Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/620

146 shall offend contrary to this Statute, that then the sayd offendor shall be used and punished, as in the same Statute of the two and twentieth yeere of King Henrie the eight is provided. And that before the feast of Easter no punishment shall be put in execution against any such impotent, lame, and aged person, but onely by the discretion of the next Justice of peace of the same Shire where such an offendor shall be apprehended, any thing in the sayd Act to the contrarie notwithstanding.

IV. And for the avoiding of the idle loitering of common labourers of husbandry within this Realme: be it enacted by the authoritie aforesayd. That such common labourers, being persons able in body, using loitering, and refusing to worke for such reasonable wages as is most commonly given in the partes where such persons shall dwell, shall bee for every such time as he or they refuse to labour, having reasonable wages, as is aforesayd, adjudged Vagabons, and shall be punished as strong and mighty Vagabonds, in such maner and forme as is declared in the sayd Act of two and twentith against vagabonds. And touching manned, lamed and sore, aged and impotent persons,which resorte to the Citie of London, and to other Cities, Townes and villages on begging: Bee it enacted by the authoritie aforesayd, That all and Angular Maiors, Shiriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, or other head officers of any Citie, Towne or village, to which such resort is, or shall be, shall before the feast of the Purification of our Lady next following, see all such idle, impotent, maimed, and aged persons who otherwise cannot by their, discretions be taken for vagabonds, which were borne within the sayd Citie, Towne or village, or have beene there most conversand abiding by the space of three yeeres, and now decaied, bestowed and provided for, of the Tenantries, Cottages, or other convenient houses to be lodged in, at the costs and charges of the sayd Cities, Townes, Boroughs, and villages, there to be relieved, and cured by the devotion of good people of the sayd Citie, Borough, Towne or village, and that they doe not suffer after the time before rehearsed, any other then such as either were borne, or hath been for the most part conversant, or abiding by the space of three yeeres, as is aforesayd in the sayd, Borough, Towne, or Village, to remaine and beg abroad within the precincts of such Cities, Townes, Villages, or Boroughs. Except it be such as have letters, or are authorised or licensed by force of this Act: Upon paine that every such Maiors, Shiriffes, and Bailiffes, Constable, or other head officer, by what name soever he be called, suffering any person to beg within the precinct of his or their such jurisdiction, other then is before rehearsed, for every three daies shall forfeit ten shillings, to whom soever will sue therefore, by bill, information, or Action of debt, in any Court of record, in the which sutes, no Essoine, no wager of law, or protection shall be allowed for the defendant.

V. And be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesayd, That the Maior of the Citie of London, and all other Maiors, Bailiffes, Shiriffes, Constables, and other head officers of every Citie, Borough, or Towne corporate, and of every other Towne and Village, doe with all convenient speede by themselves or their sufficient deputies, before the feast of the Purification of our Lady next comming, and so from time to time every moneth once, make a view and examination of aged, impotent, and lame persons, beggers, as be within the precinct of their iurisdictions, and see all such as were not borne nor have beene for the most part conversant and abiding by the space of three yeeres complete, or have not letters, and authorised or licensed by the force of this Statute, conveied on horseback. Cart, or otherwise, as shall seeme by their discretions, to the next Constables, and they to conveie the same to the next Constables, and so from Constable to Constable, till the sayd persons be brought to the place where they were borne, or most conversant and abiding, as is aforesayd, there to be provided for, kept and nourished of Almes, as is aforesaid, upon the paine that every such Maior, Shiriffe or Constable, beadborough, or other head officers, not making view, nor fending or conveying away, nor receiving or not providing, as is before appointed, according to the true purport or meaning of this Act, to forfeit for every such default ten shillings, whereof the one halfe shall be to the Kings use, the other to the party that will sue therefore in any of the Kings Courts of record, by bill, information, Action of debt, in the which sutes, no Essoine, wager of law, or Protection shall be allowed for the defendant.

VI. Provided alwaies, and be it enacted by the authoritie aforesayd, That if any of the sayd aged, maimed, or impotent persons, of the Cities, Townes, or villages where they were borne in, or had their most abiding, as is aforesayd, be not so lame or impotent, but that they may worke in some maner of worke: that then such City, Towne, Parish, or Village, doe either in common provide some such worke for them, as they may be occupied in, or appoint them to such as will find them worke for meate and drinke. And if they refuse of wilfulnesse and stubbornesse to worke, or doe runne away and beg in other places, then to punish the same according to their discretions, with flocking, beating, or otherwise as shall seeme convenient.

VII. Be it also enacted by the authority aforesayd, That all leprouse and poore bedred creatures, whatsoever they be, may at their owne liberty remaine and continue in such houses as are appointed for leprouse or bedred people, as they now be in, and shall not be compelled to repaire into any other Countries or places by vertue of this Act, any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. And that also it shall be lawful unto the sayd leprouse and bedred people, for their better reliese to appoint their proctor or proctors, so there be not appointed above the number of two persons, for any one house of leprosie or bedred people, to gather the charitable almes of all such inhabitants, as shall be within the compasse of foure miles of any of the sayd houses of leprouse and bedred people.

VIII. Provided alwaies, and be it enacted by the authoritie aforesayd. That it shall be lawfull to the Lord Chancellor of England, or Lord Keeper of the great seale for the time being, at their discretions to grant commission under the great seale of England, to every or any person or persons, that hath, or shall have his or their houses or barns burnt, or such losses, or to such as be or shall be leprouse persons, to gather the reliese and charitie of others for their reliefe, or for their aide, and helpe of his or their