Bills，weretoreceivecompensation；buttherewasnotalkofcompensation
forthestolenlivelihoodofapinderorachimneypeeper，astherehadbeen
forthelostpickingsoftheofficialsofParliament，orastherewaswhenever
anunhappyaristocratwasmadetosurrenderoneofhissinecures。George
Selwyn，whohadbeenPaymasteroftheWorksfortwenty-sevenyearsatthe
timethatBurke’sActof1782deprivedhimofthatprofitabletitle，was
notallowedtolanguishverylongonthetwosinecuresthatwereleftto
him。In1784PittconsoledhimwiththelucrativenameofSurveyor-General
ofCrownLands。Thepinderandtheviewerreceivedadifferentkindofjustice。
Fortherichthereiscompensation，astheweaversaidinDisraeli’sSybil，
but’sympathyisthesolaceofthepoor。’Inthiscase，ifthetruthbetold，
eventhissolacewasnotadministeredwithtooliberalahand。
Alltheseclassesandinterestswerescatteredbyenclosure，butitwas
notonegenerationalonethatwasstruckdownbytheblow。Forthecommons
werethepatrimonyofthepoor。Thecommoner’schild，howeverneedy，was
bornwithaspooninhismouth。Hecameintoaworldinwhichhehadashare
andaplace。Thecivilisationwhichwasnowsubmergedhadspeltasortof
independencefortheobscurelineageofthevillage。Ithadrepresented，
too，theimportanceoftheinterestofthecommunityinitssoil，andin
thisaspectalsotherobberyofthepresentwaslessimportantthantherobbery
ofthefuture。Foroneactofconfiscationblottedoutaprincipleofpermanent
valuetotheState。
Theimmediateconsequencesofthispolicywereonlypartiallyvisible
tothegoverningorthecultivatedclasses。TherulersofEnglandtookit
forgrantedthatthelossesofindividualswerethegainsoftheState，and
thatthedistressesofthepoorweretheconditionofpermanentadvance。
Modernapologistshaveadoptedthesameview；andthepopularresistance
toenclosureisoftencomparedtothewildandpassionatefurythatbroke
againstthespinningandweavingmachines，thesymbolsandenginesofthe
IndustrialRevolution。Historyhasdrawnacurtainoverthosedaysofexile
andsuffering，whencottageswerepulleddownasifbyaninvader’shand，
andfamiliesthathadlivedforcenturiesintheirdalesorontheirsmall
farmsandcommonsweredrivenbeforethetorrent，losing
’Estateandhouseandalltheirsheep，Aprettyflock，andwhichforaughtIknowHadclothedtheEwbanksforathousandyears。’
Ancientpossessionsandancientfamiliesdisappeared。Butthefirstconsequence
wasnottheworstconsequence：sofarfromcompensatingforthismisery，
theultimateresultwasstillmoredisastrous。Thegoverningclasskilled
bythispolicythespiritofarace。Thepetitionsthatareburiedwiththeir
briefandunavailingpathosintheJournalsoftheHouseofCommons
arethelastvoiceofvillageindependence，andtheunnamedcommonerswho
bravedthedangersofresistancetosendtheirdoomedproteststotheHouse
ofCommonsthatobeyedtheirlords，werethelastoftheEnglishpeasants。
Thesewerethemen，itisnotunreasonabletobelieve，whomGrayhadinmind
whenhewrote：——
’SomevillageHampdenthatwithdauntlessbreastThelittletyrantofhisfieldswithstood，’
AswereadthedescriptionsofthestateofFrancebeforetheRevolution，
thereisonefactthatcomfortstheimaginationandbracestheheart。We
readoftheintolerableservicesofthepeasant，ofhisforcedlabour，his
confiscatedharvests，hiscrushingburdens，hispainfulandhumiliatingtasks，
includinginsomecaseseventhedutyofprotectingthesleepoftheseigneur
fromthecroakingoftheneighboringmarshes。ThemindofArthurYoungwas
filledwiththisimpressionofunsupportableservitude。Butamorediscerning
eyemighthaveperceivedatruththatescapedtheEnglishtraveller。Itis
containedinanentrythatoftengreetsusintheofficialreportsonthe
stateoftheprovinces：ceseigneurlitigeavecsesvaissaux。Thosefewwords
flashlikeagleamofthedawnacrossthissombreandmelancholypage。The
peasantmaybeoverwhelmedbythedî；me，thetaille，thecorvé；e，
thehundredandoneservicesthatknithistenuretothecapriceofalord：
hemaybewretched，brutal，ignorant，ill-clothed，ill-fed，andill-housed：
buthehasnotlosthisstatus：heisnotacasualfigureinadriftingproletariat：
hebelongstoacommunitythatcanwithstandtheseigneur，disputehisclaims
atlaw，resumeitsrights，recoveritspossessions，andestablish，oneday，
itsindependence。
InEnglandthearistocracydestroyedthepromiseofsuchadevelopment
whenitbrokethebackofthepeasantcommunity。Theenclosurescreateda
neworganisationofclasses。Thepeasantwithrightsandastatus，witha
shareinthefortunesandgovernmentofhisvillage，standinginrags，but
standingonhisfeet，makeswayforthelabourerwithnocorporaterights
todefend，nocorporatepowertoinvoke，nopropertytocherish，noambition
topursue，bentbeneaththefearofhismasters，andtheweightofafuture
withouthope。Noclassintheworldhassobeatenandcrouchingahistory，
andiftheblazingricksin1830oncethreatenedhisrulerswiththeanguish
ofhisdespair，innochapterofthathistorycouldithavebeenwritten，
’Thisparishisatlawwithitssquire。’Fortheparishwasnolongerthe
communitythatofferedthelabourerfriendshipandshelteredhisfreedom：
itwasmerelytheshadowofhispoverty，hishelplessness，andhisshame。
’Gotoanale-housekitchenofanoldenclosedcountry，andthereyouwill
seetheoriginofpovertyandPoor-rates。Forwhomaretheytobesober？
Forwhomaretheytosave？Fortheparish？IfIamdiligent，shallIhave
leavetobuildacottage？IfIamsober，shallIhavelandforacow？If
Iamfrugal，shallIhavehalfanacreofpotatoes？Youoffernomotives；
youhavenothingbutaparishofficerandaworkhouse！——Bringmeanother
pot。’(16*)
1。SeetheEvidenceofWitnessesbeforetheCommitteeonCommonsInclosure
of1844。(Baily，land-agent)：’GeneralcustomtogivetheLordofManor1/16th
ascompensationforhisrightsexclusiveofthevalueofmineralsandof
hisrightsasacommonrightowner。’Anotherwitness(Coulson，asolicitor)
definedthesurfacerightsas’gameandstockage，’andsaidthattheproportion
determinedupontheresultofabargainbeforehand。
2。’Manysmallproprietorshavebeenseriouslyinjuredbybeingobliged
inpursuanceofill-framedprivatebillstoenclosurelandswhichnewerrepaid
theexpense。’Marshall，TheAppropriationandEnclosuresofCommonable
andIntermixedLands，1801，p。52。
3。CostofEnclosure——TheexpensesofparticularActsvariedverymuch。
BillingsleyinhisReportonSomerset(p。57)gives£；3anacre
asthecostofenclosingalowlandparish，£；2，10s。foranuplandparish。
Theenclosureofthe12，000acreKing’sSedgmoor(Ibid。，p。196)came(with
thesubdivisions)tonolessthan£；59，624，4s。8d。，ornearly£；5
anacre。StanwellEnclosure，ontheotherhand，cametoabout23s。anacre，
andvariousinstancegivenintheReportforBedfordshireworkout
ataboutthesamefigure。Whentheallotmentstothetithe-ownersandthe
lordofthemanorwereexempted，thesumperacrewouldofcoursefallmore
heavilyontheotherallottees，e。g。，ofLouth，wheremorethanathirdof
the1701acresenclosedwereexempt。Inmanycases，ofcourse，landwassold
tocoverexpenses。Thecostoffencingallotmentswouldalsovaryindifferent
localities。InSomerset，from7s。7d。to8s。7d。for20feetofquickset
hedgewascalculated，inBedfordshire，10s。6d。perpole。Seealsoforexpense
Hasbach，pp。64，65，andGeneralReportonEnclosures，Appendix，xvii。
MainItems：——
Countrysolictor’sfeesfordrawingupBillandattendingintown；
AttendanceofwitnessesatHouseofCommonsandHouseofLordstoprove
thatStandingOrdershadbeencompliedwith；
Expensesofpersonstogetsignaturesofconsentsandafterwardstoattend
togetconsentofprincipalproprietors)；
ExpenseofParliamentarysolicitor，20gs。，butmoreifopposition；
Expenseofcounseliftherewasopposition；
Parliamentfees，seep。76。
InquiryintotheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesresultingfromBills
ofEnclosure，1789，p。14。
Cf。Ashelworth，Cheshunt，Knaresborough。
Previoustoenclosurethereweretwenty-fivefarmers；thelandisnow
dividedamongfiveorsixpersonsonly。
Itwasthenconfidentlysaidthatseveralpoorpersonsactuallyperished
fromwant，andsogreatwastheoutcrythatsomeofthefarmerswerehissed
inthepublicmarketatBicester。
Dunkin’sOxfordshire，pp。2and3。
F。Moore，ConsiderationsontheExorbitantPriceofProprietors，
1773，p。22；quotedbyLevy，p。27。
EssayontheNatureandMethodofascertainingthespecificShare
ofProprietorsupontheInclosureofCommonfields，withobservationson
theinconveniencesofcommonfields，etc。，p。22。
TheKirton，SuttertonandWigtoft(Lincs)Actsprescribedapenalty
fortakingturforsodafterthepassingoftheAct，of£；10，andin
defaultofpaymentimprisonmentintheHouseofCorrectionwithhardlabour
forthreemonths。
TheonlyprovisionforthepoorintheMauldenAct，(36Geo。III，
c。65)wasafuelallotmentasacompensationfortheancientusageofcutting
peatormoorturf。Thetrustees(rector，churchwardenandoverseers)were
todistributetheturftopoorfamilies，andweretopayanysurplusfrom
therentoftheherbagetothepoorrates。
AtSt。NeotsagentlemancomplainedtoArthurYoungin1791thatin
theenclosurewhichtookplacesixteenyearsbefore，’thepoorwereill-treated
byhavingabouthalfaroodgiventheminlieuofacowkeep，theinclosure
ofwhichlandcostingmorethantheycouldafford，theysoldthelotsat
£；5，themoneywasdrankoutattheale-house，andthemen，spoiledby
thehabit，came，withtheirfamiliestotheparish。’——AnnualsofAgriculture，
ChapterFiveTheLabourerin1795
Inanunenclosedvillage，aswehaveseen，thenormallabourerdidnot
dependonhiswagesalone。Hislivelihoodwasmadeupfromvarioussources。
Hisfiringhetookfromthewaste，hehadacoworapigwanderingonthe
commonpasture，perhapsheraisedalittlecroponastripinthecommon
fields。Hewasnotmerelyawageearner，receivingsomuchmoneyaweekor
adayforhislabour，andbuyingallthenecessariesoflifeatashop：he
receivedwagesasalabourer，butinparthemaintainedhimselfasaproducer。
Further，theactualmoneyrevenueofthefamilywasnotlimitedtothelabourer’s
earnings，forthedomesticindustriesthatflourishedinthevillagegave
employmenttohiswifeandchildren。
Inanenclosedvillageattheendoftheeighteenthcenturytheposition
oftheagriculturallabourerwasverydifferent。Allhisauxiliaryresources
hadbeentakenfromhim，andhewasnowawageearnerandnothingmore。Enclosure
hadrobbedhimofthestripthathetilled，ofthecowthathekeptonthe
villagepasture，ofthefuelthathepickedupinthewoods，andoftheturf
thathetorefromthecommon。Andwhileasocialrevolutionhadsweptaway
hispossessions，anindustrialrevolutionhadsweptawayhisfamily’searnings。
Tofamilieslivingonthescaleofthevillagepoor，eachoftheselosses
wasacripplingblow，andthetotaleffectofthechangeswastodestroy
theireconomicindependence。
Someoftheseauxiliaryresourceswerenotvaluedveryhighlybytheupper
classes，andmanychampionsofenclosureprovedtotheirownsatisfaction
thattheadvantage，forexample，oftherightofcuttingfuelwasquiteillusory。
Suchwritershadaverysuperficialknowledgeofthelotofthecottagers。
Theyarguedthatitwouldbemoreeconomicalforthelabourertospendon
hisordinaryemploymentthetimehedevotedtocuttingfuelandturf，and
tobuyfiringoutofhiswages：anargumentfromthetheoryofthedivision
oflabourthatassumedthatemploymentwasconstant。Fortunatelywehave，
thankstoDavies，averycarefulcalculationthatenablesustoformrather
acloserjudgment。Heestimates(1*)thatamancouldcutnearlyenoughin
aweektoservehisfamilyalltheyear，andasthefarmerswillgivethe
carriageofitinreturnfortheashes，heputsthetotalcostat10s。a
year，oralittlemorethanaweek’swages。(2*)Ifwecomparethiswithhis
accountsofthecostoffuelelsewhere，wesoonseehowessentialcommon
fuelrightsweretoalabourer’seconomy。AsSidleshaminSurrey，forinstance，