第 4 节
作者:
两块 更新:2021-02-21 10:51 字数:9322
how much greater ease would common expences be defrayed? and with how much more equality would the same be assessed? 34。 We enumerated six Branches of the Publick Charge; and have slightly spoken how four of them might be lessened; we come next to the other two Branches; whereof we shall rather recommend the augmentation。 The first of these two Branches I call; generally speaking; Care of the Poor; consisting of Receptacles for the aged; blinde; lame; etc。 in health; Hospitals for noysome; chronical; curable and uncurable; inward and outward Diseases。 With others for acute and contagious。 Others for Orphans; found and exposed Children; of which latter sort none should be refused; let the number be never so great; provided their names; families; and relations were well concealed: The choice of which Children being made at their being about eight or ten years old; might afford; the King the fittest Instruments for all kinde of his Affairs; and be as firmly obliged to be his faithful servants as his own natural Children。 35。 This is no new nor rare thing; onely the neglect of it in these Countreys is rather to be esteemed a rare and new project: Nor is it unknown what excellent fruits there have been of this Institution; of which we shall say much more; upon another occasion hereafter。 36。 When all helpless and impotent Persons were thus provided for; and the lazy and thievish restrained and punished by the Minister of Justice; it follows now; that we finde out certain constant Employments for all other indigent people; who labouring according to the Rules upon them; may require a sufficiency of food and raiment。 Their Children also (if small and impotent) as aforesaid; being provided for elsewhere。 37。 But what shall these Employments be? I answer; such as were reckoned as the sixth Branch of the Publick Expence; viz。 making all High…wayes so broad; firm; and eaven; as whereby the charge and tedium of travelling and Carriages may be greatly lessened。 The cutting and scowring of Rivers into Navigable; the planting of useful Trees for timber; delight; and fruit in convenient places。 The making of Bridges and Cawseys。 The working in Mines; Quarries; and Colleries。 The Manufactures of Iron; etc。 38。 I pitch upon all these particulars; first; as works wanting in this Nation; secondly; as works of much labour; and little art; and thirdly; as introductive of new Trades into England; to supply that of Cloth; which we have almost totally lost。 In the next place it will be asked; who shall pay these men? I answer; every body; for if there be 1000 men in a Territory; and if 100 of these can raise necessary food and raiment for the whole 1000。 If 200 more make as much commodities; as other Nations will give either their commodities or money for; and if 400 more be employed in the ornaments; pleasure; and magnificence of the whole; if there be 200 Governours; Divines; Lawyers; Physicians; Merchants; and Retailers; making in all 900 the question is; since there is food enough for this supernumerary 100 also; how they should come by it? whether by begging; or by stealing; or whether they shall suffer themselves to starve; finding no fruit of their begging; or being taken in their stealing to put to death another way? Or whether they sahll be given away to another Nation that will take them? I think 'tis plain; they ought neither to be starved; nor hanged; nor given away; now if they beg; they may pine for hunger to day; and be gorged and glutted to morrow; which will occasion Diseases and evil habits; the same may be said of stealing; moreover; perhaps they may get either by begging or stealing more than will suffice them; which will for ever after indispose them to labour; even upon the greatest occasion which may suddenly and unexpectedly happen。 39。 For all these Reasons; it will be certainly the safer way to afford them the superfluity which would otherwise be lost and wasted; or wantonly spent: Or in case there be no overplus; then 'tis fit to retrench a little from the delicacy of others feeding in quantity or quality; few men spending less than double of what might suffice them as to the bare necessities of nature。 40。 Now as to the work of these supernumeraries; let it be without expence of Foreign Commodities; and then 'tis no matter if it be employed to build a useless Pyramid upon Salisbury Plain; bring the Stones at Stonehenge to Tower Hill; or the like; or at worst this would keep their minds to discipline and obedience; and their bodies to a patience of more profitable labours when need shall require it。 41。 In the next place; as an instance of the usefulness of what hath been propounded; I ask what benefit will the mending of High…wayes; the building of Bridges and Cawseys; with making of Rivers navigable produce; besides the pleasure and beauty of them? To which I also answer; as an instance of the premises; that the same; together with the numerous missions of Cattle and Sheep out of Ireland; shall produce a vaste superfluity of English Horses; the which because they have the many excellent qualities of beauty; strength; courage; swiftness; and patience concentrated in them; beyond the Horses of other places; would be a very vendible Commodity all over Europe; and such as depending upon the intrinsick nature of the English Soyle could not be counterfeited; nor taken away by others。 Moreover; an Horse is such a Commodity as will carry both himself and his Merchant to the Market; be the same never so distant。
Chapter 3
How the Causes of the unquiet bearing of Taxes may be lessened。
We have slightly gone through all the six branches of the Publick Charge; and have (though imperfectly and in haste) shewn what would encrease; and what would abate them。 We come next to take away some of the general Causes of the unquiet bearing of Taxes; and yielding to Contributions; viz。 2。1。 That the people think; the Soverign askes more then he needs。 To which we answer; 1。 That if the Sovereign were sure to have what he wanted in due time; it were his own great dammage to draw away the money out of his Subjects hands; who by trade increase it; and to hoard it up in his own Coffers; where 'tis of no use even to himself; but lyable to be begged or vainly expended。 3。2。 Let the Tax be never so great; if it be proportionable unto all; then no man suffers the loss of any Riches by it。 For men (as we said but now) if the Estates of them all were either halfed or doubled; would in both cases remain equally rich。 For they would each man have his former state; dignity and degree; and moreover; the Money leavied not going out of the Nation; the same also would remain as rich in comparison of any other Nation; onley the Riches of the Prince and People would differ for a little while; namely; until the money leavied from some; were again refunded upon the same; or other persons that paid it: In which case every man also should have his change and opportunity to be made the better or worse by the new distribution; or if he lost by one; yet to gain by another。 4。3。 Now that which angers men most; is to be taxed above their Neighbours。 To which I answer; that many times these surmizes are mistakes; many times they are chances; which in the next Tax may run more favourable; and if they be by design; yet it cannot be imagined; that it was by design of the Sovereign; but of some temporary Assessor; whose turn it may be to receive the Talio upon the next occasion from the very man he has wronged。 5。4。 Men repine much; if they think the money leavyed will be expended on Entertainments; magnificent Shews; triumphal Arches; etc。 To which I answer; that the same is a refunding of said moneys to the Tradesmen who work upon those things; which Trades though they seem vain and onely of orniment; yet they refund presently to the most useful; namely to Brewers; Bakers; Taylours; Shoemakers; etc。 Moreover; the Prince hath no more pleasure in these Shews and Entertainments than 100000 others of his meanest Subjects have; whom; for all their grumbling; we see to travel many miles to be spectators of these mistaken and distasted vanities。 6。5。 The people often complain; that the King bestows the money he raises from the people upon his Favourites: To which we answer; that what is given to Favourites; may at the next step or transmigration; come into our own hands; or theirs unto whom we wish well; and think do deserve it。 7。 Secondly; as this man is a Favourite to day; so another; or our selves; may be hereafter; favour being of a very slippery and moveable nature; and not such a thing as we need much to envy; for the same way that … leads up a hill; leads also down the same。 Besides there is nothing in the Lawes or Customes of England; which excludes any the meanest mans Childe; from arriving to the highest Offices in the this Kingdom; much less debars him from the Personall kindness of his Prince。 8。 All these imaginations (whereunto the vulgar heads are subject) do cause a backwardness to pay; and that necessitates teh Prince to severity。 Now this lighting upon some poor; though stubborn; stiffnecked Refuser; charged with Wife and Children; gives the credulous great occasion to complain o