70 BERKHAMSTED COMMON. 
approvement. The Commissioners, however, in spite 
of this, advised that 400 acres should be inclosed by the 
Duchy, and that 100 acres should be given to the Cor- 
poration of Berkhamsted for the benefit of the poor. 
The Surveyor-General reported to this effect on October 
22nd, but he added that the majority of the North- 
church tenants were refractory, and continued to oppose. 
In consequence of this report, Mr. Edlyn was taken 
into custody and imprisoned; but he was subsequently 
released by order of the Lord Treasurer. His arrest 
was, in fact, an arbitrary and illegal act, for the purpose 
of intimidating the Commoners of Northchurch into 
giving their consent to the inclosure. 
In the hope that the imprisonment of Edlyn would 
have its effect, the Council of the Duchy proceeded to 
inclose 400 acres of the Common. The land selected 
for the purpose nearly coincided with the inclosure made 
by Lord Brownlow, 220 years later; and itis interesting 
to observe the close resemblance between the results. The 
land inclosed in 1689 was fenced, and was let on lease 
toa Mrs. Murray. In March, 1640, Edlyn, in spite of 
his previous imprisonment, decided to resist the inclo- 
sure. He employed 100 persons to pull down the 
hedges and stakes. This was effected in the presence 
of a vast number of people from Berkhamsted and 
the district. The Council of the Duchy thereupon 
petitioned the House of Lords that the Prince of Wales 
might be quieted in possession of the land during the 
privilege of Parliament, and that the delinquents, who 
had violated such privilege, might be punished. 
