ir own hands,
leaving the communalty weak, or as an idol with broken or feeble arms,
which may in a time of peace have a plausible shew, but when necessity
shall enforce have a heavy and bitter sequel.

CHAPTER X.

OF PROVISION MADE FOR THE POOR.

[1577, Book III., Chapter 5; 1587, Book II., Chapter 10.]

There is no commonwealth at this day in Europe wherein there is not great
store of poor people, and those necessarily to be relieved by the
wealthier sort, which otherwise would starve and come to utter confusion.
With us the poor is commonly divided into three sorts, so that some are
poor by impotence, as the fatherless child, the aged, blind, and lame, and
the diseased person that is judged to be incurable; the second are poor by
casualty, as the wounded soldier, the decayed householder, and the sick
person visited with grievous and painful diseases; the third consisteth of
thriftless poor, as the rioter that hath consumed all, the vagabond that
will abide nowhere, but runneth up and down from place to place (as it
were seeking work and finding none), and finally the rogue and the
strumpet, which are not possible to be divided in sunder, but run to and
fro over all the realm, chiefly keeping the champaign soils in summer to
avoid the scorching heat, and the woodland grounds in winter to eschew the
blustering winds.

For the first two sorts[165] (that is to say, the poor by impotence and
poor by casualty, which are the true poor indeed, and for whom the Word
doth bind us to make some daily provision), there is order taken
throughout every parish in the realm that weekly collection shall be made
for their help and sustentation--to the end they shall not scatter abroad,
and, by begging here and there, annoy both town and country. Authority
also is given unto the justices in every county (and great penalties
appointed for such as make default) to see that the intent of the statute
in this behalf be truly executed according to the purpose and meaning of
the same, so that these two sorts are sufficiently provided for; and such
as can live within the limits of their allowance (as each one will do that
is godly and well disposed) may well forbear to roam and range about. But
if they refuse to be supported by this benefit of the law, and will rather
endeavour by going to and fro to maintain their idle trades, then are they
adjudged to be parcel of the third sort, and so, instead of courteous
refreshing at home, a