and abhominable living, yet nevertheless little or none amendment is hitherto had, but their vicious living shamelessly encreaseth and augmenteth, and by a cursed custom so rooted and infected, that a great multitude of the religious persons in such small houses do rather choose to rove abroad in apostacy than to conform themselves to the observation of good religion; so that without such small houses be utterly suppressed and the religious persons therein committed to great and honorable monasteries of religion in this realm, where they may be compelled to live religiously, for reformation of their lives, the same else be no redress nor reformation in that behalf.

In consideration whereof, the king's most royal majesty, being supreme head on earth, under God, of the church of England, daily studying and devising the increase, advancement and exaltation of true doctrine and virtue in the said church to the only glory and honor of God, and the total extirpating and destruction of vice and sin, having knowledge that the premises be true, as well by the accounts of his late visitations, as by sundry credible informations, considering also that divers and great solemn monasteries of this realm, wherein-thanks be to God-religion is right well kept and observed, be destitute of such full number of religious persons, as they ought and may keep, hath thought good that a plain declaration should be made of the premises, as well to the lords spiritual and temporal as to other his loving subjects the commons, in this present parliament assembled; whereupon the said lords and commons, by a great deliberation, finally be resolved, that it is and shall be much more to the pleasure of Almighty God, and for the honor of this his realm, that the possessions of such small religious houses now being spent, spoiled and wasted for increase and maintenance of sin, should be used and committed to better uses, and the unthrifty religious persons, so spending the same, to be compelled to reform their lives; and thereupon most humbly desire the king's highness that it may be enacted by authority of this present parliament, that his majesty shall have and enjoy to him and his heirs forever, all and singular such monasteries, priories and other religious houses of monks, canons and nuns, of what kinds of diversities of habits, rules or order soever they be called or named, which have not in lands, tenements, rents, tithes, portions and other hereditaments, above the clear yearly value of two hundred pounds. And in like manner shall have and enjoy all the sites and circuits of every such

religious houses, and all and singular the manors, granges, meases, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, tithes, pensions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, annuities, rights, entries, conditions, and other hereditaments appertaining or belonging to every such monastery, priory, or other religious house, not having as is aforesaid, above the said clear yearly value of two hundred pounds, in as large and ample manner as the abbots, priors, abbesses, prioresses, or other governors of such monasteries, priories, and other religious houses now have, or ought to have the same in the right of their houses. And that also his highness shall have to him and to his heirs all and singular such monasteries, abbeys, and priories, which at any time within one year next before the making of this act have been given and granted to his majesty by any abbot, prior, abbess, or prioress, under their convent seals, or that otherwise, have been suppressed or dissolved, and all and singular the manors, lands, tenements, rents, services, reversions, tithes, pensions, portions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, rights, entries, conditions, and all other interests and hereditaments to the same monasteries, abbeys, and priories, or to any of them appertaining or belonging; to have and to hold all and singular the premises, with all their rights, profits, jurisdictions, and commodities, unto the king's majesty, and to his heirs and assigns forever, to do and use therewith his and their own wills, to the pleasure of Almighty God, and to the honor and profit of this realm.

(Grantees of suppressed abbey lands to enjoy the same as fully as the late possessors, saving the rights of those holding lands, etc., from the monasteries to be dissolved. Ornaments, jewels, goods, chattels and debts of the dissolved monasteries given to the king. Abbots, Priors, etc., elected since January 1, 1534, discharged from the payment of the first fruits.)

In consideration of which premises to be had to his highness, and to his heirs, as is aforesaid, his majesty is pleased and contented, of his most excellent charity, to provide every chief head and governor of every such religious house, during their lives, such yearly pensions and benefices as for their degrees and qualities shall be reasonable and convenient; wherein his Highness will have most tender respect to such of said chief governors as well and truly conserve and keep the goods and ornaments of their houses to the use of his majesty, without spoil, waste or embezzling the same; and also his majesty will ordain and provide that the convents of every such

religious house shall have their capacities, if they will, to live honestly and virtuously abroad, and some convenient charity disposed to them towards their living, or else shall be committed to such honorable great monasteries of this realm wherein good religion is observed, as shall be limited by his highness, there to live religiously during their lives; and is ordained by the authority aforesaid, that realm wherein good religion is observed, as shall be limited by his highness, there to live religiously during their lives; and it is ordained by the authority aforesaid, that the chief governors and convents of such honorable great monasteries shall take and accept into their houses, from time to time, such number of the persons of the said convents as shall be assigned and appointed by the king's highness, and keep them religiously, during their lives, within their said monasteries, in like manner and form as the convents of such great monasteries be ordered and kept.

(Saving of the rights of founders, etc., of the houses suppressed. Grantees of the sites of suppressed monasteries to keep up hospitality and husbandry as before accustomed. Justices of the peace to inquire of and punish offenders).

Stat. of the Realm, III, 575; Gee and Hardy, 257

Act of Uniformity, the Six Articles. 1539, 31 Hen. VIII, c. 14.

"Where the king's most excellent majesty is by God's law supreme head immediately under him of this whole church and congregation of England; intending the conservation of the same. church and congregation in a true, sincere and uniform doctrine of Christ's religon, calling also to his blessed and most gracious remembrance, as well as the great and quiet assurance, prosperous increase, and other innumerable commodities, which have ever insued, come and followed of concord, agreement and unity in opinions, as also the manifold perils, dangers and inconveniences, which have heretofore, in many places and regions grown, sprung and arisen of the diversities of minds and opinions, especially of matters of Christian religion, and therefore desiring that such an unity might and should be charitably established in all things and concerning the same, as the same so being established might chiefly be to the honor of Almighty God, the very author and fountain of all true unity and sincere concord, and consequently redound to the commonwealth of this his highness most noble realm, and of all his loving subjects, and other residents and inhabitants of or in the

same; hath therefore caused and commanded this his most high court of parliament, for sundry and many urgent causes and considerations, to be at this time summoned; and also a synod and convocation of all the archbishops, bishops and other learned men of the clergy of this realm, to be in like manner assembled.

* *

And forasmuch as in the said parliament, synod and convocation, there were certain articles, matters and questions proposed and set forth touching the Christian religion, the king's most royal majesty, most prudently pondering and considering, that by occasion of variable and sundry opinions and judgments of the said articles, great discord and variance hath arisen, as well amongst the clergy of this his realm, as amongst a great number of vulgar people, his loving subjects of the same; and being in a full hope and trust, that a full and perfect resolution of the said articles should make a perfect concord and unity generally amongst all his loving and obedient subjects; of his most excellent goodness not only commanded, that the said articles should deliberately and advisedly, by his said archbishops, bishops and other learned men of his clergy, be debated, argued and reasoned, and their opinions therein to be understood, declared and known, but also most graciously vouchsafed in his own princely person, to descend and come into his said high court of Parliament and council, and there, like a prince of most high prudence, and no less learning, opened and declared many things of high learning and great knowledge, touching the said articles, matters, and questions, for an unity to be had in the same; whereupon, after a great and long, deliberate and advised disputation and consultation, had and made concerning the said articles as well by the consent of the king's highness, as by the assent of the lords spiritual, and temporal, and other learned clergy in their convocations, and by the consent of the commons, in this present parliament assembled, it was and is finally resolved, accorded and agreed- * *

1. If any person by word, writing, printing, cyphering, or any otherwise, do preach, teach, dispute, or hold opinion that in the blessed sacrament of the altar, under form of bread and wine-after the consecration thereof-there is not present really the natural body and blood of our saviour Jesus Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary; or that after the said consecration there remaineth any substance of bread or wine, or any other substance, but the substance of Christ, God and man; or that in the flesh under form of bread, is

not the very blood of Christ; or that with the blood under the form of wine, is not the very flesh of Christ, as well apart as though they were both together; or affirm the said sacrament to be of other substance than is aforesaid: or deprave the said blessed sacrament: then he shall be adjudged an heretic, and suffer death by burning, and shall forfeit to the king all his lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods and chattels, as in case of high treason.

2. And if any person preach in any sermon or collation openly made, or teach in any common school or congregation, or obstinately affirm or defend, that the communion of the blessed sacrament in both kinds is necessary for the health of man's soul, or ought or should be ministered in both kinds; or that it is necessary to be received by any other person other than by priests being at mass, and consecrating the same.

3. Or that any man after the order of priesthood received, may marry or contract matrimony.

4. Or that any man or woman which advisedly hath vowed or professed, or should vow or profess chastity or widowhood, may marry, or contract marriage.

3. Or that private masses be not lawful, or not laudable, or should not be used, or be not agreeable to the laws of God.

6. Or that auricular confession is not expedient, and necessary to be used in the church of God, he shall be adjudged, suffer death, and forfeit lands and goods, as a felon. If any priest or other man or woman, which advisedly hath avowed chastity, or widowhood, do actually marry or contract matrimony with another; or man which is or hath been a priest, do carnally use any woman to whom he is, or hath been married, or with whom he hath contracted matrimony, or openly be conversant or familiar with any such woman; both the man and the woman shall be adjudged felons. Commissions shall be awarded to the bishop of the diocese, his chancellor, commissary, and others, to inquire of the heresies, felonies, and offenses aforesaid; also justices of peace in their sessions and every steward, understand, and deputy of stewards in their leet, or lawday, by the oaths of twelve men have authority to enquire of all the heresies, felonies, and offenses afforesaid."

Stat. of the Realm, III, 739; Stat. at Large, IV, 468; Gee and Hardy, 303.

Oath of Allegiance to Pope, about 1500.

"I Henry Archbishop of Canterbury from this hour forward