Popish Recusants Act 1592
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1592 c. 2 |
| Year | 1592 |
(35 Eliz. 1) C A P. II.
'F O R the better discovering and avoiding of such traiterous and most dangerous Conspiraciesand Attempts, as are daily devised and practised against our most gracious Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty and the happy Estate of this common Weal, by sundry wicked and seditious Persons, who terming themselves Catholicks, and being indeed Spies and Intelligencers, not only for her Majesty's foreign Enemies, but also for rebellious and traiterous Subjects born within her Highness Realms and Dominions, and hiding their most detestable and devilish Purposes under a false Pretext of Religion and Conscience, do secretly wander and shift from Place to Place within this Realm, to corrupt and seduce her Majesty's Subjects, and to stir them to Sedition and Rebellion:'
II Bulstr. 87. Carthew 291.
II. Be it ordained and enacted by our Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty, and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That every Person above the Age of sixteen Years, born within any of the Queen's Majesty's Realms and Dominions, or made Denizen, being a Popish Recusant, and before the End of this Session of Parliament convicted for not repairing to some Church, Chapel or usual Place of Common Prayer, to hear Divine Service there, but forbearing the same, contrary to the Tenor of the Laws and Statutes heretofore made and provided in that Behalf, and having any certain Place of Dwelling and Abode within this Realm, shall within forty Days next after the End of this Session of Parliament (if they be within this Realm, and not restrained or stayed either by Imprisonment, or by her Majesty's Commandment, or by Order and Direction of some Six or more of the Privy Council, or by such Sickness and Infirmity of Body, as they shall not be able to travel without imminent Danger of Life, and in such Cases of Absence out of the Realm, Restraint or Stay, then within twenty Days next after they shall return into the Realm, and be enlarged of such Imprisonment or Restraint, and shall be able to travel) repair to their Place of Dwelling where they usually heretofore made their common Abode, and shall not at any Time after pass or remove above five Miles from thence.
III Recusants that shall be convicted hereafter shall repair to their usual Dwelling.
III. And also that every Person being above the Age of sixteen Years, born within any her Majesty's Realms or Dominions, or made Denizen, and having, or which hereafter shall have, any certain Place of Dwelling and Abode within this Realm, which being then a Popish Recusant, shall at any Time hereafter be lawfully convicted for not repairing to some Church, Chapel or usual Place of Common Prayer to hear Divine Service there, but forbearing the same contrary to the said Laws and Statutes, and being within this Realm at the Time that they shall be convicted, shall within forty Days next after the same Conviction (if they be not restrained or stayed by Imprisonment or otherwise, as is aforesaid, and in such Cases of Restraint and Stay, then within twenty Days next after they shall be enlarged of such Imprisonment or Restraint, and shall be able to travel) repair to their Place of usual Dwelling and Abode, and shall not at any Time after pass or remove above five Miles from thence; (2) upon Pain that every Personand Persons that shall offend against the Tenor and Intent of this Act in any Thing before-mentioned, shall lose and forfeit all his and their Goods and Chattels, and shall also lose and forfeit to the Queen's Majesty all the Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, and all the Rents and Annuities of every such Person so doing or offending, during the Life of the same Offender.
IV What a Recusant shall do that hath no Place of Abode.
IV. And be it also enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Person above the Age of sixteen Years, born within any her Majesty's Realms or Dominions, not having any certain Place of Dwelling and Abode within this Realm, and being a Popish Recusant, not usually repairing to some Church, Chapel or usual Place of Common Prayer, but forbearing the same contrary to the same Laws and Statutes in that Behalf made, shall within forty Days next after the End of this Session of Parliament (if they be then within this Realm, and not imprisoned, restrained or stayed as aforesaid, and in such Case of Absence out of the Realm, Imprisonment, Restraint or Stay, then within twenty Days next after they shall return into the Realm, and be enlarged of such Imprisonment or Restraint, and shall be able to travel) repair to the Place where such Person was born, or where the Father or Mother of such Person shall then be dwelling, and shall not at any Time after remove or pass above five Miles from thence; (2)upon Pain that every Person and Persons, which shall offend against the Tenor and Intent of this Act in any Thing before mentioned, shall lose and forfeit all his and their Goods and Chattels, and shall also forfeit to the Queen's Majesty all the Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, and all the Rents and Annuities of every such Person so doing or offending, during the Life of the same Person.
V A Recusant Copyholder departing five Miles from his Place of Abode.
V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every such Offender as is before mentioned, which hath or shall have any Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments, by Copy of Court-Roll, or by any other customary Tenure...
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