ON THE PURCHASING POWER OF WAGES. 689 



I have spoken hitherto of the small landowner of the Middle 

 Ages who united the functions of peasant-proprietor and 

 labourer. Let us consider the state of such persons as were 

 mostly labourers for hire ; though, as I conclude, the class 

 was not numerous in the purely agricultural districts, except 

 as regular servants of the farm. 



These farm servants were, beyond question, frequently the 

 sons of the small farmers. An attempt has been made (pp. 

 289, 290 above) to give a money estimate of the wages of 

 regular farm servants, in which a lower rate of grain is taken 

 than that at which the expenditure of the small farmer is in- 

 terpreted. The rates given were in money-values, <z 7*. ic*/. 

 before and ^3 15^. after the Plague; the latter being nearly 

 as much as, on my hypothesis, the small landowner possessing 

 twenty acres was able to earn. Interpreted by the cost of 

 maintenance, these farm servants were in a remarkably good 

 position, and could readily accumulate from*' their wages. 



The same facts will appear if we interpret the rate at which 

 mechanical labour is remunerated. The average yearly earn- 

 ings of a carpenter, if we take 300 days as representing the 

 working year, amount to ^3 i8s. \\d. before, ^5 15^. 7^. 

 after the Plague. Taking however the highest rate at which 

 such persons are paid, the sums are ^5 y. \\d. and q 6s. icu/. 

 The mason's rates are ^4 75-. 6d. and ^7 os. 7\d.^ the tiler 

 ^5 and 6 13*. 4^.; the tiler and man 6 ly. 4^. and 

 \1 6s. 3^., and so on. It is clear that the command over 

 the necessaries of life possessed by these various classes of 

 artisans was very considerable. 



It does not of course follow that such persons were always 

 at work for 300 days in the year. But it is known that work 

 was generally to be had; that buildings and other such pro- 

 ducts of mechanical labour were continually going on, and 

 that labour was consequently in demand. It was very often 

 the case that mechanics were impressed for the king's service 

 in consequence of a deficiency of hands. But even if the wages 

 were paid for no more than 200 days it will still be seen that 



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