Chapter I: Front Matter

Note: Images of the original pages are available through the
Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See
http://www.archive.org/details/diggermovement00bereuoft

Transcriber's notes:

All material added by the transcriber is surrounded by
braces {}.

The original has a number of inconsistent spellings and
punctuation. A few corrections have been made for obvious
typographical errors; they have been noted individually.
A list of specific items will be found at the end of the
file.

Text in italics in the original is shown between
_underlines_, and text in bold between =equal signs=.

THE DIGGER MOVEMENT IN THE DAYS OF THE COMMONWEALTH

As Revealed in the Writings of Gerrard Winstanley, the Digger _Mystic and Rationalist, Communist and Social Reformer_

by

LEWIS H. BERENS Author of "Towards the Light" Etc. Etc.

"Was glänzt ist für den Augenblick geboren;
Das Echte bleibt der{1} Nachwelt unverloren."
GOETHE.

London Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, & Co. Ltd. 1906

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

TO

THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT)

TO WHOM THE WORLD OWES MORE THAN IT YET RECOGNISES AND WHOSE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES THE AUTHOR HAS LEARNED TO LOVE AND ADMIRE WHILST WRITING THIS BOOK

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY 1

II. THE REFORMATION IN ENGLAND 12

III. THE GREAT CIVIL WAR 23

IV. THE DIGGERS 34

V. GERRARD WINSTANLEY 41

VI. WINSTANLEY'S EXPOSITION OF THE QUAKER DOCTRINES 52

VII. THE NEW LAW OF RIGHTEOUSNESS 68

VIII. LIGHT SHINING IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 79

IX. THE DIGGERS' MANIFESTOES 90

X. A LETTER TO LORD FAIRFAX, ETC. 100

XI. A WATCHWORD TO THE CITY OF LONDON, ETC. 112

XII. A NEW YEAR'S GIFT FOR THE PARLIAMENT AND ARMY 132

XIII. A VINDICATION; A DECLARATION; AND AN APPEAL 146

XIV. GERRARD WINSTANLEY'S UTOPIA: THE LAW OF FREEDOM 162

XV. THE SAME CONTINUED 179

XVI. THE SAME CONTINUED 206

XVII. CONCLUDING REMARKS 228

APPENDIX A. THE TWELVE ARTICLES OF THE GERMAN
PEASANTRY, 1525 235

" B. CROMWELL ON TOLERATION 241

" C. WINSTANLEY'S LAWS FOR A FREE COMMONWEALTH 244

BIBLIOGRAPHY 255

INDEX 257

THE DIGGER MOVEMENT