VAGRANT, in law, the word vagrant his a much more extended meaning than that assigned to it in ordinary language, and in its application the nofion of war.. deriLe; is almost lost. By the law va grants are divided into three classes— idle and disorderly perspns; rogues and vagabonds ; incorrigible rogues. Under the first class are included, every person who refuses or neglects to maintain him self and family, he being able to do so ; paupers returning without certificate to parishes front which they have been le gally removed; pedlars without license, beggars, common prostitutes, A:e. Under the second class, are included every per son committing any offence which would constitute him an idle or disorderly per son, and who has been once already con victed, fortune tellers, and other impqs tors ; persons guilty of indecent, exhibi tions ; persons collecting alms or money under false pretences ; wanderers who have no visible means of subsistence, and cannot give a good account of themselves; persons playing at games of chance in public places; reputed thieves; perscaut having in their possession housebreaking implements or offensive weapons with in tent to use them. Coder the third class
are included persons guilty of the last class of offences, having been already con victed ; persons breaking oat of legal con finement ; every person apprehended as a rogue and vagabond. and violently resist ing any ennstable or other peace officer, so apprehending him. For all these of fences the punishment is imprisonment or Lord labor fur a longer or shorter period, according to the nature of the particular offence. In Scotland, the laws against vagrants, as beggars, fortune tellers, jug glers, minstrels, &e., are of a much less stringent nature, and such persons are seldom apprehended or punished, unless where police regulations are enforced, or where they are entering a parish in the face of an advertised prohibition, or where they are committing or in the notorious ha'uit of committing petty delinquencies.