THE Declaration and Standard Of the Levellers of England; Delivered in a Speech to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, on Friday last at White-Hall, by Mr. Everard, a late Member of the Army, and his Prophecy in reference thereunto; showing what will befall the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation, by their submitting to community; With their invitation and promise unto the people, and their proceed in Windsor Park, oatland's Park, and several other places; also, the Examination and confession of the said Mr. Everard before his Excellency, the manner of his deportment with his Hat on, and his several speeches and expressions, when he was commanded to put it off. Together with a List of the several Regiments of Horse and Foot that have cast Lots to go for Ireland.  
Imprinted at London, for G. Laurenson, April 23. 1649.   

A DECLARATION OF THE Levellers, Delivered in a Speech to his Excellency the Lord General Fairfax, by Mr. Everard, a late member of the Army.  
UPon the 19 of this instant April, 1649. the Council of State received information that one Mr. Everard formerly of the Army, who calls himself profit, with others, came several days last week to St. George's Hill in Surrey, and began to dig, then to sowing the ground with Parsnips, Carrots, and Beans; their number increase every day, they began with five, and are now about fifty, but they say they will shortly be above five thousand: They have prepared Seed Corn, and intent to blow up the ground in oatland's park, Windsor park, and other places, and to level the pales, etc. inviting all to come in, and promise them meat, and drink, and clothes, declaring to the people, that they will shortly make them come up to the Hills and work; and threaten the people, that if they let their Cattles come in amongst them, they will cut off their usurping heads, and the fourfooted legs. For, 
Our thoughts are lofty, proud, and full of ire,  
We can be good, or bad, as times require.   
Upon the 20, of this instant, the said Mr. Everard and one Wistanly came to White-Hall to give his Excellency an account of their proceed in digging up the grounds on St. George's 〈◊〉 as aforesaid, Everard, declared, That he was of the Race of the Jews, & that all the liberties of the people were lost by the coming in of William the Conqueror and that ever since, the people of God have lived unde● tyranny and oppression, worse than that of our forefathers under the Egyptians.  
But now the time of deliverance was at hand, and God would bring his people out of this savery and restore them their freedoms in the enjoying the 〈◊〉 and benefits of the Earth: And that there had lat●ly appeared a Vision to him, which bade him 〈…〉 dig, and blow the Earth and receive the ●r●… 〈…〉 And that their intent is to ●…ore the 〈…〉 former Condition: And that as God 〈…〉 make the barren ground fr●●tfull. So 〈…〉 did, was to renew the ancient Com●… 〈…〉 Joying the fruits of the Earth, and to 〈…〉 ●…nefits thereof to the poor and Needy 〈…〉 ●…gry, and to  the naked; And that they intent not to meddle with any man's propriety, nor to break down any pails or Enclosures, but only to meddle with what was common and untilled, and to make it fruitful for the use of man. But that the time would suddenly be that all men should willingly come in, and give up their Lands and Estates, and willing to submit to this Community; and for those which shall come in, and work, they shall have meat, drink, and clothes, which is all that is necessary for the life of man; and that for money there was not any need of it, nor of any clothes more than to cover their nakedness; and that they will not defend themselvei by arms, but will submit unto Authority, and wait till the promised opportunity be offered, which they conceived to be near at hand: and that as their forefathers lived in Tents, so it would be suitable to their condition now to live in the same.  
Here (they say) they are resolved to stand, and do account their fore father's principles, a perfect Rule and Standard for them to walk by.  
It is observable, That while Everard and Wistanley stood before the Lord General they stood with their Hats on, and being demanded the reason, said, He was but their fellow Creature: Being asked the meaning of that place, Give honour to whom honour is due. They seemed to be offended, and said, That their mouths should be stopped who gave them that offence.  
WHereas by order of the late Lord Major of the City of London, and the Commissioners, a precept or order came to the Deputy and Common-council men of the Ward of Walbrook, requiring them to call to their assistance, such able persons as they shall think meet, to assess upon the Inhabitants of their Ward, the sum of 50 l. which was in arrears of the 4. former assessments of the 12, 10, 6, & 4 months, for the L. Gen. Fairfax his army, the Common counsel men in obedience to that precept, did call to assistance 8. other persons Inhabitants in their Ward, for the more qual rating and assessing of the aforesaid sum, and afer long and serious consultation and debate, did find that the real estates, viz. the Rents of houses had not been rated at all, or not considerable in those 4 assessments; did therefore adjudge it, to be just to lay some considerable part of the 500 l. upon the aforesaid Rents, and they also finding that the Assessors in those 4 assessments had exceeding overrated the poor people of small estates, and also had exceedingly under rated themselves, and the men of great Estates in the Ward. The now Common council men finding this great partiality and inequality, did Judge it just before God, and all just men, to lay the greatest part of that which remained and not laid on the real estates, upon those of great estates that had been so much under-rated, that if the rich men had been rated, proportionably to those of small estates, there would have been little or none of those arrears, judging it very unjust and contrary to God's command, to and oppression to oppression, also contrary to the true intent and meaning of the Ordinances of parl. Having taken this course for the more speedy getting in of the aforesaid arrears, & also to prevent future arrears, did finish the books, and according to order sent them in. But upon the complaint of some of the War●, together with such of the Comoncouncel as were assessors of those unequal assessments, to the Lord Mayor and Commis. We the now assessors were sent for before them, and notwithstanding we made it clear to the commis. that we had so assessed it as was most agreeable to Gods command to take of heavy burdens, & to relieve the oppressed, which we also declared was the true intent and meaning of the Ordi. of parl. & also discharge our trust; yet were we overawed and commanded to take the book & alter it, to take off from the rich, and to lay it on such as we knew to be over rated before, and yet had paid which we judged unreasonable, we also told the Aldermen, that their evil example in rating themselves so low in every assessment upon occasion that no rich men in any Ward, would be rated proportionably to the estates, & did plead & do still plead that an Alderman was but so much, & should they be rated equally with, or more than an Ald. We also told them that we did expect that as it was their duty so they would have given us incommand all the assessors of every Ward in London, to have considered such as had been overrated to have eased them, & also such as had been under rated, to have laid the more on them. This was much stood upon and by some answered with bitter expressions, and angry countenances; but our conclusions was with them thus, That we did hope in the sincerity o● our hearts we had obeyed God's 〈◊〉 demand, in taking oft heavy burdens and in relieving of some of the oppressed and letting others that were more oppressed go free, and that if they (the Commissioners) did lay those burdens on again, the sin should lie at their doors, and they should answer for if we had discharged our trust. We know it to be just, that he that is worth 1000 l. should be rated ten times so much as he that is worth 100 l. and so proportionably from the least estate to the greatest, and he that hath the greatest estate hath the greatest advantage by this Rule of proportion, and if the Wards men be wise in their elections of common council men, let them look upon such as are godly, wise men, of the middle rank of men, and make choice of such men they will find will act most and best for them and the public. What injustice, unequality, and oppression hath been used and exercised upon the poor and men of small estates in all former assessments, the like hath been in a great measure in every Ward in levying men and arms to attend their Captains and Commanders in the Trained Bands, as an Alderman, or great rich man to send three men and peradventure sends but one, it may be none at all; when a poor man of small estate shall go forth, and find his own arms; this is also a great injustice and oppression,  
Letters from Sir Charles Coot in Ireland, say That he is straightly besieged in London-Derry, and unless he have speedy relief, he will be forced to surrender upon mercy. Dublin is in great distress, and col. Monk in the North even at the last gasp: But several Regiments of Horse and Foot are now designed for their relief, and the Council of the Army to avoid all differences, resolved, that lots should be cast for those Regiments that were to go, and accordingly on Friday last, the Colonels of each Regiments casting, the Lots fell upon those Regiments to go, viz.  
Of Foot, Colonel Ewers, Col. Cooks, Col. Deans, Col. Hewsons'. Of Horse, Commissary Gen. Ireton, Major Gen. lambert's, Col. Scroops, Col. Harloes.  
Of Col. Okey's Dragoons, five Troops, viz. Major Abbots, Capt. Mercers, Capt. Fulchars', Cap. Boltars, and Captain Garlands.  
FINIS.