Nonconformists Act 1665

II. Persons preaching in Conventicles not to come within Five Miles of any Corporation sending Members to Parliament,; (Exception); before they have taken the said Oath.

Penalty £40.

And all such person and persons as shall take upon them to preach in any unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome shall not at any time from and after the Fower and twentyeth day of March which shall be in this present yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred sixty and five unlesse onely in passeing upon the Road come or be within Five miles of any Citty or Towne Corporate or Burrough that sends Burgesses to the Parlyament within His Majesties Kingdome of England Principallitie of Wales or of the Towne of Berwicke upon Tweede or within Five miles of any Parish Towne or Place wherein he or they have since the Act of Oblivion beene Parson Viccar Curate Stipendary or Lecturer or taken upon them to preach in any unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome before he or they have taken and subscribed the Oath aforesaid before the Justices of Peace at their Quarter Sessions to be holden for the County Rideing or Division next unto the said Corporation Citty or Burrough Parish Place or Towne in open Court (which said Oath the said Justices are hereby impowered there to administer) upon forfeiture of every such offence the summe of Forty pounds of lawfull English money, the one Third part thereof to His Majestie and His Successors, the other Third part to the use of the poore of the Parish where the offence shall be committed and the other Third part thereof to such person or persons as shall or will sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill or Information in any Court of Record at Westminster or before any Justices of Assize Oyer and Terminer or Goale delivery or before any Justices of the Countyes Pallatine of Chester Lancaster or Durham or the Justices of the Great Sessions in Wales or before any Justices of Peace in their Quarter Sessions wherein noe Essoigne Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed.