^,D. i6g6. Anno feptimo 6c odavo GuLiELMi III. ^- 35-' ^^ Curate, who fliall marry any Perfons contrary to the true Intent and Meaning thereof, fhall forfeit the Sum of one hundred Pounds : Which Claufe was fo enadled and provided for the better afcertaining, levying, and collefting the aforefaid Duty of five Shillings upon every Licence or Certificate of Marriage, but by Experience is found inefFe£l:ual for the fame, in regard the faid Penalty of one hundred Pouiids is not extended to every Offence of the fame Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, fo offending as aforefaid: And I whereas the Force and Intent of the faid Claufe is otherwife eluded and made of none Effedt, by feveral i iParfons, Vicars, and Curates, who, to avoid the faid Penalty of one hundred Pounds, do fuliflitute and employ, and knowingly and wittingly fuffer and permit, divers other Miniflers to marry great ISI umbers of rcrfons in their refpeflive Churches and Chapels, without Publication of Banns, or Licences of I Marriage firft had and obtained ; many of which Miniflers fo fubftituted, employed, permitted, and fuf- ! fared to marry, as aforefaid, have no Benefices or fettled Habitations, and are poor and indigent, and cannot eafily be difcovered and convi£i:ed of the Offences aforefaid : And whereas divers Miniftere, being in Prifon for Debt and otherwife, do marry in the faid Prifons, many Perfons reforting thither for the ! Purpofes aforefaid, and in other Places for Lucre and Gain to themfelves ; by all which Means the Du- ' ties and Impofitions upon Licences of Marriage, as aforefaid, are greatly diminifhed and fublfradled, and many other great Inconveniences do arife :' For the remedying and preventing whereof, JI. Be it enaiSted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and v/ith the Advice and Confent of the uords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, (That from and after the four and twentieth Day of June in the Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hun- Penalty on Par- ired ninety and fix, every Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, who fhall marry any Perfons in any Church or Cha- ^ns marrying jel, exempt or not exempt, or in any other Place whatever, v^/ithout Publication of the Banns of Matri- "'■y^'^'^' "^^""s Tiony between the refpeAive Perlbns according to Law, or without Licences for the faid Marriages firft ' lad and obtained, fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit the Sum of one hundred Pounds. III. And for the more effectual preventing the Abufes aforefaid, be it further enadled by the Authority iforefaid. That every Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, who fhall fubflitute or employ, or knowingly and wit- and for perniit, .."ingly fhall fuffer and permit, any other Minifler to marry any Perfons in any Church or Chapel to luch ting others ib td : Parfon, Vicar, or Curate belonging or appertaining, without Publication of Banns or Licences of Mar- ^'^• ,'iage firfl had and obtained, fhall for every fuch Oftence forfeit the Sum of one hundred Pounds ; tlie afore- laid refpective Forfeitures to be recovered by Adlion of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of His Majefly's Courts of Record, wherein no Eflbin, Wager, or ProtecSlion of Law, or any more than one Im- barlance, {hall be allowed; one Moiety thereof to his Majeffy, his Heirs and Succcflbrs, and the other Moiety to him or them who fhall inform or fue for the fame. IV. And for the better afcertaining, levying, and colle£ling, the faid Duties on Marriages and Licences, Penalty nn thofe as aforefaid ; Be it further enacSled by the Authority aforefaid. That from and after the ibur and twentieth married witliont Day of June in the Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hundred ninety and fix, eveiy Man fo married ^5'^"'^^' "■■ Without Licence or Publication of Banns, as aforefaid, fhall forfeit the Sum often Pounds, to here- '""^ '
- overed, together with Cofis of Suit, in Manner as aforefaid, by any Perfon who fiiall inform br fue for and on Pariflj
the fame ; and likewife that every Sexton, or Parifli Clerk, or other Perfon afting as Sexton or Parifli Clerks affiftmg Clerk, who fhall knowingly and wittingly aid, promote, and ailift, at fuch Marriages fo celebrated without ^.' '"'^^ ^'"' rr> Banns or Licences, as aforefaid, fhall forfeit the Sum of five Pounds, to be recovered with Cofts of Suit s^f^^g Geo. 2. in Manner as aforefaid by any Perfon who fhall inform or fue for the fame. c. 33. finraii^ig ' V. And whereas divers Children who are born within this Kingdom are not chriftned according to clandejiine M^r- ■ the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, and many are chriftned in private Ploufes, nor are "Z" '"«'•'• ' the Parents of fuch Children obliged by the aforefaid KG. to give Notice to their refpeftive Minifters, of ' the Births of fuch Children ; for want whereof an exadf Regifter of all Perfons born is not kept, and ' many Perfons chargeable with the Duties in the faid AtSt mentioned do thereby efcape the Payment of ' the feveral Sums due to His Majefty, and charged upon them by the faid Aft, by reafon of the Births of ' fuch Children :' For Remedy whereof be it enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That from and after the Penalty on pa- four and twentieth Day of yune, which fhall be in the Year one thoufand fix hundred ninety and fix, the rents not giving Parents of every Child, which fhall at any Tim. e be born after the faid Day and Year, and during the ^o" '" 5 i^^)' Continuance of the faid A<Ss, or one of them, fhall within five Days after fuch Birth give Notice to the °/"chi!d '* refpe£tive Re£i;or, Vicar, Curate, or Clerk of the Parifh or Place where fuch Child was born, of the Day of the Birth of every fuch Child : And in cafe any Parent fhall negledl to give fuch Notice as aforefaid, he or fhe fhall forfeit the Sum of forty Shillings, one Moiety thereof to the King's Majefty, and the other Moiety to the Informer ; the which faid P.e£l:or, Vicar, Curate, or Clerk of the Parifn, or their Subfti- Diftina Regi- tutes, are hereby required, during the Continuance of the faid Aft, to take an exaft and true Account, tters to be kept and keep a diftin£i: Regifter of all and every Perfon or Perfons fo born in his or their refpefiive Pariflies or "* ^i"idren not Precinfts, and not chriftned ; for doing which the Parents of fuch Child, or one of them, fhall pay to every p^^^m- to **"- fuch Parfon, Reftor, Vicar, Curate, or Clerk of the Parifb, the Sum of Six Pence ; and if any iijch Rec- eij. forregi-' tor. Vicar, Curate, Parfon, or Minifter, fhall refufe or negleiSl: to keep a true Regifter thereof, as before firing, is direfted, fuch Parfon or other Minifter, fo offending, fhall forfeit the Sum of forty Shillings, to be re- t'^nai y on Par- covered by fuch Perfons, and in fuch Manner, as in the faid recited Aft the Forfeitures therein mentioned ['"'L"^'^^-pf""'" are appointed to be recovered 5 any thing in the faid Law contained to the contrary notwithftanding. ""^ °°' '"' " Commiffioners to adminifler Oaths to the Colleftors. Parfons to produce twice a Y'ear, to the Com- e x P, " miffioners, fuch Licences, Certificates, and Rer;;fters. 4 Anns, c. 12. §. 10. indemnifies Omiilions in " this Cafe. Parfons to give Notice, within ten Days, of Perfons burled in their Parifhes, 4- M z ' ■ CAP.
