A master tyler or slater, rough mason, and mean carpenter, and other artificers concerning building, by the day 3d. with meat and drink, and without meat and drink 3½d., and from every other labourer by the day 2d. with meat and drink, without meat and drink 3½d.
And from the Feast of Michaelmas unto Easter a free mason and a master carpenter by the day 3d. with meat and drink, without meat and drink 4½d.
Tyler, mean carpenter, rough mason, and other artificers aforesaid by the day 2½d. with meat and drink, without meat and drink 4d., and every other workman, and labourer by the day 1½d. with meat and drink, and without meat and drink 3d., and who that less deserveth to take less; provided that the said assessing extend unto labourers in time of harvest, about harvest labour in which the wages of a mower exceed not by the day 4d. with meat and drink and without meat and drink 6d. A man reaper or carter 3d. by the day with meat and drink, and without meat and drink 5d. A woman labourer and other labourers in harvest by the day 2½d. with meat and drink, and without meat and drink 4½d., and such as are worth less to take less, and in places where less is used to be taken, less to be taken hereafter. And that none artificer, workman, nor labourer, take anything for any holiday, nor for no workaday, except after the rate of the time of day in which he laboureth; and if any person refuse to serve or labour according to the premises that every Justice of the Peace in their shires have power ... to commit to prison, there to abide until they have found suretie sufficient to serve and labour in form by law required.
PETITION FOR THE COINAGE OF HALFPENCE AND FARTHINGS, A.D. 1444
(Rol. Parl. V. 23 Hen. VI)
To the right worshipful and discreet Commons in this present Parlement assembled;
Please it unto your said great and high discretions to consider the great hurt that the poor Commons of this noble realm of England have and suffer at this time for default of Halfpennies and Farthings of silver; insomuch that men travelling over countries, for part of their expenses of necessity must dispart our sovereign Lord’s coin, that is to wit, a penny in two pieces, or else forgo all the same penny for the payment of an halfpenny; and also the poor common retailers of victuals, and of other needful things, for default of such coinage of halfpennies and farthings oftentimes may not sell their said victuals and things, and many of our said sovereign Lord’s poor liege people which would buy such victuals or other small things necessary, may not buy them for default of halfpence and farthings not had, neither on the party buyer, nor on the party seller: which scarcity and wanting of halfpence and farthings hath fall, and daily yet doth, because that for their great weight and their fineness of alloy, they be tried and molten, and put into other use, unto the increase of winning of them that so do....
... enact ... that every pound weight of the Tower ... which be now of the number of 30/-from this time forth, to be of the number of 33/-, no fineness abated of the alloy ... moreover that halfpennies and farthings run not, only in payment of great sums among the people, without other money among; that is to say that no man be bound to receive in payment but after the quantity and rate, in every 20/-of grotes, half grotes and pence, twelve pence in halfpence and farthings and no more; and yet, [even] that by the will and consent of him that shall receive the payment; and this ordinance endure unto the next Parlement; provided also that no white money, as grote, halfgrote, penny, halfpenny, nor farthings, be broken nor molten for the cause above said, on pain of forfeiture to the king, the double value of as much as is so molten or broken; considering furthermore that by this means, plenty of halfpennies and farthings shall be had in short time through this said realm, and the people greatly eased, and the king profited in his seigneurage, and all clipping and melting of halfpennies and farthings hereafter finally fordone.
Response: Soit fait sicome il est desire, etc.