LAND-SHARKING IN ENGLAND IN 1450, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 273, 24 July 1880, Page 2

LAND-SHARKING IN ENGLAND IN 1450, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

As, according to Sir George Grey, a tremendous struggle is now going on in this Colony between land monopolists and the more sober and .industrious part of the community, it seems desirable to know what the light of history sheds on it. The whole “ human race ’ ’ too is of course looking on. Tho following extract from Dr Henry’s history of Great Britain will be read with interest :

“ This practice of enclosing became very general in England about th s period, and occasioned prodigious clamours from those who mistook the effect of depopulation for its cause. .j . . . We learn from the best authority, the testimony of many Acts ot Parliament, that the depopulation of the couijtry, and the difficulty of procuring labourers, was the real cause of this remarkable revolu tion.”

“John Rous, of Warwick, was a violent declaimer against the nffiility and gentry who enclosed their lands, and a co”siderable part of his liistory of England consists of the most ijitter invectives against them : calling them depopulators, destroyers of jyillages, robbers, tyrants, basilisks, enehnies to God and man, and assuring them they would al' go to the. devil when they died. This zealous enemy to enclosures tells us that he presented a petetion against them to the Paidiameut that met at Coventry in a.d., 1459, which was totally disregarded; aud that several petitions to succeeding Parliaments had been equally unsuccessful. . . . . . . In his de-

clamations against those hated depopulators, be informs us that one of that character had been seen in hell by a certain priest who was carried thither on the back of a devil, with whom he was familiar : that the priest was a little averse at first to trust himself on ’ the back of his infernal friend till the devil gave him his word ot honour that he would bring him back in safety, which he faithfully performed.” “ Clutha Leader..”