s did William
Clearing, labourer, with "his mark" in 1777.

Of the kind of characters the old Workhouse contractors had to deal
with, and of the state of things to which the laxity of oversight
sometimes reduced the establishment, the following is interesting. It
is a minute of the Royston Joint Committee in the year 1794--

"At this meeting Mary May, Eliz. Flindall and Mary Lucas, spinsters,
appeared before the Committee and promised to do the work now set them
by Mr. Searle, and promised to behave well, and in future not to swear,
or sing any improper songs, which if they do, Mr. Searle is desired to
have them put in the Cage and kept with Bread and Water {42} until the
Visitors or Committee release them, which is not to be done until the
paupers are convinced that they are not to be wholly _Mrs. of the
Workhouse_"!

The manner of giving out-relief was pretty much of a piece with that in
the Workhouse, though had it been administered by efficient and
independent officers it would have been both humane and sensible, as
based upon the principle of helping those who helped themselves. But,
unfortunately, the weaker side of human nature was too strong, and the
system pauperised scores of people in order to prevent their becoming
paupers, if I may be excused a couple of paradoxes. The object of
out-relief seems to have been to help all sorts of people in all sorts
of ways to tide over a temporary difficulty, but unfortunately these
temporary difficulties multiplied so fast on the hands of the parish
Overseer as to become chronic, and that officer became the father of
the parish, and the dispenser of all sorts of things from out of the
parish cupboard.

The claims upon the Parish Overseer were constant and of the most
varied character. Were Joe Thompson's children ailing? Then the
Overseer sent in the parish doctor to bleed the poor little mites,
though they might ill spare the vital fluid, and the cost of the
process to the parish, when a quantity were operated upon, was 6d.
apiece, as appears by the Therfield parish accounts, though individual
cases of "letting blood" were usually charged a shilling each.--Was
"Nat Simmons' gal" short of a petticoat? Then, the Overseer provided
the needed article.--Had widow Jones broken her spinning wheel or her
patten ring? Then the cooper and the blacksmith were called in by the
Overseer to repair the mischief.--Was "Old Nib"--they had a curious
habit of calling nicknames i