Edward VI.: A statute of the first year of his
 reign, 1547, ordains that if anyone refuses to work, he
 shall be condemned as a slave to the
 person 687who has denounced him as an
 idler. The master shall feed his slave on bread and water,
 weak broth and such refuse meat as he thinks fit. He has the
 right to force him to do any work, no matter how disgusting,
 with whip and chains. If the slave is absent a fortnight, he
 is condemned to slavery for life and is to be branded on
 forehead or back with the letter S; if he runs away thrice,
 he is to be executed as a felon. The master can sell him,
 bequeath him, let him out on hire as a slave, just as any
 other personal chattel or cattle. If the slaves attempt
 anything against the masters, they are also to be executed.
 Justices of the peace, on information, are to hunt the
 rascals down. If it happens that a vagabond has been idling
 about for three days, he is to be taken to his birthplace,
 branded with a red-hot iron with the letter V on the breast
 and be set to work, in chains, in the
 streets or at some other labour. If the vagabond gives a
 false birthplace, he is then to become the slave for life of
 this place, of its inhabitants, or its corporation, and to
 be branded with an S. All persons have the right to take
 away the children of the vagabonds and to keep them as
 apprentices, the young men until the 24th year, the girls
 until the 20th. If they run away, they are to become up to
 this age the slaves of their masters, who can put them in
 irons, whip them, &c., if they like. Every master may
 put an iron ring round the neck, arms or legs of his slave,
 by which to know him more easily and to be more certain of
 him. [1] The
 last part of this statute provides, that certain poor people
 may be employed by a place or by persons, who are willing to
 give them food and drink and to find them work. This kind of
 parish slaves was kept up in England until far into the 19th
 century under the name of “roundsmen.”