Title: Life in the 17th Century
Headings: LIFE IN THE 17TH CENTURY
LIFE IN THE 17TH CENTURY
SOCIETY IN 17th CENTURY ENGLAND
LONDON IN THE 17TH CENTURY
BANKS IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
RICH PEOPLE'S HOMES IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
POOR PEOPLE'S HOMES IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
FOOD IN THE 1600S
CLOTHES IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
GAMES AND PASTIMES IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
EDUCATION IN THE 1600s
TRANSPORT IN 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND
MEDICINE IN THE 17TH CENTURY
WARFARE IN THE 17TH CENTURY
THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION IN THE 17th CENTURY

Content: The bottom 20% could only eat meat once a week. They were very poor. At least part of the time they had to rely on poor relief. By an act of 1601 overseers of the poor were appointed by each parish. They had the power to force people to pay a local tax to help the poor. Those who could not work such as the old and the disabled would be provided for. The overseers were meant to provide work for the able-bodied poor. Anyone who refused to work was whipped and, after 1610, they could be placed in a house of correction. Pauper's children were sent to local employers to be apprentices. On a more cheerful note in the 17th century in many towns wealthy people left money in their wills to provide almshouses where the poor could live.