¶
An
Acte
for
the
prouision
and
relief
of
the
Poore
.
TO
thentent
that
valiaunt
beggers
,
ydle
,
and
loiteryng
personnes
,
may
be
auoided
,
and
the
impotent
,
feble
,
and
lame
,
prouided
for
whiche
are
poore
in
very
diede
:
BE
IT
enacted
by
the
Kyng
our
souereigne
lord
,
with
the
assent
of
the
Lordes
Spiritual
,
and
Temporal
,
and
the
communes
in
this
present
Parlament
assembled
,
and
by
aucthoritie
of
the
same
,
that
aswel
the
statute
made
in
the
.xxij.
yere
of
the
late
Kyng
of
famous
memorie
Kyng
Henry
the
.viij.
as
also
the
statute
made
in
the
thirde
,
and
fourth
yeare
of
the
reigne
of
the
Kynges
Maiestie
,
that
now
is
,
concernyng
beggers
,
vagaboundes
,
&
ydle
personnes
,
&
euery
article
,
clause
,
braunche
,
sentence
,
and
other
thynges
conteined
in
them
,
&
in
euery
of
them
(
other
then
suche
thynges
,
as
shal
be
by
this
present
Acte
ordeyned
,
and
prouided
for
)
shal
stand
,
remaine
,
&
be
in
their
ful
force
,
and
effecte
,
and
shal
be
from
hencefutth
iustly
,
and
truely
,
putte
in
execucion
,
accordyng
to
the
true
meanyng
of
the
said
seueral
statutes
,
and
euery
of
them
.
And
further
,
be
it
enacted
by
the
aucthoritie
aforesaied
,
that
yearely
,
one
holie
daie
in
Whiteson
weke
,
in
euery
Citie
,
Borough
,
and
Towne
corporate
,
the
Maiour
,
Bailifes
,
or
other
heade
officers
for
the
tyme
beyng
:
And
in
euery
other
Parishe
of
the
countrie
,
the
personne
,
vicar
,
or
curate
,
and
the
Churchewardeins
(
hauyng
in
a
Regester
,
or
Booke
,
aswel
al
the
names
of
the
enhabitantes
,
and
housholders
,
as
also
the
names
of
al
suche
impotent
,
aged
and
neadie
persons
,
as
beyng
within
their
Citie
,
Borough
,
Towne
corporate
,
or
Parishe
,
are
not
able
to
lyue
of
them selues
,
nor
with
their
owne
labour
,
)
shal
openly
in
the
Churche
,
and
quietly
,
after
diuine
seruice
,
cal
the
saide
housholders
and
enhabitantes
together
.
Among
whom
the
Maiour
,
and
two
of
his
brethren
in
euery
Citie
,
the
Bailifes
,
or
other
head
officers
in
Boroughes
▪
and
Townes
corporate
,
the
person
,
vicate
,
or
Curate
,
and
Churchewardeins
in
euery
other
Parishe
:
shal
elect
,
nominate
,
and
appoint
yerely
,
two
able
persons
,
or
mo
,
to
be
gatherers
,
and
collectours
of
the
charitable
almose
of
all
the
residue
of
the
people
,
for
the
relief
of
the
poore
.
Whiche
collectours
the
Sondaie
next
after
their
election
,
(
or
the
Sondaie
folowyng
,
yf
niede
require
)
when
the
people
is
at
the
Churche
,
and
hath
heard
Goddes
holy
worde
,
shal
gently
aske
,
and
demande
of
euery
man
,
and
woman
,
what
thei
of
their
charitie
wil
be
contented
to
geue
wekely
,
towarde
the
relief
of
the
poore
.
And
the
same
to
be
written
in
the
saied
Register
,
or
Booke
.
And
the
said
gatherers
,
so
beyng
elected
,
and
chosen
,
shal
iustly
gather
,
and
truely
distribute
the
same
charitable
almose
wekelie
(
by
them selues
or
their
assignes
)
to
the
said
poore
,
and
impotent
persons
of
the
said
Cities
,
Boroughes
,
Townes
corporate
,
or
Parishes
,
without
fraude
,
or
couine
,
fauour
,
or
affection
.
And
after
suche
sorte
,
that
the
more
impotent
may
haue
the
more
helpe
:
and
suche
,
as
can
gette
parte
of
their
liuyng
to
haue
the
lesse
.
And
by
the
discrecion
of
the
collectours
to
be
putte
in
suche
labour
,
as
thei
be
fitte
,
and
able
to
do
,
but
none
to
go
,
or
sitte
openly
a
beggyng
,
vpon
paine
limitted
in
the
afore
saied
Statutes
.
Be
it
also
enacted
by
thauthoritie
afore
said
,
that
no
person
,
or
personnes
,
so
elected
,
nominated
,
and
appointed
to
be
gatherer
,
or
gatherers
,
as
is
afore
said
,
shal
refuse
thesaid
office
,
but
shal
iustly
,
and
truely
execute
the
same
,
by
the
space
of
one
whole
yere
next
ensuyng
,
vpon
peine
of
forfeityng
.xx.
s
.
to
the
almose
boxe
of
the
poore
,
to
be
leuied
by
the
Churchewardeins
,
where
thei
,
or
he
dwelleth
.
of
the
goodes
of
the
said
gatherer
,
or
gatherers
,
so
refusyng
,
by
distresse
.
And
further
,
be
it
enacted
by
the
aucthoritie
afore
said
,
that
the
saied
gatherers
,
or
collectours
,
shal
make
there
iust
accompte
quarterlie
,
to
the
Maiour
of
the
Citie
,
Bailifes
,
or
head
officers
of
the
Borough
,
or
Towne
corporate
:
And
in
euery
Parishe
of
the
countrie
,
to
the
person
,
vicare
,
or
curate
,
and
Churchewardeins
of
the
Par●●he
.
At
whiche
accompte
,
such
of
the
Parishe
,
as
wil
,
may
be
present
.
And
when
thei
go
out
of
their
office
,
thei
shal
deliuer
,
or
cause
to
be
deliuered
,
furthwith
vpon
thende
of
their
accomptes
,
al
suche
surplusage
of
monie
as
then
shal
remaine
of
their
collection
vndistributed
,
to
be
put
in
the
common
cheste
of
the
Churche
,
or
in
some
other
saufe
place
,
to
the
vse
of
the
poore
,
at
the
ouer
sight
,
and
discrecion
of
the
said
Maiour
,
or
other
the
officers
before
mencioned
.
And
if
the
saied
collectours
,
or
any
of
them
,
do
refuse
to
make
their
saied
accompte
,
within
.viij.
daies
:
then
the
Bishop
of
the
Dioces
,
or
ordinarie
,
shal
haue
aucthoritie
by
vertue
of
this
acte
,
to
compelle
the
said
person
,
or
persones
,
by
Censures
of
the
Churche
,
to
make
their
saied
accomptes
,
before
suche
persones
as
the
saied
Bishop
,
or
ordinarie
,
shal
appointe
.
And
be
it
further
enacted
,
by
thaucthoritie
aforesaid
,
that
if
any
person
,
or
persones
,
beyng
able
to
further
this
charitable
worke
,
do
obstinatly
,
and
frowardly
refuse
to
geue
towardes
the
helpe
of
the
poore
,
or
do
wilfully
discourage
other
from
so
charitable
a
diede
:
the
person
,
vicare
,
or
curate
,
and
Churchewardeins
,
of
the
Parishe
wherin
he
dwelleth
,
shal
gently
exhort
hym
,
or
them
,
towardes
the
relief
of
the
poore
.
And
if
he
,
or
thei
,
wil
not
so
be
persuaded
,
then
vpon
the
certificat
of
the
person
,
vicare
,
or
curate
of
the
Parishe
,
to
the
Bishop
of
the
Dioces
,
the
same
Bishop
shal
sende
for
hym
,
or
them
,
to
induce
,
and
persuade
hym
,
or
them
,
by
charitable
waies
,
and
meanes
.
And
so
accordyng
to
his
discrecion
,
to
take
order
for
the
reformacion
therof
.
And
for
the
better
maintenaunce
of
this
charitable
worke
,
it
is
ordeined
,
and
established
by
aucthoritie
aforesaid
,
that
where
as
the
late
Kyng
,
of
famous
memorie
,
Kyng
Henry
the
.viij.
by
his
seueral
erections
and
foundacions
,
hath
ordeined
and
appointed
,
any
somme
,
or
sommes
of
money
to
the
vse
of
the
poore
(
not
beyng
taken
away
otherwyse
by
Acte
of
Parlament
)
whether
the
same
be
in
any
Cathedral
Churche
,
college
,
or
els
where
:
The
Bishoppe
of
the
Dioces
for
the
tyme
beyng
,
shall
from
tyme
to
tyme
,
examine
,
how
,
and
after
what
maner
,
thesaid
money
is
bestowed
,
and
cal
to
accompte
the
parties
whiche
reteine
thesaid
money
,
so
that
it
may
appere
that
the
same
is
distributed
to
the
poore
,
accordyng
to
the
Kynges
Maiesties
foundacion
.
Prouided
alwaies
,
and
be
it
further
enacted
by
thaucthoritie
aforesaid
,
that
this
present
Acte
,
nor
any
thyng
therin
conteined
,
shal
extende
,
or
be
preiudicial
vnto
the
Maiour
,
Shereues
,
&
citezeins
,
of
the
citie
of
Chestre
,
for
,
or
concernyng
any
gifte
,
or
graunte
,
of
any
annuitie
,
or
yearely
rente
,
heretofore
made
,
geuen
,
or
graunted
by
the
Kynges
Maiestie
that
now
is
,
vnto
the
said
Maiour
Shiereues
,
and
Citezeins
,
of
thesaid
Citie
,
goyng
out
of
any
Manours
,
Londes
,
tenementes
,
and
hereditamentes
of
the
Cathedrale
Churche
of
Christe
,
and
our
Ladie
,
within
the
Citie
of
Chestre
,
but
that
the
same
Maiour
,
Shiereues
,
&
Citezeins
,
shal
,
&
may
,
from
henceforth
,
receiue
,
vse
,
&
employ
,
the
same
aucthorities
,
yerely
rentes
,
or
profectes
,
to
suche
vses
,
and
ententes
,
and
accordyng
to
thesaid
gifte
of
our
souereigne
Lorde
the
Kyng
,
any
thyng
in
this
present
Acte
to
the
contrary
,
notwithstandyng
.
This
Acte
to
endure
to
thende
of
the
first
session
,
of
the
next
Parlamente
.
¶
God
saue
the
Kyng
.