[1605/6/39]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament statute and ordain that no person within this realm hereafter shall fee, hire or conduce any salters, colliers or coal-bearers without a sufficient testimonial of their master whom they last served, subscribed with his hand, or at least sufficient attestation of a reasonable cause of their removing made in presence of a bailie or magistrate of the part where they come from; and in case any receive, fee, hire, supply or maintain any of the said colliers, salters or coal-bearers without a sufficient testimony as said is, the masters from whom they came, challenging their servants within a year and a day, that the party whom from they are challenged shall deliver them back again within 24 hours under the pain of £100 to be paid to the persons whom from they passed, and that for each person and each time that they or any of them shall happen to be challenged and not delivered as said is; and the said colliers, coal-bearers and salters to be esteemed, reputed and held as thieves and punished in their bodies, namely, as many of them as shall receive advance wages and fees. And the said estates of this present parliament give power and commission to all masters and owners of coal pits and pans, to apprehend all vagabonds and sturdy beggars to be put to labour.