Thursday 2 April 2009

from Abiezer Coppe, 1649

O ye rulers, etc. Be instructed, etc. Kisse the Sunne, etc. Yea, Kisse Beggars, Prisoners, warme them, feed them, cloathe them, money them, relieve them, release them, take them into your houses, don't serve them as dogs, without doore. etc.
Owne them, they are flesh of your flesh, your owne brethren, your own Sisters, every whit as good (and if I should stand in competition with you) in some degrees better than yourselves.
Once more, I say, own them; they are your self, make them one with you, or else go howling into hell; howle for the miseries that are coming upon you, howle.
The very shadow of levelling, sword-levelling, man-levelling, frighted you, (and who, like your selves, can blame you, because it shook your Kingdome?) but now the substantiality of levelling is coming.

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