Abstract

The Ranters - like the Levellers and the Diggers - were a group of religious libertarians who flourished during the English Civil War (1642-1651), a period of social and religious turmoil which saw, in the words of the historian Christopher Hill, 'the world turned upside down'.

A Collection of Ranter Writings is the most notable attempt to anthologise the key Ranter writings, bringing together some of the most remarkable, visionary and unforgettable texts. The subjects range from the limits to pleasure and divine right, to social justice and collective action.

The Ranters have intrigued and captivated generations of scholars and philosophers. This carefully curated collection will be of great interest to historians, philosophers and all those trying to understand past radical traditions.
'This splendid edition of Ranter writings covers the whole range of their politics and theology and shows the movement developing over time. Smith preserves the Ranters' highly distinctive spelling and orthography ... A fascinating and exhilarating read'
Edinburgh Review
'Nigel Smith is to be congratulated for bringing these writings together for the first time in one volume'
History Today
'Admirable and lively'
The Tablet
'As a primer in the strangeness of radical thought during the period, as well as a wildly entertaining (if slightly crazed) read'
Times Literary Supplement