agreement and covenant among themselves have paid taxes, given
free-quarter, and adventured their lives to recover England out of
bondage? We affirm they ought.[103:1]

"8. Whether the laws that were made in the days of the king do give
freedom to any but the gentry and clergy?"

Winstanley then puts a string of similar questions to Public Preachers,
"that say they preach the Righteous Law," from which, however, we need
only quote the following:

"QUESTIONS TO PUBLIC PREACHERS.

"First we demand, Yea or No, Whether the Earth, with her fruits,
was made to be bought and sold from one to another; And whether one
part of mankind was made to be a Lord of the Land, and another part
a servant, by the Law of Creation before the Fall?

"I affirm (and I challenge you to disprove) that the Earth was made
to be a Common Treasury of Livelihood for all, without respect of
persons, and was not made to be bought and sold.... And this being
a truth, as it is, then none ought to be Lords and Land Lords over
another, but the Earth is free to every son and daughter of mankind
to live upon."

And the letter concludes with the following eloquent and heart-stirring
words:

"Thus I have declared to you and to all the world what that Power
of Life is that is in me; and knowing that the Spirit of
Righteousness doth appear to many in this Land, I desire all of you
seriously, in love and humility, to consider of this business of
Public Community, which I am carried forth in the Power of Love and
clear light of Universal Righteousness to advance as much as I can;
and I can do no other, the Law of Love in my heart does so
constrain me; by reason whereof I am called fool and madman, and
have many slanderous reports cast upon me, and meet with much fury
from some covetous people; under all of which my spirit is made
patient and is guarded with joy and peace. I hate none, I love all,
I delight to see everyone live comfortably, I would have none live
in poverty, straits and sorrows; therefore if you find any
selfishness in this work, or discover anything that is destructive
of the whole Creation [Mankind], that you would open your hearts as
freely to me, in declaring my weakness to me, as I have been
open-hearted in declaring that which I find and feel much life and
strength in. But