Proposals For Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital | Page 6

appear.
Suppose every Farm worth 100 l. _per Ann._ Plant but Eight Acres of
Flax or Hemp, and that worth 7, 6, or 5 l. per Acre, which last sum is
the least that may be expected from good Land to be worth, as it stands
on the Ground; wherefore to avoid mistakes, we will take our measures
from 5 l. per Acre. 05-00-00
For Rent we will Deduct 20 s. for Seed. 20 s. and for Plowing, Sowing,
and Harrowing 10 s. In all-- 02.10.00
Which Deducted out of 5 l. there remains clear Profit for one Acre of
Land-- 02.10.00
So that eight Acres, at the least value must yield clear Profit, all
Charges Deducted-- 20.00.00
To which add 2 l. 10 s. which will be saved out of the Poors Book, and
it makes-- 22.10.00
So that a farm which was worth 100 l. _per Ann._ will by this
Expedient, be worth Six score and Two pounds and Ten Shillings _per
Ann._; and to be Sold, will yield 450 l. more than before.
Which is a plain Demonstration, that the laying out of 5 l. towards the
building and furnishing these Hospitals, will purchase above 20l. _per
Ann._ or bring in 450 l. And this is the lowest Calculation that may be
made of the Profits and Advantages that may arise by Planting of Hemp,
and Flax, if well Husbanded.
And most true it is, there's no one Manufactory in England so generally
profitable as this may be made, especially to be raised from Land, with
so little hurt done to the same, as may be Demonstrated thus;
Suppose the Crop of one Acre, as it stands on the Ground to be worth 7
l. (which is a very moderate supposition.) This Seven Pounds worth
being well Drest fit for Spinners, may be worth 14 l. This Fourteen

Pounds worth being well Spun and made into good Cloth, may be
worth from 40 l. to 60 l. Yea I have been inform'd beyond the Seas, that
the Cloth which might be made of one Acre of Flax well Drest and well
Spun, might be worth more than a 100 l.
Let us not forget, that we have idle hands enough in our Nation to
perfect this most profitable Improvement; and also, that little more than
half the Money which in one year goes out of the Nation for Linnen,
will pay for accomplishing the same: Nay, if the thing were rightly
considered, it might be easily Demonstrated, That the Money which
goes out of the Nation for Linnen in one year, will pay for making of
all the Cloth that may be made in 20 years; although in every year of
that twenty, there be as much made, as now we buy a Year of other
Nations: As thus;
Money being kept at home within the Body of the Nation, is (as it hath
no less aptly, than frequently been resembled) like the Blood in its
Circulation in the Body of Man, which is not the less for its perpetual
Motion; but the whole Body thereby the better supplyed, strengthened,
and nourished in every Part. So it is with our Money; For, suppose
Twelve hundred Thousand pounds goes out of the Nation in one year
(which, some say, is much more) This never returns again; But if the
same sum be paid for making so much Cloth at home, there's not one
Groat the less at the years end; So that the very Money which pays for
one years work, may pay for two years, and consequently for 20 years,
and yet pass through all necessary Trades, and as well to the land
Occupiers, as any.
The _9th_ Obj. _But possibly, your Engins for Expedition may fail,
which if so, then notwithstanding, the Spinners,_ &c. _may earn their
own Food, yet there will be nothing towards the maintainance of good
Government, which is the great thing you aimed at, whereby all
persons who are brought into the Hospital, may be well Educated, and
effectually Instructed in a Methodical way for expedition and
advantage; Administering incouraging Rewards to the Ingenuous and
Industrious, and Correction to those that deserve it, without which 'tis
almost impossible to perfect your good design._

_Answ._ 'Tis very true: But first, I am confirm'd in my Judgement, that
the riddance these Engins will make, cannot be less than what I have
already proposed in _pag._ the _5th._
Secondly, Suppose the worst, _viz._ that the Engins fail; What then; If
every 100 l. _per Ann._ in each County contribute 3d. per Week, which
would undoubtedly be sufficient to maintain good Government
amongst them? Nay, what, If for the better Incouragement, and more
Comfortable maintainance of all the whole Family, six pence per Week
be paid, it would