LABORERS, STATUTES OF. The Stat. I 23 Edw. III. passed in 1349 by the king in council. After reciting in the preamble that many of the operative Class had died of the plague, and the survivors seeing the neces sity to which the masters were reduced for want of servants, refused to work unless for excessive wages, it was enacted that all able-bodied persons (free or bond) under age of three-score years, not exercising any craft, nor having the means of living or land of his own, should if required to serve in a station suiting his condition be bound to serve for the wages usual in the 20th of the king under penalty of imprisonment. It was also- provided that victuals should. be sold at reasonable rates, and that no per son should give to a beggar who was able to work and preferred to live in idleness, un der pain of imprisonment. This statute was partially repealed by stat. 5 Eliz. c. 4; see infra; and finally repealed in 1863. 2 Stat. 12 Rich. 2, which was passed at Cambridge in 1388, forbidding a servant at the end of his term to go out of his district without a letter under the king's seal, on pain of being put in the stocks. The amount of wages
was regulated and penalties inflicted on mas ters who gave more than the legal amount. There was also provision for the punishment of beggars except religious people and ap proved hermits, who had testimonial letteis from their ordinaries. 3 Stat. 5 Eliz. c. 4, passed 1562, repealing most of the before mentioned statutes, and regulating workmen and apprentices. The justices of the peace were required to hold special sessions for fixing rates of wages, and a justice absent ing himself without any lawful excuse was to be fined £10. For giving more wages than the legal amount masters were to be impris oned ,for ten days and to forfeit £5. This statute was substantially repealed by subse quent ones ; Moz. & W.
LAC, or LAKH. One hundred thousand'. It is used in India, as—a lac of rupees is 100,000 rupees, or about £10,000 or $50,000; Wils. Glos. Ind.; Moz. & W.