The history of poor relief in France and Scotland thus seems to bring into greater prominence the fact that the English organisation is not exactly the inevitable result of the statute of 1601. Like causes led to like regulations in all three countries, but the regulations did not lead to the same result. The organisation of poor relief in France and Scotland continued in the English sixteenth century stage down to the present century. In the light of their history we can understand the preamble to the commission of 1631. The justices acted in many parts as if the poor laws were obsolete, and they were always tending to become obsolete in France and Scotland. In England that stage was passed during the ten years of the enforcement of the Book of Orders. Privy Council and justices were alike effective at the same time; the Privy Council took action, and the justices were urged to do their duty. Few officials, perhaps none, could have done the work so well. If the justices of later days granted too much relief it was because of the justices of Charles I. that relief was ever efficiently administered at all. CHAPTER XIV. CONCLUSIONS. 1. Summary of history of English poor relief before the Civil War. 2. The political significance of the paternal measures of the Government. (a) Possible attempt to attach to the Government the poorer part of the nation. (b) Habitual use of proclamations and orders in Council for a popular purpose. 3. Success of the enforcement of the Book of Orders in the reign of Charles I. 4. Results of effectual administration of the poor law on English social history. (a) The increased communication between rich and poor. (b) Decrease of bitterness of competition and increase of order. [Sidenote: 1. Summary of history of English system of poor relief before the Civil War.] We have now traced the history of the making and early administration of the English Poor Law. We have seen that the English system of poor relief like the English House of Commons was once only one of many like institutions common to the whole of Western Europe. Although in our century other nations have again regulated the help given to the poor by public authorities, in neither France, Scotland nor Germany has the public organisation for the relief of the destitute a continuous history. The system survived in England alone among the greater nations of Europe. It began as part of the labour statutes, but the regulations of Richard II. had probably little practical effect. The administration of relief of the poor by secular authorities seems to have been first really organised under Henry VIII. by London, Ipswich, and other towns. Even after this public poor relief was not thoroughly established for more than another century.