Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
Buckingham, and Northampton, as well within liberties as without, and by
other ways, manners and means whereby you shall or may the better learn
the truth, what and how many towns, how many houses and buildings have
been thrown down from the aforesaid feast, and how many and how great
lands which were then in tillage are now converted to pasture, and how
many and how great parks have been enclosed for the feeding of deer on
this side the same feast, and what lands have been enclosed in any parks
or any park, which then were or was, for the enlargement of such parks,
and by whom, where, when, how and in what manner, and touching other
articles and circumstances in any wise concerning the premises,
according to the tenour and effect of certain articles specified in a
bill to these presents annexed. And therefore we command you that you
attend diligently to the premises and do and execute the same with
effect. And by the tenour of these presents we command our sheriffs of
the counties aforesaid that at certain days and places, which you shall
cause them to know, they cause to come before you or two of you as many
and such good and lawful men of their bailiwick by whom the truth of the
matter may the better be known and enquired of; and that you certify us
in our Chancery of what you shall do in the premises in three weeks from
the day of St. Michael next coming, together with this commission. In
witness whereof, etc. Witness the King at Westminster, the 28th day of
May.
[Footnote 262: Similar letters are addressed to other Commissioners
directing them to make similar inquiries in other parts of the country.
The Commission was appointed by Wolsey. Its returns are important as a
source of information both on the said conditions of the period and on
the administrative methods of the Tudor statesmen (see Leadam, _Domesday
of Enclosures_) and subsequent Commissions were appointed in 1548, 1566,
1607, 1632, 1635, and 1636, the last three being prompted partly by the
desire to raise money by means of fines.]
15. AN ACT CONCERNING FARMS AND SHEEP [_25 Hen. VIII, c. 13. Statutes of
the Realm, Vol. III, p. 451_], 1533-4.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account