The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

¶Of prouision made for the poore. Cap. 5.

THere is no common wealth at this day in Europe, wherein there is not great store of poore people, and those necessarily to be relieued by the welthier sort, which other∣wise would starue and come to vtter confu∣sion. With vs the pore is commonly deuided into thrée sortes, so that some are poore by impotencie,* 1.1 as the fatherlesse childe, the a∣ged, blind and lame, and the diseased person that is iudged to be in•…•…urable: the second are poore by casualtie, as the wounded souldier, the decayed housholder, and the sicke person visited with grieuous and vncurable disea∣ses: the third consisteth of thriftlesse poore, as the riotour that hath cōsumed all, the vaga∣bond that will abide no wheres, but runneth vp and downe frō place to place (as it were séeking woorke and finding none) and finally the roge and strumpet which are not possi∣ble to be diuided in sonder.

For the first two sortes, that is to say the poore by impotencie and the poore by casual∣tie, which are there y^e true poore in dede, & for whome the woord doth bind vs to make some daily prouision: there is order taken thorow∣out euery parish in the Realme, that wéeke∣ly collection shalbe made for their helpe and sustentation, to the end they should not scat∣ter abrode, and by begging here and there, annoy both towne and countrey. Authoritie also is gyuen vnto the Iustices in euery Countie (and great penalties appoynted for such as make defaulte) to sée that the in∣tent of the statute in thys behalfe be truely executed, according to the purpose and mea∣ning of the s•…•…me so that these two sortes are sufficiently prouided for: and such as cā liue within the limites of their allowance (as eache one wyll doe that is godly and well di∣sposed) may well forbeare to rome & range abrode: But if they refuse to be supported by this benefite of the lawe, and will rather in∣deuour by going to and fro to maintayne theyr idle trades, then are they adiudged to be parcell of the third sort, and so in stead of curteous refreshing at home, are often cor∣rected w^t sharpe executiō, & whip of iustice a∣brod. Many there are, which notwithstāding the rigour of the lawes prouided in that be∣halfe, yelde rather with this ••••bertie (as they call it) to be daily vnder the feare & terrour of the whippe, then by abiding where they were borne or bred to be prouided for by the parish. I found not long since a note of these latter sort, y^e effect wherof ins•…•…eth Idle beg∣gers are such eyther thorow other mens oc∣casiō, or throwgh their own default.* 1.2 By other mens occasion, (as one way for example, when some couetous man espying a further commoditie in theyr commons, holdes, and tenures, doth find such meanes as therby to wipe many out of their occupyings, & turne the same vnto their priuate gaynes. Here∣vpon it followeth, that although the wise & better minded,* 1.3 do so behaue themselues that they are worthyly to be accompted among the second sort, yet the greater part commō∣ly hauing nothing to stay vpon are wilfull, and thervpō doe eyther prooue idle beggers, or else continue starke théeues till the gal∣lowes doe eate them vp.

Such as are ydle beggers thorow theyr owne default are of two sortes, and cōtinue theyr estates either by casual or •…•…ere volō∣tary meanes: Those that are such by casuall meanes, are iustly to be referred either to the first or second sort of poore: but degenera∣ting into the thriftlesse sort, they doe what they can to cōtinue their miserie, & with such impediments as they haue to stray and wa∣der about as creatures abhorring all labour and euery honest exercise. Certes I call these casuall meanes, not in respect of the originall of their pouertie, but of the conti∣nuance of the same, from whence they will not be deliuered thorow their owne vngraci∣ous lewdnesse, and froward disposition. The volūtary meanes procede frō outwarde cau∣ses, as by making of corrosiues, and apply∣ing the same to y^e more fleshie parts of their bodies: and also laying of Ratsbane, Spere∣woort, Crowfoote, and such like vnto theyr whole mēbers, thereby to raise piteous and odious sores, and mooue the goers by such places where they lie, to lament their mise∣rie, and bestowe large almes vppon them.

Vnto this neast is another sort to be re∣ferred, more sturdie then the rest, which ha∣uing sound and perfite lymmes doe yet not∣withstanding sometime counterf•…•…ict the pos∣session of al sortes of diseases. Diuers times in their apparell they will be like seruing men or labourers: Often tymes they can play the mariners, and séeke for ships which they neuer lost. But in fine, they are all théeues and Caterpillers in the common wealth, and by the word of God not permit∣ted

to eate, sith they doe but licke the sweate from the true laborers browes, and bereue y^e godly of that which is due vnto thē, to main∣teine their excesse, consuming the charitie of well disposed people bestowed vpon them, af∣ter a most wicked, horrible, and detestable maner.

It is not yet .50. yeares sith this trade be∣gan: but how it hath prospered sithens that tyme, it is easye to iudge, for they are nowe supposed of one sexe and another, to amount vnto aboue .10000. persons, as I haue harde reported. Moreouer, in counterfaiting the E∣gyptian roges, they haue deuised a lāguage among themselues, which they name Ga•…•…∣ting, but other pedlars Frenche. A speache compact 30. yeares since of English, & a great nomber of odde words of their owne diuising without all order or reason: and yet such is it as none but themselues are able to vnder∣stand. The first deuiser thereof was hanged by the necke, a iust reward no doubt for his desartes, and a common ende to all of that profession.* 1.4 A Gentleman also of late hath t•…•…∣ken great paines to search out the secrete practizes of this vngracious rable. And a∣mong other things he setteth downe and de∣scribeth .22. sortes of them, whose names it shal not be amisse to remēber whereby each one may gather, what wicked people they are, and what villany remaineth in them.

The seueral disorders and degrees a∣mongst our idle vagabonds.

• 1. Rufflers.
• 2. Vprightmen.
• 3. Hookers or An∣glers.
• 4. Roges.
• 5. Wilde Roges.
• 6. Priggers of praū∣cers.
• 7. Palliardes.
• 8. Fraters.
• 9. Abrams.
• 10. Freshwater ma∣riners, or whip∣iackes.
• 11. Dummerers.
• 12. Dronken Tin∣kars.
• 13 Swadders or ped∣lers.
• 14 Iackemen or pa∣tricoes

Of vvomen kinde.

• 1. Demaunders for glimmar or fire.
• 2. Bawdie baskets.
• 3. Mortes.
• 4. Autem Mort••••.
• 5. Wa•…•…king Mort••••.
• 6. Dores.
• 7. Delles.
• 8. Kinching Mortes.
• 9. Kinching Cooes.

The punishment that is ordained for this kind of people is very sharpe, and yet it can not restraine them frō their gadding: wher∣fore the ende must néedes be Martiall lawe to be exercised vpon them, as vpon théeues, robbers, despisers of all lawes, and enemies to the commō wealth and welfare of y^e land. What notable roberies, p••••feries, 〈…〉〈…〉, rapes, and stealings of children they doe vse (which they disfigure to begg withal) I nede not to rehearse: but for their idle r•…•…ging a∣bout the countrie, the law ordeineth this ma∣ner of correction. The Roge being apprehē∣ded, committed to prison, and tried in y^e next assizes (whether they be of G•…•…ole deliuerie or se••••ions of the pear) if he happen to be con∣uicted for a vagabond either by inquest of of∣fice, or the testimonie of two honest and cre∣dible witnesses vpon theyr other, he is then immediatly adiudged to be gréeuously whip∣ped & burned thorow the gristell of the right eare w^t an hot iron of the compasse of an inch about, as a manifestation of his wicked life, and due punishment receyued for the same. And this iudgement is to be executed vpon him, except s•…•…me honest person worth fiue pounde•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Quéenes, bookes in goods, or twentie shillings in lands, or some rich •…•…ou∣sholder to be a••••owed by the Iustices, wil be boūd in a recognisance to retaine him in his seruice for one whole yeare. If he be takē the seconde time and proued to haue forsaken his sayd seruice, he shall then be whipped a∣gaine, bored likewise thorowe the other eare and sette to seruice: from whence if he depotte before a yeare be expired, and happen afterward to be attached againe, he is condemned to suffer paines of death as a fell•••• (except before excepted) without bene∣fite of clergie or sanctuarie, as by the statute doth appere. Among roges and idle persons finally, we finde to be comprised al Proctors that go vp and downe with counterfeit li∣cences, Cosiuers, and suche as go about the countrey vsing vnlawfull games, practizers of Phis•…•…ognomie and Palmestrie, te••••ers of fortunes •…•…en•…•…ers, bearwards, players, min∣strel•…•…s, iugglers, pedlers, tinkers, schollers, shipmen, prisoners gathering for fées, and o∣thers so oft as they be taken without suffici∣ent licence. Each one also that harboroweth or aideth them with meat or money, is tared and compelled to fine with the Quéenes ma∣iestie for euery time that he shall so succoure them as it shall please the Iustices of peace to assigne, so that the taxation excéede not xx. shillings as I haue bene informed. And thus much of the poore, and such prouision as to appoynted for them within the Realme of England.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Thrée sor∣tes of poore.
• * 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.3

  At 〈…〉〈…〉 these 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.4

  •…•…homas ••••rman.