Broadside regarding an Act of Parliament

Transcription

A NEW APPROVED

ACT OF PARLIAMENT,

FOR THE BENEFIT OF

Young Men, Old Men, Maids, Wives,
Widows, Old Maids, Bachelors, &c.

At a Meeting of several Ladies and Gentlemen of this Town, held for
the better Management and conducting Onler and Regularity in So-
ciety, Mr Steady in the Chair, the following Resolutions were passed:?

RESOLVED, 1st.?That no lady shall wear a bonnet more than One
yard round ; and no more than two to be allowed to walk arm in arm
together, so that they may not obstruct the way, (to prevent persons
being turned off the pavement by the said bonnets) under the penalty of
five pounds.

2.?That any lady not paying the above penalty when called upon,
or should any gentleman be blown into the gutter by the wind of her
bonnet, she shall be sent to the tread-mill for three months, and to fan
the mill round with bonnets.

3.?That no ware-house clerk, counter hopper, chimney sweep, jour-
neyman, apprentice, or dandy, shall smoke a cigar in the street before
six o'clock in the morning, or after ten in the evening: for every such
offence, to grind logwood on the tread-mill for three months.

4.?That every working man shall be at liberty to smoke on his way
home, after work in the evening, providing he puffs no ones eyes out.

5.?That no old maid, wife, or widow woman, shall take more than
a pound of snuff in one week, and not to take more than one pinch dur-
ing hours of cooking, for fear of dropping it from their nose into the
gravey, under the penalty of not having another pinch for one month.

6.?That any man shall be at liberty to beat his wife, provided she
deserves it, with any weapon not smaller than a broom-stick, nor softer
than a kitchen poker, provided he does not commit murder, but break
as many bones as he pleases. Any woman not liking this treatment,
shall be at liberty to leave her husband, by articles of agreement, drawn
up and signed in the presence of the next door neighbour, she taking
the children and goods ; and further, that she also take with her two
black eyes, if her husband thinks her deserving of the same.

7.?That any washer-woman, or any woman going out to daily work,
shall keep one-half of her earnings, and the other half shall be given to
her lord and master, for drinking mone'

8.?That any man coming home drunk, shall be carefully put to bed
by his wife, she being at liberty to pick his pocket, and have a gill of
whisky for her trouble.

9.?That a man and his wife must not get drunk at one time, for fear
of fire, as two drunken people in one house is contrary to the act.

10.?That every bachelor, at the age of forty, he compelled to keep
two wives, to make up for lost time: In neglecting so to do, he shall
pay a fine of five pounds, to the poorest couple in the parish.

11.?That no old maid be permitted to keep more than one dozen of
lap-dogs, cats, or parrots, to the annoyance of the neighbourhood, but
to use every lawful means in her power to procure a husband ; but if
she can prove to the satisfaction of the Court, that she has already done
so without success, then the Court shall be bound to provide her a sleep-
ing partner during the cold nights of winter,

12.?That no married woman shall lie snoring in her bed after seven
o'clock in the morning, with the fire out, and the breakfast not ready,
under the penalty of being tied to her bed for a fortnight.

13.?Any man marrying a women, and not being able to accomplish
the duties of matrimony, the wife shall be empowered to employ a jour-
neyman; the husband presuming to grumble, shall be dipped three times
a-day in a horse pond, till his wife prove in the family way.

SANDERSON, Printer, Edinburgh ? Histories, Patters. Ballads, &c., Wholesale and Retail.

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