A REMONSTRANCE Humbly presented To the High and Honourable COURT OF PARLIAMENT: Touching the insupportable miseries of the poor of the Land, especially at this time, and in this great City of London, within the Line of Communication, and Bill of mortality; and the causes thereof.  
Together with the Cure and remedy; and the great care which the Princes of other Nations, States, Countries and Cities have taken therein.  
BY LEONARD LEE, Gent.  
LONDON, Printed by E. G. for John Rothwell, and are to be sold at his shop, at the sign of the Sun in Paul's Churchyard. 1644.   

TO THE HIGH AND HONOURABLE Court of PARLIAMENT.  
AMongst the many and miserable pressures in this Kingdom, especially in this renowned City of London, idleness and want of employment hath been the destruction of many, and as a pestilent malady it daily increases. For prevention whereof, at the special instance and importunity of some Noble and Reverend friends, I heretofore presented some propositions to the Kings most Excellent Majesty for setting the poor a-work throughout the Kingdom; whereby all sorts of people, men, women, and children, aged and impotent, might be employed, and relieved. Which His Majesty, together with the Lords of His Privy Council commiserated, and ordered a speedy prosecution thereof. But by reason of the weighty and troublesome affairs of the State, at that time all such public businesses were neglected.  
And now again, upon the like importunity, and in a desire of the good of the Kingdom, and of this City, seeing the poor and their miseries increasing together in these disastrous and tradelesse times, I have here presumed humbly to present some propositions and reasons conducing to the relief & employment of the poor, which if they find (acceptance to execution) it will bring a blessing to yourselves, a benefit to the people, a relief to the distressed, and an honour to the Nation, which is the petition and prayer of  
Your Honour's Orator and Servant, Leonard Lee.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE the Lord Major of the City of London, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen and the rest of the Common-council.  
THe Character set upon our English Nation by Strangers is, To have excellent Laws, but no execution; like Pictures curiously drawn, well faced, and limned, but want life, and motion: They say likewise we have good materials, but bad orders; little care, and abundance of idle and lewd people; few Cities, and those ruinous, basely built, thin of Inhabitants, and most of them poor; and all caused through idleness and want of employment.  
And now since these unnatural Wars begun, the miseries of the poor do much more abound, wherefore upon the earnest desire of some Charitable and well affected friends, I have here presented some Propositions to the high Court of Parliament, and likewise here unto you in whose power the promoting of so wonderful necessary a work doth lie. It is a saving of the Souls and lives of many thousands, which through want of employment fall to lewdness, and so perish: for there is no vice, villainy, murder, or mischief, drunkenness and disorder, but Idleness doth contract it, nor is there any way to cure it but by employment.  
It is a work never yet paralleled nor begun by any your predecessors, and will render you famous to posterity; It is pleasing to God, an honour and benefit to the City, and will be a pattern for the whole Kingdom, nay for all the King's Dominions to follow, which is the great desire of  
Your friend and servant, LEONARD LEE.   

To the Charitable and  Reader.  
Good friend,  
Such is the commiseration of the great Chancellors and Judges of this Land, that if a poor man have suit at Law in any Court, those Judges assigns learned council to plead, and able Attorneys to prosecute their cause without money; And such council are soon heard upon any motion, first for their poor Clients and afterwards for themselves, which otherwise might wait longer.  
Here then is the greatest suit in the Christian World that ever was presented to the power of Magistracy (in forma pauperis) It is the bleeding condition of the insupportable miseries of many thousand poor hunger-bit, almost starved creatures.  
Therefore as you have already received and hope for the continuance of mercies from the great judge of all the World, who in a moment can blow an emptiness upon your Estates and make you as miserable as any, have pity upon these distressed ones, be all counsellors, advise, plead and prosecute their now depending suit with your Heads, Hearts, Purses, Pains, do all you can to promote it, thereby you will find some contentment in your minds, that you have been instruments of any good, a benefit to your purses to be eased of collections, security to your estates to have lewd persons well employed, and the loins of the poor will bless you, besides your reward from Heaven.  
Farewell.   

A REMONSTRANCE of the sufferings of the Kingdom by reason of the poor and lend people, and of their misery; how the same is caused, and how cured.  
MAny things there are which do tend to the good and flourishing of a Kingdom; and many things to the ruin and destruction thereof: Amongst which, idleness, and want of employment is one of the greatest; for what vice and villainy is there committed, or liksome poverty endured, that is not generally occasioned thereby: and such persons as live idly out of any calling 〈◊〉 ulcers in a Commonwealth, oppressors of a State, and impoverishers of a Kingdom. And herein is this great City mightily oppressed: for many years since the number of the poor was exceeding great; and now of late, especially since these unnatural wars began, there are multitudes of poor lately sprung up, whose miseries are many: therefore the things that I shall here tender to your great judgements, are only these five:  

To show 1. Who these poor are.  
To show 2. Wherein the evil doth consist.  
To show 3. The causes thereof.  
To show 4. The cure and remedy.  
To show 5. And chief bow this cure is to be applied.   
And first, who these poor are.  
THey are the indigent, distressed, and helpless creatures, such as have not means to supply their present wants, whereby they endure much in their persons, and often endanger souls, bodies, lives, and all to get it. And therefore it is that Plato calls poverty, thievish, filthy, sacrilegious, wicked and dangerous; for it makes many that would live honestly to cheat, lie, steal, kill, turn Turk, or any thing. According to that saying of the Wiseman, Because of poverty, the Land hath sinned.  
And for the additional poor lately sprung up; these are of divers sorts: 

1. All such whose trades, and employment, by reason of these troublesome times, are wholly taken away.  
2. Such as are stripped out of their estates, in several Countries, here in England, and likewise in Ireland, and fled to this great City for refuge.  
3. Such whose husbands are slain in these wars, and left destitute with many children, unprovided for.  
4. Such maimed and lame Soldiers as are recovered of their wounds, but not of their limbs; able to go abroad, but not to work, whereby to maintain their families, or themselves, with their labour.  
5. The great number of Soldiers, and others of the enemy's party, which have been taken in the wars, and are now in prison, and have not means to subsist of themselves, but are maintained by the State.    
All which, together with the former sort of poor, will make the number almost innumerable; yet, all these must be provided for.  
The second thing is, wherein the evil doth consist.  
IF we look to the event of things, we shall find the miseries of the poor, the sufferings of the Kingdom, but chief in this City, to be wonderful great, and all occasioned through idleness; which, as Lycurgus in Plutarch calls it, morbus reipublicae, the evils of a Commonwealth, the mother of mischief, the nurse of all naughtiness, the causer of drunkenness, begetter of all vice and villainy, of thiefs, rogues, robberies, murders, and the root from whence the multitudes of beggars do proceed and spring. We may truly say of them, as Aristotle speaks of melancholy, they are common malum, a general evil. And these are of three sorts.  

The 1. Insolent.  
The 2. Impudent.  
The 3. Indigent.   
First, the insolent and sturdy sort of poor, such as have no calling or profession, nor scarce any constant place of abode: like the Apodes a Bird in India, of whom Juvenall speaks, that hath no feet to rest on, but is always flying: so these have no settled habitation or employment to be maintained by, but live by cheating, thieving, cut-pursing, and such like villainies, lurking and shifting up and down in secret places, of which there are multitudes.  
Secondly, the impudent poor. And such are the common beggars, common private lewd persons, and prostitutes, and common street nightwalkers; all which, like so many plague-sores infect and poison this City; yet all these are maintained, not by their own labours, or any livelihood of their own, nor their illegitimate children put to nurse, or maintained by any parishes; for then this great, wise, and religious City would long since have sought for redress.  
Thirdly, the indigent, miserable, and distressed poor, which rise up early, sit up late, and eat the bread of carefulness, when they can get it, moil and toil at the basest and sordids● work, do any thing, endure any thing, and all for a small reward, which will scarce hold life and soul together; and their greatest sorrow is, their wives and chidrens lie at home idly, full of misery, and have no employment, but forced to commit almost any villainy to keep them from perishing: Yet let these complain they want work; and bewail their distresses, and as Solomon says, speak with prayers, they are not regarded, nor employed.  
And were it possibe that an estimat could be given of the number of all these insolent, impudent, and indigent creatures, men, women, and children, together with such as are of late increased, and such as are in all the prisons about the Town, we should find the number inconceivable.  
For heretofore upon this occasion, about employment for the poor, upon enquiry it was found, that St. Olaves' Parish in Southwark had above eight and twenty hundred families which never paid Subsidy, or taxations, besides Lodgers and other lewd people.  
And in each Family there could be no less than three or four persons, which amounts to ten thousand poor people at the least in that Parish; yet suppose there should be but four thousand poor in that Parish, the total number within the Line of Communication and bills of Mortality, would amount to more than forty thousand poor.  
And for the charges to maintain all these, we may well reckon for House-rent, , Victuals, Firing and good Ale, which many of them full dear love, and other necessaries; to be no less than righteen penny a week four pound a year for each person, which amounts to one hundred & threescore thousand pounds per annum, which these people waist and consume, and use no employment toward the getting of any part thereof, but merely exhaust it from the State.  
Nay, if all these should spend but one hundred thousand pound per unnum, it is more I believe then this City would willingly spare to be consumed in Idleness, Drunkenness and Villainy.  
And to all these may be added the additional poor lately sprung up, which makes the charges and the oppression to be far greater.  
Where as if all these people were forced to get their own live, less villainy would be daily committed, and more English wares made to supply the Kingdom to further exportations, and abate importations, to the advance of the State, and relief of the poor.  
To show the cause of all this evil and misery.  
THe cause in a word is idleness, want of employment; which, as one observes, is the Malus genius of a Nation: for if the subject should be prohibited from their employment but one quarter of a year, many thousands that now live well would beg, and as many starve and perish; which doth infallibly and unanswerably show, that the employment of the subject is both the supporting of a Kingdom, and the supplying of men's present wants.  
For what causeth a decay of all Arts, Trades, Mysteries, Professions; and what bringeth poverty, beggary and misery, but idleness?  
What's the reason that this Metropolitan City, and the Suburbs are the only nests and harbours for Cutpurses and capital offenders, and the grand Nursery for lewd persons and illegitimate children, but idleness? that all commodities and provision is enhanced in the City, but that many thousands of idle people, like Caterpillars in a Commonwealth, eat up the fruits and labours of others; And Taphouses so abundantly frequented, whereby thousands of quarters of malt is spent in excess and Drunkenness? all which would exceedingly refresh the poor, and bring down the prices of Corn and Bread.  
What's the cause that our Kingdom affords not as brave Cities, Towns and Villages as France, Italy, the Low-Countries and other places? because, as some writers say, in those parts they are more politic, circumspect and industrious, and as Polydore reports of us here in England, that our Cities and Towns are small, ruinous, basely built, thin of Inhabitants, and the greatest part of those poor, and all through want of employment.  
What's the cause that our Gaoles are so full, and every year so many hundred of people condemned and Executed, and others for small matters of theft imprisoned a long time, the Houses of correction so pestered, so much abuse and disorder daily committed? is it not want of employment? they can get no work.  
What a most piteous thing is it to see a poor man cast in prison, and in danger to be hanged for stealing a sheep, a lamb or such like thing of small value, which a lawless necessity constrained him to do to get food for his poor hungerbitten Family, his Wife and Children, ready to starve and perish for want of work?  
What's the cause many fall to cheating, turn robbers, rebels, common Villains, and Women cutpurses, courtesans, prostitutes, attempt and commit almost any thing, make their children poor abortives, or strangle them as soon as they are borne, and others make away themselves, is it not poverty? as Gasper the Jesuit reports of the Women of japon, if poor they would stifle their children, because they should not suffer irksome poverty; and Riccius affirms as much of the women of China, and daily examples may testify as much a mongst us.  
To conclude, what's the general complaint of all sorts of people, Beggars, Prisoners, the confession of condemned men at the Gallows? they could get no work: and is it not great pity to see thousands of people able bodies and dejected spirits clothed in rags, ready to be starved, when employment may amend and cure all?  
The fourth thing is the cure and remedy thereof.  
NOw if the cause of all this evil be idleness, want of employment, the cure and remedy is by applying the contrary, which is industry, setting of the poor a-work, and although Aristotle defines riches to be either natural or artificial, natural riches are fertile Lands, rich mines; artificial riches are Coins, Trades and manufactures; yet what avails all or any of these without art and industry? for fertile Lands will bring weeds, rich mines or good trades no profit without Art and Industry.  
Art to invent, contrive and regular, and Industry to undergo and endure the coil, trouble, and labour of it as Josephus reports of the sons of Seth, that they were ingenious to invent many pretty things, which shown their Art, and then engraved them upon pillars of Stone and marble that neither inundations of water, nor consume of fire might deface them, that they might remain to after Ages, which shown their Industry: so that Art and Industry is said to be more durable than riches, for what causeth Countries, Cities and Towns that are very barren and populous to grow rich, but Art and Industry?  
For Countries, both the Chinaes' populous places, yet grow Rich and flourish by their industry, there is not an idle person nor Beggar amongst them.  
Zealand and Holland flourishing Countries, and in general have almost three Cities to one of ours, full of Inhabitants and those Rich, Industrious, Ingenious and politic.  
For Cities, the Low-Countries have them Fair, Rich, and populous, and all caused by their great industry and skilfulness in Trades and Manufactures, by which they maintain Wars, continue and increase commerce and traffic.  
And Florance in Italy by making cloth of Gold and Silver Arras, for fair and dainty hang; Corinth in Greece for its riches and industry, that is called the glory of that Country, and Norrembridge in Germany a City seted in a barren soil, yet Rich, Wealthy and flourishing, and all caused by Art and Industry, as one notes of them, they are so ingenious and laborious as if (faith he) their soul or intellectus agens was placed in their finger's ends; many other places might be named, and all flourish by their industry.  
But if we look here in England we shall find our Cities few, ruinous and most of the Inhabitants very poor, and many of our Towns depopulated and destroyed; for what Town almost throughout the Kingdom, that can produce at this day so many substantial, and able men, as hath been 30 or 40 years since, yet every Town much increased with a number of poor and miserable creatures, whereby our Trades are much decayed, which causes our importations to be great, and our exportations small, to the impovershing of the land.  
Now if any demand, wherefore England that is so rich a Country, both in fertile Grounds, good Mines and excellent materials; yet notwithstanding very poor and full of Beggars, Boterius gives the reason, and saith that fertilty and good meterialls is not enough, unless Art and industry be joined with it, but chief industry which undergoes the work, for as it increases or decreases, ebbs or flows, so is the strength, power and ability of a Kingdom increased or abated.  
If then the matter of Industry be so weighty of such great importance, it most necessarily behoves all Nations, Princes, Counsels of State, Judges, Magistrates, Cities, Towns, Corporate bodies politic, all sorts of people of all estates and conditions whatsoever, to advance and further so great a work, which supports and supplies all.  
And such was the care of King Solomon in building the house of God, he sent to Hyram King of Tyrus for stusse and workmen.  
So Selym the first Turkish Emperor, as Valerius notes procured a thousand good Artificers to be brought to Constantionople.  
And james the first of Scotland, as Buchanan relates sent for the best Artificers he could get in all Europe, and gave them great rewards, to instruct his people.  
And Edward the third a most renowned Prince, amongst his Kingly Acts, is memorised for bringing that great Trade of clothing first unto this Land, by sending over such Tradesmen from Gaunt hither.  
And the ancient Massilians and many other places held a course, not to admit any man unto their Cities that had not some trade or profession; And Plato made a Law not to have a beggar not an idle person amongst them: all which do most evidently show the necessity of industry, and employment of the subject.  
It is a work of Piety, of Charity, of Justice, of Honour, of Health, of Wealth, of Strength, of Peace, and Safety, and of the flourishing a Kingdom.  
It will be a means to save the souls and lives of many thousand, 
1. Of Piety.  which otherwise through a lawless necessity, are constrained to commit almost any villainy, to the danger of both.  
It will relieve many thousand hungerbitten, 
2. Of Charity.  almost starved families, that would work but cannot get it, are ashamed to beg and afraid to steal, and so languish under the burden of intolerable wants, and poor children idly bred, which through want of employment fall to lewdness.  
For there is a cheating lewd insolentidle sturdy sort of poor, 
3. Of justice.  that can work, but will not; infected with the same disease, as one reports of a Beggar that came to some Gentlemen at Bruges with show of weeping, and pretending himself a miserable creature, troubled with a terrible secret disease, they pitied him and gave him money; but one of them seeing the beggar fat and well coloured, caused his servant to make after him, and know his malady. To whom the Beggar replied, my disease is spread all over my body, ransacks my very bones, so that I can stir never a limb to do any work; and I have heard that this disease is called laziness, which is a shameful thing to discover.  
And multitudes of people there are in this City miserably afflicted with this disease, and nothing but the authority of justice can cure it.  
And so it is of all the rest, employment is an honour, a health, a wealth, a peace, a safety to a Kingdom, the particulars whereof for brevity I will omit.  
Thus having in short remonstrated the sufferings of the Kingdom, especially of this City, and the miseries of the poor, and the cause, idleness and want of employment; together with the cure by art and industry; And how it hath caused Kingdoms, Countries, and Cities to flourish; and what great care Princes, States, all of all sorts, have always had, and aught to have, to suppress idleness, and support employment, which supplies and supports all.  
The fift and last thing is, how this cure is to be applied.  
THe applying of this cure is by employing of the poor, by setting them to work: wherein these three things are carefully to be done in every Parish, Town, Hamlet, Precinct, Prison, and House of correction.  

1. To raise a stock.  
2. To provide materials.  
3. How to order the work.   
But before we fall upon the applying of the cure, it is requisite to clear some objections which may be cast in.  
1. Object. If the number of the poor be so great as is suggested, it is almost impossible that any course can be taken to employ and relieve them all.  
Answ. If the disease be now almost past cure few years more will make it altogether incurable; therefore the longer deferred the more difficult, troublesome, and chargeable, and more behooveful speedily to be prevented.  
2. Obj. That a stock of an hundred thousand pounds will scarce serve to set all these poor upon employment, to provide magazines, materials, working-instruments, etc. And in regard of the great troubles and taxations upon this City at this time, and the want of trading, so great stock will not be raised.  
Ans. If the power of Majestracy, and the great Council of the City approve the work, and resolve the prosecution thereof, and a Committee be selected for that end; some whereof of this City, some of Westminster, Middlesex, Southwark, etc. whose aid will be very useful, in regard in those parts most of the poor do live.  
Then it shall be made appear, that the raising of a stock for employment of the poor will be an advantage to the City, and no damage; besides such a groundwork may be laid:  

1. The stock may be raised with little charge to the City.  
2. The materials may be provided at easy rates.  
3. The work regulated with much facility.   
To conclude, this business is of such consequence, that it requires great care to lay a sure foundation at the first, lest all miscarry; for if after the stock be raised, materials provided, and the work set on foot, that it once fall to the ground, then farewell employment of the poor for ever.  
FINIS.