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The names of the Burgesses were, viz:

Arrowattockes necke

land, Curles, of Capt. Thomas Osborne.

Both Shirley Hundreds, Capt. Francis Epes,
Mr. ffarrars, and Chap-Mr. Walter Aston.

laynes,

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of } Capt. Nich's Matian.

Kiskyake and the lle of)
Kent,

The oathes of supremacy and allegiance were in the first place administered to the Governor and Councell and to all the above named burgesses in like manner.

In the afternoone.

The Commission from his majestie nowe in force was read before the whole bodie of the Assembly.

ACT I.'.

The 24th day of February was enacted this followinge
Order for the Mynisters.

the church.

IT is ordered, That theire bee a uniformitie through- Uniformity in out this colony both in substance and circumstance to the cannons and constitution of the church of England as neere as may bee and that every person yeald readie obedience unto them uppon penaltie of the paynes and forfeitures in that case appoynted.

ACT II.

THAT the statutes for comminge to church every Sonday and holydays bee duly executed. That is to say; that the church-wardens doe levy one shilling for every tyme of any person's absence from the church havinge no lawfull or reasonable excuse to bee absent. And for due execution hereof the Governor and Councell togeather with the burgisses of this grand assembly doe in Gods name earnestlie require and chardge all commanders, captaynes and church-wardens that they shall endeavour 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 answere before God for such evills and plagues wherewith Almighty God may iustlie punish his people for neglectinge this good and wholesome lawe.

Penalty for

being absent

from church.

ACT III.

Ministers and church-warpresentments and return a register of riages, and

dens to make

deaths, mar

IT is ordered, That as many of the mynisters as convenientlie may, and one of the church-wardens at least, of every parish be present yearlie at midsomer quarter cort holden on the first day of June; and theire to make theire presentments uppon oath, togeather with a register of all burialls, christnenings, & marriages, as Jikewise their accounts of all levyes, collections and births; also of disbursements as have beene or fallen out in their their levies tymes concerninge the church affayres. And further meats. that they choose church-wardens at the feast of Easter yearlie.

and disburse

Oath of church-war

dens.

Penalty for disparaging a minister.

ACT IV.

And it is further ordered and thought expedient, according to a former order made, by the governor and councell that all church-wardens shall take this oath and that it bee admynistered before those that are of the commission for mounthlie corts, viz.

"YOU shall sweare that you shall make present"ments of all such persons as shall lead a prophayne or "ungodlie life, of such as shall be common swearers, "drunkards or blasphemers, that shall ordinarilie pro"fane the saboth dayes or contemue Gods holy word "or sacraments. You shall also present all adulterers "or fornicators, or such as shall abuse theire neighbors "by slanderinge tale carryinge or back bitinge, or that "shall not behave themselves orderlie and soberlie in "the church duringe devyne servise. Likewise they "shall present such maysters and mistrisses as shall be delinquent in the catechisinge the youth and igno"rant persons. So helpe yow God!"

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ACT V.

NOE man shall disparage a mynister whereby the myndes of his parishioners may be alienated from him and his mynistrie prove less effectuall upon payne of severe censure of the governor and councell.

Rites of mat. imony not to be celebrated without

cation of

banus.

ACT VI.

NO mynister shali celebrate matrimony betweene any persons without a facultie or lycense graunted by the Governor, except the baynes of matrimony have cense or publi- beene first published three severall Sundays or holydays in the time of devyne service in the parish churches where the sayd persons dwell accordinge to the booke of common prayer, neither shall any mynister under any pretense whatsoever ioyne any persons soe licensed in marriage at any unseasonable tymes but only betweene the howers of eight and twelve in the forenooue, nor when banes are thrice asked, and no lycense in that respect necessarie, before the parents or guardians of the parties to be married beinge under the age

of twenty and one years, shall either personally or by sufficient testimony signifie unto him theire consents given to the said marriage.

ACT VII.

EVERY mynister in this colony havinge cure of soules shall preach one sermon every sunday in the yeare, having no lawful impediment, and yf the mynisters shall neglect theire charge by unnecessarie absence or otherwise the church wardens are to present it. But because in this colony the places of their cure are in many places ffar distant, It is thought fitt that the mynisters doe soe divide theire turnes as by joynt agreement of the parishoners they should be desired.

ACT VIII.

Ministers to

preach a serSunday.

mon every

Ministers to

teach children

mandments,

Lord's prayer and catechism

belief, the

IT is also thought fit, That upon every Sunday the mynister shall halfe an hower or more before evenenge the ten comprayer examine, catechise, and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parrish, in the ten command- the articles of ments the articles of the beliefe and in the Lord's prayer; and shall diligentlie heere, instruct and teach them the catechisme, sett forth in the booke of common prayer And all fathers, mothers, maysters and mistrisses shall cause theire children, servants or apprentizes which have not learned the catechisme to come to the church Penalty on at the tyme appoyuted, obedientlie to heare, and to be ordered by the mynister until they have learned the same: And yf any of the sayd ffathers, mothers, maysters and mistrisses, children, servants or apprentises, shall neglect theire duties as the one sorte 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. And this act to take beginninge at Easter next.

parents and not sending their children

masters for

to church; and on children

for refusing to learn.

Commencement.

ACT IX.

WHEN any person is dangerouslie sicke in any Duty of miparrish, the mynister haveinge knowledge thereof shall nisters in at

tending the sick.

resort unto him or her to instruct and comfort them in their distresse.

Minister to

ACT X.

IN every parrish church within this colony shall be keep a parish kept by the mynister a booke wherein shall be written the day and yeare of every christeninge, weddinge, and buriall.

register of

marriages,

births and

deaths.

Deportment of ministers.

ACT XI.

MYNISTERS shall not give themselves to excesse in drinkinge, or riott, spendinge theire tyme idellye by day or night, playinge at dice, cards, or any other unlawfull game; but at all tymes convenient they shall heare or reade somewhat of the holy scriptures, or shall occupie themselves with some other honest study or exercise, alwayes doinge the thinges which shall apperteyne to honesty, and endeavour to profitt the church of God, alwayes haveinge in mynd that they ought to excell all others in puritie of life, and should be examples to the people to live well and christianlie.

Sacrament to

be adminis tered three

times a year.

ACT XII.

IN every parish church where sacraments are to be admynistered within this colony, the holi communion shall be admynistred by the mynister thrice in the yeare, whereof the feast of Easter to be one.

Preaching, ad

Ininistration of

the sacrament

ACT XIII.

AND all preachinge, admynistringe of the commu

& marriages, nion, and marriages shall be done in the church except

to be perform in cases of necessitie.

ed in the

church.

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