A history of the Irish poor law, in connexion with the condition of the peopleNicholls, George, Sir
History
A history of the Irish poor law, in connexion with the condition of the people
Nicholls, George, Sir
Poor laws -- Ireland -- History
The said corporation are moreover required as soon as they possess
sufficient funds, to build hospitals to be called workhouses or houses
of industry for the relief of the poor in their respective counties, “as
plain, as durable, and at as moderate expense as may be;” which
hospitals are to be divided into four parts, one for such poor helpless
men, and one other for such poor helpless women as shall be judged
worthy of admission, a third for the reception of men able to labour and
committed as vagabonds or sturdy beggars, and the fourth for idle
strolling and disorderly women committed to the hospital and found fit
for labour.
[Sidenote: Persons begging without a licence to be apprehended.]
Every man above the age of fifteen found begging without a licence, and
not wearing a badge, is to be committed to the stocks for any time not
exceeding three hours for the first offence, and six hours for every
subsequent offence; and old persevering offenders may be indicted at the
sessions, and if convicted are to suffer imprisonment not exceeding two
months; after which if they again offend they may be publicly whipped,
and be again imprisoned for four months, and so on continually for every
subsequent offence. Every female found begging without a licence and
badge, may be confined in any place appointed for that purpose, not
exceeding three hours for the first offence, and for every subsequent
offence not exceeding six hours; and every old and persevering offender
is, as in the case of the men, to be proceeded against at the sessions;
and in order that these directions may be carried into effect, the
corporations are empowered to appoint “such and so many persons as they
shall think fit, at reasonable salaries, to seize and arrest all such
persons whom they shall find begging without such licence and badge, and
carry them before the next justice, who may commit the party to the
stocks or otherwise as aforesaid.” Justices are moreover empowered on
their own view, to cause such persons to be seized and dealt with as is
above directed for every first and subsequent offence.
[Sidenote: Poor children to be provided for.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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