Be it Enacted by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, That from and after the publication of this Act, all persons within this Province, of what description soever, (native Indians excepted) who shall be convicted, by the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses, before any of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in any County within said Province (who are hereby required to take cognizance of the same) of shooting, gaming, sporting, playing, hunting, or frequenting tippling-houses, or servile labor (works of necessity and mercy excepted) on the
Lord's Day, commonly called
Sunday, or who shall be convicted of drunkenness, or the disturbance of the Public Worship of
God, either on that or any other day, shall for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of three shillings, to be levied by distress and sale of the offender's goods at Public Auction by warrant under the Hand and Seal of any Justice of the Peace (the overplus, if any, to be returned to the owner of such distrained goods) unless the said forfeiture be paid within three days after conviction; but for want of effects whereon to levy the forfeiture, such offender shall for every such offence, by warrant under Hand and Seal of such Justice of the Peace, be publicly set in the Stocks, not more than three, nor less than the space of one hour. All forfeitures incurred by virtue of this Act to be applied towards the relief of the Poor of the City, Township or Parish where such offence shall have been committed.
Provided always, That the complaint shall be within ten days after the commission of such offence.