ENGLISH SOLDIERS STANDARD 1649 LEVELLERS Walwyn LIBERTY Civil War IRISH FREEDOM

In these doleful back-sliding Times. To be read by every honest Officer. To his Souldiers; and by the Souldiers.

Printed in the Yeer, 1649. This rare pamphlet has been completely rebound in modern half red calf, with gilt titles. The boards are a little bowed, else the binding is good and firm.

Internally, there are modern endpapers and blanks to the front and rear. The endpapers and leaves adjacent to text are a bit foxed. The leaves are a little toned with a couple of little grubby marks. In this setting, line 7 of title reads: understanding.

ESTC states: Annotation on Thomason copy: Aprill 9th. ESTC records only 6 copies in UK. Following the publication of Lilburne's'England's New Chains Discovered', and the subsequent arrest of Lilburne and his fellow Leveller's William Walwyn, Thomas Prince and Richard Overton were arrested for treason. Walwyn is generally credited with writing this famous tract while still imprisoned in the Tower. In it he calls for a new engagement between the rank and file of the army, and those in command. And he famously states his case for English liberty, and controversially, for Irish freedom.

For consider, as things now stand, to what end you should hazard your lives for the Irish: have you not been fighting these seven years in England for rights and liberties, that you are yet deluded of? And that too, when as none can hinder you of them but your own officers, under whom you have fought? And will you go on still to kill, slay and murder men, to make them as absolute lords and masters over Ireland as you have made them over England? Or to fill their prisons with poor disabled prisoners, to fill their land with swarms of beggars...

Or if you intend not this, or would be sorry to see no better effects of your undertakings, it certainly concerns you in the first place, and before you go, to see these evils reformed here; that when occasion shall justly invite you thither, you may carry a good platform in your hands, such a one as possibly they will never fight against. All our books, will be carefully and securely packaged. Your item is fully refundable without question. We aim to give detailed and accurate descriptions, and have established a reputation for honesty, quality and reliability, which we hope to continue. We are very approachable and want to make this a pleasant experience.

The item "ENGLISH SOLDIERS STANDARD 1649 LEVELLERS Walwyn LIBERTY Civil War IRISH FREEDOM" is in sale since Wednesday, April 1, 2020. This item is in the category "Books, Comics & Magazines\Antiquarian & Collectable".

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Non-Fiction Subject: History & Military
Year Printed: 1649
Binding: Hardback
Original/Reproduction: Original
Original/Facsimile: Original
Language: English
Place of Publication: LONDON
Special Attributes: 1st Edition