Cap. VII.—The justices shall hold their sessions four times a year, and at all times needful. Servants which flee from one county to another shall be committed to prison.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Carrying.
PROSPERITY OF THE LANDLESS LABOURER.
Source.—William Langland, Piers the Plowman, C. Passus ix., ll. 330-337.
Laboreres that han no londe . to liven on bot here hands[25]
Deyned noght to dyne a-day . night-old wortes.[26]
May no peny ale hem paye .[27] ne a pece of bacon,
Bote hit be freesh fleesch other fysh . fried other ybake;
And that chaud and pluschaud .[28] for chilling of here mawe.
Bote he be heylich yhyred .[29] elles wol he chide,
That he was a werkman ywroght . waryen the tyme.[30]
And thenne he corseth[31] the king . and alle the kynges Justices,
Suche lawes to lere .[32] laborers to greve.
Ac while Hunger was here mayster . wolde none chide,
Ne stryve agens the statute . he lokede so sturne.
FOOTNOTES:
[25] Have no land to live on, but (work with) their hands.