the Church of Rome was directly a foreign jurisdiction, power, superiority and authority. However, during the early years of her reign Elizabeth practised religious clemency and tolerance, which was an attempt to harmonise the state of affairs between the Roman Catholics and the Church of England. This was necessary for Elizabeth to establish her power fully, hold off threats of invasion from France and Spain, and to counter accusations of illegitimacy that plagued her early years. In the last twenty years of her reign, as the Pope issued official encouragement to topple, and even kill, Elizabeth, as Jesuits infiltrated England, and as the threat of Spanish invasion loomed, Catholics became targets for oppression. Later, Roman Catholic power within England waned (because Roman Catholics were forbidden to take public office and were slowly deprived of their lands and fortunes) but their influence grew until they attempted the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 – whereupon they were oppressed for nearly 200 years. Text in force today Section 8 still remains in force in Great Britain, and reads as follows: (The words at the end were repealed in 1641 by the Act 16 Ch.1 c.11.) Related legislation An Act to the same effect was passed in Ireland in the following year, the Act of Supremacy (Ireland) 1560 (2 Eliz.1 c. 1). The Papal Jurisdiction Act 1560 remains in force in Scotland. Another Act (1 Eliz.1 c.5) dealing with treason was passed in 1558, which made it treason to "compass" or "imagine" to deprive the Queen (or her heirs) of the Crown, or destroy her or her heirs, or levy war against them in their dominions, or depose them, or say that they are not or ought not to be the monarch. Another Act (1 Eliz.1 c.6) dealt with sedition. See also Elizabethan Religious Settlement List of Protestant martyrs of the English Reformation Religion in the United Kingdom Praemunire High treason in the United Kingdom Jesuits, etc. Act 1584 References Citations Notes Bibliography External links Digital reproduction of the 1534 Act of Supremacy (26 Henry 8 c 1) on the Parliamentary Archives catalogue; no online copy of the 1558 Act of Supremacy (1 Eliz 1 c 1) The Act of Supremacy – Full text 1559 in law 1559 in England Acts of the Parliament of England (1485–1603) Acts of the Parliament of England still in force Constitutional laws of England Elizabethan era History of the