118
LANDHOLDING IN ENGLAND
the Poor," by J. Moore,[1] minister of Knaptoft, in Leicestershire, 16th September 1653.
"But how great a shame it is for a Gospel Magistracie not to suppresse Make-beggars, which make such swarms of Beggars in Countries, Cities, and Towns. … I mean the unsociable, covetous, cruel, broode of those wretches, that by their Inclosure do unpeople Towns and uncorn fields. … My whole County of Leicestershire and such wasting of the Inland Counties can witness with me. Question many of our beggars that go from dore to dore, with wife and children after them, where they dwell, and why they go a begging. Alas, Master (say they) we were forced out of such a Town when it was inclosed, and since we have continued a generation of Beggars. When we take a view of the multitude of poor in Market Towns and fielden Towns, we see how these poor wretches were driven out of their hive, their honey taken away. … They make four sorts of people Beggars ; first, the Tenant; secondly, the Cottier; thirdly, the Children of both; fourthly, all those that shall stand in their way to hinder their uncharitable, yea, unjust designs."Truly it would make a charitable heart bleed to come now into our Markets, where we are now so busie upon such Inclosures, in Leicestershire, where the Market is full of injurie and complaint of such Tenants to all they meet. Can you help me to a farm, or a little land,' to employ my team? I am discharged, and if I sell my horses and Cattel, I shall never get a team again, or so many milch cows to maintain my family. … In some Towns, there is fourteen, sixteen, or twenty Tenants discharged of plowing.
"One of the inhabitants gave this reason why they must do it … The poor increase like fleas and lice, and these vermine will eat us up unless we inclose. … Depopulation comes by degrees, and the next generation usually knows neither Tenant, nor Cottier in such enclosed places, for Towns we must call them no longer. They usually upon such inclosure treble the price of
- ↑ Moore was, of course, one of the ministers put in by the Parliament when the Episcopalian clergy were driven out.
