The practice has also been prohibited in other countries—Denmark (1789, 1803, 1860), Norway Eussia 11'414 ), SNvcden ( IS'85 ) . In Mo hammedan lands, where almsgiving is still a religious obligation, beggars a 11(allnl.
England in 1536 decreed that an able-bodied beggar should lw whipped for the first offense, have his car, cropped for the second, and be exeeuted as a felon and common enemy for the third. In 1547 lie was to he branded and beeome the slave of any one who Would care for him tor two years. In the net of 1536 'common and open doles' were prohibited. and the parish au thorities instructed to care for the worthy poor. The civic authorities were still trying various schemes. Oxford had four of the beggars' who "took a ward every Friday to gather the devotion of the houses," and on other days. "daily the streets to walk, to look what other beggars or vagabonds do come into the city and then to give notice to the constables." In Southampton in 154O a 'master of beggars' with a silver gilt badge and small annual fee is mentioned. York decided that "from henceforth no Ilead beggars shall he chosen." and by the end of the reign of Elizabeth the other towns had followed her example. In 1562 compulsory labor was made !possible. In 1601 came the famous poor law of Elizabeth (13 Eliz.. c. 21 which em phasized the necessity for work: 111711 marked the establishment of the first workhouse at Bris tol, and with these changes the modern system is inaugurated. Yet begging was not abolished. and in Scotland I see The I atignary, Walter Scott) in the early part of the nineteenth eentury Ilse ur Gowns' were licensed. The present English law is that of 1824. Habit ual begging is a criminal offense. ponishable in a summary manner. that is. without. trial by jury. I St.I. VAI,RANT. ) For the first offense one may be committed as 'idle and disorderly to one month at hard labor; for the second offense as a and vagabond' for three months; for a third as an Incorrigible vagabond' for one Year. one who solicits charitable contributions by lying letters, false writings, or any other cheat. is liable to punishment for obtaining money under false pretenses (q.v.). If begging lie companied by threats of violence. it may subject
the offender to punishment for robbery (q.v.).
In the rnited States mendicancy has been looked upon as had, and is generally forbidden. The laws have been very leniently enforced. and in many places are almost dead letters. Itnly one State, Mass.tchusetts. has provided a farm colony to whieh beggars may be sent and made to work. In some cities energetic steps are being taken to make begging unprofitable. and special attention is being paid to parents who send young ehildrt n mil to bg, or who rover their begging by pretense of selling odds and ends.
The experience of all omntries has shown that mend lea ney will thrive wherever indis eriniinate almsgiving prevails. In modern society it may practically he .11411101 if steps are taken to (-are properly for the worthy poor and to compel others to work or else go hngry.
For an account of the general development of the care of the poor. see See, also. CHARITY Ila,.1xl7.1T1uH S(11 11.1'Y THAmps: so ?ssrs.
Consult: Rildon Turner. History of Vagrants and l'agranrn (London. 'Luther. flank of Beggars, Eng. trans. ILondon. Istan ; 'lender pi ndr ?Ifs, lingue nts (Boston.
1901 ). This work contains an excellent theoreti cal discussion of the subject. .1shley, English Econont ic History York, 1893), contains a chapter on the development of poor relief. Rat zinger, Gt8chiehtt: der kireh(ichen Arincapllege IS ed., Freiburg int B., 1584), discusses me di:pv.11 poor relief from a Catholic standpoint; Iheitzenstein. t'rankrrichs (Leipzig, 1881). gives an historical account of its devellipmcnt; Biihmert, Sachsischc Pettier. and I agabnadenstatistik von Thso-87 (Dresden, 1888), gives an account of the investigations into the question of mendicancy ; Lammers. /he Bettcl plage (I -rho, 1879); Proceedings- of the National Omferrace of Charities and Correction yearly reports of Charity Organization Societies and similar organizations; Hugo, Notre Dame de Paris, and kende. The Cloister and the Hearth, contain accounts of the organizations of beggars; Ehrle, Beitrage zur (Ieschichte der Arnicaidlege (Freiburg. 1551), discusses the mediaeval theory of almsgiving.