The workingman's advocate., 1876-07-15

CtPt a. ChoEhOuo PtAcccs Auo WcaAtny
class objected to this, and the purpose Of
the Act referred to was to fix the wages, by
requiring all servants to accept the same
remuneration as had been customary be-
fore the plague. The statute, however,
seems to have been disregarded and two
years later we find the master shearmen Of
London complaining to the city authorities
thai they could not get men at the same
wages as formerly, and that the vOrkmen
also refused to work unless they were paid
by the piece. There had, indeed, already
been something of the nature of q strike,
and it was therefore ordered that any
further disputes should be settled by the
warden of the trade. If q workman did
not submit, he was to be punished by the
mayor and alderman. A similar statute to
the one above quoted was passed in 1862,
when after = violent tempest, q royal order
was issued that the materials for roofing
and the wages of tilers should not be en-
HANGED by reason Of the damage done by
the storm. An additional statute, with a
similar object, was passed the following
year, and from it we learn what were the
wages earned in those days, which, it is
sufficient here to say were not satisfactory.
The Acts, however, was disregarded, the
men refusing to work for less than double
or treble the sums prescribed by statute.
For about dozen years wages continued
to rise, until, in 1868, the prosperity Of
the peasantry was so great, that an Act
(37 Edward Ill, c. l4) was passed enjoin-
carriers, plOwmen, and farm servants gen
orally, not to eat or drink excessively,
OF 20 wear any cloth except blanket and
ruset WOOL Of twelvepence," while domes-
tic servants were declared to be entitled to
only one meal day Of flesh and fish, and
were to content themselves at other meals
with milk, butter, cheese, and other such
victuals." These restrictions were as
futile as those which preceded them, and
it would be foolish to weary the reader
with an account Of similar legislation etiec-
ted during the succeeding century. in spite
Of which, however, wages constantly ad-
vanced; and we find an Act passed III the
reign of Richard III. stating that labourers
would not work except at rate much
more than hath been given to such servants
and labourers IN any time past.
1t would be interesting to enquire
whether any union" or Combination"
had gwen the men strength to resist the
injustice which the Acts Just mentioned
inflicted upon them by curbIng the ''aspir-
ing exertions of industry and independ-
ence." Materials upon which to found a
decided opinion are, unfortunately, very
scarce. One thing, however, is certain
The people of England had long been
familiar with the principal Of association
for trade and other purposes. Even 50
early as the time Of Canute, associations
under the name of Guilds" were estab-
lished for religious purposes. Similar
brotherhOods afterwards developed into
combinations of merchants for mutual
assistance and protection, and we're fol-
lowed in the fourteenth century by craft
guild" which, as their name implies, were
unions Of handicraftsmen- principal
guild being that Of the weavers. These
guilds gradually extending their influence
beyond the limits of particular trades, and
ultimately became far more powerful than
the municipal corporations of the present
day. The notions Of the members Of the
guilds were of a very exclusive nature in
regard to the admission of members. No
villeins were permitted to Join them, and
all freemen who were proposed had to be
duly elected. The noblest of all the guilds
Of the middle ages was undoubtedly that
Of the masons. This Brotherhood arose
from the circumstances in which the travel
ling builders of the middle ages found
themselves placed. They were brought
together from distant homes to be employ
ed for a considerable time on such great
works as our medssva churches and Ca
thedrals. Near the rising structure on
which they were engaged 1t was necessary
that they should provide for themselves a
common shed or tabernacle This was the
original mssons' lodge" Before all
things 1t was necessary that masons should
be :" free and accepted" The entrance
into this guild, as indeed into all others,
was, in accordance with the spirit of the
time surrounded by mysterious rites and
ceremonies, and all such societies had
their peculiar lore and traditions. Their
original intentions have long ago been dis
regarded. All that remains of the one
Just mentioned is now the fashionable
order of 8 FreeDasons," and of the others
the rich livery companies Of London and
the guilds Of elsewhere, who now spend
their dying moments as they inaugurated
their existence centuries ago-at dinner.
The exclusiveness at the guilds naturally
separated still more the incipient working
class from their well-to-do superiors, and
tended more and more to give the work
men seperate views and interests, which
were not infrequently antagonistic to those
Of the master. When two or three are
gathered with identical interests land
those interests opposed to the wishes Of
their employers, who are already COM
bined), it seems 50 natural for them to
form a combination of some sort or other,
that one cannot resist the belief that in
the fourteenth century the working
man-excluded from the guild would
unite with his fellows, if not for general,
yet for specific objects in connection with
his condition. 1t is gratifying to learn
that this view is taken by such an author
ity as DIR. Lujo Brentsno, who also points
out that, at about the time referred to,
accounts of strikes in the building trade
are particularly numerous y and there is
In existence royal mandate as to the
workmen who have withdrawn from the
palace at Westminster" This view is
strengthened by the fact that in 1883 the
authorities of the city of London issued q
proclamation forbidding all ''congrega-
tlons, GOWNS, and conspiracies of work
men !" and four yesrs later three shoe
makers were carried off to Newgate
for violating it; while in 1896 a similar
coalition of saddlers was suppressed.
Two laws, also, were enacted against com
blnations, congregations, and chapters of
workmen (which had been established to
limit the number of working hoursl viz,
the "a Edward w., c. 8, and Henry vi.
C. l. The punlshments inflicted upon
workingmen for combining was very Sc
we're, and yet they combined in spite of
such punishments. The endeavours Of the
labOurers to raise wages showed them
selves most prominently in the trades in
which, as in cloth manufactures, develop
ment was most rapidly progressing, and In
which there existed large working class.
The State had soon something more to
do than to attempt to fix the price of