made, and brought out and from, the parts beyond the sea into this his
Realm, ready wrought by manual occupation; amongst the which wares one kind
of merchandise in great quantity, which is linen cloth of divers sorts made
in divers countries beyond the sea, is daily conveyed into this Realm;
which great quantity of linen cloth so brought is consumed and spent within
the same; by reason whereof not only the said strange countries where the
said linen cloth is made, by the policy and industry of making and vending
the same are greatly enriched; and a marvellous great number of their
people, men, women, and children, are set on work and occupation, and kept
from idleness, to the great furtherance and advancement of their
commonwealth; but also contrariwise the inhabitants and subjects of this
Realm, for lack of like policy and industry, are compelled to buy all or
most part of the linen cloth consumed in the same, amounting to inestimable
sums of money. And also the people of this Realm, as well men as women,
which should and might be set on work, by exercise of like policy and craft
of spinning, weaving, and making of cloth, lies now in idleness and
otiosity, to the high displeasure of Almighty God, great diminution of the
King's people, and extreme ruin, decay, and impoverishment of this Realm.
Therefore, for reformation of these things, the King's most Royal Majesty
intending, like a most virtuous Prince, to provide remedy in the premises;
nothing so much coveting as the increase of the Commonwealth of this his
Realm, with also the virtuous exercise of his most loving subjects and
people, and to avoid that most abominable sin of idleness out of the Realm,
hath, by the advice and consent of his Lords and Commons in Parliament
assembled, ordained and enacted that every person occupying land for
tillage, shall for every sixty acres which he hath under the plough, sow
one quarter of an acre in flax or hemp."

This Act was designed immediately to keep the wives and children of the
poor in work in their own houses;[3] but it leaves no doubt that