For the plague survivors, life was very different. The peasants realized that their services were now a marketable commodity, and they were willing to move about the country to work for whoever offered the best wages or rents. Unfortunately, this was prohibited by both law and custom, although many lords were willing to overlook the breach if it meant getting sufficient labor to work the fields.
In an effort to preserve feudalism and the rights of the nobility, two important laws were passed -- the Ordinance of Laborers in 1349, and the Statute of Laborers in 1351. Under these laws, no one could be paid more than they were paid before the plague (1346), no one could offer wages greater than they offered before the plague, and peasants were strictly prohibited from leaving their home villages. In addition, everyone over the age of 60 was required to work, employers were not allowed to hire "excess laborers," and food and other commodities must be priced fairly (Fordham).
Click the link below to see a readable scan
of the original Statute of Laborers
from the British National Archives:
of the original Statute of Laborers
from the British National Archives:
Now that the population had dwindled, there was no source of easy revenue for the monarchy.The government passed a series of poll taxes which levied a flat fee on every person in the country, regardless of ability to pay. Since few people willingly paid the taxes, the government took whatever steps were necessary to collect.
The 1381 poll tax was the last straw, and the peasants decided they'd had enough, vowing " 'to destroy divers lieges of the king and to have no law in England except only those which they themselves moved to be ordained" (National Archives).
The rebellion quickly gained momentum, and just as quickly turned violent. The castle and archbishop's residence in Canterbury were destroyed before the group turned to London. By the time they got there, the group was between 50,000 and 60,000 strong. In London they captured and killed the Archbishop of Canterbury and then destroyed the Savoy Palace.
The group then demanded the opportunity to appeal the rules laid down by the Statute of Laborers as well as the various poll taxes -- in essence, they were demanding an end to society as they knew it. King Richard II, only a teenager at the time, agreed with their demands, but this was not enough. The group demanded a second meeting between their leader, Wat Tyler, and the king. After much consideration the meeting was held, and the king had a short conversation with Wat Tyler before Tyler was killed by one of the king's retinue. This was enough to break up the rebellion.
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| "Death of Wat Tyler", from the British Library collection |
