A.D. 1399-1603. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



FURTHER LAND LEGISLATION EXAMINED. 



The glorious sun of tlie Plantagenets sank amidst a lurid glare 

 of civil strife. 



Th.e Wars of tlie Roses raged for many years up and 

 down the country. Great landowners with long trails of re- 

 tainers joined one side or the other, were victorious here and 

 defeated there, survived this battle or fell in that. But 

 throughout the prolonged struggle the agricultural classes 

 ploughed and sowed their lands, harvested and marketed their 

 produce, lived, and actually prospered, regardless of and indif- 

 ferent to a commotion which had originated in causes too high 

 up to affect their interests or concern their thoughts.^ 



The constant recurrence of boy kings, a singular feature of 

 the times, had perhaps momentarily stunted that reverential 

 sentiment for royalty, whose fibres have been ever rooted deep 

 down in the Englishman's heart, and whose vigorous growth 

 was later on evidenced in the absurd creed that rings conse- 

 crated by kingly agency could charm away cramp, and that 

 necks touched by kingly fingers could be cured of scrofula. 



Throughout the period we are now about to discuss, the 

 exodus of rural labour into the towns continued. It was 

 remarkable how deftly hands accustomed to the spade and 

 wheelbarrow could manipulate the scales and scoop of the shop, 

 Men soon learned that they were more secure under burgage 

 than soccage tenures, that tallage taxation was no more for- 



^ Rogers, Agriculture and Prices, vol. iv., p. 19. 



249 



