The second moderation that would be amended is in the imposition of the pain ... which is but 10s. yearly for every acre not converted. By your favour, Mr. Speaker, it is too easy: and I will tell you, Sir, the ears of our great sheep-masters do hang at the door of this house, and myself have heard since this matter grew in question to be reformed, that some, enquiring and understanding the truths of the penalty, have prepared themselves to adventure 10s. upon the certainty of the gain of 30s. at the least. The third moderation is in the exception that exempts grounds mown for hay to be converted into tillage. And, if it please you, Sir, the first resolutions our enclosed gentlemen have is to sort and proportion their grounds into two divisions, the one for walks whereon their sheep may feed in the fresh summer, the other for hay whereon their sheep may feed in the hard winter; so that these grounds that carry hay have been as oil to keep the fire flaming and therefore no reason why they should be shielded and protected from the ploughshare. The fourth moderation is that after this reconversion there is no restraint, but that every one may keep all the land ploughed in his own hands; whereupon will follow that as now there is scarcity of corn and plenty of such as would be owners, so then there will be plenty of corn, but scarcity of such as can be owners. For until our gentlemen that now enclose much, and then must plough much, shall meet with more compassion toward the poor than they have done, their small will be as small as it hath been, and then every one will be either an engrosser under false pretence of large housekeeping, or else a transporter by virtue of some license he will hope to purchase. And therefore it were good that every one should be rated how much he should keep in his own hands, and that not after the proportions of his present estimation; as, if a man hath lifted up his countenance by reason of this unnatural and cruel improvement after the rate of a gentleman of a thousand pounds by year, where the same quantity of land before would yield but a hundred pounds by year, I would have this man ruled after his old reckoning.... We sit now in judgment over ourselves: therefore as this bill entered at first with a short prayer 'God speed the plough.' so I wish it may end with such success as the plough may speed the poor. (Endorsed: 1597. To Mr. Speaker against enclosures.) [Footnote 264: Two Acts against depopulation were passed in this year, 39 Eliz., c. 1, and 39 Eliz., c. 2 (see No. 17 of this section). The name of the member making the following speech is not known.] [Footnote 265: 4 Hen. VII, c. 19, by which all occupiers of 20 acres and upwards which have been tilled for the last three years are to maintain them in tillage.] [Footnote 266: For the exaction of such a contribution see Section IV, No. 20 of this Part.] 19. SPEECHES IN HOUSE OF COMMONS ON ENCLOSURES [_D'Ewes Journal, p. 674_], 1601[267].