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The dearth thereof made the gentlemen to rayse their rents, and to take farmes to their handes, for their better prouision, and consequently, to inclose more groundes.

Knight. If this were the chiefest cause of the dearth, as of very good probability (by you maister Doctor) heeretofore alleaged, it should seeme to be: how commeth it to pass (where as you say, if the cause be remoued, the effect is also taken away) that the pryces of all thinges fall not backe to their olde rate, whereas now long sithence our english (coyne to the great honour of our noble Princesse which now rayghneth) hath bene again throughly restored to his former purity and perfection.

Doctor. In deede Sir I must needes confesse vnto you (although it may seeme at the first sighte to discredite my former sayings in some parte) that notwithstanding that our coyne at this present day, yea and many yeares past, hath recouered his aunciente goodnesse, yet the dearth of all thinges, which I before afirmed to haue proceeded of the decay thereof, to remayne and contine we still amongst vs. Wherefore as your doubt heerein moued very aptly, and to the purpose, is well worthy the consideration: so doe I accoumpt it of such difficulty, that perhaps it would not be thought to stand with modesty, to vndertake without farther study presently to dissolue the same.

Knight. Syr, I pray you for this time omit the pleadinge of modesty. I vnderstand well ynough by your former talke, that you are not vnprouided of sufficient store (without farther deliberation) to satisfie vs withal, in greater matters (if neede were) then these.

Doctor. Well, I am content (because you will haue it so) to yeelde to your importunity. I will vtter franckely vnto you myne opinion heerein, but vnder protestation that if you like it not, yee reiect it, imparting likewise with mee your owne phantasies and iugementes in the same: I finde therefore two speciall causes in myne opinion, by meanes of the which, notwithstanding the restitution made in our coine, the aforesayd dearth of thinges in respect of the former age remayneth yet among vs. The first is, that whereas immediately after the basenesse of our coyne in the time of King Henry the Eight, the prices of all things generally among al sorts of people, rose: it must needes happen here withal (as yee know) that our gentlemen which liued onely upon the reuenues of their lands, were as neare or nearer touched (as is before proued) with the smarte hereof, then any other of what order or estate so euer. This therefore being taken as most true, the gentlemen desirouse to mayntaine their former credite in bearing out the porte of their predecessors, were driuen of necessity as often as whensoeuer any leases deuised for terme of yeares, by themselues or their auncestors were throughly expired, and fel into their hauds, not to let them out agayne for the most part, but as the rentes of them were

farre racked beyond the olde: Yea, this racking and hoyssinge vp of rentes hath continued euer since that time vntill this present day hereupon the husbandman was necessarily inforced, whereas his rent was now greater then before, and so continueth vnto this day, to sell his victailes dearer, and to continue the dearth of them, and likewise other artificers withall to maintaine the like proportion in their wares, wherefore as this dearth at the first tyme (as I said before) sprang of the alteration of the coyne, as of his first and chiefest efficient cause: so doe I attribute the continuaunce of it hitherunto and so foreward, partly to the racked and stretched rentes which haue lasted, yea, and increased euer since that time hetherunto, and so are like to continue I know not how long. Now if we would, in these our dayes, haue the olde pennyworthes generally restored among vs agayne. The restoring of our good coine, which already is past, and before the improued rentes would only of it selfe haue ben sufficient to haue brought this matter to passe, will not serue in these our dayes, except withall the racked rentes bee pulled downe which possibly cannot be without the common consent of our landedmen throughout the whole realme. Another reason I conceiue in this matter to be the great store and plenty of treasure, which is walking in these parts of the world far more in these our dayes, then euer our forefathers haue sene in times past. Who doth not vnderstand of the infinite summes of gold and siluer, which are gathered from the Indies and other countries, and so yearely transported vnto these coastes? As this is otherwise most certain, so doth it euidently appeare by the common report of al auncient men liuing in these daies. It is their constant report, that in times past, and within the memory of man, he hath ben accoumpted a rich and wealty man, and wel able to keepe house among his neighbors which all things discharged, was clearely worth thirty or forty pounds, but in these our dayes the man of that estimation, is so far in the common opinion from a good houskeeper, or man of wealth, that he is reputed the next neighbor to a begger. Wherefore these two reasons seemed vnto me to contain in them sufficient probability for causes of the continuaunce of this generall dearth.

Knight. Yea, but (Sir) if the increase of treasure be partly the occasion of this continued dearth: then by likelyhood in other our neighbors nations, vnto whom yearely is conuayghed great store of gold and siluer, the pryces of victayles, and other wares in like sorte, raysed according to the increase of their treasure?

Doctor. It is euen so, and therefore to vtter freely myne opinion as I accoumpt it a matter very hard for the difficulties aboue rehersed to reuoke or call backe agayne all our Englishe wares vnto their old prices: so doe I not take it to be either profitable or conuenient for the realme, excepte wee would wishe that our commodi

ties should bee vttered good cheape to straungers, and theirs ont the other side deare vnto vs, which could not be without great impouerishing of the commonweale, in a very shorte time.

Knight. Now that you haue so well touched the occasion of this derth, and what is to be hoped or wished of the same so fully, that I am well satisfied withall. I pray you shewe me the remedies of this great inclosiers, whereof all the realme complaineth of so much, and hath complayned long vpon. For you haue well perswaded how it is a meane of greate desolation of this realme, and that is longe of the great profit that men haue by pasture, ouer that they haue by tillage, that they turne so much to pasture. Now I would fayne heare how it might be remedied againe ; I haue hearde this matter of long time, and often reasoned vpon aswell in Parliament, as in counsayles, and yet small remedy found therefore that tooke effect.

for

Doctor. If I, then after so many wise heades as were in those Parliaments and Counsailes, would take vpon me to correct (as they say) Magnificat, and to finde a remedy for this thinge, which they could neuer doe. I might be reckened very arrogant.

Knight. Yet tell your phantasie therein, for though you misse of the right meane to reform that, it shall be no more shame for you to doe so, then it was for so many wise men as yee speake of to misse. Doctor. You say truth, and since I speak nothing in this part, that I would haue taken as it were for a law or determined thinge, but as a certayn motion for other wise men to consider, and to admit or reiect, as to their better reason shall seeme goode: therefore as yee haue boldned me already with your patience to say thus farre, I will not spare to declare my minde in this. But still I must keepe my grounde, that I spake of, that is to try out the effectuall cause of this inclosures, and then by taking away of the cause to redresse the thinge.

How inclo

died.

Doctor. To tell you plaine it is auarice that I take for the principal cause thereof, but can we deuise that all couetousnes can be taken from men. No, no more than we can make men to be without wealth, without gladnes, without feare, and wythoute all affections: what then? we must take away from men the occasion siers may or their couetousnes, in this part, what is that? the exceeding luker be reme that they see grow by these inclosures more then by their husbandry. And that may bee done by any of these two meanes that I will tell you. Either by the minishing the luker that men haue by gasing, or else by advauncing of the profit of husbandry til it be as Omnes good, and as profitable to the occupiers as grasing is, for euery man (as Plato saith) is naturally couetous of luker. And that wherein they see most luker, they wil most gladly exercise: I shewed you before, that there is more luker by grasing of ten acres to the

sunt lucri

cupidi.

Pratum

tum.

occupier alone then is in the tillage of twenty. And the causes therof be many, one is that grasing requires small charge and smal labor, which in tillage consumes much of the mens gaines, though it be true that the tillage of ten acres brings more gaines generally amongs the maister and all his mainy then the grasing of twenty acres. Another great cause is, that whatsoeuer thing is rered vpon grasing hath free vente, both ouer this side, and also beyond the sea to be sold at the highest penny. It is contrary of all thinges reared by tillage, for it requires both great charge of seruaunts and of labor. And also if any good cheape be of corne it paieth scant for the charge of the tillage. And then if the market do arise, either within that realme or without, the poore husband shalbe so restrained from sellyng his corn, that he neuer after shal haue any idy to set his plough in the ground, whych maketh euery man forsake tillage and fall to grasing, which bringeth all these inclosures.

Knight. Now what remedy for that.

Doctor. Mary, as for the first poynt, that is, touching the vnequal charges of tillage and grasing, that can not be holpen in al pointes, by reason the nature of both reapes the contrarye. Therefore the latine tongue calles the one, that is pasture, pratum, that is asmuch to say as paratum, ready. But thee other thinge might quasi para- be remedied, that the husbandman mighte haue asmuch liberty at all times to sel his corne either within the realme, or without; as the grasiers hath to sell hys, which would make the husbandmen more willing to occupy theyr plough. And other seeing them thriue would turn theyr pasture to tyllage. And though it enhaunse the market for the time, yet would it cause much more tillage to be vsed, and consequently more corne, within time of plentye within this realme, might brynge in much treasure. And in time of scarsity would suffice for the realme as shewed you before. And this with luker they should bee entysed to occupy the plough, yea and with other priuileges. I haue red that in this realme sometime there was such a lawe as a man that had trespassed the law of misaduenture moughte haue taken the plough tayle for his sainctuary. Also the occupation was had so honorable amonge the Romaines that one was taken from holding the plough to bee consull in Rome, who after his year ended thought no scorne to resort to the same feate againe. What occupation is so necessary or so profitable for mans life as this is. Or what mistery is so void of al craft as the same is, and how litle is it regarded; yea how much it is despised: that many in these dayes reputes them but as villains, pesaunts, or slaues, by whom the proudest of them haue their liuings. So that I maruaile much there is any (seing such ability and contempt of the thing) will occupy the feat

ye

of husbandry at al: for as honour nourisheth al sciences, so disho nor must needes decay them. And therefore if will haue husbandry encreased ye must honor and cherish it, that is to let them · haue honest gaines thereby and since that gains shal come into your countrey why shoulde you bee offended therewith. Another way is to abate the commodity of grasing as when any tare is requisite to be graunted to the Prince, if lands be chargeable thereto to charge one aker of pasture asmuch as two of erable. Or els to burden wolles and fels, and such things as are reared by grasing, that passe to the partes beyond the sea vnwrouth, with double talage ouer any corn transported, and so by enhausing the profite of tyllage, and abasing of the profit of grasing, I doubte not but husbandrye would be more occupied and grasing much lesse. And therby these inclosures to be broken vp. Also there is one thing of old time ordeined in this realme which being, kept vnaltered woulde helpe hereunto also, that is where men are enter comminers in the common fields, and also haue their porcions so entermedled one with another, that though they wold they could not enclose any part of the said fields so long as it is so. But of late diuers men finding greater profite by grasing then by husbandry, haue founde the meanes either to buy theyr neighbors partes round aboute them. Or els to exchaunge with them so many acres in this place, for so many in another: whereby they might bringe all theyr Jandes together, and so inclose it, for the auoiding whereof I thinke verely, that it was so of olde time ordeined, that euery Tenaunt had his lande not all in one parcell of euery field, but enterlaced with his neighbors landes so as here should bee three acres, and then his neighbor should haue as many, and ouer that he other three or four and so after the like rate be the most partes of the copy holdes that I do know in this countrey, which I thinke good were still so continued for auoyding of the sayd enclosures, and thus farre as to that

matter.

The remainder of this dialogue is taken up in the discussion of the decay of towns, and how they may be enriched; also of schism in religion, and how this schism may be remedied.

NO. IX.

Pam.

VOL. V.

U

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