The relation of wages to the cost of living is seldom alluded to by contemporary writers, but a pamphlet published in 1706 says of a labourer’s family, “a poor Man and his Wife may have 4 or 5 children, 2 of them able to work, and 3 not able, and the Father and Mother not able to maintain themselves and Families in Meat, Drink, Cloaths and House Rent under 10s. a week.”[151] Footnote 151: Haynes, (John.), _Present State of Clothing_, p. 5, 1706. A similar statement is made by Sir Matthew Hale, who adds “and so much they might probably get if employed.”[152] But no evidence has been found from which we can imagine that an agricultural labourer’s family could possibly earn as much as 10s. a week in the seventeenth century. Our lower estimate is confirmed by a report made by the Justices of the Peace for the half hundred of Hitching concerning the poor in their district; “when they have worke the wages geven them is soe small that it hardlye sufficeth to buy the poore man and his familye breed, for they pay 6s. for one bushell of mycelyn grayne and receive but 8d. for their days work. It is not possible to procure mayntenance for all these poore people and their famylyes by almes nor yet by taxes.”[153] Footnote 152: Hale, (Sir Matt). _Discourse touching Provision for the Poor_, p. 6, 1683. Footnote 153: _S.P.D._ ccclxxxv., 43. Mar. 8, 1638. The insolvency of the wage-earning class is recognized by Gregory King in his calculations of the income and expense of the several Families of England, for the year 1680. All other classes, including artisans and handicrafts show a balance of income over expenditure but the families of seamen, labourers and soldiers show an actual yearly deficit.[154] Footnote 154: King (Gregory). _Nat. and Political Observations_, pp. 48-9. NO. OF FAMILIES. YEARLY INCOME PER EXPENSE LOSS PER PERSONS. HEAD. PER HEAD. HEAD. 50,000 Common Seamen 150,000 £7. £7. 10s. 10s. 364,000 Labouring 1,275,000 £4. 10s. £4. 12s. 2s. people & outservants 400,000 Cottagers & 1,300,000 £2. £2. 5s. 5s. Paupers 35,000 Common 70,000 £7. £7. 10s. 10s. soldiers A still more convincing proof of the universal destitution of wage-earners is shown in the efforts made by churchwardens and overseers in every county throughout England to prevent the settlement within the borders of their parish of families which depended solely on wages.