Submission of the Clergy Act 1533
| Year | 1533 |
(25 Hen. 8) C A P. XIX.
'WHERE the King's humble and obedient Subjects, the Clergy of this Realm ofEngland , have not only knowledged according to the Truth, that the Convocations of the same Clergy, is, always hath been, and ought to be assembled only by the King's Writ, but also submitting themselves to the King's Majesty, have promised in Verbo Sacerdotii , that they will never from henceforth presume to attempt, alledge, claim or put in ure, or enact, promulge or execute any new Canons, Constitutions, Ordinance Provincial, or other, or by whatsoever other Name they shall be called, in the Convocation, unless the King's most Royal Assent and Licence may to them be had, to make, promulge and execute thesame; and that his Majesty do give his most Royal Assent and Authority in that Behalf: (2) And where divers Constitutions, Ordinances and Canons Provincial or Synodal, which heretofore have been enacted, and be thought not only to be much prejudicial to the King's Prerogative Royal, and repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, but also overmuch onerous to his Highness and his Subjects; the said Clergy hath most humbly besought the King's Highness, that the said Constitutions and Canons may be committed to the Examination and Judgment of his Highness, and of two and thirty Persons of the King's Subjects, whereof sixteen to be of the upper and nether House of the Parliament of the Temporalty, and the other sixteen to be of the Clergy of this Realm; and all the said two and thirty Persons to be chosen and appointed by the King's Majesty; (3) and that such of the said Constitutions and Canons, as shall be thought and determined by the said two and thirty Persons, or the more Part of them, worthy to be abrogated and adnulled, shall be abolite and made of no Value accordingly; (4) and such other of the same Constitutions and Canons, as by the said two and thirty, or the more Part of them, shall be approved to stand with the Laws of God, and consonant to the Laws of this Realm, shall stand in their full Strength and Power, the King's most Royal Assent first had and obtained to the same:' (5)Be it therefore now enacted by Authority of this present Parliament according to the said Submission and Petition of the said Clergy, that they ne any of them from henceforth shall presume to attempt, alledge, claim or putin ure any Constitutions or Ordinances Provincial or Synodal, or any other Canons; nor shall enact, promulge or execute any such Canons, Constitutions or Ordinances Provincial, by whatsoever Name or Names they may be called, in their Convocations in Time coming (which alway shall be assembled by Authority of the King's Writ) unless the same Clergy may have the King's most Royal Assent and Licence to make, promulge and execute such Canons, Constitutions and Ordinances Provincial or Synodal, (6)upon Pain of every one of the said Clergy doing contrary to this Act, and being thereof convict, to suffer Imprisonment, and make Fine at the King's Will.
II The King may assign 32 Persons to examine the Canons, and to continue such as they think worth, and to...
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