A Collection of Ranter Writings

Book excerpt: "The Ranters 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 historian Christopher Hill, 'the world turned upside down.' Being sure that they could not sin, they swore in the name of the Lord, allegedly practised free love and cultivated an array of extremely lively prose styles. 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 inspiration, to social justice and collective action."--Back cover.