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An Humble
REQUESTEngland, who have begun to digge, plow,
and build upon the common Land, claiming it their
own, by right of Creation.
AND
The Lords of Mannours that trouble them, who have no
other claiming to Commons, then the Kings will, or from
the Power of the CONQUEST,
AND
If neither Miniſter nor Lawyer, will undertake a reconciliaCommon-wealth. Then we ap
By GERARD WINSTANLEY.
I ſpeak to your ſhame; Is it ſo, that there is not a wiſe man among you, no not one, that ſhall be able to judge between his Brethren?
LONDON, Printed by J. C. And are to be ſold at the two Bibles, at the
Weſt end of Pauls Church-yard, 1650.
THe occaſion of the publication of this RePlat,
Lord of the mannor of Cobham, and Gerard
winſtanley, about the matter of dig
Mr. Plat did promiſe and engage himſelf with loving
expreſſions, and words ſavouring of much moderation,
tenderneſs and reaſon, that if Gerard Winſtanley could
prove by Scriptures, the lawfulneſſe of the work, that is,
that the earth was made to be a common Treaſury, and
ought to remain ſo to whole Mankind, without reſpect of
perſons: That he would never hereafter moleſt the Dig
This which here followes is a Copy of thoſe Scriptures I
delivered to him, which he had not then time to read over;
but upon diſcourſe at the ſame time, upon the ſame Scrip
For the preſent I offer this to the conſideration of all raPlat gives anſwer, I ſhall be as
ready to declare and publiſh.
YOu all heare of the difference between Lords of M
and the poor People of England. The poor people
ſay, the common Land is their due, by right of CreatiEngliſhmen.
The Lords of Mannours ſay, it is not their Creation-right;
thereupon beat them, pull down their houſes, and much abuſe
them, puſhing the poor with their hornes of power, like un
And though the difference riſe higher and higher between
them, both in point of Conſcience, and point of Law yet hither
But Gentlemen, let it not be ſaid hereafter among poſterity but that there were ſome wiſe men among you, that were not blinded by paſſion, covetouſneſs, and ſelf-intereſt; but that you would adventure to ſpeak for righteouſneſs, and that took the cauſe of the poor into your hands.
This difference between Lords of Mannours and the poor, a
If reaſon and righteouſneſs which is the foundation of Scrip
Therefore I leave theſe following Scriptures and Conſidera
Secondly, they declare the fall of Mankind from this righteous Law; and the various unrighteous actings of Mankind, under his falne eſtate, or power of darkneſſe, by whom he is taken priſoner.
Thirdly, they declare the reſtoration of Mankind to his creation-rigteouſneſſe: By whom he is reſtored: And the actings and converſation of Mankind upon his reſurrection from under that dark, or faln eſtate.
Ile begin with the Firſt, and take notice how the Scriptures gives an univerſal freedome in the Earth to whole Mankind.
In Geneſis,
Let us make Man: By Man, in the ſinguAnd let them have dominion: By
Them, in the plurall number, implies, whole Mankind in all his
branches.
Againe: he created Man; that is: Mankind. Male and female,
created he Them.
increaſe,
and multiply, and repleniſh the earth: and after Mankind, in his
varietie of branches, did increaſe and fill the earth. Then the creating
Power, or God, gives 2 Commands more.
Firſt, To ſubdue the Earth. And this implies, plowing, dig
But for one part of Mankind, to be a Task-maſter, and to live
Idle; and by the Beaſt-like power of the ſword, does force ano
The Second Command from God, was this, to Mankind. That
he ſhould have dominion over the Fiſh, Fowle, Beaſts, Hearbs,
Plants. And this implies; that whole Mankind, ſpread abroad
in variety of bodies, and yet but the unity of one Creation,
Mankind is the Lord of the Earth: As David ſaith; The earth is
the Lords:
But there is not the leaſt tittle ſpoken, that one part of Man
When Mankind lives in the unity of the one Spirit of Righte
But when Mankind lives in diviſion, contention, and cove
Now Mankind lives under the power of the Fall,
This ſame Creation-Right, or common freedome in the earth
among Brethren, was confirmed by Covenant from God, to Noah,
and his Seed,
So that, we ſee when that Almighty power did work a re
This ſame Creation-Right,Abraham, and his Seed, not limiAbraham,
So that in the work of reſtoration, God brings Mankind to this
univerſall freedome in the Earth, without reſpect of perſons, accor
In the next place, the Scriptures declare the Fall of Mankind from this righteous Law of Creation.
And the fall of Man,
For one part of Mankind, ſeeking to enſlave another part, ſetting
up one to be a King,
And how is that?
Therefore, whoſoever upholds this Beaſtly Power, and yet ſaies
they are the Sons of Chriſt, or reſtoring power, they lie, they deceive
themſelves, and the truth is not in them.
The Scriptures likewiſe declares the actings of Mankind under
the fall,Cain roſe up in diſcontent, and killed his
brother Abel. The quarrell riſe about the Earth; for Abels inCain; thereupon Cain
would take away Abels labour from him by force.
Theſe two Brothers did type out, or fore-run all the acting betweene man and man, from that time to this; being a plaine declaration of that darkneſſe, into which Mankind is falne.
Moſes Law of equity, was but the moderation, or the curbthere is one comes after me, mightier then
I, and him ye ſhall heare, which is Chriſt, the reſtoring Spi
All the wars and diviſions in Iſraels time,Abels plain-hearted Spirit. And
all the great combuſtions that hath been, and yet is, in the world, is
but politick, covetous, murdering Cain; holding Abel, or the honeſt
plaine dealing heart under him; or the ſon of bondage, perſecuting
the ſon of freedome.
Now in the Third Particular. The Scriptures declares the re
And there are 3 degrees of this Firſt the Scriptures declares
promiſes of reſtoration;The Seed of the
Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head.
Abraham's Seed ſhall be
the joy and bleſſing of all Nations.And in the latter dayes, they ſhall be all
taught of God,
and the Spirit of truth, ſhall lead them into all truth.
And ſuch like.
Now theſe, and ſuch like promiſes, declares the reſtoring of Mankind to his originall righteouſneſſe, and that they ſhall be brought to be of one heart, and of one mind; and that they ſhall be freely willing to let each other enjoy their Creation-rights, without reſtraining, or moleſting one another; but every one doing as they would be done by.
Secondly,
the Scriptures declares Prophecies, foretelling the reſtoration,
in ſuch words as theſe.
This ſhewes, that the Commons, Heaths, and waſte land, that
hath lain barren,
Thirdly,The whole creation
groaneth and travelleth in pain,
waiting for a reſtoration. And
Oh wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body
of ſinne: That is, who will deliver mee from my covetouſneſſe,
pride, envy, uncleanneſſe, ſelfe-love, and this great power of
darkneſs in me, that hinders me, that I cannot doe to others, as
I would have them doe to me: And that enſlaves mee within, ſo
that I cannot quietly ſuffer others to enjoy their creation rights in
the earth.
The Apoſtles were hated, ſlandered, perſecuted, and bore all
patiently, rather then ſtrive againe, that they might hold forth the
righteous law of creation: This ſhewes the reſurrection of the ſpi
Jeſus Chriſt was ſlandred, beaten, reviled, and at laſt put to
death, for no cauſe; yet hee reviled not againe, but ſuffered all
patiently, that he might honour his Father. The ſpirit of Righte
This ſpirit of Love, Patience, Humility, and Righteouſneſſe,
is called the light of the world, and the ſalt of the earth, which
brings mankind into a moderate, meeke, Loving, and ſeaſonable
condition:
This is the ſpirit of poverty, that hath been a ſervant in the world a long time, but now is appearing and riſing up to draw all men after him.
This poore man is hee, that ſaves Man-kinde from utter ruine,
and yet he is deſpiſed by Ignorance. This poore man ſpread a
Jeſus Chriſt bid the young man ſell all that hee had, and give to
the poore:
When Chriſt appeares in glory, in the day of his power, hee will make crooked wayes ſtreight, and ruffe wayes ſmooth, throw downe the Mountaines, and fill up the Valleyes.
This declares the univerſall reſtoration of Man-kind to the law of
righteouſneſs, from whence he fell; for when once the Law of
Love and truth is written in the heart of Man-kinde, they will ne
For ſaith Chriſt,
Now theſe of the Parliament, Armie, Clergy, Lawyers, and
people of England that profeſſes to follow Chriſt: and yet exerciſes
Lord-ſhip over their brethren, not ſuffering their brethren quiet
Therefore woe,
woe, woe, to you Rich men (and Lords of
Mannors) howle and weepe.
The oppreſſor ſhall fall: and he that
takes the ſword,
and rules by it over brethren, ſhall periſh by it.
He that hedges himſelfe into the earth, and hedges out his bro
And here I conclude, that theſe fore-mentioned Scriptures be
True Religion, and undefiled, is to let every one quietly have earth to manure, that they may live in freedome by their labours; for it is earth that every one ſeekes after, that they may liue in peace, let them ſay what they will.
The practiſe of the Gentry is to have the Earth to themſelves: It is that the Armie fights for: It is that the Clergy preaches for; for if you deny him Tithes, or a Maintenance, you ſhall not heare of him.
Nay, is it not the bottome of all National lawes, to diſpoſe of the Earth: and does not this appear to be true, by the practiſe of Lords of Mannors and the Gentrie, that cannot be at reſt for vexing and fretting, becauſe poore men begins to ſee their creation-freedome, and begins to build upon, and plant the Commons.
And men that in other caſes are mild and ſeemingly loving, are like Lions and Devils, ready to kill and deſtroy theſe poore diggers; and not only the Gentry, but the Clergy generally are mad againſt this worke: Well, the power of darkneſſe, and the fall, rules in theſe men; for if the reſtoring ſpirit, Chriſt, were in them, they would doe as they would be done by.
And ſeeing the Scriptures confirms this creation Right to whole man-kind, then in the next place it followes,
That all the Title and Power, which Lords of Mannors have to
the Common land, whereby they beate the people off from this
their freedome, Is no other but the will of Kings, who were Con
Firſt then conſider, That King CHASLES and his Lawes
was the Succeſſor of the perſon and power of William the Conque
Secondly, That K. Charles, and that Kingly Lordly conquering
government, is caſt out of England, by the victory of the Armie o
And ſeeing Kingly and Lordly power is declared againſt both by
Army and Parliament, the people wants nothing now but poſſeſſi
The firſt Parliament law, which encourages the poore Com
Secondly, The Parliament did make this law, preſently after
the Kings head was cut off; That they would eſtabliſh all the old
ancient fundamentall lawes, wherein the Lives, Liberties, per
By this they give a common freedome to every Engliſh-man to have and enjoy the land for their comfortable livelihood by their labours, without reſtraint of any.
For the Ancient fundamentall Law is Salus populi, the ſafety,
peace, and preſervation of the whole body of the people, excepting
none.
And this fundamentall law, called Salus populi, was that which
gave life and ſtrength to the Parliament and Army to take up Armes
againſt the King; for they had not the leaſt letter of any written
law for their warrant at that time, all the lawes being for the King,
and none againſt him.
Now if there be any Ancient Lawes of the Conquerour un
Commonwealth,
and being impoveriſhed by the Kingly Lordly & Power, which is
now caſt out, are freed from the oppreſſions of all thoſe Lawes,
whereby their lives, liberties, perſons and creation-rights, were
enſSalus populi, is the fundamentall Law, that gives
that life and ſtrength and courage to build upon and plant the
common Land, for their comfortable livelihood. This is the
Commonwealths Law, and the Commonwealths Freedom.
3. Thirdly, The Parliament have made an act to free the
People, from yielding obedience to the King, and to all that
hold claiming under the King. This Law likewiſe throwes down
the power of the Conqueſt, and makes Engliſhmen free in their
Land, that they may live comfortably in their Engliſh Commonwealth,
and quietly enjoy their Land now, which they could
not, while the conquering Kingly and Lordly Power ruled.
4. Fourthly, The Parliament hath made an Engagement, to
maintain this preſent Commonwealths Government, againſt
King and houſe of Lords. This likewiſe is but a confirmation
of the firſt, to make England a free Commonwealth. And that
all Engliſhmen may enjoy the comfortable livelihood in the
Land, as Brethren, without reſtraint; for if I have not freeCommonwealth at all.
Now in the purchaſing of this declared freedom, the comEngland, have ſpent their Eſtates, as well as the
Gentry, partly by their free hearts in lending money to the
Parliament, partly by Taxes, partly by free quarter, and partly
by plunder in times of Warre. By all which our proprieties are
waſted, and the fruit of our labours laid down and accepted of,
both by Parliament and Army, to be a price to purchaſe Salus
populi, the peoples creation-freedom, out of the oppreſſing
power of Kingly power.
Therefore in reaſon and juſtice, I conceive, that if the poor
people do build houſes, and plant corne upon the Commons
of England, for a livelihood, they are protected and warranted
both by Scriptures, and the Lawes of the preſent Commonwealth:
And we expect the Officers of the Law, will be as
And whereas ſome Juſtices do ſay, that for poor men to dig and plant upon the Commons, they do bring themſelves within the ſtatute, to be puniſhed for vagrants, idle or wandring rogues: to this I anſwer.
1. That the Juſtice cannot call theſe men vagrants, or wan
But the Diggers they ſet themſelves to work, according to
the Law of creation, as they are Engliſhmen, upon the ComEngland, claiming the priviledges of the Commonwealth,
according to the Lawes of a Common-wealth, that they
may not beg, nor be forced to ſteale through want, and ſo be
hanged by the Kingly and Lordly Law.
2. Secondly, Their digging upon the Commons for a live
Theſe Lawes againſt Riots, or unlawfull meetings, as they
call it, was the Law of the fearfull Kingly Conqueror, leſt the
common people by their often meeting ſhould underſtand
their creation-freedom, and ſo ſhould joyn together, to con
Yet the Gentry and Lords of Mannors, who are part of the
Kingly and Lordly Power, they have met divers times in Troops,
and have beaten and abuſed the Diggers, and pull'd down their
houſes. Yet we do not heare that the Clergy, Lawyers, or Juſtices,
who would be counted the diſpenſers of righteous juſtice,
do ſpeak againſt them for Rioters, but againſt the poor labour
Miniſter or Lawyer, to anſwer theſe, either to conJaylor, which is the language of the
Beaſt; but by reaſon which is the voice of the man.
Though this work of digging upon the Commons, have maEnglands head, I can ſet no time, but I wait for the
conſolation of Iſrael to ariſe up, and break forth in others, as
I have a taſte of him in my ſelf.
The voice of the Dragon is, kill him, pull down his houſe,
beat him, arreſt him, take him Jaylor, impriſon him, he is a
rogue.
But the voice of the Lamb is, love your enemies, let
him live, the earth is his creation-right as well as mine: there
Miniſters and Lawyers, will you all ſtand looking on, and ſee
the Lords of Mannors exerciſe Kingly Power over the poor
men that claime their creation-right in the earth, and be ſi
You would be called diſpenſers of Juſtice: here is a point of juſtice for you to decide: this is the point upon which you ſhall either ſtand or fall, be ſaved or damned; for you are put upon the tryal.
The week before Eaſter, Parſon Plat, Miniſter of Horſley, beCobham, where the Diggers
were at work. And Thomas Sutton, the impropriator of Cobham,
came in perſon, and brought divers men, whom they hi
Plat, and ſpoke with him, about
our freedom in the Commons, he anſwered me, if I could make
it good by Scriptures, he would never trouble us more, but let
us build and plant: Nay he ſaid, he would caſt in all his eſtate,
and become one with the diggers.
The next week after I carried him this writing afore printed,
being Munday in Eaſter week, and upon our diſcourſe, he
ſeemed to conſent to many things, and was very moderate, and
promiſed me to read it over, and to give me an Anſwer: more
And upon Fryday in Eaſter week, he came and brought his
anſwer, which was this. He came accompanied with about 50.
men, and had hired 4. or 5. of them, to fire down the diggers
houſes: ſome that ſtood by ſaid, do not fire them, the wood
will do ſome good; his anſwer was, no, no, fire them to the
ground, that theſe Heathens, who know not God, may not
build them again; for if you let the wood alone, they will build
again.
Thereupon at the Command of this Parſon Plat, they ſet fire
to ſix houſes, and burned them down, and burned likewiſe ſome
of their houſholdſtuffe, and wearing Clothes, throwing their
beds, ſtooles, and houſholdſtuffe, up and down the Common,
not pittying the cries of many little Children, and their fright
The poor diggers being thus ſuddainly caſt out of their houPlat and his Company reſted not here, but in the night time,
ſome of them came again upon the Commons, while the digPlat, to kill you, and
burn the reſt of your goods, if you will not be gone: thereAnthony Vincents Servant, called Davy, ſtruck at one,
and cut ſome of their Chaires and other Goods to peeces,
frighting the women and Children again. And ſome of the
Diggers asked them, why they would do thus cruelly by them,
they anſwered, becauſe you do not know God, nor will not
come to Church.
Surely if the God of theſe men, by their going to Church,
teach both their preacher and they, to do ſuch cruel deedes; we
will neither come to Church, nor ſerve their God. Mr. Plat in
his Sermons can ſay, live in peace with all men, and love your Enemies:
therefore if the Diggers were enemies, he ought to
love them in action; but it is a true badge of an hypocrite, to
ſay, and not to do.
Let every Mans actions be tryed, and ſee who ſerves God,
They or the Diggers. Mr. Plat and the Gentlemen, (ſo would
be called) that were with him, were full of rage, and gnaſhed
their tongues with vexation; but the Diggers are patient, chear
Therefore the poor Diggers have got the Crown, and
weare it, and the Prieſts and Gentry have loſt their Crown:
The poor have ſtriven with them 12. moneths, with love and
patience: The Gentlemen have anſwered them all the time
with fury; they would have the Earth and all freedom, but
they will not ſuffer the poor to have either earth or free
But though the Devill be let looſe to ſwell againſt us, in theſe
Gentry that rule over us, by Kingly Power, or Law of Norman
Conqueſt, notwithſtanding, they have taken the EngageKingly Power: yet his time to be chained
up drawes nigh: and then we are aſſured this righteous work
of earthly community, ſhall have a moſt glorious reſurrection
out of his aſhes.
Nay farther, if this ſatisfies not Mr. Plat, but he & Tho: Sutton,
of Cobham, have hired three men, to attend both night and
England is inriched, yet they will
not ſuffer them to do this neither: And ſo hereby theſe
Gentlemen, take away both creation-right, and Common-wealths
right from the poor Diggers; for they command the
poor enſlaved Tenants and Neighbors likewiſe not to ſuffer a
And thus the fury of Parſon Plat, exceedes the fury of any
other Lord of Mannor. The chief ſetters on to burn theſe houPlat, Sir Anthony Vincent
his Tenants and Servants, were moſt of them there; likeThomas Sutton and William Star, theſe are they that ſay
the Commons belong to the poor, and yet theſe rich men are
agrieved to ſee the poor make uſe of the Commons: the
actors in this Turkiſh deſigne, were furious beyond the fury of
the Beaſts; but many of thoſe that came were threatned by
Vincent his chief men, to be turned out of their Livings, if
they came not, ſo that this is not an act of the tenants by free
conſent, but the Gentlemen hired others to do it.
Theſe men do ſo powerfully act the Image of the Beaſt, that
they will neither buy nor ſell with any freely, nor let any have
land houſes, or work under them but ſuch as have the mark of
the Beaſt; that is, ſuch as are filled with fear of them, and are
obedient to their beaſtly Power. And ſome of them ſay, they
do God good ſervice, if they can deſtroy or kill the Diggers.
Thus the Scriptures are fulfilled. Rev. 13. 17.
And now they cry out the Diggers are routed, and they rang bells for joy; but ſtay Gentlemen, your ſelves are routed, and you have loſt your Crown, and the poor Diggers have won the Crown of glory.
Secondly, You have not routed the Diggers by diſpute; for your impatient, covetous, and proud ſwelling heart, would not ſuffer you to plead rationally with them.
Neither thirdly, have you routed them by Scriptures; but the Diggers have routed you by your own Law; by reaſon, by Scriptures, and patient ſuffering all your abuſes and now your name ſhall rot, and your own power ſhall deſtroy you.
When the Scribes and Phariſees of old, (theſe Lords of
Mannors Anceſtors) had put Jeſus Chriſt to death, they rejoyEngliſh Phariſees, becauſe they have acted the power of the
Beaſt, and to the eye of the Beaſt, ſeeme to ſtand uppermoſt
for a time, they ſay they have routed the Diggers.
But they are miſtaken, for the Diggers keep the field of pa
They wil not ſuffer the Diggers to look to the Corne which
is planted upon the Commons, being about eleven Acres:
neither will they look to it themſelves, but let the Cattle ſpoile
it, that they may ſay, ſee, their labor comes to nothing. Are
not theſe men the curſe of England, that wil not ſuffer others
to live by the
And thus I have faithfully declared all the buſineſſes, and though the power of their coverouſneſſe, ſelf-loving fleſh, hath for the preſent trod our weak fleſh down; yet the ſtrength of our inward man, hath overcome them; and is the Lord God Almighty, above that power that rules in them.
We have declared our Teſtimony, and now let freedom and
bondage ſtrive who ſhall rule in Mankind: the weapons of the
Sonnes of bondage being carnall, as fire, club, and ſword; the
weapons of the Sonnes of freedom being ſpiritual, a