[4] 32 Hen.  VIII. cap. 18.

[5] 25 Hen.  VIII. cap. 18.

[6] Antiquities of Hengrave, by Sir T. GAGE.

[7] See especially 2 Hen.  VII. capp. 16 and 19.

[8] 24 Hen.  VIII. cap. 9.

[9] See especially the 4th of the 5th of Elizabeth.

[10] 10 Ed. III. cap. 3.

[11] Statutes of the Realm, vol. i. (edit. 1817), pp. 227-8.

[12] “The artificers and husbandmen make most account of such meat as they may soonest come by and have it quickliest ready.  Their food consisteth principally in beef, and such meat as the butcher selleth, that is to say, mutton, veal, lamb, pork, whereof the one findeth great store in the markets adjoining; besides souse, brawn, bacon, fruit, pies of fruit, fowls of sundry sorts, as the other wanteth it not at home by his own provision, which is at the best hand and commonly least charge.  In feasting, this latter sort—­I mean the husbandmen—­do exceed after their manner, especially at bridals and such odd meetings, where it is incredible to tell what meat is consumed and spent.”—­HARRISON’S Description of England, p. 282.

The Spanish nobles who came into England with Philip were astonished at the diet which they found among the poor.

“These English,” said one of them, “have their houses made of sticks and dirt, but they fare commonly so well as the king.”—­Ibid. p. 313.

[13] State Papers, Hen.  VIII. vol. ii. p. 10.

[14] HALL, p. 646.

[15] 25 Ed. III. cap.  I.

[16] Statutes of the Realm, vol. i. p. 199.

[17] 3 Ed. IV. cap. 2.

[18] 10 Hen.  VI. cap. 2.

[19] STOW’S Chronicle.

[20] Statutes of Philip and Mary.

[21] From 1565 to 1575 there was a rapid and violent rise in the prices of all kinds of grain.  Wheat stood at four and five times its earlier rates; and in 1576, when Harrison wrote, was entirely beyond the reach of the labouring classes.  “The poor in some shires,” he says, “are enforced to content themselves with rye or barley, yea, and in time of dearth many with bread made either of peas, beans, or oats, or of all together and some acorns among, of which scourge the poorest do soonest taste, sith they are least able to provide themselves of better.  I will not say that this extremity is oft so well seen in time of plenty as of dearth, but if I should I could easily bring my trial.  For, albeit that there be much more ground eared now almost in every place than hath been of late years, yet such a price of corn continues in each town and market, that the artificer and poor labouring man is not able to reach to it, but is driven to content himself with beans, peas, oats, tares, and lentils.”—­HARRISON, p. 283.  The condition of the labourer was at this period deteriorating rapidly.  The causes will be described in the progress of this history.

[22] Chronicle, p.568.