King CHfiRLES the II- yt X Vj: ACT concerning Beggars and Vagabonds. OUr Sovereign Lord, confidering the many laudable Acls of Parliament, made by His Majefties Royal predecefibrs for relief of the Poor, and for constraining of Beggars, Vagabonds and idle Perfons to take themfelves to lawful Callings, that they might not be burdenfom and dif-graceful to the Kingdom; Efpecial- ly the feventh Aft of the fixth Parliament ofHis Majefties Royal Grand-father Kingjames the fixth of happy memory ; Ordaining the names of the poor of ilk Paroch, and fuch as mull be neceflarily fuftained by almes, to be taken up, and to tax and flint the perfons within the Paroch, according to the eftimation of their fub- flance, without exception of perfons, to fuch weekly charges and contributions, as mould be thought fufficient to faftain the faid poor People: And the hundred andfixty eight Act of the fifteenth Parliament King James the fixth , Ratifying the former Ad ; With this addition, That ftrong Beggars with their Bairns, beimployed in common Works, and that they fhall continue fervants therein during their life-times. And confidering the tenth Act of the two and twentieth Parliament of His faid Royal Grand- father King James the fixth , Recommending to all His good Subjects, to take into their fervice poor and indigent children, declar- ing that theyihallbefubjectto their faid Matters, their Heirs and affignes, in all kind of fervice that fhall be enjoynedtothem, untill they pais their age of thirty years compleat, and that they mall be fubject to their Matters correction and cliaftifement in all maner of punifhment ( life and torture excepted ) and that if it fliall happen, the faid perfons to abfent themfelves from their Matters fervice without their licence, not only to be lyable to bodily punifhment at their Matters difcretion , but that all receptees of them fhall be oblieged to reftorethem to their Matters, within twenty four hours after they be required, otherwayes, to pay to their faid Matters, ten millings Scots for ilk dayes abfence till they be reftored. And His Majelty confidering, that the chiefecaufe, whereby theforefaids Acts have proven in-effectual, and that Vagabonds andidleper- fons do yet to much abound, hath been, that there were few or no common Works then erected in the King- dom , who might take and imploy the faid idle perfons in their fervice ; and that now , by His Majefties princely care, common Works for Manuf acturies of divers forts, are fetting up in this Kingdom ; Therefore, His Majelty , with advice and confent of His Eftates in parliament, Ratifies and Approves the forefaids Acts of Parliament ; with this addition, That it fliall be leifum to all perfons or Societies, who have or fliall fet Up any Manufacturies within this Kingdom , to fdze upon and apprehend the perfons of any Vagabonds, who ihall be found begging, or who being Matterlefs and out of fervice , have not wherewith to maintain, themfelves by their own means or work, and to imploy them for their fervice as they fhall fee fit, the fame being done with the advice of the refpective Magiftratesofthe place where they fliall be feized upon; And Ordains the Parodies where fuch Vagabonds or idle perfons, as fliall be found begging , were born; Or in cafe the place of their nativity be not known, the Parodies where they have any re fidence, haunt, ormoft refortfor the fpace of three years immediatlypreceeding their beingfo apprehended, who thereby are reliev- ed of the burden of them, to make payment to the perfons or Societies that ihall happen to imploy them, two millings Scots money per diem, for the firft year after they be apprehended, and one milling Scots per diem for the next three years thereafter; the one half thereof to be payed by the Heretors of the feveral Parodies re/petlive, and the other half thereof to be payed by the pofleflbrs and Inhabitants dwelling upon the ground of each Heretor rcjpcclive Likeas, His Majelty, with advice and confent forefaid, Ordains the Heretors of each Paroch, or as many of them as fliall happen to meet, upon publick intimation, made at the Paroch-kirk upon any Sabbath at the diflolvingofthe Church from the firft Sermon, by any of the He- retors of the Paroch, or by the imployers of the poor, to make up a ftent Roll for maintenance of the Poor in their Paroch, who fhall beimployed, as faid is, at the rate aforelaid,the one half thereof to be payed by the Heretors , either conform to the old extent of their Lands within the Paroch , or conform to the valuation by which they lalt payed alTefTment ; or otherwayes , as the major part of the Here- tors , fo meeting , fhall agree , Life-renters and Wod-fetters alwayes being lyable , during their Rights as Heretors ; and the other half thereof to be laid upon the Tennents and [poflefTors , according to their means and fubttance. And in cafe the faids Heretors , being required by any perfon or Society , imploying the poor as faid is, fhall failzie to make up and deliver a ttent Roll in maner forefaid , with power to the perfons, Society or others intrulted by them, to charge the Heretors of each Paroch for the fum of two fhillings Scots per diem, for each one of their poor, whereof they fliall be relieved in maner forefaid, conform to the old extent or valuation forefaid , at the option of the perfon or Society imploying, or thefe intrufted by them; which ftent Roll fhall continue and ftand for one year after the making up thereof, either by the Heretors , or in cafe of failzie , by the Perfons or Societies imploying the poor, as faid is , and Ihall then be renewed from year to year, during the years above- written. Providing alfo , that the Heretours in cafe they failzie to make a ftent Roll , as faid is , and be charged M x conform
