Grievances of Weavers of Suffolk and Essex
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| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1539 |
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Entry
[S.P. , Hen. VIII. , Vol. CLI., ff. 128-31.] ...
my Lorde prevy Seale.
Complaynyng Shewith unto your honorable Lordeshipp your poore Suppliaun[tes] [MS. defective] the weyvers of wollen Clothes inhabityng in and by all the hede to [MS. defective] mooste vsed to be made within the Shyres of Suff[olk] and ...
...
Essex, as Ipeswiche, Hadleighe, Lavenham [MS. defective] Barholt, Colchester, and Dedham with other townes therabowte, that where as it hath pleased the Kynges highnes tendering the publyke welth of this his Realme of Englande, to make certayne Actes and statuttes, wheroff one is concernyng the pure and true makyng off wollen clothes, in the which it is enactyd that the same clothes shall alwayes holde beare and kepe the full Rate and Syce bothe of the Length and bredth, wherby your said supplyauntes in every clothe alwayes susteynith the more coste, Labour, and busynes Dyvers wayes as your good Lordshipp full well can consyder, Albe it your said Supplyauntes the weyvers cannot attayne nor nothing be allowide for the same at their masters the Clothiers handes, By meanes wheroff the occupacion ofweyving, which is the hede and mooste pure poynt of Clothing, is alredy gretly decayed, in so moche that no man in those parties will put their children to that occupacion, so that within fewe yeres these shires of Suffolk and Essex of weyvers ys lyke to be frustrate and voyde. Moreover, moste gracyous Lorde, by Reason that the Richmen the clothiers haue their Loomes and weyvers and also their fullers dailie workyng within their owne howses, All these your saide supplyauntes, beyng howsholders nowe lyuyng, having their wyffes and children, Are many tymes destitute of worke. And the lenger they lyue, the more they are lyke to growe in to extreme povertie ; for the Richmen the Clothiers be concludede and Aggreed Amonge themselues to holde and pay one pryce for weyving of the saide Clothes, which pryce is so litle, that your saide supplyaunttes the weyvers cannot with their Labour gett wherwith to susteyne and maynteyne theire poore howsholdes, although they sholde worke incessantly nyght and day, holy day and worke day, yet your saide subiectes for avoyding off Idelnes Are of necessyte compellyd to take their worke at the Clothiers owne pryce. By meanes wheroff many of your saide Supplyaunttes, that hathe kepte good howsholdes, hathe exspendyd and wasted their substaunce, And are glade to become other mens servauntts, And many mo of them ys lyke so to doo oneles a Reformacion the soner be had in this behalff, off all which premysses your saide Supplyaunttes hathe made and presentyd a bill in to the parliament howse, But as yet they have litle comforte theroff. Pleasith it therfore your honorable lordshipp, of your haboundaunte goodnes and charyte, to be so good lorde vnto your said Supplyaunttes as to extend your good worde and gracyous helpe towardes the fortherance of the forsaide bill presentyd into the parliament howse, so that yt may take effecte. And your saide supplyauntes shall Duryng their Lyves pray to god for the preservacion of your honorable estate long to contynewe.
