it therefore forbids such marriages to be contracted
between English and Irish, "and other private Ties and nursing of
Infant Children." The statute notes that these dissensions do not
occur only between the English and those of Irish blood, but as well
between the English of birth and the English of descent living in
Ireland; a condition which has, indeed, continued till to-day, Parneil
and a host of famous Irishmen being of pure English descent.

In 1360 the exportation of corn is forbidden. We now, therefore, have
that principle applied to wool, iron, and bread-stuffs--corn, of
course, meaning all kinds of grain. There is another statute requiring
Parliament to be held once a year; and, more interesting, that pleas
should be made in the English language, for "the French tongue is
much unknown in said Realm of England," but the judgments are to be
enrolled in Latin. In 1363 another statute concerning diet and apparel
fixes the price of poultry, a young capon three pence, an old one four
pence, a hen two pence, and a pullet one penny "for the great Dearth
that is in many Places." Department stores are anticipated by a clause
complaining that the merchants called grocers do engross all manner
of merchandise "by Covin and Ordinance made betwixt them, called the
Fraternity and Gild of Merchants," and anticipates the prejudice
against the modern department store by ordaining that merchants shall
deal in only one sort of merchandise; and furthermore handicraftsmen
are allowed to "use only one Mystery," that is, trade--which also
anticipates a principle dear to modern trades-unions. The statute then
regulates the diet and apparel of servants. They may eat once a day of
flesh or fish, but the rest of their diet must be milk or vegetarian.
Their clothing may not exceed two marks in value. People of handicraft
and yeomen, however, are allowed to wear clothing worth forty
shillings, but not silk, silver, nor precious stones. Squires and
gentlemen of a landed estate less than one hundred pounds a year may
wear clothing to the value of four marks and a half, but not gold nor
silver, precious stones nor fur. Merchants having goods to the value
of five hundred pounds may dress like esquires and gentlemen to a
value of six marks. Clerks, that is to say, persons having degrees
from colleges, may dress like knights of the same income and may
wear fur in winter and lawn in summer, and clothiers make clothes
accordingly and drapers and