taken in only such as are convicted it would have been eluded and rendred ineffectual for want of a Conviction of the greater part of such ubiquitary Recusants The want of due consideration of this Statute in each of these parts of it hath occasioned some mistakes in those who have handled it And Wingate tit Crown numb 78. restrains both parts of it as well relating to those that have no certain place of abode as those whose place of abode is certain to Recusants convicted and makes no mention that this later sort must be in England at the time of their Conviction And in the late Additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 14. 't is not only said that both sorts must be convicted but that they must be in England at the time of their Conviction which two things are only requisite in such who have a certain place of abode and not in the other sort who are within the meaning and danger of this Law without any precedent Conviction for Recusancy See more of this matter Licence to Travel Stat. 3 Jac. 5. and how a Popish Recusant shall be licensed to Travel out of his compass of five miles Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 5. Sect. 8. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 4. A Popish Recusant Copy-holder That every such Offender as is before mentioned which hath or shall have any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments by Copy of Court Roll or by any other customary tenure at the will of the Lord according to the Custom of any Mannor shall forfeit all and singular his and their said Lands Tenements and Hereditaments so holden by Copy of Court Roll or customary tenure as aforesaid for and during the life of such offender if his or her Estate so long continue to the Lord or Lords of whom the same be immediately holden if the same Lord or Lord or Lords be not then a Popish Recusant and convicted for not coming to Church to hear Divine Service but forbearing the same contrary to the Laws and Statutes aforesaid nor seized or possessed upon Trust to the use or behoof of any such Recusant as aforesaid And in such Case the same forfeiture to be to the Quéens Majesty Provided always Stat. Sect. 5. Popish Recusants shall notifie their coming and deliver in their names and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all such persons as by the intent and true meaning of this Act are to make their repair to their place of dwelling and abode or to the place where they were born or where their Father or Mother shall be dwelling and not to remove or pass above five miles from thence as is aforesaid shall within twenty days next after their coming to any of the said places as the Case shall happen notifie their coming thither and present themselves and deliver their true names in writing to the Minister or Curate of the same Parish and to the Constable Headborough or Tithingman of the Town and thereupon the said Minister or Curate shall presently enter the same into a Book to be kept in every Parish for that purpose Which shall be certified to the Sessâ—ons and enrolled there And afterwards the said Minister or Curate and the said Constable Headborough or Tithingman shall certifie the same in writing to the Iustices of the Peace of the same County at the next general or Quarter Sessions to be holden in the same County and the said Iustices shall cause the same to be entred by the Clerk of the Peace in the Rolls of the same Sessions Goods and Lands where not forfeited A Popish Recusant repairs to the place appointed him by this Act and keeps within his compass of five miles but doth not present himself or deliver in his name he doth not forfeit his Goods or Lands For there is no particular penalty inflicted in this part of the Act for that omission nor yet in the subsequent Branch for him that hath clearly twenty marks per annum in Freehold or Goods and Chattels worth forty pounds But yet such person may be Indicted for such neglect and fined upon the general words of the Statute which commands the thing to be done For where an Act of Parliament commands any thing to be done and inflicts no penalty an Indictment lies against the person who ought to do it for his neglect or omission Co. 2. Inst. 55. 163. Vide Cro. Hill 41 Eliz. 655. Crouthers Case Stat. Sect. 6. The penalty of a Popish Recusant of small ability offending against this Act. And to the end that the Realm be not pestered and overcharged with the multitude of such Seditious and dangerous people as is aforesaid who having little or no ability to answer or satisfie any competent penalty for their contempt and disobedience of the said Laws and Statutes and being committed to Prison for the same do live for the most part in better Case there then they could if they were abroad at their own liberty The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled do most humbly and instantly beséech the Quéens Majesty that it may be further Enacted That if any such person or persons being a Popish Recusant not being a Feme Covert and not having Lands Tenements Rents or Annuities of an absolute Estate of Inheritance or freehold of the clear yearly value of twenty marks above all charges to their own use and behoof and not upon any secret trust or confidence for any other or Goods and Chattels in their own right and to their own proper use and behoof And not upon any such secret trust and confidence for any other above the value of forty pounds shall not within the time before in this Act in that behalf limited and appointed repair to their place of usual dwelling and aboad if they have any or else to the place where they were born or where their Father or Mother shall be dwelling according to the tenor and intent of this present Act And thereupon notifie their coming and present themselves and deliver their true Names in writing to the Minister or Curate of the Parish and to the Constable Headborough or Tithingman of the Town within such time and in such manner and form as is aforesaid or at any time after such their repairing to any such place as is before appointed shall pass or remove above five miles from the same And shall not within three months next after such person shall be apprehended or taken for offending as is aforesaid conform themselves to the obedience of the Laws and Statutes of this Realm in coming usually to the Church to hear Divine Service and in making such publick Confession and Submission as hereafter in this Act is appointed and expressed being thereunto required by the Bishop of the Diocess or any Iustice of the Peace of the County where the same person shall happen to be or by the Minister or
Profession or Calling whatsoever or repair in or to any the same to be instructed perswaded or strengthned in the Popish Religion or in any sort to profess the same every such person so sending or causing to be sent any Child or other person beyond the Seas to any such purpose or intent shall for every such Offence forfeit to his Maiesty his Heirs and Successors the sum of one hundred pounds and every such person so passing or being sent beyond the Seas to any such intent and purpose as is aforesaid shall by Authority of this present Act as in respect of him or her self only and not to or in respect of any of his Heirs or Posterity be disabled and made uncapable to inherit purchase take have or enjoy any Mannors Lands Tenements Annuities Profits Commodities Hereditaments Goods Chattels Debts Duties Legacies or Sums of money within this Realm of England or any other his Majesties Dominions And that all and singular Estates Terms and other Interests whatsoever hereafter to be made suffered or done to or for the use or behoof of any such person or persons or upon any trust or confidence mediately or immediately to or for the benefit or relief of any such person or persons shall be utterly void and of none effect to all intents constructions and purposes Publick Colledges c. only here intended To any Colledge c. This Act extends only to publick Houses or Colledges but not to such as are bred beyond the Seas in any private Popish Family And therefore the Statute of 3 Car. 1. cap. 2. Stat. 3 Car. 1. 2. was made to supply that defect Stat. Sect. 6. They who are in Seminaries c. shall return And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any person born within this Realm or any the Kings Majesties Dominions be at this present in any Colledge Seminary House or place in any parts beyond the Seas to the end to be instructed or strengthned in the Popish Religion which shall not make return into this Realm or some of his Majesties Dominions within one year next coming after the end of this Session of Parliament and submit himself as is aforesaid shall be in respect of himself only and not to or in respect of any of his Heirs or Posterity utterly disabled and uncapable to inherit have or enjoy any Mannors Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods Chattels Debts or other things aforesaid within this Realm or any other his Majesties Dominions Stat. Sect. 7. Remedy for such as return into the Realm and become conformable Provided always That if any such person or Child so passing sent sending or now being beyond the Seas as aforesaid to such intent as is before mentioned shall after become Conformable and Obedient unto the Laws and Ordinances of the Church of England and shall repair to the Church and there remain and be as is aforesaid and continue in such Conformity according to the true intent and meaning of the said Statutes and Ordinances That in every such Case every such person and Child for and during such time as he or she shall continue in such Conformity and Obedience shall be fréed and discharged of all and every such disability and incapacity as is before mentioned And be it further Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That no Woman Stat. Sect. 8. No Woman or Child shall pass over the Seas without Licence except c. nor any Child under the age of one and twenty years except Sailers or Ship-boys or the Apprentice or Factor of some Merchant in Trade of Merchandize shall be permitted to pass over the Seas except the same shall be by Licence of the King his Heirs or Successors or of some six or more of the Kings Privy Council thereunto first had under their hands upon pain that the Officers of the Port that shall willingly or negligently suffer any such to pass The forfeiture of the Officer of the Port. Owner of the Ship or shall not enter the names of such Passengers licensed shall forfeit his Office and all his Goods and Chattels And upon pain that the Owner of any Ship or Vessel that shall wittingly or willingly carry any such over the Seas without Licence as is aforesaid shall forfeit his Ship or Vessel and all the Tackle and every Master or Marriner Master and Marriners of or in any such Ship or Vessel offending as aforesaid shall forfeit all their Goods and suffer Imprisonment by the space of twelve months without Bail or Mainprize And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 9. The forfeiture for being or keeping a Schoolmaster contrary to this Act. That no person after the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel next shall kéep any School or be a Schoolmaster out of any of the Vniversities or Colledges of this Realm except it be in some publick or frée Grammar School or in some such Noblemans or Noblewomans or Gentlemans or Gentlewomans House as are not Recusants or where the same Schoolmaster shall be specially licensed thereunto by the Archbishop Bishop or Guardian of the Spiritualties of that Diocess upon pain that as well the Schoolmaster as also the party that shall retain or maintain any such Schoolmaster contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Act shall forfeit each of them for every day so wittingly offending forty shillings Note All Grammar Schools are not here excepted Grammar Schools Gentlemens Houses but only publick or free Grammar Schools nor yet all Gentlemens Houses but only of such as are not Recusants in both which respects this Statute is defectively recited in the late Additions to Dalton cap. 87. tit Schoolmaster Sect. 1. Stat. Sect. 10. The forfeitures how to be recovered The one half of all the penalties and sums of money before-mentioned to be forfeited to be to the King his Heirs and Successors the other to him or them that shall or will sue for the same in any the Courts of Record in Westminster by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in which no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed Stat. iii Jac. cap. iv An Act for the better discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants FOrasmuch as it is found by daily experience that many his Majesties Subjects Stat. Sect. 1. that adhere in their hearts to the Popish Religion by the infection drawn from thence and by the wicked and devillish Counsel of Iesuites Seminaries and other like persons dangerous to the Church and State Some Popishly affected do repair to the Church are so far perverted in the point of their Loyalties and due Allegiance unto the Kings Majesty and the Crown of England as they are ready to entertain and execute any treasonable conspiracies and practices as evidently appears by that more then barbarous and horrible attempt to have blown up with Gunpowder the King Queén Prince Lords and Commons in the House of
Information dies Quaere Whether his Executors shall be charged with the forfeiture of 100 Marks for that the Offender died within the six weeks and so by the Act of God his body cannot suffer Imprisonment for six months in lieu of the forfeiture And the Statute gave his election in this Case whether he would suffer Imprisonment or pay the one hundred Marks Dyer 3 Eliz. 203. Et 6 7 Eliz. 231. Sir Edward Walgraves Case But this Question may now be prevented for the Offender may be Indicted upon the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 23 El. 2. 1 which inflicts for such Offence the 100 Marks and Imprisonment both Stat. Sect. 8. Every person shall resort to the Church upon Sundays and Holidays And that from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist next coming all and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realm or any other the Quéens Majesties Dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent endeavour themselves to resort to their Parish Church or Chappel 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 and used to be kept as Holy-days and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the Common Prayer Preaching or other Service of God there to be used and ministred upon pain of punishment by the Censures of the Church The forfeiture for not coming to Church and also upon 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 done to the use of the Poor of the same Parish of the Goods Lands and Tenements of such Offender by way of distress Every person and persons A Feme Covert Feme Covert is within this Statute and shall forfeit twelve pence if she repair not to Church every Sunday and Holiday Co. 11. 61. Dr. Fosters Case Bulstrode 3. 87. The King against Law Rolles 1. 93. C. 4. 1. Dr. Fosters Case Hobart 97. Moore versus Hussey Inhabitant within the Realm Inhabiting within this Realm c. In an Indictment upon this Statute for not coming to Church it need not be averred that the Offender is an Inhabitant within this Realm c. for if he be not that ought to come of the other side Godbolt 148. C. 191. Anne Mannocks Case Reasonable excuse Having no lawful or reasonable Excuse c. Nor need it be averred in such Indictment That the party had no lawful or reasonable Excuse to be absent but that ought likewise to come of the other side Leonard 2. 5. C. 6. Elizabeth Dormers Case Note in the Report of that Case these words having no lawful or reasonable c. are by mistake supposed to be in the Statute of 23 Eliz. 1. cap. 1. To their Parish Church or Chappel accustomed Not necessary to go to a mans Parish Church or upon reasonable lett thereof c. If a man doth not resort to the Church of the Parish wherein he dwells nor to the Chappel of Ease whereunto the place of his abode belongs yet if he goes to that Church or Chappel to which he hath been accustomed to resort it seems to be sufficient to satisfie the intent of this Act. Vide Bulstrode 1. 159. infra Common Prayer Common Prayer For the Book of Common Prayer now established Vide supra Sect. 2. Diligently and faithfully c. and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during c. Although the words of the Statute be in the dis-junctive Staying at Church during the whole time viz. That he shall abide there during the time of Common Prayer Preaching or other Service of God yet they are to be taken conjunctively and the party ought not to depart when the Service is ended if there be Preaching but must continue there for the whole time Godbolt 148. C. 191 Mannocks Case And yet if he abides there during the whole time he may be liable to the penalty of this Law Behaviour there For there are four Adverbs in the Statute 1. Diligently which denotes attention 2. Faithfully devotion 3. Soberly gravity And 4. Orderly decency All which ought to be observed so that if he walk or talk in the Church during the Service of God there he may be punished upon this Act as if he were absent By Coke Chief Justice B. R. Rolles 1. 93. C. 41. Doctor Fosters Case Shall forfeit for every such Offence Twelve pence This forfeiture still remains notwithstanding the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. which gives the 20 l. per month Stat. 23 Eliz. 1.3 Jac. 4. And that appears by the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. which gives a more speedy remedy for the recovery of the forfeiture of Twelve pence And by the different times when these two forfeitures are due and the different Offences for which they are due which shews that the one was not intended in the room of the other For the 20 l. per month is due for a months absence and cannot be sued for till the month is past But the twelve pence is due for every absence either Sunday or Holiday For 't is forfeited as soon as the Sunday or Holiday is past and may be sued for every Week so that the Recusant may be punished both by this Statute for his weekly absence and by 23. The 12 pence and 20 pounds both forfeited Conformity for his monthly absence nor is he helped by this Act in case of Conformity as he is by 23. Co. 11. 63. Dr. Fosters Case Rolls 1. 94. C. 41. The same Case But yet although this Act doth not discharge him of this Twelve pence upon Conformity it seems that the Statute of 1 Jac. cap. 4. Stat. 1. Jac. 4. will Stat. Sect. 9. And for due execution hereof the Queéns most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in Gods name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the utmost 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 justly punish his People for neglecting this good and wholsome Law The Ordinary may punish Offenders by the Censures the Church And for their Authority in this behalf be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular the said Archbishops Bishops and all other their Officers exercising Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction 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
Inst 34. Which Iury shall or may c. proceed to Indict Who to Indict him So that the Jury is to Indict and not the Sheriff as is mistaken in the late additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 11. And for stronger defence and maintenance of this Act Stat. Sect. 8. It shall be Treason the second time to maintain the Authority of the Bishop or See of Rome it is further Ordained Enacted and Established by the Authority aforesaid That if any such Offender or Offenders as is aforesaid of the first part or Branch of this Estatute that is to say by Writing Cyphering Printing Preaching or Teaching Deed or Act Advisedly and Wittingly hold or stand with to extol set forth maintain or defend the Authority Iurisdiction or Power of the Bishop of Rome or of his See heretofore claimed used or usurped within this Realm or in any Dominion or Country being of within or under the Queens Power or Obeysance or by any Speech open Deed or Act Advisedly and Wittingly attribute any such manner of Iurisdiction Authority or Preheminence to the said See of Rome or to any Bishop of the same See for the time being within this Realm or in any the Queens Dominions or Countries or be to any such Offender or offenders Abetting Procuring or Counselling or Aiding Assisting or Comforting upon purpose and to the intent to set forth further and extol the said usurped Power Authority or Iurisdiction After such Conviction and Attainder as is aforesaid do eftsoons commit or do the said Offences or any of them in manner and form aforesaid and be thereof duly convicted and attainted as is aforesaid Or to refuse the Oath And also that if any the persons abovenamed and appointed by this Act to take the Oath aforesaid do after the space of thrée months next after the first tender thereof the second time refuse to take and pronounce or do not take or pronounce the same in form aforesaid to be tendred that then every such Offender or Offenders for the same second Offence and Offences shall forfeit lose and suffer such like and the same pains forfeitures Iudgment and Execution as is used in Cases of High Treason What is an advised or witting maintenance Advisedly and wittingly Slade and Body were condemned in a Praemunire upon this Statute before Justices of Oyer and Terminer for extolling the Authority of the Bishop of Rome and remained in Prison for the space of two years and afterwards were brought to the Assizes and demanded whether they were still of the same Opinion To which they answered that they were and one of them said that if they had a thousand Lives they would lose them all in this Case upon which they were Indicted and Arraigned and Convicted upon this second Branch of the Statute for High Treason And it was Resolved by the greater part of the Justices that the words should be taken to be spoken Advisedly and Wittingly and were within the meaning of this second Branch Savile 46. 47. C. 99. Tender and refusal For tender and refusal Vide Stat. 7. Jac. cap. 6. Sect. 4. 5. postea Stat. Sect. 9. Provided always That this Act nor any thing therein contained nor any Attainder to be had by force and vertue of this Act shall not extend to make any corruption of Blood the disheriting of any Heir forfeiture of Dower No corruption of Blood disheriting of Heir or forfeiture of Dower for any Attainder by this Act nor to the prejudice of the Right or Title of any person or persons other then the Right or Title of the Offender or Offenders during his her or their natural Lives only And that it shall and maybe lawful to every person and persons to whom the Right or Interest of any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments after the death of any such Offender or Offenders should or might have appertained if no such Attainder had been to enter into the same without any Ouster le maine to be sued in such sort as he or they might have done if this Act had never been had ne made Provided also That the Oath expressed in the said Act How the Oath expressed An. 1. Eliz. 1. shall be expounded made in the said first year shall be taken and expounded in such form as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Injunctions published in the first year of her Majesties Reign That is to say to confess and acknowledge in her Majesty her Heirs and Successors none other Authority then that was challenged and lately used by the Noble King Henry the Eighth and King Edward the Sixth as in the said admonition more plainly may appear And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid In what Courts and places this Act shall be published That this Act shall be openly Read and Published and Declared at every Quarter Sessions by the Clerk of the Peace and at every Leet and Law-day by the Steward of the Court and once in every Term in the open Hall of every House and Houses of Court and Chancery at the times and by the persons thereunto to be limited and appointed by the Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal for the time being And be it further Enacted Stat. Sect. 10. Every Knight Citizen and Burgess of the Parliament shall take the said Oath That every person which hereafter shall be Elected or appointed a Knight Citizen or Burgess or Baron for any of the five Ports for any Parliament or Parliaments hereafter to be holden shall from henceforth before he shall enter into the Parliament House or have any Voice there openly receive and pronounce the said Oath before the Lord Steward for the time being or his Deputy or Deputies for that time to be appointed And that he which shall enter into the Parliament House without taking the said Oath shall be deemed no Knight Citizen Burgess nor Baron for that Parliament nor shall have any Voice but shall be to all intents constructions and purposes as if he had never been Returned nor Elected Knight Citizen Burgess or Baron for that Parliament and shall suffer such pains and penalties as if he had presumed to sit in the same without Election Return or Authority The Kings dispensation void The King cannot dispence with any Member of the Commons House from taking this Oath For the reason given by the late Lord Chief Justice Vaughan in the Case of Thomas and Sorrell touching the Oath of Allegiance holds here viz. Because by this Statute he is persona inhabilis until he hath taken it Vaughan 355. Stat. Sect. 11. Where no temporal person of or above the degree of a Baron shall be compelled to take the said Oath Provided alway That forasmuch as the Quéens Majesty is otherwise sufficiently assured of the Faith and Loyalty of the Temporal Lords of her High Court of Parliament Therefore this Act nor any thing therein contained shall
not extend to compell any Temporal person of or above the degrée of a Baron of this Realm to take or pronounce the Oath abovesaid nor to incur any penalty limited by this Act for not taking or refusing the same Any thing in this Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Where he ought to take it This Act. Although by this Act no Temporal person of or above the degree of a Baron is compellable to take this Oath yet if he be made a Justice of Peace he ought to take it by force of the Statute of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. Jones 152 153. Earl of Lincolns Case Stat. 1 Eliz. 1. A Bishop must take it Temporal Person By these words and the Preamble Forasmuch as c. Archbishops and Bishops although their possessions be Temporalties are excluded out of this Proviso and therefore are to take the Oath For every person who is of the degree of a Baron is not excused as Wingate tit Crown numb 29. mistakes but only the Temporal Lords of Parliament Stat. Sect. 12. Charitable giving Alms to Offenders shall be no cause of forfeiture Provided and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That charitable giving of reasonable Alms to any of the Offender or Offenders above specified without fraud or covin shall not be taken or interpreted to be any such abettment procuring counselling aiding assisting or comforting as thereby the giver of such Alms shall incur any pain penalty or forfeiture appointed in this Act. Peers offending shall be tried by their Peers Provided also and be it Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That if any Peér of this Realm shall hereafter offend contrary to this Act or any Branch or Article thereof that in that and all such Case and Cases they shall be tried by their Péers in such manner and form as in other Cases of Treasons they have used to be tried and by none other means Provided also further and be it Enacted Stat. Sect. 13. Who only shall be compelled to take the Oath upon the second tender That no person shall be compelled by vertue of this Act to take the Oath above-mentioned at or upon the second time of offering the same according to the form appointed by this Statute except the same person hath beén is or shall be an Ecclesiastical person that had hath or shall have in the time of one of the Riegns of the Queéns Majesties most Noble Father Brother or Sister or in the time of the Reign of the Queéns Majesty her Heirs or Successors Charge Cure or Office in the Church Or such person or persons as had hath or hereafter shall have any Office or Ministry in any Ecclesiastical Court of this Realm under any Archbishop or Bishop in any the times or Reigns aforesaid Or such person or persons as shall wilfully refuse to observe the Orders and Rites for Divine Service that be authorized to be used and observed in the Church of England after that he or they shall be publickly by the Ordinary or some of his Officers for Ecclesiastical Causes admonished to kéep and observe the same Or such as shall openly and advisedly deprave by words writings or any other open fact any of the Rites and Ceremonies at any time used and authorized to be used in the Church of England Or that shall say or hear the private Mass prohibited by the Laws of this Realm and that all such persons shall be compellable to take the Oath upon the second tender or offer of the same and incur the Penalties for not taking of the said Oath and none other Charge Cure or Office in the Church What Clergy-men are punishable upon the second tender and refusal So that every Clergy-man or Person in Orders is not within the danger of this Law upon the second tender and refusal of the Oath as Wing tit Crown n. 30. mistakes For every Priest or Minister is Clericus Dyer 3 Eliz. 203. and yet shall not incur the penalty of High Treason upon the second refusal unless he be a local Minister or have some Charge Cure or Office in the Church By the Ordinary Ordinary what Ordinary in the Common Law is properly taken for the Bishop of the Diocess but yet usually in the Common Law and in Statutes for every Commissary or Official of the Bishop or other Judge that hath Ordinary Jurisdiction within his limits in Causes Ecclesiastical Stat. W. 2. cap. 19. Stat. 31 E. 3. cap. 11. Termes de la Ley 212. Ordinary 8 H. 6. 3. Co. 1. Inst 344. Or hear the private Mass Hearing Mass If a man once in his life time heareth private Mass it seems he is within this qualification and incurs High Treason upon the second refusal of the Oath and not only if he used to hear it as Wingate tit Crown numb 30. misrecites the Statute Stat. Sect. 14. It shall not be lawful to slay any one attainted in a Praemunire And forasmuch as it is doubtful whether by the Laws of this Realm there be any punishment for such as kill or slay any person or persons attainted in or upon a Praemunire Be it therefore Enacted by Authority aforesaid That it shall not be lawful to any person or persons to slay or kill any person or persons in any manner attainted or hereafter to be attainted of in or upon any Praemunire by pretence reason or authority of any Iudgment given or hereafter to be given in or upon the same or by pretence reason or force of any word or words thing or things contained or specified in any Statute or Law of Provision and Praemunire or in any of them Any Law or Statute or Opinion or Exposition of any Law or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Punishments inflicted by former Laws Saving always the due execution of all and every person and persons attainted or to be attainted for any Offence whereupon Iudgment of death now is or ought to be or hereafter may lawfully be given by reason of this Statute or otherwise And saving always all and every such pains of death or other hurt or punishment as heretofore might without danger of Law be done upon any person or persons that shall send or bring into this Realm or any other the Queéns Dominions or within the same shall execute any Summons Sentence Excommunication or other Process against any person or persons from the Bishop of Rome for the time being or by or from the See of Rome or the Authority or Iurisdiction of the same See The Judgment in a Praemunire The Judgment in a Praemunire is to be out of the Kings Protection his Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels to be forfeited to the King and that his body shall remain in Prison at the Kings pleasure Co. 1. Inst 129 130. Co. 3. Inst. 218. Rastal Entr. 466. Judgment But his entailed Lands he shall forfeit only during his Life For this Forfeiture must
be understood of such an Estate as he may lawfully forfeit And the general words of the Statute of Praemunire Stat. 16 R. 2. 5. W. 2. 1. 16 R. 2. c. 5. scil Lands and Tenements shall not take away the force of the Statute de donis Conditionaelibus Co. 1. Inst 130. 391. Co. 11. 63. Godbolt 308. Lord Sheffeild and Ratcliffe And the person attainted in a Praemunire is disabled to be a Witness in any Cause Co. 1. Inst 6. or to Sue For Attainder in a Praemunire is a good plea in disability of the Plaintiff A person attainted in a Praemunire was out of the Kings Protection Sc. 25 E. 3. 22. according to Littleton 41. By the Statute of 25 E. 3. cap. 22. which saith That a man attainted in a Praemunire shall be out of the Kings Protection and it may be done with him as with the Kings Enemy It seemeth that any man might have lawfully slain such a person as was held 24 H. 8. Bro. Coron 196. Vide Bulstrode 2. 299. Sir Anthony Mildmay's Case And this Sir Edward Coke Co. 7. 14. Calvins Case Co. 12. 38. seemeth to allow for Law before this Statute of 5 Eliz. and positively affirms it to have been Law in his 1 Inst 130. and yet in the same Case of Calvin he saith that in that Statute of 25 E. 3. is intended only a legal Protection according to Littleton 41. and so likewise he expounds it in his 3d Inst. 126. But yet that the party attainted was still under that Protection which the Law of Nature giveth to the King which he explains to be such a Protection as a person attainted of Felony or Treason is under notwithstanding his Attainder so that if any man had killed him without Warrant he should have been punished by Law as a manslayer And this sort of Protection by the Law of Nature saith he is indelebilis immutabilis which the Parliament could not take away But yet under favour if a man attainted in a Praemunire were before this Act of 5 Eliz. under that indeleble and immutable Protection of the King given by the Law of Nature then the Opinion held in Brooke and allowed by himself was not Law But if that Opinion in Brooke were Law and any man might before this Statute have killed a man attainted in a Praemunire and that by force of the Statute of 25 E. 3. it follows that the Protection which the Law of Nature giveth is not indelebilis or immutabilis but that an Act of Parliament might in a particular Case take it away But there is now no further need of this Question in the Case of a Praemunire For if this Protection by the Law of Nature were taken away by 25 E. 3. it is now restored by this Statute and no man can lawfully slay a person attainted in a Praemunire no more than he can without Warrant a man attainted of Felony or Treason Provided always Stat. Sect. 15. Upon what proof only any person may be indicted and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons shall hereafter be Indicted for assisting aiding maintaining comforting or abetting of any person or persons for any the said Offences in extolling setting forth or defending of the usurped Power and Authority of the Bishop of Rome unless he or they be thereof lawfully accused by such good and sufficient testimony or proof as by the Iury by whom he shall so be Indicted shall be thought good lawful and sufficient to prove him or them guilty of the said Offences Stat. xiii Eliz. cap. ii An Act against the bringing in and putting in Execution of Bulls Writings or Instruments and other Superstitious things from the See of Rome Stat. Sect. 1. A rehearsal of the Stat. of 5 El. 1. touching the abolishing of the Authority of the Bishop and See of Rome WHere in the Parliament holden at Westminster in the fifth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady the Quéens Majesty that now is by one Act and Statute then and there made Intituled An Act for the Assurance of the Queens Majesties Royal Power over all States and Subjects within her Highness Dominions it is among other things very well ordained and provided for the abolishing of the usurped Power and Iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome and of the See of Rome heretofore unlawfully claimed and usurped within this Realm and other the Dominions to the Quéens Majestie belonging That no person or persons shall hold or stand with to set forth maintain defend or extol the same usurped Power or attribute any manner of Iurisdiction Authority or Preheminence to the same to be had or used within this Realm or any the said Dominions upon pain to incur the danger penalties and forfeitures ordained and provided by the Statute of Provision and Praemunire made in the sixteenth year of the Reign of King Richard the second as by the same Act more at large it doth and may appear And yet nevertheless divers seditious and very evil disposed people without respect of their Duty to Almighty God or of the Faith and Allegiance which they ought to bear and have to our said Sovereign Lady the Quern and without all fear and regard had to the said good Law and Statute or the pains therein limited but minding as it should seem very seditiously and unnaturally not only to bring this Realm and the Imperial Crown thereof being in very deed of it self most free into the thraldom and subjection of that Forreign usurped and unlawful Iurisdiction Preheminence and Authority claimed by the said See of Rome but also to estrange and alienate the minds and hearts of sundry her Majesties Subjects from their dutiful obedience and to raise and stir Sedition and Rebellion within this Realm to the disturbance of the most happy peace thereof have lately procured and obtained to themselves from the said Bishop of Rome The effect of Bulls brought from Rome and his said Sée divers Bulls and Writings the effect whereof hath been and is to absolve and reconcile all those that will be contented to forsake their due obedience to our most gracious Sovereign Lady the Queens Majesty and to yield and subject themselves to the said fained unlawful and usurped Authority and by colour of the said Bulls and Writings the said wicked persons very secretly and most seditiously in such parts of this Realm where the people for want of good instruction are most weak simple and ignorant and thereby farthest from the good understanding of their Duties towards God and the Quéens Majesty have by their lewd and subtile practises and perswasion so far forth wrought that sundry simple and ignorant persons have been contented to be reconciled to the said usurped Authority of the See of Rome and to take absolution at the hands of the said naughty and subtile practicers whereby hath grown great dissobedience and boldness in many not only to withdraw and absent themselves from all
Divine Service now most Godly set forth and used within this Realm but also have thought themselves dischorged of and from all Obedience Duty and Allegiance to her Majesty whereby most wicked and unnatural Rebellion hath ensued and to the further danger of this Realm is hereafter very like to be renewed if the ungodly and wicked attempts in that behalf be not by severity of Laws restrained and bridled For remedy and redress whereof Stat. Sect. 2. Putting in ure any Bull of Absolution or reconciliation from the Bishop of Rome and to prevent the great mischiefs and inconveniencies that thereby may ensue Be it Enacted by the Queens most Excellent Majesty with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same That if any person or persons after the first day of July next coming shall use or put in ure in any place within this Realm or in any the Queens Dominions any such Bull Writing or Instrument Written or Printed of Absolution or Reconciliation at any time heretofore obtained and gotten or at any time hereafter to be obtained and gotten from the said Bishop of Rome or any his Successors or from any other person or persons Authorized or claiming Authority by or from the said Bishop of Rome his Predecessors or Successors or See of Rome Or if any person or persons after the said first day of July Absolving or reconciling of any person and being absolved or reconciled shall take upon him or them by colour of any such Bull Writing Instrument or Authority to absolve or reconcile any person or persons or to grant or promise to any person or persons within this Realm or any other the Queens Majesties Dominions any such absolution or reconciliation by any Speéch Preaching Teaching Writing or any other open Déed Or if any person or persons within this Realm or any of the Quéens Dominions after the said first day of July shall willingly receive and take any such absolution or reconciliation Getting of any Bull from Rome containing any matter whatsoever or publishing or putting in ure the same Or else if any person or persons have obtained or gotten since the last day of the Parliament holden in the first year of the Queens Majesties Reign or after the said first day of July shall obtain or get from the said Bishop of Rome or any his Successors or See of Rome any manner of Bull Writing or Instrument Written or Printed containing any thing matter or cause whatsoever or shall Publish or by any ways or means put in ure any such Bull Writing or Instrument That then all and every such act and acts offence and offences shall be deemed and adjudged by the Authority of this Act to be High Treason and the Offender and Offenders therein their Procurors Abettors and Counsellors to the Fact and committing of the said offence or offences shall be deemed and adjudged High Traitors to the Queen and the Realm and being thereof lawfully Indicted and Attainted according to the course of the Laws of this Realm shall suffer pains of Death and also loose and forfeit all their Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods and Chattels as in Cases of High Treason by the Laws of this Realm ought to be lost and forfeited The Popes Bull. Bull. The Popes Bulls in Latin called Bullae are so called Quod Bullis plumbeis obsignentur and in them consilium voluntas Papae continentur Vide Termes de la Ley 43. Bull. Absolution and Reconciliation Absolution or Reconciliation A man absolves or reconciles or is absolved or reconciled to the Pope or See of Rome without any Bull Writing or Instrument to that purpose This Case seems not to be within the meaning of this Statute For there must be some Bull Writing or Instrument to Authorize such Absolution or Reconciliation or the person who gives or receives it is not punishable by this Act Stat. 23 Eliz. 1. 3 Jac. 4. although he may be by 23 Eliz. cap. 1. and 3 Jac. cap. 4. Stat. Sect. 3. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every aiders comforters or maintainers of any the said Offender or Offenders after the committing of any the said Acts or Offences to the intent to set forth uphold or allow the doing or execution of the said usurped Power Aiders Comforters and Maintainers of Offenders after the Offence Iurisdiction or Authority touching or concerning the premises or any part thereof shall incur the pains and penalties contained in the Statute of Praemunire made in the sixteénth year of the Reign of King Richard the second To the intent Vide supra Stat. 5 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 2. Intent Stat. 5 Eliz 1. postea Sect. 6. Provided always Stat. Sect. 4. Concealing or not disclosing of a Bull or reconciliation offered and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any person or persons to whom any such Absolution Reconciliation Bull Writing or Instrument as is aforesaid shall after the said first day of July be offered moved or perswaded to be used put in ure or executed shall conceal the same offer motion or perswasion and not disclose and signifie the same by writing or otherwise within six weéks than next following to some of the Queéns Majesties Privy Counsel or else to the President or Vice-president of the Queéns Majesties Counsel established in the North parts or in the Marches of Wales for the time being that then the same person or persons so concealing and not disclosing or not signifying the said offer motion or perswasion shall incur the loss danger penalty and forfeiture of Misprision of High Treason Note Concealers of the Offence All concealers of this Offence are not within the danger of this Law as Wingate misrecites the Clause tit Crown numb 35. And therefore if a man be present at such offer motion or perswasion and conceal it he shall not incur Misprision of Treason unless he be the party to whom any such Bull c. or Absolution c. was offered And that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter be impeached molested Stat. Sect. 5. or troubled in or for misprision of Treason for any Offence or Offences made Treason by this Act other than such as by this Act are before declared to be in Case of Misprision of High Treason And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 6. Bringing into the Realm or using of Agnus Dei Pictures Crosses c. That if any person or persons shall at any time after the said first day of July bring into this Realm of England or any the Dominions of the same any token or tokens thing or things called or named by the name of Agnus Dei or any Crosses Pictures Beads or such like vain and superstitious things from the Bishop or Sée of Rome or from any person or
the Reign of our most gracious Soveraign Lady the Quéens Majesty Entituled An Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their due Obedience Be it Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That every Feoffment Gift Grant Conveyance Alienation Estate Lease Incumbrance and Limitation of use of or out of any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments whatsoever had or made at any time since the beginning of the Quéens Majesties Reign or at any time hereafter to be had or made by any person which hath not repaired or shall not repair to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer but hath forborn or shall forbear the same contrary to the tenor of the said Statute and which is or shall be revocable at the pleasure of such offender or in any wise directly or indirectly meant or intended to or for the behoof relief or maintenance or at the disposition of any such offender or wherewith or whereby or in consideration whereof such Offender or his Family shall be maintained relieved or kept shall be déemed and taken to be utterly frustrate and void as against the Queéns Majesty for or concerning the levying and paying of such sums of money as any such person by the Laws or Statutes of this Realm already made ought to pay or forfeit for not coming or repairing to any Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer or for saying hearing or being at any Mass and shall also be seized and had to and for her Majesties use and behoof as hereafter in this Act is mentioned Any pretence colour faigned consideration or expressing of any use to the contrary notwithstanding Stat. Sect. 2. Conviction of Recusancy shall be certified into the Exchequer And further be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Conviction heretofore recorded for any Offence before-mentioned not already estreated or certified into the Quéens Majesties Court of Exchequer shall from the Iustices before whom the Record of such Conviction shall be remaining be estreated and certified into the Queéns Majesties Court of Exchequer before the end of Easter Term next coming in such convenient certainty for the time and other circumstances as the Court of Exchequer may thereupon award out Process for seizure of the Lands and Goods of every such Offender as hath not paid their said forfeitures according to the Laws and Statutes in such Case provided In what Courts Conviction of Recusancy shall be And that every Conviction hereafter for any offence before mentioned shall be in the Court commonly called the Kings Bench or at the Assizes or general Goal delivery and not elsewhere and shall from the Iustices before whom the Record of such Conviction shall remain be estreated and certified into the said Court of Exchequer before the end of the Term next ensuing after every such Conviction in such convenient certainty as is aforementioned Sir Edward Coke in Dr. Fosters Case lib. 11. 61. saith That by this Clause as hath been well observed the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 33 Eliz. 1 In what Courts the Informer Qui tam c. may sue is altered in a material point viz. That whereas by 23. the Informer might sue the Recusant for the penalty in any Court of Record he is now by this Statute of 29. restrained from suing in the Common Pleas or Exchequer But this is utterly denied to be Law as the constant practice and experience ever since the making of this Statute sufficiently testifies And the Lord Chief Justice Hobart in his Report of Pie and Lovells Case saith That that Observation was made as he takes it by Sir Edward Coke himself But however this passage or observation as he calls it came to be inserted by Sir Edward Coke into his Report Sergeant Rolles in his Report of that Case of Dr. Foster lib. 1. 93. C. 41. brings him in speaking in another Language and more consonant to Law viz. That the Conviction here mentioned is intended of Convictions upon Indictments only and that no other sort of Convictions or proceedings upon the Statute of 23 Eliz. are mentioned or intended throughout this whole Act of 29. And if so then the Informer is not concerned in this Act nor restrained thereby as to the Courts wherein he is to sue but that he may sue still in the Common Pleas or Exchequer And so was it resolved in point in that Case of Pie and Lovell Hobart 204 205. where the Opinion of Sir Edward Coke reported by Rolles touching what sort of Conviction is meant here is confirmed and allowed for Law this Statute being made only for the benefit of the Queen in her Suits by Indictment and that other Opinion in the 11 Report exploded And the true reason is there given why those negative words and not elsewhere were added here viz. not to exclude the Informer out of the Common Pleas or Exchequer but to restrain Justices of Peace from proceeding to convict any person upon Indictments for Recusancy or for saying hearing or being at Mass which they were enabled to do by 23 Eliz. but again disenabled by those negative words in this Act and the hearing and determining of those offences committed only to the Justices of the Kings Bench Assizes and general Goal delivery But for Informations by a common Informer they were never intended here and the Justices of Assize and Goal delivery cannot hold Plea of such Informations as was resolved by the Judges Mich. 4 Car. 1. Jones 193. And yet this Statute did not wholly abrogate the power of the Justices of Peace Justices of P. may take Indictments for some offences against 23 El. 1 or of any other Justices to whom Authority was given by the Statute of 23 Eliz. in relation to the Offences of Recusancy or of saying or hearing Mass but that they might after this Statute of 29. take Indictments notwithstanding the negative words here For this Statute restrains them only from proceeding to Conviction but not from taking Indictments as was held in Edward Plowdens Case cited in Dr. Fosters Case Co. 11. 63. And now by the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. And hear and determine the offence of not coming to Church Stat. 3 Jac. 4. The power of Justices of Peace to hear and determine the Offence of not coming to Church is again restored to them Vide that Statute Sect. 5. And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 3. At what time the money forfeited for not going to the Church shall be paid That every such Offender in not repairing to Divine Service but forbearing the same contrary to the said Estatute as hath beén heretofore convicted for such Offence and hath not made submission and béen conformable according to the true meaning of the said Statute shall without any other Indictment or Conviction pay into the Receipt of the said Exchequer all such sums of money as according to the Rate of twenty pounds for every month sithence the same
Conviction do yet remain unpaid in form as hereafter ensueth that is to say the one moiety thereof before the end of the next Trinity Term and the other moiety thereof before the end of the next Hillary Term or at any such other times as by the Lord Treasurer Chancellor and Chief Baron of the Exchequer or any two of them shall by composition upon good Bond and Surety taken be limited before the end of the said next Trinity Term if any such Composition shall happen to be And shall also in every Easter and Michaelmas Term until such time as the same person do make Submission and be Conformable according to the true meaning of the said Statute pay into the said Receipt of the Exchequer twenty pounds for every month which shall incur in all that mean time Stat. Sect. 4. And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every such Offender in not repairing to Divine Service but forbearing the same contrary to the said Estatute as hereafter shall fortune to be thereof once convicted shall in such of the Terms of Easter or Michaelmas as shall be next after such Conviction pay into the said Receipt of the Exchequer after the rate of twenty pounds for every month which shall be contained in the Indictment whereupon such Conviction shall be And shall also for every month after such Conviction without any other Indictment or Conviction pay into the Receipt of the Exchequer aforesaid at two times in the year that is to say in every Easter Term and Michaelmas Term as much as then shall remain unpaid after the rate of Twenty pounds for every month after such Conviction The Queen may take all the Goods and two parts of the Lands and Leases of the Offender who pays not 20 l. a month And if default shall be made in any part of any payment aforesaid contrary to the form herein before limited that then and so often the Quéens Majesty shall and may by Process out of the said Exchequer take seize and enjoy all the Goods and two parts as well of all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms of such Offender as of all other the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments liable to such seizure or to the penalties aforesaid by the true meaning of this Act leaving the third part only of the same Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms to and for the maintenance and relief of the same Offender his Wife Children and Family What Conviction is here meant and when the penalty is appropriated to the King Once convicted This Statute meddles not with any other way of Conviction then at the Queens Suit by Indictment as hath been said And so is the Conviction here mentioned to be understood For this Statute is not introductory of a new Law nor gave the Queen any new or other remedy then what she had against the Recusant by the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. that is by Indictment but only gave her a more speedy way of proceeding upon that fundamental remedy Co. 11. 60. Dr. Fosters Case Rolles 1. 93. C. 41. the same Case so that a Conviction upon an Information against the Recusant upon 23. or any other way save by Indictment doth not appropriate the penalty of twenty pounds per month to the King for the time to come by force of this Statute Hobart 205. Pye and Lovells Case nor for the same reason by force of that 3 Jac. cap. 4. where the same words are used and a Conviction by Indictment only intended as here In that Case of Pye and Lovell its said That if a man at the making of this Statute had been convicted of Recusancy by any other means then by Indictment he had not been bound by this Law to pay the twenty shillings It should be twenty pounds a month from the Conviction And if a man be now convicted in the Kings Bench by Indictment or otherwise he cannot be proclaimed nor otherwise his penalty run on which last words infer that the Conviction here intended is only a Conviction according to this Statute by Proclamation upon default But if we compare together this Clause which speaks of a Conviction after the making of this Statute and the former Clause which speaks of a Conviction before this Statute the contrary will evidently appear For the former Clause touching Conviction before this Statute must necessarily be intended of Convictions according to 23 Eliz. cap. 1. without any Proclamation For the Proclamation in the Case of Recusancy was not given until 29. And if a man had been convicted of Recusancy upon Indictment in the Kings Bench or elsewhere before this Act the forfeiture of 20 l. per month should by force of this Act have run on from the time of such Conviction that 's clear by the express words of the former Clause Then comes this Clause which provides what shall be done upon Convictions for the future and appoints in that Case likewise the forfeiture of 26 l. per month to run on from the time of Conviction Both which Convictions as well before as after this Statute are granted to be meant only of Convictions upon Indictment And there is no difference between the penning of these two Clauses but that one respects the time past and the other the time to come but both appoint the penalty to run on Now there is no reason to suppose that the makers of the Law intended the word Convicted in a more restrained sense in this Clause then in the former Clause where the penalty should have run on upon any conviction whatsoever upon Indictment or that the conviction in the former Clause by Indictment upon 23. without Proclamation should be wholly shut out of the later Clause By Conviction therefore in these two Clauses seems to be meant such Convictions upon Indictment as were warranted by the Statutes in force at the several and respective times here mentioned That is in the former which speaks of the time foregoing a Conviction upon 23 Eliz. without Proclamation and in this later which speaks of the time to come a Conviction either with or without a Proclamation In either of which Cases the penalty of 20 l. per month shall run on by force of this Act and consequently it shall run on if the Recusant be Indicted Convicted and adjudged in the Kings Bench although he cannot be proclaimed there And accordingly it was agreed in Dr. Fosters Case that where the Recusant is convicted upon Indictment the penalty should ever after run on and be appropriated to the King Roiles 1. 93. C. 41. And 't is not restrained there to a Conviction upon Proclamation only But yet although this Clause extends as well to a Conviction upon 23 Eliz. as to a Conviction by Proclamation yet every Conviction upon 23 Eliz. is not here intended For if a man Indicted of Recusancy do upon his Arraignment confess the Indictment to be true and plead guilty or upon Trial a
Verdict pass against him these are Convictions in Law but yet by these Convictions he forfeits nothing until Judgment nor shall the penalty of 20 l. per month run on or be appropriated to the King until Judgment be given By Convicted therefore is here to be understood convicted by Proclamation and Default or convicted by Verdict Confession c. and adjudged for so the word is here to be taken viz. for adjudged or attainted unless it be in Case of Conviction upon Proclamation And in such a sense it is to be taken in divers other Cases Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 5. When the 20 l per month is to be paid In such of the Terms of Easter or Michaelmas That is the Term of Easter or Michaelmas which shall first happen and not the next Easter and Michaelmas Terms both For the Recusant ought to pay the whole penalty for the time contained in the Indictment in the very first of those Terms next after his Conviction See for this Stat. 3 Jac. 4. Stat. 3 Jac. 4. Sect. 6. From what time the said penalty shall run on Stat. 23 Eliz. 1. 3 Jac. 4. For every month after such Conviction For what time the penalty of 20 l. per month shall run on after the Recusant is indicted and convicted and in what Cases the Informer and all others but the King shall be barred after such Conviction Vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. antea Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 6. postea Office Take seize and enjoy But as to Lands and Tenements there must first be an Office found for the King for regularly before the finding of such Office Lands or Tenements cannot be seized into the Kings hands Co. 2. Inst 573. Co. 8. 169. Paris Stoughters Case Bro. tit Office 17. 55. Plowden 486. Nicholls Case By this Statute the Queen was to have and enjoy two parts of the Recusants Lands and Hereditaments nomine poenae or districtionis The two parts not satisfactory of the twenty pounds per month until he had in some other manner satisfied her of the whole forfeiture of the Twenty pounds per month incurred for his Recusancy And the profits of those two parts should not have been accompted to go to the payment of any part of the said debt or forfeiture For the Statute inflicted this forfeiture upon him meerly as a farther penalty for his neglect of payment of the Twenty pounds per month as was resolved by the two Chief Justices and Chief Baron Trin. 43 Eliz. in Gages Case Cro. Eliz. 845. 846. and by all the Judges The Law now altered in that point 3 Jac. at Russell House Jones 24. Standen versus Vniversity d'Oxon Whitton But now the Law is altered in this point by the Statute of 1 Jac. cap. 4. Vide the Stat. infra Sect. 4. Stat. 1 Jac. 4 All the goods A Recusant is Indicted and Convicted Recusants goods when forfeited and then fails of payment of the Twenty pounds per month yet his goods are not forfeited to the King by this Statute before seizure For the King hath his Election whether he will seize them or no. By Coke Chief Justice B. R. 12. Jac. Rolles 1. 7. C. 8. Cullom versus Sherman A Recusant lends money Recognizance forfeited and for security hath a Rent-charge granted him in Fee by Deed indented with condition of redemption and takes likewise a Recognizance for performance of Covenants in the said Indenture The Recognizance is forfeited and afterwards he is Indicted and Convicted of Recusancy and fails of payment of the Twenty pounds per month In this case the King shall have the Recognizance by force of this Act for when forfeited to the Recusant it is but a chattel personal What is given to the King by this word Goods and shall pass to the King by this word goods For in an Act of Parliament where the Offenders goods are given to the King all debts and personal Chattels and Actions are thereby given him as well as goods in possession And here in this Act as take and seize refer to two parts of the Recusants Lands and Tenements so enjoy refers to goods And the King shall enjoy the debt due by the Recognizance Nor doth it alter the Case for that the Recognizance was acknowledged for performance of Covenants in an Indenture concerning a Rent-charge in fee which seems to savour of the realty for it was originally for the loan and forbearance of money which is personal Co. 12. 1. 2. Ford and Sheldons Case If a man who is a Recusant take such a Recognizance in the name of another Recognizance taken in anothers name forfeited the King upon his Conviction shall have the Recognizance for when the Recusant was such at the time of taking the Recognizance and so continued until the time of his Conviction it shall be intended that it was done by Covin and that he took it in the name of another with an intent to prevent the King of the levying of the forfeiture and such Covin shall not bar the King Co. 12. 2. 3. the same Case The Kings grant If a Recognizance or Obligation be forfeited to the King by force of this Act he may grant it over as he may any other Chattel in Action under his private Seal Rolles 1. 7. C. 8. Cullom versus Sherman Hereditaments Rent Advowson in gross Hereditaments A Rent of Inheritance and an Advowson in gross are comprehended under this word But whether the King may seize such an Advowson as part of his two parts and present by vertue thereof since the Stat. of 3 Jac. c. 5. which gives the Presentation to the Universities Stat. 3 Jac. 5 Vide that Stat. infra Sect. 19. All other the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments liable to such seisure or to the penalties aforesaid It hath been much disputed whether Copyhold Lands are within this Branch of the Statute Copyhold Lands if seizable for regularly in Acts of Parliament which are Enacted for forfeiture of Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Copyholds shall not be forfeited but only Lands Tenements and Hereditaments which are such at the Common Law and not those which are such by custom only as Copyholds are And it was agreed in Heydons Case Co. 3. 8. That where an Act of Parliament alters the service or tenure or other thing in prejudice of the Lord there general words in the Act shall not extend to Copyholds Vide Savile 67. C. 138. And if the King should seize them by force of the general words here viz. Lands Tenements and Hereditaments the Lord would during the time they are in the Kings hands lose his Seigniory Customs and Services But yet it was held by Manwood Chief Baron and Baron Clark in the Case of Sulherd and Everet Mich. 30 Eliz. That Copyholds are within this Act and although Manwood seemed to grant that they are not within
it directly by express words yet they both conceived they were within the intent of the Act by reason as Manwood said of these words all other the Lands c. liable to such seizure or to the penalties aforesaid But it was granted on all hands that by these general words here the King hath not any estate given him in the Recusants Copyhold Lands but only a right or title to two thirds of the profits By the Kings receiving of which the Lord cannot be impeached of his Customs and Services as he would be if the King should seize the Land it self And a difference was there taken between an Act of Parliament which transfers an Estate to the King and an Act of Parliament which gives him only the profits of the Estate For in the first Case the Rule in Heydons Case that Copyhold Lands shall not pass by general words shall stand good for the prejudice that may otherwise accrew to the Lord But where the Lords Seigniory Customs and Services are not to be Impeached or taken away as here they will not by the Kings bare receiving of the profits there it was said Copyholds shall be included within the general words of Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leonard 1. 97. C. 126. And yet Vide Owen 37. where this Case is otherwise reported and that it was at length after great debate adjudged that Copyhold Lands are not within this Statute nor are seizable for the Kings two parts And according to this Judgment I take the modern practice of the Exchequer to have been that neither the Land it self nor the profits of Copyhold Lands are liable to such seizure And for the more spéedy conviction of such Offender Stat. Sect. 5. The Indictment sufficient though it be not mentioned that the party is within the Realm in not repairing to Divine Service but forbearing the same contrary to the said Estatute Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Indictment of every such Offender mentioning the not coming of such Offender to the Church of the Parish where such person at any time before such Indictment was or did keép House or Residence nor to any other Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer shall be sufficient in the Law And that it shall not be neédful to mention in any such Indictment that the party Offender was or is inhabiting within this Realm of England or any other the Queens Majestis Dominions But if it shall happen any such Offender then not to be within this Realm or other her Majesties Dominions that in such case the party shall be relieved by Plea to be put in in that behalf and not otherwise And that upon the Indictment of such Offender Stat. Sect. 6. A Proclamation that the party Indicted shall render his Body to the Sheriff a Proclamation shall be made at the same Assizes or Goal delivery in which the Indictment shall be taken if the same be taken at any Assize or Goal delivery by which it shall be commanded that the body of such Offender shall de rendred to the Sheriff of the same County before the said next Assizes or general Goal delivery to be holden in the same County And if at the said next Assizes or Goal delivery the same Offender so proclaimed shall not make appearance of Record that then upon such default Recorded the same shall be as sufficient a conviction in Law of the said Offence whereof the party so standeth Indicted as is aforesaid as if upon the same Indictment a Trial by Verdict thereupon had proceeded and been recorded If the same be taken at any Assize or Goal delivery For if the Indictment had been taken before Justices of Peace Proclamation by whom to be made no Proclamation thereupon could have been made upon this Statute by the Justices of Assize or Goal delivery as was resolved in the Case of Edward Plowden And therefore upon such an Indictment for Recusancy taken before Justices of Peace the Court was to remove the Indictment into the Kings-Bench And there process might have been made out against the Recusant and he convicted For the Justices of Peace could do no more then Indict all other proceedings being taken away from them by this Statute Co. 11. 63. Dr. Fosters Case Rolles 1. 94. C. 41. the same Case But now by the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. the Law is altered in this point Stat. 3 Jac. 4. and the Justices of Peace upon Indictments taken before them may proceed to proclaim and convict the Recusant as well as Justices of Assize and Goal delivery Shall be rendred to the Sheriff Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 5. Before the said next Assizes or general Gaol delivery Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 5. Appearance Make appearance of Record What appearance will serve in this Case Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 5. Vpon such default That is upon his default of appearance of Record at the next Assizes or Goal delivery For if he makes such appearance Default saved that shall save his default of not rendring his Body to the Sheriff and the not rendring himself to the Sheriff shall be no conviction as Wingate would make it to be Tit. Crowne numb 66. As sufficient a Conviction in Law That is as if he were convicted by Verdict Conviction upon Proclamation no Judgment but not as sufficient as if a Judgment were had against the Recusant For although by force of this and other Statutes the conviction upon Proclamation and default of appearance make the Recusant liable to divers penalties and incapacities and is in those respects as forceable as a Judgment yet it shall not in other Cases have the force or effect of a Judgment And therefore it was resolved 37 38 Eliz. in the Case of the general pardon Anno 35 Eliz. where there is an exception of all penalties and forfeitures due to the Queen and converted to a debt by Judgment that notwithstanding that exception a Recusant convicted upon Proclamation was within the pardon and the forfeitures due upon such conviction were thereby pardoned For the debt was not due to the Queen by Judgment but upon conviction only But otherwise it had been if he had been convicted according to the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 without Proclamation and Judgment had been given thereupon Vide Co. 11. 65. Dr. Fosters Case Stat. Sect. 7. Provided always That whensoever any such Offender as is aforesaid shall make submission and become conformable according to the form limited by the same Estatute made in the thrée and twentieth year of the Quéens Majesties Reign The Offender submitting or dying no forfeiture shall ensue or be continued or shall fortune to die that then no forfeiture of twenty pounds for any month or seizure of the Lands of the same Offender from and after such Submission and Conformity or Death and full satisfaction of all
the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding This Branch seems not to extend to all forfeitures for Recusancy For the power here given the Lord Treasurer To what cases of Conviction this Clause extends and to what not c. is only in relation to those forfeitures which are by this Act appointed to be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer which are the forfeitures due to the Queen by Conviction upon Indictment for this Act meddles with no other so that if the twenty pounds per month be recovered in a popular Suit by the Informer Qui tam c. one third part thereof ought still to be paid to the Poor of the Parish only according to 23 Eliz. cap. 1. notwithstanding this Act. Provided always That this Act Stat. Sect. 9. Assurances made bona fide not to be impeached or any thing therein contained shall not in any wise extend or be construed to make void or impeach any Grant or Lease heretofore to be made bona fide without fraud or covin whereupon any yearly Rent or payment is reserved or payable or any Grant or Lease hereafter to be made bona fide without fraud or covin whereupon the accustomed yearly Rent or more shall be reserved or any other Conveyance Assurance or Assignment whatsoever heretofore made bona fide upon good consideration and without fraud or covin which is not or shall not be revokable at the pleasure of such Offender otherwise then to give benefit and title to her Majesty her Heirs and Successors to have perceive and enjoy such Rents and Payments during the continuance of such Lease or Grant according to the true meaning of this Act. Seizure of Lands whereof the Offender hath but an Estate for life or in his Wives right And provided also That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not in any wise extend or be construed to continue any seizure of any Lands or Tenements of such Offender in her Majesties hands or in the hands of her Heirs or Successors after the said Offenders death which Lands or Tenements he shall have or be seized of only for term of his life or in the Right of his Wife Any thing in this Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Stat. xxxv Eliz. cap. i. An Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their due Obedience FOR preventing and avoiding of such great inconveniencies and perils as might happen and grow by the wicked and dangerous practices of seditious Sectaries and disloyal persons Stat. Sect. 1. The penalty of a Recusant perswading others to impugne the Queens Ecclesiastical power Be it Enacted by the Queéns most Excellent Majesty and by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That if any person or persons above the age of sixteen years which shall obstinately refuse to repair to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer to hear Divine Service established by her Majesties Laws and Statutes in that behalf made and shall forbear to do the same by the space of a month next after without any lawful cause shall at any time after forty days next after the end of this Session of Parliament by Printing Writing or express words or speéches advisedly or purposely practise or go about to move or perswade any of her Majesties Subjects or any other within her Highness Realms or Dominions to deny withstand and impugne her Majesties Power and Authority in cases Ecclesiastical united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm or to that end or purpose shall advisedly and maliciously move or perswade any other person whatsoever to forbear or abstain from coming to Church to hear Divine Service Or to forbear coming to Church or to receive the Communion according to her Majesties Laws and Statutes aforesaid or to come to or to be present at any unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Meétings under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion Or to be present at unlawful Conventicles contrary to her Majesties said Laws and Statutes Or if any person or persons which shall obstinately refuse to repair to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer and shall forbear by the space of a month to hear Divine Service as is aforesaid shall after the said forty days either of him or themselves or by the motion perswasion inticement or allurement of any other willingly joyn in or be present at any such Assemblies Conventicles or Méetings under colour or pretence of any such exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm as is aforesaid That then every such person so offending as aforesaid and being thereof lawfully convicted shall be committed to Prison there to remain without Bail or Mainprize until they shall conform and yield themselves to come to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer and hear Divine Service according to her Majesties Laws and Statutes aforesaid and to make such open submission and Declaration of their said Conformity as hereafter in this Act is declared and appointed Which shall obstinately refuse to repair c. shall c. by Printing c. Wingate in abridging of this Statute tit Crowne numb 70. saith that if any person above sixteen years of age obstinately refuses to come to Church for a month or impugnes the Queens Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical he shall be committed to Prison which is a great mistake for no man shall be punished by this Act for either of those Causes only The not coming to Church being only a precedent Qualification required in the person whom the Act makes liable to the penalties thereof for the other offences therein mentioned Who may be an offender within this Act and who not And therefore if a man never comes to Church yet he is no offender within this Act unless he advisedly or purposely move or perswade another to deny or impugne the Kings Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical or to that end or purpose advisedly and maliciously move or perswade some other to forbear to come to Church or receive the Communion or to be present at Conventicles c. or he himself be present at such Conventicles c. And on the other hand if a man move or perswade any other to deny or impugne the Kings Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical or to forbear to come to Church or receive the Communion or to be present at Conventicles c. or if he himself be present at any Conventicles c. yet he is no Offender within this Act if he goes to Church once within the compass of a month so that the party must both forbear to come to Church and be guilty of some other of the offences here enumerated or he is not punishable by this Act And as for the denying or impugning the Kings Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical it s no offence within this Statute unless the party moves or
cap. 1. Sect. 9. in that part touching the Informer and the Cases there cited to prove that no other Suits are restrained by that Statute to a year and a day but only Suits by Indictment By Action of Debt Bill Plaint Information If the King sue by any of these ways no Proclamation Proclamation can be made thereupon For the Proclamation given by the Statutes of 29 Eliz. 6. 3 Jac. 4. Stat. 29 Eliz. 6 3 Jac. 4 in Case of Recusancy at the Kings Suit is upon Indictment only Co. 11. 62. Dr. Fosters Case The Kings-Bench Common-Pleas or Exchequer This Statute adds two other Courts where the King may sue for Recusancy Two Courts added where the King may sue Stat. 29 Eliz. 6 or for saying or hearing of Mass For by 29 Eliz. cap. 6. the Queen was limited to the Kings-Bench the Assizes or general Goal delivery and that only by way of Indictment but now by this Statute she might sue not only in those Courts by Indictment but in the Kings-Bench Common-Pleas or Exchequer by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information Co. 11. 61. Dr. Fosters Case But whereas 't is there said that this Statute of 35 takes not off the restriction of the Informer Qui tam c. by the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. to the Courts there mentioned viz. the Kings-Bench Assizes and general Goal delivery This passage was occasioned by an opinion there held in the said Case of Dr. Foster that the Informer Qui tam c. was restrained by 29. to those Courts The Informer not restrained by 29 Eliz. 6. But that opinion is not Law nor was there ever any such restriction of the Informer for the Statute of 29 Eliz. intends only Suits by Indictment but touches not the popular Action or Information Vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 2. As c. any other Debt c. should or may be recovered Before this Statute the Queen had no way to recover of the Husband the intire forfeiture for the Recusancy of his Wife For if the Wife had been Indicted of Recusancy at the Queens Suit and convicted thereupon this had not affected the Husband who shall never be charged for the Act or default of his Wife but where he may be made party to the Action or Suit as in an Action of Debt Trespass Action of the Case for scandalous words by the Wife c. but not upon an Indictment And in this respect the Queen having before this Statute no remedy for recovery of the forfeiture but by Indictment where the Husband could not be charged for his Wife the Informer was then in better Case then the Queen For he may charge the Husband and Wife both for the Recusancy of the Wife and shall recover the forfeiture of him by force of the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Vide that Stat. Sect. 9. But upon the Conviction of the Wife upon Indictment the Queen must have staid till the death of the Husband before she could have levied the forfeiture and if the Wife had died before her Husband it was utterly lost in most Cases Baron and Feme may be charged for Recusancy of the feme But by this Act the Queen might and the King may at this day charge the Husband and Wife joyntly by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information for the Recusancy of the Wife in such sort as he may be charged in any other Action at Common Law for the Debt or Trespass of his Wife and the forfeiture for her Recusancy shall be recovered of him And this was the principal end and scope of making this Branch of the Statute and to this purpose were these words added here In such sort and in all respects as by the ordinary course of the Common Laws of this Realm any other Debt due by any such person in any other Case should or may be recovered Co. 11. 61 62. Dr. Fosters Case Rolles 1. 233 234. Roy versus Law son feme Savile 25. C. 59. Provided always Stat. Sect. 9. How the third part of the Penalties shall be imployed That the third part of the penalties to be had or received by vertue of this Act shall be imployed and bestowed to such good and charitable uses and in such manner and form as is limited and appointed in the Statute made in the 28. year of her Majesties Reign touching Recusants The Statute here mentioned Stat. 29 Eliz. 6 and called the Statute of 28 Eliz. is the same with 29 Eliz. cap. 6. before recited It being in some Books called the Statute of 28 in others of 29 but as it seems more properly 29. For the Session wherein it was made was by Prorogation held the 15 of February 29. Eliz. Provided also That no Popish Recusant Stat. Sect. 10. Popish Recusant or Feme Covert not to abjure Popish recusant or Feme Covert shall be compelled or bound to abjure by vertue of this Act. No Popish Recusant Here Wingate tit Crowne n. 77. leads his Reader into a great mistake for he mentions only a Feme Covert leaving out the Popish Recusant Feme Covert not here excepted in all Cases Or Feme Covert In the late additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 7. 't is said that no married Woman is punishable by this Statute but are thereout excepted whereas in truth they are no where excepted throughout this Statute save only that they shall not be compelled or bound to abjure For if a married Woman comes not to Church but forbears for a month and goes to Conventicles or any other Meetings or Assemblies under colour or pretence of the exercise of Religion contrary to Law whether they be Popish or other or perswades others so to do or to forbear the Church or to impugne the Kings Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical she shall be imprisoned by force of this Act until she conform and submit her self but she cannot be further proceeded against so as to require her to abjure A married Woman with her Husband is likewise punishable by this Act for her Recusancy by Action of Debt c. brought against her and her Husband at the Kings Suit so that 't is a great mistake to say she is not punishable by this Statute Stat. Sect. 11. The forfeiture of him that abjures or refuses to abjure The Wise shall lose no Dower nor the heir any Land for these Offences Provided also That every person that shall abjure by force of this Act or refuse to abjure being thereunto required as aforesaid shall forfeit and lose to her Majesty all his goods and chattels forever and shall further lose all his Lands Tenements and Hereditaments for and during the life only of such offender and no longer and that the Wife of any Offender by force of this Act shall not lose her dower nor that any corruption of Blood shall grow or be by reason of any offence
mentioned in this Act but that the heir of every such Offender by force of this Act shall and may after the death of every Offender have and enjoy the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of such Offender as if this Act had not beén made Every Abjuration Abjuration as well as that for Felony is an Exile or Banishment and if perpetual and by Authority of Parliament amounts to a civil death and therefore the Wife of a Man banished or abjured forever might sue or be sued without her Husband Suit as was ruled in the Case of the Lady Maltravers 10 E. 3. and of the Lady Belknap 1 H. 4. 1. 2 H. 4. 7. And if a man be perpetually banished by Authority of Parliament unless is be for Felony or by force of this Act his Wife shall be endowed living the Husband And if he had been perpetually banished or abjured for Felony the Wife should have had her joynture Jointure presently although not her Dower Dower as was resolved in Weylands Case 19 E. 1. and the reason is because though the Husband be naturally living yet he is civilly and in the Eye of the Law as a dead man But yet these Cases are to be understood of a Banishment or abjuration forever and not of a Relegation or Exile for a time For in such Case neither could the Wife sue or be sued without her Husband nor could she have her Dower or Joynture during the natural life of her Husband Co. 1. Inst 132. 133. Co. 2. Inst 47. Bulstrode 3. 188. Rolles 1. 400. C. 27. Wilmores Case Moore 851. C. 1159. Wilmots Case But if a man be abjured by force of this Act What dower is here saved the Wife shall not have her Dower or Joynture during the natural life of her Husband although he be abjured forever but she is in worse Case then the Wife of a person perpetually banished was at the Common Law For this Act by express words gives his Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to the Queen during his life which is to be understood of his natural life And the saving here of the Wives Dower is not intended of the Dower which she might claim at Common Law presently upon the abjuration of her Husband nor shall make void the former words of the Act by which all his Lands are given to the Queen during his natural life but is only the usual Provision made in Acts of Parliament which create any new Felony for the saving of the Dower of the Wife after the death of the Husband So that the meaning of this Branch is that if the Husband refuse to abjure or abjure and refuse to depart according to this Act or return without lieence yet the Wife shall be endowed and the heir inherit his Lands after he is naturally dead And this Act to continue no longer than to the end of the next Session of Parliament Stat. Sect. 12. Note this Act being at first but temporary This Act at first but temporary was afterwards discontinued Hutton 61. 62. but is since revived by the Statute of 3 Car. 1. c. 4. and is in full force at this day And in such Case it hath been questioned if a Statute be discontinued and afterwards revived how an Indictment thereupon shall conclude whether contra formam Statuti or Statutorum Where if a Statute be discontinued and revived it shall be contra formam Statuti and where contra formam Statutorum For if a Statute be temporary and afterwards continued for a longer time or made perpetual and never discontinued there without doubt it shall be contra formam Statuti but it hath been held by some that where it was once discontinued and then revived there it is as if there were two several and distinct Statutes and the Indictment shall conclude contra formam Statutorum Palmers Case 9 Eliz. But others have held the contrary and that there is not any difference in the Case of a Statute at first temporary and afterwards before any discontinuance continued for a longer time or made perpetual and a Statute discontinued and then revived but that it shall in both Cases be held but as one Statute and the conclusion shall be contra formam Statuti and not Statutorum unless where the Act of Reviver makes any addition to the former Act or increaseth the penalty or forfeiture For then there is no doubt but they are two distinct Acts of Parliament And according to this later opinion hath the practice been in Informations upon the Statute of 5 Eliz. cap. 9. of Perjury Stat. 5 Eliz. 9 which determined 14 Eliz. and was revived 29 Eliz. And yet all Informations thereupon conclude Contra formam Statuti And so as it seems ought all Indictments upon this Statute of 35. notwithstanding its discontinuance and reviver Vide Owen 135. Wests Case Stat. xxxv Eliz. cap. ii An Act for the restraining of Popish Recusants to some certain place of abode FOr the better discovering and avoiding of such Traiterous and most dangerous Conspiracies and Attempts as are daily devised and practiced against our most gracious Soveraign Lady the Queéns Majesty Stat. Sect. 1. and the happy estate of this Common-weal by sundry wicked and seditious persons who terming themselves Catholicks and being indéed spies and intelligencers not only for her Majesties forreign Enemies but also for Rebellious and Traiterous Subjects born within her Highness Realms and Dominions and hiding their most detestable and divellish purposes under a false pretext of Religion and Conscience do secretly wander and shift from place to place within this Realm to corrupt and seduce her Majesties Subjects and to stir them to Sedition and Rebellion Be it Ordained and Enacted by our Soveraign Lady the Quéens Majesty and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal A Popish Recusant convicted and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That every person above the age of sixtéen years born within any of the Quéens Majesties Realms and Dominions or made Denizen being a Popish Recusant and before the end of this Session of Parliament convicted for not repairing to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer to hear Divine Service there but forbearing the same contrary to the tenor of the Laws and Statutes heretofore made and provided in that behalf and having any certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm shall within forty days next after the end of this Session of Parliament if they be within this Realm and not restrained or stayed either by Imprisonment or by her Majesties Commandment or by order or direction of some six or more of the Privy Council or by such sickness and infirmity of body as they shall not be able to Travel without imminent danger of Life and in such Cases of absence out of the Realm restraint or stay then within 20 days next after they shall return into the Realm and be
enlarged of such Imprisonment or Restraint and shall be able to Travel repair to their place of dwelling where they usually heretofore made their common abode and shall not at any time after pass or remove above five miles from thence Stat. Sect. 2. Or to be convicted shall repair to his usual dwelling and not remove above five miles And also That every person being above the age of sixtéen years born within any her Majesties Realms or Dominions or made Denizen and having or which hereafter shall have any certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm which being then a Popish Recusant shall at any time hereafter be lawfully convicted for not repairing to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer to hear Divine Service there but forbearing the same contrary to the said Laws and Statutes and being within this Realm at the time that they shall be convicted shall within forty days next after the same Conviction if they be not restrained or stayed by Imprisonment or otherwise as is aforesaid and in such Cases of restraint and stay then within twenty days next after they shall be enlarged of such Imprisonment or Restraint and shall be able to Travel repair to their place of usual dwelling and abode and shall not at any time after pass or remove above five miles from thence The punishment of an Offender upon pain that every person and persons that shall offend against the tenor and intent of this Act in any thing before mentioned shall lose and forfeit all his and their Goods and Chattels and shall also lose and forfeit to the Quéens Majesty all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and all the Rents and Annuities of every such person so doing or offending during the Life of the same Offender What Popish Recusants are not within this Act Born within any her Majesties Realms or Dominions or made Denizen So that all Popish Recusants are not within this Branch as Wingate tit Crown n. 78. mistakes For it extends not to an Alien who is born out of the Kings Leigeance unless he be made Denizen And which are In the late Additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 14. this Clause is restrained to such as are born in England but it is clear that it extends to all the Kings natural Subjects if they live in England although they were born in Ireland or any other of the late Queens Dominions besides England Denizen who By Denizen is here to be understood an Alien who owes to the King an acquired Subjection or Allegiance whether he be made Denizen by the Kings Letters Patents or be naturalized by Act of Parliament For Naturalization includes all the priviledges of a Denizen and something more and every one who is naturalized is thereby made a Denizen although he that is made a Denizen by the Kings Letters Patents is not thereby naturalized Which being then a Popish Recusant This is the first penal Statute which was made against Popish Recusants by that name and as distinguished from other Recusants In the late Additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 7. What is Recusancy it 's said That the matter of Recusancy stands in two particulars First absenting from the Church Secondly refusing the Oaths prescribed by 1 Eliz. 1. and 3 Jac. 4. Stat. 1 Eliz 1. 3 Jac. 4. But this description of Recusancy is either too narrow or too large For if the word Recusancy be taken in a large sense then the refusing to receive the Sacrament contrary to the Statute of 3 Jac. 4. by him that conforms and comes to Church may be as fitly called a point of Recusancy as the refusing the Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance But if Recusancy be taken in a strict and proper sense then it extends only to the point of not coming to Church and not to refusing the Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance And in this last sense are all the Statutes to be understood which inflict any penalty or disability upon a Recusant or a Popish Recusant unless where the not receiving of the Sacrament is particularly mentioned And this appears by the explanation which the Statutes make every where of Conformity the opposite to Recusancy viz. repairing to Church What is Conformity and more particularly the said Statute of 3 Jac. 4. which saith That the Popish Recusant convicted which conforms himself and repairs to the Church shall receive the Sacrament which words and repairs to the Church are explanatory of the former viz. which conforms himself so that this Conformity is not intended of taking the Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance but consists only in repairing to Church and consequently Recusancy its opposite properly so called consists in absenting from Church And this appears further by that Branch of the said Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. which relates to the Oath of Allegiance where 't is said That the Oath shall be required of him who confesseth or denieth not himself to be a Recusant or that he hath not received the Sacrament where Recusant cannot be understood in any other sense then of him who forbears to come to Church An Information or Indictment against a Popish Recusant Information or Indictment against a Popish Recusant for Recusancy is of the same form with that against any other Recusant viz. That he came not to his Parish Church or any other Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer but forbore the same by the space of c. Vide Co. lib. intr 569. Co. 11. 56. Dr. Fosters Case so that upon his Conviction for Recusancy it doth not appear of Record whether the Offender be a Popish or other Recusant And therefore where this or any of the subsequent Statutes commands or prohibits a Popish Recusant convict to do a thing and a person convicted of Recusancy who is a Popish Recusant be Indicted thereupon his Conviction must be set forth in the Indictment with this or the like confusion Per quod praedict A.B. devenit Papalis Recusans convictus so it is if a Popish Recusant Convict be incapacitated to take or to give or dispose of any thing and another person be substituted by the Statute in his stead as in the Case of a Presentation by force of the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 5. Stat. 3 Jac. 5. in a Quare Impedit Quare Impedit brought by the Chancellor and Schollars of the University His Conviction must be be set forth with an averment that he is Papalis Recusans Vide Co. 10. 54. And if a Popish Recusant whether convicted or not convicted be so commanded prohibited or incapacitated in an Indictment or Information upon the Statute it must be averred that he is Papalis Recusans A person who hath a certain place of abode is convicted for not coming to Church What Popish Recusants are not within this Act. and afterwards becomes a Papist being none before It seems that he is not restrained
by this Act within the compass of five miles because he was not a Popish Recusant at the time of his Conviction For the Adverb then cannot have relation to the foregoing words viz. having any certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm For then the sense would be That if he be a Popish Recusant at any time when he hath a certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm and he were formerly convicted for not coming to Church he shall repair to his dwelling within forty days after his Conviction which may be a meer impossibility For perhaps the forty days after his Conviction expired before he became a Popish Recusant and therefore the word then must of necessity relate to the subsequent words touching his Conviction And being then a Popish Recusant is as much as to say being a Popish Recusant at the time of his Conviction so that if he be convicted as a Recusant yet if he be not then a Popish Recusant he is not restrained by this Act if he be within this branch of the Statute viz. one who hath a certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm Above five miles When an Act of Parliament speaks of miles Miles they are not to be taken as a Bird or Arrow may fly but according to the nearest and most usual way Cro. Hill 33 Eliz. 212. Minge versus Earle The Miles here I take to be intended of English miles An English mile contains eight Furlongs each Furlong forty Perches or Poles and every Perch or Pole sixteen foot and a half Co. 4. Inst 274. Dalton V. cap. 65. tit Weights and Measures and so much was a mile explained to be by the Statute of 35 Eliz. cap. 6. Stat. 35 Eliz. 6. by the same Parliament which made this Act against Popish Recusants Rastall London 252. where 't is said eight Furlongs to a mile and not five Furlongs as 't is mistaken in Poulton And yet in that Case of Minge and Earle the Defendant in maintenance that locus in quo c. was four miles from Rye according to the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 5. of Woods pleaded 23 Eliz. 5. that it was four thousand paces from Rye reckoning five Foot to every Pace where is meant the Italian mile viz. 5000 Foot and not the English which is 5280 Foot and no exception was taken to it by the Plaintiff or the Court. Vide Dalton V. supra And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 4. What a Popish Recusant shall do having no place of abode That every person above the age of sixteén years born within any her Majesties Realms or Dominions not having any certain place of dwelling and abode within this Realm and being a Popish Recusant not usually repairing to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer but forbearing the same contrary to the same Laws and Statutes in that behalf made shall within forty days next after the end of this Session of Parliament if they be then within this Realm and not imprisoned restrained or stayed as aforesaid and in such case of absence out of the Realm imprisonment restraint or stay then within twenty days next after they shall return into the Realm and be enlarged of such imprisonment or restraint and shall be able to Travel repair to the place where such person was born or where the Father or Mother of such person shall then be dwelling and shall not at any time after remove or pass above five miles from thence The punishment of the Offender upon pain that every person and persons which shall offend against the tenor and intent of this Act in any thing before-mentioned shall lose and forfeit all his and their Goods and Chattels and shall also forfeit to the Quéens Majesty all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and all the Rents and Annuities of every such person so doing or offending during the life of the same person By comparing together this and the precedent Clause A Popish Recusant not convicted may be within this Act it will appear plainly that the Statute puts a great difference between the Popish Recusant who hath a certain place of abode in this Realm and him that hath none For to restrain a Popish Recusant who hath a certain place of abode within this Realm from travelling above five miles there are three Qualifications required by the Act. 1. That he be convicted of Recusancy 2. That he be a Popish Recusant at the time of his Conviction 3. That at the time of such Conviction he be within this Realm And if either of these fail he is not restrained by this Act. But if a Popish Recusant have no certain place of abode within this Realm but is ubiquitary there no such Qualifications are required but if he be a Papist and doth not usually repair to Church but forbears so to do he ought to repair to the place where he was born or where his Father or Mother dwelt and not to remove above five miles from thence and that whether he be convicted or not For the Statute when it comes to speak of him who hath no certain place of abode leaves out all the aforesaid Qualifications required in him who hath a certain place of abode and it clearly distinguishes between him who is convicted for not repairing to some Church c. which is required in those whose abode is certain and him who doth not usually repair to some Church c. which in those whose abode is uncertain is sufficient to bring them within the danger and penalty of this Law if they repair not to the place appointed them by the Act or remove above five miles from thence And 't is observable that in this Clause which speaks of the Popish Recusant who hath no certain place of abode there is no mention made of Forty days to be allowed him after his Conviction to repair to the place appointed him the reason whereof is because it takes in the whole kind of such Popish Recusants as well the not convicted as the convicted and makes no distinction between them if they have no certain place of abode Et ubi lex non distinguit nec nos distinguere debemus Nor was it without great reason that ubiquitary Popish Recusants should be confined whether they were convicted or not convicted As for the other who have a certain place of abode it is to be presumed that the most considerable of them would be prosecuted and convicted for their Recusancy in the respective places where they dwell and de mini mis non curat lex may in this Case be applied to persons as well as in other Cases to things But as for him who is fixed to no certain place as he is the more dangerous of the two so the more unlikely to be prosecuted to a Conviction being here one day and gone the next and therefore the less taken notice of And had the Statute
charged in what not in respect or by reason of his or her Ancestors Recusancy And if at the decease of any such Recusant his heir shall happen to be a Recusant and after shall become conformable and obedient to the Laws and Ordinances of the Church of England and repair to the Church and continue there during the time of the Divine Service and Sermons according to the intent and true meaning of the said Statutes and Ordinances in that behalf made as is aforesaid and also shall take the Oath of Supremacy in such sort as that Oath is expressed in one Act of Parliament made in the first year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lady Quéen Elizabeth before the Archbishop or Bishop of the Diocess that in every such Case every such heir shall be freed and discharged of all and singular the penalties charges and incumbrances happening upon him or her in respect or by reason of any of his or her Ancestors Recusancy Provided always and be it Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That if the heir of any Recusant shall happen to be within the age of sixtéen years at the time of the decease of his or her Ancestor and shall after his or her said age of sixteen years become or be a Recusant that in every such Case any such heir shall not be freéd or discharged of all or any of the penalties charges and incumbrances happening upon him or her in respect or by reason of any of his or her Ancestors Recusancy until he or she shall submit or reform him or her self and become obedient to the Laws and Ordinances of the Church of England and repair to the Church and continue there during the time of the Divine Service and Sermons according to the intent and true meaning of the said Statutes and Ordinances in that behalf as is aforesaid and shall take the said Oath of Supremacy in manner and form afore expressed and yet nevertheless from and after such submission and Oath had and taken every such heir shall be fréed and discharged of all and singular the penalties charges and incumbrances happening upon him or her in respect or by reason of any of his or her Ancestors Recusancy If any Recusant shall hereafter die That is Convicted Recusant a Recusant either Convicted upon Proclamation and Default or Convicted by Verdict Confession c. and adjudged For in both those cases if the Recusant die the discharge of the heir depends upon his Conformity Of all and singular the penalties Judgment against Tenant in Tail charges and incumbrances If Judgment be had at the Kings Suit against a Recusant Tenant in Tail for Recusancy this is a charge and incumbrance within this Statute of which the heir in Tail shall not be discharged unless he conforms but must satisfie all the arrears incurred in the life time of his Ancestor For it being a Debt to the King upon a Judgment the intailed Lands are liable thereto by the Statute of 33 H. 8. cap. 39. Stat. 33 H. 8. 39 But these two Clauses discharge the arrears of the Twenty pounds per month incurred in the Recusants life time upon the conformity of the heir in such Cases only where the two parts of the Recusants Lands were not seized before his death Seisure in the Recusants life time for if they are seized in his life time and continue so till his death neither his Fee-simple Lands nor his Intailed Lands if a Judgment were had against him for his Recusancy at the Kings Suit shall be discharged upon the heirs conformity without payment of the arrears for which Vide postea Sect. 4. Stat. Sect. 4. The two parts of a Recusants Lands shall go towards satisfaction of the Twenty pounds per month And be it further Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That where any seizure shall be had of the two parts of any Lands Tenements Hereditaments Leases or Farmes for the not payment of the Twenty pounds due and payable for each month according to the Statute in that Case lately made and provided That in every such Case every such two parts shall according to the extent thereof go towards the satisfaction and payment of the Twenty pounds due and payable for each month and unpaid by any such Recusant and that the third part thereof shall not be extended or seized by the Kings Majesty his Heirs or Successors for not-payment of the said Twenty pounds payable for each month forfeited or lost by any such Recusant And after his death shall remain in the Kings hands until the arrears be satisfied And where any such seizure shall be had of the two parts of the Lands Tenements Hereditaments Leases or Farmes of any such Recusant as is aforesaid and such Recusant shall die the debt or duty by reason of his Recusancy not paid satisfied or discharged that in every such Case the same two parts shall continue in his Majesties possession until the residue or remainder of the said debt or duty be thereby or otherwise paid satisfied or discharged And that his Majesty his Heirs or Successors shall not seize or extend any third part descending to any such heirs or any part thereof either by reason of the Recusancy of his or her Ancestors or the Recusancy of any such heir What seizure is here meant Where any seizure shall be had That is a seizure upon either a Judgment against the Recusant by Indictment on the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 29 Eliz 6 or on Indictment and Conviction by Proclamation and default of appearance according to the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. For the seizure of two parts of the Recusants Lands was given the King by 29. upon default of payment of the Twenty pounds per month in either of those Cases as hath been said for which see that Statute Sect. 4. Go towards the satisfaction and payment of the Twenty pounds Stat. 29 Eliz 6 altered Hereby a principal branch of the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. is altered For whereas by 29. the Queen might for non-payment of the forfeiture have seized two parts of a convicted Recusants Lands nomine poenae and as a gage or penalty until the Twenty pounds per month had been paid and yet the profits should not have gone towards the satisfaction of the said Twenty pounds per month This Statute was made for the ease and benefit of the Recusant in that point The two parts satisfactory of the penalty so that now if two parts of his Lands be seized for default of payment of the forfeiture the profits received to the Kings use shall go towards satisfaction thereof and when the forfeiture is paid out of the profits the Recusant shall have his Land again unless in such Case where the King by force of the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. Stat. 3 Jac. 4. makes his Election and seizes two parts in
lieu of the Twenty pounds per month And therefore the Resolution or Judgment said to be given in the Case of one Gray Anno 1. or 2. Jac. and cited in Beckets Case 8 Jac. Lane 93. and by Sergeant Bridgman in his Argument of Parker and Webbs Case 16 Jac. Rolles 2. 25. and applied thereunto viz. That if a Recusant convicted fails of the payment of the Twenty pounds per month the King shall have his Lands as a gage or penalty and the profits shall not go towards satisfaction thereof However it were true as the Law stood upon 29 Eliz. and before the making of this Act of 1 Jac. yet 't is not Law at this day nor could be applicable to either of those Cases of Becket or Parker and Webb which came to be debated long after this Act was made and the Law of 29 Eliz. altered in that point Vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 7. Where any such seizure shall be had c. This Relative such takes in both the seizures beforementioned viz. a seizure upon Indictment and Judgment thereupon by force of the Statute of 23 Eliz. and a seizure upon Conviction on Proclamation and default according to the Statute of 29 Eliz. And What seizure is here meant Stat. 23 Eliz 1 29 Eliz. â— as in both those Cases the Recusant who fails of the payment of the Twenty pounds per month shall have the benefit to discount the profits received by the King so the King shall in the like Cases of seizure retain the two parts in his hands after the Recusants death until the residue of the Debt or Duty due and payable to the King be satisfied Where this extends not to Intailed Lands Two parts of the Lands c. of any such Recusant This Clause extends not to Intailed Lands unless where there is a Judgment for the King against the Ancestor for his Recusancy And therefore if the Recusant convicted upon Proclamation and default be Tenant in Tail and two parts of his Lands be seized in his Life time for non-payment of the Twenty pounds per month and he die the arrears not being satisfied to the King yet the heir in Tail shall have the Land out of the Kings hands without payment of the arrears For that such Conviction is in the nature of a Verdict only Conviction upon Proclamation no Judgment and not of a Judgment as was held in Doctor Fosters Case Rolles 1.94 C. 41. And where a Statute gives to the King a seizure or forfeiture of Lands it shall not be intended of Lands in Tail unless it be expresly so appointed by the Statute or by force of some other Statute cooperating therewith In which Case the Intailed Lands may be charged by general words in the Statute which gives the forteiture or seizure An instance whereof we have in the Case of a Recusant Tenant in Tail Indicted Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Convicted and Adjudged upon 23 Eliz. 1. for his Intailed Lands shall remain after his death in the Kings possession until the arrears be satisfied 29 Eliz. 6 33 H. 8. 39 and that by force of 29 Eliz. c. 6. and this Statute cooperating with the Statute of 33 H. 8. cap. 39. which charges the Lands of the heir in Tail with debts due to the King upon a Judgment had against the Ancestor Praemunire Stat. 16 R. 2. 5 But otherwise 't is in the Case of a Praemunire upon the Statute of 16 R. 2. cap. 5. which saith the Lands and Tenements of the Offender shall be forfeit to the King for there his Intailed Lands shall be forfeit during his life only And the reason is for that general words in an Act of Parliament unless aided by some other Act of Parliament shall never take away the force of the Statute de donis conditionalibus Co. 1. Inst. 130. 391. Co. 11.63 Godbolt 308. Lord Sheffeild and Ratcliffe Treason Stat. 26 H. 8. 13 5 E. 6. 11 And therefore in the Statutes of 26 H. 8. cap. 13. and 5 E. 6. cap. 11. which make Intailed Lands forfeitable for Treason the word inheritance was added any Estate of Inheritance which expresly denotes Lands in Fee Tail as well as Feesimple Now there being neither in this Act or that of 29 Eliz. any express appointment that the two parts of all Lands seized in the Recusants life time wherein he had any Estate of Inheritance shall after his death continue in the Kings possession nor no other Statute which charges the heir in Tail with the forfeiture due to the King upon Conviction by Proclamation and Default the general words here that his Lands Tenements c. shall continue in the Kings possession shall not inforce a construction in prejudice of the Heir in Tail who claims by the Statute de donis conditionalibus but where there is no Judgment the Recusants Fee simple Lands shall after his death satisfie the intent of these Statutes And so was the Law in reference to intailed Lands upon the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. which speaks of the full satisfaction of Arrearages in Case of the death of the Recusant Arrears where to be paid by the Heir in Tail where not And the Arrears were to have been paid by the Heir in Tail only in such Case where there was a Judgment obtained by the King against the Ancestor for his Recusancy but not where the Ancestor Tenant in Tail was convicted only upon Proclamation and default for in this last Case the Heir in Tail was not bound by the Statute of 33 H. 8. cap. 39. because 't is not a Debt by Judgment as that Statute requires Moore 523. C. 691. And thus the Opinion of the two Chief Justices Trin. 43 Eliz. is to be understood for they held That if intailed Lands had been seized for non-payment of the 20 l. per month and the Tenant in Tail had died the issue in Tail should not have had the Land out of the Queens hands before the Debt were satisfied but should have been charged with the said Debt Cro. Eliz. 846. At the end of which Case is added a Dubitatur But yet the Opinion there held stands good if it be intended only of a Conviction of the Ancestor by Judgment upon Trial or Confession and not of a Conviction upon Proclamation and default And be it further Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament Stat. Sect. 2. None shall go or send any other to a Seminary c. That all and every person and persons under the Kings Obedience which at any time after the end of this Session of Parliament shall pass or go or shall send or cause to be sent any Child or any other person under their or any of their Government into any the parts beyond the Seas out of the Kings Obedience to the intent to enter into or be resident in any Colledge Seminary or House of Iesuits Priests or any other Popish Order
although he be there personally present and openly confess himself to be the same person who was Indicted and against whom the Proclamation issued yet if he deny to appear upon the Proclamation or to consent that his appearance be entred of Record it seems that his appearance cannot be Recorded but his default shall and he shall stand Convicted thereupon And this is no more an appearance then where a Prisoner is brought to the Common Pleas Bar by habeas Corpus to the intent to have him appear to an Original brought against him and he denies to appear to the Action in which Case his appearance cannot be Recorded as was resolved in Ascoughs Case 43 Eliz. Gouldsborough 118. Shall be as sufficient a conviction in Law That is a Recusant thus Convicted upon Proclamation and Default of appearance shall be in the same Condition as if he were convicted by Verdict but no Judgment is given Bridgman 122. Parker versus Webb But this Conviction upon Proclamation is no Judgment as was resolved in Doctor Fosters Case Co. 11.65 Conviction upon Proclamation no Judgment And although it shall make the Recusant liable to the several forfeitures penalties and incapacities inflicted on Recusants convict yet it shall not operate as a judgment as hath been already shewed in divers instances For this reason it hath been questioned whether if a Recusant be Convicted upon Indictment and Proclamation the King may not wave his advantage of this Conviction and bring his Action of Debt given him by the Statute of 35 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 35 Eliz. 1 For that such Conviction is no Judgment and consequently ought not to bind the King as a Judgment against the Recusant should have done Palmer 40.41 Sir John Webbs Case Worsley obtained a Patent to have all the Penalties of Recusants convict Although such a Patent was illegal for that the King cannot grant the penalty of a penal Law to a Subject for which Vide Rolles 1.10 C. 11. Roy versus Tollin Hobart 155. Colt Glover versus the Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Ib. 183. Davison versus Barber yet admitting the Patent to be good The King cannot grant the forfeiture on a penal Law it was resolved that the penalties of Recusants convicted by Proclamation should not pass by those general words Rolles 1. 94 95. C. 41. Doctor Fosters Case And be it further Enacted Stat. Sect. 6. The penalty of a convicted Recusant That every offender in not repairing to Divine Service but forbearing the same contrary to the Statutes in that behalf made and provided that hereafter shall fortune to be thereof once convicted shall in such of the Terms of Easter and Michaelmas as shall be next after such Conviction pay into the Receipt of the Exchequer after the rate of Twenty pounds for every month which shall be contained in the Indictment whereupon such conviction shall be And shall also for every month after such Conviction without any other Indictment or Conviction forfeit Twenty pounds and pay into the Receipt of the Excheqver aforesaid at two times in the year that is to say in every Easter and Michaelmas Term as much as then shall remain unpaid after the rate of Twenty pounds for every month after such Conviction except in such Cases where the King shall and may by force of this Act refuse the same and take two parts of the Lands Tenements Hereditaments Leases and Farms of such Offender till the said party being Indicted for not coming to Church contrary to former Laws shall conform himself and come to Church according to the meaning of the Statute in that behalf made and provided What Convictions are here meant Once Convicted This extends to all Convictions whatsoever upon Indictment whether by Verdict Confession c. whereupon Judgment is given as well as to Convictions upon Proclamation and default And the penalty of Twenty pounds per month shall in any of the said Cases run on forever after and be appropriated to the King Stat. 29 Eliz. 6 Vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. In what Term the forfeiture is to be paid In such of the Terms of Easter and Michaelmas as shall be next after such conviction Here Easter and Michaelmas is to be taken disjunctively for Easter or Michaelmas as it is in the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. For the meaning is not that the Recusant shall have both of the Terms of Easter and Mithaelmas next after his Conviction wherein to pay the forfeiture of Twenty pounds for every month contained in the Indictment But he ought to pay the whole into the Exchequer the next Easter or Michaelmas Term which shall first happen after his Conviction And therefore if he be convicted in February he ought to pay the whole the next Easter Term unless where the King chooses to seize the two thirds of his Lands by force of this Statute as was admitted in the Case of Standen and the University of Oxford Hill 20 Jac. Jones 24. 25. And in the Lady Webbs Case who was convicted in March the pleading was that in the Easter Term then next following the said Katherine did not pay into the Exchequer according to the rate of 20 l. per month without any mention of Michaelmas Term Bridgman Pasch 16 Jac. 121. For every month after such Conviction By this Clause and that of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. 29 Eliz. 6. Penalty appropriated to the King to the same purpose after the Recusant is once Convicted the penalty of Twenty pounds per month shall run on without any new Indictment or Conviction and shall be for ever afterwards appropriated to the King alone and paid into the Exchequer so that the Informer cannot bring any popular Action or Information for the Twenty pounds per month Informer barred for any time incurred after such Conviction but is utterly barred Co. 11.61 Doctor Fosters Case Rolles 1. 93. C. 41. the same Case Owen 37. Sulherd and Evererds Case The Lady Webb was Indicted and Convicted of Recusancy upon Proclamation and default of appearance Whether barred in the Case of a Feme Covert and afterwards an Informer Qui tam c. sued her and her Husband for a new offence of Recusancy in the Wife subsequent to such Conviction to which they both pleaded the said Conviction at the Kings Suit The question was whether the Informer should be barred by this Plea or whether the Information was maintainable notwithstanding such former Conviction of the Wife for that the Wife seems not to be such an Offender as is here intended because she can have no Goods or Lands during the Husbands life which may be seized for non-payment of the penalty But it was granted on all hands that if she had been a Feme sole this had been a good Plea in bar of the Informers popular Suit for then she had been bound to pay the Twenty pounds per month into the Exchequer and
she should not be doubly punished both that way and at the Suit of the Informer And for the same reason it was urged that this Information would not lye against the Husband and Wife for after the Husbands death she would be liable to pay into the Exchequer all the arrears after the rate of Twenty pounds per month from the time of her Conviction and her goods and two parts of her Lands might be then seized for non-payment thereof And if the Husband and Wife should in the mean time at the Suit of the Informer pay Twenty pounds per month for part of the same time for which the Wife was liable to pay after the Husbands death this would be a double punishment for one and the same offence and it was further said that it was usual where the Wife was Indicted and Convicted for Recusancy Seizure of the Wives Lands and Leases to seize by Exchequer Process the Lands and Leases which the Husband had in her right and one Woods Case was cited to this purpose which proves that a Feme Covert is within the meaning of the Act and therefore after she is once Convicted upon Indictment shall be no more subject to the Informers popular Suit then a Feme sole Cro. Pasch 16 Jac. 481.482 But this last point is much to be questioned for the Lands and Leases of the Wife are the Husbands during the Coverture and 't is a general rule that his Goods or Lands cannot be seized for the forfeiture or penalty where the Wife only is Indicted and Convicted of the Offence See more of this matter antea Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Stat. 23 Eliz 1 Sect. 9. A Recusant is Indicted for absenting himself from Church for 12 months and afterwards is Convicted upon that Indictment Where an Informer may sue after Conviction upon Indictment Quaere whether nevertheless the Informer Qui tam c. may not sue him for his absence for the months intervening between the time laid in the Indictment and the time of his Conviction For these words here viz. after such Conviction seem to relate to the proximum antecedens every month and to imply that the penalty here appropriated to the King is only the penalty due for the months which incur after such Conviction upon Indictment at the Kings Suit but not to hinder the Informer after Conviction from suing for the months incurred before Conviction Except in such Cases where the King shall c. refuse the same The King may seize two parts presently after Conviction If a man be Indicted and Convicted of Recusancy the King is not bound to stay till the next Easter or Michaelmas Term to see whether the Recusant will tender twenty pounds for every month contained in the Indictment and incurred after such Conviction for the King having his Election whether he will accept thereof or seize two parts of the Recusants Lands A Commission for seizure of the Lands may issue out presently if the King will wave the twenty pounds per month For he may take his Election as soon as he will after Conviction By Jones Justice in the Case of Standen and the University of Oxford Jones 24. Stat. Sect. 7. Every Conviction shall be certified into the Exchequer And that every Conviction recorded for any Offence before-mentioned shall from the Iustices before whom the Record of such Conviction shall be remaining be certified into the Kings Majesties Court of Exchequer before the end of the Term following such Conviction in such convenient certainty for the time and other circumstances as the Court of Exchequer may thereupon award out Process for the seizure of the Lands and Goods of every such Offender as the Cause shall require And if default shall be made in any part of any payment aforesaid contrary to the form herein before limited that then and so often the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall and may by process out of the said Exchequer take seize and enjoy all the Goods and two parts as well of all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms of such Offender as of all other the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments liable to such seizure or to the penalties aforesaid by the true meaning of this Act leaving the third part only of the same Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms to and for the maintenance and relief of the same Offender his Wife Children and Family Timber Trees All the Goods A Recusant convicted is Tenant for Life the Remainder to a Stranger in Fee He in the Remainder with the Recusants assent cuts down Timber Trees and sells them In this Case the King can be no ways intitled to the Trees Bulstrode 1.133 Vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. Aswell of all the Lands c. Leases and Farms of such Offender Lease in trust for another Elizabeth Bowes was convicted of Recusancy and she standing so Convicted a Lease was made to her in trust which she conveyed over according to the trust The question was whether the King might seize this Lease And the reason given in Lane 39. why the King should have the Term is because the Recusant after she was Convicted was not capable of any trust and therefore the Conveyance made by her was as if it had been voluntary without relation to the Trust Tamen quaere by what Law a Recusant meerly for the matter of Recusancy is incapable of any Trust although Convicted All other the Lands c. liable to such seizure Copyhold Lands Stat. 29 Eliz. 6. or to the penalties aforesaid Whether Copyholds be liable to such seizure vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. Lands are conveyed to A. in trust for B. a convicted Recusant Lands in trust for a Recusant Quaere whether the King may seize such Lands for the Recusants non-payment of the twenty pounds per month for if he make his Election and accepts of two thirds in lieu of the twenty pounds per month there is no question but such Lands are liable to seizure For the words of the subsequent Clause are That the King may seize two parts of all Lands that shall come to any other person to the use of or in Trust for such Recusant But in this Clause which relates to the seizure of two parts for non-payment the words seem to be more restrictive Vide Lane 105. 106. Halseys Case And whereas by an Act made in the Session of Parliament holden by Prorogation at Westminster in the thrée and twentieth year of the Reign of the late Queén Elizabeth entituled Stat. Sect. 8. The Stat. of 23 Eliz. 1. touching a Recusants monthly forfeiture An Act to retain the Subjects of the said late Quéen in their due Obedience It was amongst other things Enacted by Authority of the said Parliament That every person above the age of sixtéen years which should not repair to some Church Chappel or usual place of Common Prayer
but forbear the same contrary to the tenor of a Statute made in the first year of the Reign of the said late Quéen for Vniformity of Common Prayer and being thereof lawfully convicted should forfeit to the said Quéen for every month after the end of the said Session of Parliament which he or she should so forbear twenty pounds of lawful English money as in and by the said Act of Parliament more at large appeareth And whereas afterward by another Act of Parliament of the said Quéen It was further Enacted by the Authority of the said Parliament amongst other things how and when the said payments of the said 20 l. should be made and that if default should be made in any part of any payment of the said twenty pounds contrary to the form in the said last specified Statute limited that then and so often the said Quéen should and might by Process out of her Highness Exchequer take seize and enjoy all the Goods and two parts as well of all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms of such Offender as of all other the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments liable to such seizure or to the penalties aforesaid by the true meaning of the said Act of Parliament leaving the third part only of the same Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms to and for the maintenance and relief of the same Offender his Wife Children and Family as in and by the last specified Statute more at large also may appear Now forasmuch as the said penalty of twenty pounds monthly is a greater burden unto men of small living then unto such as are of better ability and do refuse to come unto Divine Service as aforesaid who rather then they will have two parts of their Lands to be seized will be ready always to pay the said twenty pounds according to the limitation of the said Statutes and yet retain the residue of their livings and Inheritance in their own hands being of great yearly value which they do for the most part imploy as experience hath taught to the maintenance of Superstition and Popish Religion and to the relief of Iesuits Seminaries Popish Priests and other dangerous persons to the State Therefore to the intent that hereafter the penalty for not repairing to Divine Service might be inflicted in better proportion upon men of great ability Be it Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament The King may refuse 20 l. a month and take two parts of a Recusants Lands That the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall from and after the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel next coming after the end of this Session of Parliament have full power and liberty to refuse the penalty of twenty pounds a month though it be tendred ready to be paid according to the Law and thereupon to seize and take to his own use and the uses intents and purposes hereafter limited two parts in threé to be divided as well of all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Leases and Farms that at the time of such seizure shall be or afterward shall come to any the said Offenders in not coming to Church or any other to his or her use or in trust for him or her or at his or her disposition or whereby or wherewith or in consideration whereof such Offender or his Family or any of them shall be relieved maintained or kept as of all other Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in any wise or at any time liable to such seizure or to the penalties aforesaid and the same to retain to his own and other uses intents and purposes hereafter in this Act appointed till every such Offender shall conform him or her self respectively as aforesaid in lieu and full recompence of the twenty pounds monthly that during his such seizure and retainer shall incur any thing in the said Statutes or any of them or any other Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding saving to our Soveraign Lord the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors and all and every person and persons Saving the Right of others bodies politick and corporate their Heirs and Successors other then the said Offender his or her Heirs and all claiming to his or their use or in trust for him or them or at his or their will or disposition all and all manner of Leases Rents Conditions and other Rights and Titles whatsoever had made and done bona fide and without fraud and covin before such seizure Though it be tendred or ready to be paid By this Branch of the Act a new advantage is given to the King against the Recusant For whereas by the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Stat. 29 Eliz. 6. the convicted Recusant had his Election to pay the King twenty pounds per month and so prevent the seizure of the two third parts of his Lands now by this Statute that Election is taken away Election taken from the Recusant and given to the King and the choice is given to the King whether he will accept of the twenty pounds per month or refuse it and seize two third parts of the Recusants Lands in lieu thereof and if the King chooses the Lands the tender of the twenty pounds per month at the Exchequer will not save the seizure but the King shall enjoy the Lands notwithstanding Jones 24 25. Standen versus University of Oxford Hereditaments An Advowson is an Hereditament Hereditament Advowson and passes by that word 18 Eliz. Dyer 351. and is devisable by the Statute of 32 H. 8. cap. 1. of Wills as an Hereditament and if it be an Advowson in gross yet it may be seized by the King by force of this Act as part of his two parts of the Recusants Hereditaments Jones 23 24. Standen versus University of Oxford For 't is a thing valuable and shall be Assets and is extendable for the Kings Debt and upon a Writ of right of an Advowson there shall be a Recovery in value scil for every mark twelve pence Fitzh Recovery in value 9. 11. Hobart 304. London versus the Chapter of Southwell Co. 1. Inst 374. Britton 185. In the late Additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 23. 't is said That the King may refuse the twenty pounds per month and take to two parts of the Recusants Lands and all the Goods c. And an Advowson is without that Clause and the said Case of Standen and the University of Oxon is there cited for Authority But this is a mistake as to the Clause it self and as to the point in Law and the Authority brought for it For in truth there is no such Clause in this Statute nor in any other that the King upon refusal of the twenty pounds per month should take the Recusants Goods For the seizure of the Goods is given where the Offender fails of payment of the twenty pounds per month Where a Recusants Goods cannot be seized but not
where the King discharges him of that payment by refusing it so that where the King refuses the twenty pounds per month the Recusants Goods cannot be seized but only two parts of his Lands The Law likewise is mistaken For if the King refuses the twenty pounds per month he may seize an Advowson as part of his two parts as hath been said so that an Advowson is within this Clause An Advowson is within this Clause and not without it And the Case of Standen and the University of Oxon is quite contrary to that Opinion in the late Additions to Dalton For Justice Jones held strongly that an Advowson was within this Clause And Hobart Chief Justice and Justice Winch declared themselves to be of the same mind and Justice Hutton denied not that an Advowson was within it only held that the force of it as to an Advowson in gross was taken away by the Statute of 3 Jac. cap. 5. Stat. 3 Jac. 5. University which gives the Presentation to the University But the three other Justices were against him and held That where the King had seized it as part of his two parts and the Incumbent died The King should present and not the University See of this matter more at large Stat. 3 Jac. car 5. Sect. 19. If the King seize by Inquisition two parts of a Mannor belonging to a Recusant Convict to which an Advowson is Appendant Two parts of an Advowson Appendant seized by seizure of two parts of the Mannor by such seizure two parts of the Advowson are likewise seized by consequence although it be not named in the Inquisition as was resolved in the Case of the Chancellor c. of Cambridge and Walgrave Hobart 126 127. Moore 872. C. 1214. The King shall present alone And there although the King hath Title but to two parts of the Advowson yet he shall present alone by his Prerogative as was resolved in that Case and so he should have done where there were three Coparceners of an Advowson two of full age and one under age and in Ward to the King the King only should by his Prerogative have presented during the Wardship 47 E. 3. 14. 38 H. 6. 9. But yet His two parts shall not pass from him by general words although two parts of an Advowson shall pass to the King by the word Hereditaments and the seizure of the Mannor shall draw with it the seizure of the Advowson yet the Kings two parts of the Advowson shall not pass from him by such general words And therefore if the King seizes two parts of a Mannor belonging to a Recusant Convict to which an Advowson is Appendant and grants over his two parts of the Mannor to a Subject with all Hereditaments Appurtenances c. yet two parts of the Advowson will not pass unless specially named or the grant be adeo plene integre in tam amplis modo forma prout c. the Recusant had the Mannor Hobart 126 127. Moore 872. C. 1214. All other Lands c. liable to such seizure or to the Penalties aforesaid Whether Copyhold Lands Copyhold Lands are seizable by force of these words Vide Stat. 29 Eliz. cap. 6. Sect. 4. Stat. 29 Eliz. 6. In lieu and full Recompence of the twenty pounds monthly So that if the King make his Election to seize the two parts the Recusant is no longer liable to pay the twenty pounds per month The twenty pounds per month discharged but the two parts of his Lands shall go in lieu and full Recompence thereof Jones 24. Standen versus University of Oxon. Provided always Stat. Sect. 9. A Recusants Mansion house shall be reserved to him and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall not take into his two parts but leave to such Offender his chief Mansion House as part of his third part and shall not Demise Lease or put over the said two parts nor any part thereof to any Recusant nor to or for the use of any Recusant The Kings two parts shall not be demised to a Recusant And that whosoever shall take the same in Lease or otherwise of his Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall give such security not to commit nor suffer wast to be committed in or upon any the said premises as by the Court of Exchequer shall be allowed sufficient His chief Mansion House Mansion House Mansion house is in Law most commonly taken for the chief Messuage or habitation of the Lord of a Mannor or the Mannor House where he most remains or continues Termes de la Ley 199. Mansion But it is to be taken here in a larger sence for any other House which is the Recusants chief dwelling House And for the better Tryal how his Majesties Subjects stand affected in point of their Loyalty and due Obedience Stat. Sect. 10. Who are compellable to take the Oath Be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the end of this present Session of Parliament it shall be lawful to and for any Bishop in his Diocess or any two Iustices of Peace whereof one of them to be of the Quorum within the limits of their Iurisdiction out of the Sessions to require any person of the age of Eightéen years or above being or which shall be Convict or Indicted of or for any Recusancy other then Noblemen or Noblewomen for not repairing to Divine Service according to the Laws of this Realm or which shall not have received the said Sacrament twice within the year then next past Noblemen and Noblewomen excepted or any person passing in or through the County Shire or Liberty and unknown except as is last before excepted that being examined by them upon Oath shall confess or not deny himself or her self to be a Recusant or shall confess or not deny that he or she had not received the said Sacrament twice within the year then last past to take the Oath hereafter following upon the holy Evangelist Certificate of the name and place of abode of him which taketh the Oath Which said Bishop or two Iustices of the Peace shall certifie in writing subscribed with his or their Hands at the next General or Quarter Sessions for that Shire Limit Division or Liberty within which the said Oath shall be so taken the Christen Name Surname and place of aboad of every person which shall so take the said Oath which Certificate shall be there recorded by the Clerk of the Peace or Town-Clerk and kept amongst the Records of the said Sessions Where this Oath cannot be tendred Passing in or through the County Shire or Liberty and unknown These words passing and unknown being in the Conjunctive it seems that the Bishop or two Justices ought not to examine upon Oath or tender this Oath to any Passenger or Traveller quatenus such unless he be unknown viz. such an
be a Popish Recusant convict at any time after his or her conviction shall exercise any publick Office or Charge in the Commonwealth but shall be utterly disabled to exercise the same by himself or by his Deputy except such Husband himself and his Children which shall be above the age of nine years abiding with him and his Servants in houshold shall once every month at the least not having any reasonable excuse to the contrary repair to some Church or Chappel usual for Divine Service and there hear Divine Service And the said Husband and such his Children and Servants as are of méet age receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at such times as are limited by the Laws of this Realm and do bring up his said Children in true Religion This Clause extends not to all sorts of Recusants who are convicted or have Wives who are Recusants convicted as is mistaken in the late additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 46. To whom this clause extends But at this day only to the Popish Recusant convicted or having a Wife who is a Popish Recusant convicted To whom not A Popish Recusant not convicted hath a Wife who is convicted of Recusancy but is no Popish Recusant The Husband is not disabled by this Statute to exercise any publick Office or Charge for that neither the Husband is a convicted Recusant nor the Wife a Popish Recusant A person who is convicted of Recusancy but is no Popish Recusant hath a Wife who is a Popish Recusant but not convicted The Husband is out of this Branch of the Statute for that neither the Husband is a Popish Recusant nor the Wife convicted Stat. Sect. 11. A Married Woman being a Popish Recusant And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Married Woman being or that shall be a Popish Recusant convict her Husband not standing convicted of Popish Recusancy which shall not conform her self and remain conformed but shall forbear to repair to some Church or usual place of Common Prayer and there to hear Divine Service and Sermon if any then be and within the said year receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Laws of this Realm by the space of one whole year next before the death of her said Husband shall forfeit and loose to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors the issues and profits of two parts of her Ioynture and two parts of her Dower in thrée parts to be divided during her life of or out of any the Lands Tenements or Hereditaments which are or were her said Husbands and also be disabled to be Executrix or Administratrix of her said Husband and to have or demand any part or portion of her said late Husbands Goods or Chattels by any Law custom or usage whatsoever The issues and profits of two parts of her Ioynture and two parts of her Dower A Woman may have Joynture and Dower both And not of two parts of her Joynture or Dower as Wingate tit Crown numb 134. For there are divers Cases where notwithstanding the Statute of 27 H. 8. cap. 10. the Wife shall have her Dower and Joynture both And forfeit two parts of both And if she offend against this branch she shall forfeit the profits of two parts of both And that not only where the Joynture made to her is not warranted by that Statute but in some Cases where the Joynture is pursuant and according to the Statute she shall have her Dower and Joynture both Of the first sort are these Where the Joynture is not warranted by Stat. 27 H. 8. 10. If an Estate be made of Lands to the Wife for the life of another Co. 4. 3. Vernons Case Or for a thousand years or for a thousand years if she live so long Co. 1. Inst 36. Or if a Rent be granted to the Wife for the life of another or for years or any other way not pursuant to that Statute Vide Anderson 1. 288. c. 296. Bickley's Case Anderson 2. 30 31. c. 20. Wentworths Case Or if an Estate be made to others in fee or for the Wives life upon Trust for her benefit Co. 1. Inst 36. Or if a man Covenant to stand seized to the use of himself in Tail the Remainder to the use of his Wife for life Pasch 16. Jac. B. R. Woods Case Or if the Husband make a Feoffment in see to the use of himself for life the remainder to another for life or years the remainder to the Wife for her life Co. 4. 2. 3. Hutton 51. Sherwells Case In all these Cases although the Lands or Rent were conveyed to the Wife for her Joynture yet the Estate not being within the Statute of 27 H. 8. her acceptance thereof shall not bar her Dower but she shall have such Joynture and her Dower also And the reason why in the two last Cases the Wife shall not be barred of her Dower although there be an Estate limited to her for her life is because the Estate is not in its first Creation appointed to take immediately after the death of the Husband And no matter which arises ex post facto can salve this or make it a Joynture within that Statute to bar her Dower And therefore if in the first of those two Cases the Husband Tenant in Tail dies without issue or if in the last Case he in the remainder die before the Husband or the term for years determines in the Husbands life time so that the Wife may enter presently after his death yet because the Estate to the Wife for her life was not originally limited to take immediately after his death it shall not bar her Dower For quod ab initio non valet in tractu temporis non convalescet Co. 4. 2 3. Hutton 51. And as in all the Cases before mentioned if the Estate were made for her Joynture the Wife shall have such Joynture and her Dower both so if she be an Offender within this branch of the Act and conform not within the year next before her Husbands death she shall forfeit the profits of two parts of both Of what Lands she shall not forfeit the profits But otherwise it is where an Estate is given or limited by the Husband to the Wife and it s neither expressed nor can be averred and proved to be given or limited for her Joynture or in recompence of her Dower And therefore if any of the Estates before mentioned which are not within the Statute of 27 H. 8. be granted or limited to the Wife by the Husband or any other Estate for her life or otherwise which would be a good Joynture within the said Statute if it were intended for a Joynture as if a man before or after Marriage Covenants to stand seized of Lands to the use of himself for life the Remainder to his Wife for her life and it is neither expressed in the Deed nor can be averred and
the person Co. 1. Inst 128. Plea in disability is peremptory The Defendant in Debt upon an Obligation pleads that the Plaintiff is a Popish Recusant Convict who replies nul tiel Record Such Plea in disability of the person is peremptory and nul tiel Record is an Issue and Judgment shall be given against the Defendant upon failer of the Record Hetley 18. But yet if there be a Plea of a Conviction of Recusancy had before Justices of Gaol delivery and the Defendant mistakes and takes out a Certiorari Certiorari to the Justices of Peace this shall not be a failer of the Record Failer of Record although the Defendant hath it not at the day For that the issuing of the Certiorari was the Award of the Court But a Certiorari shall be awarded de novo to the Justices of Gaol delivery before whom the Plaintiff was convicted Hobart 135. Pye against Thrill Note if the Defendant be sued in the Common Pleas or any other of the principal Courts at Westminster and he plead a Conviction of Recusancy before Justices of Gaol delivery or Justices of Peace he need not take his Certiorari Certiorari out of what Court out of the Chancery and so bring it by Mittimus But the Court may send a Certiorari immediately to that inferiour Court where the Plaintiff was convicted as was held in that Case of Pye and Thrill vide 19 H. 6. 19. And the Justices themselves And by whom before whom the Conviction was had must certifie and therefore if the Conviction was before Justices of Peace the Certificate cannot be by the Custos Rotulorum Custos rotulorum alone though he keep the Records for the Certiorari is in such Case directed to the Justices of Peace Hobart 135. A Popish Recusant is convicted of Recusancy in a popular Suit and after such Conviction sues the Informer Qui tam c. Who may take advantage of this disability Informer upon some other matter or cause of Action arising between them Quaere whether the Defendant may plead such Conviction in disability of the Recusant For this Conviction disables the Recusant to sue as if he were excommunicated and no otherwise Now if a Bishop Excommunicate any one and the Bishop Bishop be afterwards sued at Law for any other matter or cause by the person so excommunicated the Bishop cannot plead this Excommunication in disability of the Plaintiff who sues him Co. 1. Inst 134. Swinborne Part 5. Sect. 6. p. 305. And the reason given for this in Trollops Case Co. 8. 68. is because the Bishop was a party to the Excommunication and therefore shall take no advantage by it which reason seems to hold likewise in the Case of an Informer Qui tam c. who is a party to the Conviction of the Recusant upon the popular Suit which Conviction renders the Recusant disabled to all intents as an Excommunicant person And therefore he being a party to it by the same Rule shall not take advantage of it in disability of the Recusant in any Action brought by the Recusant against him But yet notwithstanding I conceive the Informer Qui tam c. at whose Suit the Recusant was convicted may well take advantage of this Conviction and plead it in disability of the person of the Recusant And that the true reason why the Bishop shall not be admitted to plead an Excommunication pronounced by himself in disability of the person Excommunicated is not because he is a party to the Excommunication but because in matters of Excommunication the Bishop acts as a Judge and 't is by his Sentence and Authority that the party is Excommunicated and he shall not take advantage in another Suit of a Sentence given by himself judicially And this will not hold in the Case of an Informer who though he be a party to the Suit in which the Recusant is disabled as an Excommunicate person yet is no Judge in the Case whether the party Sued shall be disabled or no as the Bishop is in the other Case where the party is actually Excommunicated by him And if the Bishop should be barred to Plead and take advantage of such Excommunication because he is a party thereunto it would follow that the person who Sues in the Spiritual Court and at whose instance the person Sued is Excommunicated should be barred likewise to take advantage of such disability in the Plaintiff at Law for he is a party to the Excommunication for that he is a party to the Suit upon which the Excommunication is originally founded But the contrary to this is strongly implied in 14 H. 4. 14. where the Case was A. was Excommunicated in a Suit depending between him and B. and afterwards A. Sues B. upon the Statute of Praemunire who pleads this Excommunication in disability of the Plaintiff Here the Plea was disallowed because the principal Suit on which the Excommunication depended was brought before the Pope But in the debate of the Case there was not the least word of exception to the Plea upon this ground because the Excommunication was at the instance of the Defendant or that the Defendant should not take advantage of the Plaintiffs disability for that he was a party to the Excommunication which disabled him Executor or Administrator disabled If an Executor or Administrator becomes a Popish Recusant convict it seems he is disabled by this Act to Sue in either of those Capacities For the Act saith He shall be disabled to all intents as an Excommunicate person Now a person actually Excommunicated cannot Sue as Executor or Administrator as is held in 21 E. 4. 49. 21 H. 6. 30. 14 H. 6. 15. Co. 1. Inst 134. Although there are some opinions to the contrary Vide Finch 27. Stat. Sect. 13. What Suits a Popish Recusant may prosecute Provided nevertheless That it shall and may be lawful for any such person so disabled for and notwithstanding any thing in this Law contained to sue or prosecute an Action or Suit for or concerning only such of his or her Lands Tenements Leases Rents Annuities and Hereditaments or for the Issues and Profits thereof which are not to be seized or taken into the Kings hands his Heirs or Successors by force of any Law for or concerning his or her Recusancy or any part thereof Which are not to be seized or taken into the Kings hands c. These words are not restrained to such Lands Lands seized into the Kings hands c. as cannot be seized into the Kings hands for Recusancy For then the Recusant could in no case Sue for more then the third part for that the King may if he please make his Election and seize the other two parts in lieu of the Twenty pounds per month But they are intended of all Lands c. of the Recusant which neither the King hath seized nor are by Law to be seized by vertue of any thing
which the King hath already done or in respect of what the Recusant after his conviction hath omitted to do And therefore if a man be convicted of recusancy upon a popular Suit or an Action of Debt at the Kings Suit alone in which Cases the penalty of Twenty pounds per month is not appropriated to the King for the time to come and he pays the penalty recovered or if he be Convicted upon Indictment and after such Conviction duly pays the Twenty pounds per month into the Exchequer and the King makes no Election to take the two third parts of his Estate in lieu thereof such Recusant may by this Proviso in either of those Cases Sue or Prosecute for any of his Lands Tenements Leases Rents Annuities or Hereditaments whatsoever notwithstanding his Conviction For when the penalty recovered is satisfied or the forfeiture appropriated to the King is duly paid into the Exchequer his Lands c. are not to be seized by force of any Law for Recusancy unless the King make his Election to have the two parts And until that Election they cannot in the sense of this Proviso be said to be Lands to be seized or taken into the Kings hands for that the King cannot have the two parts and the Twenty pounds per month both But if the King make no such Election and the Twenty pounds per month be duly paid into the Exchequer the Recusant is to hold and enjoy all his Lands Tenements c. as if he had never been convicted And during that time there can be no distinction made between the two parts and the Recusant's third part so that in this Case the Recusant must either be enabled to Sue and Prosecute for all his Lands c. or none and to think the latter of these were to render this Proviso nugatory and vain But when once the King hath seized the two thirds for recusancy either by way of Election or for nonpayment of the penalty then the Recusant is enabled to Sue only for the other third part whether in the hands of the King or of a common person Stat. Sect. 14. And for that Popish Recusants are not usually Married nor their Children Christned nor themselves Buried according to the Law of the Church of England but the same are done superstitiously by Popish Persons in secret whereby the days of their Marriages Births and Burials cannot be certainly known Stat. Sect. 15. Marriages of Popish Recusants Be it further Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That every man being or which shall be a Popish Recusant convicted and who shall be hereafter Married otherwise then in some open Church or Chappel and otherwise then according to the Orders of the Church of England by a Minister lawfully Authorized shall be utterly disabled and excluded to have any Estate of Fréehold into any the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of his Wife as Tenant by the Courtesie of England And that every Woman being or which shall be a Popish Recusant convicted and who shall be hereafter Married in other form then as aforesaid shall be utterly excluded and disabled not only to claim any Dower of the Inheritance of her Husband whereof she may be endowable or any Iointure of the Lands and Hereditaments of her Husband or any of his Ancestors but also of her Widows Estate and Frank-bank in any Customary Lands whereof her Husband died seized and likewise be disabled and excluded to have or enjoy any part or portion of the goods of her said Husband by vertue of any custom of any County City or Place where the same shall lie or be And if any such man shall be Married with any Woman contrary to the intent and true meaning of this Act which Woman hath or shall have no Lands Tenements or Hereditaments whereof he may be intituled to be Tenant by the Curtesie Then such man so Marrying as aforesaid shall forfeit and lose One hundred pounds the one half thereof to be to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moiety to such person or persons as shall Sue for the same by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of the Kings Majesties Courts of Record wherein no Essoin Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed Where the Husband is no offender Every man being or which shall be a Popish Recusant Convicted A Man who is no Popish Recusant Convicted marries a Woman who is a Popish Recusant Convicted in other form then is here appointed He shall not forfeit any thing or be disabled by this Act. By a Minister lawfully Authorized Minister lawfully Authorized In an Information upon this Statute for being married otherwise then is here appointed it is sufficient for the Defendant to say that he was married c. by a Minister lawfully Authorized without shewing in particular how or where or when but if a Traverse come of the other side then the Defendant is in his Rejoynder to shew the time and place Vide Bulstrode 2. 50. 52. Creswich against Rookesby Every Woman being or which shall be a Popish Recusant Convicted A Woman who is no Popish Recusant Convicted Where the Wife is no offender marries a Man who is a Popish Recusant Convicted in other form than is here appointed she shall not be disabled by this Branch of the Act For the forfeiture or disability extends only to the Popish Recusant Convicted and as in the Case before recited the Woman only shall be disabled so in this Case the Man only shall forfeit or be disabled Or any Ioynture of the Lands and Hereditaments of her Husband or any of his Ancestors Joynture A Feme who is a Popish Recusant Convicted and married otherwise then is appointed by this Act is not therefore disabled to have any sort of Joynture as Wingate tit Crowne n. 136. mistakes but only such Joynture as is of the Lands or Hereditaments of her Husband or some of his Ancestors and therefore if in consideration of some service done or for some other consideration and for the advancement of A. in marriage Lands are setled upon his intended Wife for her Joynture by some person besides A. who is not any of the Ancestors of A. such Joynture is not within this Act nor shall the Wife although a Popish Recusant Convicted and married otherwise c. be disabled by any strained construction of this Law to enjoy the Lands after her Husbands death For a penal Law shall be taken strictly and not by equity or intendment especially where the intent of the Lawmakers doth not appear to the contrary and the Case such as doth but rarely happen And 't is a good Rule in the construction of Statute Laws which the late Lord Chief Justice Vaughan hath laid down in his Argument of Bole and Hortons Case Mich. 25. Car. 2. viz. when the words of a Law extend not to an inconvenience rarely happening and do to those which often
happen it is good reason not to strain the words farther then they reach but to say it is casus omissus and that the Law intended quae frequentius accidunt Vaughan 373. And yet there is no question but such Lands are a Joynture The extent of the word and if made with the Wives assent before marriage shall bar her Dower by the Statute of 27 H. 8. cap. 10. which speaks of an Estate or purchase made to the Wife for her Joynture generally not saying by whom Mr. Sheapard therefore in his Epitome p. 523. falls very short of the full description of a Joynture when he limits it only to be of the Franktenement of her Husband which restriction dayly experience confutes For that it is commonly made by the Ancestor of the Husband of Lands in which the Husband never had any Franktenement nor perhaps ever shall have Custom By vertue of any custom of any County City or Place And not of Cities only as 't is restrained in the late additions to Dalton cap. 85. tit Recusants Sect. 48. Where in force The Custom here mentioned viz. that the Wife shall have a certain portion of her Husbands goods after his decease is of force throughout the whole Province of York and in divers other places of England and if he gives them away from her by his Will the bequest is void Vide Swinburne Part 3. cap. 14. p. 151. 152. What goods are not within the Act. A Woman is an offender within this Branch and her Husband by his last will gives her all or part of his goods not claimable by custom she is not by this Act disabled to enjoy them after his death For the words here are plainly restrictive to such goods as she claims by custom Where not Tenant by Curtesie not One hundred pounds forfeited Whereof he may be intituled to be Tenant by the Curtesie A Popish Recusant convicted marries an Inheritrix in other form then is appointed by this Act The Wife dies without issue born alive of the marriage In this Case although the Husband is not intituled to be Tenant by the Courtesie yet the possibility which he once had to be so intituled seems to satisfie the intent of the Act and he shall not forfeit the hundred pounds So that here is another Casus omissus For it may so happen that a Popish Recusant Convict may have a great Portion in money with his Wife and but a small Estate in Lands with her perchance but a few Acres yet if he be an Offender within this branch the Lands for that he may be intituled to be Tenant of them by the Courtesie shall save his hundred pounds and if his Wife die having had no issue born alive he is wholly exempted out of the Act and cannot be punished either way Stat. Sect. 16. Baptism of Popish Recusants Children And that every Popish Recusant which shall hereafter have any Child born shall within one month next after the Birth thereof cause the same Child to be baptized by a lawful Minister according to the Laws of this Realm in the open Church of the same Parish where the Child shall be born or in some other Church near adjoyning or Chappel where Baptism is usually administred or if by infirmity of the Child it cannot be brought co such place then the same shall within the time aforesaid be baptized by the lawful Minister of any of the said Parishes or places aforesaid upon pain that the Father of such Child if he be living by the space of one month next after the Birth of such Child or if he be dead within the said month then the Mother of such Child shall for every such Offence forfeit one hundred pounds of lawful money of England one third part whereof to be to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors one other third part to the Informer or him that will sue for the same and the other third part to the Poor of the said Parish to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of the Kings Majesties Courts of Record wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed And if any Popish Recusant man or woman Stat. Sect. 17. Burial of Popish Recusants not excommunicate not being Excommunicate shall be buried in any place other than in the Church or Churchyard or not according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm That the Executors or Administrators of every such person so buried knowing the same or the party that causeth him to be so buried shall forfeit the sum of twenty pounds the one third part whereof shall be to our Soveraign Lord the King the other third part to the Informer or him or them that will sue for the same and the other third part to the Poor of the Parish where such person died to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of the Kings Majesties Courts of Record wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed The Exception here of a Popish Recusant Excommunicate That is not actually Excommunicate is intended only of one actually Excommunicated and not of him who is a Popish Recusant convicted who shall not be reputed as a person Excommunicate to this intent but only as to the point of a disability as hath been said Sect. 12. So that if any Popish Recusant not actually Excommunicate be buried elsewhere or otherwise then is here mentioned although he were convicted yet 't is an Offence punishable by this Law And be it further Enacted by this present Parliament Stat. Sect. 18. Children departing the Realm That if the Children of any Subject within this Realm the said Children not being Soldiers Mariners Merchants or their Apprentices or Factors to prevent their good Education in England or for any other cause shall hereafter be sent or go beyond Seas without Licence of the Kings Majesty or six of his Honourable Privy Council whereof the principal Secretary to be one under their Hands and Seals The forfeiture of such as depart That then all and every such Child and Children so sent or which shall so go beyond the Seas shall take no benefit by any gift conveyance descent devise or otherwise of or to any Lands Tenements Hereditaments Leases Goods or Chattels until he or they being of the age of eighteén years or above take the Oath mentioned in an Act of Parliament made this present Session Intituled An Act for the better discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants before some Iustice of Peace of the County Liberty or Limit where such Parents of such Children as shall be so sent did or shall inherit and dwell And that in the mean time the next of his or her kin which shall be no Popish Recusant shall have and enjoy the said Lands Tenements Hereditaments Leases Goods and Chattels so given conveyed descended or devised until such time
as the person so sent or gone beyond the Seas shall conform him or her self and take the aforesaid Oath and receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And after such Oath taken and conforming of himself and receiving the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord he or they which have so received the profits of the said Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods and Chattels or any of them shall make account of the profits so received and in reasonable time make payment thereof and restore the value of the said Goods to such person as shall so conform him or her self as aforesaid And of him that sendeth them And that all such persons as shall send the said Child or Children over Seas without Licence as aforesaid unless the said Child or Children be Merchants or their Apprentices or Factors Marriners or Soldiers shall forfeit one hundred pounds to be divided had and recovered in thrée equal parts whereof the one third part shall be to the King his Heirs and Successors the other third part to such as shall sue for the same and the other third part to the Poor of such Parish where such Offender doth inhabit or remain by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any the Kings Majesties Courts of Record wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed Next of kin who The next of his or her kin It hath been a great Question formerly whether the Mother can be said to be of kin to the Child and it hath been held in the negative as well by the Common Lawyers as Civilians as appears by the Case in 5 E. 6. called the Duke of Suffolks Case and that of Browne and Shelton Bro. tit Administr ' 47. But the Law is now held to be otherwise viz. That the Mother shall be taken to be of kin to the Child and that in a nearer degree then is the Brother or Sister And that she shall be preferred in the Case of an Administration upon the Statute of 21 H. 8. cap. 5. and of Guardianship by the Statute of Marlebridge where a man dies seized of Lands holden in Socage Which later Opinion agreeth with that of Littleton in his tenures fo 1. where he saith That the Parent is nearer of blood to the Child then the Uncle vide Co. 1. Inst 88. And in Ratcliffes Case Co. 3.40 the Duke of Suffolks Case is denied to be Law So that if any Child be sent or go beyond the Seas contrary to this Act his Mother shall be preferred before his Brother or Sister and as next of kin may have and enjoy his Lands c. unless she be a Popish Recusant For next of kin And who not or next of blood shall not be accounted here by course of descent but as in the Case of a purchase where a Remainder is limited to the next of blood or kin And therefore if a man hath issue three Sons A. B. and C. and dieth A. and B. have issue each of them a Son and die The Son of B. goeth beyond the Seas contrary to this Act In this Case C. the youngest Uncle shall by force of this Act have and enjoy the Lands of the Offender until his Conformity and not the Son of A. the elder Uncle For that C. hath in him jus propinquitatis as being the Uncle and so nearer of kin then the Cousin german And yet the Son of A. is heir at Law jure representationis as being the Son of the eldest Brother Vide Co. 1. Inst 10. Palmer 304 305. Periman versus Pierce Shall have and enjoy the said Lands c. What is forfeited It was held by Montague and Hobart Chief Justices Pasch 15 Jac. in Tredway's Case That if a person goes beyond the Seas contrary to this Act yet the State of the Land is not forfeited nor setled in the next of kin but vests in the heir himself who is the Offender For the Statute saith not that he shall not take by descent but only that he shall take no benefit by descent and that therefore this Statute differs from those of 5 R. 2. of consenting to Ravishment Stat. 5 R. 2. 11 H. 7. Sale by the heir and 11 H. 7. of discontinuances by Women And Hobart said That if the Heir beyond Sea bargain and sell the Land descended to him he shall prevent the next of kin if he hath not entred And if he hath entred the Land shall be taken from him Quaere of this for Tanfeild Chief Baron seemed to be of a contrary Opinion in the main point and held that the State of the Land is setled by this Act in the next of kin Ley 59. Note in the Report of this Case of Tredway it s said to be the meaning of this Act that the profits of the Land should be received by the next of kin during the Offenders Non-conformity But these words have and enjoy seem to imply some what more and that the next of kin shall have the Land it self All such persons as shall send the said Child or Children c. Here Wingate tit Crown numb 139. mistakes the person who shall forfeit the hundred pounds Forfeiture of 100 l. applying it to the Child who goes beyond Sea and not to the person who sends him Stat. Sect. 19. The forfeiture of those already gone beyond the Seas And for that many Subjects of this Realm being neither Merchants nor their Factors nor Apprentices Soldiers nor Marriners are of late gone beyond the Seas without Licence and are not as yet returned Be it further Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That if any of the said persons so gone beyond the Seas without Licence which are not yet returned shall not within six months next after their return into this Realm then being of the age of Eighteén years or more take the Oath above specified before some Iustice of Peace of the County Liberty or Limit where such person shall inhabit or remain that then every such Offender shall take no benefit by any gift conveyance descent devise or otherwise of or to any Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods or Chattels until he or they being of the said age of Eightéen years or above take the said Oath and that likewise in the mean time the next of kin to the person so offending which shall be no Popish Recusant shall have and enjoy the said Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods and Chattels so given conveyed descended or devised until such time as the person so offending shall conform himself and take the aforesaid Oath and receive the said Sacrament of the Lords Supper And after such conforming taking of the said Oath and receiving of the said Sacrament he or they that shall have so received the profits of the said Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods and Chattels shall make account of the profits so received and in reasonable time make payment thereof and of the value of such Goods and Chattels to
meét to be Executors or Administrators to any person or persons whatsoever nor to have the Education of their own Children much less of the Children of any other of the Kings Subjects nor to have the marriage of them Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid A Recusant shall not be Executor or Administrator That such Recusants convicted or which shall be convicted at the time of the death of any Testator or at the time of the granting of any Administration shall be disabled to be Executor or Administrator by force of any Testament hereafter to be made or Letters of Administration hereafter to be granted Or Guardian nor shall have the custody of any Child as Guardian in Chivalry Guardian in Socage or Guardian in nurture of any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments being Fréehold or Copyhold but shall be adjudged disabled to have any such Wardship or Custody of any such Child or of their Lands Tenements or Hereditaments being Fréehold or Copyhold as aforesaid Who shall have the Wardship And that for the better Education and Preservation of the said Children and of their Estates the next of the kin to such Child or Children to whom the said Lands Tenements or Hereditaments of such Child or Children cannot lawfully descend who shall usually resort to some Church or Chappel and there hear Divine Service and receive the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper thrice in the year next before according to the Laws of this Realm shall have the Custody and Education of the same Child and of his said Lands and Tenements being holden in Knights Service until the full age of the said Ward of one and twenty years And of his said Lands Tenements and Hereditaments being holden in Socage as a Guardian in Socage And of the said Lands Tenements and Hereditaments holden by Copy of Court Roll of any Mannor so long as the Custom of the said Mannor shall permit and allow the same and in every of the said Cases shall yield an Accompt of the profits thereof to the said Ward as the Case shall require And that if at any time hereafter any of the Wards of the Kings Majesty or of any other shall be granted or sold to any Popish Recusant Convict such Grant or Sale shall be utterly void and of none effect Convicted at the time of the death of any Testator or at the time of the granting of any Administration Granting of Administration These words are to be construed reddendo singula singulis viz. That the Recusant shall be disabled to be Executor if he be convicted at the time of the death of the Testator or to be Administrator if he be Convicted at the time of the granting of Letters of Administration For so these words at the time of the granting of any Administration are here to be understood And therefore if a man makes his Will and therein appoints a Recusant Convict to be his Executor Executor where not disabled and before the Testators death the Conviction is removed by Reversal of the Judgment or avoided or discharged for some defect in the Indictment Proclamation or other proceedings and then the Testator dies In such Case the Recusant is not by this Act disabled to be Executor For although the naming of an Executor is in Law a granting of Administration And if a man by his last Will grants the Administration of his Goods and Chattels to J. S. without more saying thereby J. S. is made his Executor Dyer 290. So that the naming of an Executor and the granting of Administration seem to be the same thing yet this is not a granting of Administration within the meaning of this Act Administration here relating only to an Administrator and not to an Executor besides the naming of an Executor amounts not to a compleat grant of Administration until the Testators death For then and not before the Will becomes in force And if the party stands not then convicted he is not disabled Much less shall he be disabled to be Executor who is not convicted at the time of the Testators death although he be convicted at the time of the Probate of the Will For if these words granting of Administration should relate to an Executor as well as to an Administrator which in truth they do not yet the power given to the Executor by the Ordinary or Ecclesiastical Judge upon the probate of the Will cannot be called a granting but only a committing of Administration Committing of Administration What the Ordinary grants to an Executor according to the Will of the deceased And in such Case all that the Ordinary or Ecclesiastical Judge can grant are Letters testifying what the Testator hath already given to the Executor and a Power or Authority to execute the Will As Guardian in Chivalry Although the Recusant seized in Chivalry and Convicted could not have been Guardian yet if he had granted the Seigniory Seigniory granted over to one who was no Recusant the Grantee should have been Guardian notwithstanding this Act for the mischief here intended to be prevented was removed when the Seigniory was granted to another who was no Recusant By Jones Justice C. B. Hill 20. Jac. Jones 19. So if the King had seized Seized by the King the Recusants Seigniory as part of his two parts the King should have had the Wardship and not the next of kin for the same reason Jones 21. Stat. Sect. 22. Popish Books And be it further Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That no person or persons shall bring from beyond the Seas nor shall Print sell or buy any Popish Primmers Ladies Psalters Manuels Rosaries Popish Catechisms Missals Breviaries Portalls Legends and Lives of Saints containing superstitious matter Printed or Written in any Language whatsoever nor any other superstitious Books Printed or Written in the English Tongue upon pain of forfeiture of Forty shillings for every such Book one third part thereof to be to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors one other third part to him that will sue for the same and the other third part to the Poor of the Parish where such Book or Books shall be found to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of the Kings Majesties Courts of Record wherein no Essoin Protection or Wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed and the said Books to be burned Stat. Sect. 23. Popish Reliques and Books And that it shall be lawfull for any two Iustices of Peace within the Limits of their Iurisdiction or Authority and to all Mayors Bailiffs and Chief Officers of Cities and Towns Corporate in their Liberties from time to time to search the Houses and Lodgings of every Popish Recusant Convict or of every person whose Wife is or shall be a Popish Recusant Convict for Popish Books and Reliques of Popery And that if any Altar Pix Beads Pictures or such like Popish Reliques or any Popish Book
Privy Council of your Highness your Heirs or Successors or by the Bishop of the Diocess if she be a Baroness or if she be under that Degrée by two Iustices of the Peace of the same County whereof one to be of the Quorum there to remain without Ball or Mainprize until she shall conform her self and come to Church and receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unless the Husband of such Wife shall pay to the Kings Majesty his Heirs or Successors for the Offence of his said Wife for every month ten pounds of lawful money of England or else the third part in thrée parts to be divided of all his Lands and Tenements at the choice of the Husband whose Wife is so convicted as aforesaid for and during so long time as she remaining a Recusant convicted shall continue out of Prison during which time and no longer she may be at liberty What Conviction is here meant Stat. 23 Eliz. 1. Being lawfully convicted as a Popish Recusant That is upon Indictment at the Kings Suit or a popular Action or Information on the Statute of 23 Eliz. 1. or an Action of Debt at the Kings Suit alone according to the Statute of 35 Eliz. 1. 35 Eliz. 1. In which two last Cases the former Laws are somewhat altered by this Statute For by the former Laws if a person had been convicted of Recusancy any other way then by Indictment no more could have been demanded either by the King or Informer then for the months mentioned in the Information or Count And the penalty should not have run on in such Case For that the Statutes of 29 Eliz. 6. and 3 Jac. 4. 29 Eliz. 6. 3 Jac. 4. which appropriate the penalty to the King after Conviction intend no other Conviction then by Indictment as hath been there said Baron and seme But by this Statute if a popular Action or Information or an Action of Debt c. at the Kings Suit alone be brought against the Husband and Wife for the Recusancy of the Wife and Judgment be had against them the Husband shall not only pay for the time contained in the Information or Count but the Wife shall be imprisoned ever afterwards unless she conform or the Husband pay ten pounds per month or yield the third part of his Lands to the King And yet this Statute doth not after such Conviction of the Wife in a popular Suit Suits upon former Statutes not taken away or Action of Debt c. at the Kings Suit take away the popular Action or Information from the Informer or the Action of Debt c. from the King for the time to come but that they may be brought against the Husband and Wife for the Recusancy of the Wife for any month or months wherein she is absent from Church after such Conviction For this Statute and 23 Eliz. 1. and 35 Eliz. 1. Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 35 Eliz. 1 are all affirmative Laws and may well stand together so that any of the three remedies given by these Statutes may be pursued This Statute not abrogating any former Law but only providing another way of punishment for the Wife after she is once convicted Howbeit she shall not be punished by any more then one of these three ways Co. 11. 63 64. Rolles 1. 94. Doctor Fosters Case Cro. Pasch 17 Jac. 529. Parker versus Curson And therefore if the King bring an Action of Debt c. upon 35 Eliz. against the Husband and Wife Where the Wife shall not be imprisoned or the Informer sue them upon 23 Eliz. for any absence of the Wife from Church after she is once convicted by either of those ways and recover the Privy Counsellor Bishop or Justices of Peace here mentioned cannot imprison her by force of this Act for the non-payment of the ten pounds per month by the Husband for those months for which the King or Informer hath recovered or for his not yielding the thirds of his Lands to the King And the reason is for that when the Husband stands charged with the penalty of twenty pounds per month for the absence of the Wife the intent of the Act is satisfied in respect of those months of her absence for which he stands so charged For if he pay not the twenty pounds per month so recovered the King or Informer hath the ordinary remedy after Judgment by Process of Capias against them both both And the intent of the Act was no more then that the Husband should pay for the Recusancy of his Wife or the Wife be imprisoned And if in this Case the Privy Counsellor Bishop or Justices of Peace should have power to imprison the Wife unless the Husband would pay ten pounds for the months for which the King or Informer hath recovered it would follow that the Husband hath his Election whether he will pay ten pounds per month to the King by force of this Act or the twenty pounds per month so recovered against him by the King or Informer For he shall not pay both the one and the other for that were bis puniri pro uno delicto And if he shall have his Election the King or Informer might by this device be eluded of the penalty of twenty pounds per month so recovered which could not be the intent of the makers of this Law The King and Informer barred by her Imprisonment But if the Wife be after such Conviction imprisoned by force of this Act neither the King or Informer can so sue the Husband and Wife for the Recusancy of the Wife For she is already punished by this Act and must remain in Prison until the Husband pay the ten pounds for every month or yield the thirds of his Lands to the King or the Wife conforms Or if the Husband yields the thirds So if the Husband yields the thirds of his Lands to save his Wives imprisonment he is already punished by this Act and shall not again be punished or Sued by the King or Informer either upon 23 Eliz. or 35 Eliz. Or pay Ten pounds per month And if after such conviction of the Wife he pay Ten pounds per month to save her imprisonment he cannot be sued with his Wife for the Twenty pounds per month upon either of those Statutes by the King or Informer for those months of her absence from Church incurred after her conviction for which he hath paid the Ten pounds monthly to the King for he shall not Bis puniri pro uno delicto Hitherto hath been spoken of the Conviction of the Wife at the Suit of the King alone by Action of Debt c. or by the Informer Qui tam c. which doth not appropriate the penalty to the King by 29 Eliz. 6. or 3 Jac. 4. Conviction upon Indictment If the Wife be convicted of Recusancy upon an Indictment it hath been much debated whether that doth not so appropriate the
penalty of Twenty pounds per month to the King for the time to come by the said Statute of 29 Eliz. 6. and 3 Jac. 4. Stat. 29 Eliz. 6 3 Jac. 4. that the King cannot bring an Action of Debt or the Informer any popular Suit against the Husband and Wife for any offence of Recusancy committed by the Wife after such Conviction see for this Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. 23 Eliz. 1 Sect. 9. and 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 6. However admitting they may yet now if the King take advantage of this Statute and the Wife be either Imprisoned or the Husband yields the third part of his Lands to the King there is no question but the King and Informer are both barred The King and Informer barred to sue for the Twenty pounds per month for any time incurred after her Conviction For the King hath made his Election to punish her this way and the Informer cannot sue her for she is punished already at the Suit of the King And if the Husband pay the Ten pounds per month the King and Informer are likewise barred for those months of her absence from Church incurred after her Conviction for which the Husband hath paid the Ten pounds monthly to the King for he shall not be twice punished for the same offence Of all his Lands and Tenements By Tenements Tenements what are to be understood Offices Rents Commons Profits apprender out of Lands Advowsons and the like wherein a man hath any Franktenement and whereof he is seized ut de libero tenemento for all these are included under the word Tenement as well as Lands and other Inheritances which are holden Co. 1. inst 6. Perkins Sect. 114 115. 11 H. 6. 22 Bro. Grant 143. Finch 130. Womans Lawyer lib. 3. 188. Anderson 2. 4. But Tenement extends not to a Chattel or Lease for years Bro. Done 41. Grant 87. Bulstrode 1. 101. Turpine against Forreyner So that the Husband need not yield to the King the third part of his Leases for years for the Recusancy of his Wife Shall continue out of Prison A married Woman Imprisonment of the Wife for other cause convicted as a Popish Recusant is after her Conviction and before any further prosecution or any Election made by the Husband whether he will pay the Ten pounds per month or yield the third part of his Lands imprisoned by process of Law or for some other Cause not relating to such Conviction and afterwards is set at Liberty It seems that the Husband shall not pay the Ten pounds per month for the time she was in Prison for the Act speaks only of the time during which she continues out of Prison and although she were not imprisoned for her Recusancy yet seeing she had not during such her Imprisonment the benefit intended to her in consideration of the Ten pounds per month or third part viz. her Liberty the Husband shall not for that time pay the penalty here appointed to save her Imprisonment but if he pay it for the time after she is set at Liberty that is sufficient to satisfie the intent of this Act. But if after such Conviction Covinous Imprisonment the Wife be imprisoned by Covin upon some pretence not relating to such Conviction that shall not save the Husbands payment of the Ten pounds per month for the time she was imprisoned but after she is set at Liberty she may be again Imprisoned by force of this Act unless the Husband pay the Ten pounds per month or satisfie to the King the third part of the profits of his Lands as well for the time of such covinous Imprisonment as for the future for the covinous Imprisonment was upon the matter her own Act and no person shall take advantage of an Imprisonment covinously caused by him or her self 16 E. 4. 5. And here she continued out of Prison in the sence of this Act because her Imprisonment was not by Process of Law in invitam Outlawry by Covin And so if a Man be Outlawed while he is in Prison yet the Outlawry shall not be avoided for that Cause if the Imprisonment were by Covin or consent of the party Outlawed Co. 1. Inst. 259. 38. Assiz Pl. 17. Stat. iii Car. i. cap. ii An Act to restrain the passing or sending of any to be Popishly bred beyond the Seas FOrasmuch as divers ill affected persons to the true Religion established within this Realm Stat. Sect. 1. have sent their Children into Forreign parts to be bred up in Popery notwithstanding the restraint thereof by the Statute made in the first year of the Reign of our late Soveraign Lord King James of famous memory Be it Enacted that the said Statute shall be put in due execution And be it further Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same that in Case any person or persons under the Obedience of the King his Heirs and Successors He that goes himself or sends any other beyond the Seas to be trained up in Popery c. shall be disabled to sue c. and shall lose all his Goods and shall forfeit all his Lands c. for life at any time after the end of this Session of Parliament shall pass or go or shall convey or send or cause to be sent or conveyed any Child or other person out of any of the Kings Dominions into any the parts beyond the Seas out of the Kings Obedience to the intent and purpose to enter into or be resident or trained up in any Priory Abbey Nunnery Popish Vniversity Colledge or School or House of Iesuites Priests or in any private Popish Family and shall be there by any Iesuite Seminary Priest Friar Monk or other Popish Person instructed perswaded or strengthned in the Popish Religion in any sort to profess the same or shall convey or send or cause to be conveyed or sent by the hands or means of any person whatsoever any sum or sums of money or other thing for or towards the maintenance of any Child or other person already gone or sent or to go or to be sent and trained and instructed as is aforesaid or under the the name or colour of any Charity Benevolence or Alms towards the relief of any Priory Abbey Nunnery Colledge School or any Religious House whatsoever Every person so sending conveying or causing to be sent and conveyed as well any such Child or other person as any sum or sums of money or other thing and every person passing or being sent beyond the Seas being thereof Lawfully Convicted in or upon any Information Presentment or Indictment as is aforesaid shall be disabled from thenceforth to sue or use any Action Bill Plaint or Information in course of Law or to prosecute any Suit in any Court of Equity or to be Committée of any Ward or Executor or Administrator
to any person or capable of any Legacy or Deéd of Gift or to bear any Office within the Realm and shall lose and forfeit all his Goods and Chattels and shall forfeit all his Lands Tenements and Hereditaments Rents Annuities Offices and Estates of Fréehold for and during his natural Life Stat. Sect. 2. He that conforms shall not incur the penalties aforesaid Provided always That no person sent or conveyed as aforesaid that shall within Six months after his Return into this Realm conform himself unto the present Religion established in this Church of England and receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Statutes made concerning conformity in other Cases required from Popish Recusants shall incur any the penalties aforesaid Within Six months after his return And not within Six weeks as Wingate tit Crowne numb 157. erroneously Stat. Sect. 3. What Justices shall hear and determine these offences And it is Enacted That all and every of the offences against this Statute may be inquired heard and determined before the Iustices of the Kings Bench or Iustices of Assize or Goal delivery or of Oyer and Terminer of such Counties where the Offenders did last dwell or abide or whence they departed out of this Kingdom or where they were taken Or of Oyer and Terminer Justices of Peace Justices of Peace here excluded cannot take an Indictment upon this Statute for no inferior Court shall take Authority by any Statute unless it be specially named Savile 135. C. 212. Agard and Candish And although Justices of Peace have in their Commission an express Clause ad audiendum terminandum and by that are Justices of Oyer and Terminer yet forasmuch as there is a Commission of Oyer and Terminer known distinctly by that name and the Commission of Peace is known distinctly by another name they shall not be included under the general words of Justices of Oyer and Terminer as was adjudged Hill 30 Eliz. B. R. in the Case of Richard Smith who was Indicted at the Sessions of the Peace in the County of Oxon upon the Statute of 5 Eliz. cap. 14. Stat. 5 Eliz. 14 of forging Deeds which impowers the Justices of Oyer and Terminer to inquire of hear and determine that offence and yet the Indictment before the Justices of Peace was quashed as taken coram non Judice Co. 9.118 Co. 3. Inst. 103. Cro. Eliz. 87. vide Cro. Mich. 39 40 Eliz. 601. Wilsons Case Ibid. Mich. 41 42 Eliz. 697. Hunts Case Or where they were taken Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. 3 Jac. 4. Sect. 21. Provided also That if any person or Child Stat. Sect. 4. In what Case the offenders Lands shall be restored again so passing or sent or now being beyond the Seas shall after his return into this Realm conform himself to the present Religion established in this Church of England and receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Statutes made for or concerning conformity in other Cases required from Popish Recusants for and during such time as he or she shall so continue in such conformity and obedience occording to the true intent and meaning of the said Laws and Statutes shall have his or her Lands restored to them again Addendum Stat. xxv Car. ii c. ii An Act for Preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants FOR preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants and quieting the minds of His Majesties good Subjects Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same That all and every person or persons as well Péers as Commoners that shall bear any Office or Offices Civil or Military or shall receive any Pay Salary Fée or Wages by reason of any Patent or Grant from His Majesty or shall have Command or Place of Trust from or under His Majesty or from any of His Majesties Predecessors or by His or their Authority or by Authority derived from Him or them within the Realm of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or in His Majesties Navy or in the several Islands of Jersey and Guernsey or shall be of the Houshold or in the Service or Imployment of His Majesty or of his Royal Highness the Duke of York who shall inhabit reside or be within the City of London or Westminster or within Thirty miles distant from the same on the first day of Easter Term that shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred seventy threé or at any time during the said Term all and every the said person and persons shall personally appear before the end of the said Term or of Trinity Term next following in His Majesties high Court of Chancery or in His Majesties Court of Kings Bench and there in publick and open Court between the hours of Nine of the Clock and Twelve in the Forenoon take the several Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which Oath of Allegiance is contained in the Statute made in the third Year of King James by Law established and during the time of the taking thereof by the said person and persons all Pleas and Procéedings in the said respective Courts shall cease And that all and every of the said respective persons and Officers not having taken the said Oaths in the said respective Courts aforesaid shall on or before the First day of August One thousand six hundred seventy thrée at the Quarter Sessions for that County or place where he or they shall be inhabit or reside on the Twentieth day of May take the said Oaths in open Court betwéen the said hours of Nine and Twelve of the Clock in the Forenoon And the said respective Officers aforesaid shall also receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Vsage of the Church of England at or before the First day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and seventy thrée in some Parish Church upon some Lords day commonly called Sunday immediately after Divine Service and Sermon And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every person or persons that shall be admitted entred placed or taken into any Office or Offices Civil or Military or shall receive any Pay Salary Fée or Wages by reason of any Patent or Grant of his Majesty or shall have Command or Place of Trust from or under his Majesty his Heirs or Successors or by his or their Authority or by Authority derived from him or them within this Realm of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or in his Majesties Navy or in the several Islands of Jersey and Gernsey or that shall be admitted into any Service or Imployment in his Majesties or Royal Highnesses Houshold or Family after the First day of Easter Term aforesaid and shall inhabit be
hurt or prejudice the Péerage of any Péer of this Realm or to take away any Right Power Priviledge or Profit which any person being a Péer of this Realm hath or ought to enjoy by reason of his Péerage either in time of Parliament or otherwise or to take away creation-money or Bills of Impost nor to take away or make void any Pension or Salary granted by His Majesty to any person for valuable and sufficient Consideration for Life Lives or Years other then such as relate to any Office or to any Place of Trust under His Majesty and other then Pensions of bounty or voluntary Pensions nor to take away or make void any Estate of Inheritance granted by His Majesty or any His Predecessors to any person or persons of or in any Lands Rents Tithes or Hereditaments not being Offices nor to take away or make void any Pension or Salary already granted by His Majesty to any person who was Instrumental in the happy preservation of His Sacred Majesty after the Battel at Worcester in the year One thousand six hundred fifty one until His Majesties arrival beyond the Seas nor to take away or make void the Grant of any Office or Offices of Inheritance or any Fée Salary or Reward for executing such Office or Offices or thereto any way belonging granted by His Majesty or any his Predecessors to or enjoyed or which hereafter shall be enjoyed by any person or persons who shall refuse or neglect to take the said Oaths or either of them or to receive the Sacrament or to subscribe the Declaration mentioned in this Act in manner therein expressed Nevertheless so as such person or persons having or enjoying any such Office or Offices of Inheritance do or shall substitute and appoint his or their sufficient Deputy or Deputies which such Officer or Officers respectively are hereby impowred from time to time to make or change any former Law or Vsage to the contrary notwithstanding to exercise the said Office or Offices until such time as the person or persons having such Office or Offices shall voluntarily in the Court of Chancery before the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper for the time being or in the Court of Kings Bench take the said Oaths and receive the Sacrament according to Law and subscribe the said Declaration and so as all and every the Deputy and Deputies so as aforesaid to be appointed take the said Oaths receive the Sacrament and subscribe the said Declaration from time to time as they shall happen to be so appointed in manner as by this Act such Officers whose Deputies they be are appointed to do and so as such Deputies be from time to time approved of by the Kings Majesty under His Privy Signer But that all and every the Péers of this Realm shall have hold and enjoy what is provided for as aforesaid and all and every other person or persons before mentioned denoted or intended within this Proviso shall have hold and enjoy what is provided for as aforesaid notwithstanding any incapacity or disability mentioned in this Act. Provided also That the said Péers and every of them may take the said Oaths and make the said Subscription and deliver the said Certificates before the Péers sitting in Parliament if the Parliament be sitting within the time limited for doing thereof and in the intervals of Parliament in the High Court of Chancery in which respective Courts all the said proceédings are to be recorded in manner aforesaid Provided always That no married Woman or person under the age of Eightéen years or being beyond or upon the Seas or found by the lawful Oaths of Twelve men to be non compos mentis and so being and remaining at the end of Trinity Term in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred seventy thrée having any Office shall by vertue of this Act loose or forfeit any such his or her Office other then such married Woman during the life of her Husband only for any neglect or refusal of taking the Oaths and doing the other things required by this Act to be done by persons having Offices so as such respective persons within Four months after the death of the Husband coming to the age of Eighteen years returning into this Kingdom and becoming of sound mind shall respectively take the said Oaths and perform all other things in manner as by this Act is appointed for persons to do who shall happen to have any Office or Offices to them given or fallen after the end of the said Trinity Term. Provided also That any person who by his or her neglect or refusal according to this Act shall lose or forfeit any Office may be capable by a new Grant of the said Office or of any other and to have and hold the same again such person taking the said Oaths and doing all other things required by this Act so as such Office be not granted to and actually enjoyed by some other person at the time of the regranting thereof Provided also That nothing in this Act contained shall extend to make any Forfeiture Disability or Incapacity in by or upon any non-Commission-Officer or Officers in His Majesties Navy if such Officer or Officers shall only subscribe the Declaration therein required in manner as the same is direted Provided also That nothing in this Act contained shall extend to prejudice George Earl of Bristol or Anne Countess of Bristol his Wife in the Pension or Pensions granted to them by Patent under the Great Seal of England hearing date the Sixtéenth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and nine being in lieu of a just Debt due to the said Earl from His Majesty particularly expressed in the said Patent Provided also That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to the Office of any High Constable Petty Constable Tithingman Headborough Overseer of the Poor Church-wardens Surveyor of the High-ways or any like inferior Civil Office or to any Office of Forester or Kéeper of any Park Chace Warren or Game or of Bailiff of any Manor or Lands or to any like private Offices or to any person or persons having only any the before mentioned or any the like Offices FINIS THE TABLE Abjuration See Baron Feme IN what cases the offender against 35 Eliz. 1. of Conventicles and the Popish Recusant confined by 35 Eliz. 2. are to abjure the Realm and in what cases not 115. 116. 123. 134 135 136 137 138. 143. Who may require such Abjuration 116. 135. Before whom it must be made 116. 135. Refusing to abjure or staying or returning without licence is Felony 116 117. 139 140. What he who abjures or refuses to abjure forfeits 124. The form of the Oath of Abjuration 138 139. He that abjures yet oweth to the King his ligeance 139. Absolution What Absolution is not within 13 Eliz. 2.50 Where absolving of the Kings Subjects or being absolved is High Treason 57 58. 184