"Therefore, as the Freeholders claim a quietness and freedom in
their enclosures, as it is fit they should have, so we that are
younger brothers, or the poor oppressed, we claim our freedom in
the Commons; that so elder and younger brother may live quietly and
in peace, together freed from the straits of poverty and oppression
in this Land of our Nativity."
His written address to the Court at Kingston concludes as follows:
"Thus we have in writing declared in effect what we should say, if
we had liberty to speak before you, declaring withal that your
Court cannot end this controversy in that equity and reason of it
which we stand to maintain. Therefore we have appealed to the
Parliament, who have received our Appeal and promised an answer,
and we wait for it. And we leave this with you, and let Reason and
Righteousness be our Judge. Therefore we hope you will do nothing
rashly, but seriously consider of this cause before you proceed to
execution upon us."
Of course, the Court paid no heed to his pleadings, and he details the
subsequent proceedings in the following business-like manner:
"Well, this same writing was delivered into their Court, but they
cast it out again, and would not read it, and all because I would
not fee an Attorney. And then the Court-day following, before there
was any trial of our cause, for there was none suffered to speak
but the Plaintiff, they passed a judgement, and after that an
execution.
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