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Landholding in England by of Youghal the younger Joseph Fisher
page 99 of 123 (80%)
assertion of ownership.

The power of the nobles, the tenants-in-fee, was strengthened by an
act passed in the reign of William and Mary, which altered the
relation of landlord and tenant. Previous thereto, the landlord had
the power of distraint, but he merely held the goods he seized to
compel the tenant to perform personal service. It would be
impossible for a tenant to pay his rent if his stock or implements
were sold off the land. As the Tudor policy of money payments
extended, the greed for pelf led to an alteration in the law, and
the act of William and Mary allowed the landlord to sell the goods
he had distrained. The tenant remained in possession of the land
without the means of tilling it, which was opposed to public
policy. This power of distraint was, however, confined to holdings
in which there were leases by which the tenant covenanted to allow
the landlord to distrain his stock and goods in default of payment
of rent. The legislation of the Stuarts was invariably favorable to
the possessor of land and adverse to the rights of the people. The
government during the closing reigns was oligarchical, so much so,
that William III., annoyed at the restriction put upon his kingly
power, threatened to resign the crown and retire to Holland; but
the aristocracy were unwilling to relax their claims, and they
secured by legislation the rights they appeared to have lost by the
deposition of the sovereign.

The population had increased from 5,000,000 in 1603 to 5,750,000 in
1714, being an average increase of less than 7000 per annum.



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