“The truth is (and we see we must either now speak or for ever be silent), we have long expected things of another nature from you, and such as . . . That you would not have followed the example of former tyrannous and superstitious Parliaments in making orders, ordinances or laws, or in appointing punishments, concerning opinions or things supernatural, styling some blasphemies, others heresies, whenas you know yourselves easily mistaken and that divine truths need no human helps to support them; such proceedings having been generally invented to divide the people amongst themselves, and to affright men from that liberty of discourse by which corruption and tyranny would be soon discovered.” – from the Levellers’ “Petition to the House of Commons” (in A. S. P. Woodhouse, Puritanism & Liberty)