A PROCLAMATION FOR THE DUE AND SPEEDY EXECUTION OF THE STATUTE
AGAINST ROGUES, VAGABONDS, IDLE, AND DISSOLUTE PERSONS.
Whereas at a Parliament holden at Westminster in the nine and thirtieth
yeere of the Reigne of his Majesties late deare Sister deceased Queene
Elizabeth, a profitable and necessary Law was made for the repressing
of Rogues, Vagabonds, idle and dissolute persons,[1] wherewith this
Realme was then much infested, by the due execution of which Lawe,
great good ensued to the whole Commonweale of this Realme, but now of
late by the remissenesse, negligence, and connivencie of some Justices
of the Peace, and other Officers in divers parts of the Realme, they
have swarmed and abounded every where more frequently then in times
past, which will grow to the great and imminent danger of the whole
Realme, if by the goodness of God Almighty, and the due and timely
execution of the said Law the same be not prevented.
And where to the end that no impediment might be to the due and full
execution of the same Law, his Highnesse Privie Councell, according
to the power to them in that behalfe given by the sayd Law, have by
their Order assigned places and parts beyond the Seas, unto which such
incorrigible or dangerous Rogues should according to the same Lawe be
banished and conveyed, as by the Order in that behalfe made, and under
this present Proclamation particularly mentioned and set downe, more at
large appeareth: His Majestie purposing (for the universall good of the
whole Realme) to have the same Law duely and fully executed, doth by
advice of his Privie Councell require all Justices of Peace, Maiors,
Bayliffes, Hedboroughs, Constables, and other Officers whatsoever to
whom it appertaineth, to see that the said Law be in all the parts, and
branches of the same carefully, duely and exactly executed, as they and
every of them will answere the contrary at their uttermost perils.
Given at his Majesties Mannour of Woodstocke the seventeenth day of
September, 1603, in the first yeere of his Highnesse Reigne of England,
France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth.