m8 enforcement of the statutes of labourers 



specification is also made that this is to include only such 

 estreats as had been delivered to the collectors previous to 

 Michaelmas, 1354; ^ now if the tax had been already paid, 

 this is a " rebate " and not an " allowance " system.^ 

 There is, however, little evidence to show that this practice 

 of dealing with the arrears was usual; on the contrary, it 

 was plainly to the advantage of the crown to interpret rigidly 

 the terms of the grant of the penalties, durant le temps des 

 dites Dismes et Quindsmes ; ^ and, as has been said, it was 

 found possible to rule that the clause of the statute of 

 labourers applied to this subsidy. Hence, normally any 

 estreats in the possession of collectors after Michaelmas, 

 1354, were to be levied for the use of the crown.* If money 

 had been levied in penalties previous to Michaelmas, 1354, 

 but was still in the collectors' hands, it was claimed by the 

 crown with the statement that the community had an action 

 of damages against the collectors.^ In doubtful cases it 

 had to be proved that the money had been " allowed " to 

 the community, previous to the rendering of the final ac- 



other collectors until the spring of 1363 and only ceases then because of 

 a new enactment on the subject of the penalties. It appears that the 

 sheriff had been guilty of not having distrained the collectors to answer 

 for the penalties: "Idem vicecomes (John de Ralegh) presens hie 

 allocutus et examinatus non dedicit quin inuenisse potuit predictos 

 ... in comitatu predict© post recepcionem dicti breuis et ante diem 

 returni eiusdem et inde submittit se gracie curie." Mem. L. T. R., 

 34, Mich., Recorda, rot. 2; " De vicecomite amerciato." 



• App., 280. 



- Cf. the case quoted supra, note 7 and also Mem. L. T. R., 29, 

 Pasch., Status et visus compotorum, rot. 5, Worcester; the distribution 

 of jC^o of penalties is ordered in aid of the tax of the years 26, 27 and 

 28. Mr. Willard tells me that the rebate system is employed in the 

 grant of the 31st year. 



' Cf. supra, p. 107, note 3. 



*App., 288 289, and p. no. °App., 310. 



