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This Section is peculiarly remarkable.

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orned Witneffes, divers, and fundry of the Queen's Majefty's Subjects have fuftained Difherifon, and great Impoverishment, as well of their Lands and Tenements, as also of their Goods and Chattels.

It may likewise deserve Obfervation, that it was fo late as this Fifth of Eliz. before Perjury was taken Notice of in our Statutes at all. The Ecclefiaftical Court, it seems, had put in a Claim to the fole Cognizance of this Crime. Boniface, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Reign of Henry the Third, (at which Time our Statutes begin) by a Provincial Conftitution † threatens all the King's Officers who should prefume to proceed upon it with Sufpenfion, Excommunication, and an Interdict: It is eafie to see what mighty Mischiefs this Claim was like to occafion: When the Clergy had the fole Jurifdiction of Oaths and Perjury, they could protect all they fhould judge for their own Service: And Men were left under no Restraint or Fear to break an Oath, where they could obtain an Ecclefiaftical Dispensation for it Upon this Pretence alfo, the Popes actually claim'd an Authority to determine the Rights of Princes and Kingdoms. Thus Pope Innocent the Third demanded, that a Difference between the Kings of England and France fhould be heard before his Legates; because it was paft Doubt that it belong'd to the Ecclefiaftical Judicatory, to arbitrate in the Violation of Treaties .

† Conft. Bonifac. de Panis

Nunquid non poterimus de Juramenti Religione cog nofcere: Quod ad Judicium Ecclefiæ non eft dubium pertinere, ut rupta Pacis Fædera reformentur. Decretal. Lib. z. Tit. 1. cap. 13.

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When

When the Reformation was happily establish: ed among us under Queen Elizabeth, we find our Legiflators hardy enough to make a Statute against Perjury: But whether fuch a Crimé may not deferve yet a further Confideration, is humbly fubmitted to the great Wisdom of the Legislature it felf.

However, every private Perfon is concern'd, in common Juftice to the Caufe of Truth and Honefty, to do all that is poffible to reftrain this pernicious Evil. A perjured Perfon was formerly infamous by Law, and incapable of any Office which requir'd Faithfulness and Sincerity. The Reafon of that Law remains: And they may yet be infamous in the Judgment of every Good and Honeft Man. And their Infamy fhould in Proportion be greater, who by their Character or Profeffion ought to have ra ftricter Regard to Truth and Sincerity. A Man who appears to make no Confcience of an Oath, deferves no Regard to his Word; whatever Character he bears, or whatever he says: Juftice to Truth, Charity to the rest of Mankind, and a prudent Caution for our felves, require, that fuch a Man fhould be efteem'd unworthy of all Credit: This may go a great Way to prevent the Mischiefs we may fuppofe fuch bad Men have in their Defign; for by leffening their Credit, they must lose fome part of their Power to effect them.

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HE Author of this Paper begs the Excufe of fome late Correfpondents, that he do's not take Notice of their Letters. He acknowledges himself a Debtor, and will take the fitteft Opportunities of obliging fome, and answering others.

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