426 Assembly Proceedings, July 1-10, 1696.

Lib. L. L. 2

the Twenty first day of September 1694 be and is hereby
Utterly repealed and made Void.

An Act for the Service of Allmighty God and the Establish-
ment of the Protestant Religion within this Province.

Forasmuch as in a well Grounded Christian Commonwealth
matters Concerning Religion and the Honour of God ought
in the first place to be Endeavoured and taken into consider-
acon as that which is not onely most Acceptable to God but
the best way and means to Obteine his mercy & blessing and
favour upon a people or Country Be itt Enacted by the Kings
most Excellent Maty by and with the Advice and Consent of
this present Generall Assembly and the Authority of the Same
That the book of Comon Prayer and Administracon of the

p. 126

Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church
According to the use of the Church of England together with
the psalter or Psalms of David and that the morning & Eve-
ning Prayer therein Conteined be Solemnly read by all and
Every Minister or Curate in every Church or other place of
Publick Worship within this Province And be it Enacted by
the Authority aforesaid by and with the Advice & Consent
aforesaid That the Church of England within this Province
shall Enjoy all and Singular her Rights Priviledges & ffree-
doms as it is now or shall be att any time hereafter Established
by Law in the Kingdom of England and that his Maties
Subjects of this Province shall enjoy all their Rights and
Libertys according to the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom
of England in all Matters and Causes where the Laws of this
Province are Silent And whereas the present Constitution of
this Province being in its Infancy will not admitt of raising a
Maintenance for Ministers by way of Tyths as in England and
other places by time brought to perfection Be it Enacted by
the Authority aforesaid by and with the Advice and Consent
afores^d That for Encouragem^t of faithfull and able Ministers
labouring in the Work of the Gospell to come into this Prov-
ince Instead thereof a tax or Assessment of fourty pounds of
Tobb^o p poll be yearly and every Year leavied upon every
Taxable person within the precincts of each respective parish
w'^hin this Province as they are now (by an Act of Assembly of
this Province made att a Generall Assembly begun and held

p. 127

att the City of S^t Marys the Tenth day of May 1692) laid out
or shall hereafter be laid out and theire bounds and Limitts
Entred in the Record of each County Court and the Councill
Book of this Province which said Tax of fourty pounds of
Tobb^o p poll shall be Collected and Gathered by the Sherriffe