Conventicle Act 1664

XVI. Recital that Quakers and others refuse to take Oaths:

Refusing, except in Court Leet, to take Oath as a Witness, or to answer of Oath Bill Equity, &c., Refusal to be recorded, and Recorded taken as a Conviction. Transportation.

[And [X1 in regard a certaine Sect called Quakers and other Sectaryes are found not onely to offend in the matters provided against by this Act but alsoe to obstruct the proceeding of Justice by their obstinate refusall to take Oathes lawfully tendred unto them in the ordinary course of Law Therefore] [X2 be it further enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That if any person or persons being duely and legally served with Processe or other Summons to appeare in any Court of Record except Courts Leet as a Witnesse or returned to serve of any Jury or ordered to be examined upon Interrogatoryes or being present in Court shall refuse to take any Judiciall Oath legally tendred X3 him by the Judge or Judges of the same Court haveing noe legall Plea to justifie or excuse the refusall of the same Oath, or if any person or persons being duely served with Processe to answere any Bill exhibited against him or them in any Court of Equity or any Suite in any Court Ecclesiasticall shall refuse to answere such Bill or Suite upon his or their Corporall Oath in cases where the Law requires such Answere to be putt in upon Oath, or being summoned to be a Witnesse in any such Court or ordered to be examined upon Interrogatoryes shall for any cause or reason not allowed by Law refuse to take such Oath, as in such cases is required by Law that then and in such case the severall and respective Courts wherein such refusall shall be made shall be and are hereby enabled to record, enter or register such refusall which Record or Entry shall be and is hereby made a Conviction of such Offence, And all and every person and persons soe as aforesaid offending shall for every such Offence incurr the Judgement and Punishment of Transportation in such manner as is appointed by this Act for other Offences,]

Editorial Information

X1 annexed to the Schedule.

X2 annexed to the Original Act in a separate Schedule.

X3 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: to O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]