Between 1576 and 1597 three other statutes were passed dealing with special aspects of the subject. The 31 Eliz. c. 7 was designed to prevent an increasing number of poor families from settling in the country. Only one family might live in one house and no house was to be built in the country unless it had four acres of land attached[136]. The 35 Eliz. c. 6 was passed to prevent an increasing number of poor families from settling in London. In the cities of London and Westminster and for three miles round no new houses were to be built except for people who were assessed in the subsidy book at £5 in goods or £3 in lands. No existing houses were to be divided into tenements and no "inmates[137]" were to be received. [136] Exceptions were made in favour of cottages built within a mile of the sea or a navigable river, and of those built for the use of shepherds, forest rangers, workmen employed in mineral works, quarries or mines or impotent poor allowed by the justices. [137] I.e. lodgers. A third Act also passed in 1592-3 made special provision for soldiers and sailors. They were ordered to return to their own neighbourhoods, and the justices were empowered to levy an additional rate for their relief, which was to be distributed to them by Treasurers appointed in every county for the purpose[138]. [138] 35 Eliz. c. 4. But it was in 1597 that the many aspects of legislation affecting the poor were thoroughly discussed. [Sidenote: 3. The Bills and Statutes of 1597.] During the years from 1594 to 1597 there was a great dearth of corn and the price rose in some cases to four or five times the average price of the preceding years. There were rebellions in many parts of the country and great distress in all. Parliament met on the 24th Oct. 1597 and the first measure read a first time by the House of Commons was one dealing with forestallers, regrators and engrossers of corn[139]. Francis Bacon then spoke about enclosures. For "Inclosure of grounds," he said, "brings depopulation, which brings first Idleness; secondly decay of Tillage; thirdly subversion of Houses and decay of charity, and charges to the Poor; fourthly impoverishing the state of the realm." He therefore brought forward two Bills on the subject, "not drawn with a polished pen, but with a polished heart, free from affection and affectation[140]." A committee was appointed to consider the matter, which was to meet in the Exchequer Chamber in the afternoon of the same day. [139] D'Ewes' _Journals_, p. 551. [140] D'Ewes' _Journals_, p. 551. Sir Francis Bacon "had perused the Preambles of former statutes, and by them did see the inconvenience of this matter, being then scarce out of the shell, to be now full ripened."