slave, as is aforesayde, being married within the age of twenty yeres without assent of her master, until she shall accomplish and come to the said age of twenty yeres, only excepted.
XIX. Be it also enacted, That all leprous and poore bedred creatures whatsoever they bee, may at their owne libertie remaine and continue in such houses appointed for leprous or bedred people, as they now be in, and shall not be compelled to repaire into any other countries or places by vertue of this Act: anything therein conteined to the contrary notwithstanding. And that also it shall bee lawfull unto the sayde leprous and bedred people, for their better reliefes, to appoint their proctor or proctors, so there be not appointed above the number of two persons, for any one house of leprous, bedred people, to gather the charitable almes of all such inhabitants as shalbe within the compasse of foure miles, of any of the said houses of leprous and bedred persons.
XX. And bee it ordeined and enacted by the authoritie abovesaide, That it shall bee lawfull to everie person, to whom any person in forme abovesaid, shall bee adjudged a slave, to put a ring of iron about his necke, arme, or his leg, for a more knowledge and suretie of the keeping of him. And that if any person or persons doe take, or helpe to take any such bond of iron from any such slave, that then everie person so doing, without licence or assent of his master, shall forfeit for every such default ten pounds sterling.
XXI. Bee it further enacted, That this present Act shall before the first day of March next comming, bee openly proclaimed in everie Citie, corporate Towne, and market Towne, upon the market daie: and also from thenceforth shall yeerely bee read in everie Shire openly, in two general quarter Sessions of Peace, that is to say, at the general quarter Sessions next after Midsummer, and the general quarter Sessions next after Christmasse, to the intent that everie person may have knowledge thereof, and that this Act shall indure unto the end of the next Parliament.
XII Provided alwaies and bee it enacted, That it shall bee lawfull to the Lord Chaunceller of England, or to the Lord Keeper of the great Seale for the time being, at their discretions to grant commission under the great Seale of England, to everie or any person or persons, that hath or shall have his or their houses or barnes burnt, or such losse's, to gather the reliefe and charitie of others for their ayde and helpe of his or their losses, decay, or hinderance, as in time past hath beene used: any thing conteined in this Act notwithstanding.
Anno tertio & quarto Edwardi sexti.
ACTS made in the Session of Parliament holden upon Prorogation at Westminster on the fourth day of November, in the third yeere of the reigne of our late Soveraigne Lord Edward the sixt late King of England, and there continued and kept untill the first day of February in the fourth yeere of the reigne of the said King, as followeth.
CAP. XXVI.
An Act touching the punishment of Vagabonds and other idle Persons.
"FOR AS MUCH as it is notoriously seene and knowen, that Vagabonds and Beggers doe daily increase within this the Kings highnesse Realme into very great numbers, chiefely by occasion of idlenes, mother and root of all vices, whereby doe insue continuall thefts, murders, conspiracies, and other sundry heinous offences, and partly for that the good and wholesome lawes and Statutes of this Realme, hath not beene put in due execution, and partly also, by reason of the multitude of the same (the extreamitie of some whereof have beene occasion that they have not beene put in use) therefore, and for divers good considerations it is enacted by the King our Sovereigne Lord, with the assent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall, and the commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same:" RepealeThat the Statute made in the first yeere of the Kings highnes most noble reigne concerning idle persons and Vagabonds in certaine cases, to be made slaves and so foorth, and all and every Article, matter, proviso, branch, and sentence therein contained, shall be from hencefoorth utterly repealed, made frustrate, voide, and of none effect.
ConfirmationII. And that the Statute concerning how aged impotent persons should be ordred for their better reliese, and how Vagabonds and strong Beggers should be punished, made in the xxii. yeere of the late King of most famous memorie King Henrie the eight, and every matter, Article, proviso, branch, and sentence therein contained, to be from hencefoorth revived, made good, and stand in full strength and vertue, and shall continue and remaine a perfect Act of Parliament for ever.
And be it therefore enacted by the authoritie aforesayd, That all Justices of peace, and every of them within the limits of their commission, and the Maiors, Shiriffes, Bailiffes, and other officers within their severall rule and offices, shall within their severall limits assemble together and make their several division, according to the purport and effect of this Act, at the next generall quarter Sessions of the peace to be holden after the feast of Easter next to come, for the due, speedy and diligent execution of the same Act. And that if any such aged or impotent person after the feast of Easter next to come