A proclamation, anent the beggers.

A proclamation, anent the beggers.

Edinburgh : Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, 1692.

1 item, 40 cm x 31cm.

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FAST ACC 272798

From dealer's description: "57. A PROCLAMATION, anent the beggers. Edinburgh: Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, 1692. Broadside: 40cm x 31cm. Woodcut at the top, wear to edges, signs of having being folded four times, a few very small holes along the vertical fold just touching a few letters (sense still clear), contemporary manuscript on verso. $2000.00 The very rare FIRST EDITION of this regulation for providing for the poor. The proclamation calls for each parish (in the broadside it is the Scotish spelling of “paroch”) to collect funds from their members and to distribute them according to the needs of their poor. If the person or family has no home or friends with whom they can stay, the parish is charged with finding them a place to stay. If a poor person is able to work, then work must be found for them “according to their Capacities” and “furnishing them always with Meat and Cloaths.” Young children found begging can be taken in by others, but those that take in children will be responsible for their education and for providing for them. In exchange, children will be required to work for that household until aged 13. Interestingly, the proclamation makes a big distinction between those that are from the parish and those that are not. Those that are not from their community are considered vagabonds and are unwelcome. They can be jailed for begging, fed only bread and water, and then released to return to their own parish. If they return and are caught, “they are to be Marked with an Iron on the Face.” Other passages explain who is to oversee care of the poor and how the sheriffs are to enforce the rules. On the verso is a manuscript note from January 4, 1693, about where this broadside was publicly proclaimed followed by a signature. At the foot of the broadside is the manuscript docketed information reading “Given under our signet at Edinburgh, the eleventh day of August. And of our reign the fourth year, 1692.” ¶ ESTC & OCLC: Huntington Library, Harvard, Indiana University, and three locations outside of the United States."

Ordered from Ben Kinmont, D9631, 2023-05-01, Cat. "New York Antiquarian Book Fair 2023" item #57.

272798