70 BERKHAMSTED COMMON. 



approvement. The Commissioners, however, in spite 

 of this, advised that 400 acres should be inclosed by the 

 Duchy, and that 100 acres should be given to the Cor- 

 poration of Berkhamsted for the benefit of the poor. 

 The Surveyor-General reported to this effect on October 

 2.2nd, but he added that the majority of the North- 

 church tenants were refractory, and continued to oppose. 

 In consequence of this report, Mr. Edlyn was taken 

 into custody and imprisoned ; but he was subsequently 

 released by order of the Lord Treasurer. His arrest 

 was, in fact, an arbitrary and illegal act, for the purpose 

 of intimidating the Commoners of Northchurch into 

 giving their consent to the inclosure. 



In the hope that the imprisonment of Edlyn would 

 have its effect, the Council of the Duchy proceeded to 

 inclose 400 acres of the Common. The land selected 

 for the purpose nearly coincided with the inclosure made 

 by Lord Brownlow, 220 years later ; and it is interesting 

 to observe the close resemblance between the results. The 

 land inclosed in 1639 was fenced, and was let on lease 

 to a Mrs. Murray. In March, 1040, Edlyn, in spite of 

 his previous imprisonment, decided to resist the inclo- 

 sure. He employed 100 persons to pull down the 

 hedges and stakes. This was effected in the presence 

 of a vast number of people from Berkhamsted and 

 the district. The Council of the Duchy thereupon 

 petitioned the House of Lords that the Prince of Wales 

 might be quieted in possession of the land during the 

 privilege of Parliament, and that the delinquents, who 

 had violated such privilege, might be punished. 



