. Secondly,
the government itself, from the latter part of the fifteenth century
onward, became abler and more vigorous, as has been pointed out in the
first paragraph of this chapter. The Privy Council of the king
exercised larger functions, and extended its jurisdiction into new
fields. Under these circumstances, when the functions of the central
government were being so widely extended, it was altogether natural
that they should come to include the control of all forms of
industrial life, including agriculture, manufacturing, commerce,
internal trade, labor, and other social and economic relations.
Thirdly, the control of economic and social matters by the government
was in accordance with contemporary opinions and feelings. An
enlightened absolutism seems to have commended itself to the most
thoughtful men of that time. A paternalism which regulated a very wide
circle of interests was unhesitatingly accepted and approved. As a
result of the decay of mediaeval conditions, the strengthening of
national government, and the prevailing view of the proper functions
of government, almost all economic conditions were regulated by the
government to a degree quite unknown before. In the early part of the
period this regulation was more minute, more intrusive, more evidently
directed to the immediate advantage of government; but by the close of
Elizabeth's reign a systematic regulation was established, which,
while not controlling every detail of industrial life, yet laid down
the general lines along which most of industrial life must run. Some
parts of this regulation have already been analyzed. Perhaps the best
instance and one of the most important parts of it is the Statute of
Apprentices of 1563, already described in paragraph 40. In the same
year, 1563, a statute was passed full of minute regulations for the
fishing and fish-dealing trades. Foreign commerce was carried on by
regulated companies; that is, companies having charters from the
government, giving them a monopoly of the trade with certain
countries, and laying down at least a part of the rules under which
that trade should be carried on. The importation of most kinds of
finished goods and the exportation of raw materials were prohibited.
New industries were encouraged by patents or other government
concessions. Many laws were passed, of which that of 1571, to
encourage the industry of making caps, is a type. This law laid down
the requirement that every person