







 
   
     
       
         An account of the proceedings of the Corporation of Bristol in execution of the act of Parliament for the better employing and maintaining the poor of that city
         Cary, John, d. 1720?
      
       
         
           1700
        
      
       Approx. 24 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.
       
         Text Creation Partnership,
         Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :
         2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).
         A35154
         Wing C724
         ESTC R18319
         12039765
         ocm 12039765
         52963
         
           
            This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of
             Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal
            . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
          
        
      
       
         Early English books online.
      
       
         (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35154)
         Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 52963)
         Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 862:14)
      
       
         
           
             An account of the proceedings of the Corporation of Bristol in execution of the act of Parliament for the better employing and maintaining the poor of that city
             Cary, John, d. 1720?
          
           [2], 21 p.
           
             Printed by F. Collins ...,
             London :
             1700.
          
           
             Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.
             Signed: John Cary.
          
        
      
    
     
       
         Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.
         Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors.
      
       
         EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.
         EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).
         The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.
         Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.
         Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.
         Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.
         The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.
         Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).
         
          Keying and markup guidelines are available at the
           Text Creation Partnership web site
          .
        
      
       
         
         
      
    
     
       
         eng
      
       
         
           England and Wales. -- Parliament.
           Poor -- England -- Bristol.
           Bristol (England) -- History.
        
      
    
     
        2006-06 TCP
        Assigned for keying and markup
      
        2006-07 Apex CoVantage
        Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images
      
        2006-09 Mona Logarbo
        Sampled and proofread
      
        2006-09 Mona Logarbo
        Text and markup reviewed and edited
      
        2007-02 pfs
        Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
      
    
  
   
     
       
         
         
         
           AN
           ACCOUNT
           OF
           THE
           PROCEEDINGS
           OF
           THE
           Corporation
           of
           BRISTOL
           ,
           In
           Execution
           of
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Parliament
          
           FOR
           The
           better
           Employing
           and
           Maintaining
           the
           Poor
           of
           that
           City
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           :
           Printed
           by
           
             F.
             Collins
          
           in
           the
           
             Old
             Baily
          
           .
           1700.
           
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           TO
           THE
           RIGHT
           HONOURABLE
           AND
           HONOURABLE
           ,
           THE
           
             Lords
             Spiritual
             and
             Temporal
          
           ,
           AND
           Commons
           in
           Parliament
           ASSEMBLED
           .
        
         
           
             May
             it
             please
             your
             Honours
             ,
          
        
         
           I
           Humbly
           make
           bold
           to
           lay
           before
           your
           Honour
           's
           an
           Account
           of
           our
           Proceedings
           in
           the
           City
           of
           Bristol
           on
           the
           Act
           of
           Parliament
           for
           Erecting
           Hospitals
           and
           Work-houses
           for
           the
           better
           employing
           and
           maintaining
           
           the
           Poor
           of
           that
           City
           ,
           which
           passed
           in
           the
           first
           Sessions
           of
           the
           Parliament
           begun
           at
           Westminster
           the
           22nd
           of
           November
           1695.
           whereby
           the
           Power
           invested
           in
           the
           Corporation
           commenced
           from
           the
           12th
           of
           May
           1696.
           
        
         
           The
           first
           thing
           we
           did
           was
           to
           choose
           Four
           Guardians
           for
           each
           of
           our
           Twelve
           Wards
           ,
           as
           the
           Statute
           does
           direct
           ,
           which
           ,
           with
           the
           Mayor
           and
           Aldermen
           ,
           amounted
           to
           Sixty
           Guardians
           ,
           and
           made
           up
           our
           Court.
           
        
         
           The
           Court
           being
           thus
           constituted
           ,
           at
           our
           first
           Meeting
           we
           chose
           our
           Officers
           appointed
           by
           the
           said
           Act
           ,
           viz.
           a
           Governour
           ,
           a
           Deputy-Governour
           ,
           Twelve
           Assistants
           ,
           a
           Treasurer
           ,
           a
           Clerk
           ,
           and
           a
           Beadle
           .
        
         
           This
           being
           done
           ,
           we
           ordered
           the
           Guardians
           who
           dwelt
           in
           each
           Parish
           ,
           to
           bring
           in
           an
           account
           of
           all
           the
           Poor
           in
           their
           respective
           Parishes
           ,
           their
           Names
           ,
           Ages
           ,
           Sexes
           ,
           and
           Qualifications
           .
           Also
           an
           Account
           of
           the
           Charges
           expended
           for
           maintaining
           them
           in
           each
           of
           the
           last
           three
           Years
           ,
           that
           so
           we
           might
           bring
           it
           to
           a
           Medium
           .
           We
           also
           appointed
           certain
           standing
           Rules
           for
           the
           better
           governing
           our
           Debates
           ,
           and
           ordered
           all
           things
           done
           in
           the
           Court
           to
           be
           fairly
           enter'd
           in
           a
           Journal
           .
        
         
         
           We
           likewise
           considered
           which
           would
           be
           most
           for
           the
           Advantage
           of
           the
           Corporation
           ,
           to
           build
           Work-houses
           ,
           or
           to
           purchase
           such
           Houses
           ,
           which
           being
           already
           built
           ,
           might
           be
           altered
           and
           made
           fit
           for
           our
           purpose
           .
        
         
           These
           things
           spent
           much
           time
           ,
           and
           it
           was
           about
           the
           Month
           of
           September
           before
           we
           could
           settle
           the
           Medium
           of
           the
           Poor's
           Rates
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           certifie
           to
           the
           Mayor
           and
           Alderman
           what
           Sum
           was
           necessary
           to
           be
           raised
           on
           the
           City
           for
           the
           next
           Year
           .
        
         
           But
           here
           we
           met
           with
           an
           unexpected
           Remora
           ,
           Mr.
           
             Samuel
             Wallis
          
           was
           succeeded
           in
           his
           Majoralty
           by
           Mr.
           
             J.
             H.
          
           and
           this
           Change
           made
           a
           great
           Alteration
           in
           our
           Affairs
           :
           For
           whereas
           the
           former
           had
           given
           us
           all
           the
           Incouragement
           we
           could
           expect
           from
           him
           ,
           and
           had
           done
           us
           the
           honour
           to
           be
           our
           first
           Governour
           ,
           the
           latter
           resolved
           to
           obstruct
           us
           all
           he
           could
           .
           And
           because
           the
           power
           of
           raising
           Money
           was
           vested
           in
           him
           and
           the
           Aldermen
           ,
           he
           absolutely
           refused
           to
           put
           that
           Power
           in
           Execution
           .
        
         
           This
           ,
           together
           with
           his
           other
           Endeavours
           to
           Brow-beat
           the
           Corporation
           ,
           kept
           us
           at
           a
           stand
           till
           October
           (
           97.
           )
           only
           our
           Court
           met
           ,
           and
           discourst
           things
           ,
           
           and
           we
           laboured
           to
           keep
           up
           the
           Spirits
           of
           our
           Friends
           ,
           who
           began
           to
           sink
           under
           these
           Discouragements
           ,
           and
           to
           despair
           of
           Success
           ,
           the
           Work
           seeming
           difficult
           enough
           in
           it self
           ;
           our
           undertaking
           being
           nothing
           less
           ,
           then
           to
           put
           to
           work
           a
           great
           Number
           of
           People
           ,
           many
           of
           which
           had
           been
           habited
           to
           Laziness
           and
           Beggary
           ;
           to
           civilize
           such
           as
           had
           been
           bred
           up
           in
           all
           the
           Vices
           that
           want
           of
           Education
           could
           expose
           them
           to
           ;
           and
           to
           clothe
           ,
           lodge
           ,
           and
           feed
           them
           well
           ,
           with
           the
           same
           Sum
           of
           Money
           which
           was
           distributed
           among
           them
           when
           they
           begg'd
           ,
           lay
           in
           the
           Streets
           ,
           and
           went
           almost
           naked
           .
        
         
           Yet
           all
           this
           would
           not
           have
           discouraged
           us
           ,
           could
           we
           have
           prevailed
           on
           Mr.
           Mayor
           to
           have
           joyned
           with
           us
           .
           We
           often
           sought
           it
           ,
           and
           he
           as
           often
           refused
           us
           ,
           till
           his
           time
           being
           expired
           ,
           his
           Successor
           granted
           our
           Request
           ;
           and
           then
           ,
           having
           lost
           much
           time
           ,
           we
           were
           forced
           to
           make
           large
           steps
           .
        
         
           The
           first
           we
           made
           was
           ,
           a
           Vote
           to
           take
           on
           us
           the
           Care
           of
           all
           the
           Poor
           of
           the
           City
           ;
           and
           as
           I
           remember
           ,
           this
           Vote
           passed
           in
           October
           or
           November
           1697.
           though
           we
           had
           then
           no
           Money
           raised
           ,
           nor
           could
           we
           expect
           any
           till
           after
           our
           
           Lady-day
           1698.
           
           So
           that
           from
           the
           passing
           that
           Vote
           to
           this
           time
           is
           about
           Two
           Years
           .
        
         
           The
           next
           step
           was
           to
           appoint
           a
           Committee
           of
           Twelve
           to
           hear
           the
           Complaints
           of
           the
           Poor
           ,
           to
           relieve
           them
           ,
           and
           set
           them
           at
           work
           ;
           Six
           whereof
           were
           to
           go
           out
           every
           Month
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           succeeded
           by
           Six
           more
           ,
           to
           be
           chosen
           by
           Ballating
           .
        
         
           We
           had
           formerly
           obtained
           from
           the
           Mayor
           and
           Common-Council
           ,
           in
           the
           Majoralty
           of
           Alderman
           Wallis
           ,
           the
           Grant
           of
           a
           Work-house
           ,
           which
           then
           lay
           unoccupied
           ,
           and
           the
           Court
           had
           appointed
           a
           Committee
           to
           place
           as
           many
           Girls
           in
           it
           as
           it
           would
           conveniently
           contain
           ,
           both
           as
           to
           Lodging
           and
           Working
           .
           This
           is
           that
           we
           called
           the
           
             New
             Work-house
          
           .
        
         
           But
           all
           things
           having
           stood
           still
           so
           long
           ,
           we
           resolved
           now
           to
           lose
           no
           more
           time
           ;
           yet
           we
           had
           no
           Money
           ,
           nor
           could
           we
           expect
           any
           in
           less
           than
           Six
           Months
           from
           the
           Poor's
           Rates
           ;
           therefore
           we
           re-resolved
           to
           make
           our
           several
           Loans
           for
           Twelve
           Months
           without
           Interest
           to
           the
           Corporation
           on
           the
           Credit
           of
           their
           Common
           Seal
           ;
           in
           which
           Design
           many
           of
           the
           Citizens
           lent
           their
           Assistance
           ,
           whereby
           we
           became
           soon
           Masters
           of
           about
           
           Six
           hundred
           pounds
           Stock
           .
           Likewise
           our
           Guardians
           ,
           who
           were
           appointed
           to
           pay
           the
           Poor
           in
           their
           several
           Parishes
           ,
           voluntarily
           advanced
           their
           weekly
           Payments
           ,
           till
           they
           could
           be
           reimburst
           by
           the
           Treasurer
           .
           The
           other
           Stock
           we
           employed
           to
           furnish
           Beds
           and
           other
           Necessaries
           for
           our
           House
           ,
           Clothes
           and
           Provisions
           for
           our
           Children
           to
           be
           taken
           in
           ,
           and
           Materials
           for
           their
           Working
           .
        
         
           We
           had
           now
           Two
           Committees
           ;
           one
           for
           the
           Poor
           ,
           the
           other
           for
           the
           New
           Work-house
           .
        
         
           The
           Committee
           for
           the
           Poor
           met
           twice
           every
           Week
           :
           And
           in
           this
           Committee
           we
           proceeded
           thus
           ;
        
         
           First
           ,
           We
           voted
           that
           the
           Poor
           of
           the
           City
           should
           be
           visited
           in
           their
           respective
           Parishes
           ,
           and
           that
           new
           Poor's
           Rates
           should
           be
           made
           ;
           and
           accordingly
           we
           ordered
           the
           Guardians
           of
           each
           Parish
           to
           bring
           together
           the
           Poor
           on
           a
           certain
           Day
           in
           some
           convenient
           Place
           ,
           where
           the
           Committee
           met
           ,
           and
           without
           Partiality
           endeavoured
           to
           provide
           for
           every
           one
           according
           to
           their
           Wants
           .
           We
           likewise
           took
           notice
           of
           all
           the
           young
           Girls
           that
           were
           on
           our
           Poor's
           Books
           ,
           and
           of
           such
           whose
           Parents
           took
           no
           due
           Care
           of
           
           them
           ;
           and
           these
           we
           recommended
           to
           the
           Committee
           of
           the
           New
           Work-house
           ,
           to
           be
           taken
           in
           ,
           and
           employed
           by
           them
           .
        
         
           Our
           Poor's
           Rates
           we
           made
           in
           this
           manner
           :
           Every
           One
           that
           expected
           Relief
           came
           before
           us
           with
           their
           whole
           Families
           ,
           except
           such
           as
           were
           impotent
           and
           could
           not
           come
           :
           In
           our
           Books
           we
           put
           down
           the
           Name
           of
           the
           Man
           ,
           the
           Woman
           ,
           and
           each
           Child
           ;
           together
           with
           the
           Qualifications
           of
           all
           ,
           either
           as
           to
           Age
           ,
           Health
           ,
           Civility
           ,
           &c.
           what
           each
           Person
           did
           or
           could
           get
           by
           the
           Week
           ,
           and
           in
           what
           Employment
           .
           We
           likewise
           set
           down
           for
           what
           Reason
           the
           Charity
           was
           bestowed
           ,
           that
           when
           that
           should
           cease
           ,
           or
           we
           could
           find
           out
           any
           other
           way
           to
           provide
           for
           it
           ,
           the
           Charity
           should
           likewise
           cease
           .
        
         
           Having
           thus
           seen
           the
           state
           of
           all
           our
           Poor
           ,
           and
           provided
           for
           them
           ,
           the
           Committee
           sat
           twice
           a
           Week
           in
           the
           Publick
           Court
           ,
           to
           hear
           and
           provide
           for
           all
           casual
           Complaints
           ;
           which
           we
           did
           in
           this
           manner
           ;
           We
           ordered
           that
           the
           Poor
           in
           their
           respective
           Parishes
           ,
           should
           first
           apply
           themselves
           to
           their
           Guardian
           or
           Guardians
           ,
           who
           were
           to
           relieve
           them
           as
           they
           saw
           fit
           ,
           till
           the
           next
           Sitting
           of
           the
           Committee
           ,
           
           when
           they
           were
           to
           bring
           them
           up
           with
           their
           Complaints
           ,
           if
           they
           were
           able
           to
           come
           ;
           and
           this
           we
           did
           ,
           lest
           the
           Committee
           (
           three
           whereof
           made
           a
           Quorum
           )
           should
           be
           deceived
           ;
           who
           could
           not
           be
           supposed
           to
           know
           the
           state
           of
           all
           the
           Poor
           in
           the
           City
           ,
           and
           by
           this
           weans
           we
           had
           the
           Opinion
           of
           the
           Guardian
           of
           each
           Parish
           ;
           nor
           could
           he
           easily
           deceive
           us
           ,
           because
           he
           brought
           the
           Poor
           with
           him
           ,
           and
           thereby
           the
           Committee
           became
           Judges
           of
           the
           Matter
           laid
           before
           them
           .
           At
           these
           Meetings
           care
           was
           taken
           of
           the
           various
           Cases
           and
           Exegencies
           which
           offered
           ,
           and
           in
           all
           things
           there
           was
           a
           regard
           ,
           as
           much
           as
           could
           be
           ,
           to
           put
           People
           on
           living
           by
           their
           own
           Labours
           .
        
         
           To
           such
           as
           were
           sick
           ,
           we
           gave
           Warrants
           to
           our
           Physician
           to
           visit
           them
           ;
           such
           as
           wanted
           the
           Assistance
           of
           our
           Surgeons
           were
           directed
           to
           them
           ,
           and
           all
           were
           Relieved
           till
           they
           were
           able
           to
           work
           ;
           by
           which
           means
           the
           Poor
           having
           been
           well
           attended
           ,
           were
           set
           at
           work
           again
           ,
           who
           by
           neglect
           might
           with
           their
           Families
           have
           been
           chargeable
           to
           the
           Corporation
           ;
           for
           some
           we
           provided
           Clothes
           ,
           for
           others
           Work
           ;
           where
           we
           found
           People
           careful
           ,
           but
           wanted
           a
           
           Stock
           to
           employ
           themselves
           and
           their
           Children
           ,
           we
           either
           lent
           or
           gave
           it
           ;
           where
           they
           wanted
           Houses
           ,
           we
           either
           paid
           the
           Rent
           ,
           or
           became
           Security
           for
           it
           ;
           where
           we
           found
           them
           opprest
           ,
           we
           stood
           by
           them
           ;
           where
           Differences
           arose
           ,
           we
           endeavoured
           to
           compose
           them
           ;
           so
           that
           in
           a
           little
           time
           all
           the
           Complaints
           of
           the
           Poor
           came
           to
           this
           Committee
           ,
           (
           which
           saved
           our
           Magistrates
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           trouble
           )
           and
           care
           was
           taken
           that
           none
           went
           away
           unheard
           .
        
         
           The
           Committee
           at
           first
           sat
           twice
           a
           Week
           ,
           but
           now
           only
           once
           in
           a
           Fortnight
           ;
           not
           that
           we
           grew
           slack
           in
           the
           Care
           of
           our
           Poor
           ,
           but
           because
           their
           Number
           being
           so
           much
           abated
           by
           those
           received
           into
           our
           several
           Work-houses
           ,
           the
           Business
           does
           not
           require
           their
           meeting
           oftner
           .
        
         
           The
           other
           Committee
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           That
           for
           the
           New
           Work-house
           ,
           having
           furnished
           it
           in
           order
           to
           receive
           in
           the
           young
           Girls
           ,
           first
           began
           with
           such
           as
           were
           recommended
           to
           them
           by
           the
           Committee
           for
           the
           Poor
           ;
           and
           this
           Method
           hath
           been
           generally
           observed
           ever
           since
           ,
           both
           by
           that
           Committee
           ,
           and
           also
           by
           the
           Committee
           since
           chosen
           for
           our
           other
           Work-house
           ;
           not
           that
           either
           
           of
           them
           depends
           ou
           the
           other
           ,
           but
           because
           the
           first
           application
           for
           Relief
           is
           made
           to
           the
           Committee
           for
           the
           Poor
           .
        
         
           But
           before
           we
           took
           in
           the
           Girls
           ,
           we
           first
           considered
           of
           proper
           Officers
           to
           govern
           them
           ;
           and
           these
           consisted
           of
           a
           Master
           ,
           whose
           Business
           was
           to
           receive
           in
           Work
           ,
           and
           deliver
           it
           out
           again
           ,
           and
           to
           keep
           the
           Accounts
           of
           the
           House
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           A
           Mistress
           ,
           whose
           Business
           was
           to
           look
           after
           the
           Kitchin
           and
           Lodgings
           ,
           to
           provide
           their
           Meals
           at
           set
           times
           ,
           and
           other
           things
           which
           related
           to
           the
           Government
           of
           the
           House
           .
        
         
           Tutresses
           to
           teach
           them
           to
           Spin
           ,
           under
           each
           of
           which
           we
           designed
           to
           put
           Five
           and
           twenty
           Girls
           .
        
         
           A
           School-Mistress
           ,
           to
           teach
           them
           to
           Read.
           
        
         
           Servants
           in
           the
           Kitchin
           ,
           and
           for
           washing
           ,
           &c.
           but
           these
           we
           soon
           discharged
           ,
           and
           caused
           our
           biggest
           Girls
           to
           take
           their
           Turns
           every
           Week
           .
        
         
           We
           also
           appointed
           an
           old
           Man
           to
           keep
           the
           Door
           ,
           and
           to
           carry
           forth
           and
           fetch
           in
           Work
           ,
           and
           such
           kind
           of
           Services
           .
        
         
         
           Being
           thus
           provided
           ,
           we
           received
           in
           One
           hundred
           Girls
           ,
           and
           set
           them
           to
           work
           at
           Spinning
           of
           Worsted
           Yarn
           ;
           all
           which
           we
           first
           caused
           to
           be
           stript
           by
           the
           Mistress
           ,
           washed
           ,
           and
           new
           clothed
           from
           Head
           to
           Foot
           ;
           which
           ,
           together
           with
           wholsome
           Dyet
           at
           set
           hours
           ,
           and
           good
           Beds
           to
           lye
           on
           ,
           so
           incouraged
           the
           Children
           ,
           that
           they
           willingly
           betook
           themselves
           to
           their
           work
           .
        
         
           We
           likewise
           provided
           for
           them
           Apparel
           for
           Sundays
           ;
           they
           went
           to
           Church
           every
           Lord's
           Day
           ;
           were
           taught
           their
           Catechisms
           at
           home
           ,
           and
           had
           Prayers
           twice
           every
           Day
           ;
           we
           appointed
           them
           set
           Hours
           for
           working
           ,
           eating
           ,
           and
           playing
           ;
           and
           gave
           them
           leave
           to
           walk
           on
           the
           Hills
           with
           their
           Tutresses
           ,
           when
           their
           work
           was
           over
           ,
           and
           the
           weather
           fair
           ;
           by
           which
           means
           we
           won
           them
           into
           Civility
           ,
           and
           a
           love
           to
           their
           Labour
           .
           But
           we
           had
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           trouble
           with
           their
           Parents
           ,
           and
           those
           who
           formerly
           kept
           them
           ,
           who
           having
           lost
           the
           sweetness
           of
           their
           Pay
           ,
           did
           all
           they
           could
           to
           set
           both
           the
           Children
           and
           others
           against
           us
           ;
           but
           this
           was
           soon
           over
           .
        
         
           Hitherto
           things
           answered
           above
           our
           Expectations
           ;
           our
           Children
           grew
           sober
           ,
           and
           worked
           willingly
           ,
           but
           we
           very
           
           much
           questioned
           ,
           whether
           their
           Labours
           at
           the
           Rates
           we
           were
           paid
           ,
           would
           answer
           the
           Charge
           of
           their
           Maintenance
           ;
           and
           if
           not
           ,
           our
           great
           doubt
           was
           how
           we
           might
           advance
           it
           ,
           without
           prejudicing
           the
           Manufactures
           .
        
         
           To
           clear
           the
           first
           ,
           we
           supposed
           ourselves
           in
           a
           fair
           way
           ,
           having
           appointed
           their
           Diets
           to
           be
           made
           up
           of
           such
           Provisions
           as
           were
           very
           wholsome
           ,
           afforded
           good
           nourishment
           ,
           and
           were
           not
           costly
           in
           price
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           Beef
           ,
           Pease
           ,
           Potatoes
           ,
           Broath
           ,
           Pease-porridge
           ,
           Milk-porridge
           ,
           Bread
           and
           Cheese
           ,
           good
           Bear
           ,
           (
           such
           as
           we
           drank
           at
           our
           own
           Tables
           )
           Cabage
           ,
           Carrots
           ,
           Turnips
           ,
           &c.
           in
           which
           we
           took
           the
           Advice
           of
           our
           Physician
           ,
           and
           bought
           the
           best
           of
           every
           sort
           .
           They
           had
           three
           Meals
           every
           day
           ,
           and
           as
           I
           remember
           ,
           it
           stood
           us
           (
           with
           Soap
           to
           wash
           )
           in
           about
           Sixteen
           pence
           per
           Week
           for
           each
           of
           the
           One
           hundred
           Girls
           .
           We
           soon
           found
           the
           effect
           of
           their
           Change
           of
           Living
           ,
           Nature
           being
           well
           supported
           ,
           threw
           out
           a
           great
           deal
           of
           foulness
           ,
           so
           that
           we
           had
           generally
           Twenty
           down
           at
           a
           time
           ,
           in
           the
           Measels
           ,
           Small-pox
           ,
           and
           other
           Distempers
           ;
           but
           by
           the
           Care
           of
           our
           Physician
           ,
           and
           the
           Blessing
           of
           God
           on
           his
           Endeavours
           ,
           we
           never
           buried
           but
           Two
           ,
           though
           we
           have
           
           had
           seldom
           less
           than
           One
           hundred
           in
           the
           House
           at
           any
           time
           .
        
         
           Having
           thus
           provided
           for
           their
           Dyets
           ,
           we
           next
           appointed
           their
           times
           of
           working
           ;
           which
           in
           the
           Summer
           was
           Ten
           hours
           and
           a
           half
           every
           Day
           ,
           and
           an
           hour
           less
           in
           the
           Winter
           ;
           by
           which
           means
           we
           answered
           the
           two
           Objections
           raised
           against
           the
           Poor
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           That
           they
           will
           not
           work
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           spend
           what
           they
           get
           in
           fine
           feeding
           .
        
         
           But
           we
           soon
           found
           ,
           that
           the
           great
           cause
           of
           begging
           did
           proceed
           from
           the
           low
           Wages
           for
           Labour
           ;
           for
           after
           about
           Eight
           Months
           time
           ,
           our
           Children
           could
           not
           get
           half
           so
           much
           as
           we
           expended
           in
           their
           Provisions
           .
           The
           Manufacturers
           ,
           who
           employed
           us
           ,
           were
           always
           complaining
           the
           Yarn
           was
           spun
           course
           ,
           but
           would
           not
           advance
           above
           Eight
           pence
           per
           pound
           for
           spinning
           ,
           and
           we
           must
           either
           take
           this
           ,
           or
           have
           no
           work
           .
           On
           the
           other
           side
           ,
           we
           were
           labouring
           to
           understand
           how
           we
           might
           distinguish
           ,
           and
           put
           a
           value
           on
           our
           Work
           ,
           according
           to
           its
           fineness
           .
           This
           we
           did
           by
           the
           Snap
           Reel
           ,
           which
           when
           we
           were
           Masters
           of
           ,
           the
           Committee
           made
           an
           Order
           ,
           That
           the
           Master
           should
           buy
           
           in
           a
           Stock
           of
           Wool
           ,
           and
           spin
           it
           up
           for
           our
           own
           Accounts
           ,
           and
           then
           proceeded
           to
           set
           the
           Price
           of
           Spinning
           by
           the
           Snap
           Reel
           ,
           wherein
           we
           endeavoured
           to
           discourage
           course
           work
           ,
           and
           to
           encourage
           fine
           ,
           because
           we
           saw
           the
           latter
           was
           likely
           to
           bring
           most
           profit
           ,
           not
           only
           to
           the
           Poor
           ,
           but
           to
           the
           Kingdom
           in
           general
           .
           We
           likewise
           ordered
           some
           things
           to
           be
           made
           of
           the
           several
           sorts
           of
           Yarn
           ,
           at
           the
           Rates
           we
           had
           set
           them
           ;
           and
           on
           the
           whole
           ,
           we
           found
           the
           Commodities
           made
           of
           fine
           Yarn
           ,
           though
           they
           were
           much
           better
           than
           those
           made
           of
           course
           ,
           yet
           stood
           us
           in
           little
           more
           ;
           because
           what
           the
           one
           exceeded
           in
           the
           charge
           of
           Spinning
           ,
           was
           very
           much
           made
           good
           in
           abatement
           of
           the
           Quantity
           used
           .
           We
           therefore
           sent
           to
           the
           Manufacturers
           ,
           and
           shewed
           them
           what
           Experiments
           we
           had
           made
           ;
           but
           finding
           them
           still
           unwilling
           to
           advance
           above
           the
           old
           Rate
           ,
           the
           Committee
           voted
           that
           they
           would
           give
           Employment
           to
           all
           the
           Poor
           of
           the
           City
           ,
           who
           would
           make
           application
           to
           them
           ,
           at
           the
           Rates
           we
           offered
           to
           work
           ,
           and
           pay
           them
           ready
           Money
           for
           their
           Labour
           .
        
         
         
           We
           soon
           found
           we
           had
           taken
           the
           right
           course
           ,
           for
           in
           a
           few
           Weeks
           we
           had
           Sale
           for
           our
           fine
           Yarn
           as
           fast
           as
           we
           could
           make
           it
           ,
           and
           they
           gave
           us
           from
           Eight
           pence
           to
           Two
           shillings
           per
           pound
           for
           spinning
           the
           same
           Goods
           ,
           for
           which
           a
           little
           before
           they
           paid
           but
           Eight
           pence
           ,
           and
           were
           very
           well
           pleased
           with
           it
           ,
           because
           they
           were
           now
           able
           to
           distinguish
           between
           the
           fine
           and
           course
           Yarn
           ,
           and
           to
           apply
           each
           sort
           to
           the
           use
           for
           which
           it
           was
           most
           proper
           :
           Since
           which
           they
           have
           given
           us
           Two
           shillings
           and
           six
           pence
           per
           pound
           for
           a
           great
           many
           pounds
           ,
           and
           we
           spin
           some
           worth
           Three
           shillings
           and
           six
           pence
           per
           pound
           spinning
           .
        
         
           By
           this
           means
           we
           had
           the
           pleasure
           of
           seeing
           the
           Children's
           Labour
           advanced
           ,
           which
           a
           little
           before
           I
           came
           up
           ,
           amounted
           to
           near
           Six
           pounds
           per
           Week
           ,
           and
           would
           have
           been
           much
           more
           ,
           but
           that
           ●ur
           biggest
           Girls
           we
           either
           settle
           forth
           ,
           or
           put
           in
           the
           Ktchin
           ;
           and
           those
           we
           receive
           in
           being
           generally
           small
           ,
           are
           able
           to
           do
           ltitle
           for
           some
           time
           after
           .
        
         
           The
           encouragement
           we
           had
           received
           on
           this
           beginning
           ,
           put
           us
           on
           proceeding
           further
           :
           The
           Court
           resolved
           to
           purchase
           a
           great
           Sugar-House
           ,
           out
           of
           the
           
           Money
           directed
           by
           the
           Act
           to
           be
           raised
           for
           building
           of
           Work-houses
           ,
           and
           fit
           it
           up
           for
           receiving
           in
           the
           remainder
           of
           the
           Poor
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           ancient
           People
           ,
           Boys
           ,
           and
           young
           Children
           ;
           which
           was
           accordingly
           done
           ,
           and
           a
           Committee
           was
           appointed
           to
           mannage
           it
           .
           This
           we
           called
           the
           
             Mint
             Workhouse
          
           ,
           because
           it
           had
           been
           lately
           hired
           by
           the
           Lords
           of
           the
           Treasury
           for
           that
           Use
           .
        
         
           The
           Committee
           began
           to
           take
           in
           the
           Boys
           in
           August
           last
           ;
           these
           we
           clothed
           ,
           dyeted
           ,
           and
           governed
           ,
           much
           after
           the
           same
           manner
           as
           we
           had
           done
           the
           Girls
           ,
           but
           put
           them
           on
           a
           different
           Employment
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           spinning
           of
           Cotten
           Wool
           ,
           and
           weaving
           of
           Fustians
           :
           We
           have
           now
           about
           One
           hundred
           of
           them
           together
           ,
           who
           settle
           well
           to
           their
           work
           ,
           and
           every
           day
           mend
           their
           hands
           ;
           they
           get
           us
           already
           Six
           pounds
           per
           Week
           ;
           they
           are
           likewise
           taught
           to
           Read
           ,
           and
           we
           shall
           hereafter
           teach
           them
           to
           Write
           .
        
         
           We
           next
           took
           in
           our
           ancient
           People
           ;
           and
           here
           we
           had
           principally
           a
           regard
           to
           such
           as
           were
           impotent
           ,
           and
           had
           no
           Friends
           to
           help
           them
           ,
           and
           to
           such
           as
           we
           could
           not
           keep
           from
           the
           lazy
           Trade
           of
           Begging
           ;
           these
           we
           clothed
           as
           we
           saw
           they
           needed
           ,
           and
           put
           on
           such
           Employments
           as
           were
           fit
           for
           their
           Ages
           and
           
           Strengths
           ,
           having
           our
           Eyes
           chiefly
           on
           those
           to
           which
           they
           were
           bred
           ;
           we
           found
           it
           difficult
           at
           first
           to
           bend
           them
           down
           to
           good
           Orders
           ,
           but
           by
           degrees
           we
           have
           brought
           them
           under
           Government
           .
        
         
           Then
           we
           called
           in
           all
           the
           Children
           that
           were
           on
           our
           Poor's
           Books
           ,
           and
           put
           them
           under
           Nurses
           ;
           those
           who
           can
           speak
           and
           go
           are
           carried
           down
           into
           the
           School
           to
           learn
           their
           
             A
             ,
             B
             ,
             C
             ,
             &c.
             
          
           As
           they
           grow
           up
           ,
           we
           shall
           put
           them
           into
           the
           working
           Rooms
           .
        
         
           The
           Boys
           are
           kept
           at
           a
           distance
           from
           the
           ancient
           People
           ,
           who
           do
           also
           lodge
           in
           distinct
           Apartments
           ,
           the
           Men
           in
           several
           Chambers
           on
           one
           Floor
           ,
           and
           the
           Women
           on
           another
           ;
           all
           do
           something
           ,
           though
           perhaps
           some
           of
           their
           Labours
           comes
           to
           little
           ,
           yet
           it
           keeps
           them
           from
           Idleness
           ;
           Both
           the
           Old
           and
           Young
           attend
           Prayers
           twice
           a
           day
           ,
           (
           except
           the
           Bedridden
           ,
           for
           whom
           other
           Care
           is
           taken
           )
           and
           go
           to
           Church
           twice
           on
           Sundays
           .
        
         
           We
           have
           now
           three
           standingCommittees
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           For
           the
           Poor
           ,
           for
           the
           New
           Work-house
           ,
           and
           for
           the
           Mint
           Work-house
           :
           The
           first
           gives
           all
           Directions
           ,
           and
           makes
           all
           Allowances
           ,
           for
           the
           Poor
           ,
           without
           whose
           Order
           no
           Guardian
           can
           act
           any
           
           thing
           considerable
           ,
           except
           in
           Cases
           of
           absolute
           Necessity
           ,
           which
           at
           the
           next
           Meeting
           of
           the
           Committee
           he
           must
           give
           an
           Account
           of
           ,
           and
           desire
           their
           Approbation
           .
           The
           other
           two
           Committees
           have
           power
           to
           act
           in
           the
           Affairs
           of
           that
           Work-house
           for
           which
           they
           are
           chosen
           :
           They
           receive
           in
           both
           Old
           and
           Young
           ;
           they
           bind
           forth
           Apprentices
           ,
           Correct
           ,
           order
           the
           Dyet
           as
           they
           please
           ,
           oversee
           the
           working
           ,
           sell
           the
           Manufactures
           when
           made
           ,
           order
           the
           payment
           of
           all
           Moneys
           ,
           which
           cannot
           be
           done
           unless
           the
           Note
           be
           sign'd
           by
           the
           Chair-man
           ;
           and
           generally
           direct
           every
           thing
           relating
           to
           those
           Houses
           .
        
         
           The
           Accounts
           are
           made
           up
           thus
           :
           The
           Treasurers
           Account
           is
           audited
           every
           Year
           by
           a
           Committee
           chosen
           for
           that
           purpose
           ;
           at
           which
           time
           he
           is
           succeeded
           by
           another
           Treasurer
           ,
           chosen
           by
           the
           Court
           :
           The
           Accounts
           of
           the
           Guardians
           who
           pay
           the
           Poor
           in
           their
           several
           Parishes
           are
           audited
           every
           three
           Months
           ,
           by
           a
           select
           Committee
           chosen
           likewise
           by
           the
           Court
           ,
           and
           are
           then
           paid
           by
           the
           Treasurer
           :
           The
           Accounts
           for
           each
           Workhouse
           are
           audited
           by
           the
           respective
           Committee
           every
           Month
           ,
           when
           the
           Master
           adjusts
           ,
           not
           only
           his
           Account
           of
           Cash
           ,
           but
           also
           of
           each
           particular
           Specie
           of
           Goods
           he
           hath
           
           under
           his
           Care
           ,
           the
           Ballance
           whereof
           is
           still
           carried
           forward
           to
           the
           next
           ,
           which
           when
           allowed
           of
           is
           signed
           by
           the
           Chair-man
           :
           And
           the
           Account
           for
           each
           House
           is
           so
           stated
           ,
           that
           it
           shews
           at
           one
           sight
           ,
           what
           the
           House
           is
           indebted
           ;
           what
           Debts
           are
           outstanding
           ,
           and
           from
           whom
           ;
           what
           Goods
           remain
           in
           the
           House
           ,
           and
           the
           Quantity
           of
           each
           Specie
           .
        
         
           At
           the
           making
           up
           these
           Accounts
           nothing
           (
           unless
           very
           trivial
           )
           is
           allowed
           ,
           for
           which
           an
           Order
           is
           not
           produced
           ,
           or
           found
           entered
           in
           our
           Books
           ,
           so
           that
           't
           is
           very
           difficult
           to
           wrong
           the
           Corporation
           of
           any
           thing
           ,
           if
           any
           Guardians
           should
           endeavour
           it
           .
        
         
           These
           Committees
           keep
           their
           Journal
           Books
           ,
           wherein
           all
           they
           do
           is
           fairly
           transcribed
           ,
           and
           signed
           by
           the
           Chair-man
           .
        
         
           This
           is
           what
           at
           present
           occurs
           to
           my
           Memory
           touching
           our
           Work-houses
           at
           Bristol
           ;
           I
           have
           been
           as
           brief
           as
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           would
           admit
           :
           The
           Success
           hath
           answered
           our
           Expectation
           ;
           we
           are
           freed
           from
           Beggars
           ,
           our
           old
           People
           are
           comfortably
           provided
           for
           ;
           our
           Boys
           and
           Girls
           are
           educated
           to
           Sobriety
           ,
           and
           brought
           up
           to
           delight
           in
           Labour
           ;
           our
           young
           Children
           are
           well
           lookt
           after
           ,
           
           and
           not
           spoiled
           by
           the
           neglect
           of
           ill
           Nurses
           ;
           and
           the
           Face
           of
           our
           City
           is
           so
           changed
           already
           ,
           that
           we
           have
           great
           reason
           to
           hope
           these
           young
           Plants
           will
           produce
           a
           vertuous
           and
           laborious
           Generation
           ,
           with
           whom
           Immorality
           and
           Prophaneness
           may
           find
           little
           Incouragement
           ;
           not
           does
           our
           hopes
           appear
           to
           be
           groundless
           ,
           for
           among
           Three
           hundred
           Persons
           now
           under
           our
           Charge
           within
           Doors
           ,
           there
           is
           neither
           Cursing
           nor
           Swearing
           ,
           nor
           prophane
           Language
           ,
           to
           be
           heard
           ,
           though
           many
           of
           them
           ,
           were
           bred
           up
           in
           all
           manner
           of
           Vices
           ,
           which
           neither
           Bridewell
           nor
           Whippings
           could
           fright
           them
           from
           ,
           because
           ,
           returning
           to
           their
           bad
           Company
           for
           want
           of
           Employment
           ,
           they
           were
           rather
           made
           worse
           then
           bettered
           by
           those
           Corrections
           ;
           wherers
           the
           Change
           we
           have
           wrought
           on
           them
           is
           by
           fair
           means
           .
           We
           have
           a
           
             Bridewel
             ,
             Stocks
          
           and
           Whipping-Post
           ,
           always
           in
           their
           sights
           ,
           but
           never
           had
           occasion
           to
           make
           use
           of
           either
           .
        
         
           What
           is
           done
           in
           that
           City
           I
           humbly
           hope
           may
           be
           carried
           on
           by
           the
           same
           steps
           throughout
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           if
           the
           Bill
           for
           that
           purpose
           now
           depending
           in
           Parliament
           ,
           doth
           obtain
           the
           Sanction
           to
           be
           past
           into
           an
           Act.
           The
           Poor
           may
           be
           set
           at
           work
           ,
           their
           Wages
           advanced
           without
           danger
           to
           
           our
           Manufactures
           ,
           and
           they
           thereby
           enabled
           to
           live
           on
           their
           own
           Labours
           ,
           whereby
           the
           Charge
           of
           the
           Poor's
           Rates
           may
           be
           saved
           ,
           and
           a
           great
           many
           worthy
           Benefactors
           encouraged
           to
           give
           ,
           when
           they
           shall
           see
           their
           Charity
           so
           well
           disposed
           of
           .
           This
           I
           have
           great
           reason
           to
           hope
           ,
           because
           we
           have
           had
           near
           One
           thousand
           pounds
           freely
           given
           to
           us
           within
           the
           compass
           of
           one
           Year
           ,
           and
           much
           thereof
           by
           Gentlemen
           who
           dwelt
           at
           a
           Distance
           from
           us
           ,
           only
           were
           willing
           to
           Encourage
           a
           Work
           they
           saw
           likely
           to
           be
           carried
           on
           ,
           which
           might
           be
           of
           good
           Example
           to
           the
           Nation
           .
        
         
           
             I
             am
             ,
             with
             all
             dutiful
             respect
             ,
             Right
             Honourable
             and
             Honourable
             ,
             Your
             Honours
             most
             obedient
             Servant
             JOHN
             CARY
             .
          
        
      
    
     
  

