There is no common-wealth at this daie in Europe, wherin there is not
great store of poore people, and those necessarilie to be relieued by
the welthier sort, which otherwise would starue and come to vtter
[Sidenote: Thrée sorts of poore.]
confusion. With vs the poore is commonlie diuided into thrée sorts, so
that some are poore by impotencie, as the fatherlesse child, the aged,
blind and lame, and the diseased person that is iudged to be
incurable: the second are poore by casualtie, as the wounded souldier,
the decaied householder, and the sicke person visited with grieuous
and painefull diseases: the third consisteth of thriftlesse poore, as
the riotour that hath consumed all, the vagabund that will abide no
where, but runneth vp and downe from place to place (as it were
séeking worke and finding none) and finallie the roge and strumpet
which are not possible to be diuided in sunder, but runne too and fro
ouer all the realme, chéefelie kéeping the champaine soiles in summer
to auoid the scorching heat, and the woodland grounds in winter to
eschew the blustering winds.
For the first two sorts, that is to saie, the poore by impotencie, and
the poore by casualtie, which are the true poore in deed, and for
whome the word dooth bind vs to make some dailie prouision: there is
order taken through out euerie parish in the realme, that weekelie
collection shall be made for their helpe and sustentation, to the end
they should not scatter abroad, and by begging here and there annoie
both towne and countrie. Authoritie also is giuen vnto the iustices in
euerie countie, and great penalties appointed for such as make
default, to sée that the intent of the statute in this behalfe be
trulie executed, according to the purpose and meaning of the same, so
that these two sorts are sufficientlie prouided for: and such as can
liue within the limits of their allowance (as each one will doo that
is godlie and well disposed) may well forbeare to rome and range
about. But if they refuse to be supported by this benefit of the law,
and will rather indeuour by going to and fro to mainteine their idle
trades, then are they adiudged to be parcell of the third sort, and so
in stéed of courteous refreshing at home, are often corrected with
sharpe execution, and whip of iustice abroad. Manie there are, which
notwithstanding the rigor of the lawes prouided in that behalfe, yéeld
rather with this libertie (as they call it) to be dailie vnder the
feare and terrour of the whip, than by abiding where they were borne
or bred, to be prouided for by the deuotion of the parishes. I found
not long since a note of these latter sort, the effect whereof
insueth. Idle beggers are such either through other mens occasion, or
[Sidenote: A thing often séene.]
through their owne default. By other mens occasion (as one waie for
example) when some couetous man such I meane as haue the cast or right
veine, dailie to make beggers inough wherby to pester the land,
espieng a further commoditie in their commons, holds, and tenures,
dooth find such meanes as thereby to wipe manie out of their
occupiengs, and turne the same vnto his priuate gaines. Herevpon
[Sidenote: At whose hands shall the bloud of these men be required?]
it followeth, that although the wise and better minded, doo either
forsake the realme for altogether, and seeke to liue in other
countries, as France, Germanie, Barbarie, India, Moscouia, and verie
Calecute, complaining of no roome to be left for them at home, doo so
behaue themselues that they are worthilie to be accompted among the
second sort: yet the greater part commonlie hauing nothing to staie
vpon are wilfull, and therevpon doo either prooue idle beggers, or
else continue starke théeues till the gallowes doo eat them vp, which
is a lamentable case. Certes in some mans iudgements these things are
but trifles, and not worthie the regarding. Some also doo grudge at
the great increase of people in these daies, thinking a necessarie
brood of cattell farre better than a superfluous augmentation of
mankind. But I can liken such men best of all vnto the pope and the
diuell, who practise the hinderance of the furniture of the number of
the elect to their vttermost, to the end the authoritie of the one
vpon earth, the deferring of the locking vp of the other in
euerlasting chaines, and the great gaines of the first may continue
and indure the longer. But if it should come to passe that any forren
inuasion should be made, which the Lord God forbid for his mercies
sake! then should these men find that a wall of men is farre better
than stackes of corne and bags of monie, and complaine of the want
when it is too late to séeke remedie. The like occasion caused the
Romans to deuise their law Agraria: but the rich not liking of it, and
the couetous vtterlie condemning it as rigorous and vnprofitable,
neuer ceased to practise disturbance till it was quite abolished. But
to proceed with my purpose.
Such as are idle beggers through their owne default are of two sorts,
and continue their estates either by casuall or méere voluntarie
meanes: those that are such by casuall means, are in the beginning
iustlie to be referred either to the first or second sort of poore
afore mentioned: but degenerating into the thriftlesse sort, they doo
what they can to continue their miserie, and with such impediments as
they haue to straie and wander about, as creatures abhorring all
labour and euerie honest exercise. Certes I call these casuall meanes,
not in respect of the originall of their pouertie, but of the
continuance of the same, from whence they will not be deliuered, such
is their owne vngratious lewdnesse, and froward disposition. The
voluntarie meanes proceed from outward causes, as by making of
corosiues, and applieng the same to the more fleshie parts of their
bodies: and also laieng of ratsbane, sperewort, crowfoot, and such
like vnto their whole members, thereby to raise pitifull and odious
sores, and mooue the harts of the goers by such places where they lie,
to yerne at their miserie, and therevpon bestow large almesse vpon
them. How artificiallie they beg, what forcible spéech, and how they
select and choose out words of vehemencie, whereby they doo in maner
coniure or adiure the goer by to pitie their cases, I passe ouer to
remember, as iudging the name of God and Christ to be more conuersant
in the mouths of none: and yet the presence of the heuenlie maiestie
further off from no men than from this vngratious companie. Which
maketh me to thinke that punishment is farre meeter for them than
liberalitie or almesse, and sith Christ willeth vs cheeflie to haue a
regard to himselfe and his poore members.
Vnto this nest is another sort to be referred, more sturdie than the
rest, which hauing sound and perfect lims, doo yet notwithstanding
sometime counterfeit the possession of all sorts of diseases. Diuerse
times in their apparell also they will be like seruing men or
laborers: oftentimes they can plaie the mariners, and séeke for ships
which they neuer lost. But in fine, they are all théeues and
caterpillers in the common-wealth, and by the word of God not
permitted to eat, sith they doo but licke the sweat from the true
labourers browes, & beereue the godlie poore of that which is due vnto
them, to mainteine their excesse, consuming the charitie of well
disposed people bestowed vpon them, after a most wicked & detestable
maner.
It is not yet full thréescore yeares since this trade began: but how
it hath prospered since that time, it is easie to iudge, for they are
now supposed of one sex and another, to amount vnto aboue 10000
persons; as I haue heard reported. Moreouer, in counterfeiting the
Egyptian roges, they haue deuised a language among themselues, which
they name Canting, but other pedlers French, a speach compact thirtie
yeares since of English, and a great number of od words of their owne
deuising, without all order or reason: and yet such is it as none but
themselues are able to vnderstand. The first deuiser thereof was
hanged by the necke, a iust reward no doubt for his deserts, and a
[Sidenote: Thomas Harman.]
common end to all of that profession. A gentleman also of late hath
taken great paines to search out the secret practises of this
vngratious rable. And among other things he setteth downe and
describeth thrée & twentie sorts of them, whose names it shall not be
amisse to remember, wherby ech one may take occasion to read and know
as also by his industrie what wicked people they are, and what
villanie remaineth in them.
_The seuerall disorders and degrees amongst our idle vagabonds._
1 Rufflers.
2 Vprightmen.
3 Hookers or Anglers.
4 Roges.
5 Wild roges.
6 Priggers or pransers.
7 Palliards.
8 Fraters.
9 Abrams.
10 Freshwater mariners, or whipiacks.
11 Dummerers.
12 Drunken tinkers.
13 Swadders or pedlers.
14 Iarkemen or patricoes.
¶ _Of women kind_
1 Demanders for glimmar or fire.
2 Baudie baskets.
3 Mortes.
4 Autem mortes.
5 Walking mortes.
6 Doxes.
7 Delles.
8 Kinching mortes.
9 Kinching cooes.
The punishment that is ordeined for this kind of people is verie
sharpe, and yet it can not restreine them from their gadding:
wherefore the end must néeds be martiall law, to be exercised vpon
them, as vpon théeues, robbers, despisers of all lawes, and enimies to
the common-wealth & welfare of the land. What notable roberies,
pilferies, murders, rapes, and stealings of yoong children, burning,
breaking and disfiguring their lims to make them pitifull in the sight
of the people, I need not to rehearse: but for their idle roging about
the countrie, the law ordeineth this maner of correction. The roge
being apprehended, committed to prison, and tried in the next assises
(whether they be of gaole deliuerie or sessions of the peace) if he
happen to be conuicted for a vagabond either by inquest of office, or
the testimonie of two honest and credible witnesses vpon their oths,
he is then immediatlie adiudged to be gréeuouslie whipped and burned
through the gristle of the right eare, with an hot iron of the
compasse of an inch about, as a manifestation of his wicked life, and
due punishment receiued for the same. And this iudgement is to be
executed vpon him, except some honest person woorth fiue pounds in the
quéenes books in goods, or twentie shillings in lands, or some rich
housholder to be allowed by the iustices, will be bound in
recognisance to reteine him in his seruice for one whole yeare. If he
be taken the second time, and proued to haue forsaken his said
seruice, he shall then be whipped againe, bored likewise through the
other eare and set to seruice: from whence if he depart before a yeare
be expired, and happen afterward to be attached againe, he is
condemned to suffer paines of death as a fellon (except before
excepted) without benefit of clergie or sanctuarie, as by the statute
dooth appeare. Among roges and idle persons finallie, we find to be
comprised all proctors that go vp and downe with counterfeit licences,
coosiners, and such as gad about the countrie, vsing vnlawfull games,
practisers of physiognomie and palmestrie, tellers of fortunes,
fensers, plaiers, minstrels, iugglers, pedlers, tinkers, pretensed
schollers, shipmen, prisoners gathering for fees, and others so oft as
they be taken without sufficient licence. From among which companie
our bearewards are not excepted, and iust cause: for I haue read that
they haue either voluntarilie, or for want of power to master their
sauage beasts, béene occasion of the death and deuoration of manie
children in sundrie countries by which they haue passed, whose parents
neuer knew what was become of them. And for that cause there is & haue
béene manie sharpe lawes made for bearwards in Germanie, wherof you
may read in other. But to our roges. Each one also that harboreth or
aideth them with meat or monie, is taxed and compelled to fine with
the quéenes maiestie for euerie time that he dooth so succour them, as
it shall please the iustices of peace to assigne, so that the taxation
excéed not twentie shillings, as I haue béene informed. And thus much
of the poore, & such prouision as is appointed for them within the
realme of England.