Chapter IV . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1159.3)
An Acte for the due execucion of divers Lawes and Statutes heretofore
made against Rogues Vagabond~ and Sturdye Beggars and other lewde and
idle p~sons (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1159.4)
Whereas heretofore div~s good and necessarie Lawes and Statutes have
beene made and p~vided for the ereccion of Howses of Correccion for the
suppressing and punishing of Rogues Vacabond~ and other idle vagrant
and disorderly p~sons , w=ch= Lawes have not wrought soe good effect as
was expected , aswell for that the said Howses of Correccion have not
beene buylte according as was intended , as alsoe for that the said
Statutes have not beene duly and severely putt in execucion as by the
said Statut~ were appointed ; For Remedy whereof , Be it enacted and
established by our Soveraigne Lord the King~ Majestie and by the Lord~
Spirituall and Temporall and by the Co~mons in this p~sent Parliament
assembled and by the Authoritie of the same , That all Lawes and
Statutes nowe in force made for erecting and buylding of Howses of
Correccion , and for punishing of Rogues Vacabond~ and other wandring
and idle p~sons shall be put in due execucion .
(STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1159.6)
And be it further enacted and established by the authoritie aforesaid ,
That before the Feast of S=t= Michaell the Archangell w=ch= $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and
eleven , there $shall $bee {TEXT:shalbee} erected built or otherwise
p~vided w=th=in ev~y Countie of this Realme of England and Wales where
there is not one Howse of Correccion alredy built purchased p~vided or
contynued , one or more fitt and convenient Howse or Howses of
Correccion w=th= convenient Backside thereunto adjoyninge togither
w=th= Milles Turnes Card~ and such like necessarie Ymplement~ to sett
the said Rogues or such other idle p~sons on worke ; the same Howses to
be buylt erected or p~vided in some convenient Place or Towne in ev~y
Countie : W=ch= Howses $shall $bee {TEXT:shalbee} purchased conveyed or
assured unto such p~son or p~sons as by the Justices of Peace or the
more part of them in their Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be holden
w=th=in ev~y Countie of this Realme of England and Wales upon Trust ,
to the Intente the same $shall $bee {TEXT:shalbee} used and ymployed
for the keeping correcting and setting to worke of the said Rogues
Vagabond~ Sturdy Beggers and other idle and disorderly p~sons .
(STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1160.8)
And be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid , That if the
said Howse soe to be erected purchased or p~vided , shall not be
erected buylt or otherwise p~vided before the Feast of S=t= Michaell
the Archangell , w=ch= $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} in the yeere one
thousand six hundred and eleven next ensuyng the last day of this
p~sent Session of Parliament , that then ev~y Justice of Peace w=th=in
ev~y Countie of this Realme of England and Wales , where such Howse and
Backside shall not be erected or p~vided , shall forfeite for his said
Neglect Fyve Pound~ of lawfull English Money , the One Moitie thereof
to be unto him or them that will sue for the same by Accion of Debt
Bill Plainte or Informacion , in w=ch= Suite noe P~teccion Essoine or
Wager of Lawe $shall $bee {TEXT:shalbee} admitted ; And the other
Moitie thereof to be ymployed and bestowed toward~ the erecting
buylding p~curing or p~viding the said Howse and Backside , and such
necessarie Ymplement~ as aforesaid . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1160.9)
And be it further enacted and established by the authoritie aforesaid ,
That the Justices of Peace of ev~y Countie w=th=in the Realme of
England and Wales , at their Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be holden
for their sev~all Counties next after the erecting p~viding or
buylding of the said Howse or Howses , and soe from tyme to tyme
or the most parte of them , shall elect no~iate and appointe
at their Will and Pleasure , one or more honest fitt p~son or p~sons to
be Governor or Master of the saide Howse or Howses soe to be purchased
erected buylte or p~vided ; w=ch= p~son and p~sons soe chosen by v~tue
of this p~sent Act , shall have Power and Authoritie to sett such
Rogues Vagabond~ idle and disorderlie p~sons as $shall $bee
{TEXT:shalbee} brought or sent unto the said Howse to work and labor
being able from tyme to tyme for such tyme as they
shall contynue and be remayning in the said Howse of Correction , and
to punishe the said Rogues Vagabond~ , idle and disorderly p~sons , by
putting Fetters or Gyves upon them , and by moderate whipping of them :
and that the said Rogues Vagabond~ and idle p~sons , during such tyme
as they shall contynue and remaine in the said Howse of Correccion ,
shall in noe sort be chargeable to the Countrie for any Allowance
either at their bringing in or going forth or during the tyme of their
Abode there , but shall have such and so much Allowance as they shall
deserve by their owne Labour and Worke . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1160.10)
And be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid , That the said
Justices of Peace of every Countie w=th=in every of their severall
Devisions twice in every yeare at the least and oftener if their be
occasion , shall assemble and meete togither for the better execucion
of this Statute , and that some fower or fyve daies before their
Assembly and Meeting , the said Justices or the more parte of them
shall by their Warrant co~maund the Constables and Tithing-men of every
Hundred Towne Parish Village and Hamlett w=th=in their said severall
Divisions , w=ch= $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} assisted w=th= sufficient
Men of the same Places , to make a gen~all privy search in one Night
w=th=in their said Hundred~ Townes Villag~ and Hamlett~ , for the
finding out and app~hending of the said Rogues Vagabond~ wandring and
idle p~sons , and that such Rogues Vagabond~ wandring and idle p~sons
as they shall then fynd and app~hend in the said Search , shall by them
be brought before the said Justices at their said Assembly or Meeting ,
there to be examined of their idle and wandring life , there to be
punished , or otherwise by their Warrant to be sent or conveyed unto
the said House or Houses of Correccion w=th=in the said County ,
appointed and p~fixed , there to be delyvered unto the Master or
Governour of the said Howse , or to his Deputie or Assignee , to be
sett to labor and work , at w=ch= daies and tymes of Assembly or
Meeting so to be held by the said Justices of Peace , the Constables
and Tything-men of every Hundred Parish Towne Village and Hamlett ,
shall then appeare in every their severall Divisions before the said
Justices of Peace at the said Assemblies or Meeting~ , and there shall
give accompt and reckoning uppon Oath in writing , and under the Hand
of the Minister of every Parish , what Rogues Vagabond~ and wandring
and disorderly p~sons they have app~hended both in the same Search ,
and also betweene every such Assemblies and Meeting~ , and howe many
have bene by them punished , or otherwise sent unto the Houses of
Coreccion ; which if the said Constables or Tithingmen shall neglect to
p~forme , as also to convey safely all such Rogues , w=th= all other
idle or disorderly p~sons at the charge of the Hundreth , as by the
Justices of Peace Warrant~ $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} sent unto the
Houses of Correccion in the same Countie , that then they shall forfeit
such further Fynes Paines and Penalties as by the said Justices of
Peace , or the most part of them , $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} thought
fitt and convenient , not exceeding the some of fortie shilling~ for
every Offence . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1160.11)
And for that it is convenient that the Masters or Governors of the said
Houses of Correccion should have some fit Allowauce {COM:sic} and
Maynten=a=nce for their Travell and Care to be had in the said s~vice ,
as also for the releiving of such as shall happen to be weake and sick
in their Custody , and y=t= the Subjett~ of this Realme should in noe
sort be overcharged to raise up Money for Stock~ to sett such on worke
as $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} co~mitted to their Custody ; Be
it therfore enacted and established by the Authoritie of this p~sent
Parliament , That the Masters or Governors of the said Howses of
Correccion , shall have such so~me of Money yearelie as $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} thought meete by the most part of Justices of the Peace
w=th=in the said Countie at the Quarter Sessions of the Peace , the
same to be paid quarterlie before hand by the Treasurers appointed by
one Act made in the three and forteth {COM:sic} yeare of the late
Queene Elizabeth , intituled An Act for the Releif of the Poore during
the tyme they the said Masters or Governors $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe}
imployed in the said s~vice the said Master or Governor giving
sufficient Securitie for the contynuance and p~formaunce of the said
s~vice , w=ch= if the said Treasorer shall neglect or refuse
to p~forme , that then the said Master or Governor of the Howse of
Correccion , shall have authoritie by this p~sent Acte to levy the same
or soe much thereof as $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} unpaid , uppon the said
Treasorers Accompt , $in {TEXT:iu} such Manner and Forme as by the said
Statute they the said Treasorers are appointed and authorized to levy
the weekly so~me or payment being to them unpaid .
(STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.12)
And because great charge arriseth {COM:sic} uppon many places w=th=in
this Realme by reason of Bastardie , besides the greate Dishonor of
Almightie God ; Be it therefore enacted by the authoritie aforesaid ,
That every lewde Woman w=ch= after this p~sent Session of Parliament ,
shall have any Bastard w=ch= may be chargeable to the Parish , the
Justices of the Peace shall co~mitt such lewde Woman unto the House of
Correccion , there to be punished and sett on worke during the terme of
one whole yere ; and if shee shall eftsons offend againe , that then to
be co~mitted to the said House of Correccion as aforesaid , and there
to remaine untill shee can put in good suerties for her good behavior ,
not to offend so againe . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.13)
And for that many wilfull People fynding that they having Children ,
have some hope to have Reliefe from the Parish wherein they dwell , and
being able to labor , and therebie to releive themselves and their
Familyes , doe nev~theles ru~ne awaie out of their Parishes and leave
their Famylyes upon the Parish : For remedy whereof , be it further
enacted by this p~sent Parliament , and by the authoritie of the same ,
That all such p~sons so running away , $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} taken
and demed to be incorrigible Rogues , and endure the Paines of
incorrigible Rogues ; And if either such Man or Woman being able to
worke {TEXT:worke_and} shall threaten to runne away and leave their
Families as aforesaid , the same beinge p~ved by Two sufficient
Witnesses upon Oath before Two Justices of Peace in that Division ,
that then the said p~son so threatning $shall by the said Justices of
Peace be sent to the Houses of Correccion unlesse he or she can
put in sufficient Suerties for the Discharge of the Parish
there to be delt w=th= and deteyned as a sturdy and wandring Rogue ,
and to be delyvered at the said Assembly or Meeting or at the Quarter
Sessions and not otherwise . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.14)
And because there $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe} the more Care taken by all
such Masters of the Houses of Correccion , that when the Countrey hath
beene at Trouble and Charge to bringe all such disorderlie p~sons as
aforesaid to their safe keeping , that then they shall p~forme their
Duties in that Behalf : Be it therefore enacted by the authoritie
aforesaid , That if they shall not ev~y Quarter Sessions yeld a true
and lawfull Accompt unto the Justices of Peace , of all such p~sons as
have beene co~mitted to their Custody , or if the said p~sons co~mitted
to their Custody , or any of them , $shall $be {TEXT:shalbe}
troublesome unto the Countrey , by going abroad , or otherwise shall
escape awaye from the said House of Correccion , before they $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} from thence lawfully delyvered , that then the said
Justices shall sett downe such Fynes and Penalties uppon the said
Masters and Governors as the most part of them in their Quarter
Sessions shall thincke fitt and convenient ,
(STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.15)
and all Fynes and Penalties not herein before lymited $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} paid unto the Treasorer and accompted for by the
Treasorer aforesaid . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.16)
This Act to have contynuance for the space of seaven yeares , and from
thence to the end of the next Session of Parliament after the said
seven yeeres . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1161.17)
Chapter X . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1167.20)
An Acte for Reformacion of Alehouse Keepers .
(STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1167.21)
Wheras notw=th=standing all former Lawes and Provisions already made ,
the inordinate and extreme Vice of excessive Drinking and Drunkennes
doth more and more abound , to the greate Offence of Almightie God ,
and the wastefull Destruccion of God~ good Creatures : Bee it enacted
by the Authoritie of this p~sent Parliament , That if any p~son being
an Alehouse Keeper after Six Weekes next ensuyng this p~sent
Session of Parliament shall be lawfully convicted for any
Offence or Offences , co~mitted against any of the Branches of Two
former Act~ of Parliament made sithens the begynninge of this p~sent
Parliament , the one intituled An Act to restraine the inordinate
haunting and tipling in Innes Alehowses and other Victualing Howses ,
the other intituled An Act against the odious and loathsome synne of
Drunkennes , that then every p~son or p~sons so convicted shall for the
Space of Three Yeeres next ensuyng the said Conviccion be utterly
disabled to keepe any such Alehowse . (STAT-1600-E2-P2,4,1167.23)