Anno quinto et sexto Eduardi Sexti Actes made in the session of this present parlament, holden vpo[n] prorogacion at Westminster, the. xxiii. daie of Ianuarie, in the fiueth yere of the reigne of our moste drad souereigne Lorde, Edward the. VI. by the grace of God, kyng of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faith, and of the Churche of Englande and Irelande, in yearth [sic] the supreme hed: and there continued and kept to the. xv. daie of Aprill, in the vi. yere of the reigne of our saied souereigne lorde, as foloweth

¶ The .xii. Chapiter. ¶ An acte, for the declaration of a statute, made for the mari∣age of priestes, and for the legitimation of their children, (Book 12)

ALbeit, that at the Session of this parlament, holdē by prorogation at Westminster, the .iiii. day of No∣uembre, in the second yere of the reigne of the Kyn∣ges Maiestie that now is, it was ordeined & enac∣ted by thaucthoritie of thesame parlament, that all and euery lawe, and lawes positiue, Canones, con∣stitucions and ordinaūces, before that made, by the aucthoritie of man onely, whiche then bid prohibite and forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall, and spiritual persone, or per∣sons, of what estate, cōdiciō, or degree, thei then wer, or by what name or names so euer they then wer called, whiche by gods law might law fully mary, and all and euery article, braunche, & sentence, concernyng onely the prohibicion for the mariage of the persones aforesaid, should be vtterly voide, and of none effect: And that al maner of forfeictures, paines, penalties, crimes, or actions, whiche wer in thesaid lawes con¦teined, or of thesame did folow, concerning the prohibition for the ma∣riage of the persones aforesaide, shoulde be clerelye and vtterly voide, frustrate, and of none effect, to all ententes, constructions and purpo∣ses, aswel cōcernyng mariage afore that tyme made by any of the Ec∣clesiastical, or spiritual persones aforesaid, as also suche, whiche there after should be duely and lawfully had, celebrated, and made, betwixte the persones whiche by the lawes of God mighte lawfully marie. Yet sence the making of thesaide acte, duiers euell disposed persones, per∣uersely takyng occasion, of certeine wordes, and sentences, in thesame acte comprised, haue, and do vntruly, and very slaunderously report of priestes Matrimonie saieng, that thesame statute is but a permission of Priestes Matrimonie, as vsurie, and other vnlawfull thynges bee now permitted, for theschuyng of greatter inconucnience, & euilles, so that thereby the lawfull Matrimony of priestes in the opinion of ma∣ny, and the children procreate, and borne in suche lawful Matrimonie rather be of a great nombre of the kinges subiectes, accompted as ba∣stardes, then lawfully borne, to the greate slaunder perill, and disheri∣son of suche children. Whiche vntrue slaunderous reproche of holy ma∣trimony, doth not onely redounde to the highe dishonour of almightye

God, but also to the kynges maiesties dishonor, and his high courte of parlament and the learned clergie of this Realme, who haue determi∣ned thesame to be most lawful, by the lawe of God, in theire conuoca∣cion, aswel by their common assent, as by the subscription of their han¦des. And that most of al is to be lamented, throughe suche vncomelye railynges of matrimony, and slaunderous reproches of the clergye, the word of God is not heard with reuerence, folowed with diligence, the godly procedynges of the kynges maiestie, not receiued with due obe∣dience, and therby the welthy men of this realme discouraged, to nou∣rishe and bring vp their children in learning, so as it is to be feared, lest in place of good learnyng and knowledge, shall crepe in ignoraunce, and for learned men, vnlearned ambicious men, and staterers, to the great displeasure of almighty god, & to the perill of the whole state of Gods true religiō, within this realme, if spedy remedy be not prouided herin.

Therfore it is enacted, by the kyng our souereigne Lorde, with the assent of the lordes, spiritual and temporall, and the commons in thys present Parlament assembled, and by thaucthoritie of thesame parla∣ment that the Matrimony of al, and euery priest, and other Ecclesia∣sticall, and spirituall persones, and persone, heretofore had, celebrated, and made, and the matrimony of euery priest, and other Ecclesiasticall and spirituall persone, whiche shall hereafter duelye be had, celebrated and made, shalbe adiuged, demed and taken, for true, iust, and lawfull Matrimony, to al ententes, constructions, and purposes. And that all and euery children, and childe, borne in any suche Matrimony, shalbee demed, iudged, reputed, and taken, to al ententes, constructions, and purposes to be borne in lawful matrimony, and to be legittimate, and enheritable to landes, tenementes, and other hereditamentes, from, & by any of their fathers, mothers, and other auncestours, in like maner and fourme, to all ententes, constructions, and purposes, as any other children, borne in lawful Matrimony, betwixt any of the kynges laie subiectes be enheritable, and that by the aucthoritie aforesaide, aswel al and euery priest, and other Ecclesiasticall, and spirituall person, and persons, be, and shalbe enhabled to be tenauntes, by the courtesie, after the death of their wiues, of all suche landes, tenementes, and other he∣reditamentes, as their wiues shall happē to be seised of, of estate in fee simple, or estate in fee taile general, duryng the espousails, as also eue¦ry wife, of euery suche priest, and other Ecclesiasticall persone, shalbe e∣nabled to claime, demaunde, haue and enioy dower, of the landes, tene¦mentes, and other hereditamentes, whereof her husbande, during the espousailles betwene them, was seised of estate in fee Simple, or Fee taile generall in his awne right, in lyke maner and fourme, to al enten∣tes, constructions, and purposes, as any other husbande, or wife, maye or might, claime, demaunde, haue or enioy. Any Lawe, Statute, orde∣naunce, Canon, constitucion, prescription, or custome, had, made, exerci¦sed

or vsed in this tealme to the contrary in any wise, notwithstādyng.

Prouided alwaie, that this Acte, nor any thyng therein conteined, shall extende to geue libertie to any persone to matie, without askyng in the Churche, or without the Ceremonies, accordyng to the Boke of Common praier, & administracion of the sacramentes, nor shall make any suche matrimonie alredy made, or hereafter to be made, good, whi∣che are prohibited by the lawe of God for any other cause.

Prouided also that this acte, nor any thyng therin conteined, shall extende to alter, chaunge, reuoke, repeale, or other wise to disanull any decree, iudgement, or sentence of diuorce, heretofore had or made, or to chaunge or alter, the possession or enheritaunce, of any landes or tene∣mentes, alredy descended, but that thei and euery of them, shall remain continue, and be of suche like force, effect, strength and degree, to all en∣tentes, construccions and purposes, as thei were before the makyng of this acte. This Acte, or any thyng therein conteined to the contrary in any wise, notwithstandyng.