Decay of the Manor ^ 41 



of the country. The ranks of the nobility were open to successful 

 traders, and members of the nobility stooped to enter upon 

 trade. The sons of farmers became successful merchants, and the 

 smaller farmers extended their holdings. Even the labourers 

 had been given so much power by economic conditions that the 

 Government had to legislate over and over again between 1349 

 and 1541 to keep down wages, and generally failed in the attempt. 



In France events had taken a different course, and produced 

 a different result. There were struggles between King and nobles, 

 and the nobles lost ; between nobles and peasants, and the 

 peasants lost. Neither nobles nor peasants fought so hard or so 

 well as did their neighbours in England. Their defeats were so 

 absolute that there was nothing like a working arrangement 

 possible among the different orders. The King with one powerful 

 minister drove and kept the nobles out of any share in legislation 

 and administration. The nobles treated the merchants and 

 traders as inferior orders. They went down to their estates and 

 imitated there the tyranny that flourished on the throne. They 

 escaped taxation, and this fell with crushing weight on the 

 peasants. The different orders could not work together, either 

 in politics or in agriculture. The break came in the Revolution 

 in 1789. The feudal dues were repealed, the nobility were driven 

 out, and the French peasants became occupying owners. 



The German experience also reflected the character of the 

 people. From about 1490 to 1525 the peasants were restless and 

 engaged in formidable revolts to shake off their bondage. The 

 fighting and bloodshed were terrible compared with what took 

 place in the English risings under Wat Tyler and Ket. But the 

 serfs were completely subdued, and the burdens and restrictions 

 against which they rebelled were more firmly fastened on them. 

 They became more docile and submissive under the fierce 

 tyranny of their rulers and lords, and it was only in 1807 and the 

 following years that the Government took the German peasants 



