Sr.

In Answer to Your two Letters, Which Illness has occasioned
my not doing it before, I send you the following Account
which I hope will be Sattisfactory; In this House of Correction
there are two Rooms to Work in, one for Men, the other for
Woman, Spinning of Wool [..] what is Called Hand, and Top Work,
for making of Bays, is the Work they are Employed in, and
when they have been Some time under Confinement a person
may Very Well Earn his Maintenance, at first Coming their
Earnings bear but a Very Small Propotion; Each Prisoner
has three pence a Day allowed for Maintenance, which I lay
out in Bread, Cheese and other Necessaries as may be Suitable
for their Support, and when they been under long Confinement
and have Behaved well, I now and then, by Advice of the Justices
Make an Extra Allowance Which I lay out in an Additional
Quantity of Provisions or Small Beer as I think proper;
In their Lodging Rooms, two lay in a Bed, and never more
then Six in a Room, it possibly I can Avoid it, they have Clean
Straw once in these Weeks or there abouts, and a Blankett
or Coverlid to two Persons, Clean Linnen is Allowed to such
as are Under Long Confinements, And for others if they
have it, I have it Washed as often, And all other Necessaries
are provided to keep the Prisoners Clean and from any
Infections Disorder, If the Prisoners here, are at any
Time Refractory, I put Such by themselves and if very
[..] bad, Load them With Irons and so Continue them,
till they are Penitent and Alter their Behaviour
I am Sr, Yr Most Humble- Servt to Comd Robt Baker< no role > Keeper

{Newport House of Correction
April 13th-1786}