Supremacy, Royal

Supremacy, Royal.

In the Church of England all ecclesiastical jurisdiction is annexed to the crown; and it is ordained that no foreign potentate shall exercise any power, civil or religious, within the limits of that kingdom. Canon 2 of the Church of England says:

"Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the king's majesty hath not the same authority in causes ecclesiastical that the godly kings had among the Jews and Christian' emperors of the primitive Church, or impeach ally part of his regal supremacy in the said causes restored to the crown, and by the laws of this realm therein established, let him be excommunicated ipso facto, and not restored, but only by the archbishop, after his repentance and public revocation of those his wicked errors." In the United States, of course, no supremacy or interference in spiritual affairs on the part of the civil authorities is recognized.