Sunday Observance Act 1625
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1625 c. 1 |
(1 Cha. 1) C A P. I.
'FOrasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God that the true and sincere Service and Worship of him according to his Holy Will, and that the holy keeping of the Lord's Day is a principal Part of the true Service of God, which in very many Placesof this Realm hath been and now is profaned and neglected by a disorderly Sort of People in exercising and frequenting Bear-baiting, Bull-baiting, Interludes, Common Plays and other unlawful Exercises and Pastimes upon the Lord's Day; and for that many Quarrels, Bloodsheds and other great Inconveniencies have grown by the Resort and Concourse of People going out of their own Parishes to such disordered and unlawful Exercises and Pastimes, neglecting Divine Service both in their own Parishes and elsewhere;' (2) Be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, that from and after forty Daysnext after the End of this Session of Parliament, there shall be no Meetings, Assemblies or Concourse of People out of their own Parishes on the Lord's Day, within this Realm ofEngland or any the Dominions thereof, for any Sports and Pastimes whatsoever: (3) nor any Bear-baiting, Bull-baiting, Interludes, Common Plays or other unlawful Exercises and Pastimes, used by any Person or Persons within their own Parishes; (4) and that every Person or Persons offending in any the Premisses, shall forfeit for every Offencethree Shillings four-pence, the same to be employed and converted to the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed; (5) and that any one Justice of the Peace of the County or the Chief Officer or Officers of any City, Borough or Town Corporate, where such Offence shall be committed, upon his or their View or Confession of the Party, or Proof of any one or more Witness by Oath, which the said Justice or Chief Officer or Officers shall by Virtue of this Act have Authority to minister, shall find any Person offending in the Premisses, the said Justice or Chief Officer or Officers shall give Warrant under his or their Hand and Seal, to the Constables and Church-wardens of the Parish or Parisheswhere such Offence shall be committed, to levy the said Penalty so to be assessed, by way of Distress and Sale of the...
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