I  have  discovered  thirteen  of  them,  and  perhaps,  hereafter,  more
will  be  foimd.  They  invariably  prescribe  wages  which  I  am  sure,
from  the  evidence  of  prices,  would  not,  even  if  the  peasant  had
continuous  employment,  find  bread  for  him  and  his  household.  It
was  inevitable  that  he  should  be  driven  on  private  or  public  charity,
on  the  alms  of  the  generous,  or  on  taxes  levied  for  his  maintenance
on  all  occupiers.  It  is  some  satisfaction  to  find  that,  despite  these
penalties,  the  wages  actually  paid  were  a  good  deal  above  the
justices'  assessments.  Employers  were  more  generous  than  the
"little  tyrants  of  the  fields."  Thus  out  of  seven  assessments
between  1593  and  1684,  the  average  allowances  for  eight  kinds  of
labourers  and  artisans,  three  of  the  former  and  five  of  the  latter,
were  3s.  0|d.,  3s.  OJd.,  4s.  0|d.,  5s.  3d.,  7s.  Ofd.,  7s.  ll^d.,  5s.  3d.
a  week.  The  average  of  wages  actually  paid  was  5s.  44d.,  53. 2jd.,
6s.  5Jd.,  5s.  9d.,  7s.  5d.,  8s.  Ifd.,  and  8s.  3d.  It  should  be  noted  that
the  highest  assessments  were  made  during  the  Commonwealth,  and
that  an  attempt  was  made  to  reduce  wages  after  the  Restoration.
The  labourers,  as  far  as  the  will  went,  were  better  off  under  the
rule  of  the  saints  than  they  were  under  that  of  the  sinners.
