¶ An act for the provision and relief of the poor.  
TO thentent that valiant beggars, idle, and loiteryng personnes, may be avoided, and the impotent, feeble, and lame, provided for which are poor in very diede: BE IT enacted by the king our sovereign lord, with the assent of the lords Spiritual, and Temporal, and the communes in this present parliament assembled, and by authority of the same, that aswell the statute made in the .xxij. year of the late king of famous memory king Henry the .viij. as also the statute made in the third, and fourth year of the reign of the kings majesty, that now is, concerning beggars, vagaboundes,& idle personnes,& every article, clause, branch, sentence, and other things contained in them,& in every of them( other then such things, as shal be by this present act ordained, and provided for) shal stand, remain,& be in their full force, and effect, and shalbe from hencefutth justly, and truly, put in execution, according to the true meaning of the said several statutes, and every of them.  
And further, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that yearly, one holy day in Whiteson weke, in every city, Borough, and town corporate, the major, bailiffs, or other head officers for the time being: And in every other parish of the country, the person, vicar, or curate, and the Churchewardeins( having in a register, or book, aswell al the names of the enhabitantes, and householders, as also the names of al such impotent, aged and neadie persons, as being within their city, Borough, town corporate, or parish, are not able to live of themselves, nor with their own labour,) shal openly in the church, and quietly, after divine service, call the said householders and enhabitantes together. Among whom the major, and two of his brethren in every city, the bailiffs, or other head officers in boroughs▪ and towns corporate, the person, vicate, or Curate, and Churchewardeins in every other parish: shal elect, nominate, and appoint yearly, two able persons, or mo, to be gatherers, and collectors of the charitable almose of all the residue of the people, for the relief of the poor. which collectors the sunday next after their election,( or the sunday following, yf niede require) when the people is at the church, and hath heard Goddes holy word, shal gently ask, and demand of every man, and woman, what they of their charity willbe contented to give weakly, toward the relief of the poor. And the same to be written in the said Register, or book. And the said gatherers, so being elected, and chosen, shal justly gather, and truly distribute the same charitable almose wekelie( by themselves or their assigns) to the said poor, and impotent persons of the said Cities, boroughs, towns corporate, or Parishes, without fraud, or couine, favour, or affection. And after such sort, that the more impotent may haue the more help: and such, as can get parte of their living to haue the less. And by the discretion of the collectors to be put in such labour, as they be fit, and able to do, but none to go, or sit openly a begging, vpon pain limited in the afore said Statutes.  
Be it also enacted by thauthoritie afore said, that no person, or personnes, so elected, nominated, and appointed to be gatherer, or gatherers, as is afore said, shal refuse thesaid office, but shal justly, and truly execute the same, by the space of one whole year next ensuing, vpon pain of forfeityng .xx. s. to the almose box of the poor, to be levied by the Churchewardeins, where they, or he dwelleth. of the goods of the said gatherer, or gatherers, so refusing, by distress.  
And further, be it enacted by the authority afore said, that the said gatherers, or collectors, shal make there just account quarterlie, to the major of the city, bailiffs, or head officers of the Borough, or town corporate: And in every parish of the country, to the person, vicar, or curate, and Churchewardeins of the Par●●he. At which account, such of the parish, as will, may be present. And when they go out of their office, they shal deliver, or cause to be delivered, forthwith vpon thende of their accounts, al such surplusage of money as then shal remain of their collection vndistributed, to be put in the common chest of the church, or in some other safe place, to the use of the poor, at the over sight, and discretion of the said major, or other the officers before mentioned. And if the said collectors, or any of them, do refuse to make their said account, within .viij. daies: then the Bishop of the Dioces, or ordinary, shal haue authority by virtue of this act, to compelle the said person, or persons, by Censures of the church, to make their said accounts, before such persons as the said Bishop, or ordinary, shal appoint.  
And be it further enacted, by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that if any person, or persons, being able to further this charitable work, do obstinately, and frowardly refuse to give towards the help of the poor, or do wilfully discourage other from so charitable a diede: the person, vicar, or curate, and Churchewardeins, of the parish wherein he dwelleth, shal gently exhort him, or them, towards the relief of the poor. And if he, or they, will not so be persuaded, then vpon the certificat of the person, vicar, or curate of the parish, to the Bishop of the Dioces, the same Bishop shal send for him, or them, to induce, and persuade him, or them, by charitable ways, and means. And so according to his discretion, to take order for the reformation therof.  
And for the better maintenance of this charitable work, it is ordained, and established by authority aforesaid, that where as the late king, of famous memory, king Henry the .viij. by his several erections and foundations, hath ordained and appointed, any somme, or sums of money to the use of the poor( not being taken away otherwise by act of parliament) whether the same be in any Cathedral church, college, or else where: The bishop of the Dioces for the time being, shall from time to time, examine, how, and after what maner, thesaid money is bestowed, and call to account the parties which retain thesaid money, so that it may appear that the same is distributed to the poor, according to the kings majesties foundation.  
provided always, and be it further enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that this present act, nor any thing therein contained, shal extend, or be prejudicial unto the major, Shereues,& citizens, of the city of chester, for, or concerning any gift, or grant, of any annuity, or yearly rent, heretofore made, given, or granted by the kings majesty that now is, unto the said major Shiereues, and citizens, of thesaid city, going out of any manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments of the cathedral church of christ, and our lady, within the city of chester, but that the same major, Shiereues,& citizens, shal,& may, from henceforth, receive, use,& employ, the same authorities, yearly rents, or profectes, to such uses, and intents, and according to thesaid gift of our sovereign lord the king, any thing in this present act to the contrary, notwithstanding. This act to endure to thende of the first session, of the next Parlamente.  
¶ God save the king.   

richardus GRAFTONVS, typographus Regius excudebat. mensae Aprilis. Anno M.D LII.  
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