AN Appeal to the House of Commons , Desiring their ANSVVER ; Whether the Common-People shall have the quiet enjoyment of the Commons and Waste Lands : Or whether they shall be under the will of Lords of Mannors still . SIRS ,

THe cause of this our Presentment before you , is , An Appeal to you , desiring you to demonstrate to us , and the whole Land , the equity , or not equity of our cause ; And that you would either cast us by just reason under the feet of those we call Task-Masters , or Lords of Mannors , or else to deliver us out of their Tyrannical hands : In whose hands , by way of Arrest , we are for the present , for a Trespass to them , as they say , In digging upon the Common-Land . The setling whereof , according to Equity and Reason , wil quiet the mindes of the oppressed people ; it will be a keeping of our Nationall Covenant ; it will be peace to your selves , and make England the most flourishing , and strongest Land in the 〈◊〉 and the first of Nations that shall begin to give up their Crown and Scepter , their Dominion and Government into the hands of Jesus Christ .

The cause is this , we , amongst others of the common peopl●● that have been ever friends to the Parliament , as we are 〈◊〉 red our enemies wil witness to it , have plowed and dig'd upon Georges Hill in Surrey , to sow corn for the succour of man , offering no offence to any , but do carry our selves in love and peace towards all having no intent to meddle with any mans inclosures , or propriety , til it be freely given to us by themselves , but only to improve the Commons and waste Lands to our best advantage , for the relief of our selves and others , being moved thereunto by the Reason hereafter following , not expecting any to be much offended , in regard the cause is so just and upright .

Yet notwithstanding , there be three men ( called by the people Lords of Manors ) viz. Thomas Lord Wenman , Ralph Ve●ny Knight , and Richard Winwood Esquire , have arrested 〈◊〉 for a trespass in digging upon the Commons , and upon the Arrest we made our appearance in Kingstone Court , where we understood we were arrested for medling with other mens Rights ; and secondly , they were incouraged to arrest us upon your Act of Parliament ( as they tell us ) to maintain the old Laws ; we desired to plead our own cause , the Court denied us ▪ and to fee a Lawyer we cannot , for divers reasons , as we may shew hereafter .

Now Sirs , our case is this , for we appeal to you , for you are the only men that we are to deal withall in this business ▪ Whether the common people , after all their taxes , free-quarter , and loss of blood to recover England from under the Norman yoak shal have the freedom to improve the Comon● , and waste Lands free to themselves , as freely their own , as the Inclosures are the propriety of the elder brothers ? Or whether the Lords of Manors shall have them , according to their old Custom from the Kings Will and Grant , and so remain Task-Masters still over us which 〈◊〉 the peoples slavery 〈◊〉 Conquest .

We have made our appeal 〈◊〉 , to settle this matter in the Equity and Reason of it , and to pass the sentence of freedom to us you being the men with whom we have to do in this business , in whose hands there is power to settle it , for no Court can end this controversie ▪ but your Court of Parliament , as the case of this Nation now stands .

Therefore we 〈◊〉 you to read over this following Declaration , wherein we have declared our Reason , that the Commons and waste lands is the common peoples , and that in equity you ought to let them quietly enjoy them , as the elder brothers quietly enjoy their inclosures . The profit of this business to the Nation , the quitting of the hearts of the poor oppressed that are groaning under burthens and streights and the peace of your own hearts , to see the peare of the Nation setled in his plat-form , will much countervail the spending of so much time .

Sirs , you know , that the Land of England in the land of our Nativity , both yours and ours , and all of us by the righteous Law of our Creation , ought to have food and rayment freely by our righteous labouring of the earth , without working for hire , or paying rent one to another .

But since the fall of man from that righteous Law . The Nations of the world have rise up in variance one against another , and sought against murdered , and stoln the land of their Nativity one from another , and by their power of their conquests , have 〈◊〉 set up some to rule in tyranny over others , and thereby have enslaved the conquered , which is a burden the whole Creation hath , and yet does groane under . The teeth of all Nations hath been set on edge by this four grape , the covetous murdering sword .

England , you know , hath been conquered and enslaved divers times , and the best Laws that England hath , ( viz. Magna Charta ) were got by our Forefathers importunate petitioning unto the Kings , that stil were their Task-masters ; and yet these best laws are yoaks and manicles , tying one sort of people to be slaves to another ; Clergy and Gentry have 〈◊〉 their freedom , but the common people stil are , and have been left servants to work for 〈◊〉 like the Israilites under the Egyptian Task masters .

The last enslaving yoak that England groaned under , ( and yet is not freed from ) was the Norman , as you know ; and since William the Conqueror came in , about six hundred years ago , all the Kings that stil succeeded , did confirm the old laws ▪ or else make new ones , to uphold that Norman conquest over us ; and the most favouring laws that we have , doth stil binde the hands of the enslaved English from enjoying the freedom of their creation .

You of the Gentry , as wel as we of the Comonalty , all groaned under the burden of the bad Government , and burdening laws under the late King Charls , who was the last successor of William the Conqueror : you and we cried for a Parliament , and a Parliament was called , and wars , you know , presently begun , between the King , that represented William the Conqueror , and the body of the English people that were enslaved .

We looked upon you to be our chief Councel , to agitate business for us , though you were summoned by the Kings Writ , and chosen by the Free-holders , that are the successors of William the Conquerors souldiers ; you saw the danger so great , that without a war England was like to be more enslaved , therefore you called upon us to assist you with plate , 〈◊〉 , freequarter , and our persons ; and you promised us , in the name of the Almighty , to make us a free people ; 〈◊〉 on you and we took the National Covenant with joynt consent , to endeavour the freedom , peace and safety of the people of England .

And you and we joyned purse and person together in this common cause ; and Wil the Conquerors successor , which was Charls , was cast out ; and thereby we have recovered our selves from under that Norman yoak ; and now unless you and we be meerly besotted with covetousness , pride , and slavish fear of men , it is , and will be our wisdom to cast out all those enslaving laws , which was the Tyrannical power that the 〈◊〉 ●rest as down by : O shut not your eyes against the light , darken nor knowledg , by dispute about 〈◊〉 mens priviledges , when universal freedom is brought to be tried before you , dispute no further when truth appears , but be silent , and practise it .

Stop not your ears against the secret mourning of the oppressed , under these expressions , lest the Lord see it , and be offended , and shut his ears against your cries , and work a deliverance for his waiting people some other way then by you .

The maine thing that you should look upon is the Land , which calls upon her children to be freed from the entanglement of the Norman Task-masters , for one third part lies waste and barren , and her children starve for want , in regard the Lords of Manors will not suffer the poor to manure it .

When William the Conqueror came in , he took the land from the English , both the Enclosures from the Gentry , and the Commons and waste lands from the common people , and gave our land to his Norman souldiers .

Therefore seeing we have with joynt consent of purse and person conquered his successor , Charls , and the power now is in your hand , the Nations Representative ; O let the first thing you do , be this , to set the land free . Let the Gentry have their inclosures free from all Norman enslaving intanglements whatsoever , and let the common people have their Commons and waste lands set free to them , from all Norman enslaving Lords of Mannors , that so both elder and younger brother , as we spring successively one from another , may live free and quiet one by , and with another , not burthening one another in this land of our Nativity .

And this thing you are bound to see done , or at least to endevor it , before another Representative succeed you ; otherwise you cannot discharge your trust to God and man , for these Reasons ,

First , if you free not the Land from entanglement of all Norman yoaks , or ●●ther bondages , so that the people 〈◊〉 well as another may enjoy the benefit of their 〈…〉 to have the land free to work upon , that they may eate their bread in righteousness ; that is to say , let the Freeholders have there freedom to work quietly in their Inclosures , and let the common people have their Commons and waste lands 〈◊〉 to themselves . If you establish not this seeing power now is in your hand , you will be the first that break Covenant with Almighty God .

For you swore in your National Covenant to endeavour a Reformation according to the Word of God , which Reformation is to restore us to that Primative freedom in the earth , in which the earth was first made and given to the sons of men , and that is to be a common treasury of livelihood to all , without working for hire , or paying rent to any , for this is the Reformation according to the Word of God before the fall of man , in which there is no respect of persons .

And seeing in particular you swore to endeavour the freedom , peace and safety of this people of England , shutting out no sort from freedom ; therefore you cannot say that the Gentry and Clergy were only comprehended , but without exception , all sorts of people in the land are to have freedom , seeing all sorts have assisted you in person and purse , and the common people more especially , seeing their estates were weakest , and their misery in the wars the greatest .

Therefore let the Gentry and Freeholders have their inclosures freed from all entanglements of Fines , Heriots and other burdens , and let the common people have their Commons and waste lands freed from entanglements of the Norman Lords of Mannors , and pluck up all Norman Tyranny by the roots , and so keep your Covenant that you , and all 〈◊〉 of people may live in peace one among another .

Secondly , if this freedom be not granted quietly , you will pull the blood and cries of the poor oppressed upon heads ; First , because you have taken their money in taxes , and freequarter from them , whereby they are made worse able to live then before the wars . Secondly , because in your low estate , when you called upon us to come and help a bleeding dying Nation , and we did come with purse and person , and under-went great hardship , and you stil promised us freedom in the end , if in case you and we prevailed over the Norman successor , and we have prevailed .

And if now , while the price is in your hand , you should stil leave us under the Norman Lords of Manors , and will not quietly suffer us to plant our selves upon the Commons , and waste land , which is ours by the law of our Creation , and which is ours now by conquest from under our oppressor , for which we have paid taxes , given free-quarter , and adventured our lives ; the Common-land now is as freely the common peoples , as you can say the Inclosures are your propriety .

If you deny this freedom , then you justly pull the blood and cries of the poor oppressed upon you , and are Covenant-breakers , and wil be proved double hypocrites : First , to Almighty God , in breaking Covenant with him , for in his Name you made the Covenant . Secondly , to men , in breaking Covenant with them , for the matter of the Covenant was the freedom , peace , and safety of the people of England , taking in all sorts of people .

Thirdly , if you do not set us free from the Norman yoake , now after you have taken our Taxes and Free-quarter from us , whereby we have dearly bought our Freedom , and you thereupon promised freedom , and you have power now to give it , for if you speak the word the Norman yoaks will be broke , and all sorts will rejoyce in freedom and righteousness ; but if you will not , you give a just occasion to the common people of England , never to trust the fair words of a Parliament any more , as you were alwayes very slow in trusting the King , when he swore by the word of a King , because you found that subtilty and Self lay under , and no reality .

And truly the hearts of people are much falling from you , for your breach of Promises when you have power to keep them , and for your neglect of giving them their freedom , and removing burthens ; and what danger may ensue by that to your selves , and the Nations , you know how to judg ; and for our parts we are sorry to hear the muttering of the people against you .

O that there were a heart in you to consider of these things , and act righteousnesse , how sweetly might you and the people live together : If you grant this freedom we speak of , you gain the hearts of the Nation ; if you neglect this , you will fall as fast in their affections as ever you rise : I speak what I see , and do you observe ; slight not that love that speaks feelingly , from the sence of the Nations burdens .

Fourthly , if still you should establish the old Norman laws , and confirm Lords of Manors in their ancient Custom , and oppressing power over the Common-people , you would now at length , after the wars with King Charls are over , take part with such ( as is known very well ) as have been either flat enemies , or ambidexters all along the wars , and will cast such as have been your true friends at the feet of the Nations enemies , to be still oppressed by their cruelty . Surely if these Lords and Free-holders have their Inclosures established to them in peace , is not that freedom enough ? Must they needs have the Common land likewise ? As Ahab , that was restlesse till he had Naboths Vineyard , and so in the midst of their abundance , yet will eat the bread out of the poores mouthes . O , the land mourns in her children , under the hard hearted covetousnesse of these men .

Fifthly , If you establish the old Norman laws , That Lords of Manors shall still have the Commons and waste lands , then you are the maintainers of the old Norman Murder and Theft still ; for Lords of Manors came to be Tyrants over the poor enslaved English , by the Murder and Theft of William the Conqu●rour , and downwards to this day they have held title to their Royalties therefrom , and from the will of the King ; for when he had conquered , he turned the English out , and gave their land to his Norman souldiers .

Sixthly , If you establish the old Norman laws , and this especially ▪ That the Lords of Manors shall still be Lords of the Common land and the Common people be still enslaved to them , then you pull the guilt of King Charles his blood upon your own heads ; for then it will appear to the view of all men , That you cut off the Kings head , that you might establish your selves in his Chair of Government , and that your aym was not to throw down Tyranny , but the Tyrant . But alas , the Kings blood was not our burthen , it was those oppressing Norman laws , whereby he enslaved us , that we groaded under .

Let it not be said in the ears of posterity , That the Gentry of England assembled in Parliament , proved Covenant-breakers , Oaths , Protestations , and promise brekkers to God , and the Common people , after their own turn was served ; and killed the King for his power and government , as a thief kils a true man for his money . I do not say you have done so , but for shame dally no longer , but cut off the bad laws , with the Kings head , and let the poor oppressed go free , as well as the Gentry and Clergy , and you will finde more peace . Let the Common land be set free , break the Norman yoak of Lords of Manors ; and pull not the cryes and blood of the poor oppressed upon you

Seventhly , Know this , That if ever you , or any Parliament of England , do England good , you must make all your laws in the light of equity and reason , respecting the freedom of all sorts of people ; but if you respect some sort of people , to wit , the Gentry , and Clergy , and give freedom to them ; for they , by vertue of your Act of Parliament , establishing the old Norman laws , do arrest and trouble me and others , for digging upon the Commons , whereas by vertue of the Victory over the King , in regard I have to my estate given free quarter and taxes for Englands liberty , as they have done , I have as much right to the Common land as they ; therefore I say , if the Gentry and Clergy must have their Norman power established to them , and the Common people , that are more considerable for number and necessities , be left still under the yoak , you will be proved the foolish builders .

Surely if you found out the Court of Wards to be a burden , and freed Lords of Mannors , and Gentry from paying Fines to the King ; and freed their children from the slavery of falling Ward ; Let the common People be set free too from paying homage to Lords of Manors ; and let all sorts have freedome by vertue of this Conquest over the Norman successor● And seeing you took away the will of the King from enslaving Lords of Mannors , Take away the will of Lords of Mannors from enslaving the Common People .

Thus sirs , we have made our Appeal to you , as the only men that must and can give sentence of freedome in this controversie , and that you will not leave us in the cruell hands of Lords of Mannors , the successors of the Norman Task-masters ; For there are but three wayes that Lords of Man●●● can lay claime to the Common land , and yet all three are too weak to build a just title upon :

First , if they can prove , that the Earth was made by Almighty God peculiarly for them , and not for others equall with them , then we have trespassed in digging upon their rights ; but the Earth was made as free for us as for them ; therefore they have trespassed against us their fellow-creatures , in troubling us by their tyrannicall Arrest , and hindering us from our righteous labor .

Secondly , if they say , that others sold or gave them the title to the Commons , by way of Inheritance ; They are to prove by what Authority any other had from the pure Law of our Creation , to give away or sell the Earth from the use of any of their fellow creatures , it being the common store-house of livelihood for all , without respect of persons .

He that sels the Earth , and he that buyes , doth remove the land-mark from the third person , because the land that is bought and sold , belongs to the third man , as well as to the other two that buys and sels ; and they two persons that buys and sels , and leaves the land that is bought for an inheritance to their children , excluding others , they murder the third man , because they steal away his livelihood from him ; for after a man hath bought the land , and paid money for it to another , he saith , this is my land , I have paid for it : But the third man comes in , and saith , the land is mine , equall with you by the law of Creation ; And so he that is the buyer , he begins to draw his sword , and to fight ; and if he conquer , he rejoyces , and sayes , the land is now mine indeed , I have bought , and I have conquered . But thou coverous person , so long as there is another man in the world besides thee , and him whom thou hast killed , the Earth belongs to him as well as to thee ; And this is the case of the Nations of the world , and thus propriety came in , and hath been left as an Inheritance to Children ; which is the burden the Creation groans under .

Here we see who are thieves and murderers ; even the buyers and sellers of land , with her fruits , these are they that take away another mans right from him ; and that overthrowes righteous propriety , to uphold particular propriety , which covetousnes the God of this world hath set up .

But thirdly , if Lords of Manors say , as it is truth , that they hold title to the Commons by custome , from the Kings will , as they do , this is as bad as the other ; for we know the King came in by conquest , and gave the land to these forefathers , to be task-masters over the conquered English . But if you say , that these later Kings were chosen by the people , it is possible it might be so , but surely it was when his greatness over-awed them , or else they would never have chosen him to enslave them , and to set task-masters over them .

But seeing the Common People have joyned person and purse with you , to recover your selves from under the tyranny of Kings , and have prevailed ; the Common people now have more truer title to the common lands , then the Lords of Manors , for they held title by Conquest and sword of the King ( we now the common people have recovered the land again by conquest and sword in casting out the King ) so that the title of Lords of Manors is broke .

Therefore now the Common people have more true title to the Common land , then Lords of Manors have , in regard they have recovered themselves out of slavery by taxes , free quarter , and conquest , yet we shut them not out , but let them take part with us as fellow creatures , and we with them , and so honour our Creator in the work of his own hands .

Thus we have declared our Cause without flattery to you ; if you leave us in the hands of oppression , and under the power of the old tyrannicall laws , know this , that we suffer in pursute of o●● Nationall Covenant , endeavouring a Reformation in our place and calling , according to the word of God , and you shall be left without excuse .

Set the Land free from Oppression , And righteousnesse will be the Laws , Government , and strength of that People .

These are some of the NORMAN Laws which William the Conqueror brought into ENGLAND .

FIrst , he turned the English out of their Lands , and placed his Norman Souldiers therein , and made those that had the greatest portion , Lords , and Barons , and gave them a Royalty to the Commons , to hold from his Will , as a custome , whereby the common people should not plant themselves anywhere in the Land , upon any Common-land , but some Lord of Manor or other should know of it , and hinder them , as these three that have arrested us , viz. Wonman , Verny , and Winwood , Lord , Knight , and Esquire , the three Estates of the Norman Gentry , will not suffer us to dig quietly upon Georges Hill , but seek to drive us off , having no more claim thereunto but an ancient Custom , which they hold from the Kings Will , where by they have , and stil would tyrannize over the people : And this is the rise and standing of Lords of Manors .

Secondly , another Norman Law is this ▪ William the Conqueror caused the Laws to be written in the Norman and French tongue ; and then appointed his own Norman people to expound and interpret those Laws , and appointed the English people to pay them 〈◊〉 Fee for their paines , and from hence came in the trade of Lawyers ; he commanded likewise that noman should plead his owncause , but those Lawyers should do it for them .

Thirdly , William the Conqueror broke that good and quiet course of ending contro● versies in a neighbourhood , and commanded the people to come up to Westminster ster to the four Terms every year to have their Causes tried .

Fourthly , William the Conquer or brought in the paying of Tithes to the Clergy , in thankfulness to the Pope , and Clergies good services in preaching for him , and so to perswade the people to embrace him .

These are some of the Norman Laws and Burthens , which if removed , it would be much ease and quiet to this Nation .

FINIS .