[1592/4/91]¹

For punishment of masterful beggars and relief of the poor

²Our sovereign lord and his estates in this present parliament ratify and approve his highness's act of parliament made for punishment of strong and idle beggars and provision for relief of the poor and impotent, and ordain the same to be put into execution in all parts of the realm as it has already taken effect within the parts of the burgh of Edinburgh; and because some of the sheriffdoms are of wide and long bounds, through which it will be difficult to convoy vagabonds and persons offending to the common prisons of the head burghs of the shires, therefore ordain and command all sheriffs, stewarts, bailies, lords and bailies of regalities and their deputes, and provost and bailies within burghs, to make prisons, stocks and irons not only at the head burgh, but also at the principal thoroughfare towns and parish kirks within the whole bounds of the shire, as well to burgh as to landward, and to constitute one or two sheriff deputes of honest and zealous men of best credit and power in the bounds within or next adjacent to the said burghs, thoroughfare towns and parish kirks, to put the effect of the said act of parliament in execution, or if the said sheriffs or other judges ordinary be found remiss or negligent, give and grant full power, charge and authority to the ministers, elders and deacons within the bounds of every parish, or of so many parishes as will concur together, to nominate and elect one, two, three or more persons of the best ability, zeal and discretion within the same parish or bounds, whom his highness makes and constitutes justices and commissioners in that part to the effect underwritten, giving, granting and committing to them jointly and severally full power, charge and authority to execute the said act of parliament concerning the punishment of strong and idle beggars and vagabonds and provision for relief of the poor and impotent, and to that effect, to fence and hold courts, create officers, summon assizes, each person under the pain of £5, fines and pains to take, uplift and raise and for the same, if need be, to poind and distrenzie and the uses contained in the said act apply, and generally all and sundry other things to do, exercise and use that to the full execution of the same act of parliament within the said bounds is necessarily required. And in case the said judges ordinary or their deputes or the said persons to be nominated and elected as said is, are constituted justices and commissioners by the authority of this present act of parliament shall happen to refuse or delay to accept and use the said commission, or having accepted the same, shall be found remiss or negligent in execution thereof, they shall incur the pain of a fine appointed against judges and magistrates by the said act of parliament, whereupon ditty shall be taken up and they called and accused for that at general justice ayres or particular diets, or then letters shall be directed by deliverance of the lords of council and session charging as well the said judges ordinary and their deputes as the said persons to be nominated and elected and constituted justices and commissioners by this present act of parliament upon the sight of the act and testimonial of their nomination and election, to put the said act of parliament to execution in all points after the form and tenor thereof within 40 days next after the charge, under the pain of rebellion and putting of them to the horn, and if they fail therein, the said 40 days being past, to denounce the disobeyers rebels and put them to the horn, and escheat and bring in all their moveable goods to his highness's use for their contempt; and for the better trial of common sorners, vagabonds and masterful beggars, feigned fools and counterfeit Egyptians, and to the effect they may be still pursued until they be compelled to settle them at some certain dwelling or be expelled further of the country, that the sheriffs and other judges ordinary and their deputes and other justices and commissioners above-specified take inquisition by inquest at the head courts yearly of the names and tokens of them, and make denunciation of them to the next ordinary judges and parishes in the four halves about, as also to our sovereign lord and secret council within 40 days after the said head courts under the pain foresaid.