e
you some few encouragements out of many to move you to stand up for
your freedom in the Land by acting with plow and spade upon the
Commons:

"(1) By this means, within a short time, there will be no beggar
or idle person in England, which will be the glory of England, and
the glory of that Gospel which England seems to profess in words.

"(2) The waste and common land being improved will bring in plenty
of all commodities, and prevent famine, and pull down the price of
corn, to 12d. a bushel, or less.

"(3) It will prove England to be the first of Nations which falls
off from the covetous beastly government first; and that sets the
Crown of Freedom on Christ's head, to rule over the Nations of the
World, and to declare him to be the joy and blessing of all
Nations. This should move all Governors to strive who shall be the
first that shall cast down their Crowns, Sceptres and Government at
Christ's feet: and they that will not give Christ his own glory
shall be shamed.

"(4) This Commonwealth's Freedom will unite the hearts of
Englishmen together in love; so that if a foreign enemy endeavour
to come in, we shall all with joint consent rise up together to
defend our inheritance, and shall be true one to another. Whereas
now the poor see if they fight and should conquer the enemy, yet
either they or their children are like to be slaves still, for the
Gentry will have all. And this is the cause why many run away and
fail our Armies in the time of need. And so through the Gentry's
hardness of heart against the Poor, the Land may be left to a
foreign enemy for want of the Poor's love sticking to them. For say
they, we can as well live under a foreign enemy, working for day
wages, as under our own bretheren, with whom we ought to have equal
freedom by the Law of Righteousness.

"(5) This freedom in planting the common land will prevent robbing,
stealing and murdering, and prisons will not so mightily be filled
with prisoners; and thereby we shall prevent that heart-breaking
spectacle of seeing so many hanged every Session as there are. And
surely this imprisoning and hanging of men is the Norman Power
still, and cannot stand with the freedom of the Commonwealth, nor
warranted by the Engagement. For by the Laws and Engagement of the