Royal Supremacy Quotes

The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth, for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth and sit upon God's throne.

The great majority of the nobility and gentry of England clung to the doctrine and ceremonies of the ancient church, and yet were united in determination to oppose the papal claims.

The men that call for Reformation, may pretend cause or colour of cause both in matters of doctrine & fact, why they may hate the Bishops, which in no sorte may bee applyed to hir Majestie.

If any person or persons dwelling or inhabiting within this your realm, or in any other your highness's realms or dominions, of what estate, dignity, or degree soever he or they be, after the end of thirty days next after the determination of this session of this present Parliament, shall by writing, printing, teaching, preaching, express words, deed or act, advisedly, maliciously, and directly affirm, hold, stand with, set forth, maintain, or defend the authority, preeminence, power or jurisdiction, spiritual or ecclesiastical, of any foreign prince, prelate, person, state, or potentate whatsoever, heretofore claimed, used, or usurped within this realm, or any dominion or country being within or under the power, dominion, or obeisance of your highness, or shall advisedly, maliciously, and directly put in ure or execute anything for the extolling, advancement, setting forth, maintenance, or defense of any such pretended or usurped jurisdiction, power, preeminence, or authority, or any part thereof; that then every such person and persons so doing and offending, their abettors, aiders, procurers, and counselors, being thereof lawfully convicted and attainted, according to the due order and course of the common laws of this realm, for his or their first offence shall forfeit and lose unto your highness, your heirs and successors, all his and their goods and chattels, as well real as personal.

Already a third and more of England is in the hands of the Pope. There cannot be two temporal sovereigns in one country; either Edward [Edward III] is King or [Pope] Urban is king. We make our choice. We accept Edward of England and refute Urban of Rome.

It is an invariable maxim, that every acquisition of foreign territory is at the absolute disposal of the King. [And not to Parliament.]

English history turned on Henry VIII and his desires, his whims almost. And it was down to Cromwell to make those desires happen. He was the guy that fixed it. He was also the guy that eased Henry's conscience. Because Henry VIII had an enormous, tender conscience and great theological knowledge.

The colonies had little occasion to feel or to resent direct royal prerogative.

In all Christian kingdoms, you know that parliaments were in use anciently, by which those kingdoms were governed in a most flourishing manner; until the monarchs began to know their own strength, and, feeling the turbulent spirit [partisan bickering] of their parliaments, … began to stand on their prerogatives, and at last overthrew the parliaments …. Let us be careful to preserve the king's good opinion of parliaments.