Part 18 (1/2)
If thou reject, and still remain a froward Son to be, Another Land will it receive, and take the Crown from thee.
REV. 11-15. DAN. 7. 27.
LONDON.
Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black Spred-Eagle at the West end of Pauls.”
As already mentioned, it opens with a Dedicatory Letter--
”To His Excellency OLIVER CROMWEL, General of the Commonwealth's Army in England, Scotland and Ireland”--
which commences as follows:
”SIR,--G.o.d hath honored you with the highest honor of any man since Moses' time, to be the head of a People who have cast out an oppressing Pharaoh. For when the Norman Power had conquered our forefathers, he took the free use of our English Ground from them, and made them his servants. And G.o.d hath made you a successful instrument to cast out that Conqueror, and to recover our Land and Liberties again, by your Victories, out of that Norman hand.”
Winstanley then indicates Cromwell's duty, as well as the alternative ways open to him, in the following words:
”That which is wanting on your part to be done is this, To see the Oppressor's Power be cast out with his person; and to see that the free possession of the Land and Liberties be put into the hands of the Oppressed Commoners of England. For the Crown of Honor cannot be yours, neither can these Victories be called victories on your part, till the Land and Freedom won be possessed by them that adventured person and purse for them.
”Now you know, Sir, that the Kingly Conqueror was not beaten by you only, as you are a single man, nor by the Officers of the Army joined to you; but by the hand and a.s.sistance of the Commoners, whereof some came in person and adventured their lives with you, others stayed at home and planted the Earth, and paid Taxes and gave Free Quarter to maintain you that went to war.... And now you have the Power of the Land in your hand, you must do one of these two things: First, either set the Land free to the Oppressed Commoners who a.s.sisted you ... and so take possession of your deserved honor. Or, secondly, you must only remove the Conqueror's power out of the King's hand into other men's, maintaining the old laws still; and then your wisdom and honor will be blasted for ever, and you will either lose yourself, or lay the foundation of greater slavery to posterity than you ever knew.”
A marvellous prophecy, truly! Cromwell could see nothing in Winstanley's demands save that they tended ”to make the Tenant as liberal a fortune as the Land-lord,”[165:1] which did not conform to his sense of the eternal fitness of things. Winstanley then continues:
”You know that while the King was in the height of his oppressing power, the People only whispered in private chambers against him; but afterwards it was preached upon the house-tops, that he was a Tyrant, a Traitor to England's Peace: and he had his overturn.
”The Righteous Power in the Creation is the same still. If you and those in power with you should be found walking in the King's steps, can you secure yourselves or posterities from an overturn?
Surely No.
”The Spirit of the whole Creation (who is G.o.d) is about the Reformation of the World, and he will go forward in his work.[166:1] For if he would not spare Kings, who have sat so long at his right hand, governing the world, neither will he regard you, unless your ways be found more righteous than the King's.... Lose not your Crown; take it up and wear it. But know that it is no Crown of Honor till promises and engagements made by you be performed to your friends. _He that continues to the end, shall receive the Crown._ Now you do not see the end of your work unless the Kingly Law and Power be removed as well as his person.”
THE COMPLAINTS OF THE PEOPLE.
He subsequently returns to his original subject, as follows:
”It may be you will say to me, _What shall I do?_ I answer, You are in place and power to see all Burthens taken off from your friends the Commoners of England. You will say, _What are those burthens?_
”I will instance in some, both which I know in my own experience, and which I hear the people daily complaining of and groaning under, looking upon you and waiting for deliverance.
”Most people cry, We have paid taxes, given free-quarter, wasted our estates, and lost our friends in the wars, and the Task-masters multiply over us more than formerly. I have asked divers this question, _Why do you say so?_
”Some have answered me that promises, oaths and engagements have been made, as a motive to draw us to a.s.sist in the wars, that Privileges of Parliament and Liberties of Subjects should be preserved, and that all Popery and Episcopacy and Tyranny should be rooted out. And these promises are not performed. Now there is an opportunity to perform them.
”For first, say they, the current of succeeding Parliaments is stopped, which is one of the greatest privileges (and people's liberties) for safety and peace. And if that continue stopped, we shall be more offended by an hereditary Parliament than we were oppressed by an hereditary King.
”And for the Commoners, who were called Subjects while the Kingly Conqueror was in power, they have not as yet their Liberties granted them. I will instance them in order, according as the common whisperings are among the people.”
THE POWER OF THE CLERGY.