1 Ordinance of Laborers 1349 A vain attempt by the king of England to freeze wages paid to laborers at their pre plague levels the ordinance is indicative of the labor shortage caused by the Black Death It also shows the beginnings of the redefinition of societal roles The king to the sheriff of Kent greeting Because a great part of the people and especially of workmen and servants late died of the pestilence many seeing the necessity of masters and great scarcity of servants will not serve unless they may receive excessive wages and some rather willing to beg in idleness than by labor to get their living we considering the grievous incommodities which of the lack especially of ploughmen and such laborers may hereafter come have upon deliberation and treaty with the prelates and the nobles and learned men assisting us of their mutual counsel ordained That every man and woman of our realm of England of what condition he be free or bond able in body and within the age of threescore years not living in merchandise nor exercising any craft nor having of his own whereof he may live nor proper land about whose tillage he may himself occupy and not serving any other if he in convenient service his estate considered be required to serve he shall be bounden to serve him which so shall him require and take only the wages livery or salary which were accustomed to be given in the places where he oweth to serve the twentieth year of our reign of England or five or six other common years next before Provided always that the lords be preferred before other in their bondmen or their land tenants so in their service to be retained so that nevertheless the said lords shall retain no more than be necessary for them and if any such man or woman being so required to serve will not the same do that proved by two true men before the sheriff or the constables of the town where the same shall happen to be done he shall anon be taken by them or any of them and committed to the next jail there to remain under strait keeping till he find surety to serve in the form aforesaid Item if any reaper mower or other workman or servant of what estate or condition that he be retained in any man s service do depart from the said service without reasonable cause or license before the term agreed he shall have pain of imprisonment And that none under the same pain presume to receive or to retain any such in his service Item that no man pay or promise to pay any servant any more wages liveries or salary than was wont as afore is said nor that any in other manner shall demand or receive the same upon pain of doubling of that that so shall be paid promised required or received to him which thereof shall feel himself grieved pursuing for the same and if none such will pursue then the same to be applied to any of the people that will pursue and such pursuit shall be in the court of the lord of the place where such case shall happen 2 Item if the lords of the towns or manors presume in any point to come against this present ordinance either by them or by their servants then pursuit shall be made against them in the counties wapentakes tithings or such other courts for the treble pain paid or promised by them or their servants in the form aforesaid and if any before this present ordinance hath covenanted with any so to serve for more wages he shall not be bound by reason of the same covenant to pay more than at any other time was wont to be paid to such person nor upon the said pain shall presume any more to pay Item that saddlers skinners white tawers cordwainers tailors smiths carpenters masons tilers shipwrights carters and all other artificers and workmen shall not take for their labor and workmanship above the same that was wont to be paid to such persons the said twentieth year and other common years next before as afore is said in the place where they shall happen to work and if any man take more he shall be committed to the next jail in manner as afore is said Item that butchers fishmongers hostellers brewers bakers and all other sellers of all manner of victual shall be bound to sell the same victual for a reasonable price having respect to the price that such victual be sold at in the places adjoining so that the same sellers have moderate gains and not excessive reasonably to be required according to the distance of the place from whence the said victuals be carried and if any sell such victuals in any other manner and thereof be convict in the manner and form aforesaid he shall pay the double of the same that he so received to the party damnified or in default of him to any other that shall pursue in this behalf and the mayors and bailiffs of cities boroughs merchant towns and others and of the ports and places of the sea shall have power to inquire of all and singular which shall in any thing offend the same and to levy the said pain to the use of them at whose suit such offenders shall be convict and in case that the same mayors or bailiffs be negligent in doing execution of the premises and thereof be convict before our justices by us to be assigned then the same mayors and bailiffs shall be compelled by the same justices to pay the treble of the thing so sold to the party damnified or to any other in default of him that will pursue and nevertheless toward us they shall be grievously punished Item because that many valiant beggars as long as they may live of begging do refuse to labor giving themselves to idleness and vice and sometime to theft and other abominations none upon the said pain of imprisonment shall under the color of pity or alms give any thing to such which may labor or presume to favor them toward their desires so that thereby they may be compelled to labor for their necessary living We command you firmly enjoining that all and singular the premises in the cities boroughs market towns seaports and other places in your bailiwick where you shall think expedient as well within liberties as without you do cause to be publicly proclaimed and to be observed and duly put in execution aforesaid and this by no means omit as you regard us and the common weal of our realm and would save yourself harmless Witness the king at Westminster the 18th day of June By the king himself and the whole council 3 Like writs are directed to the sheriffs throughout England The king to the reverend father in Christ W by the same grace bishop of Winchester greeting Because a great part of the people as …
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