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Conventicles.
' Declaration mentioned in the Act of 14 Car. 2. for Uniformity
of publick
' Prayers, &c. and shall not take and subscribe the Oath following;
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Chap. 30. |
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' I A. B. do swear, That it is not lawful
upon any pretence whatsoever,
' to take Arms against the King: And that I do abhor that Traiterous
Position
' of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person, or against those
' that are Commissionated by him, in pursuance of such Government either
' in Church or State.
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' And all such person who shall taken upon them
to Preach in any unlawful
' Assembly, Conventicle or Meeting, under colour or pretence of any
' Exercise of Religion, contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom;
' shall not at any time after the 24th of March 1665. unless
in
' passing upon the Road come or be within five miles of any City or Town
' Corporate, or Borough that sends Burgesses to the Parliament, within
' England, Wales, or Town of Barwick upon Tweed, or
within five miles of
' any Parish, Town or Place wherein he or they have, since the Act of Oblivion,
' been Parson, Vicar, Curate, Stipendary or Lecturer, or taken upon
' them to Preach in any unlawful Assembly, Conventicle of Meeting, under
' colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion, contrary to the Laws
' and Statutes of this Kingdom, before he or they have taken and subscribed
' the said Oath before the Justices of the Peace at their Quarter Sessions,
' to be holden at the Division next to the Corporation, City or Borough,
' Parish, Place or Town, in open Court (which the said Justices are impowred
' to administer) upon forfeiture for every such Offence of the
' sum of Forty pound, one third part thereof to his Majesty and his Successors,
' the other third part to the person that will sue for the same
' by Action of Debt, Plaint, Bill, or Information, of any Court of Record
' at Westminster, or before any Justices of Assize, Oyer and
Terminer, or
' gaol delivery, Justices of the Counties Palatine of Chester, Lancaster,
or
' Durham, great Sessions in Wales, or Justices of the Peace
in their Quarter
' Sessions; no Essoin, Protection, or wager of Law herein to be allowed. |
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' It shall not be lawful for any person or persons
restrained from coming
' to any City or Town Corporate, Borough, Parish, Town or Place, as
' aforesaid, or for any other person or persons who shall not first take
and
' subscribe the said Oath, and shall not frequent Divine Service established
' by he Law of this Kingdom, and carry him or her self reverently there,
' to teach any publick or private School, or take any Borders or tablers
' to be taught or instructed by him or her self, or any other, upon pain
of
' forfeiture of Forty pound for every Offence, to be recovered and distributed
' as aforesaid. |
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' And any two Justices of the Peace in their respective
County, upon Oath
' to them of any Offence against this Act, (which Oath they are impowred
' to administer) may commit the Offender for Six months without Bail;
' unless before such Commitment he shall before the said Justices of the
' Peace swear and subscribe the said Oath and Declaration. |
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' Provided, That Appearance to any Subpœna, Warrant
or Process,
' whereby personal Appearance is required, shall not be construed an Offence
' within this Act. |
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| §. 3. |
' There was an Act made 16 Car. 2. c.
6. Touching the suppressing Seditious
' Conventicles, but the same being Temporary is expired, as by the
' same Act appeareth. |
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