Granted, as we must grant, that the plague accelerated the rise in
wages, it is certain the upward movement had already begun before
the population had been seriously lessened. The number of clergy,
to be sure, was largely in excess of the needs of the country; the
clerical profession had become "choked" by the influx of young men
presumably with _some_ private means to fall back upon; among
them there must have been, and there was, serious competition for
every vacant post. When the reserve of supernumeraries became
absorbed, the competition turned the other way, and the surviving
clergy could make their own terms. It was otherwise with the masses,
especially with the peasantry. If there were an insufficient number of
labourers to till the land heretofore in cultivation, the worst land
fell out of cultivation, and no one was much the worse. It was all
very well for some landlords to complain that their rents had fallen off.
Yes! Then--as now, as always--the small proprietors suffered severely,
and needy men are wont to be clamorous. Then--as now, as always--
the sufferers looked about them for a cause of their distress, and found
it in any event that was nearest at hand. But we know that the style of
living after the plague was incomparably more luxurious and extravagant
than it was before. The country was producing less, it may be; but the
people, man for man, were much richer than before.
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