The
Maryland Toleration Act, 1649
Forasmuch as in a well
governed and Christian Common Weath matters concerning Religion and the honor
of God ought in the first place to bee taken, into serious consideracion and
endeavoured to bee settled,
Be it therefore ordered and enacted by the Right Honourable
Cecilius Lord Baron of Baltemore
absolute Lord and Proprietary of this Province with the advise and consent of
this Generall Assembly:
That whatsoever person or
persons within this Province and the Islands thereunto helonging
shall from henceforth blaspheme God, that is Curse him, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to bee the sonne of God, or shall deny the holy Trinity the father sonne and holy Ghost, or the Godhead of any of the said
Three persons of the Trinity or the Unity of the Godhead, or shall use or utter
any reproachfull Speeches, words or language
concerning the said Holy Trinity, or any of the said three persons thereof, shalbe punished with death and confiscation or forfeiture
of all his or her lands and goods to the Lord Proprietary and his heires.
Therefore also by the Lord Proprietary with the advise and consent of this Assembly Ordeyned and enacted (except as in this present Act is before Declared and sett forth) that noe person or persons whatsoever within this Province, or the Islands, Ports, Harbors, Creekes, or havens thereunto belonging professing to beleive in Jesus Christ, shall from henceforth bee any waies troubled, Molested or discountenanced for or in respect of his or her religion nor in the free exercise thereof within this Province or the Islands thereunto belonging nor any way compelled to the beleife or exercise of any other Religion against his or her consent, soe as they be not unfaithfull to the Lord Proprietary, or molest or conspire against the civill Governement established or to bee established in this Province under him or his heires. And that all and every person and persons that shall presume Contrary to this Act and the true intent and meaning thereof directly or indirectly either in person or estate willfully to wrong disturbe trouble or molest any person whatsoever within this Province professing to beleive in Jesus Christ for or in respect of his or her religion or the free exercise thereof within this Province other than is provided for in this Act that such person or persons soe offending, shalbe compelled to pay trebble damages to the party soe wronged or molested . . .