Poor Relief Act 1662

Rectial of the increase of the poor, and that the same arises from Defect in the poor Lwas and want of Employment

Reasons for passing this Act.; Justice of the Peace may remove Persons coming to settle in Ten´ement under £ 10 per Annum to last Settlement.

Whereas the necessity number and continual increase of the Poore not onely within the Cities of London and Westminster with the Liberties of each of them but alsoe through the whole Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales is very great and exceeding burthensome being occasioned by reason of some defects in the Law concerning the setling of the Poor and for want of a due Provision of the regulations of releife and imployment in such Parishes or Places where they are legally setled which doth enforce many to turn incorrigible Rogues and others to perish for want togeather with the neglect of the faithfull execution of such Lawes & Statutes as have formerly beene made for the apprehending of Rogues and Vagabonds and for the good of the Poore For remedy whereof and for the preventing the perishing of any of the Poore whether young or old for want of such supplies as are necessary May it please your most Excellent Majestie that it may be enacted and be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That whereas by reason of some defects in the Law poore people are not restrained from going from one Parish to another and therefore doe endeavor to settle themselves in those Parishes where there is the best Stocke the largest Commons or Wastes to build Cottages and the most Woods for them to burn and destroy and when they have consumed it then to another Parish and att last become Rogues and Vagabonds to the great discouragem[en]t. of Parishes to provide Stocks where it is lyable to be devoured by Strangers Be it therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull upon complaint made by the Churchwardens or Overseers of the Poore of any Parish to any Justice of Peace within Forty dayes after any such Person or Persons coming so to settle as aforesaid in any Tenement under the yearely value of Ten pounds for any two Justices of the Peace whereof one to be of the Quo§ of the Division where any person or persons that are likely to be chargeable to the Parish shall come to inhabitt by theire warrant to remove and convey such person or persons to such Parish where he or they were last legally setled either as a native Householder Sojourner Apprentice or Servant for the space of forty dayes at the least unlesse he or they give sufficient security for the discharge of the said Parish to bee allowed by the said Justices