Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction: the English Levellers, 1645–1649
- Chronological table
- Bibliographical note
- Notes on the texts
- Leveller texts
- 1 ‘On the 150th page’: An untitled broadsheet of August 1645
- 2 Toleration justified and persecution condemned. 29 January 1646
- 3 Postscript to The freeman's freedom vindicated. 16 June 1646
- 4 A remonstrance of many thousand citizens. 7 July 1646
- 5 An arrow against all tyrants. 12 October 1646
- 6 Gold tried in the fire. 4 June 1647
- 7 Several hands, An agreement of the people for a firm and present peace upon grounds of common right and freedom. 28 October 1647
- 8 Members of the New Model Army and civilian Levellers, Extract from the debates at the General Council of the Army, Putney. 29 October 1647
- 9 The petition of 11 September 1648
- 10 England's new chains discovered. 26 February 1649
- 11 A manifestation. 14 April 1649
- 12 An agreement of the free people of England. 1 May 1649
- 13 The young men's and the apprentices' outcry. 29 August 1649
- Select biographies
- Index
- Title in the series
12 - An agreement of the free people of England. 1 May 1649
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction: the English Levellers, 1645–1649
- Chronological table
- Bibliographical note
- Notes on the texts
- Leveller texts
- 1 ‘On the 150th page’: An untitled broadsheet of August 1645
- 2 Toleration justified and persecution condemned. 29 January 1646
- 3 Postscript to The freeman's freedom vindicated. 16 June 1646
- 4 A remonstrance of many thousand citizens. 7 July 1646
- 5 An arrow against all tyrants. 12 October 1646
- 6 Gold tried in the fire. 4 June 1647
- 7 Several hands, An agreement of the people for a firm and present peace upon grounds of common right and freedom. 28 October 1647
- 8 Members of the New Model Army and civilian Levellers, Extract from the debates at the General Council of the Army, Putney. 29 October 1647
- 9 The petition of 11 September 1648
- 10 England's new chains discovered. 26 February 1649
- 11 A manifestation. 14 April 1649
- 12 An agreement of the free people of England. 1 May 1649
- 13 The young men's and the apprentices' outcry. 29 August 1649
- Select biographies
- Index
- Title in the series
Summary
A preparative to all sorts of people
If afflictions make men wise and wisdom direct to happiness, then certainly this nation is not far from such a degree thereof as may compare, if not far exceed, any part of the world, having for some years by-past drunk deep of the cup of misery and sorrow. We bless God our consciences are clear from adding affliction to affliction, having ever laboured from the beginning of our public distractions to compose and reconcile them, and should esteem it the crown of all our temporal felicity that yet we might be instrumental in procuring the peace and prosperity of this commonwealth, the land of our nativity. And therefore according to our promise in our late Manifestation of 14 April 1649, being persuaded of the necessity and justness thereof as a peace-offering to the free people of this nation, we tender this ensuing Agreement, not knowing any more effectual means to put a final period to all our fears and troubles.
It is a way of settlement, though at first much startled at by some in high authority, yet, according to the nature of truth, it hath made its own way into the understanding and taken root in most men's hearts and affections, so that we have real ground to hope – whatever shall become of us – that our earnest desires and endeavours for good to the people will not altogether be null and frustrate.
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- The English Levellers , pp. 168 - 178Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1998
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