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<DATE>2014-03-20</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140219.apex.</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B21817">
<STC T="W">E972A</STC>
<STC T="G">21.b.16[17]</STC>
<STC T="C">R16262</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99882960</BIBNO>
<VID>190688</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="illustration">
<PB N="1" REF="1" MS="y">
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>coat of arms for the Commonwealth of England</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="act">
<HEAD>AN ACT AGAINST VAGRANTS, AND Wandring, Idle, Di&s;&s;olute per&s;ons.</HEAD>
<OPENER><DATELINE>At the Parliament begun at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter</HI> the 17^t^h Day of <HI>September, Anno Domini,</HI> 1656.</DATELINE></OPENER>
<P>_WHereas the number of wandring, idle, loo&s;e, di&s;&s;olute and di&s;orderly per&s;ons is (of late) much increa&s;ed, by rea&s;on of &s;ome defects in the Laws and Statutes heretofore made and provided for the puni&s;hment of Rogues, Vagabonds and Sturdy Beggers, (they being &s;eldome taken begging) by means
<PB N="2" REF="2"> whereof divers Robberies, Burglaries, Thefts, In&s;urrections and other Mi&s;demeanours have been occa&s;ioned; For the prevention whereof, Be it Enacted by His Highne&s;s the Lord Pro|tector and this pre&s;ent Parliament, and the Authority thereof, That all and every idle, loo&s;e and di&s;&s;olute per&s;on and per&s;ons, which from and after the fir&s;t day of <HI>July,</HI> One thou|&s;and &s;ix hundred fifty &s;even, &s;hall be found and taken within the Commonwealth of <HI>England,</HI> vagrant and wandring from his or their u&s;ual place of living or abode, and &s;hall not have &s;uch good and &s;ufficient cau&s;e or bu&s;ine&s;s for &s;uch his or their travelling or wandring, as the Iu&s;tices or Iu&s;tice of Peace, Mayors, or other Chief Officer or Officers of the re&s;pe|ctive Counties or Corporations, before whom &s;uch per&s;on or per&s;ons &s;hall be brought, &s;hall approve of; That then every &s;uch idle, loo&s;e and di&s;&s;olute per&s;on and per&s;ons, &s;o taken va|grant and wandring as afore&s;aid, &s;hall be ad|judged, and are hereby adjudged and declared to be Rogues, Vagabonds, and Sturdy Beg|gers, within the Statue made in the Nine and thirtieth year of the Reign of Queen <HI>Eli|zabeth, <HI>Cap.</HI></HI> 4. <HI>For the Suppre&s;&s;ing of Rogues, Va|gabonds and Sturdy Beggers,</HI> and &s;hall be proceed|ed again&s;t and puni&s;hed as Rogues, Vaga|bonds and Sturdy Beggers within the &s;aid Statute, although they &s;hall not be taken begging, Any Law, Statute or V&s;age to the contrary thereof in any wi&s;e notwith&s;tand|ing.</P>
<P>And be it further Enacted by the Authority afore&s;aid, That if any per&s;on or per&s;ons com|monly called Fidlers or Min&s;trels, &s;hall at
<PB N="3" REF="2"> any time after the &s;aid Fir&s;t day of <HI>July,</HI> be ta|ken playing, fidling and making mu&s;ick in any Inn, Ale-hou&s;e or Tavern, or &s;hall be taken profering them&s;elves, or de&s;iring, or intreat|ing any per&s;on or per&s;ons to hear them to play, or make mu&s;ick in any the places afore&s;aid, That every &s;uch per&s;on and per&s;ons &s;o taken, &s;hall be adjudged, and are hereby adjudged and declared to be Rogues, Vagabonds and Stur|dy Beggers, and &s;hall be proceeded again&s;t and puni&s;hed as Rogues, Vagabonds and Sturdy Beggers within the &s;aid Statute, Any Law, Statute or V&s;age to the contrary thereof in any wi&s;e notwith&s;tanding.</P>
</DIV1>
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<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>LONDON:</HI> Printed by <HI>Henry Hills</HI> and <HI>John Field,</HI> Printers to His Highne&s;s, 1657.</P>
</DIV1>
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