Page:The Book of Common Prayer.djvu/21

 Lords of the Parliament for the third offence above mentioned, shall be tryed by their Peers

Provided also and be it ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the Major of London, and all other Majors Bayliffs, and other head-officers of all and singular cities, boroughs, and towns corporate within this Realm, Wales, and the Marches of the same to the which Iustices of Assize do not commonly repair, shall have full power and authority by virtue of this Act to enquire hear and determine the offences above said and every of them yearly, within fifteen dayes after the feasts of Easter, and Saint Michael the Archangel, in like manner and form as Justices of Assize, and Oyer, and Determiner may do.

Provided always, and be it ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all and singular Archbishops, and Bishops, and every of their Chancellors, Commissaries, Archdeacons, and other Ordinaries, having any peculiar ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, shall have full power and authority by virtue of this Act, as well to inquire in their Visitation, Synods, or elsewhere within their iurisdiction, at any other time and place to take accusations and informations of all and every the things above mentioned, done committed or perpetrated within the limits of their iurisdiction, and authority, and to punish the same by admonition, excommunication, sequestration, or deprivation, or other censures, and Processes in like form as heretofore hath been vsed in like cases, by the Queens ecclesiasticall lawes.

Provided always, and be it enacted, that whatsoever person offending in the premisses, shall for the first offence receive punishment of the Ordinary, having a testimonial thereof vnder the said Ordinaries seal, shall not for the same offence eftsoons be convicted before the Iustices : and likewise receiving for the said first offence, punishment by the Justices, he shall not for the same first offence, eftsoons receive punishment of the Ordinary : any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.