Proposals For Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital | Page 4

is only a punishment, and turns not to advantage, to keep them there all their days, or at least until they marry, and keep within doors.
_Obj. 7._ Some may imagine an inconvenience in sending so many people from all parts of the County to one place, and say, _Why were it not better to build many little Work-Houses rather than one great one_?
_Answ._ I Answer, By no means; for then we shall miss one great and chief Design, _viz._ the maintenance of good Government; by which the whole Family may be instructed in good Manners both towards God and Man; only as some Counties are greater, more populous, _&c._ they may have more or less proportionably.
_Obj. 8._ There still remains one Objection; and that is, _What shall we do for Hemp and Flax?_
_Answ._ To which I Answer, That Hemp or Flax (one or the other) may plentifully be had in every County of _England_: Take Sussex as an example; any indifferent good Land, Chalky, _&c._ from the foot of the Downes to the Sea-side, with double Folding or Dunging, and twice Plowing, will produce Hemp in abundance; yet though their Land be rich enough, dry, _&c._ it will not produce good Flax: But to supply that, many Thousand Acres of the Wild of Sussex, will produce Crops of Flax, worth some four, some five, some six Pounds an Acre, and that kind for Hemp, as aforesaid, worth as much. Besides, for encouraging the Planting the same at home, it may be convenient to lay an Imposition of Four or Five Shillings in the Pound, or upwards, upon all Hemp, Thread, Cordage, or Linnen Imported from Foreign parts; by means whereof, we may raise it at home cheaper than buy them abroad, and then everybody will Plant Hemp and Flax abundantly, as a thing of course, enriching those that promote it.
But why 4 or 5 Counties should (as some have proposed) enjoy this great Wealth and Advantage of promoting the Linnen Manufactory and Improvement of Lands, and not the rest, I cannot understand; nor for what reason so many people should be drain'd out of all the Nation into four or five Midland Counties, since those Counties next adjoyning to the Sea, ought to be kept most populous.
_But to what purpose should so much Hemp be planted?_
I Answer, Hemp is of greater strength than Flax, therefore of more excellent use for great advantage, as Cables, Ropes, and all kinds of Cordage, Sails, Sacking, _&c._ As also Thread for all Nets for Fishery; for which, and other purposes, we now buy yearly several hundred Thousand Pounds worth from beyond the Seas; so that without controversie, there's as much Hemp to be used as Flax, and consequently the Hemp-Mill may be as useful as the Spinning-Instrument.
Having, we hope, satisfactorily Answered all Material Objections against the main Body of this Design, it remains to consider of the Order and Method of Governing these great Families or Corporations; but the Particulars thereof we leave to the deeper Wisdom and judicious Care of Authority; only in general propose,
1. That for the better encouragement and support of so many poor people labouring in so profitable a Manufactory, each Alms-house be provided with and allowed a publick Granary, for stocking themselves with Corn when it is cheapest, against the time of Dearth; a priviledge we conceive not to be so properly advisable for other Companies or Handicrafts (as some propose and desire) because that would always keep Corn too cheap, and consequently undo the Tenant, or Landlord, or both: For what makes Wheat as often at 4s. a Bushel (under which it is known the Farmer cannot live) as at 2 s. 6 d. but because all people in the Nation that have occasion, must buy of the Land-Occupiers at the same time when it is scarce? But by such general Granaries the hopes of 4 s. per Bushel will be banisht the Markets; but in our case painful Husbandry, that ancient Employment may well allow Granaries, both because this Manufactory and Design eases their Charge to the poor, and is of more advantage to the Publick, than some 20 Trades besides; and particularly, because it helps to improve their Lands by Flax and Hemp, that now they need not so much relie upon Corn for raising their Rent: Besides, if other other overstockt Trades want Bread, let them quit their Station, and come to Weaving, and then they may enjoy the benefit of these Granaries, also.
2. That the Maiden-Children brought up in this Corporation, may after they attain to the Age of 15 Years, or other fit time, be permitted to go forth to Service to learn good Huswifry, and the Lads to Husbandry or Trades, if they think fit; nor will there be need of so