It does not appear that Captain Boycott was more severe than other agents, but he does seem to have been less in sympathy with the peasants.
There had been a long period of bad harvests followed by a famine, and the tenants could not pay their rents. They begged that their back rent might be forgiven them, and their future rents lowered.
All over Ireland similar demands were being made. Irish agitators, as they were called, were holding meetings all over the country, advising the peasants to make these demands. Among the men who addressed the people were Charles Stewart Parnell, John Dillon, and Michael Davitt, all members of Parliament.
Excitement had run so high that the peasants had murdered several agents who refused their demands.
Mr. Parnell and his friends urged the people not to commit crimes, but to refuse to pay the rents demanded.
These leaders bade the people stop buying from, selling to, or working for any landlord who refused to listen to their demands, and to prevent others from having any dealings with them.
This is what is called "boycotting." Captain Boycott was its first victim. He not only refused to lower the rents, but, according to the story of the peasants, he reduced the wages of his laborers by a system of petty fines.
Acting on Mr. Parnell's advice, the laborers refused to work for him, and the tenants refused to have any dealings with him.
It was harvest-time, but the crops were left rotting in the fields, because no one would lend a hand to gather them. The farm servants left the farm, and there was no one to feed the cattle or milk the cows. The country people round would sell neither food, clothes, nor medicines to any of the family.
The peasants cut Captain Boycott off from the rest of the world, and kept him thus isolated until the Government had to interfere.