spoken in the beginning that one branch of mankind should rule over
another.... But since human flesh began to delight himself in the
objects of the Creation more than in the Spirit of Reason and
Righteousness ... and selfish imagination ruling as King in the
room of Reason therein, and working with Covetousness, did set up
one man to teach and rule over another; and thereby the Spirit was
killed, and Man was brought into bondage and became a greater slave
to some of his own kind than the beasts of the field were to him.
Hereupon the Earth (which was made to be a Common Treasury of
Relief for all, both beasts and men) was hedged into enclosures by
the Teachers and Rulers, and the others were made Servants and
Slaves. And the Earth, which was made to be a Common Storehouse for
all, is bought and sold and kept within the hands of a few, whereby
the Great Creator is mightily dishonoured, as if He were a
respecter of persons, delighting in the comfortable livelihood of
some, and rejoicing in the miserable poverty and straits of
others."

Winstanley then makes his appeal to those who had been entrusted with
the government of the Nation, in the following touching and yet
suggestive words:

"O thou Powers of England! though thou hast promised to make this
people a Free People, yet thou hast so handled the matter, through
thy self-seeking humour, that thou hast wrapped us up more in
bondage, and oppression lies heavy upon us.... If some of you will
not dare to shed your blood to maintain tyranny and oppression
upon the Creation, know this, That our blood and life shall not be
unwilling to be delivered up in meekness to maintain Universal
Liberty, that so the Curse, on our part, may be taken off the