pillaged by others, as is daily practised, I would have no person
carry a link for hire but some of these industrious poor, and even
such, not without some ticket or badge, to let people know whom
they trust. Thus would the streets be cleared night and day of
these vermin; nor would oaths, skirmishes, blasphemy, obscene talk,
or other wicked examples, be so public and frequent. All gaming at
orange and gingerbread barrows should be abolished, as also all
penny and halfpenny lotteries, thimbles and balls, &c., so frequent
in Moorfields, Lincoln’s-inn-fields, &c., where idle fellows
resort, to play with children and apprentices, and tempt them to
steal their parents’ or master’s money.
There is one admirable custom in the city of London, which I could
wish were imitated in the city and liberties of Westminster, and
bills of mortality, which is, no porter can carry a burthen or
letter in the city, unless he be a ticket porter; whereas, out of
the freedom part of London, any person may take a knot and turn
porter, till he be entrusted with something of value, and then you
never hear of him more.
This is very common, and ought to be amended. I would, therefore,
have all porters under some such regulation as coachmen, chairmen,
carmen, &c.; a man may then know whom he entrusts, and not run the
risk of losing his goods, &c. Nay, I would not have a person carry
a basket in the markets, who is not subject to some such
regulation; for very many persons oftentimes lose their dinners in
sending their meat home by persons they know nothing of.
Thus would all our poor be stationed, and a man or woman able to
perform any of these offices, must either comply or be termed an
idle vagrant, and sent to a place where they shall be forced to
work. By this means industry will be encouraged, idleness
punished, and we shall be famed, as well as happy for our
tranquillity and decorum.