AN ORDINANCE OF The Lords and Commons assembled IN PARLIAMENT, For the utter demolishing, removing and taking away of all monuments OF Superstition or idolatry, Out of all the Churches and chapels within this Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, Before the First day of November, 1643.  

ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed & published:  
H: El●ynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
Printed for Edward Husbands, October 11. 1643.   

Die Lunae, 28., Augusti, 1643.  
THe Lords and Commons in Parliament taking into their serious Considerations, how well pleasing it is to God, and conducible to the blessed Reformation in his Worship, so much desired by both Houses of Parliament, That all Monuments of Superstition or Idolatry, should, be removed and demolished; Do Ordain, That in all and every the Churches and chapels, as well cathedral and Collegiate, as other Churches and chapels, and other usual places of public Prayer, authorised by Law within this Realm of England and Dominion of Wales, all Altars and Tables of Stone, shall before the first day of November, in the year of our Lord God 1643. be utterly taken away and demolished; And also all Communion Tables removed from the East end of every such Church, chapel, or place of public Prayer, and chancel of the same, and shall be placed in some other fit & convenient place or places of the body of the said Church, chapel, or other such place of public Prayer, or of the body of the chancel of every such Church, chapel, or other such place of public Prayer; And that all Rails whatsoever, which have been erected near to before, or about any Altar, or Communion Table, in any of the said Churches or chapels, or other such place of public Prayer at aforesaid, shall before the said day be likewise taken away; And the chancel ground of every such Church or chapel, or other place o● public Prayer, which hath been within twenty years' last past, raised for any Altar or Communion Table to stand upon, shall before the said day be laid down, and leveled as the same was before the said Twenty years' last past; And that all Tapers, candlesticks and basins, shall before the said day be removed and taken away from the Communion Table in every such Church, chapel, or other place of public Prayer, and neither the same, nor any such like shall be used about the same at any time after the said day; And that all Crucifixes, Crosses, and all Images and Pictures of any one or more Persons of the Trinity, or of the Virgin Mary, and all other Images and Pictures of Saints, or superstitious Inscriptions in, or upon all and every the said Churches or chapels or other places of public Prayer, churchyards, or other places to any the said Churches and chapels; or other place of public Prayer, belonging, or in any other open place, shall before the said first day of November be taken away and defaced, and none of the like hereafter permitted in any such Church or chapel, or other places as aforesaid.  
And be it further ordained that all and every such removal of the said Altars, Tables of stone, Communion Table Tapers Candlesticks and basins, Crucifixes and Crosses, Images, and Pictures as aforesaid, taking away of the said rails, levelling of the said grouds, shall be done and performed, and the walls, windows, Grounds, and other places which shall be broken, impaired or altered by any the means aforesaid, shall be made up and repaired in good and sufficient manner, in all and every of the said Parish-churches on chapels, or usual places of public Prayer belonging to any Parish, by the Churchwarden, or churchwardens of every such Parish for the time being respectively; And in any cathedral or Collegiate Church or chapel, by the Dean or subdean, or other chief Officer of every such church or chapel for the time being; And in the Universities, by the several Heads and governors of every college or Hall respectively; And in the several inns of Court, by the Benchers and Readers of every of the same respectively, at the cost and charges of all and every such Person or Persons, Body politic or corporate, or parishioners of every parish respectively to whom the charge of the repair of any such church, chapel, chancel, or place of public Prayer, or other, part of such church or chapel, or place of public prayer doth, or shall belong: and in case default, be made in any of the premises by any of the person or persons thereunto appointed by this Ordinance from, and after the said first day of November, which shall be in the year of our Lord God 1643. That then every such person or persons so making default, shall for every such neglect or default, by the space of Twenty days, forfeit and lose forty shillings to the use of the poor of the said Parish wherein such default shall be made, or if it be out of any parish, then to the use of the poor of such parish whose Church is or shall be nearest to the Church or chapel, or other place of public prayer where such default shall be made; and if default shall be made after the first day of December, which shall be in the said year 1643. Then any one Justice of the Peace of the county, City or town where such default shall be made, upon information thereof to him to be given, shall cause or procure the promises to be performed according to the Tenor of this Ordinance at the cost and charges of such person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, or Inhabitants in every parish who are appointed by this Ordinance to bear the same.  
Provided, that this Ordinance, or any thing therein contained, shall not extend to any Image, Picture, or coat of arms in glass, Stone, or otherwise; in any Church, chapel, Church-yard or place of public prayer as aforesaid, set up or graven only fo● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ment of any King, Prince, or Nobleman, or other dead person which hath not been commonly reputed or taken for a Saint: But that all such Images, Pictures, and coats of arms may stand and continue in like manner and form, as if this Ordinance had never been made.  
FINIS.   

Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed; And divulged and dispersed through the several and respective Counties, Cities and Towns, by the several and respective Knights and Burgesses:  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.