Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
2. _Labourers and Servants._--That the Statutes 12 Richard II, Chap.
iii, "that no servant or labourer at the end of this term depart out of
the hundred or place where he dwells," etc., and 13 Richard II, Chap.
viii., ordering the Justices at every session to appoint by proclamation
the wages of workers, etc., be confirmed with the addition "that no man
hereafter receive into service any servant without a testimonial from
the master he last dwelt with, sealed with a Parish Seal kept by the
constable or churchwarden, witnessing he left with the free license of
his master, penalty £10." So, by the hands of the masters, servants may
be reduced to obedience, which shall reduce obedience to the Prince and
to God also; by the looseness of the time no other remedy is left but by
awe of law to acquaint men with virtue again, whereby the Reformation of
religion may be brought in credit, with the amendment of manners, the
want whereof has been imputed as a thing grown by the liberty of the
Gospel, etc.
3. _Husbandry._--That the Statutes, 4 Hen VII, Chap. 9, "for re-edifying
houses of husbandry, and to avoid the decay of towns and villages," and
5 Edward VI, Chap. 5, "for maintenance of husbandry and tillage," be put
in execution.
4. _Purchase of Lands._--No husbandman, yeoman or artificer to purchase
above 5l. by the year of inheritance, save in cities, towns and
boroughs, for their better repair; one mansion house only to be
purchased over and above the said yearly value. The common purchasing
thereof is the ground of dearth of victuals, raising of rents, etc.
5. _Merchants._--No merchant to purchase above £50 a year of
inheritance, except aldermen and sheriffs of London, who, because they
approach to the degree of knighthood, may purchase to the value of £200.
6. _Apprentices._--None to be received apprentice except his father may
spend 40s. a year of freehold, nor to be apprenticed to a merchant
except his father spend £10 a year of freehold, or be descended from a
gentleman a merchant. Through the idleness of these professions so many
embrace them that they are only a cloak for vagabonds and thieves, and
there is such a decay of husbandry that masters cannot get skilful
servants to till the ground without unreasonable wages, etc....
[Footnote 279: Compare this with the following document (No. 6). It will
be observed that Cecil's proposals as to wages are more drastic than the
actual provision of the Statute of Artificers.]
6. AN ACT TOUCHING DIVERS ORDERS FOR ARTIFICERS, LABOURERS, SERVANTS OF
HUSBANDRY AND APPRENTICES [_5 Eliz. c. iv. Statutes of the Realm, Vol.
IV, Part I, pp. 414-22_], 1563.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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