. 
1799.) 
common, I will fkate the mode which we 
have adopted, as it may poflibly be of ule 
to others who are interefted in a fimilar 
bufine(s. , 
By one of the claufes in our bill, it is 
enacted, that the commiffioners are requir- 
ed to divide, fet out, and allot, the com- 
mons and. walte Jands in the parifh of 
unto and among all and every the 
proprietors of meffuages, farms, tene- 
ments, lands, &c. &c. within the parith, 
in fuch fhares and proportions as in the 
judement of the commiffioners fhall be a 
juft and reafonable compensation, fhare, 
and allotment, in proportion to the real 
yearly value of the faid meffuages, farms, 
tenements, lands, &c.3 except to fuch 
owners and proprietors, whofe property 
fhall be above the annual value of five 
pounds and under the annual value of ten 
pounds, whofe allotments the commiffion- 
ers fhall increafe in fuch proportion as 
they fhall think juft and reafonable, not 
exceeding the proportion in value which 
fhall be allotted to any other proprietor 
whofe property fhall amount to the an- 
nual value.of ten pounds. | 
This laft refiriftion is of obvious ne- 
ceffity, as the proprietor of lands or tene- 
ments of the value of ten or twelve pounds 
a year. would naturally be difcontented 
and fee) himlelf ufed with particular in- 
juttice, if the commiffioners were to award 
a lefs valuable allotment for his fhare, 
than for the fhare of his neighbour whofe 


annual property might not be of more> 
than five, fix, or feven pounds value. 
The fpirit of this claufe, therefore, ap- 
pears to be fir/f, that every proprietor 
whofe property is above the annual value 
ef five pounds and under the annual value 
of ten, fhal] have an extra allotment ; and 
Secondly, that the value in this extra allot- 
ment fhall, as nearly as poffible, be in- 
verfely proportionate to the property to 
~which it is attached; the commiffioners, 
confequently, taking care that in no in- 
ftance the allotment to the fmaller pro- 
' perty fhall exceed in value the allotment 
to the larger. 
’ It muft have been remarked before this 
time, that nothing has been {aid concern- 
ing the proprietors, the annual value of 
whofe property is under five pounds, and 
it will aaturally be enquired, what provi- 
fion is fecured for thefe? When the fub- 
jet of inclofure was firft agitated, the 
{mall proprietors. univerfally oppofed it 
with no little acrimony and earneftne(s : 
it was a very defirable thing to fecure the 
approbation of all parties; this, however, 
was impofiible, and to foften the rancour 
Ox Inclofure of Commons. 
359 
of their oppofition was all that could be 
expected. It happened that one of the 
moft valuable portions of our common 
was completely detached from the reft; it 
was fuggelted that if this common were left 
uninclofed and allotted as a pafture- ground 
under certain neceffary regulations, for 
Occupiers not exceeding five pounds a 
year, that every objection againft the 
inclofure bill from this quarter, would in 
a great meafure be obviated. It was 
therefore enacted, in the {pirit of concilia~ 
tion, that the commiffioners fhould be 
authorifed and required to fet out fuch a 
proportionable part of this detached por- 
tion of the common, as fhould in their 
judgment be equal in value to double the 
allotments which owners and occupiers of 
lands and tenements, not exceeding five 
pounds’ per annum, would be entitled to - 
under the intended inclofure; and that 
the lands thus allotted, thould be vefted in 
the lord of the manor for the time being, 
the re€tor of the parifh, the church-war- 
dens and overfeers of the poor, and their 
re{pective fucceffors for ever, in truft and 
for the ufe of all fuch poor inhabitants at 
prefent refiding, or that may hereafter re- 
fide in any of the cottages now ftanding or 
hereafter to be built in lieu of them, as. 
fhall not occupy in tenements, or in lands 
and tenements jointly, (and not in lands 
only) above the value of five pounds per 
annum. 
As this claufe, however, would exclude 
every proprietor, the annual value of whofe 
property did not exceed five pounds, 
from having any portion of the common 
enclofed for him, and as it was conceived 
that fome few of thefe {mall proprietors 
might prefer fome portion for their pri- 
vate occupation, a claufe was added, by 
which any owners or proprietors of this 
defcription who fhould at the firft or 
fecond meeting of the commiffioners give 
notice in writing of their defire of having 
an allotment in lieu of this right of paf- 
ture, are entitled to a part of the remain- 
der of the commons and wafte-grounds in 
the parifh, proportionable with the owners 
of property. of a greater annual value than 
five pounds. It having alfo been con- 
ceived, that fome few proprietors of this 
Jotter defcription, that is to fay, of pro- 
prietors, the annual value of whofe pro- 
perty exceeds five pounds, but does not 
exceed ten, might be defirous of relin- 
quifhing their allotments, and adding 
them to the land fet out as common pai- 
ture, a further claufe was enacted, allow- 
ing them to relinquifh fuch allotment, after 
having delivered in at the Grit or fecond 
meeting 
