Author: A.L. Beier
Title: Masterless Men: The Vagrancy Problem in England 1560?1640
Description: London Methuen 1985 Bound, cloth with original dustjacket, xxii+233pp. 16.5x24cm., in good condition (dustjacket with traces of wear and a small tear, corners a bit bumped, interior in very good condition). ISBN 9780416390100. Masterless Men is a comprehensive study of vagrancy in England between 1560 and 1640, a period marked by significant social and economic upheaval. Beier investigates the causes and perceptions of vagrancy, analyzing how it was viewed as a threat to societal stability. The book is structured into three parts: The Origins of Vagrancy: Explores the emergence of poverty and the increase in vagrancy due to economic and demographic changes. The Structure of Vagrancy: Examines the demographics, lifestyles, and occupations of vagrants, highlighting their roles in society. Vagrants, Society, and the State: Analyzes governmental responses, including legislation and punitive measures, and the broader societal implications. Beier's work is notable for its use of diverse primary sources, offering a nuanced understanding of how vagrancy was both a social reality and a constructed problem in early modern England.

Keywords: Geschiedenis: 16e-17e-18e eeuw landloperij bedelarij armoede sociale geschiedenis strafbeleid Tudor Engeland vagrancy beggary poverty social history penal policy England vagabondage mendicité pauvreté histoire sociale politique pénale Angleterre geschiede