ACT FOR UNIFORMITY OF COMMON PRAYER.
instead of the said Sum, suffer Imprisonment during twelve Months, without Bail or Mainprise. And that from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, all and every Person and Persons inhabiting within this Realm, or any other the Queen's Majesty's Dominions, shall diligently and faithfully, having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent, endeavour themselves, to resort to their Parish Church or Chapel accustomed, or upon reasonable let thereof, to some usual place, where Common Prayer, and such Service of God, shall be used in such time of let, upon every Sunday, and other days ordained or used to be kept as Holy- days, and then and there to abide orderly and soberly, during the time of Common Prayer, Preaching, or other Service of God there to be used, and ministered; upon pain of Punishment by the Censures the Church, and also upon pain that every Person so offending, shall forfeit for every such Offence, twelve Pence, to be levied by the Churchwardens of the Parish where such Offence shall be done, to the use of the Poor of the same Parish, of the Goods, Lands and Tenements of such Offender, by way of Distress
And for the due execution hereof, the, Queen's most excellent Majesty, the Lords Temporal, and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, do in God's name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ordinaries, that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledges, that the due and true execution hereof may be had throughout their Dioceses and Charges, as they will answer before God, for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people for neglecting this good and wholesome law. And for their Authority in this behalf, be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and singular the said Arch bishops, Bishops, and other their Officers exercising Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, as well in place exempt as not exempt, within their Dioceses, shall have full Power and Authority by this Act, to reform, correct and punish by Censures of the Church, all and singular Persons which shall offend within any of their Jurisdictions, or Dioceses, after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, against this Act and Statute; any other Law, Statute, Privilege, Liberty or Provision heretofore made, had or suffered to the contrary notwithstanding.
And it is Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every Justice of Oyer and Determiner, or Justice of Assize, shall have full Power and Authority in every of their open and general Sessions, to enquire, hear and determine all and all manner of Offences, that shall be committed or done contrary to any Article contained in this present Act, within the limits of the Commission to them directed, and to make Process for the execution of the same, as they may do against any Person being indicted before them of Trespass, or lawfully convicted thereof.
Provided always, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid. That all and every Archbishop and Bishop, shall or may at all time and times, at his liberty and pleasure, join and associate himself by virtue of this Act, to the said Justices of Oyer and Determiner, or to the said Justices of Assize, at every of the said open and general Sessions to be bolden in any place within his Diocese, for and to the enquiry, hearing, and determining of the Offences aforesaid.
Provided also, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Books concerning the said Services, shall at the Costs and Charges of the Parishioners of every Parish and Cathedral Church, be attained and gotten before the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next following; and that all such Parishes and Cathedral Churches, or other places, where the said Books shall be attained and gotten before the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist, shall within three Weeks next after the said Books so attained and gotten, use the said Service, and put the same in use according to this Act.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons shall be at any time hereafter impeached, or otherwise molested of, or for any the Offences above mentioned, hereafter to be committed, or done contrary to this Act, unless he or they so offending, be thereof indicted at the next general Sessions, to be holden before any such Justices of Oyer and Determiner, or Justices of Assize, next after any Offence committed or done contrary to the tenor of this Act.
Provided always, and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and singular Lords of the Parliament, for the third Offence above mentioned, shall be tried by their Peers.
Provided also, and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Mayor of London, and all other
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