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WILLIAM SMALLWOOD, Esq; Governor.
and for any person authorised 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 residing 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, is hereby required to receive into the said alms and
work-house 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. |
1785.
CHAP.
XV. |
XVII. 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 uppermost garment of every such
person,
in an open and visible manner, wear the following badge, to wit, the
letters P T, cut either 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 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or her usual allowance to be abridged, suspended or withdrawn, or otherwise,
by ordering such offender to be whipt, not exceeding ten lashes, 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 the 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 witness or witnesses,
he shall forfeit and pay the sum of five pounds current money. |
Poor, &c. to
wear a badge,
&c. |
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 very such offence, forfeit and
pay the sum of ten pounds current money. |
Penalty on
keeping
booth, &c. |
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 county, 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. |
Sheriffs, &c.
to aid trustees,
&c. |
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 their 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. |
Persons sued
may plead the
general issue,
&c. |
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