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Beadles, &c. may seise beggars and vagabonds.
committed till next assembly, examined, and confined not above 4 years.
Penalty on beadles, &c. 20 s.
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XV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the first day of May One thousand seven hundred and forty two each and every beadle or bellhour of each and every parish within the said city or suburbs of Cork and the liberties thereof, and each and every constable within their respective districts or jurisdictions, and each and every parshioner or inhabitant in any of the parishes aforesaid, calling to his or her assistance the beadle of the parish or a constable, shall have full power and authority to seize and apprehend, and bring before any one member of the said court of assistants aforesaid any sturdy beggar or beggars, or other idle vagabond or vagabonds that such beadle or bellhour, constable, parishioner, or inhabitant, shall know, find, or be informed of, to be begging or stroling in, or frequenting any of the streets of houses within the said city, or the suburbs or liberties thereof; and the said member of the said court of assistants is hereby impowered by warrant under his hand and seal to commit the persons, who shall from time to time be so apprehended and brought before him, to the said work-house, there to be confined and kept to hard labour, if he thinks fit, until the next general coure of assemby, where such sturdy beggar or beggars, idle vagabond or vagabonds, shall be brought and examined by the said governors; and if the said governors shall see sufficient cause, they shall and may consine such sturdy beggar or beggars, idle vagabond or vagabonds, in the said work-house for any term not longer than four years, there to be kept to hard labour, or otherwise employed, as they shall see cause; and if any beadle, bellhour, or constable shall, when called, neglect or refuse to seize, and apprehend, and bring before any one of the members of the said court of assisiants, any sturdy beggar or beggars, or other idle vagabond or vagabonds, that shall be found begging or stroling in any of the streets or houses within the said city of Cork, or the liberties thereof, that then such beadle, bellhour, or constable, so neglecting or refusing, when called upon as aforesaid, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay to the governours of the said work-house for the use of the said house the full sum of twenty shillings, to be recovered in case of non-payment by distress and sale of the goods and chattles of such offender or offenders by warrant under the hands and seals of the said assistants present at any such court of assembly; or any five or more of them; which warrant they, or any five or more of them, on any complaint or proof made of such neglect or refusal are hereby required and impowered to grant.
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