Chap. VIL ?he H IS 7' O R Í' of the PURITANS. 27,5 " of you, whereof the archbifhop ofCanterbury, or one ofthebifhops men- ,Zueen " tioned in the commiflion, or Sir FrancisTVa/ngham, Sir Gilbert Gerard, Elizabeth, or fume of the civilian.; to be one, to enquire from time to time during .. r5854. " our pleafure, as well by the oaths of 12 good and lawful men, as alio by " e itneffes, and all other means and waysyou can dv,/è ; of all offences, " contempts,'mifdemeanors, &c. done and committed contrary to the tenor " of the Paid feveral agls and ftatutes ; and alfo to enquire of all heretical opinions, [editions books, contempts, con/piracies, fa f rumours or talks, " flanderous words andfayings, &c. contrary to the aforefaid laws, or any " others, ordained for the maintenance of religion in this realm, together' " with their abettors, counfellors, or coadjutors. " And further we do give full power to you, or any three of you, " whereof the archbifhop of Canterbury, or one of the biifhops mentioned " in the commiffion to be one, to hear and determine concerning the pre- " miles, and to order, correct, reform, and punifh all perlons, dwelling in " places exempt or not exempt, that wilfully and obftinately abfent from " church, or divine fervice eftablifhed by law, by the cenfures of the " church, or any other lawful ways andmeans, bythe ad of uniformity, " or any laws ecclefiaflical of this realm limited and appointed ; and to " take order, ofyour difcretions, that the penalties and forfeitures limited " by the Paid ad of uniformity, againft the offenders in that behalf, may " be duly levied, according to theforms preferibed in thePaid a5T, to the " ufe ofus and the poor, upon the goods, lands and tenements, of fuch " offenders, by way of diftrefs, according to the true meaning and limitati- " on of the ftatute. " And we do further empower you, or any three of you, during our " pleafure, to vifit and reform all errors, herefies, fchifms, &c. whichmay " lawfully be reformed or re/irained by cenfures ecclefiaftical, deprivation, or otherwife, according to the power andauthority limited and appointed " by the laws, ordinances, andflatutes ofthis realm. " And wedo hereby further empower you, or any three ofyou, to call " beforeyou fuch perlons as have eccleliaflical livings, and to deprive fuch " of them, as wilfully and advifedlymaintain any doctrine contrary to fuch " articles of religion ofthe fynod of 562, which only concern the confèfiion " of the true faith and do/lrine of thefcraments, and will not revoke the " fame. " And we do further empower you, or any three of you, to punifh all " incefis, adulteries, fornication, outrages, milbehaviours and difrders in " marriage; and all grievous offences punifhable by the eccefiaftical laws, " ° according to the tenor ofthe laws in that behalf, andaccording toyour wit- " doms, comiences, and difcretions, commanding you, or any three ofyou, to " devife allfuch lawful ways and means for thefearching out the premifes, Nn 2 as
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