Anno-vicesimo tertio Henrici octavi.
At a Session of Parliament holden at Westminster (after divers prorogations) the fifteenth day of January in the yeere aforesaid.
CAP. X.
An Act concerning Restraint of Payment of Annates to the See of Rome.
'FORASMUCH as it is well perceived, by long approved experience, that great and inestimable Sums of Money have been daily conveyed out of this Realm, to the impoverishment of the same; and especially such Sums of Mony as the Pope's Holiness, his Predecessors, and the Court of Rome, by long time have heretofore taken of all and Angular those Spiritual Persons which have been Named, Elected, Presented, or Postulated to be Archbishops or Bishops within this Realm of England, under the Title of Annates, otherwise called First-Fruits. Which Annates, or First-Fruits, have been taken of every Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, within this Realm, by restraint of the Pope's Bulls, for Confirmations, Elections, Admissions, Postulations, Provisions, Collations, Dispositions, Institutions, Installations, Investitures, Orders, Holy Benedictions, Palles, or other things requisite and necessary to the attaining of those their Promotions; and have been compelled to pay, before they could attain the same, great Sums of Mony, before they might receive any part of the Fruits of the said Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, whereunto they were named, elected, presented, or postulated; by occasion whereof, not only the Treasure of this Realm hath been greatly conveighed out of the same, but also it hath happened many times, by occasion of Death, unto such Archbishops, and Bishops, so newly promoted, within two or three years after his or their Consecration, that his or their Friends, by whom he or they have been holden to advance and make paiment of the said Annates, or First-Fruits, have been thereby utterly undone and impoverished. And for because the said Annates have risen, grown and encreased, by an uncharitable Custom, grounded upon no just or good title, and the paiments thereof obtained by restraint of Bulls, until the same Annates, or First-Fruits, have been paid, or Surety made for the same; which declareth the said Payments to be exacted, and taken by constraint, against all equity and justice. The Noble Men therefore of the Realm, and the wise, sage, politick Commons of the same, assembled in this present Parliament, considering that the Court of Rome ceaseth not to tax, take, and exact the said great Sums of Money, under the Title of Annates, or First-Fruits, as is aforesaid, to the great damage of the said Prelates, and this Realm; which Annates, or First-Fruits, were first suffered to be taken within the same Realm, for the only defence of Christian People against the Infidels, and now they be claimed and demanded as mere duty, only for lucre, against all right and conscience. Insomuch that it is evidently known, that there hath passed out of this Realm unto the Court of Rome, sithen the second year of the Reign of the most Noble Prince, of famous memory, King Henry the Seventh, unto this present time, under the name of Annates, or First-Fruits, payed for the expedition of Bulls of Archbishopricks and Bishopricks, the sum of eight hundred thousand Ducats, amounting in Sterling Mony, at the least, to eightscore thousand pounds, besides other great and intolerable Sums which have yearly been conveighed to the said Court of Rome, by many other ways and means, to the great impoverishment of this Realm. And albeit, that our said Sovereign the King, and all his natural Subjects, as well Spiritual as Temporal, been as obedient, devout, Caholick and humble Children of God, and Holy Church, as any People be within any Realm christned; yet the laid exactions of Annates, or First-Fruits, be so intollerable and importable to this Realm, that it is considered and declared, by the whole Body of this Realm now represented by all the Estates of the same assembled in this present Parliament, that the King's Highness, before Almighty God, is bound, as by the duty of a good Christian Prince, for the conseration and preservation; of the good Estate and Common-wealth of this his Realm, to do all that in him is to obviate, repress, and redress the said abusions and exactions of Annates, or First-Fruits. And because that divers Prelates of this Realm, being now in extream Age, and in other debilities of their Bodies, so that of likelihood, bodily death in short time shall or may succeed unto them; by reason whereof great, sums of Mony shall shortly after their deaths, be conveighed unto the Court of Rome, for the unreasonable and uncharitable Causes abovesaid, to the universal damage, prejudice, and impoverishment of this Realm, if speedy remedy be not in due time provided:'
II. It is therefore ordained, established, and enacted, by Authority of this present Parliament, That the unlawful paiment of Annates, or First-Fruits, and all manner Contributions for the same, for any Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, or for any Bulls hereafter to be obtained from the Court of Rome, to or, for the aforesaid purpose and intent, shall from henceforth Utterly cease, and no such hereafter to be payed for any Archbishoprick, or Bishioprick, within this Realm, other or otherwise than hereafter in this present Act is declared; And that no manner person, nor persons hereafter to be named, elected, presented, or postulated to any Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, within this Realm, shall pay the said Annates, or First-Fruits, for the said Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, nor any other, manner of Sum or, Sums of Mony, Pensions or Annates for the same, or for any other like exaction, or cause, upon pain to forfeit to our said Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Sucessors, all manner his Goods and Chattels for ever, and all the Temporal Lands and Possessions of the same Archbishoprick, or Bishoprick, during the time that he or they which shall offend, contrary to this present Act, shall have, possess, or enjoy, the Archbshoprick, or Bishoprick, wherefore he shall so offend contrary to the form aforesaid. And furthermore it is enacted, by Authority of this present Parliament, That if any Person hereafter: named and presented to the Court of Rome by the King, or any of his Heirs or Successors, to be