have no land have a free allowance to dig and labor the Commons,
and so live as comfortably as the Land Lords that live in their
Inclosures. For the people have not laid out their monies and shed
their blood that their Land Lords, the Norman Power, should still
have its liberty and freedom to rule in tyranny, but that the
Oppressed might be set free, prison doors opened, and the Poor
People's heart comforted by an universal consent of making the
Earth a Common Treasury, that they may live together united by
brotherly love into one spirit, and having a comfortable livelihood
in the Community of one Earth their Mother."--WINSTANLEY, _The True
Levellers Standard Advanced_.


By the publication of his earlier pamphlets, Winstanley seems to have
attracted a small band of earnest disciples, eager by their actions to
declare their adherence to the principles he had so fearlessly and
eloquently proclaimed. However, before taking the steps they had decided
on, they deemed it necessary openly and frankly to declare their
intentions to the world, more especially to those whose individual or
class interests would be likely to be affected thereby. Hence early in
1649, probably in the last days of March or the beginning of April, they
issued a pamphlet, signed by some 46 of them, which seems mainly from
Winstanley's pen, entitled:

"A DECLARATION FROM THE POOR OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF ENGLAND:[90:1]

Directed to all that call themselves or are called Lords of Manors
through this Nation, that have begun to cut, or that through
fear of Covetousness do intend to cut down the woods and trees
that grow upon the Commons and Waste Land."