Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

contrary at their perill, to take notice of this Act, to see it fully effected, and executed, and that no person do presume, on their peril, to dispose or publish their bookes, pamphlets, or libells bearing the title of their tenents and opinions.

ACT IX.

Sundays not to be profaned—passed 1661-2.

That the Lord's day be Kept holy, and that noe journeys be made on that day except in case of emergent necessity, And that noe other thing be used or done, that may tend to the prophanation of that day, But that all and every person inhabiting in this country, haveing noe lawful excuse to be absent, shall upon every Sunday, and the fower holy days hereafter mentioned, diligently resort to their Parish Church or Chappell, accustomed, then and there to abide orderly and soberly, during the time of common prayers, preaching or other Service of God, upon penalty of being fined fifty pounds of tobacco by the County Court, upon presentment made by the Church Wardens, who are to collect the same, with the parish levies: Provided alwayes, that this Act include not Quakers, or other recusants, who out of non conformitie to the Church, totally absent themselves, but they shall be lyable to such fines, and punishments, as by the Statute of 23d of Elizabeth, are imposed on them, being for every month's absence, twenty pounds Sterling, and if they forbear a Twelve Month, then to give good Security for their good beha

viour, besides their payment for their monthly absences, according to the tenor of the said statute; and that all Quakers for assembling in unlawful assemblyes and conventicles, be fined and pay each of them there taken, two hundred pounds of tobacco for each time they shall be for such unlawful meeting taken, or presented by the church wardens to the county court, and in case of the insolvency of any person amonge them, the more able then taken to pay for them, one halfe to the informer and the other halfe to the publique.

There was an Act passed in the year 1663, Imposing a fine of Two Hundred pounds of Tobacco on Quakers assembling to the number of five for the purpose of religious worship, for the first offence. For the Second offence, forfeite five hundred pounds of Tobacco, to be levyed by distresse and sale of the goods of the party soe convicted, by warrant from any one of the Justices before whome they shal be soe convicted, rendering the overplus, (if any be) and for want of such distresse or for want of ability of any person among them to pay the said fine or fines, then it shall be lawfull to levy and recover the same from the rest of the Quakers or other seperatists, or any one of them then present, that are of greater ability to pay the said fine or fines: And if any person after he or she in forme aforesaid, hath been twice convicted of any of the said offences, shall offend the third time, and be thereof lawfully convicted, that then every person so offending and con

vict aforesaid, shall for his or her third offenee, be banished this colony of Virginia to the places the Governor and Council shall appoint. A fine was also imposed upon Masters of Vessells of Five Thousand pounds of Tobacco, for bringing Quakers into the Colony.

A Fine of five Thousand pounds of Tobacco, was imposed upon the inhabitants of the Colony for entertaining Quakers, or permitting them to preach in or neare their houses, the fine aforesaid to be imposed for each time the inhabitants is guilty of entertayneing them.-Provided alwayes, and be it further enacted that if any of the said persons, Quakers, or other seperatists, shall after such conviction as aforesaid, give security that he, she or they shall for the time to come, forbeare to meete in any such unlawful assemblies as aforesaid, that then and from thenceforth, such person or persons shal be discharged from all the penalties aforesaid, any thing in this act to the contrary notwithstanding.

On the 12th day of September, 1663, John Porter, a member of the house of Burgesses, was expelled, being loving to the Quakers, his opposition to baptism of infants, and his refus'g to take the Oaths.

Copied from Statutes at Large.

J. J. AILWORTH.

B.

State of Virginia, Accomack County, sc.

(1.) I do hereby certify, that the name of Fran cis Makemie first appears on the records of said Court on the 17th day of February, 1690, in an Action brought by him against William Finney, for Molasses sold by the said Makemie to the said Finney.

It also appears from the records of the said Court, that 450 Acres of Land were granted to the said Makemie by a Certificate from the said Court, on the 21st day of February, 1692. The name of Francis Makemie does not appear on the Records from the year 1692 until the 4th day of October, 1698. The following is a true copy of an entry made on the Records of the said Court on the 15th day of October, 1699, viz:

"Whereas Mr. Francis Makemie made application by petition to this Court, that being ready to fullfill what the Law enjoynes to dissenters, that he might be qualified according to Law, and prayed that his own dwelling-house at Pocomoke, also his own house at Onancok, next to Captain Jonathan Livesley's, might be the places recorded for Meeting, and having taken the oaths enjoyned by act of Parliament instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and subscribed the Test as likewise that he

did in compliance with what the said Law enjoynes, produce Certificate from Barbadoes of his qualifications there, did declare in open Court of the said county and owned the articles of religion mentioned in the statute made in the 13th year of Queen Elizabeth, except the 34th, 35th and 36th, and those words for the 20th article, viz:-The Church hath power to decide rights and ceremonies and authority in controversies of faith, which the Court have ordered to be registered and recorded, and that the Clerk of the Court give certificate thereof to the said Makemie, according as the Law enjoynes."

The name of the said Francis Makemie appears very often on the records of the said Court, from the year 1699 to the 1st day of August, 1703, which does not contain interesting matter enough to be recited here.

On the 1st day of August 1703, the said Francis Makemie executed a power of attorney to his wife, Naomie Makemie, and John Parker, reciting that he was about to depart for England, and therefore constituted them his attorneys to do and transact all manner of business for him.

May the 30th, 1704, the said Francis Makemie executed a power of attorney to his wife, Naomie Makemie, Andrew Hamilton, and James Kemps, reciting that he was about to depart for Europe.

(2.) The name of the said Francis Makemie does not appear on the Records of the said Court (except

« EdellinenJatka »