Assent and Consent to the use of all things contained and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England or have not subscribed the Declaration or Acknowledgment contained in a certain Act of Parliament made in the 14 Year of His Majesties Reign and Intituled An Act for the Vniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies and for the establishing the Form of making ordaining and consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England according to the said Act or any other subsequent Act And whereas they or some of them and diverse other person and persons not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England and as have since the Act of Oblivion taked upon them to preach in unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Meetings under colour or pretence of Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom have setled themselves in divers Corporations in England sometimes three or more of them in a place thereby taking an opportunity to distil the poisonous Principles of Schism and Rebellion into the hearts of His Majesties Subjects to the great danger of the Church and Kingdom II. Be it therefore 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 the Authority of the same That the said Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers and other persons in Holy Orders or pretended Holy Orders or pretending to Holy Orders and all Stipendiaries or other persons who have been possessed of any Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Promotion and every of them who have not declared their unfeigned Assent and Consent as aforesaid and subscribed the Declaration aforesaid and shall not take and subcribe the Oath following I A. B. do swear That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are commissioned by him in pursuance of such Commissions and that I will not at any time endeavour any Alteration of Government either in Church or State III. And all such person and persons as shall take upon them to preach in any unlawful Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom 2. shall not at any time from and after the 24th day of March which shall be in this present year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred sixty and five unless only in passing upon the Road come or be within five Miles of any City or Town Corporate or Burrough that sends Burgesses to the Parliament within His Majesties Kingdom of England Principality of Wales or of the Town of Berwick upon Tweed 3 or within five Miles of any parish Town or place wherein he or they have since the Act of Oblivion been Parson Vicar Curate Stipendiary or Lecturer or taken upon them to preach in any unlawful Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom 4 Before he or they have taken and subscribed the Oath aforesaid before the Justices of the Peace at their quarter-Quarter-Sessions to be holden for County Riding or Division next unto the said Corporation City or Burrough Parish place or Town in open Court which said Oath the said Justices are hereby impowered there to administer 5 Upon forfeiture for every such Offence the sum of Forty pounds of lawful English Money the one third part thereof to His Majesty and His Successors the other third part to the use of the poor of the Parish where the Offence shall be committed and the other third part thereof to such person or persons as shall or will sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill or Information in any Court of Record at Westminster or before any Justices of Assize Oyer and Terminer or Gaol-delivery or before any Justices of the Counties Palatine of Chester Lancaster or Durham or the Justices of the great Sessions in Wales or before any Justices of Peace in their Quarter Sessions wherein no Essoin Protection or wager of Law shall be allowed IV. Provided always and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons restrained from coming to any City Town Corporate Burrough Parish Town or place as aforesaid or for any other Person or Persons as shall not first take and subscribe the aforesaid Oath and as shall not frequent Divine Service established by the Laws of this Kingdom and carry him or her self reverently decently and orderly there to teach any publick or private School or take any Boarders or Tablers that are taught or instructed by him or her self or any other upon pain for every such Offence to forfeit the sum of Forty pounds to be recovered and distributed as aforesaid V. Provided also and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that it shall be lawful for any two Justices of the Peace of the respective County upon Oath to them of any Offence against this Act which Oath they are hereby impowered to administer to commit the Offender for six Months without Bail or Mainprise unless upon or before such Commitment he shall before the said Justices of the Peace swear and subscribe the aforesaid Oath and Declaration VI. Provided always that if any person intended to be restrained by vertue of this Act shall without fraud or Covin be served with any Writ Sub-poena Warranr or other Process whereby his personal appearance is required his Obedience to such Writ Sub-poena or Process shall not be construed an Offence against this Act. Note That as to the Penalty of Forty Pound the party must be tried at the Assises or Sessions before it is forfeited But any two Justices of Peace may commit for six Months unless before them he 'l swear and subscribe the Oath in this Declaration specified the Assent and Consent and the Declaration therein referr'd unto which if he do he puts himself out of their power Now the Assent and Consent he has spoke of is appointed by the Stat. 13 and 14. of Car. 2di chap. 4. as follows I A. B. do here declare my unfeigned Assent Consent to all every thing contained prescribed in by the Book intituled the Book of common Prayer Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the form and manner of making ordaining and consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons The Declaration is by the Act last mentioned as
Justice Justices or chief Magistrate respectively are hereby impowered and required to levy the same by Warrant as aforesaid upon the Goods Chattels of any such persons who shall be present at the same Conventicle any thing in this or any other Act. Law or Statute to the contrary notwithstanding and the Money so levied to be disposed of in manner aforesaid 3. And if such Offender so convicted as aforesaid shall at any time again commit the like Offence or Offences contrary to this Act and be thereof convicted in manner aforesaid then such Offendor so convicted of such like Offence or Offences shall for every such Offence incur the penalty of Forty pounds to be levied and disposed as aforesaid 4. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every person that shall wittingly and willingly suffer any such Conventicle Meeting or unlawful Assembly aforesaid to be held in his or her House Out-house Barn Yard or Backside and be convicted thereof in manner aforesaid shall forfeit the sum of 20 l. to be levied in manner aforesaid upon his or her Goods and Chattels or in case of his or her poverty or inability as aforesaid upon the Goods and Chattels of such persons who shall be convicted in manner abovesaid of being present at the same Conventicle and the Money so levied to be disposed of in manner aforesaid 5. Provided always and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person shall by any clause of this Act be liable to pay above Ten Pounds for any one Meeting in regard of the poverty of any other person or persons Provided also and be it further enacted That in all cases of this Act where the penalty or sum charged upon any Offendor exceeds the sum of Ten shillings and such offendor shall find himself aggrieved it shall and may be lawful for him within one Week after the said penalty or Money charged shall be paid or levied to appeal in writing from the person or persons convicting to the judgment of the Justices of the Peace in the next quarter-Quarter-Sessions 2. To whom the Justice or Justices of Peace chief Magistrate or Alderman that first convicted such offendor shall return the Money levied upon the Appellant and shall certifie under his and their Hands and Seals the Evidence upon which the conviction past with the whole Record thereof and the said Appeal 3. Whereupon such Offendor may plead and make defence and have his Tryal by a Jury thereupon 4. And in case such Appellant shall not prosecute with effect or if that upon such Trial he shall not be acquitted or Judgment pass not for him upon his said Appeal the said Justices at the Sessions shall give treble costs against such Offendor for his unjust Appeal 5. and no other Court whatsoever shall intermeddle with any cause or causes of Appeal upon this Act but they shall be finally determined in the Quarter-Sessions only 7. Provided alwaies and be it further Enacted that upon the delivery of such Appeal as aforesaid the person or persons appellant shall enter before the person or persons Convicting into a Recognizance to Prosecute the said Appeal with Effect 2. Which said Recognizance the Person or Persons Convicting is hereby Impowered to take and Required to Certifie the same to the next quarter Sessions 3. And in Case no such Recognizance be entred into the said Appeal to be null and Void 8. Provided alwaies that every such Appeal shall be left with the Person or Persons so Convicting as aforesaid at the time of the making thereof 9. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the Justice Justices of the Peace and Chief Magistrate respectively or the respective Constables Headboroughs and Tything-men by Warrant from the said Justice Justices or Chief Magistrate respectively shall and may with what Aid Force and Assistance they shall think fit for the better Execution of this Act after Refusal or Denial to enter break open and enter into any House or other place where they shall be Informed of any such Conventicle as aforesaid is or shall be held as well within Liberties as without 2. And take into their Custody the Persons there unlawfully Assembled to the Intent they may be proceeded against according to this Act 3. And that the Lieutenants or Deputy Lieutenants or any Commissionated Officer of the Militia or other of his Majesties forces with such Troops or Companies of Horse and Foot and also the Sheriffs and other Magistrates and Ministers of Justice or any of them jointly or severally within any of the Counties or Places within this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed with such other Assistance as they shall think meet or can get in Readiness with the soonest on Certificate made to them respectively under the Hand and Seal of any one Justice of the Peace or Chief Magistrate of his particular Information or Knowledge of such unlawful Meeting or Conventicle held or to be held in their respective Counties or Places and that he with such Assistance as he can get together is not able to suppress and dissolve the same shall and may and are hereby required and enjoyned to Repair unto the place where they are so held or to be held and by the best means they can Dissolve Dissipate or prevent all such unlawful Meetings and take into their Custody such and so many of the said Persons so unlawfully Assembled as they shall think fit to the Intent they may be Proceeded against according to this Act. 10. Provided alwaies that no Dwelling-house of any Peer of this Realm where he or his Wife shall then be Resident shall be searched by vertue of this Act but by immediate Warrant from his Majesty under his Sign Manual or in the Presence of the Lieutenant or one Deputy Lieutenant or two Justices of the Peace whereof one to be of the Quorum of the same County or Riding 11. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that if any Constable Headborough Tythingman Church-warden or Overseer of the Poor who Shall know or be credibly Informed of any such Meetings or Conventicles held within his Precincts Parishes or Limits and shall not give Information thereof to some Justice of the Peace or the chief Magistrate and endeavour the Conviction of the Parties according to his Duty but such Constable Headborough Tything-man Church-warden Overseers of the Poor or any person lawfully called in Aid of the Constable Headborough or Tything-man shall wilfully and wittingly omit the performance of his Duty in the Execution of this Act and Be thereof Convicted in manner aforesaid he shall forfeit for every such Offence the Summe of five Pound to be Levyed upon his Goods and Chattels and disposed in manner aforesaid 2. And that if any Justice of the Peace or Chief Magistrate shall wilfully and wittingly omit the Performance of his Duty in the Execution of this Act he shall forfeit the Summe of one
follows I A. B. do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are commissioned by him and that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by Law established And I do declare That I do hold there lies no Obligation upon me nor any other person from the Oath commonly called the solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom But note that this last branch of this Declaration by a subsequent clause of the same Act was to continue but till the 25th day of March 1682. so that now the same is not to be required And thus much for this Five-Mile Act. We now proceed to the other Statute against Protestant Dissenters viz. Anno Vicessimo Secundo Caroli Secundi Regis Cap. 1. An Act to prevent and suppress Seditions Conventicles For providing further and more speedy Remedies against the growing and dangerous practices of Seditious Sectaries and other disloyal persons who under pretence of Tender Consciences have or may at their Meetings contrive Insurrections as late Experience hath shewn 2. Be it enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by Authority of the same That if any person of the Age of sixteen years or upwards being a Subject of this Realm at any time after the tenth day of May next shall be present at any Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and practice of the Church of England in any place within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed at which Conventicle Meeting or Assembly there shall be five persons or more Assembled together over and besides those of the same houshold if it be in a house where there is a Family inhabiting or if it be in a house field or place where there is no Family inhabiting then where any five persons or more are so Assembled as aforesaid it shall and may be lawful to and for any one or more Justices of the Peace of the County Limit Division Corporation or Liberty wherein the Offence aforesaid shall be Committed or for the chief Magistrate of the place where the Offence aforesaid shall be committed and he and they are hereby Required and Enjoyned upon Proof to him or them Respectively made of such Offence either by Confession of the Party or Oath of two Witnesses 3. Which Oath the said Justice and Justices of the Peace and Chief Magistrate respectively are hereby Required and Impowered to Administer or by Notorious Evidence and Circumstance of the fact to make a Record of every such Offence under his or their Hands and Seals respectively which Record so made as aforesaid shall to all intents and purposes be in Law taken and adjudged to be a full and perfect Conviction of every such Offender for such offence and thereupon the said Justice Justices and Chief Magistrate respectively shall Impose on every such Offender so convict as aforesaid a Fine of five shillings for such first Offence which Record and Conviction shall be certified by the said Justice Justices or Chief Magistrate at the next Quarter-Sessions of the Peace for the County or place where the Offence was committed 2. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if such Offender so convicted as aforesaid shall at any time again commit the like Offence or Offences contrary to this Act and be thereof in manner aforesaid convicted then such Offender so convict of such like Offence or Offences shall for every such Offence incur the penalty of ten shillings 2. Which Fine and Fines for the first and every other Offence shall be Levied by Distress and Sale of the Offenders Goods and Chattels or in case of the poverty of such Offender upon the Goods and Chattels of any other person or persons who shall be then convicted in manner aforesaid of the like Offence at the same Conventicle at the discretion of the said Justice Justices or Chief Magistrate respectively so as the Sum to be Levied on any one person in case of the poverty of other Offenders amount not in the whole to above the Sum of ten pounds upon occasion of any one Meeting as aforesaid 3. And every Constable Headborough Tythingman Church-Wardens and Over-seers of the Poor respectively are hereby Authorized and Required to Levy the same accordingly having first received a Warrant under the Hands and Seals of the said Justice Justices or Chief Magistrate respectively so to do 4 The said Monies so to be Levied to be forthwith delivered to the same Justice Justices or Chief Magistrate and by him or them to be distributed the one third part thereof to the use of the King's Majesty His Heirs and Successors to be paid to the High Sheriff of the County for the time being in manner following that is to say the Justice or Justices of Peace shall pay the same into the Court of the respective quarter-Quarter-Sessions which said Court shall deliver the same to the Sheriff and make a Memorial on Record of the payment and delivery thereof which said Memorial shall be a sufficient and final discharge to the said Justice and Justices and a charge to the Sheriff which said discharge and charge shall be certified into the Exchequer together and not one without the other And no Justice shall or may be questioned or accountable for the same in the Exchequer or elsewhere than in Quarter-Sessions another third part thereof to and for the use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed and the other third part thereof to the Informer and Informers and to such Person and persons as the said Justice Justices or chief Magistrate respectively shall appoint having regard to their diligence and Industry in the discovery dispersing and punishing of the said Conventicles 3. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every person who shall take upon him to preach or teach in any such Meeting Assembly or Conventicle and shall thereof be convicted as aforesaid shall forfeit for every such first Offence the sum of Twenty pound to be Levied in manner aforesaid upon his Goods and Chattles 2. And if the said Preacher or Teacher so convicted be a stranger and his Name and Habitation not known and is fled and cannot be found or in the Judgment of the Justice Justices or chief Magistrate before whom he shall be convicted shall be thought unable to pay the same the said
hundred Pounds the one Moiety to the use of the Informer to be Recovered by Action Suit Bill or Plaint in any of his Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall lie 12. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that if any Person be at any time Sued for putting in Execution any of the Powers contained in this Act otherwise than upon Appeal allowed by this Act such Person shall and may Plead the General Issue and give the special matter in Evidence 2. And if the Plaintiff be Nonsuit or a Verdict pass for the Defendant every such Defendant shall have his full Treble Costs 13. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that this Act and all clauses therein contained shall be Construed most largely and beneficially for the suppressing of Conventicles and for the Justification and Encouragement of all Persons to be Employed in the Execution thereof 2. And that no Record Warrant or Mittimus to be made by Vertue of this Act or any Proceedings thereupon shall be Reversed Avoided or any way Impeached by reason of any Default in form 3. And in Case any Person offending against this Act shall be an Inhabitant in any other County or Corporation or fly into any other County or Corporation after the Offence Committed the Justice of Peace or Chief Magistrate before whom he shall be Convicted as aforesaid shall certifie the same under his hand and Seal to any Justice of Peace or chief Magistrate of such other County or Corporation wherein the said person or persons are Inhabitants or are Fled into 4. Which said Justice or chief Magistrate respectively is hereby Authorized and required to Levy the Penalty or Penalties in this Act mentioned upon the Goods and Chattels of such person or Persons as fully as the said other Justice of Peace might have done in case he or they had been Inhabitants in the place where the Offence was Committed 14. Provided also that no Person shall be Punished for any Offence against this Act unless such Offender be Prosecuted for the same within three Months after the Offence Committed 2. And that no Person who shall be Punished for any Offence by Vertue of this Act shall be Punished for the same Offence by Vertue of any other Act or Law whatsoever 15. Provided and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that every Alderman of London for the time being within the City of London and the Liberties thereof shall have and they and every of them are hereby Impowered and required to Execute the same power and Authority within London and the Liberties thereof for the Examining Convicting and Punishing of all Offences within this Act committed within London and the Liberties thereof which any Justice of Peace hath by this Act in any County of England and shall be subject to the same Penalties and Punishments for not doing that which by this Act is directed to be done by any Justice of Peace in any County of England 16. Provided and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that if the Person Offending and Convicted as aforesaid be a Feme-covert cohabiting with her Husband the Penalties of five Shillings and ten Shillings so as aforesaid Incurred shall be Levyed by Warrant as aforesaid upon the Goods and Chattels of the Husband of each Feme-covert 17. Provided also that no Peer of this Realm shall be Attached or Imprisoned by Vertue or Force of this Act any thing matter or clause therein to the contrary notwithstanding 18. Provided also that neither this Act nor any thing therein contained shall extend to Invalidate or avoid his Majesties Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs 2. But that his Majesty and his Heirs and Successors from time to time and at all times hereafter Exercise and Enjoy all Powers and Authority in Ecclesiastical Affairs as fully and as amply as himself or any of his Predecessors have or might have done the same any thing in this Act notwithstanding Notes upon the foregoing Act. 1. By the Title Preamble and Scope of the Act it appears that the same is intended for suppressing Seditious Conventicles under Pretence of Religious Worship that is where the Conventiclers meet together under a pretence of Worship not according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England but indeed to carry on ill designs against the State 2. If any such Conventicle be the Justices knowing it by the Oaths of two Witnesses may make a Record thereof and then the Persons so offending shall forfeit so as in the Act you have heard 3. It must appear upon Oath before the Justices or Confession of the Parties 1. That it was a Seditious Conventicle met together to disturb the Peace under pretence of Religion 2. That the Worship there practised was not according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England so that the Informers must be present the whole time of the Meeting for if they only hear a man Praying or Preaching that is not contrary to the Practice of the Church of England and how does it appear that they did not read the Liturgy 3. It must be proved that there were Assembled five Persons or more besides the Inhabitants in the House 4. If a party be Fined above ten Shillings if he pay down the Money or it be levied within one Week after such Payment or Levy he may Appeal from the Justice Convicting to the next Quarter-Sessions where he shall have a Tryal by Jury thereupon and undoubtedly if it do not appear to the said Jury that it was a Seditious Meeting they ought to find for the Appealer 5. A General Warrant from any Justice or Justices to Constables to inquire after Seize c. all Conventicles in their Precincts is not good it ought to particularize the House and Place Houses and Places where the Conventicle is or Conventicles are held and then the Constable ought forthwith to goe and if he finds it so to suppress it but otherwise the Constable might be put to endless Vexation in hunting after Meetings to no purpose whereas the Act enjoyns him no such trouble and if you go once and find no Conventicle you are not obliged to go a second time on the same Warrant but ought to have a new one nor is the Constable obliged to turn Informer 6. As to Breaking open Doors you see the Act directs that it may be done first only in an House where 't is Inform'd there is actually a Conventicle as aforesaid that is upon the Oaths of two Persons 2. the Constables c. cannot do this without first there be a Demand and Denial to enter 3. Nor then neither without a Warrant from the Justice to that purpose If a Constable upon a light vain tale without two persons Swearing it that there is at such a House a Meeting and without Warrant shall venture to break open the Doors and there be found no Conventicle he makes himself liable to
accord voluntarily and freely give 5 Nor take nor receive any other or greater Sum or Sums for each nights Lodging or other Expences than what is reasonable and fitting in such cases or shall be so adjudged by the next Justice of the Peace or at the next quarter-Quarter-Sessions 6. And shall not cause or procure the said person or persons to pay for any other Wine Beer Ale Victuals Tobacco or other things than what the said person or persons shall voluntarily freely and particularly call for And that every Under-Sheriff Gaoler Keeper of Prison or Gaol and every person or persons whatsoever to whose Custody any person or persons shall be delivered or commited by virtue of any Writ of Process or any pretence whatsoever shall permit and suffer the said person or persons at his and their will and pleasure to send for and have any Beer Ale Victuals and other necessary Food where and from whence they please and also to have and use such Bedding Linnen and other things as the said person or persons shall think fit without any purloyning detaining or paying for the same or any part thereof nor shall demand take or receive of the said person or persons any other or greater Fee or Fees whatsoever for his her or their Commitment Release or Discharge or for his her or their Chamber-Rent than what is allowable by Law untill the same shall be settled by three Justices of the Peace whereof one to be of the Quorum of each particular County City and Town Corporate in their several Precincts and for the City of London and Counties of Middlesex and Surrey the two Lord Chief Justices of the Kings's-Bench and Common-Pleas and the Lord Chief Baron or any two of them and the Justices of the Peace of the same in their several Jurisdictions And likewise that the said Lord Chief Justice Lord Chief Baron and Justices of the Peace in their several Jurisdictions and all Commissioners for Charitable Uses do their best Endeavours and Diligence to Examine and finde out the several Legacies Gifts and Bequests bestowed and given for the Benefit and Advantage of the Poor Prisoners for Debt in the several Gaols and Prisons in this Kingdom and to send for any Deeds Wills Writings and Books of Accompts whatsoever and any person or persons concerned therein and to Examine them upon Oath to make true discovery thereof which they have full Power and Authority hereby to do and the same so found out and ascertained to order and settle in some manner and way that the Prisoners hereafter may not be defrauded but Receive the full benefit thereof according to the true intent of the Donors And that these Accounts of the several Legacies Gifts and Bequests given and bestowed upon the several Prisoners for Debt within this Kingdom and the several Rates of Fees and the future Government of Prisons be signed and confirmed by the Lord Chief Justices and Lord Chief Baron or any two of them for the time being and the Justices of the Peace in London Middlesex and Surrey and by the Judges for the several Circuits and Justices of the Peace for the time being in their several Precincts and fairly written and hung up in a Table in every Gaol and Prison before the first day of November 1671. and likewise be Registred by each and every Clerk of the Peace within his or their particular Jurisdiction And after such Establishment no other or greater Fee or Fees than shall be so Established shall be Demanded or Received And whereas it is become the common practice of Gaolers and Keepers of Newgate the Gate-house at Westminster and sundry other Gaols and Prisons to Lodge together in one Room or Chamber and Bed Prisoners for Debt and Felons whereby many times honest Gentlemen Trades-men and others Prisoners for Debt are disturbed and hindered in the night-time from their natural Rest by reason of their Fetters and Irons and otherwise much offended and troubled by their lewd and prophane Language and Discourses with most horrid Cursing and Swearing much accustomed to such persons 2. Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that it shall not be lawful hereafter for any Sheriff Gaoler or Keeper of any Gaol or Prison to put keep or Lodge Prisoners for Debt and Felons together in one Room or Chamber but that they shall be put kept and Lodged separate and apart one from another in distinct Rooms 3. Upon pain that he she or they which shall offend against this Act or the true Intent and meaning thereof or any part thereof shall forfeit and lose his or her Office Place or Imployment and shall forfeit treble damages to the party grieved to be Recovered by vertue of this Act any Law Statute Usage or Custom to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And to the End that English-men may more entirely enjoy their due Freedoms the prudence of our Legislators have thought fit from time to time to Remove Encroachments thereupon though under pretence of Jurisdictions and Courts of Justice and to prohibit any Exorbitant Arbitrary Power for the future but that all things may be left to the calm and equal proceedings of Law and that most excellent Method of Trial by Juries one of the principal Bulwarks of England's Liberties For an Instance hereof take the Act following An Act for Regulating of the Privy Council and for taking away the Court commonly called the Star-Chamber VVHereas by the Great Charter many times confirmed in Parliament it is Enacted That no Freeman shall be taken or Imprisoned or Disseized of his Freehold or Liberties or Free Customs or be Outlawed or Exiled or otherwise destroyed and that the King will not pass upon him or condemn him but by lawful Judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land 2. And by another Statute made in the fifth year of the Reign of King Edward it is Enacted That no man shall be Attached by any Accusation nor fore-judged of Life or Limb nor his Lands Tenements Goods nor Chattels seized into the King's Hands against the Form of the Great Charter and the Law of the Land 3. And by another Statute made in the five and twentieth year of the Reign of the same King Edward the third it is Accorded Assented and Established That none shall be taken by Petition or Suggestion made to the King or to his Council unless it be by Indictment or Presentment of good and lawful people of the same Neighbourhood where such Deeds be done in due manner or by Process made by Writ Original at the Common Law and that none be put out of his Franchise or Freehold unless he be duly brought in to Answer and fore-judged of the same by the course of the Law And if any thing be done against the same it shall be Redressad and holden for none 4. And by another Statute made in the eight and twentieth year of the Reign of the same King Edward the Third it is amongst other things Enacted That