Supremacy Act (1534)
| An act
concerning the king's highness to be supreme head of the Church of England and to have authority to reform and redress |
|
Albeit the king's majesty
justly and rightfully is and ought to be the supreme head of the
Church of England, and so is recognized by the clergy of this realm in
their convocations; yet, nevertheless, for corroboration and confirmation
thereof, and for increase of virtue in Christ's religion within this realm
of England, and to repress and extirp all errors, heresies, and other
enormities and abuses heretofore used in the same, be it enacted by authority
of this present parliament that the king, our sovereign lord, his
heirs, and successors, kings of this realm, shall be taken, accepted, and
reputed the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England called
Anglicana Ecclesia, and shall have and enjoy, annexed and united
to the imperial crown of this realm, as well the title and style thereof
as all honours, dignities, pre-eminences,
jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities
to the said dignity of supreme head of the same Church belonging and
appertaining; and that our said sovereign lord, his heirs, and successors,
kings of this realm, shall have full power and authority from time
to time to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain, and
amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offences, contempts, and
enormities, whatsoever they be, which by any manner spiritual authority or
jurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed, repressed, ordered, redressed,
corrected, restrained, or amended, most to
the pleasure of Almighty God, the increase
of virtue in Christ's religion, and for the conservation of the peace,
unity, and tranquillity of this realm — any usage, custom, foreign
laws, foreign authority, prescription, or any other thing or things to the
contrary hereof notwithstanding. |