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 ReformerBerens, Lewis Henry
History
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
Berens, Lewis Henry
Communism; Land use; Winstanley, Gerrard, 1609-
59. If any man by violence endeavour to take another man's wife, the
first time of such violent offer he shall be reproved before the
Congregation by the Peacemaker; the second time he shall be made a
Servant under the Task-master for twelve months; and if he forcibly lie
with another man's wife, and she cry out, as is the case when, a maid is
forced, the man shall be put to death.
60. When any man or woman have consented to live together in marriage,
they shall acquaint all the Overseers in the Circuit therewith, and some
other neighbors. And being all met together, the man shall declare with
his own mouth before them all that he takes that woman to be his wife,
and the woman shall say the same, and desire the Overseers to be
witnesses.
LAWS TO SECURE ECONOMY.
61. No Master of a Family shall suffer more meat to be dressed at a
dinner or supper than will be spent and eaten by his household or
company present, or within such a time after before it be spoilt. If
there be any spoil constantly made in a family of the food of man, the
Overseer shall reprove the Master for it privately; if that abuse be
continued in his family, through his neglect of family government, he
shall be openly reproved by the Peacemaker before all the people, and
ashamed for his folly; the third time he shall be made a servant for
twelve months under the Task-master, so that he may know what it is to
get food, and another shall have the oversight of his house for the
time.
62. No man shall be suffered to keep house and have servants under him
till he hath served seven years under command to a Master himself. The
reason is that a man may be of age and of rational carriage before he be
made a Governor of a Family, that the peace of the Commonwealth may be
preserved.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
COMPLETE LIST OF "DIGGER" PUBLICATIONS.
WINSTANLEY, The Mystery of God concerning the Whole Creation,
Mankind.--April 1648. (British Museum, Press Mark, 4377, a. 1.)
" The Breaking of the Day of God.--May 1648. (British Museum, P. M.,
4377, a. 2.)
" The Saints' Paradise: Or the Father's Teaching the Only Satisfaction
to Waiting Souls.--August or September 1648. (British Museum, P. M.,
E. 2137.)
" Truth Lifting up its Head above Scandals.--October 1648. (British
Museum, P. M., 4372, a.a. 17.)
" (?) Light Shining in Buckinghamshire.--December 1648. (British
Museum, P. M., E. 475 (11).)
" (?) More Light Shining in Buckinghamshire.--March 1649. (British
Museum, P. M., E. 548 (33).)
" (?) A Declaration from the Well Affected in the County of
Buckinghamshire.--May 1649. (British Museum, P. M., E. 555.)
" The New Law of Righteousness.--January 1649. (Jesus College Library,
Oxford.)
" Fire in the Bush: The Spirit burning, not consuming but purging,
Mankind.--March 1649. (Bodleian Library.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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