poverty and vagrancy

what worried authorities

large number of poor and large numbers of homeless people, perceived them as a threat to law and order

what did many resort to

crime and others became beggers

what was the vagrancy act and what led to it

condemned vagrants to slavery for 2 years for first offence and life for second.There was no police force so they had to prevent harsh measures to prevent more unrest

when was this act

1547

what did harvests in this period fail to do

Provide food for a subsistence economy and 1548 and 1549 were not any better, the price of food increased

what led to lessening employment and amount of arable land

dissolution of monasteries was removed as an institution that helped the poor and enclosure only added to the difficulties

what increased poverty levels

depression in cloth trade