[1592/4/91]¹

For puneisment of masterfull beggaris and releif of the puir

²Oure soverane lord and his estaitis in this present parliament ratifies and apprevis his hienes act of parliament maid for puneisment of strang and idle beggaris and provisioun for releif of the puir and impotent, and ordanis the same to be put in executioun in all partis of the realme as it hes alreddie tane effect within the partis of the burgh of Edinburgh; and becaus sum of the sherefdomes ar of wyde and lang boundis, quhairthrow it wilbe difficill to convoy vagabundis and personis offending to the commoun prisonis of the heid burrowis of the schyres, thairfoir ordanis and commandis all shereffis, stewartis, ballies, lordis and ballies of regalities and thair depuittis, and provest and ballies within burrowis, to mak prisonis, stokkis and irnis not onlie at the heid burgh, bot also at the principall throuche fair townis and paroche kirkis within the haill boundis of the schire, alsweill to burgh as to landwart, and to constitute ane or tua shereff depuittis of honest and zelous men of best credite and power in the boundis within or nixt adjacent to the saidis burrowis, throuche fair townis and paroche kirkis, to put the effect of the said act of parliament in executioun, or gif the saidis shereffis or uther juges ordinar beis fund remiss or negligent, gives and grantis full power, charge and auctoritie to the ministeris, eldaris and deaconis within the boundis of everie parochin, or of samony parochynis as will concur togidder, to nominat and elect ane, tua, thrie or ma personis of the best habilitie, zeale and discretioun within the same parochin or boundis, quhome his hienes makis and constitutis justices and commissionaris in that pairt to the effect undirwrittin, gevand, grantand and committand to thame conjunctlie and severallie full power, charge and auctoritie to execute the said act of parliament concerning the puneisment of strang and idle beggaris and vagabundis and provisioun for releif of the puir and impotent, and to that effect, to fenss and hald courtis, creat officiaris, summond assyiss, ilk persoun under the pane of fyve pundis, unlawis and panis to tak, uplift and raiss and for the same, gif neid beis, to poynd and distrenzie and the uses contenit in the said act apply, and generallie all and sindrie uther thingis to do, exerce and use that to the full executioun of the same act of parliament within the saidis boundis is necessarlie requirit. And incaiss the saidis jugeis ordinar or thair depuittis or the saidis personis to be nominat and elect as said is, is constitute justices and commissionaris be the auctoritie of this present act of parliament salhappin to refuis or delay to accept and use the said commissioun, or having acceptit the same, salbe fund remiss or negligent in executioun thairof, thay sall incur the pane of ane unlaw appointit aganis jugeis and magistratis be the said act of parliament, quhairupoun dittay salbe uptakin and thai callit and accusit thairfoir at generall justice airis or particuler dyettis, or then lettrez salbe direct be delyverance of the lordis of counsaill and sessioun chargeing alsweill the saidis jugeis ordinar and thair depuittis as the saidis personis to be nominat and electit and constitute justices and commissionaris be this present act of parliament upoun the sicht of the act and testimoniall of thair nominatioun and electioun, to put the said act of parliament to executioun in all pointis efter the forme and tennor thairof within xl dayes nixt eftir the charge, under the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne, and gif thair failzie thairin, the saidis xl dayis being bypast, to denunce the disobeyaris rebellis and put thame to the horne, and eschaet and inbring all thair moveable guidis to his hienes use for thair contemptioun; and for the bettir tryall of commoun sornaris, vagabundis and maisterfull beggaris, feinzeit fuillis and counterfute Egiptianis, and to the effect thay may be still persewit quhilll thai be compellit to setle thame at sum certane duelling or be expellit further of the cuntrie, that the shereffis and utheris jugeis ordinar and thair depuittis and uther justices and commissionaris abonespecefit tak inquisitioun be inquest at the heid courtis yeirlie of the names and takynis of thame, and mak denunceatioun of thame to the nixt ordinar jugeis and parochynis in the four halffis about, as also to our soverane lord and secreit counsaill within xl dayes efter the saidis heid courtis under the pane foirsaid.