3.5. ¶Of prouiſion made for the poore. Cap. 5.
¶Of prouiſion made for the poore. Cap. 5.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 THere is no common wealth at this day in Europe, wherein there is not great ſtore of poore people, and thoſe neceſſarily to be relieued by the welthier ſort, which other|wiſe would ſtarue and come to vtter confu|ſion. With vs the pore is commonly deuided into thrée ſortes, ſo that ſome are poore by impotencie,Thrée ſor|tes of poore. as the fatherleſſe childe, the a|ged, blind and lame, and the diſeaſed perſon that is iudged to be in [...]urable: the ſecond are poore by caſualtie, as the wounded ſouldier, the decayed houſholder, and the ſicke perſon viſited with grieuous and vncurable diſea|ſes: the third conſiſteth of thriftleſſe poore, as the riotour that hath cõſumed all, the vaga|bond that will abide no wheres, but runneth vp and downe frõ place to place (as it were ſéeking woorke and finding none) and finally the roge and ſtrumpet which are not poſſi|ble to be diuided in ſonder.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 For the firſt two ſortes, that is to ſay the poore by impotencie and the poore by caſual|tie, which are there ye true poore in dede, & for whome the woord doth bind vs to make ſome daily prouiſion: there is order taken thorow|out euery pariſh in the Realme, that wéeke|ly collection ſhalbe made for their helpe and ſuſtentation, to the end they ſhould not ſcat|ter abrode, and by begging here and there, annoy both towne and countrey. Authoritie alſo is gyuen vnto the Iuſtices in euery Countie (and great penalties appoynted for ſuch as make defaulte) to ſée that the in|tent of the ſtatute in thys behalfe be truely executed, according to the purpoſe and mea|ning of the ſ [...]me ſo that theſe two ſortes are ſufficiently prouided for: and ſuch as cã liue within the limites of their allowance (as eache one wyll doe that is godly and well di|ſpoſed) may well forbeare to rome & range abrode: But if they refuſe to be ſupported by this benefite of the lawe, and will rather in|deuour by going to and fro to maintayne theyr idle trades, then are they adiudged to be parcell of the third ſort, and ſo in ſtead of curteous refreſhing at home, are often cor|rected wt ſharpe executiõ, & whip of iuſtice a|brod. Many there are, which notwithſtãding the rigour of the lawes prouided in that be|halfe, yelde rather with this [...]bertie (as they call it) to be daily vnder the feare & terrour of the whippe, then by abiding where they were borne or bred to be prouided for by the pariſh. I found not long ſince a note of theſe latter ſort, ye effect wherof inſ [...]eth Idle beg|gers are ſuch eyther thorow other mens oc|caſiõ, or throwgh their own default. [...] By other mens occaſion, (as one way for example, when ſome couetous man eſpying a further commoditie in theyr commons, holdes, and tenures, doth find ſuch meanes as therby to wipe many out of their occupyings, & turne the ſame vnto their priuate gaynes. Here|vpon it followeth, that although the wiſe & better minded,At [...] theſe [...]. do ſo behaue themſelues that they are worthyly to be accompted among the ſecond ſort, yet the greater part commõ|ly hauing nothing to ſtay vpon are wilfull, and thervpõ doe eyther prooue idle beggers, or elſe continue ſtarke théeues till the gal|lowes doe eate them vp.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Such as are ydle beggers thorow theyr owne default are of two ſortes, and cõtinue theyr eſtates either by caſual or [...]ere volõ|tary meanes: Thoſe that are ſuch by caſuall meanes, are iuſtly to be referred either to the firſt or ſecond ſort of poore: but degenera|ting into the thriftleſſe ſort, they doe what they can to cõtinue their miſerie, & with ſuch impediments as they haue to ſtray and wa|der about as creatures abhorring all labour and euery honeſt exerciſe. Certes I call theſe caſuall meanes, not in reſpect of the originall of their pouertie, but of the conti|nuance of the ſame, from whence they will not be deliuered thorow their owne vngraci|ous lewdneſſe, and froward diſpoſition. The volũtary meanes procede frõ outwarde cau|ſes, as by making of corroſiues, and apply|ing the ſame to ye more fleſhie parts of their bodies: and alſo laying of Ratsbane, Spere|woort, Crowfoote, and ſuch like vnto theyr whole mẽbers, thereby to raiſe piteous and odious ſores, and mooue the goers by ſuch places where they lie, to lament their miſe|rie, and beſtowe large almes vppon them.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Vnto this neaſt is another ſort to be re|ferred, more ſturdie then the reſt, which ha|uing ſound and perfite lymmes doe yet not|withſtanding ſometime counterf [...]ict the poſ|ſeſſion of al ſortes of diſeaſes. Diuers times in their apparell they will be like ſeruing men or labourers: Often tymes they can play the mariners, and ſéeke for ſhips which they neuer loſt. But in fine, they are all théeues and Caterpillers in the common wealth, and by the word of God not permit|ted EEBO page image 107 to eate, ſith they doe but licke the ſweate from the true laborers browes, and bereue ye godly of that which is due vnto thẽ, to main|teine their exceſſe, conſuming the charitie of well diſpoſed people beſtowed vpon them, af|ter a moſt wicked, horrible, and deteſtable maner.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 It is not yet .50. yeares ſith this trade be|gan: but how it hath proſpered ſithens that tyme, it is eaſye to iudge, for they are nowe ſuppoſed of one ſexe and another, to amount vnto aboue .10000. perſons, as I haue harde reported. Moreouer, in counterfaiting the E|gyptian roges, they haue deuiſed a lãguage among themſelues, which they name Ga [...]|ting, but other pedlars Frenche. A ſpeache compact 30. yeares ſince of Engliſh, & a great nomber of odde words of their owne diuiſing without all order or reaſon: and yet ſuch is it as none but themſelues are able to vnder|ſtand. The firſt deuiſer thereof was hanged by the necke, a iuſt reward no doubt for his deſartes, and a common ende to all of that profeſſion. [...]homas [...]rman. A Gentleman alſo of late hath t [...]|ken great paines to ſearch out the ſecrete practizes of this vngracious rable. And a|mong other things he ſetteth downe and de|ſcribeth .22. ſortes of them, whoſe names it ſhal not be amiſſe to remẽber whereby each one may gather, what wicked people they are, and what villany remaineth in them.
The ſeueral diſorders and degrees a|mongſt our idle vagabonds.
- Compare 1587 edition:
1
- 1. Rufflers.
- 2. Vprightmen.
- 3. Hookers or An|glers.
- 4. Roges.
- 5. Wilde Roges.
- 6. Priggers of praũ|cers.
- 7. Palliardes.
- 8. Fraters.
- 9. Abrams.
- 10. Freſhwater ma|riners, or whip|iackes.
- 11. Dummerers.
- 12. Dronken Tin|kars.
- 13 Swadders or ped|lers.
- 14 Iackemen or pa|tricoes
Of vvomen kinde.
- Compare 1587 edition:
1
- 1. Demaunders for glimmar or fire.
- 2. Bawdie baſkets.
- 3. Mortes.
- 4. Autem Mort [...].
- 5. Wa [...]king Mort [...].
- 6. Dores.
- 7. Delles.
- 8. Kinching Mortes.
- 9. Kinching Cooes.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 The puniſhment that is ordained for this kind of people is very ſharpe, and yet it can not reſtraine them frõ their gadding: wher|fore the ende muſt néedes be Martiall lawe to be exerciſed vpon them, as vpon théeues, robbers, deſpiſers of all lawes, and enemies to the commõ wealth and welfare of ye land. What notable roberies, p [...]feries, [...], rapes, and ſtealings of children they doe vſe (which they diſfigure to begg withal) I nede not to rehearſe: but for their idle r [...]ging a|bout the countrie, the law ordeineth this ma|ner of correction. The Roge being apprehẽ|ded, committed to priſon, and tried in ye next aſſizes (whether they be of G [...]ole deliuerie or ſe [...]ions of the pear) if he happen to be con|uicted for a vagabond either by inqueſt of of|fice, or the teſtimonie of two honeſt and cre|dible witneſſes vpon theyr other, he is then immediatly adiudged to be gréeuouſly whip|ped & burned thorow the griſtell of the right eare wt an hot iron of the compaſſe of an inch about, as a manifeſtation of his wicked life, and due puniſhment receyued for the ſame. And this iudgement is to be executed vpon him, except ſ [...]me honeſt perſon worth fiue pounde [...] [...] the Quéenes, bookes in goods, or twentie ſhillings in lands, or ſome rich [...]ou|ſholder to be a [...]owed by the Iuſtices, wil be boũd in a recogniſance to retaine him in his ſeruice for one whole yeare. If he be takẽ the ſeconde time and proued to haue forſaken his ſayd ſeruice, he ſhall then be whipped a|gaine, bored likewiſe thorowe the other eare and ſette to ſeruice: from whence if he depotte before a yeare be expired, and happen afterward to be attached againe, he is condemned to ſuffer paines of death as a fell [...] (except before excepted) without bene|fite of clergie or ſanctuarie, as by the ſtatute doth appere. Among roges and idle perſons finally, we finde to be compriſed al Proctors that go vp and downe with counterfeit li|cences, Coſiuers, and ſuche as go about the countrey vſing vnlawfull games, practizers of Phiſ [...]ognomie and Palmeſtrie, te [...]ers of fortunes [...]en [...]ers, bearwards, players, min|ſtrel [...]s, iugglers, pedlers, tinkers, ſchollers, ſhipmen, priſoners gathering for fées, and o|thers ſo oft as they be taken without ſuffici|ent licence. Each one alſo that harboroweth or aideth them with meat or money, is tared and compelled to fine with the Quéenes ma|ieſtie for euery time that he ſhall ſo ſuccoure them as it ſhall pleaſe the Iuſtices of peace to aſſigne, ſo that the taxation excéede not xx. ſhillings as I haue bene informed. And thus much of the poore, and ſuch prouiſion as to appoynted for them within the Realme of England.