Some contracts
included holding wares as security. Some craftsmen and manual
workers extended this idea to used garments and household
articles, which they took as pawns, or security for money loaned.
This began pawn brokerage, which was lucrative. The problem was
that many of the items pawned had been stolen.
Elizabeth had good judgment in selecting her ministers and
advisors for her Privy Council, which was organized like Henry
VIII's Privy Council. The Queen's Privy Council of about twelve
ministers handled foreign affairs, drafted official communiques,
issued proclamations, supervised the county offices: the 1500
justices of the peace, chief constables, sheriffs, lord
lieutenants, and the county militias. It fixed wages and prices in
London, advised Justices of the Peace on wages elsewhere, and
controlled exports of grain to keep prices down and supplies
ample. It banned the eating of meat two days a week so that the
fishing industry and port towns would prosper. When grain was
scarce in 1596, Elizabeth made a proclamation against those
ingrossers, forestallers, and ingraters of grain who increased its
price by spreading false rumors that it was scarce because much of
it was being exported, which was forbidden. There were labor
strikes in some towns for higher wages after periods of inflation.
In 1591, London authorities rounded up the sturdy vagabonds and
set them to work cleaning out the city ditches for 4d.
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