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The kingis majestie and his esteatis presentlie convenit, remembering of the mony gude and lovable actis maid be his hienes maist noble progenitouris and in his hienes awne reignne anent punishment of strang and idill beggaris and releiff of the puir and impotent, and how throw occasioun of the negligente executioun of the same actis be sum of the jugeis ordinair to quhome the executioun thairof wes directit, sindrie of the schirdomis being alswa of wyde and ample boundis, quhairby it wes difficulte to convoy vagaboundis and uthiris personis offending to the commoun prisonis of the heid burrowis of the shyris, for that caus thair wes ane speciall act maid in his hienes parliament haldin at Edinburgh upoun the fyft day of Junii the yeir of God jM vC lxxxxij yeiris for punishment of vagaboundis and releiff of the puir, ratifeand and apprevand his hienes uther act of parliament of the same title maid in the parliament haldin and begun at Edinburgh upoun the xx day of October the yeir of God jM vC lxxvij† yeiris and ordining and commanding schireffis, steuartis, baillies, lordis and baillies of regaliteis and thair deputis and provest and baillies of burrowis to mak prisonis, stokkis and irnis not onlie at the [heid]† burgh of the shyre, bot alswa at the principall throuch fairis, townis and parroche within the haill boundis of the shyre, alswele to burgh as landwart; and to constitute ane or ma schireff deputis of honnest and zealous men for putting of the said act of parliament to executioun. Or incais the schireff or uthir ordinair jugeis sould be remisse or negligent, gevand power, charge and authoritie to the saidis eldaris and deaconis within every parrochin, or of samony parrochynnis as will concur togidder to nominat and elect ane, twa, three or ma personis of best habilitie, zeale and discretioun within the same parrochin and boundis quhome his hienes, with avise of his esteatis, hes maid and constitute justiceis in that parte conjunctlie and severalie, with full power, charge and authoritie to execute the said first act of parliament, as the said last act of commissioun sufficientlie publist, divulgat and imprentit at mair lenth proportis. Quhilk contening als large commissioun as necessarlie can be requirit, hes provin nochtwithstanding heirtofoir ineffectuall, quhill experience hes declairit the grite inconvenientis following thairof, testifeing be the noblemen and utheris of the esteatis present insafer as thevis, lymmaris and sornaris ar sa multipleit and growin to sic bauldnes that thay spair not to pas and wander over all pairtis of the realme severalie or in cumpanyis togidder armeit with swerdis, hacquebutis, pistolettis and uthairis wapanis invasive, sumtymes allegeing thame selffis tobe baneist for slauchter or brint and hereyit in the boundis ewest to the hielandis and bordouris, and sumtymes disagysit with fals bairdis or in lynning claithis or in fuillis garmentis, begging and extorting not onlie meit, drink and victuallis bot money; and incais of refuse, awaiting in thair placeis of resset quhill thay may steill and reif the same in the nicht, compelling baith gentilmen and yiemen eftir thair dalie labours to stand on thair feit all nicht for saulftie of thair awne geir; in quhilk kynde of trade ar sindrie fenyeing thame selffis passing in pilgrimage to chappellis and wellis, and the counterfute idill lymmaris and harrlottis falslie calling thame selffis Egiptianis, being nathing ellis bot thevis, witcheis and abusaris of the people. For remeid quhairof, his majestie, with avise of his esteatis present, ordanis lettrez tobe direct chargeing all ordinair jugeis, alsweill in regalitie as ryaltie, to burgh as in landwart, and incais of thair negligence, the justiceis or commissionaris nominat or tobe nominat in the parrochynnis or presbitereyis, to putt the saidis actis of parliament to dew executioun in all pointis eftir the forme and tennour thairof; and that inquisitioun and tryale be tane of the names of the commoun sornaris, vagaboundis and maisterles beggaris, fenyeit fuillis and counterfute Egiptianis that thay may be knawne and denunceit as the said act of parliament providis, within xl dayis eftir the charge, undir the pane of rebellioun; and incais thay failyie, to putt thame to the horne and to escheit etc. And that his hienes maister almoussair caus the saidis lettrez be deulie execute over all pairtis of this realme and reporte sufficient diligence thairupoun to his hienes and his prevey counsale betuix and the first day of November nixtocum, as alswa caus the saidis actis of parliament be neulie imprentit, giff neid be, to the effect that probablie the contentis thairof may cum to the knaulege of the haill subjectis, that nane have occassioun to pretend ignorance of the same. And forder, with power alswa to the saidis ordinair jugeis and thair deputis, or to the saidis justiceis and commissionars electit and tobe electit according to the said act of parliament, to proceid and minister justice upoun all the saidis strang and idill beggaris, vagaboundis, thevis and sornaris or thair ressettaris and pairttakaris in thair thifteous and wicked deidis; and, being convict, to punishe thame presentlie to the death or uthirwayes as thay sall find caus worthie at thair gude discretioun, nochtwithstanding the severall formes of punishment and at severall tymes prescrivit be the said formair act of parliament. And to that effect, to fense and hald courte or courtis alsoft and in quhatsumevir placeis as thay sall think expedient; clarkis, serjandis, dempstaris and all uthairis officiaris and memberis of courte neidfull to mak, treat, substititute and ordane for quhilkis thai salbe haldin to anser; assyis, ane or ma, to sufficient nowmer, ilk persone undir the pane of ten pundis, to summond, warne, cheis and caus be sworne and for the same, giff neid beis, to poind and distrenyie; and that lettrez be direct for publicatioun heirof, that nane pretend ignorance of the sam. And to command and charge all wandering beggaris to resorte to the parochin quhair thay wer borne, or quhair thay duelt and hantit the last sevin yeir, and onnawayes tak upoun thame to remove thairfra in begging or to cum to conventionis and mercattis undir the pane tobe tane, used and demanit as vagaboundis and thevis in maner as be the saidis actis of perliament is appointed.