King CHARLES the 1 I 137 V I. ACT againfi diforderly Baptifms. Edinburgh, 17. ofAuguft, 1670. FOrafmuch as the diforderly carriage offome Perfons , in withdrawing from the Ordinances of the Sacra- ments in their own Pariih Churches &,procurmg their Children to be Baptized by perfons not publickly authorized or allowed,is highly fcandaiousjo the Proteftant Religion,and tends exceedingly to the increafe of Schifm and Profanity -. Therefore the Kings Majefty , with advice and confent of His Eftates in Parliament, doth Statute and Prohibit all His Majefties Subjects, that none of them, of whatfoever degree or quality, pre- fume to offer their Children to be Baptized by any but fuch as are their own Pariih Minifters ; or elfe by fuch Minifters as are Authorized by the prefent cilabliihed Government of the Church , or Licenced by His Ma- efties Council , Upon a Cerrificat from the Minifler of the Pariih , if he be prefent ; or in his abfence , by one pftheNeighb .uring Minifters: Anddeclares, that the Father of any Child which ihall be otherways Bap- tized, fliall be lyable to the pains and penalties following, viz. Every Heretor , Life-renter, or proper pod-fetter, fhall bei fined in a fourth part of his valued yearly Rent; Every perfon above the degree of a Tennent, having a perfonal , butnorealEftate, in one hundred pounds Scots : Every confiderable Mer-
- hant in one hundred pounds : Every inferior Merchant , or confiderable Tradef-nian, and every Tennent la-
)ouringLand, in fifty pounds: Every meaner Burgefs , Tradef-man, Inhabitant within Burgh, and every Cottar , in twenty pounds Scots ; and every Servant in half a years Fee. And His Majefty, with advice fore- aid, requires the Sheriffs, Stewarts, Lords of Regalities and their Deputes , and Magiftrates of Burghs Royal, vithin their feveral Bounds and Jurifdiftions , to be careful to put this Aft in execution ; and that upon Infor- nationfromtheBifhopoftheDiocefs, or any other, they call before them , and judge the Perfons Contra-, reeners thereof, and uplift the Penalties forefaids. Likeas , His Majefty , for the further encouragement of he faids Sheriffs , and others forefaids, to do their duty herein , doth allow them to retain for their own ufe, the r ines of the feveral Perfons above-mentioned, except thefe of the Heretors , for which they are to be compt- ible to the Commifiioners of His Majelties Thefaury. V I I. L/^.C T againfi Separation and withdrawing from the publick Meetings of T)ivine Worfhip. Edinburgh, zo. of Augutt , 1670. Orafmuch as it is the duty of all His Majefties good Subjects , to acknowledge and comply with His Majefties Government . as it is by the Lawes of the Kingdom eftablifhed in Church and tate ; and in order thereunto , to give their cheerful concurrence and countenance to fuch Mini- ers , as by Publick Authority are , or fliall be admitted in their feveral Parilhes , and to attend 1 die Publick and Ordinary Meetings of Divine Worlhip in the fame. And feeing the Laws of the ingdom hath declared a withdrawing, and not keeping of, andjoyningin, thefe Meetings, to be feditious, nd of dangerous example and confequence : His Majefty conceives Himfelf alfo bound in Confcience and jDuty to interpofe His Authority .that thePublick Exercifes of Gods Worlhip be countenanced by all His good Bubjefts , and that fuch as upon any pretext do diforderly withdraw, be by the Cenfures of the Law made fen- fible of their mifcarriages , and by the Authority of the Law, drawn to a dutiful obedience to it. And there- fore , His Majefty , with advice and confent of His Eftates in Parliament, Statutes, Ordains , and commands ill His good Subjects of the Reformed Religion within this Kingdom, to attend and frequent the ordinary Meetings appointed for Divine Worlhip, in their own Pariih Churches ; Declaring hereby, that every fuch rerfon who mall three Lords Days together withdraw & abfent themfelves froni their own Pariih Churches, without a reafonable excufe to be allowed or difallowed by the Judges and Magiftrats after-mentioned , fliall hties quoties be liable to the pains and penalties following, viz. Every perlbn having Land in Heretage,- iLile-rent, or proper Wod-fet ^ in the eight part of his or her valued yearly Rent : Every Tennent in fix pounds Scots: Every Cottar or Servant , in fourty fliillings Scots : Every perfon above the degree of a Ten- sent, and who hath a perfonal , butnorealEftate, in twelve pounds Scots: Every confiderable Merchant ■ n twelve pounds Scots : Every inferior Merchant , and confiderable Tradef-man , 1 n fix pounds Scots : fi- nery other meaner Burgefs, Tradef-man, and Inhabitant within Burgh , in fourty ihillings Scots. . And His jvlajefty, with advice and confent forefaid , doth commit the execution of this Ad, and the raifing the Pe- nalties above-mentioned , to the Sheriffs , Stewarts, Lords of Regalities and their Deputs, and to Magi- Itrats of Burghs within their feveral refpeftive Jurifdiftions r And doth hereby Authorize and require rhem 10 be careful to fee this Aft put in due execution; and in order thereunto, that they Examine upon Oath iich perfons in every Pariih as they lhall think fitteft , for difcovery oi fuch as fliall withdraw , and thereby $ incur
