Witchcraft Act 1604
An Acte against conjuration Witchcrafte
and dealinge with evill and wicked Spirits.
BE it enacted by the King our Sovraigne Lorde the Lordes Spirituall and
Temporall and the Comons in this p'sent Parliment assembled, and by the
authoritie of the same, That the Statute made in the fifte yeere of the
Raigne of our late Sov'aigne Ladie of the most famous and happy memorie
Queene Elizabeth, intituled An Acte againste Conjurations Inchantments and
witchcraftes, be from the Feaste of St. Michaell the Archangell nexte
cominge, for and concerninge all Offences to be comitted after the same
Feaste, utterlie repealed.
AND for the better restrayning of saide Offenses, and more severe punishinge
the same, be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesaide, That if any
pson or persons after the saide Feaste of Saint Michaell the Archangell next
comeing, shall use practise or exercsise any Invocation or Conjuration of
any evill and spirit, or shall consult covenant with entertaine employ feede
or rewarde any evill and wicked Spirit to or for any intent or pupose ; or
take any dead man woman or child out of his her or theire grave or any other
place where the dead body resteth, or the skin, bone or any other parte of
any dead person, to be imployed or used in any manner of Witchecrafte,
Sorcerie, Charme or Inchantment ; or shall use practise or exercise any
Witchcrafte Sorcerie, Charme or Incantment wherebie any pson shall be killed
destroyed wasted consumed pined or lamed in his or her bodie, or any parte
therof ; then that everie such Offendor or Offendors theire Ayders Abettors
and Counsellors, being of the saide Offences dulie and lawfullie convicted
and attainted, shall suffer pains of deathe as a Felon or Felons, and shall
loose the priviledge and benefit of Cleargie and Sanctuarie.
AND FURTHER, to the intent that all manner of practise use or exercise of
declaring by Witchcrafte, Inchantment Charme or Sorcerie should be from
henceforth utterlie avoyded abolished and taken away, Be it enacted by the
authorite of this p'sent Parliament, that if any pson or psons shall from
and after the saide Feaste of Saint Michaell the Archangell next cominge ,
take upon him or them by Witchcrafte Inchantment Charme or Sorcerie to tell
or declare in what place any treasure of Golde or silver should or had in
the earth or other secret places, or where Goodes or Thinges loste or
stollen should be founde or become ; or to the intent to Pvoke any person to
unlawfull love, or wherebie and Cattell or Goods of any pson shall be
destroyed wasted or impaired, or to hurte or destroy any Pson in his bodie,
although the same be not effected and done : that then all and everie such
pson or psons so offendinge, and beinge therof lawfullie convicted , shall
for the said Offence suffer Imprisonment by the space of one whole yeere,
without baile or maineprise, and once in everie quarter of the saide yeere,
shall in some Markett Towne, upon the Markett Day, or at such tyme as any
Faire shalbe kept there, stande openlie upon the Pillorie by the space of
sixe houres, and there shall openlie confesse his or her error and offence ;
And if any pson or psons beinge once convicted of the same offences as is
aforesaide, doe eftsones ppetrate and comit the like offence, that then
everie such Offender, beinge of the saide offences the second tyme lawfullie
and duelie convicted and attainted as is aforesaide, shall suffer paines of
deathe as a Felon or Felons, and shall loose the benefitt and piviledge of
Clergie and Sanctuarie : Saving to the wife of such person as sahll offend
in any thinge contrarie to this Acte ; her title of dower ; and also to the
heire and successor of everie such person his or theire titles of
Inheritance Succession and other Rights, as though no such Attaindor or the
Ancestor or Predecessor had been made ; Provided alwaies that if the
offender in any cases aforesaide shall happen to be a Peere of this Realme ,
then his Triall therein is to be had by his Peeres, as it is used in cases
of Felonie or Treason and not otherwise.
NOTES
According to the Journal of the House of Lords this Bill was read for the
first time on 2th March 1604 and committed on 29th March. However, having
been considered and found to be imperfect, a new Bill was brought in on 2nd
April. On 7th May amendments were read and the Bill appointed to be
engrossed. On 11th May it was read in the House of Commons for the first
time. A month later it was passed and was returned to the Lords.
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