Part II

, pp. 1022-24_], 1603-04.

... And whereas the said act [_i.e._ 5 Eliz., c. iv] hath not, according to the true meaning thereof, been duly put in execution, whereby the rates of wages for poor artificers, labourers and other persons whose wages were meant to be rated by the said act, have not been rated and proportioned according to the plenty, scarcity, necessity, and respect of the time, which was politicly intended by the said act, by reason that ambiguity and question have risen and been made whether the rating of all manner artificers, workmen and workwomen, his and their wages, other than such as by some statute and law have been rated, or else such as did work about husbandry, should or might be rated by the said law; Forasmuch as the said law hath been found beneficial for the commonwealth, be it enacted by authority of this present parliament, that the said statute, and the authority by the same statute given to any person or persons for assessing and rating of wages, and the authority to them in the said act committed, shall be expounded and construed, and shall by force of this act give authority to all persons having any such authority to rate wages of any labourers, weavers, spinsters, and workmen or workwomen whatsoever, either working by the day, week, month, year, or taking any work at any person or persons' hands whatsoever, to be done in great or otherwise....

And furthermore be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any clothier or other shall refuse to obey the said order, rate or assessment of wages as aforesaid, and shall not pay so much or so great wages to their weavers, spinsters, workmen or workwomen as shall be so set down rated and appointed, according to the true meaning of this act, that then every clothier and other person and persons so offending shall forfeit and lose for every such offence, to the party aggrieved, ten shillings: and that if the said offence and offences of not paying so much or so great wages to their said workmen, workwomen and others shall be confessed by the offender, or that the same shall be proved by two sufficient and lawful witnesses before the justices of peace in their quarter sessions of the peace, the justices of assize in their sessions, or before any two justices of the peace, whereof one to be of the quorum; that then every such person shall forthwith stand and be in law convicted thereof; which said forfeiture of ten shillings shall be levied by distress and sale of the offenders goods, by warrant from the said justices before whom any such conviction shall be had; which sale shall be good in law against any such offender or offenders....

Provided nevertheless and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no clothier, being a justice of peace in any precinct or liberty, shall be any rater of any wages for any weaver, tucker, spinster, or other artizan that dependeth upon the making of cloth; and in case there be not above the number of two justices of peace within such precinct or liberty but such as are clothiers, that in such case the same wages shall be rated and assessed by the major part of the common council of such precinct or liberty, and such justice or justices of peace (if any there be) as are not clothiers.

11. ADMINISTRATION IN WILTSHIRE OF ACTS REGULATING THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOTH [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I, pp. 74-5_], 1603.

Orders agreed upon for the occupation of weavers.[288]

_First_, that no person using the trade of weaving woollen cloth be suffered to keep more looms than that the statute made ao v{to} Elizabethae alloweth. 2. _Item_, that all such persons as are now permitted to be master weaver, and themselves have not served their full term of apprenticeship, whether he be above or under the age of xxxtie years and married or unmarried, shall not make or take any apprentice to serve him as apprentice hereafter, neither shall any serve him as an apprentice. 3. _Item_, that every such person permitted to be a master weaver which hath not served his full years of apprenticeship shall not keep above one loom going; and no apprentice to work with him but a journeyman or journeymen. 4. _Item_, none hereafter to be made apprentice to the art of weaving broad cloth but according to the form of the statute _ut supra_. 5. _Item_, that all such as are now allowed to be apprentices, their names to be registered, and none hereafter to be made apprentices but such persons as are appointed overseers of the said occupation to be first made acquainted thereof, to the end no abuse may be suffered, nor unlawful shift used to defraud the true meaning of the said statute. 6. _Item_, that no weaver shall sell his apprentice and take another before the first have served seven years. 7. _Item_, that none shall work as a journeyman except he bring certificate that he hath served full seven years, or his master to testify the same. 8. _Item_, that no clothman shall keep above one loom in his house, neither any weaver that hath a ploughland shall keep more than one loom in his house. 9. _Item_, that no weaver shall keep two apprentices in one loom working except one of them be in his last year. 10. _Item_, that no apprentice shall come forth of his covenant of apprenticeship before he be four and twenty years of age, to avoid young marriages and the increase of poor people. 11. _Item_, that no person or persons shall keep any loom or looms going in any other house or houses beside their own, or maintain any to do the same. 12. _Item_, that all those that have entered into the trade of broad weaving contrary to the statute within these two years may be expelled and put from the same trade, and all those that are journeyman (_sic_) and have not served their time, if they be not married, may return and serve their seven years out, or else to be put from their occupation. 13. _Item_, that all those that are entered in contrary to the statute, having other things to live upon, may be expelled, and put from the trade. 14. _Item_, that all weavers dwelling in any town corporate, borough, or market town, may call into their fellowship all weavers dwelling within three miles compass of any of the said towns, as well journeymen and [as?] masters, and that there may be so many overseers of these said companies as may be fit for the same. 15. _Item_, that every master weaver of these several companies may have a meeting once every quarter, whereby they may have the examination of those things that may be amiss amongst them, to the end no disorder rise amongst them as in time past hath been, and that every broad weaver keeping a loom may give quarterly ivd. towards the relief of their poor brethren that shall need. 16. _Item_, that the master of every several company may call before them every particular offender in matters pertaining to their occupation, whether it be master or journeyman or apprentice, to the end that drunkenness, idleness, or pilfering of their masters' stuff may be punished by laws fit for any of these offences. 17. _Item_, that any of those that shall disobey any of these good orders that are set down, that there may be such penalties inflicted upon any such persons as may be able to suffice them, and shall be agreeable with the laws of the realm, and by such persons as are thereunto authorised by the statutes and laws.

James Martin. Henry Martyn. G. Tooker. Hen. Poole. James Ley. Thos. Hungerforde. Edmund Lamberte.

[Footnote 288: The original heading, for which that above was afterwards substituted, runs:--"A table to be presented for and concerning the occupation of weaving by the sworn men unto Henry Priour authorized for that purpose." It is probable that the "sworn men" were clothiers and weavers (see No. 9), and that Henry Priour was a justice.]

12. ASSESSMENT MADE BY THE JUSTICES OF WILTSHIRE, DEALING MAINLY WITH OTHER THAN TEXTILE WORKERS [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I, pp. 162-167, The Records of Quarter Sessions in the County of Wilts_], 1604.

... third day of May in the first year of our Sovereign Lord James by the grace of God King of England ... Defender of the Faith, and upon diligent respect and consideration by ... for the time ... according to the form of a statute made in the first[289] year of the reign of our late Sovereign Lady Queen ... hereafter particularly ensueth.

_Wages by the year for husbandry._

A bailiff of husbandry shall not take by the year of wages above liiis. iiiid. and a livery or xs. for the same.

A chief shepherd which keepeth one thousand sheep and above shall not take by the year of wages above xls., and a livery or viiis. for the same, and pasture or feeding for xxt sheep all the year or xiid. for every of them.

A shepherd which keepeth six hundred sheep shall not take of wages above xxiiis. iiid., and a livery or vis. for the same, and feeding for ten sheep all the year or xiid. for every of them.

A chief hind of husbandry and a chief carter shall not take by the year of wages above xls. and a livery or viiis.

A common servant of husbandry and a common shepherd above the age of xxi years shall not take by the year [either of] them of wages above xxxiiis. iiiid. and a livery or vis. viiid. for the same.

All other servants and shepherds under xxi years and above xvi years shall not take by the year of wages above xxs. and a livery or vs. for the same.

A chief woman servant shall not take by the year of wages above xxxs. and a livery or vs. for the same.

Every other woman servant above xvi years of age shall not take by the year of wages above xxs. and a livery or vs. for the same.

_Wages by the day for labourers in harvest and at all other times of the year in husbandry._

Mowers of grain by the day with meat and drink shall not take of wages above vd. and without meat and drink not above xd.

Men labourers in haymaking or gripping of lent corn shall not take by the day with meat and drink of wages above iiiid. and without meat and drink not above viiid.

Women labourers in haymaking or gripping of lent corn shall not take by the day with meat and drink of wages above iiid. and without not above vid.

Mowers of corn shall not take by the day with meat and drink of wages above vd., and without meat and drink not above xd.

Men reapers of wheat and rye shall not take by the day with meat and drink of wages not above vd., and without meat and drink not above xd.

Women reapers of wheat and rye shall not take by the day with meat and drink not above iiiid. and without meat and drink not above ixd.

Every hedger, ditcher, thresher and other like labourer in husbandry not afore named shall not take by the day from Michaelmas to the Annunciation of our Lady of wages with meat and drink not above iiid., and without meat and drink not above viid., and that at the election of the hirer; and from the Annunciation of our Lady unto Michaelmas of wages by the day with meat and drink not above iiiid., and without meat and drink not above viiid., and that at the election of the hirer.

_Wages for Taskwork without Meat and Drink._

For reaping and binding of wheat, rye, or beans, for every acre by the lug not above xxd.

Mowing of barley for every acre by lug not above vd.

Mowing of oats for every acre by lug not above iiiid.

Hacking or hawming of pease or fatches for every acre by lug not above xiid.

Mowing of grass for every acre by lug not above xd.

Making of hay for every acre by lug not above ixd.

Threshing of wheat, rye, pease, beans, or fatches, for every quarter, not above xd.

Threshing of barley or oats for every quarter not above vid.

Ditching, planting, and hedging of a perch containing sixteen foot and a half in length, three foot in depth, and five foot in breadth in gravel or stony ground, and setting the same with two chests of plants and making hedge for every perch, not above vid.

Ditching, planting, and hedging after the same order in other sandy or easy grounds, by the lug of like awise not above vd.

Making of hedge for every perch not above 1d.

Making of plaisted hedge and other fenced hedge more strong and scouring of the ditch, for every perch not above iid.

Paling and railing with one rail, felling and clearing of timber and digging of the holes for the posts, for every perch not above xd.

Railing with double rails with felling and clearing of timber and digging of the holes for the posts, for every perch not above vd.

Railing with single rail after the same sort, for every perch not above iiid.

Sawing of board or timber for every hundred not above xviid.

_Wages by the day for these artificers following._

For a Master Carpenter } None of these shall take by the For a Master Free Mason } day from Michaelmas to the For a Master rough Mason } Anunciation of our lady with For a Master Bricklayer } meat and drink of wages not For a Master Plumber } above vd., and without meat and For a Master Glazier } drink not above xd. For a Master Carver } And from the Annunciation of For a Master Joiner } our Lady to Michaelmas not For a Master Millwright } above vid., with meat and drink, For a Master Wheelwright } and without meat and drink not For a Master Plasterer } above xid., by the day.

For every common workman or journeyman of these sciences from Michaelmas to the Annunciation of our Lady of wages by the day with meat and drink not above iiid., and without meat and drink not above viid.; and from the Annunciation of our Lady to Michaelmas with meat and drink not above iiiid., and without meat and drink not above viid.

For every apprentice of these sciences and for every labourer to attend to serve them, from Michaelmas to the Annunciation of our Lady with meat and drink not above iid., and without meat and drink not above vd., and from the Annunciation of our Lady to Michaelmas with meat and drink not above iiid., and without meat and drink not above viid.

_Wages by the day for these occupations following_:--

For a chief ploughwright by the day from Michaelmas to the Annunciation of our Lady with meat and drink not above iiiid., and without meat and drink not above viiid.; and from the Annunciation of our Lady to Michaelmas with meat and drink not above vd., and without meat and drink not above xd.

For sawyers the couple from Michaelmas to the Annunciation of our Lady with meat and drink not above viiid., and without meat and drink not above xvid.; and from the Annunciation of our Lady to Michaelmas with meat and drink not above xd., and without meat and drink not above xviiid. So always that the owner of the saw do have for every day 1d. more than his fellow.

For a Hellyer or Tiler } For a Shingler } Every one of these to take by the For a Brickmaker } day from Michaelmas to the Annunciation For a Limeburner } of our Lady with meat and For a Lathmaker } drink not above iiid., and without For a Quarrier } meat and drink not above viid. For a Pavier or Pitcher } For a Collier } And from the Annunciation of our For a Bondcaster } Lady to Michaelmas with meat and For a Thatcher } drink not above iiiid., and without For a Chandler } meat and drink not above viiid. For a Tinker } For a Painter }

_Wages by the year for the journeymen of these occupations following with meat and drink._

For a miller by the year with meat and drink of wages not above xls., and a livery, or vis., viiid., for the same.

For a loader to the mill of wages not above xxvis., viiid., and a livery, or vis., for the same.

For a dyer, for a brewer, for a tanner, for a linen weaver, the chiefest to take by the year of wages not above ls., and all other common workmen of the same occupation of wages by the year not above xls. without any livery.

A Shoemaker } A Currier } A Woollen Weaver } The chiefest of these to take by the A Tucker } year of wages not above xls. A Fuller } A Shearman } A Clothworker } A Hosier } and every common workman of the the A Tailor } same occupation to take by the year A Baker } of wages not above xxvis., viiid. A Glover } A Girdler } A Spurrier } A Capper } A Hatter } A Feltmaker } A Bowyer } The chiefest of these to take by the A Fletcher } year of wages not above xls. An Arrowhead-maker } A Butcher } A Fishmonger } A Pewterer } A Cutler } A Smith } and every common workman of the A Sadler } same occupations to take by the year A Furrier or Skinner } of wages not above xxvis., viiid. A Parchment-maker } A Cooper } A Earthen Potmaker } A Turner }

Every master weaver or chief workman in that trade, working duly and truly, shall have of wages for weaving of a cloth of what sort soever after the rate of [_blank_] the day and every other ordinary workman of that trade, working as aforesaid, shall have for weaving of a cloth of what sort soever after the rate of [_blank_]; but they shall not take their wages for every day that they shall be about the making of a cloth, but only for so many days as good workmen of that trade following their labour duly and painfully may, if they will, make such a cloth.

Every master tucker, following his labour duly and painfully, shall take of wages by the week not above [_blank_], and every ordinary workman of the same trade, following his labour as aforesaid, shall take of wages by the week not above [_blank_]. Every woman spinner's wage shall be such as, following her labour duly and painfully, she may make it account to [_blank_] the day.

James Mervin. Wm. Eyre. Edw. Penruddock. Jasper More. John Dauntsey. Alexander Tutt. Jo. Ernlle. James Ley. Henry Martyn.

[Footnote 289: A mistake for fifth (see No. 6).]

13. ASSESSMENT MADE BY THE JUSTICES OF WILTSHIRE, DEALING MAINLY WITH TEXTILE WORKERS [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I, pp. 167-168, The Records of Quarter Sessions in the County of Wilts_], 1605.

_Wiltshire._--The declaration of the general rates of wages of servants, labourers, artificers, handycraftsmen, weavers, spinsters, workmen and workwomen within the foresaid county assessed and rated by the Justices of the Peace of the foresaid county, whose hands and seals are hereunder to these presents set, at the General Sessions of the Peace of the said county holden at the Devizes in the said county the ninth day of April in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord James by the grace of God, etc...., according to the Statutes in that case made and provided.

_Imprimis_, that the rates of the wages of servants, labourers, artificers, and handicraftsmen within the said county shall continue and be for this year now next ensuing in all respects as they were rated and assessed the last year next before.

_Item_ that the rates of wages of the weavers and spinsters shall be for this year now next ensuing as follows, viz.:--

A weaver for weaving a cloth of 700 viis. And for every beer[290] above 700 and under 800 iid. 700 A spinner for spinning of a pound of these sorts of warp shall have iid. And for a pound of abb spinning id. ob. _Item_ for weaving of a cloth of 800 viiis. And for every beer above 800 and under 900 iid. ob. 800 A spinner for spinning of a pound of these sorts of warp shall have iid. ob. And for a pound of abb id. ob. For a weaving of a broad listed white of this making ixs. For the hanking thereof xiid. _Item_ for weaving of a cloth of 900 ixs. For every beer above 900 and under 1000 iiid. 900 A spinner for spinning of a pound of these sorts of warp shall have iid. ob. q. For the spinning of a pound of abb of that sort id. ob. q. And for every pound of abb wrought into a cloth above 54 and not above 60 xiid. _Item_ for weaving of a cloth of 1000 xs. For every beer above 1000 and under 1100 iiiid. 1000 For every pound of abb above 54 and not above 60 xiid. For every pound of abb above 60 xvid. A spinner for spinning of a pound of these sorts of warp shall have iiid. ob. And for a pound of abb iid. _Item_ for weaving of a cloth of 1100 being narrow listed with 54_li_ of abb xiis. For every beer above 1100 and not above 1200 vid. For every pound of abb above 54 and not above 60 xviiid. 1100 For every pound of abb above 60 pound xxd. and A spinner for spinning a pound of these 1200 sorts of warp shall have iiiid. And for a pound of abb iid. ob. For weaving of the broad listed whites of the three sorts of cloth next before mentioned xiiis. vid. For the hanking of them xiid.

James Mervin. Wa. Longe. Wm. Eyre. Jo. Ernele. Jaspar More. Edward Penrudock. H. Sadler. Jo. Dauntesey. John Hungerford. Wm. Bayles. Jo. Warneford. W. Blacker. Edw. Rede. Henry Martyn. G. Tooker. Anth. Hungerford. La. Hyde.

[Footnote 290: For the meaning of "beer" and "abb" see notes to document No. 8.]

14. ADMINISTRATION OF THE WAGE CLAUSES OF THE STATUTE OF ARTIFICERS [_Atkinson, North Riding Quarter Sessions, Vol. I, pp._ 27, 60, 69, 99, 105], 1605-8.

Jan. 17th, 1605. [Presented by the Jury.] John Bulmer of West Cottam, husbandman, for hiring servants without recording their names and salaries before the Chief Constable, _contra formam statuti_, etc., and also Rob. Harrison and Will Keldell both of the same, for the like....

Helmesly, Jan. 8, 1606. The inhabitants of Thirkleby, (Great and Little), for refusing to give the names of their servants and their wages to the constables of the said town or to the Head Constables. The inhabitants of Kilbornes, Over and Nether, for the like and for giving their servants more wages than the statute doth allow.

Thomas Gibson, of Easingwold, for retaining and accepting into his service one Will Thompson without shewing to the Head Officer, Curate or Churchwarden any lawful testimonial.

Will Burnett, of Bawker, for refusing to pay pence for entering his servants' names; Cuthbert Ivyson, of Awdwarke, husbandman, for retaining Tim Johnson, servant, at husbandry for 46s., contrary to the rates assessed by the Justices.

Thirske, April 14, 1607. Thomas Grange of East Harlesey, for refusing to give a note of his servants and their wages.

Malton, Jan. 12, 1607. Jane Kay of Fawdington within the constabulary of Bagby, for denying to give the names of her servants, nor tickets nor rates of her servants.

Malton, Jan. 12, 1607. Alice Sharrow, of New Milnes in Seazey parish, for taking more wages of Will Bell of Kascall than, etc.

Malton, Jan. 12, 1607. Thos. Wawne of Thorp Rawe, yeoman, for giving wages to ... Rymer his servant, exceeding the rate set down by the Justices.

15. ADMINISTRATION OF THE APPRENTICESHIP CLAUSES OF THE STATUTE OF ARTIFICERS [_Atkinson, North Riding Quarter Sessions, Vol. I, pp._ 106 and 121], 1607-8.

Malton, Jan. 12, 1607. [Presented by the Jury.] Thomas Cooke, ... webster, for trading, having never served vii years' apprentice....

Rob. Pybus of Beedall, for buying barley to malt to sell without license, and also useth the trade of malting, he being a very young man, unmarried, which is contrary to the statute.

Helmesley, July 12, 1608. Rob. Richardson of Sawdon, carpenter, for using that trade, having been but two years apprentice.

Fr. Storry of Gristropp, carpenter, for retaining one John Milborne and John Palmer as apprentices without indenture.

16. THE ORGANISATION OF THE WOOLLEN INDUSTRY[291] [_S.P.D. James I, Vol._ LXXX, 13], 1615.

The breeders of wool in all countries are of three sorts--

1. First those that are men of great estate, having both grounds and stock of their own, and are beforehand in wealth. These can afford to delay the selling of their wools and to stay the clothiers' leisure for the payment to increase the price. The number of these is small.

2. Those that do rent the king's, noblemen's and gents' grounds and deal as largely as either their stock or credit will afford. These are many and breed great store of wool; most of them do usually either sell their wools beforehand, or promise the refusal of them for money which they borrowed at the spring of the year to buy them sheep to breed the wool, they then having need of money to pay their Lady-day rent and to double their stock upon the ground as the spring time requireth, and at that time the clothiers disburse their stock in yams to lay up in stock against hay-time and harvest when their spinning fails. So that then farmers and clothiers have greatest want of money at one time.

3. The general number of husbandmen in all the wool countries that have small livings, whereof every one usually hath some wool, though not much. They are many in numbers in all countries and have great store of wool, though in small parcels. Many of these also do borrow money of the wool merchant to buy sheep to stock their commons. Their parcels being so small, the times of selling so divers, the distance of place so great between the clothier and them, it would be their undoing to stay the clothier's leisure for the time of their sale, or to be subject to him for the price....

These wools are usually converted by four sorts of people.

1. The rich clothier that buyeth his wool of the grower in the wool countries, and makes his whole year's provision beforehand and lays it up in store, and in the winter time hath it spun by his own spinsters and woven by his own weavers and fulled by his own tuckers, and all at the lowest rate for wages. These clothiers could well spare the wool buyers that they might likewise have wool at their own prices, and the rather because many of them be brogging clothiers and sell again very much, if not most, of the wool they buy.

2. The second is the meaner clothier that seldom or never travels into the wool country to buy his wool, but borrows the most part of it at the market, and sets many poor on work, clothes it presently, and sells his cloth in some countries upon the bare thread, as in Devonshire and Yorkshire, and others dress it and sell it in London for ready money, and then comes to the wool market and pays the old debt and borrows more. Of this sort there are great store, that live well and grow rich and set thousands on work; they cannot miss the wool chapman, for if they do they must presently put off all their workfolk, and become servants to the rich clothier for 4d. or 6d. a day, which is a poor living.

3. The third sort are such clothiers that have not stock enough to bestow, some in wool and some in yarn, and to forbear some in cloth as the rich clothiers do, and they buy but little or no wool, but do weekly buy their yarn in the markets, and presently make it into cloth and sell it for ready money, and so buy yarn again; which yarn is weekly brought into the markets by a great number of poor people that will not spin to the clothier for small wages; but have stock enough to set themselves on work, and do weekly buy their wool in the market by very small parcels according to their use and weekly return it in yarn, and make good profit thereof, having their benefit both of their labour and of the merchandise, and live exceeding well. These yarn-makers are so many in number that it is supposed by men of judgment that more than half the cloths that are made in Wilts, Gloucester, and Somersetshire is made by the means of these yarn-makers and poor clothiers that depend weekly upon the wool chapman, which serves them weekly with wool either for money or credit.

4. The fourth sort is of them of the new drapery, which are thousands of poor people inhabiting near the ports and coasts from Yarmouth to Plymouth and in many great cities and towns, as London, Norwich, Colchester, Canterbury, Southampton, Exeter and many others. These people by their great industry and skill do spend a great part of the coarse wools growing in the kingdom, and that at as high a price or higher than the clothiers do the finest wools of this country, as appeareth by a particular hereunto annexed....

[Footnote 291: Quoted Unwin, _Industrial Organization in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries_, App. A, II.]

17. PROCEEDINGS ON APPRENTICESHIP CLAUSES OF 5 ELIZ., c. 4 [_Reports of Special Cases Touching Several Customs and Liberties of the City of London, collected by Sir H. Calthrop_, 1655], 1615.

_Hil._ 12, _Iac._ 1 [Tolley's case]. It was agreed and resolved that an upholsterer is not a trade within that Stat. For first it is not a trade that is mentioned in any of the branches of the Statute, howsoever in all parts of the Statute there is mention made of 61 several trades and misteries. And if the artizans which at that time were assistants unto the committees for the expressing of all manner of trades had thought that the trade of an upholsterer had been such a trade that required art and skill for the encouraging of it, they would not have failed to make mention of it.... Thirdly the trade of an upholsterer doth not require any art or skill for the exercizing of it, inasmuch as he hath all things made to his hand, and it is only to dispose them in order after such time as they are brought to him ... and so he is like Aesop's bird which borroweth of every bird a feather, his art resting merely in the overseeing and disposition of such things which other men work, and in the putting of feathers into tick, and sewing them up when he hath done, the which one that hath been an apprentice unto it but seven days is able to perform. And the intent of this Statute was not to extend unto any other trade but such as required art and skill for the managing of them; and therefore it was adjudged in the Exchequer upon an information against one [space] in the 42nd year of the late Queen Eliz. that a costermonger was not a trade intended by the Statute of 5 Eliz., because his art was in the selling of apples, which required no skill or experience for the exercise of it. So an husbandman, tankardbearer, brickmaker, porter, miller, and such like trades are not within the Statute of 5 Eliz., cap 4, so as none may exercize them but such a one as hath been an apprentice by the space of 7 years; for they are arts which require ability of body rather than skill.

18. A PETITION TO FIX WAGES ADDRESSED TO THE JUSTICES BY THE TEXTILE WORKERS OF WILTSHIRE [_Historical MSS. Commission, Vol. I, p. 94. The Records of Quarter Sessions in the County of Wilts._], 1623.

May it please you to be informed of the distressed estate of most of the weavers, spinners, and others that work on the making of woollen clothes, that are not able by their diligent labours to get their livings, by reason that the clothiers at their will have made their work extreme hard, and abated wages what they please. And some of them make such their workfolks to do their household businesses, to trudge in their errands, spool their chains, twist their list, do every command, without giving them bread, drink, or money for many days' labour. May it please you therefore, for the redressing of these enormities done by the clothiers, to appoint certain grave and discreet persons to view the straitness of works, to assess rates for wages according to the desert of their works, now especially in this great dearth of corn, that the poor artificers of these works of woollen cloth may not perish for want of food, while they are painful in their callings, so shall many families be bound to pray for your worships' happiness and eternal felicity.

_Order signed by nine justices._

The petitioners to set down their names to this petition, and the place of their dwelling, and the clothiers dwelling next to the places of their habitations to be warned to be at Devizes the Thursday in the next Whitsun week, to confer with us hereabouts, that they call others grieved herein to attend us at that time.[292]

[Footnote 292: The final result of the meeting was that the Justices ordered the rates fixed to be published on market day at Devizes.]

19. APPOINTMENT BY PRIVY COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS TO INVESTIGATE GRIEVANCES OF TEXTILE WORKERS IN EAST ANGLIA [_Privy Council Register. Charles I, Vol. 6, pp. 350-1_], 1630.

At Whitehall the 16th February, 1630.

Present:

Lord Treasurer. Lord Privy Seal Lord High Chamberlain. Earl Marshall. Earl of Dorset. Lord V. Dorchester. Lord V. Wentworth. Lord V. Falkland. Lord Bishop of Winton. Lord Newburgh. Mr. Treasurer. Mr. Comptroller. Mr. Secretary Coke.

Whereas a petition was this day presented to the Board by Sylvia Harbert, widow, on the behalf of herself and divers others, showing that the poor spinsters, weavers and combers of wool in Sudbury and the places near adjoining thereunto, in the counties of Suffolk and Essex, are of late by the clothiers there (who are now grown rich by the labours of the said poor people) so much abridged of their former and usual wages, that they (who in times past maintained their families in good sort) are now in such distress by the abatement of their wages in these times of scarcity and dearth, that they are constrained to sell their beds, wheels and working tools for want of bread, as by the petition itself doth more at large appear, wherein the petitioners humbly sought to be relieved by some directions from this Board:--their Lordships upon consideration had thereof, have thought fit and ordered that the petition being first signed by the Clerk of the Council attendant shall be recommended to Sir Robert Crane, Bart., Sir Thomas Wiseman, Sir William Maxey, Sir Drewe Deane, Kt., Thomas Eden, Doctor of the Civil Law, Henry Gent, Esq., and Robert Warren, Justices of the Peace of the counties aforesaid, Richard Skinner and Benjamin Fisher, Aldermen of Sudbury, or to any four of them, whereof one Justice of the Peace of each county, and one of the said aldermen, to be three, who are hereby authorised and required to call before them such persons on either side, as they think fittest to inform them of the true state of these complaints, and thereupon to settle such a course for the relief of the petitioners by causing just and orderly payment to be made them of their due and accustomed wages, as that they may have no further cause to complain, nor the Board be further troubled herewithall. And in case any particular person shall be found (either out of the hardness of his heart towards the poor, or out of private ends or humours) refractory to such courses as the said commissioners shall think reasonable and just, that then they bind over every such person to answer the same before the Board.

20. REPORT TO PRIVY COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED ABOVE[293] [_S.P.D. Charles I, Vol. 189, No. 40_], 1630.

Right Honourable and our very good Lord,

We have according to your lordship's order from the Council Board, dated the 16th day of February, 1630, under the hand of the Clerk of the Council, called before us the saymakers, spinsters, weavers and combers, of Sudbury and the towns adjoining, and have examined the cause of the saymakers abating the wages of the spinsters, weavers and combers; and asking the saymakers why they did so abate, their answer was that all of that trade in other parts of the Kingdom did the like; but if it might be reformed in all other parts, they were content to give such wages as we should set down. Whereupon we did order, with the good liking of all

## parties, as in this enclosed paper is set down. We therefore humbly pray

your lordships that the like order may be taken throughout all the kingdom with men of that trade, by way of His Majesty's proclamation, or any other order which may seem best to your lordships' wisdoms; for if the like order be not more general than to Sudbury and the towns adjacent, it must necessarily be their ruin and utter undoing. And so commending the same to your lordships' further direction, we humbly rest, your lordships' in all services to be commanded.

This xxvith of April, 1631.

Tho. Wyseman. Willi. Maxey. Dra Deane. He. Gent. R. Wareyn. Richard Skynner. Ben Fissher.

_Endorsed_,

27 April, 1631.

from the Justices of the Peace in the county of Essex concerning the Saymakers, Spinsters, Weavers and Combers of Sudbury.

_Essex._ An order made at our meeting at Halsted in the said county the eighth day of April Anno domini 1631 by virtue of an order from the Lords of the Council.

It is ordered and agreed upon by us whose names are hereunder written, that the saymakers within the town of Sudbury in Suffolk shall pay unto the spinsters for spinning of every seven knots, one penny, and to have no deduction of their wages, and that the reel whereon the yarn is reeled to be a yard in length, and no longer, and we do further order, that for all the white sayes under five pounds weight the saymaker shall give unto the weaver twelve pence the pound for the weaving thereof, and for the sayes that shall be above five pounds and under ten pounds to give twelve pence the pound, abating six pence in the piece for the weaving thereof, and for the mingled sayes containing eight or nine pounds, nine shillings, and so proportionably as it shall contain more or less in weight. This our order to continue until the 15th day of May next ensuing, except from the Council there shall be other order taken.

Thos. Wyseman. Willi. Maxey. Dra. Deane. R. Wareyn. Ri. Skynner. Beniamine Fissher.

[Footnote 293: No. 19.]

21. HIGH WAGES IN THE NEW WORLD [_Winthrop's Journal, Vol. II, p. 220_], 1645.

The war in England kept servants from coming to us, so as those we had could not be hired, when their times were out, but upon unreasonable terms, and we found it very difficult to pay their wages to their content (for money was very scarce). I may upon this occasion report a passage between one Rowley and his servant. The master, being forced to sell a pair of his oxen to pay a servant his wages, told his servant he could keep him no longer, not knowing how to pay him the next year. The servant answered he would serve him for more of his cattle. 'But how shall I do' (saith the master) 'when all my cattle are gone?' The servant replied, 'You shall then serve me, and so you may have your cattle again.'

22. YOUNG MEN AND MAIDS ORDERED TO ENTER SERVICE [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I., p. 132_], 1655.

At an adjourned sessions on 5 June an order was made that, whereas the rate of wages fixed for servants and labourers had been proclaimed, but young people, both men and maids, fitting for service, will not go abroad to service without they may have excessive wages, but will rather work at home at their own hands, whereby the rating of wages will take little effect, therefore no young men or maids fitting to go abroad to service (their parents not being of ability to keep them) shall remain at home, but shall with all convenient speed betake themselves to service for the wages aforesaid, which if they refuse to do the Justices shall proceed against them.

23. REQUEST TO JUSTICES OF GRAND JURY OF WORCESTERSHIRE TO ASSESS WAGES [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I, p. 322_], 1661.

Presentments by the Grand Jury. 1661, Ap. 23. We desire that the overseers of parishes may not be hereafter compelled to provide houses for such young persons as will marry before they have provided themselves with a settling. We desire that servants' wages may be rated according to the statute, for we find the unreasonableness of servants' wages a great grievance so that the servants are grown so proud and idle that the master cannot be known from the servant except it be because the servant wears better clothes than his master.[294] We desire that the statute for setting poor men's children to apprenticeship be more duly observed, for we find the usual course is that if any are apprenticed it is to some petty trade, and when they have served their apprenticeship they are not able to live by their trades, whereby not being bred to labour they are not fit for husbandry. We therefore desire that such children may be set to husbandry for the benefit of tillage and the good of the commonwealth.

[Footnote 294: The last clause is scratched through in the original.]

24. PROCEEDINGS ON APPRENTICESHIP CLAUSES OF STATUTE OF ARTIFICERS[295] [_Privy Council Register, Oct. 29, 1669_].

Upon reading this day at the board the humble Petition of Francis Kiderbey of Framlingham ... draper, setting forth that he served his apprenticeship for 7 years in the City of London to a Tailor, whereby he came to the knowledge and skill of all sorts of cloth, and used and exercised the same for a long time; that the petitioner's occasions calling him to live in Framlingham aforesaid, and that town wanting one that dealt in cloth, the petitioner set up a shop for selling the same, and thereby got a good livelihood for himself and family; yet some, out of malice, hath caused three bills of Indictment to be presented against him at the sessions held at Woodbridge for that county upon the Statute made 5 Eliz. c. 4, whereby it is provided that none shall use any manual occupations but he that hath been bound seven years an apprentice to the same, which Statute, though not repealed, yet has been by most of the Judges looked upon as inconvenient to trade and to the increase of inventions; that the Petitioner hath removed the said indictments into the Court of King's Bench, where judgment will be given against him, that statute being still in force, and therefore praying that his Majesty will be pleased to give order to his Attorney-General to enter a _non prosequi_ for stopping proceedings against him. It was ordered by his Majesty in Council that it be and it is hereby referred to Mr. Attorney-General to examine the truth of the Petitioner's case, and upon consideration thereof to report to his Majesty in Council his opinion thereupon, and how far he conceives it may be fit for his Majesty to gratify the Petitioner in his said request.

[On Dec. 17, 1669, the Attorney-General reported that Kiderbey was liable to the penalty of the Statute, but that the indictments being in the King's name, his Majesty might order a _non processe_ to be entered; which was ordered to be done.]

[Footnote 295: Quoted Unwin, _Industrial Organization in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries_, App. A, VII.]

SECTION IV

THE RELIEF OF THE POOR AND THE REGULATION OF PRICES

1. Regulations made at Chester as to Beggars, 1539--2. A Proclamation Concerning Corn and Grain to be brought into open Markets to be sold, 1545--3. Administration of Poor Relief at Norwich, 1571--4. The first

## Act Directing the Levy of a Compulsory Poor Rate, 1572--5. The first

Act Requiring the Unemployed to be set to Work, 1575-6--6. Report of Justices to Council Concerning Scarcity in Norfolk, 1586--7. Orders devised by the Special Commandment of the Queen's Majesty for the Relief and Ease of the Present Dearth of Grain Within the Realm, 1586--8. The Poor Law Act of 1601--9. A note of the Grievances of the Parish of Eldersfield, 1618--10. Petition to Justices of Wiltshire for Permission to Settle in a Parish, 1618--11. Letter from Privy Council to Justices of Cloth-making Counties, 1621-2--12. Letter from Privy Council to the Deputy Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace in the Counties of Suffolk and Essex concerning the Employment of the Poor, 1629--13. The Licensing of Badgers in Somersetshire, 1630--14. Badgers Licensed at Somersetshire Quarter Sessions, 1630--15. The Supplying of Bristol with Grain, 1630-1--16. Proceedings against Engrossers and other Offenders, 1631--17. Order of Somersetshire Justices Granting a Settlement to a Labourer, 1630-1--18. Report of Derbyshire Justices on their Proceedings, 1631--19. Letter from Privy Council to Justices of Rutlandshire, 1631--20. Judgment in the Star Chamber against an Engrosser of Corn, 1631.

The national system of Poor Relief which was built up in the course of the sixteenth century was composed of three elements, experiments of municipal authorities, Parliamentary legislation, supervision and stimulus supplied by the Privy Council. The first step taken by towns was usually to organize begging by granting licences to certain authorized beggars, while punishing the idler (No. 1); the next to provide establishments where necessitous persons could be set to work on materials provided at the public expense (No. 3). The action of the State followed the same lines of development. During the first three quarters of the sixteenth century it (_a_) left the provision of the funds needed for relief to private charity, (_b_) directed the relief of the "impotent poor," but treated all able-bodied persons in one category, that of "sturdy rogues." But in 1572 it recognized the inadequacy of voluntary contributions by directing the levy of a compulsory poor rate (No. 4), and in 1576 made the important innovation of discriminating between persons unemployed because they could not get work and persons unemployed because they did not want work, by enacting that the former should be set to work on materials provided for them, and that the latter should be committed to the House of Correction (No. 5). The system was completed by the Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1601 (No. 8). Its administration was in the hands of the Justices of the Peace, who were much occupied with questions of settlement (Nos. 9, 10, 17), with carrying out instructions sent to them by the Privy Council for relieving distress (Nos. 12 and 19), and with making reports to the Privy Council of their proceedings (No. 18).

The provision of relief was never intended to be, and down to 1640 was not, the sole method of coping with problems of distress. It was in its origin associated with measures of a preventive character, attempts to prevent the eviction of peasants ( Part II , Section I, Nos. 9, 10, 13-17, 20 and 21), occasional attempts to raise wages (