Dissolution of Colleges Act 1547
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1547 c. 14 |
| Year | 1547 |
(1 Edw. 6) C A P. XIV.
'T H E King's most loving Subject, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, considering that a great Part of Superstition and Errors in Christian Religion hath been brought into the Minds and Estimations of Men, by reason of the Ignorance of their very true and perfect Salvation through the Death of Jesus Christ, and by devising and fantasying vain Opinions of Purgatory and Masses satisfactory, to be done for them which be departed; the which Doctrine and vain Opinion, by nothing more is maintained and upholden, than by the Abuse of Trentals a, Chantries, and other Provisions made for the Continuance of the said Blindness and Ignorance; (2) And further considering and understanding, that the Alteration, Change and Amendment of the same, and converting to good and godly Uses, as in erecting of Grammar Schools to the Education of Youth in Vertue and Godliness, the further Augmenting of the Universities, and better Provision for the Poor and Needy, cannot in this present Parliament be provided and conveniently done, nor cannot, ne ought to any other manner Person be committed, than to the King's Highness, whose Majesty, with and by the Advice of his Highness most prudent Council, can and will most wisely and beneficially, both for the Honour of God, and the Weal of this his Majesty's Realm, order, alter, convert and dispose the same; (3)and calling further to their Remembrance, that in the Parliament holden atWestminster the seven and thirtieth Year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord King Henry the Eighth, Father to our most Dread and Natural Sovereign Lord the King that now is, it was ordained, enacted and established amongst other Things, That all and singular Colleges, Free Chapels, Chantries, Hospitals, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds, and other Promotions mentioned in the said former Act, had or made to have Continuance in Perpetuity for ever, and then being, or that had or ought to be contributory or chargeable to the Payment of the First-fruits and Tenths, according to the Laws and Statutes in that Behalf had and made, by what Name, Surname, Degree or Corporation, they or any of them were founded, ordained, established, erected, named, called or known: And all and singular the Mansion Houses, Manors, Orchards, Gardens, Lands, Tenements, Pastures, Woods, Waters, Rents, Reversions, Services, Commons, Tithes, Pensions, Portions, Churches, Chapels, Advowsons, Nominations, Patronages, Annuities, Rights, Interests, Entries, Conditions, Leets, Courts, Liberties, Privileges, Franchises and other Hereditaments whatsoever, then appertaining or belonging, or that did appertain or belong, or were assigned or appointed to any such College, Free Chapel, Chantry, Hospital Fraternity, Brotherhood, Guild, Stipendary Priest, or other the said Promotions, or to any of them, or accepted, known, or taken as Part, Parcel or Member of them or of any of them, and to the said Colleges, Chantries, Free Chapels, Hospitals, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds, Stipendary Priests, or other Promotions, or to any of them united or annexed, which between the fourth Day ofFebruary in the seven and twentieth Year of the said late King's Reign, and the five and twentieth Day of December in the seven and thirtieth of his Grace's Reign, by Reason of any Entry, Expulsion, Bargain, Sale, Feoffment, Fine, Recovery, Lease, or other Conveyance thereof made, were dissolved, determined or relinquished by any of the Ways, Means, or Conveyances mentioned in the said Act, or otherwise, other than such of them as then were in the Possession of the said late King, or that were granted or assured by his Licence, Agreement, Consent or Letters Patents to any Person or Persons, or then had been lawfully obtained or recovered by any Person by any former Right or Title, without Fraud or Covin, or by the King's Licence, should from thenceforth by Authority of the same former Act, be adjudged and deemed, and also be in the very actual and real Possession and Seisin of the said late King, and of his Heirs and Successors for ever, (4) in as large and ample Manner as the said Priests, Wardens, Masters, Ministers, Governors, Rulers or other Incumbents, or any of them, or the Patrons, Donors or Founders of any of them, at any Time sithence the said fourth Day of February in the seven and twentieth Year aforesaid, had occupied or enjoyed or then had occupied or enjoyed the same, and as though all and singular the said Colleges, Chantries, Hospitals, Free Chapels, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds and other the said Promotions, and the said Manors, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and other the Premisses whatsoever they be, and every of them, had been in the said former Act specially, particularly and certainly rehearsed, named and expressed by express Words, Names, Surnames, Corporations, Titles and Faculties, and in their Natural Kinds and Qualities; the said Entries, Expulsions, Bargains, Sales, Fines, Feoffments, Recoveries, or other Assurance and Conveyance whatsoever they were, had or made (except before in the former Act excepted) to the contrary notwithstanding.
II The King's Commissions to certain Persons to enter into Chantries, &c. and their Lands, 1 Leonard 38. 3 Bulst. 151.
'II. And where also it was enacted and granted to the said late King, by the said former Act, That the same late King during, his Natural Life, might make and direct his Commission and Commissions, under his Great Seal, to enter into all and singular such and as many Chantries, Free Chapels, Hospitals, Colleges, and other the Promotions mentioned in the said former Act, and into all and singular such Manors, Mansions, Houses, Meases, Lands, Tenements, Pastures, Woods, Waters, Rents, Reversions, Services, Possessions and other Hereditaments whatsoever, or into any Part or Parcel thereof, in the Name, Seisin and Possession of all the Hereditaments annexed, united, belonging or appertaining to any Chantry, Hospital, Free Chapel, College, Fraternity, Brotherhood, Guild, or other the said Promotions; or whereof any Priests, Provosts, Governors, Rulers or other Incumbents of them or of any of them, by what Name, Surname, Degree, Title or Corporation, they and every of them or
aTrental, is an Office for the Dead, continuing thirty Days, or consisting of thirty Masses .
anyof them were founded, erected, ordained, established, named, called or known, then had or enjoyed, or that hereafter should have or enjoy, to the said Chantries, Hospitals, Free Chapels, Colleges, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds and other the said Promotions that then were chargeable to the Payment of the First-fruits and Tenths, and all Colleges that were chargeable or not chargeable to the said Payment of the First-fruits and Tenths as is aforesaid, or to any of them, as should be named, expressed and appointed in the same Commission or Commissions; (2)And to seise and take the same Chantries, Hospitals, Colleges, Free Chapels, Fraternities, Brotherhoods, Guilds and other the said Promotions, Manors, Lands, Tenements, and other the Premisses mentioned in the said Commission or Commissions and in every of them, and every Part, Parcel and Member of the same, into the King's Possession and Hands, to have and to hold the same to the said late King and to his Heirs and Successors for ever, as by the said former Act, amongst other Things, more at large appeareth:' (3) It is now ordained and enacted by the King our Sovereign Lord, with the Assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authorityof the same, That all manner of Colleges, Free Chapels and Chantries, having, being or inesse within five Years next before the first Day of this present Parliament, (which were not in actual and real Possession of the said late King, nor in the actual and real Possession of the King our Sovereign Lord that now is, nor excepted in the said former Act in Form abovesaid, other than such as by the King's Commissions in Form hereafter mentioned shall be altered, transposed or changed) and all Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Tithes, Pensions, Portions and other Hereditaments and Things above mentioned, belonging to them or any of them: (4)And also all Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents and other Hereditaments and Things above mentioned, by any manner of Assurance, Conveyance, Will, Devise, or otherwise had, made, suffered, knowledged or declared, given, assigned, limited or appointed, to the finding of any Priest, to have Continuance for ever, and wherewith or whereby any Priest was sustained, maintained or found within five Years next before the first Day of this present Parliament, (which were not in the actual and real Possession of the said late King, nor in the actual and real Possession of our Sovereign Lord the King that now is) (5)And also all annual Rents, Profits and Emoluments, at any Time within five Years next before the Beginning of this present Parliament, employed, paid or bestowed, toward or for the Maintenance, Supportation or finding of any stipendary Priest, intended by any Act or Writing to have Continuance for ever, (6) shall by the Authority of this present Parliament, immediately after the Feast ofEaster next coming, be adjudged and deemed, and also be in the very actual and real Possession and Seisin of the King our Sovereign Lord, and his Heirs and Successors for ever, without any Office or other Inquisition thereof to be had or found, (7) and in as large and ample Manner and Form as the Priests, Wardens, Masters, Ministers, Governors, Rulers, or other Incumbents of them or any of them, at any Time within five Years next before the Beginning of this present Parliament, had occupied or enjoyed, or now hath, occupieth...To continue reading
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