Egyptians Act 1530 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act concerning Egyptians. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 22 Hen. 8. c 10 |
| Territorial extent | |
| Dates | |
| Repealed | 21 July 1856 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856 |
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Status: Repealed
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Egyptians Act 1530 was a law passed by the Parliament of England in 1531. Its main purpose was to make a group of people, then called "Egyptians," leave England. Today, we know these people as the Roma. This old law was later removed in 1856 by the Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856.
Contents
What the Law Said
This law claimed that Roma used clever tricks to fool people. It said they often pretended to tell fortunes. The law also accused them of stealing things.
Rules for Roma People
The Act made it illegal for any more Roma people to come into England. It also told Roma people already in England that they had sixteen days to leave the country.
Consequences of the Law
If Roma people did not leave, their belongings could be taken away. These items would then be shared between the King and the officer who arrested them. If Roma people had stolen goods, the law said these items must be given back to their rightful owners.
Egyptians Act 1554
The 1530 law did not fully succeed in making all Roma people leave England. Because of this, Queen Mary I passed a new law in 1554. This new law, called the Egyptians Act 1554, also complained about the actions of "Egyptians."
Changes in the New Law
However, the 1554 Act offered a way for some Roma people to avoid trouble. They could escape punishment if they stopped their traveling way of life. The law described this as giving up their "naughty, idle and ungodly life and company."
See also
- UK immigration law
- UK labour law
- Vagrancy Act 1824 s 4, contained the offence of telling fortunes
