"
Then he gives utterance to the sense of indignation which filled his
heart in the following bitter and contemptuous words:
"Do these men obey the Parliament's Acts, to throw down Kingly
Power? O no! The same unrighteous doing that was complained of in
King Charles' days, the same doing is among them still. Money will
buy and sell Justice still. And is our eight years' war come round
about to lay us down again in the Kennel of Injustice as much or
more than before? Are we no farther learned yet? O ye Rulers of
England, when must we turn over a new leaf? Will you always hold us
in one lesson? Surely you will make Dunces of us; then all the Boys
in other Lands will laugh at us! Come, I pray, let us take forth
and go forward in our learning!"
Winstanley's zeal for the cause he had espoused was, however, too real
to allow him to continue long in this strain, so he immediately adopts a
more persuasive tone, as follows:
"You blame us who are the Common People as though we would have no
government. Truly, Gentlemen, we desire a righteous government with
all our hearts. But the Government we have gives freedom and
livelihood to the Gentry, to have abundance, and to lock up
Treasures of the Earth from the Poor; so that rich men may have
chests full of gold and silver, and houses full of corn and goods
to look upon, while the Poor who work to get it can hardly live;
and if they cannot work like slaves, then they must starve.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203