1494 - Vagabonds and Beggars

In 1494, Henry VII created the Vagabonds and Beggars Act, or to give it its full name, The Vagabonds, Beggars, and Persons of No Substance Act.

The previous century had experienced the devastation of the Black Death which had greatly reduced the population, and by proxy, the number of bodies for manual labour. With labourers in short supply, lords were concerned with their workers leaving for other towns or villages in search of alternative employment; leaving your local area without permission was therefore made illegal. If you were found in another town, you needed to be able to provide patents or letters demonstrating your right to have left.

Henry VII continued with this law, not wanting vagabonds (homeless people who move around frequently) or beggars causing problems.

London was growing into a large city and with this, the amount of people in poverty grew also. While they were given some charitable help, there wasn't enough to prevent the spread of crime which Henry wished to stamp out.

In 1494 the vagabonds and beggars act said that any vagabonds or beggars caught would be placed in the stocks for three days, and given nothing but bread and water (if anything at all). A second offence would be punished by whipping, and a third by death.

Idleness at this time was a sin, and everyone was expected to be seen as being busy and working, which throws into question how those with a disability survived. Later in the century, disabled people would be the exception to the anti-begging rule which would invariably lead to the immatation of those with disabilities.