which it shall be commanded that the body of every such Offender shall be rendred to the Sheriff of the same County or Bailiff or other kéeper of the Goal of the Liberty before the next Assizes and general Goal delivery or before the next general or Quarter Sessions respectively to be holden for the said Shire Limit Division or Liberty And if at the said next Assizes and general Goal delivery or Sessions the same Offender so proclaimed shall not make appearance of Record Conviction of a Recusant That then upon every such Default recorded the same shall be as sufficient a Conviction in Law of the said Offence whereof the party shall stand Indicted as aforesaid as if upon the same Indictment a Trial by Verdict thereupon had proceéded and béen found against him or her and recorded General or Quarter Sessions Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Power of Justices of Peace revived Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 29 Eliz. 6. At their said Sessions c. General or Quarter Sessions c. What Sessions are here meant vide 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 7. To enquire hear and determine This is intended of Indictments only and revives the power of Justices of Peace given them by the Statute of 23 Eliz. cap. 1. and taken from them by the negative words of the Statute of 29 Eliz. cap. 6. so that now the Justices of Peace may proceed to Judgment against the Recusant upon 23. or convict him upon Proclamation and default of appearance and so may the Justices of Assize and Goal-delivery Justices of Assize and Goal delivery proceed either way For the words of this Statute and that of 29. which give the Proclamation being in the affirmative The Proclamation may be waved do not take away the proceedings upon 23. but that the Justices may wave the Conviction by Proclamation if they please Nor is the Informers Informer popular Suit taken away by 29. or by this Statute Co. 11.61 Dr. Fosters Case vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 7. Against any Person either for not repairing to Church This branch extends to all Recusants c. So that this Branch of the Statute which gives the Conviction by Proclamation extends to other Recusants besides Popish Recusants and is not restrained to this latter sort but is misrecited in this particular by Dalton V. cap. 110. tit Forfeiture for Felony Shall be rendred to the Sheriff c. before the next Assizes c. In an Action brought against Sir John Webb and his Wife for recovery of twenty pounds per month for the Recusancy of the Wife The Defendants plead that the Feme was before that time convicted for the same absence upon Indictment at the Kings Suit Proclamation erroneous and Proclamation made that she should render her self at the next Assizes and default of appearance thereupon But it was resolved by the Court of Kings Bench That the Plea was ill and that this was not a Conviction according to Law and therefore was in effect as no Conviction For the Proclamation was erroneous in two points 1. In the person to whom the Statute saith it shall be proclaimed that the Offenders body shall be rendred to the Sheriff c. But this Proclamation was That she should render her self to the Justices of Assize For the rendring of the body to the Sheriff is a material point And the intent of the Statute is not pursued in this Proclamation For the intent was that Recusants being dangerous members of the Commonwealth should be in the Custody of the Sheriff c. ne nocere valeant 2. In the time when The Proclamation was that she should render her self at the next Assizes but the Statute saith before the next Assizes And when the Proclamation is ill the Conviction for default of appearance thereupon cannot be good nor shall bar the King or the Informer of their Action And although by the subsequent Clause in this Act That no Proclamation shall be avoided for any defect c. the Recusant perhaps may be estopped to take such exception to the Proclamation yet the King is not Palmer 40.41 Bridgman 122. Rolles 2.108 Note that Palmer in his Report of this Case hath stated the first difference between the Statute and Proclamation as 't is here laid down and so the truth of the Case was But in reciting Bridgmans Argument he reports it quite contrary viz. That the Proclamation was That the Recusants body should be rendred to the Sheriff and that it ought to have been that it should be rendred to the Justices of Assize But this is a mistake and contrary to the Statute and the truth of the Case Or other kéeper of the Goal Keeper of a Goal A keeper of a Goal may be by usage or prescription Lib. Assiz 259. A. 42. Pl. 7. Co. 1. Inst 114. And if the person indicted for Recusancy live in a Corporation where the Sheriff hath not to do and he be Proclaimed upon this Statute he may render himself to the keeper of the Goal there Shall not make appearance of Record And if the Recusant do appear of Record at the Assizes Appearance shall save the default Goal delivery or general or quarter Sessions it shall be sufficient to save his default although he did not render himself to the Sheriff upon the Proclamation and this is clear by the words of the Statute which is grosly mistaken in this particular by Wingate tit Crowne numb 102. who saith the Recusant shall be convicted if he render not his Body to the Sheriff or Bailiff of the Liberty and that default be recorded Appearance how to be made This appearance must be in proper person and not by Attorney for none can at first appear by Attorney unless enabled by some Statute and all appearances by the Defendant in any Court ought by the Common Law to be in person Co. 10.101 Bewfages Case But after a Plea pleaded to an Indictment an Attorney may be admitted at the discretion of the Court if they think fit but not otherwise and in some Cases not without a special Writ directed to the Justices to that purpose Vide 16 E. 4. 5. Fitz. N. B. 26. It must be entred of record The party Indicted and Proclaimed who appears at the Assizes or Sessions must take care that his appearance be entred of Record For if the Clerk of the Assizes or Clerk of the Peace should mistake and instead thereof record his default he hath no way to avoid his standing convicted Action upon the Case But is put to his Action upon the Case against such Clerk of the Assizes or Peace Vide Popham 29. Keilway 180. What is a good appearance and what not The personal presence at the next Assizes or Sessions of the party indicted of Recusancy and Proclaimed although he continue there from the beginning to the ending is no sufficient ground to record his appearance nor shall save his default For
Marriage may also be lost by Marriage Eodem modo quo quid constituitur dissolvitur And in such Case she shall not be tried by Noblemen For they are no longer her Peers Co. 2. Inst 50. But if a Woman be Noble by birth By birth or descent whomsoever she marries yet she remaineth Noble For birthright is Character indelebilis vide Co. 4. 118. Actons Case Co. 6. 53. Countess of Rutlands Case Dyer 6 7 E. 6. 79. Bro. Nosme de Dignity 31. 69. Co. 1. Inst 69. And 't is observable that the Statute of 21 H. 8. cap. 13. Stat. 21 H. 8. 13 provides that a Dutchess Marquess Countess or Baroness Widows which take a second Husband under the Degree of a Baron may notwithstanding such second Marriage take such number of Chaplains as if she were a Widow which she could not have done if it had not been expresly provided for by the Statute and the reason is given in Actons Case because by such Marriage her Dignity is determined But here there being no such provisional Clause she shall not have the priviledge of Nobility but may be tendred the Oath of Allegiance by the Justice of Peace as in the Case of a Common person Shall stand and be Presented Indicted or Convicted Conviction not necessary These words being in the dis-junctive it is not necessary that the party be convicted But if he stand Presented or Indicted for not coming to Church or not receiving the Sacrament and be under the degree of a Baron the Justice of Peace ought to tender him this Oath And the said Iustice shall find Cause of suspition There must be cause of suspicion And not if the party be suspected as Wingate tit Crowne n. 150. mistakes for the bare suspition of the Justice of Peace or any other person is no sufficient ground to require the Oath or commit the party for refusal But there must be some good Cause for that suspition and the same must be alledged in the Justice of Peace his Plea or Justification if he be sued for committing him to Prison for such refusal So if a man be arrested on suspition of Felony and bring his Action for false Imprisonment the Defendant ought to shew some matter in fact to induce his suspition For in these and the like Cases a bare suspition is no sufficient Justification it being a matter secret and not traversable but the Cause of suspition is traversable Bulstrode 3. 284 285. Weale versus Wells 7 E. 4. 20. 17 E. 4. 5. 5 H. 7. 4. It shall be tried by the Justices And whether the suspition be just and lawful shall be tried and determined by the Justices Co. 2. Inst 52. 11 E. 4. 4. That then any one Iustice of Peace What was said by Coke Chief Justice B. R. in the Case of Griffith and others Bulstrode 2. 155. viz. that any one Justice of Peace One Justice of Peace may minister this Oath is to be understood of some Cases only Co. 12. 130. which are no other then those here mentioned as he explains his meaning in his said 12th Part p. 132. where he saith that one Justice of Peace cannot commit any for refusal of this Oath unless they be Prosecuted Indicted or Convicted c. according to this Statute Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 10. 11. Within whose Commission or Power such person or persons shall at any time hereafter be A person complained of and against whom cause of suspition is found by the Justice of Peace flies into another County A person complained of and justly suspected flies into another County Quaere whether a Justice of Peace of that other County can require the Oath of him and commit him upon refusal For he seems to be impowred thereunto by the express words of the Statute for that the party is fallen within his Commission or Power But yet I conceive that by these words any one Iustice of Peace within whose Commission or Power c. is designed or intended no other Justice then a Justice of that County where the party was complained of and suspected The Justices there cannot proceed thereupon And that if he flie into another County no proceedings can be there upon the complaint and suspition in the County whence he came nor any one Justice tender him the Oath or commit him for refusal without a new Complaint and cause of suspition in the County whither he flies For where the party cannot be Indicted of a Praemunire for refusing the Oath upon the second tender at the Assizes or Sessions there the Justice or Justices of Peace out of Sessions cannot tender the Oath or commit for refusal For the Commitment is in Order to a second tender and an Indictment of Praemunire thereupon But in this Case the party cannot be Indicted of a Praemunire in the County where he flies for refusing it upon the second tender For the offence for which the party must be Indicted is a complicated offence consisting of several particulars First In giving just cause of suspition without which the party complained of according to this Act cannot be tendred the Oath by one Justice of Peace then in refusing the Oath before the Justice of Peace who tendred it and lastly in refusing it upon the second tender at the Assizes or Sessions all which must be comprised in the Indictment so that the cause of suspition is pars criminis and that arising in the County where the party dwelt and was complained of cannot be punished in another County unless the Statute had expresly made it examinable there Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap 4. Stat. 5 Jac. 4. Sect. 11. True it is that some Statutes do enable Justices of Peace to punish an offence done in another County but that is where they enable them likewise to examine the truth of the Fact and take proofs and evidence thereof so the Statutes of 1 Jac. cap. 27. and 7 Jac. cap. 11. 1 Jac. 27. 7 Jac. 11. impower the Justices of Peace where the party is apprehended to examine and punish the offence But in our Case the cause of suspition arising in one County is not made examinable and consequently not punishable in another County and if not punishable there no Justice of Peace of that other County can proceed upon that cause of suspition notwithstanding the party happen to be within his Commission or power But yet the party so flying into another County may without any new complaint or cause of suspition be tendred the Oath But yet he may be tendred the Oath there and proceeded against there by two Justices of Peace Quorum unus c. by vertue of the foregoing words of this Clause although he dwell in another County and that for the reason before given viz. because this Oath sequitur personam non locum But Wingate in abridging this Clause tit Crowne numb 150. saves us the labour of this Question for
THis Book having been left with me I have perused divers parts of it as my leisure would permit and finding it judiciously Written and the design of it being very Useful and Seasonable I do recommend it to the Publick 14 June 1680. Fra. North. THE LAWS OF Q. ELIZABETH K. JAMES and K. CHARLES the First CONCERNING Iesuites Seminary Priests Recusants c. And concerning the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance EXPLAINED BY Divers Judgments and Resolutions OF THE REVEREND JUDGES Together with other Observations upon the same Laws TO Which is added the Statute XXV CAR. II. cap. 2. for preventing dangers which may happen from POPISH RECUSANTS And an Alphabetical Table to the whole By William Cawley of the Inner Temple Esq LONDON Printed for John Wright and Richard Chiswell at the Crown on Ludgate-Hill and the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXX TO THE READER THe principal scope and intent of the poenal Statutes here presented to thy view is To assert the Kings Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction To abolish the exercise of that which is forreign and was usurped and to forbid the entrance of such into the Realm who would restore that which is abolished To prevent the Reconciliation of the Kings Subjects to the Church of Rome and their Education in the Religion there professed and taught To oblige them by Oaths held one of the most strict and sacred tyes among men to that Obedience which they owe their Prince To take away from seditious and dangerous persons the power of doing hurt To procure a general Conformity to the Religion established and to inflict capital and other punishments on the infringers of these Laws 'T is no part of my design to sharpen this two edged Sword but only to take off some of its rust that by the brightness it may be the better discerned and avoided And to give some light such as my own obscurity will afford what are the just measures to be taken in reference to the Laws here treated of The Judgments and Resolutions of the Reverend Judges upon the several branches of these Statutes and of others likewise here occasionally mentioned as far as they relate to the subject in hand which lye scattered in the printed Books are here collected and placed under proper heads And this is the only thing the Statutes themselves excepted for which I durst recommend the Book to thy perusal Besides which there are several other Authorities cited in the Cases which arise upon these poenal Laws And here and there where the path is untrodden I have adventured to add some observations of my own Wherein I am sensible enough how great a hazard I run But my Apology shall be that they are offered only as probable Opinions and so I would be understood which where Authorities fail can have no other Basis to fix themselves on then the Rules of Law aptly applied by the strength of Reason And if in any of them the Reason offered shall by the learned be thought too weak or the Rule of Law misapplied I shall not insist upon the misfortunes of others who have made Essays of the like nature as a just excuse for mine but support my self with this hope that such will be most ready to pardon me who are the best able to censure me and that where I find the one I shall not fail of the other As for the mistakes which I have noted in those who have written more or less upon these Statutes I presume what I have done cannot be taken amiss seeing my aim is no other then theirs was to represent things truly as they are though we may sometimes miss the mark And I was the rather induced to rectifie them for that I found divers of them con-concern the Justices of Peace whose leisure or inclinations may not always serve them to peruse the Statutes at large and who by trusting to those shorter Tracts or Abridgments they have by them may be misled in the execution of their Office There is only one thing more which is to give thee notice that where I cite Wingate 't is intended of his Abridgment of the Statutes a work laborious enough but not always complying with the sense of the Statute Abridged and therefore here in several places corrected W. C. Stat. I Eliz. cap. I. An Act restoring to the Crown the ancient Jurisdiction over the Estate Ecclesiastical and Spiritual and abolishing all Forreign Powers repugnant to the same MOst humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty Stat. Sect. 1. your faithful and obedient Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this your present Parliament assembled that where in the time of the Reign of your most dear Father of worthy memory K. Henry the Eighth divers good Laws and Statutes were made and established as well for the utter extinguishment and putting away of all usurped and Forreign Powers and Authorities out of this your Realm and other your Highnesses Dominions and Countries as also for the restoring and uniting to the Imperial Crown of this Realm the ancient Iurisdictions Authorities Superiorities and Preheminences to the same of right belonging and appertaining by reason whereof We your most humble and obedient Subjects Great Exactions were taken by Forreign Power before the 25th year of K. H. 8. of the Inhabitants of this Realm from the five and twentieth year of the Reign of your said dear Father were continually kept in good Order and were disburthened of divers great and intolerable charges and exactions before that time unlawfully taken and exacted by such Forreign Power and Authority as before that was usurped until such time as all the said good Laws and Statutes by one Act of Parliament made in the first and second years of the Reigns of the late K. Philip and Q. Mary your Highnesses Sister entituled An Act repealing all Statutes Articles and Provisions made against the See Apostolick of Rome since the twentieth year of K. Henry the Eighth and also for the Establishment of all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Possessions and Hereditaments conveyed to the Laity were all clearly repealed and made void as by the same Act of Repeal more at large doth and may appear By reason of which Act of Repeal your said humble Subjects were eftsoons brought under an usurped Forreign Power and Authority and yet do remain in that bondage to the intolerable charges of your loving Subjects if some redress by Authority of this your High Court of Parliament with the assent of your Highness be not had and provided Stat. Sect. 2. May it therefore please your Highness for the repressing of the said usurped Forreign Power and the restoring of the Rights Iurisdictions and Preheminences appertaining to the Imperial Crown of this your Realm that it may be enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That the said Act made in the said first and second years of the Reigns of the said late K. Philip and Q. Mary A repeal of the Stat. of
one year and from thence forth till he have paid the said sum of Two hundred Marks And that every person which shall willingly hear Mass shall forfeit the sum of One hundred Marks and suffer Imprisonment for a year One hundred Marks And not Two hundred pounds Forfeiture as 't is mistaken in the late Additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 59. Be it also further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 5. The penalty for not coming to the Church by the space of a Month. That every person above the age of sixteen years which shall 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 her Majesties Reign for uniformity of Common Prayer and being thereof lawfully convicted shall forfeit to the Quéens Majesty for every month after the end of this Session of Parliament which he or she shall so forbear twenty pounds of lawful English money and that over and besides the said forfeitures every person so forbearing by the space of twelve months as aforesaid shall for his or her obstinacy after Certificate thereof in writing made into the Court commonly called the Kings-Bench by the Ordinary of the Diocess a Iustice of Assize and Goal-delivery or a Iustice of Peace of the County where such offender shall dwell or be be bound with two sufficient sureties in the sum of Two hundred pounds at the least to the good behaviour and so to continue bound until such time as the persons so bound do conform themselves and come to the Church according to the true meaning of the said Statute made in the said first year of the Queéns Majesties Reign Existens aetatis c. shall refer to the time of absence Above the age of sixteen years Talbot was Indicted upon this Statute Quod existens aetatis 16 annorum amplius non accessit ad Ecclesiam c. The question was whether the Existens aetatis 16 annorum should refer to the time of his Indictment or to the time of his absence And the Judges conceived that the Indictment was well enough and pursuant to the Statute And that Existens should in this Case refer to the time of his absence Moore 606. C. 838. Recusancy consists in omission Not repair c. but forbear This offence Consists not in committing but in omitting and is but a nonfeasance and therefore cannot be said to be in any certain place And for this reason in a Popular Action brought by the Informer qui tam c. there needs no place be alledged in the Declaration Anderson 1. 139. C. 190. Cuffe versus Vachel nor is Recusancy within that Branch of the Statute of 31 Eliz. cap. 5. Stat. 31 El. 5. which saith That the offence shall be laid in the proper County where it was done or committed For to speak properly it was not committed any where Hobart 251. Grimstone versus Molineux Vide infra Sect. 9. Conviction in the same Suit sufficient Being thereof lawfully convicted By this is not meant that the party must be convicted in some former Suit But a conviction upon the same Indictment or Information which is brought against him for the recovery of the 20 l. per month is a sufficient conviction within the meaning of this Statute And so are all penal Statutes which have in them those words being thereof lawfully convicted to be understood that is of a conviction in the same Suit whereupon the penalty is to be recovered For the meaning only is that the Offender shall forfeit nothing before conviction which is no more then the Law implies And therefore in truth these words are but superfluous and might have been as well omitted Co. 11. 59. Rolls 1. 90. C. 41. Dr. Fosters Case Rolls 1. 234. C. 6. Bulstrode 3. 87. The King against Law Nor is Conviction here intended only of a Convicton by Verdict What Conviction is here meant And therefore if the Offender be convicted upon his Confession of the fact and Judgment thereupon be had and consequently if Judgment be had against him upon a Demurrer which is a Confession of the matter of fact or if Judgment be given against him on nihil dicit for any other Cause any of these are sufficient Convictions whereupon to recover this Penalty For Convicted is here to be taken for Attainted as 't is in many other Cases For until Judgment he shall forfeit nothing And although he that is Convicted is not therefore Attainted yet every one who is Attainted or Adjudged is Convicted And of such a Conviction is this Statute to be understood Dr. Fosters Case Rolles 1. 89. 90. C. 41. Co. 11. 60. where several Cases are cited which prove that Convicted is oftentimes put for Attainted Shall forfeit to the Queens Majesty Shall forfeit i. e. to the King These words to the Queens Majesty are but surplusage and import no more than the Law would have given the Queen without them for where a Statute gives a forfeiture and limits it not to any particular person the King shall have it by Construction of Law as was agreed in the Case of Agard and Tandish Anderson 2. 128. C. 73. and so should he have this whole 20 l. per month if the Statute had staid here and had not afterwards made another express appointment Vid. Sect. 9. For every month Month what It seems that the month here mentioned shall be accounted secundum numerum singulorum dierum allowing but 28 days to a month For so are all Statutes to be understood which speak of the month unless W. 2. cap. 5. W. 2. 5. 2 3 E. 6. 13 for the account of a Lapse and 2 3 E. 6. of proving a suggestion Co. 1. Inst 135. Cro. Trin 5 Jac. 166. 167. Bishop of Peterburgh versus Catesby Yelverton 100. Catesby versus Baker Hobart 179. Copley versus Collins And of this Opinion the Court of Kings-Bench seemed to be upon Construction of the Statute of Liveries in the Case of Donner and Smith Trin. 43 Eliz. Cro. 835. The Recusant may forfeit for 13 months in a year so that by this account the Recusant shall forfeit thirteen score pounds in the whole year In an Information brought by Parker Qui tam Conformity in part not available c. against Sir John Curson and his Wife for the Recusancy of the Wife for eleven months and non culp pleaded It was proved at the Trial B. R. Pasch 17. Jac. that she conformed and came to Church for part of the time in the Information yet forasmuch as she was a Recusant both before and after it was said by the Court that her Conformity for some part of the time should not excuse her and she was found guilty for the whole time Cro. Jac. 529. The Informer demands less then is due The Informer shewed that the
Heir or Successor as was adjudged in the Case of an Annuity granted to Sir Thomas Wroth during his life Plowden 457. Provided always Stat. Sect. 8. Trial of a Peer If it happen at any time hereafter any Péer of this Realm to be Indicted of any Offence made Treason Felony or Praemunire by this Act That he shall have his Trial by his Péers as in other Cases of Treason Felony or Praemunire is accustomed Provided nevertheless and it is declared by authority aforesaid That if any such Iesuit Seminary Priest or other Priest abovesaid shall fortune to be so weak or infirm of Body that he or they may not pass out of the Realm by the time herein limited without eminent danger of life and this understood as well by the Corporal Oath of the party as by other good means unto the Bishop of the Diocess and two Iustices of Peace of the same County where such person or persons do dwell or abide That then and upon good and sufficient Bond of the person or persons with Sureties of the sum of Two hundred pounds at the least with condition that he or they shall be of good behavior towards our Sovereign Lady the Queén and all her liege people Then he or they so licensed and doing as is aforesaid shall and may remain and be still within this Realm without any loss or danger to fall on him or them by this Act for so long time as by the same Bishop and Iustices shall be limited and appointed so as the same time of aboad exceed not the space of six months at the most And that no person or persons shall sustain any loss or incur any danger by this Act for the receiving or maintaining of any such person or persons so licensed as is aforesaid for and during such time only as such person or persons shall be so licensed to tarry within this Realm Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Stat. Sect. 9. One knowing a Jesuit or Priest to remain in the Realm must discover it to a Justice of Peace or higher Officer And be it also further Enacted by Authority aforesaid That every person or persons being Subject of this Realm which after the said forty days shall know and understand that any such Iesuit Seminary Priest or other Priest abovesaid shall abide stay tarry or be within this Realm or other the Queéns Dominions and Countries contrary to the true meaning of this Act and shall not discover the same unto some Iustice of Peace or other higher Officer within twelve days next after his said knowledge but willingly conceal his knowledge therein that every such Offender shall make Fine and be imprisoned at the Quéens pleasure And that if such Iustice of Peace or other such Officer to whom such matter shall be so discovered do not within Eight and twenty days then next following give Information thereof to some of the Quéens Privy Councel or to the President or Vice-president of the Quéens Councel established in the North or in the Marches of Wales for the time being That then he or they so offending shall for every such Offence forfeit the sum of two hundred marks And be it likewise Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That such of the Privy Councel President or Vice-president to whom such Informations shall be made shall thereupon deliver a note in writing subscribed with his own Hand to the party by whom he shall receive such Information testifying that such Information was made unto him Being Subject of this Realm And not any person as Wingate tit Crowne numb 59. mistakes What is meant by a Subject of this Realm Subject of this Realm who Vide Stat. 3 Jac. cap. 4. Sect. 23. Vnto some Iustice of Peace or other higher Officer Vide Stat. 35 Eliz. cap. 2. Sect. 8. At the Quéens pleasure Fine and imprisonment at the Queens pleasure In this Case the Offender must be proceeded against according to the course of Law for he cannot be fined or imprisoned at the Kings pleasure by force of this Statute before he be Indicted Convicted and Judgment given against him And so were the proceedings against Sir Thomas Figet for going armed contrary to the Statute of 2 E. 3. Stat. 2 E. 3. 3 cap. 3. For the Book 24 E. 3. 33. saith that he was arraigned c. And if in this Case the Offender be committed to prison in order to his Trial and conviction yet before Judgment or at least before conviction he may be let to mainprize and the Fine shall be imposed by the Justices before whom he is convicted Justiciarii per eorum discretionem assessent finem non Dominus Rex per se in Camera sua nec aliter coram se nisi per Justiciarios suos haec est voluntas Regis viz. per Justiciarios suos legem suam unum est dicere 2 R. 3. 11. vide Co. 4. Inst. 71. 179. Note Sir Robert Brook in abridging the forementioned Case of Sir Thomas Figet saith that he was committed to the Prison of the Marshalsey and could not be mainprized until the King had signified his pleasure but omits the principal matter worthy of observation viz. That he was first arraigned c. Bro. Contempts 6. And be it also Enacted That all such Oaths Stat. Sect. 10. All Oaths Bonds and submissions to be certified into the Chancery Bonds and Submissions as shall be made by force of this Act as aforesaid shall be certified into the Chancery by such parties before whom the same shall be made within thrée months after such submission upon pain to forfeit and lose for every such Offence One hundred pounds of lawful English money the said forfeiture to be to the Quéen her Heirs and Successors None submitting himself shall come within ten miles of the Queen And that if any person so submitttng himself as aforesaid do at any time within the space of Ten years after such submission made come within Ten miles of such place where her Majesty shall ve without especial Licence from her Majesty in that behalf to be obtained in writing under her Hand that then and from thenceforth such person shall take no benefit of his said submission but that the same submission shall be void as if the same had never béen Stat. xxix Eliz. cap. vi An Act for the more speedy and due Execution of certain Branches of the Statute made in the 23 d. year of the Queens Majesties Reign Entituled An Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their due Obedience FOr avoiding of all Frauds and Delays heretofore practised Stat. Sect. 3. Certain assurances made by Recusants shall be void against the Queen or hereafter to be put in ure to the hindrance of the due and spéedy Execution of the Statute made in the Session of Parliament holden by Prorogation at Westminster the sixtéenth day of January in the thrée and twentieth year of
one as conceals his true Name or Quality or cannot give a good Accompt what he is For so it must be reasonably intended and not of all Travellers through the Country as Wingate tit Crowne numb 106. mistakes for it appears by the other qualifications here enumerated that the intent of the Act is that it shall be offered by the Bishop or two Justices to such only of whom there is any just cause of suspition Stat. Sect. 11. Refusal of the Oath And be it further Enacted That if any such person or persons other than Noblemen or Noblewomen shall refuse to answer upon Oath to such Bishop or Iustices of Peace examining him or her as aforesaid or to take the said Oath so duly tendred unto him or her by such Bishop or two such Iustices of Peace out of Sessions that then the said Bishop or Iustices of Peace shall and may commit the same person to the common Goal there to remain without Bail or Mainprize until the next Assizes or General or Quarter Sessions to be holden for the said Shire Division Limit or Liberty where the said Oath shall be again in the said open Assizes or Sessions required of such person by the said Iustices of Assize or Iustices of Peace then and there present or the greater number of them And if the said person or persons or any other person whatsoever other then Noblemen or Noblewomen of the age of Eightéen years or above shall refuse to take the said Oath being tendred unto him or her by the Iustices of Assize and Goal delivery in their open Assizes or the Iustices of Peace or the greater part of them in their said general Quarter Sessions every person so refusing shall incur the danger and penalty of Praemunire mentioned in the Statute of Praemunire Praemunire made in the sixtéenth year of the Reign of King Richard the Second except Women Covert Women Covert who upon refusal of the said Oath shall be by the said Iustices of Assize in their open Assize or Iustices of Peace in their General or Quarter Sessions for the said Offence committed only to the common Goal there to remain without Bail or Mainprize till they will take the said Oath There to remain without Bail or Mainprize Sureties cannot be taken The Bishop or two Justices cannot take Sureties of him who refuses the Oath for his appearance at the Assizes or Sessions as Wingate tit Crowne numb 107. mistakes but must commit him immediately to Goal nor can any other Court or Justices Bail him in this Case Vntil the next Assizes or General or Quarter Sessions This being in the Disjunctive Commitment till Assizes or Sessions the Bishop or two Justices have their election to commit the party refusing the Oath either until the next Assizes or until the next Sessions as they shall think fit For some may be more aptly committed until the next Assizes and some until the next Sessions Co. 12. 131 132. What Sessions is here meant Sessions Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 7. And if the said person or persons or any other person whatsoever c shall refuse These words any other person whatsoever are exclusive of the said person or persons who are committed for refusal For 't is here in the disjunctive To whom the Oath may be tendred so that it seems that if any person whatsoever of the age of eighteen years or above and under the degree of a Nobleman or Noblewoman be at the Assizes or general Quarter Sessions of the Peace whether voluntarily or brought in upon Process on an Indictment of Recusancy or for any other matter and be there tendred this Oath and refuse to take it although it were never tendred to him before yet upon his refusal there he incurs a Praemunire And in this respect this Statute is more extensive then that of 7 Jac. cap. 6. Stat. 7 Jac. 6. where there must be a Prior tender and refusal of this Oath otherwise a refusal of it at the Assizes or Sessions doth not make a Praemunire by that Act. Vide Co. 12. 131. Shall incur the danger and penalty of Praemunire If a man be committed by the Bishop or two Justices of Peace for refusal of this Oath and the tender and refusal be expressed in the Mittimus the Justices of Assize or Justices of Peace in their Sessions are bound to take notice of this tender and refusal and after they have there made the party a second tender of the Oath and he refuses it Indictments of Praemunire upon this Statute by which he incurs a Praemunire the Indictment against him to convict and attaint him of a Praemunire must contain all the special matter viz. that he stood Convicted or Indicted of Recusancy or that he had not received the Sacrament twice within the year next before or that passing through the Country and unknown being examined upon Oath he confessed or denied not c. as the Case is and that the Oath was tendred to him by the Bishop or two Justices of Peace Quorum unus c. and he refused it and that it was again tendred to him in open Court and he again refused it For in this Case the Mittimus Mittimus is the ground upon which he must be proceeded against at the Assizes or Sessions But if the first tender and refusal be not expressed in the Mittimus or Warrant of commitment there although there was a tender and refusal of the Oath before the Bishop or two Justices yet the Justices of Assize or Justices of Peace in their Sessions can take no notice of it But they must there tender him the Oath without reference to any Prior tender which they may do by force of the said general words any other person whatsoever and if he refuse it he incurs a Praemunire And in this Case the Indictment may be short and general scil that he was tendred the Oath in open Court and refused it c. And so it must be in all Cases where in truth there was never any Prior tender and refusal Co. 12. 131 132. Stat. 7 Jac. 6. Justices of Peace Vide the Statute of 7. Jac. cap. 6. whereby the power of the Justices of Peace is in some particular Cases inlarged in reference to this Oath Stat. Sect 12. The Oath of Allegiance The form of which Oath hereafter followeth I A. B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Sovereign Lord King James is Lawful and Rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to Authorize any Foreign Prince to
or Books shall be found in their or any of their Custody as in the Opinion of the said Iustices Mayor Bailiff or Chief Officer as aforesaid shall be thought unméet for such Recusant as aforesaid to have or use the same shall be presently defaced and burnt if it be méet to be burned And if it be a Crucifix or other Relique of any price the same to be defaced at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace in the County where the same shall be found and the same so defaced to be restored to the owner again Shall be thought unmeét for such Recusant So that the Justices of Peace are not bound by this Act to deface all Reliques of price or to burn or deface Not all to be defaced or burnt all other Reliques or Popish Books as Wingate tit Crown numb 144. misleads them in this particular Unmeet sense of it here And although herein much is referred to the discretion of the Justices of Peace yet where the Husband is a Protestant and only the Wife a Popish Recusant it seems by these words that they are not to consider what is unmeet for the Husband but what is unmeet for the Recusant viz. the Wife and that it was not intended that they should seize burn or deface any Books of the Husbands though Popish unless such whereby the Wife might be aided or confirmed in her Superstition so that in this Case Books written in a Language or Stile unintelligible to the Wife are not within the meaning of this Act nor ought by colour thereof to be taken from the Husband who is no Popish Recusant At the General Quarter Sessions Vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 7. General Quarter Sessions Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Stat. Sect. 24. A Popish Recusants Armour shall be seized That all such Armour Gunpowder and Munition of whatsoever kinds as any Popish Recusant Convict within this Realm of England hath or shall have in his House or Houses or elsewhere or in the hands or possession of any other at his or their disposition shall be taken from such Popish Recusants or others which have or shall have the same to the use of such Popish Recusant by Warrant of four Iustices of Peace at their General or Quarter Sessions to be holden in the same County where such Popish Recusant shall be resident other than such necessary weapons as shall be thought fit by the said four Iustices of Peace to remain and be allowed for the defence of the person or persons of such Recusants or for the defence of his her or their House or Houses and that the said Armour and Munition so taken shall be kept and maintained at the Costs of such Recusants in such places as the said Four Iustices of Peace at their said Sessions of the Peace shall set down and appoint And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid The forfeiture for not delivering it That if any such Recusant having or which shall have any such Armour Gunpowder and Munition or any of them or if any other person or persons which shall have any such Armour Gunpowder and Munition or any of them to the use of any such Recusant shall refuse to declare or manifest unto the said Iustices of Peace or any of them what Armour he she or they have or shall have or shall lett hinder or disturb the delivery thereof to any of the said Iustices or to any other person or persons authorized by their Warrant to take and seize the same then every such person so offending contrary to this Statute in this behalf shall forfeit and lose to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors his and their said Armour Gunpowder and Munition and shall also be imprisoned by Warrant of or from any Iustices of Peace of such County by the space of thrée months without Bail or Mainprize General or Quarter Sessions Stat. 23 Eliz. 1 Where such Arms cannot be seized At their General or Quarter Sessions Vide Stat. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. Sect. 7. In the same County where such Popish Recusant shall be resident A Popish Recusant lives in one County and his Arms are kept in another County by one who is no Popish Recusant such Arms cannot be seized by force of this Act by the Justices of Peace of either County not by the Justices of the County where the Arms are kept for the seizure or taking is here limited to be by Warrant at the Sessions in the County where the Recusant resides and the Statute must be strictly pursued in that particular nor by the Justices of the County where the Recusant is resident for the Arms are in another County where they have nothing to do Power of a Justice of Peace out of his County And although in some Cases where a Statute appoints a Justice of Peace to do a thing he may do it out of his County Power of a Justice of Peace out of his County as to take an examination upon the Statute of Winton of a Robbery as was resolved in the Case of Helier and the Hundred of Benhust Pasch 7. Car. 1. B. R. Jones 239. Cro. Car. 213. yet he cannot exercise any coercive power out of his County as was resolved in that Case for his potestas Jurisdictionis is confined to his County as well as that of a Bishop is confined to his Diocess Vide Palmer 473. Ascuithes Case And here the taking of the Recusants Armor is a coercive Act and therefore can be executed by Warrant of the four Justices of Peace in that County only where they are Justices So that this is clearly Casus omissus and not provided for by this Act. Vide postea Four Justices In such places as the said four Iustices of Peace c. shall set down and appoint And not where one Justice shall appoint as is mistaken in the late additions to Dalton cap. 81. tit Recusants Sect. 40. Imprisoned by Warrant of or from any Iustices of Peace Any two Justices may grant their Warrant for Imprisoning the Offender Two sufficient and 't is sufficient in this Case for pluralis numerus est duobus contentus But a Warrant from any one Justice will not serve contrary to Wingate tit Crowne numb 145. Of such County County That is of the County where the Popish Recusant is resident for no other County was named before In what Case the party cannot be imprisoned A Popish Recusant lives in one County and his Arms are kept in another County by one who is no Popish Recusant The Justices of Peace of that other County cannot by force of this Act imprison him that keeps them for they are not named here but the power in this Case is expresly limited to other Justices and no other can intermedle therein neither will the Warrant of the Justices of Peace of the County where the Recusant is resident reach
Colledges that now are or hereafter shall be received into the same being under the Degrée of a Baron before the President Master Provost Warden or other head or chief Governour of that Colledge Hall or House whereinto he shall be received and in the open Hall And all Doctors of Physick Doctors and Practisers of Physick and all other who practise Physick that now are or hereafter shall be admitted into the Colledge of Physitians in London before the President of the same Colledge for the time being And all Aldermen Sheriffs or Vnder-Officers whatsoever of the Cities and Towns Corporate Aldermen Sheriffs Under-Officers and Freemen of Cities and Towns Corporate and all such as hereafter shall be made Fréemen of the said City or Town Corporate before the Mayor Bailiffs or other Chief Officer of the said City or Town in the open Hall And to the intent that due execution may be had of the premisses without delay When the said persons shall take the said Oath It is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all the persons beforenamed who have any certain time limited or expressed when to take the aforesaid Oath shall at the time therein prescribed take the same and the rest within six months next after the end of this present Session of Parliament And be it further Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament Stat. Sect. 4. Who may tender the said Oath and to whom That it shall and may be lawful to and for any one of the Privy Council of your Highness or of your Heirs and Successors and to and for every Bishop within his Diocess to require any Baron or Baroness of the age of Eightéen years or above to take the said Oath and to and for any two Iustices of Peace within any County City or Town Corporate whereof one to be of the Quorum to require any person or persons of the age of Eightéen years or above under the Degrée of a Baron or Baroness to take the said Oath And if any person or persons of or above the said age and degrée now stand or hereafter any time shall stand and be Presented Indicted or Convicted for not coming to Church or not receiving the Holy Communion or Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm before the Ordinary or other having lawful power to take such Presentment or Indictment Then thrée of the Privy Council of your Highness your Heirs and Successors whereof the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seal or Principal Secretary to be one upon knowledge thereof shall require such person or persons to take the said Oath And if any other person or persons whatsoever of and above the said age and under the said degrée now stand or at any time hereafter shall stand and be Presented Indicted or Convicted for not coming to Church or receiving the Holy Communion or Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm before the Ordinary or any other having lawful power to take such Presentment or Indictment Or if the Minister Petty Constable and Church-wardens or any two of them shall at any time hereafter complain to any Iustice of Peace near adjoyning to the place where any person complained of shall dwell and the said Iustice shall find cause of suspition That then any one Iustice of Peace within whose Commission or Power such person or persons shall at any time hereafter be or to whom complaint shall be made as aforesaid shall upon notice thereof require such person or persons to take the said Oath For any two Iustices of Peace within any County City or Town Corporate c. The two Justices of Peace may require this Oath of any person that shall happen to be within their Jurisdiction although his habitation be in another County or Liberty For the Oath of Allegiance sequitur personam non locum This Oath sequitur personam non locum Bulstrode 2. 155. The King against Griffith al' To require any person or persons This is an enlargement of the power given to two Justices of Peace Power of Justices of Peace enlarged by 3 Jac. cap. 4. For thereby they could have required the Oath but only in some particular Cases vide that Statute Sect. 10. But by this Statute they may require it of any person whatsoever of competent age and under the degree of a Baron or Baroness Warrant to bring the party The Justices of Peace in this Case or the Justice of Peace in the following Case may make his or their special Warrant to the Constable to bring the party before the said Justice or Justices to take the Oath For the Statute by giving them power to require the Oath doth implicitely authorize them to make such a Warrant Quando lex aliquid alicui concedit conceditur id sine quo res ipsa esse non potest And it is against the Office of the Justices of Peace and the Authority hereby given them to go and seek the party Co. 12. 130. But the Constable cannot by virtue of such Warrant break the House Breaking the House where the party is For he is no Offender before he refuse the Oath or commit some Contempt to the King Ibid. And if any person or persons of or above the said age and degreée That is of the said age and above the said Degree of a Baron Persons above the degree of a Baron or Baroness For so the words must be taken viz. conjunctively and not of such who are of the degree of a Baron or Baroness and no more For the precedent words appointed that the Oath may be tendred to such by any Privy Counsellor or the Bishop of the Diocess in all cases although they were never Convicted Indicted or Presented But to such Noblemen or Noblewomen as are above that degree it cannot be tendred by virtue of this Act unless they have been before Convicted Indicted or Presented for not coming to Church or not receiving the Sacrament And in those Cases no less then three Privy Counsellors Quorum unus c. can tender it Co. 12. 130 131. And if any other person or persons whatsoever c. under the said Degreé A Baroness or any Woman above that Degree Noblewoman by Marriage who is not Noble by birth but only by Marriage becomes a Widow and takes a second Husband under the Degree of Nobility and is Convicted Indicted or Presented of Recusancy or complained of by the Minister c. to a Justice of Peace who finds cause of suspition The Justice of Peace may require her to take this Oath although she were once Noble For by her second Marriage she hath lost her Nobility and name of Dignity together with the priviledges of her Nobility Quando mulier Nobilis nupserit ignobili desinit esse Nobilis which is to be understood of Nobility acquired by Marriage For that which was gotten by