Object. 7. Some may imagine an inconvenience, in sending so many people from all parts of the county to one place, and say, why were it not better to build many little work-houses, rather than one great

one ?

Answ. I answer, by no means; for then we shall miss one great and chief design, viz. the maintenance of good government; by which the whole family may be instructed in good manners, both towards God and man; only, as some counties are greater, more populous, &c. they may have more or less, proportionably.

Object. 8. There still remains one objection and that is, What shall we do for hemp and flax ?

Answ. To which I answer, that hemp or flax, one or the other, may plentifully be had in every county of England: take Sussex, as an example; any indifferent good land, chalky, &c. from the foot of the downs, to the sea-side, with double folding or dunging, and twice plowing, will produce hemp in abundance; yet though their land be rich enough, dry, &c. it will not produce good flax: but, to supply that, many thousand acres of the wild of Sussex will produce crops of flax, worth some four, some five, some six pounds an acre, and that kind for hemp, as aforesaid, worth as much. Besides, for encouraging the planting the same at home, it may be convenient to lay an imposition of four or five shillings, in the pound, or upwards, upon all hemp, thread, cordage, or linnen imported from foreign parts; by means whereof, we may raise it at home, cheaper than buy them abroad, and then every body will plant hemp and flax abundantly, as a thing of course, inriching those that promote it.

But why four or five counties should, as some have proposed, enjoy this great wealth and advantage of promoting the linnen manufactory, and improvement of lands, and not the rest, I cannot understand; nor, for what reason, so many people should be drained out of all the nation, into four or five midland counties, since those counties, next adjoining to the sea, ought to be kept most populous.

But to what purpose should so much hemp be planted?

I answer, hemp is of greater strength than flax, therefore of more excellent use for great advantage, as cables, ropes, and all kinds of cordage, sails, sacking, &c. As also thread for all nets for fishery; for which, and other purposes, we now buy yearly several hundred thousand pounds worth, from beyond the seas; so that, without controversy, there is as much hemp to be used as flax, and consequently the hemp-mill may be as useful as the spinning instrument.

Having, we hope, satisfactorily answered all material objections against the main body of this design, it remains to consider of the order. and method of governing these great families or corporations; but the particulars thereof we leave to the deeper wisdom and judicious care of authority; only in general propose :

1. That, for the better encouragement and support of so many poor people labouring in so profitable a manufactory, each alms-house be provided with, and allowed a publick granary, for stocking themselves with corn, when it is cheapest, against the time of dearth; a privilege,

we conceive, not to be so properly advisable for other companies or han. dicrafts as some propose and desire, because that would always keep corn too cheap, and consequently undo the tenant, or landlord, or both: for what makes wheat as often at four shillings a bushel (under which it is known, the farmer cannot live) as at two shillings and six-pence, but because all people in the nation, that have occasion, must buy of the land-occupiers, at the same time, when it is scarce? But by such general granaries, the hopes of four shillings per bushel will be banished the markets; but, in our case, painful husbandry, that antient employment may well allow granaries, both because this manufactory and de sign eases their charge to the poor, and is of more advantage to the publick, than some twenty trades besides; and particularly, because it helps to improve their lands by flax and hemp, that now they need not so much rely upon corn, for raising their rent: besides, if other overstocked trades want bread, let them quit their station, and come to weaving, and then they may enjoy the benefit of these granaries, also.

2. That the maiden children brought up in this corporation, may, after they attain to the age of fifteen years, or other fit time, be permitted to go forth to service to learn good houswifry, and the lads to husbandry or trades, if they think fit; nor will there be need of so great caution to prevent the marriages of the meaner sort, since now the parishes need not so much fear a charge, knowing a means how to employ all their children, as fast as they come to be five or six years old; nor can a young man have better choice for a wife than here, amongst so many, all bred up industriously, under strict discipline, and in a way to live: and therefore, this method will be so far from caus. ing any depopulation, that it may increase our inhabitants; and the more, the better, since we know how to dispose of them, in such laudable employments: moreover, hereby the distracting cares of poor honest parents, often occasioned by a foresight of their incapacity to provide for their children, will be removed; so that they may pass their time in peace, knowing, that a good honest comfortable employment and education is provided for their children, and their children's children; nor may this less remove the temptations, both in parents, and children, which cause them to be guilty of such misdemeanors, as sometimes bring them to the gallows; so that the expedients offered for the accomplishing this manufactory will produce a happy change in the whole nation, viz. no more want of work or bread for the poor, no more parishes oppressed, no more beggars, a great abatement of felons, thieves, cheats, nurses of debauchery, &c. many lives preserved, and (which is an hundred thousand times more than all the rest) many souls saved. Much more might be said in this case, to set forth the excellence of this design: but I leave it as a work more deserving the skill of the most learned and godly divine, and shall only add,

In order to that last-mentioned incomparable end, and for the better education and instruction of this great family, that there may be placed in each house, an able, honest, godly minister, of a good, peaceable, kind disposition, and exemplary conversation; that so no means may be wanting for promoting God's glory, and their edification:

To which purpose, on holidays and other spare times, all or the most docible part of the people trained up here, may likewise be taught to read, &c.

So may our most great prince and worthy senators become further instruments, for the nation's prosperity, and the salvation of many souls: thus may the blessing of heaven crown all their honourable enterprises and prudent counsels, with most prosperous success; which that it may be so, is the hearty desire of

Your most humble,

obedient, and faithful
subject and servant,

R. H.

WONDERFUL NEWS FROM WALES;

OR,

A TRUE NARRATIVE OF AN OLD WOMAN

Living near Lanselin in Denbighshire,

Whose Memory serves her truly and perfectly to relate what she hath seen and done one hundred and thirty Years ago. Having now the full Number of her Teeth; the most of them were lost, when she was Three-score Years and Ten. She is also remembered, by some of ninety Years old, to be taller than she is by seventeen or eighteen Inches: with several other Circumstances of her life, which shew her to be the Wonder of her Age. Licensed August 9, 1677. London, printed for C. L. Anno Dom. 1677. Quarto, containing eight Pages.

OTHING appears so contradictory and idle, but some philosopher

NOTHING so

or other has so earnestly espoused, that his life might have been easily taken, as a mortgage for the security of the truth, were the forfeiture thought considerable: and as of this sort there are many extravagant precedents that would make nature very ridiculous; so there are to be found amongst the graver sort of assertors, all the world over, whimsies, more foolish and barbarous than with the savages, who enjoyed scarce, or not at all, the light of nature: amongst other bustlings and trials of pens, it hath been a great dispute about the age of Adam, Methuselah, &c. Some would have monthly years, deducing arguments from Eve; others from the moon: some more Persian like, will give the sun the glory of compleating the year; holding also nature to be in a continual decay through her own weakness, or our wantonness and, though they lived so many years heretofore, we have so changed our bodies, that no one can be expected to live the quarter, nay scarce the tythe of our forefathers time. But it will be found nature cannot decay, nor has her luxury so circumscribed our age, but that we do find persons, whose extent of years serves to confute such indigested fancies.

Not far from the seat of old Parr, at this time lives (near Lanselin in Denbighshire) a woman, named Jane Morgan, whose memory yet serves her to give an exact account of several things she hath seen and known one hundred and thirty years ago: she walks uprightly, without the use of the least stick; her teeth are almost all now perfect in her head, although about threescore years ago she had lost most of them; she can see as well without spectacles, if not better than with them; her hearing is quick and apprehensive, and her organs of smelling are so corroborated by age, that no, stench can invade them to the least prejudice. She was the first that learnt that famous and memorable tune called Si. danen, in all those parts. When queen Elisabeth was crowned, she led all the dances, and continued the head of all that country sports, until the death of king James; and was so sensible of the glory she had at. chieved by such continual custom, that she would not part with it, until she had bred her daughter up to have it conferred on her; which she did in a publick assembly, when the coronation of king Charles the first was solemnised but before her daughter, as her deputy, had practised, and in her absence taught the country measures for the space of one and twenty years, having several tunes dedicated to her: Old Simon the King was called her Delight; Jo Bent, her Fancy; Bob in Joy her Conceit; sleeping and waking she sung the Sidanen; wherefore the neighbours called her by that name.

Her mother Jane Lloyd was married at twenty years of age to one Evan Morgan, an able farmer's Son, who was the activest and strongest in his country at wrestling: but, at a certain trial of skill, when he had foiled all the neighbours, and strangers too, she put on man's apparel, entered the round, and gave him three falls; upon which she bore away the little silver bell that was the conqueror's due; but, upon enquiry, who this valiant stranger was, the young man fell so deeply in love with her, that, maugre all his friends, he married her, and lived with her forty-five years, before her womb was mature for conception; about the sixty-sixth year of her age, she brought forth her first born, a daughter, who did not conceive till the fifty-fifth year of her age.

Many masculine and heroick acts did this virago mother do, and, though sometimes the justices were severe, yet their warrants were always void; and, like curses of malefactors, returned upon themselves, for whatever ground she trod on, was to catch-polls and petty-constables as fatal, as Irish earth to venomous creatures.

But, as the longest day will have a night, spightful age wrought a tendency towards a decay, upon her vigorous nerves; yet in all this while time could not make her subject to the least disease, though it has submitted her to the most unheard of shifts for food as ever were or can be; and, by the calculation of her stomach, she may be thought now to be in the meridian of her age: hundreds of her neighbours can justify, that of what disease soever, cattle, horses, swine, sheep, or the like, die, her stomach (so far is fantastick prejudice unable to make the least impression on her) has a menstruum to digest gratefully such fætid flesh, that others would not only abhor, but it would put such stress and vio. lence upon them, that irresistible death would infallibly follow.

It is a certain truth, that carrion, buried two or three days in the

winter-time, she will take up, which without any other preparation she will slice, and fling as collops upon the coals, which she will eat as savourly, as he that thinks he eats the best in town, when he hath the rarest cutlets dressed for him: and, if her prize cannot be at once eaten. she'll gently and carefully salt the remainder, and expose it to the greatest fury of her smoaking cell, and prudently reserve it as a future happiness.

If against a good time her neighbours bounty will bestow any corn upon her, she will yet upon her head make shift to carry two bushels to the mill; which tho' it be very remarkable in one of her age, it is very inconsiderable to what she hath done formerly.

When she was near an hundred years old, her occasions invited her about that time to Oswaldstrey market, which is three miles; but, because of its ruggedness and length, she had better have gone from London to Barnet: after she had there filled her apron with cumbersome necessaries to that bulk, that the burden seemed at some distance to walk before her; she was told by a stander-by, that it was impossible for her to carry such a troublesome burden home: this man's horse was then loaden with two pieces of coarse Welch cotton; she then scornfully answered it: If you put those two pieces, which your horse seems ' almost to shrink under, upon my shoulders, I will for a wager, under'take to carry them as far as my house, before you and your horse can 'come thither:' the man, being her neighbour (fearful to lose, and unwilling to displease her) replied he was more willing to ease than trouble her. But one of the incredulous corporation, ignorant of her prodigious strength, wagered with her; and suspecting her neighbour would be partial, he, with three or four of his most curious neighbours, got horses, and followed her presently; and at the end of the two miles and a half they overtook the man, belabouring his weary horse: they asked him for the woman. He answered them, cursing, saying he had two or three scurvy falls, and that he had no sight of her in a quarter of a mile: they, going forward, found her returned, sitting in her chimney corner, smoaking tobacco in a comfortable short pipe; at which they were astonished.

A thousand more considerable stories must here (for brevity sake) be omitted it will therefore be convenient to add a relation her neighbours give, in respect of her age; some of fourscore-and-ten remember they heard their fathers say, she was a very proper tall woman.

In a house out of which she had seen buried eleven heirs, her propor tion, as to her height, was taken above a hundred years ago; and, the last year coming to the same place, she was found to want of that mea sure betwixt seventeen and eighteen inches; and now she is four feet and four inches high, not at all stooping, at which the by-standers much ad. mired; which she perceiving, told them, that her mother was com pleatly two yards; and that, before she died, she shrunk to three feet and six inches: so that she concluded, by the graduation of their decays, before she had shrunk to her utmost, she must yet live above threescore years; and who knows but she may? For she is as merry as a girl of fifteen, and will sing from morning till night; her memory is so lively,