Treason Act 1543
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Acte concerninge the triall of Treasons commytted out of the Kinges Majesties Domynions. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 35 Hen. 8. c. 2 |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 29 March 1544 |
| Commencement | 14 January 1544 |
| Repealed | 1 January 1968 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Criminal Law Act 1967 |
| Relates to | Treasons Act 1534 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Treason Act 1543 (35 Hen. 8. c. 2) was an act of the Parliament of England passed during the reign of King Henry VIII of England, which stated that acts of treason or misprision of treason that were committed outside the realm of England could be tried within England. Those convicted of high treason would have their estates confiscated by the King and then be hanged, drawn and quartered.
The act received renewed attention in 1769, following protests against the Townshend Acts in colonial Boston. After determining that the act was still in effect, Parliament instructed Governor Francis Bernard of Massachusetts to gather evidence against Bostonians who might have committed acts of treason, so that they could be transported to England for trial. Colonial assemblies in British America passed resolutions against such an action, arguing that it would violate their constitutional right to a trial by jury of their peers.
No one in Massachusetts was arrested under the terms of the Treason Act, but the matter came up again in Rhode Island after the Gaspée Affair in 1772. Once again, officials were unable to obtain reliable evidence of treason.