ffor Denbigh & to Waters Creeke-Mr. Pittiplace Clause.

ffor the lower parish of Eli- Mr. Adam Thorow good.

zabeth City

Mr. William English.

Mr. George Downes.

of former laws, and the neces sity of this re

visal.

Whereas in the sessions of the Grand Assembly in Preamble, reMarch last past, divers acts were then made, which since are found in some cases defective and inconvenient, wee the Governor and Counsell togeather with the Burgisses in this present Grand Assembly have taken the sayd acts into theire consideration, and accordinge as was then provided where neede required have made a cleerer explanation of some of them, as likewise some additions and alterations; wee doe therefore hereby ordeyne and establish that these acts and orders in these presents followinge soe explaned and altered be pub

Repeal of all former acts.

Uniformity in doctrines and discipline of

the church of England.

Penalty for not attending church.

lished in this colony and to be accounted and adjudged in force. And all other acts and orders of any assembly heretofore holden to be voyd and of none effect.

ACT I.

FIRST, It is ordered, That there be a uniformitie throughout this colony both in substance and circumstance to the cannons & constitutions of the church of England as neere as may bee and that every person yeild readie obedience unto them uppon penaltie of the paynes and forfeitures in that case appoynted.

ACT II.

AND it is thought fitt, That the statutes for cominge to church every Sonday and holidayes be dulie executed that is to say that the church-wardens doe levy one shilinge for every tyme of any persons' absence from the church havinge no lawful or reasonable excuse to bee absent. And for due execution hereof the governor and counsell togeather with the Purgisses of this Grand Assembly doe in God's name ernestlie require and charge all commanders, captaynes and church-wardens that they shall endeavour Exhortation to themselves to the uttermost of theire knowledge that the due and true execution hereof may be done and had through this colony as they will answer before God for such evills and paynes wherewith Almightie God may iustlie punish his people for neglectinge this good and wholesome lawe.

attend.

Ministers and church war

dens to make

and return a register of marriages, births and deaths.

ACT III.

It is ordered, That as many of the mynisters as convenientlie may, and one of the church wardens at the presentments; least of every parish be present yearlie at midsomer quarter cortes holden at James Citty, on the first day of June and there to make theire presentments uppon oath togeather with a register of all Burialls, christenings and marriages as likewise theire accounts of all levyes, collections or disbursements as have beene or fallen out in theire tymes concerninge the churgh affayres. And further that they choose church-wardens at the feast of Easter yearelie

Church-wardens, when chosen.

ACT. IV.

NOE man shall disparage a mynister whereby the mynds of his parishioners may bee alienated from him and his mynistry prove lesse effectuall uppon payne severe censure of the Governor and Counsell.

ACT. V.

of

Penalty for disparaging a

minister.

not to be ce

lebrated without license, or

publication of

NOE mynister shall celebrate matrymony betweene Matrimony, any persons without a facultie or lycense graunted by the Governor except the banes of matrymony have beene first published three severall Sondayes or holidayes in the tyme of divine service in the parish churches banns. where the sayd persons dwell accordinge to the booke of common prayer, neither shall any mynister under Within what any pretence whatsoever, ioyne any persons so lycened house the cerein marriage at any unseasonable tymes but onlie be-mony to be tweene the howres of eight and twelve in the forenoone, nor when banes are thrice asked, and no lycense in that respect necessary, before the parents or governors of the parties to be maryed yf they be under the age of twenty one yeares, shall either personally or by sufficient testimony, signifie to him theire consents given to the sayd marriage.

ACT VI.

EVERY mynister in this colony havinge cure of soules shall preach one sermon every Sonday in the yeare, havinge no lawfull impediment, and yf the mynister shall neglect theire chardge by unnecessarie absence or otherwise, the church-wardens are to present it. But because in this colony the places of theire cure are in many parts farr distant; It is thought fitt, That the mynisters doe soe devide theire turnes as by the joynt agreement of the parishoners shall be de

sired.

performed

No marriage

to be celebrat

ed without consent of pa

rents or guardiaus.

ACT VII.

IT is thought fitt, That uppon every Sonday the mynisters shall halfe an hower or more before eveninge prayer examine, catechise, and instruct the youth and ignorant persons ofhis parish in the ten commandments, the articles of the beliefe and the Lords prayer. And

Penalty, on

parents, masters and children for neglect.

Church-wardens to take an oath.

Form of the oath.

Ministers to

visit those dan

shall diligentlie heere, instruct and teach them the catichisme, sett forth in the booke of comon prayer, and all ffathers, mothers, maysters, and mistrisses shall cause theire children, servants, and apprentizes which have not learned the catichisme to come to the church at the tyme appoynted obedientlie to heere and to be ordered by the mynister until they have learned the And yf any of the said ffathers, mothers, maysters, or mistrisses, children, servants, or apprentizes shall neglect theire duties as the one sort in not causinge them to come, and the other in refusinge to learne as aforesayd, they shall be censured by the corts in those places holden.

same.

ACT. VIII.

AND it is further ordered and thought expedient, accordinge to a former order made by the Governor and Counsell, that all church-wardens, shall take this oath and that it be administred before those that are of the comission for the monthlie corts, vizt.

"You shall sweare that you shall make true presentments of all such persons as shall lead a prophane or ungodlie life, of such as shall be comon swearers, drunkards, or blaspheamers, that shall ordinarilie prophane the saboth dayes or contemne God's holy word, or sacraments, you shall also present all adulterers or fornicators, such as shall abuse their neighbours by slanderinge, tale carryinge or backbitinge, or that shall not behave themselves orderlie and soberlie in the churche duringe devine service. Likewise you shall present such masters and mistrisses as shall be delinquent in catechising of the youth and ignorant persons, soe help you God."

ACT. IX.

WHEN any person is dangerouslie sicke in any gerously sick. parish the mynister havinge knowledge thereof shall resort unto him or her to instruct and comfort them in theire distresse.

Register of marriages,

ACT. X.

IN every parish church within this colony shall be kept, by the mynister a booke, wherein shall be writ

ten, the day and yeare of every christeninge, wed- births and dinge, and burriall.

deaths to be kept in each parish.

ACT XI.

Deportment of

MYNISTERS shall not give themselves to excesse in drinkinge or ryott, spending theire tyme idelie by ministers. day or by night playinge at dice, cards, or any other unlawfull game, but at all tymes convenient they shal heare or reade somewhat of the holy scriptures, or shall occupie themselves with some other honest studies, or exercise, alwayes doinge the things which shall apperteyne to honestie and endeavour to profitt the church of God, havinge alwayes in mynd that they ought to excell all others in puritie of life, & should be examples to the people, to live well and christianlie.

ACT XII.

be administer

IN every parish church within this colony the holy Sacrament to communion shall bee administred by the mynister ed 3 times a thrice in the yeare whereof the feast of Easter to be year.

one.

ACT III.

AND all preachinge, administringe of the communion baptizinge of children and marriages, shall be done in the church except in cases of necessitie.

ACT XIV.

crament, baptsm and marriages to be done in the church.

Preaching, sa

ministers.

THE Governor and Counsell, togeathe with the Provision for burgisses of this Grand Assembly uppon the petition of the mynisters within this colony, have taken into theire considerations by what way theire might be a sufficient means allowed unto the sayd mynister, for theire better subsistence and encouragement in there mynistry, and thereuppon have ordeyned and encted, That theire shall be payd unto the said mynistes, the for- 10 lb of tobac mer allowance of 10lb of tobacco and a buskli of corne, el of corn a in such manner as formerlie hath beene du. And because of the low rates of tobacco at present, it is further graunted and ordered that theire shal be likewise due to the mynisters, from the first day of March last past, for and duringe the terme of one whoe yeare next

co and a bush

tithe.