Thirdly, The great height to which women-servants have brought their
wages, makes a mutiny among the men-servants, and puts them upon raising
their wages too; so that in a little time our servants will become our
partners; nay, probably, run away with the better part of our profits,
and make servants of us _vice versa_. But yet with all these
inconveniences, we cannot possibly do without these creatures; let us
therefore cease to talk of the abuses arising from them, and begin to
think of redressing them. I do not set up for a lawgiver, and therefore
shall lay down no certain rules, humbly submitting in all things to the
wisdom of our legislature. What I offer shall be under correction; and
upon conjecture, my utmost ambition being but to give some hints to
remedy this growing evil, and leave the prosecution to abler hands.
And first it would be necessary to settle and limit their wages, from
forty and fifty shillings to four and five pounds per annum, that is to
say, according to their merits and capacities; for example, a young
unexperienced servant should have forty shillings per annum, till she
qualifies herself for a larger sum; a servant who can do all household
work, or, as the good women term it, can take her work and leave her
work, should have four pounds per annum; and those who have lived seven
years in one service, should ever after demand five pounds per annum, for
I would very fain have some particular encouragements and privileges
given to such servants who should continue long in a place; it would
incite a desire to please, and cause an emulation very beneficial to the
public.
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