The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. 13. The good Landlord.
IS one that lets his land on a reasonable rate, so that the Tenant by employing his stock, and using his industry, may make an honest livelihood thereby, to maintain himself and his children.
His rent doth quicken his Tenant but not gall him. Maxime 1Indeed 'tis observed, that where Landlords are very easy, the Tenants (but this is per Accidens, out of their own lazinesse) seldome thrive, contenting themselves to make up the just measure of their rent, and not labouring for any surplusage of estate. But our Landlord puts some metall into his Tenants industry, yet not grating him too much, lest the Tenant revenge the Landlords cruelty to him upon his land.
Yet he raiseth his rents (or fines equivalent) in some proportion to the present price of other commodities. 2The plenty of money makes a seeming scarcity of all other things, and wares of all sorts do daily grow dear. If therefore our Landlord should let his rents stand still as his Grandfather left them, whilest other wares dayly go on in price, he must needs be cast farre behind in his estate.
What he sells or sets to his Tenant, 3he suffers him quietly to enjoy according to his covenants. This is a great joy to a Tenant, though he buyes dear to possesse without disturbance. A strange example there was of Gods punishing a covetous Landlord at *Holinshed p. 1224.Rye in Sussex, Anno 1570. He having a certain marish, wherein men on poles did dry their fishnets, received yearly of them a sufficient summe of money, till not content therewith he caused his servant to pluck up the poles, not suffering the fishermen to use them any longer, except they would compound at a greater rate. But it came to passe the same night that the sea breaking in covered the same marish with water, and so it still continueth.
4He detests and abhorres all inclosure with depopulation. And because this may seem a matter of importance, we will break it into severall propositions.
1 Inclosure may be made without depopulating. Infinites of examples shew this to be true. But depopulation hath cast a slander on inclosure, which because often done with it, people suspect it cannot be done without it.
2 Inclosure made without depopulating is injurious to none. I mean if proportionable allotments be made to the poore for their commonage, and free & lease-holders have a considerable share with the lord of the mannour.
3 Inclosure without depopulating is beneficiall to private persons. Then have they most power and comfort to improve their own parts, and for the time, and manner thereof may mould it to their own conveniencie. The Monarch of one acre will make more profit thereof then he that hath his share in fourty in common.
4 Inclosure without depopulating is profitable to the Commonwealth. If injurious to no private person, and profitable to them all, it must needs be beneficiall to the Commonwealth, which is but the Summa totalis of sundry persons, as severall figures. Besides, if a Mathematician should count the wood in the hedges, to what a mighty forrest would it amount? This underwood serves for supplies to save timber from burning, otherwise our wooden walls in the water must have been sent to the fire. Adde to this the strength of an inclosed Countrey against a forrein invasion. Hedges and counter-hedges (having in number what they want in height and depth) serve for barracadoes, and will stick as birdlime in the wings of the horse, and scotch the wheeling about of the foot. Small resistance will make the enemy to earn every mile of ground as he marches. Object not, That inclosure destroyes tillage, the staff of a countrey, for it need not all be converted to pasturage. Cain and Abel may very well agree in the Commonwealth, the Plowman and Shepherd part the inclosures betwixt them.
5 Inclosure with depopulation is a canker to the Commonwealth. It needs no proof: wofull experience shews how it unhouses thousands of people, till desperate need thrusts them on the gallows. Long since had this land been sick of a plurisie of people, if not let blood in their Western Plantations.
6 Inclosure with depopulation endammageth the parties themselves. 'Tis a paradox and yet a truth, that reason shews such inclosures to be gainfull, and experience proves them to be losse to the makers. It may be, because God being foreign, a Lover of man, mankind, and mens society, and having said to them, Multiply and increase, counts it an affront unto him, that men depopulate, and whereas bees daily swarm, men make the hives fewer. The margin shall direct you to the *Mr Benthams Christian Constici, pag. 322.Authour that counts eleven mannours in Northhamptonshire thus inclosed: which towns have vomited out (to use his own expression) and unburthened themselves of their former desolating and depopulating owners, and I think of their posterity.
He rejoyceth to see his Tenants thrive. 5Yea he counts it a great honour to himself, when he perceiveth that God blesseth their endeavours, and that they come forward in the world. I close up all with this pleasant story. A Farmer rented a Grange generally reported to be haunted by Faries, and paid a shrewd rent for the same at each half years end. Now a Gentleman asked him how he durst be so hardy as to live in the house, and whether no Spirits did trouble him. Truth (said the Farmer) there be two Saints in heaven vex me more then all the devils in hell, namely the Virgin Mary, and Michael the Archangel; on which dayes he paid his rent.