THE RECUSANTS OF DERBYSHIRE. 57 



It is not proposed now to enumerate this painful catalogue, but 

 only to refer to the Acts of Queen Elizabeth. Her second 

 Statute (which is still the law of the land) declares that anyone 

 writing or speaking in derogation of the Prayer Book in any 

 interludes, plays, songs, or rhymes, or by other open words shall 

 forfeit 100 marks, for the second offence ^"400, and the third 

 time he shall forfeit all his goods and chattels, and be imprisoned 

 for life ; and every person who did not attend church and listen to 

 those prayers soberly and orderly was to be fined i2d. 



The Queen's clemency was despised. In the preamble of 

 Chapter I. of the fifth of her reign we learn that " for the preser- 

 vation of the Queen's dignity from dangers by the fanatics of 

 the usurped power of the See of Rome, at this time grown to 

 marvellous outrage and licentious boldness, and now requiring 

 more sharp restraint and correction of laws than hitherto in the 

 time of the Queen's most mild and mercival reign," any offender, 

 besides forfeiture of goods and liberty, was to be subject to the 

 penalties of " praemunire," by which a man was degraded to the 

 position of a wild beast — that is, he was put out of the protection of 

 the law, liable to be slain by anyone. The Crown took care of 

 his lands as well as of his goods and chattels, and if he was caught 

 imprisoned him for life. This penalty he incurred for many 

 matters, such as for not taking the oath, and for a second offence, 

 though it is difficult to see what was left him except his life, he 

 incurred the penalty of high treason, with all its appalling barbari- 

 ties, which are literally too disgusting to be described. It is 

 difficult to understand the meaning of the Statute, for, whilst it 

 added the horrible cruelties whicli were enforced on a conviction for 

 high treason, it deprived the public of the right to " lynch " 

 offenders, which had been considered a very interesting privilege 

 of the penalty of praemunire, for the Acts prohibited the sport of 

 hunting a man to death — in all cases except where anyone tried 

 to execute a sentence or summons of the Court of Rome. 



In the thirteenth year of her reign death was awarded for grant- 

 ing absolution by writing so as to catch priests abroad, or for 

 aiding in that sacred rite, but for bringing crosses, beads, etc., 



