Chapter XXXIV: Section III: The Regulation of Industry by the State (2)

For the second branch.--It is likewise too manifest, that there be many masters, mistresses and dames, knowing how much the order of these certificates or testimonials be abused, which have not letted to retain such servants so departed without showing any certificates or testimonials at all, willing for necessity's sake to retain rather a simple vagabond coming without his certificate, than a subtle vagabond coming with his forged testimonials, as he doubteth, and yet perchance is true indeed. But that is too hard for them to know, for that the names therein are to them unknown, and the places, far asunder, not easy to be tried: and so sometime an honest poor servant indeed passeth unhired for want of good order keeping in these testimonials, and a very vagabond indeed is some time hired in hope of his simplicity. And the masters, mistresses, and dames be commonly deceived by both kinds when they stand in most need of their service.

The cause why these good and laudable orders run to such decay by the foresaid abuses, is, for that no one person hath any benefit, worth the pains, and charges, to look to the redress hereof: the same being so hard and painful a matter to be done throughout the realm, and therewithall so chargeable.

Therefore if it may please the Queen's Majesty of her Highness' most gracious benignity, for the better and speedier reformation hereof, to appoint and give authority by her Majesty's Letters Patents for term of years unto us, her Highness' most humble subjects, Richard Carmarden and Edmond Mathew, our deputies and assigns, to give out one uniform order of testimonials to every shire and parish throughout the realm at our only costs and charges, taking therefore in recompense as well of our said costs and charges, as also for our travails which we shall bestow therein, no more than is already limited by the said Statute, which is but two pence for every testimonial:[282] and that also these articles here following may be annexed to the said Statute by this Parliament.

First, That there be no other certificates or testimonials used in the realm, to be delivered to any servants by any person or persons, but only such as shall be made and delivered by such as her Majesty hath or shall appoint by her Highness' Letters Patents to do the same.

Secondly, That every servant so departing and having received one of the same certificates or testimonials, and seeking again to serve, shall first deliver, to such as shall be there appointed to be the officer's deputies, his old testimonial cancelled, before he be again retained.

And thirdly, That none of the said certificates or testimonials, so orderly delivered to any servant, shall be any discharge for him to pass with for any longer time than for one month after the date thereof: and if any person be taken with any testimonial, the date thereof being so expired, then to be lawful for every head officer to take the said testimonial from him, and to deliver the same cancelled to the officer's deputy and to force him to serve or to be, etc.

[Footnote 281: For the working of the system of certificates, see No. 14, pp. 352-3.]

[Footnote 282: For this method of delegating administration to private speculators see Section V of this Part, Nos. 14 and 22.]

8. DRAFT OF A BILL FIXING MINIMUM RATES FOR SPINNERS AND WEAVERS [_S.P.D., Eliz., Vol. 244, No. 129_], 1593.

An Act as well to avoid deceits done by spinners of woollen yarn, and weavers of woollen cloths, and to increase their wages, as also to reform the great abuses and oppressions done to her Majesty's good subjects by regrators of woollen yarn, commonly called yarn choppers or jobbers of yarn.

Forasmuch as divers Laws and Statutes have been heretofore ordained for the true making of woollen cloths, and divers penalties, in some cases of money, and in some other cases of the cloths themselves, are by the same Laws and Statutes imposed upon clothiers, by whom many thousands of her Majesty's subjects are set to work, and maintained; and that it falleth out many times, that divers faults punishable even with the loss of their cloths without the clothiers' fault are voluntarily committed by their spinners and weavers, by the one's deceitful spinning their yarn, and by the other's false weaving the same into cloth; and forasmuch as necessity doth partly enforce them thereunto, for lack of sufficient wages and allowance for their workmanship at the hands of the clothier, whereby to sustain the poor estate of themselves, their wives and children; at the humble petition as well of the said clothiers, as also of their said spinners and weavers, and first for the avoiding of all deceitful dealing between the clothiers and their weavers, Be it enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same:--That all wool which, after the feast of Easter next, shall be delivered for or by any clothier to any person or persons to be spun, shall be delivered by true and lawful weight, and that all and every spinner and spinners shall deliver again to or for such clothier yarn of the same wool by the same true and lawful weight (all necessary waste thereof excepted) without concealing any part thereof, or deceitfully putting thereunto any oil, water, or other thing, upon pain that every spinner doing the contrary shall forfeit four times the value that such deceit by any such spinner committed or done shall amount unto. And for the better relief of all and every the said spinner and spinners, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that after the said feast all and every clothier and clothiers and spinsters to the market shall pay for the spinning of every pound weight of the best sorting warp three pence, of every pound weight of the second warp two pence halfpenny, of every pound weight of the worst warp to be used in sorting cloths two pence farthing, of every pound weight of the best abbs[283] two pence halfpenny, of every pound weight of the best sorting abbs two pence, and of every pound weight of the worst sorting abbs to be used in sorting cloths three halfpence farthing, of every pound weight of single list three halfpence, upon pain to forfeit for every penny that any such clothier shall withhold or detain from any spinner contrary to the charitable intent of this statute twelve pence.

To avoid all evil and corrupt dealing between clothiers and their weavers, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid:--That all and every weaver and weavers which after the said feast, shall have the weaving of any woollen yarn to be webbed into cloth, shall weave, work, and put into the web, for cloth to be made thereof, as much and all the same yarn, as any clothier, or any other person for or in the behalf of any clothier, shall deliver to the same weaver with his used mark put to the same, without changing, or any parcel thereof leaving out of the same web, or else shall restore to the same clothier the surplusage of the same yarn, if any shall be left not put into the same web, without deceitfully putting of any deceivable brine, moisture, sand, dust, or other thing thereunto, upon pain to forfeit four times the value that such deceit by any such weaver committed or done shall amount unto. And for the better relief of all and every the said weaver and weavers be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that after the said feast all and every clothier and clothiers shall pay for the weaving of every ell[284] containing three pounds weight in yarn, of every broad listed cloth, as it shall be laid upon the bar and which shall be woven in a fourteen hundred sley, sixteen pence, for the weaving of every ell, containing three pounds weight and three-quarters in yarn of every broad listed cloth, as it shall be laid upon the bar and which shall be woven in a thirteen hundred sley, fourteen pence, and for every beer[285] between thirteen hundred and fourteen hundred twelve pence, for the weaving of every ell containing three pounds weight and three-quarters at the least in yarn of every broad listed cloth as it shall be laid upon the bar and which shall be woven in a twelve hundred sley, ten pence, and for every beer between twelve hundred and thirteen hundred two shillings, for weaving of every ell containing three pounds weight and an half at the least in yarn of every broad listed cloth as it shall be laid upon the bar and which shall be woven in a eleven hundred sley, eight pence, and for every beer between eleven hundred and twelve hundred, twelve pence, for weaving of every ell containing three pounds weight and an half at the least in yarn of every broad listed cloth as it shall be laid upon the bar and which shall be woven in a ten hundred sley, six pence, and for every beer between ten hundred and eleven hundred twelve pence, for weaving of every broad listed cloth, that shall be woven in a sley under a ten hundred, and that shall contain thirty ells as it shall be laid upon the bar, twelve shillings, for the weaving of every broad listed cloth that shall be woven in a sley under a ten hundred, and that shall contain eight and twenty ells as it shall be laid upon the bar, ten shillings, for weaving of every narrow listed sorting cloth that shall be woven in a ten hundred sley, ten shillings, for the weaving of every narrow listed sorting cloth that shall be woven in a nine hundred sley, nine shillings, for the weaving of every narrow listed sorting cloth that shall be woven in an eight hundred sley, eight shillings, and for the weaving of every beer over and above in any of the said sleys of the said narrow listed cloths three pence, upon pain to forfeit for every penny that any clothier shall withhold or detain from any weaver contrary to the true intent of this act twelve pence.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that wheresoever any greater wages hath been heretofore usually given for spinning any of the sorts of yarn aforesaid or for weaving any of the sorts of cloths aforesaid, that there and in all such place the same wages or greater shall after the said feast be given without any diminution thereof, upon pain that every clothier shall forfeit for every penny that he or she shall so detain from any spinner or weaver contrary to the true intent of this act twelve pence, any the rate or wages before in this act particularly limited and appointed to weavers notwithstanding. And be it further enacted by the said authority, that after the said feast no clothier, for the weaving of any his or her white cloths, shall use or cause to be used any sley of less breadth than eleven quarters and three nails of the yard in white work beside the list, upon pain to forfeit for every such default ten shillings. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that after the said feast no clothier shall use any warping bar that shall contain any greater length than three yards from one pin to another upon pain to forfeit for every such default ten shillings. And further be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that justices of assize in their circuits, justices of peace in their sessions, sheriffs in their turns, stewards in their leets and lawdays, mayors, sheriffs, and bailiffs of cities, boroughs and towns corporate in their courts, shall and may inquire, hear, and determine from time to time all and every the said offences committed and done within the limits of their several jurisdictions and authorities.

[Here follow provisions as to the division of fines.]

And forasmuch as divers evil-disposed persons commonly called yarn choppers or jobbers of woollen yarn, wanting the fear of God, and caring only for their own private gain without having any regard to the maintenance of the commonwealth, using no trade either of making woollen cloths, or of any other thing made of woollen yarn, inverting the true intent of the statute made in the eighth year of our late Sovereign Lord King Henry the sixth among other things especially to destroy the falsity of regrators of yarn called yarn choppers, to their own malicious purpose, do in every fair and market buy up and get into their hands so great quantities of woollen yarn, that the clothiers and others using lawful trade wherein woollen yarn must need be occupied, and by which trade many thousands of her Majesty's poor subjects are relieved, are driven for their necessity sake to buy the same at their hands deceitfully handled and at such unreasonable price as they list to set upon the same, whereby the clothiers and others using divers lawful ways and means for the employment of woollen yarn, are very greatly hindered, and such drones, idle members and evil weeds in a commonwealth by such oppressions maintained and greatly enriched, for remedy whereof be it enacted established and ordained by the authority aforesaid:--That no manner of person or persons shall after the said feast of Easter next buy, bargain, take, or make any promise for bargain or sale of or for any woollen yarn but only such person or persons as are known to be makers of woollen cloth or other thing made of woollen yarn or mixed with woollen yarn, his or their wife or wives or his or their children, apprentices or servants, inhabiting in his or their mansion house or houses, and who shall or may lawfully make of the said woollen yarn any kind of bayes, knit hose, arras, tapestry, coverlets, or any other thing or things used to be made of woollen yarn or mixed with woollen yarn, upon pain of forfeiture of all woollen yarn to be bought, or whereof any promise for bargain or sale thereof shall be taken or made contrary to the true meaning of this act, in whose hands soever any such woollen yarn shall be found, and further to incur all the pains and penalties limited to yarn choppers by the said act made in the eighth year of King Henry the sixth.

[Here follows provisions as to the division of fines.]

[Footnote 283: _i.e._, wefts.]

[Footnote 284: The words from "ell" to "fourteen hundred" have been crossed out in the original, and the rest of the passage as far as the end of the paragraph (p. 339) is bracketed as if for cancellation. Interlined is the following substituted clause, to be read after the words "for the weaving of every":--"of their best fine cloths vjs. viijd., and for their second sort of fine cloths iiijs., and for their least sort of fine cloths iijs., and for the best sort of sorting cloths ijs., and for the middle and least sort of sorting cloths or pack cloths with narrow lists, xviijd., more than was given by any clothier in any of the said counties or elsewhere of like making for the weaving of every or any of the said sorts of cloths at or before the feast of Xmas last past."]

[Footnote 285: _i.e._, the (variable) number of ends into which a warp is divided in the process of warping.]

9. DRAFT PIECE-LIST SUBMITTED FOR RATIFICATION TO THE WILTSHIRE JUSTICES BY CLOTHIERS AND WEAVERS [_Hist. MSS. Com., Vol. I, p. 162, The Records of Quarter Sessions in the County of Wiltshire_], 1602.

Apud Trowbridge, 30 December A.o. xlv{to} Elizabethae Reginae.

The just proportions of the several works put forth by the Clothiers of the County of Wilts both to the Weavers and Spinners, with the valuation of the wages according as every sorts of work do deserve by reason of the fineness of the wool and spinning of every sort of work; as also by reason of the hard working of every sort with the usual numbers of hundreds, beers[286] and abbs which is commonly put forth to every several cloth, which is the best rate by which we can keep apportion, set down by us the clothiers of the said county.

_Imprimis_ we think a weaver is worth to have for
the weaving of a cloth of 700 viis.
And for every beer above 700 and under 800 iid.
The spinning of these sorts of warp is worth the
pound iid.
And the spinning of the abb is worth the pound 1d. ob.
_Item_, one of 800 of white work is worth the weaving viiis.
And for every beer above 800 and under 900[287] iid. ob.
The spinning of these sorts of warp worth the pound iid. ob.
The spinning of the Abbe worth the pound id. ob.
These sorts of broad lists are more worth than the
narrow lists by the cloth xiid.
The hanking is worth xiid.

[Scales are also given for 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 lbs. A graduated rise in price varying from xiid. in the case of a cloth of 900 lbs. to iis. for a cloth of 1100 to 1200 lbs. is awarded; for every beere id. up to vid., and for every pound of abbe above 54 and not above 60 xviiid., and above 60 lbs. xxd.]

Clothiers Signing--

William Yerbury.
Nicholas Phippe.
John Usher.
Walter Yerbury.
John Yewe.
Edward Cogswell.
Richard Dycke.

Weavers Signing--

Hugh Watts.
Henry Cappe.
William Rundell.
Henry Prior.
Thomas Lavington.
Bartholomew Skege.

[Footnote 286: For the meaning of "beer" and "abb" see notes to document No. 8.]

[Footnote 287: Instead of "about 800 under 900," as printed in _op. cit._]

10. AN ACT EMPOWERING JUSTICES TO FIX MINIMUM RATES OF PAYMENT [_1 James I, c. 6. Statutes of the Realm, Vol. IV, 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.