XVII. And
be it enacted, That every person who shall be received into the
said alms and work-house, and there receive relief, shall, upon the
shoulder of
the right sleeve of the uppermost garment of every such person, in
an open and
visible manner, wear the following badge, to wit: The letters
P. W. cut in red
or blue cloth, as by the overseer of the poor shall be directed and
appointed; and
if such poor person shall neglect or refuse to wear such mark or badge
as aforesaid,
and in manner as aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful for any one
of the trustees
of such county to punish every such offender for every such offence,
either
by ordering his or her usual allowance to be abridged, suspended or
withdrawn,
and kept to hard labour for any number of days not exceeding twenty,
as to the
said trustee shall seem meet; and if any overseer of the poor shall
receive into his
said alms and work-house, or shall support, any such person, not having
and
wearing such badge or mark as aforesaid, and be thereof convicted upon
the oath
of one or more credible witnesses, he shall forfeit and pay the sum
of
thirty dollars.
XVIII. And
be it enacted, That whosoever shall presume, either to set up a
booth, stall, or other convenience for the selling of strong liquors,
on the land
purchased for the use of the said alms and work-house, or shall commit
any kind
of trespass thereon, or shall sell or dispose of any strong liquor,
or other matter
or thing whatsoever to, or purchase any matter or thing whatsoever
from, any
poor, or other person entertained in the said alms and work-house,
shall, for
every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of forty dollars.
XIX. And
be it enacted, That all sheriffs, constables, and all other officers
and ministers of justice, shall be aiding and assisting to the said
trustees for the
poor in the said counties, and to all such officers as shall be employed
by them,
as by this act is directed, in the execution and performance of the
said service.
XX. And
be it enacted, That if any person or persons shall, at any time
or
times, be sued or prosecuted for any matter or thing by him or them
done and
executed in pursuance and execution of this act, or of any matter or
thing in this
act contained, such person or persons shall and may plead the general
issue, and
give this act and the special matter in evidence, for his or her defence;
and if
upon trial a verdict shall pass for the defendant or defendants, or
if the plaintiff
or plaintiffs shall become nonsuit, or discontinue his or their suit,
then such defendant
or defendants shall have and recover treble costs to him or them awarded
against such plaintiff or plaintiffs; and if the plaintiff or plaintiffs
is or are unable
to satisfy the same, then it shall be paid and satisfied by the attorney
who
brought such suit, unless the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall give security
for the costs,
to be approved by the court in which such suit is brought.
XXI. And,
to prevent individuals from being unreasonably burthened with
the execution of this act as trustees for the poor, Be
it enacted, That at the
time of the meeting of the said trustees for the poor in the first
week of November
yearly, the said trustees, or the major part of them in the said county,
shall and may elect and choose one of the principal inhabitants of
said county,
to be a trustee for the poor of said county, in the stead of the first
named or
eldest of the said trustees of the said county, which said first named
or eldest
trustee shall be, and is by virtue hereof thencefrom discharged from
his office.
XXII. And
be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the trustees
aforesaid, or a major part of them, to rent an house or houses in the
said county
for the reception of such poor, vagrants, vagabonds or offenders, with
the necessary
lot or lots of ground adjoining to such house or houses, as convenient
to the
court-house in said county as may be, for the reception and accommodation
of the
said poor, vagrants, vagabonds and offenders, until a sufficient sum
of money be
raised in virtue of this act to enable the said trustees to purchase
the land and erect
the buildings herein before mentioned; and the justices of said county
are hereby
empowered and enjoined, annually, at the court for laying the county
rate, to assess
on the taxable property of the said county a sufficient sum to discharge
the rent |
CHAP.
XXII.
Persons received
to wear
a badge, &c.
Penalty on
keeping
booth, &c.
Sheriffs, &c.
to aid trustees,
&c.
Persons sued
may plead,
&c.
One trustee
to be chosen
annually, &c.
Trustees to
rent an house,
&c. |
