[539] In Dec. 1630 a certain "Nathaniell Crotch was appointed to sett the poore on worke in the Newhall," and certain aldermen were appointed to overlook the work done. _Court Books, Norwich_, 23 Dec. 1630.
[540] _Court Books, Norwich_, 3rd Nov. 1625, f. 72. Other plans were even then contemplated at Norwich, and on Nov. 16th people were appointed in every ward to "sett the poore on worke."
At King's Lynn also different expedients were adopted. As early as 1581 money had been spent in changing St James's Church into a workhouse, and shortly afterwards we have evidence of employment being then given to the poor. In 1623 the building was pulled down, and possibly in consequence of this we find an agreement made in that year between the citizens on the one side and a merchant taylor, a glover and a woolchapman on the other. These last undertook not only to teach children to spin worsted yarn, but also to give employment to the poor, and to pay proper wages to those who were not learners. In June, 1631, the Mayor and the Recorder sent in a report to the Sheriff, in which they said that then they had "bought materialls to sett the able-bodyed poore on worke not suffering to o^r knowledge anie poore to stragle and begg upp and downe the streets of this Burgh[541]." In Lynn, therefore, the authorities on several occasions made energetic efforts to find employment for those out of work, and very possibly some arrangement of this sort was in continuous operation from the year 1581.
[541] _Hist. Mun. Com. Report_, XI. App. III. p. 247; _D. S. P._, Chas. I., Vol. 195, 46.
[Sidenote: 7 _b_. Introduction of new trades.]
Sometimes the authorities utilised the labour of their poor in order to establish a new trade. Thus in eight of the towns of Hertfordshire public funds were obtained for an unsuccessful attempt to employ those out of work in making serges and baize, then called the "new drapery[542]." A project of the same kind was suggested to the justices of Pembrokeshire, but they were very cautious about committing themselves to its adoption[543].
[542] _Cal. of State Papers_, May 10th, 1620.
[543] _D. S. P._, Chas. I., Vol. 192, 70 and 71.
Our informants generally tell us only that stocks were raised and the poor set to work. But from the instances we have just examined we can see that many kinds of employment were used. On the whole clothmaking and the provision of flax, hemp and tow were the most usual expedients.