All persons pretending to be patent gatherers or collectors for
prison gaols or hospitals and all fencers, bearwards, common
players of interludes, minstrels, jugglers, and pretended gypsies,
and those dressing like Egyptians or pretending to have skill in
physiognomy, palm-reading, or like crafty science, or pretending
to tell fortunes, and beggars, and all persons able in body who
run away and leave their wives or children to the parish shall be
deemed rogues and vagabonds. Apprehenders of such persons bringing
them before a Justice of the Peace may be rewarded 2s. Any
constable not apprehending such shall forfeit 10s. Persons
wandering outside the place determined by a Justice of the Peace
to be his settlement may be whipped on the back until it is bloody
or sent to hard labor at a House of Correction. If he was
dangerous and incorrigible, for instance as indicated by swearing
falsely before a Justice of the Peace, he could suffer both
punishments with the whipping being on three market days. If he
escaped from the House of Correction, it was felony. If he has
been absent for more than two years, he could be put out as an
apprentice for seven years in the realm, in the colonies, or in a
British factory beyond the seas. Included later were performers
for gain from outside their parish of any play, tragedy, comedy,
opera, farce or other entertainment of the stage, including
performances in public places where wine, ale, beer, or other
liquors are sold, or forfeit 50 pounds.
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