Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533

IV Licences, the Tax whereon at Rome exceeded £4. shall be confirmed under the Great Seal, and enrolled in Chancery. Licences of less Tax may be granted by the Archbishop: All such Licences shall be valid; Children procreated after Marriages so licenced shall be legitimate, &c. E+W

Provyded always that no maner of dispensacions licences faculties or other rescriptes or wrytynges, herafter to be graunted to any person or persones by vertue or auctoritie of this acte by the seid Archebisshope or hys Commissarie, being of suche importance that the taxe of the expedicion therof at Rome extended to the somme of foure poundes or above, shall in any wyse be putt in execucion [X1 tell] the same licence dispensacion facultie rescripte, or other wrytyng of what name or nature soo ever it be of, be fyrst confirmed by your Highness your heires or successours Kynges of this Realme under the greate Seale, and inrolled in your Chauncerie in a Roll by a Clerke to be appoynted for the same; And that this acte shalbe sufficient warante to the Chauncellour of Englond for the tyme being, or to hym whome your Grace your heires or successours shall depute to be keper of the greate Seale, to confirme in your name your heires or successours the forseid wrytynges passed under the seid Archebishopes seale, by lettres patentes in due forme therof to be made under your greate seale, remyttyng as well the seid wrytyng under the Archebisshops seale as the seid confirmacion under the greate seale to the parties frome tyme to tyme Procuryng for the same. And that all suche licences dispensacions faculties and other rescriptes and wrytyngs, for the expedicion of the which the seid taxes to be payd at Rome was under £4. whiche be mattiers of no greate importance, shall passe only by the Archebisshops seale, and shall not of any necessitie be confirmed by the greate seale, onles the procurers of suche licence facultie or dispensacion desire to have theym soo confirmed; in whiche case they shall pay for the (X2 ) greate seale to the use of your Highnes your heires and successours [X3 v s.] sterlinges and not above, over and beside suche taxe as shalbe here after lymytted for the makyng wrytyng regestrynge confirmyng and inrollyng of suche licences confirmacions and wrytynges under the seid taxe of £4 And that every suche licence dispensacion composicion facultie rescript and wrytyng, of what name or nature soo ever it be, for suche causes as the taxe was wonte to be £4 or above soo graunted by the Archbishope and confirmed under the greate seale, and all other licences dispensacions faculties rescriptes and wrytyngs hereafter to be graunted by the Archebishope by vertue and auctoritie of this Acte wherunto the greate seale is not lymytted of necessite to be put to by reason that the taxe of theym ys under £4 shalbe accepted approved allowed and admytted good and effectuall in the lawe, in all places courtes and jurisdiccions as well spirituall as temporall within this Reame and els where within your Domynyons, and as beneficiall to the persons obteynyng the same, as they shuld have byn if they had byn obteyned with all thynges requysite of the See of Rome or of any other person by auctoritie therof, without any revocacion or repeale hereafter to be had of any suche licences dispensacions faculties rescriptes or wrytynges of what nature so ever they be: And that all Children Procreated after solempnyzacion of any mariages to be had or don by vertue of suche licences or dispensacions shalbe admytted reputed and taken legittimate in all courtes as well spirituall as temporall and in all other places, and inherite the inheritaunce of their parentes and auncestours within this your Realme and all other your Domynyons according to the lawes and customes of the same; and all actes to be don had or executed, accordyng to the tenour of suche licences dispensacions faculties wrytyngs or other instruments to be made or graunted by auctoritie of this acte, shalbe firme Promanente and remayne in force; any foreyne lawes constitucions decrees canons decretallis inhybicyons use custome prescripcion or any other thynge hadde or hereafter to be made to the contrarye not withstondyng.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: till O. & nu. 28 [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge and nu. 28 refers to the numbering of the membranes composing the Parliament Roll]

X2 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: said O. & nu. 28 [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge and nu. 28 refers to the numbering of the membranes composing the Parliament Roll]

X3 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: fyve shellings O. & nu. 28 [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge and nu. 28 refers to the numbering of the membranes composing the Parliament Roll]