❧ Orders Appointed to be executed in the City of London, for setting rogues and idle persons to work, and for relief of the poor. proverbs, 16. He that hath pity upon the poor, dareth unto the Lord: and look what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again. Psalm. 61. Blessed is the man that provideth for the sick and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble. At London Printed by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Smithfielde, at the sign of the golden Tun. FOr relief of the poor, and for setting to work of vagaraunt people, there are to be set up in Bridwell certain arts, occupations, works and labours. 2 There are to be provided stock & tools for those works. There is to be provided bedding, apparel, and diet for those poor to be set to work. 3 When order shallbe taken and sufficient provision had for the furniture of the works, Proclamation shall be made throughout the City, that all vagarants which are come out of other places, where by the law they ought to be provided for, shall departed the City and the liberties thereof, to the places of their birth or last abode according to the Law, upon the pains thereof due. 4 Within convenient time after the day limited by such Proclamation a general search shallbe made, and likewise new general searches from time to time as shallbe requisite, throughout the City and the liberties thereof at one instant, & all the vagarants that shall be there found shallbe brought to Bridewell to be examined. 5 Such of them as be not diseased, and the City not to be charged with them by law, shallbe dealt with according to the law. 6 Such of the said vagarants as shallbe found diseased and to be curable, to that number that the Hospitals shallbe able to receive, shallbe sent to the Hospitals to be cured: and being cured shallbe sent to Bridewell again there to be examined and used as is aforesaid. 7 In this respect order is to be taken with the Hospitals of S. Bartholomew and S. Thomas, that such as shallbe sent to them from Bridewell by warrant of four governors at the least under their hands to be subscribed at a Court or assembly of them together, may be received at all times of the week and not deferred until their Court days. And that they spare the taking in of other, for the time, if need so require. 8 Those whom the City by law is charged to provide for and are able to work, shallbe received into Bridewell, and there kept with thin diet, only sufficing to sustain them in health, and shallbe set to work in such of the works labours and occupations as they shall be found fittest for. 9 If any such shall loiter and will not do such labour as in reason they ought and as is done by other of like capacity and strength, they shall be punished in Bridewell as is used by the discretion of the Governors. 10 If any of them shall run away or escape from Bridewell, and be taken again vagrant within the liberties of this City, he shallbe committed to the jail as a Rogue in the first degree, and nevertheless after execution done upon him by boring his ear, he shall again be sent to Bridewell to work as before, if none other will at the Sessions receive him according to Law. 11 Likewise escaping and being eftsoons taken again vagrant, he shallbe used as a fellow according to Law. 12 If any such vagarants shallbe found skilful in any occupation whereby any Citizen or other using such occupation willbe contented to receive them into service, or that any Citizen or any other willbe content to take any of them Apprentice or to service either in London or in the country, the governors of Bridewell shall do their endeavour so to bestow them. Provided always that if after such bestowing, any of them shallbe found vagrant, he shallbe used as one escaping out of Bridewell as is aforesaid. 13 Such of them as belonging by law to the charge of the City have young children upon their hands, and upon examination none shallbe found which by law ought to find them, the same children shallbe sent to Christ's Hospital by such order and manner as hath been accustomed so far as the house shallbe able to maintain them. And the rest to be maintained at the charge of the parish according to law. 14 Such of them as are aged lame and impotent and not to be cured nor able to labour, shallbe provided for in the Parishes where they dwell by some good order there to be taken. 15 If any being so provided for shallbe found begging in the streets they shallbe punished in Bridwell by order of the governors for the first time. And for the second time, and the third time they shallbe used as Rogues in the first and second degrees according to the Law. 16 Such Parishes as have more poor than they are able to relieve shall have aid of the money to be levied for this cause. 17 If any Carrier or other shall by land or water bring to this City or near to the same any children or other and leave them unplaced or not sufficiently provided for: such Carrier or bringer shallbe punished by imprisonment, or otherwise as sharply as law will permit, and also shall be bound to convey such back again to the places whence they came or where they ought to be provided for according to law. Warning to be given by Proclamation of the contents of this and the next Article. 18 Every Innkeeper or such other person in this City or near to the same, which shall wittingly receive or keep any such child or other so brought & not sufficiently provided for, shallbe charged to keep and provide for such child or other so brought, or else be bound to discharge the City of them, or to convey them back again from whence they came. And if he refuse so to do, than he shall be punished as is abovesaid of the Carrier or bringer. 19 That Proclamation be made that every Citizen shall have charge on pain of iii. s. iiii. d. and every other person shallbe required, to bring or cause to be brought to the Constable or his Deputy or to the beadle of the Ward or other beadle every such vagrant as shall beg of them in the Parish where such citizens or other do dwell: that such vagrant may by such Constable or his deputy or by the beadle be sent to Bridewell to be examined and used as is above said. 20 The Constables, Surveyors of Parishes, Beadles of Wards & other Beadles shall have charge to apprehend all such vagarantes as they shall find, and to bring or send them to Bridewell as is aforesaid, on pain of vi. s. viii. d. to be paid by every such Constable or his deputy, & iii. s. three d. by every such Surveyor or Bedle in whom the fault shallbe found, and the same to be levied by distress, and to be employed to the use of the poor in Bridewell. 21 And also that the Constables, Deputies, and beadles, on like pain, shall convey to Bridewell, such as shall be brought to them as is afore said. 22 The Constable in every watch shallbe charged upon like pain of vi. s. viii. d. to apprehend all such vagarants and Rogish persons as they shall find by night, and shall send or convey them to the Counter or Cage, and so to Bridewell the next day. And the Porter or Officers of Bridewell shall presently receive them without any further attendance of such as shall bring them. 23 The governors of Bridewell shall appoint some meet persons to follow the causes at every Sessions against such as shallbe committed to prison as is aforesaid. 24 For avoiding the return of idle vagarants, and for better reformation of the idle youth and unthrifty poor in this City and for further execution of the premises, every Alderman or his Deputy in his ward assisted with a sufficient steward shall keep his Court of Wardmote once in every month for the first year now ensuing, and in other years once in every three months, on pain to every Alderman for his default or of his sufficient Deputy for him in not keeping the said Court xl. s. to the like use of the poor. And all the inhabitants shall there appear or be amerced for their defaults, and out of the said amercements and profits of Court the steward shallbe rewarded with reasonable fee by the discretion of the Alderman, and the rest shallbe to the said use of the poor. 25 By the Inquest shallbe there inquired, if idle persons, rogues, vagabonds, and other suspect persons which live disorderly or suspiciously or spend their times at Bowling allies, plays, and other places unthriftily: & whether the mean officers do their duties, and all other matters, as in the charge of leets: and that speedy process be used according to the law for the reformation without delay. 26 Order to be there taken for the Wards to have cages and stocks, according to the Laws of this City, and for the renewing of searches for vagarants and such other persons from time to time as shallbe requisite. 27 In every Parish by the Person or the Curate and Churchwardens with the Constable & the Collectors for the poor, and six other of the chief of the inhabitants at the least, a vestry to be holden in the week before the assemble of every such wardmote, to inquire and understand of all idle persons, vagabonds, rogues, disordered masters of houses, disordered Children of the poor, disordered Alehouses, and such like, absences from Church, and other misdemeanours in their Parish: and that such as they find, be presented at the next wardmote. 28 In every parish a general survey to be made, by the Constable, Churchwardens, Collectors for the poor, and vi. other of the Parishners of all their poor and needy neighbours of the Parish uz. of every house particularly, the names of the dwellers, the children and servants, the sex and age of every one, and which be able to labour and whereupon, and who be utterly impotent to any labour. 29 No pension nor other relief to be given to any which are idle, being able to labour. And such as will labour and have not nor can provide to set themselves to work, making their moan to the Churchwardens or Collectors for the poor, may by a bill to be signed with the hands of the said Churchwardens or Collectors, or any two of them and three other parishioners, have work appointed or delivered them at Bridewell, or else where. 30 None of the poor, or their children be suffered to beg or wander in the streets, but be exercised upon meet labour toward the getting of their living in honest sort. 31 In every parish all the poor houses shall be at convenient times visited, daily if it may be, by some one or more to be appointed at the vestry to see how they apply their work, and the defaults to be certified every sunday to the Churchwardens, and by them to be noted in a book against the next vestry. 32 Such youth, and other as are able to labour and may have work & shall be found idle shall have some manner of correction by the parents, or otherwise as shallbe thought good in the parish. And if they will not amend they shallbe sent to Bridewell to be reasonably corrected there. 33 Such as be impotent and relieved by pensions & can do somewhat, shallbe occupied in so much as they can do: and the sick shallbe visited and relieved of the common box for the poor in their Parish during only their sickness, and afterward shall apply their labour again. 34 Humble suit to be made to the Lord Mayor and his brethren that upon presentments in the court of Wardmote due execution and reformation be had. 35 For better execution & redress to be had of things to be presented by the Inquest of Wardmote, the presentments shallbe delivered to the Alderman of the ward, and by him or his deputy shallbe speedily redressed and executed such things so represented as be within his power by law and the orders of this City to execute. 36 Such things as be not in the power of the Alderman or his deputy, but in the power of the house of Bridewell by virtue of their charter shallbe delivered to to the governors of Bridewell to be by them executed and reform so far as they may according to the law. 37 Such things as be not in the power of the Alderman or his deputy, nor in the power of the house of Bridewell, but do require the authority of the Lord Maior or of the court of Aldermen or of any justices of peace, shall be delivered over to the Lord Maior or to such justices as shallbe requisite, that the same may be lawfully and duly redressed. 38 To every art, science, or labour in Bridewell be appointed two of the governors of Bridewell to oversee the same, who shall have care to the doing thereof as they may answer that charge in credit and conscience. 39 Four governors of that house shall attend two hours at the least in every day for examination & direction of such as shallbe brought thither after the first search & for expedition of other things requisite. 40 The treasurer with some of the governors of Bridwell shallbe appointed for the providing of corn, bread, victual apparel and necessaries for the poor, and to oversee their lodgings and such other things as be needful. 41 Of such companies of this City as well the worshipful as the inferior as the governors of Bridewell shall find to be requisite according to the quality of the arts or labours that are to be overseen, there shallbe appointed persons to attend, so as there may be every day two attending at Bridewell to oversee the works, and to give knowledge of the defaults which they shall find, to the governors, on pain of xx. shillings to be paid by the wardens if they appoint not, being thereunto required by the space of a week before, & on pains of vi. shillings viii. pence to be paid by every of the parties appointed, if he attend not being warned three days before at the least, the said pains to be to the use of the poor in Bridewell and to be levied by distress. 42 Where in the Savoy are lodged nightly great numbers of idle wicked persons, cutpurses, cousiners, and such other thieves, & there in the night are hidden from officers and in the day do use their roguish life, so that the same place honourably ordained is by such abuse made a nursery of rogue's thieves idle and drunken persons: for remedy thereof, request to be made to the master of that house, the special persons be appointed to examine such as shall come to lodge in the Savoy that such be lodged there as be of honest fame, poor men coming up for their suits or causes, or such as are known & can give account of their labour in the day time, and no other: & if any such lewd rogues be found there, the officers of the Savoy or the justices to whom it may appertain may send them to such place as they ought to be sent by law. 43 Like order shallbe had for reformation of the like abuse in S. Thomas hospital. And for better execution thereof two or more of the governors of Bridewell may from time to time as often as shallbe thought needful go into S. Thomas hospital with assistance or consent of some of the governors there, to search what people shallbe there lodged, and such as they shall there find vagarants and able to labour shallbe committed to Bridewell to be examined as is aforesaid. 44 For reformation of excessive number & disorder of alehouses, tippling houses, cellars, & such like which be the maintainers & receivers of wicked persons and be the occasion of much theft pilfering and incontinent life and the increase of harlots and consequently of Bastards and diseases to the great charge of the City: a view be had of all alehouses, cooks houses, tippling houses, cellars, & such like in every parish by such as have thereof authority, & that the numbers of them be abridged to a reasonable proportion for the Ward or Parish, and in places convenient, as shallbe thought meet, & certified by the Alderman of the Ward, and no other to be allowed. 45 That all be put down and disallowed, but only such as be of good fame, and known enemies to wicked life and so certified by the Alderman of the Ward, and that such as be once detected and found faulty of evil rule, shall never be allowed again. 46 No lodging, gaming, or vitling be suffered in any cellar. 47 Bonds shallbe taken with sureties for observing the said orders by vitalers, and the bonds and forfeitures thereof shallbe made and employed to the use of the poor in bridewell. 48 Where many Landlords and farmers of Allies, or of great houses converted into small habitations, do keep victaling houses, and houses, shops, or cellars for uttering of drink victual and other chaffer to the inhabitants of those allies or small habitations, all such shallbe utterly disallowed & forbidden to be used of such Landlords or farms or by any other by their means or within such Allies or houses. 49 Such as are above limited to be punished by whipping, shallbe so punished by the discretion of the governors of bridewel, whereof at least there shallbe such numbers of justices as in such case is required by the statutes without tarrying for any delay of sessions at the Guildhall, which to the Governors should be troublesome & to the house very chargeable, and consequently hurtful to the release of the poor. ¶ Artes, Occupations, Labours, and Works, to be set up in Bridewell. The work in the mills, The work in the Lighter & unlading of Sand The carrying of sand. Making of shoes. Thicking of caps by hand and foot. Making of will Cards. Making of Nails. Making of gloves. Making of Combs. Making of Inkle and tape. Making of silk Lace, Making of Apparel for the house. Spining of yrane. Knitting of hose. Spinning of Linen yarn. Spinning of Candle week. Making of Pack thread Drawing of wire. Making of pins. Making of points. Making of Knives. Making of Tennis balls. Making of Bayes. Making of Feltes. Picking of will for Felts Or any other that may fall in practice 50 IT is to be ordered, to the intent that the house of Bridewell be not overpestered, but may be able to receive such as shall need, and that such as shallbe brought thethér be brought for their reformation and not for perpetual servitude, that the governors shall do their endeavours to bestow as many of the youth as shallbe put to labour there, in service either as apprentices or otherwise with citizens or any other that willbe content to receive them. And specially that owners and Masters of ships be entreated to receive such into their service. 51 To avoid the peril that the setting a work of vagrants in the said Arts at Bridewell might be to the overthrow of the work and to the undoing of poor citizens householders, and their families that live by working in the same arts for other, or by retaling of things wrought: Therefore the governors of Bridwell shall consult with the Wardens and discrete men of those companies that use the working or selling of such things as shallbe wrought in Bridewell, as shoemakers and other, that the said companies and their householders shall deliver their work to such number in Bridwel as they may with the benefit of their company, and shall pay for the same at reasonable rates to their profit. 52 Also a note shall be kept in Bridewell of places and persons where and of whom work may be had, that poor in parishes sent thither to require work may be the better relieved. 53 A view to be had of the cordwainers & other artificers what forrens are set on work contrary to the laws of this City, & how many of them by their birth or by their continuance the space of three years do belong to the burden & charge of this city, that order may be taken for them & for avoiding the increase of them hereafter but in case of necessity, & also with bonds of such as shall retain them that they shall never be burdenous to the City as ugarants or persons unprovided for. 54 For the better relief of the poor, the leather that shallbe found faulty in this City and seized as forfeited, shall never for any price come to the use of the searchers, or sealer's of leather, but shall wholly be to Christ's hospital, & Bridewell, to be there made into shoes for the poor, by the poor that shall work there: and the searchers shall have their portion in money according to the praisement. 55 Prousion is to be made for apparel, bedding, and meat for the said poor, for tools, and for stock and stuff for the occupations, for making of mills, and buying of Lighters, for fees and wages of Bedelles and other necessary poor attendants: and therefore a competent & sufficient portion of money is to be had, which by an estimate for one year accounting for two, C. persons amounteth about two, M, l. 56 That the act of common Counsel for Lime and for spending of sand and gravel to be taken out of Thamise be severely put in execution, which the body of the City do humbly pray the Lord Maior and his brethren earnestly to do, and to bind, & punish with all straightness the offenders to the contrary, and especially such workmen as in deceiving of builders do slander the said sand, which by good trial in the buildings of noble men, and of sundry good Citizens, and other, and specially by a trial late made in the presence of the wardens of the said workmen, is found and confessed as good for the work and as profitable to the builder as any other sand. 57 For the provision of the said stock to the accomplishing of the said good works, there may be granted by the body of this City too fiftenes to be assessed & levied in usual manner, whereof the one to be paid as spéedyly as may be, the other at the end of vi. months. 58 Hereunto be added the taxations of all forens inhabiting within the liberties of this City to be assisted according to the statute lately made for erecting of houses, for setting the poor on work, or else to be contributory in the said fifteens by the rate of their houses. 59 Where the other Hospitals both for the poor children, & for the diseased are likely at the first to have here by some increase of charge, & where also some parishes are to be charged with their impotent poor, which are not able nor fit to work in Bridewell: Therefore the Lord Mayor & such as be thereunto authorized by the statutes will sit again and peruse the books of taxations for the poor, that by the assessing of such as become in place since the last assessment & were not assessed before and by advancing such as God hath further blessed with ability, and with reasonable consideration of such as be less able, the book may be renewed and made as beneficial, as reasonably may be for the poor. 60 That a consideration be had of the pensionaries out of the hospital in every Parish, that none be allowed without need, nor to such as have pensions otherwise, whereby such as truly have need may be the better relieved. 61 For help of the hospitals & Parishes in this charge all churchwardens & collectors for the poor be straightly charged to execute the law against such as come not to church, against all persons without exception, & specially against such as while they ought to be at divine service, do spend their time and their money lewdly in haunting of plays, and other idle and wicked pastimes and exercises. 62 For as much as the playing of Interludes, & the resort to the same are very dangerous for the infection of the plague, whereby infinite burdens and losses to the City may increase, and are very hurtful in corruption of youth with incontinence & lewdness, and also great wasting both of the time & thrift of many poor people and great provoking of the wrath of God the ground of all plagues, great withdrawing of the people from public prayer & from the service of God, and daily cried out against by the grave and earnest admonitions of the preachers of the word of God: Therefore be it ordered that all such Interludes in public places, and the resort to the same shall wholly be prohibited as ungodly, and humble suit be made to the Lords that like prohibition be in places near unto the City. 63 The forfeitures of all such as be bound not to place in their allies & small habitations any such as shallbe burdenous to the City, be severally levied & employed to the relief of the poor in the said Hospitals & parishes, and that the Lord Maior and Aldermen will not remit any part thereof nor stay any suit or execution upon any of the said bonds without consent of the common counsel. 64 New bonds be taken to like effect and for avoiding of Inmates of all such as be not yet bound or whose bonds shall cease by the execution of them. 65 The Lord mayor and aldermen by the request of the governors of Bridewell appoint some special officers or persons to inquire of goods foreign bought & sold whereby Citizens should otherwise lose the benefit of their trades and become unable to relieve the poor, & part of the forfeitures so to be found may be to the relief of the poor. 66 That the preachers be moved at the sermons at the Cross & other convenient times specially in the term time, & that other good notorious means be used, to require both Citizens, Artificers, and other, and also all farmers and other for husbandry, and gentlemen and other for their kitchens & other services, to take servants and children both out of Bridewell & Christ's Hospital at their pleasures, with declaration what a charitable deed it shallbe not only for the relief of those whom they shall so take into service but also of multitudes of other that shall from time to time be taken into the hospitals in their places, and so be preserved from perishing, with offer also that they shall have them conveniently appareled & bound with them for any competent number of years, with further declaration that many of them be of toward qualities in reading, writing, Grammar, and Music.