A watchword TO The City of London, AND THE army: WHEREIN You may see that England's freedom, which should be the result of all our Victories, is sinking deeper under the Norman power, as appears by this relation of the unrighteous proceedings of Kingstone-Court against some of the Diggers at George-hill, under colour of Law; but yet thereby the cause of the Diggers is more brightened and strengthened: so that every one singly may truly say what his freedom is, and where it lies.  
By Jerrard Winstanly.  
When these clay-bodies are in grave, and children stand in place,  
This shows we stood for truth and peace, and freedom in our days;  
And true born sons we shall appear of England that's our mother,  
No Priests nor Lawyers wiles ●imbrace, their slavery we'll discover.  
LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert at the Sign of the black Spread-Eagle, at the West end of Paul's, 1649.   

To the City of London, freedom and Peace desired.  
THou City of London, I am one of thy sons by freedom, and I do truly love thy peace; while I had an estate in thee, I was free to offer my Mite into thy public Treasury Guildhall, for a preservation to thee, and the whole Land; but by thy cheating sons in the thieving art of buying and selling, and by the burdens of, and for the soldiery in the beginning of the war, I was beaten out both of estate and trade, and forced to accept of the good will of friends crediting of me, to live a country-life, and there likewise by the burden of Taxes and much freequarter, my weak back found the burden heavier than I could bear; yet in all the passages of these eight years troubles I have been willing to lay out what my talon was, to procure England's peace inward and outward, and yet all along I have found such as in words have professed the same cause, to be enemies to me. Not a full year since, being quiet at my work, my heart was filled with sweet thoughts, and many things were revealed to me which I never read in books, nor heard from the mouth of any flesh, and when I began to speak of them, some people could not bear my words, and amongst those revelations this was one, That the earth shall be made a common Treasury of livelihood to whole mankind, without respect of persons; and I had a voice within me bade me declare it all abroad, which I did obey, for I declared it by word of mouth wheresoever I came, than I was made to write a little book called, The new Law of righteousness, and there in I declared it; yet my mind was not at rest, because nothing was acted, and thoughts run in me, that words and writings were all nothing, and must die, for action is the life of all, and if thou dost not act, thou dost nothing. Within a little time I was made obedient to the word in that particular likewise; for I took my spade and went and broke the ground upon George-hill in Surrey, thereby declaring freedom to the Creation, and that the earth must be set free from entanglements of Lords and Landlords, and that it shall become a common Treasury to all, as it was first made and given to the sons of men: For which doing the Dragon presently casts a flood of water to drown the manchild, even that freedom that now is declared, for the old Norman Prerogative Lord of that manor M Drake, caused me to be arrested for a trespass against him, in digging upon that barren Heath, and the unrighteous proceedings of Kingston Court in this business I have here declared to thee, and to the whole land, that you may consider the case that England is in; all men have stood for freedom, thou hast kept fasting days, and prayed in morning exercises for freedom; thou hast given thanks for victories, because hopes of freedom; plenty of Petitions and   

A watchword to the City of London, and the Army.  
WHereas we Henry Bickerstaffe, Thomas Star, and Jerrard Winstanly, were arrested into Kingston Court, by Thomas Wenman, Ralph Ver●y, and Richard Winwood, for a trespass in digging upon George-hill in Surrey, being the rights of Mr. Drake the Lord of that manor, as they say, we all three did appear the first Court day of our arrest, and demanded of the Court, what was laid to our Charge, and to give answer thereunto ourselves: But the answer of your court was this, that you would not tell us what the trespass was, unless we would fee an Attorney to speak for us; we told them we were to plead our own cause, for we knew no Lawyer that we could trust with this business: we desired a copy of the Declaration, and proffered to pay for it; and still you denied us, unless we would fee an Attorney. But in conclusion, the Recorder of your Court told us, the cause was not entered; we appeared two Court days after this, and desired to see the Declaration, and still you denied us, unless we will fee an Attorney; so greedy are these Attorneys after money, more than to justify a righteous cause: we told them we could not ●●e any, unless we would wilfully break our national Covenant, which both Parliament and people have taken jointly together to endeavour a Reformation. And unless we would be professed traitors to this Nation and commonwealth of England, by upholding the old Norman tyrannical and destructive laws, when they are to be cast out of equity, and reason be the Moderator.  
Then seeing you would not suffer us to speak, one of us brought this following writing into your Court, that you might read our answer; because we would acknowledge all righteous proceedings in Law, though some slander us, and say we deny all Law, because we deny the corruption in Law, and endeavour a Reformation in our place and calling, according to that national Covenant: and we know if your laws be built upon equity and reason, you ought both to have heard us speak, and read our answer; for that is no righteous Law, whereby to keep a commonwealth in peace, when one sort shall be suffered to speak, and not another, as you deal with us, to pass sentence and execution upon us, before both sides be heard to speak.  
This principle in the forehead of your Laws, foretells destruc●● to this commonwealth: for it declares that the Laws that foll●● such refusal, are selfish and thievish, and full of murder, protecting ●● that get money by their Laws, and crushing all others.  
The writer hereof does require Mr. Drake, as he is a 〈…〉 man; therefore a man counted able to speak rationally, to 〈…〉 cause of digging with me, and if he show a just and rational 〈…〉 Lords of manors have to the Commons, and that they have 〈◊〉 power from God, to call it their right, shutting out others; 〈…〉 will write as much against it, as ever I writ for this cause. But if I 〈◊〉 by the Law of righteousness, that the poorest man hath as true a 〈◊〉 and just right to the Land, as the richest man, and that undeniably the earth ought to be a common treasury of livelihood for all, without ●●specting persons: Then I shall require no more of Mr. Drake, 〈◊〉 that he would justify our cause of digging, and declare abroad, 〈◊〉 the Commons ought to be free to all sorts, and that it is a great 〈◊〉 pass before the Lord God Almighty, for one to hinder another of 〈◊〉 liberty to dig the earth, that he might fe●d and cloth himself with the fruits of his labour therefrom freely, without owning any Landlord, or paying any rent to any person of his own kind.  
I sent this following answer to the Arrest, in writing into Kingston Court: In four passages, your Court hath gone contrary to 〈◊〉 righteousness of your own Statute Laws: For first it is mentioned in 36. Ed. 3. 15. that no process, Warrant, or Arrest should be served, till after the cause was recorded and entered; but your 〈…〉 could not, or would not tell us the cause when he arrested us, and Mr. Roger's your Recorder told us the first Court day we appeared, that our cause was not entered.  
Secondly, we appeared two other Court days, and desired a copy of the Declaration, and proffered to pay for it, and you denied us. This is contrary to equity and reason, which is the foundation your laws are, or should be built upon, if you would have England to be a commonwealth, and stand in peace.  
Thirdly, we desired to plead our own cause, and you denied us, but told us we must fee an Attorney to speak for us, or else you would mark us for default in not appearance. This is contrary to your own Laws likewise, for in 28. Ed. 1. 11. chap. there is freedom given to a man to speak for himself, or else he may choose his father, friend or neighbour to plead for him, without the help of any other Lawyer.  
Fourthly, you have granted a judgement against us, and are proceeding to an execution, and this is contrary likewise to your own Laws, which say, that no plaint ought to be received, or judgement passed, till the cause be heard, and witnesses present, to testify the plaint to be true, as Sir Edward Cook 2. part of Institutes upon the 29. chap. of Magna Charta, fol. 51. 52. 53. The Mirror of Justice.  
But that all men may see, we are neither ashamed nor afraid, to justify that cause we are arrested for, neither to refuse to answer to it in a righteous way, therefore we have here delivered this up in writing, and we leave it in your hands, disavowing the proceedings of your Court, because you uphold Prerogative oppression, though the Kingly office be taken away, and the Parliament hath declared England a commonwealth; so that Prerogative Laws cannot be in force, unless you be besotted by your covetousness and envy.  
We deny that we have trespassed against those three men, or Mr. Drake either, or that we should trespass against any, if we should dig up, or blow for a livelihood, upon any the waste Land in England, for thereby we break no particular Law made by any Act of Parliament, but only an ancient custom, bred in the strength of Kingly Prerogative, which is that old law or custom, by which Lords of manors lay claim to the Commons, which is of no force now to bind the people of England, since the Kingly power and office was cast out: and the common people, who have cast out the oppressor, by their purse and person, have not authorized any as yet, to give away from them their purchased freedom; and if any assume a power to give away, or withhold this purchased freedom, they are traitors to this commonwealth of England and if they imprison, oppress, or put to death any for standing to maintain the purchased freedom, they are murderers and thieves, and no just rulers.  
Therefore in the light of reason and equity, and in the light of the national Covenant, which Parliament and people have taken, with joint consent: all such Prerogative customs, which by experience we have found to burden the Nation, aught to be cast out, with the Kingly office, and the Land of England now ought to be a free Land, and a common treasury to all her children, otherwise it cannot properly be called a commonwealth.  
Therefore we justify our act of digging upon that hill, to make the earth a common treasury. First, because the earth was made by Almighty God, to be a common treasury of livelihood for whole mankind in all his branches, without respect of persons; and that not any one according to the Word of God (Which is love) the pure Law of righteousness, aught to be Lord or landlord over another, but whole mankind was made equal, and knit into one body by one spirit of love, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, even all the members of 〈◊〉 body, called the little world, are united into equality of love 〈◊〉 serve the whole body.  
But since the fall of man there from, which came in by the risin●● of covetousness in the heart of mankind (to which Serpent the 〈◊〉 consented) and from thence mankind was called Adam: for this covetousness makes mankind to be a stoppage of freedom in the ●●●tion, and by this covetous power, one branch of mankind began to lift up himself above another, as Cain lifted up himself, and killed his brother Abel: and so one branch did kill and steal away the comfortable use of the earth from another, as it is now: the elder brother lives in a continual thee very, stealing the Land from the younger-brother. And the plain truth is, thieves and murderers upheld by preaching witches and deceivers, rule the Nations: and for the present, the Laws and Government of the world, are Laws of darkness, and the devil's kingdom, for covetousness rules all. And the power of the sword over brethren in Armies, in Arrests, in Prisons, in gallows, and in other inferior torments, inflicted by some upon others, as the oppression of Lords of manors, hindering the poor from the use of the common Land, is Adam fallen, or Cain killing Abel to this very day.  
And these Prerogative oppressors, are the Adamites & Cainites that walk contrary to the Word of God (which is love) by upholding murder and theft, by Laws which their Fathers made, and which they now justify; for in the conquests that. Kings got, their Ancestors did murder and kill, and steal away the earth, and removed the Land mark from the conquered, and made laws to imprison, torment, or put to death, all that would adventure to take the Land from them again, and left both that stolen Land, and murdering laws to their children, the Lords of manors, and Freeholders, who now with violence, do justify their father's wickedness, by holding fast, that which was left them by succession.  
For what are all the laws of the Nations, in this corrupt covetous Government, lifting up one branch of Adam mankind above another, the Conqueror, above the conquered, or those that have power above them that are weak, I say what are they, but laws of murder and theft, yea enmity itself, against the law of righteousness, which is love, which makes people do, as they would be done unto?  
And so all Kingly power, (in one or many men's hands) reigning by the sword, giving the use of the earth to some of mankind (called by him his Gentry) and denying the free use of the Earth to others, called the younger brothers, or common people, is no other but Cain li●ted up above Abel; the Prerogative laws is Belzebub, for they are the strength of covetousness and bondage in the creation, lifting up one, and casting down another: the attorneys, and Priests, and Lawyers, and bailiffs are servants to Belzebub, and are Devils; their Prisons, Whips, and Gallows are the torments of this Hell, or government of darkness; ●or mind it all along, and you shall see, that covetousness and bitter envy gets freedom by these laws; But the sincere and meek in spirit, is trod under foot.  
And this is that power, that hath made such havoc in the Creation, it is that murderer and devil that is to be cast one: this power of covetousness, is he that does countenance murder and theft in them that maintains his Kingdom by the sword of Iron, and punishes it in others: and so that which is called a sin in the Common people, if they act such things, is counted no sin in the action of Kings, because the have they power of the sword in their hands, the fear whereof makes people to fear them.  
But since this Kingly Office by the Parliament, is cast out of England, and England by them is declared to be a free State or commonwealth, we are in the first place thereby set free from those bonds and ties that the Kings laid upon us: Therefore this Tyranny of one over another, as of Lords of manors over the Common people, and for people to be forced to hire lawyers to plead their causes for them, when they are able to plead themselves, aught to be taken away with the Kingly Office, because they are the strength of the Ancient Prerogative custom.  
Secondly we justify out digging upon George's hill to make the Earth a common Treasury, because all sorts of people have lent assistance of purse and person to cast out the Kingly Office, as being a burden England groaned under; therefore those from whom money and blood was received, aught to obtain freedom in the Land to themselves and Posterity, by the Law of contract between Parliament and People.  
But all sorts, poor as well as rich, Tenant as well as Landlord, have paid Taxes, freequarter, Excise, or adventured their lives, to cast out that Kingly Office.  
Therefore, all sorts of people ought to have freedom in the Land of this their nativity, without respecting persons, now the Kingly Office is cast out, by their joint assistance. And those that do imprison, oppress and take away the livelihood of those that rise up to take Possession of this purchased freedom, are Traitors to this Nation, and Enemies to righteousness: And of this number are those men that have arrested, or that may arrest the Diggers, that endeavour to advance freedom; therefore I say all sorts ought to have their freedom.  
And that in regard they have not only joined persons and purses together, but in regard likewise, they took the national Covenant, with joint consent together, which the Parliament did make, of whom Mr Drake that caused us to be arrested was one; which Covenant likewise, the Ministers in their Sermons, most vehemently pressed upon the people to take the int●●● whereof was this, That every one in his several place and calling, should endeavour the peace, safety and freedom of England, and that the Parliament should assist the people, and the people the Parliament, and every one that had taken it, should ●ssist those that had taken it, while they were in pursuit thereof, as in the sixth Article of the national Covenant.  
Bu● now Mr Drake that was one that made this Covenant, and the Surrey Ministers that took it with great zeal at Kingston, which I was eye witness to, and shall be of their hypocrisy therein, have set up a Le●●urer at Cobham one purpose to drive off the Diggers to forsake the pursuit of their Covenant are the most vehement to break Covenant and to hinder them that would keep it, neither entering into peace themselves, nor suffering them that are entering into enter.  
But in regard some of us did dig upon George's Hill, thereby to take Possession o● that freedom we have recovered out of the hands of the Kingly Office, and thereby endeavour a Reformation in our place and calling according to the Word of God which is Love:) And while we are in pursuit of this our Covenant, we expect both Parliament that made the Covenant, and the Officers of this Court, and Parish Ministers, and Lords of manors themselves, and especially Mr Drake, to assist 〈◊〉 herein, against all that shall oppose us in this righteous work of making the Earth a common Treasury; and not to bear us, imprison us, or take away our estates or lives, unless they will wilfully break Covenant with God and man, to please their own covetous froward hairs, and thereby declare themselves to be the worst of Devils.  
Therefore, in that we do d●g upon that Hill, we do not thereby take away other men's rights neither do we demand of this Court, or from the Parliament, what is theirs and not ours: But we demand our own to be set free to us and them out of the tyrannical oppression of ancient custom of K●ngly Prerogative; and let us have no more gods to rule over us, but the King of righteousness only.  
Therefore as the freeholders claim a quietness and freedom in their enclosures, as it is fit they should have, so we that are younger brothers, or the poor oppressed, we claim our freedom in the Commons, that so elder and younger brother may live quietly and in peace, together freed from the straits of poverty and oppression, in this Land of our nativity.  
THus we have in writing declared in effect, what we should say, if we had liberty to speak before you, declaring withal, that your Court cannot end this controversy in that equity and reason of it, which we stand to maintain: Therefore we have appealed to the Parliament, who have received our Appeal and promised an Answer, and we wait for it; And we leave this with you, and let Reason and righteousness be our judge; therefore we hope you will do nothing rashly, but seriously consider of this cause before you proceed to execution upon us.  
You say God will blast our work, and you say, you are in the right, and we are in the wrong: Now if you be Christians, as you say you are; Then do you act love to us, as we do to you; and let both sides wait with patience on the Lord to see who be blesses; but if you oppose by violence, arrest us judge, condemn and execute us, and yet will not suffer us to speak for ourselves, but you will force us to give money to our Enemies to speak for us, surely you cannot say your cause is right; but hereby you justify our cause to be right, because you are the Persecutors of a loving meek spirited people, and so declare that the God you say that will blast us, is covetousness, whom you serve by your persecuting power.  

Covetous might may overcome rational right for a time,  
But rational right must conquer covetous might, and that's the life of mine.   

The Law is righteous, just and good, when Reason is the rule,  
But who so rules by the fleshly will, declares himself a fool.   
Well, this same writing was delivered into their Court, but they cast it away and would not read it, and all was because I would not see an attorney; and than the next Court day following, before there was any trial of our cause, for there was none suffered to speak but the plaintiff, they passed a judgement, and after that an Execution.  
Now their jury was made of rich freeholders, and such as stand strongly for the Norman power: And though our digging upon that barren Common hath done the Common good, yet this ●ury brings ●n damages of ten pounds a man, and the charges of the plaintiff in their Court, twenty nine shil●ing, and a penny; and this was their sentence and the passing of the Execution upon us.  
And 2 days after (for in this case they can end a cause speedily in their Court; but when the attorney and Lawyer● ge● money they keep a cause depending seven years, to the utter undoing of the parties, so unrighteous is the Law, and Lawyers) I say, two days after they sent to execute the execution, and they put Henry Beckarstaffe in prison, but after three days, Mr Drake released him again, Beckarstaffe not knowing of it till the release came; They seek after Thomas Star to imprison his body, who is a poor man not worth ten pounds.  
Then they came privately by day to Gerrard Winstanley's house, and drove away four cows; I not knowing of it and some of the Lords Tenants ●ode to the next Town shouting the digger● were conquered, the diggers were conquered. Truly it is an easy thing to beat a man, and cry conquest over him after his hands are tied, as they tied ours. But if their cause be so good, why will they not suffer us to speak, and let reason and equity, the foundation of righteous laws, judge them and u●. But strangers made rescue of those cows, and drove them astray out of the bailiffs hands, so that the bailiffs lost them; but before the bailiffs had lost the cows, I hearing of it went to them and said here is my body, take me that I may come to speak to those Normans that have stolen our land from us; and let the cows go, for they are none of mine; and after some time, they telling me that they had nothing against my body, it was my goods they were to have; then said I take my goods, for the cows are not mine: and so I went away and left them, being quiet in my heart, and filled with comfort within myself, that the King of righteousness would cause this to work for the advancing of his own Cause, which I prefer above estate or livelihood,  
Saying within my heart as I went along, that if I could not get meat to eat, I would feed upon bread, milk and cheese; and if they take the cows, that I cannot feed on this, or hereby make a breach between me and him that owns the cows, than He feed upon bread and beer, till the King of righteousness clear up my innocency, and the justice of his own cause: and if this be taken from me for maintaining his Cause, I'll stand still and see what he will do with me, for as yet I know not.  
Saying likewise within my heart as I was walking along, O thou King of righteousness show thy power, and do thy work thyself, and free thy people now from under this heavy bondage of misery, Pharaoh the covetous power. And the answer in my heart was satisfactory, and full of sweet joy and peace: and so I said Father, do what thou wilt, this cause is thine, and thou knowest that the love to righteousness makes me do what I do.  
I was made to appeal to the Father of life in the speakings of my heart likewise thus: Father thou knowest that what I have writ or spoken, concerning this light, that the earth should be restored and become a common treasury for all mankind, without respect of persons, was thy free revelation to me, I never read it in any book, I heard it from no mouth of flesh till I understood it from thy teaching first within me. I did not study nor imagine the conceit of it; self-love to my own particular body does not carry me along in the managing of this business; but the power of love flowing forth to the liberty and peace of thy whole Creation, to enemies as well as friends: nay towards those that oppress me, endeavouring to make me a beggar to them. And since I did obey thy voice, to speak and act this truth, I am hated, reproached, and oppressed on e'er side. Such as make profession of thee, yet revile me. And though they see I cannot fight with fleshly weapons, yet they will strive with me by that power. And so I see Father, that England yet does choose rather to fight with the Sword of Iron, and covetousness, then by the Sword of the Spirit which is love: and what thy purpose is with this land, or with my body, I know not; but establish thy power in me, and then do what pleases thee.  
These and such like sweet thoughts dwelled upon my heart as I went along, and I feel myself now like a man in a storm, standing under shelter upon a hill in peace, waiting till the storm be over to see the end of it, and of many other things that my eye is fixed upon: But I will let this pass,  
And return again to the dragon's Den, or Horners nest, the selfish murdering fleshly laws of this Nation, which hangs some for stealing, and protects others in stealing; Lords of manors stole the land from their fellow creatures formerly in the conquests of Kings, and now they have made laws to imprison and hang all those that seek to recover the land again out of their thieving murdering hands.  
They took away the cows which were my livelihood, and beat them with their clubs, that the cow's heads and sides did swell, which grieved tender hearts to see: and yet these cows never were upon George Hill, nor never digged upon that ground, and yet the poor beasts must suffer because they gave milk to feed me, but they were driven away out of those devil's hands the bailiffs, and were delivered out of hell at that time.  
And thus Lords of manors, their bailiffs the true upholders of the Norman power, and some Freeholders that do oppose this public work, are such as the country knows have been no friends to that Cause the Parliament declared for, but to the Kingly power; and now if they get the foot fast in the stirrup, they will lift themselves again into the Norman saddle; and they do it secretly; for they keep up the Norman laws and thereby traitors to freedom, get into places of Law and power, and by that will enslave England more than it was under the Kingly power.  
Therefore England beware; thou art in danger of being brought under the N●rman power more than ever. The King Charles that was successor to William the conqueror thou hast cast out: and though thy Parliament have declared against the Kingly office, and cast it out, and proclaimed England a Common wealth, that is to be a free land for the liberty and livelihood of all her children;  
Yet William the conquerors Army begins to gather into head again, and the old Norman Prerogative Law, is the place of their rendezvous: for though their chief Captain Charles be gone, yet his colonels, which are Lords of manors, his counsellors and Divines, which are our Lawyers and Priests, his inferior officers and soldiers, which are the Freeholder● and landlords, all which did steal away our Land from us when they killed and murdered our Fathers in that Norman conquest: And the bailiffs that are slaves to their covetous lusts and all the ignorant bawling women, against our digging for freedom, are the snap●ack boys and the ●mmunition sluts that follow the Norman Camp.  
These are all str●ving to get into a body again, that they may set up a new Norman slavery over us; and the place of their rendezvous, Prerogative power is fenced already about, with a Line of Commun●cation. An act made by a piece of the Parliament to maintain the old laws, which if once this Camp be fortified in his full strength, it will cost many a sighing heart, and burdened spirit before it be taken.  
And this Norman Camp are got into so numerous a body already, that they have appointed their Sutlers to drive away the cows which were my livelihood, and some of them they would sell to make money of to pay the attorney, Gilder, and Lawyers their fees, for denying the diggers our privilege to plead our own cause; for as it is clearly seen that if we be suffered to speak we shall batter to pieces all the old laws, and prove the maintainers of them hypocrites and traitors to this Common wealth of England, and then the attorneys and lawyer's Trade goes down, and Lord's manors must be reckoned equal to other men. And this covetous ●●sh and blood cannot endure.  
And other of the Cows were to be killed to victual the Camp, that is, to feed those Normans, Will Star & Ned ●utton, both Freeholders & others the snapsack boys, and ●mmunition drabs that helped to drive away the Cows that they might be encouraged by a belly full of stolen goods to stick the closer to the business another time. Or else the price of these cows were to pay for the sack and Tobacco which the Norman officers of Knights, Gentlemen, and rich Freeholders did spend at the White Zion at Cobham, when they met the 24. of August 1649, to advise together what course they should take to subdue the diggers; for say they, if the cause of the diggers stand, we shall lose all our honour and titles, and we that have had the glory of the earth shall be of no more account than those slaves our servants and younger brothers that have been footstools to us and our Fathers ever since the Norman William our beloved general took this land (not by love) but by a sharp sword, the power by which we stand: and though we own Christ by name, yet we will not do as he did to save enemies, but by our sword we will destroy our enemies, and do we not deserve the price of some of the diggers ●ow● to pay us for this our good service? And do not our reverend Ministers tell us that William the conqueror, and the succeeding Kings were God's anointed? And do not they say that our enclosures which were go● by that murdering sword, and given by William the conqueror to our Fathers, and so successiuly, from them, the land is our inheritance, and that God gave it us, and shall these broken fellows, and beggarly rogues take our rights from us, and have the use of the land equal with us? Thus do these Norman Gentlemen comfort their hearts, and support themselves with broken reeds, when they meet together in their Counsels.  
But stay you Norman Gentlemen, let me put in a word amongst you, doth the murderer's sword make, any man to be God's anointed? Surely, Jesus Christ was called God's anointed not because he conquered with a Sword of iron, but because he conquered by love, and the spirit of patience: therefore your general was not God's anointed, as Christ was.  
And then the Earth was not made to be the successive inheritance of children of murderers, that had the strongest arm of flesh, and the best sword, that can tread others under foot with a bold brazen forehead under colour of the Law of justice as the Norman power does; But it was made for all by the Law of righteousness, and he gives the whole Earth to be the inheritance of every single branch of mankind without respect of persons, and he that is filled with the love of this righteous King, doing as he would be done by is a true anointed one.  
Therefore, that god whom you serve, and which did entitle you Lords, Knights Gentlemen, and Landlords, is covetousness, the god of this wo●ld, which always was a murderer, a devil and father of lies, under whose dark governing power, both you and all the nations of the world for the present are under. But the King of righteousness or God of love whom I serve, did not call the earth your inheritance, shutting out others, but gave the earth to be a common treasury to whole mankind (who is the Lord of it) without respect of person.  
This power of love, is the King of righteousness, the Lord God Almighty that rules the whole Creation in peace, that is the Seed that breaks covetousness the serpent's head; he is the restoring power, that is now rising up to change all things into his own nature, he will be your judge, for vengeance is his; and for any wrong you have done me, as I can tell you of many, yet I have given all matters of judgement and vengeance into his hand, and I am sure he will do right, and discover him that is the true Trespasser, that take away my rights from me.  
And take notice of this, you Lords of manors, and Norman Gentry, though you should kill my body or starve me in prison, yet know, that the more you strive, the more troubles you hearts shall be filled with; and do the worst you can to hinder public freedom, you shall come off losers in the later end, I mean you shall lose your Kingdom of darkness, though I lose my livelihood, he poor cows that is my living, and should be imprisoned; you have been told this 12 Months ago, that you should lose ground by striving, and will you not take warning, will you needs shame yourselves, to let the poor Diggers take away your kingdom from you? surely, the power that is in them, will take the rule and government from you, and give it a people that will make better use of it.  
Alas! you poor blind earth moles, you strive to take away my livelihood, and the liberty of this poor weak frame my body of flesh, which is my house I dwell in for a time; but I strive to cast down your kingdom of darkness, and to open Hell gates, and to break the devil's bands asunder, wherewith you are tied, that you my Enemies may live in peace, and that is all the harm I would have you to have.  
Therefore you Lords of Manners, you freeholders, you Norman-Clergy, oppressing Tith-mungers, and you of the Parliament men, that have played fast and loose with this poor Nation, for what is past let it go; hereafter advance freedom and liberty, and pluck up bondage; and sin no more by Lording it over your Lords and Masters, that set you upon those Parliament Seats, lest worse things befall you then yet hath.  
But to return again to Mr Gilder's advice, the attorney of Kingston Court, and the proceeding of that Court with the cows; you hear how they did judge, condemn and execute me, not suffering me to speak; and though those four cows were rescued out of their hands by strangers, not by me; and so by their own Law, they should have looked after the Rescuers, yet contrary to their own Law, they came again to Winstanley's dwelling a fortnight after, and drove away seven cows and a Bull in the night time, some of the cows being Neighbour's that had hired pasture; and yet the damage which their Norman jury, and their covetous besotted ignorant attorney Mr Gilder, had judged me to pay for a trespass in digging upon that barren George's Hill, was but eleven pound nine shillings and a penncy charges & all, which they are like never to have of 〈◊〉, for an empty carrier will dance and sing before these Norman thieves and pick-purses: And thus you see they judged and passed sentence upon me but once at their prerogative pleasure, which they call England's Law: but they executed me twice, that they might be sure to kill me. But yet th●se 〈◊〉 likewise are brought home again, and the heart of my Enemies is put into the pound of vexation because the cows are set free. Surely, these Lords of manors and the attorney Mr Gilder, that gave advice to Arrest us for digging, have burned their Bibles long ago, because they have so quite and clean forgotten that Petition in the Lord's prayer, forgive 〈◊〉 our trespasses as we forgive them; for they make this a trespass against them, for digging upon the wast land of our mother the Land of England for a livelihood, when as their Law itself saith, That the Commons and wastes bylong to the poor.  
So that you see the Norman Camp is grown very numerous and big that they want much beef to vituall them and they are such hungry ones, that they will eat poor lean cows that are little better than skin & bone; and poor cows if I keep them in the winter, they are like to be poorer for for want of Hay; for before the report of our digging was much known, I bought three Acres of grass of a Lord of a manor, whom I will not here name because I know the council of others made him prove false to me; for when the time came to Mow, I brought money to pay him before hand; but he answered me, I should not have it, but sold it to another before my face; this was because his Parish Priest, and the Surrey Ministers, and sorry ones too they are that have set up a Lecture at Cobham for a little time, to preach down the Diggers, have bid the people neither to buy nor sell with us, but to beat us, imprison us, or banish us; and thereby they prove themselves to be members of the Beast that had two horns, like a Lamb, and yet speak like a Dragon, & so they fulfil that Scripture in Rev. 13. 16. that no man might buy and sell, save he that had the mark of the Beast. Or else surely, they do it on purpose to quicken u●to our work, and to drive us to Plant the Commons with all speed as may be.  
But though the cows were poor, yet they care not, so the skins will but pay the Lawyers and Arturneys Gilder his Fees, and the flesh to feed the snapsack boys, either to eat and make merry with, or else to sell to make money of, to pay those that drive away the cows for their pains or charges they have been at, in this 18 weeks striving to beat the Diggers off their work: But the bones will serve the Bailiffs to pick, because their action will be both p●oved thievery in stealing another man's cattle, and their Trespass very great against the same man, in opening 〈…〉 round about the ground, where Winstanley dwells, and let Hegs and common cattle▪ into the standing barley and other corn▪ which the right owner will seek satisfaction for.  
So that the fury of this Norman Camp against the Diggers is so great, that they would not only drive away all the cows upon the ground, but spoil the corn too, and when they had done this m●schief, the bailiffs, & the other Norman snapsack boys went hollowing and shooting, 〈◊〉 if they were dancing at a whitson Ale; so glad they are to do mischief to the Diggers, that they might hinder the work of freedom.  
And why are they so furious against us? but because we endeavour to dig up their tithes, their lawyer's Fees, their Prisons, and all that Art and Trade of darkness, whereby they get money under colour of Law; and to plant the pleasant fruit trees of freedom, in the room of that cursed the nbush, the power of the murdering sword; for they say, they do all they do by the Law of the Land which the Parliament hath confirmed to them by an Act: And if so, Then soldiers where is the price of you● blood? and countrymen, and Citizens, Where is the price of your Taxes and freequarter? If this be the freedom, you are like to have, to be beaten and not be suffered to say why do you so, and shall have no remedy, unless you will Fee a Lawyer (an Enemy) to plead for you, when you are able to plead your own cause better yourself, and save that charge, and have your cause ended sooner an which more peace and quietness.  
And you zealous Preachers, and professors of the City of London and you great Officers and soldiery of the Army, Where are all your Victories over the Cavaliers, that you made such a blaze in the Land, in giving God thanks for, and which you begged in your Fasting days, and morning Exercises; Are they all sunk into the Norman power again, and must the old Prerogative Laws stand; what freedom then did you give thanks for? Surely, that you had killed him that rid upon you, that you may get up into his saddle to ride upon others; O thou City, thou hypocritical City! thou blindfold drowsy England, that sleps and snorts in the bed of covetousness, awake, awake, the Enemies is upon thy back, he is ready to scale the walls and e●ter Possession, and wilt thou not look out.  
Does not the streams of bondage run in the same river that it did, and with a bigger stream of Norman power; so that if you awaken not betimes, the flood of the Norman Prerogative power, will drown you all; here's more rivers comes into the main stream, since the storm fell and the waters of fury rises very high, banked in by Laws; and while you are talking and disputing about words, the Norman soldiers are secretly working among you to advance their power again; and so will take away the benefit of all your victories by a subtle act of intricate laws, which the swor● in the field could not do against your and when you have lost that freedom, whic● you boasted of that you will leave to your posterity, than who must give thanks you that vapoured in words, or they that lay close in action, waiting to trip up you heels by pollioy, when the sword could not do it.  
I tell thee thou England, thy battles now are all spiritual. Dragon against the Lamb, and the power of love against the power of covetousness; therefore all tha● will be soldiers for Christ, the Law of righteousness join to the Lamb. He tha● takes the iron sword now shall perish with it, and would you be a strong Land and flourish in beauty, then fight the lamb's battles, and his strength shall be thy wall and bulwarks.  
You Knights, Gentlemen, and Freeholders, that sat in council at the whi● Lion it Cobham to find out who are our backers, and who stirs us up to dig the Commons I'll tell you plainly who it is, it is love, the King of righteousness ruling in our hearts that makes us th●●… to act that the creation may be set at liberty, and now I have answered your inquiry, do what you can to him and us his servants: And we require you in his name, to let our cause have a public trial, and do not work any longer in darkness, set not your Bail●ffes and slaves to come by night to steal away the cows of poor men under colour of justice, when as the cause was never yet heard in open Court.  
He that backs you; and that sets you to work to deny to us our younger brother the use of the common land, is covetousness, which is Beelzebub the greatest, devil so that there is the 2 generals known, which you & we fight under, the 2 great Princes of light and darkness bondage and freedom, that does Act all flesh in the great controversies of the world. These are the 2 men that stir in this business, that is, the wicked man that counsels, & broke you to be so envious and furious against us, and the righteous man Christ, that backs and counsels us to love you our enemies▪ And do we not see that Gebal, Ammon and Amaleck, and all the rabble of the nations, Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Lawyers, bailiffs, Priests, and all the Norman snapsack boys, and ammunition women to the old Norman Camp do all combine together in the art of unrighteous fury, to drive the poor diggers off from their work, that the name of commmunity and freedom which is Christ, may not be known in earth. Thus I have deal plainly with you all, and I have not flattered Parliament, Army, City, nor country, but have declared in this, and other writings the whole light of that truth revealed to me by the word of the Lord: and I shall now wait to see his hand to do his own work in what time, and by what instruments he pleases. And I see the poor must first be picked out, and honoured in this work, for they begin to receive the word of righteousness, but the rich generally are enemies to true freedom.  
The work of digging still goes on, and stops not for a rest▪  
The Comes were gone, but are returned, and we are all at 〈◊〉▪  
No money's paid, nor never shall, to Lawyer or his man  
To plead our cause, for therein we'll do the best we can.  
In Cobham on the little Heath our digging there goes on.  
And all our friends they live in love, as if they were but one.  
Thus you Gentlemen, that will have no Law to rule over you 〈◊〉 your Prerogative will must be above Law, and above us that are the younger broths in the Land; but if you say, no, your will shall be subject to Law: then I demand of you Mr Drake, Mr Gilder, and other the bailiffs and Officers of Kingston Court, why will you ●●rest us, and trouble us, and say we trespa●●e against you, and though we came to answer to your arrest, and to plead our own cause, yet contrary to the equity ●ay contrary to the bare letter that the Law, as I showed you before, you denied me th●● privilege, but went on and did condemn and execute a forcible power upon body and goods, is not your will here, above Law? do you not hereby uphold the Norman conquest?  
Mr Drake, you are a Parliament man, and was not the beginning of the quarrel between King Charles and your House? This the King pleaded to uphold Prerogative, and you were against it, and yet must a Parliament man be the first man to uphold Prerogative, who are but servants to the Nation for the peace and liberty of every one, not conquering Kings to make their will a Law? did you not promise liberty to the whole Nation, in case the Cavalier party were cast out? and why now will you seek liberty to yourself and Gentry, with the denial of just liberty and freedom to the common people, that have born the greatest burden?  
You have arrested us for digging upon the common Land, you have executed your unrighteous power, in distraining cat●el, imprisoning our bodies, and yet our cause was never publicly heard, neither can it be proved that we have broke any Law, that is built upon equity and reason, therefore we wonder where you had your power to rule over us by will, more th●n we to rule over you by our will. We request you before you go too far, not to let covetousness be your 〈…〉 not others under your fear, under colour of Law, as if none knew equity of Law but you● for we and our estates shall be horns in your eye●, and pricks in your sides, and you may curse that council bid you beg our estates, or imprison our persons. But this we request that you would let us a have a fair open trial, and do not carry on the course of Law insecret, like vicodem●● that is afraid to have his business come to light; therefore I challenge you once more, seeing you profess yourselves Christians, to let us be brought to a trial of our cause; let your minister● plead with us in this scriptures, & let your Lawyers plead with us in the equity & reason of your own Law; and if you ●rove us transgressions, than we shall lay down our work and acknowledge we have trespassed against you in digging upon the Commons, & then punish us. But if we prove by Scripture & reason that unden●ably the land belongs to one as well as another, than you shall own our work, justify our cause, & declare that you have done wrong to Christ, who you say is your Lord and master, in abusing us his servants, & your fellow creatures, while we are doing his work. Therefore I knowing you to be 〈◊〉 of moderation in outward show, I desire that your actions towards your fellow creatures may not be like one beast to another, but carry yourselves, like man to man; for your proceeding in your pretence of law hitherto against us, it both unrighteous, 〈◊〉 & d●●velish, and nothing of the spirit of man seen in it. You attorneys and Lawyers, you say you are ministers of justice, & we know that equity and reason is, or aught to be the foundation of Law; if so, then plead not for money altogether but stand for universal justice & equity; then you will have peace; otherwise both you with the corrupt Clergy will be cast out as unsavoury salt.  
FINIS.