Thursday, 2 April 2009

from Abiezer Coppe, 1649

And maugre the subtilty, and sedulity, the craft and cruelty of hell, and earth: this Levelling shall up.
Not by sword; we (holily) scorne to fight for anything; we had as live be dead drunk every day of the weeke, and lye with whores i'th the market place, and account these as good actions as taking the poore abused, enslaved ploughmans money from him (who is almost everywhere undone, and squeezed to death; and not so much as that plaguy, unsupportable, hellish burden, and oppression, of Tythes taken off his shoulders, notwithstanding all his honesty fidelity, Taxes, Freequarter, petitioning etc. for the same,) we had rather starve, I say then take away his money from him, for killing of men.

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