Whitelocke's _Memorial of English Affairs_:[37:1]

"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 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 plough 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 restore the ancient community
of enjoying the fruits of the Earth, and to distribute the benefits
thereof to the poor and needy, and to feed the hungry and to clothe
the naked.

"That they intend not to meddle with any man's property nor to
break down any pales or enclosures, 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, when all men shall willingly