OF THE OTHER PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR PROVISION
FOR THE POOR.
Sec. 53. They live in so happy a climate, and have so fertile a soil, that
nobody is poor enough to beg, or want food, though they have abundance
of people that are lazy enough to deserve it. I remember the time when
five pounds was left by a charitable testator to the poor of the parish
he lived in, and it lay nine years before the executors could find one
poor enough to accept of this legacy, but at last it was given to an old
woman. So that this may in truth be termed the best poor man's country
in the world. But as they have nobody that is poor to beggary, so they
have few that are rich; their estates being regulated by the merchants
in England, who it seems know best what is profit enough for them in the
sale of their tobacco and other trade.
Sec. 54. When it happens, that by accident or sickness, any person is
disabled from working, and so is forced to depend upon the alms of the
parish, he is then very well provided for, not at the common rate of
some countries, that give but just sufficient to preserve the poor from
perishing; but the unhappy creature is received into some charitable
planter's house, where he is at the public charge boarded plentifully.
Many when they are crippled, or by long sickness become poor, will
sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes; but very few others do
ever ask for the parish alms, or, indeed, so much as stand in need of
them.
Sec. 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other things granted
to free schools, for the education of children in many parts of the
country; and some of these are so large, that of themselves they are a
handsome maintenance to a master; but the additional allowance which
gentlemen give with their sons, render them a comfortable subsistence.
These schools have been founded by the legacies of well inclined
gentlemen, and the management of them hath commonly been left to the
direction of the county court, or to the vestry of the respective
parishes. In all other places where such endowments have not been
already made, the people join, and build schools for their children,
where they may learn upon very easy terms.