Conventicles Act 1670

Persons of the Age of 16 Years and upwards being present at any Conventicle.

Justices to record Offence, and such Record deemed a Conviction.; Penalty for First Offence.; The Record, &c. to be returned to next Quarter Sessions.

For providing further and more speedy Remedies against the growing and dangerous practices of Seditious Sectaries and other disloyall Persons who under pretence of tender Consciences have or may at their Meetings contrive Insurrections (as late experience hath shewen) Bee it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majestie by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authoritie of the same That if any person of the Age of Sixteene yeares or upwards being a Subject of this Realme at any time after the Tenth day of May next shall be present at any Assembly Conventicle or Meeteing under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner then according to the Liturgy and practice of the Church of England in any place within the Kingdome of England, Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwicke upon Tweede, at which Conventicle, Meeting or Assembly there shall be five persons or more assembled together over and besides those of the same Household, if it be in a House where there is a Family inhabiting, or if it be in a House, Feild or place where there is noe Family inhabiting then where any five persons or more are soe assembled as aforesaid it shall and may be lawfull to and for any one or more Justices of the Peace of the County Limitt, Division, Corporation or Liberty wherein the offence aforesaid shall bee committed or for the Cheife Magistrate of the place where such offence aforesaid shall be committed, and he and they are hereby required and enjoyned upon proofe to him or them respectively made of such offence either by Confession of the partie or Oath of two Witnesses (which Oath the said Justice and Justices of the Peace and cheife Magistrate respectively are hereby impowered and required to administer, or by notorious Evidence and Circumstance of the Fact to make a Record of every such offence under his or their Hands and Seales respectively which Record soe made as aforesaid shall to all intents and purposes be in Law taken and adjudged to be a full and perfect Conviction of every such Offender for such Offence, and thereupon the said Justice, Justices and cheife Magistrate respectively shall impose on every such Offender soe convict as aforesaid a Fine of Five shillings for such first Offence which Record and Conviction shall be certifyed by the said Justice Justices or cheife Magistrate at the next Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County or place where the Offence was committed,