Poor Act 1575
Act of Parliament of England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Poor Act 1575 (18 Eliz. 1. c. 3) was an act of the Parliament of England under Queen Elizabeth I. It was a part of the Tudor Poor Laws and a predecessor to the Elizabethan Poor Laws.
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for the setting of Poor on Work, and for the avoiding of Idleness. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 18 Eliz. 1. c. 3 |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 March 1576 |
| Commencement | 8 February 1576[a] |
| Repealed | 28 July 1863 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Vagabonds Act 1572 |
| Amended by | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1863 |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The act required parishes to create “a competent stock of wool, hemp, flax, iron and other stuff” for the poor to work on. It also created houses of correction where recalcitrant or careless workers could be forced to work and punished accordingly.[1]
The act built substantially on the Vagabonds Act 1572 (14 Eliz. 1. c. 5),[2] and combined, they formed the basis for the subsequent Elizabethan Poor Laws.[3]
Legacy
The act was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1584 (27 Eliz. 1. c. 11), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1586 (29 Eliz. 1. c. 5), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1588 (31 Eliz. 1. c. 10), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 (35 Eliz. 1. c. 7), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1597 (39 Eliz. 1. c. 18), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 (43 Eliz. 1. c. 9) and the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623 (21 Jas. 1. c. 28).
The act was amended by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 (35 Eliz. 1. c. 7) to allow land to be given to the use of the poor.
So much of the act "as concerneth bailiffs begotten out of lawful matrimony" was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 (43 Eliz. 1. c. 9).
Notes
References
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