Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/231

 SEXt "PARLIAMENT. XX. of O&ober. 1579. %o 9 vyiththeperfonehavandtitillortakkcofhisfaidisteindes, and making na impediment to the winding and leading theirof in hie wayes, or upon ony ground that is fchorne. 74. For pmi/bment of ftrang and Idle Beggars , and rthefe of the pure and impotent. FORSAMEIKLE as there is findrie lovabill Ads of Parliament maid be our Soveraine Lords maift nobill Progenitours , for the Handling of maifterfull and idle Beggers , away putting of fornares , and provifion for the pure : Bearing, that nane fall be dioiled to beg, nouther to Burgh nor to land , betwixt 14. and 70. zeires. That fik as makes themfelves Fules and ar Bairdes , or uthers fiklike runners about, being apprehended , fall be put in the Kingis Waird or irones , fa lang as they have ony gudes ottheir awin to live on. And fra they have not quhairupon to live of their awin , that their cares bee nayled to the Trone , or to an uther tree, and their eares cutted off, and baniihed the countrie , and gif thereafter they be found againe, that they be hanged. ITEM, That nane bee thoiled to begge in ane Parochin, that ar borne in ane uther. That the headef- men of ilk Parochin, make takinnes , and give to the Beggares theirof, that they may bee fufteined within the boundes of that Parochin. And that nane uther bee lerved with almes, within that Parochin , but they that bearis that takinne allanerlie, as in the Actes of Parliament maid theiranent , at mair length is conteined. Quhilkes in time bygane, hes not bene put to dewe execution , throw the iniquitie and troubles of die rime by-paft, and be reafloun that diere was not heirtofoir ane ordour of punifchment, fa fpecialiic devifed, as need required , bot the faidis Beggares, befides the uthers in convenientes, quhilks theydaylie produce in the commounwealth , procures the wrath and difpleafure of GOD, for the wicked and ungodlie forme of living , ufed amangs them , without manage or baptizing of a great number of their bairnes. THERE- F O I R now, for avoyding of the inconvenients , and elchewing of the confufion of findrie Lawes & Aftes, concerning their punifchment, Handing in effect: And that fumcertaine execution, and gude ordour may follow theranent, tothegreatpleafureofAlmichtie GOD, and commoun weill of the Realmc : IT IS thoclit expedient , ftatute and ordained , alfweill for the utter fupprefling of the faidis ftrang and idle beggers, fa contageous enimies to the commoun weill : As for the charitabill releevins of aged and impotent pure peopil, that the ordour and forme following bee obferved : That is to lay, that all perfones, beina above die aige of fourteene and within the aige of threefcoir and ten zeires, that heirafrer ar declared and fet foorth r "£«4W, be this Act and ordour, to be vagaboundes, ftrang and idle beggars , quhilkes fall happen atony time heir- c * , " / ' f * f .?- after, after the firft day of Januar nixt-to-cum, to bee taken wandering and mifordering themfelves , con- fuiijied, ' trade to the effect and meaning of tliir prefentes, fall be apprehended, and upon their apprehenfion be brocht befoir the Proveft and Baillies within the Burgh , and in everie Parochin to Landwart , befoir him that fall be coiiftitutejuftice be the Kingis Commiffion, or be the Lords of Regalitie, within the famin to this effect: And be them, to bee committed in waird, in the commoun prifon , ftokkes or irons , within their' jurifdidion, there to be keiped , unlatten to libertie , oruponbandeorfovertie, quhill they be put to the knawledge of ane Ailife, quhilk fall be done within fexdayes thereafter. And gif they happen to be con- victed, to bee adjudged to be fcourged and burnt dirow the eare, with ane hote iron : Theproceffequhair- of fall be regiftrate in the Court buikes. Except fum honeft and refponfall man, will of his charitie , bee contented then preienthe, to Act himfelfe before die Judge, to take and keip die offender in his fervice, for anehdillzeimixt following, under the paine of twentie pound, to theufe of the pure of the Toun or Pa- rochin. And to bring the offendour to the head Court of the jurifdiction at the zeires end, or then gude pruife of his death, the Clerke taking for the faid Acte , twelve pennies onely : And gif the offender depart and leave the fervice widiin die zcir, againft his will that receivis him in fervice i Then being apprehended , he °f *'"»' fail be of new prefented to the Judge , and be his command , fcourged and burnt throw the eare , as is fore- fralffmi. faid. Quhilk punifchment, being anis received , he fall not fuffer againe the like, for the fpace of three- /&»*/«■■-• fcoir dayes thereafter , bot gif at the ende of die faidis lx. dayes , hee be founden to be fallen againe in his idle viee ' and vagabound trade of life: Then being apprehended of new, he fall be adjudged, and fuffer die painesaf death as a thief. Andthatitmaybeknawen, quhat maner of perfones ar mcaned to bee idle and ftrang beggares , and vaga- t, y bounds, and worthie of the punifchment before fpecified. IT Is declared , diat all idle perfones, ganging terfemtf about in ony Countrie of this Realme, ufingfubtill, craftie, and unlauchfull playes, asjuglarie , Faft- ********* and-lous, and fik uthers. The idle peopill calling themfelves (^/Egyptians ; or any uther, that feinzies diem te^f' to have knawledge of Charming, Prophecie, or uthers abufed fcicnces , quhairby they perfwade the peo- pill that they can tell dieir weirdes , deathes and fortunes, and fik uther phantafticall imaginations: and all perfones being haill and itarke in bodie , and abill to woorke , alledging them to have bene herried or burnt, infumfarpairtof the Realme, or alledging them to be banifhed for flauchter, and uthers wicked deides j and uthers nouther havand land nor Maifters , nor ufing ony lauchfull merchandice , craft or occupation , quhairby they may win their livings , and can give na reckoning how they lauchfullie get their living : & all Minftrellcs, Sangfters, and Tale-tellers , not avowed in fpeciall fervice , be fum of die Lords of Parlia- ment or great Burrowes , or be the head Burrowes and Cities , for their commoun Minftrelles : all com- moun labourers, being perfonnes abill in bodie, living idle, and fleeing labour : all counterfaicters of licen- HIt 3 ce«