rack-rent

The monks, who had been easy and indulgent landlords, were succeeded by selfish despots who introduced rack-rent for the tenants and brought them to that pitiable state of serfdom in which the nineteenth century—to the eternal shame of Protestant England!

The Social Order Before and After the Protestant Reformation 2007

Many small farms were indeed still let to some cottagers at rack-rent, which cottages had the right of commonage, guaranteed to them in their leases; but afterwards the commons were enclosed, and no recompense was made to the tenants by the landlords.

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. From George III. to Victoria Edward Farr

Those who carry snuff-boxes are only his tenants; and hold them merely by virtue of a _rack-rent_, under him.

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, December 11, 1841 Various

The result of such rack-rent can only be evil, -- abuse and neglect of the soil, deterioration in the character of the laborers, and a widespread sense of injustice.

The Souls of Black Folk 1915

Then he went, and his neighbors too, and now only the black tenant remains; but the shadow-hand of the master's grand-nephew or cousin or creditor stretches out of the gray distance to collect the rack-rent remorselessly, and so the land is uncared-for and poor.

The Souls of Black Folk 1915

Formerly all tenants had some capital, and often considerable; but absentee landlordism, rising rack-rent, and failing cotton have stripped them well-nigh of all, and probably not over half of them to-day own their mules.

The Souls of Black Folk 1915

Formerly all tenants had some capital, and often considerable; but absentee landlordism, rising rack-rent, and falling cotton have stripped them well-nigh of all, and probably not over half of them to-day own their mules.

VIII. Of the Quest of the Golden Fleece. William Edward Burghardt 1903

The result of such rack-rent can only be evil, —abuse and neglect of the soil, deterioration in the character of the laborers, and a widespread sense of injustice.

VIII. Of the Quest of the Golden Fleece. William Edward Burghardt 1903

Formerly all tenants had some capital, and often considerable; but absentee landlordism, rising rack-rent, and failing cotton have stripped them well-nigh of all, and probably not over half of them to-day own their mules.

The Souls of Black Folk 1903

Then he went, and his neighbors too, and now only the black tenant remains; but the shadow-hand of the master’s grand-nephew or cousin or creditor stretches out of the gray distance to collect the rack-rent remorselessly, and so the land is uncared-for and poor.

VII. Of the Black Belt. William Edward Burghardt 1903