8 7be HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. L King upon the flatute of prcemunire, whereby the whole body of the clergy Henry VIII. were declared to be out of the king's proteétion, and to have forfeited all rc 3w their goods and chattels. In this condition they were glad to fubmit upon the heft terms they could make, the king refufing to pardon them except upon thefe two con- ditions, (1.) That the two provinces of Canterbury and York should pay into the Exchequer 118840 1. (a vaft fum of money in thofe times.) (2.) That they fhould yieldhis majefty the title of foie andfupreme headof the church of England, next and immediately under Chrift. The former they rea- dily complied with, and prómifed for the future never to affemble in con- vocation without the king's writ; nor to make or execute any canons or conflitutions without his majefly's licence :. but to acknowledge a layman to be. fupreme head of an ecclefiaflical body, was fuch an abfurdity, in their opinion, and fo inconfiftent with their allegiance to the Pope, that they could not yield to it without an additional claufe, Asfar as is agree- able to the laws of Chrift. The king accepted it with this reftri&ion for the prefent, but a year or two after obtained the confirmation of it in parlia- ment and convocation without the claufe. .elet of Su- The fubflance of the aft of fupremacy is as follows, " Albeit the king's premacy, " majefty juftly and rightfully is, and ought to be fupreme head of the 26 Henry 8. <, church of England, and is fo recognized by the clergy of this realm cap. r. « in their convocations, yet neverthelefs, for confirmation and corroba- « tion thereof, and for increafe of vertue in Chrift's religion, within this " realm of England, &c. Be it enaéted by the authority of this prefent « parliament, that the king, our foverign lord, his heirs and fucceffors, " kings of this realm, (hall be taken, accepted, and reputed, the only « fupreme headon earth ofthe church of England; and fhall have and enjoy, :< annexedand united to the imperial crown of this realm, as well the title :< and flile thereof, as all honours, dignities, immunities, profits and " commodities, to the faid dignity of fupreme headof thefaid church be- " longing and appertaining ; and that our fovereign lord, his heirs and fucceffors, kings of this realm, fhall have full power and authority to « vifit, reprefs, redrefs, reform, order, correct, reflrain, and amend all fuch errors, herefies, abufes, contempts, andenormities whatfoever they " be, which by any manner of fpiritual authority or jurifdi&ion, ought « or may be lawfullyreformed, repreffed, ordered, redreffed, corrected, reflrained, or amended, molt to the pleafure of Almighty God, and increafe of vertue in Chrift's religion, and for the confervation of peace, << unityand tranquillity of this realm, any ufage, cuflom, foreign law, foreign authority, prefcription, or any thing or things to the contrary ' notwithfanding." Here
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