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

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72 AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE 73maintain her in efficiency. Probably the womanwho was doing ordinary work while pregnant orsuckling a baby may have needed as much food as thewoman who was reaping corn ; but in the wageearner'sfamily she certainly did not get it ; thuswhen a writer1 alleges that a man's diet costs gd. a dayand a woman's IS. 6d per week, his statement may becorrect as to fact, though the babies have perished forwant of nourishr,:ent and the mother has been reducedto invalidism.Another writer gives 2s. as being sufficient toat a cost of IS. qd. per head per week.' At Stepney,the poor were maintained at 2s. rod or 3s. per week,including all incidental expenses, firing and lodging.At Strood in Kent, 2s. was paid for children boardedout in poor families, while theinmatesof the workhouseat Hanstope, Rucks, were supposed not to cost theparish more than IS. 6d. a week per head.' AtReading it was agreed " that Clayton's wief shall havexiiiid. a weeke for every poore childe in the hospital1accomptinge each childe's worke in parte of payment.'These and many other similar figures show that achild must have cost from IS. to IS. 6d. a week for foodalone, the amount varying.according to age. Aboveseven years of age, children began to contributetowards their own support, but they were not completelyself-supporting before the age of thirteen orfourteen.According to the wages assessments, a woman'sdiet was reckoned at a lower figure than a man's,but whenever they are engaged on heavy work suchas reaping corn or shearing sheep, 6d. or 8d. a day isallowed for their " meate and drinke." On other work,such as weeding or spinning, where only zd. a day isreckoned for wages, their food also is only estimated ascosting zd. to qd. As in such cases they are classed with" other impotent persons " it must not be supposedthat 2d. or 3d. represents the cost of the food neededby a young active woman; it may even have beenprolonged semi-starvation that had reduced thewoman to the level of impotency. Unfortunately,there is often a wide difference between the cost ofwhat a woman actually eats and what is necessary tol Cary, Acc. Proceedings ofthe Corporation of Bristol. 1700. "Their diets weremade up of such provisions as were very wholesome, viz. Beef, Pease, Potatoes,Broath, Pease-porridge, Milk-porridge, Bread and Cheese, . good Beer, Cabage,Carrots, Turnips, etc. it stood us (with soap to wash) in about sixteen pence per weekfor each of the one hundred girls."' Account Workhouses, 1725, p. 13, p. 37, p. 79.Guilding, Reading, Vol. II., p. 273, Jan. 16, 1625-6." keep a poor man or woman (with good husbandry)one whole week."* Certainly 2s. is the very lowestfigure that can have sufficed to keep up the mother'sstrength. The bare cost of food for a mother andthree children must have amounted to at least 5s. 6d.per week, but there were other necessaries to be pro-vided from the scanty wages.The poorest familyrequired some clothes, and though these may have beengiven by charitable persons, rent remained to be paid.Building was cheap. In Scotland, the " new house "with windows glazed with " ches Iosens " only costL4 12s. gd. to build, while a " cothouse " built forLiddas " the merchant " cost only LI o o ; othercots were built for 4s., I IS. ~d, 5s. and 14s. 4d. TheseScottish dwellings were mud hovels, but in Englandthe labourers' dwellings were not much better.Celia Fiennes describes the houses at the Land's Endas being" poor Cottages, Like Barns to Look on, muchLike those in Scotland, but to doe my own countryits right ye Inside of their Little Cottages are Clean andplaister'd and such as you might Comfortably Eat anddrink in, and for curiosity sake I dranck there and metwith very good bottled ale."4l Dunning, R. Plain and Easte Method, p. 5, 1686.Trade of England, p. 10, 168 I.Baillie (Lady Grisel), House Book, Introd. Ixiv.' Fiennes (Celia), Through England on n Stde-saddle. p. zzq.
AGRICULTUREIn some places the labourers made themselveshabitations on the waste, but this was strictly againstthe law, such houses being only allowed for theimpotent poor.Many fines are entered in Quarter Sessions Recordsfor building houses without the necessary quantityof land.By 39 Eliz. churchwardens and overseerswere ordered, for the relief of the impotent poor, tobuild convenient houses at the charges of the Parish,but only with the consent of the Lord of the Manor.43 Eliz. added that such buildings were not at anytime after to be used for other inhabitants but only forthe impotent poor, placed there by churchwardensand overseers.The housing problem was so acute that many orderswere made by the justices sanctioning or ordering theerection of these cottages. " Rob. Thompson ofBrompton and Eliz. Thompson of Aymonderbywidow, stand indicted for building a cottage inAvmonderby against the statute, etc., upon a piece ofgiound, parcell of the Rectorie of Appleton-on-thestreet, and in which the said Eliz. doth dwell by thepermission of John Heslerton, fermour of the saidRectorie, and that the same was so erected for thehabitation of the said Elizth. being a poore old womanand otherwise destitute of harbour and succour . .ordered that the said cottage shall continue . .for the space of twelve yeares, if the said Elkth. liveso long, or that the said Heslerton's lease do so longendure."' In another case, Nicholas Russell, the wifeof Thomas Waterton, and Robert Arundell, werepresented for erecting cottages upon the Lord's waste. . . at the suit of parishioners these cottages areallowed by Mr. Coningsby, lord of the manor."It was often necessary to compel unwilling over-TorRt. N.R. Q.S. Rec., Vol. I., p. 29. 1605-6.Hertfordshrre Co. Rec., Vol. I., p. 63, 1639,-41.AGRICULTUREseers to build cottages for the impotent poor, and forwidows. " A woman with three children prays leavefor the erection of a cottage in East Bedwyn, she havingno habitation, but depending upon alms ; from lyingin the street she was conveyed into the church whereshe remained some small time, but was then ejected bythe parish." The overseers are ordered to provide forher.'The overseers at Shipley were ordered to build ahouse on the waste there for Archelaus Braylsford, tocontain " two chambers floored fit for lodgings " or indefault ss. a week. At the following sessions his housewas further ordered to be " a convenient habitation12 feet high upon the side walls soe as to make 2convenient chambers."'The housing problem however could not be settledby orders instructing the overseers to build cottages'Hut., MSS. Corn. Var. Coll., Vol. I, p. 113, Wilts. Q.S.Rec. 1646.' Cox. Derbyshire Annals, Vol. 11, p: 176, 1693.The followng cares are representahve of an immense number of petitions fromwidows and the impotent poor :1608. Margaret Johns having dwelt in Naunton Beauchamp for 55 years has nowno house or room but dwells In a barn, she desires to have house room and will notcharge the parish no long as she is able to work.1620. Eleanor Williams charged with keeplng of young child is now unprovidedw~th house room for herself and her poor child, her husband having left the soilewhere they lately dwelled and is gone to some place to her unknown. She iswilling " to relieve hm child by her painful labour but wanteth a place for abode "prays to be provided with house room.(Bund, J. W. Willis, Worcestershire Co. Records, Vol. I., pp. 116-7, 337).1621. Overseers of Uggliebarbie to provide a suitable dwelling for 2 women(sisters) if they refuse them a warrant, etc.(TorRt. Nortb Rrdrng Q.S. Recs., Vol.III., p. I 18.)1672. Parish Officers of Scruton to provide a convenient habitation for MaryHutchlnson and to set her on work, and provide for her, etc., until she shall recoverthe possession of certain lands in Scruton. (Zbrd, Vol. VI., p. 175).1684. Mary Marchant . . . livinge in good estimation And repute for many yearstogether; being very Carefull to malntaine herself And family for being prejudiceto ye sd. Towne ; ye petitioners husbande beinge abrpad and driven Away ; andreturninge not backe Againe to her leaveinge ye petitioner with a little girle ; beingIn want was put into a little cottage by & with ye consent of ye sd. Towne ; ye sd.Owner of ye ad. 'Tenement comeinge when ye petitioner was gon forth to workeleavinge her little girle In ye ad. house ; ye sd. Owner get a locke And Key upp on yedoor, where as your petitioner cannot Injoy her habitation wth peace and quietncu;see yt your petitioner is likely to starve for want of A habitation and child, etc.(Cox. J. C., Derbysbrre Annals, Vol. II., pp. 175-6, P.S. Rrcs., 1684).
Page 1 and 2: WORKING LIFE OF WOMENIN THESEVENTEE
Page 6 and 7: 4 INTRODUCTORYtragic class of wage
Page 8 and 9: 8 INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORYDomestic
Page 10 and 11: INTRODUCTORYunmarried girls go out
Page 12 and 13: I 6 CAPITALISTS CAPITALISTS" I loos
Page 14 and 15: CAPITALISTSweak woman stands in the
Page 16 and 17: 24 CAPITALISTS CAPITALISTS 25wife t
Page 18 and 19: 2 8 CAPITALISTS CAPITALISTS 29Majes
Page 20 and 21: 32 CAPITALISTSA warrant was issued"
Page 22 and 23: CAPITALISTSbusiness. " At O~tend, N
Page 24 and 25: CAPITALISTS CAPITALISTS41thro' her
Page 26 and 27: AGRICULTUREwas made of their develo
Page 28 and 29: AGRICULTUREis not drye as it should
Page 30 and 31: 52 AGRICULTURE AGRICULTUREhave of h
Page 32 and 33: 56 AGRICULTUREfor colonists in Virg
Page 34 and 35: AGRICULTUREmaintain completely the
Page 36 and 37: 64 AGRICULTUREtime was well spent i
Page 38 and 39: AGRICULTUREExcept in exeptional cir
Page 42 and 43: 76 AGRICULTUREfor the impotent poor
Page 44 and 45: AGRICULTUREwhich we can imagine tha
Page 46 and 47: AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE 85by his se
Page 48 and 49: AGRICULTUREher work, but generosity
Page 50 and 51: AGRICULTUREwife of Thos. Lyne. Toba
Page 52 and 53: TEXTILESwas paid better than the la
Page 54 and 55: TEXTILESroof provided them with the
Page 56 and 57: 104 TEXTILESformulated by 25 Charle
Page 58 and 59: 108 TEXTILES TEXTILES 109until the
Page 60 and 61: TEXTILESon spinning for their livin
Page 62 and 63: TEXTILESstill and dry within Doors,
Page 64 and 65: 120 TEXTILES TEXTILESthe cloth made
Page 66 and 67: 124TEXTILES TEXTILESin the closely
Page 68 and 69: TEXTILESKingdom, it required a grea
Page 70 and 71: 132 TEXTILES TEXTILESnot exceedl6 1
Page 72 and 73: TEXTILES TEXTILES I37hours in four
Page 74 and 75: ---P-I 4OTEXTILEScan be quoted of t
Page 76 and 77: '44 TEXTILES TEXTILESWood Streate,
Page 78 and 79: TEXTILEShigher wages than would hav
Page 80 and 81: 1 52 CRAFTS AND TRADESdebts. For ex
Page 82 and 83: I 56 CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND T
Page 84 and 85: 160 CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TR
Page 86 and 87: 164 CRAFTS AND TRADESAmong thirty-n
Page 88 and 89: CRAFTS AND TRADESalso met with as b
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172 CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TR
Page 92 and 93:
176 CRAFTS AND TRADESto Henry Joyce
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96:
CRAFTS AND TRADESWardens and Brothe
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P-I9OCRAFTS AND TRADESmarriage ; it
Page 101 and 102:
CRAFTS AND TRADEStaken our goods fr
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1g8CRAFTS AND TRADESresources turne
Page 105 and 106:
CRAFTS AND TRADESThere were fewer r
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Page 109 and 110:
CRAFTS AND TRADESA large proportion
Page 111 and 112:
214CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TRA
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117:
CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TRADES
Page 120 and 121:
CRAFTS AND TRADESfrom her fellow pa
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PROFESSIONS 237PROFESSIONSIntroduct
Page 124 and 125:
24O PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONStheir Th
Page 126 and 127:
244 PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONS 245the
Page 128 and 129:
PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONS 249profanat
Page 130 and 131:
252PROFESSIONSGiles Moore enters in
Page 132 and 133:
PROFESSIONScribed as one who " dist
Page 134 and 135:
PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONS 261first ma
Page 136 and 137:
264 PROFESSIONSGarrett's leg shall
Page 138 and 139:
268 PROFESSIONSwhere there are none
Page 140 and 141:
PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONS 273the numb
Page 142 and 143:
PROFESSIONSexaminations, before six
Page 144 and 145:
PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONS 281death me
Page 146 and 147:
284 PROFESSIONS PROFESSIONSof confi
Page 148 and 149:
288 PROFESSIONSextent they were whe
Page 150 and 151:
CONCLUSIONor in her other facilitie
Page 152 and 153:
CONCLUSION CONCLUSION 297in women's
Page 154 and 155:
CONCLUSIONlaw of Nature, inviolable
Page 156 and 157:
CONCLUSIONwere specially deprecated
Page 158 and 159:
308 CONCLUSIONof the State, and the
Page 160 and 161:
312 AUTHORITIES AUTHORITIES 313Cost
Page 162 and 163:
AUTHORITIESMartindale, Adam, The Li
Page 164 and 165:
County.Buckingham ..Cardigan .. ..C
Page 166 and 167:
INDEXINDEXFlax, 64, 146, 246, 291 ;
Page 168:
INDEXsmants, women( 50,65,157 ; mam
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