The Counsells Lettres for Plaies & Commodies. Intratur.
Item, this daie, after the readyng of the Lordes of the Quenes Maiesties most honorable Counselles Letters, written in the favor of certein persones to haue in there howses, yardes, or back sydes, being overt & open places, such playes, enterludes, commedies, & tragedies as maye tende to represse vyce & extoll vertwe, for the recreacion of the people, & therby to drawe them from sundrye worser exercyses, The matter theerof being first examyned, sene & allowed, by such discrete person or persones as shalbe by the Lord Maiour thervnto appoynted, and takyng bondes of the said houskeapars not to suffer the same playes to be in the tyme of devyne service, & vpon other condicions in the same Letters specified:
Item, it was agreed that Master Townclark shall devyse a letter for answer of thother, to be sent vnto my Lord Burleighe, signifiing to his honour, that it is thought very perillous (considering the tyme of the yere & the heat of the weather) to haue such conventicles of people by such meanes called together, wherof the greatest number are of the meanest sorte, beseching his honour, yf it maye so seame him good, to be a meane wherby the same, for a tyme, may be forborne.
xxiv.
[1572, June 29. Extract from An Acte for the punishement of Vacabondes and for Releif of the Poore & Impotent (14 Eliz. c. 5), printed in Statutes, iv. 590. The Act was continued and amended in detail by 18 Eliz. c. 3 in 1576 (St. iv. 610) and continued by 37 Eliz. c. 11 in 1584–5 (St. iv. 718).]
[§ 2.] ... All & every person and persons whatsoever they bee, being above thage of fourtene yeres, being hereafter sett foorth by this Acte of Parliament to bee Roges Vacabonds or Sturdy Beggers, and bee at any tyme after the Feaste of Sainte Bartholomewe the Apostle next comming [24 Aug.] taken begging in any parte of this Realme, or taken vagrant wandring and misordering themselves contrary to the purport of this present Acte of Parliament in any part of the same, shall uppon their Apprehention be brought before one of the Justices of the Peece or Maior or Cheef Officer of Cities Boroughes and Townes Corporate within the Countye Cytye Boroughe or Towne Corporate, where the Apprehention shall happen to bee ... to bee presentlye commytted to ... Gaole ... or ... Prison ... untyll the next Sessions of the Peace or Generall Gaole Delivery.... At whiche Sessions or Gaole Delyverye yf suche person or persones bee duelye convict of his or her Rogishe or Vacabondes Trade of Lyef ... that then ymmedyatlye he or shee shalbe adjudged to bee grevouslye whipped, and burnte through the gristle of the right Eare with a hot Yron of the compasse of an Ynche about, manifestinge his or her rogyshe kynde of Lyef, and his or her Punyshment receaved for the same ... which Judgment shall also presentlye bee executed, Except some honest person ... wyll of his Charitye be contented presentlye to take suche Offendour before the same Justices into his Service for one whole yere next followinge.
[§ 4.] ... Yf after the said Punyshment executed or Judgement gyven, the said persone ... do eftsones fall againe to any kynde of Rogyshe or Vacabonde Trade of Lyef, that then the said Roge Vacabonde or Sturdy Begger from thenceforthe to be taken adjudged & demed in all respectes as a Felon; and shall in all Degrees receave have suffer and forfayte as a Felon, excepte some honest person ... wyll ... take him or her into his Service for two whole yeres.... And yf suche Roge or Vacabounde ... eftsones the third tyme fall againe to a kynde of Rogyshe or Vacabounde Trade of Lyef, that then suche Roge or Vacabound shalbe adjudged & deemed for a Felon, and suffer paynes of Death and losse of Land and Goodes as a Felon without Allowance or Benefyte of Cleargye or Sanctuary.
[§ 5.] ... All and everye persone and persones beynge whole and mightye in Body and able to labour, havinge not Land or Maister, nor using any lawfull Marchaundize Crafte or Mysterye whereby hee or shee might get his or her Lyvinge, and can gyve no reckninge howe he or shee dothe lawfully get his or her Lyvinge; & all Fencers Bearewardes Comon Players in Enterludes & Minstrels, not belonging to any Baron of this Realme or towardes any other honorable Personage of greater Degree; all Juglers Pedlars Tynkers and Petye Chapmen; whiche seid Fencers Bearewardes Comon Players in Enterludes Mynstrels Juglers Pedlers Tynkers & Petye Chapmen, shall wander abroade and have not Lycense of two Justices of the Peace at the leaste, whereof one to be of the Quorum, when and in what Shier they shall happen to wander ... shalbee taken adjudged and deemed Roges Vacaboundes and Sturdy Beggers.
[§ 12.] Provided alwayes, That yt shalbe lawfull to the Lord Chauncelour or Lorde Keper of the Greate Seale of England for the tyme beinge to make Lycence under the said Greate Seale, as heretofore hath benne accustomed, and that the said Lycence and Lycences shall as largely extend as the Contentes of them wyll beare; any thing herein to the contrary in any wyse notwithstandinge.
[§ 39.] Provided alwayes, That ... yt maye and shall be lawfull to the Justice and Justices of Peace, Maior Baylyffes and other Head Officers of those Cytyes, Boroughes Places and Townes Corporate where there bee Justice or Justices, to proceed to the execucion of this Acte within the Precinct and Compasse of their Liberties, in suche manner & fourme as the Justices of Peace in any Countye may or ought to doo within the same Countye by vertue of this Acte, any Matter or Thinge in this Acte expressed to the contrary therof notwithstandinge.