must be absolute liberty of employment granted any one, only that they
must not conspire to the injury of others. Unfortunately, in the
very next year this last part is repealed as to the city of London,
"Artificers and Craftmen of that ancient City complaining that it was
contrary to their ancient privilege," a view as modern as is the law
itself. Immediately after this law is one providing that journeymen,
clothiers, weavers, tailors, and shoemakers shall not be hired for
less than a quarter of a year on penalty of Imprisonment to them
and the employer, the statute reciting that, once out of their
apprenticehood, they "will not commonly be retained in service by
the year, but at their liberty by the day, week or otherwise, to the
intent that they will live idly, and at their pleasure flee and resort
from place to place, whereof ensuith more incovenyencies then can be
at this present expressed and declared"--an inconvenience not unknown
in modern intelligence offices. All employers having more than three
apprentices shall keep at least one journeyman, and unmarried servants
in husbandry must serve by the year.

(1550) In the 3d of Edward VI we find the first Riot Act, aimed at
persons to the number of twelve or above assembling together and
proposing to alter the laws and not dispersing when so required by
the sheriff, and even persons more than two and less than twelve
assembling for such purpose are subject to fine and imprisonment with
treble damages to parties injured, and if forty persons so assemble
and do not disperse in three hours, they are declared felons. This
statute was re-enacted and made more severe in the reign of Queen
Mary.

(1562) In the 5th of Elizabeth comes the last and greatest Statute of
Laborers. This statute is a consolidation of all previous laws, and
it begins by recognizing the principle that the fixing of wages is a
mistake and all such laws are repealed so far as they relate to terms
of hiring and wages. Servants in certain employments, generally
speaking the tailoring and shoemaking trades, may still be hired
by the year, and persons unmarried, not having an income of forty
shillings a year, may be compelled to serve in their own handicraft.
Such yearly servants may not be dismissed or depart during the year
except by cause allowed by two justices, nor at the end of a year,
without a quarter's warning. Unmarried persons under thirty, not
having any trade and not belonging to a noblema