Reason I.

Because such Work-Houses (are no New Project, but) have already in Fact proved the best Expedients to bring all Idle, poor People, Beggars, Vagrants, &c. into such a Habit of Industry, that there is not a Beggar, &c. bred up, or suffer­ed in those Countries where such Houses are Erected and well­governed.

Reason II.

Because, without such Houses, in which such poor, and now idle People may be kept to Labour under good Government, it is altogether improbable to convert them to such Habit of Industry, and keep them employed in such profitable Manu­factures, by which the Trade, Wealth and Safety of the Kingdom may be promoted.

Reason III.

Because, as by these Expedients, there may not be any Beggars in the Nation, so shall not they, or any poor People have occasion to complain for want of an honest Employment, Food, Raiment, or Habitation.

Reason IV.

Because, by these Expedients, an Hundred or two Hun­dred Thousand People may be suddainly converted, to their own, and the Nations present and future Happiness; and as it hath been the fatal Practice of this Nation, to breed up 30 or 40000 persons every Year to be maintain'd for Begging, &c. So by these Expedients, they may breed up every Year suc­cessively 30 or 40000 ingenious Cloth-makers, who may con­vert Wool enough to make as much Cloth as may encrease the Wealth of the Nation many Hundred Thousand pounds per Annum.

Reason V.

Because for want of such Expedients, whereby Industry, and the Woollen Manufactory may be effectually promoted, our Wooll is fallen from 12 d. to 6 d. per pound, by reason that the number of the people at present employed therein, are not able to convert our Wooll half so fast as it grows; so that it seems very unreasonable to prohibit the Exportation of unwrought Wooll, whilst the Expedients by which it may be converted at Home are rejected.

Reason VI.

Because, that as our Clothiers and Merchants do infallibly demonstrate, that the Exportation of unwrought Wooll, hath destroyed our Forreign Markets for the Sale of our Cloth; so it is as easie to be demonstrated, that had not such quantities of English and Irish Wooll been exported, as at present there is in abundance, it would have fallen from 12 d. to 3 d. per pound; because as the Stock of Wooll increases, the Price must decrease. So that there is no way to raise the Price of Wooll, nor yet to keep it up where it is, but either the Na­tion will be brought to extreme Poverty, or made to encrease mightily in Wealth and Power, viz. either we must Export [Page 6] our Wooll, as daily (especially within these last nine Months) we do to those that destroy our Trade thereby, or bring all idle, poor people to Industry, to convert it at Home as fast as it grows; by which means only, our Wooll will soon mount to 12 d. yea, 18 d. per pound, which will also quickly remove the occasion for the Exportation thereof. This being done, the Woollen Manufactures of France, Flanders, &c. will soon be destroyed to that degree, as not to hinder the Sale of ours, seeing they cannot make Cloth without a Mixture of our Wool, but on very unequal Terms (as our Clothiers have affirmed before a Committee of the last Long Parliament.) Wherefore as the ready way to destroy the Wealth and Trade of our Nation, is to export our Wooll, and maintain our ma­ny thousands of Poor in Idleness and Debauchery : So the most certain Expedient by which we may revive and regain the Woollen Manufactory, is to prosecute these Expedients that will bring all the people aforesaid to Industry. By which we may raise the price of Wooll at Home, and afford our Cloth and Draperies cheaper than our Supplanters, in Markets A­broad; which is not to be done, but by the Expedients pro­posed.

Reason VII.

That without these Expedients for promoting Industry, all the Laws and Statutes now in being, can never raise the Price of our Wooll, nor keep it up at the price it now yields, nor yet have it converted at Home, because all the Wooll of Eng­land and Ireland is (as it were) monopoliz'd into the Hands of the Clothiers by Act of Parliament, notwithstanding they [Page 7] cannot by their present course of Trade convert it half so fast as it grows, which being so, they may keep down the price at their pleasure, (they having Power to hang, &c. those that Export it from them, if they could catch them) which intollerable grievance by the Expedients proposed, would most happily be removed, to the great Satisfaction of all that wish well to the Interest of England.

Reason VIII.

Because, by these Expedients, many Hundreds of well­skill'd, but poor decayed Clothiers, who have little or no Stock of their own, may promote this Manufactory in every Coun­ty, where every one of them may as easily employ 200 Peo­ple in Work, in such a Publick House, as he could Ten else­where.

Reason IX.

Because in such Houses a Multitude may be instructed in Art and Skill in short time without Difficulty or Charge : For beginning upon the very coursest Wooll there can be no Loss, but rather Advantage, because, as the coursest Cloth is as ready Money as the finest, so the greater Quantity is made, the greater will be the Consumption of our Wooll.

But if it be doubted, That by reason of our double encrease of Clothing, there will be want of Market for our Cloth. My Answer in short, is, That if all the Wooll in Europe were converted in England, there would no more Cloth be made than what was before: For what Wooll is not converted here, is converted elsewhere; therefore the Trade for our Draperies will be as good as ever, and much better, seing by the Expedients and Methods proposed, we may make and sell our Cloth cheaper than our Supplanters. That we may under-sell them is plain, because we have greater Advanta­ges than any of them; we having Fullar's Earth, they have none: Our Wooll is the kindest in the World to be convert­ed without mixture of other; but they cannot convert theirs without some mixture of ours, unless upon costly and unequal Terms, for the Reason before-mentioned. Therefore as by the Expedients proposed, we may double our Quantity. So [Page 8] we may under-sell them, and encrease and double our Markets proportionably.

As for the Charge, 'tis no more, than as if every Parish were ob­liged to that which Law and Reason already requires, viz. To provide Habitations and Employments for their chargeable Poor; only with this difference, that in these Houses, far greater Numbers will be employed, and to far greater Advantage when under such Government as will teach them Skill and Art, administring Councel, Encouragement and Correction. So that twice the Work will be done, and less time spent idly, than where they are apart.

Reason X.

Because without these Expedients, the Wealth and Strength of the Nation will unavoidably be invaded and destroyed at the pleasure of those that are our Supplanters, because the Woollen Manufactory is the grand Support of our Trade of Merchandize : For 'tis affirmed by some of very good Know­ledge and Judgment, that if all the Manufactures of England that are exported, were divided into Thirteen Parts; the Woollen Manufactures would make Ten of the Thirteen. So that if the Expedients which may promote and uphold the Woollen Manufactory be rejected, and our Supplanters in­crease in Trade, as of late years they very much have done, then of necessity, our flourishing Trade of Merchandize, which alone encreased our Wealth and Treasure must be destroyed, together with our Seamen and Navies of Ships, to the Hazard and Ruine of the Nation.

But were it so, that we were upon equal Terms with the Dutch in respect of Industry, it is easie to be demonstrated, that England would excell all Nations in the World in that Trade, which is the only Mother and Nurse to bring forth, and encrease Riches, Seamen, and Navies of Ships, &c. as ap­pears, if we consider, that the United Netherlands, notwith­standing their Provisions for Bread, Beer, Flesh, Clothing, Timber, Iron, Materials for Manufactures, &c. together with their vast Expence to maintain their Land against the Water, &c. All which costs them (as 'tis adjudged) at least [Page 9] ten times more than the Natural Product of their Land is­worth; yet we know, that for Trade, Fulness of People, Moneys, Treasure, Seamen and Shipping, they are more famous than any Nation in Europe. But now put Case their Industry were as little as ours, and that they also were to breed up and maintain their Poor for Begging, &c. as we do in Eng­land, might we not then infallibly conclude, That within one Age, nay in twenty years they would be the poorest, misera­ble, and most despicable people in all the world. Wherefore we having all sorts of provisions for Food and Rayment, as it were for nothing, several hundred thousand of people to be employed, and Materials enough of our own likewise for no­thing, to make the richest Manufactures. Our Industry, were it but proportionable to that of the Dutch, must needs en­crease our Wealth three times more and faster than theirs. So that most plain it is, that Industry, not Money, is the Life of that Trade which encreaseth both Money, Treasure, Seamen, and Shipping.

Furthermore, as these Houses are the Mother of Industry, so 'tis most certain, That for want of the same Expedients, in every 100 l. worth of Wooll exported unwrought, there is 1000 l. losses to the Nation, our Wooll being at 6 d. or 8 d. per pound, as now it is; of which, if any be not satisfied, they may thus demonstrate it to themselves : A yard of Fine Broad-Cloth of 16 s. or 18 s. price will not exceed a pound in weight and the like for fine Worsted Stockins of 6 s. price will not weigh six ounces. So that put Case two pounds of Wooll should be allowed for one pound, yet still every Shilling in Wooll will amount to more than 10 s. in Cloth and Stockins, which is what was to be demonstrated. Thus all this which might so have been got by Workmanship, &c. being ten times the value of the Wooll is clearly lost to the Nation, whilest those that might do it are maintain'd for Begging, &c.

Reason XI.

Because, as by these Expedients Industry, Trade, Treasure, Seamen and Navies will encrease, so the intollerable charge of all Parishes will decrease: Because all poor people will be [Page 10] bred up to such Habit of Industry, as to learn whilst they are young, to gain their Living while they come old, so that it will be very rare to find any chargable, but such as are meer objects of Charity, viz. those that by Infancy, Old Age, or Sickness are uncapable of all kind of Imployment, neither of which continue long.

Reason XII.

Because, (as I have again and again demonstrated by seve­ral Printed sheets) by the Expedients proposed, the Wealth of our Nation may increase 30 or 40 hundred thousand pounds per Annum, the greatness of which makes many rash persons contemn all that I have proposed as a thing impossible. Ne­vertheless upon diligent and repeated Inquiries and delibe­rate Consideration, I dare affirm, with all Confidence, That it will amount to much more.

1. Because the Returns of our Woollen Draperies that are now Exported do amount to more than Ten Millions per Annum; as is attested by such as are well skilled and experienced in this matter.

2. Wherefore there being as much more English and Irish Wooll to be converted, as is now converted by the present Course of Trade (as most certainly there is.) Then if all the people aforesaid (being double the num­ber of those that are now Imployed therein) were brought to Industry, as by these Expedients they cer­tainly and speedily might, it as certainly follows, That a double quantity of Woollen Draperies would be made.

3. And considering there's none of these Draperies to be deducted out of such our additional Trade to be consu­med at home, or to be carried to the dismal low Mar­kets in Golgotha, from whence there are no Returns: but the whole of what is raised by this our New Trade, is to be Exported to such Markets as will afford good and quick Returns.

4. It will therefore, from all this infallibly likewise follow, That if the old, viz. The present Trade of Clothing, af­ter so much is taken out of it to satisfie the uses afore­said [Page 11] doth now Bring in more than Ten Millions per An­num; then must the New, out of which there is no de­falcations bring in much more.

Which at least amounts to as much as what was to be demonstrated.

But put Case we have not Wooll enough to imploy all the people aforesaid, yet the Expedients still remain unshaken, because we may imploy them in making of Linnen with great Advantage; For as the first will bring Treasure into the Na­tion; so the other will preserve it from going out, (and then whether our Dead be buried in Woollen or Linnen it mat­ters not.) So that the Case is plain we have Wooll enough, Hemp and Flax enough, Fullers-Earth enough, and Poor Peo­ple enow, to make Draperies enough to make our Nation to excell all Kingdoms in the World in Wealth and Power, Strength and Safety: And as certainly may the same be ac­complisht, to the Honour of Almighty God, and happy Re­formation of many Thousands, who are bred up in Idleness, and live in all manner of Debauchery, and dye most mise­rably.

Nor may any Member that wishes well to the Interest of England oppose it: For as for the Landlord, he above all men, ought to promote it, because the Charge properly belongs to the Tenant or Possessor, who is accustomed to contribute to the Relief and Maintenance of the Poor. Nor, Secondly, may the Tenant or Possessor complain, because they will not on­ly be much eased in such their Charge, but vastly advantaged by quick and good Markets, for Wooll, Corn and Cattel, when so many thousands are imployed more than now are, and earn, and pay for all that they eat, drink and wear. Nay, what they now suffer by Hous-rents, Hedg-breaking, Pilfer­ing, and unnecessary Contributions to Beggars, &c. amounts to near as much as will pay for the Building of these Houses: For, put case there be 200000 Beggars and idle, chargeable People in the Nation, and what they eat, drink and wear, amount but to 5 l. per Annum a piece, this amounts to one Million in one Year, and what is lost as aforesaid, near as much more.

Reason XIII.

Because the Charge of such Houses of Industry, by which the Wealth of the Nation may encrease so many Millions per Annum, &c. considered as a National Charge, is no Charge at all to the Nation, because the Money that must pay for doing of it, never goes out of the Nation, but like the Blood in its Circulation, remains within the Body for the Comfort and Benefit of every Limb and Member. Nor hath any per­son reason to think, that his just share of Contribution-mo­ney might be better bestow'd, seeing that by this Expedient, his Posterity to all Generations shall be secured from Begga­ry, so as never to be destitute of a Lawful Imployment, Food, Raiment and Habitation.

Reason XIV.

Because, by these Expedients, His Majesties Revenue, by the encrease of Customes, Poundage and Tollage, cannot a­mount to less than 100000 l. per Annum, because answerable to the encrease of Trade, so the encrease of Customes will be near proportionable: Wherefore it concerns His Majesty as much as the Nation, to encourage the Expedients that will hasten it.

The greatest Objections raised against this Expedient, pro­ceed from two sorts of men, the one against it, the other for it.