28 AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH RURAL HISTORY 



prices. Labourers' wages only went up from 2s. 4d. per 

 week to 3s. 6d. : hence the poor suffered acutely because 

 of royal extravagance and greed, 



Ket's Rising. 



Parliament attempted, in the fifteenth and sixteenth 

 centuries, to stop the increase of enclosures, but with little 

 result. One statute enacted that no man should keep 

 more than two thousand sheep ; but the law was easily 

 evaded by providing another thousand for each of the 

 farmer's children. It was further enacted that where 

 land was " depopulated," one-half was to be forfeit to 

 the king. The " new aristocracy," created by grants of 

 land resulting from the plunder of the monasteries, were 

 required to keep as much land as formerly under the plough 

 and to build good houses. These requirements, however, 

 were not fulfilled. 



The condition of the workers was indeed pitiable. No 

 longer was the peasant at liberty to turn his pigs, his cow, 

 and his poultry upon the common to feed ; for the common 

 had been enclosed. The yeoman was. turned out of his farm ; 

 the farm servant was no longer required. It is not sur- 

 prising, therefore, that many of the peasants rose in revolt. 



Risings took place in many parts of England ; but the 

 most remarkable was that which occurred in Norfolk in 

 1549. This was headed by Robert Ket, lord of the manor 

 of Wymondham, a wealthy brewer. He and his brother 

 William gathered 16,000 men into a camp near Norwich. 

 Although the rebels captured and hanged a few landlords 

 who had been guilty of unjust enclosure, the rising was, 

 in general, well conducted. Definite reforms were aimed 

 at, notably fixed rents, and a small fine only on transfer 

 of land. Had these two reforms been accomplished, the 

 English peasantry would have realized their fondest dream, 

 namely, fixity of tenure. 



Ket's power increased so much that troops were sent 

 against him. All offers of pardon were scornfully rejected 

 by Ket. The Earl of Warwick was then sent against 

 Norwich with a large force which included 1,400 German 

 mercenaries. After some severe fighting the peasants 

 were put to flight. Both Robert and William Ket were 

 captured and hanged in chains as felons, both proudly 

 refusing the reprieve offered. " Just men need 710 pardon " 

 was Ket's retort. It is computed that ten thousand brave 



