The English improver improved, or, The svrvey of hvsbandry svrveyed discovering the improueableness of all lands some to be under a double and treble, others under a five or six fould, and many under a tenn fould, yea, some under a twenty fould improvement / by Walter Blith ... ; all clearely demonstrated from principles of reason, ingenuity, and late but most real experiences and held forth at an inconsiderable charge to the profits accrewing thereby, under six peeces of improvement ...

CHAP. XII.

Sheweth the Lands capable of Enclosure, and the Method of ••t, how it Advanceth the Pub∣lick Weal and all particular Interests.

ANd to this end consider that all Lands capable of Enclosure, are either Common Fields and Arable Lands, Mens proper Right and Inheritance, or else Common Pasturing upon Heaths, Moor; Marshs, or Forrests Lands.

For the Enclosure of your common field, Arable Land, I lay down this Direction; All Interests to be provided for, which I conceive may be reduced to these four.

• 1. First, either Lord of the soyl or Landlord, or,
• 2. Secondly, the Minister to the People, or else
• 3. Thirdly, the Freeholder Farmer or Tenant, or lastly and
• 4. Fourthly, the Poor Labourer or Cottier▪

All which having some Interests more or less, shall be se∣riously considered of.

Therefore I begin with the last, the Poor Cottier, or day Labourer, and to provide for him, because he hath ever been oppressed if any, and last or least provided for, And look what right or Interest he hath in Common, I'll first allot out his proportion into severall with the better, rather than with the worse, a Proportion out of every mans Inheritauce, and

so much, or so many Cattell as he may keep in Common, he shall keep in Pasture, or rather more, at as easie a rate as they pay for it in Common, for their lives that now live upon it, and ever after at an under Value; and so I cannot possibly conceive that he hath any cause to be offended.

And for the Labourer, you shall see how I shall provide for him too before I have done, besides the allotment of his Proportion, as to the Cottier, or to what Right soever he hath of due or Custome.

Then for the Minister in the next place, because he hath seemed to be the Opposer of it, most usually: And truly so he had good reason, as the state of things formerly stood with him: (For though I believe that Tithes are neither consonant to a Gospell Minister, (the List of which dispute be∣comes me not, nor I intend not to enter in) nor yet Condu∣cing to a sweet Compliance with his people) Yet I also say, that should a Minister either have accepted the peoples be∣nevolence of our ordinary English Parishes for his pay, Or have stood to the Courtesie of the Lord, or Freeholder, what he shonld have had upon the Inclosure; I fear, for the one it would have been too little for a Ministers Mainte∣nance, and for the other, he might go barefoot, and his Family a begging, for what the Common people would Con∣tribute to his Subsistence,

And therefore would have him to have his Proportion next, and a very substantiall Livelihood allotted out of the Lands inclosed, untill the State shall settle a more better or more suitable way of Maintenance for him; If there be ei∣ther a Competent number of people for him to preach un∣to, or Competency of Land to raise it from in every Parish, or else two or more Parishes that joyn conveniently to be laid together, (And according to what his Right or Proportion) (if he have it in way of Tithing) to be inclosed, or cast into pasture for him by himself, with as much Conveniency for his dwelling as may be.

And where either Inclosure cannot be agreed upon, or made (as possibly in some parts it may not Consist with all mens advantages) I conceive there may be an agreement

made for the allotment of the Ministers proportion, to be cast into Pasture, so that were his Tenth Enclosed, it would be so gallant a maintenance for him and, contentfull to all Parties, that it would remove all troubles, or occasion of Confusion, and Increase Love and Unity, which Tithings have ever occasioned Divisions and Contentions: Which either he may imploy his Wife and Family upon part there∣of for necessary Maintenance, And set (with much more ease) the rest to free his Family from Care and trouble: And so receive his pay every half year without the least Di∣straction. I would have him to have such a large Allotment and Proportion, as might inable him to be Capable of Hospi∣tality, of which he is to be a Lover, & far better able to give than to receive, and to Administer to others, than to be administred unto by way of Charity.

And as for the great depopulation in the Nation that hath devoured poor & Tenant, overthrow Corning and good Hus∣bandry, and in some parts Minister and all, and yet persist by keeping their Land from Tillage when it wants it; when Country, the Landlords profit, the Markets, the Labourer, Poor, and Land it self and all calls for it, is no less than grand oppression.

As also for other places where no maintainance is assigned for the Minister, but the people starve for want of bread, and where those great Impropriations are that devour all the Profits, and have all to a short-coat Vicaridge; How these things should be mended, is infinitely beyond my Sphere; how Ministers should be raised, maintenance and all Interest preserved, I know not; only I shall pray the wise God to direct our highest Counsells in regulating these distractions, for it is far beyond my shallow capacity how to advise.

And for the Free-holder Farmer or Tenant, I question not the Free-holders offence, for he having his proportion I know it will be doubled and more to his advantage.

And for the Tenant let him also share in some Advance∣ment, either let him injoy it at an easie rate, that look whatsoever Bargain he hath in common by the year, he

may have a better upon the Enclosure; or else let him take a Lease for Lives, or Yeares, that as he enjoyes the worst, upon the first Inclosure, so he may have the best also, having a good T••rm of time therein, and then I hope he will not wrangle neither; for I am sure he need neither Moyl nor Cark as he did before, but manage his business with more ease, sweet content, and advance of profit.

And for the Land-Lord, or Lord, I shall not much be∣speak his favour, or Approbation, for he will beleeve me without Demonstration, that there will be a visible and con∣siderable advance fall upon him, onely crave his patience, that he'll not be offended, that I seem (and but seem so to do) to project to give away his Right as to the Poor, which in Common is their own, whether by Right Custome, (for I speak of no other in this place but such as have right of Common) and so they may require so much by Law; but to encourage them, and to remove offence and scan∣dall I advise it. And when all these particulars concerned in their severall Rights are satisfied, we shall do well; and yet the great Block and Prejudice is yet to be removed, which is, the destruction of Corn, and Tillage, which I promised to clear, which followes here.

First I indeavour before Enclosure, that either by ingage∣ments so firm and surely made, by all parties concerned in it, as they may fall under Law to be recovered; Or else by a particular State Law enacted to this end, so to ingage all men in this new Inclosure to allot, or cast out one third part or thereabout at least of all their Lands constantly for Til∣lage, or what more at any time they please; One third part for Meadow, And another third part for Pasture, or feeding Land, which third part for Tillage if my conceptions fail not, First with the help of all that Soyl that the Hay of the other third part will raise in maintaining all the Cattell in Winter, that they Pastured in summer upon the other third part, which I conceive may be as many more; and also.

Secondly, by that advantage there will be sometime Plowing on Pasture, and resting Another, whereby fresh

Land and Reitey for some years will bear more Corn with∣out Manure, than it did before with it, and indeed also after some yeares of resting may stand in need of Plowing, and po∣ssibly may advance the Land by it, as I am sure they will all our Wood-land, coarser Lands whatsoever, that are either sub∣ject to the Moss, or Rush, or Ant-hills, whatever it, will do to better.

Thirdly, well knowing (that without question) one A∣cre of well Manured and Husbandryed Land, will yeeld more fruit than two or three otherwise; A principle undeni∣able.

Fourthly, consider the vast advantage there will be by Husbandring a little well, I say, it is clear some one Acre manured, plowed and hus••andred in season, and unto that height of Richness the Land and seed sowed doth require, may and doth usually bear as much Corn as two or three ill husbandred as aforesaid. Then ballance the Business, and weigh but the advantage. One Acre beareth the fruit of three, the two Acres are preserved to graze, the seed and all other charges of two Acres is preserved to help the Mar∣kets; The Husbandry, and Plowing, and sowing of two A∣cres is also saved. Oh consider it, and neither be such Enemies to the State, nor of your selves and Common-wealth, so great Abusers of Ingenuity and Good Husbandry, so great Tradu∣cers; When men have their Lands enclosed, and at their own command, I fear not but most men will covet to Husban∣dry every Acre so well, as it may yeeld forth the utmost fruit it is possibly able to produce, having the rest at their own Command also, to imploy to another Advantage. Which done half the Land in England thus managed would yeeld more than all that now is under Tillage. This Poor Piece by the by observed, and practised, would make good the Improvement promised, consider it well and be convinced, or reply.

Fifthly, if you consider that all your Common Fields were never under Tillage neither, As great part S••ades and Hade wayes, and a great part Meadow, and much and many Balkes between each Land, and many High wayes, and some

commune of Pastures and Leayes left for keeping Beasts or Sheep upon, all which will contain one third part, as I con∣ceive, if not near half in some places, not under Tillage but wast Lands, Certainly I conclude there may be as much Corn go by Ingenuity upon this lesser quantity of Ground, and much more being inclosed, than upon it all in Common; And that there cannot be any destruction of Tillage upon all the••e Wasts and Grazed parts which ever lay to Grass, and no Til∣lage was upon them, so that I must clearly conceive, were one third p••rt upon all Enclosure allotted out or covenanted to be kept constantly in Tillage, though I advise not to keep the same third part alway in Tillage, but sometimes one part, and sometimes another, all making up one just third part, would raise as much Corn as all did in Common.

And lastly Enclosure cannot destroy Tillage the Staff of the Country, because it ever yeelds most profit, nor will, nor need all be converted to Pasturage: Cain and Abel were born and planted together, and ordained to live together, and if there were any danger of one destroying the other, Tillage is likelyer to destroy Pasturage, because Cain slew Abel; but without a fear the Ploughman and the Sheepheard may do best together in a Common-wealth.

Notes

• Lands capable of enclosure.
• Cottier provi∣ded for.
• Labourer pro∣vided for.
• Minister pro∣vided for.
• Tithes not Gospell wayes maintenance.
• 1. Tit. 8.
• Depopulation reproved.
• Impropiations to be thought of▪
• Free-holder▪
• Lord of the Soyl or Landlord,
• How Inclo∣sure shall not prejudice the increase of Corn or food.
• Four argu∣ments to prove the advantage by Enclosure, and that more Corn may be raised being Inclosed than Common.
• One Acre brings forth as much Corn as three.