❧ The effect of certaine branches of the Statute made in Anno .xxxiii. Henr. viii. touching the maintenance of Artyllery, and the punishment of such as vse vnlawfull games, very necessary to be put in execution.
FIrst, that all fathers, gouernours, and rulers of such as be of tender age, to teach and bring them vp in the knowledge of shooting: and that euery man hauing a man childe, or men children in his house, shall prouide, ordeine, and haue in his house for euery man childe, being of the age of vii. yeeres and aboue, till he shall come to the age of xvii. yeres, a bowe & two shaftes, to induce and learne them, and bring them vp in shooting, and shall deliuer all the same bowe and arrowes to the same yong men to vse and occupie. And if the same yong men be seruants, that then their masters shall abate the money that they shall pay for the same bowes and arrowes of their wages. And after all such yong men shall come to the age of xvii. yeeres, euery of them shall prouide and haue a bowe & foure arrowes continually for him selfe, at his proper costs and charges, or els of the gifte or prouision of his friends, and vse and occupie the same in shooting, as is before rehearsed. And if the master suffer any of his seruants taking wages, being in his housholde, and vnder the age xvii. yeeres, to lacke a bowe and two arrowes, contrary to the fourme of this estatute, by the space of one moneth together, then the master or father in whome such negligence shalbe, shall for euery such default forfaite vi. s. viii. v. and that euery seruant passing the age of xvii. yeres, and vnder the age of lx. yeres, and taking wages, which can or is able to shoote, & shall lacke a bowe and iii. arrowes by the space of one moneth together, shall for euery such default forfaite and lose vi.s.viii. d.
Item, that no person by him selfe, factor, deputie, seruant, or other person, shall for his or their gayne, lucre, or liuing, keepe, haue, holde, occupie, exercise, or maintaine, any common house, Alley, or place of bowling, coyting, cloyse, coyles, halfe bowle, tennys, disyng, table, or carding, or any other maner of gaine prohibited by any statute heretofore made, or any vnlawfull new game nowe inuented or made, or hereafter to be inuented, founde, had, or made, vpon paine to forfaite and pay for euery day keeping, hauing, mainteining, or suffering any such game to be had, kept, executed, played, or mainteined within any such house, garden, Alley, or other place, contrary to the fourme and effect of this estatute .xl. s. and the players so taken, to pay for euery time. vi. s. viii. d.
Item, that the Iustices of peace, and euery Maior, Sheriffe, Baillyffe, Constable, or other head officer, haue aucthoritie to enter into all places, aswell within franchises as els where, and the persons offending in any of the premisses, to take put in prison, vntill such time they put in suerties no more to suffer, occupie, or commit the sayd offences.
Item, that the Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, and other head officers within euery Citie, Borough, and towne within this Realme, where any such officers shall fortune to be, aswell within the franchises as without, shall make due search weekely, or at the furthest at all times hereafter once euery moneth in all places, where any such houses, Alleys, play or playes shall be suspected to be had, kept, and mainteyned. And if the sayd Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, and other head officers, within their Cities, Boroughes, and Townes, aswell within franchises, as without, do not make due search at the furthest once euery moneth, if the case so require, according to the tenor of this Act, and do not execute the same, in all things according to the purport and force of the same: that then euery such Maior, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, or other head officer, to pay and forfaite for euery moneth not making such search, nor executing the same .xl. s.
Item, that no Artificer, or handy craftes man of any occupation, husbandman, Apprentice, labourer, seruant of husbandry, Iorneyman, or seruant or Artificer, Mariner, Fisherman, Waterman, or any seruingman, may vse any vnlawfull game.
Item, that al that play at bowles or any other vnlawful game in the fields, to loose for euery such time vi. s. viii. d. and to be committed to prison, vnto such time they put in sureties no more to vse the same.
Item, this statute to be proclaimed foure times euery yeere, and the like to be done in all assises and sessions, and to continue for euer.
Memorandum, that there is a prouiso in this statute for all men of worship, which may dispend one hundred pounds yeerely and vpwards, may vse these games with discretion at their pleasures.
God saue the Queene.