PART I. The Small Landholder

THE SMALL LANDHOLDER

"What comyn folke in all this world may compare with the comyns of England in riches, freedom, liberty, welfare, and all prosperity? What comyn folke is so mighty, so strong in the felde as the comyns of England?"--State Papers, Henry VIII., vol. ii. p. 10.

"My thynketh that as the wise husbandman makethe and maynteyneth his nursery of yonge trees to plante in the steede of the olde, when he seeth them begynne to fail, because he will be sure at all tymes of fruyte: so shulde politique governours (as the kynges maiestie and his councell mynde) provide for thencrease and mayntenance of people, so that at no tyme they maye lacke to serve his highnes and the commenwelthe."--The defence of John Hales agenst certeyn sclaundres and false reaportes made of hym.