In 1649 | E | |
To St. Georges Hill | B | |
A ragged band they called the Diggers | A | |
Come to show the peoples will | E | |
They defied the landlords | E | |
They defied the law | B | |
They were the dispossessed | A | |
Reclaiming what was theirs | B E |
'We come in peace' they said | ||
'To dig and sow | ||
We come to work the land in common | ||
And to make the waste land grow | ||
This earth divided | ||
We will make whole | ||
So it can be | ||
A common treasury for all |
The sin of property | ||
We do disdain | ||
No one has any right to buy and sell | ||
The earth for private gain | ||
By theft and murder | ||
They took the land | ||
Now everywhere the walls | ||
Rise up at their command |
They make the laws | ||
To chain us well | ||
The clergy dazzle us with heaven | ||
Or they damn us into hell | ||
We will not worship | ||
The God they serve | ||
The God of greed who feeds the rich | ||
While poor men starve |
We work, we eat together | ||
We need no swords | ||
We will not bow to masters | ||
Or pay rent to the lords | ||
We are free men | ||
Though we are poor | ||
You diggers all stand up for glory | ||
Stand up now |
From the men of property | ||
The orders came | ||
They sent the hired men and troopers | ||
To wipe out the Diggers' claim | ||
Tear down their cottages | ||
Destroy their corn | ||
They were dispersed | ||
But still the vision lingers on |
You poor take courage | ||
You rich take care | ||
This earth was made a common treasury | ||
For everyone to share | ||
All things in common | ||
All people one | ||
We come in peace - | ||
The order came to cut them down |