Burghley almshouse-attitudes to poor Flashcards
Religion first part.
Although alms houses had always housed the old, infirm or disabled they did so with a changing emphasis. Prior to the Reformation, alms houses had existed as a means for additional prayers to be said for the souls of dead Catholics. They were therefore usually established after the death of a wealthy Catholic. After the Reformation, the Protestant faith did not believe in buying ones way into heaven, instead alms houses were founded as a way to show one’s faith in God, because undertaking charitable work was a godly thing to do. This meant that during Elizabethan times alms houses were established during the founder’s life time and that although prayers might be said within them, there was also an emphasis placed on improving the behaviour of the poor – because this was the right thing for a good Protestant to do.
Religion second part.
Although Burghley’s alms houses started life as a medieval hospital; once acquired and converted by Burghley they appear to be typical of this change in religious attitude. Lord Burghley was a Protestant with a leaning toward Puritanism and therefore the alms houses were established during his life time in 1597 and the daily / weekly routine of the inhabitants of his alms houses show that an emphasis was placed on living a good Protestant life. Therefore, inhabitants were expected to participate in group worship at St Martin’s at both morning and evening prayers every Sunday, Wednesday, Friday and holy days.
Increase in poverty first part.
This increase in poverty happened as a result of a sharp population growth, lower death rates and the high price of food. Therefore the number of vagrants increased at this time and Elizabethan town authorities began to feel threatened as shown by their actions in punishing vagrants – for example, the records of Bidewell prison in London show the number of vagrants being punished rising from 69 a year in 1560-1 to 209 in 1578-9, then to 555 in 1601. This led to the Elizabethan government introducing a number of laws to deal with poverty. For example, the 1572 Act of Parliament allowed the punishment of vagabonds over the age of 14 by being whipped or being burned with a hot iron on the right ear but the same law, as too the 1598 Act also made it much easier to set up alms houses, work houses and houses of correction which led to a surge in the founding of alms houses in the early 17th century. Therefore, although the Elizabethan authorities were prepared to deal with the poor harshly, they were also prepared to provide help in the form of alms houses.
Increase in poverty second part.
Burghley had probably been able to take advantage of the 1572 legislation to found his alms house, having actually bought the property in 1549, it was not founded as an alms house until 1597. If Burghley’s purpose in founding the alms house was a solely as a need to promote his good name locally or because it was the right thing for a Protestant gentleman to do it is hard to see why it took so long to open, if not for difficulty in gaining the correct permissions. That his alms house was intended to provide support for the genuine poor of Stamford is clear from the rules for selection. In order to be considered each man had to have lived within a seven mile radius of Stamford for at least seven years (i.e. they could not be a vagrant) and ideally should be ex soldiers, crafts men such as masons or carpenters, labourers or servants who were unable to work because of sickness or some other impediment.
Recognition of different types of poverty first part.
As a result of the growing nature of poverty at this time, there were many books written that addressed the issue of poverty. William Harrison’s “Description of England” divided the poor into 3 different categories. Firstly, there was the ‘True Poor such as the orphans, the old and the blind who could not provide for themselves. Secondly, there was the ‘impotent poor’ who were poor because of an injury or were sick. Lastly, there was the ‘thriftless poor’ which he believed was made up of some people who were genuinely looking for work but also included vagrants and criminals. As a result of this, whereas previously Tudor legislation had sought only to punish the poor, now, many wealthy people and town authorities began to change their attitudes towards the poor and realised that they could provide support. For example, in Norwich in the 1570s the unfortunate poor were given food, whilst the idle poor were given jobs, whilst in York if beggars refused to work they were sent to the house of correction and in Ipswich hospitals for the sick and old were set up, and a training schemed introduced for children to learn a trade. Various, Elizabethan legislation followed which sought to address the problems of vagrancy through a combination of keeping registers and punishment, as well as establishing a compulsory poor rate to support the poor. Amidst such legislation it was made easier to establish almshouses, work houses and houses of correction; the former being used for the relief of the true and impotent poor, whilst the willing thriftless poor could be found a position in the work house and those that were not could be sent to the house of correction.
Recognition of different types of poverty second part.
Lord Burghley appears to be typical of a sign that attitudes towards poverty had changed and that there was an understanding now of different types of poverty. This can be seen in his rules about who could and could not be admitted into the alms house - that lunatics, drunkards, adulterers, thieves, fraudsters and those suffering from diseases such as leprosy could not be admitted. Instead he wanted, each man had to have lived within a seven mile radius of Stamford for at least seven years (i.e. they could not be a vagrant) and ideally should be ex soldiers, crafts men such as masons or carpenters, labourers or servants who were unable to work because of sickness or some other impediment.
A need to improve behaviour first part?
The government were particularly concerned about abled-bodied unemployed men and women (rouges, vagabonds, vagrants) who tended to make their way to the nearest town or London. They were seen as a threat to public order and were initially treated as criminals. The records of Bidewell prison in London show the number of vagrants being punished rising from 69 a year in 1560-1 to 209 in 1578-9, then to 555 in 1601. However, there was a belief, especially amongst puritans, that providing poor relief could bring about an improvement in morals and behaviour and therefore would also have the affect of clearing the streets of undesirables.
A need to improve behaviour second part?
At first glance it looks like Burghley’s alms house fits in with this Puritan desire since his alms houses were a disciplined community where playing cards and gambling were strictly prohibited. Burghley also believed that worshipping as a group was valuable and therefore every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday the men would go in their gowns to morning and evening prayer. Failure to attend resulted in a fine of 6d from their wages. However, Burghley’s strict rules on who could benefit from inhabitancy of his alms houses show that he was not interested in reforming the behaviour of all poor people, only the true or impotent poor were allowed to benefit from his charity.
