Irish Supremacy Act

An Act authorising the King, his Heirs and Successors, to be Supreme Head of the Church of Ireland.

Like as the king's majesty justly and rightfully is and ought to be supreme head of the church of England, and so is recognised by the clergie, and authorised by an act of parliament made and established in the said realme: so in like maner of wise, forasmuch as this land of Ireland is depending and belonging justly and rightfully to the imperial crown of England, for increase of vertue in Christ's religion within the said land of Ireland, and to repress and extirp all errours, heresies, and other enormities and abuses, heretofore used in the same: be it enacted by authority of this present parliament, that the king our sovereign lord, his heyres and successors, kings of the said realm of England, and lords of this said land of Ireland, shall be accepted, taken, and reputed the only supream head in earth of the whole church of Ireland, called Hibernica Ecclessia, and shall have and enjoy, annexed and united to the imperial crown of England, as well the title and stile thereof, as all honours, dignities, pre-eminences, jurisdictions, priviledges, authorities, immunities, profites, and commodities to the said dignitie of supreme head of the same church belonging and appertayning, and that our said sovereign lord, his heyres and successors, kings of the said realm of England, and lords of this land of Ireland, shall have full power and authority from time to time to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain, and amend all such errors, herisies, abuses, offences, contempts, and enormities, whatsoever they be, which by any maner spiritual authority or jurisdiction ought or may lawfully be remformed, repressed, ordered, redressed, corrected, restrained, or amended, most to the pleasure of Almighty God, the increase of vertue in Christ's religion, and for the conservation of peace, unitie, and tranquilitie of this land of Ireland: any usage, custome, foreign laws, foreign authoritie, prescription, or any other thing or things to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.

Provided alway, and be it enacted by the authority of this present parliament, that if it fortune our sovereign lord the king, his heyres or successors, to authorise and depute any person or persons to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain, or amend, by force of the present and aforesaid act, that then any such person or persons shall go with such company, as shall be convenient and necessary for the same; and that according the habilitie, substance, and power of the person, house, or monasterie, which they shall so fortune to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain, or amend; and that no such person or persons, so appointed or authorized to visit, repress, redress, reforme, order, correct, restrain, or amend, but onely convenient meat, drink, and lodging for themselves, their company, servants, and horses; and if any such person or persons, so appointed and authorized as aforesaid, do take, or cause to be taken, any process money, or any other exactions, (other than is aforesaid) that every of them so offending shall forfeit four times the value of that, that he receiveth, or cause to be received, the one half thereof to our sovereign lord the king, his heyres and successors, and the other half to any person or persons that will sue for the same by action of debt, information, or otherwise, wherein no wager of law, essoine, ne protection shall lye.