Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/710

 T, 6 The Jecbnd Sejjhn of the Jecond Tar It anient of caution, under the pain of fivethoufand Merks, not to do the like thereafter, or elfe enact thcmfelves to remove out of the Kingdom, and never return without His Majeflies Licence; And that every perfon who fhall be found to have been prefent at any fuch Meetings, ihall be, toties qaoties, fined accord- w to their qualities, in the refpeclive funis following, and imprifoned untill they pay their fines, and farther during the Councils pleafure, viz. Each Man or Woman, having Land in Heretage, Liferent or proper Wodfet, to be fined in a fourth part of his or her valued yearly Rent; each Tennent labouring Land, in twenty five pounds Scots; each Cottar in twelve pounds Scots, and each ferving Man in a fourth part of his yearly Fee. And where Merchants or Tradef-men do not belong to, or refide within Burghs Royal, That each Merchant or chief Tradef-man be fined as a Tennant, and each inferior Tradef-man as a Cot- tar : And if any of the perfons above-mentioned lhall have their Wives, or any of their Children living in Family with them, prefent at any fuch Meeting, they are therefore to be fined in the half of the refpe- ftive fines aforefaid, confideration being had to their feveral qualities and conditions. And if the Matter or Miftris of any Family, where any fuch Meetings lhall be keeped , be prefent within the houfe for the time, they are to be fined in the double of what is to be payed by them , for being prefent at a Houfe-con- venticle. And it is hereby Declared, that Magistrates of Burghs Royal are lyable, for every Conventicle to be keeped within their Burghs, to fuch fines as His Majeflies Councilman 1 think fit to impofe; and that theMafter or Miftris of the Houfes where the Conventicle fhall happen to be keeped, and the perfons pre- fent thereat, are to relieve the Magiftrates as the Council fhall think fit to order the fame; it being notwith- ftanding free to the Council to fine the Inhabitants of Burghs, for being prefent at Conventicles within or without Burghs, or where their Wives or Children fhall be prefent at the fame. And farther, His Majefty understanding that divers difaffeded perfons have been fo malicioufly wicked and difloyal, as to convocat His Majelties Subjects to open Meetings in the Fields , exprefly contrair to many publick Laws made thereanent; And considering that thefe Meetings are the rendezvous of Rebellion, and tend in a high meafure to the disturbance of the publick Peace : Doth therefore , with advice and confent forefaid, Statute and Declare , That whofoever , without Licence or Authority forefaid, I fhall preach , expound Scripture or pray at any of thefe meetings in the Field , or in any Houfe where there be moe perfons then the Houfe contains, fo as fome of them be without doors, (which is hereby declared to be a Field-conventicle) or who fhall convocat any number of people to thefe meetings, fhall be pu- nifhed with death, and confifcation of their goods. And it is hereby offered and affured, that if any; of His Majesties good Subjects lhall feife and fecure the perfons of any who fhall either preach or pray at thefe Field-meetings, or convocat any perfons thereto, they fhall for every fuch perfon fofeifedand fecured, have five hundred Merks payed unto them for their reward. , out oi His Majeflies Thefaury by the Commiflioners thereof, who are hereby authorized to pay the fame; and the faids feifers and their afllftants are hereby indemnified for any flaughter that mall be committed in the apprehending and fecuring of them. And as to all Heretors and others aforefaid, who fhall be prefent at any of thefe Field- conventicles, it is hereby Declared , they are to be fined , toties quoties , in the double of the refpective fines appointed tor Houle-conventicles; but prejudice of any other punilhment due to them by Law as feditious perfons, and disturbers of the Peace and Quiet of the Kirk and Kingdom. And feeing the duei execution of Laws is the readiest means to procure obedience to the fame; Therefore, His Majesty,, with confent and advice forefaid, doth Impower , Warrand and Command all Sheriffs, Stewarts o£ Stewartries, Lords of Regalities and their Deputs, to call before them and try all fuch perfons who: fhall be informed to have keeped, or been prefent at Conventicles within their Jurifdittions, and to in- flict upon thefe who fhall be found guilty, the refpective fines expreft in this Act; they being alwayes* countable to the Commiflioners of His Majesties Thefaury, for the fines of all Heretors within their bounds. And His Majesty, for the encouragement of the faids Sheriffs, Stewarts and Lords of Regali- ties, to be careful and diligent in their duties herein, doth allow to themfelves all the fines of any per- fons within their Jurisdictions, under the degree of Heretors; and requires the Lords of His Majelties Privy Council to take exact tryal of their care and diligence herein : And if the Sheriffs, Stewarts and Bailiffs fhall be negligent in their duties, or if the Magistrates within Burghs fhall be negligent in their out- most diligence, to detect and dilate to the Council all Conventicles within their Burghs, that the Council inflict fuch cenfures and punifliments upon them as they fhall think fit. And the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council are hereby required to be careful in the tryal of all Field and Houfe-conventides, keept fince the fnft day of October, onethoufand, fix hundred, iixtynine, and before the date hereof, and that they punifh th z fame conform to the Laws and Acts of State formerly made thereanent. And iaitly, His Majesty being hopeful that His Subjects will give fuch chearful obedience to the Laws, as there ihall not be long ufe of this Act; Hath therefore , with advice forefaid , Declared, That the endurance thereof ihall only be for three years, unlefs His Majesty fhall think fit that it continue longer. iACT