A MITE CASTANNA INTO THE Common Treasury: OR, Queries propounded (for all men to consider of) by him who desireth to advance the work of public Community. Decemb: 18. 1649 ROBERT COSTER. 1. Whether all men (by the grant of God) are not alike free, and all to enjoy the Earth with the fullness thereof alike, (Geneses 1. from the 26. verse, to the end of the Chapter, and the 9 Chap. from the 1. to the 18. verse,) until they sell their Birthright and Inheritance, for a proud idle life: the 2. of the Thessalonians, and the 3. Chapter, from the 6. to the 13. verse? 2. Whether the Scriptures in many places, do not complain of man's Lording over his own kind, (as in Isaiah 3.15. Luke 22.24.25. and 26. verses. Mat. 23. chap. from the first to the 13. verse,) Calling such men for their nature and cruelty, Lions, Wolves, Foxes, Dogs, (Isaiah 56.10 11. Ezek. 22.27. The men call some of them, Lords of Manors, Ministers, and Lawyers?) 3. Whether particular propriety, was not brought into the room of public Community, by Murder and Theft; and accordingly have been upheld and maintained? In which Acts of cruelty, whether those devouring Creatures before mentioned, have not been chief, and whether such naked shameless do do not lie lurking under fig-leave Clothing, such as Sabbath, Fasting, and Thanksgiving days, Doctrines, Forms, and Worships? 4. Whether the Lords of Manors, do not hold their Right and Title to the Commons, merely from the Kings Will, (which Will proving a Burden to the Nation, caused the King to lose his head) and whether the strongest point in their Law for the keeping up their Title, be not, Take him Jailor? 5. Whether the Common People of England may not seize upon the Land, which is called after their own name, to wit, the Commons, for to dress and improve it for their best advantage; for these Reasons following, without paying fines, Quitrents, Heriots, or swearing Fealty, (or any other cursed and diabolical payments whatsoever,) to any Tyrant soever? First, Because the great Creator of all things, ordained that the earth with the fullness thereof should be a common Treasury of Livelihood for all, and that none should Lord over his own kind; but that all should love as Brethren, and so glorify the Creator in the work of his hands. Secondly. Because the Common People of England, have (these six or seven hundred years) been shut out from having any benefit of the Earth, except that which they have bought by their slavish payments. And all this by & through the means of that illegitimate Lord and Master propriety, which was ushered into the Creation, by those two grand disturbers of our Peace, Murder and Theft; and therefore now it is high time for them (the Common People) to lay hold upon the waste Land, that so they may receive some benefit freely, and may no longer live in a starving condition: and this cannot with reason be denied by the Gentry and Clergy, if they consider what cruelty they have acted towards their fellow-Creatures these many years, who have a privilege to the Earth equal with themselves. Thirdly. Because there is no Statute-Law in the Nation that doth hinder the common people from seizing upon their own Land, (but only the mercenary wills of men,) and therefore where there is no Law, there is no transgression. Fourthly. Because oppression and cruelty doth bear so much sway in the Nation, that poor men will be necessitated to make a breach of the Laws of the Nation, if they are not suffered to labour the Earth for their maintenance. Whether it would not prove an Inlet to Liberty and Freedom, if poor men which want Employment, and others which work for little wages, would go to digging and manuring the Commons, and most places of the Earth; considering effects that this would produce? As 1. If men would do as aforesaid, rather than to go with Cap in hand, and bended knee, to Gentlemen and Farmers, begging and entreating to work with them for 8 d. or 10 d. a day, which doth give them an occasion to tyrannize over poor people, (which are their fellow-Creatures,) if poor men would not go in such a slavish posture, but do as aforesaid. then rich Farmers would be weary of renting so much Land of the Lords of Manors. 2. If the Lords of Manors, and other Gentlemen who covet after so much Land, could not let it out by percells, but must be constrained to keep it in their own hands, than would they want those great bags of money, (which do maintain pride, Idleness, and fullness of bread, which are carried into them by their Tenants, who go in as slavish a posture as may be; namely, with Cap in hand, and bended knee, crouching and creeping from corner to corner, while his Lord (rather Tyrant) walks up and down the Room with his proud looks, and with great swelling words, questions him about his holding. 3. If the Lords of Manors, and other Gentlemen, had not those great bags of money brought into them. Then down would fall the Lordliness of their spirits, and then poor men might speak to them; then there might be an acknowledging of one another to be fellow-Creatures. For, what is the Reason that great Gentlemen covet after so much Land, is it not because Farmers and others creep to them in a slavish manner, proffering them great sums of money for such and such percells of it, which doth give them an occasion to tyrannize over their fellow Creatures which they call their Inferiors. Secondly. And what is the Reason that Farmers and others are so greedy to rend Land of the Lords of Manors: Is it not because they expect great gains, and because poor men are so foolish and slavish as to creep to them for employment, although they will not give them wages enough to maintain them and their Families comfortably: All which do give them an occasion to tyrannize over their fellow-Creatures, which they call their Inferiors. All which considered, if poor men which want Employment and others which work for little wages, would go to dress and improve the common and waste Lands, whether it would not bring down the prizes of Land, which doth principally cause all manner of things to be dear? Whether a Livelihood be not the right and propriety of every man; Look in the first Query. Whether this be not intruded into by those which do impoverish their fellow-Creatures by their buying and selling, and by their enclosing and appropriating the Earth, with the fruits thereof unto themselves (purposely to uphold their Lordly spirits) as most men do; and so (in plain English) rob and steafe from their fellow Creatures, their proper right and Inheritance? Whether those Scriptures which say, Love thy Neighbour as thyself; and do unto all men as you would they should do unto you: and He that hath this World's goods, and seethe his Brother in want, and yet shutteth up the bowels of Compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Matt. 7 12, John the first Chapt. the 3. verse the 17. And many such Scriptures; Whether they are not least spoken of, and less practised among men now a days, although in them is contained the whole Law and Prophets? The Nation is in such a state as this, to honour rich men because they are rich. And poor men, because poor most do them hate, O, but this is a very cursed State. But those which act from love which is sincere, will honour truth where ever it doth appear. And no respecting of persons will be with such, but Tyranny they will abhor in poor or rich. And in this state is he whose name is here, your very loving friend, Robert Costeer. THough we have been sad yet now are glad To see such a joyful time, Our Miseries they, Are passing away, And truth beginneth too climb. We shall be freed from thrall When Righteousness reigneth as King, The Glory so bright Shall darken the light Which comes from the Man of sin. Though men do us hate, yet we in this state Do suffer joyfully, Though stripes we receive, We do them forgive, Which acts such cruelty. For we with them must agree, Who seeketh our blood to spill, And thus we may Their cruelty slay, Yea thus we shall envy kill. The Poor long have suffered wrong, By the Gentry of this Nation, The Clergy they Have boar a great sway By their base insultation. But they shall Lie level with all They have corrupted our Fountain; And then we shall see Brave Community, When Valleys lie level with Mountains. Tyranny have made many a slave Within this Land of ours, But he must pack For his Power doth crack And the day it will be ours. The Priest's ball. and after him call Saying, you must with us abide, For if you do go Then cometh our woe, And we shall have no more Tithe. The Gentry are filled with the like care, How they shall their Power maintain, For they know If Tyranny go, They must pack to France or to Spain. Therefore they will this gallant stay, And hid him under a back Gown, Or else in a Coach Will keep him very close, Fearing he should be found. The time indeed that this cursed seed Doth as closely in all men; But chief in those Who are England's foes, And we do very well know them. But the light that shineth so bright Reveileth this wickedness, And it must go I very well know To a Land of forgetfulness. The time is nigh that this mystery Shall be no more obscure, And then we shall see Such community As shall always endure, The Rich and Poor shall love each other Respecting of Persons shall fall, The Father alone That sits in his Throne Shall honoured be of all. The glorious State which I do relate Unspeakable comfort shall bring, The Corn will be green And the Flowers seen Our storehouses they will be filled The Birds will rejoice with a merry voice All things shall yield sweet increase Then let us all sing And joy in our King, Which causeth all sorrows to cease. FINIS.