LABOUR AND WAGES. 66 1 



ments. The Worksop account does not tell us what the 

 material was from which forty-six yards of cloth was procured 

 at a cost, in weavers' labour, of 2s. zd., or a fraction over \d. a 

 yard. In 1698 narrow cloth was woven in London at $\d. an 

 ell, but this is perhaps not woollen, as the ell is rarely used for 

 such products. 



In 1587 Lord Pembroke gets linen woven at $d. a yard. 

 In 1590 Shuttleworth gets it done at id. But we may under- 

 stand the quality of this cheap labour when we find the same 

 person paying 6d. a yard for fine shirting linen. In 1595 

 Shuttleworth gets 168 yards of hempen and flaxen cloth woven 

 for 1 1 j., i.e. at a little over \d. a yard. In this year wheat was 

 4os. gd. a quarter. In 1597 Shuttleworth pays ^d. a yard for 

 weaving shirting. In 1620 the Archers pay zd. an ell for 

 weaving tow cloth. 



In 1588 canvas is woven at three prices, \d., \d., and id. the 

 yard. These prices are paid by Shuttleworth. In 1594 he 

 pays i \d., in 1596 a little over five-eighths of a penny, in 

 1598 a fraction over id., in 1609 id. In 1594 he gets 38 

 yards of haircloth spun and roved for us., or about $\d. a 

 yard. In 1591 he gets fourscore yards of hempen woven at 

 is. the score. 



There are a few entries of articles the materials for which 

 were given out to the weaver, and for finishing which he is 

 paid. In 1616 the Archers pay is. 6d. for weaving a dozen 

 napkins, and in 1619 and 1623, $s. In 1656, Sd. a pound is 

 given for spinning, I presume knitting, woollen stockings. 

 In 1698 weaving a pair of common sheets costs 35. $d. t and 

 weaving a pair of fine sheets Js. ^d. Scanty as this informa- 

 tion is, it yet I think contains the key by which to interpret 

 the proportion which the cost of materials and that of labour 

 bears to finished goods, for as yet the middle-man had not 

 begun to appropriate the profit of the producer and to employ 

 all his faculties in cheating the consumer. 



Let me sum up the contents of this chapter. All kinds of 

 labour obtained a rise during the seventeenth century, but the 



