Parishes were
required to give money for the poor in 1563. Other towns followed
London's lead in levying a poor rate.
Henry used the proceeds from the sale of the monasteries for
building many new palaces and wood ships for his navy. In war,
these navy ships had heavy guns which could sink other ships. In
peace time, these ships were hired out to traders. Large ships
were constructed in docks, made partly by digging and partly by
building walls. In 1545, henry issued a proclamation ordering all
vagabonds, ruffians, masterless men, and evil-disposed persons to
serve him in his navy.
The former land of the monasteries, about 30% of the country's
land, was sold and resold, usually to great landowners, or leased.
Title deeds became important as attorneys sought the security that
title could give. Some land went to entrepreneurial cloth
manufacturers, who converted the buildings for the manufacture of
cloth. They bought the raw wool and hired craftsmen for every step
of the manufacturing process to be done in one continuous process.
This was faster than buying and selling the wool material between
craftsmen who lived in different areas. Also, it was more
efficient because the amount of raw wool bought could be adjusted
to the demand for cloth.
Many landowners now could live in towns exclusively off the rents
of their rural land. Rents were increased so much that tenants
could not pay and were evicted.
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