Letter – Shute Barrington to Arthur Mowbray – 10 Jan 1799

      Mongewell Jan: 10th 1799

Mowbray,

      You must certainly press a general Inclosure as far as your Majority on the 14th will enable you to go. But if it should fail you must in my name consent to a partial inclosure rather than none, for even that will be attended with it’s benefits. If success attends the first experiment I have no doubt of the plan’s being adopted afterwards. But in my opinion it will be advisable to propose to the Commoners, if they object to the general Inclosure, that by a Clause they should be <empowered>, on application to the Commissioners to inclose without a subsequent Act of Parliament which would be expensive and troublesome. As to the Rector Mr. W & you must do whatever you can with him.

      I have no objection to the power of enfranchising the present Inclosed Lands, on the terms proposed by Mr. Scruton; as that power may be exercised or not by me and my successors; or to the same power with respect to the sale of the quit rents. But I would have you consider whether you may not make a good use of these concessions at the Meeting. In that case do not previously communicate them to Scruton. Remember that I go to London on the 15th Inst. and shall be impatient to receive the earliest information relative to the proceedings at Stanhope the 14th.

      I am &c

      S.D.



I return Mr. Scruton’s letter.

Things may possibly be stated on Monday which may render it proper for you to urge in reply that if the present opportunity is lost another may not soon present itself of obtaining for the Proprietors the same advantageous offer which is now held out to them.