2.

1. THat none young nor old in the Workhouse shall sweare, neither by the name of God, nor the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. That none eyther young or old give their tongues to lying, rayling, filthy talking, or singing ribbauld Songs.
3. That none scoff at any man or Womans person, being Deformed, seeing it is the Workmanship of God, who might have layd it upon thee that scoffest; nor to scoff at any mans profession being never so low and mean in the World, if needfull in the Commonwealth.
4. That none have any cursed wishes in their tongues to any, neyther in the Workhouse nor abroad.
5. That none give their hands to stealing, or imbezeling any of the goods of the Corporation, or any of their Fellows goods belonging to them in the Workhouse.

And if any refuse to obey these, or the like wholsome Lawes, and Orders of the Workhouse and despiseth to be under the Government and Correction of such punishment as the Corporation shall thinke meete for such offences, greater or lesser, that then they be sent to Bridewell or house of Correction, to receive further punishment for deserts. Consider that these Lawes and Orders being read by the aforesaid Schoolmaster, upon such dayes as the Corporation shall appoint, and the punishment executed upon the Offendors, young or old, will be a meanes to make many of them affraid to offend; as it appeares by Solomons words, Prov. 22.15. Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a Child, but the rod of correction shall drive it farr from him.

Here followeth to be considered the charge and the gain of imploying the poor in these particulars ensuing:

1 How many officers needfull to govern 100 children.

2 The wages of officers to govern the children from 5 or 6 year old, to 14 or 15.

3 The charge of dyet for such children whose Parents are dead, or very poor.

4 What profit will arise out of their labour towards this charge.

First, how many officers needfull to order 100 children in each Workhouse?

1 A Steward. 2 A Schoolmaster. 3 A Cook, or Sutler. 4 A Botcher. 5 A Cobler. 6 A Barber. 7 Five women teachers, to order the said hundred children in spinning, kniting, or the like; in all, there will be need of these 11 officers.

2 What wages each officer to have yeerly in a competent measure for the better preservation of the Stock, and a hopefull carying on of this good work.

And if this be thought too little, allow him so much Serge as will make him a Suit and Cloak of the childrens spinning, which will be a good help to him.

And the benefit of selling bread and beer to the work-peopl, &c.

Besides, if every woman may be allowed a peny out of every shilling the children earn by spining, kniting, or other work, this will not onely be a means to stir up the children, to make them quickhanded, but also the Teachers, and the Corporation will both gain by it, for the better preserving the stock for the good of the City; as for example, The five women having 20 children a peece to govern, If each woman after a while, can by her industry and care, bring her 20 children to earn 12 d. [Page] a week a peece, this will bring to the Teacher 20 d. per week, but when the children come to earn 18 d. per week, then it wil be 2 s. 6 d. per week, which amounts unto yearly 6 li. 10 s.

So that with the allowance of the Corporation 5 li. per annum, with her own care and industry to forward the children, will amount yeerly to 11 li. 10 s.

Consider, if the Corporation allow a competent maintenance to every Officer, they shal be sure not to want an officers or Teacher, when any dye or be removed, for peopl wil sue for an office in the Workhouse, as Parents sue yearly to get their children in Christchurch Hospitall; besides, after a few years, the Corporation wil hav Teachers of their own trayning up, to serve their occasion when ever they need.

Having shewn the totall of all the Salaries, for all the Officers amounting to yeerly 120 li.

3 I come now to speak of the charg of dyet for the 100 children, this will be a thing uncertain, because all the whole 100 children may not be at the charge of the Corporation for thee meals a day, whether they be strangers or inhabitants, for that were to bring a vast charge upon the Corporation and City; and if the Corporation should entertain all that come East, West, North, and South, they should have ten strangers for one Parishioner, I beleev it is not so intended by them, but rather the livelihood they appoint, is for such children that are in the Parish wher the Workhouse is, or such Parishes adjoyning near, or about the Workhouse, viz. such children who have neither Father, nor friend; but the Parishes, and they ought to be the Fathers to them to provide for them, and such children must have three meals a day, and lodging with it. Another sort of poor children there are, who are the children of poor widows, or poor Parents, who are so poor they are not abl to pay for their childrens Schooling 3 d. or 4 d. per week, much les to find them victels, but are inforc'd to send them, to beg bread, and pottage, or what they can for their livelihood, such as these also to have some allowance three times a day, except on publick fast dayes, they going home to their Parents for lodging.

There is another sort of poor children, whose Parents are very poor, yet they send not their children a begging, yet they fare very hard, scarce eat a peece of meat throughout the year, whose fare for the most part is bread and pottage, and roots [Page] in Winter, and herbs in Summer, or Raddishes, and Salt, with a peece of bread, without Butter or Cheese, and their drink for the most part, fair water from the Pump, and yet blessed be God, tho the fare be mean, yet they are long livers and healthy.

These poor peopl if their children might be allowed one meal a day, and their childrens teaching, they would acknowledg it a mercy from God, so to put it into the hearts of good peopl, to provide for poor children, and others. I come now to speak of the allowance of three meals a day, and the charg of it, begining with the Winter season, because then provision is deerer then Summer.

1 For breakfast in Winter 3 ounces of houshold bread, a mess of pottage, and half a pinte of drink.

The charg of this meal is about a ob.

2 For Dinner, 5 ounces of bread, a pint of beer, a mess of pottage, made sometimes of meat, sometimes of milk, and sometimes watergrewel, one herring, or that quantity in other fish, with a Turnip with it, to qualify the saltness of it.

The charg of this meal will be about 1 d. ob.

3 For Supper, 4 ounces of bread, half a pint of beer, one Hering with a Turnip, and somtimes broth in cold weather.

The charg of this is about ob. q

By this we find, that the charg of three meals a day, amounts to 2 d. ob. q this will be the most, if these three things be considered, for the improvement of dyet.

1 If the Fishing trade for the City of London be caried on by the Parliament and the City, some pious persons with 600 l. stock, will undertake to bring from Sea, fish monthly for the relief of the poor at the Workhouse, which will much ease the Corporation, and the charg will not be so great as to buy all at London. Furthermore if a quantity of London Busses may be set out by the Parliament and City, the rich and poor in and about London would fare the better by it.

2 If we may buy one time with another ordinary wheat at 6 s. per Bushel, we may allow a child 12 ounces of bread for a peny that is 3 for breakfast, 5 for dinner, and 4 for supper, with other things with it, all which amounts unto each day except publick Fastdayes

3 Som yeers we may buy Wheat for 3 s. and 4 s. per Bushel, which now worth 7 s. or 8 s. per Bushel, so that when 'tis a cheap year of Corn, and our own industry and labor (all hands working) for carying on the fishing trade, we shal be abl by Gods blessing to find our children food at a cheaper rate then I hav set down.

Consider if one childs dinner cost 1 d. ob. which is for the whole week 10 d. ob. as well Sabbath days as others, for so I hope the Corporation do intend to do, that so all boys and girls that come to School or work, may be kept under government on the Sabbath days, as I said before, from rambling abroad.

Reckon then if one child cost for one meal a day by the week

Now reckon the charg of 100 childrens diet, as well those 50 that are to hav but one meal a day, as those that are to hav 3 meals a day, and see what the whole charg amounts unto.

Here is the whole charg laid down in as low a maner as may be in Christian charity, as well for the smalness of the wages for the officers, as the littlenes of the meals for the children; and tho the allowance be small, yet it will be a great refreshment to many a poor child, for nature is content with littl, and grace with less. Also the contributors to this good work may see the care of the Corporation is so much for the good of the City, that they would competently refresh the poor, and not wast and lavish the stock; but that this charitabl work may be held up for ages, by Gods blessing, and good mens endeavor.

Upon the prosperity of the fishing trade, for the better ease of the charg of diet, if children eat fish 4 times a Week; that is, on Mundays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and meat on Sabbath days, and Thursdays. A quarter of a pound of Beef for a child is the allowance of Christs Church Hospitall to their children; and on Tuesdays a little dumpling or pudding, a [Page] fare that most children delight in; and this note, if children be refresht in Winter with 7 meals for 10 d. ob. in Summer, provision is cheaper.

4 Particular, What profit these 100 children will bring in weekly by their labour towards this great charg.

Suppose after 2 or 3 months teaching, by the care of the Teachers, the children may be brought to earn 12 d. per week a child, one with the other, viz. som children, tho in 2 or 3 months teaching cannot earn 12 d. per week, by reason they are dull, and heavy handed, yet others being quickwitted, and nimblehanded, may earn above 12 d. per week, so that one with the other, they may earn 12 d. per week or more.

Reckon if 100 children by their labour, earn 12 d. per week one with the other, it amounts to per week, 5 li. and 5 li. per week, by the yeer amounts to 260 li.

Consider then, when the children come to earn 18 d. per week or more, the loss will not be so great; but put the ease the Corporation should lose 200 li. yeer, yet the Church of God, and the Commonwealth will gain by it, but he that seeks his own interest above the honor of God and the Commonwealth, shews himself to be no true friend to God, nor the Commonwealth; therefore I counsell all peopl hy and low to their uttermost, advance the honor of God, and the good of the Commonwealth, lest they fall and perish, as many great men have done of late; for 'tis dangerous when God and a Commonwealth, eys a man as no friend to them.

The work of wellordering the poor is a rare work, and by it three excellent things will be produced, toward a good Reformation.

1 Gods honor will be set up, when that that is good is advanced.

2 The peopl of God will rejoyce, when sin in children and others is beat down.

3 The poor children will have a benefit by it, because thereby they are like to be made serviceabl for the Commonwealth; otherwise, they wil be as thorns in the sids of the Nation; wherfore I rejoyce when I see great men in hy places to have pious hearts, and publick spirits, such persons God, and a Nation [Page] will stand for, against all their enemies, and he will make their enemies to be at peace with them.

But as for such that are enemies to this good work, either by opposing it in their words, and works, or by starving it with their poor and small charitys, I fear God hath a curse for them here, or a wo for them hereafter, When Christ shall say, Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill, and it is angels: And Christ will say to such, Inasmuch as ye have not don it to the poor, ye have not don it to me: Such opposers of charitabl good works, when they shall com upon their deathbeds, they will then wish they had given half their estates with Zacheus, that they could then obtain the love of a Christ, and the happiness of a Zacheus, that salvation might com unto their house, as it did unto his; therfore I wish all rich men that desire to obtain the love of a Christ, to make their hands and their eys, their first executors, because their last executors may deceive them, as som have don. Consider, if children are kept under government and imployment, they are the fitter for Tradesmen, & others, and so therby, made serviceabl to the Commonwealth, so that the loss of 200 l. is the preserving of 100 children from ruin: therefore we conclude, if the City of London should lose 1000 l. per annum in this work, yet they would gain by it, in the preservation of 500 children, and more; for if children are not kept under a government, they will in time grow to a generation of ungodly wretches, having no fear of God before their eys, and so become a dishonor to God, and a burden to the Commonwealth.

Therefore let us judge seriously, which will be the greatest loss, either mony or peopl to a Commonwealth? viz. whether 500 children should perish yeerly, rather then the City of London should lose 1000 l. over and above their other common charity?

If ungodly, uncharitable muckworms should say, we had rather see 500 children beg and starve yeerly, rather then the City of London should lose 1000 l. yeerly towards poor childrens education and relief; I would say to such unchristian like peopl, as St. Peter said to Simon Magus, thy mony perish with thee; so say I, let their mony perish with them, rather then poor souls should perish for the want of so small a portion of food for a meal, as I have set down before.

And whereas the losse of 200 li. ariseth in the dyeting of 100 children, if these insuing helps may be gained; the losse wil then be very little, which is by way of gathering from Bakers and others, who give bread one or two days a week constantly to the poor at their doors, but if the poor of the workhouses might have it, they would rather give it there. For I understand there are many honourable and rich persons in and about London are resolved to give no more at their doors, since they have heard of a Corporation appointed to regulate the poor by work, and other good government, therefore as Christ said. Take up the fragments that nothing be lost. I beleeve the practise of this wil save the City of London, 500 l. per annum or more, otherwise it wil be lost.

As I have spoken of the officers and their salleries, so I desire to shew what is the cheife worke of a Steward to do, and what the Schoolmasters work is, and the Cook or Suttlers is,

1 The Stewards work is, to keep books of accounts, one book is, what he receives from the Treasurer, either monys, or materials received from the publick store house, appointed by the Corporation, for the laying in of wool, hemp, flax, &c.

The second Book is, what commodities are delivered out, to workpeople in the house, or abroad.

3 Book is, for the commodities received when tis wrought.

4 Book is, to take notice of what losse was in any pounds of wool, hemp, flax, or cotten wool, as well in weight as tale, this will be a means to prevent stealing and carelesnes, such losses the workers to make good, besides the allowance, some masters allow one ounce in the pound losse in childrens work.

2 His care is to see to the house, that it be swept and washt, and kept clean and wholsom, when the Corporation or strangers come into it, to see the people at work.

3 His care to see the Instruments belonging to the work people, that they be preserved, and if any hap to be brok, or out of order to see them repaired, and to buy such things as the Corporation shall appoint.

These are the cheifest things the Steward is to perform, for the honour of the worke.

The office of the SchooleMaster is,

1 To pray with the people once a day at least.

2 To teach the children to read & write, 2 hours in a day, one in the forenoon, the other in the afternoon, the rest of the day to work

3 To read the lawes and orders at certain times to the children, to the end they may know how to walk before God and men, for the law read, is a terrour to mild children, and such will reproov others that are more stuborn, saying I will tel my Master, because you did swear, or you did this or that evill, contrary to the Laws of the workhouse, these words falling from the child will daunt the reprooved.

4 To exercise those gifts, God hath given him, on the Sabbath days, by prayer, reading of Chapters, and Sermons, as aforementioned, and catechizing the children, by this meanes the streets and fields will bee cleared of many idle children who now spend their days in wickednesse, to the dishonor of God, and the disgrace of this City, and Common wealth.

When God shall be pleased to bring this Government, then rich and poore, affected with goodnesse shal say, Happy art thou O England in this thy Reformation, and blessed be thy God for it.

3 The office of the Cook or Sutler, to provide such provision for the children as the Corporation shall appoint.

1 By taking care, that all such provision that shall be given weekly by well disposed people, for the comfort of poor children, whether it bee Bread from Bakers, Beer and Broth from Taverns Innes, & others, or what else any shall provide, for the maintenance and upholding this good worke.

2 For his better livelyhood, that he provide Bread and Beer, and such like for the comfort of poor people that work in the house, for they will be glad to have it nigh them, that they may not be hindred of their work: besides, the having of it by small quantities, farthings and halfe penny worths, as they have need.

These are the cheifest things, that these three officers are to act, for the glory of God, the honour of the Corporation, and the comfort of the poor, that none may perish for want of bread, as many have done of late; witnesse some about Westminster that lived upon Dogs and Cats these deer and hard times; others upon Beasts blood and Brewers graines boyled together, and the poor woman that killed her child, and dyed for it the last Sessions 1649. upon her examination, she confest extream need and feare of famine occasioned it.

To conclude, for the better releife of the poor, it was well observed of one, who said, that England had many hundred of Acres of waft and barren lands, and many thousands of idle hands, if both these might be improved, England by Gods blessing would grow to be a richer Nation then it is now by far.

A Parliament power would do much towards this work, to make it generall throughout the Nation, by causing all planting of Tobacco to be thrown down in England, which is a hinderance to the poor Englishmen beyond the Seas, and a wrong to the custom, if they sell it in other Countries for want of vent here, that such lands may be imployed in sowing Hemp, and Flax, and Roots, and planting of trees for fruit and fuel, all which would be a great succour to the poor, as well to imploy them, as releive them; the Parliament have intentions to make this good worke of imploying and releiving the poor, generally throughout the Nation. The great God of heaven is able to make them to act and perform it for a generall good.