self, you are the people that are likely to be tempted, and set
upon and torn into pieces by this devouring Beast, the Ranting
Power.
"GERRARD WINSTANLEY.
"_Feb. this 20, 1649 (1650)._"

On March 4th he adds the following interesting postscript:

"I am told there are some people going up and down the country
among such as are friends to the Diggers, gathering monies in
their name. And they have a note wherein my name and divers others
are subscribed. This is to certify that I never subscribed my name
to any such note. Neither have we that are called Diggers received
any money by any such collections. Therefore to prevent this cheat,
we desire, if any are willing to cast a gift in to further our work
of digging upon the Commons, that they would send it to our own
hands by some trusty friends of their own."

If others could get monies in their name, the Diggers evidently thought
that they might themselves take advantage of the same means to maintain
the public work on which they were engaged. For we gather the following
from a contemporary news-sheet,[148:1] _A Perfect Diurnal_, April 1-8:

"_April 4 (Thursday)._--THE TRUE COPY OF A LETTER taken at
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, with some men that were there
apprehended for going about to incite people to Digging, and
under such pretence gathered money of the well-affected for
their assistance.

"These are to certify all that are Friends to Universal Freedom,
and that look upon the Digging and Planting of the Commons to be
the first springing up of Freedom: To make the Earth a Common
Treasury that everyone may enjoy food and raiment freely by his
labour upon the Earth, without paying Rents or Homage to any
Fellow-creature of his own kind; that everyone may be delivered
from the Tyranny of the Conquering Power, and to rise up out of
that Bondage to enjoy the benefit of his Creation: This, I say, is
to certify all such that those Men that have begun to lay the First
Stone in the Foundation of this Freedom (by digging upon Georges
Hill on the Common called Little Heath in Cobham) in regard of the
great opposition hitherto from the Enemy, by reason whereof they
lost the last Summer's work, yet, through inward faithfulness to
advance Freedom, they keep the