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
andrightsofthepersonssupportingtheBillhadbeenexaggeratedonly
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。Charles52*
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。’