The Egyptians Act 1530 (''22 Henry VIII, c. 10'') was an Act passed by the
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...
in 1531 to expel the "outlandish people calling themselves Egyptians", meaning
Gypsies
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
. It was repealed by the
Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856.
Content
The Act accused
Gypsies
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
of using crafty and subtle devices to deceive people, notably by claiming to
tell fortunes whilst also frequently committing felonies such as robbery. The statute forbade any more Gypsies from entering the realm and gave those already in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
sixteen days' notice to depart from the realm. Goods which Gypsies had stolen were to be restored to their owners. Gypsies who violated the statute were to have their properties confiscated and divided between the Sovereign and the
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
or another arresting officer.
Egyptians Act 1554
The 1530 act was not successful in its aim of expelling all Gypsies, for
Mary I
Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She ...
passed the Egyptians Act 1554 (''1 & 2 Philip & Mary, c. 4''), which complained that "Egyptians" were plying their "devilish and naughty practices and devices". However, the new act allowed the Gypsies to escape prosecution so long as they abandoned their nomadic lifestyle, or as the act put it, their "naughty, idle and ungodly life and company".
See also
*
UK immigration law
*
UK labour law
United Kingdom labour law regulates the relations between workers, employers and trade unions. People at work in the UK can rely upon a minimum charter of employment rights, which are found in Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equit ...
*
Vagrancy Act 1824
The Vagrancy Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 83) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales. It is still mostly in force and enforceable.
Critics, including William Wilberforce, c ...
s 4, contained the offence of telling fortunes
Notes
References
*Stanford Lehmberg, ''The Reformation Parliament 1529-1536'' (Cambridge University Press, 1970).
External links
National Archive page with wording of the ActText of statute
(old script)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Egyptians Act 1530
Acts of the Parliament of England (1485–1603)
Antiziganism in the United Kingdom
1530 in law
1530 in England
Romani history
Immigration law in the United Kingdom
Discrimination in England
Racism in England
Romani-related controversies
Romani in the United Kingdom