UPon the 19 of this instant Aprill, 1649. the Councell of State received infor­mation that one Mr. Everard formerly of the Army, who calls himself profit, with others, came severall dayes last week to St. Georges Hill in Surrey, and began to dig, then to sowing the ground with Parsnips, Carrets, and Beanes; their number increase every day, they began with five, and are now about fifty, but they say they wil shortly be above five thousand: They have prepared [Page 2] Seed Corn, and intend to plow up the ground in Oat­lands park, Windsor park, and other places, and to levell the pales, &c. inviting all to come in, and promise them meat, and drink, and clothes, declaring to the people, that they will shortly make them come up to the Hills and work; and threaten the people, that if they let their Cattell come in amongst them, they will cut off their usurping heads, and the four-footed legs. For,

Upon the 20, of this instant, the said Mr. Everard and one Wistanly came to White-Hall to give his Ex­cellency an account of their proceedings in digging up the grounds on St. Georges [...] as aforesaid, Everard, declared, That he was of the Race of the Jewes, & that all the liberties of the people were lost by the coming in of William the Conquerour and that ever since, the people of God have lived unde [...] tyranny and oppressi­on, worse then that of our forefathers under the Egip­tians.

But now the time of deliverance was at hand, and God would bring his people out of this savery and restore them their freedoms in the enjoying the [...] and benefits of the Earth: And that there had lat [...]ly appeared a Vision to him, which bade him [...] dig, and plow the Earth and rec [...]ive the [...]r [...] [...] And that their intent is to [...]ore the [...] former Condition: And that as God [...] make the barren ground fr [...]tfull. So [...] did, was to renew the ancient Com [...] [...] Joying the fruits of the Earth, and to [...] [...] nefits thereof to the poor and Needy [...] [...] gry, [Page 3] and to cloath the naked; And that they intend not to meddle with any mans propriety, nor to breake down any pailes or Inclosures, but onely to meddle with what was common and untilled, and to make it fruitfull for the use of man. But that the time would suddenly be that all men should willingly come in, and give up their Lands and Estates, and willing to submit to this Community; and for those which shall come in, and work, they shall have meat, drink, and clothes, which is all that is necessary for the life of man; and that for money there was not any need of it, nor of any clothes more then to cover their nakednesse; and that they will not defend themselvei by arms, but will sub­mit unto Authority, and wait till the promised oppor­tunity be offered, which they conceived to be neere at hand: and that as their fore-fathers lived in Tents, so it would be suitable to their condition now to live in the same.

Here (they say) they are resolved to stand, and do account their fore fathers principles, a perfect Rule and Standard for them to walk by.

It is observeable, That while Everard and Wistanley stood before the Lord Generall they stood with their Hats on, and being demanded the reason, said, Hee was but their fellow Creature: Being askt the meaning of that place, Give honour to whom honour is due. They see­med to be offended, and said, That their mouths should be stopped who gave them that offence.

[Page 4] WHereas by order of the late Lord Major of the City of London, and the Commissioners, a precept or order came to the Deputy and Common-councell men of the Ward of Walbrook, requiring them to call to their assistance, such able persons as they shall think meet, to assess upon the Inhabitants of their Ward, the sum of 50 l. which was in arrears of the 4. former assesments of the 12, 10, 6, & 4 months, for the L. Gen. Fairfax his army, the Common counsell men in obedience to that precept, did call to assistance 8. other persons Inhabitants in their Ward, for the more qual rating and assessing of the aforesaid sum, and af­er long and serious consultation and debate, did finde that the real estates, viz. the Rents of houses had not been rated at all, or not considerable in those 4 assesse­ments; did therefore adjudge it, to be just to lay some considerable part of the 500. l. upon the aforesaid Rents, and they also finding that the Assessors in those 4 assesments had exceeding overrated the poor people of small estates, and also had exceedingly under rated themselves, and the men of great Estates in the Ward. The now Common councell men finding this great partiality and inequality, did Judge it just before God, and all just men, to lay the greatest part of that which remained and not laid on the real estates, upon those of great estates that had bin so much under-rated, that if the rich men had bin rated, proportionably to those of small estates, there would have bin little or none of those arrears, judging it very unjust and contrary to Gods command, to and oppression to oppression, also contrary to the true intent and meaning of the Ordinan­ces of parl. Having taken this course for the more spe­dy [Page 5] getting in of the aforesaid arrears, & also to prevent future arrears, did finish the books, and according to order sent them in. But upon the complaint of some of the War [...], together with such of the Comoncoun­cel as were assessors of those unequal assesments, to the Lord Mayor and Commis. We the now assessors were sent for before them, and notwithstanding we made it clear to the commis. that we had so assessed it as was most agreeable to Gods command to take of heavy burdens, & to relieve the oppressed, which we also de­clared was the true intent and meaning of the Ordi. of parl. & also discharge our trust; yet were we overaw­ed and commanded to take the book & alter it, to take off from the rich, and to lay it on such as wee knew to be over rated before, and yet had paid which we judg­ed unreasonable, we also told the Aldermen, that their evill example in rating themselves so low in every assesment upon occasion that no rich men in any Ward, would be rated proportionably to the estates, & did plead & do still plead that an Alderman was but so much, & should they be rated equal­ly with, or more then an Ald. We also told them that we did expect that as it was their duty so they would have given us incommand all the assessors of every Ward in London, to have considered such as had bin over-rated to have eased them, & also such as had been under rated, to have laid the more on them. This was much stood upon and by some answred with bitter expressions, and angry countenances; but our conclusi­ons was with them thus, That we did hope in the sincerity o [...] our hearts we had obeyed Gods [...] demand, in taking oft hea­vy burdens and in relieving of some of the oppressed and let­ting others that were more oppressed go free, and that if they (the Commissioners) did lay those burdens on again, the sin should lie at their doors, and they should answer for if we had di [...]charged our trust. We know it to be just, that he that is worth 1000. l. should be rated ten times so much as hee that [Page 6] is worth 100. l. and so proportionably from the least estate to the greatest, and he that hath the greatest estate hath the grea­test advantage by this Rule of proportion, and if the Wards men be wise in their elections of common councell men, let them look upon such as are godly, wise men, of the middle rank of men, and make choice of such men they will find will act most and best for them and the publique. What injustice, unequality, and oppression hath bin used and exercised upon the poor and men of small estates in all former assesments, the like hath been in a great measure in every Ward in levying men and armes to attend their Captains and Commanders in the Trayned Bands, as an Alderman, or great rich man to send three men and peradventure sends but one, it may be none at all; when a poor man of small estate shall go forth, and find his own armes; this is also a great injustice and op­pression,

Letters from Sir Charles Coot in Ireland, say That he is straightly besieged in London-Derry, and unlesse hee have speedy relief, he wil be forced to surrender upon mercy. Dublin is in great distress, and col. Monk in the North even at the last gasp: But several Regiments of Horse and Foot are now designed for their relief, and the Councel of the Army to avoid all differences, re­solved, that lots should be cast for those Regiments that were to goe, and accordingly on Friday last, the Colonels of each Regiments casting, the Lots fel upon those Regiments to go, viz.

Of Foot, Colonel Ewers, Col. Cooks, Col. Deans, Col. Hewsons. Of Horse, Commissary Gen. Ireton, Major Gen. Lamberts, Col. Scroops, Col. Harloes.

Of Col. Okey's Dragoons, five Troops, viz. Major Abbots, Capt. Mercers, Capt. Fulchars, Cap. Boltars, and Captain Garlands.