BEUKHAMSTED COMMON. 63 



handed proceeding aroused a very strong feeling 

 throughout the district. There was, however, great 

 fear and unwillingness to resist so powerful a magnate. 

 Advice was sought of the Commons Society. Inquiry 

 into the conditions of the Manor soon convinced them 

 that the inclosure was as illegal and indefensible as 

 it was arbitrary and without regard to public interests, 

 and that it was a case where the rights of Commoners 

 might certainly be vindicated, so as to defeat the 

 particular inclosure, and to deter other Lords of Manors 

 from similar acts in the future. The only difficulty was 

 how to find a person possessed of rights over the 

 Common, with a sufficiently long purse, and with in- 

 dependence and courage, to try conclusions at law 

 with Lord Brownlow, who was so deeply interested in 

 maintaining his inclosures, and in carrying them to 

 the point of extinguishing the Common. 



It was fortunately discovered that among the owners 

 of land in the district, with undoubted rights of 

 common, was just such a man as could be relied on 

 for the purpose the late Mr. Augustus Smith. This 

 gentleman, better and more widely known as the Lord 

 of Scilly, had taken a long lease from the Duchy of 

 Cornwall of the Scilly Islands, the population of 

 which he had found in a most neglected and miserable 

 state. By the exercise of a wise paternal despotism, 

 rendered possible by his position as landlord of all the 

 houses in the islands, he had greatly improved the 

 condition of the people, had waged successful war 

 against public-houses and drink, had restored prosper^', 



