England under Charles II. from the Restoration to the Treaty of Nimeguen, 1660-1678: English History from Contemporary Writers
Taylor, W. F.
1889
The Five Mile Act.
Coke: Detection of Court and State, vol. ii.. p. 143. . | |
Neither the plague [the] . . . Dutch war nor the king's declaration of indulgence for dispensing with the penal laws against dissenters could abate the Parliament's zeal in prosecuting Protestant Nonconformist ministers, but they made a law called the Five Mile Act, whereby they were banished five miles from any corporate or market town and had this oath imposed upon them: | |
I, A. B., do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatever to take up arms against the king, and that I do abhor that traitorous position of taking up arms, by his authority against his person, | |
124 | or any that are commissioned by him in pursuance of such commission. And I do swear that I will not at any time to come endeavour the alteration of the government either in Church or State, so help me, God. |