In the English context, the Poor Laws have a long history going back to the 1300s, but experienced notable growth during the Tudor Era.

Many policies didn't actually do anything to alleviate the poor, rather they just swept the problem under the rug from the wiki:

In 1495, Parliament passed a statute ordering that vagabonds, idle and suspected persons shall be set in the stocks for three days and three nights and have none other sustenance but bread and water and then shall be put out of Town. Every beggar suitable to work shall resort to the Hundred where he last dwelled, is best known, or was born and there remain upon the pain aforesaid.

Indeed, in 1547 a law was passed making the punishment for repeat vagrancy infractions death.

Things gradually evoked, by the 18th century the tune had changed to workhouses--pivoting away from execution--where conditions were kept harsh to deter able bodied poor people away, only the most destitute would be willing to endure the conditions.

The poor laws have a long and complex history, and it wasn't until 1948 that they were abolished completely and replaced with the modern welfare state.

Source: http://www.witheridge-historical-archive.com/poor-1.htm

Yes, in fact in England from 1795-1832 the Speenhamland law obligated the government to supplement the wages of anyone who could not afford bread at the time (so it did adjust with the price of necessities). That seems very similar to a Universal Basic Income to me.

Unfortunately it incentivized employers to lower wages. This effect could have been combatted and wages would have risen if organized labor had not been made illegal by the "Combination Laws."

Karl Polanyi in his book "The Great Transformation" talks in detail about the Speenhamland Law, and it's available free online.