124 FROM JAMES I. TO THE RESTORATION 



Letter " in Hartlib's Legacie (1651). He regards wastes and 

 commons as defects in English husbandry, and in defence of his 

 position asks eight questions, which he does not attempt to answer, 

 preferring to leave " the determination for wiser heads." 



1. " Whether or no these lands might not be improved very much 

 by the Husbandry of Flaunders (viz.) by sowing Flax, Turneps, great 

 Clover-Grasse, if that Manure be made by folding Sheepe after the 

 Flaunders way, to keepe it in heart ? 



2. " Whether the Eottennesse and Scabbinesse of Sheepe, Murrein 

 of Cattel, Diseases of horses, and in general all diseases of Cattel 

 do not especially proceed from Commons ? 



3. "If the rich men, who are able to keepe great stockes are not 

 great gamers by them ? 



4. " Whether Commons do not rather make poore, by causing 

 idlenesse than maintaine them : and such poor, who are trained 

 up rather for the Gallowes or beggery, than for the Commonwealths 

 service ? 



5. " How it cometh to passe, that there are fewest poore, where 

 there are fewest Commons, as in Kent, where there is scarce 6 Com- 

 mons in the County of a considerable greatnesse ? 1 



6. " How many do they see enriched by the Commons : and if 

 their Cattel be not usually swept away by the Rot, or starved in 

 some hard winters ? 



7. "If that poore men might not imploy 2 Acres enclosed to more 

 advantage, than twice as much in a Common ? 



" And lastly, if that all Commons were enclosed, and part given to 

 the Inhabitants, and part rented out, for a stock to set the poore 

 on worke in every County." 



Blith not only quoted Tusser in support of his opinion, but adds 

 that " all that ever I yet saw or read " held the same opinion. 

 " Tis true I have met with one or two small Pieces, as M. Spriggs, 

 and another whose name I remember not, that write against depopu- 

 lating Inclosure, with whom I freely joyn and approve." It is 

 probable that he alludes to Henry Halhead's Inclosure Thrown Open 

 etc. (1650), to which Joshua Sprigge of Banbury contributed a 



1 Tusser held the same opinion that poverty and commons go together. 

 In his comparison between " Champion Country and Severall '' he writes : 



" T'one barefoot and ragged doth go 



And ready in winter to starve ; 

 When t'other you see not do so, 

 But hath that is needful to serve." 



