BE it enacted by the autho­rity of this present Parlia­ment,The Church­wardens of e­uery Parish, & other substan­tiall houshol­ders yeerely to be nominated at Caster, to be Ouerseers for the poore. 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,Children of the poore to be set to worke. 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 [Page 2] 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,A stocke of Fl [...]xe, & Hemp &c. to be raised. 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,The Church­wardens and Ouerseere to meete together once euery moneth. 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 y^e afternoone, after diuine Seruice, there to consider of some good course to bee taken, [Page 3] 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,Account to be giuen by the Ouerseers to two Iustices of Peace. 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 shalbe 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 Church­wardens 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,Other Pari­shes within the Hundred, to be taxed towards the reliefe of poore parishes. 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 y^e 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 [Page 4] 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,How to leuie money of such as refuse to pay. by distresse and sale of the offen­dors goods, as the summes of money, or stock which shalbe behind vpon any account to be made as aforesayd, rendring to the par­ties the ouerplus, and in defect of such di­stresse, it shalbe lawfull for any such two Iu­stices of the Peace, to commit him or them to the common Gaole of the County, there to remaine without baile or maineprise, vntill paiment of the said sum, arrerages & stocke, [Page 5] And the sayde Iustices of Peace,Punishment of such as wil not worke. or any of them, to send to the house of correction or common Gaole such as shall not employ themselues to worke, being appointed ther­unto as aforesaid: And also any two such Iustices of Peace, to commit to the said pri­son, euery one of the sayd Churchwardens and Ouerseers, which shall refuse to ac­compt, there to remaine without Baile or maineprise, vntill he haue made a true ac­compt, and satisfied and payd so much as vp­on the sayd accompt shall bee remaining in his hands.

And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and O­uerseers, or the greater part of them, by the assent of any two Iustices of the Peace a­foresayd, to bind any such children as afore­said,Poore children to be put ap­prentices by the Churchwar­dens and O­uerseers. to be apprentices, where they shall see conuenient, till such man child shall come to the age of foure and twenty yeeres, and such woman childe to the age of one and twentie yeres or the time of her mariage: The same to be as effectuall to all purposes, as if such child were of full age, and by Indenture of couenant bound him or her selfe. And to the intent that necessarie places of habitation may more conueniently be prouided for such poore impotent people, Be it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and Ouerseers, or the greater part of them, by [Page 6] the leaue of the Lord or Lords of the Man­nour, whereof any waste, or Common with­in their Parish is or shall be parcell, and vp­on agreement before with him or them made in writing vnder the hands and seales of the sayd Lord and Lords or otherwise, ac­cording to any order to be set downe by the Iustices of Peace of the sayde Countie at their Generall quarter Sessions, or the greater part of them, by like leaue and a­greement of the said Lord or Lords, in wri­ting vnder his or their hands and seales, To erect,Dwelling pla­ces for impo­tent poore to be built. builde and set vp in fit and conuenient places of habitation, in such Waste or Com­mon, at the generall charges of the Parish, or otherwise of the Hundred or Countie as aforesayd, to be taxed, rated and gathered, in maner before expressed, conuenient hou­ses of dwelling for the sayd impotent poore, and also to place Inmates or more families then one in one cottage or house, One Acte made in the one & thirtieth yeere of her Ma­iesties Reigne, intituled, An Acte against the erecting and maintaining of Cottages, or any thing therein contained to the con­trarie notwithstanding. Which Cottages and places for Inmates shal not at any time after be vsed or imployed to or for any other habitation, but only for impotent and poore of the same Parish, that shall be there pla­ced from time to time by the Churchwar­dens and Ouerseers of the poore of the same [Page 7] Parish or the most part of them, vpon the paines and forfeitures contained in the said former Acte made in the sayd one and thir­tieth yeere of her Maiesties reigne.

Prouided alwayes,Order for such as are grieued with any Sesse or Taxe. that if any person or persons shall finde themselues grieued with any Sesse or Taxe, or other Acte done by the sayde Churchwardens and other per­sons, or by the sayde Iustices of Peace, that then it shall be lawfull for the Iustices of Peace, at their generall quarter Sessi­ons, or the greater number of them, to take such order therein as to them shalbe thought conuenient, and the same to conclude and binde all the sayd parties.

And be it further enacted, That the Fa­ther and Grandfather, and the Mother,Parents, &c. b [...]ing able, shal maintain their owne poore. and Grandmother, and the children of e­uery poore, olde, blinde, lame, and impo­tent person, or other poore person, not able to worke, being of a sufficient abilitie, shall at their owne charges relieue and main­taine euery such poore person in that man­ner, and according to that ra [...]e, as by the Iu­stices of Peace of that Countie where such sufficient persons dwell, or the greater number of them, at their generall quar­ter Sessions shall bee assessed, vpon paine that euery one of them shall forfeit twentie shillings for euery moneth which they shall faile therein.

And be it further hereby enacted, That [Page 8] the Maiors,Maiors, Bay­liffes, &c. of townes corpo­rate, to haue authoritie as Iustices of Peace. Bayliffes, or other head Offi­cers of euery towne and place corporate, and city within this Realme, being Iustice or Iustices of Peace, shall haue the same au­thoritie by vertue of this Acte, within the limits and precints of their Iurisdictions, aswell out of Sessions as at their Sessions, if they holde any, as is herein limitted, pre­scribed, and appointed to Iustices of Peace of the Countie, or any two or more of them, or to the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions, to doe and execute for all the vses and purposes in this Acte prescribed, and no other Iustice or Iustices of Peace to enter or meddle there.Euery Alder­man of Londō to haue autho­rity as two Iu­stices of Peace. And that euery Alderman of the City of London within his Ward, shall and may doe and execute in euery re­spect, so much as is appointed and allowed by this Acte to be done and executed by one or two Iustices of Peace, of any Countie within this Realme.

And be it also enacted, That if it shall hap­pen any Parish to extend it selfe into more Counties then one, or part to lie within the Liberties of any Citie, Towne, or place cor­porate, and part without, that then as well the Iustices of Peace of euery Countie, as also the head Officers of such City, Towne, or place corporate,Iustices &c. to meddle onely in their owne Liberties. shall deale and entermed­dle onely in so much of the said Parish, as ly­eth within their liberties, and not any fur­ther. And euery of them respectiuely within [Page 9] their seuerall Limits, Wards and Iurisdic­tions, to execute the ordinances before men­tioned concerning the nomination of Ouer­seers, the consent to binding Apprentices, the giuing warrant to leuie taxations vn­payd, the taking accompt of Churchwar­dens and Ouerseers, and the committing to prison such as refuse to accompt, or deny to pay the arrerages due vpon their accompts.

And yet neuerthelesse, the sayd Church­wardens and Ouerseers, or the most part of them of the sayd Parishes, that doe extend into such seuerall Limits and Iurisdicti­ons, shall without diuiding themselues, due­ly execute their office in all places within the sayd Parish, in all things to them belon­ging,A double ac­count to be made. and shall duely exhibite and make one accompt before the sayd head Officer of the Towne or place Corporate, and one other before the said Iustices of Peace, or any such two of them as is aforesaid.

And further be it enacted by the authori­ty aforesaid,Forfeiture for not nomina­ting Ouer­seers. That if in any place within this Realme there happen to bee hereafter no such nomination of Ouerseers yeerely as is before appointed, that then euery Iustice of Peace of the County dwelling within the diuision, where such default of nomination shall happen, and euery Maior, Alderman and head Officer, of City, Towne, or place Corporate, where such default shall happen, shall lose and forfeit for euery such default [Page 10] fiue pound, to bee imployed towards the re­liefe of the poore of the sayd Parish, or place Corporate, and to be leuied as aforesaid of their goods by warrant from the generall Sessions of the Peace of the sayd Countie, or of the same Citie, Towne, or place Corpo­rate, if they kepe Sessions.

Penalties and forfeitures to bee imployed to the poores vse.And bee it also enacted by the authority a­foresayd, that all penalties and forfeitures, before mentioned in this Act to bee forfeited by any person or persons, shall go and be im­ployed to the vse of the poore of the same Pa­rish, and towards a stocke and habitation for them, and other necessary vses and reliefe as before in this Act are mentioned and expres­sed, and shalbe leuied by the said Churchwar­dens and Ouerseers, or one of them, by war­rant from any two such Iustices of Peace, or Maior, Alderman, or head Officer of Citie, Town or place corporate, respectiuely with­in their seuerall limites by distresse and sale therof, as aforesaid, or in defect therof, it shal be lawful for any two such Iustices of peace, and the said Aldermen and head Officers within their seuerall limits, to commit the offendor to the said prison, there to remaine without baile or maineprise, till the said for­feitures shalbe satisfied and payed.

And be it further enacted by the authori­tie aforesayd,Parishes to be rated at the ge­nerall Sessi­ons. that the Iustices of Peace of e­uery Countie or place corporate, or the more part of them in their general Sessions to be [Page 11] holden next after the feast of Easter next, and so yeerely as often as they shall thinke meet, shall rate euery Parish to such a weekely summe of money as they shall thinke conue­nient, so as no Parish bee rated aboue the summe of sixe pence, nor vnder the summe of a halfepeny, weekely to bee payd, and so as the totall summe of such taxation of the Pa­rishes in euery County, amount not aboue the rate of two pence for euery Parish with­in the said County. Which summes so taxed,Leuying of summes of money rated. shall be yeerely assessed by the agreement of the Parishioners within themselues, or in default thereof, by the Churchwardens and petie Constables of the same Parish, or the more part of them, or in default of their a­greement, by the order of such Iustice or Iu­stices of Peace, as shal dwell in the same Pa­rish, or (if none be there dwelling) in the parts next adioyning. And if any person shal refuse or neglect to pay any such portion of money so taxed, it shall be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and Constables, or any of them, or in their default for any Iustice of Peace of the sayd limite, to leuie the same by distresse, and sale of the goods of the party so refusing or neglecting, rendring to the party the ouerplus, and in default of such distresse, it shalbe lawful to any Iustice of that limite, to commit such person to the sayd prison, there to abide without baile or maineprise, till he haue payed the same.

[Page 12]And be it also enaced, That the said Iusti­ces of the Peace at their generall quarter Sessions to bee holden at the time of such taxation,Reliefe of the prisoners in the [...]ings Bench, Marshalsey, Hospitals, &c. shall set down what competent sums of money shalbe sent quarterly out of euery County or place corporate, for the re­liefe of the poore prisoners of the Kings Bench, and Marshalsey, & also of such Hospi­tals, and almes houses, as shal be in the said County, and what summes of money shalbe sent to euery one of y^e said Hospitals, & almes houses, so as there bee sent out of euery County yerely xx. s. at the least to each of the said prisons of the Kings Bench, and Mar­shalsey, which summes ratably to be assessed vpon euery parish, the Churchwardens of e­uery Parish shall truely collect and pay ouer to the high Cōstables in whose diuision such Parish shall be scituate, from time to time quarterly ten dayes before the end of euery quarter, and euery such Constable at euery such quarter Sessions in such County, shall pay ouer the same to such two Treasurers, or to one of them, as shall by the more part of the Iustices of Peace of the County, be elec­ted to be the said Treasurers, to be chosen by the Iustices of Peace of the said County, Ci­tie, or Towne, or place corporate, or of others which were sessed and taxed at fiue pound lands, or ten pound goods at the least, at the taxe of Subsidie next before the time of the said Election to be made.

[Page 13]And the said Treasurers so elected,Treasurers for a yeere, and to giue vp their account at the yeeres end. to con­tinue for the space of one whole yere in their office, and then to giue vp their charge with a due account of their receipts and disburse­ments, at the quarter Sessions to be holden next after the feast of Easter in euery yeere, to such others as shall from yeere to yeere in forme aforesayd successiuely be elected Trea­surers for the said County, Citie, Towne, or place corporate, which said Treasurers or one of them shall pay ouer the same to the Lord chiefe Iustice of England,L. chiefe Iu­stice, Knight Marshall. and knight Marshal for the time being, equally to be di­uided to the vse aforesaid, taking their ac­quittance for the same, or in default of the said chiefe Iustice, to the next ancientest Iu­stice of the Kings Bench as aforesaid.

And if any Churchwarden or high Con­stable, or his executors or administrators,Churchwar­den or high Constable fai­ling paiment. shall faile to make paiment in forme aboue specified, then euery Churchwarden, his exe­cutors or administrators, so offending, shall forfeit for euery time the summe of ten shil­lings, and euery high Constable, his execu­tors or administrators, shall forfeit for euery time, the summe of xx. s, the same forfetures together with the summes behinde, to be le­uied by the said Treasurer and Treasurers, by way of distresse and sale of the goods as af [...]resayd, in forme aforesaid, and by them to bee imployed towards the charitable vses comprised in this Act.

[Page 14] How the sur­plusage shalbe bestowed.And be it further enacted, That all the surplusage of money which shall bee remai­ning in the said Stocke, of any County, shal by discretion of the more part of the Iustices of Peace in their quarter Sessions, be orde­red, distributed and bestowed for the reliefe of the poore Hospitals of that Countie, and of those that shall sustaine losses by fire, wa­ter, the Sea, or other casualties, and to such other charitable purposes, for the reliefe of the poore, as to the more part of the said Iu­stices of Peace shall seeme conuenient.

Refusing to be Treasurer to giue the reliefe appointed.And bee it further enacted, That if any Treasurer elected, shall wilfully refuse to take vpon him the sayd office of Treasurer­ship, or refuse to distribute and giue reliefe, or to account according to such forme as shal be appointed by the more part of the sayde Iustices of Peace, That then it shall be law­full for the Iustices of Peace in their quar­ter Sessions, or in their default, for the Iu­stices of Assize, at the Assizes to be holden in the same Countie, to fiue the same Treasu­rer by their discretion: the same fiue not to be vnder three pound, and to bee leuied by sale of his goods, and 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.

A former Sta­tute for reliefe of the poore.And be it enacted, that the Statute made in the nine and thirtieth yeere of her Maie­sties [Page 15] 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 shalbe 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,The Iland of Fowlenesse. 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 [Page 16] 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.

The defen­dants plea in a suite com­menced a­gainst him.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 [Page 17] 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 non­suite 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.

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 [Page 19] 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,Euery Parish charged with a weekly summe towards the relief of Soul­diers. 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 y^e like quarter Sessions, to be holden next after the feast of Easter, yeerely shall be appointed,The taxation of euery parish. 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 [Page 20] Constables of the same Parish, or the more part of them, or in default of their agree­ment, by the order of such Iustices, or Iustice of Peace, as shall dwell in the same Parish, or if none be there dwelling, in the parts next adioyning.

Refusing to pay the money taxed.And if any person shall refuse or neglect to pay any such portion of money so taxed, it shal be lawfull for the said Churchwardens and petie Constables, and euery of them, or in their defaults, for the said Iustices of Peace, or Iustice, to leuie such summe by di­stresse, and sale of the goods or chattels of the party so refusing or neglecting, rendring to the party the ouerplus raised vpon such sale.

Churchwar­dens shall pay to the high Cō ­stables the mo­ney taxed.And for the collecting and custodie of the summes taxed in forme aforesaid, Be it enac­ted, that the Churchwardens, & pety Consta­bles of euery Parish, shal truely collect euery such summe, & the same shall pay ouer vnto the high Constable, in whose diuision such Parish shall be situate, ten dayes before the quarter Sessions, to be holden next before, or about the feast of the Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptist next, in the County where the sayd Parish shall be situate, and so from time to time, quarterly within ten dayes before eue­ry quarter Sessions. And that euery such high Constable, at euery such quarter Sessi­ons in such County, shall pay ouer the same, to two such Iustices of Peace, or to one of them, or to two such other persons, or one of [Page 21] them, as shall be by the more part of the Iu­stices of Peace of the same County elected, to be Treasurers of the said Collection, The same other persons, to bee elected Treasu­rers, to be such, as at the last taxation of the Subsidie next before the same election, shall be valued, and sessed at ten pounds in lands yeerely, or at fifteen pounds in goods: which Treasurers in euery County so chosen, shall continue but for the space of one whole yere, and then giue vp their charge, with a due ac­count of their receits and disbursements, at their meeting in Easter quarter Sessions, or within ten dayes after, to such others, as shall from yeere to yeere in the forme afore­sayd, successiuely be elected.

And if any Churchwarden,Churchwar­dens, &c. falling to make pay­ment. pety Con­stable, or high Constable, or his executors or administrators, shall faile to make pay­ment in forme aboue specified▪ Then euery Churchwarden, and petie Constable, his executors, or administrators so offending, shall forfeit the summe of twenty shillings, And euery high Constable, his executors, or administrators, the summe of fortie shil­lings, to bee leuied by the Treasurers a­foresaid, by distresse and sale in maner before expressed, and to be taken by the said Trea­surers, in augmentation of their stocke, to the vses aforesayd.

And if any Treasurer,A Treasurer falling of ac­count, or neg­lecting his charge. his executors or ad­ministrators, shal faile to giue vp his account [Page 22] within the time aforesaid, or shall be other­wise negligent in the execution of his charge, then it shall be lawfull for the more part of the Iustices of Peace, of the same Countie in their Sessions, to assesse such Fine vpon such Treasurer, his executors or administrators, as in their discretion shall seeme conuenient, so it bee not vnder the summe of fiue pounds.

To which trea­surer the soul­dier shall re­payre for re­liefe.And for the true and iust distribution and employment of the summes so receiued, ac­cording to the true meaning of this Act, Be it enacted by the authority aforesayd, that e­uery Souldier or Mariner, hauing had his or their limmes lost, or disabled in their bo­dies by seruice, being in her Maiesties pay, as aboue is mentioned, or such as shall here­after returne into this Realme, hurt, or mai­med, or grieuously sicke, shall repayre, if he be able to trauell, and make his complaint to the Treasurers of the Countie, out of which he was pressed, or if he were no prest man, to the Treasurers of the Countie where hee was borne, or last inhabited, by the space of three yeeres, at his election. And if he be not able to trauell, to the Treasurers of the Countie where he shall land, or arriue, and shal bring a certificate vnto any of the Trea­surers aforesaid,Who shall make the sol­diers Certifi­cate. vnder the hand and seale of the Generall of the Campe, or Gouernor of the Towne wherein hee serued, And of the Captaine of the Band, vnder whom hee ser­ued, [Page 23] or his Lieutenant, or in the absence of the sayde Generall or Gouernour, from the Marshall or Deputie of the Gouernour, or from any Admirall of her Maiesties Fleete, or in his absence, from any other General of her Maiesties shippes at the Seas, or in ab­sence of such Generall, from the Captaine of the ship wherein the sayd Mariners or Sol­diers did serue the Queenes Maiestie, con­taining the particulars by his hurts and seruices,Allowance of the Certifi­cate. which Certificate shalbe also allow­ed of the generall Muster master, for the time being, resident here within this Realm, or Receiuer generall of the Muster Rolles, The Treasurer and Controller of her Ma­iesties Nauie, vnder his hand, for the auoy­ding of all fraud, and counterfeiting: Then vpon such Certificate,Treasurers shall assigne reliefe to sol­diers. such Treasurers as are before expressed, shall according to the na­ture of his hurt, and commendation of his seruice, assigne vnto him such a portion of re­liefe, as in their discretions shall seeme con­uenient for his present necessitie, vntill the next quarter Sessions, at the which it shall be lawfull for the more part of the Iustices of Peace vnder their hands, to make an In­strument of graunt of the same, or like re­liefe, to endure, as long as this Acte shall stand or endure in force, if the same Soul­dier or Mariner shall so long liue, and the same pension not bee duely reuoked or alte­red, which shall be a sufficient warrant to all [Page 24] Treasurers for the same Countie,Iustices shall grant reliefe to Souldiers. to make payment of such pension vnto such persons quarterly, except the same shalbe afterward by the sayd Iustices reuoked or altered.How much re­liefe shalbe as­signed. So that such reliefe as shall be assigned by such Treasurers or Iustices of Peace to any such Souldier or Mariner, hauing not borne of­fice in the said warres, exceed not the summe in grosse nor yeerely pension of ten pounds. Nor to any that hath borne office vnder the degree of a Lieutenant, the summe of fifteen pounds. Nor to any that hath serued in the office of Lieutenant, the summe of twentie pounds.

And yet neuerthelesse, it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Iustices of Peace and others, hauing authoritie by this Acte, to assigne pensions to Souldiers & Mariners, vpon any iust cause,The Iustices may alter Sol­diers reliefe. to reuoke, diminish, or alter the same from time to time, according to their discretions in the generall quarter Sessions of the Peace, or general assemblies for Cities or Townes corporate, where the same pension shall be granted.

Souldiers ar­riuing far frō the place where they are to haue reliefe.And whereas it must needs fall out, that many of such hurt and maimed Souldiers and Mariners, doe arriue in Ports, and places farre remote from the Counties, whence they are by vertue of this Acte, to receiue their yeerely Annuities, and pensi­ons, As also they are prescribed by this Act, to obtaine the allowance of their Certifi­cates [Page 25] from the Muster master, or Receiuer Generall of the Muster Rolles, who com­monly is like to abide about the Court or London, so as they shall need at the first, pro­uision for the bearing of their charges, to such places: Be it therefore enacted, that it may bee lawfull for the Treasurers of the Countie where they shall arriue, in their dis­cretion vpon their Certificate (though not allowed) to giue them any conuenient relief for their iourney, to cary them to the next Countie, with a testimoniall of their allow­ance, to passe on towards such a place. And in like maner shal it be lawfull for the Trea­surer of the next Countie to do the like, And so from Countie to Countie (in the direct way) till they come to the place where they are directed to finde their maintenance, ac­cording to the tenure of this Statute.

And for the better execution of this Acte in all the branches thereof, Be it enacted, that euery the Treasurers, in their seuerall Counties,The Treasu­rers booke of Computation, and Register. shall keepe a true booke of compu­tation, of all such summes as they leuie, and also a Register of the names of euery such person vnto whom they shall haue disbursed any reliefe, And shall also preserue, or enter euery Certificate, by warrant whereof, such reliefe hath beene by them disbursed, And also that the Muster master, or Receiuer ge­nerall of the Muster Rolles, shall keepe a booke, wherein shall be entred, the names [Page 26] of all such, whose Certificates shall bee by him allowed, with an abstract of their Cer­tificates, And that euery Treasurer re­turning, or not accepting the Certificate brought vnto him from the sayd Muster­master, shall write and subscribe the cause of his not accepting, or not allowing there­of, vnder the said Certificate, or on the backe thereof.

A Treasurer refusing to giue reliefe.And bee it further enacted, That if any Treasurer shall wilfully refuse to distribute and giue any reliefe, according to the forme of this Acte, That it shall be lawfull for the Iustices of peace, in their quarter Sessions, to Fine such Treasurers, by their discreti­ons, as aforesayd, The same Fine to be le­uied by distresse and sale thereof, to bee pro­secuted by any two of them, whome they shall authorize.

A souldier beg­ging, or coun­terfe [...]ing a Certificate.And be it also enacted, that euery Soldier or Mariner that shall be taken begging, in any place within this Realme, after the Feast of Easter next, Or any that shall coun­terfeit any Certificate in this Acte expres­sed, shall for euer lose his Annuitie or Pensi­on, and shall be taken, deemed, and adiudged as a common Rogue, or Vagabond person, and shall haue, and sustaine the same, and the like paines, imprisonment and punish­ment, as is appointed and prouided for com­mon Rogues and Vagabond persons.

Prouided alwayes and be it enacted, that [Page 27] all the surplusage of money which shall bee remaining in the Stocke of any County,The surplusage of the stocke. shall by [...]he discretion of the more part of the Iustices of Peace, in their quarter Sessions be ordered, distributed and bestowed vpon such good and charitable vses, and in such forme as are limited and appointed in the Statutes made and now in force, concer­ning reliefe of the poore, and punishment of Rogues and Beggers.

Prouided alwayes that the Iustices of peace within any County of this Realme or Wales,Chiefe Offi­cers in Corpo­rate Townes. shall not intromit or enter into any City, Borough, Place, or towne corporate, where is any Iustice of Peace for any such Citie, Borough, Place, or Towne corporate, for the execution of any Article of this Acte: But that it shal be lawfull to the Iustice and Iustices of the peace, Maiors, Bailiffes, and other head Officers of those Cities, Bo­roughs, Places, & Towns corporate, where there is any Iustice of Peace to proceede to the execution of this Act, within the precinct and compasse of their liberties, in such ma­ner as the Iustices of Peace in any County may doe, by vertue of this Act. And that e­uery Iustice of Peace within euery such Ci­tie, Borough, Place or Towne corporate, for euery offence by him committed, contrary to the meaning of this Statute, shalbe fine­able, as other Iustices of peace at the large in y^e counties are in this Act appointed to be. [Page 28] And that the Maior and Iustices of Peace in euery such Borough, Place and Towne Corporate, shall haue authority by this pre­sent Acte to appoint any person, for the re­ceiuing of the sayd money, and paying the same within such Citie, Borough, Place or Towne corporate, which person so appoin­ted, shal haue authority to do all such things, and be subiect to all such penalties, as high Constables, by vertue of this Acte should haue or be.

How the for­feitures shalbe imployed.And be it enacted, that all forfeitures to bee forfeited by any Treasurer, Collector, Constable, Churchwarden, or other per­son, for any cause mentioned in this Act, shal be imployed to the reliefe of such Souldiers and Mariners, as are by this Acte appoin­ted to take and haue reliefe, And after that reliefe satisfied, then the ouerplus thereof, with the ouerplus of the stocke, remaining in any the sayd Treasurers hands, shall bee imployed as is before mentioned, to the cha­ritable vses, expressed in the said Statutes, concerning the reliefe of poore, and for pu­nishment of Rogues and Beggers, (ex­cept the sayd Iustices, or the more part of them, shall thinke meete to reserue and keepe the same in stocke for the maintenance and reliefe of such Souldiers and Mariners as out of the same Countie may afterward bee appointed, to receiue reliefe and pensions.) And that the relief appointed to be giuen by [Page 29] this Acte, shall be giuen to Souldiers and Mariners, out of the County or place where they were pressed, so far forth as the Taxati­on limited by this Acte, will extend. And if the whole Taxation there, shal be before im­ployed, according to the meaning of this Act, or that they shall not be prest men, then out of the place where they were borne or last in­habited, by the space of three yeres, at his or their election.

Prouided alwayes, and be it enacted,Pensions as­signed, to stand in force, though the Statute be repealed. that euery pension assigned heretofore to any Souldier or Mariner, or that shall be assig­nen before the said feast of Easter next, not­withstanding the discontinuance of the said two former Actes, shal stand in force, and shal yeerely from and after the said feast of Easter next, be satisfied and payed, out of such Taxa­tions and forfeitures, as shall bee made, col­lected, and leuied by force of this Act, so long as the saide pension shall remaine in force, without such reuocation or diminishing, as is before in this Acte mentioned. Which clause of reuocation or diminishing before mentioned, shall extend aswell to pensions heretofore assigned, as to such as at any time hereafter, before, or after the said feast of Easter, shall bee assigned to any person or persons.

And be it also enacted,Taxations made and not leuied. that all arrerages of Taxations heretofore made, by vertue of the said former Statutes, or any of them, [Page 30] which shall be or remaine, at the said feast of Easter next, vncollected, and not receiued, or leuied, shall and may by authoritie of this Act, be had, receiued, and leuied, by such per­sons, and in such 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.

If the rate be not sufficient for Souldiers in London.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 shalbe 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.

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 former sta­tutes concer­ning Rogues, &c. repealed. 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 cōcerneth 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,Iustices of Peace shall se [...] down order for erection and maintenance of houses of correction. & to cause to be erected one or more houses of Correctiō within their seueral Counties or cities: for y^e doing & per­forming wherof, & for the prouiding of stocks of money, and al other things necessary for [Page 32] 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, shalbe of force, and be duely performed and put in execution.

Who shall be adiudged Rogues, Va­gabonds, and sturdie beg­gers.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 a [...]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, [Page 33] 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, shalbe 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,The punish­ment of a Va­gabond. 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, [Page 34] 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 shalbe 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.

A testimoniall after 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 [Page 35] 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 shalbe 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 said Village standeth, or to the common Gaole of that Countie or place, there to re­maine and be imployed in worke, vntill hee or she shalbe placed in some seruice, and so to continue by the space of one yeere, or not be­ing able of body, vntill he or she shall be pla­ced to remaine in some Almeshouse in the same Countie or place.

Prouided alwayes, and be it enacted,Rogues which be dangerous, or will not be reformed. If any of the sayd Rogues shall appeare to be dangerous to the inferiour sort of people where they shall bee taken, or otherwise be such as wil not be reformed of their roguish kind of life by the former prouisiō of this Act, That in euery such case it shal & may be law­full [Page 36] to the said Iustices of the limite where any such Rogue shall be taken, or any two of them, whereof one to be of the Quorum, to commit that Rogue to the house of correcti­on, or otherwise to the Gaole of the County, there to remaine vntill their next quarter Sessions to be holden in that Countie, and then such of the same Rogues so committed, as by the Iustices of the Peace then and there present, or the most part of them, shall be thought fit not to be deliuered, shall and may lawfully by the same Iustices or the most part of them,Rogues to be banished the Realme, or committed to the Gallies. bee banished out of this Realme, and all other the dominions there­of, and at the charges of that Countrey, shal bee conueyed vnto such parts beyond the Seas as shall bee at any time hereafter for that purpose assigned by the priuie Councell vnto her Maiesty, her heires or successors, or by any sixe or more of them, whereof the L. Chancellor, or L. Keeper of the great Seale, or the L. Treasurer for the time being to be one, Or otherwise be iudged perpetually to the Gallies of this Realme, as by the same Iustices or the most part of them it shall bee thought fit and expedient.

Rogues retur­ning after ba­nishment, to be reputed Fe­lons.And if any such Rogue so banished as a­foresaid shall returne againe into any part of this Realme or dominion of Wales without lawfull licence or warrant so to doe, that in euery such case, such offence shall be Felony, and the party offending therein suffer death [Page 37] as in case of felonie: The sayd felonie to bee heard and determined in that County of this Realme or Wales, in which the offender shall be apprehended.

And be it also enacted by the authority a­foresayd, that if any Towne, Parish,The forfeiture of a Constable &c. not doing his duety. or Vil­lage, the Constable, Headborough or Ti­thingman be negligent & do not his or their best endeuours for the apprehension of such Vagabond, Rogue or sturdy Begger, which there shall be found contrary to the forme of this present Act, and to cause euery of them to be punished and conueied according to the true meaning of this present Act, that then the said Constable, Headborough or tithing­man in whome such default shall bee, shall lose and forfeite for euery such default ten shillings.

And also if any person or persons doe in a­ny wise disturbe or let the execution of this law or any part thereof,Disturbing the execution of this Statute. concerning the pu­nishment or conueying of Rogues, Vaga­bonds, sturdy Beggers, or the reliefe or set­ling of poore impotent persons in any maner of wise, or make rescusse against any officer or person authorized by this present Acte for the due execution of any the premisses, the same person so offending, shal forfeit & lose for euery such offence the summe of fiue pound, and shalbe bound to the good behauiour.

And bee it also further enacted by the au­thority aforesaid,Bringing into this Realme of Irish, Scottish or Manniske Vagabonds. That no person or persons [Page 38] hauing charge in any voyage, in passing from the Realmes of Ireland or Scotland, or from the Isle of Man into this Realme of England, doe wittingly or willingly bring or conuey, or suffer to be brought or conuey­ed in any Vessell or Boate from and out of the said Realme of Ireland, Scotland, or Isle of Man, into the Realme of England or Wales, or any part thereof, any Vagabond, Rogue or Begger, or any such as shall be for­ced or very like to liue by begging within the Realme of England or Wales, being borne in the same Realms or Island, on paine of e­uery such person so offending, to forfeit and lose for euery such Vagabond, Rogue, Beg­ger or other person like to liue by begging xx. s. to the vse of the poore of the said Parish in which they were set on land. And if any such Mannisk, Scottish or Irish Rogue, va­gabond or begger, be already, or shall at any time hereafter be set on land, or shall come into any part of England or Wales, the same after he or she shall be punished as aforesayd, shall be conueyed to the next Port or Parish in or neere which they were landed or first came, in such sort as Rogues are appointed to bee by this present Acte, and from thence to bee transported at the common charge of the Countrey where they were set on land, into those partes from whence they came or were brought. And that euery Con­stable, Headborough, and Tythingman, [Page 39] neglecting the due performance therof, shall forfeit for euery such offence ten shillings.

Bee it further enacted by the authority a­foresaid,Diseased per­sons resorting to Bath and Buxton. that no diseased or impotent poore person shal at any time resort or repaire from their dwelling places to the Citie of Bath, or towne of Buxton, or either of them to the Baths there for the ease of their griefes, vnlesse such person doe forbeare to begge, and be licensed to passe thither by two Iu­stices of the Peace of the Countie where such person doeth or shall then dwell or re­maine, and prouided for to trauaile with such reliefe, for & towards his or her main­tenance as shal be necessary for the same per­son, for the time of such his or her trauell, and abode at the city of Bath, and town of Bux­ton, or either of them, and returne thence, and shall returne home againe as shall be li­mited by the said licence, vpon paine to be re­puted, punished and vsed as Rogues, Vaga­bonds, and sturdy Beggers declared by this present Acte. And that the inhabitants of the same Citie of Bath, and towne of Bux­ton shall not in any wise be charged by this Acte with the finding or reliefe of any such poore people.

Prouided alwayes that the Iustices of peace within any County of this Realme or Wales,The Iustices within townes Corporate shal onely inter­meddle. shall not intromit or enter into any Citie, Borough or Towns corporate, where be any Iustice or Iustices of the Peace for [Page 40] any such Citie, Borough, or Towne Corpo­rate for the execution of any Branch, Arti­cle or sentence of this Acte, for or concerning any offence, matter or cause growing or ari­sing within the Precincts, Liberties or Iu­risdictions of such City, borough, or townes corporate, But that it may and shalbe law­full to the Iustice and Iustices of the Peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Officers of those Cities, Boroughes, and Townes Corporate, where there be such Iustices of the Peace to proceed to the execution of this Acte, within the precinct and compasse of their Liberties in 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,S. Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke. 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 [Page 41] thing therein contained or any authority thereby giuen,The Iurisdic­tion of Iohn Dutton of Dut­ton, reserued. 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,In what sort the forfeitures shall bee im­ployed. 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 [Page 42] 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 y^e Peace, That then euery such person shall forthwith stand and be in the Law conuicted thereof.

Iustices of Peace may heare and de­termine the causes of this Statute.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.

Commissio­ners to enquire for money ga­thered.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 [Page 43] 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 [Page 44] 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.

A prouision for poore Seafa­ring men.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 shalbe necessarie, in, and for his passage.

Glassemen not begging.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 [Page 45] same Countie where they trauell, whereof one to be of the Quorum.

And be it also further enacted by the au­thoritie aforesaid,This Act to be proclaimed. 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 shalbe agreed and appointed. This Acte to endure to the end of the first Session of the next Parliament.

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 shalbe, 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,Taxing others for the reliefe of the sicke of the Plague. That the [Page 50] Maior, Bailiffes, head Officers, and Iusti­ces of the Peace, of euery Citie, Borough, Towne corporate, and places Priuiledged, where any Maior and Bailif [...]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 shalbe 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 [Page 51] 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,The Inabi­tants vnable to relieue the Infected. 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 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 [Page 52] lawfull for any two Iustices of Peace of the said County, wherein the sa [...]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, shalbe 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 [Page 53] 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 shalbe thought fit and conuenient, And euery Constable, and other officer that shall wilfully make default in le­uying such mony as they shalbe 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,An infected person com­manded to keep his house, disobeyeth. 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 [Page 54] 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.Infected per­sons, how Fe­lons. 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.

[Page 55]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,Attendants ap­pointed vpon the infected. 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,The Vniuersi­ties, Cathedral Churches, Ea­ton, Winche­ster. 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 [Page 56] 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.

AS the most louing and gracious care of his Maiestie for the preseruation of his People, hath alreadie beene earnestly shewed and declared by such meanes and waies as were thought expedient to suppresse the grieuous Infection of the Plague, and to preuent the encrease thereof, within the Citie of LONDON, and parts about it; so what­soeuer other good meanes may be yet re­maining [Page 58] which may extend and prooue be­hoouefull to the Countrey abroad (where his Maiestie is sorie to vnderstand that the Contagion is also in many places dispersed) it is likewise his gracious pleasure that the same be carefully prouided and put in pra­ctise. And therefore hauing taken know­ledge of certaine good Orders that were vpon like occasion published in times past; together with certaine Rules and Medicines prescribed by the best and most learned Physicians; and finding both of them, to serue well for the present time, his Maiestie is pleased that the same shalbe renewed and published: And withall straitly comman­deth all Iustices of the Peace and others to whome it may appertaine, to see the said Or­ders duely executed.

At the Court at Hampton Court this 30. of Iuly. 1603.

INprimis, All the Iustices in e­uery Countie, aswell within the Liberties as without, im­mediatly vpon knowledge to them giuen, shall assemble themselues together at some one generall place accustomed, being cleare from Infec­tion of the Plague, to consult how these Or­ders following may be duely put in execu­tion, not meaning that any Iustices dwel­ling in or neere places infected, shall come thither, whiles their comming may bee doubtfull. And after their first generall as­sembly, they shall make a distribution of themselues to sundry Limits and diuisions, as in other common seruices of the Coun­tie they are accustomed to doe, for the prose­cution thereof.

2 First they shall enquire, and presenly informe themselues by all good meanes, what Townes and Villages are at the time of such assembly infected within euery their Counties, and in what Hundred or other Diuision, the sayde Townes and Villages are, and how many of the same places so Infected are Corporate Townes, Market Townes, and Villages, and shall consider of what wealth the Inhabitants of the same townes and Parishes are, to be able to relieue the poore that are or shall be infected, and to be restrained in their houses.

[Page 60]3 Item, thereupon after conference v­sed according to the necessitie of the cause, they shall deuise and make a generall taxati­on, either by charging the Towne infected with one summe in grosse, or by charging the speciall persons of wealth within the same, to be forthwith collected for the rate of one moneth at the first, and so if the sicke­nesse shall continue, the collection of the like summe, or of more or of lesse, as time and cause shall require, and the same to be euery first, second, third, or fourth weeke employ­ed to and for the execution of the sayde Or­ders. And in case some of the sayd Townes Infected, shall manifestly appeare not to bee of sufficient abilitie to contribute suf­ficient for the charges requisite, then the Taxation or Collection shall bee made or further extended to other parts, or in any other further limits, as by them shall bee thought requisite where there shall bee any such Townes or Villages so infected, and vnable to relieue themselues. And if the said Townes be situated in the borders and con­fines of any other shire, then as the Iustices shall see cause and neede for the greatnesse of the charge requisite, that the parts of the shire ioyning to the Townes infected be not able, they shall write their letters to the next Iustices of the other Shire so confining, to procure by collection some reliefe, as in like cases they are to relieue them, in respect of [Page 61] neere neighbourhood of the place, and for that the same Infection may bee the better stayed from the said adioyning places, thogh they be separated by name of the Countie.

4 Item, they shall cause to be appointed in euery Parish aswell infected as not infec­ted, certaine persons to view the bodies of all such as shall die, before they be suffered to be buried, and to certifie the Minister of the Church and Churchwarden, or other prin­cipall officers, or their substitutes of what probable disease the said persons died: and the said viewers, to haue weekely some al­lowance, & the more large allowance where the Townes or Parishes bee infected, du­ring the Infection, towards their mainte­nance, to the end they which shalbe in places infected, may forbeare to resort into the com­pany of others that are sound: and those per­sons to be sworne to make true report accor­ding to their knowledge, and the choise of them to be made by direction of the Curate of the Church, with three or foure substan­tiall men of the Parish. And in case the said viewers either through fauour or cor­ruption, shall giue wrong certificate, or shall refuse to serue being thereunto appointed, then to cause them to be punished by impri­sonment, in such sort as may serue for a ter­rour to others.

[Page 62]5 Item, the houses of such persons out of the which there shal die any of the plague, being so certified by the viewers, or other­wise knowen, or where it shalbe vnderstood, that any person remaineth sicke of y^e plague, to be closed vp on all parts during the time of restraint, viz. sixe weekes, after the sicknes be ceased in the same house, in case the said houses so infected shall be within any Town hauing houses neere adioyning to the same. And if the infection happen in houses disper­sed in Villages, and separated from other houses, and that of necessitie, for the seruing of their cattell, & manuring of their ground, the said persons cannot continue in their houses, then they be neuerthelesse restrained from resorting in [...]o company of others, ei­ther publikely or priuately during the sayd time of restraint, and to weare some marke in their vppermost garments, or beare white rods in their handes at such time as they shall goe abroad, if there bee any doubt that the masters and owners of the houses infected, will not duely obserue the directi­ons of shutting vp the doores, specially in the night, then shall there be appointed two or three watchmen by turnes, which shall be sworne to attend & watch the house, and to apprehend any person that shall come out of the house contrary to the order, and the same persons by order of the Iustices, shall be a competent time imprisoned in the stockes in [Page 63] the high way next to the house infected: and furthermore, some speciall marke shall bee made and fixed to the doores of euery of the infected houses, and where any such houses shalbe Innes or Alehouses, the Signes shal be taken downe for the time of the restraint, and some crosse or other marke set vpon the place thereof to be a token of the sickenesse.

6 Item, they shall haue good regard to chuse honest persons, that either shall collect the summes assessed, or shall haue the custo­die thereof, and out of the sayd collection to allot a weekely proportion for the finding of victuall, or fire, or medicines for the poorer sort, during the time of their restraint. And whereas s [...]me persons being well disposed to yeeld almes and reliefe, will be more wil­ling to giue some portions of victuall, as corne, bread, or other meate, the same shalbe committed to the charge of some speciall per­sons, that will honestly and truely preserue the same, to be distributed as they shal be ap­pointed for the poore that are infected.

7 Item, to appoint certaine persons dwelling within the Townes infected, to prouide and deliuer all necessaries of victu­als, or any matter of watching or other at­tendance, to keepe such as are of good wealth being restrained, at their owne proper costs and charges, and the poore at the common [Page 64] charges: and the said persons so appointed to be ordered, not to resort to any publike as­sembly during the time of such their atten­dance, as also to weare some marke on their vpper garment, or to beare a white rodde in their hand, to the ende others may auoid their company.

8 Item, that in the Shire towne in e­uery Countie, and in other great Townes meete for that purpose, there may be proui­sion bespoken and made, of such Preserua­tiues and other remedies, which otherwise in meaner townes cannot be readily had, as by the Physicians shalbe prescribed, and is at this present reduced into an Aduise made by the Physicians, and now Printed and sent with the said Orders, which may be fixed in Market places, vpon places vsuall for such publique matters, and in other Townes in the bodies of the Parish Chur­ches, and Chappels: in which Aduise onely such things are prescribed, as vsually are to be had and found in all Countreys without great charge or cost.

9 Item, the Ministers and Curats, and the Churchwardens in euery Parish, shal in writing certifie weekely to some of the Iu­stices, residing within the Hundred or other limit where they serue, the number of such persons as are infected and doe not die, and [Page 65] also of all such as shall die within their Pa­rishes, and their diseases probable whereof they died, and the same to be certified to the rest of the Iustices at their assemblies, which during some conuenient time would be eue­ry one and twentie dayes, and thereof a par­ticular booke kept by the Clerke of the Peace or some such like.

10 Item, to appoint some place apart in each Parish for the buriall of such persons as shall die of the Plague, as also to giue or­der that they be buried after Sunne setting, and yet neuerthelesse by day light, so as the Curate be present for the obseruation of the Rites and Ceremonies prescribed by the Law, foreseeing as much as conueniently he may, to be distant from the danger of in­fection of the person dead, or of the company that shall bring the corpse to the graue.

11 Item, the Iustices of the whole Coun­tie to assemble once in one and twentie dayes, to examine whether those Orders be duely executed, and to certifie to the Lords of the Priuie Counsell their proceedings in that behalfe, what Townes and Villages be infected, as also the numbers of the dead, and the diseases whereof they died, and what summes of money are taxed and col­lected to this purpose, and how the same are distributed.

[Page 66]12 Item, the Iustices of the Hundred, where any such Infection is, or the Iusti­ces next adioyning thereunto, to assemble once a weeke, to take accompt of the execu­tion of the sayd Orders, and as they finde any lacke or disorder, either to reforme it themselues, or to report it at the generall as­sembly there, to be by a more common con­sent reformed.

13 Item, for that the Contagion of the Plague groweth and encreaseth no way more, then by the vse and handling of such clothes, bedding and other stuffe as hath bin worne and occupyed by the Infected of this disease, during the time of their disease: the sayd Iustices shall in the places infected take such order, that all the sayde clothes and o­ther stuffe, so occupyed by the diseased, so soone as the parties diseased of the plague are all of them either wel recouered or dead, be either burnt and cleane consumed with fire, or else ayred in such sort as is prescribed in an especiall article conteined in the Aduise set downe by the Physicians. And for that peraduenture the losse of such apparell, bed­ding, and other stuffe to be burnt, may be greater then the poore estate of the owners of the same may wel beare: it is thought ve­ry good and expedient, if it be thought meet it shall be burnt, that then the sayd Iustices, out of such Collections as are to bee made [Page 67] within their Counties for the reliefe of the poorer sort that be infected, allow also them such summe or summes as to them shall be thought reasonable, in recompense of the losse of their sayd stuffe.

14 Item, the said Iustices may put in ex­ecution any other Orders that by them at their generall assembly shall be deuised and thought meet, tending to the preseruation of his Maiesties Subiects from the infec­tion: and to the end their care and diligence may the better appeare, they shall certifie in writing the said Orders newly deuised: and if any shall wilfully breake and contemne the same, or any the Orders herein specified, they shall either presently punish them by imprisonment, or if the persons so contem­ning them, shalbe of such countenance as the Iustices shal think meet to haue their faults knowen to his Maiestie, or to the Councell, they shall charge and binde them to appeare before vs, and the contempt duely certified, that there may be a more notorious sharpe example made by punishment of the same by order of his Maiestie.

15 Item, if there be lacke of Iustices in some partes of the Shire, or if they which are Iustices there, shalbe for the time absent, in that case the more number of the Iusti­ces at their assembly shall make choice of [Page 68] some conuenient persons to supply those places for the better execution hereof.

16 Item, if there be any person Ecclesia­sticall or Lay, that shall hold and publish any opinions (as in some places report is made) that it is a vaine thing to forbeare to resort to the Infected, or that it is not charitable to forbid the same, pretending that no person shall die but at their time prefixed, such per­sons shall be not onely reprehended, but by order of the Bishop, if they be Ecclesiasticall, shall be forbidden to preach, and being Lay, shalbe also enioined to forbeare to vtter such dangerous opinions vpon paine of impri­sonment, which shall bee executed, if they shal perseuere in that errour. And yet it shall appeare manifestly by these Orders, that ac­cording to Christian charitie, no persons of the meanest degree shall be left without suc­cour and reliefe.

17 And of these things aboue mentioned, the Iustices shall take great care, as of a matter specially directed and commaunded by his Maiestie vpon the princely and natu­rall care he hath conceiued towards the pre­seruation of his Subiects, who by very dis­order, and for lacke of direction doe in many partes wilfully procure the increase of this generall Contagion.

WHereas in the first yeere of the Reigne of our late Soue­raigne, King Iames of happy memory, ouer this Realme of England, an Act was made, for the charitable reliefe and Ordering of persons infected with the Plague: wherby Authoritie is giuen to Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Offi­cers, to appoint within their seuerall Li­mits Examiners, Searchers, Watchmen, Keepers, and Buriers for the persons and places infected, and to minister vnto them Oathes for the performance of their Offi­ces. And the same Statute also authori­seth the giuing of other Directions, as vn­to them for the present necessity shall seeme good in their discretions. It is therefore [Page] vpon speciall consideration thought very expedient, for the preuenting and auoiding of the Infection of Sicknesse (if it shall please Almighty God) which is now dan­gerously dispersed into many places with­in the City and Suburbs of the same: that these Officers following bee appointed, and these Orders hereafter prescribed bee duely obserued.

God saue the King.

THis day Rice Griffin and Iohn Scrips were brought to the Barre, against whome Edward Coke E­squire, her Maiesties At­tourney Generall did en­forme, That the said Grif­fin had vnlawfully erected and built one Tenement in Hog-lane in the Countie of [Page 108] Middlesex, which hee diuided into two seue­rall roumes, wherein were now inhabiting two poore Tenants, that onely liued and were maintained by the reliefe of the Pari­shioners there, and begging abroad in other places: And that the said Iohn Scrips had in like sort diuided a Tenement in Shordich, in­to, or about seuenteene Tenancies or dwel­lings, and the same inhabited by diuers per­sons of very poore and base condition, con­trary to the intent and meaning of her Highnesse Proclamation, published and set out the seuenth day of Iuly 1580, in the two and twentieth yeere of her High­nesse Reigne, whereby the same, and such maner of buildings and diuisions, are alto­gether forbidden and prohibited, as by her Maiesties said Proclamation more at large appeareth.

Moreouer, her highnesse said Attourney further informed this Honourable Court, that sithence the sayd Proclamation, sun­drie Decrees haue been made and taken by this Court, aswell for the prostrating, pul­ling downe, and defacing of diuers new Buildings: as also for reformation of diui­sions of Tenements: All which notwith­standing, sundry wilfull and disobedient persons, continue in their contemptuous maner of buildings & diuisions: by meanes whereof, the City of London, and Suburbs therof, are ouercharged, and burdened with [Page 109] sundry sorts of poore, beggerly, and euill dis­posed persons, to the great hinderance and oppression of the same; So as the Magi­strates and Officers in and about the Citie, to whom the due execution of the aforesayd Decrees and Orders chiefly appertaineth, cannot performe and doe the same, accor­ding to the purport and tenor thereof: And in regard thereof, her Highnesse said Attour­ney humbly prayed, that the sayd Griffin and Scrips might receiue, and haue inflicted on them, some condigne and fit punishment, and that at the humble petition of the Lord Maior and Aldermen of the Citie of Lon­don, and other the Iustices of Peace of the Countie of Middlesex and Surrey, the Court would bee pleased to set downe and decree, some last and generall Order in this and in all other like cases of new Buildings, and diuisions of Tenements. Whereupon the Court grauely considering the great growing euils and inconueniences that continually breed and happen by these new erected buildings and diuisions made and diuided contrary to her Maiesties sayd Pro­clamation, and well weighing the reasons of the sayd Lord Maior and Aldermen of the sayd Citie and Iustices of the Counties a­foresayd in that behalfe, greatly tendering the ouerburdened and distressed estate of the inhabitants that dwell in sundry the Pari­shes where the sayd new Buildings and de­uided [Page 110] Tenements are, being for the most part but of small ability to beare and su­staine the great charge which is to growe there by meanes of the poore placed in sun­dry of the new erected and diuided Tene­ments, Haue therefore by the whole and ge­nerall consent of all the honourable presence here sitting, hearing the accusations afore­said, and the answeres, defences, and alle­gations of the said Griffin and Scrips, ordered and decreed, that the sayd Griffin and Scrips shal be committed to the prison of the Fleete, and pay twentie pounds a piece for a Fine to her Maiestie. And as for the pul­ling downe, or reforming of any house new built or diuided sithence and contrary to the said Proclamation, within the Citie of London, or the compasse of three miles thereof, in which any poore or Impotent persons now doe or hereafter shall dwell or abide, for that if the same Houses should be pulled downe, destroyed, or reformed, other Habitations must bee prouided for them at the charge of the Parishes where they be or shalbe dwelling, The Court doeth as yet thinke fit to forbeare and respit the doing thereof, and haue ordered and adiudged that all and euery such poore and impotent per­sons, which dwel or shall dwell and inhabite in any new buildings, or diuided tenements erected & diuided, contrary to the effect and intent of her Highnesse said Proclamation, [Page 111] and are or shal in any wise be driuē to liue by begging, or to be relieued by almes within the City of Londō or any other place within the compasse of three miles thereof, shall and may during the time of his or their life or liues, abide and dwell in the same, without giuing or paying any maner of Rent, seruice or other recompence vnto the Landlords or any other, for and in respect of the same, and not be thence remooued, vnlesse they shall af­ter become able to liue of themselues, And that the said Landlord, owner, or any other that claimeth Interest to or for any Rent or Rents growing, arising, or payable for any of the said new Buildings or diuided Tene­ments, so inhabited or to be inhabited with poore people as aforesaid, shall hereby be en­ioyned, and vpon this Sentence and Decree take sufficient notice and warning, that hee or they doe not impleade, encumber, disquiet or molest any of the said poore Tenants, for any Rents, Couenants, Conditions, promi­ses or agreements, touching or in any wise concerning the said Tenements, new buil­dings, or any of them, for the leuying or reco­uering of any Rent, seruice, or other conside­ration in lieu of any Rent. And for that the new buildings and diuisions of sundry hou­ses, within the Citie of London and three miles compasse thereof contrary to the tenor of the sayd Proclamation, hath beene and is the occasion of great charges vnto the [Page 112] Parishes of the sayd Citie and Precinct a­foresaid, whereby the said Parishes are still ouermuch burdened with poore and impo­tent persons, It is therefore ordered and decreed, That all such Landlords or owners of such Buildings or Diuisions wheresoe­uer they should dwell, shall contribute and giue such like ratable and reasonable allow­ance with the said Parishioners where such Buildings and Diuisions are, towards the finding and maintaining of the poore of the Parish, in which such Buildings are, is, or shalbe erected or diuided contrary to the said Proclamation, as should be apportioned and allotted him or them to pay, if hee or they were dwelling in the said Parish.

And it is further ordered and decreed by this Honourable Court, that after the death or departure of such poore people as doe or shall inhabite the same houses or diuided Tenements aforesaid, the houses thereby being become voide, Then the Lord Mayor and Iustices of Peace neere vnto the Citie adioyning, hereby are commaunded to re­forme the said diuided Tenements, and to prostrate, pull downe and deface the said new buildings in such sort, as the same bee no more left fit for habitation, and the tim­ber and wood thereof to be conuerted and disposed in such manner as by the sayd Pro­clamation is required: As also to take order in all other the premisses, That this De­cree [Page 113] be duely obserued and kept: And if any shall be obstinate, then to binde such Land­lords as that shall obstinately and wilfully disobey this said Decree, to appeare in this Honourable Court of Starre-chamber to answere their contempt therein.

This Decree was afterward read in the Court of Starre-Chamber the 29. of Nouember 1609. and then confir­med and straitly commanded by all the Lords present to be duely put in exe­cution.

THis day Sir Henry Mounta­gue, Knight, Recorder of Lon­don enformed this most hono­rable Court, that where there haue been diuers Proclama­cions [Page 115] aswell in the time of our late Soue­reigne Queene Elizabeth, as also since his Maiestie most happie Reigne, and also di­uers Orders and Decrees taken in this ho­nourable Court for the restraining and re­forming of the multitude of new erected and diuided Tenements and the taking in of Inmates, yet neuerthelesse the same doe so daily increase and multiply in euery place in and about this Citie of London and the Suburbs thereof infinite number of peo­ple being pestered together breeding and nourishing Infection, so that the same ten­deth to the great imminent danger of the gouernment and safetie of the Citie, and consequently to the perill of his Maiesties Sacred person, the Queenes Maiestie, and their Royall Issue, and the Lords of the State here ordinarily residing, with ma­ny other great enormities if the same bee not carefully and speedily preuented. And therefore it was humbly desired, that this honorable Court would reuiue a Decree of this Court, made the twentieth day of October, in the fourtieth yeere of our sayd late Souereigne Queene Elizabeth, ta­ken and established for restraining and re­forming of such new erected Buildings and diuisions.

And that the sayd Decree might bee put in present execution for the speedy refor­mation [Page 116] of the sayd enormities, whereup­on the sayd Decree being openly read, this honourable Court, and all the whole Pre­sence here sitting, taking tender care and consideration of the Good and Safetie of the said Citie, and grauely foreseeing the im­minent danger and euils which doe growe and increase, and doe chiefly arise through ouermuch neglect in the due execution of those former Proclamations, Decrees and Ordinances which are not looked into as they ought to be, Doeth therefore decree and order, that the said former Decree taken the sayd twentieth day of October in the sayde fortieth yeere of our late Souereigne be pre­sently, and from time to time hereafter, more seuerely looked into, and put in exe­cution.

And his Maiesties learned Councell, and also the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of Lon­don, together with all Iustices of Peace and other his Maiesties Officers whatsoe­uer which the same may any way concerne, are hereby straitly charged and required, that they and euery of them doe from time to time hereafter diligently and strictly cause and see the sayde Decree to bee in all points duely obserued and put in executi­on, and Tearmely to make Certificate to this Honourable Court of their procee­dings therein, and of such persons as they [Page 117] shall finde to offend in that behalfe, Where­upon this Court doeth purpose to proceede against them for their contempts with very seuere punishment.