THE PROBLEMS OF POVERTY 
children are seldom brought up to anything; but being dd 
nursed up in idleness in their youth, they become indisposed 
for labour, and then begging is their portion, or Theevery 
their Trade, so that though Commons be a help to one, 
yet its a ruine to many.” Worlidge also argues that the 
common rights of the “Poor do very much injure them 
and the Commonweal in general. For here, by reason 
and under colour of a small advantage on a Common, and 
by spending a great part of their time in seeking and 
attendance after their cattel; they neglect those parts of 
Husbandry and Labour, that otherwise would maintain 
them well, and educate their Children in these poor 
Cottages, as attenders on their small Stocks, and their 
Neighbours’ greater, for a small allowance; which is the 
occasion that so many poor Cottagers are near so great 
Wasts and Commons. These open and Champion Counties, 
by reason of the multitude of these Cottagers, are the 
Producers, Shelterers and Maintainers of the vast number 
of Vagrants and Idle Persons, that are spread throughout 
the greatest part of England; and are encouragements to 
Theft, Pillage, Lechery, Idleness and many other Lewd 
Actions, not so usual in places where every man hath his 
proper Lands Inclosed, where every Tenant knows where 
to find his Cattel, and every Labourer knows where to 
have his day’s Work?” 
In so far as the Civil War caused the dislocation of 
agriculture?, or of trade, the means of charitable relief* 
569 
1 Taylor, Common Good, 8. 8 Worlidge, Systema Agriculturae, 13, 
% Sir John Cooke writes in 1648 (Unum necessarium, p. 5): “ There was never 
more need to make some provision for the poore then this yeare;...a Labourer 
will thrash as much corn in a day, as the last yeare in two; and corn being deere, 
‘hose that kept three servants the last yeare, will keep but two the next; those 
that had two but one, and those that had one will do their work themselves; and 
very one projects for himselfe, to spend as little as may be, but who takes care 
for the poore, how shall they be provided for? If a poor man have work all this 
winter, and get six pence a day; what will three shillings a week do to maintain 
himselfe, his wife, and three or foure children? For English families commonly 
ronsist of six or seven.” The remedy he suggests is that of preventing or 
limiting brewing so that barley may be available for food (p. 29). He discusses 
the practice in other countries of authoritatively fixing the price of corn (p. 7), but 
is curiously silent about the powers of the Justices to raise wages. 
4 “In respect of the troubles of the times, the meanes of the said Hospitall 
hath very much failed for want of charitable benevolences which formerly have