A proposito di Good counsell to all (1644) : libertà di coscienza, condizione per la pace sociale

The paper aims to analyse the second edition of Good counsell to all, a short and anonymous pamphlet published in 1644, credited to William Walwyn, one of the Levellers' leaders. The analysis focuses on its structure, style, content and addressees, in comparison with The Compassionate Samaritane, in which it was first published. The sober pamphlet is addressed to a larger audience and its reasonings are grounded particularly in the Holy Scripture. I argue that Good counsell summarizes Walwyn's thesis in favour of the liberty of conscience for every man and, especially, for all Separatists. If this liberty is not granted, the risk of the downfall of society arises, together with the increase of tyrannical power. [Publisher's text]