2 24 History of the English Landed Interest. 



they allowed weapons ; but, perhaps in grateful memory of 

 Crecy, they were encouraged to spend Sundays and holidays 

 in archery contests.^ It is a wonder that their very meals 

 were not restricted, for their clothing was limited to cloth of 

 certain prices. Silk, silver, gold, and embroidery were strictly 

 prohibited ; buttons, rings, garters, owches, ribands, and chains 

 were equally illegal — even the veils of their womankind 

 were limited to yarn ; and fur or budge, save that of the 

 lamb, conie, cattle, and fox, was not permitted. Blanket, in- 

 ferior russet wool, and linen girdles " according to their de- 

 gree," were the limits of decorative vesture granted to farm 

 hands by parliamentary statute. These contemptible dress 

 restrictions continued up to the reign of good Queen Bess, 

 when even then every person except maidens, ladies, gentle- 

 women, lords, knights, and gentlemen of twenty marks a year 

 had to wear upon sabbaths and holidays a cap of wool, knit, 

 thicked, and dressed in England, or in default pay a fine of 

 3.S. \d. per diem.^ 



If such pains, penalties, and restrictions encompassed the 

 hardworking labour class, what are we to expect when we 

 turn to the valiant beggars and vagrants of these severe times ? 

 It was under pain of imprisonment that the charitable relieved 

 such folk, the justices of assize or the peace and the sheriffs 

 had powers of demanding sureties from them for future good 

 behaviour ; and a beggar capable of labour soon found his way 

 to the nearest stocks. The wandering heremites, university 

 students, and begging friars were careful to obtain their or- 

 dinary's testimonial before they turned vagrants, or they 

 might soon have found themselves in a like disgraceful pre- 

 dicament; and in Henry I.'s reign "all Irish clerks, beggars, 

 and chamberdekins were voided out of the realm." ^ 



1 12 Eich. II. c. 6. 



* 37 Ed. III. c. 9 ; 37 Ed. III. c. 14 ; 3 EI. IV. c. 5 ; 13 Eliz. c. 19. 



3 7 Eich. II. ; 12 Eich. II. ; 1 Hen. V. c. 8. 



