THE ASSESSMENT OF WAGES 109 



used the powers given them by the Act, and wages seem to 

 have been settled generally by competition. Several instances 

 remain, however, of wages drawn up under this Act. Almost 

 immediately after it was passed, in June 1564, the Rutland 

 magistrates met under the Act, and stated that the prices of 

 linen, woollen, leather, corn, and other victuals were great, so 

 they drew up the following list of wages^': — 



A bailiff in husbandry, having charge of two plough lands, at least should 

 have by the year 40s., and 8s. for his livery. 



A chief servant in husbandry, which can eire (plough), sow, mow, 

 thresh, make a rick, thatch and hedge, and can kill and dress a hog, 

 sheep, and calf, by the year 40^'., and 6s. for his livery. 



A common servant in husbandry, which can mow, sow, thresh, and load 

 a cart, and cannot expertly make a rick, hedge, and thatch, and 

 cannot kill and dress a hog, sheep, or calf, by the year ^^s. 4^., 

 and 5^. for his livery. 



A mean servant in husbandry, which can drive the plough, pitch the 

 cart, and thresh, and cannot expertly sow, mow, thresh, and load 

 a cart, nor make a rick, nor thatch, by the year 24s., and 5^. for 

 his livery. 



The chief shepherd is only to receive 20s. and ^s. for his 

 livery ; but this must be an error, as in the statutes 6 Hen. VHI, 

 c. 3, and 23 Hen. VI, c. 12, he was placed next the bailiff as we 

 should expect. 



These wages were evidently ' with diet ', and show a con- 

 siderable advance on those fixed by 6 Hen. VHI, c. 3.'^ By 

 the day the ordinary labourer was to have 6d. in winter, yd. 

 in summer, and 8d. to lod. in harvest time, 'finding himself,' 

 A mower with meat earned 5^., without meat 10^. a day; 

 a man reaper with meat 4d., without Sd. ; a woman reaper 

 ^d. and 6d. 



As the price of corn and meat was three times what it had 



been in the fifteenth century, and the labourers' wages, taking 



into consideration his harvest pay, not quite double, the Rutland 



magistrates hardly observed the spirit of the Act. Rutland, 



^ Thorold Rogers, History of Agriculture and Prices, iv. 120; and 

 Work and Wages^ p. 389. ' See p. 87. 



