“Secondly, Let everyone open his bags and barns, that all may feed upon the crops of the Earth, that the burden of poverty may be removed.  Leave off this buying and selling of land, or of the fruits of the Earth, and, as it was in the light of Reason first made, so let it be in action amongst all, a Common Treasury, none enclosing or hedging in any part of the Earth, saying, This is mine, which is rebellion and high treason against the King of Righteousness.  And let this word of the Lord be acted amongst all:  Work together; Eat bread together.{5}

“Thirdly, Leave off dominion and lordship one over another; for the whole bulk of mankind are but one living Earth.  Leave off imprisoning, whipping, and killing, which are but the actings of the curse.  Let those that have hitherto had no land, and have been forced to rob and steal through poverty; henceforth let them quietly enjoy land to work upon, that everyone may enjoy the benefit of his Creation, and eat his own bread with the sweat of his own brows.  For surely this particular propriety of mine and thine hath brought in all misery upon people.  First, it hath occasioned people to steal one from another.  Secondly, it hath made laws to hang those that did steal.  It tempts people to do an evil action, and then kills them for doing of it.  Let all judge whether this be not a great evil.

“Well, if everyone would speedily set about the doing of these three particulars I have mentioned, the Creation would thereby be lift up out of bondage, and our Maker should have the glory of the works of His hands.”

* * * * *

Before Winstanley found opportunity to declare in action the truths that had been revealed unto him, he found time to write yet another pamphlet, entitled Fire in the Bush.[78:1] In it he still further elucidates his interpretation of the story of the Creation, and his conception of the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life, and reaffirms his basic contention that “All the strivings that are in mankind are for the Earth:  Who shall have it?  Whether some particular persons shall have it, and the rest have none; or whether the Earth shall be made a Common Treasury to all, without respect of persons?” As it traverses much the same ground as the pamphlet from which we have just quoted at such length, it really calls for no further notice from us.  The following verse on its title-page, however, seems to us worth quoting: 

    “The Righteous Law a government will give to whole mankind
    How he should govern all the Earth, and therein true peace find;
    This government is Reason pure, who will fill man with Love,
    And wording justice, without deeds, is judged by this Dove.”

FOOTNOTES: