A Discovery of the Main Ground, Original Cause of all the Slavery
in the World, but chiefly in England.  Presented by way of a
Declaration of many of the Well-Affected in that County, to all
their poor oppressed Countrymen of England.  And also to the
consideration of the present Army under the conduct of the Lord
Fairfax.

Arise, O God, judge thou the Earth.

Printed in the year 1648.”

It opens as follows: 

“Jehovah Ellohim created man after his own likeness and image, which image is his son Jesus (Heb. 1. v. 3), who is the image of the invisible God.  Now man being made after God’s image or likeness, and created by the word of God, which word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, which word was life, and that life the light of man (John 1. v. 1-4).  This light I take to be that pure Spirit in man we call Reason, which we call Conscience.  From all which there issued out that Golden Rule or Law, which we call Equity:  the sum of which is, saith Jesus, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do to them:  this is the Law and the Prophets. James calls it the Royal Law; and to live from this principle is called a good conscience.”

It then points out the cause why men are disinclined to follow this sound principle of harmonious social union, and the consequences thereof, as manifested in the prevailing conditions, in the following words: 

“But man following his own sensuality became a devourer of the creatures and an encloser, not content that another should enjoy the same privilege as himself, but encloseth all from his brother; so that all the land, trees, beasts, fish, fowl, etc., are enclosed into a few mercenary hands, and all the rest deprived and made their slaves.  So if they cut a tree for fire, they are to be punished, or hunt a fowl, it is imprisonment, because it is gentlemen’s game, as they say.  Neither must they keep cattle, or set up a house, all ground being enclosed, without hiring leave for the one or buying room for the other of the chief encloser, called the Lord of the Manor, or some other wretch as cruel as he....  Now all this slavery of the one and tyranny of the other was at first by murder and cruelty one against the other.  And that they might strengthen themselves in their villany against God’s Ordinances and their Brother’s Freedom and Rights, they had always a Commander-in-Chief, and he became their King.”

After emphasising at some length that all special privileges of the few and disabilities of the many came in and are maintained by kings, it continues: