View report page

92
7th October, 1674. Upon the application of Marie, the wife of
Edward Arnold, prisoner (for debt) in the King's Bench prison
It is thought fitt that the Churchwardens doe endeavour to free
the sayd Edward Arnold from prison att as easy Rates as they
can And the charge thereof shall be allowed in their Accompt.
An entry in the Minutes of 17th Nov., 1674, following
shows the Churchwardens to have freed the unfortunate
prisoner by payment of forty shillings. Similar action was
taken at frequent intervals.
In the 2 and 3 of Queen Mary (1555-6) an Act of Parliament
was passed requiring those who received relief to
"wear openly on the breast or back of their outermost
garment some notable badge or token to be assigned by the
parish authorities or justices." The practice was soon
introduced into Westminster, and, under the orders of the
Vestry, renewed from time to time for at least a hundred
and fifty years:—
6th Jany 169½.—That the Churchwardens and Overseers of the
poor cause all psons who receive Alines of this parish to wear
Badges or not relieve them.
6th July 1692.—That Mr Peter Rudge pay to Mr Fouler for badges
for the poor ffour pounds tenn shillings and eight pence.
26th Aug., 1694. Whereas the poor of this parish are unknown to
ye inhabitants, and several receive alms who are not really
necessitous, It is ordered (nemine contradicente) that all such
persons who are in any sort of pension or pay payable by the
Overseers of the poor shall constantly wear badges on the outer
part of their garment, and that if they or any of them shall
by ye Beadles be found in the streets without such badges, that
they be immediately discharged of the allowances usually paid
them.
Such preliminaries as an examination by two medical
gentlemen and application to two justices were dispensed
with in respect of the confinement of lunatics in asylums.
The Vestry accepted both the scientific and judicial responsibilities:—
13th December, 1647. Ordered that James Timberley be fforthwith
gott into Bedelham for the avoydinge of such further danger as
may ensue upon his libertie he being a mad man and having
four Overseers nominated in 1669 refused to serve, and were fined by the
Vestry £12 each. In 1681 another fine of £12 was imposed; in 1685 two
more of £12 each.