And if we strive for Freedom, and
your murdering, governing Laws destroy us, we can but perish."
"Therefore we require and we resolve to take both Common Land and
Common Woods to be a livelihood for us, and look upon you as equal
with us, not above us, knowing very well that England, the Land of
our Nativity, is to be a Common Treasury of Livelihood to all,
without respect of persons.
"So then, we declare unto you that do intend to cut our Common
Woods and Trees, that you shall not do it, unless it be for a stock
for us, and we to know of it by a public declaration abroad, that
the poor oppressed, who live thereabouts, may take it and employ it
for their public use: Therefore take notice, we have demanded it in
the name of the Commons of England, and of all the Nations of the
world, it being the righteous freedom of the Creation."
They then warn all wood-buyers against purchasing from those who would
dispose of such wood for their own private advantage, again emphasising
their contention that they would take it only to provide a common stock
for all. Then they appeal to the Great Council of England for protection
and encouragement, urging that august body to fulfil the promises so
freely made, at the outbreak of the Civil War, to induce them and others
to espouse the Parliament's cause. Apparently they did not expect much
from them, as their appeal commences in the following somewhat
hesitating manner:
"And we hope we may not doubt (at least we expect) that they that
are called the Great Council and Powers of England, who so often
have declared themselves by promises and by covenants, and have
confirmed them by multitude of fasting days, and devout
protestations to make England a free people, upon condition they
would pay moneys and adventure their lives against the successor of
the Norman Conqueror, under whose oppressing power England was
enslaved.
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