[1] Section I was intended to address an alleged recent growth of Roman Catholicism by ensuring the existing anti-Catholic laws were more strongly applied.

Section II provided for the Treasury to reimburse Sheriffs for money expended on such payments.

[1] Section III, expanding on the existing legislation, enacted that if a Catholic priest celebrated Mass, etc., as above, or if any Catholic clergyman or layperson ran a school or "take upon themselves the Education or Government or Boarding of Youth"; he was on conviction liable to "perpetuall Imprisonment" at the discretion of the King.

Act 1584, which prescribed the death penalty for any priest who failed to leave England within 40 days of being so ordered.

The section as to taking and prosecuting priests was repealed, as was the penalty of perpetual imprisonment for keeping a school.