THE LEVELLERS. 93 



inn, hard by the place of sale, to get some- 

 thing to eat ; and who should we first see, 

 amongst a lot more that were there only 

 losing their time, but this shoemaker and 

 tailor, out as usual, for it was a Monday. 

 We called for bread-and-cheese, and whilst 

 we were eating it they opened out their old 

 budget about the shame it was things were 

 so unequal : some so rich, and some so poor ; 

 some with so much land, and so many with 

 none ; and some such great folks that they 

 scorned the like of them, tho' the rich were 

 beholden to 'em for shoes and clothes ; and 

 wishing things was the same as in America, 

 where they was as they ought to be. What 

 the one said the other swore to ; above all, 

 they agreed that there ought to be in Eng- 

 land a fresh start, and that no man ought to 

 have more of God's earth than another, and 

 nothing would be right till all was shared 

 out afresh. Mac and I had heard all this so 

 often that we didn't care to answer, but went 

 on with our bread-and-cheese, till they took 

 off, and ordered a rump-steak and onions; 

 and very particular they seemed about hav- 

 ing it cooked with a bit of butter and dust 

 of pepper, for they were knowing fellows in 



