AN ALARM TO CORPORATIONS: OR, THE Giddy sort of HERETICS Designs, unmasked.  
BEING A NARRATIVE OF The unjust, Barbarous, Inhuman, Traitorous practices of some of the ANABAPTISTS, and others, (to the shame of the Professors of Religion) at the Town of Brecknock, in opposing the Legal Election of William Thomas Esquire; and by force of Arms, endeavoured the placing of one of their favourites, to the disturbance of the Peace.  
WHEREIN The Nation is forewarned of their being made perpetual slaves to the Pride, Lust, and Ambition of a few Inconsiderable Persons, who aim at nothing less than the making themselves Masters of the Consciences, Power, Government, Estates, Lives, Liberties, and Laws of the Nations.  
LONDON, Printed for Robert Page. 1659.   

THat, by a Charter Granted unto the Burrough-Town of Br●cknock in South Wales, in the second and third years of the Reign of King Phil p and Queen Mary, and the ancient Customs, Liberties, and Privileges of the said Town; It is provided, That the Common Council of the same Town consist of 15 Persons; And that they, or the Major-part of them remaining alive, shall on every Monday next before the Feast of St. Michael Th'archangel, choose one of themselves to be Bailiff, and two to be Aldermen, and other Officers for ●he Well-Government of that Corporation▪ for that year.  
In pursuance whereof, on the 26th day of September last, (being the day appointed for that purpose) the Bailiff, Aldermen, and Common-Council of the said Town, did meet in the Guild-Hall of the said Town, with an intention to proceed in the Election of a Bailiff, two Aldermen, and other Officers for this year.  
That Captain Jenkin Jones, a Pastor of a Congregated Church; Captain John Morgan, and others of his Congregation being of the Militia there, minding to choose one John Lewis (heretofore a Trooper for the late King, and a deboyst Man, of a scandalous Life and Conversation) to be Bailiff for this year, being a Person by them conceived fit for their purpose: And finding the Major-part of the Common-Council had an intention to Elect William Thomas Esq a Person well-affected, to be Bailiff, and other qualified Officers of known Integrity, befitting those Places wherewith they we e to be Entrusted; The said Soldiers, being led by the said Captain John Morgan, and others with him hired for that End, in an armed posture did enter the said Town, on the said day of Election, and having placed their several Guards of Horse and Foot there, with an intention to terrify the Free Electors (who nevertheless pursued their former Resolution of choosing Mr. Thomas); the said Officers and Soldiers (having one Lewis Jones the Sheriff to join with them in this confederacy,) they by colour of a mean process (for not mending a High W●y) issued out of the Sessions there, frandulently sued out, and prepared for that purpose, with a premeditate design to be then Executed, to obstruct their free Election▪) did Imprison five of the Common-Council, who Voted for Mr. Thomas, and kept them Prisoners without Bail, or mainprize though bail was offered, until five (being the lesser number) had Elected the said John Lewis, according to the Will and Pleasure of the said Captains and their armed Soldiers, who were first raised by the Parliament, for the Defence of the People's Rights and Liberties, and Preservation of the public Peace (which they herein highly violated), and then stood disbanded by Order of Parliament, and had no Commission at all, or other pretence, to muster or assemble themselves there, at that time.  
As soon as the Common-Council men were enlarged, they did immediately, on the same day, assemble themselves in the Guild-hall; and consisting of 9 (being the major number), did, according to their Charter (which limits not hour of the day for that Service) duly choose the said Mr. William Thomas their Bailiff; Richard Creed and Thomas Roberts their Aldermen; and other Officers, according to the usual manner, for this year; and intended, on Monday following (being the usual time), to swear the said Bailiff and Officers accordingly.  
That the said Capt. John Morgan, and other the Officers and Soldiers aforesaid, intending to prevent the Common-Council from swearing Mr. Thomas, and other the Officers duly chosen, and being abetted, and hired with money, did on the Lord's day following, in like armed Posture, enter the said Town with Horse and Foot, and placed several Guards and Sentries about the House of the said Mr. Thomas, the Bailiff elected, and imprisoned Him, and several Others of the common-council and Burgesses, and placed another Guard in the Guild-hall, and in other places in the Town, not permitting Mr. Thomas, and the common-council that chose him, to come to the Guild-hall to swear their Bailiff and Officers. And in the mean time, five of the Council, who joined with the Soldiers, did swear John Lewes, chosen by them (being the lesser number), and such Other Officers as they pleased, and continued in this armed posture for two nights and one day, to the great Terror of the Bailiff, Common-Council, and Burgesses of that Town; on whom they committed many Insolences, and would not suffer either Meat or Drink to be carried to the said Bailiff Thomas, whom they kept close Prisoner in his own House, during all that time.  
That the said Mr. William Thomas being of ●rwards duly sworn, according to the Charter in the presence of the Old Bailiff, and ten of the common-council, and a Writ of Mandamus out of the Upper-Bench granted for that purpose, (no day being prefixed by the Charter, for the administering the Oath): And being with his Aldermen and Officers in the peaceable Execution of their Offices; the said Mil tia Soldiers, being the third time h red by John Lewes and abetted by their Officers, did march into the said Town with Horse and Foot, and, having placed their several Guards, did enter the Town-Goal, and released such Prisoners as they pleased, assaulting and imprisoning several of the Burgesses; the Charter and ancient Records being also taken away and imbezilled, and to this day kept in unknown places; and many other Insolences committed to the high Infringement of their ancient Rights, Liberties, and Privileges of the said Town, and Violation of the public Peace. Whereupon, the whole Town assembled themselves together in Arms (according the usual manner, on rolling the Bell,) for Defence of the Bailiff and Burgesses, who were in danger of their Lifes by these inhuman Soldiers, who threatened to suppress and ruin the whole Corporation; and finding the Town too powerful for them, their Officers promised they would departed home without doing any further harm, if Mr. Thomas, the Bailiff, would dismiss the Burgesses.  
The Bailiff being unwilling to engage the Town in blood, and ready to prevent further mischief, and to proceed against the Malefactors by due course of Law, did require the Burgesses to go in peace to their houses, who observed his commands accordingly; and the Militia-Souldiers promised to departed the Town; But having no such intentions, but a deceitful and wicked purpose, when the Townsmen were dispersed to their houses, with force of Arms to assault them, did unawares dangerously wound divers of the quiet Burgesses, without any cause or provocation; some of them having lost their limbs, having no weapons to defend themselves against this premeditated mischief designed against them, who threatened their ruin, and the suppressing of the whole Corporation: and Captain John Morgan (one of their rude leaders) hath since told one of the Burgesses at the door of the Committee of Safety, that he would overthrow the Corporation, and hoped ere long to see all the Corporations in England and Wales suppressed, which afterwards necessitated the. Town to keep stricter Guards for defence of their l●ves and Liberties, in so eminent danger to be at once destroyed. Which these Janissaries perceiving, and fearing their unpracticable unchristian proceed (destructive to all Corporations and civil Societies) should be made known, and they proceeded against accordingly: The Countenancers Comforters, and Abettors of these several Riots, did, by many false Letters, Messengers, and applications to divers members of the Committee of Safety, and eminent Officers of the Army  matter of Fact, and excuse themselves, and lay the blame on the poor oppressed innocent Townsmen, who were also Obliged, as much as in them lay, to make known the truth of their grievous complaint, which produced a Reference to the Governor of Hereford, and the said Captain Jenkin Jones (whose friends, relations, and Church-members, were the main Instruments and Actors of all these outrages). And the Bailiff, Aldermen, and Burgesses, having attended the Governor with honest credible Witnesses, to prove the truth of the premises; He having no power to examine on Oath, forbore to certify the same; But did report, as his Opinion, with the assistance and concurrence of Captain Jenkin Jones, that neither John Lewes, nor William Thomas the Bailiff were legally elected; And that he conceived it fit that Henry powel, heretofore Bailiff, should be appointed Bailiff for this year. Which Report, the Committee of Safety confirmed, and accordingly nominated, and appointed the said Henry powel to be the Bailiff for this year. And although the Town have sent up one of the Common Council, with their Humble Petition and address to the Committee of Safety, to pray a re-hearing before indifferent unconcerned persons, offering by Witnesses on Oath, to prove every particular of their Complaint; Or else that they would leave the fame to be determined by Law; Giving them to understand, That they are advised by Learned Counsel, that this Order will tend to the extinguishment and forfeiture of their Charter, and total overthrow of their Corporation, their Charter limiting a precise day for Electing a Bailiff by the major part of the Common Council; and if a Bailiff be elected on any other day, or by any other persons, in any other Manor, such Election they conceived to be void by Law, and the tenure of their Charter; and the exercising of that Office by Henry powel, who was never chosen by the Council, nor can be now legally sworn; and the desisting of the Execution of that Office by William Thomas duly chosen and sworn, in Obedience to their Order, will cause an absolute Forfeiture of their Charter, to the undoing of that Town and the Inhabitants thereof, having therein 4 Parishes very populous, and hitherto lived very happily and plentifully, their well-being depending on the Continuance of their ancient Rights and Liberties; and prayed to be heard by their Counsel learned, to give their Honour's satisfaction in matter of Law: Yet the Committee did not think fit to alter or revoke their Order, grounded on the Single Certificate aforesaid, without Examination of Winesses on Oath; and the Prooffs, tendered by the Townsmen, were omitted out of the Report.  
And whereas this oppressed Burrough well-hoped to have the insosent, unpresidented, and unsufferable practices of the Soldiers punished, their Ringleaders and Abetters discountenanced and Cashiered, and the wounded Inhabitants repaired; After all their great Expenses, and their several Journeys to London, 120 miles distant from their now Comfortless Dwellings (being Tenants at Will), and their many Humble Addresses and Applications herein, by Themselves, Friends, and Agents: They are now like to lose their Blood spilt by merciless Soldiers, with their Charter, undoubted Rights, Libertyes, and Privileges, purchased by their Ancestors, and for so many scores of years enjoyed by that ancient, and heretofore well governed Town of Brecon, being the Shire-Town for that County, and one of the most Eminent and Considerable Corporations in South-wales.  

Observe.  
I. They begin with their evil Practices in the remotest parts of the Nation, as Wales; and if their designs take effect there, than they will bring it nearer the Centre of the Nation, and at last into the City of London itself.  
II. Witness the Act for Propagation of the Gospel in Wales, procured by some Persons of the Hypocritical Godly Party, that then were instrumental to carry on these Designs in Wales; A good style, and well penned, but ill executed, and the Intentions of the Parliament perverted.  
They had Power to eject scandalous and ignorant Ministers, and to supply their rooms with Godly learned Ministers. In stead thereof, they ejected all, good and bad promiscuously; their design tending to root out the Ministry as well as the Ministers: And in their steads did put in a few ignorant, scandalous mechanic, Itinerants, that would be contented with small Wages, who have spread that Country with Schism and Heresy; and for want of those many learned, pious, Ministers, causelessly ejected, Wales is become a Land of Darkness, overspread with Heathenism, Ignorance, Heresy, Schism, and Profaneness. And the Procurators of this Act, and Executioners thereof, in the mean time enriching themselves with the Treasure of the Tithes, which for 10 years' last passed, in 7 Counties of South-Wales, amounts to above two hundred thousand pounds; And not one penny thereof paid in, or accounted for, to the State, to this day, notwithstanding the many Addresses and Complaints made to all the several Parliaments, Councils, and Conventions, for 10 years' last passed, some whereof were broken, viz. The last Parliament in April 1653. by Oliver Cromavell, to prevent a due Examination of those Accempts, (if credit may be given to his own Speech to the little Parliament following, and the Acknowledgements of the Propagators themselves); These guilty Persons not suffering any Parliament or Convention to perfect any good Work begun by them, or to give way for any good Settlement, wellknowing the same to be destructive to their Designs of continuing an Arbitrary Military Power in the hands of Themselves.  
And if the Inhabitants of Wales had not been very zealous and diligent in making known the Grand Cheats and Abuses committed by colour of the said Act, in Wales; The like Act had been procured for England, as was openly affirmed by Vavasor Powel, and others, their evil Instruments in Wales; And an Act ready contrived by them for that purpose. Which if it had passed, all the Ministers of England, as well as Wales, had been long since ejected and exposed to Poverty and extreme Want. And the Anabaptists and Sectaries (destructive Persons to all Governments and Commonwealths, except those of their own Faction) had been in the actual Possession of all the Tithes, and Church Revenues, in England; and the two famous Universities suppressed, and their Revenue by these ignorant Miscreants possessed: Which is the Design of mad Dr. Chamberlain, and such idle, unsettled, distracted, covetous, Brains, that propose a maintenance for a Godly Ministry, by taking away Tithes.    

An Advertisement.  
THe foregoing Discourse, giveth an ample Demonstration of what the Nations are to expect from the hands of those People, that now endeavour to arrive at the top of Supremacy: And to place Themselves above all Laws, Order, Right, and Property; That they may have their full swing in putting in Execution their Lusts, Pride, and Ambition: Their Ringleaders have given the example in razing down the Supreme Power of the Nation; Corporations were Invented as Impa●ments, and senses against Absoluteness and Tyranny, in their being Governed by a Member of the same Liberty for an year, that as the years end, the same Person that Governed, may become subject to Government. The Corporations of England are all Commonwealth's. They have continued some hundreds of years under Monarchy, They have preserved their Liberty, and defended Society in an eminent manner: Together with their Forms and Customs, which, with very little alteration, will consist and fit with the Form of the best Constituted Commonwealth that can be thought of: these People are not against the Form, but their aim is at the Power, and when they cannot attain that, than they destroy the Form to come at the Substance: They cry down the Laws and Customs as Corrupt, that they may Govern by no other Laws than their Lust's Ambition, and Ignorance: By this example, the People of England may be forewarned of the ensuing dangers that will inevitably befall London, and other Corporations in the Nation; the preventing of which, together with the many other Invasions of Rights and Liberties, threatened by these Levellers, who, under a pre●●nce to get Arms into their Hands, to secure the Interest of the good People, will Ruin, Destroy, and throw down all that we have to defend our Lives, Liberty, and Estates; and instead thereof Erect a Righteous Government, after the mode of John of Leyden, and Knipperdolling. Who had Commission and Call, as they pretended, from God, to kill all the wicked Kings, Magistrates, and People, that the Saints might possess the Earth; that is to say, all those that are not of their persuasion. This Design of the Anabaptists here, hath been carried on underhand this ten years and more by their Confederates; they have obtained a great part of the Places of Trust and Profit in the three Nations; by which means there hath been a Seminary of Hypocrites created, Men fit to aid in any Change of Government, and the Effecting of any Villainy whatsoever. These People's design doth exend yet further, that is to say, not only to destroy the Ministry, but also the Magistracy, that none may be left to preserve public Interest. And as they judge none fit to bear Arms, and exercise Power but this Party: So even by the same Rule, they will judge it not fit for any to enjoy Estates, either Real or Personal but Themselves; So that the whole Nation shall hold nothing that they Possess, by any other Title, but the Courtesies of these Monsters of Mankind; It therefore behoveth London, and all the rest of the Nation, not to trust any longer to Religious Pretences and Cheats, but effectually as becometh Men, to endeavour the securing their Lives, Liberties, and Estates; which are all like now to be swallowed up by a few inconsiderable Persons, who have been constant Faith-breakers and Kickers against Magistracy, Ministry, Law, Order, Right, and Common Honesty; who are led by no principle but their own Lusts; Consider the Dangers now drawing nigh.  
FINIS.