living in 16th century england

Chapter 40 The Age of Oath
Matthew: "I'm Baron Sealy, and I repeat... If you want to leave, you can go now... This way I can save some lunch preparations."

"Whoever wants to stay listen, Plymouth, there are no slaves. No matter what you've been through, you have a chance to do it all over again. You're here because I can work for you and definitely keep you fed and clothed , and most importantly, a reasonable salary. If you don’t want to work, you can continue to be a homeless person.”

Then Matthew waited patiently for a few minutes.

Someone was obviously hesitating, but thinking that there was still a meal in the afternoon, they were reluctant to leave.

After all, there were more than 100 people, and there were still a few people who chose to run away. They were cautious at first, but found that those uniformed people had no intention of stopping them.So he was relieved, but he didn't go far, just waited and watched from afar.People here are unfamiliar, and they have nowhere to go.

Matthew: "Very well, your first job now is to rest for three days."

The vagrants who had just eaten were in an uproar.

"rest?"

Matthew: "Quiet, quiet, don't make any noise... For these three days, I will provide enough food. Everything else needs to be resolved by you."

Immediately, some people felt that it would be good to eat free meals for three days before leaving.

Matthew pointed: "... There are some newly built houses over there. You can live in them to keep out the wind and rain. It's better than sleeping in the wild."

This is a house built for those sailors, but they run on the sea every day, and no one lives at present.

Many people in modern times may think that where they live, they must have a bed, bedding and pillows, maybe pajamas, clean water, and the ability to take a bath.

In fact, this state of abundance may not exceed a hundred years in history.In most stages of human beings, it is not bad to have a tile to cover the head.

Therefore, many landlord mansions in the past had very long eaves.Give the homeless a chance to keep out the rain.But don't think that you are a great benevolent person, there are deep reasons for this.

"I'll come back in three days."

Someone asked: "What is waiting for us three days later?"

Matthew looked disgusted: "It should be cleaning, because I'm sure, you garbage will defecate everywhere. Make yourself and those houses stink."

Everyone was stunned.

After speaking, Matthew got on his horse: "By the way, if anyone asks, just say that you are the subjects of Baron Sealy, and you can save a lot of trouble."

"The most important thing is that if you want to stay, you can't leave here. Those who leave here will be regarded as refugees. Everything you have experienced before may happen again."

The place was silent.

Helmet man: "...This...is leaving now?"

Matthew: "...How about you stay with them?"

Helmet man: "What if they run away?"

Matthew: "Run away and run away, none of my business?"

Helmet man: "..."

Matthew: "I am only responsible to those who are willing to stay."

Helmet Man: "...What about after that?"

Matthew: "Send them to the Isles of Scilly...there isn't even a decent dock there...as long as they get their work done, there's plenty of food, fair enough, isn't it?"

Helmet man: "Provide food and pay wages?"

Matthew smiled: "No, only these three days are free of food."

"Everything they have needs to be obtained with their own hands. I just need to ensure that the laborers have a reasonable harvest."

Helmet man: "... so simple?"

Matthew: "Is it simple?"

The helmet man thought about it again, hesitated: "...isn't it simple?"

Matthew: "Is it simple?"

The man in the helmet really wanted to continue to argue, but he thought of the helpers in the guild, so he wisely shut up.As a son of a nobleman, he knows a lot.

Strange to say, he used to like to wield knives and swords, otherwise he would not be able to become the head of the guard by virtue of his martial arts.Now, it seems that he has lost interest in swords.

The person in the helmet turned his head and saw that more than 100 people were standing still, as if they were watching them off.
"Why don't they run away?"

Matthew smiled: "Food is actually not just food, but also hope."

"People who have lost their land are unwilling to accept heavy work in exchange for meager wages. This is actually a kind of market behavior."

"But all kinds of owners are unable to give them more. The reason is that their products cannot be sold, nor can they be sold at a higher price. Without more profits, they cannot afford to support workers."

"Without jobs and unwillingness to accept oppression, it is inevitable for them to become bandits. Local councils can only pass laws to persecute them and convict them."

The man in the helmet couldn't help but said: "The law is bullshit. There are so many lands that have not been cultivated, and so many forests that have not been cut down. This is all..."

He couldn't think of words for a while.

Matthew smiled and said, "Okay, you can think of the distribution problem."

Helmet man: "Yes, deal with it, it's a matter of distribution."

Matthew: "Those lands and forests are owned by private individuals and the church, so what can we do?"

Helmet Man: "Every landlord should take in some homeless people and give them a piece of land to cultivate themselves."

Matthew smiled and said, "Good way. You can write it into your report and show it to the king."

The helmet man hesitated: "Is it really possible?"

Matthew said sincerely: "It doesn't matter whether the method can be adopted, but it is important for the king to see that you are trying to solve the problem..."

Matthew thought to himself, he probably doesn't know what it means to not go to the countryside.Under the current system, the king simply cannot solve this kind of problem.Private ownership combined with local gentry autonomy meant that royal power would never reach the bottom.It's quite appropriate to be a backer.

It can be said that it is more difficult than going to heaven to let private individuals give up their benefits.

In the Tudor dynasty, the royal family's territory accounted for 17% of the country's land. Don't you think it's not much?In fact, on the contrary, this is already the strongest era in England's history.In other periods, the royal family may only have 3%.In contrast, churches occupy 20-25.The rest were owned by private individuals and feudal lords.

So, who is oppressing farmers and taking their land?
Even so, the royal family also undertakes natural tasks such as defending the country and expanding the territory.

What is it called?This tells me to drink soup, and you follow behind to eat meat.

Helmet man: "These homeless people will bring serious public security problems, are you really not worried?"

Matthew: "The person who leaves is not mine. Let the sheriff have a headache. If I were him, I would arrange for the militia to block the road for inspection."

The man in the helmet was anxious: "Can't we just arrest the few who left? Maybe some good people will suffer."

Matthew smiled: "I catch them directly, they will only resent, why bother? Let them go, whether it is theft or robbery, it has nothing to do with me being sent to the guillotine."

Helmet man: "...you are really a bastard."

Matthew wasn't angry either: "Because I can't make a presumption of guilt."

Helmet man: "... what?"

Matthew smiled: "If I assume that you will sneak into someone's room in the middle of the night, so I break your leg first, will you accept it?"

Helmet man: "..."

Don't think that people will be good people when they are poor. Nearly half of the homeless group will later steal, rob, and kill.Although this is actually a kind of resistance.However, those who suffer are often those who are not much stronger than them.The dignitaries live in deep houses and castles, so they are not easily affected.

In 1510, the phenomenon of refugees was not prominent.It will get worse as time goes on.

Matthew didn't think it was a big problem.In his view, this will be a great opportunity for his industry to upgrade.That's right, it's a factory.

The vast majority of homeless people, just give them a decent job and they will settle down.

Even if it is a handicraft-based factory.It is also enough to absorb dozens of people and hundreds of people.The only problem is how to sell the product, make a profit and maintain production.

Well, that's his forte.This is an age of material scarcity.Even if customers don't have gold coins or silver coins, they can still consider bartering.

However, he intends to use these more than 100 people as an engineering team.If you think that factories build houses and sheds for the sake of workers, then you are wrong.Capitalists only focus on products.If products can be produced in the open air, then they must be in the open air.It's like the computer room in the old days, keeping you cool is just incidental.

The helmet man smiled and said, "Okay, I'll consider your suggestion."

Matthew: "You sound happy."

Helmet Man: "Anyway, you agree that I will marry Anna, I..."

Matthew interrupted him: "No, my father agreed. You should thank him. And you are married, don't forget that."

Helmet Man: "Okay... I'm going to quit my job after a while, what do you think?"

Matthew: "You can figure it out."

Helmet man: "..."

Matthew rubbed his chin: "But then I can arrange a job for you... Besides wielding swords, what else are you good at?"

Helmet man: "...it seems to be gone."

Matthew: "...Being an officer, at least you know how to manage people?"

Helmet man: "..."

Matthew: "..."

Helmet Man: "Don't even think about it, I won't help you take care of those homeless people."

Matthew heheed: "If you build a big house for Anna to get married, what do you think?"

Helmet man: "...deal."

Matthew's face was expressionless, but he was dying of laughter in his heart.I thought, if he knew that there was a plan for this new house, would he vomit blood in anger?

When he got home, Matthew saw a person sitting on the stone outside the gate from a long distance away.Matthew sat upright on the horse, and the white horse was unhurried.When I got closer, I realized that this guy was actually asleep.

It was a strange face, but Matthew recognized it.

But who the hell would cry in a dream?
The sleeper woke up suddenly, he raised his eyes and saw the black shadow of Matthew - the sun was behind him.He was impressed by the unique silhouette of the hat.

"Greetings, my Baron. I am here, sorry... for being late."

Matthew let out a chuckle: "I thought you went home to farm...what's your name?"

Sleeper: "You can call me Gary Fisher, that's my real name."

Matthew: "...you don't look like someone who will be late."

Gary had a strange expression: "Listen to me, I can't find them... I spent a month looking for them, but found nothing."

Matthew tilted his head: "Can't find it? What do you mean?"

Gary tried to open his eyes wide: "They are gone, my mother... and my brothers, sisters-in-law and nephews are all gone,...the house is in ruins...overgrown with weeds, and the farmland...the farmland has become a pasture."

Ha, Rodeo victim?Seeing him about to cry, Matthew was expressionless but sympathetic.

Matthew: "...what can I do for you?"

Gary: "...I have no family now, will you still protect me?"

Matthew was silent, he was not familiar with this person.It is only known that he hacked his boss to death, lowered his sails and surrendered to Lawrence.If there is no means of control, he really can't believe this kind of person.

Seeing this situation, Gary couldn't help asking: "Captain Lawrence is also a pirate, why do you believe him?"

Matthew: "Because he swore allegiance to me."

Gary hesitated and fell silent.Standing there, his whole body trembled slightly.

Matthew had a thought, this pirate is a bit interesting.To be troubled by swearing?
This is the difference between Matthew and the people of this era.

For modern people, swearing is as easy as eating and drinking.But in the 16th century, there were many people who would rather die than swear.Even Henry VIII promoted the Reformation by taking the oath.As long as you swear, you are your own.Those who do not take an oath will be served by the guillotine.In this way, many people, including senior officials, chose to die.

Although the oath is not necessarily useful, it definitely has an effect.

In this era of prosperous theocracy, even villains often dare not take oaths lightly.

A captain who wants to be a pirate, this era definitely belongs to useful people.Paying attention to oaths is much more reliable than those who just open their mouths.

Matthew thought for a while, he had nothing else but enough relatives: "I had a distant relative who asked me last time... Would you like to marry her daughter?"

Gary finally found the reason, stopped shaking, and immediately knelt down to swear.

Matthew smiled and said: "Her family is not very rich, but I have a 70-ton boat that has not been sold. How about using it as a dowry? You just need to buy a small piece of land in Plymouth and build a house."

Gary was overjoyed.

(End of this chapter)