62 Facts relating to Wokingham. 



may not in all liktlihood be able to relieve themselves,' unless the lessor before 

 the letting be bound by himseK or by two sufficieut sureties in forty pounds, 

 with condition not only to relieve such person and his family, ' if so be that 

 such person shall fall into poverty ' but also to discharge the Town of his or his 

 wife's family, upon pain of ten shillings. 



21. — " Recites ' that there is a trade of knitting silk stockings in the said 

 Town, for setting poor people on work to maintain their living thereby, notwith- 

 standing divers of the said poor people very obstinately refuse either to work 

 themselves, or suffer their children to be put to work in the said trade, or any 

 other, but rather use their idle and naughty form of life.' It is ordered that 

 if any person child or others not having other trade or maintenance of living, do 

 refuse to work in the said trade, or any other that shall be appointed ; the 

 Alderman may commit such as do refuse, to the house of correction till they put 

 in sufficient sureties to avoid the town, or work in the trade appointed, they 

 having for their work and labor sufficient allowance to be appointed by the 

 Alderman and Capital Burgesses. 



22. — " No person to set up the trade of a silk knitter in the said town, unless 

 he has served seven years' apprenticeship, under forfeiture of twenty shillings. 



23. — "None under the age of twenty-five and unmarried, who has served an 

 apprenticeship of seven years, shall take any servant or apprentice in the said 

 trade, on pain of twenty shillings per month. 



24. — "No person to take above three apprentices in the said trade, unless 

 they retain and keep journeymen and journey women in the said trade for every 

 apprentice above the number, under pain of five pounds. 



25. — " No person to take any servant born out of the town, and which is and 

 shall be a foreigner, so long as they may have convenient servants or apprentices 

 born and abiding within the said town, and that to be tried by the Alderman. 



26 — "Every person unmarried in the said town exercising the trade of silk 

 knitting, shall be compelled to serve at the said trade at such wages as shall be 

 allowed or rated according to the statute, upon pain of forfeiture of forly 

 shillings for every default. 



27. — "Every apprentice to be enrolled before the Alderman within three 

 months after he is bound. 



28. — "All penalties incurred under these Bye Laws are to be collected by 

 the Bailiffs, and on refusal are to be levied by distress under a warrant to be 

 issued by the Alderman. 



29.—" For the sanctifying and keeping holy of the Sabbath day, it is ordered 

 that no Butcher, Tradesman, or Artificer shall at any time upon the Sabbath 

 day, open or suffijr to be opened his or their shop or the windows thereof, with 

 intent to sell or oiFer to sell his or their flesh, works, wares, commodities, or 

 merchandises, upon pain of forfeiting twelve pence, ' to be distributed among 

 such poor people near the place where such offender dwells, as by the Aldermaa 

 of the said town shall be thought fit,' and that every Tunkeeper, Tavemer, 

 Hostler, or Victualler, inhabiting within this town upon Sundays keep their 

 gates and doors shut in time of Divine Service, and suffer no wine, ale or beer 

 to be sold or spent in their houses, saving only for the receiving of travellers, 

 upon pain of 3s. 6d. 



"There is a proviso that if the Judges of Assize for Berks shall denounce 



