Municipal Regulation of Hours and Wages by the Common Council of London
| Artifact Summary | |
|---|---|
| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1538 |
| Period | |
| City and country of origin | London, England |
| Abstract | |
Entry
[Guildhall Journal, Vol. XIV., ff. 100-100b.]
Commune Consilium tentum die jovis xxixº die Augusti anno regni Regis Henrici viij xxxº Coram Ricardo Gresham milite maiore Civitatis Londoniarum Rogero Cholmeley milite Recordatore eiusdem Civitatis.
Forcertayn reasonable & necessary consideracions it ys enactyd establysshed & ordeyned at thys present commen Counsell by the aucthoritye of the same, that from hensfurth Almaner of Carpenters masons joyners tylers plasterers Briklayers gardeners laborers & all other hand crafty men whiche shall fortune to worke by the day with any person or persones withyn the libertyes of thys Citye, shall from the feast of the Natyvytie of our lady untyll the feast of thannunciacion of oure blessyd lady contynually begynne hys dayes woorke at the howre of vj of the clok yn the mornyng & so to contynue untyll ix of the clok then next ensuyng. And than to goo to hys brekefast & to tary therat but onely one quarter of an howre, & than immedyatly to resorte ageyn unto hys sayd worke & there to contynue untyll the howre of xij of the clok, & then to goo to hys dynner & to resorte ageyn unto hys worke by the howre of one of the clok at after noone at the farthest, & there to contynue untyll the houre of iiij of the clok at after noone, and than to have libertye to goo to hys drynkeyng by the space of one quarter of an houre onely, and than immedyatly to resorte ageyn to hys seyd woorke &there to contynue untyll the howre of vj of cloke at nyght, & tohave none other houres or vacant tyme yn the hole day other than as ys aforesayd,And to take no more for hys dayes woorke from the sayd feast of the Natyvytye of our lady untyll the feast of thannunciacion of our blessyd lady yerely but onely vij d. by theday. Item yt ys further enactyd by auctorytie aforesayd that every of the sayd Craftsmen and others whyche shall fortune to woorke by the day, shall from hensfurth, from the feast of the 8* Annunciacion of oure blessyd lady untyll the feast of the Natyvytie of oure lady, contynually begynne hys dayes worke at the howre of v of the clok yn the mornynge & so to contynue untyll viij of the clok then next ensuyng, & then to goo to hys brekefast & to tary therat but onely one quarter of an houre. And than immedyatly to resort ageyn to hys seyd woorke & there to contynue untyll the houre of xij of the clok, & then to goo to hys dynner & to resort ageyn unto hys worke at the howre of one of the clok in the after noone at the farthest, & there to contynue untyll the houre of vij of the clok at after noone, and yn the meanetyme to have no more than a quarter of an howre for hys drynkyng tyme. And to have none other houres or vacant tyme yn the hoole day than as ys aforesayd, & to take no more for hys hole dayes woorke from the sayd teast of thannunciacion of oure blessyd lady untyll the feast of the Nativytie of oure blessyd lady saynt mary the vyrgyn, but onely viij d. by the day & no more.
And bycawse that the sayd artyficers must of necessytie occupye brykks tyles lyme lome gravell & sande, and the same ys not so good & well made as hath bene accustomed nor kepyng measure as of olde tyme hathe bene used. It ys nowe enactyd by the aucthorytie aforesayd that tyles brykkes lyme gravell & sand shalbe as well made & kepe the measure as hathe bene accustomed at any tyme withyn theys fowerty yeres nowe last past, upon payne of forfaiture for every suche defaut iijs. iiij d. to be payed by the owner of the same, whiche shalbe recovered by accion of dett byll playnt or Informacion yn any of the kynges courts withyn thys Cytye, in whiche accions & suytes or any of theym the defendant shall not be receyvyd to wage or doo hys lawe nor any proteccion to be allowed yn the same. Item yt ys enactyd by aucthorytye aforesayd that none of the sayd crafts men or others aforesayd shall take any other wages by day or otherwyse for any of theyre apprentices duryng the first ij yeres of apprenticehod of theyre sayd apprentice, but onely as laborers do & have usually takyn, & not to take as a Crafts man or Journeyman, and that after any apprentyce of any suche Crafts man afore remembred hath served ij yeres of hys apprenticehod, that than the maister of suche apprentice to take onely suche wages for such apprentices as shalbe admytted & appoynted by the Chamberlayn of London for the tyme beyng Andby the Wardeyns of the said occupacion as they shall thynke convenyent by theyre dyscrecions, And that yf any freeman of the sayd citye breke any poynt or article conteyned yn thys present ordynaunce & refuse to obey the same, That than he so offendyng shall lose hys freedom. Provyded alwayes that gardyners and laborers shall yn all thynges observe & kepe the ordynaunce aforesayd yn all degrees except onely that they nor any of theym shall take any more for hys dayes woorke than fyve pence stirlyngs & not above.
