第8章

asshallbenecessarytodescribesuchClaimswithPrecision。’Andifthis

wasadifficultfenceforthesmallproprietor，unaccustomedtolegalforms

anddocuments，ortoformsanddocumentsofanykind，whatwastheplight

ofthecottager？Letusimaginethecottager，unabletoreadorwrite，enjoying

certaincustomaryrightsofcommonwithoutanyideaoftheiroriginorhistory

orlegalbasis：knowingonlythataslongashecanrememberhehaskept

acow，drivengeeseacrossthewaste，pulledhisfueloutoftheneighbouring

brushwood，andcutturffromthecommon，andthathisfatherdidallthese

thingsbeforehim。Thecottagerlearnsthatbeforeacertaindayhehasto

presenttohislandlord’sbailiff，ortotheparson，ortooneofthemagistrates

intowhosehandsperhapshehasfallenbeforenowoveralittlematterof

ahareorapartridge，ortosomesolicitorfromthecountrytown，aclear

andcorrectstatementofhisrightsandhisclaimtoashareintheaward。

LetusrememberatthesametimeallthatweknowfromFieldingandSmollett

ofthereputationoflawyersforcrueltytothepoor。Isacottagertobe

trustedtofacetheordeal，ortobeintimewithhisstatement，ortohave

thatstatementinproperlegalform？Thecommissionerscanrejecthisclaim

onthegroundofanytechnicalirregularity，aswelearnfromapetition

presentedtoParliamentin1774byseveralpersonsinterestedintheenclosure

ofKnaresboroughForest，whoseclaimshadbeendisallowedbythecommissioners

becauseofcertain’mistakesmadeinthedescriptionofsuchtenements……

notwithstandingthesaiderrorsweremerelyfrominadvertency’andinno

wayalteredthemeritsofthepetitioners’claims。’ABillwasbeforeParliament

toamendthepreviousActforenclosingKnaresboroughForest，inrespect

ofthemethodofpaymentofexpenses，andhencethesepetitionershadan

opportunityofmakingtheirtreatmentpublic。(48*)Itiseasytoguesswhat

wasthefateofmanyasmallproprietororcottager，whohadtodescribe

histenementorcommonrighttoanunsympathetictribunal。Wearenotsurprised

thatoneofthewitnessestoldtheEnclosureCommitteeof1844thatthepoor

oftendidnotknowwhattheirclaimswere，orhowtopresentthem。Itis

significantthatinthecaseofSedgmoor，outof4063claimssentin，only

1798wereallowed。(49*)

WehavenowgivenanaccountoftheprocedurebywhichParliamentaryenclosures

werecarriedout。Wegiveelsewhereadetailedanalysis，disentangledfrom

theJournalsofParliamentandothersources，ofparticularenclosures。We

proposetogiveheretwofrustrationsofthetemperoftheParliamentary

Committees。OneillustrationisprovidedbyaspeechmadebySirWilliam

Meredith，oneoftheRockinghamWhigs，in1772，aspeechthatneedsnocomment。

’SirWilliamMeredithmoved，Thatitmightbeageneralorder，thatnoBill，

orclauseinaBill，makinganyoffencecapital，shouldbeagreedtobut

inaCommitteeofthewholeHouse。Heobserved，thatatpresentthefacility

ofpassingsuchclauseswasshameful：thatheoncepassingaCommittee-room，

whenonlyoneMemberwasholdingaCommittee，withaclerk’sboy，hehappened

tohearsomethingofhanging；heimmediatelyhadthecuriositytoaskwhat

wasgoingforwardinthatsmallCommitteethatcouldmeritsuchapunishment？

Hewasanswered，thatitwasanInclosingBill，inwhichagreatmanypoor

peoplewereconcerned，whoopposedtheBill；thattheyfearedthosepeople

wouldobstructtheexecutionoftheAct，andthereforethisclausewasto

makeitcapitalfelonyinanyonewhodidso。Thisresolutionwasunanimously

agreedto。’(50*)

Theotherillustrationisprovidedbythehistoryofanattemptedenclosure

inwhichwecanwatchthemindsofthechiefactorswithoutscreenordisguise

ofanykind：inthiscasewehaveveryfortunatelyavividrevelationof

thespiritandmannerinwhichCommitteesconductedtheirbusiness，from

thepenofthechairmanhimself。GeorgeSelwyngivesusinhisletters，published

intheCarlislePapers，aviewoftheproceedingsfromtheinside。Itis

worthwhiletosetoutinsomedetailthepassagesfromtheseletterspublished

intheCarlislePapers，bywayofsupplementingandexplainingtheofficial

recordsoftheHouseofCommons。

WelearnfromtheJournalsoftheHouseofCommonsthat，on10thNovember，

1775，apetitionwaspresentedtotheHouseofCommonsfortheenclosure

ofKing’sSedgmoor，intheCountyofSomerset，thepetitionersurgingthat

thislandwasofverylittlevalueinitspresentstate，andthatitwas

capableofgreatimprovementbyenclosureanddrainage。Leavewasgivento

bringinaBill，tobepreparedbyMr。St。JohnandMr。Coxe。Mr。St。John

wasbrotherofLordBolingbroke。On13thNovember，theBillwaspresented

andreadafirsttime。Fourdayslateritreceivedasecondreading，and

wassenttoaCommitteeofMr。St。Johnandothers。Atthispoint，those

whoobjectedtotheenclosurebegantotakeaction。Firstofallthereis

apetitionfromWilliamWaller，Esq。，whosaysthatunderagrantofCharles

Iheisentitledtothesoilofthemoor：itisagreedthatheshallbeheard

bycounselbeforetheCommittee。Thenextdaytherearrivesapetitionfrom

ownersandoccupiersinthirty-five’parishes，hamletsandplaces，’whostate

thatalltheseparisheshaveenjoyedrightsofcommonwithoutdiscrimination

overthe18，000acresofpastureonSedgmoor：thattheserightsofpasture

andcuttingturfandrushesandsedgeshaveexistedfromtimeimmemorial，

andthatnoEnclosureActiswantedforthedrainingofSedgmoor，because

anActofthereignofWilliamIIIhadconferredallthenecessarypowers

forthispurposeontheJusticesofthePeace。Thepetitionersprayedto

beheardbythemselvesandcounselagainsttheapplicationforenclosure

onCommitteeandonReport。TheHouseofCommonsorderedthatthepetition

shouldlieontheTable，andthatthepetitionersshouldbeheardwhenthe

ReporthadbeenreceivedfromCommittee。Fivedayslaterthreelordsofmanors

(SirCharlesKemysTynte，Baronet，CoplestonWarreBampfylde，Esq。，andWilliam

Hawker，Esq。)petitionagainsttheBillandcomplainofthehastewithwhich

thepromotersarepushingtheBillthroughParliament。Thispetitionistaken

moreseriously：amotionismadeanddefeatedtodefertheBillfortwomonths，

buttheHouseordersthatthepetitionersshallbeheardbeforetheCommittee。

TwoofthesethreelordsofmanorpresentafurtherpetitionearlyinDecember，

statingthattheyandtheirtenantsaremorethanamajorityinnumberand

valueofthepersonsinterested，andasecondpetitionisalsopresented

bythethirty-sevenparishesandhamletsalreadymentioned，inwhichitis

contendedthat，inspiteofthedifficultiesofcollectingsignaturesin

ascattereddistrictinaveryshorttime，749personsinterestedhadalready

signedthepetitionagainsttheBill，thattheeffectoftheBillhadbeen

misrepresentedtomanyofthetenants，thatthefactsastothedifferent

interestsaffectedhadbeenmisrepresentedtotheCommittee，thatthenumber

andrightsofthepersonssupportingtheBillhadbeenexaggerated(only

213havingsignedtheirnamesasconsenting)，andthatifjusticewasto

bedonetothevariouspartiesconcerned，itwasessentialthattimeshould

begivenforthehearingofcomplaintsandthecirculationoftheBillin

thedistrict。Thispetitionwaspresentedon11thDecember，andtheHouse

ofCommonsorderedthatthepetitionersshouldbeheardwhentheReportwas

received。NextdayMr。Selwyn，asChairmanoftheCommittee，presenteda

ReportinfavouroftheBill，mentioningamongotherthingsthatthenumber

oftenementsconcernedwas1269，andthat303refusedtosign；butattention

wasdrawntothefactthattherewereseveralvariationsbetweentheBill

asitwaspresentedtotheHouse，andtheBillasitwaspresentedtothe

partiesconcernedfortheirconsent，andonthisgroundtheBillwasdefeated

by59to35votes。

Thisisthecoldimpersonalaccountoftheproceedingsgivenintheofficial

journals，butthelettersofSelwyntakeusbehindthescenesandsupply

afarlivelierpicture。(51*)HisaccountbeginswithalettertoLordCarlisle

inNovember：

’Bullyhasaschemeofenclosure，which，ifitsucceeds，Iamtoldwillfree

himfromallhisdifficulties。ItistocomeintoourHouseimmediately。

IfIhadthisfromabetterjudgmentthanthatofoursanguinecounsellors，

Ishouldhavemorehopesfromit。Iamreadytoallowthathehasbeenvery

faulty，butIcannothelpwishingtoseehimoncemoreonhislegs……’

(Bully，ofcourse，isBolingbroke，brotherofSt。John，calledthecounsellor，

authoroftheBill。)Welearnfromthisletterthatthereareothermotives

thanapassiontodrainSedgmoorinthepromotionofthisgreatimprovement

scheme。WelearnfromthenextletterthatitisnotonlyBully’sfriends

andcreditorswhohavesomereasonforwishingitwell：

’StavordaleisreturningtoRedlinch；Ibelievethathesetsoutto-morrow。

HeisalsodeeplyengagedinthisSedgmoorBill，anditissupposedthat

heorLordIlchester，whichyouplease，willget2000l。ayearbyit。He

willgetmore，orsavemoreatleast，bygoingawayandleavingtheMoor

inmyhands，forhetoldmehimselftheothernightthatthislasttripto

townhadcosthim4000l。’

AnotherletterwarnsLordCarlislethattheonlywaytogethiscreditors

topaytheirdebtstohim，whentheycomeintotheirmoneythroughtheenclosure，

istopressforpayment，andgoesontodescribetheunexpectedopposition

theBillhadencountered。SelwynhadbeenmadechairmanoftheCommittee。

MydearLord，ifyourdelicacyissuchthatyouwillnotbepressing

withhimaboutit，youmaybeassuredthatyouwillneverreceiveafarthing。

IhavespoketoHareaboutit，who[was]keptinittillhalfanhourafter

4；asIwasalsoto-day，andshallbeto-morrow。Ithoughtthatitwasa

matterofformonly，buthadnosoonerbeguntoreadthepreambletothe

Bill，butIfoundmyselfinanestofhornets。Theroomwasfull，andan

oppositionmadetoit，anddisputesuponeveryword，whichkeptmeinthe

Chair，asIhavetoldyou。Ihavegaineditseemsgreatreputation，andam

atthisminutereputedoneofthebestChairmenuponthisstand。Bullyand

Harrycamehomeanddinedwithme。’

Thenextletter，writtenon9thDecember，showsthatSelwynisafraid

thatStavordalemaynotgethismoneyoutofhisfather，andalsothathe

isbecomingstillmoreanxiousaboutthefateoftheEnclosureBill，onwhich

ofcoursethewholepackofcardsdepends：

’……IhavetakenthelibertytotalkagooddealtoLordStavordale，partly

forhisownsakeandpartlyforYours，andpressedhimmuchtogetoutof

townassoonaspossible，andnotquitLordI。[Ilchester]anymore。His

attentiontherecannotbeoflongduration，andhisabsencemaybefatal

tousall。Ipainteditinverystrongcolours，andhehaspromisedmeto

go，assoonasthisSedgmoorBillisreported。ImovedtohaveTuesdayfixed

forit。Wehadadebateanddivisionuponmymotion，andthisBillwillat

lastnotgodownsogliblyasBullyhopedthatitwould。Itwillmeetwith

moreoppositionintheH。ofLords，andLordNorthbeingadversetoit，does

usnogood。LordIlchestergets，itissaid，£；5000ayearbyit，and

amongstothersSirC。Tyntesomething，who，forwhatreasonIcannotyet

comprehend，opposesit’

Thenextletterdescribesthefinalcatastrophe：

’December12。TuesdaynightBullyhaslosthisBill。Ireporteditto-day，

andtheQuestionwastowithdrawit。Therewere59againstus，andwewere

35。Itwasworsemanagedbytheagents，supposingnotreachery，thanever

businesswas。LordNorth，Robinson，andKeenedividedagainst。Charles(52*)

saidallthatcouldbesaidonourside。Butasthebusinesswasmanaged，

itwastheworstQuestionthatIevervotedfor。WewereaCommitteeabsolutely

ofAlmack’s，(53*)soiftheBillisnotresumed，andbetterconductedand

supported，thisphantomof30，000l。clearinBully’spockettopayoffhis

annuitiesvanishes。

’Itissurprisingwhatafatalityattendssomepeople’sproceedings。I

beggedlastnightasforalms，thattheywouldmeetmetosettletheVotes。

Ihave，sinceIhavebeeninParliament，beenoftwentyatleastofthese

meetings，andalwaysbroughtnumbersdownbythosemeans。Butmyadvicewas

slighted，andtwentypeoplewerewalkingaboutthestreetswhocouldhave

carriedthispoint。

’Thecausewasnotbad，buttheQuestionwastotallyindigestible。The

mostconscientiousmanintheHouseinQuestionsofthisnature，SirF。Drake，

averyoldacquaintanceofmine，toldmethatnothingcouldbesorightas

theenclosure。ButtheysentoneBillintothecountryfortheassentof

thepeopleinterested，andbroughtmeanother，differingintwentyparticulars，

tocarrythroughtheCommittee，withoutoncementioningtomethatthetwo

Billsdiffered。Thistheythoughtwascunning，andIbelieveahappycomposition

ofBully’scunningandJohn’sideaofhisownpar。ts。Ihadnoidea，orcould

have，ofthisdifference。Theadversepartysaidnothingofit，commede

raison，reservingtheobjectiontilltheReport，anditwasinsurmountable。

IfoneoftheClerksonlyhadhintedittome，inexperiencedasIaminthese

sortofBills，Iwouldhavestoppedit，andbythatmeanshavegiventhem

abetterchancebyanewBillthantheycanhavenow，thatpeoplewillhave

apretencefornotalteringtheiropinion。’