Brawling in Churches

Brawling in Churches, in the law of England, was an old statutory offence in the ecclesiastical courts. If it was committed by words only, the bishop might exclude a lay offender from church, and might suspend a priest. In more serious cases excommunication and branding were the punishment. Anglican priests may still be punished for such conduct by their own courts; but the riotous, violent, or indecent conduct of laymen in any place used for religious worship is dealt with by the ordinary criminal courts.