Statute of Labourers
The Royal Magistrate, flanked by noblemen, officially enacts the Statute of Labourers, a law designed to suppress wages and restrict peasant mobility in the aftermath of the Black Death. A peasant lea
Setting
Westminster Palace, Painted Chamber, London, England
Characters
Royal Magistrate
primary
A middle-aged man with a stern, angular face, deep-set eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard streaked with grey. His posture is rigid, reflecting years of aristocratic training, and his hands are smooth, untouched by manual labor. He carries himself with an air of unquestioned authority.
Peasant Leader
primary
A rugged man in his late 30s with sun-weathered skin, calloused hands, and a wiry but strong build. His dark brown hair is cropped short, and his beard is unkempt. His piercing hazel eyes show both intelligence and defiance.
Nobleman
secondary
A middle-aged man of stout build, with a well-groomed beard and piercing hazel eyes that survey the room with calculated superiority. His ruddy complexion suggests a life of leisure and indulgence.
Peasant Woman
secondary
A gaunt woman in her late 30s with sunken cheeks and calloused hands, her straw-colored hair escaping from an unraveling linen coif. Deep lines around her mouth suggest years of hardship. One shoulder sits slightly higher than the other from years of field work.
Scribe
background
A thin, middle-aged man with a slight hunch from years of bending over parchment. His ink-stained fingers and weary eyes suggest long hours of meticulous work. His short, brown hair is neatly trimmed, and his face bears the marks of late nights and early mornings.
Dialog
Royal Magistrate
By the King's decree and contra formam statuti, no laborer shall demand nor receive wages exceeding those customary before the Great Mortality.
Peasant Leader
Ye'd have men break their backs for bread they cannot buy, bread they cannot buy!
Nobleman
Indeed, the natural order reasserts itself. The commons forget their place.
Royal Magistrate
Would you have London's streets run with the blood of rebellion? The penalty for refusal is branding - mark this well.
Peasant Leader
A man's sweat is worth more than a noble's whim! The fields lie fallow while ye clutch your purses!
Nobleman
Quod erat demonstrandum - the churl proves himself incapable of reason.
Royal Magistrate
Let this nisi prius stand as final warning. The King's peace shall be kept, though we must hang every third man to do it.