Commons and Common Fields: Or, The History and Policy of the Laws Relating to Commons and Enclosures in England. Being the Yorke Prize Essay of the University of Cambridge for the Year 1886

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University Press, 1887 - Commons - 180 pages
"Being the Yorke prize essay of the University of Cambridge for the year 1886."--T.p.

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Page 78 - I) your sheep that were wont to be so meek and tame, and so small eaters ; now as I hear say, be become so great devourers, and so wild, that they eat up and swallow down the very men themselves. They consume, destroy, and devour whole fields, houses and cities...
Page 102 - ... hunger pined, howl at her brightness. I am of a solid temper, and, like these, Steer on a constant course : with mine own sword, ' If call'd into the field, I can make that right Which fearful enemies murmur'd at as wrong.
Page 76 - Inclosures at that time began to be more frequent, whereby arable land, which could not be manured without people and families, was turned into pasture, which was easily rid by a few herdsmen; and tenances for years, lives, and at will, whereupon much of the yeomanry lived, were turned into demesnes.
Page 78 - ... they throw down houses : they pluck down towns, and leave nothing standing, but only the church to be made a sheephouse.
Page 5 - For the good nature and benevolence of many lords of manors having, time out of mind, permitted their villeins and their children to enjoy their possessions without interruption, in a regular course of descent, the common law, of which custom is the life, now gave them title to prescribe against their lords ; and on performance of the same services, to hold their lands in spite of any determination of the lord's will. For though in general they are still said to hold their estates at the will of...
Page 96 - Besides widows and orphan children : Besides our statutes and our iron laws Which they have swallowed down into their maws. Till now I thought the proverb did but jest Which said a black sheep was a biting beast.
Page 150 - For the parish ? If I am diligent shall I have leave to build a cottage? If I am sober, shall I have land for a cow? If I am frugal, shall I have half an acre of potatoes ? You offer no motives; you have nothing but a parish officer and a workhouse! Bring me another pot...
Page 78 - Let Christian landlords be content with their rent and old customs; not raising the rent or fines, and bringing up new customs to oppress their tenants; neither letting two or three tenantries unto one man. Let them not take in their commons, neither make parks nor pastures of whole parishes: for God gave the earth to man to inhabit; and not unto sheep and wild deer.
Page 75 - I will say unto you ; from whence it cometh I know, even from the devil. I know his intent in it. For if ye bring it to pass that the yeomanry be not able to put their sons to school...
Page 5 - On the arrival of the Normans here, it seems not improbable, that they who were strangers to any other than a feudal state, might give some sparks of enfranchisement to such •wretched persons as fell to their share, by admitting them, as well as others, to the oath of fealty ; which conferred a right of protection, and raised the tenant to a kind of estate superior to downright slavery, but inferior to every other condition.

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