A cotton weaver (Joan) and his wife are starving due to lack of work. Their only food is nettles in season and gruel. The bailiffs take goods in lieu of rent and bills that the weaver cannot pay. Joan weaves some cloth to get money but the master refuses to pay for it. Joan says he will take up manual labour to earn money. His wife (Margit) wants to go to London to appeal to the King for fair treatment and threatens violence if she is denied it.