12 Extracts from the Records of the 



daily experience j'S founde to growe by the wandeiinge upp and downe the country 

 of idle and loyteringe vagabounds and other loose p'sons w'='' now of late have 

 taken more lib'tye to travaile then heretofore in regarde that the constables 

 Tithingmen and Hedboroughes .... have byn very remisse in thexecucon 

 of the statute made in the xxxix"" yere of the Eaigne of our late Sov'aigne Ladye 

 Queene Elizabeth for the punishm' of Kogues Vagabounds and idle beggers." 



The strict observance of the Act was enjoined upon the responsible 

 officers, and churchwardens and sidesmen were bidden : — 



" Upon the receipt of a copie of this order to cause the same to be published 

 openly in their p'ishe churches ymediately after divine prayer in the p'sence of 

 the p'ishiouers." 



So far the patients are dealt with as a class; in the following' 

 minute the individual receives attention. 



Trinity, 1604 :— 



" We thinck it fitt that whereas on [one] Wolfine is nowe come from Sar'to Birt- 

 forde now the habitacon of the lady M'kesse of Northampton unto whome in respect 

 of his trade divers of the inhabitants of the Citye of Sar and div's others does 

 resort to the great danger of the La: and housholde, that the said Wolfyn be 

 admonished to returne from whence he came. 



" James Meetin E. Ltidlowe 



"Edw Peneuddock W: Vaughin 



" W. Blackee." 



But measures of relief accompanied those of repression. 

 At the Hilary Sessions, 1603-4 : — 



" Upon credible informacon given unto the Court .... That the Citty 

 of Sam and y= Borughes of tlie Devizes and Marlebroughe * and the p'ishe of 

 Fisherton Anger w"'in this Countj'e are infected w"> the disease of the pestilence 

 And that in the s"* Citty and Boroughos and p'ishe their are great numbers of 

 poore people who onely live and mayntayne them selves by wcavinge of WoUen 

 cloth and spynning to the clothiers and m'ketts .... and other manuall 

 trades and occupacons and nowe are putt of from theire saide works by the 

 clothiers and others their worke-masters by occasion of the feare of the increase 

 and further disperse of the s"* infecon so as nowe there ys noe meanes lefte unto 

 them the s"" poore people to gett their livinge unles it shall please God very 

 shortly to staye the contagion thereof Yt is therefore ordered .... That 

 from henceforth there shalbe paied by the Treasaurers of the coUecon of the relief 

 of the poore prison's of the Kings Benche and Marshalsey .... towards 

 the reliefe of the s"* poore people theise soms of money hereafter menconed . . 

 . . to the mayor of the said Citty of Newe Saru weekly the some of xl* . 



• The municipal accounts of Marlborough contain entries of payments relating to the plague. See 

 vol. iii., p. 112. 



