1541-2: 33 Henry 8 c.8: The Act against Conjurations, Witchcraft, Sorcery and Enchantments

1541-2: 33 Henry 8 c.8: The Bill against conjurations and wichecraftes and sorcery and enchantments.

WHERE dyvers and sundrie persones unlawfully have devised and practised Invocations and conjurations of Sprites, Pretendyng by suche meanes to understande and get Knowlege for their owne lucre in what place treasure of golde and Silver shulde or mought be founde or had in the earthe or other secrete places, and also have used and occupied wichecraftes inchauntements and sorceries to the distruction of their neighbours persones and goodes, And for execution of their saide falce devyses and practises have made or caused to be made dyvers Images and pictures of men women childrene Angelles or develles beastes or fowles, and also have made Crownes Septures Swordes rynges glasses and other thinges, and gyving faithe & credit to suche fantasticall practises have dygged up and pulled downe an infinite nombre of Crosses within this Realme, and taken upon them to declare and tell where thinges lost or stollen shulde be become; whiche thinges cannot be used and excersised but to the great Offence of Godes lawe, hurt and damage of the Kinges Subjectes, and losse of the sowles of suche Offenders, to the greate dishonour of God, Infamy and disquyetnes of the Realme:

For reformation wherof be it enacted by the Kyng oure Soveraigne Lorde with the assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the Comons in this present Parliament assembled and by authoritie of the same, that yf any persone or persones, after the first daye of Maye next comyng, use devise practise or exercise, or cause to be used devysed practised or exercised, any Invocations or conjurations of Sprites wichecraftes enchauntmentes or sorceries, to the intent to get or fynde money or treasure, or to waste consume or destroy any persone in his bodie membres or goodes, or to provoke any persone to unlawfull love, or for any other unlawfull intente or purpose, or by occasion or color of suche thinges or any of them, or for dispite of Cryste, or for lucre of money, dygge up or pull downe any Crosse or Crosses, or by suche Invocations or conjuracions of Sprites wichecraftes enchauntementes or sorcerie or any of them take upon them to tell or declare where goodes stollen or lost shall become, That then all and every suche Offence and Offences, frome the saide first day of May next comyng, shall be demyde accepted and adjuged Felonye; And that all and every persone and persones offendyng as is abovesaide their Councellors Abettors and Procurers and every of them from the saide first day of Maye shall be demyde accepted and adjuged a Felon and Felones; And the offender and Offenders contrarie to this Acte, being therof lawfuliie convicte before suche as shall have power and auctoritie to here and determyn felonyes, shall have and suffre suche paynes of deathe losse and forfaytures of their landes tentes goodes and Catalles as in cases of felonie by the course of the Comon lawes of this Realme, And also shall lose privilege of Clergie and Sayntuarie.

Source: Statutes of the Realm, volume 3. Spelling lightly modernised.

Further reading: Wikipedia.