For my
part and the rest, we had no such thought. We abhor fighting for
Freedom; it is acting of the Curse, and lifting him up higher. Do
thou uphold it by the Sword; we will not. We will conquer by Love
and Patience, or else we count it no Freedom. Freedom gotten by the
Sword is an established Bondage to some part or other of the
Creation. This we have declared publicly enough. Therefore thy
imagination told thee a lie, and will deceive thee in a greater
matter, if Love doth not kill him. VICTORY THAT IS GOTTEN BY THE
SWORD IS A VICTORY SLAVES GET ONE OVER ANOTHER; BUT VICTORY
OBTAINED BY LOVE IS A VICTORY FOR A KING!"
Surely, surely, if all other writings of Winstanley had perished, this
one passage would have given us sufficient insight into his philosophy,
into the noble principles animating his life, to entitle him to our
admiration and respect.
He then continues:
"This is your very inward principle, O ye present Powers of
England, you do not study how to advance Universal Love. If you did
it would appear in action. But Imagination and Self Love mightily
disquiet your mind, and makes you to call up all the Powers of
Darkness to come forth and help you to set the Crown upon the head
of Self, which is that Kingly Power you have oathed and vowed
against, but yet uphold it in your hands.... All this falling out
and quarrelling among mankind is about the Earth, and who shall,
and who shall not enjoy it, when indeed it is the portion of
everyone, and ought not to be striven for, nor bought, nor sold,
whereby some are hedged in and others are hedged out.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210