Vagabonds Act 1597
Encyclopedia
The Vagabonds Act 1597 is an Act
of the Parliament of England
(39 Eliz. c. 4). It introduced penal transportation
as a punishment for the first time. During the reign of Henry VIII
, it has been estimated that 72,000 people were executed. With the establishment of settlements in North America
, an alternative practice (seemingly borrowed from Spain
) began of a reprieve of the death sentence should the condemned person consent to be transported to an American colony, and be entered into bond service. However, it is probable that this part of the legislation was never put into force. Another effect of the Act was to lessen the severity of a punishment meted out to strolling players imposed under a 1572 act wherein "all fencers, bearwards, common players of interludes, and minstrels (not belonging to any baron of this realm, or to any other honourable person of greater degree)," wandering abroad without the license of two justices at the least, were subject" to be grievously whipped and burned through the gristle of the right ear with a hot iron of the compass of an inch about."
It also made those listed in several categories liable for impressment
in the service of the fleet.
It was repealed by section 28 of the Act 13 Anne. c.26.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
(39 Eliz. c. 4). It introduced penal transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
as a punishment for the first time. During the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, it has been estimated that 72,000 people were executed. With the establishment of settlements in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, an alternative practice (seemingly borrowed from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) began of a reprieve of the death sentence should the condemned person consent to be transported to an American colony, and be entered into bond service. However, it is probable that this part of the legislation was never put into force. Another effect of the Act was to lessen the severity of a punishment meted out to strolling players imposed under a 1572 act wherein "all fencers, bearwards, common players of interludes, and minstrels (not belonging to any baron of this realm, or to any other honourable person of greater degree)," wandering abroad without the license of two justices at the least, were subject" to be grievously whipped and burned through the gristle of the right ear with a hot iron of the compass of an inch about."
It also made those listed in several categories liable for impressment
Impressment
Impressment, colloquially, "the Press", was the act of taking men into a navy by force and without notice. It was used by the Royal Navy, beginning in 1664 and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, in wartime, as a means of crewing warships, although legal sanction for the practice goes back to...
in the service of the fleet.
It was repealed by section 28 of the Act 13 Anne. c.26.