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

AGRICULTUREwhich we can imagine that an agricultural labourer'sfamily could possibly earn as much as 10s. a week in theseventeenth century. Our lower estimate is confirmedby a report made by the Justices of the Peace for thehalf hundred of Hitching concerning the poor in theirdistrict ; " when they have worke the wages geven themis soe small that it hardlye sufficeth to buy the pooreman and his familye breed, for they pay 6s. for onebushel1 of mycelyn grayne and receive but 8d. for theirdays work. It is not possible to procure mayntenancefor all these poore people and their famylyes by almes+ -nor yet by taxes."'The insolvency of the wage-earning class is recognizedby Gregory King in his calculations of the incomeand expense of the several Families of England, forthe year 1680. All other classes, including artisansand handicrafts show a balance of income over expenditurebut the families of seamen, labourers and soldiersshow an actual yearly deficit."A still more convincing proof of the universaldestitution of wage earners is shown in the efforts madeby churchwardens and overseers in every countythroughout England to prevent the settlement withinthe borders of their parish of families which dependedsolely on wages.Their objection is not based generally upon theground that the labourer or his wife were infirm, oridle, or vicious ; they merely state that the family islikely to become chargeable to the parish. Eachparish was responsible for the maintenance of its own1 S.P.D. ccclxxxv., 43. Mar. 8, 1638.King (Greqory). Nut. and Political Observatrons, pp. 48-9.NO. OF FAMILIES PERSONS. >EARLY INCOME EXPENSE LOSSPER HEAD. PER HEAD. PER HEAD~o,ooo Common Seamen 150,000 167. E7. 10s. 10s.364,000 Labouring ~eople& outservants 1,275,000 E4. 10s. A4. 12s. 2s.400,000 Cottagers &Pauyers 1,300,000 kz. A2. 5s. 58.35 ow Common soldiers 70,000 A7. 47. 10s. to$.poor, and thus though farmers might be needing morelabourers, the parish would not tolerate the settlementof families which could not be self-supporting.The disputes which arose concerning these settlementscontain many pitiful stories." Anthony addams " tells the justices that he wasborn in Stockton and bred up in thesame Parish, mostof his time in service and has " taken great pains formy living all my time sinc'e I was able and of late I fortunedto marry with an honest young woman, andmy parishioners not willing I should. bring her in theparish, saying we should breed a charge amongst them.Then I took a house in Bewdley and there my wifedoth yet dwell and I myself do work in Stockton. . . and send or bring my wife the best relief I amable, and now the parish of Bewdley will not sufferher to dwell there for doubt of further charge. . . .I most humbly crave your good aid and help in thismy distress or else my poor wife and child are like toperish without the doors : . . . that by your goodhelp and order to the parish of Stockton I may ha~eahouse there to bring my wife & child unto that I mayhelp them the best I can."'Another petition was brought by Josias Stone ofKilmington . . . " shewinge that he hath binnan Inhabitant and yet is in Kilmington aforesaidand hath there continued to and fro these five yearespast and hath donn service for the said parishe andhath lately married a wife in the said parish intendingethere to liue and reside yet since his marriage is by thesaid parishe debarred of any abidinge for him and hissaid wife there in any howse or lodginge for his m~ny."~Another dispute occurred over the case of ZacharyWannell and his wife who came lately from Wilton" into the towne of Taunton where they haue beenl Hrst MSS. Com. Var. Coll.. Vol. I., p. 298, Worcestershzre Q.S. Rec., 1618.' Somerset, Q.S. Rec., Vol. III., p. 15, 1647.