54 I N C L O S U R E S. 5. 



kcring, the land o vn'Ers in general were 

 fatisfied with the open rtate of the commons. 

 Some of them who had inherited, or pur- 

 chafed, at an advanced price, lands which 

 lay conveni ntly to the commons, were qf 

 courfe adverfe to an inclofaie ; and the 

 mere house-owners were eirher apprehen- 

 fivt of tlie fmallnefs of their claim, or their 

 voices wyrc too weak to be heard among 

 thofc.of the land-owners. 



Under thefe circumftances the commons 

 lay open, and wojld probably have conti- 

 nued in that ila'-e, had there befn no other 

 intercft in the townfhip than that of the 

 owners of its lands and iiousr-s. 



But the tithioi three or four thoufand acres 

 of corn land was an object of too great mag- 

 nitude to be overlooked by the leffee (for 

 lives under the Dc;in of York) j and, being 

 fccn, had charms \n it too ufcinating to be 

 loll: fight of. 



Adtuared thus powerfully, the kjfee of the 

 tithes applied to the lant-ownj-rs to join 

 him -in an application to parliament for an 

 inclofure. The landowncis refufed : their, 

 condudt, however, was impolitic and ill- 



juid^edi 



