Punishments for Paupers
History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 3.2.2
The Punishment of Paupers in Tudor England
During the 16th century, beggars and vagrants were considered idle. An unwanted burden, they were punished by the state.
Beggars and vagrants
- Vagrancy means being homeless without a regular source of income.
- Vagrants were generally itinerant (meaning they travelled from place to place).
- Vagrancy and beggary increased in response to problems in the countryside, such as enclosure.
- This was seen as a danger. People believed it was a personal failing, not society's problem.
Vagrancy Act, 1547
- Somerset passed the Vagrancy Act in 1547. This stated that:
- Any able-bodied person out of work for more than three days was to be branded with a V and sold into slavery for two years.
- It was very unpopular and never put into effect.
Poor Law, 1552
- In 1552, Northumberland introduced restrictions on beggary. E.g. beggars had to register to be allowed to beg.
Test yourself on Punishments for Paupers
When did Somerset's Vagrancy Act come into effect?