have his own wife with him, he may; if any unmarried woman bee found, hee that keeps her may have leave lawfully to marry her, or else be forced to put her away. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

  

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Forbids Rape

85. Hee that forceth any woman to abuse her, and the matter bee proved, hee shall die for it. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Requires Attending to Preaching on the Sabbath

9a. Every Holy-day and every Sabbath-day at least, shall bee kept solemn with preaching in a place convenient, before and after noon; this also to bee done twice every week, if the time will permit ... [Editor's note: not an endorsement of man-made "holy days" by this site, as we only consider the Sabbath as a true holy day.]


10. All Merchants and sellers of commodities whatsoever, so soon as they hear the Token or call to bee given, shall immediately shut up their doors, and so keep them during the said time of Prayer and Sermon; they that presume in that season to sell any thing, shall make forfeit of all things so sold, whereof the one half to goe to the Generall, and the other halfe to the next Hospitall; over and above which, the offender shall for one whole day be put in prison'. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus). 

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Requires Calls to Prayer in Every Regiment

5. To the end that God's Word be by no means neglected, Our will is, that publike prayers bee said every morning and evening throughout the whole Camp, at one time, in every several Regiment, they being called thereunto by the sound of the General's or Marshal's Trumpets,and the Drums of every private Company and Regiment

6. Whatsoever Minister shall neglect his time of prayer, except a lawfull occasion hinders him, he shall for every time being absent, pay half a moneth's pay. 

7. Whatsoever Souldier shall neglect the time of prayer, and is there-of advised by his Captain, he shall lie in prison 24 hours, except a law-full occasion hindered. 


10. All Merchants and sellers of commodities whatsoever, so soon as they hear the Token or call to bee given, shall immediately shut up their doors, and so keep them during the said time of Prayer and Sermon; they that presume in that season to sell any thing, shall make forfeit of all things so sold, whereof the one half to goe to the Generall, and the other halfe to the next Hospitall; over and above which, the offender shall for one whole day be put in prison'. 

11. All drinkings and feastings shall in the time of Prayer bee given over, upon pain of punishment, as is before mentioned in the seventh Article; if any Souldier herein offends, he shall forfeit half his week's pay to the poor; and if he be an Officer, hee shall forfeit what shall be awarded. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Condemns Swearing in Anger by God's Name

4. If any shall swear in his anger by the name of God, being convicted, shall pay halfe a moneth's pay unto the poor:

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

   

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Condemns Deriding God's Word and the Sacraments

3. If any shall seem to deride or scorne God's Word or Sacraments, and bee taken in the fact, hee shall forthwith bee convented before the Commissioners Ecclesiasticall, to be examined, and being found guilty, he shall be condemned by the Court of Warre to lose his head: but if they were spoken through haste or unadvisedly, for the first offence hee shall bee in yrons fourteen dayes, and for the second, be shot to death. 

 -- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

   

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Forbids Blasphemy

2. If any shall blaspheme the name of God, either drunk or sober, the thing being proved by two or three witnesses, he shall suffer death without mercy. 


-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)

     

The Swedish Discipline of 1632 Forbids Idolatry and Witchcraft

1. Seeing therefore that all our welfare and prosperity, proceedeth from Almighty God; and that it is all mens duty to feare and serve him above all: Wee streightly hereby charge all manner of Persons whatsoever, that they by no meanes use any kind of Idolatry, Witch-craft, or Enchanting of Armes, by Devils inchantment any manner of way whatsoever. And if any herein be found faulty he shall be proceeded against according to God's law and the Swedens: And so much as the law in that case enjoyneth, shalbe put in execution against them. And it is further provided, that such manner of Malefactors shall by no meanes be suffered to come in Company with any soldiers whatsoever. 

-- The Swedish Discipline of 1632 (articles of war authorized by Gustavus Adolphus)