And nothing shall make
them slack but want of food, which is not much now, they being all
poor people, and having suffered so much in one expense or other
since they began. For Poverty is their greatest burthen; and if
anything do break them from the Work, it will be that."
After this confession of their weakness, and of the probable end of
their work, Winstanley again bursts out into verse as follows:
"You Lordly Foes, you will rejoice
this news to hear and see.
Do so, go on; but we'll rejoice
much more the Truth to see.
For by our hands Truth is declared,
and nothing is kept back;
Our faithfulness much joy doth bring,
though victuals we may lack,
This trial may our God see good,
to try, not us, but you;
That your profession of the Truth
may prove either false or true."
And after another and much worse specimen of his poetry, which we will
spare our readers, he concludes as follows:
"And here I end, having put my Arm as far as my strength will go
to advance Righteousness. I have writ; I have acted; I have Peace.
And now I must wait to see the Spirit do His own work in the hearts
of others; and whether England shall be the first Land, or some
other, wherein Truth shall sit down in triumph.
"But, O England, England, would God thou didst know the things that
belong to thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes.
Pages:
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217