Appendix A - Sir Ralph Verney's confessional letter of 1650

Summary

But to return again to the matter of rents. I shall clearly tell you what course I was wont to take in the letting of my land, and what Rules I went by. After I had received up the parcels I commonly made my demand, somewhat above what I meant to take, and seldom or never gave any other reasons why I valued it at such rate but that I thought others would give about that price for it which I conceive they would not do but that it was really worth it.

And then again I can truly say that if any tenant found his rent too high and was desirous (leaving house and land in the condition he found it) to quit his bargain, I never refused to take it, though by bond and lease I might have compelled him to hold it many years longer. And furthermore I have found an honest poor labouring man that perhaps paid (not more. than another, but more than he was able to give, though I have not abated. that lest others (who are better able) should require the same abatement, yet I let him another thing 20 or 30 shillings under the true value, and so one helped the other. And this I took to be as well for the tenant, and better for me, than if I had made the abatement in the other way.