24/09/13

Citizenship

Act concerning 'Egyptians', 1530 HLRO HL/PO/PU/1/1530/22H8n9

Le Roy le veult aveques deux provisous annexes Forasmuch as before this tyme divers and many owtlandisshe people calling themselfes Egiptsions using no craft nor faict of merchandise, have comen in to thys realme and goon from Shyre to Shyre and place to place in grete companye and used grete subtile and craftye meanys to deceyve the people bearing them in hande that they by palmestrye could tell menne and Womens Fortunes and soo many Tymes by craft and subtiltie hath deceyved the people of theyr Money & alsoo have comitted many haynous Felonyes and Robberyes to the grete hurt and Disceipt of the people that they have comyn among: Be it therfore by the King our Souveraigne Lord the Lords Sp[irit]uall and temporal and by the comons in this present parliament assembled and by the auctorite of the same, ordeigned establisshed and enacted that from henceforth noo suche persons be suffred to come within this the Kinges realme; And if they doo, then they and every of them soo doing shall forfaict to the King our Souveraigne Lorde all theyr goods and catalls, and then to be comaunded to avoide the realme within xv daies next aftre the comaundement upon payn of Imprisonnement; And it shalbe lawfull to every Shiriff Justice of peace, and exchetour to sease to thuse of our Souveraigne Lorde his heires and successors all such goods as they or any of them shall have And therof to make accompt to our said Souveraign Lord in his Eschequere; And if it shall happen any suche stranger herafter to comitt w[ith]in this realme any murder robbery or any other Felonye and thereof be Indicted and araigned, and to plede not giltie, or any other plea triable by the countre, Than then theinquest that shall passe betwene the King and any suche partie shalbe all together of englisshe menne, albeit that the partie soo Indicted pray medietatem lingue, according to the Statute of An[n]o viii Henrici vi, or any other Statute thereof made. Provided alwey that the egipcians nowe being in this realme have maneag to departe w[ith]in xlii daies aftre proclamacion of this estatute among theam shalbe made upon payn of Imprisonnement and forfaicture of theyr goodes and catalles. And if they then soo departe that then they shalnot forfaict theyr goodes nor any part therof this present estatute not w[ith]stonding. Soit baille aux communes A ceste bille avecque le proviso a ceo annexe les communes sont assentez.

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www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/citizen_subject/transcripts/egyptians_act.htm

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