Bondmen And Freeman

John Ball 1381

When Adam delved and Eve span，Who was then the gentl eman？

From the beginning all men by nature were createdalike，and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of naughty men．For if God would have had any bond men from the beginning，he would have appointed who should be bond，and who free．And therefore I exhort you to consider that now the time is come，appointed to us by God，in which ye may（if ye will）cast off the yoke of bondage，and recover liberty．I counsel you therefore well to be think yourselves，and to take good hearts unto you，that after the manner of agood husband that tilleth his ground，and riddethout there of such evil weeds as choke and destroy the good corn，you may destroy first the great lords of the realm，and after，the judges and lawyers，and quest mongers，and all other who have un-dertaken to be against the commons．For so shall you procure peace and surety to your selvesin time to come；and by des-patching out of the way the great men，there shall be an e-quality in liberty，and no difference in degrees of nobility；but alike dignity and equal authority in all things brought in a-mong you．