XIII.—Provided also, and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case any person shall refuse to take the said Oaths when tendered to them, which every Justice of the Peace is hereby impowered to do, such person shall not be admitted to make and subscribe the two Declarations aforesaid, though required thereunto, either before any Justice of the Peace, or at the General or Quarter Sessions, before or after any conviction of Popish Recusancy, as aforesaid, unless such person can, within thirty-one days after such tender of the Declaration to him, produce two sufficient Protestant witnesses to testify upon oath, that they believe him to be a Protestant Dissenter, or a Certificate under the hands of four Protestants, who are conformable to the Church of England, or have taken the oaths, and subscribed the Declaration above mentioned, and shall produce a certificate under the hands and seals of six or more sufficient men of the congregation to which he belongs, owning him for one of them.
XIV.—Provided also, and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That until such certificate, under the hands of six of his Congregation, as aforesaid, be produced, and two Protestant witnesses come to attest his being a Protestant Dissenter, or a certificate under the hands of four Protestants, as aforesaid, be produced, the Justice of the Peace shall, and hereby is required to take a Recognizance, with two Sureties, in the penal sum of fifty pounds, to be levied of his goods, chattels, lands, and tenements, to the use of the King’s and Queen’s Majesties, their heirs and successors, for his producing the same; and if he cannot give such security, to commit him to prison, there to remain until he has produced such certificates, or two witnesses, as aforesaid.
Laws for Divine Service in force.
XV.—Provided always, and it is the true intent and meaning of this Act, That all the laws made and provided for the frequenting of Divine Service on the Lord’s Day, commonly called Sunday, shall be still in force, and executed against all persons that offend against the said laws, except such persons come to some Congregation, or Assembly of Religious Worship, allowed or permitted by this Act.
Papists, &c., excepted.
XVI.—Provided always, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that neither this Act, nor any Clause, Article, or thing, herein contained, shall extend, or be construed to extend, to give any ease, benefit, or advantage, to any Papist or Popish Recusant whatsoever, or any person that shall deny in his preaching or writing the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity, as it is declared in the aforesaid Articles of Religion.
Disturbers of Religious Worship.
XVII.—Provided always, and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons, at any time or times, after the 10th day of June, do, How punished. See 1 Geo. 1, stat. 2, cap. 5, f 4.and shall willingly, and of purpose, maliciously, or contemptuously, come into any Cathedral, or Parish Church, Chapel, or other Congregation, permitted by this Act, and disquiet or disturb the same; or misuse any Preacher or Teacher, such person or persons, upon proof thereof, before any Justice of Peace, by two or more sufficient witnesses, shall find two sureties to be bound by recognizance in the penal sum of fifty pounds, and in default of such sureties shall be committed to prison, there to remain till the next General or Quarter Session; and upon conviction of the said offence, at the said General or Quarter Sessions, shall suffer the pain and penalty of twenty pounds, to the use of the King’s and Queen’s Majesties, their Heirs and Successors.
Place for Worship to be certified.
XVIII.—Provided always, That no Congregation or Assembly for religious worship shall be permitted or allowed by this Act until the place of such meeting shall be certified to the Bishop of the Diocese, or to the Archdeacon of that Archdeaconry, or to the Justices of the Peace, at the General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County, City, or Place, in which such meeting shall be held and registered in the said Bishop’s or Archdeacon’s Court respectively, or recorded at the said General or Quarter Sessions; the register or clerk of the Peace whereof respectively is hereby required to register the same, and to give certificate thereof to such person as shall demand the same, for which there shall be no greater fee nor reward taken than the sum of sixpence.