A Discourse on Trade, and Other Matters Relative to it

by John Cary

3. What Methods are proper to be used, in order to make a Provision for those who are past their Labour.

As to the first, we shall find that it hath proceeded, partly from the Abuse of those Laws we have, and partly from want of better; Licences for Alehouses were at first 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 Maintainance to the Aged, so poor Families had Opportunities of being supplied with a Cup of Ale from Abroad, who could not keep it at Home; great Observation was also made to prevent idle Tipling, our Fore-fathers considered, that Time so spent, was a Loss to the Nation, whose Interest was improved by the Labour of its Inhabitants; whereas, Alehouses are now encouraged, to promote the Income of Excise, on whom there must be no Restraint, lest the King’s Revenue should be lessened; thus we live by Sense, and look only at Things we see, without revolving on what the Issue will be, not considering, that the Labour of each Man, if well employ’d, whilst he sits in an Ale-house, would be worth much more to the Nation, than the Excise he pays.

But above all, our Laws to set 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 to give them Maintenance.

Now, if we delighted more in the Encouraging our Manufactures, our Poor might be better Employed, 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 going farther.

Here I find, that nothing but good Laws can do it, such as may provide Work for those who arc willing, and force them to work that are able; and for this use, I think Work-houses very expedient, but they must be founded on such Principles, as may employ the Poor, for which they must be fitted, and the Poor for them; wherein Employments must be provided for all sorts of People, who must also be compelled to go thither when sent, and the Work-houses to receive them; and the Materials which seem most proper for them are Simples, such as Wool, Hemp, Cotton, and the like, which may either be sent in by the Manufacturers, or be bought up on a Stock raised for that End; these will employ great Numbers, of both Sexes, and all Ages, either by beating and fitting the Hemp, or by dressing and spinning the Flax, or by carding and Spinning the Wool and Cotton, of different Finenesses; and if a Reward was given to that Person who should spin the finest Thread of either, as they do in Ireland for their Linnen, to be adjudged Yearly, and paid by the County, or by any other manner as shall be thought fit, ’twould very much promote Industry and Ingenuity, whilst every one being stir’d up by Ambition and Hopes of Profit, would endeavour to exceed the rest; by which means we should also grow more excellent in our Manufactures.

Nor should these Houses hinder any who desire to Work at Home, or the Manufacturers from employing them, the Design being to provide Places for those who care not to Work any where, and to make the Parish Officers more Industrious to find them out, when they know whither to send them, by which means they would be better able to maintain the Impotent.

It seems also convenient, that these Work-houses, when settled in Cities and great Towns, should not be only Parochial, but one or more in each Place, as will best suit it; which would prevent the Poors being sent from Parish to Parish, and provided for no where; 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 become its Wealth, and their own Lives also will be more comfortable to them.

There are other things which will employ the Poor besides our Manufactures, and are also equally Beneficial to the Nation; such as Navigation, Husbandry, and Handicrafts; here if these or such-like Rules were observed, they might be made more advantagious to all.

As first, Let the Justices of the Peace have Power to assign Youth to Artificers, Husbandry, Manufacturers, and Mariners, and to bind them Apprentices for a Time certain, at such Ages as they shall think ’em fit to go on those Employments, who should also be obliged to receive them; and though this may at first seem hard, as hindring the Masters from taking Servants who may bring them Money, yet after some time it will not, when those who were so bound out themselves, shall only do for others, what was done for them before; and this also may be now made good to them, by such an Overplus of Years in their Apprentiships, as may be an Equivalent to the Money.

And as for those of elder Years, who will rather Beg than Work, let them be forced to serve the King in his Fleet, or the Merchants on board their Ships; the Sea is very good to cure sore Legs and Arms, especially such as are Counterfeits, against which, the Capstern, with the Taunts of the Sailors, is a certain Remedy.