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LEASES. 



By the custom of the manor of Taunton Dean, the tenant is not, 

 without a licence from the Lord, to let his customary lands for 

 more than a year and a day ; but to encourage good husbandry, it 

 has been usual of late years to grant rack rent leases for seven, four- 

 teen, or twenty-one years. 



The tenant covenants with the landlord, not to sow rape, hemp, 

 or flax; these crops being considered as great exhausters, making 

 no return in manure. It has also been common to allow the tenant 

 church and poor rates, but it is to be doubted whether the poor 

 are in this case better provided for, although the rates for their 

 maintenance increase ; for the occupiers, when no ways interested, 

 are apt to be remiss in looking into the poors concerns. 



Of late years this burthen has been thrown on the tenant, by way 

 of raising his rent. 



At the commencement of the term, it is usual for the landlord to 

 put the premises in compleat repair ; after that, the tenant finds 

 reed, spars, and carriage of materials during the term, and the 

 landlord timber, stones, and lime. The handicraftsmen are paid 

 between them. 



In this way the landlord and tenant being mutually interested, 

 the expence of repairs is lessened, and the buildings are kept in 

 better order. 



The tenant also covenants to take care of sapling and timber 

 trees, and to carry one hundred and twenty horse seams (about 

 twelve cart load) of dung, or fifteen hogsheads of lime, or a pro- 

 portion of both mixed with earth on every acre of land, converted 

 to arable, and to take but three crops of corn, before the same 

 quantity be renewed. He also covenants never to sow two crops 

 of wheat in succession, nor to convert to tillage any maiden or 

 old pasture without leave, under the penalty of five pounds an acre 

 per annum for the remainder of the term. 



MANUFAC 



