In response of labor shortages due to the Black Death, those under the age of 60 were required to work while regulating begging and the giving of alms.
The Black Death, which killed at least a third of England’s population, created a labor crisis as laborers who tended to be poor were disproportionately killed by the disease. 1
The law required that all able body persons under 60 to work. Anyone not already working could be involuntarily forced to work for anyone who wanted their labor or were imprisoned
Before 1300, begging was seen as acceptable, even venerated by some such as Saint Francis of Assisi. However, due to the societal changes around the Black Death and the destruction of feudalism begging and idleness was beginning to be viewed as a negative cause of social disorder.
The Law was a response to the disintegration of feudalism and labor shortages due to the black death. The Laws looked to regulate begging and alms giving to those who were non-working as well as regulate those working by prohibiting idleness, capped wages at pre-black death levels, geographically restricted the movement of workers and at times from even quitting work altogether
The law required that all able body persons under 60 to work. Anyone not already working could be involuntarily forced to work for anyone who wanted their labor or were imprisoned
Because a great part of the people, and especially workmen and servants, late died of the pestilence, many seeing the necessity of masters, and a great scarcity of servants, will not serve unless they may receive excessive wages, (2) and some rather willing to beg in idleness, than by labour to get their living; we, considering the grievous in commodities, which of the lack of ploughmen and such labourers may hereafter come, have upon deliberation and treaty with the prelates and nobles, and learned men assisting us, of their mutual counsel, ordained. –Preamble to the Statute of Laborers
Endnotes
Five Hundred Years of English Poor Laws,1349-1834: Regulating the Working and Nonworking Poor. William P. Quigley. 2015. pages 5-11.