¶ The effect of certaine branches of the Statute made in Anno 33. Henrici viij. touching the maintenance of Artillery, and the punishment of such as vse vnlawfull games, very necessary to be put in execution.
FIrst, that all Fathers, Gouernours, and rulers of such as be tender of age, doe teach and bring them vp in the knowledge of Shooting, and that euery man hauing a man child, or men children in his house, shall prouide, ordaine, and haue in his house for euery man child, beeing of the age of seuen yeeres and aboue, till he shall come to the age of seuenteene yeeres, a Bowe and two Shafts, to induce and learne them, and bring them vp in Shooting, and shall deliuer all the same Bow and Arrowes to the same yong men to vse and occupy. And if the same yong men be seruants, that then their master shal abate the money that they shall pay for the same Bowes and Arrowes of their wages. And after all such yong men shall come to the age of seuenteene yeeres, euery of them shall prouide and haue a Bowe & foure Arrowes continually for himselfe, at his proper cost and charges, or else of the gift or prouision of his friends, and vse and occupie the same in Shooting, as is before rehearsed. And if the master suffer any of his seruants taking wages, being in his houshold, and vnder the age of seuenteen yeeres, to lacke a Bow and two Arrowes, contrary to the forme of this Estatute, by the space of one moneth together, then the master or father in whom such negligence shall bee, shall for euery such default forfeit vi. s. viii. d. And that euery seruant, passing the age of seuenteene yeeres, and vnder the age of threescore yeeres, and taking wages, which can, or is able to shoot, and shall lacke a Bow and foure Arrowes by the space of one moneth together, shall for euery such default forfeit and lose vi. s. vii. d.
ITem, that no person by himselfe, Factor, Deputy, seruant, or other person, shall for his or their gaine, lucre, or liuing, keepe, haue, hold, occupy, exercise or maintaine any common house, alley, or place of Bowling, Coiting, Cloise, Coiles, halfe bowle, Tennis, Dicing, Table, or Carding, or any other manner of Game, prohibited by any Statute heretofore made, or any vnlawfull new game now inuented or made, or hereafter to be inuented, found, had or made, vpon paine to forfeit and pay for euery day, keeping, hauing, maintaining, or suffering any such game to be had, kept, executed, played, or maintained within any such House, Garden, Alley, or other place, contrary to the forme and effect of this Estatute xl. s. and the players so taken, to pay for euery time vi. s. viii. d.
ITem, That the Iustices of Peace, and euery Maior, Sheriffe, Bailiffe, Constable, or other head officer, haue authority to enter into all places, aswell within Franchises or elsewhere, and the persons offending in any of the premisses, to take and put in prison, vntill such time they put in Sureties no more to suffer, occupy, or commit the sayd offences.
ITem, that all Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Constables, and other head Officers within euery Citie, Borough, and Towne within this Realme, where any such Officers shall fortune to bee, aswell within the Franchises as without, shall make due search weekely, or at the furthest at all times hereafter once euery Moneth in all places, where any such House, Alleys, Play, or Players shall be suspected to be had, kept, and maintained. And if the sayd Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Constables, and other head Officers within their Cities, Boroughs, and Townes, aswell within Franchises as without, doe not make due search at the furthest once euery moneth, if the case so require, according to the tenor of this Act, and doe not execute the same in all things, according to the purport and force of the same: that then euery such Maior, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Constables, or other head Officer, to pay and forfeit for euery moneth not making such search, nor executing the same. xl. s.
ITem, That no Artificer, or Handicrafts man of any occupation, Husbandman, Apprentice, Labourer, seruant of Husbandry, Iourneyman, or seruant, or Artificer, Mariner, Fisherman, Waterman, or any Seruingman, may vse any vnlawfull Game.
ITem, That all play at Bowles, or any other vnlawfull Game in the fields, to lose for euery such time vi. s. viii. d. and to be committed to prison, vnto such time they put in Sureties no more to vse the same.
ITem, This Statute to bee proclaimed foure times euery yeere, and the like to bee done in all Assises and Sessions, and to continue for euer.
MEmorandum, That there is a Prouiso in this Statute, for all men of worship, which may dispend one hundred pounds yeerely and vpwards, may vse these Games with discretion at their pleasures.
God saue the King.
❧ Imprinted at London by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE: And by the Assignes of IOHN BILL. M.DC.XXXII.