THE fanatic POWDER-PLOT, OR THE Design of the RUMPERS and their Adherents, to destroy both Parliament and People. with a Caution against forged Intelligence.  
THat this Nation hath been long miserable, under the power of a violent and restless Faction, is clear to all such as are endued with Memory, and Reason: nor is it more superfluous, to reflect upon their passed miscarriages, than Necessary to take some notice of their Later cheats, and insolences. Their Design was, to fix themselves in a Perpetual Counsel; contrary to Oath, and Law; and to cut off successive Parliaments. To carry on the Project, they had Armed all sorts of Libertines, throughout the Nation, particularly, threatening London with fire, and sword, if they should not comply. Their barbarous purposes were Disappointed, by the General's reintroduction of the Secluded Members: Together, with the united rage of the people against them. In this hopeless and Deserted condition, what they could not effect by open Force, they attempted by Treachery, and Corruption. They used all Art, and Diligence, during the Session, both to gain Opportunities, and to improve them; but being over-voted in the Main, They fell upon a more direct, and shameless method of villainy.— They falsified the Lists of the Militia:— solicited Petitions from the City, for their continuance:— Juggled the Army-Officers into a Tumult:— Employed their Instruments to Destroy the General;— mutinied the Army, and the City; and Finally, they engaged a great part of the soldiery to Remonstrate against the rest of the Nation. But all too little, to prevent their Dissolution; or to Disturb our Hopes of Settlement.  
The General hath approved himself, in the calm, steady menage of this wild Affair, a Person worthy of all the Honour we can give him. These Brutish Libertines,— finding all their Plots Bubbled,— their Mines vented,— their Party, weak and heartless,— themselves friendless abroad, and comfortless at home,— as Guilty, and as Desperate as Cain; after the sad despair of any the least 〈…〉, they are 〈◊〉 pleased in the Contrivance of our Mischief, They're not dissolved, they tell us,— and attempt to meet again: That's in vain; and now they come to their last shifts. These Sense less coxcombs offer the Honest General the Instrument of Government; as if, that Noble, Generous Soul, were to be wrought upon, to prostitute his Honour, and his safety; and all this, to preserve a Kennel of such Reprobated, and Ridiculous Puppies. I wonder, seriously, how these Pimps, and Knights o'th' Post,— Scot, and his Fellows, scape the fury of the People: That Rabbet-sucking rascal, with his Fellow Cheats, and panders; these are the Youths, Gentlemen, that offer you like dogs, to any Master, that will bestow the Haltering of you. For shame, bethink yourselves.  
To be as short as possible, thus far you're safe: but yet these Tumblers have not showed all their Tricks: their last Recourse, is to the Forgery of Letters; (but so ridiculously framed, they are rather argument of Sport, than Anger: for the Brewer is much better at a (heat, than at a Stratagem) There are diverse Scandalous Papers dispersed, in the Name of the King; and as the sense of the Royal Party. You shall do well, to take notice, that nothing of that Quality, proceeds either from Himself, or his Friends. The Project is fanatic, and tends only to hinder our Expected, and Approaching Settlement. To mention One, for All; there is a Pamphlet of yesterday, entitled— News from Brussels, in a Letter from a near attendant on his majesty's Person, to a Person of Honour Here— which casually became thus public.  
Do but observe this Formal Noddy, how he Boggles upon the very Title-page.— How Casually, goodman senseless? Did it Drop into a Printing House, and Publish itself?— his Title is followed, with a suitable Text; of so pitiful an air, and Fashion, I am ashamed to confess the reading of it. Indeed, I would advise the Secretary, rather to return to his placket-politics, for he is not half so good at State, as bawdry. To deliver his aim in other terms, for fear of giving the Reader a Vomit. The principal drift of his Discourse is, to Personate a Royalist, Charging the Presbyterians with the murder of the King, and professing an Implacable Animosity against the whole party— Not to employ more subtlety than needs upon so Frivolous a Subject. Let this suffice.  
Who murdered the King, the Nation knows; and who Interposed to save him;— who they are, that at this Instant, oppose a Settlement, and who Desire it;— Nay more, we know, who cannot Live under a Peaceable Government, and who cannot Live without it: And it is fit to show all honest people to distinguish.  
Those, that have designed us for Slavery, it is but reason to mark them out for Justice: yet I should advise tenderness; where by saving a Few, Infamous malefactors, we do not hazard a more Considerable loss. He that forgives them, extends his Charity, but he that Trusts a man of them, betrays his Country.  
March 24. 1659.  
FINIS.