The Penal Laws against Wales () were a set of laws, passed by the English Parliament in 1402 that discriminated against the Welsh people. They were designed to establish English dominance in Wales during the Welsh War of Independence/Glyndŵr Rising (1400–1415), led by Owain Glyndŵr. These laws prohibited the Welsh from obtaining senior public office, the bearing of arms or buying property in English towns. All public assembly was forbidden, and education of Welsh children was restricted. Englishmen who married Welsh women also came under these laws. The laws were reaffirmed in 1431, 1433 and 1471 and were finally expunged from the statue books in 1624. Penal laws applied to the Welsh in 1402 The penal laws applied to the Welsh in 1402 were: Englishman shall not be convict[ed] by Welshman in Wales (this included Welsh through marriage); Against wasters minstrels etc. in Wales ("Item, to eschew many diseases and mischiefs, which have happened before this time in the land of Wales…: it is ordained and stablished that no waster, rhymer, minstrel nor vagabond be in any wise sustained in the land of Wales…") Against congregations in Wales (public meetings were banned) Welshmen shall not be armed ("no Welshman be armed nor bear defensible armour") No victual or armour shall be carried into Wales (it was banned for an Englishman to carry armour to Wales or a Welshman to possess such items of battle) Welshmen shall not have castles etc (only the castles from the time of Edward I were allowed to be used) No Welshman shall bear office ("Justice, Chamberlain, Chancellor, Treasurer, Sheriff, Steward, Constable of Castle, Receiver, Escheator, Coroner, nor Chief Forester nor any other Officer, nor Keeper of the Records, nor Lieutenant in any of the said Offices in no part of Wales, nor of the Council of any English lord…") In 1431, 1433 and 1471 the English Parliament insisted upon re-asserting the Penal Laws. The laws were finally expunged from the statue books in 1624. Effects Discrimination and psychological effect The laws weighed heavily on the Welsh and restricted them from living a complete life. According to author Dafydd Johnston, the laws were harsh and formalised racist injustice via statutes. This caused significant ill-feeling among the Welsh people and restricted nobles in Wales from improving their standing, unable to get a job in their local municipality. Historian Glanmor Williams says that the laws were a reminder