¶ An act against offenders of preachers, and other ministers of the church.  
forasmuch as it is most necessary in every christian common wealth to provide, that tranquillitie and peace may be preserved and continued amongs the people, and specially in holy church in the time of divine service and administration of the Sacramentes, and Sacramentalles, as before this time it hath been accustomend in holy church within this realm, and that al things being contrary thereunto, or that are or may be in disturbance th 〈…〉 t be eschewed and avoyded, and remedy therfore in due time provided, as well for the pr●●●●ion of the queens highness peace, as for an universal quietness and order to be used within this realm.  
Be it therfore enacted by the queen our sovereign Lady, the lords, spiritual and temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that yf any person or persons of their own power and authority, at any time or times, after the .xx. day of December next coming, do or shal willingly, and of purpose, by open and overt word, fact, act, or dede, maliciously or contemptuously moleste, let, disturb, vex, or trouble, or by any other unlawful ways, or means, disquiet, or misuse any preacher or preachers, that now is, or that at any time or times hereafter shal be licenced, allowed, or aucthorised to preach by the queens highness, or by any archbishop, or bishop of this realm, or by any other lawful ordinary, or by any of the universities of oxford and Cambrige, or other wise lawfully aucthorised or charged by reason of his, or their cure, bnfice, or other spiritual promotion or charge, in any of his, or their open sermon, preaching, or collacion, that he or they shall make, declare, preach, or pronounce in any church, chapel, Churcheyard, or in any other place or places, used, frequented, or appoynted, or that hereafter shal be used or appoynted to be preached in.  
Or yf any person, or persons after the said .xx. day of December next coming, shall maliciously, willingly, or of purpose, molest, let, disturb, vex, disquiet, or otherwise trouble any person, vicar, parish priest, or curate, or any lawful priest, prepayring, saying, doing, singyng, ministrynge, or celebrating the mass, or other such divine service, Sacramentes, or Sacramentalles, as was most commonly frequented and used in the last year of the reign of the late sovereign lord king Henry theight, or that at any time hereafter shal be allowed, set forth, or aucthorised by the queens majesty.  
Or yf any person or persons at any time or times, after the said .xx. day of December, shall contemptuously, unlawfully, or maliciously of their own power or authority, pull down, deface spoil, abuse, break, or other wise vnreuerently handle, or order the most blessed comfortable &, holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our saviour Iesus Christ, commonly called the Sacrament of the Alter, being, or that shal be in any church or chapel, or in any other decente place, or the pyx or canopy, wherein the same Sacrament is or shal be, or unlawfully, contemptuously, or maliciously of their own power and authority pull down, deface, spoil, or otherwise break any altar or altars, or any crucifix, or cross, that now or hereafter shal be in any church chapel, or churchyard. That then every such offender and offenders in any the premises his or their aydour, procuror, or abbettor, aydours, procurers, or abbettours, immediately and forthwith after any of the said act or acts, or other the said misdemeanours so committed, done, or made, or at any time or times after, shalbe apprehended, arrested, and taken by any Constable or Constables, Churchewardeyn, or churchewardeyns of the said parish, town, or place, where the said offence or offences shal be so committed, made, or done, or by any other officer or officers, or by any other person or persons, then being present at the time of the said offence or offences so unlawfully committed, made, or done. which person or persons so apprehended, taken, or arrested with convenient speed, shalbe brought and carried to any Iustice of peace within the said Shire, or within any city, borrow, liberty, or town corporate, wherein Iustices of peace be, where the said offence or offences shal be so committed, done, and made, and that the said Iustice of peace, vpon due accusation, thereupon had and made by the apprehendour, or apprehendours, or other person or persons of any of the said person or persons so offending, forthwith, shall committe the said person or persons, so apprehended, arrested, and taken, to sauffekepyng and custody, as by the discretion of the said Iustice shal be thought most meet and convenient, and that within .vj. dayes next and immediately after the said accusation so had and made to the said Iustice, the said Iustice with one other Iustice of peace in the said Shire, city, borrow, liberty, or town corporate, shall diligently examine the act or acts, offence or offences aforesaid. And yf they the said two Iustices of peace, shall vpon their said examination find or perceive the said person or persons so accused, guilty of any of the said offence or offences, whereof he or they shalbe so accused, and that by two sufficient witnesses, or by his or their own confession or confessions, That then and immediately with convenient speed, the said two Iustices shall committe and award the said person or persons so accused, as is aforesaid to the gayle of, or for the said shire, city, borrow, liberty, or town corporate, where the said offence or offences was so committed, made, or done, there to remain without bail or main price by the space of three months, then next ensuing, and further to the next quarter sessions to be holden within the said shire, city, borrow, liberty, or town corporate, next after thende of the said three months, at which said quarter sessions, the said person or persons, so committed to the gayle, as is aforesaid, vpon his or their reconciliation and repentance in that behalf, before the said iustices of peace at the said sessions, shalbe delivered and discharged out of prison and gayle vpon sufficient surety of his good abearyng and behauoure, to be then & there taken by the said Iustices for one hole year, then next ensuing, as by the discretion or discretions of the said Iustices then, and there being, or of the more part of them, shal be thought meet and convenient. And yf the said person or persons so in gayle, as is aforesaid, will not be reconciled and repent at the said quarter sessions, that then the said person or persons immediately in time convenient, shal be further awarded and committed to the said gayle, by the said Iustices, or by the more part of them, there to remain, without bail or mayneprise, until he or they so committed and awarded to gayle, as is aforesaid, shalbe reconciled, and be penitent for his or their said offence or offences.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that yf any person or persons, at any time or times, after the said twenty day of December, of their own authority and power, willingly, and unlawfully do reskewe any offender or offenders so apprehended, taken, or arrested, as is aforesaid, or will disturb, hinder, or let the said offender or offenders, so offending, as is aforesaid, to be apprehended, taken, or arrested, that then every one of the said reskewers or disturbours, shall suffer like imprisonment, as is aforesaid, and further shall pay forfeit, and lose for a fine, for every of his or their said offences .v. li. to the queens majesty her heirs and successors.  
And be it further enacted, by thauctoritie aforesaid, that yf any of the offenders aforesaid be not taken, apprehended, or arrested immediately in time convenient, as is aforesaid, but do escape, or go away, that then the said escape shal be lawfully presented before the Iustices of peace in the said Shier, city, borrow, liberty, or town corporate, at the next quarter sessions to be holden, where the said escape was made and suffered, and that then thinhabitauntes of the parish, where the said escape was so suffered, shall forfeit and lose to the queens majesty her heirs and successors, for every such escape. v. li. to be levied and taken, as other like amerciaments and fines before this time, hath, and been levied and taken vpon any village, hundred, or town, for the escape of any murderer, or other fellow, for not making pursuit vpon Hue, and cry according to the statute of Wynchester, and the statute made and provided in the third year of the worthy king Henry the seventh.  
And be it further enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that all and singular the Iustices of peace, Iustices of assize, Iustices of oyer and determiner, & all and singular Maiours, bailiffs, and Iustices of peace, within any city, borrow, or town corporate, in any partes within this realm, within the limits of their commission or commissions, shal haue full power and authority, by virtue of this act, after the said .xx. day of December, to inquire of all and singular the offences and misdemeanours aforesaid, and to hear and determine the same, and to set the fines and amerciaments of the said offender or offenders, as is afore said.  
provided always, and be it further enacted by thauctoritie aforesaid, that this act or any thing therein contained, shal not in any wise extend to abrigate and take away thauctoritie. jurisdiction, power, and punyshmentes of the ecclesiastical laws, now standing, and remaining in their force, of, or for the punishment of any the offences and misdemeanours afore said, but that thauctoritye, power, jurisdictions, and punishments of the said ecclesiastical laws, of, & for any of the offences and misdemeanours aforesaid, shal stand in full power and strength, and to be used and exercised in all, and in every things, as though his act had never been had and made. This present act or any thing therein contained to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding.  
provided always, and be it enacted, that whatsoever person offending in the premises, shall for any of the offences afore recited, receive punishment of the ordinary, having a testimonial therof, under the said ordinaries seal, shall not for the same offence, eftsoons be convicted before the Iustice, and in likewise receauynge for the said offences, punishment by the Iustice, he shall not for the same offence eftsoons receive punishment of the ordinary. any thing in this act to the contrary notwithstanding.  
God save the queen.   

Londini in aedibus johannis Cawodi Typographi Regiae excusum.  
Anno. MD.LIII.   

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