Editing Swing Riots (section)

=== Poor Laws ===
Historically, the monasteries had taken responsibility for the [[classifications of poor used in the Poor Law system|impotent poor]], but after their dissolution in 1536 to 1539, responsibility passed to the parishes.<ref name="sutton3242">Friar. ''Sutton Local History''. pp.&nbsp;324–325</ref> the [[Poor Relief Act 1662|Act of Settlement in 1662]] had confined relief strictly to those who were natives of the parish. The poor law system charged a [[rates (tax)#United Kingdom|Parish Rate]] to landowners and tenants, which was used to provide relief payments to settled residents of the parish who were ill or out of work.<ref name="hobsbawm29">Hobsbawm/Rude. Captain Swing. p.&nbsp;29</ref> The payments were minimal, and at times, degrading conditions were required for their receipt.<ref name="harrison249"/><ref name="sutton3242"/> As more and more people became dependent on parish relief, ratepayers rebelled ever more loudly against the costs, and lower and lower levels of relief were offered. Three "one-gallon" bread loaves a week were considered necessary for a man in [[Berkshire]] in 1795. However provision had fallen to just two similarly-sized loaves being provided in 1817 [[Wiltshire]].<ref name="hammond183">Hammonds. ''The Village Labourer''. pp.&nbsp;183–185</ref> The way in which poor law funds were disbursed led to a further reduction in agricultural wages since farmers would pay their workers as little as possible in the knowledge that the parish fund would top up wages to a basic subsistence level (see [[Speenhamland system]]).<ref name="hammond183"/><ref name="friar324">Friar. Sutton Companion to Local History. pp.&nbsp;324–325</ref>