THE LEVELLER: OR, The Principles and Maxims, con­cerning Government and Religion, which are Aſſerted by thoſe that are commonly called LEVELLERS.

WHen the Sect of the Chriſtians firſt a­roſe, the Tyrants wrapped them in Beaſts skins, to provoke the Wild Beaſts to rend them in pieces; and when Chriſt their Lord deſcended to Earth, the Prieſts and Phariſees, (find­ing his Doctrine and Holineſs againſt their Intreſt) caſt upon him all the dirt of Blaſphemy, Drunkenneſs, and Confederacy, with the worſt of Sinners; and to make ſure of his life, they rendred him an Enemy to Government, and told Pilate, that he was no friend to Caeſar, if he let him go: It hath been the common practice of all Tyrants, to cover the face of honeſty with the mask of ſcandal and reproach, leſt the4 People ſhould be enamoured with its beauty; 'tis a Maſter­piece in their Politicks, to perſwade the People that their beſt friends are their worſt enemies, and that whoſoever aſ­ſerts their rights, and liberties, is factious and ſeditious, and a diſturber of their peace; did not the Grachi in Rome by ſuch policy periſh by the Peoples hands, whoſe liberties they ſought to vindicate. And do not ſome Engliſh men now ſuffer deeply upon the ſame account, from the Peoples hands for whoſe ſakes they have prodigally hazarded their eſtates and lives; are not ſome lovers of their country defamed and eſteemed prodigious monſters, being branded with the name of Levellers, whilſt thoſe that reproach and hate them, neither know their principles, or opinions concerning Go­vernment, nor the good they intend to their very enemies; thoſe that have deſigned to prey upon the Peoples eſtates and liberties, have put the frightful vizard of Levelling, up­on thoſe mens faces, and moſt People are agaſt at them, like children at Raw-head and Bloody-bones, and dare not ask who they are, or peep under their vizard to ſee their true faces, Principles and deſigns; doubtleſs if the People durſt but look behind them upon the Bug-bear from which they fly, they would be aſhamed of their own childiſh fear of the Levellers Deſigns, to make all mens eſtates to be equal, and to devide the land by telling Noſes, they would eaſily diſ­cern (if they durſt conſider it) that no number of men out of Bedlum could reſolve upon a thing ſo impoſſible, that every hour would alter by the birth of ſome child, if it were poſſible once to make out equal ſhares; nor upon a thing ſo brutiſh and diſtructive to all Ingenuity and Induſtry, as to put the idle uſeleſs Droan into as good condition, as the laborious uſeful Bee: Neither could the people think that a­ny number of men, fit to be feared (rather then ſcorned and pittied) could gain by Levelling eſtates ▪ for they can never have power and intereſt enough to diſquiet the nati­on, unleſs their eſtates be much greater, than they can be poſſible upon an equal deviſion; and ſurely 'tis a Bug­bear fit for none but children, to fear any mans deſigns, to reduce their own eſtates to little better than nothing, for ſo it would be, if all the land were diſtributed like a three­penny-dole.

But to ſatisfie ſuch as deſire to know, what they are, who are now for deſtruction ſake (though formerly by their e­nemies ſcandalouſly) called Levellers, and what their de­ſigns are; I ſhall tell you their Fundamental Doctrins or Maximes, concerning our Government, and from thence you may make a true Judgment of all their Plots, and either fear them, or favour them accordindly.

I. Firſt, they Aſſert it as Fundamental, that the Govern­ment of England ought to be by Laws, and not by Men, they ſay, the Laws ought to be the Protectors and preſer­vers under God of all our perſons and eſtates, and that eve­ry man may challenge that protection as his right, without a ticket from a Major General, and live under that protection and ſafely, without fear of a Red-coat, or a Purſevant from White-Hall; They ſay, that Engliſh men ought to fear no­thing but God, and the breach of the Laws, not to depend upon the will of a Court and their Council, for the ſecurity of themſelves and their eſtates: They ſay, the Laws ought to Judge of all offences, and offenders, and all penalties and puniſhments to be Inflicted upon Criminals; and that the pleaſure of his Highneſs, or his Council, ought not to make whom they pleaſe offenders, and puniſh and impriſon whom they pleaſe, and during their pleaſure.

They ſay alſo, that the Laws ought to decide all Contro­verſies, and repair every mans injuries, and that the rod of the peoples ſupream Judicature, ought to be over the Magi­ſtrates, to prevent their corruption, or turning a ſide from the Laws; but that the Magiſtrates for executing the Laws ſhould not hold their offices at the pleaſure of a King; or Protector, leſt the fear of diſpleaſing him perverts Juſtice. In their opinions 'tis highly criminal, that a King, or Pro­tector, or Court, ſhould preſume to interpoſe by letters, threats, or promiſes, to obſtruct the due courſe of the Laws, or countenance and abet, or diſcountenance and brow-beat any mans cauſe whatſoever; In fine, they ſay, the Laws that are incapable of partiallity, intereſt, or paſſion, ought ſo to govern, as no man ſhould be ſubject to the crooked will, or corrupt affections of any man.

II. The Levellers ſecond Maxime or Principle about Go­vernment,6 is, that all the Laws, Levies of Monies, War and Peace, ought to be made by the peoples deputies in Parlia­ment, to be choſen by them ſucceſſively at certain periods of time, and that no Council Table, Orders, or Ordinances, or Court proclamations, to bind the peoples perſons or eſtates; 'tis the firſt principle of a Peoples liberty, that they ſhal not be bound but by their own conſent, and this our Anceſtors left to England as its undoubled right, that no Laws to bind our perſons or eſtates, could be impoſed upon us againſt our wills; and they challenged it as their native right, not to be controuled in making ſuch Laws as concerned their com­mon right and intreſts, as may appear by the Parliaments Re­cords in the time of Edward the 2d. and Richard the 2d. The Levellers ſay, that thoſe whoſe intreſts are in all things one with the whole Peoples, are the only proper unintre­ſted Judges of what Laws are moſt fit to preſerve and pro­vide for that common intereſt, ſuch are the People in Parli­ament rightly conſtituted and methodized, and they may be depended upon, to provide remedies for the Peoples grie­vances, becauſe they themſelves are ſharers in every com­mon grievance, and they will be naturally led to ſtudy the common good, becauſe they ſhall ſhare in it; but if a Mo­narchs pleaſure ſhould controul the Peoples Deputies in their Parliaments, the Laws muſt be fitted for the intereſt of the Monarch and his family, to keep him in a condition to overtop the People, not for the common and equal good of the whole Nation; and then the Monarchs fears on the one hand, leſt the People ſhould be able to diminiſh his greatneſs, or that he ſhould hold his greatneſs at their mercy; and the Peoples fears on the other hand, leſt the Mo­narch ſhould be able to make them ſlaves, and they come to hold their eſtates and lives at his mercy: Theſe I ſay would ſet two oppoſite intereſts, alwayes at contention, in the compoſing of Laws; and the wiſdome and induſtry of the Peoples Deputies, that ſhould be ſpent in contriving the ad­vancement of the Peoples common good in the Laws, would be taken up, endeavouring to defend and preſerve the Peo­ples intereſts, againſt the Monarchs: Therefore ſay the Le­vellers, 'tis equal, neceſſary, and of natural right, that the Peo­ple7 by their Deputies ſhould chuſe their own Laws; yet they conceive it would be of much greater good to our Country, if out Parliaments were moulded into a better form, and ſome Deputies were choſen by the People, only to give their conſent or diſſent unto Laws propoſed; and other Deputies were choſen for Senators, that ſhould conſult and debate of the neceſſity, and conveniency of all Laws, Levies of Mo­nies, War, and Peace, and then propoſe all to the great aſ­ſembly of the Peoples Deputies, to reſolve; that ſo the pro­poſing, and reſolving Power, not being in the ſame aſſem­bly, all faction and private Intereſts may be avoyded, which may poſſibly ariſe in a ſingle Council, veſted with the ſole ſoveraign Law-making Power. This ſecond doctrine of the Levellers, had been fit for all England to have aſſerted ſome years ſince, and then ſo many Fatherleſs and Widdows had not now been weeping for their loſt Husbands, and Fa­thers in Jamaica, and other forraign Countries, nor had ſo many families been rnined, nor England impoveriſhed by the loſs of Trades occaſioned by the Spaniſh War, begun and proſecuted upon private intereſts or fancies, without advice or conſent of the People in Parliament.

III. The Levellers aſſert it as another Principle, that e­very man of what Quallity or Condition, Place or Office whatſoever, ought to be equally ſubject to the Laws; every man ſay they, high and low, rich and poor, muſt be Ac­countable to the Laws, and either obey them, or ſuffer the penalties Ordained for the Tranſgreſſors; there ought to be no more reſpect of Perſons in the execution of the Laws, then is with God himſelf if the Law be tranſgreſſed; no re­gard ſhould be had who is the offender, but of what kind, nature, and degree is the offence; 'tis diſtructive to the end of a Government by Law, that any Magiſtrate or other, ſhould be exempt from the obedience or Juſtice of the Laws; it diſſolves the Government, Ipſo facto, and expoſeth all the People to Rapine and Oppreſſion, without ſecurity of their Perſons and Eſtates, for which the Laws are intended; therefore ſay they, great Thieves and little muſt alike to the Gallows: and the meaneſt man as readily and eaſily obtain Juſtice and relieſe, of any Injury and oppreſſion a­gainſt8 the greateſt, as he ſhall do againſt the loweſt of the People; and therefore ſay they, it ought not to be in the power of any ſingle perſon, to defend himſelf from the impartiall ſtroke of the Laws, or to pervert Juſtice by force; and that brings in their fourth Principle, viz.

IV. That the People ought to be formed into ſuch a Con­ſtant Millitary poſture, by and under the commands of their Parliament, that by their own ſtrength they may be able to compell every man to be ſubject to the Laws, and to defend their Country from Forrainers, and inforce right and Juſtice from them upon all emergent occaſions. No Government can ſtand without force of Arms, to ſubdue ſuch as ſhall re­bell againſt the Laws, and to defend there Territories from the Rapine and Violence of ſtrangers, and the People muſt either hire Mercenary Souldiers to be the Guardians of their Laws and their Country, or take the care upon themſelves, by diſpoſing themſelves into a poſture of Armes, that may make them ready and able to be their own guard: Now ſay the Livellers, 'tis neither prudent nor ſafe, that the Peo­ples Armes ſhould be put into Mercenary Souldiers hands; what reaſon can induce any People to beleeve that their Laws, eſtates, liberties and lives, ſhall be more ſecure in the hands of Mercenaries, than in their own? who can think his eſtate, his liberty, or his life in ſafety, when he knows they are all at the mercy and will of Hirelings, that are led by no other motive, then that of profit or pay, to ſerve them; and may be led by any propoſal or temptation of greater profit or pay, to diſſert them.

All ages have afforded ſad experiments of truſting their ſtrength in the hands of Mercenary Armies; moſt Nations who have kept them, (at leſt in their own bowels) ha­ving been devoured by them; did not the Egyptian King by truſting the Armes in Hirelings hands, loſe both his Crown and life, and brought the People to be ſlaves to the Mamulakes for neer two hundred years? Was not the famous Common-wealth of Rome, ruined, and Inſlaved by their negligent permiſſion of Julias Ceſar, (upon his ad­vantage of long continuing Genneral,) to form a Mer­cenary Army? Did not the Inhabitants of Rhegium, periſh9 by the hands of the Roman legion left to be their Mercenary defenders? And were not our neighbours of Amſterdam late­ly very neer the loſs of their eſtates and liberties, by their own Mercenary Army? And ſay the Levellers, the people have leſs reaſon to truſt to Mercenaries to defend their Country from Forraigners, then they have to preſerve their eſtates and liberties from Domeſtick Oppreſſion; How can their valour or fidelity be depended upon, when a ſmall ſtipend only obligeth them to either; and if they be Conquered one day, they are ready to ſerve the Con­queror next day, it being their profeſſed principle, to ſerve where they can have beſt, and moſt certain pay. But ſay the Levellers, when the People which are owners of a Country, are diſpoſed into a Military form, they fight Pro aris & focis, they are ſenſible that they have more at ſtake then a daily ſtipend, and are in no hopes to better their conditions, by diviſion amongſt themſelves, or by betraying their Country to Forraigners, Thus ſay they, is it prudent and ſafe for the People to be maſters of their own Arms, and to be commanded in the uſe of them by a part of themſelves, (that is their Parliaments) whoſe intereſt is the ſame with theirs.

Theſe four foregoing Maximes, contain the ſum of all the Levellers Doctrine about our Government in exter­nals; (whoſe Principles without naming one of them, have been rendred ſo prodigious, and of ſuch dangerous conſe­quence) but let the reader judge, whether the liberty, happineſs, and ſecurity, of every Engliſh man be not ſought in the endeavours, to eſtabliſh thoſe Foundations of equal Juſtice and ſafety; neither can they be charged herein with novelty or unconſtancy, the ſame Funda­mentals of Government, having been claimed by our Anceſtors as their right, for many hundred years.

And the late long Parliament propoſing the ſame to the People, as the things to be defended by the late Warre; alledging that the King had ſet up Courtiers to govern in­ſtead of Laws, by Impriſoning at pleaſure, and during pleaſure, and that he had attempted to make proclamations, and Council Table Orders, to be as binding as the Laws,10 that the People made by their Parliaments; and that the King had exempted himſelf and others from ſubjection to the Laws, and pretended a right to the Militia, to com­mand the Peoples Arms without their conſent; and in con­fidence of the Parliaments real intentions and fidelity in what they propoſed, the People neither ſpared, neither treaſure nor Blood to preſerve themſelves, and their de­clared native rights. And therefore thoſe called Levellers, do now challenge their Principles of Juſtice and freedome as the price of their blood; and however, many of the Parliaments friends and Adherents, have ſince diſſerted their firſt pretences, yet the Levellers ſay, they can give no account to the righteous God of the blood they have ſhed in the quarrel, nor to their own Conſciences, of their duty to themſelves, their Families and Country, to pre­ſerve their Laws, rights, and liberties; if they ſhould not perſiſt in their demands and endeavours, to eſtabliſh the Government in what form ſoever, upon the Foundation of the Principles herein declared; and therein they would acquieſs, humbly praying the Father of all wiſdome, ſo to direct their Law-makers and Magiſtrates, that all Gods People might enjoy their ſpiritual Chriſtian Liberties, in worſhiping God according to their conſciences; and they heartily wiſh, that ſuch a liberty may be ſetled as another Fundamental, or Corner-ſtone in the Govern­ment.

But the deſigners of oppreſſion, having alſo thrown dirt in the faces of thoſe, whom they have named Levellers, in the matters of Religion, and aſperſed them ſometimes as Jeſuites, ſometimes as Notorious Hereticks, and ſome­times are licentious Athieſts, men of no religion; 'tis neceſ­ſary that I ſhould acquaint the reader with their Principles that relate unto Religion; I do not mean to give an ac­count of their faith, for the men branded with the name of Levellers, are and may be under ſeveral diſpenſati­ons of light and knowledge, in ſpiritual things, in which they do not one judge the other; yet they are all pro­feſſors of the Chriſtian reſormed Religion, and do all agree in theſe general Opinions about Religion, and the power of men over it.

Firſt, They ſay, that all true Religion in men, is found­ed upon the inward conſent of their underſtandings and hearts, to the truths revealed; and that the underſtanding is ſo free, that 'tis not in the power of men to compel it to, or reſtrain it from a conſent; nothing but the irre­fiſtible evidence of a truth, can gain a conſent, and when the evidence is clear to any mans underſtanding, he him­ſelf, (much leſs another howſoever potent) cannot ſo much as ſuſpend an aſſent. Therefore no man can compel another to be religious, or by force or terror conſtrain the People to be of the true Religion.

Secondly, They ſay, that the laſt dictate of every mans un­derſtanding in matters of faith and Gods worſhip, is the laſt voice of God to him, and obligeth him to practice accord­ingly; if a man be erroniouſly informed, yet the miſconcep­tions he hath of truth, bindeth him to practice erroniouſly, and ſhould he reſiſt that ſeeming light, (though it ſhould be in truth darkneſs) his ſin would be much greater, and of worſe conſequence, then if he follows by his actions, his erronious conceptions: Therefore the only means to pro­mote the true Religion under any Government, is to endea­vour rightly to inform the Peoples conſciences, by whoſe dictates God commands them to be guided; And there­fore Chriſt Ordained the preaching of the Goſpel, as the outward means for converting ſouls: Faith coming by hearing; and he alſo Ordained ſpiritual Ordinances for the Conviction, Inſtruction, and puniſhment, of Erronious and Heretical Perſons; the Scripture commanding the Er­ronious to be inſtructed with the Spirit of meekneſs, and ad­moniſhed privately, publickly, &c. And Chriſt never men­tioned any penalties to be inflicted on the bodies or purſes of unbelievers, becauſe of their unbelief.

Thirdly, Levellers ſay, That there are two parts of true Religion, the firſt conſiſts in the right Conceptions and Re­••ptions of God, as he is revealed by Chriſt, and ſincere a­dorations of him in the heart or ſpirit, and the expreſſions or declarations of that worſhip outwardly, in and by the uſe of thoſe Ordinances, that are appointed by Chriſt, for that purpoſe. The ſecond part of it, conſiſts in works of righteouſ­neſs,12 and mercy, towards all men, done in Obedience to the will of God, and in imitation of his Juſtice and goodneſs, to the whole world.

The firſt part being wholly built upon the Foundation of revealed truths, doth in its own nature abſolutely exclude all poſſibility of any mans being Lord of his Brothers faith, unleſs the underſtanding or faith of a Magiſtrate could con­ſtrain the faith or underſtanding of others, to be obedient to his, or rather to be transformed into the likeneſs of his: And therefore therein every man muſt ſtand or fall to his own Maſter, and having done his duty rightly to inform his neighbour, muſt give an account to God of himſelf only.

But the ſecond part of Religion, falls both under the Cognizance or Judgment of man, and the Law-makers, or Magiſtrates power. Chriſt hath taught his followers to judge of mens Religion by their works, by their fruits, ſaith he, ye ſhal know them, for men do not gather Grapes of Thorns. Whoſoever (be it a Court, or an Army, or a ſingle Perſon) pretends to Religion, and yet remains treacherous wherein they are truſted, and continue in the breach of their promi­ſes, and are not conſcientious to do to others as they would that they ſhould do to them, but can without regard to Juſtice, ſeize by force of Arms upon the Peoples rights, due to them by Gods Law of Nature, and their Anceſtors agree­ment; and ſubjects their Perſons, and eſtates, to their wills, or their ambition and covetouſneſs, and make themſelves great by Oppreſſions out of the Peoples purſes; thoſe mens Religion men may clearly judge, being in vain by the Scrip­tures judgment, yea their prayers, and their preaching, as a­bominable in Gods eyes, as were the Faſts, New Moons, and Sabbaths of the Jewes, (which were then alſo Gods Ordi­nances) whilſt their hands were defiled with blood, and op­preſſion, and the works of Righteouſneſs and Mercy neg­lected.

It properly belongs to the Governing Powers, to reſtrain men from Irreligion in this ſecond part of Religion; that is, from injuſtice, Faith-breaking, Cruelty, Oppreſſion, and all other evil Works, that are plainly evil, without the de­vine light of truths that are only revealed; and it is the du­ty13 of Governing Powers, to compel men to this part of Religion, that is, to the outward acts of Juſtice and Mercy; for the inward truth of mens Religion, even in theſe, is beyond the Maſtgiſtrates Power or Judgement.

Fourthly, They ſay, that nothing is more deſtructive to true Religion, nor of worſe conſequence to humane Society, than the quarrels of Nations or Perſons, about their difference of Faith and Worſhip, and the uſe of force and puniſhments, each to com­pel the other to be of his belief. It cannot be denied, that God in his infinite ſecret wiſdom, is pleaſed to cauſe his Spirit to enligh­ten mens minds with ſeveral degrees of Light, and to ſuffer ma­ny to remain in darkneſs, which be afterwards alſo enlightened; and therefore their Faith and Worſhip, if it be ſincere, muſt ne­ceſſarily and unavoidably differ, according to the different root of Light upon which it grows. Surely Babes in Chriſt, and ſtrong men, differ much in their apprehenſions and comprehenſions of the Objects of Faith, and much more thoſe that are not yet born in Chriſt, though appointed unto Regeneration, and it may be inſtructed like Cornelius, in ſome things.

And, as to Opinions about Worſhip, the thoughts of men muſt naturally be different, as the mind of one exceeds another in clearneſs of Light, and capacity of Judging; Now when the moſt powerful party, ſeeks by force & puniſhments, to conſtrain the Governed or Conquered, to ſubſcribe to their Faith and O­pinions, without regard to their own Light or underſtandings; doth it not (as much as is in mans power) baniſh all dependance upon the Spirit of God for light, out of mens minds, and conſtrain them to put out the candle of God within them, that is the light of their own Underſtandings, and induce them for their worldly reſpects and ſafety, to profeſs a Faith, and practice a Worſhip, which they neither do, nor dare underſtand. And by continu­ance to contract a blindneſs of mind, and hardneſs of heart; And is it poſſible to practiſe a deſign more oppoſite to true Reli­gion, and the propagation of it? And it is evident that thoſe of falſe Religions, under a pretence of honouring God, by forcing men to be Religious, have blinded Millions of thouſands with falſe Worſhips. And alſo, that ſuch as have profeſſed the true Religion in ſubſtance, have wickedly oppoſed the further inlight­ning work of the Spirit of God, and cauſed thouſands for fear of14 puniſhments, to reſt ſatisfied in the profeſſion of a Faith and Worſhip, which they underſtand not, and therefore can have no true Religion in them. And Hiſtories will tell plentifully, how pernitions the quarrels grounded only upon difference in mat­ters of Faith, hath been to man-kind, an honeſt pen would trem­ble to relate the Murders, and Maſſacres, the dreadful Wars, and Confuſions, and the Ruins, and Deſolations of Countries, that have been upon this account; and the ſame muſt be to the worlds end, if difference in Opinions about Religions, Worſhip, and matters of Faith, ſhould be admitted to be a ſufficient ground of quarrels; Errors and differences in mens Underſtands, are from natural unavoidable infirmity, which ought not to be the objects of puniſhments, or mens angers; 'tis not more likely, that God ſhould make all mens underſtanding equal in their capacity of Judging, or give to all an equal means or meaſure of know­ledg, then that he ſhould make all mens faces alike. Why then, ſay the Levellers, ſhould any man quarrel at another, whoſe O­pinion or Faith is not like to his; more then at him, whoſe Noſe is not like to his; therefore ſay they, let us be unanimous in ſeeking an eſtabliſhment of equal freedome and ſecurity to the whole People, of the beſt proviſions for commutative and diſtributive Juſtice, without partiality; and of the beſt means of Inſtructing the whole People in the Spirit of love and meekneſs; and then true Religion will increaſe and flouriſh.

I have now faithfully related the ſum of their Principles about Government and Religion, who have been uſually called Level­lers, and Scandalized with deſigns againſt Government and Re­ligion, and Plots, to bring the Nation into Anarchy and Confu­ſion; Let the reader Judge, what colour there is, to ſuſpect thoſe that are thus principled, of ſuch ill deſigns; or rather, whether freedome, juſtice, peace, and happineſs, can be expected in our Nation, if theſe Fundamentals of Government be not aſſerted, vindicated, and practiſed, and made as known and familiar to the People, as our Anceſtors intended the great Charter of the Liberties of England ſhould have been,Stature of 25. Edw. 1. C. 1. when they provided that it ſhould be ſent to every City, and every Cathedral Church, and that it ſhould be read and publiſhed in every County, four times in the year, in full County.

I have only mentioned the Fundamentals, becauſe they claim15 theſe as their Right, and humbly ſubmit the Circumſtantials, as to the number whereof Parliaments ſhould conſiſt, and the man­ner of their Elections, and the order of their debating and reſol­ving of Laws, &c. to the wiſdome of the Parliaments. But the reader may well enquire, how thoſe that have aſſerted theſe Principles, came to be called Levellers, the People believing generally otherwiſe of them, then theſe Principles deſerve. Truly the ſtory is too tedious to relate at large; but the ſum of it is, that in the year 1648, &c. the Army having been in conteſt with ſome members of the long Parliament, they conſtituted a general Council of Officers, and Agitators for the Souldiers, and then fell into debate of Propoſals to be made to the Parliament for a ſettlement, and then ſome of that Council, aſſerted theſe Principles; and the reaſon of them, quickly gained the aſſent of the Major part; but being contrary to the deſigns of ſome that were then Grandees, in the Parliament and Army, (but moſt of them ſince dead) and had reſolved of other things at that time even with the King, who was then at Hampton-Court; it fell in­to debate in a private Cabinet Council, how to ſuppreſs or avoid thoſe that maintained theſe Principles, and it was reſolved, that ſome ill name was fit to be given to the Aſſerters of them, as perſons of ſome dangerous Deſign; and that their reputations being blaſted, they would come to nothing, eſpecially if that general Council were diſſolved; then was that Council diſſolved, and an occaſion taken from that Maxime, that every man ought to be equally ſubject to the Laws, to invent the name of Level­lers; and the King, who was to be frighted into the Iſle of Wight from Hampton-Court, with pretences that the men of theſe Principles in the Army, would ſuddainly ſeize upon his perſon, if he ſtayed there, he was acquainted with thoſe men by the name of Levellers, and was the firſt that ever ſo called them in print, in his declaration left on the table at Hampton-Court, when he ſecretly (as was thought) ſtole away from thence, and thence it was ſuddainly blown abroad, with as much confidence, as if they had believed it that firſt reported it, that a Party of Levellers deſigned to Levell all mens eſtates; and ſince then, the late Lord Protector, knowing theſe Foundations of Freedome, to be inconſiſtant with his Deſigns, hath often mentioned the16 Levellers Plots, with malice, ſcorn, and ſcandal; and now of late generally, whoſoever afferts the Peoples Liberties and right of Government by Law, and not by Will, is branded as a Le­veller, by the Flatterers.

Now I heartily wiſh, that my Country-men, may not be miſtaken in my can­did intentions, in giving them this account; I mean not to Court them as Abſo­lom did his Fathers ſubjects, to make them believe, that thoſe called Levellers, would uſe them better then others, if power were truſted in their hands; for our age hath given me experience, that power to inſlave the People, ought not to be intruſted in any mens hands, upon the faireſt pretences, and moſt ſolemn oaths, that that power ſhall be uſed to eſtabliſh their freedome. And 'tis the Le­vellers Doctrine, that the Government ought to be ſetled upon ſuch equall Foundations of common Right and freedome, that no man, or number of men, in the Nation, ſhould have the power to invade or diſturb the common Free­dome, or the common courſe of impartial juſtice; and therefore that every Authority ought to be of ſmall continuance, and the ſeveral Authorities, to be ſo ballanced each by other, that without ſuch an agreement of men, againſt their own intereſt, as humane prudence, cannot think poſſible, the People cannot ſuffer any common Injury; but my meaning in this, is, only to prevent the diviſion of my Country men into parties, with Animoſitles each againſt others, by the couzenage of names or ſcandals, when it may be they would otherwiſe joyn hands and hearts for their common Rights and Liberties, if they underſtood each others minds, and could converſe each with other without prejudice, be­cauſe of the names whereby each hath uſually called the others. 'Tis a thred bare plot of Tyrants to divide the People into parties, that they may the more eaſily maſter them; but I wiſh that my Country-men would unite in the equall Prin­ciples of common right, and hearken to reaſon with clearneſs of mind, whoſoever offers it, not regarding whether he that ſpeakes it, is called a Leveller, or a Se­ctary, or an Anabapitſt, or a Presbiter, or a Cavileir, bu•conſidering what he ſayes; and then the number of hands to defend our Liberties, and properties, would be ſo numerous, that the ambition of one, or a few, could not hope for ſucceſſe in attempting a Tyranny over us. And if this poor Paper may have ſuch an effect, that my Country men be not deluded with the idle ſcandal of Levelling, caſt upon honeſt men, into an oppoſition of their own welfare, I and many that agree in the publication of this, ſhall have our ends.

Conſider therefore what you here read, and the Lord make you underſtand the things that conduce to your Peace, and Freedom, and the glorifying his Name in righteouſneſs, in this Nation.