THe Kings most Excellent Majesty being watchful for the publick good of his lo­ving Subjects, and taking notice of the great and unusual resort of Rogues, Ua­gabonds, Beggers, and other idle Persons of all Ages and Sexes, from all parts of the Nation to the Cities of London and Westminster and the Suburbs of the same, where they make it their trade to beg and live idlely, and to get their living by Begging, Stealing, and other wicked and lewd practises, to the great offence of Almighty God, and to the dishonour of His Majesties Royal Govern­ment; And his Majesty taking it into His Princely consideration, that this Realm is furnished with excellent Laws and Orders for redress of such Enormities, yet through negligence of Officers, and presumption of the Offenders, the same nevertheless do rather grow then abate. His Majesty hath therefore thought fit at this present by advice of his Privy Councel, to cause some necessary Laws formerly made for the re­forming the Abuses aforesaid, to be duely executed and observed. And for that end, whereas by the Laws of this Land all Uagabonds, Beggers, and idle persons are to be sent to the place of their Birth, or of their last abode, there to be relieved and kept if they be impotent, or otherwise made to labour: His Maje­stie doth by this Proclamation publish and declare His Royal Pleasure and Commands, that all such Ua­gabonds, Beggers and Idle persons within the Cities of London and Westminster and the Suburbs of [Page] the same, which by Law are not there to be provided for (to the wrong of the native poor, and a burden to the several Parishes where now they are) but that they forthwith at their Perils depart from the same and speédily resort to the place of their Birth or last abode, that they may be there provided for as they ought to be. And if any such Uagabonds, Beggers, or idle persons shall or may be found within the Cities of London and Westminster, or in any of the Suburbs or Precincts of the same, or in the Borough of Southwark, or in any Town near adjoyning, upon the four and twentieth day of this moneth of May, His Majesty streightly chargeth and commandeth, as well the Lord Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and She­riffs of the said City of London, and all other Officers of the said City, and all other His Majesties Iu­stices of the Peace, Magistrates and Officers whatsoever within the City of Westminster, Borough of Southwark, or within the County of Middlesex, to cause all such persons to be apprehended, and openly whipped, and sent away (except such as are willing to go to the English Plantations) And that in all things they do speédily execute, and cause to be put in execution the Statute made in the Thirty ninth yeare of Queéne Elizabeth Chap. the 4 ^th concerning the punishment of Rogues and Uagabonds: And to the end that all such persons may not only be setled and kept from wandring, but also made to labour and so kept from idleness, his Majesty doth streightly charge and command all and singular Sheriffs, Iu­stices of the Peace, and other Officers and Ministers in the several Counties of this Realm, and all Mayors, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Aldermen and other Magistrates, Officers and Ministers of all other Cities and Towns Corporate, that they and every of them within their several Limits and Iurisdictions[?] re­spectively do carefully and diligently put in due and speedy Execution the same Statute of the Thirty ninth of Elizabeth, Chapter the Fourth, both for erecting houses of Correction, and for punishing such Uagabonds and idle persons; as also the Statutes of the 1. Jacob. Chap. 7. made for the explanation of the said Statute made in the Seventh year of King James Chapter Fourth, for the ordering such houses of Correction. And to the end that not onely sturdy Rogues and Uagabonds may be duely kept from wan­dering and idleness, and held to labour, but that also poor and Fatherless Children and Widows, the Aged and Impotent may be also carefully provided for and relieved, and not permitted to wander and lie in the Streets begging from door to door; It is His Majesties express Charge and Command to all Mayors, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Iustices of the Peace, Magistrates, Officers and Ministers in the seve­ral Counties of this Realm, and in all Cities and Towns Corporate, that they diligently and carefully put in execution that excellent Statute made in the Fourty third Year of Elizabeth, Chapter the second, concerning the Overseérs of the Poor, and their duty for raising a Stock for maintenance of the Poor, and for binding forth Children Apprentices, which His Majesty commends in an especial manner to their Care: Their neglecting this so great a work, in not carefully providing for poor Fatherless Children and In­fants for their teaching and instructing them, and for fitting them for Trades and Services, and in not binding them forth Apprentices; all which neglect is a great cause of poor childrens idleness, wandring, and wickedness in the whole course of their lives; And to the end that convenient Stocks may be raised in all Parishes, especially for the ends aforesaid, His Majesty requireth the several Overseérs of the Poor to be diligent in raising such Stocks according to the Power given them. And also His Majesty requireth all Mayors, Bayliffs, Iustices of the Peace, Magistrates and other Officers aforesaid, to be careful in put­ting in speedy and due Execution all the Statutes concerning Tipling and Drunkenness, and concerning [Page] unlawful or irregular Inns or Alehouses, and all other Statutes, the penalties whereof are disposed to the use of the Poor of the several Parishes; and to cause the said several penalties to be delivered to the Overseérs of the Poor respectively for the increase of the said Stock, to buy materials to imploy the said Poor, and also to be careful in diligent calling to account the said Overseers, and to see the said sums so raised may be carefully imployed for the good education and instruction and binding out of such poor In­fants and Fatherless Children, and providing for relief of the Poor aforesaid, which may in probability encourage some charitable and well disposed Persons voluntarily to contribute and add to such Stocks by their free and weekly contributions (which they dayly bestowed on idle begging Poor) or otherwise. His Majesty therefore expects all Mayors, Iustices, Magistrates and other His Officers to whom the Execu­tion of the Law aforesaid is particularly concerned, that they be very careful in the due and speedy execu­tion of every one of them, as they will avoid His Majesties just indignation for their neglect of their duties in hindring this so great a National work, and for the Contempt of His Royal Commandment: His Ma­jesty being resolved to have an account, both from the said Iustices, and the several Iudges of Assizes in their several Circuits, of the due observation hereof, until His Majesty shall take a further Course by the advice of His Parliament, which he determines to do, that no poor shall be permitted to be Uagrant or Begging, but all such as are Impotent and not able to work, may be provided for, so as to live comforta­bly, and yet be kept from profess'd idleness, and such as are able may have means provided to set them on work.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Ninth day of May, One thousand six hundred sixty one, and in the Thirteenth year of His Majesties Reign.

GOD SAVE THE KING.