Religion Act 1580

The Religion Act 1580 or Recusancy Act 1680 (23 Eliz. 1. c. 1) was an act of the Parliament of England during the English Reformation.^[1]

Religion Act 1580

Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act to retain the Queen's Majesty's Subjects in their due Obedience.
Citation	23 Eliz. 1. c. 1
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	18 March 1581
Commencement	16 January 1581[a]
Repealed	9 August 1844
Other legislation
Repealed by	Roman Catholics Act 1844
Relates to	Religion Act 1586 Popish Recusants Act 1605 Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

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 or attended a mass.^[2]

See also

• Praemunire
• High treason in the United Kingdom

Notes

1. Start of session.