Therefore, the Marian priests only came under the earlier statutes, e.g. the Act of Supremacy 1558 which inflicted penalties on all who maintained the spiritual or ecclesiastical authority of any foreign prelate, or 5 Eliz.
[1] Dom Norbert Birt has shown that the number of Marian priests who were driven from their livings was far greater than was commonly supposed.
A large number, forming the majority of these, accepted, though unwillingly, the new state of things, and according to tradition many of them were in the habit of celebrating Mass early and of reading the Church of England service later on Sunday morning.
[2] Dom Norbert Birt has collected instances of nearly two thousand priests who were deprived or who abandoned their livings for conscience' sake.
Owing to their more favourable legal position they escaped the persecution endured by the Seminary priests, and only the Venerable James Bell is known to have suffered martyrdom.