Social life in Britain from the conquest to the reformation / compiled by G.G. Coulton.

  • George Gordon Coulton
Date:
1918
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Social life in Britain from the conquest to the reformation / compiled by G.G. Coulton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    79/570 page 57
    (a) A D. 1388 (Knighton, R.S. 1895, vol. II. p. 298). [At this parliament of Cambridge,] new statutes were published for the profit of the common people, and many which had been published in the reign of Edward III. were renewed, concerning labourers, artificers, servants....For in those days there grew up among the common people such pride in divers fashions of dress and ornament that scarce one of the people was distinguished from another by splendour of dress or adornment. The poor differed not from the mighty, the needy from the rich, the serf from his lord nor the priest from his flock; but each imitated another and strove to bring in some newer guise and to surpass his betters in pride of dress or ornament.... These Statutes (i) reinforced the Statutes of Labourers, and (ii) added (p. 302): Item, it is ordained and agreed that all such as have been wont to labour at plough or cart, or other work or service of husbandry, up to the age of 12 years, that such do abide henceforward in the aforesaid labour, without being put to any trade or craft; and if any covenant of apprenticeship be made in contravention of this, let it be null and void. (d) a.d. 1391 {Rotuli Parliamentarian, vol. ill. p. 294). § 39. Item, the Commons pray the King that it may please him to ordain.. .that no serf or villein henceforward put his children to school, in order to procure their advancement by clergy; and this we beseech in maintenance and salvation of the honour of all free men in the kingdom. Responsio. Le Roi s’avisera1. * {c) Statutes of the Realm, 7 Henry IV. Let no man or woman, whatsoever be their estate or con¬ dition, set their son or daughter, of whatever age, to serve as apprentice to any trade or work within the Cities or Boroughs of this realm, unless he have land or rent to the value of twenty shillings a year at least; but let the children be set to serve at the same labour as their parents have used, or to other labours as their estates require, under pain of a year’s imprisonment, 1 i.e. the petition is rejected or shelved.
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