Middlesex Sessions:
Sessions Papers - Justices' Working Documents
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December 1713

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Image 28 of 311st August 1714


15. If Petty Constable, or other Officer counterfeit any Certificate or Receipt, or alter any Sum
there in, or shall not really convey the Vagrant, Etc. forfeits 20l. besides the Sum so fraudulently ta-
ken, Moiety, Poor, other Moiety, Informer, by Justices Warrant of Distress.

16. Justices may examine Constable or other Officer on Oath whether he did convey the Person
he was order'd so to do, and to whom he deliver'd such Person, if he refuse, or if it appear he hath
neglected his Duty, he shall lose the Allowance entituled to on such Certificate.

17. The Parish or Place to which any Rogue or Vagabond shall be sent, shall imploy in Work or
Place in Work-house, or Almshouse, such Persons, untill they betake themselves to some Service or
Imployment. If they refuse to work, Overseers to take them before a Justice of Peace to be feat to
the House of Correction, for hard Labour, if Parish shall not employ, and suffer such Persons to escape
and wander and they be after taken wandering and begging, Etc. the Justices where again apprehen-
ded, to compute the Charge the County shall be put to by the Apprehending, Punishing or Passing
Etc. such Rogue or Vagabond, and such Monies to be levied by Distress on any the Constables,
Church-Wardens or Overseers of the Poor so in Default, if in another County, then the Warrant
ascertaining such Charge to be brought to some Justice of the same County, who is required to cause
the same to be levied as aforesaid, which is to be for the Use of the Place where Charge expended.
Those on whom the Money is levied, may put the same in their Rates, which must be allow'd by the
Inhabitants. The Justices at Quarter Sessions, where such Rogues, Etc. are convey'd, may inquire
of Neglect, and punish according to the Merit of Offence, and if any Person be found again wander-
ing, begging, Etc. any Justice may send to the House of Correction for hard Labour till next Quar-
terSessions, and if not, then give Security for good Behaviour for one Year, to be approv'd by Ju-
stices, they may adjudge him a dangerous and incorrigible Rogue, and order him to be punished
accordingly.

18. In Case any Person, brought before a Justices of Peace, shall upon Examination be found on Con-
session, or Oath of one Witness, to have obtain'd no legal Settlement since Birth, and hath committed
any Act of Vagrancy, or to have used the Trade or Life of a common Beggar or Vagabond for two
Years past, altho' he had formerly a Settlement, or to be a dangerous and incorrigible Rogue, the
Justice, instead of punishing or passing, as before, may, by Order under Hand and Seal, commit the
Person to Custody and Power of him who apprehended, or, in case of Refusal, to any other Person
willing to take him as Apprentice or Servant for 7 Year and no longer, who shall be so bound and
may be employ'd in such Servitude, either in Great-Britain or the Queen's Plantations or British Facto-
ry for 7 Years.

19. No Person shall be transported beyond Sea until Master or Mistress be bound in 40 I. that
such Person be imploy'd in her Majesty's Plantations or British Factory, and there supplied with Ne-
cessaries convenient, at the End of 7 Years or fooner to be discharged, and in the mean Time not
to be sold to Aliens, the Justices to take Recognizance and transmit the same to Quarter-Sessions.

20. Persons thinking themselves aggriev'd by such Order, may appeal to Quarter Sessions, and
shall not be sent away till Sessions, but may in the mean Time be kept in the House of Correction if
Justices think it necessary.

21. All loose, idle and disorderly Persons, Blind, Lame, or pretending to be so; or with distort-
ed Limbs, or pretending Bodily Infirmity, placing themselves to beg in Streets, Etc. to the An-
noyance and Disturbance of Passengers, or, who shall be found begging in the Part of Great Bri-
tain call'd England, upon Complaint made by Two of the Inhabitants to the Constable, Etc. of the
Place, he shall forthwith cause the said Person to be remov'd. If such Person refuse to be remov'd,
or offend a. second Time, Constable shall cause him to be whipp'd till his Body be bloody; if Con-
stable refuse, on Oath of Two Witnesses, within Twenty Four Hours, before a Justice of Peace, to
forfeit 10s. to the Poor, by Distress, Etc.

22. Persons of little or no Estates, who by Lunacy, or otherwise, furiously Mad and Dange-
rous to be permitted to go abroad, Two Justices to cause to be apprehended and lock'd up, and, if
Justices think fit to be chain'd in the same County, Etc. if Settlement there, or else to be sent to last
Settlement as Vagrants, without Whipping; there to be kept as aforesaid during Lunacy, Charges
of Keeping out of Lunatick's Estate, if any beyond Maintenance of his Family, otherwise to be pro-
vided for as the Poor of the Parish.

23. Provise, not to abridge the Prerogative of the Crown, Etc.

24. 25. Penalty on Masters of Ships bringing Rogues, Vegabonds, Beggars or Persons likely to
live by begging, from Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Etc. or foreign Plantations 5l. for every Rogue, Etc.

26. A Power to compel Matters of Ships bound for Ireland, [..] of Man,Jersey, Etc. to receive Va-
grants passed and sent to any of those Places.

27. If any Constable or other Officer fail of his Duty in the Apprehending, Punishing or convey-
ing of Rogues or Vagabonds, or be otherwise defective, remiss or negligent in his Duty, or if any
Person shall hinder the Execution of the Act, Rescous any such apprehended, or assist an Escape, be-
ing convict, upon View of Justice or by Oath of one Witness, forfeits 20s. to the Poor, to be levied
by Distress.

28. Repeal of former Statutes, relating to Vagrants, Etc.

29. A Saving of the Right of John Dutton< no role > , Esq ; Etc.

F I N I S.

Forfeiture
for Altera-
tion of Sum,
or not con-
veying.
Examina-
tion of Con-
stables.
Persons con-
veyed, how
to be im-
ploy'd at
the Place
whither
sent.

In what
Cases to be
bound Ser-
vants or
sent beyond
Sea for 7
Years.

May Ap-
peal.

Idle Persons
blind, lame,
or pretend-
ing to be so,
how to be
dealt with.

Poor Lu-
naticks and
mad Persons
how to be
dealt with.

Penalty
Constable
failing of
his Duty.
Persons
kindring
Execution,
Etc.




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