Page:The Book of Common Prayer.djvu/19

 soberly during the time of common prayer, preachings or other service of God there to be vsed and ministred, vpon pain of punishment by the censures of the Church : and also vpon pain that every person so offending shall forfeit for every such offence twelve pence to be levied by the church-wardens of the parish where such offence shall be don to the vse of the poor of the same parish, of the goods lands and tenements of such offender, by way of distress. And for due execution hereof, the Queens most excellent Majesty, the Lords temporall, and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled doth in Gods name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the vttermost of their knowledges that the due and true execution hereof may be had throughout their Diocess and charges, as they will answer before God, for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may iustly punish his people for neglecting his good and wholesom law. And for the authority in this behalf, be it further inacted by the authority aforesayd that all and singular the same Archbishops, Bishops, and all other their officers exercising ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction, as well in place exempt, as not exempt within their Diocess, 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 Diocess after the said feast of the nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming against this act and statute : any other law, Statute, priviledge 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 Iustices of Assize shall have full power and authority in every of their open and generall sessions, to inquire hear and determine all and all manner of offences, that shall be committed