CHAPTER IV 

 THE GROWTH OF FREEDOM 



THE XlVth century was a period of much disorder 

 and of rapid change. From its commencement men's 

 minds seem to have been touched by a 

 national strong desire for freedom. Moreover, as the 

 events : years passed, new ideas and new conditions 



(2) piagries, of life spread through the villages as an 

 tions (3) agita outcome f tne g reat historic events that 



marked the progress of the century. 

 These events were four: (i) the wars; (2) the plagues ; 



(3) the religious and social reform agitations ; and 



(4) the Peasant Revolt of 1381. Of these the first 

 three, belonging as they do to the national life that 

 lay outside the village boundaries, will be dealt with 

 separately and at once. 



During almost the whole of this century England 

 was at war, first with Scotland and later with France. 

 Many villagers must have been drawn away to fight in 

 these wars, and this could not fail to cause want of 

 labour, both on the peasants' fields and on the lord's 

 land. At the same time money was needed for the 

 expenses of war, and heavy taxation was imposed. 

 Much of this taxation would fall directly on the lords 

 of the manors, who would have in their turn to extract 

 it from the peasantry, and there must have been 

 constant negotiations in reference to this question 



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