The Poor Act 1575 ( 18 Eliz. 1. c. 3) was an act of the

Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the Great Council of England, great council of Lords Spi ...

under

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

. It was a part of the

Tudor Poor Laws The Tudor poor laws were the laws regarding poor relief in the Kingdom of England around the time of the Tudor period (1485–1603). The Tudor Poor Laws ended with the passing of the Elizabethan Poor Law in 1601, two years before the end of ...

and a predecessor to the Elizabethan Poor Laws. The act required

parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

to create “a competent stock of wool, hemp, flax, iron and other stuff” for the poor to work on. It also created houses of correction where recalcitrant or careless workers could be forced to work and punished accordingly. The act built substantially on the Vagabonds Act 1572 ( 14 Eliz. 1. c. 5), and combined, they formed the basis for the subsequent Elizabethan Poor Laws.Paul Slack, The English Poor Law 1531-1782 18--19

Legacy

The act was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1584 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1584 ( 27 Eliz. 1. c. 11) was an act of the Parliament of England that continued and revived various older acts. Provisions Section 2 of the act made it lawful to import pins made from overseas. Section 3 ...

( 27 Eliz. 1. c. 11), the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1586 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1586 (29 Eliz. 1. c. 5) was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of England that continued and made perpetual various older acts. Provisions Section 4 of the act provided that defenda ...

(

29 Eliz. 1 29 Eliz. 1 The 6th Parliament of Queen Elizabeth I, which met from 15 October 1586 until 23 March 1587. This session was traditionally cited as 29 Eliz., 29 Elz., 29 El., 28 Eliz. 1, 28 Eliz., 28 & 29 Eliz. 1, 28 & 29 Eliz. or 28 & 29 Elz.. ...

. c. 5), the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1588 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1588 ( 31 Eliz. 1. c. 10) was an act of the Parliament of England that continued various older acts. Provisions Section 3 of the act provided that section 4 of the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1586 (29 Eli ...

( 31 Eliz. 1. c. 10), the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 ( 35 Eliz. 1. c. 7) was an act of the Parliament of England that revived, continued, amended and repealed various older acts. Provisions Section 4 of the act decreased the penalty under section 12 of t ...

( 35 Eliz. 1. c. 7), the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1597 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1597 (39 Eliz. 1. c. 18) was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of England that revived, continued and repealed various older acts. Provisions Revived and continued enactments Sec ...

( 39 Eliz. 1. c. 18), the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 (43 Eliz. 1. c. 9) was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of England that revived, continued and repealed various older acts. Provisions Revived and continued enactments Sect ...

( 43 Eliz. 1. c. 9) and the

Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623 The Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623 ( 21 Jas. 1. c. 28) was an act of the Parliament of England that continued, revived and repealed various older acts. Background In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressl ...

( 21 Jas. 1. c. 28). The act was amended by the

( 35 Eliz. 1. c. 7) to allow land to be given to the use of the poor. So much of the act "as concerneth bailiffs begotten out of lawful matrimony" was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the

( 43 Eliz. 1. c. 9).

Notes

References

{{Authority control English Poor Laws Acts of the Parliament of England 1575 Repealed English legislation