FREQUENT Occafions present themselves to, and (as it were) oblige the Legislature (amidft their other great national Concerns) to turn their Thoughts towards the alarming, yet increafing Charge of maintaining the Poor of the Kingdom, and to enquire into the Sources of it. And whenever this is done, it cannot but inftantly appear, how much Alehoufes contribute to this heavy, almost infupportable Burden; and how many Families are impoverished by them. Moft Parishes will furnish any good Man, disposed to satisfy himself, with Inftances enough of this Nature, as alfo of the Ruin of young Men of industrious, credita

ble

ble Families

of Servants, Journey

men, and the like, by having so many Opportunities and Temptations every where around them.

THE removing therefore of this great and manifeft Cause, muft appear an obvious and very natural Expedient towards fpeedily checking and leffening the Charge of the Poor, fo long and fo much complained of by the whole Nation. But without doing the one, I fear the other will always prove a prepofterous and fruitless Undertaking.

Ir may not become me, indeed, in my obfcure Station, to suggest so much; and I beg Pardon for the Liberty

Liberty I have taken. My Apology for it is that I was only willing to try for the Pleasure, which my contributing but a fingle Hint, a bare Mite (if I fhould be so fortunate) towards abating the raging, ruinous Vices of the prefent Times, would truly yield to,

SIR,

Your most humble Servant,

R. C.

APPEN

APPENDIX.

Anno 4 JAC. 1. Cap. 5. An A&t for repressing the odious and loathfome Sin of Drunkenness.

WH

HEREAS the loathfome, and odious Sin of Drunkennefs, is of late grown into common Use within this Realm, being the Root and Foundation of many other enormous Sins, as Bloodshed, Stabbing, Murder, Swearing, Fornication, Adultery, and fuch like, to the great Dishonour of God, and of our Nation, the Overthrow of many good Arts, and manual Trades, the disabling of divers Workmen, and C

the

the general impoverishing of many good Subjects, abufively wafting the good Creatures of God- -Be it therefore enacted, by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, the Lords, Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, that all and every Perfon, or Persons which after forty Days next following the End of this present Seffion of Parliament, fhall be drunk and of the fame Offence of Drunkennefs fhall be lawfully convicted, shall for every fuch Offence, forfeit and lofe five Shillings of lawful Money of England, to be paid within one Week next after his, her, or their Conviction thereof, to the Hands of the Church