Witchcraft Act 1542

The Bill ayest conjuraracons & wichecraftes and sorcery and enchantmants.
Where dyvers and sundrie persones unlawfully have devised and practised Invocacons and conjuracons of Sprites, ptending by such 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 inchauntement and sorceries to the distruccon of their neighbours persones and goodes, And for execucon 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 things, and other things, 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 exercised 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 dishonor of God, Infamy and disquyetnes of the Realme: FOR REFORMACON wherof be it enacted by the Kyng oure Soveraigne Lorde with thassent of the Lordes spuall and temporall and the Comons in this present Parliament assembled and by auctoritie 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 Invocacons or conjuracons of Sprites wichecraftes enchauntmentes or sorceries, to thentent to get or fynde money or treasure,or to waste consume or destroy any persone in his bodie membres or goodes, or to pvoke any persone to unlawfull love, or for any other unlawfull intente or purpose, or by occacon 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 Invocacons or conjuracons 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 shalbe demyde accepted and adjuged Felonye; And that all and every persone and persones offendyng as is abovesaide their Councellors Abettors and Procurors and every of them from the saide first day of Maye shallbe demyde accepted and adjuged a Felon and Felones; And thoffender and offenders contrarie to this Acte. being therof lawfullie convicte before suche as shall have power and auctoritie to here and determyn felonyes, shall have and suffre such paynes of deathe losse and forfaytures of their lands tentes goodes and Catalles as in cases of felonie by the course of the Comon lawes of this Realme, And also shall lose p’vilege of Clergie and Sayntuarie.