Religion Act 1580
Encyclopedia
The Religion Act 1580 was an Act
of the Parliament of England
during the English Reformation
.
The Act made it high treason
to persuade English subjects to withdraw their allegiance to the Queen, or from the Church of England
to Rome, or to promise obedience to a foreign authority.
The Act also increased the fine for absenteeism from Church to £20 a month or imprisonment until they conformed. Finally, the Act fined and imprisoned those who celebrated the mass
and attended a mass.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
during the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
.
The Act made it high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
to persuade English subjects to withdraw their allegiance to the Queen, or from the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
to Rome, or to promise obedience to a foreign authority.
The Act also increased the fine for absenteeism from Church to £20 a month or imprisonment until they conformed. Finally, the Act fined and imprisoned those who celebrated the mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
and attended a mass.