A. D. 1553. Anno primo Mari.i., Sefiio prima. 1. Anno primo MarI/F.,, SefEo prima. ACTS made in the Parliament begun and holdcn at ll'eftminjler the fifth Day of in the firft Year of the Reign of our moft gracious Sovereign Lady Mary, by the (/race of God Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England, and alio of Ireland, in Earth the Supream Head, and there continued to I : one and twentieth Day of the lame Month ; that is to fay, in the firft Sefiion of the fame Parliament, as followeth. C A P. I. An Act repealing and taking away certain Treafons, Felonies and Cafes of Fremunire. FOrafmuch as the State of every King, Ruler and Governor of any Realm, Dominion or Common- Tl - ' . > alty, ftandcth and confiiteth more allured by the Love and Favour of the Subject toward their So-K.ii vereign Ruler and Governor, than in the Dread and Fear of Laws made with rigorous Pains . extreme Punifliment for not obeying of their Sovereign Ruler and Governor: (2) And Law:, alfojuftlj made for the Prefervation of the Commonweal, without extreme Punifliment or great Penalty, are more, h an in Feu' of often for the molt part obeyed and kept, than Laws and Statutes made with great and extreme Punifliment -, and in fpecial fuch Laws and Statutes fo made, whereby not only the ignorant and rude unlearned People,
- but alfo learned and expert People, minding Honefty, are often and many Tin.es trapped and fnared, yea
4 many Times for Words only, without other Fact or Deed done or perpetrated : ' II. The Queen's moll excellent Majefty, calling to Remembrance that many, as well honourable and. 4 noble Pcrfons, as other of good Reputation within this her Grace's Realm of England, have of late (for
- Words only, without other Opinion, Fact or Deed) fuffcred fhameful Death not accuffomed to Nobles;
' Her Highnefs therefore of her accuftomed Clemency and Mercy, minding to avoid and put away the Oc- 4 cafion and Caufc of like Chances hereafter ti enfue, trufting her loving Subjects will, for her Clemency ' to them fhewed, love, fervc, and obey her Grace the more heartily and laithfully, than for Dread or Fear ' ot Pains ot Body, is contented and pleafed that the Severity of fuch like extreme, dangerous and painful 4 Laws, fhall be abolifhed, annulled and made fruftrate and void.' III. Be it therefore ordained and enacted by the Queen our Sovereign Ladv, with the Affent of the Lords k„ ^a ot Of- Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority fence (hall b= of the fame, That from henceforth none Act, Deed or Offence, being by Act of Parliament or Statute Treafon, Petty made Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon, by Words, Writing, Ciphering, Deeds or other- T rj alin or *; ,: 'j wife whatfoever, fhall be taken, had, deemed, or adjudged to be High Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mif- ^iTdecfcred prifion of Treafon, but only fuch as be declared and expreffed to be Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion cfbj the Stat, of Treafon, in or by the Act of Parliament or Statute made in the xxv. Year of the Reign of the molt noble^s Ed. 3. Smr King of famous Memory, K ing Edward the Third, touching or concerning Treafon or the Declarations of5- c - -• Treafons, and none other ; (2) nor that any Pains of Death, Penalty or Forfeiture in any wife enfue or be to any Offender or Offenders, for the Doing or Committing any Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon, other than fuch as be in the faid Eitatute made in the faid xxv. Yeir of the Reign of the faid King Edward the Third, ordained and provided; any Act or Acts of Parliament, Statute or Statutes, had or made at any Time heretofore, or after the faid xxv. Year of the Reign of the faid late King Edward the Third, or any other Declaration or Matter to the contrary in any wife notwithltanding. _ IV. Provided always, and be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That this Act of Par- --...,: . -.'.., liament, or any Thing therein mentioned, fhall not in any wife extend to give any maimer of Bei fit, - Advantage or Commodity to any Perfon or Periods, being the laft Day of September laft paft imprifoned for Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon, or to any Perfon or Pe ' ,j. e this St«u«. being indicted of Treafon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon, or being outlawed or attainted of Trea- fon, Pety Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon, before the laid laft Day of September hit paft, or being com- manded to keep his or their Hotife or Houfes, or other Mens Houfes, or otherwise excepted out of the Queen's Highnefs moft gracious Pardon given the Day of her Coronation, but that they and every of them, for any the Offences before mentioned perpetrated, committed or done by them or any of them, be- fore the faid laft Day of September, fhall fuller fuch Pains of Death, Lofl'es and Forfeitures of Lands Goods, as in Cafes of Treafon, as though this Act had never been had ne made; any Thing in this Act to the contrary in any wife notwithltanding. All ounces V. And be it further ordained and enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all Offences made Felony,. F r> ' or limited or appointed to be within die Cafe of Even ware, by anv Act or Acts of Parliament, Si itute or'„ ,hcC ? fe v ol. Jl. I n n ites.
