Awake SAMPSON THE PHILISTINES Are Upon Thee OR A CAUTION TO ENGLAND To take heed to her LOCKS least they being Cut off by Intrigues she be made to Grind at the MILL of FRANCE Being Preparatory to a more General Alarm By a Lover of the True Interest of his Country LONDON Printed by S. Bridge in Austin Friers and sold by E. Whitelock near Stationers Hall 1696. THE PREFACE THE following Discourse being principally matter of fact drawn from several Observations made in the last Two Reigns and since the late Revolution with a short Account of the Endeavours used to bring us under the French Government from which we have been so oft Providentially delivered I have the less occasion to make any Apology for this short Narrative intended only as a preparatory to a more General Alarm to awaken us out of that dangerous Lethargy many of us are fallen into I have waved Personal Reflections without any self-prejudice to any body because that sort of Writing is like throwing in Fuel which inflames instead of Water to quench Fire my desire being nothing else but to promote our real general English Interest That hath been and still is and shall for the future continue to be my Endeavour whatever it cost me having hitherto consulted no Difficulty in the Publick Service tho expos'd to many audacious Repulses yet have again rallied as a true Englishman The Introduction THE comparing our present condition as it stands betwixt us and France with Sampson and the Philistines may not I hope be thought improper who altho he had several Warnings of their Design to destroy him yet by his carelesness trust and sleeping in the Lap of her that was in the Intrigue with them he was taken Captive by his Enemies Tho we have had many Cautions and signal Warnings of the Designs of France yet generally speaking we would scarce believe our selves in any danger but tho the Popish Plot in King Charles the 2d's time was afterwards endeavoured to be shamm'd yet is it not now with a Witness made out by the last part of the said Plot viz. the adulterating the Coin And altho we are now under a present astonishing acknowledgement of Providence in the late Preservation of His Majesties Royal Person and preventing the effusion of so much Bloud as was intended by this last horrid Conspiracy with the total destruction of the Protestant Religion yet how insensible are too many persons already growing and ready to cool as if they were resolved not to see the Sun at Noon-Day and consent as Sampson in the Lap of Delilah to be overwhelmed with utter darkness I must confess there have been many Discourses Printed about this Subject by much abler Pens but it being generally in such Language and so satyrical that it doth no way answer the end so necessary for enlightning on the one hand and healing on the other hand I shall therefore endeavour as much as possible to use such cautions as may serve the ends proposed and shall offer that to consideration which is matter of fact with relation to France viz. of the Design in both the late Reigns to subvert the whole English Government and subject it to the Arbitrary Will and Pleasure of the French King To effect which the Trade of England was to be in the first place transplanted to France and it was so much effected that in Twenty years time it gained from us near Four Millions per Annum as is fully demonstrated in a late Discourse Intituled The Vsurpations of France upon England by a Person who has made his particular Observations thereon in these words viz. And though in Trade it self its generally reported that France by way of Barter got from England upwards of a Million of Pounds Sterling per Annum for several Years last past which is only known by the Entries made in our Custom-House-Books yet this to those that know the Intrigues of that People may not be one half in value of the Goods imported from France For that which comes in by Stealth and of such some Persons are so fond as to give double if not treble the worth of it only to have the name of French may be as much in the Sum if not more than what is truly and really Entered which for the most part are bulky Commodities And as our Loss in the Trade with France is about Two Millions per Annum by the Importation of their Commodities here so it s presumed on very good grounds that the Exportation of our Wooll thither unwrought enriches France much more than all the Importation of French Goods into England c. The same Author did publish his Fears of that evil about 27 years ago which were afterwards in the year 1677 renewed by the same hand in a Discourse Intituled The Proverb crossed and also much enlarged by Mr. Andrew Marvel which he Published under the notion of a younger Brother in Ireland to his elder Brother in England occasioned by the Irish Act Prohibiting the Importation of Cattel And in the second place the whole frame of our English Government and the Protestant Religion was to be subverted at once and therefore the Plot in the year 1678 was so laid and the adulterating the Coin was then designed to be the last part of the said Plot and had we took that caution given us timely we had prevented many of those evils which we have so sensibly since felt and have yet cause to fear greater Nevertheless since it hath pleased God who alone hath done it to discover those secret Plots and late Designs of the Enemies of our Peace not only of England as a Free Nation but also the Protestant Religion it self let us make that use of it as becometh rational persons And since the Designs of our Enemies have been variously exercised viz. to destroy our Trade to envade Property to alter our Religion and to Adulterate the Coin of the Nation let us now consider being so long ago told of the Design of our Enemies and not gratifie them and ruine our selves The following Discourse being mostly nothing but matter of fact it requires little if any Apology at all Awake Sampson c. Or A CAVEAT to England not to be Trappann'd by France THAT the Revolution in 1688 as just one Hundred years before in preventing our falling both into Popery and Slavery viz. the French King's Tyranny was then look'd upon by the Body of the Nation to be the wonderful Providence of God and next to a Miracle That the then Prince of Orange now our King with so small an Army to adventure at such a season of the Year as the dead of Winter and so long a Voyage and to sail by such a strong Fleet almost in sight then in the Downs and also such a great and Disciplin'd Army here in England well paid and the French ready to assist upon occasion for I was inform'd that very evening that the News came of the late
of Tuscany that had so long stood out come to acknowledge our King's Authority let us not now lose Ground again for if we will but observe the particular Providences of God to this Nation we must needs own it hath been still kept almost by Miracles Let us consider some of our late Deliverances and particularly that in the year 1692 compar'd with that lately discoverd and a little reflect thereon and call to mind how near we were then to destruction and knew it not and what the Providence of God was at that time it may cause us to stand amazed for I had some private hints at that time and wrote them to a Friend of mine attending the King in Flanders which Person had been just then preserved from being drowned An Abstract of which Letter I shall Transcribe London 25th April 1692. Sir I am glad to hear of your great Deliverance since you Landed on that side but sorry I have occasion to tell you what my fears are viz. that if the Lord be not as wonderful at this time in the preservation of that Liberty he was pleased to work for us at His Majesties first arrival from Holland in 1688 we are very like to go back again to that Bondage we were then delivered from for the daily Collections furnisheth me with fresh occasions of mourning and but yesterday I was caution'd not to expose my self in that Post I have stood so long in viz by opposing the French Interest for that the late King James would be here in a Month and little opposition be made against him having a security of a quiet reception and many reasons were then given to induce me to believe it which I shall for other reasons no â—omit naming them and if the Wind continue long as it is and that the French Fleet are joined they may come and do what they please because our Fleet are in no condition to oppose them they being kept so long to Rendevouz in the Nore when it was urged long before to Rendevouz at Spithead I was in hopes that the King was ready to come back but tho dispairing of that am now informed that he will be in the Fleet to animate the Descent c. Postscript Before Sealing the Wind shifting hath blowed away some of my fears It was a great and wonderful Providence it was not effected that had not the Wind shifted at that time and prevented the French Fleet from coming upon us they might have soon destroyed that Squadron then off the Isle of Wight and have Landed there and at Portsmouth but as before hinted the Wind shifting the French Preparations proved not only abortive but very destructive to them at that time And it must be owned to be a Divine Hand at that time in the very Wind as now lately upon this last Design of France for as the Thoulon Squadron being stopt from coming as was design'd into the Channel and when we were inform'd of their Design to Invade us that then the Wind served just so long as to carry our Fleet from the Nore to the Downs and then immediately in having it shift till the Dutch joined us so that England may say of the Wind as Deborah of old did of the Stars who in their order fought for Israel Let it be remembred that the Wind at that time held West and South-West about 5 Weeks was an apparent Providence to this Nation and if we will observe any thing of that Nature we may conclude by the same Providence what a Noble Peer of this Nation said some years ago upon a Defeat of some Rebels in Scotland and discovery of a Plot in Lancashire That God would deliver us whether we would or no. So that the Enemies Preparations proved then not only abortive but an opportunity was offered to gain a great Victory upon them and had it been pursued France to speak humanely had in a great measure been ruined for I was credibly inform'd by a Relation of mine who was in the Engagement and after the Fight did burn two great Ships of War at La Hogue who observed that had there been a few Men Landed the French had fled when none pursued their temerity of the one hand and oppression on the other would have render'd them uncapable or unwilling to defend their Country the two powerful Motives that render'd the Revolution among us in 1688 so feasible and easie I speak not at random but on good Grounds from the Information I then received a little before the said Victory by a person that had been in France about that time who inform'd me that altho the Policy of the French King were such as that his Maritime and Frontier Towns were not so much oppress'd yet most of the Inland Provinces were so depopulated and impoverished that there were not Men left to Till the Ground nor Dress the Vines as afterwards was more plainly demonstrated and were we once unanimous we might strike Terrour into the mind of that haughty Monarch of France I am not ignorant what sly Insinuations have been used to undermine our present Government by telling us by way of objection viz. How the Authors of the Hungarian and Piedmont Persecution and the Spanish Inquisition should establish the Protestant Belief amongst us I would answer That the present War in which we are engaged with the Emperor the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy is not upon the account of Religion but upon Property and Civil Rights in those Princes who opposed the French King's Ambition and the War with the Emperor c. was long before our Revolution And therefore it was a very great Providence to us in England as well as other Protestant Countrys that there is that agreement in all those Princes united against France And should not England assist the rest of the Allies they would soon be over-run by France and should Holland be under that Government England could not hold out very long for when the Marine Forces in Holland is united to France we may then rationally conclude that not only England but the two Neutral Northern Crowns and Portugal must at length receive Laws from France I will not undertake that his Holiness at Rome shall be exempt from his Jurisdiction I might enlarge upon such reasons as may be convincing if it were necessary but it would be superfluous matters of fact having been so much before-hand of that nature how the French Monarch hath treated all persons that endeavour to thwart his Ambition c. So that it is our real Interest to assist the rest of the Confederates notwithstanding all the present inconveniences and evil consequents that do attend us which in a little time may be avoided It is not now a thing Disputable for we have too evident Experience and the Nation has been convinced that the Growth of France would be the Ruine of England as witness those many Parliamentary Addresses made to King Charles the Second as well as
by the many Bills brought in and Acts past in the Reign of His present Majesty and he exposing his Royal Person in order to bring down that lofty Prince and shall we now by a few false friends and their sly insinuations be prevail'd upon to alter our minds and take those methods that most directly ruine us As for Example should I pretend to go for Exon or Berwick we know Ware is the Rode to one and Hounslow to the other and should be met at Gravesend Rochester c. and pursue that direct Rode by Land and Water any body that knows the Rode must conclude I design'd for France let my pretences be never so much to the contrary It 's grievous to think that when England is honoured with the greatest Priviledges of any Nation under Heaven and that it will be allowed its Laws as to the main of them exceeding other Nations but most backward as to execution that which is wanting is one general Law to put others in execution I am sorry I have the occasion to mention a particular case that past in my own sight the last Year viz. When some Overtures were made to settle a Trade betwixt us and the Duke of Savoy and Piedmont and discoursing with a great Gentleman concern'd in that Affair gave me the sight of the Agent who was then to go on this Affair being a Frenchman I asked him whether since the Trade to be promoted was for England it would not be more proper to send an Englishman To which he answered No for we were too sluggish to promote even our own real good had I not too much experience of the truth of his Answer I should have argued with him for I have generally observed the disposition of too too many guilty of this fault and more particularly noted by another Pen viz. We have been more careful to receive the Law from France in all their Modes both in Eating and Wearing than from the great Creator for our Conversation and so prevalent is the humour of that Country with us and so powerful the Ascendant it hath over us that we seem to be Frenchmen only we live in England so that they have sufficiently revenged themselves upon us by the loose Manners they have brought among us but I must needs say to their Credit they keep their Wits in their Debaucheries whilst we by over-doing them in the imitation of them lose both What is become of that Antient Education of the Kingdom our Integrity Gravity and Manhood which gave our Nation so great Reputation in the World is it not turned into Swearing and Drinking a Duel and a Wench their Prophaneness is their Wit and their base Crafts must be called Policy and as this we have learned from France as to our Men so let us consider as to our Women but where is that retired Breeding which made our Women so famous for Virtue as they were always for their Beauty Alas there hath been a sort of industry used to subdue their native Modesty as if it were an indecent thing to have it and Arts practised to make them hardy against their own blushes and master their shy and bashful disposition so peculiar to Chastity into an unconcerned Confidence as if it were their Perfection to be insensible of any ill and to be tam'd at all things Strange that sobriety should be turned into levity and lust call'd love and wantonness good humour this have been the effect of the French Modes given us And the same Author proceeds in the Description of a well-constitued Monarchy in ancient Times with the Mischiefs that befel them when they grew slotful and gave themselves to Pride Luxury c. which I crave leave to mention only for a Warning for us to consider of his words are these The first Empire had Nimrod's strength and the Wisdom of the Chaldeans to establish it and whilst prudence and sobriety lasted they prospered no sooner came Voluptuousness than the Empire decayed and was at last by the base Effeminacies of Sardanapalus in whom that Race ended transfer'd to another family It was the Policy of an Assyrian King to subdue the strength of Babylon then under good Discipline not to Invade it with Force but to Debauch it Wherefore he sent in Players Musitians Cooks Harlots c. and by those means introducing Corruption of Manners there was little more to do than to take it Nebuchadnezzar by his Virtue and Industry seen in the Siege of Tyre and of many great Enterprizes recovered and enlarged it to a mighty Empire and his Discipline was so excellent those times considered that it was praised in Scripture but when he grew Proud and Foolish for getting that Providence that had shewn it self so kind to him he became a Beast and grazed among the Beasts till God whom he had forgotten had restored him the heart of a Man and his Throne together I wish we may take up in time and observe how it was brought in amongst us for when the two late Kings to whom not only England but great part of Europe may attribute the present War that during their abode in France a foundation was laid for the ruine of England which was gradually put in execution as it would bear and it had certainly been effected had not the Revolution prevented It is very pertinent what is written by another hand on the observation of the 29th of May the Birth-day and Restoration of Ch. 2d viz. Now let us see how great cause we had to fall into so high and exceeding demonstration of joy let the event shew how great a Blessing this Restoration proved to the Nation We know sometimes God gives Kings in his Anger and takes them away in his Wrath. Plague War and Fire came in with King Charles but all little enough in comparison of that Floud of Vice and Corruption in the way of Prophaneness Impiety Debauchery c. which being encouraged by Example and Impunity followed him and like a mighty stream have so overflowed the Nation that in all likelihood it will require more Judgments and many years to come to purge the Land of it 't is overspread almost from the Child in the Cradle to the Old Man going to his Grave Whoredom and Wine take away the heart and our Understanding too which make us grow an Effeminate Nation contemptible to our Neighbours and made us cast away the Honour and Interest of the Country and become Tools of the Ambition and Greatness of those whose growing Power we ought to have opposed and which since made Europe groan and labour to be delivered from that Bondage or Danger we helped to bring it under We slighted the suits and offers of many Princes and States and Addresses of Parliament who offered their Lives and Fortunes to stop the growing Power of France which had her Emissaries of both Sexes in our Bosom by whose counsels Parliaments were Adjourned Prorogued and Dissolved whilst in less than 2 Years time
People had such Experiences of the Goodness of God by his many Deliverances by his own Hand and by the Persons he was pleased to raise as his Instruments but too much like unto you this was not satisfactory unto them but they would choose a King and declined the method which God had been pleased to lead them by but require of Samuel a King to Judge them like other Nations and the Lord permitted Samuel to answer their desire saying that they had not rejected him viz. Samuel but had rejected the Lord according to all the Works they had done viz the Murmurers for there were always some that stood in the Gap since the day they came out of Egypt And when they were to be gratified Samuel was ordered by the Lord to shew them the manner of their King viz. This shall be the manner of the King that shall Reign over you he will take your Sons and Daughters for Himself and he will take your Fields and your Vineyards and give them to his Servants and ye shall cry out in that day because of your King which you shall have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you in that day nevertheless the People refused to obey the Voice of Samuel and they said Nay but we will have a King over us c. How plainly applicable this would be to our case is easie to understand should we by our Murmurings provoke the Lord to anger against us and by our Divisions and Animosities one against the other intice and animate the French King to attempt another Invasion under the specious Pretences of a Magnanimous and Royal Act of Restoring King James to his Throne again But alas who can describe the consequence of such an Act I tremble to go about it and Methinks the Israelites yoke under their King is easie to what we may expect To begin with the first clause He will take your Sons and your Daughters for Himself denoting the absolute Authority the King was to have over their Children for the placing of them here or there this or that Employment as is there express'd noble and ignoble some were to be Captains of Thousands others of Fifties Confectioners Bakers some to reap some to sow c. as you may read in the Story Here is Mercy mix'd with Judgment an ordinary variety of circumstances of humane Life wherein no Man even the meanest servant was to be debarr'd the placid reflection he having done his duty upon the Law of God Fear God Honour the King the meanest Israelite reaping might rejoice in his happy state compar'd with Egypt's cruel oppressive Slavery But oh fearful Thought What can we expect from our Enemies who I am bold to affirm are the Enemies of God and good Men Stupid Souls Can you think the French King will be kinder to you than to his own Faithful Loyal Subjects who gain'd him the Crown by their indefatigable Labour and true Valour Take a view of his Gratitude and their Recompence Are they made Captains of Thousands and Hundreds yea tell me where is the poor Protestant Reaper allow'd to dwell peaceably in all his Dominions Instead of taking their Sons and Daughters to himself some he hath sent to the cruel Slavery of the Gallies some he has destroy'd without Mercy in most inexpressible Tragical manner and are not our eyes daily beholders of the many miserably banish'd Subjects of that King besides the innumerable multitudes banish'd other Countries Will your Sons and Daughters think ye be better used No no be not deceived the Fire of his Ambition Hatred Covetousness is rather seven times hotter and instead of Delighting in the Flames of London's Houses he would be glad to see Nero like your Sons and Daughters how delicate soever they are in your eyes burnt with them And to the second description of the murmuring Israelites King And he will take your Fields and your Vineyards and give them to his Servants c. Here the King 's peremptory will over his Subjects Estates is described an Israelite with an Israelite one advanced and the other brought low no Family exempted from such vicissitudes but the most dejected Israelite tho never so abject in the King's sight if free from blemishes of the Law might have recourse to the Temple and there rejoice in the God of his Father Abraham Blessed Priviledge meliorating the sowrest affliction But what Oh murmuring Englishman Canst thou expect from the French King that great Destroyer of Countrys Vineyards Corn-Fields Pastorage c. Do you Think if you escape with your Lives you shall dispose of your Houses Riches Lands c. Vain thought Forget not how you have been served by your own Kings born among you who never arriv'd to so infinite Barbarity as he hath done yet have not they banish'd several of your fellow Subjects to the West-Indies dispos'd your Goods and Money amongst vile Informers Is France more tender-hearted What bravely erected Churches curious Mansions fair Estates of his Protestant Subjects hath he demolished and made heaps of Rubbish even Dunghils of and forced the Owners of them into other Countries to seek for places of Refuge where they might sigh out their piteous complaints like the bless'd Souls under the Altar How long O Lord just and true c. And will he be kinder to you ye hard-hearted Murmurers No! He will esteem the meanest pitiful flattering Vale de Chambre-Monsieur before the most noble generous-hearted Peer of England and make him possessor of his Estate Pray tell me have ye not seen from among your selves a cunning tricking flattering person to serve the Prince's by-ends preferr'd before you What! expect ye kinder usage from France Don't mistake if ye by your Murmurings provoke the Lord to Anger and your hatred one of another break his commands and bring the French among you The Dogs of his Flock will he make to traverse your Estates and when he has done if it were possible make them Heirs of them rather than you His Revenge is not a light matter Provoke not the Almighty to let it out upon you It may not be impertinent to re-mind you the greatest Grievance you at present lie under in reference to the Coin is from the pre-meditated revenge cunning intrigues of your Antient Enemies the French it being part of the Plot in 1678 as may be seen in the Narrative of the Plot and in a late Discourse called A Tragedy c. in these words This Flot was to be effected by worse than Jewish Interest Transportation of Trade People Stock and Money ADVLTERATING MONEY AND PLATE To which end they have Bankers Merchants Goldsmiths and other Traders whom they stock and set up with Money of their Society of which they boast to have one hundred thousand pounds Cash c. What Stock they may have now is inconceivably great Oh England how long will you nourish these poysonous Vipers of the World by your Murmurings and Jealousies and discern it not I shall conclude in the words of another As the Case stands now there are but two Ways Victory or Slavery We must either make the French stoop to us or be forced to submit to them there remains no Terms of Peace for us but what will fix an everlasting Infamy upon the English Name In short the Greatness of England and France is incompatible if they rise we must fall and the richer they grow the poorer we shall be their Glory will be erected on our Shame and a Peace at this time would introduce far greater and more certain Calamities than War c. Awake England Thine Enemies are not only upon thee but within thee FINIS