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An ALARM to the preſent men in Power, the Officers of the Army, and all Oppreſſors, From ſame oppreſsed People of England, on the behalf of themſelves and others.

O. Cromwel!

SHalt thou raign, becauſe thou cloſeſt thy ſelf in White-hall, guarded with Souldiers at the Commonwealths charge? We tell thee, Nay; except thou leave off thy hypocritical Mock-Faſts, and obſerve the true Faſt which the Lord of hoſts hath choſen, thou muſt alſo likewiſe periſh. Jer. 22. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

Is not this the fast that the Lord hath choſen? To looſe the bands of wickedneſs, to take off the heavie burdens, to let the oppreſſed go free, and that ye break (not one, but) every yoke?

Notwithſtanding,

Have not our burdens been increaſed, like Rehoboams little finger, which was thicker & heavier then his fathers loins?

Are not ſome of our brethren kept in remote places, from the company of their wives, children, and friends, under cruel and tedious impriſonment, (which is worſe then death) after Tryals, and that they have been acquitted according to the Laws of the Land?

Do ye not keep others in priſon by your arbitrary Wills, (ſo much heretofore complained of and fought againſt, in times of Kingſhip, as unlawful then; but now, all things muſt be lawful) without bringing them to any legal Tryal at all; contrary to all Law and Juſtice? Is not this notorious Injuſtice? and is it not impenitently and frequently practiſed amongſt you? Is this to do as ye would be done unto? Is not Injuſtice done to one, done to all? For, what is one mans caſe to day, may be another mans caſe to morrow. Yet few lay it to heart: none goeth to White-hall to call for Juſtice, as they ought: for, Preaching, Scribling, nor Printing any thing, will ever prevail, or obtain any Juſtice from him in our caſe, no more then it did with the late King and his party, in Hampdens or rich mens caſe, till they were brought under impriſonment, and ſerv'd as they had ſerved others; and then we ſaw it would not be accepted of: and ſo many of them have paid their utmoſt farthing. And yet this is no warning to others: for, Man being in honor, hath no underſtanding, (we ſee) but m•…e compared to the beaſts that periſh. Read that pleaſe, Iſa. 59. & conſider it.

Do they not (as it's ſaid of Alexander the Great) hate the Traytor, but love the Treaſon?

Is it not to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to houſe the harbourleſs, to releaſe poor priſoners, and that ye hide not your ſelves from your own fleſh?

Nevertheleſs,

Do not thouſands both in Cities and Country periſh for want of thoſe Comforts?

Do not poor priſoners ſtill lie roaring out at the Iron Grates, ready to periſh for want of bread, and to be devoured by lice, un­releaſed?

They that be ſlain with the ſword, are better then they that be ſlain with hunger. Lament. 4. 9.

Do ye not, as it were, ſit upon the Pinacle at White-hall, beholding the glory of three kingdoms ſubjected under your power, and fallen down to worſhip the devil, your own intereſt, by ſeeking riches and high Titles of honour, more then the honour of Je­ſus Chriſt, and his poor oppreſſed people?

Did not ſome of you, about ſeven yeers ſince, fiercely accuſe many members of the old Parliament to be corrupt, and betray­ers of their Truſt, yet never brought them to any legal Tryal, as ye ought to do? and promiſed, that the world ſhould ſee, you aimed at nothing of private revenge, as animoſities, but, that Juſtice might have a free courſe, and the people eaſed and ſecured from ſuch corrupt men for time to come & all this come to nothing, but ſetting your ſelvs up in their rooms. O brave Officers, O!

Now therefore be content; look upon (your own Declarations, and) us, for that it is evident to you, (and all the people of this Nation) if we lye, Job 6. 28. in any of theſe things before mentioned, and complained of.

Hath not the Earl of Kingſton long ſince been declared and accuſed in print to be an oppreſſor? (which you cannot plead ig­norance to, conſidering many of the Papers were delivered to Lieutenant-Colonel Worſley at White hall, above two months ſince) and, it's believed, one of the greateſt oppreſſors in England? and yet all theſe fat bulls and kine of Baſhan, which oppreſs the poor, and deſtroy the needy, Amos 4. 1. ſlip thorow all your fingers, they are ſo greaſie, that no juſtice can be obtained againſt them from you.

But this is our comfort,

The Lord God (our Protector) hath ſworn by his holineſs, that lo, the days ſhall come upon them, that he will take them away with hooks, and their poſterity with fiſh-hooks, Amos 4. 2. (And we hope, (in his time) all ſuch rebellious Sauls as ye are, alſo.)

This is he, that in Summer, 1653. procured many deſperate unknown perſons, armed with Guns, Piſtols, Swords, Pike-ſtaves, and other weapons, in a riotous manner, to enter upon the poſſeſſion of another, and by force and arms cut down and carried away about 100 acres of graſs and corn, contrary to the Laws in that caſe made and provided; and no right or juſtice can be had or obtained againſt him for it. By which rule, he may be encouraged to ſend them or ſome other, when he pleaſeth, to cut their throats; and which no doubt he will do, if ever his great Maſter and Coſin Ch. Stuart prevail again. And it's thought needful to keep Guards for their ſafety and ſecurity at White-hall, which we help to maintain; yet we muſt have none to guard and ſecure us in the Country, though we pay for it, as aforeſaid: nay, they would ſooner take our Arms (if we had any) from us, and expoſe us to the worſt of our enemies malice, as they have done to ſeveral perſons formerly. This is good Juſtice alſo.

This is he, that aſſumes a priviledge ſtill, as in times of Kingſhip, to anſwer Bills of Complaint exhibited againſt him, upon his Honour; (for it ſeems he ſees no change, ſave in the Name onely) when alas! he has neither honour, nor common honeſty, in his actions, as we could make appear in many particulars, if we could have juſtice againſt him.

This is he, that hath his hackney-winter-houſe, and his hackney-ſummer-houſe: but the Lord of hoſts will ſmite them both; and the houſes of ivory ſhall periſh, and the great houſes ſhall have an end, ſaith the Lord, Amos 3. 15. And would you know the reaſon why? He hath eaten up the vineyard, the ſpoil of the poor is in his houſes; yea, he beats the people to pieces, and grindes the faces of the poor. Contrary to the expreſs minde of the Lord, even the Lord of hoſts, Iſai. 3. 14, 15. But the wo pronounced againſt him and his fellows, in time may overtake them. Iſa. 5. 8, 9.

Shall they not riſe up ſuddenly that ſhall bite them, and awake that ſhall vex them? and they ſhall be for booties unto them? Hab. 2. 7. And if you would know why, read alſo the 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 verſes. Look to it, Tyrants and Oppreſſors.

For the viſion is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it ſhall ſpeak, and not lye: though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come; it will not tarry. Hab. 2. 3. And what will ye do in the day of viſitation, and in the deſolation which ſhall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory? Iſa. 10. 3.

Hath not the Lord commanded to execute judgment in the morning, and to deliver the oppreſſed out of the hand of the oppreſſor, under a ſevere puniſhment? Jer. 21. 11, 12. Jer. 22. 3. Zech. 7. 9, 10, 11. But thine eyes and thine beart are not but for thy covetouſneſs, and for thine honour, and for to ſhed innocent blood, (by keeping men in perpetual im­priſonment, if not otherwiſe) and for oppreſſion, and for violence, to do it. Jer. 22. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. For which cauſe, if it come to paſs thou ſhouldſt be buried with the burial of an Aſs, drawn and caſt forth beyond the gates of Sodom, alias London, (where many oppreſſed people are undone, let their cauſe be never ſo juſt, the cure being worſe then the ſore) who ſhall or will lament for him, ſaying, Ah Lord! or Ah his glory! or Highneſs? None but ſome of his creatures, that have been created by him; and dirt-daubers, that daub him with untempered mortar, for preferment and gain, and know they muſt ſtand or fall with him: hath he not good ſtore of them? no doubt, 400. nay 4000 falſe prophets for one Micaiah, in theſe times.

And now, why is he wroth againſt us, (for telling him the truth) or why is his countenance fallen? If he did well, ſhould he not be accepted? and if he hath not done well, ſin lieth at his door; and, his ſin aſſuredly will finde him out.

It was the oppreſſed Jews complaint, That the harvest was past, the ſummer was ended, and they were not holpen. How much greater cauſe then have we to complain as we do, ſeeing Thirteen bloody ſummers are paſt, and winters are ended, and yet are we not holpen?

We contend for nothing but Juſtice, and it's but Juſtice we crave; and Juſtice we will have. But if he ſtill refuſe to hearken, and put us off with delays, which are equal with denials; then, To your tents, O Engliſh-men: then, ſee to thine own houſe, Cromwel. (We will not be ridden like French aſſes, though thy ſaddle is upon our backs already.)

For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe (ſaith the Lord) I will ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him. Pſal. 12. 5.

It is written of that wicked Tyrant King Belſhazzar, that whom he would he ſlew, and whom he would he kept alive: and whom he would he ſet up, and whom he would he pull'd down. (Like as the old and new Parliaments were toſs'd. Who will appear upon the next ſummons or election, think ye? none but fools, or ſome of his own creatures, that muſt act as he pleaſeth, or elſe be pull'd our by the ears by his ſword-men and muſqueteers, as others have been formerly. O brave Oliver, O!) But when his heart was lifted up, and his minde hardned in pride, he was depoſed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Dan. 5. 19, 20. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Hiſtory informs us alſo, how Auguſtus Caeſar, Antonius, and Lepidus, having got the power into their hands for five yeers, refuſed to reſigne up their authority to the Romans (like our old Parliament) after thoſe five yeers were expired, finding it much ſweeter, and knowing it far ſafer, always to command, then ever to obey: But the Romans took an order with them, and ſo may others do with you, for all your Guards and Armies, if ye will not do it otherwiſe. Reſpice post te, hominem memento te.

O. CROM­WAL,
Who ever took up Arms 'gainſt Prince or State,
But always did pretend the Common good?
Thereby to bring into contempt or hate
The courſe of Government as then it ſtood.
This hath been ſtill the marrow, life, and blood
Of ſuch attempts. But here the Rule ſtands faſt;
What's thought on firſt, is executed laſt.
For when that once their private turn is ſerv'd,
The care of Common good is laid aſide:
That did but whet the knife with which they carv'd
For their own good: that vizard did but hide
Some ſecret ends not fit to be deſcride
Ʋntil accompliſh'd: which once brought to paſs,
The Common ſtate ſtands as before it was.
For thoſe that onely their own ends affect,
Nor God, nor man, nor heav'n, nor hell reſpect.
If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and juſtice in a Province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher then the higheſt regardeth: and there be higher then they. Prov. 5. 8.
Joh. North, Gervas North. Joh. Freeman, Tim. Freeman.

Printed 1654.

About this transcription

TextAn alarm to the present men in power, the officers of the army, and all oppressors, from some oppressed people of England, on the behalf of themselves and others.
AuthorNorth, John..
Extent Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image.
Edition1654
SeriesEarly English books online.
Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A89726)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 163339)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 246:669f19[1])

About the source text

Bibliographic informationAn alarm to the present men in power, the officers of the army, and all oppressors, from some oppressed people of England, on the behalf of themselves and others. North, John.. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n.],[London :Printed 1654.. (Signed at end: Joh. North, Gervas North. Joh. Freeman, Tim Freeman.) (Place of publication from Wing.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "this libell scatterd abroad in ye streets in ye night tyme"; "May. 26:".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)
Languageeng
Classification
  • Poor -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800.
  • Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800.

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ImprintAnn Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2).
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  • STC Wing N1287
  • STC Thomason 669.f.19[1]
  • STC ESTC R211997
  • EEBO-CITATION 99870656
  • PROQUEST 99870656
  • VID 163339
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