Abolition of High Commission Court Act 1640

II. Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ecclesiastical Persons and Courts not to inflict Penalties, Corporal Punishment, &c.

nor administer any Oath ex officio.; Penalty, Treble Damages, and One hundred Pounds.

And be it alsoe Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Archbishop Bishop nor Vicar Generall nor any Chancellour Officiall nor Commissary of any Archbishop Bishop or Vicar Generall nor any Ordinary whatsoever nor any other Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Judge Officer or Minister of Justice nor any other person or persons whatsoever exercising Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power authoritie or Jurisdiction by any Grant Licence or Commission of the Kings Majestie his Heires or Successors or by any power or authoritie derived from the King his Heires or Successors or otherwise shall [X1 from and after the first day of August which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fourty and one] award impose or inflict any paine penalty fine amercement imprisonment or other corporall punishment upon any [X2 of] the Kings Subjects for any contempt misdemeanor crime offence matter or thing whatsoever belonging to Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall cognizance or Jurisdiction or shall ex officio or at the instance or promotion of any other person whatsoever urge enforce tender give or minister unto any Churchwarden Sydeman or other person whatsoever any corporall Oath whereby he or shee shall or may be charged or obliged to make any presentment of any crime or offence or to confesse or to accuse him or her selfe of any crime offence delinquencie or misdemeanour or any neglect matter or thing whereby or by reason whereof he or shee shall or may be lyable or exposed to any censure pain penaltie or punishment whatsoever upon paine and penaltie that every person who shall offend contrary to this Statute shall forfeit and pay trebble damages to every person thereby greived and the sum of one hundred pounds to him or them who shall first demaund and sue for the same which said trebble damages and su[m]m of one hundred pounds shall and may be demanded and recovered by Action of Debt Bill or Plaint in any Court of Record wherein no priviledge Essoine protection or wager of Law shall be admitted or allowed to the Defendant.

Editorial Information

X1 annexed to the Original Act in a separate Schedule.

X2 interlined on the Roll.