The Alaking of the Land. 2 1 7 



From 1760, seats in Parliament were sold almost like any other 

 transferable property ; ^ and since, by the first of the two Acts 

 just mentioned, every member of the Commons, those of the 

 Universities alone excepted, was required to possess, as a quali- 

 fication for his seat, a landed estate, above all encumbrances, 

 of £300 per annum, it is evident that what the country squires 

 wished soon became the law of the land. 



But if we want to know the real feeling of the country at 

 this period, we have only to read such a statement as the fol- 

 lowing which is subjoined to the pamphlet already quoted in 

 this chapter.2 



" We the underwritten, the Freeholders, Copj'holders, Leaseholders and 

 others, the Inhabitants of the Parish of in the County of 



beg leave to set forth, — 



" That although the enclosing of bogs and other useless lands in this 

 kingdom may be highlj^ beneficial, yet we apprehend the enclosing wood- 

 lands, and sound land fit for pasturage now lying as commons to the 

 various parishes in England, more particularly those which belong to the 

 parish of is highly detrimental for the following reasons — 



and, 



1. " That the breeding and rearing of cattle on commons where no rent 

 is paid for the same, in preference to the rearing them in enclosed 

 pastures, set at a high rent, tends to keep down the price of lean cattle. 

 And we also apprehend, that the price of such stock being now near one 

 hundred per cent, dearer than twenty years ago, is owing chiefly to the 

 late enclosing of commons, and waste lands throughout the kingdom, and 

 which has of course raised the price of butchers meat near twopence in 

 a pound more than formerly. 



2. " That the woodlands in the said parish, provided they are not 

 grubbed up, being well stocked with thriving young oaks, maj', and cer- 

 tainly will, if properlj' managed, be not only a source of timber for the 

 nav}^ in a future time, but also a constant benefit to the parish by the 

 sale thereof, for the relief of the parish rates. 



3. " That provided the said common be enclosed, many hundreds of 

 poor inhabitants in the said parish will be reduced to distress, as they 

 will be deprived of their present benefit of rearing horned cattle, pigs, 

 etc., and furnishing themselves with fuel in the winter, etc., and the con- 

 sequences -^vill be immediately felt by the parish at large, by the increase 

 of the poors rates, the breaking and carrying away hedges and other petty 



' Hallam, Const. Hist., ch. xvi. 



^ A Political Enqxiiry into the Consequences of Enclosing Waste 

 Lands, etc. Anon., Holborn, 1785. 



