imes grow desperate and turn rogues. This assertion is but too true,
to prove which I appeal to the late conduct of

The coal merchants,
The bakers,
The butchers,
And, above all, the tallow chandlers.

The cabals of coal traders have for many years jockeyed us in the price
of coals; they have raised and fell them at pleasure, and made mere
stockjobbing work of it; but never so much as in his late majesty's
reign; on a great impress for seamen, they, in less than a fortnight,
raised the price of coals from twenty-three shillings to almost fifty.
What a pinch must this be on the poor, who live only from hand to mouth,
and buy their coals, poor souls! some by the half peck.

The bakers are yet more flagrant and vile; they turn plenty to famine,
and push up the price of bread without rule or reason; they have already
been detected in one bite, i.e., procuring some of the fraternity to buy
a small quantity of corn much above the market price, and then, by
making oath thereof, abuse a well-intended law, and raise the price of
bread accordingly.

Thus are the poor ground to dust, in order to fatten a pack of misers,
who know no mercy. But I hope the government will make them honest,
even against their will.

The butchers are now so extravagant in their way of living, that usual
and moderate profit will not content them; they cannot drink malt
liquor, and the poor must pay for the wine, which they swill down at an
unmerciful rate.

The price of meat should therefore be regulated according to the price
of cattle, but not according to the baker's rule afore mentioned.

But as for the tallow-chandlers, their oppressions call aloud for
redress. To what an exorbitant pitch have they raised candles; just
double what it was some years ago: nay, they threaten to have them at
tenpence per pound. How can the poor work when candles are so dear? But
we may thank our own luxury for these impositions. I see no reason why
we should not humble these upstarts by making our own candles; aye, and
our own bread too, as our forefathers have done before us.

The tallow-chandlers, to excuse themselves, lay the fault on the
melters. The melters shift it from themselves to the butchers; and so
the game goes round.

Oh but, say they, the government will lose part of its revenue: to which
I answer, that rather than they shall raise candles to double their
value, on pretence of paying a penny per pound excise; in case the
parliament w