Page "Conventicle Act 1664" Paragraph 2

The Conventicle Act of 1664 was an Act of the Parliament of England ( 16 Charles II c. 4 ) that forbade conventicles ( religious assemblies of more than five people outside the auspices of the Church of England ).

This law was part of the Clarendon Code, named after Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, which aimed to discourage nonconformism and to strengthen the position of the Established Church.

However the Clarendon Code was not actually the work of Clarendon himself, who favoured a policy of greater tolerance towards dissenters.

These prohibitions led many, such as the Covenanters, to vacate their parishes rather than submit to the new Episcopal authorities.

Just as the ministers left so too did the congregations, following their old pastors to sermons on the hillside.

From small beginnings these field assemblies-or conventicles-were to grow into major problems of public order for the government.