The Digger Movement in the Days of the Commonwealth

ve no land have a free allowance to dig and labor the Commons, and so

the Oppressed might be set free, prison doors opened, and the Poor People's heart comforted by an universal consent of making the Earth a Common Treasury, that they may live tog

proclaimed. However, before taking the steps they had decided on, they deemed it necessary openly and frankly to declare their intentions to the world, more especially to those whose individual or class interests would

THE POOR OPPRESSED P

s Nation, that have begun to cut, or that through fear of Covetousness do inte

h the following vigoro

r Slaves, Servants and Beggars, but it was made to be a common livelihood to all.... And further, in regard the King of Righteousness hath made us sensible of our burthens, and the cries and groanings of our hearts are come before Him, we take it as a testimony of love from Him, that our hearts begin to be freed from slavish fear of men such as yo

the profit of the Commons, hindering the people from supplying their wants as regards

ikewise. Therefore we are resolved to try the uttermost in the light of Reason to know whether we shall be Free-men or Slaves. If we lie still and let you steal away our birthrights, we perish; and if we petition, we perish also, though we have paid taxes, given free-quarter, and ha

d for us, and look upon you as equal with us, not above us, knowing very well that England, the

ow of it by a public declaration abroad, that the poor oppressed, who live thereabouts, may take it and employ it for their public use: Therefore take

ovide a common stock for all. Then they appeal to the Great Council of England for protection and encouragement, urging that august body to fulfil the promises so freely made, at the outbreak of

le, upon condition they would pay moneys and adventure their lives against the successor of the Norman Conqueror, under whose oppressing power England was enslaved. And we look upon that freedom promised to be the inheritance of all, without respect of persons. And this cannot be unless the

r actions will prove to the view of all either their sincerity or their hypocrisy. We know what we speak is our privilege and that our ca

nds for their demands in t

be faithful and sincere before the Lord God Almighty, wherein every one in his several plac

hey would make us a free people.93:1 These three being all done by us, as well as by themselves, we claim this our bargain by the Law of Contract from them, to be a free people with them, they being chosen by us, but for a peculiar work, and for an appointed time, from among us, not to be our oppressing Lords, but servants to succour us. But th

h them and they with us, to have a comfortable livelihood in the Earth, without owning any of our own kind to be either Lords or Land-Lords over us. An

ches is the Lord of the Earth, and ought not to be in subjection to any of his own kind without

t concludes

ling, being Creatures of your own image and mould, intending no other matter herein, but to observe the Law of Righteous Action, endeavouring to shut out of the

f all the poor oppressed people

y, and others, f

Cou

Pal

as S

el W

Hay

as E

am Ho

he first results of which we have already recorded. Within a few days of Winstanley and Everard's visit to Lord Fairfax and his Council of War, they and their followers draf

LLERS STANDARD

y Opened and Presente

ard Win

ard. Richard

er. Thoma

h. Willia

ton. Robe

aylor. Th

lifford. Henr

ker. Joh

e Land upon Georges Hill, in the Paris

n it he states that he has had "some conversation with the author of this ensuing declaration, and the persons subscribing, and by experience find them sweetly acted and guided by the everlast

e pamphlet its

why the Common People of England have begun and give consent to dig up, manure, and sow corn up

nces as

e Spirit of Reason and Righteousness ... and selfish imagination ruling as King in the room of Reason therein, and working with Covetousness, did set up one man to teach and rule over another; and thereby the Spirit was killed, and Man was brought into bondage and became a greater slave to some of his own kind than the beasts of the field were to him. Hereupon the Earth (which was made to be a Common Treasury of Relief for all, both

been entrusted with the government of the Nation,

That our blood and life shall not be unwilling to be delivered up in meekness to maintain Universal Liberty, that so the Curse, on our part, may be taken off the Creation. We shall not do this by force of arms; we abhor it, for it is the work of the Midianites to kill one another, but by obeying the Lord of Hosts, by laboring the Earth in Righteousnes

are entered upon, and their reas

Hill and the waste grounds thereabouts, and to sow corn,

Earth a Common Treasury for All, both Rich and Poor, That everyone that is born in the Land may be Fe

ve declaration of the moti

ants, for one to call the land his, or another to hire it of him, or for one to give hire and for another to work for hire: This is to dishonour the work of Creation, as if the righteous Creator should have respect to persons, and therefore made the Earth for some and not for all.

udes with the followin

dig upon George Hill in Surrey. One thing I must tell you more, which I received in voice likewise at a

liverance hath come.... For now the King of Righteousness is arising to rule in and over the Earth.... Therefore once more, Let Israel go free, that the Poor may labour the waste land, and suck the Breasts of their Mother Earth, that they starve

ether into the place where I shall appoint; and hold them, no longer in bondage.... But if you will not, but Pharaoh-like cry, Who is the Lord that we should obey him? and endeavour to oppose, then know, that He

dventure their lives and persons to lay the foundations of a better, of a more equitable and beneficial, social state than ever they knew. Certain it is that they were inspired by the highest motives that impel men to action; hence even those who may deem their views erroneous should not withhold from the men themselves their meed of respect, admiration, and sympathy. To those who deem their views true, we need make no appeal. Monuments are erected in stone, in marble, or in gold, to those whose actions in peace or in war commend themselves to their own generation; th

of the pamphlet, with its long, involved, never-ending sentences, so unlike Winstanley's crisp, epigrammatic, vigorous style, suggest

rations of Parliament to the defence of our own and the people's just Rights and Liberties; and so we took up arms in judgment and conscience to those ends, and have so continued in them, and are resolved according to your first just desires in your Declarations, and such principles as we have received from your frequen

sh Museum Catalogue the Preface is attributed to John Taylor the Water