It mentions in his Wikipedia article that he had money although the source was unknown. The issue with vagrancy throughout history is not the vagrancy itself primarily, but the problems of theft and anti-social behaviors that go with it. Since this person had money, didn't steal, and seemed to mostly leave people alone, they weren't a problem and got an exemption because they were well known.
Was what actually a thing? Leslie? Leslie was definitely a person who existed, who was a sort of local weirdo. I met him, once, probably have a photo I could dig out somewhere.
”Homed” people do those things, quite often, yet I have to se any anti-vacancy laws.
It is telling that society regularly outlaws afflictions like homelessness or situations like vagrancy instead of targeting the specific instances of bad behaviour that ought to be the problem.
We outlaw homelessness because we don't want homeless people on the streets littering the place.
The bad behaviours you want to be outlawed are in fact already outlawed. It's just super hard to catch and convict on those. While it's a lot easier to prove someone is sleeping rough.
First: We hide the symptoms behind a veneer of illegality which allows us to ignore the underlying causes.
Second: We intentionally write laws which has a proportionally negative effect based on social and medical class of citizens. A class which is already facing hardships.
”The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.”
