THE Parliaments Reformation Or a work for Presbyters, Elders, and Deacons, TO Engage themselves, for the Education of all poor Children, and employment of all sorts of poor, that no poor body young nor old may be enforced to beg within their Classes in City nor Country.  
Published for the general good of the kingdom.  
By S. H. A friend of the commonwealth.  
This we commanded you, he that will not work, let him not eat,  2 Thes. 3.10. 
London, Printed for Thomas Bates, at the Maidenhead on Snow-hill, near Holborn Conduit. 1646.   

The Parliaments Reformation.  
MAny men, both of Quality, and others, do approve, that the employment of the poor, the suppressing of idle Counterfeits; and the education of all poor Children, (whereby that none may go about begging or live idle in the streets,) is a very good work; but saith some show us which way we may begin it, and what we shall do to bring it to pass.  
To which I answer, it must be a Parliaments power and command, to carry on the work? My reason is; because the major part of people do never move to any good work willingly before they are commanded; and the command must be upon a penalty too, else they will do little; now consider, who can impose a command on the Subject for the carrying on of a good work, and to lay a punishment upon the neglectors of the command; but a Parliaments power.  
When once Authority and Power is gotten from the Parliament, and put into the hands of honest Gentlemen in this City of London, and so throughout the whole kingdom for the carrying on of the good work generally; or else if the honourable Parliament please to commit it to the Presbyters of every class throughout the kingdom, and they to assist the Deacons, it will be carried on with more care, and more ease, to the joy of all godly people.  
Authority being granted; there are 4. things for the Commissioners to consider on, for the easy carrying on of the weighty and godly business, of relieving, and Reforming the poor of our kingdom.  

1. The buying or building of houses for that purpose.  
2. The raising of stock.  
3. Finding out employment to employ young and old.  
4. Ordering such a godly and politic government; that the godly and laborious poor may be countenanced and cherished, and the idle, and wicked poor suppressed.   
1. For houses, it is needful that two sorts of houses be appointed in every class: that is, a workhouse, and a house of Correction, those two houses will be useful in every class, for the relieving, and reforming all sorts of poor.  
1. A common workhouse for all sorts of poor to resort unto, I mean old and young, the old some of them, will be useful to teach the young, the young shall have that benefit to be taught to write and read a part every day, besides do some work to help relieve them; here will be the benefit, the Children that lie all day in the streets in playing, cursing, and swearing, are now kept under a godly government, which is an excellent step to Reformation.  
2. In case any should be stubborn, and will not take pains nor live orderly and peaceably, that then they be separated and sent to the house of correction, there to remain in hard work, and hard lodging, till he or she promise amendment, and when he is discharged, he shall not go whether his lust, as the manner is now, being discharged, but shall return to the workhouse from whence he came, by this means wickedness will be kept in subjection; and this project will either reform them that are stubborn, or make them run the Country.  
Also if we consider the great necessity of houses or Churches in great Parishes, where there are little less than 30. or 40000. people, how shall one Church or house receive them all, in such a case many workhouses about London will be very needful to keep people together under government on the Sabbath day, as on the week days; this deserves a consideration from the Parliament for the good of the people's souls, and the preventing of children's playing in the streets and beggars begging on the Sabbath days; So much for houses: Secondly for stock.  
2. For the raising of stock; To raise a stock to employ the poor, I conceive the Country may easier do it then the Cities, in regard the Law provides them materials with little charge of money; I mean hemp and Flax which the Law enjoins them to sow; but many parishes either for want of skill, or will, makes them sow none, which is a great wrong to the commonwealth, and makes our poor to go almost naked.  
And whereas many if they sow it, know not what to do with it, either for want of skill or will, therefore I conceive if every Classes did keep a magazine or stock of money or materials; than whatsoever hemp or flax were sown within the class, if any did want skill or time to manage it, they might then bring it to the magazine and there they should be paid for it, either in money or cloth, and whatsoever cloth was made, the Mercers and Drapers in the County to buy it, to the end that they might not be wronged, by taking away their Markets.  
This will raise stock, to employ our poor and save our money in our kingdom 〈◊〉 reported above a Million of money goes out of the Land yearly for linen Cloth.  
2. The Clothiers in the Country that make broad cloth and 〈◊〉, do employ abundance of women and Children, which is a great help to the stock in every class.  
3. By way of Collection, and by way of charitable gifts, by dying men and women there is some stock more or less in every Country parish, to help employ and succour the poor.  
Having showed how the Country may have helps to raise a stock to employ their poor, I will show how the City of London may raise a stock with ease.  
1. If the Parliament will be pleased to grant an Ordinance for a collection within the City of London and 1●. mile about; and this money to be employed for the education and employment of all soldier's Children, because many of them, as well widows as maimed, have a great charge of children, and are very poor, not able to set their Children to school.  
2. One half years excise hereafter, when things are overpast.  
That which is given to the poor, is lent unto the Lord, &c.  
3. The 10. or 20th part of Bishop's Lands, and such like to maintain English schoolmasters, for the well governing of all sorts of poor Children.  
4. That all charitable gifts in every Classis, may be inquired after, and brought to a bank, and the Elders to see to the managing of it in every parish within their Class; for some parishes in a class, may have many gifts, and so raise a great stock, there it lies dead, because they have but few poor to employ it, other parishes within the Class have many poor, and out little stock, and therefore many of them go a begging, but when the parishes join together within the Class, they will remedy wandering begging.  
5. A weekly meal for one month.  
6. A voluntary collection twice a quarter at the Church doors, the Minister persuading all journeymen and maidservants that care not to spend a shilling or two vainly, (many times) may give something out of their vain expenses; let them remember that God gives them health and strength to get riches, therefore spare something to help breed up poor Children, and remember, that if they marry, and have children, their children may have the benefit of Teaching in the work-houses, therefore let them be the more liberal to so good a work.  
7. That all penal moneys arising from Drunkards, Sabboth-breakers, Swearers, and Adulterers, which amounts yearly to a great sum in this City and Suburbs, may be brought into this charitable classical stock.  
8. A fourth part arising of the forfeitures and stresses from the Tenant to the Landlord; Also the 4th. part of the forfeitures of the Recognizance of alehouses, and of all other Recognizance, which part will amount to a great sum by the year.  
9 A penalty of money, upon excessive pride, and excessive health-drinkings, which threatens the judgements of God upon King, Parliament and kingdom, that the Honourable Parliament will consider of it, and suppress it, for the honour of God who hath done great things for them.  
10. If this work be religiously and carefully carried on; many at their departing this life will be very liberal to advance and hold up so good a work of this nature, which is the only means to reform wandering beg, so much for raising of stocks in City and Country; the next is employment.  
3. The employment that is most needful to employ the poor of a kingdom. I conceive the only employment principally is to make choice of Mary's part, which is an earnest endeavouring by faith and obedience to gain a portion in Christ, for the eternal happiness of our Souls; The next kind of labour that I account next best is that, that brings food, and Raiment and such like comforts, as ploughing and feeding of Cattle, f●shing, fowling, gardening, planting and graffing for fuel, Timber, and fruit, all which (by God's blessing) brings a plenty to Cities as well as Country, and if God bless the labours of all these, we are never like to see a famine. Also if men would be but moderate, and not surfeit, and be drunk and abuse the Creature, it would be better for their healths, and better for their families, and save as much, which they drink wastefully, or spew up, which would help relieve hundreds of poor Children in work-houses.  
As the labours of the Country is in the fields and gardens; so the labour of the City is in their houses, as spinning linen and woollen, knitting, weaving, sowing, with shoemakers, tailors, and such like; shoemakers and tailors if they are good husbands, they are needful professions in a commonwealth, and can get their living by Sea, or Land which many other professions cannot do, as Silke-Weavers and such, a Trade that brings neither food nor raiment in City nor Country, and so I have done with the professions and employment for soul and body in City and Country, I will speak of the last which is like a wall to a City, that keeps all in peace; and that is called GOVERNMENT.  
4. For the order of Government for young and old to walk by, must be by a Law and a Rule printed in a fair Table, to the end that every workhouse may know the mind of the PARLIAMENT, how they would have every one to walk by, to the glory of God, the honour of King and Parliament, and the joy of the Nation.  
1. That every one walk, holily towards God and Christ.  
2. That every one walk, courteous, and loving, towards one another.  
3. Careful and Laborious for the good of the commonwealth.  
And if any one refuse, to walk after this rule; but will walk profanely, contenciously, and idly, then, in such cases the Ministers and Elders to have power to send such persons to the house of correction, and there to abide till he doth promise amendment; then to be discharged at the Sessions by the Justices, upon promise that he will live orderly and painfully in the work-houses.  
But in case, some will not be reformed, neither in work-houses nor houses of correction, that then the Magistrate may have power to send such persons to Sea that are fit, to the fishing trade, or otherwise, or to the Plantations to rid the Land of such Brambles, and this is better, then to suffer them to live in mischief, and hang them at last; peradventure God may be gracious to them, and we using all ways and means to reclaim them may prevail with God.  
And whereas I have set down ways in some part, for the raising of stock, employment of the poor in City and Country, and for the government of young and old in a godly, peaceable, and laborious way, or else to be sent out of the kingdom, all this good can never be brought to pass without the power and assistance of the Parliament by Ordinance: So I conclude with my prayers to God for the prosperity of this work; and that God will unite King and Parliament, to carry on his holy, godly and charitable work, that the poor children unborn may praise God, for the Parliaments preservation, and the kingdom's Reformation, for which we owe to God praise, and prayers, and all spiritual service.  

Postcript.  
The way to reform wandering begging, and other wickedness in our Kingdom is, that a care may be taken to breed up 3. sorts of Children.  
1. Children that have no Parents to look to them.  
2. Children of careless Parents that suffer their Children to live in much wickedness, and they take no care to breed them up in the fear of God.  
3. Children of honest poor parents, that will be glad to have their Children kept to wor●, if the Parliament will ordain by a new Statute Law, that all Classes throughout the kingdom shall be enjoined upon penalty, to provide a certain number of work-houses and bridewells to reform rude ungodly Children and idle people, Commissioners to see it done according to the mind of the Parliament.  
It is conceived that these 3. sorts of Children are the greatest part of Children in the kingdom, and most of them are like to be come wicked members to the commonwealth without this Government.  
Last of all concerning Government, that there may be certain observations, as laws for every workhouse to observe, for the keeping of them by God's assistance in holiness and peace one to another.  

1. A Law against Swearing.  
2. Against all filthy talking.  
3. Against cursed speeches and ill behaviours against any.  
4. Against despising their fare in the workhouse.  
5. Against any that filch and steal.  
6. Against any that go filthily and slovenly in their face and hands, and Clothes.    
FJNJS.