Source.—Whitelocke, Memorials. P. 396, folio edition, 1732.

April.—The Council of State had intelligence of new Levellers at St. Margaret's Hill, near Cobham in Surrey, and at St. George's Hill, and that they digged the Ground, and sowed it with Roots and Beans; one Everard, once of the Army, and who terms himself a Prophet, is the chief of them; and they were about thirty Men, and said that they should be shortly four thousand.

They invited all to come in and help them, and promised them Meat, Drink, and Clothes; they threaten to pull down Park Pales, and to lay all open, and threaten the Neighbours that they will shortly make them all come up to the Hills and work.

The General sent two Troops of Horse to have account of them.

[A few days later (p. 397).]

Everard and Winstanley, the chief of those that digged at St. George's Hill in Surrey, came to the General and made a large Declaration to justify their Proceedings.

Everard said, 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 had lived under Tyranny and Oppression worse than that of our Forefathers under the Egyptians.

But now the time of the Deliverance was at hand, and God would bring his People out of this Slavery, and restore them to their Freedom in enjoying the Fruits and Benefits of the Earth.

And that there had lately appeared to him a Vision, which bad him arise and dig and plow the Earth, and receive the Fruits thereof, that their Intent is to restore the Creation to its former condition.

That as God had promised to make the barren Land fruitful, so now what they did, was to renew the ancient Community of enjoying the Fruits of the Earth, and to distribute the Benefit thereof to the poor and needy, and to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

That they intend not to meddle with any Man's Property, nor to break down any Pales or Inclosures; but only to meddle with what was common and untilled, and to make it fruitful for the use of Man; that the time will suddenly be, that all Men shall willingly come in, and give up their Lands and Estates, and submit to this Community.

And for those that will come in and work, they should have Meat, Drink, and Clothes, which is all that is necessary to the Life of Man, and that for Money there was not any need of it, nor of Clothes more than to cover Nakedness.

That they will not defend themselves by Arms, but will submit unto Authority, and wait till the promised Opportunity be offered, which they conceive to be at hand. And that as their Forefathers lived in Tents, so it would be suitable to their Condition now to live in the same, with more to the like Effect.

While they were before the General they stood with their Hats on, and being demanded the Reason thereof, they said, because he was but their fellow Creature; being asked the meaning of that Place, Give honour to whom honour is due, they said, their Mouths should be stopped that gave them that Offence.

I have set down this the more largely, because it was the beginning of the Appearance of this Opinion; and that we might the better understand and avoid these weak Persuasions.