I02 ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATUTES OF LABOURERS 



surprising that an examination of the accounts of the last 

 two years of this subsidy, as well as of the numerous pro- 

 cesses on the Memoranda Rolls against delinquent col- 

 lectors, has failed to reveal for the period previous to the 

 enactment of the statute a single reference to the " excess ;" 

 from other sources, however, it is clear that the council's 

 measure was not entirely ineffective. Special difficulties 

 in certain counties, evidently reported to king and council,^ 

 made requisite more specific instructions : early in January, 

 1350, information of the obstinate refusal of some labourers 

 in Hampshire to pay the sums assessed upon them resulted 

 in a mandate to the collectors to imprison the delinquents 

 in Winchester castle; a similar writ was directed to the col- 

 lectors of Essex." The collectors of the latter county were 

 apparently accused of over-zeal, and a few months later, it 

 became necessary to check their proceedings against those 

 labourers who had already spent their illegal gains, and 

 were therefore actually incapable of refunding the "excess ;" 

 imprisonment only made them poorer and deprived the 

 community of their services at the very time when there 

 was such a dire scarcity of labourers. The collectors of 

 Somerset and of Middlesex were similarly restrained but 

 were also empowered to imprison bailiffs, constables, sub- 

 collectors and jurors who had proved remiss in assisting 

 them.** Difficulties in Essex were continuous, while Nor- 

 folk and Stafford are added to the list of troublesome 

 counties.* The over-zeal of the Essex collectors was not 



'"Ac iam intelleximus " is usually the reason alleged for the addi- 

 tional mandate. 



^Pat., 23, pt. 3. m. 10 d, 2 Jan.; " De capiendo seruitores qui soluere 

 recusant quintamdecimam." The first portion merely summarizes the 

 second ordinance; cf. Cal.. viii. 456-457. 



^App., 261-262. 



'Orig., 24, m. 16, " De decima et quintadecimapro operariis;" Essex, 

 8 Nov.; Norfolk. 18 Dec; Staflford. 20 Dec. 



