POOR,

1897

security, at the discretion of the magistrate aforesaid, in any
sum not exceeding twenty pounds current money, for his or
her good behaviour during the space of six months ; and also
upon complaint and due pi oof made by the overseer of the said
alms and woik-house, to any one trustee, that any person in the
said work-house hath behaved and demeaned him or herself in
a disorderly manner, or hath refused or neglected to do and
perform his or her daily labour and task, or hath refused or
neglected to obey, keep and observe, any of the ordinances,
rules and by-laws, of the said corpoiation, to order and direct
such moderate and proper correction, not exceeding twenty-
five lashes for any one offence, to be given to such offender, as
the nature of the case may require.

SEC. 16. And be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful
to and for any of the said trustees to direct and appoint under
their hand in writing what poor shall be received into such
alms and woik-house; and it shall and may be lawful for any
one justice of the peace for the said county, and for any person
authorized and appointed by such justice, to apprehend, or
cause to be apprehended and committed to the said work-
house, any rogues, vagrants, vagabonds, beggars, and other
idle, dissolute and disorderly persons, found loitering or resid-
ing in the said county, who follow no labour, trade, occupation
or business, and have no visible means of subsistence whereby
to acquire an honest livelihood, there to be kept at hard labour
for any time not exceeding three months ; and the overseer of
such alms and work-house shall be obliged to receive any poor
appointed as aforesaid to be received, and any rogue, vagrant,
vagabond, beggar, and other idle, dissolute and disorderly
person, so as aforesaid committed.

Trustees to
direct what
poor shall
be received,
&c.

SEC. 17. And be it enacted, That every person who shall be
received into the said alms or work-house, and there receive
relief, shall, upon the shoulder of the right sleeve of the upper-
most garment of every such person, in an open and visible
manner, wear the following badge, to wit, the letters P. D. for
the poor of Dorchester. and the letters P. S. for the poor of
Somerset, 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 afore-
said, and in manner as aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful for
any one of the trustees aforesaid to punish every such offender
for every such offence, either by ordering his or her usual
allowance to be abridged, suspended or withdrawn, or other-
wise, by ordering such offender to be whipt, not exceeding ten
lashes, and kept to hard labour for any number of days not ex-
ceeding twenty, as to the said trustee shall seem meet; and if
any overseer of the poor shall receive into the said alms and
238

Poor, &c.
to wear a
badge, &c.