double Your Guards; IN ANSWER To a Bloody and Seditious Pamphlet, entitled An Alarum TO THE ARMIES OF England, Scotland, and Ireland.  
LONDON: Printed in the YEAR, 1660.   

Double your Guards, &c.  
THis last week, has brought to light two Pamphlets; so exquisitely impious, as if they had been framed in Hell, by Oliver, and Bradshaw. They speak the Language of the damned; horror, despairs, and Desolation. These goodly Pieces are christened; Plain English,— & An Alarum. I suppose they are twins; the issue of the same brain, as they are related to the same main end. I had nigh finished a Reply upon the Former, when the Latter came to my Hand: comparing which with the other; I find they correspond, so aptly, and so universally, to the same seditious Purpose, that there's not any Interest ' 'scape their malice, and attempt. They advance their Dispute, and march together; that what they cannot gain by force of Argument, they may be ready to Essay by dint of sword. Their Plain English; is a Reasoning of the case. First with the general; Claiming, from his Engaging for the public Liberty; a Title to his aid in favour of a private, and enslaving Faction. It labours then, to puzzle the Presbyterian into a jealousy of the King's faith, and honour; and consequently, into a doubt of his own safety; should his Majesty be restored. Nay, not content to blaspheme the King's integrity, by a bold censure of his secret thoughts: The shameless Beast, (the author of it) sticks not to charge the Secluded Members, with the Guilt of the King's blood, upon a senseless Inference drawn from the Declaration of both Houses in 1647. Touching the Reasons of the Votes for non-address. His aim is here to persuade them, to accuse themselves.  
How those Votes were obtained, I have showed at large: (in a Print entitled Treason Arraigned) and it suffices; the whole Nation knows, that though the Plague was in both Houses then; yet all were not Infected. The Rumpers only had the Tokens: (nor all these neither) so that at last, the Seclusion of so many as opposed the capital Prosecution of the King, amounts to a clear act of discrimination; a separation of the clean from the unclean.  
Having there set the Presbyterians at work, upon the Question of Interest, and safety; (and after many a lame compliment to his Excellency) he cuts out worse employment for the fanatic soldiery: and at the same time, breathing Hot, and Cold:— Reason, and Mutiny; he solicits the general into a compliance, and the Army into a Tumult.  
To disabuse the multitude; (if any should be mad enough to be deluded by so gross a cheat) I'll lay the juggle open, in as few, and familiar words as possible.  
The Title speaks the business of the Pamphlet: ● ('Tis An Alarum,) and the Application,— (To the Officers, and soldiery, &c.) the malice; there's treason in the very Face on't: if the first two words cost not the Nation a hundred thousound lives, 'tis not the author's fault.  
His second Page, places the Legislative Power in the Army, challenging their promise; that before they would suffer themselves to be disbanded, or divided, they would see the Government of these Nations established upon the just and secure Fundamentals, and constitutions of freedom and safety to the people, in relation, as Men and Christians, and that in the way of a commonwealth, or Free-state-Government, without a King, single Person, or House of Lords.  
These Gentlemen (I see) resolve to be their own Carvers; not suffer themselves to be disbanded? This Rump, would be a perpetual Army, as well as a perpetual Parliament. Let the Nation observe now the Quality of this suggestion.  
First, By the Law of arms, 'tis Death; that, which these fellows would engage the Army in: that mutiny against their general. (for they give Him for Lost.)  
Next, 'Tis Treason, by the Law of the Land; the usurpation.  
Thirdly, 'Tis murder. murder, intentional, in the bare conception of it; and actual, sure enough, so soon as that intention is but known. Now let us weigh the benefits it brings, against the Crimes, and dangers that attend it. freedom, and Safety, to the People, both as Men, and Christians. There's the proposition.  
freedom, there can be none, to the People; where a particular, and little party pretends to impose upon a number 40 times greater, and enslave them.  
Nor Safety: where in that Disproportion the Nation is engaged against a Faction: and every sword that's raised against it, carries damnation upon the Point on't.  
Neither do they act as Men. Man, is a reasonable and sociable Creature. Here's a design, that breaks the Bond of Order: and betrays a manifest folly, by a contrivance so impracticable, and mischievous at once; Idly to labour the saving of a few, guilty Persons, at the Price of an universal, dissolution.  
For Christianity; either my Bible's false, or their Opinion, that shall pretend to raise a Christian Government, upon a Basis of Rebellion, and bloodshed.  
From hence, the terrible trifle proceeds to the distribution of his design into three heads.  
First, what the cavalier says. Secondly, What the Presbyterian thinks. Thirdly, What the armies best Friends, (scornfully called Commonwealth-men, and fanatics) do foresee, concerning the present transactions in the three Nations. And lastly, his own observations, and seasonable advice.  
He tells us, The Cavaliers opinion, that the general's intention is to bring in the King, and grounded upon these Reasons.  
First, That upon the 11th. of February last, he sent an imposing Letter to the Parliament, (in scorn called the Rump) and thereupon, (without any Order from them marched with their Army into London, then esteemed and made by him, (in destroying their gates, &c.) their implacable enemies; and at night suffered so many Bonfires, and Ringing of Bells, and publicly drinking healths to the King, and a Frée-Parliament; roasting, and burning of Rumps; Hearing, and seeing his Masters in open Street declared murderers, and traitors, &c.— Feasted, and associated with the King's Friends, &c.  
This is a grievous charge, assuredly: but not unanswerable; and (by the licence of our Observator.) This I reply.  
The general's Commission expired upon the tenth of February, so He was free, the eleventh. Again, It was the design of the Rump, to make the general odious, and therefore they imposed upon him such barbarous Orders as probably might leave him no retreat. While he professed to Act by any Derivation from Them; malice itself cannot but say his Excellency stood firm to every point of Military obedience: at last, when they proceeded so severely against the City; he interposed; but his Mediation was rejected; and more imperious commands sent to him, this is enough to prove, 'twas not the general that made London the Rumps implacable Enemies: But 'twas the Sordid insolences of the Members, that made the Conventicle hateful, to the whole kingdom, and this appeared, by the universal Joy that followed upon their disappointment. If the Rump at Westminster, did by a sympathy, fellow-feel the suffering Rumps in the City; the Case indeed was hard; but for the rest the murderers, and rebels they were called,— methinks it should not trouble folks to be called by their Names: (that's only Liberty of Conscience, and I dare say, the people spoke as they thought.) Are these gentlemen's ears so tender, and their Hearts so hard? Is the sound of Treason and murder so dreadful and the exercise of it so trivial?— I must confess, to stay away Ten days together; (from the 11th of Feb. till the 21 as that his Masters charge him with) was something a long Errand. But seriouslly, Gentlemen, considering 'twas his first fault, forgive him. (true, if he kept Lewd Company, (Cavaliers,) as you say he did) I ha' no more to say.  
The second motive to the Cavaliers discourse, (that his excellency will restore the King;) is that notwithstanding his engagement, by Letter, and verbal promise to his Masters (that had ventured their All to secure him from being ruined by Lambert's Army, he yet admits the Secluded-Members to sit.— (most of whom, he absolutely knew to be for the Restauration of Charles Stuart,) &c.  
To this; it is notorious; that designs were laid to murder the general; That the Rump received, and kept in Members impeached: that they promoted, and gave thanks for Barebone's Petition: containing matters of direct contradiction to their Professions. In the next place; instead of the Rumpers saving the general from being ruined by Lambert, that general saved them and touching their Opinions, of (Charles Stuart; as this villain prates) the King. The Noble general regard their Trust, not their Opinions nor did he inquire what they were.  
Thirdly; (say they) the general will bring the King in, for he ; hath suffered the secluded-Members to release Sir George Booth, and his party, &c.— Again; they have (de novo) voted the Covenant to be Printed, Read, and set up-and— acknowledging the late King's Posterity:— as likewise suffering to be maintained in the House, that none but Jesuits and Priests are for Free-State-Government.— observe yet further, (says the Cavalier) that he imprisons Common-wealth-men, and releases Royalists, &c.  
These Rumpers have gotten such a trick of breaking Parliaments that 'tis their public Profession now become to enforce them to the bent of the Army. Suffer, still is the word. The general suffered the secluded Members to Release Sir George Booth▪— The next point, is yet more remarkable: These very Covenanters abjure the Covenant.— As for the suffering (there 'tis again) to be maintained, that only Jesuits and— the general is not properly to take cognisance of what passes in the House. (the King was chidden for't (exact Collections; see the Petition of both Houses De. 14. 1641.)— now for imprisoning, and releasing. If it so happen, that some Common-wealth-men deserve to be laid up; and some Royalists to be enlarged (not as such) it is but justice to do the one, and the other; for at the rate of this subtle Argument; Free-state-men shall be Protected against the Law, and Royalists so persecuted likewise.  
Lastly, the Cavaliers conclude as much from the Generals countenancing the Militia; being raised and formed to murder, and destroy the Army— and that the same thing was done long since in Scotland:— besides, the Irish Army have proceeded answerable to himself.— And divers Officers that served the late King have had fair promises from him,— and several of the King's friends are peaceably returned from exile, &c.— and again there's a Proviso in the Act of dissolution, concerning the Lords being a part of the Parliament, etc  
To be short,— the general encourages the Militia to save the Countries, not to ruin the Army,— next; if long since done in Scotland, the better done, the sooner: for England hath been only Rump-ridden, for want of it. To this the conform motion of Ireland, proceeds from their Commune commons with England in delivering themselves from the Tirunny of the Rump, for the general's promises; I am glad to hear it, but truly I know nothing of it. In truth 'tis a sad business, Alderman Bunce his return, and the Proviso in the Act of dissolution, (for certainly by the known Law, the Lords are no part of the Parliament.) To speak my thoughts freely; I am very glad to hear that the Cavaliers are of Opinion, that the King will come in but I believe it never the more for your saying it.  
Now to the sober Presbyterians: they (says our fanatic) begin to suspect the general: for the Cavaliers are at this instant Arming themselves in all the three Nations, &c.— and if Charles Stuart comes he'll bring with him archbishops Bishops, &c.— and then in comes his Mother— with her Jesuits, Priests, &c.— and this will make little difference betwixt us, and the Sectaries.  
Now do I dote upon the sincerity of this Bubble, had he pretended to Religion himself; had been ridiculous, but putting that scruple upon the sober Presbyterian, 'tis well enough. The story of the Cavaliers Arming themselves, is a fanatic not a Presbyterian conceit, as to the Queens bringing in Jesuits, &c. It needs not, the Independents have enough for her Majesty and themselves too. (how the changeable Butterfly flutters from Party to Party, and wherever he seizes, he stains.) as to his concluding opinion, that the King will put no difference, he may live yet to change that opinion.  
He comes next to the Armies BEST FRIENDS, (as he terms them) and they preach nothing but Fire, and Sword, if ever the King come. Oh this pestilent MILITIA! Alas poor Phan. does it bite. Away with your Improbable Lies: The Secluded Members threaten the Army. Yes 'tis a likely matter. Come Gentlemen you are safe, if you continue honest, and lost without it. Do not you know that these very persons that now flatter you, are the people that have taken your meat out of your mouths; that have received sufficient for six Armies from the Nation, and yet have left you moneyless, and ready tu perish for want of Bread? nay Suppose their Arguments were more rational than they are, and that the King were a Person, as famous for Cruelty as he is for Clemency, you were still safe. You are below the stroke of Revenge. They are fearful for their own heads, and pretend to concern themselves for you. They talk of Treachery, in case you should recede from their Designs: They tell you of Engagements, promises, etc— and so do I. Remember but your Oaths and Covenants, and if you do, you will not mix with them; they promise you the glory of after-ages: yes you shall be renowned with Flame and Hell too, if you engage with th●se Desperadoes  
Look back into old Stories; inquire into the different reputation of the Brave Mayor that killed the rebel-patriot, and of the Libertine himself that fell; (a MARTYR, your Hot headed counsellor would call him) Are you Ambitious to be chronicled with JACK OF LEYDEN, KNIPPER▪ DOLLING, CADE, TYLER, RAVILLAG, BALTAZAR GERARD, &c. Desire your Brainsick Illuminates to tell you Muncer's story, go to, beware of separating. Remember them that cried You take too much upon you ye sons of Levi: the Congregation is Holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them. To come a little nearer home. Reflect upon the Ashes decased Patrons of their Franteck Zeal. Their very flesh is not more putrid than their memories. Come nearer yet, & look impartially among your living partisans (I speak of such, as our Pamphleter styles Patriots) do not you find them clothed with the spoils of Widows, and of Orphans? nay look into their Morals, even toward those, that with the loss of blood, and Peace have raised them: how thankless, and how avaricious are they? Examine now their Principles of Courage, and their Military virtues: do they not Sneak into Committees, and there, dispose of all the advantages of your unchristian hazards? You kill the HEIR, but THEY possess the INHERITANCE.  
Having abundantly perplexed the minds of his weak Brethren, he's as Intent, now, how to entangle the Interests of the Nation. The man is willing to do any thing, that may help on the work of undoing All; and here, he's balancing accounts:— casting up, how many Millions will pay the Court-Debts; and repair the Losses of his majesty's Friends. For that, I think the next Parliament may as well compose the Difference, as either He, or I. This only I may say, 'tis not the care of the public which employs him so much: His sins are greater than he can bear.  
All this is nothing, compared with what he has yet to tell you. Observe him well, and ask him, how he looks when he lies? Upon his Knowledge, the militias are resolved to cut the soldiers Throats in their Beds. Why does he not discover who they are? Still the bloody 11th. and 12th. of February runs in his Head; The villainies of that Night, how hardly does he digest them! and then, the Catalogue of Saints, (the Holy-ones of the Rump) that nettles the bum terribly. That, marks them out for a Massacre, he says. The worthies have behaved themselves well the mean while, that call themselves the People. Why, at the worst, if the People have a mind to destroy themselves, they cannot begin better than at the Rump; that's a good way from the Heart.  
Now have a care, for I'll hang you, in a Rope of your own twisting. The story of your governor is everybody's tale. I'll only take the Applicable Part; we love the TREASON but we hate the traitor. 'Twas you betrayed your Countries trust to the Army. They love the Treason, but they hate the traitor. ('Tis as Fit, as if it had been made for you)  
Now your Advice; which is scarce worth a Fee; for— you propose things Impossible; Rendezvoz first, you say: why you fancy (sure) that the General is of the Plot; and that his Officers are all mad; and than you propose a Confederacy, as 'twas at New-market: your little Agitators, &c.— fie, fie! Gentlemen, here's the difference of the Case, the Nation then, was with the Revolted Party against the Great ones: Now; they're unanimously against you; in any such Design. Your General is a Gentleman, and a Souldjer: and every Man that is either, (in the Kingdom) will die at's Feet: His Officers are Persons that understand Honour, and the Discipline of War. There's not ● man among them, but when he comes to pass a Sober Thought, upon so base an Action as a Munity, would rather Perish, than Promote it.  
Beside; you are discovered with the first breath that utters the least Syllable, tending to a Conspiracy. Could I believe, the Conscience of that traitor that advises you to this, would let him Sleep, I should believe his Counsel but a Dream, 'tis so remote from any due Coherence of right Reason. Come; shall I Counsel you a little? Be Obedient to your Superiors; Compassionate to your Country; Just to your Equals; In sine; serve God, and Honour those whom he hath set over you for your Good.  
'Tis not the Fool's ●eviling of his Betters, that mends your Cause, or makes ours worse. There are (as he says) Ropes twisting, I believe't, (and there the man's a Conjurer) but they are preparing for such Imps as himself. He tells you; Gallows are setting up for the executions of your friends; (and he accounts himself one of your friends) who knows what may come of't? He concludes with a Proverb. Men Armed, are seldom harmed. take mine too; and so shall I conclude. Save a Thief from the Gallows, and he'll Cut your Throat.  
April 4 1660.  Libido Dominandi, Causa Belli.