to convocate his
majesty's subjects to open meetings in the fields, expressly contrary to
many public laws made thereanent, and considering that these meetings
are the rendezvouses of rebellion, and tend in a high measure to the
disturbance of the public peace, doth therefore, with advice and consent
foresaid, statute and declare, that whosoever, without license or
authority foresaid, shall preach, expound scripture, or pray, at any of
those meetings in the field, or in any house where there be more
persons than the house contains, so as some of them be without doors
(which is hereby declared to be a field conventicle) or who shall
convocate any number of people to these meetings, shall be punished with
death, and confiscation of their goods. And it is hereby offered and
assured, that if any of his majesty's good subjects shall seize and
secure the persons of any who shall either preach or pray at these
field-meetings, or convocate any persons thereto, they shall, for every
such person so seized and secured, have five hundred merks paid unto
them for their reward, out of his majesty's treasury, by the
commissioners thereof, who are hereby authorised to pay the same; and
the said seizers and their assistants are hereby indemnified for any
slaughter that shall be committed in the apprehending and securing of
them. And, as to all heritors and others aforesaid, who shall be present
at any of these field-conventicles, it is hereby declared, they are to
be fined, _toties quoties_, in the double of the respective fines
appointed for house conventicles; but prejudice of any other punishment
due to them by law as seditious persons and disturbers of the peace and
quiet of the kirk and kingdom.

And, seeing the due execution of laws is the readiest means to procure
obedience to the same; therefore, his majesty, with consent and advice
foresaid, doth empower, warrant, and command all sheriffs, stewarts of
stewartries, lords of regalities, and their deputes, to call before
them, and try all such persons who shall be informed to have kept, or
been present at, conventicles within their jurisdictions, and to inflict
upon these who shall be found guilty, the respective fines exprest in
this act; they being always countable to the commissioners of his
majesty's treasury, for the fines of all heritors within their bounds.
And his majesty, for the encouragement of the said sheriffs, stewarts,
and lords of regalities, to be careful and dili