The Landed Qualifications Bill of 1710/11 [(9 Anne, c. 5]) restricted membership of the House of Commons to knights of the shire who could prove they had an income from land of at least £600 p.a., or to a burgess who had landed income of at least £300 p.a. Exceptions were made for the heirs of men qualified to be knights of the shire, the heirs of peers, and those elected by the universities. The Bill also excluded anyone not “born within the Kingdom of England or dominions thereunto belonging” (Holmes 179). (The Bill did not affect Scotland.) Whilst historical assessments of the success of the Bill have varied in their emphases, it is generally seen as having secured control over the House of Commons for the landed interest and constrained the political power of the rising…
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Citation: Clark, Robert. "Landed Qualifications Act". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 June 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=13852, accessed 23 November 2024.]
