Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/768

 702 C. 38. Anno decimo nono Georgii II. A. D. 1746. and the other in fome confpicuous Place within fuch Meeting-houfe; for each of which laft men- tioned Copies, the Sum of fix Pence Sterling fhall be paid, and no more. Minifterstopray HI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That every Paftor- or Minifter who dial!, & r ' t b e Narne at an Y Time a ^ rer me ^ a '^ fi f ft ^ av of September, officiate in any Epifcopal Meeting-houfe or as°direacd in' Congregation, fhall, as often as he ihall fo officiate, at fome Time during the Exercife of Divine the Liturgy. Service in fuch Epifcopal Meeting-houfe or Congregation, pray for the King's moft Excellent Ma- jefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, by Name, and for all the Royal Family, in the fame Form of Words as his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, and the Royal Family are or ihall be directed by lawful Authority to be prayed for in the Prayers for the Royal Family, contained in the Liturgy of the Church of England. Paftors not pro- IV. And be it further enacted, That the faid Sheriffs, Stewards and their Deputies, and Magi- HlK " S &- rt tii»ir nratcs of Boroughs, ihall be obliged, and they are hereby ftrictly enjoined and required, immediately Meeting-houfes a f ter the faid firft Day of November, forthwith to unit up, or caufe to be ihut up, theTJoors of to be (hut up. the Meeting-houfes, or other Places where fuch Epifcopal Aflemblies or Meetings have been or (hail be held, whereof the Paftor or Minifter fliall not have produced to their Clerks refpectively the Certificate of his having been qualified as aforefaid, or wherein his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, Proprietor, &c. an j the Royal Family ihall not be prayed for in exprefs Words, in the Manner before directed j cunty e before Se " anc ^ ^all not again give Accefs to the faid Houfes, or other Places of Meeting, until the Proprietor, admitted to Tenant or Pofleflbr thereof (hall enact himlelf, with one or more fufficient Sureties, in the Court Accefs. Books of the faid Sheriff, Steward, or Royal Borough, under the Penalty of one hundred Pounds Sterling Money, to be paid to the faid Judges or Magiftrates, -for the Ufe of his Majefty, that he or fhe Ihall not permit or fuffer fuch Houfe or Place to be employed or made ufe of as an Epif- copal Meeting-houfe, by any Paftor or Minifter not qualifying himfelf as aforefaid, and conforming to the Regulations before mentioned, at any Time thereafter, during fuch Time as he or fhe ihall continue Proprietor, Tenant or Pofleflbr thereof. Paftors unqali- V.. And be it further enacted, That if any Perfon fliall, from and after the faid firft Day of Sep- fied, &c. offici- ternfor, prefume to enter upon, or exercife the Function of a Paftor or Minifter of any Epifcopal atmg, c. Meeting or Congregation in Scotland, without having firft caufed his Letters of Orders to be enter- ed on Record, or regiftered, or without having firft qualified himfelf by taking and fubferibing the Oaths, in fuch Manner as all Officers, civil and military, in Scotland are by Law obliged to take and fubferibe the fame, or without having firft produced, and caufed to be entered, in the Manner herein before directed, in the Books to be kept by the Clerk of the Sheriff, Steward or Borough Courts respectively, where fuch Perfon propofes to officiate as a Paftor or Minifter, his Name and Place of Abode, and the Place where his Meeting is to be held, and the Certificate of his having taken and fubferibed the Oaths as aforefaid; or in cafe any Perfon who ihall officiate as a Paftor or Mi- nifter in any fuch Epifcopal Meeting-houfe or Congregation, fliall not, as often as he ihall fo offi- ciate, at fome Time during Divine Service, pray for his Majefty by Name, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, and all the Royal Family, in the Manner herein before directed; every Perfon fo offending in any of the Premiffes, being thereof lawfully convicted before any two or more Juftices of the Peace, or Penalty, before any other Judge competent of the Place fummarily, ihall, for the firft Offence, fuffer Impri- fonment by the Space of fix Months; and for the fecond, or any fubfequent Offence, being there- of lawfully convicted before the Court of Jufticiary, or in any or the Circuit Courts, fhall be ad- judged to be tranfported, and ihall accordingly be tranfported to fome of his Majefty's Plantations in America for Life; and in cafe any Perfon adjudged to be fo tranfported fhall return into, or be found in Great Britain, then every fuch Perfon ihall fuffer Imprifonment for Life. Defcription of VI. And for the better afcertaining what fliall be deemed an Epifcopal Meeting-houfe within the an Epifcopal the true intent and Meaning of this Act, and to prevent Evafions thereof, Be it further enacted and Meeting- hpufe, dec ] arec i 5 That any Meeting, Aflembly or Congregation in Scotland, where there fhall be five Perfons or more aflembled or met together to hear Divine Service, over and befides thofe of the Houfliold, if it be in any Houfe where there is a Family inhabiting, or if it be in an Houfe or Place where there is no Family inhabiting, then where any fuch Five or more Perfons fhall be fo aflembled and met together to hear Divine Service, and where Divine Service fhall be performed by a Paftor or Minilte'r, being of, or profefling to be of the Epifcopal Communion, every fuch Meeting, Affembly or Congregation, fhall be deemed and taken to be an Epifcopal Meeting-houfe within the true In- tent and Meaning of this Act. Sheriffs, &c. to VII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the faid Sheriffs and Stewards, 01 Ofeiices'arid ant i tn '-X Deputies, and the Magiftrates of Royal Boroughs, fhall be obliged and are hereby ftrictly profecute, &e. enjoned and required hereafter, from time to time, to make diligent Enquiry within their refpec- tive Jurldictions, concerning any Offences that fhall be committed againft this Act, or the other Laws now in being concern iig the Paftors or Minifters officiating in any Epifcopal Meeting-houfe in Scotland; and whenever they (hall find that any Meeting-houfe, within their Jurifdiction, hath been fet up or maintained without fuch Entry being made as aforefaid, or that the Paftor or Minifter officiating in any Epifcopal Meeting-houfe hath been guilty of neglecting to pray, in exprefs Words, for his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs, by Name, and all the Royal Family, in the Manner herein before directed, they are hereby authorized and required to caufe fuch Offences to be pro- fecuted before them, and to lhut up, or otherwife fupprefs fuch Meeting-houfes, and to inflict the Penalties impofed by this or other Acts againft the Minifters or Paftors officiating therein in fuch Manner as is not allowed by Law : And in cafe any Information fliall be given to the faid Sheriffs,