Diggers

Gerrard Winstanley, the Diggers, and related seventeenth-century English commons writings: declarations, tracts, letters, songs, and state-paper witnesses around land, labor, creation-right, and common treasury.

Pages

A Declaration from the Poor Oppressed People of England — A 1649 Digger declaration to the lords of manors, signed by Gerrard Winstanley and other poor oppressed people of England.
A Declaration of the Bloudie and Unchristian Acting of William Star and John Taylor — A 1649 Digger declaration against the violent attack on four men digging at George Hill in Surrey.
A Letter Taken at Wellingborough — An April 1650 Digger appeal for support, taken at Wellingborough and signed by Gerrard Winstanley and other Digger supporters.
A Letter to the Lord Fairfax, and his Councell of War — A 1649 Digger declaration to Thomas Fairfax and the Council of War concerning common land, digging, and freedom from lordly power.
A New-yeers Gift for the Parliament and Armie — Gerrard Winstanley's 1650 New Year address to Parliament and the Army on kingly power, common land, and the Digger cause.
A Vindication of Those Whose Endeavors Is Only to Make the Earth a Common Treasury — A 1650 defense of those who sought to make the earth a common treasury, published with a short warning about unauthorized collections.
A Watch-word to the City of London, and the Armie — A 1649 Winstanley tract addressed to London and the army, recounting the Kingston Court proceedings against the Diggers and warning that English freedom is sinking under Norman power.
An Appeal to the House of Commons — A 1649 co-signed Digger appeal asking Parliament whether common people may quietly enjoy commons and waste lands or remain under lords of manors.
An Appeale to All Englishmen — A 1650 Digger appeal to English tenants and laboring people, signed by Gerrard Winstanley and other Diggers at Cobham.
An Humble Request to the Ministers of Both Universities — A 1650 Winstanley tract asking ministers and lawyers to answer the scriptural and legal case for poor people digging, planting, and building on the commons.
Appendix - A Mite Cast into the Common Treasury — Robert Coster's 1649 Digger tract, included as related movement context for Winstanley and the Digger writings.
Appendix - Council of State Order to Mr Pentlow — A 1650 Council of State instruction against the Northamptonshire Diggers, preserved as related context for Gerrard Winstanley and the Digger movement.
Appendix - Declaration of the Wel-Affected in Buckinghamshire — A 1649 Buckinghamshire declaration from the middle sort of men in the Chiltern Hundreds and part of Aylesbury Hundred.
Appendix - Light Shining in Buckinghamshire — An anonymous Buckinghamshire radical text included as related context for early Digger and Leveller religious-political material.
Appendix - More Light Shining in Buckinghamshire — An anonymous sequel to Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, included as related context for the Digger and Leveller movement setting.
Appendix - The Diggers Mirth — A 1650 Digger song associated with Robert Coster and included as related context for Gerrard Winstanley and the Digger movement.
Appendix - The Diggers Song — A Digger movement song preserved in the Clarke Papers and included as related context for Gerrard Winstanley and the Digger movement.
Appendix - Wellingborough Diggers Declaration — A 1650 Northamptonshire Digger declaration for commoning at Wellingborough, included as related context for Gerrard Winstanley and the Digger movement.
Fire in the Bush — Gerrard Winstanley's 1650 tract on the inward battle between Michael and the Dragon, the purging spirit of Christ, common freedom, and the restoration of mankind from the curse.
Gerrard Winstanley — Digger Writings — A public shelf of Gerrard Winstanley and Digger movement writings from the Good Works Library.
Manuscript Letters to Fairfax and Others — Associated Digger manuscript material from the Clarke Papers, including a December 1649 letter signed by Gerrard Winstanley.
The Breaking of the Day of God — Gerrard Winstanley's 1648 tract on the rising of the two witnesses, the nearing end of the Beast's reign, and Christ's dominion over saints and nations.
The Law of Freedom in a Platform — Gerrard Winstanley's 1652 platform for commonwealth government, common land, storehouses, law, labor, education, and true magistracy.
The Mysterie of God — A 1648 Winstanley theological tract on the mystery of God, the redemption of mankind, the Serpent, judgment, and the seven dispensations of divine counsel.
The New Law of Righteousnes — Gerrard Winstanley's 1649 tract on the new law of righteousness, the restoration of creation, inward teaching, common freedom, and the silencing of hearsay religion.
The Saints Paradice — A 1648 Winstanley tract on inward teaching, spiritual burning, and the soul's peace in the Father.
The True Levellers Standard Advanced — The 1649 Digger manifesto opening the state of community and declaring why the common people began to dig and sow corn on George Hill.
Truth Lifting Up Its Head Above Scandals — Gerrard Winstanley's 1649 tract answering scandals against him and setting out God, Christ, Scripture, prayer, and ordinances through the inward rule of reason.