The Pope`s laws rescinded 1534.

Certain Acts provided concerning the Pope’s Laws.’

First, as concerning the laws, decrees, ordinances and constitutions made and stablished by the pretended authority of the bishops of Rome, to the advancement of their worldly glory, that whoso did or spake any thing either against their usurped power, or against the said laws, decrees, or constitutions of theirs, not approved nor grounded upon holy Scripture, or else being repugnant to the king’s prerogative royaI, should therefore stand in no danger, nor be impeachable of heresy. And likewise touching such constitutions, ordinances, and canons provincial or synodal, which were made in this realm in the convocation of bishops, being either prejudicial to the king’s prerogative, or not ratified before by the king’s assent, or being otherwise onerous to the king and his subjects, or in any wise repugnant to the laws and statutes of this realm, they were committed to the examination and judgment of thirty-two persons, chosen by the king out of the higher and lower house, to be determined either to stand in strength, or to be abrogated, at their discretions: and further, that all the clergy of this realm, submitting themselves to the king, should and did promise ‘in verbo sacerdotii,’ never hereafter to presume to assemble in their convocations without the king’s writ, nor to enact or execute such constitutions without his royal assent, &c.

Further, in the same parliament was enacted end decreed, that in causes and matters happening in contentions no person should appeal, provoke, or sue out of the kings dominions to the court of Rome,’ under pains of provisors, provisions, or praemunire.

Item, In the same parliament was defined and concluded, that all exportation of annates and first-fruits of archbishoprics and bishoprics out of this realm to the see of Rome, for any bulls, breves or palls, or expedition of any such thing, should utterly cease.

Also, for the investing of archbishops, bishops, or other of any ecclesiastical dignity, such order in the said parliament was taken that the king should send license under the great seal, with a letter missive to the prior and convent, or to the dean and chapter of those cathedral churches where the see was vacant, by the virtue of which license or letters missive, they, within twelve days, should choose the said person nominated by the king, and none other; and that election to stand effectual to all intents: which election being done, then the party elect to make first his oath and fealty to the King, if it were a bishop that was elected; then the king by his letters patent to signify the said election to the archbishop of that province, and two other bishops, or else to four bishops within this realm to be assigned to that office, wthout any other suing, procuring, or obtaining any bulls, breves, or other things from the see of Rome.

Moreover, against all other whatsoever intolerable exactions and great sum, of money used to he paid out of this realm to the bishop of Romein pensions, censures Peter-pence, procurations, fruits, suits for provisions, and expeditions of bull, for archbishops and bishops, for de!egacies  and rescripts In causes of contentions and appeals. jurisdictions legative also for dispensation; licenses, faculties; grants, relaxations, writs called ‘perinde valere, rehabilitations, abolitions, canonizations, and other infinite sort, of bulls, breves, and instruments of sundry natures, the number whereof were tedious particularly to be recited: in the said parliament It was ordained, that all such uncharitable usurpations, exactions, pensions, censures, portions, and Peter-pence, wont to be paid to the see of Rome, should utterly surcease, and never more be levied: so that the king with his honourable council, should have power and authority from time to time, for the ordering, redress, and reformation of all manner of indulgences, privileges, &c, within this realm.

[ Editorial note: Thus were the wicked acts `Ex Officio’ broken by the king. The bloody ‘instrument `Ex Officio` was passed in the second year of Henry IV, under that statute persons accused of heresy might be Imprisoned In the bishops’ prisons, and were to be tried and sentenced in the bishops’ court; and in case of relapse, the secular authorities were bound to burn them at the bishop’s requirement. The present Act provided, that such  persons should be proceeded against, by two witnesses, in open court, and tried by jury; and though a bishop was to be one of the commissioners ,yet In case of conviction the king’s writ must be had before any sentence could be executed. This Act is said to have been occasioned by the general .sympathy felt for John Fryth, and the indignations excited at his burning; and It proved a wonderful barrier against the operation of the Act of Six Articles in 1539.]