THE PROBLEMS OF POVERTY 573
in 1648, in which similar measures are advocated; and A.D 208
Parliament intervened in 1647 by erecting a corporation ,,;,,
for employing the poor in London! In 1649 a pamphlet vd the
appeared, entitled the Poor Man's Advocate?, which suggests
that the remains of the crown lands, as well as of the
episcopal and cathedral revenues, should be utilised in this
way. Sir Matthew Hale® wrote in the same vein in 1683;
and many schemes were put forward for providing employ-
ment’, After the Revolution® expedients of this kind were
urged more frequently. One of them was brought before
Parliament in 1698, and is highly commended by Davenant?;
another was drafted by Locke’, who was one of the com-
missioners of the Board of Trade, another by one of the
Worcester justices, Mr Appletre®, and another by Mr Dunning
of Devonshire?. Locke brought a Bill into Parliament in
1 16 Dec. 1647. This is not printed by Scobell but merely mentioned. There
is a copy in the British Museum (1027. i. 16 (2)]. * An ordinance of the Lords and
Commons for the constant Reliefe and Imployment of the Poore * * * also
inabling the severall Counties and Corporations in the Kingdome of England and
Dominion of Wales for the like Relieving and Regulating of the Poore in their
respective Places.”
2 By Peter Chamberlen. 8 Provision for Poor.
4 Several tracts were written by men who were eager to promote some branch
of industry and who refer to the employment of the poor as one of the incidental
advantages it would subserve. It is in this spirit that Haines advises that the
poor should be employed in the linen manufacture (Proposals for building * *
a Working Almshouse (1677), in Harl. Misc. 1v. 489). This was the favourite experi-
ment when workhouses were necessary and were established, as for example by
Firmin in London, in 1678 (Eden, 1. 202 and note), The account of Haines’ scheme
shows that the class of poor, for whom employment was sought, was not the same
as the able-bodied vagrants whom Stanley had in mind, and for whom Harman
provided. Eden, 1.168. Goffe (How to advance the trade of the nation and employ
the poor, in Harl. Misc. xv. 383, a tract which is undated but apparently of the
time of Charles I1.)and others [Grand Concern, in Harl. Misc. vim. 581; I. D. in
A Clear and Evident Way (1650), {Brit. Mus. 1027. i. 16 (5), p. 15}, urge that
the poor might be employed in connection with fishing; and Yarranton
(England's Improvement (1677), pp. 47, 56) enunciates different possibilities for
different parts of the country, such as bone lace for the girls, toy-making for the
boys, and iron working. In Guilding, Records of Reading, much information will
be found about the workhouse and stock for employing the poor, but apparently
the utensils were sold and the scheme abandoned in 1639. Ib. m1. 455.
8 The subject was mentioned in the King's Speech, 16 Nov. 1699, and a com-
mittee of the House of Commons was appointed to deal with it (C. J. xmI. 4).
Cary, 4 Proposal offered to the Committee of the Honourable House of Commons
appointed to consider of Ways for the better providing for the Poor and setting
them on Work [Brit. Mus. 1027, i. 18 (6)]. 6 Davenant, m. 207.
7 Eden. 1. 244. 245. 3 7b. 930 Y Th. 248
