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any Parish where there is a Minister, and for the Vestry and Church-
wardens where there is no Minister, before any Admonition by
them or any of them given, in pursuance of the Directions afore-
mentioned, to give Notice, or cause Notice to be given, to any Per-
son or Persons by them, or the major Part of them, suspected of
Lewdness or Incontinency, and being or residing within their respec-
tive Parishes, to appear before them, or the major Part of them, at
such Time and Place as they or the major Part of them shall ap-
point; and on the Appearance of such Person or Persons, to
acquaint them of the Suspicion that is had of them, and to hear
what reasonable Excuse such Persons shall offer, why they ought
not to be proceeded against according to Law as Fornicators or
Adulterers, as the Case shall happen: And in case the Person or
Persons having such Notice given them shall not appear according
to such Notice, on Affidavit of such Notice given, or appearing do
not excuse or acquit themselves of the Grounds of such Suspicion,
in such Manner as such Minister, Vestry, and Churchwardens as
aforesaid shall approve, that then it shall and may be lawful for
such Minister, Vestry, and Churchwardens, or the major Part of
them, as aforesaid, and they are hereby required to admonish such
Person or Persons according to the Directions aforementioned ;
which Admonition, together with Proof of the Cohabitation of the
Parties so admonished, or their frequenting the Company of each
other, contrary to, and after such Admonition given, shall be suffi-
cient Evidence in any Court of this Province, to convict the Per-
sons so cohabiting or frequenting each others Company after Ad-
monition given as aforesaid, of Fornication or Adultery, as the
Case shall happen, and subject them to the Penalties aforemen-
tioned respectively."
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Liber B. L. C.
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And be it Enacted, That if any Person or Persons do not appear
according to such Notice, on Affidavit of such Notice being given,
it shall be taken for Proof of a Cohabitation of the Parties to whom
such Notice shall be given, of their Lewdness or Incontinency, and a
Confession of their Guilt; and shall be sufficient Evidence in any
Court in this Province, to convict the Person or Persons so cohabit-
ing or frequenting each others Company, in the same Manner, to all
Intents and Purposes, as if such Person or Persons did appear be-
fore the Vestry and Churchwardens as aforesaid, and were by them
actually admonished.
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[Persons
refusing to
appear
before the
Vestry, to be
deemed
guilty.]
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And be it further Enacted by the Authority, Advice, and Con-
sent aforesaid, That so much of an Act of Assembly of this Prov-
ince, made at a Session of Assembly begun and held at the City of
Annapolis on the twenty-sixth Day of April, in the Year Seven-
teen hundred and fifteen, Entituled, An Act for punishing the Of-
21
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[Part of
an Act
repealed.]
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