AN ACT OF THE Commons of England IN Parliament assembled; For the relief, and employment of the Poor, and the punishing of Vagrants and other disorderly persons, within the City of London and Liberties thereof.  
Whereby is constituted a Corporation, or Body politic, consisting of a President, Deputy, Treasurer, and Assistants for the due ordering and putting in execution the said Act.  
Printed by Richard coats Printer to the Honourable City of London, 1650.   

AN ACT FOR The Relief, and employment of the poor, and the punishment of Vagrants, and other disorderly Persons, within the City of London and the Liberties thereof.  
WHereas the necessity, number, and increase of the poor, is very great within the City of London, and Liberties thereof, for want of due provision, for their relief and employment; ●●d through neglect of the due execution of such Laws and Statutes, as have been formerly made; For remedy whereof, and for the better execution of the laws and Statutes heretofore made in this behalf, and for the further redress of the mischiefs intended to bee hereby remedied; Bee it enacted; by this present Parliament, and by the authority of the same, and it is hereby enacted; That from henceforth, there bee and shall bee a Corporation within the said City of London, and Liberties thereof, consisting of a President, Deputy to the President, a Treasurer, and fifty eight Assistants, whereof the Lord mayor of the said City, for the time being, to bee the President, and ten of the said Assistants to bee of the Aldermen of the said City for the time being, and the other fifty to be Freemen of, and Inhabitants of the said City, chosen out of the several Wards of the said City, two out of every Ward respectively; And that Sir John Wollaston, Isaac Pennington, Thomas Atkin, Thomas ●ndrews, samuel Avery, John Bide, Tho 〈…〉 er, Rowland Wilson, Christopher 〈…〉 John Dethick, Aldermen of the said City, shall bee the first ten Aldermen of the present Assistants, and that Francis water-house shall be the present Deputy to the President, and that Maurice Gething, shall bee the present Treasurer, and that James russel, Richard Glyd, William Jeston, Tempest Milner, William kendal, Toby Lisle, edmond Whitwell, John Cock, Robert Mead, William Bromwich, John Everett, John Jones, John Bellamy, John Babington, Richard Garforth, Robert Tichbourne, John Perrin, Thomas Bromfield, Samuel Moyer, Dierich Host, Richard Coysh, Nicholas Corsellis, William Pennoyer, Christopher Loaves, laurence Steel, Richard Floyde, Thomas Jenner, laurence Brinley, Rice Bush, Thomas White, Benjamin blundel, Thomas Dawney, Abraham Babington, Jacob Iurin, Edward Odling, Thomas Britwell, james Story, John Berriford, William Wyberd, Richard Waring, John Dodd, Walter Lee, Harman Sheaf, John Fletcher, own row, Mark Hilsley, John ston, and Clement Ireton, citizens of London, shall be the other Assistants, and that the succeeding Deputy, and Treasurer shall from henceforth, and from time to time bee Eligible by the said Corporation, or any seven, or more of them, yearly on the five and twentieth day of June, or within twenty eight dayes then next following, and shall have hereby power and authority, and are hereby authorized at any time or times, upon just and reasonable cause, to amove the said Deputy, and Treasurer for the time being, or either of them from their places; And upon such removal, or death of them, or either of them to elect one other Deputy, and Treasurer, or either of them into the said place, or places respectively; And that such five of the ten Aldermen( being Assistants) as the common-council of the City of London think fit, shall fall off, or be amoved yearly, on the said five and twentieth day of june, or within twenty eight dayes after; And that other five Aldermen shall bee yearly elected, by the said common-council, on the day and time aforesaid, to bee Assistants in the place of such as shall so fall off, or bee amoved; And that such five and twenty of the other assistants, as the several Wards respectively shall think fit, shall likewise fall off, or bee amoved yearly on the said five and twentieth day of June, or within twenty eight dayes after; and that five and twenty other persons, shall bee yearly elected within the time aforesaid by the Inhabitants of every Ward respectively, to bee Assistants in the places of such as shall die, or bee amoved as aforesaid; And that the first choice of all the said Assistants shall bee made upon the five and twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord God 1650. or within twenty eight dayes then next following. And it is further enacted, by the authority aforesaid; That the said President, Deputy, Treasurer, and Assistants for the time being shall for ever hereafter, in name and fact, bee one Body politic, and Corporate in Law, to all intents and perposes, and shall have a perpetual Succession, and shall bee called by the name of the President, and Governours, for the poor of the City of London, and Liberties thereof, and sue or pled, or bee sued and impleaded by the name aforesaid, in all Courts and places of judicature within this Nation; And by that name shall and may without licence in mortmain purchase, or receive any Lands, or Tenements, Hereditaments, not exceeding the yearly value of two thousand pounds of the Gift, Alienation, or device of any person or persons, who are hereby without further licence, enabled to give the same, and any Goods, Chattels; or sums of Money, whatsoever, to the use, intent, and purpose, hereafter limited, and appointed; And the said Corporation, or any seven of them shall have hereby power, and authority from time to time, to meet and keep Courts, for the ends and purposes in this Act expressed, at such time and place, as shall bee appointed by the said President, or his Deputy, who are hereby required upon desire of any four of the said Corporation, at any time to cause a Court to bee warned accordingly; And shall have hereby authority from time to time, to make, and appoint a Common seal for the use of the said Corporation. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid; That it is, and shall bee lawful to, and for the said President and Governours of the said Corporation, for the time being, or any two of them, from time to time, to apprehended, or cause to bee apprehended, any Rogues, Vagrants, Sturdy beggars, idle, and disorderly persons within the said City, and Liberties, and to cause them to bee set and kept to work; And such of them as by any former Statute, are declared to bee Rogues, to bee duly punished by putting in the Stocks, or whipping, as they shall find cause; And shall also have power to dispose of them to their places of birth, or last abode, as the case, according to the Laws and Statutes in that case provided shall require; And also that it shall bee lawful for the said President, and Governours, or any two them, to apprehended, or cause to bee apprehended, and kept at work. All such other poor persons, and Bastard children, and other poor children able to work, and inhabiting within the said City and Liberties, who are chargeable to any Parish, or have not sufficient to maintain themselves; and in case of their refusal so to work; That then it shall and may be lawful, to and for the said President, and Governours, or any seven of them to punish, or cause to bee punished as Vagrants, such persons so refusing to work; And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, as well for the purposes aforesaid, as for the better execution of Justice within the said City and Liberties, That all and every the Aldermen of the said City, which hath performed and passed, or that hereafter perform and pass the Office of sheriff of London, at the end of his, and their Sherivalty, and during such time as he and they shall continue Alderman, taking the Oath of a Justice of Peace appointed by Parliament, which the mayor, Recorder, or either of them, hereby have power to administer unto them, shall bee hereby a Justice of Peace to all intents and purposes whatsoever; and shall and may from henceforth do and execute accordingly within the said City and Liberties thereof without any other Commission, any Law, Statute, custom, or Usage in any wise to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided always, That no Sessions of the Peace shall bee holden, and kept within the said City and Liberties, without the presence, or appointment of the mayor, or Recorder, and the presence of three, or more of other Justices of Peace of the said City for the time being. And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in regard of the great inequality of the ordering, and relieving of the poor through the different abilities of the several and respective Wards, in the City of London, and Liberties thereof, The said Corporation or any seven of them, shall bee hereby authorized with consent of the common-council of the said City, to divide the several Wards with the poor, and Stock to them belonging, into four equal parts and proportions, for the more effectual and indifferent relief of the poor, and the avoiding future differences, and dissensions between the rich and poor Parishes. And it is enacted by the authority aforesaid, for the better relief of impotent aged persons, and others not able to work, and fit to bee relieved, and for the employing of the other poor as aforesaid, within the said City and Liberties, and providing all things for the execution of the work, intended by this Act; That if the said President and Governours shall certify their want and defect, either of a present stock for the foundation thereof, or for supply thereof for the future, and what sum and sums of Money they think fit for the same under their Common seal to the common-council of the said City, That thereupon the said common-council are hereby authorized and required from time to time to set down and ascertain such competent sum or sums of Money for the purposes aforesaid, and the same to proportion out upon the several Wards as they shall think fit; And that thereupon the Aldermen, Deputy, and common-council ment of every Ward, or the greater number of them, shall have power and authority, and are hereby required equally and indifferently, according to proportion appointed for the several Wards as aforesaid, to tax and rate the several Inhabitants within the said respective afterwards: with which tax, if any person or persons, shall find him, or themselves grieved, as supposing the same to bee unequal, he and they shall, and may make their complaint known to the Justices of the Peace, at the next open Sessions, who shall take such final order therein, as in like cases is already by the Law provided. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall, and may bee lawful to, and for the said President and Governours upon taxations, and distributions made as aforesaid, the same being made known to them by the said Aldermen, or Deputy of the said several Wards by their Certificate in writing under their hands, to make Warrants under the hands of them, or any two of them, to bee directed to any one, or more of their Officers, to demand, gather and receive, of every person and persons, such sum and sums of Money, as shall bee assessed upon them, by virtue of the Taxations and Contributions aforesaid; And for default of payment within ten dayes after demand made thereof, or notice in writing left at the dwelling house, or lodging of every person so assessed to levy the same by distress and sale of the goods of every such person, and after satisfaction made, to restore the surplusage to the party so distrained. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid; That the aforesaid Corporation or any seven persons, Members thereof, or the said Deputy and Treasurer( for the time being) or one of them together with one or more of the Aldermen of the said City, Members of the said Corporation, shall and may within the said City and Liberties do and execute in every respect for the better carrying on of this work, such thing, or things, Act, or Acts, as is allowed and appointed by any Law, or Statute, to bee done and executed by any one, or more Justice, or Justices of Peace of the said City, or of any County within this realm, for and concerning the relief and employment of the poor, and the punishment of Vagrants, and other disorderly persons, and the setting and keeping them to work within the said City, and Liberties thereof; And to put in execution any Law or Statute,( now in force) touching binding out poor children Apprentices, for the relief of the poor, punishing Rogues and beggars; And for effecting the remedies hereby intended. And it is enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said President and Governours, or any seven of them, shall have power from time to time, to make and constitute Orders and By-laws, for the better relieving, regulating, and setting the poor on work, and the apprehending and punishing of rogues, vagabonds, and beggars within the said City and Liberties, that have not herewith honestly to maintain themselves, and for other the matters aforesaid; Provided, the said Orders and By-Laws shall from time to time, be presented to, and allowed by the Common council of the said City, & by three, or more of the Justices of the upper Bench, common Pleas, and Barons of the Exchequer. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid; That the Treasurer of the said Corporation, for the time being, shall once in every year yearly, between the four and twentieth of June, and the nine and twentieth of September, or oftener, if need require, give a true and perfect account in writing of all the receipts, charges, and disbursements in, and about the premises unto the Auditors, for the time being, appointed for taking the accounts of the Chamberlain, and Bridgemasters of the said City, and the said account to remain in the custody of the Chamberlain of the said City; And it is enacted by the authority aforesaid, That an Ordinance made this present Parliament the seventeenth day of December, 1647. and every clause, and thing therein contained concerning any provision and releaf for the Poor of London, and the Liberties thereof, bee and are hereby made Null and repealed; And it is enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may bee lawful to and for the said President and Governours, or seven of them, to make enquiry for, and after any charitable gift, or grant heretofore given and appointed, or hereafter to be given and appointed to, and for the maintenance & relief of the Poor within the said City and Liberties thereof, and to act and proceed thereupon for discovering and reforming the misimployment thereof, in such manner as any Commissioners for charitable uses, may do by virtue of the statute of 43. Eliz. Chap. 4. And that the said President and Governours shall, and may by themselves, or such as they shall appoint under their Common Seal, freely, and without fees search in any Courts, or Offices for any Records, or evidences, for the discovery of any matter or thing concerning the same, And it is further enacted, That the said President and Governors, or any twenty, or more of them, being assembled together, shall have hereby power to choose, and entertain al such Officers and others, as shall bee needful to be employed in, and about the premises, and them, or any of them from time to time to remove, as they shall see cause; And upon the death or removal of them, or any of them to choose others in their places for the carrying on of this work, and to make, and give such reasonable allowances unto them, or any of them, out of the stock and revenue belonging to the said corporation, as they shall think fit; and it is enacted by the authority aforesaid, for the further releaf, & employing of the said poor, with in the said City and Liberties thereof, That the said President and Governors, or any seven of them shal have hereby power to erect one or more work-house or work-houses for receiving, relieving, & setting the poor to work, & one or more house or houses of Correction, as they shal think fit, for punishing of Rogues, Vagabonds, & beggars; And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if upon any action, svit or plaint, to be commenced, or prosecuted by any person or persons, in any Court whatsoever, agianst the said President & Governors, any of the said Justices of the Peace hereby authorized, or any of them, or any person or persons, for doing, or executing any thing by their, or any of their Order, Warrant, command, or direction, or coming into their, or any of their aid, or assistance, in, about, or concerning the premises, the Defendant or Defendants may pled the general issue of not guilty, and shall & may give the special matter in evidence, and if upon trial of the cause, it shall appear the said defendant, or defendants, did act or do the matter in question by virtue of this Act, or that the matter of fact whereupon the issue is joined, was done in any other county, then where the same fact is laid to be done, That in such case the Jury that shall try the same, shal find the defendant, or defendants in every such action, plaint, or svit, not guilty; And if in any action, plaint, or svit, the plaintiff or plaintiffs become non svit, or suffer any discontinuance thereof, or verdict shall pass against him, or them; that in every the said cases, the defendant, or defendants shall have double costs, and all other advantages & remedies, as in other cases where costs by the Laws of this Realm are given to defendants; And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid that all Sheriffs, Baylyffs Constables and all other Officers, and Ministers of Justice, shall be aiding and assisting to the said Corporation, or any of them, and unto all such Officers as shal be employed by them for the better executing, & performance of the said service.  
H. Scobell, Cleric. Parliament.   

Die Lunae, 7. Maij, 1649.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, that this Act be forthwith Printed and published.  
Hen. Scobell, clear. Parliament.  
FINIS.