Chapter XV: Part II: The Transition to Capitalist Agriculture

"The earth is thine, O Lord, and all that is contained therein;
notwithstanding thou hast given the possession thereof to the
children of men, to pass over the time of their short
pilgrimage in this vale of misery. We heartily pray thee to
send thy holy spirit into the hearts of them that possess the
grounds, pastures, and dwelling places of the earth; that they,
remembering themselves to be thy tenants, may not rack and
stretch out the rents of their houses and lands; nor yet take
unreasonable fines and incomes, after the manner of covetous
worldlings; but so let them out to other, that the inhabitants
thereof may be able to pay their rents, and also honestly to
live, to nourish their families, and to relieve the poor: give
them grace also to consider that they are but strangers and
pilgrims in this world, having here no dwelling place, but
seeking one to come; that they, remembering the short
continuance of their life, may be content with that is
sufficient, and not join house to house and field to field, to
the impoverishment of others, but so behave themselves in
letting out their tenements, lands, and pastures, that after
this life they may be received into everlasting dwelling
places; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."--_A Prayer for
landlords, from a Book of Private Prayer, authorised and set
forth by order of King Edward VI._

"Nowe if I should demand of the gredie cormoraunts what they
thinke should be the cause of sedition, they would saie:--'The
paisent knaves be too welthy, provender pricketh them. They
knowe not themselves; they knowe no obedience; they regard no
lawes; they would have no gentlemen; they would have al men
like themselves; they would have all things commune. They would
not have us master of that which is our owne. They will appoint
us what rent we shall take for our grounds.... They will caste
down our parkes, and lay our pastures open.... They will compel
the King to graunt theyr requests.... We wyll tech them to know
theyr betters. And because they would have all in common, we
will leave them nothing,'"--E. E. T. S., Crowley, _The Way to
Wealth_.