[485] For petitions on this subject see Hist. MSS. Com., Cd. 784, pp. 81–82 (Wiltshire). The Warwickshire Quarter Sessions were much occupied with this, e.g. the following: “Trinity Sessions 1625. Fforasmuch as this Court was this present day informed ... by Sir Edward Marrowe, kt., and Thomas Ashley as the lords of the manor of Woolvey in this county ... that the said lords are content that William Wilcox of Woolvey in this countie shall build and erect a cottage for hys habitation hys wyfe and his small children uppon the waste within the said lordshippe, it is therefore ordered that the same being with consent of the lord as aforesaid that the same cottage shall be and continue,” and later “which cottage the Court doth licence" (Warwick Quarter Sessions MSS. Records).
[486] “Considerations Concerning Common Fields and Enclosures,” Pseudonismus, 1654.
[487] Moore, The Crying Sin of England in not Caring for the Poor: “And now alas, saith the poor cottier, there is no work for me, I must go where I may get my living. And hence it comes to pass that the open fielden towns have above double the number of cottiers they had wont to have, so that they cannot live one by another, and so put the fielden towns to vast expense, in caring for these poor that these enclosures have made.”
[488] e.g. Hist. MSS. Com., Cd. 784, p. 95 (Wiltshire), pp. 292 and 298 (Worcester).
[489] See [Appendix I., No. VI.] Miss Leonard (Trans. Royal Hist. Soc., vol. xix.) prints this document as referring to Norfolk, which appears to be an error.
[490] D'Ewes' Journal. Speech of Cecil, 1597.