3. What Methods may be used to provide for those who are past their
Labours.
As to the first; we shall find that Sloath and a Desire of Ease is the
principal Cause; which appears by People's setting themselves on such
ways of Living as our Fore-fathers would have been ashamed of; nothing
but this could induce young Men in their full Strengths slavishly to
attend on selling a Cup of Ale, or depreciate themselves to be Pimps to
Vice, they think by these ways to be maintained in Sloth; Hereby Religion
is despised, and Vice promoted, Men thinking if they should profess the
first or discountenance the last they could not live on such lazy Terms;
and whence doth this proceed? Truly partly from the abuse of those Laws
we have, and partly from want of better: Licenses for Ale-houses were
heretofore granted for good Ends, not to draw Men aside from their Labour
by Games and Sports, but to support and refresh them under it; And as
they were then a Maintenance to the aged, so poor Families had
opportunities of being supplyed with a Cup of Ale from Abroad, who could
not keep it at Home; great observation was also made to prevent idle
Tipling, our Forefathers considered that time so spent was a loss to the
Nation, whose Interest was improved by the work of its Inhabitants;
whereas now Ale-houses are encouraged principally to promote the Income
of Excise, on whom there must be no Restraint, lest the King's Revenue be
lessened; thus we live by Sence, and look only to things we see, without
revolving what the Issue will be, not considering that the Labour of each
Man if well imployed whilst he sits in an Ale-house would be worth more
both to the King and Nation than all the Excise he pays; Industry usually
brings Wealth as its Concomitant, and though Success may not always
accompany private Men's Labours, yet the Publick gets thereby.
Nor did we fall into this Habit of Sloath at once, but by degrees; when
Luxury first crept in this was in the Embrio, but hath been cocker'd up
under it to the Pitch 'tis now arrived; much proceeds from Imitation, our
Gentry who have Estates betaking themselves to an useless way of Living,
those who had them not soon fell in love therewith, and to this much of
the Misery of the Nation is owing, Men affect to be thought what they are
not, and leaving honest Labour spend their Patrimonies in fine Cloaths,
and keeping Company, till being put to their shifts they are forced to
betake themselves to play or begging.
Another thing which hath increased our useless People is the Nobility and
Gentrys leaving the Country, and choosing to reside in _London_, whither
they bring up with them Multitudes of lusty young Fellows, who might have
done good Service at the Plough had they continued there, but having now
no other Imployments than to hang on their Masters Coaches forget to
work, and rarely or never return again to Labour.
Add to this the great Numbers who are employed in Offices about the
Revenue, Men who might have been serviceable either in Husbandry or
Manufactures, but now they and their Families are wholly taken off from
both, the Fathers chief Aim being to get the Son into the same way of
Living.
What Multitudes of Coffee-houses are there in _London_ and other places,
who keep lusty Servants, and breed them up to nothing whereby they may be
profitable to the Kingdom?
What swarms of Youth go off to the Law, who being the Sons of Yeomen and
Handecrafts Trades had been more useful to the Nation if bred up in their
Father's Imployments?
Besides those who live only by Buying and Selling, wherein wanting
Success they have no way to maintain themselves or their Families.
But above all, our Laws to put the Poor at work are short and defective,
tending rather to maintain them so, then to raise them to a better way of
Living; 'tis true those Laws design well, but consisting only in
generals, and not reducing things to practicable Methods, they fall short
of answering their Ends, and thereby render the Poor more bold, when they
know the Parish Officers are bound either to provide them Work, or give
them Maintenance.
Now if _England_ delighted more in improving its Manufactures, ways might
be found out to imploy all its Poor, and then 'twould be a shame for any
Person capable of Labour to live idle; which leads me to the second
consideration, what must be done to restrain this habit of Idleness from
growing farther; Here I find that nothing but good Laws can do it, such
as will provide work for those who are willing, and force them to work
that are able.
To begin with Manufactures; Here I should think Work-houses very
expedient, but then they must be founded on such Principles as may employ
the Poor, which can never be done on any thing I have hitherto seen; nor
will such Work-houses take effect till the Poor can every Week make
Returns of their Stock, which might be contrived did the Genius of the
Nation set in earnest about it; they must be fitted for the Poor and the
Poor for them; Imployments must be provided in them for all sorts of
People, who must also be compelled to go thither when sent, and the
Work-houses to receive them; the Stocks whereby they are maintained must
likewise turn often, for to put the Poor on ways of Traffick is too
dilatory for the Ends intended, they must be rather Assistants to the
Manufacturers than such themselves.
Now the Materials which seem most proper for these Work-houses are
Simples, such as Wool, Hemp, Cotten, and many others, which might either
be sent in by the Manufacturers on such equal Shares as the Justices
should think fit, or be bought up on a stock raised for that end, in both
cases to be taken off and paid for when brought to such a perfection as
the Rules of the House should direct, and that every week, or so often as
the Stock should require to let the Poor have their Wages to serve their
Occasions; these things would employ great Numbers of People, of both
Sexes, and all Ages, either by beating and fitting the Hemp for the
_Ropemaker_, or dressing the Flax for the Shops, or more especially by
Carding and Spinning the Wool and Cotten, of different finenesses, which
would be used in the various sorts of Manufactures we make; and if a
reward were given to that Person who should spin the finest Thread of
either, to be adjudged yearly, and paid by the County, 'twould very much
promote Industry and Ingenuity, whilst every one being prickt on by
Ambition and Hopes of Profit, would endeavour to exceed the rest, by
which means we should grow more excellent in our Manufactures.
Nor should these Houses hinder any who desire to work at home, or the
Manufacturers from imploying them in their own, the design is to provide
places for those who care not to work any where, and to make the Officers
of Parishes industrious to find out such Vermin, when they shall know
where to send them, by which means they would be better able to maintain
the Impotent.
It seems also convenient that these Work-Houses when setled in Cities and
great Towns should not be Parochial only, but one or more in each place
as will best suit it, which would prevent the Poor's being sent from
Parish to Parish as now they are, and provided for no where.
_Oakham_ also is a fit Material for them, which might be beat there, and
for that end _Old Junk_ be bought up, and those who caulk Ships be
obliged to take it off at a certain Price.
Tobacco also would imploy multitudes of People, in picking, stripping,
cutting, and rowling it, which might be wrought up either in Publick or
Private Work-houses, where Boys might be imploy'd till they came to Years
fit for the Sea; and when once the Poor shall come by use to be in Love
with Labour, 'twill be strange to see an idle Person; then they will be
so far from being a Burthen to the Nation, that they will be its Wealth,
and their Lives also will become more comfortable to themselves.
There are other things which will employ the Poor besides our
Manufactures, and more proper for Men, which are also equally beneficial
to the Nation, such as are Navigation, Husbandry, and Handecrafts, Here
if these or such like Rules were observed, they might be made more
Advantageous to all.
As first let every Gentleman who takes a Footboy be obliged to put him
into some way for his future Livelihood, to whom he should be bound for a
certain number of Years, and no Person should be permitted to continue so
after such an Age.
Let every Merchant or Trader who keeps a Foot-boy be also obliged to
breed him up in Business, and at a certain Age to set him to some Trade,
or imploy him in Navigation, wherein he should cause him to be
instructed; by this Means that which now makes lazy Beggars would then be
the Nation's Advantage; I think it a comely sight when I see Commanders
of Ships attended on by such Boys, because 'tis rarely seen but that they
breed them up to be useful Men, and when the Pride of Living tends to the
Common Good 'tis very well directed.
Another way to provide for our Youth would be by giving a Power to
Justices of the Peace to assign them to Artificers, Husbandmen,
Manufacturers, and Marriners, at such Ages as they shall think them fit
to go on those Imployments, who should also be obliged to receive them;
and tho' at first this may seem hard, as hindring their Masters from
taking Servants who might bring them Money, yet after some time it would
not, when those who were so bound out shall only do for others what was
done for them before; and this also may now be made good to them by such
an Overplus of Years in their Apprentiships as may countervail the Money.
I allow that these Methods are more proper for younger People than for
those of elder Years; As for such (who will rather choose to beg than
work) let them be forced to serve the King in his Fleet, or Merchants on
board their Ships; the Sea is very good to cure sore Legs and Arms,
especially such as are counterfeit through Sloath, against which the
Capster accompanied with the Taunts of the Saylors is a certain Remedy.
Next for Ale-Houses, Coffee-Houses, and such like Imployments, let them
be kept only by aged People, or such who have numerous Families, and
tended by Youth, before they are fit to be put abroad.
And as for Maid-Servants, let them be restrained from Excess in Apparrel,
and not permitted to leave their Services without Consent, nor be
entertained by others without Testimonials; this will make them more
orderly and governable than now they are.
No Servant should be permitted to wear a Sword, except when Travelling;
and if all People of mean Qualities were prohibited the same 'twould be
of good consequence, for when once they come to this, they think
themselves above Labour.
'Twould likewise be of great use to the Nation if Masters of Ships were
obliged to carry with them some Land-men every Voyage, which would much
increase our Seamen, therefore the Justices should have power to force
them to enter such as were willing, and to settle the Rates of their
Wages; I mean by Land-men those who have not been above three Voyages at
Sea.
Young People should be prohibited from Hawking about the Streets, and
from selling Ballads; if these things must be allowed they are fitter for
the Aged.
Stage-Plays, Lotteries, and Gaming, should be more strictly look'd after,
Youth in this Age of Idleness and Luxury being not only drawn aside by
them, but more willing to put themselves on such easie ways of living
than Labour.
These and such like Methods being improved by the Wisdom of a Parliament
may tend not only to the introducing a habit of Vertue amongst us, but
also to the making Multitudes of People serviceable who are now useless
to the Nation, there being scarce any one who is not capable of doing
something towards his Maintenance, and what his Labour doth fall short
must be made up by Charity, but as things now are, no Man knows where
'tis rightly placed, by which means those who are truly Objects do not
partake thereof; And let it be also considered, that if every Person did
by his Labour get one Half Penny _per diem_ to the Publick, 'twould bring
in Six Millions Eighty Three Thousand Three Hundred Thirty Three Pounds
Six Shillings and Eight Pence _per Annum_, (accounting Eight Millions of
People to be in the Kingdom) which would pay the Charge of the War, so
vast a Summ may be raised from the Labours of a Multitude, if every one
paid a little.
Nor is the sending lazy People to our Plantations abroad (who can neither
by good Laws be forced, or by Rewards encouraged to work at Home) so
Prejudicial to the Nation as some do dream, they still serve it in one of
its Limbs, where they must expect another sort of Treatment if they will
not labour; 'tis true they give no help to the Manufactures here, but
that is made up in the Product they raise there, which is also Profit to
the Nation; besides, the Humours and other Circumstances of People are to
be inquired into, some have been very useful there, who would never have
been so here, and if the People of _England_ are imployed to the
advantage of the Community, no matter in what part of the King's
Dominions it is; many Hundreds by going to those Plantations have become
profitable Members to the _Common-Wealth_, who had they continued here
had still remained idle Drones; now they raise Sugar, Cotten, Tobacco,
and other things, which imploy Saylors abroad, and Manufacturers at Home,
all which being the Product of Earth and Labour I take to be the Wealth
of the Nation.
The Imployment of Watermen on the _River Thames_ breeds many Saylors, and
it were good to keep them still fill'd with Apprentices; also the
Imployment of Bargemen, Lighter-men, and Trow-men, both on that and other
Rivers does the same, who should be encouraged to breed up Landmen, and
fit them for the Sea.
Confining the Importation of Sugars from the Plantations to _Muscovadoes_
would give Life to our Refining Houses at Home, so would prohibiting (as
much as may be) the Shipping thither things unwrought give Encouragement
to our Manufactures, both which would imploy the Poor.
Idleness is the Foundation of all those Vices which prevail amongst us,
People aiming to be maintained any way rather than by Labour betake
themselves to all sorts of Villanies, the ill Consequences whereof cannot
be prevented but by encouraging Youth in an early Delight of Living by
Industry, which would keep up a true _English_ Spirit in them, and create
a Desire to secure a Property in what they have; whereas a sloathful
Dependance on another's Bounty makes Men slavishly give up all at the
Will of their Benefactors, and having no Properties of their own to
secure, are easily perswaded to part with their Liberties; this a former
Reign knew well, when the Ministers of that Court found an Inclination in
the People to sell their Priviledges for Luxury and ease.
And certainly nothing hath so much supported the Rights and Priviledges
of the _Commons_ of _England_ as making so many of them Free-holders,
whereby they are encouraged to make Improvements where they have
Properties, and to defend them when made, Estates raised by their own
Industry and Labours; which likewise stirrs up Tenants to endeavour by
the same means to attain the same ends; a Spirit great where-ever it is,
tho' in the meanest Peasants, when they rather desire to live of their
own than by Dependance on others; this puts them on honest Endeavours,
these get them Credit and Reputation, which gives Opportunities of
advancing their Fortunes, and if this Emulation went through the Kingdom
we should not have so many lazy Beggars or Licentious Livers as now there
are; nor is God more honoured among any than He is among these
industrious People, who abhor Vice on equal Principles of Religion and
good Husbandry, Labour being usually a Barrier against Sin, which doth
generally come in at the Doors of Idleness.
[Sidenote: Mr Edw. Colson, near Bristoll.]
The third Consideration is what Methods may be used to provide for those
who either are not able to work, or whose Labours cannot support their
Charge. Here I take Alms-Houses to be good Gifts, where they are designed
to relieve Impotent old Age, or educate Youth; not to maintain idle
Beggars, or ease rich Parishes, but to provide for those who have been
bred up in careful Imployments, though notable to stem the Current of a
cross Fortune; Such a one is magnificently built, and suitably endowed by
a certain Gentleman near a great City, for which he deserves to be truly
honoured, though perhaps he may scarce be imitated.
Another way to provide for those who are true Objects of Charity is by
taking care that the Poor's Rates be made with more equality in Cities
and Trading Towns than now they are, especially in the former, where the
greatest number of Poor usually residing together in the Suburbs or
Out-Parishes are very serviceable by their Labours to the Rich in
carrying on their Trades, yet when Age Sickness or a numerous Family
makes them desire Relief, their chief Dependance must be on People but
one step above their own Conditions, by which means those Out-Parishes
are more burthened in their Payments than the In-Parishes are, tho' much
Richer, and is one reason why they are so ill inhabited, no one careing
to come to a certain Charge; And this is attended with another ill
Consequence, the want of better Inhabitants makes way for those Disorders
which easily grow among the Poor; whereas if Cities and Towns were made
but one Poor's Rate, or equally divided into more, these Inconveniencies
might be removed, and the Poor maintained by a more impartial
Contribution.
And that a better Provision may be made for the Relief of Saylors, (who
having spent their Labours in the Service of the Nation, and through Age
or Disasters no longer fit for the fatigue of the Sea, ought to be taken
care for at home,) let a small Deduction be made from Seamen's Wages, and
Freights of Ships, to be collected by a Society of honest Men in every
Sea Port; This, with what addition might be made by the Gifts of worthy
Benefactors, would be sufficient to raise a Fund capable to maintain them
in their old Age, who in their Youth were our Walls and Bulwarks; but it
must be setled by Law, and no Man left at his Liberty whither he will pay
or no; These are generally the most Laborious People we have, I do not
mean those Scoundrel Rascals who often creep in amongst them, but the
true old Saylor, who can turn his Hand to any thing rather than Begging,
and I am troubled to see the miserable Conditions they and their Families
are many times reduced to when their Labours are done; Alms-Houses raised
for them are as great Acts of Piety as building of Churches; Age requires
Relief, especially where Youth hath been spent in Labour so profitable to
the Publique as that of a Saylor, and not only themselves, but their
Widows and young Children ought to be provided for; In this the
Worshipful Society of the Merchants Adventurers within the City of
_Bristoll_ are a Worthy Pattern.
And as for those who lose their Lives or Limbsfighting against the
_Enemy_, themselves or Families ought to be rewarded with a bountiful
Stipend, which if raised by a Tax would be chearfully paid; 'tis attended
with sad Thoughts when a Woman sees her Husband prest into the Service,
and knows if he miscarrys her Family is undone, and she and they must
come on the Parish; whereas if this Provition were made, the Fleet would
be more easily mann'd, our Merchant-Ships better defended, Saylors more
ready to serve in both, and their Wives to let them go; but great care
must be taken that this Charity of the Nation be not abused, nor put into
the Pockets of those appointed to dispose of it, Confiscation of their
Estates should be made a Penalty to detert them from such ill Practices.
[Sidenote: Taxes to carry on the War.]
We will next consider the State of the Nation with regard to its Taxes.
When I consider the necessity of the War we are now engaged in, and the
Consequences of its Event, (the Liberties of _Christendom_, and the
Security of the _Protestant_ Religion depending on the Success thereof) I
think it the Duty of every good Subject to offer his advice in a matter
of this Importance.
Money we know to be the Sinews of War, it is that which doth strengthen
the carrying it on, and I believe there are few Men who do not by this
time see, that not the longest Sword but the strongest. Purse is most
likely to come off Victor; we are too far engaged to look back, and if we
do not go on with Vigour it will encourage our Enemy, and make him think
better of his own Strength; we cannot preserve at too high a Rate those
inestimable Jewels of Liberty and Property, which (if we miscarry in this
War) we are very likely to lose; therefore how unpleasant soever Taxes
may seem, Money must be raised, till the _French_ King can be brought to
such Terms whereon a safe and lasting Peace may be concluded; but great
Prudence ought to be used in the Methods of raising it, lest the People
be thereby disgusted against that happy part of our Constitution,
Parliaments, when they see their only work is to find out new Methods for
raising Taxes; to whom every such Act seems a new Arrow levied at them,
by these it is they are discontented, and think themselves shot thro' and
thro', because that under different names they hit the same Persons again
and again; besides the great charge• the Crown is at in those small
Collections, as any Man will see who considers particularly that of the
Hackny-Coaches, whereof near one quarter part goes away for its
management; and indeed few of the Projects I have yet seen seem to be the
effects of a considering Head, or to be so weighed as to support
themselves against common Objections, their greatest Foundation was
Necessity; besides, many of them cannot be renewed, their Income being
anticipated for many Years; so that for the future new Projects must be
thought on, and what this will at last tend to no Man can foresee.
I am apt to think most Men would agree with me in this, that if a Method
could be found out whereby Four or Five Millions might be raised Yearly
with little Charge and great Ease and Equality it must be much better
than now it is, and this to be a Fund out of which the Parliament to
appropriate what Summs they see necessary for every use, so that then
they would have Leisure to spend much of their time on other Affairs,
which is now wholly taken up about Ways and Means; besides, when the
People knew there was no new Tax to be raised, they would more chearfully
look upon the opening of a Sessions; and the _French_ King must be
exceedingly discouraged, when he shall see that after so great Expences
we come on with new Vigour, and have provided a Fund for carrying on the
War till he can be brought to such Terms as will establish a safe and
lasting Peace, which by the Means hitherto used we cannot expect, every
Tax we have given being like the Gasps of a Man labouring for Life,
whereby he concluded we could not subsist a Year longer, and doubtless
his Emissaries in _England_ have not failed to represent things to him in
their worst Colours; but I hope both He and They will find that the
People of _England_, to defend their Religion, Liberties, and Properties,
neither want Money, nor a Will to give it.
The Taxes of this Kingdom are chiefly to be raised on Land or Trade, the
first must be eased, and what is laid on the latter must be done with
great Caution and Consideration, things must be well weighed, and the
Principles whereon we proceed must be sure and solid, and then a thinking
Man may improve them by well-digested Notions; Trade like the Camel will
stoop to take up its Burthen, but the weight thereof must not be greater
than it can chearfully rise under, otherwise we destroy it, and shall by
our inconsiderate Covetousness lose those Golden Eggs it every day would
bring us.
Another thing to be consider'd in the laying a Tax is, that the Poor bear
little or none of the Burthen, their Province being more properly to
labour and fight than pay; He that gets his Money by the Sweat of his
Brows parts not from it without much Remorse and Discontent, and when all
is done, 'tis but a little they pay, therefore Taxes that light heavy on
them (such as Chimney-Money, and oftentimes a Poll) tend rather to
unhinge than assist the Government, by disgusting such a number of robust
and hardy Men as carry a great personal Ballance in the Kingdom, and may
be apt when they think themselves opprest to joyn with any for a present
Relief, not being well able to foresee the Consequences of things at a
distance.
Great Care should also be taken of our Manufactures and Manufacturers,
that they be not opprest.
A general Excise cannot do well, for besides the great Charge and
Oppression of Officers, it shews no Respect to the Poor, but they pay
more than the Wealthiest of their Neighbours suitable to what they have;
for though a rich Man spends more in excisable things than a poor Man
doth, yet it is not his All, whereas the other's Poverty gives him leave
to lay up nothing, but 'tis as much as he can do to provide Necessaries
for his Family, out of all which he pays his Proportion.
Much like this is a general Poll, where 'tis very difficult to tax People
equally.
But out of all these something may be taken which may be both easie and
practicable, and a Project may be fram'd which may raise annually enough
to carry on the Charge of the War, on equal and easie Terms, with little
or no Anticipation.
In the well laying whereof these following Rules seem fit to be
considered.
1. That what is laid on Trade be so weighed, that where the Trader pays
he may see an apparent Advantage.
2. That the charge of Collecting be on such easie Terms as not to eat up
a great part of what is raised.