A Letter to William Smith., Esq., M.P. 1817 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1832 edition. Excerpt: ...year these statutes were, ' for many ' reasonable considerations and causes, ' repealed by Henry VII.: this and other of his statutes justifying the eulogium pronounced upon him by Erasmus, that he was regum longe cordatissimus, and the opinion of Lord Bacon, that he was our best lawgiver after Edward I. These ' reasonable con' siderations and causes ' were overlooked or disregarded in the next reign, and the government again took upon itself to appoint the rates of wages.-This continued till the fifth year of Elizabeth, when ' it was finally repealed, and its injustice fully _ acknowledged in these words: --' Although there remain and stand in force pre' sently a great number of acts and statutes, con' cerning the retaining, departing, wages, and orders ' of apprentices, servants, and labourers, as well in husbandry as in divers other arts, mysteries, and occupations, yet, partly for the imperfections and contrariety that is found, and do appear in sundry of the said laws, and for the variety and number of them, and, chiefly, for that the wages and allowance limited and rated in many of the said statutes, are in divers places too small, and not answerable to this time, respecting the advancement of prices of all things belonging to the said servants and labourers, the said laws cannot conveniently, without the great grief and burden of the poor labourer and hired man, be put in good and due execution.' Wages were, therefore, from thenceforward to be ' rated and proportioned ' by the justices, ' accord' ing to the plenty, scarcity, necessity, and respect ' of the times.' ' A forgetfulness of former statutes is sometimes observable in our...