Treason Act 1551
Encyclopedia
The Treason Act 1551 was an Act
of the Parliament of England
. The long title of this Act was "An Acte for the punyshment of divse treasons".
The Act was described as "purely procedural" by the House of Lords in R v Joyce, but in fact extended the definition of high treason
. It became treason to seize one of the King's forts and then not surrender it within six days of being ordered to. This form of treason had originally been enacted in the Treasons Act 1534
and then abolished by the Treason Act 1547
. It was soon abolished again by the Treason Act 1553
, but would be restored again by the Rebellion Act 1572
(this time without the 6 day deadline).
It was also made treason to say that the king was a heretic or usurper, in writing or (for the third offence only) in speech.
The Act re-enacted some existing procedural rules in prosecutions for treason
and misprision of treason
. However the Act amended procedure by stating that a person accused of committing treason only by "open preaching or words" must be prosecuted within three months of the offence, instead of the 30 day limit previously established by the Treason Act 1547
.
. The Act has since been repealed.
Sections 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 of the Act were repealed on 28 July 1863 by section 1 of, and the Schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1863.
Section 11 of the Act was repealed on 1 January 1926 by section 56 of, and Part I of the second schedule to, the Administration of Estates Act 1925
.
Section 20(3) of, and the fourth schedule to, the Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1938 (c.63) made the following repeals on 1 January 1939: section 5; in section 4, the words from "and that all processes of outlawry" to the end; in section 6, the words "or process of outlawry".
Section 4 of the Act was repealed on 15 June 1945 by section 2(1) of, and the Schedule to, the Treason Act 1945
.
The preamble and sections 6 and 10 of this Act were repealed on 30 July 1948 by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1948
.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. The long title of this Act was "An Acte for the punyshment of divse treasons".
The Act was described as "purely procedural" by the House of Lords in R v Joyce, but in fact extended the definition of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
. It became treason to seize one of the King's forts and then not surrender it within six days of being ordered to. This form of treason had originally been enacted in the Treasons Act 1534
Treasons Act 1534
The Treasons Act 1534 was an Act passed by the Parliament of England in 1534, during the reign of King Henry VIII.This Act was passed after the Act of Supremacy 1534, which made the king the "Only Head of the Church of England on Earth." The 1534 Act made it treason, punishable by death, to...
and then abolished by the Treason Act 1547
Treason Act 1547
The Treason Act 1547 was an Act of the Parliament of England. It is mainly notable for being the first instance of the rule that two witnesses are needed to prove a charge of treason, a rule which still exists today in the United States Constitution.-Abolition of new offences:During the reign of...
. It was soon abolished again by the Treason Act 1553
Treason Act 1553
The Treason Act 1553 was an Act of the Parliament of England. The long title was "An Acte repealing certayne Treasons Felonies and Premunire". The Act abolished all forms of treason that had been created since 1351, except the Treason Act 1351 itself...
, but would be restored again by the Rebellion Act 1572
Rebellion Act 1572
The Rebellion Act 1572 , full title An Act for the punishment of such as shall rebelliously take or detain or conspire to take or detain from the Queen's Majesty any of her castles, towers, fortresses, holds, &c., was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England enacted during the reign of...
(this time without the 6 day deadline).
It was also made treason to say that the king was a heretic or usurper, in writing or (for the third offence only) in speech.
The Act re-enacted some existing procedural rules in prosecutions for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and misprision of treason
Misprision of treason
Misprision of treason is an offence found in many common law jurisdictions around the world, having been inherited from English law. It is committed by someone who knows a treason is being or is about to be committed but does not report it to a proper authority...
. However the Act amended procedure by stating that a person accused of committing treason only by "open preaching or words" must be prosecuted within three months of the offence, instead of the 30 day limit previously established by the Treason Act 1547
Treason Act 1547
The Treason Act 1547 was an Act of the Parliament of England. It is mainly notable for being the first instance of the rule that two witnesses are needed to prove a charge of treason, a rule which still exists today in the United States Constitution.-Abolition of new offences:During the reign of...
.
Repeals
The new kinds of treason created by this Act were abolished by the Treason Act 1553Treason Act 1553
The Treason Act 1553 was an Act of the Parliament of England. The long title was "An Acte repealing certayne Treasons Felonies and Premunire". The Act abolished all forms of treason that had been created since 1351, except the Treason Act 1351 itself...
. The Act has since been repealed.
Sections 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 of the Act were repealed on 28 July 1863 by section 1 of, and the Schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1863.
Section 11 of the Act was repealed on 1 January 1926 by section 56 of, and Part I of the second schedule to, the Administration of Estates Act 1925
Administration of Estates Act 1925
The Administration of Estates Act 1925 is a law passed in 1925 in England and Wales that changed the rule of inheritance from primogeniture to that of modern day norms. This statute does not apply to Scotland or to Northern Ireland....
.
Section 20(3) of, and the fourth schedule to, the Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1938 (c.63) made the following repeals on 1 January 1939: section 5; in section 4, the words from "and that all processes of outlawry" to the end; in section 6, the words "or process of outlawry".
Section 4 of the Act was repealed on 15 June 1945 by section 2(1) of, and the Schedule to, the Treason Act 1945
Treason Act 1945
The Treason Act 1945 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.It was introduced into the House of Lords as a purely procedural statute, whose sole purpose was to abolish the old and highly technical procedure in cases of treason, and assimilate it to...
.
The preamble and sections 6 and 10 of this Act were repealed on 30 July 1948 by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1948
Statute Law Revision Act 1948
The Statute Law Revision Act 1948 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Section 5 and Schedule 2 authorised the citation of 158 earlier Acts by short titles....
.