Extract from William Forrest's The Pleasaunt Poesye of Princelie Practise
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| Creator/author | William Forrest |
| Date | 1548 |
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Entry
[England in the reign of King Henry the Eighth, Part I., ed. S. J. Herrtage (E.E.T.S., 1878), pp. xciv-xcix.] Moste worthie it is A kynge to excell,
...
in honowre, richesse and glorye decorate : Lordys (indegre) in woorthynes to dwell, withe Gentyls also as sittethe their estate : and they to the meane to communycate, that theye maye lyue,bothe Childrene andwife: and them not to streyne by meanys excessife.
The Pooreman to toyle for twoe pense the Daye, some while thre haulfe pense, or els a penye :
hauynge wief, childrene and howse rent to paye : meate, clothe and fewell withe the same to bye, and muche oother thinges that bee necessarye, withe manye a hungrye meale susteynynge : Alas ! makethe not this a doolefull compleynynge ? The worlde is chaunged from that it hathe beene, not to the bettre but to the warsse farre :
more for a penye wee haue before seene then nowe for fowre pense, whoe liste to compare. This suethe the game called makinge or marre. Vnto the Riche it makethe a great deale, but muche it marrethe to the Commune weale.
Too reyse his Rent alas it neadeth not, or fyne texacte for teanure of the same fowre folde dooble, it is a shrewde blot : to the greatehynderaunce of some mennys name, Iknowe this to bee true, els weare I to blame To mooue this mateir in this present booke : at whiche Respublica lookethe a-crooke. ARent to reyse from twentie to fiftie, of Powndis (I meane,) or shealingis whither : ffynynge for the same vnreasonablye, sixe tymes the Rent; adde this togither, muste not the same great Dearthe bringe hither ? for if the ffermoure paye fowrefolde dooble Rent, hemuste his ware neadys sell after that stent. So for that Oxe, whiche hathe beene the like solde for ffortie shealingis, nowe takethe hee fyue pownde :
yea, seauyn is more, I haue herde it so tolde. hee cannot els lyue, so deeare is his grownde, Sheepe, thoughe they neauer so plentie abownde, suche price they beare, whiche shame is here to tell, that scace the pooareman canbye a morsell.
ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Twoepense (inBeeif) hee cannot haue serued, other in Mutton, the price is so hye : vndre a groate hee can haue none kerued :
sogoethe hee and his to bedde hungrelye, and risethe agayne withe bellies emptie ;
whiche turnethe to tawnye their white englisch skyn, like to the swarthie coelored Fflawndrekyn. Wheare theyweare valiaunt, stronge, sturdy and stowte, to shoote, to wrastle, to dove anye mannys feate, tomatche all natyons dwellinge heere abowte, ashitherto manlye they holde the chief seate ; ifthey bee pinched and weyned from meate, I wisse, O kynge, they in penurye thus pende shall not bee able thye Royalme to defende. Owre Englische nature cannot lyue by Rooats, bywater, herbys or suche beggerye baggage, that maye well serue for vile owtelandische Cooatis : geeueEnglische men meate after their olde vsage, Beeif, Mutton, Veale, to cheare their courage ; and then I dare to this byll sett my hande :
they shall defende this owre noble Englande. Too saye howe ydlenesse maye bee expellyd, and this owre Royalme enriched by the same, somewhat thearto all-readye is tellyd : forthe reasydue wee shall nowe heere frame.
Woolle is the thinge wee will steye on, by name, thoughe oother thinges moe geauithe assistence : yeat woolle (for this tyme) shall haue preamynence.
The Woolle that Staplelers dothe gather and packe, owte of thisRoyalme to Cowntreys forayne : bee it reuoked and steyed abacke, that owre Cloathiers the same maye retayne, all kynde of woorkefolkes heere to ordayne, vppon the same to exercise their feate :
bytuckynge, cardinge, spynnynge, and to beate, Weauynge, fullinge, withe Dyinge (if theye liste) and what sorte els to Cloathinge dothe belonge : by suche true handelinge that nothinge bee myste, whiche myght chalenge their woorkinge to bee wronge ; that whearsoeuer they shall come emonge, thorowe Christendome or heathenes grownde :
no fawte theare bee in the Woorkemanshippe fownde. Shrynked befoare and perfected at full, gaged and sealed iustelye as it is :
if it bee fawtie in woorkinge or in wooll, owre foalkes to weare them, I gree beste to this, rather than straungers sholde fynde vs amysse, for owre false dealinge owre Cowntrey tappeache : what the Salys-man is the ware ofte dothe teache.
No Towne in Englande, Village or Burrowe, but thus withe Cloathinge to bee occupied :
thoughe not in eache place cloathinge cleane throwe : but as the Towne is, their parte so applied ;
Heere Spynners, heere weyuers, theare cloathes to be died, withe fullers and shearers as bee thought beste : as the Cloathier maye haue his Cloathe dreste.
When they haue groaced vnto a some, of scoarys or hundredis as they appoynte shall owre Englische Merchauntes by custome to come, and them receaue to ouer withe all;
or, bee they fechte bye greement speciall, by forayne Merchauntes as they haue agreede: Moneye receaued; god geeue them goode speede. Heere is not meaned the kinges maiestee his Custome to loase or thearof wone Joate that heeretofore accustomed hathe bee :
but hee tohaue still the vttremuste groate ;
Befoare they hense passe by Shippinge a-floate. the Cloathes knowne what of a Packe dothe come ;
and thearto accordinge to paye Custome.
ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Witheall other dueties in eauerye place, both unto his grace and oother also : as of conuenyence sittithe the case :
wee will by no meanys theare againste go. butheere this peece wee shall adde nowe vnto, whiche withe Conscience is muche agreable, That Woolle maye bee at a price reasonable. The leaste price to bee (the Todde accowntinge) not vndre Ten shelinges (beeing no reffuse) : The beste ffyuetene shealinges not surmowntinge : betwene theise pricis Conuention to vse. Theise pricis to lymyte let noman muse, ithathe beene so seene att within twentie yearis :
and somaye agayne withe helpe of owre hedde pearis. Butheere liethe a mateir muche Difficulte, whiche greatlie I feare neauer to take force, thoughe I with manye sholde thearin consulte, and crye theare vppon eauyn till wee weare horse. Pryuate Commodye withe Commone wealthe to scorse : 1 as Rentis to come downe from owterage so hye tooPrice indifferent to helpe manye bye.
Theis raginge Rentis muste bee loked vppon, and brought vnto tholde accustomed Rente, as they weare let att ffortie yearis agone : thenshalbe plentie and moste men content, thoughe greate Possessioners liste not tassent : Yeate, bettre it weare their Rentis to bringe vndre, then Thowsandis Thowsandis to perische for hungre.
Inwhiche youre highnes this ordre maye take, discreit men of youre cownsell too assigne that wilbee corrupted for no mannys sake : and theye withe helpe their endeuer tenclyne, ouer youre Royalmewheare this is owte of lyne. Growndis and ffermys to peruse and surueye : Rentis to reforme that bee owte of the weye. 1Bargain, exchange.
And as their Wisedoms (withe Conscience) shall see (the soyle consydered, barrayne or fertyle), the Owners (by them) ordered too bee their Rentis tabate, enhaunced so longe while.
Pryuate Commodye to put to exile, ratynge the same indifferentlie so : the ffermers to lyue and by them oother moe. Not in thraldome and pynchinge penurye, to bee as drudges vnto their landelordis ; but as yeomen becomethe honestlye, and of Goddys lawe conuenyatethe the conchordis. at too muche bondage Englische hartis remordis. for what kinge heere will lyue honorablye, hee muste then make of Englande Yeomanrye. Ffor they (all men knowethe) are the maior parte, whiche by all lawes ought to bee seene vntoo speciallye withe moste intentife harte : sithe they for their princis their daylie labour doo, the myndis of whome they can no bettre woo,
(to lyue and dye in furderinge their enquestis) then to see mayntened their olde enterestis. Suche poore lyuynges as their fathers dyd enioye, meanly to lyue their lyues to contynue. Alas, a pooreman it greatlie dothe annoye : whenhee for a lyuynge shall eauermore sue, and withe non assuraunce hym-selfe can indue, Custome nor Copie can keepe hym In scace : if fawnynge ffyne attemptethe his lordis grace. Ffor what is it in fferme or Copye holde, or oother semblable habitation, owte of the same to bee bought and solde for lucres sake to the lordis contentation ?
the sealye Pooreman by suche euasion withe wief and children so forced to go begge so they maye profite they passe not an egge.
ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Anoother disordre of oppression, aduerte this wone whiche is muche odyous. Alorde geauyn to pryuate affection, lettinge the pooareman an olde rotten howse, which hathe (to the same) profyttes commodious As Cloase, and Common, with Lande in the feelde : but noate well heere howe the pooareman is peelde.
The howse shall hee haue and A gardeyne plott, but stonde hee muste to the reperation : Close, Comon, or Londe fallithe none to his lott ;
that beste myght helpe to his sustentation. thewhoale Rente payethe hee for his habitation, as thoughe hee dyd thappurtenauncis possesse. such soare oppression neadethe speadye redresse. Thoughe some will obiecte hee is the more Asse so to bargayne to bringe hym in thraldome : heecan none otherwise bringe it to passe:
els muste hee paye largele for his Income. To settle hym selfe place muste hee haue some ; his wief and childrene in like maner wise, Whoe forpure penurye, ofte waterethe their iyse. Offthis this tyme I will nomore entreate, bywone woorde the wise perceaue can the whoale ; Idoo this mateir but roughlye heere beate : the disposition, partelye and soale, O noble kynge, belongethe to youre doale, as toperceaue the Comonwealthes noyaunce and for the same to deuise ordynaunce. So that the Pooare bee eauer seene vntoe, the Riche hym selfe will sure saue harmelesse. A little hynderaunce the poore dothe vndoe and canno remedye againste distresse but still susteynethe all busynesse, Thoughe Drudges muste bee, yeat Christian loue wolde that iuste rewarde redownde to them sholde.
Too Thresche alldaye for peanye haulfe-peanye, and Delue in diches upp to the harde kneeis for like valure, howe can hee lyue thearbye ? Godwote it risethe but to a small ffeeis, with that he laiethe vpp hee maye well bye Beeis, and after go begge when Age on hym dothe fall: for noughtes can he saue to helpe hym then with all.
So ordre that eache doinge their labour iustelie and trulie withe moste diligence, may bee worthe them and theirs to succour, fyndinge them selfes on shorteste daies sexpence, And oother lengre, as the Soone takethe ascense, seauyn or eight pense; so shall they bee able meanlye to lyue, and mayntayne their Cradle. And Townes let downe to grase Sheape vppon, withe dwellinge howses, as fermys and Abbeyes, reduced agayne to habitation, for lack of which muche lyuynges nowe decayes and dothe great hynderaunce as this wone waies.
Thowsandis thear bee that right gladlie wolde wedde if they had holdinges to coauer their hedde.
OfJourneyemen and Seruyngemen also, withe oother dyuerse of oure owne nation that nowe a roauynge in oothers growndis go, to this Royalmys great depopulation ; At whiche the heauyns maketh exclamation, burdeynynge your grace by othe that yee haue take of this, as yee can, redresse withe speede to make.
ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
9. EXTRACT FROM LEVER'S SERMON AT PAUL'S CROSS, 14 Dec., 1550.
[Thomas Lever, M.A., Sermons (1550),ed. E. Arber (EnglishReprints, 1871), pp. 127-31.]
There is as yet more styffe necked stubburnes, dieuellysh disobedience, and gredye couetousnes in one of you of the commune sorte that kepeth thys greate swellynge in the hearte, hauyng no occasion to sette it furth in exercise, then is in ten of the worst of theim that, beynge in office and aucthoritye, haue manye occasions to open and shewe them selues what they be. Whendyd euer anye offycers in authorytye shewe suche re- bellyous proud myndes, as was of late playnlye perceyued in verymanye ofthe communaltye ? Iput the case that they be so couetouse, that one of their gredi guts had swalowed vp a whole Abbey, house, landes and goodes, And yf you had powers vnto your wylles, ye had deuoured whole countryes, houses and goodes, men and beastes, corne and cattell, as ye dyd begynne. Some of theim kepeth their fermes in theyr owne handes, and manye ofyou kepe your owne Corne in youre owne barnes. Yea marrye, whyshould we not kepe oure corne in oure owne barnes ? Forsooth, ye nowe maye not keepe it for dreede ofGod, obedience totheKynges maiestie, and pitie of your poore neighbours : For God sayeth : Qui abscondit frumenta, maledicetur in populis : benedictio autem super caput uendencium : He that hydeth vp corne, shallbe accursed amongest the people: but blessynge shal be vpontheyrheades that bryngeth it furth to the Markettes to sell. Here yeheare the blessynge and curse of God. Ye knowe the kynges gracious Proclamacyon, ye maye perceyue youre neyghbours neede, by theyr myserable complaynt. And yet neyther God by blessyng and cursynge, neither the kyng by proclamacion and commission, nether the pore by praiyng and paying can cause you to serue the Markets wyth corne. But let goddes woorde, the Kynges lawes, honest order, and charytable prouysyon be put foorth of all markette townes bywycked Mammon, and let hym onely kepe the Markets and setpryses foryoure purposes, and wythoute doubte euerye market shalbe ful of all manner of Corne and vytayles commyng in on al sydes.
O wycked seruauntes of Mammon, alwayes bothe ennemyes and traytoures to God and the kyng and the common wealthe. Is it God or Mammon that hath made the Corne to sprynge, andgeuen you plentye ? Yf ye say Mammon, then ye confesse playnely whose seruauntes ye be, what Idolatrye ye vse. Ifye say God, How dare ye confesse him in youre woordes and denye hym in youre deedes ? Whye do ye not brynge foorth goddes corne vnto goddes people, at goddes commaundement? Why be ye not faythfull disposers of Goddes treasures ? Well, he that hath no corn thinketh he hath no parte, nor is not gyltye in this matter : but I can tel that ther is many of theim, that neither hath nor wyll haue corne, whyche make corne most dere.
I have heard howe that euen this last yere, ther was certayn Acres of corne growyng on the ground bought for viii. poundes : he that bought it for viii. sold it for x. He that gaue x. pounds, sold it to another aboue xii. poundes : and at last, he that caryed it of the ground payde xiiii. poundes. Lykewyse I hearde, that certayne quarters ofmalte were boughte after the pryce of iii. shyllynges iiii. pence a quarter to be delyuered in a certayn markette towne vpon a certayne daye. Thys bargayne was so oft bought and solde before the daye of delyueraunce came, that the same Malte was solde to hym that shoulde receyue itthere and carrye it awaye after vi. s. a quarter. Lookeand se howe muche a craftes manor anye other honeste man that muste spend corne in his house, by this maner of bargaynynge, payeth, and howe littel the housbande manne that tylleth the ground, and paieththe rent, receyueth : Thenye may se and perceyue it must needes be harde for eyther of theim to kepe a house, the cra[f]tes man payinge so muche, and the husbandman takynge so lytle. There is a lyke maner of barganyng of them that be lease- mongers, for leasemongers make the tenauntsto paye so muche, and the landlord to take so little, that neither of them is wel able to kepe house. I heare say that within a few miles of London an honest gentleman did let his ground by lease vnto pore honest men after ii s. iiii d. an acar: then commeth a lese- ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE mounger, a thefe, an extorcioner, deceiuyng the tenaunts, bieth theyr leases, put theim from the groundes, and causeth them that haue it at hym nowe to paye after ix s., or as I harde saye xixs. but I am ashamed to name so muche. How be it, couetous extorcioners be ashamed of nodede be it neuer so euyll. And as Ihear say, therbe many lesemongers in London, that heyghthen the rent of bare houses : and as (with) corne landes, tenements and houses, so inal maner of wares, ther be such biers and sellers as cause the prouyders and makers of the wares totake so litle, and the occupiers of the wares too paye so muche, that neyther of theimboth is able toolyue. All the Marchauntes of myschyefe that go betwixt the barke and the tree : Bytwixte thehousband man that getteth the corne, and housholder that occupyeth Corne; betwix the Landlorde, that letteth fermes, and the tennauntes that dwell in fermes; And betwixt the craftes manthat maketh, or the marchaunte that prouydeth wares, and other men that occupieth wares : I saye these marchauntes of mischiefe, commynge betwixte the barke and the tree, do make all thinges dere to the byers: and yet wonderfull vyle and of small pryce to many, that must nedes sett or sell that whyche is their owne honestlye come bye. These be far worse than anye other that hath bene mencyoned heretofore : for although benefyced men and offycers haue manye mennes liuynges, yet they do some mennes dutyes. But these haue euerye mannes lyuyng, and doo no mans duytye. For they haue that whyche is indede the lyuynge of craftes men, Marchauntmenne, husbandmen, landelordes and tennauntes, and do neuer a one of these mens dutyes. These be ydle vacaboundes, lyuyng vpon other mens labours: these be named honest barginers, and be in dede craftyecouetouseextorcioners. For theythat be true marchaunte- men to by and sell in dede, shoulde and doo prouyde great plentye and good chepe by honest byenge and sellynge of theyr wares. But these, hauynge the names of true marchauntes, and beyng in dede crafty theues, do make a scarsitye and dearth of all thynges that commeth through theyr handes. Take awaye all marchauntmen from anye towne or cytye, and ye shall leaue almost no prouysyon of thinges that be necessarye.
Take awaye leasmongers, regrators and all suche as by byinge VOL . III .
and sellynge make thyngs more dere, and when they be gone, all thyngs wylbe more plentye and better chepe. Now maye ye se who they be that make a greate dearth in a great plentye. Forwhoisit, thatheygtheneth the pryce of Corne? Thehousbandmanthatgetteth plentye ofcorne by tyllynge ofthe grounde? No: the regrator that byeth corne to make it dere, growynge vpon the grownde. Who reyseth the rentes, ioyneth house to house, and heapeth fermes together ? The Gentyll manne, that by geuynge ofleases letteth forth hys own landes into other mennse handes? No, the leasemongers, that by selling leases byeth andbryngeth other mennes Landes into their own hands. Who maketh all manner of wares and marchandyses to be very dere? The marchaunt venterer, which with fayethfull dylygence to prouyde for the commune wealth caryeth furth suche thynges as maye well be spared, and bryngeth home suche wares as muste needes be occupyed in thys realme ?
No, the Marchant of myschyefe, that by craftye conueyaunce for his owne gayne, caryeth awaye such thinges as maye not be spared, and bryngeth agayne suche wares as are not nedefull. Take hede, you Marchauntes ofLondon, that ye be not Marchauntes of myschyefe, conueying away to much old lead, wol, lether and such sub- stanciall wares as wold set many Englyshmen to work, and do euery manne good seruyce, and bryngynge home sylkes and sables, cattayls, and folyshe fethers to fil the realm full of such baggage as wyll neuer do ryche or poore good and necessary seruyce. Be ye sure, if thys realme be rych, ye shall not nede to be poore ; yf thys realme be poore, you shall not be able to kepe and enioy your ryches. Take hede than that your marchaundise be not a seruynge of folysh mens fansies, whyche wyll destroye the realme: but lette it be a prouydyng forhonest discrete mens commodities, whych wyll be the vpholdyng and enrychyng of you and the whole realme.
ENCLOSURES AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
