Fast and Lose. OR, THE ARMY'S FIGGARIES: BEING SOME ANIMADVERSIONS Upon their late DECLARATION. 1659.  
When there was no King in Israel, every man did what seemed good in his own eyes.  
Printed in the Year, 1659.   

FAST and LOSE OR THE ARMIES FIGGARIES etc.  
THe present state of these Nations are in no circumstance so bad as in this, that according to all humane judgement they are in no likelihood of being better; so that unless the providence of God shall interpose by an high hand, we are in danger of suffering shipwreck: he is a stranger in Israel that knows not the sad distractions, fightings, pillages, and other inconveniencies which attend civil War; in what abundance they have been poured out upon us, and yet we are as far from enjoying any of those privileges or freedoms, for which we pretended to begin the quarrel as at first, nay it hath been our portion to meet with such instruments, who as the Apostle saith, have outdone those who have condemned, and when opportunity hath been put into their hands not returning us again into the ways of peace and safety, have miserably, deceitfully, and basely brought us to wade in blood afresh, and tread the steps of confusion: when I seriously consider the protestations, declarations, oaths, and engagements of this present Army; and those men whom they lately dissolved have run through, their deportment and behaviour, so little squaring with what they have professed; I cannot but say with a sad heart, that those who chief cried out for our Libertyes, were the greatest infringers of them, and those who all along have had nothing in their mouths but God, the provi-of God, the advancement of Religion, and the like, have in their actings plainly demonstrated a high contempt of religion, yea and of God himself, whose name they have so often called to the witness of a lie, as if they believe not him when he saith, I will not hold him guiltless that taketh my name in vain.  
I shall look back to the beginning of all our present woes, of which a breviate shall suffice, in regard others have bestowed their pains largely that way; so than not to trouble you with remembrance of the Covenant which was manifestly broken, by so many of the long Parliament as were suffered to sit till the King's death; and many other things of like nature: I shall only here give notice that the Army refused to disband though commanded by that power which raised them, and after that took engagement to be true to the Commonwealth without single person or house of Lords, yet in a while were a means of setting up Oliver Cromwell to govern as a single person, by the name of Protector; to him they address themselves as in a high manner, as the deliverer of these Nations from ruin, etc. he was indeed a man of great parts, and as long as we continue such a discontented people as we are, 'tis pity we should want such a government, if he may not be admitted, toward whom is bend the general wishes and desires of the people. Richard succeeded Oliver in the Protectorship, a man of good disposition, but bad fortune, I cannot think him a fool, though he was outwitted, having so many cunning hucksters to deal with; all of them ambitious of rule, and were so much the more desirous to fly an high pitch, because their rise was taken from a low ground; at the entrance of his reign, addresses and salutations came in abundance from all parts of the Nation, especially from the Army, and seemed to have as much respect as if he had been born King of England, he caused a Parliament to be chosen, the choice was very free, and certainly the Major part of Members chosen, were men wholly resolved for the good of their particular Counties, and for the Nation in general; but they began too soon to think of calling those to an account, who had fingered the public money, and cheated the State of great sums, for some of those being great ones, wrought so powerfully under hand with the Army, that partly by cunning, partly by threats, they cause the Protector to sign a Warrant for their dissolution, otherwise they would have done it without him; pretending to provide for tender consciences of the godly, when indeed it was to save the necks and purses of the wicked: that which gave the Army a motive hereunto, was because this Parliament had a purpose of securing the Nation by Militia and trained bands, as in former times, and so to disband this Army being a very great burden: yet the Officers of the Army at this turn knew not well what course to steer, but after some debate called the long Parliament to sit again, and now being not well content with these neither as not acting to their satisfaction, they thought good to send them home each man to his habitation, and to justify this action of theirs, have put forth a Declaration, upon which you may be pleased to take some few Animadversions only upon a few of the principal heads.  
In the first, second and third pages, they say that their care was great how to settle this Commonwealth, and that therefore they delivered the power and trust of these Nations into the hands of these men.  
I cannot but call to mind how often the Army declared, and this last rump of a Parliament voted the supreme power in the people, and upon that very account cut off the King, under a pretence that he acted contrary to the trust reposed in him by the people, yet now the Soldiers have the power and trust of these Nations, observe, they can have no power but from the people; from whom they never yet legally had any, and therefore they could make no delivery of it to the Parliament, but such as one thief makes to another, and surely neither of them can be said to keep our Liberties in any sense but against carnal law, reason, and the will of those to whom it doth belong; 'tis certain the Army looked upon them as men that would in all particulars comply with their unsatiable desires, and 'tis thought they would had the quarrel not been about sovereignty and durance, for they like their Masters would be everlasting, having no liking to return form places of such vast profit as they enjoy to sit still and get nothing, especially if there should be a returning from whence they came, some from a Colonel to a Cobbler: but enough of that.  
Page four, five, six, We understand many learned men are of opinion, that these men were wholly dissolved from being a Parliament, by their late interruption especially by the people's choosing a new: yet being desirous like drowning men to lay hold of every twig, or any thing that had but the appearance of civil authority, though fit to call them together again, we desired an Act of Indemnity, which came forth imperfect, we desired a General which also was not granted to our mind, and we were all forced to receive Commissions there.  
They say the Parliament was dissolved before; if so, by what Law can any company of Rascals make them whole, or capable of acting as a Parliament? nay, the King could not properly make a Parliament without the People's choice, how much less can these do it, who have no power, no authority, but force and fraud? so that they must needs be no less than Usurpers and Tyrants in the highest degree, and one of the greatest plagues that ever befell the English; and we may hope, that when we are sufficiently humbled for all our impieties and provocations with which we have offended God, he may destroy those Locusts from amongst us: But further, if no Parliament, what benefit could they expect to receive by any Act of Indemnity which was to be, or might have been made by them? therefore it seems, in this sense, they were willing to lay hold upon every twig, and to embrace any thing that had but an appearance of Authority, more than appearance it must not be; a true real authority legally deducted can be at no more agreement with them then light with darkness, true English hate and scorn to do such drudgery for them as these Gownsmen have done, yet all won't please 'em; and why should the people be thus deluded or baffled with more; this day the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England to be maintained against all Opposers, the next day an appearance of Authority, a Kickshaw, or the Army's Puppets.  
One would think the receiving Commissions at their hands had been obligation enough; but where the Sword is rampant nothing can resist, especially when those that use it know no conscience but ●heir pay.  
In some other following pages they declare what injury was offered to Lambert, and some other Officers of the Army by voting them out of Commission for nothing; for say they, If he had offended, why not called to answer for himself?  
Me thinks in this Declaration, and some late actions of theirs, they speak aloud, that they will rule; it were well, that they had put off their Visors sooner, and appeared in their colours as at this day, and have cloaked all their villainy under Religious pretences; for by that means they have the Lords offerings to stink in the nostrils of the people: and have rendered themselves guilty of notorious dissimulations, Rebellions and perjuries, exceeding any parallel even among the Heathen: this last charge hath as little of truth or reason as any the rest; for this Army did acknowledge those men a Parliament in their Declaration of the 6. of May last, and by receiving Commissions immediately from them, did acknowledge that they were the supreme Authority of the Nation (at least to them) now there can be no injury where there is no right; the Parliament did not legally, nor upon any account whatsoever own to Lambert or the rest such and such places, but were at their free liberty to choose whom they thought most fit and convenient; and upon that account, though they did own him to day, and reject him to morrow, though for no crime, yet had he no wrong: for if I, or any man, take a Servant, I injure no man whom I take not, because the liberty of choosing is of right my own; but then wrong is done, when a servant is put upon me whom I desire not (for some reasons) to employ any longer; and you may be sure that Bottomless John (as Oliver used to call him) was not turned out of Commission for nothing.  
They declare further, that the Parliament made an Act, that no person or persons whatsoever should raise money without consent of the People in Parliament; and therefore do declare all their Acts and Orders since the tenth of October, null and void.  
I wish some Conjurer, ginger, or some of our hare-brained Prophets were able to let us know what is the extent of these men's minds; 'tis inserted in most of their Proposals towards a settlement; and hath been laid down as one thing chief fought for: What this pretended Parliament have done in this case, they have both one and the other declared it to be right and just; viz. that no money ought to be raised without the People's consent in Parliament: but indeed that is most right that best suits with the Armies exigencies, the government which they exercise being wholly arbitrary and Tyrannical, though they have ofttimes abused the people with specious pretences, the better to cloak their treasonable practices; for when it comes to the touchstone, what they profess to build, they demolish, and intent nothing less than what they speak: But we may not think there is so much as the least show of reason that the Army should declare Acts and Ordinances of Parliament void, yet not all their last Acts, but only some few which crossed the humours and designs of these Gamesters: this, O England is one of thy privileges, that those bands, ties, and obligations which have been binding universally, are cut asunder by that Sword which was drawn for thy defence, and a Viper bred in thine own bowels will lay thine honour in the dust, and make thee a laughing stock to all the Nations round about.  
Let it be considered that Acts and Orders of Parliament once passed cannot be made void by all the Armies, I mean, not legally; but to the present business, these persons were (as is noted before) sufficiently acknowledged a Parliament by the Soldiers, and therefore it must be treason to act after such a rate as this: but if we suppose as they affirm at the beginning of their Declaration, that they are only an appearance of Authority; I say, if this be admitted, that they were no Parliament, because of their interruption, what baseness was it in the Army to obtrude them upon the People as a Parliament; besides, if they were not, then is the Army disbanded, for they have no Commissions but what was granted from them, which are in no wise valid, they having no power to give or bestow any such thing; and whosoever act by virtue of such pretended Commissions are guilty of all the blood they shed, and of the highest Treasons against the welfare of the Nation; for they might as well have called to Westminster such as are now made Preachers, some from the Loom, and others from the Cobbler's Stall.  
Lastly, they declare that their earnest desire is to assure a liberty to all the free born People of these Nations, as men, as Christians, to maintain a painful Gospel-preaching Ministry, by a less vexatious way than Tithes, that they have no aim to set up an arbitrary or military government; but have provided that the civil and executive part of Government shall be lodged in a Committee of safety, and they obliged in a short time to prepare a form of Government comporting with a Free State, without King or House of Lords, and to regulate the Law.  
I could never be satisfied with my best observation, why p Free State, or the government of these Nations as a Commonwealth, should be cried up as a thing so much tending to our peace and liberty; we have all along been accustomed to Monarchy, all our Laws, Customs, and Constitutions are framed accordingly; and questionless (all things considered) there can be no other reason given for it but this, that a Commonwealth is so opposite to the minds of the major part, that it necessarily requires an Army to uphold it, which indeed is the only way to continue the profits, Authorities, and greatness of the Officers, and make the Army to survive the everlasting Parliament: whereas if the People's Representatives were suffered to be freely chosen, and to act without force put upon them; or he admitted whose undoubted right it is, a general tranquillity would ensue, and every man might sit down under his own Vine with safety.  
The liberty of the People is so manifestly trampled upon, that 'tis no small wonder these men dare use the word; the saying of Samuel, if it be inverted, may serve as a good character of these men, read them thus: Whose Ox have I not taken? or whese Ass have I not taken? and to whom have I not done wrong?  
The removing of Tithes, and regulation of the Laws, are things easier to be spoken of then effected, to be sure not to be bettered by these great Pretenders: Who ever knew Thiefs help true men to their purses, unless when they were empty? but these fair promises must be as a Net spread to take all sorts of fish, to please as well the Anabaptist as the Presbyter; the one with hopes of overthrowing Tithes; the other with confidence of a bountiful stipend: The Law and Lawyers are like to suffer deeply at this turn; and no wonder, for these men know full well what a severe censure the Law would pass upon their irregularities; how sadly it would disperse and divide that monstrous body between Tyburn and Tower-hill: But if our grave Senators in former times have by long experience found our Laws to be most fit, what can we expect from such Reformers as these, but that as Tinkers in mending one hole they should make ten?  
To conclude, Oliver Cromwel's Tyranny was but as a few heat-drops, if compared to those floods and showers of Calamity poured upon us by these insatiate and bloodthirsty Wretches, enough to arm the hand of every man against them: and truly we hope they will in Gods due time meet with their reward; and as they have exercised an arbitrary power, contrary to all Law, they may be cut off without any formality of Law. In a word, they have destroyed the King and his posterity, and now contend who shall be chief.  
The Lion Lamb they slew, and now begin  
(The Lord be praised) to quarrel for his Skin.  
FINIS.