Acts. 321

September 26^th 1704 September 26^th 1704

Read and Assented to by Read and Assented to by her
the house of Delegates Majestys hon^ble Councill
W Taylard Clk h.D. W Bladen Cl. Concil.

Maryland October 3^d 1704

On behalf of her Majesty &c. I will this be a Law.
Jo : Seymour

Lib. L. L.
No. 64.

An Act for the punishment of Blasphemy Prophane Swearing
and Cursing

Be it Enacted by the Queens most excellent Majesty by and
with the Advice and Consent of her Majestys Governour
Councill and Assembly of this Province and by the Authority
of the same that from and after the end of this present
Sessions of Assembly if any person or persons whatsoever
within this Province shall blaspheme God (that is to say) Curse
him or deny Our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God
or shall deny the holy Trinity The ffather Son and holy Ghost
or the Godhead of any of the three persons or the Unity of
the Godhead or shall utter any Prophane words concerning the
holy Trinity or any of the persons thereof for his her or their
first Offence shall be bored through his her or their Tongue
and fined the Sume of twenty pounds Sterling to her Majesty
to be applyd to the defraying of the Charge of the County
where such Offence shall be comitted to be levyed upon his
her or their goods or Chattells Lands or Tenements And if
Such Offender or Offenders shall not have any Goods or
Chattells Lands or Tenements whereby the said ffine may be
levyed as before is directed then such Offender or Offenders
shall Suffer six Months Imprisonment of his her or their bodys
without Baile or Mainprize. And for every second Offence
whereof such Offender or Offenders shall be legally convict he
she or they shall be Stigmatized by burning in the forehead
with the Letter B. And be fin'd by the Court where he she or
they shall be Convicted forty pounds Sterl to the Queens
Majesty to be Applyd to the uses aforesaid to be levyed as
aforesaid And if such Offender or Offenders shall not have
any Goods or Chattells Lands or Tenements whereby the said

p. 122

ffine may be levyed as before is directed then such Offender
or Offenders shall suffer Imprisonment of his her or their
bodys for the Space of one whole year from the Time of his
her or their Conviction or Convictions without Baile or Main-
prize And for every third offence whereof Such Offender or
Offenders shall be legally Convict he she or they so offending

21

p. 123