Vagabonds Act 1547

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Vagabonds Act 1547 (1 Edw. 6. c. 3)

What it was
- A 1547 English law passed under King Edward VI and his Lord Protector, Edward Seymour, aimed at punishing vagabonds and helping the poor.

Main ideas
- Vagabonds could be enslaved for up to two years.
- Poor people were to receive weekly help from their parish.
- Vagabonds could be fed with bread and water or a small drink.
- Masters could force vagabonds to work by beating, chaining, or other methods.
- Vagabond slaves could be bought and sold like other slaves.
- If no private buyer was found, a vagabond could be sent back to their birthplace to work for that town.

Children of vagabonds
- Vagabond children could be claimed as “apprentices.” Boys could be apprentices until age 24, girls until age 20. If they tried to escape, their time as apprentices could be extended.

Enforcement and impact
- Historians say there is little evidence the law was actually enforced.
- A 1549 act noted that the harsher parts were hard to apply and not often used.
- The act reflects early Tudor efforts to control poverty and idleness and helped push policies toward parish-based relief later used in the Elizabethan Poor Laws.

Repeal
- The entire act was repealed by the Vagabonds Act 1549. The repeal was later confirmed and clarified by the 1863 Statute Law Revision Act.