31 Hen. 8. c. 14. intituled, “An Act for abolishing of diuersitie of opinions in certaine Articles concerning christian religion.”

s. 4.——“It is therefore ordeined and enacted by the King our Souereigne Lord, the Lords spirituall and temporal, and the Commons in this present parliament assembled, and by authority of the same, That if any person or persons within this Realme of England, or any other the king’s dominions, after the xii. day of July next coming, by word, writing, imprinting, ciphering, or in any otherwise, doe publish, preach, teach, say, affirme, declare, dispute, argue, or hold any opinion, that in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, vnder the forme of bread and wine (after the Consecration thereof) there is not present really, the naturall body and blood of our Sauiour Jesu Christ, conceiued of the Virgin Mary, or that after the said consecration there remaineth any substance of bread or wine, or any other substance but the substance of Christ, God and man: or after the time aboue said, publish, preach, teach, say, affirme, declare, dispute, argue, or hold opinion, that in the flesh, vnder forme of bread is not the very blood of Christ: or that with the blood vnder the forme of wine, is not the very flesh of Christ, aswel apart as though they were both together: or by any the means abouesaid, or otherwise, preach, teach, declare, or affirme the said Sacrament to be of other substance than is abouesayd, or by any meanes contemne, depraue, or despise the said blessed Sacrament: that then every such person and persons so offending, their aiders, comforters, counsellers, consentors, and abettors therein, being thereof convicted in forme vnderwritten by the authority abouesaid, shall be deemed and adjudged heretikes. And that euery such offence shall be iudged manifest heresie: and that euery such offender and offenders shall therefore haue and suffer iudgement, execution, paine and paines of death, by way of burning without any abiuration, Clergie or Sanctuary, to be therfore permitted, had, allowed, admitted or suffered: and also shall therefore forfeit and lose to the Kings highnes, his heires and successors, all his or their honors, manors, castles, lands, tenements, rents, reuersions, seruices, possessions, and all other his or their hereditaments, goods, and chattels, farmes and freeholds, whatsoeuer they be, which any such offender or offenders shall haue at the time of any such offence or offences committed or done, or at any time after, as in cases of high treason.”

s. 6. “Also bee it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, That if any person or persons after the said twelfth day of July, by word, writing, printing, ciphering, or otherwise then as aboue rehearsed, publish, declare, or hold opinion, that the said communion of the blessed Sacrament in both kinds aforesaid, is necessary for the health of mans soule to bee given or ministered in both kindes, and so ought or should bee given and ministred to any person, or ought or should bee so in both kindes receiued or taken by any person, other than by Priests being at Masse, and so consecrating the same as is aforesaid: or that any man after the order of Priesthood receiued as is aforesaid, may marrie or may make contract of matrimonie: or that any man or woman which aduisedly hath made or shall make avow to God of chastitie or widowhood, may marrie, or make contract of matrimony: or that priuate Masses be not lawfull or not laudable, or should not be celebrated, had, or vsed, nor be agreeable to the lawes of God: or that auricular confession is not expedient and necessary to be reteined and continued, vsed and frequented in the Church of God, euery person being for any such offence duely conuicted or attainted by the lawes vnderwritten, shall forfeit and lose to the King our Souereigne Lord all his goods and chattels for euer, and also the profits of all his lands, tenements, annuities, fees, and offices during his life, and all his benefices and Spiritual promotions shall bee vtterly voyd, and also shall suffer imprisonment of his body at the will and pleasure of our said Souereign Lord the King. And if any such person or persons being once conuict of any the offences mentioned in this Article as is abouesaid, doe afterward eftsoones offend in any of the same, and be thereof accused, indicted or presented, and conuict againe by authority of the lawes underwritten, that then euery such person and persons so being twice conuict and attainted of the said offences, or any of them, shall be adjudged a felon and felons, and shall suffer iudgement, execution, and paines of death, losse and forfeiture of lands and goods, as in cases of felonie, without any priviledge of Clergie, or Sanctuary to be in any wise permitted, admitted or allowed in that behalfe.”

21 Jac. 1. c. 3. s. 10. “Provided also, and be it enacted, That this Act, or any Declaration, Provision, Disablement, Penalty, Forfeiture, or other Thing before-mentioned, shall not extend to any Letters Patents, or Grants of Privilege heretofore made, or hereafter to be made, of, for, or concerning Printing, nor to any Commission, Grant, or Letters Patents heretofore made, or hereafter to be made, for or concerning the Digging, Making or Compounding of Salt-petre or Gunpowder, or the Casting or Making of Ordnance, or Shot for Ordnance, nor to any Grant or Letters Patents heretofore made, or hereafter to be made, of any Office or Offices heretofore erected, made, or ordained, and now in Being, and put in Execution, other than such Offices as have been decried by any of his Majesty’s Proclamation or Proclamations: But that all and every the same Grants, Commissions, and Letters Patents, and all other Matters and Things tending to the Maintaining, Strengthening and Furtherance of the same, or any of them, shall be and remain of the like Force and Effect, and no other, and as free from the Declarations, Provisions, Penalties and Forfeitures contained in this Act, as if this Act had never been had nor made, and not otherwise.”

Ireland. 43 Geo. 3. c. 21. s. 70. “And be it further enacted, That from and after the Twenty-fifth Day of March One thousand eight hundred and three, no Person or Persons shall keep any Printing Press or Types for printing in Ireland, without first taking out a Licence for that Purpose from the said Commissioners of Stamp Duties; and that from and immediately after the passing of this Act, and from thenceforth as often as they shall be applied to, the said Commissioners for the Time being, or any One or more of them, shall, under their Hands and Seals, or Hand and Seal, grant such Licence for keeping Printing Presses or Types, to such Person or Persons who shall apply for the same, and who shall have performed the Requisites which shall by any Law then in Force in Ireland be necessary to be performed; which Licence shall state the House where such Presses or Types are to be used; and every Person or Persons who shall keep or use a Printing Press or Types for printing, without having obtained such Licence, shall forfeit such Printing Press and Types, and the Sum of One hundred Pounds Irish currency.”

55 Geo. 3. c. 101. “An Act to regulate the Collection of Stamp Duties on Matters in respect of which Licences may be granted by the Commissioners of Stamps in Ireland.

s. 13. “And be it further enacted, That no Person or Persons shall keep any Printing Press, or Types for printing in Ireland, without having first taken out a Licence for that Purpose, from the said Commissioners of Stamps, and that the said Commissioners shall, from time to time, under their Hands and Seals, grant such Licence for keeping Printing Presses or Types to such Person or Persons as shall apply for the same, and who shall have performed the Requisites which shall by any Act or Acts from time to time in force in Ireland, be necessary to be performed previous to the granting thereof, which Licence shall state the House where such Press or Presses, or Types, are to be used; and every Person or Persons who shall keep or use such Press, or a Printing Press or Types for printing, without having obtained such Licence, or in any other House save the House so mentioned in such Licence, shall forfeit such Printing Press and Types, and the Sum of Forty Pounds.”