I tell you, to me, this is not history, but very much ‘current affairs’.<\/p>\n
Why I’m more than a little confused as to why I was not told ANY of this at school, and , as far as I Know, is still not on the National Curriculum. This needs looking into to!<\/p>\n
A Short Digger \/ Leveller History<\/b>
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The Diggers were a group of agrarian communists who flourished in England in 1649-50 and were led by Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard. The Diggers believed that since the English Civil War had been fought against the King and the landowners, and with Charles I executed, land should then be made available to the poor to cultivate. In April 1649 a group of about 20 men assembled at St. George’s Hill, Surrey, and began to cultivate the common land. The Diggers’ activities alarmed the Commonwealth government and roused the hostility of local landowners, who were rival claimants to the common lands.
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On 16 April 1649 Henry Sanders sent an alarming letter to the Council of State reporting that several individuals had begun to plant vegetables on St. George’s Hill in Surrey. Sanders reported they, the Diggers, had invited “all to come in and help them, and promise them meat, drink, and clothes.” and that the Diggers claimed that their number would be several thousand within ten days. “It is feared they have some design in hand.” The Council of State sent the letter to Lord Fairfax, lord general of the army, along with a dispatch stating: <\/p>\n
“By the narrative enclosed your Lordship will be informed of what hath been made to this Council of a disorderly and tumultuous sort of people assembling themselves together not far from Oatlands, at a place called St. George’s Hill; and although the pretence of their being there by them avowed may seem very ridiculous, yet that conflux of people may be a beginning whence things of a greater and more dangerous consequence may grow. Fairfax was then ordered to disperse the group and prevent a repetition of the event. <\/p>\n
The Diggers were harassed by legal actions and mob violence, and by the end of March 1650 their members were driven off the St. George’s Hill. Despite this setback they continued their work on a nearby heath in Cobham. colony was dispersed. In April the Digger movement collapsed when a Parson Platt, the lord of the manor, and several others destroyed the Diggers’ houses, burned their furniture, and scattered their belongings. Platt threatened the Diggers with death if they continued their activity and hired several guards to prevent their return to the heath. Winstanley recorded these events as well as a final defence of the Digger movement.”<\/p>\n
Prof. Christopher Hill – Gerard Winstanley: 17th Century Communist at Kingston
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24 January 1996. Kingston University<\/b><\/p>\n
This man is ‘the authority’ on Winstanley and this movement. Please check out his work, starting at: http:\/\/www.kingston.ac.uk\/cusp\/Lectures\/Hill.htm<\/a><\/p>\n All of this added now, because of the re-showing of ‘Winstanley’, the 1979 film. http:\/\/tash_lodge.blogspot.com\/2002_09_01_tash_lodge_archive.html#81194691<\/a><\/p>\n It is worth mentioning another. You can see a preview of this film at: Land and Freedom A Printed in the Year, 1649. <\/p>\n http:\/\/www.tlio.demon.co.uk\/poor.htm<\/a><\/p>\n World Turned Upside Down – song by Leon Rosselson<\/b><\/p>\n In 1649 ‘We come in peace’ they said ‘The sin of property ‘They make the laws ‘We work, we eat together From the men of property ‘You poor take courage http:\/\/cres1.lancs.ac.uk\/~esarie\/wturned.htm<\/a><\/p>\n see my own pages, on the GreenNET site at: See earlier entry in my blog, to see that this is very much all still alive. <\/p>\n http:\/\/tash_lodge.blogspot.com\/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80867277<\/a><\/p>\n The ‘Countryside Alliance’ [Parson Platts men, are still at it!] so on the 22nd September this year, while they are agitating in London and the cities, about foxhunting, in particular…… I \/ we will be going out to live on the commons again. Oh, hush, they don’t know this yet……….<\/p>\n This will of course, only be a temporary arrangement, before the ‘troups’ return, and put it all down again \ud83d\ude42 What’s new!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The True Levellers Standard Advanced: Or, The State of Community Opened, and Presented to the Sons of Men. A Declaration to the Powers of England, and to all the Powers of the World, shewing the Cause why the Common People … Continue reading ![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homepage.ntlworld.com\/tash.lodge\/Blog_Pix\/digrhil2.jpg?w=640\")
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An excellent film about the Diggers by Roy Hanney. Check out at
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http:\/\/www.users.globalnet.co.uk\/~royhan\/film\/<\/a><\/p>\n
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http:\/\/www.users.globalnet.co.uk\/~royhan\/film\/index2.html#PREVIEW<\/a><\/p>\n
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Digger pamphlet by Gerrard Winstanley <\/p>\n
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DECLARATION
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FROM THE
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Poor oppressed People
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OF
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ENGLAND,
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DIRECTED
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To all that call themselves, or are called
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Lords of Manors, <\/p>\n
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To St George’s Hill
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A ragged band they called the Diggers
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Came to show the people’s will
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They defied the landlords
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They defied the laws
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They were the dispossessed
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Reclaiming what was theirs<\/p>\n
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‘To dig and sow
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We come to work the land in common
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And to make the waste land grow
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This earth divided
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We will make whole
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So it can be
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A common treasury for all<\/p>\n
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We do disdain
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No one has any right to buy and sell
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The earth for private gain
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By theft and murder
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They took the land
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Now everywhere the walls
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Rise up at their command<\/p>\n
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To chain us well
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The clergy dazzle us with heaven
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Or they damn us into hell
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We will not worship
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The God they serve
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The God of greed who feeds the rich
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While poor men starve<\/p>\n
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We need no swords
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We will not bow to masters
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Or pay rent to the lords
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We are free men
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Though we are poor’
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You Diggers all stand up for glory
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Stand up now<\/p>\n
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The orders came
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They sent the hired men and troopers
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To wipe out the Diggers claim
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Tear down their cottages
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Destroy their corn
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They were dispersed –
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Only the vision lingers on<\/p>\n
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You rich take care
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The earth was made a common treasury
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For everyone to share
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All things in common
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All people one
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We come in peace’-
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The order came to cut them down <\/p>\n
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The Levellers and Diggers …… not the rock band!!
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http:\/\/tash.gn.apc.org\/leveller.htm<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tash.gn.apc.org\/dig_attack.gif?w=640\")
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