g 60 acres of tillage or
more might receive an apprentice in husbandry, but no tradesman or
merchant might take an apprentice save his own son, unless his parents
had freehold of the annual value of 40s.; and no person was to use
'any art mistery or manual occupation now in use' unless he had served
seven years' apprenticeship to it. There can be no doubt that the
clauses last quoted confined a large portion of the population to
agricultural work, but as we know that the people were deserting the
country and flocking to the towns, this must have seemed to the
framers of the law very desirable.

This method of fixing wages was in force until 1814, and its repeal
then was entirely contrary to the opinion of the artizan class; but it
may be doubted if the magistrates extensively used the powers given
them by the Act, and wages seem to have been settled generally by
competition. Several instances remain, however, of wages drawn up
under this Act. Almost immediately after it was passed, in June 1564,
the Rutland magistrates met under the Act, and stated that the prices
of linen, woollen, leather, corn, and other victuals were great, so
they drew up the following list of wages[246]:--

A bailiff in husbandry, having charge of two plough lands,
at least should have by the year 40s., and 8s.
for his livery.

A chief servant in husbandry, which can eire (plough), sow,
mow, thresh, make a rick, thatch and hedge, and can kill
and dress a hog, sheep, and calf, by the year 40s., and 6s.
for his livery.

A common servant in husbandry, which can mow, sow, thresh,
and load a cart, and cannot expertly make a rick, hedge, and
thatch, and cannot kill and dress a hog, sheep, or calf, by
the year 33s. 4d., and 5s. for his livery.

A mean servant in husbandry, which can drive the plough, pitch
The cart, and thresh, and cannot expertly sow, mow, thresh,
and load a cart, nor make a rick, nor thatch, by the year 24s.,
and 5s. for his livery.

The chief shepherd is only to receive 20s. and 5s. for his livery; but
this must be an error, as in the statutes 6 Hen. VIII, c. 3, and 23
Hen. VI, c. 12, he was placed next the bailiff as we should expect.

These wages were evidently 'with diet', and show a considerable
advance on those fixed by 6 Hen. VIII, c. 3.[247] By the day the
ordinary labourer was to have 6d. in winter, 7d. in summer, and 8d. to
10d. in harvest time, 'finding himself.'