and loiteringly, by the space of three days, the fame juftices fhall caufe the faid idle and loitering fervant, or vagabond, to be marked on the breaft with the mark of V by a hot iron, and fhall adjudge him to be a slave to the person who brought him, and who may cause him to work, by beating, chaining, or otherwife. The unenlightened makers of this difgraceful act of legislation became foon fo afhamed, as to repeal the law, which they ought to have never made. And were it not, that it fhews the condition of the country, and the modes of thinking of the higher orders, in 1547, it might, without much lofs, be expunged from the ftatute book.

But, the legiflators of this reign, were more happy in fome other of their laws. They restored the ftatute of treasons of Edward III.; they encou→ raged the fisheries to Iceland, to Newfoundland, and to Ireland. They inflicted penalties on the fellers of victuals, who were not content with reafonable profit, and on artificers and labourers, confpiring the time, and manner of their work. As great inconveniencies, not meet to be rehearsed, had "followed of compelled chastity," all pofitive laws, against the marriage of priests, were repealed. Manufactures were encouraged, partly by procuring the materials at the cheapest rate, but still more by preventing frauds. And agriculture was promoted by means of inclofing, which is faid to have given rife to Ket's rebellion, in 1549. This event alone, fufficiently proves, that the people

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had confiderably increased, but had not yet applied fteadily to labour.

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While the abfurd practice continued, during the reign of Mary, of promoting manufactures by monopoly, instead of competition, one law alone appears to have been attended with effects, continual, and falutary. It is the act" for the mending of highways;" being now, fays the law, "both very noisome and tedious to travel in, and dangerous to paffengers, and carriages." The firft effort of English legiflation, on a fubject fo much connected with the profperity of every people, is the act of Edward I. for enlarging the breadth of highways, from one market town to another. This law, which was enacted in 1285, was, however, intended rather to prevent robbery, than to promote facility in travelling. The roads of particular districts were amended by feveral laws of Henry VIII. But this act of Philip and Mary is the first general law, which obliged every parifh, by four days labour of its people, to repair its own roads. The reign of Charles II, merits the praise of having first established turnpikes; whereby thofe, who enjoy the benefits of easy conveyance, contribute the neceffary expence. Yet, when Cowley retired from the hum of men to Chertsey, in 1665, he thence invited Sprat to enjoy the pleasures of St. Anne's Hill, by telling him, that he might fleep the first night at Hampton

* 2 & 3 Philip and Mary, ch. 8.

D

Town

Town: A poet of the present day would invite his friend at London, by faying, that he might eafily Rep into the coach, and come down to breakfast. Even in the fubfequent age, when Sir Francis Wronghead was chofen into Parliament, we hear of much preparation for his journey to town, and of many accidents by the way, owing to the badness of the roads: A parliament-man, at present, fends to the next stage for post-horses, when there is a call of the house, and arrives in Westminster, from any distance, at any hour.

CHAP. III.

The State of England, at the Acceffion of Elizabeth.Her Laws.-The Numbers of People, during her Reign. Her Strength.-The Policy, and Power of the two fubfequent Reigns.-The State of England, at the Reftoration.-The Number of People, at the Revolution.-Reflections.

B

EFORE the commencement of the cele

brated, reign of Elizabeth, a confiderable change had doubtlefs taken place, in our policy, and in the numbers of our people. Agriculture, manufactures, fifheries, commerce, diftant voyages, had all been begun, and made fome progrefs, from the fpirit, that had already been incited. Yet, fo little opulence had been hitherto accumulated by the people of England, that he was, on her acceffion, obliged to borrow feveral very fmall fums of money, in Flanders, which had grown rich by its induftry. From that epoch, however, England profpered greatly, during the domeftic tranquillity of a steady government, through half a century, as well as afterwards, from the example of economy and prudence, of activity and vigour, which Elizabeth, on all occafions, fet before her fubjects. The act of Elizabeth containing orders for

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artificers, Labourers, fervants of hufbaudiy, and apprentices, merits confideration; because we may learn from it the ftate of the country. Villains, we fee, from this enumeration, had ceafed, before 1562, to be objects of legiflation. And we may perceive, from the recital, “ That the wages, and "allowances, rated in former ftatutes, are in divers 'places too fmall, and not anfwerable to this time, refpecting the advancement of all things, belonging "to the faid fervants, and labourers,"-a favourable change had taken place, in the fortunes of this numerous class. This law, as far as it requires apprenticeships, ought to be repealed; because its tendency is to abridge the liberty of the fubject, and to prevent competition among workmen.

The fame obfervation may be applied to the act against the erecting of cottages *." If we may credit the affertion of the legislature, “great "multitudes of cottages, were daily more and more

increafing, in many parts of this realm." This ftatement evinces an augmentation of people: yet, the execution of fuch regulations, as this law, contains, by no means promotes the ufeful race of husbandry fervants.

The principle of the poor laws, which may be faid to have originated in this reign, as far as it neceffarily confines the labourer to the place of his birth, is at once deftructive of freedom, and of the true interefts of a manufacturing community, that

13 Eliz. ch. 7.

can