A LETTER FROM One in the Country, to a Member of Parliament, entreating this Session, may take to their Consideration, the Lamentable Condition of the Poor.  
SIR,  
However unconcerned the most of Men may be, in what relates to the Good of a Society; Or that it may be nothing the Duty of some to Notice what is not within their private Station, yet this General and extremely to be Lamented Inconveniency, from the Grievous Condition of the Poor, and the Unequal and little provident way of Supplying them, is a Calamity so little Tolerable, as the almost alike Impulse, that forced the Speechless Son to speak for diverting an Imminent hazard to his Father, may put every one as they are able to Cry for Help in this Affair, and makes me by this Line, in some Measure, to endeavour the laying before you your Duty as a Member of this ensuing Parliament.  
The way of Supplying the Poor of this Nation, and there being necessitat to beg through the Country, has so many Palpable Inconveniencies attending it, as makes Obvious how equally Hurtful it is to Our Religious and Civil Interest; That way of Living giving occasion of what, to the Scandal Religion, is the greatest Nursery of Sin and Wickedness; and surely there is Apparent Necessity of appointing such Methods in this Affair, as may tend to the Competent Supply of the truly Poor, Unable to do for their own Subsistance, and utterly Banish and put away that wicked Custom of Begging by Sorners and Healthy Persons of both Sexes, who generally as Beasts live Promiscuously, without respect to Laws, either Dirine or Humane. I am sensible the Difficulties in finding what may Effectuate this, so Great a Reformation, are near to being Unsuperable; yet the Laudable Practice of some other Nations, may persuade of its being attainable, and that we are unequal in Riches, to such as does so provide for their Poor, is to me no Argument against, but for its being done, since Uncontravertedly the Nation would save by so doing, and almost the half of what is now given, would competently Supply the truly Indigent, and to our Unexpressable Advantage, the many Vagrant and Idle Persons now in the Country, might be for their own and the Nations good, put to labour in some Manufactories fitted for them. And as it is Undubtedly our Nation's Interest, we have a Foreign Plantation, which may not only to our Profit, take of the Native Product of our Country, but may be for Receiving, and competently Entertaining a great many People which may be spared there from; So this Method, to the Unconeivable Advantage of such a Project, and to the Nations Good beyond Expression, would tend to the Furnishing of Persons much fitted therefore. And as indeed the Advantages from such a regular method will be both Great and Numerous; So if there were no other than the Credit and Advantage the Nation, to both our Religious and Cilvil Interest will have by Taking and Keeping a very Great Number of Youths of both Sexes from this Miserable Custom of Begging, which brings them to such a Habit of living Idly, as renders them not only absolutely Useless in, but a Plague to their Country. It might of itself be sufficient to induce to what will overcome the Difficulties in this, so  a Work. I have indeed such a Sense of the Frailty in Man disabling to the Rightly doing what is Good, as makes me see the Unreasonableness of that Popish Tenet anent Merit; Yet can I with Confidence say, who does conscientiously concern themselves in this so plainly from the Word of GOD, the Duty of Mankind will not only to their Eternal Advantage, gain what in Comparison is only desirable, but they may thereby in things Temporal, draw down upon, and Rivet a Blessing to themselves and their Posterity.  
I shall not Undervalue what this Session of Parliament has the Prospect of doing for the Good of the Nation; and I Cheerfully wish they succeed in their Endeavours, yet I do say, all under their Condition comes not near to what may Undoubtedly be the Nation's Interest from so desirable an Act, which will Eternize the Memory of this Session, as it will be to the Unconceivable Reputation and Honour of His Majesty's Commissioner; Yea after Ages, speaking of the Reign of Our present Sovereign will not do it under the Denomination of King William the 2. d. but King William in whose Reign the Act effectually regulating the Poor, was made and duly Execute.  
Surely if my Pen were able to express what my Heart conceives of the Calamitous Condition of the Poor, and the Advantages that will occur from their being suitably relieved, I think I could give Arguments moving the hardest of hearts in the most unconcerned of Mankind, to endeavour it: But I know ye may justly say, the Difficulty lies not in enforcing what is so obvious to the least thinking of Persons, but in proposing the Remedy.  
I am sensible it were Arrogance almost altogether unjustifiable, my pretending to direct in so great a Matter, and where there are so great and knowing Persons, who upon sedate Consideration will see unto the Means for accomplishing this so desirable and undoubtedly excelling a Reformation; Yet I do hereby presume to say, that no Act that can be conceived, relating to this Affair, will take effect, unless the Execution thereof be otherways directed than has been hitherto. And I truly conceive, would it please the Parliament, to name some considerable number of the most Conscientious Nobility, Gentry and Burgesses, especially in or near about Edinburgh, Glasgow, or other Places of greatest Resort within the Kingdom, who by a Law might be Erected into a Society or Company, having Power to establish their Rules for Management, into whose hands the Execution of the Law for Regulating the Poor might be Committed, there may be a Competent Number of such Condescended upon, as will cheerfully from Conscience underly the Trouble: I shall again say, it were Impertinent in me to propose what is  to come under Consideration in a Method of this Kind; but surely as the Burrows now appointed to put up houses for receiving Vagrant Persons, are unable to the doing thereof, so much less do they know how profitably to provide for and employ them in Work. And as there must be Rules laid down to know what Super-numerary Poor are in Parishes throughout the Kingdom, beyond their Power to mantain, and how and where these are to be maintained; so at Edinburgh, and other fit Places, there would be Manufactories for receiving Young ones and others, not knowing how, or unwilling to employ themselves in some Work suitable to their Capacity. I freely grant you, the View of the Difficulties occurring is indeed great, yet undoubtedly they are superable, and the Advantages accrescing from the Work done, will unconceivably overbalance them. Indeed there could be no Thought of any reasonable Acting in this Affair, without putting into the Trust of the Society so Erected, a Competent Stock enabling to the Mantainance of the super-numerary Poor, that Parishes are not able to mantain, and setting up at Edinburgh, and some other Places, Manufactories for putting to Work Young Ones and others, that may otherways want the Occasion, or be unwilling to Employ themselves: And I verily think a Stock of near Twenty Thousand Pound Sterling employed by the Public for that Use, would be Money so profitably disposed of, as never had the Country Occasion more cheerfully to give; And I conceive the Society might be so Constitute, as there would be more than probable Grounds it would not fail by Mismanagement. The Money may be so soon needful, as will at least require a Month's Cess yearly whilst it were completed. I shall readily grant, that what the Parliament may at this time see otherways needful, will render any thought of further imposing upon the Country grievous; but surely upon Consideration, any Imposition to this Effect can never be considered a Burden; for it is but putting the Country to give in a Regular Method what they otherways must, and does give to a greater quantity and less profitably.  
Sir, I acknowledge this Represented may be by many considered, but an impracticable Notion, and what will have but the Effect of other Endeavours hitherto made, in Regulating what relates to the Poor; and it shall be well satisfying to me if it shall only put you and others of the Members of Parliament, to think upon what may be practicable. In my Converse through the Country, I find some of considerable Interest partly unconcerned in the Poor, and without Bowels of Compassion towards them, and willing to proceed in any Method easeful to themselves, albeit having the Prospect of a direful Calamity to the Generality of the of the Poor throughout the Kingdom; Others do not Comprehend how, albeit they be willing in their Stations suitably to Act in this Affair: And surely, if there be from the Word of GOD a Tie upon Christians to a positive Duty, it is to that of Charity; and is it possible for your great Meeting more truly to evince the Sense of their Obligation thereto, than by doing what is not only so much the Nation's Civil Interest, but will be Charitable to a very high Degree. I do remember to have read a Sermon upon that Subject, Preached by Dr. Barrow upon a Hospital day, before the Mayor of London, which if perused by you and your Fellow-Commissioners would persuade, that than Charity to the Poor, there is no Duty more peremptorly commanded; But that Sermon being long and now so much out of Print, as it may not come to your hand, it is like you may if you call at Mrs. Ogston or John Mackie their Shops, have a kind of Abridgement thereof, but in two or three Sheets as may satisfy; Ye cannot to greater Advantage for your Country or yourself employ the utmost of your Endeavours, than in doing for the Good of the Poor, what After-Ages may Rejoice in; And that GOD may put into your hearts suitably to endeavour it, and Bless the samen with Success, is, and shall be the hearts Desire of  
SIR, Your Affectionate and humble Servant. 10 May 1700.  
P. S. I am so satisfied of that Method appointing each Paroch to mantain their own Poor, as I wish it were put in Execution; but surely, its being duly done needs much to be enquired into, and it were a Calamity very Intolerable, if by it's not being General, and every One, Great and Mean put to their Duty therein; the Poor in some Places should be hindered to Beg, yet be in a straitened and starving Condition, wherefrom will arise no small part of the Work of the Society burdened to see to the Execution of these Laws. And as it might not be Improper, to give some General Directions to the parochs, as to the Method of their Acting; So if it be worth your Perusal, I send you under-written what was intended to be the Rule for proceeding in this Affair by a Paroch Neighbouring to yourself.  
These within the Paroch of _____ in Obedience to the Acts for regular Mantenance of the Poor, and as being fully sensible of the many and Great Inconveniencies from Begging, both to the Receivers and Givers of Charity do resolve.  
1. To make an exact List of all such within the Paroch, as cannot of themselves Subsist.  
2. As being Conscious of the positive and plain Command of GOD, that the Poor have Liberal and Comfortable Mantenance, they will allot to these, as can noways contribute to their own Subsistance, One Peck of Oatmeal Weekly, and One Shilling Scots each Day in Money,.  
3. These Needy and Impotent Persons being reduced out of the List, they will allow to the Remander such a Proportion of Meal or Money, as with what they shall be able to gain by their own Labour, may be the Mean of their comfortable Subsistance.  
4. Where Parents are Burdened with Children beyond their Ability to Mantain, they are to be Ranked in two sorts, and either considered as Children of Parents, who albeit Indigent, are Sober and Willing to endeavour their Christian Education, or that they are Children of Profane and Careless Parents, whose example may, yea does draw their Children to almost every evil, and in the first case does resolve answerable to the number and need of such Children, to give to the Parents what may enable them to their children's mantainance; and encourage their endeavours in their suitable Education: And in the Second, do resolve to take from Profane and Careless Parents, such Children as they are not able to mantain, and dispose of them in Families, where they may by Precept and Example have the Means of Knowledge, and a Christian Education; They are at School or otherways, to be taught at least to Read the Word of GOD, and, as according to their Ability and their Learning to Read will allow, they are to be Serviceable in any Employment within their power, so the Parish is to give to the Master of that Family in which they are, so much, as their giving the Young One ●ither Meat,  or Learning, shall not be their Burden.  
5. Such as are without Parents and indigent, are to be disposed of as the Children of the Profane and careless, and it's hoped every honest Man will be sensible of their having Credit, yea even Advantage in their Educating a poor one, who is in a special manner owned of God, so as with confidence may be expected the repayment of what is rightly done to them.  
6. This division being made, and a true Computation of what the whole will amount to, there is to be chosen six or more honest Men within the Parish, who are to Stint all the inhabitants, Masters of Families and others according to their Ability, their income and way of living, in a Monthly Contribution; And as it is hoped every one but pretending to Conscience, will be ashamed to refuse obedience to so laudable and Christian a practice: So it were  that Authority were applied to, that, by some public Act they would Authorise such Stint Masters, as the Stint Rolls duly Subscribed, might at least be ground of a Claim for obtaining the Sentence of a Judge for the due and ready payment thereof.  
7. Because the circumstances even of the givers of Charity may alter, the Stint Roll by new Stent-Masters is to be renewed every Year, and if the Number and Circumstances of the Poor do vary, so as more yea even less may be required, the Roll is likeways in either of these Cases, to be altered, when ever they do occur.   

SIR,  
IT is like it may be thought this weekly allowance may be too large, but were I to Vote in this Affair, I would not be so persuaded, for a poor Man or Woman having their health, yet unable to do any thing for their own Subsistance, could not well be maintained with Lesle, and if their Inclination to meat, through sickness, age or any accident, should be lessened, they will need to as great an Expense under these circumstances to be supplied. And when it shall please God to bring Victual to the usual Price, this allowance for the Poor will extend to no great Matter. It may be reasoned the conveniency of appointing what the Parliament intends for this use its being uplifted by Pole, since otherways many enabled to the giving in Charity may be miss, but what is appointed by Pole, or any other Method, than what is the usual way of uplifting in this Kingdom, coming so little to Answer what is expected therefrom; I conceive the usual way will uncontravertedly be most effectual, and the Managers in giving their Directions to the parochs, as to their Stenting, may so order it, as they have a Particular respect to Servants and all others, as they may be able to give, and especially such as by the usual way of paying public burdens are exempted therefrom.