Admonition to the Parliament_, 1572. Pp. 34, etc.
The proposition that these libellers would prove is that we in England
are so far from having a church rightly reformed according to the
prescript of God’s word, that as yet we are not come to the outward face
of the same.... To prove that the word of God is not preached truly ...
(thanks be to God) they allege not one article of faith, or point of
doctrine, nor one piece of any substance to be otherwise taught and
allowed of in this church (for not every man’s folly is to be ascribed
to the whole church) than by the prescript word of God may be justified,
neither can they.... The ministers are not rightly proved and elected,
&c. _Ergo_ the word of God is not truly preached: how wicked soever the
man is; howsoever he intrude himself into the ministry, yet may he
preach the true word of God: for the truth of the doctrine doth not in
any respect depend upon the goodness or evilness of the man: I pray you
how were you and some other of your adherents called, elected, &c.?...
It is true that in the old church trial was had of their ability to
instruct, and of their godly conversation: But the place in the margin
alleged out of the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles maketh
nothing for that purpose.... And the Book of Ordering Ministers and
Deacons, set forth and allowed by this Church of England, requireth,
that who soever is to be admitted into any order of the ministry, should
so be tried, examined, and proved, both for learning and life, as Saint
Paul there requireth. Read the Book with indifferency and judgment, and
thou canst not but greatly commend it. If any man neglect his duty in
that point, his fault must not be ascribed to the rule appointed,
neither yet to the whole Church.... Again, if some be admitted into the
ministry, either void of learning, or lewd in life, are all the rest for
their sake to be condemned?... I think you will not deny, but that there
is now within this Church of England, as many learned, godly, grave,
wise, and worthy ministers of the Word, as there is in any one realm or
particular Church in all Christendom, or ever hath been heretofore.
Touching letters commendatory of some one man noble or other, it may be
that the parties which give these letters be of that zeal, learning, and
godliness, that their particular testimony ought to be better credited,
than some other subscribed with an hundred hands. And I think there is
both noble men and other, who may better be trusted in that point, than
a great number of parishes in England, which consist of rude and
ignorant men, easily moved to testify any thing: and in many places for
the most part, or altogether, drowned in Papistry. I know no reason to
the contrary, and I see no Scripture alleged, why one learned, godly and
wise man’s testimony, may not be received in such a case.... If tag and
rag be admitted, learned and unlearned, it is the fault of some, not of
all, nor of the law: and if they were called and elected according to
your fancy, there would some creep in, as evil as any be now, and worse
too.
I pray you what say you to master Luther, Bucer, Cranmer, Latimer,
Ridley, &c., were not all these sometimes Massmongers, and yet singular
and notable instruments of promoting the Gospel and preaching the same?
Whereof many have given testimony by shedding their blood.
And by whose Ministry especially hath the Gospel been published, and is
as yet in this Church of England, but by such as have been Massmongers,
and now zealous, godly, and learned preachers?...
It is one thing wholly to worship false gods, another thing to worship
the true God falsely and superstitiously. But among all other things I
would gladly know wherein the Edward’s priests have offended you? It is
happy you let Queen Elizabeth’s priests alone: I marvel whose priests
you are?
God be thanked, there is a great number of ministers that can teach
others, and may be your schoolmasters in all kind of learning, except
you have more than you utter in these treatises.
THE ELIZABETHAN POOR LAW (1572).
AN ACT FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF VAGABONDS, AND FOR THE RELIEF OF THE POOR
AND IMPOTENT.
_Anno 14 Eliz. cap. 5._
=Source.=--_Statutes of the Realm, sub anno._
I. Where all the parts of this Realm of England and Wales be presently
with Rogues, Vagabonds, and Sturdy Beggars exceedingly pestered, by
means whereof daily happeneth in the same Realm horrible murders,
thefts, and other great outrages, to the high displeasure of Almighty
God, and to the great annoy of the Common Weal ... [previous Acts
repealed.]
II. Be it also enacted ... as well for the utter suppressing of the said
outrageous enemies to the Common Weal, as for the charitable relieving
of the aged and impotent poor people ... that all and every person and
persons ... being above the age of fourteen years, being hereafter set
forth by this Act of Parliament to be Rogues, Vagabonds, or Sturdy
Beggars, and be at anytime ... taken begging ... or taken vagrant,
wandering, and misordering themselves ... shall upon their apprehension
be brought before one of the Justices of the Peace or Mayor ... and ...
be presently committed to the Common Gaol ... there to remain without
bail or mainprise until the next Sessions of the Peace or General Gaol
Delivery, ... at which Sessions or Gaol Delivery if such person or
persons be duly convicted of his or her Roguish or Vagabond Trade of
life, either by inquest of office, or by the testimony of two honest and
credible witnesses upon their Oaths, that then immediately he or she
shall be adjudged to be grievously whipped and burnt through the gristle
of the right ear with a hot iron ... manifesting his or her roguish kind
of life, and his or her punishment received for the same ... which
judgement shall also presently be executed, except some honest person
... will of his charity be contented presently to take such offender ...
into his service for one whole year next following....
V. And for the full expressing what person and persons shall be intended
... to be Rogues, Vagabonds, and Sturdy Beggars ... it is now ...
declared ... that all and every such person and persons that be or utter
themselves to be Proctors or Procurators going in or about any country
or countries within this Realm, without sufficient authority ... and all
other idle persons going about ... using subtle, crafty or unlawful
games or plays, and some of them feigning themselves to have knowledge
in physiognomy, palmistry, or other abused[17] sciences, whereby they
bear the people in hand[18] they can tell their destinies, deaths and
fortunes, and such other like fantastical imaginations; and all and
every person being whole and mighty in body, and can give no reckoning
how he or she doth lawfully get his or her living; and all fencers,
bear-wards, common[19] players in interludes and minstrels, not
belonging to any baron of this realm ... all jugglers, pedlars, tinkers
and petty chapmen, which ... shall wander abroad and have not licence of
two Justices of the Peace ... and all common labourers ... refusing to
work for such reasonable wages as is ... commonly given in such parts
... and all scholars of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge that go
about begging, not being authorized under the Seal of the said
Universities ... and all shipmen pretending losses by sea ... and all
persons delivered out of gaols, that go by for their fees or do travel
to their countries or friends, not having licence from two Justices of
the Peace ... shall be taken, adjudged and deemed Rogues, Vagabonds, and
Sturdy Beggars....
XI. Provided that this Act nor anything contained therein do in any wise
extend to any harvest folks that travel into any country of this realm
for harvest work ... neither yet to any that happeneth to be robbed or
spoiled by the way ... neither yet to any serving men of honest
behaviour that be turned from their masters, or whose master ... shall
be dead....
XVI. And forasmuch as Charity would that poor aged and impotent persons
should as necessarily be provided for as the said Rogues, Vagabonds and
Sturdy Beggars repressed, and that the said aged, impotent and poor
people should have convenient habitations and abiding places ... to the
end that they nor any of them should hereafter beg or wander about; it
is therefore enacted ... that the Justices of the Peace and all and
singular the Shires of England and Wales ... shall ... make diligent
search and enquiry of all aged poor impotent and decayed persons born
within their said divisions and limits, or which were there dwelling
within three years next before this present Parliament ... which live
... by alms ... and shall make a register book of the names and surnames
of all such.... And ... shall ... devise and appoint ... meet and
convenient places ... for their habitations and abidings, if the parish
within which they shall be found shall not or will not provide for them
... and shall ... set down what portion the weekly charge towards the
relief and sustentation of the said poor people will amount unto ...
and, that done, they the said Justices ... shall by their good
discretions tax and assess all and every the said inhabitants ... to
such weekly charge as they and every of them shall weekly contribute
towards the relief of the said poor people....
XVII. And be it further enacted ... that the Mayor of the City of London
and the Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs ... and the Constables ... within all
... the said shires of England and Wales shall once a month ... make a
view and search of all the aged impotent and lame persons within the
precinct of their jurisdictions, and all such ... persons as they shall
find, not being born within that division ... then they shall presently
see the same poor people (except leprous people and bed-rid people) ...
to be conveyed on horseback, in cart or otherwise ... to the next
constable, and so from constable to constable the directest way, till
the said person ... be brought to the place where he or she was born or
most conversant by the space of three years next before, and there to be
put in the Abiding Place....
XVIII. And be it enacted ... that if any of the said poor people ...
refuse to be bestowed to any of the said Abiding Places ... but covet
still to hold on their trade of begging, or ... do depart and beg, then
the said person so offending ... to be accounted a Rogue or Vagabond....
XXII. And it is also further enacted, that if any of the said aged and
impotent persons, not being so diseased lame or impotent but that they
may work in some manner of work, shall be by the overseer of their said
Abiding Place appointed to work, if they refuse, then in form aforesaid
to be whipped and stocked for their first refusal, and for their second
refusal to be punished as in case of Vagabonds....
XXIII. Provided always ... that three Justices of Peace ... shall ...
place and settle to work the Rogues and Vagabonds that shall be disposed
to work ... to get their livings and to live and to be sustained only
upon their labour and travail.
XXIV. Be it also farther enacted that if any Beggar’s Child being above
the age of five years and under fourteen years ... shall be liked of by
any subject ... of honest calling who shall be willing to take the said
Child into service, the said Subject shall ... have the said Child bound
with him....
THE CONDITION OF IRELAND (1571-2).
=Source.=--Carew MSS. (Record Commission). Vol. iii. (1589-1600), p. xci.,
App. A.
A. THE DISORDERS OF THE IRISHRY IN THE IRISH PALE OF IRELAND, AND
THE CAUSE OF WASTE AND DECAY OF THE SAME. THE STATE OF THE ENGLISH
PALE: THE CAUSE OF WASTE AND DECAY THEREOF: WITH THE CAUSE OF
DEBATE BETWEEN THEM BOTH.
First it is to be understand that the land of Ireland was divided into
several Kingdoms, and so continued of long time, until the coming of
King Henry the Second, who then did win by conquest the most part of the
same land, and the same gave and departed amongst his nobles and certain
English gentlemen and others that went with him into Ireland, in reward
of their service there done, where they both planted themselves and
remained as obedient subjects to the King and Crown of England and his
laws, and maintained the same. The rest of the land some he put under
tribute, other some were never by him conquered, and they both so left
continued and maintained their old customs, which were the laws of the
Brehons, which before the conquest was used. And as those then planted
by the King maintained the laws of England, and continued the same by
them and theirs successively until this day, as the English Pale and
civil towns doth maintain and use the same, even as the others, as well
[they] that were put under tribute and they that were never conquered,
as also those by them since subdued brought under their rule, doth
maintain the Brehon’s law as they did before the conquest, which custom
they continue in the Irish Pale, who are now the more part of the realm.
The race and stirpe of them this day do maintain and use the same
contrary to God his law, and also repugnant to the Queen’s Majesty’s
laws and all other good and civil orders.
So all the lords and gentles of the Irish Pales that are not governed
under the Queen’s laws are driven and compelled of necessity to keep and
maintain a number of idle men of war, as they may be able always to rule
their own people at home and exact their neighbours abroad, as their
need shall require in their wars, which they commonly use and maintain
against those that pretendeth any right to that they at any time have or
do sometimes possess by wrong: giving neither place to law nor yet good
orders, but working every one his own wilful will for a Law, to the
spoil of the country and decay and waste of the common weal of the same.
The charge and finding of the men of war of every private Irish lord is
such a burden to his country as keepeth the same ever in great poverty,
and by that means bringeth them that taketh most pain to most penury,
and those that getteth all to gain nothing: whereby husbandry is so hard
to live by as very few covet it, as no plenty can prosper, but ever
scarcity, where this is used, not only hindering the good but forwarding
the evil, so far that the most mischief of all the land is fed and
nourished withal. This is called Coyne and Livery. Besides this they
have many other customs, exactions, and undertreddinges, so that in a
manner all that ever the tenants can win with their weary working the
lord hath at last, if his need be such in wars, or otherwise he will
take all that his tenants have and destroy them in a day: and he never
the better himself, for (as aforesaid) idle men of war eateth all
together.
And thus their countries are impoverished as inhabitants having nothing
left to cherish or care for (unless sometime a few cattle which the poor
people are forced to drive with them wheresoever they go, for finding
their Lords’ men of war), they, as careless of their behaviour, become
as idle as the rest, stealing by night and robbing by day, as at last
stirreth them to war one Lord against another. Although [they do so]
until they have spoiled and wasted one another’s country, yet no malice
can increase their enmity so much one against another but upon every
occasion they become friends, and join their former dispersed strength
in one force against the Queen’s Majesty and her liege people.
_For their Religion._
The appearance of their outward behaviour sheweth to be the fruits of no
good trees, for they exercise no virtue, nor yet refrain or forbear any
vice, but think it lawful to do every one what him listeth, as thereby
should seem they neither love nor dread God, nor yet hate the Devil.
They are superstitious and worshippers of images and open idolaters.
Their common oath they swear is by books, bells and other ornaments,
which they use as holy relics. If for any greater cause they take the
name of God, they seldom perform unless to do a shrewd turn. Their
chief and solemnest oath that bindeth them is by their lord’s or master
his hand, which whoso forsweareth is sure to pay a fine or sustain a
worse turn. The Sabbath day they rest from all honest exercise, and the
week days they are not idle but worse occupied. They do not honour their
fathers and mothers so much as they do reverence strangers.
For any murder they commit [it] should seem they do not so soon repent
for whose blood they once shed. They lightly never cease killing of all
that name, although nothing akin, so many as they find ever after, whom
they may overcome.
They did not so commonly commit adultery, not for that they do profess
or keep such chastity, but for that they seldom or never marry, and
therefore few of them [are] lawful heirs, by the laws of the realm, to
those lands they presently possess.
They steal but from the strong, and take by violence from the poor and
weak. They know not so well who is their neighbour, as whom they favour,
with him they will witness in right and wrong.
They covet not their neighbour’s goods, but command all that is their
neighbour’s as their own.
And this ungodly life they lead, and pass their years without amendment,
until their dying day, that they are able to do no more harm, without
knowledge of God or understanding of his Word, which they never hear
truly taught, nor can, for lack of good ministers to instruct and preach
the same: nor yet will any minister take pains without living, which is
not to be had where there is neither church nor parish, but all decayed
and waste, nor can be inhabited to increase a parish without people, nor
anywise people will come to inhabit and dwell where there is neither
defence of Law nor equity of Justice maintained, as they might enjoy the
fruit of their labour.
Which is every King’s part and charge, to minister Justice to his
people, and the Queen’s Majesty’s our liege sovereign presently more
bound thereto than any her Grace’s noble progenitors hitherto were, who
by style had but the name of Lords of Ireland (although all princely
prerogative withal) before her Highness’ father, of most famous memory,
King Henry the Eight, to whom by Parliament was given the title, style
and name of King of Ireland, and now her Majesty’s possession by lawful
succession.
And withal her Majesty, under God, of whom her Highness hath received
also the charge, as most worthy for the supreme government of his
creatures, her people, within these her Highness’ own realms and
dominions, as besides Christian charity and princely dignity her
Highness oweth to God, by that title to reform and direct and lead those
blind and wilful ignorant people to the knowledge of God his most holy
Word, to the salvation of their souls, which he so dearly bought; as, if
the Angels of Heaven rejoiced so much at the conversion of one sinner to
repentance, what joy, solace, and welcome shall our most dear Sovereign
Lady Queen Elizabeth have for converting, or rather recovering, of so
many a thousand lost souls as at this present are in Ireland, ready to
go on headlong to the Devil, if her Grace seek not speedy remedy to
prevent the same, as by their fruits shewed there is already a great
many gone to his dam!
B. THE STATE OF THE ENGLISH PALE AND CIVIL SHIRES AND THE QUEEN’S
MAJESTY’S GREAT CHARGE IN KEEPING AND MAINTAINING AN ARMY THERE FOR
THE DEFENCE OF THE SAME.
Who lying in the English Pale, where commonly the most number of
soldiers do sojourn at cess,[20] both footmen and horsemen, with their
double horse and horse boys dispersed in the civil shires, which is such
a burden to the liege people of the same as hath greatly impaired the
good state of the Pale, where they are not so serviceable: for when the
Irish maketh any entry by sudden roads upon the borders of the English
Pale, although the Governor might within four hours assemble the
captains for the defence of the Pale, no captain is able to assemble his
band in four days, which is too late to pursue the enemy, who is gone
three days before with the spoil of the country.
When for more ease and better defence of the Pale the soldiers are sent
to lie upon the borders in peace time, where, a great number being
cessed upon a small territory, the burden is so heavy to the
inhabitants, upon whom if they but lie one quarter of a year, the poor
people liven the worse seven years after. And although in war time the
living of the soldiers there be such service indeed as causeth enemies
to forbear that border for the time, yet is that service so dear bought
as all that the poor man saveth by the defence of the soldier’s
presence, when the soldier is gone, the enemy cometh and taketh all
away: so as between the soldier and the enemy the poor man hath nothing
left.
And where a certain number of soldiers continually do lie in garrison at
the Newery and Knockfargus they are also most commonly found for their
provision by cess out of the English Pale to as great a charge as
before. Although some more ease they find by their absence than when
they are lodged in their houses, and to the Queen’s Majesty an increase
of charge by as much as freights and carriages by sea and land, with
great allowances to victuallers and clerks, as sometime the charges is
more than the principal provision so transported is worth at the
arrival, and sometime the whole perisheth by shipwreck, as every way the
Queen’s Majesty is a loser. And lying thus in garrison, as they use
their service, they are a defence to themselves only, and a burden to
the poor inhabitants dwelling about them (who dependeth upon the Queen’s
defence), whom they daily oppress and spoil, and cannot defend them when
they have done; nor yet defence can they be to the English Pale, which
is so far off from the one (which is Knockfargus) and may be diversly
and many ways annoyed by the Neles, the Fewes, and others, as those
which is in the Newery can neither prevent nor let the enemy coming in,
nor yet rescue at their going forth anything they take away. Nor yet
can so few as they are in those garrisons be a scourge to any enemy of
force, who may easily keep from them that he listeth not to lose, as
nothing they can get themselves unless they make a sudden raid, as
commonly they do upon those with whom they have no war, and take a prey
of them: who, to revenge the same, cometh and spoileth all the poor
people that dwelleth about those forts, to their utter decay and waste.
As at this day there is not any way within ten mile about Knockfargus
six plough land manured with tillage [or] any kind of grain, but all
that province waste, where was five or six hundred ploughs before the
garrison were planted there: so neither can any of those garrisons plant
or sow anything abroad whereof they can assure themselves to reap the
fruit: nor yet will the enemies suffer their own people to plant or
improve any commodity near those forts, lest the soldiers should thereby
be relieved: and so between both all waste.