io8 LAND REFORM 



following year (1350) another " Statute of Labourers" 

 was passed.^ 



After stating that the people had ignored the pre- 

 vious ordinance passed "by the assent of prelates, 

 earls, barons, and others of his council to the great 

 damage of the great men," this Statute makes provi- 

 sions still more definite and severe " to refrain the 

 malice of the said servants." The peasantry — bond 

 and free — i.e. the great mass of the people — were 

 restricted in their movements from one locality to 

 another ; their personal liberty touching the common 

 incidents of life was curtailed, and their whole exist- 

 ence, their " bodies " and service, were to be reduced 

 to an item which was to be the perquisite or property 

 of a small ruling class. 



The Act lays down minutely the maximum wages 

 which the men, under threat of " grievous punish- 

 ment," are to demand or receive — for haymaking, not 

 more than 2d. per day; mowing, 5d. per acre or 5d. 

 per day; reapers, 2d. to 5d., "without meat or drink 

 or other courtesy to be demanded, given, or taken." 

 The men are to be publicly sworn to obey these ordin- 

 ances. " Those that refuse to take such oath or to 

 perform that that they be sworn to, shall be put in the 

 stocks by the said lords, stewards, bailiffs, etc., for three 

 days or more or sent to the next gaol till they will 

 justify themselves." 



Still the peasantry were stubborn, and still the lords 

 of the soil were inexorable. In 1360 another statute 

 was passed,'^ the provisions of which were revolting 

 to human feeling. It was headed " Punishment of 

 labourers departing from their service into another 



* 25 Edward III, chaps, i, ii, iii. 



* 34 Edward III, chap. lo. 



