
Reasons why the said Statute has not wrought the Reformation intended.WHEREAS by an Acte made in the Fift Yeare of the Raigne of King Edward the Sixth of famous Memory
entituled An Actfor Keepers of Alehouses to be bound by Recognizance amongest other Things it is
enacted That if any p[er]son or p[er]sons other then such as should be from thenceforth admitted and allowed by the
Justices mencioned in the said Acte should after the Day in the said Acte limited obstinatelie and uppon his owne
Authoritie take uppon him or them to keepe a co[m]mon Alehouse or Tipling house or should contrary to the
co[m]maundement of the said Justices or Two of them use co[m]monlie selling of Ale or Beere, that then the said Justices
of Peace or Two of them (whereof one to be of the Quo[rum]) should for every such Offence committ every such
p[er]son or p[er]sons so offending to the Co[m]mon Goale within the same Shire Cittie Borough Towne Corporate Franchise
or Libertie there to remaine without Baile or Mainprise by the Space of Three Dayes. And before his or their
Deliverance the said Justices should take Recognizance of him or them so co[m]mitted, with Two Suerties that he or
they should not keepe any co[m]mon Alehouse Tipling house or use co[m]monlie selling of Ale or Beere as by the
Discrecion of the said Justices should seeme convenient: And the said Justices should make Certificate of every
such Recognizaunce and Offence at the next Quarter Sessions that should be holden within the same Shire Cittie.
Borough Towne Corporate Franchise or Libertie where the same should be co[m]mitted or done, which Certificate
should be a sufficient Conviccion in Law of the same offence, And the said Justices of Peace uppon the said Certificate
made, should in open Sessions assesse the Fine for every such Offence at Twentie Shillings, as by the said Acte
may appeare: Which Law hath not wrought such Reformacion as was intended, for that the said Fine of Twentie
Shillings is seldome levied, and for that many of the said Offendors by Reason of their Povertie are neither able to
pay the said Fine of Twentie Shillings , nor yet to beare their owne Charges of conveying them to the Gaole, and
moreover doe leave a great Charge of Wife and Children uppon the Parishes wherein they live: In regard whereof
the Constables and other Officers are much discouraged in p[re]senting them and the Offendors become obstinate and
incorrigible.
II. 
Penalty 20s. to the Poor.; Proof of Offence by View or Confession or Oath of Two Witnesses.; Penalty levied by Distress; Not paid within Three Days after, Distress appraised and sold; Offender not having Goods, or not paying Penalty within Six Days after Conviction.; Punishment.
For Remedie whereof, be it enacted by the Authoritie of this p[re]sent Parliament That if any p[er]son or p[er]sons after
Fortie Daies next ensuing the End of this p[re]sent Session of Parliament shall uppon his owne Authoritie not being
thereunto lawfullie licensed take uppon him her or them to keepe a co[m]mon Alehouse or Tipling house or use
co[m]monlie selling of Ale Beere Cyder or Perrie: that then every such p[er]son or p[er]sons shall for every such Offence
forfeite and lose the so[m]me of Twentie Shillings of Currant Mony of England to the Use of the Poore of the
Parish where such Offence shalbe co[m]mitted: the same Offence being viewed and seene by any Mayor Bayliffe or
Justice of Peace or other Head Officer within their severall Limitts or confessed by the Partie so offending or
proved by the Oath of Two Witnesses to be taken before any Maior Bayliffe or other Head Officer or any one or
more Justice or Justices of the Peace who by vertue of this Act shalbe authorised to minister the said Oath to any
p[er]son or p[er]sons that can or will justifie the same being within the Limittct of their said Co[m]mission, The said Penaltie
to be levied by the Constables or Churchwardens of the Parish or Parishes where the said Offence shalbe co[m]mitted
who shalbe accomptable therefore to the Use of the Poore of the said Parish by way of Distresse to be taken and
detained by Warrant or p[re]cept from the said Mayor Bayliffe Justice or Justices or other Head Officer by whome the
said Offence shalbe viewed or before whom the same shalbe confessed or proved as aforesaid: And for Default of
Satisfaccion within Three Daies next ensuing the said Distresse to be by the said Constables or Churchwardens
apprised and sold, and the Overplus to be delivered to the Partie or Parties offending, and this to be onelie for the
First Offence. And if such Offendor or Offendors shall not have sufficient Goods and Chattells, whereby the
said Twentie Shillings may be levied by way of Distresse as aforesaid or shall not pay the said so[m]me of Twentie
Shillings within Six Daies after such Conviccion as aforesaid, that then the said Mayor Bayliff Justice or Justices
or other Head Officer before whome the said Offender shalbe convicted as aforesaid shall co[m]mitt all and every the
said Offendor or Offendors to some Constable or Constables or other inferior Officer or Officers of the Citie Borough
Towne Parish or Hamlett where the Offence shalbe co[m]mitted or the Partie app[re]hended to be openlie whipped for
for the said Offence as the said Justice or Justices shall lymitt or appoint.
III. 
Punishment.
And be it enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid, That if any Constable or inferiour Officer shall neglect to execute
the said Precept or Warrant or doe refuse or doe not execute by himselfe or some other to be by him appointed
uppon the Offendor the Punishment limitted by this Statute, that in that Case it shall and may be lawfull for the
said Mayor Bayliffe Justice and Justices of Peace or other Head Officer to co[m]mitt the Constable or other inferior
Officer so refusing or not executing the said Punishment by himselfe or some other to the Co[m]mon Gaole of the
said Countie Cittie or Towne Corporate there to remaine without Bayle or Mainprise untill the said Offendor or
Offendors shalbe by the said Constable or Constables or other inferiour Officer so refusing or not executing the said
Punishment or some by or his their p[ro]curement punished or whipped as is above lymitted and declared or untill he
or they so neglecting or refusing shall have paid the so[m]me of Fortie Shillings of lawfull Mony of England unto
the Use of the Poore of the Parish for their said Contempt.
IV. 
Punishment.; Subsequent Offence.; Punishment.
And be it further enaected That if the said Offendor or Offendors being an unlicensed Alehousekeep shall offend
in any of the p[re]misses the second tyme and be thereof lawfullie convicted in Manner and Forme aforesaid, that then
the said Mayor Bayliffe Justice or Justices of  Peace or other Head Officer shall committ him her or them unto the
House of Correccion there to remaine for the Space of One Moneth and be dealt withall as idle lewd and disorderly
p[er]sons. And if such p[er]son or p[er]sons shall againe offend and shalbe thereof convicted as aforesaid, that then the said
Offendor or Offendors for every such Offence shalbe co[m]mitted unto the said House of Correccion as aforesaid there
to remaine untill by Order of the Justices in their Generall Sessions for the Countie Citie Borough or Franchise he
she or they shalbe delivered from thence.
V. 
Provided alwaies That such Offendor or Offendors as shalbe punished by vertue of this Acte shall not be punished
againe for the same Offence by the former Acte made in the Fifth Yeare of King Edward the Sixth afore mencioned,
and that such Offender or Offendors as shalbe punished by vertue of the before mencioned Acte made in the Fifth
Yeare of King Edward the Sixth shall not be punished againe for the same Offence by vertue of this p[re]sent Act nor
any Thing therein conteyned.
VI. 
Provided alwaies That in such Townes and Places where any Faire or Faires shalbe kept, that for the time
onelie of the same Faire or Faires it shalbe lawfull for every p[er]son or p[er]sons to use co[m]mon selling of Ale or Beere
in Boothes or other Places there for the Releife of the Kings Subjects that shall repaire unto the same in such like
Manner and Sorte as hath byn used and done in Tymes past, this Act or any Thing therein conteyned to the
contrary notwithstanding.