Poor

• Who made up the poor?

  • Children 40%
  • Widows
  • Sick and elderly
  • Unemployed
• What was a vagrant?

  A homeless person who is forced to beg
• What was a vagabond?

  Vagrant turned to crime
• Causes of Poverty:

  • Population increase (35% between 1558 and 1603) - more people looking for work and lower wages - higher demand for food and rent - increased homelessness and moving to towns - towns could not import enough food which increased costs
  • Poor harvest - food shortage - increase food price
  • Trade disputes with Spain - less income for merchants and traders - sack employees - more unemployed
  • More sheep farming - less labour intensive - less employees needed on farms - enclosure - less land became common and instead private
  • Dissolution of monasteries meant no charity
• Impacts of poverty

  • Increased crime rate
  • Poor taxes going up
  • Threatened rich
• Who were the impotent poor?

  Those incapable of work (deserving)
• Who were idle poor?

  Unemployed individuals who were able to work
• What was tax rate?

  Tax to pay poor relief in 1558 - some didn't pay and some JP's did not bother to collect
• What laws were introduced to help poor?

  • Statute of Artificers 1563
  • Vagabonds Act 1572
  • Poor Relief Act 1576
• Statute of Artificers:

  Ensured poor relief was collected

  • Refusal to pay could lead to imprisonment
  • Officials refusing to collect could be fined £20
• Vagabonds Act

  To deter vagrancy

  • Vagrants to be whipped and have holes drilled through their ears
  • imprisonment for 2nd vagrancy and death penalty for 3rd
• Poor Relief Act:

  Distinguish between idle and impotent poor and help idle find work

  Provided wool and raw materials to make things to sell

  Refusal means sent to house of correction