Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/643

Rh Anno tricesimo nono Reginæ

OR the suppressing of Rogues, Vagabons, and sturdie Beggers:" Bee 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, Vagabbnds, or sturdie Beggers, or for the erection or maintenaunce of houses of Correction, or touching the same, shall for so much as concerneth the same be utterly repealed: And that from and after the said Feast of Easter, from time to time it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Justices of Peace of anie Countie or Citie in this Realme or the Dominions of Wales, assembled at any quarter Sessions of the Peace within the same Countie Citie, Borough, or Towne corporate, or the more part of them, to set downe order to erect, and to cause to be erected one or more houses of Correction within their severall Counties or Cities: for the doing and performing whereof, and for the providing of stockes of money, and all other things necessary for the same, and for railing and governing of the same, and for correction and punishment of offenders thither to be committed, such orders as the same Justices or the more part of them shall from time to time take, reforme, or set downe in any their said quarter Sessions in that behalfe shalbe of force, and be duely performed and put in execution.

II. And be it also further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, That all persons calling themselves Schollers going about begging, all Sea-faring-men pretending losses of their shippes or goods on the Sea going about the countrie begging, All idle persons going about in anie countrie either begging or using any subtile craft, or unlawfull games and playes, or fayning themselves to have knowledge in Phsiognomie, Palmestrie, or other like craftie science, or pretending that they can tell destenies, fortunes, or such other like fantasticall imaginations: All persons that bee, or utter themselves to be Proctors, Procurers, Patent gatherers, or Collectors for Gaoles, Prisons, or Hospitalls: All Fencers, Berewards, common Players of Enterludes, and Minstrells, wandering abroad (other then Players of Enterludes belonging to anie Baron of this Realme, or anie other honourable personage of greater degree, to bee authorised to play under the hand and Seale of Armes of such Baron or personage) All juglers, Tinckers, Pedlers, and pettie Chapmen wandering abroad, All wandering persons and common Labourers, being Persons able in body, using loytering, and refusing to worke for such reasonable wages, as is taxed or commonly given in such parts, where such persons doe, or shall happen to dwell or abide, not having living otherwise to maintaine themselves, All Persons delivered out of Gaoles that begge for their fees, or otherwise do travel 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 themselves to be Egyptians, or wandering in the habite, forme, or attire of counterfeiting Egyptians, shall be taken, adjudged, and deemed Rogues, Vagabonds, and sturdie beggers, and shall sustaine such paine and punishments, as by this Act is in that behalfe appointed.

III. And be it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, that every person which is by this present Act declared to be a Rogue, Vagabond, or sturdie begger, which shall be at any time after the sayd Feast of Easter next comming, taken begging, vagrant, wandering, or misordering themselves in any part of this Realme, or the Dominion of Wales, shall upon their apprehension by the appoyntment of anie Justice of the Peace, Constable, Headborough, or Tythingman of the same Countie, Hundred, Parish, or Tything, where such person shall bee taken, the Tythingman or Headborough, being assisted therein with the advise of the Minister, and one other of that Parish, bee stripped naked from the middle upwards, and shall be openly whipped untill his or her bodie be bloudie: and shall bee forthwith sent from Parish to Parish, by the Officers of everie the same, the next streight way to the Parish where he was borne, if the same may be knowne by the parties confession, or otherwise. And if the same bee not knowne, then to the Parish where he or she last dwelt before the same punishment, by the space of one whole yeare, there to put him, or her selfe to labour as a true subject ought to doe: Or not being knowne where hee or shee was borne or last dwelt, then to the Parish through which hee or shee last passed without punishment. After which whipping the same person shall have a testimoniall subscribed with the hand, and sealed with the seale of the same Justice of the Peace, Constable, Headborough, or Tythingman, and of the Minister of the same Parish, or anie two of them, testifying that the same person hath beene punished according to this Act, and mentioning the day and place of his or her punishment, and the place whereunto such person is limited to goe, and by what time the said person is limited to pasi'e thither at his perill. And if the said person through his or her default doe not accomplish the order appointed by the said testimoniall, Then to be eftsoones taken and whipped, and so as often as any default shall be found in him or her, contrary to the forme of this Statute, in everie place to be whipped, till such person be repayred to