A Friendly LETTER OF ADVICE TO THE SOLDIERS, FROM A QUONDAM MEMBER OF THE ARMY.  
Printed in the Year, 1659.   

Fellow Soldiers!  
WHen I consider with myself upon what grounds I withdrew from your society, I cannot but bless Almighty God, for that his temporal Redemption; and pity that sad and lamentable Condition whereinto you have been so subtly Enticed, and held on for so many years with a strange Stupefaction. I confess, the Banner, under which we first fought, was most gloriously Gilt with the fair and specious pretences of Religion, the preservation of the Laws, the liberty of the Subject, the privilege of Parliament, and the safety of the KING: And indeed, who would not willingly offer himself a sacrifice for so good a Cause? But alas! how soon was this mask of Hypocrisy laid aside? how soon was the beauty of this Good old Cause made odious by a rebellious Leprosy? was there any one Motive, by which we were induced to fight made good? was Religion any real cause of our Divisions? No; there was little appearance of the Truth thereof to any sober discreet person, when, the Cannons of the Church (under the colour of zeal and sanctity) were abolished, the liturgy abrogated, the material Fabric (consecrated to the use and service of God) in some places demolished; in others miserably profaned by the introduction of bruit beasis, and the prodigious impiety of their Riders; the Metropolitan of the Church most barbarously Beheaded, the sacred Order of Episcopacy extirpated, and their Revenues together with that of Deans and prebend's sold; and the rest of the Clergy tyrannically stripped of their livelihood, contrary to Law; this was not enough they must be silenced too; and the Exercise and Administration of the Gospel committed unto such persons as either were not qualified for that holy Calling with Learning and holy Orders, or else had profaned their Function by Perjury; or, Defaced their Natural parts by a sniuling posture and nonsensical doctrine. This was (I say) visible to all wise men at first; and (that men of the meanest capacity might not plead ignorance either for not repenting for their sins past, or persevering in them,) Behold, Liberty of conscience was publicly declared by our grand Masters to be no ground of the War; Did not this make you startle? were you no way sensible of the Cheat was put upon you? did you perceive no reluctancy for those Murders, those grand impieties into which you were inveigled? I must confess I did; and could not but so much the more detest and abominate the Mountebanks, by how much the more they had deluded both my Reason and Conscience: Was it the preservation of the Laws they endeavoured to maintain? Nothing less; what one Action of theirs is consistant with the Laws of the Land? As for the Law of God, it appears there is nothing less in their hearts; since, they have absolutely suppressed the true Religion, and made a fair and spacious Avenue, for Turks, Jews, Heretics, and Schismatics: Was it the liberty of the Subject they insisted on? ask the City, ask the Country, make enquiry into the Universities than tell me, whether any one person will affirm himself to have that liberty, as, to dispose of or keep his Estate according to his own pleasure? Alas! how can it be when they have not their liberty to choose their Members? nay, they shall have no members at all to represent their persons and promote their grievances: But, 'tis no wonder they should thus fool the naked multitude, when they have cast the whole Army into a Lethargy, and devested the supreme Officers and General himself of their privileges, the disposition of Offices and places in the Army: Was it the privilege of Parliament they so much contended for? Yes; and for the justification and improvement of this, they entrenched upon the KING'S prerogative, and the privilege of the House of LORDS, by the violation of all the Laws in the Realm; they usurped the Legislative power, and have exercised it to the destruction of the three States of this Nation grounded upon Law, and of every particular member thereof. Is this the Privilege of Parliament? Was it the safety of the KING they so fiercely contended for? Truly, had they killed him in fight, the uncertain events of War might have rendered the fate accidental, as to a vulgar capacity; but for a company of Subjects to raise an Army against their Prince, under pretence of reprieving him from his evil and wicked Council, and having forced him into their own power to Arraign him at the Bar, under the colour of justice, to pass Sentence upon him, and accordingly to Execute him, so maliciously, so scandalously, at His own Gates, at Noon day, before the Eye of Heaven, and the Face of the whole world; This (I say) was a thing without Precedent, an Act so manifestly odious and Monstrous, that our Nation is detestable to all our Neighbours; nay, 'tis a thing so horrid and prodigious, that the poison is extended both to Turks and Infidels, in so dismal and black a Character, that we are imprisoned in this Isle, we have banished ourselves into our Country, as having no liberty and safety abroad: But, had they been such friends to themselves, as to spare his life, and make the ignorant part of men believe, their only resolution was, to call Him home from his wicked Council; it must be conceived their merit must have challenged the honour to be his Council, what Church? what Government? what Laws might we have expected? or rather what impiety? what tyranny must we have not expected then, when the KING should have been made the stalking Horse to bear the invisible Instrument of the people's destruction, when they dare Act such things now upon their own account, their own interest? a poor handful of men, whose Fortunes were sometimes as despicable as their actions are detestable: When they dare Act, who dare resist their Votes, when they have so many, such active, such stout Soldiers to back them? 'tis you than, 'tis you (Fellow Soldiers) are guilty of all these Crimes, by complying with, and asserting their designs; 'Tis you have destroyed the Laws, Murdered the KING, and by heavy Impositions eaten the Bread out of your Countreymens' mouths; and to what purpose? to satiate (if it were possible) the lust, ambition and avarice, of a few inconsiderable persons: They, have something to say for their perseverance; they have got Wealth, and some thing like Honour; but what benefit accrues to you? you are Night by Night upon the Guard; you are Night and Day constrained (like so many Catchpoles) silently to steal through the streets, whereby to surprise an innocent person, and bring him to Destruction; and all this while you are poor and Beggarly without pay, you labour for nought; and if you had your wages, 'twere no more than would keep you from starving; yet this small pittance cannot be obtained; for want whereof, you run upon the score to such persons, who are not able to forbear; Hence it is, you are generally Despised, Contemned, cursed by poor Widows, Orphans, and all honest people, for abetting the Commands of a Juncto of Tyrants; whose Design is nought else, but to enrich themselves by the public ruin; a Company of impudent persons, who assume the name of a Parliament, contrary to all Law and Equity: 'Tis true; they were constituted by you: Can you call a Parliament? you may enable them to Sat; but you cannot make their Convention lawful, nor justify their Actions: well then; they Sat, and Act not by Law, but by your power: truly, you exercise your power very discreetly; you take the pains, and they reap the Profit; and it were well 'twould rest there too: are you so blind, so stupid, so besotted, you can discern nothing? has your Commanders no providence, no foresight at all? can they not judge of what is Acted? are they not sensible of what they suffer? By setting up these Impostors, you have Beheaded (as it were) the Army, and invested them with the power of a General; not an Officer to be employed without their appointment; A glorious Army indeed without a Head! But you are where you were; let you have your pay, you are well enough; alas for you; do you see nothing? Is there not a Militia settling, what is that for? doth the ROYALISTS appear too Formidable for you? you see there is not a man stirs; they raise jealousies and fears in you, without any real cause; they invent Plots to cover their own designs; and make you the instruments of your own destruction: It is apparent enough, you are the only persons they fear: You pulled them down, and set up a Protector: you Degraded the Protector, and Erected them; and they are conscious of so much guilt, as to fear you may depose them again: From hence proceeds that insufferable burden laid upon the Nation to raise Men and Arms; which once being perfected, you must expect that power to be employed against you; & then a shameful disbanding will be your undoubted pay, & reward; How contemptibly will you then appear; every injured person will then be ready to spit upon you. No (Fellow Soldiers) assume the hearts of Men; and as you are known to have Courage, and Stoutness, so let your understanding be menifest also. 'Tis in your power to make yourselves Famous, and the whole Nation Happy: Consider with yourselves, how many changes and alterations of Government this poor Kingdom hath groaned under; consider the public pressures, the impoverishment of the Commonwealth, the barbarous banishment of particular persons; consider the sad and lamentable effusion of blood, which hath been, and must of necessity fall upon us, without a timely reconciliation: Lastly consider, and lay to heart our brethren's deviation from the Word of God; and deliberate with yourselves how many Sects and Heresies they are run into and take notice, that this pretended Parliament was the only Contrivers of all these mischiefs and Misfortunes; and will be your Destruction also, unless timely prevented. Now, there is no other way left to prevent your own, and the Nations ruin, but to Dismantle the Garrison at Westminster; Disarm them of their Usurped power, and Disperse their persons: This done, 'tis requisite to consider (being this Nation cannot consist without a Supreme Magistrate) of some single Person, to sway the SCEPTRE; since Monarchy (after all these things) is Experimentally found most congruous and suitable to the Genius of this People This being granted necessary; God, and Nature hath prepared a Person so agreeable to this high Trust, that the whole World cannot parallel him, CHARLES STEWART, KING of Scotland; and (by Law and Right) KING of England and Ireland; a Person so Innocent, that the very malice of those Usurpers durst never fix the least scandal upon him. In a word, He is a Moses for meekness; and therefore, you cannot distrust his mercy: He is a Solomon for wifedom; and therefore, cannot be suspected to destroy his own Inheritance; (it being his Interest to preserve his People, to enrich his Dominions;) and (by Acts of Grace and Mercy) to Court the Love and Affection of his Subjects: Hezekiah, was not a greater Example of piety, than this young PRINCE; who, being forced, in his tender years, to make trial of the Charity of other Princes, could not but expect the frequent assaults of Learning and Policy, to shake the Foundation of his Religion; yet such was the strength of his Judgement, such his invincible Courage, in point of Faith; that no pretended Reasons, no specious Promises, no hopes of a temporal Setlement, (though never so fair) was of any validity to stagger his spiritual Resolutions.  
Lay your Heads (therefore) together, consult with yourselves; and tell me whether you can Fancy to yourselves a Person whose parts are any thing near so adequate to the Royal Trust, or your own desires & Interest? This is the Person God hath appointed; His person, his Parts, his Birth, do Challenge your Fidelity, your Loyalty; and will you still kick against Heaven? and wound your Consciences, by opposing his timely Admittance, into his own Inheritance? will you Destroy three Nations, to gratify the Covetousness, pride, and ambition, of a few inconsiderable persons? will you draw down the Curse of so many Families without any Advantage, Emolument or Profit? Look upon the affairs beyond Sea; you will find the Hands of all Christendom (united by God's providence for the settlement of the KING) extended against you; should they pour in their Forces upon us, and you persist in your Rebellion, what a miserale Seat of War would you make this poor Nation? the Children unborn, as well as the present Inhabitants, would have reason (from the bitterness of their afflicted souls) to curse your memory, and poisonous offspring; but if God will give you the grace, unfeignedly to repent for what is past; and express the reality of your hearts, (by suppressing those Schismatics at Westminster, and settling his Majesty, with the peace and quietness of the Nations; you would by this Act, Secure your own Persons and Families, establish your Estates, and render the three Kingdoms Fortunate; all Curses than would be turned into Prayers; and your name (which now stinks in the nostrils of all sober and  Men,) would then prove Glorious and Famous throughout the World: Which that it may come to pass, You may as well assure yourself of the daily prayers; as the present advice, and request of  
Your passionately affected Friend and Countryman, J. F.