Bread for the poor, or, A method shewing how the poor may be maintained and duly provided for in a far more plentiful and yet cheaper manner than now they are without waste or want.

Where there is an Effect there is a Cause.

AS the Effect is certain and visible, in the excessive Charge of Maintaining the Poor; so that there is a Cause producing such Effect is as certain: Now what such Cause, or Causes are, how they may be prevented with a due Provision made for the Poor, as the Law directs, and with less Charge to the Country; is next to be considered.

First Cause is, Profuseness in Diet.

'Tis generally observ'd, That not only more Ale and Brandy is sold than formerly in single Ale houses, and Brandy-shops; but the number of such Houses and Shops are also increased, that the Money spent in Ale and Brandy, in small Country-shops and Ale-houses, amounts to a vast, and almost incre∣dible

sum, did not their Payments for Excise manifest it, Tha a very small and inconsiderable part thereof is spent by Gent. or Travellers, or House-keepers, that pay Rates to the King and Poor, that such as are maintained by Parish-pay, sel∣dom drink any other than the strongest Ale-house Beer, which at the Rate they buy it, cost 50 Shillings, or 3 l. a Hogs∣head; that they seldom eat any Bread, save what is made of the finest Wheat-flower, sold by common Bakers.

Second Cause is, Idleness.

Persons once receiving Parish-pay, presently become idle, alleadging the Parish is bound to maintain them; and that in case they should work, 'twould only favour a Parish from whom they say they shall have no thanks: And not only themselves, but the Family to whom they belong, presently become idle too, finding that Parish pay, with the help of their Clamour, their imposing on the Ignorance of some Offi∣cers, deceiving the Charity of others, and their threatning the timorous sort with Warrants from Persons in Authority; a work of less trouble, and more profit than daily Labour.

Third Cause is, Giving excessive Pay.

The Giving excessive Pay to the Poor, hath greatly occa∣sioned their extravagant Expences, and occasioned Idleness in them, and discouraged Industry in others: The Allowance commonly given to Persons maintained by a Parish, being three times as much as an honest Labourer, who with his Wife maintains three Children can afford to do; which many hundreds in the County do, and that in a decent manner; as may appear by the proportion next mentioned.

The Common Outgoing of a Day-labourer in Husbandry computed.

As 'tis not strange to see Labourers to have four or five Children a-piece, which they maintain by their Labour; so

'tis common to see many maintain three Children a-piece in a decent manner: Now admitting the Wife maitains her self, and one Child, which is the most a Woman can, and what few will do; what is needful to maintain himself, and two Children, the Husband must bear, he must pay House-rent; which in 20 Shill. yearly, is weekly—

Upwards of	4d.	0.
He must buy wood, which cannot well be less than	3	0.
His own cloaths in 20 sh. yearly, costs weekly above	4	ob.
His Sunday's diet 2 d. & Working-tools weekly 1 d.	3	0.
There remains of his Week's wages to maintain 2 Child. meat and drink, cloaths, wash. attend. &c.	1 s.	2 d.
Scarce above 1 d. a day for each Child; so weekly Both cost	2	5

His Wages, or Income.

Herein loss of Work thro' bad Weather, Holy-days, &c. are not computed.

The charge of maintaining a young Child, and of an In∣firm Person

Unable to labour, being near the same.

His full Wages in some parts of the County, is weekly 2s. 6d. in others 2s. 8d. in some places less; and where more is paid, House rent and wood are dearer.

Fourth Cause of the chargeableness of the Poor.

Several of the Poor have ordinarily one House a-piece, in∣tirely to themselves; which would conveniently serve three or four of them, and the same Fire, Candle-light, and At∣tendance that now serves but one, might serve three, or four; and in many particulars, they might assist, help, and comfort one another; only their Unwillingness, to have their Idleness, Filching, and Profuseness in Diet discovered, makes them extream averse against such Cohabiting.