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be marked at the top, with the figure of the number of every fuch page, beginning at the fecond leaf with number one; and every leaf or page fo numbered fhall be ruled with lines at proper and equal diftances from each other, or as near as may be; and all banns and marriages, published or celebrated in any church or chapel, or within any fuch parifh or chapelry, fhall be refpectively entered, registered, printed, or written upon, or as near as conveniently may be to fuch ruled lines, and fhall be figned by the Parfon, Vicar, Minifter, or Curate, or by fome other perfon in his prefence, and by his direction; and fuch entries fhall be made as aforefaid, on or near fuch lines in fucceffive order, where the paper is not damaged or decayed by accident or length of time, until a new book fhall be thought proper or neceffary to be provided for the fame purposes, and then the directions aforefaid fhall be obferved in every fuch new book; and all books provided as aforefaid shall be deemed to belong to every fuch parish or chapel refpectively, and shall be carefully kept and preserved for public ufe.

And, in order to preserve the evidence of marriages, and to make the proof thereof more certain and easy, and for the direction of Minifters in the celebration of marriages and registering thereof, be it enacted, That, from and after the twenty-fifth day of March in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, all marriages fhall be folemnized in the prefence of two or more credible witneffes, befides the Minifter who fhall celebrate the fame; and that immediately after the celebration of every marriage, an entry thereof fhall be made in fuch register to be kept as aforefaid; in which entry or register it fhall be expreffed, that the faid marriage was celebrated by banns or licence; and if both or either of the parties married by licence be under age, with confent of the parents or guardians, as the cafe thall be; and fhall be figned by the Minifter with his proper addition, and alfo by the parties married, and attefted by fuch two witneffes; which entry fhall be made in the form or to the effect following; that is to say,

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And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That if any perfon fhall, from and after the twenty-fifth day of March in the year one thousand feven hundred and fifty-four, with intent to elude the force of this Act, knowingly and wilfully infert, or caufe to be inferted, in the Regifter Book of fuch parifh or chapelry as aforefaid, any false entry of any matter or thing relating to any marriage, or falfely make, alter, forge, or counterfeit, or caufe or procure to be falfely made, altered, forged, or counterfeited, or act or affift in falfely making, altering, forging, or counterfeiting, any fuch entry in fuch regifter, or falfely make, alter, forge, or counterfeit, or caufe or procure to be falfely made, altered, forged, or counterfeited, or affift in falfely making, altering, forging, or counterfeiting, any fuch licence of marriage as aforefaid or utter or publish as true any fuch falfe, altered, forged, or counterfeited register as aforefaid, or a copy thereof, or any fuch falfe, altered, forged, or counterfeited licence of marriage, knowing fuch regifter or licence of marriage, refpectively, to be falfe, altered, forged, or counterfeited; or if any perfon fhall, from and after the faid twenty-fifth day of March, wilfully deftroy, or caufe or procure to be deftroyed, any Regifter Book of marriages, or. any part of fuch Register Book, with intent to avoid any marriage, or to fubject any perfon to any of the penalties of this Act, every perfon fo offending, and being thereof lawfully convicted, fhall be deemed and adjudged to be guilty of felony, and fhall fuffer death as a felon, without benefit of clergy. Provided always, That this Act, or any thing therein contained, fhall not extend to the marriages of any of the Royal Family.

Provided likewise, That nothing in this A&t contained fhall extend to that part of Great Britain called Scotland, nor to any marriages amongst the people called Quakers, or amongst the perfons profeffing the Jewish Religion, where both the parties to any fuch marriage fhall be of

the

the people called Quakers, or perfons profeffing the Jewish Religion refpectively, nor to any marriages folemnized beyond the feas.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That this Act shall be publicly read in all parith-churches and public chapels, by the Parson, Vicar, Minister, or Curate of the refpective parifhes or chapelries, on fome Sunday immediately after Morning Prayer, or immediately after Evening Prayer, if there fhall be no morning fervice on that day, in each of the months of September, October, November, and December, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-three, and afterwards at the fame times, on four feveral Sundays in each year; (that is to fay) the Sundays next before the twenty-fifth day of March, twenty-fourth day of June, twenty-ninth day of September, and twenty-fifth day of December refpectively, for two years, to be computed from and immediately after the first day of January in the said year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four.

21 Hen,

21 Hen. VIII. Cap. xiii.

Sect. 5, 6.

Spiritual Perfons not to buy to fell again any Merchandise, Corn, Cattle, &c.

ND be it also enacted by the authority aforefaid, That no fpiritual perfon or perfons, fecular or regular, of what eftate or degree foever they be, fhall from henceforth by himself, nor by any other for him, nor to his ufe, bargain and buy to fell again, for any lucre, gain, or profit, in any markets, fairs, or other places, any manner of cattle, corn, lead, tin, hides, leather, tallow, fish, wool, wood, or any manner of victual or merchandise, what kind foever they be of, upon pain to forfeit treble the value of every thing, by them, or by any to their ufe, bargained and bought to fell again, contrary to this Act. And that every fuch bargain and contract hereafter to be made by them, or by any to their use, contrary to this Act, shall be utterly void, and of none effect. And the one half of every fuch forfeiture to be to the King our Sovereign Lord, and the other half to him that will fue for the fame by original writ of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of the King's Courts; in which action or fuit no wager of law for the defendant shall be admitted, nor any effoin nor protection allowed.

6. Provided alway, That if any fuch spiritual perfon or perfons fhall happen hereafter without fraud or covin to buy any horfes, mares, or mules, to the only intent to occupy for himself or his fervants, to ride to and fro upon his neceffary bufinefs, or any other cattle or goods, to the only intent and purpose, at the buying thereof, to be employed and put in and about his neceffary apparel of his own house, or of his perfon and fervants, or in, for, and about the only occupying, manuring, or tillage of his own glebe or demean lands annexed to his church, or for the neceffary expences of his own household keeping; and after the buying of any fuch horses, cattle, or goods, or exercise of them, or any of them, happeneth to mislike any of them, that they should not be good, profitable, nor convenient for any of the purposes abovefaid, for the which they were bought; that then every fuch spiritual

perfon

perfon or perfons may lawfully bargain and put away fuch things fo by him bought, without fraud or covin, for any of the purposes abovefaid, at his pleasure and advantage: this Act or any thing therein contained notwithstanding.

Sect. 8.

Spiritual Perfons not having fufficient Glebe may rent.

PROVIDED alfo, That every other spiritual perfon or perfons, not having fufficient glebe, or demean lands. in their own hands, in the right of their churches, monafteries, and houfes, for pafturage of cattle, or for increafe of corn, to and for the only expences of their households, or for their carriages or journeys, may take in ferm other lands, and buy and fell corn and cattle for the only manurance, tillage, and pafturage of fuch ferms, fo that the increafe thereof be alway employed and put to and for the only expences in their households and hofpitalities, and not in any wife to buy and fell again, for any other commodity, lucre, or advantage, any corn or cattle, renewing, coming, or growing in and upon any fuch ferm, or otherwife, but only the remain and overplus above their expences of their households, if any fuch fhall happen, of the breed and increase thereof, without fraud or covin: any thing in this present Act to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.

Sect. 32.

Spiritual Perfons not to keep a Tan-house or Brew-bouse.

PROVIDED alfo, and be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That no fpiritual perfon or perfons, regular or fecular, of what eftate, degree, or condition foever he or they be, from the first day of April next coming, have, ufe, or keep by him or themselves, or by any perfon or perfons, to his or their ufe or commodity, any manner of tan-houfe or tan-houses, to be used or occupied to his or their own ufe, commodity, or behoof. Nor from the faid first day of April next coming, fhall have, use, or keep any manner of brew-houfe or brew-houses, to any other ufe, intent, or behoof, than only to be spent and occupied in his or their own houses; upon pain to for

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