foralltithes。ThusLordAbingdonreceived，tostartwith，about750acres。
Theresiduewastobeallottedamongthevariousparishes，townshipsand
hamlets，eachallotmenttobeheldasacommonpastureforthetownship。
Sofar，beyondthefactthatLordAbingdonhadtakenoffmorethanasixth
partoftheircommonpasture，andthatthepasturewasnowdividedupinto
differentparts，itdidnotseemthattheordinaryinhabitantsweremuch
affected。Thestinglayinthearrangementsforthefutureofthesedivided
commonpastures。’Andifatanyfuturetimethemajorpartinvalueofthe
severalpersonsinterestedinsuchplotorparcelsofland，shouldrequire
aseparatedivisionofthesaidland，he(thecommissioner)isdirectedto
divideandallotthesameamongtheseveralproprietors，inproportionto
theirindividualrightsandintereststherein。’(27*)
Wehave，fortunately，averyclearstatementofthewayinwhichthe’rights
andinterests’ofthepoorerinhabitantsoftheOtmoortownswereregarded
intheenclosure。Theseinhabitants，itmustberemembered，hadenjoyedrights
ofcommonwithoutanystintfromtimeimmemorial，simplybyvirtueofliving
inthedistrict。Inaletterfrom’AnOtmoorProprietor’totheOxfordpapers
in1830，thewriter(SirAlexanderCrokehimself？)，whowasevidentlyaman
ofsomelocalimportance，explainsthatbythegeneralruleoflawacommoner
isnotentitledtoturnontothecommonmorecattlethanaresufficient
tomanureandstockthelandtowhichtherightofcommonisannexed。Accordingly，
houseswithoutlandattachedtothemcannot，strictlyspeaking，claimaright
ofcommon。HowthenexplainthestateofaffairsatOtmoor，whereallthe
inhabitants，landedorlandless，enjoyedthesamerights？Byprescription，
heanswers，merehousesdoinpointoffactsometimesacquirearightof
common，butthisright，thoughitmaybesaidtobewithoutstint，isin
realityalwaysliabletobestintedbylaw。Hence，whenacommonlikeOtmoor
isenclosed，theallotmentsaremadeaselsewhereinproportiontotheamount
oflandpossessedbyeachcommoner，whista’proportionableshare’isthrown
intothosewhoownmerehouses。Buteventhisshare，hepointsout，does
notnecessarilybelongtothepersonwhohasbeenexercisingtherightof
common，unlesshehappenstoownhisownhouse。Itbelongstohislandlord，
whoaloneisentitledtocompensation。Asuperficialobservermightperhaps
thinkthisahardship，butinpointoffactitisquitejust。Thetenants，
occupyingthehouses，musthavebeenpayingahigherrentinconsideration
oftherightattachedtothehouses，andtheyhavealwaysbeenliableto
beturnedoutbythelandlordatwill。’Theyhadnopermanentinterest，and
ithasbeendecidedbythelawthatnomancanhaveanyrightinanycommon，
asbelongingtoahouse，whereinhehasnointerestbutonlyhabitation：
sothatthepoor，assuch，hadnorighttothecommonwhatever。’(28*)
TheresultsoftheAct，framedandadministeredontheselines，weredescribed
byDunkin，(29*)writingin1823，asfollows：’Itnowonlyremainstonotice
theeffectoftheoperationofthisact。Onthedivisionofthelandallotted
totherespectivetownships，acertainportionwasassignedtoeachcottager
inlieuofhisaccustomedcommonage，butthedeliveryoftheallotmentdid
nottakeplace，unlessthepartytowhomitwasassignedpaidhisshareof
theexpensesincurredindraininganddividingthewaste：andhewasalso
furtherdirectedtoenclosethesamewithafence。Thepovertyofthecottager
ingeneralpreventedhiscompliancewiththeseconditions，andhewasnecessitated
tosellhisshareforanypaltrysumthatwasoffered。Inthespringof1819，
severalpersonsatCharltonandelsewheremadeprofitablespeculationsby
purchasingthesecommonsfor£；5each，andafterwardsprevailingonthe
commissionerstothrowthemintoonelot；thusformingavaluableestate。
InthiswaywasOtmoorlosttothepoorman，andawardedtotherich，under
thespeciousideaofbenefittingthepublic。’TheexpensesoftheAct，it
maybementioned，cametosomethingbetween£；20，000and£；30，000，
ormorethanthefee-simpleofthesoil。(30*)
’EnclosedOtmoordidnotfulfilArthurYoung’shopes：……insteadofthe
expectedimprovementinthequalityofthesoil，ithasbeenrenderedalmost
totallyworthless；agreatproportionbeingatthismomentover-ratedat
5s。anacreyearlyrent，fewcropsyieldinganymorethanbarelysufficient
topayforlabourandseed。’(31*)Thisexcessofexpensesoverprofitswas
adducedbythe’Otmoorproprietor，’towhomwehavealreadyreferred，as
anfrustrationofthepublic-spiritedself-sacrificeoftheenclosers，who
werepayingoutoftheirownpocketsforanationalbenefit，andbymaking
some，atanyrate，ofthelandcapableofcultivation，wereenablingthe
poortohave’anhonestemployment，insteadoflosingtheirtimeinidleness
andwaste。’(32*)Butfifteenyearsofthis’honestemployment’failedto
reconcilethepoortotheirnewposition，andin1830theywereabletoexpress
theirfeelingsinastrikingmanner。(33*)
Inthecourseofhisdrainageoperations，thecommissionerhadmadea
newchannelfortheriverRay，atahigherlevel，withthedisastrousresult
thattheRayoverflowedintoavaluabletractoflowlandaboveOtmoor。For
twoyearsthefarmersofthistractsufferedseverelosses(onefarmerwas
saidtohavelost£；400inthattime)，thentheytookthelawintotheir
ownhands，andinJune1829cuttheembankments，sothatthewatersofthe
RayagainflowedoverOtmoorandlefttheirvaluablelandunharmed。Twenty-two
farmerswereindictedforfelonyforthisact，buttheywereacquittedat
theAssizes，underthedirectionofMr。JusticeParke，onthegroundsthat
thefarmershadarighttoabatethenuisance，andthatthecommissioner
hadexceededhispowersinmakingthisnewchannelandembankment。
ThisjudgmentproducedaprofoundimpressionontheOtmoorfarmersand
cottagers。TheymisreadittomeanthatallproceedingsundertheEnclosure
Actwereillegalandthereforenullandvoid，andtheydeterminedtoregain
theirlostprivileges。DisturbancesbeganattheendofAugust(28thAugust)。
Foraboutaweek，stragglingpartiesofenthusiastsparadedthemoor，cutting
downfenceshereandthere。AsonofSirAlexanderCrokecameouttoone
ofthesepartiesandorderedthemtodesist。Hehadaloadedpistolwith
him，andthemoor-men，thinking，rightlyorwrongly，thathewasgoingto
fire，wresteditfromhimandgavehimaseverethrashing。Mattersbegan
tolookserious：localsympathywiththerioterswassostrongthatspecial
constablesrefusedtobeswornin；theHighSheriffaccordinglysummoned
theOxfordshireMilitia，andLordChurchill’stroopofYeomanryCavalrywas
senttoIslip。Buttheinhabitantswerenotoverawed。Theydeterminedto
perambulatetheboundsofOtmoorinfullforce，inaccordancewiththeold
custom。OnMonday，6thSeptember，fivehundredmen，womenandchildrenassembled
fromtheOtmoortowns，andtheywerejoinedbyfivehundredmorefromelsewhere。
Armedwithreap-hook，hatchets，bill-hooksandduckets，theymarchedinorder
roundtheseven-mile-longboundaryofOtmoor，destroyingallthefenceson
theirway。Bynoontheirworkofdestructionwasfinished。’Afarmerinthe
neighbourhoodwhowitnessedthescenegivesaludicrousdescriptionofthe
zealandperseveranceofthewomenandchildrenaswellasthemen，andthe
easeandcomposurewithwhichtheywadedthroughdepthsofmudandwater
andovercameeveryobstacleintheirmarch。Headdsthathedidnothear
anythreateningexpressionsagainstanypersonorhisproperty，andhedoes
notbelieveanyindividualspresententertainedanyfeelingorwishbeyond
theassertionofwhattheyconceived(whethercorrectlyorerroneously)to
betheirprescriptiveandinalienableright，andofwhichtheyspeakprecisely
asthefreemenofOxfordwoulddescribetheirrighttoPortMeadow。’(34*)
Bythetimethedestructionoffenceswascomplete，LordChurchill’stroop
ofyeomanrycameuptothedestroyingband：theRiotActwasread，butthe
moormenrefusedtodisperse。Sixtyorseventyofthemwerethereuponseized
andexamined，withtheresultthatforty-fourweresentofftoOxfordGaol
inwagons，underanescortofyeomanry。Nowithappenedtobethedayof
St。Giles’Fair，andthestreetofSt。Giles，alongwhichtheyeomanrybrought
theirprisoners，wascrowdedwithcountryfolkandtownsfolk，mostofwhom
heldstrongviewsontheOtmoorquestion。Themeninthewagonsraisedthe
cry’Otmoorforever，’thecrowdtookitup，andattackedtheyeomenwith
greatviolence，hurlingbrickbats，stonesandstickatthemfromeveryside。
TheyeomenmanagedtogettheirprisonersasfarastheturningdownBeaumont
Street，buttheretheywereoverpowered，andallforty-fourprisonersescaped。
AtOtmooritselfpeacenowreigned。Throughthebrokenfencescattlewere
turnedintograzeonalltheenclosures，andthevillagersevenappointed
aherdsmantolookafterthem。TheinhabitantsofthesevenOtmoortowns
formedanassociationcalled’theOtmoorAssociation，’whichboldlydeclared
that’theRightofCommononOtmoorwasalwaysintheinhabitants，andthat
anon-residentproprietorhadnoRightofCommonthereon，’anddetermined
toraisesubscriptionsforlegalexpensesindefenceoftheirright，calling
upon’thepecuniaryaidofaliberalandbenevolentpublic……toassistthem
inattemptingtorestoreOtmooroncemoretoitsoriginalstate。’(35*)
Meanwhiletheauthoritieswhohadlosttheirprisonersonce，sentdown
astrongerforcetotakethemnexttime，andalthoughattheOxfordCity
SessionsabillofindictmentagainstWilliamPriceandothersforriotin
St。Gilesandrescueoftheprisonerswasthrownout，attheCountySessions
theGrandJuryfoundatrueBillagainstthesameWilliamPriceandothers
forthesameoffence，andalsoagainstCooperandothersforriotatOtmoor。
TheprisonersweretriedattheOxfordAssizesnextmonth，beforeMr。Justice
BosanquetandSirJohnPatteson。Thejuryreturnedaverdictwhichshows
thestrengthofpublicopinion。’Wefindthedefendantsguiltyofhaving
beenpresentatanunlawfulassemblyonthe6thSeptemberatOtmoor，but
itistheunanimouswishoftheJurytorecommendallthepartiestothe
mercifulconsiderationoftheCourt。’Thejudgesrespondedtothisappeal
andthelongestsentenceinflictedwasformonths’imprisonment。(36*)
Theoriginalenclosurewasnowfifteenyearsold，butOtmoorwasstill
inrebellion，andtheHomeOfficePapersofthenexttwoyearscontainfrequent
applicationsfortroopsfromLordMacclesfield，Lord-Lieutenant，SirAlexander
Crokeandothermagistrates。Whenevertherewasafullmoon，thepatriots
ofthemoorturnedoutandpulleddownthefences。Howstrongwasthelocal
resentmentoftheoverridingofalltherightsandtraditionsofthecommoners
maybeseennotonlyfromthelanguageofonemagistratewritingtoLord
MelbourneinJanuary1832：’allthetownsintheneighborhoodofOtmoorare
moreorlessinfectedwiththefeelingsofthemostviolent，andcannotat
allbedependedon：’butalsofromaresolutionpassedbythemagistrates
atOxfordinFebruaryofthatyear，declaringthatnoconstabularyforce
thatthemagistratescouldraisewouldbeequaltosuppressingtheOtmoor
outrages，andaskingforsoldiers。Theappealendedwiththissignificant
warning：’AnyforcewhichGovernmentmaysenddownshouldnotremainfor
alengthoftimetogether，butthattoavoidthepossibilityofanundue
connexionbetweenthepeopleandtheMilitary，asuccessionoftroopsshould
beobserved。’Solongandsobitterwasthecivilwarrousedbyanenclosure
whichParliamenthadsanctionedinabsolutedisregardoftheopinionsor
thetraditionsorthecircumstancesofthemassofthepeopleitaffected。
MostprivateEnclosureActsprovidedthatifacommissionerdiedhis
successorwastobesomebodynotinterestedintheproperty。
SirJohnSinclaircomplainedin1796，thattheBoardhadnoteventhe
privilegeoffrankingitsletters——AnnalsofAgriculture，vol。
FromtheSelectCommitteeontheMeansofFacilitatingEnclosuresin
1800，reprintedinAnnualRegister，1800，AppendixtoChronicle，p。
85ff。，welearnthatthefeesreceivedaloneintheHouseofCommons(Bill
fees，smallfees，committeefees，housekeepers’andmessengers’fees，and
engrossingfees)for707Billsduringthefourteenyearsfrom1786to1799
inclusiveamountedtonolessthat£；59，867，6s。4d。Asthescaleof
feesintheHouseofLordswasaboutthesame(Billfees，yeoman，usher，
door-keepers’fees，orderofcommittee，andcommitteefees)duringthese
yearsabout£；120，000musthavegoneintothepocketsofParliamentary
officials。
BedfordReport，p。249。Cf。writerinAppendixofReport
onMiddlesex，pp。507-15，’agentlemanoftheleastsensibilitywould
rathersufferhisresidencetocontinuesurroundedbymarshesandbogs，than
taketheleadinwhatmaybedeemedanobnoxiousmeasure。’Thissamewriter
urges，thattheunpopularityofenclosureswouldbeovercomewerecaretaken
’toplacetheinferiorordersofmankind——thecottagerandindustrious
poor——insuchasituation，withregardtoinclosures，thattheyshould
certainlyhavesomesharesecuredtothem，andhetreatedwithagentlehand。
Keepallintemper——letnorightsbenowdisputed……Itisfarmoreeasy
topreventaclamourthantostopitwhenonceitisraised。Thosewhoare
acquaintedwiththebusinessofinclosuremustknowthattherearemorethan
four-fifthsoftheinhabitantsinmostneighbourhoodswhoaregenerallyleft
outofthebillforwantforproperty，andthereforecannotpossiblyclaim
anypartthereof。’
’Allowtothecottageralittlelandabouthisdwellingforkeeping
acow，forplantingpotatoes，forraisingflaxorhemp。2ndly。Convertthe
wastelandsofthekingdomintosmallarablefarms，acertainquantityevery
year，tobeletonfavourbletermstoindustriousfamilies。3rdly，Restrain
theengrossmentandover-enlargementoffarms。Theproprietyofthosemeasures
cannot，Ithink，hequestioned。’——TheCaseofLabourersinHusbandry，
p。103。
AnnalsofAgriculture，vol。i，p。52。
ThisschememarksagreatadvanceonanearlierschemewhichYoung
publishedinthefirstvolumeoftheAnnalsofAgriculture。Hethen
proposedthatpublicmoneyshouldbespentinsettlingcottagersorsoldiers
onthewaste，givingthemtheirholdingfreeofrentandtithesforthree
lives，attheendofwhichtimethelandtheyhadredeemedwastorevert
toitsoriginalowners。
ThePoorMan’sBestFriend，orLandtocultivateforhisownBenefit。
LettertotheMarquisofSalisbury，bytheRev。S。Demainbary，B。D。，1831。
