Act for the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries, 1536

Forasmuch as manifest sin, vicious, carnal and abominable living is daily used and committed among the little and small abbeys, priories, and other religious houses of monks, canons, and nuns, where the congregation of such religious persons is under the number of twelve persons, whereby the governors of such religious houses, and their convent, spoil, destroy, consume, and utterly waste, as well their churches, monasteries, priories, principal houses, farms, granages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, as the ornaments of their churches, and their goods and chattels, to the high displeasure of Almighty God, slander of good religion, and to the great infamy of the king's highness and the realm, if redress should not be had thereof. And albeit that many continual visitations hath been heretofore had, by the space of two hundred years and more, for an honest and charitable reformation of such unthrifty, carnal, and abominable living, yet nevertheless little or none amendment is hitherto had, but their vicious living shamelessly increases and augments, and by a cursed custom so rooted and infested, that a great multitude of the religious persons in such small houses do rather choose to rove abroad in apostasy, than to conform themselves to the observation of good religion; so that without such small houses be utterly suppressed, and the religious persons therein committed to great and honourable monasteries of religion in this realm, where they may be compelled to live religiously, for reformation of their lives, there cannot else be no reformation in this behalf:

In consideration whereof, the king's most royal majesty - being supreme head on earth, under God, of the Church of England, daily finding and devising the increase, advancement, and exaltation of true doctrine and virtue in the said Church, to the only glory and honour of God, and the total extirping and destruction of vice and sin, having knowledge that the premises be true, as well by the accounts of his late visitations, as by sundry credible informations, considering also that divers and great solemn monasteries of this realm, wherein (thanks be to God) religion is right well kept and observed, be destitute of such full numbers of religious persons, as they ought and may keep - has thought good that a plain declaration should be made of the premises, as well to the Lords spiritual and temporal, as to other his loving subjects, the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled: whereupon the said Lords and Commons, by a great deliberation, finally be resolved, that it is and shall be much more to the pleasure of Almighty God, and for the honour of this his realm, that the possessions of such small religious houses, now being spent, spoiled, and wasted for increase and maintenance of sin, should be used and converted to better uses, and the unthrifty religious persons, so spending the same, to be compelled to reform their lives: and thereupon most humbly desire the king's highness that it may be enacted by authority of this present Parliament, that his majesty shall have and enjoy to him and to his heirs for ever, all and singular such monasteries, priories, and other religious houses of monks, canons, and nuns, of what kinds or diversities of habits, rules, or orders whatsoever they be called or named, which have not in lands, tenements, rents, tithes, portions, and other hereditaments, above the clear yearly value of two hundred pounds. And in like manner shall have and enjoy all the sites and circuits of every such religious houses, and all and singular the manors, granges, meases, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, tithes, pensions, portions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, annuities, rights, entries, conditions, and other hereditaments appertaining or belonging to every such monastery, priory, or other religious house, not having, as is aforesaid, above the said clear yearly value of two hundred pounds, in as large and ample manner as the abbots, priors, abbesses, prioresses, or other governors of such monasteries, priories, and other religious houses now have, or ought to have the same in the right of their houses. And that also his highness shall have to him and to his heirs all and singular such monasteries, abbeys, and priories, which at any time within one year next before the making of this Act have been given and granted to his majesty by any abbot, prior, abbess, or prioress, under their convent seals, or that otherwise, have been suppressed or dissolved, and all and singular the manors, lands, tenements, rents, services, reversions, tithes, pensions, portions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, rights, entries, conditions, and all other interests and hereditaments to the same monasteries, abbeys, and priories, or to any of them appertaining or belonging; to have and to hold all and singular premises, with all their rights, profits, jurisdictions, and commodities, unto the king's majesty, and to his heirs and assigns for ever, to do and use therewith his and their own wills, to the pleasure of Almighty God, and to the honour and profit of this realm.

And it is ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all and every person and persons, and bodies politic, which now have, or hereafter shall have, any letters patent of the king's highness, of any of the sites, circuits, manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, tithes, pensions, portions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, tithes (sic), entries, conditions, interests, or other hereditaments, which appertained to any monasteries, abbeys, or priories heretofore given or granted to the king's highness, or otherwise suppressed or dissolved, or which appertain to any the monasteries, abbeys, priories, or other religious houses that shall be suppressed or dissolved by authority of this Act, shall have and enjoy the said sites, circuits, manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, tithes, pensions, portions, churches, chapels, advowsons, patronages, tithes (sic), entries, conditions, interests, and all other hereditaments, contained and specified in their letters patent now being thereof made, and to be contained and expressed in any letters patent hereafter to be made, according to the tenor, purport, and effect of any such letters patent; and shall also have all such actions, suits, entries, and remedies to all intents and purposes, for any thing and things contained in any such letters patent now made, or to be contained in any such letters hereafter to be made, in like manner, form, and condition, as the abbots, priors, abbesses, prioresses, or other chief governors of any religous house which had the same, might or ought to have had, if they had not been suppressed or dissolved.

Saving to every person and persons, and bodies politic, their heirs and successors (other than the abbots, priors, abbesses, prioresses, and other chief governors of the said religious houses specified in this Act, and the convents of the same, and their successors, and such as pretend to be founders, patrons, or donors of such religous houses, or of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments belonging to the same, and their heirs and successors), all such right, title, commons, fees, offices, liberties and livings, pensions, portions, corrodies, synodies, proxies, and all other profits, as they or any of them have, ought, or might have had, in or to any the said monasteries, abbeys, priories, or other religious houses, or in or to any manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, tithes, pensions, portions, or other hereditaments appertaining or belonging, or that appertained to any of the said monasteries, priories, or other religious houses, as if the same monasteries, priories, or other religious houses had not been suppressed by this Act, but had continued in their essential bodies and states that they now be, or were in.

Provided always, and be it enacted, that forasmuch as divers of the chief governors of such religious houses, determining the utter spoil and destruction of their houses, and dreading the suppressing thereof, for the maintenance of their detestable lives, have lately fraudently and craftily made feoffments, estates, gifts, grants, and leases, under their convent seals, or suffered recoveries of their manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments in fee simple, fee tail, for term of life or lives, or for years, or charged the same with rents or corrodies, to the great decay and diminution of their houses; that all such crafty and fraudulent recoveries, feoffments, estates, gifts, grants, and leases, and every of them, made by law of the said chief governors of such religious houses, under their convent seals, within one year next before the making of this Act, shall be utterly void and of none effect; provided always, that such person and persons as have leases for term of life or years, whereupon is reserved the old rents and services accustomed, and such as have any office, fees, and corrodies that have been accustomed or used in such religious houses, or have bought any livery or living in any such houses, shall have and enjoy their said leases, offices, fees, corrodies, liberties, liveries, or living, as if this Act had never been made.

And it is also enacted, by authority aforesaid, that the king's highness shall have and enjoy to his own proper use, all the ornaments, jewels, goods, chattels, and debts, which appertained to any of the chief governors of the said monasteries or religious houses, in the right of their said monasteries or houses, at the first day of March in the year of our Lord God 1535, or any time since, wheresoever, and to whose possession soever they shall come or be found, except only such beasts, grain, and woods, and such other like chattels and revenues, as have been sold in the said first day of March or since, for the necessary or reasonable expenses or charges of any of the said monasteries or houses.

Provided always, that such of the said chief governors which have been elected or made abbot, prior, abbess, or prioress of any of the said religious houses, since the first day of January, which was in the year of our Lord God 1534, and by reason thereof be bounden to pay the first-fruits to the king's highness, at days to come, limited by their bonds made for the same, that in every such house such chief governor, and the sureties of every of them, shall be clearly discharged by authority of this Act, against the king's highness, and all other persons, for the payment of such sums of money as they stand bounden to pay for their said first-fruits, or for any part thereof.

And forasmuch as the clear yearly value of all the said monasteries, priories, and other religious houses in this realm, is certified into the king's exchequer, amongst the books of the yearly valuations of all the spiritual possessions of this realm, amongst which shall and may appear the certainty and number of such small and little religious houses, as have not, in lands, tenements, rents, tithes, portions, and other hereditaments, above the said clear yearly value of two hundred pounds; be it therefore enacted by authority aforesaid, that the king's highness shall have and enjoy, according to this Act, the actual and real possession of all and singular such monasteries, priories, and other religious houses, as shall appear by the said certificate remaining in the king's exchequer, not to have in lands, tenements, rents, tithes, portions, and other hereditaments, above the said clear yealy value of two hundred pounds, so that his highness may lawfully give, grant, and dispose them, or any of them, at his will and pleasure, to the honour of God, and the wealth of this realm, without further inquistion or office to be had or found for the same.

In consideration of which premises to be had to his highness, and to his heirs, as is aforesaid, his majesty is pleased and contented, of his most excellent charity, to provide to every chief head and governor of every such religious house, during their lives, such yearly pensions and benefices as for their degrees and qualities shall be reasonable and convenient; wherein his highness will have most tender respect to such of the said chief governors as well and truly conserve and keep the goods and ornaments of their houses to the use of his majesty, without spoil, waste or embezzling the same; and also his majesty will ordain and provide that the convents of every such religious house shall have their capacities, if they will, to live honestly and virtuously abroad, and some convenient charity disposed to them towards their living, or else shall be committed to such honourable great monasteries of this realm wherein good religion is observed, as shall be limited by his highness, there to live religiously during their lives; and it is ordained by the authority aforesaid, that the chief governors and convents of such honourable great monasteriees shall take and accept into their house, from time to time, such number of the persons of the said convents as shall be assigned and appointed by the king's highness, and keep them religiously, during their lives, within their said monasteries, in like manner and form as the convents of such great monasteries be ordered and kept.

Provided always, that all archbishops, bishops, and other persons which be or shall be chargeable to and for the collection of the tenth, granted and going out of the spiritual possessions of this realm, shall be discharged and acquitted of and for such parts and portions of the said tenth wherewith the said houses of religion, suppressed and dissolved by this Act, were charged or chargeable to the king's highness, except of such sums of money thereof, as they or any of them have or shall have received for the said tenth, of the chief governors of such relgious houses.

Provided also, that where the clergy of the province of Canterbury stand and be indebted to the king's highness in great sums of money, remaining yet unpaid, of the rest of a hundred thousand pounds granted and given to his grace in their Convocation, towards the payment whereof the said religious houses should have been contributory if they had not been suppressed by this Act; and also some of the governors of the said religious houses have been collectors for levying of the said debt, and have received thereof great sums of money yet remaining in thier hands; the king's most royal majesty is pleased and contented to deduct, abate, release, and defalk, to the said clergy, of the said rest yet unpaid, as well such sums of money as any the chief governors of such religious houses have received, and not paid, as so much money as every of the said religious houses, suppressed by this Act, were rated and taxed to pay in any one year, to and for the payment of the said hundred thousand pounds; and also the king's majesty is pleased and contented, that it be enacted by authority aforesaid, that his highness shall satisfy, content, and pay all and singular such just and true debts which are owing to any person or persons by the chief governors of any said religious houses, in as large and ample manner as the said chief governors should or ought to have done if this Act had never been made:

Provided alway, that the king's highness, at any time after the making of this Act, may at his pleasure ordain and declare, by his letters patent under his great seal, that such of the said religious houses which his highness shall not be disposed to have suppressed nor dissolved by authority of this Act, shall still continue, remain, and be in the same body corporate, and in the said essential estate, quality, and condition, as well in possessions as otherwise, as they were afore the making of this Act, without any suppression or dissolution thereof, or of any part of the same, by authority of this Act, and that every such ordinance and declaration, so to be made by the king's highness, shall be good and effectual to the chief governors of such religous houses which his majesty will not have suppressed, and to their successors, according to the tenors and purports of the letters patent thereof to be made; anything of things contained in this Act to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.

Provided also, that where the clergy of the province of York stand and be indebted to the king's highness in great sums of money yet unpaid, of the rest of such sums of money which were granted by them to his grace in their Convocation, towards the payment whereof the religious houses that shall be suppressed and dissolved by this Act, being within the same province, should have been contributory if they had not been dissolved, and also some of the governors of the said religious houses within the said province, that shall be suppressed by this Act, have been collectors for levying of part of the said sums of money granted to the king's highness as aforesaid, and have certain sums thereof in their hands yet unpaid, the king's majesty is pleased and contented to deduct, abate, release, and defalk, to the said clergy of the said province of York, of the rest of their said debt yet unpaid, as well as such of the said sums of money, as any chief governors of any religous houses with the same province, that shall be suppressed by this Act, have collected and not paid, as so much money as every of the said religious houses, suppressed by this Act, were rated and taxed to pay in any one year, towards the payment of the said sums of money granted to the king's highness.

Provided always, that this Act, or any thing or things therein contained, shall not extend, nor be prejudicial to any abbots or priors of any monasteries or priories, being certified into the king's exchequer to have in possessions and profits spiritual and temporal above the clear yearly value of two hundred pounds, for or concerning such cells of religious houses, appertaining or belonging to their monasteries or priories, in which cells the priors or other chief governors thereof be under the obedience of the abbots or priors to whom such cells belong, as the monks or canons of the convents of their monasteries or priories, and cannot sue nor be sued, by the laws of this realm, in or by their own proper names, for the possessions of other things appertaining to such cells whereof they be priors or governors, but must sue and be sued in and by the names of the abbots or priors to whom they be obediencers, and to whom such cells belong, and also be priors or governors dative, and removeable from time to time, and accountants of the profits of such cells, at the only plessure and will of the abbots or priors to whom such cells belong; but that every such cell shall be and remain undissolved in the same estate, quality, and condition, as if this Act had never been made; anything in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

Saving always, and reserving unto every person and persons, being founders, patrons, or donors of any abbeys, priories, or other religious houses, that shall be suppressed by this Act, their heirs and successors, all such right, title, interest, possessions, rents, annuities, fees, offices, leases, commons, and all other profits whatsoever, which any of them have, or should have had, without fraud or covin, by any manner of means, otherwise than by reason or occasion of the dissolution of the said abbeys, priories, or other religious houses, in, to, or upon any the said abbeys, priories, or other religious houses, whereof they be founders, patrons, or donors, or in, to, or upon any the lands, tenements, or other hereditaments appertaining or belonging to the same, in like manner, form, and condition as other persons and bodies politic be saved by this Act, as is afore rehearsed, and as if the said abbeys, priories, or other religious houses had not been suppressed and dissolved by this Act, but had continued still in their essential bodies and estates as they be now in; anything in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

And be it further enacted, ordained, and established by authority aforesaid, that all and singular persons, bodies politic and corporate, to whom the king's majesty, his heirs, or successors, hereafter shall give, grant, let, or demise any site or precinct, with the houses thereupon builded, together with the demesnes of any monasteries, priories, or other religious houses, that shall be dissolved or given to the king's highness by this Act, and the heirs, successors, executors, and assigns of every such person, body politic and corporate, shall be bound by authority of this Act, under the penalties hereafter ensuing, to keep, or cause to be kept, an honest continual house and household in the same site or precinct, and to occupy yearly as much of the same demesnes in ploughing and tillage of husbandry, that is to say, as much of the said demesnes which hath been commonly used to be kept in tillage by the governors, abbots, or priors of the same houses, monasteries, or priories, or by their farmer or farmers occupying the same within the time of twenty years next before this Act.

And if any person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, that shall be bounden by this Act, do not keep an honest household husbandry and tillage, in manner and form as is aforesaid, that then he or they so offending shall forfeit to the king's highness for every month so offending, six pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence, to be recovered to his use in any of his courts of record.

And over that it is enacted by authority aforesaid, that all justices of peace, in every shire where any such offence shall be committed or done, contrary to the true meaning and intent of this present Act, shall, in every quarter and general sessions within the limits of their commission, inquire of the premises, and shall have full power and authority to hear and determine the same, and to tax and assess no less fine for every the said offences, than is afore limited for the same offences, and the estreats thereof to be made and certified into the king's exchequer, according and at such time and form as other estreats of fines, issues, and amerciaments are made by the same justices.