OF NORFOLK. 



3 93 



with the prefent rate of wages, and the price of la- 

 bour, the caufe of the increafe upon the poor-rates 

 mult be obvious. I would, therefore, advife eve- 

 ry gentleman in the commiffion of the peace, care- 

 fully to perufe a book I have before recommended 

 in this work, namely, Fleetwood's Chronicon Pre- 

 ciofuviy which will fhew him the proportions which 

 were obferved at that time, and like wife to advert* 

 to two particular acts of parliament, framed by the 

 wifdom of our anceftors, viz, the 5th of Elizabeth, 

 chapter iv, and the 1 ft of James, chapter vi ; where 

 fufficient power is given to regulate this important 

 bufinefs. 



Every farmer I would advife, to confider the 

 labourer not as an incumbrance upon him, but as 

 elTentially neceilary to carry on his bufinefs, with- 

 out whom he could not live or fupport his own fa- 

 mily ; but the prefent weak policy has arifen from 

 a mifconccption of the utility and real importance 

 of the labourer to fociety. No farmer will flight 

 his horfe, or give him the lefs hay or corn for its 

 being dear, if he did, he would expect the animal 

 to decline in condition. — Why then fliould the 

 human fervant be lefs attended to? He is, un- 

 doubtedly, the fir ft finew that puts the labour of 

 the (aim in motion, and without which it cannot 

 be carried on: if, therefore, his full earnings will 

 not keep him, it is a duty incumbent on his 

 xnafter, to let him have a luiliciency o( corn, for 

 his own family, at the fame rate or price by which 



B b ho 



