AN INVOCATION TO THE OFFICERS Of the ARMY, For Preventing their own, and the ruin Of the Good Old Cause AT The very door of Destruction: IN A Letter Presented to them on Wednesday 20 April 1659.  
LONDON: Printed ANNO DOM. 1659.   

To the General Council of OFFICERS of the ARMIES of England, Scotland, and Ireland sitting at Wallingford-House.  
Friends and Countrymen:  
YOu see under what slavery and servitude we are hitherto brought by your sufferance, as what ciphers yourselves are made in all true enumerations to those false Court-Figures: Is it not true one  told you, that you have deceived the Parliament and People, and now can deceive none but yourselves; whilst the Court and Camp are universally united in viciousness; yea, whilst Places and Profits become the prey of perjured Persons, Apostates, and Parasites( who as 'tis scattered, scramble for it?) What talk you of the Good Old Cause, whilst it and Equity, Religion and Reason, are Voted out of the House of Commons by Courtiers and cavaliers?  
Will you not yet awaken forth of the Lethargy of sloth and security, ere new Lords and new Laws brand you at once with death and infamy? Believe it, hitherto not love, but force hath secured your lives; but you may yet prove a happy counterpoise to those caterpillars of your Country: proportion but your spirits to your power, and will not City and Country upon this just account second your assays? But by sitting still, you make many neuter, and more Delinquents( a precious Reparation of all your lost Reputation for these fore-past five yeers) Will you not be ashamed of that cowardice and lukewarm temper which Heaven and Hell hates? Can you thus hope, whilst the Vessel of our Freedom is wreckt, to save yourselves in that abominable bark of Baseness? Are all our old Souldiers asleep? Or are yourArms so pressed down with the spoil and oppressions of the People, as it is not possible for you to lift them up to any purpose?  
But if you should so servily succumb, were it not due and distributive Justice, that you who have formerly preyed upon your friends, should now be made a prey to their and your Foes? Can cavaliers fear to encounter you, over whom Cowards and Courtiers have voted themselves into Victory? Surely, both Saints and sinners would be ashamed of such Souldiers; should you so silently sit down under a sentence of such shameful succumbency, as what ever your Enemies Vote, you must vie for, be it to root out Richard, and to bring back charles: you must now drink down at one draft all designs, swallow all sleights, and follow the fraudulent in all their forgeries; besides, such as have but offered at honesty, are undoubtedly, as opportunity presents, set a part for presidents in punishment. You may do well then to be more valiant then others are honest, otherwise how would it bravely become you( like samson) to be their slaves whom you have subdued?  
Oh! Be not Examples of baseness, whilst others stand on a Basis above State-Bigamy, where Crowns take a Master, when they accept a mate: When many Militia's are in one Person and his prostituted Parasites, who have pawned their souls to propagate his Power, ruining us to raise him and themselves: but who thus reach at Thrones, seldom sit sure upon them. Oh then, ere it be too late, lay aside the vizard of dissimulation: such State-tenants at will( for all their excessive celebrations) seldom hold in see what they have, to the third & fourth Generation. All who are their advancers, they eye as debters do bailiffs, whose very looks do arrest them at the svit of their services. If your merit or honesty make you too sturdy, to be pliant to their Projects, they will use Osyers of their own planting, which being base dependents upon them for profit and preferment, will be easily wreathed and wrested to serve their lusts and liking.  
Oh then, stop their vain ambition before our gangrene grow greater: Let this motion find as many to practise, as to praise it: shall not some dare to do what all desire? In this sense it's better being haughty, then humble; in letting meaner men go before you in doing, for fear of danger. Let your fortitude be your Enemies physic: delayed Resolutions are often more dangerous then Actions unconcocted or inconsiderate. Let it never be said, that you who once ventured for the Golden Fleece of public Liberty, have now exchanged it for the asses ears of servitude and slavery. The merry Greek once drowned the Proverb of, The Valiant Greek: But let not the Cowardly, the Covetous, or the Treacherous, invert the Character of the Honest, the Valiant, and the Faithful English soldier. Would you not be accounted tame Traytors, to behold an usurped power, mate and checque a Lawful one, whilst you durst neither wag hand nor tongue in opposition? Did England for this lose so much life-blood, or the People impair their own to raise your Estates? And will you after all, requited them, yourselves and Posterities with ruin? Oh! that your country, which made you Great and Honourable, could also have made you grateful: you are now upon your last legs, and in your breasts and bosoms, Religion and Liberty are both bleeding; your Credit and your Country lye gasping, and ready to give up the Ghost ▪ Do not then deny your assistance and service, wherein your and our All is interested: Be persuaded, Posterity in this product will bless or curse your bones: For, will not the branches whither, where there is rottenness in the root? When your Sun is set, will it not be night in your successors? Let then both bucket and rope go together: rather lose your lives, then the lustre of your loyalty, especially to such as quarrel with your merits, to massacre your Memories. Remember that after the bees are starved, the drones will be punished; and they who smart for their fidelity, will have a peaceable plaster in their own spirits; whilst those who to secure their cowardly carcases at the rate of ruining their Country, shall to all Eternity have horror and hell in their hearts, and infamy in their Memories. If you bow or bend, all that's good is broken; be but active and resolute, and your coffins will be converted to Crowns of Victory, and Palms of triumph: believe it, where Usurpation leads the Van, judgement will bring up the Rear: Late experience tells us, that Power unjustly gained, could not be long kept. Doubt not, you cannot miscarry in so good a Cause, wherein to dare, and to be able, ever go together; however, it's better to die with honour, then live with infamy. And for your prosperity in well-doing, you have the prayers of thousands, whose hearts are with you in this work, and so shall their help, though you have not here their hands.  
This Letter was sent as directed( and we hope 'twas received) on Wednesday the 20 of April 1659.