[In Illustration of Action against Enclosures by Justices]
S. P. Dom. Charles I. Vol. 185, No. 86
Most Honorble
Wee have caused a view to bee made according to yor Lops Late Lr[~e]s of all Inclosures and convrsions of Arrable Land to meadow and pasture, wch are now in hand or haue beene made wthin two yeares Last past, And wee haue signifyed yor Lops direc[c~o]ns vnto such ᵱsons as are causers of any such Inclosures & Conⱱtions and have given them notice that they ought not to ᵱcede wth hedgeing or dytchinge in of any such grounds but to Let them so rest vntill wee shall have furder orders from yor: honors: And wee further conceaue that if depopula[c~o]ns may bee reformed it will bring a great good to the whole Kingƌ: for where houses are pulled downe the People are forced to seeke new habitations. In other townes & cuntryes by meanes whereof those Townes where they get a setling are pestred so as they are hardly able to live one by an other, and it is likewise the cause of erecting new Cottages vppon the wasts and other places who are not able to releive themselves nor any such townes able to sustaine or set them on worke wch Causes Rogues & vagabonds to encrease. Moreover it doth appeare that in those townes wch are depopulated the People being expelled There are few or none Left to serve the King when Souldjours are to bee lodged to appeare at Musters for his Mate seruice wch is also a cause that poore Townes where many people are, are put to greater charg in setting forth of souldjours & depopulated Townes are much eased and the Subsidie decayed. All wch wee humbly submit to yor Lops great wisdome. And will eⱱ rest.
At yor honble service humbly to bee comaunded Fran: Thornhagh Ro: Sutton vic. Wee doe herewth Matth Palmer ᵱsent vnto yor W. Cooper Gervas Fevery Honrs the names of Tym: Pilsy Gilƀt Millington all such as have Wil̴l Coke Will Moseley made any Inclosures Jo: Woods or conⱱsions wth in two yeares Last past or that were in hand to make the same. [Addressed:] To the right honble the Lords of his Mats honble Privy Counsell humbly present these. [Endorsed:] Feb. 1630. From the County of Nottingham touching Inclosures. The inconveniencies of Depopulation. [No Enclosures]
[This letter is printed by Miss Leonard, Trans. Royal Hist. Soc., New Series, vol. xix. She refers it to Norfolk, which is apparently a mistake.]
(VII)
[In Illustration of Action against Enclosures by Justices]
S. P. Dom. Charles I. Vol. 206, No. 71
Lincoln