The Early History of English Poor Relief

Name: The Early History of English Poor Relief
Author: Leonard, E. M., of Girton College

Leonard, E. M., of Girton College

Poor laws -- Great Britain -- History

It may be that there is a political side to the policy of Charles's
Council in this matter. Dr Gardiner suggests that the adoption of
this policy of paternal government may be attributed to the influence
of Wentworth. "It can hardly be by accident that his accession to
the Privy Council was followed by a series of measures aiming at
the benefit of the people in general, and at the protection of the
helpless against the pressure caused by the self interest of particular
classes[712]."

[712] S. R. Gardiner, _History of England_, VII., p. 160, ed. 1884.

There were also other members of the Council who were likely to be
interested in enforcing orders for the benefit of the poorer classes.
Sir Julius Caesar, the Master of the Rolls, was at that time in office.
He certainly was very charitable if not very wise in his charity. He is
described by Fuller as "a person of prodigious bounty to all of worth
or want so that he might seem to be Almoner-General of the Nation.
The story is well known of a Gentleman who once borrowing his Coach
(which was as well known to poor people as any Hospital in England)
was so rendevouzed about with Beggers in London that it cost him all
the money in his purse to satisfie their importunity; so that he might
have hired twenty coaches on the same terms[713]." It is also probable
that Laud may have had something to do with the strict enforcement
of the apprentice part of the law in 1633-4, for we have seen he was
much interested in apprenticeship, and founded many charities for the
purpose himself.

[713] Fuller's _Worthies_, p. 179.

Dr Gardiner also thinks that this policy "may serve as an indication
that there were some at least in the Council who in their quarrel with
the aristocracy were anxious to fall back upon an alliance with the
people[714]." It is very possibly not entirely accidental that the name
of John Caesar is attached to a report from Edwinstree in 1639 in which
the inhabitants are "well disposed in relegion, obedient to gou(ern)m^t
and forward in pious and charitable accons[715]," while the district
of John Hampden sent up at least one protest as to the measures of
scarcity[716].

[714] S. R. Gardiner, _Hist. of England_, VII., p. 164.

[715] Vol. 426, 73.

[716] See above, p. 193.

[Sidenote: 2 _b_. The use of proclamations and orders in Council for a
popular purpose.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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The Early History of English Poor ReliefLeonard, E. M., of Girton College

History

The Early History of English Poor Relief

Leonard, E. M., of Girton College

Poor laws -- Great Britain -- History

It may be that there is a political side to the policy of Charles's
Council in this matter. Dr Gardiner suggests that the adoption of
this policy of paternal government may be attributed to the influence
of Wentworth. "It can hardly be by accident that his accession to
the Privy Council was followed by a series of measures aiming at
the benefit of the people in general, and at the protection of the
helpless against the pressure caused by the self interest of particular
classes[712]."

[712] S. R. Gardiner, _History of England_, VII., p. 160, ed. 1884.

There were also other members of the Council who were likely to be
interested in enforcing orders for the benefit of the poorer classes.
Sir Julius Caesar, the Master of the Rolls, was at that time in office.
He certainly was very charitable if not very wise in his charity. He is
described by Fuller as "a person of prodigious bounty to all of worth
or want so that he might seem to be Almoner-General of the Nation.
The story is well known of a Gentleman who once borrowing his Coach
(which was as well known to poor people as any Hospital in England)
was so rendevouzed about with Beggers in London that it cost him all
the money in his purse to satisfie their importunity; so that he might
have hired twenty coaches on the same terms[713]." It is also probable
that Laud may have had something to do with the strict enforcement
of the apprentice part of the law in 1633-4, for we have seen he was
much interested in apprenticeship, and founded many charities for the
purpose himself.

[713] Fuller's _Worthies_, p. 179.

Dr Gardiner also thinks that this policy "may serve as an indication
that there were some at least in the Council who in their quarrel with
the aristocracy were anxious to fall back upon an alliance with the
people[714]." It is very possibly not entirely accidental that the name
of John Caesar is attached to a report from Edwinstree in 1639 in which
the inhabitants are "well disposed in relegion, obedient to gou(ern)m^t
and forward in pious and charitable accons[715]," while the district
of John Hampden sent up at least one protest as to the measures of
scarcity[716].

[714] S. R. Gardiner, _Hist. of England_, VII., p. 164.

[715] Vol. 426, 73.

[716] See above, p. 193.

[Sidenote: 2 _b_. The use of proclamations and orders in Council for a
popular purpose.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Early History of English Poor Relief

The Early History of English Poor Relief

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