Chapter XII (2)

[620] Although the fact that the poor were employed in Devon and Wilts is not recorded in any of the justices' reports which have been preserved, we hear from other sources that work was found for the poor in some places in those counties. Thus the following memorandum refers to an attempt to establish a workhouse in Plymouth; it is to be found among the municipal records in that town. "In the name of god the 28th of September an^o 1610 A note of provisio^{ns} delivred into y^e Castle for the pore to thende they maye be there placed & sett on work, w^ch is but abeginninge for a fewe & a tryall thereof the w^ch I praie god continewe and augment to his glorye & their comfort.

Imprimis 2 bedsteads

* * * * *

5 twines 2 paire of wollen cards" &c.

Two years later £20 was bequeathed by W. Lawrence "to the stocke to sett y^e poor to worke," and early in the reign of Charles I. a "workehowse for the setting of the poore on worke" has been lately built and the overseers paid the corporation £9. 12_s._ for the rent of the three tenements which formerly had existed on the site. R. N. Worth, _Plymouth Municipal Records_, pp. 156 and 257, and _Hist. of Plymouth_, p. 273.

In Marlborough also there was certainly a workhouse, for a petition was presented to the Privy Council in the name of the Mayor and burgesses concerning John Thorner, an Attorney-at-Law, who "was rated among others to pay 52/- towards the erecting of a workhouse and raising of a stock for the employment of the poore that are able and willing to worke to be paid at three general payments whereof one is already passed at our Lady day last." Thorner had refused to pay his rate, "saying that it was against the law," and had encouraged others not to pay, so "that manie of the inhabitants there made refusall also to pay their proportion." The Privy Council referred the matters to the judges, and in the mean time the rate was to be paid. _Privy Council Register_, 13th May, 1631.

But with regard to the rest of England this is not the case. In every county except Northampton some justices state that they have found employment for the poor. As we might expect this was done most frequently in the towns and in the manufacturing counties, both because in these places there were more rich people and because there were also more unemployed owing to the greater fluctuations of trade.

[Sidenote: 9 _b_. Provision of work more necessary in the towns than in the country.]

A report from Reading and Theale illustrates this: "Wee finde that the able poore in boddy to worke and w^{ch} are in country villages and hambletts haue theire ymploymt in husbondrie and by that meanes are mayntayned; other lyen in such countrie townes, populer, incorporate, where heretofore multitudes of such able persons haue lived by worke from the clothier, now through the defect and decaye of that trade and soe consequently of the clothier, thousands of these poore formerlie relieved by worke liue in much want and could hardlie subsist this deere yeare did not many extend theire charity even beyond their meanes[621]." Newbury and Abingdon were also towns in the same neighbourhood subject to similar conditions, and we know already that workhouses were founded in both these places and in Reading itself also[622]. Shrewsbury and Hereford are fair examples of more westernly towns. At Shrewsbury the justices report in June 1631 that they "are aboute a course to sett all the poore on worke within our Towne and Libertyes[623]," and in 1638 an order was made for regulating a workhouse there[624]. About the same time the Mayor of Hereford records that "there is a colleccon made in euerie severall parish w^{th}in the said Cyttie, and competent somes raysed for to releive the impotent and needy, and a stocke for the setting of poore able people to worke and for the placeing of youth apprentices[625]." Other magistrates report in like manner: thus in the rape of Hastings they have caused the officers "as much as in them lyeth to see the said poore inhabitants bee duely kept to worke and haue fitting materialls provided for them[626]." In the hundred of Hertford the justices state in 1631 that the more populous places have already raised stocks of money to set the poor to work, and that they are still trying to induce all the others to do so though a few are not rich enough to bear the necessary taxation[627]. From St Albans, Reigate, Ipswich, Maidstone, Lynn, and Norwich, as well as from more inland towns we have similar information: the magistrates of Bedford write that "we haue raysed divers extraordenary taxes for the reliefe of our poore and settinge them on worke and therby they are set to worke[628]." But perhaps the Buckingham report indicates the most thorough organisation. There the poor had been visited apparently in the same way as at Norwich. Five hundred people were examined; the age and occupation of each were noted, and whether they had work or not. Afterwards employment was provided for those who needed it and we are told that the poor "of good disposicon are glad they are thus settled w^{th}out begging and settle themselves seriouslie to their labo^r." This good result however was not obtained without complaints from the ratepayers[629].

[621] _Dom. State Papers_, Vol. 191, 40. II.

[622] See above.

[623] _D. S. P._ Vol. 194, 17. III. 14th June.

[624] The orders of the corporation of Shrewsbury, "That a stock be raised for setting the poor on work and the Castle be repaired and imployed for that purpose." _Shropshire Archæological Journal_, XI. p. 169.

[625] _D. S. P._, Vol. 194, 41. II. See below for Shaftesbury, Leominster, Gloucester, Banbury, Abergavenny, &c.

[626] _Dom. State Papers_, Vol. 188, 34.

[627] _Ib._, Vol. 189, 79.

[628] _Ib._, Vol. 189, 27.

[629] _Ib._, Vol. 189, 60, and 187, 2.

In the country districts also employment seems to have been provided as well as in the towns whenever the poor suffered much from the want of work. In the western counties, however, there were few complaints of lack of employment, except from the cloth-workers when the trade in cloth was slack. Some justices expressly state that there is no want of work in their part of the country. Thus from a large district of Somerset we hear that there are "none lefte unplaced but such as doe mainetaine their charge by their labor[630]." Therefore, as we should expect, in many reports from the West nothing is said about finding employment for the able-bodied poor. There are, however, also a fair number of cases in which work is said to be provided. This is especially the case in the counties of Shropshire and Stafford; thus from Staffordshire three reports were sent in 1634, and in all three we are told that the poor were set to work[631]. Moreover, the Worcester justices write that "wee are carefull ... that the able poore bee well provided of worke[632]" and in almost all[633] the other western counties, at least one instance of the kind is reported[634].

[630] Vol. 192, 48. Hundreds of Whitley, North Petherton, Cannington, Andersfield, Huntspill and Puriton. See also Vol. 289, 57. Unnamed division of Somerset, "The poore are well set on worke as farre as we doe or have taken knowledge of by our best enquiryes."

[631] _Dom. State Papers_, Vol. 272, 61, July 25th, 1634. Pirehill, co. Stafford. "And we haue and doe take course to provide for and to sett on worke the poore of the several parishes within the said hundred."

_Ib._, Vol. 272, No. 65. Offlow. "We caused poore people to be sett on worke."

_Ib._, Vol. 272, No. 66. Totmonslow. We "further haue takein course to provide for and sett on worke the poore of the severall parishes."

[632] Limits of Worcester, _Ib._, Vol. 349, 73, 9th Mar. 1636/7.

[633] The exceptions are Devon, Wilts, and Cornwall. See note above.

[634] This question is so much one of detail that it is perhaps worth while to refer to one justice's report from almost every western county, some from towns, and some from the country:

1. _Berks._ June 1631. Abingdon. _Ib._, Vol. 195, 7. "We haue erected in our borough a workehouse to sett poore people to worke."

2. _Cheshire._ Edisbury, June 29th, 1631. Vol. 195, 21. The justices order "stockes of money and wares" to be raised, but find the people averse to find money for any such purpose.

3. _Derby._ Appletree. 185, 41. Feb. 1630/1. See below.

4. _Dorset._ Shaftesbury. 188, 67. April 1631. "Haue made provision and taken orders for settinge to worke of such idle persons and poore people as are of able bodies and strength to bee ymployed in trades and labor."

5. _Gloucester._ June 1631. Vol. 194, No. 11, I. Gloucester. "For those that are of abillitie to worke we haue provided them meanes to sett them on w(orke) soe they may lyve by their labor w^{th}out beinge further chargable to others."

6. _Hants._ Kingclere. Nov. 1633. Vol. 250, 11, IV. "The justices" have taken order that such as are able to worke are imployed in their several parishes."

7. _Hereford._ Leominster. June 1631. Vol. 194, 41, III. "Item the poore are provided for and such kept at work that are able to work."

8. _Monmouth._ Ragland. July 3rd, 1634. Vol. 271, 17. The justices since the commission have levied sums of money in every parish and township to buy "woole, flaxe and other necessaries towards the setting of poore to woorke."

9. _Oxford._ J. Ps. for co. Oxford, Vol. 188, 96. April 19, 1630. Have not omitted to provide "stockes" to "sett able poore on worke."

10. _Shropshire._ Bishop's Castle. Vol. 223, 39. 3rd Oct. 1632. "Here is herin but one church wherin are churchwardens, ouerseers of the poore duely elected and nominated; and monthly now we meete and we take order for mayntenance of the poore by setting the able to work and relief of the impotent."

11. _Somerset._ Frome, Kilmerston, Wellow and the adjoining districts. Vol. 185, 40. Feb. 1630/1. The justices have seen to the relief of the poor and setting them to work.

12. _Warwick._ Knightlow. Vol. 199, 65. 13 Sept. 1631. "The Constables, Churchwardens and Ouerseers for the poore in the rest of the townes in theis two divisions doe certfie vs that all ys well ... the poore are sett on worke and releiued and wee heare noe complaints to the contrarie."

[Sidenote: (_d_) Provision of work in many districts in most counties of the east.]

But in the east and south-east there was at any rate sometimes a chronic want of employment, and consequently numerous efforts to provide for the able-bodied poor. In the country round Hitchen we are told, as in the Reading district, that it is the poor in the town that are distressed, but in the hamlets the farmers find work for the inhabitants. The justices say they have no manufacture, and they do not know how to find a remedy for the people in the town. At one time they make the richer people employ the poor, but they do not find the experiment successful[635]. We have also an account of a permanent want of employment in a large district of Norfolk. In the hundreds of South Greenhoe, Wayland, and Grimshoe provision had been made by raising a stock to set the able-bodied poor to work, and besides the magistrates write, "Wee have manie young people w^{ch} live out of service by reason of the multitude of them, there not being services for them, but worke is provided for them in their seuerall parishes[636]."

[635] _D. S. P._, Vol. 427, 3. 1st Aug. 1639, Vol. 385, 43, and 349, 70.

[636] _Ib._, Vol. 385, 27. March 5, 1637/8.

There are very many reports of stocks for the provision of work in other country districts of the east. In Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridge there is much to make us think the system was nearly general[637], and in each of the other eastern counties there are many cases of the kind.

[637] _Herts._ Edwinstree and Odsey. _Ib._, Vol. 426, 73. July 29, 1639. The justices "haue directed stocks of money to be raised where need is to sett the poore on worke." See also above for hundreds of Hertford and Braughing, St Albans borough, and liberty of St Albans.

_Suffolk._ Hartismere. Vol. 349, 12. March 1636/7. "Those who are able to worke and cannot provide worke for themselues are sett to worke."

Cosford. Vol. 395, 35. July, 1638. The justices have "bin careful for the setting of poore people work," etc.

Hundreds of Loes, Wilford, Thredling and Plomesgate. 13th July, 1638. Vol. 395, No. 55. See App. XII.

Also Hundreds of Carlford and Colneis. Vol. 395, 62. July, 1638, and Ipswich, Vol. 195, 45.

_Norfolk._ South Erpingham and Eynsford. July, 1638. Vol. 395, 90. The justices have "taken care ... for the employment of the able," &c.

Division not mentioned. July, 1634. "We haue caused stockes to be raysed in the severall parishes of our limitts to sett the poore beinge able of bodye to worke." Vol. 272, 60.

For Freebridge Lynn, Freebridge Marshland and Clackclose; South Greenhoe, Wayland, and Grimshoe; and also Lynn, see above.

_Cambridge._ Hundreds of Cheveley, Staploe, Staine and Flendish (formerly all in Cambs.), "Item wee find upon our inquiry that the seuerall towne Stockes within o^r diuision are orderly imployed and accounted for and the poore of the seueral parishes sett one worke and imployed therin according to the Lawe." Vol. 285, 99. March, 1635. Chesterton, Papworth and North Stowe. 216, 45. See App. XII. Radfield, Chilford and Whittlesford. Vol. 395, 114, and Cambridge borough. See above.

In a district of Middlesex the unemployed were sent to fight for Gustavus Adolphus[638], but in most parishes materials were provided for them to work up. Thus in several hundreds in Kent "stocks of materialls" were provided in every parish[639]; in Nottinghamshire those out of service and able to work were set to work "on the towne stock[640]," while at Horncastle sessions, in Lincolnshire, the justices take "special care ... that the abler sort bee constantly sett on worke by the stocke of the parishe[641]." Sometimes the sum expended was very considerable if we take into account the great difference in the value of money. Thus in Wallington, Surrey, more than £120 was used for providing work, while nearly fifty pounds remained in hand[642]. On the whole therefore in the eastern counties, between 1631 and 1640, it seems that considerable sums of money were raised and employed in most districts[643] with the object of setting to work the able-bodied poor.

[638] 24th Oct. 1631. _Ib._, Vol. 202, 20. Report for Clerkenwell, S^t Sepulchre, S^t Giles, Islington, Finchley, Friarne, etc. "There is alsoe in the house of Correccon a manufacture prepared and by a charitable stocke of a hundred pounds given by S^r John Fenner Knight nowe in readynes an Artizan, who hath Articled and agreed w^{th} vs to take, instructe & bringe vp in the saide manufacture as apprentices twenty poore orphans boyes and Girles such as before wandred in the streetes and weare readie to perishe for wante of imployment." "Many idle and loose persons haue byn lately imployed and sent to serue under his ma^{tie} of Sweden and such others as are taken up in watches or Privie Searches w^{th}in o^r division are continually settled in some course of life or sent to the howse of Correccon." See also Appendix XII.

[639] Ruxley, Little, Lesnex, Axton, and the vill of Dartford and Wilmington. _D. S. P._, Chas. I., Vol. 220, 14. July 4th, 1632.

[640] _Ib._, Vol. 272, 40. July, 1634.

[641] _Ib._, Vol. 349, 113. March, 1636/7.

[642] _D. S. P._, Vol. 315, 25. March, 1635.

"Item. Money disbursed }
to set the poore on woorke. } cxxii^{li} iijs.

Itm. Moneys in stocke for the settinge of the poore to worke. xxxxvii^{li}."

[643] The following are instances in which work for the poor was provided in some district in every other eastern county:

_Sussex._ Rape of Bramber. _Ib._, Vol. 189, 16. April, 1631. The justices "haue compelled some that misspent their tyme to fall to labor and haue provided worke for them and others that alleaged they wanted worke."

_Bedford._ See above.

_Bucks._ Boro' of Buckingham. Vol. 201, 13. 3rd Oct., 1631. "Our poore are kept to work and o^r stock is still going, wee have noe poore that begg." Oct. 3rd, 1631. See above also.

_Essex._ Vol. 188, 92. April, 1631. Great want of work; the justices "haue not only delt w^{th} the able men of parishes to prouide and laie in corne for prouision of the poore at under-rates but did cause them to raise stockes and meanes to sett their poore on worke."

_Hunts._ Hundred of Hurstington. Vol. 329, 83. 1636. Signed by Sir Oliver Cromwell, H. Cromwell and Robert Audeley. The justices called before them the overseers of the poor and caused them "to render vs an accompt what stocks of money haue beene raysed for settinge the poore on worke and howe the poore haue beene releiued. Whoe haue made it appear before vs that the statute in this case hath beene duely obserued throughout the said hundred."

_Leicester._ West Goscote. Vol. 349, 35. March, 1636/7. The justices relieve and set to work poor people, punish rogues, and put all instructions of the Book of orders into execution, "w^{ch} course wee finde very beneficiall and much conducinge to the generall quiett and goode of the countrey and wee therefore w^{th} more cheerefullnes addresse ourselues thereunto."

_Lincolnshire._ Horncastle Sessions. Vol. 349, 113. 14th March, 1636/7. The justices "haue taken speciall care ... that the abler sorte bee constantly sett on worke by the stocke of the parishe."

_Rutland._ Vol. 185, 55. Feb., 1630/1. The justices state that "order is taken (according to lawe) for reliefe and setting to worke of poore and impotent people."

[Sidenote: 10. Summary.]

We have thus seen that in 1631 the improvement in the administration of poor relief concerned especially the relief of the able-bodied poor, and we have noted many instances in which taxes were raised for this purpose at that time. We have also examined a detailed report from a particular district in the county of Nottingham in which in forty-five out of sixty parishes some provision seems to have been made for finding employment for the poor. Moreover, we find that the plan of providing work for the unemployed was reported from some district of every county south of the Humber except Cornwall, Northampton, Devon, and Wilts; and in Devon and Wilts also the same plan was tried, although no report of the justices has been preserved. This form of poor relief thus seems to have been frequently in use in the towns of both east and west, and in the country districts of the eastern counties also. It was not quite so general in the country districts of the west, but still was not infrequent even there.

We may, therefore, say that from 1631 to 1640 we had more poor relief in England than we ever had before or since. We shall try to estimate later how far this system was successful. But we will now see what happened to the organisation of English poor relief during the Civil War. We will also trace the history of poor relief in France and Scotland during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, in order that we may see that the history of poor relief in England is unique.