c. 24,

POOR LAWS

Expences of

quhair they were taken, the fame prifones being in fik JAMES VI, townes, quhair there is great number of pure people, mair P. 6, 1579, nor they ar weill abill to fufteine and relieve: And fa the Prifoners ar like to perish in default of sustenance: Therefoir the expenses of the prisoner, fall be payed be a pairt of the commoun contributions, and oukly almes of the Parochin, quhair he or sche was apprehended, allowand to ilk perfon daily ane punde of Ait breade, and water to drink. For payment quhairof, the presenter of him to prison, fall give fovertie, or make prefent payment. that the Schireffes, Stewardes and Baillies of Regalities, and their Baillies over all the Realme, and their deputes, see this present act, put to dew execution in all poyntes, within their jurisdictions respectivè, as they will answere to God, and our Soveraine Lord thereupon. And quhat ever doubt or ambiguitie fall happen to arife upon this present Act, or ony pairt thereof: OUR Soveraine Lord, with advise of his faidis three Eftaites, committis the interpretation, explanation fuppliement and full execution thereof, to his Majeftie, with advise of his privie Councel.

And

prifoners.

No. XLI.

JAMES VI, Parl. 12, 1592, c. 149. For punishment of maisterfull beggares, and reliefe of the puir.

OUR SOVERAINE LORD, and his Eftaites, POOR LAWS in this prefent Parliament, ratifies and apprievis his Hienes Act of Parliament maid for punishment of ftrang and idle beggars, and provifion for reliefe of the puir and impotent: And ordainis the fame to be put in execution in all partes of the Realme, as it is already tane effect, within the partes of the Burgh of Edinburgh; And because fum of the Schireffedomes, ar of wide and lang boundes, quhair-throw it will be difficil, to convoy vagaboundes and perfones offending, to the commoun prifones of the head Burrowes of the Schire: Therefore ordaines and commandis all Schireffes, Stewartes, Baillies, Lordes and Baillies of Regalities, and their deputes: And Proveftes and Baillies

4

c. 149, POOR LAWS

:

JAMES VI, within Burrowes, to make prifones, ftockes and irones; P. 12, 1592, Not only at the head Burgh, but also at the principal throwfaire tounes, and Paroche Kirkes, within the haill boundes of the Schire alfweill to Burgh, as to Land-wart; And to constitute ane or twa Schireffe-deputes, of honeft and zealous men of best credite and power in the boundes within, or nixt adjacent to the faidis Burrowes, throwfaire Townes and Paroche Kirkes, to put the effect of the faid act of Parliament in execution: Or gif the faidis Making of Schireffes, or utheris Judges ordinar, beis found remiffe or prifons. negligent gives and grantis, full power, charge and authoritie, to the Minifters, Elders and Deacons within the boundes of everie Parochin, or of fa monie parochines as will concur togidder, to nominate and elect ane, twa, three, or maa perfones of the beft habilitie, zeale and difcretion, within the fame Parochin or boundes, quhom his Hieneffe makis and conftitutis Juftices and Commiffioners in that parte, to the effect under-written; Givand, grantand, and committand to them, conjunctly and feverally, full power, charge and authoritie, to execute the faid act of Parlia ment, concerning the punishment of ftrang and idle beggares and vagabounds and provifion for reliefe of the puir tion of per- and impotent: And to that effect, to fense and hald courtes, create Officiares fummond affife, ilk perfon under the paine acts. of five poundes, un-lawes and paines, to take, uplift and raife; And for the fame, gif neede beis, to poynd and distrenzie, and to the ufes conteined in the faid acte applie; And generallie all and findrie uther thinges, to do, exerce and ufe, that to the full execution of the fame acte of Parliament, within the faidis boundes, is neceffarlie required. And in-cafe the faidis Judges ordinar, or their deputes, or the faidis perfones to be nominate and elect, as faid is, conftitute Juftices and Commiffioners, be the authoritie of this prefent acte of Parliament, fall happen to refuse or delay, to accept and use the Commiffion; Or having accepted the fame, fall be found remiffe or negligent in execution thereof: they fall incurre the paine and un-law appointed, against Judges and Magiftrates, be the faid act of Parliament: quhair-upon dittay fall be uptaken, and they called and accused therefore, at general Justice aires, or particular diettes; Or then letters fall be

Nomina

fons to ex

ecute the

c. 149,

direct, be deliverance of the Lordes of Councell and Sef- JAMES VI, fion; Charging alfweill the faidis Judges ordinar and their P. 12, 1592, deputes, as the faidis perfones to be nominate and elected; POOR LAWS and conftitute Juftices and Commiffioners, be this present act of Parliament; upon the fight of the acte and testimo nial of their nomination and election: to put the said act of Parliament to execution in all poynts: after the forme and tenour thereof, within fourtie daies, nixt after the charge; under the paine of rebellion, and putting of them to the Horne; And gif they failzie therein, the faids fourtie daies being bypaft; to denunce the difobeyares, rebelles, and put them to the horne: And to efcheit and inbring, all their movable guddes to his Hieneffe use, for their contemption. And for the better tryall of commoun fornares, vagaboundes, and maifterfull beggares: feinzied fooles and counterfaict Egyptianes: And to the effect that they may be ftill perfewed, quhill they be compelled to fettle them at fum certaine dwelling, or be expelled foorth of the Countrie: That the Schireffes and uther Judges ordinar, and their deputes, and uther Juftices and Commiffioners abone specified, take inquifition be inqueft, at the head Courtes zeirlie, of the names and takens of them; And make denunciation of them, to the nixt ordinar Judges and Parochinnes, in the four halfes about: As alfo to our Soveraine Lord, and his fecret Councell, within 40. dayes after the faids head courts under the paine forefaid.

No. XLII.

JAMES VI, Parl. 15, 1597, c. 272. Strang beggers, vagabounds, and Ægyptians fuld be punished.

OUR Soveraine Lorde, and Eftaites of Parliament, ra- POOR LAWS tifies and apprieves the actes of Parliament made of before, against ftrang and idle beggers, vagabounds, and Egyptians with this addition, That ftarke beggers and their bairnes, be imployed in commoun warkes: And their service mentioned in the act of Parliament, in the zeir of GOD, ane thousand, five hundreth, seventy nine zeires, to

JA. VI, P.15, be prorogate, induring their life-times: And in place of 1797, c.172 feveral commiflions in Landward to be granted be the King, for execution of the faid act, the power thereof to be granted to the particular Seffion of the Kirk.

POOR LAWS

No. XLIII.

JAMES VI, Parl. 16, 16c0, c. 19. Ratification of the act anent firong and idle beggers.

OUR SOVERAIGNE LORD, with advyfe of the Eftaites of this prefent Parliament, ratifies and confirmes the act made by his Heighnes and Eftaites conveined at Perth the first day of Aprile lait by paft, against ftrong and idle beggers; whereof the tenour followes. The Kings Majefty and Lords of fecret Councell, reniembering how there hes vene diverse gude and lovable acts of Parliament and fecret Counfell, made and published heretofore, for punishment of ftrong and idle beggers, and releefe of the poore and impotent. And how the faids acts hes received litle or no effect, or execution by the overfight and negligence of the perfons, who were nominat Juftices and Commiffioners, for putting of the faids acts to full and due execution. And that there was not a special penalty, appoynted and enjoyned to them, who should be remiffe and negligent therein. So that the ftrong and idle beggers being for the most part theeves, bairds and coun terfitte limmers, living moft infolently and ungodly, with out mariage or Baptifme of a great number of their children, are fuffered to vaig and wander throughout all the haill Countrie, and the poore and impotent perfons are ne glected, and no care had, nor provifion made for their enterteinment and fuftentation For remeid whereof, and fupply of the faids acts, and namely of the act of Parlia ment made in the yeare of God 597. Whereby the execution of the acts of Parliament, is committed to the par ticular Seffions of the Kirk, It is ftatute and ordained by the Kings Majefty, with advyce of the Lords of his fecret

POOR LAWS

ries to affift

Counsell, that the faids Seffions of the Kirk, where need JA. VI, P. 16, is, shall be affifted by ane or twa of the Prefbyteries; and 1600, c.19, that they shall put the faids acts to full and due execution, conforme to the tenour thereof in all poynts, every an of them within their awne bounds, under the paine of twenty pounds to be exacted of them, so oft as they shall be found to be remiffe or negligent herein. And that these Prefbytepresents shall begine to take effect, and have execution up- the feflions. on the first day of June next to come. And to the effect his Majefty may be the better affured of the care and diligence of the faids Seffions of the Kirk, in the due execution of the faids acts of Parliament, his Majeftie commands the haill Prefbyteries of this Realme, to take diligent tryel of the obedience of the Seffions hereanent, and to report their certificat and testimonial there upon, to his Majesties Minifters, betuixt and the first day of August next to come, wherethrow his Majefty may thereafter proceed against fik as shall be negligent as accords: And that letters of publication be direct here-upon as effeiris; wherethrow the faid Seffions of the Kirk, nor no other pretend ignorance. And to command and charge the faid Seffions of the Kirk to put the faids acts of Parliament made against strong and idle beggers, whereof the execution is comitted to them, by the faid act of Parliament made in the forefaid yeare of God 1597. to due and full execution in all poynts, conforme to the tenour thereof, betuixt and the faid first day of June next to come, under the said paine of twenty pounds to be exacted off them, fo oft as they fhall be founden to be remiffe after the faid day. Certifying them that failyes, that the faid paine fhall be uplifted off them with all rigour. And fik-like to command and charge the faids Prefbyteries to take tryel of the faids. Seffions here-anent, and to report their teftimonial thereupon betwixt and the first day of Auguft, as faid is. As they will answere to his Majesty upon their obedience at their uttermoft charge and perell.