A Discourse on Trade, and Other Matters Relative to it

by John Cary

Next, for Ale-houses, Coffee-houses, and such like Employments, let them be kept only by aged People, or such who have numerous Families.

Let Masters of Ships be obliged to carry with them some Landmen every Voyage, which will increase our Seamen; and let the Justices have Power to force them to receive such as are willing to enter themselves, and to settle the Rates of their Wages.

Let young People be prohibited from Hawking about the Streets, and from Singing Ballads; if these Things be allowed, they are fitter for Age.

Stage-Plays, Lotteries, and Gaming-houses should be strictly look’d after, Youth, in this Age of Idleness and Luxury, being not only drawn aside by them, but also more willing to put themselves on such easy ways of living, than on Labour.

These, and such like Methods, being Improved by the Wisdom of a Parliament, may tend, not only to the Introducing a Habit of Virtue 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 plac’d, by which means those who are truly Objects do not partake thereof; and let it be consider’d, that if every Person did by his Labour add one Half-penny per diem to the Public, ’twould bring in Seven Millions six Hundred and four Thousand one Hundred Sixty-six Pounds thirteen Shillings per Annum, (accounting ten Millions of People to be in the Kingdom) so vast a sum may be raised from a Multitude, if every one adds a little.

Nor is the sending lazy People to our Plantations abroad (who can neither by good Laws be forced, or by Rewards be encourag’d to work at home) so prejudicial to the Nation as some do imagine, where they must expect another sort of Treatment, if they will not labour; ’tis true, they give no help in 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 enquir’d into, some have been very useful there, who would never have been so here: And if the People of this Kingdom be employ’d 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 remain’d idle Drones; now they raise Sugar, Cotton, Tobacco, and other Things, which employ Sailors abroad, and Manufacturers at home, all which being the Product of Earth and Labour, I take to be the Wealth of the Nation.

The Employment of Watermen on the River Thames breeds many Sailors, and it were good to keep them still fill’d with Apprentices; also the Employment of Bargemen, Lightermen, and Trowmen, both on that and other Rivers, does the same, who should be encouraged to breed up Landmen, and fit them for the Sea.

Idleness is the Foundation of all those Vices which prevail among us, People aiming to be maintain’d 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, and on what they call their own, rather than by Dependance on others, which will keep up a true British Spirit, and put them on honest Endeavours, and will get them Credit and Reputation, and give them Opportunities of advancing their Fortunes; and if such an 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 such industrious People, who abhor Vice, on equal Principles of Religion and good Husbandry, Labour being usually a Barrier against Sin, which generally enter at the Doors of Idleness.

The third Consideration is, what Methods must be used to provide for those, who either are not able to work, or whose Labour can’t support their Charge; here I take Alms-houses to be good Gifts, where they are designed to relieve 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 Employments, tho’ not able to stem the Current of cross Fortunes: Two such have been sumptuously founded,Mr. Edward Colson's two Almshouses in Bristol. and suitably endowed, in the City of Bristol, Edward Colson, Esq; a Merchant and Native thereof, who is still living; one of them for twenty-four Men and Women, who had formerly lived well; the other for one hundred Boys, to be educated in the Principles of Vertue, and afterwards set out to Trades, whereby they may get their Livelihoods; a Charity so great in itself, and carried on so free from Ostentation, that the like is not to be seen in any Part of this Kingdom, of the free Gift of one Gentleman in his Life-time; which he hath settled in the Society of Merchants-Adventurers within that City, of whose Care and Fidelity in the well Management thereof, he is fully satisfied.

Another way to provide for those who are true Objects of Charity, is, by taking Care that the Poors Rates be made with more equality in Cities and great Towns, 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, may make them desire Relief, their chief Dependance must be on People but one step above their own Conditions; by which means these Out-parishes are more burthened in their Payments, than the In-parishes are, though much richer, and is one Reason why they are so ill Inhabited, no Man caring to come to a certain Charge: And this is attended with another ill Consequence, the wanting of better Inhabitants making way for those Disorders which easily grow among the Poor; whereas, if Cities and Towns were made but one Poors Rate, or equally divided into more, these Inconveniencies would be removed, and the Poor be maintained by a more equal Contribution.