decorative frame containing the title page  blazon of the City of London, consisting of a shield bearing the cross of St. George (patron saint of England) with a sword (emblem of the martyrdom of St. Paul, patron saint of London) in the first quarter of the shield 
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CERTAIN Articles concerning the Statute lately made for the relief of the poor, to be executed in London, by the Churchwardens and Overseers of every parish, according to the effect of the same Statute.  
Imprinted by john Wolf, Printer to the honourable City of London. 1599   printer's device of John Wolfe (1579-1601)   

CERTAIN ARTICLES concerning the Statute lately made for the relief of the poor, to be executed in London by the Churchwardens and Overseers of every parish, according to the effect of the same Statute.  
INprimis, the said Churchwardens and Overseers or the greater part of them shall take order from time to time by consent of two or more of the justices of peace, for setting to work of the children of all such persons within the same parish whose parents shall not be thought by them able to keep and maintain their children. Wherein it is thought fit that children of eight years old or upwards be set on work, and such as be twelve years old or upward, if they be not before that time bounden apprentices, be at those years bounden apprentices by the said Churchwardens and Overseers, according to the intent of the said Statute.  
Also all such persons married or unmarried, as having no means to maintain themselves, use no ordinary trade of life to get their living by, are to be set on work by the said Churchwardens and Overseers: Wherein it is thought meet that such as willingly submit themselves to the law to work within the parish, may be set to work within their parish in these trades following, viz:  
Or in any other trade, for which the said persons shall be found more meet, having supply of stock as the law appointeth: & that such as will not orderly work within their parish, shall be sent to Bridewell or to other places for that purpose to be appointed there to work, for which purpose the justices of peace are ready to give their warrants upon certificate or complaint of the Churchwardens and Overseers, they having authority by the statute so to do.  
The Churchwardens and Overseers with consent of the two justices of peace, must make a taxation of every inhabitant within the parish, be they free or not free of the City, for a convenient stock of flax, hemp wool, thread, Iron, and other necessary stuff, to set the poor on work within the said parish, and for a weekly allowance towards the necessary relief of the lame, impotent, old, blind, and such other amongst them being poor and not able to work, and for putting poor children apprentices: Wherein it is thought meet that they having due consideration of the necessity of each person and of their abilities to work, and of their charge do make allowance to every one rateably according to their wants, and that the said Churchwardens and Overseers do collect and distribute the said taxations monthly, and dispose of the stock according to the intent of the Statute.  
And touching such overcharge as in some parishes shall happen by occasion of the great multitude of the poor there to be relieved, more than the weekly allowance of such parishes will supply, the justices of peace are to tax, rate, and assess any of any other parishes to pay such sum and sums of money to the churchwardens & Overseers of the said poor parish for the purposes aforesaid, as they shall think fit. Which taxation so made by the justices of peace, the Churchwardens, and overseers in every parish are from time to time to receive & collect as the other tax, and to pay the same over, monthly, to the hands of the Treasurer appointed by the City for that purpose for the year, to be by him distributed, according to the direction of the justices of the peace, and true intent of the said Statute: wherein it is wished, for that some Churchwardens be many times very poor, that care be had that such of the Overseers or Churchwardens as be of good ability may receive and keep the money collected until it be paid over as above.  
The Churchwardens and the Overseers appointed must meet together at the least once every month in the Church of the said parish, upon the Sunday in the after noon, after divine service, to consider of some good course to be taken, and some meet orders to be set down by them in the premises, upon pain to forfeit twenty shillings for every default, without lawful cause.  
The Churchwardens and the Overseers must within four days after the end of their year (which began when the said Overseers were appointed) and after new Overseers nominated as aforesaid, make and yield up to such two justices of peace a true and perfect account of all sums of money by them received, or rated and cessed and not received, and of such stock as shall be in their hands, or in the hands of the poor to work, and of all other things concerning their said office, and such sum or sums of money as shall be in their hands, shall pay and deliver over to the said Churchwardens and Overseers newly nominated as aforesaid, upon pain to forfeit for every default in being negligent in their office, or in the execution of the orders aforesaid being made by, and with the assent of the said justices of peace, twenty shillings.  
The Churchwardens and Overseers, or any of them are by warrant from any two such justices of the peace, to levy aswell the said sums of money of every one that shall refuse to contribute according as they shall be assessed by distress and sale of the offender's goods, as the sums of money or stock which shall be behind upon any account to be made as aforesaid, rendering to the party the overplus, and in default of such distress, it is also lawful for two justices of the peace to commit to prison such as refuse to contribute: there to remain without bail or mainprize, till payment be made of the said sum or stock.  
And it is lawful for any two such justices of peace to commit to prison every one of the said Churchwardens and Overseers, which shall refuse to account, there to remain without bail or mainprize, till he hath made a true account and satisfied and paid so much as upon the said account shall be remaining in his hands.  
It is also enacted, that such persons as shall go wandering abroad and beg in any place wheresoever by licence or without, unless it be poor people, who shall ask relief of victuals only in the same parish where they shall dwell, according to the direction of the Churchwardens and Overseers, shall be accounted as Rogues and so punished. Provided always nevertheless, that every soldier being discharged of his service, or otherwise lawfully licenced to pass into his country, and not having wherewith to relieve himself in his travels homewards, and every seafaring man landing from sea, not having wherewith to relieve himself in his travels homewards, having a Testimonial under the hand of some one justice of the peace, of or near the place where he landed or was discharged setting down therein the place & time, where and when he landed, or was discharged, and the place of the parties dwelling or birth, unto which he is to pass, and a convenient time therein to be limited for his passage, shall and may without incurring the danger or penalty of this Act, in the usual ways directly to the place unto which he is directed to pass, and within the time in such his Testimonial limited for his passage, ask and receive such relief as shall be necessary in and for his passage, the said act or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  
And for that notwithstanding the liberal contribution of the parishioners, and the great travel and care of the Churchwardens and Overseers in every parish, to provide for their own poor be well effected: yet the negligence of the Constables in many places in suffering Rogues to wander & beg in the streets, and the frowardness of some stubborn beggars who will not be reform, doth breed a great scandal to the city, & in time will discourage the better sort to continue any liberal contribution for the poor, unless due reformation be had for the said Rogues, and wandering beggars: it is therefore thought mere and so declared that every Constable and other officer, who shall be found negligent, or remiss in the execution of the statute lately made for punishment of Rogues and vagabonds, shall be censured and punished so far as the law and authority of the chief Magistrate in that place will allow, and that diligent inquiry of their defaults shallbe made from time to time, as shall be needful.   
FINIS.