AN ALARM TO PAMPHLETEERS; OR THE DANGER OF AN Habeas Corpus; BEING A serious and seasonable advice to Antitemporizing Scribblers, to desist in time, lest they untimely be forced to sing their own Obsequies, and write with their own Pens in Dismal Characters their own EPITAPHS.  
By R. B. H.  
LONDON: Printed in the Year, 1659.   

An Alarm to Pamphleteers; Or the danger of an Habeas Corpus, etc.  
NO sooner is the Sun set, and that Twilight invades our Horizon, but the Owls that are purblind by light, flutter abroad, hooping in every Ivy-bush. Whole legions of Beerles hum and buzz, keeping consort with croaking Frogs in Ditches: Thus it is, when there's a mutation in State Affairs, the Press presently groans in the bringing forth such a numberless quantity of Spurious Paper Bats, by which means Paper becomes to be excessive dear, and Gold finders quickly grow rich in the so often emptying of those Privies, State biting or scurrilous Pamphlets damn up: But let them beware they imitate not too much the silly Moths, that never leave flying about the Candle till they have (at least) scorched their wings. I cannot but laugh when I think into what a deep silence and panic fear, they'll be all thrown into when there shall be one of them caught, and for an example to the rest shall be hanged up with his Pen, in his ear, as a demonstration of his fault: As yet they multiply daily, and fight stoutly in their Billingsgate-Language; some whereof should they but see a Sword drawn, would be in a far more affrighted and amazed condition, than the Indians were in, when they first heard the Spanish-Guns: Nay, I durst say, That it would make some of them run to Pegg-Trantums and that's five miles beyond Hell, without so much as once looking behind them. They verify old Nasis verse.  

Tutuis est igitur fictis contendere verbis.  
Quam pugnare manu—   

'Tis safer far to fight with words,  
Then to contend with kill swords.   
These fellows now make it a matter of nothing, to speak Treason in the Superlative degree, as first they must needs forsooth be meddling with our Grave, Wise, and Gray-Headed Citizens, for taxing unworthily Alderman T. for having no beard, whereas it may be his Barber's fault: Grant it were not so, and that he never had any, what can he help it? Nam genus & Barbam & quae non fecimus ipsi,  Vix ea nostra voce— 
And so likewise Alderman At. that leavs a sweet smelling savour of piety behind him where ever he goes. And yet for all their high vaunring & seditious words, would rather hang then act any such thing really, and yet take the liberty upon them to reprehend-others for their dull, slavish, and unactive Spirits. But I smell their intent, they foolishly apprehend Treason is in fashion, and that the Promoters of sedition and confusion, are the only persons that are now regarded or esteemed. And they forsooth must needs 〈◊〉 in the number, men of the times, and are willing to venture the cracking of a Neck, rather than to want that which must procure Liquor to swill the Gullet: It seems they find this kind of libelling a ready money commodity, otherwise we should not have half so many of them. Well I can resemble these snarling fellows to nothing so properly as to Curs that (when they have no other object) will bark against the Moon, and retaining the same nature of the beast will by't at that stone that is thrown at them, though they endanger the breaking of their grinders.  
Alas poor Pigg-wiggen myrmidons, you must be Jockey like correctors, and consers of every man's actions without the endeavouring to reform your own. Ye are like the rest of the wavering and giddy multitude, whose small spark of understanding being dimmed and obscured with the mist of prejudice, and darkened with the Cloud of passionate affections, judge of matters and persons, (that are so high they s●em but very little to you) only I say by your sensitive apprehension; And being not able of yourselves to look into the debts of PARLIAMENTARY and ARMY politic designs and actions, than the superficial bark will suffer the eye of your internal sense to pierce into them, do by reason thereof even calumninate virtue itself. Because some high persons now have been heretofore low; their stupid sconces thinks no other, but they must needs have the same low minds and uncoath dispositions still. It is not what we have been, but what we are that shall speak for us or against us. True worth may chance a long time to lurk under an obscure cobbling bulk, or under a dirty frock, and perhaps in the form of a securing man, or else may be hid under a great heap of Thimbles and Bodkins, or some such light things; but when goodness and virtue shall hack and hue their way through these impediments and obscurities, you may then plainly see (as now we do) goodness, virtue, piety, religion, and zealous, yet profound policy, shine as bright as the Sun in Velvit Jackets, though others indeed by some fatal necessity must easy be content, (since they cannot help it) to shine no brighter than the Sun, when he is eclipsed. If our Rulers were low, and are now risen, it was by some means; if so, then teachly it may be by their proper worth. But grant that the Devils temptations should be so strong, as to be possibly able to stain their red white souls with any fault; what Man is there that dares come personally to delect or correct them? It may be who so e'er thou art that durst do it, thou hast faults of thine own, as well as they and therefore canst not be a convenient Person. For I should think that the presenting of Physic to a sick Patient in an ugly and filthy form and fashion, may at least occasion distaste in the Person, if not utter refusal. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good things lose the grace of their goodness, when they are not performed in that manner that is convenient, or when by good and convenient Persons, they be not propounded. Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that it may not be said of thee;  Cladius accusat Machos, Catalina Cothegum. 
It is an excellent harmony parallel with that of the Spheres, to see a mutual consent of works and words, I speak in general; and that they walk hand in hand, accompanied with verity and sincerity, The Devil (you have heard) hath transformed himself into an Angel of light, for a time, but it would have argued a strong delusion, and very great folly to have then took him to be a Saint, or belonging to some holy order, but the Devil a Monk was he. Therefore I should advise you not to look on things as they seem to be, but as they really are. The Harpies have vultures talons, yet they have Virgin faces, why then may they not have innocent hearts; And as for the Hyaena, it hath continually the looks of a friend, though it devour like a face, and yet it may not prove so. Though perhaps our Governors seem like Watermen, that look one way and row the other; you must not therefore rashly judge they will never arrive to their desired and intended port. But you will object, and say that there are too many Scullers in one Boat, which by reasons of their several opinions, one going this way, the other that way, the third contrary to them both, and perhaps the fourth he knows not whither, the fifth it may be would do some thing, if he knew what. To which I answer, that by the multitude of counsel a Nation is oft times preserved, for every single Person cannot perform every act, but many together may do— what may they do? why— I forgot what I was going to say. But let me tell you what e'er I think, that the powerful hand of irreprovable wisdom hath divided sufficiency in all things into several persons, and 'tis impossible to find it epitomised in one single person. And therefore that man doth but manifest his presumptuous arrogancy, that dares to challenge super-excellency in the performance of all things; as did our P. Monarch K. C. take the P. which way you will, either Proud or Pious. He that will confidently give out that he is eminent in all things, doth thereby secretly insinuate, that he is deficient in most things. But me thinks I hear some privately whispering, that had not our Commonwealths-men been ambitious, they would have rested contented in their former states and conditions. Suppose it to be true, what then? are they not here in most like the noble Romans, who being emulous of praise, and extraordinary ambitious, were thereby carried on to the effecting of those things, that might be thought impossible for humane weakness to attain to. Death though disguised in the most offrighting vizard, could never defer them from any high archievement, whither pious or impious. So that I shall think with Tacitus, Optimi quique mortalium altessima cupiunt. To conclude glory, and wealth that they might enrich their poor friends, were the only subject of all their differences, and contentions. Why then should we cast an opproprium on our Governors, for that they are somewhat like so victorious and conquering Nation: I must not go beyond the bonds of the Booksellers prescriptions, not to exceed one sheet; wherefore to fill it up, I shall conclude with some few Queries on some new Books, though I intended to discant on them all.  
1. Wither he that wrote the 36. Queries, did not like a judicio is Ass, propound more in one hour, than all the Commonwealths-men could answer all their life time.  
2. Wither a word to the purpose, or a Parthian Dart, may not be termed the Fool's bolt that is soon shot.  
3. Wither he that wrote the 44. Queries, is not more Fool than Knave, since there is seen in them so much of the first, but very little of the other.  
4 Whither the Inquirers will not 'ere long verify the old Proverb, 'Tis good sleeping in a whole skin, since.  
5. Lastly, Wither he that tendered 19 Cases for Conscience to Hugh Peter, did not do preposterously and absurdly, since all the World knows, that one little Case would have contained all that he ever had. I should have added this Querie, whither the Bookseller that printed this sheet, and myself, have not more honesty than we can tell what to do with all.  
FINIS.