CHAP. XX. INCREASED PRICES. 93 



" are desirous of a chaunge, being in hope to come 

 " thereby to somewhat, and well assured that, howe 

 " so ever it befall with them, it can be no harder 

 " with them than it was before : moreover, all things 

 " are so deere that by there day wages they are not 

 " able to lyve. Those sheepe is the cause of all 

 " these mischieves, for they have driven husbandry 

 " out of the country, by the which was increased 

 " before all kind of victailes, and now altogether 

 " sheepe, sheepe, sheepe. It was farre better when 

 " there were not only sheepe ynough, but oxen, kine, 

 " swyne, pig, goose, and capon, egges, butter, and 

 " cheese, yea and bread-corne and malt-corne ynough 

 " besides, reared altogether upon the same lande." 

 The manufacturer of hats also, in his turn, takes 

 up the same lamentations. He agrees with the 

 farmer, and confirms it by his experience ; " For," 

 says he, "I am faine to give my journeimen two 

 " pence in a day more than I was wont to doe, and 

 " yet they say they cannot sufficiently live thereon. 

 " And I know for truth that the best husbande of 

 " them can save but little at the yeare's ende. And 

 " by reason of such dearth as yee speake of, we that 

 " are artificers are able to keepe few or no prentizes, 

 "like as we were wont to doe, and therefore cities 

 " which were heretofore well inhabyted and wealthy 

 " (as yee knowe every one of you) are now, for lacke 

 " of occupiers, fallen to great poverty and desolation. 

 " It was never merry with poor craftsmen since gen- 

 " tlemen became grasiers, for they cannot now a 



