Anno tricesimo primo Henrici octavi Henry the VIII. by the grace of God kynge of England and of France, defender of the fayth, Lorde of Irelande, and in earth supreme hed immediatly vnder Christ of the churche of Englande, to the honour of almyghty God, conseruation of the true doctrine of Christes religion, and for the concorde quiet and vvelth of this his realme and subiectes of the same helde his moste hyghe court of Parliament begonne at VVestm[inster] the. xxviii. daye of Aprill, and there continued tyll the. xxviii. daye of Iune, the. xxxi. yere of his most noble and victorious reigne, vvherin in vvere establysshed these actes folovvinge.

¶ An act that such as were religious persons maye purchace, sue and be sued in all maner of actions. Cap. vi.

BE it enacted by auctoritie of this present parliament, that al and singular such religious persons, aswel men as women, professed of what order rule or habyt so euer they were, whi∣che be, or hereafter shalbe put at their liberties from the dan¦ger seruitude and condicion of their religion and profession whervnto they were professed, by reason of suppression dis∣soluinge forfeyture by atteyndre, rendring or otherwyse gyuinge vp to the handes of the kynges maiestie, or any other the same monasteries, abbeys, priories, or other religious houses or places, wherin the same religious per¦sons were professed, shall by auctoritie of this present parliament, frome & after the first daye of the same parliament, and frome and after the tyme, y^t they were or shalbe put at such libertie, haue free libertie to purchase to thē and their heyres in fee simple, fee tayle, for terme of lyfe for yeres or at will, manours landes tenementes rentes annuities and other hereditamentes & thinges whatsoeuer they be in lyke maner and fourme, as thoughe they or any of them had neuer bene professed, nor entered into any suche religion.

And furthermore that they the same religious persons and euery of theym, shalbe made able by auctoritie of this present act, to sue and to be sued in al maner of actions playntes and suytes what so euer they be, of and for any matier or cause growen sythens and after the tyme of their seuerall deraig∣mentes or departinge out of their religion, in all courtes and places within this realme, as other the kynges subiectes be. And furthermore that they & euery of them shall and maye from hensforth, vse and exercise, receyue take haue and enioye all and euery lawfull thinge and thinges to be growen fal or happened to them or any of them, after the sayd deraigment or departing out of their religion, in as large and ample maner forme and condicion, as yf they had neuer bene professed, nor entered into religion, the same profes∣sion or religion, or any lawe custome or vse within this realme to the contra¦ry therof in any wyse not withstandinge.

¶Prouyded alwayes & be it further enacted by auctoritie afore sayd, that none of the same religious persons, shall or maye at any tyme hereafter be taken demed or iudged for or as heyre or heyres or inheritable to any person or persons to any purpose respect construction or intēt in the law: nor y^t they

nor any of them by vertu of this acte be receyued admitted or demed able in the lawe, to demande challenge receyue or take any manours landes tene∣mentes or hereditamentes, or any other thinge or thinges, by reason of or for any former title right interest matier or cause, had made done or growen to any respect or purpose, before their sayd seuerall deraigmentes or depar∣tinges out of their religion. Nor that any of the sayd religious persons be∣ynge priestes, or such as haue auowed religion at .xxi. yeres or aboue, and therto then consented, continuinge in the same anye whyle after, not duely prouinge by wytnes or other lawfull meanes some vnlawfull cohercion or compulsion done to them or any of them for makynge of any suche vowe, or constrayning them to remayne in their religion, be enabled by vertu of any wordes clause or sentence before in this act expressed, to marye or take anye wyfe or wyues, but that they and euery of them be clerely excluded and put from the same to all intentes and purposes: any thinge before in this acte conteyned to the contrary hereof in any wyse not withstanding.