AN ALARUM TO LONDON OR The Famous LONDON's blowing up by LONDONERS SOUNDED Not to Fire their Buildings but to Quench their Burnings IN A Letter to MAjOR GENERALL BROWNE LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons next doore to the gilded Lyon in Aldersgate Street 1650. An Allarum to LONDON Not to fire their Buildings but to quench their Burnings In a Letter To Major Generall BROWNE SIR I Am bound by the duty I owe to old Israel to make inquiry after Josephs portion The Birthright of the COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND Religion and Liberty and good Laws and Reformation were the blessed Inheritance bequeathed and promised to England and London and you Sir were one of the Feoffees left in trust to take care that Simeon and Levi brothers in blood and cruelty might not murder him The knife Sir was lately at Josephs throat and you were then a Reubenite to bestride him from the intended cruelty of Treacherous men at the first assault and TREATY OF THE BROTHERS Joseph Sir is newly taken out of the Pit and your selfe with some others of the DIVISION OF REVBEN standing at the pits brink discontented that Joseph is raised It hath pleased the Divine Power to secure the young man in that deep and dark place and hath already begun to exalt Joseph against the unkinde desires of Israelites and Aeyptians Sir you may beleeve it that the same good hand will lead on the COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND as much hated and shot at as ever Joseph was through the deep red Sea of Englands blood and through she Wildernesse and through Divisions and through Contradictions and through Murmurings This Sir is the present estate of Englands afflicted Joseph and this Sir will be done with an out-stretched arme and England shall have passage from the red Sea and Aegypt and the Wildernesse and arive safely in the Land of Canaan and rest and shall have powerfull Victories over all Gods and their Enemies Of this and other Nations and all people good and bad farr and neer shall gaze and stand amazed to see and heare the rare and unheard-of executions yet unfinished Be pleased to read the Record underneath being the Will and Testament of good and great Men great Prophets and consider of it and doe unto Joseph what right you can without more violence and perswade your Friends so to doe for your owne sake and for your Friends sake and for the Cities sake and for Josephs sake Joseph advanced to a Common-wealth for the Common-wealth of Englands sake and shun all prejudice in the reading of it for Benn's sake whereby you fully gratifie his desires and good will to Joseph your selfe and this great City Yours for the sake of Joseph BENJAMIN The hand of old Jacob upon the head of young Joseph THE COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND Gen. 49. 22 23 c. ENGLAND is a fruitfull bough even a fruitfull bough by a Well whose branches run over the Wall The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and bated him But his Bow abode in strength and the armes of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob Even by the God of thy Father who shall helpe thee and by the Almighty who shall blesse thee with the blessings of Heaven above blessings of the deepe that lyeth under blessings of the breast and of the wombe The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my Progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting Hils they shall be on the head of ENGLAND and upon the crowne of the head of him that is SEPARATE FROM HIS BRETHREN The Rod of Moses and the red Sea the red Sea of English blood divided for the safe returne of afflicted England out of Aegypt now sojourning in a Wildernesse of wild Beasts and stinging Serpents Deut. 23. 13 c. Blessed of the Lord be his Land for the precious things of Heaven for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath And for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun and for the precious things brought forth by the Moon and for the chiefe things of the ancient Mountaines and for the precious things of the lasting Hills And for the precious things of the Earth and the fulnesse thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Let the blessing come upon the head of England and upon the top of the head of him that was SEPARATED FROM HIS BRETHREN The glory of ENGLAND is like the Hornes of Vnicornes and with them he shall push the PEOPLE The Waters of Jordan divided And ENGLAND upon his advance to Canaan Joshua 10. Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moone in the Valley of Ajalou and there was no day like that And Joshua sayd Bring out those five Kings unto me and he sayd unto the Captaines of the men of Warr which went with him Come neer and put your feet upon the neck of these Kings Feare not nor be dismay'd for thus shall the Lord doe to all your Enemies against whom you fight For my Honoured Friend Major Generall BROWNE SIR LIberty of all enjoyments is neer to life and as much as that amounts unto I doe acknowledge that to be the just summ of my Obligation to you for I beare you witnesse you were that vigilant Governour of Abingdon that did by Exchange of me for another Prisoner give me my freedome from a harsh Imprisonment at Wallingford when a little longer stay there would have made me as miserable as the malice of an enraged Enemy could make me Sir The Obligation wherein I stand bound is double you were faithfull then to the Publique you were freindly then to me I have therefore endeavoured to make my sutable addresse unto you the one was private to thank you the other is publique to acknowledge you Sir It is emminently known unto you what a great turne of Providence there is visible amongst us since that time and how strange and amazing it hath been and yet is to the Inhabitants of this Island as if there had been a totall and perpetuall Eclypse of the Sun of Englands glory you know also how it hath pleased the wisedome of God to suffer the judgements of good people to vary about this matter and how dangerously their opinions have diversified them into very unkinde speeches and behaviours one towards another and I hope neither of them will forget what fat advantages were given thereby to the Enemy yet how rawny and leane they grow still upon the variety and full mouthfulls of them they could never thrive but were so cursed upon the top of them all that it was usuall to observe they could never come off without the losse of a head the breaking of a neck or the battering of the bones some mischiefe or other did still post after them from place to place Kent Essex the North c. Where ever they went they could never keep off the Gentleman upon the pale Horse but vengeance would
before discovered their incapacity to mannage such a Command by their rash and treacherous dealing with the Sichemites after they had yeilded unto certaine Articles in a Treaty with them they had made themselves and the Old man to stinck before the Inhabitants of the Land and therefore are now by the others judged unfit Judah is the man that must direct them in their Counsells and lead them on A man of incomparable parts and Majesty He was one that knew how to play his game well it is he that animates against Joseph in the Cabinet Whisperings it is he that pleads for Joseph in a more open Councell What ever they do with Joseph home hee shall not goe that he resolves against Reuben and for the downe right killing of him hee will not yeeld to that neither that hee urgeth against Simeon and Levi He â—â—rsiwades rather to a Treaty and gives the Ground and Reasons of such an Accommodation He is our brother and what profit in his blood rather save his life and sell the young man Hee hath not the spirit of a Souldier but of a Butcher that delights in blood It is confest Judah's pleading for Joseph was very patheticall and seasonable to save present execution but withall there was much crueltie and selfishnesse in the bowels of those bowels What profit in his blood The blood of Joseph might have stucke upon their sheepheards coates in Dothan there was danger in that what profit It seemes gaine and other selfe-ends might have prevailed very farre upon Judahs good nature to make him forget Joseph was any kift or kinne to him Those sacred Records leaves a staine upon his very kindnesse But to speake truth what could Judah doe or say lesse How could hee doe so little for him A stone could not retaine its hardnesse to see such anguish as was upon Josephs soule they doe confesse afterwards in the Ward that they did see much of it but were hardened and that they confesse was their sinne surely none but such as had quite blown out the glimmering light of nature and had forgotten they were men but would have melted long before with that aboundance of teares that ran down Jesephs cheeks but would have bin moved with all those moving pleadings that Joseph had to poure forth They confesse them to be very peircing and visible to be seen but themselves hard and impenitrable Josephs Plea for his Life ANd shall I never see my dear Father againe But must I lose my Life or that which is as neare my Liberty And will brothers be my Executioners Will Israelites be bloody O! Brother Judah helpe why brother Levi brother Zebulon It is the day of Josephs trouble hath Joseph no brother will not Nepthali will not Gad will not Asher know or pitty him why I am the son of your Father I am Joseph I came in duty and kindnesse to see you and shall I be killed for my kindnesse Am I not worthy to live for my love Let me know my fault that I may be sorry that I may repent before I dye Is it because I did tell you my Dream Truly brothers it was a reall vision and no idle fancy Is it because your sheafe was lower then Mine It is not possible that your sheafe should be the lower for Josephes sheafe Is it because the Sun and Moon did obeysance to me why what ill can that presage to you can those HONOURED LUMINARIES be ecclipsed by Josephes Glory or can your native Luster and brightnesse be lessened by any Splender of his And alas what profit will arise unto you out of a Dead carcase and a little coate will not a loud Conscience for the blood of an Innocent sting more than that can heale Besides What if Josephs Dreame proves a Vision indeed and your brother become such a Prince as may require such bendings as may deserve such honour from a Family so illustrious and honourable as is the family of Jacob what if you my Lord Judah and the rest of my brothers should see cause to bow before me would Joseph be stiffe while you bend And could his eyes be dry while yours be wet doe you thinke Joseph so unnaturall and undutifull both I beseech your Excellency to consider you may rather weaken then strengthen the family of Jacob by the ruine of Joseph Besides the errand I come about deserves not such entertainment I come to enquire after your WELFARE Ah let mee go home againe that I may do my errand to the old man our Father that I may tell him I did escape the wild beasts and did see my loving brothers in safety upon the Plaines of Dothan And now sir could a Generall say lesse or could a Noble-man doe so little for Joseph as Iudah did for him a man that had so much elegancy in his lines and of excellency in his loines could he use lesse courtesie in his behaviour What was it for him to say Simeon hold Levi be not rash Ioseph is our brother indeed and his blood will doe us but little good a childs coat will be but little booty no such plunder here as you had of the Sichemites when you put them to the sword in Shalem Sir this is one of the best of all those cursed resolves amongst the worst of enemies No profit in the Carcase of a Common-wealth It is a principle that swaies with the most moderate of the Degenerate Kinde of Cataline yet rather then faile in their Design of mischeife and violence let Ioseph the joy and comfort of Old Israel bee sold to Pharaoh nay let him goe to the devill so farre as they can doom him they 'le doe their best to send him thither so they may have Iosephs portion of honour and estate his portion of honour in Iacobs family and his portion of estate in Iacobs flockes they regard neither the Life nor Liberties of young Ioseph nor old Israel if they may have but Coyne by making their Coffins Sir I have now my purpose now that I have minded you of those ancient Treaties and Treacheries and prayings and pleadings and stirrings and strivings and good meanings too a few of them touching Israels Ioseph that I have minded you of the little number of Iosephs friends It is one of the least of numbers if you reckon him at home and him abroad at the Treaty too that I have given you a review of the multitude of Iosephs enemies even amongst Patriarks and how cunningly they did worke against Ioseph To let you see that neither cunning nor cruelty could ever prevaile upon innoceney first and last too but Truth hath alwayes had the day after hard Skirmishes that you might observe how honest hearts may be undermined and prevented in their intentions to preserve Ioseph It was Reubens Case he had by Treaty provided a Pit which though dry was safe neither for himselfe nor Ioseph How excellently Enemies act according to their Principles Iudah doth far exceed Reuben in Abilities to treate
against young Rubenites upon old principles of hatred and revenge because Reuben delivered Ioseph at the pit I do very well know the men that now lye in the pit upon that very account But Sir my purpose is to minde you that what ever their hopes may be they doe sumbmit in point of Act unto Ioseph they dare not for their lives take up Arms again unlesse they be men of base and broken fortunes and are desperate because Ioseph is a Prince a Potentate He is the Commonwealth of England And because the LORD OF HOSTS hath made him a Father to Pharaoh not to Pharaoh mysticall Ioseph will be a ruine to his Kingdome but Pharaob naturall to black and swarthy complexioned people I am perswaded our Ioseph will soon enlighten and interpret their Dreams that those darke people in the darker places of the world may not for ever perish in the yeares of death and darknesse for want of Interpreters for want of such an Interpreter as Ioseph will be When Magicians are silent Ioseph will such an Interpreter as Ioseph will be When Magicians are silent Ioseph will speak truth and Prophesie He will be an Enemy to no Nation He will be a friendly Neighbour to the late oppressed now the High and Mighty States of the Low Countries and Lords of the Vnited Provinces He will be an Enemy to none but to the lowest Country of all the Principality of blacknesse and darknesse for ever Ioseph will be a scourge to all the Loousts that come out of that bottomlesse pit The Legats alatere of that infernall Hierarchy these darken the Christian world Their Generall Vicar the Pope The FLYING FIERY SERPENT Copp and that wretched Ly-monger the Man in the Moon These be the Pests of the Commonwealth of England these came in the smoak Rev. 9. 2. Ioseph will be a Friend to Enemies much more a Friend to Friends now that he hath power but then Friends must be Friends and signe the Ingagement and Enemies must give a pledge too that they are not Spyes while Ioseph doth nourish them Iudah must take the Ingagement as well as Reuben and Simeon too as well as Iudah and confesse their trespasse too such as are faulty before they can bee trusted in a place where there is such variety of good food and abundance of great treasure Israels Ioseph would nourish no Spies no more will Englands Ioseph if an Ingagement can tye them from Treachery I doe see there is one provided that must either bow them or break them will either mend them or end them But now Sir There are great thoughts of heart for and in the divisions of Reuben Deborah and Baraak are pensive at this sad conceit in that stately Song of their Triumph It is now Reubens case to be put in ward by the command of that Ioseph whose life he was a means to preserve at the first onset of Englands Cavalry I do wish much tendernesse of heart may be shewed to those that are of tender consciences that are not yet assured of Iosephs safety if they be of Reubens division and not Simeonites And will Ioseph require his friends thus It were no pity to see Simeon and Levi tyed neck and heels together and to put Iudah in a fright but for Reuben to be clapped up in ward and for him to be ranked with ranke Malignants seems strange Malignants rejoyce at that and Reubenites mourne for that and all be divided and offended at that yet Sir you see Providence will have it so I pray submit to it Sir I would the consideration hereof might serve for a helmet and a breastplate both to keep you intire and unwounded in those two principles of life the head and the heart Beleeve it Sir Saints themselves are shot in the mouth and do speak boldly and I fear bloodily I have sent you therfore a larger peece of Iosephs party coloured Coat have used the more expressions that it might be unto you as so many quiltings to make you shot-free and to keep you from the Malignity of these revolting times That though it seems you have fainted somewhat in the conflict yet you may not utterly fall in the Exit And will Simeon take the Ingagement and not Reuben will Reuben teare his haire what will he doe it now now that Ioseph is safe Hee might have done it at the Pit but will he take on like a mad man at the Court It had been a sutable deportment for wretched Simeon and Levi so to doe for Cop the Pope and the Man in the Moon so to do but men wonder to see Reubenites divided about the matter of Iosephs glory O how do wicked men hisse How doe most Taverns and Ale-houses and how doe all Stews and Brothel-houses laugh and dance at this evill report I could herein exceed but in my exceeding I should fall abundantly short of what you and all the world know to bee but too true I beleeve you would give me leave to conclude but shall I be bold to come nearer to you would you know the mystery It is this God is gone by you and others too of Reuben's division unseen and hath taken Joseph along with him in all the haste There hath been much snatching amongst us in the Parliament in the Army in the City Country This hath made great noise every where And shall not the Wisdome and Power of God have one snatch amongst us He will have something as well as we He hath catched what hee could get and was worth the taking and this hee hath done without much noise wisdome is deepe the more Divine the more deepe Mans wisdome is shallow and from hence proceed the great stirres and the clutter that is amongst us Sir Ioseph was taken from you and from your counsells in the night and went in wayes untrodden with a good guide Quick sighted men could no more see him in his march to Pharaohs Court then blind men Hence all our discontents feares dispaires Hence it is that Iosephs good friends that was kinde to him on his bed of sicknesse doe now draw the curtaines upon him as if he were dead Religion and Lawes and all good order Learning Trading all utterly defunct friends and enemies too agree together about this It is so it must needs be so Ioseph is not Iacob is bereaved some evill beast hath eaten up the child This was old Israels feare though his internall eyes were very good and by the helpe of a prophetical prospective could see so many Generations after him yet he could not tel what was become of his son Hee was so subtily and secretly convaied away to Court that neither he nor Reuben not little Benjamin could tell or beleeve any other but that hee was dead No hold but the old man and Reuben would go after him one to the pit the other to the grave and there will never want malignant Tribes to settle the conceit of Iesephs death fast upon Israelites and Reubenites