684 C. i-=— 3. Anno tricdimo nono Regins Elizabeths. A. D. 1597, Anno tricefimo nono Reginse Elizabeths. ' A T the Parliament begun and holden at Wejlminjler the four and twentieth Day of Oclober in the ' J. nine and thirteenth Year of the Reign of our moft gracious Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by the
- Grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. and there con-
' tinued until the DifTolution thereof, being the ninth of February next following, one thoufand five ' hundred ninety-feven ; To the high Pleafure of Almighty God, and theWeal publick of this Realm,
- were enacted as followeth.
CAP. I. H. 7. c. 19. and all other S
- pealed : And the Penalty fo
Stat. 29 Eliz. c. The Statute of 4 H. 7. c. 19. and all other Statutes made againft the Deftruclion of Towns and Houfes of Hufbandry, repealed : And the Penalty for decaying of Houfes of Hufbandry fince 1 Eliz. &c. EXP. CAP. II. Arable Land made Pafture fince 1 Eliz. fhall be again converted to Tillage, and what is Arable fhall not be converted to Pafture, cjfe. EXP. Stat. 39 Eliz. c. 1. Bridgm. 89. CAP. III. An Act for the Reliefe of the Poore. BEe it enaSed by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, that the Churchwardens of euery Pariih, and foure fubftantiall Houfeholders there being Subfidie Men, or for want of Subfidie Men, foure other fubftantiall Houfeholders of the faid Pariih, who fhall be nominated yearly in Eajler Weeke, un- der the Hand and Seal of two or more Juftices of the Peace in the fame County, whereof one to be of the Quorum, dwelling in, or near the fame Parifh, fhall be called ouerfeers of the Poor of the fame Parifh, and they or the greater Part of them (hall take order from Time to Time, by, and with the confent of two or more fuch Juftices of Peace, for fetting to worke of the Children of all fuch whofe Parents fhall not by the faid Perfons be thought able to keepe and maintain their Children. And alfo all fuch Perfons maried or unmaried, as hauing no meanes to mainteine them, vfe no ordinary and daily Trade of Life to get their Liuing by, and alfo to raife weekly or otherwife (by Taxation of euery Inhabitant, and euery Occupier of Lands in the faid Parifh, in fuch competent Sum and Sums of Money as they fhall thinke fit) a conuenient Stocke of Flaxe, Hempe, Wooll, Threed, Iron, and other neceflary Ware and Stuffe to fet the Poore on Worke, and alfo competent Sums of Money, for, and towards the neceflary Reliefe, of the lame, impotent, old, blind, and fuch other among them being Poore, and not able to worke, & alfo for the putting out of fuch Children to be Apprentices, to be gathered out of the fame Parifh, accor- ding to the Abilitie of the faid Parifh, and to doe and execute all other Things as well for the difpofing of the faid Stocke, as otherwife concerning the Premifles, as to them fhall feeme conuenient : Which faid Churchwardens and Ouerfees fo to bee nominated, or fuch of them as fhall not bee let by Sicknefle or other juft Excufe, to bee allowed by fuch two Juftices of Peace or more, fhall meete together at the leaft once euery rnoneth in the Church of the faid Pariih, vpon the Sunday in the Afternoone, after Diuinc Service, there to confider of fome good Courfe to be taken, and of fome meete orders to bee fet downe in the Premifles, and fhall within foure Dayes after the End of their Yeere, and after other Ouerfeers no- minated as afbrefaid, make and yeeld.vp to fuch two Juftices of Peace, a true and perfect Account of all Sums of Monie by them receiued or rated and felled, and not receiufid : and alfo of fuch Stocke as fhall be in their Hands, or in the Hands of any of the Poore to worke, and of all other Things concerning their faid Office, and fuch Sum or Sums of Monie as fhall be in their Hands, fhall pay and deliuer ouer to the faid Churchwardens and Ouerfeers, newly nominated and appointed as aforefaid, vpon Paine that ■euery one of them abfenting themfelues without lawfull Caufe as aforefaid, from fuch monethly Meeting for the Purpofe aforefayd, or being negligent in their Office, or in the Execution of the Orders aforefaide, beeing made by, and with the Affent of the fayde Juftices of Peace, to forfeit for euery fuch Default, twentie Shillings. And be it alfo enafted, that if the fayde Juftices of Peace doe perceiue that the Inha- bitaunts of anie Parifh are not able to leuie among themfelues fufficient Summes of Money for the Pur- pofes aforefayd, that then the faid Juftices fhall, and may taxe, rate, and afleffe, as aforefayd, anie other of other Parifhes, or out of any Parifh within the Hundred where the fayde Parifh is, to pay fuch Summe and Summes of Money to the Churchwardens and Ouerfeers of the fayde poore Pariih, for the fayde Purpofes, as the fayde Juftices fhall thinke fit, according to the Intent of this Lawe. And if the fayde Hundred fhall not bee thought to the fayde Juftices, able, and fit to relieue the fayde feuerall Parifhes not able to prouide for themfelues as aforefayde, then the Juftices of Peace, at their General! Quarter Seffions, or the greater Number of them, fhall rate, and afleffe, as aforefayde, anie other of other Pa- rifhes, or out of any Parifh within the fayde Countie, for the Purpofes aforefayde, as in their Difcretion {hail feeme fit. And that it fhall be lawfull for the fayd Churchwardens and Ouerfeers, or anie of them, by Warrant from anie two fuch Juftices of Peace, to leuk as well the fayde Summes of Money of euery one that fhall refufe to
