In 1649 Gerrard Winstanley and 14 others published a pamphlet in which they called themselves the ""True Levellers"" although once they began to put those beliefs into practice they soon became known by supporters and opponents as ""Diggers."" The Diggers' beliefs envisioned an ecological interrelationship between humans and nature, acknowledging the inherent connections between people and their surroundings. Winstanley declared that ""true freedom lies where a man receives his nourishment and preservation, and that is in the use of the earth."" In April 1649 several Diggers had begun to plant vegetables in common land on St George's Hill, Weybridge, Surrey at a time when food prices reached an all-time high. They had invited ""all to come in and help them, and promise them meat, drink, and clothes.""

In 'The Digger Movement in the Days of the Commonwealth' by Lewis Henry Berens, the author delves into a pivotal moment in English history when a group of radical agrarian communists, known as the Diggers, emerged during the tumultuous period of the Commonwealth. Berens meticulously examines the events and ideologies surrounding this movement, providing a scholarly account of their struggles and beliefs. Written in a clear and insightful manner, the book offers valuable insights into the socio-political landscape of the time, shedding light on the impact of the Digger Movement on society. Berens' work is a compelling blend of historical analysis and literary exploration, making it an essential read for those interested in the era of the English Commonwealth and the radical movements that arose during this period. As an esteemed historian and scholar, Berens brings a depth of knowledge and understanding to the subject, offering readers a comprehensive look at this lesser-known aspect of English history.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Intellectual history and early modern history have always occupied an important place in Past and Present. First published in 1974, this volume is a collection of original articles and debates, published in the journal between 1953 and May 1973, dealing with many aspects of the intellectual history of the seventeenth century. Several of the contributions have been extremely influential, and the debates represent major standpoints in controversies over genesis of modern ideas. Although England is the focus of attention for most of the contributors, their themes have wider significance. Among the topics covered in the collection are the political thought of the Levellers and of James Harrington; radical social movements of the Puritan Revolution; the ideological context of physiological theories associated with William Harvey; the relationship between science and religion and the social relations of science; and the function of millenariansim and eschatology in the seventeenth century. The editor’s Introduction indicates the context in which the articles were composed and provides valuable bibliographical information about the subjects discussed.