The poor Wiseman's ADMONITION UNTO All the plain People of London, and the Neighbour-Places.  
To strengthen them in the hour of temptation, that they may be happy and exemplary instruments to all other People, in preserving the City, Parliament, and whole Nation, from imminent and sudden destruction.  Eccles. 37.16. Prov. 16.20. Eccles. 7.21. Prov. 1.32, 33. 
Let reason go before every enterprise, and counsel before every action.  
He that is wise in his business, shall find good, and he that trusteth in the Lord is blessed.  
Wisdom shall strengthen the wiseman, more than ten mighty Princes that are in the city.  
For ease slayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroyeth them.  
But he that obeyeth me (saith wisdom) shall dwell in safety, and be quiet from fear of evil.  
Printed in the Year 1647.   

The poor Wiseman's Admonition unto all the plain People of London, and the neighbour Places.  
Dear Friends;  
ALthough ye and your families, are they who in all public calamities do suffer most, yet seem ye altogether insensible of your own danger until it be directly upon you, ye look not into public affairs yourselves, but trust wholly unto others; and if they either through weakness, wilfulness, corruption or treachery fail in their trust or turn oppressors and tyrants, ye remain liable to be deluded and betrayed by them into tumults, wars, miseries and bondage.  
But believe it, ye have need to look about you, and that very quickly, to see into affairs yourselves, and understand how things go, for ye are likely very speedily to be put upon the greatest trial of your wisdom and faithfulness that ever men were put upon; which if ye withstand or get clear through with an upright mind, your peace, freedom, and happiness will certainly be continued, but if ye yield ye will involve yourselves, your wives, children and servants into far greater miseries and extremities than those ye have already past through.  
The case is briefly and truly thus, ye remember in what a languishing distracted condition ye were in, before the war was betrusted to the present Army, then called, The new Model, and with what faithfulness, diligence, expedition and courage they have vanquished the enemy, restored you to your trades and livelihoods, which ye cannot with any conscience, but thankfully acknowledge and remember.  
But what they by their fidelity and activity gained abroad, is through want of care utterly destroyed at home; for whilst they supplant the enemy in strength, he is supplied with authority, and so in effect made Master of that strength by which he hath been vanquished.  
Ye will wonder how it should be so, and yet if ye shall judge the tree by the fruits, which is so infallible a rule that it cannot deceive you, ye shall find nothing more evident.  
For, what Authority now extant can ye name, that affords this Army any countenance or encouragement? nay, that hath not manifested a jealousy and hatred of them, and that most unjustly, seeing the Army is still the same it was, minding the safety, peace, freedom and happiness of all peaceable people without any difference at all.  
But herein it consisteth, Authority is changed and hath proposed other ends to itself now at last, then when this Army was first raised; those men that saw a necessity of their raising, which appeared from the languishing condition of the Kingdom under the former Forces, had then the major Vote and the opposite party were esteemed dis-affected favourers of the enemy, Remora's to the honest proceed of the House at that time, but are now become by the addition of divers ill affected men of known malignity out of the quarters redeemed from the enemy, the swaying party weigh down the balance and decree all.  
From hence proceeds this different aspect upon the Army; the late bitter Declaration against them for endeavouring to petition their own General in an orderly and peaceable way, for that which many by their loss of health, and all of them by enduring the hardships and extremities of war, and hazarding their lives, have dearly earned; these are now judged enemies to the State, disturbers of the peace, even of purpose to turn the faces of honest men against them, and all to maintain the unjust cause, and work out the wicked designs of tyrants and oppressors.  
Divers men by corruptions are grown rich, from small estates or nothing to be very wealthy; and finding that this Army and such as love them, because they love their Country, are inquisitive and unwilling to see the State abused, and the people defrauded, fearing that the mountains of wealth they have raised, may be yet returned to the right owners, or the common stock, and that their unjust actions may undergo scrutiny and trial, have for prevention thereof, desperately resolved to embroil us in a new war, and bring all to the former confusion, if not utter desolation; finding by experience, that they can fish best in troubled waters, and escape best in the press; that corruption and injustice is no otherwise mantainable, but by might and force, and for that very end and purpose have contrived to engage you against the Army, and those that wish them well, by which policy they suppose all your thoughts will be diverted from thinking upon them and their corruptions.  
In order to this, the Army and their friends are made odious to you, as Secretaries, even as heretofore the well-affected party were rendered hateful to you as Puritans; they provoke the Army what they can, by declaring them disturbers of the peace, molesting divers of their Officers and Soldiers, slighting petitions of many thousands of good and godly people, and burning some of them by the common Hangman, and by many other signs giving them to see what they and their friends are like to suffer after disbanding, hoping hereby to put them upon extremity, and enforce them to stand upon their guard, and capitulate for their safety, which they will interpret rebellion, and hold forth to you as a true ground of destroying them, inciting you from thence to take up Arms, and engage in their unjust quarrel, even for the maintenance of their exorbitant wills, and ambitions ends, yea and defence of their lives and illgotten estates.  
The heads of this design are the corrupt men in the House of Commons, even such as have been formerly of the enemy's party abroad, and done him services here at home, by discovering our counsels, (as appeareth by the interception of some of their letters,) partaking with conspirators in the City (as in waller's plot) opposing the raising of this Army, (by which the work hath been so speedily ended) appearing cross in all debates of the House for redress of grievances, or relief of the oppressed and much abused people, constantly manifesting, That they have proposed other ends to themselves, than the common good of the Nation.  
Assistant to these is the Mayor of London, hitherto passed over, (when the well-affected party had most sway in the City) as a man favouring the enemy, and never manifesting any affection to the Parliament, in their undertaking to make us a free people; also many of the Aldermen and great men of the City whose interest depends upon Prerogative, and is supported by the subjection of the plain people.  
The City Militia likewise in reference to this project was altered, because the former men who had showed themselves faithful to the Commonwealth and City, were not (it seems) judged fit instruments for this secret work; and ye the Commoners of London likewise, they hope, will by some deceitful trick or other follow, though to the destruction of yourselves, your wives and families.  
This makes them so confidently give out, that if the Army will not disband, that ye the plain men of this City, your sons and servants shall make a new Army to compel them; they verily think ye are not so well principled as to collect your thoughts (on such a sudden as they intent to surprise you) and consider what a dangerous business to the whole Kingdom ye go about, but that ye will do it for no other reason, but because they bid you: that ye will forget the good services that the Army have done, the speedy overthrow of a powerful enemy, the so sudden recovery of trading by the ending of a long and languishing war, which if continued, had in probability utterly wasted your Traine-Bands, and hazarded the ruin both of City and Kingdom.  
These benefits (they think) they can easily make you forget, with old tales of private men's preaching, Conventicles, rebaptising; and now by clamours of rebellion, and contempt of authority, which both the present necessity, and the common safety of the People requireth as a duty, and is purposely procured by themselves, for the maintenance of their tyranny and corruptions.  
But look back unto what is past, and survey the actions of these men, their weekly donations of great sums amongst themselves, their pride and lordliness: Compare them with the Army; see if the Army have not made themselves poor, to make the Commonwealth rich, whilst these men have made themselves rich and us poor.  
Consider whether these men, and their Agents, who shall be most forward to egg you on, and cry an Alarm, have not made advantages of your troubles, swollen great by the loss of your Friends and Neighbours bloods, whilst they that engaged most hearty, are disrespected, the poor Soldiers unpaid, the widow and fatherless by war little regarded, so small recompense made, as there is scarce a livelihood afforded to them that have lost their limbs out of affection to their Country, whilst those that shall appear most earnest for a new war, are such as know the way very well how to thrive by it, have gained thousands by the former, found the sweetness of having the Commonwealth's moneys at their dispose: And as they have been liberal every week, in converting the Commonwealth's Treasury to their own particular coffers, so hope they (with all possible speed, & by all indirect means) to be yet more bountiful, and for every hundred, give one another a thousand.  
Consider, that wars are easily and suddenly, and out of a heat begun, but very hardly and slowly ended: Let late experience make us wife, so to foresee evils, as we may prevent them. The Scots will be engaged again, and foreign Forces called in, which is already attempted by private Agents, from the aforesaid corrupt and illaffected party in the Parliament.  
This City may avoid all their malice, and crush all their wicked designs in the birth, before they come forth, if they will but abate their unjust and causeless eagerness against men of different opinions, and equally consider the just cause, desires and intentions of the Army, and the peaceableness of those people in the City and Country, who did lately petition for liberty, and that their ends herein are evidently the good and peace of all men.  
Take it to heart also, that we are in as much bondage as before this Parliament; all sorts of men are insensible of it, and full of complaints; the very oppressions cried out upon at the beginning of this Parliament, and removed, are not only now again practised, but many new ones brought upon us; besides that which alone amounts to all the rest, the EXCISE, which (upon pretence of paying public debts, and supplying other to-be-invented necessities) is like to be a lasting burden upon us.  
Customs are still as much enhanced as ever, without any convoy and protection of Merchants, which is the end of paying them, and the poor Seamen and Mariners wracked to the utmost point of extremity: Infinite sums have been dispended, and yet debts both unpaid, and the public Treasury emptied.  
Consider the grievances complained of in the late Petition which was burned, and collect from thence what usage ye are like to find, unless ye resolve to sit down under oppression, and expect no redress of grievances, which those honest men petitioning for in a discreet, peaceable, and humble manner, were abused, reproached, some of them imprisoned, the rest threatened, all termed seditious, and what not, even as men formerly were for moving against Ship-money, and the oppressions of those times.  
In this lamentable, condition the honest and plain people being still now, as they were then, in greatest danger, and wicked men most secure, and not only most countenanced by Authority, but endeavoured to be brought into all places thereof; judge, ye citizens of London, and other neighbour-places, whether the Army have not just cause, to stand upon their guard, and whether it be not high time for them again to appear for the defence and protection of the distressed people of this land; judge likewise what kind of enemies to the common wealth, peace, freedom, and safety of this Nation they are that shall oppose them herein, how inexcusable and evidently guilty of procuring their own bondage, and maintaining abused Authority, to their own misery, if not destruction: yet this is the strong temptation wherewith ye are likely very suddenly to be assaulted.  
The bait they will use will be the suppressing of Heretics and Schismatics, which henceforth ye shall find to be but nicknames for any that oppose Tyrants and Oppressors, by which they have ever endeavoured to make those odious to the rude multitude, whose honesty and conscience could not otherwise be blemished.  
Look therefore with a clear eye upon the Army and those that love and affect them, whether in Parliament or elsewhere, and see if they be not the truest prometers of just freedom, least advancers of themselves; and when ye are tried, may ye prove like gold seven times fined in the fire; so shall your wisdom, faithfulness, thankfulness and integrity appear in this sad day of England's greatest extremity, when a major vote of Parliament must of necessity be disobeyed.  
But this is an age of wonders: what greater wonder I pray, is there in this Nation, than a continual Parliament, already drawing to the end of the seventh year; or that this Parliament should begin in suppressing the High-commission, Star-chamber, Bishops, Popish Lords and all oppressers, make a most bloody war against them, subdue them by a faithful Army, and now act, tolerate, and justify the same oppressions, under other notions, hate none so much as those that abhor oppression, and likewise vex, molest, and suffer to be hanged those very Soldiers that preserved their own lives, even in their greatest extremities, and that for actions necessarily & warrantably performed in prosecution of their own services.  
And because all admonitions are most acceptable when the causes thereof are cleared, and proved to be good and just, by true examples, and forcible reasons, I will give an instance for your better satisfaction, in the things whereof I forewarn you, and so forearm you, Ye cannot but remember, that as those peaceable people who were at the beginning of this Parliament, called Roundheads, and afterwards Independents, and by such other Titles as best please the Clergy to devise, and the rude multitude to express, did adventure their lives voluntarily day & night, in guarding and defending the Parliament against all their enemies, who were like to swallow them up, before they had either guard or Army to take their part; and did not this worthy Army the like unto them, when no other Army could do the business?  
Did not ye yourselves, and many thousands of others, bestow a great part of your estates freely and voluntarily to help, further, and assist the Parliament in all their public affairs for the Commonweal, and safety of the people: and yet now, who are more despised, hated and persecuted by means or connivance of the Parliament, then both ye, they, and the Army, who have been their truest & best friends? And likewise, who have been more assessed and extorted in advancing more and more sums to fill their Coffers, than those who gave them most freely and liberally at the first; yea, and too many of them more than they could well spare.  
Therefore, dear friends, remember this seasonable and loving premonition, while it is yet time, that when ye have done all ye can, and perhaps past the bounds of your abilities, ye may easily perceive both by former experience yourselves, and infinite discontents, murmur and out-cries of others, that if ye do not persist both in fulfilling their wills in what they will command concerning your bodies, and in yielding what they will demand of your Estates, yea, or refuse them in any jot, or trifle they require, though never so unjust, ye will be subject to lose all ye have done, and their favour too.  
These are wonders indeed, besides hundreds of others which might be expressed; but these if well weighed, will put you upon examination how it is possible such things as these should be.  
The Army doubtless doth highly esteem the authority of Parliament, being rightly constituted, and intending the welfare and safety of the people, and such a Parliament both the Army and the well-affected of the Kingdom thought this would have proved; for which they have fought, as for their own and the people's liberties.  
But when through the policies, feast, private letters, making use of interests and relations, with many other indirect practices, elections shall be corrupted, and not freely made by the people, but in effect the one part of the Parliament procure the election of the other, when by means hereof the ill affected party is grown most potent, and the people's faithful friends are overpowered, when their courses shall tend evidently to make themselves great, upon the people's ruins, even to prevent the end for which a Parliament is called, is there any just cause to the contrary, but the same necessity and public safety that justifieth the Parliament against the King, will also justify the Army against them, by the same rule of right reason, and law of equity, as the soldiers of an Army may oppose the General, when he turneth the mouth of his Cannon upon them.  
And all this the Army do not against, but for Parliaments, as the only orderly means for the people's safety, and freedom now in such a high time of extreme danger, after the trial of all other lawful and possible fair and submissive means.  
It is not to be imagined, that the Army meaneth in any wise to usurp the government, or give laws to their brethren; nothing can be more odious to their spirits, or further from their thoughts: their ●yme is only to rescue and secure the people that are oppressed, and defend themselves from the malicious plots and practices of wicked men, until such time as the right constitution of Parliaments be recovered, the Account of the Kingdom's treasury required, and the Authors of our miseries according to justice punished.  
The obstruction whereunto is a great number of tyrannical and oppressive men in the House, against whom just exceptions will be evidently made appear to all the world; if upon offer of proof, all these enormities should be set into a way of trial, this great and much threatening design, may be prevented, without trouble, war or bloodshed, wherein it rests in you at this time to do very much.  
If ye forbear to engage against the Army, whom God hath made his instruments to deliver you, and withal, second their just desires for purging out the corrupt Members of the Parliament, ye will not only herein be an example of wisdom, fidelity, and integrity to the whole Nation, but prevent a world of mischief and inconvenience, which otherwise might come to pass by your negligence, or rather slavish obedience.  
Ye cannot but perceive, that in the 〈◊〉 alteration which is made of the Committee of the Militia and the removal of your known Commanders in the forces of London, that they intent to engage you against the Army. Is not this evident to all judicious men? For what need is there of any such change now at this time, and that only of such persons as are affected to the Army?  
Let not fair shows or pretences of zeal, religion, or reformation of whatsoever kind any longer delude you, but observe him for a traitor to his Country, that would now entangle you in any unjust war against a most worthy Army, whom God hath so exceedingly blessed, yea and you also and all of us, by their faithful means and effectual endeavours.  
Look wisely and narrowly to your Officers of trust in all places, and see that they bring forth fruits sueable to your peace, preservation, and freedom, or else eat them as serpents, whose property is to destroy you.  
Be not deluded into a groundless belief, that the Army do intent any kind of prejudice to any just interest, or propriety in the Common wealth, seeing they have manifested both by word and deed to the world, in despite of the malice of all their treacherous enemies (though pretended friends) that the outmost extent of their desires, is only to see equity and justice flourish in all Estates, so that no man may be punished under the colour of law or otherwise, without a just cause.  
Allow the Army to be as free Englishmen as any whosoever, and your worthy and beloved brethren; have not many of you fought, shed your blood, & advetured your lives in the very same just cause for which they most courageously do yet (through God's goodness) stand. And would ye now unjustly resign both that good cause, and so renowned an Army, into the treacherous and bloody hands of such as maliciously hate both them and you, howsoever they may flatter you at this time for their own base ends, but neither for your own nor the Kingdom's good.  
God forbidden that so just a cause which hitherto hath been so valiantly prosecuted, should escape so many and violent storms, and cruel tempests in the main Ocean, and yet perish in the Harber, and that only for want of prudence and timely care.  
But our hope is, that the same just and good God, who hath hitherto preserved you, the Army, City, Parliament, and just cause, will also in his due and appointed time, to his own everlasting praise, and the comfort of all that trust in him, perfect his great work in justice and righteousness, if in the mean time ye will be so truly wise, as to be thankful for mercies received, and not forgetful of the worthy instruments he hath employed for your preservation, but do them good to your utmost abilities in the day of their visitation.  
So shall God crown all your labours of love with peace, and both yourselves, the whole Nation and posterity with freedom. Amen.   

The Printer to the Reader.  
I Desire thee to amend with thy pen, one fault escaped in the printing, by negligence, and the Author's absence, which is in the 3. page and 10. line, namely, secretaries, for sectaries: and if there be any more faults (as none liveth without some) I also desire that thou wilt show thy patience by thy silence, and that thou may rather make a profitable use of the sense, than any wise strive about word; even as thou wouldst except the like favour of me or any other in thy absence, if thou be one that showest thyself thus careful and zealous for the public: especially now in such extreme need. Farewell.  
FINIS.