Editorial note
An OCR-corpus incipit search plus direct review of splits 071-077 found Joe Hill, Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues, Which Side Are You On?, the continuation of Joe Hill, Joe Hill's Last Will / Work Rap Song, V.D.T., and Legal - Illegal instead. Printed page 60 is known from the TOC, but exact split-page placement remains unresolved pending a stronger source. © Leon Rosselson, 1975. Lyrics derived from a pamphlet by Digger leader Gerrard Winstanley.
Verse 1
In 1649 to St. George's Hill
A ragged band they called the Diggers came to show the people's will
They defied the landlords, they defied the laws
They were the dispossessed reclaiming what was theirs
Verse 2
We come in peace, they said, to dig and sow
We come to work the lands in common and make the waste ground grow
This earth divided we will make whole
So it may be a common treasury for all
Verse 3
The sin of property we do disdain
No man has any right to buy or sell the earth for private gain
By theft and murder they took the land
Now everywhere the walls spring up at their command
Verse 4
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,
a God of greed who feeds the rich while poor folk starve
Verse 5
We work and eat together, we need no swords
We will not bow to masters, nor pay rent to the lords
Still we are free, though we are poor
Ye Diggers all, stand up for glory, stand up now!
Verse 6
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 — only the vision lingers on
Verse 7
Ye poor take courage, ye rich take care
This earth was made a common treasury for everyone to share
All things in common, all people one
They came in peace — the order came to cut them down
♪ Sheet music notation is on this page. Music data not yet extracted — OMR run pending on gg-worker.