vain, as affairs stand. The Presbyters are not to be Courted, unless
by a Soveraign.
I rest,
Your assured Friend.
Yesterday, being Friday April 20. one Everard and wistanly
came to Whitehall to give his Excellency an Account of their proceedings
in Digging up the grounds on St Georges hill in Surry
Everard declared that he was of the Race of the Jews; and 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 have lived under
Tyranny and Oppression, worse then 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 their Freedoms in the enjoying the fruits and benefits of the
Earth: And that there had lately appeared a Vision to him, which
bade him, Arise, and dig, and plow the Earth, and receive the fruits
thereof: And that their intent is to restore the Creation to its former
Condition: And that as God had promised to make the barren ground
fruitful. So now, what they did was to renew the ancient Community
of the enjoying the fruits of the Earth, and to distribute the
benefits thereof to the Poor and Needy, and to feed the Hungry,
and to cloath the Naked; And that they intend not to meddle with
any mans Propriety, nor to break down any Pails or Inclosures, but
onely to meddle with what was common and untilled, and to make
it fruitful for the use of man; but that the time would suddenly be
that all men should willingly come in, and give up their Lands and
Estates, and willing to submit to this Community; and for those
which shall come in, and work, they shall have meat, drink, and
clothes, which is all that is necessary for the Life of man; and that for
mony, there was not any need of it, nor of any clothes more then to cover
their nakedness; and that they will not defend themselves by arms,
but will submit unto Authority, and wait till the promised opportunity
be offered, which they conceived to be near at hand; And that
as their forefathers lived in tents, so it would be suitable to their
condition now to live in the same. Many things were declared by
them to this effect, which will be too large to insert here.