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
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
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
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
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
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