punishment vpon them as shal be due to such as neglect their owne duties and Our Royall command published vpon so important an occasion And We doe hereby will require and command all and euery Our Iudges of Assize Maiors Sheriffes Iustices of Peace Constables Headboroughs and other Our Officers Ministers and Subiects whom it may concerne that they carefully and effectually obserue and performe all and euery the Premisses as they will answere the neglect thereof at their vttermost perils And whereas Wee haue lately commanded a Booke to be printed and published containing certaine Statutes made and enacted heretofore for the reliefe of the Poore and of Souldiers and Mariners and for punishment of Rogues and Vagabonds and for the reliefe and ordering of persons infected with the Plague and also containing certaine Orders heretofore and now lately conceiued and made concerning health All which are necessarie to be knowen and obserued by Our louing Subiects that thereby they may the better auoid those dangers which otherwise may fall vpon their persons or estates by their neglect thereof Wee haue thought it fit hereby to giue notice thereof to all Our louing Subiects to the end that none may pretend ignorance for an excuse in matters of so great importance And Wee doe hereby declare that whosoeuer shall bee found remisse or negligent in the execution of any part of the Premisses shall receiue such condigne punishment for their offence as by the Lawes of this Realme or by Our Prerogatiue Royall can or may be iustly inflicted vpon them Giuen at Our Court at Whitehal the three and twentieth day of April in the sixt yeere of Our Reigne of England Scotland France and Ireland God saue the King Anno xliij Reginae Elizabethae ⧠An Acte for the reliefe of the Poore BE it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that the Churchwardens of euery Parish and foure three or two substantiall housholders there as shall be thought meete hauing respect to the proportion and greatnes of the same Parish and Parishes to bee nominated yeerely in Easter weeke or within one moneth after Easter vnder the hand and Seale of two or more Iustices of the Peace in the same Countie whereof one to be of the Quorum dwelling in or neere the same Parish or diuision where the same Parish doeth lie shall bee called Ouerseers of the poore of the same Parish And they or the greater part of them shal take order from time to time by and with the consent of two or more such Iustices of Peace as is aforesayd for setting to worke of the children of all such whose parents shal not by the said Churchwardens and Ouerseers or the greater part of them bee thought able to keepe and maintaine their children And also for setting to worke all such persons married or vnmarried hauing no means to maintaine thē vse no ordinary daily trade of life to get their liuing by and also to raise weekly or otherwise by taxation of euery Inhabitant Parson Vicar and other of euery occupier of Lands Houses Tithes impropriate or Propriations of tithes Colemines or saleable vnderwoods in the said Parish in such competent summe and sums of money as they shal thinke fit a conuenient stocke of Flaxe Hempe Wooll Threed yron other necessary ware stuffe to set the poore on work and also competent summes of money for and towards the necessary reliefe of the lame impotēt old blind and such other among them being poore and not able to worke also for the putting out of such children to be apprentices to bee gathered out of the same Parish according to the ability of the same Parish and to do and execute all other things aswell for the disposing of the said stocke as otherwise concerning the premisses as to them shal seem conuenient Which said Church wardens Ouerseers so to be nominated or such of them as shall not be let by sicknesse or other iust excuse to bee allowed by two such Iustices of Peace or more as is aforesaid shall meete together at the least once euery moneth in the Church of the said parish vpon the Sunday in the afternoone after diuine Seruice there to consider of some good course to bee taken and of some meet order to be set down in the premisses shal within foure daies after the end of their yeere after other Ouerseers nominated as aforesaid make yeeld vp to such two Iustices of peace as is aforesaid a true and perfect account of al summes of money by them receiued or rated and sessed and not receiued and also of such stocke as shal be in their hands or in the hands of any of the poore to worke and of all other things concerning their said office and such summe or summes of money as shall be in their hands shal pay and deliuer ouer to the said Church-wardens and Ouerseers newly nominated and appointed as is aforesaid vpō paine that euery one of them absenting themselues without lawfull cause as aforesaid frō such monethly meeting for the purpose aforesaid or being negligent in their office or in the execution of the orders aforesaid being made by and with the assent of the said Iustices of Peace or any two of them before mentioned to forfeit for euery such default of absence or negligence twenty shillings And be it also enacted that if the said Iustices of Peace doe perceiue that the Inhabitants of any parish are not able to leuy amōg themselues sufficient summes of money for the purposes aforesaid that then the said two Iustices shall and may taxe rate and assesse as aforesaid any other of other Parishes or out of any parish within the Hundred where the said Parish is to pay such summe and summes of money to the Churchwardens Ouerseers of the sayd poore Parish for the said purposes as the said Iustices shal think fit according to the intent of this Law And if the said Hundred shal not be thought to the said Iustices able and fit to relieue the sayd seuerall parishes not able to prouide for themselues as aforesaid Then the Iustices of Peace at their generall quarter Sessions or the greater number of them shal rate and assesse as aforesayd any other of other Parishes or out of any Parish within the said Countie for the purposes aforesaid as in their discretion shall seeme fit And that it shall be lawfull aswell for the present as subsequent Churchwardens and Ouerseers or any of them by warrant from any two such Iustices of Peace as is aforesaid to leuie aswel the said summes of money and all arrerages of euery one that shall refuse to contribute according as they shall be assessed by distresse and sale of the offendors goods as the summes of money or stock which shal be behind vpon any account to be made as aforesayd rendring to the parties the ouerplus and in defect of such distresse it shal be lawfull for any
such two Iustices of the Peace to commit him or them to the common Gaole of the County there to remaine without baile or maineprise vntill paiment of the said sum arrerages stocke And the sayde Iustices of Peace or any of them to send to the house of correction or common Gaole such as shall not employ themselues to worke being appointed therunto as aforesaid And also any two such Iustices of Peace to commit to the said prison euery one of the sayd Churchwardens and Ouerseers which shall refuse to accompt there to remaine without Baile or maineprise vntill he haue made a true accompt and satisfied and payd so much as vpon the sayd accompt shall bee remaining in his hands And be it further enacted that it shall be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and Ouerseers or the greater part of them by the assent of any two Iustices of the Peace aforesayd to bind any such children as aforesaid to be apprentices where they shall see conuenient till such man child shall come to the age of foure and twenty yeeres and such woman childe to the age of one and twentie yeres or the time of her mariage The same to be as effectuall to all purposes as if such child were of full age and by Indenture of couenant bound him or her selfe And to the intent that necessarie places of habitation may more conueniently be prouided for such poore impotent people Be it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid that it shall and may be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and Ouerseers or the greater part of them by the leaue of the Lord or Lords of the Mannour whereof any waste or Common within their Parish is or shall be parcell and vpon agreement before with him or them made in writing vnder the hands and seales of the sayd Lord and Lords or otherwise according to any order to be set downe by the Iustices of Peace of the sayde Countie at their Generall quarter Sessions or the greater part of them by like leaue and agreement of the said Lord or Lords in writing vnder his or their hands and seales To erect builde and set vp in fit and conuenient places of habitation in such Waste or Common at the generall charges of the Parish or otherwise of the Hundred or Countie as aforesayd to be taxed rated and gathered in maner before expressed conuenient houses of dwelling for the sayd impotent poore and also to place Inmates or more families then one in one cottage or house One Acte made in the one thirtieth yeere of her Maiesties Reigne intituled An Acte against the erecting and maintaining of Cottages or any thing therein contained to the contrarie notwithstanding Which Cottages and places for Inmates shal not at any time after be vsed or imployed to or for any other habitation but only for impotent and poore of the same Parish that shall be there placed from time to time by the Churchwardens and Ouerseers of the poore of the same Parish or the most part of them vpon the paines and forfeitures contained in the said former Acte made in the sayd one and thirtieth yeere of her Maiesties reigne Prouided alwayes that if any person or persons shall finde themselues grieued with any Sesse or Taxe or other Acte done by the sayde Churchwardens and other persons or by the sayde Iustices of Peace that then it shall be lawfull for the Iustices of Peace at their generall quarter Sessions or the greater number of them to take such order therein as to them shal be thought conuenient and the same to conclude and binde all the sayd parties And be it further enacted That the Father and Grandfather and the Mother and Grandmother and the children of euery poore olde blinde lame and impotent person or other poore person not able to worke being of a sufficient abilitie shall at their owne charges relieue and maintaine euery such poore person in that manner and according to that raâ—e as by the Iustices of Peace of that Countie where such sufficient persons dwell or the greater number of them at their generall quarter Sessions shall bee assessed vpon paine that euery one of them shall forfeit twentie shillings for euery moneth which they shall faile therein And be it further hereby enacted That the Maiors Bayliffes or other head Officers of euery towne and place corporate and city within this Realme being Iustice or Iustices of Peace shall haue the same authoritie by vertue of this Acte within the limits and precints of their Iurisdictions aswell out of Sessions as at their Sessions if they holde any as is herein limitted prescribed and appointed to Iustices of Peace of the Countie or any two or more of them or to the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions to doe and execute for all the vses and purposes in this Acte prescribed and no other Iustice or Iustices of Peace to enter or meddle there And that euery Alderman of the City of London within his Ward shall and may doe and execute in euery respect so much as is appointed and allowed by this Acte to be done and executed by one or two Iustices of Peace of any Countie within this Realme And be it also enacted That if it shall happen any Parish to extend it selfe into more Counties then one or part to lie within the Liberties of any Citie Towne or place corporate and part without that then as well the Iustices of Peace of euery Countie as also the head Officers of such City Towne or place corporate shall deale and entermeddle onely in so much of the said Parish as lyeth within their liberties and not any further And euery of them respectiuely within their seuerall Limits Wards and Iurisdictions to execute the ordinances before mentioned concerning the nomination of Ouerseers the consent to binding Apprentices the giuing warrant to leuie taxations vnpayd the taking accompt of Churchwardens and Ouerseers and the committing to prison such as refuse to accompt or deny to pay the arrerages due vpon their accompts And yet neuerthelesse the sayd Church-wardens and Ouerseers or the most part of them of the sayd Parishes that doe extend into such seuerall Limits and Iurisdictions shall without diuiding themselues duely execute their office in all places within the sayd Parish in all things to them belonging and shall duely exhibite and make one accompt before the sayd head Officer of the Towne or place Corporate and one other before the said Iustices of Peace or any such two of them as is aforesaid And further be it enacted by the authority aforesaid That if in any place within this Realme there happen to bee hereafter no such nomination of Ouerseers yeerely as is before appointed that then euery Iustice of Peace of the County dwelling within the diuision where such default of nomination shall happen and euery Maior Alderman and head Officer of City Towne or place Corporate where such default shall happen shall lose
and forfeit for euery such default fiue pound to bee imployed towards the reliefe of the poore of the sayd Parish or place Corporate and to be leuied as aforesaid of their goods by warrant from the generall Sessions of the Peace of the sayd Countie or of the same Citie Towne or place Corporate if they kepe Sessions And bee it also enacted by the authority aforesayd that all penalties and forfeitures before mentioned in this Act to bee forfeited by any person or persons shall go and be imployed to the vse of the poore of the same Parish and towards a stocke and habitation for them and other necessary vses and reliefe as before in this Act are mentioned and expressed and shal be leuied by the said Churchwardens and Ouerseers or one of them by warrant from any two such Iustices of Peace or Maior Alderman or head Officer of Citie Town or place corporate respectiuely within their seuerall limites by distresse and sale therof as aforesaid or in defect therof it shal be lawful for any two such Iustices of peace and the said Aldermen and head Officers within their seuerall limits to commit the offendor to the said prison there to remaine without baile or maineprise till the said forfeitures shal be satisfied and payed And be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesayd that the Iustices of Peace of euery Countie or place corporate or the more part of them in their general Sessions to be holden next after the feast of Easter next and so yeerely as often as they shall thinke meet shall rate euery Parish to such a weekely summe of money as they shall thinke conuenient so as no Parish bee rated aboue the summe of sixe pence nor vnder the summe of a halfepeny weekely to bee payd and so as the totall summe of such taxation of the Parishes in euery County amount not aboue the rate of two pence for euery Parish within the said County Which summes so taxed shall be yeerely assessed by the agreement of the Parishioners within themselues or in default thereof by the Churchwardens and petie Constables of the same Parish or the more part of them or in default of their agreement by the order of such Iustice or Iustices of Peace as shal dwell in the same Parish or if none be there dwelling in the parts next adioyning And if any person shal refuse or neglect to pay any such portion of money so taxed it shall be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and Constables or any of them or in their default for any Iustice of Peace of the sayd limite to leuie the same by distresse and sale of the goods of the party so refusing or neglecting rendring to the party the ouerplus and in default of such distresse it shal be lawful to any Iustice of that limite to commit such person to the sayd prison there to abide without baile or maineprise till he haue payed the same And be it also enaced That the said Iustices of the Peace at their generall quarter Sessions to bee holden at the time of such taxation shall set down what competent sums of money shal be sent quarterly out of euery County or place corporate for the reliefe of the poore prisoners of the Kings Bench and Marshalsey also of such Hospitals and almes houses as shal be in the said County and what summes of money shal be sent to euery one of the said Hospitals almes houses so as there bee sent out of euery County yerely xx s. at the least to each of the said prisons of the Kings Bench and Marshalsey which summes ratably to be assessed vpon euery parish the Churchwardens of euery Parish shall truely collect and pay ouer to the high CoÌ„stables in whose diuision such Parish shall be scituate from time to time quarterly ten dayes before the end of euery quarter and euery such Constable at euery such quarter Sessions in such County shall pay ouer the same to such two Treasurers or to one of them as shall by the more part of the Iustices of Peace of the County be elected to be the said Treasurers to be chosen by the Iustices of Peace of the said County Citie or Towne or place corporate or of others which were sessed and taxed at fiue pound lands or ten pound goods at the least at the taxe of Subsidie next before the time of the said Election to be made And the said Treasurers so elected to continue for the space of one whole yere in their office and then to giue vp their charge with a due account of their receipts and disbursements at the quarter Sessions to be holden next after the feast of Easter in euery yeere to such others as shall from yeere to yeere in forme aforesayd successiuely be elected Treasurers for the said County Citie Towne or place corporate which said Treasurers or one of them shall pay ouer the same to the Lord chiefe Iustice of England and knight Marshal for the time being equally to be diuided to the vse aforesaid taking their acquittance for the same or in default of the said chiefe Iustice to the next ancientest Iustice of the Kings Bench as aforesaid And if any Churchwarden or high Constable or his executors or administrators shall faile to make paiment in forme aboue specified then euery Churchwarden his executors or administrators so offending shall forfeit for euery time the summe of ten shillings and euery high Constable his executors or administrators shall forfeit for euery time the summe of xx s the same forfetures together with the summes behinde to be leuied by the said Treasurer and Treasurers by way of distresse and sale of the goods as afâ—resayd in forme aforesaid and by them to bee imployed towards the charitable vses comprised in this Act. And be it further enacted That all the surplusage of money which shall bee remaining in the said Stocke of any County shal by discretion of the more part of the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions be ordered distributed and bestowed for the reliefe of the poore Hospitals of that Countie and of those that shall sustaine losses by fire water the Sea or other casualties and to such other charitable purposes for the reliefe of the poore as to the more part of the said Iustices of Peace shall seeme conuenient And bee it further enacted That if any Treasurer elected shall wilfully refuse to take vpon him the sayd office of Treasurership or refuse to distribute and giue reliefe or to account according to such forme as shal be appointed by the more part of the sayde Iustices of Peace That then it shall be lawfull for the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions or in their default for the Iustices of Assize at the Assizes to be holden in the same Countie to fiue the same Treasurer by their discretion the same fiue not to be vnder three pound and to bee leuied by sale of his goods and
to be prosecuted by any two of the said Iustices of Peace whom they shall authorize Prouided alwayes that this Act shall not take effect vntill the Feast of Easter next And be it enacted that the Statute made in the nine and thirtieth yeere of her Maiesties reigne entituled An Acte for the reliefe of the poore shall continue and stand in force vntill the Feast of Easter next And that all Taxations heretofore imposed and not payed nor that shal be payed before the said feast of Easter next And that all Taxes hereafter before the sayd Feast to be Taxed by vertue of the sayd former Act which shall not be payed before the sayd Feast of Easter shall and may after the said Feast of Easter be leuied by the Ouerseers and other persons in this Act respectiuely appointed to leuie taxations by distresse and by such warrant in euery respect as if they had bene taxed imposed by vertue of this Act were not payd Prouided alwayes that whereas the Iland of Fowlenesse in the Countie of Essex being inuironed with the Sea and hauing a Chappell of ease for the inhabitants thereof and yet the said Iland is no Parish but the Lands in the same are scituated within diuers Parishes farre distant from the same Iland Be it therefore enacted by the authoritie aforesaid that the said Iustices of peace shall nominate and appoint Inhabitants within the saide Iland to be Ouerseers for the poore people dwelling within the sayde Iland and that both they the sayd Iustices and the said Ouerseers shall haue the same power and authoritie to all intents considerations and purposes for the execution of the parts and articles of this Acte and shall be subiect to the same paines and forfeitures and likewise that the inhabitants and occupyers of lands there shall be liable and chargeable to the same paiments charges expences and orders in such manner and forme as if the same Iland were a Parish In consideration whereof neither the sayd inhabitants or occupiers of land within the sayd Iland shall not be compelled to contribute towards the reliefe of the poore of those Parishes wherein their houses or landes which they occupy within the sayd Iland are situated for or by reason of their sayd habitations or occupyings other then for the reliefe of the poore people within the sayd Iland neither yet shall the other inhabitants of the Parishes wherein such houses or lands are situated be compelled by reason of their resiancie or dwelling to contribute to the reliefe of the poore inhabitants within the sayd Iland And be it further enacted that if any Action or Trespasse or other suite shal happen to be attempted brought against any person or persons for taking of any distresse making of any sale or any other thing doing by authority of this present Acte The defendant or defendants in any such action or suit shall may either plead not guilty or otherwise make Auowry Cognisance or Iustification for the taking of the sayd distresses making of sale or other thing doing by vertue of this Act alleaging in such Auowry Cognisance or Iustification That the sayd distresse sale trespasse or other thing whereof the plaintife or plaintifes complained was done by authority of this Acte and according to the tenor purport and effect of this Acte without any expressing or rehearsall of any other matter of circumstance contained in this present Acte To which Auowrie Cognisance or Iustification the plaintife shall be admitted to reply That the Defendant did take the sayd distresse made the said sale or did any other Acte or Trespasse supposed in his declaration of his owne wrong without any such cause alleaged by the said Defendant whereupon the issue in euery such Action shall be ioyned to be tried by verdict of twelue men and not otherwise as is accustomed in other personall actions And vpon the triall of that issue the whole matter to be giuen on both parties in euidence according to the very trueth of the same And after such issue tryed for the defendant or non-suite of the Plaintife after appearance the same Defendant to recouer treble dammages by reason of his wrongfull vexation in that behalfe with his costes also in that part susteined and that to be assessed by the same Iurie or writ to enquire of the dammages as the same shall require Prouided alwayes that this Acte shall endure no longer then to the end of the next Session of Parliament Anno xliij Reginae Elizabethae ⧠An Acte for the necessary reliefe of Souldiers and Mariners WHereas in the fiue and thirtieth yeere of the Queenes Maiesties Reigne that now is An Acte was made intituled An Acte for the necessary reliefe of Souldiers and Marriners And whereas in the nine and thirtieth yeere of her Maiesties Reigne there was also made another Acte intituled An Acte for the further continuance and explanation of the sayd former Bee it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that both the sayd Actes shall be and continue in force vntill the feast of Easter next and shall bee from and after the sayd feast discontinued And forasmuch as it is now found more needefull then it was at the making of the sayd Actes to prouide reliefe and maintenance to Souldiers and Marriners that haue lost their limmes and disabled their bodies in the defence and seruice of her Maiestie and the State in respect the number of the sayd Souldiers is so much the greater by how much her Maiesties iust and honourable defensiue warres are increased To the ende therefore that they the said Souldiers and Mariners may reape the fruits of their good deseruings and others may be incouraged to performe the like endeuours Be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that from after the sayd feast of Easter next euery parish within this Realme of England and Wales shall bee charged to pay weekely such a summe of money towards the reliefe of sicke hurt and maimed Souldiers and Mariners that so haue been as afore is said or shall lose their limmes or disable their bodies hauing been prest and in pay for her Maiesties seruice as by the Iustices of Peace or the more part of them in their generall quarter Sessions to be holden in their seuerall Counties next after the feast of Easter next so from time to time at the like quarter Sessions to be holden next after the feast of Easter yeerely shall be appointed so as no parish be rated aboue the summe of ten pence nor vnder the summe of two pence weekely to be payd and so as the totall summe of such taxation of the Parishes in any County where there shall be aboue fifty Parishes doe not exceede the rate of sixe pence for euery Parish in the same Countie which summes so taxed shall bee yeerely assessed by the agreements of the parishioners within themselues or in default therof by the Churchwardens and the pety Constables of the
same Parish or the more part of them or in default of their agreement by the order of such Iustices or Iustice of Peace as shall dwell in the same Parish or if none be there dwelling in the parts next adioyning And if any person shall refuse or neglect to pay any such portion of money so taxed it shal be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and petie Constables and euery of them or in their defaults for the said Iustices of Peace or Iustice to leuie such summe by distresse and sale of the goods or chattels of the party so refusing or neglecting rendring to the party the ouerplus raised vpon such sale And for the collecting and custodie of the summes taxed in forme aforesaid Be it enacted that the Churchwardens pety Constables of euery Parish shal truely collect euery such summe the same shall pay ouer vnto the high Constable in whose diuision such Parish shall be situate ten dayes before the quarter Sessions to be holden next before or about the feast of the Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptist next in the County where the sayd Parish shall be situate and so from time to time quarterly within ten dayes before euery quarter Sessions And that euery such high Constable at euery such quarter Sessions in such County shall pay ouer the same to two such Iustices of Peace or to one of them or to two such other persons or one of them as shall be by the more part of the Iustices of Peace of the same County elected to be Treasurers of the said Collection The same other persons to bee elected Treasurers to be such as at the last taxation of the Subsidie next before the same election shall be valued and sessed at ten pounds in lands yeerely or at fifteen pounds in goods which Treasurers in euery County so chosen shall continue but for the space of one whole yere and then giue vp their charge with a due account of their receits and disbursements at their meeting in Easter quarter Sessions or within ten dayes after to such others as shall from yeere to yeere in the forme aforesayd successiuely be elected And if any Churchwarden pety Constable or high Constable or his executors or administrators shall faile to make payment in forme aboue specified Then euery Churchwarden and petie Constable his executors or administrators so offending shall forfeit the summe of twenty shillings And euery high Constable his executors or administrators the summe of fortie shillings to bee leuied by the Treasurers aforesaid by distresse and sale in maner before expressed and to be taken by the said Treasurers in augmentation of their stocke to the vses aforesayd And if any Treasurer his executors or administrators shal faile to giue vp his account within the time aforesaid or shall be otherwise negligent in the execution of his charge then it shall be lawfull for the more part of the Iustices of Peace of the same Countie in their Sessions to assesse such Fine vpon such Treasurer his executors or administrators as in their discretion shall seeme conuenient so it bee not vnder the summe of fiue pounds And for the true and iust distribution and employment of the summes so receiued according to the true meaning of this Act Be it enacted by the authority aforesayd that euery Souldier or Mariner hauing had his or their limmes lost or disabled in their bodies by seruice being in her Maiesties pay as aboue is mentioned or such as shall hereafter returne into this Realme hurt or maimed or grieuously sicke shall repayre if he be able to trauell and make his complaint to the Treasurers of the Countie out of which he was pressed or if he were no prest man to the Treasurers of the Countie where hee was borne or last inhabited by the space of three yeeres at his election And if he be not able to trauell to the Treasurers of the Countie where he shall land or arriue and shal bring a certificate vnto any of the Treasurers aforesaid vnder the hand and seale of the Generall of the Campe or Gouernor of the Towne wherein hee serued And of the Captaine of the Band vnder whom hee serued or his Lieutenant or in the absence of the sayde Generall or Gouernour from the Marshall or Deputie of the Gouernour or from any Admirall of her Maiesties Fleete or in his absence from any other General of her Maiesties shippes at the Seas or in absence of such Generall from the Captaine of the ship wherein the sayd Mariners or Soldiers did serue the Queenes Maiestie containing the particulars by his hurts and seruices which Certificate shal be also allowed of the generall Muster master for the time being resident here within this Realm or Receiuer generall of the Muster Rolles The Treasurer and Controller of her Maiesties Nauie vnder his hand for the auoyding of all fraud and counterfeiting Then vpon such Certificate such Treasurers as are before expressed shall according to the nature of his hurt and commendation of his seruice assigne vnto him such a portion of reliefe as in their discretions shall seeme conuenient for his present necessitie vntill the next quarter Sessions at the which it shall be lawfull for the more part of the Iustices of Peace vnder their hands to make an Instrument of graunt of the same or like reliefe to endure as long as this Acte shall stand or endure in force if the same Souldier or Mariner shall so long liue and the same pension not bee duely reuoked or altered which shall be a sufficient warrant to all Treasurers for the same Countie to make payment of such pension vnto such persons quarterly except the same shal be afterward by the sayd Iustices reuoked or altered So that such reliefe as shall be assigned by such Treasurers or Iustices of Peace to any such Souldier or Mariner hauing not borne office in the said warres exceed not the summe in grosse nor yeerely pension of ten pounds Nor to any that hath borne office vnder the degree of a Lieutenant the summe of fifteen pounds Nor to any that hath serued in the office of Lieutenant the summe of twentie pounds And yet neuerthelesse it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Iustices of Peace and others hauing authoritie by this Acte to assigne pensions to Souldiers Mariners vpon any iust cause to reuoke diminish or alter the same from time to time according to their discretions in the generall quarter Sessions of the Peace or general assemblies for Cities or Townes corporate where the same pension shall be granted And whereas it must needs fall out that many of such hurt and maimed Souldiers and Mariners doe arriue in Ports and places farre remote from the Counties whence they are by vertue of this Acte to receiue their yeerely Annuities and pensions As also they are prescribed by this Act to obtaine the allowance of their Certificates from the Muster master
making of the Acte of 39. Eliz. diuers doubts questions haue beene mooued and growen by diuersitie of opinions taken in and vpon the letter of the said Act For a plaine declaration whereof Be it declared and enacted That from henceforth no Authoritie to be giuen or made by any Baron of this Realme or any other honourable Personage of greater degree vnto any other person or persons shall be auaileable to free and discharge the said persons or any of them from the paines and punishments in the sayd Statute mentioned but that they shal be taken within 〈◊〉 â—ffence and punishment of the same Sâ—te And whereas in the sayd Statute there is a Prouiso conteined that the sayd Statute nor any thing therein conteined shall extend to any such Glassemen as shall be of good behauiour and shall trauell in or thorow any Countie without begging hauing Licence for their trauelling vnder the handes and Seales of three Iustices of the Peace of the same Countie where they trauell whereof one to be of the Quorum as by the Statute more at large appeareth By reason of which libertie many notorious Rogues and Vagabonds and euill disposed persons haue vndertaken and doe professe the trade of Glassemen and by colour thereof doe trauâ—ll vp and downe diuers Counties of this Realme and doe commit many Pickeries pettie Felonies and other misdemeanours For the auoiding of which inconuenience Be it established and enacted by the Authoritie of this present Parliament That from and after two moneths next after the end of this present Session of Parliament all such person and persons as shall wander vp and downe the Countrey to sell Glasses shall be adiudged deemed and taken as Rogues and Vagabonds and shall suffer the like paine and punishment in euery degree as is appointed to be inflicted vpon Rogues Vagabonds and sturdie Beggers by the intent and true meaning of the sayd Statute made in the nine and thirtieth yeere of the Reigne of the sayd late Queene Elizabeth and shall be set downe limitted and appointed by this present Acte Any thing in the sayde Statute of the nine and thirtieth yeere of her sayde Reigne to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And forasmuch as one branch of the Statute of 39. Eliz. is taken to be somewhat defectiue for that the sayd Rogues hauing no marke vpon them to be knowen by notwithstanding such iudgement of Banishment may returne or retire themselues into some other parts of this Realme where they are not knowen and so escape the due punishment which the said Statute did intend to inflict vpon them For remedie whereof be it ordeined and enacted That such Rogues as shall after the ende of two moneths next after the ende of this Session of Parliament be adiudged as aforesayd incorrigible or dangerous shall also by the iudgement of the same Iustices or the more part of them then present in their open Sessions of the Peace be branded in the left shoulder with an hot burning Iron of the breadth of an English shilling with a great Romane R vpon the Iron and the branding vpon the shoulder to be so throughly burned and set on vpon the skinne and flesh that the Letter R bee seene and remaine for a perpetuall marke vpon such Rogue during his or her life and thereupon bee sent by the same Iustices to the place of his dwelling if he haue any if not then to the place where he last dwelt by the space of a yeere if that can bee knowen by his confession or otherwise And if that cannot bee knowen then to the place of his birth there to be placed in labour as a true Subiect ought to doe And after such punishment of any such Rogue as aforesayd if any Rogue so punished shall offend againe in begging or wandering contrary to the sayd Statute or this present Acte That then in euery such case the party so offending shall bee iudged a Felon and shall suffer as in Cases of Felonie without benefite of Clergie the same Felony to bee tried in the Countie where any such offender shall be taken Anno primo Iacobi Regis ⧠An Acte for the charitable reliefe and ordering of persons infected with the Plague FOrasmuch as the Inhabitants of diuers Cities Boroughs townes corporate and of other Parishes places being visited with the Plague are found to be vnable to relieue the poorer sort of such people so infected who of necessitie must be by some charitable course prouided for lest they should wander abroad and thereby infect others And forasmuch as diuers persons infected with that disease and others inhabiting in places infected aswell poore people and vnable to relieue themselues that are carefully prouided for as other which of themselues are of abilitie being commanded by the Magistrate or Officer of or within the place where the Infection shal be to keepe their houses or otherwise to separate themselues from company for the auoiding of further Infection doe notwithstanding very dangerously and disorderly demeane themselues Bee it therefore enacted by the authoritie of this present Parliament That the Maior Bailiffes head Officers and Iustices of the Peace of euery Citie Borough Towne corporate and places Priuiledged where any Maior and Bailifâ—es head Officers or Iustices of Peace are or shall bee or any two of them shall haue power and authoritie from time to time to taxe and assesse all and euery Inhabitant and all Houses of habitation Lands Tenements and Hereditaments within the sayd Citie Borough Towne corporate and places Priuiledged or the liberties or Precincts thereof at such reasonable taxes and paiments as they shal thinke fit for the reasonable reliefe of such persons infected or inhabiting in houses and places infected in the same Cities Boroughs and Townes corporate and places Priuiledged and from time to time leuie the same Taxes of the Goods of euery person refusing or neglecting to pay the sayde Taxes by Warrant vnder the Hand and Seale of the Maior and Bailiffes and head Officers aforesayd or two such Iustices of Peace to bee directed to any person or persons for the execution thereof And if the party to whom such Warrant is or shal be directed shall not find any Goods to leuie the same and the party taxed shall refuse to pay the same Taxe That then vpon returne thereof the sayd Maior Bailiffes head Officers or Iustices of Peace or any two of them shall by like Warrant vnder their hands and Seales cause the same person so taxed to bee arrested and committed to the Gaole without Bayle or Maineprise vntill he shal satisfie the same taxation and the Arrerages thereof And if the Inhabitants of any such Citie Borough Towne Corporate or place Priuiledged shall finde themselues vnable to relieue their said poore Infected persons and others as aforesayd That then vpon Certificate thereof by the Maior Bailiffe head officers and other the said Iustices of Peace or any two of them to the Iustices of Peace of the Countie of or neere to the sayde Citie Borough Towne Corporate or priuiledged place so infected or any two of them to be made the said Iustices of
or neere the sayd County or any two of them shall or may taxe and assesse the Inhabitants of the Countie within fiue miles of the sayd place Infected at such reasonable and weekely Taxes and Rates as they shall thinke fit to be leuied by warrant from any such two Iustices of Peace of or neere the Countie by sale of Goods and in default thereof by imprisonment of the body of the party taxed as aforesayd And if any such Infection shall bee in any Borough Towne corporate or Priuiledged place where there are or shall be no Iustices of peace or in any Village or Hamlet within any County That then it shall and may be lawfull for any two Iustices of Peace of the said County wherein the saâ—d place infected is or shall be to Taxe and Assesse the inhabitants of the said County within fiue miles of the said place infected at such reasonable weekely taxes and rates as they shall thinke fit for the reasonable reliefe of the said places infected to bee leuied by warrant from the said Iustices of Peace of the same County by sale of goods and in default therof by imprisonment of the body of euery party so taxed as aforesaid The same taxes made by the said Iustices of Peace of the County for the reliefe of such Cities Boroughs townes corporate places priuiledged where there are no Iustices of Peace to be disposed as they shall thinke fit And where there are Iustices of Peace Then in such sort as to the Maior Bailifs head Officers Iustices of peace there or any two of them shal seeme fit and conuenient All which taxes and rates made within any such citie borough towne corporate or place priuiledged shal be certified at the next quarter Sessions to be holden within the same Citie Borough Towne corporate or place priuiledged And the said Taxes and Rates made within any part of the said Countie shall in like sort be certified at the next quarter Sessions to bee holden in and for the said Countie And that if the Iustices of Peace at such quarter Sessions respectiuely or the more part of them shall thinke it fit the sayd taxe or rate should continue or be enlarged or extended to any other partes of the Countie or otherwise determined then the same to bee so enlarged extended or determined increased or taxed and leuied in maner and forme aforesaid as to the sayd Iustices at the Quarter Sessions respectiuely shal be thought fit and conuenient And euery Constable and other officer that shall wilfully make default in leuying such mony as they shal be commanded by the said Warrant or Warrants shall forfeit for euery such offence ten shillings to be employed on the charitable vses aforesaid And bee it further enacted That if any person or persons infected or being or dwelling in any house Iniected shall be by the Mayor Bayliffes Constable or other head Officer of any Citie Borough Towne Corporate Priuiledged place or Market Towne or by any Iustice of Peace Constable Headborough or other Officer of the Countie if any such Infection be out of any Citie Borough Towne Corporate Priuiledged place or Market Towne commaunded or appointed as aforesayd to keepe his or their House for auoyding of further Infection and shall notwithstanding wilfully and contemptuously disobey such direction and appointment offering attempting to breake and goe abroad and to resist or going abroad and resisting such Keepers or Watchmen as shall bee appointed as aforesayd to see them kept in That then it shall be lawfull for such Watchmen with violence to inforce them to keepe their houses And if any hurt come by such enforcement to such Disobedient persons That then the sayde Keepers Watchmen and any other their Assistants shall not bee impeached therefore And if any infected person as aforesayd so commanded to keepe house shall contrary to such Commaundement wilfully and contemptuously goe abroad and shall conuerse in company hauing any Infectious Sore vpon him vncured That then such person and persons shall bee taken deemed and adiudged as a Felon and to suffer paines of Death as in case of Felonie But if such person shall not haue any such Sore found about him Then for his sayd Offence to be punished as a Vagabond in all respects should or ought to bee by the Statute made in the nine and thirtieth yere of the Reigne of our late Souereigne Lady Queene Elizabeth for the punishment of Rogues and Vagabonds And further to be bound to his or their good behauiour for one whole yeere Prouided That no attainder of Felonie by vertue of this Acte shall extend to any attainder or Corruption of blood or forfeiture of any Goods Chattels Lands Tenements or Hereditaments And be it further enacted by the Authoritie aforesayd That it shall be lawfull for Iustices of Peace Mayors Bayliffes and other head Officers aforesayd to appoynt within the seuerall Limits Searchers Watchmen Examiners Keepers and Buriers for the persons and places respectiuely infected as aforesayd and to minister vnto them Othes for the performance of their Offices of Searchers Examiners Watchmen Keepers and Buryers and giue them other directions as vnto them for the present necessitie shall seeme good in their discretions And this Acte to continue no longer then vntill the end of the first Session of the next Parliament Prouided alwayes and be it enacted by authoritie of this present Parliament that no Mayor Bayliffes head Officers or any Iustices of Peace shall by force or pretext of any thing in this Acte contained doe or execute any thing before mentioned within either the Vniuersities of Cambridge or Oxford or within any Cathedrall Church or the Liberties or Precincts thereof in this Realme of England or within the Colledges of Eaton or Winchester But that the Vicechancellor of either of the Vniuersities for the time being within either of the same respectiuely and the Bishop and Deane of euery such Cathedrall Church or one of them within such Cathedrall Church and the Prouost or Warden of either of the sayd Colledges within the same shall haue all such power and authority and shall doe and execute all euery such Act and Actes thing and things in this Acte before mentioned within their seuerall Precincts and Iurisdictions abouesayd as wholly absolutely and fully to all intents and purposes as any Mayor Bayliffes head Officers or Iustices of Peace within their seuerall Precincts and Iurisdictions may elsewhere by force of this Acte doe and execute ¶ Orders thought meete by his Maiestie and his Priuie Counsell to be executed throughout the Counties of this Realme in such Townes Villages and other places as are or may be hereafter Infected with the Plague for the stay of further increase of the same Also an Aduise set downe by the best learned
time of the restraint and some crosse or other marke set vpon the place thereof to be a token of the sickenesse 6 Item they shall haue good regard to chuse honest persons that either shall collect the summes assessed or shall haue the custodie thereof and out of the sayd collection to allot a weekely proportion for the finding of victuall or fire or medicines for the poorer sort during the time of their restraint And whereas sâ—me persons being well disposed to yeeld almes and reliefe will be more willing to giue some portions of victuall as corne bread or other meate the same shal be committed to the charge of some speciall persons that will honestly and truely preserue the same to be distributed as they shal be appointed for the poore that are infected 7 Item to appoint certaine persons dwelling within the Townes infected to prouide and deliuer all necessaries of victuals or any matter of watching or other attendance to keepe such as are of good wealth being restrained at their owne proper costs and charges and the poore at the common charges and the said persons so appointed to be ordered not to resort to any publike assembly during the time of such their attendance as also to weare some marke on their vpper garment or to beare a white rodde in their hand to the ende others may auoid their company 8 Item that in the Shire towne in euery Countie and in other great Townes meete for that purpose there may be prouision bespoken and made of such Preseruatiues and other remedies which otherwise in meaner townes cannot be readily had as by the Physicians shal be prescribed and is at this present reduced into an Aduise made by the Physicians and now Printed and sent with the said Orders which may be fixed in Market places vpon places vsuall for such publique matters and in other Townes in the bodies of the Parish Churches and Chappels in which Aduise onely such things are prescribed as vsually are to be had and found in all Countreys without great charge or cost 9 Item the Ministers and Curats and the Churchwardens in euery Parish shal in writing certifie weekely to some of the Iustices residing within the Hundred or other limit where they serue the number of such persons as are infected and doe not die and also of all such as shall die within their Parishes and their diseases probable whereof they died and the same to be certified to the rest of the Iustices at their assemblies which during some conuenient time would be euery one and twentie dayes and thereof a particular booke kept by the Clerke of the Peace or some such like 10 Item to appoint some place apart in each Parish for the buriall of such persons as shall die of the Plague as also to giue order that they be buried after Sunne setting and yet neuerthelesse by day light so as the Curate be present for the obseruation of the Rites and Ceremonies prescribed by the Law foreseeing as much as conueniently he may to be distant from the danger of infection of the person dead or of the company that shall bring the corpse to the graue 11 Item the Iustices of the whole Countie to assemble once in one and twentie dayes to examine whether those Orders be duely executed and to certifie to the Lords of the Priuie Counsell their proceedings in that behalfe what Townes and Villages be infected as also the numbers of the dead and the diseases whereof they died and what summes of money are taxed and collected to this purpose and how the same are distributed 12 Item the Iustices of the Hundred where any such Infection is or the Iustices next adioyning thereunto to assemble once a weeke to take accompt of the execution of the sayd Orders and as they finde any lacke or disorder either to reforme it themselues or to report it at the generall assembly there to be by a more common consent reformed 13 Item for that the Contagion of the Plague groweth and encreaseth no way more then by the vse and handling of such clothes bedding and other stuffe as hath bin worne and occupyed by the Infected of this disease during the time of their disease the sayd Iustices shall in the places infected take such order that all the sayde clothes and other stuffe so occupyed by the diseased so soone as the parties diseased of the plague are all of them either wel recouered or dead be either burnt and cleane consumed with fire or else ayred in such sort as is prescribed in an especiall article conteined in the Aduise set downe by the Physicians And for that peraduenture the losse of such apparell bedding and other stuffe to be burnt may be greater then the poore estate of the owners of the same may wel beare it is thought very good and expedient if it be thought meet it shall be burnt that then the sayd Iustices out of such Collections as are to bee made within their Counties for the reliefe of the poorer sort that be infected allow also them such summe or summes as to them shall be thought reasonable in recompense of the losse of their sayd stuffe 14 Item the said Iustices may put in execution any other Orders that by them at their generall assembly shall be deuised and thought meet tending to the preseruation of his Maiesties Subiects from the infection and to the end their care and diligence may the better appeare they shall certifie in writing the said Orders newly deuised and if any shall wilfully breake and contemne the same or any the Orders herein specified they shall either presently punish them by imprisonment or if the persons so contemning them shal be of such countenance as the Iustices shal think meet to haue their faults knowen to his Maiestie or to the Councell they shall charge and binde them to appeare before vs and the contempt duely certified that there may be a more notorious sharpe example made by punishment of the same by order of his Maiestie 15 Item if there be lacke of Iustices in some partes of the Shire or if they which are Iustices there shal be for the time absent in that case the more number of the Iustices at their assembly shall make choice of some conuenient persons to supply those places for the better execution hereof 16 Item if there be any person Ecclesiasticall or Lay that shall hold and publish any opinions as in some places report is made that it is a vaine thing to forbeare to resort to the Infected or that it is not charitable to forbid the same pretending that no person shall die but at their time prefixed such persons shall be not onely reprehended but by order of the Bishop if they be Ecclesiasticall shall be forbidden to preach and being Lay shal be also enioined to forbeare to vtter such dangerous opinions vpon paine of imprisonment which shall bee executed if they shal perseuere in that errour And yet it shall appeare manifestly by
or Receiuer Generall of the Muster Rolles who commonly is like to abide about the Court or London so as they shall need at the first prouision for the bearing of their charges to such places Be it therefore enacted that it may bee lawfull for the Treasurers of the Countie where they shall arriue in their discretion vpon their Certificate though not allowed to giue them any conuenient relief for their iourney to cary them to the next Countie with a testimoniall of their allowance to passe on towards such a place And in like maner shal it be lawfull for the Treasurer of the next Countie to do the like And so from Countie to Countie in the direct way till they come to the place where they are directed to finde their maintenance according to the tenure of this Statute And for the better execution of this Acte in all the branches thereof Be it enacted that euery the Treasurers in their seuerall Counties shall keepe a true booke of computation of all such summes as they leuie and also a Register of the names of euery such person vnto whom they shall haue disbursed any reliefe And shall also preserue or enter euery Certificate by warrant whereof such reliefe hath beene by them disbursed And also that the Muster master or Receiuer generall of the Muster Rolles shall keepe a booke wherein shall be entred the names of all such whose Certificates shall bee by him allowed with an abstract of their Certificates And that euery Treasurer returning or not accepting the Certificate brought vnto him from the sayd Muster-master shall write and subscribe the cause of his not accepting or not allowing thereof vnder the said Certificate or on the backe thereof And bee it further enacted That if any Treasurer shall wilfully refuse to distribute and giue any reliefe according to the forme of this Acte That it shall be lawfull for the Iustices of peace in their quarter Sessions to Fine such Treasurers by their discretions as aforesayd The same Fine to be leuied by distresse and sale thereof to bee prosecuted by any two of them whome they shall authorize And be it also enacted that euery Soldier or Mariner that shall be taken begging in any place within this Realme after the Feast of Easter next Or any that shall counterfeit any Certificate in this Acte expressed shall for euer lose his Annuitie or Pension and shall be taken deemed and adiudged as a common Rogue or Vagabond person and shall haue and sustaine the same and the like paines imprisonment and punishment as is appointed and prouided for common Rogues and Vagabond persons Prouided alwayes and be it enacted that all the surplusage of money which shall bee remaining in the Stocke of any County shall by â—he discretion of the more part of the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions be ordered distributed and bestowed vpon such good and charitable vses and in such forme as are limited and appointed in the Statutes made and now in force concerning reliefe of the poore and punishment of Rogues and Beggers Prouided alwayes that the Iustices of peace within any County of this Realme or Wales shall not intromit or enter into any City Borough Place or towne corporate where is any Iustice of Peace for any such Citie Borough Place or Towne corporate for the execution of any Article of this Acte But that it shal be lawfull to the Iustice and Iustices of the peace Maiors Bailiffes and other head Officers of those Cities Boroughs Places Towns corporate where there is any Iustice of Peace to proceede to the execution of this Act within the precinct and compasse of their liberties in such maner as the Iustices of Peace in any County may doe by vertue of this Act. And that euery Iustice of Peace within euery such Citie Borough Place or Towne corporate for euery offence by him committed contrary to the meaning of this Statute shal be fineable as other Iustices of peace at the large in the counties are in this Act appointed to be And that the Maior and Iustices of Peace in euery such Borough Place and Towne Corporate shall haue authority by this present Acte to appoint any person for the receiuing of the sayd money and paying the same within such Citie Borough Place or Towne corporate which person so appointed shal haue authority to do all such things and be subiect to all such penalties as high Constables by vertue of this Acte should haue or be And be it enacted that all forfeitures to bee forfeited by any Treasurer Collector Constable Churchwarden or other person for any cause mentioned in this Act shal be imployed to the reliefe of such Souldiers and Mariners as are by this Acte appointed to take and haue reliefe And after that reliefe satisfied then the ouerplus thereof with the ouerplus of the stocke remaining in any the sayd Treasurers hands shall bee imployed as is before mentioned to the charitable vses expressed in the said Statutes concerning the reliefe of poore and for punishment of Rogues and Beggers except the sayd Iustices or the more part of them shall thinke meete to reserue and keepe the same in stocke for the maintenance and reliefe of such Souldiers and Mariners as out of the same Countie may afterward bee appointed to receiue reliefe and pensions And that the relief appointed to be giuen by this Acte shall be giuen to Souldiers and Mariners out of the County or place where they were pressed so far forth as the Taxation limited by this Acte will extend And if the whole Taxation there shal be before imployed according to the meaning of this Act or that they shall not be prest men then out of the place where they were borne or last inhabited by the space of three yeres at his or their election Prouided alwayes and be it enacted that euery pension assigned heretofore to any Souldier or Mariner or that shall be assignen before the said feast of Easter next notwithstanding the discontinuance of the said two former Actes shal stand in force and shal yeerely from and after the said feast of Easter next be satisfied and payed out of such Taxations and forfeitures as shall bee made collected and leuied by force of this Act so long as the saide pension shall remaine in force without such reuocation or diminishing as is before in this Acte mentioned Which clause of reuocation or diminishing before mentioned shall extend aswell to pensions heretofore assigned as to such as at any time hereafter before or after the said feast of Easter shall bee assigned to any person or persons And be it also enacted that all arrerages of Taxations heretofore made by vertue of the said former Statutes or any of them which shall be or remaine at the said feast of Easter next vncollected and not receiued or leuied shall and may by authoritie of this Act be had receiued and leuied by such persons and in such
maner and forme as in euery respect Taxations made by vertue of this Act are appointed to be collected receiued and leuied and shall be imployed to the vses expressed in this Acte and no otherwise Prouided alwayes and bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid that if the sayd rate shall be thought not to bee sufficient for the reliefe of such Souldiers and Mariners as shal be to be relieued within the Citie of London That then it shall bee lawfull for the Maior Recorder Aldermen of London or the more part of them to rate and taxe such reasonable taxe summe and summes of money for the sayd reliefe as shal be to them thought fit and conuenient So as such summe and summes of money so to bee rated doe not exceede three shillings weekely out of any Parish And so as in the totall the summe shall not exceede or be vnder twelue pence weekely out of euery Parish one with another within the said Citie and the liberties thereof This Acte to endure to the end of the next Session of Parliament and no longer Anno xxxix Reginae Elizabethae An Acte for punishment of Rogues Vagabonds and sturdie Beggars FOr the suppressing of Rogues vagabonds and sturdie Beggers Be it enacted by the Authoritie of this present Parliament that from and after the feast of Easter next comming all Statutes heretofore made for the punishment of Rogues Vagabonds or sturdie beggers or for the erection or maintenance of houses of correction or touching the same shall for so much as coÌ„cerneth the same be vtterly repealed And that from and after the said feast of Easter from time to time it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Iustices of Peace of any Countie or city in this Realme or the Dominions of Wales assembled at any Quarter Sessions of the Peace within the same County City Borough or Towne Corporate or the more part of them to set downe order to erect to cause to be erected one or more houses of CorrectioÌ„ within their seueral Counties or cities for the doing performing wherof for the prouiding of stocks of money and al other things necessary for the same and for raising and gouerning of the same and for correction and punishment of offenders thither to be committed such orders as the same Iustices or the more part of them shal from time to time take reform or set downe in any their sayd quarter Sessions in that behalfe shal be of force and be duely performed and put in execution And be it also further enacted by the authoritie aforesayd That all persons calling themselues Schollars going about begging all Seafaring men pretending losses of their ships or goods on the Sea going about the countrey begging All idle persons going about in any country either begging or vsing any subtile craft or vnlawfull games and playes or faining themselues to haue knowledge in Physiognomie Palmestry or other like craftie Science or pretending that they can tell destinies Fortunes or such other like fantasticall imaginations All persons that be or vtter themselues to be Proctors procurers Patent gatherers or Collettors for Gaoles prisons or Hospitals All Fencers Bearewards Common Players of Interludes and Minstrels wandering aâ—road other then Players of Interludes belonging to any Baron of this Realme or any other honourable personage of greater degree to bee authorized to play vnder the hand and Seale of Armes of such Baron or personage All Iuglers Tinkers Pedlars and pety Chapmen wandering abroad All wandering persons and common Labourers being persons able in body vsing loytering and refusing to worke for such reasonable wages as is taxed or commonly giuen in such parts where such persons doe or shall happen to dwell or abide not hauing liuing otherwise to maintaine themselues All persons deliuered out of Gaoles that begge for their Fees or otherwise doe trauaile begging All such persons as shall wander abroad begging pretending losses by fire or otherwise And all such persons not being felons wandering and pretending themselues to bee Egyptians or wandering in the habite forme or attire of counterfeit Egyptians shal be taken adiudged and deemed Rogues Vagabonds and sturdie beggers and shall susteine such paine and punishments as by this Acte is in that behalfe appointed And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid that euery person which is by this present Act declared to be a Rogue Vagabond or sturdie begger which shall be at any time after the said Feast of Easter next comming taken begging vagrant wandering or misordering themselues in any part of this Realme or the Dominion of Wales shal vpon their apprehension by the appointment of any Iustice of the Peace Constable Headborough or Tythingman of the same Countie Hundred Parish or Tything where such person shall be taken the Tythingman or Headborough being assisted therein with the aduise of the Minister and one other of that Parish be stripped naked from the middle vpwards and shall bee openly whipped vntill his or her body be bloodie and shal be forthwith sent from Parish to Parish by the Officers of euery the same the next straight way to the Parish where hee was borne if the same may be knowen by the parties confession or otherwise And if the same be not knowen then to the Parish where he or shee last dwelt before the same punishment by the space of one whole yeere there to put him or her selfe to labour as a true Subiect ought to doe Or not being knowen where hee or she was borne or last dwelt then to the Parish through which he or she last passed without punishment After which whipping the same person shall haue a testimoniall subscribed with the hand sealed with the seale of the same Iustice of the peace Constable Headborough or Tythingman of the Minister of the same parish or of any two of them testifying that the same person hath beene punished according to this Acte mentioning the day and place of his or her punishment and the place whereunto such person is limited to go and by what time the sayde person is limited to passe thither at his perill And if the said person through his or her default do not accomplish the order appointed by the said testimoniall then to be eftsoones taken whipped and so as often as any default shal be found in him or her contrary to the forme of this statute in euery place to bee whipped till such person be repaired to the place limited The substance of which testimoniall shall be registred by the minister of that parish in a booke to be prouided for that purpose vpon paine to forfeit 5. shillings for euery default thereof and the party so whipped not knowen where hee or shee was borne or last dwelt by the space of a yeere shall by the officers of the sayd Village where hee or she so last past thorow without punishment bee conueyed to the house of Correction of the limit wherein the
said Village standeth or to the common Gaole of that Countie or place there to remaine and be imployed in worke vntill hee or she shal be placed in some seruice and so to continue by the space of one yeere or not being able of body vntill he or she shall be placed to remaine in some Almeshouse in the same Countie or place Prouided alwayes and be it enacted If any of the sayd Rogues shall appeare to be dangerous to the inferiour sort of people where they shall bee taken or otherwise be such as wil not be reformed of their roguish kind of life by the former prouisiō of this Act That in euery such case it shal may be lawfull to the said Iustices of the limite where any such Rogue shall be taken or any two of them whereof one to be of the Quorum to commit that Rogue to the house of correction or otherwise to the Gaole of the County there to remaine vntill their next quarter Sessions to be holden in that Countie and then such of the same Rogues so committed as by the Iustices of the Peace then and there present or the most part of them shall be thought fit not to be deliuered shall and may lawfully by the same Iustices or the most part of them bee banished out of this Realme and all other the dominions thereof and at the charges of that Countrey shal bee conueyed vnto such parts beyond the Seas as shall bee at any time hereafter for that purpose assigned by the priuie Councell vnto her Maiesty her heires or successors or by any sixe or more of them whereof the L. Chancellor or L. Keeper of the great Seale or the L. Treasurer for the time being to be one Or otherwise be iudged perpetually to the Gallies of this Realme as by the same Iustices or the most part of them it shall bee thought fit and expedient And if any such Rogue so banished as aforesaid shall returne againe into any part of this Realme or dominion of Wales without lawfull licence or warrant so to doe that in euery such case such offence shall be Felony and the party offending therein suffer death as in case of felonie The sayd felonie to bee heard and determined in that County of this Realme or Wales in which the offender shall be apprehended And be it also enacted by the authority aforesayd that if any Towne Parish or Village the Constable Headborough or Tithingman be negligent do not his or their best endeuours for the apprehension of such Vagabond Rogue or sturdy Begger which there shall be found contrary to the forme of this present Act and to cause euery of them to be punished and conueied according to the true meaning of this present Act that then the said Constable Headborough or tithingman in whome such default shall bee shall lose and forfeite for euery such default ten shillings And also if any person or persons doe in any wise disturbe or let the execution of this law or any part thereof concerning the punishment or conueying of Rogues Vagabonds sturdy Beggers or the reliefe or setling of poore impotent persons in any maner of wise or make rescusse against any officer or person authorized by this present Acte for the due execution of any the premisses the same person so offending shal forfeit lose for euery such offence the summe of fiue pound and shal be bound to the good behauiour And bee it also further enacted by the authority aforesaid That no person or persons hauing charge in any voyage in passing from the Realmes of Ireland or Scotland or from the Isle of Man into this Realme of England doe wittingly or willingly bring or conuey or suffer to be brought or conueyed in any Vessell or Boate from and out of the said Realme of Ireland Scotland or Isle of Man into the Realme of England or Wales or any part thereof any Vagabond Rogue or Begger or any such as shall be forced or very like to liue by begging within the Realme of England or Wales being borne in the same Realms or Island on paine of euery such person so offending to forfeit and lose for euery such Vagabond Rogue Begger or other person like to liue by begging xx s. to the vse of the poore of the said Parish in which they were set on land And if any such Mannisk Scottish or Irish Rogue vagabond or begger be already or shall at any time hereafter be set on land or shall come into any part of England or Wales the same after he or she shall be punished as aforesayd shall be conueyed to the next Port or Parish in or neere which they were landed or first came in such sort as Rogues are appointed to bee by this present Acte and from thence to bee transported at the common charge of the Countrey where they were set on land into those partes from whence they came or were brought And that euery Constable Headborough and Tythingman neglecting the due performance therof shall forfeit for euery such offence ten shillings Bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that no diseased or impotent poore person shal at any time resort or repaire from their dwelling places to the Citie of Bath or towne of Buxton or either of them to the Baths there for the ease of their griefes vnlesse such person doe forbeare to begge and be licensed to passe thither by two Iustices of the Peace of the Countie where such person doeth or shall then dwell or remaine and prouided for to trauaile with such reliefe for towards his or her maintenance as shal be necessary for the same person for the time of such his or her trauell and abode at the city of Bath and town of Buxton or either of them and returne thence and shall returne home againe as shall be limited by the said licence vpon paine to be reputed punished and vsed as Rogues Vagabonds and sturdy Beggers declared by this present Acte And that the inhabitants of the same Citie of Bath and towne of Buxton shall not in any wise be charged by this Acte with the finding or reliefe of any such poore people Prouided alwayes that the Iustices of peace within any County of this Realme or Wales shall not intromit or enter into any Citie Borough or Towns corporate where be any Iustice or Iustices of the Peace for any such Citie Borough or Towne Corporate for the execution of any Branch Article or sentence of this Acte for or concerning any offence matter or cause growing or arising within the Precincts Liberties or Iurisdictions of such City borough or townes corporate But that it may and shal be lawfull to the Iustice and Iustices of the Peace Maiors Bayliffes and other head Officers of those Cities Boroughes and Townes Corporate where there be such Iustices of the Peace to proceed to the execution of this Acte within the precinct and compasse of their Liberties in
such maner and forme as the Iustices of Peace in any Countie may or ought to doe within the same Countie by vertue of this Acte Any thing in this Acte to the contrary thereof notwithstanding Prouided alwayes that this Acte or any thing therein contained shall not extend to the poore people for the time being in the Hospitall called Saint Thomas Hospital otherwise called the Kings Hospital in the Borough of Southwarke neere adioyning to the Citie of London but that the Maior Communaltie and Citizens of the sayde Citie of London for the time being shall and may haue the rule order and gouernment of the sayd Hospitall and of the poore people therein for the time being any thing in this Acte to the contrary notwithstanding Prouided alwayes that this Acte or any thing therein contained or any authority thereby giuen shall not in any wise extend to disinherite preiudice or hinder Iohn Dutton of Dutton in the Countie of Chester Esquire his heires or assignes for touching or concerning any liberty preeminence authoritie iurisdiction or inheritance which the said Iohn Dutton now lawfully vseth or hath or lawfully may or ought to vse within the County Palantine of Chester and the Countie of the Citie of Chester or either of them by reason of any ancient Charters of any Kings of this land or by reason of any prescription vsage or title whatsoeuer And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that all fines and forfeitures appointed or to grow by this present Acte except such as are otherwise limited and appointed by this present Act shall wholly goe and be imployed to the vse of the reparations and maintenance of the said houses of Correction and stocke and store therof or reliefe of the poore where the offence shall be committed at the discretion of the Iustices of the Peace of the same limit Citie Borough or Towne corporate And that all fines and forfeitures appointed or to grow by conuiction of any person according to this present Act shall by warrant vnder the hands and seales of any two or more of the Iustices of the Peace of the same County Citie Borough or Towne corporate bee leuied by distresse and sale of the goods and chattels of the offender which sale shall be good in the Law against such offender And that if any of the said offences shal be confessed by the offender or that the same shall bee prooued by two sufficient and lawfull witnesses before such two or more Iustices of the Peace That then euery such person shall forthwith stand and be in the Law conuicted thereof And bee it also further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid that any two or more Iustices of the Peace within all the said seueral Shires Cities Boroughs or Townes corporate wherof one to be of the Quorum shall haue full power by authority of this present Acte to heare and determine all causes that shall growe or come in question by reason of this Acte And bee it also further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the great Seale of England for the time being shall and may at all times hereafter by vertue of this present Act without further warrant make and direct Commission or Commissions vnder the great Seale of England to any person or persons giuing them or some of them thereby authority aswell by the othes of good lawfull men as of witnesses or examination of parties or by any other lawfull wayes or meanes whatsoeuer to enquire what summes of mony or other things haue been or shall bee collected or gathered for or towards the erection of any houses of Correction or any stockes or other things to set poore on worke or for the maintenance therof at any time after the seuenteenth day of Nouember in the eighteenth yeere of the Reigne of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and by whom the same were or shall be collected or gathered and to whose hands commen and to what vse and by whose direction the same was or shall bee imployed And to call all euery such person persons and their suerties and euery of their executors or administrators to an accompt And to compell them and euery of them by attachment of their goods or bodies to appeare before them for the same to heare and determine the same and to leuie such money and things as they shal find not to haue been duly imployed vpon the said houses of Correction or stocks or vpon other like vses hauing in such other like vses respect of things past by the said Commissioners to be allowed of either by distresse sale of the goods and chattels of such persons as they shall thinke fit to bee chargeable or answerable for the same or by imprisonment of their bodies at their discretion And that the said Commissioners shall haue full power and authoritie to execute the same Commission according to the tenor and purport thereof And that all their proceedings doings iudgements and executions by force and authority thereof shall be and remaine good and auaileable in the Law which said money so leuied by the sayd Commissioners shall bee deliuered and employed for the erecting or maintenance of the same Prouided alwayes neuerthelesse that euery Seafaring man suffering shipwracke not hauing wherewith to relieue himselfe in his trauailes homewards but hauing a Testimoniall vnder the hand of some one Iustice of the Peace of or neere the place where he landed setting downe therein the place and time where and when he landed and the place of the parties dwelling or birth vnto which he is to passe and a conuenient time therein to be limited for his passage shall and may without incurring the danger and penaltie of this Act in the vsuall wayes directly to the place vnto which he is directed to passe and within the time in such his testimoniall limited for his passage aske and receiue such reliefe as shal be necessarie in and for his passage Prouided also that this Statute nor any thing therein contained shall extend to any children vnder the age of seuen yeeres nor to any such Glassemen as shall be of good behauiour and doe trauaile in or through any Countrey without begging hauing licence for their trauailing vnder the handes and Seales of three Iustices of the Peace of the same Countie where they trauell whereof one to be of the Quorum And be it also further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid that this present Act shall be proclaimed in the next quarter Session or Sessions in euery Countie and in such other market Townes or places as by the more part of the Iustices of the Peace in the sayd Sessions shal be agreed and appointed This Acte to endure to the end of the first Session of the next Parliament ⧠Certaine branches of the Statute made in the first yere of the Reigne of King IAMES concerning Rogues Vagabonds and sturdie Beggars FOrasmuch as sithence the
in Physicke within this Realme containing sundry good Rules and easie Medicines without charge to the meaner sort of people aswell for the preseruation of his good Subiects from the Plague before Infection as for the curing and ordering of them after they shal be infected AS the most louing and gracious care of his Maiestie for the preseruation of his People hath alreadie beene earnestly shewed and declared by such meanes and waies as were thought expedient to suppresse the grieuous Infection of the Plague and to preuent the encrease thereof within the Citie of LONDON and parts about it so whatsoeuer other good meanes may be yet remaining which may extend and prooue behoouefull to the Countrey abroad where his Maiestie is sorie to vnderstand that the Contagion is also in many places dispersed it is likewise his gracious pleasure that the same be carefully prouided and put in practise And therefore hauing taken knowledge of certaine good Orders that were vpon like occasion published in times past together with certaine Rules and Medicines prescribed by the best and most learned Physicians and finding both of them to serue well for the present time his Maiestie is pleased that the same shal be renewed and published And withall straitly commandeth all Iustices of the Peace and others to whome it may appertaine to see the said Orders duely executed At the Court at Hampton Court this 30. of Iuly 1603. Infection of the Plague INprimis All the Iustices in euery Countie aswell within the Liberties as without immediatly vpon knowledge to them giuen shall assemble themselues together at some one generall place accustomed being cleare from Infection of the Plague to consult how these Orders following may be duely put in execution not meaning that any Iustices dwelling in or neere places infected shall come thither whiles their comming may bee doubtfull And after their first generall assembly they shall make a distribution of themselues to sundry Limits and diuisions as in other common seruices of the Countie they are accustomed to doe for the prosecution thereof 2 First they shall enquire and presenly informe themselues by all good meanes what Townes and Villages are at the time of such assembly infected within euery their Counties and in what Hundred or other Diuision the sayde Townes and Villages are and how many of the same places so Infected are Corporate Townes Market Townes and Villages and shall consider of what wealth the Inhabitants of the same townes and Parishes are to be able to relieue the poore that are or shall be infected and to be restrained in their houses 3 Item thereupon after conference vsed according to the necessitie of the cause they shall deuise and make a generall taxation either by charging the Towne infected with one summe in grosse or by charging the speciall persons of wealth within the same to be forthwith collected for the rate of one moneth at the first and so if the sickenesse shall continue the collection of the like summe or of more or of lesse as time and cause shall require and the same to be euery first second third or fourth weeke employed to and for the execution of the sayde Orders And in case some of the sayd Townes Infected shall manifestly appeare not to bee of sufficient abilitie to contribute sufficient for the charges requisite then the Taxation or Collection shall bee made or further extended to other parts or in any other further limits as by them shall bee thought requisite where there shall bee any such Townes or Villages so infected and vnable to relieue themselues And if the said Townes be situated in the borders and confines of any other shire then as the Iustices shall see cause and neede for the greatnesse of the charge requisite that the parts of the shire ioyning to the Townes infected be not able they shall write their letters to the next Iustices of the other Shire so confining to procure by collection some reliefe as in like cases they are to relieue them in respect of neere neighbourhood of the place and for that the same Infection may bee the better stayed from the said adioyning places thogh they be separated by name of the Countie 4 Item they shall cause to be appointed in euery Parish aswell infected as not infected certaine persons to view the bodies of all such as shall die before they be suffered to be buried and to certifie the Minister of the Church and Churchwarden or other principall officers or their substitutes of what probable disease the said persons died and the said viewers to haue weekely some allowance the more large allowance where the Townes or Parishes bee infected during the Infection towards their maintenance to the end they which shal be in places infected may forbeare to resort into the company of others that are sound and those persons to be sworne to make true report according to their knowledge and the choise of them to be made by direction of the Curate of the Church with three or foure substantiall men of the Parish And in case the said viewers either through fauour or corruption shall giue wrong certificate or shall refuse to serue being thereunto appointed then to cause them to be punished by imprisonment in such sort as may serue for a terrour to others 5 Item the houses of such persons out of the which there shal die any of the plague being so certified by the viewers or otherwise knowen or where it shal be vnderstood that any person remaineth sicke of the plague to be closed vp on all parts during the time of restraint viz. sixe weekes after the sicknes be ceased in the same house in case the said houses so infected shall be within any Town hauing houses neere adioyning to the same And if the infection happen in houses dispersed in Villages and separated from other houses and that of necessitie for the seruing of their cattell manuring of their ground the said persons cannot continue in their houses then they be neuerthelesse restrained from resorting inâ—o company of others either publikely or priuately during the sayd time of restraint and to weare some marke in their vppermost garments or beare white rods in their handes at such time as they shall goe abroad if there bee any doubt that the masters and owners of the houses infected will not duely obserue the directions of shutting vp the doores specially in the night then shall there be appointed two or three watchmen by turnes which shall be sworne to attend watch the house and to apprehend any person that shall come out of the house contrary to the order and the same persons by order of the Iustices shall be a competent time imprisoned in the stockes in the high way next to the house infected and furthermore some speciall marke shall bee made and fixed to the doores of euery of the infected houses and where any such houses shal be Innes or Alehouses the Signes shal be taken downe for the
the middle of the doore euident to be seene and with these vsuall printed wordes that is to say Lord haue mercy vpon vs to be set close ouer the same Crosse there to continue vntil lawfull opening of the same house Euery visited house to be watched THat the Constables see euery house shut vp and to be attended with Watchmen which may keepe them in and minister necessaries vnto them at their owne charges if they be able or at the common charge if they be vnable the shutting vp to be for the space of foure Weekes after all be whole That precise order be taken that the Searchers Chirurgions Keepers and Buriers are not to passe the Streets without holding a redde Rodde or Wand of three foot in length in their hands open and euident to bee seene and are not to goe into any other house then into their owne or into that whereunto they are directed or sent for but to forbeare and abstaine from company especially when they haue beene lately vsed in any such businesse or attendance And to this end it is ordered that a weekly Taxe be made in euery Parish visited If in the City or Borough then vnder the hand of the Alderman of the Ward where the place is visited if in either of the Counties then vnder the hands of some of the Iustices next to the place visited who if there be cause may extend the Taxe into other Parishes also and may giue warrant of distresse against them which shall refuse to pay and for want of distresse or for assistance to commit the offenders to prison according to the Statute in that behalfe Orders for cleansing and keeping sweete of the Streets The streets to be kept cleane FIrst it is thought very necessary and so ordered that euery Householder doe cause the Street to be daily pared before his doore so to keepe it cleane swept all the weeke long That the Rakers take it from out the houses THat the sweeping and filth of houses be daily caried away by the Rakers and that the Raker shall giue notice of his comming by the blowing of a Horne as heretofore hath beene done Laystals to be made farre off from the Citie THat the Laystals be remooued as farre as may be out of the Citie and common passages and that no Nightman or other be suffered to emptie a Vault into any Garden neere about the Citie Care to be had of vnwholsome Fish or Flesh and of mustie Corne. THat speciall care be taken that no stinking Fish or vnwholesome Flesh or mustie Corne or other corrupt fruits of what sort soeuer be suffered to bee sold about the Citie or any part of the same That the Bruers and Tipling houses be looked vnto for mustie and vnwholesome Caske That order bee taken that no Hogges Dogges or Cattes or tame Pigeons or Conies be suffered to be kept within any part of the Citie or any Swine to be or stray in the Streetes or Lanes but that such Swine be Impounded by the Beadle or any other Officer and the owner punished according to the Acte of Common Councell and that the Dogges be killed by the Dog-killers appointed for that purpose Orders concerning loose Persons and idle Assemblies Beggers FOrasmuch as nothing is more complained on then the multitude of Rogues and wandering Beggers that swarme in euery place about the Citie being a great cause of the spreading of the Infection and will not bee auoyded notwithstanding any Order that hath beene giuen to the contrary It is therefore now ordered that such Constables and others whom this matter may any way concerne doe take speciall care that no wandering Begger be suffered in the Streetes of this Citie in any fashion or manner whatsoeuer vpon paine of the penalty prouided by the Lawe to be duely and seuerely executed vpon them Playes THat al Plaies Beare-baitings Games Singing of Ballads Buckler play or such like causes of Assemblies of people be vtterly prohibited and the Parties offending seuerely punished by any Alderman or Iustice of the Peace Tipling houses THat disorderly Tipling in Tauernes Alehouses and Sellers be seuerely looked vnto as the common sinne of this time and greatest occasiō of dispersing the Plague and where any shall bee found to offend the penalty of the Statute to be laid vpon them with all seuerity And for the better execution of these Orders as also for such other directions as shal be needfull It is agreed that the Iustices of the Citie and the Counties adioyning doe meete together once in tenne dayes either at the Sessions house without Newgate or some other conuenient place to conferre of things as shall be needfull in this behalfe And euery person neglecting the duetie required or willingly offending against any Article or clause contained in these Orders he to be seuerely punished by imprisonment or otherwise as by Law he ought God saue the King In Camera Stellata coram Concilio ibidem vicesimo die Octobris Anno Regni Reginae ELIZABETHae quadragesimo c. Praesentibus Thoma Egerton mil. Dn̄o Custod Magni Sigilli Angliae Dn̄o North. Dn̄o Buckhurst Iohanne Fortescue milite Cancellar Scaccarij Archiepiscopo Cantuariens Popham milite Capitali Iustic de Banco Regis Anderson milite Capitali Iustic de Communi Banco THis day Rice Griffin and Iohn Scrips were brought to the Barre against whome Edward Coke Esquire her Maiesties Attourney Generall did enforme That the said Griffin had vnlawfully erected and built one Tenement in Hog-lane in the Countie of Middlesex which hee diuided into two seuerall roumes wherein were now inhabiting two poore Tenants that onely liued and were maintained by the reliefe of the Parishioners there and begging abroad in other places And that the said Iohn Scrips had in like sort diuided a Tenement in Shordich into or about seuenteene Tenancies or dwellings and the same inhabited by diuers persons of very poore and base condition contrary to the intent and meaning of her Highnesse Proclamation published and set out the seuenth day of Iuly 1580 in the two and twentieth yeere of her Highnesse Reigne whereby the same and such maner of buildings and diuisions are altogether forbidden and prohibited as by her Maiesties said Proclamation more at large appeareth Moreouer her highnesse said Attourney further informed this Honourable Court that sithence the sayd Proclamation sundrie Decrees haue been made and taken by this Court aswell for the prostrating pulling downe and defacing of diuers new Buildings as also for reformation of diuisions of Tenements All which notwithstanding sundry wilfull and disobedient persons continue in their contemptuous maner of buildings diuisions by meanes whereof the City of London and Suburbs therof are ouercharged and burdened with sundry sorts of poore beggerly and euill disposed persons to the great hinderance and oppression of the same So as the Magistrates and Officers in and about the Citie to whom the due execution of the aforesayd Decrees and Orders chiefly appertaineth cannot performe and doe
CERTAINE STATVTES especially selected and commanded by his MAIESTIE to be carefully put in execution by all Iustices and other Officers of the Peace throughout the Realme With his MAIESTIES Proclamation for further direction for executing the same Also certaine Orders thought meete by his MAIESTIE and his Priuie Counsell to bee put in execution together with sundry good Rules Preseruatiues and Medicines against the Infection of the Plague Set downe by the Colledge of the Physicians vpon his MAIESTIES speciall Command As also a Decree of the Starre-Chamber concerning Buildings and In-mates LONDON Printed by ROBERT BARKER and IOHN BILL Printers to Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE ANNO DOM. M.DC.XXX HONI †SOIT †QVI †MAL †Y †PENSE DIEV· ET· MON· DROIT ⧠To the Iustices of Peace AS the want of Lawes occasioneth wrongs to be committed wittingly And want of knowledge of Lawes carieth men into offences ignorantly So are Lawes theÌ„selues a burthen when they are too many and their very number is a cause that few are executed where Penall Lawes haue otherwise no life but in their execution And certainely that Magistrate who knowes but few and causeth those to be duely obserued deserueth better of the Common-wealth then he that knoweth many and executes but few Therefore is the Composition of this Volume that those few Lawes and other Ordinances being most needfull for the time may bee easily had soone knowne and duely executed Which is required by his MAIESTIE ¶ The Contents of this BOOKE 1A Proclamation for quickning the lawes made for the reliefe of the poore and the suppressing punishing and setling of the sturdy Rogues and Vagabonds 2 An Act for the reliefe of the poore 3 An Act for the necessarie reliefe of Souldiers and Mariners 4 An Act for punishment of Rogues Vagabonds and sturdie Beggars 5 An Act for the charitable reliefe and ordering of persons Jnfected with the Plague 6 Orders concerning health 7 A Decree of Starre-Chamber against Inmates and new Buildings ⧠By the KING ¶ A Proclamation for quickning the Lawes made for the reliefe of the Poore and the suppressing punishing and setling of the sturdie Rogues and Vagabonds WHereas many excellent Lawes and Statutes with great iudgement and prouidence haue been made in the times of Our late deare and Royall Father and of the late Queene Elizabeth for the reliefe of the impotent and indigent Poore and for the punishing suppressing and setâ—ing of the sturdy Rogues and Vagabonds which Lawes and Statutes if they were duely obserued would be of exceeding great vse for the peace plenty of this Realme but the neglect thereof is the occasion of much disorder and many insufferable abuses And whereas it is fit at all times to put in execution those Lawes which are of so necessarie and so continuall vse yet the apparant and visible danger of the Pestilence vnlesse the same by Gods gracious mercie and Our prouident endeuours be preuented doth much more require the same at this present We haue therefore thought it fit by the aduice of Our Priuie Councell by this Our publike Proclamation straightly to charge and command that all our louing Subiects in their seueral places doe vse all possible â—ate and diligence as a principall meanes to preuent the spreading and dispersing of that contagious sicknesse to obserue and put in due execution all the said Lawes made and prouided against Rogues and Vagabonds and for the reliefe of the truely poore and impotent people And in the first place Wee strictly charge and command that in Our Cities of London and Westminster and Suburbs thereof and places adiacent thereunto and generally throughout the whole Kingdome that there bee carefull Watch and Ward kept for the apprehending and punishing of al Rogues and Vagabonds who either in the streets or high wayes vnder the names of Souldiers or Mariners Glasse-men Pot-men Pedlars or Petty-Chapmen or of poore or impotent people shall bee found either wandring or begging And Wee doe further strictly charge and command that all Constables Head boroughs and other Officers doe vse all diligence to punish and passe away according to the Law all such Wanderers or Beggars as shall be apprehended either in the Cities or places aforesaid or in any other Cities Towns Parishes or places within this Realme and take great care that none passe vnder the colour of counterfeit Passes And that all Irish Rogues and Vagabonds be forthwith apprehended wheresoeuer they shall bee found and punished and sent home according to a former Proclamation heretofore published in that behalfe That all Householders of whose persons or at Whose Houses any such Vagrants shall bee taken begging doe apprehend or cause them to be apprehended and caryed to the next Constable or other Officer to bee punished according to the Lawes And that they forbeare to relieue them thereby to giue them incouragement to continue in their wicked course of life That the Iustices of Peace in their seuerall places throughout this Kingdome be carefull either by Prouost Marshals or by the high Constables or otherwise by their good discretions effectually to prouide that all Rogues and Vagabonds of all sorts bee searched for apprehended punished and suppressed according to the Law And that once euery moneth at the least a conuenient number of the Iustices of Peace in euery seuerall Countiâ— and Diuision shall meete together in some conuenient place in that Diuision and take account of the High Constables petty Constables and other Officers within that Diuision how they haue obserued the Lawes and Our commandement touching the Premisses And that they seuerely punish all such as shall bee found remisse or negligent in that behalfe And We doe hereby strictly charge and command as well all and singular Iustices of Peace Constables Headboroughs and other Our Officers and Ministers as also all Our louing Subiects of what estate or degree soeuer to vse all diligence that all and euery houses or places which are or shall bee visited or infected with the sicknesse bee carefully shut vp and Watch and Ward kept ouer them that no person or persons within those places doe goe abroad or depart from thence during the time of such Visitation And We doe hereby command all and singular our Iudges of Assize in their seuerall Circuits to giue speciall charge and make speciall inquiry of the defaults of all and euery the Iustices of Peace who shall not obserue their meetings in the seuerall Counties and Diuisions aforesaid or shall not punish such Constables or other Officers as being informed either by their owne view and knowledge or otherwise are or shal be found remisse or negligent in the Premisses or in leauying such penalties forfeitures as the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme require against the parties offending herein And thereof to informe Vs or Our Priuy Councell to the end that such due course may be taken either by remouing out of the Commission such negligent Iustices of the Peace or otherwise by inflicting such