wages and better living standards, and was a contributing factor to subsequent peasant revolts, most notably the English peasants' revolt of 1381. Similar processes happened throughout Europe – wage caps following a labour shortage after the Black Death resulting in popular revolts. The Statute was poorly enforced in most areas (and even then, typically only against laborers and not employers), and farm wages in England on average doubled between 1350 and 1450. Repeal It was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1863. See also UK labour law Apprentices Act 1536 Statute of Artificers 1562, acceptance of work made compulsory, and hours of labour fixed for husbandry Statute of Labourers 1603 (1 Jas 1 c. 6) allowed justices of peace to fix hours of work for all classes of worker. It became a criminal offence for workers to receive more than their set price of wages. Combination Act 1800 (39 Geo 3 c 106) summary jurisdiction to convict workmen who, by intimidation, persuasion, or by other means, induced persons not to work, or who refused to work with other workmen. Notes References Clark, Gregory. "The long march of history: Farm wages, population, and economic growth, England 1209–1869." Economic History Review 60.1 (2007): 97–135. online, statistics Cohn, Samuel. "After the Black Death: Labour Legislation and Attitudes Towards Labour in Late-Medieval Western Europe," Economic History Review (2007) 60#3 pp. 457–485 in JSTOR Poos, Larry R. "The Social Context of Statute of Labourers Enforcement." Law and History Review (1983) 1#1 pp: 27–52. Putnam, Bertha Haven. The enforcement of the statutes of labourers during the first decade after the black death, 1349–1359 (1908). online External links Full text of the statute from Yale Law School – from :en:s:Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages/Book I/The Statute of Laborers Full text of the statute from Fordham University Acts of the Parliament of England 1350s in law 1351 in England History of labour law Economy of medieval England Pricing United Kingdom labour law Medieval English law Edward III of England Regulation in the United Kingdom