working life of women seventeenth century - School of Economics ...

CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TRADES205it was " agreed that Steven Foorde's wife shall henceforthkeepe Markett and sell onely linsey woolseyof their own making in this markett, according tothe Lord Wallingforde's lettre, she payeing xs. perannum, and that noe other stranger shall henceforthkeepe markett or sell lynsey and woolsey in thismarkett."'At this time, when most roads were mere bridletracks, and few conveniences for travel existed, wheneven in towns the streets were so ill-paved that inbad weather the goodwife hesitated before going tothe market, the dwellers in villages and hamlets wereoften fain to buy from pedlars who brought goodsto their door and to sell butter and eggs to anyone whowould undertake the trouble of collection. Theirneed was recognised by the authorities, who granteda certain number of licences to Badgers, Pedlars andRegraters, and probably many others succeeded intrading unlicensed. This class of Dealers wasnaturally regarded with suspicion by shopkeepers. Apamphlet demanding their suppression, points out that" the poor decaying Shopkeeper has a large Rent topay, and Family to Support ; he maintains nothis own Children only, but all the poor Orphans andWidows in his Parish ; nay, sometimes the Widowsand Orphans of the very Pedlar or Hawker, who hasthus fatally laboured to starve him." As for theHawkers, " we know they pretend they are shut outof the great Trading Cities, Towns and ~or~drationsby the respective Charters and all other settled Privilegesof those Places, but we answer that tho' forwant of legal Introduction they may not be able to setup in Cities, Corporations, etc., yet there are very manyPlaces of very great Trade, where no CorporationPrivileges would obstruct them . . . . if anyof them should be reduc'd and . . . . be broughtto the Parish to keep ; that is to say, their Wives andGuilding, Readzng Records, Vol. II., p. 267.Children, the Manufacturers, the Shopkeepers who confessedlymake up the principal Numbers of those corporations,and are the chief Supporters of the Parishes,will be much more willing to maintain them, thanto be ruin'd by them."'The terms Badging, Peddling, Hawking and Regratingare not very clearly defined, and were used insenses which somewhat overlap each other ; but theBadger seems to have been a person who " dealt 'in a wholesale way. A licence was granted in 1630to " Edith ~oddin~ton of Hilbishopps, widdowe,to be a badger of butter and cheese and to carry thesame into the Counties of Wiltes, Hamsher, Dorsttand Devon, and to retourne againe with corne andto sell it againe in any faire or markett within thisCounty during one whole yeare now next ensueing ;and she is not to travel1 with above three horses,mares or geldings at the most part."'The author-ities, fearing lest corners and profiteering shouldresult from interference with the supply of necessaries,made " ingrossing " or anything resembling anattempt to buy up the supply of wheat, salt, etc., anoffence. Amongst the prosecutions which were ,madeon this account are presentments of " John Whaydonand John Preist of Watchett, partners, for ingrossof salt, Julia Stone, Richard Miles, Joane Miles als.Stone of Bridgwater for ingross of salte." of " JohannStedie of Fifehead, widdow, . . . . for ingrossingeof corne contrary et^,"^ of ",Edith Bruerand Katherine Bruer, Spinsters, of Halse . . . .for ingrossinge of corne,"' and of '' Johann Thornel Brq'State of the Inland and Home Trade. pp. 59 and 63, 1730.Somerset Q. S. R~cordc, Vol. II., p. 119, 1630.Ibid, Voi. II., p. 153, 1631.Ibid, Vol. II., p. 161.[bid, Vol. II., p. 165.