“No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms [within his own lands].”

within his own lands Draft Constitution for Virginia (June 1776) http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/jeffcons.asp This quote often appears with the parenthetical omitted and with the spurious extension, &quot;The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government&quot;. (See &quot;No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms&quot; Quotation https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/no-freeman-shall-be-debarred-use-arms ( Archived https://web.archive.org/web/20200220105040/https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/no-freeman-shall-be-debarred-use-arms from the original on February 20, 2020) and Jefferson Encyclopedia &quot;Strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms&quot; Quotation http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/strongest-reason-people-to-retain-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms-quotation ( Archived https://web.archive.org/web/20200218101730/https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/strongest-reason-people-retain-right-keep-and-bear-arms-spurious from the original on February 20, 2020)) <br class="br">1770s