poverty - tudors

Vagabonds and beggars act

Under Henry VII - 1495

• Beggars punished and sent to hometowns - reflects fears of disorder

Population in Tudor times/ poverty stats

Increased from 1.4 million to over 4 million

• London population (150,000 people) - E1

• 60% bellow the poverty line

Poor law - Henry VIII

1531

Beggars had to get a licence to beg

• differentiated between ‘deserving poor’ and ‘undeserving poor’

Vagrancy act - Edward VI

1547 - harsh law

• vagrants could be banished or enslaved for 2 years

• Vagrants were also branded

• Very unpopular, dropped under Northumberland’s leadership (1550)

1552 poor law

Under Northumberland - greater responsibility on parishes to care for the deserving poor

Act of maintaining tillage

1563 - Elizabeth 1st

• farming land cannot be converted into pasture - reflection to bad harvests

State of artificers

1563

Seven year aprentaships were made compulsory in all urban crafts

• regulated number of aprentacices a master craftsman could have

• Maximum wages were fixed

• Main objective was to maintain high standards of craftmanship

Whipping and branding act

1572

Local taxes to fund poor relief

• JPs enlisted to help poor

• Harsh punishments for vagabonds branding/ whipping and even death

• Vagrants sent back to local parish’s

First Act for the relic if of the poor

1576

Local communities now had to provide work for the poor

• led to the first houses of correction - given materials for jobs - timber/ wool production

• This was enforced by JPs

Second act for the relief of the poor

1597

In reaction to poor harvests, placed burdens on the economy

• Aid administered through parish overseers, provided relief for the sick, old and infant poor

• Also increased numbers of correction houses

Punishment of rogues

1598

• death penalty was abolished for poor

• However anyone found begging was whipped and sent back to parish of origin

• If this wasn’t known they were sent to houses of correction

Case study - Norwich

Large population of vagrants

• helps to native poor

• Made the poor rate higher

• Highly charitable

• 900 households paid for poor rate, built hospitals

• 1600s

Poor laws - 1601

First nationalised system of poor relief

• set compolsary poor rate for every parish

• Increase in workhouses