THE ENGLISH LAND SYSTEM 73 



shire, pointing out that the existing state of things is 

 "deplored by every humane man and a subject of 

 serious alarm to those who are in the habit of directing 

 their thoughts to the usual causes of decadence and 

 ruin ; because they are well aware that, as these 

 classes (the peasantry) form the foundation of the 

 pyramid of civil society, by which alone the superior 

 grades are supported, in their regularly ascending 

 series from the yeoman to the monarch, so, if they 

 be allowed to be reduced to dust, the destruction of 

 the whole fabric will then be no longer a doubtful 

 problem." The reverend gentleman goes on, in 

 the most earnest language, to welcome all plans " for 

 restoring to them the advantages which they once 

 enjoyed, and which they have a right still to enjoy by 

 all the laws of God and man."^ 



Examples are given of petitions against inclosure. 

 Mr. Herod, a small yeoman farmer of North Creak, 

 Norfolk, describes his journey to London to present a 

 petition against an inclosure bill for his parish. His 

 journey was fruitless. Mr. Herod afterwards states : — 



" Here were lands that the poor would have been 

 happy to hire, at a fair rental, to keep their cows upon, 

 rather than sell them when the Act took place ; but 

 not one was favoured with an acre. They were all 

 laid on to the great farms." He goes on to describe 

 the inevitable results, in the form of increased 

 poverty and destitution, and double and treble poor's 

 rates. Those of the peasantry who ventured to 

 continue to put their cows and stock on pastures, 

 which v/ere their own, were summoned and punished 



^ Could the writer of this letter know the state of things which now 

 exists in our towns and rural districts, he would see how largely his grave 

 prophecies have been fulfilled. 



