WHIPPING FOR TRAMPS
Another entry which constantly occurs in the sixteenth century is “for Whypping dogges out of Church,” and in the seventeenth century not “dogges” only but vagrants are treated to the lash, e.g.:—
“April 21, 1685. John Coulson then whipped for a vagrant rogue and sent to Redford.
“Antho. Berridge (Vicar).”
And in 1686:—
“Memorand. that John Herrin and Katherine Herrin and one child, and Jonas Hay and wife and two children, and Barbary Peay and Eliz. Nutall were openly whipped, at Heckington, the 28th day of May, 1686—and had a passe then made to convey them from Constable to Constable to Newark, in Nottinghamshire, and Will Stagg was at the same time whipped and sent to Conton in Nottinghamshire.”
A good, sound method of dealing with “Vagrom men,” but for the women and children one wonders the parson or churchwardens were not ashamed to make the entry.
Great Hale.
The book also shows the accounts of the “Dike-reeve” (an important officer) for what in another place is called “the farre fenne.”