CobbettdeclaredinhisAdvicetoYoungMen26*that’iftheslops
wereinfashionamongstploughmenandcarters，wemustallbestarved；for
thefoodcouldneverberaised。Themechanicsarehalfruinedbythem。’In
theReportonthePoorpresentedtotheHantsQuarterSessionsin1795，27*
theuseofteaisdescribedas’avainpresentattempttosupplytothespirits
ofthemindwhatiswantingtothestrengthofthebody；butinitslasting
effectsimpairingthenerves，andthereinequallyinjuringboththebody
andthemind。’Daviesretortedontherichwhofoundfaultwiththeextravagance
ofthepoorintea-drinking，bypointingoutthatitwastheir’lastresource。’
’Thetopiconwhichthedeclaimersagainsttheextravaganceofthepoordisplay
theireloquencewithmostsuccess，istea-drinking。Whyshouldsuchpeople，
itisasked，indulgeinaluxurywhichisonlyproperfortheirbetters；
andnotrathercontentthemselveswithmilk，whichisineveryformwholesome
andnourishing？Wereittruethatpoorpeoplecouldeverywhereprocureso
excellentanarticleasmilk，therewouldbethenjustreasontoreproach
themforgivingthepreferencetothemiserableinfusionofwhichtheyare
sofond。Butitisnotso。Whereverthepoorcangetmilk，dotheynotgladly
useit？Andwheretheycannotgetit，wouldtheynotgladlyexchangetheir
teaforit？28*……Stillyouexclaim，Teaisaluxury。Ifyoumeanfine
hysontea，sweetenedwithrefined，sugar，andsoftenedwithcream，Ireadily
admitittobeso。Butthisisnottheteaofthepoor。Springwater，just
colouredwithafewleavesofthelowest-pricedtea，andsweetenedwiththe
brownestsugar，istheluxuryforwhichyoureproachthem。Tothistheyhave
recoursefrommerenecessity：andweretheynowtobedeprivedofthis，they
wouldimmediatelybereducedtobreadandwater。Tea-drinkingisnotthe
cause，buttheconsequence，ofthedistressesofthepoor。’29*Welearn
fromtheAnnalsofAgriculturethatatSedgefieldinDurham30*many
ofthepoordeclaredthattheyhadbeendriventodrinkingteafromnotbeing
abletoprocuremilk。31*
Nodoubtthescarcityofmilkhelpedtoencourageatastethatwasvery
quicklyacquiredbyallclassesinEngland，andnotinEnglandonly，for，
beforethemiddleoftheeighteenthcentury，therapidgrowthoftea-drinking
amongthepoorintheLowlandsofScotlandwasaffectingtherevenuevery。
TheEnglishpoorlikedteaforthesamereasonseriously32*thatDr。Johnson
likedit，asastimulant，andthefactthattheirfoodwasmonotonousand
insipidmadeitparticularlyattractive。Edenshowsthatbytheendofthe
eighteenthcenturyitwasingeneraluseamongpoorfamilies，takingthe
placebothofbeerandofmilk，andexcludingthesubstitutesthatEdenwished
tomakepopular。Itseemsperhapslesssurprisingtousthanitdidtohim，
thatwhentherich，whocouldeatordrinkwhattheyliked，enjoyedtea，
thepoorthoughtbreadandteaamoreinterestingdietthanbreadandbarley
water。
Afewisolatedattemptsweremadetoremedythescarcityofmilk，33*
whichhadbeencausedbyenclosureandtheconsolidationoffarms。LordWinchilsea’s
projectshavealreadybeendescribed。IntheReportsoftheSocietyforbettering
theConditionofthePoor，therearetwoaccountsofplansforsupplying
milkcheap，oneinStaffordshire，wherearespectabletradesmanundertook
tokeepacertainnumberofcowsforthepurposeinaparishwhere’theprincipal
numberofthepoorerinhabitantsweredestituteofallmeansofprocuring
milkfortheirfamilies，’34*anotheratStocktoninDurham，wherethebishop
madeitaconditionoftheleaseofacertainfarm，thatthetenantshould
keepfifteencowswhosemilkwastobesoldat1/2d。apinttothepoor。35*
Mr。Curwenagain，theWhigM。P。forCarlisle，hadaplanforfeedingcows
inthewinterwithaviewtoprovidingthepoorwithmilk。36*
Therewasanotherwayinwhichtheenclosureshadcreatedaninsuperable
obstacletothepopularisingof’cheapandagreeablesubstitutes’forexpensive
wheatenbread。TheCumberlandhousewifecouldbakeherownbarleybreadin
heroven’heatedwithheath，furzeorbrush-wood，theexpenceofwhichis
inconsiderable；’37*shehadstretchesofwastelandatherdoorwherethe
childrencouldbesenttofetchfuel。’Thereisnocomparisontothecommunity，’
wroteacontributortotheAnnalsofAgriculture，38*’whethergood
wheat，rye，turnips，etc。，arenotbetterthanbrakes，goss，furz，broom，
andheath，’butasacreafteracreinthemidlandsandsouthwasenclosed，
thefuelofthepoorgreweverscantier。Whenthecommonwherehehadgleaned
hisfiringwasfencedoff，thepoormancouldonlytrustforhisfuelto
pilferingsfromthehedgerows。Tothespectator，furzefromthecommonmight
seem’gatheredwithmorelossoftimethanitappearstobeworth；’39*
tothelabourerwhosescantyearningsleftlittlemarginovertheexpense
ofbreadalone，thelossoffiringwasnotbalancedbytheeconomyoftime。40*
Insufficientfiringaddedtothemiseriescausedbyinsufficientclothes
andfood。AningeniouswriterintheAnnalsofAgriculture41*suggested
thatthepoorshouldresorttothestablesforwarmth，aswasthepractice
intheduchyofMilan。Fewerwouldsufferdeathfromwantoffireinwinter，
heargued，andalsoitwouldbeacheapwayofhelpingthem，asitcostno
fuel，forcattleweresoobligingastodispensewarmthfromtheirpersons
fornothing。Buteventhisplanwhichwasnotadoptedwouldnothavesolved
theproblemofcooking。Thelabourermightbeblamedforhisdietoffine
wheatenbreadandforhavinghismeatwhenhehadanyroastedinsteadof
madeintosoup，buthowcouldcookingbedoneathomewithoutfuel？’Nodoubt，
alabourer，’saysEden，42*’whoseincomewasonly£；20ayear，would，
ingeneral，actwiselyinsubstitutinghasty-pudding，barleybread，boiled
milk，andpotatoes，forbreadandbeer；butinmostpartsofthiscounty，
heisdebarrednotmorebyprejudice，thanbylocaldifficulties，fromusing
adietthatrequirescookingathome。TheextremedearnessoffuelinOxfordshire，
compelshimtopurchasehisdinneratthebaker’s；and，fromhisunavoidable
consumptionofbread，hehaslittleleftforcloaths，inacountrywhere
warmcloathingismostessentiallywanted。’InDavies’moreracyanddirect
language，’itisbutlittlethatinthepresentstateofthingsthebelly
cansparefortheback。’43*Daviesalsopointedouttheconnectionbetween
dearfuelandthebaker。’Wherefuelisscarceanddear，poorpeoplefind
itcheapertobuytheirbreadofthebakerthantobakeforthemselves……
Butwherefuelabounds，andcostsonlythetroubleofcuttingandcarrying
home，theretheymaysavesomethingbybakingtheirownbread。’44*Complaints
ofthepilferingofhedgerowswereverycommon。’Falstaffsays“his
soldiersfoundlinenoneveryhedge；“andIfearitisbuttoooften
thecase，thatlabourers’childrenprocurefuelfromthesamequarter。’45*
TherewereprobablymanyfamilieslikethetwodescribedinDavies46*who
spentnothingonfuel，whichtheyprocured’bygatheringcow-dung，andbreaking
theirneighbours’hedges。’47*
Insomefewcases，thebenevolentrichdidnotcontentthemselveswith
attemptingtoenforcetheeighthcommandment，butwenttotherootofthe
matter，helpingtoprovideasubstitutefortheirhedgerows。Aninteresting
accountofsuchanexperimentisgivenintheReportsonthePoor48*
byScropeBernard。’TherehavingbeenseveralprosecutionsattheAylesbury
QuarterSessions，forstealingfuellastwinter，Iwasledtomakeparticular
inquiries，respectingthemeanswhichthepooratLowerWinchendonhadof
providingfuel。Ifoundthattherewasnofuelthentobesoldwithinseveral
milesoftheplace；andthat，amidthedistressoccasionedbythelongfrost，
apartyofcottagershadjoinedinhiringaperson，tofetchaloadofpit-coal
fromOxford，fortheirsupply。Inordertoencouragethisdispositionto
acquirefuelinanhonestmanner，’apresentwasmadetoallthispartyof
asmuchcoalagainastheyhadalreadypurchasedcarriagefree。Nextyear
thevestrydeterminedtohelp，andwiththeaidofprivatedonationscoal
wasdistributedat1s。4d。thecwt。itscostattheOxfordwharf，andkindling
faggotsat1d。each。’Ithadbeensaidthatthepoorwouldnotfindmoney
topurchasethem，whentheywerebrought：insteadofwhichoutof35poor
familiesbelongingtotheparish，29camewithreadymoney，husbandedout
oftheirscantymeans，toprofitwitheagernessofthisattentiontotheir
wants；andamongthemapersonwhohadbeenlatelyimprisonedbyhismaster
forstealingwoodfromhishedges。’Mr。Bernardconcludeshisaccountwith
someaptremarksonthedifficultiesofcombininghonestywithgrindingpoverty。49*
MINIMUMWAGE
Theattemptstoreducecottageexpenditurewerethusafailure。Wemust
nowdescribetheattemptstoincreasethecottageincome。Thereweretwo
waysinwhichthewagesofthelabourersmighthavebeenraised。Oneway，
thewayofcombination，wasforbiddenbylaw。Theotherwaywasthefixing
ofalegalminimumwageinrelationtothepriceoffood。Thiswasnonew
idea，fortheregulationofwagesbylawwasavenerableEnglishinstitution，
asoldastheStatuteofEdwardIII。Themostrecentlawsonthesubject
werethefamousActofElizabeth，anActofJamesI，andanActofGeorge
II1747。TheActofElizabethprovidedthattheJusticesofthePeaceshould
meetannuallyandassessthewagesoflabourersinhusbandryandofcertain
otherworkmen。Penaltieswereimposedonallwhogaveortookawageinexcess
ofthisassessment。TheActofJamesIwaspassedtoremovecertainambiguities
thatwerebelievedtohaveembarrassedtheoperationoftheActofElizabeth，
andamongotherprovisionsimposedapenaltyonallwhogaveawagebelow
thewagefixedbythemagistrates。TheActof174750*waspassedbecause
theexistinglawswere’insufficientanddefective，’anditprovidedthat
disputesbetweenmastersandmencouldbereferredtothemagistrates，’although
norateorassessmentofwageshasbeenmadethatyearbytheJusticesof
theshire，wheresuchcomplaintshallbemade。’
Twoquestionsariseonthesubjectofthislegislation，Wasitoperative？
Inwhoseinterestswasitadministered，theinterestsoftheemployersor
theinterestsoftheemployed？Astothefirstquestionthereisagooddeal
ofnegativeevidencetoshowthatduringtheeighteenthcenturytheselaws
wererarelyapplied。Anexampleofanassessmentanassessmentdeclaring
amaximummadebytheLancashiremagistratesin1725，waspublishedinthe
AnnalsofAgriculturein179551*asaninterestingcuriosity，andthewriter
remarks：’ItappearsfromMr。Ruggles’excellentHistoryofthePoorthat
suchordersmustingeneralbesearchedforinearlierperiods，andafriend
ofourswasmuchsurprisedtohearthatanymagistratesinthepresentcentury
wouldventureonsoboldameasure。’52*
Astothesecondquestion，atthetimewearediscussingitwascertainly
takenforgrantedthatthislegislationwasdesignedtokeepwagesdown。
SoimplicitlywasthisbelievedthattheActofJamesIwhichprovidedpenalties
incaseswherewagesweregivenbelowthefixedratewasgenerallyignored，
andspeakersandwritersmentionedonlytheActofElizabeth，treatingit
asanActforfixingamaximum。Whitbread，forexample，whenintroducing
aBillin1795tofixaminimumwage，withwhichwedeallater，arguedthat
theElizabethanActoughttoberepealedbecauseitfixedamaximum。This
viewoftheearlierlegislationwastakenbyFox，whosupportedWhitbread’s
Bill，andbyPittwhoopposedit。FoxsaidoftheActofElizabeththat’it
securedthemasterfromariskwhichcouldbutseldomoccur，ofbeingcharged
exorbitantlyforthequantityofservice；butitdidnotauthorisethemagistrate
toprotectthepoorfromtheinjusticeofagrindingandavariciousmaster，
whomightbedisposedtotakeadvantageoftheirnecessities，andundervalue
therateoftheirservices。’53*PittsaidthatWhitbread’imaginedthat
hehadonhissideofthequestionthesupportofexperienceinthiscountry，
andappealedtocertainlawsuponthestatute-bookinconfirmationofhis
proposition。Hedidnotfindhimselfcalledupontodefendtheprinciple
ofthesestatutes，buttheywerecertainlyintroducedforpurposeswidely
differentfromtheobjectofthepresentbill。Theywereenactedtoguard
theindustryofthecountryfrombeingcheckedbyageneralcombinationamong
labourers；andthebillnowunderconsiderationwasintroducedsolelyfor
thepurposeofremedyingtheinconvenienceswhichlabourerssustainfrom
thedisproportionexistingbetweenthepriceoflabourandthepriceofliving。’54*
Onlyonespeakerinthedebates，Vansittart，afterwardsChancellorofthe
Exchequer，tooktheviewthatlegislationwasnotneededbecausetheAct
ofJamesIgavethemagistratesthepowerswithwhichWhitbreadsoughtto
armthem。