Origin The Statute of Praemunire (16 Ric. 2. c. 5) was passed by the Parliament of England during the reign of Richard II, who purchased various loans from foreign creditors and rulers as well as bulls from Rome in 1392. It was only one of numerous stringent measures passed for the purpose of restraining the Holy See and all forms of papal authority in England and of eliminating in general the influence of foreign powers, especially creditors and the Holy Roman Emperor. Because the Papacy had long claimed a form of temporal supremacy over England and Ireland, from the beginning of the 14th century, papal intervention had been particularly active, more especially in two forms. The one, the disposal of ecclesiastical benefices, before the same became vacant, to men of the pope's own choosing; the other, the encouragement of resort to himself and his curia, rather than to the courts of the country, for legal justice.
oRiGiN the statute oF pRaeMunIrE (16 ric. 2. c. 5) waS passEd BY tHe ParLiAmeNt of ENglanD duRing the reiGn oF richard iI, whO puRchased vArious lOans fROm fOrEign creditoRs ANd RuLers as well aS bulLs fROm rome In 1392. It wAs ONlY one Of nUmErous Stringent meaSurEs passeD fOR the PURpose of RESTrAiniNg thE hOly See and all forMs OF PaPal AuTHoRitY In eNGlAnd and oF EliminatINg in geneRAl thE influeNce OF foReign pOWerS, EsPeCiAlly crEDItOrs AnD The holY ROmAn emPErOR. beCaUSe the PapacY HAD LOng ClaIMed a FOrm oF tempoRal SupremAcy Over englANd And iReland, fRom thE beginning of the 14th cEntuRy, paPal INtervENtiOn had been particUlARlY AcTive, MORe eSpeciALLY in Two Forms. The one, tHe dispoSal oF ECClesiaStiCal bENEFicEs, befOrE the same becAME vacant, to Men of ThE pOpE's own cHOosInG; The oTher, The encourageMent oF reSOrT tO himsElf And His curiA, raTher than tO tHe cOURts oF tHe coUntry, For lEGAl justIce.